Since 2016, I've been personally tracking my favourite albums / songs that came out during the past year every New Years. I used to write little blurbs for my friends with explanations for why an album made it to the list, but they're now considered lost media because of purposeful deletion (I didn't know that I was going to show case it anywhere else other than with my own friends!). I do still have every playlist I made though! Even though I cannot possibly describe why with detail why I chose each song and album, I still think that these lists serves as a good window into each year!
As a note, if there are 3 songs from one singular album, I considered the entire album as a part of the Yearly Lookback list, and the 3 songs are the top songs I chose for that specific album. Meanwhile, if there is one singular song all alone, it is considered an honorable mention, but the entire album it came from either didn't exist (it is an EP), or I just liked only one song from that album.
The only exception to this rule is 2020's Lookback where there are 2 songs to represent each album. I don't know why this was the only year that I did that, but there's that.
2016
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| Impossible Year | Death of a Bachelor | Panic! At The Disco |
| LA Devotee | Death of a Bachelor | Panic! At The Disco |
| Death of a Bachelor | Death of a Bachelor | Panic! At The Disco |
| Life Itself | How To Be A Human Being | Glass Animals |
| Mama's Gun | How To Be A Human Being | Glass Animals |
| Take A Slice | How To Be A Human Being | Glass Animals |
| Take It From Me | Egomaniac | KONGOS |
| Where I Belong | Egomaniac | KONGOS |
| 2 In The Morning | Egomaniac | KONGOS |
| Atom Bomb | What Could Go Wrong | Red Vox |
| The Wrong Side of History | What Could Go Wrong | Red Vox |
| Hazy | What Could Go Wrong | Red Vox |
| 2AM | You'll Pay For This | Bear Hands |
| Like Me Like That | You'll Pay For This | Bear Hands |
| Marathon Man | You'll Pay For This | Bear Hands |
| Taking What's Not Yours | Who Really Cares | TV Girl |
| Song About Me | Who Really Cares | TV Girl |
| Not Allowed | Who Really Cares | TV Girl |
| Look Up | Moth | Chairlift |
| Ch-Ching | Moth | Chairlift |
| Unfinished Business | Moth | Chairlift |
| Golden Days | Light Upon the Lake | Whitney |
| Light Upon the Lake | Light Upon the Lake | Whitney |
| No Matter Where We Go | Light Upon the Lake | Whitney |
| The Wheel | The Hope Six Demolition Project | PJ Harvey |
2017
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| My Old Man | This Old Dog | Mac DeMarco |
| This Old Dog | This Old Dog | Mac DeMarco |
| Dreams From Yesterday | This Old Dog | Mac DeMarco |
| Proactive Evolution | Moh Lhean | WHY? |
| One Mississippi | Moh Lhean | WHY? |
| The Barely Blur | Moh Lhean | WHY? |
| Blossom Roses | Her Tape #2 | Her |
| Swim | Her Tape #2 | Her |
| Mirage | Belladonna of Sadness | Alexandra Saviour |
| Cupid | Belladonna of Sadness | Alexandra Saviour |
| Mystery Girl | Belladonna of Sadness | Alexandra Saviour |
| Foreword | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator |
| See You Again | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator |
| Glitter | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator |
| Can't Do | A Fever Dream | Everything Everything |
| New Deep | A Fever Dream | Everything Everything |
| Los Ageless | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent |
| Masseduction | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent |
| Pills | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent |
| Busy Man | Ralph | Ralph |
| Dark Red | Dark Red | Steve Lacy |
| The Reply | Deep Leads | The Orbweavers |
| Poison Garden | Deep Leads | The Orbweavers |
| The Hook | Deep Leads | The Orbweavers |
| I Am a Telescope | Excellent Musician | Wesley Gonzalez |
| Exhibition Song | Excellent Musician | Wesley Gonzalez |
