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Song of the Day #2,724: ‘Cool For the Summer (Live)’ – Demi Lovato

demi_lovato_cool_summerBest Songs of 2015 – #16
‘Cool For the Summer’ – Demi Lovato

The summer of 2015 lacked a clear frontrunner for “Song of the Summer” status. Billboard dissected its own charts and declared OMI the winner for his late-season hit ‘Cheerleader.’ Wiz Khalifa, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Fetty Wap and Walk the Moon all had skin in the game as well.

Demi Lovato broke the unofficial rule that no Song of the Summer should contain the word “summer” but, for my money, her ‘Cool For the Summer’ was certainly one of the best.

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Song of the Day #2,723: ‘If Love Was Fair’ – Ashley Monroe

ashley_monroe_bladeBest Songs of 2015 – #17
‘If Love Was Fair’ – Ashley Monroe

Unfortunately my favorite country artist (and one of my favorite anything artists), Miranda Lambert, took 2015 off (though I can’t wait for her inevitable break-up album).

Fortunately her Pistol Annies bandmate Ashley Monroe stepped up to fill Lambert’s shows admirably with solo album The Blade.

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Song of the Day #2,722: ‘Reality (Original Mix)’ – Lost Frequencies feat. Janieck Devy

reality_lost_frequenciesBest Songs of 2015 – #18
‘Reality’ – Lost Frequencies

Clocking in at #17 is the year’s best collaboration between a Belgian DJ and a Dutch actor (it was a tough competition, I know).

I was introduced to ‘Reality’ by my 9-year-old daughter, who heard it in her elementary school music class. I loved it instantly.

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Song of the Day #2,721: ‘Somebody To Love’ – Kacey Musgraves

kacey_musgraves_pageant_materialBest Songs of 2015 – #19
‘Somebody To Love’ – Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves’ sophomore album, Pageant Material, was a bit of a let-down after her sparkling debut, Same Trailer, Different Park. It’s not that the songs were worse, but rather they felt like more of the same.

Lead single ‘Biscuits’ was catchy as hell but really just another take on the “be yourself” mantra of ‘Follow Your Arrow.’ In fact, half of the album delivers that same message.

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Song of the Day #2,720: ‘What’ll I Do’ – Bob Dylan

dylan_shadows_in_the_nightToday begins my countdown of the 20 best songs of 2015, or rather the 20 songs that encapsulate the last year in music for me.

This list is always controversial for one reason or another — usually because I leave off a radio hit or two that my regular readers expect. That will likely happen again this year, though I will say I have more hit singles represented on this list than I have in any year since I started ranking.

My pick for #20, however, did not receive much radio play. Shocker!

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