My Top 50 Songs 2019
Reproduced here from another platform.
2019 has been a very good year for music. My Top 50 Songs could easily have become a Top 70 or Top 80 with no diminution in quality. There were some great songs by Lissie, Taking Back Sunday, Nina Nesbitt, Fruit Bats and Pixies. There was a return to form for James Bay with songs like ‘Bad’. Coldplay have produced another characteristically competent album. The brilliant Kate Tempest captured the mood of a nation when she described us living “in the mouth of a breaking storm” (on ‘Three Sided Coin from the restrained and beautiful album The Book of Traps and Lessons). There were also some excellent break through artists like IDER and Avenue Beat who, in any other year, would have easily made it into my Top 50. Perhaps the political turmoil of a country at war with itself, the siren calls about the environment and the state of our nation’s mental health have contributed to this surge of musical creativity. The Reformer Martin Luther said that ‘music drives away the devil and makes people happy; they forget thereby all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and the like.’ He said, ‘My heart bubbles up and overflows in response to music, which has so often refreshed me and delivered me from dire plagues.’ We have certainly needed music to refresh us and deliver us during 2019. Thank God for music!
50 Evening Prayer aka Justice by Ezra Furman
From the album 12 Nudes which Ezra Furman describes as ‘our punk record.’ ‘The songs are naked with nothing to hide.’ He adds, ‘One of my goals in making music is to make the world seem bigger, and life seem larger. I want to be a force that tries to revive the human spirit rather than crush it, to open possibilities rather than close them down. Sometimes a passionate negativity is the best way to do that.’ In Evening Prayer aka Justice, Ezra Furman delivers a strident rallying cry, ‘If you’ve got the taste for transcendence, then translate your love into action, and participate in the fight now, for a creed you can truly believe.’
Listen to the audio at:
49 The Death of Dora Hand by Frank Turner
The Album ‘No Man’s Land’ is, according to Frank Turner, ‘first and foremost, a piece of story-telling – a history record.’ Although the songs on the album are all about women, Frank Turner says that he is ‘not trying to lead a parade he has no right to lead’ but sets out ‘to use whatever platform he has to steer the conversation amongst his audience into better territory as best he can.’ The tale of Dora Hand is the tale of a feud in 1878 between Mayor, James H. ‘Dog’ Kelley and James W. ‘Spike’ Kenedy which resulted in Kenedy firing shots into Kelley’s house and mistakenly killing Dora Hand as she slept inside. Her funeral was one of the biggest in the history of Dodge City. Dora was an entertainer with a beautiful voice. She sang in church and gave gifts of food, toys and candy to others who were less fortunate. Some say that she was a prostitute. Others, that she was a saint. She certainly was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
See him perform the song for German radio at:
48 I Do by Luke Sital-Singh
Taken from Luke Sital-Singh’s third album ‘A Golden State’ recorded in Portland’s Jackpot Studios (set up by the late great Elliott Smith). ‘Overall, there is this ethereal, positive vibe – without being too cheesy, says Luke. ‘There is an Americana fantasy, of wanting to escape to this gorgeous place – but also about what I’m escaping from.’
Hear the song at:
47 Cutteslowe Walls by Thea Gilmore
I have been a huge fan of Thea Gilmore for over two decades and recall seeing her at the Zodiac Club in Oxford back in 2002. Thea is one of the most consistent Singer Songwriters in the business. Her lyrics bristle with dry and witty observations and the quality of the music is more than matched by her clear, rich and soulful voice. In ‘Cutteslowe Walls’ Thea tells of physical boundary that divided the Cutteslowe council estate in her native Oxford from the nearby private housing. She uses this as a recurring motif as she explores the more contemporary divisions between rich and poor. ‘Where there's a line at the food bank, where they're handing soup to the boys on the floor, where sleeping bags are blocking doorways, you'll see the shadow of the Cutteslowe Walls.’
