That's what we're going to be talking about today. At the end of each year, Billboard releases a list of the top 100 most popular songs of the year, determined through a bunch of statistics regarding sales, radio airplay, streaming, and many other factors. To reminisce about the 2010s, I'm going to be taking a look at the top 5 songs of each year, according to Billboard's list. I'm going to give my thoughts on each song in the top 5 for each year and give each song a score from 1 to 10. That means we're going to be looking at 50 songs, so get comfortable. The complete list of the 100 songs for each year will be linked; just click on the name of the year if you would like to see it.
2010:
5. "OMG" by Usher ft. will.i.am
It's crazy to think how a song can be absolutely massive in its heyday, only to be forgotten soon after. I think I liked this song around third grade, or at least I remember my best friend saying he liked it around then. I really haven't thought about it much since then, which makes sense, because this song isn't very good. Usher has some great songs, but this song is just unmemorable and dumb. Except when he says "Honey got some boobies like wow, oh wow." That's memorable for all the wrong reasons. The chanting throughout the song is also really annoying. It's just bizarre how this mostly unmemorable song was the #5 song of the year, even though songs at lower positions on the charts, such as "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga (#9) and "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry (#17) had far more longevity. 3/10
4. "California Gurls" by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
This song is still pretty well-remembered today. I think this is the definitive summer pop song. The beachy disco-pop vibe just screams "summer" to me, and the song has hooks for days. Snoop Dogg's rap verse is also really memorable and really helps the song's laid-back vibe. I loved Katy Perry around this time, and I loved this song. And today, I still do. Let's just ignore the fact that it was produced by Dr. L*ke. My heart wants to give this a 10/10, but my head wants me to subtract a point or two because it was produced by a rapist. I'm sorry, but I'm going to follow my heart on this one. 10/10
This song is still pretty well-remembered today. I think this is the definitive summer pop song. The beachy disco-pop vibe just screams "summer" to me, and the song has hooks for days. Snoop Dogg's rap verse is also really memorable and really helps the song's laid-back vibe. I loved Katy Perry around this time, and I loved this song. And today, I still do. Let's just ignore the fact that it was produced by Dr. L*ke. My heart wants to give this a 10/10, but my head wants me to subtract a point or two because it was produced by a rapist. I'm sorry, but I'm going to follow my heart on this one. 10/10
3. "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train
I haven't actually thought out a formal list of what I think are the "worst songs ever", but if I did, this would absolutely be on that list. I genuinely loathe this song. The guy's voice is annoying, the ukuleles are boring, but the worst part is the lyrics. This may very well be the worst-written song of all time. There is not a single good line in this song, and every line is its own kind of terrible. Highlights include "Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains," "My heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest," and "So gangsta, I'm so thug." This song just makes me angry and as much as I'd like to spend this entire post just thrashing it, we still have 47 songs left. My masochism will have to wait. 1/10
I haven't actually thought out a formal list of what I think are the "worst songs ever", but if I did, this would absolutely be on that list. I genuinely loathe this song. The guy's voice is annoying, the ukuleles are boring, but the worst part is the lyrics. This may very well be the worst-written song of all time. There is not a single good line in this song, and every line is its own kind of terrible. Highlights include "Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains," "My heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest," and "So gangsta, I'm so thug." This song just makes me angry and as much as I'd like to spend this entire post just thrashing it, we still have 47 songs left. My masochism will have to wait. 1/10
2. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum
A surprising amount of these songs are some of my mom's favorites. Chances are that if you have a male vocalist and a female vocalist sing an emotional piano-based song, my mom will be all over it and I will have to hear it every time I'm in the car with her. This checks off all the boxes for a song that my mom would love, and what do you know, she does love this song. Most of the songs my mom likes in this vein, I just can't stand. That being said, I still like this song. It's not an all-time favorite, but I like the chemistry between the two vocalists and the lyrics are pretty gut-wrenching. Drunk-dialing your ex has never sounded so good. 7.5/10
A surprising amount of these songs are some of my mom's favorites. Chances are that if you have a male vocalist and a female vocalist sing an emotional piano-based song, my mom will be all over it and I will have to hear it every time I'm in the car with her. This checks off all the boxes for a song that my mom would love, and what do you know, she does love this song. Most of the songs my mom likes in this vein, I just can't stand. That being said, I still like this song. It's not an all-time favorite, but I like the chemistry between the two vocalists and the lyrics are pretty gut-wrenching. Drunk-dialing your ex has never sounded so good. 7.5/10
1. "Tik Tok" by Kesha
You young'ns can keep your silly apps, this is the "Tik Tok" I know. Kesha was huge in the early 2010s. My parents thought she was annoying and untalented, but I liked her. I think my favorite song from this era of Kesha is probably "Your Love is My Drug" (that bridge is genuinely perfect), but this song still has its charms. It does kind of make me sad, because I do know that at this time, Kesha was being abused by Dr. L*ke and didn't have much control over her image. She was being forced to play the role of this drunk party girl and not being able to use her real voice. Although Kesha is pretty good at playing this role, I vastly prefer her music from "Praying" onward, as it's what she wanted to make all along. "Tik Tok" is fun, but I'd much rather listen to other Kesha songs. 7/10
You young'ns can keep your silly apps, this is the "Tik Tok" I know. Kesha was huge in the early 2010s. My parents thought she was annoying and untalented, but I liked her. I think my favorite song from this era of Kesha is probably "Your Love is My Drug" (that bridge is genuinely perfect), but this song still has its charms. It does kind of make me sad, because I do know that at this time, Kesha was being abused by Dr. L*ke and didn't have much control over her image. She was being forced to play the role of this drunk party girl and not being able to use her real voice. Although Kesha is pretty good at playing this role, I vastly prefer her music from "Praying" onward, as it's what she wanted to make all along. "Tik Tok" is fun, but I'd much rather listen to other Kesha songs. 7/10
5. "Give Me Everything" by Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Nayer
This song may have the greatest/worst opening lyrics of all time: "Me not working hard? Yeah right, picture that with a Kodak/ Or better yet, go to Times Square and take a picture of me with a Kodak." Other than those incredible lines, this song isn't really that special. It does make me nostalgic in a way because this song was huge in 2011 and I really liked it. It's very of-its time. Ne-Yo's chorus is good though, and I really liked it when they sang this song during the Bellas' final performance in the first Pitch Perfect. The first Pitch Perfect is the best of the three, I think. 7/10
This song may have the greatest/worst opening lyrics of all time: "Me not working hard? Yeah right, picture that with a Kodak/ Or better yet, go to Times Square and take a picture of me with a Kodak." Other than those incredible lines, this song isn't really that special. It does make me nostalgic in a way because this song was huge in 2011 and I really liked it. It's very of-its time. Ne-Yo's chorus is good though, and I really liked it when they sang this song during the Bellas' final performance in the first Pitch Perfect. The first Pitch Perfect is the best of the three, I think. 7/10
4. "E.T." by Katy Perry ft. Kanye West
I was really into Katy Perry during her Teenage Dream era, so naturally I really loved this song back in the day. Now, there are parts of it I like, but parts of it that baffle me. First of all, I really like the melody and how chilling it is. It's one of Katy's darkest singles, sounding epic and chilling without being too much of a radical change in tone for Katy. Now for the parts I don't like: the lyrics are kind of dumb. I don't know if this song's about her loving a literal alien or if it's just a metaphor, but either way, it's dumb. And speaking of dumb, there's Kanye's verse. Despite being really problematic, I do think Kanye can make great music when he wants to, but his verse on this song is awful. It has some puzzling lyrics, with my personal favorite being: "Pockets on Shrek, rockets on deck/ Tell me what's next, alien sex?" That's up there with that Pitbull Kodak line as being one of the best/worst lyrics of all time, so dumb that it's funny. I actually quite like the original bridge to the song, it's a shame they replaced it with Kanye on the single version. 5.5/10
I was really into Katy Perry during her Teenage Dream era, so naturally I really loved this song back in the day. Now, there are parts of it I like, but parts of it that baffle me. First of all, I really like the melody and how chilling it is. It's one of Katy's darkest singles, sounding epic and chilling without being too much of a radical change in tone for Katy. Now for the parts I don't like: the lyrics are kind of dumb. I don't know if this song's about her loving a literal alien or if it's just a metaphor, but either way, it's dumb. And speaking of dumb, there's Kanye's verse. Despite being really problematic, I do think Kanye can make great music when he wants to, but his verse on this song is awful. It has some puzzling lyrics, with my personal favorite being: "Pockets on Shrek, rockets on deck/ Tell me what's next, alien sex?" That's up there with that Pitbull Kodak line as being one of the best/worst lyrics of all time, so dumb that it's funny. I actually quite like the original bridge to the song, it's a shame they replaced it with Kanye on the single version. 5.5/10
3. "Firework" by Katy Perry
But as much as I loved other Katy Perry songs back in the day, this was my number one and nothing could compare. I thought this song was really catchy and had a great message, and I loved singing along. This song makes me pretty nostalgic for that reason, but looking back, it's not that good. It's like with "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, another self-empowerment anthem. If I were to listen to either one of those songs without my personal nostalgia, I would hate them both and dismiss them as generic. But because I loved those songs as a kid, I will always have places in my heart for them. Also, this is the third song in a row with a famous so-bad-it's-good lyric: "Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?" 8/10
But as much as I loved other Katy Perry songs back in the day, this was my number one and nothing could compare. I thought this song was really catchy and had a great message, and I loved singing along. This song makes me pretty nostalgic for that reason, but looking back, it's not that good. It's like with "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, another self-empowerment anthem. If I were to listen to either one of those songs without my personal nostalgia, I would hate them both and dismiss them as generic. But because I loved those songs as a kid, I will always have places in my heart for them. Also, this is the third song in a row with a famous so-bad-it's-good lyric: "Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?" 8/10
2. "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock
This song is pretty dumb, but I don't hate it. Around this time, I loved playing Just Dance 3 with my mom and my brother and this was one of my favorite songs to dance to. It's also one of my favorite songs to play during pep band. When we play this song, we always do this dance about halfway through and it's really fun! One of the kids in the class ahead of me really loved playing this song for pep band, and whenever our director would ask what song we should play, he would always scream "PARTY ROCK!" at the top of his lungs. I don't really like this song as a song, but I have so many good memories of it that it still puts a smile on my face. 8/10
This song is pretty dumb, but I don't hate it. Around this time, I loved playing Just Dance 3 with my mom and my brother and this was one of my favorite songs to dance to. It's also one of my favorite songs to play during pep band. When we play this song, we always do this dance about halfway through and it's really fun! One of the kids in the class ahead of me really loved playing this song for pep band, and whenever our director would ask what song we should play, he would always scream "PARTY ROCK!" at the top of his lungs. I don't really like this song as a song, but I have so many good memories of it that it still puts a smile on my face. 8/10
1. "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
All the other songs we've looked at from 2011 are upbeat, synthesized pop songs, so it's odd that the #1 song, the song that was bigger than all of them, is the complete opposite of that. I feel like this song was a shock to the system of the pop world in 2011. After years of autotuned party songs, we now had this song with entirely organic instrumentation performed by an autotune-free, powerful voice. Despite the countless hits Adele has had since this song, it will always stand out as a highlight of her discography. I particularly like the third verse and breakdown, where it tones things down and feels more intimate but still larger-than-life. Adele is one of the biggest stars of the decade, and with her unpretentious appeal, solid discography, and obvious vocal talent, it's not hard to see why. I also want her to be my friend, because on her records, she's very serious and powerful, but in interviews, she's funny and quite foul-mouthed. Adele is great and I can't wait to see what she does next. 9.5/10
All the other songs we've looked at from 2011 are upbeat, synthesized pop songs, so it's odd that the #1 song, the song that was bigger than all of them, is the complete opposite of that. I feel like this song was a shock to the system of the pop world in 2011. After years of autotuned party songs, we now had this song with entirely organic instrumentation performed by an autotune-free, powerful voice. Despite the countless hits Adele has had since this song, it will always stand out as a highlight of her discography. I particularly like the third verse and breakdown, where it tones things down and feels more intimate but still larger-than-life. Adele is one of the biggest stars of the decade, and with her unpretentious appeal, solid discography, and obvious vocal talent, it's not hard to see why. I also want her to be my friend, because on her records, she's very serious and powerful, but in interviews, she's funny and quite foul-mouthed. Adele is great and I can't wait to see what she does next. 9.5/10
5. "Lights" by Ellie Goulding
Around middle school, I was really into Ellie Goulding. Her pretty, ethereal music just spoke to me then, and when I'm in the right mood, it still does. My favorite song of hers is "Anything Could Happen," one of those songs that I really love but seem to forget about a lot of the time, but this is a close second. I just love the twinkling production of this song and Ellie's angelic vocals. It's impressive how this song was actually written about being afraid of the dark, but it sounds so deep that it's hard to tell. This song is also a notable sleeper hit, not peaking on the Billboard Hot 100 until its 33rd week on the charts. It took a long time to catch on, but once it did, people couldn't get enough. This song deserved to be as big as it was and I hope Ellie makes this sort of ethereal synthpop soon enough. Her newer material just blends into the background. 10/10
Around middle school, I was really into Ellie Goulding. Her pretty, ethereal music just spoke to me then, and when I'm in the right mood, it still does. My favorite song of hers is "Anything Could Happen," one of those songs that I really love but seem to forget about a lot of the time, but this is a close second. I just love the twinkling production of this song and Ellie's angelic vocals. It's impressive how this song was actually written about being afraid of the dark, but it sounds so deep that it's hard to tell. This song is also a notable sleeper hit, not peaking on the Billboard Hot 100 until its 33rd week on the charts. It took a long time to catch on, but once it did, people couldn't get enough. This song deserved to be as big as it was and I hope Ellie makes this sort of ethereal synthpop soon enough. Her newer material just blends into the background. 10/10
4. "Payphone" by Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa
This is another song my mother loves for some reason. It does have a pretty nice melody, but Adam Levine's voice is annoying on it and it's pretty boring. The one interesting thing about it is that it may be the only song in history where the clean version is actually better than the explicit one. For most songs, I prefer to listen to the explicit version because the clean version just sounds awkward. But for this song, the cursing in the original is extremely gratuitous and clashes with the tone. The radio edit is a lot better. Wiz Khalifa's rap verse was unneeded because his rapping doesn't really have anything to do with the rest of the lyrics. Maroon 5 have made a lot of boring and generic songs during this decade, and this one isn't one of the absolute worst, but it's still unmemorable. 4/10
This is another song my mother loves for some reason. It does have a pretty nice melody, but Adam Levine's voice is annoying on it and it's pretty boring. The one interesting thing about it is that it may be the only song in history where the clean version is actually better than the explicit one. For most songs, I prefer to listen to the explicit version because the clean version just sounds awkward. But for this song, the cursing in the original is extremely gratuitous and clashes with the tone. The radio edit is a lot better. Wiz Khalifa's rap verse was unneeded because his rapping doesn't really have anything to do with the rest of the lyrics. Maroon 5 have made a lot of boring and generic songs during this decade, and this one isn't one of the absolute worst, but it's still unmemorable. 4/10
3. "We Are Young" by fun. ft. Janelle Monae
This song is fine, I guess, but both of the acts are capable of so much more. fun. were big for a hot minute, having three hit songs, "We Are Young," "Some Nights," and "Carry On." The other two songs are significantly better, with "Some Nights" being an all-time favorite. fun.'s guitarist, Jack Antonoff, has also made a name for himself producing songs for the likes of Taylor Swift (including "Out of the Woods," one of my personal favorites of hers), Lorde, and Lana Del Rey. Janelle Monae's also way better than this, as she really doesn't do much on it. I haven't really heard that many of her songs, but "Make Me Feel" from 2018 is still a jam that deserved to be so much bigger. Once again, this song is fine, but I'd much rather listen to other songs from the people involved. 6/10
