The 2019 David Music Poll Results

The 2019 David Music Poll Results

1.  Lizzo, Cuz I Love You (29 votes)

2.  Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? (18)

3.  Taylor Swift, Lover (14)

     Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride (14)

5.  Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated (10)

     Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell (10)

7.  Maggie Rogers, Heard it in a Past Life (9)

8.  Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow (8)

9.  The Highwomen, The Highwomen (7)

10.  The National, I Am Easy to Find (6)

       Orville Peck, Pony (6)

Honorable mention with five votes:  Brittany Howard, Jaime; Jenny Lewis, On the Line; Angel Olsen, All Mirrors; Ariana Grande, thank U next

My list, Heard in a Past Life circa 2019

Most essential:

Maggie Rogers, Heard it in a Past Life

I was already inclined to love this album -- one of the early singles, “Lights On”, was one of my top songs of 2018.  Miraculously, the album lived up to the singles, a beautifully cohesive collection of songs that veer from emotional wanderlust to a dawning and solidifying sense of home and self.  This is one of those albums that came out in January and ended up being the soundtrack to my whole year, with different songs coming to the fore at different times (some when I needed them most). 

Also essential:

Sam Fender, Hypersonic Missiles

In which a Springsteen-influenced lad from Newcastle somehow manages to create something that sounds like The Killers’ Sam’s Town, only better, and distinctly his own.

Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow

Worth it for “Seventeen” and “Comeback Kid” alone, but overall a great thematic progression into couplehood and motherhood--showing that settling down doesn’t mean taking the edge off.

The Highwomen, The Highwomen

After boygenius last year, I’m thinking there should be a rule that every fall brings a new female-folk supergroup to our ears. This one’s nearly perfect.

Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell

I wasn’t on Team LDR at the start . . . but she won me over, and then some.

Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?

At first, I thought this album was mostly Lorde 2.0 . . . which isn’t a bad thing, per se. But after many more listens, I appreciate the twisted sonic world it brings the listener into, and how it operates under its own vocabulary and sense of humor.

Original Cast Album, Octet

Hadestown was my favorite musical of the year, but the cast album is underwhelming. On the other hand, the cast album for Octet, one of my other favorites of the year, conveys the musically brilliant and thematically devastating show.  If you want to listen to a musical which will make you want to unplug from all your devices, this is definitely for you.

Honorable mention goes to:

Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

Michael Kiwanuka, Kiwanuka

The National, I Am Easy to Find

Mercury Rev, Bobbie Gentry’s Delta Sweete Revisited

Favorite songs from 2020:

Kishi Bashi, “Summer of ‘42”

Maggie Rogers, “Back in my Body”

Sam Fender, “Will We Talk?”

Better Oblivion Community Center, “Dylan Thomas”

Sharon Van Etten, “Seventeen”

Bat for Lashes, “Mountains”

My three songs for the 2010s time capsule:

Robyn, “Dancing on My Own”

Carly Rae Jepsen, “Cut to the Feeling”

The Arcade Fire, “We Used to Wait”

Cuz Anna Q Loves It

Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

Taylor Swift, Lover

Maggie Rogers, Heard It in a Past Life

Jason B Throws One on the Radar

Sad to think about how many albums i used to have in contention for my "favorites of the year" whereas now it's basically whatever Tiny Desk Concerts impose upon me. But I just discovered a band that MIGHT be under the radar enough that even you haven't heard of them: Saintseneca.

David A Has a Big Bashi

Most essential album:

KISHI BASHI, Omoiyari

Other essential albums:

TOTH, Practice Magic and Seek Professional Help When Necessary

BON IVER, i,i

SLOW MEADOW, Happy Occident

A WINGED VICTORY FOR THE SULLEN, The Undivided Five

Bryant P is Thrilled to Be Here

Most Essential Album of the Year:

BAILEN, Thrilled to Be Here

Other Essential Albums of the Year:

Local Natives, Violet Street

Taylor Swift, Lover

The National, I Am Easy to Find

Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

My Greatest Hits of the 2010s would include:

The National, "Don't Swallow the Cap"

Frank Ocean, "Lost"

Taylor Swift, "Blank Space"

Robyn, "Dancing on My Own"

Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream"

Beyoncé, "Partition"

Sam Smith, "I'm Not the Only One"

Pinegrove, "Old Friends"

Fleet Foxes, "Helplessness Blues"

Years & Years, "Eyes Shut"

Youth Lagoon, "17"

Vampire Weekend, "Diplomat's Son"

Mike R has found a light in the forest

MY (PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE) TOP 10 ALBUMS:

1. Dave Malloy & Original Cast of Octet, Octet (Original Cast Recording)

2. Taylor Swift, Lover

3. Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

4. Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

5. Charly Bliss, Young Enough

6. The Highwomen, The Highwomen

7. Mika, I Am Michael Holbrook

8. Black Peaches, Fire In The Hole

9. Caroline Polachek, Pang

10. Bombadil, Beautiful Country

NOTES: Not so much an endorsement of what was the "best" album as what albums proved strong enough/addictive enough/meaningful enough to get replayed over and over and over again. Also making me pick 3 songs out of a decade is too mean and I won't do it! Other than to say that obviously 'Call Me Maybe' oughta be on there. I feel confident about that.

