Like every December, we close a year of music with our traditional lists. After the Best Albums and Best EPs and Mixtapes, we’re happy to unveil the songs that made 2019 according to our team. Are these the best releases of the year ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But for sure, they represent what we have loved over the 12 months.

2019 is also the end of a decade and, even if the blog did not exist 10 years ago, we will try to share our favourite tracks of this era during the first quarter of 2020.

Finally, I’d like to mention that HighClouds would not be the same without its team of dedicated writers. People don’t always realize it but running a blog and contributing, even only from time to time, requires a lot of energy on top of your full-time job. So thank you to each of you for this.

And now, here are the 100 tracks of 2019, as well as a huge Spotify playlist to go through our selection and discover some other amazing tracks that almost made the cut this year. Thank you for reading us and see you next decade!

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100. 0171 – “1000 Words”

99. Modern Feelings – “Culture”

98. STAINWASHER – “Joy For Me”

97. Alina Bea – “King of Nothing”

96. Lowly – “baglaens”

95. Yot Club – “no way !”

94. Helado Negro – “Running”

93. BEA1991 – “Did You Feel Me Slip Away?”

92. Deaton Chris Anthony, Clairo, Coco & Clair Clair – “RACECAR”

91. Sandy – “Signals”

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90. Common Holly – “You Dance”

89. Teen Body – “Validation”

88. SOPHIE, Doss – “Whole New World (Sophie and Doss remix)”

87. Emily Reo – “Ghosting”

86. Barrie – “Darjeeling”

85. Caroline Polachek – “Pang”

84. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin – “I DON’T CARE”

83. Kraków Loves Adana – “Follow The Voice”

82. Jessica Pratt – “Aeroplane”

81. Ariel – “Dream Team”

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80. Spellling – “Under The Sun”

79. MUNYA – “It’s All About You”

78. Von – “Dealer’s Gone”

77. Makthaverskan – “Demands”

76. SASSY 009 – “Maybe in the Summer”

75. Jessie Ware – “Adore You”

74. PAT – “Love Will Find a Way Home”

73. XUXA SANTAMARIA – “Rudos Del Mar”

72. Ascendant Vierge – “Influenceur”

71. Thom Yorke – “Dawn Chorus”

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70. Nilüfer Yanya – “Baby Blu”

69. Saeyers – “Cruise”

68. Quinn Christopher – “Erase Me”

67. The Dawdler – “Sylvie”

66. TR/ST – “Iris”

65. Jai Paul – “He”

64. Maria Somerville – “Brighter Days”

63. Morabeza Tobacco – “Orinoco”

62. Eartheater – “Fontanel”

61. Otha – “Tired and Sick”

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60. Eugenia Post Meridiem – “Anjos”

59. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

58. Lala Lala, WHY? – “Siren 042”

57. Jackie Mendoza – “De Lejos”

56. Dorian Electra – “Flamboyant”

55. Crack Cloud – “The Next Fix”

54. Chromatics – “You’re No Good”

53. Hana Vu – “Order”

52. Magdalena Bay – “Only If You Want It”

51. Ebhoni – “TGM”

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50. Cherushii, Maria Minerva – “A Day Without You”

49. Maluca – “NYC Baby”

48. Tyler, The Creator – “EARFQUAKE”

47. JPEGMAFIA, Helena Deland – “Free The Frail”

46. Blue Hawaii – “Still I Miss U”

45. Oklou – “Forever”

44. Crumb – “Ghostride”

43. Ariana Grande – “NASA”

42. Weyes Blood – “Movies”

41. Pure Bathing Culture – “All Night”

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40. Beauty Queen – “The Only One”

39. Couch Prints – “Tell U”

38. 070 Shake – “Morrow”

37. JORDANN – “Café Speed”

36. Lizzo – “Juice”

35. 100 gecs – “Money Machine”

34. Hand Habits – “can’t calm down”

33. Jenny Hval – “Ashes to Ashes”

32. (Sandy) Alex G – “Gretel”

31. Arlo Parks – “Super Sad Generation”

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30. Grace Ives – “Anything”

29. Burial – “Claustro”

28. Sharon Van Etten – “Seventeen”

27. pronoun – “stay”

26. Requin Chagrin – “Sémaphore”

25. BEA1991 – “My Own Heaven”

24. Billie Eilish – “bad guy”

23. Sorry Girls – “One That You Want”

22. Japan, Man – “Stop Staring”

21. Drauve – “Haunted”

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20. Big Thief – “UFOF”

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19. MUNA – “Number One Fan”

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18. Claud – “Easy”

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17. Danny Brown – “Dirty Laundry”

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16. Angel Olsen – “Lark”

