13 F Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason | Playlist 🎧

1. MOD SUN, “Flames”

Ft. Avril Lavigne

🎵 “Flames” • 🏷 Big Noise Music Group • 📅 2021

🎙 MOD SUN (Derek Smith) and 🎙 Avril Lavigne isn’t the first collaboration that ever comes to mind.  Regardless, the brief collaboration – just two-and-a-half-minutes – came to fruition in 2021 via 🎵 “Flames”. Penned by Lavigne and Smith alongside 🎛 John Feldmann, Feldmann ultimately produces the track.  The results are quite positive.

“I still burn for you, my whole life I've been on fire
I still burn for you, ooh-ooh...”

“Flames” commences with sweet vocals by Avril Lavigne – definitely unexpected! Unsurprisingly, MOD SUN (who’s much rougher around the edges) provides a sizable contrast, coming off much more aggressive on the post-chorus:

“Up in flames, up in flames
Light a match and put it to my name
Up in flames, I still burn for you, ooh-ooh.”

On the verses, Smith reins himself in, singing more in an undertone.  That said, lyrics that include words like narcissist, arsonist, or a phrase like “I’m dyin’ for a taste,” aren’t exactly subtle. On the second verse, we get more ad-libs and collaborative singing from Lavigne, which ups the ante. Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t remain ‘calm, cool, and collected,’ eventually rising to the occasion as both her and Smith sing dynamically on the final chorus.  Backtracking a bit, the sound of this record is worth noting; it’s very much rock-infused pop, so mean guitars and pummeling drums are definitely a thing. Despite the unlikely nature of this collaboration, “Flames” ends up being totally worthwhile.

2. Jack Harlow, “Face of My City”

Ft. Lil Baby

💿 Thats What They All Say • 🏷 Generation Now / Atlantic • 📅 2020 

“I’m the face of my city / Cosigned by Diddy / Hard liquor, I’m shitty / Hotel with some biddy…” “Face of My City” appears as the second track off of 💿 Thats What They All Say, the debut studio album by Louisville, Kentucky-bred rapper, 🎙 Jack Harlow. “Face of My City” features one of the hottest rappers of 2020, 🎙 Lil Baby, who absolutely eats up the track.  Where Jack is a bit more nonchalant, Lil Baby contrasts with more bite.

As for the production of “Face of My City” – 🎛 Cubeatz and 🎛 Sonny Digital – it’s respectable.  That said, a bit more development wouldn’t of hurt for this banger – maybe some malicious brass or another instrumental line to fill things out. Nonetheless, “Face of My City” is an inoffensive banger, if ultimately not particularly profound. 

3. Lauv & Conan Gray, “Fake”

🎵 “Fake” • 🏷 Lauv / AWAL • 🗓 2020 

Pop standouts 🎙 Lauv and 🎙 Conan Gray join forces to deliver a short, sweet, and totally irresistible bop in 🎵 “Fake”. “Fake” feels right from the start.  The production is pretty sweet, led by acoustic guitar backed by a tight beat.  Additionally, there’s some warm keyboard further sweetening deal.  Vocally, both artists deliver compelling vocals.  Lauv gets things started off on the first verse, dropping a pleasant and balanced performance.  Things are elevated on the best section of the song, the chorus, where we get high energy and a fitting, intensifying f-bomb. Here, he’s joined by Gray as they totally denounce the fake-ness!

“You’re so fucking fake, ah
You don’t mean a single thing you say, ah,
If we’ve got a problem, say it to my face, ah
And you’re like all the people that you hate
You’re so fake...”

From there, Gray provides contrast on the second verse, but continues the theme of fake-ness that Lauv solidly establishes on the first verse.  Then, we get another iteration of the glorious chorus, a contrasting bridge, and one final chorus that caps off the fake-ness. Sigh, when it comes to “Fake” as a duet between Lauv and Conan Gray, there’s nothing fake about it in the least!

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4. Ariana Grande, “Fake Smile”

💿 Thank U, Next • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2019

“I can’t fake another smile / I can’t fake like I’m alright / Woo, ah (Woo, ah) / And I won’t say I’m feeling fine / After what I been through, I can’t lie / Woo, ah (Woo, ah).” 🎙 Ariana Grande continues an impressive run on this best of list with a fourth entry from her fifth studio album, 💿 Thank U, Next,. In this instance, the song that’s sure to put a smile on your face is the fifth track, 🎵 “Fake Smile.”

“Fake Smile” is quite appealing, thanks to sampling a soul classic by 🎙 Wendy Rene, 🎵 “After Laughter (Comes Tears)”. Grande may not achieve the distorted grit Rene does on the original, but her smooth pipes fit perfectly over such a soulful backdrop. Of course, the soul icons would never be as bold as Grande, particularly when she asserts, “Fuck a fake smile” on the brief, but potent chorus. She refuses to mask her emotions – she’s going to be authentic AF.

