Sex-rapper CupcakKe, pictured with popstars Charlie XCX & Brooke Candy
Bon Appetit (CupcakKe Version)- BEST SONG, BEST URBAN, BEST GUILTY PLEASURE, BEST UNRELEASED, BEST REMIX, BEST UNOFFICIAL REMIX, BEST FEATURE- Katy Perry featuring CupcakKe - Pop - Electropop- This version of Katy Perry's second single of the "Witness" era was "fixed" as I like to say; See the #37 of the original, Migos-tainted version. Not only is the song unique from that of most of its' parent album, but the insertion (shall we say) of CupcakKe's "Vagina" verses make this a fabulous & essential sexual anthem for the 2010's. Food metaphors have been overdone and pretty much abused over the years (See the Timberlake-Justin Timberlake takeaway song), but what other artists actually gives away cherry pies out of a truck and spent a day lending her head out as an art installation? Needless to say Katy Perry is a popstar par excellance. More on her as we visit various "Witness" cuts throughout this count-down. And yes "Fuck this pussy x 4" was considered for "Best Lyric", but technically is a few years old...
"We Are What" was featured in the credits of the film "Rough Night." That solo version of the song was never released commercially
We Are What (Film Version) - Noah Cyrus - Pop - SONG OF THE ZEITGEIST 2018 - At the end of the fantastic film that *finally* combined the subgenres of "dead stripper" and 'Girl's weekend', you may have heard the clarion-call of Noah Cyrus, Miley's younger sister, who rose to prominence with her many 2017 single releases, television, and award appearances. "We Are What", a definite runner-up for best lyrics is one of many songs that evoke the listlessness and hope-less state of America's youth today. If the lyrics of this song don't resonate with you, you are probably not a millennial. This song was commercially released in inferior form as "We Are Fucked", a duet where singer MØ is given some of the lines that Noah sounded best on.
Younger Now - BEST POPULAR SONG - Another Cyrus! Miley was certainly not bucked out of the spotlight as her sister's star rose. She adopted her "spontaneous, down-to-earth" new look-- which basically means she doesn't rub up against crotches anymore. Booooooorrriiiing! Her latest album, also titled "Younger Now" is pretty good, and shares similarities with Kesha's "Rainbow". Miley shines above other popstars because she is rarely unable to deliver the goods vocally in live performances. Her televised "Malibu" and "Younger Now" performances were not only fabulous, but far above what most popstars, whom it seems, can't hit the notes in their own songs. The televised performances and video features old people and trannies. Great guitar throughout this song, as well as introspective lyrics.
Clearly not impressed
These Heaux - Danielle Bregoli As BHAD BHABIE - Hip-Hop - Crap-Hop - ARTIST OF THE YEAR, BEST HIP-HOP, BEST FEMALE RAPPER, BEST NEW ARTIST, BEST INDIE RELEASE, BEST UNDER-DOG SUCCESS STORY, BEST CRAP-HOP, BEST INTRODUCTION TO AN ARTIST, BEST RAPPING SKILLS - Jan 1, 2017: Danielle Bregoli is a 13 year-old juvenile delinquent dealing drugs, stealing cars, etc.... Dec 31, 2017 - Danielle, now 14 and known as BHAD BHABIE has released 5 Hip-Hop singles, after a viral video turns her into an overnight infamous sensation. She is planning a tour. She broke a Billboard Magazine award for Youngest Solo Rapper To Chart On The Hot 100. The mediating experience between the two? Dr. Phil McGraw. Yes, the show is relevant again, apparently because you can become a millionaire and have your dream career if you are a teenage girl and act horribly in front of the cameras. Well, there is more to it than that, of course, and in that lies Danielle's mystique/genius. She's not just some juvenile - delinquent with 6-inch fake nails -- she's a born performer, genuinely hilarious with a foul mouth; And this white girl is a great rapper, not just a novelty act. If "These Heaux" doesn't impress, than her freestyles over other Hip-Hop songs and subsequent singles should. 2017, in my opinion, was undoubtedly the year of BHAD BHABIE, and she has already released 3 singles this year. Awesome musick video shot via drone, though that tends to show (in a negative way) upon repeated viewings. See the musick video here
