13 Magnificent Better Songs | Playlist 🎧

1. Dermot Kennedy, “Better Days”

🎵 “Better Days” • 🏷 Island • 📅 2021

Words can’t change unfortunate situations, but they can help to assuage pain and deliver positive vibes.  That’s exactly what Irish pop singer/songwriter 🎙 Dermot Kennedy does on 🎵 “Better Days”. According to Kennedy, “Better Days” is a “song about overcoming your fears and believing in better days.”

“Better Days” clocks in under three-and-a-half minutes.  Initially, the record is accompanied by a minimal, rhythmic piano line.  Kennedy begins singing, compelling, and wooing with his charming, Irish accent.  His voice is beautiful, expressive, and incredibly nuanced.  As the record progresses, it expands dynamically and instrumentally. Dermot navigates the ebb and flow superbly, showing poise and ‘rising to the occasion’ in the appropriate moments.  In addition to the eventual, gorgeous, full-fledged production and the awesome vocals of the musician, another selling point is the songwriting, particularly the gargantuan, moving chorus:

“I know you've been hurtin’
Waitin’ on a train that just won't come
The rain, it ain’t permanent
And soon we'll be dancin’ in the sun.” 

Kennedy can’t heal or atone for pain himself, but his words – his thoughtful song – speaks volumes.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Better: 5ive Songs No. 63 (2021)

2. Rihanna, “Bitch Better Have My Money”

🎵 “Bitch Better Have My Money” • 🏷 Westbury Road Entertainment / Roc Nation • 📅 2015

“Bitch better have my money / Y’all should know me well enough / Bitch better have my money / Please don’t call me on my bluff.” In other words, if you think that 🎙 Rihanna is playing with y’all, she ain’t. The 🏆 Grammy winner practically screams her brash, unapologetic, 2015 single, 🎵 “Bitch Better Have My Money.”

“Turn up to Rihanna while the whole club fuckin’ wasted
Every time I drop by, I am the only thing y’all playin’.”

Now that’s confidence! “Suck my cockiness”! For whatever reason, this colorful, bitchin’ joint never made an album, sigh.  Perhaps she didn’t feel like it was a fit for 💿 Anti, released in 2016.  Again, it can’t be over emphasized enough that Rihanna isn’t fucking around – she’s in full-fledged, unapologetic mode. More colorful and controversial than the single itself is the NSFW music video! The “BBHMM” video includes nudity, drugs, blood, and fittingly, plenty of money.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 13 Totally B!+chin’ Songs

3. Lil Uzi Vert, “You Better Move”

💿 Eternal Atake • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2020

“I’m an iPod, man, you more like a Zune / Made her eat on my dick with a spoon, eww.” Um, say what 🎙 Lil Uzi Vert? The Grammy-nominated rapper doesn’t stop there, bring the undies into the mix! “Versace drawers, bitch you Fruit of the Loom / Yeah, yeah, Fruit of the Loom.” iPod vs. Zune? Versace vs. Fruit of the Loom? Sure… though to be fair, isn’t the iPod a thing of the past too? And as for the boxers, not everybody can afford Versace Uzi! ‘Course, that’s his point, I guess…

Anyways, as you can gather, the rapper is energetic AF on 🎵 “You Better Move.” “You Better Move” appears on 💿 Eternal Atake, as well as the 💿 deluxe version.  Notably, “You Better Move” uniquely samples 3D Pinball Space Cadet Sound Effects. Lil Uzi Vert delivers a compelling flow, interesting backdrop, and a repetitive, but incredibly catchy chorus.

“Ooh, you better move
Ooh, you better move
...You better move, you better move
...I saw your girl, I had to scoop
Just like a bird, she gonna swoop
Neck is achoo, might catch the flu
Banana clip straight from the zoo.”

4. Alicia Keys, “Love Looks Better”

💿 ALICIA • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2020 

“So, can we talk for a minute? / Stop for a minute? / All I wanna do is you.” 🎵 “Love Looks Better” arrived as the seventh single from 💿 ALICIA, the seventh studio album by 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B artist, 🎙 Alicia Keys. Focusing on the ‘look’ at hand, “Love Looks Better” finds Keys writing and producing with some of the biggest names in pop music: 🎛 Noel Zancanella and 🎛 Ryan Tedder. The collaboration pays off as “Love Looks Better” contrasts everything she’s released up to this point.