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5. Brakence, “fuckboy”

💿 Punk2 • 🏷 brakence • 🗓 2020

“Fuckboy tryna play my homie / But 2020 I’ma take time on me / Out the window where my mainline goes / This is sacrilegious how I’m gon’ fade off IG.” What better than a teenager (🎙 brakence) who is able to express pain? Angst is a potent and powerful thing! Even better is the fact that he not only reflects on loss (“Heartache comes in many forms” or “This shit ain’t the same if I can’t breathe your air”) but strives to be a better person.  That means, some tough decisions, which he opens up about on the second verse (“Shouldn’t fall in love and I shouldn’t go to college.”

Besides the honest, and ‘swagger-laden’ lyrics, “fuckboy” features unique production work.  It’s best characterized as pop, but not straightforward.  The beat adds a hip-hop sensibility, as do the pitch-shifted vocals.  A fuckboy definitely has a negative connotation, but this 🎵 “Fuckboy” (💿 Punk2) is pretty sweet!

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6. Chloe x Halle, “Forgive Me”

💿 Ungodly Hour • 🏷 Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia • 📅 2020

First some context.  “Intro” sets the tone on 💿 Ungodly Hour, the 🏆 Grammy-nominated sophomore by sister duo 🎙 Chloe x Halle. On the intro, Chloe x Halle showcase their knack for chilling vocal harmonies, simply on the lyric, “ooh.”  The most important lyrics – “Don’t ever ask for permission / Ask for forgiveness” – segue into the first-full length track (and our criteria-meeting ‘F’ song) 🎵 “Forgive Me.” “Forgive Me” extends upon the moody backdrop first established by the intro, produced by 🎛 Sounwav and 🎛 Jake One.

The vocals are incredibly expressive, potent, and quite refined.  Even with the punch packed on the pre-chorus with a couple of bombs (“You must got me fucked up”), the ladies still retain some finesse.  While the bombs raise eyebrows, the biggest bomb dropped on “Forgive Me” is the chorus, which rocks – in a R&B sort of way, of course.

7. The Weeknd, “Faith”

💿 After Hours • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2020

“I lost my faith / I’m losing my religion every day…” Losing religion has been a prominent theme in pop music for years and years.  It occurs on 🎵 “Faith,” the eighth track from 💿 After Hours, otherwise known as the totally badass album somehow snubbed by the 🏆 Grammys – ugh.  Anyways, on “Faith,” religion itself just might be the least of 🎙 The Weeknd’s issues.

Basically, The Weeknd has been consumed by his demons: love, sex, and drugs.  All three totally have the potential to mess you up. There are a number of revealing lines on this vulnerable record, including “I’ve been sober for a year, now it time’s for me / To go back to my old ways…” Not Good.  There’s also an even more dramatic lyric:

“But if I OD, I want you to OD right beside me
I want you to follow right behind me...”

Wow!

8. Kiana Ledé, “Forfeit.”

Ft. Lucky Daye

💿 Kiki • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2020

“I’m givin’ you one, two, three / To back the fuck off of me…” Aggressive 🎙 Kiana Ledé!  If On the marvelous slow jam 🎵 “Forfeit.” (💿 Kiki, 2020) she shows that she possesses the total package, with her terrific voice leading the charge. She’s assisted by another star, 🎙 Lucky Daye. “Forfeit.” is a record that naturally lends itself to personality, given the angry sentiment of the lyrics, exemplified by the chorus (excerpted above). That doesn’t even tackle the anger served up on the first verse where she asserts, “You better forfeit,” adding, “Keep fuckin’ with my vibes / And I can assure you it won’t end how you like.” On the second verse, she goes on to sing, “You must be some kinda fucked up / To be talkin’ to me crazy.”

In addition to the award-winning aggressive lyricism, aa top-notch vocal performance, and the assist from a Grammy-nominated artist, Ledé has a lush backdrop (🎛 Boston, 🎛 Mike Woods, 🎛 Patrick McManus, and 🎛 Roark Bailey) to work with, led by soulful guitars.  Furthermore, that slow tempo further amplifies the aggressiveness. Aa superb, underrated R&B gem from 2020.

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9. Machine Gun Kelly, “forget me too”

Ft. Halsey

💿 Tickets to My Downfall • 🏷 Bad Boy / Interscope • 📅 2020 

“You want me to forget you / Okay, forget me too / You tell me you hate me, baby / Yeah, I bet you do…” 🎙 Machine Gun Kelly definitely had a successful year in 2020.  The way he did so was surprising, switching from Midwest rap to punk-pop on 💿 Tickets to My Downfall.  Making the switch-up even more surprising is that the Cleveland musician was 30 when it went down.  Whatever works.  He makes F SONGS SELECTED WITH NO RHYME OR REASON thanks to 🎵 “forget me too.”

