Here We Go Again – Top 30 Tracks of 2017

It’s been another year. Can you believe it? Absoludicrous is about to celebrate it’s first birthday, and quite fittingly, I’m doing yet another Top 30 list, just as I did in the very first post on this blog.

(Speaking of that first post, check out my 2016 List if you haven’t already for even more great music that isn’t even that old yet!)

This year has been a great year for music, although I seriously doubt any year to come won’t be as long as the world continues to turn. There were a lot of comebacks from artists we haven’t heard from in a while, and that was a huge joy, but I also discovered quite a few new bands. I now work for my college campus’s radio station, and one of my duties for that station is to review new music, which has introduced me to a bunch of new bands I had never heard from before. Excitingly enough, quite a few songs from those artists made it onto the list this year! I’m really excited to bring you guys a list of great music both from well-known and less-popular artists.

So, without further ado, let’s have a little celebration for all the great music that came out this year.

(If you wanna listen along, I made a Spotify playlist with every track that made the list. If you wanna hear even more songs I loved this year, check out my general 2017 playlist for over 150 songs I listened to this year.)

30. The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness – The National

This track off of the National’s “Sleep Well Beast” is a pretty good summary of what has always drawn me to this band’s music. It’s dark, contemplative, and undoubtedly beautiful. For that reason, I’m honestly surprised that I’ve yet to check this entire album out (this track is the only one I’ve heard off of it), and as I write this I’m making a mental note to do just that.

I really love lead singer Matt Berninger’s vocals. They’re so deep and rich. It’s obvious that he’s well aware of how his voice works and knows how best to manipulate it to match the mood he’s wanting to convey in this song. I also like how this overall smooth and quiet track gets interrupted at times by loud guitar – it’s a good mix to keep the track interesting while never straying too far from the overall tone of the song. Well crafted, a joy to listen to, and overall gorgeous – to be expected from the National.

29. The Gold – Manchester Orchestra

I feel like Manchester Orchestra has always been pretty hit or miss for me. They’ve got this ultra chill sound that either works really well for me or completely flies over my head. But this one? This is a good one.

It’s a quiet, really emotional song. The instrumentation is so smooth and driving, and there’s this very subtle intensity to the entire song. I think it matches Andy Hull’s vocals surprisingly well, especially since I’ve never been the hugest fan of how his voice sounds. The chorus going into the guitar riff is just so powerful, even with his very warbly tone, and it’s actually a pretty unique sound.

28. Up All Night – Beck

Another artist I’m not normally a fan of. Beck’s music always feels kinda… weird to me. And not in a cool way, more in a pretentious “if you don’t get what I’m doing here you’re not smart enough” way. And he gets constantly praised for this… (white guys always gotta be praised for everything they do, it seems).

Anyway, ragging aside, this is a surprisingly good song. It’s a pretty standard pop song, with a very standard structure, a catchy beat, a good sound… it’s almost as Beck suddenly remembered he makes music! (I’m sorry, I keep being mean to this song I actually like oops). I love how the chorus is basically the same as the verses yet… clearer, somehow. It’s a hard sound to describe, exactly, but it’s a fun electronic transition. Actually, this song is just full of neat electronic sounds that add some spice to this overall pretty standard and solid pop song.

(I bet Beck fans just hate it).

27. Take 6 – Canon Blue

The first appearance of a WIUX-introduced band on the list! I got the pleasure of reviewing and recommending this band to be played on IU’s radio station, and I was extra-impressed by this track.

It definitely takes some cues from Foster the People or other similar bands, but I really love the interesting instrumentation used in this song. It’s got this kind of tropical sound that really sets it apart from its peers. It also blends surprisingly well with the mellow sound of the track as a whole. Overall, I think the chill vibe of this song is one of it’s greatest strengths – it’s a great track to relax and study to.