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15. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Want You In My Room”

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14. Caroline Polachek – “Door”

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13. Boy Harsher – “LA”

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12. Magdalena Bay – “Venice”

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11. Erika de Casier – “Do My thing”

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10. Men I Trust – “Numb”

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9. Charlotte Adigéry – “Paténipat”

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8. Σtella – “Samba”

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7. GEORGIA – “About Work The Dancefloor”

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6. Lana Del Rey – “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have”

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5. Aldous Harding – “The Barrel”

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4. Big Thief – “Not”

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3. Charli XCX, Christine and the Queens – “Gone”

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2. FKA twigs – “Cellophane”

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1. Clairo – “Bags”

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Dorian Electra first rose to fame in 2010, when they released their humorous take on Friedrich Hayek’s philosophy. Almost a decade later and all grown up, Electra is almost unrecognisable as the gender-fluid pop sensation that the world has come to love. What has not changed is Electra’s sharp and intelligent commentary on issues which are not often discussed in contemporary popular music, such as philosophical schools of thought or religion. “Adam & Steve”, which is the latest track from Dorian Electra to get a music video, rewrites the traditional gender-binary, heteronormative explanation for the start of the Human race (and of course replaces the emblematic apple by a juicy peach). The track comes from Electra’s amazing debut album “Flamboyant”, which was released in July.

The track references Christianity not only through its lyrics and music video. In between the massive beat drops, Electra delivers the bridge in a way that is arguably reminiscent of Gregorian chants. Proving that religion transcends beyond the walls of a cathedral, the video takes the viewer on a journey through various places of worship — whether the object of such is the divine, or art. In one poignant scene, a framed painting of Electra and the biblical Adam is attacked by the flash of camera phones — sadly, a common picture in most museums.

Whether channelling his inner Emily Rose in an exorcism scene or pole dancing with angels in heaven, Electra does not hold back. “Adam & Steve” is the anthem for anyone who does not feel like they fit into the traditional cis-heteronormative narrative: religious or not, their existence is not up for debate. Electra shows that gender identity should not be seen as a disqualifying factor in a person’s spiritual beliefs: “They want to destroy me, they will all enjoy it / say I’m an abomination, but I’m God’s creation”, they sing. The world would be a better place if everyone just listened to Electra – or maybe philosophy students would finally be seen as valuable employees.

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The music industry’s precious little secret has gotten too big to strap down. Jesse Saint John has been a songwriter and creative director for a couple years now, working with music industry forces like Britney Spears, Charli XCX, and Selena Gomez to curate undeniably powerful bodies of work, along with launching a solo career as an artist whose sound is as personable as the narratives behind them.

Recently charting in the Top 10’s for R&B/hip-hop and rap songwriters for Billboard, Jesse Saint John has made 2019 his year. He’s followed up from debuting his solo artist career in 2018 with tracks like “Move,” “What Do You Like,” and “Fake It” by releasing don’t stop dancing. life gets sad. earlier this year — a forward-thinking pop EP that redefines the boundaries of traditional pop music and exposes his inner thoughts to the world. As a therapeutic form of acknowledging one’s darkness, the singer-songwriter synthesized what it’s like to strive to be the best in today’s fast-paced digital age, with societal pressures and all, within this project. Tracks like “Wiser,” a star-studded music video with friends and contemporaries, depict the push-and-pull struggle dealt with putting out music as an artist and selling yourself as an artist. With an innate knack for creativity (especially having been a visual creative director for other artists), the video shows different versions of himself which captures his close-to-manic feelings of unsettlement, as he sings on loop, “what if I’m not getting any wiser?”

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More recently, the co-written banger with Lizzo, “Truth Hurts”, has been the number 1 song on the Hot 100 for five weeks now, having overthrown the summer 2019 anthem of “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X which comfortably sat at number 1 for 19 weeks. “Truth Hurts” was released in 2017, however there’s a reason the two year old began to chart. The empowering lyricism and artistic vision set in stone for the track has rode the rising wave of queer perspectives being embrace for radiowaves, creatives, and allies. From talking about real feelings and situations, Jesse Saint John has made a name for himself as an artist both behind the scenes and in the spotlight to not only empower queer artistry, but also lead the music industry sonically in the right path.

Jesse Saint John is a product of his cultural and artistic inspirations and loved ones around him – Of course, with the sparky flair of his own unconventional thinking, he’s created his own image to hint at new paths and new aesthetics for up and coming artists gravitating around him. Take a look inside his mind with his curated Queeropedia playlist.

