Today I offer up my annual playlist that caps off my look back at the year in music. I find it way too difficult to do a ranking of songs, so this is my way to capture the tracks that defined the year. As always, I try to make a playlist that fits on a standard CD-R, as a way to limit myself. Keep in mind these aren’t necessarily my favorite songs of the year but rather the best mix I could come up with that I think gives a good look at what 2017 had to offer.
This year’s mix consists of 20 songs. Six of the songs come from albums in my top 10, with the remainder coming from albums outside my top 10 but within my top 50. I usually have one or two that come from albums outside by rankings, but not this year.
Below, you’ll see the tracklist as well as the Spotify playlist. And finally, this is the 10th straight year Amy Runner has provided the album art for the mix. A full decade! And this year she knocked it out with child AND while dealing with strep throat. Commitment!
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1) “The Embers” – Vagabon :: Infinite Worlds
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2) “No Halo” – Sorority Noise :: You’re Not As _____ As You Think
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3) “Told You I’d Be With The Guys” – Cherry Glazerr :: Apocalipstick
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4) “Star Roving” – Slowdive :: Slowdive
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5) “Wave To Anchor” – Hundred Waters :: Communicating
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6) “Need To Feel Your Love” – Sheer Mag :: Need To Feel Your Love
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7) “Slip Away” – Perfume Genius :: No Shape
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8) “Motion Sickness” – Phoebe Bridgers :: Stranger in the Alps
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9) “Blood On Me” – Sampha :: Process
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10) “The Bus Song” – Jay Som :: Everybody Works
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11) “Die Young” – Sylvan Esso :: What Now
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12) “The Underside of Power” – Algiers :: The Underside of Power
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13) “Turn Out The Lights” – Julien Baker :: Turn Out The Lights
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14) “I Haven’t Been Taking Care of Myself” -Alex Lahey :: I Love You Like a Brother
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15) “Prom” – SZA :: Ctrl
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16) “Mythological Beauty” – Big Thief :: Capacity
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17) “City Music” – Kevin Morby :: City Music
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18) “New York” – St. Vincent :: Masseduction
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19) “Nail My Feet Down to the Southside of Town” – Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires :: Youth Detention
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20) “Perfect Places” – Lorde :: Melodrama
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A Round of Sound 