The Best Songs of 2019 (According to Moi)
By: Christoph Büscher
Tags: Music, Best Of 2019, Best Of, Pop Music, Year In Review

It’s fair to say music had its ups and downs this year. The absolute brilliance of new and old artists like Lil Nas X and Taylor Swift was balanced out by yet another play of “Señorita” and that god-awful “it’s true la la la” line.

Let’s take a completely objective look back on what I believe are the twenty best songs of 2019.(This was going to be a a classic top-ten list, but I couldn’t narrow it down. The more the merrier, right? Also, every artist only has one song on the list, because there would be a lot of Taylor Swift otherwise.)

20. Alphabeat — “Sing A Song”

Okay, right off the bat this one’s highly controversial. Yes, it’s very self-centered. Yes, it sounds a little like a children’s song. But if anyone can pull this off and make it fun instead of cringey, it’s 2019 comeback kids Alphabeat. Besides, the writing is actually pretty good, so go give it a chance.

19. Louis Tomlinson — “Two Of Us”

His former bandmate Harry Styles certainly had the more hyped-up release of 2019, but Louis is really starting to find a sound that works for him. Combined with the impressively penned lyrics about the passing of his mother, “Two Of Us” just beats out Harry’s “Lights Up” to end on this list.

18. Pet Shop Boys — “An Open Mind”

The elder statesmen of British synthpop returned to the scene with the uncharacteristically boring Years & Years collaboration “Dreamland”. Fortunately, a far better offering followed with “Burning The Heather”. But the song they make it onto the list with is “An Open Mind”, the sleek B-Side to “Dreamland” that induced a much-needed heavy dose of 80s into 2019.

17. Dido — “Mad Love”

As the standout track on Dido’s solid album Still On My Mind and a definite should-have-been-a-single, “Mad Love” perfectly squeezes summery production and a simple but effective feel-good chorus into the oh-so-fashionable less-than-3-minutes format. For me, at least, this was the understated song of the summer.

16. Little Big Town — “The Daughters”

Female empowerment really came to the forefront in 2019. And while often times the important message overshadowed subpar writing, Little Big Town did everything right with this beautifully sad ballad. Lines like “pose like a trophy on a shelf, dream for everyone but not yourself” hit hard. Supported by the brilliant music video, there was no way this wasn’t going to make the top 20 of 2019.

15. Noah Cyrus — “July”

This short track is an exercise in simplicity and proof that complex production and multiple featurings don’t have to be on every single song in 2019. Also, “July” is a nice reminder of what Miley Cyrus’s Younger Now album should’ve sounded like. But more on Miley later, for now it’s her sister’s time to shine.

14. Halsey — “Nightmare”

“I’m tired and angry, but somebody should be,” Halsey proclaims on her own empowerment anthem of 2019. And she’s right — concerning both claims. “Nightmare” marries a surprisingly rocky sound with one hell of a killer chorus and is the flawlessly rebellious counterpart to “The Daughters”. This song has definitely been shouted out a couple of times in my car this year.

13. Ed Sheeran feat. Khalid — “Beautiful People”

Oh god, the moment has come. Ed Sheeran has made it onto one of my best-of lists. Here’s the thing: I believe he’s insanely talented. He just very rarely puts his mind to it and shows real dedication to anything other than having a streaming hit. So when his new collaborations album dropped, I listened to it fully expecting that I’d hate it. And I did — except for this one song right here that positively surprised me with its message and lyrics. I liked it more every time I listened to it, eventually caved in and downloaded it, and — well, what can I say — it really deserves its placing here. For once, well done Ed. Well done.

12. Ward Thomas — “No Filter”

I didn’t even know about the British country duo until this year, but “No Filter” immediately got me hooked. The contrast of slow verses and catchy, fast chorus works brilliantly. And what a chorus this is. Try belting out those lines at the top of your lungs — I promise it’s gonna make you feel amazing. Also, how painfully true are those lyrics? Definitely top-twenty material.

11. unperfect — “Gots To Give The Girl”

Just missing out on the top ten is the latest pet project of legendary British songwriting and production team Xenomania. “Gots To Give The Girl” is a laid-back retro gem with beautiful vocal and instrumental hooks that accompanied me all through spring this year.

10. Kesha feat. Big Freedia — “Raising Hell”

I wasn’t so sure about this upon its release, but then the music video dropped and it all came together. Striking the perfect balance between lyrical message and traditional Kesha party sound, “Raising Hell” finds a middle ground that truly brings out the best in the singer-songwriter. Bitch, we’re blessed with this song.

