888 Archives - Ryan's Countdowns

10. “Spill” – Plts

The fact that “Spill” by Byron Bay, AUS band Plts isn’t a massive radio hit here in the States is a tragedy. “Spill” is a pop-rock beast that will continue to linger in your mind until you hear it again.

I am not sure what Australia has been putting in their water over there, but the Aussies killed it in the alt rock world this year. Plts, get to the States ASAP and “Spill” some of that water over here.

Plts has set the bar real high for themselves, and I can not wait to see what they have in store in 2018.

9. “One Night Only” – The Struts

From the first five words, there is no denying that “One Night Only” is The Struts. Lead singer, Luke Spiller has one of, if not the most distinguishable voice in rock today, and The Struts are in a league of their own in the fact that everything they release is damn near perfection.

“One Night Only,” like all Struts songs is meant to be played loud and is an example of why they are the best modern day glam rock that you will find anywhere in the world.

8. “The Sky is a Neighborhood” – Foo Fighters

Not only is Dave Grohl a living legend in rock and roll, and a lyrical genius, but he also dabbles in astronomy as well. He wrote “The Sky is a Neighborhood” after watching a Neil DeGrasse Tyson video called “The Most Astounding Fact.” (below)

“The Sky is a Neighborhood is loud, angry, and as perfect as just about everything else the Foo Fighters have been doing for the past 24 years.

7. “Run For Cover” – The Killers

“Run For Cover” was originally written by The Killers back in 2008 for consideration to be included on their third studio album, Day & Age.

I guess the problem with being as talented as Brandon Flowers is that when you are such an amazing lyricist, you can’t include all of your songs on your album.

But, after 9 long years in limbo, The Killers finally debuted the song on June 10th at their show at the Borgata in Atlantic City. Speaking from first hand experience of being in the front row, it was as amazing as you would imagine.

The older and more mature Flowers and the guys in The Killers get, the more they solidify themselves as kings of post 2000 alt rock, and the standard which all others have to live up to.

6. “Hiccups” – WATERS

“All of my mistakes
All my heartbreaks
I got no regrets
This time, ’cause
All of my fuck-ups
All of my hiccups
Only brought me to you”

“Hiccups” was one of the first songs I heard in 2017 and halfway through the first listen, I said out loud, to myself, “well, I know what my favorite song of 2017 is going to be.”

While it didn’t quite make my number one song of the year, it did make the top six, and was easily one of my favorite songs of 2017 from beginning to end.

So next time you have a hiccup or fuck up royally, have no regrets, because it very well may lead you to something better. So go ahead, and fuck up as much as you want in 2018.

5. “I Miss Those Days” – Bleachers

The song of the year to sum up your college experience, “I Miss Those Days,” is about once upon a time being lost, but realizing that maybe it wasn’t such a bad time.

With the best use of horns in a rock song in years, The Bleachers have topped themselves with “I Miss Those Days,” as it is their best, most entertaining track in the bands three year history.

4. “Someone To You” – BANNERS

“Shine a Light” put Liverpool native BANNERS on the map back in 2015, but “Someone To You” has solidified him as a force to be reckoned with in the alt rock world.

“Someone To You” is a perfect blend of laid back, meaningful lyrics, and a big, last minute chorus that will knock your socks off.

BANNERS will hopefully be “somebody to us” for many years to come. Someone that delivers tracks as great as “Someone To You” again and again.

3. “Numbers” – J. Roddy Walston & The Business

“Numbers,” about loving and hating someone at the same time, may be the most relatable of 2017.

We all know that those that you love the most are also the ones that you can’t stand the most. Couple that with the ridiculously fun chorus and the fast, upbeat tempo, “Numbers” is one of the most memorable songs of 2017 that has not received a fraction of the attention and recognition it deserves.

2. “Seattle Rain” – 888

The biggest mystery to me of 2017 is how the hell “Seattle Rain” was not a massive radio hit.

The Denver, CO band’s shamefully underrated hit “Seattle Rain” is their most catchy, radio-friendly track to date, but for some reason, the track failed to make it big on the airwaves.

So listen now to the best song of 2017 that you didn’t have the privilege of hearing.

1. “The Man” – The Killers

The irony isn’t lost on me of the fact that “The Man” from Vegas legends, The Killers, is about a cocky man that believes he is the shit, and is his own big

gest fan. The irony comes with the the fact that Brandon Flowers is indeed, the coolest man alive. (I have done countless hours worth of research to confirm this fact.)

“The Man” is rock, pop, funk, soul, new wave, glam rock, disco rock and pure perfection. I would expect nothing else from the greatest Las Vegas band of all time, and the best alt rock band of the 2000’s. What we have known for years is now official, “Mr. Brightside” is now officially, “The Man.”

Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone has a happy, healthy 2018.

Rock On!

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FOR THE FIRST SIX LISTS CLICK BELOW.

#100 – 91 #90-81 #80-71 #70-61 #60-51
#50-41

40. “Freakin’ Me Out” – The Mowglis

As if the song itself isn’t fun enough, this original video from Flood Magazine will get you through your day the next time you run out of “your” prescription Xanax. With a catchy upbeat track and the spot-on harmonies that The Mowglis have become known for, “Freakin’ Me Out” will undoubtably make your day a little brighter.

