Top 119 Songs of 2019, #10 - 1

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90 - #81

#80 - #71

#70 - #61

#60 - #51

#50 - #41

#40 - #31

#30 - #21

#20 - #11

#10. VIDEO

by Cub Sport ft Mallrat

Did you forget I am no pedestrian recycling art

I am Mozart

I saw these Cub Sport characters in a café near my place recently, and I spent the whole time I was there waiting for my takeaway trying not to look at them, leaving my sunglasses on and pretending I was looking at menus of the restaurant next door, because I didn’t want to look like a loser and be like “Hey. Are you Cub Sport? (knowing exactly who it is) I really like you guys a lot” because that would be lame. So here I am on the internet, declaring my love for the rest of the world to see instead, because that’s not embarrassing at all. Isn’t life weird? Hey Cub Sport! I like you guys, a lot. (Jo Michelmore)


You take two of Brisbane's most exciting acts, put them together on a song and you get GOLD. Obviously this is what happened when Cub Sport and Mallrat teamed up for 'Video', a track that's as romantic as it is sex-ay. As someone with nothing notably 'sexy' going for them (exhibit A, the use of sex-ay) it even makes me feel a little bit goooood about myself. 'Video' was the diamond amongst the many rich gems populating Cub Sports' 2019 self-titled release, standing out as a shining example of the absolute confidence Cub Sport have found in their music. (Matt Bond)

#9. DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF

by Alex Lahey

You say, that things are spinning around and around

And you've lost control and you need to slow down

If I got any of these top ten songs stuck in my head, I feel like this one would be the most useful. Been sitting at a laptop for hours on end, Jo? Can’t think of any more positive words after writing about a hundred songs in the last few weeks, Jo? Think your writing is garbage but put it on the internets anyway, Jo? Hungry, Jo? Don't be so hard on yourself, Jo. Alex Lahey’s little brand of pop punk and self-depreciating saxophones are what I should be listening to. This is advice I like to give often, and advice I should take often. If only I could present it as well as Alex Lahey does. Don't be so hard on yourself, Jo, and so on... (Jo Michelmore)


A musical pick-me-up, an upper in song form... it's 'Don't Be So Hard On Yourself' by Alex Lahey. It's the perfect cure for those mild cases of the sads, ready made for those moments when you're thinking you have no idea what you're doing with this whole 'life' thing. Sometimes you just need a reminder to get out of your own way and that things are never as bad as they seem (being caught for committing a crime is excluded from this narrative). Lahey has you covered in this department with the lead single from her sophomore album, The Best of Luck Club. This might very well be the best we've heard from Alex Lahey so far, but I think we all know THE best is still to come from an artist that keeps topping what came before with each new release. (Matt Bond)

#8. KITCHEN

by Annie Hamilton

I could try to recreate it

The memory is overrated

Annie Hamilton’s music was my pleasant surprise of the year, I was so hoping she’d keep releasing incredible things. Completely unexpected and now seemingly obvious, she was part of one of my favourite acts of the decade (see number six), so of course she was going to remain incredible on her own. And a song about my favourite room in the house. Whatta dream. So many layers of sound like some kind of cake one would find in such a room, I want to listen to Annie Hamilton in all the rooms of the house, across all the stages of the world where she deserves to be. I’m so looking forward to seeing which room she’s in next. (Jo Michelmore)


Continuing her brilliant run of single releases, Annie Hamilton is now 3 for 3 with 'Kitchen'. It's one of the finest rock releases of 2019, something you'll agree with from the opening distorted guitar that leads into Hamilton's stunning opening lines, "clouds are rolling down the hills, I tell you that it kills when you look at me like that." The imagery these lines and the music paint in your mind, I mean get out of here, this is too good! 'Kitchen' takes the first started by 'Fade' and 'My New Tattooed Chameleon' to another level as it builds to a thrilling conclusion with Hamilton letting loose the final time she prepares to let us know what she's missing as she stands there in the kitchen. Like I said, it's just too good. (Matt Bond)

#7. MONEY

by Lime Cordiale

Make a lifetime full of small talk

Pretendin' he's so funny

I nominate Lime Cordiale for having some of the greatest hair in Australian bands at the moment, but I also nominate them for being one of the greatest Australian bands ever as well. That’s not too big a call to make is it? Have you heard this song? It’s got a 70s groove bassline, a simple driving beat and a horn section half of the 80s would be jealous of. As well as half the 00s, and most of 2019 as well. They sing about the pressures of society and our collective thoughts about money, but the best part about music is that almost anyone, regardless of pay scale, can enjoy rock like this. (Jo Michelmore) 


The echo in the vocals, the perfectly times keys, those harmonies, a chorus that somehow manages to be apathetic and indignant at the same time. Yeah, Lime Cordiale are pretty good at this whole making music thing. 'Money' grows on you as you listen to it more and more And you won't be able to not listen to it more and more. It's a catchy jam that's worthy of a singalong. It will have those toes tapping at quiet social occasions and feet stomping at those unexpected, less quiet ones. Oli and Louis Leimbach aka Lime Cordiale have had a huge year built off of banging tunes. 'Money' is the most banging of them all. (Matt Bond)

