What is the point of doing these preambles? I swear how many more ways can I say there
were some bad things this year and there were some good things this year. How many more ways can I just delay the inevitable and just reveal my lists?
I kid of course. I just feel like its become rather predictable writing these. And it is especially apparent when you don't have any real strong feelings about a year in hit music like this one. I mean I watch a lot of year end retrospectives as motivation for me to get off my ass and finish my own and I've seen such polarizing indifference about 2021 as a whole. I've seen some say this was one of the best years ever. I've seen some say that this was a drop-off. I've seen some say this year was not good. I'm somewhere in between all these opinions. Which I mean let's be honest here. This absolutely was not like last year, which that year was so good that I had to do a Top 20 Best List. But at the same time though, 2020 has a valid reason to be claimed as one of the best hit music years ever; especially as a great distraction from the terrible year 2020 was as a whole. Of course there was going to be a drop-off in quality. That being said, 2021 still has a lot of good trends going for it that I'm not going to write this year off as a whole. Any year that brings back pop-punk is going to see me sticking up for it in some way.
So yeah, 2021 music gets a solid 6 out of 10 for me. Let's go ahead and wrap this year up properly by talking about the best it had to offer. Starting off with...
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
“Laugh Now, Cry Later” – Drake (featuring Lil Durk)
Still great nearly a year later. Amazing how this is better than every song on
“Certified Lover Boy” and it wasn’t even included on the album despite being
the alleged lead single.
“Wants and Needs” – Drake (featuring Lil Baby)
As a matter of fact, every song on the "Scary Hours 2 EP" is
better than every song on “Certified Lover Boy”. Speaking of which, people are probably going
to forget this Drake & Lil Baby collab when looking back at this year
because of how memorably atrocious their other collab was "Girls Like Girls", but I sincerely hope
that’s not the case because this song was quite the bop for most of this year.
“Willow” – Taylor Swift
I mean let’s be honest here.
There are like at least twenty songs from the last couple Taylor Swift
albums that I wish were able to become actual hits over this. But it’s still good on its own merits. Hell the Elvira remix of this would make my
top ten for sure.
“Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
This is the best version of this song by a country
mile. One of the rare occasions of the
remix game working to improve a song rather than obtain a quick and easy number
one…which this song still went to number one. But even then, this remix will forever be associated with this song more so than the original for me.
“Heartbreak Anniversary” – Giveon
The best Sam Smith song ever. This was a huge year for R&B and Giveon
is one of the best new names leading the pack. Every single song he released this year I loved. With this being the best of the bunch.
“Dakiti” – Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
It’s a vibe. If 2021
sounded like a song, it would be this one.
Dark and broading with no signs of optimism in site.
“Todo De Ti” – Rauw Alejandro
This also slaps. What
can I say? I’m a sucker for disco pop in
general. Good year for reggaeton hits this
was.
“Need to Know” – Doja Cat
“good 4 u” – Olivia Rodrigo
The fact that this should have and could have been number
one for eleven weeks if it wasn’t for chart manipulation is a testament as to
how much pop-rock is back. Thank you
Olivia Rodrigo for making one of the best bangers of the year. Can’t wait for your “Brand New Eyes” era of
pop-rock.
“Hell of a View” – Eric Church
So based off my worst list, you’re probably thinking that
country music had a terrible 2021. Let
me flip that narrative right now and point out that I said country music had
some pretty bad hits this year. That
doesn’t mean the genre as a whole had a terrible 2021. Hell, not all the hits were even bad. This one was pretty damn great if you ask
me. And this was the last cut I had to
make for my list and this was an incredibly painful one at that.
I think it is only fitting we start this list off by talking
about the biggest new name of the year.
11. “déjà vu” – Olivia Rodrigo
The emergence of Olivia Rodrigo is easily what I’ll remember
most about 2021. This woman came out of
nowhere and emerged as the biggest name in the industry overnight. A lot of people, myself included initially,
thought that she was just an industry plant by the Disney Corporation in order
to really rule all formats of media. But
the more I listened to her music, the more naïve I realized I was. She became a huge name by just being really
fucking good at writing and making good music.
