For over a decade (20 years to be exact) I have been composing mixtapes for my friends either on CD or digitally. In 2013 I really started paying attention to the alternative/indie year-end lists I regularly composed and the top song picked out of my 50 favorites. Last week I started working on my 2023 top 50 and realized I had no idea what “song” had held the honor of the best in past years. That took me down a musical journey so I thought perhaps you might like to do the same!
Here are my number one songs by year since I started doing a top 50 back in 2013 (plus my top songs dating back to 2002).
2013
The National – Sea of Love
02) Major Lazer, Amber of Dirty Projectors – Get Free
03) Dan Croll – From Nowhere (Baardsen Remix GTAV)
2014
Future Islands – Seasons (Waiting on You)
02) Sylvan Esso – Could I Be
03) Little Dragon – Pretty Girls
2015
Purity Ring – dust hymn
02) Tame Impala – Eventually
03) Sufjan Stevens – Fourth of July
2016
M83 – Solitude
02) The Range – Florida
03) James Blake – Timeless
2017
The National – The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness
02) Father John Misty – So I’m Growing Old on Magic Mountain
03) The War on Drugs – Strangest Thing
2018
The Decemberists – Severed
02) Sharon Van Etten – Jupiter 4
03) Preoccupations – Espionage
2019
Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
02) Metronomy – Walking In The Dark
03) MorMor – Outside
2020
Perfume Genius – On The Floor
02) Avalanches ft. Blood Orange – Love You
03) Yves Tumor – Gospel For A New Century
2021
The War on Drugs ft. Lucius – I Don’t Live Here Anymore
02) Phoebe Bridgers – I Know The End
03) New Constellations – Hot Blooded
2022
Yeah Yeah Yeahs ft. Perfume Genius – Spitting Off the Edge of the World
02) Fontaines D.C. – Jackie Down the Line
03) Spoon – Wild
Playlist of #1s
Waay Back Years Top Songs
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2012: Divine Fits – My Love is Real
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2011: My Morning Jacket – Holding on to Black Metal
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2010: Interpol – Lights
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2009: Matt and Kim – Daylight
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2008: My Morning Jacket – Touch Me and I’m Going to Scream pt2
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2007: Yeasayer – 2080
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2006: Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks
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2005: Postal Service – Against All Odds (Phil Collins cover)
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2004: Modest Mouse – Float On
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2003: Interpol – Obstacle 1
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2002: Wilco – Jesus, etc.
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2001: Pete Yorn – For Nancy
