The Best Songs of 2017

Image via Complex Original

Album: Lil Pump

Producer: Gnealz, Bighead

"If a three-year-old or a four-year-old can sing it, that's what I aim for," "Gucci Gang" producer Bighead told me. "Like 'Gucci Gang'—a little kid can sing that." Bighead, Gnealz, and Lil Pump followed that formula to a tee with this song. For better or worse, three and four-year-olds the world over are reacting to the spare-but-memorable production and the simple, chant-like rhythms of Pump's lyrics. Whether we need five albums worth of this stuff is a different question, but two minutes of it is exhilarating. —Shawn Setaro

Album: Beach House 3

Producer: Lee on the Beats, Hitmaka

How does Ty Dolla do it? He goes into a studio and comes out with hits like few others in this game. This is a perfect wedding song. Can you imagine this being the song soundtracking your first dance? It’s basically why you proposed to her in the first place. You think her parents would be down for that? Play this shit on loop at my wedding, at the very least. It bangs so hard, your family and friends won’t even mind. —Angel Diaz

Album: reputation

Producer: OZGO, Shellback, Max Martin

The cliché about good songs from just okay albums is that the good songs are a glimpse of what the album could have been. Unfortunately (or fortunately), that is the case with “So It Goes…” Reputation was fine, but as a whole, the album struggles to find the proper proximity to things like rumor, the media, persona, and rap and trap—except on “So It Goes…” In this song, all the “pieces fall/Right into place,” as the lyrics go, and Taylor blends hip vernacular with the dramatic flair we love (such as in “All eyes on me/your illusionist”). She lets the beat do its thing while she does hers, pacing each line perfectly. Some digital alteration adds texture to her voice, but it still sounds like Taylor, each line curled up into a sigh. Girl meets whoever, girl is shattered, girl gives everything and takes everything in return: it’s a classic Swift love story. —Lauren Jackson

Album: A Love Letter to You

Producer: Elliott Trent

As the genre signifier "SoundCloud Rap" entered the cultural consciousness this year, it became harder and harder to define what, exactly, that meant. At its loosest, it was rap that was uploaded to SoundCloud. Once you started to tighten the definition, things got a little more difficult to pin down: distortion, trap drums, repeated phrases, angst, teenaged vocalists. Trippie Redd, a young rapper out of Ohio, took those vague signifiers and, for one track at least, the elements coalesced into something greater. "Love Scars" is difficult to classify, but give it 16 seconds and you'll be sold. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: Big Fish Theory

Producer: Jimmy Edgar

Vince Staples tells us virtually nothing about his BMW 7 series. He omits the year, color, and all features except for the drop top, but you know it’s not just any car. Over twinkling synths and quaking hyphy bass, Vince describes a date that tailspins from lust and luxury to contempt and loneliness. “All my life pretty women done told me lies” initially sounds like a page from the red pill playbook but, as the story unfolds, Vince goes from victim to accomplice, his love for his BMW just as superficial and empty as his attraction to his date. By the time he sings, “Open streets, ocean breeze, we should get away baby,” there are no detours left: the date is ruined. But that moment of clarity resonates throughout the song, and throughout Big Fish Theory. Fishbowls come in many forms: some of them German-engineered, some of them flattering, all of them restricting. —Stephen Kearse

Album: Ctrl

Producer: ThankGod4Cody

While it’s hard to pick a favorite off of SZA’s magnificent Ctrl, you’d be playing yourself if “The Weekend” wasn’t one of your top picks from the album. There have been countless songs written about infidelity and finding your lover’s lovers, but it’s rare for the songs to be phrased in a way where the bevy of women are putting themselves on a schedule. It’s clever, and depressing, and a wake-up call on the ordeal. —khal

Album: Without Warning

Producer: Metro Boomin

Offset probably won’t ever declare himself the greatest rapper alive. In fact, Offset probably won’t ever care if he’s the greatest rapper alive. But “Ric Flair Drip” is his unofficial application form. On their faces, the verses here are absurd strings of luxury items—Lamborghinis, Bentaygas, Patek Philippe watches, Wraiths—but we all know Offset is proudly gauche. What’s striking here is the endless gymnastics. Flows are introduced and embellished and discarded; ad-libs range from conversational to non-sequitur; slant rhymes zig-zag sounds into formation. It all builds into a staggering monument to swagger that somehow still feels fleet and casual. Metro Boomin and Bijan Amir’s springy bass and yawning synths give Offset ample room to swing wide, but his words remain graceful and sharp, every syllable and punchline cutting into the next. If Migos songs are about color and vitality, this song is all motion and torque. Offset’s moving up. —Stephen Kearse

Album: SATURATION II

Producer: Romil Hemnani

If you haven't been listening to Brockhampton—the internet-spawned "boy band" masterminded by Kevin Abstract—this year, it could be excused. The collective released a dizzying amount of material, all of it ambitious, including three full-length albums; it was difficult to keep up with. Those that paid attention, though, were rewarded—their rabid fanbase can attest to that. "Junky" might be the group's high point of the year, anchored by a fierce, lucid Abstract, whose leadoff verse here is a contender for the best of the year. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: N/A

Producer: Cass Lowe, Jerker Hansson

Charli XCX had one of the best years of her career in 2017, all without releasing a straightforward full-length. Instead she dropped one of the year's best pop records out of nowhere in Number One Angel and wrapped up the end of the year with Pop 2, both unofficial-ish mixtapes that saw Charli collaborating with a murderer's row of guest stars, from Carly Rae Jepson to Cupcakke. The brightest moment of her startlingly strong 2017 was "Boys," an ebullient ode to daydreaming that drew its strength from its restraint. Charli tried on a lot of hats this year—proving in the process that she's pop's most versatile star—but this is the one that fit the best. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: Something To Tell You

Producer: Ariel Rechtshaid, BloodPop, Haim

It had been four long years since Haim's debut album, the effervescent Days Are Gone. In the time since, the sisters became (highly public) friends with Taylor Swift, and their music developed a reputation for holding on to a sort of timeless acclaim—Haim, along with Bruno Mars, are a safe bet for any wedding you attend in the next decade, at least. If you're a fan, the first single from their sophomore release, "Want You Back," takes about 20 seconds to convince you that Haim's still got it. If you're a skeptic, it'll take a full minute. Either way, it's clear—they're here to stay. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: Butterfly Effect EP

Producer: Felix Leone, Murda Beatz

Travis Scott makes flawless aux-cord classics, and platinum hit “Butterfly Effect” is no different. La Flame raps about popping pills, narrating his flossy lifestyle over a glistening synth. The wildly catchy, slightly hazy hook has the kind of refrain that’s easy to mumble along with (or shout!) when it’s too late and you’ve had too much: “For this life, I cannot change.” This is rager music at its finest. —Shanté Cosme

Album: My Moment

Producer: Helluva

You feel like a voyeur listening to “First Day Out.” Originally released last year, the first single from a Detroiter named Tee Grizzley is packed with details and names—so many names—that sound as if they could have been ripped straight from court papers. But what sticks with you isn’t a shoutout or any scene from the botched jewel heist in Lexington or the image of Grizzley cackling when prosecutors offered him thirty years. It’s that one line, during the song’s somber first portion: “being broke did something to my spirit.” Victory against all odds. —Paul Thompson

Album: About Time

Producer: Stint

The best thing that came out of me giving "Swish Swish" a curiosity listen on Apple Music was that it led me to this beautiful song ingeniously (or cleverly) sequenced right beneath it. I was sleeping on Sabrina Claudio—she also dropped an EP earlier in the year—but I am gloriously awake now. "Unravel Me" is intoxicating. Claudio's mesmerizing vocals unspool across an ethereal beat that crescendos to a shimmering chorus about thirstbuckets who will never figure her out. If you're into vibey, lust-soaked FKA twigs-type music, I suggest you get familiar. Press play and watch yourself levitate. —Frazier Tharpe

Album: Issa Album

Producer: Metro Boomin

21 Savage’s Issa Album stretched the Atlanta rapper a bit thin. His numbed, dispassionate rapping drags when he’s not firing off taunts or threats. But when it comes to talking about money and the sheer joy of coming up, you can feel the excitement filter through his snarl. “Bank Account” turns ATM receipts into beachside fireworks. “I got 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 M’s in my bank account” is ludicrously catchy and the closest 21 Savage comes to sounding joyous. Even when “M's in my bank account” is replaced with “shooters ready to gun you down” in the second half of the chorus, the joy lingers. Joy isn’t a necessity for compelling music, but for a rapper who traffics in menace, it’s a welcome and startling change. —Stephen Kearse

Album: The Bigger Artist

Producer: Ness, Seeley

If A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie arrived this year with his Kodak-assisted hit "Drowning," it was "Say A" that declared him here to stay. It's hard to describe the buoyant beat as anything but joyous, and Boogie takes full advantage of it. This song is likely the most fun anyone had on wax this year, putting his penchant for melody on full display. What the fuck I'm supposed to say? —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: Damn

Producer: Mike Will Made-It

The intensity of Kendrick’s lead Damn single lies in the urgency of his delivery—each and every word slaps, and arrives with frightening insistence. Each verse is a compelling tug of war with Mike Will Made-It’s equally precise beat. Is he even breathing while rapping this hard? The moments where the music cuts out and we’re just left with Kendrick’s voice are especially potent—he has a lot to say, and when he raps this unapologetically, with this much swagger, it’s impossible not to listen. The realest after all? No one would dare disagree. —Shanté Cosme

Album: Dua Lipa

Producer: Miguel/ Lorna Blackwood

Dua Lipa had a pretty wild year. Her debut self-titled project dominated both UK and US top charts, and Spotify revealed her as the #1 most streamed artist in the UK in 2017. Now that everyone has listened to my incessant pestering and jumped on the Dua wave, let’s revisit this underrated gem from the album. “Lost in Your Light” has a sultry, groovy vibe that elevates her signature pop style, taking it to the next level. Miguel joins her on the track and their voices literally melt together like chocolate and caramel in my ears. —Nora-Grayce Orosz

Album: Super Slimey

Producer: Maxlord, Southside

Super Slimey, the collaborative project between Future and Young Thug, had its moments, but none were higher than "No Cap." A furious piece of back-and-forth characterized by a trembling guitar line and booming drums, Future and Thugger took the opportunity to show the world that, even on project that feels like it came together in a matter of hours, they're two you need to keep an eye on. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: N/A

Producer: The Heatmakerz

Arriving as a surprise, "Once Upon a Time" couldn't have a more fitting title. Not only are Cam'ron and Jim Jones on the same song once again, they both deliver quality bars over a trademark beat from The Heatmakerz, reminiscent of Dipset's reign in the early 2000s. Having overcome their inner turmoil, together the Diplomats frontmen reminisce over their paths from street to stardom. And it all sounds really fucking good. Delivering a banger—and perhaps a swan's song—in 2017 was indeed a fairytale for long time fans of Dipset. —Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins

Album: Rubbin Off The Paint EP

Producer: Izak

Praise Black Jesus for guiding 17-year-old Alabama native YBN Nahmir to the instrumental of “Rubbin Off The Paint.” At the time of this writing, the video's amassed 63 million views. And while most of that is due to this lil' nigga kicking some slang-laced ultraviolence, there’s something about his voice and flow that takes the usual teen murder raps to another level. The potential is there. —khal

Album: N/A

Producer: Jarami, Caleb Laven, Vegyn

Are Frank Ocean’s 2017 loosies the best album of 2017? A case could be made. He casually dropped this banger on his Blonded Radio show on Beats 1, instantly creating a debate on which of the loosies were better than the others. Frank gave us bars on all of them. “Provider” is so smooth. The type of song to run back a million times while floating down a highway on a pleasant summer night. It sounds like the flick of a lighter getting ready to turn on an after work joint. So roll up and put this song on repeat. —Angel Diaz

Album: Jungle Rules

Producer: Jaegen/ 1Mind

That French Montana fella sure knows how to make a hit record. It seems like he gets one off every summer, and “Unforgettable” is just the latest. Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee floats on the hook like Diddy yacht racing across the seven seas. Call him Swaeoncé from now on. Shit, you may even bust out a lil salsa or engage in some lite daggering with all the island vibes this joint gives out. The choice is yours. —Angel Diaz

