The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #1

 #1. The Classic Crime - Alone In The City

Track: Alone In The City
Artist: The Classic Crime
Album: Grim Age

 

 

I've been a fan of The Classic Crime since their 2010 record Vagabonds, but they've never actually made the Countdown. I was a little late on figuring out how much I liked Vagabonds, and in 2012 their song "The Precipice" just missed out on cracking the list. It wasn't quite the runaway to #1 that the last two years were, but there was definitely a point, probably within a month of when this album was released, that I realized that this was one of those transcendent songs that would be on my daily playlist for a long, long time.

The song opens with a beautiful cello, a soft guitar and a basic drum beat joins alongside. There isn't a ton musically to lift things up until the final verse, which explodes as if it were shot from a launchpad into the stratosphere. I could quote every line of lyrics as being my favorite and the musical progression only makes the final verse stand out even more. The song isn't a single, doesn't have a music video, and is barely among the top 5 streamed songs on the record. But for me, it was both the most streamed and most influential song released in 2023, and is now enshrined among the greats that finished at #1.

Favorite line: "There's a man on the corner screaming at me, says that I have a problem; I guess I agree. So I reach in my pocket to give him some change, and he pushes it back; says it can't fix the pain"

Previous five #1s:

2022: Forever Unknown - sad people, blue eyes
2021: Teenage Wrist - Taste of Gasoline
2020: Lilieae - Level
2019: VNV Nation - Only Satellites
2018: Florence + The Machine - Sky Full Of Song
2017: Morning Theft - Skeleton Twins

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #2

 #2. The Broken Relics - Rodeo

Title: Rodeo
Artist: The Broken Relics
Album: Night in the Desert

3 releases, 3 appearances on the Countdown. The Broken Relics are an institution and they seem to only be getting better. Their debut release scored the #2 spot with "Where The Creatures Roam" in 2019, they had a single release in 2020 that reached #19 ("Goodbye Tennessee"), and they're back at #2 again this year. This album is my absolute favorite of 2023

It was a near impossibility to pick an actual favorite song from this record. Was it the rocking opener, "Crosswalk"? The COVID-themed retrospective "Birthday", or maybe the ascendant title track, which singer Bryce Warmouth told me he wrote partially with me in mind.... arguably the most humbling thing I've ever been told. No, it ended up being the emotionally tinged, keyboard laced "Rodeo", which speaks of a broken relationship and the damage it does to the songs protagonist. It's nothing short of beautiful and one of those songs you can't skip once the drums come in. I genuinely loved this album so much that I was convinced that it would land at the #1 spot this year, at least until I first heard the song that finally did make it.

What will that be? Stay tuned!!

Favorite line: "But I'll pray for the sun, and it all seems a little too cold. But baby know tonight, it's just a dirty ol' rodeo. We're gonna grab a horse, let's go go go."

Previous five #2s:

2022: Rammstein - Lügen
2021: The Struts - Another Hit of Showmanship (ft Albert Hammond Jr)
2020: Purity Ring - stardew
2019: The Broken Relics - Where The Creatures Roam
2018: The War On Drugs - Pain

The 2022 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #3

 #3. White Lies - Trouble In America

 

 

Title: Trouble in America
Artist: White Lies
Album: As I Try Not To Fall Apart (Deluxe Edition)

 

We've reached the 3 songs that I thought had a shot at being #1 this year. Buckle up!

 

Every now and then a song pops up in an adjacent playlist and takes me for a ride. I don't know where I found "Trouble In America" but I know it was in the winter months and I was playing a lot of Destiny 2. Interesting how memory plays you like that. Anyways, within 2 or 3 spins, I knew this was going to be one of those songs that is constantly stuck in my head and added to multiple playlists.

And so it went! All the way up to #3 on the Countdown this year, with an infection bass and key rhythm and a fantastic bridge building up to an explosive chorus that is difficult to shake. It's a song that I sang and danced to many times without ever really digging into the lyrics - a true musical bliss song for me. The must've sang the chorus a thousand times the year over and even as the year waned it never fell out of rotation. Just a really solid, fun song that reminded me of mid-2000s synth driven alt-rock.

Favorite line: "My old man's making trouble in America, oh Lord take the weight off of me"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous five #3s:

2022: Ronnie Martin - From the Womb of the Morning, The Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours
2021: Acceptance - At the Edge of the Earth
2020: White Reaper - Real Long Time
2019: Smith & Thell - Forgive Me Friend
2018: Vesperteen - Medicine

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #4

 #4. Gable Price and Friends - I Don't Wanna Live Like This

Title: I Don't Wanna Live Like This
Artist: Gable Price and Friends
Album: The Consequence Of Being Alive

It's always interesting to me how many bands that I had never listened to before sneak into the top 5 every year. It's not beyond reason that a new band should make their best music first - the term "sophomore jinx" rings evermore, but in looking through the history of the Top 20, there is a plethora of artists on their first or second album right there at the top. Gable Price and Friends have only been a band since 2020, and I remember the first time I heard this song I was like, whoa, this is THE song. 

There are a lot of times when you first hear a song and ride that initial wave, but for "I Don't Wanna Live Like This", the wave went the entirety of 2023; the mark of a truly great song. There's a positivity in Price's words and voice as the band blasts through an incredible amount of harmonious pop-rock. The album has a lot of great positivity and leans on getting through the hardest times of our lives. It also breaks a run of 3 straight years where the #4 spot went to a local artist. Perhaps there will be more later?

Favorite line: "Please be kind, I'm breaking, I'm in used condition - truth don't make it alright"

 

 

Previous five #4s:

2022: Truslow - Abbey Dear
2021: A Tiger Made of Lightning - Little Birds
2020: Forever Unknown -  Bury Me
2019: VHS Collection - Sign
2018: Curse of Cassandra - Re-Bind

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #5

 #5. The Awakening - Gabriel

Title: Gabriel
Artist: The Awakening
Album: The Passage Remains

The Awakening is actually one of my wife's favorite bands, with Ashton Nyte being one of her all-time favorite musicians. So I've been "listening" to them for a while, although not really latching onto anything other than the fact that they make solid music, an Nyte has an incredible voice. I've checked out their last 3 albums without a lot of hurrah, but something on The Passage Remains really nailed me. There are several songs that were in rotation the majority of the year for me: "All is Grey", "The Never World", "The Carraige", and of course "Gabriel". The bass-line on the song rumbles throughout, the chorus progression is one of my favorite's from the entire year... I don't really know what it was that set this song apart, but it made a heavy impression on 2023 for me.

There was a significant jump from #6 to #5 in streams this year, meaning we're really into the meat and potatoes of songs now. I suppose that's appropriate with these being the top 5 and all... we'll see where we go from here!

