I failed to predict that the Weeknd would blow the doors off the Hot 100 with the greatest post-disco MJ facsimile of all time; and that Future would spark the hottest mixtape spree of the decade so far. —Justin Charity, Producer: Lulou Alexander, Kronlund

It's only going to get hotter from here.

Nominees for the social media-driven category, Song of Summer, were announced on August 18, 2015. "The Blacker the Berry" is K. Dot's message to encourage change. 10,000 rap songs called "Check," all of them dropped this year, and this one is the very best. Released: Feb. 9, To Pimp a Butterfly is topping a lot of Best Album lists, and it’s easy to see why based on “The Blacker the Berry.” Whereas K. Dot’s first single “i” was generally hated on by critics and fans, “The Blacker the Berry” was a more conventional hip-hop record with complexities about being black in America. by I saw hope, I saw pain. Coming from where we come from, all you have is hope. — McDermott, Although the dance duo's follow-up, Caracal, didn't meet sky-high expectations, Magnets' tribal drums and charismatic vocals by Lorde are spellbinding. Then the song busts glass. At the end of a year, Billboard will publish an annual list of the 100 most successful songs throughout that year on the Hot 100 chart based on the information. TWITTER

Similar to the "all sounds welcome" feeling that producers like Diplo employ but instead of trying to mash down the rave, Jamie cultivated cuddle moments for you and bae to slow wine to. Why would he punch through the window of a car? Play this for the one that got away. This is the rare quiet breakout hit of 2015. Label: RCA Label: A$AP Worldwide, Polo Grounds, RCA !”—on her hit single “Hands to Myself.” On the Max Martin-produced pop hit, Selena’s coy attitude and breathy vocals come to a peak while singing about that “metaphorical gin-and-juice” and finding her man, through good and bad, absolutely irresistible.

See the full list of winners from the 57th Annual Grammy Awards Sam Smith was the big winner at the 2015 Grammys, taking home four awards for … When asked what inspired Jared to write his award winning song, he recalls, "I saw a Boston band play in New York City one night. Not like bawling but a good cry for sure. Fetty's go-to producer/engineer, Peoples, knows how to finesse Zoovier to any beat. Label: 300 Ent., Atlantic — Ryan, Only time will tell how Hotline Bling will leave its mark on 2015's cultural legacy, but Erykah Badu’s re-imagining of Drake’s original is worthy of more than a footnote — and features one of the best uses of a voicemail message in recent memory.

's Cha Cha is better known due to Drake's Hotline Bling hat-tip, but this swaggering anthem is the Virginia rapper's crowning achievement. — McDermott, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. With all the success he’s seen as of late, serving the base has served Future Hendrix well. Instantly spawning memes, tears, and excitement, it was a comeback single that reminded everyone she is the queen of Feelings, and she has the vocal range and power to back it up. Then you retrieve the lost two-tenths of that one song, which brings the count to 119. Fetty's go-to producer/engineer, Peoples, knows how to finesse Zoovier to any beat. The verse preserves us all. Near the end of the night, he punched out the driver’s side window of a car (He was drunk; he was on a college campus; he’s sorry). — Ryan, 2015 was an excellent year for Sheryl Crow nostalgia, with albums from Courtney Barnett and Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield channeling the breezy, hi-fi nostalgia of Crow’s best early work. The slow-burning tune also went on to nab Song of the Year honors for its writers Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey and Liz Rose. "Where Are U Now," Jack U Feat. Released: Jan. 2, Last year, it seems like you couldn’t escape Rich Homie Quan. Overall, Barter 6 is a dark tape, even in Thugger's most buoyed and amused moments. Perhaps that why he wanted you to hear it. — Ryan, This was the year Missy Elliott re-emerged into the spotlight, and she does half the work on Spectrum, which spring-loads a sample from Missy’s She’s a (Expletive) and pairs it with the D.C. rapper’s nimble verses. — McDermott, Lean On, Major Lazer (feat. Label: Columbia This is also the joint-second longest time at number 1 for a single in the 57-year history of the Hot 100 post-1958 inception, after Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day", which spent 16 weeks atop the Hot 100 from 1995 to 1996. It spent the longest time at number 1 for the year, 14 weeks, and spent the entire year in the Top 40 region. — McDermott, Scott scales back the Auto Tune for this moody Top 20 hit, whose deceptively simple melody emerges from an entrancing, smoke-filled haze.

