Nobody To Blame is a fantastic example of how multifaceted Chris Stapleton's talent is. The adroit guitar work here is stellar, as are his lively lyrics, which approach the "I messed up" theme from a materialistic angle– he makes it work, matter-of-factly recalling a list of anger-motivated incidents from which he suffered. With his husky, wholehearted voice, the song is a vivid anecdotal journey as well as an absolute jam. Stapleton has quite the range to boot, his wrenching high notes adding depth to the track. The lengthy outro, which features an overload of boisterously played guitars, is a ton of fun; it might even be the best part of the whole song. That's saying something, considering how much of a clinic the remainder is.
This position in 2015: Kelsea Ballerini - Love Me Like You Mean It
Dierks Bentley f/Elle King - Different For Girls
9.2/10
I loathe the fact that I utterly adore Bentley and King's performance here, because the lyrical content of Different For Girls–even if it was coming from a sincere place–is questionable at best and downright misogynistic at worst. Bentley has a daughter, and one can only hope she won't take this track seriously. Actually, this should be more of a strike against the golden reputation of songwriter Shane McAnally -- who has, ironically, penned female empowerment anthems -- than one against Bentley's. But I digress. The instrumental is beautifully soothing, filled with tenderness despite feeling quite heavy at times. The two combine for gorgeous harmonies throughout the song, and King brings the vulnerability that the song dictates her to. The slight heaviness of the whole thing contributes to its melancholic nature, as does the somber guitar solo towards the end of the track. The addition of strings into the mix neatly finishes the atmosphere.
This position in 2015: Luke Bryan - Strip It Down / Blake Shelton - Sangria
To rank this song as my favorite country single of 2016 was such an unbelievably easy decision that writing this almost feels anticlimactic for me. Maren Morris is such an audacious artist, and her writing is eloquent and astute on My Church, in which she boldly and ingeniously utilizes religious imagery to illustrate her love for her genre. Her bubbly enthusiasm is contagious, and it gives the song a distinct sense of authenticity that is so elusive in the mainstream. The verses, brimming with warmth and passion, segue seamlessly into the triumphant chorus. The instrumentation is fresh, nicely capturing the exuberant mood of the song. Almost as a bonus, producer Busbee layers her vocals perfectly, helping to make the hook even more heavenly than it already was. My Church is as earnest as it is fun– the very best of both worlds.
This position in 2015: Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey
Worst:
8. Wale - My PYT
7. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey f/Zedd - Starving
6. Charlie Puth - One Call Away
5. Selena Gomez - Hands To Myself
4. Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
3. Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better
2. Lukas Graham - Mama Said
1. Lukas Graham - 7 Years
Favorite Albums:
21 Savage & Metro Boomin - Savage Mode
Favorite tracks: X, Savage Mode, Ocean Drive, No Advance
Least favorite tracks: Feel It
Drake - Views
Favorite tracks: Hotline Bling, Controlla, One Dance, 9, Faithful, U With Me? Weston Road Flows, Feel No Ways, Keep The Family Close, Pop Style
Least favorite tracks: Redemption, Views, Too Good, With You
Young Thug - Jeffery
Favorite tracks: Webbie, Harambe, Wyclef Jean, Pick Up The Phone
Least favorite tracks: Swizz Beatz
twenty one pilots - Blurryface
Favorite tracks: Ride, Stressed Out, We Don't Believe What's On TV, The Judge, Fairly Local, Tear In My Heart, Lane Boy
Least favorite tracks: N/A
Maren Morris - Hero
Favorite tracks: My Church, I Wish I Was, I Could Use A Love Song, Sugar, How It's Done, Just Another Thing
Least favorite tracks: Rich
Travis Scott - Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight
Favorite tracks: Coordinate, Through The Late Night, Wonderful, Pick Up The Phone, First Take, Way Back, The Ends
Least favorite tracks: Sweet Sweet, Guidance, Lose
Honorable Mentions:
Ty Dolla $ign f/Travis Scott - 3 Wayz
Ariana Grande - Moonlight
Daya - Got The Feeling
Lil Uzi Vert - You Was Right
Whew, this is a massive final update (so far) indeed
Worst Songs:
Starving being here You tried it! Hands to Myself as well
One Call Away + Treat You Better are basic but I don't stan so I'm fine with their appearances.
Not a fan of Bieber but I actually enjoy Love Yourself. The other 3
Favorite Albums:
Blurryface All the slayful singles being among your fave tracks
Quote:
Honorable Mentions:
Ariana Grande - Moonlight
Daya - Got The Feeling
Tory Lanez emulates Miguel in this throbbing uptempo, and he pulls it off incredibly well. The sultry, fast-paced guitar line is a great anchor for the song, and his vocal performance is stunningly smooth. He is able to stretch his words effortlessly, like that great "GIRL! friend" during the second verse. He never strays too far from the fantastic hook, which is a smart move. It is brief and graceful yet hard-hitting. In fact, the whole song feels quite high-flying. Its subject matter is uncomplicated and not worthy of much discussion, let alone praise, but the production is simply incredible. It's light as well as mature, helping to make LA Confidential an awfully alluring track.
This position in 2015: Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand This position in 2014: MAGIC! - Let Your Hair Down
Thick, sexy, and positively smoldering, Kiss It Better is steamy R&B done right. The oft-mentioned guitar is indeed the star of the show, but equally impressive are the cavernous, pounding drums that add an aura of drama to the track. Rihanna is up to the task; she handles the slowness of the song nicely, cleanly moving through her verses and delivering the enchanting "what are you willing to do?" line during the hooks. Rather than feeling like contrived climaxes, the choruses on Kiss It Better feel like natural releases of the energy and tension that builds during the verses. It's a delectable song, the grand guitar outro the cherry on top.
This position in 2015: Shaggy f/Mohombi, Faydee, & Costi - I Need Your Love This position in 2014: Coldplay - Magic
Ellie Goulding - Something In The Way You Move
9.3/10
It took a while for Ellie Goulding to recapture the dance-pop magic she unleashed on Lights, but fortunately she was able to do so. Here, her ethereal vocals are paired with a cute glossy instrumental, and it's a near-perfect match. The structure of the track is also immaculate, the verses building in anticipation for the soaring chorus, which beautifully showcases her higher range. The beat drop, despite having an inescapable familiarity to it, is euphoric every time for me. The sincere piano chords during the bridge are a pretty touch. The theme of the song is commonplace and it literally brings nothing new to the table, but that doesn't affect my enjoyment of it one bit. Something In The Way You Move is a flawlessly executed ode to lust that is both danceable and dreamy.
This position in 2015: Miguel f/Wale - Coffee This position in 2014: Lorde - Tennis Court
Simultaneously delicate and potent, Faded's versatility is its biggest advantage. It is a song that you can close your eyes and immerse yourself in, or a song that you can go crazy at a club to. It commences with pristine, wistful piano chords and Solheim's angelic vocal, creating a sad but slightly haunting and unsettling atmosphere. Walker's futuristic synths–which are unbelievably catchy–are soon introduced, and the song then opens up into a booming, robust breakdown. The lyrics are introspective without being trite as well as vague enough to elicit curiosity and further the sense of mystery that shrouds the song. Faded strikes the perfect balance between intimacy and energy; as such, it is a stunning accomplishment in dance music.
This position in 2015: Years & Years - King This position in 2014: Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat
Non-hit on BB200 I suppose?
I don't like Faded at all, over here it was a big hit
Kiss It Jesus though
Yeah I'm only referring to Billboard's charts when I say "non-hit." But a song has to have been at least pushed to radio here for it to qualify for the non-hits list.