AKA: MY FAVORITE BLOG POST OF THE YEAR! 🙂
In 2019, so many amazing women artists dropped new songs and albums, climbed charts, and made waves. It was amazing see their successes and even better to see them supporting each other in their successes. SISTERHOOD, AM I RIGHT. Anyways.
Top 19 SONGS of 2019: >>SPOTIFY PLAYLIST HERE<<
Say What You Will: Johnnyswim – A song for anyone who doubted you. (p.s. They dropped a new album this year! This song, and ‘Souvenir’, were two standouts for me.)
Peer Pressure: James Bay ft Julia Michaels – Harmonies on point.
Worthy: India.Arie – an ANTHEM for every woman on earth.
You Need to Calm Down: Taylor Swift – Constantly stuck in my head. (The rest of her new album was pretty good, too!)
Giving Up: Elise Hayes – Poppy+boppy breakup song.
A Song for Everything: Maren Morris – This song is tied with The Bones, but this one is extra special because it sums up my feelings about music 🙂
You and I: LEON – No fail, gets me to dance every.time.
RAIN: Ben Platt – BOP. yes I listened to a lot of Ben Platt this year.
Why Can’t We be Friends: Jordy Searcy – Jordy’s songwriting and vocals are just beyond.
Armor: Sara Bareilles – A fight song for all the girls out there. “Poetry by Dead Men” was also a fave off her new album this year.
Leaning on Myself: Anna of the North – vvv good car jam.
Closer than a Brother: Josh Garrels – This song stuck out to me on the album Josh released this year called Chrysaline.
Best Part of Me: Ed Sheeran ft Yebba- amazing collab!! Harmonies are amazing and Yebba is so talented.
Better Luck Next Time: Kelsea Ballerini – Written by Darius Coleman from the TV show, Songland. SUPER catchy and kinda sassy.
Matthew’s Daughter: Beoga Ft. Devin Dawson – Gorgeous all around, with lots of Irish music moments.
Casting Lots: VIA – I KNOW HER :O My friend Via moved to NYC last year to pursue music and LOOK at this masterpiece. So talented.
Why Did you Run: Judah and the Lion – Heartbreaking, but make it catchy. (Their Pep Talks album was a hit in our house.)
Beyond: Leon Bridges – Released in 2018, but I found it in 2019 😉 Such a wholesome love song.
Crop Circles: Jon Bellion – References Stranger Things, so yeah it’s a fave.
>> LISTEN TO MY PLAYLIST <<
Top Albums of 2019 (my top 3 fave songs on each are in parentheses)
The Highwomen – Self titled debut album: (Crowded Table, Redesigning Women, Only Child) — 100% best and favorite album of 2019. Like. No contest. These 4 women – Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby – are incredible artists and writers and vocalists and storytellers in their own right, and came together to make these incredible musical memories. They touch on a lot of perspectives of womanhood, motherhood & relationships that you don’t hear about often, especially on the modern country music airwaves. I’m always overcome with happiness and pride and so many other emotions when I listen to these songs.
Inspired by True Events by Tori Kelly (Coffee, Pretty Fades, Your Words): Tori is in her own genre altogether. A little pop plus a little singer/songwriter and a couple 90s vibes = uniquely Tori. She very good and amazing at what she does. She writes everything herself, and like usual, this album is almost all written about personal and emotional experiences. It’s a gorgeous collection of nostalgia, good stuff, painful stuff & learning moments.
Sing To Me Instead by Ben Platt: (Temporary Love, Older and Run Away) — Obsessed with Ben’s debut album! His voice is unlike any other. Truly. His songs are emotional and happy and full of sweeping melodies and the longestttttt runs. Just gorgeous and also mind-blowing. Run Away was a particularly important to me in my postpartum depression journey. I’m sure Ben was not anticipating someone saying that when he wrote this song, ha.