Album: Camila

Producer: Frank Dukes

Havana and Atlanta aren’t sister cities. East Atlanta in particular, storied stomping ground of Gucci Mane, Young Scooter, 21 Savage, Future, and a host of other rappers, isn’t even a top destination among Atlanta natives—listen to some songs by these artists and you’ll get the drift. But after a few spins of Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” the phrase “East Atlanta nights” evokes the same sensual allure as “Havana nights.” Warm, bouncy, nostalgic, and sweaty, “Havana” builds a one-night stand into a pulsating fever dream that blurs reality and fantasy. Cabello’s layered vocals swelter around each other then swell into explosions of desire. “Take me back back back” she sings in the bridge, while the city she wants to return to cannily omitted. Young Thug is uncharacteristically reserved (and is actually from Southwest Atlanta) but his presence brings out the song’s springier elements, contrasting Cabello’s impressionistic longing with steamy details. From Havana to Atlanta, hot nights remain unforgettable. —Stephen Kearse

Album: Flower Boy

Producer: Tyler, The Creator

Somehow Tyler is able to deliver a desolate cry for help over a colorful, bright backdrop. "Boredom" further reveals just how lonely this young, successful black man has become. He's searching for love to no avail, and witnessing his friendships diminish. Bouncing over luscious drums and sunny chords, Tyler paints an image of someone who needs genuine companionship. While Tyler's delivery is mostly sober, both Rex Orange County and Anna of the North's vocals are haunting. While the subject matter might seem worrisome, the declaration in the outro of "Gonna find some time"—not to mention the album's next song—give us hope for the ailing Tyler. —Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins

Album: The Bigger Artist

Producer: Jahaan Sweet, Quasi

“Drowning” had one of the of the catchiest melodies in rap this year, period. This two-times platinum hit pulls you in with those daunting piano notes, winds up for the intro, and smashes it out of the park with that killer hook. “Wrist so icy, wonder why she like me, bitch I’m drowning” made its rounds on the IG caption circuit this year, and I’m not mad about it. —Nora-Grayce Orosz

Album: Bad Liar EP

Producer: Ian Kirkpatrick

Selena is at her best in this stream of paranoid consciousness about trying to want to forget someone who’s too delicious to let go. It’s a theme shared by pop at large right now, but on “Bad Liar” Selena peels off the overdone shades of EDM and lets the existential drama speak for itself. She’s been here before and has done it well (“Hands To Myself,” “Same Old Love,” “Good for You”). On “Bad Liar,” her small vocals and often matter-of-fact delivery speak to something ritual about daily life in a world where we all claim to want to be better but still hoard our vices like Halloween candy. The various Oooo’s are crystalline and her voice, like a sigh, feels not even a millimeter away from the mic and in turn our ears—you could even call this song a lifeworm (ha!). Few tracks captured the actual (versus aspirational) mood of Summer 2017 like the stuttered, “No, no, no, no, I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’​” that hurdles the chorus and ultimately the entire song into to a conclusion that's equal parts no chill and too chill: “With my feelings on fire/Guess I’m a bad liar.” —Lauren Jackson

Album: Harry Styles

Producer: Tyler Johnson, Alex Salibian, Jeff Bhasker

Harry Styles did the damn thing this year. There are a few tracks off his self-titled solo debut that could plausibly be included on this list, but "Woman" is proof that, sometimes, first instincts are best. The shout-along, strutting song is a remarkably piece of skewed classicism from the young celebrity. It probably felt like a risk to release—it sounds like nothing else on the pop charts—but it also likely felt real. And that's what works best for it. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: N/A

Producer: Beyoncé, Willy William

It goes like this: Bengali composer Akassh Sen and singer Dilshad Nahar Kona team up for a song called "Heila Duila Nach" that starts with a crazy, processed five-note vocal melody. Willy Williams borrows the riff for "Voodoo Song." Then J Balvin brings Williams on board for his own spin on the idea, "Mi Gente." And then the storm, both literal and metaphorical. Beyoncé herself hops on the song for a surprise remix (of course), with the proceeds used to help victims of natural disasters. And the whole time, Kona's five notes kept ringing in our collective heads. —Shawn Setaro

Album: Melodrama

Producer: Frank Dukes, Andrew Wyatt, Jack Antonoff, Lorde

​Lorde still sounds like Lorde. For an artist as young as she is, that's remarkable in and of itself. But what's more impressive is how she stayed in the lane she created while still in her teens, but managed to still top herself this year. "Perfect Places" is a perfect example of that; an earnest, yearning pop anthem that would have been the best song on Pure Heroine, and remains the best example of Lorde's assured voice and ability to write songs that feel ageless. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: On My Mind EP

