The final 12 months of the 2010s were soundtracked by an eclectic mix of songs. As the sound of popular music continues to blur genre lines, we’ve been treated to tracks like Tyler, the Creator’s “Earfquake,” Billie Eilish’s “bad guy,” and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” which each boldly borrow from an array of stylistic influences. In turn, they were all rewarded with an ungodly amount of streams, and more than a few Grammy nominations. We live at a time when, at any given moment, anyone can access an unfathomably large library of music that stretches back for decades, but an argument can be made that the most exciting, musically adventurous songs are being made right now. It’s all moving at a speed that can feel daunting at times, but it’s worth putting in a little extra effort to keep up. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss a whole new subgenre. As 2019 comes to a close, we put together a collection of our favorite new music of the year. These are Complex’s picks for the best songs of 2019.
The Best Songs of 2019
This year’s most memorable songs came from artists like Roddy Ricch, Mustard, and Ariana Grande. These are Complex’s picks for the 50 best songs of 2019.