This song is fine, I guess, but both of the acts are capable of so much more. fun. were big for a hot minute, having three hit songs, "We Are Young," "Some Nights," and "Carry On." The other two songs are significantly better, with "Some Nights" being an all-time favorite. fun.'s guitarist, Jack Antonoff, has also made a name for himself producing songs for the likes of Taylor Swift (including "Out of the Woods," one of my personal favorites of hers), Lorde, and Lana Del Rey. Janelle Monae's also way better than this, as she really doesn't do much on it. I haven't really heard that many of her songs, but "Make Me Feel" from 2018 is still a jam that deserved to be so much bigger. Once again, this song is fine, but I'd much rather listen to other songs from the people involved. 6/10
2. "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
And speaking of artists who are so much better than their biggest hit. I do see why "Call Me Maybe" was such a big hit. With such a catchy, memorable chorus, it would kind of be a disgrace if it wasn't. However, it's even more of a disgrace that Carly Rae's other songs haven't caught on like "Call Me Maybe" did. "Run Away With Me" is one of the most perfect pop songs ever written. I also really love "Cut to the Feeling," "Store," "Too Much," and especially "Want You in My Room," and that's not even counting all the amazing songs from Emotion and Dedicated that I haven't listened to, but I'm sure that they're all better than "Call Me Maybe." Carly Rae Jepsen has a bit of a cult following, but she deserves to be so much bigger than she is. She's so much more than "Call Me Maybe." 4/10
And speaking of artists who are so much better than their biggest hit. I do see why "Call Me Maybe" was such a big hit. With such a catchy, memorable chorus, it would kind of be a disgrace if it wasn't. However, it's even more of a disgrace that Carly Rae's other songs haven't caught on like "Call Me Maybe" did. "Run Away With Me" is one of the most perfect pop songs ever written. I also really love "Cut to the Feeling," "Store," "Too Much," and especially "Want You in My Room," and that's not even counting all the amazing songs from Emotion and Dedicated that I haven't listened to, but I'm sure that they're all better than "Call Me Maybe." Carly Rae Jepsen has a bit of a cult following, but she deserves to be so much bigger than she is. She's so much more than "Call Me Maybe." 4/10
1. "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye ft. Kimbra
Another song my mom really likes! I have heard this song so many times throughout my life that it's honestly starting to get old for me. It's still a really good song! I love how unique this instrumentation is. I can't think of any other popular song that sounds quite like this. I also really love the interplay between Gotye and Kimbra, how this song has two completely different perspectives. Gotye's wallowing in his sadness and anger while Kimbra comes in and yells at him for screwing her over. This is a rare song that was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed, and both the critical and commercial successes are highly deserved. It also has had quite a bit of longevity. I still hear it on the radio today. 10/10
Another song my mom really likes! I have heard this song so many times throughout my life that it's honestly starting to get old for me. It's still a really good song! I love how unique this instrumentation is. I can't think of any other popular song that sounds quite like this. I also really love the interplay between Gotye and Kimbra, how this song has two completely different perspectives. Gotye's wallowing in his sadness and anger while Kimbra comes in and yells at him for screwing her over. This is a rare song that was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed, and both the critical and commercial successes are highly deserved. It also has had quite a bit of longevity. I still hear it on the radio today. 10/10
5. "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton
Around 2013, my brother and I were pretty into Macklemore, and we both really loved this song. This song does take me back to those times, when I was just leaving elementary school and starting to discover the world of Billboard charts. I feel like Macklemore's sort of become a punchline nowadays, but this song is still pretty great. Ryan Lewis's beat is incredible, especially with those horns, Macklemore's rapping is on point, and featured guest Ray Dalton does an amazing chorus. I've always thought this song was better than "Thrift Shop," and although "Thrift Shop" showed Macklemore's goofy side, "Can't Hold Us" shows him as a serious hype man. 10/10
Around 2013, my brother and I were pretty into Macklemore, and we both really loved this song. This song does take me back to those times, when I was just leaving elementary school and starting to discover the world of Billboard charts. I feel like Macklemore's sort of become a punchline nowadays, but this song is still pretty great. Ryan Lewis's beat is incredible, especially with those horns, Macklemore's rapping is on point, and featured guest Ray Dalton does an amazing chorus. I've always thought this song was better than "Thrift Shop," and although "Thrift Shop" showed Macklemore's goofy side, "Can't Hold Us" shows him as a serious hype man. 10/10
4. "Harlem Shake" by Baauer
So...the Harlem Shake is only in the top 5 because of the popularity of the meme in 2013, not because people actually like it as a song. As a song, it's quite annoying and repetitive, a 2/10. Instead, let's talk about the meme, specifically, this video, the original. Fun fact: the guy in the pink suit in that video is Japanese comedian George Miller, who, from 2011 to 2017, made YouTube videos and music under the persona of Filthy Frank. In 2017, he decided to start making serious music under the name Joji, including a song called "Slow Dancing in the Dark." And let's be real, the only reason why I'm bringing this up is because I don't want to talk about the Harlem Shake and instead want to talk about how much I'm obsessed with "Slow Dancing in the Dark" by Joji. It's pretty rare that I hear a song and just fall instantly head-over-heels in love with it, but that's what I did with this song. I just want to listen to it forever. I love how it mixes ambient production with yearning emotion, and it just gets me in my feelings. The fact that it got popular off of TikToks through the viral "Microwave Challenge" makes me believe that TikTok is extremely beneficial for popular music. So to wrap things up: Is the Harlem Shake indirectly responsible for "Slow Dancing in the Dark"? Food for thought.
So...the Harlem Shake is only in the top 5 because of the popularity of the meme in 2013, not because people actually like it as a song. As a song, it's quite annoying and repetitive, a 2/10. Instead, let's talk about the meme, specifically, this video, the original. Fun fact: the guy in the pink suit in that video is Japanese comedian George Miller, who, from 2011 to 2017, made YouTube videos and music under the persona of Filthy Frank. In 2017, he decided to start making serious music under the name Joji, including a song called "Slow Dancing in the Dark." And let's be real, the only reason why I'm bringing this up is because I don't want to talk about the Harlem Shake and instead want to talk about how much I'm obsessed with "Slow Dancing in the Dark" by Joji. It's pretty rare that I hear a song and just fall instantly head-over-heels in love with it, but that's what I did with this song. I just want to listen to it forever. I love how it mixes ambient production with yearning emotion, and it just gets me in my feelings. The fact that it got popular off of TikToks through the viral "Microwave Challenge" makes me believe that TikTok is extremely beneficial for popular music. So to wrap things up: Is the Harlem Shake indirectly responsible for "Slow Dancing in the Dark"? Food for thought.
3. "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons
Back around April-May 2013, when this song was first starting to get played on my radio station, I was obsessed with it. This was literally my favorite song for months, but relistening to it, I’m completely ambivalent. In fact, I fail to see how I liked it so much, especially comparing it to other songs from the time that were way better in hindsight. If I were to describe this song in one word, it would be “loud”, and while that can be a good thing sometimes, here it’s a bit overwhelming. Despite being so loud, though, the production does sound sort of muffled and compressed. However, I do like the softer guitars in the intro and the flute bits. The vocals are okay. It does sound like he’s shouting and straining a little bit, but he’s overall okay. The lyrics are...I actually have no idea what this song is about. Inner strength, I guess? I don’t care. This song gets a 7/10 because although it sounds like I was being harsh on it in the review, I still have fond (albeit cringey) memories with it. I would listen to it without complaining, but it wouldn’t be my first pick if I had control of the aux cord.
Back around April-May 2013, when this song was first starting to get played on my radio station, I was obsessed with it. This was literally my favorite song for months, but relistening to it, I’m completely ambivalent. In fact, I fail to see how I liked it so much, especially comparing it to other songs from the time that were way better in hindsight. If I were to describe this song in one word, it would be “loud”, and while that can be a good thing sometimes, here it’s a bit overwhelming. Despite being so loud, though, the production does sound sort of muffled and compressed. However, I do like the softer guitars in the intro and the flute bits. The vocals are okay. It does sound like he’s shouting and straining a little bit, but he’s overall okay. The lyrics are...I actually have no idea what this song is about. Inner strength, I guess? I don’t care. This song gets a 7/10 because although it sounds like I was being harsh on it in the review, I still have fond (albeit cringey) memories with it. I would listen to it without complaining, but it wouldn’t be my first pick if I had control of the aux cord.
