Inspired by the May 23 birthdays of Chairmen of the Board’s General Johnson, Maxwell, The Pipettes’ Gwenno, Luka Bloom, The Ramparts’ Scatman Crothers, Humphrey Lyttelton, Lea DeLaria and Misty Morgan.
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (4-1-20)
Inspired by the April 1 birthdays of Jimmy Cliff, Rudy Isley, Henry Gross, Gil Scott-Heron, Tom Shipley and Rachmaninoff, and April Fools Day.
Top 105 Songs Of 2019
My favorite song of 2019 came out in 2016. Like most people, I slept on Lizzo’s “Good as Hell” upon its initial release three years ago. I also slept on her “Truth Hurts,” my #4 song of 2019, when it was released in 2017. Lizzo’s first track to make Glenn’s Ten was “Boys,” which hit #1 in July 2018, just two months before my favorite 2019 artist after Lizzo, Billie Eilish, made her Glenn’s Ten debut with “You Should See Me in a Crown.” Eilish’s “Bad Guy” is my #3 song of this year, breaking up Lizzo’s hold on the top four. L-to-the-izzo’s “Juice,” my #2 song of 2019, debuted on Glenn’s Ten on January 12, kicking off 49 consecutive weeks with at least one Lizzo track in my top ten, 22 of those weeks at #1. I’m sure both of those are records, something I would confirm if I weren’t too lazy to look it up.
At #5 for the year sits the only artist in my year end top ten who made their Glenn’s Ten debut in 2019, Megan Thee Stallion. (Megan’s her real first name; Thee is not her actual middle name and Stallion is not on her birth certificate. I’m a Megan Thee Stallion truther.) On that hit, “Hot Girl Summer,” Megan T. Stallion is assisted by Nicki Minaj, who is also at #55 with a solo number, and Ty Dolla $ign (Ty is short for Tyrone, his real first name; Dolla is not his actual middle name and $ign is not on his birth certificate. I’m a Ty Dolla $ign truther.), who is also at #100 assisting Kehlani. If you need assistance, call Ty D. $ign.
The remainder of the top ten boasts career bests for 21 Savage, Ariana Grande, Teyana Taylor, and Vince Staples, plus the first Glenn’s Ten entry for Vampire Weekend since 2013. Other Glenn’s Ten veterans making appearances this year include Bruce Springsteen, Liz Phair, Beck, Missy Elliott, Morrissey, Beyoncé, Rufus Wainwright, Smokey Robinson (yes, Smokey Robinson!), and Belle & Sebastian. Recent favorites such as Courtney Barnett, Cardi B, Grimes, Christine and the Queens, Robyn, Miranda Lambert, 21 Savage, BROCKHAMPTON, First Aid Kit, Chance the Rapper, Angel Olsen, The National and Kacey Musgraves are represented as well.
Enough blather. Here is my top 105 songs (5 by Lizzo, 100 by others, though one of those others with an assist from Lizzo) of 2019:
- Good as Hell – Lizzo
- Juice – Lizzo
- bad guy – Billie Eilish
- Truth Hurts – Lizzo
- Hot Girl Summer – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign
- WTP – Teyana Taylor
- FUN. – Vince Staples
- thank u, next – Ariana Grande
- Harmony Hall – Vampire Weekend
- A Lot – 21 Savage
- bury a friend – Billie Eilish
- Land of the Free – the Killers
- Before I Let Go – Beyoncé
- Keep the Change – Mattiel
- Blame It on Your Love – Charli XCX featuring Lizzo
- Drogba (Joanna) – Afro B
- Hot Shower – Chance the Rapper featuring MadeinTYO & DaBaby
- Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves
- Wedding Bell Blues – Morrissey
- Trip – Ella Mai
- Tempo – Lizzo featuring Missy Elliott
- Almeda – Solange
- Melody of Love – Hot Chip
- Anybody – Burna Boy
- Young Republicans – Lower Dens
- Motivation – Normani
- Throw It Back – Missy Elliott
- People – The 1975
- Rylan – The National
- Doin’ Time – Lana Del Rey
- BOY BYE – BROCKHAMPTON
- Hello Sunshine – Bruce Springsteen
- Summer Girl – HAIM
- Good Side – Liz Phair
- Saw Lightning – Beck
- Fukk Sleep – A$AP Rocky featuring FKA twigs
- It’s Not Living (If It’s Not with You) – The 1975
- Binz – Solange
- Something Keeps Calling – Raphael Saadiq featuring Rob Bacon
- This Life – Vampire Weekend
- wish you were gay – Billie Eilish
- My Type – Saweetie
- Sing Along – Sturgill Simpson
- Now I’m In It – HAIM