Producer: Preditah

How does she make songs about heartbreak sound so damn good? “On My Mind” is a bop that will have you crying in the club if you're really paying attention to the lyrics. One second you’re turning up to some Thugger or Drake, and the next second you hear Jorja’s beautiful vocals talking about how much of a piece of shit you are over Preditah’s house production, and you’re just in a corner confused about whether you should party or call you the ex you did dirty six months ago. Jorja’s ability to make heartbreak sound majestic is the reason she’s blowing up. —Angel Diaz

Album: 4:44

Producer: No I.D, Jay-Z

The first verse of this masterpiece starts with the long pause that has been a staple of Hov's repertoire since at least 1995. The concern with losing out on a big score (in this case, in downtown Brooklyn real estate rather than on the streets) has always been there. Even the advocacy of black capitalism, long implicit, was brought to the surface on Watch the Throne. But Jay's spoken word-style delivery here feels new. And the use of O.J. as both a real person and an instantly understandable metaphor has the kind of clarity that only comes with someone who has puzzled over the meaning of Simpson as sports hero, murderer, and unwilling civil rights icon for decades. We can't all afford a place in DUMBO, dumbo, but we all benefit from soaking up some of Jay's game for $9.99. —Shawn Setaro

Album: Fin

Producer: Green

A body-roll that sounds time-traveled in from 1996, “Know” is the ultimate Timabaland-Missy-Aaliyah homage. Producer Green uses manipulated vocal snippets that ping-pong from ear to ear just like the stuttering production Timbaland perfected on Aaliyah’s sophomore classic One in a Million. Syd climbs up into her upper register and stays there like it was a penthouse suite. The song’s subject is down-low romance and the otherworldly vibe that one of the most important trios of the ’90s crafted suits the material skin-tight. —Ross Scarano

Album: Grateful

Producer: DJ Khaled, DJ Nasty

Rihanna’s slinky low register rolls over Santana’s “Maria Maria,” a guitar riff as sultry as they come, makes for the sonic equivalent of a reckless late night text. Co-written by PartyNextDoor, “Wild Thoughts” touches on familiar themes—lust exacerbated by too much brown liquor—but it’s all held together by the particular way Rihanna enunciates “wild.” Bryson Tiller’s reserved flow is an easy addition and a complement to Rih’s infectiously decadent hook. —Shanté Cosme

Album: FUTURE

Producer: Metro Boomin

Laid-back drug references—it literally starts off with a repetition of “Percocets, molly, Percocets”—over a cool flute loop courtesy of Metro Boomin, “Mask Off” is premium Future. The best Future cuts are all the way on chill and, despite the summer references, this one is straight out of the freezer: “Rick James, 33 chains/Ocean air, cruisin' Biscayne.” Just play this in your drop and leave the AC off. —Russ Bengtson

Album: War & Leisure

Producer: Happy Perez, Miguel

In many ways, "Sky Walker" feels like an artist chasing trends. Miguel, still smarting from a less-than-stellar outing (both critical and commercial) on 2015's Wildheart, needed a hit this year. What he delivered in "Sky Walker" seemed like it was playing to the masses, recruiting one of the most reliable names in the game in Travis Scott and adopting the sound of the moment, a hazy, spaced-out, bass-heavy piece of pulsing minimalism. In anyone else's hands, the song may have felt like a capitulation. Then you hear the chorus. Miguel's voice will always win out, and in this case the falsetto he launches into, seemingly without strain, is one of the best musical moments of the year, a reinvention of the trends he's hopping on, and proof that music can still surprise. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: Take Me Apart

Producer: Jam City & Kwes

In a year where R&B found many ways to reboot and find its groove, it was great to get a new release from Kelela. Her sound pays as much homage to ’90s R&B as it does to an electronic sound of the future, and “LMK” was the perfect melding of both. It was the no-nonsense anthem that you’d imagine aliens who have had enough with a shitty significant other would be blasting in their babelfish. —khal

Album: Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1

Producer: Calvin Harris

In case you haven’t noticed, Calvin Harris spent a good part of 2017 trying to craft the perfect summer anthem. While the jury’s still out on which one of his jams will stand the test of time, it definitely felt like a wrap once the Frank Ocean and Migos-assisted “Slide” dropped. From the Random Access Memories-esque Daft Punk production to Frank’s hook to Offset’s coasting over the track, this feels like the turnt beach party of your dreams, sun up to sundown. —khal

