My top ten (really 12) was pretty emo and intense. The rest of the list is not so much. Its just some of the great music that was released this year (mostly). This was a super weird year for music. I know that people complained a lot about the music released this year. And it seems there wasn’t really a consensus favorite album or defining song or songs of the year. I think there is always good music out there. You just need to work hard to find it. I’ve already posted my top 12 songs (I had a tie for the 10th spot). This is the rest of the Top 50. And there are still songs that I wish I would have been able to include. Check it out!
13. Spotless - Zach Bryan (feat. The Lumineers)
The Lumineers are/were Zach’s favorite band. This was living a life long dream to do a song with them. And the song is excellent. Another song that will be on a lot of end of year lists.
“Turn on the TV, act like you don't see me. Tell me everything is okay. My mother is a saint and told me if I wait. Everything meant to be will stay. Well, I ain't a believer in people pleasing neither. Fucking telephones have ruined this place. Met a man in New York City, told me humans ain't as pretty. As a perfect day we'll chase for all the days.”
14. A&W - Lana Del Rey
I saw LDR open with this song live this year at Outside Lands. It was excellent. I have long been an LDR fan. This song is just a great example of what she does well. America, sex, LA, commentary on life.
“I haven't done a cartwheel since I was nine. I haven't seen my mother in a long, long time. I mean, look at me. Look at the length of my hair, and my face, the shape of my body. Do you really think I give a damn. What I do after years of just hearing them talking? I say I live in Rosemead, really, I'm at the Ramada. It doesn't really matter, doesn't really, really matter. Call him up, "Come into my bedroom" Ended up, we fuck on the hotel floor. It's not about havin' someone to love me anymorе. This is the experiеnce of bein' an American whore.”
15. Tropic Morning News - The National
You’ll find this song on many of the top indie lists. Probably in the top 10.
“I'll be over here lying near the ocean. Making ocean sounds. Let me know if you can come over. And work the controls for a while.”
16. Satanist - boygenius
Another great one from the indie super group, boygenius. This is basically asking a close friend or lover to continue on a journey with you. Even to the dark parts.
“Will you be a nihilist with me? If nothin' matters, man, that's a relief. Solomon had a point when he wrote "Ecclesiastes". If nothing can be known, then stupidity is holy. If the void becomes a bore, we'll treat ourselves to some self-belief.”
17. Hollywood Baby - 100 gecs
This is hyper pop. This is matured hyper pop. The kids dig this stuff.
“What you crying about, baby? Are you getting lazy? Clear blue sky but it rains all the late fees. Did you get the payment? We had an arrangement. We don't wanna watch the news, we just read statements. Yeah, do you wanna party? Malibu Barbie. Are you gonna pack that shit up when it all comes tumbling down? Do you wanna party? Malibu Barbie. Are you gonna pack that shit up when it all comes tumbling down?”
18. Changes, Pts. 1 & 2 - Neal Francis
I saw this live. It was awesome.
“Changes. Running through my life. And you get farther. And farther behind me. I'm not answering. For anything I did. Anymore. Oh no.”
19. Space Invader - The National
I dig the mumbling and music outro.
“What if I'd never written the letter. I slipped in the sleeve of the record I gave you What if I'd stayed on the C train to Lafayette? What if we'd never met? What if I'd only just done what you told me? And never looked back? What if I'd only ducked away down the hallway? And faded to black?”
20. Changes - Joy Oladokun
So much hope in this song.
“Newspaper says the world's on fire. People yelling and the water's rising. It's easy to feel kinda anxious. Yeah, we've thought it was the end of time. But we're still holding on and we're still trying. Life's always been a little dangеrous. But I don't wanna stay the same, so.”
21. Used To Be Young - Miley Cyrus
Man. This Miley Cyrus album is so good. I have two songs on my top 50. And I love how she captures getting older and remembering being young. And how its unfair to ask of yourself or others to express the wildness of younger hearts.
“I know I used to be crazy. I know I used to be fun. You say I used to be wild. I say I used to be young. You tell me time has done changed me. That's fine, I've had a good run. I know I used to be crazy. That's 'causе I used to be young”
22. Trying - Joy Oladokun
Again, So. Much. Hope.
“I don't think it ever ends. This feeling like you'll never win. Guess I don't mind it. 'Cause I just keep trying. I've been down this low before. Fighting in a thousand wars. Not sure how far the line is. Hoping to find it. I just keep trying. I just keep trying.”
