In 2019, rapping cowboys reigned supreme, Kanye West was blond and gone, and an eccentric teenager had everyone yelling “duh.” Thanks to a carefully crafted bracket-style debate, SCAD Radio has banged out their 10 favorite songs released in the final year of the decade. Speaking of which, you damn well know we did a list like this for the entirety of the 2010s.
#10 “Juice”- Lizzo
“Mirror, mirror on the wall/Don’t say it ’cause I know I’m cute.” Could there be a more on-brand way to begin a Lizzo song? Making self-appreciative quips while never sounding conceited is Lizzo’s strong suit, the Donna Summer of motivational speaking. You could witness a dog getting run over by a truck while walking out of your mom’s funeral and still be thrown into a good mood after “Juice.”
#9 “All Mirrors”- Angel Olsen
The indie folk-rocker’s grand project thanks to an orchestra sidekick, the titular lead single for Angel Olsen’s fourth studio effort is her most bewitching and mysterious addition yet. Starting gently like the songwriter was in the days of her debut before diving headfirst into a titillating crescendo, it’s as coruscating as it is cryptic, giving just enough leeway for lyrical sleuths to toy with.
#8 “bad guy”- Billie Eilish
After removing her Invisalign, hushed vocals welcome us into Billie Eilish’s freak show on “bad guy,” a baroque pop gem bathed in badassery. Riddled with potentially naughty phrases brought down to Earth by her innocent whispers and bizarre but memorable chorus, it’s the perfect gateway into the 17-year-old’s unorthodox library.
#7 “Talk”- Khalid
Khalid Robinson’s second LP may have been a dud, but its lead single is certainly salvageable. Some luscious synths courtesy of Disclosure carry the Georgia native’s 21st-century shortcoming we all know too well- trying to work things out while they’re too busy watching Netflix to respond to your text. He’s definitely been left on read before, and the mundanity strikes Millennials and Gen Zers everywhere.
#6 “Hot Girl Summer”- Megan Thee Stallion feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign
No Summer is complete without its seasonal jam, and 2019’s choice is a product of the increasingly mainstream hip-hop genre. It’s one clearly primed for Song of the Summer: multiple features and pool party value, to name a few. But while many SotS meet the same fate as the leaves when Fall comes around, Juicy J’s mix has kept the dog days alive well into the year’s conclusion.
#5 “Cellophane”- FKA twigs
The mystique behind Tahliah Barnett took a hiatus over health troubles, so when she dropped her most intimate and haunting piece of music yet, it proved the disappearing act had only sharpened her growth as an artist. “Cellophane” can serve as a quiet sneer at racist Twilight crazies or a cultural rewrite on how we perceive pole dancing in its tranquil and subversive music video. It’s a simple, yet complicated track- none of of twigs’ twingy background noises, just minimalistic perfection.
#4 “Borderline”- Tame Impala
Fans have been divisive over Kevin Parker’s ventures into new territory, though “Borderline” satisfies those unsure if 2015’s genre-flipping Currents should be canon. The spacey sounds feel right at home in a Tame Impala track, passing the stoner-approved test with flying colors. Dwelling on the nature of life in the lyrics, it may be his tightest trip yet.
#3 “Social Cues”- Cage the Elephant
You’re an acclaimed indie act selling out shows across the world, you should be happy, right? Not to Cage the Elephant’s Matt Schultz, who wrote “Social Cues” and its accompanying LP with personal struggles like his recent divorce in mind. Whether in 2019 or in the retro era the beat hails from, the theme of the tormented star is a timeless topic in an age where Avicii and David Berman have met the same heartbreaking fate as Kurt Cobain and Ian Curtis.
Check out our coverage of Cage the Elephant’s Shaky Knees Music Festival performance here.
#2 “Dylan Thomas”- Better Oblivion Community Center
Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers have worked together before, but no one predicted their surprise collab album drop in January. At the crux was was “Dylan Thomas,” named for the famed poet who was pissed off with the world- much like the duo behind BOCC. The pair’s flow plays like a couple that’s too good at karaoke, structured with quirky lyrics referencing everything from Bridgers’ mascot to a Trump meme.
#1 “Old Town Road” (Remix)- Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
It’s not like it was a “Stairway to Heaven” epic, the original didn’t even clock in at two minutes. It certainly didn’t have an Illmatic sense of depth, either. It was the seamless bridging of Lil Nas X’s self-described “country trap” setup that broke not only new ground in music, but Billboard’s chart record as well. While the original surged months after it was released, the cowboy struck real gold when the countless remixes poured in: throw in Hannah Montana’s dad, and they become Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
