best of – Muzakally Inclined (2025)

Many good, catchy songs this year.

01. Vaundy – Hana Uranai
Surely his catchiest song to date? Doesn’t seem like that’s what the public likes from him though, this wasn’t that big a hit…

02. I Don’t Like Mondays. – Millennials~just I thought~
Watching the PV always makes me teary…either I’m getting old, or the song’s message really does hit me that hard.

03. SixTONES – Uyamuya
These are the days where Johnny’s boybands no longer sound like Johnny’s boybands and sound more like YOASOBI. Sadly, this ace song ain’t appearing on streaming services any time soon.

04. Chunky Cookie Club – Nai Mono Nedari
Nothing good from CHELMICO this year; this made up for it.

05. Ohira Mizuki – HOLIDAY (feat. Michael Kaneko)
Don’t know much about either artist but this collaboration is pure gold: effortlessly groovy and cool.

06. Yorushika – Rōjin to Umi
They’ve put out so many good songs this year…it was a close call between this or Tsuki ni Hoero. And they’re sort of taking a leaf out of YOASOBI’s ‘book’ by writing songs about (famous) books, this one being based on the Hemingway classic The Old Man and the Sea.

07. Gen’in wa Jibun ni Aru – Snow Dance
Written by Ayase, he of YOASOBI. You could easily picture Ikura singing it

08. Ivy to Fraudulent Game – Gomi
My favourite ‘Jrock’ song of the year. I’ve always liked stuff with a bit of an edge: jazz, post-rock, math-rock etc etc; as opposed to the straightforward bands like Novelbright or Back Number that all sound interchangeable (and rather cheesy).

09. AiNA THE END – Negashikonda Hi ni Kagitte
She produced some stunning stuff away from her parent band BiSH but alas, their Kohaku performance is gonna haunt them for a long while…

10. AIMI – YONAYONA
She formerly of Stereopony. But nothing like Stereopony

11. Utada Hikaru – Kimi ni Muchū
Stay Gold Service Pack 2. Which means an upgraded and better version!

12. CHiCO with HoneyWorks – Oni no Mori
Their anime tie-ups are getting a bit samey and stale, but this one written for horror flick Jukai Mura has a little more flavour

13. OKAMOTO’S – Young Japanese
Swagger. I only really started paying attention to them last year – I’d only known them as that band featuring the son of the Downtown dude…

14. Marcy – Wasurenagusa
Once upon a time I loved, loved, loved melodic Jrock bands & that was where most of my pocket money went towards, both in CDs & live shows. There are tons of bands out there

15. Miura Daichi – Backwards
Frantic. And the man can dance like no other

16. Kūhaku Gokko – Unmei Kaika

17. Atarayo – Natsugasumi
Generic Jpop-rock ballad? Yet, I can’t get the melody line out of my head. There’s just this really earnest, really nostalgic late 90s/early 2000s Jpop vibe to it..

18. GRAPEVINE – Inemuri
Most of my favourite Jrock bands from 20 years ago are either 1) no longer around 2) shadows of their former selves. I kinda thought (2) of these guys too, until I heard this track from their new record. Vintage GRAPEVINE!

19. Nakajima Megumi – melon soda float
Cute and catchy. And with a tiny hint of banjo. The kind of tune that Sakamoto Maaya would’ve had first dibs on 15 years ago

20. THE CHARM PARK – Komoriuta no Hate (feat. fifi léger)
I mentioned last year that he could sound a little overproduced, and his latest record ‘bedroom revelations’ truly caters to me: raw, heartful, warms the heart.

21. nishina – Kedamono no Friends

22. macico – eye
I thought macico was the name of an idol singer but I couldn’t have been more wrong hah. The 3-piece group’s sound is more appealing to Western ears: elements of French pop (whatever that is?), club beats and chill wave. Can you just cover it under Neo Shibuya-kei?

23. Fujifabric – Akai Kajitsu (feat. JUJU)

24. Shinjiro Atae (from AAA) – Bye Bye
He’s usually overshadowed by his AAA mates Nissy and SKY-HI but I favoured Atae’s tune the most: it’s the kind of EXILE/00s AVEX sound I so love

25. YAJICO GIRL – Machi no Naka de
These young chaps only just made the move from Osaka to Tokyo in 2020: they’re labelmates with a bunch of other hip young rock bands: Frederic, THE ORAL CIGARETTES, Panorama Panama Town. Surely they’ll get a crack at a big tie-up really soon?

26. Hakubi – Aru Hibi

27. Kitri – Michi Kaidan
Dramatic pianos and strings is always a good mix

28. Kaneko Ayano – Hirameki wa Kanata

29. go!go!vanillas – Roleplay

30. clammbon – Masaka ne

31. Sato Chiaki – Koe
Ex-Kinoko Teikoku vocalist and retired (?) actress. She’s doing really good solo stuff this year, including a collab with the returning Fullkawa Honpo

32. Ohara Sakurako – STARTLINE
There’s just a kind of earnestness to her style that makes her so charming

33. SHE’S – Spell On Me

34. Cider Girl – Lilac

35. ONE OK ROCK – Renegades
I laugh at this Japanese version having only 2 lines in Japanese

36. Alcosite – Sayonara, Ōtō no Hana

37. culenasm – Suisei Mushi

38. SKY-HI – To The First
Hidaka’s really doing bits isn’t he? His brainchild BE:FIRST are going places or so I hope, since he stumped up his own money for the project :D

39. Radio Bootsy – Haru wa Tokete

40. MONO NO AWARE – Soko ni Atta kara
I guess they’ve kinda taken over from Quruli in making quirky melodic folk?

41. YONA YONA WEEKENDERS – II YUME

42. THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE – ALL ABOUT TONIGHT
This year’s LDH pick. They put out so much stuff in a year that it can be pretty overwhelming but there’s always something good in there

43. NakamuraEmi – Nage Kiss

44. Tokyo Jihen – Ryokushū

45. PEOPLE1 – 113-go Shitsu
I’d only heard some of their songs on Spotify & was so sure they were some cheesy pop-rock band…but their 1st full album turned out to be a pick’n’mix bag of styles, including this laid-back hip-hop track. I’m confused

46. Yuuri – Sakurabare

47. Yuzu – NATSUMONOGATARI
Even Yuzu are trying to sound like YOASOBI. Good/bad?

48. Maika Loubté & Ryan Hemsworth – System
Loubte does have the knack of producing the occasional electropop belter. Key being ‘occasional’.

49. Spitz – Murasaki no Yoru o Koete
I stopped bothering with their music ages ago but they’ve put out two very good songs in 2021; this and Daikōbutsu. Indian summer of their careers?

50. Ueno Yuka – Suki ga Nokotta

51. Creepy Nuts – Lazy Boy
I’m about 15 years past my J-hip-hop phase (R.I.P. RIP SLYME) but stuff like this does tickle my fancy once in a while

52. VIDEOTAPEMUSIC – Funny Meal

53. Zutomayo – Baka janai no ni
My brain still mixes them up with Yorushika sometimes…

54. Yonezu Kenshi – Shinigami
I think I prefer him to sound a bit edgy like this and not all mopey like Lemon

55. Ryokuōshoku Shakai – LITMUS
They’ve been on fire! I picked their Mela! for last year’s list and I’m pleased to see it finally gained a bit of traction this year

56. Da-iCE – Lights
Look, they went all Johnny’s on this! Honestly I’m really pleased that Citrus was such a big hit for them: they deserve all the success they get after years of toil

57. TWICE – Perfect World
I like that they’re trying out different styles (city pop etc) when it comes to their Jpop releases and not doing the cutesy Kpop thing – leave that to NiziU please!

58. Mononkvl – GOODBYE

59. JO1 – STAY
Perfect summer-lazing-by-the-beach tune which quickly elevated itself to becoming my most favourite JO1 song ever…though they could do with a little less autotune

60. Kamishiraishi Mone – Spin
Sounds like a Ghibli theme tune. Or something that Sakamoto Maaya would sing. You know what I mean

61. RAKURA – Time will tell
Old-school r’n’b pop belter. Someone please point me towards more of these cheesy gems

62. Plastic Girl in Closet – LOVE LIGHTS
A song where they stop gazing at their shoes and maybe attempt a bit of a shuffle

63. Toyama Mirei – Mata ne ga Areba

64. Eito – Sōji

65. Sasagawa Mao – Nihon no Kugatsu no Kisō desu

66. Otake Yuka – Kotō
An understated cover of Nao’ymt’s (the guy who got famous for producing Amuro Namie) original. So good

67. jizue – ARUKAS

68. Fujii Kaze – Kirari
Another great year for the young chap. I’m really liking this generation of singer-songwriters – it sure beats having to see all that xxx48 stuff dominating the charts :D

69. ego apartment – NEXT 2 U
Good chill r’n’b boyband vibes that I found on a random Spotify playlist…the PV looks cheap as hell though hahaha

70. Ezoshika Gourmet Club – Saikyō no Ofutari

71. Chikyū kara 2mm Uiteru Hitotachi – Tasogare wa Sora
That is such a complicated band name (literally The People Floating 2mm From Planet Earth) but their music is anything but: heartfelt folk-rock that hits you right in the feels. Any song with handclaps gets a YES from me

72. Nagakumo – TV Show

73. KOMONO LAKE – Century
Spotify algorithm has been very keen to get me to listen to KOMONO LAKE & I can see why – it’s the kind of smooth city pop that appeals to my sensibilities. The group themselves call it ‘natural’ (or maybe organic?) city pop, whatever that means.

74. Inner Journey – Shinkai Ressha
It’s hard to sift through all the chaff on the Japanese folk playlists on Spotify (and there are a TON of them) but you’ll be rewarded with an ear of golden wheat like this once in a while

75. Ueno Daiki – Umi no Me

76. Yasuda Rei – It’s you (feat. JQ)
I don’t think she’s as big as she should be. But then again perhaps her style is a bit too Western-oriented for Nihon tastes

77. SPiCYSOL – THE SHOW (feat. Def Tech)
Def Tech seem to be on a bit of a mini-revival and this smart ska-hip-hop hybrid reminds us of the powers they still hold.