23. Pittsburgh - Wilco
I love this breezy Wilco song that is reminiscent of Sky Blue Sky. I love how it sounds.
“I've always been afraid to sing. That's a little thing. Somehow, that's all I do. Strange as that seems. I've outlived. My dreams.”
24. Flowers (Demo) - Miley Cyrus
I love the slowed down demo version of the song.
“We were good, we were gold. Kinda dream that can't be sold. We were right 'til we weren't. Built a home and watched it burn.”
25. Somebody Like Me - Joy Oladokun
I love how real she is about her situation.
“I've searched the rubble of all my decisions. Learned to say "sorry" for the things I do. Though I don't want to. Some days, it feels so hard to get better. And I've never been as honest as I want to be. When I need help through. Can anybody say a prayer? Can anybody light a candle. For somebody like me? Ooh-oooh-ooh. It's the least that God could do. For giving more than He could handle. To somebody like me. Ooh-oooh-ooh.”
26. Crying in Public - Madi Diaz
I heard this for the first time when I saw Madi Diaz open for MMJ. I shed tears as I processed and digested what she was singing about. I went from never shedding tears ever to frequently shedding them in public.
“I don't wanna be cryin' in public. But here I am cryin' in public. I am strong and it's stronger than I am right now. Tryna keep it in but it's comin' out. I don't wanna be cryin' in public. But here I am cryin' in public.”
27. Dumbest Girl Alive - 100 gecs
I love this song. I love how loud it is. It feels loud. I love the overly produced drums, distorted guitar, and over autotuned (?), vocals.
“If you think I'm stupid now, you should see me when I'm high. And I'm smarter than I look, I'm the dumbest girl alive. I took ten Advils today, I've got bruises on my thighs. Plus I gave away my brain, I'm the dumbest girl alive. I've got lightning in my veins, walk around like Frankenstein. I did science on my face, I'm the dumbest girl alive. Never ask me what I think, don't know why you even try. 'Cause I always get it wrong, I'm the dumbest girl alive. Money comin' from my mouth, money comin' from my eyes. And I keep on losing count, I'm the dumbest girl alive. And I'm picking up the pacе, I'm so happy, I could die. Put emojis on my grave, I'm thе dumbest girl alive. And I feel so dangerous, but you say I'm doin' fine now. Guess that's how it goes, I'm the dumbest girl alive. Text, text, text, text, like you're tryna start a fight. Yeah, I'll fuckin' text you back, I'm the dumbest girl alive.”
28. Sinatra Drive Breakdown - Yo La Tengo
This song grooves. I just love how it sounds.
“I see my arms flail, I see the night alone. I see brief glimpses of clear sky. I see times I wanted, regained and lost again.
29. Vampire Empire - Big Thief
A great song about the end of a relationship and how confusing it can be.
“Well, I walked into your dagger for the last time. It's like trying to start a fire with matches in the snow. Where you can't seem to hold me, can't seem to let me go. So I can't find surrender, and I can't keep control. You turn me inside out and then you want the outside in. You spin me all around, then you ask me not to spin. You say you want to be alone, and you want children. You wanna be with me, you wanna be with him.”
30. Psychos - Jenny Lewis
According to Jenny this is about dating in your fourties.
“I'm not a psycho. I'm just trying get laid. I'm a rock-and-roll disciple. In a video game. Turn down the treble. Drop the bass. Respect to your guru. Namaste. Ye.”
31. Taking Things For Granted - Joy Oladokun
Another song with Joy talking about dealing with the various issues we all have to deal with in life.
“I'm learning to right my wrongs. And speak up when I feel like I'm not being listened to. But some story entered my bones when I was far too young. To know not to listen to what people say. 'Cause everybody's feeling the pressure. Of a world that keeps trying to end us every day.”
32. Mindful Solutionism - Aesop Rock
This song is so good; I am disappointed I don’t have it placed higher. It captures the positives and negatives of progress and technology. I love how he covers all the progress we’ve made in a very witty way.
“You take a lever and a pulley and a winch and a wedge. You get a labyrinth of aqueducts and pyramid steps. Before the Jesus, Archimedes on that miracle tech. Year zero, you could feel the future rearing its head. Put a shoe on a horse, shoot a man with a gun. Steam power, bifocals and mechanical funk. Manipulate electricity, no, it can not be done. Yes it can, ain't a dam that could cancel the flood. True to human curiosity, at the tree of knowledge. Pulling genies out of bottles, stealing from Leonardo's. Plane train auto, hauling space age cargo. Bizarro technology, every day is tomorrow. Telegraph, telephone, you could flirt with Doris. In Poughkeepsie from a cozy geodesic dome in Sydney. You can write a letter with no paper. You could fix anything with a laser.”
33. Hungersite - Goose
Goose blew up this year. I saw them play the Warfield and had a great spot in the balcony to dance and watch. It was excellent. This band of Phish acolytes totally jams. This is a great example of their work and one of their more popular songs. Didn’t get a chance to see it live.
“Hope, it's bent like rope. I'm growing tired. Of hauling on yesterday. Closed, is that how it goes? Well I might be rusted. But brother, I'm here to stay.”
34. I Saw - Young Fathers
I love moving to this song. From a great album. I love how it sounds. I love it grooves. I love the emotion behind it combined with the clearly danceable vibe.
“Brush your teeth. Wash your face. Run away.”
35. Bull Believer - Wednesday
I saw this band of southern punks live at Outside Lands this year. They were great and full of emotion. They are also on a lot of year end lists. Potentially including this song. The screaming at the end is outstanding.
“Finish him.”
36. Hey Driver - Zach Bryan (feat. The War and Treaty)
Another great one from Zach Bryan’s excellent self-titled album. Just excellent. I love the Klonopin reference.
“Hey, driver, I've been feelin' like there's no point at all. The Klonopin ain't kicked in, and I missed my sister's call. Hey, driver, I'm so tired of the ways of this old world. Just drive until the tires melt. We'll come back when it's healed (oh)”
37. SHED TEARS - Killer Mike (ft Mozzy, Lena Bird Myles)
Killer Mike dropped an amazing solo album. As a reader of mine will know, I am a huge fan of the hip hop duo, Run The Jewels, of which Killer Mike is 1/2. This is a great example of much of the album. I love the gospel feel for sure. But, its the realness of the lyrics that really capture it for me.
“I shed tears every morning in the bathroom mirror. Face to face with fate, had to face my fears. It was me, I'm the reason that I fell. That was hell, locked in self-guilt like jail. Lord, I cried, almost died, empty inside. The devil whispers in your ear, you contemplate suicide. I tell you I know, promise, honest, been there before. And it's pride before the fall, it's how it usually go”
38. Clean Slate - The Mountain Goats
I really dug The Mountain Goats follow up album to 2002’s All Hail West Texas. This song captures alot of the early sentiments of songs from The Mountain Goats. The lyrics are awesome and the production and sound are great.
“Leave home feeling empty, change planes in Taipei. Stay awake the whole timе, end up several worlds away. Thе house was almost full that day, they made a space for you. This world is sad and broken, gotta fix a crack or two. Rest until you're rested. Climb back onto the caravan. Remember at your peril. Forget the ones you can.”
39. Grand Junction - The Hold Steady
THS released a good album this year. I dug much of the album and it works as a complete album. It was hard to figure out what song from that album I wanted to include on this list; there wasn’t one or two that stuck out like in previous albums. This is classic THS with two characters in a desperate situation and trying to figure things out in that desperate situation.
“That punk with a mustache who brought us our breakfast. Never came back with the check. On our third day of driving with no expectations. Except some vague sense of The West. Our silence was stretched between nerves and the knowledge. The ring that she wore wasn't mine. 'Cause people get tired and they turn on each other. And the rivers run from the divides.”
40. Younger and Dumber - Indigo De Souza
I saw this song live and she tears (I wasn’t the only one). It was excellent. This is about forgiving yourself for all the dumb shit you do when you’re younger. And specifically the big decisions you made that end up haunting you.
“When I was younger. Younger and dumber. Built like a flower. You came to pick me from out of the city. You turned me sour. When I was younger. Younger and prouder. I was nobody. You came to hurt me in all the right places. Made me somebody.”
41. DOWN BY LAW - Killer Mike, CeeLo Green
This is the opener to that Killer Mike album. So much energy. I love the feeling behind this song. I love the commentary. I realize that SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS is the song that everyone is talking about. And its good, but I wanted to highlight some other songs.
"*****’s done gave up on God. Maybe God gave up on us. Maybe She angry we worshippin' all these false idols, so devils just prеyin' on us.”
