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Top Ten Songs of 2024

/ James Fenney

You join us now as we kick this year’s Listmas celebrations up a gear by delving into our favourite songs of 2024. Be they chart topping singles or overlooked deep cuts, these are the tracks that had me coming back time after time. The songs that have been on repeat in my head for months on end. The tracks with the most astonishing “wow” moments which left me speechless, as well as those that had me singing along the loudest. Without further ado, let’s look back on the best songs that soundtracked 2024. Continue reading →

Top Ten Videos of 2024

/ James Fenney

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then imagine the kind of story you can tell with thousands of them in motion. With that philosophy in mind, a truly great music video can elevate a song to new heights, and sometimes even transcend beyond the song itself to become an iconic work of art in its own right. Whether echoing big budget cinema, or built from the ground up with nothing but ingenuity and elbow grease, there’s been no shortage of memorable visuals this year. So, before we delve into our favourite music of 2024, let’s take a moment to celebrate the best videos of the past twelve months. Continue reading →

Live Review: The National, First Direct Arena Leeds, 23rd Sept 2023

/ James Fenney

It’s been quite a year for National fans. Little did I know, when grabbing tickets for their latest tour, that 2023 would see Cincinnati’s finest releasing two new albums mere months apart, with the latter of which in particular feeling like a true reignition of the band’s passion and creativity. All that fresh ammunition for their spellbinding live shows, including some tracks that rank alongside the very best in their already bountiful back catalogue. In stark contrast to the last time I saw them, where my hype faded in the wake of a lacklustre record, my excitement and anticipation only grew with every taste of new music offered. If they could blow me away live before, touring an album that I didn’t really connect with, then I knew that this reinvigorated incarnation of the band would reach a new level of excellence. Continue reading →

Top Ten Albums of 2022

/ James Fenney

Time for the big one; the best albums of the year. Reflecting honestly on the biggest releases of the past twelve months, I can’t help but feel that 2022 was an off year for albums. More so than any year in the blog’s history, it felt like there was an abundance of albums that either missed the mark or just flat out failed to spark excitement. They’re not what we’re for however, and if anything they merely helped make the most brilliant records of the year seem to shine all the brighter. Here are the albums that broke the mould, that met and exceeded expectations, and provided the standout musical delights of the past year. Continue reading →

Top Ten Songs of 2022

/ James Fenney

As we leave the most vibrant visuals of 2022 behind us, it’s now time to dive right in to the best music to grace our ears this past year. The songs that soundtracked our ups and downs; that we belted out at the top of our lungs, that we took comfort and refuge in while they played on repeat, that took pride of place in our playlists and became an almost constant companion. Here are the songs that best capture this past year for us: Continue reading →