Album: Damn

Producer: 9th Wonder & Bēkon

On the 9th Wonder-produced album closer (or opener, depending on which way you play Damn), Kendrick puts his life on celluloid, penning a too-good-to-be-true tale about how his life may have been wildly different if it wasn’t for one decision that was made between his father and his future mentor, Top Dawg. It’s one of those autobiographical tales that could have been turned into an album-long opus on its own, but he found a way to constrict it to one hypnotic four-minute-and-eight-second whirlwind of reality. —khal

Album: 4:44

Producer: No I.D

I wrote months ago about how this song reminded me of the time a friend told me that, beneath the bravado, "Big Pimpin'" is a sad, vulnerable song. She was right, of course. And this song shows the carnage that can happen when, even after finding love, you're unable to leave your forever-mackin' ways behind. —Shawn Setaro

Album: At What Cost

Producer: Teddy Walton

What’s you favorite thing about “Crew?" Is it Brent Faiyaz’s infectious chorus? The beat? Godlink? Shy Glizzy popping up at the end like a goddamn madman? This has been a heated debate since the song dropped. The hook is my favorite part, but that may’ve changed once I saw footage of how crazy a crowd goes when the Young Jefe hits the stage; he’s like a god appearing to his worshippers for the very first time. And thanks in part to HBO’s Insecure, this gem of a song took on a new life towards the end of year, solidifying its reign as one of 2017's absolute best. —Angel Diaz

Album: N/A

Producer: Caleb Laven, Jarami, Frank Dukes

When Frank Ocean first released "Biking," it came with head-turning verses from Jay-Z and Tyler, The Creator. By the end of a year defined by, in part, when Frank decided to drop a loosie that made us, in turn, drop everything (and, it should be mentioned, never be disappointed by that decision), it's the version without any guests that keeps our attention. "Biking (Solo)" is an achingly beautiful song, a universe that's better occupied by only one, and the wrenching shouts that Frank deploys at the end of its runtime hit all the harder now. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: HNDRXX

Producer: Swift, The Track Burnaz, Detail

HNDRXX is the year’s best pop album—a naked, airy, spiteful, joyous mess. On “Use Me,” Future’s so desperate for intimacy that he’s begging to be manipulated, to have his own vulnerability leveraged against him. Here, there’s an eye-of-the-storm tranquility. Sure, a few of those “use me”s sound like bloodlettings—but for the most part, Future wills himself still, and lets the sheer violence of life and love take over. —Paul Thompson

Album: More Life

Producer: Boi-1da

“Do Not Disturb” is the epilogue to Drake’s 22-track “playlist” More Life. The song sees the 6 God musing on all aspects of his post-Views life. Straightforward but pensive, Drake addresses everything from rap beef to relationships to his own evolution as an artist. A contrast to his attitude on songs like “Gyalchester,” and “Portland,” “Do Not Disturb” reveals a more vulnerable Drake. He sees the magnitude of the empire he's created, but is conscious of the fact that any distractions could easily set him off his game. Only time will tell, but rest assured Drizzy will be back in 2018 to give us the summary. —Nora-Grayce Orosz

Album: Culture

Producer: XL, Nard & B

No diss to “Bad & Boujee,” but while it became the obvious viral hit for Migos’ Culture run, “T-Shirt” was the real jam. The beat’s understated infectiousness made for one of the biggest singles of 2017, at least in terms of staying power. Surprisingly, Migos decided to get introspective with it, or as introspective as they could be over a beat like this. It’s one of those cuts that not only gave Takeoff his time to shine (even though it never looked like he got left off “Bad & Boujee”), and it had everyone shouting “MAMA” whenever it made sense. It’s one of the best examples of what made Migos go from underground kings to mainstream mainstays this year. —khal

Album: Playboi Carti

Producer: Pi'erre Bourne

It’s crazy how a rapper from Atlanta gave New York and New Orleans an anthem they can get behind. Pi'erre Bourne’s production with Carti’s signature minimalist style makes for a banger to have some fun to. And isn’t that what music is all about? Whatever venue this songs plays at, whether it be at a live show or at a party, people lose their minds and break out into Milly Rocks like white people break out into songs in musicals; truly a sight to behold. —Angel Diaz