Label: Top Dawg, Aftermath, Interscope Released: Feb. 13, Drake owned 2015, and while cuts like "Hotline Bling" and "Back to Back" got way more shine (for obvious reasons), the initial standout from Drizzy's If You're Reading This It's Too Late was "Know Yourself," or rather the "I WAS RUNNIN' THROUGH THE SIX WITH MY WOES" that laced the middle of the track. Like everything he’s done these past 18 months, it’s a reminder that the guy who wrote Rihanna’s “Loveeee Song,” also made “Tony Montana” and “Move That Dope.” DS2 is relentlessly dark at times, but this underdog’s anthem is all about the ethos of Future 2.0; being a franchise player who loves his fanbase as much as they love him. "Again" is yet another example of his song-making ability. Some songs make you feel that way. — Ryan, This is classic Panda Bear, featuring the Animal Collective’s member’s trademark subterranean looping vocals that sound like a choir boy on acid. Privacy Policy 20.

Watch Chris Wallace Blame Trump for Debate Debacle, While Navigating Fox Host’s Anti-Biden Narrative, Watch ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Moderate Presidential Debate in ‘We’re All Doomed’ Video, President Trump and First Lady Melania Test Positive for Coronavirus, BTS Perform ‘Black Swan,’ Talk Goal of Grammy Win on ‘Fallon’ Residency, ‘RS Interview: Special Edition’ With Gina McCarthy, Watch BTS’ Illusionary ‘Home’ Performance on ‘Fallon’. This was the tropical-sounding song of the summer in Paterson, N.J., Fetty's hometown. I saw hope, I saw pain. Label: Atlantic

It fits perfectly. There's even a cheerleader chant, but it comes with a devilish grin, like something Harley Quinn might listen to while kicking a**. In part because there's nothing tongue in cheek about it. It's insanely sincere. “This is about a 6/8 ballad about jealousy and heartache…Single of the Year! We are though, allegedly, writers, so here are our picks for the best songs of 2015 and the reasons why we chose them. and had it on her mind as she wrote the words for her, You’d be hard-pressed to find a better record that exemplifies the SaveMoney state of mind than, Tyler, the Creator admits he appreciates certain era of creativity from Kanye West and Lil Wayne. Blood Orange, to show us she actually shines brightest in the feels department. Macbeth heard the. A ballad, as Fairchild pointed out from the stage, the “Girl Crush” twofer underscored a night of victories for traditional country music — with Chris Stapleton embodying the obvious sea change. —khal, Producer: Daxz — Ryan, My Baby Don’t Understand Me, Natalie Prass, Prass’ Disney princess-esque voice is utilized best on this tale of defeated love that has all the drama of a Broadway showstopper with the light touch of a classic ‘70s singer-songwriter anthem. For Post Malone however, once, From the moment Adele announced she had a new album coming, everyone trotted out their best red wine and Kleenex jokes. London told me that his pessimistic melodies will, ideally, drive you to drink. — McDermott, Lauren Mayberry's piercing vocals carry this pulsing synth-pop anthem, whose bursting energy is instantly infectious. Kendrick Lamar made the struggle his message on the soul-stirring To Pimp A Butterfly cut “Alright.” With jazzy production provided by Pharrell and Sounwave, the fight-the-power anthem became the nation’s rallying cry in 2015, especially for the Black Lives Matter movement. The music video, filmed in Lower Manhattan, provides a guided tour of Newsom's sparkling ode to New York's fossil record, with village life predating the intrusion of European settlers in 1524 by like six thousand years. "Good For You," Selena Gomez feat. Released: Feb. 27, "Where Are Ü Now" will go down as a defining moment for each artist involved. Released: April 9, Was I hasty in my proclaiming Boogie's "Oh My" the song of Summer 2015? Skrillex pushed his sound deeper into pop, a wonderful blend that continued on Bieber’s impressive Purpose album. It’s straight galloping aggression. After he told the story, I asked why?

Not one, shared Bentley, mind you, but separate cars. Maybe not, but he damn sure isn't embarrassed either. We want to hear from you! This is sad. This, of course, rang loudest this year after Meek Mill outed the fact that Drake employed credited writers for some of his songs. The Saturday Night Live's guitarist was the creative force behind the song "Stereo".