Top 10 Best Hit Songs Of 2017

     Best list time, best list time, time for songs I love
     Songs that made me smile when it came to push and shove
     Oh, best list time, best list time, list from ten to one
     And of course there are my hon'rable mentions

Yeah, sorry for copping out on talking about the year as a whole, I just don't have very much to say about it this time around. All I can really say is that 2017 was a marked improvement over 2016, there were good songs, there were bad songs, and since we've already talked about the awful stuff, let's get into the stuff that put a smile on my face each and every time I heard it.

(Sidenote: I'm expanding to ten honorable mentions instead of my usual eight given there were two songs I just couldn't bring myself to leave off entirely. Kind of stupid, I know, but oh well. Anyway, let's-a-go.)

10

     Let's start things off on the right foot.

10) Song: Havana

      Artist: Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug

      Year-End Position: 96

      When it comes to Fifth Harmony, I'll admit they're pretty uneven in terms of quality, but they have their good songs. Easily the weakest member, however, has always been Camila Cabello, who doesn't really have that much personality and, at her absolute worst, is incredibly ear-piercing and nasal in her delivery. Earlier this year, however, she left 5H to pursue a solo career, and I gotta say, I like what I've heard so far. I really like Crying In The Club, and hell, I'll even admit to having warmed up to OMG. Even still, Havana remains the clear standout that just about everyone can agree is excellent. The old-timey sounding piano carries a prominent and sticky melody that carries on throughout the entire song and is backed by some solid kick in the percussion, and the horns that come in later in the song just sound fantastic. Camila stays in her lower cooing range throughout the song, and it sounds great. It's rich and plays off the production incredibly well. Lyrically, this is a song about the complications of Camila having to leave a bad boy she loved behind in her hometown of Havana, Cuba, when she moved to the states, and the detail provided here is nothing short of brilliant. So, where does Young Thug come into this? Well, he actually plays the role of said bad boy, and his verse is just goofy, memorable, and full of just utter pep and goofiness. It fits with the rest of the song astonishingly well. I gotta say, if that album is anywhere near as good as this song is, I am definitely looking forward to it because this is definitely a solid pop tune.

9

     Controversial pick time.

9) Song: Believer

    Artist: Imagine Dragons

    Year-End Position: 9

    This is, without question, a song that is going to be appearing on a lot of worst lists, and it's not like I don't see why. It's brash, not exactly the most pleasant thing to listen to, and Dan Reynolds's howling on the chorus I can definitely see getting on a lot of people's nerves. However, if I'm being honest, while I was in that camp at first, the more listens I gave this song, the more it began to grow on me, and here we are now. I already said my piece on the direction Imagine Dragons have taken over the past few years as well as their colossal misfire in the form of Thunder in my worst list, but I'd be lying if I said this song didn't get me pumped. Take notes, Rachel Platten: this is how you make a fight song. From the slamming percussion, bass that hits you like a rock, and a guitar that's admittedly pretty noodling yet still has a solid foundation, this song just sounds epic. Every single element in the verses is a buildup to that epic chorus, which is explosive as all hell with the blasting synths, soaring guitars, and added amounts of bass that give this song a larger than life feel to it. Then there's Dan Reynolds himself, and he further adds to said buildup in the verses, uses a triplet flow as a prechorus before each hook before yelling his lungs out. Again, I can definitely see how one would find those last two things grating, but for me, they just work really well. Overall, this is a fun song with a ton of punch behind it, and I am willing to die on the hill of this song being awesome.

8

     Well, now that we've gotten an unpopular one out of the way, how about we recover with something everybody likes: classic rock throwbacks from former boyband members.

