Favorite Music of 2025

Favorite Album of the Year:

Brandee Younger - Gadabout Season 

Favorite Concept Album of the Year:

Derek Webb - Survival Songs 

Favorite Songs of the Year: 

May Erlewine - Animal 

Patty Griffin - A Word

Lucía - Lacy 

Derek Webb - I've Been There Too, It Won't Be This Way Forever 

Favorite Concert of the Year:

Pokey LaFarge - Sept. 25, Park Theatre, Holland, Mich.

Favorite Live Experience of the Year:

Artemis (pictured above) - May 11, Garcia's Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

Top 10 Songs of 2019

My Favorite Songs of 2019:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

  1. This Land - Gary Clark Jr.
  2. Pearl Cadillac - Gary Clark Jr.
  3.  Doin' Time - Lana Del Rey
  4. Stay High - Brittany Howard
  5. Superpower - Adam Lambert
  6. Good as Hell - Lizzo
  7. Given Road - Over the Rhine
  8. Love & Revelation - Over the Rhine
  9. Love Yourself - Billy Porter
10. Sunlight - Yuno

Top 10 Songs of 2018

My Favorite Songs of 2018:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

  1. Forgive You - Leon Bridges
  2. Money - Mat Kearney
  3. Naturally Pretty Girls - Elle King
  4. The Majesty of Love - Lenny Kravitz
  5. Purple Snowflakes - John Legend
  6. Happy, Happy Christmas - Ingrid Michaelson
  7. I Like That - Janelle Monae
  8. Rockin' With the Best - P.O.D.
  9. Freedom - Jussie Smollett
10. Speed Queen - Thunderpussy

Top 10 Songs of 2017

My Favorite Songs of 2017:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

  1. Something Just Like This - The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
  2. Whole Lotta Woman - Kelly Clarkson
  3. Love Comes Back Around - Jennifer Knapp
  4. Glorious [Featuring Skylar Grey] - Macklemore
  5. Swish Swish - Katy Perry Feat. Nicki Minaj
  6. You Get My Love - P!nk
  7. Hands Up - Prophets of Rage
  8. You Don't Own Me Anymore - The Secret Sisters
  9. Him - Sam Smith
10. American Soul - U2

Top 10 Songs of 2016

My Favorite Songs of 2016:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

  1. Don't Hurt Yourself - Beyonce Feat. Jack White
  2. Why Can't We Carry Each Other - Shelly Fairchild
  3. Woman - Diana Gordon
  4 . Downtown - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
  5. 24K Magic - Bruno Mars
  6. I Remember Her - Ingrid Michaelson
  7. Heaven Sent - Parker Millsap
  8. This Ain't Over - Alex Newell
  9. SMX - Sinclair
10. Me Too - Meghan Trainor

Top 10 Songs of 2015

My Favorite Songs of 2015:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

  1. Stay in My Corner - The Arcs
  2. Remember the Music - Empire: Jennifer Hudson
  3. Whatever Makes You Happy - Empire: Jennifer Hudson and Juicy J
  4. You're So Beautiful - Empire: Jussie Smollett and Yazz
  5. Tell Me Now Tennessee - Leigh Nash
  6. Too Far From You - Nashville: Aubrey Peeples
  7. Feel Right - Mark Ronson Feat. Mystikal
  8. Changing My Major - Emily Skeggs (Fun Home)
  9. Love Feels Like - tobyMac Feat. dc Talk
10. Ferris Wheel - Torres

Top 10 Songs of 2014

My Favorite Songs of 2014:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

   1.  Magic – Coldplay
   2.  Strut – Lenny Kravitz
   3.  Body Love Part 2 – Mary Lambert
   4.  New Year's Song – Over the Rhine
   5.  Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
   6.  Lay Me Down – Sam Smith
   7.  Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
   8.  All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
   9.  Happy – Pharrell Williams    
 10.  No Ordinary Love – You + Me

Best of 2014

Out & About Nashville has published my top 10 songs of the year here.

Top 10 Songs of 2013

 

My Favorite Songs of 2013:

~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

   1.  True Colors – Michelle Chamuel
   2.  Disarm – The Civil Wars
   3.  God Badge – Fiction Family
   4.  She – Laura Mvula
   5.  That's Alright – Laura Mvula
   6.  Roar – Katy Perry
   7.  Love Me – Katy Perry
   8.  Unlovable – Plumb
   9.  Stompa – Serena Ryder    
 10.  Closer – Tegan & Sara

Top 10 Songs of 2012

My Favorite Songs of 2012:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

   1.  Hold On – Alabama Shakes
   2.  Raise Hell – Brandi Carlile
   3.  Summertime Sadness – Lana Del Rey
   4.  Born To – Jesca Hoop
   5.  Trespassing – Adam Lambert
   6.  Roads – Chris Mann
   7. Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars
   8.  Beautiful Boy – Coleen McMahon
   9.  Harper's Lullaby – Josh Schicker

 10. Eye on It – tobyMac

Grammy Love 2012

Congratulations to some of my favorite artists -- Adele, Bon Iver (pictured above), The Civil Wars and Amy Winehouse -- on their recent Grammy awards! You'll notice that some of them coincide with my favorite picks of 2011...

Top 10 Songs of 2011

My Favorite Tracks of the Year:

~ in alphabetical order by artist ~

1. Rumour Has It - Adele

2. Run the World [Girls] - Beyonce

3. The Living Proof - Mary J. Blige

4. Perth - Bon Iver

5. Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars

6. Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall - Coldplay

7. Ships in the Night - Mat Kearney

8. Rock Star City Life - Lenny Kravitz

9. There's a Bluebird in My Heart - Over the Rhine

10. The Girl From Ipanema - Amy Winehouse

Top 10 Songs of 2010

My Favorite Tracks of the Year:
~ in alphabetical order by artist ~

1. Who Would Jesus Love - Ray Boltz

2. Shake It - Michael Franti and Spearhead

3. The Immortals - Kings of Leon

4. Dive In - Jennifer Knapp

5. Shiver - Megan McCormick

6. Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons

7. Firework - Katy Perry

8. Changed Forever - tobyMac

9. I Was Made for Sunny Days - The Weepies

10. And the Birds Sing - Tyrone Wells

Top 10 Songs of 2009

NOTE: Before I post my top 10 songs of 2010, I thought it was high time to post my top 10 of '09. I had a particularly difficult time nailing down my 10 favorite tracks of 2009, but hindsight has finally proven helpful, I suppose.

My Favorite Tracks of the Year:
~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

1. That Year - Brandi Carlile

2. Poison & Wine - The Civil Wars

3. Sleeping Beauty - Phillip LaRue

4. Solider - Ingrid Michaelson

5. You and No Other - PawnShop Kings

6. Marrow - St. Vincent

7. The One Who Sees Me - Shannon Stephens

8. Get on Your Boots - U2

9. The Spirit Vs. the Kick Drum - Derek Webb

10. Gentle Hours - Yo La Tengo

Top 10 Countdown Continues

I'm having an unusually hard time selecting my top 10 songs of 2009, but I'm working on it. Stay tuned for my top picks...

Top 10 Songs of 2008

My Favorite Tracks of the Year:

~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~

1. Cold Shoulder - Adele
2. Viva la Vida - Coldplay
3. Somebody's Baby - Jon Foreman
4. Say Hey (I Love You) - Michael Franti & Spearhead
5. Will You Marry Me - Lenny Kravitz
6. Wake Up - Leeland
7. The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
8. Falling in Love in a Coffee Shop - Landon Pigg
9. Kaliforn-Eye-A - P.O.D.
10. Riu Riu Chiu - Sixpence None the Richer

Top 10 Songs of 2007

 

My Favorite Tracks of the Year: 

~ in alphabetical order, by artist ~ 

1. Brandi Carlile - "The Story"

2. Feist - "I Feel It All"

3. Patty Griffin - "Burgundy Shoes"

4. Group 1 Crew - "Let It Roll"

5. My Brightest Diamond - "Workhorse (Lusine Remix)"

6. Nate Sallie - "Breakthrough"

7. Rosie Thomas - "These Friends of Mine"

8. tobyMac - "One World"

9. Tyrone Wells - "Sugar So Sweet"

10. Amy Winehouse - "Rehab"