#6. APPLES

by Little May

I wish to be governed by something else

I can hold your hand while you wash away our dreams

This is a song I have been dreading writing words about, not because of the song itself, but because of knowing it will be the last time I write anything about a band I have adored so much in the last few years. How excited I was to hear new material from Little May in 2019. Their second album Blame My Body was everything I expected it to be; emotionally charged, an incredible strength woven through every note, all of the songs quickly becoming new favourites and every moment a sense of hope of what was still to come. When I heard they had called it quits midway through the year, I admit I felt a bit empty for a couple of days. While I’m so hopeful that both Hannah and Liz will find their musical feet somewhere else, and I’ve no doubt they both have the talent to make amazing music separately, it’s tough when your favourites move on without you. Thanks for ALL the music Little May, you filled a hole in my life soundtrack, covered it with your own brand of perfection and won’t be forgotten. (Jo Michelmore) 


Oh, Little May. This chapter of the musical adventures of Hannah Field and Liz Drummond might have come to a close, but what a way to go out. Their second album, Blame My Body, was one of the best releases of the year with 'Apples' quickly becoming my most listened to track. It takes some inspiration from 90s alternative rock, both in the music and the lyrics, but keeps Little May's trademark ability to construct a layered track that breaks your heart while putting it back together at the same time. Drummond takes the lead vocals with Field backing her up, ensuring those Little May harmonies can still shine. I could go on and on, but I'll just highlight my favourite part of the song. As the second verse begins, Drummond sings the lines, "I wish to be governed by something else, I can hold your hand while you wash away our dreams." It's a devastating thoughtfulness that gets me every time. And devastatingly thoughtful is the best description I can think of for Little May's music. Thank you for the music and we can't wait to hear what comes next from Liz Drummond and Hannah Field. (Matt Bond)

#5. PARADISE

by The Presets and Golden Features

You and I are face-to-face

While the world up above keeps burning like a riot

I love how reliable The Presets are. There’s one thing for sure and that’s if I’m writing about The Presets it’s going to be positive. They just keep doing their thing, and everything they do turns to electronic gold, or in this case they work with Gold(en Features) and everything turns to…Paradise? I don’t know, I’ve written a lot of words, excuse my random ramblings at this point. I do know if you smash the ever reliable Presets together with another of this country's electronic heavy weights, Golden Features, you get what I think is actually as close as you’re gonna get to any of the songs Matt likes to call ‘bangers’, or ‘bangerz’, with a z, should you be so inclined. Either way, this song is perfection in paradise. (Jo Michelmore)


Not that they ever lost 'it', whatever 'it' is, but The Presets still have 'it' and so does Golden Features. Golden Features definitely has 'it'. Let's just say 'it' is being able to put together a song that makes you want to dance and it also makes you think you can dance when you know you can't. And what is paradise, if not a magical place where you think you can dance and then you can dance like no one is watching because you're on a tropical island with endless drinks and fancy food and you're alone and that's why you can dance like no one is watching because there's literally no one there to watch you. And 'Paradise' is playing. And it's perfect. Take me there now! (Matt Bond)

#4. READY

by Montaigne

And I'm at the edge of the cliff

So let's begin

One of the things I love about Montaigne is her love of the dramatic, her appreciation for her music as not just a song, not just an album, but an experience; she pieces everything together in such beautiful theatrical ways that one can’t help but feel spellbound by her ways. The confident percussion, the layered vocals and the important messages in 'Ready' (and all of her second album Complex) are unparallelled, her performances captivating and her voice mesmerising. She has a long list of influences that can be heard amongst her songs and seen in her stage presence, but what’s most exciting is the influence Montaigne will be on others as she keeps evolving and creating and growing. I will be happy to see where she goes and so ready to follow her wherever she heads next. (Jo Michelmore)


A click of the fingers and beating drums. You know you're in for something epic. This is a Montaigne song, you already knew you were going on a journey. It starts with a frank admission of frustration that explodes following Montaigne's promise, her mission statement. She's ready. We're ready. Let's begin. In the chorus we find soaring vocals and lyrics that show how much growth her occurred between albums. No wings will be clipped today, Montaigne is destined to jump off the edge of that cliff and fly high. Montaigne set the bar high with her 2016 debut, Glorious Heights. But with this year's follow-up, Complex and on the song 'Ready', one of the true new classics smashes all expectations to dust with fearless precision. Her name is Montaigne, her time is now. And we are so ready for this. (Matt Bond)

#3. WE DON'T CARE

by Polish Club

This could be a start

Do it for the art

I’ve had some of the greatest nights of my life in a Polish club. Well, at least I think I did. Apparently I did. Those Poles sure know how to distill a vodka. That has nothing to do with this Polish Club though, except to say I think of that other club whenever I hear this Polish Club, and ‘We Don’t Care’ is pretty much exactly how one feels when one is consuming said vodka in the aforementioned club. It’s the ultimate rock I love; pounding drums, gritty guitars and a vocal that smashes its way into my brain the way all the best rock lyrics do; “For the night I can live like a stranger, for the night I'll forget all the mess…”and so began and ended my Polish vodka evenings. And one more thing. Greatest clip of the year, because I may or may not have been all those guys in that karaoke bar. Every single one of them. (Jo Michelmore) 


Funnily enough, my experience with an actual Polish Club is the exact opposite of Jo's, but the less said about it the better. The band Polish Club is nothing like the night that shall not be spoken about, they are amazing. Unrelated to their track 'We Don't Care', Polish Club recently released a little New Year's collection of songs that you should GET ON NOW, because it's guaranteed to start your 2020 in the best way possible. With a Kylie cover. As for 'We Don't Care', all swagger, sex appeal and too cool to give a fuck vibes... yes please and thank you. We are not worthy. David Novak howls his way through the rock anthem of the year, as essential track for any playlist that includes the word 'party'. This is fun, doesn't take itself too seriously and encourages you to make choices so bad they have to be good. Actually, this is the New Year's Eve jam you need to be playing. (Matt Bond)

#2. EVERYTHING'S BETTER WITHOUT YOU

by Kira Puru

You asked me how I've been

Like we're just friends

You really wanna know?

