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)



Top 25 - 2 August, 2015

Meg Mac, Bec Sandridge + Big Scary!

1. Meg Mac - Never Be (NEW)


 

2. Chvrches - Leave A Trace





3. Vance Joy - Fire and The Flood





4. Evangeline - CHEMICVL





5. Big Smoke - Lately





6. Eves The Behavior - Digging





7. Bec Sandridge - In The Fog, In The Flame (NEW)


 


8. Bad Pony - Down To You (NEW)


 

9. Little May - Home





10. Disclosure ft. Sam Smith - Omen (NEW)


 


11. Ngaiire - Once





12. Big Scary - Organism (NEW)


 

13. Kira Puru - All Dulled Out





14. Holy Holy - Sentimental and Monday





15. Cosmo's Midnight ft. KUCKA - Walk With Me (NEW)


 

16. Arctic Maps - Let Me In (NEW)


 

17. Santigold - Radio





18. Avaberee - Doubt (NEW)


 

19. Major Leagues - Someone Sometime





20. Highasakite - Keep That Letter Safe





21. Jessica Domingo - We Could Be Anything (NEW)


 

22. The Paper Kites - Electric Indigo





23. The Waifs - 6000 Miles





24. Starling - Misfit (NEW)


 

25. Velociraptor - Dollarmite

2014 Scene Awards - Man of the Year

Why, yes... there were dudes making music in 2014. You might think otherwise considering the ladies dominated the year like no other before it, but there were man music people around, doing their thing. Many of the big names danced around the spotlight without really jumping in (Kanye, Jay-Z), some decided to go into politics instead of capitalising on the success of one of the biggest songs of ever (Gotye) and some just sucked. And I don't even know if J Biebs released music this year. But he still sucks and blows. But we've got the four finest fellas in music this year sorted out. You can read about them below.

MAN OF THE YEAR:

#4. Sam Smith

Some artists win the BBC's 'Sound of' poll and fade away without making much of an impact. Some take the crown and fully live up to all the expectations that come with such a title. Sam Smith certainly falls into the latter category. After being awards the 'Sound of 2014' prize, Smith would go on to have one of the biggest singles in the world throughout 2014, the massive and anthemic 'Stay With Me'. Bar staff on karaoke night will be hating it for years to come, but that's just because people will butcher it, not because it's not an awesome piece of music. His debut album, In The Lonely Hour would end the year as the only album to sell over a million copies in the US and the UK. It's also up for six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist aka the big four. They might have marketed him as a male Adele at the start of the year, but Smith's voice and music have made it clear that he's his own, unique artist. (Matt Bond) 

#3. Dave Grohl

Daaaave. It's always going to be a good year when The Grohl shows up with the Foo Fighters and 2014 was no exception. He fully lived up to his status as music's Mr. Nice Guy when he made up with Courtney Love at Nirvana's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, putting to bed one of music's longest running feuds. Which is secretly a shame, because the insults those two would sling at each other were pretty great. But yay... friends. That wasn't even the most exciting thing Grohl was a part of this year. When it was announced the Foo Fighters would return with their eighth studio album, Sonic Highways, everyone was happy. Then we were told there would be an 8-episode HBO series to accompany the album. The internet got a little bit crazy with that news. And with good reason. The show, Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways would give us an insight into Grohl's music making process like never before on each of the eight stops in US cities where they would record a track. I didn't think I could like him anymore than I already did after last years Sound City documentary, but Dave Grohl is good at proving people wrong and he did that again in 2014. (Matt Bond)

Runner-Up: Harts

When Matt and I were discussing the Man of the Year nominees for these Scene Awards, I’m going to be honest and say there was a lot of this going on; “er….um….yep…so…you want some ice cream?” which says more about how many women are dominating our music world lately than it says about our mutual love of ice cream, even though that love is pretty intense. After much thought, I realised there was one artist who simply had to be included in this little list and that guy is also the only Australian contender. And for those of you who don’t know who he is yet, let me introduce you to Harts.


