My Top Twenty Songs for 2015
This is terrible, as I bought 700 songs this year. I donāt know if I can really doĀ ātop twenty.ā I guess Iāll call itĀ ātop twentyā and really meanĀ ātwenty of the songs I really loved but I could list two hundred more.ā
1.Ā āWinterā - Nieves. I know some of this is my Celtic folk background showing ā this is very Dougie MacLean/ Old Blind Dogs ā but I think itās such a sad and hopeful song. Fun fact: I listened to it 93 times in a row while writing the last Adam Parrish POV scene in TRK.
2.Ā āGodās Whisperā - Raury. This song feels like itās bothĀ going somewhere and has been somewhere, just like my other ā15 find Silver FirsāĀ āAway We Go.ā Good for a road trip in an old Camaro. Probably Iād end such a Gansey-Blue playlist withĀ āNothing is Anythingā by Wintersleep.
3.Ā āThis is Not a Gameā - The Chemical Brothers, feat Miguel & Lorde. I was in love with this song from the first dire synth note at the beginning. Cinematic and cool.
4. āElastic Heartā - Sia. I just. Desperate and bitter and pretty.
5. āYou Are My Soulā - Manicanparty. This song is a little bit like āElastic Heartā andĀ āThis is Not a Gameā had a baby. Ā
6.Ā āUntil We Go Downā - Ruelle. This was a good year for cinematic alt rock. Just put this one in a playlist with the previous three. I donāt know if this would be on the list if I hadnāt listened to it so much for the Raven King, but as it is a pretty fine Raven King song, Iāll leave it on the list.Ā
7.Ā āI Donāt Mindā - Inner Oceans. This song is just so lovely that I could puke.
8. āBrother (Kygo Remix)ā - Matt Corby. There is something very ascendant about those repeated falsetto notes. Ā
9.Ā āNo Harm is Done feat. Tunji Igeā - Christine and the Queens. This song was dubbedĀ āSnake People Musicā by one of my friends, right after he said,Ā āYouāre one of those remix people, arenāt you.ā I am, I guess. I just find this song so after-dark sexy.
10.Ā āFirstā - Cold War Kids. Perfect betrayed closing credits song.
11.Ā āI Foundā - Amber Run. If I hadnāt already puked over how prettyĀ āI Donāt Mindā is, Iād puke now for this one.Ā
12.Ā āAll Who Remainā - Beware of Darkness. Now hereās a great song to listen to while sulking in a dark room.Ā āEchoā by The Lonely Wild is good to follow up for more sulking. Finish with Kishi Bashiās cover of BeirutāsĀ āA Sunday Smileā for more vaguely attractive ennui. No, wait, addĀ āForest Fireā by Brighton. Thatāll sting. Go ahead and listen to that during the Noah scenes for the Raven King.
13.Ā āWaterā - Ra Ra Riot & Rostam. Perfect ironic closing credits song. I donāt know if Iāll make it waiting for this full album to drop.
14.Ā āCounting Sheepā - SAFIA. These people are weirdos. This song is weird. Everything they do is weird. I feel weird when I listen to it. Can it be any slicker? I donāt think so.
15.Ā āAll the Kingsā - Editors. AndĀ āKingsā by Tribe Society. This is two songs but because they both have the word Kings in them, Iām putting them on one line to put more songs on this list.Ā
16. āNever Been in Loveā - Cobra Starship. This song, plus Kids of 88ā²sĀ āJust a Little Bitā plus Cayucasā āMoony Eyed Walrusā can cure any road trip of any ill.Ā
17.Ā āMainline (Jaytee Remix)ā - One Day. Objectively, I know this song is terrible. Subjectively, I love it so bad. It goes next to HEALTHāsĀ āStonefistā and the Brevis Remix of Lil JonāsĀ āSYFā and Mt. EdenāsĀ āDistance Killsā and Hudson MohawkeāsĀ ā100HMā andĀ "Patient Zeroā by Zomboy andĀ āMe Bota Pra DanƧarā by Edu K.Ā
18. āA. M. A. (Eule Remix)ā - Maps. I would drive to this for two thousand miles. And have.
19.Ā āHollow Tuneā - Brick + Mortar. I once drove from Virginia to NYC listening to only this song over and over. True story.Ā
20. AWOLNATIONās album in its entirety, particularĀ āJailbreakā andĀ āI Am.ā The first song struck me so hard while I was driving to Kansas that I had to actually pull over by the side of the road because I was not able to listen to it and drive at the same time.Ā