Roberto R Ponies Up

I have to go with Orville Peck- Pony

Chris K is Legend

Here's my best-of for the smoking ruin of 2019:

1. He Is Legend – White Bat

2. Devil Master – Satan Spits On Children Of Light

3. Gatecreeper – Deserted

4. Bloody Hammers – The Summoning

5. The Budos Band – V

6. GRLwood – I Sold My Soul To The Devil When I Was 12

7. blackQueen – The Destructive Cycle

8. Oozing Wound – High Anxiety

9. Vircolac – Masque

10. Asthma Castle - Mount Crushmore

Rediscovered gems:

•    Garbage - s/t

•    Calabrese - The Traveling Vampire Show

•    Tyler The Creator - Goblin

Greatest hits of the 2010s:

•    High On Fire - Madness Of An Architect

•    The Black Dahlia Murder - A Shrine To Madness

•    Ghost - Square Hammer

Thank U, Jordan H

2019 Top Albums

•    Ariana Grande, Thank U, Next

•    Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell 

•    Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

•    Melanie Martinez, K-12 

•    Doja Cat, Hot Pink

•    Harry Styles, Fine Line

Fav Songs from the Albums Above:

•    in my head by Ariana Grande

•    Fuck It I Love You By Lana

•    Everything He Needs By Carly Rae

•    High School Sweethearts by Melanie Martinez

•    Rules by Doja Cat

•    Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles

2010 Greatest Hits

1   Born This Way by Lady Gaga

2   Hello by Adele

3   Formation by Beyonce

Bob B picks a run-run-runaway

Best album of 2019?

Travis Thompson “Runaways” . I’m purposely NOT going for Lana Del Rey’s “Norman Fucking Rockwell” because it’s EVERYONE’S album of the year. I wanted to give something showcasing something different that would not have had widespread exposure. Thompson is a contemporary of Macklemore and comes from the South Seattle area. An area under the squeeze of encroaching municipalities and rising real estate prices. His music focuses on life here, an honest record of a hard scrabble world that’s quickly fading from existence. Travis is a rising star within the Hip-Hop ranks. He tells his story of life along Ambaum Boulevard with rapid fire lyrics that convey the spirit of the neighborhoods there. And with the flip of a switch, rapid fire turns into a peaceful ballad of memory and sorrow. A moment of tenderness to be remembered that would have been lost if it wasn’t for a song. I encourage everyone to not only give Travis Thompson’s “Runaways” a listen, but to give his other work, “Ambaum” a go as well. It is a love song to the power of small triumphs and unfair tragedies that shape a family and a community. His songs can put his ghosts in the room with you, and I do not say that lightly.

The songs from the 2010’s that do something to you. There’s so many more, but these are the ones that still have the power to echo in your soul:

-The Arcade Fire “Afterlife” (The video alone should win the Nobel Peace Prize.)

-Adonis “Ulay, Oh” (Any song that compels you to delve into the lives of artists and their moment in history has got to have something behind it.)

-Lord Huron “Ends of the Earth” (A song where you can ‘hear’ a landscape. “Ventura Highway” by America is the only other song that does this for me.)

Honorable mention:

-“Gypsy” by Lady Gaga (Best version of this is her a cappella performance that she did on The Howard Stern Show. YouTube it. It’s with the five minutes of your life listening to it. And for someone who doesn’t just live, but exists on the road, this is the ballad of my career.)

-“Africa” by Weezer (I needed to get something in here that was light hearted. And it proves that beside a more than respectable career, Weezer has become the ultimate cover band.)

Andy P Takes a Chance

Alright, so I guess I just go to Spotify and see what they’ve curated based on my repeated listening… because otherwise I’m terrible at this :)

Most essential: Greyson Chance, portraits

Other essential: X Lovers,  A bunch of singles (so, not an album, per se)

The Truth Won’t Hurt Bill K

Essential Album: Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

Other essential albums:

Glen Hansard, This Wild Willing

Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep...

Best singles:

Lizzo, Juice

You Need to Calm Down, Taylor Swift

Old Town Road, Lil Nas X

Party of One, Brandi Carlile and Sam Smith

Jumpstarted, Jukebox the Ghost

Bill's three best songs of the decade:

Hold Out Your Hand, Brandi Carlile

Oh My, Haley Reinhart

Agape, Bear's Den

Lia C Goes from Hopelessness to Clarity

My top three albums this year :

1. HOPELESSNESS Anohni

2. CLARITY Kim Petras

3. CUZ I LOVE YOU Lizzo (obviously!!!!!) 

Daniel H’s Not Unhappy with the New Low

Favorite 2019 album:

Low: Double Negative

runners-up:

The National:  I Am Easy To Find

Angelique Kidjo: Remain in Light

Vampire Weekend: Father of the Bride

songs:

US Girls - “Velvet for Sale”

Default Genders - “Sophie (emphasis mine)”

Mouse on Mars - “Foul Mouth”

The National - “So Far So Fast”

2010 best of:

Sharon Von Etten - Afraid of Nothing

Kamasi Washington - The Method

Leonard Cohen - It Seemed the Better Way

Gabriel Fucking B

Shocking absolutely no one:

1. Lana del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell!

2. Josh Ritter, Fever Breaks

3. Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

Lucas K Throws a Bouqet to the Bride

1. Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride 

2. Taylor Swift, Lover

3. The Highwomen, The Highwomen

4. Kishi Bashi, Omoiyari

5. Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

6. Khalid, Free Spirit

7. Coldplay, Everyday Life

8. Betty Who, Betty

9. The Mountain Goats, In League with Dragons

10. Ra Ra Riot, Superbloom

BONUS QUESTION: Obviously the universal choice, especially for this Poll, will be "Dancing on My Own" and I completely support that. At least one Taylor Swift song has to make the list and I insist that it be "Blank Space." My third entry would be "Humble & Kind" by Lori McKenna, which is the song that most gets what being a parent is like.

Aaron H Juices It

Most essential album of the year: 

Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

2nd Most Essential Album of the Year:

Betty Who, Betty

Single I Can't Live Without:

"Say it Again" - AJ Mitchell

Best Concert Since Mika "Life in Cartoon Motion" in 2007:

Betty Who at The Fonda, where a gay marriage proposal happened LIVE ON STAGE MID-SONG.

Elizabeth E Gives it Her 100%

Most essential:

Lizzo, Cuz I Love You--I KNOW I'M A QUEEN BUT I DON'T NEED NO CROWN!

Other essentials:

Maggie Rogers, Heard it in a Past Life

Hozier, Wasteland, Baby!

Six--The Musical cast album

Of Monsters and Men, Fever Dream

Maren Morris, Girl

The Highwomen, The Highwomen

2010s top songs:

Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

Someone Like You, Adele

Love on Top, Beyonce 

Tara A, Across the Universe

Nilufer Yanya Miss Universe

Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Ruby Fields, Permanent Hermit

Fontaines, DC, Dogrel

Taylor Swift, Lover

Thom Yorke, Anima

Nick Cave, Ghosteen

Big Thief, Two Hands

Hits for the 2010s compilation:

Carly Rae Jespen, Call Me Maybe

Ed Sheeran, Photograph

Zedd, Marin Morris, Grey, The Middle

Ben L Banks It

My 10! In no particular order... 

H.E.R., I Used to Know Her

Miranda Lambert, Wildcard

Tinashe, Songs For You

Banks, III

Muna, Muna Saves the World

Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go

Kehlani, While We Wait

Ariana Grande, Thank U Next

Maggie Rogers, Heard It in a Past Life

Three songs for the 2010s:

Brandi Carlile, "The Joke"

Adele, "Someone Like You"

Robyn, "Dancing On My Own"

Kevin K’s Dedicated . . . and it feels so good

Top 10 albums:

•    Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

•    The Raconteurs, Help Us Stranger

•    Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

•    The New Pornographers, In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights

•    Prince, Originals

•    Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

•    Bleached, Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough?

•    Peter Mulvey, There Is Another World

•    JR JR, Invocations/Conversations

•    Brittany Howard, Jamie

•    Orville Peck, Pony

•    Charly Bliss, Young Enough

•    Purple Mountains, Purple Mountains

2010 Greatest Hits – Top 3

•    Angel Olsen, Shut Up Kiss Me

•    Janelle Monae, Make Me Feel

•    Frightened Rabbit, Swim Until You Can’t See Land

BONUS – The entire Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Soundtrack

Molly B Finds Her Soulmate

2019 Top Albums: 

1. Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

2. Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? 

3. Peter Mulvey, There Is Another World

Runner-Up: Halsey, Manic (album doesn't actually drop until 2020, but a bunch of singles came out in 2019) 

Top 3 Songs of 2010s: 

1. Beyonce, Formation

2. Janelle Monae, Tightrope

3. Lizzo, Good as Hell 

Girl power!! 

Aimee F Falls for a London Boy

Continuing my tradition of my favorite singles:

2019

Lizzo, Juice

Tegan & Sara, I’ll Be Back Someday

Taylor Swift, London Boy

Lil Nas X, Old Town Road

Jonas Brothers, Sucker

3 songs for a 2010s Mix (this was so hard to narrow down!! Can we suggest 30 next time? )

Frank Ocean, Thinkin Bout You

Beyonce, Flawless

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs

Jennifer H-S Walks Vampires Down the Aisle

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

David G Rocks Well

1. Lana Del Rey, Norman F***ing Rockwell

2. Slow Hollows, Actors

3. Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

4. Orville Peck, Pony

5. Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

6. Ezra Furman, Twelve Nudes

As for a 2010s Greatest Hits Album, I'd have to say that you'd need:

1. Fiona Apple's Werewolf.

2. Flume's Never Be Like You

3. Beyonce's Hold Up.

Jon S Spots a Comet

My 2019 Top Ten:

•    The Comet Is Coming, Trust in The Lifeforce of The Deep Mystery

•    Billie Eilish,WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO

•    Brutus, Nest

•    Anoice, Ghost In the Clocks

•    Sampa The Great, The Return

•    Sudan Archives, Athena

•    Blanck Mass, Animated Violence Mild

•    The Shivas, Dark Thoughts

•    Big Thief, U.F.O.F

•    Julia Kent, Temporal

Past releases that I somehow missed:

•    A Tribe Called Red, Nation II Nation (released 2013)

•    Paperplain, Entering Pale Town (released 2010)

•    Luzmila Carpio Remixed by Luzmila Carpio (released 2015)

Favorite Albums of the 2010’s (I’m probably missing some):

4   The Roots, How I Got Over

5   Wye Oak, Civilian

6   tUnE yArDs, w h o k i l l

7   EMA, The Future's Void

8   Sylvan Esso, Sylvan Esso

9   Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, We the Common

10              Swearin’, Surfing Strange

11              Grimes, Art Angels

12              Dilly Dally, Sore

13              A Tribe Called Quest, We Got it From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service

14              Charlie Bliss, Guppy

15              Bon Iver, 22, A Million

16              Amnesia Scanner, Another Life 

17              Superorganism, Superorganism

18              Julien Baker, Sprained Ankle

Caleb H Throws a Party for this One

My top album is obvious:

Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

But it's honestly VERY closely tied with:

Charly Bliss, Young Enough (Especially the song "Chatroom.") If you haven't heard Charly Bliss, I think you'll love them.

More:

Caravan Palace, Chronologic

Billie Eilish, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

Anamanaguchi, [USA]

My relationship to music has changed a lot. I don't listen to lots of full albums, and the main way I find new music is through discover weekly, so I have a lot of random songs that have been very important, but I haven't developed a real relationship with new artists in the past few years. I want to change that!

2010s greatest hits, trio absoLUTELY random just based on what popped into my head that I'm more likely to add than the others on your list:

1. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe

2. Toby Fox, Megalovania

3. Nicki Minaj, Superbass

Shelly R Goes Back to School

Always look forward to doing this poll! Lots of great music from 2019  

For 2019:

My top 2019 album:
K-12 by Melanie Martinez

After a 4-year hiatus, she returned with her sophomore album K-12. Which is a work of art! Blending poppy lyrics, pastel colors, and school themes, K-12’s lyrics are anything but. They touch on tough subjects from predatory teachers in “Teacher’s Pet” to eating disorders in “Orange Juice.” Along with the album, Martinez made a full-length movie to accompany it and it’s campy, weird, and fantastic.

Other Essential 2019 Albums:

Cuz I love You – Lizzo

Homecoming: The Live Album – Beyoncé

Wasteland, Baby! – Hozier

Only Things We Love – Blaqk Audio

For the 2010s Greatest Hits (based off of how loudly I would “woo!” and then start dancing):

Old Town Road – Lil Nas X
Formation – Beyoncé

Bitch Better Have My Money – Rihanna

Amy C Brings the Brittany

My essential albums of 2019

1)      Brittany Howard, Jaime (!!!!!!!!!!)

2)      Tyler, the Creator, Igor

3)      Khalid, Free Spirit

4)      Harry Styles, Fine Line

5)      Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

My songs for 2010s Greatest

1)      Beyonce, Sorry

2)      Miguel, Pineapple Skies (such a good song!!)

3)      Post Malone & Swae Lee, Sunflower

Matthew U Picks a Peck

Thanks for keeping me looped in. It’s always cool to see what makes the list and to discover new music along the way. This was a tough choice this year—the album I think is the best isn’t the one I return to again and again, so I’m opting for the return-to album as my top pick.

Most essential album:

Orville Peck, Pony

Runners up:

Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell

Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow

The National, I Am Easy to Find

The Highwomen, The Highwomen

Lana Del Rey’s album was the most cohesive and accomplished to my mind in many ways but in a way that carried motifs in the lyrics and soundscapes throughout, which made it almost more like a novel—art you take in as a whole rather than return to bits again and again. Pony, on the other hand, I can’t quite decide if it’s an authentic gay cowboy album or a bit of a put-on, but I love it either way and find myself listening in the morning when I’m getting ready or defaulting to it in the car when audiobooks or podcasts have run out. I’m eager to see what he does next (and if he takes off the mask).

Michael T takes a Billie holiday

For me the best album of 2019 is a tie:

Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?

Bon Iver, I, i

Greatest hits of the 2010s Playlist:

Kendrick Lamar, “Love”

Bon Iver, “Holocene”

FKA Twigs, “Two Weeks"

Jinny W brings the fire and ice

Most Essential Album of 2019:

Paavo Järvi, and the Orchestre de Paris, Sibelius Symphonies 1-7. Epic fire and ice from Finland’s most treasured national treasure, conducted here by Järvi, one of Estonia’s national treasures. Sibelius took 26 years to compose the seven, and Järvi and the Orchestre de Paris recorded them over five years. Sibelius’ earthy and radiant couplings of strings and brasses taught the twentieth century some of its most resonant lessons, ones we still need to learn.  SONY (Naxos Exclusive).

Other essential albums:

Annelle K. Gregory, Violin, and the Kyiv Virtuosi Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dimitry Yablonsky, Russian Music for Violin and Orchestra. 