26. 63 Days – Atlas Genius

This song has just the most infectious beat. That’s an odd thing to say for such a slow, mellowed out track, but it’s just such a percussive song, driven so forcibly forward by the strength of its drum beats alone. It’s another melancholy track (there seems to be a lot of those on this list so far, huh?), but it has a good energy to it, created by that beat.

It’s a really nostalgic-sounding song, and it’s hard to place exactly why it stirs that sort of emotions in the listener. Perhaps it’s the subject matter – leaving a loved one. Either way, it’s absolutely well done, and really demands the emotional attention of anyone who listens.

25. I Dare You – The xx

This song was played nearly to death on the radio stations I usually tune into, so it’s an incredible show of quality that it managed to make it onto the Top 30 list for this year.

Oh, who am I kidding. I love this song. I loved it when I first heard it, and I still love it a million and one times later. The xx has been a long time favorite of mine – they’re masters of the atmospheric love song. Songs that make you think, songs that make you feel… they’re just great at eliciting an emotional response through music. And this one is no different. I love singing along to this crooning, beautiful song about first love… packing every bit of emotion and atmosphere I’ve come to expect into a surprisingly relatable package (at least for me).

24. Want You Back – HAIM

Boy, HAIM is good. Quick, cleverly-written lyrics, beautiful harmonies, plus, an all-girl group? There aren’t nearly enough of those out there kicking ass, so I have to celebrate them where they are.

This song in particular does the usual HAIM format of making catchy, upbeat songs with a lot of catchiness, but slows it down somewhat. This change actually works a whole lot better than one might suspect. It actually enhances the super cool, slick vibe this band has always given off in their music, and that I appreciate greatly. I also really like some of the wordplay used in the lyrics, particularly “I’ll take the fall and the fault in this”, repeating the first sounds in both “fall” and “fault”… it just sounds very pleasing to the ear without resorting to super cliche wordplay, as a lot of worse-written songs might have.

23. Remember That Night – Grouplove

Here’s a band I didn’t realize I missed until I heard this song! How much do I love Hannah Hooper’s vocals in this song? So much. She usually takes a backseat to lead singer Christian Zucconi and opts instead for backup vocals, but it was really cool to hear her take over a song. I really love her voice. It’s unusual-sounding and strong, and really works well for their more offbeat pop-rock sound.

This song in particular sounds so nostalgic and fun. Grouplove always nails nostalgia in their songs (“Tongue Tied” always brings me back to the very first summer I heard it), but this one nails the nostalgia factor while still being new. The lyrics, the instrumentation… it all leads to this feeling that you’re reminiscing about the glory days of youth right along with the band. I have to commend any song that can sell you so totally on its emotion.

22. Everything Now – Arcade Fire

You know, Arcade Fire really loves to make music about how scary technology and innovation is to them. Normally I hate the stereotypical “durr hurr kids these days don’t make meaningful connections when they’re using their EVIL TECHNOLOGIES” cliche, but “Everything Now” takes a slightly more… neutral stance. It does criticize excess, in a way, but it also seems to acknowledge how inescapable technology and excess is. My problem with the “technology is bad” stance is that it normally shows no realistic way to improve how we interact with it, only points out how terrible and scary it is. “Everything Now” focuses a little more on the realistic idea that we can never truly escape technology, but we can be aware of how it affects us, and that’s an idea I can get behind.

Also, Arcade Fire’s signature “sad disco” sound is as enjoyable as it always is in this song. I got a little off-track in discussing the meaning, but that’s worth saying as well.

21. High Enough – K. Flay

Two songs that made it onto my list despite falling into categories of “cliche song meanings I hate” in a row? Incredible!

Yeah, I normally dislike songs that use drugs as a metaphor for love. I think drugs are a rampant problem in the music scene (and always have been), so it always rubs me the wrong way when they’re used as a cutesy, edgy way to refer to how in looooove the singer is. And yet… here I am.