Hear the song at:
46 Miss American Perfect Body by Lauren Tate
Lauren Tate burst onto YouTube in 2012 with some well-chosen cover versions that displayed her extraordinary vocal ability and grrr girl attitude. In 2015, Lauren Tate formed the alternative rock/grunge band Hands Off Gretel. 2019 saw her release a new solo album ‘Songs for Sad Girls’. Describing the song ‘Miss American Perfect Body,’ Lauren Tate says, ‘This song is like me saying ‘I feel you, I am you’. It addresses bullying and isolation, the pressures of having to look perfect as a young girl, empowering others to believe in themselves and feel confident with who they are.’
See the video at:
45 Wake Me When It's Over by The Cranberries
It is now two years since the tragic death of lead singer Delores O’Riordan. This album is a fitting tribute to one of the most iconic voices of the 1990s. Lead guitarist Noel Hogan described ‘Wake Me When It’s Over’ as ‘very much a classic Dolores song.’ Delores O’Riordan and Noel Hogan had been working on the songs on the album ‘In The End’ before the singer’s death in January 2018. This is now the end of the road for The Cranberries. People have approached the band about finding a new singer, but Noel Hogan says, ‘I don’t think people who say that fully get it. Maybe they think they’re being nice or something. It’s not something we’re ever going to entertain. I think the band accomplished a lot, and I think we’ll leave it on a high with this album.’
See the video at:
44 Final Form by Sampa the Great
The backbone of the song features a glorious burst of brass and a sample from Stay Away From Me by The Sylvers (1973). Lyrically, the song is celebration of Sampa the Great’s Zambian heritage, ‘Bone of my bone, Flesh of my flesh, Greatness in me you can’t make me feel less,’ and ‘Got my Afro like an empress’. The song is also about reaching your potential. Sampa Tembo says, ‘As an artist, I recognise my potential and recognise the growth it takes to get to the final form, but it’s easy to get caught up in the constant chatter around you (how you aren't there yet, you might not make it, time is nearly up),’ she says. ‘True gold takes time and final form is about moving past negativity that doesn’t understand the growth process. I now recognise my in-between stage; sometimes it drops and sometimes it rises. I love that I get to level up each second. I might even final form tomorrow.’
See the video at:
43 You Mean the World to Me by Freya Ridings
After the stunning success of her song ‘Lost Without You’ (due in part to its use on ITV’s Love Island), Freya Ridings’ eponymous debut album met with some harsh criticism in the press. The Guardian’s Laura Snapes likens the album to ‘a 12-part audition to bag herself this year’s John Lewis Christmas ad.’ However, The Irish Times gave it a four star review and described the album as ‘A juggernaut of a commercial tearjerker.’ Freya Riding says that ‘You Mean The World To Me’ is a ‘song about struggling to show the one closest to you just how much you love them.’
See the video at:
42 Queuejumper by The Divine Comedy
Neil Hannon says. ‘I’m generally an optimistic sort, but underneath I’m ranting against the end of the world as we know it. It’s like whistling a happy tune as the ship goes down.’ There are some beautiful, melodic offerings on the album ‘Office Politics’ but, as Q Magazine said ‘it's the beeping, whirring creations that shine most, signalling that Hannon and his trademark wit and empathy are still there; they just have more wires this time.’
See the video at:
41 Slow Down (feat. Jorja Smith) by Maverick Sabre
Both rising stars in their own rights, the smouldering and soulful Jorja Smith gets together again with English-Irish singer, songwriter, and rapper Maverick Sabre for this ‘sonic slow burn’.
See the video at:
40 Walk Me Home by P!nk
2019 was a good year for P!nk. Her year began with news that she was to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She also received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music at the 2019 Brit Awards. ‘Walk Me Home’ was released as the lead single from her new album ‘Hurts 2B Human’. Mike Wass from Idolator said that the song's chorus is ‘big enough to swallow you whole’. Sean Maunier from Metro Weekly called the track a ‘remarkable standout hit’ and said that the Pink succeeds to balance a ‘combination of swagger and vulnerability’ with ‘a stomping, triumphant’ song.
See the video at
39 10/10 by Rex Orange County
10/10 is the lead single from this Hampshire born artist’s third album ‘Pony’. NPR Music journalist Zoë Jones described Rex Orange County's music as ‘a bright blend of hip-hop, jazz, and bedroom pop.’ The video, which sees him move from room to room in his home, has received nearly three million views on YouTube.
