Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 2022

 I love talking about music that I love, and this year had a lot of it. I'm glad to see that, as much as this year felt like an extended 2021, it was still able to provide the charts with some damn great music that I'm more than happy to analyze here. So, let's get right into it!

Now, before we begin, eligibility rules. I took the top 100 biggest hits of 2022 that weren’t already hits in 2021 or Christmas songs, and chose my ten favorites. A full list of eligible songs can be found here. Also, I should emphasize that this is, in fact, just my opinion, and you are more than welcome to disagree with me.

Now, without further ado, let’s get into the best that this year had to offer.

Number 10

I get the feeling that I've developed a reputation for "basic" music taste. This is mainly due to the fact that "Blinding Lights" was my favorite hit song of 2020, and "Levitating" took that title in 2021. Those songs, for those who don't know, were the most successful hits of their respective years. As such, you might expect that I'd put this year's biggest hit at number one. Well, that was "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals, which is ineligible for this list because it was a hit in 2021 as well. So, then maybe the second biggest hit of the year would top my list? Well, it's only number ten, so screw your expectations!

#10: “As It Was” by Harry Styles

I live by the age-old adage that sometimes, music gets ridiculously popular because it's actually good and deserves to be. And well, even if this song did need to grow on me a bit, it was eventually able to win me over and become a favorite of mine.

The immediate sonic comparison I saw a lot of people make was to songs like "Take On Me" by a-ha or "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd, as all three songs have a prominent '80s-style melody that pops in as a main motif in the song. However, this song is a bit different. It's got a much more relaxed feel than either of those songs do. Sure, there's the driving tempo of the song courtesy of the percussion work, but the song as a whole has a bit more stasis to it that allows it to feel more relaxed. Harry's delivery only really adds to that. He's got a more low-key, dejected delivery on this song than he usually does, and it really does fit with the song's tone. This is especially true when you look at the content.

The lyrics of this song, at least taken literally, seem to be about a divorce. Specifically, there are a few lines that clearly paint that kind of picture:

"Seems you cannot be replaced,

And I'm the one who will stay"

"Your daddy lives by himself,

He just wants to know that you're well"

"Leave America, two kids follow her,

I don't wanna talk about who's doing it first"

This, by itself, already adds a powerful meaning to that main line of "you know it's not the same as it was". People change and grow apart, things don't work out, and you're stuck having to adjust to it all. That in and of itself is powerful. However, there is a bit more of a reason why "As It Was" connected lyrically with me. While I can't relate to this song directly, I can relate to it in the context of events in my own life, and in a shared experience that I think we all had in some form.

As I'm sure you are all well aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken over all of our lives to an absurd degree. Even as places are open again and life is back to some degree of normalcy, things are not the same. It's not just life in general either, but my own personal life. I was fourteen when the pandemic started, and now at seventeen, I am a much different person than I was back then, and much different than I would have been if the pandemic didn't happen. As someone who spent far too much time trying to recapture that sense of normalcy only to realize that it doesn't really exist anymore, a song with the sentiment of "you know it's not the same as it was" really connected with me. Life's changed a lot, and we'll have to adjust, but all will be well in the end.

So yeah, even if this song is absurdly overplayed, it's earned a spot on my playlist and has been able to connect with me more than I ever thought it would. This really is a damn good song.

Number 9

One song that probably would have been an easy pick for this list was "Easy On Me" by Adele. After all, it was the big comeback single for one of the most talented people in the music industry, it broke all sorts of records, and it has been showered with critical acclaim left and right. So, naturally, I went with the far-less-popular follow-up single instead because I'm me. Duh.

#9: “Oh My God” by Adele

Okay, truth be told, while "Easy On Me" is still a fantastic song that deserves all the success and acclaim it got, it does have the unfortunate reality of being a piano ballad, which means I don't find it all that replayable. It's an excellent piano ballad, to be sure, but I feel like it's not really a song that suited itself for repeated listens all that much, especially with how much radio play it got. Now, "Oh My God", on the other hand? This one was underrated.

What tends to be overlooked is that for as excellent as Adele is at what she's known for, she has shown a willingness to experiment in her work before. Here, she tries out something of a soul-pop fusion that works way better than that combination sounds like it would. There's a pitched up vocal loop anchored by a syncopated drum pattern, which provides one of the best grooves that Adele has ever had in her music. The song as a whole feels a lot more loose and fun, which is not something you'd expect from Adele, yet it really does work for me. 

That general sense of looseness also translates over to the content, where Adele sings about finding herself falling in love with someone new after her divorce and just trying to have fun with it. It's a much more upbeat sentiment for her, and I think she nailed it. She still sounds as great as ever, and with more rhythm present in the instrumental, it makes for something that actually sounds about as fun as the situation she's describing!

I'll freely admit that this one doesn't give me a lot to say, but that's more because it kind of speaks for itself, one listen will determine if it's for you or not. For me at least, this song proves something that was probably already obvious: even when Adele is just trying to make simple and fun pop music, she still absolutely excels at it. Damn good song.

Number 8 

I was looking over my 2021 best list a while back, and I realized that I put four Doja Cat songs - being "Streets", "You Right", "Need To Know", and "34+35" - in my honorable mentions. However, I didn't actually put any Doja Cat songs on the top ten list properly. So, with that in mind, especially since she had yet another very successful year, I'm going to take the opportunity to rectify that.

#8: “Woman” by Doja Cat

One thing I really liked about all of the hits from Planet Her was that all five of them brought something new to the table. This is no exception, as this is a fusion of R&B and afrobeats. Honestly, the fusion is really well done. The afrobeats drums provide a really solid rhythm that anchors the song, while the more melodic elements in the background help to cultivate a more relaxed and inviting atmosphere. It makes for a pretty solid summer hit - which makes it all the more confusing why this was pushed as a single in the winter, but I digress.

What really works for me with this particular instrumental is how well Doja Cat is able to use it. She's one of the most interesting artists in the mainstream right now in my opinion, as she's shown she can actually sing and rap pretty well on the same instrumental time and time again with relative ease. This is another exercise in that. The fairly repetitive hook is very likely to get stuck in your brain with little to no difficulty, and both Doja's more toned-back singing on the first verse and her more expressive rapping on the second fit really nicely, especially as she's able to find a good flow both times and sticks to it pretty well.

Then, there's the content, which I like too. A few critics I follow were a bit put off by the first verse, where Doja is being very openly submissive to this guy whose woman she wants to be, even including the line "come here papa, plant your seed", which… is certainly a choice. However, it's the second verse that helps to recontextualize that for me and make it all work. 

The second verse is being directed at another woman. I've heard two interpretations of this verse, both of which work just fine. The first is that she wants to be this woman's woman, which would make sense given that Doja has hinted at possibly being bisexual in the past, and is trying to hype her up. The second interpretation is that this verse is meant to be a verse celebrating womanhood and female empowerment. I especially like the ending to the rap verse:

"Princess or queen, tomboy or king

You've heard a lot, you've never seen

Mother of Mother Mary, rise to the top,

Divine feminine, I'm feminine"

It's a pretty cool way to wrap up the verse from that perspective, as it shows how there are plenty of different ways to be feminine that should all be celebrated. It's a neat little touch.

Overall, this is a pretty solid vibe all the way down, with some nice lyrical details that make it more interesting than your average pop cut. This definitely deserved to be a hit.

Number 7

On the other hand, "Woman" wasn't my favorite Doja Cat hit this year. That would probably be this.

#7: “Get Into It (Yuh)” by Doja Cat

This will probably be a short one, as this seems to be a fairly divisive song among critics, you either love it or you hate it. Me personally? I think this slaps pretty hard.

This is probably the closest that any of the hits on Planet Her get to just being a conventional trap rap song. The melody is fairly simple, and it does get buried behind the trap snares pretty quickly, but that drum pattern does give the song a fast-paced and off-kilter rhythm that really works for me. This is especially important seeing as the lyrics don't really do much this time. The song's lyrics don't really have much of a defined theme to them and are kind of all over the place, but this song is less something to analyze and more something to "get into" - pardon the awful pun.

But what really won me over on this song was actually Doja Cat herself. She's a very expressive performer, and that is especially apparent here. She rides the hook with a basic but effective flow as she raps in a bit of an odd, squeaky voice that many have likened to Playboi Carti. And yeah, that comparison is accurate, especially in how jumpy the flow on the hook feels and all the different inflections Doja tries. The flow on the verses is a bit more conventional at first, but there are a good few switch-ups in flow on the verses that are all executed pretty seamlessly. It really works.

This is another one without a lot to say about it. It's definitely more something to listen to and get into than anything deep or profound, but it works really well in that lane. It's a great version of what it's trying to be, and that definitely works for me.

