We're in the last week of the year which means it's time for the two lists that matter the most; our selection of the best new music released in the past 12 months, chosen among the hundreds of cds and digital files plus the few vinyl records (old habits die hard) we have added in our collection in 2017!
Let's start today with our 50 favorite tracks of the year and we'll keep, as tradition dictates, the album list for our first post of the new year. The "singles" list, as we used to call it when 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl releases still mattered as a means of getting your best songs out to the fans, is made up of stand out tracks from albums released during the year plus a few selections from stand-alone singles and EPs. As we usually do, only one track is included from each artist or band in order to be able to narrow down the selection to just 50 songs and to represent as many of our favorite releases of the year as possible.
So, let's leave the music speak for itself and without any reverse countdown nonsense (don't you always start by checking out the number one of a list before deciding if you are interested to see the rest?), here are the 50 tracks that mattered the most for Cool Music Central in 2017, starting with St. Vincent dripping poison about L.A.'s celebrity culture while mourning the loss of a lover and LCD Soundsystem waxing philosophical about mortality and living in the moment over one of the most catchy dance tunes that James Murphy and co. have ever created:
Top 50 Tracks of 2017
1. Los Ageless - ST. VINCENT
2. Tonite - LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
3. The Architect - JANE WEAVER
4. Evil - NADINE SHAH
5. Hot Thoughts - SPOON
6. The Underside Of Power - ALGIERS
7. DNA. - KENDRICK LAMAR
8. To the Moon and Back - FEVER RAY
9. Day I Die - THE NATIONAL
10. In Undertow - ALVVAYS
11. Silver - WAXAHATCHEE
12. French Press - ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER
13. Amputation - THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
14. Don't Get Captured - RUN THE JEWELS
15. Holding On - THE WAR ON DRUGS
16. Demon in Profile - THE AFGHAN WHIGS
17. Beehive - MARK LANEGAN
18. The Last Ten Years - MARK EITZEL
19. My Children - PROTOMARTYR
20. Cease Fire - THURSTON MOORE
21. Over Everything - COURTNEY BARNETT AND KURT VILE
22. High Ticket Attractions - THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
23. Tinseltown Swimming in Blood - DESTROYER
24. Mourning Sound - GRIZZLY BEAR
25. Road Head - JAPANESE BREAKFAST
26. Soothing - LAURA MARLING
27. Sister Green Eyes - JOSEFIN ÖHRN + THE LIBERATION
28. Mad As Hell - U.S. GIRLS
29. Aryan Nation - EMA
30. Cred Woes - LIARS
31. Cali - RIDE
32. Sugar for the Pill - SLOWDIVE
33. 3 O'Clock - BLONDE REDHEAD
34. Formula X - BOSS HOG
35. Somos Chulas (No Somos Pendejas) - DOWNTOWN BOYS
36. Nothing Feels Natural - PRIESTS
37. I Took Your Picture - CULTS
38. Everything Now - ARCADE FIRE
39. Skyline - BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
40. Currency - THE BLACK ANGELS
41. Glide - THE DREAM SYNDICATE
42. Near to the Wild Heart of Life - JAPANDROIDS
43. Short Elevated Period - WIRE
44. Evermore - GRANDADDY
45. It Gets More Blue - GIRLPOOL
46. Special - ANGEL OLSEN
47. Darling - REAL ESTATE
48. Follow The Leader - FOXYGEN
49. Sucker - THE BIG MOON
50. Don't Delete the Kisses - WOLF ALICE
12. French Press - ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER
13. Amputation - THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
14. Don't Get Captured - RUN THE JEWELS
15. Holding On - THE WAR ON DRUGS
16. Demon in Profile - THE AFGHAN WHIGS
17. Beehive - MARK LANEGAN
18. The Last Ten Years - MARK EITZEL
19. My Children - PROTOMARTYR
20. Cease Fire - THURSTON MOORE
21. Over Everything - COURTNEY BARNETT AND KURT VILE
22. High Ticket Attractions - THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
23. Tinseltown Swimming in Blood - DESTROYER
24. Mourning Sound - GRIZZLY BEAR
25. Road Head - JAPANESE BREAKFAST
26. Soothing - LAURA MARLING
27. Sister Green Eyes - JOSEFIN ÖHRN + THE LIBERATION
28. Mad As Hell - U.S. GIRLS
29. Aryan Nation - EMA
30. Cred Woes - LIARS
31. Cali - RIDE
32. Sugar for the Pill - SLOWDIVE
33. 3 O'Clock - BLONDE REDHEAD
34. Formula X - BOSS HOG
35. Somos Chulas (No Somos Pendejas) - DOWNTOWN BOYS
36. Nothing Feels Natural - PRIESTS
37. I Took Your Picture - CULTS
38. Everything Now - ARCADE FIRE
39. Skyline - BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
40. Currency - THE BLACK ANGELS
41. Glide - THE DREAM SYNDICATE
42. Near to the Wild Heart of Life - JAPANDROIDS
43. Short Elevated Period - WIRE
44. Evermore - GRANDADDY
45. It Gets More Blue - GIRLPOOL
46. Special - ANGEL OLSEN
47. Darling - REAL ESTATE
48. Follow The Leader - FOXYGEN
49. Sucker - THE BIG MOON
50. Don't Delete the Kisses - WOLF ALICE