See the video at:
38 Hold Me While You Wait by Lewis Capaldi
From the album ‘Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent’, Lewis Capaldi said that the song is ‘about the uncertainty of being in a relationship when your partner isn't sure what they want’, which he described as ‘one of the most desperate places you can find yourself in’ due to the ‘impending hopelessness’ of the situation. There is something wonderfully vulnerable, humble and genuine about Lewis Capaldi.
See him perform for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge at:
37 Fixture Picture by Aldous Harding
New Zealand born Hannah ‘Aldous’ Harding told Lauren Murphy of the Irish Times that labels like ‘mysterious’, ‘introverted’ and ‘eccentric’ don’t bother her. ‘That’s just people making observations within the limits of what they’re seeing, in terms of their understanding and their references,’ she said. ‘I do the same thing. I’ll watch someone and I’ll be like ‘Oh, they’re like xyz’ and then I’ll hang my head in shame. But then, if you’re always checking yourself like that, you won’t have the balls to experience anything, or comment on anything. So I don’t really shame people for that; I’ll say ‘Oooh, you’re wrong’ in my head, but I’m not gonna start some sort of weird witchhunt and make them check their opinion of me. But it’s funny that you say eccentric and mysterious. I think a bit of mystery is good, and I used to feel like an eccentric person pretending to be normal. But I am actually just a normal person seeming eccentric, by what I’m putting myself through. Because I am just an unremarkable person trying to do remarkable, interesting things.’
And Fixture Picture is a remarkable, interesting song.
Watch the scenic video, directed by Harding and Jack Whiteley, at:
36 Pasta by Angie McMahon
Angie McMahon tells the Guardian, ‘I’ve heard of two men I knew, who were really successful, and who were loved, who died from their depression. You just can’t imagine how different it might have been if they had known a culture from birth where you get to talk about that. It makes me so sad there’s that attitude of having to be closed off. I feel like the only way to help cure that is for me to be the opposite.’ The lyrics of ‘Pasta’ reveal her struggle with a lack of inspiration. ‘I just sit in my house making noise for fun, And I’m not moving much, Or proving much to anyone.’ Angie McMahon has previously experienced elements of depression and anxiety and has had to learn how to keep them in check. She told Flaunt Magazine that she ‘started doing really crappy paintings - they’re basically finger paintings, but the actual process of putting on calm music and making something that no one ever has to see and has no other purpose except for creating is really fun. So I started doing that when I was feeling myself get more and more anxious about making music, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m just going to paint colourful things.’’
See the video at:
35 Troubles by Sound Of The Sirens
Chris Evans declared himself ‘blown away’ when he heard this Exeter-based duo for the first time. ‘Troubles’ is a positive, affirming song that is delivered with a determined and forceful intensity. ‘We will never reach the surface, If we are drowning in our tears’ sing Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood who then end the song with the repeated refrain, ‘You know you’re going to make it.’
See them perform the song at Cove Village Hall:
34 Lately by Celeste & Gotts Street Park
Celeste was born in the USA to an American father and a mother from Essex. She lived for a time in Dagenham before relocating to Saltdean in Sussex where she sang in her local church. Nick Reilly from NME described Celeste as ‘the finest British soul singer to emerge in years’ and Yasmine Dankwah from Notion said, ‘It appears that a talent such as Celeste only comes around rarely, what’s more inviting about the enchantress is the humility that Celeste encompasses. It appears she hasn’t fully realised the sheer power and talent she has just yet, but when she enviably does it’ll be world domination for this star.’ Celeste is the winner of the 2020 ‘Rising Star’ Brit Award.
See the video at:
33 Blue Valentine by Áine
Born and raised in County Cavan, Áine Cahill made her debut at Glastonbury in 2016 where she was spotted by the BBC performing on the Bread and Roses stage and asked to play an acoustic performance live for their Glastonbury TV coverage. The audience reaction was overwhelming and 'Aine Cahill' was trending on Twitter. The single ‘Blue Valentine’ is a sultry and powerful song about mustering the strength to declare that a particular relationship is over.
