Best of 2016 – Kayne’s 50 Favorite Songs

Asking me to pick the top 50 songs in any year is a hand wringing, completely over-analyzed, self-inflicted, joyous hell. I have no idea how many songs/albums I listen to in the course of a year. A zillion. But it’s almost always new stuff, with an ear toward my day job. Every song that I come across and every submission that we receive for Savannah Stopover gets put into one of several Spotify playlists. Those playlists go on shuffle every day of the year in the background of my life … in the office, in the car, at home — whenever and wherever I have time to listen. Generally in “shuffle” mode because that allows for the grand surprise, that moment when something really stands out, at least to my ear. I love it when I have to put down the knife on the cutting board and run to see ‘wow, who is this?’.

Does the year shape the music or do the picks reflect my year? Probably both but there’s no doubt that we’re seeing a resurgence in exceptional songwriting and lyricism which I tend to gravitate to; not that I don’t love a good barn burner (see Ron Gallo’s “Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me”, a garage jam with great lyrics!).

My song of the year goes to “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” by Car Seat Headrest, a prolific young artist named Will Toledo whose dazed and confused lyrics keep blowing my mind! He’s a modern day Pavement for those almost too young to know who Pavement was (and for those of us too old to let them go).

Here’s a list of all the songs, followed by a Spotify playlist. Hopefully, you’ll find some bands and songs you already love and a few of those grand surprises. And if you’re a Stopover fan, you may see a few familiar names, past and present: