THE SOUND OF 2021

It’s that time of year where people do End Of Year Lists and this blog is no different with the now traditional chart of the best songs of the year.

Nothing scientific, just a scroll through The Friday Fives and trying to put them in order of songs I love the most.

Enjoy, hope i’ve helped you discover something you’ve never heard before

  1. Maneskin – Zitti E Buoni
  2. Gaspard Auge – Force Majeure
  3. Alfie Templeman – Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody
  4. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – The Mighty Quinn
  5. Sam Fender – Seventeen Going Under
  6. Wesley Gonzalez and Rose Elinor Dougall – Greater Expectations
  7. Tears For Fears – Tipping Point
  8. The Weeknd – Save Your Tears
  9. Lonelady – There Is No Logic
  10. Chvrches – Good Girls
  11. Rag n Bone Man – All You Ever Wanted
  12. Amy Montgomery – Anywhere
  13. Lorde – Solar Power
  14. Coldplay – Higher Power
  15. Laura Mvula – Got Me
  16. The Anxiety – Meet Me At Our Spot
  17. Griff – One Foot In Front Of The Other
  18. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – We’re On Our Way Now
  19. Dermot Kennedy – Better Days
  20. Tom Grennan – Little Bit Of Love
  21. Taylor Swift – All Too Well (Taylor’s version)
  22. Sting – Rushing Water
  23. Holly Humberstone – The Walls Are Way Too Thin
  24. Marshmello and Jonas Brothers – Leave Before You Love Me
  25. Griff – One Night
  26. Royal Blood – Limbo
  27. The Alarm – The Red Wall Of Cymru
  28. Tears For Fears – No Small Thing
  29. Tix – Fallen Angel
  30. Chvrches – The Killing Moon
  31. Harry Styles – Treat People With Kindness
  32. The Roop – Discotheque
  33. Sigrid – Burning Bridges
  34. Baby Queen – Dover Beach
  35. Maisie Peters – John Hughes Movie
  36. Villagers – So Simpatico
  37. Alphabeat – Danmark’s Dynamite
  38. Jendrik – I Don’t Feel Hate
  39. Hooverphonic – The Wrong Place
  40. Jeangu Macrooy – Birth Of A New Age
  41. Andy Bell – Skywalker
  42. U2 – Your Song Saved My Life
  43. The Fratellis – Yes Sir I Can Boogie
  44. Olivia Rodrigo – Good 4 U
  45. Chvrches – He Said, She Said
  46. Mike Patton – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles
  47. Olivia Rodrigo – Deja Vu
  48. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – We’re Gonna Get There In The End
  49. The Divine Comedy – The Best Mistakes
  50. Franz Ferdinand – Billy Goodbye

So congratulations to Maneskin. There isn’t a formal prize on offer, but you can still bask in the glory of coming top of this poll and joining the Hall Of Fame below.

2020 Tame Impala – Lost In Yesterday
2019 Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hill
2018 Lovelytheband – Broke
2017 Liam Gallagher – For What It’s Worth
2016 The Strumbellas – Spirits
2015 Blossoms – Charlamagne
2014 Jamie T – Zombie
2013 Haim – The Wire
2012 Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
2011 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – AKA What A Life
2010 Marina and the Diamonds – Shampain
2009 Little Boots – New In Town
2008 Sons and Daughter – Darling
2007 Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4
2006 Kasabian – Empire

THE SOUND OF 2019

So 2019 is now over and we are almost in 2020.

Seeing as everybody is doing End Of Year Reviews, I thought i’d join the party, albeit a bit belatedly.

So here is my Top 50 Songs Of 2019. There’s no scientific formula to this list. I just went through 2019s Friday Fives and decided to spend an hour and rank the songs in order of favouriteness.

In a change from previous years, it’s only a Top 50 as it would probably take me until 2021 to do a Top 100.

1. Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hill
2. Sigrid – Mine Right Now
3. Taylor Swift ft Brendon Urie – Me
4. Dermot Kennedy – Outnumbered
5. Catfish and the Bottlemen – Longshot
6. Liam Gallagher – Shockwave
7. Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles
8. Two Door Cinema Club – Talk
9. Freya Ridings – Castles
10. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Wandering Star
11. Tom Walker – Just You and I
12. Billie Eilish – Bury A Friend
13. Pet Shop Boys ft Olly Alexander – Dreamland
14. Of Monsters And Men – Alligator
15. Chvrches and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – Miracle
16. Kygo ft Whitney Houston – Higher Love
17. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Black Star Dancing
18. Bastille – Joy
19. Coldplay – Orphans
20. Liam Gallagher – Now That I’ve Found You
21. Sam Fender – Will We Talk
22. Gang Of Youths – What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?
23. Editors – Black Gold
24. Bastille – Can’t Fight This Feeling
25. Bloxx – Go Out With You
26. Katy Perry – Never Really Over
27. Blossoms – Your Girlfriend
28. Muse – Hungry Like The Wolf
29. The Courteeners – Heavy Jacket
30. Billie Eilish – Bad Guy
31. Chemical Brothers – MAH
32. Jade Bird – Lottery
33. Haim – Now I’m In It
34. Crystal – Just Can’t Get Enough
35. Rick Astley – Every One Of Us
36. Chvrches – Death Stranding
37. OMD – Don’t Go
38. The Divine Comedy – Infernal Machines
39. Vic and Bob – Bono’s Cooking Some Pork
40. Miles Kane – That’s Life
41. Liam Gallagher – The River
42. The Divine Comedy – Queuejumper
43. Weezer ft Tears For Fears – Everybody Wants To Rule The World
44. The Vaccines – All My Friends Are Falling In Love
45. Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now
46. Shakespear’s Sister – All The Queen’s Horses
47. Lizzo – Juice
48. Rose Elinor Dougall – First Sign
49. Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
50. Dea Matrona – Let’s Go Crazy

Congratulations to Vampire Weekend. There’s no physical prize, but they can just boast about it everywhere they go. Ideally, they’d be doing so in Belfast before a concert. Hint hint.

If you care, here’s the list of previous winners (NOTE: The 2006-2008 Countdowns were on Bebo, and have now been wiped from internet history)

2018 Lovelytheband – Broken
2017 Liam Gallagher – For What It’s Worth
2016 The Strumbellas – Spirits
2015 Blossoms – Charlemagne
2014 Jamie T – Zombie
2013 Haim – The Wire
2012 Taylor Swift – We Are Never Getting Back Together
2011 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – AKA …… What A Life
2010 Marina and the Diamons – Shampain
2009 Little Boots – New In Town
2008 Sons and Daughters – Darling
2007 Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4
2006 Kasabian – Empire

2019 IN PICTURES – FEBRUARY

February didn’t get off to the best start, as I headed to Windsor Park to see Linfield exit the Irish Cup against Crusaders.

Things got better the following Saturday as Linfield came from 2-0 down to score a last minute winner against Coleraine.

It got a lot better the following Saturday as Linfield beat Ballymena United to win the NIFL Cup.

Finally, it was time for my first concerts of the year, going to see Chvrches at Ulster Hall, then Razorlight at The Limelight the following evening.

That was followed by some more football, as Linfield took on Ballymena United again, this time in the League, and then a midweek trip to Newry to see Linfield grind out a 1-0 win.

Linfield v Crusaders

Linfield v Coleraine

NIFL Cup Final

NIFL Cup Final Photo Album

Chvrches live at Ulster Hall

Chvrches live at Ulster Hall Photo Album

Razorlight live at The Limelight

Razorlight live at The Limelight Photo Album

Linfield v Ballymena United

Newry City v Linfield