Whittling what has been a frankly exceptional year in Irish music down to a square 100 tracks was never going to be easy. It never is, after all. We say it every year and yet it genuinely bears repeating: the last 12 months have been something else. In fact, don’t be surprised if we roll out a Top 200 next year.
Of course, end-of-year lists like these might well seem inherently arbitrary on the surface (it is, after all, not a competition) but scrolling through – seeing the sheer variety and scope and intent and vision of acts from all across the island, segueing into one another – is a real sight and sound and pleasure to behold.
And yet, while we may be firing on all cylinders (and then some) the best is always yet to come. Until 2020, here’s our top 25 Irish tracks of 2019. Onwards.