2. "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell Williams
This song was very controversial at the time and it still is today. Many people claim the lyrics are misogynistic and endorse date rape, and I completely understand why. The attitudes portrayed in this song are pretty repulsive, with Pharrell himself even admitting that it wasn't a good idea. The only part about this song that I would praise is the production, but even that isn't completely original, as this song was famously sued for sounding a lot like "Got to Give it Up" by Marvin Gaye. I hated this song at the time because I just thought it was annoying, but looking back now, I hate this song because it is toxic. The summer of 2013 saw two big disco-inspired hits featuring Pharrell, this song and "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk. "Get Lucky" is infinitely the better song and although it obviously wasn't a flop, it deserved all the success "Blurred Lines" got. 1/10
This song was very controversial at the time and it still is today. Many people claim the lyrics are misogynistic and endorse date rape, and I completely understand why. The attitudes portrayed in this song are pretty repulsive, with Pharrell himself even admitting that it wasn't a good idea. The only part about this song that I would praise is the production, but even that isn't completely original, as this song was famously sued for sounding a lot like "Got to Give it Up" by Marvin Gaye. I hated this song at the time because I just thought it was annoying, but looking back now, I hate this song because it is toxic. The summer of 2013 saw two big disco-inspired hits featuring Pharrell, this song and "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk. "Get Lucky" is infinitely the better song and although it obviously wasn't a flop, it deserved all the success "Blurred Lines" got. 1/10
1. "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
In fifth grade, I wrote in a journal every day. I still have that journal and it is a goldmine of absolutely hysterical quotes and moments, such as me drawing a heart every time I mentioned the guy I liked, making plans that never came to fruition, and bitching about friend drama. But I think the pinnacle of hilarity in that journal comes on March 6, 2013, when I was talking about what a great time I had on the school bus: "On the radio, they played 'Thrift Shop', which is probably my favorite song, even though it has lots of bad words." This song just reminds me of how cringy I was in fifth grade. My mom likes it for some reason. I think it's the only rap song she actually likes, and none of us are sure as to why. It's a fine song, I can rap the whole thing, but it just makes me feel embarrassed. 7.5/10
2014:
In fifth grade, I wrote in a journal every day. I still have that journal and it is a goldmine of absolutely hysterical quotes and moments, such as me drawing a heart every time I mentioned the guy I liked, making plans that never came to fruition, and bitching about friend drama. But I think the pinnacle of hilarity in that journal comes on March 6, 2013, when I was talking about what a great time I had on the school bus: "On the radio, they played 'Thrift Shop', which is probably my favorite song, even though it has lots of bad words." This song just reminds me of how cringy I was in fifth grade. My mom likes it for some reason. I think it's the only rap song she actually likes, and none of us are sure as to why. It's a fine song, I can rap the whole thing, but it just makes me feel embarrassed. 7.5/10
2014:
5. "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic
I loved this song when it first came out and although it's not an all-time favorite, it's still pretty good. It has a very infectious feeling, mixing pop with folk. I also really like the message of this song, focusing less on material wealth and more on dreaming. I really overplayed this song when it came out, to the point where I completely wore myself out on it. But now when I come back to it, it's good. My favorite OneRepublic song is actually from the same album as "Counting Stars," and it's called "Feel Again." It's one of those songs like "Anything Could Happen" by Ellie Goulding, where I really love it and think it's an all-time favorite, but I forget about it a lot of the time. "Counting Stars" is really good, even if I do prefer "Feel Again." 9/10
I loved this song when it first came out and although it's not an all-time favorite, it's still pretty good. It has a very infectious feeling, mixing pop with folk. I also really like the message of this song, focusing less on material wealth and more on dreaming. I really overplayed this song when it came out, to the point where I completely wore myself out on it. But now when I come back to it, it's good. My favorite OneRepublic song is actually from the same album as "Counting Stars," and it's called "Feel Again." It's one of those songs like "Anything Could Happen" by Ellie Goulding, where I really love it and think it's an all-time favorite, but I forget about it a lot of the time. "Counting Stars" is really good, even if I do prefer "Feel Again." 9/10
4. "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX
For most of these songs, I've been playing them in the background as I write, but I deliberately chose to listen to Twice's "Fancy" over Iggy Azalea's. It's funny how in 2014, Iggy Azalea was at the top of the charts, but her relevance vanished a year later. I think we as a society realized that the biggest rapper in the world should not be an Australian girl with a phony "blaccent." "Fancy" is her biggest hit, but the only really memorable part is Charli XCX's chorus. Charli XCX is similar to Carly Rae Jepsen in that she had a couple of really big hits, then disappeared from the mainstream. Also like Carly Rae, she has a bit of a cult following. I'm not too familiar with Charli's music outside of the big hits, but I've heard good things about her and I'll have to check her out. I'm glad she was the one on this song who ended up getting more buzz, as Iggy is just bad. 4/10
For most of these songs, I've been playing them in the background as I write, but I deliberately chose to listen to Twice's "Fancy" over Iggy Azalea's. It's funny how in 2014, Iggy Azalea was at the top of the charts, but her relevance vanished a year later. I think we as a society realized that the biggest rapper in the world should not be an Australian girl with a phony "blaccent." "Fancy" is her biggest hit, but the only really memorable part is Charli XCX's chorus. Charli XCX is similar to Carly Rae Jepsen in that she had a couple of really big hits, then disappeared from the mainstream. Also like Carly Rae, she has a bit of a cult following. I'm not too familiar with Charli's music outside of the big hits, but I've heard good things about her and I'll have to check her out. I'm glad she was the one on this song who ended up getting more buzz, as Iggy is just bad. 4/10
3. "All of Me" by John Legend
This song is just boring. John Legend is certainly an artist I like more as a person than I like as an artist. That's not really fair, because the only song I really know from him is "All of Me," which I can't stand. It's just very repetitive and basic, not to mention a song that doesn't hold up to overplay in the slightest. John Legend is very talented and I'm sure I'd like something from him if I looked deeper in his discography, even if I don't like this song. I do think he seems like a really nice, intelligent person, so that's something. 4/10
This song is just boring. John Legend is certainly an artist I like more as a person than I like as an artist. That's not really fair, because the only song I really know from him is "All of Me," which I can't stand. It's just very repetitive and basic, not to mention a song that doesn't hold up to overplay in the slightest. John Legend is very talented and I'm sure I'd like something from him if I looked deeper in his discography, even if I don't like this song. I do think he seems like a really nice, intelligent person, so that's something. 4/10
2. "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry ft. Juicy J
Another Katy Perry song, here we go. I really liked this song when I was big, but it shrunk on me a lot. Katy's always been really good at coming up with catchy, solid melody lines, and this song is no exception. However, the lyrics, production, and guest rapper are all varying degrees of bad. The lyrics are awful because Katy doesn’t seem to know what a dark horse actually is. According to Google, a dark horse is: “a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds." Katy (who is one of the biggest pop stars of all time, mind you) describes a dark horse as this powerful and majestic creature who is basically the opposite of an actual dark horse. Katy Perry herself isn’t a dark horse either, since she’s had dozens upon dozens of hits. The beat is really weak and clunky and Juicy J's verse is nonsensical, but not in a fun way. This song absolutely could have been better. 3/10
Another Katy Perry song, here we go. I really liked this song when I was big, but it shrunk on me a lot. Katy's always been really good at coming up with catchy, solid melody lines, and this song is no exception. However, the lyrics, production, and guest rapper are all varying degrees of bad. The lyrics are awful because Katy doesn’t seem to know what a dark horse actually is. According to Google, a dark horse is: “a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds." Katy (who is one of the biggest pop stars of all time, mind you) describes a dark horse as this powerful and majestic creature who is basically the opposite of an actual dark horse. Katy Perry herself isn’t a dark horse either, since she’s had dozens upon dozens of hits. The beat is really weak and clunky and Juicy J's verse is nonsensical, but not in a fun way. This song absolutely could have been better. 3/10
1. "Happy" by Pharrell Williams
This song was written for Despicable Me 2, and god, does it sound like it. This just sounds like something that would fit into a kids movie, as it's the perfect song for the minions to dance around to. The enthusiasm Pharrell has is contagious or irritating, depending on what mood I'm in. The one problem I've always had is that it feels like it goes on too long. They didn't need to repeat the "bring me down" part a second time. Another issue is that on literally every lyric site I find, it says he is singing "can't nothing, bring me down, my level's too high." It has always frustrated me because...no he's not. He did not say "high!" He just went "mmm"! In live performances I looked up, he does say "high", but in the studio recording, I swear he just goes "mmm." Is this a stupid gripe to have? Yes, absolutely. The song's pleasant enough, but it gets old and frustrates me in ways it really shouldn't. 5/10
This song was written for Despicable Me 2, and god, does it sound like it. This just sounds like something that would fit into a kids movie, as it's the perfect song for the minions to dance around to. The enthusiasm Pharrell has is contagious or irritating, depending on what mood I'm in. The one problem I've always had is that it feels like it goes on too long. They didn't need to repeat the "bring me down" part a second time. Another issue is that on literally every lyric site I find, it says he is singing "can't nothing, bring me down, my level's too high." It has always frustrated me because...no he's not. He did not say "high!" He just went "mmm"! In live performances I looked up, he does say "high", but in the studio recording, I swear he just goes "mmm." Is this a stupid gripe to have? Yes, absolutely. The song's pleasant enough, but it gets old and frustrates me in ways it really shouldn't. 5/10