Favorite line: "Out of the fire, through the valley below. Swing from the wire and let it go"

 

 

 

Previous five #5s:

2022: Silversun Pickups - Alone on a Hill
2021: Meryl Creep - Spiraling
2020: Empathy Test - Monsters
2019: Within Temptation - In Vain
2018: Andrew WK - Music Is Worth Living For

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #6

 #6. White Reaper - Pages

Title: Pages
Artist: White Reaper
Album: Asking For A Ride

White Reaper is another returning artist, after landing at #3 back in 2020 with "Real Long Time". All things considered, I think I like "Pages" better, but there are more significant releases in 2023 than there were in 2020. It's a simple song about the end of a relationship and how the protagonist watched everything progress from good to bad to worse. Oddly enough, I didn't care for either of the albums that the two songs were from but they are two absolute bangers and the band is definitely on my radar going forward. "Pages" is just one of those songs that hooks you from the first riff til the last chorus.

Favorite line: "I tore out all the pages, I tore them all out"

 

 

 

 

Last five #6s:

2022: YUNGBLUD - The Funeral
2021: Gang of Youths - the angel of 8th ave.
2020: TRVSS - All The Bugs
2019:  Rammstein - Radio
2018: Turnspit - Walk Away

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #7

#7. Teenage Wrist - Something Good

 

Title: Something Good
Artist: Teenage Wrist
Album: Still Love

It was just two years ago when Teenage Wrist burst onto the scene and ran away with the #1 song, "Taste of Gasoline". Even with a host of great other songs released that year, Taste was far and away the most played song of the year and my anticipation for their next release was significantly high. 

They did not disappoint. "Sunshine", "Still Love", "Digital Self", "Cigarette Two Step"... this album is full of outstanding and emotionally hazy songs, reigniting the best characteristics of shoegaze and alternative metal styles with a newer edge. Interestingly, it was a non-single "Something Good" that really blasted me. It might be the emotional high-point of the album and although several tracks got a good amount of spins, it was the one that I kept coming back to time and again.

Favorite line: "I just wanted to love myself - I did the best I could. I wanna come back to something good".

 

 

 

 

 

Last five #7s:

2022: Best Foot Back - Give It A Go
2021: '68 - Bad Bite
2020: King Princess - Ohio
2019: Cold - Shine
2018: Jukebox the Ghost - Everybody's Lonely

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #8

#8. Blackcarburning - Divide Us (ft Mari Kattman)

Title: Divide Us (ft Mari Kattman)
Artist: Blackcarburning
Album: Watching Sleepers

Blackcarburning is a side project of Mesh's Mark Hockings, although Mesh has been inactive for so long that I'd almost consider it his primary endeavor at the moment. The projects aren't totally dissimilar to each other - Mesh's lyrics are a little more personal, Blackcarburning's synths bite a little harder, and having different vocalists on a few of the songs definitely makes it a little more intriguing. But it seems that there is a significant gulf between the creative nature of the songs. In fact, I'd say "Divide Us" is probably the most Mesh-esque song on the record, with Helix's Mari Kattman delivering a brilliant vocal performance that blasts the song into the stratosphere. Even though the song starts slowly and lasts every bit of six minutes, it has the best chorus of any song I heard this year, which spent a lot of time stuck in my head.

Favorite line: "It's always been you and me"

 

 

 

Previous five #8s:

2022: Spiritbox - Sew Me Up
2021: Manchester Orchestra - Bed Head
2020: Ships In The Night - Lost Times
2019: Billie Eilish - You Should See Me In A Crown
2018: Miller and the Hunks - Gravity

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #9

 #9. Bush - Heavy Is The Ocean

Title: Heavy Is The Ocean
Artist: Bush
Album: The Art Of Survival

The fact that Bush keeps cranking out albums that rip pretty hard is really something to behold. It feels like every time they put something out, there's at least 1 track that is pretty solid, and I felt like The Art Of Survival would be the same based off of its lead single, "More Than Machines". What I ended up finding was one of my favorite albums of the year, with tracks like "Shark Bite", "Slow Me", "Judas Is A Riot". and our #9 song. "Heavy Is The Ocean" grinds and pushes forward, let by Gavin Rossdale's unmistakably sorrowful twang. It's a song I couldn't get out of my head the entire year, and feels like the first really big song of this year's Countdown.

Favorite line: "Heavy is the ocean. Steady all the ways. Heavy is the ocean. Cracked by we don't break."

 

 

 

 

Previous five #9s:

2022: Ghost - Spillways
2021: Assemblage 23 - Factory
2020: Apollo LTD - You
2019: Sleeping With Sirens - Leave It All Behind
2018: mind.in.a.box - Attack

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #10

 #10. Phoenix - Tonight (ft Ezra Koenig)

Title: Tonight (ft Ezra Koenig)
Artist: Phoenix
Album: Alpha Zulu

Phoenix dropped one of my all-time favorite albums in 2009 (with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) and promptly fell right off of my radar. Their music is a little too ridiculous and scripted sometimes, but they almost cracked the 2017 Countdown with "J-Boy". I didn't expect much from Alpha Zulu, and it wasn't until midway through the year that something in the bass-line and chorus really nailed me. I couldn't get through the entire album, but this song is ridiculously catchy, and having Vampire Weekend singer Ezra Koenig on the 2nd verse doesn't hurt at all either.

Favorite line: "Now I talk to myself and it's quite surprising"

 

Previous five #10s:

2022: Andy Mineo - Been About It (ft Lecrae)
2021: Echo Image - Walk My Mind
2020: Loathe - Two-Way Mirror
2019: Fit For A King - When Everything Means Nothing
2018: The Night Game - The Outfield

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #11

#11. Owl City - Kelly Time

Title: Kelly Time
Artist: Owl City
Album: Coco Moon

Owl City looked like an unstoppable force in the early years of the Countdown, landing at #3 in 2009 (Fireflies) and just missing the #1 spot in '11 with Galaxies. Adam Young released 2 albums as Owl City after that in 2012 and 2015 and then went on an album hiatus - still doing movie soundtracks but not making records. 2023 marked his return and, well, what a comeback it was! Coco Moon sounds like a throwback to Owl City's early material. Some of the songs ran a bit long (as has always been his style), but the lead single hit me like a stack of bricks when it came out, and I must have listened to it 6 or 7 times just that day. 

Amusingly, I didn't realize until after 3 or 4 listens that the song is about the movie Cast Away, but that doesn't detract from the beautiful tale of friendship and love.

Favorite line: "Ooh, I'm ready for anything - who knows what the tide will bring?"