- Oh What a World – Kacey Musgraves
- Lark – Angel Olsen
- Sister Buddha – Belle & Sebastian
- Uneventful Days – Beck
- I’ve Been Waiting – Lil Peep & ILoveMakonnen featuring Fall Out Boy
- Love Yourself – Sufjan Stevens
- Nothing Breaks Like a Heart – Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus
- Drip Too Hard – Lil Baby featuring Gunna
- Ibtihaj – Rapsody featuring D’Angelo & GZA
- Cuz I Love You – Lizzo
- Megatron – Nicki Minaj
- It All Comes out in the Wash – Miranda Lambert
- Sunflower – Vampire Weekend featuring Steve Lacy
- Blaxploitation – Noname
- Hurry on Home – Sleater-Kinney
- Western Stars – Bruce Springsteen
- Seventeen – Sharon Van Etten
- Crazy Classic Life – Janelle Monae
- Unshaken – D’Angelo
- 7 Rings – Ariana Grande
- Way Too Pretty for Prison – Miranda Lambert with Maren Morris
- Hey Brother (Do Unto Others) – The Family Daptone
- Earth – Lil Dicky
- Make It Better – Anderson .Paak featuring Smokey Robinson
- Lo/Hi – the Black Keys
- Tarantula – Beck
- all the good girls go to hell – Billie Eilish
- Trouble in Paradise – Rufus Wainwright
- The greatest – Lana Del Rey
- Ordinary Pleasure – Toro y Moi
- Twerk – City Girls featuring Cardi B
- Ever Again – Robyn
- BLACKJACK – Aminé
- Red Bull and Hennessy – Jenny Lewis
- I BEEN BORN AGAIN – BROCKHAMPTON
- Money – Cardi B
- Brown Skin Girl – Beyoncé, SAINt JHN, WizKid and Blue Ivy
- Fucking Crazy – Robert Ellis
- Eye in the Wall – Perfume Genius
- sad day – FKA twigs
- Between the Lines – Robyn
- Nothing Is Safe – clipping.
- Redesigning Women – the Highwomen
- Tell Me (Doko Mien) – Ibibio Sound Machine
- Sofia – Clairo
- With My Whole Heart – Sufjan Stevens
- Go – the Black Keys
- Turn the Light – Karen O and Danger Mouse
- Fortune – Wye Oak
- holy terrain – FKA twigs featuring Future
- Young Enough – Charly Bliss
- Everybody Here Hates You – Courtney Barnett
- Gone – Charli XCX featuring Christine and the Queens
- Everyday – Weyes Blood
- Capacity – Charly Bliss
- Nights Like This – Kehlani featuring Ty Dolla $ign
- No Bullets Spent – Spoon
- Gonna Love Me – Teyana Taylor feat. Ghostface Killa, Method Man & Raekwon
- My Name Is Dark – Grimes
- Sociopath – Pusha T featuring Kash Doll
- Strange Beauty – First Aid Kit
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Cool New Music (3-20-19)
Here are twenty new(ish) songs that float my boat.
Happy International Women’s Day!
March 8 is International Women’s Day. Here is your soundtrack:
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My Top 99 Songs Of 2015
Herewith, my 99 favorite tracks of this year:
1. Can’t Feel My Face – The Weeknd
2. Sugah Daddy – D’Angelo & the Vanguard
3. Peanut Butter Jelly – Galantis
4. Downtown – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee & Grandmaster Kaz
5. Fuck It All – Elle Varner
6. Therapy – Mary J. Blige
7. Coffee (Fucking) – Miguel
8. What Do You Mean? – Justin Bieber
9. Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) – Run the Jewels featuring Zack De La Rocha
10. Hello – Adele
11. Only One – Kanye West featuring Paul McCartney
12. Depreston – Courtney Barnett
13. On the Regular – Shamir
14. Lampshades on Fire – Modest Mouse
15. Shine – Years & Years
16. Hotline Bling – Drake
17. Truffle Butter – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake and Lil Wayne
18. The Blacker the Berry – Kendrick Lamar
19. Dead Fox – Courtney Barnett
20. The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box – Modest Mouse
21. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
22. FourFiveSeconds – Rihanna featuring Kanye West and Paul McCartney
23. Teenage Talk – St. Vincent
24. Alright – Kendrick Lamar
25. Who U? – Dynas featuring Slick Rick
26. Friday I’m in Love – Yo La Tengo
27. Queen – Perfume Genius
28. King Kunta – Kendrick Lamar
29. Yoga – Janelle Monae featuring Jidenna
30. Dreams – Beck
31. Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo) – EL VY
32. The Love Within – Bloc Party
33. The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt. – Father John Misty
34. Huarache Lights – Hot Chip
35. Dancing in the Dark – Hot Chip
36. B.O.B. – Macy Gray
37. Break the Rules – Charli XCX
38. Ex’s & Oh’s – Elle King
39. Stay Gold – First Aid Kit
40. Cool for the Summer – Demi Lovato
41. Girl Crush – Little Big Town
42. Nobody Really Cares if You Don’t Go to the Party – Courtney Barnett
43. Little Red Wagon – Miranda Lambert
44. Cedar Lane – First Aid Kit
45. Jonathan – Christine and the Queens featuring Perfume Genius
46. Boxing Day Blues (Revisited) – Courtney Barnett
47. In for the Kill – Shamir
48. Biscuits – Kacey Musgraves
49. Can’t Get Enough of Myself – Santigold featuring BC
50. You’re So Beautiful – Empire Cast featuring Jussie Smollett
51. Ugly Cherries – PWR BTTM
52. Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey) – The Weeknd
53. Leave a Trace – CHVRCHES
54. Freedom – Pharrell Williams
55. Betray My Heart – D’Angelo & the Vanguard
56. Snakeskin – Deerhunter
57. Really Love – D’Angelo & the Vanguard
58. I Can’t Lose – Mark Ronson featuring Keyone Starr
59. Outta My Mind – the Arcs
60. Happy Idiot – TV on the Radio
61. Bad Blood – Ryan Adams
62. Nobody’s Empire – Belle & Sebastian
63. Come – Jain
64. Stonemilker – Björk
65. Holding On – Julio Bashmore featuring Sam Dew
66. Go Out – Blur
67. Weight in Gold – Gallant
68. Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins) – Father John Misty
69. Coming Home – Leon Bridges
70. All Day – Kanye West featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney
71. Glory – Common and John Legend
72. Need You Now – Hot Chip
73. Sausage – Lil Mama
74. Déjà Vu – Giorgio Moroder featuring Sia
75. Alone on Christmas Day – Phoenix featuring Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzmann, Buster Poindexter and Paul Shaffer
76. Smokin’ & Drinkin’ – Miranda Lambert featuring Little Big Town
77. She’s Not Me – Jenny Lewis
78. Omen – Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
79. For Sale – Kendrick Lamar
80. NWA – Miguel featuring Kurupt
81. Times Square – Destroyer
82. I Put a Spell on You – Annie Lennox
83. 4 Degrees – ANOHNI
84. Go – The Chemical Brothers featuring Q-Tip
85. Sometimes – Heems
86. Bitch Better Have My Money – Rihanna
87. Runnin’ (Lose It All) – Naughty Boy featuring Beyoncé and Arrow Benjamin
88. Smooth Sailin’ – Leon Bridges
89. Hell – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
90. Simple Things – Miguel
91. Shivers – Courtney Barnett
92. Tom’s Diner – Giorgio Moroder featuring Britney Spears
93. Trap Queen – Fetty Wap
94. Tell Your Friends – The Weeknd
95. L$D – A$AP Rocky
96. These Walls – Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat
97. Love is Free – Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique
98. Country Down – Beck
99. Better in the Morning – Little Boots
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Glenn’s Ten – January 28, 2015
It’s been awhile since I posted Glenn’s Ten, the ranking of my ten favorite songs of the week, so let me rectify that.
At number one is Elle Varner with “Fuck It All,” which will be my wedding song. Elle is the only act in Glenn’s Ten this week who is there for the first time. Long-missing D’Angelo surprise released an album in December, from which two tracks are in this week’s tally. Kanye West surprise-released a single on New Year’s Eve. That song, “Only One” was last week’s #1. On it he is helped by Sir Paul McCartney, who makes his first Glenn’s Ten appearance since “No More Lonely Nights” in 1984. Mary J. Blige has also been absent from Glenn’s Ten for a number of years, but she is there now with “Therapy,” a former #1.
Glenn’s Ten for this week is:
1 – “Fuck It All” – Elle Varner
2 – “Sugah Daddy” – D’Angelo
3 – “Only One” – Kanye West featuring Paul McCartney
4 – “Therapy” – Mary J. Blige
5 – “Break the Rules” – Charli XCX
6 – “Little Red Wagon” – Miranda Lambert
7 – “Really Love” – D’Angelo
8 – “Earned It” – The Weeknd
9 – “Stay Gold” – First Aid Kit
10 – “She’s Not Me” – Jenny Lewis
Today’s playlist consists of those ten songs, followed by ten songs that were #1 on Glenn’s Ten on this date in past years.