It probably helps that K. Flay is a really talented musician with a beautiful tone of voice and a really interesting approach to her music. Her songs are dark, but never to the point where I feel like they’re inapproachable to anyone who isn’t a 13-year-old going through their emo phase. There’s definitely an edge to her music, but it’s backed by a lot of other interesting instrumental and vocal ideas. I’m a huge fan, and I’m excited to see what else she does in the coming years.

20. Pay the Man – Foster the People

The only Foster the People music that tends to get popular tends to be the upbeat, happy-sounding stuff, which is really a shame since I really prefer their darker-toned stuff. “Pumped Up Kicks”, of course, is an exception, but so is this one.

I don’t know what it is, but I love their approach to darker-toned stuff. It’s still upbeat and electronic, but it has a certain depth to it. Actually, this song is pretty positive, meaning-wise (it’s about ***Friendship***), but the sound is a lot more mysterious and dark. And you know, I love that. I love when the meaning doesn’t quite match to the sound. It makes the song into a fun mystery to solve.

This song also has a great sense of percussion, not only in the instrumentation but also in the vocals, which I love. It’s got a very unique sound, and I was struck by it the first time I heard it. Truly worthy of starting out the Top 20.

19. New Rules – Dua Lipa

Alright, alright, I can hear it already. “Seriously, a Dua Lipa song made your Top 30 list? That mainstream trash made your list?”

And I get it. But let me explain.

See, I’m in college right now. And college, I’ve been told by many trusted adults in my life, is a time for learning. You have to keep an open mind, even to things that may not traditionally fit into your belief system. So, when one of my floormates played this particular track over and over again in our shared recreational space, I couldn’t help but be charmed. Sure, Dua Lipa’s brand of clean, club-pop is not exactly my usual fare, I couldn’t help but fall for the catchy chorus and infectious structure of this song.

Actually, you know what? I’m not even ashamed. Pop music isn’t all bad, and this is a prime example of some great pop music. Dua Lipa has a beautiful, deep voice and this song has such a great style to it. I love the chill, head-bobbable beat and overall subtlety of its sound. For that reason, it’s a floor favorite for Teter Boisen 2, and an overall favorite for the year.

18. Live in the Moment – Portugal. The Man

I feel like ever since they burst onto the music scene, Portugal. The Man has been winning and winning and winning again. I’ve yet to hear a song from them I didn’t love, and so it’s unsurprising that they make an appearance (actually, more than one appearance, spoiler alert) on this list.

They just have this very particular, clean sound to their music. This song in particular is driving and exciting, with a powerful chorus that sticks in your head. I adore the “la la la la” part of the chorus especially. It’s devious in how well it can grab you from the first moment you hear it. I’m also a big fan of the vocal work. Like the music it leads, the vocal work is clean and strong with a certain tone that sets it apart from a lot of other vocals of its ilk. I have a hard time putting into words what that tone is but I feel like it may be one of the reasons this band has swept so fully and successfully into our collective musical consciousness.

Or maybe it’s just me. That last sentence felt a bit like word soup, anyway.

17. J-Boy – Phoenix

I feel like it’s been a long time since we’ve heard from Phoenix, so I was really excited to hear this song for the first time on the radio. It was played extensively on the radio station I listened to while I worked (I did a lot of driving for my summer job, so I more or less worked in my car), so it reminds me a lot of the summer.

As usual for Phoenix, it has a very particular electronic sound. There’s a lot of video game-y and space-y sound effects that are a lot of fun. But I think what sets this track apart from other Phoenix songs is the way the lyrics are delivered. I always take particular note when a vocalist does something other than just straight-up sing the lyrics. In this case, Thomas Mars doesn’t sing the verses so much as he sort of… mutters them? Again, words fail me on how to describe how exactly he delivers the lyrics of the verses, but it’s very particular, and you’d get what I mean if you heard it, I think.

Overall, it’s a summery song with a really catchy sound, and despite that I haven’t seen all that much buzz about how great it is! Check it out!

