More about: 101 Best Tracks of 2019

A year in which Foals released two entire albums could never have been a bad one for music. And it wasn't. In 2019, we had a fuck lot of Very Good LPs land in our ears. But what about the tracks? Gems taken from perfect albums; saving graces taken from bad ones. And of course, those singles from artists who didn't release a full-length in 2019 - or are so new they don't even have one yet. 

We wrote about 101 of them, and why they're our Best Tracks of 2019. Here's part four...

Words by: Shannon Cotton, Jessie Atkinson, Elli Chappelhow, Grace Almond, Dillon Eastoe, Matty Pywell, Emily Fortune, Alex Rigotti and Daniel Jeakins.

40. The Ninth Wave - ‘Used To Be Yours’

The Ninth Wave took a more indie-focused direction on ‘Used To Be Yours’ (in comparison to the rest of the songs on their debut electro-punk album). This one is an upbeat track perfect for shaking your shoulders to, documenting the feeling of being alone after a break-up. (GA)

39. The 1975 - ‘People’

‘People’ is the equivalent of Matty Healy stood over your bed screaming into a loudhailer and clipping you round the ear. “Wake up!!” Is the furious segue from Greta Thunberg’s spine-tingling speech on the preceding instrumental; a shocking burst of punk delivered with raw power, it reaffirmed that The 1975 can do anything. (DE)

38. Zuzu - ‘How It Feels’

Saccharine pop to statisfy even the sweetest tooth, Zuzu excels yet again on ‘How It Feels’. The singer’s Scouse lilt tells a tale of lost love juxtaposed with an upbeat instrumental that will be stuck in your head for days. (SC)

37. Foals - ‘Into The Surf’

Showcasing a more introspective, ethereal side to the experimental indie-rockers, ‘Into The Surf’ is like the shadow burnt into the ground after the colossal explosion ‘Black Bull’ that preceded the track. It’s eerie and yearning, and builds beautifully alongside Yannis’ evocative vocal that yearns for a watery burial. (EC)

36. LION - ‘Wolf’

High drama bursts from LION in latest single ‘Wolf’. With breathtaking production, raw vocal expression and a loud-quiet emotional flow, it’s yet another reason why LION is one of our favourite artists of the moment. Can we please have an album now? (JA)

35. Cage The Elephant - ‘Broken Boy’

“Broken boy, how does it feel?” questions Cage The Elephant’s Matt Shultz on the opening track of Social Cues, released earlier this year. It’s a bold and impassioned start that sees the singer declare that he was “born on the wrong side of the train tracks” with a Jagger-esque lilt, alongside fuzzy guitars and sucker punch percussion. (SC)

34. King Princess - ‘Prophet’

A keys and bass-led ballad that slinks through an overtly sexy chorus and crooning verses, ‘Prophet’ is one of several decadent pop songs from the soulful King Princess. The luxurious tune will be on show when she supports Harry Styles next year on the huge Love on Tour. (JA)

33. Rachel Chinouriri - ‘Where Do I Go?’

As the follow up single to her perfect introductory EP Mama’s Boy, Rachel Chinouriri brings her angelic vocals over strings and emotive production on 'Where Do I Go?'. The track pulls us into a vivid world with her where poetically-driven lyrics allow her to vocally walk the line between delicate verses and soulful hooks. (EF)

32. Sam Fender - ‘All Is On My Side’

A live show staple ‘All Is On My Side’ didn’t make it onto Sam Fender’s 2019 debut Hypersonic Missiles. Criminal. Luckily for us though, a slick, atmospheric and emotive studio version has been released just in time for Christmas. The Tyneside Troubadour sounds smoother than ever in the lead up to an immersive instrumental that naturally nods to Springsteen. (SC)

31. Slowthai - ‘Peace Of Mind’

It’s undeniable that Slowthai has exploded into the grime scene with his debut album, Nothing Great About Britain. On ‘Peace of Mind’, the Northampton native proves there’s a lot more personality than his moniker implies. Pivoting from the political to the personal, ‘Peace of Mind’ bursts with equal measures of personality and power. (AR)

