Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2019

Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2019

Now that I’ve gotten through the worst songs that 2019 had to offer, it’s time to tackle the best songs from the closing year of the 2010s. As I mentioned in the worst list, 2019 was a pretty solid year for popular music, with a decent amount of good music and a below average amount of bad stuff. Of the 89 songs that debuted on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 for 2019, I rated 31 of them to be at least good, with 14 of them being songs that I would call truly great. These great songs encompass a wide variety of genres, from Pop to Rap to Latin to Country, and even a bit of Rock thrown in there too. We’ve got a lot to talk about, so let’s get right into the list, starting with our Honorable Mentions.

Honorable Mention: Take What You Want by Post Malone ft. Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott (Peak: #8, Year-End: N/A)

To start, we will have two Honorable Mentions that didn’t make the Year-End list, but would’ve been very high on the list had they made it. Here we have Take What You Want, a high-powered Rap Rock banger featuring the OG of Metal, Ozzy Osbourne, as well as Travis Scott, who has been inescapable over the past few years. Really, this is on here for quite obvious reasons, namely that it is a Hard Rock song with a kickass guitar solo that was able to become a Top 10 hit (albeit off of the album) in 2019. We’ve been starved of Rock N’ Roll in this past decade, and I hope that songs like this can bring it back to life. Even if it doesn’t lead to a resurgence of Rock, this is still an awesome song that should be promoted by Posty’s handlers as the next single, so that I can put it on the actual list in 2020.

Honorable Mention: Even Though I’m Leaving by Luke Combs (Peak: #11, Year-End: N/A)

In with our second non-YE Honorable Mention is Luke Combs with Even Though I’m Leaving. This is just a gorgeous and powerful song, with beautiful Country instrumentation (highlighted by that wonderful Mandolin work) and lyrics detailing the relationship between a father and his son, from the dad tucking his son into bed, to the son going off to war, and finally the father passing away, with the father reminding his son that, even though they’ll be apart physically, he will always be there in his heart. It’s just a heartwarming song that I wish had been released a month earlier so it could’ve actually made the Year-End list, but even if it gets caught between 2019 and 2020 (which is quite likely), this is still a song that I plan on returning to for years to come.

Honorable Mention: Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max (Peak: #10, Year-End: #23)

2009 called, and it wants its Electropop back. This is a fun jam left over from the Club Boom of the Late 2000s and Early 2010s (which I will be visiting soon, spoiler alert), and is definitely one of the most enjoyable songs of the year. The only thing keeping it off the list itself is that Todd In The Shadows is completely right when he called it “catchy but basic”, but you know what, a throwback to Elementary School is not something that I’m gonna pass up so easily.

Honorable Mention: If I Can’t Have You by Shawn Mendes (Peak: #2, Year-End: #29)

This is just There’s Nothing Holding Me Back again, but you can’t go all that wrong when you’re retreading a song as awesome as that one.

Honorable Mention: Señorita by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (Peak: #1, Year-End: #15)

There are so many problems with this song. Camila is still a mediocre and pitchy singer, Shawn Mendes is still the Treat You Better guy and those snaps are not going to age well, but even with all of those flaws, I still love it. Shawn and Camila work really well together, and the instrumentation sets the mood of a steamy Latin American love affair near flawlessly (that flaw being the aforementioned snaps). I know that a lot of people hate this song, and I can understand why (O V E R P L A Y), but I do not fall into that category, quite the contrary.

Honorable Mention: Old Town Road by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus (Peak: #1, Year-End: #1)

Oh, it’s only the longest running #1 Hit of ALL TIME, no big deal. I don’t know why I didn’t put this song in the Great Tier in my first draft, so I’m correcting it here, because this song deserves all the success and acclaim it got. Lil Nas X (and Billy Ray), may you ride til’ you can’t no more.

Now, onto the main event, the Top 10, starting with…

#10: Walk Me Home by Pink (Peak: #49, Year-End: #99)

2012 called, and it wants its Indie Rock back. The chorus alone was enough to at least make it an Honorable Mention, as it’s been sorely needed in the downbeat and depressing pop scene of the Late 2010s (although I do like a fair deal of that stuff, as will be seen later on in the list). The lyrics about the narrator wanting to get through her struggles together with her partner are something that I could see people relating to (my writing will get better over time, trust me). Also, you know how I mentioned that it sounds like Indie Rock from 2012? Well, it turns out that it was co-written by Nate Ruess of Fun, one of (if not the) biggest acts in the Indie Boom of 2012-13 (who Pink had also worked with previously on Just Give Me A Reason, a #1 Hit in the latter of the two years).

So, we’ve covered throwbacks to Electropop from 2009 and Indie Rock from 2012, so what’s next? Well, how about a song that sounds like no other hit songs that I can think of.

#9: When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish (Peak: #29, Year-End: #67)

One of the biggest breakout stars of 2019 was Billie Eilish, an Indie Pop artist who had been gaining steam throughout the last few years, but saw her big breakthrough in the final year of the 2010s. While Bad Guy (a pretty good song IMO) was her biggest hit in 2019, peaking at #1 and winding up in the Year-End Top 5, When The Party’s Over was the one that I picked for this list (she also had Bury A Friend, another good but not great song). Aside from a light piano line, this is basically a solo acapella track about the heartbreak and anger she experiences from her partner leaving her (or at least that’s what I think it’s about). Billie’s restrained, creaky vocals sell the heartbreak incredibly well, which is especially notable considering that Billie was only 16 when this song came out in October of 2018. While I’m personally more of a fan of belters than I am of Billie’s whispery voice, I do have a ton of respect for Billie Eilish (especially considering that she’s younger than I am by more than a year), and I’m intrigued as to where her career is going to go in the 2020s.

#8: Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (Peak: #1, Year-End: #19)

Now we go from a new breakout star to the breakout star from a decade ago, Lady Gaga, teaming up with actor Bradley Cooper for this Country infused Rock ballad that became the first rock song in a long time to hit #1 on the Hot 100. The main single from A Star Is Born (a movie that I have not seen, FTR), the song has a natural buildup from a simple acoustic line to thunderous Rock instrumentation, with Bradley “Rocket The Raccoon” Cooper’s surprisingly good Country voice complimenting Gaga’s belting seamlessly, with lyrics about taking the leap into love. Overall, I’m glad that this was such a big hit, and I hope we can see more songs like this on the Hot 100 going forward.

#7: Beautiful People by Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid (Peak: #13, Year-End: #50)

Ah, the song that topped my Fall Top 20 Ranking. While my opinions have shifted somewhat since then, this is still more than good enough to make the list. I still love the instrumental blend of 80s and modern sounds, and while Khalid has never been my cup of tea, he still does a decent job here. As with the Top 20 Ranked three months ago, the lyrics are where this song really shines. It’s clear that money doesn’t solve your problems (that line from 7 Rings was the worst lyric of 2019, BTW), as celebrities often struggle with drugs, alcohol and familial issues, and Ed (who, once again, looks like a cabbage patch doll) fears losing his personality to the vapid, materialistic Hollywood lifestyle. The line “surrounded, but still alone” was more than enough to land this tune a spot on the list, even if it has lost a bit of its luster. Even though it has shrunk on me a bit, it’s still a really good song that is more than worthy to secure a spot on my list.

#6: Panini by Lil Nas X (Peak: #5, Year-End: #40)

If you saw my worst list, you may have noticed that most, if not all songs on the list were Hip-Hop. This is in part because Hip Hop made up a large swath, possibly even a majority of 2019’s Year-End list, as has been the case in recent years, but also because I’m mainly apathetic towards Hip-Hop on whole. It’s not that I dislike the genre, but more the case that I don’t care a whole lot. The low points in Hip-Hop can also be a lot lower than that of other genres IMO , especially when it comes to production, which was the main gripe that I had with a lot of the songs on my worst list, my #1 included.
However, there are plenty of songs that I like from the genre, and as a demonstration of that, I present to you Panini by Lil Nas X. The follow up to his breakout single/generation defining smash hit Old Town Road (which should’ve been on the list itself in retrospect), Panini is about Lil Nas X’s experiences with his underground fans who turned on him when he broke through (which I already mentioned in my Fall Top 20 Ranked), handling it tactfully and maturely, simply asking them to “say to me what you mean to me” to the tune of In Bloom by Nirvana. Even outside of the hook, it is one of the catchiest Rap songs I’ve ever heard, as I’ve noticed that Lil Nas X has a real knack for catchy melodies and hooks. Overall, it’s just a real blast to listen to, and I hope that Lil Nas X can continue his success well into the new decade.

#5: Beer Never Broke My Heart by Luke Combs (Peak: #21, Year-End: #63)

Ok, I’m just gonna get it out of the way right now: I’m a huge fan of this guy. I own both of his albums (one of which I own on vinyl), have liked pretty much every song he’s ever put out and wouldn’t really argue with the “stan” label, even if I think it is a bit much. As for Beer Never Broke My Heart, it’s no exception, cause the song kicks ass. A Country Rock banger, BNBMH is probably the funnest hit song of the year, anchored by an awesome Southern Rock guitar riff and simple lyrics about how he’s had his heart broken by many things, but a “long necked ice cold beer” is not one of them. Luke’s vocals are perfect for this type of uptempo drinking song, and while I may be 19 and thus unable to legally drink, it’s a song that I can still down an ice cold Coke to. Keep it up, Luke, here’s to a successful decade to come!

#4a: Goodbyes by Post Malone ft. Young Thug (Peak: #3, Year-End: #30)

But wait, that’s not it!

#4b: Circles by Post Malone (Peak: #1, Year-End: #62)

Yep, we’ve got a tie here folks! If there’s any artist who I’d argue defined 2019, it was Post Malone. Not only did Posty have five songs on the Year-End List (although Better Now was a holdover from 2018), but all of them hit the Top 5, including two #1 hits. Sunflower was the second biggest song of the year after Old Town Road, and had a ridiculously long chart run (heck, it may still be charting if it hadn’t gone recurrent in November), and I’d say that was a pretty good song, although not good enough to make my list. His follow-up single Wow was held off the #1 spot by the aforementioned Old Town Road, wound up as the 5th biggest song of the year, and was a decent song IMO.
However, Posty had two real gems in 2019, those being Goodbyes and Circles. We’ll start with Goodbyes, since that came out first. Goodbyes is an intense Pop Rap track built around a rock swell and some very well written lyrics, where neither side is portrayed sympathetically in a nasty breakup that was long overdue. In fact, this would be even higher on the list had Young Thug not provided a very out of place guest verse, featuring references to Nicki Minaj and lyrics that contradict the rest of the song (“I want you back here tonight”), but even that can’t keep this from being a fantastic piece of music.
Then we have Circles, his Pop Rock styled #1 hit that plays into much of the same territory of a breakup that was a long time coming, but that neither Posty nor his partner are quite willing to accept. Backed up by a thick bassline and guitar groove, this song has grown on me since the Fall Ranking, to where it is now in a tie with Goodbyes for the #4 spot on this list. We got two rock songs that topped the Hot 100 in 2019, which is incredible considering that there were very few rock songs to hit #1 in the 2010s (the only others that I can think of being Raise Your Glass by Pink in 2010, which barely qualifies as rock and We Are Young by Fun, which was part of the 2012 Inide Boom). Who knows, maybe this genre can make a comeback in the 2020s, and maybe songs like this can lead the charge. Keep it up, Posty!

#3: Be Alright by Dean Lewis (Peak: #23, Year-End: #54)

Folks, I give you Someone You Loved with (almost) everything done as well as possible. The instrumentation is richer than the simple four chords piano of SYL, the lyrics are much better written and more detailed, Dean Lewis is a far, FAR better vocalist than Lewis Capaldi (at least in the studio) and the song is much more hopeful than SYL, as it’s clear than Dean Lewis is trying to move on, even if he is struggling, while Lewis Capaldi (yes, the irony that Capaldi’s first name is the same as Dean’s last name) just wallows in his misery. Dean Lewis’ obvious Australian nationality (heck, the word “mate” is right there in the chorus) adds a ton of personality to the song, to where I can’t imagine a non-Aussie covering this. The only thing preventing this from being in the top two is the out of place and unnecessary F-bomb thrown in the second verse, but other than that, this is a dang near flawless song about moving on from a painful breakup (it’s basically the Soft Rock version of Don’t You Worry Child, which is one of the best songs of the 2010s, spoilers if I ever get around to 2013). I hope that Dean Lewis can score a second hit on this side of the world, even though he probably won’t.

#2: God’s Country by Blake Shelton (Peak: #17, Year-End: #53)

I thought that this would be my #1 for the longest time, but alas, it lands at the runner-up spot, and really, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I love this song. I briefly mentioned in the previous post that I’m Catholic, so a song this explicitly religious is by nature going to have a positive predisposition to me. However, unlike most (Contemporary) Christian Music, which is just lame fluff, God’s Country actually goes into the hardships of religious faith and the hard work these folks do to serve the Lord. The sound of the song can only be described as badass, filled with heavy percussion (albeit much of it programmed, which is literally my only complaint about this song), growling guitars and freakin’ church bells. Finally, we get to Blake Shelton’s performance, which is pretty much flawless, using his gruff voice to perfectly show the conviction of religious faith, filled to the brim with American and Country Music folklore and religious symbolism. I almost feel like I am doing a disservice by not putting this at #1, but I already made the order of the list, and it is due to be revised if I ever make a video version of this list, so you might as well consider this and my #1 interchangeable.
Speaking of #1, we have arrived, let’s finish this!

#1: Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs (Peak: #21, Year-End: #46)

Yep, big surprise here, considering what I said in the segment for my #5. Truth be told, it took a change in framing to put this at #1. Sure, the instrumentation is absolutely gorgeous and Luke’s delivery is almost Steve Perry levels of heartfeltness and sincerity, but I wouldn’t call the girl he’s singing about crazy, which is why I was a bit uneasy with this at first. However, I later reimagined this song to be about my dog, Faith, who I love with every fiber of my being, and who the lyrics can describe almost perfectly with a few slight rewrites.
“Beautiful, crazy, she can’t help but amaze me. The way that she prances, ain’t afraid to take chances, and does her bark constantly. Yeah she’s crazy, but her crazy’s beautiful to me”. See, it’s a seamless transition.
I’m honestly surprised how this list turned out, especially with my #1 pick, but hey, it’s my first list, and I might redo it at some point, but for now, Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs is my favorite hit song of 2019, and one of the best Country songs of the 2010s. Coming up is a Top 20 Ranking for the week of January 18th, 2020, followed by a dive into a year that seems so close, and yet so very far away, but until then, I’ll say goodbye.