Top 100 Songs of 2019 (100 – 91)

To any music fan, the best part about the end of every year is not holidays, vacations, or time spent with family and loved ones: it is the end of the year music countdowns. This year, to commemorate the 10th year of Ryan’s Countdown’s “Best Songs of the Year”  there will once again be a Top 100 Songs of 2019 Countdown.

Each list of 10 songs will be released every few days throughout the month of December, until the reveal of the #1 Song of 2019.

While the majority of the Top 100 Songs of the Year are all rock based, there is still a wide array of sub-genres represented in this years countdown. The list is littered with alt-rock songs, including indie rock and folk rock. There is, however, also a significant showing of pop-rock, country-rock, and even a dusting of hard rock.

Certainly the lines of what is considered “Rock” may be blurred, but each of these listener friendly songs, were either released in 2019, or released in 2018, but gained notoriety in 2018.

Please feel free to chime in (comments section) and let me know whether or not you agree with my well thought out, carefully selected, and correct choices. Enjoy the countdown, and Happy Holidays!

Top 100 Songs

100. Pin the Grenade, Blink 182

From the band’s eighth studio album, NINE, “Pin the Grenade” is an upbeat, party starter. Despite the main lyrics being “if you don’t love me / lie to my face,” “Pin the Grenade” will get you rocking, and bring a big smile to your face, the way that only Blink 182 knows how to do.

99. Fun Never Ends, Barns Courtney

Ever since Barns Courtney dropped into the alt rock scene in 2015 with his hit “Glitter & Gold,” he has continued to impress. Put “Fun Never Ends” on repeat if you are looking for some never ending rock and roll fun.

98. Saying Goodbye, J.S. Ondara

J.S. Ondara was born in Nairobi, Kenya and has a voice as calm and soothing as an choir of angels. His song “Saying Goodbye” informs us just how good he has become at saying goodbye, but hopefully for us he will not be saying goodbye to his music career anytime soon.

97. Ride With the Devil, Motley Crue

“Ride With the Devil” is classic Motley Crue at their best, and will have you believing you have entered a time warp back to the late 80’s when the band was at the height of their popularity.

96. Peach Fuzz, Caamp

“Peach Fuzz” is a fun little ditty that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Try to not imagine Rod Stewart being the lead vocalist, singing about a new love interest of his, you probably can’t do it.

95. Dear Future Self (Hands Up), Fall Out Boy

Feel like dancing around your room and burning off some steam? Listening to “Dear Future Self” a few times will have you burning more calories than any jazzercise class you can find.

94. Spoonful, Grizfolk

In recent studies* doctors have confirmed that a few spoonfuls of “Spoonful” a day can take the place of any antidepressant drug on the market. Flush that bottle of Xanax down the toilet and walk around with “Spoonful” playing all day… you will be just fine.

*I am unaware of any such studies and was using hyperbole. I am not a doctor. Please consult your doctor before starting any “Spoonful” drug replacement program.

93. Drug, Simple Creatures

Mark Hoppus (Blink 182) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) have united for a new project called Simple Creatures and the result is even better than one could have imagined.

Their first track “Drug” is a pop-punk anthem that could only be the child of two pop-punk legends. It is fun, loud, and will sure to be a highlight of any festival at which it is performed.

92. Don’t Worry, You Will – lovelytheband

The greatest song about modesty ever written, “Don’t Worry, You Will” is a song about being deemed as “perfect” by someone you are in a relationship with. However, instead of accepting the compliment, you respond to the praise of “I can’t find a thing, I don’t like about you,” with the cold, harsh reality of “don’t worry, you will.”

91. When Am I Gonna Lose You, Local Natives

Much like previous song, “When Am I Gonna Lose You” is a song about modesty, and doubt.

Local Natives vocalist and guitarist, Taylor Rice says “I got married last year. I found myself in an incredible relationship that was great on so many levels, but I always felt like it was going to go away, fall apart, and crumble. This song is me diving into murky emotions of anxiety and doubt in the middle of love and joy.”

Regardless of its depressing subject, “When A

m I Gonna Lose You” will have you harmonizing with the Local Natives and reaching levels of soprano you didn’t know your voice could reach.

Songs 100-91 on Spotify

Songs 90 – 81 coming Wednesday!

Top 100 Songs of 2017 (90-81)

Click here for songs 100 – 91

Cont….

90. “Broken” – lovelytheband

No song this year encapsulates the ole’ saying “misery loves company” better than lovelytheband’s debut single, “Broken.”

Vocalist, Mitchy Collins says of the track, “This song is about finding someone who is just as f—ed up and lost as you are, but somehow you make it work together. Everyone is a little bit broken inside, nobody’s perfect. This song is an ode to the broken ones.”

I can imagine if you are broken and lonely, the last person you want to fall in love with is someone that is not broken or lonely. It seems to me as though comparing yourself to your superior partner would just make you even more broken, and consequently, more lonely. Lovelytheband may be on to something here.