A groove that begs to be danced to, beats that stick in your mind long after they’re over and words that must be sung along to, ‘Everything Is Better Without You’ is the anthem we all need every now and then. Bold, sassy, strong, confident and so very fabulous, Kira Puru seems to be the person I want to be. I said everything I think about Ms Puru back at number 26, but the thing is that in this song she sings a set of words I would never, ever think of her, because my world is a much, much better place with Kira Puru in it. (Jo Michelmore)


We've been saying it for years... everything is better with Kira Puru. And now she offers up the quintessential post-relationship pop smash with 'Everything Is Better Without You'. It captures everything you'd want in the moment you encounter your ex at the local discotheque, saloon or frozen vegetable section at Coles. You're looking good. Damn good. And you're feeling it. All because a certain someone is out of your heart, out of your mind and out of your life. The glorious feeling this song give you, the sheer joy? It should be bottled into a fragrance, yeeewwww du Puru. It's official, Kira Puru can do no wrong as she continues to pump out bop after bop. Everything really is better with Kira Puru. (Matt Bond)

#1. BETTER IN BLAK

by Thelma Plum

But if I just keep quiet

I'll be the one who's dying too

It seems so appropriate that a decade after Matt started this blogging thing and six, maybe seven years after he invited me to start writing with him that our number one song of the year be this one, because it is a song that somehow represents so much of what this blog has been about all this time.

‘Better In Blak’, from Thelma Plum’s incredible album of the same name is an important piece of music, a personal tale but also a reflection on our society and just some of the things Thelma, and so many others have had to face in said society; told with an incredibly strong and danceable beat, a bassline to move to, a chorus to groove to and it includes something Thelma does so well, a resounding “fuck that” lyric to sing along to, which I can say is so very powerful when performed live. It’s a song of fight and song of strength, a song of confidence and a song that needed to be heard in 2019, a song that shows us where society has gone wrong and which way to head to be right. It’s Thelma Plum at her best, coming from a place so dark and turning it into something we adore, and I only hope she doesn’t have to face such awful things again to make her next piece of incredible music.

But with all of those things, all of those life affirming words and reflections of ourselves and each other, it’s also basically a perfect pop song. Life wrapped up in music, which is the thing that Matt and I have always loved. It’s the thing that has inspired us to spend endless hours over the years writing all the words to share with someone, anyone who has wanted to join us, the thing that tells us all about ourselves, the thing we desperately search for in darkness and the thing we love to love in the light. It’s pretty much everything, and our lives would be nothing without it. Music. Thanks for loving it with us all this time. Until the next perfect pop song… (Jo Michelmore)


What makes a song your favourite of the year? Is it how many times you listened to it? Is it the feeling that it gives you; happy, sad or something in-between? Does it make you think or feel less alone? Does it send a message? Is it defiant? Rebellious? Triumphant? Maybe it's all of those things. Maybe it's more. Thelma Plum's 'Better In Blak' ticks off a lot of those boxes, but that's not necessarily why it's our most loved, number one song of 2019. All those things play a part but, and I'll use this one last time and then retire it forever... 'Better In Blak' is an absolute banger of a track. A perfect pop song. It builds on all the elements of Thelma Plum's work we've loved over the years and crafts a song that will stay with us forever. Jo has mentioned before that there's songs that will be part of your life's soundtrack and 'Better In Blak' is one of them. We'll be listening in 10, 20, 30 years time. Hopefully long after that too. It's a song that will stay with you for a lifetime. And it's an absolute banger. The best banger of 2019. Love. (Matt Bond)

Top 119 Songs of 2019 - #20 - 11

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90 - #81

#80 - #71

#70 - #61

#60 - #51

#50 - #41

#40 - #31

#30 - #21

#20. DELETE YOU

by Handsome

Set me up to lose like I can't refuse (and I can't let go)

Got me chasing you like I never do (oh I want you to know)

My incredible Google research powers tell me that Handsome is the musical alias of Caitlin Park (yes, the amazing Caitlin Park!), who is based in Sydney and crafts what she calls tomboy pop. My incredible listening to music powers tell me that Handsome is the fucking bomb and ‘Delete You’ is one of the best songs of the year. It didn’t even take me the thousand or so times I’ve listened to it to figure these things out. Just that first, glorious listen that made me want to hear those call and response lines and that booming chorus again and again and, like Handsome herself, dance it out until the heart’s forgiven. Tomboy pop, electro pop, pop pop pop... whatever you want to call it, this is just too good. More please. (Matt Bond) 


