Another year, another ranking of all the songs to hit the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. 2022 was a wild one; there were classic song revivals, record-breaking album bombs, a crapton of film/TV show soundtracks...it had it all. With 92 songs hitting the Top 10 (wow holy shit, was it really 92?), there was obviously a wide range as far as quality is concerned, with a lot that I loved, and A LOT I found really “meh.” Let’s rank them!
Now, I’ve done this list plenty of times, but since you could always use a refresher, I divide my list into five distinct “tiers” and put every song in a specific tier and rank them as best as I humanly can. This year, I also got a little creative with some of the tiers, something that was necessitated by the kind of music that was charting. With each song, I’ll also add a few sentences or so to give my overall feelings about them.
As always, since this has to be stressed; this list is merely my opinion. I’m a little more positive than other music critics I watch, so I might have enjoyed some songs most than others did. It’s totally okay if you disagree, but let’s keep those disagreements civil in the comments. Now, let’s get into the...VERY long list:
THE CHRISTMAS SONGS TIER
Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes / Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano / It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams / A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives / Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee / All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey / Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
For the past few years, I’ve been basically making the Christmas songs a tie in the middle of the list. Most of that comes from me not wanting to upset anyone with my opinion on most Christmas songs, and because I don’t necessarily care about them. With the exception of one Top 10 song, I’m now dedicating a tier solely to these songs, and not attaching any number to them. Sorry, but I’m still not crazy about them. I’ve made it clear that my enthusiasm for the Christmas season has dwindled over the years, and even if that wasn’t the case, most of these are not songs that really excite me much. Once again, if we could ever get “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande back into the Top 10, then we’d be talking.
I HATED THESE!!!
84. pushin P by Gunna and Future ft. Young Thug
Jokes and blue P emojis aside…this song is literally nothing to me. Nothing about it sounds like it matters. The production is beyond bland, and while the structure of Gunna and Future’s tradeoffs could’ve made for an interesting cadence, it just ends up becoming boring because there’s no structure to anything they’re doing. Both of them sound asleep at the wheel and have no energy whatsoever, which is pretty bad for a song that they tried to turn into a catchphrase. Young Thug is barely better, but that’s pretty much faint praise: I presume his verse is as fun as, as he says, “fucking a cup of water” (whatever the hell that means). I’m still not entirely clear what “pushin P” really is, but none of them sound like they’re doing that here.
83. STAYING ALIVE by DJ Khaled ft. Drake and Lil Baby
Trust me when I say, this and “pushin P” were in a VERY close race for the bottom spot on this list. It could probably come down to a coin toss. Really, it was a generic-off; who could out-generic the other. And quite frankly, it doesn’t really matter to me, because neither song is all that good. In the case of “STAYING ALIVE,” it’s about as milquetoast and forgettable as any DJ Khaled song, only this time it sees Drake continuing his strange phase of taking a very well-known song and flipping it in the worst of ways. First, it was Right Said Fred on “Way 2 Sexy,” and now it’s a half-hearted flip of “Staying Alive” by The Bee Gees. And then he had to go and bastardize Daft Punk? Fuck off. I suppose Lil Baby sounds okay, but everything else in this song sounds like it doesn’t matter. I think what’s most surprising is that this is my lowest-ranking song of the year that has Drake on it in some capacity. Though, that’s not to say it’s worse than “Honestly, Nevermind” by itself...they’re lucky “Currents” didn’t hit the Top 10.
I DIDN’T LIKE THESE!
82. Super Gremlin by Kodak Black
I don’t know what’s more of a surprise: the fact that Kodak Black is still getting attention, or the fact that I didn’t absolutely dread one of his songs. I’ve actively tried to avoid most of Kodak’s music, only really listening in when either A. he features on an album I plan to listen to, or B. something he’s on pops into the Top 10. The latter happened here, and I guess the only reason I can’t say I hated it is because it was if nothing else listenable compared to his other stuff. But even with a lighter, smoother instrumental, the chipmunk chorus sample and mostly bad bars really turn me off from this. I’ll also say one of the biggest problems I’ve had with Kodak in the past is his voice, as I’ve never been able to get past the overly nasal tone that makes him sound like a human beehive. Here, it’s not as annoying, but it sounds at points like he’s trying to be a more slurred Gucci Mane. Yeah, not for me, though I’m impressed I don’t hate it.
81. abcdefu by GAYLE
I don’t remember where I first heard this in 2021, but I feel like I would’ve been totally fine with not hearing it again. So you can imagine my surprise when the song did end up hitting the Top 10 near the beginning of 2022. I’ll say that I don’t absolutely loathe this song and its entire existence like many others do, but I just can’t find much to enjoy about it. It’s a serviceable pop song with decent enough vocals from GAYLE, but to me, it sinks under its clunky chorus that annoys more than it hooks. I also found it hard not to get hung up on the song’s...rather cringey lyrics (though to GAYLE’s credit, at least she had concern for the dog. As a dog lover myself, I can never speak ill of the dogs). I see what GAYLE was going for, and I can see why people enjoy it as a toxic, rebellious piece of pop rock, but for me, it comes across as too corny to keep my attention for long.
80. Falling Back by Drake
Hell must’ve frozen over in 2022 because I, someone who defends even some of Drake’s weaker projects, finally found a Drake album to be pretty terrible. Thankfully, of the three songs that hit the Top 10 (I’m surprised it was only three, but I owe it to the surprise release), this was probably the only “bad” one that hit the charts. And honestly, it had some potential; the instrumental was actually pretty nice (something I can honestly say about a fair bit of “Honestly, Nevermind”) and Drake didn’t sound too bad at first. And then he jumped into his higher register...what the fuck happened there? Did no one hear that back and tell him “bro...no...never again.” That in and of itself took this down a lot and pretty much ruined it for me. But hey, listeners, thank you again for not getting “Currents” into the Top 10 because I don’t know if I would’ve had the mental capacity to put up with that song again.
79. Super Freaky Girl by Nicki Minaj
Between you and me (and everyone else reading this), I’m happy that Nicki finally got her first solo #1 on the Hot 100. It feels like it should’ve happened several times before, but this one was a long time coming and it’s good that she finally got one. That said, as happy as I am that she finally got that...I just don’t like the song. The Rick James sample is clever enough and does work in service to the instrumental, but Nicki’s verses don’t really grab me much (other than the last one where she speeds up the flow a bit), and the chorus...honestly just really annoys me. I don’t begrudge Nicki’s decision to fall back into the route of making something a little more poppy with a single, but this one just doesn’t do anything for me. I can’t really give it much other than an obligatory congratulations for being her first solo #1. Other than that...nope.
78. BackOutsideBoyz by Drake
Sometimes, I question whether I should change the format of these lists in the wake of the rampant “album bombs” that have led to five...six...eight...TEN songs from one album landing in the Top 10. Most of the time, though, there’s not much of a way that I can reformat the list, which means I have to go back through every album that destroyed the charts in order to remember if I liked certain songs or not. This meant revisiting eight songs from Drake’s “collaboration” with 21 Savage. Out of the Top 10-peaking singles on the record, this was probably the one I liked the least. Drake himself just sounds awkward doing...whatever he’s doing here. I don’t know if I should call it a Lil Baby flow or something like that, but beyond the generic, powerless beat, he doesn’t sound like he’s really caring that much (which can make the album worse given that he kinda hogs the spotlight). Oh, and how convenient that my least favorite song on his “collaborative” album is a solo song featuring only Drake...there’s a joke in there somewhere.
