The Best Hit Songs of 2021 (1/4)

I just looked at my wrist, I got time today.

I’ll be honest; this is probably going to be the last hit songs list I ever make. Not that I’m going to stop talking about music entirely, but if 2021 has taught me anything, it’s that the definition of a “hit” song is too broad to really quantify in any one list. Because if you’re going to make a list of songs that were truly the biggest of the year, there are too many factors to consider that could risk neglecting one method of consuming music to benefit another. Sure, there are obvious hits that ruled the world regardless of circumstance like “good 4 u”, “Leave The Door Open”, carryovers from last year like “Blinding Lights”, but what about the buckets of viral hits we got this year? Shouldn’t we consider “Classic” by MKTO, “Space Song” by Beach House, “Freaks” by Surf Curse, and even “No Children” by The Mountain Goats as hits this year? They weren’t supported by an industry push, but they were still immensely popular. twenty one pilots and Imagine Dragons may not have had a big year on the Hot 100 (okay I wrote this before “Enemy” started blowing up but my point still stands), but they still had huge hits in the alternative scene, with or without radio. What about artists who are really popular on one platform like Apple Music or Youtube but don’t have enough traction everywhere else to make a charting impact? And it’d be so easy to just say, “Well the real popular songs are the ones that are streamed the most”, but that ignores the fact that a lot of people still listen to the radio, and playlist placement is absolutely a factor in how far a song could go on those platforms. Not to mention, 2021 has exposed how exploitable Billboard’s flawed formula could be, inflating the stats of certain songs to secure them a spot they naturally wouldn’t have earned. And instead of fixing their formula to be more balanced and combat those flaws, they just decide to start hiding their stats so that only industry insiders can know and use them as leverage against their artists.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m tired of trying to monitor what is a hit and what isn’t. As much as I love discussing popular music with like-minded people, I think I’ve just outgrown this desire to pinpoint what’s truly “popular”. Because you can’t actually do that without taking in too many factors to give a fully unbiased judgment. It’s not like I listen to popular music differently than the non-hits anyway. Nor should I. As such, I’m going to start grouping hit songs in with my usual best songs of the year, discontinuing the “best hit songs of the year” after this list. It’s not so much the end of an era as it is me moving on from this hellhole called “Billboard”.

Essentially this list consists of songs that were in some ways hits this year. Whether they’re hits by Billboard standards, hits by Rolling Stone standards (may it rest in peace), international hits, or hits that were big, but didn’t have the marketing push to be hits by Billboard standards. This is a long list because 2021 was an excellent year for music and that deserves to be reflected beyond the standard 100. I hope you take the time to read through these posts instead of just skimming through the picks.

Before you ask, no, I’m not making a worst list. I write about music as a hobby, and I have no real stakes in how many people actually read the stuff I write. Therefore, I have no use for a list that only exists to spread negativity and make reaching jokes about songs I will forget about within the next year. If you really want to know what a worst list from me would look like, I made a small thread cataloging the songs I didn’t like this year. Spoiler alert, the worst hit song of the year is “Fancy Like” by Walker Hayes. Predictable, but not wrong.

Astronaut In The Ocean by Masked Wolf

“Astronaut In The Ocean” is easily my favorite bad hit of the year. Personally, I don’t believe in liking songs “ironically”. It’s perfectly healthy to acknowledge that a song is deeply flawed and maybe even bad while still enjoying it, and that absolutely applies to “Astronaut In The Ocean” more than any other song this year. Its catchy hook made people fall into it pretty quickly, but the more you focus on what Masked Wolf is saying, the quicker the song falls apart. You get ridiculous lyrics like “I believe in G-O-D/Don’t believe in T-H-O-T” and “When these people talk too much, put that shit in slow motion”, yet Masked Wolf delivers it with such confidence and bravado even though it’s complete nonsense. I think it’s that unearned confidence that has made Tik Tok mocking this song so much fun throughout the year. A lot of pop music writers take pop music too seriously nowadays, so it’s nice to have a song we can all laugh at rather than turning it into miserable discourse.

Single Saturday Night by Cole Swindell

Not gonna lie, this being Cole Swindell’s biggest hit is kind of disappointing. Not that the song is bad or anything. He’s just done a lot better with songs like “Break Up In The End” and “You Should Be Here”, which are far better produced than the clunky, drum-heavy production on “Single Saturday Night”. But the song makes up for it in the lyrics, which actually takes a pretty cool twist on the usual bro-country hook-up jam. I really like the way the story develops from this late night out with the boys to finding a girl he genuinely falls in love with, leading to one last night as a single man before he gets married to the love of his life. You can tell HARDY helped write this one, cuz it harbors his strength as a storyteller with attention to detail. It’s not spectacular or anything, I actually wish it was a little better than what it is. But for what you usually expect out of this kind of song, it’s not bad at all!

If I Didn’t Love You by Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood

Not particularly thrilled to see Jason Aldean reach a new renaissance in his career after “Got What I Got” did way better than it should have. I feel like the guy is capable of writing really good songs, but apparently, everyone just wants him to make miserable clunkers for the rest of his career, so I’ve just given him bottom-of-the-barrel expectations from here on out. I guess that means I should be thankful that “If I Didn’t Love You” is a pretty good song, but it’s not really that different from what Aldean usually makes. If anything it’s just a repackaged “Don’t You Wanna Stay” replacing Kelly Clarkson with Carrie Underwood. Although to be fair, I do really like “Don’t You Wanna Stay”. Not to mention, the production here is much cleaner and more memorable than what Aldean is usually given. He and Carrie have fine chemistry too, even though Carrie easily outperforms him through the easy task of being talented. But you know what? I like how Aldean takes his usual loner persona but actually admits that getting over someone he truly loved isn’t easy. Because otherwise, he wouldn’t be stressing this hard over it. A moment of vulnerability that doesn’t feel antisocial or snippy.

