Yesterday brought my annual attempt at identifying the ten best albums of the year. By tradition, today I turn to the songs. I’m not proclaiming that this set of tracks stands above all others to be the best of the year. These are just five songs that entered into the big churn of my favorites. I mainly steered clear of artists who were present in the album list. Let’s start with the exception.

Wet Leg, “Catch These Fists”

“Catch These Fists” was an ideal lead single for Wet Leg’s second album. It is vividly, unmistakably them, but it also has an extra edge. It pushes a little harder, acts a little brasher. It is the product of a band that decidedly has more to say and is prepared to evolve even as they stay true to themselves. It is an absolute blast. This might be my favorite single of the year.

Sudan Archives, “MY TYPE”

Sudan Archives refers to “MY TYPE” as her first true rap song, and it does carry a different swagger than the inventive neo-soul that made up her breakthrough album, Natural Brown Prom Queen. The song moves with a freight train’s steadiness, charging forward with certainty because it’s heavy on the tracks.

Twen, “Tumbleweed”

“Tumbleweed” is a tight, bendy wonder of a rock song. Bursting with personality — in the vocals, in the musicianship, in the lyrics that snidely, creatively hit back against government oppression — the cut gets a lot of work done in a runtime of less than two and a half minutes. Twen wastes no time.

Madi Diaz, “Why’d You Have to Bring Me Flowers”

In low tones and with a spare acoustic guitar accompaniment, Madi Diaz traces the emotional terrain of a collapsing relationship that is held together by the occasional small gesture of hope. The title “Why’d You Have to Bring Me Flowers” starts a story, and the lyrics fill in the details with quiet devastation: “My toxic trait is hanging on/ Your toxic trait is showing up/ I always did my best to believe you/ I always put my bet on us/ I moved out, I moved on, I picked myself off the ground/ I wasn’t angry ‘til now.”

Florence Road, “Caterpillar”

Evoking the Sundays with what feels like effortless ease, the Irish band Florence Road puts together a gem of a pop song. The lyrics artfully describe feelings of depression (“Is this something I can’t defeat/ Maybe I should try and sleep tonight”), giving a melancholy tinge to the shimmering music.