Top 119 Songs of 2019, #60 - 51

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90 - #81

#80 - #71

#70 - #61

#60. BURY A FRIEND

by Billie Eilish

When we all fall asleep

Where do we go?

I mean... like... yeah. Right? You take all of the pop, add in a little bit of the horror, try to figure out where exactly it is that we go when we fall asleep and you get ‘Bury A Friend’. Easily the darkest song on radio this year, which probably earned it an insane amount of armchair criticism, but I don’t think Billie Eilish is going for face value assessments of her tracks. At least not this one. It feels conceptual on a ‘I’m challenging for the Halloween crown like Mariah owns Christmas’ level. Which is to say it’s nothing like that, but you get what I mean... like... yeah. Right? Loving the visual accompaniment too. I’d watch that scary movie. (Matt Bond)

While this is probably my least favourite song title of the year (I'd rather not thanks), no one can deny the allure of Billie Eilish’s music this year and her knack with unusual sounds and catchy beats has been refreshing. But the fact that her debut album took a line from this tune and was titled When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is indicative of the type of subject matter you’re going to be hearing when you listen to said album, which is to say, you’re not going to be finding answers to any philosophical questions, but you are going to be nodding your head quite vigorously along the way, which is as important as philosophy anyway. (Jo Michelmore)

#59. SOLID GOLD

by PNAU ft. Kira Divine and Marques Toliver

Don't tell me of your concepts

I need love that's forever

Since the release of ‘Chameleon’, it feels like PNAU have figured out what they really want their brand to be. It’s nothing crazy, it’s just dance act that pumps out bangerz with a z and they’ve found themselves one of the biggest dance acts the world over because of it. Don’t mess with the formula that brings success, let the fabulous vocals of Kira Divine shine and earn all of the club play. The system works and it’s perfectly encapsulated on the positive mood adjusted that is ‘Solid Gold’. (Matt Bond)

#58. BAD GUY

by Billie Eilish

Duh

I saw part of an interview with Ms Eilish recently in which she was asked the same questions for three years running and had to watch her previous answers, then answer again, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I was the only one cringing at the answers of her 16, 17, 18 year old self, because how will so much scrutiny affect the talent of someone like her? I don’t know. I hope not much at all, because songs like ‘Bad Guy’ are standout in the pop world. Is pop what she makes? I don’t even know anymore. It’s just a word. I’ve not met many people who dislike this song, so I guess that makes it pop(ular) in a traditional sense. And I do know that I know a five year old who loves this song because of one word. Duh. (Jo Michelmore)

#57. LET YOU KNOW

by Flume ft. London Grammar

And I guess somehow

You'll just keep on coming back

How could you go wrong when you put Flume and London Grammar together on a track? Oh, that’s right... you can’t. Why would you think that? That’s rude. Maybe if you could just not for a second, you could get back on the right path in this life and continue to embrace Flume’s production and Hannah Reid’s hauntingly stunning vocals. Dance to the story of a borderline toxic relationship... wait. What? (Matt Bond)

#56. PATIENCE

by Tame Impala

 
And still my ways are aimless

 I know

In 1989, thirty years ago, a band named Guns N Roses released a slow rock song called 'Patience', with a whistle that would get stuck in one’s mind for days after hearing it. This is not that song. Tame Impala’s version of 'Patience' is more house than hip swaying (google Axl Rose dancing) and much more psychedelic than power ballad (google 80s rock ballad). This 'Patience' is proof that Kevin Parker just needed a little time to come up with something we’d all be swinging along to in 2019 and perhaps we all need a little more patience when trying to google old songs on the NBN. *Insert rant. (Sorry, on to the next song). Ahem. (Jo Michelmore)

#55. A PLACE THAT I DON'T KNOW

by Odette ft. Gretta Ray

What else can I do when the city skyline

Leaves me blue and indecisive?