Number 6

Of course, it was only a matter of time before we got to by far the biggest artist of 2022, Bad Bunny. He had the biggest album of the year with Un Verano Sin Ti, which was a damn solid album, for the record. The album spawned eight hit songs, all of which managed to become hits without much promotion beyond the occasional video release. This is absolutely insane, and thankfully most of the songs are good, so I'm not going to complain. Now, for a track that's become a favorite of mine from that album.

#6: “Ojitos Lindos” by Bad Bunny & Bomba Estéreo

The thing about the hits from Bad Bunny this year was that these songs either immediately clicked for me, or they had to grow on me with time. This song is definitely in the latter camp, as it's a bit of a slow burner. It's not as in-your-face or as fun as a lot of the songs on that album that tended to stick with me initially, and honestly seemed like just another reggaeton song to me at first. However, maybe I just needed to wait until the end of the summer for the vibe to fully click for me, but once it clicked, it clicked hard.

There's just something about this instrumental that's so calming and serene. The trumpet melody that opens up the song is pushed back enough in the mix that it sounds kind of like a distant memory of summer, and the other instruments also help to cultivate that exact vibe. Sure, they do give a relaxed sound, but they also sound melancholic enough to sound like someone looking back on better times that may have come to an end. Maybe I am projecting a bit here, but listening to this song around the end of summer just helped it click so hard for me.

And what's funny is that my exact interpretation of the sound actually carries over to the lyrics. The song's title translates to "pretty eyes" in Spanish, and from what I can translate, it seems to be about two ex-partners who exchange one stare into each other's eyes and think that they may want to light the flame again. It's kind of a sweet sentiment, and it is really impressive how, even if I don’t speak the language, both Bad Bunny and the lead singer from Bomba Estéreo are able to sell this sort of emotion well enough that it comes through to me regardless.

It also helps that the melodies here are really good. There are a number of vocal melodies that pop up in the song, and yet they all tend to stick in the brain for me. It's catchy, it's well-produced, and it's well-performed. On a sonic level, this song is really damn good.

But yeah, this is an all-around great Latin pop track, and if the success of this Bad Bunny album means that we could get more relaxed, end-of-summer vibe songs like this, then I am fully on board.

Number 5

Okay, we'll come back to Bad Bunny in a second, but first, my number five pick. This one is another kind of obvious pick for the list, but as I said when discussing "As It Was", sometimes music gets insanely popular strictly because it's really damn good. And with this being a stable number one hit this fall that's likely to stick around for a while into 2023, that would absolutely be the case here.

#5: “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy

It's kind of surprising that this might be the first time I'm discussing an alternative R&B song in my reviews. This sort of fusion of alternative music and R&B has always been a favorite of critics, and I myself happen to like a good amount of these songs as well. Then again, if we're going to have one of those songs hit it big, I'm glad it's this one.

"Bad Habit" has a really cool instrumental that I feel matches both alternative and R&B really well. The alternative elements are mainly present in this really relaxed-sounding guitar melody that runs throughout the song. It makes for a pretty nice atmosphere, and given that Steve Lacy is a singer who tends to stick to his lower range, it's a sound that complements his vocals pretty well. The song also still does feel distinctly R&B with it having more of a rhythmic structure and more soulful singing. It's a balance that's tough to pull off, but this song gets there. Also, there's a bit of a beatboxing interlude on the outro which makes for something a bit more interesting. It shows that there are a lot of really cool musical ideas that work together to create a cohesive whole.

Then, there's the content, which centers around something you don't often see in mainstream pop. This starts off as a song about how much Steve regrets not admitting feelings for a girl he liked because of his fear that he'd get turned down. It's got a bit of a teenage feel to it - namely in that it's actually an emotion I can reasonably relate to - but Steve's actually able to sell that emotion too. Thankfully, the song doesn't stay that way for long, as the reason why he's regretful is actually because she's recently made it clear that she likes him back. So from there, the rest of the song is him trying to convince her to finally start something with him before seemingly succeeding by the end. It's kind of a cute sentiment, and it is cool to see how the song's lyrics progress and change to keep the story going.

But yeah, it's a solid fusion of genres that creates a nice and relaxed atmosphere that's pleasing to the ear, complete with some nice storytelling and lyrical evolution to keep things interesting. Hopefully we can get more songs in this style to cross over every now and again, because this was definitely really solid.