78. Kami-sama, Boku wa Kizuite Shimatta – Seishun no Furi o shita

79. SOMETIME’S – Slow Dance

80. YOASOBI – Moshimo Inochi ga Egaketara
Their music continues to be sublime! I honestly wonder how long YOASOBI will keep on going – what started off life as a side project has ballooned into something far more massive than perhaps their own expectations

81. Okawa Seiya – Butter Notes

82. Shibata Satoko – Zakkan

83. Rei – Hōseki (feat. Ikuta Lilas)
Rei as in Washio Reina formerly of Flower. She’s still on LDH & slowly building up her solo career with collabs like this one with It girl Lilas aka Ikura of YOASOBI (who wrote the song), but I wonder how far Rei can realistically go…

84. Chilli Beans. – Androne

85. Ren – Promise
High-schooler, writes/composes his own stuff, emotes well & straight to the heart of his sizeable Tiktok fanbase. This is the way music has been going for a while, hasn’t it?

86. ROTH BART BARON – Niji to Niji
Only came across this by chance on Youtube late in the year and OH GOD IT’S HEAVENLY. I think I need to listen to ’em more…

87. Frederic – Tomoshi Beat
Tiktok hit means we’ve been seeing them performing Oddloop on TV shows and the like but they’ve got 2 dozen songs that all sound like that. This one tries things a little different, a bit like Saika

88. TENDRE – Munasawagi

89. Awesome City Club – Wasurena
A surprisingly huge hit for them…this, of all their songs – not to say it’s not good, but it’s not quite their best. Oh well! At least Nagano Ryo (he of APOGEE fame) earns a few dimes off of this with his co-write!

90. Yourness – Layer

91. Harada Tomoyo – Violet
40th anniversary single penned by Mr Douchebag Kawatani himself. Le sigh

92. yonige – Saimin Ryōhō
The intro/looping sample sounds vaguely familiar but I can’t quite put my finger on it…their live performance of this song rocks as well. One of those bands I’d probably be spending a fortune on going to see live if I was still based over there

93. Biteki Keikaku – Heart wa Onsen Bijin no Watashi no Mono yo (feat. Nazome)

94. evening cinema – Eien ni Tsuite
Hybrid kayokyoku/early city pop kind of melody – you could kind of imagine Yamashita Tatsuro or Oda Kazumasa singing this back in the 70s/80s

95. iri – Uzu

96. gato – teenage club
One of my new favourite discoveries this year: they describe themselves as an electro band…think Spangle call Lilli line, Haisuinonasa, Supercar etc…of course I’m going to like them!

97. TRICERATOPS – MATRIX GIRL
The intro rocks surprisingly hard. See the points I made about GRAPEVINE above, these guys are in the same boat: they’ve been a bit rubbish lately and mostly known for their frontman being married to Ueno Juri so this is a nice & good change

98. HIROBA – Nankyoku ni Saku Hana e (feat. Miyauchi Yusuke, Sakamoto Maaya & Eguchi Ryo)
aka Mizuno Yoshiki of Ikimonogatari collaborating with a bunch of his friends

99. Ketsumeishi – Itazura no Ame
My guilty pleasure, every year

100. chilldspot – Mitei
When you look them up you’ll find that their name is a portmanteau of the words chill, child, spot & pot & to be honest, I’m not sure I care to know why

Bonus: 101. AprilBlue – Maritime
Since SixTones ain’t on Spotify my #101 song gets stuck on the playlist instead. These guys have only been around for 2.5 years & haven’t really nailed down a definite ‘sound’ but there’s potential in their brand of ‘new-Jpop’ (what’s with all these meaningless self-styled descriptions anyway?). This song kind of reminds me of the brilliant green…it’ll be interesting to see how they grow in years to come. If they don’t implode first, that is-

Favourite Spotify playlists:
BIG UP! Tunes Weekly
ブルーにこんがらがって
RADAR: Early Noise
Edge!
City Pop: シティ・ポップの今
J-Rock Now
JAPANESE NEWEST FOLK

Notes:
-It’s getting comical as to how Enon always finds a way onto the list regardless whether I’m aware it’s him or not :] This year, he’s represented by Biteki Keikaku, Radio Bootsy and Harada Tomoyo.
-I had to kick a lot of songs of the list, including from the likes of DEEP SQUAD, INI, Tani Yuuki etc
-I’ve tried, but I still can’t ‘get’ Ado. Her music is too harsh for my ancient ears…

“Never out of fashion cos I’m never in fashion anyways”

Quote: Me, on my tastes in music/films/clothes

I saw the list on Reddit aggregating fans’/critics’ top 100 indie songs of 2021 & it actually looks familiar to me! I might be more hip than I thought! (Except I actually find Chaise Longue & Silk Chiffon patently annoying…)

01. Yola – Starlight
She’s turning into a permanent fixture on my year-end charts. With good reason.

02. Japanese Breakfast – Be Sweet
Probably the song that made pretty much everyone’s charts I suppose?

03. Dan Croll – On Top
Sounds like he fell into a 70s wormhole and got eaten up by Bread (The David Gates one).

04. Sam Fender – Long Way Off
What a year the boy’s had! Here’s to many more great records (and hopefully not turning into U2…)

05. Kora – Marte
Spanish song, which could only mean I discovered it off the H&M instore playlist on Spotify

06. Hope Tala – Tiptoeing
Pretty close to r’n’b pop perfection.

07. James Blake – Say What You Will
This is just….epic. Easily my favourite song of his now.

08. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Flying on the Ground

09. Celeste – Tonight Tonight
She who got nominated for (& performed at) the Oscars this year.

10. Kynsy – Elephant in the Room

11. Del Amitri – Losing the Will to Die
Del Amitri, slightly angry version. It’s so weird to have them making new music after 2 decades of nothingness…and it makes me feel really, really old to think Roll to Me is 26 years old :[

12. The Weather Station – Parking Lot

13. Mealtime – 4 U Only

14. NOISY – Young Dumb
My first thought hearing this is that it would be a great song for FIFA. And indeed it is a FIFA song…oh dear. Says a lot about my tastes I guess?

15. Julien Baker – Favor

16. The Obsessives – Lala

17. The Paper Kites – Walk Above the City (feat. Maro)

18. CMAT – I Don’t Really Care for You
Irish country musician with a voice that makes you sit up and listen.

19. Vancouver Sleep Clinic – I Sunk In All the Memories
Normally like his music anyway but the random haunting female Japanese vocal on this EP had me scrambling to find out more about who Kyoko Ogasawara is (I’m still none the wiser)

20. The War on Drugs – I Don’t Wanna Wait
The best song from my album of the year

21. London Grammar – Lose Your Head

22. The Academic – Not Your Summer
Not normally a fan but I needed this infectious summer singalong

23. Humming House – Change Comes Slow

24. NewDad – Slowly

25. The Covasettes – Sun Struck
Chill swagger. Band needs more attention #1

26. Rose Gray – The Best Thing
The intro made me think of Unfinished Sympathy

27. Blue Canopy – Motovun

28. MASI MASI – Crabs
Catchy af. Band needs more attention #2

29. YONAKA – Call Me a Saint

30. The Coral – Change Your Mind

31. Snail Mail – Glory
Is there anyone out there who doesn’t rate Snail Mail?

32. Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open
That one mainstream radio hit you won’t have been able to erase from your head in 2021

33. Will Owen – Will It All Work Out?

34. Clara Luciani – Amour toujours
French. I actually follow some French playlists on Spotify…they do make quite a lot of catchy pop stuff (guilty pleasure)

35. The Staves – Best Friend

36. Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Full Full Colour

37. Paul Weller – In Better Times
I liked the Jam. Nope to Style Council. And meh on Weller himself for the most part, but this song’s got something about it

38. Valerie June – Stay

39. Wolf Alice – Lipstick on the Glass

40. Joy Crookes – Feet Don’t Fail Me

41. Nana Lourdes – Superstar
Please tell me how to get this song out of my head? Thanks Spotify algorithm for intro-ing me to this Portugese rookie!

42. Leon Bridges – Motorbike
Shares some similarities with a certain Kpop song I liked this year (Magnetic from Rain & Jackson Wang)…maybe I just like slow jams?

43. Kings of Convenience – Rocky Trail
They’re back – that’s all I need

44. Jungle – Talk About It

45. Adam Melchor – Moon in the Morning

46. Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen – Like I Used To

47. Vacation Manor – Ending Credits

48. Crowded House – Playing With Fire
A recurring theme in 2021 is me listening to bands I used to listen to when I was a teenager and who I thought had died already (see: Del Amitri)

49. Holly Humberstone – The Walls Are Way Too Thin
She deserves to be huge

50. James – Recover
See Crowded House. This song however, is bitterly sad (it’s about the death of Tim Booth’s father-in-law due to Covid)

51. Rostam – From the Back of a Cab

52. Griff – Black Hole

53. The Go! Team – World Remember Me Now

54. Joan Thiele – Tuta blu
Italian this time. I despair when I randomly fall in love with all these European-language songs that don’t even have proper PVs or anyone even liking them…

55. NIGHT FLIGHT – Dreaming

56. Kavinsky, Cautious Clay – Renegade
Drive! Drive! Drive!

57. Jade Bird – Open Up the Heavens

58. Villagers – The First Day

59. Matilda Mann – Bloom

60. Riton – Come With Me (feat. Bad Boy Chiller Crew)
I didn’t like his huge hit (Friday) as much as this one

61. Al Harper – Hey You, What’s New

62. Bartees Strange – Weights

63. Watchhouse – Coming Down from Green Mountain
I just need to have a regular dose of bluegrass to soothe the soul…

64. Jenn Champion & Oyster Kids – Love Nobody

65. MarthaGunn – Giving In

66. Beirut – Fisher Island Sound
I never thought I’d be so fond of a melodica solo

67. Tim Ayre – So Long

68. Red Rum Club – Nightcalling
Disco-rock? Thanks for bringing me a genre I didn’t know I wanted to love this much…

69. CHVRCHES – How Not to Drown (feat. Robert Smith)

70. Novo Amor – Haven (from Life is Strange)
I got back into Novo Amor in a huge, huge way this year. I blame Vigil (BBC drama)’s use of Anchor for that

71. Alessia Cara – Bluebird

72. Memorial – Latchkey
Alt-folk is my obsession of this decade thus far

73. Amber Mark – What It Is

74. The Lathums – The Redemption of Sonic Beauty
The would-be saviours of traditional (?) melodic Britpop. Doing a rather good job of it too

75. Mitski – The Only Heartbreaker

76. The Reytons – Nothing to Declare

77. Zella Day – Golden

78. Hailaker, S. Carey, Lowswimmer – Wavepool
Alt-folk is my- (//broken record keeps playing//)

79. Sea Power – Two Fingers
It took me a hella while to realise that this is the band formerly known as British Sea Power. ‘Nationalist’ connotations, apparently.

