My favorite Songstress songs from the past year.
Paid-only
Julien Baker’s “Something” lands like a confession you find folded in a pocket, plainspoken and impossible to ignore. Even from a small archive, it feels like the song everyone should be hearing right now: direct, bruised, and fully awake.
Betty Who turns “Missing You” into a bright little gut-punch, and pop radio should already be paying attention. The hook lands fast, the emotion lands faster, and the whole thing feels built for anyone trying to act fine on two hours of sleep.
Odessa’s “Hummed Low” sounds like a perfect new find for anyone craving something hushed but hooky. The track lands with the kind of confidence that makes it feel like it already belongs on every playlist that matters.
Shana Halligan slips “Delicate Dream” into the room like a secret everyone somehow already knows. The hook lands fast, with enough sheen and nerve to feel brand-new, and it earns attention without asking politely.
CLOVES sounds like she sneaks into the room before anyone else does, and “Everybody’s Son” lands with the kind of bruised confidence that turns heads fast. For a fresh discovery, it feels unusually complete: hushed, sharp, and impossible to file away.
Charlotte Cardin arrives with “Big Boy” sounding fully formed, the kind of track that cuts through a crowded feed in the first ten seconds. Glossy, sharp, and a little dangerous, it feels like the one you keep replaying before anyone else catches on.
Jessie Ware turns “Tough Love” into the kind of pop song that sneaks up on you and then owns the room. Fresh, cool, and a little bruised, it sounds essential the second the bassline hits.
Anna of the North keeps “Sway” feeling impossibly fresh, like a pop secret that just hit the airwaves. The hook lands fast and leaves a clean bruise.
Violet Days lands So Dope like a shiny secret you hear once and immediately need again. The hook bites fast, the attitude feels fresh, and the whole thing sounds built for repeat plays right now.
Alessia Cara sounds like the voice in the room that finally says what everyone else is thinking on "Here". Fresh off the jump, the song feels essential because it turns awkward, crowded energy into a sharp pop statement you can’t ignore.
Kiiara turns "Gold" into the kind of left-of-center pop song that sneaks into your head and stays there. The track already feels essential, with a hook that sounds like it belongs everywhere from late-night radio to your best friend’s car stereo.
Sara Hartman arrives with Monster Lead Me Home, and the track feels too sharp to ignore. Her voice cuts through the noise with the kind of confidence that makes a new single sound instantly essential.
LÉON sounds like she already knows the exit line, and “Tired of Talking” arrives with the kind of confidence that makes you stop mid-scroll. The melody lands instantly, sharp enough to feel brand-new and sturdy enough to stick.
Lucie Silvas turns “Letters To Ghosts” into the kind of song that feels newly uncovered, like it has been sitting in a drawer waiting for the right ear. The chorus lands clean and direct, and the title alone gives it a sharp edge for anyone craving a little honesty today.
Fickle Friends “Say No More” lands like a quick yes from the first beat: bright, direct, and impossible to ignore. Right now, a song with this much gloss and nerve feels like the smartest thing in the room.
Bec Sandridge turns “In the Fog, in the Flame” into the kind of song that makes everything else feel underdressed. The hook lands fast, with enough bite and shine to sound like a breakout single before lunch.
MisterWives turn "Our Own House" into the kind of anthem that feels instantly bigger than your browser tabs and your coffee cup. Hooky, fizzy, and ready for the first warm drive with the windows down, it lands like a song already climbing the charts.
Sjowgren turns "Seventeen" into the kind of song that feels brand-new the second it lands. If your day needs a clean reset, this is the one to queue up now.
Alessia Cara hits with “Wild Things” like a kid who knows the rulebook and tosses it out anyway. The song feels immediate, sharp, and oddly brave, the kind of pop track that sounds like it already belongs at the top of the chart.
Chairlift’s “Moth to the Flame” arrives like a sly pop signal you catch once and then keep chasing. The hook lands fast, but the edges stay odd enough to feel fresh, not disposable.
Birdy turns Keeping Your Head Up into a bright, bracing reset button. The hook lands fast, and the song feels ready-made for anyone who needs a little lift before the day gets noisy.
My favorite Indie Rock songs from the past year.
Paid-only
Nick Mulvey and “Fever To the Form” arrive sounding fully formed, like a song everyone has somehow been waiting for. The hook lands fast, and the whole thing feels essential before the second chorus even clears the room.