If you google Harts, you’ll probably come across some quotes from Prince, who has declared himself a fan, which is pretty impressive in itself, but there’s a lot more to Darren Hart than that. Hailing from Melbourne, he is one man music making machine, not in that old-man-creepy-circus-act kind of way, more in that-what-an-amazing-talent-how-can-one-human-play-so-many-instruments-and-hear-so-many-sounds-and-put-them-all-together-in-such-a-great-way, kind of way. While he’s been hanging about recording in his home studio for a few years now and garnering the interest of blogs and bluesy-rootsy-funk-rock music lovers across the internet, it was the release of his debut album Daydreamer this year that has proven that amazing music is amazing music; regardless of film clips, budgets, record labels and any of the politics of the music industry and all it brings. His vocal is perfect, his production world class and his skills with all of his instruments are something a lot of artists should be more than a little jealous of. Some regular play of his song ‘Red And Blue’ on JJJ toward the end of this year should ensure a few more people start hearing just how incredible he is and if all goes well, over a couple more discussions and ice creams with Matt, I’ll be saying he’s going to be appearing somewhere in our countdown and Scene Awards next year and both Harts and all the ice cream is something I look forward to. (Jo Michelmore)

WINNER: Jack White

A little memory from this year. One cold and windy day, in June, just before sunrise, my phone started ringing. I answered, slightly confused, but the sounds I heard made up my fave gig call, ever. My fellow blogger Matt’s voice, screaming at me all the way from Glastonbury, something along the lines of; “I hope you can hear this!” and the deliciously familiar chords of Jack White’s guitar, drifting halfway across the world to my little darkened bedroom at 4am.

“Oh Jack oh sigh” is what I said that early morning but there’s a lot more to him than that. The Wikipedia says he is an American musician, producer and occasional actor. I just say he’s amazing. He may own his own record label, he may be a member of a bazillion (possible exaggeration) bands, he may be a sought after producer, he may be seen as a little too opinionated in the mainstream media but all of those things matter very little when you hit play (or drop the needle) on his second solo album, Lazaretto, released in June this year. The riffs starts, the organ kicks in and suddenly you’re in the deep south of the USA singing “lordy lord” with an accent you never knew you possessed. It’s a Jack White love fest that continues through the whole album and it’s one you’ll gladly be involved in time and time again. It’s an album that set record sales into a frenzy this year and when I say ‘record’ sales, that’s literally what I mean, Lazaretto was the biggest selling vinyl since 1994 (beating another of my faves Pearl Jam!) and that made vinyl-loving hipsters of the world rejoice and raise their mason jars in collective cheers to the new, possibly unexpected godfather of vinyl.

Despite everything the world and the world’s hipsters do and don’t love about Jack White, his talent with those guitars of his is undeniable, making them sing and evoke emotions in ways a lot of singers wish they could with voice, making his listeners feel all the feels with just a simple bunch of strings. And I could be a little crackers, but there’s something a little elusive about Mr White that makes him all that more desirable. I can’t get enough of those sounds of his and he’s also part of one of my favourite memories from 2014. All of that, he's been crowned our Man of the Year once before AND he has inspired one of the only sayings that seems to have stayed with this blog from the first time I wrote about him and it's likely to stay for a little while yet. Probably because it actually does say all I’ll ever need to say about him. Oh Jack. Oh sigh.. (Jo Michelmore)

2013 Winner:

Eminem

Runner-Up: Pharrell Williams

2012 Winner:

Jack White

Runner-Up: Frank Ocean

2011 Winner:

Gotye

Runner-Up: Justin Vernon (Bon Iver)

2010 Winner:

Kanye West 

Top 114 Songs of 2014, #60 - 51

Taylor Swift, Sharon Van Etten, The War on Drugs + Sam Smith!

#114 - 101

#100 - 91

#90 - 81

#80 - 71

#70 - 61

#60. WAITING

by HOWQUA





It's been raining here for days,
And I can feel these drops on my weary face. 