Chained To The Rhythm (Parody) -Best Group, Best Lyric (First Chorus) - The Key Of Awesome- Parody, Pop - Katy Perry's "Chained To The Rhythm" is not only one of the best pop singles of this decade, but it was amazing fodder for parody masters The Key Of Awesome. What puts this parody ahead of the source material is incisive lyrics that poke fun at Katy's efforts to be seen as 'woke'. The parody wins the award for "Best Lyric" with this hilarity: "Listen up, it's a protest song/But not one that'll offend mommy/Hit 'em with subtle imagery/Like a roller-coaster with emojis/That was deep as fuck/Why does your live suck?/It's cause of corporations, applications, and other 'ations'" Unfortunately this parody video, which takes place in "Privilege Village", was one of The Key Of Awesome's final musick videos :<
Chained To The Rhythm - SINGLE OF THE YEAR, BEST AMERICAN RELEASE, BEST FEMALE ARTIST RELEASE, BEST COMMERCIAL SINGLE, BEST LEAD SINGLE, BEST DUET, BEST COMMERCIAL HIT, BEST MAJOR LABEL RELEASE - Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley - Pop - And now to the real "Chained To The Rhythm". We are in an era of various Identity Politics agitations. More Liberal anthems are appearing in Pop. Katy Perry's lead single "Chained To The Rhythm" is probably the most well-regarded, and highest-profile of these. Katy Perry is mentioned in #1, went to various lengths performing promotional stunts, such as lending her head to an art museum exhibition. The song is solid and a fabulous lead for the album, but it is the gorgeous and coherent music video that is worth multiple views to absorb the imagery. As well as Katy Perry's natural talent, as a camp performer, she is joined by Skip Marley, who, in a moment of unexpected transcendence and surprising Agitprop, decries *The American Empire* (unless 'The Empire' means something completely different in the Caribbean than it does everywhere else). That is a direct hit, Washington! Pop missile alert! 'Your faves could never!' No, honestly, they could if they tried. Or cared.The live performances, especially the BRIT Awards, featuring gigantic puppets of President Trump and Prime Minister May as jarring skeletons looming over the audience, were strong in the visual sense, although sometimes disappointed in the vocal category. One gets the sense that, far from 'going through the motions' this era, for Katy Perry this was a real *effort* and that is why Perry's flaws, both as a vocalist and as an attempted-comedian fall short: Because unlike certain others (I'm talking to you, Ruth B!) , Katy actually tries. And that is more than enough for me. In an age of the ideology of the 'detached cynical, Post-Modern' viewer, Katy Perry doesn't fit in. She is a shockingly straight-forward and earnest messenger. She stands out. She may make you squirm with her overly-physical, 1930's-style comedy, but at least she elicits *something*. We must remember how much pop goes through the factory and comes out with a whimper
*Too Perfekt*Malfunctioning*
Rose-Colored Boy -BEST MUSICK VIDEO - Paramore - Rock, Pop - New Wave - With a fabulous musick video that seriously seems to be have been made just for my pleasure, "Rose-Colored Boy" is the latest single from Paramore's "After Laughter", one of the best albums of the year. Hayley Williams returned, after an absence of a couple years, with a new hair colour, a new relationship status, and a new aural style for the band. 80's Synth-pop and New Wave permeate the album. Hayley and the strapping gentleman that she surrounds herself with are fabulous both in the studio, and on stage, serving energetic television performances, where Hayley Williams puts more energy into one performance than a Ruth B on Crystal Methamphetamines. Amazing 80's hair-looks in the video
Patience - RAY BLK - R&B, Hip-Hop - RAY BLK, 'The Sound Of 2017', as selected by the British Broadcasting Corporation, not only is a captivating act visually, but a true *singer*, as well as rapper. She is a great performer live, focusing less on spectacle and more on vocal competence. "Patience" is an example of 'Values Pop', but RAY is at her core an Urban artist who also sings of her gritty upbringing in the UK. The 24 year-old was born in Nigeria, and won the BBC's contest whilst being unsigned, indie or otherwise. RAY BLK is an intellectual and, if Wikipedia is to be believed, studied English Literature, and wrote a dissertation on the post-colonial literature of her birth nation. She apparently focused on Chinua Achebe, which I had the unfortunate happenstance of being forced to read for school, and probably being too young to appreciate it. The appellate 'BLK' refers to "Building, Living, Knowing", which are her foundational values. She is the only artist on this list who has written musick inspired by a Charles Dickens work, and I honestly don't have to look that up to know it is true!