30. Marika Hackman - ‘I’m Not Where You Are’

Self-deprecation is the soup of the day for Marika as she fails to find herself on the same wavelength as others, becoming detached and isolated with an inherent sense of apprehension.  Along with her trademark lyrical excellence, the track features one of Marika’s best hooks yet, donning the effervescence of 80s pop. (MP)

29. Sorry - ‘Right Round The Clock’

With a fleeting nod to Tears For Fears' 'Mad World', this track is a dramatic, dark piece of exceptional guitar work infused with droll lyrics and inebriated compositions. A deranged, drunken and confused bridge plus touches of seedy sax make this a very exciting first taste of forthcoming album 925. (JA)

28. Georgia - ‘About Work The Dancefloor’

With enough remixes to sink a ship, this first big breakout for clubland’s new hero is perfect at its original and best. Lucious, romantic and euphoric, ‘About Work The Dancefloor’ is one of the best new club/pop crossover songs in a long time. (JA)

27. Sad Boys Club - ‘Dead Fridays’

Eighties vocals and a positive, upbeat melody frame this indie banger from Sad Boys Club. In frontman Jacob Wheldon’s own words, it’s a “scream into the void”, sprinkling lyrics filled with sadness and angst over the kind of sound you’d stomp to at your local indie club night. (GA)

26. Walt Disco - ‘Past Tense’

The arrestingly reflective track ‘Past Tense’ lyrically deals with accepting endings, but there’s no end in sight when it comes to Walt Disco. 2019 has seen them sweep the country with glamour and beautiful androgyny, enchanting audiences with theatricality that really comes into its own on this track, which features signature 80s-indebted synths and a vocal that brings darkly cinematic drama. (EC)

25. BlackWaters - ‘Forget Myself’

This year BlackWaters haven’t just broken out of the abrasive punk box they were beginning to be kept in, they’ve ripped it up and set fire to it, throwing caution to the wind with a string of experimental new releases. On ‘Forget Myself’ the ripping guitars remain, but bassist Ollie Franklin takes centre stage whilst Max Tanner croons, “forget myself and dance like she’s watching.” (SC)

24. Bon Iver - ‘Hey, Ma’

Combining the glitchy, art-pop stylings of 22, A Million with the impassioned vocal delivery of earlier work, Justin Vernon’s comeback single encapsulated just how far he has come since holding up in *that* Wisconsin hunting cabin. A soul-bearing, nostalgic exploration of childhood and a mother’s love, ‘Hey, Ma’ stands as one of Bon Iver’s very best singles. (DJ)

23. Cigarettes After Sex - ‘Falling In Love’

'Falling In Love' was a turning point for the carnal Cigarettes After Sex. Gentle carousels of guitars and simple bass subtly shifted away from fucking and towards lovemaking: it signalled a softer focus second album from the outfit, with much of their anger scrubbed away. (JA)

22. The Big Moon - ‘Your Light’

Your favourite indie girl gang are back with a more mature perspective than ever. Here, they find strength from those around them and look up with optimism despite the chaos of the world around them. Stepping up their synthesiser game, the hook they create is both life-affirming and motivational. (MP)

21. AJ Tracey - ‘Ladbroke Grove’

AJ Tracey came “live and direct” on ‘Ladbroke Grove’, a sure-fire club-classic paying homage to the West London rapper’s hometown. Performed with all the swagger of his chart-topping contemporaries, the track catapulted the “microphone champ” firmly into the public consciousness. Smart and addictive, it’s a single that embodies UK rap’s pop potential. (DJ)

Catch up with numbers 101 - 81 here, 80 - 61 here and 60 - 41 here. Check back tomorrow to see which tracks have made it to 20 - 1. 

Are we missing something? Tell us who you think should be included in our tracks of the year over on Twitter or Facebook. 

More about: 101 Best Tracks of 2019