42. What Just Happened - The Kid Laroi
I had to include my favorite song from The Kid Laroi (Little 33Forever’s favorite artist).
“What's your excuse? I'ma blame the drugs. I care, I care, I don't care enough.”
43. making the bed - Olivia Rodrigo
If you’re missing your mid-90’s alt rock angst. You’re going to find it in Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS. I dig her whole vibe. I love this album its excellent and full of all that teenage angst. This song is just so good. And I think it gets overlooked by the other more rocking songs. But this ballad is my favorite from her album.
“Want it, so I got it, did it, so it's done. Another thing I ruined I used to do for fun. Another piece of plastic I could just throw away. Another conversation with nothing good to say. I thought it, so I said it, took it 'cause I can. Another day pretendin' I'm older than I am. Another perfect moment that doesn't feel like mine. Another thing I forced to be a sign. Well, sometimes I feel like I don't wanna be where I am. Gettin' drunk at a club with my fair-weather friends. Push away all the people who know me the best. But it's me who's been making the bed. I'm so tired of bein' the girl that I am. Every good thing has turned into something I dread. And I'm playin' the victim so well in my head. But it's me who's been making the bed. Me who's been making the bed. Pull the sheets over my head. Making the bed. And every night, I wake up from this one recurrin' dream, Where I'm drivin' through the city and the brakes go out on me. I can't stop at the red light, I can't swerve off the road. I read somewhere it's 'cause my life feels so out of control. And I tell someone I love them just as a distraction. They tell me that they love me like I'm some tourist attraction. They're changin' my machinery and I just let it happen. I got the things I wanted, it's just not what I imagined.”
44. Shit Talk - Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan came out and dedicated this album to his partner who died this year. The whole album is heartbreaking and heavy.
“No more fighting. I've nothing left to give. I've nothing but atrophy. Did I cross you? Did I fail to believe. In positive thoughts?”
45. DOUBT - Jeff Rosenstock
This song resonates me because of the beginning. It sounds like what I’ve gotten out of ketamine therapy.
“Speak. Even if it feels weird. Even if it feels weird to be yourself. Speak. Even if it's hard to. Even if it hurts you. Even if your brain begins to melt. Slow motion breakdown. P-p-p-pantomime for help. Scream. It doesn’t matter anyway. It doesn't matter anyway so let it out. Scream. Louder than you need to. Loud enough to cut through. Louder than the noise that drowns you out. Slow motion breakdown. Slow motion breakdown. Slow motion breakdown. There's no need to be scared. Nobody knows it’s there. Ah, oh-uh-woah-woah.”
46. Soul Capturer - Animal Collective
I dig the whole album this came out on. I love the classic AC sound.
“Soul Capturer, drunk off of your teasing. Soul Capturer, come to crack your shell. You need a hush, you need a push. You need some tush, it gets you high. Pulls you from the rapture every time.”
47. Rock Salt and Nails (live) - Tyler Childers
I am just getting into Tyler Childers. Expect more music shared from him in 2024. This song is heavy. And its a good reason why art exists. Sometimes you get angry. And you want to retaliate. Its best to put that in a song. Or listen to a song.
“Now if the ladies were blackbirds, if the ladies were thrushes. Well, I'd lie there for hours in the chilly cold marshes. And if the woman were squirrels with them high bushy tails. Well, I'd load up my shotgun with rock salt and nails. I'd load up my shotgun.”
48. Gorilla - Little Simz
This is just a great boisterous hip hop song. I love the bass guitar in the background. dum dum dum. I love how she flows.
“Tunes in the locker, I been waitin' to unleash these. It's a no show if you can't guarantee fees (No, no, no). I ain't got one threat to consider. Heaven and Earth attached to one killer (One, one). Rest in peace to Mac Miller, new Simz drop to shake the whole shit up. What's next? (Ayy). We'll be here for months talkin' about prospects. Stayin' on my job, yes, sir. When rain is against her, I'm weather-resistant on my polyester.”
49. God Is a Circle - Yves Tumor
This is about how god is all around us, but not an imaginary sky being that sends you to hell for not believing in him. And that you need to be a good person, regardless.
“Knowing you. You might hurt someone. Or yourself. You would tear. Everything apart. If you found out. Everyone you loved loved someone else.”
50. I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album, But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time - Andre 3000
Like the title said. Andre 3000 was going to make a rap album. He didn’t he made a flute or maybe more broadly, a woodwind album. I predict people will be rapping over it for many years to come.