Lil Bit by Nelly & Florida Georgia Line

You know, it just occurred to me that these first couple of songs can be considered controversial to include on a best list. They all happen to be country songs too. Although, you’d struggle to confidently call “Lil Bit” a country song. It’s a pretty blatant hip-hop song that happens to have a lot of banjos and also Florida Georgia Line on it. But does that have to be a bad thing? I feel like the default reaction to “trap country” is repulsion, but “Lil Bit” actually has kind of an outlaw stomp to it, especially with such an infectious hook. It balances the filthy bravado of Nelly’s brand of hip-hop while being just grounded enough in its Southern roots to convincingly pull off the image of a honky-tonk throwdown. It’s still a little cringy whenever the Florida Georgia Line guys try to act black, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get swept up in the chorus whenever it came on.

Need To Know by Doja Cat

I wasn’t a fan of Planet Her, but I’ll admit that I was wrong in thinking it was going to fade as soon as it was hyped. To be fair, I didn’t expect the album to spawn six hits at once. Only three were big enough to be considered hits beyond streaming, but honestly, I’d probably include all of them on here if I could. “Need To Know” is my least favorite of the singles, but it’s still a pretty damn good sex song where Doja seduces you against a spacey, spinning instrumental. One of my complaints about Planet Her is that it didn’t really feel as extraterrestrial as it could have been, and this song is the big exception. It’s almost mesmerizing to listen to, like an alien transmission or trying to navigate through zero gravity. What sells the song for me is the final verse of the song where Doja Cat gets really eccentric and aggressive about her advances. It’s jarring, but also kind of arousing? At the very least it wakes me up whenever I feel hypnotized by the song’s production.

Wellerman by Nathan Evans

I joked at the very beginning of the year that the song from the sea shanty Tik Tok was one of the best hit songs of the year. And then that actually happened. Although it was with the dance remix, which I’m not particularly fond of, so I didn’t think about actually including it on here. But then I thought, “fuck it”. Of course, “Wellerman” is a hit song. Both the remix and the original audio! It’s probably the most excited I’ve ever been about Tik Tok, which has given us so many mixed blessings throughout the year. But even among the tragically online discourse posts or the terrible songs it has popularized this year, I found this trend and this song so inspiring. It’s a brilliant use of the platform’s collaboration feature in turning a fun little ditty about going out to sea and gathering crops and using everyone’s creative input to flesh out the song in its purest and best form. It’s a catchy fucking song to boot.

Essence by WizKid ft. Tems

It was interesting for me to see Afrobeat and dancehall start to catch on in popularity this year. It had always been popular in the US thanks to Drake, but this is the first time I’ve seen the genre from its actual artists in Africa, in its native language, really make waves and fast. “Essence” isn’t quite my favorite of this rising trend, but it’s still a really solid, really catchy song with nice, wavy vibes and a sensual atmosphere. It’s as if you’re dancing along with a partner, both of your bodies synchronized with one another as you just take in the good vibes around you. I also just love hearing new sounds like this on the pop charts. It’s the kind of party song that doesn’t need to be flashy or theatrical to convince you to dance. All you need is the vibe and the sexual tension to sink into its atmosphere. The song got especially popular thanks to the Justin Bieber remix, but it’s significantly worse and I really wish Bieber would stop inserting himself into cultures where he doesn’t belong.

Chasing After You by Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris

Probably the most straightforward hit of the year. Ryan Hurd hasn’t had much luck scoring a hit on his own, so collaborating with his wife Maren Morris is practically a cheat code. But I do really like their chemistry here! They play off each other well and their shared affection for each other is delivered wonderfully behind the dreamy production and triumphant drums. It’s as if you’re watching the relationship bloom before your very eyes. Not really my favorite thing Maren Morris has ever done, but it’s such a uniformly good song I’d find it really hard to find any gripes with it. It’s just really good!

Waves by Luke Bryan

I gave Luke Bryan some props last year for making a pretty good album despite the singles being mostly kinda bad. But that just meant whatever was released this year was bound to be better. And yeah, as expected, both hits he had this year are really good! “Waves” is the kind of summer single I prefer from Luke Bryan over “One Margarita”. The production especially is a huge step-up from what he usually gets. The guitars are layered very nicely with each other, and though the drums and cymbals are (once again) a little loud in the mix, the groove isn’t too distracting, nor does it drown out the rest of the production. It really sells the nostalgic romance of this summer fling. The guitar solo and Luke Bryan’s performance especially make this song feel massive and exciting. By the end, it really feels like this relationship is the greatest thing to ever happen to the two of them, and I’m a huge sucker for this kind of massive romantic declaration. I bet this makes for a great closing song at a concert!

2055 by Sleepy Hallow

I feel like this should have been bigger than what Billboard reported. Granted, most of its traction came from streaming with little to no radio, so I can’t be too surprised, but that brings up another question of how many hits we’ve really had this year that just happened to only get it through one platform. We certainly have a lot of purely radio hits on the year-end, but some songs that went viral thanks to Tik Tok never got the same runs. That’s a shame because songs like “2055” give a unique take on pop music that I wish got more attention beyond the Tik Tok crowd. “2055” is so vibe-centric that I’m willing to call it ambient on most days. A casual guitar beat with ghostly backing vocals and a smoked-out performance from Sleepy Hallow where he wallows in misery as the drugs take him to another planet. It’s the kind of song I can hear on a long, tired night drive where your brain is checked out (drug-related or not) and all you can see is the bursts of light in a sea of darkness. It’s a beautiful image. I like hearing songs like this get more popular. There’s an untapped market in pop and rap music that’s borderline ambient. See also another viral hit from this year, Tampa by Cico P.