Number 4

Okay, now for the other Bad Bunny song on this list. As I've said before, if given the choice between a song that provokes meaning and a song that slaps really hard, I'm going to pick the latter almost every time. With that in mind, of course this song was going to make the list.

#4: “Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny

There's a big part of me that just wants to write, "this song goes insanely hard" and leave it at that. That's because this song's core appeal really does boil down to just how much fun this song is to listen to. That being said, the point of this list is to analyze the appeal of songs I like, so I will do my best to do so.

If you've read my best list for 2021, you may remember that I discussed Farruko's "Pepas", which I mainly loved because of how much of an absolute riot it was. In essence, "Tití Me Preguntó" has a similar appeal. The song starts off with a quick instrumental flourish before moving into this bass-heavy beat. Bad Bunny quickly raps the chorus before the drop hits, and then all hell breaks loose. As the post-chorus hits, the drums become much faster and give the song some much-needed energy that Bad Bunny is able to ride effortlessly. He's got the sort of flow that can easily carry a song like this. There may not be any melody here, but there doesn’t need to be. The bass knocks, steady drum rhythm, and the energy of Bad Bunny's delivery do everything that they need to in order to make this song so much fun. The song rides out this energy up to a climax where the vocals get chopped up and it sounds so awesome.

So, lyrically, what does this song boil down to? Well, the title is Spanish for "auntie asked me", and the chorus, at least according to Genius Lyrics' translation, reads like this:

"Hey, auntie asked me if I have a lot of girlfriends, a lot of girlfriends,

Today I have one, tomorrow I'll have another, hey, but there's no wedding"

In other words, he's living a playboy lifestyle, cycling through girls and even listing these girls' names or locations on the first verse. It's a pure power fantasy, and it is kind of funny how he contextualizes it like a relative, in this case his aunt, asking him if he's found someone yet, something that happens far too often for pretty much everybody. But what's worth noting is the switch-up in the song after the verse. 

The song is interrupted by an uncredited voice who says something that roughly translates to "let go of that bad life you have on the streets! Find a serious woman for yourself!" The instrumental changes to something more melodic as he laments that he doesn't think he can properly fall in love or trust anyone. The song, oddly enough, seems to pick up another layer beyond just being a really fun party banger. The lyrics tell the story of a man with a seemingly enviable lifestyle who isn't happy with it at all. What's worth noting is that, for people like me who don't speak Spanish, the song still maintains a decent locomotive energy after the switch-up. Maybe it's not the riot that the first half was, but it's still got some energy to it, which I do appreciate.

In essence, this song is a great banger that slaps absurdly hard, while also being a bit of a deeper look into the celebrity lifestyle and the unhappiness that comes with it at the same time. The fact that the song works equally well in both contexts really is a testament to how good the song itself is. Because yeah, this is pretty damn great.

Number 3

So last year, I discussed both of Lil Nas X's most recent number-one hits, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" and "INDUSTRY BABY". Both of these songs seem to showcase some side of Lil Nas X's public persona, with the former leaning into his sexuality, while the latter leaned more into his egotism. Now, what if he were to make a song more personal to him specifically? Well, thankfully, the result for something like that turned out just as great as the other two singles. 

#3: “THATS WHAT I WANT” by Lil Nas X

The fact that Lil Nas X was able to make a song that was this conventional and still this good is pretty impressive to me. This is because, above all, Lil Nas X seems to be a showman. He puts on a spectacle with every big single he releases, usually in his music videos or in something in the musical presentation. Despite that, this song right here is actually very conventional. No real tricks or musical gimmicks, no crazy viral music video, no show-stopping guest verse, nothing. And yet, even at his core, Nas is still able to put out a damn great pop song.

As always, I'm going to start with the sound here. The instrumental has a pretty solid acoustic guitar line anchoring the melody, with some more standard, punchy drums giving this song its foundation. However, I'd argue that Nas himself is the best part of the song sonically, as he delivers a really solid vocal performance. In the verses, he sings in his lower range, sounding like he is longing for someone. However, once the chorus hits, he starts really going for it in his higher range as he pleads out in desperation. And thankfully, the instrumental ramps up in order to support him. There are some choral vocals added to the melody, a few more production touches, and an overall bigger sound that give Nas the support he needs to go bigger on the chorus. It also helps that the melody is really sticky, and allows for an absolute earworm of a hook as well.

