Top 10 Best Hit Songs Of 2021

 Well, now that the garbage has been taken out, let's wash our hands and get to the feast that is the good this year had to offer. On with the show.

10

We start off with an artist who already made quite the name for himself a couple of years ago, but man, did he really sail above and beyond this year.

10) Song: INDUSTRY BABY
      Artist: Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
      Year-End Position: 24

     Lil Nas X is no stranger to controversy. Hell, that's the entire reason his breakout hit became the longest running number one hit of all time and is one of the biggest songs of all time to this day. And he continued that trend when he made his grand return at the beginning of the year with his second number one, MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name), what with the video and the Satan shoes and all that. He really knew how to game the system in all of the correct ways, and it was an absolute delight to see every single bit of it unfold. Then he released the video to this with a scene of him dancing with other naked men in prison being, big shocker, controversial. I'll admit, during the first few months of this song's popularity, I wasn't really into it and was fully prepared to put M(CMBYN) in this spot. But then it took the number one on the Hot 100, and everything flipped. I began to realize just how much stronger of a song overall this was than MONTERO. That one is good, don't get me wrong, but for as much controversy as it has drummed up, it also felt pretty...safe. Like, as much as it was an interesting song at the time, the charm kinda wears off after a while. Not so much with INDUSTRY BABY, it kicks ass, and it's damn near entirely due to that infectious as hell horn melody. Seriously, this makes me feel like I'm about to see some epic shit in a sports stadium go down, and those marching drums coming in every now and again definitely help. Lyrically, this is about proving the haters wrong and gloating about the success he earned, but it's all delivered with Montero having the time of his life and grinning from ear to ear with every word he says, and let's not forget how quotable there is. Seriously, M(CMBYN) might've been the first chart topper explicitly about gay sex, INDUSTRY BABY actively says, in no uncertain terms......

"I don't fuck bitches, I'm queer"

......fucking iconic. But you may notice that there's another name on the song. Yes, Jack Harlow is on here as well, and he's just as fiery as our main man here. He may not be as skilled or cool as Lil Nas X, but holy damn does he spit fire while keeping his laid back demeanor. Oh, and the clapping sound effects while he talks about sending this girl back to her man with his handprint on her ass cheeks never fails to amuse me. Overall, this is just fucking fun and shows that Montero Lamarr Hill is here to stay. What can I say? I'm down for that.

9

And now from the biggest new artist of two years ago to the biggest new artist of this year......

9) Song: good 4 u
    Artist: Olivia Rodrigo
    Year-End Position: 5

     Olivia Rodrigo is an interesting character in her own right. She got her start on the Disney+ series that is a spinoff of High School Musical literally titled, I shit you not, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (catchy name you got there). From there, like many Disney starlets before her, she decided to break out on her own and create her own music. Unlike someone like Miley Cyrus or Selena Gomez, however, next to nobody knew who she was, so she may as well have been a complete unknown before now. She broke through in January with drivers license, a harrowing song that juxtaposes the freedom to finally drive against the sad realities that come with the breakup linked to it, however, it was the two singles that followed it that really set her stardom into motion. First up on the docket, we have good 4 u, and holy shit, she brought rock music back. Seriously, that muscular bass line against those drums that are compressed a little more than they should be but still sound really good time, and then that hook where the guitars just go buck wild with how much rampant energy they exude. Melodically, this is pretty similar to Paramore's Misery Business, and while not as good as that song, it's kinda hard to argue that this still slams all the same. Honestly, a closer comparison would actually be You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette for being a song where the emotions are held in during the verses with Olivia gritting through her teeth trying to force a smile before letting all of her anger and sadness out on that explosive hook showing just how upset she is that he moved on so quickly. It's petty and immature, yes, but 1) Olivia as well as the guy in question and his brand new girl are all teenagers, and 2) she's hit rock bottom mentally so hard that she doesn't know what else to do. It really is a pure shot of adrenaline, and given that our other option this year for You Oughta Know alternatives was Gabbie Hanna's godawful cover of that very song, I'll stick with this easily. So yeah, kickass song. Glad Olivia Rodrigo gave us this.

8

Yeah, we're not quite done with Olivia Rodrigo just yet.

8) Song: deja vu

    Artist: Olivia Rodrigo

    Year-End Position: 13

     So yeah, I avoided talking about this during the last entry, but yeah, good 4 you, drivers license, and this song are all part of Olivia's debut album Sour, which details the emotions of her breakup with co-star Joshua Bassett as well as the fact that he decided to leave her for other fellow co-star Sabrina Carpenter. The album explores the messy details about how said breakup unfolded and everything going on inside Olivia's head throughout the whole ordeal. While drivers license showed the sadness involved with her finally gaining the ability to drive amidst going down his street alone with tears in her eyes and good 4 u was the tizzy she was thrown into from him moving on so fast, deja vu explores another dynamic. Essentially, throughout the relationship, Olivia and her partner had a specific set of special things they would do together such as watching Glee, eating strawberry ice cream, and singing along to Billy Joel, whom he introduced her to by singing her Uptown Girl, and now, not only has he moved on, but he's now doing those same exact things with with new girl, making Olivia wonder if it really meant anything that they were doing those things in the first place. People have compared the premise of this to Want U Back by Cher Lloyd, but what makes that song fail lyrically and this one pass with flying colors is threefold. For one, Want U Back sounded like shit in terms of production and vocals whereas here, this is influence from the psychedelia of the mid-60's melded with an interpolation of Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift, and it sounds gorgeous from the shimmering keys and the roaring, fuzzed out guitar line blended with spurts of choppy drum hits, it's just amazing, and Olivia sells the song with a performance that ebbs and flows with the emotions it needs to perfectly. Second, Cher Lloyd just listed of vague nothings like going to "every restaurant" and asking if her ex "remembers all the things they did 'first'", whereas in Olivia's case, it's actual specific events where yeah, the fact that he's now doing those things with someone else does kinda severely cheapen whatever value those things had to her. Lastly, Olivia never flat out insults her ex and his new girl like Cher Lloyd did. She expresses sadness and is pretty torn up about it, but she also knows there's nothing that she can do outside of just look on and accept the fact that it's just a really bitter pill to swallow. Overall, I've enjoyed most of what I've heard from Rodrigo so far, and I hope she continues to further fulfill the potential I know that she has.

7

I mentioned in my worst list that I regretted not making Said Sum my worst hit of last year. Well, I also regret not talk about this guy on my best list last year. Let's fix that, shall we......