Featuring the grand Taneyev Suite de Concert, Op. 28 (1909), and Rimsky-Korsakov’s irresistible Fantasia on Two Russian Themes, Op. 33 (1887). Young Annelle K. Gregory, precocious American concert violinist, traveled to Kyiv to perform and record these great Russian pieces with the young and vigorous independent Ukrainian ensemble. Powerful performances all round. Naxos.

Jennifer Koh, “Limitless."  Community and diversity among eight contemporary composers, each collaborating in duet with the uniquely eloquent violinist Jennifer Koh. Cedille Records.

This year’s bonus question: Greatest Hits of the 2010s,  3 essential songs by the 3 essential Bs:

Johann Sebastian Bach, The Gigue movement from the Suite for solo cello No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008, played by Shirley Hunt: J.S. Bach Suites & Sonatas Volume Two. Glorious energy, grace, élan. Letterbox Arts 2017.  

Beethoven, String Quartet #15 in A minor, Opus 132, “Heiliger Dankgesang,” first movement, Assai sostenuto - Allegro. The Tokyo String Quartet released a boxed set of all Beethoven Quartets in 2012; they offer a great place to begin. Earlier recordings of these Late Beethovens:  illuminating, restorative, hold-onto-your-biases-at-your-peril versions by the Guarneri, the Emerson, and the Takacs Quartets. FYI: The Danish String Quartet will bring their tantalizing teamwork to this piece at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center in New York at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16. Soon! 

Brahms, Intermezzo in E-flat, opus 117  No. 1 for piano, contained in Hélene Grimaud: The Complete Warner Classic Recordings. Grimaud brings  back Brahms as sensuously as the wild genius himself may have imagined. (Too bad we’ll never know for sure.) ERATO 2014.

Ronnie A Shows that Ever Rose Has its Thrones

Here are my soundtrack highlights from 2019:

Florence + The Machine, "Jenny of Oldstones" from Game of Thrones

Jessie Buckley, "Glasgow (No Place Like Home)" from Wild Rose

Kathryn Bostic, "Slow Train" from Clemency

Natalie Portman, "Wrapped Up" from Vox Lux

Robert Pattinson and the Tindersticks, "Willow" from High Life

Elisabeth Moss, "Heaven" from Her Smell

Michael Marshall, "If You're Going to San Francisco" from The Last Black Man in San Francisco

Mamas and the Papas, "Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)" from Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood

Maurice Jarre, Miss Lily [sic] Langtry from Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood

Baily C Takes it On the Line

Essential this year for me.. Jenny Lewis, On The Line

More essentials:

Tyler, the Creator, IGOR

Blood Orange,  Angel’s Pulse

Kevin Abstract, ARIZONA BABY

Angel Olsen,  All Mirrors

Omar Apollo, Friends

Greatest Hits of the 2010’s..

SO hard and I feel the need to be unconventional which is not the point but I would say:

Miley Cyrus We Can’t Stop

Ed Sheeran Shape of You

Taylor Swift Blank Space

Matthue R Tells Tales

Most essential: J.S. Ondara, Tales of America

And featuring:

Tanya Tucker, While I'm Livin'

Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

Thank You, Black Dresses

Angel Olsen, All Mirrors

Bruce Springsteen, Western Stars

Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow

Team Dresch, Captain My Captain

2010's greatest hits:

Beyoncé, Hold Up

St. Vincent, Severed Crossed Fingers

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dear Theodosia (ideally the Regina Spektor cover)

Teri Y + Love + Fear

Short list and all women this year.

Marina, Love + Fear

MUNA, Saves the World

Dedicated, Carly Rae Jepsen

If I were making a 2010s Greatest Hits album, what are three songs you think should be on it?

Robyn, Dancing on My Own

Robyn, Call Your Girlfriend

Robyn, Hang with Me

John A Holds Some Mirrors to the Year

Top 10 of 2019

1. Angel Olsen, All Mirrors 

2. DIIV,  Deceiver

3. Elbow, Giants of All Sizes 

4. Foals, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 

5. Beck, Hyperspace

6. Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow 

7. Tool, Fear Inoculum 

8. Torche, Admission 

9. Sleater-Kinney, The Center Won’t Hold

10. The New Pornographers, In the Morse Code of Brake Lights 

2010’s Greatest Hits

Deerhunter, Desire Lines (2000) 

My Bloody Valentine, Only Tomorrow (2013)

Fleet Foxes, Third of May / Odaigahara (2017)

Brant R Goes Up to the Mountains

My Essential Albums of 2019:

Purple Mountains, Purple Mountains

Helado Negro, This Is How You Smile

De La Noche, Blue Days, Black Nights

Chromatics, Closer to Grey

Jenny Lewis, On the Line

Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell

A.A. Bondy, Enderness

Some of My Essential Tracks of 2019:

Purple Mountains, “Snow Is Falling in Manhattan”

Jenny Lewis, “Wasted Youth”

Helado Negro, “Imagining What to Do”

Faye Webster, “Right Side of My Neck”

Shura, “Side Effects”

Elder Albums I Found Essential in 2019:

Ike and Tina Turner, River Deep-Mountain High [1966]

