Glimpse Of Us and Afraid To Feel are probably two of my three favourite new songs last year - naturally I'm happy to see them turn up here! The first song I remember hearing from Maggie Rogers was Shatter when Radio 1 played it, and it since got a good run on my chart, so I'm glad to see some praise for her earlier singles.

10. Cody Johnson "Til You Can't"

It's an exciting time in country music with more traditional sounds coming back in vogue, a refreshing change after all those years of bro country. Cody Johnson is part of the new wave (or is it old wave?), hailing from the Texas rodeo circuit and known as a big performer, although a nationwide radio hit eluded him for years until 2022. 'Til You Can't' has a beautiful message about chasing your dreams and making the most of right now, which isn't exactly groundbreaking but still powerfully written. It's also a great showcase for Cody's vocals, especially THAT note at the very end. *.* It truly earned its place to be this high, EOY #10 despite only peaking at #6 on my monthly chart!

 

9. Lauren Spencer-Smith "Flowers"

I could appreciate 'Fingers Crossed' for what it was, but it never fully clicked for me. I'm glad that its momentum carried over to Lauren's next single, because 'Flowers' won me over in a much bigger way. I love the minimal instrumentation matched with her vocal delivery, which almost sounds like a freestyle. Also…did we know that Cian Ducrot co-wrote and produced this!?!

 

8. Doja Cat "Get Into It (Yuh)"

I will forever be in awe of the Planet Her era, five singles that all went top 20 (in the US), no album bomb, just a new hit every couple of months. It felt like old times! I can't really explain 'Get Into It (Yuh)' being my clear favorite of the five, especially with its unconventional structure and production, but actually that's probably the exact reason why. I'm also a fan of short songs, as I say here every year, and this one clocks in at just 2:18…plus the video is great! It topped my chart in April, almost two years after 'Boss Bitch' did so in May 2020.

Previous EOY history: "Boss Bitch" (#2, 2020), "Say So" (#17, 2020), "You Right" (#47, 2021), "Need To Know" (#53, 2021)

 

7. Charlie Puth "Light Switch"

Charlie Puth is one of the most hit-and-miss artists for me, with certainly a streak of misses over the past few years, but here he is with a second #1 on my chart. 'Light Switch' is his most irresistibly catchy song to date; the title is apt because it really does turn on like a light switch. Charlie was finally able to release his third album off the back of this, so good for him!

Previous EOY history: "The Way I Am" (#16, 2018)

 

6. Stormzy "Hide & Seek"

Believe it or not, this is Stormzy's first appearance in my EOY! I'm barely even a casual fan, merely enjoying the occasional single of his on the chart show. That changed instantly with 'Hide & Seek', which topped my chart in November. It captured my attention on first listen, although I must say I was drawn to the singers (Äyanna and Teni) much more than Stormzy's verses. I loved listening to it at a slower speed too. :wub: Clearly this song wasn't what most of Buzzjack wanted to hear from Stormzy, but that hasn't stopped it having solid longevity, still in the UK top 40 as I type this. Chances are Stormzy won't be staying in this lane, but selfishly I hope he does. :kink:

5. Imagine Dragons "Bones"

'Bones' was the follow-up to 'Enemy', Imagine Dragons' biggest hit in years, but I ended up liking 'Bones' a whole lot more! It was their third #1 on my chart, but sadly struggled on the official charts, although it did go semi-viral on TikTok. Still, I'd rank it as high as some of their more well-known songs from a decade ago, and am glad their creative output is still strong, most of the time at least! It's been almost five years since my first and only Imagine Dragons concert and I'm hoping I can attend another one, it would be great to experience this song live!

Previous EOY history: "On Top Of The World" (#37, 2014), "I Bet My Life" (#5, 2015), "Shots" (#36, 2015), "Believer" (#41, 2017), "Thunder" (#18, 2017), "Whatever It Takes" (#3, 2018), "Wrecked" (#13, 2021)

 

4. Tom Grennan "Remind Me"

So far I'm liking what I've heard from this as-yet-unreleased Tom Grennan album. 'Remind Me' hit me HARD on first listen, which was its first chart show play in May. That chart show was a special one for me: it also had exciting new entries from Sam Ryder, Kalush Orchestra and My Chemical Romance, plus I was on my first solo road trip at the time so I was on a high from that too. The song continued to grow, became my #1 in June, and is without question my fave of his now! I know the post-chorus in particular has its critics on here, just a bunch of "whoa-oh-ohs" with no real lyrics, but I'm more drawn to melody than lyrics, and 'Remind Me' had some of the best melodies I heard all year. With a voice like Tom's, he needs to stand out from Lewis Capaldi, Dermot Kennedy, and the like, and I think he's doing a fine job of that.

 

3. Steve Lacy "Bad Habit"

I'd never listened to Steve Lacy before but had seen 'Dark Red' doing well on Spotify and wondered what the hype was about. As someone who grew up listening to Lenny Kravitz, Steve's alt-rock-meets-R&B sound was a very pleasant surprise. Nothing about 'Bad Habit' was on-trend or conventional, which makes its success even more incredible to see, especially watching it reach #1 on Billboard. It topped my own chart too in August, and despite a lot of radio play here, I can't say I've ever tired of it. I also like the simplicity of the music video, which wouldn't have looked out of place on late-80s MTV (not that I was alive then to be qualified to make that claim :kink:).

 

And with that, all of my #1s from the year have already been revealed, but there's still two more songs left…so what are they!?

Have you waited long enough!? :kink:

 

2. Luke Combs "The Kind Of Love We Make"

Pretty sure this is the first time a non-#1 in my chart is top 2 in my EOY! If you don't already know Luke Combs, he's one of this generation's biggest names in country. His singles have been consistently hit-and-miss for me, but lately I've been gradually enjoying his output more and more. 'The Kind Of Love We Make' reminds me so vividly of one of my favorite 2000s country songs, 'Just Got Started Loving You' by James Otto, that it became an instant fave as well – although was blocked from #1 in a near-tie with Morgan Wallen! In the end this has held up more, no surprise as it definitely has that timeless feel to it. And in 2023 it was amazing to see it not only crack the UK chart, but get as high as #72! :o It'll take some serious effort for Luke to ever top this in my affections; however, one other singer managed it…

Previous EOY history: "Even Though I'm Leaving" (#8, 2020)

 

1. Jackson Dean "Don't Come Lookin'"

…and this is definitely the first time a non-#1 in my chart is #1 in my EOY! 'Don't Come Lookin'' is the breakthrough hit for Jackson Dean, and you'd never believe he was only 21 when this was released. It took most of the year to run its course on the Hot 100 and the country airplay charts, and did similarly on my own chart, taking five months to peak at #2 (behind 'Celestial'). The song is probably my favorite style of country, with elements of Southern rock and outlaw country, and one we don't hear enough of on country radio, and it's just a big statement song, a memorable introduction for sure. Not many 21-year-olds could pull this off, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was sung by Chris Stapleton or another seasoned vet. Lyrically it makes me want to venture far away and, like the chorus says, don't come back! 2022 was one of my biggest travel years to date, so maybe that's why the song spoke to me more deeply than any other. Nevertheless, it's one I'll be coming back to often, and even if Jackson remains a one-hit wonder, what a hit to have. :wub:

 

Recap:

1. Jackson Dean "Don’t Come Lookin'"

2. Luke Combs "The Kind Of Love We Make"

3. Steve Lacy "Bad Habit"

4. Tom Grennan "Remind Me"

5. Imagine Dragons "Bones"

6. Stormzy "Hide & Seek"

7. Charlie Puth "Light Switch"

8. Doja Cat "Get Into It (Yuh)"

9. Lauren Spencer-Smith "Flowers"

10. Cody Johnson "Til You Can't"

11. Morgan Wallen "Wasted On You"

12. Tiesto & Ava Max "The Motto"

13. Post Malone & The Weeknd "One Right Now"

14. Ed Sheeran "Celestial"

15. Harry Styles "As It Was"

16. LF System "Afraid To Feel"

17. Joji "Glimpse Of Us"

18. Ed Sheeran "Overpass Graffiti"

19. Maggie Rogers "That's Where I Am"

20. Bob Moses "Love Brand New"

21. Lil Durk feat. Morgan Wallen "Broadway Girls"

22. Ed Sheeran feat. Lil Baby "2step"

23. Stephanie Beatriz, Olga Merediz & Encanto Cast "The Family Madrigal"

24. Tate McRae "She's All I Wanna Be"

25. Taylor Swift "Anti-Hero"

26. Seafret "Atlantis"

27. Fireboy DML "Playboy"

28. Florence + The Machine "My Love"

29. Bugzy Malone & TeeDee "Out Of Nowhere"

30. Anne-Marie & Aitch "Psycho"

31. Teddy Swims "Love For A Minute"

32. Sam Smith feat. Kim Petras "Unholy"

33. Future feat. Drake & Tems "Wait For U"

34. Charli XCX feat. Rina Sawayama "Beg For You"

35. David Guetta & Bebe Rexha "I'm Good (Blue)"

36. Kane Brown "Like I Love Country Music"

37. Em Beihold "Numb Little Bug"

38. George Ezra "Green Green Grass"

39. Nate Smith "Whiskey On You"

40. Cat Burns "Go"

41. Imagine Dragons & JID "Enemy"

42. Rihanna "Lift Me Up"

43. Beyoncé "Break My Soul"

44. Latto "Big Energy"

45. Vance Joy "Clarity"

46. Jack Harlow "First Class"

47. Lizzo "About Damn Time"

48. Phoenix "Alpha Zulu"

49. Diplo & Miguel "Don't Forget My Love"

50. Gayle "ABCDEFU"

51. Shawn Mendes "When You're Gone"

52. Jessica Darrow "Surface Pressure"

53. Burna Boy feat. Ed Sheeran "For My Hand"

54. Lewis Capaldi "Forget Me"

55. Harry Styles "Late Night Talking"

56. Sam Hunt "23"

57. Talk "Run Away To Mars"

58. Dustin Lynch "Party Mode"

59. Demi Lovato "Substance"

60. Acraze feat. Cherish "Do It To It"

61. Adele "Oh My God"

62. Hazey "Packs And Potions"

 

If you made it to the end, thank you very much for reading! Fingers crossed I'll be back next year with another one of these :D