What makes a song perfect? The answer to that is generally subjective. Can there even be a song, or piece of music, that is really perfect? What’s the definition of perfect to each and every person?
While those are all hypothetical questions that could be debated about for hours, I am here to simply write my own thoughts and opinions. And today, that opinion will be about what moments of music that are “perfect” to me. Now obviously, this article is not going to have ALL of my choices. However, I will try my best to put songs on here that mean the most to me. Let’s get into it.
Drake – A Keeper (2:12 – 2:40)
My 2022 song of the year truly needs no other explanation. Listening to this song on a beach in Greece while watching the sunset will forever be one of my peak moments of life. “Honestly, Nevermind” might be in my top two Drake albums.
*and it might not even be number two*
Kiana Ledé – Plenty More. (1:31 – 2:00)
Sometimes when you listen to a new artist, you’ll know if they are going to stay on your playlist or not within minutes of listening. Kiana Ledé had her spot in my playlist for eternity the second I heard this song. What an incredible voice and a talented artist. I will be for sure looking out for her next project.
Drake & 21 Savage – Hours in Silence (0:03 – 2:06)
I have a feeling this Drake guy will be making more and more appearances on this list as it goes on. You guys all know that intro to the song is something truly astonishing. Drake has just been on an insane run ever since he dropped Certified Lover Boy.
Chris Brown ft. Kendrick Lamar – Autumn Leaves (0:00 – 0:17)
Now let me just address this first. Just because I put the first 17 seconds of the song, it doesn’t mean that I don’t think it’s a beautiful song. I just want to make it clear how I feel about “Autumn Leaves”. Those first 17 seconds, the first time I heard it, just made me feeling like I was floating on a cloud of peace. It’s truly something I would want played at my wedding. Just that first 17 seconds on loop because right after the 17 second mark this girls moans very loudly and that would probably be a little uncomfortable to hear around family.
Giveon – FAVORITE MISTAKE (1:29 – 2:37)
If y’all have been reading my articles for some time now, you’d know how much this album means to me. Giveon was one of the major artists that kept me sane during quarantine. This also goes back to what I was saying about Kiana Ledé, when you hear a new artist you’ll know almost instantly if you’ll like their music or not. I listened to “TAKE TIME” the day it dropped at the family dining room table at my house in Brambleton, Virginia. I haven’t stopped listening since.
Bryson Tiller – Keep Doing What You’re Doing (0:33 – 1:17)
I’ve always said that your favorite pieces of art, not just music, will be held together by memories and experiences you have related to them. What I can tell you about not just this song, but album, is that the Fall of 2020 was nothing else was coming out of my AirPods.
August of 2020 was my first month being away from home ever in my life. I had just moved into my apartment on West Broad Street in Richmond with my best friend Walter Reyes. We were right next to one of the campuses biggest attractions, Monroe Park. So whenever nightfall would hit I would go put on my mask, my hoodie, and my AirPods and I’d walk through the park playing the album on repeat. Every time I listen to this song my mind immediately goes to walking by Altria Theater and feeling the cool Fall breeze.
It’s crazy what music can make you feel. That’s why I think I love it so much.
Drake – Jaded (0:40 – 1:58)
My favorite Drake song of all time. The Ty Dolla $ign background vocals. The pure emotion and anger felt throughout the song. Not much else needed to be said.
Kanye West ft. Chris Brown & Kid Cudi – Waves (1:01 – 2:20)
Remember when this was first premiered at the Yeezy Season 3 show at Madison Square Garden. And then this man Kanye only released the album through TIDAL for weeks. No matter what, you always know that a Kanye West album will have magical production and this song is a perfect example of that. The Chris Brown vocals echoing over the beat and then transitioning into Kid Cudi’s humming ad-libs. It’s just perfection.
SZA ft. Travis Scott – Open Arms (2:44 – 3:23)
That outro is just majestic man. SZA is an incredible artist and this song was a big highlight of a true masterpiece of an album.
“YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE THAT’s HOLDING ME… DOWNNNNN”
Travis Scott ft. Don Toliver – CAN’T SAY (1:16 – 2:22)
Y’all know exactly what part of the song this is. And you know exactly why I put it. The world’s introduction to the one and only… Don Toliver. Thank God for Travis Scott.
Tems – Higher (0:55 – 1:21)
“WAIT FOR U” skyrocketed to the top of the charts and a big part of that was Tems beautiful signing that was sampled. Her live performance of this song on Genius’ YouTube channel is almost even better. Another example of real talent still thriving in the music industry.
Ne-Yo – So Sick (2:00 – 3:02)
DON’T MAKE ME THINK ABOUT HER SMILE
OR HAVING MY FIRST CHILD
I’M LETTING GOOOOOO
TURNING OFF THE RADIOOOOO
*but those background vocals at 2:52 are arguably the best part of any Ne-Yo song ever released*
Lucky Daye’s transition between “Misunderstood” and “Floods“
If you know, you know. There’s truly not much else to say. You have to experience it while heartbroken to truly get all of its power.
6LACK – Disconnect (2:35 – 3:45)
A song about getting that gut feeling that your relationship is coming to an end. A song that makes you sit back and take in all of your feelings going through your mind. A song that makes you disconnect from reality.
“Why you wanna kick me out of my natural element?”
Bryson Tiller – In Check (1:22 – 2:42)
For those that don’t remember, “True to Self” was actually a surprise release. Tiller had originally announced the release date to be June 23rd, 2017, my birthday, but instead just dropped it in May.
I remember listening to this song for the first time just in awe. Can’t believe it was almost seven years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun man.
Drake – Cameras / Good Ones Go Interlude (4:34 – 7:10)
“I’M SPENDING TIME JUST TAKING CARE OF ME RIGHT NOWWWW”
The Weeknd & Gesaffelstein – I Was Never There (2:15 – 3:50)
No exaggeration, this might be one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard in my life.
And to make it even better, Meek Mill went and sampled this to make “Cold Hearted II” which is one of my favorite Meek songs of all time.
“My Dear Melancholy,” is The Weeknd’s best album. I’ll always stand on that. In my humble opinion, it is his best vocal performance and best choice of production by far.
Chris Brown – Emerald / Burgundy ft. Juvenile & Juicy J (4:08 – 6:23)
Remember what I said about music and the memories attached to it? Picture this… it’s winter 2019 and I’m in Italy with my brother and my dad. We had just picked up a rental car to go from Rome to Bologna to see the Lamborghini factory. It was about a four hour drive so I wanted to sit in the backseat and lay down. I remember it like it was yesterday, my head against the window trying to sleep with this exact part of the song playing. This song is one of the reasons why “Indigo” is in my top 10 favorite albums of all time.
Drake – Drew A Picasso (2:31 – 4:03)
One of my favorite Drake songs ever and it just came out last month. Those background vocals that stay throughout the whole second verse is just another cherry on top for this astonishing piece of art.
Meek Mill – Blue Notes (0:40 – 3:07)
Arguably my favorite Meek Mill song of all time and probably the best beat he’s ever rapped on. Fun fact, they shot the music video for this on my 18th birthday. June 23rd, 2017.
“You did me a favor, I knew you was shiesty. I knew you would show who you was.”
That concludes the first part of the “perfect music” moments series. Halfway through this article I knew I wanted to make this a series. There’s just too many moments in music that need to be highlighted. If I put them all in one article I’d probably be writing until 2024. This is YSN, until next time, signing out.
