TWENEEK10s: SOTDs
well here we are, not super late!! and i find song lists to be far more personal and exact than album lists, so i really spent a lot of time with this one, so feel free to judge harshly c: |
| 100 |  | Pinegrove
Cardinal
"Size of the Moon" (2016) |
| 99 |  | Foxing
Nearer My God
"Five Cups" (2018) |
| 98 |  | Shannen Moser
Oh, My Heart
"Yard" (2017) |
| 97 |  | Beyonce
Lemonade
"Don't Hurt Yourself" (2016) |
| 96 |  | The Tallest Man on Earth
I Love You. It's a Fever Dream.
"Hotel Bar" (2019) |
| 95 |  | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
"Good Life of Song" (2019) |
| 94 |  | Common Holly
When I say to you Black Lightning
"Uuu" (2019) |
| 93 |  | Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
"Ful Stop" (2016) |
| 92 |  | American Football
American Football (LP3)
"Uncomfortably Numb" (2019) |
| 91 |  | Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
"Jupiter 4" (2019) |
| 90 |  | Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp a Butterfly
"King Kunta" (2015) |
| 89 |  | Avenged Sevenfold
The Stage
"Angels" (2016) |
| 88 |  | Ben Howard
Noonday Dream
"Bird on a Wing" (2018)
VINYL BONUS TRACK |
| 87 |  | Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas
Mariner
"The Wreck of S.S. Needle" (2016) |
| 86 |  | Clans
Lust
"Glendale" (2017)
NON-ALBUM SINGLE |
| 85 |  | Jonsi
Go
"Go Do" (2010) |
| 84 |  | Palehorse/Palerider
Burial Songs
"Sundowning" (2017) |
| 83 | | Ben Howard
Noonday Dream
"Boat to an Island on the Wall" (2018) |
| 82 |  | Trophy Scars
Holy Vacants
"Everything Disappearing" (2014) |
| 81 |  | Joanna Newsom
Divers
"Time, as a Symptom" (2015) |
| 80 |  | Hop Along
Bark Your Head Off, Dog
"Prior Things" (2018) |
| 79 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
"Smooth Sailing" (2013) |
| 78 |  | Common Holly
Playing House
"If After All" (2017) |
| 77 |  | Phoebe Bridgers
Stranger In The Alps
"Walking on a String - Alt. Version" (2019)
NON-ALBUM SINGLE |
| 76 |  | The War on Drugs
A Deeper Understanding
"Strangest Thing" (2017) |
| 75 |  | Swans
To Be Kind
"A Little God in My Hands" (2014) |
| 74 |  | Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
"All of the Lights (Interlude)"/"All of the Lights" (2010) |
| 73 |  | Avenged Sevenfold
Nightmare
"Tonight the World Dies" (2010) |
| 72 |  | Regina Spektor
What We Saw from the Cheap Seats
"All the Rowboats" (2012) |
| 71 |  | The Afghan Whigs
In Spades
"Demon in Profile" (2017) |
| 70 | | Common Holly
When I say to you Black Lightning
"You Dance" (2019) |
| 69 |  | Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Skeleton Tree
"Jesus Alone" (2016) |
| 68 | | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
"The Closing Door" (2019) |
| 67 |  | The World Is a Beautiful Place...
Whenever, If Ever
"Getting Sodas" (2013) |
| 66 |  | Coldplay
Mylo Xyloto
"A Hopeful Transmission"/"Don't Let It Break Heart" (2011) |
| 65 | | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
"The Vampyre of Time and Memory" (2013) |
| 64 | | Avenged Sevenfold
The Stage
"Roman Sky" (2016) |
| 63 | | Hop Along
Bark Your Head Off, Dog
"How Simple" (2018) |
| 62 |  | Copeland
Blushing
"As Above, So Below" (2019) |
| 61 |  | Paramore
Paramore
"Last Hope" (2013) |
| 60 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
Villains
"Un-Reborn Again" (2017) |
| 59 |  | Sturgill Simpson
A Sailor's Guide To Earth
"Call to Arms" (2016) |
| 58 |  | Tash Sultana
Flow State
"Pink Moon" (2018) |
| 57 | | Beyonce
Lemonade
"Freedom" (2016) |
| 56 |  | Anna von Hausswolff
Dead Magic
"Ugly and Vengeful" (2018) |
| 55 |  | Hop Along
Get Disowned
"Tibetan Pop Stars" (2012) |
| 54 |  | Miya Folick
Premonitions
"Thingamajig" (2018) |
| 53 |  | Typhoon (USA-OR)
A New Kind of House
"Claws, Pt. 1" (2011) |
| 52 | | Phoebe Bridgers
Stranger In The Alps
"Scott Street" (2017) |
| 51 |  | Damien Rice
My Favourite Faded Fantasy
"My Favourite Faded Fantasy" (2014) |
| 50 |  | Algiers
The Underside of Power
"Walk Like a Panther" (2017) |
| 49 | | The Afghan Whigs
In Spades
"Into the Floor" (2017) |
| 48 |  | The Voidz
Tyranny
"Dare I Care" (2014) |
| 47 | | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
"I'll Be You, Be Me" (2019) |
| 46 |  | Gang of Youths
Go Farther in Lightness
"L'imaginaire"/"Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane" (2017) |
| 45 |  | Coldplay
Ghost Stories
"Midnight" (2014) |
| 44 |  | La Dispute
Panorama
"Fulton Street I" (2019) |
| 43 |  | Ought
Room Inside The World
"Desire" (2018) |
| 42 | | Paramore
Paramore
"Part II" (2013) |
| 41 |  | Ben Howard
I Forget Where We Were
"End of the Affair" (2014) |
| 40 |  | Linkin Park
A Thousand Suns
"When They Come for Me" (2010) |
| 39 |  | Brand New
Science Fiction
"Same Logic/Teeth" (2017) |
| 38 | | Damien Rice
My Favourite Faded Fantasy
"The Greatest Bastard" (2014) |
| 37 |  | Coldplay
Everyday Life
"Arabesque" (2019) |
| 36 |  | Father John Misty
Pure Comedy
"So I'm Growing Old on Magic Mountain" (2017) |
| 35 |  | Jack White
Boarding House Reach
"Over and Over and Over" (2018) |
| 34 | | The Afghan Whigs
In Spades
"Oriole" (2017) |
| 33 |  | clairo
Immunity
"Bags" (2019) |
| 32 |  | S. Carey
Hundred Acres
"Emery" (2018) |
| 31 |  | M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
"Midnight City" (2013) |
| 30 | | Anna von Hausswolff
Dead Magic
"The Mysterious Vanishing of Electra" (2018) |
| 29 | | Brand New
Science Fiction
"In the Water" (2017) |
| 28 | | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
"My God Is the Sun" (2013) |
| 27 |  | Pinegrove
Skylight
"Rings" (2018) |
| 26 | | Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
"Runaway" (2010) |
| 25 |  | Bon Iver
22, A Million
“666 (upsidedowncross)” (2016)
This song plays out like a hymn in my mind; Vernon’s voice rings out like a choir over ruminations of religion and death. The sound of this song is so wholly original that it’s hard to place, a unique blend of traditional folk, gospel, and electronic music, his vocals can only be compared to perhaps Peter Gabriel in their emotional oddness. This is a labyrinthian song, full of dark corners and fear, but at the end of it all, there’s always a shining light guiding us through. |
| 24 |  | La Dispute
Rooms of the House
“Woman (in mirror)” (2014)
Some of the songs here remind me of a lot of things, like my life is stretched out before me. This one is attached to one specific moment—a beautiful one, discovering a new love in an unfamiliar place. The gentleness of this song is precious, loving delivery in the vocals with jazzy drumming (like the Pumpkins in their gentlest) and chiming guitar, it all paints such a pretty and unique picture. It’s a love that’s doomed from the start, but the journey will always be worth taking. |
| 23 | | Linkin Park
A Thousand Suns
“The Catalyst” (2010)
A ridiculous electro-rock rager to be certain, but the way that this song dives headfirst into its apocalyptic concept with furious abandon is as engaging as it is lively. This is seriously a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” song, with the biggest aspects of the album behind cranked up to 11 in an awesome clusterfuck of a song. Idk guys, I just love it, leave me alone. |
| 22 |  | Janelle Monae
The ArchAndroid
“Come Alive (War of the Roses)” (2010)
Taking on a rockier vibe in this chapter her endless sonic shape-shifting, “Come Alive” features a jagged guitar attack that pairs furiously well with Janelle rambunctious vocals—which are at their all-time best here on a jaw-dropping sustained note that’s certainly one for the ages. Pair all this with some even more unexpected twists and turns, and you’ve got one of the most fun songs of the decade.
