#Lainy Wilson

[midnight-star-world]

CMT 9-14-24

#CountryMusic

So today I will be bringing you the Hottest 20 Country Music Videos for the week of 9/14/24 from CMT (Country Music Television). So let's get started right now.

Number 20 belongs to Bailey Zimmerman who is new to the list this week - New to Country.

Number 19 belongs to George Birge who is dropping 1 spot this week - Cowboy songs.

Number 18 belongs to Dierks Bentley who is new to the list this week - American girl.

Number 17 belongs to Chris Stapleton who is new this week - Think I'm in love with you.

Number 16 belongs to Miranda Lambert who is staying in the same spot as last week - Wranglers.

Number 15 belongs to Post Malone featuring Blake Shelton who are moving up 2 spots this week - Pour me a drink.

Number 14 belongs to Dan + Shay who are moving up 1 spot this week - Bigger houses.

Number 13 belongs to Zach Top who is moving up 1 spot this week - Sounds like the radio.

Number 12 belongs to Parmalee who are moving up 1 spot this week - Gonna love you.

Number 11 belongs to Drew Baldridge who is dropping 10 spots this week - She's somebody's daughter.

Number 10 belongs to Marshmello & Kane Brown who are moving up 1 spot this week - Miles on it.

Number 9 belongs to Dasha who is moving up 1 spot this week - Austin.

Number 8 belongs to Tim McGraw who is moving up 1 spot this week - One bad habit.

Number 7 belongs to Lainey Wilson who is moving up 1 spot this week - Hang tight honey.

Number 6 belongs to Chase Matthew who is moving up 1 spot this week - Love you again.

Number 5 belongs to Luke Bryan who is staying in the same spot as last week - Love you, miss you, mean it.

Number 4 belongs to Chris Young who is moving up 2 spots this week - Young love & Saturday nights.

Number 3 belongs to Luke Combs who is moving up 1 spot this week - Ain't no love in Oklahoma.

Number 2 belongs to Cody Johnson who is staying in the same spot as last week - Dirt cheap.

Number 1 belongs to Dustin Lynch featuring Jelly Roll who are moving up 2 spots this week to take the top - Chevrolet.

And that's a wrap for the Hottest 20 Country Music Videos for the week of 9/14/24 from CMT (Country Music Television). Thanks as always goes out to CMT for doing their weekly Country Music Video Countdowns. And thanks as well goes out to you for taking the time to read this weekly list. See ya all next time.

[unratedmagazine]

Country Thunder 2023

Country Thunder 2023 Canyon Moon Ranch 20585 E Water Way Florence, Arizona April 11-14, 2024 by Mary Andrews Country Thunder (CT) hosts festivals in Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, Bristol, Alberta, and Saskatchewan during the year. Country music has hit a momentous popularity throughout North America in recent years and Arizona is no exception to the rule. The four-day festival did not…

[realjediverse]

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 Movie Review!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is the third and final installment in the beloved comedy franchise. It follows Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) and Ian Miller (John Corbett) as they navigate the challenges of middle age and empty nest syndrome. The film also features the return of many of the original cast members, including Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan, and Andrea Martin. The film received mixed…

[book--brackets]

Author Stats for BFB

When putting together the Best Fantasy Book polls, I noticed that a lot of authors were popular choices, so I thought I'd do a little post about our most popular authors from ones that are in the list only twice to the most common author we have!

The preliminary round for BFB starts tomorrow!

2 Times

J. R. R. Tolkien

Erin Morgenstern

Cassandra Clare

Eoin Colfer

Terry Pratchett

Laini Taylor

Jim Butcher

Robin Hobb

R. F. Kuang

Samantha Shannon

Shannon Hale

Jonathan Stroud

Seanan McGuire

Enid Blyton

Clive Barker

Alix E. Harrow

Scott Westerfeld

Raymond E. Feist

Wayne Thomas Batson

Xiran Jay Zhao

Lloyd Alexander

Meagan Spooner

Katherine Addison

Christina Henry

Gene Wolfe

N. D. Wilson

Emily Rodda

Jude Watson

Ellen Kushner

Cliff McNish

C. J. Cherryh

Garry Kilworth

3 Times

Rick Riordan

Roald Dahl

Brandon Sanderson

Cornelia Funke

Gail Carson Levine

Garth Nix

T. Kingfisher

Patricia C. Wrede

Robin McKinley

Kieron Gillen

Francis Hardinge

4 Times

Holly Black

V. E. Schwab

Naomi Novik

5 Times

Diana Wynne Jones

6 Times

Tamora Pierce

9 Times

Neil Gaiman

Mercedes Lackey

[bigtreefest]

ok idk if u watched prey 2022 but the co-lead dakota beavers is part of a band and his voice is so!!! they dont have a lotta stuff out yet but i learned that i like this style of country a lot <33

https://youtu.be/xESMn2q_48g?si=cWCFzX9iVUC_0xCH

usually i listen to more folk than country hmm but is there something like country folk?

Oh Brandy, I love this!! I haven’t seen prey 2022, but this song is such a vibe. The voice gives country, but the music gives folk for sure. But yes, totally a beautiful voice. And when it gets raspy😍. So it’s a very in between genre-wise, I’d definitely call this country folk. And tbh I love that zone.

I always identify folk as more story-telling and country as more instrument and vibe-based (and more sexual tbh this day and age), but if you look at the roots, I think country was derived from folk, right? Like if you look at 70s, 80s, and even some 90s country, it’s sooo similar to what we’d consider folk now. And I think we see that convergence a lot more. People are bringing folk back in towards mainstream music. Like literally anything by Lainy Wilson tells a very specific story, or there’s that new viral song. Or really, idk if you’ve heard anything by Ian Munsick, but his songs really border on folk-style with almost country instrumentals. To the point where those cuspy songs have inspired a lot of fic for me in the Outfa Nowhere AU.

One thing I will say is tumbleweed seems like a more serious song, though. I think some modern folk/country can hold a lot of humor, too, which I enjoy.

Thank you for sharing this! Pls never stop. Now here’s my contribution back to you:

You Look Like You Love Me

Barn Burner

[critical-quoter]

December Books

Here we are, the end of 2023. When I first got back into reading, I was not expecting to be so hyper-fixated on it. I was just looking for something to help with the brain fog and mental slump that I was struggling with.