You know how sometimes you're watching a clip to a song and it gets you thinking about something and so you search for something else which gets you thinking about something else and then next thing you know it's three hours later and you're watching clips of garbage trucks on youtube? I love how pop is a reflection of life and in a hundred years will anyone know what Handsome meant about our lives when she sang something about deleting someone in her own time, because will social media even exist then or will we all be virtual-ing everything and will music even be music anymore because surely spotify will have disappeared and will any of us even exist then because climate change and the internet and this is a dark hole I didn’t expect to be in….best get back out and listen to some pop music to take my mind off things. This one by Handsome will do it.... (Jo Michelmore)

#19. QUEEN OF HEARTS

by Sahara Beck

If the sky can take the rain

Baby I can play the lonely game of loving you

Sahara Beck has arrived, peasants. Tremble in the presence of musical greatness. She is the true Queen of the North (hailing from the Sunshine Coast), breaker of musical boredom, first of her name. On ‘Queen of Hearts’, Beck stakes a claim to the pop music crown, with snappy lines and a hook that refuses to budge from your head. It’s a huge moment for an artist who has been working so hard over the years to put out consistently top quality tracks. Have Beck or the song received the attention they deserve? Nope. Not even a little. But when the music’s this good, it can’t be ignored for much longer. Here’s to a huge 2020 for Sahara Beck. (Matt Bond)

#18. A HUNDRED MILLION YEARS 
by Texas Tea

I'm not lonely, who told you that I was?

It seemed like a hundred million years between new releases from our favourite Brisbane-formed Alt Country duo. But the music gods were kind to us in 2019 and brought Texas Tea back to us with the brilliant album, Röda Tråden, which was home to its first track, ‘A Hundred Million Years’. Do you get the opening line now about how long the wait seemed? Do you get it? Do you? Good. Texas Kate’s soaring vocals return on a track that will warm the heart just as much as it will break it in the way only a Texas Tea track can. Plus there’s horns so bonus points for the arrangement. Texas Tea keep on getting better and better. We’d happily wait another hundred million years to hear more from them. (Matt Bond) 

#17. RETROGRADE

by Maggie Rogers

But heartache feels the same

And I know we've both been here before

Appropriate that I should love a song that references a Stevie Nicks lyric, because anyone who appreciates Ms Nicks must have a little something I’m going to relate to. But is moving in retrograde about moving backward or is one in retrograde merely appearing to move backward, because I’m going to suggest while she sings about it very well, Maggie Rogers has no where to go but forward with beats like these. I can’t even decide if she’s angsty or ecstatic about her state of retrograde, but I guess that’s what makes it so addictive, every listen a different take but every listen a little more love. (Jo Michelmore)

#16. COOL AS HELL

by Baker Boy

I been feeling like a lone wolf

Dancing in the street light howling at the moon

I could make this easy and say just head back to number 74 and read that again to see how I feel about Baker Boy, but I’ll just take this opportunity to also say that this song is one of the many reasons I love music so, so much. Because what Baker Boy does in this song is exactly what music does so often, takes me somewhere else (mostly emotionally, but sometimes physically as well) and for just a couple of minutes makes me feel pretty much something I never think I am. Every time I hear a song like his, just for a second I feel so cool as hell, something that I’m pretty sure Baker Boy is all of the time. (Jo Michelmore)

#15. TALK DEEP

by E^ST

Lying in your bed we're losing track of time

You say what's in your head, I say what's on my mind

Melisa Bester has a way of taking the most important, relatable things and moments in your life and turning them into songs that anyone who has lived can love. Last year, it was... the blow job... um, but this year THIS YEAR it’s something a little deeper and oh boy, no puns. This year it’s that very basic yet essential need we have to connect with at least one person that gets us, that we can say anything to without fear of judgement... our very own Meredith Grey/Cristina Yang ‘person’. ‘Talk Deep’ puts this desire to connect into a charming three and a half minute package that will take you back to all of those moments in your life that had you staying up all night to talk about everything and nothing. Just like those moments, ‘Talk Deep’ will leave you feeling like everything is okay in the world. Even if it is just for three and a half minutes. (Matt Bond) 


Does anyone write songs that describe things so exactly perfectly as E^ST does? I can't think of a song that describes Saturday 3am as a nineteen-year-old better. Ok, twenty-three-year-old. Ok ok, thirty-one-year-old. Look, I’m not going any further than that. The point is everyone’s been there, and E^ST has managed to write a song about how damn fun it is to like someone so much that you don’t care about whatever it is you have to do the next day at 9AM, 8AM, 7AM, whenever AM…I don’t know what you do with your life. The bounce in this is the bounce in your stomach with every word in the middle of the night and the percussion means who needs sleep anyway? When the music is this good, no one. (Jo Michelmore)

#14. WEAK

by Jack Colwell

You say I'm weak, you say I'm small

I'll never be anything but a punchline

So I have to admit a huge mistake... Jack Colwell appeared earlier in the countdown at number 50. It said ‘Weak’ when we were reviewing his other 2019 song ‘In My Dreams’. We (I) make the occasional stuff up with these countdowns, to err is human and all that. But a huge sorry to Jack Colwell who was #50 with ‘In My Dreams’ and is here at #14 with ‘Weak’. Please go and find the video for ‘In My Dreams’, listen to it a hundred times, fall in love and then come back here to listen to ‘Weak’, fall in love with Jack Colwell’s music more and then we’ll laugh and laugh at my mistakes. My embarrassment over this whole situation makes me want to crawl into a hole and never come out, so I’ll leave the praise for ‘Weak’ to Jo, but I’ll just say the lyrics are a real punch in the face and we love you Jack Colwell! (Matt Bond) 


