A musical journey through Beth’s 2017 …

At the beginning of every year, I make a list of the my 40 favourite songs from the previous year. It’s fun to look back over the musical landscape of the past twelve months. The songs make me smile, cry and remember. I started doing this in 2014 – and I’ve not missed a year since. Ryan has dutifully listened to every chart in its entirety – not because he likes my music. He makes no bones about the fact that he thinks some of my musical tastes are appalling. That’s fine by me because I know I’m right. This is, after all, BethBlog. No, he listens because he’s an avid music fan, a lover of numbers – and a grand husband. And I’m sure all my faithful readers totally listen to every song, too. Right? Right? Of course, you do!

Having made the chart in January, I would like to publish it before Easter. Have I mentioned that I still can’t seem to conquer my way-too-much-all-the-damn-time? Sigh … So, without further ado, the following list is my Top 40 of 2017. As usual, I’ve ordered them from barely-hanging-on #40 to glittering #1 – and I’ve provided links so you can listen along. And, as usual, there are plenty of genres to enjoy. From rap to pop tarts to yee-haws …

40. Chained to the Rhythm – Katy Perry feat. Skip Marley

39. Believer – Imagine Dragons

38. … Ready for it? – Taylor Swift

37. Reminder – The Weeknd

36. Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift

35. Praying – Kesha

34. Scars to your Beautiful – Alessia Cara

33. You’re the Best Thing About Me – U2

32. Rockabye – Clean Bandit feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie

31. Bad at Love – Halsey

30. If I Yold You – Darius Rucker

29. Born Yesterday – Hollerado

28. Blood in the Cut – K-Flay

27. Glorious – Macklemore feat. Skylar Grey

26. Bank Account – 21 Savage

25. I Got You – Bebe Rexha

24. The Way You Used To Do – Queens of the Stone Age

23. The Story of OJ – Jay Z

22. The Man – The Killers

21. No Such Thing As A Broken Heart – Old Dominion

20. How to Boil an Egg – Courtney Barnett

19. Thunder – Imagine Dragons

18. Strip That Down – Liam Payne feat. Quavo

17. Wish I Knew You – The Revivalists

16. Bad Liar – Selena Gomez

15. Los Ageless – St. Vincent

14. High – Sir Sly

13. Issues – Julia Michaels

12. Bad and Boujee – Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert

11. Creature Comfort – Arcade Fire

10. Love Me Now – John Legend

9. rockstar – Post Malone feat. 21 Savage

8. Starboy – The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk

7. Something for Your Mind – Superorganism

6. Shark Smile – Big Thief

5. Sign of the Times – Harry Styles

4. Million Reasons – Lady Gaga

3. New Rules – Dua Lipa

2. Man Listen – Belly

If you’re still with me, thank you … Your reward is Lorde, dancing in with #1, the hypnotic, urgent, sexy “Green Light”! Happy listening!

Music to roll you into your weekend ….

This post was all set to go last week, and then got sidelined by an annoying commercial. Now, though, the music is demanding its fifteen seconds, and nothing can stand it its way. Every year, I create my personal list of the top forty songs of the previous year …. It all started in 2014, with my Top 40 of 2013. I created the list and presented it to Ryan, who adores both music and lists, and was therefore happy to listen to every song. Even the shitty ones (yes, I like shitty music – but that’s ok because I don’t care what you think. My #1 song from 2013 was – and still is, because I still dig it – “Just Give Me A Reason” by P!nk and Nate Ruess. I love the idea of picking up the pieces, examining them, cleaning them, repairing them – and putting them back together to keep the show on the road – rather than leaving them where they fell and moving on to whatever’s around the corner. I love the hope and heart in that song. Real love, the stuff that doesn’t quit when the going gets tough.

I’m presenting my Top 40 of last year later than ever, simply because I have not been sharing like I used to. But I’m back, and ready to rock! So, without further ado, here is my Top 40 of 2016, with links so you can listen and enjoy (or hate – whatever):

40. “Me, Too” by Meghan Trainor

39. “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth

38. “Mess Around” by Cage the Elephant

37. “Don’t Wanna Know” by Maroon 5

36. “New Romantics” by Taylor Swift

35. “Never Be Like You” by Flume & Kai

34. “Vice” by Miranda Lambert

33. “Hide Away” by Daya

32. “Pen to Paper” by Modern Space

31. “Like I Would” by Zayn

30. “That’s My Girl” by Fifth Harmony

29. “Genghis Khan” by Miike Snow

28. “Get Ugly” by Jason Derulo

27. “7 Years” by Lukas Graham

26. “Lost Boy” by Ruth B

25. “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele

24. “Sound of Your Heart” by Shawn Hook

23. “Good to be Alive” by Andy Grammer

22. “Roses” by Chainsmokers & ROZES

21. “The Greatest” by Sia & Kendrick Lamar

20. “Gold” by Ria Mae

19. “Me, Myself & I” by G-Eazy & Bebe Rexha

18. “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber

17. “Under the Influence” by Elle King

16. “Woman Woman” by AWOLNATION

15. “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake

14. “When We Were Young” by Adele

13. “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw

12.”24K Magic” by Bruno Mars

11. “Unsteady” by X Ambassadors

10. “Might Not” by Belly & The Weeknd

9. “Just Like Fire” by P!nk

8. “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna

7. “Can I Get a Witness” by SonReal

6. “Hold Up” by Beyoncé

5. “Burning House” by Cam

4. “Team” by Iggy Azalea

3. “Stand By You” by Rachel Platten

2. “Yellow Eyes” by Rayland Baxter

If you’re still with me – and why wouldn’t you be? These are awesome tunes, right? So, if you’re still here, I give you this energetic offering from a fellow Canadian …. Every time that song comes on the radio, from the first time I heard it to the last time (a couple of days ago), I get jacked up. Bet you will, too. Happy dancing!

1. “Got Your Number” by Serena Ryder

It’s Friday! Here, have some music ….

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.)