9. Lil Nas X feat. Travis Barker— “F9mily (You & Me)”

Truth be told, I didn’t expect much from Lil Nas X’s debut EP. But as he jumped from genre to genre and hook to hook I completely fell in love with it. When it came to the choice of my favourite song from the record, the sublime chorus of “F9mily” just beat out the lyrical weight of “C7osure (You Like)”. Let’s see if his debut album in 2020 will be able to top this masterpiece.

8. Elton John feat. Taron Egerton — “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again”

This is definitely the best thing to have come out of the Rocketman movie project. New Elton John isn’t always exciting to me, given that he’s prone to sticking with his proven formula, but this uplifting gem featuring the ever-impressive Taron Egerton is the “I’m Still Standing” that 2019 needed. More, please.

7. Mika — “Tomorrow”

Mika’s new album My Name Is Michael Holbrook might just be the album of the year for me. Among all the outstanding tracks on it, “Tomorrow” made the biggest impact with its uncharacteristically straight-forward chorus and melancholic-yet-upbeat lyrics. This slice of pure pop perfection deserved far more listeners than it ever got, so please go out there and spread the word. #justicefortomorrow

6. Miley Cyrus — “Slide Away”

We’ve talked about her sister already, now here’s Miley herself with the mother of all breakup anthems. The chorus is powerful and emotional, but really it’s the verses that make this track so special. The “think I’m gonna miss these harbour lights, but it’s time to let it go” bit never fails to put a little crack into my frosty heart.

5. Aura Dione — “Shania Twain”

The record-buying public may have forgotten about Aura’s existence, but her return in 2019 with “Shania Twain” was nothing but triumphant. The blend of pop and country sounds is executed so refreshingly that the partly improvable lyrics fade into the background. Besides, as soon as the “all of my lovers” hook kicks in to capture the empowering message of the track, you’re singing along with so much energy that nothing else matters anymore.

4. Kelsea Ballerini — “club”

Kelsea’s “homecoming queen?” was great. Her follow-up with the simple title “club” was even better. Not only is it a flawless example of Kelsea’s ability to look at worn-out topics from completely new angles, it also captures the true essence of nightclubs better than any glitzy popsong can. You cannot tell me that you don’t recognize every single one of these lines from your own experience. So let’s just stay in, have a few glasses of wine, and dance along to this catchy jewel, shall we?

3. Trixie Mattel — “Yellow Cloud”

Welcome to the top three! The first member of this highly elite club is drag queen singer-songwriter and pop-cultural phenomenon Trixie Mattel. With a new, slightly more 70s inspired sound, and a verse melody to die for, Trixie stole my pop-music-addicted heart back in May and still hasn’t given it back. I cannot count how many times I’ve listened to “Yellow Cloud” in 2019, but every single time the track instantly put me in a euphoric mood. THIS is how you do a feel-good song. Also, THIS is how you do a music video. Just . . . just have a look.

2. Alec Benjamin — “Must Have Been The Wind”

It physically pains me that this genius artist had his big break with the not-too-exciting “Let Me Down Slowly” when he’s capable of so, SO much more. “Must Have Been The Wind”, released in August of 2019, is currently the pinnacle of his writing and just the kind of song that the world needs to pay more attention to. The vocals and melodies are great, but it’s the lyrics and the heartbreaking story they tell that make this track so special. By the time the perspective shifts in the last chorus and Alec tells the abused stranger “we can talk about the noise when you’re ready, but till then I’ll say it must have been the wind”, there’s guaranteed to be no heart left unbroken. In a world full of unnecessary, repetitive love songs, stories like these have to be told more often. Especially when they’re told in such a sleek, poppy way.

1. Tayor Swift — “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince”

Taylor’s album Lover had many highs and a few lows, but there’s one song that stands out among all of them. When T.S. tackles disappointment and bias, it can potentially come across as immature or reductive, but with this masterpiece it all comes together impressively. Using a fictitious high-school as a metaphor to describe the political and social climate in the U.S. is genius and a welcome twist on the simpler, romantic high-school songs Taylor used to write. It shows her growth as a songwriter and, frankly, a human being, while at the same time giving us the deepest catchy song of the year. The verses are carried by soft vocals and a beautifully simple melody, giving the lyrics room to shine. “American stories burning before me,” Taylor sings, before she proclaims that “the damsels are depressed”. Then she hits you with that energetic post-chorus and lights the spark of rebellion — appropriately without ever starting a fire. It’s a complex mindset developed in a complex world that only Taylor could bottle up in such a neat way.

Which of these picks do you agree with? What are your favourite songs of 2019? Let’s have a discussion! (Unless your favourite song is “Señorita”. In that case just leave, please.)