Dear listeners,
No matter what year it is, I know this much to be true: Amplifier readers always deliver when I ask for song recommendations. At the end of 2024, I asked you to submit a song that defined your year — not a new song that was released in 2024, but one that had boomeranged back through time and took on a particular resonance for you.
Today’s playlist compiles 13 of my favorite submissions, along with your stories about the role that these soundtracks played in your lives. Some I had heard before (I, too, was mesmerized by Sinead O’Connor’s Nirvana cover when I recently saw “Queer”), but quite a few of these songs were fresh discoveries for me, too: I have you to thank for introducing me to the Orlons, Ana Moura and the achingly beautiful Colin Hay tune that closes this playlist.
While these stories represent a diverse array of styles, generations and moods, they are all personal testaments to the power of music — the way it can connect us with others, or more deeply with ourselves.
Any minute now, my ship is coming in,
Lindsay
Listen along while you read.
1. Sinead O’Connor: “All Apologies”
“I rediscovered it because it is featured prominently in Luca Guadagnino’s new film ‘Queer.’ O’Connor’s cover is haunting and I have not stopped thinking about it since I saw the film. It resonated with me because of the incredible emotion she brings to the song, the way it captures feelings of longing and sadness. It is absolutely arresting.” — Kyle McKenney, Denver
2. The Orlons: “Not Me”
“In doing research for something I’m writing about the Supremes, I discovered this song from the Orlons, a group I didn’t know much about beyond their biggest hits. This is their cover of a Gary U.S. Bonds song. It hit No. 12 on the pop charts in 1963, but it hasn’t survived on oldies playlists and stations the way some other songs have. That’s a shame — it’s a marvelously silly ditty with a fierce lead vocal from Rosetta Hightower. It makes me giggle every time.” — Jeff Godsey, Madison, Wis.
3. Brenda Russell: “So Good, So Right”
“I discovered this song while looking for prom-themed songs for the playlist I was making for that upcoming night to accompany the ride with my date. I came across a song by Chance the Rapper called ‘Prom Night’ and I enjoyed it, but it was the sample that stood out to me. I did some digging to find the source and came across Brenda Russell’s wonderful late-70s gem. It perfectly encapsulated what I felt before and during that night of prom with my date. Every time I hear it, it brings me back to my first experience listening to it and as part of the soundtrack for a special night.” — Caleb Machorro, Thomasville, N.C.
4. Ana Moura: “Desfado”
“While traveling in Portugal, I learned about the great Fado singer Ana Moura (who also has serious rock credentials, having sung with Prince and the Rolling Stones). Her voice is astounding. This is my favorite Moura song. I originally loved it because of the infectious rhythm and melody, but when I finally translated the lyrics, I was blown away by how clever and meaningful they are.” — Jonathan Spiro, Rutland, Vt.
5. Devo: “Gates of Steel”
“I had never heard the song before this year and it has stuck with me for two reasons. First, it’s absolutely ferocious and shows Devo to be a super tight rock ’n’ roll band, far beyond ‘Whip It.’ The second is how the opaque meaning of the song captures how I feel about so many things that happened in 2024. Are the lyrics part of Devo’s de-evolution theory, and we’re all just doomed to go hopelessly backward? Or is the line ‘twist away the gates of steel’ about hope, and we really do have it within us to overcome the worst aspects of who we are? I still don’t know.” — Chris Orcutt, Wayland, Mass.