Some of the songs here remind me of a lot of things, like my life is stretched out before me. This one is attached to one specific moment—a beautiful one, discovering a new love in an unfamiliar place. The gentleness of this song is precious, loving delivery in the vocals with jazzy drumming (like the Pumpkins in their gentlest) and chiming guitar, it all paints such a pretty and unique picture. It’s a love that’s doomed from the start, but the journey will always be worth taking. |
| 21 | | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
“…Like Clockwork” (2013)
Often overshadowed by its pulse-pounding predecessor, the titular closing track is a masterpiece of its own. Homme’s lyrics and vocal performance are at their most emotive, but the song’s real strength lies in its endearing formlessness. Starting as a traditional ballad, it twists and turns through several bombastic forms before sputtering out and falling back where it all started, just… like clockwork. |
| 20 |  | Regina Spektor
Remember Us To Life
“Small Bill$” (2016)
This song is an absolute mess in the best possible way—a clattering mish-mash of trip-hop, Regina rapping (??), menacing strings, and lyrics of a capatlism-fueled apocalypse, it fit well into her most recent record’s partial focus on political anger. It also makes for the strangest and most surreal song she’s put forward, and very nearly close to her best track yet. |
| 19 |  | Bon Iver
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
“Holocene” (2011)
This may be the single most peaceful, calming force out there. Sonically and lyrically forming images of forests and snow, there’s a deep-rooted calm to the music here that cradles me and pushes away the worry for a few minutes. It’s just one of those songs that should be treasured for all time and I don’t really see how anyone could think anything different. |
| 18 |  | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
“Claws in Your Back” (2017)
This song is an absolute mess in the best possible way—a clattering mish-mash of trip-hop, Regina rapping (??), menacing strings, and lyrics of a capatlism-fueled apocalypse, it fit well into her most recent record’s partial focus on political anger. It also makes for the strangest and most surreal song she’s put forward, and very nearly close to her best track yet. |
| 17 |  | fun.
