Thank You For The Music 2017

Hi Xiora, 2017 is almost coming to an end on planet earth but I know you are guys are light years ahead of us high up there on planet Mars, literally and figuratively. It’s been one crazy ride this year and so much has happened but in this letter i’ll focus only on the music.

I know you like to argue that Planet Mars makes better music than Planet Earth but this year’s music discography from Planet earth blows that arguments to smitherings. I mean we have U2, Kendrick Lamar, Adam and the Levines, er I mean Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson here on earth. What do you guys have? I mean do you guys even dance up there with all the hiding from humans y’all keep doing? I know we have a few music artistes here that have Mars attached to their name (Bruno mars, 30 seconds to Mars) but don’t let that get to your head, they only do it because it to sound cool. Bruno Mars rings better than Bruno Earth I have to admit.

Anyway, here’s the shit, you know I'm admittedly addicted to music, searching for music the way a crackhead does for drugs. Music is my drug and boy did I get high this year or what? So many great songs these year but on this list are the songs I love as much as the smell of old books, midnight rain, a great kiss, and well cooked Jollof rice.

Beyond honouring their sonic beauty and lyrical depth, I'll be giving short musings in italics on how the music feels because that’s what great music does, it transcends from sound into magic, feelings, and something other worldly (not refering to Mars here though)

Here are 20 of the best melodies that happened to the world this year. No apologies that U2 appears 5 times on this list, I’mma let you finish but they had the best album of this year. Anyway enough of all these talk, here are the best.

1. Say Yes To Life by Gang of Youths: 

Layers of the most uplifting and rawest lyrics ever, poured over a jangle of drums, guitars, and stirring violins that rise to anthem-like proportions, this is how the best song of the year is born. I’m reminded of a portion of Robert Fulghum’s book I read years ago where he said one could find theology anywhere, even on a telephone directory. I found God in this song. if you are not one for rock music, just read the lyrics. If you are one for the total experience of great music, break your repeat button on this one.  

2. You’re The Best Thing About Me by U2:

 Aptly named because this is the best thing to happen to my ears this year. I know I said the same thing about the previous song, but I'm pretty polyamorous when it comes to music. A love song about how we ruin the best thing in our life- love, and how it ruins us too. “You're the best thing about me/The best thing that ever happened a boy/You're the best thing about me/ I'm the kind of trouble that you enjoy/You're the best thing about me/The best things are easy to destroy.” Bono croons. It sounds somewhat threatening, eerily sweet, and all together awesome.  

3. Nothing To Find By War On Drugs: 

Sounds like getting lost in a music festival somewhere faraway. You had wandered out to get a bottle of wine but there on the cobbled streets you found something better, a band playing amazing music, and even though you don’t know the band you rock along, Is the band led by Springsteen or Bryan Adams or an alien breed of both of them? You don’t know, you just want to dance, and while dancing to this great music in a faraway place filled with unfamiliar faces, you find a familiar face smiling happily at you through the crowd.

4. Do it by Rae Morris: 

I want to eat out this song and then make love to it. Rae’s voice is like honey flowing over rocks and the lyrics are the sexiest thing you’ll hear all year. I don’t know if this song got to number one anywhere, but in some alternate universe somewhere, this song is number one forever.

5. No Known Drink or Drug by Japandroids:

 Sounds like the first days of been in love, the madness, the passion, how everything feels new and miraculous. You know it’s going so fast but you don’t care, something within has been awakened, life can never return to normal again. You and your lover might last for only two months or for a lifetime, who knows but right now you can assuredly, unflinchingly, and unabashedly say no known drink and no known drug can hold a candle to your lover’s love.

6. Lions by Skip Marley: 

Skip Marley is the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley and if he keeps making songs like this, he’ll likely become as legendary as grandpa. This rousing song is a clarion call to standing up for what you believe in. Best line “Hate's been winning, but the lovers ain't done. Yeah, not on my watch.” If I was president, I’d seriously suggest this as the national anthem. No kidding.

7. Love by Lana Del Rey: 

Sounds like the image of a young girl with flowers in her hair crying from too much happiness in the front page of a magazine written in a language you don’t understand. You move past the magazine but you never ever forget the girl who was so happy that she cried, especially on days you fill you have that sad-happy feeling.

8. All I Can Think About Is You by Coldplay: 

Often, God writes love songs for the world and then he looks for a human who can render his song as closely to the divine rendition a mortal can get. Coldplay got the honour to do that (again) and they did it so well that one has to seriously question the mortal-ness of that band. Are they even human?

9. Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way by U2: 

The greatest band in the world releases the greatest album in the world and it features one of the greatest songs in the world. * Dies from too much happiness*



 10. Cry Baby by Fickle friends: Sounds like the eighties, and bubble gum, and old magazines in your parents room that teach you new things, and joy, and colours, and a good party in a trashy place.

11. Hard times by Paramore: Hayley Williams and the fam chronicle the sour side of the human condition and turn into sparkly dance magic. Like some of the best music of this year, it sounds like something from the eighties. I particularly love the funky way the song ends.

12.The bus song by Jay Som: Asides been a great song, it has the cutest, indie-est, and happiest music video ever made. The joy this song brings is a happy slice of sun that never sets.

13. Get Out Of Your Own Way: This song evokes memories of their 2001 offering “beautiful day.” Like Beautiful day, It has a message of upliftment, grace, and positivity that rises into an anthemic chorus. Talking about beautiful day, i’ve read that some churches in the US sing U2 songs in their services especially beautiful day. If there is any church you know where they can play “beautiful day” and “Get Out Of Your Own Way”, in one service then by all means, take me to church.



14. Dancing in the Daylight by Scouting for girls: This is the “shut up and dance” of 2017. Great for singing loudly in the kitchen, your room, and in traffic.

15. Dress by Taylor Swift: Sounds like sex.

Other great songs I heard this year:

One in a million by Apollo LTD 


Rut by the killers


Penalty by small doctor


Red flag day by U2

Don’t take the money by bleachers 

Feels by Calvin Harris

Glue by Fickle Friends

The night we met by Lord Huron

Fall by Davido

I promise by Radiohead 


The Showman by U2

Drive It like you stole it by Sing Street

Third of may by Fleet Foxes

The cure by Lady Gaga

Don’t delete the kisses by Wolf Alice

Light that ever by Michael Nau

Yours by Now, Now