Guest List Week: Megan's Best of 2015

[Guest List Week heads to Chicago, and an eclectic list from Megan Swidler! It's also the first Guest List Week appearance for an up-and-coming Canadian singer-songwriter named Justin Bieber. Will this be the last we hear from Mr. Bieber? Only time will tell.]

So this year was weird. Would never have dreamt that I would try to buy Miley Cyrus concert tickets, know every word to a Drake song, or add Justin Bieber to my Spotify playlist. All these things actually did happen and I will just have to deal with it. But, despite dabbling in Top 40 this year, I have to say I was most impressed by The Waterfall, the brilliant, flawless effort by my homies My Morning Jacket. Wish I could list more than just one from the album but that would be boring. So, here are my 10 favorite tracks from 2015, a really really really fun year in music. 

(1) My Morning Jacket - "Spring (Among the Living)" 

I hate using the word “epic” but this is pretty much the textbook definition of an epic song. I even remember when and where I was when I heard it for the first time…yeah it’s like that. And even better live. “Spring” is my #1 this year, give yourself a listen. 

(2) FKA Twigs - "In Time" 

Twigs is my Beyonce. The queen T. Obsessed with everything she does but "In Time" was my fave from her EP. The music video is a throwback to 90s R&B and IS AMAZING. 

(3) Tame Impala – "The Less I Know The Better" 

Kevin Parker’s music makes me wanna do drugs all the time. This song is funky fresh and has one of the best bass lines I’ve heard in some time. 

(4) Jamie XX – "Loud Places" 

The whole album is great but "Loud Places" did for me this year what "Crystalised" did for me in 2009. Going solo never worked out so good. 

(5) Hot Chip – "Huarache Lights" 

What would a top 10 list be for me without a Hot Chip track? Not gonna lie, Why Make Sense? was not my favorite this year but "Huarache Lights" is everything I want a Hot Chip song to be. Totally infectious and dance party gold. 

(6) Justin Bieber – "Sorry"

Sorry I'm not sorry! THIS SONG IS SO FUCKING GOOD. 

(7) Future – "Fuck Up Some Commas" 

I usually don’t get the rap thing but I totally get Future. Shit is DARK. Me likey! I feel so cool listening to "Fuck Up Some Commas" while I’m walking through the city, I really do. 

(8) Foals – "What Went Down" 

Foals is my heart and soul but, like Hot Chip, I didn’t love what they put out this year. However. "What Went Down" is my kinda song. It is seriously what I would write and perform and do if I had any talent whatsoever. Super heavy but gorgeous. Great tune. 

(9) Matthew E. White - "Rock & Roll is Cold"

This was a super random song that I found playing around in Spotify and it is seriously so good I don’t know why it wasn’t like "song of the summer" or something like that. It has that vintage feel that makes me smile and probably really awkward looking when I’m on the bus. 

(10) Vulfpeck – "Christmas in LA"

I really didn’t understand this song the first time I heard it. Is it a children’s song from the 70’s? Is it a jingle from a commercial I’ve never seen bc I don’t watch television? Nope, it’s a bunch of white dudes that do funk better than most other kinds of dudes. (winky smiley face). INSTANT CHRISTMAS CLASSIC!