Welcome back to Gretta Ray who joins us again in our 119 songs, this time as the feature with the fabulous Odette, and oh what a feature. If you’re going to feature in anything, you wanna feature with someone like Odette. Her voice reaching depths of vulnerable emotions and heights of hurt, you can’t help but feel caught up in her world with subtle strings and keys and sounds that are beyond description, other than to say they send shivers and shadows in ways the most beautiful voices and pieces do. It’s glorious and it’s gorgeous and all the other words that mean good, very, very good. (Jo Michelmore) 

#54. FEAR OF MISSING OUT

by Ainslie Wills

I'm so happy for you

I just thought I might be next in line

Ohhhh. Oh no. It’s last year’s song of the year champion, Ainslie Wills. You’re asking yourself why I’m saying, “oh no.” Maybe it’s got something to do with Wills’ ability to pluck out this season’s storyline from the HBO series where I’m the protagonist sitting back and thinking something might be missing when it’s all weddings and babies and promotions and holidays. Why do we feel like we’re missing out? If you’ve got a phone and live relatively on the grid in 2019 I think we all know why we’ve got a case of bad FOMO dropping on us every now and then. Much like 2018’s #1 jam, ‘Society’, Wills is taking stock of her life and asking if she’s where she wants to be at this stage of her life on ‘Fear of Missing Out’. I hope like the HBO series where I’m the protagonist (title currently being workshopped) that when Ainslie Wills stops and takes a moment that she realises things aren’t all that bad. I hope she’s surrounded by brilliant people and appreciates the huge talent that she has for putting these thoughts into creating such amazing songs. At the very least, I hope she might get a lol thinking about a future HBO protagonist listening to her music and wondering to himself if he’s missing out because he doesn’t have such a gift. Oh well. HBO, call me. (Matt Bond)

#53. VOICEMAIL FOR JILL

by Amanda Palmer

No one on that pavement's gonna

Shout at you that your heart also matters

This song is like no other, because no one really talks about it. Because no one ever tells you. Because no one wants to admit it, because no one wants to feel it, because no one wants to know it. Because to relive the moments in the eyes of loved ones is too hard, and in the eyes of strangers is terrifying. Because you relive them every minute of every day for such a long time, until time takes over. Because forever later is just like one minute sometimes and because they say it’s not healthy to live in the past, even though you want to as much as you don’t. Because the past is much harder, then easier, then harder. Because it doesn’t get either, it gets different and so on and so forth, the ride continues. Because it seems like the jigsaw will never be finished now, because decisions were made about all the pieces. Because above all, they are missed like no others.

Because if none of this makes sense, then this song is a voicemail for Jill, and all the Jills you know, and you do know them, even if you think you don’t. And because if any of those becauses made sense, then much love, you will know this song was written for you. (Jo Michelmore)

#52. YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY

by The Japanese House

Sometimes I start believing

In things that aren't real

This is a trap song. What is a trap song? It’s a song that is a trap. A simple concept really. What I’m delaying saying for no reason is that ‘You Seemed So Happy’ comes off all dreamy and cute with nice guitars and Amber Bain’s perfectly androgynous vocals and you’re tapping along and loving life and then you start listening closer to the lyrics and suddenly you’ve stepped into one of those nets in the jungle in the movie and you’re upside down and everything is not okay because this isn’t a happy song at all. It’s a trap song, okay? Bain is a Siren luring you, the scurvy-riddled sailor, to a painful death on the rocks as your boat crashes into them, all because you’ve fallen for the alluring sounds of The Japanese House. Isn’t being dramatic fun? ‘You Seemed So Happy’ really is all of that and more though. It’s complex, it’s a little and a lot heartbreaking and it’s worth every repeated listen. Top tune from a top act. (Matt Bond)

#51. AWAKE

by Tkay Maidza ft. JPEGMAFIA

If the beat is David

I'm Goliath

Another year, another perfect opportunity to say Tkay? Slay. Our fave Australian rap dynamo doesn’t have time to sleep and, frankly, we have that in common. I feel that Tkay Maidza is out there making killer tunes, living her best life and being a badass instead of watching every SNL clip ever uploaded to YouTube though. ‘Awake’ would be a boomer-y nightmare, but you can already see the kids eating this one up and practically salivating at what’s to come from Tkay after this. Teaming with JPEGMAFIA this time around, the two artists command your attention with snappy rhymes over a dark, slow-trap like beat. It feels like a bold new direction for Maidza and a stark difference from the sparkle of tracks like ‘U-Huh’, but this growth is exciting. We might not be boomers or kids, but we can’t wait to hear more of this from Tkay soon. Long may she slay. (Matt Bond)



Top 100 Songs of 2018 - #70 to #61

The Kite String Tangle, Florence + The Machine and Amy Shark!

#100 - #91

#90 - #81

#80 - #71

#70. COUCH

by Eves Karydas

Something tonight makes me ambitious.

The artist formerly known as Hannah Karydas/Eves/Eves The Behaviour and currently known as Eves Karydas had a huge 2018, culminating in the release of her debut album Summerskin. The album stands as one of the finest of the year, with huge pop hooks and electronic jams from one of Australia's brightest exports. 'Couch' was the second single to be lifted from Summerskin and it's ready made for the Netflix and Chill generation... sleek, sexy and there's a couch involved and that's where we all do our best TV watching, yes? Netflix and Chill is about TV watching, yes? As someone that's spent an unhealthy amount of time on the couch watching what seems like every television show ever created, 'Couch' really spoke to me in 2018. Seriously though, 'Couch' is a lot of fun and it's not even the best track on the album... we'll come to that a little bit later. (Matt Bond)

#69. PANIC ATTACK

by Liza Anne

I never learned to pull myself

Out of my own damn head.

I don't know why, but I somehow convinced myself that Liza Anne was from Melbourne, but she's actually from Saint Simons Island, Georgia in the USA. Maybe there's something about her incredibly relatable lyrics that makes it as if Anne could be your next door neighbour or the rocking Aussie indie vibes that made me think this... but I'm wrong (shocker, right?) and I'm sure Saint Simons Island is lovely and will have to visit one day. Anyway, the first time I heard 'Panic Attack' I was in love with all things Liza Anne and had this song on repeat for a long, long time. I'm still going back to it regularly because, even though it feels like even the listener is about to be visited by that old friend anxiety, the music is still incredibly inviting and Anne's voice is something else. Fine But Dying, the brilliant album that 'Panic Attack' comes from, sees Liza Anne tackling her emotional and physical issues head on (in this instance, panic disorders) with incredibly nuanced results. (Matt Bond)

Admittedly, I know very little about Liza Anne, but I do know that very few songs have to ability to speak in ways like they understand you, because they find a place in your head that doesn’t get visited that often, thankfully. But there’s a set of chords and a series of words in this song that does all of those things; their simplicity hiding a deceptively complex process; “This feels like a hot summer night, in a turtleneck, I think I wanna die, but I guess I know I’m fine…” and you’ll know if you know what that means, that you’ll love this song when hearing those subtle words. And here’s kind of hoping you don’t understand. In the nicest way possible. (Jo Michelmore)

#68. DON'T TURN AROUND

by Amy Shark

You just never know, we might dance slow

At somebody's wedding that we used to know.

As I write these words, Amy Shark has just won a bunch of ARIA’s, so it seems kinda silly for me to be sitting in my lounge writing a few words when she clearly has the adoration of a nation beside Matt and myself, but it’s just really nice to know that sometimes dreams do come true, and watching Amy Shark’s dreams unfold has been an absolute delight. On a slightly different topic, note to self; do not enter into a relationship with Amy Shark should the opportunity arise, because one is bound to become the subject of a popular song. Just saying. (Jo Michelmore)

#67. 20/20

by OKENYO

Back to the love we had, I'd do it all again

I'd do it all again.

I’ve got such a dream that one day I’ll randomly switch the ol' telly over to ABC Kids and find (Zindzi) Okenyo on the ol' Playshool, throwing down some old school nasty beats for the kids, rapping in amongst the cardboard creatures, crepe paper streamers and Jemima. I’m sure Jemima likes some hip hop beats.  Not to mention Humpty. But I digress. 20/20 is both sweet pop and superb hip hop and an indication that Okenyo isn’t going to be able to be one of those old school PlaySchool hosts who spent a hundred years hanging out with those toys, because she’s got some old school new school incredible hip hop to be working on too. (Jo Michelmore)

#66. FEELING YOU

by Harrison Storm

I won't let you go

Believe it, I mean it.

Why haven't I been hearing this all over every radio station the past couple of months? What's that all about? There's universal appear in Harrison Storm's 'Feeling You' that should have it on the j's, the Nova's and the 4KQ's (or AM equivalent to wherever you find yourself). Storm has never sounded better than right here and now and I'm pretty sure everyone, with the exception of the seven people that have down-voted the video, will love this from the first listen. So if you haven't already, go and listen to 'Feeling You' and continue to stream it, buy it, request it on the radio... do whatever you gotta do to get this one out there. (Matt Bond)

What a set of ten songs. Two songs by a Shark and one by a Storm, I’m really, really hoping that’s his real name. Like, he was destined to become an artist in some form or other, and with those falsetto notes in 'Feeling You' it’s pretty obvious he had to sing. I’ve got a lot of songs to write about and I can’t google all of them, but if you find out what his real name is, don’t tell me. I like to think he’s a singer by day, some kind of superhero at night. Meanwhile, super good song. (Jo Michelmore)

#65. SKY FULL OF SONG

by Florence + The Machine

From what I've seen so far

The good ones always seem to break.