Musically, things are energetic from the jump, with accompaniment including piano bass notes and big drums. This isn’t a R&B exclusive background, but rather one blending the best of R&B and pop. Eventually, more of the piano range enters (right hand), as well as some synths with things only growing in scope. As far as her performance, she’s compelling and quite commanding. Furthermore, she has a nice melody to work with. Throw in catchy sections and a relatable theme, and all it’s all good.

“Oh, can we touch for a second?
Be us for a second?
Don't matter what I give it to
My love looks better on you.” 

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 13 LOOK Songs Totally Worth Listening To
🔗 🎧 Better: 5ive Songs No. 63 (2021)

5. Ant Clemons, “Better Days”

Ft. Justin Timberlake

🎵 “Better Days” • 🏷 A. Blessing / Legion / Human Re Sources • 📅 2020

Ascending, 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B artist 🎙 Ant Clemons collaborated with one of pop’s biggest stars, 🎙 Justin Timberlake, on single, 🎵 “Better Days” in 2020. From the jump, “Better Days” feels like a blend of classic and more modern R&B – alternative R&B to some extent.  Produced by Clemons and Timberlake alongside 🎛️ 1500 or Nothin’ and 🎛️ Bongo, the record sounds incredibly lush and smooth.  Adding to the vibe and overall soulfulness is the lilting compound duple meter.  The biggest triumph are the vocals.

Clemons serves up beautiful, dynamic, soulful vocals from the onset, beginning with the pre-chorus, and following up with centerpiece, the chorus:

“‘Cause we’re on our way to better
Better’s ahead, better’s ahead
It gets worse ‘fore it gets better
But better’s ahead, better’s ahead
Better days are comin’.” 

Aiding Ant Clemons on select lines are 🎙 Justine Skye and 🎙 Lucky Daye.  Similarly, on the first verse, where Timberlake first appears, Skye and Daye appear selectively.  Post-verse, Timberlake takes over the reins on pre-chorus and chorus. Clemons returns on the second, collaborating with all vocalists in some degree on the outro, a variation on the chorus.  The title makes it clear what this record is about, while the verses set things up. If you need encouragement – emotionally or musically – look no further than the vibe that is “Better Days.”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: December 2020

6. Missy Elliott, “I’m Better”

Ft. Lamb

🎵 “I’m Better” • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2017

Back in 2017, so many of us hoped that it would be the year that legendary, 🏆 Grammy-winning rapper/singer 🎙 Missy Elliott would release a new studio album. It didn’t happen, of course, but Elliott did release a new single, 🎵 “I’m Better”, featuring 🎙 Lamb.  Also, worth noting, in 2019, Elliott would quietly release an EP, 💿 Iconology, though “I’m Better” failed to appear on it.

“I’m Better” is crazy – in a good way for the most part.  Opening with sketchy, minimalist synths, it’s clear that Elliott is in sync with the times.  The record oozes with swagger and gimmickry, perfectly suited to Elliott. It fails to match with the classics, mind you, but there’s plenty of appeal. Elliott nails a pop-cultural reference to 📺 Scandal, for example, asserting, “He watching my body like he watching Scandal / but I’m just here with my girls.” “I’m Better” reminds us of sexed-up Missy left behind in 2005 with 💿 The Cookbook, and prior.  Throughout three verses and respective bridges, she captures her hotness.  She doesn’t come off as vain, but confident.  She asserts on verse three:

“Brand new flow when I rap
DJ, bring that back
You ain’t ever heard a track like that
Shit might slap, booty go clap.”

Woo! 🎵 “Work It” girl! 

7. ZAYN, “Better”

💿 Nobody is Listening • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2021

On 🎵 “Better”, a highlight from 💿 Nobody is Listening, 🎙 ZAYN sings beautifully, satisfying the ears with his vocal abilities.  Also satisfying is how he encourages fighting to save love.  “Better” is well-produced by 🎛 Philip von Boch Scully.  There’s a lovely intro with jazzy, soulful guitar.  Furthermore, “Better” serves up a fine harmonic progression, which helps to give record character.  This soulful pop vibe is also a great look for the artist, who has the chops to excel in that lane.