Girls Want Girls by Drake ft. Lil Baby

It’s too easy to be offended by this song. Not that I’d blame anyone who is. Hip-hop has a problem with not just homophobia, but fetishizing queer women and viewing them as extra bragging rights if they manage to sleep with them. That said, I can’t really take offense to “Girls Want Girls” because the approach it takes is kind of silly. You don’t need me to tell you why “You say you a lesbian/girl, me too” is an absurd line coming from an aggressively straight cis-gendered rapper like Drake. Dig deeper into the lyrics though, and you find that the girl he’s pursuing seems to mostly have trust issues stemming from guys who treated her wrong in the past. Really the only reason she’s even considering getting with Drake is that he actually listens to her, not realizing that he’s playing her just as much as the guys who broke her heart. Drake probably means that wanting “girls” is more about wanting vulnerability and understanding in their partners rather than explicitly being queer. It doesn’t help that Drake is still fetishizing a queer woman and trying to sleep with her, but I’d rather have that shred of sympathy than something that just treats queer women as a sex minigame. Lil Baby saves the song anyway. I just love his frantic attempts to get this girl and her partner to start a threesome with him, to the point where it sounds like he’s begging by the end of his verse. It’s pathetic in an endearing way.

Whoopty by CJ

This song is kind of embarrassing in retrospect. It really only blew up because the industry figured out how to make drill marketable so they grabbed a nobody and gave him a sample so obvious that it’s already been used before, and it gave him a free hit. Since then, CJ has proven to be kind of a fake and called out by actual drill artists in the scene, cementing himself as a one-hit-wonder for the rest of his career. Part of me wondered if I should even include this on here given how I’ve mostly forgotten it, but tragically, the song still kind of slaps. That sample really is cheating, because it works so well with the gliding drill beat and CJ found the right chorus to be catchy and quotable enough to stick in my mind even now. Dislike the song all you want, you can’t deny that he is, in fact, addicted to blue cheese.

Late At Night by Roddy Ricch

I wish this wasn’t the lead single off of LIVE LIFE FAST. Not that it’s bad, of course. It’s actually pretty great! But it doesn’t have the same magic that a song like “High Fashion” does. The production isn’t as lush, the hook isn’t as immediate or catchy, for the most part, it’s Roddy Ricch coasting on a decent nighttime beat and setting the mood for a sexy R&B jam. It still works really well! Put this song on when it’s actually late at night or during a makeout session, it really nails the vibe and you can get lost in it really easily! I guess I’m just waiting for Roddy Ricch to really live up to “The Box” in terms of versatility. We know Roddy Ricch can make this kind of song, which I guess is why it feels disappointing to people who were expecting more. But you know what? The more time I spend with “Late At Night”, the more I appreciate it. I’m sure it won’t be the best song on LIVE LIFE FAST, but that just means the best is yet to come.

What You Know Bout Love by Pop Smoke

It took a while for me to fully turn around on this song, but I think I got there! Not that I ever disliked it, really. It just felt a bit jarring at the time to hear Pop Smoke pivot to such a different, more accessible direction than the drill sound he popularized. Then again, he reportedly wanted to go in this direction while he was alive, and this does sound like one of the more complete songs on the album. And the more I let this song sit with me, the more I really fell in love with the production, which is airy and beautiful in a way that feels like a shooting star in the night sky. I’m not as wild about Pop Smoke’s verses, but I do really love the melody on the chorus and the way Pop’s deep voice lures you into spending a romantic night with him in the bedroom. It’s nice.

You Right by Doja Cat ft. The Weeknd

One of the more amusing things to watch unfold is seeing Doja’s team push “You Right” as the next big single after “Kiss Me More”, only for four other songs to become bigger hits instead. Bigger hits on streaming at least. With the way Billboard’s formula works, “You Right” always stayed ahead of them thanks to heavy radio support. In a way it’s kind of been overshadowed by the petty cheekiness of “Ain’t Shit”, the goofy bounce of “Get Into It (Yuh)” and the catchy dancehall of “Woman”. Meanwhile, “Need To Know” was the clear fan favorite, surpassing it in streams and even on the Hot 100. That said, I still like “You Right” a lot. It’s got a catchy hook, a decent beat, and The Weeknd puts his all into his verse. I think he and Doja have potential in their chemistry, but I’m not sure it’s all the way there yet. It’s getting there though!

Way 2 Sexy by Drake ft. Future & Young Thug

I wish Drake took the piss out of himself more often. He’s a goofier rapper than I think a lot of people realize. He is a former actor after all. He’s really good at leaning into the memes and being genuinely charming when he’s allowed to be cheekier. It’s just more relatable and fun when the self-proclaimed greatest rapper of all time also happens to be kind of a dork. That’s why I’m so drawn to “Way 2 Sexy”. It’s stupid and fun in a way that you can’t bring yourself to get mad at it. The video is certainly memorable and stupid in an endearing way. But I like how all three performers have their own dumb moments of playing up their playboy status while still reminding you that yes, people do constantly pursue them for sex. Maybe I’m just amused by Future claiming he’s “too sexy” for the trap or that apparently my girl isn’t even good enough for him to steal. I think it’s okay to lighten up for this one.