The most interesting thing about writing and performing a song like 'Weak' is exactly the opposite of weak, which is to say that someone who can turn themselves inside out and then put that into a song for all the world to hear is a much stronger person than most, let alone talented, whether they realise it or not. The strength in Jack’s vulnerability is astounding, relatable and so, so beautiful…all the things that make me love Jack Colwell more with every release. (Jo Michelmore)

#13. I AM NOT AFRAID

by G Flip

I am not afraid to do this alone

I know that it scares you but I am my own home

G Flip had a huge year. Debuts on the hottest 100 in January, sell out shows, one of, if not the best debut album of 2019. Not too shabby, right? The musical creations of Georgia Flipo made the perfect soundtrack to get us through the year, with ‘I Am Not Afraid’ in particular finding a special place in the hearts of fans. It feels like a huge moment, a realisation that everything is going to be okay. It’s the moment of clarity after the storm has passed. It’s knowing that you come equipped with everything you need to get through this because you’re you. And hey, dear reader, you’re great. We know it, G Flip knows it and you should know it too. From the opening admission of being fine with feeling lonely, G Flip takes you on one hell of a self love ride. That it comes with a booming chorus and Flipo voice sounding better than ever before is a pretty sweet bonus. (Matt Bond) 


I can’t imagine 2019 without G Flip in it. I have listened to her album probably more than any other, she has been a constant on my recently played lists, I saw her play live twice and I must have mentioned her enough as I was gifted some G Flip merch for Christmas, so she’s also become part of my wardrobe as well. All of that and she was responsible for the ultimate thing my favourite music does, she inspired me by writing some of my favourite words of the year in this song, something that has become a bit of a mantra for me since I heard them, the ones up above, and partly because I relate to the words so well, but also because so often, when I don't feel them, I so need to. (Jo Michelmore)

#12. TRUTH HURTS 
by Lizzo

I just took a DNA test, turns out

I'm 100% that bitch

I would like to thank Lizzo for allowing myself and many others to finally recognise that we are indeed 100% that bitch. Sure, we may or may not be living the messiest of lives but we, like our new Lordess of light, handle things with class, dignity and a new man on the Minnesota Vikings. What? Lizzo captured the world’s attention with ‘Truth Hurts’ and it doesn’t look like she’s going to let us go for a long time yet. And why would we want her to? Don’t be bom bom bi dom bi dum dum, bay. Don’t be like that. (Matt Bond) 


2019, the year of Lizzo. What can I say about her that hasn’t already been said? Not much, so I’ll just say I’m a little bit sick of hearing about controversies, who said what, who wore what, who wrote what, who called who what, who actually cares, is anyone listening to what’s going on here? This isn’t 2019 the year of Lizzo. This is 2019, the year of really good music. (Jo Michelmore)

#11. I LIKE TO DANCE

by Alex The Astronaut

I'm like everyone else

I'm mostly like everyone else

It’s hard to find the right words to do a song like this and the message it represents justice. Domestic violence is a very real issue that needs to be talked about openly and honestly if there’s any hope of removing the stigma that many people face before they can think of seeking help. Alex The Astronaut puts forward what I think is a mostly fictional account of an abusive relationship that goes a long way in getting those that listen to consider all the aspects of what it means to be in a situation that to many of us seems unthinkable. I use the word heartbreaking a lot when describing the music I like because I like a sad song, but this isn’t just a sad song. It’s a conversation starter, haunting and, yes, tremendously heartbreaking. It’s also delicate and handled with respect so as not to sensationalise. A powerful and raw piece from one of the most thoughtful members in the next generation of classic Australian songwriters. (Matt Bond)

I wish I could admit I’d been an Alex the Astronaut fan since forever and this song was an obvious step on the path of an incredibly talented musician etc. etc., but if we’re up to number 11 and you’ve read any of my words you’ll know I know nothing other than what I like. So, while driving somewhere late one night this year I was searching radio stations for something decent to listen to and stumbled across a live performance by someone who had me reaching for the volume button very quickly. That artist was Alex the Astronaut and that performance changed my musical year. This song is the essence of everything I heard as I drove around that night; an incredible storyteller, a very talented musician and a sweet humble soul. Alex the Astronaut is all of those things, and I might be late to the Alex party, but I’m here now, and with songs like this, I’m not leaving any time soon. (Jo Michelmore)



Top 119 Songs of 2019, #30 - 21

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90 - #81

#80 - #71

#70 - #61

#60 - #51

#50 - #41

#40 - #31

#30. LAST STAND

by Guards

We're getting older while we can

I wish I could say I knew more about Guards, but I’m a busy person, I’ve got a lot going on beside writing these words here you know. What I do know is that if I spent more time keeping up with things I like I’d get rewarded with songs like this one, a quickfire journey of driving drums turning rock turning pop turning rock turning the sound up every time I listen. (Jo Michelmore)