THESE WERE OKAY
77. Privileged Rappers by Drake and 21 Savage
Isn’t that...what you are at this point in your career? I mean, you’ve had almost zero signs of life in any of your performances over your last three albums, and you’ve consistently sounded bored, checked out and lacking in the hunger you once had. Yet your songs still perform at the highest level despite your laziness and desperate attempts to prove that you “still work hard,” so...doesn’t that make you the “privileged rapper?” Who gives a fuck if you worked hard back in the late 2000s? We’re in the 2020s now, Drake, stop coasting. Ugh, anyway, these kinds of album bombs can be the worst: when the album is generally “mid.” And not “mid” in the way some say it these days where they actually mean “trash,” “mid” as in “average.” The instrumental has a few cool plucky elements to it here and there, but 21 Savage is the only part I can really care about. Drake drops a boring verse with more goofy lyricism, and I check out. Very “meh” song.
76. Circo Loco by Drake and 21 Savage
Whoever Drake is referring to as “Crodie” on this track (yes, I know what the word means), can you turn the man up already so that he’ll stop talking? Hell, he only asked to be turned up like seven times, and I’m pretty sure his volume stayed the same throughout the whole song...that’s what he meant by “turn me up,” right? Maybe I really don’t know anything. Is he flirting with the dude? Guess Drake also wants him to “do something for him.” Uh, anyway, this is another pretty “meh” kind of track. This got a lot of buzz for the Daft Punk sample, and while I respect the choice to sample an absolute banger of a track like “One More Time,” Drake absolutely wasted it. His flows are okay, but why does he constantly have to try to poorly interpolate these songs he samples? 21 Savage is fine, but Drake also spits some of his lamest bars on the record. Why do I get the impression Drake’s rapping these pot-stirring bars because Megan cock-blocked him? It would make sense given that Drake seems to be in a perpetual state of horny; kinda have to be if you’re just posting hentai on your Instagram story for no reason.
75. On BS by Drake and 21 Savage
I mean, the only reason this one is higher than some of the others is because I think the darker beat is kinda cool, and the vocal interplay between Drake and 21 Savage is nice. Otherwise, it’s a pretty standard song with a nothingburger of a chorus, and after sitting with it for a little longer...what is with some of these lyrics? Drake still keeps dancing around the Pusha T situation when the latter feels like he’s long since moved on from it. Not to sidetrack too hard, but honestly, I kinda regret saying back in 2018 that Drake didn’t necessarily “lose” the battle with Pusha T; I had some well-intentioned points in that blog post, but Drake’s continued dancing around the situation makes him look desperate and feels like loser energy. Meanwhile, Pusha dropped “It’s Almost Dry” this year, a fantastic rap album that not once even subtly references Drake...sorry Drake, I defended you then but you make it harder and harder. Especially when you *might have* dissed XXXTentacion on this song? Aren’t you almost 40? What business do you have dissing a kid who died at 20 years old four years ago? I’ve never even been an X fan and that read to me as being really stupid. Ugh, next song, please.
74. Major Distribution by Drake and 21 Savage
*sigh* more Drake and 21 Savage. Remember when Drake dropped music that could be more than just “okay?” Yeah, those were fun times. Ehh, I guess I’ll give it some points because the instrumental goes a bit harder and the tip-toeing feel of it is pretty cool, but I honestly forgot what it even was by the time it was over. The flows are okay, the chorus is damn near nonexistent, that sing-y bit at the beginning was fine enough...I mean, yeah, this is indeed a song and it does, in fact, exist. Let’s move on to another song that also exists.
73. Rich Flex by Drake and 21 Savage
So this one got a bit of a push because...well, it’s the first song on the album, but because there was a meme where Drake may have been flirting with 21 Savage on the song? Ehh, whatever; the track’s not that interesting beyond that. While I kinda like the sung chorus before the beat switch, and 21 Savage (no pun intended) does his thing decently, this track doesn’t do all that much for me. Even when the beat switch pops in, it doesn’t really hit all that hard to me. It’s okay when it’s on, I guess, but it can just be so much better.
72. Tomorrow 2 by GloRilla ft. Cardi B
I was all ready to make a “the name ‘Tomorrow 2’ implies the existence of ‘Tomorrow 1’” joke before looking on Wikipedia and then realizing, “oh shit, this is a remix.” Well, that ruined one of the only things I could say about the song. Yeah, this is pretty whatever to me. The beat is fine, GloRilla’s kinda off-kilter flow does very little for me...I’m kinda glad this got a sequel because to me, Cardi B sounds a lot better over this beat. GloRilla kinda sounds out of place on her own song, in my opinion. It’s not bad, it’s just pretty whatever. I probably won’t remember it after writing out this entry.
71. 712PM by Future
I was honestly a bit surprised to see so many songs off this new Future album hit the Top 10 of the chart; I know he’s huge, but he’s never had an album bomb of this level before. That said, I honestly was just kinda “ehh” on this album, so I wasn’t sure what songs would blast off to the top. Turns out “712PM” landed pretty high, but this was another song I was pretty lukewarm on. A lot of the “bangers” on the album didn’t feel all too memorable to me, and this was another example: it ticks the boxes a Future song ticks and largely avoids the cringe territory, but otherwise, it’s just whatever. It works, but it’s not spectacular.
70. California Breeze by Lil Baby
I shouldn’t have been surprised given how hot he is as a feature, but I didn’t expect three tracks from Lil Baby’s new album to hit the Top 10. Especially not after the polarizing reception I had heard of it. But either way, this song was just kind of okay. A smooth enough little instrumental while it played, but Lil Baby didn’t really do a whole lot with it. It ends up just being the kind of thing that’s fine while it’s on, but nothing all that special to me.
69. Forever by Lil Baby ft. Fridayy
I’m gonna keep it totally real when I say that the only reason this song is a spot above the other one is because of Fridayy’s hook. That’s it. That soulful, autotuned vocal sound is damn beautiful to me, and it’s the one thing that keeps the song interesting. Even so, it really carries the track: the instrumental does very little for me, and Lil Baby himself sounds so monotone that he feels like a non-entity on his own song. Shoutout to that chorus for carrying, though, and shoutout to Fridayy; wonderful vocals.
68. Real Spill by Lil Baby
Alright, I guess this is probably the best one of the Top 10 songs that charted off Lil Baby’s new album. And that’s not really saying much: I do think Lil Baby does have some moments on the writing end of things (even if it can feel a little all over the place), and out of all the Top 10-peaking songs from the album, this is probably the one that he sounds the most expressive on (though that’s honestly not saying a whole lot). Otherwise, though, it still feels like a very run-of-the-mill kind of song that doesn’t do all that much for me, and it doesn’t really grab my attention very much. It’s a shame because it felt like Lil Baby was really on an upward trajectory artistically speaking, but with this new album, it feels like all of that just got lost. This isn’t bad, but it’s nothing special.
67. I’M DAT N**** by Future
I mean, I was already gonna censor the title of the song myself, but thanks for doing it for me, Future (seriously, even the explicit versions on Spotify use the censored title). Anyway, while I think the production is kinda creative and has some interesting moments, this is another moment on Future’s new album where, even with the high energy, it feels boring and gets stale for me. There were only two parts of the song that I genuinely remembered: the part where Future actually used the term “bomboclaat” in a lyric (Twitter knows that word good and well), and the part where Future says “fucked her in the ass, made her pee pee.” Never mind how gross that is as a whole, can we mention quickly just how silly Future’s 38-year-old self sounded saying “pee pee” unironically in a song? I mean, hey, no one ever said he’s Dickens or anything. But yeah, this song’s just kinda bland.