Sweet, Sexy Heart - Melissa Foster ⭐⭐⭐⭐ King of Greed - Ana Huang ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Serendipity - Carly Phillips ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Forever My Girl - Heidi McLaughlin ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Real - Katy Evans ⭐ Bratva Knight - T. J. Maguire ⭐⭐⭐⭐ If I Break - Portia Moore ⭐ Found by You - Victoria H. Smith ⭐⭐⭐ Always Been Mine - Victoria Paige ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Savage - Michelle St. James ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quick Trick - Skye Jordan ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Captive - Jex Lane ⭐⭐⭐ Forged by Malice - Elizabeth Helen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gold - Raven Kennedy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Where Good Girls Go to Die - Holly Renee ⭐⭐⭐ Baby Baby: Chicago - Victoria H. Smith ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Risk - S. T. Abby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sidetracked - S. T. Abby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Scarlet Angel - S. T. Abby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ All the Lies - S. T. Abby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Paint It Red - S. T. Abby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bought - Lauren Landish ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Keeping Lily - Izzy Sweet ⭐⭐⭐ Love and Other Words - Christina Lauren ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful Revenge - Sienna Blake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Born, Darkly - Trisha Wolfe ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beg, Borrow or Steal - Susie Tate ⭐⭐⭐ The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Breakaway - Heather M. Orgeron ⭐⭐⭐⭐ From Lukov with Love - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Sweetet Oblivion - Danielle Lori ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hero - Lauren Rowe ⭐️⭐️ Wait With Me - Amy Daws ⭐️⭐️ Trick Play - Eden Finley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ His Sweetest Song - Victoria H. Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Gent - Harloe Rae ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Taking It Easy - Erin Nicholas ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Chance - Louise Rose ���️ Beyond Repair - Susie Tate ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pestilence - Laura Thalassa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ War - Laura Thalassa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Famine - Laura Thalassa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Death - Laura Thalassa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Marriage Effect - Karla Sorensen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hidden Miles - Claire Kingsley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let Me Burn - Carrie Elks ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Deep in the Pocket - Lainey Davis ⭐️⭐️ Secrets of the Sea Lord - Starla Night ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hate to Love You - Jennifer Sucevic ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Going Down Easy - Carly Phillips ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Remember When - Judith McNaught ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One for My Enemy - Olivie Blake ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Maddest Obsession - Danielle Lori ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Desperate Measures - Katie Robert ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Serenade to the Elf Queen - Niro J. Halle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Crow - Erin Trejo ⭐️⭐️ From Now Until Forever - Alexa Rivers ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Taking Meghan - Izzy Sweet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ruthless Vows - Rebecca Ross ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Breaker - Harloe Rae ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Silenced by Sin - Ashley Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Wild for You - Kendall Ryan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Haunted by Regret - Ashley Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hungry Like a Wolf - Jessica Lynch ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Phantom - Greer Rivers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Deal Breaker - Melissa McClone ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Vampire Bewitched - L. E. Wilson ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Beautiful Savage - Caroline Peckham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Devil Wears Black - L. J. Shen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

71 total books read in December.

[chattahoochiecoochie]

Country Lessons With Hoochie

Been on a huge Dean Dillon kick lately, figured I’d put a little list together. I know a lot of y’all don’t listen to country much, or maybe you never have, but I hope you’ll give it a shot. Dean, born Larry Dean Flynn, is an American songwriter credited with much of George Strait's success, but he’s got an extensive catalog far beyond what he’s penned for Strait. Below, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites.

Tennessee Whiskey - David Allen Coe (1981), George Jones (1983), Chris Stapleton (2015) Miami, My Amy - Keith Whitley (1985) Tequila Eyes - Randy Rogers Band (2016) An Empty Glass - Gary Stewart (1988) Ocean Front Property - George Strait (1987) Unwound - George Strait (1981) Nobody in His Right Mind Would’ve Left Her - Keith Whitley (1985) Spilled Perfume - Pam Tillis (1994) Every Little Honky Tonk Bar - George Strait (2019)

With over two hundred songs to his name, if these aren’t for you, chances are the others might be. Tennessee Whiskey remains one of the most famous country songs of all time, and there's no doubt Dean helped solidify Straits spot as the King of Country – though it's worth considering his continuing contributions. With recent hits from Lainy Wilson and Luke Combs, he continues to mark his place as a legacy in country music. 

[multiverseofseries]

Il Mio Grosso Grasso Matrimonio Greco 3

La famiglia dei Portokalos è tornata: con Il mio grosso grasso matrimonio greco 3 la saga iniziata nell’ormai lontano 2002 si arricchisce di un nuovo, e forse ultimo, capitolo che riporta i protagonisti direttamente alle loro origini.

La storia, infatti, è ambientata all’incirca un anno dopo la conclusione del secondo film e si apre con più di un cambiamento all’interno della famiglia Portokalos: il patriarca Gus è venuto a mancare (Michael Constantine, l’attore che lo aveva interpretato nei precedenti film, si è spento nel 2021, all’età di 94 anni) e sua moglie Maria (Lainie Kazan) sta iniziando a perdere la memoria; prima della sua scomparsa, però, Gus aveva espresso il desiderio che il suo diario, in cui lui aveva annotato i ricordi di una vita, venisse consegnato ai suoi tre amici d’infanzia, in Grecia. Così, quando la famiglia riceve un invito a partecipare a una rimpatriata nel paesino natale di Gus, Toula (Nia Vardalos) pensa che sia l’occasione ideale per fare quel viaggio in Grecia di cui in famiglia si era sempre parlato, senza mai portarlo a compimento, e cogliere anche l’opportunità per portare a compimento le ultime volontà di suo padre. Così lei, il marito Ian (John Corbett, reduce dal suo trionfale ritorno nei panni di Aidan Shaw nella seconda stagione di And just like that…Sex and the city), da poco andato in pensione, la loro figlia Paris (Elena Kampouris), in pausa dal college, il fratello minore di Toula, Nick (Louis Mandylor) e la zia Voula (Andrea Martin), partono alla volta della Grecia. Una volta arrivati nel minuscolo villaggio di Vrisi, però, troveranno più di una sorpresa ad attenderli e, come da tradizione, il viaggio sarà l’occasione di bilanci, riflessioni e nuove scoperte.

Una saga famigliare basata su una storia parzialmente autobiografica

All’epoca della sua uscita in sala, il primo Il mio grosso grasso matrimonio greco, girato con un budget bassissimo, ottenne un successo clamoroso e sicuramente inatteso, scritto e interpretato da Nia Vardalos a partire da un suo monologo teatrale, a sua volta parzialmente autobiografico, dato che si ispirava alla sua stessa famiglia e al suo matrimonio con un uomo non di origine greca; questo terzo capitolo le appartiene, per certi versi, ancora di più poiché, oltre ad esserne protagonista e sceneggiatrice, stavolta è anche la regista (era già passata dietro la macchina da presa nel 2009 con la commedia romantica 5 appuntamenti per farla innamorare, sempre interpretata al fianco di John Corbett), mentre tra i produttori ci sono nuovamente Tom Hanks e sua moglie Rita Wilson, lei stessa di origini greche.

Trattandosi dunque di una storia in cui l’identità etnica e culturale dei protagonisti ha sempre avuto un ruolo importantissimo, era quasi inevitabile che questa volta si finisse per andare effettivamente a visitare la madre patria e si mostrasse quindi la Grecia vera e propria; tra l’altro Nia Vardalos aveva già sfruttato l’occasione di mostrare il Paese ellenico sul grande schermo in quanto protagonista della commedia romantica Le mie grosse grasse vacanze greche (2009), in cui era affiancata nel cast dall’attore (e politico) locale Alexis Georgoulis, che ha un ruolo anche in questo film.

Se a prima vista si potrebbe pensare a una sfilza di luoghi comuni su usanze e tradizioni, e immagini da cartolina o da spot turistico, si può dire che, sebbene questi non manchino nel film, sono forse in numero minore o meno ostentati di quanto ci si potesse aspettare; quella che potrebbe essere una buona notizia però viene quasi del tutto vanificata dalla constatazione che non si sia fatto qualche sforzo in più per tirare fuori una sceneggiatura più valida, originale e corposa.

Un sequel dalla trama stanca e con poche idee

Il primo film si reggeva su un canovaccio semplice ma funzionale, mentre già Il mio grosso grasso matrimonio greco 2 (2016) soffriva di uno svolgimento piatto, troppo scarno e senza verve; questo terzo capitolo non riesce a risollevare le sorti della saga: non si può dire che la storia faccia acqua da tutte le parti, (con uno spunto di partenza già di per sé non originalissimo) ma sembra che non abbia la voglia o la forza di sviluppare fino in fondo le situazioni che propone; sia le gag che le scene più sentimentali sono proposte in maniera stanca e svogliata e hanno spesso il respiro corto, con musica e paesaggi che arrivano a colmare i vuoti nella storia.

Si parla naturalmente di relazioni familiari, rapporti tra genitori e figli, giovani amori contrastati e vecchi ricordi di gioventù, celebrando complessivamente quei valori belli e solidi delle persone sempre pronte, in fondo, anche tra qualche battibecco e incomprensione, ad aiutarsi e comprendersi a vicenda.

Il personaggio di Ian continua ad apparire piuttosto scialbo, ed è un peccato perché il film esalta e omaggia anche l’amore duraturo e profondo della coppia che ha dato il via a tutta la storia; ci si aspettava qualcosa di più anche dalla zia Voula, notoriamente sfacciata e irriverente ma che qui risulta sempre un po’ sottotono, senza essere davvero coinvolta in qualche avvenimento degno di nota; per quanto riguarda invece Paris/ Elena Kampouris (già vista, oltre che nel capitolo precedente, anche in film come Men, women and children e Prima di domani), la giovane attrice ha un volto interessante, che sembrerebbe proprio chiedere di essere sfruttato al meglio sullo schermo con una storia più avvincente.

Il mio grosso grasso matrimonio greco 3 è quindi una commedia trascurabile e non necessaria, valida per chi avesse voglia di fare una vacanza con la mente tra spiagge, mare cristallino, ulivi e souvlaki, in compagnia di personaggi che magari aveva amato molto tempo fa.

[night-spectrum]

Blank Page

I don't know.

I’ve read books, not all of them, but enough to give me ideas. I have ideas, though; they’re popping up and swarming, really. In fact, I have so many that they keep me up at night. It’s like an apple rotting, and the more time goes by, the more flies there are. It has the ability to upset me. I want to write, spit something, just a few lines. I look at the screen, the cursor flashing; who goes away and then comes back like the desire to write. Maybe the cursor thinks I’ll get an idea.

Except no.

I don’t lack inspiration or time. Maybe it’s my hands not following; maybe it’s my fingers. Maybe my eyes are tired, it’s true that my computer and I have been looking at each other for a long time. For years, in fact. My Wattpad account, abandoned on the ocean of the Internet, like Wilson in Cast Away. It was his destiny apparently. I too would have liked to save my Wilson but well. My pen was not long enough, or rather my desire to save it was too weak. Almost non-existent even. Maybe I threw it in the water…

I don't write so bad, right? I make mistakes, it happens and I read myself very carefully. There is the trap, too much proofreading. It’s never good enough.

"When I read Madeline Miller’s The song of Achilles, it wasn’t so boring." I try to be on top. I subscribe to dumb classes found on Pinterest and get e-mails every Tuesday from a certain Chloe who gives me 5 tips on "Show Don’t Tell". I’m looking for advice on Tumblr too. And I buy books.

"I’d like Adam Silvera to knock on my door right now."

"Is Keigo Higashino alive? I need to talk to him immediately."

This is so stupid.

So I stare at the screen like the student who didn’t listen to the teacher and is being questioned right now. I almost want to divorce my computer. I admire the loyalty of the cursor, he is always there, contrary to certain.

"This is so stupid."

I’m finally giving up. I’m just going to read other people’s stories, I’m going to bow out. Maybe I should have started something to do so.

"Fuck, I gotta buy volume two of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone."

"Have you read Alice Oseman’s Loveless? Now I understand a little better what’s going on in my pants."

Something itches me, I always want to write something, anything.

This is so stupid…

[midnight-star-world]

#CountryMusic

CMT 5-11-24

So today I will be bringing you the Hottest 20 Country Music Videos for the week of 5/11/24 from CMT (Country Music Television). So let's get started right now.

Number 20 belongs to HARDY who is new to the list this week - ROCKSTAR.

Number 19 belongs to Dan + Shay who are moving up 1 spot this week - Bigger houses.

Number 18 belongs to Chase Matthew who is moving up 1 spot this week - Love you again.

Number 17 belongs to Tyler Hubbard who is dropping 7 spots this week - Back then right now.

Number 16 belongs to Nate Smith who is moving up 1 spot this week - Bulletproof.

Number 15 belongs to Jon Pardi featuring Luke Bryan who are moving up 1 spot this week - Cowboys and plowboys.

Number 14 belongs to Kacey Musgraves who is staying in the same spot as last week - Deeper well.

Number 13 belongs to Tim McGraw who is staying in the same spot as last week - One bad habit.

Number 12 belongs to Chris Young who is staying in the same spot as last week - Young love & Saturday nights.

Number 11 belongs to Bryan Martin who is moving up 4 spots this week - We ride.

Number 10 belongs to Scotty McCreery who is dropping 9 spots this week - Cab in a solo.

Number 9 belongs to Ashley Cooke who is moving up 2 spots this week - your place.

Number 8 belongs to Bailey Zimmerman who is moving up 1 spot this week - Where it ends (Live).

Number 7 belongs to Old Dominion featuring Megan Moroney who are moving up 1 spot this week - Can't break up now.

Number 6 belongs to Megan Moroney who is staying in the same spot as last week - I'm not pretty.

Number 5 belongs to Jason Aldean who is moving up 2 spots this week - Let your boys be Country.

Number 4 belongs to Kenny Chesney who is moving up 1 spot this week - Take her home.

Number 3 belongs to Lainey Wilson who is moving up 1 spot this week - Wildflowers and wild horses.