Heard it in a Past life by Maggie Rogers (Light On, Burning, Back In My Body): This album has so much energy and empathy and reality and strong girl power vibes. I think maybe the entire world fell in love with Maggie this year and I am 100% one of those people. I had a deep and almost desperate connection with her song “Light On” late last year, so when the full album dropped in January, I clung to it (it was also my official top song of the year on Spotify). I was exactly what I needed. Will always be thankful for her words.
Front Porch by Joy Williams: (Front Porch, Canary, Trouble with Wanting) — Joy has always been so thoughtful in her writing and singing. Her voice is amazing and this is such a sweet and meaningful album. I love listening to it when I need to get out of my own head and get lost in some Truth Music. Yes. Truth Music. It’s a thing 🙂
My 2019 concert scene was WILD and so incredible. One thing I really tried to hold onto during my transition into motherhood was not missing out on live music, which has brought me so much joy for so long. I was so encouraged and hyped and obsessed with all the artists I saw this year. People are so freakin’ talented. A few of these artists have been on my concert bucket list for a LONG time, so it was amazing to finally see them!!
January:
Darlingside – Second time seeing this beyond talented quartet. They blew me away again with their sweet harmonies and array of cool instruments. Went with my sister and dad! They introduced me to Darlingside a few years ago 🙂
March:
James Bay – Bucketlist! AH! He was amazing. I am so always moved by his words. It was one of those pinch me moments. Can’t believe I finally got to see him! Went with Nate.
April:
Tori Kelly! ^ Bucketlist! SUCH AN ANGEL. She is so honest and down to earth and like BEYOND talented. Went by myself for a little self care, ya know?
Anna from the North – Last minute concert with my friend Aubrey! Anna was so adorable and unique.
May:
BEN PLATT! Wild!!! I am still sad I never saw him in Dear Evan Hansen, but seeing him sing his own amazing songs was probably way better anyways?! Super human talent. I was in awe the *entire* concert. I had dinner with my friends Holly + Mike before the show, but our seats weren’t near each other 🙁
Johnnyswim – I have lost track of how many times I’ve seen J*swim! 4? 5? I love them so much! Went with Nate and our friends Ryan + Amanda! An Irish band called Beoga opened and was such a fun experience.
August:
Jon Bellion – Second time seeing him and once again, he was FIRE. Grit and soul and passion and thankfulness and everything. He’s so good. I got dinner with my friends Sarah + Sarah before the concert, but our seats weren’t together, so we texted each other our reactions when the spirit/music led us 😉
BACKSTREET BOYS – ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Holy freaking moly I lived my 12 year old dream that night. It was the most surreal experience. Every 30-something woman in the arena was screaaaaaming every word to every song and honestly, was it a spiritual experience for all of us???? Maybe. The boys still have it. Another concert with Aubrey!
September:
Judah and the Lion – Also lost track of how many times we’ve seen them! Maybe 4? We got dinner beforehand with our friends the Ramirez fam, but once again, our tickets were for different areas of the venue.
Matt Wertz – EEE, MATTHEW. 6th time seeing my best artist since 2007. His music has been a constant in my life for SO.LONG. and I feel lucky that he chooses to come back to Boston every so often to play for us!! Nate and I went with our friends Holly + Mike!
December:
Celine THE QUEEN Dion – My mom and I get to see her NEXT WEEK!!! AreYouKiddingMe?!??! Celine’s “Falling into You” album was the second album I ever called mine (first was Hanson’s MMbop 😉 ) So yeah I’ve been a fan since 4th grade and CAN NOT WAIT to see her liiiiiive!! <3 <3
WOW WHAT A YEAR.
Also hi. I don’t care if you don’t like my music. Not offended, promise!! I care if you like YOUR music. SUPPORT your music people and GO to their shows and STREAM their stuff and SHARE their names. Music is hard and wonderful and important and necessary and I might not like your taste and you might not like mine, but we all have our most loved and most needed sounds and words and we should all respect that OK LOVE YOU.