Us mere mortals continue to be unworthy of the goddess that is Florence Welch. Here's some supporting evidence from the YouTube comments section of 'Sky Full of Song' - "She's a real life siren. I could drown and die in her voice and I wouldn't fight it." "Jesus christ I just had a soul out of body experience. Wow." "After listening to this I just realised that I haven't felt an emotional connection to a song for so long. This just made me feel things again." See... an ACTUAL goddess that is healing people while also possibly luring them to their deaths. Are you not entertained?! 'Sky Full of Song' introduces us to the High As Hope era for Florence + The Machine and found the artist and band at their most stripped back and vulnerable. It's still as perfect as what's come before, but there's even more focus on Welch's voice, arguably the best in the business, and there's not a single thing wrong about that. (Matt Bond)

#64. ENNUI AND ME

by The Kite String Tangle

So you run for cover, cover up your tracks

Until you can find yourself another, with a better pain.

There’s a line in this song, repeated; “You put yourself through hell, just to feel alive, just to feel alive…” which poses interesting philosophical questions, regarding something about what price happiness, is delight worth pain, is to feel alive to feel anything or something or is the feeling of nothing a feeling in itself etc. etc. etc, but when The Kite String Tangle repeats such lines; the sound of strings pushing along the beats, the words floating around, you can’t help but be taken to other places in your mind where everything is peaceful and the questions take over. Taken from his mini-album; The Kite String Tangle Presents: In A Desperate Moment, I can’t help but listen and ask all the (un)important questions…what makes a mini album a mini album and not an EP? What is human existence? Do eleven tracks make a mini album or a major album? What's the real difference? Will anyone other than Matt read these words? (Jo Michelmore)

#63. TAKE IT TO THE HEART

by Odette

I got nothing but power, I'll strike you like lightning.

Breaking out in a massive way in 2018, Odette delivered unto us one of our favourite new voices of the year and a sound that won't be denied. 'Take It To The Heart' can be found on Odette's debut album, To A Stranger, a must-listen for fans of... well music. Because no matter what your musical inclinations are, songs like 'Take It To The Heart' are so easy to get behind. Let is wash over you, get those toes tapping and enjoy the ride that Odette takes you on for just a little over three and a half minutes. Then hit repeat and do it all over again. (Matt Bond) 


I’ve got no idea what the kids are listening to these days, so the first time I heard Odette was actually her Like A Version cover of Gang Of Youths ‘Magnolia’, which was quite lovely, should you wish to youtube that. Also lovely is the sweet, sweet pop that Odette does a lot of, apparently. Ah the things you learn on your phone. Her debut album, To A Stranger is filled with piano, strings and vulnerable lyrics and this one’s got all of those as well as the beats that make you wanna move away from said phone and dance. Just hit that ‘+ADD’ button on your preferred streaming service before you put the phone down. You won’t regret that. (Jo Michelmore)

#62. SATELLITE

by Dustin Tebbutt

I'm a satellite for a fading fire

I'm a satellite for you.

You know, technically a satellite is an artificial body orbiting to collect information, which means the lyrics stating “I’m a satellite for a fading fire, I’m a satellite for you” suggests Dustin Tebbutt is either a little bit stalky, or a little bit sweet.  Let’s go with the former and assume the best, because the uncomplicated, beautiful sounds that are Dustin Tebbutt deserve to be circling the whole earth like those satellites we speak of. (Jo Michelmore)

#61. I SAID HI

by Amy Shark

And I lie awake, thinking what's it gonna take

For my moment to arrive, so sick and paralyzed.

Given just how popular Amy Shark has truly become over the past year, I don't think it's necessary to cover the journey she's taken to get to where she is now. Or that 'I Said Hi' must feel like the most perfect, passive-aggressive fuck you to anyone in the industry that never gave her a chance to get there sooner. Or that seeing Shark living her dream now gives hope to a whole bunch or artists that might have felt like they're never going to get a chance at all once they find themselves waving their twenties goodbye. Instead, let's just put on 'I Said Hi', celebrate all things Amy Shark and say "hi" to everyone we've ever wanted to say "hi" too. Hint: "hi" is code for fuck you right now, k? (Matt Bond)