There’s no way a single song can represent an entire year. And yet, here I go, trying to find my favorite single from each year. Not the most important single, the best, or the most revolutionary: just one that I like. I focus on songs that were released as singles, so I can’t pick some random B-side from an album I happened to like that year.
This is impossible, and I’m second guessing every choice. Oh well, here it is:
- 1920: Al Jolson - Swanee
- 1921: Fanny Brice - My Man
- 1922: Eck Robertson - Sally Gooden
- 1923: Bessie Smith - ‘T Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness if I Do
- 1924: George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
- 1925: Bessie Smith - St. Louis Blues
- 1926: Gene Austin - Bye Bye Blackbird
- 1927: Blind Willie Johnson - Dark Was the Night; Cold Was the Ground
- 1928: Louis Armstrong - West End Blues
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1929: Fats Waller - Ain’t Misbehavin’
- 1930: Harry Richman - Puttin’ on the Ritz
- 1931: Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher
- 1932: Duke Ellington - It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing
- 1933: Ethel Waters - Stormy Weather
- 1934: Sons of the Pioneers - Tumbling Tumbleweeds
- 1935: The Carter Family - Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye)
- 1936: Robert Johnson - Cross Road Blues
- 1937: Benny Goodman - Sing, Sing, Sing
- 1938: Bob Hope & Shirley Ross - Thanks for the Memories
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1939: Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
- 1940: Leadbelly - The Midnight Special
- 1941: Duke Ellington - Take the “A” Train
- 1942: Bing Crosby - White Christmas
- 1943: Al Dexter - Pistol Packin’ Mama
- 1944: Nat King Cole - Straighten Up and Fly Right
- 1945: Edith Piaf - La Vie en Rose
- 1946: Thelonious Monk - ‘Round Midnight
- 1947: Woody Guthrie - This Land is Your Land
- 1948: John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillen
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1949: Hank Williams - I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
- 1950: The Weavers - Goodnight Irene
- 1951: The Five Keys - The Glory of Love
- 1952: Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy
- 1953: Big Mama Thorton - Hound Dog
- 1954: Chet Baker - Time After Time
- 1955: Fats Domino - Ain’t That a Shame
- 1956: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell on You
- 1957: The Chantels - Maybe
- 1958: The Everly Brothers - All I Have To Do Is Dream
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1959: The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes for You
- 1960: The Shirelles - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
- 1961: Ben E. King - Stand By Me
- 1962: Dick Dale - Miserlou
- 1963: The Ronettes - Be My Baby
- 1964: Dionne Warwick - Walk On By
- 1965: The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
- 1966: The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
- 1967: The Zombies - Care Of Cell 44
- 1968: Simon & Garfunkel - America
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1969: The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
- 1970: Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
- 1971: David Bowie - Life On Mars??
- 1972: Neil Young - Heart of Gold
- 1973: Dolly Parton - Jolene
- 1974: Big Star - September Gurls
- 1975: Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
- 1976: Tom Petty - American Girl
- 1977: Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
- 1978: Blondie - Heart of Glass
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1979: Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
- 1980: Prince - When You Were Mine
- 1981: Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love
- 1982: Prince - Little Red Corvette
- 1983: New Order - Blue Monday
- 1984: A-Ha - Take On Me
- 1985: Madonna - Into the Groove
- 1986: The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
- 1987: The Cure - Just Like Heaven
- 1988: The La’s - There She Goes
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1989: Soul II Soul - Back To Life
- 1990: Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart
- 1991: My Bloody Valentine - When You Sleep
- 1992: Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
- 1993: Mazzy Star - Fade Into You
- 1994: Seal - Kiss from a Rose
- 1995: The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
- 1996: Spice Girls - Wannabe
- 1997: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
- 1998: Massive Attack - Teardrop
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1999: Blink-182 - All The Small Things
- 2000: D’Angelo - Untitled (How Does It Feel?)
- 2001: Daft Punk - Digital Love
- 2002: Missy Elliott - Work It
- 2003: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
- 2004: The Walkmen - The Rat
- 2005: Madonna - Hung Up
- 2006: Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
- 2007: Bon Iver - Skinny Love
- 2008: Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
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2009: Shakira - She Wolf
- 2010: Robyn - Dancing On My Own
- 2011: M83 - Midnight City
- 2012: Usher - Climax
- 2013: Kisses - The Hardest Part
- 2014: Charli XCX - Boom Clap
- 2015: Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me
- 2016: ANOHNI - Drone Bomb Me
- 2017: Jens Lekman - What’s That Perfume You Wear?
- 2018: Kacey Musgraves - High Horse
- 2019: The National - You Had Your Soul With You