10 songs were nominated to receive the honor of the coveted “Song of the Year” award.. Despite the victory of “Just Like That” by Bonnie Raitt, here is my personal ranking of who deserved the award – and who really did not.

10. “abcdefu” by GAYLE

“abcdefu” showcases the true negatives of what a “TikTok song” is. This song somehow manages to have an incredibly annoying and directionless melody and is far too reliant on its hook, which really isn’t as clever as it is made out to be. 

9. “BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyoncé

I love Beyoncé and I think she’s a great artist, but I find this song quite boring. Her vocals and background vocals are a whole lot of fun, but the song itself is quite bland and is reliant on very few lyrics. It is decent, but I do not think it holds up to the other contenders.

8. “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy

7. “As It Was” by Harry Styles

This is a very fun song. It is a classic radio hit, but I do not find it quite deep or unique enough to deserve a song of the year award. The lyrics are very simple and do not describe a very unique scenario. However, its portrayal of self-doubt is quite powerful as far as pop songs tend to go.

6. “GOD DID” by DJ Khaled feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy

5. “Just Like That” by Bonnie Raitt

This song is an outlier on this list. It is a country song, and Raitt, now 73,  has seen most of her success years ago. This song is intensely sad and has a beautiful tone. It speaks to a different, older audience than the other nominees. The guitar and solo singer is a great way to portray this message. Though it is simple, it does “simple” well, and carries heavy emotions.

4. “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film)” by Taylor Swift

3. “The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar

Though rap is another genre that does not typically appeal to me, this song made me genuinely sad and provided a lot of perspective for me as a middle-class white woman. Lamar paints a vivid picture, and it is a message that needs to be heard, especially by people who have not faced the same circumstances that he has.

2. “About Damn Time” by Lizzo

Lizzo is everything that a modern pop-star should be: incredibly intelligent, full of a phenomenal stage presence, and genuinely musically gifted. “About Damn Time,” though a simple song, still has variety between its verses, an incredibly fun bassline, and a riff throughout the choruses, is a blast to dance to and is uplifting. Lizzo’s ability on the flute speaks volumes about her musical knowledge, and this song is a perfect summary of what we love about her.

1. “Easy On Me” by Adele

I think that the modern ear has grown tired of Adele, which I somewhat understand since she has been successful for years. However, her success is not unmerited. Though most of her new album did not live up to expectations, this song absolutely did. A beautifully emotional portrayal of a complex subject, Adele’s song goes deeper than most nominees on this list. Her vocals and the accompanying piano, along with a driving melody, make for a wonderful song. I do not expect Adele to go home with the award, but I would be encouraged about the future of the music industry were it to happen.

Image from Adele via YouTube