12 Songs Focused on a Million | Playlist 🎧

1. Camilo, “Millones”

💿 Mis Manos • 🏷 Sony Latin • 📅 2021

In 2021, Colombian singer/songwriter 🎙 Camilo (Camilo Echeverry) dropped a tight, entertaining, and well-crafted sophomore album with 💿 Mis Manos.  Mis Manos arrived a mere 11 months after his 🏆 Grammy-nominated debut album, 💿 Por Primera Vez.  Among the standouts from Mis Manos is the chill, feel-good opener, 🎵 “Millones” (“Millions”).   

Camilo sings with incredible ease, flaunting a gorgeous, youthful tone.  Adding to the gorgeousness is the overall tuneful nature of the record.  It latches from the first time you hear it. He provides nice contrast on the second verse, incorporating a quicker, more rhythmic melody.  The centerpiece, however, is the chorus, where he considers himself lucky that she wants to be with him as he considers himself imperfect and unworthy of her love and affection.

2. Aaliyah, “One in a Million

💿 One in a Million • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1996

“Love it babe, love it babe, love it babe.” We indeed love the glorious intro of the 1996 contemporary R&B classic, 🎵 “One in a Million,” sung by 🎙 Missy Elliott who wrote the song. Of course, the lead artist is none other than the late, great 🎙 Aaliyah, who blesses us with her angelic voice beginning on the first verse: “See, no one else love me like you do / That’s why I don’t mind to spend my life with you”.

Further sweetening the deal is the innovative, sleek production work by 🎛 Timbaland (the other songwriter) who was definitely at the top of his game during the late 90s into the aughts. His work with Aaliyah and Missy, of course, was utterly sublime.  So, focusing on the song, what’s the significance of million in Aaliyah’s eyes? Love, of course, best exemplified on the memorable chorus where she sings:

“Your love is a one in a million
It goes on and on and on
You give me a really good feelin’, all day long.”

3. Lil Wayne, “A Milli”

💿 Tha Carter III • 🏷 Cash Money • 🗓 2008

“A millionaire I’m a Young Money millionaire / Tough than Nigerian hair / My criteria compared to your career just isn’t fair.” Woo! 🏆 5x Grammy-winning rapper 🎙 Lil Wayne had a huge year in 2008 – understatement. 💿 Tha Carter III would become the rare album that sold north of a million copies in a week.  This, of course, was long before Billboard would factor in streaming as a means of music consumption.  Tha Carter III was chocked-full of hits including the number one single 🎵 “Lollipop” and the hard-nosed skeletal banger at hand, 🎵 “A Milli”.

Lil Wayne is simply electric on “A Milli,” one of the big reasons why it was a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  His flow is impeccable and he’s very much true to self – idiosyncratic, outlandish, profane, and tough.

“Motherfucker, I’m ill, not sick
And I’m okay, but my watch sick, yeah, my drop sick
Yeah, my Glock sick, and my knot thick – I’m it.”

Besides his rhymes, the backdrop that supports him is on-point like WHOA!  Safe to say, 🎛 Bangladesh stitches up a kick ass canvas for Weezy to paint upon, intact with several samples including songs by 🎙 A Tribe Called Quest, 🎙 Gladys Knight & the Pips, and 🎙 Jeezy. Was there really any doubt that “A Milli” would win the Grammy for Best Solo Rap Performance?

4. Lady Gaga, “Million Reasons”

💿 Joanne • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 2016

Lady Gaga became a much more personal artist post-ARTPOP (2013). Her early hits weren’t devoid of substance, but even the depth of the all-encompassing message of “Born This Way” felt less heavy given its danceable groove. “Million Reasons”, a standout from her 2016 album, Joanne, finds Lady Gaga dig-in-deep lyrically, with the help of 🎼✍ Hillary Lindsey.

Lindsey, renowned for writing for numerous country musicians, adds a dash of country to “Million Reasons.” This is a pop-rock, singer-songwriter-oriented song – a stark contrast to more danceable records by the pop artist, including her 2020 album, 💿 Chromatica.  The high-flying record feels authentic and incredibly personal from the jump.  The crowning achievement of “Million Reasons” is undoubtedly the chorus:

“I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord, show me the way
To cut through all his worn-out leather
I’ve got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby, I just need one good one to stay.” 

