Well, this year, I don’t have a story where things crashed and delayed my posting of the Philby Hot 100 Songs of 2022.
Nosiree.
I just didn’t have the time to finish this list until this very moment.
I wanted to get it posted by Thanksgiving weekend, but, alas, too much was on the plate.
However, I always feel that most people are always open to receiving positive news about their creative endeavors no matter when it is given, so I think this will be well received.
In general, I treat my weekly shows as if I am the music programmer at my own radio station.
From those shows, I construct my weekly Fave Song lists, just like in the radio days, when almost every station had a music guide of the songs they played for the prior week.
At the end of the year, the station would compile a year end list representative of the weekly guides.
The basic rule I have is that a song cannot appear on my year end list without having been played on one of my shows.
There’s an exception, but I rarely ever use it.
So, here we are.
I like to think that the songs I select are a piece of someone’s heart, or soul, if you will.
They certainly are much more than a song!
My putting them together in this list is more an effort to rank how I, as well as other listeners, reacted to the songs.
The songs cover such a variety of styles, it would be impossible to say that one is better than another. But where I felt that someone exceeded at what they did on their project, I gave them a special award.
Those awards are truly mine, and some of them will be a little silly!
I had fun assigning them, and I hope you will enjoy my serious yet somewhat playful categories.
This makes the list, in a sense, it’s own piece of art. It makes it a fresh and breathing list!
There are 53 first time song winners!
97 of the tracks are represented in some form, and I tried to find them all!
A couple of the songs have different versions to at least give someone an idea of what the song sounds like. (I’m still not sure how I feel about that.)
I didn’t time it out, but I’m sure it would take 5 to 6 hours to explore the songs on it that have links.
Regardless, this will be a list for further exploration!
So here they are!
This year’s songs of brilliant musical achievement!!!
1.Our Turn to Shine—Mike Ward: Psychosongs (The Darkness and the Light)[Song of the Year][Best Folk Song][Best Male Folk Vocal][Video of the Year][Best Singalong Song]
2.Treacherous and Beautiful—Linden Thoburn (Scarecrow) [Best Heartstrings Song][Best Cello: Sara Gibson]
3.Lost and Found—The Stan Laurels (There Is No Light Without the Darkness)[Best Pop/Rock Song]
4.Heavy Days—Katy Guillen and The Girls (Heavy Days)[Best Blues/Rock Song][Best Guitar Riff]
5.The Family Tree—Erin Zindle (Scenes From the Fragile, Agile, Avian World)[Best Celtic Folk Song][Best Lyrics]
6.Lofi Roulette—Jimmy Carpenter (Soul Doctor)[Best Instrumental][Best Blues Song][Best Sax][Best Swampy Keyboards][Best Wicked Goove]
7.There’s Still Time—Julianne Ankley (With Love From Lake Huron)[Best Country/Pop Song][Best Female Country Vocal]
8.Burn It Down—Matthew French (Sweet Love)[Best Country/Rock Song][Best Hand Claps]
9.Eleanor Rigby—Kate Hinote Trio (Single)[Best Cover Song][Best Classical Vocal]
10.Grace—Skinny Lister (The Devil, The Heart, and The Fight)[Best Celtic Ballad]
11.Hung Up and Overdue—Fathom Lane (Asilomar)[Best Song Better Than the Original][Best Sleigh Bells]
12.Roll on Over—Angela Perley and The Howlin’ Moons (Hey, Kid!)[Best Rock Song][Best Female Rock Vocal]
13.Sixteen Blows [Language Warning]—J.C. and The Disciples (Hammered)[Sadly, Best Song Based on a Real Event]
14.Paris 1919—The Armoires (Incognito)[Best Rock Harmonies]
15.Metro—The Jins (Single)[Best Punk/Pop Song]
16.Never Been So Blind—Your Gracious Host (Boomerang)[Best Rock/Pop Song][Best Drums]
17.Love in the Ruins—Judy Banker (Buffalo Motel)[Best Americana Song][Best Accordion: Dave Roof]
18.Memory in the Rain—Gary Browe (Red Sky Remembers)[Best Baroque Sounding Song][Best Guitar Solo]
19.When They Fall—Annie and Rod Capps (When They Fall)[Best Acoustic Guitar]
20.God Doesn’t—Helene Cronin (Old Ghosts and Lost Causes)[Best Religious Themed Song]
21.Me and You—The Wag (We Carry On)[Best Pop/Rock Ballad]
22.Living in the Right Place—The Dirk Kroll Band (Would It Be the Same (If I Still Loved You?))[Best Funk Hook]
23.No Memory—Sarah Morris (Ordinary Things)[Best “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh” Song][Best Keyboard Solo]
24.In Time—Rochelle Clark (In Time)[Best Banjo: Keith Billick]
25.Down By Love—Grievous Angel (Grievous Angel)[Best Folk/Rock Song][Best Fiddle: Dave Mosher]
