At EST. 1997, we chose the 19 “97” songs of 2015, which simply means the 19 best songs of 2015. If you’re familiar with the way we review songs/albums, then you know that “97” is our top score. We love every song on this list, ranked them according to how much, and weighed in with a few thoughts about each. Please feel free to comment with your thoughts, as well! We’d love to hear from you and engage in any discussion.

The 19 “97” Songs of 2015

19. “Confident” by Demi Lovato

With an army of horns Demi asked the question: what’s wrong with being confident? A far cry from “Don’t Forget,” “Confident” saw Demi demand a new, edgier sound, flaunting an assertive attitude and some killer vocals. A perfect fit for radio, “Confident” was exactly that: a definitive track from an artist who has never shied away from expressing herself through her music. It was also nice to see Lovato have a bit of fun of both the title track and lead single “Cool For the Summer” from her latest set. Here’s to you Demi! –Reece

18. “Style” by Taylor Swift

Add together a pulsating beat, semi-risqué relatable lyrics, a simple sweet vocal, and what do you get? Arguably one of the best singles to be released from Taylor Swift’s mega successful, five times platinum 1989 album, “Style.” In the same vein as “Dancing On My Own” (Robyn), and “Meet Me Halfway” (Black Eyed Peas), “Style” straddles the balance between dance anthem and heartfelt ballad perfectly. As a single, “Style” managed to peak at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number 1 on various other charts including the Mainstream Top 40. “Style” is sure to be another Taylor Swift hit that will never go out of style for years to come. –Keenan

17. “Levels” by Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas surely shed the remnants of his “Jonas Brothers” image with the release of his eponymous album and the hit single “Jealous,” which placed on our list last year. While too soon for a new album, Nick didn’t want to stop while his name was hot and released a new single, “Levels” to promote the reissue of his 2014 set. The dance floor igniting romp is a short but fiery, and usually leaves listeners desiring a second spin… perhaps the reason for its success? There are levels to this slayage. –Vincent

16. “Circles” by Tamar Braxton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnzp6OCmfv4

The sweet doo-wop sound of “Circles” paired with the lyrics about a relationship that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere but down, are the recipe for a classic R&B ballad. The old school sound is definitely a match for Tamar’s passionate delivery and harmonious background vocals, something that not many singers today are good at crafting. “Circles” is easily the pinnacle of a great album, a track that represents its core and had the potential to be the hit it needed to take off, had it been more than a promotional single. At least it isn’t going to go unnoticed. –Mario

15. “Closure” by Jill Scott

Jill Scott has always been a storyteller. It’s what made her famous, and stems from her background as a poet. She introduced us to her new album, Woman, with three singles: a heartbroken ballad, “You Don’t Know,” a subdued, midtempo track “Fools Gold,” and the energetic “Closure,” the standout of the three. It has all the makings of a classic Jill Scott record: it’s sassy, it’s comedic, it’s sexual, it has spoken elements, it has SANGIN’ elements, and, of course, it tells a story. If you haven’t heard it, I won’t spoil it for you by divulging the plot details… just listen and be reminded of how Ms. Scott is a poet at heart; and a badass one at that.  –Vincent

14. “All Day” by Kanye West, featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney

Kanye’s debut of “All Day” at this year’s BRIT Awards was met with as much criticism and acclaim as a Kanye West release should. From the masses of UK Grime artists featured on stage, to the live censoring, “All Day” was one of 2015’s most exciting musical events. The song saw Kanye return to a more hip-hop orientated sound, whilst still showing his experimental side. The track features Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney on guitar and guest vocals! Still, it is undeniably a banger – let’s hope that So Help Me God (or is that SWISH?) has more of the same! –Reece

13. “Lean On” by Major Lazer and D.J. Snake featuring MØ

Take some of the worlds most popular EDM producers, Major Lazer (which includes Diplo) and DJ Snake, along with Iggy Azalea’s 2014 “Beg For It” collaborator MØ, and you’ll get one of 2015’s most popular dance cuts: “Lean On.” Simple lyrics and an eclectic reggae fusion beat catapulted “Lean On” to the top of the charts. “Lean On,” went on to eventually reach a number four peak on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite not receiving a Grammy nomination, Billboard named it as their pick for “top dance/electronic song of the year.” Add a music video set in India, with more awkward dancing by MØ (see her on SNL with Azalea), and you get a YouTube video that has garnered over 960 million views to date. A must see clip, and must hear song indeed! –Keenan

12. “King” by Years & Years

From the opening spastic progression of chords, it’s clear that “King” is something special. Years & Years exist in a realm similar to Disclosure, but lead singer Olly Alexander sets them apart with his complimenting vocals and layers of vocal takes. The dance-pop/electro/house sound elevates the hauntingly lyrics and catchy “ooohhhh’s” to the point of no return. It’s a quintessential earworm that weaves a dark tale with quotables such as “I was a king under your control.” Crown them. –Andrew

11. “Hotline Bling” by Drake

When “Hotline Bling” was released as a standalone single, no one probably imagined that it would become Drake’s biggest hit to date, amid all of the success he’s had this year with not one, but two albums. The song, which was originally a re-working of D.R.A.M.’s latin-flavored “Cha Cha” was then changed to its final form. The lyrics aren’t even all that when one thinks about it, but the looped catchy beat did all the hard work. Pair that with the most viral music video of the year and you’ve got a huge smash. More proof that Drake can do no wrong. –Mario

10. “When Love Hurts” by JoJo

In every way, “When Love Hurts” leaves nothing to be desired. For JoJo to springboard her major label return (after 9 years!) with this along side two other songs (coining the irresistible term ‘Tringle’), was nothing short of brilliant. It’s catchy and pop, yet the vocals have that soul and power that made JoJo an unforgettable name when she was just 13. Today, she is indeed grown, sexy, and her voice is better than ever. Best of all, despite the time and struggles to release new music under a label, she’s never sold out. She makes the music she loves regardless of whether or not it’ll be a hit. It seems to be working out for her, too – she’s on tour selling out venues across the United States, and is venturing abroad next. –Andrew & Vincent

09. “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber

“Love Yourself” stands as one of the most important releases from Bieber’s Purpose album. Although lead collaboration “Where Are U Now” and single “What Do You Mean?” seemed to turn everyone and their brother into Beliebers, “Love Yourself” showed lyrical and vocal growth, whilst also being a throwback to his “kidrauhl”days. Co-written by Ed Sheeran, the acoustic kiss-off is a far cry from the heavy urban production featured on Journals and ironically is one of Bieber’s most relatable songs. More power to the Biebs. –Reece

08. “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth

One of the most inescapable songs from 2015 was the product of an artist most people didn’t even know of: a singer-songwriter-producer named Charlie Puth, a young Berklee graduate. Paired with a rapper who’s already spent weeks atop the charts before and being promoted as a meaningful soundtrack tribute to deceased actor Paul Walker was all that was required for a new mega-hit collaboration… not to mention a new star was born. The song managed to top the Billboard Hot 100 for an impressive 12 weeks, a feat tied with only Eminem (“Lose Yourself”) and the Black Eyed Peas (“Boom Boom Pow”) for 12 week long Hip Hop chart leaders. Despite its somber vibe, many would consider “See You Again” the song of the summer (Billboard ranks it behind six week chart leader “Cheerleader” at number two). The song even managed a nomination for Best Original Song at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards. Not bad at all for a 24 year old newcomer and a 28 year old hip-hop artist. –Keenan

07. “Fools” by Troye Sivan

As the phenomenon of out and proud pop singers continues, up-and-coming stars emerge from all realms to tell their story. The draw of YouTube star-turned-pop star Troye Sivan’s 2015 releases is the blunt yet heartbreaking and relatable nature of his lyricism. On ‘FOOLS’ he speaks to the tragic nature of jumping the gun and moving too fast in a potential relationship. Without providing time for thought he “sees swimming pools, and living rooms, and aero planes. (He) sees a little house, on the hill and children’s names.” That sounds all well and fine in good time, but “everything is shattered and it’s (his) mistake.” While he may be a fool, he speaks for a million others like him. –Andrew

06. “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weekend

The Weeknd + Max Martin could’ve easily gone bad because their styles are so different, but their collaboration turned out to be a good compromise between Abel’s alternative R&B roots and the crossover spirit of today’s biggest Pop producer. The common denominator for “Can’t Feel My Face” is Michael Jackson, a worthy hommage to the King of Pop by 2015’s biggest male artist and revelation for the Pop world.  –Mario

05. “Here” by Alessia Cara

Subtly, sweetly and with a bit of sass, Alessia Cara arrived on the scene with the aptly-titled “Here.” With this groovy, midtempo bop she declares her own space and identity at the typical teenage party and subsequently, her place in the music industry itself. Alessia is a 19 year old Canadian Italian singer-songwriter, and a promising talent. The song, with its message of independence and interesting song structure was a refreshing addition to the airwaves and thus was everywhere this summer. No doubt, it was an anthem for those who feel the same as she does at such shallow parties. Her debut album is solid, and while the track indeed has had very long legs, hopefully her next single can have similar success. –Vincent

04. “Sandwich and a Soda” by Tamia

Slinky, sexy, understated and very necessary. Tamia’s return to music after a 3-year hiatus starts with the simple strumming of an electric bass. Her voice echoes in “Sp-sp-sp-spend the night” and from there it’s an R&B love fest that, when played in a dimly lit room after a good night out, can only end with one result. Even with lines that might otherwise be corny such as “I dig you hard like a metal shovel”, it’s hard to not find them being repeated while performing daily routines and chores.  –Andrew

03. “No Sleeep” by Janet Jackson, featuring J. Cole

When Miss Jackson announced new music in 2015, people began to wonder what kind of material she’d deliver. Re-uniting with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Janet brought back the brand of R&B that made her a household name in the 90s after her breakthrough. “No Sleeep” is sexy without indulging in glaring detail, it’s smooth and warm and it’s catchy, so it’s no surprise that it became her biggest R&B hit in a while. It has all the elements one needs to find in a Janet Jackson song and the addition of J. Cole to the single/music video version helps bridging the gap between its throwback nature and what today’s Urban listeners expect to hear on the radio.  –Mario

02. “Hello” by Adele

Four years after the release of her blockbuster hit album 21, Adele made her formidable, much-anticipated return this fall with the perfectly-titled “Hello.” Teased with a genius commercial during an episode of U.K. X-Factor, “Hello” broke the Internet a month prior to its parent album’s release. Only Adele could have pulled off such a risky and epic single debut, and it was a huge success. The song is still #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it debuted, for a 9th week. It was, and still is, inescapable. It yielded dozens of priceless internet memes upon release, and still it’s almost impossible to hear the commonplace greeting of “Hello” without Adele echoing in ones mind with an “…it’s me.” If that in itself isn’t proof of not only its immense success but also the fact that it is an undeniably great song, then, well, what is? –Vincent

01. “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar

When To Pimp a Butterfly was released, it was expected that someone like Kendrick would tackle socially conscious themes in his album. “Alright” has become the Anthem for #BlackLivesMatter, the movement against violence toward black Americans that made its voice heard throughout 2015. It’s easy to see why this song would be chosen as the chant to recite during protests: its uplifting nature, the simplicity of the message it conveys, are essential to the cause the movement wants to promote. The song has become a hymn for those who believe in a better future. It’s a message of hope that violence will cease and that by sticking together the difficulties of an entire race will be overcome.

However, “Alright” is more than an anthem for equality. In the context of the album, it is a shimmer of light amongst the darkness of Kendrick’s struggle that is illustrated and eloquently orchestrated over the course of the album. While, of course, part of his struggle is rooted in racial inequalities – his struggle, his metamorphosis is an uncertain one. He questions his future, his purpose. “Alright” follows “u,” an emotional, introspective moment where he is unabashedly honest with himself – painfully. “Alright” follows as a reassurance that he will, indeed, be alright.

While he is searching for his place in this crazy, unstable world… perhaps Lamar should realize that he has already found it. His place, his purpose, is to create music like this. Not only to inspire and rejuvenate his own sense of self, but have the same effect on fans who can relate. After all, if inciting an anthem for the biggest social-cultural movement of the year, and giving a feeling of hope to your entire race isn’t finding your purpose, then what is? After this year, we need some hope that we’re gon’ be alright. Perhaps its no coincidence that both our #1 and #2 albums of this year featured songs of, essentially, the same title and message (Janet had her own “Gon’ B Alright” on Unbreakable). In short, “Alright” became an anthem for Kendrick, for black Americans, and really, for everyone. –Vincent & Mario

The 19 “97” Songs of 2015 Playlist

For your listening pleasure, we’ve compiled a playlist of the songs we selected. Unfortunately, Taylor Swift chooses not to put her music on Spotify, so it is absent from this playlist. Enjoy!

