By: James Southworth
I said last year that I felt that 2016 was a pretty bad year for music for the pop charts in comparison to 2015. This year, I honestly wish we had the stuff in 2016 back, because 2017 has only been worse. This year introduced a great increase in trap music dominating the pop charts, along with Soundcloud "rappers" hitting the scene. So many hit songs this year were boring, repetitive garbage. Many hit songs have made my worst songs of the year just because of how bad they are. However, there were still 10 songs I could find that stood above all the other awful stuff of this year- and they stood high. So, here are my top hit songs for this year!
10. "What About Us"- P!nk
I have actually gotten interested in quite a bit of P!nk's backing discography. You can tell from listening to her that she has a bit of a rock edge that she expresses, and even has quite a few songs with some real rock-like punch to them. Still, when she leans more heavily on the pop side, such as with this song, it's not a bad thing at all. On this track in particular, her voice really shines behind that wonderful sounding piano. The drumbeat that drives this song makes it easy to nod along to, and the chorus of the song gets stuck in your head. Lyrically, this song actually addresses a pretty important theme in wondering why people won't address the disenfranchised minorities: "We are problems that want to be solved/We are children that need to be loved/We were willin', we came when you called/But man, you fooled us, enough is enough". It's nice to see that P!nk is so concerned with those whose voices need to be heard, and the fact that this song became so big made her message even more widespread. That along with the great musicianship of this track makes it deserve a spot on my list.
9. "Attention"- Charlie Puth
Even with an artist I am not normally fond of, I will always give credit when credit is due. I absolutely detested Puth's album "Nine Track Mind" that came out last year- in fact, it hit my number 2 spot for my worst albums of the year. But this song... I mean, how could I not enjoy it? This song has an undeniable bass groove in it (yes, real instrumentation, a rarity in the Billboard 100), and you can really hear it throughout the song. Puth sounds very natural against this upbeat song, and he even sounds earnest as he's addressing this girl who doesn't really love him, instead she just wants attention. In this song, I could actually see why so many people are attracted to his voice, as his talent really seeps through. I couldn't help nodding my head along to the song, and I never grew tired of it. If this is an indicator of what the rest of Puth's album will be like, then I am honestly looking forward to listening to it.
8. "What Lovers Do"- Maroon 5 ft. SZA
FINALLY, a Maroon 5 track that actually sounds like more than just Adam Levine and maybe one other person is contributing to the song. I hate most of the rest of this band's new album "Red Pill Blues", but this song is quite good. It reminds of something that could be on "Hands All Over". This song definitely has a nice vibe to it, and it's one I could see people dancing along to. There's nothing super deep about this song, but I don't think that is what Maroon 5 was going for. This song is just pure fun, and I don't mind that at all. What really makes the track even better for me is actually the feature by SZA. I could see her talent in her debut album "Control", and she puts her wonderful voice on display here. It fits well with the pop/rock vibe of this song, which is a pleasant surprise. Even though the chorus is a little repetitive, there's still something that's irresistible about it. Perhaps its' Levine's effective usage of his falsetto, or maybe it's because it sounds like the whole band is actually having fun for the first time in a very long time.
7. "Young, Dumb, and Broke"- Khalid
In a year full of new talentless new trap artists, it was nice to see a new artist who actually had legitimate talent in Khalid. This guy really can sing, that's for sure. I like that he's using a sort of classic R&B sound, while making it sound refreshing by adding some modern touches to the song. The relaxing feel of this song comes out in a way that feels very organic, and Khalid's voice flows nicely against the backing beat of the song. You can feel him having a bit of fun in the chorus, and he isn't afraid to let his voice exude this slightly raspy quality. I really loved that he let that part of his voice come out in the song, because it made this song feel so much more legitimate than all the processed autotune that often permeates the Hot 100. This song lyrically is also really solid, as it talks very frankly about how high school kids are often in a very hard position after they graduate. Khalid doesn't romanticize the hard transition from college to high school, but he doesn't make it awful either. There's a sort of subtle celebration about leaving this point in your life while also acknowledging the hardships you'll have to face. Not many hit songs have topics like this on their mind, so I'm definitely excited to hear more from Khalid.
6. "Let You Down"- NF
It was a pleasant surprise to see NF, an outspoken Christian rapper as well as one of my favorite rappers in general, charting on the mainstream with this song as well as his album. He's definitely been an underdog, but it looks like this song could make him bigger. While I didn't necessarily love "Perception" as a whole (it was still a good album, don't get me wrong, just not as hard-hitting as his backing discography), "Let You Down" remains to be one of my favorites from the album. NF sings throughout most of this song rather than rapping, and I like his singing voice. The chorus is definitely easy to latch on to. I also like the earnestness in it as NF is apologizing to his father for not always being the best son for him. He is at his best when he is being honest and emotional, and this song has both of those things. The vocal distortions used in this song are effective rather than annoying, and as always, the superb production of this song makes it that much more enjoyable to listen to. I really hope this song causes NF to be even braver in his faith for the mainstream.
5. "Castle On The Hill"- Ed Sheeran
This song came out very early in the year, but it has continued to stick with me. An arena rock song doing well on pop radio? That is an extreme rarity these days, so of course this song is a bit of an anomaly. Ed Sheeran has an uncanny skill to make any song of his feel accessible. It's clear to see he has a formula, but the formula works, so I can't complain. This song could've been cheesy in Sheeran reminiscing on his childhood, but instead it's well-written and touching: "I'm on my way/Driving at ninety down those country lanes...And I miss the way/You make me feel, and it's real...". I could feel Sheeran's emotions about his childhood in this epic but still relatable chorus, especially as he let's his voice have a certain intensity to it that most pop artists wouldn't risk trying. Sheeran knows just the right way to make his songs have a wide connection with a big audience, but still be creative enough to stand out in the crowd. That is a formula that is to be envied, and I can't deny that I think I will continue to enjoy the way he makes songs.
4. "Green Light"- Lorde
Lorde's album "Melodrama" was extremely popular among critics and audiences, so it makes no sense to me why her album didn't have more well-performing singles. It went way under the radar on the Hot 100, which is a real disappointment. But, "Green Light" charted, so of course I'm gonna give it a spot on my list. This is easily one of my favorite songs on her new album. It's fun, electronic, and upbeat. Lorde's voice is as intriguing sounding as usual, and she really takes her voice to a lot of different places on this song, especially in the buildup to the chorus where she hits some pretty impressive low notes. Lyrically this track is one of the most well-written of any hit song on this list, as Lorde is waiting for the green light to get over this awful breakup she went through. The upbeat nature of this song cleverly disguises its heart-wrenching undertones, and I love this track for that reason. I definitely recommend you listen to this song if you haven't!
3. "Humble"- Kendrick Lamar
Even though "DNA" is my favorite song of Lamar's new release- and the song also charted- "Humble" still did better, and I want to give this song some credit. The peppy piano beat that flows throughout this whole song is very effective, and it is certainly creative in a year that had more predominantly just boring, processed, electronic beats. This song has done very well on the Hot 100, and I think it's for very good reason. The title of this song is delightfully ironic, as Lamar himself is anything but humble in the track. He's pretty braggadocious, but that is more to shut up the people who try to tell him that he's overrated or not talented. This song is a diss track through and through, but it's a fun diss track. And Lamar also addresses how he hates the fake nature of filters on social media; he'd rather have real beauty. This cleverly relates to the idea that Lamar himself doesn't want to be fake; he wants everyone to know exactly what type of person he is, and that includes exposing flaws of himself such as the fact that he doesn't like when people criticize him. This song has a long going on under the surface, as is the case with almost any Lamar song, and that's exactly why it's charting so high on my list.
2. "Praying"- Kesha
This song and Kesha's album "Rainbow" both absolutely blew me away. I've never been a big fan of Kesha's backing work, as her vocals sounded a bit too obnoxious to me, and her songs often just felt like all they were about was empty partying. But, I still felt for Kesha as she was going (and is still going) through this sexual assault court case with Dr. Luke. This song is clearly addressed directly to Dr. Luke. Kesha could've easily lambasted this guy, and no one would blame her. But, what does she do instead? She forgives him, saying "I hope you're some where praying/I hope your soul is changing/I hope you find your peace/Falling on your knees". Wow. Just wow. It's not very often that we see such powerful themes in a pop song, especially one that successfully charts on the Hot 100. I love how Kesha powerfully explores her spirituality in this song, as she has clearly found her own peace. This song is lifted up even more musically, as Kesha's voice sounds raw, natural, and beautiful, especially when she hits a jaw-dropping high note in the bridge. The piano of this song is gorgeous, and I love how the backing drumming increases in intensity. This song builds and builds to an incredible climax. This is an inspirational track, and it's one I hope people will remember. It's one of my favorite songs of the year.
1. "Sign of the Times"- Harry Styles
A nearly six minute rock epic done by a former member of One Direction? It just doesn't sound like a likely scenario- and yet here we are, with Harry Styles adapting a classic rock style inspired by the likes of David Bowie, Bon Jovi, and the Rolling Stones. I LOVE this song. It blew me away from my first listen. I've always felt that Styles was the most talented member of One Direction, and he definitely is able to full unleash that talent in this song. The moment the beautiful piano playing starts, you know you're in for a treat. When the guitars and drums came in full force, I became fully invested. This song has an interesting, mysterious quality to it as Styles sings, "Just stop your crying, it's a sign of the times/We've got to get away from here...They told me that the end is near". You can feel that this song is talking about some sort of change happening. Is Styles referring to a change in his relationship with a person? Or is it perhaps a more significant change? Either way, this song is lyrically so interesting, and it's very epic. This song keeps on building and becoming more intense. Just when you think you've reached the most intense part of it, the song will surprise you with a much more intense section. I love the ending of this song, as Styles lets loose and shows off in his vocals, while still retaining a sense that he really wants to reach his audience in a powerful way. I didn't expect to love any song of Styles, much less his whole album. I most certainly did, though. Check out this track, and after that, check out his amazing debut!
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