See the darkly humourous video at:
32 Walk Alone (feat. Tom Walker) by Rudimental
Fresh from the success of their 2018 collaboration with Jess Glynne on 'These Days' (my number 10 song last year), Rudimental teamed up with vocalist Tom Walker on this song which also featured on their new album 'Toast To Our Differences'. The song reveals another side to Tom Walker and succeeds in re-connecting him with his club roots.
See the video at:
31 War in My Mind by Beth Hart
Beth Hart told Classic Rock Magazine, ‘More than any record I've ever made, I'm more open to being myself on these songs. I’ve come a long way with healing, and I'm comfortable with my darknesses, weirdnesses and things that I'm ashamed of – as well as all the things that make me feel good.’ She added, ‘On this record, something told me, 'Just let it be what it is.' I think I'm starting to make a little headway, getting closer to the truth. And I might not know what the truth is... but I'm OK with that.’
See her perform the song in NYC’s Paste Studio:
30 Outnumbered by Dermot Kennedy
Dermot Kennedy sold out the 5,000-capacity Brixton Academy in May 2019 which was an impressive achievement – not least because this was five months before the release of his debut album and before ‘Outnumbered’ hit the UK charts. All this could make Dermot Kennedy quite big-headed were it not for his friends. ‘They are huge for me in terms of keeping my head screwed on,’ he told GQ Magazine. ‘I could win a Grammy and they would take the piss out of what I was wearing. They will slag you off about anything, no matter what happens.’
See him perform the song for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge:
29 Mike's Song by Walk Off the Earth
Walk Off the Earth’s legendary ‘Beard Guy’ Mike Taylor died of natural causes in December 2018. On releasing this song, the band tweeted, ‘The loss of a friend can be an incredibly sad and confusing time... writing this song in tribute to Beard Guy was such a therapeutic process for us. It made us realize how thankful we are for the moments we had together. We love you Mike. This one's for you.’
See WOTE perform the song at Bloodworks Live Studio:
I saw them live [again] in the summer of 2019 and we all sang along to this tribute:
28 Memories by Maroon 5
Adam Levine of Maroon 5 told Radio Now, ‘This song is for anyone who has ever experienced loss. In other words, this song is for all of us.’ The song is about the loss of Adam Levine's friend and the band's manager, Jordan Feldstein, who died in December 2017. Guitarist James Valentine told ABC News Radio, ‘It’s a different kind of song for us… It’s an important song for us. You know, we experienced some loss in the last couple of years. We lost our longtime manager, Jordan Feldstein. We heard the skeleton of this song and thought it matched where we were at.’
See the video at:
27 The Lunatics by The Specials
The album ‘Encore’ is the band’s first new material with vocalist Terry Hall since 1981's single ‘Ghost Town’. The album deals with issues such as racism, Windrush, ‘lunatic’ politicians, the perils of social media, sexism, depression and gun violence. ‘The Lunatics’ was originally released by Terry Hall and Lynval Golding’s band Fun Boy Three in 1981 but still seems eerily relevant today.
Hear the song at:
26 My Love Goes On (feat. Joss Stone) by James Morrison
Joss Stone presented James Morrison with the BRIT award for British Male Solo Artist in 2007, and twelve years later they worked together beautifully on this soulful collaboration. On the strength of this song, Joss Stone and James Morrison certainly bring out the best in each other.
Hear the song at:
25 Circles by Post Malone
Billboard described ‘Circles’ as being ‘backed by sunny acoustic guitars, swirling percussion and infectious melodies’ and noted that, while it has a ‘funky feel,’ the meaning is a bit more somber, detailing a relationship gone cold’. Post Malone is pioneering a kind of ‘EMO-rapper’ vibe while deftly experimenting with all kinds of musical styles.
See the video at:
24 The Future Is Here by Sleater-Kinney
Carrie Brownstein said, ‘We’re always mixing the personal and the political but on [the album], despite obviously thinking so much about politics, we were really thinking about the person — ourselves or versions of ourselves or iterations of depression or loneliness — in the middle of the chaos.’ Guitarist Corin Tucker said, ‘[The album] ‘The Center Won’t Hold’ drops you into the world of catastrophe that touches on the election. And almost like a mission statement, at the end of that song, it’s like the band is finding its way out of that space by becoming a rock band.’
