21st century life.

20. “Million Years Ago” - Adele : This joint is on here mostly because 1) I needed an Adele track. 2) This songs fills me with a familiar warmth. 3) Never had a song speak to me like this in a looooooong time.

19. “Blessings” - Big Sean feat. Drake and Kanye West : Swag on another level and oh so quotable #blessed #waywaywayup #straightup 

18. “Truffle Butter” - Nicki Minaj feat. Drake and Lil’ Wayne : The beat is hypnotizingly good, for starters, and it was about time Young Money got it together in a convincing way!

17. “Know Me From” - Stormzy : Hella silly and super anthemic! Also, the video is one of my favorites.

16. “I Serve the Base” - Future : I really believe every word Future says -__- (this was an autobiography of sorts). Also, this production is everything.

15. “I Don’t Mind” - Usher feat. Juicy J : This song may have come out last year but it gained major traction in 2015... Unapologetic, honest, and simple.

14. “What Do You Mean” - Justin Bieber : Don’t get me started on JB. I’ve adored his music for years and I’m so happy more people are embracing him :3 I freakin loved this song because it was earnest and catchy as hell. Also, he sounds adorable.

13. “Integrity” - JME : BARSSSS. That’s all. 

12. “679″ - Fetty Wap feat. Monty : This song makes me so happy :) Song of the summer for sure.

11. “Don’t @ Me” - JME feat. Shorty, Frisco and Skepta : The production is on one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also I love love love the lyrical content #twitterproblems

10. “Antidote” - Travis Scott : La Flame’s trademark “oooh oooh oooh oooooh ahhhh” (1:57) alone makes me rate this song. And his switch-up is everything. #straightup!

9. “Sorry” - Justin Bieber : This is reggaeton-influenced pop at its best, idk what else to say other than that I absolutely adore this song/video <3

8. “Here” - Alessia Cara : Alessia’s convincing voice, so full with bravado, spoke to me in a major way. Introverts represent!

7. “Ginza” - J Balvin : I was cravinggg a reggaeton track that would offer me something different and J Balvin delivered in a really, really big way. Extremely addictive and unique (it was titled after an Instagram filter after all.)

6. “Uptown Funk” - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars : Really the feel-good song of the year and though it was every.where.I.went., it didn’t lose its fun! S/o to Mr. Ronson for the production and a great show of vocals from Bruno Mars.

5. “Post To Be” - Omarion feat. Chris Brown and Jhene Aiko : My favorite radio-play-heavy, basic-ass song <3 I never tire of this track. 

4. “Shutdown” - Skepta : SHOUTOUT to Drake for the unreal intro and to Skepta for turning a simple catchphrase into a movement. HUGE, huge song.

3. “Ojuelegba” - Wizkid : This is a once-in-a-lifetime track for Wizkid. The beat is so breezy, so danceable... the song so carefree and amazing. I will sing its praises forever.

2. “Man Don’t Care” - JME feat. Giggs : Production on a billion, braggadocio on a trillion. I feel so hard going hard on this track... just A1.

30. “Mirrors” – Justin Timberlake: This song may only be on here for the chorus. While it isn’t JT’s strongest vocal performance, something about this song just exudes warmth and love. I may have also cried listening to this on occasion… It’s a good kind of familiar without sounding dated or unexciting.

29. “We Can’t Stop” – Miley Cyrus: Let’s forget lyrical content for a sec. This song is incredibly infectious and is one of my faves of the year because of its brilliant melody. Another undeniably catchy one. 

28. “Bubble Butt (feat. Bruno Mars, Tyga & Mystic)” – Major Lazer: ML proved to be among the most talented creators in 2013 after churning out this unique one. Production is on a 100!! I can’t help but dance every time I hear this song.  

27. “#Beautiful” – Mariah Carey and Miguel: Mariah and Miguel’s voices together = HONEY. I applaud Mariah’s approach with this record—she capitalized on Miguel’s success and the influence alternative sounds in R&B/pop had on music this year to create this under-appreciated breezy jam.

26. “Love & War” – Tamar Braxton: Thank you, Tamar for bringing us this soul-stirring R&B ballad! I’m so happy it became a critical and commercial success. She sang her heart out and really proved to the world that she is more than a reality TV fixture. [note: yes this song came out in 2012 but I had already created my 2012 list by that time :(]

25. “You Got it On” – Justin Timberlake: This is one way I like JT to do music; he sounds so good in a more traditional~ R&B song. Everything about this is so sensory~ and feel-good. I want to slow dance to this like, right now.

24. “Watch Out for This (Bumaye) (feat. Busy Signal, The Flexican & FS Green)” – Major Lazer: Them horns!! Major Lazer took an already amazing riddim and added on Busy Signal for extra hypeness. The end result is a massive moombahton/dancehall banger.

23. “Black Skinhead” – Kanye West: I live for the type of production on Yeezus so this track was right up my alley. Purely energetic, deliciously polarizing [bwahahaha], and unapologetic!

22. “Grown Woman” – Beyoncé: My girl had a massive 2013 and this anthem was one of my favorite vocal bits of the year. Beyoncé is so infectiously confident over this Afrobeat-influenced beat! [note: this list was made before she decided to play the world and drop an entire album without telling nobody!! You best believe her new songs will show up on my list next year!]

21. “Almost is Never Enough” – Ariana Grande and Nathan Skyes: This is the big-voice duet I was craving in 2013. Just get enveloped by the R&B-inspired sanging that takes place and you’ll understand. Props to Ariana for her vocal technique and choices, my goodness!

20. “Mr Loverboy” – Little Mix: From the best girl group in the world (out right now) comes this super sweet 90s throwback that serves “Fantasy – Mariah Carey” realness. Their harmonies are on point and the melody reminds me of a breezy, summer day <3

19. “Keep It Cool” – Kelela: 2013 belonged to my fellow Ethiopian, Kelela. She was a critic/blog darling, performed in the most awesome venues, and basically hung out with the coolest people (and also managed to work with Hudmo—I can’t wait to hear that collab.) This song is one of my favorites from her debut mixtape, Cut for Me. Jam City’s yummy synth, atmospheric masterpiece (how else can I describe it?!) perfectly pairs with her unique approach to singing.

18. “Acrylics” – TNGHT: It’s crazy to think that TNGHT released so little after a monumental 2012. So to make the record they dropped this menacing grandiosity was a treat.

17. “Baby I” – Ariana Grande: Fun, sugary and energetic! Ariana really proved that she’s a vocal powerhouse this year.

16. “Hurricane” – MS MR: Loved this airy, borderline-haunting track. “MS”’s voice is so soothing and convincing. Also, “Welcome to the inner workings of my mind” is like, my favorite lyric of the year.

15. “When a Fire Starts to Burn” – Disclosure: This is pure yumminess. Forget all that sub-genre categorization—whatever this is, Disclosure really just made a banger using a random vocal sample of a preacher talking. It’s a seemingly simple formula but they managed to make it oh so unique.

14. “Versace (Remix)” – Migos feat. Drake: Song of the summer!!! Everything considered, this Drake verse might be my favorite verse of 2013. His braggadocio is so over the top but endearing! I need to s/o Migos for their amazing ad-libs— “oh sh*t, who that is?” “metropolis?” “just wait on it!” “damn, I look good!” “don’t ask for my opinion!” “business is business!”

13. “Nirvana” – Sam Smith: I feel immediate warmth when I listen to this song. 2013’s breakout soulful singer Sam Smith had a super bright moment with this seductive, entrancing track.

12. “You’re No Good (feat. Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Danielle Haim &Yasmin)” – Major Lazer: Clearly Major Lazer’s Free the Universe was among my favorite works of 2013. Though this military-themed song features some very different artists, Major Lazer was able to play to all of their strengths, overlap some mean vocals, and craft this danceable song. It’s not very EDM as well, which makes it super refreshing.

11. “Hey Love” – Quadron: Quadron’s soulful and bouncy piano-driven track is one of 2013’s most earnest efforts. I love Coco’s vocals and all the hand claps on this song.

10. “You and Me (feat. Eliza Doolittle)” – Disclosure: Garage-y vibes on this lovely song by Disclosure. The echo effects on Eliza’s voice really add something special to this happy, sing-along track.

9. “Work (Remix)” – A$AP Ferg feat. French Montana, Trinidad James, Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky: Ferg’s charismatic rapping ass really made an impact in 2013 with this and “Shabba.” Everything about this song is hype to me—from the beat to the adlibs to the metaphors. Just super turnt.

8. “Scare Me (feat. Peaches & Timberlee)” – Major Lazer: A ridiculous electro-ska mashup that is my badass female anthem of the year!

7. “Life Round Here” – James Blake: It’s a special feat for something so entirely digital-sounding to create such a feeling of warmness. The mood James sets with his voice is brilliant and the musical climactic explosion that occurs near the end of the song is among my favorite bits of music ever, I wanna say. The build-up is crazy!

6. “Bank Head (feat. Kelela)” – Kingdom: What can I say that hasn’t been said about this? The production on this is perfect and Kelela’s voice is so transcendent, it all just takes us there (hear: “and I need to let it out.”) It’s dark, it’s dreamy and airy, and it’s promising of what’s to come for Fade to Mind, Kingdom’s record label.

5. “Move” – Little Mix: I fell in love with this song the moment I heard it, as it reminded me so much of Girls Aloud (who are in my top 3 best girl groups ever!) Applause goes to these girls for their part in creating such a massive, progressive pop song—cowbells and all! So, so fun.

4. “Retrograde” – James Blake: The return of James Blake from his STELLAR debut album back in 2011 was the most exciting reentry to music in 2013 for me. What he created here, lyrically and musically, is mesmerizing. “Suddenly I’m hit” matches so perfectly with its musical complement in the background. Losing yourself in the song is easy when his voice is that hypnotic.

3. “This is What it Feels Like” - BANKS: BANKS is my favorite new artist of 2013 and this is the reason why: the delicacy of her approach and the transparency of her emotions are palpable. Major props to producers Lil Silva and Jamie Woon for crafting a woozy and haunting backdrop for her masterful voice. I look forward for what’s ahead from BANKS.

2. “New Slaves” – Kanye West: This is the most HAM-effort of the year. The starkness of the beat paired with ‘Ye’s venomous delivery... a lot of what he says doesn’t matter to people but he forces you to shift your perspective and believe every direct message he puts out. Too raw.