The 22 Best Songs I’ve Ever Heard

Since July 6, 2002, I’ve been a dedicated music lover. So many songs have seen me at my best and worst, and I wouldn’t be the same without them. Some artists have come and gone in my usual rotations, but others have valiantly stood the test of time. My musical preferences have expanded over time, which can be credited to my exploration of varying genres through my parents’ taste in music. To celebrate my 22nd birthday, I’ve decided to round up my favorite song from each year I’ve been alive and provide an anecdote about why it holds its place at the top.

2002 – The Scientist by Coldplay: I thought I’d “take you back to the start” by beginning with this staple track in Coldplay’s discography. My dad’s admiration for the band’s early releases was ingrained into my childhood. I have many faint but present memories of my dad putting the group’s impressive Glastonbury sets on the T.V., the strongest part of the recollection being the colored tape on Chris Martin’s fingers and the various flags waving high above the crowd. To this day, the track is still one of my favorites, therefore earning its rightful place as my first favorite song.

2003- Hey Ya! by Outkast: This song may be on everyone’s favorite songs of all time list, but for me specifically, I formed a concrete connection with this song at a very young age. My parents recall me rhythmically shaking in my car seat to the section of the song where Big Boi and André 3000 demand listeners to “shake it like a Polaroid picture,” and this may have been my first attempt at dancing. Now that I’m older and can understand the lyrics, the song’s lyrics completely diverge from the instrumental and discuss a struggling relationship.

2004 – She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5: Though I wasn’t aware of this song’s existence at the age of two, it became a staple in my favorites list just a few years later. My love for the song was truly solidified when Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth belted the song together in The Last Song. I now mourn the great album Songs About Jane due to Maroon 5’s more recent releases, but I can always come back to this track to put me in a great mood and sing in the car.

2005 – Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz: Similarly to my Coldplay at Glastonbury memory, I also recall watching the music video for this song a myriad of times and would even beg my dad to put it on the T.V. I was always drawn to scarier animation as a child—such as Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride—so my intrigue in the video was likely due to its abstract, dark nature. It was another song my dad loved and would play around the house or in the car at any chance he could get.

2006 – Upside Down by Jack Johnson: As someone who constantly watched Curious George as a child, it would be wrong to not award this song my number one spot in 2006. Outside of being the most notable song from one of my favorite childhood programs, it is probably one of the best mood-boosting songs of all time. The acoustic guitars and bongos give the track a summery sound that is perfect for the beach or blasting with the windows down in the car. Though Johnson talks about not letting the feeling go away, you can always play the song over and over to hold on to the warm feeling it possesses.

2007 – Shut Up and Drive by Rihanna: In 2007, CDs required that you buy an entire album just to hear your favorite song. My mom purchased Good Girl Gone Bad to play “Disturbia” in the car, but we luckily discovered “Shut Up and Drive” by listening to the entire album. My mom and I couldn’t stop listening to it and it eventually took over as her favorite. Sorry “Disturbia!” The song was even one of the lucky selections that made it onto my iPod Nano just a couple of years later.

2008 – Burnin’ Up by Jonas Brothers: The Jonas Brothers were my first love, especially Joe. I was also lucky enough to see them for my first concert alongside my mom. I would launch off the couch every time the music video played on Disney Channel, getting as close to the TV as I possibly could without getting yelled at. I’m now happy to say I’ve seen the song live twice, as I attended one of their recent tours with my first best friend who also loved the Jonas Brothers. Just in case you were wondering, Nick can still hit the iconic “red dress” riff.

2009 – You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift: Despite my everlasting love for Beyoncé, I’d have to strongly disagree with Kanye West and claim that the music video for this song is one of the best of all time. Its high school, fairytale story had me drawn in at 7. I was enamored by the window communication and the perfect happy ending. Though I took a break from Swift for a little bit after Fearless, the song was an anthem for young girls everywhere.

2010 – Somebody To Love by Justin Bieber: In 2010, I became incredibly ill from the Bieber Fever. I was one of many who shrieked at the sight of the teenage boy dressed in all-white with purple sneakers. This song remains my favorite out of his entire discography and is even better when his mentor Usher jumps on for the remix. And yes, I was just as devastated as everyone else when Bieber didn’t make an appearance in Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show to perform this song.

2011 – Tongue Tied by Group Love: Despite being released in the early 2010s, this song became my friend group’s most-played song before leaving for college. The track is a timeless representation of coming-of-age as a teenager, as it captures the essence of enjoying the moment with the people you love as much as possible. Though I likely gave it the most plays it has ever had in one day the night before I left for college, “Tongue Tied” remained a favorite throughout middle and high school.

2012 – Clarity by Zedd: If I was a celebrity and I got to do one of those “Playlist of My Life” videos for Teen Vogue, this song could potentially be the first one I put on the list. Although it was one of the songs you could never escape on the radio, I will never be sick of it. I used to beg my dance teacher profusely to have a dance to this song, but I don’t think my wish was ever fulfilled. This song even led me to having a Zedd phase, which of course meant I needed to have the entire Clarity album downloaded on my iPad.