See the Official Lyric Video at:
23 None of My Friends by Liz Lawrence
It was great to have Liz Lawrence at Greenbelt. She said, ‘The community spirt at Greenbelt was a wonderful thing to be a part of’ and added, ‘I was so impressed by the commitment and passion of all the volunteers.’
‘None of My Friends’ is a punk-tinged song that arose from Liz Lawrence’s conversations with friends, both online and in person. Liz noticed that all her friends seemed to be in the depths of some kind of emotional crisis. The song observes, ‘I talk to you twice a year, on your birthdays and Christmases, And we connect over late-stage capitalist memes’ and adds ‘I call you up just to cancel our plans, You're not put out you were hoping to cancel too.’ It is a witty observation of life in the twenty-first century. ‘I’m not saying I’m any better than that,’ says Liz Lawrence. ‘I’m just laughing at how absurd we all are.’
See the video at:
22 Learning to Swim by The Skints
Marcia Richards of The Skints says, ‘For those who have lost a loved one, it’s not unusual to find comfort in the fact that you’ve spent more of your life with them than without. After 13 years of using this small comfort to keep afloat, 2019 will be the first year that the number of years without my sister Roanna will exceed the years she was around. As I became increasingly aware of this date approaching and my life raft sinking, I wrote ‘Learning to Swim’, a song that musically flips through time and space. The innocent lovers rock expresses both my current musical output and the memories of my childhood that are becoming more distant. The chorus has no words, but flips to an era of punk and pop music that my sister was deeply into. Just as my mind gets wrenched back to that precious time so often, the song does too.’ She adds, ‘The feeling as the years go on that it becomes more difficult to picture their face, to hear their voice. The rest of your life without them stretches ahead of you like a vast sea – it’s time for Swimming Lessons.’
See the video at:
21 I’ll Wait by The Strumbellas
No one knows exactly from where the song ‘I'll Wait’ came from. Simon Ward says, ‘We were making the record and our manager sent me an email and it was an old song called 'Morning Sun.' So I opened it and listened to it and, I kid you not, I heard a song with my voice on it that I have zero recollection of making. It was a really surreal moment because I heard my voice and I heard a song, but I couldn't remember anything. I'm not talking about — I wasn't on drugs; it's not a weird thing... So I heard it and I was like, 'Who wrote this song? I really like it.' She's like, 'It's you!’’
See them perform the song live at:
20 Remember The Name (feat. Eminem & 50 Cent) by Ed Sheeran
Speaking to BBC Radio 1, Ed Sheeran said, ‘The… thing I think is funny is I mention Ipswich in it, which is a town near here, which is like, Eminem would never ever know where Ipswich is, so to be able to have a song with Eminem and 50 Cent and the first line is ‘Yeah I was born a misfit grew up 10 miles from the town of Ipswich’. Whenever I go to Ipswich now there will be someone who goes like 'thanks man'. There are only a few musicians that have ever come out of Suffolk as a county, let alone shouted out Ipswich.’ He then added, ‘If you could have told 12-year-old me I would rap on a song with Eminem when I was older, like you know, so many people say that I can't rap but I'm allowed on a song with Eminem and 50 Cent. Why does it matter?’
Watch the video at:
19 Lightning by Lucy Spraggan
‘I've been through some incredibly dark times and although I've made many steps forward, I still get anxious and paranoid,’ said Lucy. Getting married, fostering children and having dogs have all helped Lucy turn her life around, which she describes as ‘amazing’ and ‘challenging’ and underlines the common theme throughout her 2019 album ‘Today Was A Good Day’. ‘We've had 14 kids stay with us so far’, says Lucy. ‘We are also trying for our own child, so we will see what happens. All this has played a huge part in my writing. It's an album about growing up.’ Sadly, in November, Lucy announced that she was separating from her wife after six years together.
See her perform the song at NYC’s studios at:
18 Just My Luck by Ages And Ages
Tim Perry says, ‘Just My Luck is some down home stream-of-consciousness writing that, upon revisiting, seems to address my tendency to sometimes make easy things difficult. I find myself tripping through this mass of clichés, searching for something less disappointing and predictable. It’s the soft surfaces that cut my feet. It’s the easy answers that elude me. And it’s the pursuit of something mysterious and less refined that baits me and keeps me hooked in this hypnotic dance, even when it hurts. But sometimes the truth really is right in front of me. Sometimes it actually isn’t necessary to scrape at the hard earth with my bare hands to get to something more meaningful.’
Ages and Ages remain the one band on my bucket list of bands that I want to see perform live.
Hear the song at:
17 Hypersonic Missiles by Sam Fender
Sam Fender described the track as being ‘in many ways, an unorthodox love song’. He said, ‘Its main focus is on the world around the narrator, who is a complete tin foil hatter. They are convinced the world is on its last legs; they know that it is rife with injustice but feel completely helpless and lacking the necessary intelligence to change it while remaining hopelessly addicted to the fruits of consumerism. Amongst all the chaos is love and celebration, there is this glimmer of hope that runs through the song, a little notion that no matter what happens, these two people are gonna have a… good time regardless of the tyrants that run their world, and regardless of the imminent doom from these ‘Hypersonic Missiles’.’
See the video at:
16 St. Jude of the Floors by Bedouin Soundclash
Returning after a nine-year hiatus, Bedouin Soundclash enlist the support of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans and the children of the St. James Music Academy in Vancouver in their fresh and energetic album ‘MASS.’
Lead singer Jay Malinowski describes it as the ‘coming together of many forces to create something greater’ and adds that the result ‘was something bigger than ourselves. Something we could never have done alone. That was MASS—both physical and spiritual, the coming together of so many disparate forces of people and energies, distilled into something new.’
Hear the song at:
15 Hurricanes by Dido
Dido wrote and recorded the album ‘Still on My Mind’ in England with her brother Rollo. She said she ‘only wanted to make another album if it was with him’, and called the recording process ‘simple’ and said that it was ‘made in such an easy way, all the vocals recorded on the sofa, a lot of it recorded at home’. Rollo is a founding member of the band Faithless.
Watch the acoustic version at:
14 Drink Too Much by G Flip
G Flip is break-through Melbourne singer, drummer and multi-instrumentalist Georgia Flipo. ‘Drink Too Much’ is one of her oldest songs. She says, ‘I wrote it after a big night at Melbourne club Revolver. I used to be a bit of a party animal back in the day before I settled down to take my career seriously. My music is a bit like an open diary. It’s a fun song but it also tells how I was feeling at the time: I got dumped, I was lonely and I was young and dumb.’
See the video at:
13 This Life by Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend have a knack of sounding bang up-to-date whilst also being knowingly referential and retaining something of a 60s vibe. ‘This Life’, with its bright jangly guitars and brushed percussion, is a nod to Van Morrison's ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ as well as Paul Simon's ‘Graceland’. Sam Walton, writing in Loud And Quiet, describes the song as ‘the best thing Vampire Weekend have ever recorded,’ and says that it is ‘one of those songs that leaves you baffled as to how, after 60-odd years of recorded pop, it was only written now.’ He adds that it’s ‘a flawlessly constructed, glorious piece of modern but timeless pop music, accessible but unique, and dangerously moreish.’
See the video at:
12 The Bones by Maren Morris
In a recent interview with CMT’s Cody Alan, Maren Morris shared that ‘The Bones’ is an honest look into her relationship with husband, Ryan Hurd. She said, ‘I wrote this song before we got married and it really was this dedication to him and what he’s provided for me even in the short time we have been dating.’ ‘The Bones’ is about how a relationship weathers the ‘storms’ that surround it. Maren Morris says, ‘An image of a house being completely destroyed by a storm, but then the frame is still there, and it weathered the storm. You know, I loved that. Or, lines in the song like, ‘the wolves came and went, and we are still standing.’ It’s a really meaningful song.’
