Did it fix what was wrong with you?



31. Less Than by Nine Inch Nails



Genre: Alternative rock

I guess Ti Amo translates to I Love You in Italian. Makes sense, though I feel like the song is more about the powers of lust than love. But I can’t speak Italian so what do I know?

One would think that after having a breakout debut album and a runaway smash hit in back to back years would have made Halsey feel pretty good about herself. Nope. The lyrics in this song are brutally tough as they describe how she let herself become involved in a relationship so emotionally abusive. Luckily so squashed it in time, so she gets her life and we get a great song.

On the whole I was underwhelmed by The War on Drugs new album. But for atleast the first six minutes he is able to match what he did on Lost in the Dream.

Referencing Futurama in the title is a good way to get me to check out your songs, take a note all unknown bands. Iron Chic had not just one, but two! To Shreds You Say? Is the other one and also worth a listen if you like Futurama or punk. Iron Chic definitely deliver the goods to live up to these titles. More Titus Andronicus than Gaslight Anthem on the jersey spectrum.

Trent Reznor popped in to 2017 just to say hi, I can still make great songs.

Top 30 starts tomorrow! The air is thick with enthusiasm!!!

"Ti Amo" is Italian. And yes, it means "I Love You". In French, that's "Je t'aime..".

Really? Whoever presented them at the VGAs went into a whole thing about the beauty of the French language. Fake news!

She fell, she fell right under my spell



30. Holy Mountain by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds



Genre: Rock

Got gas in the tank, got money in the bank



29. The Man by The Killers



Genre: alternative stadium rock

If we only ever get one chance to burn



28. Nimble Bastard by Incubus


Genre: Rock

Is it too soon to do this yet?



27. Delicate by Taylor Swift


Genre: Pop

How could something so sweet tear us apart?



26. How Did We Get So Dark? by Royal Blood



Genre: Rock

Rock finally has a takeover session as we hit the top 30. Coming in all shapes as usual, Noel Gallagher kicks us off by leaving his old Oasis sound behind. Holy Mountain is a big band statement right at the top of the album. We aren’t here to chase yesterday, we are here to party.

The Killers post their second and final entry with The Man, which is also a party trapped inside a song. The Killers take a more humorous approach to it though. This song is both a celebration of oneself and a satire of the very same thing.

I mentioned before how it so nice having good Incubus back. Nimble goes beyond even that though, as even though it can come off as another rock song, it’s not quite like anything they’ve done before. It is very grounded and the only time your feet leave the ground is when you dance.

Delicate is not only a great song on its own, but it marks the point on Reputation where Taylor finally starts to chill the fuck out. The Old Taylor may be dead, but if you strike her down she shall rise again stronger than ever.

Royal Blood just brings the iconic drum and bass guitar riffs every time. How did we? shows that they didn’t lose a step in between albums.

Halfway done!

For those too busy or lazy to read the first half:

50. “Run For Cover” - The Killers
49. “Chocolate” - Big Boi and Troze
48. “Road Less Traveled” - Lauren Alaina
47. “High On Humans” - Oh Wonder
46. “Bounce Back” - Big Sean
45: “Lannoy Point” - Ride
44. “Eraser” - Ed Sheeran
43. “For What It’s Worth” - Liam Gallagher
42. “The Way You Used To Do” - Queens Of The Stone Age
41. “State Of The Art” - Incubus
40. “Temptation” - Joey Bada$$
39. “Missing Wires” - Soulwax
38. “End Game” - Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Future
37. “Babygirl” - Charli XCX and Uffie
36. “Yeah Right” - Vince Staples
35. “Ti Amo” - Phoenix
34. “100 Letters” - Halsey
33. “Up All Night” - The War On Drugs
32. “A Headache With Pictures” - Iron Chic
31. “Less Than” - Nine Inch Nails
30. “Holy Mountain” - Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
29. “The Man” - The Killers
28. “Nimble Bastard” - Incubus
27. “Delicate” - Taylor Swift
26. “How Did We Get So Dark?” - Royal Blood

