1,000 Pageview Special: Billboard 2015 Year-End Hot 100 - My full rankings!

Hey, everyone! I promised that I would have something special when we got to 1,000 views, and we've reached that! Now, that may not seem like much of a milestone, but when you're starting on this blogging stuff, it is a good first step. I don't know how much I'll acquire in the coming time, but thanks to those that have read this. Anyway, here's the promised special.

So, I've been doing the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown stuff for a tiny bit now, and I've mentioned many times about certain things going on in the Billboard Hot 100. And I think it's time I try to express more of my thoughts than just weekly stuff.

What I am going to be doing here is listing all 100 songs from 2015's Year-End Hot 100 – that would be this list right here – in my order, starting at 100, my least favorite song on the list, to 1, my favorite song on the list. I will be listing the song's number on the Year-End list, as well.

Why am I doing this? So I can try something new. Well, it’s not new per se, I first got the idea from a certain YouTuber who did the exact same thing early in 2016 and then had his podcast group do a mini-review of 2014’s Year-End chart as well. I mean, I could just do your basic Top 10 (or whatever) Worst/Best Hit Songs lists, but everyone does that. Me? I think I want to take it a few steps further. And by "a few", I mean eighty. Or eighty minus however many songs you guys tend to have as (dis)honorable mentions, darn it! I was juggling between doing it this way and going down the entire list in reverse order while color coding them all then doing Top 10s afterward, and decided on this because I think it’s interesting to take everything and make them in the order I like to see it as, rather than just going off what I’m given. This was something that Adrian said he had thoughts of doing in late 2015, but didn't get around to.

I also know that we're halfway through 2016 and 2015 is long past us, but I would say 2015 was my favorite year for pop music this decade so far, as there was a lot that really stood out to me. This list took quite a bit out of me, but it was fun to do.

So, I'm gonna use the same color code I used when I looked back on the 6/27/15 countdown, so as a recap:
Red = Shit (0 points)
Orange = Least favorite song (0 points)
Turquoise = Bad (1 point)
Yellow = Meh (2 points)
Pink = Decent (3 points)
Blue = Good (4 points)
Green = Great (5 points)
Purple = Favorite song (5 points)

An * will indicate a repeat that was also on 2014's Year-End Hot 100.

The color code actually won’t mean that much as I’m going down the list as opposed to going off the regular list, but it’s still an easy way to see my opinion on the songs.

I also decided that in addition, as a little bonus, I'm going to include the songs that were on Hits 1's Year-End Top 45 Countdown at the end of 2015, but not the Year-End Hot 100. I counted 12 of them, and I'll list them in parentheses along with their position on the countdown.

And unrelated to all of that, but in case you can't see, this is the first post I'm making where I'm using a different font - the Verdana font, which most of these bloggers I've seen use, as opposed to Arial, which I had for the first few countdown recaps I did. I think this font will make it more suitable to read.

One other thing I want to say is, I spent most of 2015 living in college, so I didn't have as much radio exposure as the countdown bloggers did. And because of that, I didn't have to put up with overplay as much, so don't be surprised to see certain songs in green when I know that quite a few of the bigger hits have turned turquoise, red or even orange for some of those bloggers. Also, as a warning, there are 100 opinions here. You are going to disagree with at least a few of them, if not several. But enough of that. Time to rank them all. Here we go!

My least favorite you probably already know if you saw the June 11 countdown update, but alas.

My least favorite song on the list:
100. Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor (#75) – “Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on” has to be one of the least sexy things I've heard. Turning his name into a verb…just no. Quite possibly the least sexy song about sex this decade. Neither of these two sound like they've even heard of sex, and the only thing they have in common is how white and stiff they are thinking they can just claim his mojo. Meghan Trainor's verse just reeks of desperation the way she describes herself, too. Put short, Marvin Gaye would be crying in his grave if he heard it. And the sad thing is, as I said when Me Too debuted on the countdown, this isn't even my most hated song by Meghan Trainor.

Shit:
99. Only by Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown (#51) – No, I'm not calling this Nicki Minaj's song when she only gets one verse. They all talk about how they never fucked each other over drippy synth. There is nothing good to be said about this. It is absolutely disgusting and disturbing in every way. Next!

98. Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor (#74) – This tries to make her look like she's in total control and always superior, which she isn't. It’s a laundry list of demands that thinks it is passing itself off as cute and innocent when it couldn’t be anything further from that. To name one of such, “we’ll never see your family more than mine” is one of THE most appalling lines of the decade. This song makes her come off as a Mary Sue, which is unacceptable. Next!

97. Bitch Better Have My Money by Rihanna (#48) – This is a song that just looking at the name of makes you hang your head in shame. Shouting about being rich and blowing that on crazy stuff yet needing some bitch to bring you that money? While it’s definitely not as bad as Birthday Cake from 2012, I've heard more than enough of Rihanna's hits to know that she plain and simple is not this. I'm not buying her as someone who's supposed to be hardcore and gangsta, and that trap percussion doesn't help matters. 

96. 7/11 by Beyonce (#61) – WAYOHANDSIDETWOSIDEPUTITINTHAAIR OH GOD SHUT THE HELL UP. Outright incompetence at its finest. I’m hard-pressed to consider this worse than Single Ladies or (god help me) Diva, but it definitely rivals them for her worst hit to date. This one is so randomly thrown together that it comes off as literally a processed word salad. Next!

95. No Type by Rae Sremmurd (#70) – Clearly you do have a type when you say “bad bitches are the only thing that I like”. Way to contradict yourselves on the next line, geniuses. They sound totally bored, and that limp production sounding like something that would come from the Atari 5200 does not help.

94. Hit the Quan by iLoveMemphis (#83) – What the heck is this thing? The production is icky and feels like something out of a bad modern children’s cartoon, and this guy has an obnoxious voice that spews out lyrics that are references to different brands, such as Nike, Skype, Facetime, and even the Ninja Turtles. What do those have to do with hitting the Quan? The Quan never did anything to me.

93. Kick the Dust Up by Luke Bryan (#87) – Even by the low standards of country, this is grating.

92. Post to Be by Omarion featuring Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko (#24) – DJ Mustard + Chris Brown + "eat the booty like groceries" = a recipe for stupid. Next!

* 91. Animals by Maroon 5 (#46, #64 in 2014) – I hated this one in 2014, and even now it’s still disturbing. That is definitely the right word to describe this one for me, between the unnerving guitar riff, the lyrics, and of course, the video. Also, fun fact, this was the only 2014 repeat to do better on this chart than the previous one. Good thing the even worse This Summer's Gonna Hurt flopped. Next!

(Hide Away by Daya, #40 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – The premise of seeking a good boy and wondering where they go to “hide away” is unsettling. And there’s the obnoxious “to be fly as a mother” line in the post-verses, which is jarring coming from a teenage white girl. And did I mention that her next solo single, Sit Still, Look Pretty, contradicts this completely? Even though that song became a single in spring of this year, both songs were on her EP, which released September 2015, before this even hit the Hot 100 at all. That makes the existence of this pointless. So yeah, this song blows. Next!

90. Ayo by Chris Brown and Tyga (#86) – The Chris Brown twins strike again, and in no way does Tyga’s nonexistent rhyming help. It’s a retread of Loyal from 2014, which was already crappy enough. These two are ones that we don’t need any more “steal your girl” rubbish from. Next!

89. Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh) by Rich Homie Quan (#49) – Can someone please tell me how this song made the top 50 of the chart when it failed to even crack the Top 20?

88. Watch Me by Silento (#8) – If it weren't for the unexpected longevity that this song boasted and the fact that it'll probably make 2016's year-end chart too, I'd be willing to be a little more apathetic here.

Current score: 0/65

I will say, my Bottom 10 is pretty darn predictable. Seriously, you’ll be hard-pressed to find even one Worst Hit Songs of 2015 list that does not include what I like to call the “big five” – 7/11 (the most incompetent of the five), Only (the most disgusting and creepy of the five), Watch Me (the most annoying of the five), Dear Future Husband (the most obnoxious of the five), and Marvin Gaye (the lamest of the five). You’ll see those on pretty much every worst list, so yeah. But enough about that. Let's continue.

Bad:
* 87. All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor (#28, #8 in 2014) – To me, this one didn’t strike me quite as much because of the “shaming” subject matter, so much as it did that it’s insanely annoying. Nowadays I don't care quite as much, but it's still not good.

86. Jealous by Nick Jonas – The fact that he thinks he has the right to be hellish... Yeah, no. Saved from being in the bottom tier because that “chin music” line was at least funny, but that’s the only good thing I can really say about it. Next!

85. Earned It by The Weeknd (#9) – The way this song is executed, both lyrically and musically, comes off as really dull and even awkward. And the longevity in the Top 10 of the charts did not help. While Mr. Tesfaye might have had some solid hits this year, this was not one of them.

84. She Knows by Ne-Yo featuring Juicy J (#97) – While I don’t hate this one as much as quite a few others do, it fails in a similar way to Bitch Better Have My Money in that it’s out of character for Ne-Yo. It’s terribly produced and not soulful like his other hits, and that’s before we get to those baby noise samples.

83. Worth It by Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink (#23) – Here’s a track that wore on me as the horn riff got old and that one line gets insufferable and leaves me thinking they’re anything but. And while people compare it to Talk Dirty, I’d take this over that most days, if only because its concept isn’t quite as weird.

82. Lips are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor (#22) – While this one was tolerable to me at first, that’s probably because of how much I hated All About That Bass and it not hammering one line in over and over. But it does take a lot from its predecessor, so there’s that.

81. Fight Song by Rachel Platten (#20) – If Roar by Katy Perry was bare bones and meaningless, this is just no bones and practically nonexistent. It tries to be a self-empowerment anthem and isn’t. Though I will admit that the emphasis she throws into the chorus with the word “SONG” is amusing, although that in and of itself makes it even harder for me to take seriously.

80. Bad Blood by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar (#15) – Although lyrically I do feel like this is the kind of thing that Taylor Swift would make, this sound is not her. Give this to someone like P!nk and maybe it’d be more believable. And Kendrick Lamar is capable of so much more than this. It’s kinda sad that this was hyped up to be this incredibly amazing thing with that video, too.

79. Nasty Freestyle by T-Wayne (#50) – Does anyone actually remember any lines from this song that aren’t “First let me hop off the motherfuckin’ Porshe”? Because I don’t.

78. Girl Crush by Little Big Town (#63) – Putting aside the controversy that this song spewed when it was new, the song on its own merit is just nothing. Next!

77. Take Your Time by Sam Hunt (#45) – Not one of the better pick-up country songs.

76. Hey Mama by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha and Afrojack (#31) – Oh, Adrian is not going to be happy with this one… But while this one was fun for me at first, I started to lose the vibe that the song wants me to buy Minaj as someone who wants you so she can do things for you. That’s not who she is.

Current score: 12/125

Meh:
75. Tuesday by iLoveMakonnen featuring Drake (#82) – Dumb, but the memes are too funny for me to really hate it.

74. CoCo by O.T. Genasis (#79) – See above.

(Something’s Gotta Give by All Time Low, #25 on Year-End Countdown) – I may have said this when Missing You debuted on the countdown, but I’ve never really been a fan of this band. There’s a bit to like here, like the verse riffs, but it’s not something I care for. And what the heck is with that creepy guy in the french fries costume in the video? At least he gets karma in the end.

73. The Hanging Tree by James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence (#78) – Not sure why this song made the year-end list, and outside of the movie there’s really not a lot to it. It’s passable by conventional standards, though.

72. Slow Motion by Trey Songz (#64) – I feel like this is supposed to be sexy, but it doesn’t come off as that in the broader sense.

71. All Eyes on You by Meek Mill featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj (#69) – These two don’t sound like a duo really in love. I also wonder why Chris Brown was picked for the chorus, and his autotune doesn’t do that any favors. Not terrible, but definitely underwhelming.

70. Heartbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson (#91) – Not bad per se, but Kelly Clarkson is capable of better than this for sure.

69. Cheerleader by OMI (#11) – Not anything I can really hate, and the trumpets are fun, but we have plenty of songs like this. And is it just me or is there a LOT of autotune here?

68. Stitches by Shawn Mendes (#36) – More bland than bad really, it was okay at first but it’s not something I’d really go out of my way for. More importantly, it makes you wonder if the song is about wanting the girl back or moving on from her.

(I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons, #29 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – A step down from their first album, definitely.

(Bright by Echosmith, #30 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – At first I liked this more than I do now, but the space references aren’t the best fit. Its over-hated predecessor I find better. It’s nothing I can really hate, but nothing I’ll go out of my way for.

67. Classic Man by Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur or Kendrick Lamar (#72) – Fancy sung by men, and while it’s good for a chuckle it’s not something I’d want on repeat.

66. Hotline Bling by Drake (#30) – While the premise of the song isn’t fun, the video and its endless memes sure are.

65. House Party by Sam Hunt (#85) – A dumb country song, but it’s a little too over the top for me to really feel any disdain for.

64. I Don’t Mind by Usher featuring Juicy J (#55) – It’s not all that surprising that Usher doesn’t have as much to offer after over a decade and a half, and it doesn’t help that the more enjoyable Good Kisser had such a disappointing run.

* 63. Stay With Me by Sam Smith (#58, #10 in 2014) – Sometimes I feel like people only dislike this song because it’s slow. That being said, the premise of it is alright on its own merit, but not among the most interesting.

Current score: 38/190

Decent:
62. Trap Queen by Fetty Wap (#4) – To put this easily, I really feel as if I should like this song more than I do. It’s easy to see the appeal, though.

61. Photograph by Ed Sheeran (#34) – Much like Stay With Me, slow does not always equal boring. The video’s adorable, for the most part, as it can remind you of what it’s like being little and then growing up. Also, there’s this dance remix thing I’ve heard before that uses a xylophone, but it kinda kills the appeal of the song in how adorbs it is.

60. Good For You by Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky (#27) – Not as bad for a slower track that’s meant to be sexier. In fact, the slow vibe is what works best for me here, oddly enough.

59. El Perdon by Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias (#96) – It’s amazing that this somehow made the year-end list despite peaking at #56, which if memory serves is the lowest for a year-end single in Billboard history. That is something else. That being said, I’m not much a fan of Latin songs, but it’s inoffensive enough and does work.

58. Take Me To Church by Hozier (#14) – Yes, I know what this song is about, and I see the appeal, but to say the least it’s a song I respect A LOT more than I like. So don’t go thinking I’m someone who hates homosexuals, okay? Because I don’t. I just don’t care enough to listen to it that often.

57. Sugar by Maroon 5 (#5) – Not that great on its own, but saved from a lower score by the admittedly solid video that parodies the Wedding Crashers.

* 56. Bang Bang by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj (#80, #28 in 2014) – While I enjoyed this one quite a bit in 2014 when it was new, it didn't hold up as well in 2015, but the three girls do still have a lot of raw and upbeat edginess.

55. How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris with Disciples (#100) – Although I do wish I Want You To Know by Zedd with Selena Gomez (which missed the year-end list by the skin of its teeth) had made it instead, there’s something about house songs like this that I tend to like.

54. G.D.F.R. by Flo Rida featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas (#32) – This one does kinda feel like a poor man’s Turn Down For What, and there are some questionable lines in it (especially in Sage the Gemini’s verse), but that sax beat is fun for what it is. But as for the elephant in the room, no, I don’t think this rips off Talk Dirty – can people stop calling every song that uses a horn or sax a ripoff of that one? Sheesh.

(Fire N Gold by Bea Miller, #35 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – The chorus feels a little overproduced, and Bea Miller comes off as a better Miley Cyrus, but the lyrics do have depth and the guitars in the verses are nice.

53. What Do You Mean by Justin Bieber (#33) – Another one I can appreciate to a decent degree not only for its theme of saying one thing but meaning the other, but because it was another step in Bieber’s return to the stage after being so quiet (or should I say, jerky) for so long.

52. Budapest by George Ezra (#89) – One of those songs that I don’t really know what to say about, and yet I still like for whatever reason.

51. Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo (#17) – There’s stuff to like here for sure, including the groove, but having the girl be the one he “wants to want him” may not be the best expression. I will say though, it's too bad that he's had four singles since, all of which were solid in their own right (except Hello Friday with Flo Rida), and yet they all flopped. Maybe Wiggle really was the end of him?

50. Waves by Robin Schulz featuring Mr. Probz (#95) – Even though Robin Schulz is a guy about repetition, this is still a nice, pleasant, beachy song. Shame this was his only real success in the US, though, because Prayer In C with Lilly Wood and The Prick missed it literally by a hair, and this year the superior to both Sugar with Francesco Yates ended up having a disappointing chart run.

49. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran (#2) – Another one of those tracks that I feel like people don’t like just because it’s slow (and the overplay for that matter). And I’ll admit there are some weird lines in it, but Ed Sheeran really does have talent and a song about growing old together is something we don’t get as much of nowadays.

48. Somebody by Natalie La Rose and Jeremih (#40) – As much as I should hate this for jacking an iconic song that was given to us by one of the deceased, it’s still an alright listen for me. It was better when it was new, but I can still listen to it. And it’s definitely better than the atrocious Don’t Tell ‘Em, which only gets worse every time I hear it and thankfully was not a repeat on this year-end list.

* 47. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift (#18, #13 in 2014) – What can I say? This one has come to grow on me in time, even if it’s a kiss-off to haters that’s trying way too hard, the production is still fun and it has a lot of energy to it.

Current score: 86/270

Good:
46. I’m Not The Only One by Sam Smith (#26) – In a sense it’s the same song as its predecessor, and yet it works way better for some reason.

(Wrapped Up by Olly Murs featuring Travie McCoy, #36 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – I don’t think I like it quite as much as Troublemaker from 2013, as Olly’s voice doesn’t feel quite as restrained as it did there, but this is a pretty fun disco track. Travie McCoy’s verse is okay, and I’m not that big a fan of the video, either. In other words, there are things that hold it back but it's still good stuff.

45. Like I’m Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor and John Legend (#76) – There may not be much weight to this song at all, but by Meghan Trainor’s horribly low standards, it’s still pretty listenable. And John Legend contributes to make a song that I’m sure those with lovers can relate to. That video makes me cry, too.

44. My Way by Fetty Wap (#44, how ironic) – What I feel like I’ve come to like about Fetty Wap is how enthusiastic he tends to be and how he’s not the “steal yo girl” type of rapper. That aside, I find this enjoyable on that merit.

43. One Last Time by Ariana Grande (#67) – While this one wasn’t quite as good as the other singles from My Everything (except Bang Bang), it’s still solid. Fun fact: the video for this song has an appearance from her former Victorious co-star Matt Bennett.

42. The Heart Wants What It Wants by Selena Gomez (#62) – Basically it’s like Problem with the whole “I want you back even though I know I shouldn’t” aspect, except sad. But this mood does fit Selena nicely.

41. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth (#3) – Once more, another song that understandably wore on people thanks to the overplay, and I liked it a lot when it was new. Aside from being a well-crafted tribute to Paul Walker, the lyrics stand well for those missing ones who were near and dear to them. Do I really think it deserved to make 12 weeks at #1? Not really. But am I glad it did? Yes.

40. Truffle Butter by Nicki Minaj, Drake and Lil Wayne (#66) – An infinitely better version of Only without Chris Brown, even if he had writing credit on it. Although I feel like the reason they didn’t call it “Thinking Out Loud” was because they didn’t want to rip off of Ed Sheeran. Also, this beat sounds like it would fit well in Sonic CD. Not that that’s a bad thing at all, though.

39. Lay Me Down by Sam Smith (#81) – Unlike Stay With Me, this one has more of an actual feel to it in that it’s well orchestrated with a good vocal delivery. Bonus points for that one-shot video. It’s too bad the John Legend remix didn’t get credited on the charts, because that one would’ve been higher.

38. Drag Me Down by One Direction (#65) – Even though this song has clearly worn on the nerves of many of the Weekend Countdown bloggers (although I’m sure you can say that about most of the songs on this damn list), I really feel like this mature sound did the boys well after Zayn left them. I knew from the first listen that they were trying something less juvenile, and it worked. Some of One Direction’s hits have had nice rock edges to them, and with those guitars, this one fits that mold well.

37. Elastic Heart by Sia (plus remix featuring The Weeknd) (#52) – So this song was originally for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013, so Chandelier is not its predecessor. But it’s Sia, and despite the weird production the lyrical content does prosper well and fit the premise of the Hunger Games movies.

* 36. Habits (Stay High) by Tove Lo (#77, #32 in 2014) – Still not much to say about this one other than that it works, even if its premise is odd and her behavior suggests there’s more to it than just a break-up.

Current score: 130/325

And now, the final tier. The songs that I thoroughly enjoy. Let me tell you, some of these songs I had a hard time figuring out where to rank because to me, they’re all great songs that I would have no problem at all returning to. Ready for this? I know I am!

Great:
(American Dream by MKTO, #41 on Year-End Countdown) – Coming from the guys that made the incredibly cheesy Classic (which I unashamedly like), this is gorgeously produced. And while there are plenty of weird songs about guys trying to get with a girl, this one does it right, and Malcolm’s rapping does blend nicely.

35. Honey, I’m Good by Andy Grammer (#25) – Now, I understand that this is really easy to hate, and it’s one of the whiter songs on this list, but the message of staying true aside, it’s just how fun and silly the song is that allows it to get off well on my end.

(Somebody To You by The Vamps featuring Demi Lovato, #34 on Year-End Countdown) – This may not bring much new to the table, but the boys and Demi all sound so happy to be performing here. Video’s cute, too. It could’ve done without all the “YEAH, YOU!” bits, though, but that’s a minor gripe in an otherwise very sweet song.

34. Locked Away by R. City featuring Adam Levine (#40) – Even though this one has been flacked and called unremarkable, it gets credit from me because Adam Levine sounds far better in this than in pretty much anything from Maroon 5’s last two albums. And even with that, I like that the song is about hoping someone would be there for you even if you’ve been through the worst.

(Geronimo by Sheppard, #17 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – Although its chorus may be repetitive, it still has some cool folk elements and it’s, well, explosive.

33. Cool For The Summer by Demi Lovato (#53) – It’s been said before that this song is to steamy sex songs what Chandelier was to party anthems. The lesbian theme is played very well in this one, and when that chorus hits…you know you want to jam hardcore to it. I know I do.

32. Talking Body by Tove Lo (#37) – That chilly synth really builds the tension and the edgy chorus gives it an even bigger wham. And it’s not as jarringly explicit so much as it is therapeutic, and some may see that as less interesting but…man, does it sound good! Another music blogger by the name of Halston Wirt said he considered Cool For The Summer, Love Me Harder and Slow Motion the “sexy trio”. I’ll get to Love Me Harder later, but I’ll replace the very latter with this.

31. Centuries by Fall Out Boy (#43) – I don’t know if it’s the inclusion of this song in Rock Band 4, or the over-usage in sports commercials, or the video that takes place in a Roman colosseum, or Pete Wentz’s big delivery, but this one really clicks with me.

30. Ex’s and Oh’s by Elle King (#73) – I’ll admit that I do respect this song more than I like it. That’s not to say I don’t like it, no, far from it in fact. Elle King does have charisma and some darn good pipes, and these kind of hard rock songs are something we don’t get very commonly today.

(I Lived by OneRepublic, #38 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – A song with a lovely meaning, about living life and knowing you enjoyed it. While it had success on the countdown, it had a disappointing Hot 100 run that didn’t quite allow it to totally LIVE up to its name… Okay, that was a bad one. xP

29. Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding (#13) – While the production isn’t the best I’ve seen, Ellie’s vocals fit quite good for a love song. It’s a powerful performance, and my favorite part is the break that comes up twice with the bells and then “My head’s spinning around, I can’t see clear no more…” followed by “What are you waiting for?”. And the second time, it slows down for a moment of silence leading into the last chorus. Simply magical. It’s a track with a worse reputation than I feel like it deserves.

28. Blessings by Big Sean featuring Drake and Kanye West (#89) – While this one is slow and down-tempo, I like the dark production and the lyrics clearly have meaning, especially in the third verse. However, I do wish that One Man Can Change The World with Kanye and John Legend had made it – that is a song that definitely deserved better than it got and would have been quite a bit higher.

27. 679 by Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz (#21) – I will say, I didn’t care for this track much when I first listened to it, but after repeated listens, I have to say that it grew on me and is definitely my favorite of his three songs here. It's bouncy, happy fun.

26. Riptide by Vance Joy (#71) – Indie acts like this are fun…even if I have no idea what this song is even supposed to be about. It’s the Pompeii of 2015, if you will.

25. Renegades by X Ambassadors (#54) – It may be a car commercial, but it’s a commercial for a good car. I like that the song is about trying to live to excel despite having disabilities. Or at least that’s what I’m expected to believe thanks to the video. It’s a song that we could use more like.

24. Back to Back by Drake (#99) – Now THIS is how you make a diss track. With lines like “Is that a world tour or your girl’s tour”, “Yeah, trigger fingers turn to Twitter fingers / Yeah, you gettin’ bodied by a singin’ n***a”, Drake showed that he meant business. And Drake… Can I please ask where was all this energy on Views?!

23. Blank Space by Taylor Swift (#7) – I almost feel obligated to put this one in the highest tier. I don’t hate it at all, otherwise I wouldn’t. In fact, those lyrics are excellent and the video quickly caught on. But I remember how she said in an interview that the song is meant to be sarcastic, and I don’t buy that.

22. Downtown by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and their army of backup acts (#84) – At first this feels like a retread of Thrift Shop (my favorite #1 from 2013), with the Mack rapping about riding a moped to save money as opposed to all the fancy cars that people waste money on. As goofy as it is, that’s all fine and dandy, but then…Eric Nally’s flying chorus. Oh my goodness, that chorus where he yells his lungs out. Words can’t do it justice. We also have the squad that comes in between verses with class. So yes, this song is so stupid, but it’s stupid in the best possible way.

21. Lean On by Major Lazer with DJ Snake and MØ (#16) – That post-chorus Woody Woodpecker sample drop combined with some tropical house synths in the verses, and lyrics taking from a Bill Withers classic… Wait, why is this good again?

20. Ghost by Ella Henderson (#93) – Ella Henderson’s vocals are solid, and although on premise it’s another one of those songs like Problem or The Heart Wants What It Wants, it’s backed with those nice guitar riffs to give it some solid energy.

19. Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy (#60) – The Munsters sample that anchors the hook, the jittery piano, the ego-infused vocals that are actually done right, a lot of epic rock elements including a tremolo and that massive drum roll at the end… It all clicks together.

18. The Hills by The Weeknd (#10) – This is a track that rules in its darkness, to sum it up it’s essentially a song that takes us into the sick, twisted, and yet extravagant mind of Mr. Tesfaye himself.

(Tear In My Heart by Twenty-one Pilots, #21 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – Even if it may be a typical love song, it’s still a good display of how much Twenty-one Pilots excel at songwriting, and even have some hysterically clever lines (“My taste in music is your face”? Oh my goodness, this band). Good stuff.

17. FourFiveSeconds by Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney (#42) – Who would have thought that Rihanna would have one of her best sounding performances of the decade on a white guy with acoustic guitar track? Although it might feel like Paul McCartney trying to be relevant again, it still works well. 

(Black Magic by Little Mix, #44 on Year-End Top 45 Countdown) – I was really juggling between this and Don’t, but this one came a little short and I put the latter ahead. That being said, this is still pretty solid, while the song is secretly dirty, it feels more restrained than a handful of songs in the same vein, and it’s one that comes off as easy to like because it isn’t outright messy. The guitars make this feel like a Fifth Harmony song with a disco sound.

* 16. Don’t by Ed Sheeran (#92, #52 in 2014) – Yep, still was great early the following year. That chorus still hits with vehement ferocity for a WGWAG. Easily one of the better songs in that vein.

15. Chains by Nick Jonas (#68) – To sum it up in short, this is Stitches with a darker and way better atmosphere and premise, and it works way better than it should.

14. Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift (#57) – Instead of a sad story about how things don’t work in the end and just bashing them, this is Taylor giving a parting gift to her man in the hopes that he’ll remember her fondly.

13. Where Are U Now by Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber (#19) – I'm giving this song way more credit than it deserves, aren't I? But I feel like part of why I like it, aside from that cryptic drop, is that it was a nice attempt for Justin Bieber to return to form and be more mature.

12. Hello by Adele (#35) – Although this one quickly worn on many, and understandably so, I still respect it a lot, primarily because for a return after four years (well, three, because Skyfall), it works and it works very well.

11. Here by Alessia Cara (#94) – This song works as well as it does because it’s one that so many people can relate to, in being that one at a party who tries to fit in but is having a difficult time doing so. It’s essentially Royals part 2. I mean, in general I really don’t mind good time party songs, but it’s interesting to see someone attempting to stand up to the party for a change!

10. Time of Our Lives by Pitbull and Ne-Yo (#39) – As the successor to Pitbull's biggest hit, it's one of his better songs for sure. His verses are still the same as they've always been, but the break before the last chorus… Well, let’s just say that after all his "I'm so rich" verses, he’s probably the last guy you would expect an empathetic reach to people with financial issues from. Ne-Yo also sounds better here than in Give Me Everything, too.

9. I Don’t Fuck With You by Big Sean featuring E-40 (#47) – The new Fuck You by Cee Lo Green? Possibly. I wouldn’t say it’s quite as good as Fuck You, but it’s the best DJ Mustard song, bar none. Big Sean is one of those rappers who does the “being stupid in a funny way” best.

8. Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon (#6) – Aside from just being a lot of fun, it’s a track that’s essentially the closest thing we’re gonna get to The Killers nowadays. So much good rock in this, throw in some good guitar playing alongside some dynamic synth action and you have one heck of a jam. As I said with Ex’s and Oh’s, you don’t get stuff like it as much anymore.

* 7. Chandelier by Sia (#90, #28 in 2014) – It was excellent in 2014, and it's excellent now. Not really a lot to say beyond that.

6. Night Changes by One Direction (#98) – As the last call the boys had before Zayn bid farewell to them and lied about them not being stuff he would like, it’s beautifully made and feels like it covers a relationship that isn’t half-assed, even if it’s low-key and quiet. Heck, that may be why it works so well.

5. Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd (#12) – Even if it’s not blatantly obvious what this song is about, the nice throwback groove and raw charisma makes this one work as well as it does.

4. Style by Taylor Swift (#29) – Why does this one work in the areas where a handful of Taylor’s other songs haven’t? Well, for one, it takes place during the relationship and it’s the risk she wants to take even if she knows things may not end in the best way. And there are times where it hasn’t worked (looking at you, I Knew You Were Trouble), but this one does it perfectly. This is the most divine thing that she’s made this decade (possibly ever), and yet three other songs topped it for me. Ready?

3. Love Me Harder by Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd (#56) – Not only is this one mesmerizing and tight in its demeanor and a mature jump for her, but it was the song that really introduced us to The Weeknd and started his 2015 ownage. With the premise of lovers wanting to take it further being delivered in soft and sultry manner, it’s the kind of thing I can get behind. The atmosphere combined with the synth and percussion blends nicely as well. Now let’s get Into You to become a hit already, because if it does, expect it to be high when I do this again for 2016!

2. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars (#1) – After this song came out of nowhere at the end of 2014, a year that has been regarded by quite a few as rivaling 2010 for the worst of the decade so far, that was just the beginning. This song spent so long at #1 and basically took over the world. With its grooves and Bruno Mars' fiery swagger, and the trumpets, this pays great homage to the funk hits that were present in the old days. Now, I’m not gonna lie, I know this is a pretty unoriginal choice to have so high up. But you know what? The song still delivers awesomeness on all fronts. And the song had an amazing run that I’ll always remember it for, along with so many viral resurgences and memes. It came close to so many records and ended high on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time list, and for good reason. We really don't see many songs that do as good on the charts as this one. This one completely deserved that #1 on this year-end chart and is a part of what made 2015 so good for me. I still love it now every bit as much as I did then. And yet…

Man, I’ve made my top 10 pretty predictable between some of the easiest and most overplayed choices (Uptown Funk, Shut Up and Dance, Can’t Feel My Face, Style to a lesser extent), haven’t I? But I do think I had a few unusual choices there, too (Time of Our Lives, I Don’t Fuck With You, Night Changes, and maybe Love Me Harder). That being said, Uptown Funk not being my #1 has absolutely nothing to do with the overplay. But a certain YouTuber said something about how he felt like the song was a bit too perfect, and that putting it at #1 would be too obvious a choice. And I kinda feel the same, I’ll repeat what I said when I revisited the countdown from a year ago: I feel like putting Uptown Funk at #1 would make it way too easy, and feel unfair to other songs and not giving them enough credit. But the song I chose for #1 instead definitely captivates me as well. Want to know what it is? Behold.

My favorite song on the list:
1. You Know You Like It by DJ Snake and AlunaGeorge (#59) – This may be something crazy to have as a #1, but man is this good. That drop is cryptic but so good. There are also the lyrics that talk about being yourself despite what others want you to be, but it’s played in a way that blends well alongside the beat and percussion, not to mention “liking it but driving you insane” which if I’m not mistaken is supposed to be about having a good time even if it doesn’t feel right. And there’s the synth solo before the last chorus, which is very well made and the icing on the cake. Everything about this works for me, and it's taken my top spot.

Final score: 305/500

That...is pretty good. By the standards of these charts, you hope to get at the very least, over 250. If you can get at least 300, that would be an exceptional year, but anything below 200 would be awful. So, that's a very impressive score. There is a part of me that feels like I'm being way too nice to this year, but really, I just loved it. But on a slightly smaller scale, as in if we remove the eight 2014 repeats, the score would come out to 282/460. And taking the 12 songs that were also on the Year-End Top 45 Countdown, those come out to 43/60.

So there you have it! That was my entire thoughts on 2015's Year-End Hot 100. As I said earlier, while this took quite a bit out of me, it was still a lot of fun to make. For that matter, I'll most likely do this again when the 2016 Year-End Hot 100 drops. Hopefully that one will have some fun stuff, but we're almost 2/3 the way through the (chart) year and it'll have to go far to please me as much as this one did. And if people like this enough, maybe I'll revisit some of the previous years of this decade and see how well they stood up to this one. Thanks for reading!