I fully believe rose petals fall on Kehlani 24/7
Distraction - BEST R&B, SEXIEST FEMALE PERFORMER- Kehlani - R&B - Our first R&B song proper was released early in the year. The Sexiest Female Performer is immaculate , bi-sexual, and unstable. Quite the workings of an artistic genius, eh? From her puzzle of tattoos, to her short hair, her piercings, her evocation of Laura Croft on the single cover-- Kehlani is enormously more interesting than your 'average girl' (Though it is a year of adulation for them as well-- see #11). Her vocal stylings are sexy and here the production nods to the 90's R&B sounds that are en vogue (literally). The video is a gorgeous and romantic skit with a cutie male co-star. There is also a nod to Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" in the video. Can you spot what it is? Watch the musick video here
Get Low - Zedd featuring Liam Payne - Dance - Pop Dance - It was surprising to hear how clear and strong 'Payno's vocals were on this track, but this may point to the talents of producer, and adorable bobble-head-like-EDM producer Zedd. The single cover is legitimately beautiful. The live performances on "Good Morning America" and others actually feature both the DJ and vocalist present, and this song received full-service from the label, not only with the afore-mentioned, but with two musick videos: One, "a bunch of white girls", according to CK Brooke and the other an audience participation number following Payne and Zedd as they frolick around singing and dancing with the town's lady-folk. Listen here
Most Girls - BEST TEEN POP - Hailee Steinfeld - Pop - Probably my favourite song in this frickin' countdown (For obvious reasons: Hailee Steinfeld, the musick video where they make her look Latina, Hailee Steinfeld, lyrics that are so woke they don't make sense, et al...). "Most Girls" is but one of many pop songs that express a Liberal Feminist POV that jives with the feeling of politicized youth.
Best single cover of the year? ISIS would approve
XO TOUR Llif3 -BEST DARK SONG, BEST DARKWAVE, BEST ALTERNATIVE HIP HOP-Lil Uzi Vert - Hip-Hop - Alternative Hip-Hop, Darkwave - Lil Uzi Vert, a rapper with nods toward 'Emo' culture and stylings, seemingly came out of nowhere, to end up with a massive mainstream hit which not only consisted of barely comprehensible mumbles, but also (I kid you not), had the sing-along Hip-Hop hook of the year with "Push me to the edge/All my friends are dead". DARK. Lil Uzi Vert sings about wanting to "blow his brains out" , and how this is unattractive to women. Watch the video. Once. ONCE. & the "arabic" is gibberish. Watch the video here
Woman - Kesha - Pop- Pop-Soul - The second single from "Rainbow", "Woman", is expressive of the other main theme of the album (alongside the therapeutic, earnest pain of "Praying"): Kesha's bad-ass self and Feminists world-wide. Kesha has come to where she is by overcoming many problems, but one gets the sense that Kesha is a fully-actualized individual that leaves a magical trail of acceptance and love wherever she goes. Watch the video here
Praying - BEST BALLAD - Kesha - Pop, Ballad - Kesha's triumphant return, after not 'believing she would ever record again'. Well-received and became a pop hit despite being a rather heavy ballad. Kesha, set free from her much-publicized abuser Dr Luke (of "you're a refrigerator" fame), Kesha is free to express her eccentric self the way she wants. And it clicked with the public, and the electric performer connects so closely with her audience of hard-core fans, as evidenced by any of the live performances of this . I am somewhat forgiving for the note-dodging because she is a goddess. Watch the video here
Teenage Fantasy - BEST VOCAL, BEST NON-AMERICAN RELEASE - Jorja Smith - R&B - Neo-Soul - The gorgeous, mysterious, talented, and precocious Jorja Smith (pronounced as 'Georgia' not the female version of "Jorge", which is the assumption I had been operated under) is from the UK and this song is immaculately-produced and sang. Literally one of the moments of 2010's Neo-Soul. The video includes her and her friend wearing wigs and frolicking around in Paris. Watch the video here
Reinvent The Wheel - Best Non-Single Release - Chrisette Michele feat. Mali Music - R&B - Chrisette Michele, who was prominent late last decade, is an eminently talented singer who had the unfortunate fate to perform at an American presidential inauguration in the one instance in which that would *not* be a popular or accepted thing. Basically, she is gorgeous on the album and the lyrical content of the song is top-notch revelatory soul musick that speaks of the great vision of this *artist*, not just a singer. Watch the musick video here
Mayores - Becky G featuring Bad Bunny - Reggaeton, Pop, Latin Pop - Becky G, who has moved into the Latin market, has found more success there than in her English-language efforts, delivers the sexiest song of the year, about how she likes older men. If you understand Spanish, you can have the pleasure of understanding the puns that are written into the song. The videos is sexy as well, but completely undercuts the actual meaning of the song, as she ultimately *robs* the 'older man' , and runs away with Bad Bunny of all people. C'mon Becky. Watch the video here
I Have Questions -Camila Cabello - Pop, Ballad - The girl who caused '4th Harmony' emerged as a solo artist in 2017, finding tepid success with "Crying In The Club", and then exploded with "Havana". In between these two, lies "I Have Questions". An extremely heart-felt and sad ballad. Very high quality on the live performances as well.
Pretty Girl (CADE X Cheat Codes Remix) - BEST MALE ARTIST (Cheat Codes), MALE HEART-THROB OF THE YEAR (Trevor Dahl of Cheat Codes), BEST REMIXER (Cheat Codes) - Maggie Lindemann - Pop - Electropop - Maggie Lindemann's debut is another entry in 2017's 'feminist pop songs' wave and also is our introduction to Ms. Lindemann, who is somewhat overshadowed by the superstar EDM group Cheat Codes, one of the remixers of this song. Unfortunately for Lindemann, who is actually very pretty, poor live performances make it less believable that she is "Not just a pretty girl." Watch the musick video here
Bakıcaz Artık - Hande Yener - Pop - Turkish Pop, Electropop - The first Turkish song on this list, the glamorous and engaging Hande Yener even pulled a classic La Toya move, grabbing a hat a la 'Bob Hope Such A Wicked Love' from an audience member. The musick video and glamorous subject could have led to a much better single cover. Watch the live performance from "Magazinkolik Ödül Gecesi " here
Bon Appetit (Parody) - The Key Of Awesome - Pop, Parody - Electropop - Another fabulous Key Of Awesome Perry-parody, this one's lyrics cut to the bone, even more incisively than the "Chained To The Rhythm" parody did , relentlessly mocking Perry's persona. Watch the video here
Again (Live On "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon") - Best Rare Song, Best Single Cover - Noah Cyrus - Pop - Electropop - Ecstatic sci-fi sounds punctuate an innovative, actually-creative song that was performed excellently by Miley's sister, who had improved in vocal ability in just a few months. She performed sans the mumble-man xxxcentation. Ignoring his "contribution" to the studio version (they gave him the verses Noah Cyrus performed with most aplomb) this is a major evidential text indicating Electropop is still in fact evolving, no matter how many sub-par affairs are being cranked out.
This Town (Cheat Codes Remix) -Niall Horan - Dance - Pop Dance - The adorable Niall Horan's solo debut (he was the 2nd after ZAYN) displayed his instrumental ability and true vocal talent on the stage. Cheat Codes, the EDM stars of the year, help make this Pop song a banger with emotion. Why his record label insists on publishing and using photos that make him look like an aged alcoholic is beyond me. You can look for yourself as I have obviated it here. If that was my frickin' *album* cover I would have fire-bombed the record label headquarters. JUST KIDDING GOVERNMENT
Trina obviously took her style from La Toya c. 1987
If It Ain't Me - Trina featuring K. Michelle - Hip-Hop - Southern - Favourite R&B singer K. Michelle teams up with classic sex-rapper Trina to produce an above-average breakup song with a DIVA musick video. Watch the music video here
Hard Times - Paramore - Rock, Pop - New Wave - This was the initial single for "After Laughter", where Paramore debuted their new 80's-inspired, almost Mark Mothersbaugh-style and sound. Watch the video here
Switch - SUMMER SONG 2017 - Iggy Azalea & Anitta - Hip-Hop - This was my summer jam par excellance. After being summarily ejected from the Hip-Hop elite, for politcally-tinged reasons, Iggy is a more earthy, but still a glamorous and sexy woman who is worth sympathizing with. Great live performances were a rule -- esp. on "Jimmy Fallon" where Anitta literally walks off-stage half-way through the song (a literal 'drop-the-mic' moment). Watch the (unreleased) musick video here, and the Anitta 'drop-the-mic' "Jimmy Fallon" number here
In The Morning (Mura Masa Remix) - Pop - Trop-House - NAO - Originally-released earlier, "In The Morning" was fabulous and amazing, but went unnoticed. Mura Masa is a trendy, frat-house DJ who appeals to stoners and the post-Dubstep crowd. He brings some attention to NAO and the song.
This guy is called "Gronk". He plays some sport and appears in pop videos from time to time. *dreamily melts*
Swish Swish - BEST DANCE SONG, BEST POP DANCE - Katy Perry featuring Nicki Minaj - House - The third single from "Witness", which inspired Katy Perry to expand her comedic repetoire and made Nicki Minaj look downright serious in comparison. One of the best diss songs ever, with an iconic single cover
Ready Fi Dem - BEST CARIBBEAN - Tosh - Dancehall - Tosh Alexander is a Jamaican Dancehall artist who supplements this scorching summer banger, featuring a beautiful on-the-street video, with lots of tweking and whining. Watch the musick video here
Hey Hey Hey - Katy Perry - Pop - A surprise (perhaps final?) single from Katy Perry's "Witness", the video is a costume-comedy with a considerable budget. Watch the musick video here
Spaceship - Kesha - Americana - One of the Americanawave album tracks from "Rainbow" that not only Kesha, but also Miley was serving in 2017
Turn Me On (Curbi Remix) - BEST DANCE LABEL (SPINNIN' RECORDS) - Cheat Codes featuring Dante Klein - House - By now it is clear that Cheat Codes was the intersection of Pop & EDM in 2017 in an era where EDM-Popstar pablum is common, this remake was fun and interesting. Assisted by two other cuties (pictured)
wRoNg - ZAYN + Kehlani - R&B - This is a holdover from last year. Two of the sexiest artists period. Plus- they can both sing and have no qualms about showing up half naked. They do wear lots of tats tho
September Song (Indian Summer Remix) - JP Cooper - Pop - JP Cooper is a very competent and cute dreaded white guy who wears this one hat all the time. This song is an amazing tale of underage love and the musick video is great.
Sunset (Projekt B Remix) - Camilla Destiny - Dance - Pop Dance - Camilla is everything I want to be when I grow up. If I was a girl. She is basically an auto-tuned black barbie. The only non-glamorous thing about her being her habit of wearing yoga pants in her musick videos (Although I am sure a considerable portion of the audience *really* appreciates it). Hear the remix here
Malibu - Miley Cyrus - Pop - One of the major pop singles of the year. Also accepted by Pop radio despite being rather slow. Marked a calculated change in Miley's persona. All televised performances consistently good, just know that the crying at the end was rehearsed lol
Bon Appetit (Migos Version) - Katy Perry featuring Migos - Pop - Electropop - See what a difference a Migos makes? 36 places to be exact. This is, of course, the official version, before they "fixed" it with the "Fuck my pussy" bits. Katy Perry is not a good live vocalist. If she did live auto-tune or lip-synched over a DAT, the performances with strong art direction (such as the fruithead one on French television) would be near-perfect. But nobody is expecting a great performance live from her despite how hard she may want to deliver it. Watch the video here
Sign Of The Times - BEST POP-ROCK - Harry Styles - Pop-Rock, Acoustic - Harry Styles' bombastic solo debut is a solid song, though many will find it overwrought. The musick video is more than it needs to be by far, but one couldn't say another song is more appropriate to the current political clime. Watch the live performance here
Versace On The Floor - BEST TELEVISED PERFORMANCE- Bruno Mars - R&B - As much as I am not party to what 'socks' is offering (especially the cocaine), The definitive live performance was Bruno Mars singing this song at 2017's Billboard Music Awards. Let's be real, he doesn't know how to dress and can't really dance, but you don't need those things when you are that talented. Will give you chills. Somewhat-ridiculous musick video featuring favourite Zendaya. Watch the magic here
No Promises (Hook N Sling Remix) - Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato - House - It's Cheat Codes again! This time as the top-line artist (with Demi Lovato)
Don't Dream It's Over - Ariana Grande & Miley Cyrus - Pop - Pop-Rock - This duet was the high-point of the Manchester One Love event, which was designed to raise money for the victims of the terrorist attack that happened at Grande's concert in the UK. Was released digitally, then deleted.