I haven’t seen a popstar that has proved this quickly that
she is this good since Taylor Swift first emerged. And the comparisons all year between the two
just really are too true. What Taylor
has always been good at is the small little details when it comes to
storytelling. And Olivia is just as good
at it. Case in point, this song. Every little detail in this song stands out
to me. Reminiscing on watching re-runs
of your favorite show with your ex, god knows how many times I’ve done that
with past relationships. Introducing him
or her to your favorite singer and specific lines remind you of your past. Jesus Christ there are too many that I can’t
even begin to count. None that are from
Billy Joel, but that’s a good choice.
And the music itself is equally as good. From the musicbox loop repeated throughout
the melody and hell I even like The Chainsmokers-esque drop. Best drop of the year, fight me. Despite loving it as much as I do, this song
is only this low on the list because it really doesn’t have as good of a repeat
value for me. There was a brief time
where I honestly didn’t want to seek it out like the rest of this list, hell
even most of my honorable mentions. But
there is absolutely no denying that this was the song that absolutely for sure
sold me on Olivia Rodrigo and this deserves to make it on my actual list for
that reason alone.
2021. Another good
year for Ariana Grande as she managed to have another good album and another
year of multiple smashes on the hit parade…yet I’m sensing a bit of cracks in
the armor. I still think she has some
more years ahead of her in terms of being one of the biggest names in the music
industry, but that new album didn’t really bring anything new to the
table. They just felt like a bunch of
leftovers from the previous era and that even includes the re-release with five
to six new forgettable singles.
I still love Ariana Grande and really hope she proves me
wrong, but at the same time, I’m really starting to sense some burn out from
the Ariana-tors. But hey, at least we
had one great song from that new album.
10. “34+35” – Ariana Grande (featuring Megan Thee Stallion
& Doja Cat)
If you’re expecting a full on explanation for this one, I
really don’t have any valid explanation other than I’m a simp. This sounds sexy and it sounds like Ariana
Grande is just offering up a good time having fun passionate sex. Compare that to say many of her other sex
songs which more often than not, the songs make it sound like sex is a chore
for her. Meanwhile, the simple sounding
production makes the lyrics come off as more playful and that Ariana will be
more invested in making sure she is giving you the best time possible.
Hell I even love the remix, even though I’ve got to admit,
the original would probably be in my top five if that’s what Billboard credited
it as. Doja and Megan really kind of
take away from most of the playful elements that I mentioned earlier (aka the
second and third verses from the original).
But what can I say? Doja and
Megan are also hot and they are honestly more confident about their sexual experience
in their pinky fingers than Ariana Grande does most of the time.
So yeah, what else can I say but…
I don’t know you guys.
Part of me has been amazed that Lil Nas X has been able to sustain a
career beyond “Old Town Road”. The other
part of me feels like he really could care less about making music. I mean “Panini”, “Holiday”, “Montero (Call Me
By Your Name)”….all perfectly okay ideas.
But none of them really feel like fully developed songs.
My feelings on Lil Nas X as an artist are just complicated
at best, despite me loving him as a personality. We’ve been gravely missing popstars with
actual personalities as of late so I’ll absolutely stand behind Lil Nas X
amongst every controversy the guy gets into.
Especially if the quality is as good as this.
9. “Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
And most of that quality comes from those stock sounding
trumpets. Like I’m almost 100% certain
that its some sort of loop from another song in the past few years because
trumpets have made such a huge comeback in hit music in recent memory. Lil Nas X is that big of a troll that I’m
certain my assumption is true. But I got
to give the man his props. This song
wouldn’t be nearly as effective without those glorious trumpets because they
get you hyped. The song may be about Lil
Nas X’s ostracization due to his sexuality and persevering adversity towards
his success, but with those trumpets, I consider this more of a modern day
“jock jam”. Like I wouldn’t be surprised
if a lot of athletes start to use this song as their entrance music. Which would absolutely defy the purpose of
this song, but so be it because Jack Harlow does too.
Yeah I honestly did not expect Jack Harlow to stick around
after “What’s Poppin” to be honest. That
admittedly was a very bad take on my part, but could you blame me after damn
near everything he’s released since then has been flop after flop after
flop? But you know how I’ve said in the
past that most Lil Nas X songs sound incomplete because they are missing a
bridge or another verse? Well that’s
where Jack Harlow comes in and helps fully flesh out this idea just like Billy
Ray Cyrus did for “Old Town Road”. Fun
fact, the original guest rapper was supposed to be Nicki Minaj and I’m so glad
those plans fell through due to Nicki never responding. This song works much better as an ode to the
newer generation of popstars trying to stay famous in the TikTok era of popular
music than listening to twelve year stalwart Nicki Minaj who is possibly on her
way out; don’t hold me to that take barbz.
I fully expect this to make the 2022 year end list as well
and it keeps growing on me day after day.
Expect a potential repeat discussion around this time next year too.
----
https://digg.com/culture/link/the-weeknds-blinding-lights-is-so-popular-its-actually-become-a-problem-for-him
I saw this article months ago and it is quite possibly one of the most insightful music articles that I’ve read this year. Because it certainly is not wrong.
“Blinding Lights” is still a phenomenal song. And you know what, let’s just get this reveal
out of the way. Because of course it
made the best list again. Who are we
fucking kidding?
8. “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
Got it? Good. Anyway, “Blinding Lights” is just such a game
changer that I’ve got the feeling that whenever The Weeknd does make that next
album, it’s going to have some mighty lofty single expectations. I mean a song finally overthrew “The Twist”
as the most successful charting single of all-time. I thought that was never going to
happen. But then again, I didn’t expect
the music industry to come to some sort of standstill that we would have so
many singles chart shelf lives extend to over a year. Let alone two.
But if you want further proof on how impossibly tough it
will be for The Weeknd to escape the shadow that “Blinding Lights” has casted
for him, look no further than his follow-ups.
Yes I ended up coming around on “Save Your Tears” again, but that’s
mostly due to Ariana Grande and not him.
And that ended becoming a massive hit mostly due to the remix because it
was preparing to exit the top ten before Ariana Grande saved it. The real example of this is “Take My
Breath”. A song that sure does exist,
doesn’t it? This might be the safest
song that The Weeknd has ever recorded and that’s its problem. He could have done this song at any point in
the last five years and it would have been a hit. Its literally just another 80s inspired pop
song. And quite frankly, I don’t want
The Weeknd to be delegated to being a retro pastiche act like Bruno Mars has
sadly become. Sure I’m a sucker for a
good throwback song like the rest of us, but I want more than just a pretty
familiar sounding pop song. I want depth
and relatability. That’s why we all fell
for “Blinding Lights” the way that we did.
Because it is the best of both worlds.
It is retro pastiche with a modern twist on it.
Will The Weeknd resort to making familiar 80s lite synthpop
for the rest of his career? I hope
not. But if so, I at least hope that he
remembers why “Blinding Lights” worked so well and learn from it instead of
just going back to the well to make safe easy listening shlock.
And speaking of career defining songs.
7. “Levitating” – Dua Lipa
This is now one of the biggest songs to never top the
charts. That’s amazing to me because if
my children ever asked me what the biggest songs of the pandemic were, I would
certainly tell them my short list would be “Circles” by Post Malone, “Blinding
Lights” by The Weeknd, and “Levitating” by Dua Lipa (and possibly “Stay” by The
Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber…give me a few months on that one to see). All incredibly great pop songs that were
massive and lasted in the top ten for over 40 months…and yet the latter being
the only one to never make it to number one astonishes me. Because Billboard had to completely
recalibrate the charts the week that “Levitating” was supposed to finally reach
number one and gave it to “Leave the Door Open” instead. Let’s be honest, I haven’t thought about that
song in so many months that it has become a bit of an afterthought to me. Wouldn’t be surprised if others felt the
same.
That said, “Levitating” was and is still one of the
highlights in “Future Nostalgia”. It’s
no surprise to me that so many people loved this song so much that it gave it a
second wind rising back up the charts just when we thought it was on its way
out. Not only does this song remind me
of the disco era of pop music from the 70s and 80s, hell it reminds me of the
early 2010s when pop music was at one of its biggest peaks in cultural
relevance. Hell it’s a homage to that
era that it even has a featuring guest rapper credit.
Look, we had to talk about this story at some point during
these music lists, so I’m just going to get this out of the way now. I almost like the DaBaby featured remix of
“Levitating” almost as much as the original.