Number 2 belongs to Carly Pearce featuring Chris Stapleton who are moving up 1 spot this week - We don't fight anymore.

Number 1 belongs to Jackson Dean who is moving up 1 spot this week to take the top - Fearless (The echo).

And that's a wrap for the Hottest 20 Country Music Videos for the week of 5/11/24 from CMT (Country Music Television). Thanks as always goes out to CMT for doing their weekly Country Music Video Countdowns. And thanks as well goes out to you for taking the time to read this weekly list. See ya all next time.

[cyarskj1899]

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YEAR IN REVIEW

The 100 Best Songs of 2022

Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Steve Lacy, Pharrell, and Quavo and Takeoff were just some of the artists whose songs this year we won't forget 

BY ROLLING STONE

DECEMBER 5, 2022

WHAT MADE A great song in 2022? Was it an irresistible beat and a sense of humor? An introspective, bittersweet dream? An absolute dance floor banger? Was it lo-fi, high-res, loud, soft, twangy, poppy, sleek, distorted, hugely anthemic, or perfectly tiny? The answer was yes — all that and more. Or maybe it was a song that imperiously declared any and all doubters to be a bunch of munches. You’ll have to listen to all 100 songs here to be sure.

Find this playlist on Spotify. 

100

Lainey Wilson, ‘Heart Like a Truck’

LAINY WILSON/YOUTUBE

It sounds way too on-the-nose for Nashville: a country singer spending three minutes comparing the state of their beaten-down heart to the weathered engine of their beloved pickup truck. And yet, fast-rising country newcomer Lainey Wilson sells the premise of this mid-tempo rocker as convincingly as any single on country radio this year. By the time she shifts into vocal high gear for the chorus — “runs on dreams and gasoline” — it’s impossible not to buy into the classic Music Row premise. What makes the song work so well is Wilson’s stunning voice, which moves from near-whisper to muscular phrasing to operatic belting throughout. As Wilson sings: “There ain’t no breaking when I throw it in drive.” — J. Bernstein

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99

Chronixx, ‘Never Give Up’

Back in 1973, the Wailers raised consciousness and mobilized the masses on their quintessential protest anthem “Get Up Stand Up,” with their simple yet dramatic exhortation: “Don’t give up the fight.” Nearly 50 years later, Jamaican sing-jay Chronixx has adapted Bob Marley and Peter Tosh’s classic directive as the anchor of “Never Give Up,” produced by Inflo, whose numerous credits also include work with Adele and Little Simz. “Never Give Up” replicates the legendary trio’s early-1970s reggae sound, incorporating a rock-solid bass, loping guitars, and soulful backing vocals. But unlike The Wailers’ incendiary call to action, Chronixx utilizes “never give up the fight” as a calming, chanted mantra. — P.M.

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98

Plains, ‘Problem With It’

PLAINS/YOUTUBE

Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield, as they say, doesn’t miss these days. To follow-up 2020’s stellar Saint Cloud, she linked with kindred spirit Jess Williamson and formed Plains. The duo offered both singers a place to dig into their foundational love of Nineties country, and debut single “Problem With It” embodies their mutual affection for that era (and highlights how great their voices sound in harmony). But as much homage as there is on this brisk, bristling song, it’s also just vintage Crutchfield. Evocative and vivid, pulling poetry from reality, she sings, “I drive fast on high alert/Pass the Jet Pep and the Baptist church/On the county line, I’ll be a songbird softly heard.” — J. Blistein

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97

Hurray for the Riff Raff, ‘Saga’

HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF/YOUTUBE

Alynda Segarra has spent their career writing one chilling anthem after the other, from 2014’s “The Body Electric” to 2017’s “Pa’lante.” But they’ve never written a song quite as viscerally powerful as “Saga,” the slow-burning tale of an abuse survivor coming to terms with past trauma as they work to move forward. Segarra is a master in using structure and form to deepen the story they’re telling, and “Saga” is a masterclass. The triumphant chorus — “I don’t want this to be/The saga of my life” — runs up against the reality of the song’s haunting outro refrain: “Nobody believed me,” Segarra sings, still trailed by the crushing weight of feeling alone, gaslit, and doubted over what happened to them years ago. — J. Bernstein

96

Camilo ft. Grupo Firme, ‘Alaska’

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Tubas, accordion, and Eduin Caz’s distinct vocals transformed Colombian pop star Camilo’s “Alaska” into a banda banger filled with pure desmadre — in a way only m��sica mexicana greats Grupo Firme could. The cheeky wordplay throughout the song serves as an ode to drinking as they tease “me voy pa’ Alaska/Pero a las cantinas pa’ olvidarte.” (“I’ll go to Alaska/But a las cantinas to forget you.”) And the track works as a successful crossover between Camilo’s sound and Firme’s. —T.M.

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95

Ingrid Andress, ‘Yearbook’

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It’s the intense specificity in Ingrid Andress’ music that makes her one of the best rising lyricists in country. “Yearbook” is the perfect example of that. Backed by simple production and the strums of a guitar, Andress sings about a couple that “stayed together just because they wrote forever on the inside of the cover by their names.”  Andress wrote this song after observing her own parents’ and other people’s parents’ relationships, channeling the taboo associated with getting divorced. “The last day they were on the same page was in the yearbook,” she croons. — T.M.

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94

Jack Harlow, ‘First Class’

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The Kentucky-bred rap star’s odes to his own freshly-minted fame can sometimes come with a patina of fratty awkwardness (see “Dua Lipa”), but the fluttering beat and ascending background vocals of “First Class” radiate a sense of dream-like wonder at his own success that’s hard to hate on: ”They say, ‘You a superstar now,'” damn, I guess I am.” Yep, buddy, we guess you are too, and the sound of patting oneself on the back rarely sounds this endearing. — J.D.

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93

Psy feat. Suga, ‘That That’

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On “That That,” the lead single of the first album released under his own label, Psy fuses the renegade spirit of a cowboy with his classic showman chops. Fueled by a Mexican horn riff that chugs exuberantly on a dance beat produced by BTS’ Suga, the track is an endless celebration of liking whatever the hell you want. As a foil to Psy’s good vibes, the Bangtan producer-rapper offers a fiery tongue-twister verse that encourages “lightly slapping” your haters and ends with a cheeky reference to Nineties K-pop. Paired with winning choreography — featuring both shoot-out gestures and the “shoot” dance — the song took its place as the latest in Psy’s string of global hits. — M.H.K.

92

Dead Cross, ‘Reign of Error’

“Who’s the problem? ? We’re the problem!” vocalist Mike Patton cuts quickly and deep on Dead Cross’ stinging, furious “Reign of Error.” The metal-punk supergroup, which includes current and former members of Faith No More, Slayer, and the Locust, thrashes its way through an indictment of modern civilization’s failure to act on climate change in less than two minutes, blending caustic riffs with Patton’s and bassist-vocalist Justin Pearson’s invective. “We are a factory of turds, noxious gases, empty words,” Patton screeches, “We speak, we leak like a building covered in rust.” They even find space for a mosh breakdown before Patton sums up his disgust: “Welcome to the Reign of Error.” — K.G.