 

 

 

 

 

Previous five #11s:

2022: The Weeknd - Gasoline
2021: The Birthday Massacre - The NeverEnding Story
2020: Nightwish - Harvest
2019: Demon Hunter - The Negative
2018: Power Quest - No More Heroes

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #12

 #12. Kamelot - Eventide

Title: Eventide
Artist: Kamelot
Album: The Awakening

I had to check my notes just to be sure, but in the history of the J1 Countdown (2009-2022), released 4 albums without actually charting. 3 of those 4 albums had songs that made the "Songs That Just Missed) list (Hunter's Season, Veil of Elysium, Amnesiac, respectively). There have been plenty of other solid power/symphonic metal entries, but neither Kamelot nor Evergrey (my other favorite of the genre) have charted... until today!

All of that being said, this might be my favorite Kamelot album since 2007's Ghost Opera. It's not just the heavy breakdowns and lyrical poetry of "Eventide", but also the sheer power of "One More Flag in the Ground", the screaming guitars of "The Looking Glass", and the ballad-esque opening of "My Pantheon". But it was "Eventide" that took to the skies the first time I listened to the album and never looked back. The song is crushingly heavy and beautifully written, as most Kamelot songs are, and is a worthy debut after so many years of coming oh-so-close.

Favorite line: "Until life and death will reunite, your song shall guide me through my house of pain"

Previous five #12s

2022: Coheed and Cambria - The Liars Club
2021: Romy - Lifetime
2020: Alright Years - Something I Can Dance To
2019: Bloody Hammers - From Beyond The Grave
2018: Fashion Week - Tell Me Something

The 2022 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #13

#13. Meet Me @ The Altar - Say It (To My Face)

Title: Say It (To My Face)
Artist: Meet Me @ The Altar
Album: Past // Present // Future

A band that feels like a late 90s pop-rock throwback mixed with a punky sound and bizarre aesthetic, Meet Me @ The Altar was one of the more pleasant musical discoveries I made this year. The first time I heard this song I knew I wanted more from the band, and their newest album Past // Present // Future was one that I genuinely enjoyed listening to (and laughing at) in 2023. "Say It (To My Face)" calls out the keyboard warrior culture that attacks everything popular and interesting with grace and attitude. It's a fun song that drives a good point home about judging others.

Favorite line: "It's so obvious - you really need some attention - hope you're having fun."

 

 

 

 

Previous five #13s

2022: Judah & the Lion - scream!
2021: The Dirty Nil - Blunt Force Concussion
2020: Slimfit - Pineapple Pizza
2019: Vesperteen - Operate
2018: Marshmello & Bastille - Happier

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #14

 #14. Beck - Thinking About You

 

Title: Thinking About You
Artist: Beck
Album: Thinking About You single

I'll always remember one of our local DJ's saying "There are two types of Beck albums - happy Beck and sad Beck". Whatever his secret is, the man has been putting out quality music for over 3 decades now and shows no sign of stopping. "Thinking About You" definitely qualifies as a sad and mournful song, and it was right around the time that my best friend died that it came out. It resonated heavily with my soul and is almost painful for me to listen to at the moment, but it was definitely in heavy rotation for a short while and figures to be played a lot more going forward.

Favorite line: "Forty roses couldn't cover my grave - no cross and rosary for my soul to save. Want to believe in something - it don't even have to be true."

 

 

 

 

Previous five #14s:

2022: The Regrettes - Anxieties (Out of Time)
2021: beabadoobee - Last Day On Earth
2020: The Anix - Renegade
2019: Rome - Uropia O Morte
2018: Solar Fake - The Pain That Kills You Too

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #15

 #15. Brave the Sea - Where I Belong

Title: Where I Belong
Artist: Brave the Sea
Album: Lady Death

There's a 3 song run on Brave the Sea's newest album, Lady Death, that gives a run to any other album this year. It starts with the comedic "Bad Luck", the powerful, punchy "Going Down", and the melodic ballad "Where I Belong". All 3 were in heavy rotation in 2023 for me, and surprisingly it was the latter that cracked the Countdown. It's a mournful number sung by guitar/mandolinist Mattie Toskin that once again proves that the band is more than just a Celtic/Pirate rock group. These guys are one of the best live acts in town and just keep cranking out great recorded material.

Favorite line: "Someday I'll belong, I'll belong right here"

 

 

 

 

Previous five #15s:

2022: Truss - Drown
2021: AFI - Begging for Trouble
2020: The Unlikely Candidates - High Low
2019: Syrian - We Are Stars
2018: Plushgun - Lukewarm

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #16

 16. VV - Run Away From the Sun

Title: Run Away From The Sun
Artist: VV
Album: Neon Noir

I was never a huge fan of HIM, so I was fascinated to find how much I enjoyed Ville Valo's (VV) solo effort. I could have picked this song or "Echolocate Your Love", the latter which opens the album with a bang. "Run Away From the Sun" has a more mellow feel to it, more of a love ballad than anything else. Something about the somberness of Valo's voice really connected with me. It almost makes me think I should take a deeper look into HIM's catalogue in hindsight. Better late than never, right?

Favorite line: "We are the ones with moonlit hearts - run to me"

 

 

 

 

Previous five #16s:

 

2022: Silent Planet - Panopticon
2021: PEABOD - Love Everybody (ft Tedashii)

2020: Sir Sly - Material Boy

2019: Blindside - Gravedigger

2018: Good Charlotte - Shadowboxer

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #17

 17. The Cordial Sins - Sugarcoat

Title: Sugarcoat
Artist: The Cordial Sins
Album: Small Talk

Two years in a row, the first Ohio entry comes at #17, this time with Columbus' The Cordial Sins and their much anticipated album Small Talk. The album was even better than anticipated, in fact I'd put it in my top 5 albums of the year, and showed that frontwoman Liz Fisher and the gang have found the perfect way to blend together the buzz of shoegaze with a more upbeat tone. Every song is solid and Sugarcoat is far and away the standout, soaring and humming as it blasts through your head and entrenches its infectious melody in your mind.

Favorite line: "No need to sugarcoat it, everyone seems to know it, I'm fine..."

Previous five #17s: 

2022: Grumpy Plum - i don't care
2021: Porter Robinson - Look at the Sky
2020: Corduroy Brown - To My Younger Self
2019: SYML - Clean Eyes
2018: Superorganism - Everybody Wants To Be Famous

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #18

 #18. VNV Nation - Before the Rain

 

Title: Before the Rain
Artist: VNV Nation
Album: Electric Sun

VNV Nation is one of my all-time favorite bands, and landed at #1 in 2019 with "Only Satellites". I try to keep my expectations tempered when a favorite band releases a new record, but VNV did another solid job with their new record, and I had the pleasure of seeing them live a few months after the release. The synths on "Electric Sun" definitely bite harder, more like the earlier VNV records, but the modern sound fits in with the progression that Ronan Harris has built upon his craft. This is a great uplifting song.