Which is especially blasphemous to say now with DaBaby’s cancellation
for being a homophobic asshole. And yes,
of course I don’t support DaBaby’s intolerance of the LGBTQ community. He absolutely deserves everything he got when
it came to all the unapologetic behavior and refusing to understand the harm
his words provided. But like it has been
said before, it is hard to separate the art from the artists. And if I can push aside all the toxicity of
DaBaby’s comments, I have to admit. His
remix slapped. Even when I hear the
original version on the radio, sometimes I think of DaBaby saying “Left foot,
right foot, levitating. Pop star Dua
Lipa with DaBaby.” That’s when you know
your remix is in the minds of peoples subconscious.
In the end, all I can say is that Billboard got the credit
right. This is Dua Lipa’s song and I
hope it won’t completely define her career.
This woman has so much good music in her that I can’t wait to see where
she goes next once the “Future Nostalgia” era runs out. But until that day comes, I hope “Cool” gets
the next singles push.
According to Apple Music, this was my most played song of
the year. Which sounds about right
because this song was supremely therapeutic for me throughout 2021.
6. “Good Days” – SZA
Yes, you read that right.
My eighth best hit song was my most played song of 2021. That must mean I don’t like listening to the
rest of this list more than this one song, right? Honestly, I had a whole dialogue planned out
for this to be my number one since the start of January about how stressful
this year was and how this helped me to come to terms with so many elements of
my life this one song cured. But after
two months of damn near playing this song out to death, listening to this song
became more of a part of my daily routine to the point that it started to lose
its luster after a bit. Then I started
to question if this should make my best list at all as more and more great
music became hits throughout the year that I loved more than this one. And then I realized, no that’s stupid. This is still a fantastic song on its own
merits, even if overplay killed it quite a bit for me.
But you know what, even now with all these new COVID variants
out there and my home country just descending into even more political chaos
and with every new thing that has managed to stress me the fuck out, I still
find myself popping on this song and just absolutely feeling calm and in
control of my own destiny. I find it
funny that SZA points out even in this song about “the end of the world”
because I bet she is definitely not at a table for one on that take.
Will the world continue to descend into madness? Probably.
Omicron is absolutely wrecking the world as we speak as more and more
people I know are catching the virus despite being vaccinated. But I still believe in “Good Days” on the
horizon, even if that makes me as blindly optimistic as Ted Lasso. Who cares, this song is my medicine. Next.
I mentioned on last year’s list that “WAP” was the most
talked about hit song of 2020 from the likes of conservative pundits to hell
even Snoop Dogg saying that the song was too graphic. This is the same guy who has an album
actually called “Doggy Style” saying that listening to two women talk about how
much they enjoy sex is too much.
Seriously the amount of backlash this song got was just too
much for even me. I still think “WAP” is
as fantastic as it was the first day I heard it. But someone had to speak up in the defense of
“WAP” and my god I’m sure glad Megan responded to the backlash in the way that
she did.
5. “Thot Shit” – Megan Thee Stallion
Look on surface level, this is the exact song a lot of
people expect Megan Thee Stallion to make.
A song kissing off haters and flaunts her success? She sure hasn’t made this topic before. Only like three to four times in the three
years she’s been relevant, right? Yeah…but
she’s great at it….and this is the most technically sound she has sounded out
of all her hits she’s had since 2019.
Yeah this song has a different energy in comparison to the
rest of her hits. Because it is her
responding to all the cranky conservatives like Ben Shapiro who thought “WAP”
or “Body” was too provoking. It is her
doubling down on all that criticism by saying, “Yeah I like to twerk and yeah I
like to have sex, so?” Point Megan. I can’t believe we still live in a society
where there are people that frown upon women empowering their sexual
prowess. I mean yeah the evangelicals
are one thing, but need I repeat myself that fucking Snoop Dogg frowned upon “WAP”? On that front, you’ll always see me being
approving of songs like this, especially when they are this well-crafted. Megan just hits on this with zinger after
zinger and line after line of just memorable quotes for me. Just like “WAP” before it, I can make a best
list solely full of lines from this song.
You know what would top that list though?