[su_quote]This playlist is made up of songs I’ve co-written or artists I’ve collaborated with, & a few of my idols. I’m super blessed to work with a huge spectrum of LGBTQ superstars & it’s one of my life’s missions to collab with & highlight LGBTQ talent cuz when I succeed it’s not just for me it’s for my community, & it’s especially for those underrepresented in the mainstream. I love us so much ♥️?[/su_quote]

All the previous episodes of Queeropedia are available on our Spotify profile.

The sonic mastermind behind some of 2019’s most exciting music for queer-pop extraordinaire’s like Dorian Electra, on tracks like “Flamboyant” and “Daddy Like,” as well as fresh-faced queer pop-rap artist CHAV on his upcoming “Totally” EP, is repositioning his sound with the release of “Fruity Pablo” — a future bass queer bop featuring CHAV, readily available to stream just in time for Pride month.

“There’s a lot of misogyny within top/bottom, daddy/boy culture,” ABSRDST comments. “Some days I really do feel like a twink, and I think a lot of gays on grindr look down on you for showing vulnerability or femininity. I see masculinity as a fun place to play in and tease the status quo with my own queer experiences.”

“Fruity Pablo”’s hook “Drop In” is more than just a skating reference — think of it as a leap of faith, but for bottoming. The summer-infused pop slapper tongue-in-cheekly narrates the visceral experience of bottoming for the first time over luscious jazz chords, where ABSRDST sings “he’s not a bottom, but he asked me if I’d top him, it’s okay boy no one’s watching, let me teach you, drop in.”

Glorified heterosexual experiences are a common practice within music, which is why ABSRDST delivers this single as a way to normalize the queer experience in a fun way. “My approach has always been to sing about my life with the same comfort levels as any straight person. I think people can relate to it, queer or not, just because it’s so honest.” CHAV’s soulful feature pairs well with ABSRDST, who’s further establishing his bold presence into the more vocally driven pop-sphere following up from his latest narrative album ​Imaginary Friend.

ABSRDST has shown his ability to be a mainstay producer in the queer pop scene while crakning out previous tunes for himself. Side by side with the release of “Fruity Pablo” comes a nostalgic mid-2000’s lyrical music video directed by CHAV and ABSRDST, with ABSRDST’s own animations and typography that gives a vintage DIY flair. ABSRDST is set to release an upcoming EP in full later this summer.

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In case you did not know it, Dorian Electra is the curator of our Queeropedia playlist for this pride month. A few weeks ago, the gender-fluid and future pop artist announced the release of their debut album with the amazing video of lead single and title track, “Flamboyant.” Drawing inspiration from the LGBTQ community, the drag king artist has now shared a summer-ready single and a video where they explore the sugar daddy phenomenon. By always playing with the limits between fun, dark humour and satire, Dorian Electra celebrates the “daddy” state of mind while making fun of corporate, capitalist behaviours and destigmatizing this particular kind of sex work. In their own words:

[su_quote]I wanted to make a fun party track that anybody could listen to and feel like they could be a ‘daddy’. You don’t have to have tons of money, or be an attractive older man. Daddy is a state of mind. The song came about super organically at our album writing camp after Dylan Brady played me the instrumental and I was super into it and was like ‘Oooh… daddy like!’ and then we were like ‘whoa… that should totally be the name of the song!’ So we pretty much instantly had the chorus, but in crafting the rest of the lyrics with Mood Killer and Bonnie, we wanted to be really careful to maintain a positive, feel-good message and actually take into account the realities and complexities of sugar daddy relationships in a way that was respectful, fun, and empowering. So many people in the queer art and music world do or have done sex work in order to support themselves financially and fund their work (myself and other collaborators included) and yet there is still such a stigma against it. Especially in a culture where the aesthetics of stripper fashion, BDSM are co-opted and commercialized, I think it’s important to actively try to de-stigmatize sex work in whatever ways we can.[/su_quote]

The video was co-directed by regular collaborator Weston Allen. Watch below.

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Catch Dorian Electra on stage:

6/6 – Los Angeles – Go West Fest

6/13 – Minneapolis – PRIDE

6/21 – Miami – Wynwood Pride

6/22 – Houston – Pride Houston

6/28 – Brooklyn – LadyLand Festival

6/29 – Seattle – Queer/Pride Festival

6/30 – Chicago – Back Lot Bash

7/14 – San Diego – San Diego Pride

Debuting with the “Clitopia” single in 2016, Dorian Electra‘s built a career on challenging gender norms and sexuality. With a spot in Charli XCX‘s 2017 Pop 2 track, “Femmebot,” and 2018 Pussy Riot and Charli XCX tours, Dorian Electra is educting the masses through their futuristic spin on 00’s glitter pop.