#49 - Chocolate: Pretty fun booty song, nice beat. Vanilla guy tho

#48 - Road Less Travelled: She's cute but generic too generic country pop for me

#47 - High on Humans: Decent indie song

#46 - Bounce Back: Meh

#45 - Lannoy Point: Cool instrumental vibe but singing/lyrics don't work for me

#44 - Eraser: Good chorus but I'm not the biggest fan of Sheeran channeling the Streets, I prefer a few other songs from that album

#43 - For What It's Worth: Solid song, feels like it should be sung by Oasis to me though

#42 - The Way We Used To Do: Lacking a little something to me

#41 - State of the Art: Pretty good song

I think we were cursed from the start



25. Heaven by PVRIS




Genre: Alternative rock

You were a wolf in the daylight



24. Almost Had Me by Lights




Genre: Electropop

I remember syrup sandwiches and crime allowances



23. Humble by Kendrick Lamar



Genre: Hip-hop

We speak in tongues and start to teethe



22. Can’t Get It Out by Brand New




Genre: Bummer rock

Don’t let those losers take your magic



21. Let Em Talk by Kesha and Eagles Of Death Metal



Genre: Pop

Pvris returned this year with a new sound that suited them much better IMO. Sometimes you just need a little tweak to elevate. Heaven is a perfect preview of whats to come.

Speaking of elevation, what a great year Lights. After every pop star and their mother knocked off her style, she came back and said please step aside sisters. Skin & Earth is a bit of a concept album, it even released with a comic that I never read. Almost Had Me is the conclusion of this saga, a reflection on how she could fall for the wolf in the daylight.

Humble could have been even higher if ESPN and other outlets hadn’t run it in to the ground. But I think the song will recover in time and be known as a highlight in hip-hoppery. That beat will never not be hot.

Brand New gave us a surprise return album this year, and they might have come back better than ever. These songs atleast compare closest to their previous best Devil and God. Can’t Get It Out highlights the best of Brand New, blending some heavy lyrics with a beat you can hum along to.

Kesha also had a strong year. I think people would have been fine if she went away and we got to keep jamming to Dr. Luke free of guilt. But she turned all that into gold, which is the best quality an artist can claim. Let Em Talk is Kesha’s victory parade. A place where she gets to have fun, knowing that she won the war.

I’m liking this pace so let’s keep it going tomorrow.

And the stone you throw will turn back in its path



20. Wall of Glass by Liam Gallagher



Genre: Rock

I wanna cut through the clouds, break the ceiling



19. Cut To The Feeling by Carly Rae Jepsen




Genre: Pop

Folded wings that used to fly



18. Broken Halos by Chris Stapleton



Genre: Country

I was made in the rain



17. Break A Guitar by Ty Segall



Genre: Rock

I move in a world of conspiracies, obey no rules just doing me



16. Talk To Me by Run The Jewels


Genre: Hip-hop

For the first time I think every song just has one genre. Apologies to all skoliogenre music lovers.

Wall of Glass is the reason I couldn’t totally hate on Greg Kurstin earlier. This song almost makes up for ruining the Foo fighters album. Also happy that the Showdown of the Gallaghers ended up in a tie. Noel wins album, but Liam takes best song of the bunch.

How many great songs is Carly gonna crank out of the Emotion era? Hard to believe CttF wasn’t able to make cut on either side A or B.

Chris Stapleton wins country song and album(s) of the year. Even better than his beloved Traveler in my opinion. Broken Halos is a pretty simple song, but it’s serene in its simplicity and has stuck with me.

Ty Segall is keeping the spirit of rock n roll alive with his annual releases that somehow keep getting better. Break A Guitar is a shredder that kicks off the album in glorious fashion.

I included Run The Jewels, released on Christmas 2016, in the songlist as insurance against any surprise releases this year. So far there have not been any, but oh well, Talk To Me is still awesome and deserves a spot on here.


More after work! We are getting close to the finish line

Go fuck yourself, don’t say you’re sorry



15. 3 A.M. (Pull Up) by Charli XCX and M0




Genre: Pop