2019: DCWS's Top 10 Songs of the Year
/10. Hot - Young Thug Ft. Gunna
“Hot” has a beat that slightly reminds us of J. Cole’s “Middle Child” with fierce horn filled instrumentals that also conjure amped-up references to that track, but with a heavily triumphant tone. The texture of Gunna and Thug’s voices, when combined with the thick beat, is hard to forget and easily the best song on his “So Much Fun” album.
9. Suge - DaBaby
DaBaby might not be rap’s next intellectual superstar, but his infectious beats and lyrics are hard to resist. This bass-heavy track is also heavy on the bars despite most of the lines fitting in with his usually goofy, signature delivery. His threats come alive with his usual choppy spitfire delivery.
8. Juice - Lizzo
Lizzo might have been an indie star not too long ago, but the body positive and overall curvy queen of confidence has become a mainstream favorite and radio hit in a short amount of time. Her vibe is total empowerment mixed with 3 parts soul and one part pop. All her tracks encourage women to love themselves, but “Juice” is an undeniable banger about breaking down those inhibitions.
7. Con Altura - Rosalia ft. J Balvin
It’s clear that we’re in the midst of a Latin music takeover, and the DCWS fam is all about it. “Con Altura” means “do it hard”, and this Catalan singer merges perfectly with Colombian crossover star J Balvin. The frenetic beat is a Daddy Yankee inspired reggaeton throwback to the early ‘00s. It’s pretty difficult not to move your hips to this one.
6. Loyal - PARTYNEXTDOOR ft. Drake
We really yawned to add “No Guidance” to this list, but Party next-door is much less problematic than Chris Brown and just as talented. Plus, he also got that Drake feature, so bye CB! This hit was a latecomer to 2019 and it’s on too many Top Hits roundups that we’ve seen thus far, but we wanted to give the underrated track some love - whenever these Canadians link up, they always come up with some hook that’ll get stuck in your head for months (in the best way possible.)
5. My Type - Saweetie
Saweetie brings us back to the era of Lil’ Kim and Gangsta Boo with this irresistibly catchy track that samples Petey Pablo and Lil Jon’s “Freek-a-Leek”. The shouting chorus was a rowdy and energetic anthem for women who are feeling themselves and aren’t afraid to get a little loud. We can’t wait to hear the next mega hit from this cowboy hat and grillz wearing babe.
4. NCAA - 2 Chainz
Some might see 2 Chainz as a joke rapper, but his album “Rap or Go To The League” was proof that he’s anything but. “NCAA” is based on the ancient belief that the only way to make it out of the hood is to become a rapper or a basketball player, which Chainz was before his music career. It’s unusually profound for this rapper, but still absolute fire, which stays true to his brand.
3. Come Thru - Summer Walker
Summer Walker is transforming the tired radio RnB that we’ve been subjected to in the past few years (Tory Lanez, we’re looking at you). This queen has managed to bring back an old school, acoustic vibe that we’re addicted to. “Come Thru” is an Usher-permeated track that flows through us like sweet syrup. Whether you’re looking for something to amp up date night or looking for a post-workout cool-down track, we can’t get enough of “Come Thru”.
2. New Apartment - Ari Lennox
J. Cole’s label Dreamville is lucky to have RnB talent Ari Lennox in their roster, and the jazzy, soul-infused sample in Shea Butter’s beat proves that. The flow is absolutely sensual and bedroom appropriate as she delivers hilarious lines about drinking wine from dollar-store glasses and popping her “woo-hah”. Class embodied with just the right touch of humor.
1. bad guy - Billie Eilish
We love chart-topper Billie Eilish precisely for her weirdness and out of the box approach to the pop genre. “Bad Guy” was a bouncing favorite for many, although slightly more conventional than darker tracks like “bury a friend” and “you should see me in a crown”. This song breaks down the male ego, making tough guys wither all over.