Class of 2024: The Songs

Top 5 Songs of the Year

So here’s another entry into my Class of 2024 series. For my others go here:

Top 40 Albums of the Year

The Honorable Mentions

For this entry, as the title and subtitle suggest, I am doing songs that were released in 2024.

I can’t recall the last time I have done a top songs of the year list, if I ever have. In any case, if it isn’t already blatantly obvious, this is a list of my favorite songs of the year. Most of these came from albums that appeared on my top albums of the year list but one of them did not.

So without further jabber jibber, here are my top 5 favorite songs of the year.

5. Second Skin - Nada Surf
This song comes from the album Moon Mirror which was released in September by New West Records. It is the opening track to the album. Nada Surf is based out of New York City. The last album that they released was Never Not Together in 2020. To be honest, I didn’t even know that this band was still around until this album popped up on a playlist of mine somewhere.

4. One Man Holds the World Hostage - John Moreland
This song is from John’s new album Visitor. Visitor was released in April by Old Omens/Thirty Tigers Records. The last album that John put out was in 2022 and that was Birds in the Ceiling. I actually don’t remember listening to that album (but I’m sure I did). Visitor, in my humble opinion, is the best thing he has put out since 2013s In the Throes.

3. Tell Me - MakeWar
”Tell Me” is from Brooklyn, New York’s MakeWar and comes off their June LP A Paradoxical Theory of Change. This album was released by Fat Wreck Records. This was the first single from the album and it (the single) was released back in April.

2. All In My Head - The Linda Lindas
The Linda Lindas are from Los Angeles, California. “All In My Head” comes from their album No Obligation which was released by Epitaph Records in October. No Obligation was #9 on my top albums of the year list.

1. One More Shot - Chuck Ragan
My #1 song of the year comes, coincidentally (or maybe not coincidentally) from my #1 album of the year which was Chuck Ragan’s Love & Lore. If you are aren’t familiar with Mr. Ragan, he is one of the singers for Gainesville, Florida’s Hot Water Music. The song “One More Shot” features outlaw country vocalist Paige Overton sharing vocal duties with Chuck. I honestly couldn’t tell you what it was about this song that struck me the way it does but it is just really great.

Well that’s it for another entry in my Class of 2024 series. Be on the lookout for my upcoming top films list and another list that I’m working on.