Some Nights
“Some Nights” (2012)
“Some Nights” was the first song I listened to after a break-up with a girl I dated for two years. It was the song I listened to when I pushed myself forward. Its become something of an anthem of independence and loneliness, with lyrics of moving far away from family to pursue what you love suddenly sticking close to my heart as a I got older. It’s a song that’s always remained relevant lyrically to me, and never ceases to surprise me in terms of the ingenuity of its pop musicainship—marching drums, random loops, chugging guitars, this is one of the most reassuring and sobering pop songs of our time. |
| 16 |  | Typhoon (USA-OR)
Offerings
“Empiricist” (2018)
This is a history of sorts, a history of a single life through all the moments of weakness that we’d rather just forget, yet it strengthens those moments and recognizes them as essential to who we are—I’m blathering, but what I mean is this means a lot to me. Any one of these hyper-melodic themes will hit me at any given moment, and I’ll immediately be thrown into a rollercoaster of my past couple years. This song is a journey, a memory, and a history. My history. |
| 15 |  | David Bowie
Blackstar
“Lazarus” (2016)
I mean this is just one for the ages. One of the most assured and villainous rock songs to come out this decade, the whole thing carries Bowie’s legendary confidence on its back. Jazzy undertones back a stinging electric guitar, but at the forefront of course is Bowie’s tortured vocal performance. With all the fractured grace of a rock-god coming to terms with his slipping immortality, Bowie delivers the goods to the Nth degree. |
| 14 | | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
"Race to the Bottom” (2019)
A restless slice of folk-rock that contains threatening murmurs from Hansard over squelchy percussion, a goddamn catchy guitar riff, teasing horns, and several Middle Eastern influences that weave in-and-out through the track, each shifting the piece in various way like an ever-changing ball of clay, but each coming in in ways so natural that even the strangest sounds feel like they’ve been there from the start of the song. |
| 13 | | Brand New
Science Fiction
“Batter Up” (2017)
This is another one that just gets under my skin. The song rolls in like a slow fog, always straining towards a climax that it never fully reaches. With lethargic pacing and a riff reminiscent of their classic “Jesus Christ,” it’s a tune that haunts you far longer than you might think. The lyrics really drive home the foreboding atmosphere, emphasizing a band imploding under its own emotional stress even before their public evisceration. But that makes this self-deprecating ballad as the more darkly compelling. |
| 12 | | Linkin Park
A Thousand Suns
“Iridescent” (2010)
Now I know no one in their right mind should have this song this high on a decade-end list, but the fact is that every time I put this on, I get thrown back to middle-school days, when it was so much easier to get my emotions caught up in massive, saccharine pieces like this. And now that it’s caught up in the wake of Bennington’s far-too-soon passing, the would-be overbearing climax is just as moving and exceptional as ever. When the band all comes in together to sing the final chorus, and the music kicks in full throttle… it’s just one of those moments man. It’ll never not get me feeling things. |
| 11 | | Coldplay
Everyday Life
“Trouble in Town” (2019)
This is basically the song I’ve been telling people Coldplay were still capable of after all these years, and yet it still managed to surpass my expectations. The first half, moving along some bouncy piano and a jaunty beat is excellent enough on its own, but when a captivating vocal sample comes in and gives way to a riptide of sonic anger and paranoia—from Buckland’s soloing to the oppressive sonic wall—it’s pure Coldplay, just unlike we’ve ever heard them before. And the outro is rad af too. |
| 10 | | Ben Howard
Noonday Dream
“The Defeat” (2018)
This violent, lurching monster of a song is filtered through some seriously bitter stream-of-consciousness lyrics. “The Defeat” endlessly ponders the self-destructive nature of man in the most vivid and rousing way possible. A never-ending flow of drum strikes flicker through ghostly guitar lines that do little to get in the way of the chaos of the throbbing bass below. This song is a rush through and through, and a deft condemnation of all the self-deceit it takes to get through everyday life. |
| 9 | | The Voidz
Tyranny
“Human Sadness” (2014)
An exhausting labyrinth of a song, needless to say this one was a bit of a grower for me. Nevermind how inaccessible some of the vocal effects are on here, the sheer length and zig-zaggedness of the song takes quite a bit of getting used to. Still, the pay-off for sticking this one is strong, thanks to the pure catharsis and exciting that can be derived from its many dark passageways. This is a song that can be explored, and from the second half onward the rewards are ever more clear. This one rules. |
| 8 | | Damien Rice
My Favourite Faded Fantasy
“It Takes a Lot to Know a Man” (2014)
A full-hearted and long-winded deluge of sounds and emotions, this track takes a deep dive into relations between man and woman, listing off each gender’s stereotypical strengths and faults in order to find commonality between them. It’s just got this huge sound that I’m clearly a sucker for (looking at the rest of these tracks coming up), but its slow build is delivered with pure perfection. |
| 7 | | Glen Hansard
This Wild Willing
"Fool’s Game” (2019)
I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the most hopeful things I’ve ever heard. Even in its bone-shaking climax, where all the weight of the world is riled up in a devastating attack, the way the choruses of voices come together to scream against it and push it back down just reminds me of how if we all pull together we can really make it out of this alright in the end. Maybe I’m reading too much into this all, and maybe I’m just getting too caught up in Hansard’s unique brand of post-folk romanticism, but I can’t help that think that with this song in the world, it’s just a little bit brighter. |
| 6 | | Brand New
Science Fiction
"Lit Me Up” (2017)
It took me a long time to come to terms with just how much I love this song. Maybe it’s because enjoying something so sick(?) sounding was hard to come to terms with, but this song is like no other I’ve ever heard. It’s a simple song in terms of composition, the the absolute depths of its sound are just unbelievable. When Lacey sings about ancient evils with unfathomable omniscience, there’s nothing you can do but believe him. There’s something so assured and depraved about this sound that it’s almost inviting, and the revelations released afterwards make it sound even more dangerous to love. |
| 5 | | Ben Howard
Noonday Dream
“Nica Libres at Dusk” (2018)
Filled with fear and hurt in the verses and absolute peace and contentment in the choruses, this song promises hope and truth to an audience that knows it very might well be lying, but this lie is so so sweet that any doubts are understandably ignored. The song transports us. Out of our homes, out of our cars, out of our lives, to an imaginary haven of beauty that doesn’t exist outside of our ears in this moment, but that doesn’t stop us from being the closest we’ve ever gotten to pure carefree bliss since we’ve started looking. |
| 4 | | Phoebe Bridgers
Stranger In The Alps
“Georgia”
It should be noted that “Georgia” didn’t grab my attention at first, much like the rest of its parent album. I really enjoyed it, but for the life of me I never understood just how fucking strange it is until the 10th listen. But when I finally sank my teeth into bassy undercurrents, the various chimings and churnings layered into the recording, the pure ridiculousness of the overblown, string-laden bridge, I realized that this was crack to me. Basically, the song is a goddamned masterpiece. I don’t know what makes this song so perfect, but I know exactly what. It’s just not something I can explain. |
| 3 | | Paramore
Paramore
"Future” (2013)
If there’s anything that the song–and it’s parent album–is about, it’s acknowledging the past before catapulting yourself into the future. And after a few longing verses imploring a young her to keep strong, combined with acoustic strumming and incessant clock-ticking percussion, Hayley sings herself into the next stage of her life. Monumental guitars, gigantic drums, and a massive volume bump fade in to create a soundscape larger than anything Paramore have done since. And then it fades in and out again to remind you that they’re never really ever going away. This is the song that played in a young band’s head when they left their small town to start a life of something bigger. And I’m glad they shared it with me before I did the same. We’re all just doing what we’re called to do. And this song reminds us that it’s okay to leave some things behind in order to do what we love. |
| 2 | | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
"I Appear Missing” (2013)
This is one of those songs that plays like a movie in my head, from the visceral lyrics to the monumental size of the riffs, the whole thing oozes images of nightlife and paranoia. It’s robotic in nature but highly emotive, and features a blissful outro starring Homme as far the most wounded he has ever sounded on record. It’s a masterpiece; a perfect blend of kicking ass and unstoppable misery, and it’s far and away the crown jewel of perhaps the greatest discography in all of rock music. |
| 1 | | M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
"Wait” (2011)
“Wait” is the single most moving song that’s ever been produced. Every single time I throw it on, it transports me through a montage of all the moments throughout my life that I’ve listened to it. Highs and lows, moments of serenity and loss, this song helps me through it. And every time I need help, I put it on, adding another memory. It’s this snowball effect of emotion that makes it entirely possible that no other song may ever dethrone it as my favorite song of all time. It’s got years of my life wrapped up in it, all coming to a head in one of the most euphoric and cathartic climaxes in music history—and the most blissful release. |
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