5. "Sugar" by Maroon 5
I'm only doing the top five songs for each year, but when I looked at the list of the top 100 songs for 2015, I was devastated to learn that at number six, just barely missing the cut for me to talk about it, was "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon. That means that instead of talking about one of my favorite songs ever written, I'm going to be talking about a mediocre Maroon 5 song. Most of Maroon 5's output this decade has been mediocre, feeling more like a glorified Adam Levine solo project than a song by an actual band. "Sugar" is noteworthy for how high and obnoxious Adam Levine's falsetto goes, and that's pretty much it. I don't have much to say about this song. 3/10
I'm only doing the top five songs for each year, but when I looked at the list of the top 100 songs for 2015, I was devastated to learn that at number six, just barely missing the cut for me to talk about it, was "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon. That means that instead of talking about one of my favorite songs ever written, I'm going to be talking about a mediocre Maroon 5 song. Most of Maroon 5's output this decade has been mediocre, feeling more like a glorified Adam Levine solo project than a song by an actual band. "Sugar" is noteworthy for how high and obnoxious Adam Levine's falsetto goes, and that's pretty much it. I don't have much to say about this song. 3/10
4. "Trap Queen" by Fetty Wap
Fetty Wap is another one of those artists who was huge for a year, only to disappear a year later. Nobody's really heard from him since, and it's weird because this song and a few others were huge in 2015. However, this song still puts a smile on my face. Fetty Wap admittedly sounds like a dying walrus, but it kind of works. This song also has some contagious enthusiasm and the flows and melodies are pretty catchy. This is a great throwback song for me, one that you forget all about but then hear and realize, "oh, I remember this!" 8.5/10
Fetty Wap is another one of those artists who was huge for a year, only to disappear a year later. Nobody's really heard from him since, and it's weird because this song and a few others were huge in 2015. However, this song still puts a smile on my face. Fetty Wap admittedly sounds like a dying walrus, but it kind of works. This song also has some contagious enthusiasm and the flows and melodies are pretty catchy. This is a great throwback song for me, one that you forget all about but then hear and realize, "oh, I remember this!" 8.5/10
3. "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
And now, for something completely different! This song, for those who have lived under a rock, was written for the movie Furious 7 to commemorate the actor Paul Walker, who died in a car accident in 2013. The first song I heard this song and watched the music video, I straight sobbed, even though I didn't know much about Paul Walker. I think it does a pretty okay job at paying tribute to those who have passed, but it's not really a song I can listen to over and over again. Funny enough, I distinctly remember a friend of mine actually doing just that, listening to this song on repeat on the bus ride during a field trip. It's funny how since this song, Wiz Khalifa has sort of faded from the mainstream and hasn't really had many hits, but Charlie Puth had some hits for a while. His first album got terrible reviews and had some bad singles, but he ended up making really good music afterwards. I really like "How Long" and "Done for Me." To conclude, "See You Again" is a fine song, but not my favorite. 7/10
And now, for something completely different! This song, for those who have lived under a rock, was written for the movie Furious 7 to commemorate the actor Paul Walker, who died in a car accident in 2013. The first song I heard this song and watched the music video, I straight sobbed, even though I didn't know much about Paul Walker. I think it does a pretty okay job at paying tribute to those who have passed, but it's not really a song I can listen to over and over again. Funny enough, I distinctly remember a friend of mine actually doing just that, listening to this song on repeat on the bus ride during a field trip. It's funny how since this song, Wiz Khalifa has sort of faded from the mainstream and hasn't really had many hits, but Charlie Puth had some hits for a while. His first album got terrible reviews and had some bad singles, but he ended up making really good music afterwards. I really like "How Long" and "Done for Me." To conclude, "See You Again" is a fine song, but not my favorite. 7/10
2. "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran
With this song, Ed Sheeran rose from being modestly popular to being one of the biggest acts on the planet. This song was just made to be played at weddings, as a first dance song. It's appropriate that the music video features Ed doing just that, slow dancing with a girl in white (although I don't think she's supposed to be a bride). I'd say the best thing about this song is Ed's voice on it, as he just sounds beautiful and truly in love. The production is also nice and romantic. The one issue is the lyrics, but it's really just one line: when Ed says "Darling, I will be loving you until we're seventy." I get the sentiment of that, "I will love you forever," but the way he phrases it is like "I'll love you until we're seventy. Once we turn seventy-one, it's over." It's a minor complaint, but like, it could have been so easy to fix: "Darling, I will be loving you for eternity." Really cheesy, I know, but it doesn't prompt questions like the original lyric does. Why am I not a million-dollar songwriter? Well, for a lot of reasons, but that's for another day. 8/10
With this song, Ed Sheeran rose from being modestly popular to being one of the biggest acts on the planet. This song was just made to be played at weddings, as a first dance song. It's appropriate that the music video features Ed doing just that, slow dancing with a girl in white (although I don't think she's supposed to be a bride). I'd say the best thing about this song is Ed's voice on it, as he just sounds beautiful and truly in love. The production is also nice and romantic. The one issue is the lyrics, but it's really just one line: when Ed says "Darling, I will be loving you until we're seventy." I get the sentiment of that, "I will love you forever," but the way he phrases it is like "I'll love you until we're seventy. Once we turn seventy-one, it's over." It's a minor complaint, but like, it could have been so easy to fix: "Darling, I will be loving you for eternity." Really cheesy, I know, but it doesn't prompt questions like the original lyric does. Why am I not a million-dollar songwriter? Well, for a lot of reasons, but that's for another day. 8/10
1. "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
This song was the biggest hit of the year by a long shot. It was truly inescapable and it felt like everyone knew it and loved dancing along to it. Although this song was and still is incredibly overexposed, it still is fantastic. It's a genius throwback to 80s funk, a song that makes you feel as badass as Bruno when you listen to it. Bruno Mars started out doing uninteresting adult contemporary music with "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade," but around 2012, he found his lane as a throwback party-starter. The tone of his voice and showman personality make the throwback styles a perfect fit for him. Of course, we can't discredit producer Mark Ronson, who lays down an incredibly funky and infectious groove. This is quite possibly the most iconic song of the decade, and it deserves to be. 10/10
This song was the biggest hit of the year by a long shot. It was truly inescapable and it felt like everyone knew it and loved dancing along to it. Although this song was and still is incredibly overexposed, it still is fantastic. It's a genius throwback to 80s funk, a song that makes you feel as badass as Bruno when you listen to it. Bruno Mars started out doing uninteresting adult contemporary music with "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade," but around 2012, he found his lane as a throwback party-starter. The tone of his voice and showman personality make the throwback styles a perfect fit for him. Of course, we can't discredit producer Mark Ronson, who lays down an incredibly funky and infectious groove. This is quite possibly the most iconic song of the decade, and it deserves to be. 10/10
5. "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots
The upbeat party that was the 2015 music scene shifted the next year to a more gloomy 2016, and it was hit-or-miss. Frankly, I think a lot of the biggest hits of 2016 were mediocre, while the stuff just outside of the mainstream was fantastic. Twenty One Pilots, however, are not mediocre. I was really into these guys in 2016, as I was going through my "emo phase" where I obsessed over Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and them. Although a part of me cringes because of how annoying I was in this phase, I still admit that Twenty One Pilots have some great stuff. My personal favorite song of theirs is either "Holding on to You" or "Forest", and they have many other songs I love too. "Stressed Out" isn't one of my favorites, but I do have to give it credit for one thing: this is the most relatable song of all time. I'm quickly growing up, and I just want to go back to a time where I wasn't so stressed and didn't have much to worry about other than what Disney movie I wanted to watch. 9/10
4. "Work" by Rihanna ft. Drake
I feel like this is a song where you either love it or hate it, and if you hate it, I'm sure it's because you don't like how she says "work" a lot and hate how she slurs her words (that slurring is stylistic of the Jamaican patois dialect, so do your research before bitching about it!). I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. I really like the contrast between Rihanna's anguish on the verses and the monotone of the chorus. I also actually like Drake's contributions, especially when he and Rihanna harmonize on the line "But I know you need to get done, done, done, done if you come over." However, the chorus is kind of annoying and the beat is mediocre. There are a bunch of other songs from Anti that I prefer. "Kiss It Better" and its guitar sections are amazing, "Love on the Brain" gets me in my feelings, "Consideration" with SZA has such a fierce attitude, and I recently discovered "Desperado" but that song is incredible. Side note: I love how Rihanna started this decade as just another pop star and ended it as a literal mogul. She has her Fenty Beauty makeup line, her Fenty fashion house, is the founder of the Clara Lionel philanthropic organization, and is even a global ambassador for her home country of Barbados! What a queen, honestly. 7/10
3. "One Dance" by Drake ft. Wizkid & Kyla
