When I started my music project for 2024, I thought, “How hard can this be?” It turned out to be the most challenging music project I’ve ever attempted. The rules seemed simple:
- Choose my favorite song for each year of my life.
- The song must be released in the selected year or the year prior (e.g., for 1965, I could use a song from 1964 or 1965).
- Songs that were re-released and hit the charts count.
Another key consideration is that my selections reflect my current tastes, not what they were at the time. For example, in 1965, I was just four years old and have no memory of that year. Plus, I doubt I was attending concerts or paying attention to music then. A shame, though—1965 saw the Beatles’ Shea Stadium Concert and Bob Dylan’s electric performance at the Newport Folk Festival, both of which my parents would have actively avoided!
Born in 1961, my list spans 64 entries. It was surprisingly difficult to complete, requiring 3 to 5 hours per year spread across all of 2024 and into early 2025. Altogether, I estimate I’ve spent over 250 hours on this project. The experience has been both frustrating and revealing. For instance, I realized that by 2010, I’d largely stopped listening to new music. There aren’t exactly bands pumping out punk rock for 63-year-olds these days!
The 1960s
1961 “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean | 1962 “The Locomotion” by Little Eva | 1963 “It’s All Right” by The Impressions | 1964 “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison | 1965 “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” by James Brown & The Famous Flames | 1966 “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones | 1967 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell | 1968 “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones | 1969 “Living in the Past” by Jethro Tull
The early 1960s (1961 and 1962) felt uninspired, but things picked up with “It’s All Right” and truly hit their stride by 1966 with “Paint It Black.” The rest of the decade offered an endless list of iconic tracks to choose from—a golden era for music.
The 1970s
1970 “Lola” by The Kinks | 1971 “Life on Mars?” by David Bowie | 1972 “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder | 1973 “Get Up, Stand Up” by The Wailers | 1974 “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” by Steely Dan | 1975 “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd | 1976 “Jail Break” by Thin Lizzy | 1977 “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads | 1978 “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire | 1979 “London Calling” by The Clash
The 1970s were a treasure trove of great music. My favorite track, “Wish You Were Here,” was released in 1975, although it didn’t become a personal favorite until the 1990s. “September” holds a special place in my heart; it played a big role in my love story with my wife in 1979.
The 1980s
1980 “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division | 1981 “Babylon Sisters” by Steely Dan | 1982 “I.G.Y.” by Donald Fagen | 1983 “Pride and Joy” by Stevie Ray Vaughan | 1984 “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths | 1985 “Rebel Girl” by Bikini Kill | 1986 “Dear God” by XTC | 1987 “Girlfriend in a Coma” by The Smiths | 1988 “Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction | 1989 “About a Girl” by Nirvana
The 1980s marked a sharp change in my musical preferences. While I listened to Steely Dan and mainstream pop at the time, my current tastes favor tracks I either overlooked or missed entirely, like “Pride and Joy” or “Girlfriend in a Coma.”
The 1990s
1990 “Ball & Chain” by Social Distortion | 1991 “Badfish” by Sublime | 1992 “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine | 1993 “Go” by Pearl Jam | 1994 “Only in Dreams” by Weezer | 1995 “21st Century (Digital Boy)” by Bad Religion | 1996 “What I Got” by Sublime | 1997 “Overkill” (feat. Colin Hay) by Lazlo Bane | 1998 “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day | 1999 “Never There” by Cake
The 1990s were my favorite decade for music. I actively sought out new releases, discovering artists like Sublime, Rage Against the Machine, and Pearl Jam, whose influence still resonates with me today.
The 2000s
2000 “Minority” by Green Day | 2001 “Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz | 2002 “Like a Stone” by Audioslave | 2003 “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs | 2004 “Jesus of Suburbia” by Green Day | 2005 “Fix You” by Coldplay | 2006 “No Control” by Pepper | 2007 “Feeling Alright” by Rebelution | 2008 “Here I Am” by SOJA | 2009 “Vampire” by Tribal Seeds
By the 2000s, I’d started to lose my connection to mainstream music. My discovery of California reggae, including bands like Pepper and Rebelution, became a new passion that carried me through the decade.
The 2010s
2010 “One Day” by Matisyahu | 2011 “Come In” by The Green | 2012 “Stand Tall” by The Dirty Heads | 2013 “Thrift Shop (Feat. Wanz)” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis | 2014 “Tighten Up” by The Black Keys | 2015 “Elastic Heart” by Sia | 2016 “Without Love” by The Descendents | 2017 “Alaska” by Maggie Rogers | 2018 “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers, Coldplay | 2019 “All the Stars (with SZA)” by Kendrick Lamar, SZA
My tastes in the 2010s became eclectic, leaning on curated playlists instead of radio or pop trends. Tracks like “Thrift Shop” and “Elastic Heart” highlight this varied, unpredictable decade.
The 2020s
2020 “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish | 2021 “Satisfied” by Rebelution | 2022 “Burning” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs | 2023 “Paradise” by Stick Figure | 2024 “All in My Head” by The Linda Lindas
The 2020s remain a work in progress. As I discover new music, I expect my selections to change—except perhaps “Paradise,” which feels like an enduring favorite.
The Wrap-Up
This project has been a struggle but also incredibly rewarding. My selections for the earlier decades are unlikely to change, but those from the 2010s onward remain in flux.
Check out the Spotify playlist for this project:
If you take on this challenge yourself, I’d love to hear your playlist—feel free to share in the comments!
Peanuts In My Pocket 
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