HELLO BUZZJACK

 

Never done this before but figured why not? I’ve been keeping a list since January constantly adding new songs, moving songs around based on how they’ve fared over the year, removing some I get sick of- so it’s a real mixed bag of 100 songs really. I’ll start counting down pretty much immediately and will start with 5 grouped songs initially until I get down to a small enough number to write down commentary for them all.

100. Be Honest- Jorja Smith feat. Burna Boy

99. Love On Myself- Felix Jaehn feat. Calum Scott

98. Moderation- Florence & The Machine

97. Sally Walker- Iggy Azalea

96. Girl- Maren Morris

 

*JUST* finishing in my top 100 are Jorja Smith and Felix Jaehn with some really effortless chilled summer/autumn songs. Jorja still hasn’t topped Blue Lights yet but Be Honest was definitely a move in a direction I thought suited her really well and was very happy to see it become such a big hit here in the UK. Calum Scott is a name I normally can’t bare to hear but his self-love anthem with Felix Jaehn celebrated both artists LGBTQ-identity and over such a laidback summery beat is just undeniable really and Love On Myself really helped me warm to Calum and give his album a listen on which I enjoyed quite a few of the songs! Moderation was one of Florence’s most punchy singles to date and sounded straight off of How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (which we all know as her best album)- the change in sound from High As Hope to Moderation was a very welcome change and I love Florence’s voice on such an almighty rock-y banger. Sally Walker has the same anger and feistiness of the last song mentioned but this time over a hip-hop Humble-esque instrumentation and featuring not one but 3 iconic drag queens in the music video, shoutout to Mayhem Miller, Shea Coulee and of course Miss Vanessa Vanjie Mateo. The lack of chart success for this was quite sad to see but I suppose it shows how important it is to be managed by a big powerful label these days. Finally in this section we have the beautiful Girl by country star Maren Morris; while nowhere near the country spectacular-ness of Kacey Musgraves or Orville Peck this song is an empowering and sweet listen I haven’t tired of once over the year, glad to see her gain such recognition by music awards and a league of fans.

Be Honest didn't quite do it for me, I have to agree Blue Lights is her best so far.

Love On Myself was quite good though, one of Felix's best of recent times although I much prefer some of his earlier stuff.

Out of the first 5 songs, I like "Moderation", "Be Honest" and especially "Love On Myself" (the latter of which could make my Year-End list this year too)

Edited December 6, 20195 yr by Snowjdords

Be Honest is a great song, didn't rate it at first but it really grew on me! Giving Sally Walker a listen now, Iggy has changed since she was a chart force :lol: Don't really know what to think of it.

Great to see Be Honest here. Such an amazing comeback from Jorja. I'm delighted to see how well its done for her.

 

Sally Walker is ok but not her finest.

Thanks for all the responses to the last post! Also just wanted to clarify that only 1 song per artist will be on this list (besides from features) otherwise a good 1/5 of this entire list would have been Lizzo.

 

95. Apple- Julia Michaels

94. Con Calma (Remix)- Daddy Yankee & Snow feat. Katy Perry

93. Mine- Slayyyter

92. Let You Know- Flume feat. London Grammar

91. Kvallsgast- Esther

 

At number 95 we have EP-cut Apple from prolific pop-songwriter Julia Michaels. The EP (both halves) does a great job of exploring peculiar sounds to reflect the themes and topics written about such as on Anxiety (with Selena Gomez) which was close to making this list instead of this choice. Apple sees Julia sing about relationships and intimacy over an innocent production of ukulele initially and then dark pop production as the song leads on- the juxtaposition of this against the lyrics being very tongue-in-cheek really makes this a highlight of the material Julia has released this year. I was supposed to see her in October but sadly had to sell the tickets and this was the song I was most excited to see :). Next up we have Katy Perry arriving late to the Latin-remix band-wagon with Con Calma (Remix); a song she surprisingly excelled on sounding summery and fun whilst still keeping the songs initial playful reggaeton beat intact. A music video would have been wonderful and might have seen it reach a top 40 peak in the UK and a top 20 peak in the US but we’ll forgive our Katy for focusing on a song still to come in this countdown instead. Next up we have fellow stan twitter member Slayyyter with her viral hit Mine- the song hardly reinvents the wheel but is one of the most catchy and inspired house songs of the year and her vocals in their glitchy style transport the song to instant gay anthem. Shoutout also to her cover of Everytime by Britney Spears which is also a wonder. Flume makes his appearance in my top 100 this year with single Let You Know. Flume is one of few DJs I’m constantly sure will provide with perfect dance tracks and this one did not disappoint. His mixtape earlier this year was also a triumph but this collaboration with London Grammar and their whimsical style really made the song as captivating as it is. Great production, perfect vocals and another year of Flume being one of the most eclectic producers. Finally in this section we have a song that sounds straight out of Stranger Things; Kvallsgast is a song I’d never normally listen to and have never heard anything quite like it before, but upon discovering it from a Popjustice playlist I was hooked immediately as the synths and mysterious vocals blend together to create something really quite eerie and escapist and something I’d love to discover more similar to going into 2020.