66. Enemy by Imagine Dragons and JID
Perhaps one of the strangest collaborations I’ve ever heard of in my life, I can safely say this is not as bad as I thought it would be given its status as a tie-in to “Arcane,” a TV show based on the video game “League of Legends.” I can’t say I like it too much - the hook doesn’t grab me, and the song as a whole can feel bland - but as far as Imagine Dragons’ tendency for overproduced radio mush goes, this is at the very least listenable. Who knows, though, JID might’ve buttered me up: that guy is too good, and I think his verse sounds awesome. I feel like he’s the reason I’m a bit more positive on this one: because I’m happy to see JID in the Top 10 and I like his verse a lot. To be fair, I’ll address the elephant in the room and say I haven’t watched “Arcane” so I don’t know if the song plays better in the context of the show, but from an outsider’s perspective, it’s better than I expected. And hey, maybe I’ll have to check the show out at some point if it was good enough to beat out “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” at The Game Awards...if only “I Really Want to Stay At Your House” ever stood a chance of being in the Top 10.
65. I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic
I didn’t know this song was part of the “Top Gun: Maverick” soundtrack until I went to listen to it on YouTube and saw the movie’s name in the title. Man, 2022 was the year of movie/TV show soundtracks, huh? We’ll see more later, don’t you worry. But otherwise, this is pretty whatever to me. Nothing bad: competently made and sunny enough, but it feels very standard. I guess it’s cool to see these guys finally return to the Top 10 after years, but this one just didn’t really do a whole lot for me. Maybe it’s better in the context of the movie? I dunno.
64. Unholy by Sam Smith and Kim Petras
Let me just say, before hearing this song, I got kinda stoked seeing that it hit the top of the charts. Even though I didn’t know anything about it, seeing Sam Smith back in the Top 10 and even getting their first #1 was exciting to me as someone that’s enjoyed their music for a long time. What’s more, seeing that Sam Smith and Kim Petras became the first nonbinary and trans people, respectively, to hit #1 was so damn cool to me. That was honestly a day I’d been waiting on for a long time, and I was happy to see them reach the summit; with that said, I just wish I liked the song more. I do appreciate the unabashedly sexy feel of it, and I especially love the vocal chemistry between Sam and Kim (Kim really dominates the song), but the beat doesn’t really do all that much for me, and the second half of the chorus doesn’t feel as compelling as the first. Also, I know this is the music world that we live in, but the song is so damn short that it really doesn’t go long enough to leave an impression on me. But it’s not a bad track, and hell, it could be a grower. As it is now, though, it’s alright.
63. Sticky by Drake
On an album loaded mostly with uninspired, bland dance music, this is one of the few moments where Drake remembers that he also does hip-hop music. It’s one of the more tolerable songs on the album, but I’m not gonna just give it points because it was a hip-hop song; I had other issues with it. While the beat is pretty fast and Drake goes pretty fast on it, his overall vocal sound is a bit bland and emotionless and the hook doesn’t do a whole lot for me. Also, beyond his typical posturing about the dangerous people around him, Drake gives us incredibly intellectual lyrics like “if I’m with two of them, then it’s a threesome.” Because...no fucking shit, Professor. Next in our sex-ed lesson, I bet you’ll spare no expenses in saying “the penis goes in the vagina.” Ugh, anyway, the song isn’t bad...Drake, you’re 35 and you have a kid, why are you like this?
62. You Proof by Morgan Wallen
To everyone that flailingly cries out in agony about “cancel culture” being harmful to those that are “canceled” (like all the oldhead comedians who try to purposely invoke “cancel culture,” perhaps to maintain relevance instead of acknowledging that maybe they just aren’t funny anymore), I’m gonna give a quick counter to that by introducing you to Morgan Wallen. Homeboy got caught on camera using the N-word (with the hard R, too), a racist slur that would lead to immediate calls for “cancellation,” yet in some twisted turn of events, he became MORE POPULAR after the controversy. Thus, I’m still talking about him in this series even though “cancel culture” should’ve driven him away shortly after “7 Summers” in 2020. Nevertheless, I’ve had a mixed history with Morgan Wallen’s singles: I loved “7 Summers” but last year’s “Wasted on You” was ruined by its trap drums. This promotional single “You Proof” lands in the middle: not nearly as enjoyable as “7 Summers,” not as weak as “Wasted on You.” It’s just pretty average: average lyrics, average chorus, average country production, it’s all just average. If anything, I’m just glad the song isn’t overly cringey or annoying, it’s just a song that makes me shrug and go “whatever.” Another moment where the story of this guy getting more popular after being “canceled” is more interesting than the stuff the dude is creating.
61. The Kind of Love We Make by Luke Combs
Hey, speaking of country music that’s pretty much average across the board...yeah, Luke Combs is back! Honestly, I know it might sound cynical for me to talk about country songs like this, but if I’m being real, I’ve heard some really cringey country music over the last few years (and I happen to live around some people that listen to a lot of country music), so “average country” is honestly perfectly acceptable for me. I feel like me saying that a country song is at least “okay” is the equivalent of me giving any other kind of song an “Excellent” rating, so I’ll take a country song I can actually kinda enjoy while it’s on. As it is, this is a very typical kind of country song; production’s fine, vocals are good, but not much about it really stands out to me. This is something of a positive, as it means nothing stands out in a bad way either. But all in all, yeah it’s just fine.
60. Me Porto Bonito by Bad Bunny ft. Chencho Corleone
A Bad Bunny album bomb was not something I was expecting; he gets consistent hits, sure, but I just didn’t expect him to get this many off of one album. Regardless, this is probably the Top 10 song I cared for the least out of the four Bad Bunny hits that charted. It’s not bad, but it’s just kinda whatever to me. It’s a song that works in Bad Bunny’s reggaeton formula with a pretty standard beat, and I do think there’s fun to be had with both Bad Bunny and Chencho Corleone’s verses, but I don’t think there’s much of a hook to this one, which leaves it out to dry for me. It’s not too bad, but the other charting songs proved to be a lot more interesting to me.
59. Después de la Playa by Bad Bunny
Speaking of Bad Bunny, this cut sees him trying his hand at a mambo beat, which is definitely an interesting direction. With some of the other tracks that reached the charts, it sounds like he did a lot of experimenting on this record. I like that, though I’m not sure I care as much about this one. Outside of the massively toxic lyrics, I don’t think much about the song sticks out to me other than the colorful production, especially since Bad Bunny spends a lot more time talking than he does rapping or singing. I like the idea of the song, but I just don’t see it as something I want to return to much.
58. Do We Have A Problem? by Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby
Given some of the negative talk I was hearing about this song prior to its release, I can say I didn’t dislike it as much as everyone else did. The beat is one of those standard, celebratory but somewhat lighter instrumentals, but Nicki makes the most of it with her verses thanks to her consistently switching, clever flows. Her verses are what really sell the song for me because everything else around them could’ve been better: the hook is kinda bland (and a little too autotuned in this case), and Lil Baby’s verse had some awkward structure to it. As a showcase of Nicki’s technicality and skill as a rapper, it does a good job, but as a whole, the song is just kinda forgettable.
57. Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran
As always, we have some holdovers from 2021. As it is, my thoughts on this are about the same as they were last year: even as an Ed Sheeran fan, this was an underwhelming lead single that just felt really bland and generic. I didn’t hate it as much as everyone else, but I still found it to be a lackluster detour for Ed, and I stand by that now.