Thematically, “Better” is centered on love and reconciliation; ZAYN handles this marvelously.  As previously stated, his vocals are lovely.  He’s more restrained initially before ascending into his more powerful, ‘money’ register.  The chorus is a surefire selling point:

“Why? Why wait to fight?
Give it a try
Or I'll say goodbye while it's right
Can we save tears in your eyes?
I'm watching you cry
Why wait to hate, can we save love?”

8. Ariana Grande, “Better Off”

💿 Sweetener • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2018

🎙 Ariana Grande experienced a magnificent run in the 2010s.  Surprisingly, she only earned one 🏆 Grammy of her own.  Of course, the sole Grammy earned, prior to earning her second award with 🎙 Lady Gaga, was for her fourth studio album, 💿 Sweetener (Best Pop Vocal Album).  Her ballad, 🎵 “Better Off”, may not rank among the top tier of Sweetener, but it’s another fine piece of the puzzle that makes the pop album elite.

“I’m better off without him
I’m better off being a wild one
On the road a lot, had to keep it a thousand
So, that I’m better off not being around ya.” 

“Better Off” would be at home on any modern R&B album.  The theme (love), the excerpted lyrics, as well as Grande’s R&B-infused vocal style are evidence of such.  Further lyrical evidence includes sexed-up lyrics: “Let’s put them topics to bed and go fuck on the roof, just to say that we did it.” Of course, “Better Off” comes down to more than a sexual experience on the roof.  It’s the entire vibe for one, but also, it depicts defunct relationship where Grande cares for her ex but knows it’s for the best they’re not together.  Worth noting, many believe the references her past relationship with the late 🎙 Mac Miller.

9. Swedish House Mafia, “It Gets Better”

🎵 “It Gets Better” • 🏷 SSA Recording / Republic • 🗓 2021

“It gets better, baby (Better baby) / I want you, baby (I want you baby), yeah.” Woo-hoo 🎙 Swedish House Mafia – 🎙 Axwell, 🎙 Steve Angello, and 🎙 Sebastian Ingrosso – are back!  🎵 “It Gets Better” is an electric, electronic vibe, period.  Swedish House Mafia produces alongside 🎛 Carl Nordström, yielding colorful, ear catching results.  This includes a stomping beat, moody, minor-key synths, and some key samples.  The Mafia incorporates elements of 🎵 “Lightning’s Girl” (🎙 Nancy Sinatra) and vocally/lyrically, 🎵 “One More Time (A cappella)” courtesy of 🎙 Divas of Color featuring 🎙 Evelyn “Champagne” King.

The way that SHM has synthesized various ideas is utterly brilliant – the biggest takeaway from “It Gets Better.” The lyrics are minimal which is common in dance, electronic, and house music.  Sure, those vocals samples aren’t giving award-winning songwriting, but they help make “It Gets Better” the gem that it is. This is a fab electronic cut that should fly onto any electronic enthusiast’s listening rotation.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: July 2021
🔗 🎧 Better: 5ive Songs No. 63 (2021)

10. Doja Cat, “Better Than Me”

💿 Hot Pink • 🏷 Kemosabe / RCA • 📅 2019

“Better than me / All of them bitches ain’t better than me.” Woo! 🎙 Doja Cat (Amala Zandile Dlamini) is confident and unapologetic AF – understatement. On her second studio album, 💿 Hot Pink, Dlamini began to gain more steam as an artist.  Sure, 🎵 “Better Than Me” wasn’t the record the fueled her breakthrough – That would be the likes of 🎵 “Bottom Bitch” and the 🏆 Grammy-nominated 🎵 “Say So” – but it’s worth listening to and talking about!

“Careful who you fuckin’ with, ‘cause you just lost one.” Day-um Doja! As she’s being unapologetic AF, Doja has a smooth, soulful backdrop accompany.  She can thank 🎛 TROY NöKA, 🎛 Yeti Beats, and 🎛 Johng Beats for that.  On the penultimate record, she ‘rides the beat well’ but doesn’t grow soft on us, even when she sings as opposed to raps!

“What they say about it? Oh, they say either you snoozin’
Honey, you just lose him, why the fuck he snoozin’?
Messin’ with my man, shawty, you crusin’ for a brusin’
Don’t gotta be slimy, honey, swagger’s what I’m ooozin’.” 

