Best of 2019
Notable pieces of music this year
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2019 Pop: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper - Shallow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_efYhYU2A
- Runner up 1: Lana Del Rey - Doin' Time (Sublime cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qolmz4FlnZ0
- Runner up 2: Lana Del Rey - Mariners Apartment Complex https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uFv9Ts7Sdw
- Runner up 3: Tiesto, Jonas Blue, Rita Ora - Ritual https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ontU9cOg354
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2019 Alternative: Lana Del Rey - Venice Bitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg3DxELVPj4
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2019 EDM: Hybrid - I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p9cs_jiyAY
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2019 Techno: Shadowax - Nikolai Reptile https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRjVc9WURWo
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2019 IDM: Floating Points - Anasickmodular https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md9gjJlqAxQ
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2019 House: DJ Koze - It'll All Be Over (Gerry Read remix) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TdZIj3ezo4
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2019 Drum & Bass: Hybrid - Long Time Coming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ocYpPVAzw
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2019 Post Rock: Tides of Nebula - Dopamine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6piXf6TQqo
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2019 Hip Hop: Flume - How To Build A Relationship (ft. JPEG Mafia) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdJbW8sKa9M
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2019 Metal: Nothing. Shocking, I know.
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2019 Rock: This genre is currently dead. Why is all rock music now pop trash?
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2019 Song of the year: Hybrid - I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p9cs_jiyAY
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2019 Album (Mixtape) of the year: Flume - Hi This is Flume https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TML_MTQdg4
- Runner up: Bibio - Ribbons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGZ4WSI9IBA&list=OLAK5uy_nHhIQnQGgRYICVG6qG77ppsypk_BbS9B4
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2019 DJ Mix: Etapp Kyle - Boiler Room 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-X-ztU3RRk
Symbols
These are songs that represent my vibes this year. They weren't necessarily released this year.
- Billie Eilish - hostage (?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skHbZBsS7hM
- Hybrid - I'm Still Awake (Electronic) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7SmyVeTS9g
- Yellow Magic Orchestra - Tong Poo (Electronic) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T7TXVtGGFc
- Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Dance) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrQfyb6nWuA
- 花に水 - Watering a flower (Ambient) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34UutDrXV2Q
- Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July (Folk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq5NvJvr55Q
- Shakira - Waka Waka (Pop) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpeEdMmmQ0
- Mitsabishi - No Matter What (Drum & Bass) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVfx8XBlNvk
- Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavelle - You Missed My Heart (Folk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YFt7OlZ4BY
- Lana Del Rey - Venice Bitch (Alternative) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg3DxELVPj4
- Imogen Heap - The Walk (Pop) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CyuF9gv9Vs
- Tom Waits - I Hope I Don't Fall In Love With You (Folk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIl-kClYNFM
Comments
This marks the first year of me making this list public not under a pseudonym. Also the first year with no notable rock or metal songs. Electronic genres dominate the list as usual. Pop made a surprising comeback, having nothing of note last year. The ratings for these albums were not published on purpose, but if we standardize on Hybrid's I Won't Back Down as a 10, the next highest song would be a 2. Hybrid really outdid themselves on this year's list, with an EDM and a Drum & Bass entry. I think this might be a first.
I would have never expected Lady Gaga to be on this list. But Shallow made me cry, so it deserves it. Lana Del Rey makes a strong comeback, last showing up in the 2015 list. Norman Fucking Rockwell was a strong album. Aphex Twin and Brian Eno fail to make it to this list for the second year in a row. Sadly, I think they might never make it. Autechre is producing too much music for me to consume it. Maybe if they slow down, I might give it a shot.
I have a trap based album full of electronic bangers as my album of the year. Who even am I? Bibio of all people had been relegated to the runner up section. I've also consumed more pop this year than the last 4 years combined. I think I've eased up on my music embargoes a bit, although I'm still skeptical of Hip Hop.
Notable artists who are missing are Andy Stott and Danny Brown. I didn't give their albums a shot yet, so can't add them to the list. Might add them to the list next year.
I didn't to listen to as much this year as I would have liked. I need to do things that are less menial now, so I can't listen to music when I'm doing it. I guess this is a good thing.