iPod Top 100: 2022

Ever December, I get jealous of everyone’s Spotify Unwrapped round-ups. But as I am an old coot, I prefer to own my music, rather than subscribe to it. So instead, I just track yearly plays on my iPhone (formerly my iPad).

1. “One Way Out of a Hole” – Cloud Cult
2. “Chaise Lounge” – Wet Leg
3. “If It Makes You Happy” – Best Coast
4. “Wet Dream” – Wet Leg
5. “Wage Wars Get Rich Die Handsome” – The Mountain Goats
6. “Walk Through Fire (feat. Aimee Interrupted)” – Bedouin Soundclash
7. “I Feel So Weird!” – Cheekface
8. “Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves
9. “Endless Summer” – Superchunk
10. “Givin’ It Up” – Pearl Charles
11. “i’m not crying you’re crying” – Pinkshift
12. “Tin Cups” – ZZ Ward & Aloe Blacc
13. “River Nile” – Elsy Wameyo
14. “Lies” – Pale Waves
15. “The Only Way Out” – Danielle Ponder
16. “Bumblebee” – Dora Jar
17. “El Bueno Y El Malo” – Hermanos Gutiérrez
18. “Black Summer” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
19. “Sharevari” – Aidan Noell & Nancy Whang
20. “Play It Cool” – Penelope Isles
21. “Blah Blah Blah” – PJ Western
22. “Popular (feat. Nada Surf & Matthew Caws)” – Pom Pom Squad
23. “Habibi Inta – ????? ???” – S H I R A N
24. “Haircut” – Alex the Astronaut
25. “Vacuum” – Beverly Crusher
26. “So Long” – Danielle Ponder
27. “Summer Never Dies” – The Foxies
28. “High Horse” – Kacey Musgraves
29. “(I’m Gonna Get Over This) Some Day” – Logan Ledger
30. “Heart of Glass” – The Surfrajettes
31. “Phoning It In” – Yam Haus
32. “The Overload” – Yard Act
33. “Go Bravely Feat. MulRli” – Denise Challa
34. “Nobody’s Wrong” – Gaby Moreno
35. “Rainbow” – Kacey Musgraves
36. “To The Floor” – Lil Silva & BADBADNOTGOOD
37. “Training Montage” – The Mountain Goats
38. “Una Más” – Ozomatli
39. “How Was Your Day?” – Stella Donnelly
40. “Pineapple Princess” – Annette Funicello
41. “Ain’t No Man” – The Avett Brothers
42. “Love’s Train” – Bruno Mars, Anderson. Paak & Silk Sonic
43. “Loser” – The Cleverlys
44. “Some Of Us Are Brave” – Danielle Ponder
45. “Bad Love” – DEHD
46. “El Sultán” – Dirtwire & Chancha Vía Circuito
47. “Rock & Roll (Live)” – Jane’s Addiction
48. “drivers license” – Olivia Rodrigo
49. “Mi Destino (feat. B-Real, Gaby Moreno)” – Ozomatli
50. “Walking at a Downtown Pace” – Parquet Courts
51. “Dyslexic Heart” – Paul Westerberg
52. “Would? (Live)” – Alice in Chains
53. “Birthday” – Best Coast
54. “Flutter Girl” – Chris Cornell
55. “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” – David Lee Roth
56. “Forever (feat. Sekou Bembeya Diabate & Toumani Diabaté)” – Habib Koité
57. “Flagpole Sitta” – Harvey Danger
58. “Lonely Weekend” – Kacey Musgraves
59. “Did you know there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” – Lana Del Rey
60. “Oh!” – The Linda Lindas
61. “Battle of Evermore” – The Lovemongers
62. “Mark on You” – The Mountain Goats
63. “Zombie!” – Orla Gartland
64. “Waiting for Somebody” – Paul Westerberg
65. “Peaches” – The Presidents of the United States of America
66. “Do I Wanna Stay” – Shannon & The Clams
67. “Birth Ritual (Live)” – Soundgarden
68. “Temple” – Thao & Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
69. “Tongo Barra” – Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin
70. “It Ain’t Like That” – Alice in Chains
71. “Sweetness” – Best Coast
72. “10 A.M. Automatic” – The Black Keys
73. “Missing” – Chris Cornell
74. “California Girls” – David Lee Roth
75. “Fairweather Friend” – GA-20
76. “Wonder Woman” – Kacey Musgraves
77. “Everything’s Electric” – Liam Gallagher
78. “Tonite” – The Linda Lindas
79. “She’s a Lover” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
80. “Grown So Ugly” – The Black Keys
81. “Incinerate for KG” – Chaka Gettz
82. “Thank You” – Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
83. “Laughing in the Sunshine” – G. Love & Special Sauce
84. “Golden Hour” – Kacey Musgraves
85. “On My Way (Feat. Kimmortal)” – A La Una
86. “Thir Ghar Baiso” – Sonny Singh
87. “Psycho Killer” – The Talking Heads
88. “All Alone” – Best Coast
89. “Girl Is On My Mind” – The Black Keys
90. “The Lengths” – The Black Keys
91. “Six Foot Under” – Blood Circus
92. “Chainsaw Girl” – Chainsaw Girl
93. “Spoon Man” – Chris Cornell
94. “Coconut Grove” – David Lee Roth
95. “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” – Dead or Alive
96. “California Dreamin'” – The Beach Boys
97. “Leading” – Best Coast
98. “Nowhere but You” – Chris Cornell
99. “Easy Street” – David Lee Roth
100. “W.I.T.C.H.” – Devon Cole

Previous top 100 lists: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

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Books read, 2022

I have friends who read dozens and dozens of books each year, but I keep my ambitions a bit lower than that. I read 22 books in 2022 and plan to read 23 in 2023. This will become something of an issue by 2300.

Feb. 5: Acceptance

Feb. 27: Interesting Times

March 17: The Peshawar Lancers

March 29: Irontown Blues

March 31: Bad Advice

April 28: Maskerade

May 1: Sandman Slim

May 10: Ernest Hemingway on Writing

June 25: Alternate Routes

July 22: Feet of Clay

Aug. 20: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy

Aug. 21: Alien III

Aug. 26: Animal Farm

Aug. 31: The Turn of the Screw

Sept. 26: Watership Down

Oct. 2: The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains

Oct. 26: Forced Perspectives

Oct. 30: Black God’s Kiss

Nov. 23: The Princess Bride 

Dec. 2: Hogfather

Dec. 18: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: Illustrated Edition

Dec. 24: The Hobbit

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iPod Top 100: 2021

1. “Wannabe in L.A.” – Eagles of Death Metal
2. “I’m a King Bee” – Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
3. “Hero” – Weezer
4. “Dark Days” – Yard Act
5. “Spanish Doors” – Liz Phair
6. “Good Time, Baby” – Strange Relations
7. “Wild at Heart” – Lana Del Rey
8. “Raven” – The Living Pins
9. “What I Need” – Pearl Charles
10. “Vacation” – Johnny Aloha
11. “Call It a Day” – Leon Creek
12. “Hey Lou” – Liz Phair
13. “Zoology” – Funkrust Brass Band
14. “Rock Lobster” – Johnny Aloha
15. “Puppy and a Truck” – Jenny Lewis
16. “Island in the Sun” – Johnny Aloha
17. “Los Ageless” – St. Vincent
18. “Blow Your Whistle” – Chuck Brown
19. “Before You Gotta Go” – Courtney Barnett
20. “In There” – Liz Phair
21. “On a Coconut Island” – Louis Armstrong & The Polynesians
22. “Ride on Thru” – Rebel Queens
23. “It’s a good day (to fight the system)” – Shungudzo
24. “Drift” – Cartel Madras and Dom Dias
25. “City of Mirrors” – Dos Santos
26. “California Girls” – Johnny Aloha
27. “Black Sheep (feat. Brie Larson)” – Metric
28. “Imposter” – Pearl Charles
29. “My Head’s in Mississippi” – ZZ Top
30. “Rae Street” – Courtney Barnett
31. “Drink to Hawaii” – Johnny Aloha
32. “Bad Kitty” – Liz Phair
33. “As Long As You’re Mine” – Pearl Charles
34. “Wave” – Slowey and The Boats
35. “The Revolution Starts Now” – Steve Earle
36. “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” – ZZ Top
37. “The American Dream” – Blu & Exile
38. “Cruel Summer” – Johnny Aloha
39. “Good Side” – Liz Phair
40. “Sweet Sunshine Wine” – Pearl Charles
41. “Palm Desert” – St. Vincent
42. “Tube Snake Boogie” – ZZ Top
43. “53 Miles West of Venus” – The B-52s
44. “Work Me” – The Black Keys
45. “Así es la Vida (That’s Life)” – David Lee Roth
46. “Next Year” – Foo Fighters
47. “Witchcraft” – Graveyard Club
48. “Summertime” – Johnny Aloha
49. “Let Me Love You Like a Woman” – Lana Del Rey
50. “The Game” – Liz Phair
51. “Do Something Crazy” – Outasight
52. “All the Way” – Pearl Charles
53. “honest” – phem
54. “Tush” – ZZ Top
55. “Junior’s Instrumental” – The Black Keys
56. “Sax Riddim” – El Dusty & Chucho Ponce Los Daddys de Chinantla
57. “Back in Business” – Frank Bey
58. “Cocaine Blues” – George Thorogood & The Destroyers
59. “Paradise City” – Johnny Aloha
60. “Tulsa Jesus Freak” – Lana Del Rey
61. “Soberish” – Liz Phair
62. “Only For Tonight” – Pearl Charles
63. “Can I Call You Rose?” – Thee Sacred Souls
64. “La Grange” – ZZ Top
65. “Wednesday’s Child” – Alice Smith
66. “When You Go (That’s When You’ll Know)” – The Altons
67. “Black Myself” – Amythyst Kiah
68. “Better Than Gold” – Barrington Levy
69. “Keep Your Hands Off Her” – The Black Keys
70. “4 Ed Maten” – Delgres
71. “Black Woman” – Fatoumata Diawara & Lauryn Hill
72. “Waiting on a War” – Foo Fighters
73. “I Love a Man in a Uniform” – Gang of Four
74. “Wonderful” – Gretchen Parlato
75. “Turntables” – Janelle Monáe
76. “Language of Love” – Jason Joshua
77. “Venus” – Los Straitjackets
78. “Take Your Time” – Pearl Charles
79. “Sheila Can Do It” – Weezer
80. “This Will Be Our Year” – The Zombies
81. “Pearl Necklace” – ZZ Top
82. “Meet Me in the City” – The Black Keys
83. “Blackskin Mule” – CeeLo Green
84. “The Summer Looks Good on You” – Cheap Trick
85. “Lo-Rez Sunset” – David Lee Roth
86. “Hard Skool” – Guns N’ Roses
87. “No Turning Around” – Jeymes Samuel
88. “Guns Go Bang” – Kid Cudi & JAY-Z
89. “The Harder They Fall” – Koffee
90. “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” – Lana Del Rey
91. “We Go Harder” – Laura Mvula & Mayra Andrade
92. “Vote!” – The Linda Lindas
93. “Polyester Bride (Live)” – Liz Phair
94. “Time” – Los Yesterdays
95. “Dawn Bends” – Mac McCaughan
96. “Chismiten” – Mdou Moctar
97. “Ain’t No Better Love” – Seal
98. “All The Good Ones” – Weezer
99. “You and Islands” – Zac Brown Band
100. “Nobody But You” – The Black Keys

Previous top 100 lists: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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Books read, 2021

Yes, this is late. Last year was another rough one, folks. You may have heard.

I’ll probably shift this to a Google Doc next year. Anyone who’s really hot to see what I’m reading is presumably following me on Goodreads already, I suspect.

Jan. 24: Forever War

Feb. 27: Emergency Skin

March 17: Whispers Under Ground

March 27: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

April 3: Ready Player Two

April 8:  Piranesi

May 3: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

May 9: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

May 19: Small Gods

May 21: Kitchen Confidential

June 18: Death on the Nile

June 29: Broken Homes

July 29: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Aug. 5: A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Aug. 28: Lords and Ladies

Sept. 27: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Sept. 28: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Oct. 18: Dune

Nov. 4: Men at Arms

Dec. 4: Authority

Dec. 30: Soul Music

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iPod Top 100: 2020

It’s not hard to see this list as a reaction of the year that was. Let’s hope 2021 and especially 2022 are heavier on happy, bouncy tunes.