80. Cassandra Jenkins – Crosshairs
Where I decide not to choose Hard Drive like all the cool indie kids do

81. Kasabian – ALYGATYR
At least they’re back to rockin’.

82. Luca Wilding – Book of Fate
Someone’s gotta sound like Sufjan when Sufjan doesn’t wanna do Sufjan these days, right?

83. Fickle Friends – My Favourite Day
Obligatory Christmas song.

84. The Wombats – If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming with You
It was a close call between this and Everything I Love Is Going to Die. Still think their band name is lame tho-

85. Bess Atwell – All You Can Do

86. Yebba – Louie Bag (feat. Smino)
I do like this kind of…contemporary (or would it be labeled old-school now?) urban style but I have no idea how to seek more of it out. Like seriously, things the hip kids listen to like Lil Nas X or Doja Cat or Kid Laroi just don’t appeal to me…

87. Savannah Conley – Don’t Take Me Home

88. Gatlin – What If I Love You

89. SeeB – Sweet Dreams & Dynamite (feat. Nina Nesbitt)
I have a thing for this kind of song, as basic as it is in the EDM/electropop world. Or maybe I ust like Nina Nesbitt

90. French For Rabbits – Money or the Bag

91. Shambolics – Dreams, Schemes and Young Teams

92. Fletcher – girls girls girls
Masterful use of a Katy Perry sample that dare I say, actually elevates it above the original

93. The National – Somebody Desperate

94. Apollo Junction – Unknowns
Gotta big up ’em boys from Leeds!

95. Joy Oladokun – judas

96. Blossoms – Care For

97. Sigrid – Mirror
She’s got such a good voice. Somehow isn’t quite breaking out as BIG as I want her to :(

98. Allison Ponthier – Harshest Critic

99. Claire Rosinkranz – don’t miss me

100. Aquilo – Just A Day
Oh well, another Christmas song. A rather sad one at that. Cos honestly, who had a super happy Christmas?

My Favourite Spotify playlists:
Fresh Folk
NME’s New Bangers
H&M Instore Music
NEW Indie/Alternative by indiemono

Happy New Year! Here we go with the annual posts to show I’m still alive :D For once, the list is vaguely in order…!

Briefly:
-The Anime Hits playlist on Spotify is good fun: up-to-date & covers shows that may not even be on your radar..!
-Naturally, more & more mainstream acts getting anime tie-ups. While the traditional anisong biz/consumers move more into mixed-media projects, 3d idol stuff, v-tubers etc. The latter is something that I find tough to get into cos 1) I’m old 2) I have no time 3) the barriers to entry are like…geez, I wouldn’t know where to start if you gave me 15 mins to get into the myriad mixed-media things that are popping up like mushrooms after the rain. I think aoppella was the only thing that got my attention right away: seiyuu + a cappella covers of popular Jpop songs! Sounds good!
-Unsurprisingly, mainstream acts (signed to a major, non anisong-centric label) outnumber traditional anisong artists on my list by roughly 2:1. I remain at a loss as to how to categorise acts like yama, Sasanomaly, Reol etc haha
-/broken record/ I wish I had the time (or will) to do a deep dive into the companies/labels that do music production for anime, year-on-year. How much involvement do traditional anisong companies like Lantis & King still maintain? Have Sony & PonyCan muscled in and stolen market share? Or has the anisong pie gotten so big that everyone can have a seat at the table & eat their fill?
(*For more notes, see here)

Again, listed in no order cos I add and chop/change the order of the songs on my Spotify playlist throughout the year. Comments on some of the songs if I have anything to say other than ‘It’s bloody awesome, listen to it’

01. DANSU – Say Say Say

02. Glass Animals – Your Love (Déjà Vu)
Push come to shove; I’d nominate this as my Song of The Year. At the very least, it’s the song that I listened to the most in 2020, particularly during my work commutes.

03. Royal Blood – Trouble’s Coming
My headbanging song of the year. I’m old.

04. Circa Waves – Sad Happy

05. Silverbacks – Muted Gold

06. The Strokes – Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus

07. Dua Lipa – Levitating
Could pick any song off the album to be fair.

08. Inhaler – We Have to Move On
aka song by Bono’s kid’s band.

09. Fickle Friends – Pretty Great

10. Henry Green – Realign
Apparently one of my top-listened to artists on Spotify for the year. Must be because of this chill track, which comes a close second to Glass Animals as my most-listened to track of 2020.

11. Isak Danielson – I Don’t Need Your Love
Swedish acts do have a way with epic melody lines.

12.Tennis – Need Your Love

13. Echosmith – Shut Up and Kiss Me

14. Allie X & Mitski – Susie Save Your Love

15. Tycho – Outer Sunset

16. OJ Law – Black Cab
Malaysian guy, one of 5 local acts I consistently check out.

17. Everyone You Know – Seen It All

18. Shallou – Make Believe

19. Mt. Wolf – Tayrona (feat. Wilsen)

20. Peter Sandberg & Arctic Lake – Unhold Me

21. Hailee Steinfeld – End This (L.O.V.E.)

22. The 1975 – Guys

23. AURORA – Exist For Love
I did not get into her because of Frozen. Actually, this is the first (and so far only) song of hers I’ve ever really liked.

24. Silja Sol – Løgneren

25. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Overseas

26. Hamilton Leithauser – Isabella

27. Cigarettes After Sex – You’re All I Want

28. Aly & AJ – Joan of Arc on the Dancefloor

29. Ruen Brothers – Break the Rules
Song from that Netflix teenage romcom The Half of It. A guilty pleasure, I suppose?

30. Carlie Hanson – Daze Inn

31. Sarah Jarosz – I’ll Be Gone

32. San Cisco – On The Line

33. Tame Impala – Lost In Yesterday

34. Badly Drawn Boy – I Need Someone to Trust
So much nostalgia!

35. Ghostly Kisses – Stay
Similar to Henry Green. Whispery, chill electropop that more people need to listen to.

36. Mild Orange – First Taste

37. Alfie Templeman – Obvious Guy
It always feels like he’s one step away from Britpop greatness. Getting there slowly…

38. Alice Phoebe Lou – Touch

39. Jessie Ware – Step Into My Life

40. Taylor Swift – the last great American dynasty
Right at this very moment I prefer the songs of evermore but it’s too early for me to pick one, so I’m going for my fave off folklore.

41. Coco – Last of the Loving

42. Bastille – WHAT YOU GONNA DO?? (feat. Graham Coxon)
This is a collaboration I did not know I needed in my life.

43. James Blake – Are You Even Real?

44. Alanis Morissette – Sandbox Love
Alanis singing happy love songs? Would’ve been unthinkable when I was 11 and she was being ironic.

45. Yard Act – Fixer Upper
Yes, literally a song about owning a beat-up house. Also mentions Poles and Ikea. Like Arctic Monkeys meets The Streets.

46. Local Nomad – Getting Old is a Bitch

47. Idkhow – Leave Me Alone

48. Doves – Prisoners

Oh yes the boys are back in town, and it’s good.

49. Aquilo – Moving On
I’ve listened to a bunch of Aquilo tracks over the years without really committing them to memory but this one sticks in the mind like glue. So, so good. The lyrics too.

50. Kathleen Edwards – Glenfern

51. Miley Cyrus – Midnight Sky
I could do without knowing details of her life but her voice is really something else when she’s on song.

52. Esteman & Daniela Spalla – Te Alejas Más De Mí

53. PVRIS – Use Me (feat. 070 Shake)

54. Miranda Lambert – Bluebird

55. Greentea Peng – Hu Man

56. Everything Everything – Violent Sun

57. Roosevelt – Echoes

58. Night Traveler – I Still Love You

59. Emmy The Great – A Window/O’Keeffe

60. Hansom Eli & Mikey J Blige – Summer Rise
I’ve a theory that any song is made better with a couple of French lines thrown in.

61. Declan McKenna – Rapture
What a talented young chap. Bowie and Elton have been frequent comparisons, and his latest album promises a bright future.

62. Hurts – Suffer
They can be so good, like on this dark-yet-euphoric anthem driven by the sound of a broken coffee machine (yes it’s true). The rest of the album it’s taken from (Faith) is unfortunately more miss than hit.

63. The Avalanches – Take Care In Your Dreaming (feat. Denzel Curry, Tricky & Sampa the Great)
That Denzel Curry verse is amazing. Deserves more love and deserves to be a lead single.

64. The Midnight – Brooklyn
‘80s pop ballads coming back in fashion? I can’t dislike.

65. RAYE – Natalie Don’t
Jolene meets I Will Survive, to dancefloor-stomping effect.

66. Saint Motel – A Good Song Never Dies

Like a song made for a club scene in a Bond movie.

67. Loote – Pushing Daisies
A year doesn’t feel complete without a really good Loote ballad. Hollywood’s burning baby.

68. The Weeknd – In Your Eyes
It feels an age ago that I was raving over his mixtapes, and now he’s complaining about the Grammies being a fix (what’s new?) but one thing that’s not changed – the quality of his tunes. The Kenny G version slaps too!

69. Laura Veirs – Another Space And Time

70. Hot Chip – Straight to the Morning (feat. Jarvis Cocker)
Lesbihonest you’ll barely notice that it’s Jarvis whispering sweet nothings on this. Still doesn’t stop it from being an absolute banger though.