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Best Songs Of 2014
I don’t understand Beyoncé. She spells her name with an accent over the second e, but she pronounces her name with the accent on the second syllable. That makes no sense to me. Musically, however, I was down with Cé in 2014. She challenged herself artistically with her latest album, snuck out at the tail end of 2013, and for the most part she succeeded. Yonc places four songs in my year-end list, more than anybody else, with two of those songs in my top ten. And to think, she owes her whole career to me.
The big trend that nobody talks about is that Sweden has invaded in a big way. Tove Lo and Neneh Cherry (welcome back!) are on my year-end list, and First Aid Kit are in this week’s top ten. Three acts may not look like a big trend to you, but let’s encourage Sweden. They still have a ways to go to make up for Ace of Base. Elsewhere in Scandinavia, Norway is represented by Röyksopp, Annie and Bjarne Melgaard. Come on, Denmark and Finland – let’s step it up! Other foreign acts representing this year are Britain’s George Ezra, Katy B, Disclosure, Sam Smith, SBTRKT and alt-J; Scotland’s Paolo Nutini and Belle & Sebastian; Canada’s Mac DeMarco, Tegan & Sara and Arcade Fire; Australia’s Courtney Barnett and Sia; France’s Daft Punk, Nigeria’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; and Neverland’s Michael Jackson.
There’s little hip hop on my 2014 list. Very little. Two songs, both performed by Kendrick Lamar. This is the poorest showing for rap in a year-end list since the early eighties, I think. I’m too lazy to look for my old listings, but I’m pretty sure that’s accurate. Was hip hop really that lame this year or am I turning into my mother?
Country music fared a little better than hip hop. Three songs, two of those performed by Miranda Lambert. The third song is “Follow Your Arrow,” performed by Kasey Musgraves, which is my #1 song of 2014. This is the first time a country song has topped my year-end list, I think. I’m too lazy to look for my old listings, but I’m pretty sure that’s accurate. The song, about being true to yourself and not letting others dictate your path, resonated with me when I was at a crossroads in my professional life. Do I continue working for the man in a soul-sucking job or do I pursue my passions? I opted to follow my arrow. If I crash and burn, Musgraves will hear from my lawyer. Also, it was rad to hear a simple, catchy tune coupled with the lyrics “Kiss lots of boys or kiss lots of girls if that’s what you’re into.” It was radder that this song won the Country Music Association’s Song of the Year award, despite being only a modest hit on the country chart. Raddest was that two male country singers, Billy Gilman and Ty Hendon, who each have sold hundreds of thousands of records, announced that they kissed lots of boys and that’s what they’re into. I’m paraphrasing.
I now present to you my favorite songs of 2014. The list was compiled from my weekly top ten lists. I crunched the numbers and this is the result. Songs that are in Glenn’s Ten at the present time (e.g. First Aid Kit’s “Cedar Lane,” Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk!,” Perfume Genius’ “Queen”) are not included; I’ll put them on my 2015 list. Here are the 83 tracks that made my weekly top ten in 2014:
1. “Follow Your Arrow” – Kacey Musgraves
2. “Ain’t It Fun” – Paramore
3. “Happy” – Pharrell Williams
4. “Every Time the Sun Comes Up” – Sharon Van Etten
5. “Do You” – Spoon
6. “Partition” – Beyoncé
7. “Drunk in Love” – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
8. “Really Don’t Care” – Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd
9. “Seasons (Waiting on You)” – Future Islands
10. “Beggin for Thread” – Banks
11. “Avant Gardener” – Courtney Barnett
12. “Budapest” – George Ezra
13. “Habits (Stay High)” – Tove Lo
14. “Gotta Get Away” – The Black Keys
15. “Love Never Felt So Good” – Michael Jackson
16. “Somethin’ Bad” – Miranda Lambert featuring Carrie Underwood
17. “Hundreds of Ways” – Conor Oberst
18. “Step” – Vampire Weekend featuring Danny Brown, Heems and Despot
19. “Put Your Number In My Phone” – Ariel Pink
20. “Blue Moon” – Beck
21. “All the Rage Back Home” – Interpol
22. “i” – Kendrick Lamar
23. “5 AM” – Katy B
24. “Secrets” – Mary Lambert
25. “Cinnamon and Lesbians” – Stephen Malkmus
26. “Just One Drink” – Jack White
27. “Chandelier” – Sia