| Cake on Your Birthday | Excellent Musician | Wesley Gonzalez |
| In Undertow | Antisocialites | Alvvays |
| The Night Josh Tillman Listened To My Song | The Night Josh Tillman Listened To My Song | Samia |
| Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution | Pure Comedy | Father John Misty |
| A Bigger Paper Bag | Pure Comedy | Father John Misty |
2018
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| Sleepover | Expectations | Hayley Kiyoko |
| Mercy / Gatekeeper | Expectations | Hayley Kiyoko |
| Palm Dreams | Expectations | Hayley Kiyoko |
| Hangout at the Gallows | God's Favourite Customer | Father John Misty |
| Mr. Tillman | God's Favourite Customer | Father John Misty |
| Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All | God's Favourite Customer | Father John Misty |
| Just A Stranger | Isolation | Kali Uchis |
| Flight 22 | Isolation | Kali Uchis |
| After The Storm | Isolation | Kali Uchis |
| Who's Gonna Stop Me | Nobody's Watching | Steady Holiday |
| Nobody's Watching | Nobody's Watching | Steady Holiday |
| Hopefulessness | Tell Me How You Really Feel | Courtney Barnett |
| Nameless, Faceless | Tell Me How You Really Feel | Courtney Barnett |
| Crippling Self-Doubt And A General Lack Of Confidence | Tell Me How You Really Feel | Courtney Barnett |
| Nobody | Be the Cowboy | Mitski |
| Pink in the Night | Be the Cowboy | Mitski |
| Geyser | Be the Cowboy | Mitski |
| For Yourself | A Good Girl | Ralph |
| Long Distance Lover | A Good Girl | Ralph |
| Gimme | A Good Girl | Ralph |
| Hot Chocolate | Music Inspired by Illumination & Dr. Seuss' The Grinch | Tyler, The Creator |
| Big Bag | Music Inspired by Illumination & Dr. Seuss' The Grinch | Tyler, The Creator |
| Cindy Lou's Wish | Music Inspired by Illumination & Dr. Seuss' The Grinch | Tyler, The Creator |
| Écoute Chérie | Écoute Chérie | Vendredi sur Mer |
2019
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2% Milk | 2% Milk | Alex Lilly |
| Distracting Me | 2% Milk | Alex Lilly |
| Confucius Says | 2% Milk | Alex Lilly |
| IGOR'S THEME | IGOR | Tyler, The Creator |
| I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE | IGOR | Tyler, The Creator |
| PUPPET | IGOR | Tyler, The Creator |
| Hit Me Where It Hurts | Pang | Caroline Polachek |
| Ocean of Tears | Pang | Caroline Polachek |
| Door | Pang | Caroline Polachek | Miracle | Chronologic | Caravan Palace |
| April | Chronologic | Caravan Palace |
| Moonshine | Chronologic | Caravan Palace |
2020
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| yellow is the color of her eyes | yellow is the color of her eyes | Soccer Mommy |
| lucy | yellow is the color of her eyes | Soccer Mommy |
| For The First Time | Always Tomorrow | Best Coast |
| Master Of My Own Mind | Always Tomorrow | Best Coast |
| A Good Song Never Dies | A Good Song Never Dies | Saint Motel |
| Van Horn | A Good Song Never Dies | Saint Motel |
| Fresh Laundry | Cape God | Allie X |
| June Gloom | Cape God | Allie X |
| XS | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Bad Friend | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama |
| Battered, Black & Blue (Hole In My Heart) | Angel Miners & The Lightning Riders | AWOLNATION |
| Pacific Coast Highway In The Movies | Angel Miners & The Lightning Riders | AWOLNATION |
| Do It | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle |
| Ungodly Hour | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle |
| Punisher | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers |
| Savior Complex | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers |
| Aquamarine | Love in Three Colors | Alex Lilly |
| Terrible Person | Love in Three Colors | Alex Lilly |
| Lost Powers | RE-ANIMATOR | Everything Everything |
| Big Climb | RE-ANIMATOR | Everything Everything |
| B.I.T.C.H | B.I.T.C.H | Megan Thee Stallion |