71. Quantic – Theme from Selva
Slick orchestral-disco TV theme tune, except it’s not. Just DJ Will Holland doing epic things.

72. Bicep – Apricots
That sample of an African chant (Hugh Tracey’s Gebede-Gebede Ulendo Wasabwera) is ingenious, an absolute earworm. God knows I haven’t craved a good trance track since I was listening to ‘em in the 90s but this one hits the spot.

73. Becky Hill – Space
I looked her up and saw that she’s a Voice UK alum (can anyone name more than 5?) from 8 years ago who still hasn’t put out her debut LP. I’ve no idea what her original style was but 2020 has seen her name crop up as feature on a bunch of rave tunes (with Shift K3y, Tiesto and Sigala) and this is similarly a dance-floor filler. She’s getting that first album next year, here’s wishing her all the best.

74. Lana Del Rey – Let Me Love You Like A Woman
I confess I’ve never understood the hype over Lana Del Rey

75. The Sunshine State – Cliff Drive

76. Gillian Welch – Cowboy Rides Away

77. Phoebe Bridgers – Chinese Satellite

78. Anna Hauss – I Can’t Remember Love
As heard in an episode of The Queen’s Gambit (the jazz singer in…Paris?). Turns out it’s an original tune, and a very good one at that.

79. Anthony da Costa – Send My Regards (feat. Madison Cunningham)

80. Ginger Root – Nominated

81. Arlo Parks – Green Eyes (with. Clairo)
Why isn’t Arlo Parks bigger?is a question we all ask ourselves. Queer PoC, folk-singing female poet Arlo Parks – ticks so many boxes, all of them good and essential.

82. Maren Morris – Better Than We Found It
I didn’t think The Bones (from last year) would turn out to be so well-liked – all those CMAs and Grammy noms! Love this new song, and loved her shout out to all the black country singers (Rhiannon Giddens, Yola etc) during her CMAs speech!

83. Loma – Half Silences
Half of the appeal of this track might lie in its strangely hypnotic video. The song itself is as mesmerising though,

84. Birdy – Blue Skies
Beautiful cover of a Willie Nelson song.

85. Matilda Cole – The Clouds
She’s writing this at 18. What will she be writing in 5 years’ time?

86. SAULT – Wildfires
The nameless, faceless soul collective continues churning out great record after great record (4 in 2 years) – it’s amazing what not needing to cater to the media dregs can do for your output.

87. Patrick Watson – Lost With You
Channeling the best bits of Rufus Wainwright and Nick Drake that he does so well on occasion.

88. Travis – Nina’s Song
The lyrics are as inane as ever (dads, dumb, numb) but the Beatles-esque melody reminds me that Travis can be quite good if they try.

89. Marisha Wallace – Before I Go
A Broadway actress, Wallace has been part of the London cast of Waitress over the past year or two and landed a major record deal with Decca after independently releasing a charity cover of Tomorrow (Annie). This is her taking a smooth Guy Sebastian original and turning it into a rousing anthem.

90. LAUREL – Scream Drive Faster

91. Smith & Burrows – Old TV Shows
Didn’t think this collab between (Tom) Smith of Editors and (Andy) Burrows of We Are Scientists was still alive but hey, 2020! Good ‘ol fashioned fun guitar pop’s never out of fashion ‘cos it’s never in fashion anyway.

92. Morgan Wallen – 7 Summers
‘went viral on TikTok’ is a dirty phrase nowadays, but country singer Wallen surely won’t mind how 7 Summers started out as a 1-chorus demo he posted on Instagram, and was convinced to record & release…let’s forget kids going mehwhen the full version turned out to be a full-on Wallen country ditty.

93. Yola – Hold On (feat. Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell, Natalie Hemby)
Charity single from the black British country singer who produced one of my favourite records of 2019. Here she enlists the help of a star-studded cast of Nashville heavyweights for this uplifting slice of country gospel.

94. Kodaline – This Must Be Christmas
You gotta have a good Christmas song every year amirite?

95. Girlhood – It Might Take A Woman

96. Oneohtrix Point Never – Long Road Home

97. Graeme James –No Memories of Tomorrow
“I used to be in love with love and there’s no cure for that sickness”

98. Empress Of– You’ve Got to Feel (feat. Amber Mark)

99. The Aces –I Can Break Your Heart Too
So hard to pick out a track from Under My Influence, this was just one of many highlights including Kelly, queer anthem of the year.

100. Vancouver Sleep Clinic –Middle of Nowhere

The one song I’d wanted to put on this list was Mr. Children’s Documentary film which is yet to make its way to Spotify…c’mon Toy’s Factory! Rest of the list is a mix of mainstream Jpop and the usual obscure stuff streaming sites know I’ll appreciate. I’ve dropped in comments here and there but otherwise, it’s good to let the music speak for itself – that’s how you discover acts on Spotify!

Albums? I’m not sure I listened to more than 10 new ones. So no list there.

1. Awesome City Club – Ambivalence (アンビバレンス)

2. YOASOBI – Halzion (ハルジオン)
Nothing they’ve released subsequently has topped this as my fave YOASOBI song…will that change?

3. Scenarioart – Ever sick

4. Ryokuōshoku Shakai – Mela!

5. Gen’in wa Jibun ni Aru. – Shikōni Kansuru Seronchōsa (嗜好に関する世論調査)
Stardust Pro boyband Genjibu makes ‘avant-garde’ music, including this sublime post-rock-leaning tune.

6. MIZ – Parade (パレード)

7. CVLTE – Falling Apart
Name read as Cult, Hokkaido alt-rock band that sings mainly in English (vocalist Aviel’s father is Argentinian) and their videos are subtitled in Russian for some reason…

8. Majiko – Escargot (エスカルゴ)

9. CYNHN – Suisei (水生)
The name is СУИНИ (Russian, read スウィーニー/Sweeney). Quite like Genjibu, they’re an idolish girl group that makes not-very-idolish music.

10. Kawaguchi Reiji – I’m a slave for you

11. NakamuraEmi – Tokyo Tower (東京タワー)

12. Tamura Meimi – Ichijiku (いちじく)
Former member of HP group Angerme who mostly plies her trade in musicals these days.

13. Tokyo Jihen – Eien no Fuzai Shōmei (永遠の不在証明)

14. I Don’t Like Mondays – Zenbu Anata no Sei Nanda (全部アナタのせいなんだ)
Western-style rock. Somehow they’ve amassed a lot of Johnny’s fanboys (Sakurai Sho & Nagase Ren etc), which I suppose makes them trendy?

15. the peggies – weekend

16. FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE – Hey, darlin’
Felt like I listened to a lot of LDH acts this year and this song was the pick of the bunch…though I don’t think I could pick out FANTASTICS, THE RAMPAGE or GENERATIONS from a crowd of faces

17. Official HIGE DANdism – I Love…

18. Natural Lag – Shinkirō (蜃気楼)
ie Da-iCE’s Hanamura Sota’s side project – a guitar pop-rock band.

19. cadode – Tarachine (たらちね)

20. yonige – Kenzen na Asa (健全な朝)

21. Hirose Daichi – Confusion

22. Kadowaki Sarasa – Tokyo wa (東京は)
Singer-songwriter signed to Stardust Pro. She’s got the voice and a couple of good songs, but how to stand out from the Aimyons etc?

23. NABOWA, jizue – TAO (produced by Kie Kitagi)

24. 4s4ki – I picked up a prostitute’s iPhone (feat. Gokou Kuyt & ameshima soshi)
Wins for best song title of the year!

25. Sano ibuki – DECOY
The Yonezu Kenshi meets BUMP OF CHICKEN observation stands, but he’s still minus the adulation and success. When, Japan?

26. SANOVA – Tokyo (東京)

27. Saboten Neon House – Midori no Tansan (緑の炭酸)

28. Culenasm – Epilogue made (エピローグまで)
The type of song that reminds me of how much I used to adore melodic shoegaze bands. This Fukuoka 4-piece is one to watch out for

29. mafumafu – Sore o Ai to Yobu dake (それを愛と呼ぶだけ)
Finally going mainstream is our sweet-voiced mafumafu….you know that when a full face reveal happens.

30. MARQUEE BEACH CLUB – journey

31. Yuki Akira – Answer

32. Da-iCE – Flight away

33. Vaundy – Tomoshibi (灯火)
Tokyo Flash was a massive hit last year; this continues his fine form.

34. ichikoro – Enemy
Who can keep up with Kawatani Enon’s avalanche of different projects? Math-rock instrumental supergroup ichikoro is my pick of his lot, as you’d expect.

35. Sangatsu no Phantasia – Sakasama no Lady (逆さまのLady)

36. Oyamada Sōhei – OH MY GOD

37. TK from Ling tosite sigure – Tsuru no Ongaeshi (鶴の恩返し)

38. LELLE – Shiro (白)

39. Biteki Keikaku – Koi no Koto (恋のこと)
Another Kawatani Enon side project, this time with a parade of vocalists including Nishina, who features elsewhere on the list…

40. WOMCADOLE – Hikari naki Sekai (ヒカリナキセカイ)

41. The Lamb – Plastic Girl
So The 1975 you won’t believe it’s not The 1975.

42. satomoka – melt bitter

43. No Buses – Imagine Siblings
The value of the song lies in the Muse/early Radiohead-esque arrangement and instrumentation – I still can’t make out any of the Engrish!

44. TENDRE – LIFE
Going on to bigger things is this ace soul singer

45. NOA – TAXI (feat. tofubeats)
Ex-Kpop trainee Kazama Noa (YG, none the less) back in Japan with a fledgling solo career. Lovely beats provided by tofubeats.

46. Tawayome Orchestra – Akaneiro Riverside (茜色リヴァーサイド)

47. BBHF – Crayon Missile (クレヨンミサイル)

48. wasabi – sweet seep sleep
Ah jeebus, a unit I was so excited about: Taniguchi Maguro (KANA-BOON) meets Tsuno Maisa (Akai Kōen_ for a slice of perfect summery pop. RIP Maisa, your music will live on :<

49. Attractions – Blood Pressure

50. Shibata Satoko – Tomodachi (友達)

51. Kami wa Saikoro o Furanai – Utakata Hanabi (泡沫花火)

52. chelmico – Disco (Bad dance doesn’t matter)
Catchiest Jpop song of 2020 for me! Must’ve looped it 25,000 times while driving home from work~

53. ZUTOMAYO – MILABO

54. STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION – Session
Recorded at home during the lockdown, the first digital single for R.O.N’s alter-ego incorporates fan-contributed vocals and music – truly a song for the lockdown times.

