If you couldn’t tell from your Instagram story feed, 2019 has been quite a year for music. On December 1st, Spotify users were given access to their “Spotify Wrapped,” an analysis that revealed a user’s most listened artists, songs, and genres of the year and even decade. Many Spotify users shared their Spotify Wrapped results on their stories, making Apple Music users regret their streaming platform of choice. I personally loved seeing what everyone listened to because I enjoy discovering new music and adding it to my ever-expanding “Cool Songz” playlist. As a result, I have taken a look back on my year through a musical lens and have determined the songs that most identify with each month of the year. Although my mere human brain is incapable of conducting as precise of an analysis as Spotify, I think my list says a lot about my year, and I wanted to take some time to reflect on what these songs meant and why they touched me at particular points in the year.
My acquisition of music from January to June was derived from new single releases and happenstance coffee shop shazams. I learned in 2018, after deeming Starbucks my study spot of choice, that coffee shop playlists have a lot hidden gems on them. So, I downloaded the shazam app, and whenever I hear a catchy tune or a cool lyric, I whip out my phone and find out what song it is. Some diamonds in the rough that I found via this method include “River,” “Worst of You,” and “Go Easy.” I will also shamelessly admit that two songs on my list, “I Would Die for You” and “Velvet Elvis,” were songs that I shazamed in the communal bathroom in my freshman residence hall. Hey, one man’s shower jam, another man’s treasure, right?? Anyway, more mainstream songs that I loved during the first half of the year were “i’m so tired…” and “I Don’t Care.” These catchy tunes lifted my spirits and served as motivating work out anthems. June was an interesting month for me because from May 31st to July 4th I studied abroad in Spain. There, I was introduced to a ton of Spanish music by stars like Rosalía and Shakira, which manifested in my constant playing of “Perro Fiel” on my commute to class. A final musical moment that stood out during the first half of the year was Ariana Grande’s release of her fifth studio album, “thank u, next.” Ari delivered so many bops on this album, songs that exuded girl power and strong, independent woman energy, themes that I personally love in my music.
July was definitely a month for singer/songwriters, as you can see through the three top songs of the month. What I love about music is its eloquence, and when I find songs that I can connect with lyrically, they normally soar to the top of my list of favorites. These three sweet songs about love and its complexity moved me just because of their rawness and sweet melodies. August was a pretty great month for music with the release of “Red Hearse,” an album by a band of the same name. Red Hearse is the brainchild of Jack Antanoff, former member of Fun. and renowned music producer for stars such as Taylor Swift and Lana Del Ray. Red Hearse is truly soul food—its words speak to your heart while its beats move your body. Olivia O’Brien also dropped her first studio album this month, my favorite song being “We Lied to Each Other.” September I was #BLESSED with the long-awaited drop of Post Malone’s third studio album “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” an album I considered a birthday gift as it came out three days after I turned 20. Hollywood’s Bleeding is Post’s best work yet, all songs being clever with the Posty swagger that his fans adore. Hollywood’s Bleeding remains my go-to album now, in December, and I have yet to get tired of it. I was also fortunate enough to see Post live in Raleigh in October, the third time I’ve seen him, my absolute favorite artist, live.
My musical selections for October and November indicate a return to smaller singer/songwriters. “Prom Queen” and “Lose You to Love Me” are both powerful yet simple emotional ballads about insecurity, love, and loss that struck me upon first listen. November’s music is definitely more upbeat and a tad bit more alternative with dreamy songs like “Dreamer,” aptly named, and “The Wave” yet also upbeat anthems like “Someone to You.” All of those songs were ones that I heard from either friends, social media, or movies that sparked my interest. Finally, we round out the year in the very best way with music from two of my favorite artists: The Weeknd and Harry Styles. I have to admit, I have been a fan of Harry Styles since his One Direction days, and let’s just say my love for him has remained steadfast. Harry’s album “Fine Line” is his second studio album, my favorite of the two, and it’s only been out for a day. While his first album was more folksy and alternative, “Fine Line” shows a more theatrical, campy side of Styles that he, himself, has increasingly embraced over the years. My favorite song on the album is “Falling,” a beautifully tragic ballad about his ruining of a relationship poetically translated into song. December has also been a month in which I have and will have the opportunity to see artists who have appeared on my list live. On December 1st, I attended the Ariana Grande Sweetener World Tour with my best friend, and, needless to say, we jammed out all night. Additionally, on December 19th, I am travelling to Sacramento to see Jack Antanoff’s official band, Bleachers, perform some of their new, unreleased music which I cannot wait for.
All in all, my DIY Spotify Wrapped has been so fun to create and has made me reflect on my 2019 in a new way. I’m someone who gets really invested in music and uses it as a way to understand how I feel. Connecting with songs is therapeutic and relaxing to me, as it provides an escape from the world and a retreat to the imagination. Below, you’ll find my full list of songs, and I encourage you to give them a listen if you haven’t already heard them. Here’s to 2019 and the songs that made it rock!
January: “i’m so tired…”- Lauv & Troye Sivan, “7 Rings”- Ariana Grande, “Your Love”- HAERTS, “I Would Die for You”- Miley Cyrus
February: “NASA”- Ariana Grande, “Nostalgia” – MØ
March: “Weight in Gold”- Gallant, “Shallow”- Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
April: “River”- Leon Bridges, “Velvet Elvis”- Kacey Musgraves
May: “Worst of You”- Maisie Peters, “Go Easy”- Matt Maeson
June: “I Don’t Care”- Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber, “Paradise”- Bazzi, “Perro Fiel”- Shakira
July: “Either You Love Me or You Don’t” -Plested, “Wasn’t Expecting That”- Jamie Lawson, “Angel”- Finneas
August: “Everybody Wants You”- Red Hearse, “Half Love”- Red Hearse, “We Lied to Each Other”- Olivia O’Brien, Anything by Queen
September: “Hollywood’s Bleeding” album- Post Malone, “Lover”- Taylor Swift
October: “Prom Queen”- Catie Turner, “Lose You to Love Me”- Selena Gomez
November: “Dreamer”- The Head and the Heart, “The Wave”- Colouring, “Someone to You”- BANNERS, “Golden Dandelions”- Barns Courtney
December: “Fine Line” album- Harry Styles, “Heartless”- The Weeknd