So, I’ve been meaning to post this for a while …. First, I had some thoughts on the Jian Ghomeshi trial that I had to share. (Because I have to share all the things.) Then, I thought I might post it after the Grammys because it’s topical. However, there was the office, chores, a massive snowstorm. My beloved Aunt Audrey and Uncle Gus flew in for a few hours. Fiona and Bridget brought home their report cards. Report cards used to involve a brief parental perusal of a few letters and numbers, and maybe four or five lines about how the kid has potential if only they’d sit still and listen. Or maybe those were just my report cards. Now, report cards contain not only letters and numbers, but a paragraph about your child’s performance in each subject – even religion and art. You have to read the whole darn thing, then submit a comment regarding what you feel has improved since the last evaluation and what you’re going to help your child with based on the current one. Your child has to answer the same questions about themselves (both kids, every year: “I will try to improve in math”). And the school always gives you one whole evening to do all this thinking, processing and responding. How generous of them. Anyway, moving on …. This is about music, not minutiae! I’ll stop blabbering now and sock it to you: Beth’s top 40 songs of 2015! (Like I did last year, I’ve provided links to all the songs for your listening pleasure or derision.)
40. Crushin’ It – Brad Paisley
39. Carry On – Coeur de pirate
38. Break Up With Him – Old Dominion
37. Cecilia and the Satellite – Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness
36. Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf) – AWOLNATION
35. Little Red Wagon – Miranda Lambert
34. Honey I’m Good – Andy Grammer
33. The Hills – The Weeknd
32. Ain’t Worth The Whiskey – Cole Swindell
31. Focus – Ariana Grande
30. Take Your Time – Sam Hunt
29. Nobody Love – Tori Kelly
28. What Kind of Man – Florence + The Machine
27. Modern Love – Mother Mother
26. Fight Song – Rachel Platten
25. Fire and Gold – Bea Miller
24. Good for You – Selena Gomez
23. Jackpot – Jocelyn Alice
22. Heartbeat Song – Kelly Clarkson
21. Electric Love – BØRNS
20. Jealous – Nick Jonas
19. Tear in My Heart – twenty one pilots
18. Photograph – Ed Sheeran
17. Chains – Nick Jonas
16. Monkey Tree – Mother Mother
15. Cigarette Daydreams – Cage the Elephant
14. Can’t Feel My Face – The Weeknd
13. Could Have Been Me – The Struts
12. Night Changes – One Direction
11. Want to Want Me – Jason Derulo
10. Ex’s & Oh’s – Elle King
9. Dear Future Husband – Meghan Trainor
8. Clothes Off – Ria Mae
7. Stressed Out – twenty one pilots
6. Confident – Demi Lovato
5. Fly – Maddie & Tae
4. Downtown – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, and Grandmaster Caz
3. Hey Mama – David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack
2. S.O.B. – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
And, in first place, a song I loved and identified with from the first time I heard it:
FourFiveSeconds – Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul McCartney
(Yes, there’s a whole lot of pop going on – and a slice of country schmaltz. But you knew it would be like that …. It’s Beth’s music, after all! Thanks for listening.)