Disco Tits - BEST ALBUM COVER (BLUE LIPS) -Tove Lo - Pop - Nu-Disco - Tove Lo was one of the first acts that was able to perform live on the re-booted "Total Request Live" (MTV) with this song, but the real story was the musick video, which pushes so many boundaries it could hardly be called nothing short of extraordinary in its explicit content. A must watch, which can be viewed here
Crown - Torae featuring 3d Na'Tee - Hip-Hop - The wonderful 3d Na'tee (artist of my No. 1 song of last year) graces this track with her presence, bringing political themes and a relevant attitude to "Crown". Listen to this song here
Hijabi - STALIN PEACE PRIZE - Hip-Hop - Alternative Hip-Hop - A literal ground-breaking moment in Hip-Hop. Winner of this year's Stalin Peace Prize For Peace & Revolution Through Musick is Mona Haydar, the first pregnant Muslim rapper, at least that I have seen.
American Gold - TLC - Pop - TLC's crowd-funded comeback (&, according to them, last) album came out in 2017 to mixed reviews. A highlight was this timely and relevant track.
Enemiez (Remix) - Keke Palmer featuring Rich Homie Quan - R&B - Contemporary R&B - A hold-over from last year, the extra-ordinary and often-misunderstand artiste Keke Palmer recorded a wonderful remix and also an amazingly choreographed video for the original. Listen to the remix here, and watch the great video here
Told You So - Paramore - Pop-Rock - New Wave - Another cut from one of my favourite album's of the year, "After Laughter"
Hey Baby (Lost Frequencies Remix) - Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike featuring Deb's Daughter - Dance - Pop-Dance - The guitar riff is *everything*
Caught In The Middle - Paramore - Pop-Rock - New Wave - One of "After Laughter's" best cuts.
Jauz
Final Song (Diplo & Jauz Remix) - MØ -Wonderful remix of a budding popstar by one of today's premier DJ's (& whoever Jauz is)
Stay Together - Noah Cyrus - Pop - Miley Cyrus' little sister's second single, which led to a slightly-less-than disastrous (& eyeroll-inspiring) performance at the MTV Movie Awards. The recorded version is a great teen pop anthem.
Learn To Let Go - Kesha - Pop - The third single from Kesha's opus, "Rainbow"!
I Don't - Mariah featuring YG - R&B - Contemporary R&B - One of several Mariah Carey 'buzz singles' that have appeared since her last album, in 2014. It was a commercial success, but not as much as she (or her label) probably wanted to risk launching an album off of. The first single featuring a "rent-a-rapper" is a common formula for Carey, but it might be yielding less results in this decade. Mariah later admitted in 2018 that some of her behaviour could be attributed to Bi-Polar Disorder, and the previous era, led by the hated manager Stella and the "Mariah's World" reality show were rebuked also in 2018. Whether Carey lumps "I Don't" in with this regrettable era is unknown. Watch the glamorous video (probably actually one of her better ones) here
Crying In The Club (DJ Linuxis Remix) - Camila's (Yes, she is already a one-namer after "Havana") first single, remixed palatably by talented European DJ Linuxis.
Chained To My Vagina - Katy Perry & CupcakKe - Pop - Another amazing CupcakKe mashup. Listen to this mashup here
I Feel It Coming - The Weeknd & Daft Punk - R&B - Electro-R&B - A world-wide hit for the R&B artist, and the french Filter House duo. An intriguing video.
Make Me Over - BEST ACOUSTIC SONG- Candice Boyd - R&B - Simply the best R&B ballad from 2017. Listen here
ihanetten Geri Kalan - BEST ORIENTAL, BEST TURKISH, BEST TURKISH POP SONG, TURKISH ARTIST OF THE YEAR (SEZEN AKSU) - Sezen Aksu - Turkish Pop - The first single from Turkish legend Sezen Aksu. Also my introduction to her. Witness the video, which is enjoyable and also perhaps the demonstration of doing the bare minimum as the star of her own musick video.
