Top 119 Songs of 2019, #90 - 81

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90. RUN

by Harrison Storm

And let's hide away from it

Try escape from it

Harrison Storm joins a long list of male singer songwriters this decade that have created beautiful atmospheric sounds, as melancholy as they are joyous and as folk as they are blues. His music can be included in a long list of sounds that conjure images of the everyday and images in our minds of people we wish we were and places we want to be, or run away or from. Above all else, ‘Run’ can be placed in a long list of songs that I love. (Jo Michelmore)

#89. HOPE IS A DANGEROUS THING FOR A WOMAN LIKE ME TO HAVE

by Lana Del Rey

I've been tearing up town in my fucking white gown,

Like a God damn near-sociopath

Lana keeps doing Lana and as much as you can read words about new key influences and new American tragic inspirations and reinvention, the thing that Lana does best is being Lana, which is a quirky questioning of our ways, thoughtful introspective sounds and an air of oh so slightly dramatic, and if that works for Lana, then as they say, or have recently said, you do you Lana. It’s all very charming. (Jo Michelmore)

#88. BIG HIT

by Mark Harding

You say it makes you hurt

It's your fault you feel that way

We love Mark Harding because he’s out here making music that’s just so unlike anything else... and it’s also very good. Songs like ‘Demon’, which popped up a couple of posts ago, and this one right here, ‘Big Hit’, are so cinematic. Listening to them is like watching an awesome film set in the Wild West that just so happens to be a metaphor for dickheads who go for a night on the town looking to punch someone in the face. Well, it’s not really so much a metaphor as the lyrical content of the song, but even that sets Harding apart from the average story in a song this year. But there’s nothing average about Mark Harding, who continues to grow as a songwriter and performer. The best is still yet to come from one of our favourite guys. (Matt Bond)


Mark Harding is a musician, but also an incredible artist, so if I was an art critic or this was an art blog, I’d write words about colour and shape and simplicity and feelings of soulfulness and gloom being entwined within each other in the dark and light of Mark Harding’s works. I’m not an art critic, I’m not even a music critic, I just know what I like and more importantly, I know what I love. Mark Harding’s art and music can be included in both of those categories. (Jo Michelmore)

#87. CHEAP QUEEN

by King Princess

I've been alright

I've just been doing the same shit I've always liked

You can tell King Princess is from New York because her music is so effortlessly cool, tres chic, full of attitude without being pretentious. ‘Cheap Queen’ is all of that, with a healthy dose of self deprecation to boot and, as an out of touch old person, that’s always nice to see from one of the youths I enjoy listening to. Even if they’re into making grown men cry, as KP signs a couple of times during the track. Well, jokes on you... it doesn’t take much these days. Ha! (Matt Bond) 

#86. FLAME OR FLICKER (DEPARTURE)

by Machine Age

And I won't waste one thought on you

I won't go out of my mind

Waiting for you

During last year’s countdown, Machine Age promised us they’d be releasing more than one track in 2019 and they only went and outdid themselves by releasing a whole album of Machine Age goodness. Yep, Adrian Mauro and Dylan Stewart delivered unto us their debut album, Point of Departure and it was everything we thought it would be and more. After making your way through some bangers, old (‘Fighting’ and ‘Chivalry’) and new (stay tuned), you arrive at the final track, ‘Flame or Flicker (Point of Departure)’. Literally and figuratively, since it’s the last song of the album so buh-bye and what could only be the heartbreaking conclusion of a once beautiful relationship. Mauro sings through a mature and considered response to his world crashing down around him. A quiet, devastating moment seems perfect to say goodbye to Machine Age for now. Hopefully it won’t be goodbye for long. (Matt Bond)

