FEATURE: The December Playlist: 'The Best and the Rest'

FEATURE:

 

The December Playlist: 'The Best and the Rest'

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I have resisted the temptation to launch into...

a full-blown Christmas selection. True, there are a couple of Christmas covers in the list but the idea was to lay out the new tracks – either from new albums or standalone – and the best songs of 2016. I have unified the songs that, for me, were the best from this year; those that have had a particularly profound effect. I am looking ahead to next year but there is still plenty of opportunities for great music to arrive. It is hard to say what the next couple of weeks hold but there are sure to be some fantastic tracks. Keep your eyes peeled and be aware of that. For now, it is time to look at the best songs from this week and those that have defined this year in music.

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Katie Melua – Oh Holy Night

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-cbbiIidFE&w=560&h=315]

Billie Marten – White Christmas

https://play.spotify.com/track/6E6OI395lJ3uQnz9w8bqTD

Reggie N Bollie – Link Up

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjC0xeZDlZ8&w=560&h=315]

Circa Waves – Wake Up

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk6ALqQLits&w=560&h=315]

Dec 99^th – Tall Sleeves

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-eUUYASs0Y&w=560&h=315]

Toothless – Sisyphus

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8b2mekAWWI&w=560&h=315]

Hodgy – Barbell

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZb2Gw01tp4&w=560&h=315]

Crystal Fairy – Chiseler

https://play.spotify.com/track/4Kditv9rPRZmbWfJxDmzAO

Tom Odell – Silhouette

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIDPPzCT4Ew&w=560&h=315]

G-Eazy – Vengeance on My Mind

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3p6GQxnspw&w=560&h=315]

At the Drive-In – Governed by Contagions

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-NYWzd7JW8&w=560&h=315]

J. Cole – False Prophets

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvFDXV0VBg4&w=560&h=315]

Jax Jones (ft. RAYE) - You Don't Know Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKB4cioGs98&w=560&h=315]

Neil Young – Indian Givers

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM-NkM-dIDA&w=560&h=315]

Laura Mvula – Ready or Not

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PICk3EvKZBc&w=560&h=315]

Rebecca Ferguson – Superwoman

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMoU5W5YDXY&w=560&h=315]

Afrojack (ft. Ty Dolla $ign) - Gone

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_on54HMZswI&w=560&h=315]

Kyla La Grange – Justify

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBkJAzzLB4A&w=560&h=315]

Mahalia – Independence Day #DiaryofMe

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJrTkAPRy5Y&w=560&h=315]

Jamie T – Tescoland

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAOORzCqRa4&w=560&h=315]

Post Malone – Stoney

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKnnxbciA1I&w=560&h=315]

Sara Hartman – From the Other Side of the World

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV1RGpeZhww&w=560&h=315]

DJ Fresh vs. Diplo (ft. R City, Selah Sure and Craig David) – Like a Star

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF2YgLEso10&w=560&h=315]

G.R.L. – Are We Good?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LDfxkqwr1I&w=560&h=315]

Izzy Bizu – Talking to You

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1tYtNlcBOY&w=560&h=315]

Little Cub – My Nature

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Vc6UfsJ9U&w=560&h=315]

Liam Bailey – Love My Neighbour

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkNJfEUO4bQ&w=560&h=315]

Nadia Rose (ft. Red Rat) – Tight Up

https://play.spotify.com/album/4atPUp52kt5lL8tKZcwFmx

 

Julia Jacklin – Coming of Age

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkF_d3f2MJo&w=560&h=315]

Radiohead – Burn the Witch

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI2oS2hoL0k&w=560&h=315]

Billie Marten – Emily

https://play.spotify.com/track/3IqSUhhlnTjWfbahlMxvKP

Warpaint  - New Song

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PhAMlJDMeI&w=560&h=315]

M83 (ft. Mai Lan) – Go!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3YZTYXftzg&w=560&h=315]

The Stone Roses – All for One

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAPUfAKpBwI&w=560&h=315]

Bat for Lashes – Sunday Love

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBfZooPrmfo&w=560&h=315]