See the official video at:
11 Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus) [Remix] by Lil Nas X
Is this a Country song? This song by US hip-hop artist Lil Nas X became a worldwide hit following an unlikely collaboration with 90s star Billy Ray Cyrus (best known for ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and for being Miley’s dad). The song debuted on the Billboard country charts in March, but was later removed after being deemed ‘insufficiently country’. In a statement, a Billboard spokesman said: ‘Upon further review, it was determined that ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X does not currently merit inclusion on Billboard’s country charts. When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition. While ‘Old Town Road’ incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today’s country music to chart in its current version. Billboard’s decision to take the song off of the country chart had absolutely nothing to do with the race of the artist.’
Watch the official movie at:
10 Here I Am by Dolly Parton & Sia
During Dolly Parton’s years in the music industry, she has gained 25 (RIAA)-certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, had 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country music charts, had 41 top 10 country albums and 110 chart singles. She has won nine Grammy Awards, two Academy Award nominations, ten Country Music Association Awards, seven Academy of Country Music Awards, three American Music Awards, and is one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. Overall, she has received 47 Grammy nominations and, in 1999, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Dolly Parton has composed over 3,000 songs, including ‘I Will Always Love You’, ‘Jolene’ and ‘9 to 5’. What’s more, as she approaches her 74th birthday, she still sounds amazing.
Here she is!
9 Deal With It by GIRLI
The Guardian described London-based Milly Toomey (aka GIRLI) as veering ‘between PC Music, bubblegum pop, punk and rap, each one treading a line between catchy and deliberately discomforting.’ Reminiscent of Charlie XCX (particularly ‘I Love It’ with Icona Pop), this is a great song to play at full volume. GIRLI explains that ‘Deal With It’ is about ‘embracing your weirdness and telling anyone who judges or questions your individuality to get over it. It’s about refusing to change who you are for other people and, instead, saying that it’s their problem if they’re offended by who you are, not yours.’ ‘Deal With It’ is taken from the album ‘Odd One Out’ which, GIRLI says, is not a sad album. She adds, ‘These are happy songs because they’re part of me learning to love who I am. I’ve always felt like the odd one out, and chances are because you’re reading this, you have too. I hope when you listen to these songs, you hear things you relate to, and that they make you feel like you’re not alone.’
Watch the video at:
8 She used to be mine by Sara Bareilles and Katharine McPhee
This is not strictly a 2019 release except that the musical Waitress came to London’s West End in 2019 and this is the main song from that musical. The musical features Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker, who dreams of some happiness in her life. When a new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness. The musical is based on a book by Jessie Nelson and the 2007 film of the same name, written by Adrienne Shelly. Music and lyrics are by Grammy Award nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles who is also starring in the West End musical this January.
See Sara and Katharine duet at:
7 Anxiety (feat. Selena Gomez) by Julia Michaels
Selena Gomez is no stranger to issues around mental wellbeing, having weathered several hospitalizations for her lupus, exhaustion, and own mental health-related battles. She is one of a number of artists who have chosen to share their struggles openly, sending a message to others that it's okay for them to do the same. In this song, songwriter Julia Michaels trades verses with Selena Gomez as they sing about the often-isolating experience of anxiety and depression. ‘Always wanted to be one of those people in the room that says something and everyone puts their hand up, sings Selena Gomez, Like if you're sad, put your hand up, If you hate someone, put your hand up, If you're scared, put your hand up.’ On launching the song, Selena posted a message saying, ‘Julia, you have been a huge part of my life. You have taught me how to have courage when I have self-doubt. This song is really close to my heart as I've experienced anxiety and I know a lot of my friends do too. You're never alone if you feel this way.’ Julia Michaels replied, ‘You have such a huge piece of my heart. I am so proud we get to do this together. I love you always!!!’
See the video here (contains explicit language):
6 One More Goodbye by Ward Thomas
Ward Thomas are twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas from rural Hampshire in England. The sisters were awarded the prestigious Jeff Walker Global Artist Award by the Country Music Association (CMA) during 2019’s Country To Country Festival at the O2. ‘One More Goodbye’ is, according to Catherine and Lizzy, ‘about savouring that last moment, that last goodbye.’ They added, ‘Maybe saying goodbye forever or maybe for a long time or just an unknown amount of time. For us it’s one of the album’s most emotional moments.’ The Album, ‘Restless Minds’ is one of the finest albums of 2019. Ward Thomas are due to do a headline tour of the UK in the Spring of 2020.