If you have a Spotify or Apple Music account, you'd be well aware of the personalised playlists that these apps make for you. Blah blah algorithms blah blah and you get recommended artists you might be interested in. I feel like the algorithm doesn't get me all that much based off the majority of what's recommended to me, but sometimes a song works its way into these new tunes I supposedly might like and I end up loving it. Like 'Last Stand' by Guards that I wouldn't have heard any other way. And I'm very thankful I did hear it, because it's a whole lot of Brit-poppy fun. (Matt Bond)

#29. MISERABLE

by Alexander Biggs

Am I hard to love? With a heart so tough

You could cut me and I wouldn't feel a thing

There’s a very special kind of talent that can turn a subject so sad into something so sweet, there’s very special kind of artist who can did deep into what becomes the murky mundane and turn it into a piece of magic, a reflection of life and it’s ability to be as equally bleak as it is exhaustingly beautiful. ‘Miserable’ is exactly these things, and Alexander Biggs is exactly the artist with the special kind of talent to see a subject so pessimistic and turn it into something so pretty. (Jo Michelmore)

#28. CLIMATE

by Ruby Fields

Darlin', could you teach me to make a spark?

I've never quite gotten the technique down

I’ll be completely honest here and admit I hadn’t heard much of Ruby Fields until I saw her coverage of Laneway for Triple J early in the year, which was one of the funniest things I saw on social media all year. Thank goodness for Laneway patrons and Ruby’s deadpan way of dealing with them, because they inadvertently introduced me to Ms Fields’ world, and her terribly good pop, her terribly good way with simple drums and guitars and her terribly catchy way with words, as well as her views on terribly amusing festival patrons. (Jo Michelmore)

#27. STARS

by Cub Sport

I never thought anyone got to live like this

Cub Sport are on the hottest of hot streaks at the moment. Everything they touch turns to musical gold and we are here for it. And you can tell these Brisbane indie-popsters are feeling it too, going the self-titled route on their third LP. They've found their place in the musical world and found themselves in the process. And what better way to spelt for us than on the dreamy, oh so dreamy, 'Stars'. It lives up to the promise of taking you higher and higher and leaves you with the fullest of hearts. Tim Nelson's writing is top notch, perfectly reflecting his contentment in Cub Sport's and his own current state of being. High fives and love heart emoji for everyone! (Matt Bond)

#26. WHY DON'T WE GET ALONG

by Kira Puru

But I need so much more

Than a good long talk

From the moment I heard Kira Puru with that Bruise all those years ago, I was mesmerised, so powerful and enigmatic it was a spell I couldn’t escape; her voice was magic, her sense of life addictive, her style so captivating; I almost wanted to be her. I’ve since decided I’d much rather be myself, because from my view I got to see her evolve into her current incredible unapologetic self, hear her sound as confident as she does vulnerable in all her material and watch her talent evolve into such good songs like this one. And with every release I also get to see so many more people discover the same thing I know; that Kira Puru is fabulous. (Jo Michelmore)

#25. TEA STAINS

by Didirri and Ro

Every time I turn my head

I see your shadow in the trees and I lose the hour

If you write a song about tea, there’s an incredibly high chance I’m going to like it, considering my love of one of the most comfortable beverages in the world. Didirri and Ro have written such a song. If you have anything to do with Eurovision, there’s an almost definite chance I’m going to like you, considering my love of the most enjoyable celebration of music in all the world. Didirri is hoping to compete in said competition next year. And as Didirri is involved in both songs about tea and things about Eurovision, chances are, I’m a fan. Yep, I am. (Jo Michelmore)




I was lucky enough to see both Didirri and Ro this year, supporting Middle Kids and Little May respectively. Their solo sets included a whole bunch of gorgeous tunes. Like the X-Men before them, alone they are mighty... but together? They are unstoppable. Or something like that, I don't know. Together, Ro and Didirri show they can make musical magic, as proven by 'Tea Stains'. It's understated, simple and overwhelmingly effective with the focus on the sweet performances from both artists that try so hard to mask the underlying sadness. Can you be happy and sad at the same time? Of course... just listen to 'Tea Stains'. (Matt Bond)

#24. STAINED GLASS

by Ocean Alley

To be perfectly honest

You're not being honest, my friend

I’m almost convinced that Ocean Alley could write a song about anything and they’d still sound like they were chilling on a beach somewhere watching the sunset. They could perform a list of addresses, repeat a political mantra, recite a recipe to music and I’d still be thinking of the coast. They were probably quite smart in putting the Ocean in Ocean Alley, I guess. ‘Stained Glass’ is a gem of dreamy layered guitars and a swirling groove which sends your mind to pleasant places and proves that hottest 100 position wasn't a fluke, they know their thing, and they do it very well. (Jo Michelmore)

#23. CIRCLES
by George Alice

You know I lie when I say goodbye

Sometimes I mean it, I mean it, I'm leaving

The worst type of relationship laid out in one of the best listens of the year. The type of relationship that goes round and round (and round in circles) with a destination of nowhere. One party needs to be the one to break the cycle for good, but who's it going to be? Here's hoping it was George Alice and she's still not going round and round (and round in circles). Break the cycle now while you're still young! Time is on your side. With that out of the way, George Alice is finishing up high school and she is killing it on her first big release. 'Circles' slowly draws you in, works its way into your head and you'll never want it to leave. The only healthy circular motion you should find yourself in is the constant loop of replay you'll have 'Circles' on. (Matt Bond)

#22. WITHOUT A BLUSH

by Hatchie

If I could kiss you one more time

Would it make everything alright?

