When I sat down to put this together, my first thought was that there wasn’t a lot of music I felt stood out this year. Architects put out a new album that ripped; I could have put six or seven songs from there on this list. Rosalía put out one of the best albums of the past five years; there’s not a single on it to single out.
But other singles led the day. I may not have been attracted to many full-length releases this year, but it became clear there were plenty of bangers.
23
Bleak – Redux
Frontierer
Technically, this is a re-release. But Orange Mathematics is an all-timer, and this song is as punishing as ever. Frontierer stands alone, still.
22
Anthem
Thrillrot
Don’t take yourselves too seriously.
21
People Watching
Sam Fender
I have the podcast Song Exploder to thank for this one. Reminded me a lot of The War On Drugs.
20
Good Enough
Emarosa
Snuck it in before the new year.
19
The Apparition
Despised Icon
18
Foil Bass
The Cool Kids, Sir Michael Rocks, Chuck Inglish
Mikey rocks.
17
N2G
Coast Contra
Constantly rapping over innovative beats. The new Wu-Tang.
16
The Subway
Chappell Roan
I’m a sucker for the ending.
15
Satanized
Ghost
Ghost is what rock music should have become. Easily would have been the number one Guitar Hero track.
14
Fall Back
Porch Light
Bring back 2003 indie rock!
13
Forced Diet Reassignment
To The Grave
Bring back vegan death metal!
12
Unravelling
Muse
Riff of the year?
11
Dies Irae
Synestia
10
8.6 BLACKOUT
Disembodied Tyrant
9
BAILE INoLVIDABLE
Bad Bunny
8
Get Well Soon
Johnny Booth
Johnny Booth is the future of heavy music.
7
Before You I Just Forget
Fontaines D.C.
6
Do Me Like That
The Paradox
Pop-punk is alive and well.
5
Someone Who Can
Coheed and Cambria
Still writing unreal melodies.
4
Congratulations
Robert Loud, Brandon Flowers
Harmonies of the year?
3
Came Out Swinging (feat. Joe Taylor of Knuckle Puck)
The Wonder Years, Knuckle Puck, Little Kruta
Specifically, this acoustic version from the Burst & Decay compilation. Competing with Chappell Roan for outro of the year.
2
All My Friends
A Day To Remember
Probably the song I sang the loudest directly at my wife?
1
Curse
Architects
A listing, in order, of the songs from this album I could have put here: “Curse,” “Blackhole,” “Seeing Red,” “Everything Ends,” “Whiplash,” and “Elegy.”