15 Stellar Good or Bad Songs | Playlist 🎧

1. Aaron Frazer, “Bad News”

💿 Introducing… • 🏷 Dead Oceans • 📅 2021

🎙 Aaron Frazer, a member of 🎙 Durand Jones & The Indications, steps out on his own his 2021 debut album, 💿 Introducing…. Throughout the retro-soul LP, Frazer definitely makes the best of a soulful backdrop and his ability to croon like an absolute boss.  Perfectly fitting this newsworthy list is the song, 🎵 “Bad News.” 

“If I left you, what would you do?
All I know is
That'd be bad news.”

Despite its title, there’s no ‘bad news’ regarding the quality of “Bad News.” Clearly, this is a record that seeks to emulate 70s soul – think Marvin Gaye.  Frazer continues to impress with his smooth, effortless, never sounding as if he dares to break a sweat.  Equally awesome as the vocals is the instrumental, which really solidifies this retro sensibility.  The songwriting is solid, keeping things relatively simple, particularly on the chorus, highlighting the titular lyrics. 

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2. SZA, “Good Days”

🎵 “Good Days” • 🏷 Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA • 📅 2020

“Good day in my mind, safe to take a step out / Get some air now, let yo edge out,” 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B artist 🎙 SZA sings on the opening lines of the first verse of 🎵“Good Days”. Unfortunately, her ‘good day’ is derailed, as she goes on to state, “Too soon, I spoke / You be heavy in my mind, can you get the heck out?”  On the Christmas Day 2020 release, SZA wrestles with moving past the past and embracing both now and the future.  “Gotta let go of the weight, can’t keep what’s holdin’ me,” she sings on the pre-chorus, continuing, “Choose to watch while the world break up in front of me.”

SZA obviously has plenty to say on “Good Days” considering the record approaches five minutes in duration.  It’s a delectable 4:40 with solid production work courtesy of 🎛 Carter Long, 🎛 Nascent, and 🎛 Loshendrix, not to mention some guest vocals and songwriting by Grammy-winner and virtuoso musician 🎙 Jacob Collier.  That personnel alone are enough to make a good day for SZA.  Of course, beyond the adversity, she keeps her head up and embraces those good days:

“All the while, I’ll await my armored fate with a smile
I still wanna try, still believe in
Good days, good days, always.”

3. Juice WRLD & Young Thug, “Bad Boy”

🎵 “Bad Boy” • 🏷 Grade A / Interscope • 📅 2021

“Raf Simons match my Prada jeans / I’ma do the dash, get the bag, ain’t no one bad as me.” Woo! 🎵 “Bad Boy” keeps things short and sweet.  Even so, the latest posthumous 🎙 Juice WRLD record continues to preserve his legacy.  Sigh, another one gone far too soon. “Bad Boy” features sleek, banging, minor-key production courtesy of 🎛 Pi’erre Bourne.  The sound complements the sensibilities of both rappers extremely well.

Early on, we get an aggressive, assertive approach by Juice WRLD. Of course, he ‘chills out’ some, but he remains commanding and of course, ‘emo.’ Young Thug, somewhat surprisingly, ends up being a nice collaborator, given his own melodic approach when it comes to rap. Where at time Thugga is an acquired taste, he definitely ‘puts in work’ here, particularly on his own colorful verse.  Where both rappers are concerned, I love the agility of the rhymes throughout – pretty sweet.  Of course, the centerpiece of “Bad Boy” is none other than the memorable, catchy chorus (Juice), as well as the post-chorus (Thugga).

“Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, I’m a bad boy
Went and got off my ass and got to the cash and got in my bag, boy
Please don't think it's sweet, I stay with the heat even though I’m a sad boy
You better watch the way you breathe around me 'fore that breath be your last, boy...” 

All in all, “Bad Boy” is us another Juice WRLD banger.  Again, sadly, he’s no longer with us.  “Bad Boy” is unlikely to change your life mind you, but it will definitely enhance your playlist.

4. Alex Aiono, “Good Morning”

💿 The Gospel at 23 • 🏷 Alex Aiono • 📅 2020

“Last night was shit / My phone was dark / The world’s a mess…” Sigh, sounds like things aren’t exactly optimal for pop musician 🎙 Alex Aiono.  But, guess what? Plot Twist! Despite the problems plaguing him (or his character) on 🎵 “Good Morning” – “Phone call from mom / Dad lost his job / Text from my ex / She’s moving on” – he’s not having a pity party. Instead, he thinks positively and looks at each new morning as a brand-new, fresh opportunity.

