Honorable Mention: Louis Cole - "Bank Account"
Including this in the main list didn't feel quite right, but my goodness did it ever deserve a mention. In addition to being hilarious and relatable, it's a fucking jam, okay?!
Fun side note: The MP3 version that you receive of this upon digital purchase is a perfect loop. I played it through four times because I didn't realize my phone was set to repeat, and I just thought it was an extended mix of the song. Oops.
10. Soft Self Portraits - "Departures"
Soft Self Portraits is Louisville musician Cody Johnson, who loves keyboards, drum machines, and introspective lyrics. His performer name couldn't possibly be a more perfect representation of his sound. This track is a serious earworm; I'm fairly certain I've caught myself humming it more than any other melody this year.
9. Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid - "1-800-273-8255"
If not my favorite song this year, it was certainly the most important. This generation has more emotional issues than we know how to handle, and depression, alcoholism, addiction, and self-esteem issues are all front-and-center to us. It's only logical that a song like this would be such a hit. The decision to just make the title the phone number for the Suicide Prevention Hotline was great because not only did it probably make a lot of people commit it to memory, it probably alerted a lot of people to its very existence.
It's weird to think that a lyric like "I just want to die today" would resonate so well with so many people, but here we are. Depression is real, and folks are talking about it.
8. Miguel - "Told You So"
Have I been sleeping on Miguel?!? I thought he just made vagina-moistening slow jams, but this slaps! How do you not instantly start breaking it the fuck down when you hear this? C'mon Miguel!!
7. Manel Navarro - "Do It For Your Lover"
This is the first year I've ever really paid attention to the Eurovision Song Contest, due mostly to us doing an Offbeat Tracks episode about it. This entry was far and away my favorite, because not only is it a bop, but Manel is a stone cold hottie. Bless his heart, though, Europe hated this song and it placed close to the bottom. It's ok Manel, I still love you and will make out with you to your own song.
6. Cardi B - "Bodak Yellow"
Not since Azealia Banks' "212" has a song peacocked so hard. Cardi is not here to suffer fools, and she doesn't give a shit what you have to say about that. Bonus points for inspiring a hilarious meme wherein people leave comments on the video like "This song makes me wanna wash the sink with the dishes" or "This song makes me wanna give my teacher homework" or "I showed this video to Young Anakin, now he's Darth Vader."
5. Kelela - "LMK"
Not since the absolutely perfect 2015 release Miss Ester Dean have we heard such flawless future-pop. Kelela's silky kiss-off to a guy who mistakenly thinks she's melting in his hand is a delicious banger that's also weird enough to be brain peanut butter.
4. Shawn Wasabi - "Spicy Boyfriend"
Five words and a small collection of samples are the only building blocks used by Wasabi to concoct the year's sweetest pop song. Guaranteed to warm even the chilliest of hearts.
3. Lady Gaga - "The Cure"
There is perhaps no pop star with a more fickle fan base than Lady Gaga. It was zero surprise to me (and probably her, too) that her introspective, soft rock release Joanne sent the casual fans running to their phones with snarky misspelled tweets. It was a total surprise, however, when she dropped this brand new stopgap single - now among the best she's ever released - at the Coachella festival, half a peace offering and half a middle finger with "you should have trusted Mama Monster" on it.
2. SZA - "Prom"
Imagine having this big a year and so many people still having no idea how in the hell to pronounce your name. After a few years of singles and EPs, SZA dropped her debut LP CTRL this year, and to say it resonated is an understatement. Millennial popheads and lifelong R&B fans alike can't seem to get enough like her, and songs like this beautiful midtempo pop romp are very much the reason. The way she glides through the line "please don't take it personal" is enough to make a double-decker bus fly.
1. MUNA - "I Know A Place
For a few months this year, this was literally the only song that mattered to me. It's absolute pop perfection wrapped around lyrics that describe what it's like to be young and feel scared and wish that the world wasn't so hateful, even in circles where you should feel safe. This is a call for everyone to look out for each other, to always consider that you don't know what someone is dealing with privately, and to go out of your way to make sure everyone around you feels safe, loved, wanted, and welcome.
Best live music moment of the year: Them singing this on Kimmel and changing the lyrics in the bridge.
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