THE SOUND OF 2018

Better late than never, I decided to wait until the first day of 2019 to post my favourite songs of 2018.

It would have been a shame not to continue the tradition of this award* (*Disclaimer, no actual trophy) that goes all the way back to 2006.

I cobbled this up after browsing through my Friday Fives from 2018 with absolutely no scientific methodology whatsoever. So, here it is, the Top 50 Songs Of 2018.

1. Loveleytheband – Broken
2. Alice Merton – No Roots
3. Kyle Falconer – Family Tree
4. Rasmussen – Higher Ground
5. AJR ft Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up
6. Mumford and Sons – Guiding Light
7. Pale Waves – Eighteen
8. Jade Bird – Uh Huh
9. Kyle Falconer – Poor Me
10. Richard Ashcroft – That’s When I Feel It
11. George Ezra – Shotgun
12. Kylie Minogue – Dancing
13. Tom Grennan- Sober
14. Chvrches – Graffiti
15. Kyle Falconer – Kelly
16. Rudimental – These Days
17. Manic Street Preachers – Hold Me Like A Heaven
18. The Coral – Reaching Out For A Friend
19. Portugal, The Man – Feel It Still
20. Snow Patrol – Don’t Give In
21. Sam Fender – That Sound
22. Madame Monsieur – Mercy
23. James – Coming Home (Part II)
24. Manic Street Preachers – Distant Colours
25. Blossoms – I Can’t Stand It
26. Christine and the Queens – Girlfriend
27. Kylie Minogue – Stop Me From Falling
28. Snow Patrol – Empress
29. Dennis Lloyd – Nevermind
30. The Kooks – Four Leaf Clover
31. Blossoms – There’s A Reason Why
32. APRE – All Yours
33. Ash – Annabel
34. Pound Shop Boys – Fireman Sam
35. Editors – Cold
36. Vampire Weekend ft Danielle Haim – Sone Of A Preacher Man
37. Weezer – Africa
38. Natalie Prass – Short Court Style
39. Hozier – Nina Cried Power
40. Sleeper – Look AtYou Now
41. Turin Brakes – Lifeforms
42. Arctic Monkeys – Four Out Of Five
43. Yonaka – Creature
44. Florence and the Machine – Hunger
45. Courtney Barrett – Nameless Faceless
46. Weezer – Roseanna
47. Ten Tonnes – G.I.V.E
48. Razorlight – Carry Yourself
49. Ash – Confessions In ThePool
50. Aurora – Queendom

So, congratulations to Loveleytheband on winning this year’s poll.

If you haven’t heard it, the video is below.

They join an illustrious list of former winners, listed below.

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 Diamonds – Shampain
2009 Little Boots – New In Town
2008 Sons and Daughters – Darling
2007 Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4
2006 Kasabian – Empire

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 25.11.2016

1. The Afghan Whigs – Regret
2. Rory Lavelle – All These Horrors
3. Madness – Can’t Stop Us Now
4. Bear’s Den – Dew On The Vine
5. Blink 182 – Home Is Such A Lonely Place

Next Wednesday is St Andrew’s Day. As this blog loves any excuse for a theme chart, here’s two. One for Scottish acts, and one for musical Andrews. Though there will be no Andys, which is bad news if you want pre 1987 Duran Duran or post 1999 Oasis.

FIVE SONGS BY SCOTTISH ACTS

1. Twin Atlantic – Heart and Soul
2. The View – Blondie
3. Nina Nesbitt – He’s The One I’m Bringing Back
4. Aztec Camara – Somewhere In My Heart
5. Del Amitri – Roll To Me

FIVE SONGS BY SINGERS CALLED ANDREW OR BANDS WITH A MEMBER CALLED ANDREW

1. Wax – Bridge To Your Heart
2. INXS – Baby Don’t Cry
3. Wham! – Freedom
4. Hozier – Take Me To Church
5. Roachford – Cuddly Toy

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 24.6.2016

First of all, apologies for no Friday Five last week. A combination of laziness and social life meant I didn’t get a chance.

Advance warning, might not be one next week. The plan is for the Chart Of The Year So Far. (Important word, the plan is)

1. Brijs – Thunder
2. Kylie Minogue – This Wheels On Fire
3. Hozier – Better Love
4. KT Tunstall – Evil Eye
5. Kaiser Chiefs – Parachute

The Top Of The Pops repeats on BBC Four have now reached 1982. At the current rate of repeats, it will probably be 2001 by November.

So, any excuse, here’s a 1982 chart for you

FIVE SONGS FROM 1982

1. Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf
2. Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger
3. Madness – Our House
4. The Stranglers – Golden Brown
5. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 27.11.2015

1. David Bowie – Blackstar
2. James – To My Surprise
3. Foo Fighters – Saint Cecilia
4. Chvrches – Empty Threat
5. Olly Murs – Kiss Me

This coming Monday, is St Andrew’s Day. It would be rude not to have a musical celebration of all things Scottish, and all things Andrew.

FIVE SONGS BY SCOTTISH ACTS

1. Chvrches – Lies
2. Nina Nesbitt – He’s The One I’m Bringing Back
3. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
4. Biffy Clyro – The Captain
5. Prides – Messiah

FIVE SONGS BY SINGERS CALLED ANDREW OR BANDS FEATURING SOMEONE CALLED ANDREW

1. Wham! – Freedom
2. Hozier – Take Me To Church
3. Roachford – Cuddly Toy
4. Andrew Gold – Never Let Her Slip Away
5. Andrew WK – Party Hard

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 29.5.2015

1. Florence and the Machine – Delilah
2. Paul Weller – Going My Way
3. Mans Zelmerlow – Heroes
4. Father John Misty – Chateau Lobby #4 (In C For Two Virgins)
5. Little Mix – Black Magic

Yesterday teatime, I went to see Ash play an acoustic gig at HMV – performing three new songs and A Life Less Ordinary. Ash was my first gig on New Year’s Eve 1998, going into 1999. Some drunk guy clumbed onto a signpost and rearranged the directions. Such memories.

The gig was described by Tim Wheeler as “A good warm-up for Slane”, very much tongue in cheek.

On Saturday, Ash will be performing at Slane, a line-up that is already impressive before headliners Foo Fighters enter the stage.

Talking of which, remember in 2012 when Dave Grohl promised Foo Fighters would be back to Belfast?

Come on Dave, don’t let us down. There’s a Facebook group with a ridiculously low number of members here.

If you’re going, i’m very jealous of you. I won’t be so jealous when you’re trying to get out afterwards.

Anyway, here’s a Slane playlist for you

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS PERFORMING AT SLANE

1. Foo Fighters – The One
2. Hozier – Take Me To Church
3. Ash – Envy
4. Kaiser Chiefs – Modern Way
5. The Strypes – Blue Collar Jane