With June’s global pride month celebrations, we can’t think of a better person to cut through toxic binary stereotypes both within the LGBTQ+ community and heteronormative world. In fact, Dorian‘s 2018 track “Man to Man” discusses femme shaming within the gay community. Touching upon topics like gender nonconformity and reproductive rights through their catchy, fun, accessible pop music, Dorian is here to steer us away from the imaginary boxes created by capitalism.

A bit ahead of their time, Dorian‘s track “Drag” is worth a listen. This is especially striking now as RuPaul’s Drag Race, a show which has offended the trans community and tries to standardise and manufacture drag, continues to lose its edge. Although released in 2016, Dorian‘s inclusive message is what the spirit of drag is really about.

If you’ve checked out all of Dorian‘s songs on Spotify and want more – you’re in luck. Their first full length album, Flamboyant, is dropping on July 17, 2019. Ahead of this major release, Dorian Electra released a music video for the title track. Playing into the “drag king” aesthetic with a painted on moustache, Dorian mixes bold glam rock style with their delicate gender-fluid features. Check it out for yourself below.

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Dorian‘s success is a testament to how much the music world and people’s tastes are opening up. They’re defining the new mainstream. As an homage to all those rising up among musicians who speak their truth, Dorian created a playlist for us. Here’s what they have to say about their picks.

[su_quote]These are some of my all-time favorite songs by queer artists who I love and admire and many of whom I’m lucky to call friends 🙂 The past few years feel like they’ve been particularly important for queer artists especially in the electronic-pop world where I’m very grateful to feel like I’m a part of a community of musicians supporting and inspiring each other.[/su_quote]

All the previous episodes of Queeropedia are available on our Spotify profile.

Combining high-definition colors with fruits, giant plants and tropical vibes, the Dominican singer calls out men who don’t know how to behave around women. Putting traditional Latin rhythms into a dancefloor electronic sound, the artist doesn’t lack of imagination. She took some time to answer our questions about her track “Tigre,” how her roots inspire her career and what we can expect from her in the future.

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Highclouds: What’s the story behind your last track “Tigre”?

Jarina De Marco: A “Tigre” or “Tiguere” in dominican slang that can mean several things: A hustler, a shark, a trouble maker but to me (and in this song) it means Fuckboi. Every woman in the world can spot a “Tigre.” He’s that guy on the corner, with nothing to do, catcalling up a storm when you walk by. He’s that lip-licking, habitual line-stepping pendejo that quite frankly should know better at this point in time (seriously, when does cat-calling ever work?? like really…when?). In “Tigre,” I’m recognizing him, calling him out and eye-rolling him into oblivion.

The first time we heard that track was in the TV show “Broad City.” How did your song end up in the show?

By the powers of the interwebz. Broadcity was my favorite show from episode #1. I’d been living in Brooklyn for more than 10 years and BC was like watching a ridiculously funny version of my girls and I trying to survive NYC. I was minding my own damn business on Facebook when I get a message from Matt FX. He wanted to link with producer Tony Quattro to make some tracks and we got to talking. I sent him some songs I had been working on and that’s when he said “I’d love to put these in Broad City” and then I fainted and fell off of my chair.

“I’m a fan of everything tropical, vibrant, green and lush” – Jarina De Marco

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Why did you decide to sing this song in Spanish?

Well I’m Dominican and Brazilian, raised in part in Santo Domingo so Spanish is my first language. What’s funny is that until I moved to the states, I ONLY sang in English. I think when I sing in Spanish I’m connecting with the island girl in me.

The video is very colorful. How did the idea start?

I’m a fan of everything tropical, vibrant, green and lush. Anything with palms, I’m in. I wanted to create a surrealist dream of a tropical landscape with absurd and tantalizing happenings through out the video. So I reached out to mega talented super babe Dorian Electra (of Refinery‘s “Clitopia” viral video) to produce the video. The very talented Weston Getto Allen and Michael Zarowny directed it, Elise Mesner aka @lellopepper (I had been dreaming of working with her) art directed it and long time friend and collaborator DISCOS styled it. I’m a fan of all these talented humans. It was a dream team for sure.

You said that your track serves to call out all the macho men. Is your music a way to empower women?

This song definitely is. I will always be on the side of those who need to be heard.

How does your roots influence your music?

My roots influence me immensely. I’m very fortunate to have been born into a multicultural musical family. I definitely incorporate the music that I grew up with. My mother’s Dominican rhythms, my father Brazilian harmony. I’m constantly looking back, listening back and calling them up about it.

What can we expect from you in the future?

You can expect more videos, more songs, and an EP this year!

You can follow Jarina De Marco over Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud.

BONUS: You can listen to her song “Release The Hounds” in support to “Stand With Standing Rock” below.