Love LOVE Let You Know for sure one of my favourites of the year!

London Grammar's vocals are pretty good in Let You Know, I'm not really a fan of Flume but this is definitely one of his better tracks!

I did enjoy Let You Know, it was my fave Flume track of the year although it doesn't really hold up compared to some of his earlier stuff, and it missed my year-end 250.

I've heard and enjoyed a few songs from Slayyyter thanks to BJSC, but not that one, if it's house inspired though I'll definitely need to check it out.

I liked the original of Con Calma a fair bit but wasn't sold on the Katy remix at all.

90. Overnight- Maggie Rogers

89. Flames- R3HAB feat. ZAYN & Jungleboi

88. Now I’m In It- HAIM

87. Only Human- Jonas Brothers

86. David Bowie- chloe mk

 

Starting our top 90 we have Maggie Roger’s Overnight- my personal favourite from her divine album released this year, Heard It In a Past Life. The song is just pure pop brilliance with an undeniable chorus, gliding vocals and that dream-pop production she’s become so loved for. I was close to putting her newest single Love You For a Long Time here but felt that probably needed more time to end up on this list. At 89 we have ZAYN at What I think is his best, a pure dark-dance track featuring his usual soaring voice over R3HAB’s classic great production and a rap that for once doesn’t sound out of place from Jungleboi- Flames- is already in my ZAYN top 5 probably due to it’s undeniable pop structure and catchiness. 88 sees HAIM’s best 2019 single leave us; Now I’m In It just pips the jazzy Summer Girl to the post due to it’s poignant lyrics on mental health, soothing harmonies and killer video to match. This beats their previous single due to it’s replay factor in the end as Summer Girl for me had the summer mood down, whereas this was more of a general great pop song. Next up we have the Jo Bros with what might possibly be their best ever song???? Only Human sees Joe, Nick and Kevin over an 80s groove (as referenced in the lyrics) lamenting their lyrics of letting go and letting loose. The song perfectly sums up their album Happiness Begins, even referencing said housing album and is pure happiness and bouncy fun. Finally in this section we have David Bowie by Chloe MK, a song that immediately starts with the lyric “I miss David Bowie, I miss Prince”- surely one of the greatest opening lines of the whole year. The song is a fairly minimal effort production wise, emphasising the vocals, lyrics and melodies sung by the rising star about heartbreak and reminiscing on things and is for sure worth a listen if you don’t already know!

85. Adore You- Jessie Ware

84. Goodbyes- Post Malone feat. Young Thug

83. Friends Go- Maggie Lindemann

82. All For You- Wilkinson feat. Karen Harding

81. Stay (Don’t Go Away)- David Guetta feat. RAYE

 

Entering at number 85 we have Jessie Ware’s Valentine release Adore You; the song is a glitchy love song with electric production complimenting her rousing vocals. I’ve always preferred Ware at her more minimal but the infectiousness of this song is just undeniable and ranks 3rd in my favourite Valentine-released songs of the year so stay tuned for the further 2 in the countdown. Next up is Post Malone and Young Thug with their worldwide smash Goodbyes, the song features Malone’s usual sublime melodies and harsh lyrics to create a heartbreak banger worthy of it’s success. One thing I could have done without was Thug’s verse which not only goes on for a bit too long for me, but ends up sounding a bit whiny and shrieky for me and I tend to use the solo Post version when listening as it’s a lot softer a listen and one of the smoothest he’s released thus far- thought doesn’t top album cut Stay from last year’s Billbongs and Bentley’s. At 83 we have maybe the most pure-pop song on this entire list, Friends Go by Pretty Girl’s Maggie Lindemann. The song uses reggae conventions and brassy productions to capture a euphoric feel despite the rather pessimistic lyrics which are a great juxtaposition and her vocals have never sounded better due to the instrumentation which suits her voice perfectly in my opinion. Haven’t seen much love for this anywhere really so wonder whether this has any fans on here? 82 sees Wilkinson place with latest drum & bass banger All For You- whilst not as superior as Years & Years song with the same title, this Karen Harding (who follows me on Instagram I must add) sang song packs a punch with it’s classic anthemic drop and Harding’s vocals which suit the song fantastically. It also helps that is hammered in my work so I here it pretty much daily and it keeps me going! Karen along with Becky Hill is for me one of the best go-to voices for dance music of the last few years as seen on her feature on Wilkinson’s Sweet Lies, Blonde’s Feel Good and of course her own singles Open Your Eyes and top 10 hit Say Something. Finally is Buzzjack fave, Stay (Don’t Go Away) by all-mighty DJ and producer David Guetta and RAYE (who is still yet to feature solo on this list) to create an underrated dance hit of the year. The song unfortunately failed to peak top 40 despite a pretty good promo push which was disappointing and suggests this type of dance music is past it’s prime and a more minimal style is favoured now by the general public.

Really liked Stay (Don't Go Away), always sad to see a great song like that stall at 41 although of course with ACR its 'true' peak would've been a fair bit lower.

All For You was a decent enough effort but never made my chart.

