#Top100of2015: 60-51

This is part of my Top 100 Songs of 2015 series. To see specific entries click on the following links:

Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

60. Sorry - Justin Bieber



Peak: 2 (November 14, December 5-26); Weeks on chart: 7; December 26 position: 2

Only one song has been hotter than "Sorry" over the past two months; for more on that, scroll down. Justin Bieber's second single from his new album Purpose debuted at number two. The song dropped to the number three position for two weeks before riding out the entire month of December back at two. "Sorry" is holding steady at the second spot as of the first 2016 chart. Let me emphasize, just because his music has become much better does not automatically make Justin Bieber a decent human being.

59. Like I'm Gonna Lose You - Meghan Trainor feat. John Legend

Peak: 8 (December 12); Weeks on chart: 23; December 26 position: 10

With Trainor's first handful of singles we got used to a bubblegum pop style with a mild throwback feel. Enter "Lose You," a ballad featuring one of the best ballad singers of this decade. The song is a refreshing change from the type of music Trainor with which broke into the music scene. Meghan's only song to spend time in the Top 10 this year was a winner for me.

58. Chains - Nick Jonas

Peak: 13 (April 18); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

Nick's second solo single didn't chart as high as his first, but is arguably just as good. The former boy band heartthrob is now a certifiable pop stud. "Chains" is a powerfully anxious song about a man whose relationship is doing him more harm than good. The beat drives the song in exactly the direction I think Jonas intended it to go. An honorable mention goes to Nick's brother Joe, whose band DNCE has one of the underrated songs on the radio right now in "Cake By The Ocean."

57. One Last Time - Ariana Grande



Peak: 13 (May 2); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

If Ariana understood how to enunciate when singing, this song would tell the story of an impending heartbreak, put off for one final night. When I finally understood the lyrics, the song became a bit of a turnoff because, quite frankly, I don't like sad songs. My two favorite lines, for different reasons: "Feel like a failure, 'cause I know that I failed ya," and "I don't really care if you got her in your heart; all I really care is you wake up in my arms." Two pieces of advice, Ari: learn to enunciate, then just dump the dude before the "last time."

56. Hello - Adele

Peak: 1 (November 14-December 26); Weeks on chart: 7; December 26 position: 1

This song has been literally everywhere since its premiere at the end of October. It has been featured in a Saturday Night Live skit as well as countless memes (here are a couple of my favorites). On Youtube, the music video for "Hello" has already racked up over 800 million views in a little more than two months. In comparison, Psy's "Gangnam Style" - the first ever to hit a billion - took five months to reach the billion views plateau (at current rate, "Hello" should be well over one billion views by this time next month). Lastly, I may or may not have sent multiple black-and-white snapchats of me lip-syncing to the song. Maybe as many as one series of snaps per week.

55. Jumpman - Drake feat. Future

Peak: 12 (November 7); Weeks on chart: 12; December 26 position: 14

At one point in my 2014 countdown I mentioned that Drake was one of the few bright spots in modern rap. If it's not too late, I wish to rescind those remarks presently. I find 2015 Drake quite unappealing, even if he is currently one of the most recognized male artists in the world.. I haven't heard "Jumpman" many times, but I think the track is pretty solid, even if the rapping style is grating.

54. Hit The Quan - iheartmemphis

Peak: 15 (October 24-31); Weeks on chart: 17; December 26 position: 45

This song lacks much lyrical content, complexity, originality, or basically anything that would set it apart from the much more successful "Watch Me Whip/Nae Nae." "Hit The Quan" is basically a cheap knockoff of a cheap knockoff of a cheap knockoff of a cheap knockoff of a cheap knockoff....(continue about 20 times) of a cheap knockoff of Chubby Checker's "Twist." And I'm pretty sure Chubby ripped that concept off of an even earlier song. The knockoffs have gotten progressively lazier through the years.

53. Drag Me Down - One Direction



Peak: 3 (August 22); Weeks on chart: 19; December 26 position: 46

Liam, Niall, Louis and Harry announced their hiatus this year, which is a shame because the members of One Direction were finally beginning to find their vocal niches within the group. "Drag Me Down" was the group's first single since Zayn Malik left, and maybe became somewhat of a battlecry for Directioners. Honestly I have no idea if that previous statement was actually true; I'm not in the minds of a bunch of screaming 13-year-old girls.

52. Nasty Freestyle - T-Wayne

Peak: 9 (May 16, May 30); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

"First let me step out the m----f-----n' Porsche" was a popular line in my place of work throughout the spring and summer of this year, but it took me two or three months to figure out that line came from this song. The rap community loved it enough to push "Nasty" into the Top 10 in the month of May, but I personally didn't care much for the song.

51. Truffle Butter - Nicki Minaj feat. Drake and Lil Wayne

Peak: 14 (March 14-April 4); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

Surprisingly, I did not much care for this collaboration by three of my least favorite singers and two of my least favorite personalities in music. I will say that Nicki Minaj's 2015 (trying to start drama that had no need to exist with two high-profile singers, for instance) is setting her up perfectly for a new reality TV series in 2016. She'd probably be a better Kardashian than she is a musician.

Come back tomorrow for the start of the countdown's second half...and for goodness' sake, someone bring Rihanna her money.

#Top100of2015: 70-61

This is part of my Top 100 Songs of 2015. To see specific entries click on the following links:

Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

70. Girl Crush - Little Big Town

Peak: 18 (May 9); Weeks on chart: 24; December 26 position: NR

We'll start with the controversy that could only happen in the oh-so-unintelligent South. Allegedly, some country radio stations decided not to play the song because it pushed the "homosexual agenda." Two major issues: This is clearly a song about a woman who wants to be the girl her man is cheating on her with; and IT IS 2015. EQUALITY IS A THING. GET OVER IT. For what it's worth, I don't particularly like this song, but just because it's another whiny heartbreak-y country song.

69. Animals - Maroon 5

Peak: 3 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 33; December 26 position: NR

To this point, "Animals" is M5's most recent Top Five song. Released as a single from the band's album V, it saw its strongest success at the end of 2014. "Animals" started this year in the Top 10 but gradually dropped out of the chart over the next few months. Probably not Maroon 5's best, "Animals" is still a solid track.

68. Stay With Me - Sam Smith

Peak: 2 (two weeks in 2014); Weeks on chart: 54; December 26 position: NR

"Stay With Me" was one of the top five songs of 2014, finally falling off the Hot 100 at the end of April of this year after over a year on the chart. As I previously mentioned, I am not a Sam Smith fan. His voice is only enjoyable in upbeat dance tracks like his earlier works with Disclosure and Naughty Boy. In his solo work thus far he sounds nothing less than a whiny little five-letter-word-I-won't-say-because-my-parents-may-read-this.

67. Take Your Time - Sam Hunt

Peak: 20 (April 11); Weeks on chart: 32; December 26 position: NR

Sam Hunt is one of the rising stars in country music, and "Take Your Time" is the highest-ranking song on this year's Top 100. I personally don't like the way Sam talks the verses instead of singing them. Hunt is better than many country artists, however; his song "House Party" is my favorite single he has released so far. The future for this crooner is bright.

66. Same Old Love - Selena Gomez

Peak: 9 (December 26); Weeks on chart: 13; December 26 position: 9

This is one of the hottest tracks of the new year, having jumped up to the No. 6 position in the January 2 Hot 100. Selena Gomez has put forth a very solid new sound; "Same Old Love" is her second single from Revival. Without question, this song will rank even higher when #Top100of2016 comes around this time next year.

65. Love Me Harder - Ariana Grande feat. The Weeknd

Peak: 7 (one week in 2014, January 3); Weeks on chart: 22; December 26 position: NR

"Love Me Harder" reached its zenith as 2014 came to a close and 2015 began. Perhaps there was no bigger female pop star during that time not named Taylor Swift. It was around the time this song was popular that my friends and I decided that Ariana and I would make cute babies together. I've since decided against my friends' dreams for #Clariana but hey, there are plenty of fish in the sea, right?

64. Downtown - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, and Grandmaster Caz

Peak: 12 (October 31); Weeks on chart: 15; December 26 position: 76

A year and a half separate Macklemore's two most recent Hot 100 hits. I would have hoped for much better from the makers of "Thrift Shop" and "Can't Hold Us" but "Downtown" just is not that great a song. It is wildly inconsistent in form and whichever of the four featured artists "sings" the chorus has a terribly irritating voice. As Macklemore and Ryan Lewis burst onto the music scene so well in 2013, I truly hope 2016 proves the duo's debut set of singles was not a fluke.

63. Here - Alessia Cara

Peak: 8 (December 19-26); Weeks on chart: 19; December 26 position: 8

This is my favorite track currently in the Top 10. It took quite some time to start gaining airplay; I distinctly remember hearing a DJ announce "Here" as a "new song" when I had known about it for about two months. Once it did catch on, listeners couldn't get enough of the song's sassy lyrics and Cara's sexy singing style. I haven't yet tired of "Here" and at this point it's doubtful if I ever will.

62. You Know You Like It - DJ Snake feat. AlunaGeorge

Peak: 13 (June 27); Weeks on chart: 21; December 26 position: NR

This song was vastly underplayed for how good it really was; perhaps that Major Lazer's "Lean On" is so similar but more popular took attention away from DJ Snake's follow up to "Turn Down For What." This song has a completely different feel from "Turn Down" but still features several familiar DJ Snake beats. What sets this song apart from other EDM tracks from the past two years is the singing voice of AlunaGeorge. She provides an exceptional vocalization to complete one of my favorite tracks of the year.

61. On My Mind - Ellie Goulding

Peak: 13 (December 19-26); Weeks on chart: 12; December 26 position: 13

Ellie Goulding's Halcyon Days album got me through a really difficult point in my life, so I was very anxious for new music from the British superstar. "On My Mind" and Goulding's 2015 album Delirium absolutely did not disappoint. After a year and a half of the introspection - and in times feelings of depression - that went along with listening to the masterpiece that is Halcyon Days I was ready for some Ellie Goulding songs that I could just happily jam out with. Ellie's new music is exactly that. Keep doing you, Ellie. I am exceptionally thankful for your music.

Tomorrow, the worldwide phenomenon that is Adele.

#Top100of2015: 80-71

This is part of my Top 100 Songs of 2015 series. To see specific entries click on the following links:

Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

80. Uma Thurman - Fall Out Boy



Peak: 22 (September 12); Weeks on chart: 27; December 26 position: NR

The second single from the band's American Beauty/American Psycho album, "Uma Thurman" is another solid Fall Out Boy tune. The song samples the theme from "The Munsters" and alludes to Uma Thurman's character dancing in the film Pulp Fiction. With this hit, Fall Out Boy continue to prove that they are perhaps the definition of the pop-punk genre of music.

79. Ayo - Chris Brown feat. Tyga

Peak: 21 (April 11); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

As I mentioned in the last post, I have no appreciation for Chris Brown as a human being. Naturally, I find it very difficult to like any song he is involved in. The chorus of "Ayo" is mildly catchy if not lyrically explicit; other than that there's not much to note about this song.

78. No Type - Rae Sremmurd

Peak: 16 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 26; December 26 position: NR

This is one of a score of whiny rap songs that were popular at the end of 2014. Of the 26 weeks "No Type" spent on the Hot 100, 14 were in 2014. The duo's follow-up single, "Throw Sum Mo" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Young Thug), never had as much success as "No Type."

77. Classic Man - Jidenna feat. Roman GianArthur



Peak: 29 (September 5); Weeks on chart: 21; December 26 position: NR

This was probably one of the better hip-hop songs to come out of 2015. The lyrics are rather mild and the vocalization is really not that bad compared to others (Read: "No Type"). In addition, everything about Jidenna is pretty appealing. That fashion sense? Those dance moves? That beard? I want to be this guy when I grow up.

76. Lay Me Down - Sam Smith

Peak: 8 (March 28); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

If Jidenna is everything I want to be when I grow up, Sam Smith is everything I don't want to be. His voice and lyrics are both entirely too whiny. I got five minutes into the new James Bond film and then I realized he sang the theme; if it weren't for the fact I paid good money for those movie tickets, I would've walked out of the theater right then and there. I'll continue ranting about him tomorrow.

75. Dear Future Husband - Meghan Trainor



Peak: 14 (June 6); Weeks on chart: 24: December 26 position: NR

People had a difficult time deciding whether this song was empowering for women or enforcing archaic expectations for marital relationship dynamics. The truth is that neither is true; Trainor's 2015 follow-up to "All About That Bass" and "Lips are Movin" is merely about her own self-obsession - in many ways the same message she is conveying in her first two singles. Just make sure to open doors for her if you want some, uh, kisses.

74. The Heart Wants What It Wants - Selena Gomez

 

Peak: 6 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

Selena Gomez was quietly one of the most successful pop stars of 2015. Her year started with this entrancing track, which was actually released last November as her final single as a primary artist before her Revival later this year. I have become quite the fan of Selena over the past year; I'm looking forward to more great music from her new album on the radio in 2016.

73. 7/11 - Beyonce

Peak: 13 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

Let's just say Beck deserved to win the Best Album Grammy this year, Kanye. There was really nothing appealing about Beyonce's album, except for the fact that it was Beyonce. This song might have been the worst track on the entire thing. It's not 2003 anymore, world. George W. Bush is (thankfully) not the President of the United States, and - shocker of all shockers - BEYONCE IS VASTLY OVERRATED.

72. Renegades - X Ambassadors

Peak: 17 (November 7); Weeks on chart: 35; December 26 position: 50


"Renegades" - surprisingly enough used in advertisements for the Jeep Renegade - was one of the better alternative songs of the year. I enjoy it so much it is in the Spotify playlist I listen to while driving (I drive a Nissan, though, not a Jeep). Although the song spent more than half of the year in the Hot 100, its time of prominence in the chart was short-lived; perhaps explaining why it is only No. 72 at the year's end.

71. Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) - Rich Homie Quan

Peak: 26 (July 4); Weeks on chart: 27; December 26 position: NR

Just curious, can anyone actually understand what Rich Homie Quan is saying, er, mumbling in this song? Whatever it is, I'm sure I'm better off not knowing. This track just missed the Top 25 when it was in its Hot 100 peak this summer. Somehow I mostly avoided hearing it on the radio, which I think is probably a good thing.

Tomorrow (or later today if you're on the East Coast): More from four artists we've already seen on the list, plus my favorite song currently in the Top 10 and the year's most needlessly controversial song in country music.

#Top100of2015: 90-81

This is part of my Top 100 Songs of 2015 series. To see specific entries click on the following links:

Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

90. Ghost - Ella Henderson

Peak: 21 (March 7); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

"Ghost" was one of my favorite songs at the start of the year, even though the song did not peak until March. Henderson's voice in "Ghost" is superb, and the beat is driving without being overbearing. On my list of favorite 2015 songs, this would easily rank in the top 20.

89. She Knows - Ne-Yo feat. Juicy J

Peak: 19 (March 14); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

Perhaps because it was reminiscent of Ne-Yo's prime in the mid-2000's, perhaps also because of Juicy J's old-school style of rapping, "She Knows" was quite possibly my favorite hip-hop track to come out of 2015. The song debuted in November 2014, but was not a chart success until early in 2015. For Juicy J, "She Knows" built to the success of 2014's number one, "Dark Horse," on which the rapper was also featured.

88. Slow Motion - Trey Songz 

Peak: 26 (May 30); Weeks on chart: 26; December 26 position: NR

R&B crooner Trey Songz provided this 2015 hit that just missed out on the top 25 in the Hot 100. "Slow Motion" is a sexy slow jam befitting Songz's voice. If you don't really remember the song, it probably is because it got most of its play on non-hip hop, light R&B stations.

87. Love Yourself - Justin Bieber



Peak: 4 (December 5); Weeks on chart: 4; December 26 position: 5

The latest-debuting song on this list, the third single from Bieber's wildly successful album Purpose peaked at its debut. "Love Yourself" has moved back up to the fourth spot on the Hot 100 for the January 2 chart, which means it is quite possible the song has not yet reached its ultimate peak.

86. Tuesday - I LOVE MAKONNEN feat. Drake

Peak: 12 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 22; December 26 position: NR

One of the hottest hip-hop tracks at the start of the year - and a 2014 Top 100 song - "Tuesday" stuck around long enough in 2015 to earn the 86th position in this list. I liked this song more than many rap tracks at the end of last year; still, I never had a burning desire to hear "Tuesday" after it dropped from the Hot 100.

85. Marvin Gaye - Charlie Puth feat. Meghan Trainor

Peak: 21 (October 10); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

I actually really like this song from one of this year's breakout stars and one of last year's top new artists. The melody is highly catching and begs for a three-part harmony in parts, Charlie and Meghan's voices are highly compatible, and it of course alludes to one of the great soul artists of all time. "Marvin Gaye" could've done away with the modernized 808 machine during the second verse in favor of a throwback beat created perhaps with an actual drum set. But let's not get too picky - this was still one of the underrated pop tracks of the year.

84. All Eyes On You - Meek Mill feat. Chris Brown & Nicki Minaj

Peak: 21 (August 15); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR

Meek Mill will be best remembered by getting absolutely owned by Drake this summer. His lasting Hot 100 legacy will likely be this song, featuring two other not-so-favorable personalities in Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj. Sorry, Meek and Nicki, but when you try to create controversy for the sake of creating controversy, you get a #Top100of2015 review focused more on your actions than your music.

83. CoCo - O.T. Genasis

 

Peak: 16 (February 14); Weeks on chart: 14; December 26 position: NR

This not-so-subtle ode to cocaine dealers was actually one of my favorite hip-hop songs on this list. Much like "Tuesday" last year, it's not necessarily the quality of the track that I enjoy; the song just makes me laugh. My favorite line is absolutely "Bakin' soda, I got bakin' soda." (PSA: Don't sell cocaine. It's dangerous and absolutely illegal.)

82. Focus - Ariana Grande 

 

Peak: 7 (November 7); Weeks on chart: 6; December 26 position: 24

Stylistically, "Focus" is not much different from Ariana's 2014 megahit "Problem". The pop starlet's 2015 is much better known by the donut-licking incident; perhaps that is a contributing factor to this song's relatively poor performance compared to two or three other songs that debuted around the same time. In case you were wondering and didn't know, Jamie Foxx provides the voice for the chorus in this song.

81. The Hanging Tree - James Newton Howard feat. Jennifer Lawrence

Peak: 12 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 17; December 26 position: NR

By far not the best-performing soundtrack song in 2015, "The Hanging Tree" lost its appeal when the remix version came out. Now that the last movie in the Hunger Games franchise is finally out, I may actually read the books. If there is a single released from the current film's soundtrack, expect to spend the next month or two in the Hot 100 as well.

Sam Smith, Selena Gomez, and more highlight the next segment of the list. Check back tomorrow for 80-71!

#Top100of2015: 100-91

This is a part of my Top 100 Songs of 2015 series. To see specific entries click on the following links:

Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

100. Riptide - Vance Joy



Peak: 30 (January 31); Weeks on chart: 44; December 26 position: NR

It is interesting that this list begins with a song that references Michelle Pfeiffer in its lyrics; she'll come back up in about nine days. "Riptide" is a pleasant song that only managed to crack the top 30 at the start of the year. I imagine Vance Joy would have been good to see live when he opened for several of Taylor Swift's tour dates; unfortunately I was not able to see him at the show I attended.