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5 Elevate by Papa Roach
Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix has spoken before about mental health. Following the tragic deaths of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington in 2017, Jacoby Shaddix said, ‘I think, in general, mental health is the next frontier in health for humanity. Now, we’ve got to a place where we can understand physical health, and the brain, the mind, is the next frontier of discovery. We’re right at the beginning of this, where they’re starting to really make strides. I really, truly believe that rock music has been dealing with mental health issues since the beginning. It’s a way to express our demons, speak our truth, our darkness, and find some sense in all of it.’ In the song Elevate, Jacoby Shaddix sings, ‘Cos I need something to lift me up when I'm down, I get lost in my head for so long, I can't get out, When I'm feeling like I'm crawling in my skin and sinking down, I need something to lift me up.’ Jacoby Shaddix said to Consequence of Sound, ‘I'm a firm believer that pain for me has been a necessary element to my growth, and I think sometimes, people get it twisted and think, 'I don't want to feel this darkness or sadness,' but I think it's necessary for us to grow. It's either going to break you or build you. For me, pain and struggle are something to use as fuel for the positive, and I think that message is very important for people right now. Especially for the youth of this world, they need to know that pain is not only necessary, but it's fuel for the fire to become better, stronger and more significant.’
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4 You Need To Calm Down by Taylor Swift
There is an obvious pro-LGBT, anti-homophobia message within the song (which includes the line ‘You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace, And control your urges to scream about the people you hate, ’Cause shade never made anybody less gay’). But, in addition to this, the video officially ended the feud between Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. In the video, Katy appears hugging Taylor while dressed as a large burger and chips. In an interview with BBC Radio 1’s Greg James, Taylor Swift said that the process of making up with Katy has been ‘a positive turn’ in her life. She said, ‘I asked her if she'd be interested in this and Katy said, 'I'd love for us to be a symbol of redemption and forgiveness'. I feel the same way about it.’ After the video debuted, they both shared screenshots of the video on social media showing them hugging. Katy wrote ‘This meal is BEEF-free’ in her caption, while Taylor wrote ‘A happy meal’.
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3 bad guy by Billie Eilish
18 year old Billie Eilish was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her parents and older brother are all musicians and Billie joined a choir at the age of 8. By the time Billie turned 11, she had begun writing and singing her own songs. Her brother, Finneas O’Connell, had his own band and had written a song called ‘Ocean Eyes.’ Billie recorded a version of the song and posted it online. The rest, as they say, is history. ‘bad guy’ was co-written and co-produced with her brother Finneas. Billie recently starred in an episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden in which she invites James into her parents’ house where Billie still lives.
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2 I Get No Joy by Jade Bird
Jade Bird was born into a military family, and lived in Northumberland, London and Germany until her parents divorced and she moved to Bridgend South Wales to live with her mother and grandmother. She said, ‘My grandma divorced my granddad and became a finance manager to get her own house, and my mum worked very hard to make sure we could have our own space. That's where I got my strength. I've always been inspired by the women in my family.’ In her teens, she played a series of ‘brutal’ open mic nights in pubs around Wales, before winning a place at the Brit School. Jade is a great performer. Her live shows are full of energy and her eponymous album is full of great songs. She is a star!
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1 Wild As The Water by Danni Nicholls
‘Wild As The Water’ is one of three songs on Danni’s 2019 album ‘The Melted Morning’ that were co-written with Ben Glover whose own album Shorebound won the UK Album of the Year award at the UK Americana Awards. ‘Texas’ and ‘Frozen’ are also excellent songs – as is ‘Hear Your Voice’ (co-written with Kyshona Armstrong) which is nominated for UK Song of the Year at the 2020 UK Americana Awards. In the summer, Danni was awarded the status of an ‘Alien of extraordinary ability’ by the US Government which means that she can spend more time in Nashville (which bodes well for the future). Danni is a delight, a great performer and a wonderful human being. ‘Wild As The Water’ is a beautiful song and a worthy number one.
Hear Danni perform the song for The Apple Tree sessions: