This year saw many excellent releases, and this playlist compiles (with great personal bias) the top 30 songs that came out. The playlist will be linked at the bottom of the list!

30. Me & My Dog – boygenius

A trio of indie musicians who normally sing sad songs decided to form the supergroup boygenius this year so they could sing sad songs together. “Me & My Dog” is filled with feelings of nostalgia as the singer recalls flashes of an old flame.

29. You Worry Me – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Proving themselves more than a one-hit wonder, the folk-rock group shirks the party vibe for a more sentimental sound in “You Worry Me.”

28. Ghost Town – Kanye West ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR, Kid Cudi, 070 Shake

It was a rough year for Kanye fans, between the political controversy and a disappointing release in ye. Still, even Kanye’s worst is better than most people can do, and “Ghost Town” stands out as a highlight from his output this year.

27. You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch – Tyler, the Creator

A fresh twist on Christmas music, Tyler abandons all sense of tradition in infusing modern production into the classic. The combination is so convincing that his own lyrics flow seamlessly from the original lines.

26. thank u, next – Ariana Grande

A positive message of self-love through failed relationships conveyed with sincerity might not be something that’s expected to show up at the highest level of pop, but Ariana sings it triumphantly over a polished, poppy beat.

25. Love It If We Made It – The 1975

A pop song fueled with the political anger that’s normally found in punk, this single shows The 1975 are still willing to develop and complicate their music.

24. High Horse – Kacey Musgraves

Straying from the formula is rare for pop country, but Kacey is proving herself among the most creative the genre has ever seen. Introducing a disco beat makes for an actually successful blend of dance and country.

23. Four Out Of Five – Arctic Monkeys

Somehow Arctic Monkeys never aged out of their coolness, with “Four Out Of Five” containing all the typical swagger that’s expected of Alex Turner. While Tranquility Base & Hotel didn’t meet the hype of previous releases, it showed the band is still reluctant to settle into formulaic songwriting.

22. VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE – Denzel Curry ft. JPEGMAFIA, Zillakami

Denzel exploded out of the underground with TA13OO this year thanks to his creative, unique style of experimental hip hop. “Vengeance” has him and his peers at their most vicious.

21. I Shall Love 2 – Julia Holter

A masterwork of chamber pop, this light and airy song builds to a beautiful kaleidoscope of layered voices amid joyous fanfare. The nearly ambient beginning belies an explosive psychedelic rhapsody.

20. December 24 – Earl Sweatshirt

Earl’s long-awaited third album came adorned with lilting loops and angular beats, which along with the rapper’s signature technical flow creates dense and difficult to follow music.

19. Total Football – Parquet Courts

Parquet Courts leveled up this year with Wide Awake!, drawing inspiration from all forms of punk that have arisen over the course of the genre’s long history. “Total Football” brings a certain melodicism to the pounding music as the singer alternates between singing and shouting protests.

18. Unmade – Thom Yorke

Thom Yorke tried his hand at a soundtrack for the first time this year, the result being an album of beautiful and haunting music. “Unmade” has him flexing as one of the best of the best at creating an atmospheric effect.

17. Hangout At The Gallows – Father John Misty

Displaying his trademark blend of darkly comic lyrics and and evocative delivery, “Hangout At The Gallows” ensures Father John Misty retains his status as a songwriting heavyweight.

16. J’OUVERT – BROCKHAMPTON

While iridescence may not have garnered the same acclaim as their last year’s efforts, Brockhampton prove that they can still hit home runs when they manage to connect the dots between each member’s idiosyncrasies.

15. Venice Bitch – Lana Del Ray

Lana delights in the ordinary in this track that calls up imagery of quaint neighborhood life before taking a sharp left into psychedelic territory. Layers of fuzzy guitars come to life as her voice fades into the distance.

14. Leave It In My Dreams – The Voidz

Setting the standard for lo-fi rock as he has for nearly two decades, Julian Casablancas’ new band has allowed him to explore sounds that might not fit in with the established sound of The Strokes.

13. Danny Nedelko – Idles

Confronting the issues of immigration and nationalism as only a punk rock band can, “Danny Nedelko” sounds like an impassioned lecture from a roaring drunk.

12. Bodys – Car Seat Headrest

Twin Fantasy was originally released in 2011, but Car Seat Headrest felt the need to re-record the entire album given their vastly improved resources since that time. This might be the song most developed in the interim, with much better drums hyping up the track and the fuller guitars providing higher energy.

11. I Never Dream – Against All Logic

The choppy vocal samples growing in intensity at the start give the illusion that this could be any other pop song, but as they drop out it becomes evident what Against All Logic is all about: the smoothest deep house dance beats.

10. If You Know You Know – Pusha T

Rarely does rap braggadocio come across as authentic, but Pusha manages to appear so while calling out rappers who are only acting hard.

9. Make Me Feel – Janelle Monáe

Janelle’s funk-tinged pop was a huge hit this year, with “Make Me Feel” serving as the flagship song on an album the artist described as “a homage to women and the spectrum of sexual identities.” This song hits on themes of bisexuality over a synth beat reportedly written by Prince, with whom Janelle collaborated frequently before his death.

8. The Reason They Hate Me – Daughters

It’s not clear why Daughters are so angry–or who at–but this song sounds like 4 minutes of unfiltered rage. Powerful industrial riffs and heavy drums don’t let up for most of the song which somehow manages to end with more intensity than it started.

7. HONEY – BROCKHAMPTON

“Honey” is more palatable than “J’ouvert” but does just as well at bouncing between styles. Onthis song, the hard beat that opens the track morphs into a softer R&B feel that samples Beyoncé.

6. Nobody – Mitski

Mitski’s melancholy crooning slides effortlessly over this upbeat disco track to create a whirlwind of emotion.

5. 4th Dimension – KIDS SEE GHOSTS ft. Louis Prima

Kanye got snubbed by a lot of publications this year because of his questionable politics but the quality of the KIDS SEE GHOSTS duo with Kid Cudi can’t be denied. To be fair, it’s Cudi’s verse that stands out to me but the unique and innovative production carries all the hallmarks of what has kept Kanye at the forefront of hip-hop for over a decade.

4. Self Care – Mac Miller

With Mac Miller’s untimely death this song has become an anthem of tragic irony, but this song would’ve appeared here regardless.

3. This Is America – Childish Gambino

A lot of politically charged music came out this year, but none is as poignant as this single that hits on police brutality, gun violence and racism. What makes this song so interesting is how Gambino makes his point mostly through the jarring production and uses one-liners to tie in specific themes.

2. Beach Life-In-Death – Car Seat Headrest

Sprawling, noisy, and intensely personal, this song is engaging for the entirety of its lengthy 13-minute runtime. Making a song so long worth listening to is no easy feat, but doing so while also making the subject of unrequited homosexual love seem relatable makes this song perhaps Will Toledo’s greatest artistic achievement.

1. Drunk In LA – Beach House

One of the band members described the lyrics for this as “whiplashing you around all these abstract sensory places,” and that’s exactly what it feels like. The song seems at once emotionally profound and totally nonsensical.