7) Song: Tombstone
    Artist: Rod Wave

    Year-End Position: 98

     Rod Wave is an R&B and hip hop artist from St. Petersburg, Florida that really struck a chord with people when he broke through last year, and it's not hard to see why. His soulful delivery coupled with the smooth instrumentation he's usually paired up with works wonders as they coalesce and create a really easy yet inviting listening experience. This one only barely managed to scrape its way on to the year-end list, but man am I glad it did because holy hell this resonates. In this song, Rod is dealing with the pressures of overworking himself so much that he is missing time away from his friends, family, significant other, and on top of that, the stress of everything happening around him as well as the people close to him passing away is taking its toll, to the point where he is now lamenting and taking solace in the fact that when the end of his life comes, he knows that he will finally be at peace with himself and won't have to deal with any of the negative effects of all the bad going on he can't seem to escape from while he's alive. It really is a crushing sentiment, and even though he's trying to keep his head up best he can, he knows just how bitter and miserable it's all making him, and you can almost hear the tears in his eyes through his performance. It's a heartbreaking tune, and the production consisting of that down-tempo guitar line, those backing choir vocals, and subtle tap of the snares really do their job phenomenally well. And yet, even with how depressing the subject matter is, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel, and that is that when Rod's time comes, despite having some misgivings about certain circumstances being beyond his control, he will still be able to say he did the best he could and worked to his fullest potential, so at least something satisfying came out of it. This is one of two songs I threw on whenever I felt my anxiety getting too high, and we'll get to what the other one was in a bit, but for now, absolutely beautiful song. Hope Rod Wave has many more hits after this.

6

Well, I finally get to talk about this woman on a best list proper. About fuckin' time.

6) Song: Thot Shit
    Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
    Year-End Position: 71

     Megan Thee Stallion is the latest female rapper to become big in the rap game, and holy hell, is she a breath of fresh air. She throws her all into her songs, and you can tell from the assertive, charismatic flows that have so much life and energy to them, the confidence she exudes when she's rapping, and just how well she's able to ride the beats she's given. With that, of course, comes the detractors and people who believe she's a blight on society for how brash and up front she is about her sexuality, but y'know what, the woman knows what she wants, and you can't blame her for knowing who the hell she is. This was that big middle finger to said detractors, and holy hell, it is marvelous. The jagged synth line paired with the mechanical percussion as well as some well placed clanking sounds, Meg being forceful with her flows while still maintaining so much control and riding it as well as she possibly can, and the lyrics are pretty standard flexing and brand names, but with the acknowledgement that she got her fame and success by being as confident in herself as she is, so she does not give a flying fuck who takes shots at her or tries to bring her down because it's simply not gonna happen. Not to mention all the quotables like her stopping at every mirror just to admire her own ass, saying she's the shit as noted by the recording academy (referencing the Grammy Awards she won for Savage Remix with Beyoncé last year), talking about how she was about to graduate, which she actually did recently with her degree in health administration from Texas Southern University, so that is awesome in its own right. Really, there's not a whole lot that can be said about it here. If you haven't heard it yet, I highly recommend doing yourself a favor and checking it out. It's a banger in just about every sense of the word.

5

Well, looks like the public as a whole for a while decided to travel back to 1973 for a period of time......can't say I blame them when this is the era they're returning to.

5) Song: Leave The Door Open
    Artist: Silk Sonic
    Year-End Position: 7

     Well, here was a pleasant surprise. It's no secret that Bruno Mars has been pulling off the retro pastiche shtick for nearly a decade now, so something like this coming from him isn't a shock at all. What is a shock, however, is that he was able to pull off this type of success with Anderson .Paak of all artists, who is an r&b singer who's been floating around in the underground for years just waiting to burgeon out yet never quite getting the recognition he deserves. That is, of course, until this year, when he and Mr. Peter Hernandez himself teamed up to form the superduo known as Silk Sonic, putting out an album full of retro throwback songs that fully embrace what made every aspect of the funk and soul scene of the 70s so inviting, and few songs are as emblematic of that as Leave The Door Open. This is just a really warm song, from the twinkling keys to the elegant strings, the light bass, everything about this just draws the listener in and is just enticing all around. As a matter of fact, you know what this reminds me of?

This is You Make Me Feel Brand New, a 1974 hit by Philly Soul r&b group The Stylistics. This is a song I have been listening to since late last year, a fantastic song about our narrator being incredibly grateful that his significant other came into his life and changed it for the better (think Glad You Exist but done right) over the most romantic sounding soul instrumentation of its era. LTDO's in a similar ballpark, though it's more about the two getting intimate with one another and the narrator doing whatever he can to make the girl comfortable with the acknowledgement that, if she isn't ready yet, that's okay too, but per the song's title, his door is always open. It really is a sweet song, even with how subtly not-so-subtle its lyrics are if you catch my drift. Excellent song, and it's not even the best on the album. Seriously, give An Evening With Silk Sonic a listen if you haven't already. You won't regret it.

4

Just......pure bliss.

4) Song: Good Days
    Artist: SZA
    Year-End Position: 52

     SZA is an artist who I've always thought was good but never quite great. She has a solid voice, that's for damn sure, but often times, her production, guest features, lyrics, and everything else surrounding her, while not being terrible most of the time, don't quite live up to the raw talent she is putting on display. I will say, though, that when she hits, she absolutely hits, and Good Days hits big time. The reverb soaked guitar line set against the enveloping bass and nature sound effects, and SZA's cooing meshing wonderfully with the surrounding elements, it's just so peaceful and elegant, and the more vocoded choir vocals in the background only add to its blissful nature. It's just a very relaxing song to get lost in, and that fits incredibly well with the content. This is about how, in spite of how bad the world around her gets, SZA is still gonna do her damnedest to find her center, clear her head of any negative energy, and knows that, for as many days where she's on the verge of losing her sanity, the light at the end of the tunnel will eventually come, and when it does, all of her worries will be gone. It's a simple song, but the execution is flawless. Let's be real, we've all had days where the world around us feels like it's falling apart, especially with recent events that have been going on for the past couple of years, but as long as we can keep our calm and just do our best to remember that isn't the end of the world quite yet, we'll be okay. Really, this is a song that's all about its atmosphere, and that's where it excels in absolute spades. Any time I needed to relieve some tension, I threw this song on and all of my muscles and nerves instantly lost any extraneous weight and stress put on them. There really isn't a whole lot more to say about this. SZA has always been good at making this kind of more laid back type of r&b that is easy to vibe out to, and this might be her most vibrant effort to date. Fantastic song, hope to hear more like it going forward.