When this song first came out, I thought it was the greatest song ever written...for about a week. There are parts of it I like, but as a whole, it just feels very dull, lazy, and unfinished. I want to like the dancehall vibe, but the production feels messy. The samples from Wizkid and Kyla also feel thrown together and disorganized. Drake also sounds really, really bored. I feel like there are probably some really good covers of this song out there, but the actual version we have is just mediocre. Also, this song topped the Billboard charts for the entire summer of 2016 and was named the Song of the Summer for that year. How? "Into You" by Ariana Grande was right there! There was a perfect summer pop song right in front of our faces, but we didn't let it get higher than #11 on the charts! Shame. 3/10
2. "Sorry" by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber had the two biggest hits of 2016. Considering how hated he is, I'm sure somebody was pretty upset by this. Of the two songs, "Sorry" is definitely the better of the two for me. It's much more lively and has a great beat. The beat was actually produced by Skrillex, if you can believe that. When most people think of Skrillex, they think of the aggressive dubstep style of songs like "Bangarang" and "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," but the beat on this song is very different, a lot more radio-friendly but more pleasant as well. The lyrics of this song actually paint Bieber as kind of a dick, but I don't really care about that because this is just a nice-sounding song. 8/10
1. "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber
I feel like this song is really downbeat and doesn't really sound like what you'd expect to be the biggest hit of the year. It was written by Ed Sheeran and it's very obvious. Ed sings backup on this song and for quite a bit of it, his voice is more prominent than Bieber's. The production is also very sparse and more characteristic of Ed's style, being backed by only an electric guitar. The trumpet section in the bridge is nice, though, probably the best part of the song. The lyrics are also pretty interesting, with "My mama don't like you, and she likes everyone" being a pretty damning line. As interesting as parts of it may be, the overall sound of this song is quite bland and not something I want to listen to a lot of the time. 5/10
2017:
5. "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
Coldplay are one of my favorite bands, even if I don't know every single song from every one of their albums. Just something about the atmospheric production of their work speaks to me. When I saw they were collaborating with the Chainsmokers, I didn't know what to expect. At first, I thought it was just decent and sounded too much like the Chainsmokers' previous hit, "Roses," but it grew on me a ton and ended up being one of my favorite songs of 2017. The one problem I have is with the lyrics, which are silly and childish, but everything else is amazing. That part at the end when the guitar intertwines with the electronic drop is just perfect. It's another song my mom also likes, and I like it too. Obviously, it's not my favorite Coldplay song ("Fix You" will always have that special place in my heart), but I still love it a lot. 10/10
4. "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar
Back in 2017 and 2018, it felt like I always had a Kendrick Lamar song that I was buzzing about and obsessed with. Honestly, due to a good chunk of his work dealing with racism and other topics that I, a middle-class, white teenage girl do not understand, I feel like he's sort of out of my depth and I'm not the best person to praise him. (Good thing there are plenty of far more educated people giving Kendrick the praise he deserves! The man was literally the first hip-hop artist to win a Pulitzer!) However, I'd be ignorant to deny that Kendrick is the single greatest rapper of this generation, having great production and flows and actually having something to say. "HUMBLE." is his biggest hit and an instant classic. He's basically just bragging in this song, but the specific lines are so quotable and Kendrick's energy and personality really make this song stand out. The production is also really good, being anchored by that iconic piano line. Although the DAMN. track "DNA." is my personal favorite song of his, "HUMBLE." is still great. 9.5/10
3. "That's What I Like" by Bruno Mars
I loved this song when it first came out, and while I still do like it, I don't like it as much as I used to. The bridge on this song is incredible and the production is also really good. Bruno also sounds amazing, like he really wants to share his wealth with this girl. However, it's definitely the worst of the singles from 24K Magic. The title track of the album is basically "Uptown Funk Part Two" and has a great energy, "Finesse" has an excellent 90s style and a Cardi B verse that actually made me like her, and "Versace on the Floor" is one of the best sexy slow jams I know. "That's What I Like" is not the worst because it's bad, but more because everything else is even better. I hope Bruno makes a comeback soon. We really need some more throwback R&B from him in these trying times. 8/10
2. "Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber
This is so sad Alexa play Despacito. I don't know what it is about that meme, but it's one of the funniest sentences ever written. It's just so dumb! I actually think "Despacito" deserved to be the #1 song of 2017, due to the then-record-tying 16 weeks it spent on top of the Hot 100 and the fact that its music video is the most viewed on the entirety of YouTube. It's also much better than the actual #1 song- we'll get to it. It took some mediocre contributions from Justin Bieber for the song to cross over, when the original version without him is much better. Bieber's contributions just feel tacked on and the vibes from the original song work so much better. The orignal song is just infectious with some great Latin flavors to make you want to dance. This song would also get played a lot in my Spanish class, and everyone in the class would get so excited whenever it came on. In the end, 10/10 for the Bieber-free version, 6/10 for the Bieber version.
1. "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran
It really is a shame that Ed Sheeran released "Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill" on the same day, and yet the general public decided it wanted to make "Shape of You" the juggernaut single. "Castle on the Hill" is a much more unique song with great storytelling lyrics and soaring vocals from Ed. "Shape of You" is mediocre in every sense of the word. The lyrics are shallow, just about Ed hooking up with a girl (also, "We push and pull like a magnet do." LIKE A MAGNET DO. The grammar policewoman in me is having a heart attack.) and the beat is basically the one from "Cheap Thrills" by Sia. I will always have a vendetta against this song for winning the Best Pop Solo Performance Grammy over "Praying" by Kesha. Ed is very talented, but he in no way deserved to win over that song. Let's ignore the fact that "Praying" is about Kesha overcoming sexual abuse and just focus on what the category is for: the best vocal performance, where it is not a contest. Ed doesn't do anything noteworthy in his performance of "Shape of You," not hitting any amazing notes and mostly sounding dull. Compare that to Kesha, who aches with emotion in every line she sings and even demonstrates the ability to do a whistle note, something nobody expected from her. The fact that "Praying" lost to one of the most mediocre songs ever written will anger me until my dying days. 3/10
2018:
5. "Rockstar" by Post Malone ft. 21 Savage
To quote myself, circa this post:
"It felt like in 2018, every time I would do one of these "current favorite songs" posts, I always had a new Post Malone song that I was obsessed with. Honestly, I think I've outgrown a lot of those songs, like "Rockstar", "Psycho", "Better Now", they're fine but not my favorites at this point."
I still like the guy, but I just can't say I have this song or any of those others on repeat any more. I do like when 21 Savage says "They like, 'Savage, why you got a 12-car garage when you only got 6 cars?'" I just think that's funny for some reason. This song is fine, but it's definitely not my favorite Posty song, or even my favorite Posty song from this era. I like "Candy Paint" a lot more, almost entirely because he says "Goddamn, I love paper like I'm Michael Scott." Somebody should make a rap song that's entirely made up of The Office references. 7/10
4. "Havana" by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug
And now the best song by a bad artist. Actually, I don't know if Camila's songs are actually that bad or if I just hate her voice. I think a lot of her songs would actually be pretty okay if they were performed by a less nasal, annoying vocalist. But credit where credit's due: "Havana" is a good song. The production is absolutely incredible, with those smoky pianos and a flurry of trumpet being fantastic. The chorus of this song is instantly memorable and quite catchy. Similar to Camila, Young Thug can also have a really nasally and distinctive voice, but both performers tone it down for this song. They both do good work here. I do feel like this song is pretty overrated by some, but it's a good song. 8/10
3. "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line
This song topped the Billboard Country Songs Chart for 50 weeks. I don't like country music much, but...seriously, the genre doesn't have anything better than this? This song is just mediocre and bland. Both Bebe and the Florida Georgia Line guys are uninteresting here and the lyrics and production are boring. Other than the slight twang of Florida Georgia Line's voices, there really isn't much to distinguish this as a country song. It's just a basic pop song, and not a particularly interesting one at that. 2.5/10
2. "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran
Let's not beat around the bush, this is clearly just an attempt to recreate the magic of "Thinking Out Loud." Ed surely knew when writing it that people were going to compare it to "Thinking Out Loud." That's not a compliment or a dig, it's just stating the obvious. Honestly, in some aspects, I think I like this song better than "Thinking Out Loud." I like the strings, and the melody of the chorus is pretty beautiful. However, this song does have the issue of feeling like it goes on forever. It only goes for four-and-a-half minutes, but it feels like a lot longer to me. And a slow ballad like this is not a song I want to listen to for a long time, as it starts to bore me around the two-minute mark. One last note: when Ed says, "barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song," the song he is referring to is "March Madness" by Future. I can't help but find that amusing. Ed does not seem like the kind of guy who would be a big Future fan (and yes I know they were both on that one Taylor Swift song but let's ignore that). 6/10
1. "God's Plan" by Drake
Drake was absolutely huge in 2018, with his Scorpion album breaking records left and right. The album had three gargantuan hits that each topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks or more. Those three songs were "God's Plan," "Nice For What," and "In My Feelings." The second of those, "Nice For What," is without a doubt my favorite, yet it was the lowest on the year-end list ("God's Plan" was #1, "In My Feelings" was #9, and "Nice For What" was #11). As for "God's Plan," it has some really quotable lyrics and some pretty funny memes, but it's not something I want to listen to over and over again. But still, those memes are pretty great, acting like the most minor good deed should be treated as a saintly action.
7/10 for the song, 10/10 for these memes. They're so dumb but they make me laugh.
