I know everyone else thinks that, but in my case, it's actually true.

I decided to share the 10 songs at the top of my main playlist, which are just in order of when I favourited them, not by preference.

I'll justify my choices to prove my opinion is objectively true.

The thing is, human failures don't seem to agree with me. In the past countless times, even my own dad, would turn down the car radio when putting my music on, then subtly turn it up again when they get a chance. Even a driver we hired once kept turning it down to the point we could barely hear it.

And to be fair, it's not like my songs are particularly driving songs, except stuff like Bat Out of Hell. But when I finally learn to drive, my passengers are going to suffer the consequences of listening to incredible music regardless.

1) Jane Doe by KENSHI YONEZU, HIKARU UTADA

This is a new one, but Utada Hikaru has been killing it lately. I've been a fan of her work for longer than I remember, going way back to University or even before (so like, 2000's). She wrote the theme to Kingdom Hearts. She's a Japanese pop icon, legend perhaps. Kenshi Yonezu himself is also very popular; my students performed another song (Lemon) by him a couple of years back.

More importantly, this song is sophisticated. I immediately used it in my music theory class as a demonstration & practice using non-functional harmony. Just the opening four chords are stunning. Never heard them before:

This isn't a theory lesson but basically chord 3 and 4 are diminished - two very dissonant chords back to back. You almost never hear ANY diminished chords in pop. They're too edgy. Even in Jazz you don't often see two back to back. But even when you do, not like this.

Speaking of Jazz, the second verse changes things up entirely, and ends on this:

I can assure you, I can count the number of pop songs in the world with an F#7(b9,b13) chord on one hand. Lord! But it sounds so damn good. This song is full of dissonance but correctly goes into safe basic chords in the chorus to appeal to the masses, and just give your ears a rest. It's masterful. And Utada Hikaru is just amazing as always.

2) Scarface (Push it to the limit) by Paul Engemann

I added this because it's in The Simpson's best couch gag rather than the movie Scarface:

3) Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) by The Beautiful South

Just an absolute killer of a song from peak humanity during peak world peace, long before AI & Social Media. Sigh. Good times.

4) Home by Charlie Puth

Another Utada Hikaru collaboration! Charlie Puth is an absolute master of music. I'm not a huge fan of maybe most of his music, but he can stand next to the likes of Jacob Collier in a battle of musical intellect and be on the same page. He's also just very good at appealing to the masses without obviously over-utilising that knowledge to become noise.

The super strong swing feel of this song is awesome.

5) Art of No by Molass

Going completely off the other end here, a very niche group here going heavy jazz. Complexity through the roof but the vocals glue it all together. The groove changes dramatically multiple times which is always appreciated, but I particularly like around 3 minutes in we switch it up to a more ethereal groove in pentuplets - notes grouped into 5's instead of the usual 4. Super cool.

6) Areg and Manushak by Tigran Hamasyan

If you get into Berklee College of Music, this guy's name will appear in short order. In fact, I only know of him after meeting a concert pianist in Taiwan who was a Berklee grad, we went for drinks at Blue Note and I was recommended this guy.

From Armenia, a lot of his music reflects the cultural music very strongly mixed in with more 'Western' influence of prog rock polyrhythms. In fact, he's most famously known for absolutely insanely complex rhythms and polyrhythms, often beatboxing contrasting and wild beats on top of his masterful piano playing. There's just something otherworldly about all his music.

The start might be off-putting in this particular song but I reckon most people will start to love it when it switches to a groove twice as dreamy as it already was about halfway in. But, check out the album Shadow Theater.

7) The Mother we Share by Chvrches

I must admit, Hideo Kojima, the genius behind Metal Gear Solid, also has an incredible taste in music. This is one track you can acquire in his most recent venture, Death Stranding 2. Just such great driving vibes for what is essentially an open world driving game (it's so much more than that, play it!)

8) We Built this City by Starship

I mean, what a great song, but even more importantly, what a video.

Beyond words. Love it.

9) Die on this Hill by Sienna Spiro

At first this sounds like any old Solo female singer with a husky voice. A tiresome trope at this point. But damn, this woman with whom I'm otherwise unfamiliar, takes it to a whole new level.

This is one of the few artists, like Adele, who isn't afraid to leave the production to the minimum; no autotune, no digitally quantised pianos. Raw, soulful. Perfection.

But holy cow, towards the end, there's a subtle perfection I've just had to stop, pause, feel, and go back and repeat a dozen times. (2:40).

The way the music rubato, slows, prepares for the climax, the way the piano climbs up but skips a few steps in order to approach the change from above, the way Sienna pulls back behind the beat to fully emphasis the power involved in her vocal expression. Phenomenal. There really are some incredible singers in the mainstream world, cannot deny it.

And, ending the song on a C#m6 without resolving... phwoar.

10) Loch Lomond by Voces8

This one is well worth watching

Loch Lomond is an old Scottish folk song that I only know through the old movie Lady & the Tramp, the Yorkshire terrier dog sings is when burying his bone in a secret location.

Voces8 are by far my favourite vocal group. This is the first and only song I've heard them collaborate and use instruments. Blake Morgan, the arranger behind this and many others is an absolute beast in the classical world, and a handsome young man too (The tall long-haired guy).

The harmonies are just unfathomable in this music and he just keeps ramping up the brilliance and complexity.

Around 5:30, the music changes and we get this repeating section with instruments coming in in an irregular, 7/4 time signature. I can't even begin to describe what's going on but there's numerous independent parts going polyphonically and polyrhythmically all at once.

When the... harp thing... comes in with the main theme in a different key to the singers... maybe?? I can't even tell what key the singers are in. Either way, it's absolutely angelic. by far my favourite thing to listen to recently. I've gone through it dozens of times.

Everything Voces8 does is just golden, though.

There you have it.

I think you'll agree, my tastes are superior to yours ;-)