56. Bad Decisions by benny blanco, BTS and Snoop Dogg
Okay, hold on a minute, I have a theory as to how this song came to be: I think someone just happened to play “California Gurls” around Snoop Dogg, he remembered that he was on that song, and just said “oh ho, wait a damn minute, I gotta do that again. But who can I do a song like that with?” He then turned his head, saw a BTS picture somewhere, and was like “them.” Boom, we have a song. It’s not bad, what with its quirky little pop direction, but honestly, it could’ve been higher if not for two things. One, the hook is extremely underwritten and bland, and two, Snoop’s appearance is kinda terrible. I respect that he’s down for anything, but it really sounds like he was down for this because of the check. Maybe that NFT money is drying up. Regardless, I don’t know; even as someone that’s been a defender of BTS, a part of me feels like their recent trend of singles has just gone down in quality and it’s got me worried if they’re just falling into the machine at this point. If they’re working on a new album, I still desperately hope it’s not just a bunch of “Dynamite” re-hashes.
55. I’m Good (Blue) by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha
Bebe Rexha returns to the Top 10 for the first time in what feels like a long time, and it’s with another in a solid-sized line of David Guetta collaborations. As someone who’s honestly enjoyed her work (maybe more than most others), I’m happy to see it. I also honestly love the sampling of Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” as that was honestly the biggest thing that drew me to the song. After finally listening to it when it hit the Top 10, though...it’s fine. The hook is catchy (as it should be, given what it samples), Bebe sounds solid, some parts are less memorable than others, and it doesn’t really elevate the original in any unique way. It’s a passable listen while it’s on, though, and I guess I can give it credit for the post-chorus beat drop not being TOO obnoxious. As I spent this year going through a bunch of 2012 albums (thanks to my TEN YEARS LATER series), I dealt with enough of that hoopla in my musical listening as of late.
54. Woman by Doja Cat
With how much I heard this on TikTok, I’m extremely surprised it took the song as long as it did to hit the Top 10. As it is, re-listening to it didn’t really change any of my thoughts from my original review of this album; thematically, I love what it’s going for with Doja’s discussion of womanhood, and I think her mixture of singing and rapping is potent as usual. Sadly, I couldn’t say I was too invested in the afrobeat instrumental, and the hook didn’t really do all too much for me. It’s a fine song, and given the long push, I’m glad it finally got to the Top 10, but otherwise, it’s just alright to me.
53. Shivers by Ed Sheeran
Another 2021 holdover where the same principles as “Bad Habits” apply. I still like it a bit better than “Bad Habits,” but that’s not exactly high praise. It is a bit catchier, but I can’t say it makes me want to hear Ed do it again on his next record.
52. Heat Waves by Glass Animals
Much like 2021, I feel like I can appreciate from afar that this even made the Top 10 (and even hit #1 and became the biggest song of 2022) and I can be happy it did, while simultaneously not really loving the song myself. There are good elements to it, and that hook has immediate snap and catchiness to it, but as I said a year ago, my appreciation comes more in its ideas as opposed to its execution.
51. Tití Me Preguntó by Bad Bunny
Another cut from the Bad Bunny album bomb, this is a track that has some interesting things going for it, especially with its take on a dembow instrumental. I think he does pretty well with the style, and he brings just enough energy to match the pounding sound of the instrumental, though I’m not quite sure I feel the same about the beat switch. I honestly feel like it turns the song into something of a typical trap track, and while it’s not bad, it just kinda loses my interest a bit. Not a bad song, though, and I think it’s a decent bit of experimentation.
50. Hold Me Closer by Elton John and Britney Spears
If I’m being honest, a lot of the reason this is so high for me is for what it represents (and also because the original song is so iconic and so good that carrying its structure helps it in the long run). This is Britney’s first Billboard Top 10 single since 2012, and given everything that she went through related to her conservatorship (and just about every other thing she dealt with in the industry), I’m more than happy to see her return to this level of popularity. The sad thing is, though, that this song is messy. I don’t mind the bombast on the instrumentation, even if it can get a little over the top, and obviously, the structure of the original song “Tiny Dancer” helps this out, but Britney’s vocals feel so washed out in autotune that it makes it hard to appreciate this as a “comeback vehicle” of sorts. It’s not a bad song, but it could’ve been better. At least I can say that Britney’s back, bitch.
49. Vigilante Shit by Taylor Swift
Make no mistake: you’re gonna see A LOT more from the Taylor Swift album bomb later on this list, more than many of you may agree with. I loved “Midnights” (possibly more than some others), and I personally consider it one of my favorites from Taylor. So seeing her become the first artist to occupy every spot on the Top 10 honestly made me pretty stoked. That said, this is a song I didn’t really love quite as much. Don’t get it twisted, it’s not a bad song at all, and I do think the dark and minimal direction works pretty well for it. I also have to applaud Taylor’s vocal charm, of which we know she has an abundance of it. I think for me personally, I just couldn’t shake the whole “Taylor’s trying to make a Billie Eilish song” thing out of this. And I don’t mean to say Taylor isn’t allowed to try something like that; I just think it doesn’t fully take on its own identity beyond that. It’s still a solid track, just not the one I’d return to the most from “Midnights.”
I LIKED THESE!
48. Pussy & Millions by Drake and 21 Savage ft. Travis Scott
Yeah, believe it or not, Drake and 21 Savage’s “collab” album did yield one track I was able to get behind. It’s not amazing, but there’s enough for me to like about this one. The chorus isn’t one of the strongest, but the beat has a bit of an old-school feel that Drake does enough with (while 21 Savage owns it). And then, because he surprisingly still has a career, Travis Scott shows up accompanied by a beat switch that, for some reason, reminds me of the “Hot” remix from Young Thug’s “So Much Fun” album. That said, it does make for a compelling moment that makes the song a bit more enjoyable. Nothing fantastic, but it’s fine enough.
47. PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ by Future
Most of my highlights from Future’s latest album share a common similarity: they’re tracks I wouldn’t call Future’s “bests,” but they’re good enough for repeat listens. “PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ” is an example of that: it’s got a more lowkey emotional vibe to it, where Future’s melodic rapping mixes nicely with the spacey feel of the instrumental (especially on his second verse). It’s not something I feel is blowing my mind or reinventing the wheel, but it’s a pretty enjoyable track.
46. Spin Bout U by Drake and 21 Savage
Make that two tracks from “Her Loss” that hit the Top 10 that I can get behind. A lot of that is thanks to the song being carried by the sample of “Give Me Your Lov-N” by B.G.O.T.I., which almost made me think the song would have an old-school, “Trilogy”-era Weeknd feel. I was wrong, but that sample made the song, though 21 did a good job with it and Drake did fine enough (the singing on the chorus was honestly the part I got behind the most; it was catchy). And for as much obvious self-aware sexism as there was on the album...at least Drake said he was pro-choice. I’ll take it.
45. Don’t Think Jesus by Morgan Wallen
Now this, I don’t mind. Another promotional single, “Don’t Think Jesus,” strips things down a lot, serving as an extremely light song where Wallen talks about his demons and mistakes (fair to assume he’s talking about that controversy). Now I could be cynical and talk about how this feels like a label-induced “setup” for the inevitable “redemption arc,” but instead, I’ll actually say it’s a pretty solid song. Every once in a while, Morgan Wallen can capture a bit of emotion in his songs, and this track proves that. Between the light, downbeat instrumentation and the nice vocals, this is the rare example of a modern country song I can get behind. So...point for the “anti-cancel culture” crowd, I guess? If you feel this is sticking it to “cancel culture” then...congratulations to you on your potentially unhealthy worshipping of celebrities that you don’t know?
44. Easy On Me by Adele
While this still isn’t one of my favorites off of Adele’s latest album, I can say it did grow on me at least a little bit with some repeat listens. It’s still an embodiment of Adele’s style, but when that style has so much pertinent emotion and a timeless feel to it, it’s hard not to enjoy it. Even if it’s not quite one of my favorites from Adele, that doesn’t make it any less successful.
43. First Class by Jack Harlow
While Jack Harlow’s new album was a bit of a snoozefest for me, I can say I enjoyed “First Class” a bit. A lot of my enjoyment was definitely boosted a little bit by the hook (I love Fergie’s “Glamorous” so that sample did everything for me), but I do think the beat is nice and chill enough to mix nicely with Jack Harlow’s charisma (even if that “sweet semen” bar was a little goofy to me). It’s nothing amazing, but it’s a nice song to vibe to.
42. Moscow Mule by Bad Bunny
At least the Bad Bunny album bomb gave me this (which is interesting that it’s my favorite of the four given that it doesn’t experiment as much as some of the others). The song definitely works in a lot of Bad Bunny’s established formula, but it’s a sweet, mellow vibe of a track with some nice vocals from Bad Bunny as well as some wildly sexual lyrics. It’s not blowing my mind or anything, but as a fun little piece of reggaeton, I’m cool with this one. Oh, and the music video...may have some of the goofiest imagery I’ve ever seen in a video that takes itself seriously. Just...just watch it for yourself. It needs to be seen to be believed.
41. WAIT FOR U by Future ft. Drake and Tems
As much as Future’s latest album didn’t do a ton for me, this was definitely a song I really gravitated toward. A lot of that has to do with the smooth beat and the Tems sample: they give me “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” vibes, and they’re just so easy to vibe to. Future feels almost like a non-entity here, as his part comes as goes, but Drake comes in and delivers a nice, lowkey, mellow sing-rap performance. A solid song that was a nice pull from Future’s new album.
I LOVED THESE!!!
40. I Like You (A Happier Song) by Post Malone ft. Doja Cat
While Post Malone’s new album didn’t bang as hard as I hoped it would, it still had enough enjoyable moments, and thankfully it brought this as a pretty damn fun single. It’s a bouncy, colorful jam with some very good vocal chemistry between Post and Doja, and it’s one of those songs that’s nice to just kick back with. Is it the best single I’ve heard out of Post Malone? No, it’s hard to compete with the “beerbongs & bentleys” singles, but this definitely brings enough vibrant energy to stick the landing for me.
39. Sunroof by Nicky Youre and Dazy
One of the many songs on this list that was aided by virality on TikTok, this is a track that perfectly embodies that carefree Summer spirit. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but...hey, I had a really bad Summer and didn’t get to feel that “carefree Summer spirit” much, let me have my fun with this one. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but Dazy’s production is bright and bubbly, Nicky Youre’s vocals are nice and there’s a solid enough earworm of a chorus here to keep this one enjoyable. It’s a nice little track that just puts me in a good mood when I hear it, and at the end of the day, what more could you ask for?
38. Jimmy Cooks by Drake ft. 21 Savage
How ironic that the song that debuted on the top of the charts in the first week of Drake’s new dance album was the one straight hip-hop song. I wonder if the people listening to the album were just collectively telling Drake “yeah, don’t do this experiment again...or if you do, make it sound like you’re putting effort into it.” Regardless, yeah, the lean into the hip-hop direction made for some good stuff with this track: the instrumental is sinister (made even better with the beat switch at the halfway point), Drake actually does a decent job here, and 21 Savage brings another great guest verse. It really feels like 21 Savage really goes off when he’s on a track with Drake, and this is another prime example. Sadly, being the closer to “Honestly, Nevermind,” it’s one of those moments that makes you look back at the rest of the album and go “WHERE WAS THIS?!?!” because of the sheer lack of effort on most of the other cuts. But hey, a broken clock is right twice a day.
37. THATS WHAT I WANT by Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X’s major post-album single returned to the Top 10 once more (I presume because it popped back up on TikTok) and many of my thoughts on it are the same as what I said on last year’s list. Maybe it might be a few spots down compared to last year, but it’s still a song that’s way too fun and bright, but interestingly juxtaposed by the emotional lyrics about finding love. Even if I was into some of the other singles the tiniest bit more, I’m glad this one stuck around a bit.
36. Ghost by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber scored a belated Top 10 single from last year’s album “Justice,” and thankfully, it turned out to be a song that I really liked when I first heard the record. I liked how the instrumental twisted a lot between the electronic sounds and acoustic strums, as I felt it added to the emotional feel of the song. Justin sells it well with his vocals, and the song has a lot of punch in terms of being very upbeat but having some very sad writing behind it. Much as my thoughts on “Justice” were mixed (though probably nicer than some reviews I’ve heard), I’m happy that Justin and his team chose two of the album’s best songs (“Peaches” and “Ghost”) as its post-release singles.
35. Superhero (Heroes & Villains) by Metro Boomin, Future and Chris Brown
You know, sometimes I’m not too crazy about these “slow flow” kinds of rap songs. Leave it to Metro Boomin, though, to totally change everything I think I know about them. One of two songs from his new project that hit the Top 10, this beat is insanely cinematic and ominous and Future proves to be an absolute menace on top of it. He was sliding on the first half of the song, and it already had me hooked. The second half, though, transitions into something a bit more tip-toeing and dark as Chris Brown gets a chance to show off his vocals. While this section took a little bit for me to get used to, I did enjoy his vocals along with the Jay-Z samples. One of these days, I’ll have to check out a full Metro project; this man really can make a hit, especially when he’s getting the best out of his artists.
34. Late Night Talking by Harry Styles
Harry Styles’ latest album felt like the perfect case of “right place at the right time” for me. As it released around a time when I was struggling through a rough mental health spell and was having difficulty finding professional help, a wavy, vibey album like this hit just a little bit harder. With this track, Harry went for a 70s-inspired, silky kind of pop jam, and the transition works. It’s smooth, it’s lovely, it’s fun, but it’s also rather mellow. Harry just has a good grasp on how to make a nice pop tune, and that shines here.
33. As It Was by Harry Styles
Now on this one, Harry Styles goes for an 80s throwback style that, at least when I first heard it on every TikTok ever, I thought sampled “Take On Me” by A-ha. It doesn’t, but I still definitely get that vibe from it, and it’s just so immediate and catchy. It’s a big switch-up in style for Harry, but one that definitely feels like a natural evolution. The hook is snappy, the vocals are sweet, and the mellow lyrics and tone juxtapose the upbeat feel of the production very nicely. Definitely a good song to kick off Harry’s third studio album era with.
32. Music For a Sushi Restaurant by Harry Styles
Need some help on this one; as someone that doesn’t eat sushi and therefore has no experience with sushi restaurants, would this song actually play at a sushi restaurant? I’m just curious. I like the song a lot, so neither answer would necessarily sway my opinion; I’m just curious. Regardless, this was the kickoff to Harry’s latest album and it definitely grabbed me from the start. Harry shows a lot of charisma as he really nails the turn into this playful pop-funk fusion. The plucky bass groove also makes this song even more infectious, helping to create a pop banger that I’m surprised didn’t get the single treatment further after the album’s release. Oh well, hopefully it does sound nice at a sushi restaurant.
31. Matilda by Harry Styles
When I first listened to Harry Styles’ new album, this was one of the songs that stuck with me the most. Chalk it up to that “rough mental spell” thing causing stronger emotions, but when Harry toned things down with a light acoustic song that feels folk-influenced, I was buying in immediately. Harry’s vocals are obviously beautiful and fit perfectly for this sound, as he crafts a lovely downbeat cut that really hits the emotional cords. These kinds of songs made the experience even better for me when I first heard the album, and they show just how much Harry can tug at the heartstrings.
30. Stay by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
Last year, this was one of those songs I initially liked that grew on me a lot by the time the year was over. This year, it remained in heavy rotation for me. And that’s a bit surprising, given that The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber can be extremely inconsistent these days, but I can definitely appreciate how well they gel together in this short but satisfying jam.
29. Last Christmas by Wham!
“Last Christmas” remains the one Christmas song that consistently hits the Top 10 on the Billboard charts that I will continue to enjoy, no questions asked. Is it a cheesy 80s song? Absolutely. Do I still have a damn good time listening to it? Sure do. Can I listen to it outside of the Christmas season and still have fun with it? You bet your sweet bippy I could. To me, that’s all that matters.
28. Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) by Elton John and Dua Lipa
Turns out this one held together a lot better for me than the “Hold Me Closer” remix did. Elton John and Dua Lipa on top of an electronic disco song is the kind of thing that never fails to put a smile on my face. Both of them absolutely eat this production up, as Elton John…I mean, I don’t need to remind anyone that the man can sing, and Dua Lipa shines on the chorus with a fantastic interpolation of Elton’s iconic “Rocket Man” that sticks in my head for all the right reasons. Honestly, it feels great to even see that Elton John got a Top 10 hit for the first time since 1998 (and then do it again with “Hold Me Closer,” as we saw earlier) and that he did it with one of my favorite artists in Dua Lipa. That alone would be good enough, but it’s made even better by the song being so great.
27. About Damn Time by Lizzo
Lizzo doing her thing on a silky throwback disco beat is extremely welcome for me. I think her singing and rapping are both top-notch here, and her trademark personality and charisma are on full display. She delivers some of her classic empowering bars, while also emphasizing healing and self-love, which I can definitely get behind. It honestly took me a while to come around to Lizzo’s music (I liked some of her hits from 2019 but didn’t exactly love them), but I’ve started to appreciate her stuff a lot more, and this track was a huge catalyst for that. I vibe a lot with the carefree, fun-loving tone of it, and even after hearing it pretty often on TikTok, I still really enjoyed it. That’s what bad bitch o’clock does, I suppose.
26. Creepin’ by Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage
You want the old Weeknd back? Here he is. Yeah, this was the other of the two tracks off of Metro Boomin’s new album that shot up the charts, and for good reason. The dark beat combined with The Weeknd’s fantastic vocals do make this feel like a really deep throwback to the vibe he created on the “Trilogy,” but with a bit more of a mainstream touch. That hook, an interpolation of 2004’s “I Don’t Wanna Know” by Mario Winans, really goes off; we’re probably gonna see more 2000s hits being interpolated (yes, even one-hit wonders), and I’m okay with that. 21 Savage also does a good job upping the intensity with a revenge-filled verse. It’s a pretty damn good song, and another great single to come from a Metro Boomin project.
25. Glimpse of Us by Joji
As my first experience with Joji’s music (like many, I’m sure, given that it’s his first Top 10 song on Billboard)...to think this guy was Filthy Frank once. Further proof that pigeonholing is an ancient myth, and that anyone can break out of the box they get put into if they put the right amount of effort into it. To say Joji put the right amount of effort into this might be understating it a bit; this is a chilling piano ballad with extremely delicate vocals that shoot right through the heart. It’s a haunting track that grabbed me at first listen and never let me go. I’m happy to see Joji finally get a Top 10 hit like this, and I hope it’s only the beginning for him.
24. Big Energy by Latto
Wow, that beat is nasty. Right off the bat, as someone who loves Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy,” any song that samples it already has my attention. This song does it fantastically to make a bop of an instrumental that’s bouncy and old-school but still modern. Latto also does a really strong job making her presence felt over this production, and I think the song is loaded with plenty of hooks that make it hard for me to ignore. As her first song to hit the Top 10, this certainly makes a huge statement (also, even if the remix didn’t hit the Top 10, I think getting Mariah herself on it is pretty fucking awesome despite her weirdly mixed vocals). One of the most fun mainstream songs of the year for me.
23. Lift Me Up by Rihanna
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there’s beauty in simplicity. Rihanna, after a long musical hiatus, returned to us in 2022 with a powerful ballad as part of the soundtrack for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (which, as someone who has become quite the superhero cynic, I’d say is my favorite Marvel movie since pre-COVID). Naturally, the song is a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who obviously played King T’Challa (the Black Panther) that lost his battle with cancer in 2020. This song feels like a cry out to him to help provide protection wherever he may be, and as minimal as it is, it works. I understand that feeling of “we waited six years for this,” but I think in the context of the film and the circumstances surrounding it, this is a beautiful ballad that Rihanna absolutely dominates on. R.I.P. to the legend, Chadwick Boseman.
22. Kill Bill by SZA
Having SZA back with a new album in 2022 was exactly what I needed, and it was nice to see her landing some Top 10s off of it. This was a smooth, dreamy R&B jam that has a very playful, ironic and dark set of writing behind it. The concept of her talking about “killing her ex” and the sneaky self-awareness where she talks about how she’s “so mature” when she’s clearly not is something she does a really good job with. Sonically, this kind of music is right up my alley, and SZA naturally proves to be a phenomenal, charismatic singer, which makes this the perfect track for me to go back to often.
21. Nobody Gets Me by SZA
Yeah, I do think I like this song a bit more than “Kill Bill.” Even though it seems like a very simple song, being that it’s an acoustic jam that plays more like a soft rock track, it’s incredibly compelling. I’ve heard the comparison to something like “Keep Holding On” by Avril Lavigne, and yeah, I see it; I love that song, so that helps me enjoy this. Beyond SZA’s typically phenomenal vocals across the very light production, this is a genuine heartbreaker that really shows the kind of emotion that she’s extremely good at providing. No surprise, here; SZA continues to be amazing.
20. Vegas by Doja Cat
Who knew Doja Cat would drop damn near one of the songs of her life as part of a film soundtrack? This was another track I heard so much of before its Top 10 peak that I’m shocked it didn’t land there immediately. Regardless, this fucking bangs: I love how the instrumental, beyond its general grandness, perfectly samples the voice of Shonka Dukureh, who in the film this comes from (“Elvis”) plays Big Mama Thornton, the artist who sang the original version of “Hound Dog” before Elvis Presley’s version became the hit it was. Having not seen the movie, I’m at least glad to hear it didn’t forget that part of the story. Doja herself eats up this instrumental, and the chorus is an absolute earworm. She really came to play on this one, and as inconsistent as some of her albums have been, the fact that she did a song like this for a movie soundtrack shows that she’s not playing around.
19. Need To Know by Doja Cat
Speak of the devil...or the Doja, I suppose. I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again: I was sad that Doja Cat’s “Planet Her” disappointed me in 2021, but if there was one song I wanted to see become a hit, it was this. It’s such a banger, and it remained in heavy rotation for me throughout 2022 as well. Say what you will about Doja’s consistency on albums, but she has it down to a science when it comes to singles.
18. Bad Habit by Steve Lacy
I never got to check out Steve Lacy’s latest album, because honestly, while I had seen the album cover a lot, he didn’t really pop up on my radar until this song hit the Top 10 (which may have been TikTok-fueled). Whoever helped it get so high, though, thank you; this song is so damn clean. Stunning, smooth and mellow neo-soul instrumental with lovely ass vocals by Steve Lacy, a super catchy hook with a relatable message for a lot of people, and that switch-up near the backend of the song? This is fantastic! I didn’t know anything about Steve before this song but I might have to check out the album itself; I might’ve been sleeping on him.
17. INDUSTRY BABY by Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow
One of the most defiant and memorable singles of 2021 stays just as high on my list in 2022. You shouldn’t be surprised: we’ve been down this “Old Town Road” before, and these two artists really show us “WHATS POPPIN” when they come together for this single…okay, fine, I’ll stop. Maybe. No guarantees, no regrets.
16. Bejeweled by Taylor Swift
Get ready: we’ve got the long string of Taylor Swift songs that some of you may have been waiting for. We’re gonna have a lot of Taylor here in this top tier, especially given that there’s still no good way for me to condense the whole “album bomb” thing. In any event, “Bejeweled” feels like one of the poppier songs on the record, with a bright staccato feel and sparkling instrumental moments. It’s pretty bouncy and Taylor’s vocals are sweet, and I feel like I have to give the song credit for one of my favorite lyrics I’ve heard in a Taylor Swift song: “Puttin' someone first only works when you're in their top five.” Wow, did that lyric come at me like a freight train when I first heard this; that was raw. Yeah, this one’s great.
15. Karma by Taylor Swift
With “Karma,” it feels like Taylor took her poppiest turn on all of “Midnights,” with some very pronounced percussion and synths that play into the confident vibe. The track almost feels like a warning to the people that have wronged Taylor in the past, which is obviously a topic we’ve heard quite a bit but this time, it’s done with some kinda funny lyrics and metaphors for what karma can be represented by. Combine that with a bouncy beat and a Taylor hook that is as compelling as many of the other hooks she’s put together, and it’s easy to see why this became such a favorite among the fans. It’s a favorite of mine, too.
14. Snow On The Beach by Taylor Swift ft. Lana Del Rey
If moments like this with all these consecutive songs from one artist are bothersome...I guess stop listening to albums enough times to get this many songs charting? Either way, “Snow On The Beach” is a very ethereal, wavy song with some nice heartfelt writing to match up with its dreamy vibe. Convenient for a song called “Snow On The Beach,” I do get a bit of a wintery feel out of the song, and I think the haziness of the vocals aids that nicely. Yes, I will make the joke: I hardly heard Lana Del Rey on this one, either. Still a song I really like.
13. You’re On Your Own, Kid by Taylor Swift
When we get to this one, we take on something of a different vibe from the rest of “Midnights.” Yes, there’s still some light electronic influence, but this still has that classic, plucky vibe that feels like Taylor dipping her old-school sound into some of these new instrumentals. It’s a nostalgic song about Taylor growing through her music, and while it starts with a lighter, pulsing sound, the song gradually swells until it explodes at the end of the final chorus. By that point, she realizes that she’s on her own, but begins to feel the confidence that she can handle that. It’s a strong cut with another wonderful vocal performance that grabbed me from the start and didn’t let go, especially as the energy increased.
12. Question...? by Taylor Swift
But wait, there’s more! “Question...?” is another song that feels mellow before growing into something a bit more pop-oriented, complete with a few more unique vocal filters that take on something a bit different from Taylor. It’s also kinda unique how the song interrogates one of Taylor’s exes, exposing just how empty their relationship was. This is one of the many songs on “Midnights” that you’ll be hearing me compare to “reputation,” as I have notably said this album is like the 2017 record’s more gentle cousin. I think beyond how lovely it sounds, it nails the attitude that “reputation” was going for, with some charming lyrics to boot. Another cut where it feels like everything comes together harmoniously for a nice, cohesive song.
11. Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s latest album had middling reception, but I ignore it and rank a bunch of songs from it super high because I love them that much? It’s me, hi; I’m the problem, it’s me. It’s a dark but perky jam that has such a sweet, self-aware charm to it. Beyond how solid the hook is, I like the kind of way that it confronts one’s own toxicities. A lot of hardcore fans may see Taylor as this person they emulate who may help justify their toxic qualities because it’s “who they are,” but a song like this breaks down that hero worship to a degree and forces them to confront that they have created the issues in their lives. As dark as the song is, I think it’s so plucky and charming that it has some really strong appeal.
10. Lavender Haze by Taylor Swift
But it may surprise you to hear it; I kinda like “Lavender Haze” better than “Anti-Hero.” The uneasy vibe of the beat immediately hooks me in, and as I hear it, I jump into this mindset where I go “this is what I wish ‘reputation’ was!” It’s got a really seductive feel, and that “yeah oh yeah” on the pre-chorus lives in my head rent-free for some reason. When we do hit the chorus, it really lifts off for me, as I think that Taylor’s falsetto offers up a lot of character that plays into the darker atmosphere of the song as a whole. I rock with this one heavy.
9. Midnight Rain by Taylor Swift
What, another one I enjoyed more than that? Yep, while it's been a bit unpopular in some circles, “Midnight Rain” is one of the songs I’ve returned to the most from this record and I really can’t get enough of it. I know that the pitch-shifting hook has been a point of contention for some, but that’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the song: it sounds weird, sure, and Taylor proves here that she sounded good singing it regularly, but I think it adds to the minimalist vibe of the song and gives it a little bit more of an emotional punch. It’s got a wonderfully hazy instrumental and I really like where she took this one. I wouldn’t mind seeing her stick to this direction in the future.
8. Maroon by Taylor Swift
Another one this high? You bet! “Maroon” is one of the songs I’ve looped the most from the album. Hell, “Labyrinth” never hit the Top 10 but if it did, we’d probably be looking a couple spots higher than this (and potentially even the #1 spot, honestly). Regardless, this is another song that nails the really dark atmosphere, to the point where it was another “what I would’ve liked on ‘reputation’” moment. Hell, this feels to me like a slightly more downbeat version of a track like “King of My Heart” (one of my favorites from that album), which I’m totally okay with. I like how spacious it all feels, the hook carries a hefty amount of emotional punch, and I also think the writing can feel a bit clever, especially with its use of “Maroon.” As if to reference the “burning love” of “Red,” Taylor now brings about a more mature, adult love story in the color “Maroon.” It works brilliantly for the song and makes it a big favorite of mine. Now if only “Labyrinth” could’ve gotten to the Top 10...
7. BREAK MY SOUL by Beyoncé
Someone call Drake and tell him that this is how you make compelling house/dance music; by actually putting some effort into it. Beyoncé kicked off the rollout for her latest album with this jam, and you don’t know how happy I am that she chose this as the leadoff single. I know some people were a bit mixed on the beat, but I honestly loved how infectious and energetic it was, though I don’t think it hurts to have a powerful vocal presence like Beyoncé singing over top of it. I feel like a vast majority of musicians might not have been able to vocally nail this in the way that Beyoncé does, but that’s the kind of power she possesses as a singer. She sounds right at home on this beat, making this the perfect kick-off to the “Renaissance” album rollout. Thank you, Beyoncé, for expressing further proof of why you’re one of the greatest pop stars I’ve ever gotten to witness.