55. Hasunuma Shuta Full Philharmonic Orchestra – windandwindows

56. Chameleon Lime Whoopie Pie – Who am I
Continues to baffle me that she continues to get zero coverage or attention. This song bangs so hard!

57. JO1 – GO

58. Furui Riho – I’m free

59. ASOBOiSM – Scramble Mental (スクランブルメンタル)
Another new, good female singer-come-rapper. Japan’s rather good at producing them of late…

60. Friends– 8gatsu 31nichi no Yukue (8月31日の行方)

61. Lee Hwangdae – Shining (シャイニング)
Now using his full name instead of Lee&Small Mountains, this Sokabe Keiichi-discovered singer-songwriter made some of the most sparkling, melodic city pop in 2020.

62. Chunky Cookie Club – GU*CI GIRL
Sounds like chelmico? Sign me up please.

63. Grace Aimi – Eternal Sunshine
Okinawan-born Youtuber (she has a channel with brother Gabriel) releases excellent summery debut single.

64. FUJIN CLUB – Soieba Taiwan (そいえば台湾)
Spotify truly introduces you to weird (good) shit, like this group of housewives from Sado island making an eclectic brand of Neo Shibuya-kei songs, written by one M Lemon aka Sato Nozomi

65. Miina & luci – Sea song

66. Iwasaki Ai – Taijūno Uta (大樹のうた)
Singer-songwriter Iwasaki collabs with tricolor, a Japanese trio making ace traditional Irish folk music.

67. Yano Akiko – Ai o Tsugeru Kotori (愛を告げる小鳥)

68. Crazy Ken Band – Ai ga aru nara Toshi no Sa nante (愛があるなら年の差なんて)

69. Ezoshika Gourmet Club – Kinōno Tsuki ni Samayoeba (昨日の月にさまよえば)
These days I don’t often listen to earnest Japanese rock bands (think LOST IN TIME, UNDER GRAPH) that much compared to the 2000s but there’s always the odd song that catches my ear, like this.

70. polly – Hikari (ヒカリ)

71. BoA – I believe
Accidentally my most listened to song on Spotify this year. Blame that one weekend when I was a bender looping it endlessly-

72. macico – alcohol

73. Matsuo Takashi – The Brand New Way
Actor/member of Stardust Pro’s boyband Chotokkyu, going solo. On this evidence, he should stay solo.

74. Akai Kōen – pray
How to listen to this without crying?

75. Cö shu Nie – Kuroi Suna (黒い砂)

76. Jacob Tanaka – BIKE

77. Ryukku to Soine Gohan – Atarashii Asa (あたらしい朝)

78. THE BACK HORN – Rinkaku (輪郭)
As always, got a soft spot for their ballads.

79. eill – Odorasenaide (踊らせないで)
Another genre I have a soft spot for? Old-school Japanese r’n’b a la Utada & Namie. eill formerly ENNE has featured on SKY-HI & m-flo tracks and written for EXID & NEWS so she’s got pedigree.

80. Orange Spiny Crab – Rinse (リンス)
Perhaps, bears more than a passing resemblance to DCT’s Osaka Lover.

81. asmi – last
The 19-year old singer-songwriter’s bond album is one of my favourite records of the year, and she’s got one of my new favourite voices

82. Indigo la end – Yokaze to Hayabusa (夜風とハヤブサ)
Ah, it’s Enon again. You want to dislike the guy for being a douchebag but what can you do when he keeps churning out good tunes?

83. Kūhaku Gokko – Ame (雨)

84. Omoinotake – Akubi (欠伸)
I listened to these guys a lot in 2020. How to describe their music…Heartbreaking nostalgia? Hopeful yearning? Happy sadness?

85. Haruna – Yoru ni Ukabu (夜に浮かぶ)
The livehouse performance of this just gives me the chills.

86. Aoba Ichiko – Adan no Kaze (アダンの風)
I have to keep reminding myself that Aoba is just 30 years old when the ethereal, otherworldly feel of her music harks back to hippy/trippy ‘70s folk bands

87. mekakushe – Omou to Iu koto (想うということ)

88. Kujira & Uramaru – Ashiato wa Kiete yuku (足跡は消えてゆく)
‘Cosplayer teams up with Vocaloid producer to make indie rock track’ doesn’t sound like an exciting prospect on paper but I promise it works!

89. iri – ienai

90. sancrib – Harukaze ni Fukarete (春風に吹かれて)

91. Nishina – Rendezvous (ランデブー)
Nishina was picked by Kawatani Enon after he asked people to tweet him videos of themselves doing guitar-backed cover versions so that he could gift them his new song. And she’s starting to put out her own (really good) self-written solo material now so.. thanks for giving her a start?

92. Laura day romance – float

93. Little Glee Monster – Dear My Friend (feat. Pentatonix)
Marriage made in heaven, as they’d say. Kirstin’s Japanese pronunciation totally slays too!

94. Tsumugi – Yuragi, Tomadoi. (揺らぎ、戸惑い。)

95. jizue –Sabaku no Tsuki (砂漠の月)
Admittedly jizue could record an entire album of them sneezing and coughing and I’d probably still like it.

96. toconoma – ALOE
The instrumental band dubbed this song ‘J-POP interpreted in the toconoma way’ – certainly brighter and breezier than their usual tunes.

97. Sakamoto Maaya – Itsuka Tabi ni deru Hi

98.Hajime Chitose & Sakai Yu– KAMA KULA

99. Yukarisa –Kono Machi (この街)
I knew nothing about the group when I first heard this and I instantly recognised the vocalist as Kūkikodan’s Yamazaki Yukari. Turns out this is a supergroup of sorts, featuring tico moon’s Yoshino Yuka & The Natsuyasumi Band’s Nakagawa Risa and they put out an album earlier this year (Water), which is also excellent.

100. THE CHARM PARK– in heavenly peace
Oh yeah this is what I want to hear from [Korean-American but mostly singing in Japanese] Charm, more stripped-down, minimalistic sadboy music (made in his bedroom). And in English! Ngl, as good as his stuff can be, it’s always sounded a bit..overproduced.

Annual posts to keep this blog alive?

01. Kamisama, Boku wa Kizuite shimatta – Namae no Nai Ao [Eizoken ED]

02. (K)NoW_NAME – Night SURFING [Dorohedoro ED2]

03. flumpool – Chiisana Hibi [Kakushigoto OP]

04. DREAMS COME TRUE – G [G no Reconguita movie theme]

05. Moriyama Natoro – Arigatou wa Kocchi no Kotoba [Somali OP]

06. ChamJam – Clover wish [Oshibudo OP]

07. Omoinotoke – Moratorium [Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai theme]

08. Shin Sakiura feat. AAAMYYY – Night Running [BNA ED]

09. Cider Girl – ID [Fire Force S2 ED1]

10. Uso to Chameleon – Mononoke in the Fiction [KyokōSuiri OP]

11. Miyano Mamoru– LAST DANCE [KyokōSuiri ED]

12. Akai Kōen – Zettai Reido [Kuutei Dragons OP]

13. Stray Kids – TOP [Tower of God OP]

14. Aoi Shota – BAD END [Hamefura ED]

15. angela – Otome no Route wa Hitotsu janai! [Hamefura OP]

16. CHiCO with HoneyWorks – Kessen Spirit [Haikyuu! S4 ED]

17. Yasuno Kiyono – Hare Moyou [Arte ED]

18. milet – Tell me [FGO Babylonia ED3]

19. THE CHARM PARK – ad meliora [Fruits Basket S2 ED1]

20. yourness – Kago no Naka ni Tori [Yesterday o Utatte ED]

21. NOW ON AIR – Gondola no Uta [Kitsutsuki Tanteidokoro ED]

22. Toki Asako – HOME [Fruits Basket S2 OP2]

23. Harumi – Pride [Nami yo Kiite kure ED]

24. Hilchryme – Yoridokoro [Peter Grill ED]

25. sajou no hana – Koko ni Itai [Railgun T IN]

26. OKAMOTO’S – Welcome My Friend [FugōKeiji ED]

27. ReoNa – Untitled world [Arknights theme]

28. Sakamoto Maaya – Yakudō[FGO Cosmos in the Lostbelt OP2]

29. Argonavis – Pray [Argonavis from Bang Dream! IN]

30. Kusunoki Tomori – Hamidashimono [Maou Gakuin ED]

31. MY FIRST STORY – 1,000,ooo Times (feat. Egoist) [Duel Masters Play’s OP]

32. Given – Yoru ga Akeru [movie theme]

33. ASCA – Chain [Darwin’s Game OP]

34. Mia REGINA – I got it! [Appare-Ranman! OP]

35. Strawberry Prince – Dai UchūRendezvous [Yōkai Watch Gakuen Y OP2]

36. Suzuki Minori – Ephemera o Atsumete [Honzuki S2 ED]

37. Aimer – Haru wa Yuku [Fate/stay night Heaven’s Feel III theme]

38. Suzuki Aina – Yasashisa no Namae [Monster Musume no Oisha-san ED]

39. Kamishiraishi Mone – Shiroi Doro [Major 2nd S2 OP2]

40. Eve – Kaikai Kitan [Jujutsu Kaisen OP1]

41. ALI – LOST IN PARADISE (feat. AKLO) [Jujutsu Kaisen ED1]

42. ChouCho – Haiiro no Saga [Majo no Tabitabi ED]

43. Hatanaka Tasuku – DYING WISH [Yūkoku no Moriarty OP]

44. THE PINBALLS – Needle Knot [IWGP OP]

45. Asaka – I believe what you said [Higurashi GōOP]

46. Hatena – Yume janai [Taiso Samurai ED]

47. Kurosaki Maon – Kimi o Sukueru nara Boku wa Nani ni demo naru [Magatsu Wahrheit Zuerst OP]

48. Uta Ary –Haseru Mirai[Fruits Basket S2 IN]

49. Uru – Break [Han’yō no Yashahime ED]

50. Horie Yui – Yokan Koiuta [KanColle charasong]

—————————

Those that were close but didn’t get the cigar:

Ishigami Shizuka, Saeki Iori, Morinaga Chisato – Umirenka [Tenka Hyakken EP]

Tomita Miyu –Taiyōto Rainbow [One Room S3 ED1]

Hanamori Yumiri –3kai kara Yamato Nadeshiko [One Room S3 ED4]

And to round things off, 100 English songs.