“Man, ain’t nobody come to see you, Otis”
…I too am glad that I’m not the only one to remember “The Temptations” mini-series. And as funny as that out of nowhere pop culture reference comes from, it also has a double meaning for her beef with Nicki Minaj. Yeah those are two beefing now too in case you all forgot, but it is okay if you don’t because Nicki beefs with everybody. Like I said earlier, she's on her way out for a reason.
I admit that its unfair of me to constantly point out the
negatives of the songs that get big on TikTok the last few years. Plenty of songs that have gotten big off
TikTok have made it on past best lists of mine.
“Old Town Road” being the poster child of the TikTok era of popular
music made a best list of mine in the past.
“Levitating” above got second wind thanks to TikTok challenges. My point being that TikTok has done equal
amounts of good for popular music that I have zero problems with it sticking
around for the long haul. Hell TikTok
introduced me to this gem and I solely associate it with such.
4. “Telepatia” – Kali Uchis
I’m just going to be blunt about my next pick here. The moment I heard this song, I immediately
connected with it like there was no tomorrow.
I have been in the same exact long distanced relationship where I wish I
knew what was going on with a woman who lived over 3000 miles apart from me;
who ironically enough was fluent in English and Spanish. We never met in person sadly enough. We did video chat and messaged each other
fairly often. I was head over heels to
the point that were times I tried to connect with her telepathically and felt
the woman I was dating reach back for me.
And those feelings that I had are absolutely in the past, but if there
was ever a song that represented those emotions perfectly, it would be
this. And the musical composition for
how that previous relationship felt?
Exactly like this.
My god this is such a beautifully composed song. From the lush strings to the bouncing chimes, this song is such a divine listening experience. And Kali Uchis is such a delightful singer. This is the perfect song to sing bilingual to and I can’t imagine it being performed in any other way. I knew of her and heard like one song by her in the past. This made me go into a deeper dive into her discography and I love what I see. This being her biggest hit really does give me hope that we are on the verge of more bilingual pop music outside of BTS. Because this is one of the few songs that has really tempted me to dust off my Spanish and memorized the lyrics to.
Also this video is as beautifully composed to as the
song. Yeah go ahead and insert the same
horny gif for this too. What can I
say? It’s me being a simp again. So you know what that means...
...I love this gif and will forever find ways to utilize it. Next.
This being my number three biggest song of the year would
have sounded impossible earlier in the year after I first heard it. But what can I say? It just kept growing and growing and growing…..
3. “drivers license” – Olivia Rodrigo
…on me. Yes this is a fairly unpopular opinion amongst my friends and peers, but you know what fuck it. Olivia Rodrigo’s best single is this one. The one where she reflects on her relationship drama with a very accurate comparison point in her life about getting her drivers license. Almost everyone I know prefers “déjà vu” or “good 4 u” more. At one point I did with the former, but drivers license just had something that kept pulling me back in. Was it a reminder as to how overdramatized teenage relationships were for me? Yeah a little. Was it the interesting celebrity drama? Yeah a little.
Honestly, there is a really good SNL sketch
from this year where a bunch of guys hang out together at a bar discussing this
song and damn near every single thing discussed was me throughout the year
sorting out my feelings with this song.
That I kept loving it more and more throughout the year was only a side
effect. But do you know what really
pushed it this high up on my best list.
This song has one of the best bridges ever.
That is not an overstatement. That is not something I’m going to have
second thoughts declaring. This is a
fact. Billboard made a Top 50 list of
the best bridges and I know people were up in arms that they said this was the
third best bridge ever and that it was recently-biased. I’m here to stick up for Billboard by saying
that I can only think of one bridge off the top of my head that is better and
that is “Hey Ya!” which that bridge is iconic (and also was ranked the best by
Billboard too). But you know what? So is this one. I’m literally blasting the bridge right now
as I type this because it is that phenomenal.
So what to take away from this entry? Don’t immediately write off a song after one
impression. Sometimes they manage to
surprise you. I know my relationship
with this song was never perfect, but I’ve never felt this way about no one….
There are some years where it is incredibly tough to decide
what my favorite song of the year was and this year certainly was one of
them. I went back and forth so many
times between these two that I can’t even begin to describe how frustrating it
was to decide which of these was better than the other. So be prepared for equal amounts of gushing here
because I absolutely love these final two songs way too much that I almost
considered naming these 1A and 1B instead of 1 and 2. With that said, god damn would it have been
great for me to say a Billie Eilish song was my number one for a second year in
a row.