16. YHP – Quiet Luke

It’s another song I was introduced to by WIUX! Yay! This song is just so cool. It’s got a great guitar riff, this really cool-sounding transition into each of its verses, and some good old-fashioned indie British vocals. It’s one of those songs you could put on and feel powerful even just walking down a hall.

I just love all the choices made in this song. The transitions are unique and interesting, and the bridge takes on an entirely different feel while not feeling out of place. Plus, it merges great elements from both electronic and more rock genres to make an enjoyable product. It really is such a shame that this song isn’t more popular. I’m so glad that I was introduced to it via WIUX… I hope this helps to spread this great song to more people, so it can finally get the attention it deserves.

15. Momentz – Gorillaz ft. De La Soul

One of the most momentous musical occasions of the year, at least for me, was Gorillaz’s new album “Humanz”. It’s been… entirely too long since the last Gorillaz album, and this band has been special to me for years. I still attest it was one of the hugest influences in my music taste today. So when their new album dropped… well… it was a big deal for me.

This track in particular made it onto this list for pure nostalgia alone. Sure, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great song. Catchy and fun with a really great hook and some fun, very Gorillaz sounds. But it’s also the return of De La Soul collaborating with Gorillaz. Yep, De La Soul, you know, from “Feel Good Inc.” That’s just awesome! “Demon Days” was my introduction to Gorillaz, and “Feel Good Inc.” was my introduction to “Demon Days”, so it was thrilling to see that nod to the song that started it all for me.

Maybe this album didn’t do it for everyone, but it was amazing to me, and was really one of the albums that made this year memorable for me.

14. Freak Like Me – NoMBe

If you’re talking minimalism and subtlety in music, you’d be hard pressed to find a better example than this track. The “cool” in this song is found entirely in just how simple it is. It balances its overall rather quiet instrumentation with loud, bombastic electronic sounds. That alongside the excellent groove and chill vocals just makes this the song to feel like the coolest kid in school while listening to.

And really, that’s all there is to say about it. This track slid it’s way up to the Top 15 on sheer chill power alone. That’s a force to be reckoned with, for sure.

13. Feel it Still – Portugal. The Man

I mentioned that Portugal. The Man would be making a repeat appearance on this list, and here it is. Yup, despite the two other (excellent) tracks that I’ve heard from this band, nothing has been able to beat out the electricity of the first time I heard this song.

I think a lot of people will agree with me, too. There’s just something about that song. It’s just so… so good. It has a very retro vibe, and a real swagger. It’s danceable, sing-alongable, and so catchy. It struck me from the very first time my dad and I heard it in the car on the way to Spring Break this year, and it’s been a welcome sight on radio stations since. Or… sound, I guess?

From that infectious falsetto to that hand-clap percussion, is there anything in this song that’s not endlessly catchy? I don’t think so.

12. All It Will Be – Early Eyes

Another WIUX-introduced track! And this time it’s so indie that I can’t even find the studio version on YouTube! There is one on Spotify, though, so you can listen there, although I do really like this live version too!

There’s definitely two distinct sounds to this song. There’s the peppy, upbeat chorus and verses, and then there’s this really gorgeous slow jam bridge that just immediately pulled this song out of bland indie land into a truly unforgettable track. It’s really unique and characteristic and just a truly enjoyable listen that I just couldn’t get over. Some great vocal and instrumental performances all around truly make this track standout. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to find a band that they can truly love before they were cool.

11. Tin Pan Boy – YUNGBLUD

The one band that didn’t return to me this year was Arctic Monkeys… still waiting, Alex Turner. Where are ya, boy? But this track has provided a suitable replacement for now. YUNGBLUD sounds exactly like early Arctic Monkeys, which is a really fun sound to hear in now times. It’s youthful and kind of messy, but there’s an energy that’s just so fun.