A right odd mix this year with British pop returning to sounds of my youth ie. AJ Tracey’s Artful Dodger-style garage & Everyone You Know’s channelling The Streets. Folk/country female singer-songwriters continue to take up quite a large chunk of my listening these days and I’m still partial to the odd dance track. And of course, Britpop – who’da thought Liam Gallagher and Johnny Marr would be making these lists, 25 years after I first started listening to them?

Albums? Don’t think I listened to more than 20 in 2019. Kishi Bashi’s was excellent, as was Hot Chip’s. Yola too.

1. The Divine Comedy – Norman and Norma

2. Kishi Bashi – Theme From Jerome (Forgotten Words)

3. Chromatics – Time Rider

4. The Night Café – Endless Lovers

5. AURORA – Animal

6. White Lies – Tokyo

7. Noah Kahan – Busyhead

8. Elderbrook – Something About You (with Rudimental)

9. Madeon – Borealis

10. Hot Chip – Bath Full of Ecstasy

11. Billie Eilish – all the good girls go to hell

12. Clairo – Bags

13. Andrew Bird – Manifest

14. Lady Antebellum – Pictures

15. FKA Twigs – Cellophane

16. Sigrid – Home To You

17. YONAKA – Rockstar

18. Bon Iver – U (Man Like)

19. Dean Lewis – Stay Awake

20. The Big Moon – Take A Piece

21. Mandy Moore – I’d Rather Lose

22. YAS – empty crown

23. Joy Crookes – Since I Left You
24. Max – Checklist (feat. Chromeo)

25. Lizzo – Juice

26. Mark Ronson – Late Night Feelings (feat. Lykke Li)

27. Zedd – Good Thing (feat. Kehlani)

28. Alma – Lonely Night

29. Tones And I – Dance Monkey

30. Caroline Polachek – So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings

31. flora cash – I Wasted You

32. Michael Kiwanuka – Hero

33. King Princess – Hit the Back

34. Alec Benjamin – Must Have Been the Wind

35. Before You Exit – The Butterfly Effect

36. Ben Platt – Ease My Mind

37. Faye Webster – Right Side of My Neck

38. Stella Donelly – Old Man

39. Cate Le Bon – Home to You

40. Ghostly Kisses – The City Holds My Heart (acoustic)

41. Vancouver Sleep Clinic – Bad Dream

42. Jenny Lewis – Wasted Youth

43. Jessica Pratt – This Time Around

44. Yola – Shady Grove

45. Foster the People – Imagination Wild

46. Catfish and the Bottlemen – Longshot

47. Liam Gallagher – One of Us

48. Johnny Marr – Armatopia

49. Blossoms – The Keeper

50. FUR – Nothing (Until Something Comes Along)

51. beabadoobee – She Plays Bass
52. Big Thief – Cattails

53. Sara Bareilles – Saint Honesty

54. Kelsea Ballerini – homecoming queen?

55. Jonathan Groff – Lost In The Woods

56. John Mayer – Carry Me Away

57. The Japanese House – Maybe You’re the Reason

58. Keane – Love Too Much

59. Travis – Kissing in the Wind

60. Sam Fender – All is On My Side

61. Fickle Friends – Amateurs

62. Chappaqua Wrestling – Is She Happy Turning on Her Side?

63. The Covasettes – Twit Twoo

64. Only Sun – It’ll Be Alright

65. Cannons – Talk Talk

66. Bombay Bicycle Club – Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)

67. Shallou – Fading

68. Jacob Lee – Artistry

69. Sasha Sloan – smiling when i die

70. Loote – are you sure?

71. Mae Muller – Anticlimax

72. Big Gigantic, Ashe – Friends

73. Sekai no Owari, Clean Bandit – Lost

74. DJ Regard – Ride It (feat. Jay Sean)

75. AJ Tracey – Ladbroke Grove

76. Everyone You Know – The Drive

77. Erlend Øye & La Comitiva – Paradiso

78. FKJ – Ylang Ylang

79. Sundara Karma – Little Smart Houses
80. Circa Waves – Times Won’t Change Me

81. Friendly Fires – Silhouettes

82. Gerry Cinnamon – Canter

83. San Cisco – Skin

84. Surfaces – Good Day

85. Lime Cordiale – Robbery

86. Dayglow – Nicknames

87. Saint Motel – Old Soul

88. Leonard Cohen – Thanks For The Dance

89. Yumi Zouma – Right Track / Wrong Man

90. Sorry Girls – One That You Want

91. Salt Cathedral – Caviar

92. Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hall

93. Nilüfer Yanya – Paralysed

94. Hayden Thorpe – Diviner

95. The Cranberries – In The End

96. Marshmello – One Thing Right (feat. Kane Brown)

97. The Neighbourhood – Middle of Somewhere

98. Charlie Peacock feat. Marc Martel – The Finish Line

99. Weyes Blood – Andromeda

100. Kacey Musgraves – All is Found

I started laughing while trying to compile a playlist on Spotify cos half of my first dozen or so choices weren’t available… but it wasn’t so bad in the end. Only less than 10 tracks missing!

1. milet – Drown [Vinland Saga ED2]

2. Myth & Roid – Shadowgraph [Boogiepop Phantom OP]

3. Teddyloid – Winners (feat. Reol & Giga) [Fight League OP]

4. Mizunaka Masaaki – Sora Uta [Namu Amida Butsu Rendai Utena OP]

5. Weaver – Curtain Call [revisions ED]

6. the peggies – Stand By Me [Sarazanmai ED]

7. Given – Fuyu no Hanashi [Given IN]

8. Oishi Masayoshi – Rakuen Toshi [Cop Craft OP]

9. LiSA – unlasting [SAO Alicization S2 ED]

10. Chiho feat. Majiko – Egao no Kanata [Egao no Daika OP]

11. Hino Satoshi, Fukushima Jun, Kobayashi Yusuke, Yuki Aoi – Isekai Quartet [Isekai Quartet OP]

12. sajou no hana – Parole [Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator ED]

13. ASCA – Hibari [Lord El-Melloi ED]

14. Fairouz Ai & Ishikawa Kaito – Onegai Muscle [Dumbbell Nankilo Moteru? OP]

15. Argonavis – Gift [Cardfight!! Vanguard Shinemon-hen ED]

16. OxT – Golden After School [Daiya no Ace Act II ED1]

17. Uchida Yuma – Speechless [Kono Oto Tomare! ED]

18. Little Glee Monster – Kimi ni Todoku made [MIX ED1]

19. Suda Keina – veil [Fire Force ED1]

20. DIALOGUE+ – Hajimete no Kakumei! [ChoYoYu OP]

21. Odawara Jōsei Kōkō Motomenbu (Saitō Sōma, Umehara Yūichirō, Uchiyama Kōki, Matsuoka Yoshitsugu, Tomizono Rikiya) – High School Princess [Kimi dake ni Motetainda theme song]

22. Miyano Mamoru, Hosoya Yoshimasa – Kawausoiya [Sarazanmai IN]

23. Mermaid Sisters – Galactic mermaid [Carole & Tuesday IN]
Probably the anime song I’ll think of when I think of 2019. Fucking bullshit, y’all.

24. Otsuka Ai – Chime [Furuba OP2]

25. Nakajima Megumi – Suisō [Hoshiai no Sora OP]

26. Halo at Yojohan – Naraku [Radiant S2 OP]

27. Anzai Kalen – Jinsei wa Senjō da [Black Clover S3 ED1]

28. ALI – Wild Side [Beastars OP]

29. Inoue Sonoko – Kotonoha no Omoi [Senryu Shojo OP]

30. Momosu Momosu – Anecdote [Hataage! Kemonomichi ED]

31. CHiCO with HoneyWorks – Koibito Tsunagi [Araoto IN]

32. OLDCODEX – Take On Fever [Tokunana OP]

33. saji – Tsubasa [Ahiru no Sora ED]

34. EGOIST – Sakase ya sakase [Kabaneri movie theme]

35. Edoga Sullivan – WONDERFUL WONDER [Midara na Ao-chan OP]

36. Hara Yumi, Amamiya Sora, Takahashi Rie, Yuki Aoi – Isekai Girls Talk [Isekai Quartet ED]

37. KANA-BOON – Haguruma [Karakuri Circus OP2]

38. Stereo Dive Foundation – Chronos [Shokugeki no Soma S4 OP]

39. Seven Billion Dots – Stay With Me [Granblue Fantasy S2 OP]

40. (K)NoW_NAME – Stay Gold [Fairy gone S2 ED]

41. Lozareena – Hyakuoku Kōnen [Kabukicho Sherlock ED]

42. Azuna Riko – Whiteout [Boogiepop Phantom ED]

43. May’n – Kiba to Tsubasa [Kochoki ~Wakaki Nobunaga~ ED]

44. Sakamoto Maaya – Uchū no Kioku [BEM OP]

45. Superfly – Koori ni Tojikomete [Promare theme]

46. cinema staff – Name of Love [Shingeki no Kyojin S3-2 ED]

47. schrodinger’s cat – Unknown World adding kotringo [Hizaue ED]

48. Chihara Minori – Amy [Violet Evergarden Gaiden theme]

49. Ito Miku & Miyamoto Yume – AM11:00 [Fragtime theme]

50. UNISON SQUARE GARDEN – Phantom Joke [FGO Babylonia OP]

——–
Bonus in the playlist – songs that almost made the cut:

NakamuraEmi – Chittomo Shiranakatta [Radiant S2 ED]

BLUE ENCOUNT – Polaris [Boku no Hero Academia S4 OP]

Aimer – Torches [Vinland Saga ED1]

Official Hige DanDISM – Yesterday [Hello World theme]

Majiko – Wish [7SEEDS ED]

Other songs that are not anisong but vaguely related (games, vocaloids, Ps etc)

1. Police Piccadilly – Rumor (feat. Gumi)
Not likely to be the first time anyone’s tried it, but what a slice of genius in utilising GUMI’s English voice bank for this track. Gives the song a fresh, almost Kpop-like twist.

