The Best Of 2015: Songs Through May 31st, 2015

January

1 – Jet Pack Blues – Fall Out Boy

2 – Song Of Life – David Bronson

3 – Bad Place For A Good Time – Kate Tempest

4 – No Cities to Love – Sleater Kinney

5 – Blur My Hands – Lupe Fiasco

6 – Honey Trap – Shinobi Ninja

7 – Squeeze Me – N.E.R.D.

8 – Reprise – Natalie Prass

9 – Summer Wall Pt 2 – California X

10 – If That Ain’t The Blues, Nothing Is – Swamp Dogg

11 – Call Ya Momma – Justin Townes Earle

12 – Songbird – David Bronson

13 – U Know How It Iz – 1978ers

14 – Uma Thurman – Fall Out Boy

15 – God Made Girls – Raelynn

16 – My Garden – Kat Dahlia

17 – Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf) –AWOLNATION

18 – Fake Roses – The Lone Bellow

19 – Death – Viet Cong

20 – Stupid Girl – Jazmine Sullivan

21 – Music Move Me – The Expendables

22 – Lord Pretty Flacko Joyde Pt 2 – A$AP Rocky

23 – Wherever Is Your Heart – Brandi Carlisle

24 – Crosswords – Panda Bear

25 – Safe Pay Checks – Rae Sremmurd

26 – Top Shelf drug – Ryan Bingham

27 – Into Your Heart – Young Ejecta

28 – Easy – Cody Canada

29 – Neon – Jong Hyun

30 – Energy – Hillsong Young & Free

31 – Only One – Kanye West, Rihanna, Paul McCartney

32 – Belly Of The Beast – Joey Bada$$ And Chronnix

33 – Where The Wolves Come To Die – Sylosis

34 – Barcelona – George Ezra

35 – Pieces – Ella Henderson

36 – Wait For Life –Emile Hayne, Lana Del Rey

37 – Play For Today – Belle And Sebastian

38 – Worship Song # 2 – Hanni El Khatib

39 – One More – Ne-Yo

40 – Anti-Summersong – The Decemberists

41 – Red Planet – California X

42 – Tightrope – Dwight Holcomb

43 – Farther From Me – Justin Townes Earle

44 – The Opposite Of Love – Corey Dargel

45 – Black Ember – Ascension

46 – My Selfish Heart – Meghan Trainor

47 – My Baby Don’t Understand Me – Natalie Prass

48 – Shots – Imagine Dragons

February

49 – Man On The Moon – Kids

50 – Chinatown -Giirlpool

51 – Really Love – D’Angelo

52 – Up – Olly Murs

53 – She’s Got You – Rhiannon Giddens

54 – Rain Or Shine- Young Fathers

55 – You Just Don’t Know People – Rumer

56 – Fair Haired Traveller – Asaf Avidan

57 – Hold Tight – Madonna

58 – Metaphorically Screw You – Napalm Death

59 – Ooo Live – Karen O

60 – No News From Home – Houndstooth

61 – A New Wave – Sleater Kinney

62 – Last Forgiven – Rathborne

63 – Brother – NEEDTO BREATHE

64 – Sirens – The weepies

65 – Do It Daily – Martin Sexton

66 – When You Comin’ Home – Gretchen Peters

67 – Peaches – The Districts

68 – Let’s Not Keep In Touch – Retox

69 – Take Ova – Lil Snupe

70 – Joan Of Arc – Madonna

71 – Fool For Love – Lord Huron

72 – You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling

73 – If I Had Been A Better Man – Colin Hays

74 – All Night That Long – The Mavericks

75 – Exes and Ohs – Elle King

76 – Throw Down The Roses – Kate Pierson

77 – Charles De Gaulle – Letts

78 – Psychic Returns – Nedelle Torresi

79 – Time Share (Suite 509) – Estelle

80 – Your Brain Is Made Of Candy – Mourn

81 – Burning For No One One – The Cribs

82 – The Blacker the Berry – Kendrick Lamar

83 – Blueberry Island – The Julie Ruin

84 – Short Movie – LauraMarling

85 – The Fall – Imagine Dragon

86 – The Research – Big Sean

87 – Broken Talk – Gang Of Four

88 – She Loves Me – James McMurty

89 – This Probably Won’t End Well – All That Remains

90 – Mind On Fire – Dan Deacon

91 – Bubbles – Drug Cabin