Favorite Line: "We built a universe so we could hold the cosmos in our hands."

 

 

Last five #18s:

2022: The Foxies - Overrated
2021: Daymare - Control
2020: Little Hurt - Alaska
2019: James Truslow - Overwhelmed
2018: The Raquels - Just a Txt

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #19

 #19. Switchfoot - On Fire (Ingrid Andress Version)

 Title: On Fire (Ingrid Andress)
Artist: Switchfoot
Album: The Beautiful Letdown (Our Version)(Deluxe Edition)

Now this is an interesting one. Switchfoot decided to re-release their massive 2003 album, The Beautiful Letdown, for its 20th anniversary. The album featured re-recorded versions of all of the songs, calling it "Our Version". A few months later they one-upped themselves by released a collaborative version with re-imaginations of each song by different unique artists. It was definitely a brilliant undertaking, and although I didn't necessarily love the other band's versions of songs I had spent 20 years loving, one stood out about the rest.

The most ironic part for me is that On Fire was probably my least favorite, or perhaps least listened to song on the original album over the years. Something about the softness and sincerity of Ingrid Andress' voice really brings a new life into the song. I actually consider this version better than the original, and it had enough momentum to roll into the Countdown at #19.

Favorite Line: "When everything inside me looks like everything I hate, You are the hope I have for change, You are the only chance I'm gonna take"

 

 

Last five #19s:

2022: Bad Omens - Like A Villain
2021: Royal Blood - Typhoons
2020: The Broken Relics - Goodbye Tennessee
2019: Sigrid - Sucker Punch
2018: Rick Springfield - In The Land of the Blind

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #20

  #20. Dreamers - Wallow In It

Title: Wallow In It
Artist: Dreamers
Album: Wallow In It

 

Twice before, Dreamers found themselves just missing making the Countdown before finally cracking in this year. Wallow In It talks about not wanting to feel better just quite yet - a feeling that a lot of sad and lonely people (like myself) can understand. Like most of their music, it's catchy enough to get stuck in your ear, and clever enough to stay there.

Favorite Line: So low, been flying solo - for so long, I've been so alone

Last five #20s:

2022: Halestorm - The Steeple
2021: Grabbitz - Pigs in the Sky
2020: Seether - Dangerous
2019: Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
2018: Ghost - Dance Macabre

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - Intro and Songs That Didn't Make It

 Hello, and welcome to YEAR 15 OF THE JESTER ONE MUSIC TOP 20 COUNTDOWN.

Sorry for shouting.

Hard to believe, isn't it? What started so small bubbled into a year-long quest for new music and sonic greatness. What began as a way to keep track of the new music I had heard throughout the year has become an ultimate chronological catalogue of musical excellence. Fifteen years! I genuinely cannot believe it myself. Especially since Pete (the man who planted the idea in my head with his year-end lists) doesn't even blog anymore! *hint hint*

In all seriousness, I thoroughly enjoy doing this, because it compels me to find more new music and in doing so, I find more music to love! There have been a few years recently where I almost called it off, but then I'll be 2 or 3 months into the next year and I'll say something like "oh my gosh, this is already my favorite song of the year!" And then everything starts whirring again.

I needed no help in 2023, as my favorite album of the year was released at the very end of 2022, and I wanted to see how everything played out with the coming year. I've also become very fond of seeing locals crack the countdown, and with that in mind let's look back on 2022's edition.

20. Halestorm - The Steeple
19. Bad Omens - Like A Villain
18. The Foxies - Overrated
17. Grumpy Plum - i don't care
16. Silent Planet - Panopticon
15. TRUSS - Drown
14. The Regrettes - Anxieties (Out of Time)
13. Judah & The Lion - scream!
12. Coheed and Cambria - The Liars Club
11. The Weeknd - Gasoline
10. Andy Mineo - Been About It (ft Lecrae)
9. Ghost - Spillways
8. Spiritbox - Sew Me Up
7. Best Foot Back - Give It A Go
6. YUNGBLUD - The Funeral
5. Silversun Pickups - Alone on a Hill
4. Truslow - Abbey Dear
3. Ronnie Martin - From the Womb of the Morning, The Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours
2. Rammstein - Lügen
1. Forever Unknown - sad people, blue eyes

Yeah! Two locals in the top 5, 4 total including #1. Pop artists like Yungblud, The Weeknd and Ronnie Martin that I never assumed would be on the Top 20, and returning favorites like Rammstein. A pretty solid year for music, if I do say so myself. What does 2023 bring? Well, as always we start with the songs that just missed cracking the top 20. I had a lot to choose from this year!

Inhaler - Love Will Get You There
Album: Cuts and Bruises

This song had a fun journey in 2023 - initially I found it annoying, then it grew on me, and slowly as the year passed by it faded back out. The album actually ended up being really good, which I think spurned on my continual revisiting.

Nas - Pistols On Your Album Cover
Album: - Magic 2

I've always enjoyed Nas, but I don't think I ever pictured him cracking the Top 20. Rap doesn't jump up my scales much these days, but this album nailed me hard. 

Slipknot - Yen
Album: The End, So Far

I had very little expectations after Slipknot released their clunkiest and (IMO) worst album yet, but The End, So Far surprised me. I've accepted that they'll never be the same band that released their first 3 albums, but I had basically said that I would be content if they called it a career on releasing new stuff. Even though they just lost another member, they still have a little creative flair left in them.

Fury In The Slaughterhouse - Better Times Will Come
Album: Hope

When I saw the name "Fury In The Slaughterhouse", I definitely did not expect an alt-rock outfit. I would not have even clicked on their name when I saw it come across my "new release" folder if that were the case. As much as I initially enjoyed this song, the album wore pretty quickly and at this point of the year they're almost a rearview thing. That's honestly why I do the Top 20 though - to not forget about songs like this!

Rome - New Flags
Album: Hegemonikon - A Journey to the End of Light

Rome legitimately releases an album every year (he released 2 in the last 11 months!) so there's always a chance he'll pop back up on here. I enjoyed this record and the one released late this year (maybe you'll see it later on the countdown...?) more than the last two albums he put out. New Flags surprised me because it was more synth-heavy than anything else, but still a very enjoyable song.

Honorable Mention: Lost Droid Records ft Kristin Gramza - Nowhere; The Blue Stones - Good Ideas; Lamb of God - Nevermore; Post Malone - Chemical; NF - Happy; 3Teeth - Merchant of the Void (ft Mick Gordon); The Anix - See Nothing; Don Drapery - The Best We Can; Grumpy Plum - but if im happy; A Tiger Made of Lightning - Tonight, We Come To Life

The 2023 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown...?

Oops. Went a whole year without updating anything.