11. OneRepublic, “Better Days”

💿 Human • 🏷 Mosley Music / Interscope • 📅 2021

“Oh, I know that there’ll be better days / Oh, that sunshine ‘bout to come my way.”  That is an encouraging message, 🎙 OneRepublic! In a USA Today interview, of 🎵 “Better Days,” 🎙 Ryan Tedder states, “[“Better Days” is] a non-cheesy anthem about what it feels like now to be in this time and space we’re in. But the only way I could release it in good conscience was by donating profits to the Red Cross…”  Focusing on the song itself, “Better Days” is fitting for times such as these.  It starts off with the lovely, uplifting chorus, excerpted above and continued below:

“May we never ever shed another tear for today
‘Cause oh, I know that there’ll be better days.”

The verses were directly influenced by the state of the world at the time – the effects that COVID-19 on everyday life.  “Every day is like another storm /…I’m just trying not to go insane,” Tedder sings on the first verse.  On the second, he adds, “I been waking up with a new fear / But I know it’ll wash away,” showing at least a sense of hope that those ‘better days’ are indeed coming soon.  Falling short of two-and-a-half-minutes, “Better Days” is potent, nonetheless.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 10 Songs That Capture & Embody the Pandemic
🔗 🎧 Quarantine Sucks, But At Least We Have Bops
🔗 🎧 Better: 5ive Songs No. 63 (2021)

12.Don Diablo, “Kill Me Better”

with Imanbek, Ft. Trevor Daniel

🎵 “Kill Me Better” • 🏷 HEXAGON • 🗓 2020

“I fell in love with the warzone / This is not my home / This is just a place where I’ve been…” Ah, there is nothing like a rad electronic song, is there? Sure, 🎵 “Kill Me Better” possesses a somewhat morbid and contradictory title, but the song itself is rad. Dutch DJ and record producer 🎙 Don Diablo does wonders with his work behind the boards speaking volumes.  🎙 Imanbek, a young DJ from Kazakhstan, joins him.  Sweetening the deal are the vocals of ascending pop singer, 🎙 Trevor Daniel.

Numerous writers that make “Kill Me Better” go. From an instrumental standpoint, “Kill Me Better” is awesome, with its energetic, inescapable synthwave vibes on full display. There’s an 80s vibe but “Kill Me Better” sounds like a proud product of 2020.  Beyond the masterful production by Diablo, it’s the vocals of Trevor Daniel that bring the record to life.  Daniel brings an emo/punk vibe, which is super cool when mixed with the synthwave sound.  Furthermore, the lyrics add to this emo-tilt, particularly the pre-chorus:

“Gotta kill another demon left in my head
He’s been scheming on the walls and under my bed
It’s these suicidal thoughts that I’m fed
Welcome to my American wasteland.”

Don Diablo, Imabek, and Trevor Daniel make one heck of a team. Great production, great writing, and awesome singing make “Kill Me Better” a surefire winner.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: November 2020
🔗 🎧 Better: 5ive Songs No. 63 (2021)

13. jxdn, “Better Off Dead”

💿 Tell Me About Tomorrow • 🏷 DTA / Elektra • 📅 2021

“It’s been cloudy with a chance of depression / Broke my heart and I learned my lesson / It’s already over in my head.” Ah, young angst – the tortured youth – perfect fuel for a song if I do say so myself.  For 🎙 jxdn (Jaden Hossler), the pain and toxicity of love is disturbing to say the least.  At the top of 🎵 “Better Off Dead” from his 2021 album, 💿 Tell Me About Tomorrow (partially excerpted), it’s clear the situation is NOT GOOD.

“It’s been cloudy with a chance of anxiety
Can’t keep out the demons inside of me
Maybe I’m just better off dead.”

Better off dead? Well, that’s how jxdn feels on this brief but potent record, notably featuring a co-write by 🎼✍ Lauv (among others).  Also, worth noting, the production is handled by a star-studded team: 🎛 Andrew Goldstein, 🎛 blackbear, and 🎛 Travis Barker.  What I’m saying is, there’s a lot of life about this track for Hossler to be getting morbid. That said, he knows how she makes him feel, including “Use your body to sedate me / and you make me fucking crazy / You made me miserable.” So, good sex, bad, toxic emotional connections… check ✅.  I suppose I could’ve ended the list with a more optimistic ‘better’ song, couldn’t I?