best of Unoriginal's Best of 2017

[Unoriginal]

6 minutes ago, Unoriginal said:

UNORIGINAL'S BEST OF 2017

2017's 50 Best Singles

15 - 11

 

#15

London Grammar - Non Believer

 

The only version of the single cover art I could find had 'Remixes' written at the bottom but I also couldn't be bothered to spend the time looking for another one so here we are. This was my favourite song on Truth is a Beautiful Thing from pretty much first listen so I was really happy when it was announced as a single. Hannah's vocal delivery is excellent on this and it stands out from the rest of the songs in the best way possible; it's arguably the most upbeat song on TiaBT but that works in the song's favour as it feels refreshing in album context and also sounds like something that could make its way onto Radio 1's B-List. A strong single from a strong album deservedly scraping a top 15 position.

listen here

 

#14

Selena Gomez - Bad Liar

 

I think I'm beginning to use words like 'undeniable' and 'irresistible' a lot more these past few updates but the songs really do deserve to be described as such. I personally found Revival to be majorly **** and cared for little to none of it; even the singles, which I was a fan of and had an interest in before Revival's release, felt paler in the context of the album. I was curious about Bad Liar for a reason I'm still unsure of but I was shocked when I listened to it -- a good Selena Gomez song... a really good Selena Gomez song. Everything about this song (and Fetish) is genius: the sample is used effectively and smartly (DJ Khaled can't relate), the breathy, longing vocals are smart and unique and the overall production feels like a very intentional, eventful non-event. Selena has found herself a corner of pop she's mastered and Bad Liar is a combination and culmination of everything that Selena can and should use to her advantage to create sublime pop. The bridge is also incredible.

listen here

 

#13

Lana Del Rey - Love

 

Lana Del Rey - my original fave and one of two people in the top row of my signature - is only #13? I thought long and hard about where to place Love, the better of the two properly, officially released singles for Lana's fourth album Lust for Life. At first, I adored Love and that was understandable because I've been a massive fan of Lana ever since I heard Video Games for the first time. By the release of Lust for Life five months later, however, I was kind of tired of Love. I realised it was probably Lana's second weakest lead single (behind High by the Beach, my least favourite on Honeymoon by a mile) and actually realistically not as good as a considerable amount of other singles from this year. Hell, an album track from LfL is on the verge of outscrobbling Love and it's had five fewer months to do it in. I can't deny Love's euphoric chorus, the gorgeous guitar and the generally excellent lyrics of the song though. This is probably a really negative writeup but I wasn't let down by Love at all and it's still a fantastic song, there's just twelve better singles released this year.

listen here

 

#12

The xx - Dangerous

 

The xx's loud, brave, in-your-face introduction to their third album I See You also happens to be one of the best songs. It was also kind of a radio single in the UK I think which is why I allowed it, very tentatively, to place. Romy and Oliver harmonise here beautifully, the lyrics are great and Jamie xx's production is brilliant, taking a leaf from his own 2016 album In Colour's book (Dangerous is probably one of the more obvious songs to do this too). The trumpet that opens Dangerous is a clear indicator not to expect the old xx here (why? 'cause they're dead) and what follows is an excellently catchy, irresistible song that's not lost any of its charm through 2017.

listen here

 

#11

HAIM - Walking Away

 

Walking Away is genius. The Haim sisters harmonise cleverly and effectively in the chorus, sing some cutting lyrics towards a guy who's hurt them and make it clear that they're completely in charge and walking away. The R&B lean on this song is completely unexpected from a band that called back to the 80s for their first album and then travelled more to the late 70s for Something to Tell You, their follow-up, but it's so well done and such a deserving, excellent single that it almost earned a place in the top ten. The bridge is also fantastic and works as an effective, almost sad, final call to their lover to try and win them back but ultimately it's the Haim sisters who come out of the song on a high note, ending what is arguably one of the best songs in their discography and certainly one of the best singles of 2017.

listen here

 

okay so 10 - 6 tomorrow and no update on Wednesday but 5 - 1 on Thursday. hope the bumper update today wasn't too much. still working on the paragraphs  

bumping is becoming a regular thing. lemme reply to fewer comments

[grandewhispers]

Just now, Unoriginal said:

talent won

Bad Liar is not good. Any other Selena song this year (Fetish) deserved to be in that spot instead

 

[Unoriginal]

Just now, theblackestday said:

I'm assuming you're joking.

 

I didn't know you liked BL but I guess I forgot you have working ears

where'd the Love hate come from tho

[theblackestday]

Just now, Unoriginal said:

I didn't know you liked BL but I guess I forgot you have working ears

where'd the Love hate come from tho

Everyone know I'm an obsessive Love hater, @ultraviolence.xx educate him.

 

I've praised BL in almost every Best Of that mentioned it so I thought you knew because of that

 

By the way

Quote

I realised it was probably Lana's second weakest lead single (behind High by the Beach, my least favourite on Honeymoon by a mile)

How dare you

[Unoriginal]

Just now, theblackestday said:

Everyone know I'm an obsessive Love hater, @ultraviolence.xx educate him.

 

I've praised BL in almost every Best Of that mentioned it so I thought you knew because of that

 

By the way

How dare you

since when  

I literally look for the lists in Best Ofs, comment and leave. Very rarely do I stay for comments but honestly I haven't seen BL in very many threads

 

It's probably my least favourite Lana song bar some **** on Born to Die and some of LfL's first half. I like the change of rhetoric to 'I'm in charge now' but apart from that it sounds tired and nah

[Eeveelution]

I was lowkey an obsessed love hater too, but I watched it with the video the other day and it snatched me, whew. Her best single this era!

 

I didn't know Walking Away was a single but it's one of the greatest songs of all time so stan.

[ultraviolence.xx]

why did you stick with Love

yeah @theblackestday has been an OLH forev, idgi but thats that on that  

love every song on this except Dangerous which may be my least fav song on ISY?

[Lazuli]

Best pop song of 2017  

Love and Dangerous  

What's so good about Walking Away idgi it's so boring

[Remmy]

Bad Liar  A cute girl, I think she's really overrated though.

Love  Amazing lead single and album opener! Slayed

[Dom]

LOVE is one of the best songs this year, Lana really served and I was just shook and amazed.

Bad Liar is fantastic, we love it.

[TheWayWeWere]

Non Believer wasn't standout for me at first, but it growns on me so much since single release

Walking Away whew, your taste it's such a jam, didn't like single remix tho

Love

[bestfiction]

Goddess SeLEGEND came thru  I stan

18 hours ago, Unoriginal said:

I personally found Revival to be majorly **** and cared for little to none of it; even the singles, which I was a fan of and had an interest in before Revival's release, felt paler in the context of the album.

Sis wyd  Revival is the best pop era in recend years since 1989. and she stomps on all the ex-acts with it

I kinda agree on Love... It's a bit weak for a lead... The video is stunning tho 

Walking Away is a masterpiece  Legends did THAT

[Mark Rih]

Love and Dangerous yeeeees

the acclaimed single BL too whew

[Mark Rih]

Quote

not to expect the old xx here (why? 'cause they're dead)

nn lol

[volition]

Love is like bottom 3 LFL o m G 

And I will not take this HBTB slander either 

 

London Grammar are p cool but I listened to their debut and not their follow up, same with HAIM actually

[Unoriginal]

UNORIGINAL'S BEST OF 2017

2017's 50 Best Singles

10 - 6

 

#10

BANKS - Underdog

 

BANKS served us Crowded Places near the start of 2017 and it was lowkey a mess and nowhere near her best material but nonetheless a sweet BANKS song that was a nice gift a couple months after The Altar, one of 2016's albums of the year. Underdog came relatively out of the blue and it was a much better surprise than Crowded Places was. It's different from a lot of Goddess and The Altar in that it's lighter and much happier; there's a distinct lack of darker undertones that peppered both of BANKS' albums, with distinctions like Warm Water and Lovesick -- both were album highlights and Underdog is an impressive entry into BANKS' catalogue with its fascinating barks, strained yet restrained chorus and interesting production. A worthy top ten entry with considerable replayability. It still sounds fresh nearly 150 plays in. I promised no essays this time so I'll stop here.

listen here

 

#9

Kelela - Frontline

 

I'd known of Kelela from her feature on A Seat at the Table but regrettably didn't check her out until the release of Take Me Apart. Frontline, the album's opening song and an album highlight as well as a formidable single choice, is commendable in its confidence, daring and emotional strength. It sounds angry and upset but powerful and in control, all simultaneously. Kelela's vocals are heavenly, especially towards the end of the bridge, and the whole song is a laudable triumph of modern R&B; it confidently places Kelela front and centre of the new wave of R&B artists who aren't really R&B and deservingly so. 

listen here

 

#8

Jessie Ware - Midnight

 

I've been a fan of Jessie Ware since Tough Love and the consistence in quality from Devotion all the way up to Glasshouse is a rare calibre that's difficult for most artists to attain; Jessie makes it seem effortless and Midnight - the soulful, stomping, powerful lead single from Jessie's third album Glasshouse - served only as further testament to this. Jessie claimed Midnight was a song she 'always wanted to be able to sing but perhaps didn't have the confidence [to] until now' but there are no issues whatsoever with Midnight effortlessly exuding confidence for all of its nearly four-minute runtime. It sounds like a lowkey 80s callback that mixes modern elements in perfectly to create a sublime, perfect lead single that is exactly where Jessie sounds most comfortable - and righfully so.

listen here

 

#7

St. Vincent - Los Ageless

 

There can be little higher praise given to Los Ageless than to say it single-handedly convinced me to pre-order the most expensive version of MASSEDUCTION; by the end of the first chorus I'd bought a vinyl of the album that didn't even have a proper sleeve. New York was admittedly a tad underwhelming because it felt like it was lacking something; I'd listened to it twice by the time Los Ageless came out months later. Los Ageless is entirely the opposite of New York: it's loud and it's full on from the very first second with a distorted guitar, sharp and snappy lyrics and one of my favourite choruses of 2017 purely for its sheer quality and, in a way, unexpectedness. The song is a clever kind of Father John Misty-esque critique of LA and American youth in general that's accompanied behind one of Annie Clark's most accessible, poppiest instrumentals thanks to Jack Antonoff's production. It's a full on attack on the senses that succeeds in its delivery and clever message whilst also weaving in heartbreak with the song's chorus and outro. Simply genius.

listen here

 

#6

Father John Misty - Ballad of the Dying Man

 

Speaking of Father John Misty... Ballad of the Dying Man is predictably (not at all in a bad way) littered with Misty's sharp, witty, clever lyrics that make pretentiousness look cool. Dying Man talks about a man thinking back on life and considering the importance of his opinions, views and critiques on the world before realising that, in the end, it counts for what is essentially... nothing. It's a genius, dry-humoured narrative that feels all too relevant for today's society and feels like a song only Misty could pull off so well (as we've somewhat regrettably seen, Arcade Fire... um... tried it) backed by a deceptively, seemingly simple yet perfect-for-the-song instrumental led in by a guitar and piano before being led primarily by the piano and percussion. Later on into the song, a choir comes in to drive home the message of the song one more powerful time. It feels grandiose and extravagant because it is -- intentionally. Misty perfected his pretentious shtick on Pure Comedy and Ballad of the Dying Man is one of the best outputs of this (oddly, Misty's persona feels so drilled in that serious songs like Two Wildly Different Perspectives come off as try-hard and not genuine).

listen here

Edited December 19, 2017 by Unoriginal

[Unoriginal]

top 5 tomorrow

quote this post with your guesses and the most accurate will win something

Spoiler

@ultraviolence.xx isn't allowed to do this because he knows the order

 

[World Eater]

If Selena doesn't include Bad Liar on her album I'm gonna sue

 

Dangerous was a hell of a bop but I'd say there are a few better sings on I See You

[ultraviolence.xx]

3 minutes ago, Unoriginal said:

top 5 tomorrow

quote this post with your guesses and the most accurate will win something

  Reveal hidden contents

@ultraviolence.xx isn't allowed to do this because he knows the order

 

i mean to be fair i guessed the vast majority of them anyway. talent always wins

[theblackestday]

Frontline  An album opener. A MOMENT.