It felt a little silly to continue doing monthly updates when I was going to do a full recap at the end. But, I am still here and the FIFTEENTH Top 20 Countdown will begin in 2 days.

Thank you, and happy listening. :)

Jester One 2022 - 25 Top Artists

 For the year of 2022, there were 31,974 scrobbles from 4072 artists. Interestingly, that was a 3% drop in plays with a 6% jump in total artists, presumptively meaning that I ventured out to find more artists... or perhaps that I just found more that didn't require extra plays, haha. All in all, that equals 7.852 streams per individual artist.

Top genres were Rock, Alternative, Alternative Rock, Synthpop and Classic Rock, which I still believe is more of an indication of how things are tagged on streaming sites. The two most active hours were 9-10p and 10-11p, and interestingly enough they were only separated by 12 plays. Monday was easily the busiest day of the year, with 5165 total plays, an average of 99.33 plays per Monday. 

Here's the key for the artist list:

TY. Artist (LY)
Top Track: Track (TY)

 

25. Rome (NR)
Top Track: Swords to Rust - Hearts to Dust (T65)

There are two potential reasons for the spike of Rome in 2022. One would be the fact that half of his albums were finally returned to streaming (after a legal battle with singer Rome Ramirez, whose use of the name "Rome" came far after the former's career was established) including the extremely popular 2009 album Flowers From Exile, which features the song "Swords to Rust - Hearts to Dust". The other is that Rome has long been a favorite of my wife, and I decided that this was the year I would finally lean harder into his music. While "Swords" was the only song with more than 7 plays, I did listen to 70 individual Rome tracks in 2022, and I expect that number to grow in '23.

24. Sam Cooke (6)
Top Track: (What A) Wonderful World (T51)

Make it 3 consecutive years for The Man Who Invented Soul, with Cooke also landing at #12 in 2020. Even though "Wonderful World" fell out of the Top 30 for the first time in 4 years, Cooke still ran a consistent campaign of plays and is still regarded as one of my all-time favorite singers.

23. The Broken Relics (NR)
Top Track: Rodeo (T104)

In 2019, The Broken Relics made their debut at #14 in spite of only having one six song EP of material available to the world. While the band is currently my favorite local act in Ohio, their numbers took a massive boost with the release of their second EP, Night in the Desert in November. I can all but guarantee that they'll be in all of the Year End Lists for 2023.

22. Switchfoot (NR)
Top Track: Dare You To Move (39)

Not a band that I expected to be on this list at the start of 2022, but also not a band that can ever be counted out. The curiousity of Switchfoot is that their first 4 albums are all massive nostalgia hits for me, and then it tails off from there. Switchfoot did release two new albums in '22, including a Christmas record, so it stands to reason that they'd get a minimal boost from that. At some point in the summer I started leaning more heavily into them, and they finished with 8 different songs registering at least five plays.

21. Mesh (NR)
Top Track: The Last One Standing (29)

Mesh was a regular when I started gathering numbers, landing at 4, 5 and 15 from 2018-20 before dipping out last year. The band is again carried by "The Last One Standing", one of my all-time favorite songs, and as a whole they registered nine different songs with at least 5 plays. These things are unpredictable, of course, but I firmly believe that if they ever release a new record, they'll stick in the most played artist list for good.

20. Colony 5 (NR)
Top Track: Synchronized Hearts (17)

Following the future/synthpop course, Colony 5 returns after landing at #18 back in 2018. They had 5 songs in double digits, including "My World" at 45 this year. Interestingly, I had a chance conversation online with their keyboardist this week and he said that while all of the respective entities within the band were doing other things, that Colony 5 wasn't officially dead at the moment. Whether or not that actually means anything remains to be seen, but it is always cool to get to talk to people who are in your favorite bands.

19. Sevendust (14)
Top Track: Home (T140)

Make it 3 consecutive years for Sevendust here, with 10 different songs registering at least 5 plays throughout the year. There really wasn't one month where things jumped or dipped off for them, and surprisingly their most played song last year (Story Of Your Life) finished with only 1 play in '22. As much as they seem to release a new record every other year, it is still their earlier material that resonates the hardest with me.

18. De/Vision (NR)
Top Track: The End (T127)

I suppose we're seeing a cylic return of electronic music - Mesh, Colony 5, and now De/Vision, who was also featured in 2018 at #24 before a 3 year hiatus. Despite only having one song in the top 200 most played, the German electronic pioneers actually has 62 different songs with streams, including 11 with at least 5.

17. Brave Saint Saturn (NR)
Top Track: Under Bridges (T159)

Something at the beginning of this year told me I had to listen to Brave Saint Saturn, and by February they had already achieved half of their total plays from 2022. Not that I ever need to be told to listen to one of my all-time favorite bands from my teenage years, but this is the first time in the 5 years that I've been keep track of these stats that they've landed on the most played artist list. Trends are curious like that.

16. Wolfsheim (21)
Top Track: Blind (T65)

There have been 7 artists who have made it each of the past 5 years, and Wolfsheim have been wonderfully consistent, tacking in at 8, 9, 14, 21, and now back to #16. The group locked in eight different songs with double digit plays, and averaged just over 14 plays per month. It's a shame their career was so brief compared to many other titans in the EBM world. 

15. Apoptygma Berzerk
Top Track: Kathy's Song - Victoria Mix by VNV Nation (35)

Another remarkably consistent act, Apop has reached the top 15 in four of the five years that I've compiled these numbers, with "Kathy's Song" being the plateau each season. The band has continued releasing more albums of "B-Sides and Rarities" in the last two years, but also had 15 different songs notch at least 5 plays. As much as I would love actual new material from them, they continue to be one of the better remixers in the electronic genre.

14. Trans-Siberian Orchestra (5)
Top Track(s): Christmas Eve / Sarajevo 12/24 - Instrumental and What Child Is This (T272)

TSO reaches the Top 25 for the third consecutive year, and just as BSS had the majority of their streams in the first quarter of the year, TSO lands theirs in the last. It is both an exercise of quality and quantity; 87 different songs with 9 of them getting at least 5 plays. They changed up their live show this year and it was as good as ever.

13. Circle of Dust (19)
Top Track: Chasm - Version 2.1.0 (T92)

Circle of Dust marks a 30 play jump from TSO, averaging just short of 18 plays per month. CoD have made it 4 of the 5 years as well, with #13 tying their highest showing from back in 2018. Klayton is a man of many projects, but he managed to put together an entire remix album from their self-titled record this year, and rode the strength of 13 different songs notching at least 5 plays in '22. As usual, their album Disengage finished in the top 10 (#6) of the most played albums of the year as well.

