Favorite music of 2019, Part 1

All year long, I keep a playlist of music released this year that I love. I feel like I’m pretty selective and have varied interests. I tend to like Americana, vaporwave synth, emotional hip-hop, electronica, classic rock, and a few other things. I’m a sucker for catchy repetitive hooks, horns, doubled vocals, and strong drops.

Like 2018, this was an incredible year for me and music. Many of these 100-or-so tracks are from 2019, but some are things I missed from 2018, and a handful are older.

For me, this was a big year for indie rock, pop, Americana, and ambient/instrumental stuff. There’s less true punk (but lots of punk-inspiration!) and less hip-hop. There’s more global influence.

The Amazon Music playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/2e9f0b20045b44ffae0c44792708b5e4sune?ref=dm_sh_6215-83da-0c0c-5062-29b26

In the order they were added to my 2019 playlist, here are the first 40:

Travellin’ Man by the Dead South in 2014. A coworker introduced this to me when I was playing Greensky Bluegrass. The hook here just kills me, and the banjo, doubled vocals, and guitar were all made for me.

My Type by Saint Motel, also 2014. Horns, pop, wall of sound, yes please.

She’s Kerosene by The Interrupters, something I missed in 2018. These folks were a punk band until they had a good reaction from adding some horns to a track and started dabbling in ska. So now it’s a punk-inspired ska thing and I love it so hard.

Black Myself by Our Native Daughters, 2019. I struggle with issues of privilege, especially as I raise two rich, white daughters. This entire album is about the experience of being as far from a rich white dude as you could get, and every time it comes on I stop to think a bit. The group is an insanely talented supergroup (Amythyst Kiah had an incredible solo album in 2013 and Rhiannon Giddens is previously of the Carolina Chocolate Drops) and the album is a great listen all the way through.

I Still Wanna Know by RAC, 2017. RAC makes these insanely catchy summer anthems that aren’t quite as glisteningly poppy as the mainstream stuff like Party Rock Anthem. His 2019 EP “Closer” is wildly different and made it into my Ambient Favorites list.

Un American by Said the Whale, 2018. This indie throwback pop thing has an energy that makes me dance in the kitchen.

Pull Me Deep by Logan Henderson, 2018. This intimate pop track got some radio play. I love the super heavy beat and the energy makes me want to pull my wife close.

Billie Jean by Tyler Rich (cover), 2019. This video is from 2018 but Amazon Music recorded this and released it (exclusively) to Amazon Music in 2019. The studio version is extremely well-polished and produced. I super love the country version of this Michael Jackson classic. I probably listened to it 1000 times this year.

Clean by Adia Victoria, 2019. This song is effing scary. Her voice is amazing, the poetry of this track is difficult, and the production feels straight out of a horror movie. Put this on with good headphones. I hope she finds a way to harness the power represented here for something amazing in the future, because this is an incredible start. This was her first full-length after a handful of previous EPs starting a few years back.

Alas by Murder By Death, 2018. I know almost nothing about this band but this album (“The Other Shore”) is an Americana masterpiece that seems to be basically unknown. I love the strings, and the sad poetry of this makes it a bit misty in the office when it comes on.

Electric Sunset by Twanguero, 2019. Spanish guitar, somewhere between flamenco and soundtracks to old Westerns. Super fun to put on when playing with the kids. Great working music.

Be On Fire by Chrome Sparks, 2019. This EP is one of the greatest electronica albums I’ve heard in the last few years. Synth-organ heavy with a deep, repetitive beat is mostly made for me, so this track is in my top 5 of the year.

Catch My Breath by Confidence Man, 2018. This could have been released in 1999. It’s reminscent of hits from that time like Flat Beat or the Trio’s Da Da Da, but with a modern production that sounds good even on crappy headphones.

Wolves Don’t Live By the Rules by Elisapie, 2018. In the realm of Moon Hooch, this is basically an electronica song done with real instruments. It feels like something you’d hear from Ellie Goulding on a B-side. It’s been used as background music in dozens of places, movies and TV shows and news reports, so it may sound familiar.

I Don’t Wanna Wait by Kelly Finnigan, 2019. From the guy’s photo and name, I didn’t expect him to be belting out what sounds like 70’s soul.

Can’t Get Enough by Griz, 2018. A ridiculous, over-the-top, trap-inspired industrial-bass-hip-hop-electronic THING that makes me dance on the sidewalk.

After All by Rob Baird, 2018. This Americana track about chasing love has a beautiful story, and Rob’s voice has a timbre that really gets me.