Then, there's the lyrics, which I also really like. This is probably the most vulnerable that Lil Nas X has ever gotten on one of his singles - assuming the promotional single "SUN GOES DOWN" doesn't count. He sings about feeling really lonely and simply wishing he had someone to love. It's a simple sentiment, but that's what makes it effective: it's relatable. A lot of people do wish that they had someone in their lives just for the sake of having someone, so Nas' anguish and desperation is completely understandable here. It helps that, again, he really does sell it. He isn't just going higher for the sake of it, he's simply expressing how lonely he feels and how much he just wants to find love already, and I buy it. And the fact that he was able to package that in an otherwise very upbeat and enjoyable pop song makes this have all the more replay value for me.

So yeah, it may be a conventional and fairly simple pop song, but it's a great version of what it's trying to be. It's an all-around excellent song, and I was glad to see it become a hit.

Number 2

One thing that I'm always curious about is what songs become some of my most-played tracks of the year on Spotify Wrapped. For 2022, both of my top two most played songs were cuts from The Weeknd's Dawn FM, "How Do I Make You Love Me?" and "Sacrifice". Both songs are awesome, but unfortunately, neither one became a chart hit. That being said, my third most-played song of the year was able to become a hit, and thankfully, it's also a pretty damn great song to boot.

#2: “she’s all i wanna be” by Tate McRae

It's really nice to see that most of the Gen Z pop scene has been kind enough to provide us with some really solid music while also making completely and shamelessly juvenile music in the process. And for the record, I mean that as a compliment. There's absolutely a right way to make inherently teenage music and still have it come out great. Last year, we had Olivia Rodrigo's "good 4 u" as the shining example of that, and this year, we have this.

Let's actually start off with the lyrics this time around. The song isn't exactly anything mind-blowing lyrically, being a song about how Tate has gotten a feeling that her boyfriend has eyes for another girl that she is now jealous of. It's a petty song, all right. You can absolutely feel the high school melodrama all over this track. But what I think this song does right is that it knows how melodramatic it is and plays into it, which makes for something a lot more enjoyable. I mean, the first half of the chorus may just be the single most "high school" set of lyrics out of any hit song this year:

"Stupid boy making me so sad,

Didn't think you would change this fast,

She's got everything that I don't have,

How could I ever compete with that?"

However, what makes this all work is the framing. For starters, it helps that these lines are being delivered by someone who is young enough to convincingly sell this level of high school melodrama - Tate was eighteen when she recorded this - so it comes across as a more authentic expression of teenage angst than it otherwise would have. Also, just like with "good 4 u" before it last year, the instrumental has enough intensity to play into the situation, and it's also a really damn good instrumental to boot.

The song is primarily anchored in a pop-rock guitar line, which definitely adds to the angsty pop punk vibe that this song is going for. However, soon the song begins to build up a bit, and then the chorus hits. Putting aside the fact that this is an excellent hook, with one of the catchiest melodies I've heard all year, it also comes equipped with some really punchy percussion that makes this song a really fun one to headbang to. And of course, who could forget the post-chorus. The synths ramp up and mirror the chorus melody in a really satisfying way, and it sounds awesome. In particular, I really like the extended bit between the second chorus and the bridge, that part was excellent.

And finally, there's Tate herself, who I think did a great job here. Like I said, this is a song that requires every single aspect of the vocals and production to play into the sense of melodrama that the lyrics present, and Tate did exactly that here. On the verses, she has this sort of suspicious dejection in her vocals as she realizes that her boyfriend very clearly likes someone else, and on the chorus, she ramps up the anger in her voice to match the production and does a good job with it. The melodies are all really sticky, especially on the chorus, and it's just really damn good on a sonic level.

So yeah, this song was definitely one that I revisited a lot this year, and for good reason. It absolutely slaps, and if the continued success of pop rock in the mainstream means that we're going to get more songs like this, then I am 100% on board. Excellent song.

But before we get to what beat this song for the number one slot, our honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

“All Too Well (Taylor's Version)” by Taylor Swift

Definitely a great breakup song with a great sound and lots of lyrical detail. If it wasn't for the fact that it runs way longer than I'd prefer and that I'm not entirely comfortable with putting re-recordings on my best lists, this would have made it onto the list.

“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush

I mean, it's a classic for a reason, and an excellent song to boot. That being said, including a song from 1985 on a list of the best hit songs of 2022 kind of felt like cheating, and this song did get a bit overplayed over the summer anyways.

“Easy On Me” by Adele

As I mentioned in the "Oh My God" segment, this is still a damn great piano ballad, with powerful, heartbroken vocals and Adele's trademark quality songwriting.

