Welcome, everyone, to Consider Me Named’s Top 20 Hits of 2015 list! Year after year, no matter the circumstances, this list will keep happening, so never fear, I’ve got your back. For the folks at Billboard, 2015 ended back on December 10th, when they released their annual year-end Hot 100 chart. As a reminder of my methodology, I look through that list and select my favorite 20 songs, then rank them in order of...favoriteness, from 20 to 1. So, no complaints about whatever hipster song you like that I didn’t include, because this list is purely for Top 40 enthusiasts like myself.
2015 was a big year for Drake, Justin Bieber, Taylor
Swift, The Weeknd, and newcomer Fetty Wap...and you’ll hear almost all of them
in this year’s list! Quite a departure from the last few years when I wound up
shutting out almost all the biggest names of the year. Overall, 2015 was around
the same quality as 2014 when it came to pop music. Maybe a little stronger in
the middle, but certainly lacking at the top end. But we’ll get into all that
later. For now, let’s jump into the hits!
*Disclaimer- Many YouTube music videos are not available to embed anymore! This is something about 2015 I don't like at all! So for those videos I have posted a lyric video (when available) and a link to the real thing. I've also posted a Spotify playlist at the bottom if you don't mind scrolling down and seeing some spoilers. Sorry for the inconvenience!
20. Taylor Swift- “Wildest Dreams”:
Like I said, 2015 was a pretty gigantic year for
T-Swift, as her album 1989 sold millions of copies, she went on yet another
summer mega-tour, and she placed single after single into the Top 10. I haven’t
been the biggest fan of her latest hits, but I can’t deny her incredible
ability to remain on top. And musically, “Wildest Dreams” is certainly pleasant
enough to hold up to repeated listening, unlike some of her other recent
singles which got on my nerves quickly. Thus it gets Taylor her only spot in my
Top 20. Moving on!
19. Elle King- “Ex’s & Oh’s”:
Did you know Elle King is Rob Schneider’s daughter?
I’m not sure if she’s cashing in on her Hollywood connections to enjoy her 15
minutes of stardom, or if this became a hit based on its merits, but either way
I was happy it found its way into rotation. I suppose I wouldn’t mind hearing
more from her in the future, since she has undeniable talent and a fairly unique
sound for Top 40 radio. Still too early to tell, I think.
18. DJ Snake & AlunaGeorge- “You Know You Like It”:
Every year there’s at least one song like this, that
finally blows up way, way after it was released. This year, it’s DJ Snake’s
remix of AlunaGeorge’s song which was originally released in 2011 (!!!!!) I’m
not sure we’ve ever had a song which took longer to hit it big than this one. I
was a big fan of the original, but I will admit the DJ Snake version takes it
in an equally enjoyable direction, and further cements him as a major player in
the pop music world.
17. WALK
THE MOON- “Shut Up And Dance”:
Song of the summer? Quite possibly. Props to these
guys for hitting it big (like, really big...I definitely heard this one a
couple times too many this summer), after toiling in relative obscurity despite
some standout songs like “Anna Sun.” This infectious song may be one of the
first ones we remember from 2015. Also, pretty sure the lead singer has to be
related to Jeff Probst, the “Survivor” host, the resemblance is uncanny.
16. Justin
Bieber- “What Do You Mean?”:
Realistically, though, we’re going to remember 2015
as the year of the improbable but overwhelming Justin Bieber comeback. It’s
hard to believe despite all his self-destructive and over-publicized personal
behavior, and despite his child-star origins, he’s able to make such
critically-acclaimed and massively popular music, but hey, music is music. If
it’s good, it’ll rise to the top, and make no mistake, his music in 2015 was very
good pop music. Incorporating some sweet tropical-house sounds was a savvy idea
on his part.
15. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring
Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee & Grandmaster Caz- “Downtown”:
Macklemore took
most of 2014 and 2015 off, but he came back in a big way in late August with
“Downtown,” which may have been the year’s most eclectic songs. It was really 3 songs
in one- a “Thrift Shop” style novelty song about driving mopeds instead of the
fresh whips preferred by most rappers, an old-school rap throwback song, and a
Broadway show-style anthem for the chorus. Every time I heard this one, I knew
I was in for an immersive experience. Not to mention a Ken Griffey sighting in
the video! Macklemore has definitely still got it.
14. Andy
Grammer- “Honey, I’m Good”:
Sickeningly
over-sweet video aside, this was definitely one of the top feel-good songs of
2015. The fantastic backing vocals and harmonies also guarantee it will be a
staple of a cappella choirs for years to come. But yeah, that video really
makes me want to take it off the list. Guess I’m not a fan of user-sourced
videos...
13. Maroon 5- “Sugar”:
Geez, speaking of bad videos...how narcissistic are Maroon 5 that they
thought a video of them surprising people at their weddings and making it all
about themselves would be well-received by society? We still value humility,
even if we may be preparing to elect Donald Trump, and this smacks of
arrogance. Especially since it was staged. Yikes. Anyway, it wouldn’t be a
year-end chart without an entry from Maroon 5, so here they are right where
they belong at #13. This is a great singalong song, if you can hit the high
notes (I certainly can’t.)
12. The Weeknd- “Can’t Feel My Face”:
The Weeknd
absolutely blew up in 2015, going from an underground sensation to a fullblown
superstar. Big year for Toronto acts- Bieber, Weeknd, and Drake (there’s no
Drake on this chart so you can stop scrolling if you’re looking for him).
Anyway, the beat is what lands this one so high. It’s just so groovy, you can’t
help but vibe along with it. It may not bring the house down but it’ll
definitely keep the party going.
11. The Weeknd- “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)”:
Since this was the year of The Weeknd going back to
back with hit after hit, I figured I’d do the same here. This was hands down
the baby-making jam of the year. I mean, it was the theme song to maybe the
most explicit widely-screened movie in history. If that doesn’t get you in the
mood, then no pop song is going to. Sorry for the softcore porn video, by the
way- don’t watch this one with your parents! Who knew they got down like this
in Canada?
10. Tove Lo- “Talking Body”:
Tove Lo’s certainly cultivated a bad-girl image, but
I wonder deep down if that’s who she really is. Her lyrics and videos make her
seem like the promiscuous party girl who knows what she’s doing is destructive
but doesn’t want to stop because it feels so good. I get a vibe from her like
Effy in Skins. I wonder if in real life, though, she just, like, watches
Swedish Netflix all day with her cat. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all a
ruse. Solid song though!
9. Big Sean Featuring E-40- “I
Don’t F**k With You”:
We’ve had a lot of questionable videos this year,
and a lot of way below questionable
rap
music, but this one is far from questionable. It’s fantastic. Big Sean may be a
little old/skinny to be a star highschool football player, but that’s neither
here nor there. Mainly, it’s just been way, WAY too long since we heard from my
boy E-40 in the Top 40. With lines like makin’ girls “stand outside forever
like the Statue of Liberty,” and showing up as the suave announcer in the
football game, he’s clearly still on top of his game. Let’s get some more guest
verses from him in 2016. He’s only 48, he’s still in his prime!
8. Pitbull & Ne-Yo- “Time Of Our Lives”:
Another fantastic, outstanding video. It’s been
pretty clear over the years that I like videos that at least attempt to tell a
story. This one throws us back to New Years 1999, when Pitbull was just a
broke-ass kid in Miami. We can all relate to those days of making ends meet but
still trying to party on the cheap (maybe some of us more than others at this
point). It’s great to see Pitbull making music like this rather than stuff
about globetrotting that none of us can relate to. Also it’s themed
appropriately for the timing of this post. Have a happy new year!
7. Demi Lovato- “Cool For The Summer”:
We’re getting into the real heavy hitters now. Is it
just me, or are Demi, Ariana, and Selena the new Britney, Xtina, and J-Lo? I
need some help identifying who corresponds with who though. Either way this
song was a big-time (surprise) summer jam this year. Long live the pop
perfection!
6. Calvin Harris & Disciples- “How
Deep Is Your Love”:
This video introduced the world to Gigi Hadid, who up
until this point as the “it girl” of 2015 but who was someone I wouldn’t have
recognized walking down the street. I don’t much care for her or for the video
in general, but I do love the song, as I do most Calvin songs. This was a lock
for the Top 10, and he’ll continue to be a regular up here as long as he
doesn’t change his formula too much, or shut down his hitmaking factory.
5. Adele- “Hello”:
I know this has already been discussed ad nauseum,
but I just need to add my two cents: it is incredible that Adele is as popular
as she is. It goes against almost all conventional wisdom. Her songs have no
sex, no catchy beat, they’re just her singing her guts out over usually just
some backing pianos. And she’s not just big, she’s gigantic. (Uh, talking about
the popularity of her music here, obviously). It’s remarkable, and it speaks to
the once-in-a-generation talent that she clearly possesses. Also, couple of TV
references- great to see Michael from The Wire doing well here, and never
forget that Adele got her first big break when “Hometown Glory” was featured in
one of the most tearjerking moments of Skins!
4. Fetty Wap- “Trap Queen”:
Going straight from one of the most timeless and
high-quality songs of the year, to one of the silliest guilty-pleasure songs of
the last few years. Show me a music countdown that can do it as well as this
one. Basically, Fetty Wap got incredibly lucky when he got this beat made for
him, and it’s all been gravy since then. This is the single best rap beat I can
remember going back several years. I listened to the instrumental version as
much as the lyrics version this year, to be honest. I do not see Fetty Wap
remaining a “thing” in 2016. He’s not the next Flo Rida. But still...1738!!!
3. Ariana Grande & The Weeknd- “Love Me Harder”:
This one should have been on last year’s chart but
it somehow missed the date cutoff, so it got rolled over into 2015. This is
about as perfect as a pop song can be, in my opinion. It’s held up to continued
listening even a year after its release date. And I think I’ve figured it out-
Ariana is J-Lo, Selena is Britney (since she dated Justin), and Demi is Xtina.
What goes around, comes around...
2. Hozier- “Take Me To Church”:
Again, this song is absolutely ancient (released in
2013) but it missed Billboard’s date cutoff for 2014, so here it is in 2015.
Not a great sign for 2015 that 2 of its top 3 songs were actually more from
2014. Either way, take a few minutes and go re-acquaint yourself with this
great song. Very different tone from most of the rest of this list (except for
Adele) so sit back and enjoy.
And here we are. The best hit song of 2015. I don’t
think you’re going to argue with me, right? This song just grew and grew on me
until boom, here it is. It was everywhere this year; you couldn’t escape it. It
is definitely the song by which I will remember 2015, and ultimately, that’s
why it gets the #1 spot. It isn’t a runaway like the last couple years have
been, but that beat, that horn interlude, and even the fact that it clocks in
at under 3 minutes which helps it hold up to repeated listening, all
contributed to the victory. And blasting it one more time is a great way to
close out the year.
So there you have it. 2015, checked off the list. I’ll
be back soon with my top personal favorites of the year, so be on the lookout
for that. After that, though, it’ll be time to find out what 2016 has in store
for us. At this point, I’m just hoping that it holds the line, because every
year my pool of acceptable songs gets smaller and smaller as I wither into old
age. But never mind all that, happy new year and have a great 2016!