Beyoncé – Formation

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjiwRbAABso&w=560&h=315]

David Bowie – Blackstar

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kszLwBaC4Sw&w=560&h=315]

Anohni – Drone Bomb Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUEoic7ro_o&w=560&h=315]

Skepta – Man

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOhxPhqzMwg&w=560&h=315]

Christine and the Queens – Tilted

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RBzsjga73s&w=560&h=315]

Slaves (ft. Mike D) – Consume or Be Consumed

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Q5akU8d7g&w=560&h=315]

Charli XCX (feat. Lil Yachty) - After the Afterparty

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM33anTtEVE&w=560&h=315]

Jamie T – Tinfoil Boy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TElBPcFIk0E&w=560&h=315]

Liv Dawson – Tapestry

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tklMdjQU7qk&w=560&h=315]

Laura Marling – Soothing

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCS4OTgaHeM&w=560&h=315]

Rihanna (ft. Drake) – Work

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL1UzIK-flA&w=560&h=315]

Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZzA2Ne0HSo&w=560&h=315]

Sia – Alive

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2NgsJrrAyM&w=560&h=315]

Kanye West – Famous

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7FCgw_GlWc&w=560&h=315]

M.I.A. – Borders

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Nw7HbaeWY&w=560&h=315]

The Wytches – C-Side

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_BixyTrY7o&w=560&h=315]

Dua Lipa – Hotter Than Hell

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEOyePhElr4&w=560&h=315]

Underworld – I Exhale

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4izZYfo58-E&w=560&h=315]

Car Seat Headrest - Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccztRby3FAk&w=560&h=315]

Paul Simon – Wristband

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lJHVpH5v8Q&w=560&h=315]

Tegan and Sara – Boyfriend

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJOHoiPGpac&w=560&h=315]

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0nmHymgM7Y&w=560&h=315]

Emeli Sandé – Hurts

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TqUlGyWSEk&w=560&h=315]

Frank Ocean – Pink + White

https://play.spotify.com/track/3xKsf9qdS1CyvXSMEid6g8

James Blake – Radio Silence

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTglDb7qjvQ&w=560&h=315]

Bon Iver – 33 “God”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C5sB6AqJkM&w=560&h=315]

A Tribe Called Quest – We the People…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO2Su3erRIA&w=560&h=315]

Angel Olsen – Shut Up Kiss Me

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nleRCBhLr3k&w=560&h=315]

Jenny Hval – Female Vampire

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVaWc00aZ30&w=560&h=315]

The Avalanches – Subways

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPIMfOIuEe4&w=560&h=315]

PJ Harvey – The Orange Monkey

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1dj7tPvhc&w=560&h=315]

Kano – New Banger

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdto_hFIXAs&w=560&h=315]

Kate Tempest – Don’t Fall In

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aRxIWgFLpA&w=560&h=315]

Solange – Cranes in the Sky

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0qrinhNnOM&w=560&h=315]

Iggy Pop – Gardenia

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m8TmlS20ZA&w=560&h=315]

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Jesus Alone

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iGxoJnygW8&w=560&h=315]

Fifth Harmony (ft. Ty Dolla $ign) – Work from Home

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GL9JoH4Sws&w=560&h=315]

Chemical Brothers – C-h-e-m-i-c-a-l

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yiVDrX6vG0&w=560&h=315]

Justice (ft. Morgan Phalen of Diamond Nights) – Randy

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw3d9KTYHIE&w=560&h=315]

Glass Animals – Youth

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZdsmLgCVdU&w=560&h=315]

Beck – Wow

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyCkhPTU13w&w=560&h=315]

It is a great time of year not only to look back but look forwards. These last days of 2016 provide us a time to reflect on some wonderful music but predict what 2017 has in store. It is inevitable there’s going to be some cheesy songs making their way into the final Playlist from this year – you have to surrender at some point! Until rationale gives way fully – although there are some wonderful Christmas songs, for sure – it is only right to give this year’s best and brightest fair due. I am sure next year will continue in the same vein this one has ended: strong, determined and hugely exciting.