It’s so hard to write words about songs that become more than songs to you. They’re not just notes and chords, they aren’t just words in tune and they’re more than just a collection of sounds. Some songs are a comfort, they are a sense of security, they are a memory and an experience and they are the things that get you through the days as you’re waiting for the sun to set, waiting for the sun to rise, they are the things that remind you to breathe when it’s all too hard. They sometimes become your life line, they become a definition of a time and an experience and they become a reflection of yourself. Some songs are more than songs. Some songs are the best of friends. (Jo Michelmore)

#59. STAY WITH ME

by Sam Smith





And deep down I know this never works,
But you can lay with me so it doesn't hurt.

It would only be too easy to think men dropped off the face of the pop music planet in 2014. Oh, yes... it was a banner year for the women of pop and they totally dominated. But one male artist did have a massive breakout year on the charts, both commercial and critical, and that was the UK's Sam Smith. Marketed as the dude version of Adele, he took the song 'Stay With Me' to the upper echelon of Top 40s all around the world. Of course, when you achieve something there's going to be those throwing shade your way. Smith copped it over being gay, white, not being a supermodel, not having the waistline of a supermodel and more. Do you think he gives a flying fuck? I highly doubt it. At the end of the day, the only thing that should matter is the quality of the music. And Sam Smith more than delivered with 'Stay With Me', one of the most successful tracks of 2014. (Matt Bond)  


So you’re a white guy Sam Smith? Yep. So you’re a gay guy Sam Smith? Yep. So you’re an average sized guy Sam Smith? Yep. And your name is Smith, Sam Smith? So you’re an average sized, white gay guy with an average name, Sam Smith? Yep. Sometimes I get really angry at the world I exist in. Because sometimes some people can be incredibly ignorant and harsh and just plain stupid. Listen to this song again. See? All of the things I mentioned don’t matter at all, no matter how many times they are discussed or googled or read about. All that matters are the things that matter, like love and longing and all the things that Sam Smith sings about in not so many words in one of the most beautiful pop songs of this year. Sometimes the only thing that makes sense to me is the music I listen to.  And sometimes, most times, that’s all I need. (Jo Michelmore)

#58. OVER YOU

by Ingrid Michaelson ft. A Great Big World





Maybe if I tell myself enough, maybe if I do,
I'll get all over you...

For fans of singer-songwriters, they who believe that the words are just as important as the music, Ingrid Michaelson and A Great Big World teaming up must have been something of a dream come true. It was for me. Ingrid Michaelson has won a legion of fans throughout the globe for her stirring lyrics and beautiful melodies, while A Great Big World burst onto the scene late last year with the monster hit ballad, 'Say Something'. That the result of the two acts letting their powers combine was an experience as perfect as 'Over You' really wasn't a surprise. These are musicians that know all the tricks to send you on an emotional rollercoaster. They're even going all Pachebel's Cannon-ish on us, which is like emotional trolling. Why do you think you hear Michaelson's tracks on every damn TV show? Because her music makes you feel something. And generally that feeling is sadness, but as I've repeatedly mentioned, I'm a sucker for a sad, sad song and they make me weirdly happy. 'Over You' is a song and a story I just can't get sick of, no matter how much I listen. (Matt Bond)  

I wish I didn’t relate so much. I wish I didn’t hear every single key on that piano. I wish I didn’t hear the feeling in every single one of those words. I wish I couldn’t feel those strings. I wish I wasn’t so transparent. I wish I didn’t let things bother me so much some days. I wish I didn’t know exactly what those words meant “I’m falling around you”. I wish all of these things, but then maybe I don’t, because if I wished them all away I wouldn’t have this feeling of absolute adoration of a song that brings a tear with every single listen and that’s a feeling I don’t ever want to go away. (Jo Michelmore)

#57. YOUR LOVE IS KILLING ME

by Sharon Van Etten





You like it when I let you walk over me,
You tell me that you like it,
Your love is killing me.