8) Song: Sign Of The Times

    Artist: Harry Styles

    Year-End Position: 87

    Of all the members to break out after the disbandment of One Direction, Harry was the one that most people predicted would come out with solo material, leaving only the question of when that would happen. I'm not sure how many of those people expected his breakout to be in the hard-hitting soft rock genre in the vein of David Bowie, though, and I'm even less sure of how many people expected it to be this breathtaking because seriously, this really is something special. Styles shows off his impressive as hell vocal range from his falsetto, belting, and crooning, all with a lot of rich texture in his vocals. Helping even more is the instrumentation he's backed by, which is just a blast. The melancholic pianos, explosive guitars, powerful drums, strings and pedal steel all culminate to create this sound that's mournful yet hopeful at the same time, which fits the content of the song perfectly. This is a song about recognizing that the end is near, and that instead of being fearful of what's to come, we should embrace the hands being dealt to us by spending as much time as we can with those closest to us because who knows what could happen to them in the future. It's a basic sentiment, to be sure, but it's no less a powerful one, and I'm really glad this song managed to scrape its way onto the year-end chart after weeks of uncertainty of whether it would make it or not. Fantastic job, Harry. Hope to hear more from you in the future.

7

     Man, that last song was pretty depressing, wasn't it? How about we liven the mood a little bit with a nice, tight disco groove, and who better to provide it than......CALVIN HARRIS?????

7) Song: Slide

    Artist: Calvin Harris feat. Frank Ocean & Migos

    Year-End Position: 71

      Seriously, I never thought I'd put a freaking Calvin Harris song on this list. He's always been known for his loud, overblown, and often times obnoxious songs that tend to grate on the nerves, give or take a few exceptions. He tried his hand at deep house in 2015 and 2016 getting mixed reception, and while those songs were okay, it was his out-of-nowhere complete 180 in terms of sound when he released Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 earlier this year, an album full of bouncy disco throwbacks that wound up being easily his most vibrant, colorful and most enjoyable set of music to date. This was the leadoff single to that album, and my god, is it a treat. The solid bass groove, bouncy percussion, beautiful piano line, reverb soaked handclaps, shiny synths in the background with some more oscillating ones in the front of the mix, and those sweet-ass guitar licks at the end really do get to me with how excellent they sound. Hell, this song even incorporates a chipmunk sound effect, and I'm not even bothered by that. But then we get to the content and vocals, and this thing is on a whole 'nother level. This song deals with the ups and downs that come with fame, with Frank Ocean showing how empty and depressing it can be at times with his more disconnected delivery whilst Migos embrace that, in spite of the hardships that come with fame, it's all worth it in the end with their more energetic and lively performances. The contrast may be stark, but it hardly feels like a jarring transition. The flow feels very natural, and overall, the song is just a really fun experience. Nice job, Calvin. Keep up the good work.

6

     Oh, I don't know how well I'm gonna be able to defend this song, especially with it being this high, but man, am I gonna try my damnedest.

6) Song: XO Tour Llif3

    Artist: Lil Uzi Vert

    Year-End Position: 13

    Lil Uzi Vert is an artist who, for the most part, is pretty hit or miss, more the latter than the former. He has energy on a lot of his songs, but it's usually the braying type of energy that gets really grating really fast. That being said, he also has a lot of charm and personality, and he at least sounds like he's having fun with the music he's singing a lot of the time. However, this song really is something to be blown away by as......holy shit. For starters, this beat is not something to just dismiss. The alien-like synth loop, clanking sound effects, eerie melody, all against this blocky backbeat and set of skittering hi-hats, it all creates this undercurrent of sadness that makes for quite the fascinating listen. What really sells the song, though, are the content and delivery. A lot of people have said that the ideas of how Uzi deals with depression and suicidal thoughts are undercut by the amount of unnecessary bragging, and while I can understand where they're coming from, here's how I see it: Uzi, someone who is usually happy and go-lucky, has just been dumped by his girl. He tries to cope with it by getting the main crux of what the hook is saying out of his mind and just rapping about the usual money, drugs, stealing your girl, the typical rap cliches, however he's not nearly as energetic as he usually is. He's clearly still heavily affected by what had just happened to him, and it comes to a head right before the second chorus where he just wails although the second hook. Not only that, but he continues to wail whilst continuing to brag in his second verse, clearly trying his damnedest to get this girl off his mind and failing miserably. Finally, he calms back down on the final chorus, returning to the cold, disillusioned delivery he had at the beginning of the song, realizing that, while it may have felt good to have that brief moment of catharsis and release, it didn't exactly help him all that much, and whether he wants to or not, he's gonna have to get over this girl at some point. What happened happened, and now he has to deal with the leftovers. It's quite the harrowing listen, and yet, it's one that kept me coming back time and again. Easily a highlight of LUV Is Rage 2, definitely recommend it. Surprisingly great song.

5

5) Song: HUMBLE.

    Artist: Kendrick Lamar

    Year-End Position: 4

 And let's tack on #4 while we're at it

4) Song: DNA.

    Artist: Kendrick Lamar

    Year-End Position: 62

     Let's not mince words here: Kendrick Lamar is one of the best rappers currently working today, and you cannot convince me otherwise. His flow is incredible, the beats he's usually paired with hit hard, and the amount of clever wordplay, social awareness, and just sheer intensity that he brings in his lyricism seriously has yet to be matched, at least in terms of those currently popular in the mainstream. Now, that's not to say that he hasn't has his missteps, particularly those in his guest appearances on other people's songs (one of which I talked about in my worst list for this year), but when it comes to those guest verses where he does bring his A-game as well as what he provides on his own songs, it's no contest, the dude is great. This is more than proven on two of his big hits from this year, HUMBLE. and DNA. On the former, he stomps on those that try and step to him, essentially telling them to sit down and be humble, and he comes correct with every single bar he spits. Seriously, the amount of clever lines he brings to the table on that song are incredible, and he really is able to show, that yes, he is the dominant one that cannot be touched without a finger or hand coming off of anyone who dare tried. In the latter, amidst all the clever clapbacks and outstanding play on words, he talks about how misunderstood he was growing up, what it was like for him growing up as an African American person in the United States, all his heritage entails and the problems with the stereotypes and misconceptions usually associated with black people. Lyrically, they're both masterpieces, and they're each backed up by some marvelous production courtesy of Mike WiLL Made-It, of all people. I mentioned in my worst list that he produced a few songs from DAMN., and both of these songs are Exhibits A & B of what can really happen when MWMM really shows what he's capable of. HUMBLE. somehow manages to make a simple two-note riff being banged out on a piano paired with trap percussion and some zipping synths sound awesome. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it's just so full of energy, and it gets me pumped every time I hear it. DNA., on the other hand, has a more hypnotic feel to it blending a bass-heavy beat with a psychedelic blend of guitars and synths before switching to this rougher, more jagged beat backed by a skipping Rick James sample that you'd think would get annoying after a while and somehow doesn't. Ultimately, DNA. ranks higher because it really is superior in both instrumentation and production, but even still, both songs are an absolute delight that I get excited every time I hear, and funny enough, neither are even my favorite song off DAMN. Seriously, check that record out if you haven't already. It is a masterpiece.

3

     A lot of you may be surprised that this particular artist is up this high, and to answer your question in advance: Yes. Really.

