Happy holidays and m(ariah)erry C(arey)hristmas, everyone. It is not only time for us all to get holly, jolly, merry, and bright, but also time for us to compile all of the tracks that made this year a bit more enjoyable. For reference, one musical act is allowed to have only one track on the countdown. Below is the second set of songs in the countdown; click the link to see part one, and check back for the rest of my list in the coming days.
20. "Anna Wintour" by Azealia Banks
It’s refreshing to hear someone who is in such frequent turmoil like Azealia Banks sound so exuberant, even if her happiness didn't last very long. Asserting itself atop the pyramid of Banks' most infectious tracks, "Anna Wintour" thumps with the immediacy and fabulousness of a supermodel strutting down the runway in sky-high heels until indulges in a supercharged chorus. Singing a part that was originally meant for a Mel B feature, Banks finesses her lines before overpowering them: "Then you show me, now I believe diamonds and dreams come true for girls like me. Now I feel in love, babe. I really know that your love is enough."
19. "Always Remember Us This Way" by Lady Gaga
The soundtrack to A Star is Born sees Lady Gaga in every form: The rah-rah Gaga, the "call me Joanne" Gaga, and the "I’ve been singing jazz since age 12" Gaga. "Always Remember Us This Way" is a beautiful ode to love, captivating from the moment the smoky first verse starts. And when put into context of the film, it’s a sucker punch to the gut. Anyone who says "Is That Alright?" or "I'll Never Love Again" is the ultimate wedding song from the film clearly hasn't given a good, strong listen to this one.
18. "My My My!" by Troye Sivan
The throbbing club track we all needed in twenty-gay-teen came from an unlikely contender. Following a quaint coming-of-age debut album, Troye Sivan snapped. On "My My My!," he collapses into a sexual trance, murmuring the track's title over a stuttered house track. Unlike the feelings of uncertainty that linger behind his early tracks about love, this track allows Sivan to entertain as an openly sexual being while paying homage to a gay genre of choice: huge, loud, larger-than-life house.
17. "MJ" by Now, Now
On "MJ," KC Dalager cries for help from her childhood musical hero – Michael Jackson, of course – in dealing with a failed relationship. "I know I'm not the only one who listened to you. Billie Jean, baby please, he's a criminal," she sings over a bouncy guitar line and a gulping vocal layer. Unlike many tracks that relies on childhood memories, "MJ" does not make nostalgia a crutch; rather, it loosely uses Michael as a mediator to channel her conflict toward.
16. "Apeshit" by The Carters
Jay-Z and Beyoncé rented The Lourve to shoot a music video for "Apeshit," the first track released jointly as The Carters. Much of their full-length endeavor isn't this pomp, but "Apeshit" is unbelievable lavish. Beyoncé owns this banger, continuing her winning streak from Lemonade and stunting her star power: "Hang one night with Yoncé, I'll make you famous. Have you ever seen a crowd going apeshit, rah!" Without a doubt, this is the definitive hype track of the year.
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