Ten of the best songs of the year, as selected by Associated Press entertainment journalists.
STEVE LACY, 鈥淏AD HABIT鈥�
It took nearly three months, but Steve Lacy鈥檚 鈥淏ad Habit鈥� topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has continued to thrive. The multi-genre song, a single from his album 鈥淕emini Rights,鈥� became the first record to ever top the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop, Hot R&B, Hot Rock and and Alternative songs chart simultaneously. It became popular over the summer after many on social media including celebrities Hailey Bieber and Charlie D鈥橝melio used the song while promoting their brands. With a funky bassline, Lacy shows some regret after missing an opportunity to approach a love interest. 鈥� Jonathan Landrum Jr.
HARRY STYLES, 鈥淎S IT WAS鈥�
Harry Styles was everywhere in 2022 pop culture, from his much-anticipated new album 鈥淗arry鈥檚 House,鈥� to his massive tour and most notably being in the middle of the surrounding the film Styles could take some advice from the lyrics to his chart-topper 鈥淎s It Was,鈥� a bittersweet and brightly packaged bop: 鈥淣othing to say/when everything gets in the way.鈥� The song is deceptively upbeat with a jingly synth-pop beat and a little kid鈥檚 voice as the intro and wedding bells at the end. But the lyrics are self-referentially melancholic as he accepts the reality of change that even he is not quite ready for. Thank you to the year鈥檚 leading man for giving everyone a lot to talk and sing about. 鈥� Kristin M. Hall
BEYONC脡, 鈥淐UFF IT鈥�
If you scroll through social media, you won鈥檛 have to wait long before you see viral videos of groups from young to old performing choreographed routines to Beyonc茅鈥檚 鈥淐uff It.鈥� The feel good, dance track captures the spirit of fun, romance and infatuation all in nearly four minutes of music, and while that鈥檚 longer than most radio hits these days, the song leaves you wishing Queen Bey would鈥檝e extended the track even more. If you feel like falling in love or need a flirty boost, keep this track on repeat. 鈥� Gary Gerard Hamilton
TAYLOR SWIFT, 鈥淎NTI-HERO鈥�
Self-loathing never sounded so good as on Taylor Swift鈥檚 鈥淎nti-Hero,鈥� which went to the top of the Billboard singles chart for weeks and only relented its grasp under pressure from a bubbly Mariah Carey before Christmas. It is peak Swift: Confessional to the point of self-horror, depressing in its inevitable tears. 鈥淚鈥檓 the problem,鈥� she sings. 鈥淚t鈥檚 me.鈥� The rest of the lyrics are dense and pregnant with meaning 鈥� there鈥檚 a scene with a will reading? Who is a sexy baby? Is she really a monster on the hill? 鈥� all driven by a moody, propulsive electro beat. 鈥淭his song really is a real guided tour throughout all the things I tend to hate about myself,鈥� she has written about it. And yet it is something to adore. 鈥� Mark Kennedy
KENDRICK LAMAR, 鈥淒IE HARD鈥� FEATURING BLXST AND AMANDA REIFER
Kendrick Lamar has several standout tracks off his Grammy-nominated album 鈥淢r. Morale & the Big Steppers.鈥� But one of the most vibrantly enjoyable songs from his masterful project is 鈥淒ie Hard鈥� featuring singer-rapper Blxst and Barbadian singer Amanda Reifer. The three music artists collectively blend their voices on the hit song 鈥� which delves into trust and battling demons. Lamar raps about overcoming his insecurities in hopes of becoming better for a future relationship. 鈥� Jonathan Landrum Jr.
LIZZO, 鈥淎BOUT DAMN TIME鈥�
She鈥檚 got the moves, she鈥檚 got the grooves and she鈥檚 used them to great effect on unsuspecting ears and minds as they were emerging from a literal and mental winter. Lizzo鈥檚 infectious bop 鈥淎bout Damn Time鈥� hit the indoor-dazed populace right in the solar plexus and shattered the dancefloors. Between lyrics like 鈥淚s everybody back up in the buildin鈥�? It鈥檚 been a minute, tell me how you鈥檙e healin鈥欌�� and 鈥淚鈥檓 way too fine to be this stressed, yeah/ Oh, I鈥檓 not the girl I was or used to be/ Uh,鈥�, I might be better鈥� and her up-tempo flute, Lizzo says it鈥檚 OK to claw back a little happiness after our collective trauma with the help of some pop music. 鈥� Cristina Jaleru
THE 1975, 鈥淧ART OF THE BAND"
is the off-kilter jewel in The 1975's excellent album, 鈥淏eing Funny In A Foreign Language.鈥� It refuses to follow a tempo pattern as it caroms from cellos to lounge ballad to sax solo, with dense, funny lyrics. 鈥淎m I ironically woke? The butt of my joke? Or am I just some post-coke, average, skinny bloke calling his ego imagination?鈥� frontman and lyricist Matty Healy sings. It is a song that makes you stop and listen. 鈥淪o many cringes in the heroin binges/I was coming off the hinges, living on the fringes,鈥� go the lyrics.
SAM SMITH AND KIM PETRAS, 鈥淯NHOLY鈥�
If there was one good song to start the cold season, it鈥檚 the sensuous, risqu茅 鈥淯nholy鈥� 鈥� leaning on Sam Smith鈥檚 translucent vocals and Kim Petras鈥� petulant energy. The club anthem that slinks up on you with its throbbing bass wrapped in Eastern influences kicks off right out the gate with a heavenly choir. The electro-hook is set to catch, stun and haunt. A startling departure from Smith鈥檚 weepy ballads, this slow but electrifying tune got its general stripes first on TikTok with the singers鈥� dance challenge and the admiral ones on the airwaves and the dancefloor. One of the most well-matched collaborations of the year, 鈥淯nholy鈥� has been certified Platinum with the speed of saying a 鈥淗ail Mary.鈥� 鈥� Cristina Jaleru
YEAH YEAH YEAHS AND PERFUME GENIUS, 鈥淪PITTING OFF THE EDGE OF THE WORLD鈥�
Post-punk rockers Yeah Yeah Yeahs returned with a new album this year, their first since 2013, and the opening dark synths of their first single 鈥淪pitting Off the Edge of the World" delivered the kind of fist-pumping energy that Karen O and company are known for. Karen O's distinctive vocals on the opening line, 鈥淐owards, here's the sun, so bow your heads,鈥� are aptly matched with Perfume Genius' delicate and glamorous voice. The song peaks with the banging drums in the chorus inviting a defiance on the precipice of chaos. It's a great return to form for a band that has always pushed the boundaries. 鈥� Kristin M. Hall
BEYONC脡, 鈥淏REAK MY SOUL鈥�
It would be easy 鈥� and possibly understandable 鈥� to only include one Beyonc茅 song on our list. But why punish the Queen for creating phenomenal music? 鈥淏reak My Soul鈥� was her majesty鈥檚 royal anthem welcoming her back to her rightful place on the throne after a six-year-hiatus between albums. The house track spanned genres, dominating airplay on R&B, pop and dance formats. Reaching No. 1 on Billboard鈥檚 Hot 100 chart, the song delivered a variety of DJ versions and remixes, including the 鈥淭he Queens Remix鈥� with Madonna. 鈥淏reak My Soul鈥� also reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, and along with 鈥淐uff It,鈥� marked the first time since 2003 that the icon had multiple No. 1s on the chart in the same year. 鈥� Gary Gerard Hamilton
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