92 – Sexy Drug – Falling In Reverse

93 – Room 302 – Future Brown

94 – Grow Up – Keath Mead

95 – Coldest Blue – Scout Pare-Phillips

96 – Wishing Well – Screaming Females

97 – Nothing without Love – Nate Reuss

98 – Now That I Have Found – The Juliana Hatfield

99 – There Are Ways To Get What You Want – Astral Swans

100 – Wolves – Kanye West

101 – California Nights – Best Coast

March

102 – Febreze feat 2 Chainz – Jack U

103 -Once In A Lifetime – Flo Rida

104 – Heartbeat Song – Kelly Clarkson

105 – Riverman – Noel Gallagher

106 – I’m In Love With A Teenage Heartthrob – Gateway Drugs

107 – The Eye – Brandi Carlile

108 – Vena Cava – Lady Lamb

109 – Down for Whatever – Chelsea Lankes

110 – I Really Like You – Carly Rae Jepsen

111 – bodyache – Purity Rings

112 – All Day – Kanye West

113 – Some Peace Of Mind (featuring Bobby Womack) – Van Morrison

114 – Joan Of Arc – Madonna

115 – Johnny Cash – Kid Rock

116 – Murder In The City – Brandi Carlile

117 – Wrapped Up – Olly Murs

118 – Free Love – MOD SUN

119 – Rock & Roll Is Cold

120 – Rebel Heart – Madonna

121 – Smile – Sheppard

122 – Whatever Makes You Happy – Empire Cast

123 – Spike Heel Assassin – The Rezillos

124 – Strange – Laura Marling

125 – Entropy – Grimes, Bleachers

126 – C.U.B.A. – Calvin Harris

127 – Heartbeat – Satellite Stories

128 – Colors – Genevieve

129 – Like It Used To Be – Alisson Moorer

130 – Shame – Young Fathers

131 – Wesley’s Theory – Kendrick Lamar

132 – 15 Years – Houndmouth

133 – U – Kendrick Lamar

134 – Ignition/Do You (Mash Up) – Phoebe Ryan

135 – Gonna Get It Wrong – Allison Moorer

136 – How Can I – Laura Marling

137 – St. Jude – Florence + The Machine

138 – Brand New Car – Action Bronson

139 – Monterey – Milk cartoon Kids

140 – Black Cherry Pie – Jeff The Brotherhood

141 – Burning For No One – The Cribs

142 – Interviews – Brodinski

143 – Trapped – Chastity Belt

144 – Macusa – Buena Vista Society

145 – I Don’t Know Her name – Leo “Bud” Welch

146 – Mantra – Earl Sweatshirt

147 – GDFR – Flo Rida

April

148 – In ANother World – Dwight Yoakam

149 – Dani’s Blues – Bop English

150 – No Room In Frame – Death Cab For Cuties

151 – The Intro ABout Nothing – Wale

152 – Ludaversal Intro – Ludacris

153 – Luci – Anna Caragnano

154 – Too Hot – Jodeci

155 – Living In Doubt – Marching Churches

156 – Ibiza – The Prodigy

157 – Subtle Knife – Boxed In

158 – Touch And Go – Ringo Starr

159 – Should Have Known Better – Sufjan STevens

160 – Sunshine On My Back – The National

161 – Shame – Young Fathers

162 – Nobody Wins – Jodeci

163 – Old Rock And Roll – Young Fathers

164 – The Last Song – Brian WIlson

165 – Poison – Waxahatchee

166 – The JUDDERING – East India Youth

167 – Teenage Talk – St. Vincent

168 – Spit You Out – Metz

169 – Until The Night Turns – Lord Huron

170 – Some Days I’m Golden All Night – Josh Rouse

171 – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Marla Mase

172 – We’re A Winner – True Groove Allstars

173 – Somewhere Quiet – Brian Wilson

174 – Somewhere Quiet – Lee Harvey Oswald

175 – Prime – The Dream

176 – Emoticons – The Wombats

177 – Softly And Tenderly – Amy Grant

178 – Falling From The Sky – Calexico

179 – Grief – Earl Sweatshirt

180 – Going Out Like That – Reba McEntire

181 – Hold MY Hand – Jess Glynne

182 – Headlights – Robin Schulz, Lisley

183 – Bros – Wolf Alice

