It’s been a very, very interesting year for music in the world of Ryan Getz. I tried to go for quality over quantity when devouring new records this year, so I’d have more chances to allow ones I enjoyed to really sink in. An unfortunate side effect of this was that I listened to less stand alone singles and EPs, resulting in perhaps fewer underground gems popping up out of nowhere. You’ll find a little bit of everything on here. A few industry veterans I discovered for the first time. A few artists register as well below 100 monthly listeners on Spotify. In any case, I hope you enjoy.

In no particular order, the first 90:

100 gecs – “Hollywood Baby”

A Certain Ratio – “Afro Dizzy (feat. Ellen Beth Abdi)”

The Academic – “Do What You Want”

AJ Eustace – “Midnight”

American Arson – “Adversity”

American Arson – “The Heat II: Moonlight”

Andy Shauf – “Catch Your Eye”

Author – “ALL YOU WANT”

The Band CAMINO – “See You Later”

Bayonne – “Right Thing”

Belle and Sebastian – “Do You Follow”

Best Foot Back – “Design in the Weaves”

Bodywash – “Picture Of”

boygenius – “Not Strong Enough”

Caroline Kingsbury – “Blue Eyes”

Caroline Polachek – “Butterfly Net”

Caroline Polachek – “Dang”

Circa Waves – “Carry You Home”

Circa Waves – “Your Ghost”

Citizens – “everything and more”

The Classic Crime – “Right Now”

Colony House – “Trying to Survive”

The Cordial Sins – “Hide”

The Cordial Sins – “Run Right Back”

The Crystal Casino Band – “Curfew”

The Crystal Casino Band – “Twenty Something Socialist”

Daughter – “Be On Your Way”

Deep AL Brindle – “Out of Love (feat. KIDS)

Django Django – “Come Down”

Durry – “Coming of Age”

Elle Azar – “I Have Everything”

Empty Isles – “What Are You Thinking”

Everything But The Girl – “Nothing Left To Lose”

Feist – “Of Womankind”

Fepeste – “Abide With Me”

The Fifth House – “I Think I’ll Leave You in The Dark”

Fireworks – “I Want to Start a Religion With You”

Fleurie – “Say It’s Over”

FYR FYTR – “Story of Our Nation”

Gabrielle Grace – “Don’t You Give Up”

Gorillaz – “Cracker Island (feat. Thundercat)”

Heart Attack Man – “9 On Your Bedside”

Hello Luna – “BURIED ON THE INSIDE”

HolyName – “They See (feat. Michael Felker)”

Indie Tribe – “DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER”

Jady – “Envious”

Jady – “Napalm”

Jane. – “Dreaming”

Jay Joseph – “Basement”

Jessie Ware – “Beautiful People”

Jinx the Fox – “Homeopaths and Saints”

Kelela – “Washed Away”

Kevin Klein – “Trust”

Kings Kaleidoscope – “All The Emotions”

LANELL GRANT – “Answer By Fire”

Lil Yachty – “sHouLd i B?”

Lone Wild – “The Dirties”

M83 – “Fantasy”

M83 – “Oceans Niagara”

Michigander – “Indianapolis”

Mitski – “Buffalo Replaced”

Mitski – “Bug Like an Angel”

Nightly – “wear your heart out”

Oliver Hazard – “Saratoga”

Olivia Frances – “Breathing Room”

OM53 – “cast (get better)”

The Ongoing Concept – “Prisoner Again”

Paramore – “The News”

Protomartyr – “Let’s Tip the Creator”

The Ramona Flowers – “Hey You”

Sally Grayson – “The Darkness in Me”

Sam Tinnesz – “Toilet Paper Money (A$$hole Anthem)”

Sansol the Artist – “My Way”

Seaside Holiday – “Provisional Paradise”

Showbread – “Lord Vishnu Leads the Lemmings off a Cliff”

SPELLLING – “Boys at School”

Summon Luke – “Hopeless Rebel of Light”

Teddy at Night – “Mr. Celsius”

Telephone Friends – “I Wanna Be Cool”

Tow’rs – “Forgone”

VEAUX – “Expensive”

World Gone Cold – “Opposites Attract”

Yaeji – “With a Hammer”

Young Fathers – “Rice”

10. Indie Tribe – “ACT”

This song wasn’t as instantly iconic to me as “Holy Smoke!” was, but it’s still a lot of fun. This is the type of music that I can play at an obnoxiously loud volume in my car and pretend I’m a hip hop head for just over 2 minutes.

9. LONE WILD – “FREE My Mind”

One January morning this year, I was having a bad mental health day. The type that feels oppressive. Around that time was when Nashville based alt outfit Lone Wild dropped a mellow diary entry that functions as a plea for freedom from the shackles of a thought pattern running in circles. On a day where I felt anything but, this song helped keep me grounded.

8. Illiterate Light – “Wake Up Now”

This Harrisonburg, VA duo makes a massive sound with only two guys, and have a sound capable of fitting in both alt pop and americana circles. “Wake Up Now” has been their set opener at recent shows and it certainly lives up to its title.

7. Kings Kaleidoscope – “Radiant Reason”

The faith-based alt outfit is back with a self-titled record, and this is my favorite track from it. It has a huge, memorable chorus that begs audience participation in concert.

6. The Myriad – “Signs”

While I was in college, The Myriad dropped arguably one of the most underrated alternative records of all time in With Arrows, With Poise, and then dropped off the public radar after their drummer’s diagnosis and subsequent passing from cancer. “Signs” is not only a return to the scene, but also a homage to loss. Far from just being a somber return, “Signs” is a gnarly anthem that seems to be shrouded in mystery.

5. Angela Perley – “Star Dreamer”

Yes, I know this song was released in 2022. But it really impacted me in early 2023, and it ended up being the lead single from Angela Perley’s 2023 record Turn Me Loose. It functioned as a cheery soundtrack for my annual pilgrimage to southern Florida. It’s almost impossible to feel down when listening to this!

4. Colony House – “Cannonballers”

Cannonballers! I’m gonna go out on a limb and say this is the most sonically fun song on my list. The most sophisticated? No, far from it. But who cares?

3. Silent Planet – “Antimatter”

The SoCal metalcore outfit released “Antimatter” as an ethereal recollection of a severe auto accident they were involved in on tour last year. Ambient synthy production and breakdowns galore? Yes, please!

2. Andy Shauf – “Wasted On You”

Don’t count out the dark horses, folks. Andy Shauf makes poignant soft indie music that is often pensive and sometimes a bit eerie. But not in unsettling fashion. Shauf’s songs seem to be comforting in a roundabout way. “Wasted On You” has the most memorable bassline I’ve heard all year – maybe in the past few years. Vibe out to this song on your morning commute, or during a night drive when you’re dealing with insomnia – both scenarios work! This song asks some big spiritual questions that I’m sure many will relate to, even if I don’t personally have that insecurity. This might be the most memorable musicality of the year for me – if I find the lyrics a little disconcerting.

1. M83 – “Amnesia”

M83 has the dreamy emotional formula down pat. “Amnesia” has a big chorus with a big riff closing it out in the most satisfying manner. I’m predictable, what can I say?

Check out the full playlist here: