Good Charlotte Archives - Ryan's Countdowns

To any music fan, the best part about the end of every year is not holidays, vacations, or time spent with family and loved ones: it is the end of the year music countdowns. This year, to commemorate the 8th year of Ryan’s Countdown’s “Best Songs of the Year” there will once again be a Top 100 Songs of 2017 Countdown.

Top 100 Songs of 2016 Countdown
Top 100 Songs of 2015 Countdown

Each list of 10 songs will be released every few days throughout the month of December, until the reveal of the #1 Song of 2017.

While the majority of the Top 100 Songs of the Year are all rock based, there is still a wide array of sub-genres represented in this years countdown. The list is littered with alt-rock songs, including indie rock and folk rock. There is, however, also a significant showing of pop-rock, country-rock, hard rock, and even a dusting of electric rock songs.

Certainly the lines of what is considered “Rock” may be blurred, but each of these listener friendly songs, were either released in 2017, or released in 2016, but gained notoriety in 2017.

Please feel free to chime in (comments section) and let me know whether or not you agree with my well thought out, carefully selected, and correct choices. Enjoy the countdown, and Happy Holidays!

100. “Live in the Moment” – Portugal. The Man

“Live in the Moment,” the latest single from Portugal. The Man’s eighth studio album, Woodstock is a rock sing-along that is sure to get the party started, and a reminder that life is short, so make the best of the time that you have.

99. “Hideaway” – Dan Owen

“Hideaway,” the soulful, bluesy rock track from up and coming UK artist, Dan Owen, has enough passion and grit to fill an arena the size of Rhode Island. Expect big things from this guy in 2018.

98. “Suit And Jacket” – Judah and the Lion

“Suit and Jacket” is about wanting to live life to the fullest despite time going by and everyone getting older. “We can not control the time we die, but we can control what we do with the time here,” says Judah.

Who hasn’t wished time would slow the hell down and ease up on us every now and then?

97. “Down” – Marian Hill

Despite teetering on the verge of being overplayed for a few months in the spring, I am still very much down-da-da-down-da-da-down with this catchy as hell track from the Philadelphia duo.

96. “The Way You Used To Do” – Queens of the Stone Age

I’m pretty sure the makers of Guitar Hero are giddy with excitement every time Queens of the Stone Age release a new hit. I’m not sure if Guitar Hero is still a thing, but if it is, when the next version is released you can fully expect to spend countless hours trying to get past the guitar solo of this song before throwing your plastic guitar into your flatscreen TV and giving up on life altogether.

95. “Slow Hands” – Niall Horan

Since when has Marvin Gaye become a blonde haired, blue eyed, British twenty-something?

It seems as though One Direction was very good to the young lads in the UK boy band, especially when it came to teaching them how to write the most sensual songs since “Let’s Get It On.”

94. “She Said” – Sundara Karma

To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what this song is about. It kind of hurts my brain to even think about it. I am picking up on some “Somebody told me you had a boyfriend, who looks like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year” vibes from The Killers. And comparing anything to The Killers is about the highest musical compliment I know how to give.

93. “War” – Good Charlotte

Just in case you may have thought that the killer track “Makeshift Love” was a fluke back in 2015, Good Charlotte gave us a swift kick to the balls this year and reminded us that they still haven’t gone anywhere. “War” is proof that the Madden brothers have grown up, but still know how to rock out just as hard as they used to.

92. “Everything Now” – Arcade Fire

I totally understand that “Everything Now” may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I don’t think I have ever disliked anything as much as this Spin contributor hates this entire album.

For me, I find “Everything Now” nearly impossible to not sing along with. It is fun, upbeat, and a perfectly enjoyable song to listen to while driving down the highway with the top rolled down. Also, its damn near impossible to mess up on the lyrics for like 85% of the song, so sing along in confidence, my friends.

91. “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” – MISSIO

As if

just the thought of the bottom of the deep blue sea isn’t creepy enough for you, MISSIO made sure that you would have nightmares after watching their horrifying video for the dark, bone-chilling follow up to their breakout hit “Middle Fingers.”

Showing a completely different side than the catchy “Middle Fingers,” MISSIO has proven this year that they are not a one-tick pony. They are a band to keep your eyes and ears on in 2018.

Songs 90-81

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Songs 100 – 91 Songs 90-81 Songs 80-71 Songs 70-61 Songs 60-51 Songs 50-41 Songs 40-31

30. Buy Me a Boat, Chris Janson

You know the old saying that money can’t buy happiness. Chris Janson is well aware of it. But, he doesn’t care, he still wants it. Because what money can do, is buy you a boat, a truck, and a huge cooler filled up with ice cold beers.

In one of the most clever country songs of the year, Chris Janson disproves the old saying, and goes to show that money can buy happiness. It is a country song in every sense of the term, but even country haters will get a kick out of Janson, and his brilliant outlook on money and life.

29. Kiss This, The Struts

The Struts are a rock band from Derby, England, and have had a massive year expanding their fandom to the States with their hit “Could’ve Been Me” which was released way back in 2013 in the UK, and not until the summer of 2015 in the States.

The band has dubbed their style as “glamorous indie rock and roll” in reference to The Killers song by the same name (which is itself a must hear track.)

