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.

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Books read, 2020

Jan. 9: Midnight Riot

Feb. 1: Earthquake Weather

Feb. 29: Guards! Guards!

March 26: We’re with Nobody

April 5: Wizards & Spells

April 14: Eric

June 26: The Once and Future King

June 30: Our Towns

July 31: Moving Pictures

Aug. 18: To Be Taught, If Fortunate

Sept. 14: Annihilation

Sept. 29: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Sept. 30: Magic for Liars

Oct. 11: Traveler: The Shining Blade

Oct. 18: Reaper Man

Nov. 20: Beasts & Behemoths

Nov. 23: The Hate U Give

Dec. 10: Moon Over Soho

Dec. 13: Squeeze Me

Dec. 30: Witches Abroad

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My most popular stories of 2020

As you might expect for 2020, they weren’t happy stories.

1. Inland Empire angry, resigned to Newsom’s new coronavirus lockdown

2. Schools will reopen without in-person classes in most of California, Newsom says

3. California School for the Deaf, Riverside, official under investigation for 2006 photo of Nazi-style salute

4. Three teens killed in Temescal Valley crash were ‘inseparable’

5. How Inland Empire schools plan to reopen in the coronavirus era

6. Moreno Valley Unified: Boy killed by bullies died due to own negligence

7. Coronavirus concerns close all San Bernardino County public schools

8. Hemet Valley Mall staff cleans up after looters break in

9. Parents of 3 teens killed in Temescal Valley crash: ‘We have to forgive’

10. What will Inland Empire’s 2020-21 public school year look like?

Here’s hoping for happier news in 2021.