This is actually not the first or only track I’ve heard from this band. I also heard their “I Love You, Will You Marry Me” which just… didn’t work for me. I felt it had a good sound, but never quite committed to its youthful rock sound, instead opting to weirdly saddle it to a smoother, slower melody. This song does the absolute opposite, opting to go for the fast-paced rock sound, and it’s exactly what this band was made to do. I hope that’s the path they choose to walk in the future, but even if not, this one track is honestly good enough that I won’t be too disappointed.

If you like loud guitars and percussion and incredibly British-sounding vocals, check this track out. I guarantee you’ll find all that you’re looking for here.

10. Kamikaze – Walk the Moon

Walk the Moon’s newest album “What if Nothing” was probably my most anticipated album of this year, and it mostly didn’t disappoint. So it makes sense that it rounds out my Top 10 (and will appear more than once going forward).

I’ve already talked up and down about how I love the experimental sound of this new album, even as the music paid tribute to and celebrated their past. And I’ll probably reiterate some of the same things I said back then now when I discuss the songs that made it onto my Top 30 list so… apologies. I tend to start repeating myself a lot when I love something.

But this song was one of the tracks that were released as singles before the album came out. So, even though I hadn’t heard the entire album yet when I first heard this track, I was sold on the experimental space-y sound as soon as I heard it. It’s so intense and beautiful and electrifying. The lyrics are snappy and well-performed (obviously), and it just overall comes together into a beautiful package.

9. Crazy Love, Vol. III – Mister Heavenly

And finally our last WIUX-introduced track! Yay! I actually picked to review this album due to some of the names in the band I recognized from other bands – namely, Honus Honus from Man Man (yes, that’s what his name is). I actually didn’t like the entire album that much, surprisingly. I felt Honus’s vocal talents were kind of weirdly blended into a very stereotypical indie rock sound that just didn’t go hard enough to match his deep, strong vocal talents.

And yet, I got to this song and… okay, it’s great. It’s chill, sure, but the contrast between the tone of the instrumentation and the vocal performance actually works really well. It’s a diamond in the rough, and I loved it so much that it basically saved the entire album as a whole for me. I don’t think it’s stereotypical indie rock at all, but instead brings something new to the table with the instruments chosen and the almost reggae-like sound. Plus, the lyrics are kind of sweet and fun, and act as excellent whipped cream on top of this lovely musical sundae.

By the way, if you want to hear Honus as he’s really meant to be heard, check out my favorite Man Man track here. Compare that track to this one and you’ll probably understand why I was at first a bit jarred by how this album sounds.

8. Bad Liar – Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez? On my Top 30 list? It’s more likely than you think.

As I’ve said before, I have no beef with pop music, and I even tend to like some of the stuff that gets popular nowadays. Take this track for example. Cool bassline sampled from “Psycho Killer”? Check. Subtle, slick vocals that match up to that bassline like they were meant to be together? Perhaps blasphemy for some purists out there, but I’m not that purist. So, check!

I think this song is really something different. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. I love the harmonies and the minimalistic sound relying on that great bassline. It’s clear that Gomez and the writers she collaborated with on this song knew what they were doing. They never try to overwhelm the sample or disguise it, but they do definitely make it their own with a fresh, modern sound that still manages to harken back to a retro feel. I love it, and I think it deserves a lot of credit and a lot less flack from crazy classic music fans who despise anyone even touching their precious old favorites.

7. Green Light – Lorde

When I was making this list I actually forgot about Lorde’s absolutely beautiful “Melodrama”, since it came out so early in the year. I distinctly remember sitting in the newspaper room at my high school listening to this song on repeat, if that gives you an idea of how different of a world I was in when this song first dropped. But, nonetheless, it’s a 2017 release and so it deserves a spot on this list.

I’m not kidding about the “playing this on repeat” thing either. I played this song to death. There’s just something about it. Lorde is really such an inspiration – she’s been making great music basically since she first came onto the scene, but this album has shown how much she’s grown as a creator and as a person. It’s still the same beautifully-written, introspective music looks at the world, but now through the lens of a more mature artist.