184 – Cheerleader – Omi

185 – Watching The Traffic Flow – Adventures In Bluesland

186 – OKAGA, CA – Tyler, The Creator

187 – Do You Wanna Dance – Jessie Baylin

188 – Never Had It – Young Thug

189 – Shoegaze – Alabama Shakes

190 – Speak Soft – As It Is

191 – Living Thing – Built To Spill

192 – Back to Back – Dustin Kensrue

193 – The Royal Screw – Low Cut Connie

194 – You’re Always Good – OOFJ

195 – 3/4 Time – Sam Lewis

196 – The Way I Want You – Turbo Fruits

197 – Go Out – Blur

198 – I Broadcast – Blur

199 – Mene – Brand New

200 – Before The World Was Big – Girlpool

201 – Looks Like Rain Live – Passion Pit

202 – Deja Vu – Giorgio Moroder, Sia

203 – Defected Presents House Masters – Frankie Knuckles

204 – Vital Sounds – Gangs Of Youth

205 – Burning Up – Hot Chip

206 – Stressed Out – Twenty One Pilots

207 – There’s No One Crying Over Me Either – AMerican Wrestlers

208 – Autopilot Mode – Millencolin

209 – Fullhouse – Nick Catchdubs

201 – Singer Songwriter – The Young Novelists

202 – Infinity – Mariah Carey

May

203 – Dimed Out – Titus Andronicus

204 – Drop That Kitty – Ty Dolla $ign

205 – Woman (Oh Mama) – Joy Williams

206 – Feeling OK – Best Coast

207 – 24 Frames – Jason Isbell

208 – Broad-Shouldered Beasts – Mumford And Sons

209 – That’s How I’m Feelin’ – Ciara

210 – Secrets Of America – Palma Violets

211 – These Secret Kings I Know – And So I Watch You From A Distance

212 – Fighting – Hannah Miller

213 – Your Hologram – Mac McCaughan

214 – Made My Mind Up – Mikal Cronin

215 – Cold Stares – Nosaj Thing

216 – Cathedral – Hollis Brown

217 – Nasty Freestyle – T-Wayne

218 – Marvin Gaye – Charlie Puth

219 – Get The Point – My Morning Jacket

220 – Sold The Devil Sunshine – Shelby Lynne

221 – Lost Again – Mac McCaughan

222 – Go – The Chemical Brothers

223 – I Love It When You Cry – Steve Aoki

224 – Prisoner – Jordan Bratton

225 – Island – Surfer Blood

226 – I Love You – Buffy Sainte-Marie

227 – Crybaby Demon – Crocodiles

228 – Come What May – JD Souther

229 – Something Must Change – Novella

230 – You Shall Know The Spirit – Pfarmer

231 – Gone Fishing – Roisin Murphy

232 – Million – Tink

233 – Where Are U Now – Jack U

234 – Dark Bird Is Home – The Tallest Man On Earth

235 – Stages – Leonard Cohen

236 – Bills – Lunchmoney Lewis

237 – Heavydirtysoul – Twenty One Pilots

238 – Last Year – Joanna Gruesome

239 – Getaway – The Milk Carton Kids

240 – Mercy – Muse

241 – A Midwestern State Of Emergency – Silverstein

242 – My Tiled White Floor – Jeff Beck

243 – Die Young – Kopecky

244 – I’m Where I Should Be – Paul Weller

245 – Together – Ella Eyre

246 – LSD – A$AP Rocky

247 – Love 3X – ZZ Ward

248 – Head In The Clouds – Shamir

249 – Handsome – The Vaccines

250 – Holding On – Disclosure, Gregory Porter

251 – Handcuffs – The Front Bottoms

252 – Window Of My Eyes – Boosie Badazz

253 – Jukebox Joints – A$AP Rocky

254 – The Hills – The Weeknd

255 – Platform – M.I.A.

Comment: There are at least four songs here that sound major to me, Jason Isbell and Titus Andronicus at the top of the list and A$AP Rocky and ZZ Ward not far behind, so if this doesn’t feel like big time pop moment month, it isn’t because of the best, it is because of everything else. Two of my favorite songs this year, by Daytripper and Charlie Funk, aint even out yet. For Daytripper, God knows when she’ll  get around to it.