Also enjoyed Goodbyes from Post Malone, although I too wish Young Dying Cat wasn't on the song.

Hi George! Great list so far, my faves would be 'Only Human' and 'Goodbyes'. Plus I'm happy to see Maggie Rogers in here, her album was my favorite of the year :wub: Need to give 'Overnight' another listen, my favorites were 'Light On' and 'Back In My Body'.

Don't think I realised Jessie Ware released anything this year! :o Giving Adore You a listen now, it's an incredibly good track and one I wish I'd heard when it was out.

Goodbyes is certainly one of my favourite Post Malone songs, if not my favourite - certainly a step away from some of his previously very bad/mediocre stuff.

80. About You- Otto Knows

79. International Woman of Leisure- La Roux

78. Simmer- Mahalia feat. Burna Boy

77. Summer Fade- Snakehips feat. Anna of the North

76. WHO DO U LOVE?- Monsta X feat. French Montana

We start our top 80 with one of my many Popjustice finds of the year, About You by Otto Knows, an electric pop-number with dreamy vocals and production and undeniably catchy chorus and drop that has been in my head for months. It’s been a good year for the Swedish DJ and after discovering this I began listening to his other stuff and have become quite a fan. Next up at 79 we have La Roux’s big comeback single International Woman of Leisure. I have been very excited for Roux’s comeback and this track did not disappoint with it’s synthy production and disco-inspired influences you can hear from her vocal-style to the bass guitar part. The song is 4 minutes and 19 seconds of pure throwback nostalgia and happiness and made me extremely excited for her forthcoming-2020 album. Simmer by Mahalia and Burna Boy is out next, the hit that never quite hit. I’ve been a fan of Mahalia for a while now after seeing her support Anne-Marie on tour a year ago and this has become one of my favourites from her. Special shoutout to Do Not Disturb which didn’t make the list due to my one-entry-per-artist rule. Simmer is a dark bass-y track with smooth sultry lyrics and a Burna Boy verse that surprisingly doesn’t feel tacked on. The sample is pure genius and that chorus is one of the most infectious and stuck-in-your-head of the whole year. 77 sees Summer Fade by UK producers Snakehips and vocalist Anna of the North. The song was released upon the arrival of September and was the perfect summer-closer track with it’s surreal overlapping of vocals, na-na-na’s and Anna’s ad-libs. Snakehips still haven’t topped their MØ collab Don’t Leave for me- but this got very very close. Last up, we have the first of 3 k-pop songs to appear on this list, WHO DO U LOVE? by Monsta X and the elusive French Montana. The song is what is great about k-pop, pure fun, harmonised choruses, killer visuals and whilst the rap from Frenchy doesn’t add much, it’s not one of his worse ones, so it’s tolerable!

I really like Now I'm In It. Easily one of Haim's best for me :D

International Woman of Leisure has been growing on me the last few weeks, a really solid comeback!

About You is a fab dance track as well.

Hey George!

 

Glad to see Flames make an appearance - it's definitely not Zayn's best, but another great tune to tide us over this year :wub: Only Human and Con Calma appearing too *.*

 

Great countdown so far, hyped for more!!

75. Let You- Cheryl

74. bury a friend- Billie Eilish

73. Heaven Knows- Lola Scott

72. Cry For Me- Camila Cabello

71. I’m In Love- Elliot Jones

 

Making top 75 is Cheryl’s 2019-release, Let You a song to be quite honest I avoided for a while after how much I hated Love Made Me Do It. Upon first listen though I was instantly transformed back to a fan, the synthy production and vocodered middle 8 just make this a perfect pop song and it deserved to smash honestly. This is Cheryl to me, at her best, on a classic fun dance-pop track not trying to be something she’s not! 74 sees Billie’s highest entry (a shock to me honestly), bury a friend remains, besides when the party’s over, WWAFAWDWG’s highlight and that eerie and menacing melody over such jarring production sums up Billie’s non-ballad side perfectly. This is the song I am probably most excited for her to perform live next year as the story-telling and instrumentation will just be sublime I hope. Lola Scott’s Heaven Knows is next, a song I didn’t really see much love for on this site, or anywhere for that matter but it’s a regal and grand track and made it higher than some of my favourite artists so clearly made a big impression on me. The vocals are top-notch and the contrasting sounds from the verses to the chorus make this such an incredible listen, would love to hear something like this done from one of the big pop girls! Woman of the hour (yikes) Camila is next with my personal favourite of her 2019 tracks, Cry For Me (although This Love might soon overtake), the song showcases a different side of her vocals over a rockier sound. The lyrics are stabbing and sharp and you can feel her pain in singing them which is great storytelling for me and what makes this so easy to listen to over and over again (which a few of her 2019 releases can’t claim the same feat). Lastly here we have Elliot Jones’ I’m In Love which follows my How Will I Know by Whitney Houston theory that I am a SUCKER for a soppy, romantic, almost teenage love song like how you’d imagine from films like Grease and Hairspray. Elliot’s vocals are soft whilst still sounding full of a honeymoon energy that carries the song really well imo.