This song is just beautiful. The pounding percussive sounds, the chorus just being the same, shouted phrase, the low, smooth singing in the verses. Together it’s magical, it’s an experience. I cannot believe I forgot about it, and I’m glad it came back onto my radar, because no amount of listens will take away the enjoyment for me.

6. Feels Good to Be High – Walk the Moon

Do you remember when I said I tend to dislike songs that are really just about drugs, or that use drugs as a metaphor for something positive? Well… here I am, going back on my own morals again. But it’s Walk the Moon! I trust these boys with my life, and also, I guess, with my personal pet peeves.

But come on, this song is just so good. It’s really different for them, but I feel like this sound is what “Talking is Hard” era Walk the Moon would sound like with a little less excitable energy and with a little more subtlety. And I love that. As I’ve said many, many times before, nothing makes me happier than seeing these boys experiment and grow as musicians.

There are a lot unusual sounds used in the background, and they’re super fun and make a lot of thematic sense. It’s a justifiably trippy-sounding song, but I think there’s a good marriage between the odder instrumentation with the more classic rock-style Walk the Moon instrumentation. It’s great. Even if it’s about being high.

5. Don’t Delete the Kisses – Wolf Alice

On every Top 30 list, we have to have the one song that made Gillian cry. And here it is.

Not to get too sappy or anything, but please read the lyrics to this song. Wolf Alice isn’t exactly known for its incredibly well-enunciated lyrics, so you might miss out on the meaning of this one. Don’t, please. The first time I read the lyrics, it was in the middle of the night lying in my bed, and I was not at all prepared for the feels. It’s probably a personal thing, but this song hits pretty close to home.

But weird personal stuff aside, this song is just beautiful. It’s ethereal and almost foggy-sounding. I’ve always been a big fan of how much attention Wolf Alice pays to making their music legitimately beautiful and meaningful, and this song is a great example. The repeated notes over and over make the song feel almost cyclical, and adds to the idea that this song is almost dreamlike, like you’re stuck in some sort of fantasyland.

4. PHILOSOPHY! – Baio

I first heard this song on the “Advanced Placement” segment of SiriusXM’s AltNation, a segment where new music is played so that listeners can vote on whether or not it’s permanently added to the rotation. From the moment I heard that opening horn section, I was 100% hooked on this song. I immediately went home and saved it to my Spotify playlist for the year.

And then I never heard it on the radio again.

Hey, AltNation listeners? What gives? What did this song not do for you? Was the bouncy horn section, the smooth vocals, the so-catchy-it-hurts melody… not good enough for you? Oh, so you’d prefer 100 more boring, stupid MISSIO songs before you’d allow an actually good, unique song on the airwaves? Is that what it is? Huh? (I still haven’t forgiven MISSIO for forcing me to listen to this horrible song a hundred times a day on AltNation. It sounds like an edgy 13-year-old wrote it in one hour before going to lacrosse practice. NEVER FORGIVE. NEVER FORGET.)

This song is just so good, and I don’t understand why apparently not enough people agreed with me. So, based on pure salt alone (and also, yes, actual quality), this song is a Top 5 of the year for me easily. Horns are a good way to my heart, as is the fun, interesting riff and hook backing this song. Add in clever lyrics and, okay, a little bit of salt, and that’s a recipe for success on this Top 30 list.

3. Sound of Awakening – Walk the Moon

And here we have it. My favorite song off of “What if Nothing”.

What? It only got to number 3? Gillian! What’s gotten into you? What happened to your ridiculous Walk the Moon bias?

Oh, don’t worry. I’m still horribly biased for this band and this album, but the top 2 songs just deserved it. It probably also might have something to do with the fact that “What if Nothing” is still a little new for me. I’ve reviewed it twice at this point but it just hasn’t had enough time to seal itself into my brain quite like the Top 2 songs of this year did. But, Walk the Moon did have the largest quantity of songs make it onto this list, so my bias is definitely still alive and well.