After laying out the tribulations on the highlight from 💿 The Gospel at 23, he delivers exuberant, hopeful, soulful, gospel-infused vocals. The chorus is where his bread is buttered, supported by gorgeous, grand choral background vocals:

“So, get up
Make some coffee, make some love
Take a shower, do whatever
Just get up...
Today is all we got
Tomorrow might not come
So, get up
Get up
Good morning.”

“Good Morning” is a grand way to commence The Gospel at 23 – tone setter indeed!

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5. Billie Eilish, “bad guy”

💿 When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? • 🏷 Darkroom / Interscope • 📅 2019 

“So, you’re a tough guy / Like it really rough guy / Just can’t get enough guy / Chest always so puffed guy…” The minimalist 🎵 “Bad Guy” serves as the first full-length record on 💿 When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, the compelling debut album by alternative pop artist, 🎙 Billie Eilish.  On the 🏆 Grammy-winning “Bad Guy” (Record of the Year and Song of the Year), Eilish sings in an undertone.  She’s calm, cool, and collected, flaunting off her distinct approach and sound.

Adding to the intrigue of the listening experience are a unique palette of vocal effects, as well as an air of mysteriousness. “Bad Guy” thrives because of its infectious groove, catchy chorus (partially excerpted above, and continued below), and a fun, if dark, playful style.  It easily nabbed the top spot on the 🎧 51 Best Songs of 2019.

“I’m that bad type
Make your mama sad type
Make your girlfriend mad tight
Might seduce your dad type
I’m the bad guy...” 

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6. Dua Lipa, “Good in Bed”

💿 Future Nostalgia • 🏷 Warner • 🗓 2020

“I dedicate this verse to (Verse to) / All that good pipe in the moonlight.” Woo! While love and sex dominate 💿 Future Nostalgia, the sophomore album by 🏆 Grammy-winning pop artist 🎙 Dua Lipa, penultimate cut 🎵 “Good in Bed” manages to separate itself from the rest. “Good in Bed” features contrasting production work, courtesy of 🎛 Lindgren and 🎛 Take a Daytrip.  Compared to the rest of Future Nostalgia, this particular record has more of a soulful, old-school, hip-hop vibe.

“Good in Bed” definitely sounds like a record that the late, great 🎙 Amy Winehouse might’ve recorded had she lived.  Vocally, Dua Lipa gives us some of her most cutting, throaty vocals of the album. Furthermore, she serves up a heaping dose of repetition on the infectious, tongue-n-cheek chorus:

“I know it’s really bad, bad, bad, bad, bad
Messing with my head, head, head, head, head
We drive each other mad, mad, mad, mad, mad
But baby, that’s what makes us good in bed...”

The sex is lit AF, apparently:

“Yeah, we don’t know how to talk
But damn, we know how to fuck.”

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7. Usher, “Bad Habits”

🎵 “Bad Habits” • 🏷 Brand Usher/RCA • 🗓 2020

“I’m in love, I’m just bad it / I just can’t escape all of these bad habits.” Relatable – perfect fuel for a great R&B song, right? Right! Furthermore, those excerpted lyrics from the chorus of 🎵 “Bad Habits” suit 🎙 Usher to a T, 🚫🎩! “Bad Habits” features lush production work by 🎛 Pierre Medor and 🎛 Lxrd Rossi. The sound hearkens back to the R&B of old (think 80s). Makes perfect sense, of course, given 🎙 Zapp is sampled (🎵 “Computer Love”).  While “Bad Habits” possesses classic R&B cues, it also sounds fresh enough to fly in 2020.  It’s a great balancing act. Following the introduction, the record is anchored by some hard drums, clearly idiomatic of modern times.

While the sound plays a big role in the success of “Bad Habits,” nothing and nobody else plays a bigger role than Usher. First and foremost, we get high-flying, elite vocals from the Grammy winner, who sounds as strong as he did in his heyday. Of course, the other big piece of the puzzle for “Bad Habits” that makes it successful – LOVE.  Usher is at his best when matters of the heart are in plan. Here, he’s bad at it, and that’s music to the listener’s ears.  Also, music to the listener’s ears? The catchy, memorable chorus excerpted at the top! Great vocals, relatable theme, and awesome production make “Bad Habits” a surefire winner.