99. This Summer's Gonna Hurt... - Maroon 5

Peak: 23 (June 20); Weeks on chart: 13; December 26 position: NR

Perhaps not quite the summer hit Maroon 5 had hoped it would be, perhaps because the ellipsis in the title are replaceable with the words "Like A M----f-----." This is certainly not M5's greatest song, but it is an earworm nonetheless.

98. Waves - Mr. Probz 

Peak: 14 (one week in 2014); Weeks on chart: 25; December 26 position: NR

One of the hottest house tracks of the winter, the Robin Schulz radio edit of "Waves" reached the top spot of nine different European charts but could not crack the top 10 in the United States. The majority of the song's American success occurred last year, but it charted just long enough in 2015 to reach the year-end 100.

97. Habits (Stay High) - Tove Lo



Peak: 3 (two weeks in 2014); Weeks on chart: 39; December 26 position: NR

Tove Lo's debut single, like Waves, was much more prominent in 2014. I had the opportunity to hear it live this year; Tove does a fantastic job performing the song. You'll be seeing more from Tove Lo in this countdown, be sure to check back each day to see where her second single landed.

96. Where Ya At - Future feat. Drake

Peak: 28 (October 30, November 7); Weeks on chart: 21; December 26 position: 35

Drake had another successful year in 2015; "Where Ya At" is one of five songs on this list that the Canadian rapper appears on as either a primary or featured artist. This is the most recent of his collaborations with Atlanta-based Future, whose biggest hit before this year was 2012's "Turn On The Lights." While the state of rap music in 2015 is slightly improved from that in 2014, the year's two Future/Drake collaborations are not enjoyable songs to me.

95. Blessings - Big Sean feat. Drake

Peak: 28 (April 25, May 2, May 16); Weeks on chart: 20; December 26 position: NR


Speaking of hits featuring Drake, this song had mild success in 2015. Shortly after its peak on the Billboard chart, "Blessings" was the soundtrack to this adorable press conference featuring NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry and his daughter, Riley.

94. I Want You To Know - Zedd feat. Selena Gomez



Peak: 17 (March 14); Weeks on chart: 16; December 26 position: NR

The next step in Selena Gomez's music career began last fall with her single "The Heart Wants What It Wants". The next track Gomez released was a collaboration with her then-sorta-boyfriend Zedd that peaked when it debuted in March but spent the next four months on the Hot 100. This was perhaps my favorite Gomez track of the year; her voice suits this style of music.

93. Bang Bang - Jessie J feat. Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj

Peak: 3 (two weeks in 2014); Weeks on chart: 31; December 26 position: NR

One of the hottest songs of 2014's latter half (it was the No. 14 song in my Top 100 of last year); "Bang Bang" stuck around the charts long enough to land a spot in the bottom 10 of the 2015 year-end list. Teens reacted to the lyrics of this song so I don't have to.

92. Elastic Heart - Sia

Peak: 17 (January 24); Weeks on chart: 30; December 26 position: NR

Another song that peaked when it debuted, "Elastic Heart" never gained the traction Sia's previous hit "Chandelier" did. This may have been the best music video of 2015's top 100 songs; Starring Shia LeBeouf (who had quite the unique year himself) and Maddie Ziegler, the caged dance from the video was alluded to in this year's YouTube Rewind.

91. Antidote - Travi$ Scott

Peak: 16 (December 26); Weeks on chart: 14; December 26 position: 16

Perhaps the hottest hip-hop song on the Hot 100 at the end of the year, "Antidote" has slowly been climbing the chart since its debut three months ago. This is another classic example of the decline of rap music; however, from a chart standpoint, rap is more popular now than it has been in two decades. Tomorrow, find out what one of my favorite hip-hop tracks of the year was.