12. Five Iron Frenzy (NR)
Top Track: Dandelions (T79)

Last year marked the first time that Five Iron had slid out, landing at #28 on the year. I knew they were going to climb back in after they were announced for the Furnace Festival in Birmingham, AL over the summer, which I attended. I loaded up a playlist full of artists that I loved from the festival and played it all the way down there. That left me with 51 songs that had at least 2 plays, nine of which had at least 5. Five Iron is an artist that doesn't need to release new material - I enjoy tracks from all of their previous releases. 

11. Forever Unknown (NR)
Top Track: sad people, blue eyes (1)

Forever Unknown make their first appearance on the strength of not only the #1 song of 2022, but 3 others that landed amongst the top 100 most played tracks. Their album Say It Back was also easily the most played record - an impressive achievement for only having 6 songs on it. I feel like I've sprinkled so many accolades on this band and album in the last month, and all of them are absolutely deserved. 

10. Aurelio Voltaire (18)
Top Track: Land of the Dead (T178)

Make it 3 straight years for Voltaire after reaching #9 in 2020 as well. Considering the man has an entire playlist dedicated to himself and similar artists in my Spotify, I'd say it is no surprise to find him there. He released a new album at the very end of 2022 and I'm wondering how that will influence things for this year. Voltaire did end up with 12 different songs with at least 5 plays and averaged 20.33 plays per month, the first artist to have at least 20. 

9. Matchbox Twenty (NR)
Top Track: Unwell (14)

I was surprised to find that M20 had never been among the most streamed artists in a single year, especially since they've had over 100 plays each of the last year 3 years. This year they burst through on the strength of #s 27 (The Burn) 26 (Last Beautiful Girl) and 14 (Unwell). Something about the Mad Season album really struck me early in the year, and the band as a whole had 15 different songs with at least 5 plays, including 6 with double digits. Mad Season ended up being the 2nd most played album as well.

8. Truslow (NR)
Top Track: Abbey Dear (6)

In 2019, Truslow was the 11th most played artist, and they returned in '22 on the strength of the 3rd most played album, Natural Killer. The group also had "Hurricane" at #30 and "Liar" at 49, highlighting nine different songs with double digit plays. For a band with only 21 different recorded tracks (two of which are interlude/intros), this is quite an achievement - 16 of those songs had at least 5 plays this year. Truslow also finishes as the most played local artist of '22. 

7. Blindside (NR)
Top Track: All Of Us (T116)

Once Blindside was announced as a headliner for Furnace Fest, the race was on. I dug into all six of their albums and fell in love with their catalogue all over again. 15 different songs had at least 5 plays, and the band rocketed back onto this list after previously making it up to #25 in 2019. That show was arguably as memorable as any show I've ever seen, and I think those good vibes should carry them back next year.

6. Demon Hunter (11)
Top Track(s): The Negative and One Thousand Apologies (T79)

Make it 5 years in a row for Demon Hunter as well, with 2022 matching their highest showing (2019). They also played at Furnace Fest and released a new record at the very end of 2023. If history has showed me anything, it's that new DH records always climb the charts, but for 2022 the group had a whopping 18 songs with at least 5 plays, including 7 in double digits.

5. Cold (1)
Top Track: Cure My Tragedy (44)

Well, here's the surprise of the year for sure. Cold has finished at the top three of the four years I've done this, while finishing runner up in 2020. That's not to say that they didn't have another big year; their total in 2022 was also enough to be #1 last year, and was also 89 more than Demon Hunter had. I did get to see them live again in May, and they still notched 27 different songs with at least 5 plays each. They're coming to Columbus again in a few months and I'm sure their numbers will be as high as ever for '23. 

4. Anberlin (4)
Top Track: Time and Confusion (T140)

Anberlin just eked by Cold (by 2 plays) to reclaim the #4 spot again. They've also been featured in all 5 lists and like Cold have been in the top 10 for each. Also, Cold and Anberlin had the same song as their most played the last two years, and they had 28 different songs with at least 5 streams. It's always big boy numbers at the top for the usual kings.

 

3. VNV Nation (2)
Top Track: The Farthest Star (3)

VNV fell back one spot while still notching 48 more plays than Anberlin and a healthy average of 35.58 per month. They had multiple songs in the Top 30 Most Played, including "Arena" at 13 and "Radio" at 23. All total they had 12 double digit songs, eight of which were in the 100 most played. There's always a lot of beef at the top for Ronan, and he has another new record coming next month!

2. Assemblage 23 (3)
Top Track: Dissonance (20)

A23 didn't just flip-flop with VNV, they beat them by 60 total scrobbles. Other high ranking tracks include "Disappoint" at 24 and their most played song of '21, "Endure" at 38. 15 in double digits, 29 with at least 5, and all of that being a year removed from a heavily streamed new record. I love Tom and his work and always tend to fall back on him in both times of sadness and joy. For the first several months of 2022 they sat at the top of the chart and threatened to take the #1 spot...

1. Rammstein (7)
Top Track: Lügen (4)

...but there was always someone lurking. Rammstein's new album Zeit was enough to keep them in the top 10 for the third time in 4 years, but it was seeing them live in August that really cemented their stop atop the most played artists. Zeit finished 8th among the most streamed records, but "Lügen" was the only song higher than T127 (Mein Teil). The band did manage to have an astounding 42 songs with at least 5 plays - that number alone would have landed them within the top 15. Simply put, it was a magnificent year for the tanz-metal overlords, as they become only the third artist to land at #1, along with Cold (3) and VNV (1). 

All that being tabulated, we only 5 artists make their debut in 2021, and also had 12 drop back out  - let's see where they fell.

Key: LY. Artist (TY)

8. Slipknot (86)
9. Korn (30)
10. Neuroticfish (T52)
13. OOMPH! (43)
15. Elvis Presley (T52)
16. Teenage Wrist (36)
17. Megaherz (48)
20. Johnny Cash (42)
22. Soundgarden (39)
23. The Beatles (T73)
24. CCR (40)
25. Eagles (35)

There's usually an artist or two from the year before that is completely burnt out and falls dramatically, but that was not the case for 2022. Even though Slipknot would've needed 65 more plays to crack the top 25, they didn't fall past the 2nd page. There are usually familiar names in the top 50 and this year was no exception. I'm not sure if many of those oldies will resurface, simply because I no longer play them at work anymore, but we will have to see how 2023 goes.

It is always worth nothing that these lists could not be possible without Last.FM and The Universal Scrobbler. Just as years previous, I'd say the vast majority of my plays came from Spotify, with bits and pieces coming from TuneIn, Pandora and YouTube. I actually listened to online stations (via TuneIn) more this year, which is where The Universal Scrobbler came in handy the most. 

If I don't see you again, have a great musical year! I'll do a Local List soon and then we'll be back to the Monthly Recaps in February. This is also the 15 anniversary of the Top 20 Countdown, so I'm working on possible ideas to celebrate that.

