As 2015 wraps up, it’s time to reflect on another incredible year in music. To do so, we’re counting down the top 100 songs of the year. In developing this list we weighed each track against the following criteria: overall song quality, impact and popularity, and support (blogs, charts, DJs, etc.). We’re counting down 20 tracks per day and today we bring you 60-41. If you dig our selections be sure to share. If you disagree with some of the picks let us know why in the comments below. Without further adieu we present our picks for the top 100 tracks of 2015.
60. Travi$ Scott – Skyfall (RL Grime & Salva)
Travis had already created a dark and deep sound with the original but RL Grime and Salva tweaked the shit out of this slow banger and took it for a flight through the sky. Speeding things up a couple notches, slapping new drums all over the track and restructuring the vocals, Grime and Salva’s combined trap production chops are unreal and you can imagine they flipped this La Flame single on its head.
59. Bryson Tiller – Let Em Know (J-Louis Remix)
Bryson Tiller’s ‘Let Em Know’ is one of his best efforts vocally and lyrical but the production left you wanting more. Enter J-Louis, the Soulection beatsmith who decided to put his own spin on the tune, reworking it into perfection. The keys add a deeper level of emotion while the the hard hitting bass and 808’s make the chorus feel twice as strong. Now this is Trapsoul.
58. Slumberjack – Enigma feat. GRRL PAL
‘Enigma’ is everything that makes Slumberjack so special. It demonstrates their ability to blend genres and world influences while showcasing their mastery of juxtaposition. In less than 4 minutes it manages to be an infectious poppy tune, a gorgeous piece of future bass and the ugliest trap record you’ve heard in a minute. Somehow it accomplishes all of this without ever feeling disconjointed. This track is an impressive achievement in production even for Slumberjack.
57. Falcons – Boss Mackin’ feat. A1
The hottest tracks off Falcon’s Terra EP, ‘Boss Mackin’ wasn’t the biggest party anthem of 2015 but it should’ve been. Falcons laces the beat with his signature heavy bass and snapping drums while A1 gives a tutorial on how to skate over a beat. The way the bars fit over the beat sounds like they were woven together tighter than a pair of flyknits.This might be the hottest Bay area anthem since e40 and Short Dogg were poppin’.
56. Sable x Promnite – OMG
The highly anticipated collaborative effort from Sable and Promnite more than lived up to the hype. ‘OMG’ had you saying just what the title issued. Taking familiar and nostalgic vocals and chopping and pitching them over one of the hardest beats of the year is guaranteed success. It wasn’t just the hard hitting sound that made it stand out, melodic breaks and anxious builds rounded it perfectly.
55. Boombox Cartel – B2U (feat. Ian Everson)
With vocals from Ian Everson ‘B2U’ helped Boombox Cartel explode onto the scene. It’s a stellar combination of catchy vocals, stunning future bass and absolutely filthy trap. The progression and movement of the track is incredible and deserves to be applauded. It was that bomb at the beginning of 2015 that had you asking “what the fuck is this!?” in your favourite DJs sets.
54. Drake – Energy
Is this even contentious? Drake’s all over this list – how could he not be? TheToronto native blessed fans with a slew of new joints stemming from both of his mixtapes that dropped this year. Drake’s aggressive approach and Boi-1da’s dangerous production on ‘Energy’ make this an easy pick for song 54 out of this years top 100 songs. And let’s not count out the opening that everyone yells as soon as the track hits (“lick wood means rewind, the gunshot means forward, you requested it so we rewind”), which pays homage to the sound clash era.
53. Sam Gellaitry – Long Distance
Sam Gellaitry has proven himself to be a rising star in the music game with an arsenal of hits in his catalogue. ‘Long Distance’ is no exception – in fact it’s one his best tracks yet. The short but sweet banger combines a deep reggae vocal sample and a build that will have you wondering how hard the drop will be. And when it drops? – you can forget about standing still. The horns, in perfect harmony with an excellent drum arrangement and a perfect combination of low and high pitched vocal chops make for a banger that solidifies Sam’s hold on the 53rd spot – and as a talent to watch out for in 2016.
52. THEY. – Motley Crue
The newest Mind Of Genius signees THEY. came out of nowhere with an impressive offering in NÜ Religion. They’re sound is a hyrbid of genres that encompasses everything from hip-hop and RnB to trap and rock. ‘Motely Crue’ perfectly embodies this, showcasing their singing, rapping and production abilities. The raps are delivered with passion, the hook does just that (hooks you), and the beat is a rock inspired burner that shifts from low key to banging to punctuate the emotion of the vocals. THEY. dropped an anthem.
51. Grandtheft & Sleepy Tom – Hold On
Grandtheft has always been renowned for his diverse sets and production skills but his Quit This City EP elevated this to a new level. The lead single ‘Hold On’ saw him connecting with Sleepy Tom for track that is both futuristic and nostalgic. Elements of it sound like they came out of an 80’s computer, while the forward thinking club sound gives it 2015 vibe. It’s this balance of old and new and the strong feeling of emotion that made this one something unforgettable.
50. Big Sean – Sanctified (Mr. Carmack Remix)
Carmack’s remix of Big Sean’s ‘Sanctified’ brings some much needed energy to the track, driving it forward with a bass heavy beat while still remaining true to the original. Carmack’s sense for movement and progression throughout a track is made obvious when comparing the two tracks. This remix is for anyone who enjoys a helping of rap with their main course of production, as opposed to the original which was more lyrically driven and featured a fairly minimal stripped-down beat.
49. Electric Mantis – Pixel Wave
Braincase was undoubtedly one of the most adventurous and interesting EPs of the year. The project’s opener ‘Pixel Wave’ showcases everything that made it so special. It’s a collection of obscure sounds and samples that somehow come together to create magic. It packs a transportational property so strong that it takes you into a different world. A world of infinite sunshine, rolling waves, stunning waterfalls and a slight feeling of melancholy. It’s abstract and powerful and beautifully unique.
48. TWRK – Helicopter
The lead single of off the twerk gods debut EP We Are TWRK, ‘Helicopter’ is everything we love from Benzi and eSentrik. Massive horns, bouncy bass and one of the most recognizable vocals chops of 2015 made this a certified festival anthem. Add in remixes from DJ Sliink, STFU, Snappy Jit, Victor Niglio and Bad Royale and it only got that much bigger.
47. A$AP Rocky – L$D
The third single off 2015’s At.Long.Last.A$AP hits a three-pointer for Rocky-of-the-A$AP-Mob and cements a milestone on his path of artist, rapper, and fashionista.
One point goes to the music style – It’s a markedly different sound than the world was used to from Rocky (think: ‘Wild For The Night’, ‘F**kn’ Problems’ ). It’s a dreamy, introspective, and even romantic spin on hip-hop.
Another point goes to the track’s Grammy-nominated video – the collab with director Dexter Navy is an impeccable translation of the song’s psychedelic aesthetic into a mind-boggling visual experience. Obviously inspired by Gaspar Noe’s Enter The Void, it’s at once experimental, candy-sweet, and immersive.
Third point goes to the marketing tactics surrounding the release; pimping from Lil B The Based God primed the premiere of the song and video, while the video itself spliced in a verse from another track from the same album. This clever cross-promotion, along with a fresh musical style and over-the-top video makes this one of the best tracks of the year.
46. Lido – Here
Lido’s flip of mega hit ‘Here’ began as an outlet to vent his frustration after having his SoundCloud account frozen, but it became so much more. It’s a commentary on the entire industry and most importantly serves as a no holds barred call out of archaic major labels, “And I can’t wait to get the fuck up out this, plaqued out office, wish this thing was over, tryna keep my damn composure, cause he thinks in full disclosure, that I’m latchin’ on to records he commissioned, had to show him what was missin’, a composer on a mission, yeah it’s weird, now every copycat’s a legend, if he knows ’bout major 7ths, while I’m sittin’ on some blessings I can’t share, because this bald and rich executive, don’t understand his record isn’t suffering from a flip I did, he scared.” This track is the voice for every SoundCloud producer and fan who’s tired of labels who don’t understand the value of remixes. Major props to Lido for speaking the truth, all while adding in some clever wordplay and retooled production. The fact he did this on top of the most streamed song of 2015 is the cherry on top. The fact that it hasn’t been taken down is even more impressive.
45. The Game & Skrillex – El Chapo
It seems like if you’re going to make a comeback, connecting with Skrillex is a given (see Justin Beiber). The Game decided to do just that, linking up with Skrillex and Bangladesh for the coke anthem ‘El Chapo’. Unsurprisingly the beat is pure insanity; combining massive horns with hard hitting and drums and some signature wubs from Skrillex. Game comes out spitting his fiercest in years with violent bars that include “knocking Donald Trump out his toupée”. How can you not enjoy that? This track is more turnt up than Ric Flair off 20 lines. Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!
44. NGHTMRE – Street
After poppping up in Skrillex’s Ultra set ‘Street’ became one of the most sought after ID’s of 2015. Every major DJ supported and every fan lost it when it dropped. It’s menacing, forward thinking, and absolutely devastating. It’s exactly the type of track that is keeping the trap genre alive and well. NGHTMRE had a massive 2015 and this anchored it.
43. Herobust – Skurt Reynolds
Like Skurt! This year saw Herobust exploring the widest range of sound design in his career. There’s a few of his tracks that could’ve landed themselves on the list but none managed to pack the grittiness and infectiousness of ‘Skurt Reynolds’. It’s hard not to like it from the name alone, but the music is undeniable. It’s the musical equivalent of bending a 70’s muscle car around corner at 50mph, clipping the curb and still plowing ahead. It’s almost of control but so enthralling.
42. Post Malone – White Iverson
We covered this track back when it dropped and had a feeling it would eventually take reign as one of the hottest tracks of 2015, we’re not really into bragging – but we were right. The swagged out and turnt up artist (don’t call him a rapper, he doesn’t like that) Post Malone emerged from the Internet and really caught fire with ‘White Iverson’. The track was responsible for reminding everyone how great of a basketball player Allen Iverson was, but also for making “saucing” a term accepted everywhere. But seriously, not even kidding in the slightest, Malone’s commanding tone over a low key beat made for a great song in 2015.
41. IshDARR – Remember
In a time where rap records are often formulaic and overly simplified, IshDARR connected with Film Noir production wiz Krs. and Arthur McArthur to craft something distinctly unique. The soulful backdrop is dreamlike; perfectly pairing delicate piano with hard hitting drums. IshDARR blends storytelling, humour and swagger while switching from rap bars and singing. What makes the track standout is the way the lyrics and production complement one and other. The lyrics are perfectly punctuated by the beat changes and samples that reinforce vocals. This is what quality hip-hop sounds like in 2015.
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