Best Singles of 2015
It’s that time of the year when everything turns into a “best of” list and I’m certainly not immune to the trend. Today I’ve put together a list of the 15 best singles of 2015 and as much as I enjoyed pouring over countless albums and even venturing to listen to the radio a couple of times I have mixed emotions.
A “best of” list is always catchy and fun way to spend a few minutes but the thing is their biased and incomplete. There is no way to possibly listen to all of the releases that come out in a year and even if you did what you find to be sonic gold could easily be considered trash by someone else. By the time this post goes live I’m sure there will be even more songs that I discover that might make me rethink this list. It’s sort of an uphill battle so I mind as well get into the holiday spirit and relax, right?
I guess I just a bit worked up where music is concerned. You guys have NO IDEA how many times I revised this list and debated with myself about whether or not I was making the right choices. Eventually, I decided to go with my instinct and know that my version of the best singles of 2015 will at the very least get you guys thinking about what songs made your 2015 special.
The best singles of 2015 list was easier to put together than the best albums list I’ll be posting next week. With a single the rest of the album can be crap but as long as the single is good you’re in the clear. With an album things get a bit more complicated.
For instance, Justin Bieber’s new album, Purpose, had at least a handful of songs that stood out to me. Still, I couldn’t justify listing it as one of the best albums, despite it being so highly anticipated and being dubbed a “comeback” record because I felt like the overall flow of the album was uneven. None of the songs were bad but I felt like half the album was slow and reflective and the other half was Jack Ü inspired.
A good record doesn’t have to have the exact same sound to it because that can get boring but the progression of the different sounds and influences should make sense. It shouldn’t jerk back and forth between high and low energy but AGAIN, that’s my opinion. I should probably also disclose that I’m a moderate Justin Bieber fan. Some of his hits are fun but he’s not in my iTunes library and I honestly only listened to his record for this post. Beliebers don’t throw internet stones at me!
Since this is a special music post it’s super-sized and strictly features songs that were singles released in 2015. A lot of the songs featured in this best singles of 2015 list lean more on the mainstream side and may come from albums released in the previous year.
If you think about the songs that stick out in your mind you’ll most likely think of that tune that made it into an Apple commercial or the one you loved before they overplayed it on the radio. My personal favorite songs from 2015 are usually never singles and never make it to the radio or a live show. It’s usually one of those random songs at the end of an album or a one-off collaboration with another one of my fave bands.
There is a treasure trove of songs out there hidden in various albums that never see the light of day or get praise. Maybe in the future, I’ll put together a Spotify playlist of songs that don’t have a video to them. If you guys would be interested in that don’t hesitate to let me know!
This week scroll on down and give your ears a bit of bliss in the form of Ellie Goulding, Tove Lo, Omi, Justin Bieber, Lana Del Rey, Adele, X Ambassadors, Selena Gomez, The Weeknd, Drake, Tame Impala, Taylor Swift, Miguel, Maroon 5, and DNCE. You can also listen to all featured artists on Spotify!
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Fetty Wap, Vic Mensa, Alessia Cara, Major Lazer, Alesso & Janelle Monae
What artists made your best singles of 2015 list? Did I miss any? Let me know!
NOTE: Keep up with my #VRxMusic Instagram series for daily music picks through the end of the year!