For The Night by Pop Smoke ft. Lil Baby & Dababy

“For The Night” has kinda shrunk on me since last year, but that’s less because the song got worse and more because I don’t know if it was built to last as long as it did. It’s a solid summer jam and good driving song, but it’s also kind of cobbled together and neither verse is Lil Baby or Dababy’s best. But maybe that’s also because the song just wasn’t much of a factor in my year. I have other songs on this list I associate more with the previous year, but I still wanted to include them as a way to just look back at them and see how my opinion’s changed since then. “For The Night” is still a great song, just far from a top favorite from either year.

Yonaguni by Bad Bunny

It’s good to remember that Billboard’s year-end Hot 100s are not always reflective of what was popular in music that year. If it was, Bad Bunny would have had way more songs from YHLQMDLG end up as hits last year. In all fairness though, radio finally figured out how to promote Spanish-only songs to radio without giving it a shitty English remix this year. I don’t think “Yonaguni” is quite as good as the best songs on YHLQMDLG or EL ULTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO, but it’s still a pretty great song that drives its melancholic angst through a dreamy instrumental. The lyrics to this one are also GREAT. It really drives home how pathetic and desperate Bad Bunny is to try and get back with his ex, but also pulls back enough of the curtain to show you how shallow their relationship has always been. He thinks he can win her back by promising her luxury and complimenting her body (“Shawty tiene un culo bien grande” lyric of the year), but by the outro when he sings in Japanese, he realizes nobody’s listening, and really all he misses is the companionship. This music video is GREAT by the way! Really funny and charming, especially with animé Bad Bunny walking through cherry blossoms at the very end.

Wasted On You by Morgan Wallen

I don’t blame anyone for being distant or outright hostile towards Morgan Wallen after that bender incident. I find it hard to forgive him even now. But I also feel like discussion of 2021 music wouldn’t be complete without him, and I’d be lying if I said some of his songs didn’t take up a good chunk of my year. “Wasted On You” isn’t one of those, really. The trap hi-hats are kind of clunky against the more organic production, and it feels weird listening to a drunken rant against an ex since Morgan Wallen has (supposedly) gone sober. That said, I think the bitterness of the guitar tones and Morgan Wallen’s venomous delivery makes even the trap hi-hats work. It’s the kind of song you wallow in when you’re completely miserable. No rational thought, no remorse, just nothing but seething hurt and anger that could only be brought out by drinking your sorrows away. It’s not a very comfortable song, but it’s that raw honesty that drew people to Morgan Wallen in the first place. And over time I’ve come to at least appreciate how well Morgan was able to channel that spiraling depression.

A-O-K by Tai Verdes

This song gets too much shit, and it frankly doesn’t deserve it. Admittedly, I was right alongside the backlash. I didn’t like how it sounded and I felt like it was just cheery enough to annoy me on a really bad day. Ironically though, it was seeing other people dislike this song for other reasons that made me soften on it. Opinions are opinions, but people seem mad at this idea that this song wants to pretend everything is okay when it supposedly isn’t. Something similar I saw with some more cynical takes about “Sunday Best” last year. Not that there isn’t something to be said about ignoring your problems and prioritizing “feeling good” above all else, but it made me realize how flimsy that argument really is. So what if people want to live happily regardless of the issues at hand? It’s not like they’re denying that these problems exist. Wanting to experience happiness in a cruel world is actually very normal, but I’ve seen too many people treat it like this moral betrayal. Not gonna lie, I saw a bit of this with “Sunday Best” too, even if I still have a lot of reservations about that song. “A-O-K” meanwhile, won me over with its carefree guitar and anthemic hook. I had an emotionally rough weekend one day and I let myself put this song on just to lift my spirits. I dunno what to tell you. It worked.

Body by Tion Wayne x Russ Millions ft. Arrdee, 3x3E1, ZT, Bugzy Malone, Fivio Foreign, Darkoo & Bunni

Taking a little peek at the UK charts, one of the biggest events in music over there was the breakthrough of a massive drill posse cut led by Tion Wayne and Russ Millions, managing to peak at #1 on the Official Charts (the UK Hot 100). Which is kind of crazy to think about. Posse cuts don’t usually have that kind of longevity, but this one really stuck with the English public. No surprise why either. It slaps. A catchy, memorable, and very quotable hook combined with a great drill beat and knockout verses from all eight(!) artists. It feels less like a song and more like a collaborative freestyle, where everyone comes in and brings their own fire to the table as the hook interludes every verse with those same memorable lines again and again. I will NEVER get tired of “English-English girl named Fiona!”. It’s a ton of fun, and for a song with eight people on it, it doesn’t feel crowded or bloated in the slightest! This is only a few seconds shorter than “Bad And Boujee” by Migos & Lil Uzi Vert for reference, and that song didn’t even use all of the Migos!

Back In Blood by Pooh Shiesty ft. Lil Durk

Pooh Shiesty doesn’t impress me much as a rapper, but I find it hard to turn away from “Back In Blood”. There’s something so magnetizing about the way that piano melody slithers across the trap percussion, complete with a sparkling guitar every other bar. Despite my lukewarm feelings on Pooh Shiesty, I still find myself amused by his adlibs that are just lazy enough to be easy to imitate, but still endearing enough that it stands out from the crowd. I do generally prefer Lil Durk’s verse though, who emits a more prominent menace that I feel the song was really missing. Maybe if Pooh had a bit more snarl to his voice I’d be more over the moon with it. For what it is though, it’s grown on me a lot! The video is the best avenue for listening to it because it contains the crowd chanting the best line in the song, “POOH SHIESTY THAT’S MY DAWG, BUT YOU KNOW I’M REALLY SHIESTY!”.

Famous Friends by Chris Young & Kane Brown

If I had a nickel for every mainstream country star I’ve previously liked that got their first year-end hit in 2021 with a song that’s arguably among the weaker half of their discography, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. Though in this instance, I’m not all that surprised this one caught on. It’s a cute little concept where Chris Young and Kane Brown brag about the people they know, but instead of being big-name celebrities, they’re just everyday people who are only known in the small town they reside in. Considering I myself have moved into a really small town, I’ve actually gotten to experience small-town life to the point of everyone knowing everyone, and it’s made me appreciate this song more! The production is a bit generic, but I’d be lying if I said that hook didn’t get stuck in my head every once in a while. Chris Young has done better and I wish I made room on this list for “One Mississippi”, but I’m still glad this was a big hit!

WITHOUT YOU by The Kid LAROI

If you’ve followed me over the past year, you’ll know I’ve already reviewed this song on this very blog. If you want the TL;DR, this song ended up making me reflect on the way I used to project my own experiences and insecurities into songs that maybe didn’t deserve it. I can’t blame anyone for feeling this song is whiny, immature, pathetic, and just straight awful to listen to, but to me, that’s the whole appeal. It’s a raw form of teenage angst that plays up this breakup as such a painful memory that all of The Kid LAROI’s worst impulses take him over while still admitting that he still craves that intimacy. I can’t expect 17-year old kids to be mature about their broken relationships, because they need to get through that pain before they can really understand what it all meant. So for that, I’m willing to cut The Kid LAROI some slack, especially when the hook is as strong as it is.

Glad You Exist by Dan + Shay

Once again we have reached the familiar territory known as “Al Is Nicer To Cheery Cheesy Love Songs Than Everyone Else”. Though I still don’t really get why people are so averse to “Glad You Exist” specifically. If you just don’t like Dan + Shay’s very squeaky clean image in general, that’s understandable. But I’ve seen people really turned off by the sentiment of being glad someone exists. I don’t get why? Maybe it’s not the most romantic thing to tell someone, but it’s still nice to hear someone acknowledge that their lives are better with you here. If you read that sentiment as sarcastic, well it’s a cynical interpretation for one, but also that’s clearly not what the song is about. It’s an appreciation that their partners are here for them and will stick with them until the end of time. Regardless of bad things happening between them, they always figure it out. I’m sorry, I find that kind of beautiful! It’s the comforting relationship that doesn’t shy away from how hard things get but still finds comfort in merely being in each other’s presence. Plus, I really like the blocky percussion and campfire guitar strumming! It’s nice and pretty and sweet! Happy things can be good sometimes.

Hurricane by Kanye West ft. The Weeknd & Lil Baby

Part of me wanted to put “Moon” on this list instead, but that really a hit, it just happened to be the most popular deepcut of the album. That’s not to say “Hurricane” is bad though, not at all! Though it does harbor one of my gripes with DONDA that’s also present in “Moon”; it feels like Kanye is a secondary player in his own song. The focus is all on The Weeknd, who yes, sounds great against the gospel choir and spiritual organ, but he’s in so much of the song he might as well take the lead credit. I still do like the verses from both Lil Baby and Kanye West though. The latter in particular delves into Kanye’s insecurities in his post-divorce life, realizing that he can’t go back to the celebrity hookup lifestyle after being in a domestic relationship for so long. If nothing else, Kanye is more focused than he has been the past few years, and even if “Hurricane” is far from his best song, it’s one that at least shows that he’s finding his footing as an artist again.

Wants And Needs by Drake

The Scary Hours 2 cycle was probably the first time I was genuinely excited for new Drake music. Maybe I was just buttered up by “Laugh Now, Cry Later”, but all three songs on this EP were genuinely really good! “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” ended up being the dark horse of the three, but I still like that one a lot, especially Rick Ross’ verse! “Wants And Needs” arguably became the big hit, even though it never hit #1. The menace and power that oozes from both of their verses are super impressive. For as often as Drake is considered a corny guy, he really brings his A-game as a rapper with quick, punchy flows and really villainous bars where he flexes his pettiness because he knows he can get away with it. Lil Baby especially destroys his verse with that same relentless bravado but with even better flows and bars that prove exactly why he’s become the biggest rapper of the 2020s so far. “Yes Indeed” is such a relic of the past that it’s a miracle that this duo only got better with time.

Country Again by Thomas Rhett

I considered putting the actual Thomas Rhett song that made the year-end, “What’s Your Country Song” on the list, but I ultimately decided against it. While it has a really strong hook and I like the way Rhett and his writers strung together all those song references as a way to connect to the theme of how music shapes you growing up, I wish the sound was a little less generic and clearly pandering to the radio. I much prefer the side of Country Again Side A that’s deeply rooted in neotraditional sounds and feels more personal to Thomas Rhett’s story. This song is actually pretty heartwarming to hear from him. Rhett has always tip-toed the line between wanting to be a country star or a pop star, but the pandemic causing him to revisit his childhood home has made him relive some of those downhome memories and remind him why he aligns himself with country music to begin with. I also respect that he doesn’t disparage or disown the flashier city life in California in the process. It keeps the song from coming off as elitist “changed man” pandering and acknowledges that both ways of living (and through subtext, the music) both have a special place in his heart. Almost makes me forgive the horrendous attempt of a Tik Tok hit he released after the album didn’t do very well. Almost.

Anyone by Justin Bieber

I still have a lot of reservations about Justin Bieber being able to shrug off the failure of Changes without consequence thanks to industry favoritism. Especially now that the Grammys are suspiciously huge fans of Justice (to the point where they even justify Bieber’s complaints last year and put “Peaches” in the R&B category), but I’m also willing to let it slide if the music is good. Distressingly, outside of “Holy”, Bieber has actually been in my rotation multiple times this year. Maybe that’s because Jon Bellion is doing the most to give Bieber great hooks and sticky melodies, but I can’t fully count out Bieber as a performer. There’s an honesty to songs like “Anyone” that’s really endearing and allows Bieber to be vulnerable without being pitiful. The hook is really strong, the production has a really nice swell, and the entire song is worth it for the crescendo to the final hook. It’s huge, triumphant, and honestly one of the few times Bieber’s moments of “salvation” works beyond its religious themeing.

Time Today by Moneybagg Yo

I’ve been quietly rooting for Moneybagg Yo ever since he first started getting popular in early 2020. I never really sought him out, but something about his deep voice and slightly goofy attitude always made me like him. That said, I wasn’t much of a fan of his big hit last year, “Said Sum”. The chorus is pretty funny, but the song itself is admittedly dull. “Time Today” is much better in that regard. Its chorus is funny and memorable, I like the eery swiveling beat, and Moneybagg Yo’s bars have a great mix of lighthearted fun and punchy threats that make this song easy to go back to. That little flow he does when he goes off about the people he doesn’t like is kind of adorable! I think I’m just too charmed by Moneybagg Yo as a rapper to care that lyrics-wise, the song is kind of generic. He reminds me of the best parts of Dababy, but still willing to take himself seriously as a gangster. And for transparency’s sake, I have no beef with “Wockesha”. It’s a fine song, just not one that I consider a favorite. Check out “Free Promo”, “Bipolar Virgo” and “One Of Them Nights” instead. Those songs are great!

Outside (Better Days) by MO3 [or Blueface] & OG Bobby Billions

CW: Discussion of death and gang violence

This wasn’t a big hit on the Billboard charts, but I still felt compelled to include it because the song ruled Youtube the whole year. Really, the only reason it didn’t get far on Billboard is because streams from free platforms such as Youtube don’t count as much as stuff that’s behind a subscription. But fuck Billboard. I think it’s valid to consider a song like “Outside (Better Days)” a hit! It’s a bittersweet song to blow up though. One of the artists associated with this song, MO3, was murdered late last year. His death caused his discography, especially this song, to pick up traction. I hate when this shit happens. Great artists like MO3 and King Von deserve to experience their success while they’re still alive. It’s sad that our economic system repeatedly fails to protect black men in poverty who have endless creative potential. They should be allowed to thrive in their art without risking their lives every single day. This song especially drives this point home, with lyrics about praying for better days when he and his family don’t have to fear for their lives every time they so much as step outside. It’s a song about survival, trying to make it in the streets, and thanking God for every day they’re still alive. It’s a song good enough that even a rapper like Blueface isn’t afraid to be real and brutal about it. But it shouldn’t be like this. They shouldn’t have to fear going outside every day. At least they can cherish the days they can breathe a little easier. May MO3 rest in peace.

Better Together by Luke Combs

I feel kind of bad for “Better Together”. It was destined to be a hit since release, but a lot of that was because it was seen as Luke Combs’ wedding song. The sweet, romantic slow dance staple to cement him and his then-fiancé as an unbreakable couple. And then “Forever After All” happened and overshadowed this song completely. But I still really like “Better Together” as a beautiful romantic ballad. Luke Combs has a very intense voice, but he still has the control to make a subtle, quiet song like this work. The melody is beautiful, the piano is nice, there’s little to complain about. Even if the lyrics fall into list-territory, they’re still specific and detailed enough to paint a more detailed picture of Luke and his fiancé’s childhoods. I’ve always loved that about Luke Combs. He plays with clichés, but he has the unique pen to make his music stand out in the sea of stock country artists in rotation. It’s a great song.

Peaches by Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon

This is such a great summer song that I’d almost call it too easy. Not even Bieber trying to act slick and cool by bragging about getting high and having sex can ruin what a GREAT vibe this has. The lush synths, the relaxed groove, the infectious melody on the chorus, and of course Daniel Caesar and Giveon absolutely nailing this kind of slick R&B sex jam. Bieber doesn’t quite get there, but I think once you’ve heard him adlib on the chorus enough times, you get sucked into the vibe anyway. It’s great, but I wouldn’t quite call it a summer classic. I think a better lead performer to sell that hook a lot better would have landed this among the best songs of the year, hit or otherwise. Get Swae Lee or Anderson .Paak on the chorus, this song would be a summer staple. But I’m also not going to disparage what is so obviously a great song for only being “great”.

DÁKITI by Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez

“DÁKITI” isn’t one of my favorite songs on EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO. In fact, it took a while for it to fully grow on me. It’s such a dark, imposing song about a hookup that feels less sexy, and more threatening and foreboding. But it’s a sound that still really draws me in. Like, it has the allure of a night in the club, but the dark imposing bass is still eerie enough to give you the impression that something’s off. Not like you’re in any danger, but that this hookup you’re going through so soon after a breakup might not be such a good idea. Bad Bunny’s drunken flow certainly doesn’t help, but he and Jhay Cortez still have the flirty charm to convince you maybe it isn’t such a bad idea. In a way, I think that uncertain vibe is what makes this song hit so hard in its best moments. I imagine that bass drop does WONDERS when you’re actually at the club or at a party where everyone’s wasted and stuck in the vibe. I think the outro clenches this song for me though. It’s gorgeous in the same way the song’s vibe is unsettling. A strange approach to a club song, but an effective one.

What’s Next by Drake

This will likely wound up as the most forgotten hit Drake’s had this year, but in all fairness, “What’s Next” is meant to be transitional. He spends the song bragging about how great his life has been in between Scorpion and Certified Lover Boy, and he’s not worried about getting back to work right away. He’s just gonna see what happens next. Honestly, the less Drake tries, the more I actually find him endearing on this song. The flows are really fun, Drake sounds like he’s enjoying himself, and though the beat isn’t all that good, Drake makes the most of it by making one of his more quotable bangers to date. If nothing else, that chorus where he lists through all the things he’s been doing in an annoyed tone is one of my favorite moments of the year. The way Drake angrily tells the listener, “On Valentines Day, I had sex. Okay!?” always makes me smile.

Knife Talk by Drake ft. 21 Savage & Project Pat

Of course, whatever was coming next wasn’t that far into the future. And to my surprise, Certified Lover Boy managed to score a deepcut hit with no radio support and solely fan demand. Which is always nice to see. I’ve grown kind of sick of the whole “organic hit” conversation that’s plagued music chart discussion these past couple of years, but I’m always the kind of person to root for the underdog over the “obvious” hits. I’m very happy it happened with “Knife Talk” too because it’s one of the best songs on Certified Lover Boy. It’s pretty obviously a scrapped song from Savage Mode II repurposed for this album, but I also consider Savage Mode II to be one of the best trap albums of the past few years, so this is obviously a good thing! Metro once again nails the atmosphere chilling pianos and trap skitters to give off that sense of looming eerieness, with 21 Savage practically stealing the show with his killer murmur. Drake still holds up really well on this song though! He and 21 Savage have always worked great together, especially since Drake balances 21’s menace with a less intimidating, but still imposing charisma. Also really love the opening sample of Project Pat setting the mood of the song early. It’s a nice bridge between the gang raps of the past and the gang raps of today.

Botella Tras Botella by Gera MX & Christian Nodal

With the rise of reggaeton and Latin American hits crossing over to the US, I wondered when we’d start getting hits from my birth country, Mexico. But I figured it would never happen. Pop music over there is very niche to Mexico’s culture, centering around ranchero and mariachi sounds that would sound weird next to the pop and trap here in the states. Turns out the way to amend that was by making a sort of Spanish version of country music, categorized as Regional Mexican. We’re only now starting to see the fruits of this genre in the states thanks to “Esta Dañada” and “Jugaste y Sufri”, both songs I expect will probably become hits in the new year. “Botella Tras Botella” was the first sign of this sound catching on, and it is GREAT. There’s a soul to Mexican music that you can’t really capture anywhere else, and it sounds so good behind these gentle acoustic chords. Even better when Gera MX and Christian Nodal harmonize on the hook. I love how this song holds back a little and lets the music simply breathe. It’s still a breakup song about drinking your sadness away (I wasn’t kidding when I said this was a country song), but there’s a romantic edge to this song that makes it comforting in a way. By the end of the song, Gera MX makes an earnest call to the listener to not let go of the person they have now, lest the happiness they share suddenly disappear before they know it. Really happy to see these kinds of songs get big in the US. Excited to see where this genre goes from here!

EVERY CHANCE I GET by DJ Khaled ft. Lil Baby & Lil Durk

I’ve developed little to no respect for DJ Khaled ever since that rant against Tyler The Creator for beating him on the Billboard 200 two years ago. A pitiful display of insecurity that exposes how phony the DJ Khaled character is. Once you realize the guy is nothing more than a calculated money laundering scheme, the harder it is to root for someone who so clearly relies on the names and skills of other artists to build himself some fake idea of legacy. But it’s also because he relies on his connections that he ends up sticking around. You can’t go wrong with a straightforward banger from Lil Baby and Lil Durk. They are a fantastic duo, and they knew so when they made their collab mixtape Voice of the Heroes not long after this. Although that was more introspective and political in its content. “EVERY CHANCE I GET” is a banger with an awesome beat from Tay Keith where Baby and Durk were free to spit fire verses. That’s all this song really needs, and it does it really well! All the credit in the world to Lil Baby, Lil Durk, and Tay Keith! No credit to DJ Khaled though. Still a hack.

Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran

It’s really easy to be cynical of Ed Sheeran as a pop star. The industry loves him, people in all countries love him (especially his own), and yet he’s the most boring and basic pop star we’ve had in the past decade. It feels like he stumbled onto pop stardom by accident. But I think the cold hard truth is that he really is that talented of an artist, regardless of whether or not he plays into industry tricks. And yeah, “Bad Habits” is clearly built to be the big pop single for Ed Sheeran’s new album. Especially with the high-budget, choreograph-heavy, visual effects nightmare of a music video. Still, I think the song deserves way more credit than what it’s getting. It’s not like this kind of dark pop song is outside of Sheeran’s wheelhouse. Substance abuse has always been a common theme in his darkest music, and though this one takes a mostly surface-level approach, there’s still an unsettling atmosphere to the thrumming bass and vibrant synths to paint the scene of a flashing club where every moment feels like a snapshot leading to the next. The chorus has a great progression as it bounces from one habit to another, giving you the euphoric feeling of dancing at the club, but still lurking with an eerie warning that the longer things go on, the worse it gets. I do wish this song went a little deeper down its darker themes instead of just appealing to the radio, but for what we got, I still love this song.

Beggin’ by Maneskin

It took a while for me to form an opinion on “Beggin’”. When the song first started blowing up, I wasn’t really sure if I was into this band’s extreme indulgence in nostalgia or if they were too try-hard to pull it off. I tweeted all the way back in July to come back later when I finally formed an opinion, and it took three months for me to pick a side. Evidently, I decided that yeah, this is good! Great even! I do wish the production had a bit more meat to it. It’s a bit lightweight in its groove and could have afforded to lean harder into the punk rock sound. But that groove is also insanely good, with a catchy chorus that gets in your head and never leaves. I understand if Maneskin’s lead singer is a breaking point for most people. He toes the line between obnoxious and feral enough that if the core melodies weren’t so good, this song would be insufferable. But honestly, I really like that feral energy he has! It really amps up the desperation of this song’s aggressive horniness. It’s pathetic but in an endearing and sexy way. This band is VERY kinky, so this expression of sexuality is right in their wheelhouse. Ultimately, I think this song is just fun! Certainly one of the more interesting hits we’ve had in recent memory. The world is better for it!

Best Friend by Saweetie ft. Doja Cat

In my journey to fully accept Doja Cat this year, “Best Friend” was probably the first step in convincing me she really was that good. I still wish more of her songs were able to live up to that potential, but this was exactly the wheelhouse I wanted to see her in more often. Playing up her goofy side while still having the confidence and unique personality to sell the song beyond the memeable moments. Not to take this away from Saweetie either. She plays wonderfully as the more slick and sexy side of this duo and her lyrics are just as memorable. I can’t stress enough what a great pair these two are. They’re fun, likable, but they still have the swagger to proclaim themselves as the coolest bitches on the block. “Hol’ up! *honk honk* Is that my bestie in a Tesse?!” is one of my favorite two seconds in pop music of the year.

Still Trappin’ by Lil Durk ft. King Von

CW: Discussion of death and gang violence

King Von made one of my favorite albums of last year with unfortunately final album released when he was alive, Welcome To O’Block. He really did have a ton of potential to be among the heavy hitters of trap, especially seeing how close he was with now superstar Lil Durk. The two work great off each other too! I’m always a sucker for sinister piano beats like this one. It’s got that great mix of catchy, yet unsettling that the best trap bangers are always best at. Lil Durk’s gang posturing is so natural to him that it’s practically expected that he’d knock this sort of threatening bravado out of the park. But honestly, King Von is the true highlight of the song (aside from that insanely catchy hook). I like how Lil Durk is colder and more menacing, but King Von has the intensity and slimy flow to make his threats more immediate. We lost a real talent in King Von, and I can’t imagine how it feels for Lil Durk to lose one of his closest friends. May he rest in peace.

Butter by BTS

I found myself coming back to “Butter” a lot over the summer. But there was plenty of reasons for me to be cooler on this song. As a (formerly) avid-chart watcher, watching this song stay at #1 over a flawed formula every week was exhausting and made the hobby less fun as a result. I’ve had friends directly affected by BTS’ passionate fanbase that in itself frustrated me to watch unfold. This song provoked arguments with my friends over Billboard’s formula or whether or not it’s worth caring about the charts at all. But my opinion of the song never got worse. Hell, it only cooled a little bit once I took time away from it. The reason why is deceptively simple: It’s just a fun song. There’s no buts, no asterisk, no stipulations. I just really enjoy this song. I like that feeling. I like being able to simply fall for the song’s catchy groove and fun performance. I like being able to find specific moments within the song memorable and always play them up whenever I come back to it. It just evokes happiness in me, and that’s the purest a pop song could be. It’s funny that this of all songs would evoke this feeling, especially when it’s so prone to discourse and resentment for semi-unrelated reasons. But this ended up being on rotation for a long time this year. I don’t even know if I’ll come back to it that much in the future. It was fun having it though!

STAY by The Kid LAROI ft. Justin Bieber

When I talked about “WITHOUT YOU” earlier in the year, I brought up that it’s a song that on all fronts I should probably hate, but still found something special within it by moving past my reservations about toxic music. I encountered something similar with “STAY”, which I should’ve had a similar reaction to. I mean, come on. The industry is trying to push The Kid LAROI so hard that they pulled out a Justin Bieber feature for him for an album that he’s rereleased a total of four times in less than a year. That should annoy me so much, but through some miracle, the song turned out to be GREAT. It’s very easy to pinpoint why too. Incredibly catchy chorus, great fast-paced groove, The Kid LAROI, and Justin Bieber being able to sell the desperation and yearning for an ex they miss so dearly, and though neither artist can hit that high note, the song is so tightly written that not a single second of this song is wasted. What puts “STAY” over the edge for me is the explosive final chorus, where for a moment the instrumentation only comes in bursts. Like fireworks in the night sky slowly trickling back into the atmosphere. It builds up to that final catharsis so perfectly that I was kind of floored the first time I heard it. What an ending!

Tyler Herro by Jack Harlow

It took me a while before I could fully warm up to Jack Harlow. I like “WHAT’S POPPIN”, but I always felt a little distant from it, remix or not. I guess I just wasn’t sure if I could trust Jack Harlow to be anything other than another white guy trying to act black for cool points. Since then I’ve cooled on him a lot, and “Tyler Herro” was the first step in changing that. What I’ve come to respect out of Jack Harlow is that while he brags about himself, he never seems to overstep or prove himself to be more than he is. He really is just that cool and laid-back, which makes the casual dunks on “Tyler Herro” so charming and fun to groove along to! The beat was immediately what captivated me about this song. The flute melody and the dusty beat behind it remind me a weird amount of Runescape, namely in its medievalesque sense of adventure. It gives Jack Harlow the space to just brag about how cool he is, and his slick voice and flow convince me that yeah, he really is that cool! Plus, a lot of that dorky charm I liked on “WHAT’S POPPIN’” carries over. It’s humble without losing sight of its confidence.

Part 2 (Tomorrow!)

Part 3 (Friday!)

Part 4 (Saturday!)