Honorable Mentions:
"Call My Life" by Blair St. Clair: the infectious and introspective title track of the Drag Race superstar's debut album finds the artist navigating through an identity crisis. While "Now or Never" featured a tougher, more secure queen taking the reins, the follow up highlighted a crossroads decision: is it best to pursue a glamorous life in the lights, or a more grounded, happy life?
"Heart" by Fly By Midnight: immense passion surrounded the short but sweet effort, another genre exploration for the duo. Doubling as a provocative bedroom jam and an admission of devotion, Slavo’s beats were effectively sharper and more intense, representing the flurry of emotions, thoughts and sensation that flow through one’s body when intimately entangled. The end product is dark, sensual, and a highlight for the album.
#30. "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" by Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus
Country/disco hybrid "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" is a sad banger complete with delicate strings and acoustic guitar, courtesy of Mark Ronson. The new song finds vocal guest Miley Cyrus lamenting about her crumbling relationship. Secret phone conversations shed light on potential infidelity, causing the singer to feel pain and heartbreak incomparable to anything else felt before. With lyrical allusions of crashing thunder and houses burning, an unfortunate glimpse into reality as Cyrus and fiance Liam Hemsworth lost their home in the Woolsey fire, the song touched on the significance of romance and companionship over the loss the materialistic goods. All is replaceable, but a broken heart lasts forever.
#29. "Heal" by Michael Medrano feat. Steve Grand
Los Angeles-based Michael Medrano partnered with singer-songwriter Steve Grand for “Heal”, a track that tugged on heartstrings by shedding light on a failing relationship, often physically and emotionally abusive. Both Medrano and Grand courageously opened up and acknowledged the damage each had endured at the hands of another, wondering how they were going to power through the aftermath and trauma. As both artists beautifully harmonized together, transforming the release into a true duet, both used an impressive set of pipes to convey their hurt and confusion about their situation. At the same time, listeners were further exposed to destructive behavior and tendencies.
#28. "SOS" by Cher
After Cher portrayed the fiercest grandmother around in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, the ABBA bug lingered. For her astounding twenty-six studio album Dancing Queen, the legendary diva teamed up with her "Believe" producer again and a dancefloor rendition of "SOS" was born. Mending a recently broken heart, the singer is left pleading for help following the end of a relationship. "Where are those happy days? They seem so hard to find, I tried to reach for you, but you have closed your mind," she sings in slight disbelief. While usually strong and confident, Cher plays the part of a vulnerable, lost romantic with ease, highlighting gorgeous vocal abilities that she reassures the public, will never fade away.
#27. "Saltwater" by Jeffrey James
Nashville-native Jeffrey James cautiously approached the idea of pursuing a new love interest in 2018 on “Saltwater”, a vehicle for his luscious and soulful vocal talents. The soaring track used the vast, unpredictable ocean as a metaphor for the range of strange emotions that come with opening up again and allowing a new connection to form. Hesitation, nerves, joy, the fear and weight of commitment all accounted for as the artist narrated the romantic voyage ahead of him. Willing to accept every part of another – their good, their bad, their past, their future – James dove in with good intentions and a general understanding of possible imperfections. That mentality is effectively conveyed by his passionate vocal delivery and pop-oriented production.
#26. "Heart To Break" by Kim Petras
Before she impressed with her sinister Halloween-inspired extended play, Kim Petras teamed up with Dr. Luke and intentionally set herself up for misery and sadness on "Heart To Break", an upbeat jam released to commemorate Valentine's Day. Though the artist understands her current infatuation may not be the best for her well-being, she at least knows the experience, and eventual heartache, will make her much stronger. "Even if it means that I'll never put myself back together, gonna give you my heart to break, even if I'll end up in shatters, baby, it doesn't matter, gonna give you my heart to break," she belts on a chorus of perfection. A proper pop introduction, setting the bar high for an official debut album.
#25. "El Anillo" by Jennifer Lopez
Though most slept on previous Por Primera Vez-associated singles "Ni Tu Ni Yo" and "Amor Amor Amor", Jennifer Lopez amped up the energy, and expectations, for "El Anillo", an uptempo dance-tinged track rumored to be directed at beau Alex Rodriguez. As the entertainer admitted to making herself perfect for a current lover, to even being available and adventurous in the bedroom, he still had reservations about making the relationship permanent. Why? Lyrical content of knowing one's worth and demanding some form of recognition and appreciation resonated. Naysayers have criticized Lopez in the past for thin vocal abilities, but in her comfort zone, she handled the fiery material with controlled conviction and diva-like attitude.
#24. "Dem Beats" by Todrick Hall feat. RuPaul
To promote Forbidden, an astonishing 30-track album, Todrick Halls fled the Emerald City to rejoin RuPaul on the neon-lit dancefloor for lead single "Dem Beats", an energetic and sassy club track. Encouraging listeners to live in the moment, the effort incorporated an infectious beat to seduce, entice and mobilize, to help let inhibitions run rampant. The track bolted out of the gate in a quick sprint and refused to let up on the pace and energy. As Hall expressed disappointment in the lack of originality with today’s mainstream hits, he remained determined to be the one to save the dancefloor from boredom. RuPaul lent his flow skills and contagious laughter to play the role of commander-in-chief, demanding that both the beat and cakes drop until the sun rises.
#23. "Twenty One" by Greyson Chance
After publicly coming out via Instagram last year, Greyson Chance released "Twenty One" earlier this month, a song that found the artist taking full advantage of his youth, getting into trouble, while trying to act cool for the pretty boy at the party. Carried to soaring heights thanks to Chance’s newfound freedom to share in all the personal details of his life, the R&B-leaning effort continues his career trajectory of mature, authentic bops. Opening with an intro of the artist toking up, the song quickly dives into questionable decisions and moments of self-reflection. As Chance worked up the courage to approach his new love interest, he sang of his friends’ worries, his own wandering mind, and the desire to relax and enjoy the available time he has.
#22. "Stop Me From Falling" by Kylie Minogue
The reflective and endearing "Stop Me From Falling", a blossoming love story told with a different lens and the second single off Kylie Minogue's impressive Golden, highlighted the often-problematic grey area between friends and lovers. Minogue maneuvered through the fork in the path with a sense of sincerity, appropriate caution and a heartwarming vocal delivery... not on one flawless version, but two, including a Spanish-remix featuring duo Gente de Zona. Effectively conveying the feeling of butterflies in one’s stomach, the artist eventually came to the stunning revelation that the person she now sees a future with has always been right by her side. The songwriting became the highlight, painting the joy of a newfound love mixed with the idea of losing something already special.
#21. "Hallelujah" by Years & Years
Featured on their glorious Palo Santo adventure, "Hallelujah" was another positive, unapologetic love letter from one man to another released this year. Produced by hitmaker Greg Kurstin, frontman Olly Alexander surrenders his entire being to a significant other on the dancefloor, not yet realizing the possibility of the chance encounter simply being a one-night stand rebound from a previous heartbreak. It doesn't really matter though, Alexander is enjoying the rush of living in the now. "You really help, really help with my emotions, like no one else, oh my god, it gets me going, I surrend, I surrender my devotion," he admits on the second verse before listeners are swept away in defiant, upbeat production and welcomed heavy dose of sensuality.
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