My 2017 greatest hits was too much to boil down to a list of ten.
And I'm so happy about it - what a really fantastic year for music! There were brilliant tunes from my favorite old artists and there are many of my favorite songs from brilliant new folks. I'll be honest though, there was a lot to keep up. Like, a lot. Finding new music is very much my favorite thing to do but that's hard if there's never ending new music releases every other day. So there's always the picking and choosing. Sometimes I'll pick and choose solely on the album art. Sometimes it's something or someone familiar. Or sometimes it's just because my player is set to auto-play a new song after it's finished whatever it's playing.
You might point out this list has covers or remixes of tracks released before 2017 (#37, #58, #77) but I’m going to count it as new music released in 2017 because its my list, so there.
Each of these songs have a moment or place in time attached to it, I’m going to share a few of those with you.
Alternatively: Shut up and show me the Spotify Playlist
1 - The xx - Brave For You
This song has a lot of meaning and attachment behind it. Back in April, my coworker Adhishree asked me if I could make a video to play at the Teach For India Alumni Induction for 2015 Fellows who completed their two year Fellowship. I’m very attached to people in that team and this kids involved, so we set out to make a video with as many Teach For India classrooms as possible across the city. If you’re keen to take a look, here you go! Of course, it’s more personal if you’re acutally taught these kids for two years and are leaving, but hey let me know what you think.
2 - Joe Goddard - Electric Lines
This song was playing in the background one day and I caught this verse:
I don't know a real ale from a fake one / I don't know which is more sincere / The music we're making / Or the music we hear
I just stopped and played the whole thing again. And again. And again. And again.
3 - Joe Goddard, SLO - Music Is The Answer
I heard this on some work playlist. I’d never heard of Joe Goddard before, but I’m so glad I found this song. It’s been a gateway to a whole world of new electronic music I’d never paid attention to.
4 - LCD Soundsystem - oh baby
The comeback track. It had to be good. It needed to be good. But my god, it was adorable as hell.
5 - Arcade Fire - Everything Now
Later into this list, you’ll find the reprise to this song AND a Bomba Estéreo remix. That’s how much I love this song and its stupidly catchy hook. Close friends and loved ones will know my freak out dance to this song. For humanity’s sake, let’s hope no one’s carrying footage.
They didn’t even let this song make the final tracklist! But I can either whine about the band not including this in the album or I can be grateful they saved it from “unreleased” hell and slapped a bonus track label.
7 - Sampha - (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano
My mom really loves this song. She’s never appreciated or recognized any of the music I’ve played before (The go to response is usually, “Is this Coldplay?”) but she adores this song. Every time we connect the phone to the speakers, Mama will always ask - “Can you play that Sampha?”
There’s a recording of me dancing to this and messing up lyrics in my friend’s phone. Pray that my kids don’t find it.
I’m very happy with my relationship status at the moment, thankyouverymuch, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stop singing and dancing to this at the top of my lungs in my balcony. Pants are optional.
10 - The Horrors - Something To Remember Me By
Ohhh this song, THIS SONG! It’s the most glorious “goodbye world and all of you in it” song ever. I can already picture a fast-paced montage with never ending roads intersperesed with faces of friends, family, and fools. I need to make this a home video!
11 - Kamasi Washington - Truth
12 - Sampha - Blood on Me
14 - Joe Goddard - Lose Your Love
15 - Mura Masa, A$AP Rocky - Love$ick
16 - The Killers - The Man
Sometimes I get worried I’m going to offend someone who doesn’t get the irony of this song... (so much so that I have to write it down here).
18 - Bonobo, Rhye - Break Apart
20 - JAY-Z, Damian Marley - Bam
21 - Lana Del Rey, A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti - Summer Bummer
22 - Arcade Fire, Mavis Staples - I Give You Power
It’s gravelly and cruel and a beast of a protest song. I should also mention - the instrumental version of this song is just as good.
23 - Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein - Soldiers
24 - Radiohead - I Promise
25 - Gorillaz, Popcaan - Saturnz Barz (feat. Popcaan)
26 - The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful
27 - Lucy Rose - Is This Called Home
28 - Liam Gallagher - Chinatown
Proof that new Liam is better than new Noel.
29 - Arcade Fire - We Don't Deserve Love
30 - LCD Soundsystem - tonite
32 - Arcade Fire - Electric Blue
34 - Ramin Djawadi - Dragonstone
37 - The 1975 - By Your Side (Sade cover)
This is my Diwali in Delhi song.
38 - Gorillaz, Peven Everett – Strobelite
39 - Liam Gallagher - Wall Of Glass
41 - Skinnerbox, Axel Boman - Gender (Axel Boman Remix)
42 - Baio - Sensitive Guy
44 - Bibio - CAPEL BETHANIA
45 - Four Tet - Two Thousand and Seventeen
46 - Hans Zimmer - Supermarine
47 - The xx, Jamie xx - On Hold (Jamie xx Remix)
48 - HAIM - You Never Knew
49 - JAY-Z - The Story of O.J.
50 - Public Service Broadcasting - People Will Always Need Coal
51 - Tourist, Ardyn - We Stayed Up All Night
Again, the instrumental is such a banger
52 - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Planets
54 - Joe Goddard - Human Heart
56 - Lana Del Rey, The Weeknd - Lust For Life
57 - Cigarettes After Sex - K
58 - Aphex Twin, Murcof, Vanessa Wagner, Loscil - Avril 14th (Aphex Twin) - Loscil Remix
59 - Moby & The Void Pacific Choir - It's So Hard To Say Goodbye
60 - Ramin Djawadi - Truth
61 - The National - Nobody Else Will Be There
Another one of those brilliant ‘last night on earth’ songs.
62 - LCD Soundsystem - black screen
63 - Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein - Walkin in Hawkins
64 - Sampha - Timmy's Prayer
65 - Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, Migos - Slide
66 - Radiohead - Man of War
67 - The Local Train - Aaftaab
Kritika introduced me to these guys. I’ve seen them perform live three times already this year. I really hope they get the attention from outside India - they deserve it.
68 - Dirty Projectors - Little Bubble
70 - Nilüfer Yanya - Baby Luv
71 - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - American Dream (LCD Soundsystem cover)
72 - Stormzy, MNEK - Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 2
74 - Kojey Radical, Collard - Utopia
75 - Four Tet - Scientists
76 - This Is The Kit - By My Demon Eye
77 - Daecolm - Dancing Queen (ABBA cover)
78 - Masakatsu Takagi - Marginalia #18
79 - Phoenix - Goodbye Soleil
80 - Coldplay - All I Can Think About Is You
There’s a fantastic storyboard for a music video in my head for this.
82 - French Montana, Swae Lee - Unforgettable
84 - N.E.R.D - Deep Down Body Thurst
85 - Ramin Djawadi - Home
86 - Anna Of The North - Someone
87 - Frank Ocean - Chanel
88 - Broken Social Scene - Halfway Home
89 - St. Vincent - Slow Disco
90 - Arcade Fire - Everything Now (continued)
91 - Joe Goddard - Nothing Moves
92 - LCD Soundsystem - call the police
93 - Mac DeMarco - My Old Man
94 - GoldLink, April George - Rough Soul
95 - Sufjan Stevens - Wallowa Lake Monster
96 - Meadowlark - Postcards
98 - Ramin Djawadi - Winter Is Here
99 - !!! - Dancing Is The Best Revenge
Straight to the top of my Ridiculous Mix playlist.
100 - Arcade Fire, Bomba Estéreo - Everything Now (Todo Ya) - Remix por Bomba Estéreo
This has been fun and I'm super pleased with my lists. If anyone's managed to reach this far, I hope you enjoy this. And if you don't... “...okay”.