It's come to my attention that this particular edition of our countdown might be a little bit depressing. Well, I brought it to my own attention doing write-ups for the last three songs and then I got here to Sharon Van Etten's showstopping track, 'Your Love Is Killing Me' and realised the mood might be getting a little somber around these parts. Oh well, if you're not into your moving, sad-o numbers... you'll get over it. I'm not the one with the problem here. 'Your Love Is Killing Me' is what music is all about. An artist truly cutting loose and telling a story that can come painfully close to mirroring a story of your own. Sometimes it comes with a harrowing vocal performance that sets your heart racing. This is one of those times. (Matt Bond)


Alright then. You wanna pick up my heart and chuck it on the floor? You wanna have a little stomp on it while you’re there? Go ahead, throw some Sharon Van Etten on. You don’t even have to find my heart, I’ll take it out and give it to you just so it doesn’t beat so desperately anymore. Some despairing piano, some marching desperate drums and that voice, the sound of hopeless and inconsolable misery, ‘Your Love Is killing Me’ is every desperate moment I’ve had picked up and rolled into song and you know what it is? It’s beautiful is what it is. Beautiful and painful and beautiful, which are sometimes one and the same thing. (Jo Michelmore)

#56. COLD

by Winterbourne





Life goes by I'm lessening,
Everything.

If you were after a couple of guys doing catchy indie-pop songs these days, you’d have literally* a million to choose from (*when I say literally, I don’t mean literally, I haven’t counted. Literally in the way the kids use literally these days, which means not actually literally, just mostly very heartfelt) but you get my point, there’s a lot of bands making sweet indie pop sounds at the moment. What you don’t always get with those million bands is the honesty, the life lessons and the feelings of warm, cosy comfort with each chord and every lyric. Those kind of feelings only come with the best of those indie-pop guys and with tracks like ‘Cold’ Winterbourne are proving that they are some of those indie pop guys who are literally* just the best. (Jo Michelmore) 

Two guys with guitars, big dreams and big voices. Winterbourne have taken their music from the streets of Sydney, where they've honed their craft as buskers, and out into the world. And what a song to introduce themselves to a much bigger audience. 'Cold' is another embraceable folk-revival tune that puts Winterbourne in the company of another of our favourite acts, Little May. A slow burn of an opening that reels you in with emotive lyrics that tell a story in your head with perfect harmonies. Everything's going along nicely and then the pace picks up, the music gets that little bit louder and you find your foot tapping along uncontrollably. A lot like many of Little May's tracks. No wonder both acts are just finishing up a tour together. Anyway, the sound is exciting and makes you want to hear more of 'Cold' and of Winterbourne. Another act to add to our 'must watch' list for 2015. (Matt Bond)

#55. RED EYES

by The War On Drugs





And you don't go home,
But you abuse my faith.

I'm not going to lie to you, I had never heard of The War On Drugs before 'Red Eyes' came along. Get over yourself, neither had you, you hipster wankfest. Stop pretending you're cool. If you're still with us, let's have a chat about how fantastic this song is. It's Arcade Fire's The Suburbs meets 80s power-Springsteen-ish rock. Don't you feel like you were born to run? I do. Adam Granduciel's lyrics are like a stream of consciousness being hurled onto paper, a running commentary of heartache that's wisely masked behind an incredibly catchy indie-rock song to make it more digestible. I might not have heard of The War on Drugs before 'Red Eyes', but I'm going to make sure I know all about them from here on in. (Matt Bond)   


The clip for ‘Red Eyes’ is like this pseudo talent contest type situation, where the band sit down and watch a lady dancing, a smoking clown, a tragic musician, a hoola hooper (is that what they’re actually called?) and a tiny little guitarist all audition to be a member of their band. Each of the band members holds up a card with a cross or a tick on it for each contestant. Only one wins, as is the case with most of these things. The thing is, I wonder how the contestants would judge the band if the situation were reversed? Well I’m saying four giant ticks, because ‘Red Eyes’ is pretty darn likeable and if it’s a talent contest, I don’t even have to justify that, because my tick says it all. Tick! (Jo Michelmore)

#54. WHENEVER YOU WANT IT

by Clare Maguire





I don't wanna be alone, I just wanna have someone,
Who laughs at my shit jokes, won't break me when I'm already broken.