🎙 Halsey joins him on the spirited number, which follows what could be dubbed the crowning achievement of Tickets to My Downfall, 🎵 “bloody valentine”.  Halsey exhibits a different side than we’re used to, projecting her voice tremendously and filled with attitude. “My bad dreams are silk screened,” she sings on the second verse, adding, “‘Cause I taste blood when you bleed / It’s eating me alive.” Woo! Of course, Kells is turned-up too, reminiscing back on a totally unhealthy relationship.

“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t pretend to forget
You’re the reason I punched a hole in the wall back home
And then, and then, and then a couple hours later
We're in room 29 at The Chateau.”

10. Fiona Apple, “For Her”

💿 Fetch the Bolt Cutters • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2020

Sigh, I can’t sing the praises of 💿 Fetch the Bolt Cutters enough! The 🎙 Fiona Apple masterpiece topped my 🎧 40 Best Albums of 2020.  While the F-song at hand, 🎵 “For Her” isn’t the reason singularly why Fetch the Bolt Cutters tickled my fancy, it contributes to the overall excellent and elite nature of the LP.

🎵 “For Her” is the second shortest on the album, but man, oh man, is it impactful.  Here, Apple places emphasis on vocals, with multiple layers, harmonies, and incredibly intriguing music. Minimal to the nth degree, the only instrument accompanying her are drums.  Unsurprisingly, that’s all she needs.  Also, pretty cool is how she interpolates 🎵 “Good Morning”, as performed by 🎙 Judy Garland and 🎙 Mickey Rooney. Pretty rad!

11. Kanye West, “Famous”

💿 The Life of Pablo • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2016

“I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous…” 🏆 Grammy-winning rapper 🎙 Kanye West definitely raised plenty of eyebrows with 🎵 “Famous,” one of the highlights, albeit controversial, from his 2016 album, 💿 The Life of Pablo.  Beyond being infamous because of the distasteful lyric referencing sex with Taylor Swift (they have quite the history), “Famous” also featured a controversial music video with the likeness of nude celebrities sleeping in bed – Yikes!

Furthermore, it’s clear that Kanye West was in far different place ‘spiritually’ on this The Life of Pablo track compared to, say, 💿 JESUS IS KING.  Another key example:

“For all the girls that got dick from Kanye West
If you see ‘em in the streets give ‘em Kanye’s best
Why? They mad they ain’t famous
They mad they’re still nameless.”

Notably, 🎙 Rihanna assists West with superb vocals. As for West himself, his aggressiveness over a hard backdrop is appreciated, controversy aside.

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12. CeeLo Green, “Fuck You”

💿 The Lady Killer • 🏷 Elektra • 📅 2010

“See you driving by town with the girl I love and I’m like, fuck you …” Holy shit – pardon my French! Back in 2010, the 🏆 Grammy-winning, 🎙 CeeLo Green record, 🎵 “Fuck You” was one of the more shocking hits at the time – period.  Why? Well, it should be pretty obvious! Songs featuring the f-bomb so prominently weren’t exactly racing up the charts.  Sure, “Fuck You” was easy to amend as “Forget You,” but still – music hadn’t quite achieved its full liberation even at beginning of the 2010s.

Where so many of the songs on this playlist make all things ‘fuck’ look pretty bad, “Fuck You” doesn’t it – it makes in endearing.  That’s not wholesome mind you, but this record is infectious as… fill in the ellipses. “Fuck You” benefits from superb vocals by CeeLo Green, exceptional production work that is reminiscent of the 60s/70s, and honestly awesome songwriting.  Yeah, it’s dirty, but hey, who won’t must up a smile after hearing a fun line like, “Being in love with your ass isn’t cheap.”

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13. Tom Petty, “Free Fallin’”

💿 Full Moon Fever • 🏷 MCA • 📅 1989

“And I’m free, free fallin’ / Yeah, I’m free, free fallin’.” The late, great 🎙 Tom Petty was a beast.  Among his greatest performances is 🎵 “Free Fallin’,” iconic opener from his 1989 album, 💿 Full Moon Fever. “Free Fallin’ is considered by many to be one of the greatest songs of all time.  Honestly, who the hell wouldn’t argue that?

Petty definitely delivers one of his most energetic, rousing vocals ever.  The music is equally captivating – bright, sunny, and very much a musical portrait of California.  “It’s a long day, livin’ in Reseda / There’s a freeway, runnin’ through the yard,” Petty sings on the first verse, continuing, “And I’m a bad boy, ‘cause I don’t even miss here / I’m a bad boy for breakin’ her heart.” Besides Reseda, Petty also mentions Ventura Boulevard (verse two) as well as Mulholland Drive (verse three) on this Grammy-nominated, no. 7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

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