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91

Ethel Cain, ‘American Teenager’

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Ethel Cain’s “American Teenager” captures the disillusionment of growing up fooled by the specters of Christianity and patriotism. Depicting the murkiness of the so-called American dream, the song’s palette is a regional mish-mash, combining the triumphant Eighties rock of Bruce Springsteen, the Midwestern emo guitar of American Football, and the intimate pop melodies of Taylor Swift. Even though Cain’s lyrics are tinged with isolation, as she sings of crying on the bleachers and seeing caskets return from war, she uses it to propel her self-determination. “I’m doing what I want/And damn, I’m doing it well/For me,” she sings at the song’s end, revealing that if there’s one thing she believes in, it’s herself. — M.H.K.

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90

Gladie, ‘Nothing’

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The lead single from Gladie, the new Philly-based band from former Cayetana lead singer Augusta Koch, arrived this fall as the most thrilling three minutes of turbo-charged pop-punk garage rock from this past year. The song masks its vulnerable portrayal of cautious self-improvement in massive power chords and Koch’s whipsmart one liners: “I keep seeking advice,” she sings, “that I must have forgotten.” — J. Bernstein

89

Guided by Voices, ‘Alex Bell’

It’s easy to take Guided by Voices’ triumph of a song “Alex Bell” as a straightforward tribute to late Big Star co-founders Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, but it’s only loosely that. Robert Pollard isn’t that literal. The first half of the song does have a certain Big Star-ness, a bombastic, Seventies rock aura that feels like driving a beater down an open road. At the end, though, Pollard veers us off that highway and down a lonely road — “I see you around every time there’s a ghost in town,” he intones, reminding us that memories are just that and good times aren’t forever.  — B.E.

88

(G)I-dle, ‘Nxde’

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(G)I-dle’s music seems to gain new layers of depth and meaning with each release. Just when we thought “Tomboy” couldn’t be topped, (G)I-dle dropped this groundbreaking track, based on the powerful lyrics and arrangement of the group’s leader, Soyeon. You might expect a song called “Nxde” (pronounced “nude”) to be a sexy, sultry one, but they redefine the word to emphasize the idea of being one’s truest, barest self. With a melody taken from the 1875 opera Carmen and references to Marilyn Monroe in the lyrics and the video, “Nxde” addresses the objectification of women in a way that’s rare for a K-pop girl group. — K.K.

87

The Weeknd, ‘Take My Breath’

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On the second-highest–charting synth-pop song ever made about loving someone to the point of asphyxiation (after Berlin’s Giorgio Moroder–produced “Take My Breath Away,” of course), the Weeknd sings wistfully about his girlfriend asking him to strangle her gently. “You’re way too young to end your life,” he croons to her over an Italo-disco–influenced beat that owes a debt to Moroder. “Girl, I don’t wanna be the one who pays the price.” But since the dance-floor-ready beat, crafted with two of his “Blinding Lights” cowriters, throbs with lust, and the Weeknd makes it clear in the chorus that he’s into the same kink (“Take my breath away,” he sings, “and make it last forever, babe”), the song became an instant pop classic. — K.G.

86

Nayeon, ‘Pop!’

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The pressure was on for Nayeon’s solo debut as she became the first Twice member to go solo after seven years as a nine-piece act — but the group’s oldest member exceeded expectations and served vocals, rap, outfits, and choreo with “Pop!” With all the makings of a pop hit, Nayeon leaned into Twice’s classic bubblegum sound and made it her own. “You’re under my control,” she sings, summing up the chokehold she and Twice have on candy pop. — K.K.

85

Bill Callahan, ‘Coyotes’

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Bill Callahan has one of the most striking voices in all of music, a conversational baritone that’s at once grave and reassuring, a perfect fit for the worn, graceful rusticity of his music. “Coyotes” is a devastating evocation of the space between love, freedom, and dread, sung from the perspective of a new father. The coyotes in the lyrics represent freedom. They also represent terror, which is about as American as it gets — a feeling as ancient the frontier and as modern as the dread that comes with letting your kid go to school every morning. — J.D.

84

Protoje feat. Lila Iké, ‘Late at Night’

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The Jamaican reggae veteran Protoje teams up with rising star Lila Iké for an insinuating reggae groove that feels like it mixes up decades of soul tradition, updating the smooth flow of Seventies R&B and the romantic yearning of Eighties lovers’ rock. It takes off from “Children of the Night,” a 1972 slow-jam classic by legendary Philly soul stars the Stylistics. But it’s a totally modern vision of urban violence, with Lila Iké singing the hook, “Late at night/When everybody’s caught up in their dreams/That’s when the city screams.” It’s a deceptively gorgeous ode to dread. — R.S.

83

Blood Orange, ‘Jesus Freak Lighter’

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In the time since Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes released “Angel’s Pulse” in 2019, the musician has kept busy composing his own classical works, creating film and TV scores, collaborating with other artists on various remixes and features, and supporting Harry Styles for a string of shows in NYC. In the middle of that 15-night stint, Hynes made a welcome solo comeback with his Four SongsEP. The lead single “Jesus Freak Lighter” kicks off with a few seconds of fuzzy distortion, but what breaks through the haze soon after is a sharp, propulsive, free-fall of a track. “Falling, falling/Got carried away/Living in my head,” he sings, with distant and dreamlike vocals suspended over a swift drumbeat. His lyrics, tinged with a sense of yearning melancholy, leave a decent amount up to the listener’s interpretation, a buzzing undercurrent that flows through the remainder of the EP. — L.L.

82

Camila Cabello feat. Maria Becerra, ‘Hasta Los Dientes’

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One of only two songs from her album Familia where Camila Cabello sings completely in Spanish, “Hasta Los Dientes” expertly combines Latin pop, reggaetón, and Eighties disco. On the Ricky Reed-produced track, Cabello sings about an obsessive, jealous, overwhelming love over a danceable beat. “When you kiss me, I get depressed/Knowing you’ve kissed someone else just like this,” she intones, before being accompanied by Argentinian reggaetón singer María Becerra, whose voice fits here perfectly.—T.M.

81

Charli XCX and Tiësto, ‘Hot in It’

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Charli XCX abandons all humility on “Hot in It,” her dance banger collaboration with Tiësto that acts as an ode to her own hotness. You can almost hear the pout on her lips as she sings of casting aside a boy and interpolates *NSYNC — a throwback to the 2000s, when celebrity culture was defined by unrelenting vanity and Paris Hilton’s “That’s hot” was a collective mantra. Borrowing from that era’s DGAF energy, she launches into the power hook about “rocking it, dropping it/Shake my ass, no stopping it,” making for a pop anthem that inspires self-confidence. — M.H.K.