Jester One 2022 - 30 Most Played

New year, new music numbers! I switched jobs in the 3rd quarter of 2022 and so my numbers are kind of a split bag for this year. I was actually on pace to essentially catch and equal my 2021 scrobble numbers through August, but things tapered down a little at the end. Just the same, let's see what we have!

In 2022, I had 31,974 scrobbles, which is just 778 less than last year. That averages out to 88 per day, and laid end to end is 86 days and 17 hours. Interestingly, that equals 11 days worth, which means I must've listened to shorter songs in 2023...?

I have no real way of measuring that, but I did listen to a total of 13,191 songs for those 31,974 streams, which equals 2.422 listens per song, slightly up from last year (2.377). There were 5152 individual songs that got at least 2 plays, meaning that there were 8039 songs that were played exactly once and never looked at again. Sometimes I'll spend a minute or two sifting through those songs and just laughing because some I won't even remember, and some I'll be shocked to have only played once (by comparison to other years). 

Well, let's jump right into the top 30, shall we?

Key: #TY. Artist - Song (Last year's ranking)

 

30. Plushgun - Sarah's Locker (NR)

"Sarah's Locker" was a song that actually landed at #25 back in 2018, and it usually swings around in times of great depression and mental duress. It's essentially my go-to "give up" song, and I had plenty of those moments in 2022. Interestingly it had the same amount of plays as it did in 2018, too.

 

29. Mesh - The Last One Standing (NR)

This song usually charts at the end of the year, but it fell to T72 last year. In the three years previous it slotted in at 8, 6 and 6 respectively, making it one of the most played songs since I started charting with Last.FM back in 2017. Mesh still hasn't released a new album since 2016, but they're still in pretty heavy rotation for me.

 

28. The Benjamin Gate - How Long (NR)

This song last charted at #7 back in 2019. It's commonly associated with the passing of Pastor Simon, as it was one of the major songs I used to cope with him being gone. I'm not sure what slid it back up in plays this year, but here we are.

 

27. Matchbox Twenty - The Burn (NR)

26. Matchbox Twenty - Last Beautiful Girl (NR)

12 months ago, I was thinking about my all-time favorite albums and I played this one on a whim. The entirety of 2022 felt like a Mad Season, so I just kept falling back onto it. The album ended up as the 2nd most played of the year for me, while these two songs were separated by 1 play. I have a good feeling that Matchbox will be on the most played artist list as well.

 

25. Fleetwood Mac - Say You Love Me (11)

We find our first repeat from last year from Fleetwood Mac, propelled by the passing of Christine McVie. I'm not the biggest Fleetwood fan - moreover I love Christine but can't stand Stevie, but this song always gets a good amount of buzz.

 

24. Assemblage 23 - Disappoint (NR)

I was surprised to see that "Disappoint" hadn't actually popped into the most played songs, as it routinely gets 20+ plays per year. A23 is always a top 5 played band so I'm sure we'll see more from them on this list.

 

23. VNV Nation - Radio (NR)

Naturally, where there is Assemblage 23, there is VNV Nation. "Radio" caught steam at the end of 2021 and blasted through '22. It goes without saying that there will be more of their songs coming up, but at 7:52 I feel safe in saying that this is probably the longest song on this year's list.

 

22. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes (21)

At 21 last year and 5 the year previous, this song continues to be the queen of the one hit wonders. This is a song I hear in my dreams - the perfect synth line, I swear.

21. Best Foot Back - Give It A Go (new)

Our first new song of the year, and #7 on the Top 20 Countdown for the year. It was a fortuitous meeting with Best Foot Back's frontman that led to this song skyrocketing up all of the lists in the last year. It seems the more I discover in our scene, the more I find to love.

 

20. Assemblage 23 - Dissonance (NR)

Last year it was "Factory" that landed at #20, coincidentally off of the same record. This was one of those moments where a song hit me at the right time, like an arrow straight to the heart. Most of the plays for "Dissonance" came from September onward.

 

19. Further Seems Forever - The Sound (NR)

Every year, I find a song or two from my teenage years that just NAILS me. "The Sound" usually averages 8-10 plays a year because it's a genuine bop, but in 2022 it was one that I just kept screaming along to as the year progressed. It's a funny one for me because it's absolutely my favorite FSF song on an album that is my least favorite from them (by a long shot). That's irony, Alanis.

 

18. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is a Place on Earth (NR)

This song has been in the top 100 most streamed for the last 4 years, including being T47 last year. Nobody has a voice like Belinda Carlisle, the percussion on this song is unbelievable, and these days it makes me think of my favorite Black Mirror episode, "San Junipero".

 

17. Colony 5 - Synchronized Hearts (NR)

Colony 5 is definitely one of my favorite EBM/Synth/Futurepop bands, right up there with the A23s and VNVs of the world. The line "I embrace your intrusion, we disappear in seclusion" became one of the biggest to hit me over the year, and it carried this song up the chart.

 

16. Dexter Freebish - Leaving Town (NR)

I love this song. It's been over 20 years since I first heard it and it never wavers in my mind. Simply put, it is my all-time favorite song and nothing will ever weather that. To see it on any "most played" list is simply sprinkles on the cupcake.

 

15. AFI - Begging for Trouble (NR)

Everyone once in a while, a song from the previous year's Top 20 Countdown actually makes a bigger splash a year later, and in this case we have "Begging for Trouble", which was #15 (another coincidence...!) on the Countdown last year and ended up with 14 more streams this year. Listening habits vary from year to year, and it's always a point of intrigue to see a song continue chugging after making the Countdown list.

 

Also of note, we've only had 2 songs in the first half of song that are repeats from 2021. It will be interesting to see where the rest fall. I checked on the previous years and there were 8 in '21, 7 in '20 and 8 in 2019.

 

14. Matchbox Twenty - Unwell (NR)

I guess 2022 was a year for playing all-time favorites. "Unwell" definitely ranks among any list of my 5 favorite songs and it's come close to cracking the most played list before (40th in 2020), but this marks the third M20 song on our list so far.

 

13. VNV Nation - Arena (NR)

In 2019, Arena was the 20th most played song and has hung around the top 100 every year since, re-entering at 13 this time around. It is another quintessential sad song that works to carry me through my weakest moments - a VNV staple to my life. Also this marks the first "jump" in plays, as "Arena" has 4 more streams than "Unwell". Everything before this had no more than 1.

 

12. Necessary Response - Forever (NR)

Another song that swings in and out, "Forever" was #5 in 2018 and #19 in '19 before falling out for a spell. I appreciate Aesthetic Perfection but the Necessary Response album is the one I consider to be Daniel Graves' best work. It feels kind of like Icon of Coil vs. Combichrist with Andy LaPlegua: I like the former better but the latter was infinitely more successful and popular.