Hatchie. So dreamy. Even when putting her own heartbreak out into the world, and taking inspo from Greek tragedies no less, Hatchie remains the dreamiest. In 2019 we got to hear the explosive debut album, Keepsake, seemingly years in the making but more than well worth the wait. 'Without A Blush' would be released as the album's lead single at the start of the year and our love for it has only grown as we navigated the worldwide shit-show known as 2019. Hatchie's music has been a genuine highlight that's never failed to put a smile on our faces and that's never been more true than with 'Without A Blush' and its thoughts of what might have been with one last kiss. (Matt Bond)

#21. RESTLESS

by Allday ft. The Veronicas

There's a party we're late for, way up on a windy road

With people we can't relate to, once we're there we'll want to go

I mean, it's not the sequel to 'Untouched' that the people demand, but this will do. For now. The unlikely pairing of Allday and The Veronicas struck low-key, emotional gold with 'Restless', a track that brought out the best in both acts. Allday has found a maturity and depth in his music that will ensure he's sticking around for a log time to come and The Veronicas drop the big time pop sound for a restrained, relatable and engaging chorus that has them sounding better than ever (sans 'Untouched'). As much as we all want to hear 'Untouched' 2.0, I don't think anyone would be complaining about a sequel to 'Restless' either. These acts are quite the match. (Matt Bond)



Top 119 Songs of 2019, #40 - 31

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90 - #81

#80 - #71

#70 - #61

#60 - #51

#50 - #41

#40. BRING ME HOME

by G Flip

I am breaking down, I am losing my patience

They say that winding roads lead to great destinations

I never expected it when I first heard this song, but sometimes life gives you interesting gifts over and over and you just have to accept them. So when ‘Bring Me Home’ first appeared in one of my social media feeds at the beginning of the year, I proceeded to listen to it a million times over, knowing this was going to be one of those special ones that would stay with me a long time after that first listen. It spoke to me, doing that thing that all the most special songs do, becoming a friend, one I would turn to in those moments alone with my headphones, sending all the goosebumps with every listen. Little did I know how good a friend it would become, now giving me some of the greatest laughs as well, after Matt and I saw GFlip playing at the end of this year, where we witnessed a room full of appreciative fans lift their phones into the air during said song, and one man lift his light up shoe into the air, waving it with such emotion as the sole flashed away in unison with a sea of iphones and androids. What a moment. Live music is unpredictably the best. I will be forever thankful to GFlip for the gorgeous song, and the hilarious fan. (Jo Michelmore)

#39. SHIVER

by Ngaiire

I'm looking right into your eyes

And it feels like I could die

I’m yet to hear a Ngaiire song that I don’t love, and ‘Shiver’ is no exception, it’s quickfire beats and danceable sounds are perfectly Ngaiire, but it was when I read what the shiver in ‘Shiver’ means, it made me love it even more than I originally thought, it being a tribute to her late Grandmother and how Ngaiire remembers her, sees her and knows her presence surrounds make it even more special than just a simple pop song. I can’t help but smile at the thought of someone’s memory floating over dancefloors and making people move for years to come, and I hope Ngaiire gets a giant smile out of that too. (Jo Michelmore)

#38. FINALLY

by No Mono

Finally, I was all I had to be

Mid way through this year, I spent an evening with one of my best friends in which we both accidentally on purpose managed to somehow make our way into a (not so) random gig in a beautiful venue and see No Mono, a name I previously knew very little about, except knowing that my friend liked them. What we witnessed was incredibly beautiful material being performed to a crowd much smaller than their talent deserved, but while we drank gin and were taken away on a gorgeous wave of electronic emotion and a voice from another world, I couldn’t help but appreciate how lucky I was to see Tom Iansek and Tom Snowdon’s project before it ended, as it did with the release of this song. It’s dramatic and its exquisite, it’s a perfect combination of both their connection and their talents and I could write a million positive words about one of the greatest nights of my year, and some of the greatest talent I found in 2019, but they say it all themselves with their last lyrics; “finally, I was all I had to be…” (Jo Michelmore)

#37. CELLOPHANE

by FKA twigs

But I just want to feel you there

And I don't want to have to share our love

On the hauntingly beautiful ‘Cellophane’, FKA twigs wears her heart on her sleeve and shows her vulnerable side like never before. Everything seems to be working against a relationship that’s likely already over and her world is crashing down around her. She takes this to a literal level as she crashes through time and space in the video that’s just as perfect as the song itself. All this and ‘Cellophane’ also gives you the perfect lines to scream at anyone in any situation when it’s not going your way. WHY DON’T I DO IT FOR YOU? WHY WON’T YOU DO IT FOR ME. It’s the little things in life that get you through the day. (Matt Bond) 

#36. LOVER

by Taylor Swift

And there's a dazzling haze

A mysterious way about you, dear

Oh, T-Baby Swift. You know I only like to hear the word lover when it’s used in the name of a particularly meaty pizza. But for you, I’m willing to make an exception, because the title track to Swift’s seventh studio album is the most romantic thing going around. It’s the part in the movie when Kate Hudson says yes to love. It’s the part of the TV show when Ridge and Brooke get married for the 15th time. It’s that feeling you want to have in the real world (the what?) with that special someone. It’s love. Taylor Swift has made love into a song. Feel her love, mortals. Feel it! (Matt Bond)