26.My Forever, Your Always—George Stephen Kelly (The Power, The Glory, and The Monkey Time: Redux 2020)[Best Slow Dance Song][Best Horn Arrangement][Best Stax Records Sound]
27.Ghost Town—Michael Snyder-Barker and David Roof (Bark and Roof Tales)[Best Duo]
28.Shake—Mollywop! (Stand Up!)[Best R&B Song]
29.Love More, Hate Less—Detroit Strong with Tosha Owens and Bob Mervak (Single)[Best “Peace” Song]
30.Sky So Blue—The Steve Taylor Three (Earn Every Scar)[Best Country Song]
31.No Control—Alex Little and The Suspicious Minds (No Control)[Best Punk Rock Song]
32.Homespun—Wendy Webb (This Is the Moment)[Best Jazz Song][Best Jazz Vocal][Best Piano]
33.Bringing in the Light—Gathering Sparks (All That’s Real)[Best Folk Harmonies]
34.I Would Give Anything—Michael on Fire (Where Dreamers Only Go Soundtrack)[Best Slow Rock Song][Best Sax Hook]
35.You’re From Michigan—Ron St. Germain (Single)[Best Rock Song About Michigan]
36.Love Won’t Stay Close—Carolyn Striho (Afterthought)[Best Fast Rock Song]
37.Harbour Nights—Bob Hausler (Single)[Best Cajon Song][Best Infectious Chorus]
38.Selfie—The Joedai Warriors with Phil Maq (Turf Wars)
39.Bit of a Jesus Girl—Jill Jack (Single)[Best Rockin’ Country Song]
40.The Last Thing I Need—Bill Edwards (Whole Cloth)[Best Twin Fiddle Song]
41.Feels Like Summer—Annie Fitzgerald (You and Me and the Sun)[Most Hooks]
42.Just to Get Me By—Mick Clarke (Cut Loose, Vol.2)[Best British Blues Song]
43.Buckle Up Buttercup—Barker and Broski (The Ballad of Billy Bob and Other Generic Folklore)
44.I Wish You Love—Sundae + Mr. Goessl (Single)[Best Big Band Song]
45.In the Middle—Diana Chittester (Paradox)[Best Female Rock Vocal]
46.The Burning of Cork—Bill Grogan’s Goat (Third Eye)[Best Celtic Rock Song]
47.Chihuahua—Deane Nesbitt, Jr. (Soundtracks in the Sand)[Best Latin Instrumental]
48.Hit the Road—Shawn Adam Williams (Single)[Best Male R&B Vocal]
49.Failure Brings Smiles—Bobby Pennock (The Vestiges of Art)[Best Male Pop/Rock Vocal][Best Harpsichord]
50.The Breathing Room—Jeff Scott (NOLA to New York)[Best Male Jazz Vocal]
51.Under the Moon—Miss Sophie Lee and The Parish Suites (Traverse This Universe)[Best Reggae Song]
52.Gotta Get to the Jersey Shore—Mike Rocket (For the Ride Home)
53.Second Chances—Happy Curmudgeons (Single)
54.Waiting on the Night—Ray Bonneville (At King Electric)
55.Oh Yeah—Lindsay Beaver (Tough As Love)[Best Female Rockabilly Song]
56.Superstatic—Turkuaz (Life in the City)
57.Summer Blue—Lannie Flowers (Flavor of the Month: The Remixed March to Home Singles)
58.Lady Luck—Michael McArthur (Single)
59.Nicer—Mise en Scene (Single)[Best Pure Pop Song]
60.Forever Young Forever—Rebecca Loebe (Blink)
61.Straight From the Heart—Robert Thibodeau and The Detroit Jewels (Single)
62.Good Life—Billy Redfield (Waiting on the Good Life)
63.One Summer Night—Carl Caballero (The Wreckage)[Best Harp (Harmonica)]
64.Light From the Underground—Roger Ponder (Single)[Best Male Rockabilly Song]
65.About Enough—Karyn Oliver (A List of Names)[Best Female Blues Vocal]
66A.These Days—Terri Binion (The Day After the Night Before)
66B.Dark Eyed Gal—Christian Parker (Every Passing Mile)
67.Step Inside the Circle—Amy Dixon—Kolar (Dancing Through the Storm)
68.Kitty Hawk—Warriors, Zombies, and Other Joedai Pilgrims with Cheryl Fletcher (Collaboration)
69.Feel So Much—Go Fever (Daydream Hawker)
70.Stars—Friction Farm (So Many Stars)
71.Tore Down a la Rimbaud—Danette Christine (Eternal Sun)
72.Ethereal—Zoe Says Go (Space Between the Notes)
73.Sing This Song With Me—Dave Boutette and Kristi Lynn Davis (Seven Stars Around the Moon)
74.Miss Mess—Jay Elle (Ride the Wave)
75.Chaos in the USA—Tom Alter (Single)
76.It’s Only Love—The New Zeitgeist (Myths and Mortals)
77.Shine—Heather Layne (Single)
78.Everybody Knows It—Katie Pederson (The Landing)
79.The Tapestry—Ruth and Max Bloomquist (On a Canvas Painted Blue)
80.Red Light Kisses—Lake Street Dive (Free Yourself Up)
81.Listen to the Music—The Alonzo Spirit Band (Cafe Kona)
82.Jigsaw Puzzle—Lee Anna Atwell/Allison Edberg Nyquist/Linda Hicks/Joe Peters (Live at the Delphi Opera House)
83.You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know—Jehova Waitresses (Route 5)
84.Ice Jam—The Regulators (One of These Days)
85.No Drop of Love (Is Ever Wasted)—Valerie JanLois (No Drop of Love (Is Ever Wasted))
86.I’m in Trouble Once Again—The Satin Cowboy and The Seven Deadly Sins (Duel)
87.Refugee—J.D. Dominowski (Echoes: Remembering the Music of Tom Petty)
88.Everything That I See You See Better—Eyelids (Single)
89.Strange Vibes—Travis Bowlin (Secondus)
90.When You’re Gone—Emily Mure (Sad Songs and Waltzes)
91.Mine Mine Mine—The Rosebuds (Sand and Silence)
92.Don’t You Know I Know—New Chums (Shruggin’ Off the Feelings)
