27 Best Songs From 2017
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11. “911/Mr. Lonely” by Tyler, the Creator (ft. Frank Ocean and Steve Lacy)
Tyler, the Creator stunned fans with his 2017 album “Flower Boy.” The artist created a new sound, packed with soul and jazz influences to go along with his trademark rapping. Critics like the album so much that they nominated it for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
“911/Mr. Lonely” sees Tyler rap about his feelings of isolation and loneliness. The rapper wishes for other people to reach out to him and try to help him through his loneliness. The track is deeply personal and shows the deterioration of Tyler and his issues.
12. “Dreams Tonite” by Alvvays
Alvvays came up in the proud tradition of Canadian indie music. Its second album, “Antisocialites,” saw the band push its music in a new direction. The album, however, maintains the same fuzzy-sounding production that became a calling card for the band.
“Dreams Tonite” is a downer of a love song about a person realizing a relationship may not be working out. The singer questions if they are still in love with their partner, and wonders if they would have gotten together if they met now instead of a few years ago.
13. “DNA.” by Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar was, without question, one of the best rappers of his generation with the release of his album “To Pimp a Butterfly”. Lamar followed up the album with “DAMN.” in 2017, and it was another masterpiece. The album improved Lamar’s case as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
“DNA.” sees Lamar deal with the increased scrutiny his music had come under in recent years. The rapper also talks about what makes him unique, and he says it is all in his DNA. With Lamar’s track record, it is no surprise he released one of the best songs of 2017.
14. “Passionfruit” by Drake
Drake looked to incorporate a more worldly sound to his music by 2017, and he succeeded with “Passionfruit” from his mixtape “More Life.” Drake swaps out his characteristic melancholy for a more confident direction with “Passionfruit.”
The lyrics detail a long-distance relationship where each person is attempting to wrest more control. It’s an earnest song about the pitfalls of long-distance relationships and the anxieties that come with them. Whereas old Drake may have been sad about this, he comes off as much more confident in this track than he would have in his earlier days.
15. “New York” by St. Vincent
“New York” is a love song both about a person and a city at the same time. St. Vincent feels that the spark has gone out of living in New York, and the singer must determine if she wants to leave and start a new life in a new place.
Whereas the moment a relationship with something is often hard to pinpoint, “New York” is a song about the exact moment the excitement is gone and all that’s left is to decide how to move on.
16. “The Story of O.J.” by Jay-Z
In 2017, Jay-Z had nothing to prove to fans or critics. The man was a legend of the genre, and will likely end up highly related on anyone’s list of greatest rappers of all time. Of course, not one to rest on his laurels, Jay-Z released “4:44” and reminded the world that he still had a near gear to get to.
“The Story of O.J.” is a song about slavery and its effects on the Black community that was still being felt at the time. Jay-Z wanted to make a song for the Black Lives Matter era, and he successfully did so as only he could.
17. “Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers broke out as one of the many sad girls of indie music in 2017, and her song “Motion Sickness” perfectly captures the appeal of the subgenre and her music.
Bridgers sings of a relationship that is falling apart at the seams. Nobody is truly to blame, as both people are making mistakes. The song is autobiographical, and Bridgers delivers an impassioned vocal performance with just enough post-production to create something unique. The relationship has no hope, and the singer hopes she can drown out the other person and the noise to move on.
18. “Real Death” by Mount Eerie
Many singers have crafted songs about death, but very few have done it about a departed spouse. “Real Death” by Mount Eerie sees frontman Phil Elverum sing about the fallout from his wife’s passing.
The song has a very sparse production, with an acoustic guitar and piano being the main accompaniment. Elverum sings from the heart about the sights and feelings he experienced a week after his wife’s death. It’s a somber song about how every little thing reminds you of the person and there is little escape from the grief.
19. “For the First Time” by Mac DeMarco
Mac DeMarco is best known for his sad indie music, and “For the First Time” is no exception. DeMarco released the song on his album “This Old Dog.”
DeMarco sings about a lover who has left him, and the singer tries to find a new way through life without them. The singer does not want to avoid the pain but instead wants to keep remembering the ex-partner, even if the pain is too much to bear at times.
20. “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man is better known for its rock music dating back years, but the band had one of its biggest hits in 2017 with “Feel It Still.” The song takes a new approach to music for the band, and it has the feel of a classic Motown song.
The music video captured plenty of attention with over 30 easter eggs hidden inside. Viewers could click on these easter eggs to find links to different social causes at the time.