Emma's favourite songs, 2026.

Hi readers! I know, it’s been an embarrassingly long time since I last blogged. I was hoping that I’d have more time to spare, following qualification, to work on my blog. But in reality, being a qualified actuary just meant an increase in responsibility at work, so the time that I'd previously spent studying for FIA exams, was instead swallowed up with longer working hours, meaning that my poor blog got neglected.

I'm currently on maternity leave, and for the first time in forever, I've found a tiny sliver of time to myself. In between feeding and changing my newborn bubba (who is all kinds of adorable!), I now have a bit of spare time to turn back to my favourite creative outlet: writing.

To kick off my foray back into blogging, I bring you, my 100 favourite songs list! Whether it contains some genius wordplay or sensational vocal performance, was employed to iconic effect in a film or TV scene, it being one that I love singing at karaoke, or it hitting some emotional beats that really speak to me, each of these songs carries a special place in my heart.

1. Homecoming (Kanye West ft. Chris Martin)
2. Son of a Preacher Man (Dusty Springfield)
3. Alison (Elvis Costello)
4. Off to the Races (Lana del Rey)
5. Pink Pony Club (Chappell Roan)
6. Sinnerman (Nina Simone)
7. Cruel Summer (Taylor Swift)
8. Talk Show Host (Radiohead)
9. Liability (Lorde)
10. Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits)
11. Hallelujah (Rufus Wainwright)
12. Stuck in the Middle with You (Stealers Wheel)
13. November Has Come (Gorillaz)
14. Truth Hurts (Lizzo)
15. Make Me Feel (Janelle Monáe)
16. No Scrubs (TLC)
17. That’s Life (Frank Sinatra)
18. Untouchable (Girls Aloud)
19. Control (Janet Jackson)
20. Wild Boys (Duran Duran)
21. Bossy (Kelis ft. Too $hort)
22. Samson (Regina Spektor)
23. Head over Heels (Tears for Fears)
24. Golden (Harry Styles)
25. Style (Taylor Swift)

26. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (Nina Simone) 

27. Vampire (Olivia Rodrigo) 

28. No You Girls (Franz Ferdinand) 

29. Still Don’t Know My Name (Labrinth) 

30. Willow (Taylor Swift) 

31. 7 Rings (Ariana Grande) 

32. Paper Planes (M.I.A.) 

33. How Do You Like Me Now? (The Heavy) 

34. Thank U, Next (Ariana Grande)

35. Tiny Dancer (Elton John)

36. Crazy in Love (Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z)

37. Baba O'Riley (The Who)

38. Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye (Steam)

39. Not Like Us (Kendrick Lamar)

40. All These Things that I've Done (The Killers)

41. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) (David Bowie)

42. That’s What I Want (Lil Nas X)

43. My Father's Gun (Elton John)

44. Sex Bomb (Tom Jones and Mousse T.)

45. Magnets (Disclosure ft. Lorde)

46. Walk on By (Dionne Warwick)

47. Under Pressure (Queen ft. David Bowie)

48. Sound of the Underground (Girls Aloud)

49. Dose (Ciara)

50. I Like It (Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin)

51. Try a Little Tenderness (Otis Redding) 

52. Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand) 

53. Cell Block Tango (Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, Denise Faye, Susan Misner, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mya, Deidre Goodwin, Chicago OST) 

54. Havana (Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug) 

55. Glory Box (Portishead)

56. Power (Kanye West)

57. Rewrite the Stars (Zac Efron and Zendaya, from The Greatest Showman)

58. Angel of My Dreams (JADE)

59. Mamushi Remix (Megan Thee Stallion ft. TWICE)

60. Brandy Alexander (Feist)

61. Bad Idea Right? (Olivia Rodrigo)

62. Sidewalks (The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar)

63. Dream On (Aerosmith)

64. Sueños (Diego Torres)

65. Without Me (Eminem)

66. Video Games (Lana del Rey)

67. I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea (Elvis Costello) 

68. Juice (Lizzo) 

69. All Hands on Deck Remix (Tinashe ft. Iggy Azalea)

70. Jenny from the Block (Jennifer Lopez ft Jadakiss and Styles P)

71. Hey Jude (The Beatles)

72. Speechless (Naomi Scott, from Aladdin)

73. It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference (Todd Rundgren)

74. Yellow Flicker Beat (Lorde)

75. Defying Gravity (Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, from Wicked)

76. Vegas (Doja Cat)

77. Underneath Your Clothes (Shakira)

78. Blank Space (Taylor Swift)

79. Measure of a Man (FKA twigs ft Central Cee)

80. Let it Go (Idina Menzel, from Frozen)

81. Sexy! No No No… (Girls Aloud)

82. Watchtower (Devlin ft Ed Sheeran)

83. Butter Remix (BTS ft. Megan Thee Stallion)

84. Bad Girls (M.I.A.)

85. Shape of You (Ed Sheeran)

86. Heat Waves (Glass Animals)

87. Gaston (Josh Gad, Luke Evans, Beauty and the Beast)

88. She (Elvis Costello)

89. THE BADDEST (K/DA)

90. Vincent (Don McLean)

91. Lullaby (The Cure)

92. Born to Die (Lana del Rey)

93. Birds of a Feather (Billie Eilish)

94. The Loving Kind (Girls Aloud)

95. Kill 'em with Kindness (Selena Gomez)

96. Pennies in my Pocket (Emilio Estefan)

97. Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie (Joanna Newsom)

98. Notorious (Duran Duran)

99. This is What Makes Us Girls (Lana del Rey)

100. good 4 u (Olivia Rodrigo)

I have plans for some more blog posts to come (including holidays picspams, favourite films by year write-ups, Oscar prognostication and restaurant reviews). These will be dropping as soon as mummy duties allow, so watch this space!