80

Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny, ‘X Ultima Vez’

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After telling the world that he was planning to retire from music this year, Daddy Yankeepromised to release one last album calledLegendaddy. The project represented a tough task: It had to be a grand finale that not only preserved the best of his 30-year career, but that also sounded fresh and modern. He achieved just that on “X Ultima Vez,” a nostalgic track featuring dreamy co-production from Tainy and verses from Bad Bunny. The song feels like Daddy Yankee is handing over the mantle to a new star as the two of them trade verses about what it means to say one last goodbye. — J.L.

79

The 1975, ‘Part of the Band’

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“Part of the Band” first sweeps you up in its survey of contemporary culture — this morass of delivery apps, online fantasy, Xanax, cigarettes, and masturbation both physical and intellectual. Lines about “Vaccinista tote-bag chic baristas” are funny as hell, and as sharp as Jack Antonoff’s punchy production. But “Part of the Band” isn’t just meme-bait. There are shades of the Clash’s “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” here: cultural critique mixed with a songwriter’s excavations of his own hubris. Matty Healy is no longer the “all-night drug-prowling wolf” — he counts his days sober in the final lines — but he is wondering if he’s “just some post-coke, average, skinny bloke/Calling his ego imagination?” Like Joe Strummer, Healy has the brains and the bars, and enough humility to admit he’s not sure if he’s totally full of shit. — J. Blistein

78

Rauw Alejandro and Baby Rasta, ‘Punto 40’

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Last year’s spangly hit “Todo De Ti” taught us that Rauw Alejandro isn’t afraid to go full-on disco-pop, but the Puerto Rican artist is still pretty committed to the reggaeton sounds he grew up on. He revisits them on “Punto 40,” a single from his latest album, Saturno, that quickly took over TikTok and also revived the magic of Baby Rasta Y Gringo’s Nineties hit “Tengo Una Punto 40.” Rauw’s version doesn’t just honor the original, it brings back both Baby Rasta and the song’s venerated producer, DJ Playero — a reminder of how reggaeton’s past is still informing its future, no matter how poppy the genre might get. — J.L.

77

Florence + the Machine, ‘Choreomania’

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As Florence Welch was beginning to think about her follow-up to 2018’s High as Hope, she became interested in the “dancing plague” that burned through Europe in the sixteenth century. “I started writing it in 2019, and very strangely, in the prescient ways that songs do, the ones that seem the most pandemic-y were written before the pandemic,” she said earlier this year. This Dance Fever track shares a name with the ancient European craze, and it’s full of feral musical abandon as it builds to the chorus. But it’s the bridge that steals the show, a swelling exhale where she bellows “You said that rock & roll is dead/But is that just because it has not been resurrected in your image?” — B.S.

76

Saba feat. Day Wave, ‘2012’

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“Two students that had each other back in a world against ’em” is the kind of opening line that promises to open up a whole universe, and Chicago rapper Saba delivers with this vivid reminiscence of love and friendship, set against a backdrop of dangerous subway rides, cheap candy, and basement hangs on busted couches. “Music’s our common interest, we ramblin’ about Kendrick and Kid Cudi/I’m tryna put her onto shit that she missin’/But she had everything, I mean everything I was listing,” he recalls over the elegiac track, offering a heart-rending reflection on those times when the right sounds and the right people come together to remake a scary world. — J.D.

75

Le Sserafim, ‘Antifragile’

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Le Sserafim earned their spot on a list like this with their debut track, “Fearless,” but they really upped the ante with this wildly catchy single. “Anti-ti-ti-ti-fragile, fragile” is the refrain that’s been ringing in our ears all year (especially after the deepfaked-yet-iconic Drake version made the rounds on TikTok). “I really liked it as soon as I heard it,” member Huh Yunjin told Rolling Stone earlier this year. Same. — K.K.

74

Alvvays, ‘Pomeranian Spinster’

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Alvvays excel at perfectly sketched vignettes with each bittersweet jangle and subtle irony in its place — but on the best song from their third album, they let chaos rule. Babbling madly as the guitars race forward, singer-songwriter Molly Rankin unloads a lifetime of imaginary regrets from a wallflower who’s finally had enough: “Mine, should’ve been mine/Had I just said something/If I wasn’t polite.” “Maybe it’s a shy person talking to themselves in the mirror,” Rankin told RS, adding that the wild vocal was a first take: “Nothing I ever did after that had the same vibe, so we ended up keeping it, even though there’s some gibberish in there.” — S.V.L.

73

Big Bang, ‘Still Life’

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 After four long years, Big Bang finally returned to grace us with this soft-rock hit. It’s not a party song like some of Big Bang’s classic fan favorites — it actually couldn’t be further from that in terms of sound. But “Still Life” has most of the other elements that make up a great Big Bang song, from G-Dragon’s lyricism and soft-spoken voice to T.O.P’s heavier raps and Taeyang and Daesung��s vocals (which, while both strong, are easily differentiated). In the group’s first song as a foursome, the members reflect on their careers, which started in the 2000s, before K-pop became the global force it is today. Although Big Bang sing “Goodbye now to my beloved young days,” we’re surely nowhere near ready to bid them farewell. — K.K.

72

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ‘Blacktop’

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During the no-skips dance-party-for-end-times that is Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Cool It Down, “Blacktop” is the point when the lights seem to dim, the moody synths kick off, and everyone is ready to break open their hearts to confess their most horrible fears and deepest desires as Karen O’s voice hopefully pleads to “hold on ’til the love is gone.” When she’s the one asking, that’s easy. — L.T.

71

NCT 127, ‘2 Baddies’

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Cars are fixtures in the music of NCT 127, who use these sleek machines as symbols of futurism, masculinity, and technological progress befitting of their experimental electro-hip-hop production style. On their latest hit, “2 Baddies,” the Porsche is their muse, as the nine-member group brag about their success over rubbery bass lines and twinkling metallic percussion. Between fluid raps about “cutting the line” and charismatic outbursts — “Now you wanna ride these wheels?” leader Taeyong growls — the group reveals their determination to keep racing toward their goals on an “open road covered in white.” As Haechan and Doyoung sing in the climatic bridge: Their next destination is the moon, then infinity and beyond. — M.H.K.

70

Guitarricadelafuente, ‘Mil Y Una Noches’

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On “Mil Y Una Noches,” the Spanish newcomer Guitarricadelafuente never goes where you’re expecting. His fragile voice spills out over a muted, slightly alien arrangement, and then the whole thing goes absolutely haywire, exploding with synths that sound like they’ve been struck by lightning, haunting vocal loops pitched up all the way, and ripples of distortion. The song, which opens Guitarricadelafuente’s excellent debut album, La Cantera, is just one example of the brilliant experimental thinking that blossomed when he teamed up with the Spanish producer Raül Refree. It also showcases just how promising Guitarricadelafuente’s career is. — J.L.

69

Meghan Trainor, ‘Made You Look’

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When her old hits “No” and “Me Too” went viral on Tiktok earlier this year, Meghan Trainor realized she didn’t need to reinvent the wheel to make good music. “Made You Look” led Trainor’s album Takin’ It Back by tapping into the pop-meets-doo-wop, self-empowering energy of her debut album, Title. TikTok ate “Made You Look” up, thanks to Trainor’s natural ability to connect with an audience on the app, and because of the song’s unforgettable lyrics and catchy production. —T.M.

68

Jin, ‘The Astronaut’

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Jin of BTS teamed up with Coldplay’s Chris Martin for “The Astronaut,” which was released as a message to fans ahead of Jin’s upcoming mandatory enlistment in South Korea’s military. The lyrics capture how BTS make their fans feel: “When I’m with you/There’s no one else/I get heaven to myself.” Fans will surely be listening to Jin’s strong vocals and heartfelt message in “The Astronaut” for years to come, especially while they miss Jin’s presence as he completes his service. — K.K.

67

Maren Morris, “Circles Around This Town”

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When Maren Morris arrived in Nashville in the early 2010s, she was determined to break into the country-music mecca’s songwriting game. A decade later, her bet on herself has paid off beautifully, with songs like the resolute “The Bones” and the loose-limbed “My Church” giving much-needed butt-kicks to the genre’s establishment. The lead single from Morris’ luminous third album, Humble Quest, traces Morris’ journey from hungry young upstart to proven hitmaker, although this swaying showcase for Morris’ potent voice shows one thing hasn’t changed: She might be one of country’s biggest names, but she’s still “tryin’ to say somethin’ with meanin’/Somethin’ worth singin’ about” in her songwriting. — M.J. 

66

Residente, ‘This Is Not America’

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Residente didn’t hold back much this year (remember his savage J Balvin takedown?), but he brought a particular fury to “This Is Not America,” his track featuring the French-Cuban duo Ibeyi on backing vocals. In the lyrics, the longtime Puerto Rican provocateur blasts U.S. imperialism, exploitation, and commercial greed while challenging what’s represented by the very word “America” — an arrogant name that he’s long felt erases the rest of the hemisphere. “America is not just U.S.A., papa, this extends from Tierra del Fuego to Canada,” he raps. An intense video he released with the song drives his message home with blunt force. — J.L.

65

Aespa, ‘Girls’

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“Girls” captured Aespa’s signature sound with its strong bass and synth sound, blending hip-hop with touches of hyper-pop and EDM. With a music video whose sets and costumes were more reminiscent of a high-budget blockbuster film, the Korean group unveiled more of their storytelling — this time, the girls and their digital avatars are continuing with their pursuit of defeating the evil Black Mamba. You don’t need to know that to enjoy a hit as catchy as this one, though. “Bow down” to these girls. — K.K.

64

Fontaines D.C., ‘Jackie Down The Line’

FONTAINES D.C./YOUTUBE

Think the world has run out of different ways for post-punk bands to sound? Well, you’re wrong. Because here comes an Irish version of Joy Division. “Jackie Down the Line” is some ominous stuff. “Come on down to Sally’s boneyard/See her spirit in decline,” singer Grian Chatten invites. Yet they shake through the darkness with a sexy beat, some tightly-coiled guitar heat, and even some Pavement-y “sha-la-la” backing vocals. Cryptic, mordant, and lyrical — James Joyce and Ian Curtis would both be proud. — J.D.

63

Joyce Wrice and Kaytranada, ‘Iced Tea’

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Joyce Wrice‘s collaborations with Kaytranadawere a highlight of her 2021 debut album, Overgrown. This year, she wisely teamed up once again with the modern-day super-producer to create the ideal introduction to her latest EP, Motive. On “Iced Tea,” Wrice flexes her confidence while delivering an empowering message. Go ahead and dance your way to liberation while her soothing vocals draw you in. Just remember who told you first when you hear “Iced Tea” mixed in with some of your favorite dance records of all time next year. — D.G.

62

U.S. Girls, ‘So Typically Now’

Meg Remy has been turning feminist critiques and anti-capitalist broadsides into propulsive pop music for years. So it’s no big surprise that she came up with an irresistible dance-pop anthem about the Covid-era real-estate bubble. On “So Typically Now” Remy breathily sounds off on loans, condos, and abandoning Brooklyn in favor of roomier upstate locales, tongue at least somewhat in cheek, it would seem. Her catchy delivery and the ferocious synth groove render the song darkly seductive, like a not-quite-affordable house beckoning you despite your better judgment. — C.H.

61

Marina, ‘Pink Convertible’

CHELSEA GUGLIELMINO/FILMMAGIC

Rule of thumb: Never ignore a beloved artist’s deluxe-edition deep cuts. Months after releasing her album Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, Marina (formerly Marina and the Diamonds) delivered “Pink Convertible,” a sonically dreamy, lyrically dystopic pop song about a not-so-far-away future where rich people “drive in the sunshine” and ignore “how fucked up our planet” is. Sound familiar? The cult-pop princess delivers that sentiment with uncanny, unsettling power. —T.M.

60

Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Because I Liked a Boy’

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Sabrina Carpenter knew she had to write a song like “Because I Liked a Boy.” Carpenter sings about the extreme judgment and name-calling she faced from the public after she dated a guy with a famous ex: “Now I’m a homewrecker, I’m a slut/I got death threats fillin’ up semi-trucks/Tell me who I am, guess I don’t have a choice,” she sings on the ballad-turned-banger, co-written with JP Saxe and Julia Michaels. Carpenter naturally taps into a vulnerability and brutal honesty that showcase her maturity. —T.M.

59

Taylor Swift, ‘Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve’

BETH GARRABRANT*

“Would’ve,” “could’ve,” and “should’ve” are normally the three of the most irritating words in English, but Taylor Swift adds nuance to them on this Midnights bonus track, as she parses how a teenage romance with a much older man (possibly the same guitar-face dude from “Dear John”) has affected her personal identity as an adult. Over a lightly new-wavey track she wrote with the National’s Aaron Dessner, she sings, “Lord, you made me feel important/And then you tried to erase us.” Even though she didn’t let the weight of that relationship break her, she’s still making sense of who the other Taylor who didn’t date that guy might have been. On the track’s most cutting line, she sings, “Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first.” — K.G.