6. PJ Harvey: “Rid of Me”
“The song is older than I am, but for some reason on a recent listen it stuck with me and filled a gap that newer music is struggling to approach. With everything going on in the world, it feels like the perfect time for angry, grungy music to make a comeback, but a lot of recent attempts feel too restrained or too scared of straying from prevailing pop formulas. There’s nothing restrained here. The song simmers, and then explodes. It’s so satisfying.” — Shereen Shafi, Baltimore
7. Joni Mitchell: “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire”
“This song has always resonated with me because it describes so excruciatingly the struggles of those with addictions. It’s also just one of the best songs from one of the best albums ever. I got to see Joni in Hollywood this year, so that added a layer of resonance.” — Gabriel Lawson, Dayton, Ohio
8. Sonny Rollins: “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (Afternoon Take, Live at the Village Vanguard 1957)”
“For decades, this iconic performance could only be heard from a subpar tape source — until now. Rudy Van Gelder’s second, superior tape machine captured the stunning sound of that night in breathtaking detail. In July 2024, Blue Note released these recordings and gave them the reissue they deserve, with every note as alive as the moment it was played. You’ll hear the intimacy of the room, the texture of Wilbur Ware’s bass, the fire and quiet complexity of Elvin Jones’s drums and Rollins’s tenor saxophone as if he’s playing just for you. Listen and feel the Vanguard come alive.” — Walter Gross, Brooklyn
9. Wormy: “Big Mountain”
“After 21 years in a demanding and rewarding career, this year I set the course for a change: a life immersed in nature and small community, being an adventurer instead of a success. This song makes me yearn toward horizons with every fiber of my being. In a world where normal is disintegrating, it is grounding.” — Kyle Campbell, Berlin
10. Jackson Browne: “For a Dancer”
“I heard it when watching ‘A Man on the Inside.’ The song, words and melody touched my heart. It’s about life, death and the dance in the middle. I live in chronic pain, and I found these words comforting. The violin solo sounds so soulful. Beautiful song. Wish I had heard it before. I’ve long been a fan of Jackson Browne.” — Laurie Leroux, Hermiston, Ore.
11. Everything but the Girl: “We Walk the Same Line”
“As parents of a toddler, my wife and I are in a world that is constantly shifting around us and we are never terribly sure what the right decision is. Do we give in? Do we hold the line? Is there some other option? But this song is about having faith in each other, and it speaks to parenting. We may not make the best decision every time, but when we do it together — when we offer each other belief and light — we can make it through.” — Mike Laney, East Lansing, Mich.
12. Fleetwood Mac: “Songbird”
“My mother passed away this year. As I sat at her bedside in her last days and visited with her nurses, one told me how much my mother enjoyed Fleetwood Mac songs. I didn’t know that about her. I put on a Fleetwood Mac playlist for her while she lay there, waiting to die. I came across this song in the list, and it spoke to my heart. I learned the words quickly and began singing to her as the song played. She reacted to me so lovingly. I could see it in her eyes.
“My siblings and I gave her a beautiful, loving send-off in March, and I’ve been listening to Fleetwood Mac the rest of the year. I hadn’t paid much attention to them before, but I am now a huge fan. I also played ‘Songbird’ as I spread her ashes in the ocean off the Long Beach harbor in SoCal, where she spent much of her adulthood. It was perfect.” — Tonia Lorenz, Austin, Texas
13. Colin Hay: “Waiting for My Real Life to Begin”
“I have listened to this song countless times over the past year, even teaching myself to play it on guitar. Being 51 years old, this song really gets to the heart of what it means to me to be (hopefully) in the middle of my life. I can’t hold a candle to Colin’s voice but that doesn’t matter to me. The song is comforting. It touches me deeply and on many levels.” — Jack Burg, Charleston, S.C.
The Amplifier Playlist
“Readers Pick the Songs That Defined Their Year” track list
Track 1: Sinead O’Connor, “All Apologies”
Track 2: The Orlons, “Not Me”
Track 3: Brenda Russell, “So Good, So Right”
Track 4: Ana Moura, “Desfado”
Track 5: Devo, “Gates of Steel”
Track 6: PJ Harvey, “Rid of Me”
Track 7: Joni Mitchell, “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire”
Track 8: Sonny Rollins, “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (Afternoon Take, Live at the Village Vanguard 1957)”
Track 9: Wormy, “Big Mountain”
Track 10: Jackson Browne, “For a Dancer”
Track 11: Everything but the Girl, “We Walk the Same Line”
Track 12: Fleetwood Mac, “Songbird”
Track 13: Colin Hay, “Waiting for My Real Life to Begin”
The post Readers Pick the Songs That Defined Their Year appeared first on New York Times.
