Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
40. Rake It Up - Yo Gotti feat. Nicki Minaj
Peak: 8 (October 7); Weeks on chart: 22; December 30 position: NR
Wow, what wholesome lyrics and what a non-objectifying music video. Yo Gotti is truly an inspiration in these dark times and really knows how to speak, act and think about women. I'm so glad we have such talented musicians in our world that speak such positive messages. In case you haven't figured out yet, I'm using sarcasm more heavily than sarcasm has ever been used. This song, its message and its video are actually disgraceful and its performer should be duly ashamed.
39. Rockstar - Post Malone feat. 21 Savage
Peak: 1 (October 28-December 16); Weeks on chart: 13; December 30 position: 2
No song was hotter this fall than "Rockstar." The third longest-running number one single of the year introduced the world to the up-and-coming Post Malone, a White Iverson just beginning to make his mark on the rap game. It's the first single released from his upcoming album Beerbongs & Bentleys, which means we'll undoubtedly be seeing a lot of this inked-up, conditioner-needing New Yorker in 2018. "Rockstar" remains in second on the first chart of the new year, so Malone is off to a good start already.
38. Redbone - Childish Gambino
Peak: 12 (August 19); Weeks on chart: 44; December 30 position: NR
Donald Glover has been focusing on his acting career recently, but still had some music success this year under his stage name Childish Gambino. "Redbone" was one of the longest-charting songs of the year; in fact, it hit its peak eight months after debuting on the Hot 100 last December. The most recent charting track from the man about to play young Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story reminds its listeners to "stay woke" and not to ignore the manifold social and political issues creating such tension in today's world.
37. Paris - The Chainsmokers*
Peak: 6 (March 11); Weeks on chart: 20; December 30 position: NR
The Chainsmokers were quietly one of the biggest artists of 2017, mostly because their best-performing song hit its stride last year and they were off the airwaves for the most part by July. Nonetheless, the EDM duo released two huge hits that didn't start their respective Hot 100 runs until this year. "Paris" was their first single without a featured artist since #SELFIE back in 2014; despite having no named collaborator the track spent eight weeks inside the top 10 this spring. The catchy tune was one of my favorite pop hits of the year.
36. Bounce Back - Big Sean
Peak: 6 (February 25); Weeks on chart: 28; December 30 position: NR
"Bounce Back" was Big Sean's biggest Hot 100 success as a primary artist ever. It joined 2011's "Dance (A$$)" as just his second top 10 track, and matched 2012's "As Long As You Love Me," the Justin Bieber song in which he was featured, as the second top-six song to include his name in its credits. As far as Big Sean songs go, "Bounce Back" is one of my favorites. Of course, that's like saying Lauren Jauregui is my favorite member of Fifth Harmony or Tiffany is my favorite one of the Trump children - it's not really saying that much.
35. Love On The Brain - Rihanna*
Peak: 5 (March 25); Weeks on chart: 31; December 30 position: NR
Yesterday, I suggested that "Love On The Brain" was Rihanna's only appearance on the list this year, but I realized later she's also featured in a track that I'll talk about tomorrow. One of my all-time favorites became a fashion icon this year when she introduced her incredibly inclusive Fenty Beauty line, but Ri Ri's music was a smash hit as well. The last major single to date from her 2016 project Anti is a soulful ballad that brings back memories of former Rihanna tracks like "Take A Bow" as well as her toxic on-and-off with Chris Brown. I really enjoyed "Love" this year; it's definitely my favorite track off Rihanna's eighth studio album.
34. I Feel It Coming - The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk
Peak: 4 (April 15); Weeks on chart: 26; December 30 position: NR
I think I was into this song one month this year. It unceremoniously left my rotation before I got too attached to it; how many times can you feel it coming until it actually, you know, comes? The Weeknd's most successful track of 2017 was popular long before I started enjoying it. I probably got into "Feel It" sometime in the fall, likely after it had left the Hot 100 altogether. The catchy song will likely be the one that you'll hear in about 2023 and be like "Wow, I remember this song!"
33. Strip That Down - Liam Payne feat. Quavo*
Peak: 10 (September 16); Weeks on chart: 28; December 30 position: NR
We've met Harry Styles and Niall Horan as solo artists this week already, getting a glimpse into their personal musical styles. Niall charms with soulful acoustics, while Harry is a straight rocker. Enter the R&B member of One Direction. Liam Payne rode his debut solo single into the top 10, partly because of his clout as one of the 1D boys but also because it's strangely similar to the biggest song of 2017 (here comes the spoiler alert that really shouldn't be a spoiler). In fact, I routinely sing "Shape Of You" instead of "Strip That Down" when I listen to this song and it's uncanny how well the songs fit together. Oh yeah, Ed Sheeran also provides uncredited backing vocals as one of the song's cowriters.
32. 1-800-273-8255 - Logic feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid
Peak: 3 (September 30, October 28-November 11); Weeks on chart: 33; December 30 position: 22
Maybe the most important song of the year was named after a phone number. Long gone are the days of Jenny and Tommy Tutone tho; 1-800-273-8255 is the toll-free number for the suicide hotline. Logic, whose legal name is the highly-pretentious Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, encourages kids who feel like there's no other way out of their troubles that help is just a phone call away. Amazing vocalists Alessia Cara and Khalid contribute verses to a great message of a song. The placement of "Who can relate! Whoo!" in a chorus that also includes the line "I don't wanna be alive" seems a bit counter-intuitive to the overall message Logic is trying to send, but overall this is a good and necessary song.
31. Mi Gente - J Balvin and Willy William feat. Beyonce
Peak: 3 (October 21); Weeks on chart: 24; December 30 position: 20
2017 was a big year for Latin music and artists. The infectious dance track "Mi Gente" was already one of the biggest songs in the country before the remix including Beyonce gave it a final push into the top three. Even those who don't understand the Spanish language can be drawn to the highly catchy beat of J Balvin's second ever Hot 100 entry. I don't go out to dance and party, but I'd make a pretty good wager that clubs and bars across the country have been playing the mess out of "Mi Gente" all autumn long.
As I mentioned, more Rihanna tomorrow. I think we might get some more Niall too.
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