1. “Ayeyayaya” – The Shredders
2. “Get Up Get Out” – Born Dirty
3. “Top Knot Turn Up” – Madame Ghandi
4. “50 Foot Woman” – Hannah Williams & The Affirmations
5. “Time Spent in Los Angeles” – Dawes
6. “For the First Time” – Best Coast
7. “Fuck Up the Friendship” – Leah Kate
8. “You’re Not Alone” – Semisonic
9. “March March” – The Chicks
10. “Malibu” – Kim Petras
11. “Looking for America” – Lana Del Rey
12. “I Would Die 4 U” – Mariachi El Bronx
13. “You Can’t Rule Me” – Lucinda Williams
14. “Loteria” – Mariachi El Bronx
15. “Take the Money and Run” – Run-DMC
16. “California” – Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Rangers
17. “Black Steel” – Tricky
18. “I Wanna Be Like You” – Ukulena
19. “Antifa Dance” – Ana Tijoux
20. “House of Bamboo” – The Hi-Tide Orchestra
21. “Signal” – Automatic
22. “Making Love to the Dead” – Beginners
23. “Different Light” – Best Coast
24. “Goonda Gold” – Cartel Madras
25. “Monday” – Filous & Ashe
26. “A Hero’s Death” – Fontaines D.C.
27. “New Mood” – LPX
28. “Take What You Can Carry” – Mia Doi Todd
29. “Lonely Heather” – The Nude Party
30. “I Am America” – Shea Diamond
31. “Dystopian Boy” – Sólveig Matthildur
32. “Worry” – Songhoy Blues
33. “I’m a Man” – Spencer Davis Group
34. “Moral of the Story” – Ashe
35. “Running to Chad” – Baba Stilz
36. “Everything has Changed” – Best Coast
37. “Coming of Age” – Blondes
38. “Lay Me Down” – Dirty Heads
39. “Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles
40. “Little Bit of Love” – Kesha
41. “I’m Sayin'” – Longshot
42. “Fortunate Son” – Sleater-Kinney
43. “South Gotta Change” – Adia Victoria
44. “Angola Rodeo” – The Black Lips
45. “Rise” – Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles
46. “Grounds” – Idles
47. “Lockdown” – Koffee
48. “Here Come the Warm Dreads” – Lee “Scratch” Perry
49. “Gypsy Woman” – Muddy Waters
50. “Bang!” – AJR
51. “Valens” – Graveyard Club
52. “Peaceful Easy Feeling” – Jim “Kimo” West
53. “Asleep on the Shore” – The Swingin’ Palms
54. “Give Us Justice” – Thee Sacred Souls
55. “(I Blame) Society” – Titus Andronicus
56. “Malibu” – Trixie Mattel
57. “Ball and Biscuit” – The White Stripes
58. “Sunglasses” – Black Country, New Road
59. “Stay High” – Brittany Howard
60. “Working” – Cartel Madras
61. “Supermoon” – Charly Bliss
62. “Steel Guitar Rag” – The Greasy Gills
63. “Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar” – The Hi-Tide Orchestra
64. “The Perfect Wave” – The MelTones
65. “Santeria” – Metalachi
66. “Justice Never Dies” – Quetzal
67. “Stay Away” – Randy Newman
68. “Sing Along” – Sturgil Simpson
69. “Over the Moon” – The Swingin’ Palms
70. “Kalua” – Arthur Lyman
71. “Hear It” – Bad Religion
72. “N.B.T.” – Black Market Brass
73. “Voodoo Bamboos” – Chaino
74. “Mystique” – Cosmique Hypnotique
75. “Rome” – Dojo Cuts
76. “Leisure Time” – Eyesore & The Jinx
77. “Swamp Meet” – The Greasy Gills
78. “Jaws” – Greg Townson
79. “Lockdown” – The Hi-Tide Orchestra
80. “All Eyes” – Mariachi El Bronx
81. “Bohemian Rhapsody” – Mariachi El Bronx
82. “Moonlight Wahine” – Network Music Ensemble
83. “All I Want” – The Offspring
84. “Trouble in Paradise” – Rufus Wainwright
85. “Old Man” – Stella Donnelly
86. “Entrada” – The Swingin’ Palms
87. “Ten in 2010” – Bad Religion
88. “Pipeline” – The Chantays
89. “Waterfalls” – Death Cab for Cutie
90. “Mr. Rebel” – The Greasy Gills
91. “Tiki Diva” – Kenny Sasaki & The Tiki Boys
92. “Pearly Shells (P?p? A’o ‘Ewa)” – Maile Serenaders
93. “Wind of Change” – The Scorpions
94. “Makaha” – The Tikyaki Orchestra
95. “Brown Eyed Lover” – Allen Stone
96. “Rollercoaster” – Best Coast
97. “War Room” – Black Market Brass
98. “Shark Tank” – Bloodshot Bill
99. “Keep On” – Courtney Barnett
100. “U.F.S.” – The Greasy Gills

Previous top 100 lists: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.