Even if you are not broken or lonely, you should certainly be looking forward to hearing much more of lovelytheband in 2018.

89. “The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home” – Declan McKenna

Declan McKenna may be the most mature 18 year old that has ever existed. Over the past two years he has released more deep-thinking, soul-searching, politically charged songs than most people that have been in the business for decades.

McKenna says “The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home” is a song I wrote about being a young person in the modern world. It’s about wanting to challenge fears and be part of a movement of change, and looking for hope despite a lot of dark and horrible things happening around the world.

I fully support McKenna’s musical career, but should it not pan out for him, I would also fully support his political career.

88. “On Hold” – The xx

If you have ever let someone carelessly slip away from you, “On Hold” by The xx will bring back all of those feelings of self-hate and regret. If you want to have a pity party for yourself, this song needs to be on repeat all night.

87. “Sweat” – The All American Rejects

What better way for the All-American Rejects to “swing, swing” back onto the scene five years after their last album, Kids In The Street, than to have an 11 minute music video of lead singer Tyson Ritter playing a high-heeled prostitute.

I can’t think of any.

“Sweat” embodies the fun, catchy, anthemic rock that All-American Rejects have been known for since their self-titled album was released over 15 years ago.

86. “Holy Mountain” – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Not since Cain and Able have two brothers not been able to get along as much as the Gallagher brothers.

And to be honest, as long as they both continue to put out music as addicting as they did this year, I don’t care who’s fault it is that Oasis can’t get back together. “Holy Mountain” is proof that sometimes two bands may be better than one.

85. “Galway Girl” – Ed Sheeran

Not since Scarlett O’Hara’s “fiddle dee dee” outburst in 1939’s Gone With the Wind has the use of the word “fiddle” been so prominently featured in pop culture.

As if you needed any assurance, “Galway Girl” is proof that Ed Sheeran can sing about anything and turn it into a pop-rock masterpiece. This song happens to be about a girl from Galway, Ireland that plays a fiddle in an Irish band. But I am fairly confident that Sheeran could sit down for a pint of Guinness and by the time he was finished have written the next Billboard chart toping hit about a guy from the Australian aboriginal region of Nitmiluk that excels at playing the didgeridoo.

This aboriginal Australian man playing the didgeridoo could very well be the inspiration for the next big Ed Sheeran hit. (photo cred: wikipedia.)

 

84. “Breaking Free” – Night Riots

Upon first listening to “Breaking Free,” one would be certain that the latest hit from the California rock band, Night Riots, is about going through a messy break up.

“You’re not my savior, just someone I used to see
I am broken
Something’s wrong inside of me
I feel violent
Like I’m dying
I feel broken
Maybe I’m just breaking free”

However, using my journalistic detective skills, I cannot help but make a very strong correlation between the lyrics to this song, and how I feel during the work week.

See for yourself…

My thoughts while at work:

Monday: I am broken, something’s wrong inside of me
Tuesday: I feel violent
Wednesday: Like I’m dying
Thursday: I feel broken
End of work on Friday: I’M JUST BREAKING FREE!

Any way you slice it, the song is pretty damn intense, and some of Night Riots best work yet.

83. “Love Me Better” – Love Thy Brother (feat. Ariel Beesley)

While technically released in 2016, “Love Me Better” by sibling duo, Love Thy Brother gained popularity in 2017. In my opinion, however, it is a travesty how little exposure this song has received so far. It has some of the best vocals of the year (with special guest singer Ariel Beesley,) a hell of a great beat, and a “bloody” interesting music video.

I’m prepared to riot in 2018 if Love Thy Brother release more gems only to be relatively ignored by mainstream radio.

82. “Cross My Mind” – A R I Z O N A

Technically “Cross My Mind” by A R I Z O N A could be considered a “break-up song,” but it is more of an “I’m sorry that I was such a jerk that you were forced to break up with me – can we please get back together – I promise I will be better” song.

“Cross My Mind” is a little bit rock, a little bit electronic, and a little bit of whatever the hell Matisyaho is.

More than just about any band on the countdown, I am most excited to see what A R I Z O N A will bring to the table in 2018, as they seem to be at the beginning of a potentially very long career in the rock-electronic-Matisyaho world of fantastic music.

81. “Machine” – MisterWives

What do you get when you throw 2 parts Shakira, 2 parts Dolores O’Riordan (of The Cranberries,) and 1 part Gwen Stefani into a blender? The result is a delicious “Machine” frozen cocktail powerful enough to knock you on your ass.

MisterWives’ lead singer Mandy Lee passionately belts the message that they will not be part of anybody’s machine. It’s a song about individuality and the freedom to express yourself, and could not be a more perfect song to sum up 2017.

(On a side note: how much fun does hanging out with MisterWives look like? I may have to sneak my way backstage at their next New England show and go on an epic, Mad Max-style road trip with them.)

 

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