6. Silent Hill by Kendrick Lamar ft. Kodak Black
Man, it was so nice getting to hear a new Kendrick album when this came out. And while I’m not surprised that most of the tracks that hit the Top 10 off of the album were from the album’s earliest moments, it’s nice to see that something off of the second disc made it this high. I really enjoy this song’s trap beat and how it’s simultaneously lowkey and vibed but also banging, and I think Kendrick’s hook is charismatic and fun, especially with the constant “huh.” There’s enough flexing to go around on the track, but I also like the moments where Kendrick brings it down a bit and delivers some light singing about feeling stressed and needing love. Also, rare footage: a Kodak Black verse I actually liked. I mean, sure, I still have my qualms with him as a person, but hey, leave it to Kendrick to actually bring out some talent in an artist who I once thought had no hope. Sure, his presence on the project alone is a can of worms that definitely had me rolling my eyes before listening, and his success on this album could just be a one-time fluke that never happens again, but for as much of a disaster as it could’ve been, at least Kodak pulls his weight. And the song as a whole is really good, so I’ll take it.
5. We Don’t Talk About Bruno by Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and the Encanto Cast
Well, here, we do talk about “Bruno.” The song, that is. When’s the last time a song from a Disney animated movie hit the Top 10 on Billboard? “Let It Go,” maybe? Probably was that. Hell, has a song from a Disney movie ever gone #1? Only “A Whole New World?” Wow. Honestly, though, I loved the hell out of “Encanto,” so seeing this hit the Top 10 made me feel very happy. I’m surprised it landed this high on my list, but I enjoyed it that much. It’s a fantastic earworm where the musical theatre vibe is in full effect. There’s so much personality and liveliness to the vocals, the production and the overall construction of the track. With a multitude of hooks, some excellent verses and a satisfying emotional climax, it hits all the right notes both in the context of the film and as a song on its own. I get goosebumps when I hear it, it’s up there with some of my favorite songs from the Disney Animation canon.
4. Surface Pressure by Jessica Darrow
Hey, remember how I said “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was the first Top 10 song from a Disney animated movie since “Let It Go?” in 2014? Yeah...oh shit. “Encanto,” a movie that probably could’ve made close to “Frozen” money in the box office if we weren’t in COVID times (okay, that might be bold, but at least “Moana” money), became the first Disney animated movie to have multiple songs in the Top 10. Isn’t Disney+ great? Rhetorical question, it’s my main source of watching things these days, so the answer is yes. Either way, I don’t know if it’s a hot take or not, but I did actually like “Surface Pressure” a bit more than “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” It works for a lot of the same reasons that “Bruno” works (the catchy hooks, the way it works in the context of the film itself, etc.), but it’s also fantastic for how relatable it feels. I’ve heard a lot about how real it feels for the pressures that older siblings face, and…well, I’m a younger sibling so I can’t speak on that, but it also feels real for the general pressure and weight of expectations. It digs into how hard it is to stay strong, the fear of failure, and the pain of perfectionism. I stand by my ideology that “Encanto” is a movie about mental health, and “Surface Pressure” more than shows that.
3. United In Grief by Kendrick Lamar
To all my readers, I too hope you find some peace of mind in this lifetime. What a way to kick off Kendrick’s album with this track: there’s so much going on here, from the production to the flows to the writing itself. The song opens with some heavenly Sam Dew vocals before launching into a tip-toeing piano instrumental. Kendrick rapid-fires bars that begin to set up the unresolved trauma that becomes central to the entire album, and he absolutely slides on it. Right as that happens, though, the beat switches; the drums get frantic, Kendrick’s cadence follows along, and he takes us on a deep journey through his psyche and his story of coming to grips with fame. I had a feeling this song would hit the charts because...usually when it comes to album bombs, the opener generally has the best shot at charting high, and I’m glad that happened in this case because what a way to begin the journey of “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.”
2. N95 by Kendrick Lamar
I see why this one hit the highest on the chart, given that it was the second track on the album and that it was one of the most commercially accessible, but that “accessibility” doesn’t stop the track from hitting hard. The production is boastful and celebratory, while Kendrick himself goes into a lot of different voices and flows in an incredibly varied performance. As usual with Kendrick, it’s about the writing, and here, he dismantles a lot of the struggles, pain and panic the world has dealt with over the last few years, coming to terms with it in his own way, which he continues to do throughout the rest of the album. It’s a high note to start the album off on, and the craziest part is that it’s not even my favorite track on here. The album was so loaded with songs I loved that it’s hard to just pick one.
1. Die Hard by Kendrick Lamar ft. Blxst and Amanda Reifer
I want to pause for a minute and ask real quick; is it weird that my #1 Top 10-peaking single of this year (well, outside of one conspicuous absence) wasn’t even a conventional “hit?” It only ended up in the Top 10 for one week (and the low end of the Top 10 at that) thanks to the album bomb, and it only received a belated single release months later. Hell, I mean even The Weeknd’s “Heartless,” despite only spending one week in the Top 10 when I put it #1 in 2019, was released as a leadoff single and hit #1, so it had a good chance to land high. This was essentially just “a track from the album that happened to hit the Top 10.” Man, stuff like this can kinda confuse me; makes me wonder if I’m gonna have to change up the format of this list to accommodate for album bombs. We’ll see, I guess. Regardless, this track definitely clicked with me on my first listen and was one that was hard for me to stay away from. Once again, it is one of the more accessible songs on the album, and I’d even say that it errs on the poppier side compared to the rest of the record, but it goes to show his talent that even when Kendrick makes something a bit more “conventional,” he still knows how to hit it out of the park. This song works as a smooth R&B jam where Kendrick dives into a lot of his insecurities about love and honesty in a relationship. Add Blxst and Amanda Reifer’s heavenly vocals to the mix, and you’ve got a song that is great to dance to but isn’t afraid to get more raw, emotional and personal on you. Kendrick really nailed it with this album, and “Die Hard” is by far one of my overall favorites from “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.”
THE “IT MIGHT BE CHEATING TO PUT THIS AT #1” TIER
0. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) by Kate Bush
Come on, you can’t fault me for thinking that putting this at #1 would be cheating, right? It’s a universally beloved song from 1985 that had an improbable run to the Top 10 on the Billboard charts (something it didn’t even do in its original release) thanks pretty much entirely to its usage as part of an intensely dramatic moment in one of the biggest television shows right now (which, as a huge fan of said show...thank you, “Stranger Things”). I’m not sure how I’d feel if this song overtook something *from* 2022 as my favorite Billboard Top 10 song *of 2022*, but at the same time, the fact that it reached the Top 10 for the first time *in 2022* means it has an argument for the #1 spot. So instead, I just put it at the #0 spot in a tier by itself. Because “Stranger Things” talk aside (and don’t get me started on it, because I am known to fanboy out about it), it’s easy to see how this is so iconic: as someone who has been known to fall over some 80s synth-heavy stuff (this one being New Wave, specifically), the synths on this are incredible. Those alone really make the song, but the show doesn’t lie about Kate Bush having the voice of an angel: extremely powerful and emotionally resonant throughout the entire song. It’s easy to see why “Stranger Things” went with this for such a pivotal moment because it’s brilliant to this day (and it fits perfectly in that iconic scene). I’d also like to confirm that if “Master of Puppets” made it to the Top 10, we’d have a tense battle for the #0 spot, but as it is, Kate Bush earned this one.
And that’s it! If you checked out this list, thank you very much, and thank you to everyone who showed your support throughout 2022. This ended up being a pretty up-and-down year for me, but one that ended pretty positively. Cheers to 2023 being even better. In the meantime, what were your favorite and least favorite songs to hit the Top 10 in 2022? Sound off in the comments below!