2013 – Royals by Lorde: I’m proud to say I was there at the beginning of the Lorde renaissance and I’m still enamored by her work to this day. Her unique vocals and authentic teenage angst took the world by storm, and I wouldn’t know until later on that she was only five years older than me when she was met with immediate stardom. The track was a refreshing cleanse for the top 40 music at the time. Though simple instrumentally, the lyrics connected to teens everywhere and made them feel as though they were on top of the world (on Tumblr at least).

2014 – Boom Clap by Charli XCX: I’m still not sure if this is actually my favorite song from 2014, but it encapsulates the year in such a vivid way that it would be wrong for me not to choose it to represent 2014. Tumblr was at its peak and Instagram was on the rise. Girls posed for selfies in floral shirts and layered on a plethora of filters. This Charli XCX hit was also on the soundtrack for the film adaptation of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, which was one of the biggest movies that year. The song is a distant cousin to her recently released album Brat, but it remains the anthem for the girls with dripping phone cases, frappes in hand and bows in their hair.

2015 – What A Feeling by One Direction: After the heartbreaking departure of Zayn Malik from One Direction, the band put out its final album as a foursome, Made In The A.M. This song differs from the rest of the album, as it takes on more of a groove than the folk-driven songs on the record. It was the perfect song to accompany the thought of my intense and questionable middle school crushes.

2016 – Like I Would by Zayn: After he tragically left One Direction, I anticipated his solo work and was curious about what sound he’d bring to the table. His debut album ended up having a very R&B-driven sound to it. “Like I Would” was not only my favorite song on the album, but it also became one of my favorite songs that year and was a diversion from my usual listening patterns. Its undeniable groove led me dutifully away from my reliance on Top 40 hits.

2017 – Green Light by Lorde: Lorde once again makes the list with this track that describes craving the freedom one can feel once letting go of a past lover. The powerful piano chords and immense synth create a freeing sound that can only be captured in a coming-of-age experience. It holds the same excitement and emphasis on friendship and “Tongue Tied,” therefore earning the track its rightful place on the ultimate playlist of the teenage/young adult experience.

2018 – On The Level by Mac Demarco: Although I’m cheating and this song was actually released in 2017, it would be wrong to ignore the role this song had in the shifting of my music taste in 2018. I was one of many drawn in by the rise of the indie genre and the surge of bedroom pop. This song was one of the first I heard from Demarco and it has remained my favorite in his discography ever since. It’s a simple track, but its ethereal sound driven by synthesizers had me attached within the first 30 seconds.

2019 – I Think by Tyler, The Creator and Golden by Harry Styles: I’m cheating once again at making this list with two favorites in 2019. Although my sleep playlist took over my top songs that year, “I Think” was the first song on the list that didn’t lull me to sleep. It was also my song of the summer that year, to the point where my car speakers were tired of emitting it. “Golden” ended up being my top song in 2020, but its release at the end of 2019 is when I fell in love with the song and it was cemented as one of my favorites in Styles’ discography.

2020 – The Adults Are Talking by The Strokes and Savior Complex by Phoebe Bridgers: To remain consistent, I may continue to choose two songs for the rest of the list. In 2020, I clung hard to music to deal with large life events, which included the start of the pandemic, graduating high school and beginning my freshman year of college. The two songs couldn’t be more different, but they have their own purposes in my life. I was enamored by the catchiness of “The Adults Are Talking” and the beautiful string arrangement on “Savior Complex.”

2021 – Cologne by Beabadoobee and Zinnias by Clairo: It’s only right for me to pair up these two artists, as they’ve been friends since their bedroom pop beginnings and I’ve been fans of them ever since. Full of lust and confidence, “Cologne” was a fresh addition to Beabadoobee’s discography. The groove of “Zinnias” caught my ear immediately upon my first listen of Sling, and so did the name drop of my full name.

2022 – Summer Renaissance by Beyoncé: I’m now returning to choosing one song, as it feels wrong not to provide this track with a solo spot at the top of my list. My prior introduction to Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” had me elated upon my first time hearing this track. I was also lucky enough to attend the Renaissance Tour and witness Beyoncé ride above the crowd on Reneigh the Disco horse and finish off the show with this song. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life and it solidified “Summer Renaissance” as my favorite song on the album.

2023 – Back on 74 by Jungle: I’m going to be annoying and state my claim that I knew this song before it surged in popularity via TikTok. My first time hearing the song was from a clip of the now viral music video with inventive choreography that aligns flawlessly with the song. Though I found the song in August of 2023, it landed on the top of my Spotify Wrapped last year. I’ve yet to grow sick of it and it can always put me in a good mood despite not being able to scroll through TikTok without hearing the song’s chorus on every other video.

2024 – Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish and Ya Ya by Beyoncé: To round out my list, I’ve decided to share my two favorite songs released in 2024 so far. “Birds of a Feather” stands out from the rest of Eilish’s discography, instrumentally and lyrically depicting the intense emotions love can bring to someone. Although it can be heard on any social media app you open, I’ve yet to skip the song when it comes on shuffle since the release of the album. As for “Ya Ya,” a track full of Tina Turner references certainly got my attention on the first listen. The song sounds as though it’s from a recording on the T.A.M.I. Show and I can only hope I’ll be able to see it come to life on stage in the future.

Here’s to 22!