Erroll Garner, The Concert by the Sea [1955]

The Beths, Future Me Hates Me [2018]

Christine and the Queens, Christine and the Queens [2014]

Kirsty MacColl, Electric Landlady [1991]

Neil Halstead, Oh! Mighty Engine [2008]

Camera Obscura, Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi [2001]

Mikal Cronin, MCIII [2015]

Milt Jackson, Bags & Trane [1961]

Danny Wilson, Meet Danny Wilson [1987]

Dionne Warwick, Heartbreaker [1982]

The Isley Brothers, Shout! [1959]

When David conducted this poll for the twentieth time last year, I totally forgot to include My Most Essential 50 Albums of the First 20 Years of the David Music Poll, so here’s that in alphabetical order by album title: Yo La Tengo, And Then Nothing Turned Itself

 Inside-Out; Alvvays, Antisocialites; Surfer Blood, Astro Coast; Aimee Mann, Bachelor No. 2 or, The Remains of the Dodo; Mates of State, Bring It Back; Broken Bells, Broken Bells; Belle and Sebastian, Dear Catastrophe Waitress; Drive-By Truckers, Decoration

 Day; Ryan Adams, Demolition; The New Pornographers, Electric Version; Mojave 3, Excuses for Travellers; Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour; The Exploding Hearts, Guitar Romantic; Badly Drawn Boy, The Hour of the Bewilderbeast; The Strokes, Is This It; Destroyer, Kaputt; Chromatics, Kill for Love; Spoon, Kill the Moonlight; Washed Out, Life of Leisure; The War on Drugs, Lost in the Dream; Ambulance Ltd, LP; Phosphorescent, Muchacho; Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy; Lambchop, Nixon; The Shins, Oh, Inverted World; M. Ward, Post-War; Mac DeMarco, Salad Days; Stars, Set Yourself on Fire; The Avalanches, Since I Left You; The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs Vols. 1-3; Japancakes, The Sleepy Strange; Slowdive, Slowdive; OutKast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below; Arcade Fire, The Suburbs; Paul Westerberg, Suicaine Gratification; Beach House, Teen Dream; Katy Perry, Teenage Dream; Pavement, Terror Twilight; Blur, 13; The Go! Team, Thunder, Lightning, Strike; Sukpatch, Tie Down That Shiny Wave; Interpol, Turn on the Bright Lights; Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight; Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend; Echo & The Bunnymen, What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?; The White Stripes, White Blood Cells; The Star Room Boys, Why Do Lonely Men and Women Want to Break Each Other's Hearts?;

 Peter Bjorn and John, Writer's Block; Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot; and Youth Lagoon, The Year of Hibernation

...and then here are 50 tracks from the same time range that my iTunes Library claims have been played a lot, listed in descending order of play count: Capital Cities, “Safe and Sound”; Gorillaz, “On Melancholy Hill”; A.C. Newman, “I'm Not Talking”; Calvin Harris, “Summer”; Vampire Weekend, “I Stand Corrected”; Lorde, “Team”; The New Pornographers, “Crash Years”; Yo La Tengo, “You Can Have It All”; MGMT, “Kids”; Ambulance Ltd, “Heavy Lifting”; Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”; The Exploding Hearts, “Throwaway Style”; M. Ward, “Poison Cup”; Ellie Goulding, “Lights”; The Frank and Walters, “Something Happened to Me”; Katy Perry, “Roar”; The Go! Team, “Bottle Rocket”; Madonna, “Hung Up”; Damon Albarn, “The Marvelous Dream”; fun. with Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”; Badly Drawn Boy, “Magic in the Air”; Lambchop, “The Lone Official”; Blur, “Sweet Song”; Glass Candy, “Beautiful Object”; Beach House, “Other People”; Broken Bells, “Vaporize”; Common, “Be”; Grizzly Bear, “Two Weeks”; Clem Snide, “Happy Birthday”; Destroyer, “Savage Night at the Opera”; Low, “California”; The National, “Apartment Story”; Wilco, “Theologians”; Adele, “Rolling in the Deep”; Aimee Mann, “Pavlov's Bell”; Beth Orton, “Shopping Trolley”; Feist, “I Feel It All”; Japancakes, “Soft N Ez”; The Raveonettes, “Uncertain Times”; Belle and Sebastian, “I'm a Cuckoo”; Peter Bjorn and John, “Objects of My Affection”; Ryan Adams, “Nuclear”; Stars, “Reunion”; Tanlines, “Lost Somewhere”; We Are Scientists, “After Hours”; Arcade Fire, “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”; Lana

 Del Rey, “Summertime Sadness”; Yann Tiersen, “Fuck Me”; The Auburn University Marching Band, “War Eagle Fanfare & War Eagle”; and Mali Music, “Sunset Coming On”

Now for the bonus: David asked, if he was making a 2010s Greatest Hits album, what are three songs each of us thinks should be on it? My answer is:

Gorillaz, “On Melancholy Hill”

Deerhunter, “Desire Lines”

Destroyer, “Savage Night At The Opera”

….and, if I can suggest a fourth, then probably Das Racist, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”

Jonas R, the Dean of Lewis

Here are my most essential for 2020:

Jenny Lewis, On the Line

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Karen O and Danger Mouse, Lux Prima

New Pornographers, In the Morse Code of Brake Lights

My Top 3 for the 2010s was much harder pare down:

Fun, Some Nights

Vampire Weekend, Diane Young

Rilo Kiley, Let Me Back In

Giles G finds color in a grey area

1. Little Simz - GREY Area

2. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep

3. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride

4. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Ghosteen

5. Tyler The Creator - IGOR

Songs for the 2010's Greatest Hits:

1. LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean

2. Lost - Frank Ocean

3. Kanye West - Runaway

4. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

5. Kendrick Lamar - Alright

I know you said three, but, um, not possible, these five are the least I could bear.