| Superbloom | Superbloom | Ralph |
| needy | needy | Molly Burch |
| In Birdsong - Edit | In Birdsong | Everything Everything |
| The Gambler | The Gambler | JR JR |
2021
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny In The Making | Take The Corners Gently | Steady Holiday |
| White Walls | Take The Corners Gently | Steady Holiday |
| Tangerine | Take The Corners Gently | Steady Holiday |
| My Limb | FLOWERS for VASES / descansos | Hayley Williams |
| Just A Lover | FLOWERS for VASES / descansos | Hayley Williams |
| KYRH | FLOWERS for VASES / descansos | Hayley Williams |
| Copperfield | Diamond Destroyer of Death | Roar |
| Paralyzed | Diamond Destroyer of Death | Roar |
| Reaction Video Dream | Diamond Destroyer of Death | Roar |
2022
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| Lottery Noises | Blue Rev | Alvvays |
| Pressed | Blue Rev | Alvvays |
| Easy On Your Own? | Blue Rev | Alvvays |
| With U | Sometimes, Forever | Soccer Mommy |
| Following Eyes | Sometimes, Forever | Soccer Mommy |
| newdemo | Sometimes, Forever | Soccer Mommy |
| This Is Why | The News | Paramore |
| The News | The News | Paramore |
| Off With Their Heads | Off With Their Heads | ALT BLK ERA |
| Rockstar | Rockstar | ALT BLK ERA |
| Flip Flop | Traumazine | Megan Thee Stallion |
| NDA | Traumazine | Megan Thee Stallion |
| Plan B | Traumazine | Megan Thee Stallion |
| Kill Bill | SOS | SZA |
| Yuck | CRASH | Charli XCX |
| No Wind Resistance! | DMZ | Kinneret |
2023
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| Blood and Butter | Desire, I Want To Turn Into You | Caroline Polachek |
| Welcome To My Island | Desire, I Want To Turn Into You | Caroline Polachek |
| Pretty In Possible | Desire, I Want To Turn Into You | Caroline Polachek |
| making the bed | GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo |
| ballad of a homeschooled girl | GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo |
| all-american bitch | GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo |
| Luddites & Lambs | Man Alive (Deluxe) | Everything Everything |
| Schoolin' | Man Alive (Deluxe) | Everything Everything |
| MY KZ, UR BF | Man Alive (Deluxe) | Everything Everything |
| Another Life (feat. Rema) | Heaven knows | PinkPantheress |
| Capable of love | Heaven knows | PinkPantheress |
| True romance | Heaven knows | PinkPantheress |
2024
| Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| The Mad Stone | Mountainhead | Everything Everything |
| Cold Reactor | Mountainhead | Everything Everything |
| Wild Guess | Mountainhead | Everything Everything |
| 365 | BRAT | Charli xcx |
| Club classics | BRAT | Charli xcx |
| 360 | BRAT | Charli xcx |
| HISS | MEGAN | Megan Thee Stallion |
| BOA | MEGAN | Megan Thee Stallion |
| Moody Girl | MEGAN | Megan Thee Stallion |
| rare animal | plastic death | glass beach |
| cul-de-sac | plastic death | glass beach |
| the CIA | plastic death | glass beach |
| Don't Smile | Short n' Sweet | Sabrina Carpenter |
| Bed Chem | Short n' Sweet | Sabrina Carpenter |
| Espresso | Short n' Sweet | Sabrina Carpenter |
| Noid | CHROMAKOPIA | Tyler, the Creator |
| Take Your Mask Off | CHROMAKOPIA | Tyler, the Creator |
| St. Chroma | CHROMAKOPIA | Tyler, the Creator |
| Club classics featuring bb trickz | Brat and it's completely different but also still brat | Charli xcx |
| Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek | Brat and it's completely different but also still brat | Charli xcx |
| Guess featuring billie eilish | Brat and it's completely different but also still brat | Charli xcx |
| DENIAL IS A RIVER | Alligator Bites Never Heal | Doechii |
| STANKA POOH | Alligator Bites Never Heal | Doechii |
| BOILED PEANUTS | Alligator Bites Never Heal | Doechii |
| Image | Imaginal Disk | Magdalena Bay |
| Love Is Everywhere | Imaginal Disk | Magdalena Bay |
| Killing Time | Imaginal Disk | Magdalena Bay |