“Runaway” – Kanye West
My top song on Spotify Wrapped two years in a row, “Runaway” is a powerful almost-tragedy that shows the struggles of being in the public light. Kanye tells his lover to run away before his destructive tendencies destroy everything, foreshadowing how his life has gone recently. The drums sampled from Pete Rock and the piano intro immediately encapsulate you in the song which makes 9 minutes seem like nothing. Widely thought to be one of West’s greatest hits, “Runaway” and its melody will single-handedly cause you to zone out and do absolutely nothing throughout the entirety of the song.
“Pyramids” – Frank Ocean
Another “long” song, “Pyramids” features “Street Fighter”-esque synth beats with a powerful guitar solo from John Mayer. The song takes a journey from ancient Egypt with Cleopatra and the pyramids to a woman referred to as “Cleopatra” working in a strip club named “The Pyramid.” Powerful and metaphoric lyrics contribute to one incredibly unique and versatile song that can be listened to at any time, no matter your mood.
“Congratulations” – Mac Miller
“Congratulations,” the opening to Mac Miller’s 2016 magnum opus, “The Divine Feminine,” is a vivid song about love. Miller talks about how the girl he has found is “everything I ever wanted” and how he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. The strings and piano combine for an almost unearthly melody on top of Miller’s incredible voice that makes it one of, if not his best, songs. All in all, the song is a beautiful work on love and how it feels.
“The Party & The After Party”- The Weeknd
One of the first songs by Abel Tesfaye aka “The Weeknd”, “The Party & The After Party” represents part of a pivotal shift in R&B going from people like Usher’s pop and upbeat songs to a darker, edgier era in the genre pioneered by Tesfaye. The song follows Tesfaye giving a girl temporary love at a party, but at the afterparty, he shows his true colors and how this “party life” has taken a toll on his mental and physical state which leaves him ruined. Despite being one of Tesfaye’s first songs, it’s certainly one of his best and most meaningful.
“All My Friends Know” – PinkPantheress
A song all about thinking about if time spent with an ex-partner was worth it, “All My Friends Know” is a catchy track with unique lyrics that is a great song to add to your playlist. The song is written like a letter to an ex asking “Did you ever want me? No worries if not,” and how she ruined relationships with her friends just for them but in the end it was for the worst. PinkPantheress uses a Drake-reminiscent beat which, layered with her voice, combines to create arguably her greatest work and something different from her mainstream stuff.