Lights Out (Extended) - BEST DRUG SONG - DJ Katch featuring Hayley - Dance - Pop Dance, Trop-House, Trop-Pop - This years' best drug song is an alcohol song, and boy is it something. A pop hit in Sweden. Watch the fun video here
ihanetten Geri Kalan (Dj Oğuzhan Dağhan Remix) - Sezen Aksu - Dance - House - Pop remix of "Biraz Pop Biraz Sezen's" lead single
Test Drive - BEST MALE RAPPER - Riff Raff + Wiz Khalifa - Hip-Hop - South - GOD speaks again...Listen here.
CASH ME OUTSIDE (Jersey Club Remix) - Danielle Bregoli - Dance - Jersey Club. Listen here
People Like Me - Liana Bank$ featuring Ayo Jay - R&B - Trop-Pop - Absolutely one of the best and most innovative R&B artists of the past few years is named Liana Bank$. Video can be viewed here
Strip That Down - Liam Payne featuring Quavo - Pop - Rhythmic Pop - The lead-single from former One Direction member Liam "Payno" Payne, which was a commercial success achieved with minimal dancing required.
Bon Appetit (Conor Ross & Tom Wigley Remix) - Katy Perry - Dance - House - Katy Perry's "Bon Apettit" has inspired great videos, parodies, mashups, and great remixes, including this one.
Instruction - Jax Jones featuring Demi Lovato + Stefflon Don - Dance - Dancehall, Trop-Pop, Latin Pop - The combo of Jax Jones, Demi, and Stefflon has to be one of the most fun trios the year produced. And a wonderful video. Immaculately produced video can be viewed here
She's Not Him- BEST QUEER SONG -Miley Cyrus - Pop - 2017's queer song of the year is provided by a (mostly) heterosexual woman who has been engaged to a man twice, but hey, I'll take it. Haunting.
rEaR vIeW - ZAYN + Kehlani - R&B - Contemporary R&B - Holdover from 2016. One of the cuts from ZAYN's debut album, which is a wonderful display of the boy bander's talent and his team's ability to develop opportunities with other talented artists like Kehlani. Though his post-debut career has been marred by drugs and a man perhaps falling adrift, whatever is to happen from here in ZAYN's life, I believe this debut LP will stand the test of time.
Bad Intentions (2016 Version) - BEST R&B/HIP-HOP COLLABORATION - Niykee Heaton featuring Migos - R&B - Contemporary R&B - An actual holdover from 2016 (there was a previous version), the chameleon-like, sexy, and talented Niykee Heaton skillfully re-worked her image, added Migos, & created a top-quality video to fit her new image. The reason the 2016 qualified to stand on this chart is that the release was still charting on my personal chart past November 2016, making it eligible for the 2017 list. Watch a live performance of the 2014 original in the link below, and the 2016 version's video here
Burn Break Crash - BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICK VIDEO Aanysa x Snakehips - Pop - Dance Pop. Watch the video here
U+Me - Mary J. Blige - R&B -Contemporary R&B
2U - David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber - Pop - Pop Dance . Listen here
On The Loose (Live) - Niall Horan - Pop - Pop-Rock
Bad Mood - Miley Cyrus - Pop - Pop-Rock.
Hi Bich - Danielle Bregoli Is BHAD BHABIE - Hip-Hop - Crap-Hop. Watch the video with Double A-Side "Whachu Know" here
Roulette - Katy Perry - Pop - Electropop
Heartbreak - Remy Ma + Fat Joe featuring The-Dream & Vindata - Hip-Hop - Trop-Pop, Northern, Pop-Rap. Watch the video here
Symphony No 4 In F Minor Op36 II (2017 Recording) - BEST REMAKE, BEST INSTRUMENTAL -C. Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Cond. Vasily Petrenko- P. Royal Lierpool Philharmonic Orchestra - Classical - Pops, Romantic. Listen here
*Criteria evaluated for this list include Instrumental/Production, Lyrics, Cover, Live Performances, Vocal Delivery, Political/Social Content, Bopness, Musick Video, Mastering, and Plays. Songs eligible for this list include those that charted on my personal chart from December 1st, 2016- to November 29th, 2017. The only category that could lead to deducted points was musick video. This system favours larger-budget, major-label acts that can afford musick videos and get TV appearences, but with the changes in the industry continuing apace, in a few years this should level off, with the continued democratization that the internet, Youtube, and streaming services have provided, along with the diminished influence of musick video cable channels, and the diminishing influence of commercial musick radio stations.