The post The 19 “97” Songs of 2015! appeared first on THE 97.

At EST. 1997, we chose the 19 “97” songs of 2014, which simply means the 19 best songs of 2014. If you’re familiar with the way we review songs/albums, then you know that “97” is our top score. We love every song on this list, ranked them according to how much, and weighed in with a few thoughts about each. Please feel free to comment with your thoughts, as well! We’d love to hear from you and engage in any discussion.

The 19 “97” Songs of 2014

19. “Jealous” by Nick Jonas

Following older mid-Jonas bro Joe’s 2011 shot at Pop R&B solo superstardom, chances weren’t looking too good for remaining Jonas bros.  However, 2014 saw Nick Jonas take his stab at a more mature sound, image, and persona with quite different results.  With a large Pop fan base, Urban Pop appeal, and relatable lyrics, Nick found his first major solo hit with “Jealous.”  With a rocky public Jonas Brothers disbandment in 2013 behind them, lets just hope newfound solo heights Nick’s music and acting has seen doesn’t leave fellow JoBros Joe and Kevin slightly jealous too! –Keenan

18. “2 On” by Tinashe, featuring ScHoolboy Q

Back in the early 2000s when the Lil Jon’s Crunk genre was blowing up for the male acts like Usher, Petey Pablo, and Trick Daddy along came a young female R&B act, Ciara, to take the sound to the next level with her debut single “Goodies.”  In 2014 it was Tinashe’s turn, becoming the first female to achieve a big hit along with current go-to Hip-Hop producer DJ Mustard. The Westcoast influenced Hip-Hop beat paired with airy light hearted vocals was exactly what Tinashe needed to “turn up with the big boys.” Following in Tinashe’s footsteps don’t be surprised if more female artists begin to utilize Mustard’s beats (à la Fergie “L.A. Love (la la)”) in 2015. –Keenan

17. “Chandelier” by Sia

Few choruses hit as hard in 2014 as the titanic one on Sia’s “Chandelier.” The song was written about Sia’s battle with alcoholism and somehow captures both the woozy release and the lonely downfall of the disease. Sia delivers an unhinged vocal, matched by swelling strings, that becomes a battle cry. –Jason

16. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

Funk is back with style! But, the great thing about it is that it is back with the true influences and the real throwback nods to the real masters of the early 80s who made the genre great. Mark Ronson did a masterful job to re-create the funk vibe and he made a great choice with the perfect Bruno Mars feature. The song is an explosion of energy, catchiness and just makes you want to get up and dance! –Mario

15. “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith

Following the massive success other soulful English acts like Amy Winehouse and Adele achieved stateside, it’s no surprise a male counterpart would soon follow.  After being featured on two big Dance hits, Disclosure’s “Latch” and Naughty Boy’s “La La La,” Sam Smith released his solemn, Soulful tune “Stay With Me.”  With relatable lyrical content, vocal skill on display, and a timeless musical arrangement there’s no surprise that “Stay” topped multiple U.S. charts and Smith’s solo reign continued well into 2014. –Keenan

14. “Something in the Water” by Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood’s fifth studio album was delayed due to her pregnancy, but she still treated her fans to two new songs on her first greatest hits collection. Religious tale “Something in the Water” managed to both recall her debut single “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and heighten its impact with a personal narrative and vocal gravitas. –Jason

13. “Roller Coaster” by Toni Braxton and Babyface

The combination of smooth production and lush vocals from Babyface and Toni Braxton are completely front and center on Love, Marriage & Divorce‘s opener, “Roller Coaster.” As the first track on the record, its subject matter is that of relationship turmoil, something many people can relate to. “Roller Coaster” captures exactly the atmosphere of the 90s, a time when Toni and Babyface defined the sound of R&B music with their collaborations. –Mario

