So a brief recap of what, theoretically, is still to come:
Pop– #6 to #1
Rhythmic/urban– #3 to #1
Non-hits– #4 to #1
Country– #7 to #1
Worst– #8 to #1
3 or 4 honorable mentions
3 or 4 favorite albums
That's around 30 more songs.
I'm in a frenzy finishing up a bunch of college applications tonight, and I was assigned a lot of homework over winter break, so I won't have much time either tonight or tomorrow to work on this.
As such, if Athens was really telling the truth about this event ending on January 4th, I could be screwed and be unable to finish my event for the third year in a row. Obviously, I will post the remainders of the lists, but it is just not the same when I can't express my feelings about my absolute favorite music of the year.
Alas, the year I ramped up my commitment to this event was both a) the year I have to deal with college applications and b) the year the Best Of forum closed in early January rather than early February.
I am not giving up yet, though. I'm determined to finish. I just need to work out a path that will allow me to do so.
Vice is a wonderful vintage country song, standing out among a sea of bro-country hits like an antique in mint condition. The track is both soulful and confessional, and Miranda's evocative tone is gripping. Her tender, concise lyrics are biting. The song elevates in quality with a pretty guitar solo after she sings "I'll be where my reputation don't precede me," a line so stark and candid it took me aback upon first hearing it. The production is an easygoing arrangement, neither excessive nor lacking in any regard, and the result is a song that feels satisfyingly full of both sound and emotion. Writing Vice was obviously a cathartic experience for Lambert, but it's so much more than a breakup song.
This position in 2015: Luke Bryan - Kick The Dust Up
After the genre-confused, highly predictable Wasted Time arrived early last year, I was not all that excited for Keith Urban's fall single. To my surprise, though, I have really enjoyed Blue Ain't Your Color. It is a leisurely serenade, albeit somewhat shallow. The production, which features slight hints of doo-wop and a no-frills drum machine, is pleasant and easygoing. Urban's delivery might be a little bit one-dimensional (and his ad-libs somewhat forced), but his soft croon is able to neatly convey the emotions he wants it to. Overall, it's a fantastic easy listening track that slides in perfectly onto a playlist for a tranquil afternoon.
This may well be the corniest song I have ever had an extended affinity towards. That is because it is laced with an irresistible aura of happiness– something that so many songs shoot for but few can pull off convincingly. Head Over Boots is inviting and chipper, Pardi's vocal overflowing with charm and sweetness. The song has a classic, old-fashioned vibe to it -- especially the fiddle -- that conjures up images of awkward high school dances. It bounces along blissfully, and it's difficult for me not to crack a smile during the rollicking chorus, which consists entirely of cheerfully and delivered cliches that Pardi delivers shamelessly and adorably. Usually, these types of songs don't work on me, but Head Over Boots just clicked.
This position in 2015: Little Big Town - Girl Crush
Record Year is succinct, coming and going in less than three minutes, but it's distinct and memorable. Church sings earnestly about his past and his feelings, the intriguing opening verses setting up the hook, which contains a relatable mixture of regret and rumination. He sings against a fairly typical drum-and-guitar backdrop, but I nonetheless find the track to be more compelling than almost anything else I heard this year. Never sounding especially saddened and definitely not optimistic, he settles for feeling content. Record Year is a story about seeking comfort in familiarity to grapple with life's twists and turns, and the composed Church tells it powerfully.
This position in 2015: Thomas Rhett - Die A Happy Man