#01 (2835pts)

 

Declan McKenna

The Key To Life On Earth

 

-

Chart Statistics

 

NE (25/04/2020) 6-1-1-1-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-3-4-6-7-4-10-11-13-16-18-29-42-45-55-70-77-86-99-xx

 

Video

 

 

Commentary

 

But there was absolutely no competition whatsoever as to what would be my #1 this year! A brilliant song in every sense of the word, taking the story of two different classes in the same town and making it a song which feels so relatable, with references to xenophobe locals, working in Sainsbury's and so much more, before going into the guitar-mad ending which is the signature of every song on this album. Declan deserves all the credit in the world for making a song as good as this and one I was belting out at every possible opportunity for months. After The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home making #2 in my EOY back in 2017 I wasn't sure if he'd manage to live up to his brilliant start but he's managed to do it!

 

Top 100 Chart History

 

2017 01 The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home

2017 03 Brazil

2017 08 Humongous

2017 03 Why Do You Feel So Down?

2017 87 Mind

2018 13 Listen To Your Friends

2019 53 In Blue

2019 63 Basic (Regurgitated)

2019 12 British Bombs

2020 01 Beautiful Faces

2020 01 The Key to Life on Earth

2020 20 Daniel, You're Still A Child

2020 01 Be An Astronaut

2020 09 Emily

2020 11 Rapture

2020 13 Twice Your Size

2020 16 Eventually, Darling

2020 20 Sagittarius A*

Hall Of Fame
2016: Lukas Graham - 7 Years
2017: Alessia Cara - Seventeen
2018: Amy Shark - I Said Hi
2019: Foals - Exits
2020: Declan McKenna - The Key To Life On Earth

Full Recap

1. Declan McKenna - The Key to Life on Earth
2. Declan McKenna - Beautiful Faces
3. The Coronas & Gabrielle Aplin - Lost in the Thick of It
4. Ball Park Music - Day & Age
5. NEEDTOBREATHE - Who Am I
6. Cavetown - Sweet Tooth
7. Oh Wonder - Hallelujah
8. Jack Garratt - Better
9. Martin Solveig & Roy Woods - Juliet & Romeo
10. The Howl & The Hum - Hostages

11. San Cisco - Reasons
12. Kensington - Uncharted
13. Bastille - WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? (ft. Graham Coxon)
14. Zuzu - Skin & Bone
15. Walking on Cars - I Still Want You
16. CoCo & The Butterfields - Alone (Together)
17. lovelytheband - loneliness for love
18. The Chainsmokers & Kygo - Family
19. Alicia Keys - Underdog
20. Kodaline & Gabrielle Aplin - Everyone Changes

21. Inhaler - Ice Cream Sundae
22. Don Diablo - Congratulations (ft. brando)
23. Ben Dolic - Violent Thing
24. The Fratellis - Six Days in June
25. The Knocks & MUNA - Bodies
26. Luz - the author
27. Declan McKenna - Be An Astronaut
28. JUNG - Polar Bears
29. Glass Animals - Your Love (Dejá Vu)
30. Saint Motel - A Good Song Never Dies
31. Marsicans - These Days
32. Ball Park Music - Cherub
33. Blanks - Silly People
34. The Roop - On Fire
35. Sam Johnson - The Kids Are Alright
36. Kensington - Island
37. Matoma & Petey - Keep It Simple (ft. Wilder Woods)
38. Boston Manor - Welcome to the Neighbourhood (LeBrock Remix)
39. Alec Benjamin - Mind is a Prison
40. Surf Mesa - Somewhere (ft. Gus Dapperton)

41. Circa Waves - Move to San Francisco
42. Rea Garvey & VIZE - The One
43. Bastille - Another Place (ft. Alessia Cara)
44. Sheppard - Phoenix
45. NOTD - Cry Dancing (ft. Nina Nesbitt)
46. Mandisa - Way Maker
47. Suad - Faces
48. Roosevelt - Feels Right
49. Purple Disco Machine - Hypnotized (ft. Sophie and the Giants)
50. Diplo - Dance With Me (ft. Thomas Rhett & Young Thug)
51. FINNEAS - Can't Wait To Be Dead
52. CoCo & The Butterfields - Feel
53. Biffy Clyro - Space
54. Travis - A Ghost
55. Elderbrook - My House
56. CYNEMA - Radio Love
57. Lucia & The Best Boys - Perfectly Untrue
58. Mercy Chinwo - Akamdinelu
59. Jack Garratt - Time
60. Tom Gregory - Rather Be You
61. SeeB & St. Lundi - Colourblind
62. Amy Shark - C'MON (ft. Travis Barker)
63. Klingande & Bright Sparks - Amsterdam
64. Of Monsters and Men - Wild Roses
65. Circa Waves - Sad Happy
66. Kygo - Like It Is (ft. Zara Larsson & Tyga)
67. Twenty One Pilots - Level Of Concern
68. Lukas Graham - Share That Love (ft. G-Eazy)
69. Galantis - Faith (ft. Dolly Parton & Mr. Probz)
70. Askjell & AURORA - To Be Loved
71. Seafret - Be My Queen
72. Roosevelt - Sign
73. The Coronas - Haunted
74. Sam Feldt - Home Sweet Home (ft. ALMA & Digital Farm Animals)
75. Walking on Cars - Try Again
76. Seafret - Magnetic
77. Of Monsters and Men - Wars
78. Little Big - UNO
79. We Are Messengers - Love
80. Shallou - Good Together (ft. Ashe)
81. Chris Tomlin - Who You Are To Me (ft. Lady A)
82. Leland Blue - Lying to Myself
83. Camelphat, Yannis & Foals - Hypercolour
84. Gromee - Sweet Emotions (ft. Jesper Jenset)
85. Elderbrook - Numb
86. Milky Chance & Jack Johnson - Don't Let Me Down
87. Taylor Swift - exile (ft. Bon Iver)
88. Sigma & Jack Savoretti - You & Me As One
89. Oh Wonder - Keep On Dancing
90. Galantis - I Fly (ft. Faouzia)
91. Cavetown - Trying
92. Amy MacDonald - Crazy Shade of Blue
93. Grouplove - Youth
94. Everyone You Know - Seen It All
95. Daði Freyr - Think About Things
96. Kygo & Avicii - Forever Yours (ft. Sandro Cavazza)
97. Stanleys - A Better Life
98. We Are Messengers - Come See (Glory Hallelujah)
99. SAINT PHNX - Sorry
100. Lost Frequencies & Zonderling - Love To Go (ft. Kelvin Jones)

101. Amy MacDonald - The Hudson
102. We Are Messengers - Never Change Your Mind
103. MIKA - Sanremo
104. ARTY & Conrad Sewell - Kingdom
105. Lukas Graham - Scars
106. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike - Say My Name (ft. Regard)
107. The Treble - No Secrets (There For You)
108. Martin Garrix - Used to Love (with Dean Lewis)
109. Halloweens - My Baby Looks Good With Another
110. Cavetown - Snail (ft. Chloe Moriondo)
111. Crash Adams - Astronauts
112. The Rubens - Live In Life
113. HOSH & 1979 - Midnight (The Hanging Tree) (ft. Jalja)
114. Kodaline - Sometimes
115. Keane - Stupid Things
116. Whethan - Stay Forever (ft. STRFKR)
117. Robin Schulz - In Your Eyes (ft. Alida)
118. Glass Animals - Heat Waves
119. Mimi Webb - Before I Go
120. Marizu - Dive
121. LEDGER - My Arms
122. New Politics - Unstoppable
123. Alec Benjamin - Match In the Rain
124. Mission House - Never See The End
125. Kelsea Ballerini - Club
126. Allan Scott & Steven Malcolm - Tidal Wave
127. Shanguy - Désolée (Paris/Paname)
128. Lola Marsh - Only for a Moment
129. HRVY & Matoma - Good Vibes
130. Blanks - Bittersweet
131. Montaigne - Don't Break Me
132. Blanks - Favorite Nightmare
133. Julie Bergan - Kiss Somebody (with SeeB)
134. LARRY PINK THE HUMAN - MIGHT DELETE LATER
135. Boy In Space - Caroline
136. We The Lion - You
137. Gjon's Tears - Répondez-Moi
138. Biffy Clyro - Instant History
139. KAWALA - Animals
140. Golden Features & The Presets - Raka
141. X Lovers - Sweatshirt
142. Kodaline - Wherever You Are
143. Whethan - Upside Down (ft. Grouplove)
144. Lesley Roy - Story Of My Life
145. Grouplove - Inside Out
146. Janieck - Somebody New
147. Example - Chronicles (ft. Norma Jean Martine)
148. Declan McKenna - Twice Your Size
149. Lukas Graham - Where I'm From (ft. Wiz Khalifa)
150. Paul Woolford & Diplo - Looking For Me (ft. Kareen Lomax)
151. SACHI - Enchanté (ft. Naika)
152. VIZE - Never Let Me Down (ft. Tom Gregory)
153. Robert Grace - Moving Fast
154. Built By Titan - Birds (ft. Graphite Man)
155. Welshly Arms - Trouble
156. Ray Dalton - In My Bones
157. Declan McKenna - Emily
158. La Roux - International Woman of Leisure
159. Highly Suspect - These Days
160. JONES - Camera Flash (Friend Within Remix)
161. Gabrielle Aplin - Kintsugi
162. Nothing But Thieves - There Was Sun
163. Sofi Tukker & Gorgon City - House Arrest
164. RHODES - I'm Not Okay
165. Jax Jones & Martin Solveig Present Europa - Tequila (ft. RAYE)
166. Mimi Webb - I'll Break My Heart Again
167. X Lovers - Rosie
168. Tessa Violet - Games
169. Vicetone - I Feel Human (ft. BullySongs)
170. Bad Sounds - Breathe
171. DJ Bitman - Así Vacilo Yo (ft. Akapellah)
172. Esther Chungu - Chikangabwe (ft. 412)
173. Jeremy Loops - Mortal Man
174. joan - Love Me Better
175. Leon of Athens - Communication (ft. Katerine Duska)
176. Lucy Spraggan - Sober
177. Vasil - You
178. Dennis Lloyd - Unfaithful
179. The Struts - Another Hit of Showmanship (ft. Albert Hammond Jr)
180. Galantis - Never Felt A Love Like This (with Hook N Sling & Dotan)
181. Jeremy Camp - Keep Me in the Moment
182. Miloe - Winona
183. Sheppard - Die Young
184. Alle Farben - The Night We Met
185. Sea Girls - Do You Really Wanna Know?
186. Mura Masa - Live Like We're Dancing (ft. Georgia)
187. CalledOut Music - Other Side
188. MAX - Working For The Weekend (ft. bbno$)
189. Ellie Holcomb - Constellations
190. Plested - The Least That I Could Do
191. Chris Tomlin - Tin Roof (ft. Blessing Offor)
192. The Kite String Tangle - North
193. Jeremy Camp & Adrienne Camp - Whatever May Come
194. Blanks - Higher
195. Mandy Capristo - 13 Schritte
196. Matt Maher - Alive & Breathing (ft. Elle Limebear)
197. The Sweet Serenades - City Lights
198. Twinnie - Type of Girl
199. Boston Bun - Nothing But Rainbows
200. Vulfpeck - Half of the Way

Thank you all so much for following along and making this countdown as active as it is, and here's to another great year of music in 2021!

A very deserved top 2! :cheer: The Key to Life on Earth is probably my all-time favourite Declan song now.

Congrats on completing this Pete :cheer:

 

That Jack Garratt song is my favourite in your top 20! Definitely unexpected but really works :wub: have you heard 'Mara' from this era? That was my favourite I think!

A Declan top 2! :cheeseblock: The right song won too, The Key to Life On Earth is my favourite from Zeros and perhaps in my Declan top 3 now with Brazil and Humongous? :thinking:

We'll see ;) Glad you're enjoying Don and Martin anyway - thanks Dan!

well of course, I really should've known he'd have both of the top 2 as well. :lol:

glad Martin managed as high as #9 anyhow, thread was a great read as ever!

Ah! I'm so happy for Declan. Glad The Key To Life On Earth was the winner between those two, though I still prefer Be An Astronaut to both!

 

I was a big Needtobreathe fan around 2008-2010 (and still am but to a lesser extent) so it's interesting to see a new fan! I could recommend so many songs that I wouldn't know where to start!