“Kiss This” is a hard core rock and roll track. It is so full on rock that it almost comes across as scary, which is what rock and roll is meant to be. If Freddie Mercury was still alive, he would be lead singer, Luke Spiller, which is meant as a massive compliment to both men. “Kiss This” will get your fists pumping and ready to take on the world.

Who will love this track? Fans of The Darkness, Stone Temple Pilots, Against Me! and classic rock lovers.

28. Beautiful Life, Nick Fradiani

Nick Fradiani, winner of the penultimate season of American Idol may not become one of the more successful Idol winners of all time. But, his coronation song for season 14 is certainly one of the best in the show’s history.

27. The Wolf, Mumford & Sons

Nothing could make “The Wolf” more perfect. Expect a video featuring the guys of Mumford and Sons running around Bonnaroo music festival dressed as a chicken, fox, Robin Hood, and a bride. This is the most fun we have seen Mumford and Sons have, and it makes them even more likable than they already were.

“The Wolf” continues the pattern of a more rock sound that they band was searching for on the latest album, Wilder Mind.

26. America’s Sweetheart, Elle King

Unless you have been in a coma for the past six months, you are probably quite familiar with Elle King and her breakout hit of the summer, “Exes and Ohs.” Being the real life daughter of Rob Schneider may have left some wondering if her father’s connections has helped Elle launch her music career, but after “America’s Sweetheart” Elle confirmed that she is not a one-hit wonder, and is a bonafide rock star, regardless of her dad being Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.

In “America’s Sweetheart” Elle shares with the world all of her imperfections, and flaws. She drinks too much, has a chip in her front tooth, and has awful tattoos. Elle breaks boys’ hearts, and couldn’t care less. She is unapologetic for who she is, and does not care what the world thinks of her, because she has never claimed to be America’s sweetheart.

“What do you want from me? I’m not America’s sweetheart
So beat the drum with me, I’m not America’s sweetheart
Well, they say I’m too loud for this town
So I lit a match and burned it down
What do you want from me, I’m not America’s sweetheart
But you love me anyway”

BUT, despite all of her traits, and her inability to play the role of America’s sweetheart, Elle promises that we are going to love her anyway, and she could not be any more right. She is certainly not “America’s Sweetheart”, but America has fallen in love with Elle King.

25. Crash and Burn, Thomas Rhett

Perhaps the least country, country song of the year goes to “Crash and Burn” by Thomas Rhett. You can define it however you want; country, pop, rock, funk, soul, r&b, etc., but there is no denying that it is fantastic.

Rhett, son of country star Rhett Atkins, has had his breakout year in 2015, releasing “Crash and Burn” and more recently, the wildly successful “Die a Happy Man.”

Cupid would crash and burn into the ground if he could hear this song about failed relationships, which is the complete opposite of “Die a Happy Man.” Possibly Rhett realized that if he wants a nice Valentines Day gift he better release a follow up to the anti-relationship anthem. I am sure I am not alone when I say that I can not wait to see what this guy comes up with next.

24. High, Young Rising Sons

If you know this song, and do not sing alone with it each and every time you hear it, than you are a much better man (or woman) than I. Even if I am tired, or in a sour mood, in a classroom full of students, or at the gym, I do not have the will power to not sing along. It is catchier than the Bubonic plague in 14th century Asia.

Next time you’re having a bad day, play this pick-me-up from Jersey boys, Young Rising Sons, and you will quickly be reminded that without the lows, you would never have the highhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeiiiiiii.

23. Makeshift Love, Good Charlotte

There were a lot of surprises in music in 2015, but maybe none more shocking than Good Charlotte returning after years of hiatus and releasing their best song in a decade, “Makeshift Love.”

The Madden Brothers and Co. have channeled their inner Weezer for the music video, which features numerous text message alert noises, which have tricked me every single time I have listened to the song.

If “Makeshift Love” is any indication about what their new album will sound like, expect to see some Good Charlotte tunes in the top 20 songs of 2016.

22. Things Happen, Dawes

No band in music today can harmonize quite like Dawes, and no frontman has a more soothing voice than Taylor Goldsmith. One of the most underrated bands of the decade, Dawes, released their fourth studio album this summer, titled All Your Favorite Bands, and “Things Happen” was their first single off the album.

Despite the bands folkiness and laid back demeanor, Dawes has a tendency to have some epic songs, and “Things Happen” is one of them. Second to none, their songs tell stories, and Dawes is a band that can tell the most beautiful stories that you never tire of hearing.

21. Sing It All Away, Walk Off The Earth

I don’t just listen to “Sing It All Away”, I actually feel “Sing It All Away.” The repeat button is always on when this track plays. Walk Off the Earth have got to be the coolest, laid back band in music today. Who knew that Canadians could be so cool?

“Sing It All Away” is about going to a bar with your buddies to forget about all your troubles. Is it even humanly possible to sing it all away at karaoke while throwing back some beers with your friends and still be weighed down by daily burdens? I certainly don’t think so.

“Oh oh oh
Sing it all away, sing it all away my darlings

I know a place that will take you away
Your troubles no longer remain from the day
I found a love there it’s hard to escape
It cures me at night, but it hurts when I wake

There’s no judge and the jury’s at bay
‘Cause this is our house where melodies play
If worries still linger my friends and I say
Top up your cup and let’s sing it all away”

Walk Off the Earth, if you are ever in New England and feel the need to sing it all away, I know a guy that will close the bar down with you.