 

Quote

purely for it's sheer quality

Where where are they.gif

[World Eater]

waiT there's another update

 

Love it tho, especially Frontline, Midnight and Los Ageless  I don't remember BOTDM but I think it was one of two or three listenable songs from Pure Comedy

[Unoriginal]

Spoiler

23 hours ago, Eeveelution said:

I was lowkey an obsessed love hater too, but I watched it with the video the other day and it snatched me, whew. Her best single this era!

 

I didn't know Walking Away was a single but it's one of the greatest songs of all time so stan.

lbr tho 'best single this era' isn't saying much when it's against Lust for Life. If you count Summer Bummer as a single tho we have a disagreement on our hands

Wikipedia says WA is a single so it earned its spot on the list

 

23 hours ago, ultraviolence.xx said:

why did you stick with Love

for fun 

23 hours ago, ultraviolence.xx said:

love every song on this except Dangerous which may be my least fav song on ISY?

 

 

19 hours ago, Lazuli said:

Best pop song of 2017  

Love and Dangerous  

What's so good about Walking Away idgi it's so boring

WA is absolutely not boring  repent

 

18 hours ago, Remmy said:

Bad Liar  A cute girl, I think she's really overrated though.

Love  Amazing lead single and album opener! Slayed

agree to disagree

probably Lana's weakest album opener imho

 

13 hours ago, Dom said:

LOVE is one of the best songs this year, Lana really served and I was just shook and amazed.

Bad Liar is fantastic, we love it.

yes we absolutely do

 

5 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

Non Believer wasn't standout for me at first, but it growns on me so much since single release

Walking Away whew, your taste it's such a jam, didn't like single remix tho

Love

taste won

stan my taste tho  I try my best

 

4 hours ago, bestfiction said:

Goddess SeLEGEND came thru  I stan

Sis wyd  Revival is the best pop era in recend years since 1989. and she stomps on all the ex-acts with it

I kinda agree on Love... It's a bit weak for a lead... The video is stunning tho 

Walking Away is a masterpiece  Legends did THAT

I stan Fetish and Bad Liar only

Revival's just such a nonevent for me and there are some seriously BAD songs on it. Body Heat  Sober  Hands to Myself  Kill Em With Kindness  

 

3 hours ago, Mark Rih said:

Love and Dangerous yeeeees

the acclaimed single BL too whew

Just gotta pray Selena sticks with this direction

 

53 minutes ago, volition said:

Love is like bottom 3 LFL o m G 

And I will not take this HBTB slander either 

 

London Grammar are p cool but I listened to their debut and not their follow up, same with HAIM actually

not bottom three but y'know the best single soooo

HbtB's not good

 

you should listen to both tbh

 

52 minutes ago, ultraviolet tears said:

Bad Liar is just getting that acclaim, i'm so happy 

deserved tho

 

5 minutes ago, AlexisNeiers said:

If Selena doesn't include Bad Liar on her album I'm gonna sue

 

Dangerous was a hell of a bop but I'd say there are a few better sings on I See You

Bad Liar and Fetish me and you both 

 

songs on ISY I agree but singles-wise it's the clear winner

 

[World Eater]

Just now, Unoriginal said:

Bad Liar and Fetish me and you both 

 

songs on ISY I agree but singles-wise it's the clear winner

Oh yeah, I wouldn't be mad if Fetish was there too

 

I forgot you were doing only singles, fair enough

[Unoriginal]

4 minutes ago, ultraviolence.xx said:

i mean to be fair i guessed the vast majority of them anyway. talent always wins

true but in order i think not

 

 

4 minutes ago, theblackestday said:

Frontline  An album opener. A MOMENT.

 

 

5 minutes ago, theblackestday said:

Where where are they.gif

thanks for alerting me to the disgustingly misplaced apostrophe in my post so I could edit it out. Ashamed of myself.