2019:
5. "Wow." by Post Malone
Is the eternal emo in me tempted to give this song a 10/10 solely because Post specifically mentions listening to Fall Out Boy in his car? Yes. Yes, I am. I'm not gonna do that, but the fact that one of the biggest hits of the year mentions the defining band of my emo phase by name is enough to get it in my good graces. Other than that, this song seems like a freestyle. It seems like he's kind of just coming up with the lyrics off the top of his head, yet it's still pretty catchy. Posty just has a way with hooks, man. Also, I don't really understand why we call Post Malone a rapper as this is literally the only song I've heard where he actually raps. In most of his other songs, he just sings. I don't get why we don't call him what he is, a singer. This song is fun, and the Fall Out Boy reference will always make me smile. 8/10
4. "bad guy" by Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish is without a doubt the biggest breakout star of the past year or so, and this is her biggest hit. Yet, it's easily my least favorite from her. This is less because I hate it and more because I really love everything else I've heard from her. "when the party's over," "all the good girls go to hell," "bury a friend," "lovely," "my strange addiction" (of course I like that one because it samples The Office), and especially "everything i wanted" are better songs for me. "bad guy" still is really weird but in a good way. Billie actually said she didn't expect this song to do well at all because it doesn't have a real hook, but it's still catchy. The outro is also terrifying but unique and interesting. One of these days I'm gonna have to listen to Billie's whole album, because despite being only a few months older than me, she's still a beyond-her-years talent who's doing a lot of interesting things. I can't wait to see what she does next. 9/10
3. "Without Me" by Halsey
I actually really like Halsey, but I've never been a fan of this song. She does have some songs I really like, like "You should be sad" and "3AM" from her newest album, but this song just doesn't do anything for me. Something about the way Halsey sings it is grating, and the production is very bland and downbeat. It's not really distinctive and blends in with all the other songs on the radio. I do think she deserves the success because she does seem like a pretty nice, relatable person and she does have some really great songs, but it annoys me that this is her biggest hit when she's done a lot better. 4/10
2. "Sunflower" by Post Malone ft. Swae Lee
I go back and forth on whether this or "Circles" is my favorite Post Malone song, but I really, really love this song! Both Post and Swae Lee stand out among the rap scene for me because they both seem to be really good at creating nice, catchy melodies and hooks. Put them both together and you get an upbeat yet dreamy pop song. This is just a nice song to listen to. You just put it on and you feel good. The contrast between Swae's youthful charm and Post's grittier delivery is delightful. Also, this song was on the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. That is an amazing movie. Go watch it if you haven't. 10/10
1. "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
Lil Nas X is a national treasure and I will support him until the day I die. I've said that "Old Town Road" is the defining pop culture event of my lifetime, and although the current pandemic and everything that's going on with it puts up some competition, I still think that's partially true. Lil Nas came out of nowhere with this song, where he raps about being a cowboy over a beat sampled from the band Nine Inch Nails. I don't think anyone could have expected what happened next, as the song got popular off of TikTok, then was the center of a debate over whether it actually counted as a country song. During this debate, Lil Nas got Miley Cyrus's dad on for the remix and proceeded to rule the goddamn world. He then came out as gay in the middle of all the buzz, making him the first and only artist to come out while simultaneously having the number one song in the country. He also released a series of remixes (my personal favorite is the one with Mason Ramsey, the Yodeling Walmart Kid) and ended up breaking the record set by "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, becoming the longest-running number one in Billboard history, spending 20 weeks at the pinnacle. And despite all of this, Lil Nas is still funny and down-to-Earth as ever. One of these days I'm going to have to compile a list of his funniest tweets. It's common to joke about brands and celebrities trying too hard to be funny and relatable on social media, but Lil Nas never seems to be trying; he just is funny. I love "Old Town Road" and everything it represents. It will go down in history and Lil Nas will go down in history with it. 10/10
This was a long post that I somehow managed to throw together in three days. Even I'm impressed at that. I'm not sure what next week's post will be, but I'll see you next week for that.
Stellar
The upbeat party that was the 2015 music scene shifted the next year to a more gloomy 2016, and it was hit-or-miss. Frankly, I think a lot of the biggest hits of 2016 were mediocre, while the stuff just outside of the mainstream was fantastic. Twenty One Pilots, however, are not mediocre. I was really into these guys in 2016, as I was going through my "emo phase" where I obsessed over Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and them. Although a part of me cringes because of how annoying I was in this phase, I still admit that Twenty One Pilots have some great stuff. My personal favorite song of theirs is either "Holding on to You" or "Forest", and they have many other songs I love too. "Stressed Out" isn't one of my favorites, but I do have to give it credit for one thing: this is the most relatable song of all time. I'm quickly growing up, and I just want to go back to a time where I wasn't so stressed and didn't have much to worry about other than what Disney movie I wanted to watch. 9/10
4. "Work" by Rihanna ft. Drake
I feel like this is a song where you either love it or hate it, and if you hate it, I'm sure it's because you don't like how she says "work" a lot and hate how she slurs her words (that slurring is stylistic of the Jamaican patois dialect, so do your research before bitching about it!). I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. I really like the contrast between Rihanna's anguish on the verses and the monotone of the chorus. I also actually like Drake's contributions, especially when he and Rihanna harmonize on the line "But I know you need to get done, done, done, done if you come over." However, the chorus is kind of annoying and the beat is mediocre. There are a bunch of other songs from Anti that I prefer. "Kiss It Better" and its guitar sections are amazing, "Love on the Brain" gets me in my feelings, "Consideration" with SZA has such a fierce attitude, and I recently discovered "Desperado" but that song is incredible. Side note: I love how Rihanna started this decade as just another pop star and ended it as a literal mogul. She has her Fenty Beauty makeup line, her Fenty fashion house, is the founder of the Clara Lionel philanthropic organization, and is even a global ambassador for her home country of Barbados! What a queen, honestly. 7/10
3. "One Dance" by Drake ft. Wizkid & Kyla
When this song first came out, I thought it was the greatest song ever written...for about a week. There are parts of it I like, but as a whole, it just feels very dull, lazy, and unfinished. I want to like the dancehall vibe, but the production feels messy. The samples from Wizkid and Kyla also feel thrown together and disorganized. Drake also sounds really, really bored. I feel like there are probably some really good covers of this song out there, but the actual version we have is just mediocre. Also, this song topped the Billboard charts for the entire summer of 2016 and was named the Song of the Summer for that year. How? "Into You" by Ariana Grande was right there! There was a perfect summer pop song right in front of our faces, but we didn't let it get higher than #11 on the charts! Shame. 3/10
2. "Sorry" by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber had the two biggest hits of 2016. Considering how hated he is, I'm sure somebody was pretty upset by this. Of the two songs, "Sorry" is definitely the better of the two for me. It's much more lively and has a great beat. The beat was actually produced by Skrillex, if you can believe that. When most people think of Skrillex, they think of the aggressive dubstep style of songs like "Bangarang" and "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," but the beat on this song is very different, a lot more radio-friendly but more pleasant as well. The lyrics of this song actually paint Bieber as kind of a dick, but I don't really care about that because this is just a nice-sounding song. 8/10
1. "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber
I feel like this song is really downbeat and doesn't really sound like what you'd expect to be the biggest hit of the year. It was written by Ed Sheeran and it's very obvious. Ed sings backup on this song and for quite a bit of it, his voice is more prominent than Bieber's. The production is also very sparse and more characteristic of Ed's style, being backed by only an electric guitar. The trumpet section in the bridge is nice, though, probably the best part of the song. The lyrics are also pretty interesting, with "My mama don't like you, and she likes everyone" being a pretty damning line. As interesting as parts of it may be, the overall sound of this song is quite bland and not something I want to listen to a lot of the time. 5/10
2017:
5. "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
Coldplay are one of my favorite bands, even if I don't know every single song from every one of their albums. Just something about the atmospheric production of their work speaks to me. When I saw they were collaborating with the Chainsmokers, I didn't know what to expect. At first, I thought it was just decent and sounded too much like the Chainsmokers' previous hit, "Roses," but it grew on me a ton and ended up being one of my favorite songs of 2017. The one problem I have is with the lyrics, which are silly and childish, but everything else is amazing. That part at the end when the guitar intertwines with the electronic drop is just perfect. It's another song my mom also likes, and I like it too. Obviously, it's not my favorite Coldplay song ("Fix You" will always have that special place in my heart), but I still love it a lot. 10/10
4. "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar
Back in 2017 and 2018, it felt like I always had a Kendrick Lamar song that I was buzzing about and obsessed with. Honestly, due to a good chunk of his work dealing with racism and other topics that I, a middle-class, white teenage girl do not understand, I feel like he's sort of out of my depth and I'm not the best person to praise him. (Good thing there are plenty of far more educated people giving Kendrick the praise he deserves! The man was literally the first hip-hop artist to win a Pulitzer!) However, I'd be ignorant to deny that Kendrick is the single greatest rapper of this generation, having great production and flows and actually having something to say. "HUMBLE." is his biggest hit and an instant classic. He's basically just bragging in this song, but the specific lines are so quotable and Kendrick's energy and personality really make this song stand out. The production is also really good, being anchored by that iconic piano line. Although the DAMN. track "DNA." is my personal favorite song of his, "HUMBLE." is still great. 9.5/10
3. "That's What I Like" by Bruno Mars
I loved this song when it first came out, and while I still do like it, I don't like it as much as I used to. The bridge on this song is incredible and the production is also really good. Bruno also sounds amazing, like he really wants to share his wealth with this girl. However, it's definitely the worst of the singles from 24K Magic. The title track of the album is basically "Uptown Funk Part Two" and has a great energy, "Finesse" has an excellent 90s style and a Cardi B verse that actually made me like her, and "Versace on the Floor" is one of the best sexy slow jams I know. "That's What I Like" is not the worst because it's bad, but more because everything else is even better. I hope Bruno makes a comeback soon. We really need some more throwback R&B from him in these trying times. 8/10
2. "Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber
This is so sad Alexa play Despacito. I don't know what it is about that meme, but it's one of the funniest sentences ever written. It's just so dumb! I actually think "Despacito" deserved to be the #1 song of 2017, due to the then-record-tying 16 weeks it spent on top of the Hot 100 and the fact that its music video is the most viewed on the entirety of YouTube. It's also much better than the actual #1 song- we'll get to it. It took some mediocre contributions from Justin Bieber for the song to cross over, when the original version without him is much better. Bieber's contributions just feel tacked on and the vibes from the original song work so much better. The orignal song is just infectious with some great Latin flavors to make you want to dance. This song would also get played a lot in my Spanish class, and everyone in the class would get so excited whenever it came on. In the end, 10/10 for the Bieber-free version, 6/10 for the Bieber version.