3

My opportunity to talk about this guy in full kinda passed three years ago. Why don't we start that over, okay?

3) Song: Starting Over
    Artist: Chris Stapleton
    Year-End Position: 53

     Now here is something that has been missing from country music for a very long time: just some down home, rootsy southern comfort a la the more folk and bluegrass inspired side of the genre, and who better to deliver just that than our wonderful long haired, magnificently bearded friend, Mr. Chris Stapleton. He had been behind the scenes writing and providing backing vocals for some of the most notable country hits for years, but in 2015, he decided to finally step in front of the mic for himself with his debut album, Traveller, which contained his cover of the country classic Tennessee Whiskey, and instantly, he was a hit. His popularity only continued to grow over the years until finally he was able to achieve a solo YE position in the form of the title track to his fourth studio album, Starting Over. This is just a really sweet tune. The organic acoustic textures washing over the light, sandy percussion provides a nice backdrop for Stapleton's rougher and yet more sentimental vocals to absolutely glide through the instrumentation like a butter knife. This is the sort of stuff the more laid back, neotraditional country hits of the '80's and '90's were made of, and it is what heaven sounds like. Lyrically, this is about moving on with your life and going with your significant other to start anew in a completely different location and environment than you're used to. It details that, yes, it will be scary at first, and there will be trials and tribulations to face, but it's also gonna be exciting to take on the new horizons that await. This is something that just about anyone can relate to, even outside of complete relocation. Sometimes, starting a new chapter in life induces levels of anxiety so high that you have no idea how to face them, but at the same time, you can't keep running from them, and once you find your footing, the sailing can only get smoother with the passage of time. After all, it's like Chris says himself, nobody wins afraid of losing. And the fact that there's also the reassurance that he'll be there for his partner as much as she is for him is just the cherry on top. It really is an awe inspiring song, and I look forward to what Stapleton has in store for us all in the future. Well done, sir. You've certainly earned my respect.

2

For fucks sake, someone just hug her already.

2) Song: Happier Than Ever
    Artist: Billie Eilish
    Year-End Position: 94

    (TW: this section will contain mentions of grooming, abuse, and manipulation of a minor, so if any of that is too uncomfortable for you to read or brings back any traumatic personal memories or experiences, if you feel the need to skip this and just go directly to the honorable mentions and my number one, please don't hesitate to. I will not judge at all.)

     So on top of dealing with the pressures and fame and the detriments that constantly being in the spotlight can bring, it turns out Billie Eilish is equally as capable as talking about relationships she's had in the past, be that for better......or in this case, definitely for worse. Yeah, there's no dancing around this: so in February of this year, a documentary was released about Eilish herself, in which she revealed that, while she was only 16 years old, she was dating someone who was 22 who she refers to as "Q." I'll be honest, I didn't see the documentary, but hearing that only made me worry for her even more, and of course, it was incorporated into her latest album, of which this is the eponymous track. Before this, she had released the single Your Power, which tells him to be careful as he can only get away with his bullshit for so long as well as detailing the hurt that such an experience has left her with. It's a horrific experience that nobody should have to go through, and it's uncomfortable, but the execution was spot on and laid out what needed to be said really damn well. Then, she followed it with this, and while Your Power tackled the root issue head on, this one goes over every other way in which he abused her and made several efforts to control her every move. It starts off slow with this melancholic ukulele line, and Billie almost whispering how, now that she is apart from his tactics and schemes, she can finally be at piece. Everything seems right. Almost...a little too right. That is when something snaps. Suddenly, the soft ukulele turns into a chugging guitar riff, Billie's willowy tone becomes a lot more of a reverb tinged snarl, and out of the blue, he drunkenly decides to call her. He wants back in her life, but she is not having it. Everything crashes at once, the guitars become blown out, and Eilish just rips into this guy about every which way in which he manipulated her, disregarded her feelings, gaslit her, never showed up on time for things they planned to do together, and overall just made her feel worthless. It had been building up for a while now, and this is the soda-exploding-out-of-the-bottle-after-being-shaken moment that had been that agonizing for her to deal with for so long. So for her to just shout the fuck out all of her anger and frustration in order to finally feel like she's free from his grip is cathartic as hell. Again, this is something I hope nobody ever has to go through, and thank god that, at least for Billie, the worst of it is over. So you may be wondering: what could be better than this absolute masterpiece? Well, I think you know what happens now before we tackle that beast.




Honorable Mentions

Song: EVERY CHANCE I GET
Artist: DJ Khaled feat. Lil Baby & Lil Durk
Year-End Position: 59

An absolute banger with booming, bright production, energetic flows from both Lil Baby and Lil Durk, and lyrics celebrating their come up in the most fun way possible. Both of these artists have been on quite the winning streak lately, and the fact that DJ Khaled, of all people, was able to help them achieve further success truly is amazing. Well done to all of you.




Song: Streets
Artist: Doja Cat
Year-End Position: 67

This is the type of song I wish Doja Cat would make more often. She has so much talent, and aside from Need To Know, all of her hits from this year prove that. Ultimately, though, I went with this one for how much that deep bass sucks me in, the 90's feelings emanating from those synths and that sample, and a top notch performance from Doja herself in both her cooing vocals and assertive tone when rapping. Quality stuff.




Song: Anyone
Artist: Justin Bieber
Year-End Position: 74

Yeah, Biebs is getting mentioned on both lists this year. While Justice wasn't a great album, or even that good of an album, really, it did have its moments, and Anyone is a prime example of that from the popping production that creates this atmosphere that envelops without being too overwhelming, Bieber actually sounding fairly decent, and while it is a pretty stock love song, it manages to elevate it surprisingly well. So yeah, I'm on board.




Song: Levitating
Artist: Dua Lipa
Year-End Position: 1

That's right, your eyes are not deceiving you, it's not on the list, though believe you me, that is only because I ran out of space. This is Future Nostalgia boiled down to its essence with its melding of disco throwback and outer space and futuristic production as well as Dua's effortless and bubbly delivery, it really does feel like I'm floating in mid air while I'm dancing. Man, the good stuff from this year was just that good.




Song: Take My Breath
Artist: The Weeknd
Year-End Position: 89

I like Save Your Tears (both the original and the remix) just fine, but I dunno, I got pretty tired of it after a while. Take My Breath, on the other hand, grew on me immensely. Yeah, yeah, it does all the things you'd expect a throwback song like this to do, but goddammit it does them so well. I'm just a sucker for these types of sharp grooves and bright, glittery synths. I'm not even gonna try to hide my biases there.




Song: Todo de Ti
Artist: Rauw Alejandro
Year-End Position: 100

This is a funky throwback jam with a tight groove, energetic performance, and lyrics about picking up a girl at a roller rink. So it's basically Skate by Silk Sonic.




Song: Leave Before You Love Me
Artist: Marshmello & Jonas Brothers
Year-End Position: 63

Dammit, this year was excellent for songs with great grooves. Seriously, how do you make something sound so tinny and yet so perfect? Not something I expected from Marshmello, but this is a nice change of pace for the guy, and the Joe Bros don't do too shabby of a job themselves as they give heartfelt performances centering around parsing out their own insecurities and inability to commit. I dig it.




Song: Beggin'
Artist: Mäneskin
Year-End Position: 66

Okay, look, I understand it isn't too popular to like this song (or at least this version of this song), but what can I say, Mäneskin knocked it out of the part with this one. Consistent, pulsating guitar melody, Damiano David's singing, while not exactly the easiest thing to get behind I understand, is gritty and as desperate as the song calls for, and I even like the adaptation of the rap verses from Madcon's version of the song. I get the hate, but personally, I just have a blast listening to this.

Now for five top 20 hits from this year that would've been eligible for this list had they made the YE.

Song: Skate
Artist: Silk Sonic
Peak: 14

This is a funky throwback jam with a tight groove, energetic performances, and lyrics about picking up a girl at a roller rink. So it's basically Todo de Ti by Rauw Alejandro.




Song: Hold On
Artist: Justin Bieber
Peak: 20

Another high point of Justified. That. Fucking. Groove.




Song: 7 Summers
Artist: Morgan Wallen
Peak: 6

Y'know, it really is a shame Wallen had to destroy a lot of the good will with what he did in the beginning of this year because he really did have potential, and a beautiful, wistful song like 7 Summers looking back at a past relationship and wondering what could have been with a somber guitar line contrasting wonderfully with Morgan's raspier voice really is something. Hopefully he makes amends for what he did and comes back because the man is talented. He just needs to clean up his act.



Song: THATS WHAT I WANT
Artist: Lil Nas X
Peak: 10

This is the sort of frantic, anxiety-ridden energy that Lil Nas X pulls off effortlessly, and with the incredibly hyper and melodic production as well as the guy putting in one of his most emotional and expressive performances to date, this easily would've made the top 10 if it made the YE.




Song: Your Power
Artist: Billie Eilish
Year-End Position: 10

This is an emotional song with gentle acoustics, a hushed, tearful performance, and Billie essentially telling the person that groomed her that if he doesn't get his shit together soon, everything he's gotten away with thus far is gonna come back and bite him in the ass. Just, fuckin'......somebody, anybody, PLEASE HUG HER ALREADY!!!!!!

And on that note......

1

This is kinda gonna be a difficult one to explain. I mean, the album it's from wasn't too well received, and even this song in particular has its naysayers, and thinking about it for an extended period of time kinda makes it a little easier to see why. However, if there was one song from this year that I kept returning to again and again and again, it was this one, and y'know what, I'm gonna do my best to fight for it and make my case for this being at the top. So, my favorite hit song of the year is......

1) Song: my ex's best friend
    Artist: Machine Gun Kelly feat. blackbear
    Year-End Position: 23

     Machine Gun Kelly is someone who, for the longest time, was one of the least respected artists in the rap game, and for damn good reason. His flow sucked, he was almost always saddled with production that was an absolute slog to get through, and a lot of what he was saying was what we had heard before done way better elsewhere that just flat gave none of us anything to work with. It all came to a head when he released Rap Devil, a song that, while I still have no strong opinion of to this day, is classified by many, myself included, as the song that killed his rap career, mostly for daring to even try to be a diss to Eminem. While Em's trajectory hasn't exactly been the greatest either, when he put out Killshot, just about everyone came to the collective conclusion that MGK's rap career was pretty much done for. And as it turns out, we were right. Not quite in the way we thought, though, as not long after Em put out Music To Be Murdered By, an album that, while it had its high points, had some excruciating low points as well, MGK put out his own album, Tickets To My Downfall. This album wasn't just a pivot, it was an entire genre switch up as he went full on punk-rock ala bands like Sum 41, Green Day, and blink-182, that last one in particular considering he consistently worked with their drummer, Travis Barker, to make this album. The album received mixed reviews with many saying that MGK making this sort of disposable rock trash wasn't authentic enough, but I dunno, I found myself returning to it a fair bit, mostly for how much it leans into the overcompressed melodrama most of the music reminiscent of the era it's hinting back to had to offer, and my ex's best friend exemplifies this perfectly. For one thing, that guitar melody, while incredibly basic and, again, overcompressed, has just enough manic energy to really get my blood pumping, and it blends incredibly well with the consistent drum groove from Barker as well as the trap skitters scattered throughout. On top of that, MGK shows that while he isn't that great or really even all that good of a singer, he still has the right amount of control and tone to show off the raw emotions that are displayed in what he's saying by showing the conflicting emotions that come with falling in love with someone who was the best friend of someone he used to date where things were messy and ended on a sour note. Hell, even blackbear sounds good here, basically playing the role of the side of the guy who is flat out telling the ex in question who, after hearing about the relationship, now wants to come back into his life, and he is having absolutely none of it. He concedes that while his hands aren't entirely clean in the situation either, he still wants nothing to do with her even if he's gonna be dating someone who's close friends with her. It's a bitter and angry song, and yet it has just enough of an edge and bite to it to be cathartic as all hell. And ultimately, that's why it's topping this list as, anytime I had any sort of negative emotion that I just had to get out in a quick and easy burst, I put this song, bloody valentine, and forget me too on and it did the job instantly. Starting Over and Good Days were maybe the healthier choices for that, but they were more for vibing out and getting lost in them, but sometimes, I don't wanna get lost. I want something as reckless and trashy as I feel like in that moment and just jam the fuck out. Favorite hit song of the year for me, hands down. As always, I hope y'all have a merry Christmas, happy New Year, and may you all stay safe. Take care.

Top 10 Worst Hit Songs Of 2021

2021 was......a year. The music......it existed. There were good songs, there were bad songs, and you know what we're starting with, so let's just get into it.

 

 10

     And we start off with a song that reminds me of what my number one worst of last year should've been.

10) Song: Time Today
      Artist: Moneybagg Yo
      Year-End Position: 76

     Moneybagg Yo is an artist that started out with promise and even looked as though he would become a well beloved talent if he achieved massive chart success. And then the bullshit with Tory Lanez shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot happened, and Moneybagg Yo not only flushed his credibility down the toilet by siding with Lanez in the whole debacle, he also preceded to release a string of crap that showed that any glimpses of talent he had were thoroughly gone, at least for the most part. In hindsight, as godawful as Hard To Forget was and really still is, I really should've listed Said Sum as the worst hit of 2020, not just for how dismissive and condescending the lyrical content and MBY's delivery was on that song, but also for the fact that that zippy violin and inconsistent groove in the bass combined to raise my anxiety to an uncomfortable degree. Well, in the several months that followed, he had several charting songs that were pretty hit or miss in terms of quality, and two of them made this year's year-end chart, and while his other hit on the list, Wockesha, was fine enough (even if it is biting hard off that obvious sample), Time Today wore out its welcome in record time. Essentially a slightly less annoying version of Said Sum, this song is just flat out junk, from the creepy synths that sound like someone scratching a knife blade on a glass back and forth multiple times, the cheap trap skitters, and the complete vacuum of charisma that is Moneybagg Yo himself. His delivery has always toed the line between being confident and self-assured and just outright dickish and like he's talking down to his audience. This is especially true when compounded with the lyrics about how no one can understand his grind and how hard he had to work to achieve his success, which, if this is what all that "hard work" has come to, it was apparently all for naught. Throw in some generic flexing and a girl that apparently gave him fellatio whilst he still had his underwear on, and you've got a disposable nothing of a song that is best forgotten about. Let's move on.

9

I......wasn't gonna put this on the list.

9) Song: Beautiful Mistakes
    Artist: Maroon 5 feat. Megan Thee Stallion
    Year-End Position: 34

 

 

    I'll be real with y'all, I was just planning on leaving this one off entirely, maybe giving it a dishonorable mention at worst. At this point, we all know the glaring issues with what has essentially become nothing more than Adam Levine's shitty vanity project, so going over all of that for the umpteenth time would be nothing short of just redundant. After all, this really is nothing but air taking up radio waves, so wasting any time would be completely meaningless. Hell, at one point in the year, I even liked the song for the guitar line. Needless to say, that has obviously faded into oblivion, and after having to hear this turd one too many times, something just absolutely chipped because, for the, what, twentieth(?) time now, this "group" keeps on finding ways to waste mine and everyone else's time all the while taking up space on the radio, streaming services, and places in peoples' cerebral cortexes even when the final product winds up being absolute garbage. The washed out guitar line over the forgettable trap beat is incredibly underwhelming, Levine sounds checked out as usual, and the jerky melody that has blackbear's stench all over it, it's so much of a huge nothing burger, and yet it rubs just enough of the wrong nerves to absolutely piss me off. Megan sounds fine because, well, she's Megan, but even she's not at her best here as she sounds like she'd rather be literally anywhere else, although it's not like I blame her given that that is the bog-standard reaction and response to finding out that you're gonna be the featured artist to a song by Adam Levine & Co. But what really landed this song here is the content. In this song, Adam Levine is having the most pathetic fantasies that he is hate fucking his ex. This would be an interesting concept if executed properly, but there's two major problems. One, Adam's lifeless as usual performance squashes any chance for this to be sold properly, and two, "beautiful mistakes"? In what way is that flattering? I mean, I've heard of "happy accidents," but there are limits to how far a metaphor should be taken, and this goes beyond those limits easily. Even when Megan states on her verse that she had to fucking block him on social media in the song, Levine still prattles on about his hate sex fantasies like the disinterested, pathetic loser he is. Yeah, to the surprise of no one, Maroon 5 tested my patience yet again. It's just a shame they had to drag someone talented down along with them......again.

8

By contrast, here's a song that was always gonna be destined for this list......

 

8) Song: Fancy Like
    Artist: Walker Hayes
    Year-End Position: 27
 

    And cue the amount of eyebrows raising from how low on the list this song is. Oh, this is bad, but in all honesty, even with all of the corporate cynicism that this song wreaks of, after a while, I just got wore down with it. Ultimately, that is an earworm of a hook, and I can see how one would be able to enjoy it at least in a guilty pleasure sort of way. Make no mistake, though, this is not a good song in any way, shape or form. The ugly, formless guitar line set against percussion that has no sense of groove whatsoever, the uncomfortable amount of empty space in the mix that just leaves the final product feeling unfinished, Hayes' smug ass delivery that postures as suave and effortlessly cool but in reality just ends up being smarmy and obnoxious, it's just insufferable from start to finish. And of course, you have the sheer overabundance of stupidity within the lyrics from Walker saying his girl has a "double wide" (gross), talking about how his girl likes to "dip [him] like them fries in her frosty" (even more gross), and finally, the big elephant in the room surrounding this song, the fact that the hook is nothing but a glorified advertisement for fucking Applebee's of all goddamn places. And don't get me wrong, I like the food there every now and again, but the smug tone when he leads into the hook by sarcastically referring to it as an "upgrade" (god, what dumps are you and your wife visiting, Walker?) is just way too unsettling for a song like this. What gets me the most about this song, though, is something that I haven't seen anyone other than Todd point out, and that is the fact that the song is supposed to be all about how Hayes and his wife don't need a bunch of expensive amenities to make them happy, and yet in the process of talking about she doesn't need a Tesla, Walker Hayes says that his girl is "happy rollin' on a Vespa," and from what I understand, while nowhere near as costly as a Tesla would be, Vespas typically end up costing a pretty penny themselves, so way to undercut the entire message of your song, dumbass. Look, as a meme, if I squint, I guess I can see it as okay(?), but as a song on its own, no, I can't give it a pass. Do better, Hayes.

7

Alright, Aldean, this shit is getting old.

7) Song: If I Didn't Love You

    Artist: Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood

    Year-End Position: 85

      Jason Aldean has been a thorn in my side for a long ass time. I already expressed my issues with him in last year's list, and, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, none of them have had any effort in being resolved whatsoever. All of the issues I expressed with Aldean are still very much present from when I talked about Got What I Got last year, which, in hindsight, should've been way higher than it was, and while If I Didn't Love You isn't quite as bad as that song was, it's still a complete waste of space. Production wise, it's a spare piano line, unnecessary whooshing sound effects that don't fit with anything, an incredibly poor blending of trap and live drums, and an overblown guitar line for the hook that hits like an absolute brick. It's just so synthetic and not at all pleasant to listen to. Lyrically, it's about how if both parties didn't love each other post break-up the way they did, they could just move on with their lives as normal and not have to worry about one another and blah-de-blah-de-blah. Look, I get that breaking up with someone leaves a fuckton of lingering emotions and tangled feelings that, needless to say, aren't always the easiest thing to parse out. The problem is that this song does diddly shit with that concept and just lists off the sterile platitudes that come along with these types of songs without providing any reason to care about or sympathize with either of the parties in this song. And the worst part is, as it usually comes down to with Jason Aldean, the lifeless as hell delivery. He damn near always has a bad habit of dropping back into his lazy, nasal tone that stinks of macho posturing without any of the energy to sell it properly, and in a song where we're supposed to be invested emotionally, that's a massive problem, especially when that vacuum of charisma drags Carrie Underwood down with him and makes her oversing to compensate for his flat ass.  I don't know about you guys, but if I didn't like this song-oh wait, I don't. NEXT!

6

Oh I have a feeling I am not gonna make a lot of fans with this one.

6) Song: Heat Waves
    Artist: Glass Animals
    Year-End Position: 16

     Glass Animals are an act that I had never heard of until the beginning of this year, and to be fair, as soon as I heard there was backlash to this group and this song in particular, I was thinking to myself "c'mon, are they really that bad?" So I listened and, while I wasn't really that impressed, I thought to myself "I mean, it wasn't great by any means, but it wasn't that terrible." Then I heard that hook a lot more and was like "okay, this is starting to get on my nerves now, especially with all that pitch shifting." But then, something happened: a lot more people were coming to this song's defense, to which I decided to give the song another go with fresh ears in hopes I could join that crowd. And then another go. And then another. And it had the exact opposite effect on me because holy god, this song just continued to slowly buy sure grate on my nerves with every subsequent listen. The weak-ass guitar line that gets buried under all the swampy, leaden bass, the numerous filters and pitch shifts placed over the vocals that are a complete mess, and the completely dour atmosphere all were enough to turn me away from this song instantly, not helped by Dave Bailey's singing which sounds like he had to record this directly after running a marathon, that's how out of breath he sounds. But then I took a closer look at the lyrics, and my god, the attitude is just rancid. I get reminiscing about what could have been in a relationship post-breakup, but with lines like this...

"Today I see our reflections in Hollywood"
"You can't fight it, you can't breathe"
"You know that it hurts me too"
"You look so broken when you cry"
"One more and then I'll say goodbye"

......it just sounds so manipulative.  Like, dude, if you're really so intent on letting her go and allowing her to move on with her life after things didn't work out between you two, then do that. You giving into your urges for no discernible reason and continuing to bother despite promise after promise that you'll leave her alone is just sickening. The surface level issues were bad enough already, but it was the underlying ugliness that ultimately lead to this souring on me in the end. If anyone reading this likes this song, great, more power to you, but for me, even as the seasons changed, my feelings on this song just continued to grow cold.

5

Just......why???????

5) Song: Bang!

    Artist: AJR

    Year-End Position: 56

 

     AJR are a band that has been achieving consistent chart success since 2013, but they've never quite been able to stick the landing with any real solid success, and that is more than likely for one reason: their music blows hot ass. It's three brothers continuously whinging about how hard it is to grow up and take actual accountability as they get older with no self-awareness, clever writing, or even a modicum of quality control to be found anywhere. Not helping is the fact that they all sound nasal as hell and choose the cheapest, most blaring, incompetently mixed production there is so that not only are they saying absolutely nothing, but they're not even making any attempt to have even a single bit of it sound good. Bang! isn't the worst thing they've ever made, especially not when you have trash like Bud Like You, I'm Ready, Weak, Burn The House Down, Way Less Sad, etc., but it's still a complete clusterfuck that has absolutely no reason to exist. The limp piano line that just goes nowhere, the jarring transition into the blaring utterances of "BANG  BANG BANG" that never shut the fuck up throughout the entire song, horns that loudly toot along with no rhyme or reason, mechanical percussion that has no groove, the fucking announcer voice that is completely out of place and sounds terrible. The whole thing is just so cluttered and confused, and with how overpowering the mix is, it's just a migraine that overstayed its welcome on the charts fast, so the fact that this was a top 10 hit, on top of just being flat out infuriating, it also makes no goddamn sense. But then you get the lyrics, which are filled with nonsensical lines about having leftover quinoa in their fridge, trying to remember their password, and being rooted in just plain giving up. Seriously, look at this line:

"I'm way too young to lie here forever, I'm way too old to try, so whatever"

Uh, yeah, what the hell else is that supposed to mean? The song is trying to be big and aspirational, but when the main focus of your song is just nothing but encouragement for complete complacency, that clashes horribly with what you're aiming for. And really, this "whatever" attitude is something that most sensible people outgrow as they get older, so for these overgrown manchildren to flagrantly promote this type of toxicity in their music, uh, yeah, no, I've got no patience for that shit. So yeah, this is awful, but then again, it's AJR. I didn't expect anything else.

4

So the next three songs on this list are all gonna be country songs because, let's be real, between these songs and Fancy Like, this genre did not have a good year whatsoever. So let's start off with the most obviously horrible song of this lot......

4) Song: Good Time

    Artist: Niko Moon

    Year-End Position: 84

     Okay, from just the first twenty seconds alone, you can already pinpoint all of the issues that this song is gonna have throughout the rest of the song. Basic as hell bro-country party lyrics, a directionless, clumsy acoustic guitar line that offers little in terms of distinct presence or melody, overpowering bass over some stock trap hi-hats, and a front man turning in a completely anonymous performance. But let's back up for a second because who the hell is this Niko Moon fellow? Well, from what I'm able to gather, he's been a country music insider for the past decade or so and has been a writer for big names in the genre such as Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, Morgan Wallen, and most notably, the Zac Brown Band. It wasn't until the mid-2010s that he actually decided to do some work in the front of the house musically, and in 2019, he got signed with RCA Nashville. Look, I'm sure the dude is a decent writer, and I wouldn't be surprised if any of his other work was something that I could at least find some enjoyment in, but I'm sorry, I keep getting this nagging feeling that he only got the success he did because of corporate meddling of some fashion, and if ever there was a song that had the stench of corporate cynicism all over it, it's Good Time. Putting aside that not only do we have a great pop song with that title by Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen, but we also have a great country song with that title courtesy of the legend himself, Mr. Alan Jackson, this is just a turd from start to finish. Everything about this song just feels wrong. It's meant to be some sort of campfire song that you just sing when you're drunk with your buddies around a campfire, but the whole thing just sounds so cold and calculated that any attempt to be relatable just has "how do you do, fellow kids" vibes written all over it. It's just so sour, and the way that slide guitar on the hook is so poorly tuned and tacked on has always managed to just set my teeth on edge. Moon himself has no presence behind the mic, so any attempts he makes to add any sort of life to the track just ends up dead on arrival. But then we have the content, and if it were just the stock cliches of the bro-country genre, that'd be one thing. However, this feels so goddamn gentrified and like a yuppie with only a vague idea of what southern culture is like trying to write a country song. Mentioning campfires, southern drawls, picking on a guitar, singing Dixieland Delight, fishing, there is no cohesion to any of it, so it just ends up being a grab bag of stereotypes with no rhyme or reason to the point where it's just so gross and condescending in what it's trying to do. Again, I'm sure Niko Moon has talent somewhere, but this ain't it, chief. Also, "apple pie moonshine"? There's no way that tastes good.

3 

You know, I was expecting this artist's last hit to be the one I'd hate more. Moreover, I expected this artist to just go the fuck away......yeah, much to the chagrin of I and many others, that didn't exactly happen.

3) Song: The Good Ones
    Artist: Gabby Barrett
    Year-End Position: 62

     Uuuuuuuggggggghhhhhh. For the love of god, of all the people to give a second hit, why why why why WHY?!?!?!?!? did it have to be Gabby fucking Barrett? I thought we all collectively agreed that her politics were absolute trash, she cannot sing to save her goddamn life, and after the absolute brainrot that was I Hope last year, which stuck around way longer than it should have and was only made worse by that godforsaken Charlie Puth remix, and overall she was best left in the dumpster fire that was 2020. But no, we just haaaaad to give her a follow up hit, and what for? Out of pity? Bleh, fine, whatever, this is the song she decided to release directly after I Hope, and wow, this is so much worse. At least her first hit had some sort of interesting premise to build off of. It did absolutely nothing with it, but at least there was a foundation. The Good Ones, on the other hand, plays it safe the entire time, and it's so fucking boring. Seriously, I dare you to listen to this song for longer than 30 seconds and not want to immediately switch the radio station/go to the next song in the playlist/want to listen to literally anything other than this. The tempo this song moves at is such a snail's pace that every time I listen to it, I feel the residual slime from the trail it leaves behind, and that is for two reasons. The first is this instrumentation. For one thing, the guitars are crushed into this tuneless slurry to the point where they sound heavy and sludgy, and with how barely audible they are coupled with the almost non-existent drums, it creates this mushy, ugly atmosphere not helped by that tinny, squawking synth slathered all over the verses that clashes horribly with what is supposed to be this lovey-dovey song about how great her significant other is and how he's on-.....*sigh* one of "the good ones." Look, I get that there most likely wasn't any ill will on Gabby's part when she made this song, but really, did you have to describe him like that? It just wreaks of your own insecurity issues, and it's not helped when the rest of the lyrics describe him as being nothing more than this squeaky clean Mr. Right who always treats her like he should and does everything so perfectly and holy shit I do not care. Look, I'm glad the relationship is going well, don't get me wrong, but this is just sheer overkill. At least with I Hope, there was some semblance of an interesting idea that just got squandered. This is just dead on arrival, and I hope we never have to hear from Barrett ever again, music or otherwise.

2

Okay, look, I am still very much willing to defend the first hit the featured artist on this song had, but the main band themselves, at least from what I've heard, seem pretty indefensible, and in the case of all of these men, this is just plain not excusable.

2) Song: Just The Way

    Artist: Parmalee & Blanco Brown

    Year-End Position: 88

     Oh boy, this is a song that I was dreading talking about the most. For the uninitiated, this is Parmalee, a country band consisting of brothers Matt & Scott Thomas, their cousin Barry Knox, and childhood best friend Josh McSwain. They broke through around the beginning of the 2010s, and most of their discography is made up of cheap, meatheaded throwaway bro-country garbage mostly centered around how attractive they find certain women to be. Gee, haven't heard that before 😒. These guys aren't the worst thing ever, but my god, they're a waste. But of course, they had to find some way to scrounge up some chart success, and what better way than to team up with the first ever person to try and cash in and piggyback off of the success of Old Town Road, Blanco Brown. Look, to this day, I'm still a defender of The Git Up. Yes, it's cashing in on OTR's virality in an admittedly rather cheap way, but look, the simple steel guitar melody is likable, the jangly percussion has a nice groove to it, and for a dance song that essentially amounts to nothing more than some country line dancing, it does its job incredibly well and is able to be universal and inclusive. Blanco Brown doesn't really strike me as someone who ever needed a personality to work as an artist because, well, he was good with just the one hit. Here, though, they actually tried to give him a personality, if only barely, and...it does not work. At all. His faint whimper of a voice completely evaporates behind the filmy, over-compressed guitars, stale piano chords and snap beat that doesn't mesh with anything in the rest of the mix. I will say, though, that he does sound better than Matt Thomas. Seriously, that monstrous type growl he does sounds absolutely dreadful. Having grit in your voice is one thing, but this just takes it completely overboard to the point where it is just thoroughly unpleasant. Now for the reason this is so high: the lyrical content. This is a song all about how these guys love you, unspecified, nameless girl, for all of the imperfect things about you that make you perfect to them. This isn't a bad concept on paper, but the execution is just plain insulting. I thought we learned from songs like Little Things and All Of Me that when you run through a checklist of all of the faults of your partner, say that you love them for those faults because you can "look past them," and don't talk about any of the *actual* positives they have that you like them for, that raises at least a few red flags and just screams of only being willing to offer the superficial veneer of affection without any of the teeth to back up your claims. But if you'll notice, the line isn't just "I love you just the way you are," no no no, it's "I love you just the way GOD made you" and continues that your imperfections are so important because the big guy upstairs "doesn't make mistakes." So now we've got an unhealthy dollop of religious manipulation added into the mix and I'm just gonna go ahead to the dishonorable mentions before my blood pressure gets too high from the indescribable amounts of anger the message of this song gives me. Good fuck almighty.

Dishonorable Mentions

Song: you broke me first
Artist: Tate McRae
Year-End Position: 37

I guess this is fine on a lyrical level, but goddammit, this is way too stiff and overproduced, and Tate McRae cannot sing to save her life. No thank you.




Song: Way 2 Sexy
Artist: Drake feat. Future & Young Thug

Year-End Position: 48

Say what you want about You're Mines Still and Girls Want Girls, at least the former went for some semblance of emotionality and the latter had a distinct if basic as hell melody. This is just disinterested, lifeless generic bragging over loud, squealing, tuneless synths. Pass.




Song: Glad You Exist
Artist: Dan + Shay
Year-End Position: 64

I've just about had it with Dan + Shay, and this nothing of a song is just one of the reasons why.




Song: Cry Baby

Artist: Megan Thee Stallion feat. DaBaby

Year-End Position: 77

Honestly, this would've made it pretty high on the list proper had the initial reaction of shock, horror, and disgust not worn off on me. Still doesn't excuse the fact that that mewling baby noise providing the main "melody" of the beat is annoying as hell. Oh, and DaBaby can run into a cactus.

 

 

 

 

Song: Need To Know

Artist: Doja Cat

Year-End Position: 46

Similar reasons as before. The production is claustrophobic, creepy and unsettling in a way that clashes horrifically with the seductive, intimate vibe it's going for, and Doja has done far better than this. Oh, and Dr. Luke can join DaBaby on that cactus.

Song: Throat Baby (Go Baby)

Artist: BRS Kash

Year-End Position: 97

Yuck.

Song: Arcade

Artist: Duncan Laurence

Year-End Position: 82

Faux indie fart in the wind with a bungled metaphor, warbly vocals, and instrumentation so dank and heavy with little in terms of distinct melody. I think I'll just let the shittiness speak for itself on this one.

Song: lonely

Artist: Justin Bieber & Benny Blanco

Year-End Position: 65

I actually don't mind the melancholic melody, and the concept of fame turning someone into a monster would be believable from literally anyone other than Justin Bieber. It's just a shame that that's whose hands it wound up in. 

And now for five songs that hit the top 20 this year that would've made this list had they been eligible.

Song: a p p l y i n g . p r e s s u r e

Artist: J. Cole

Peak: 13

The beat is cool and the flow is alright. Too bad Cole had to waste it on pseudo-intellectual nonsense regarding basic economics, deflecting any and all blame for any wrongdoings of his, and showing how thin-skinned he is when he receives even the tiniest bit of criticism. C'mon, dude, you're better than this.

Song: Girls Want Girls

Artist: Drake feat. Lil Baby

Peak: 2

Hey, never said this schlock was good. Boring as sin production, checked out performances from both of our performers, and the cherry on top...

"say that you a lesbian, girl, me too"

......I don't think anything else needs to be said.




Song: Miss The Rage

Artist: Trippie Red feat. Playboi Carti

Peak: 11

OW MY FRICKIN' EARS!!!!!!

Song: Wasted On You

Artist: Morgan Wallen

Peak: 9

Setting aside a certain......infamous thing that Wallen did in the beginning of this year that pretty much killed any and all good will the general public had towards this guy, this is just an ugly, misshapen song with nothing but vitriol without the nuance and catharsis to balance it out over one of the most thoroughly unpleasant fusions of trap and country there is. Dangerous: The Double Album had some legit great songs on it, but this was most certainly not one of them.

Song: Am I The Only One

Artist: Aaron Lewis

Peak: 14

And we cap off this section with the song that easily would've been right at the top of this list had it been eligible. Rank conservative propaganda that is as disingenuous as can be over a spare, bland acoustic guitar line, shrill, yarling vocals from the former frontman of Staind, and let's not forget blatant RACISM as he laments the removal of Confederate statues from many public squares across the country. Fuck this song and fuck Aaron Lewis.

And now to finish this shit.

1

I'm......surprised by this pick. Not because it's on this list, not in the slightest, I've always hated this song, but rather, I'm surprised by the fact that, by the end of the year, I ended up hating this so much that it ended up right at the top of this list. But at the end of the day, the more I thought about it, the more it just made sense, to the point where I really couldn't think of anything else more fitting for the top spot. And so, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else in between......Ritt Momney.

1) Song: Put Your Records On

    Artist: Ritt Momney

    Year-End Position: 93

Now, on the surface, one might look at a song like this and go "really, this is what you're putting at the top of your worst list?" And, in any other circumstance, you might've been right. After all, what is it, really? Just a pretty mediocre cover of a largely forgotten song that few people, if any, think about to this day? Well, it goes a lot deeper than that for me. So let's back up a bit......that bit being 15 years ago:

This is Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae, an often forgot little slice of indie pop that was released in 2006. Before the last couple months of last year, I'd not heard anybody talk about this song due to the abomination we'll be getting to in a second, but in all honesty, if there was a song that deserved to be way bigger than it was, it would be this song because it genuinely is really damn good. The light, flowery acoustics play off of the bouncy percussion really well, CBR has the right amount of energy and bubbliness to make a song like this work, and for a song about one girl encouraging another to take it easy and relax after a break-up as things will begin to look up for her in the end, it really is comforting and the perfect song for anyone to throw on to put their mind at complete ease. So what would happen if one were to take this absolutely blissful song and turn it into a lo-fi bedroom pop song that was meant to be even slower and more chilled out? Enter Ritt Momney, a kid in his very early 20s from Salt Lake City, Utah who, yes, does have a stage name that is a spoonerism of the politician that ran against Obama for president in 2012 (and lost, thankfully), and it is as stupid as it sound. I didn't think that the results could turn out to be this disastrous, but...oh......oh good god, he deformed this song in so many different ways that it's difficult to decide where the hell to even begin. Well, for one, the song was from one girl to another to add a sense of ease and camaraderie to show that she's there for her whenever she needs something. Here, the tone being from the perspective of a guy sounds more like he's hitting on this girl, which has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the song. It comes off more like "yeah, girl, you just need to put your mind at ease so go on, listen to some music, explore nature......and oh yeah, you can do it all with me and maybe we'll hit something off ourselves." Like, that just comes across as completely icky to me. This sense of underlying tactics that are skeevy and kinda vile, it just soils what the original song is going for on principle. But then you get to the vocals and production, and......it is just uncomfortable. The metallic, underweight keyboard line and synths and cluttered percussion are meant to sound pretty, but all they really do is just add layers upon layers of tension to the point where it almost feels suffocating. Ritt Momney himself uses this high falsetto that is just ear-piercing to the point that it just resonates on all the wrong frequencies for me. Not to mention all of the layers of reverb and autotune that just make him sound so robotic and processed. The worst moment, hands down, though, is that bridge that just warps and dements itself to the point of sheer anxiety. Hell, this whole thing is anxiety personified, and ultimately, that's why it tops this list, not just that it missed the point of the original, but that it transformed it into something so ugly and misshapen that why anyone would actively choose to listen to it just baffles me to no end. Hopefully this is the only thing Ritt Momney contributes to the pop scene because this has no reason to exist. Worst hit song of 2021 by a country mile. Best list coming soon, I will see y'all when that drops. Thanks for reading.