28. “Automatic” – Miranda Lambert
29. “How Can You Really” – Foxygen
30. “Out of the Black” – Neneh Cherry featuring Robyn
31. “XO” – Beyoncé
32. “Wait for a Minute” – Tune-Yards
33. “Control” – Broken Bells
34. “Bored in the U.S.A.” – Father John Misty
35. “Latch” – Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
36. “New Dorp, New York” – SBTRKT featuring Ezra Koenig
37. “All About that Bass” – Meghan Trainor
38. “I Blame Myself” – Sky Ferreira
39. “Do It Again” – Röyksopp and Robyn
40. “Birth in Reverse” – St. Vincent
41. “Prince Johnny” – St. Vincent
42. “Bother” – Les Sins
43. “Brother” – Mac DeMarco
44. “Everything Is Awesome!!” – Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island
45. “Dark Sunglasses” – Chrissie Hynde
46. “Heart is a Drum” – Beck
47. “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” – Kendrick Lamar
48. “Let Me Down Easy” – Paolo Nutini
49. “Talking Backwards” – Real Estate
50. “Stranger to My Happiness” – Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
51. “High Hopes” – Bruce Springsteen
52. “Electric Lady” – Janelle Monae featuring Solange
53. “Crying for No Reason” – Katy B
54. “After the Disco” – Broken Bells
55. “***Flawless” – Beyoncé featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
56. “West Coast” – Lana Del Rey
57. “Nothing More than Everything to Me” – Christopher Owens
58. “Left Hand Free” – alt-J
59. “The Party Line” – Belle & Sebastian
60. “Low Key” – Tweedy
61. “Come Get It Bae” – Pharrell Williams
62. “Do What U Want” – Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly
63. “Alone in My Home” – Jack White
64. “Fever” – The Black Keys
65. “Me and Liza” – Rufus Wainwright
66. “You Are Your Mother’s Child” – Conor Oberst
67. “Inside Out” – Spoon
68. “Instant Crush” – Daft Punk featuring Julian Casablancas
69. “I Wanna Know” – Best Coast
70. “Eyes to the Wind” – The War on Drugs
71. “Forever” – Haim
72. “It Comes Back to You” – Christopher Owens
73. “Just One of the Guys” – Jenny Lewis
74. “My Own World” – Eleanor Friedberger
75. “Spit Three Times” – Neneh Cherry
76. “Lazaretto” – Jack White
77. “Russian Kiss” – Annie featuring Bjarne Melgaard
78. “Another Night” – The Men
79. “Dangerous” – Big Data featuring Joywave
80. “Gust of Wind” – Pharrell Williams
81. “A Place with No Name” – Michael Jackson
82. “Give Life Back to Music” – Daft Punk
83. “We Exist” – Arcade Fire
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Glenn’s Ten – August 4, 2014
Spoon’s “Do You” holds on to #1 in Glenn’s Ten this week. There is one new entry – “Really Don’t Care” performed by Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd. The track, a pop song in the “Call Me Maybe” vein, is the first Glenn’s Ten entry for both of these women.
Glenn’s Ten for this week is:
1. “Do You” – Spoon
2. “All the Rage Back Home” – Interpol
3. “Left Hand Free” – Alt-J
4. “Really Don’t Care” – Demi Lovato featuring Cher Lloyd
5. “Heart is a Drum” – Beck
6. “Nothing More than Everything to Me” – Christopher Owens
7. “You Are Your Mother’s Child” – Bright Eyes
8. “Every Time the Sun Comes Up” – Sharon Van Etten
9. “Just One of the Guys” – Jenny Lewis
10. “Control” – Broken Bells
Rounding out today’s playlist are ten tunes that were #1 on this date in Glenn’s Ten history, in reverse chronological order.
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Glenn’s Ten – July 28, 2014
Spoon’s “Do You” holds on to #1 in Glenn’s Ten this week. There are two new entries – Christopher Owens’ “Nothing More than Everything to Me” and Bright Eyes’ “You Are Your Mother’s Child.” It’s a very white list again this week, and, with the exception of the Miranda Lambert/Carrie Underwood track, a very adult alternative list. Am I missing a great new r&b or rap track? I look forward to the new Kanye West single, due any day now.
Glenn’s Ten for this week is:
1. “Do You” – Spoon
2. “All the Rage Back Home” – Interpol
3. “Heart is a Drum” – Beck
4. “Left Hand Free” – Alt-J
5. “Every Time the Sun Comes Up” – Sharon Van Etten
6. “Control” – Broken Bells
7. “Nothing More than Everything to Me” – Christopher Owens
8. “You Are Your Mother’s Child” – Bright Eyes
9. “Just One of the Guys” – Jenny Lewis
10. “Somethin’ Bad” – Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood
Rounding out today’s playlist are ten tunes that were #1 on this date in Glenn’s Ten history, in reverse chronological order.
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