2. “Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish
I know she’s only been relevant for three years now, but
we’re already at the point where I think its safe to say that Billie Eilish is
simply too good for modern pop music. We
really don’t deserve her, yet here she is keep trying to find ways to push the
conventional envelope that is what we define as modern pop music. The fact that this even qualified as a hit song
at all just astonishes me. When was the
last time there’s been a rock opera style song with this much staying power? I mean let’s not kid ourselves, it mostly got
the points it got due to streaming, but people kept streaming it because it is
fucking fantastic.
And that album. Good
lord is it fucking phenomenal. Not a
single weak spot on that album for me.
Even “Therefore I Am” managed to grow on me because of how well it
worked in conjunction with the rest of the album.
I mean how much more praise can I bestow upon Billie Eilish
before it just becomes repetitive? Two
years ago I told y’all to invest in Billie Eilish and it is only fitting that
cryptocurrency took off this year. It’s
because you all invested in Billie Eilish and now you’re all loaded in
crypto. I’ll be taking my advice
payments in dogecoin thank you very much.
Look whose happier than ever now.
And if I think Billie Eilish is simply too good for modern
pop music, then Chris Stapleton absolutely towers over modern country music.
1. “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton
I’ll be honest and just come out and say that it took awhile
to figure out how to best approach describing how much I love this song to you
all. But here goes nothing.
The song itself is about starting anew and looking for new
horizons while being in perpetual motion.
My wife and I are going through a phase in our lives where we are trying
to start a family. This means some big
changes are going to be coming into our lives with us wondering how we are
going to be financially feasible and I’m about to have to make some big changes
in my life as well. My current career
path is going nowhere as I feel like I’m stuck where I’m at. My side gig here writing freelance has given
me a few interviews with some minor publications and one major that may
surprise you in Rolling Stone. Yep THE
Rolling Stone. None of these endeavors
have worked out for me, but admittedly, I’m not trying as hard as I possibly
could have to get a writing gig.
But when the day comes where my wife and I succeed at
starting our new adventure into parenthood, it will be one of the happiest days
of my life. I’ve been indecisive as to
what I’ve been wanting to do with my life career-wise, but if there is one
certainty that I know I wanted to be when I grew up, it was to be a
father. And that day may be coming
closer than I realized with each attempt and I’m ready to put an end to my
current life being solely about me and start over by making my life solely
about raising a child with my loving wife.
So if you guys thought I related hard with many songs on
this best list; those were all past memories or situations I’ve been in. This song is the one that relates to my life
right now in the present. I don’t know
where this journey into fatherhood will take me. It might be long and hard and it may even
take awhile before it truly begins, but with my loved ones by my side, I’ll get
to where I’m going. Whether it is
becoming a parent within a year or two; or finding a new path with my current
career or professional goals. I know
that I’m my wife’s lucky penny and she can be my four leaf clover. Starting over.