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8. Alicia Keys, “Good Job”

💿 Alicia • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2020 

“You’re the engine that makes all things go / And you’re always in disguise, my hero / I see your light in the dark / Smile in my face when we all know it’s hard.” There are lots to like about 🎵 “Good Job”, the fourth single from 🎙 Alicia Keys’ 2020 album, 💿 Alicia. First and foremost, it is incredibly thoughtful, giving thanks to everyone affected and helping to combat the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

Keys is being encouraging and uplifting, providing that positive reinforcement that educators seek to give their students. “Good job, you’re doin’ a good job, a good job,” she sings on the chorus, continuing, “Don’t get too down / The world needs you now / Know that you matter, matter, yeah.”  Essentially, lyrically, she says all of the right things.  Also, as she sings, she infuses her soul into it, given it that next level of authenticity.  While the production eschews a bunch of bells and whistles, it suits the tone of this record. 

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9. AJR, “100 Bad Days”

💿 Neotheater • 🏷 BMG Rights Management • 📅 2019

“Woah, when all is going wrong and you’re scared as hell / … Maybe a hundred bad days made a hundred good stories / A hundred good stories make me interesting at parties.” One of the biggest pros for 🎵 “100 Bad Days”, a standout from the 2019 🎙 AJR album, 💿 Neotheater, is the sick production work.  Groovy from the onset, “100 Bad Days” is chocked-full of awesome sounds, including the anthemic, brassy chorus.  During this same section, 🎙 Jack Met sounds incredibly passionate vocally, dropping the strongest section of the record.  Interestingly, the final two lines of the pre-chorus (excerpted above) kicks off the chorus, which continues, “…Yeah, no I ain’t scared of you / No, I ain’t scared of you no more.”

On the verses, Jack Met highlights ‘bad’ happenings exemplifying the ‘millennial’ tilt.  On the first, he sings, “Remember when we all got drunk? / I ended up with two broke thumbs.” On the second, matters of love have him feeling bad – “Remember when she broke my heart / Waitin’ for the waiter to return my card?” But, as the chorus made crystal clear, Jack and company are turning bad into good, or something along those lines.

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10. Lizzo, “Good as Hell (Remix)”

Ft. Ariana Grande

💿 Cuz I Love You (Super Deluxe) • 🏷 Nice Life / Atlantic • 📅 2019

“So, girl, if he don’t love you anymore / Then walk your fine ass out the door.” Attitude! 🎙 Lizzo, who had a tremendous year in 2019, has received buzz from songs recorded in years prior.  This includes her number one hit, “Truth Hurts,” as well as a song from a previous EP, 🎵 “Good as Hell.” “Good as Hell” originally appeared on Lizzo’s 2016 EP, 💿 Coconut Oil.  Much like the two-year-old “Truth Hurts” (which appears on the deluxe version of 💿 Cuz I Love You), “Good as Hell” is a hot commodity, made hotter via 🎵 “Good as Hell (Remix)” featuring 🎙 Ariana Grande, appearing on the Super Deluxe version of Cuz I Love You.

“Good as Hell” is indeed, good as hell.  The vocals from Lizzo are on-point, filled with energy.  The personality she infuses into her performance, coupled with brilliant production work by 🎛 Ricky Reed makes this a totally infectious, can’t-miss, sub-three-minute gem.  Adding Grande, particularly with a degree of control and subtlety, works out well.  Lizzo remains the star, but Grande provides a nice contrast, sneaking in on the second half of the second verse.  From there, the two trade lines or sing together with remarkable results.  By the final chorus, the duet is quite ripe, giving listeners some epic ear candy – or something like that.  Even if you’re a dude, who can resist:

“And do your hair toss, check my nails
Baby, how you feelin’ (Feelin’ good as hell).”

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11. Migos, “Bad and Boujee”

Ft. Lil Uzi Vert

💿 Culture • 🏷 Quality Control Music / 300 Entertainment • 📅 2017 

“Raindrop, drop top / Smokin’ on cookie in the hotbox / Fuckin’ on your bitch she a thot, thot / Cookin’ up dope in the crockpot…” Ah, 🎵 “Bad and Boujee” – one of rap’s contemporary classic! 🎙 Migos’ former no. 1 hit doesn’t convey a deep message mind you, but this was definitely a sensational banger by the “it” hip-hop collective of 2017.   Migos even mustered up two 🏆 Grammy nominations for imparting the 💿 Culture upon the world. “Bad and Boujee” marks another product of ever-formidable producer, 🎛 Metro Boomin.

The chorus – excerpted above and continued below – is where the ‘bread is buttered’ on “Bad and Boujee:

“...We came from nothin’ to somethin’ nigga
I don’t trust nobody grip the trigger
Call up the gang, and they come and get you
Cry me a river, give you a tissue
My bitch is bad and boujee
My niggas is savage, ruthless...”

Beyond the hook, the delivery on the verses shine, with the exception of 🎙 Lil Uzi Vert (arguably).  🎙 Quavo owns the best line of the banger:

“Still be playin’ with pots and pans, call me Quavo Ratatouille
Run with that sack, call me Boobie...”

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12. Kane Brown, “Good as You”

💿 Experiment Extended • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2019

🎵 “Good as You”, the fifth single released from 💿 Experiment, the sophomore album by country musician 🎙 Kane Brown. “Good as You” continues the impressive start of Experiment.  On the first verse, he sings about how awesome his girlfriend is, taking care of everybody, including him.  On the following pre-chorus, he goes on to say in essence, that she makes him strive to be a better man.  It’s a ‘tried and true’ sentiment, but authentic, nonetheless.

On the centerpiece, the chorus, he sings:

“I just wanna wake up every day here in this bed
Never leave ‘I love you’ left unsaid
It might take a hundred lifetimes to do
But baby, I just wanna be good as you.”

Beyond the lyrics and the theme, the production (🎛 Dann Huff) on “Good as You” is a selling point. Brown successfully taps into his country roots, while also maintaining ample soul. His tone is absolutely golden.

13. Kehlani, “Bad News”

💿 It Was Good Until It Wasn’t • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2020

Following the rousing 🎵 “Can I,” Grammy-nominated R&B standout 🎙 Kehlani slackens the pace on her sophomore album, 💿 It Was Good Until It Wasn’t with 🎵 “Bad News.” Despite the negative connotation of the song title, where the listener is concerned, Kehlani serves up no bad news, just continued musical excellence.  My question is, how in the world did the Grammys manage to neglect It Was Good Until It Wasn’t a nomination for best progressive R&B album? Whatever.

Focusing on “Bad News,” it excels in its role as a slow jam.  The chorus in particular is quite catchy, in all its explicit simplicity? Kehlani’s gonna “Make you wanna give all that shit up…” What shit exactly? Essentially, his dangerous, and suspect ways.  She urges, on the second verse of this lush 🎛 Jahaan Sweet production, “Just be on some cool shit with me.” There it is… I think!

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14. Mac Miller, “Good News”

💿 Circles • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2020

🎵 “Good News” is the crowning achievement of 💿 Circles, the posthumous album by 🎙 Mac Miller. One of many 🎛 Jon Brion co-productions on the album, “Good News” sounds quite refined, with plucked strings, a subtle, but highly effective, dusty drum groove, soulful electric guitar, and superb, modest keyboard/synthesizer touches. It’s quite ear-catching, even if it floats as opposed to being dynamic and ‘in your face.’

Beyond the backdrop, Miller is on-point – he’s in reflective mode. “I spent the whole day in my head / Do a little spring cleanin’,” he raps on the first verse, continuing, “I’m always too busy dreamin’, yeah / Well, maybe I should wake up instead.” On the second, he asks, “Why I gotta build something beautiful just too go set in on fire?” The third verse is quite chilling and eerie, with the key lyric, “There’s a whole lot more for me waitin’ on the other side…” The centerpiece, of course, is the chorus. “Good News” is the total realization of Miller’s talent.

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15. Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello, “Bad Things”

💿 bloom • 🏷 Bad Boy / Interscope • 📅 2017

Among the best songs on 💿 bloom, the 2017 🎙 Machine Gun Kelly album is 🎵 “Bad Things” featuring 🎙 Camila Cabello.  Simply put, “Bad Things” was a gift to pop radio, as well as a gift to Machine Gun Kelly.  Some fans of his tough, Cleveland flow likely wrote off the poppy “Bad Things,” while those less invested actually gave him a second look or perhaps, a first look.

As for Camila Cabello, she’s exceptional here.  Vocally, she showcases her potential, exhibiting a radiant vocal tone, bursting with youth.  This, of course, would precede two successful albums – 💿 Camila (2018) and 💿 Romance (2019). Cabello shines on the memorable chorus, clearly the selling point of the record:

“Am I out of my head?
Am I out of my mind?
If you only knew the BAD THINGS I like
Don’t think that I can explain it
What can I say, it’s complicated...”