So, after making a list of my favourite movies of the year, here is a list of songs I loved in 2016. The fact that they made it on the list doesn’t mean that they were released in that year but they did get a lot of plays on my IPOD. There’s something for everyone in here, from jazz to alternative, pop to mariachi… Enjoy!

Benjamin Biolay – la débandade

Gaada Diwane Bechar – Zina L’aamama

Tomas Jensen – Dale Duro

Margaret Glaspy – Emotions and Math

Carseat headrest – Vincent

Vieux Farka Touré and Julia Easterlin – I’m not done

Philippe Brach – Crystel

Leonard Cohen – You want it darker

Lisa Leblanc – I love you, I don’t love you, I don’t know

The Calais sessions- Kandahar

Mariachi Flor de Toloache- Dicen

De la soul – Pain

Safia Nolin (feat. Marie Carmen)- Entre l’ombre et la lumière

Sylvan Esso – Radio

The Avalanches – Frankie Sinatra

PJ Harvey- The Wheel

Serena Assumpção – Iemanja

Abayomy Afrobeat Orchestra- Mundo sem memoria

Iggy Pop – Gardenia

Lucy Dacus – I don’t wanna be funny anymore

My Bubba- Big bad good

Koriass – Petit Love

Gregory Porter – Don’t lose your steam

Andrew Bird – Capsized

La Yegros – Chicha Roja

Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra – MaxiCumbia

Duchess Says – I repeat myself

Kroy – River

Labess  – Ya denya

Mitski – Townie

Lucius – Born again teen

Samito – Tiku la hina

LIV – Wings of love

A tribe called quest – We the people

Las Cafeteras – La Bamba rebelde

A tribe called red featuring Narcy & Yasiin Bey & Black Bear- R.E.D.

And of course, I couldn’t do a post on music without adding a nod of respect to all those we lost in 2016 (and late 2015): Lemmy, David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Sharon Jones, Papa Wemba, Gianmaria Testa, George Michael, Serena Assumpção, Pete Burns, John Berry, Billy Paul, Merle Haggard, Phife Dawg, George Martin, Maurice White, Glen Frey and so, so many more…

Cover photo credit: Flickr- Abby Gillardi