 

11. Brave the Sea - The Devil Brought Tequila (NR)

This is probably the biggest surprise addition to the 2022 most played list. Local celtic-pirate-punks Brave the Sea have never sniffed any list of most played, probably because my focus on them usually circles around St. Patrick's Day. That's not to say that I don't love them, but the band usually averages about 50 streams per year for me, whereas this year one track alone had more than 40. I'm not sure what it was that hit me when I listened to this driving to their annual St. Patrick's show, but it definitely stuck with me.

 

10. Ronnie Martin - From the Womb of the Morning, The Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours (new)

This is the longest song title that I can imagine enjoying - having to type it out multiple times this year has been a real hand-cramp lol. I suppose it's equally surprising that a Ronnie Martin solo song would make the list, since he hadn't made any solo music before last year. Take 'em as they come, right? This song was #3 on my Top 20 Countdown, and I can't decide what its specific mood is. It makes me happy, it makes me sad, it hits me in so many different ways. Welcome to the weird world, Ronnie.

 

9. Purity Ring - heartsigh (NR)

Another blast from the past - "heartsigh" was the #1 song on my Top 20 Countdown way back in 2015 and experienced a massive resurgence with 40 plays more this year compared to 2021. Most #1s eventually burn out but this one came back in a huge way this time around, in spite of Purity Ring's new EP not making any waves in my musical landscape.

 

8. VNV Nation - Only Satellites (24)

I keep saying "okay, eventually there's going to be a repeat song, right?". "Only Satellites" is another former #1 and former most played song (2019) that has continued to achieve massive numbers. It was #9 in 2020, fell back to #24 last year, and has once again regained a foothold in the top 10. It is the 4th most streamed song since I started using Last.FM in 2017 and because it was released in 2019 it has the highest per-year stream average (54) of any song. As a matter of fact, it's the only song with more than 50 per year and once of only 5 with at least 40. A true masterpiece.

 

7. Teenage Wrist - Taste of Gasoline (1)

Teenage Wrist took the top spot on both the Top 20 and most played lists last year and didn't let up leading into 2022, only ending with 16 plays less than the year before. I had the chance to see TW live last year and they were just as good as on recording, in spite of only being a 2 piece. This is one band where I am supremely excited for their future.

 

6. Truslow - Abbey Dear (new)

"Abbey Dear" was 4th on the Top 20 this year, while the new Truslow album Natural Killer notched the 3rd most plays of any record despite only having 7 songs, an interlude and a easily-skipped intro. Not bad at all. "Hurricane" by Truslow was also #8 on the 2019 most played list, just missing at #31 this year.

 

5. Silversun Pickups - Alone on a Hill (new)

This was also #5 on the Top 20 Countdown this year - mercy this is a year full of coincidences, isn't it? There wouldn't be another song on this record with more than 2 or 3 plays, but this song rocketed into my life on its release day and never relented.

 

4. Rammstein - Lügen (new)

3 in a row from this year's Top 20, "Lügen" was the runner up in 2022. Rammstein also had a charting song, "Radio" in 2019 (#25) and had a titanic year as a whole. I got to see them live over the summer and it was arguably the greatest concert I have ever attended. "Lügen" is an interesting one because it is not a single and finished the year with the least amount of streams from their newest album. Zeit got plenty of play for me (8th most streamed record) but this was the only true impact maker.

 

3. VNV Nation - The Farthest Star (7)

Here's a song that is no stranger to being among the most played every year - #7 last year, 17 the year before, 9 and 7 the two prior. I'd put it right up there with "Unwell" and "Leaving Town" on the all-time list, and it's the most streamed song since I started using Last.FM as well. It was also a 9 stream jump from #4 to #3 here.

2. Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down (2)

Two consecutive years at #2 for Tom Petty after taking the crown back in 2020. It actually had 1 more play than last year and still fell a titanic 33 plays short of #1. That almost feels impossible, but in the past year this song has averaged a beefy 67 streams per year.

1. Forever Unknown - sad people, blue eyes (new)

Despite only being released in March, this song was a true unstoppable force in 2022.  How many numerical accolades can I throw in one direction? Since I started tracking scrobbles in 2017, this song had...

*The most plays by any 1 song in a single year since I started (by 2, Only Satellites in '19)
*The biggest difference between 1 and 2 (Only Satellites had 25 in '19 and I Won't Back Down had 26 in '20)
*This was also the most streamed album by 30 streams (over Mad Season) DESPITE only having 6 songs and only being released in March.

Those are TITANIC numbers for any song, and it doesn't even count the amount of times I rewound the song to listen to specific parts (especially the guitar solo) over and over again. I don't even know what else can be said about this one.

Let's look at the songs that fell out... well, only 6 songs returned from the last year, so this is going to be quite a list.

Key: LY. Artist - Title (TY)

30. '68 - Bad Bite - T692
29. Romy - Lifetime -  T3168
28. Five for Fighting - Superman - 46
27. Gerry & the Pacemakers - Ferry Cross the Mersey - T3168
26. Echo Image - Walk My Mind - T92
25. Alvvays - In Undertow - T79
23. OOMPH! - Tausend neue Lügen - T104
22. Meryl Creep - Spiraling - T140
20. Assemblage 23 - Factory - T889
19. Apoptygma Berzerk - Kathy's Song (Victoria Mix by VNV Nation) - 35
18. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears - T92
17. Gang of Youths - The Angel of 8th Ave. - T65
16. Assemblage 23 - Endure - 38
15. Wings - Band on the Run - T325
14. Sam Cook - (What A) Wonderful World - T51
13. Nightbirde - It's OK - T58
12. Manchester Orchestra - Bed Head - 33
10. Acceptance - At The Edge of The Earth - T206
9. A Tiger Made of Lightning - Little Birds - T692
8. The Birthday Massacre - The Neverending Story - T79
6. Eagles - Take It Easy - 32
5. Teenage Wrist - The Earth is a Black Hole - T272
4. Cold - Cure My Tragedy - 44
3. The Struts - Another Hit of Showmanship (ft Albert Hammond Jr) - T206

 

There's a few there (Eagles, Manchester Orchestera, Assemblage 23, Apoptygma Berzerk) that were just a few plays away from making it, and then you've got Romy and Gerry & The Pacemakers getting 2 whole streams last year. 9 songs got the Top 20 hangover curse, which obviously won't be an issue next year with only 6 of the top played songs being from the Countdown. It's always interesting to see who does and doesn't, because on a whole I felt like this was a better year for new songs, they didn't just have the full stream-power behind them.

Thanks again to the good folks at Last.FM for helping put all of this together. This is quite an intensive process - I've been tapping away at the keys for over 4 hours at the moment. Also a shoutout to Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, and of course The Universal Scrobbler.