Ben A Thinks We Need to Calm Down

(Oh, my god...am I basic?)

Most essential:

Taylor Swift, Lover

Noteworthy:

Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Ariana Grande, thank u, next

Best songs of the 2010s:

Lady Gaga, Edge of Glory

Taylor Swift, Blank Space

Nicki Minaj, Starships

Zach F’s Living for the Weekend

Most essential: 

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Also terrific: 

Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow

Sinkane, Dépaysé

Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep...?

The National, I Am Easy to Find

This is Exactly How Raina T Feels

Obviously most essential: 

Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

Other essentials:

Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

Muna, Saves the World

Andrea R Picks the Tempo

Best Album

Lizzo

Best song

Old Town Road - Lil Nas X

Lizzo - Truth Hurts

Bonus question:

Lizzo - Truth Hurts

Lil Nas X - Old Town Road

Taylor Swift - Archer

Andrew E, Better in Color

Album of the Year: Lizzo, Cuz I Love You

An essential single: Florence + the Machine, “Jenny of Oldstones”

Bonus question / Three essential songs from the 2010s:

•    Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”

•    Scissor Sisters, “Let’s Have a Kiki”

Florence + the Machine, “Shake It Out”

Kate H Reminds Us of Tomorrow

My list is short this year: my album of the year is Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow, with a secondary vote for Lizzo - Cuz I Love You. 

Emmanuel H Grooves When He Gets Home

Here's what I was grooving to last year:

Solange, When I Get Home

Harry Styles, Fine Line

Taylor Swift, Lover

Karen O & Danger Mouse, Lux Prima

Danielle P Finds a Lover

This year’s favs

1) Lover - Taylor Swift

2) Old Town Road

3) Bad Guy  - Billie Ellish

Decade - too hard!

But some fav albums - Beyoncé, Lemonade; Red, TaylorSwift

Nick E is in league with dragons

This year two of my favorite bands had new albums that just didn’t do much for me! (Belle & Sebastian and Bon Iver.) But maybe they’ll grow on me in the months ahead. In the meantime, here’s what I’ve been enjoying.

Favorite Albums

The Mountain Goats, In League with Dragons

The Gloaming, The Gloaming 3

Calexico and Iron & Wine, Years to Burn

Takenobu, Conclusion

The Ballet, Matchy Matchy

Favorite Singles

Kygo & Whitney Houston, “Higher Love”

Liz Phair, “Good Side”

William Fitzsimmons, “What Kind of Love Is Like That”

Perfume Genius, “Pop Song”

Florence + The Machine, “Jenny of Oldstones”

Greatest Hit of the 2010s

Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”

Sarah D Shares Some Happiness

It’s been a while since I’ve been in a David Poll because I was stuck in a music rut. But I finally got Spotify so….

Essential Album:

Jonas Brothers, Happiness Begins.  I took my daughter to a JoBro concert when she was in middle school. Now she’s grown up and so have they, and she and I both love this album!

Other essentials of 2019:

This Land - Gary Clarke Jr

Cuz I Love You - Lizzo

Found by me in 2019 but albums in 2017 and 18

Mas Profundo and Sirocco by Bruxas

I can’t listen to mustic with words when I write, and the “phazed-out, tropical synths” of Bruxas provide just the right soundtrack for blocking out loud obnoxious people on the train! : )

Jonathan V’s Geography of 2019

Full disclosure, I spent most of this year in a state of "will my house close or am I going to be living in this Motel 6 in perpetuity," so I listened to A LOT of music from previous years to stay grounded, and as a result there's not much new music for me to suggest this year! Listened to lots and lots and lots of Boards of Canada, though.

With that caveat out of the way, here are my 2019 favorite albums, with my favorite at the top:

Chemical Brothers, No Geography

White Lies, Five

All Tvvins, Just to Exist

Navvi, 2502

Beirut, Gallipoli

Andrew Bayer, In My Next Life

Mansionair, Shadowboxer

Shlohmo, The End

As for my three best tracks for the 2010s:

HEALTH, High Pressure Dave

Hundred Waters, Murmurs

Andy Stott, Violence

Kari L Pounces for Pumas

1: Black Pumas, Black Pumas

2: Lizzo, Juice

3. Brittany Howard, Jaime

4. Billie Eilish, When We All Fall Asleep...

5. Andrew Bird, My Finest Work Yet

6. Michael Kiwanuka, Kiwanuka

2010 Greatest Hits!

Arcade Fire, Suburbs - for getting the drama right on the dramatic scene...

