This is completely and totally last minute, I know! I bet y’all thought I was fuckin’ dead. I’m not. I just got busy with grad school and depression and shit. I was thinking about end of the year music lists on a long drive this morning and I was like, man I wish I had a non-facebook venue to talk about this stuff, then I remembered the Mixtape Mondays that I’ve been too busy to do. I don’t really want to talk about what music I thought was the best. I think that’s a fucking waste of time and I certainly do not have the credentials to be crowning anyone, but I do want to just give y’all a list of some of my favorite songs that came out this year. I’ve got a bit to say about a few of them, so I’m gonna do that now.

This first song on my list totally snuck up on me, despite the fact that the album came out in January. I bought tickets to go see McCafferty in [medium sized city near me] and Remo Drive was on the ticket. About a week before the show, I was thought, “hey maybe, I should see what this band is like before I actually get there”. Typically this doesn’t yield amazing results. I usually just find the accompanying music to be tolerable or mildly enjoyable, but this time, I was fucking blown away. Every song they write is so incredibly catchy. I don’t know how you could listen to Remo Drive and not at least enjoy it. It also doesn’t hurt that everyone in the band is stunningly beautiful (saying that as a straight dude too, so…).

“Yer Killin’ Me” - Remo Drive

Formerly known as Sioux Falls, Strange Ranger is like a collection of hipster stereotypes, but they write some of the most powerful music in my opinion and this song is no exception. I’m really concerned as to why it wasn’t on their new album Daymoon, but I would guess it just didn’t fit in. That said, this song is a fucking blast. It’s fun, it’s dancey, it’s also kinda really depressing if you listen too closely, but I think that defines Strange Ranger: fun from a distance, but real fucking sad up close.

“Leona - Audiotree Live Version” - Strange Ranger

I feel like Charly Bliss has been dragging out the release of this album for EVER. It didn’t come out until May and they just kept releasing single after single after single starting as far back as early 2016. As they tell it they were in the midst of finding their voice, which makes sense. If you look at their EP from 2014 Soft Serve, you’ll see their tone is rather scattered even going so far as to have a different singer on one of the songs (though if I’m being honest, I really appreciated that contrast). Eventually Charly Bliss figured out they are a pop band and produced their fantastic record Guppy. If you haven’t checked it out already, you should do that now!

“Black Hole” - Charly Bliss

Indie music is absolutely lacking in its representation of people of color and women alike. Vagabon brings that lacking perspective with some incredibly insightful and powerful music. I remember hearing the first singles from this record, Infinite Worlds, near the end of 2016 and being totally astounded. Laetitia deserves every single fucking accolade (of which there have been several) that she has earned.

“Fear & Force” - Vagabon

Sometimes music just hits you right in the gut. Harmony Woods’ debut album Nothing Special never fails to make me shed a tear. It is both a concept album about relationships in general and a bloodletting of personal experience for the young Sofia Verbilla. This album is a masterpiece bound to make anybody who’s ever loved someone else (and probably those that haven’t) feel things they did not want to feel today--in the best way possible.

“Renovations” - Harmony Woods

Those are the songs that have probably moved me the most this year, but that’s far too small of a list so I’m of course going to include a less well annotated list of some of my favorite songs from this year.

Powerful grunge pop out of Seattle with an extremely catchy chorus: “Love Is” - Dude York

Now, Now is back on their shit, but like with Avicii in the background or something. Whatever. I like it: “SGL” - Now, Now

Equal parts Surfer Rock and Socially-conscious Punk, unafraid to call the most powerful people in the world (Read: Obama, not Trump) on their shit (Read: Killing kids with drones) with the best vocals I’ve heard in years: “Jj” - Priests

Self-aware Dance Emo: “Chamber of Secrets for 1” - Terror Pigeon!

Strange Ranger makes the list twice because I love them a lot and they’re really nice people and I also wanted to show off something from Daymoon: “House Show” - Strange Ranger

For some reason, this song made me cry and that makes no sense. The funnier tagline: Pop Punk goes Folk, the Album: “Gold and Green” - Slaughter Beach, Dog

Ethereal, Vintage Dream Pop: “Dreams Tonite” - Alvvays

Mansions is also back on their shit but with Avicii in the background or something (but not in this song): “One of Three” - Mansions

One of the catchiest, most fun Synth Pop songs I’ve heard in a good long while: “Girl Like You” - Toro Y Moi

Including for the split name, but also because Mom Jeans. are one of the greatest emo bands still in the game: “Vape Nation 2.0” - Mom Jeans.

Same for Prince Daddy & the Hyena, but also because the band name has Daddy in it: “Thrashville ⅓” - Prince Daddy & the Hyena

SUNY Purchase, but the fun people that make good music: “Full Screen” - Adult Mom

I would think this goes without saying, but obviously this list is not comprehensive. So y'all better fuckin' share your Best of '17 with us!