93.You Make Home—Upstairs Party (Upstairs Party)
94.Tightrope—Vandenberg’s MoonKings (MKII)
95.Jazz for All Occasions—The Doug MacDonald Quartet (Organisms)
96.Happy Medium—Katie Pederson (The Landing)
97.Weekends—Clifford/Wright (For All the Money in the World)
98.Big Man on the TV—King Ropes (Way Out West)
99.Maybe Someday—Pkew Pkew Pkew (Single)
100.Struck By Lightning—The Chats (Single)
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#Philby #Philbys #PhilMaq #ThemeAttic
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Here’s a section on submissions:
I am accepting entries for Philby consideration!
The album selections are made from a sliding four year pool of music.
The pool for 2023 is 2021-2024.
One of the reasons that I use a multiple year submission scale is that just getting music out to the world is sometimes difficult for an artist.
A lot of them are not really wired for self promotion.
Making music is totally different than drumming up interest in it, especially for independent musicians.
Yes, there are promoters that can help with that. And nothing against promoters because they have a role to play. But they cost money, and the artist already had to pay to record the music, and may not be prepared for the process of promoting it.
After looking at how some other independent awards are handled, I figured a four year window allows me enough time to serendipitously run across someone’s music.
I have told this story several times, but I try very hard to listen to everything that is submitted.
Although I work on my list, starting literally on January 1st, using a four year sliding window, I carry over some of what would qualify from the prior years.
So, if you’ve made some music dating back as far as 2019, I will accept that music for consideration.
If you have something older than 2019, send that, too, but identify the release date. I’m always looking for GREAT music.
For the Philbys, I’m looking for full albums.
However, if you only have a single, I’ll accept that, too. Don’t forget that I also have a Philby Hot Songs list, and more artists are releasing singles these days.
But please don’t send me an incomplete album if you have one.
So, please don’t edit for me.
I dislike that and I might not even check out the item. I don’t know why anyone would only send selected songs instead of their whole work of art for consideration.
Please don’t send me links to listen to music. That’s not how I listen to music. And I probably won’t listen to it if you send me a link to stream it. Either send me the album to download or request my mailing address to send a physical copy.
Every year I say that if your item came out later than May, it may not end up on this year’s list. So it’s possible that submissions entered now may only be considered for 2021. (It sounds so good to think of 2020 being finished!)
However, this year will be totally different than other years. I have not received any where near the amount of releases that I normally do.
It might be an excellent year to send a submission.
I will accept any genre of music. I like a variety of styles, even on the same album!
So, please e-mail your mp3s, and please make sure it is an mp3 only, to phil@philmaq.com.
If you want a physical address or have other questions, please e-mail me at the same address. Because selections will be considered for more than a single year, there isn’t an expiration date at the present.
If you want someone who will actually listen to your music, I am that person.
If you want some recognition for working hard and baring your soul, that might be me, too. I can’t make any promises, but I will listen to your music.
If you are reading this and are not a musician but know someone who is, please forward this to them.
Good luck to all who participate!
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My weekly radio show “Theme Attic,” can be heard Wednesdays, 12PM-4PM ET!
The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
It almost always includes a weekly countdown of my favorite albums or songs and some shows feature two countdowns!
There’s plenty of other musical things to browse!
A list that you might find interesting is my list for “The Most Awesomest Songs of the Day”: https://philmaq.com/most-awesomest-songs/!
If you’d like to know what I think are even better than the awesome songs, have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”:https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”
My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for brilliant musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
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If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