58

Gorillaz ft. Thundercat, ‘Cracker Island’

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There’s something oddly comforting about the fact that Gorillaz unveiled one of 2022’s most sublime existential party anthems 21 years after the release of their iconic debut. The lead single off the ever-shifting collective’s eighth album, “Cracker Island” benefits from Damon Albarn’s decision to invite Thundercat into the fold. His gloriously propulsive bass line provides the backbone for all the funk delights that follow — glistening hi-hats, wah-wah guitars, irresistible call-and-response choruses. “Where the truth was auto-tuned,” muses Albarn’s distorted vocal line, as the world’s most endearing virtual band revels in sweltering dancefloor fever. — E.L.

57

Flo Milli, ‘Conceited’

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When Flo Milli strutted onto our screens recreating an infamous Flavor of Love scene as Tiffany “New York” Pollard a year ago, we learned she could bring a little drama — but “Conceited” is where she showed she could translate those theatrics to into a monster of a song. Flo feels like a million different people in just two verses here, playing with her delivery of razor-sharp barbs in all the right ways. “You can talk like this when you’re really that bitch,” she says. Agreed. — M.C.  

56

Stray Kids, ‘Maniac’

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K-pop never gets old because groups are always experimenting with new sounds and genres, and Stray Kids’ “Maniac” deserves recognition for the way it pushes that envelope. The group’s sixth EP, Oddinary, is all about “odd” people breaking “ordinary” social norms; this song’s harsh, twitchy electronic production makes that theme real. Felix’s repeated “Maniac” in the chorus will have you “spinning, going crazy,” as intended. — K.K.

55

Pillbox Patti, ‘Eat Pray Drugs’

Pillbox Patti, the artistic guise of country songwriter Nicolette Hayford, sings about rural America like any artist narrating the bleakest aspects of street life. Driven by a menacing bassline and swampy dobro, “Eat Pray Drugs” is a chilling look at the trifecta of opioids — food, religion, narcotics — in small towns where hope doesn’t come in large supply. Pillbox Patti’s characters roll up to church with glazed-over eyes, watch friends get hooked on the harder stuff, and meanwhile the town video store’s still stocking VHS tapes like it’s 1988. “Only three things to do ‘round here/Ain’t a honey hole or a movie theater,” she sings, delivering her lines in a coolly dispassionate manner that’s equally riveting and unsettling. — J.F.

54

King Princess, ‘Let Us Die’

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Mikaela Straus described the explosive finale to Hold on Baby best when she referred to it as her “big-girl song.” It’s a cathartic stunner — with the chorus “Drive the car right off the cliff and let us dive” — that was made possible by the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who contributed to the track shortly before his death last year. “Taylor wasn’t only down to play on the song, but he was also the most encouraging and wonderful presence during that session,” Straus said. “I started sobbing at one point and Mark [Ronson] couldn’t stop smiling. I have never felt so lucky. Taylor made this song what it is.” — A.M.

53

IVE, ‘After Like’

STARSHIPTV/YOUTUBE

2022 was quite a year for girl groups in K-pop. IVE, although they officially debuted in December of 2021, had a first year full of hits, and choosing between “Eleven,” “Love Dive,” and “After Like” was a struggle. Three iconic bops stood before us; “After Like” made it out on top. From its disco-pop beat to the Gloria Gaynor sample to the dance break to the fireworks scene in the music video, “After Like” gets better and better with each listen. — K.K.

52

Syd feat. Smino, ‘Right Track’

SYD/YOUTUBE

Syd’s most far-reaching achievement this year may have been her writing and production contributions to Beyoncé’s “Plastic Off the Sofa,” but the songs she kept for herself deserve acclaim too. “Right Track,” accompanied by the uber-creative Smino, is the apex of them. A highlight of Syd’s R&B stunner Broken Hearts Club, an album chronicling the rise and fall of an immense courtship, the song captures the early thrill of the talking-stage — before the titles, the troubles, and even the intimacy. “Maybe you should stay the night,” Syd lilts. “Promise it’ll change your life.” — M.C.

51

Soul Glo, ‘Coming Correct Is Cheaper’

If you crank the volume loud enough when “Coming Correct is Cheaper” starts, you can hear the “hoo” and “yeah” samples that run through Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s “It Takes Two” — which they sampled from Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It)” — and the messages of both songs are kind of the hidden keys to Soul Glo’s stellar Diaspora Problems track. The group’s frontman, Pierce Jordan, screams, “I try to listen the way I want to be listened to” until heavy-metal guitar comes crashing in. In three minutes, he lambastes capitalism, racism, and political sleight of hand over infectious Suicidal Tendencies–like grooves: “The true consumption is that of the rich/And I don’t mean on no trendy left shit.” Soul Glo’s message? Listen up and show respect — it takes two to make a thing go right. — K.G.

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CONTRIBUTORS: Jonathan Bernstein, Jon Blistein, Mankaprr Conteh, Jon Dolan, Brenna Ehrlich, Jon Freeman, Dewayne Gage, Andre Gee, Kory Grow, Christian Hoard, Maura Johnston, CT Jones, Michelle Hyun Kim, Kristine Kwak, Ernesto Lechner, Julyssa Lopez, Leah Lu, Angie Martoccio, Michaelangelo Matos, Patricia Meschino, Tomás Mier, Mosi Reeves, Rob Sheffield, Brittany Spanos, Lisa Tozzi, Simon Vozick-Levinson

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Bad Bunny,

best songs of 2022,

Beyonce,

Harry Styles,

ice spice,

Taylor Swift,

Year in Review

MUSIC

MUSIC LISTS

[justinsjensen]

Season 3 + locations

↳ Jensen's (+Justin's) House

[booksandtea]

A- Z Book Tag!

A- Z Book Tag! Thanks to @howlinglibrary for tagging me. #BooksandTeaBC

A-Z Book Tag | created by The Perpetual Page Turner Stephanie created this tag as she remembers being a fan of similar ones from her MySpace and Xanga days but made this one bookish themed!

& the very lovely Destiny did this last week and tagged me in it. I promised I’d do it, like I have with others, and for once I’m pulling through and completing this tag.

I’ll aslo tag: Allie | Jenny | Amanda|

[thegeeksideofthemoon]

[bisexualvampires]

1, 2, 12, 19 (also hi bestie love you mwah!)

HI HELLO BESTIE 😚💕

1. book you’ve reread the most times

i reread double act by jacqueline wilson so many times when i was little that i nearly knew it by heart 💀

2. top 5 books of all time

oof okay this is hard cause it changes all the time but the ones on my mind a lot lately are:

- strange the dreamer by laini taylor

- the book thief by markus zusac

- the wicker king by k. ancrum

- a dowry of blood by s.t. gibson

- the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid. but ALSO (cheating a lil here but ssh) pretty much everything ashley herring blake has ever written 😍

12. did you enjoy any compulsory high school readings?

the only book i ever remember enjoying in all of school was under the hawthorn tree by marita conlon-mckenna!

19. most disliked popular books?

i really didn’t like the new hunger games prequel (seems like a running theme with prequels rn 👀 heh) or the rest of the series after from blood and ash by jennifer l. arm*ntrout akdhdj