#85. TAKE THE GOLDEN

by Winterbourne

But if you're losing let me know

If you're hurting let it show

Well well well, here I was just chilling, or whatever it is the kids do these days, with Winterbourne doing that lovely and comfortable thing they’ve been doing since forever, or about 2014, whichever comes first, and here I am, thinking this is rather inoffensively pleasant when bam, where did that funk riff appear from? We were just settling in and then it appeared and lifted me up and carried me away and straight through the next two and a half minutes of exactly what they are singing about, golden vocals and a surprisingly swinging beat. Whatever it is they’ve been doing in the last few years, I suggest keep on doing it. These are musicians going to good and great places with songs and surprises like this. (Jo Michelmore) 

#84. RUINER

by Methyl Ethel

Yeah, that's not good enough

That's not good enough

Once upon a time I was gifted a ticket to Laneway, and although I appreciate these kind of gifts immensely, I made what ended being the mistake of accepting said gift and attending the Laneway festival, fully clothed, fully sober. What an experience. That’s a story for a whole other time. Methyl Ethel graced the stage at said festival and although I’m unsure 80% of said audience knew or cared about who played what stage, I’m quite glad Methyl Ethel played, because it means they keep making music and songs like this one. Influences from times so far away from Laneway 2019, theirs is a brand of music that takes it’s time to grow and gradually makes it’s way into your consciousness, a subtle kind of addictive sound, so very likeable. Unlike the experience of  a Laneway festival, if one is attending for the music, instead of the fashion. (Jo Michelmore)

#83. WOLF

by Big Thief

Now, as far as we can see

The water's getting deeper

Big Thief released two critically acclaimed albums throughout 2019. I too achieved things by eating a whole large Dominos pizza and garlic bread by myself in one sitting. Big Thief released this dazzling song ‘Wolf’ that includes the sweetest howl ever recorded, as performed by Adrianne Lenker. I also found great success by watching all of The Good Place over the course of a single weekend. Music stars... they’re just like us!  Only in Big Thief’s case, they’re so much better. Well, better than me. (Matt Bond)

#82. LOSING MY MIND

by Montaigne

Who I am was not my plan

Flown so long, I've forgotten how to land

Being the amazing friend that she is, Jo bought me a ticket to Montaigne’s recent show at The Zoo in Brisbane which was absolutely brilliant. Montaigne was already an engaging performer during her debut’s touring cycle, but this time around there’s an increased focus on the performance aspect of her live shows. It was like a performance art show combined with those insanely fantastic soaring vocals... so good. So very good. I particularly loved the live performance of ‘Losing My Mind’ that had everyone singing along to the boppy chorus and screaming along that, they too, were not fine. As one prone to often thinking they’re losing their proverbial marbles, I gotta say I’m feeling you Montaigne and whether we should be celebrating that or not, I think we can all agree that Montaigne’s talent is so obviously worthy of celebrating. So let’s just focus on that, shall we? (Matt Bond)


“I can barely breathe, I can barely breathe, I can barely eat, I can barely eat, I can barely sleep, I can barely sleep, I can barely move my body…”etc.  For me, these were the standout lyrics on Montaigne’s second album Complex, the song I listened to a million times over, dreamt of seeing live and sent to Matt with love heart emojis. Sometimes love heart emojis are reflective of real life emotions, sometimes dreams come true. Montaigne, I love. (Jo Michelmore)

#81. DANCING WITH A STRANGER

by Sam Smith and Normani

Look what you made me do

I'm with somebody new

I’m just going to admit something here, it has taken me almost twelve months to figure out that this is not, in fact, a sequel or a prequel or any kind of quel to Robyn’s (long time fave of mine) ‘Dancing On My Own’, released almost ten years ago. That catchy song was also about dancing, in retaliation to someone else’s actions, which has me questioning all these people dancing in defence for the past decade, because isn’t pop like Sam Smith’s good enough to dance to without revenge? And by the way, if you are dancing with strangers, take some personal responsibility, no one actually made you do that Mr Smith, or Ms Normani, for that matter. You did that yourself. Everyone, just chill out with the retribution and enjoy the dancing. (Jo Michelmore)