[Unoriginal]

11 minutes ago, Unoriginal said:

UNORIGINAL'S BEST OF 2017

2017's 50 Best Singles

10 - 6

 

#10

BANKS - Underdog

 

BANKS served us Crowded Places near the start of 2017 and it was lowkey a mess and nowhere near her best material but nonetheless a sweet BANKS song that was a nice gift a couple months after The Altar, one of 2016's albums of the year. Underdog came relatively out of the blue and it was a much better surprise than Crowded Places was. It's different from a lot of Goddess and The Altar in that it's lighter and much happier; there's a distinct lack of darker undertones that peppered both of BANKS' albums, with distinctions like Warm Water and Lovesick -- both were album highlights and Underdog is an impressive entry into BANKS' catalogue with its fascinating barks, strained yet restrained chorus and interesting production. A worthy top ten entry with considerable replayability. It still sounds fresh nearly 150 plays in. I promised no essays this time so I'll stop here.

listen here

 

#9

Kelela - Frontline

 

I'd known of Kelela from her feature on A Seat at the Table but regrettably didn't check her out until the release of Take Me Apart. Frontline, the album's opening song and an album highlight as well as a formidable single choice, is commendable in its confidence, daring and emotional strength. It sounds angry and upset but powerful and in control, all simultaneously. Kelela's vocals are heavenly, especially towards the end of the bridge, and the whole song is a laudable triumph of modern R&B; it confidently places Kelela front and centre of the new wave of R&B artists who aren't really R&B and deservingly so. 

listen here

 

#8

Jessie Ware - Midnight

 

I've been a fan of Jessie Ware since Tough Love and the consistence in quality from Devotion all the way up to Glasshouse is a rare calibre that's difficult for most artists to attain; Jessie makes it seem effortless and Midnight - the soulful, stomping, powerful lead single from Jessie's third album Glasshouse - served only as further testament to this. Jessie claimed Midnight was a song she 'always wanted to be able to sing but perhaps didn't have the confidence [to] until now' but there are no issues whatsoever with Midnight effortlessly exuding confidence for all of its nearly four-minute runtime. It sounds like a lowkey 80s callback that mixes modern elements in perfectly to create a sublime, perfect lead single that is exactly where Jessie sounds most comfortable - and righfully so.

listen here

 

#7

St. Vincent - Los Ageless

 

There can be little higher praise given to Los Ageless than to say it single-handedly convinced me to pre-order the most expensive version of MASSEDUCTION; by the end of the first chorus I'd bought a vinyl of the album that didn't even have a proper sleeve. New York was admittedly a tad underwhelming because it felt like it was lacking something; I'd listened to it twice by the time Los Ageless came out months later. Los Ageless is entirely the opposite of New York: it's loud and it's full on from the very first second with a distorted guitar, sharp and snappy lyrics and one of my favourite choruses of 2017 purely for its sheer quality and, in a way, unexpectedness. The song is a clever kind of Father John Misty-esque critique of LA and American youth in general that's accompanied behind one of Annie Clark's most accessible, poppiest instrumentals thanks to Jack Antonoff's production. It's a full on attack on the senses that succeeds in its delivery and clever message whilst also weaving in heartbreak with the song's chorus and outro. Simply genius.

listen here

 

#6

Father John Misty - Ballad of the Dying Man

 

Speaking of Father John Misty... Ballad of the Dying Man is predictably (not at all in a bad way) littered with Misty's sharp, witty, clever lyrics that make pretentiousness look cool. Dying Man talks about a man thinking back on life and considering the importance of his opinions, views and critiques on the world before realising that, in the end, it counts for what is essentially... nothing. It's a genius, dry-humoured narrative that feels all too relevant for today's society and feels like a song only Misty could pull off so well (as we've somewhat regrettably seen, Arcade Fire... um... tried it) backed by a deceptively, seemingly simple yet perfect-for-the-song instrumental led in by a guitar and piano before being led primarily by the piano and percussion. Later on into the song, a choir comes in to drive home the message of the song one more powerful time. It feels grandiose and extravagant because it is -- intentionally. Misty perfected his pretentious shtick on Pure Comedy and Ballad of the Dying Man is one of the best outputs of this (oddly, Misty's persona feels so drilled in that serious songs like Two Wildly Different Perspectives come off as try-hard and not genuine).

listen here

bumping because I keep posting at the end of a page