I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that this is not Ms Swift’s best song. But when someone has as much fame and chart success as Ms Swift does, one can’t deny that even my least favourite song isn’t that bad. And what does it matter if I despise it, she’s written a song that I’ll no doubt hear for years to come in soundtracks and at amateur theatre and weddings and engagement events, so she’s done a Mariah and insured she’s certainly not going to go broke any time soon. Well done Ms Swift. This song isn’t the greatest song I heard all year, but it is the greatest business move I’ve heard for years. She’s a smart one that Swift. (Jo Michelmore)

#35. REAL THING

by Middle Kids

Two trains and a bus to get home
Sleeping on each other's shoulders

Hopeless romantics, anxiety tragics and the sounds of Middle Kids. What more does one need? Nothing. That’s what. ‘Real Thing’ is a rocking and rolling heartbreaker of a track that puts those questions out there that run through all of our heads when we’re falling in luuuurve. Is this the real thing? Could this be it? The opening lines are full of hope and possibilities and then it turns so quickly that you barely have time to catch your breath. Hannah Joy sells the performance brilliantly, like she’s confessing a secret that’s not supposed to get out. Middle Kids continue to spoil us with their emotionally layered tracks, while also firmly establishing their place as the best of the best when it comes to storytelling. (Matt Bond) 

#34. CHARLIE

by Mallrat

I'm gonna love you forever

I hope you warm up to me

I remember hearing this song for the very first time, listening to those oh so warm first notes and words, desperately reaching for some kind of technology, anyone’s technology so I could remember it forever, manically remembering lyrics while trying to unlock my phone, all the while trying to lose myself in the words, because I knew this one was a special one. One of those songs that finds some part of your life and plays it back to you with every sound, I don’t know who Charlie is but if I was to have enough talent to write a song for all the people I have adored in my life, then this would be the song that I would write.  Instead, I only have the ability to write about this song, which has made itself onto a list of all the songs I have adored in my life. (Jo Michelmore)

#33. EYES WIDE

by Bec Sandridge

And I've got plenty of heart

But is there limit to us?

Manic pop with an 80s throwback twist has become Bec Sandridge’s speciality. ‘You’re a Fucking Joke’, ‘Animal’ and ‘Stranger’ have all showcased how amazing Sandridge is when she’s rocking this vibe and you can most certainly add ‘Eyes Wide’ to the list too. I’ve said this before about Sandridge’s songs, but they really do get you feeling like tonight’s a good night to get yourself out on the town and have some of this ‘fun’ you’ve heard so much about, dancing the night away until the sun comes up and heading home with a large Big Mac meal at 5am to watch whatever bizarre true crime documentary Netflix has decided you need to see. That’s what fun is right? If you said no you’re still young, you’ll change. But we don’t ever want Bec Sandridge to change, because she keeps on bringing the actual fun to the music world and we couldn’t be loving it more. (Matt Bond)

#32. LET IT OUT

by Seeker Lover Keeper

I can see you're struggling

But it won't be long, 'til I'm home

How many years was it between Seeker Lover Keeper albums? Seven or eight? To be honest, I didn’t expect we’d be hearing another album from the Sarah Blasko-Holly Throsby-Sally Seltmann supergroup and then this quiet, moving number ‘Let It Out’ was released and everything just seemed right in the world. You can find a thousand songs out there with a vague message about being true to yourself, but it’s rare to find one as genuine and heartfelt as this. A celebration of the unique with a healthy side of the best kind of friendships. It’s the music we need and deserve and it’s all thanks to Seeker Lover Keeper. Even if it takes another seven, eight or twenty years, I hope we hear more from Seeker Lover Keeper. The world’s a kinder, brighter place with them in it. (Matt Bond)

#31. DANCE MONKEY

by Tones and I

And how I beg to see you dance just one more time

For some, it seems an impossible task to celebrate the success of Australia’s musical exports. But the backlash against Tones and I as ‘Dance Monkey’ dominates charts and airwaves worldwide has been on another level. Instead of dwelling on that, let’s just celebrate Tones extending her record breaking run at the top of the ARIA singles charts for another week. Be happy for an artist that has the longest running solo, female number one in the UK of all time. Applaud a new artist smashing her way into the top ten of the US Billboard charts. Relish in the possibility of the biggest Australian song of the year topping the Hottest 100, from a triple J homegrown act no less. Because why wouldn’t you? Tones and I’s achievements in 2019 have been astounding. Oh, and ‘Dance Monkey’ is a BANGER too. So there’s that. (Matt Bond)


Anyone who hasn’t been living off the grid in the last six months has definitely heard this song, and most probably heard about the amount of records it has broken in it’s chart topping positions across the world, even though I have no idea who or what makes a chart these days. And whether you liked this song in the first place or not, I only hope for T and I’s sake it doesn’t carry the number one curse, where everyone loves it for a while, then groans in annoyance a few months later because they’ve heard it far too many times and couldn’t stand those opening notes one more time. Just like another song I used to know, although I’m not sure whether Tones or I is Gotye or Kimbra. Fingers crossed we hear more from all of them. (Jo Michelmore)