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5. Nipsey Hussle, “Million While You Young”

💿 Victory Lap • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2018

March 31, 2019 was a very sad day for both the hip-hop and Los Angeles community. 33-year old 🏆 Grammy-winning rapper 🎙 Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of his own store. In addition to his rapping skill, Nipsey was praised for his entrepreneurial skills and his work for the Los Angeles community. His life was celebrated at a memorial service on April 11, 2019, where he was “sent off like a king,” according to The New York Times.  Focusing on his music, 🎵 “Million While You Young” is perfect fit for this million-driven list.

It wouldn’t be until his Nipsey’s death that his debut album, 💿 Victory Lap, would earn more buzz, reaching a new peak position (no. 2). The West Coast rapper secured a gem with “Million While You Young.” There are a number of reasons why it shines.  (1) A confident rapper with a sick flow, spitting about his come up, and (2) soulful, lush, easy-going production work (🎛 Amaire Johnson).  Getting an assist from 🎙 The-Dream doesn’t hurt the song’s cause either. Flex on bro, flex on. “Million While You Young” originally appeared on the playlist.

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6. Chris Stapleton, “Millionaire”

💿 From a Room: Volume 2 • 🏷 Mercury • 📅 2017 

🏆 Grammy-winning country standout 🎙 Chris Stapleton returned with a bang in 2017 with two albums: 💿 From a Room: Volume 1 and 💿 From a Room: Volume 2.  Both albums were excellent, tight efforts, each comprised of nine songs.  Among those nine awesome songs on From a Room: Volume 2 is a 🎙 Kevin Welch cover, 🎵 “Millionaire.”

“‘Cause love is more precious than gold
It can’t be bought no, never could be sold
I got love, enough to share
That makes me a millionaire.”

Despite the fact that “Millionaire” is a cover, Stapleton does a superb job of making it feel like his own.  The sound of the record is traditional and throwback.  This old-school approach continues to make him incredibly appealing and refreshing.  Expectedly, he delivers a top-notch vocal performance that thrives off nuance, spirit, and authenticity.  Something else that stands out about this particular song is the vocal harmonization (he duets with his wife, 🎙 Morgane Stapleton).

7. Adele, “Million Years Ago”

💿 25 • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2015

When it comes to the 2015 album, 💿 25, we all know that the song 🎵 “Hello” was the ace in the hole for 🏆 Grammy-winning pop standout, 🎙 Adele.  How could it not be – it’s one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ songs.  That said, 25 had plenty of great songs in addition to “Hello.” Among the other gems from 25 is the million-driven 🎵 “Million Years Ago.”

No, “Hello” and “Million Years Ago” aren’t on the same level – they’re not equal! That said, the 🎼✍ 🎛 Greg Kurstin co-written/produced record is very much true to Adele’s craft and overall artistry.  The record benefits from its authenticity, period.  Here, Adele is honest about missing those good old days:

“I feel like my life is flashing by
And all I can do is watch and cry...
I miss it when
Life was a party to be thrown but that was a million years ago.”

No, it wasn’t literally “a million years ago” as Adele asserts (she’s exaggerating), but it certainly feels that way.  We all can relate!

8. P!nk, “A Million Dreams”

💿 The Greatest Showman: Reimagined • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2018

In 2017, 🎦 The Greatest Showman was definitely a big deal.  The popular film with an equally popular soundtrack was a prime example of ‘the gift that keeps on giving.’ How so? Well, a pop artist compilation of its songs, 💿 The Greatest Showman: Reimagined, arrived in Fall 2018 with enjoyable, crowd-pleasing results.  Among artists lending their voices to the album was 🎙 P!nk singing 🎵 “A Million Dreams.”

After Panic! At the Disco sets the tone of the album, P!nk follows, slackening the pace and bringing down the energy (in a positive way) on the ballad. She blesses the record with her radiant pipes, giving a complete, nuanced vocal performance of this highlight from the musical.  As always, she brings the firepower 💪. A bonus is that her daughter, 🎙 Willow Sage Hart, follows with a brief reprise.

9. Future & Lil Uzi Vert, “Million Dollar Play”

💿 Pluto x Baby Pluto • 🏷 Atlantic / Epic • 📅 2020

“I just told Mean, ‘Yeah, we gon’ be straight / He saw me make a million off one damn play.” Woo! 🎙 Lil Uzi Vert takes first blood on 🎵 “Million Dollar Play,” a song that graces his joint 2020 album with 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Future, 💿 Pluto x Baby Pluto. While there are references to money throughout “Million Dollar Play,” the million itself only comes up explicitly a few times.  The more memorable line by far appears on the chorus where Uzi Vert repetitively asserts, “Shoot it up, shoot it up, shoot it up,” before diving into the violent, gun talk.

🎛 Zaytoven and 🎛 Buddah Bless (“Buddah Bless this beat”) give Future and Lil Uzi Vert a backdrop that’s both luxurious (that flute sound) and hard-hitting.  Adding to the hard-hitting nature of the music are a number of sound effects, which are very percussive in their own right.  Since devoting some time to Uzi Vert, it’s only fair Future gets some attention on this sub-two-minute joint. Basically, its drip, drugs, and sex for the rapper, who is “Shootin’ my shot just like I’m Dr. J, billion-dollar play.” Okay…

10. Lil Pump, “Multi Millionaire”

Ft. Lil Uzi Vert

💿 Harverd Dropout • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2019

In 2019, then 18-year old rapper 🎙 Lil Pump was assisted by 🎙 Lil Uzi Vert on the hard-flexing, 🎵 “Multi Millionaire”. “Multi Millionaire” serves as a highlight from his so-so sophomore album, 💿 Harverd Dropout.  The production shines with its wacky synths, and an aggressive, anchoring beat. After dropping a simple hook, on the first verse, Pump raps about sex, drugs (cocaine, Mollies, Actavis), and money.

On the second verse, Lil Pump hands over the keys to Lil Uzi Vert, who doesn’t exactly ‘broaden the horizons.’ “I fucked you lil bitch, took her right out in London” serves as a prime example of the subject matter gracing the record.  Shallow AF, “Multi Millionaire” actually marks one of the better moments from Harverd Dropout (not sure that’s saying much).

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11. Whitney Houston, “Million Dollar Bill”

💿 I Look to You • 🏷 Arista • 📅 2009

“If he make you feel like a million dollar bill / Say, ‘oh, oh, oh’, say, ‘oh, oh, oh’.” Honestly, I totally agree! 🎵 “Million Dollar Bill” serves as the spirited opener from 💿 I Look to You, sadly, the final studio album by 🏆 Grammy-winning icon, 🎙 Whitney Houston. I Look to You wasn’t a masterpiece, and Houston wasn’t in peak vocal form, but, it had its fair share of moments, with “Million Dollar Bill” being one of them.

Whitney Houston definitely gets a lift by a pretty sweet team: 🎼✍ 🎛 Alicia Keys, 🎼✍ 🎛 Swizz Beatz, and 🎼✍ Norman A. Harris.  The writing is enjoyable and well-rounded, while the production has both vintage and modern cues – well – at the time in 2009 that is! While Houston isn’t quite as elite as she was in her heyday vocally, she still gives a fine performance with some sweet nuances and runs.  The biggest selling point, of course, is that awesome, energetic chorus, excerpted above.

12. Larry Graham, “One in a Million You”

💿 One in a Million You • 🏷 Warner • 📅 1980

We conclude this million-driven list with a little old school music courtesy of 🎙 Larry Graham. Graham, of course, is known for playing bass in 🎙 Sly & The Family Stone as well as fronting 🎙 Graham Central Station. Graham’s big, beloved hit is a perfect fit for this milli compilation: 🎵 “One in a Million You.” This R&B gem experienced pop success on the Billboard Hot 100.

Million has nothing to do with money in Graham’s hands.  No, on “One in a Million You,” the quantity is all about that one, extra special person.  Written by 🎼✍ Sam Dees, the lyrics are utterly sublime, beginning with epic opening lines, “Love had played its games on me so long / I started to believe I’d never find anyone.” So relatable Larry, so relatable.  Of course, as great as the pen is on the verses, it’s the chorus where Larry’s bread is truly buttered.  The expressiveness with which he sings just amplifies the level of authenticity, particularly as “One in a Million You” progresses.

“A one in a million chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me a stroke of love called ‘You’
A one in a million you.”