2. Sakura Ayane, Uchida Maaya, Yamamura Hibiku, Fukuhara Ayaka, Hayami Saori – Geki! Teikoku Kagekidan <Shinshō>
You think there surely can’t be any more ways to rework Gekitei! and then this comes along.

3. Kotobuki Minako – Take off with me
I honestly wouldn’t mind Minako pivoting to a funk/disco pop direction on this evidence. Shame she’s heading off soon to British shores for a year, hope she enjoys BoJo and the Brexit dance.

4. Rinmeikan Jogakkō – Chō ni Natte Mimasenka?
Basically love every song the franchise puts out (except maybe uh… Frontier School)

5. Uchida Maaya – Kyōmei Raison d’etre
Album track contributed by Tabuchi Tomoya (Unison Square Garden). Does the guy ever write bad songs?

Annual best ofs seem to be my only content now.

I have listened to quite a lot of Jpop this year for my standards, at least. I mostly blame this on Produce 101 Japan, an idol talent show that I somehow became obsessed with despite caring not an iota about the Korean iterations…go figure.

This time, I’m just putting all them tracks in a Spotify playlist. Let’s forget about how awful Spotify is at paying artistes royalties and just be glad, as a consumer, at the wide selection available these days – there were only 2 songs on the list I’d drawn up that were nowhere to be found on the site – KinKi Kids and a Kano song (which I swapped out for another tune)

1. Official Hige Dandism – Pretender
One of the 2019’s biggest hits that no doubt earned them their ticket to perform on NHK’s Kohaku, and like Remioromen’s Konayuki or Moriyama Naotaro’s Sakura, will be their meal ticket for years to come.

2. Flower – Kurenai no Dress
I remain eternally weak to LDH ballads; it’s usually JSB3 that I like but Flower has been the unit that’s been commanding my attention over the last 2-3 years.

3. Cadode – Gensekai Tensei
One of those quirky tracks that Spotify threw up. It’s odd, it’s tuneful, it’s an earworm.

4. m-flo – EKTO
Lisa back on vocals, and they’re back on song.

5. Yasuda Rei – Asymmetry
I’ve never known much about Yasuda (born Rachel Rhodes) beyond her name & face despite being fairly familiar with her many tie-up songs but Asymmetry’s the one that’s finally reeled me in & got me obsessed.

6. Five New Old – Keep on Marching
Vocalist Hiroshi sings in fluent English – his voice reminds me of Sing Like Talking’s Sato Chikuzen and the group’s style shares similar shades of uplifting gospel pop.

7. Kano – Kimi ga Umareta Hi
Kano regularly makes my lists so it’s no surprise one of her mainstream tracks pops up here. She put out a Vocaloid album this year as well so there’s no let-up in her genre(?)-shifting endeavours.

8. Majiko – Haru, Koizakura.
Another one of the artists/ex-utaite/doujin singer that I’m loathe to categorise, but she’s now signed to Universal Music Japan. This song was my anthem throughout spring.

9. sajou no hana – Kimi no Sei
sajou’s a sort of super-group featuring prolific anisong hitmaker Watanabe Sho with vocalist sana & bassist Kitani Tetsuya. Watanabe pens the lyrics & melodies most of the time but it’s Kitani’s fantastic post-rock/electro-tinged arrangements that give the songs life.

10. JYOCHO – Itsuka Hitori de
Math-rock’s gotten a lot more mainstream and JYOCHO are one of its catchiest exponents.

11. BLUE ENCOUNT – Gibbs
Masterful cover of the Shiina Ringo classic found on the B-side of Bad Paradox.

12. Produce 101 Japan Finalists – Grandmaster
Grandmaster is one of the 2 finale songs and despite most of my fave boys being in the other that did Young, Grandmaster was the tune that appealed to me more. ‘Neurohop’ is its apparent genre (is that even still a thing?), and I love the beats & overall flow/swagger of the song.

13. KinKi Kids – Byōka
Late entry on to the list. The type of wistful ballad (ie. Renrui & Hakka Candy) I’ve always loved from the Domoto duo.

14. REOL – Utena
It finally occurred to me that her music sounds like Blackpink (sorry, late to the party)

15. Omoinotake – Blanco
I like how their vibe is rock but they have no guitars & only a keyboardist, bassist & drummer. Remind me of Weaver at times.

16. Miyuna – Kan Beer
I don’t know if it’s the NakamuraEmi effect but there’s a proliferation of fierce hip-pop girls now like Miyuna, SHACHI etc…and I’m not complaining.

17. Lelle – Pleiades
This song kept showing up on my recs and of course, I loved it. The type of earnest rock band I probably would’ve spent loads of cash chasing around dingy livehouses..if they existed 10 years ago.

18. 4s4ki – last scene
4s4ki (pronounced Asaki) is gonna be the next big thing, surely…the next DAOKO?

19. BOL4 – Watashi no Shishunki e
Been a massive fan of Korea’s Bolbbalgan4 from the start but I must say that their songs get a lot more emotional when I can finally understand the lyrics (by experienced songwriter Okajima Kanata). This version of To my Youth really cuts deep ;__; Looking forward to their original Japanese material next year!!

20. Ibuki Sano – Kessen Zenya
As the top comment on the Youtube video says: “face of Yonezu Kenshi, sound of Bump of Chicken”. He’ll be massive.

21. Anzai Kalen – Sekai no Subete Teki ni Kanjite Kodoku Sae Aishiteita
As an oldfag I’m all for Avex trying to revive the 90s Jpop (ala ELT, Amuro) spirit through Anzai Kalen but I’m not sure it has a long-term future;;;;

22. milet – You & I
It’s her voice that sells songs that otherwise sound like generic pop fluff.

23. LAMP IN TERREN – White Like Me
Dark rock a la early The Back Horn isn’t exactly the flavour of the decade so I’m grateful these guys exist. Brings me back to the 90s when I listened to bands like Silverchair, Fuel and The Charlatans.

24. Aimer – Hanabiratachi no March
Whisper it, but I love her pop-oriented songs more than the anime-linked ones. This one was the c/w for I beg you – by my estimation, I’m the only person in this universe who doesn’t like I beg you (insert laugh-cry emoji)

25. Little Glee Monster – Classic
2019 seems to be the year where I finally pay long overdue attention to artists who deserve it, and this vocal/idol unit have put out a string of excellent tracks this year and Classic (Echo’s c/w) is the pick of the lot for me.

26. Iri – Wonderland
Everyone’s darling, and not without merit. Song was used in a Sony Walkman ad which explains its popularity on Youtube.

27. never young beach – Itsumo Ame
Their songs scream of the nostalgia of summer days gone by.

28. odol – Nagame
Favourite piano line this year. Kicell-ish chill vibes, the song I listen to when I want to wind down.

29. Friday Night Plans – HONDA
Used in a CM for Honda’s Vezel. This kind of song falls in line with the sort of retro r’n’b English-language stuff I’m listening to – the Ella Mais and Kehlanis etc.

30. THREE1989 – Hotel Jellyfish
Japanese funk is going strong with Suchmos, SIRUP & these guys. Maybe they’re best known for the fact that vocalist Shohei went on Terrace House and forcefully kissed Seina…

31. Ueno Yuka – Aitakunai, Aitai
Pop ballad singer backed by some of the best songwriters out there – this particular one’s penned by the Yamazaki Aoi/Tsurusaki Koichi team. Love her PVs too.

32. NakamuraEmi – Ame no Youni Naite yare
Still my fave of them female hip-hop/singers.

33. Yorushika – Odorouze
Utaite & Vocaloid-Ps have been tearing it up the charts over the last 2-3 years and Yorushika is one of the most prolific and consistent. The only question is which one of their tracks to pick out as a highlight – I’ve gone for one from the album preceding their move to Universal J.

34. Arashi – Turning Up
Such an un-Arashi like choice for single, and one that’s designed for fans the world over as the quintet launches their final year assault ahead of their dreaded hiatus. I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy whatever the boys offer in their time left – and I’ll pray that their exit won’t hurt as much as Namie’s.

35. King Gnu – Hakujitsu
One of 2019’s longest-lasting hits that at first, perplexed me with its popularity. Another slow burner and slow grower.

36. Maison Book Girl – Yamiiro no Asa
The animated PV popped up in my Youtube recs one day; 1 click and I was instantly fascinated. Song’s great, but the experience is definitely enhanced by the PV – make sure you listen to it with your best headphones.

37. YOASOBI – Yoru ni Kakeru
One of the songs on heavy rotation in my playlists approaching the end of 2019 – YOASOBI (Ayase +Vocaloid producer ikura) wrote this song based on a story that won a prize in a monogatary.com competition & has a video animated by Ai Niina, who also works with Maison Book Girl & Shiina Ringo.

38. Da-iCE – Issho no Onegai
I’m still into the old school r’n’b boyband sound (W-inds etc) & Da-iCE are one of the few that stick to that. Really love Damn It! off their latest single BACK TO BACK as well.

39. WHITE JAM – Silent Night
What can I say? They’re supposed to be a hip-hop group but I prefer their cheesy ballads..even more so when it’s Christmas-themed

40. Edoga Sullivan – Konya Suteki ni natte
Their name is a portmanteau of Ed Sullivan (yes, that one) & Edogawabashi Station (their rehearsal studio used to be in the vicinity), fyi. Pointless trivia asides, the duo produced some sparkling pop songs this year

41. I Don’t Like Mondays. – Zero Gravity
They have songs where they try too hard to sound like Bruno Mars (umm…Do Ya?) but this is one where they get it right.

