RobDeWittBukater Posted December 17, 2019 Posted December 17, 2019 Know Better is one of my standouts from Songs for You as well, it's almost on par with songs like Bated Breath or Midnight Sun imo Gonna have to listen to the others!
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 may as well go full top 20? let's go
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 14. Tyler The Creator x Playboi Carti - Earfquake Styles: chill, kind of like an '00s throwback but still very 2019? It's not hard to see why this ended up being one of the key tracks from his album of this year that people picked up on. I don't quite know what it is but there's a nice laid back, throwback vibe going on. It's a smooth song and Playboi Carti doing sumn is always appreciated. I heard Rihanna was once approached for the hook? If only that was a reality.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 13. Ari Lennox - Chicago Boy Styles: Late night R&B, saxophone jam, conversational fun The songs that struck me the most on Shea Butter Baby were ones like this. Effortlessly smooth and so matter-of-fact in their lyrical approach. I love how it feels like a narration of sorts. Really immersive tbh
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 12. Billie Eilish - bad guy Styles: edgy ASMR, indie quirk She really SNAPPED huh. At first this wasn't actually a favourite from the album, but I gradually learned why this was the hit it was. There's something with her songs that have this building anxiousness to them. This is hopelessly faux edgy, yes, but that's kind of the point?
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 11. Taylor Swift - Lover Styles: Romantic, somewhat retro, country flair Taylor Swift is at her best when she's able to bring so much value to simplicity. Songs like this (and one of my favourite songs she's ever done "Begin Again") aren't grandiose in any way. They really just take things at the bare level and make them feel special - probably why she's such a strong songwriter as it is. This was definitely a highlight from the somewhat mishmash that was this album. I'd love to see her pull another Red in the future - something cohesive and artistically driven. Also fun fact - if I were doing a worst of she'd be on that list with the same song! The Shawn Mendes remix utterly destroys all of the subtle beauty of the solo.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 10. Grimes - So Heavy I Fell Off The Charts Styles: Visions tea! Atmospheric pop Coming through with AOTY 2020.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 9. Jamila Woods - BALDWIN Styles: Anthemic, Kind of jazzy! R&B Jamila Woods had a really great album that explored a number of themes and complimented her own unique sense of style artistically. This one felt like the immediate smash to me when I first got into the album. It's just so effortless and combines all her strongest points together.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 8. FKA twigs - sad day Styles: I don't know ff... it's artsy? Electronic? emotional Very very clearly the standout from this album. This is FKA twigs at her best imo. The emotional punch that this song has is tremendous and each and every layer to the production (and her delivery!) add so much to whole package.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 7. Megan Thee Stallion x Nicki Minaj x Ty Dolla $ign - Hot Girl Summer Styles: Literal song of the summer SO ADDICTIVE. SO GOOD. Everyone here is incredible and they banded together to release one of my favourite hits of the year.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 6. Danny Brown x Run The Jewels - 3 Tearz Styles: Rap, Hip Hop, kind of Old School Speaking of everyone being on their A Game.... This track is just really strong all around. I love the beat so much and what they do with it is incredible.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 5. Danny Brown - Best Life Styles: Hip Hop, Slice of Life Despite him having three (:skull:) songs on my list (two in a row :skull:) I actually wasn't AS into this album as I was his last. That being said there are some incredible moments like this track. I just really like the lyrics and his delivery of said lyrics. Couple that with the beat and you have a pretty cool hit.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 4. Billie Eilish - ilomilo Styles: trippy a bit, kind of nightmarey I think this is peak Billie as far as this album goes. It's where everything sort of comes together. The edginess of her songs like "bad guy" or "bury a friend" is in full force, but its balanced with the more earnest ballad side of her ("when the party's over", "i love you"). For how short this song is, I feel like it accomplishes a lot and pushes the theme to the forefront.
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 3. Solange - Down with the Clique Styles: Artsy R&B, got some electronic in there This album was so powerful yet so understated. That's... kind of why it excels for me. This song has so much power and emotion yet it's also a bop. It's so very Solange in the best way. I kind of feel like it hasn't gotten the same attention some of her other tracks from this album got. Well... it gets top 3 billing for me!