My mighty heart is breaking. Urgh, Clare Maguire... you are the bees knees, so damn fine and you're blowing my mind on 'Whenever You Want It'. You might remember Maguire from when she was a butt-kicking electro diva. That's changed. You might be able to tell by the lack of electronic sound on this track which is a piano ballad. If you noticed that, you are a big winner today. 'Whenever You Want It' is a big change, but Maguire shows she can comfortably reinvent herself as more of an acoustic singer-songwriter that knows a thing or two about penning relatable tales of heartache and pain and not wanting to be alone. I don't think anyone that listens to this and pays attention to the lyrics will be able to get away without being moved. Helping matters is Maguire's enchanting voice that makes a piano/vocal track sound so incredibly full. (Matt Bond)


There are points in your life that make up who you are. Moments that define you. You don’t always like to visit them, but they are there, following you around like shadows and sometimes they are shadows you never wish to see again. Sometimes something makes you face those clouds and make friends with them so that when they do visit, you’re ready for them. Those shadows tapped me on the shoulder when I heard ‘Whenever You Want It’ the first time. There they were, the simple piano notes and the words; “I don’t wanna be alone, I just wanna have someone”. The clouds crept in, making me sit up and take notice, forcing me to be uncomfortably calm with so many moments that describe me. I’ve still not made friends with those shadows, but when songs like Clare Maguire’s come along with words like  “…won’t break me when I’m already broken”, they make the shadows that visit a lot easier to face. (Jo Michelmore)

#53. MY ONLY FRIEND

by BAD//DREEMS




Do you think I'm good enough?
Never have been good enough.

Even though I'm 75% sure they were singing about incest when we stumbled upon them (Jo says 80%), BAD//DREEMS were one of our favourite finds at this year's BIGSOUND Live event. The large crowd assembled to see them were buzzing throughout the performance. They're effortlessly cool, don't seem to have any douche-y qualities and could be the rock band we deserve, not the one we need. Did I get that right? I think I stole it from Batman. Forget that last part, 'My Only Friend' falls somewhere between stoner rock, grunge and garage pop. Whatever they're doing, they're doing it well. (Matt Bond) 

#52. BURY ME

by JP Klipspringer

It comes each day, it drags you in,
It spits its blood, a summer wind... 

Like I said about Our Man In Berlin earlier and let’s be honest, like I’m going to say about someone else in the next 51 songs in our countdown, when I speak of 2014 and the things that blogging has bought me, I’m going to mention the artist responsible for number 52, because I couldn’t even count the number of times I’ve listened to this song and the number of times I’ve been glad I found JP Klipspringer. ‘Bury Me’ is one of those special songs that was all gold and glistening and like nothing I’d experienced before when I first heard it and it’s one of those songs that has never lost its shine, it is still now as goosebump inducing as it was back in March and I’m thinking it may stay that way for a very, very long time. It’s as sad as it is beautiful, as beautiful as it is uplifting and it’s one of my absolute favourites for 2014. (Jo Michelmore)

#51. SHAKE IT OFF

by Taylor Swift

I'm dancing on my own, I make the moves up as I go,

And that's what they don't know...

Is there anything here that I could cover that hasn't already been done? You know it all... Taylor Swift, biggest music star on the planet. Biggest album of the year. Two of the biggest songs of the year. Spotify slayer. Crossover superstar that mixed up the standard pop to country route American artists have been doing for sales over the past couple of decades. Victoria's Secret mega babe. We could throw in her previous achievements like that time she won the Grammy for Album of the Year? What haven't we been talking about? Her relationships. Her public image generated by gossip magazines. How lame Harry Styles is. How Lorde and her should be my best friends because I think we'd have heaps of fun together. Tay-Tay, T-Sweezy, T-Swift... she ain't got time for none of that, she doesn't have time for any hate and she's just going to shake it off... shake it off. But seriously Taylor, have a think about the best friends thing. #callme (Matt Bond)   

I had a theory about lil ol Taylor that I wrote about a few weeks ago. It was something along the lines of old Swifty being Shifty. Well, thems the facts, she was, she is. She’s also a really good pop star who sings really, really catchy pop songs. This is one of them. I stand by my original statement. But I also stand by this one; I love Taylor Swift. End. (Jo Michelmore)