Music has been an anchor through the whirlwind that was 2017. Here are our top 10 picks for best songs released last year:

10. Lorde, “Homemade Dynamite”

    Lorde’s album, Melodrama, is filled    with intimate pieces that caught widespread attention. We picked “Homemade Dynamite” for its intense, free-spirited lyrics that is complemented by its minimalist instrumentation that pushes the boundaries of pop.

9. N.E.R.D featuring Rihanna, “Lemon”

     After a seven-year hiatus, N.E.R.D is back and better than ever. The new single is both hyperactive and minimalist at the same time, drawing on N.E.R.D.’s previous experimentation with the genre. With its cowbell-like beat and Rihanna’s rapping, “Lemon” earns a spot on our list for its bouncy tempo, and energetic lyrics.

8. SZA featuring Travis Scott, “Love Galore”

     SZA’s 2017 single, featuring rapper Travis Scott, reached the top of US R&B charts in 2017. The slow-paced beat gives the song a classic feeling, but the heavy emphasis on SZA’s modern R&B vocals makes for an interesting combination, and one of 2017’s most liked songs.

7. Drake, “Passionfruit”

    Year after year, Drake releases an album that reveals another layer of his identity. “Passionfruit,” on Drake’s More Life, is an ode to his softer side, where he copes with the heartbreak from a relationship that wasn’t meant to be. Nana Rogues’s hybrid dancehall/R&B beat and Drake’s soothing vocals make “Passionfruit” almost therapeutic.  If you ever need to get away from it all, sit back, relax and give Passionfruit a listen.

6. DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, “Wild Thoughts”

      Using a sample from Carlos Santana’s “Maria Maria” and sensual vocals from Rihanna and Bryson Tiller,  DJ Khaled managed to create one of 2017’s most recognizable summer hits. The song’s music video helps  drive home a sense of mystery and intrigue that’ll entice you to sing along. It seems DJ Khaled actually does have the key to success.

5. Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow”

    “Bodak Yellow” is easily one of the favorite tracks of 2017, holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 100 for weeks. It’s a rare feat indeed: The last solo female rapper to top the Billboard 100 was Lauryn Hill in 1998. Whether you heard the hardcore anthem played repeatedly on the radio or on your own playlists, “Bodak Yellow” was almost impossible not to hear this year.

4. Portugal. The Man, “Feel It Still”

    Every few years, an alternative song ends up doing incredibly well on the charts. In 2017, Portugal. The Man’s upbeat melody and nostalgic bass line caused “Feel It Still” to be well-received by a wide audience – not just those who relate to the emboldened lyrics. Plus, if you catch it, there’s the fun addition of the interpolated intro from The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman.”

3. Frank Ocean, “Chanel”

    Frank Ocean’s “Chanel,” with its insightful lyrics and understated energy, is 3rd on our list. The cultural references, themes of sexuality, and elegant, soft background of piano cut beautifully by Ocean’s vibrant, reverberant voice allows the song to be hailed by many as one of the best of 2017.

2. Khalid, “Location”

    Just out of high school at 19 years old, Khalid is perhaps this year’s most unexpected music success story. “Location,” the breakout single from his debut album American Teen, reached #8 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart. Khalid’s soothing vocals in this song about young love slide it into second place.

1. Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE”

    Named one of Barack Obama’s favorite songs of 2017, it’s not shocking that Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE” is our pick for the best song of the year. With a simple yet electrifying beat, Kendrick conveys his life story from growing up eating “syrup sandwiches” in Compton to enjoying the successes of his hip hop career, all with his everlasting message to other rap artists: be humble.

What do you think was the top song of 2017? Comment below!