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 2. Rina Sawayama - STFU! Styles: nu-metal, anthemic This STATEMENT she made. Rina already has one of my favourite releases of the decade with her mini album from a little while back. This however, kind of blows it out the water Like I was shook by how much I adored this song. I'm really getting into the nu-metal in pop stuff that artists like her, Grimes, and Poppy have experimented with. For me this is one of the best ones though partially because it lends so much more power to the already powerful message. I love how she blended the themes of discrimination into this to make it feel like such a strong statement. I'm so excited to see where she takes this!
smholiv Posted December 18, 2019 Author Posted December 18, 2019 1. Clairo - Bags Styles: Indie Rock, kind of hazy, kind of fantastic I could listen to this endlessly. It's so brilliantly crafted in so many ways. Clairo's delivery was MADE for songs like these, it gives them such a cool feel and she is honestly at her strongest here. The production is incredible, it fuses this like, softer indie rock feel with some quirky indie elements, and altogether it feels like this hazy dream. The lyrics are so immersive yet simple. I don't know, I could go on and on and not make sense when talking about this but it is very VERY clearly my SONG of the YEAR.
Ewan Chaos Posted December 18, 2019 Posted December 18, 2019 Bags #1 Cute pick for sure! And WOW at STFU making #2 already! RINA QUEEN. Liking that Danny Brown back-to-back slayage - especially those two picks I really like too. Baldwin is also an interesting pick I feel from Jamila's record, but it is a great one for sure!
Eeveelution Posted December 18, 2019 Posted December 18, 2019 let me catch up andromeda - her best song and definitely one of my fave songs of the year lover - she made some points with this, i hate the bridge though. so heavy - i can't finish this ngl, violence and 4 am >>> Sad day - has been hitting me lately, great top 10 choice down with the ciique - underrated and one of my faves on the album stfu - surprised to see this so high tbh but i like it a lot bags - cute girl great countdown
Red Light Posted December 18, 2019 Posted December 18, 2019 Wait that Lim Kim song is kinda cool! I should give that album a listen. I wasn't much into her stuff when I listened to her on Spotify earlier on in the year but I don't think that album had come out yet.
ATRL Moderator madonnas Posted December 18, 2019 ATRL Moderator Posted December 18, 2019 Battle Lines should be higher. Glad you enjoy it the most from them though, and I agree I love that they switch up their sound so much. Earfquake is a bop SHIFTTE, love how everyone was like "meh" when it came out but now we're all stanning. A true grower. Ilomilo is the best album cut from Billie, glad you enjoyed it. Shoulda picked different Solange/Megan songs tbh, but they're still good. Someone else on team Sad Day... surprised how rare we are. Good #1 - really though that sound has been done to death and yet Bags still feels like one of the crowning achievements of the sad girl 2010s era. STFU is good but I wouldn't put it that high, I think the chorus should hit just as hard as the verses.
Tom Vercetti Posted December 19, 2019 Posted December 19, 2019 This is a surprising list to me, especially the #1. I think I heard it once but can't recall much from it. Earfquake & Andromeda Sad Day is among my favorite magdalene tracks too. I also wasn't expecting nu-metal from Rina so i'm interested in what other surprises she has in store.
Lazuli Posted December 19, 2019 Posted December 19, 2019 lover sad day someone that appreciates stfu finally bags #1... i guess industry plant won!
World Eater Posted December 21, 2019 Posted December 21, 2019 Sandy, Lana (interesting pick, but I can see why you like it), Hatchie, Tinasha, Weyes Blood, Tyler, Billie (ilomilo ), Taylor, Jamila, twigs, Solange and Rina RICKY is disgusting, I hate that hook so much Grimes keeps winning, I can't stand it Two Danny tracks back to back that high would be justifiable any other year, but I'm glad at least someone liked something he put out this year Cute #1!
theblackestday Posted December 23, 2019 Posted December 23, 2019 qwhite an intriguing number one. It is a good song though! Without a Blush, Know Better (great Tinasha pick), Andromeda, Baldwin, Sad Day, ilomilo (perhaps my fave on the album too), DWTC, Battle Lines and Earfquake all serves. I'm an ORH. Good for Danny smashing like this!
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