Album: Ctrl

Producer: Carter Lang, ThankGod4Cody

The biggest hit on SZA’s breakout album, the wavy, drawn-out synth on “Love Galore” makes for a serene backdrop to the singer’s lazy, always lush vocals. It’s hard not to listen to this and physically sway; the ethereal outro, especially, feels like floating. SZA is musing about a non-committal lover, but she’s not shook. She gives us the inscrutable phrase “Skrrr, skrrr on bitches, do it for fun,” and the sentiment is somehow clear, despite the words being more or less nonsense. Travis’ melodic verses confirm this: “Last time I checked, you were the one that left me in a mess.” SZA might not be getting what she wants out of this, but she’s still the one calling the shots. —Shanté Cosme

Album: N/A

Producer: Frank Dukes, Michael Uzowuru & Jarami

The first solo offering since Frank Ocean’s 2016 double-header of Blonde and Endless, “Chanel” was a song we never expected to get. In the wake of his long-anticipated sophomore efforts, it seemed plausible—likely, even—that he would fade into the ether, content to race cars or build staircases, and never release a song again. So his appearance on Blonded Radio, and the unexpected airing of a new song, came with some relief—Frank Ocean is going to keep making music, after all. That relief quickly gave way to something closer to awe, though, when you realized just how good “Chanel” is. It’s a short story contained in a song with a first line to match, one of Ocean’s most aching pieces of music—and he’s made a lot of those—that just doesn’t quit; no matter how many times you insist on playing it, it never loses is novelty. This year, Frank Ocean proved you can make songs that are better than albums. —Brendan Klinkenberg

Album: Damn

Producer: Mike Will Made-It

A lot has been said about Damn, but TDE member Ab-Soul perhaps broke it down best. “I think he was trying to get back to K-Dot,” he said an in interview with Montreality. “Get back to his roots, sag his pants, really roll through the hood.”

If that’s the case, “DNA” is the manifesto of a young and hungry Kendrick Lamar Duckworth. Someone who has let time in the hood educate him on how to win. Who’s secured the bag but isn’t afraid to lose it in a moment's notice (“You ain't sick enough to pull it on yourself/You ain't rich enough to hit the lot and skate”). “I wanted it to sound like he's battling the beat,” Mike Will Made-It said of creating the production for the second half of the song. K-Dot absolutely bodies it.

Damn showcases Kendrick’s impeccable storytelling (“Duckworth”), slick delivery (“Element”), and seamless play for radio (“Loyalty”). But don’t fuck up and test K-Dot. Because when he shoots from the hip, and the heart, he never misses. —Edwin Ortiz

Album: N/A

Producer: J. White Did It

Cardi’s B’s rise from lovable stripper on Instagram to an all-around entertainer with the Midas touch is without a doubt the most endearing story in pop culture from this year. People scoffed at her desire to rap; now she has a No. 1 hit and platinum single in “Bodak Yellow," another platinum single in G-Eazy’s “No Limit” alongside ASAP Rocky, and is on a song with the Migos and Nicki Minaj that's currently in Billboard's Top 10.

“Bodak” has yet to be played out and shall ring off forever. The honesty that made her an IG favorite was showcased in the energy she brought to this track. When she speaks, we believe her. Few rappers have that ability. Whether you think she’s a good rapper or not is inconsequential because, regardless of how you feel about her, she has proven her star power tenfold, so you might as well get used to her. Cardi is here to stay. —Angel Diaz

Album: Luv Is Rage 2

Producer: TM88, JW Lucas

In a year as punishingly strange as 2017, it’s fitting that the best song is the weirdest.

Lil Uzi Vert dropped “XO Tour Llif3” appropros of nothing. It was uploaded to SoundCloud to head off a potential leak. It’s unlikely anyone thought it would be a hit. But from the jump, it began making waves. Coming in a batch of songs, the only one anyone can name is this one, and for good reason—it’s the best thing Vert’s created to date.

The song is unhinged, an incoherent scream into an abyss of prescription drugs and unaddressed feelings. The beat, though, courtesy of TM88, keeps you listening. And Vert, deploying every petulant, sing-song-y flow he can muster, crafts phrases that, six months or so later, are still proving impossible to shake. It’s not a song that will be replicated—it’s unlikely that anyone will even try—because this unformed piece of songcraft, suicidal thoughts and all, has already been perfected. —Brendan Klinkenberg