This also might be sort of an odd pick for my favorite off of this album. I actually thought about several other songs taking its place (“Tiger Teeth” being the most serious contender). But in the end, I felt like this song still came up on top. Why? Well, as I’ve said so many times at this point, I think the strongest part of this album for me, personally, was the experimentation. This song is the greatest example of that experimentation, and the most successful. Walk the Moon has never been ashamed of its 80s influences, and in this song those influences have morphed into something truly new for them, while also not straying too far.

It may not be the bright 80s pop-rock we’re used to from them, but it’s still definitely informed by the same influences we’ve heard before. It’s odd and yet beautiful, stuttering and yet powerful, and so out there that it forced me to rethink everything I thought I knew about this band. I think, of all the songs on the album, it’s the most forward-looking, and I’m really excited for what I’m seeing for the future of this band.

So yep, bias? Still there.

2. Out of Body – Gorillaz ft. Kilo Kish, Zebra Katz, and Imani Vonshá

Gorillaz is an incredibly important part of my life. I touched on this earlier, but I believe to this day that it’s the single most important influencing factor that has led me to become the music lover I am today. I was first introduced to the band, like many, through “Feel Good Inc.”. But my journey with them truly began when my dad mentioned that they were a band of cartoon characters. Intrigued and enchanted (I was probably 11 or 12 then and I loved the idea of a cartoon band), I did my own research, listened to all of their songs, explored their website for hours, and became a huge fan not only of their music but also of the story and characters behind their music.

Gorillaz taught me not only to love finding stories in music, but also that I was fully capable of forming my own opinions on my own bands. I didn’t have to rely on the radio or my parents to find music I loved, I could do it all by myself without shame, because the music that made me happy was worth celebrating, even if I couldn’t quite yet put into words what about that music made me so enthusiastic.

About 8 years later, I was reminded yet again of that enchantment with “Humanz”, but it was this song that really got me excited about this band again. I listened to this song over and over and over again. I loved the novelty spooky theme that makes an overall pretty standard party song unique. It’s so characteristically Gorillaz, goofy and fun while also being legitimately excellent. It reignited an excitement in this band in me that I hadn’t felt for nearly a decade, and for that reason, it belongs on this list.

1. The Man – The Killers

So what was the song that felled two of my most favorite bands in the world’s miraculous comebacks? To be fair, the Killers are another old favorite of mine. Although they’re maybe not as influential as Gorillaz, they’ve been with me for years. I mean, “Mr. Brightside” was and still is and always will be a jam for the ages. But it’s also worth noting that this band has continued to put out quality music for years and years. From 2004 to now, can you think of a single bad Killers song? I don’t think you can.

And this one is no different. From the moment I first heard it, I knew this song was going to be big. It has so much swagger, a sound befitting the subject matter. The lyrics are clever and hilarious, and despite the joke-like bravado displayed in this song, I can’t help but feel like there’s a note of genuine storytelling here. The music video furthers my suspicion that this song isn’t all it appears to be. Rather than just being a fun song to sing about how great you are, I can’t help but suspect that the bragging is meant to be taken as a sign that the singer is self-conscious or compensating somehow.

But deeper hidden meaning or not, this song is a delight. Every part of it drips with style and swagger, and it’s just so incredibly fun to sing along to. Every time I heard it I wanted to stop and sing along (I always make it a point to shout out the “USDA! Certified! Lean!” line the loudest). It’s for that reason that I feel this song about being number one deserves the number one spot. It’s iconic and undeniably made the year for me in music.

So that’s it! 30 of the best and brightest in music this year. I’m sure I missed a bunch of other great tracks, so feel free to comment what songs made your list this year! Comment here or hit me up on my Twitter! I definitely want to give them a listen!

Thank you all once again for sticking with me through Absoludicrous’s first year. I hope I can continue to entertain you all with my niche opinions throughout 2018 and beyond!