Welcome to my 9th annual Music Awards / year in review post. I’ve also embedded my Spotify playlist of my favorite tracks at the top of this post.
[my other ‘year end’ posts: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011]
Song of the Year:
“Drunk II” by Mannequin Pussy
[Runner up: “Got To Keep On” by The Chemical Brothers]
The process of a song getting to this title usually starts with a question of, “I like this song — how will it sound live?” Thankfully, this song got a chance to prove itself in front of a sold out Lincoln Hall show (a setting that has resulted in many past tracks to earn this acclaim). It’s written from a great perspective and performed with equal emotion.
Album of the Year:
Horizons by Bag Raiders
[Runner up: Outer Peace by Toro Y Moi]
I didn’t put much thought into this award. Spotify told me that Bag Raiders was my most listened to artist of the year, and it made me realize how often I went to this album to just flat out feel better about whatever state I currently mired. Especially handy on morning commutes.
Concert of the Year:
Foals at The Riviera Theatre
[Runner up: Mannequin Pussy at Lincoln Hall]
Just another in a long line of shows (from many different artists) in which my top ranking of them was once again confirmed by their stage presence. They played the hits, they played my new faves, they left me already looking forward to their next show.
Song of the Summer:
“Juice” by Lizzo
[Runner up: “Sucker’” by Jonas Brothers]
I saved listening to Lizzo’s new album in order to listen to it while on vacation over Memorial Day weekend. It was an instant favorite and of course — everyone had it featured on whatever summer party they were hosting.
Song Discovered Thanks to a TV Show / Movie of the Year:
“Misbehavin” by Jennifer Nettles and Walton Goggins
If you watched this show and *didn’t* have this song instantly earworm into your daily life — check your pulse. We are all running around the house with a pickle in our mouth.
Regret of the Year:
Not attending the 312 Block Party to see Priests
[Runner up: losing my concert credibility by bringing my future wife to see Bon Iver at Allstate Arena]
I was Kevin McAllistering it, marathon watching something on Netflix, when I saw through someone else’s post that a band I’ve been trying to see for a couple of years was performing down the road. It was a huge miss (both in the fact that I didn’t know it was occurring until too late and not going). Later that year I went to another street fest solo in order to avoid missing another favorite only to have that band’s set canceled last minute. Overall, my summer street fest planning was a huge miss this year.
Best Decision I made in 2018:
Buying a WONDERBOOM to upgrade playlist mobility
[Runner up: not fighting my future wife’s insistence on hiring a live band for our wedding reception]
This is a quality product that I fully endorse.
Thank you very much for reading. To close, here are the concert collages / showlog from 2019:
