Well, it’s a new year … but I’m not quite ready to talk about new music. (Partially because there hasn’t been much, if any, new music released yet.) Even though I already made a list of my favorite albums from 2015, there are still some songs from 2015 that I feel like deserve to be recognized. So, obviously, I’m going to recognize them.

A few rules for this list:

1. I chose songs that I’ve never blogged about. I’ve already written about some great music from 2015, and I want to keep things fresh here.

2. To be included, a song either had to be released as a single or be super special (like, for instance, have an amazing featured artist).

3.I organized the songs by genre to make things easier on me and you. Some genres blur together, though, so how a song was classified was completely subjective.

Enough of the boring introductory stuff.

Pop: “Run Away With Me,” Carly Rae Jepsen

I listened to Carly Rae Jepsen’s new album, “Emotion,” a day or so after I made my top albums list, and that ended up being one of my biggest regrets of 2015. All the songs on the record are superb, ’80s-influenced pop masterpieces, but “Run Away With Me” stands out for being especially well-made. From the synth horns in the beginning to the awesome notes Jepsen hits in the chorus, “Run Away With Me” is thoroughly impressive, and shows Jepsen is way more than the singer of “Call Me Maybe.”

Rock: “Mountain At My Gates,” Foals

This was my hardest category to pick for, but, in the end, I couldn’t leave this loud and powerful song off my list. “Mountain At My Gates” shows Foals at its absolute best, as the song climbs from a simple verse to a beautiful and high-reaching chorus. Lyrically, “Mountain At My Gates” gives other rock songs released in 2015 a run for their money, and instrumentally, the song’s nuanced guitar riffs hold it together.

Alternative: “Dreams,” Beck

In case you forgot, I was really mad at Beck during the Grammy Awards in 2015 for winning album of the year against Beyonce’s self-titled fifth album. I now repent for all I previously said about Beck, because I was just really uninformed about his music and style. “Dreams,” his first follow-up to the Grammy-winning “Morning Phase,” is an upbeat, catchy, guitar-driven track that only he could have created. The song blends rock, pop, electronic and alternative influences in true Beck fashion, and, if it’s any indicator of what’s to come on Beck’s next album, count me as a fan.

Electronic: “Leave a Trace,” Chvrches

I’ve spent the last six months looking for a reason to write about the lead single off Chvrches’ second album, “Every Open Eye” — it’s just that good. With “Leave a Trace,” Chvrches manages to top all of “The Bones of What You Believe,” the band’s first album. The production is, of course, amazing, but lead vocalist-keyboardist Lauren Mayberry’s vocals take the track above and beyond anything I could’ve imagined. Not only is “Leave a Trace” the best song Chvrches has released, I’d call it the best song of 2015.

R&B: “Coffee,” Miguel featuring Wale

I never really got into Miguel’s latest album, “Wildheart,” but this song was an exception. Miguel’s smooth vocals are the initial appeal of “Coffee,” but the lyrics and instrumentation keep you listening. Not to mention, Wale (whose music I also never really got into) delivers an amazing rap verse in the middle of the track. Though the song breaks five minutes, sometimes that still doesn’t seem like enough of Miguel and this work of urban art.

Hip-hop: “Born to Shine,” Big Grams featuring Run The Jewels

Big Grams was definitely one of the most interesting groups to come out of 2015 — it combines the talents of Southern hip-hop king Big Boi (half of Outkast) and alt-electronic duo Phantogram. Bring in critically acclaimed hip-hop duo Run The Jewels, and that’s a recipe for something awesome. “Born to Shine” gives everyone a chance in the spotlight: first Killer Mike and El-P, respectively, who go as hard as they would on any Run The Jewels track; then Big Boi, who keeps up with, and maybe even outshines, Run The Jewels; and finally Phantogram lead vocalist-keyboardist Sarah Barthel, who sings passionately and powerfully. No one steals the show here, and that’s what really makes “Born to Shine” great.

Homegrown(ish): “Go Go Go,” Panic Is Perfect

OK, this isn’t a genre, but I can’t not talk about Panic Is Perfect. The alternative pop band boasts some Kansas City roots, and “Go Go Go” has received considerable airplay on alternative radio station KRBZ 96.5 The Buzz. The song, off the band’s first extended play, is energetic and full of excitement, and channels other indie pop bands like Royal Teeth and Passion Pit. If “Go Go Go” shows anything, it’s that Panic Is Perfect has more than enough talent to make it big — now I just can’t wait for that to actually happen in 2016.

Now that that’s out of the way, I can’t wait to write about all the great music to come in 2016. Here’s to another great year of music.

Senior Justin Curto is an avid music lover whose tastes range from alternative rock to dance pop. He enjoys supporting the Kansas City music scene by listening longer to 96.5 The Buzz, rocking out to local music and seeing artists live at his favorite venues in the area.