1. "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran
It really is a shame that Ed Sheeran released "Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill" on the same day, and yet the general public decided it wanted to make "Shape of You" the juggernaut single. "Castle on the Hill" is a much more unique song with great storytelling lyrics and soaring vocals from Ed. "Shape of You" is mediocre in every sense of the word. The lyrics are shallow, just about Ed hooking up with a girl (also, "We push and pull like a magnet do." LIKE A MAGNET DO. The grammar policewoman in me is having a heart attack.) and the beat is basically the one from "Cheap Thrills" by Sia. I will always have a vendetta against this song for winning the Best Pop Solo Performance Grammy over "Praying" by Kesha. Ed is very talented, but he in no way deserved to win over that song. Let's ignore the fact that "Praying" is about Kesha overcoming sexual abuse and just focus on what the category is for: the best vocal performance, where it is not a contest. Ed doesn't do anything noteworthy in his performance of "Shape of You," not hitting any amazing notes and mostly sounding dull. Compare that to Kesha, who aches with emotion in every line she sings and even demonstrates the ability to do a whistle note, something nobody expected from her. The fact that "Praying" lost to one of the most mediocre songs ever written will anger me until my dying days. 3/10
2018:
5. "Rockstar" by Post Malone ft. 21 Savage
To quote myself, circa this post:
"It felt like in 2018, every time I would do one of these "current favorite songs" posts, I always had a new Post Malone song that I was obsessed with. Honestly, I think I've outgrown a lot of those songs, like "Rockstar", "Psycho", "Better Now", they're fine but not my favorites at this point."
I still like the guy, but I just can't say I have this song or any of those others on repeat any more. I do like when 21 Savage says "They like, 'Savage, why you got a 12-car garage when you only got 6 cars?'" I just think that's funny for some reason. This song is fine, but it's definitely not my favorite Posty song, or even my favorite Posty song from this era. I like "Candy Paint" a lot more, almost entirely because he says "Goddamn, I love paper like I'm Michael Scott." Somebody should make a rap song that's entirely made up of The Office references. 7/10
4. "Havana" by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug
And now the best song by a bad artist. Actually, I don't know if Camila's songs are actually that bad or if I just hate her voice. I think a lot of her songs would actually be pretty okay if they were performed by a less nasal, annoying vocalist. But credit where credit's due: "Havana" is a good song. The production is absolutely incredible, with those smoky pianos and a flurry of trumpet being fantastic. The chorus of this song is instantly memorable and quite catchy. Similar to Camila, Young Thug can also have a really nasally and distinctive voice, but both performers tone it down for this song. They both do good work here. I do feel like this song is pretty overrated by some, but it's a good song. 8/10
3. "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line
This song topped the Billboard Country Songs Chart for 50 weeks. I don't like country music much, but...seriously, the genre doesn't have anything better than this? This song is just mediocre and bland. Both Bebe and the Florida Georgia Line guys are uninteresting here and the lyrics and production are boring. Other than the slight twang of Florida Georgia Line's voices, there really isn't much to distinguish this as a country song. It's just a basic pop song, and not a particularly interesting one at that. 2.5/10
2. "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran
Let's not beat around the bush, this is clearly just an attempt to recreate the magic of "Thinking Out Loud." Ed surely knew when writing it that people were going to compare it to "Thinking Out Loud." That's not a compliment or a dig, it's just stating the obvious. Honestly, in some aspects, I think I like this song better than "Thinking Out Loud." I like the strings, and the melody of the chorus is pretty beautiful. However, this song does have the issue of feeling like it goes on forever. It only goes for four-and-a-half minutes, but it feels like a lot longer to me. And a slow ballad like this is not a song I want to listen to for a long time, as it starts to bore me around the two-minute mark. One last note: when Ed says, "barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song," the song he is referring to is "March Madness" by Future. I can't help but find that amusing. Ed does not seem like the kind of guy who would be a big Future fan (and yes I know they were both on that one Taylor Swift song but let's ignore that). 6/10
1. "God's Plan" by Drake
Drake was absolutely huge in 2018, with his Scorpion album breaking records left and right. The album had three gargantuan hits that each topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks or more. Those three songs were "God's Plan," "Nice For What," and "In My Feelings." The second of those, "Nice For What," is without a doubt my favorite, yet it was the lowest on the year-end list ("God's Plan" was #1, "In My Feelings" was #9, and "Nice For What" was #11). As for "God's Plan," it has some really quotable lyrics and some pretty funny memes, but it's not something I want to listen to over and over again. But still, those memes are pretty great, acting like the most minor good deed should be treated as a saintly action.
7/10 for the song, 10/10 for these memes. They're so dumb but they make me laugh.
2019:
5. "Wow." by Post Malone
Is the eternal emo in me tempted to give this song a 10/10 solely because Post specifically mentions listening to Fall Out Boy in his car? Yes. Yes, I am. I'm not gonna do that, but the fact that one of the biggest hits of the year mentions the defining band of my emo phase by name is enough to get it in my good graces. Other than that, this song seems like a freestyle. It seems like he's kind of just coming up with the lyrics off the top of his head, yet it's still pretty catchy. Posty just has a way with hooks, man. Also, I don't really understand why we call Post Malone a rapper as this is literally the only song I've heard where he actually raps. In most of his other songs, he just sings. I don't get why we don't call him what he is, a singer. This song is fun, and the Fall Out Boy reference will always make me smile. 8/10
4. "bad guy" by Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish is without a doubt the biggest breakout star of the past year or so, and this is her biggest hit. Yet, it's easily my least favorite from her. This is less because I hate it and more because I really love everything else I've heard from her. "when the party's over," "all the good girls go to hell," "bury a friend," "lovely," "my strange addiction" (of course I like that one because it samples The Office), and especially "everything i wanted" are better songs for me. "bad guy" still is really weird but in a good way. Billie actually said she didn't expect this song to do well at all because it doesn't have a real hook, but it's still catchy. The outro is also terrifying but unique and interesting. One of these days I'm gonna have to listen to Billie's whole album, because despite being only a few months older than me, she's still a beyond-her-years talent who's doing a lot of interesting things. I can't wait to see what she does next. 9/10
3. "Without Me" by Halsey
I actually really like Halsey, but I've never been a fan of this song. She does have some songs I really like, like "You should be sad" and "3AM" from her newest album, but this song just doesn't do anything for me. Something about the way Halsey sings it is grating, and the production is very bland and downbeat. It's not really distinctive and blends in with all the other songs on the radio. I do think she deserves the success because she does seem like a pretty nice, relatable person and she does have some really great songs, but it annoys me that this is her biggest hit when she's done a lot better. 4/10
2. "Sunflower" by Post Malone ft. Swae Lee
I go back and forth on whether this or "Circles" is my favorite Post Malone song, but I really, really love this song! Both Post and Swae Lee stand out among the rap scene for me because they both seem to be really good at creating nice, catchy melodies and hooks. Put them both together and you get an upbeat yet dreamy pop song. This is just a nice song to listen to. You just put it on and you feel good. The contrast between Swae's youthful charm and Post's grittier delivery is delightful. Also, this song was on the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. That is an amazing movie. Go watch it if you haven't. 10/10
1. "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
Lil Nas X is a national treasure and I will support him until the day I die. I've said that "Old Town Road" is the defining pop culture event of my lifetime, and although the current pandemic and everything that's going on with it puts up some competition, I still think that's partially true. Lil Nas came out of nowhere with this song, where he raps about being a cowboy over a beat sampled from the band Nine Inch Nails. I don't think anyone could have expected what happened next, as the song got popular off of TikTok, then was the center of a debate over whether it actually counted as a country song. During this debate, Lil Nas got Miley Cyrus's dad on for the remix and proceeded to rule the goddamn world. He then came out as gay in the middle of all the buzz, making him the first and only artist to come out while simultaneously having the number one song in the country. He also released a series of remixes (my personal favorite is the one with Mason Ramsey, the Yodeling Walmart Kid) and ended up breaking the record set by "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, becoming the longest-running number one in Billboard history, spending 20 weeks at the pinnacle. And despite all of this, Lil Nas is still funny and down-to-Earth as ever. One of these days I'm going to have to compile a list of his funniest tweets. It's common to joke about brands and celebrities trying too hard to be funny and relatable on social media, but Lil Nas never seems to be trying; he just is funny. I love "Old Town Road" and everything it represents. It will go down in history and Lil Nas will go down in history with it. 10/10
This was a long post that I somehow managed to throw together in three days. Even I'm impressed at that. I'm not sure what next week's post will be, but I'll see you next week for that.
Stellar
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