“I Hate U” by SZA

I mean, come on, that chorus is insanely cathartic to sing along to. Also, I like this sort of drippy R&B production, it definitely anchors the song pretty nicely.

“Vegas” by Doja Cat

The sample of Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" was an inspired choice, and Doja Cat uses it to create an absolute banger. Pretty damn solid track.

“I Ain't Worried” by OneRepublic

I definitely get how one would find this annoying, but I think that whistle is really catchy. Plus, this song did make for a pretty solid feel-good summer song, so that's always a positive.

“I Like You (A Happier Song)” by Post Malone feat. Doja Cat

This is pure pop fluff. The simple lyrics, the melodies designed to get stuck in your head, and the bright cheery production. And you know what? It's pretty good pure pop fluff at that.

“Numb Little Bug” by Em Beihold

It's rare we get a song this blunt about mental health struggles that becomes a hit. It was kind of insane hearing the line "do you ever get a little bit tired of life, like you're not really happy, but you don't wanna die?" on the radio on an hourly basis. Then again, the song is pretty well-written and has some really good pop melodies, so I'd say it's also a really solid song.

“Ghost” by Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber has gotten exceptionally good at making really solid radio hits that I might not seek out all that much, but I'm always happy to hear them if I come across them. This is one such case with some solid synth-pop production and a good hook. Nice stuff.

“PROVENZA” by KAROL G

Yeah, Bad Bunny wasn't the only artist making good Latin music this year. This song has a chill, low-key vibe to it that honestly sounds really nice. Not something I revisit a ton, but when I do, I'm happy to hear it.

And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for.

Number 1

As I've said before, one of my favorite albums of the past few years was Silk Sonic's album, An Evening With Silk Sonic. This year, one of the album's best tracks became a hit single. With that in mind, of course it was going to get this slot.

#1: “Smokin Out The Window” by Silk Sonic

I mean, on some level, this was the song that pandered so hard to my own personal tastes in music that it was impossible for me not to love it. Putting aside the fact that these two as a duo are insanely talented and are responsible for some incredible music, this song has just about everything: an immaculate instrumental, excellent vocals, and even some pretty solid lyrics to drive it home. Yeah, this was a slam dunk and a half for me.

To start off with the lyrics once again, I think that this might just be the greatest "she belongs to the streets" anthem I've ever heard. The song is about how Bruno and Anderson got played by a heartless girl who was simply using them, and now they're smoking away the pain. Simple stuff, but what makes it work is that there's a comedic edge to what they sing that makes it come across a lot better.

"This bitch got me paying her rent, paying for trips,

Diamonds on her neck, diamonds on her wrist,

And here I am all alone,

I'm so cold, I'm so cold, you got me out here

Smoking out the window"

It's almost comical how badly these two are getting played, and they deliver these lines with that sort of comedic edge to make it come across that way. In particular, the way that they sing "this bitch" with pauses put in place for dramatic effect is just absolute gold. In a way, it's kind of like "she's all i wanna be" in the sense that this is another song that relies on the artists to lean into the melodrama of the song to make it work. However, unlike that song, which leaned into the anger, this song leans more on resignation, as if to say, "damn, I can't believe I got used like that. Ah well, pass me a lighter". And honestly, that works really well for me.

Of course, a lot of this is reliant on Bruno and Anderson's delivery, but as I implied, they both absolutely nailed it here. Even beyond their comedic timing, these two sound as great as they always have, with Anderson's rasp working really well on his verse and pre-chorus, and Bruno's smooth delivery anchoring a solid verse and pre-chorus from him as well as an immaculate chorus. This hook is pure R&B perfection and is one of the most pleasing sounds to the ear that I heard on the charts all year. So yeah, needless to say, these two killed it.

And finally, there's the instrumental, which is also just as great as everything else. The song starts out with what sounds like a violin for Bootsy Collins' brief intro before transitioning into a more classy and tasteful R&B melody. In fact, the juxtaposition between the instrumental and lyrics might be the best part of the song. These lyrics are so pissy and paint the guys out as kind of pathetic, but it's being sold with this sense of earnestness and tastefulness, which also sounds excellent. It's an absolute treat to hear every single time.

So yeah, to the surprise of no one, one of the best songs on a 10/10 album ran away with the top spot on this list, and this super-duo knocked it out of the park yet again. "Smokin Out The Window" by Silk Sonic: my favorite hit song of 2022.