For a whole year, we’ve been collecting songs and albums and featuring them on our various podcasts. Now, we’re taking turns to personalize some of them and some of others for our top 10 songs of 2017 lists. Here’s Damon’s….

10. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Cut to the Feeling”

Carly makes yet-another exuberant, extremely danceable love track and she didn’t even need to put out an album. “Cut to the Feeling” is jam-packed with fun beats against a wave of euphoric synth-pop. She knows what she wants and she’s fucking going for it.

9. Sufjan Stevens – “Mystery of Love”

Originally created for the film Call Me By Your Name, “Mystery of Love” tackles the absence of love from someone who’s still in love or not ready to let go. It fit well within the film, and even took the scene during when it was played to another emotional dimension that pushed us to feel the intensity of the character’s spirit.

8. Lana Del Rey – “Love”

Lana Del Rey captures the 20-something mindset perfectly in the lines “You get ready, you get all dressed up | To go nowhere in particular | Back to work or the coffee shop | Doesn’t matter ’cause it’s enough | To be young and in love.” Enough said.

7. The xx – “I Dare You”

“I Dare You” packs some serious aggression in the lyrics, and even shows me up (for pretty much listing only love songs so far) in the lines “I’ve been a romantic for so long | All I’ve ever heard are love songs.” It’s high time a band forces you off your ass and insists you go after your true love.

6. Igorrr – “ieuD”

By far, the most influential song of the year for me. “ieuD” expanded my musical tastes with a twisted operatic metal and electronic composition. It converged the two genres and made something breathtaking and funny.

5. Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”

If songs can make you think, “HUMBLE.” impacted the way I talked. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve inserted “sit down, be humble” in everyday conversation.

4. Brutus – “Drive”

“Drive” is a compelling hard rock playground of soaring vocals from lead singer Stefanie Mannaert and high-energy instrumentation. The added punk element and blurred composition make “Drive” from debut album Burst a stratospheric rush.

3. St. Vincent – “Pills”

Who knew St. Vincent would unleash the most infectious tune of the year? Oh yes, even more irresistible than “Cut to the Feeling” (you deserve better Carly!). “Pills” summarizes the entire album of MASSEDUCTION with it’s duel production segments–from electronic-packed joy to a saxophone-led jazzy breakdown.

2. Perfume Genius – “Slip Away”

It’s bombastic. It’s heart-pounding. It’s breaking out. It’s exactly what we need to remind ourselves to not let anyone dissuade us from being ourselves. Plus, the production takes risks and finds beauty within a breakout.

1. Lorde – “Green Light”

It’s been an incredible year for Lorde. And her first single “Green Light” with its nonsensical lyrics and Jack Antonoff-assisted production made her craft exponentially better than it had ever been before. You can power a car from the amount of energy the song exudes alone.

Honorees: “Machinist” by Japanese Breakfast, “Skinny Legs” by Elohim, “Spectrum” by Muzzy, and “Hard Times” by Paramore