Tuning into the media often felt nightmarish this year, whether you got your news from the morning paper or the sleepless churn of Facebook and Twitter: a president with the temper and attention span of a child, a newly resurrected threat of nuclear war, terror attacks, neo-Nazi rallies, a rat race between professional pundits and amateur internet posters alike to offer the most incisive or outlandish takes on our collective meltdown. Some of the year’s best music grappled directly with this American chaos; some refracted it toward stories of personal struggle or triumph; some sought to offer temporary solace; some pursued a vision that stood apart from the news cycle entirely. Whether it was Kendrick Lamar rapping about all of the history inside him over a bombed-out beat or Lil Uzi Vert‘s world-conquering dissociative anthem, whether it was Big Thief’s down-home depiction of heartbreak or love sending Carly Rae Jepsen soaring through the clouds, all of the music on this list spoke in some way to our capacity to live through storms like the one we’re currently enduring. These are the best songs of 2017.
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269913″ title=”101. Harry Styles – "Sign of the Times"” index=”” image_id=”270857″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”271171″ title=”100. Kesha – "Praying"” index=”” image_id=””]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”271279″ title=”99. N.E.R.D. ft. Rihanna – "Lemon"” index=”” image_id=”271280″]
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[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269936″ title=”98. Spoon – "Can I Sit Next to You"” index=”” image_id=”269937″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269934″ title=”97. Dua Lipa – "New Rules"” index=”” image_id=”269935″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269932″ title=”96. Jay-Z – "Kill Jay Z"” index=”” image_id=”269933″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269930″ title=”95. Gunn-Truscinski Duo – "Seagull for Chuck Berry"” index=”” image_id=”269931″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269928″ title=”94. Peaness – "Seafoam Islands"” index=”” image_id=”269929″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269926″ title=”93. Lana Del Rey – "In My Feelings"” index=”” image_id=”269927″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269924″ title=”92. Stormzy – "Big for Your Boots"” index=”” image_id=”269925″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269920″ title=”91. Taylor Swift – "Getaway Car"” index=”” image_id=”269921″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”271283″ title=”90. Kirin J Callinan – "Big Enough"” index=”” image_id=”271284″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269911″ title=”89. Perfume Genius – "Slip Away"” index=”” image_id=”269912″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”271285″ title=”88. Niall Horan – "Slow Hands"” index=”” image_id=”271286″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269905″ title=”87. Kamasi Washington – "Truth"” index=”” image_id=”269906″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269903″ title=”86. Freddie Gibbs – "20 Karat Jesus"” index=”” image_id=”269904″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269898″ title=”85. The Drums – "Blood Under My Belt"” index=”” image_id=”269902″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269896″ title=”84. The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die – "Marine Tigers"” index=”” image_id=”269897″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269894″ title=”83. Sevyn Streeter – "Before I Do"” index=”” image_id=”270688″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”271281″ title=”82. Converge – "I Can Tell You About Pain"” index=”” image_id=”271282″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269892″ title=”81. Drab Majesty – "Cold Souls"” index=”” image_id=”269893″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269890″ title=”80. Japanese Breakfast – "Machinist"” index=”” image_id=”269891″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269888″ title=”79. Brian Eno with Kevin Shields – "Only Once Away My Son"” index=”” image_id=”269889″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269886″ title=”78. Björk – "Blissing Me"” index=”” image_id=”269887″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269882″ title=”77. Creek Boyz – "With My Team"” index=”” image_id=”269883″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269880″ title=”76. Fever Ray – "IDK About You"” index=”” image_id=”269881″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269878″ title=”75. Shabazz Palaces – "Shine a Light"” index=”” image_id=”269879″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269876″ title=”74. Grouper – "Children"” index=”” image_id=”269877″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269874″ title=”73. The Black Madonna – "He Is the Voice I Hear"” index=”” image_id=”269875″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269872″ title=”72. Sun El-Musician ft. Samthing Soweto – "Akanamali"” index=”” image_id=”269873″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269884″ title=”71. Alex Cameron – "Runnin' Outta Luck"” index=”” image_id=”269885″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269870″ title=”70. GoldLink ft. Brent Faiyaz, Shy Glizzy – "Crew"” index=”” image_id=”270855″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269866″ title=”69. EMA – "33 Nihilistic and Female"” index=”” image_id=”269868″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269861″ title=”68. Dua Lipa & Miguel – "Lost In Your Light"” index=”” image_id=”269863″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269824″ title=”67. Red Velvet – "Red Flavor"” index=”” image_id=”269826″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269917″ title=”66. Young Thug – "Do U Love Me"” index=”” image_id=”269918″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269922″ title=”65. Downtown Boys – "A Wall"” index=”” image_id=”269923″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269856″ title=”64. Wolf Alice – "Don't Delete the Kisses"” index=”” image_id=”269860″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269850″ title=”63. Jacquees & DeJ Loaf – "At the Club"” index=”” image_id=”269852″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269772″ title=”62. Frank Ocean – "Chanel"” index=”” image_id=”269773″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269848″ title=”61. Randy Newman – "Wandering Boy"” index=”” image_id=”269849″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269828″ title=”60. Lomelda – "From Here"” index=”” image_id=”269830″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269801″ title=”59. Lana Del Rey – "Love"” index=”” image_id=”269802″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269907″ title=”58. Tay-K – "The Race"” index=”” image_id=”269908″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269820″ title=”57. Alex Lahey – "I Love You Like A Brother"” index=”” image_id=”269821″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269803″ title=”56. Mura Masa ft. Charli XCX – "1 Night"” index=”” image_id=”269804″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269817″ title=”55. Frank Ocean – "Lens"” index=”” image_id=”269819″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269814″ title=”54. Fleet Foxes – "Third of May / Ōdaigahara"” index=”” image_id=”269816″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269812″ title=”53. Pile – "Rope's Length"” index=”” image_id=”269813″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269809″ title=”52. Phoenix – "J-Boy"” index=”” image_id=”269811″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269805″ title=”51. Widowspeak – "The Dream"” index=”” image_id=”269806″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269822″ title=”50. Big Thief – "Black Diamonds"” index=”” image_id=”269823″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269792″ title=”49. Vince Staples – "Big Fish"” index=”” image_id=”269793″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269788″ title=”48. Jay-Z – "The Story of O.J."” index=”” image_id=”269789″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269744″ title=”47. St. Vincent – "New York"” index=”” image_id=”269745″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269766″ title=”46. Yaeji – "raingurl"” index=”” image_id=”269767″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269864″ title=”45. Tove Lo – "disco tits"” index=”” image_id=”269865″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269784″ title=”44. Destroyer – "Tinseltown Swimming In Blood"” index=”” image_id=”269785″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269782″ title=”43. LCD Soundsystem – "Oh Baby"” index=”” image_id=”269783″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269794″ title=”42. Miguel ft. Travis Scott – "Sky Walker"” index=”” image_id=”269795″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269780″ title=”41. Mount Eerie – "Real Death"” index=”” image_id=”269781″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269799″ title=”40. YBN Nahmir – "Rubbin Off the Paint"” index=”” image_id=”269800″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269760″ title=”39. Priests – "Nothing Feels Natural"” index=”” image_id=”269761″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269774″ title=”38. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – "Despacito (Remix)"” index=”” image_id=”269775″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269768″ title=”37. Jay Som – "The Bus Song"” index=”” image_id=”269769″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269764″ title=”36. Kendrick Lamar ft. Rihanna – "LOYALTY."” index=”” image_id=”269765″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269776″ title=”35. Moses Sumney – "Doomed"” index=”” image_id=”269777″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269790″ title=”34. Lorde – "Homemade Dynamite"” index=”” image_id=”269791″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269762″ title=”33. Japandroids – "No Known Drink or Drug"” index=”” image_id=”269763″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269731″ title=”32. Migos – "T-Shirt"” index=”” image_id=”269732″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269807″ title=”31. Kendrick Lamar – "ELEMENT."” index=”” image_id=”269808″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269796″ title=”30. Priests – "Suck"” index=”” image_id=”269797″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269714″ title=”29. SZA – "Drew Barrymore"” index=”” image_id=”269716″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269770″ title=”28. Aly & AJ – "Take Me"” index=”” image_id=”269771″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269721″ title=”27. Future – "Mask Off"” index=”” image_id=”269722″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269758″ title=”26. Kelela – "LMK"” index=”” image_id=”269759″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269751″ title=”25. Selena Gomez – "Bad Liar"” index=”” image_id=”269752″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269778″ title=”24. Julie Byrne – "Sleepwalker"” index=”” image_id=”269779″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269750″ title=”23. Young Thug ft. Millie Go Lightly – "Family Don't Matter"” index=”” image_id=””]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269746″ title=”22. Pissed Jeans – "The Bar is Low"” index=”” image_id=”269747″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269742″ title=”21. King Krule – "Dum Surfer"” index=”” image_id=”269743″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269733″ title=”20. Charli XCX – "Boys"” index=”” image_id=”269735″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269748″ title=”19. Sampha – "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano"” index=”” image_id=”269749″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269756″ title=”18. DeJ Loaf – "No Fear"” index=”” image_id=”269757″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269697″ title=”17. Cardi B – "Bodak Yellow"” index=”” image_id=”269698″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269736″ title=”16. The Weather Station – "Thirty"” index=”” image_id=”269737″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”270866″ title=”15. Mark Eitzel – "The Last Ten Years"” index=”” image_id=”270867″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269704″ title=”14. Playboi Carti – "Magnolia"” index=”” image_id=”269705″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269724″ title=”13. French Montana ft. Swae Lee – "Unforgettable"” index=”” image_id=”269727″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269738″ title=”12. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – "To Follow & Lead"” index=”” image_id=”269739″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269699″ title=”11. Drake – "Passionfruit"” index=”” image_id=”269700″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269707″ title=”10. Hurray for the Riff Raff – "Living in the City"” index=”” image_id=”269709″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269753″ title=”9. Lorde – "The Louvre"” index=”” image_id=”269754″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269740″ title=”8. The War on Drugs – "Strangest Thing"” index=”” image_id=”269741″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269786″ title=”7. SZA ft. Travis Scott – "Love Galore"” index=”” image_id=”269787″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269717″ title=”6. Paramore – "Hard Times"” index=”” image_id=”270865″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269710″ title=”5. Lil Uzi Vert – "XO Tour Llif3"” index=”” image_id=”269713″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269701″ title=”4. Carly Rae Jepsen – "Cut to the Feeling"” index=”” image_id=”269703″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269695″ title=”3. Big Thief – "Mary"” index=”” image_id=”269696″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269692″ title=”2. Kendrick Lamar – "DNA."” index=”” image_id=”269694″]
[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”269685″ title=”1. Calvin Harris ft. Frank Ocean & Migos – "Slide"” index=”” image_id=”269723″]