12. “Apparently” by J. Cole

Cole arrived in December with the last minute, all-at-once drop of his album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive (which also appears on our Top Albums list) but by no means was his material “least.” Though it had no singles in the conventional sense, “Apparently” was sent to radio and had a video that dropped on album release day. Cole explained the reasoning behind this being that he didn’t want the song to go unnoticed, and video/radio treatment no doubt would bring it more attention. Rightfully so, the track, as I mentioned in my review of the album, is one of the album’s standouts, and one of Cole’s best. It likely won’t go on to become a huge hit single by any means, but that is not where his ambition lies. J. Cole makes quality music, and that is why this isn’t the last of his tracks on our list. –Vincent

11. “Partition” by Beyoncé

Beyoncé fully owned her sexuality with her visual album, and “Partition” is the pinnacle of her sexual awakening. On the sparse but sensual track, Beyoncé takes her lyrics to an explicitly sexual height. However, as I noted in my write up about the song, there is more to “Partition” than meets the ear. While it caused quite the stir and garnered Beyoncé plenty attention for being so provocative, the public failed to look beyond the sexual front of the track. “Partition” is actually more vulnerable than it appears. Regardless, it was one of the year’s most noteworthy moments… visually, lyrically, musically and culturally. –Vincent

10. “You Don’t Know What to Do” by Mariah Carey, featuring Wale

In the years of the Disco throwback, Mariah couldn’t resist delivering a jam herself. Though, for her, it’s not exactly something new nor is it trend chasing. Mariah was bringing hints of Disco back as early as 1991 on the Emotions album (check out “To Be Around You”). Aided by Jermaine Dupri on production, Wale with a guest verse and the Love Unlimited orchestra on instrumentation, Mariah is going in on a lover who can’t make up his mind. Her voice is full and crisp over the sample of “I’m Caught Up in a One Night Love Affair.” “You Don’t Know What to Do” was such a missed opportunity at a global and defining hit from this album, but at least we know Mariah is still capable of delivering these big upbeat numbers that helped define her in the 90s.  –Mario

09. “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift. I have a hate-love relationship with her. I really don’t want to like her, but I can’t help but enjoy some of her songs. “Blank Space” is one of those.  From Red, I enjoyed “Trouble,” but “Blank Space” is on a whole different plane. With “Blank Space” (like on the horrid “Shake It Off”) she addresses the public’s perception of her with this tongue-in-cheek song about her own love life. Ironically, the most crucial line to understanding the song, though, is often misunderstood for her saying something about “Starbucks lovers” which miraculously translates into “got a long list of ex lovers.” The song is infectious and anthemic pop-perfection that you can’t help but sing-a-long with. It is truly one of the year’s best songs, and will no doubt go down as a classic pop record from this decade – on par with, say, “…Baby One More Time” (not-so-ironically helmed by the same producer, Max Martin). The list of pop royalty had a “blank space,” and in 2014, T. Swift wrote her name in permanent ink. –Vincent

08. “Say Yes” by Michelle Williams, featuring Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé

Since early 2013, the ladies of Destiny’s Child have reunited on a number of occasions. First with a new song called “Nuclear,” tucked away on a compilation album of their Love Songs, then during Beyoncé’s iconic Super Bowl performance. A few months later, they appeared again for a collaboration on Kelly’s album, and finally in the background vocals and music video for Beyoncé’s “Superpower.” As exciting as all that was, none of their musical reunions packed quite as much punch as when Michelle Williams unexpectedly dropped “Say Yes” in June of 2014, featuring vocals from Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé. The Nigerian praise song, featuring a hard, calypso-inspired beat, was the kind of Destiny’s Child reunion one would expect: fierce, empowering, and ready for the club! Sure, it might be a gospel song, but that didn’t stop anyone from getting their good and holy twerk on to it. Having racked up close to 13 million views since its release, its video found the ladies reunited as well, and helped the song to become Michelle’s biggest solo hit to date. While it’s definitely a collaboration, Michelle still owns the track and holds onto it as her own. Together, though, Michelle, Beyoncé and Kelly delivered flawless vocal performances and those harmonies we all miss. “Say Yes” definitely gave fans a reason to praise, and made for one of the most exciting moments of 2014. Looking forward, it has also left fans wanting more, anticipating what 2015 may have in store for the ladies of Destiny’s Child. –Vincent

07. “i” by Kendrick Lamar

2014’s anthem for self-love, “i” is a true confidence booster. Kendrick chose this upbeat single to anticipate his new album. Built over a groovy sample of The Isley Brothers’ “Who’s That Lady,” the track recalls Outkast and even a bit of Lauryn Hill. Kendrick is letting everybody know that he’s paying no mind to the negativity and he’s willing to stay positive and spread that vibe because he believes in himself and what he can do. It’s refreshing to hear such a positive and relatable message in Hip-Hop again. –Mario

06. “Part II (On the Run)” by Jay-Z and Beyoncé

As a sequel to “03 Bonnie & Clyde” this is an even better song. The production with the Electronic elements is more mysterious and atmospheric and fits the lyrical theme of danger and rebellion better. Beyoncé’s subdued and almost dark vocals add a lot to the vibe of the song as well. “Part II (On the Run)” was easily the best song on Magna Carta… Holy Grail and proved that Bey and Jay together are still the hottest couple in music. Their work together continues to reach new heights.  –Mario

05. “West Coast” by Lana Del Rey

Lana introduced “West Coast” with a repeating clip of her spiraling on a west coast beach, taken from its full length video (which offers little more of note beyond the spiraling) and that just about embodies my relationship with the song. “West Coast” is a vibe-y, mood song with lush production and vocals. I’m still not really sure of what she’s going on about, but it doesn’t really matter. The song just feels good… better than most other songs to be released this year. –Vincent

04. “The Worst” by Jhené Aiko

This is the song that put Jhené on the map after years on the come up. “The Worst” is a song about a dangerous relationship with the kind of person you want to keep far but, at the same time, cannot help but staying with. The cold quality of Jhené’s soft vocals over the synths of the production give it a great effect and Jhené’s choice to interpolate lyrics from Jay Z’s “Excuse Me Miss” is also clever in the context of the song. One of the best R&B tracks of the year for sure. –Mario

03. “***Flawless” by Beyoncé, featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or Nicki Minaj

I wonder if Beyoncé knew when she decided to put it on her album that “***Flawless” would cause such a stir. Regardless of whether or not she expected it, she certainly owned all of the buzz it brought. Why did “***Flawless” incite such passionate reactions? Because Beyoncé asserted herself as a “feminist,” or at least seemed to by including clips from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in this female empowerment track. However, any questions of whether Beyoncé considered herself a “feminist” or not were answered by her performance at the 2014 MTV VMA’s where she stood proudly in front of a screen reading “FEMINIST” as she performed “***Flawless.” Dropping the remix with Nicki Minaj didn’t hurt, either. Like “Partition,” “***Flawless,” too is deeper than it seemed, but more on that here. Though it was released at the tail end of 2013, “***Flawless” took off fully in 2014 thanks to being serviced to radio in conjunction with its remix shortly after the infamous “elevator incident.” For that, and the innumerable “I woke up like this” selfies and t-shirts, “***Flawless” takes the cake as one of the year’s most culturally influential tracks. –Vincent

02. “Dedicated” by Mariah Carey, featuring Nas

Mariah Carey has always been fond of nostalgia, both lyrically and musically. “Dedicated” off her 2014 album Me. I Am Mariah may be her nostalgic pinnacle, though. Lyrically the song is a “fuck letter” to hip-hop that cleverly incorporates references to 80s and 90s urban music by artists like Eric B and Slick Rick, while musically incorporating Wu-Tang Clan (with its “Carey like Mariah” sample). That it manages to be both longing and upbeat, vintage and fresh is a minor miracle. –Jason

01. “Be Free” by J. Cole

No song is quite better suited to be named the best of 2014 than J. Cole’s “Be Free.” While never commercially released, “Be Free” transcends the more common goals of the “single.” It was released in August as a reaction to the murder of Michael Brown, and unfortunately continued to be an anthem for the remainder of the year in light of other events in America. Cole appeared on David Letterman in “promotion” of his album, but instead opted to perform only “Be Free” (which isn’t on his album) and added a third verse. The original track and live performances are extremely emotional, and even a bit hard to listen to, but Cole’s honesty and willingness to share his emotions with the world deserve the utmost respect. His emotions are not his alone, but shared by millions of other people worldwide who are also horrified at the state of the world. “Be Free” is the best song of 2014 because it embodied the collective thoughts of any living, breathing human being with a conscience in 2014. For some time, music has been void of a voice like Cole’s, and if this is the role he’d like to fulfill, well, then, a role well chosen indeed. And I can’t quite think of anyone better. –Vincent

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