Just checked out your #1. I've only been aware of Declan's work from the song he had on one of the old FIFA's although I'd seen his name loads. The Key to Life on Earth didn't do much for me unfortunately but I reckon I would like others from him more.

 

Great countdown Pete :D

A very deserved top 2! :cheer: The Key to Life on Earth is probably my all-time favourite Declan song now.

Great to hear Ansel! It really is a gem. Thanks for commenting along!

 

Congrats on completing this Pete :cheer:

 

That Jack Garratt song is my favourite in your top 20! Definitely unexpected but really works :wub: have you heard 'Mara' from this era? That was my favourite I think!

Getting a Top 200 done by the start of February really is an achievement :magic: Glad you're a fan of 'Better', as you say it isn't what I thought I wanted from this era but it really was! I gave his album a quick play but I don't remember 'Mara', I'll make sure I give it a listen though. Thanks Jade!

 

A Declan top 2! :cheeseblock: The right song won too, The Key to Life On Earth is my favourite from Zeros and perhaps in my Declan top 3 now with Brazil and Humongous? :thinking:

Glad you're on board as well! The Key To Life on Earth is probably tied at the top with The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home for me, although the two you mentioned are both tunes as well. Thanks Joseph!

 

well of course, I really should've known he'd have both of the top 2 as well. :lol:

glad Martin managed as high as #9 anyhow, thread was a great read as ever!

Thanks for following along! Hopefully there might be a few more dance songs in my Top 10 next year, it feels bizarre to only have one in there. Thanks Dan!

 

Ah! I'm so happy for Declan. Glad The Key To Life On Earth was the winner between those two, though I still prefer Be An Astronaut to both!

 

I was a big Needtobreathe fan around 2008-2010 (and still am but to a lesser extent) so it's interesting to see a new fan! I could recommend so many songs that I wouldn't know where to start!

I'm very interested to hear your picks! I've not really heard much of their music at all before this era but certainly interested in going through their old stuff. Thanks Jordan!

 

Just checked out your #1. I've only been aware of Declan's work from the song he had on one of the old FIFA's although I'd seen his name loads. The Key to Life on Earth didn't do much for me unfortunately but I reckon I would like others from him more.

 

Great countdown Pete :D

Fair enough, everyone has different tastes - thanks for following along and commenting throughout Lewis!

Declan slaying :cheeseblock: The Key to Life on Earth is fabulous, so glad to see that come out on top here! Also not heard the Gabrielle collab, but will check that out :o

 

Excellent countdown Pete, been great commenting along and as always, a lot of discoveries in here that I'll need to come back to :music: :heart:

Hi Pete, Ive never really come across declan McKenna much I prob need to pay more attention!

 

On the overview of your rundown, my faves are Ben Dolic, Mimi Webb, Robin Schulz, Dadi Freyr, Sigma & Jack Savoretti, Taylor Swift, Galantis & Dolly, Lucia & The Best Boys, Travis, Biffy, Boston manor, The Roop, Alicia K, Bastille, and a few others. 3 of those were huge number ones for me, and are among the best 10 tracks of the year for me - Ben Dolic, Lucia, Sigma, I absolutely adore them and they are comfortably in my All-Time Top 900 list.

 

Quite a few of the acts I like crop up in your list, but with tracks I havent heard more than once (if that). What we need is a radio station that selects playlist tracks a bit more from your charts :lol:

 

Good list!

Hey Pete, just catching up on the last bit.

 

 

4. Ball Park Music - Day & Age this was a good discovery from TBO as I never heard it first time round!

26. Luz - the author

42. Rea Garvey & VIZE - The One

56. CYNEMA - Radio Love

57. Lucia & The Best Boys - Perfectly Untrue

66. Kygo - Like It Is (ft. Zara Larsson & Tyga)

72. Roosevelt - Sign

87. Taylor Swift - exile (ft. Bon Iver) this is beautiful, one of Taylor's best ballads <3

I'm very interested to hear your picks! I've not really heard much of their music at all before this era but certainly interested in going through their old stuff. Thanks Jordan!

Okay, here's my top 6 picks from 2015 and earlier:

 

Enjoy!