Any song from 2010-2015 is eligible...but not songs from this year. (My stupid list....my rules)
So...without any further ado...
We start with a great song off a fantastic album...
#30 Dance Apocalyptic, Janelle Monae
A spot on tribute to the music of the 80's
#29 The Edge of Glory, Lady Gaga
"May all your favorite bands stay together"...indeed!
#28 All Your Favorite Bands, Dawes
#27 Shut Up, Savages
Very powerful video and song.
#26 A Better Tomorrow, Wu Tang Clan
This song is like an anxiety attack that just keeps getting worse. A stream of consciousness nightmare of brilliance!
#25 Pedestrian at Best, Courtney Barnett
#24 Strange Weather, Anna Calvi & David Byrne
Probably her greatest work...
#23 You and I, Lady Gaga
#22 Break the Cycle, You and Me
#21, Seasons (Waiting on You), Future Islands
This claustrophobic and disturbing song has only grown in my estimation.
And she is an emerging superstar.
#20 Here - Alessia Cara
An amazing Toronto artist who has not released a bad album to date!
#19 Infamous - Basia Bulat
What of the best singer/songwriters out there today...
#18 High Hopes, Glen Hansard
#17 Diane Young, Vampire Weekend
Great, great song and a great live song!
#16 Here Comes My Man, The Gaslight Anthem
An album and song that deserved to do much better than they did...
#15 Pyramids in the Sand, Maestro Fresh Wes
A reflection in part, apparently, on rave culture, it is also an intense piece of song writing and of almost existential self-criticism. "I set the deal straight".
#14, Brownlow, Lapsley
Unique and brilliant.
#13 National Anthem, Lana Del Rey
#12 Take Me to Church, Hozier
#11, The Reckoning, Jay Malinowski & The Deadcoast
2015 is drawing to a close...and the time is at hand for a holiday and New Year roundup of the best songs of the year.
Here are my picks for the Top Twenty.
Here is to holidays, beers, champagne, family...and good music!
#20 Kamikaze - MO
Infectious awesomeness!
#19 Chinatown - Girlpool
Wistful...charming...oddly sad. A great tune.
#18 Greg Holden - Boys in the Street
An truly moving song about homophobia, family and redemption.
#17 Coffee - Miguel
An intense, wild, amazing song.
#16 All Your Favorite Bands - Dawes.
"May all your favorite bands stay together." Indeed.
#15 Love Like Mine - Miami Horror
Take a moment from your day to watch what is easily one of the best videos (and songs) of the year!
Just fantastic. Crazy, weird, bizarre, fixed POV awesomeness!
#14 - Mr. Misunderstood - Eric Church
Not generally a big fan of this guy TBH...but this song owes a lot, in a very good way, to artists like Bob Seger, and has both a terrific message and a great, great old-style country-rock sound.
And..."She turned me on to back porch pick-ups, Jackson Pollock and gin" has to be one of the best rock/country lines in recent memory!
#13 bros - Wolf Alice
Wistful, nostalgic and awesome.
#12 SOB - Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
As good a drinking song...or song about drinking...as I have heard for a very long time!
#11 The Eye - Brandi Carlile
Her latest album is just fantastic...and this may not be her only appearance on this year's list!
#10 - Make Up Your Mind Tonight - Hawksley Workman
For a song that goes on about "this is the way that we relax"...THIS IS THE LEAST RELAXING SONG EVER! Love it...Canadian rock artist Workman is back.
#9 Just Like We Never Said Goodbye - Sophie
Ethereal and haunting.
#8 Pedestrian At Best - Courtney Barnett
This song is like an anxiety attack that just keeps getting worse. A stream of consciousness nightmare of brilliance!
#7 Here - Alessia Cara
This claustrophobic and disturbing song has only grown in my estimation.
And she is an emerging superstar.
#6 Brownlow - Lapsley
A reflection in part, apparently, on rave culture, it is also an intense piece of song writing and of almost existential self-criticism. "I set the deal straight".
#5 Infamous - Basia Bulat
This is a terrific song from a great Toronto artist. Her music just keeps getting better...and this should be one of 2016's better albums.
#4 - The Things I Regret - Brandi Carlile
Such a great song from the best overall album of 2015. And so full of the angst of regret...that very worst of feelings.
#3 Gimme All Your Love - Alabama Shakes
This song gives me goosebumps. Incredible vocals, a simmering and explosive tone, that incredible part where they switch it up...just amazing.
Turn it up to eleven and disturb the neighbours! Put it on repeat.
Fantastic.
#2 Her Mercy - Glen Hansard
WHAT A GREAT SONG THIS IS!!! Shows the influence of Van Morrison and folks like Jackson Browne...inspiring and stirring.
By one of the great singer-songwriters alive today.
#1 Sunday Candy - Chance the Rapper, "Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment"
This song is such a joyous, wonderful, uplifting and amazing ode. Everything about it makes you want to sing and dance (if I could do either I would!!!).
A love song about his grandma...and a love song generally. Hearing it makes me want to open the front door and yell "I love you all" to the world!
The video, which was done as a single live take...is something to be enjoyed and savoured.
There is not one ounce of anger, cynicism or ugliness here.
