I think we can all agree 2017 has been a long decade. For every step forward we took over the past eight years, it seems we’ve taken 2 giant steps back since January. Fortunately, music has continued to be a kind of refuge from the harsh reality we find ourselves inhabiting, and it’s been a pretty good 12 months in that regard. There were only a few gaps this year where new releases weren’t plentiful, and I listened to a ton of stuff. Naturally some I liked better than others.

Folk and rock remain my wheelhouse, so you’ll see a lot of that below. My #1 song was actually one that I called last year, the first time I heard it live at a festival. I believe the artist said it was only the second time they’d played it.

50. “All That I Ever Do” by Grand Am

49. “Supernatural Powers” by Shenandoah Davis

48. “Ascension” by Gorillaz ft Vince Staples

47. “Bobby” by (Sandy) Alex G

46. “These Shoulders, Those Shoulders” by Jonah Parzen-Johnson

45. “Jackpot” by Nikki Lane

44. “Stay Lost” by Destroyer

43. “Altar” by Sir Sly

42. “Pulled By The Weather” by Valley Queen

41. “Memories” by The Proper Ornaments

40. “If All I Was Was Black” by Mavis Staples

39. “Flesh & Bone” by Dan Rico

38. “I Can See It Now” by DieAlps!

37. “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano” by Sampha

36. “Wild Fire” by Laura Marling

35. “Traveling Light” by Talib Kweli ft Anderson.PAAK

34. “Justify” by Tei Shi

33. “Mi Tierra Veracruzana” by Natalia Lafourcade

32. “Kill Jill” by Big Boi ft Killer Mike and Jeezy

31. “Happy To Be Here” by Julien Baker

30. “Don’t Tell” by Royal Blood

29. “I Haven’t Been Taking Care Of Myself” by Alex Lahey

28. “Flame” by Sundara Karma

27. “Shilpa Ray’s Got A Heart Full Of Dirt” by Shilpa Ray

26. “Guilty Party” by The National

25. “Witness” by Benjamin Booker

24. “Pure Desire” by Sheer Mag

23. “I Don’t Wanna Miss You” by Twin Peaks

22. “U.S. Gay” by Sons Of An Illustrious Father

21. “Lens” by Frank Ocean

20. “Smoke” by Terror, jr

19. “One Of These Days” by Bedouine

18. “Crushed Glass” by Freddie Gibbs

17. “Daisy” by Goodbye June

16. “Glass Flows” by smino ft Ravyn Lenae

15. “Midnight” by The Fluids

14. “You Are The Problem Here” by First Aid Kit

13. “Evening Prayer” by Jens Lekman

12. “PETALS” by Tops

11. “Beat Down” by Mister Heavenly

10. “Drying The Eyes Of The Goddess Of Gloom” by Gloom Balloon

9. “DNA” by Kendrick Lamar

8. “Napalm” by Conor Oberst and The Felice Brothers

7. “Photograph” by A Giant Dog

6. “Pa’lante” by Hurray For The Riff Raff

5. “If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell

4. “When Will I Be Changed” by Josh Ritter ft Bob Weir

3. “Death Is Real” by Mt Eerie

2. “Slip Away” by Perfume Genius

1. “Blood In The Cut” by K Flay