42. Ketsumeishi – Makka no Jōnetsu
If you didn’t tell me the artist there is no way I would’ve guessed it was Ketsumeishi. Why is a hip-hop group singing a catchy country folk tune??

43. Half time Old – Kitsune to Kamo
Not being in Japan makes it hard for me to find out what’s hot in the indie rock scene so once again, thanks Spotify.

44. Mono no Oware – Kamukamo shikamo nidomokamo
Just a fucking legendary song for all the tongue twisters that I can’t even read properly, let alone sing/rap them like Tamaoki Shukei does.

45. Mega Shinnosuke – Semai Uchū Hiroi Kono Hoshi
Excellent pop sensibilities – reminds me of Kaji Hideki with his knack for melody.

46. Kamisama, Boku wa Kizuiteshimatta – 20XX
Anyone familiar with KamiBoku will know what to expect from them – a happier, radio-friendly Ling Tosite Sigure. They sure can’t stop churning out the catchy-noisy hits, from CQCQ to Mercy to UNHAPPY CLUB, and 20XX is the title track of their

47. Higuchi Ai – Zensen
Pop songs with arrangements that lean towards post/math-rock. Fans of School Food Punishment, jizue etc will find much to like about the fast and furious piano-playing Higuchi.

48. Fukushige Mari – night dancer
Better known as Gesu no Kiwami Otome’s keyboardist, Fukushige finally steps out of Kawatani’s shadow to make stellar, funky songs of her own.

49. adieu – Narratage
We have Suda Masaki for male actors-turned-singers, and we have Kamishiraishi Mone aka adieu for the girls. She’s backed by all-star songwriters in Ishiwatari Junji, Obukuro Nariaki & for Narratage (theme from the movie of the same name), Radwimps’ Noda Yojiro.

50. sumika – Negai
The only thing from the ‘second season’ of Ossan’s Love dorama worth mentioning (bitter laugh)

Belatedly – some songs from years past that I only chanced upon in 2019.

1. MALIYA – Breakfast In Bed (feat.Ryohu)
Reminds me of Kakoi Miku’s classic r’n’b style

2. Ryokuōshoku Shakai – Little Singer
They’re mostly too poppy for me but this song just strikes the right balance.

3. Eve – Last Dance
He’s getting really big, isn’t he? Not always a huge fan of the songs but this one is great.

4. 3daime J Soul Brothers – Koi to Ai
Classic 3JSB winter ballad.

5. Hey! Say! JUMP – Over The Top
Thanks PD101JP! I didn’t even realise that this was used in an anime (Time Bokan 24) either…

English-language music continued to dominate the bulk of my listening playlists in 2018. Genres I favoured this year:

• Old is the new new. Probably down to acts like Years and Years and The 1975 that are so good at incorporating 80s and 90s pop hooks with modern synth sounds.
• 90s r’n’b is something I’m getting back into – ppl like Jorja Smith and Ella Mai.
• 70s mellow is my new favourite thing too. Love listening to stuff that sounds like Vincent (Don McLean) or Cat Stevens.
• Apparently they catch everything above under the banner of ‘retropop’…
• Country is still my jam, and it’s being made by unexpected people like Kane Brown (biracial) and The Shires from Britain.
• Midnight Fusic are a Malaysian band. I did not even know that when Spotify sent them my way, my first thought was that they were Aussie ;;;;
• Also a very special mention for tide/edit, an act I had no list for – they’re a Filipino band that makes my favourite type of math-rock instrumental. Unsurprisingly they’re influenced by Toe.
• 60% of the acts on the list are American, a statistic that would be unthinkable for me 20 years ago when I predominantly listened to British rock bands…tastes truly do evolve (aka I got old)

1/The Aces — Fake Nice [indie pop]
‘All you do is talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, Really thinking that it won’t get back to me’

2/CYN — Believer [electropop]
‘But if you love me right then baby you just might make a believer out of me’

3/Seeb & Dagny — Drink About (acoustic) [pop]
‘But I’d pay a million bucks to think about anybody else but you’

4/Wet — There’s A Reason [retropop]
‘Through unrest and stillness, wasn’t I your witness?’

5/The Brummies — Drive Away (feat. Kacey Musgraves) [retrorock]
‘I don’t care where we go, just come pick me up and we’ll drive away’

6/Sasha Sloan – Version of Me [pop]
‘Can you love the version of me that isn’t happy all the time?’

7/Kane Brown – Lose It [country]
‘I don’t think you know what you’re doing to me, You got my heart skip-skipping a beat’

8/Astrid S – Emotion [electropop]
‘Did you forget that I’ve got a thing called emotion? You live and you let ’til you start to bleed’

9/The 1975 – It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You) [synth/retropop]
‘Collapse my veins wearing beautiful shoes, It’s not living if it’s not with you’

10/Bríet — Twin [electropop]
“Let me get on border Cadillac and baby, rev the engine into the next dimension”

11/Alec Benjamin – Outrunning Karma [acoustic pop]
‘He’s never gonna make it, all the poor people he’s forsaken, karma is always gonna chase him for his lies’

12/Ninety’s Story — Kikuyu [electropop]
“Of course I really wanna feel something, I don’t know if I wanna eat or drink”

13/Finneas – Let’s Fall in Love For The Night[pop]
‘I love it when you talk that nerdy shit, We’re in our twenties talking thirties shit’

14/Millie Turner — You and I [electropop]
‘Do you dream like I do that there’s someone for everyone? Two eyes, two hands, two lungs, two hearts’

15/The Neighbourhood — Compass [electrorock]
‘I’ve got something to confess I keep you in my pocket to use, You’re my only compass I might get lost without you’

16/John Mayer — New Light [retropop]
‘Pushing 40 in the friend zone, we talk and then you walk away every day’

17/Clean Bandit — 24 Hours (feat. Yasmin Green) [EDM]
‘24 hours ago, Baby I didn’t know that I can’t live without you’

18/MNEK — Tongue [electropop]
‘I’m putting both hands over my mouth, I can only hope nothing’s gonna come out’

19/Midnight Fusic – Lovesick [synthpop]
‘Seek and you will find, That this empty heart of mine is crumbling to pieces’

20/Chelsea Cutler — Water on the Bridge [pop]
‘You’re telling me that you’d rather we just sink than swim’

21/Kelsea Ballerini – I Hate Love Songs [country]
‘The clouds, they aren’t numbered to nine. And you make me feel something but it sure as hell ain’t butterflies’

22/CLAY – Orange [pop]
‘You got so good at scheming, Soured my tangerine dreaming, Keep on, keep on repeating’

23/Charlie Puth feat Kehlani – Done For You [pop]
‘I won’t beg for your love, Won’t say please, I won’t fall to the ground on my knees’

24/Rozzi – Never Over You [pop]
‘And I know I overthink, And it makes you over drink’

25/Martin Garrix – Dreamer (feat. Mike Yung) [EDM]
“I’m a dreamer, Don’t tell me not to dream, I’m a believer, as long as I got something to believe in”

26/Clara Mae – Sorry For Writing All The Songs About You [pop]
‘Cause I know you don’t like when I’m nostalgic and go back to the start to get an end’

27/Fly By Midnight – You Belong [retropop]
‘But you belong in the passenger side, you belong like a partner in crime’

28/Sheppard – Hometown [pop rock]
‘You are my hometown where I can slow down, We got it good, we got it all figured out’

29/Vicetone – Fix You [EDM]
‘Call me your physician, Make you whole, make you whole’

30/Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved [pop/ballad]
‘I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug’

31/Echosmith – Over My Head [pop rock]
‘It seems like you and me, we keep losing connection, Whenever you talk to me it doesn’t make any sense

32/Ella Mai – Trip [r’n’b]
‘My bad, my bad for, trippin’ on you’

33/Maddie & Tae – Friends Don’t [country]
‘Friends don’t call you in the middle of the night, Couldn’t even tell you why they just felt like saying Hi’

34/Hozier – Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples) [pop/gospel]
‘It’s not the war but what’s behind it Lord, the fear of foul men is mere assignment’

35/LÉON – Baby Don’t Talk [pop]
‘Baby don’t talk cos I like it when you don’t say nothing’

36/Billie Eilish – lovely (with Khalid) [pop]
‘Isn’t it lovely, all alone? Heart made of glass, my mind of stone’

37/flora cash – You’re Somebody Else [dream pop]
‘I held the better cards, but every stroke of luck has got to bleed through, It’s got to bleed through’

38/NOTD, Felix Jaehn – So Close (feat. Georgia Ku & Captain Cuts) [EDM]
‘Was it all too much or just not enough? When we got so close, so close to love’

39/Sam Smith – Fire on Fire [pop]
‘Fire on fire, we’re normally killers, With this much desire, together, we’re winners’

40/Ina Wroldsen — Sea [pop]
‘I tried so hard blocking out the waves but my ocean heart never let it go’

41/The Shires – Accidentally on Purpose [country]
‘My alarm went off at 6:05 but I never heard it, accidentally on purpose’

42/Robotaki – Together We’re Screwed (feat. Nevve) [EDM]
‘We’re both a mess We just can’t get it right, no Together we’re screwed’

43/Marshmello & Anne-Marie – FRIENDS [pop]
‘Haven’t I made it obvious? Haven’t I made it clear? Want me to spell it out for you? F-R-I-E-N-D-S’

44/joan – i loved you first [retropop]
‘My heart is full but yours is running out, I think I’m afraid of what comes next’

45/Jeremy Zucker – comethru [pop]
‘I’m trying to realize it’s alright to not be fine on your own’

46/A Great Big World – You [acoustic pop]
‘Barely just a spark in the open darkness of the ether, the world beneath her’

47/Rudimental – These Days (feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen) [pop]
‘Calling me when I’m drunk, remind me of what I’ve done And I know it ain’t pretty when you’re trying to move on’

48/YoungR — Remember [soul/funk]
‘I came to forget things will never be the same again’

49/Kacey Musgraves – Butterflies [country]
‘Now you’re lifting me up, instead of holding me down, Stealing my heart instead of stealing my crown’

50/LANY – I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore [retropop]
‘The only way to get past this feeling is to tell myself you’re not coming back’