The 2015 Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Chart has arrived, and it's just as diverse as I'd hoped. It's certainly been a crazy year for music, and pop music is certainly no exception to the rule. I mean, I thought last year's chart was crazy, but this year has outdone even last year. I mean, "Uptown Funk" was the longest-sitting No. 1 song of the decade, reigning king for 14 consecutive weeks, only dethroned by the Wiz Khalifa / Charlie Puth duet "See You Again". While I didn't love every song that made the chart, I did love quite a few, and so here are ten of my favorites (plus some honorable mentions).
10. George Ezra - "Budapest"
Year-End Position: #89
Hot 100 Peak: #32
I still remember the first time I heard George Ezra. It was summer of 2014 and my parents had just gone to bed, and Later... With Jools Holland was on TV. One of the performers on that episode was a then-relatively-unknown George Ezra playing his hit "Budapest", which ended up peaking at #3 on the UK singles chart. Here was a guy who was not only a great songwriter and guitar player, but who also had a voice beyond his years. Since that day I'd been hoping he'd have some success here in the United States, and while this song didn't chart as high as I wanted it to, it still made the year-end chart, which is good enough for me.
Hot 100 Peak: #32
I still remember the first time I heard George Ezra. It was summer of 2014 and my parents had just gone to bed, and Later... With Jools Holland was on TV. One of the performers on that episode was a then-relatively-unknown George Ezra playing his hit "Budapest", which ended up peaking at #3 on the UK singles chart. Here was a guy who was not only a great songwriter and guitar player, but who also had a voice beyond his years. Since that day I'd been hoping he'd have some success here in the United States, and while this song didn't chart as high as I wanted it to, it still made the year-end chart, which is good enough for me.
9. OMI - "Cheerleader"
Year-End Position: #11
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (six non-consecutive weeks)
The original version of "Cheerleader" OMI (pronounced OH-mee) is a pretty generic reggae song with nothing really special about it. It wasn't until German tropical house producer Felix Jaehn gave the song a complete makeover that the song became something interesting. The song's lyrics are pretty cheesy, but thanks to Jaehn's production on the remix, this song is still a summery, danceable hit.. Tropical house has definitely been one of this year's newest sounds, with artists like Matoma, Thomas Jack, and Kygo gaining traction and drawing large crowds at festivals.
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (six non-consecutive weeks)
The original version of "Cheerleader" OMI (pronounced OH-mee) is a pretty generic reggae song with nothing really special about it. It wasn't until German tropical house producer Felix Jaehn gave the song a complete makeover that the song became something interesting. The song's lyrics are pretty cheesy, but thanks to Jaehn's production on the remix, this song is still a summery, danceable hit.. Tropical house has definitely been one of this year's newest sounds, with artists like Matoma, Thomas Jack, and Kygo gaining traction and drawing large crowds at festivals.
8. Walk the Moon - "Shut Up and Dance"
Year-End Position: #6
Hot 100 Peak: #4
Oh, Walk the Moon. I still remember when you four were still virtual unknowns, and when "Anna Sun" was still in heavy rotation on college radio stations. I also remember how disappointed I was when it flooded at my school and y'all had to cancel a performance. I've already graduated though, so not much I can do about it now. I'm not going to be the one who says that I knew about Walk the Moon before everyone else did, so I'll spare you the pretention and get to my feelings of this song.
This song is a fun power-pop song that very well could have been written by Cheap Trick in the 80s. It always makes me so happy whenever I listen to it, because it's just a very upbeat song. While I honestly wasn't a fan of "Anna Sun", I really, really enjoyed this new song from the band, and I hope they continue to go in this direction in the future.
Hot 100 Peak: #4
Oh, Walk the Moon. I still remember when you four were still virtual unknowns, and when "Anna Sun" was still in heavy rotation on college radio stations. I also remember how disappointed I was when it flooded at my school and y'all had to cancel a performance. I've already graduated though, so not much I can do about it now. I'm not going to be the one who says that I knew about Walk the Moon before everyone else did, so I'll spare you the pretention and get to my feelings of this song.
This song is a fun power-pop song that very well could have been written by Cheap Trick in the 80s. It always makes me so happy whenever I listen to it, because it's just a very upbeat song. While I honestly wasn't a fan of "Anna Sun", I really, really enjoyed this new song from the band, and I hope they continue to go in this direction in the future.
7. Drake - "Hotline Bling"
Year-End Position: #30
Hot 100 Peak: #2
Man, it's been Drake's year. From a headlining set at Coachella to a hilariously one-sided Meek Mill beef, Drake has been at the top of the rap game this year right algonside Kendrick Lamar, who incidentally is in the middle of a slight beef with Drake.
Save for "Trap Queen", there haven't been a whole lot of hip-hop songs that were mega-hits this year. Late in the year, this song hit the Top 10, and was only held off the #1 spot by Adele's "Hello". It's probably my favorite Drake song so far, with Drake's signature sing-rapping and trip-hopppy trap-flavored instrumentals.
It should be noted that this song has been called 'sexist' by some bloggers and writers, and to an extent, I can see what they're getting at. I guess like any big Drake hit, it does everything it's supposed to do: generate stupid memes and cause a little bit of controversy. However, it was still good enough for Sufjan Stevens to cover it in one of his shows, so it's good enough for me to put it in this list.
Hot 100 Peak: #2
Man, it's been Drake's year. From a headlining set at Coachella to a hilariously one-sided Meek Mill beef, Drake has been at the top of the rap game this year right algonside Kendrick Lamar, who incidentally is in the middle of a slight beef with Drake.
Save for "Trap Queen", there haven't been a whole lot of hip-hop songs that were mega-hits this year. Late in the year, this song hit the Top 10, and was only held off the #1 spot by Adele's "Hello". It's probably my favorite Drake song so far, with Drake's signature sing-rapping and trip-hopppy trap-flavored instrumentals.
It should be noted that this song has been called 'sexist' by some bloggers and writers, and to an extent, I can see what they're getting at. I guess like any big Drake hit, it does everything it's supposed to do: generate stupid memes and cause a little bit of controversy. However, it was still good enough for Sufjan Stevens to cover it in one of his shows, so it's good enough for me to put it in this list.
6. Sam Hunt - "Take Your Time"
Year-End Position: #45
Hot 100 Peak: #20
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Not all country music has to sound like George Strait! Yes, Sam Hunt's genre is often debated (just look at the comments on his Youtube videos if you don't believe me), but I personally don't really care. To me, he's twangy enough to be considered country. Now, let's talk about the song itself. Sam Hunt's abilities as a songwriter make him stand out among the Luke Bryans and Jason Aldeans in country. Rather than writing overly-masculine songs about tailgates and beers, Sam Hunt takes the more sincere route, penning this wonderfully-made ballad about meeting a pretty woman at a bar, and just wanting to "take her time". It's not too masculine at all, it's a very sweet love song about meeting a beautiful woman. Sam Hunt is an artist that pop country needs. Because he writes his songs himself, there is a lot more authenticity behind his lyrics. He has all the markings of bro-country artists without all the pandering or corny stuff.
Well, now that I've bashed bro-country, please continue reading about the songs I did like from this year!
Hot 100 Peak: #20
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Not all country music has to sound like George Strait! Yes, Sam Hunt's genre is often debated (just look at the comments on his Youtube videos if you don't believe me), but I personally don't really care. To me, he's twangy enough to be considered country. Now, let's talk about the song itself. Sam Hunt's abilities as a songwriter make him stand out among the Luke Bryans and Jason Aldeans in country. Rather than writing overly-masculine songs about tailgates and beers, Sam Hunt takes the more sincere route, penning this wonderfully-made ballad about meeting a pretty woman at a bar, and just wanting to "take her time". It's not too masculine at all, it's a very sweet love song about meeting a beautiful woman. Sam Hunt is an artist that pop country needs. Because he writes his songs himself, there is a lot more authenticity behind his lyrics. He has all the markings of bro-country artists without all the pandering or corny stuff.
Well, now that I've bashed bro-country, please continue reading about the songs I did like from this year!
5. Taylor Swift - "Wildest Dreams"
Year-End Position: #57
Hot 100 Peak: #5
Taylor Swift had a whopping five singles make the Year-End chart--a feat only topped by Drake with six entries--but my favorite of those five would have to be "Wildest Dreams". With a constant heartbeat thumping throughout the song, "Wildest Dreams" is a very dreamy song. It sounds like something Chvrches easily could've recorded and is a beautifully made and thrilling song.
Hot 100 Peak: #5
Taylor Swift had a whopping five singles make the Year-End chart--a feat only topped by Drake with six entries--but my favorite of those five would have to be "Wildest Dreams". With a constant heartbeat thumping throughout the song, "Wildest Dreams" is a very dreamy song. It sounds like something Chvrches easily could've recorded and is a beautifully made and thrilling song.
4. Jason Derulo - "Want To Want Me"
Year-End Position: #17
Hot 100 Peak: #5
When I saw that Jason Derulo somehow had another song crack the Top 10, I let out a groan. However, I certainly wasn't ready to love it as much as I did. I liked last year's big song "Talk Dirty", but wasn't a big fan of either "Wiggle" or "Trumpets". This song is easily the best I've heard form Jason Derulo. It's a Michael Jackson-esque dance floor burner that's just way too much fun to ignore. It's hard to listen to and not want to dance to. Derulo has now proven that he can make songs that are both good and fun.
Hot 100 Peak: #5
When I saw that Jason Derulo somehow had another song crack the Top 10, I let out a groan. However, I certainly wasn't ready to love it as much as I did. I liked last year's big song "Talk Dirty", but wasn't a big fan of either "Wiggle" or "Trumpets". This song is easily the best I've heard form Jason Derulo. It's a Michael Jackson-esque dance floor burner that's just way too much fun to ignore. It's hard to listen to and not want to dance to. Derulo has now proven that he can make songs that are both good and fun.
3. Hozier - "Take Me To Church"
Year-End Position: #14
Hot 100 Peak: #2
Hozier seemed to come out of nowhere. I remember him gaining popularity towards the end of last year, but I didn't think he'd become a superstar. This is not the type of song I'd expect to become a huge hit. It's dark and moody, dealing with a frustration with the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality. Perhaps the strangest thing about that is that it was played at the Victoria's Secret fashion show!
While this isn't my favorite song by Hozier--my personal favorites are "Work Song" and "Jackie and Wilson"--this is still a fantastic song, and I'm happy to see Hozier become a bona fide superstar.
Hot 100 Peak: #2
Hozier seemed to come out of nowhere. I remember him gaining popularity towards the end of last year, but I didn't think he'd become a superstar. This is not the type of song I'd expect to become a huge hit. It's dark and moody, dealing with a frustration with the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality. Perhaps the strangest thing about that is that it was played at the Victoria's Secret fashion show!
While this isn't my favorite song by Hozier--my personal favorites are "Work Song" and "Jackie and Wilson"--this is still a fantastic song, and I'm happy to see Hozier become a bona fide superstar.
2. Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Year-End Position: #1
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (14 weeks!)
I seriously defy you to point me out one bad thing about this song. Protip: You can't. I've tried doing just that, and I just haven't been able to.
This song has the full package: thumpin' bass, horns blarin', jammin' guitars, and Bruno Mars' best vocal performance on a song yet. I didn't even know it was him at first.
I've sung this song's praises a lot this year so there's not a whole lot more I can say about it that isn't original, and while it's still one of my favorite songs of the year, there is still one pop song that I think is even better, which I'll talk to you about after these honorable mentions.
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (14 weeks!)
I seriously defy you to point me out one bad thing about this song. Protip: You can't. I've tried doing just that, and I just haven't been able to.
This song has the full package: thumpin' bass, horns blarin', jammin' guitars, and Bruno Mars' best vocal performance on a song yet. I didn't even know it was him at first.
I've sung this song's praises a lot this year so there's not a whole lot more I can say about it that isn't original, and while it's still one of my favorite songs of the year, there is still one pop song that I think is even better, which I'll talk to you about after these honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
- "Bad Blood" - Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar - While the original "Bad Blood" was just ok, Taylor Swift brought in Kendrick Lamar to do a remix where her verses are replaced with him rapping, and it becomes a much different - and in my opinion better - song as a result.
- "Cant Feel My Face" - The Weeknd - Like Jason Derulo with "Want To Want Me", The Weeknd takes a different route from his usual style to go full 80s disco, and it works wonderfully.
- "Downtown" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Eric Nally, Kool Moe Dee, Grandmaster Caz, and Melle Mel - Macklemore's first new single in two year is a wonderfully cheesy ode to riding mopeds, but that's far from the best part. This song features three of the hip-hop genre's founding fathers in Melle Mel, Kool Mo Dee, and Grandmaster Caz, and the fact that they have their first-ever Top 40 hit in 2015 thanks to Macklemore is awesome.
- "Ex's & Oh's" - Elle King - Elle King is a singer who knows how to belt out some tunes, one of which is this tune. While my personal favorite song from her debut Love Stuff has not yet been released as a single, I'm glad to see such a talented artist with such a big voice gain attention.
- "Hello" - Adele - We've missed you, Adele.
- "House Party" - Sam Hunt - This song actually got negative reviews from a lot of critics, and yet I still love it. I guess because of my previous point about talking about things that all of us love but without pandering to anyone. No mentions of red solo cups here. Just good times.
- "No Type" - Rae Sremmurd - A wild, rowdy hip-hop song by one of modern hip-hop's youngest groups, with a banger beat courtesy of Mike Will Made It.
- "Renegades" - X Ambassadors - Another group that I'm happy to see in the Top 40, X Ambassadors are like a less-boring Imagine Dragons.
- "Riptide" - Vance Joy - Australian indie-folk singer Vance Joy gives is a delightfully jangly summer ukulele jam.
- "What Do You Mean" - Justin Bieber - Justin Bieber is all grown up now, and really, so am I. I am capable of making my own judgments. So if I want to put a Justin Bieber song in my honorable mentions, you bet I'm gonna do it. This song is great. The tropical house instrumentals are a plus, and Bieber's puppy-lovey lyrics and squierrely voice are no longer there. He's now his own artist.
1. Tove Lo - "Talking Body"
Year-End Position: #37
Hot 100 Peak: #12
It's absolutely criminal that this song didn't crack the Top 10, because of all the songs on Tove Lo's album Queen Of the Clouds--which is excellent in its own right--this is the best. However, I'm happy to see it made the Year-End Chart, sitting pretty at #37.
I've always talked about how much I love Tove Lo's songwriting and her strong penchant for catchy hooks and massive-sounding choruses, and this song I think proves my point.
"Talking Body", according to Tove Lo herself, is a song about "two people trying to get over their problems by having lots and lots of sex", and in the broader context of the album, it's a pretty brilliant song. For those not in the know, Queen Of the Clouds is divided into three portions: The Sex, The Love, and The Pain, and obviously, "Talking Body" fits into the first category. Basically, the album goes through the stages of a relationship, from the time you first meet the person to the time the relationship ends and you're trying your best to move on.
Tove Lo is an artist and songwriter that deserves more success. She's a brilliant artist, and with Queen Of the Clouds, she created an album that I've heard described as intelligent and personal but also mainstream and audience-friendly. It's not common to have artists who do that, and that's why I love Tove Lo so much as an artist, singer, and songwriter.
Hot 100 Peak: #12
It's absolutely criminal that this song didn't crack the Top 10, because of all the songs on Tove Lo's album Queen Of the Clouds--which is excellent in its own right--this is the best. However, I'm happy to see it made the Year-End Chart, sitting pretty at #37.
I've always talked about how much I love Tove Lo's songwriting and her strong penchant for catchy hooks and massive-sounding choruses, and this song I think proves my point.
"Talking Body", according to Tove Lo herself, is a song about "two people trying to get over their problems by having lots and lots of sex", and in the broader context of the album, it's a pretty brilliant song. For those not in the know, Queen Of the Clouds is divided into three portions: The Sex, The Love, and The Pain, and obviously, "Talking Body" fits into the first category. Basically, the album goes through the stages of a relationship, from the time you first meet the person to the time the relationship ends and you're trying your best to move on.
Tove Lo is an artist and songwriter that deserves more success. She's a brilliant artist, and with Queen Of the Clouds, she created an album that I've heard described as intelligent and personal but also mainstream and audience-friendly. It's not common to have artists who do that, and that's why I love Tove Lo so much as an artist, singer, and songwriter.