Black Keys, Tighten Up - for writing break dance-offs

Broken Bells - Vaporize - listen to that organ

Goldy M had this one Taylor-made

These got the most replays:

Taylor Swift, Lover

Billie Eilish, when we fall asleep...

Lizzo, cuz I love you

Lana del Rey, NFR

Hozier, Wasteland, baby!

Tyler G’s Norman Period

My top five:

1, Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell

2. Weyes Blood, Titanic Rising

3. Ariana Grande, Thank U Next

4. Charli XCX, Charli

5. Angel Olsen, All Mirrors

Wilson R’s three songs from the ‘10s

Fitz and the Tantrums, Walker

Third Eye Blind, Company of Strangers

Imagine Dragons, It’s Time

Kristin E’s three songs from the ‘10s

Gorillaz, Melancholy Hill

A. C. Newman, I’m Not Talking

Echo Friendly, Same Mistakes

And if I were selecting a song that happened to be used on a car commercial but had personal significance:

Safe and Sound, Capital Cities

When they go low, Carrie N Goes High

Best (tie):

The Highwomen, THE HIGHWOMEN

Anderson .Paak, VENTURA

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):

Brittany Howard, JAIME

Maggie Rogers, HEARD IT IN A PAST LIFE

Hozier, WASTELAND, BABY!

Tyler, the Creator, IGOR

Billie Eilish, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

Rachael & Vilray, RACHAEL & VILRAY

Dean B Goes for the Gold

Top Albums of 2019

1. David Gray, Gold in a Brass Age

2. Thom Yorke, ANIMA

3. The Flaming Lips, King’s Mouth: Music and Songs

4. Various, Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit’s Midnight Organ Flight

5. Pete Yorn, Caretakers

6. Citizen Cope, Heroin and Helicopters

7. Tool, Fear Inoculum

8. Beirut, Gallipoli

9. The National, I Am Easy to Find

10.  Bon Iver, I, i

Top 10 Songs of the 2010s

1. Childish Gambino, “This is America”

2.  Kanye, “Runaway”

3.  Frightened Rabbit, “The Loneliness and the Scream”

4. Fink, “Looking Too Closely”

5.  Liars, “Left Speaker Blown”

6.  Bon Iver, “Holocene”

7.  Neil Young & Crazy Horse, “Driftin’ Back”

8.  Radiohead, “Lotus Flower”

9.  Frank Ocean, “Pyramids”

10. Nine Inch Nails, “The Background World”

Glenn B Wakes up to Asleep

Late as hell this year- Maybe ‘cause I’m turning into one of those people who listen to podcasts (?!!!)

I didn’t find much out there last year- not sure if I can find 10 albums- I’ll give it a go.

1) Billie Eilish WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

2) Beck- Hyperspace

3) elbow- Giants Of All Sizes 

4) Foals- Part 1 Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost

5) Lizzo- Cuz I Love You

6) Prince- Originals

7) Vampire Weekend- Father Of The Bride

I guess that’s all I got- looking forward to seeing what other people picked so I can listen to newer music!

To Dan P, Patty takes the cake

Okay, here's my list. I liked a whole lot of new music this year. This album is my essential:

Patty Griffin, Patty Griffin

Others in no order: 

Ingrid Michaelson, Stranger Songs

Sara Bareilles, Amidst the Chaos

Charly Bliss, Young Enough

Maggie Rogers, Heard It in a Past Life

The National, I Am Easy to Find

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Taylor Swift, Lover

Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated

An essential album from a year past that I missed:

Emily Brown, Bee Eater

Lawrence U Says It

Albums:

1. Heard It In A Past Life by Maggie Rogers

2. Busyhead by Noah Kahan

3. Stranger Songs by Ingrid Michaelson

4. Palo Santo by Years and Years

5. Without Fear by Dermot Kennedy

6. Shawn Mendes by Shawn Mendes

7. Léon by Léon 

8. Sucker Punch by Sigrid

9. Lover by Taylor Swift

10. A Place We Knew by Dean Lewis

11. Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent by Lewis Capaldi

Songs:

1. Say It by Maggie Rogers

2. False Confidence by Noah Kahan

3. Jealous by Ingrid Michaelson                       

4. If You're Over Me by Years and Years

5. Outnumbered by Dermot Kennedy

6. Nervous by Shawn Mendes

7. You And I by Léon

8. Don't Kill My Vibe by Sigrid

9. ME! by Taylor Swift (feat. Brendon Urie)

10. Waves by Dean Lewis

11. Bruises by Lewis Capaldi

Bonus: Favourite Ex by Maisie Peters

Bonus: Actually by Valerie Broussard

Billy M is a Lover Lover

Most essential:

Lover by Taylor Swift

Essential:

Rapture by Koffee

Truth Is by Sabrina Claudio

El Mal Querer by Rosalía (officially 2018)

Lion King: The Gift by Beyoncé

Bobby Gentry’s Delta Sweete Revisited by Mercury Rev

High Expectations by Mabel

Remind me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten

Forever Neverland by Mø (officially 2018)