39. “Favorite Liar” – The Wrecks

According to their Twitter account, The Wrecks are “5 kids who snuck into a recording studio to self-produce their debut EP.” But after listening to their first track, “Favorite Liar,” they sure as hell could have fooled me.

The song, about being in a rocky relationship and knowing that your significant other (or ex) is a liar, but you still have feelings for them anyway, will get your blood pumping and heart racing. For maximum enjoyment listen to it on full blast while driving down the highway and singing at the top of your lungs (while pretending that is not what you are doing every time you drive by a car.)

38. “Live While I Breathe” – The Moth & the Flame

Easily one of the most passionate and dramatic songs of the year, “Live While I Breathe” by The Moth & the Flame is so unique that it almost seems futuristic. With a hauntingly beautiful melody and deep soulful lyrics, “Live While I Breathe,” is the brightest light yet for The Moth & the Flame.

37. “Ride” – Twenty One Pilots

Unless you have been in a coma or possibly on a deep-sea ice fishing trip in Antarctica for the last year, you are certainly familiar with the band Twenty One Pilots and their hit song, “Ride.”

In fact, if you still haven’t tired of hearing the song, I dare you to not sing along with the oooooh, ooooooh, oooooh, oooooh, oooooh, ohhhh part, as I am pretty sure it is impossible to not sing along to. Even if you don’t want to. But love it or hate it, you can’t deny that Twenty One Pilots have become hit making machines, and “Ride” was one of the biggest and most catchy songs of the year.

36. “Red Dress” – Magic!

From the first few notes of the song, it is obvious to any music fan familiar with Magic! that “Red Dress” is from the Canadian reggae band.

The song is about a pain in the ass woman who takes forever to choose what she wants to wear to dinner while her man waits patiently while growing more and more hungry. But when she finally makes up her damn mind and walks out wearing her red dress, he quickly forgets that he is famished and his focus changes from eating to his attraction to his woman.

Reggae meet rock meets pop in this Magic! track that will make sales of short little red dresses quadruple in numbers.

35. “King of the World” – Weezer

“King of the World” is the old school Weezer you have been waiting over ten years to hear again. It is the story of a man who compares what life is actually like, to what life would be like if he was king of the world.

“If I was king of the world
You’d be my girl
You wouldn’t have to shed one single tear
Unless you wanted to
‘Cause yeah I know what it’s like
If I was king of the world
Yeah, girl
We could ride a Greyhound all the way to the Galapagos
And stay for the rest of our lives”

After being a fan of Weezer for over 20 years, I have decided to no longer question Weezer on their otherwise nonsensical lyrics. Now that I have decided to do this, I somehow have an urge to put “ride a Greyhound all the way to the Galapagos” on my bucket list. If it is good enough Rivers Cuomo, it is good enough for me.

34. “Bury It” – CHVRCHES

CHVRCHES (pronounced Churches) the Scottish synthpop band from Glasgow, have been described as Indietronic, Indie Pop, and even electronic pop. And while their latest hit, “Bury It,” may be all of those things, it is also downright rock.

One of the most memorable songs of the year by a female lead, “Bury It” will help you to push down all those feelings that are dragging you down, and enable you to rise above. Try running to this infectious track, and every time you feel like you are going to keel over and die, just “bury it, and rise above” and you will be surprised at how far you can go.

33. “Fire Escape” – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

While the fun-loving pop rock song itself is more than deserving of a spot in the top 40 songs of the year, it is the hysterical video that you will first fall in love with if you are unfamiliar with the latest track by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, “Fire Escape.”

The concept of the video is following around two starry-eyed inflatable wavy armed dancers, the kind that you may find in a used car lot to bring in customers. From their first date all the way until the birth of their first inflatable child, you will see their budding romance grow. You will not only fall in love with the inflatables, but you will fall in love with this killer song by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness.

32. “My Church” – Maren Morris

Frontrunner for Best New Artist of 2016, Maren Morris not only broke into the country music world, but made a name for herself outside of the genre as well. While “My Church” is as country as it gets, even the biggest opponent of the genre would be lying if they said they didn’t find the song catchy as hell. Music fans of any genre will be able to appreciate the fact that the song is about a girl who is so at peace with driving down the highway and listening to her beloved music that she likens it to being her church.

While Morris had other hits this year, “My Church” will be the song that gets the ball rolling for her inevitable progression into the world of pop and rock music.

31. “Critical Mistakes” – 888

Denver, CO band, 888, urges listeners to “come wake me up before I die, and I never get to live” in their rock gem, “Critical Mistakes.”

“I want a house on the hill by the ocean, I’d let the tide wash away all my critical mistakes” is one most memorable lines of 2016, and some of the best use of imagery any rock band has used all year.

888 has come out swinging and 2017 will be a “critical” time for them to build on their well deserved success from “Critical Mistakes.”

For songs 30 – 21 click here.