Time to wrap up the listmania season with my favorite songs of the year. This will mostly be just an insanely long playlist of songs that I loved during the year and there will be no rankings. You’ll find that playlist from the last part, but first I want to highlight some huge favorites from it. Mostly ones that haven’t been on the EP and albums list. I have no idea how many parts there will be, but hopefully not that many because I want to finish these this weekend. And yes there will be a song of the year on the last part too, but every reader of this blog knows what it will be.
NQ Arbuckle – Love Songs for the Long Game (Six Shooter Recordings)
A new surprise single from Canadian NQ Arbuckle was such a beauty and I had this sweet music video on repeat when it came out.
John K. Samson – Fantasy Baseball at the End of the World (ANTI-)
One of my all-time favorite songwriters John K. Samson released two fabulous new songs this year. First one loved libraries and this second one hated fascists. Both of John’s statements are worth supporting and the songs are again pure gold.
Greta Morgan – When The Sun Comes Up
I’m not afraid of seeing ghosts in the night
I’m not afraid of the boogeyman running his hands down my spine
I’m only afraid of the kind of darkness that doesn’t end when the sun comes up
What a monster song from Greta Morgan. I had it on heavy rotation for few weeks around Halloween and I still love it madly.
MAYBEL – Can’t Abandon My Love (Vain Mina Records)
MAYBEL’s album Gathering definitely could have been on the album of the list too, because I really like the whole record. Maybe part of the reason that it wasn’t is that I love this song too much and whenever I listen to them, I get stuck at listening to this song on repeat.
Chase Weinacht – Leap Day (Keeled Scales)
Very happy that we had a leap day this year, because otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten this beauty of a song from Austin-based songwriter Chase Weinacht. You might remember him from Marmalakes.
Carla Geneve – The Right Reasons (Dot Dash Recordings/Remote Control Records)
Australian Carla Geneve made one of my favorite EPs of 2019 and followed it with a couple of great singles in 2020. I especially loved this one called The Right Reasons.
Clara Mann – I Didn’t Know You Were Leaving Today (Sad Club Records)
Clara Mann’s single destroyed me in a beautiful way just a few weeks ago. What a song.
Hello Emerson – Seat 16B (Anyway Records / K & F Records)
Hello Emerson was on the album list, but I have to share this sweet video on the song list too. They were one of the bands I listened to the most this year. I’m not actually sure is my favorite songMay 2018, Am I the Midwest? or this one Seat16B, because I love them all. Seat16b can do the honors and represent the beauty of the whole record.
Raye Zaragoza – They Say (Rebel River Records)
A very moving and powerful song from the new Raye Zaragoza album Woman in Color.
Steady Holiday – Living Life
Very fond of the two new Steady Holiday singles too. Living Life video made me smile every time I watched it.
Jeff Loops – Beatrice
Jeff Loops just released an album couple of weeks ago and I haven’t had the time to properly listen to the entire album. I did have time to fall in love with this sad song.
Ali Holder – Bruja
Ali Holder’s album Uncomfortable Truths definitely could have been on the album list. A kinda same thing happened here as with Maybel. I always got stuck at listening to the powerful Bruja on repeat and forgot to pay attention to the other gorgeous songs.
War & Pierce – Amen
I’ve been a big Sunny War fan for a few years, but this year I learned about this wonderful War & Pierce project.
Tre Burt – Under the Devil’s Knee (Oh Boy Records)
Tre Burt’s new single Under the Devil’s Knee is one of the most important and powerful songs of the year. Here’s the Western AF video of that song. I highly recommend following Western AF. One of the best things on this internet thing.
John Prine – I Remember Everything (Oh Boy Records)
John Prine’s passing was a monumental loss to the world. His last recorded song I Remember Everything is wonderful and moves me deeply.