1. “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton
2. “Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish
3. “drivers license” – Olivia Rodrigo
4. “Telepatia” – Kali Uchis
5. “Thot Shit” – Megan Thee Stallion
6. “Good Days” – SZA
7. “Levitating” – Dua Lipa
8. “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
9. “Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
10. “34+35” – Ariana Grande (featuring Doja Cat & Megan
Thee Stallion)
11.”déjà vu” – Olivia Rodrigo
12. “Hell of a View” – Eric Church
13. “Need to Know” – Doja Cat
14. “good 4 u” – Olivia Rodrigo
15. “Todo De Ti” – Rauw Alejandro
16. “Laugh Now Cry Later” – Drake (featuring Lil Durk)
17. “Dakiti” – Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
18. “Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
19. “Wants and Needs” – Drake (featuring Lil Baby)
20. “Heartbreak Anniversary” – Giveon
21. “Willow” – Taylor Swift
22. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey
23. “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
24. “Streets” – Doja Cat
25. “Peaches” – Justin Bieber (featuring Daniel Caesar &
Giveon)
26. “Body” – Megan Thee Stallion
27. “Things a Man Oughta Know” – Lainey Wilson
28. “Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat (featuring SZA)
29. “Tombstone” – Rod Wave
30. “Positions” – Ariana Grande
31. “Rapstar” – Polo G
32. “What’s Next” – Drake
33. “My Ex’s Best Friend” – Machine Gun Kelly &
blackbear
34. “Every Chance I Get” – DJ Khaled (featuring Lil Baby
& Lil Durk)
35. “Up” – Cardi B
36. “Knife Talk” – Drake (featuring 21 Savage & Project
PAT)
37. “Beggin” – Maneskin
38. “Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris
39. “Therefore I Am” – Billie Eilish
40. “POV” – Ariana Grande
41. “Lemonade” – Internet Money & Gunna (featuring Don
Toliver & Nav)
42. “Leave Before You Love Me” – Marshmello (featuring Jonas
Brothers)
43. “Wockesha” – Moneybagg Yo
44. “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Lil Nas X
45. “Bang!” – AJR
46. “Stay” – The Kid LAROI (featuring Justin Bieber)
47. “Forever After All” – Luke Combs
48. “Calling My Phone” – Lil Tjay & 6LACK
49. “Yonaguni” – Bad Bunny
50. “Cry Baby” – Megan Thee Stallion (featuring DaBaby)
51. “Astronaut in the Ocean” – Masked Wolf
52. “Traitor” – Olivia Rodrigo
53. “Best Friend” – Saweetie (featuring Doja Cat)
54. “Leave the Door Open” – Silk Sonic
55. “Dynamite” – BTS
56. “Take My Breath” – The Weeknd
57. “Famous Friends” – Chris Young & Kane Brown
58. “What You Know Bout Love” – Pop Smoke
59. “Anyone” – Justin Bieber
60. “Essence” – Wizkid (featuring Justin Bieber & Tems)
61. “You Right” – Doja Cat & The Weeknd
62. “Beautiful Mistakes” – Maroon 5 (featuring Megan Thee
Stallion)
63. “Mood” – 24kgoldn (featuring iann dior)
64. “Late at Night” – Roddy Ricch
65. “Way 2 Sexy” – Drake (featuring Future & Young Thug)
66. “Butter” – BTS
67. “No More Parties” – Coi Leray (featuring Lil Durk)
68. “Throat Baby” – BRS Kash (featuring DaBaby & City
Girls)
69. “We’re Good” – Dua Lipa
70. “Back in Blood” – Pooh Shiesty (featuring Lil Durk)
71. “Go Crazy” – Chris Brown & Young Thug
72. “Single Saturday Night” – Cole Swindell
73. “Kings & Queens” – Ava Max
74. “Drinkin’ Beer.
Talkin’ God. Amen.” – Chase Rice
(featuring Florida Georgia Line)
75. “Bad Habits” – Ed Sheeran
76. “One Too Many” – Keith Urban & Pink
77. “What’s Your Country Song” – Thomas Rhett
78. “For the Night” – Pop Smoke (featuring Lil Baby &
DaBaby)
79. “The Good Ones” – Gabby Barrett
80. “Time Today” – Moneybagg Yo
81. “If I Didn’t Love You” – Jason Aldean & Carrie
Underwood
82. “Without You” – The Kid LAROI
83. “Holy” – Justin Bieber (featuring Chance the Rapper)
84. “On Me” – Lil Baby
85. “Heat Waves” – Glass Animals
86. “Whoopty” – CJ
87. “Better Together” – Luke Combs
88. “Beat Box” – SpotemGottem (featuring Pooh Shiesty or
DaBaby)
89. “Fancy Like” – Walker Hayes
90. “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett (featuring Charlie Puth)
91. “Good Time” – Niko Moon
92. “Track Star” – Mooski
93. “Put Your Records On” – Ritt Momney
94. “Arcade” – Duncan Laurence
95. “Lonely” – Justin Bieber & benny blanco
96. “Just The Way” – Parmalee & Blanco Brown
97. “You’re Mines Still” – Yung Bleu (featuring Drake)
98. “Glad You Exist” – Dan + Shay
99. “You Broke Me First” – Tate McRae
100. “Lil Bit” – Nelly & Florida Georgia Line
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Thank you all as always for reading. Movie lists are in the works now as I get caught up there so stay tuned for the worst list in about a month. Until next time, stay safe and take care!