Pressure to Party by Julia Jacklin, 2019. I’m so glad this song found its crowd. Anyone that’s ever broken up with a lover will want to cry listening to this. It’s cathartic and heartbreaking, but hopeful and driven.

Middle Child by J. Cole, 2019. I didn’t like most of what J. Cole did this year, but this smash hit is beyond incredible. It’s a variant of the rap “battle” genre but rather than over-the-top, it’s earnest and unique. He pushes two verses before the chorus which gives it a driven feeling that puts this in my top 5 for the year.

Drowning in the Sound by Amanda Palmer, 2019. This was patron-funded, which positions it as an artistic piece, and the 6-minute time and the topic (global warming) feed that perception. But it’s also just a really amazing song and has a level of energy and intimacy in the production that isn’t common in studio production. The first time I heard this I thought it was good but I didn’t think I would keep enjoying it listen after listen.

Fruity by Rubblebucket, 2018. Songs where the lyrics are the highlight are rare for me, but this is basically a poem put to music. It’s terrible for working because the words draw me in every time it comes on. The way it ends just kills me.

Running Scared by the Strumbellas, 2019. This indie track has strong vocals, a catchy chorus, and amazing rhythm guitar. Made for me.

Warmth by ford, 2018. Like “Pull Me Deep”, but with a female vocalist. ford has a sound that reminds me of Odesza and it works super well here. It’s not as successful for me in his other work.

Can’t You See by FIDLAR, 2019. FIDLAR has historically done harder kind of metal/rock stuff, but this is a straight-up guitar rock song that’s more palatable for regular listening.

All of My Friends by River Whyless, 2018. A slow vocal crescendo with strong drums and a synth background. This whole album is amazing and this track is a good example of what to expect from it.

Starter Home by Doug Paisley, 2018. This quiet, sad Americana track about poverty and growing old is an exercise in the privilege I have. I was really surprised that this album didn’t completely take off. I figured I would have heard pieces of this everywhere: all the tracks have these catchy little guitar hooks and steel string twanging that make it old-school but relevant.

Fine Line by Mabel and Not3s, 2018. “I know how this thing goes / I know the beat to your love” might be the catchiest hook of the last 3 years. Constantly gets stuck in my head.

Growing Pains by Alessia Cara, 2018. This is the only time I’ve said, “just read the YouTube comments.”

Leah by Messa, 2018. Drone rock/metal. Great work music.

Revolution Lover by Left at London, 2019. This is an indie track in the vein of Just Really Happy Music, like Ain’t No Man by the Avett Brothers or Good as Hell by Lizzo.

Come For Me by Sunflower Bean, 2018. Straight up guitar rock.

Bury a Friend by Billie Eilish, 2019. This mega-smash hit killed me when I first heard it and it still slays me. I love Billie’s exploration of youth and trauma and sexuality across her whole album, and her spare, driven sound is unique and obviously I’m not alone in enjoying it.

I’m Over It by Blushh, 2018. Guitar rock with a great drop. The album is great.

Wayfaring Stranger by Rhiannon Giddens (cover), 2017. When she did her work with Our Native Daughters, I wondered why I hadn’t heard a Carolina Chocolate Drops track in a while. Turns out she’s insanely prolific but stopped working in that group a while back, releasing this album in 2017.

Nothing Else by Chong the Nomad, 2019. Chong the Nomad is a Seattle artist doing spare electronica. The production is highly polished and effects-heavy. It’s usually happier than Billie Eilish but has the same feel for me. This track adds vocals by Jax Anderson and an *enormous* drop that makes me do ridiculous things when no one is watching.

PDA by Manatee Commune, 2019. My favorite track for 7am workdays at the office. Everyone loves it. Electronica with bongo drums? I’ll take it.

Edmund Pettus Bridge by Good Riddance, 2019. This is basically what I want Bad Religion to be doing now.

AEnema by TOOL, 1996. TOOL is the last band to jump on the digital music train. None of their music was available digitally until this year, when they released a new album. I’ve never been a huge fan, but Aenema is the kind of angry, driven rock I love to scream in my car.

Watch Me Read You by Odette, 2017 (on a 2018 album). I dig Kate Tempest but she’s frequently not melodic enough for my tastes. Odette’s album “To A Stranger” is a part-spoken, part-melodic journey through love and hope.

Back On Top by Gloria Gaynor, 2019. Obviously she’s a megastar for “I Will Survive”, but she has a dozen studio albums. Her work in recent years (including the album this track is from) is very spiritual-gospel, but this track is self-affirming and it’s great to hear her voice. I’ll take “How To Age” for $600, Alex.