3) Song: Something Just Like This

    Artist: The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

    Year-End Position: 5

     Yes, I put a song The Chainsmokers above Kendrick Lamar on my best list. But you know what, I wouldn't have done it if the song wasn't that great. The Chainsmokers are a group who are very hit and miss. When they miss, they really miss, but when they hit, they definitely hit, and this is definitely a hit. In terms of writing, this is about a guy who, after reading of and catching up on various superheroes, both old and new, finds himself lacking confidence in his own personal strengths and wishes he could be as brave as they are when his partner reassures him that she likes him just the way he is and that he doesn't need all of the bells and whistles of being a superhero to be great in her eyes and that she likes him just the way he is. As she says in the song in regards to their relationship, "I want something just like this." It's corny as hell, for sure, but it is genuinely uplifting and a great confidence booster. On it's own, that's pretty good, but how does the music hold up? Well, it wouldn't be up this high if it didn't work as well as it did, now would it? And man, everyone involved in the overall aesthetics of this sound pulled out all the stops because this sounds great. Chris Martin shows the vulnerability needed for a song of this nature in the verses before just exploding on the chorus (as well as that final prechorus) with a bunch of charisma and vigor that it's pretty hard to deny. The real standout, though, is this beat, and I'll be damned if this isn't The Chainsmokers' best work to date. The gentle guitar surrounded by the ethereal synths create a nice atmosphere, the rumbles of percussion in the buildup, and especially that drop. Yes, it does sound like the drop on Roses, but if you ask me, the one on this song is even better. Don't get me wrong, the one on Roses is good, but it did have a few elements such as the gang vocals and finger snaps that did slightly throw off its swing. Such is not the case with Something Just Like This's drop, however, as the way it just pulses and constantly shifts octaves in this descending melody all while maintaining all of its propulsive energy and life is just amazing. For a song meant to elevate basic human normality to the level of that of a being larger than life, that's exactly how this feels, and it works in spades, and that guitar solo on the final drop sounds excellent and just makes this song feel more triumphant than it already was, meaning it definitely ends on a high note. This is the type of EDM song to really get the energy flowing through your veins, and it is easily the best thing this duo has ever provided, no contest. Fantastic song on all fronts.

2

     Hey, you know what I think everyone needs every now and again? That one song that just makes you go "d'awwwwww."

2) Song: In Case You Didn't Know

    Artist: Brett Young

    Year-End Position: 57

    After the past few years of only a few country songs managing to make the year-end chart, 2017 saw the long awaited return of country to the mainstream, and while some of it was just godawful like Body Like A Back Road, that's not to say that we didn't get some real gems in this genre this year. Enter Brett Young, a newcomer to the country scene who gained a little bit of traction with the leadoff single for his self-titled debut album, Sleep Without You, it was In Case You Didn't Know that really broke him through to the mainstream. First off, this instrumentation is just beautiful. Yeah, the percussion is a bit more synthetic than I personally would've preferred, but that is made up for by the rest of the mix from the warm acoustic guitars, smoldering electric guitars with just the right amount of reverb on them, and that banjo just sounds stunning. Vocally, Brett Young has what I like to call a gentle warble. He may not have the best sounding voice, per se, but the warmer tones definitely come through and show how much personality this guy really has. But the thing that really draws me in to this song is its content. At first, I thought this song was simply about a guy working up the courage to finally tell a girl he's had a crush on for a while how he truly feels about her. That alone would be sweet as all hell, but the more I listened to this song, I began to realize that Brett and this girl were actually already in a relationship, but it's clear that they have their rough patches just like any other couple, and this is him reassuring this girl that, while he may not always vocalize it, as many difficult times he and her go through in the relationship, he still loves her and always will, even if there are times where he's afraid to truly say what's on his mind. It's once I realized this that this song rocketed up my list. There is a genuine emotional core to this song that just feels incredibly human, and really, what more could I ask for? It's just an angelic song with a lot of sincerity behind it. This was incredibly close to being my #1, and we'll get to what beat it out in a minute, but first......

Honorable Mentions:


HM1) Song: Slow Hands
           Artist: Niall Horan
           Year-End Position: 32

I mean, I would've preferred This Town, but y'know what, this is great as well. Solid groovy bassline, stomping drums, some nice percussion, Niall sounds really good, and for a song about foreplay, it's surprisingly sensual. Solid song.








HM2) Song: Strip That Down
           Artist: Liam Payne feat. Quavo
           Year-End Position: 36

Fun beat anchored in a solid bassline, snaps, some sparse, twinkly synths and percussion, good vocals from Liam, lyrics that are stupid yet enjoyable at the same time, yeah, I'll take this. Would've cut Quavo's throwaway verse, though, unlike...............



 




HM3) Song: I Get The Bag
           Artist: Gucci Mane feat. Migos

           Year-End Position: 93

Dark beat that's full of life, energetic flows, and clever punchlines. The epitome of basic bragging done right.




HM4) Song: Redbone
           Artist: Childish Gambino
           Year-End Position:  25

Now this one was easily the hardest to cut from the list. Seriously, incredible tight yet relaxing groove, nuanced lyrics about heartbreak and infidelity, and Gambino just singing his incredibly soulful guts out, this one is a damn near masterpiece that I am definitely glad got as huge as it did.




HM5) Song: Shape Of You
           Artist: Ed Sheeran
           Year-End Position: 1

Ah, yes, the biggest song of the year, the one that a lot of people got sick of in record time......and yet I still love it just as much as I did when it first debuted on the charts. Great plinking melody that is pretty much what Cheap Thrills would sound like if it wasn't so plodding, Ed maintaining a solid vocal cadence and delivery, lyrics where the chorus details that he loves her body and verses that show him getting to know her, showing that he indeed does love her for both her looks and her personality, I really don't see this as the disgusting "Ed Sheeran sex song" that a lot of people see it as. Being perfectly honest, I actually enjoy this one more than Castle On The Hill. Yeah, that one's technically the better song, but I dunno, this one just drew me in for more listens, even outside of all the radio overplay. 




HM6) Song: Castle On The Hill
           Artist: Ed Sheeran
           Year-End Position: 40

Doesn't mean Castle On The Hill isn't getting a mention, though. Seriously, excellent guitar work, Ed belting his lungs out with his rougher delivery, lyrics detailing fond memories and wanting to relive said memories, just an excellent song.




HM7) Song: There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back
           Artist: Shawn Mendes
           Year-End Position: 23

Holy shit, Shawn Mendes put out a great song this year. Great pop rock swing to it, fantastic use of Mendes's voice, lyrics about a girl pushing him out of his comfort zone and making him feel dangerous that are actually believable, hey Mendes, more songs like this, please.

HM8) Song: Attention
           Artist: Charlie Puth
           Year-End Position: 22

 Charlie Puth too? Man, if this isn't a prime example of how much better 2017 is than 2016, I don't know what is. Excellent bassline, synths that have quite the amount of swell to them, percussion that's pretty fake but still sounds really good with the rest of the mix, and Puth, apart from a few spots, actually using his lower range and falsetto well. Between this and How Long, I'm actually looking forward to how Voicenotes will turn out, and I never thought I'd say that.

HM9) Song: Despacito
           Artist: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
           Year-End Position: 2

C'mon, how could I not? And yes, I do like the version with Bieber more even in spite of his live performances of the song showing him to be a complete and utter tool with no respect for the Spanish language. I just like his contributions to the recording of the single that gets played on the radio and streamed and all that, alright? Fite me.








HM10) Song: What Lovers Do
             Artist: Maroon 5 feat. SZA
             Year-End Position: 97

This is what modern Maroon 5 would sound like if they hadn't spent the past few years deciding they wanna suck.Modern electronic elements infused with a bassline sampled from Sexual by Neiked (which it utilizes it way better than that disgusting piece of trash), and both Adam Levine and SZA just sound like they're having fun with the song, even if the lyrics are admittedly pretty repetitive.


Alright, let's wrap this present up.

 1

     My number one is by an artist who I do not get the opportunity to praise nearly as often as I should on here. I'll admit I wasn't the biggest fan of this artist when she first broke on to the scene, but I've really warmed up to her over the past couple of years, and while she still definitely has her duds, the vast majority of her work is excellent, and after everything that's happened to her, I cannot in good faith give the top spot on this list to any other song. So, with all that being said......Kesha, your presence was sorely missed.

1) Song: Praying

    Artist: Kesha

    Year-End Position: 67

     I'll admit I wasn't the biggest fan of Kesha when she first broke onto the music scene. I found her to be nothing more than a loud, obnoxious party girl who made generic club music that just grated on my ears. However, it didn't take long for her to grow on me and to recognize that her entire persona revolved around this party girl image with quite a bit of biting satire, nuance, and wit to her music whilst using autotune in a creative and unique way, and although she does have a couple songs I still can't stand (well, mainly just Blah Blah Blah and her guest appearance on My First Kiss by 3OH!3, and she's barely even on the latter, so should that really count?), the vast majority is most definitely worth checking out. That said, after 2014, she disappeared from the music scene, remaining out of the limelight, falling quiet in terms of music, and it was all because of one slimy motherfucker: Dr. Fucking. Luke. In October 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit against Dr. Luke for drugging and raping her on two occasions, making threats against her and her family, calling her derogatory names, and various other horrendous and illegal acts. Now, even putting aside that this dude's output in terms of hits has been quite the mixed bag, what he did to Kesha fucking sickens me, and I do genuinely hope that this dude gets his comeuppance. Anyway, earlier this year, after multiple lawsuits and legal battles with her record label and trying to get away from Dickbag Luke, she was finally able to make the music she wanted to make, away from that abusive son of a bitch, and released her third studio album, Rainbow, an absolutely phenomenal record that shows Kesha moving through various genres and pulling each of them off flawlessly. This was the lead off single, and......my god, where to start. This song is a response to Dr. Luke pretty much telling him that no matter how much he may have weakened her, as much torment as he put her through, no matter how much he may try and bring her down, she will come out stronger than ever and ultimately wind up being just as much herself as before if not moreso, and that at the end of it all, she hopes he winds up somewhere asking for forgiveness from God. This last part can be interpreted in one of two ways: as a veiled "fuck you" that essentially says that she hopes he gets what's coming to him one day and to pray that he's prepared for when that day comes, or it can be seen as her saying that, in spite of all she was put through because of him, she still wishes him well and hopes they find peace in their lives and even thanking them for making them stronger than who they were before in a very deservedly backhanded way. It's a powerful sentiment, and hell, even if you do remove the context of the whole Kesha vs. Dr. Luke thing and just take it as a song about someone leaving an abusive ex-lover, everything else still applies. All of this is backed up by some of the most tremendous instrumentation from this year with the gorgeous, subtle piano line, the whirring synths, melancholy strings, and the way the song swells before the final chorus with the pounding percussion, horns, and pianos before mellowing back out for the last few seconds, it just sounds great. The cherry on top of all of it, however, is Kesha herself. Her live performances, deep cuts on her previous albums, and even stripped back versions of her past hits have shown that she really is capable of being a great singer without the autotune, and here, she finally gets the chance to prove that to the general public. Not only is her range fantastic, but man, does this girl know how to emote or what? From the frustrated, lower tone of her singing in the first half of the song to the explosive belting she does for the second half, her handle of when to explode and let loose is something that can only be admired. It's frail and tearful yet strong and a complete gutpunch in the best of ways, and that whistle note before the final chorus......oof, that was just......I don't even have the words, that's how excellent it is. But more than just being an absolutely beautifully constructed song with emotional writing and a heartbreaking vocal performance, this song tops the list for me for one very simple reason: this is one of the few songs that has moved me so much that it has brought me to tears. No joke, I listened to this song right before I began writing this, and I quite literally had to take a moment and cry before I even punched the first key on my keyboard, that's how powerful this song is to me, and it is for that reason and many more that Praying by Kesha is getting my highest honor: not just one of the best hit songs of 2017, but quite possibly the best hit song of the entire decade. Welcome back, Kesha. Hopefully things get better for you in the future. Take care, everyone, and have a great Christmas, happy holidays, and a plentiful 2018.