Compelling Bye Songs, Vol. 2 | Playlist 🎧

Compelling Bye Songs, Vol. 2 features music courtesy of Ariana Grande, Kim Gordon, Peso Pluma, Sufjan Stevens, and Victoria Monét.

The time has come to say, BYE. In 2021, we said BYE via 11 Compelling Bye Songs. Now, more than three years later, we unveil 11 more BYE songs with Compelling Bye Songs, Vol. 2. Compelling Bye Songs, Vol. 2 features music courtesy of Ariana Grande, Kim Gordon, Peso Pluma, Sufjan Stevens, and Victoria Monét among others. BYE is the keyword, but GOODBYE is acceptable too!  So, without further ado, let’s dive right into more compelling bye songs! 

1. Ariana Grande, “Bye” 

eternal sunshine // Republic // 2024 

“Usually, I’d join you on the floor, but this dance ain’t for me.” Word, Ariana Grande! “Bye” marks the first full-length song from eternal sunshine, the 2024 studio album by the Grammy-winning musician.  Here, we get sweet vocals – the expectation from the prodigiously gifted artist.  The production gives off soulful pop vibes, produced by Grande, Max Martin, and ILYA.  The melodies are tuneful throughout all sections. Harmonized vocals appearing during the pre-chorus mark one of the more alluring moments. The chorus is simple but memorable: “Bye-bye / Boy, bye / Bye-bye / It’s over, it’s over, oh yeah.” Fittingly, there is fabulous contrast in the bridge, where Ari asserts, “Now it’s certainly bittersweet / This hook feels too hard to sing / But it’s better than repeat.” Facts.  

2. Sleepy Hallow, “Goodbye”  

Boy Meets World // Winners Circle Entertainment, Inc. / RCA // 2023

“Yeah, look, baby, I’m back and I’m better / Said she love me, I’m makin’ it wetter.” Word, Sleepy Hallow! He adds in the chorus of the short but turnt up “Goodbye,” “Yeah, bro on the block with Beretta / Cold as fuck, said he need him a sweater.” He’s a confident, drill rapper, that’s for sure. Another testament to his confidence: “Now I’m with your bitch in the back of truck / Think I like her, she bad as fuck…” The 11th track from Hallow’s 2023 album, Boy Meets World, was produced by Great John.  Notably, it samples the 1985 Shirley Murdock gem, “As We Lay”.  Besides the chorus, there is only one verse.  Sleepy Hallow has plenty to say during that verse even if it’s not always deep. For example, he asserts, “Bad bitch, how you classy and ratchet? / She throw it back, told me, ‘Clap it and slap it.” Damn! He’s also a baller, spitting, “We just be startin’ shit up / I’m like Giannis, I stay with the bucks / Yeah, slidin’, we parkin’ him up / Keep it shootin’, he Daffy the Duck.” All in all, the brief “Goodbye” is a certified banger.  

3. Kim Gordon, “BYE BYE” 

The Collective // Kim Gordon / Matador // 2024 

“Buy a suitcase, pants to the cleaner / Cigarettes for Keller / Call the vet call the groomer / Call the dog sitter.” Um, okay… “BYE BYE” commences The Collective, the second solo album by the legendary Kim Gordon, released in March 2024. Gordon penned “BYE BYE” alongside producer SADPONY (Justin Raisen). Ear-catching from the onset, the record sounds distorted, noisy, and malicious. The beat that anchors ‘goes hard’ – NO CAP! Kim Gordon and trap? Who would’ve ever thought?  

“Milk thistle, calcium, high-rise, boot cut / Advil, black jeans, blue jeans…” Throughout, Gordon delivers a chanted, spoken-word performance. No, she’s not a rapper, but that’s the effect she has on “BYE BYE”, particularly given that nasty trap beat.  After wowing with her ‘bars,’ following the third verse (“YSL, Eckhaus Latta / Eyelash curler, vibrator, teaser / Bye-Bye / Bye-Bye”), the remainder of the song focuses on the instrumental, which grows noisier and more chaotic. That is a win! An odd, experimental track, that is the charm of “BYE BYE”, a surefire, certified vibe.  

Appears in 🔻:  

• Kim Gordon, BYE BYE: Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 No. 33 (2024) 

4. Sufjan Stevens, “Goodbye Evergreen”  

Javelin // Asthmatic Kitty // 2023  

“Goodbye, evergreen / You know I love you / But everything heaven sent / Must burn out in the end.” “Goodbye Evergreen” fabulously sets the tone for Javelin, the 10th studio album by Academy and Grammy award-nominated singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens.  Stevens delivers beautiful vocals that are poised yet potent. His hushed voice eventually becomes amplified by vocal layering which recurs throughout Javelin. Besides the vocals, the instrumental is utterly brilliant, growing more ornate as “Goodbye Evergreen” proceeds. Stevens, an elite musician, delivers terrific arranging and producing.  Returning to the songwriting itself, notably, there are two consecutive verses, sans chorus.  In the second, Stevens admits, “I’m frightened of the end / I’m drowning in my self-defense.” The death of his partner, Evans Richardson, weighs heavily.     

Appears in 🔻:  

• 11 Everlasting, Evergreen 🌲 Songs (2023)  

5. Victoria Monét, “Good Bye”  

JAGUAR II // Lovett Music, Inc. / RCA // 2023 

“You got my heart all bent out of shape / So, after you, I’ll never really use it the same…” “Good Bye” marks a magnificent coda to JAGUAR II, the Grammy-winning, debut album by R&B singer/songwriter, Victoria Monét. “Good Bye” is an utterly sublime ballad.  The lengthiest song from the album, running north of four minutes, it’s worth every second. Lushness dominates with glorious guitar, keys, bass, and horns (D’Mile produced).  The groove and overall aesthetic hearken back to the R&B of yesteryear, something that consistently makes JAGUAR II such a vibe.  The singing by Monét wows while the background vocals are stellar too, with radiant harmonies. In this case, the goodbye is a sweet, sweet one, to the tune of a highlight: “Let’s take this last night as a souvenir / To commemorate our love” and, “But if we’re gonna say goodbye / Let’s make it a Good Bye.” 

6. Peso Pluma, “Bye”  

GÉNESIS // Double P // 2023   

“Bye / Mejor sigue tu camino / Mientras fumo y tomo vino / Que estar contigo ya no me convino.” Woo! In the excerpt from “Bye” (GÉNESIS) an intriguing single from Mexican singer, Peso Pluma (Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija), things are ending between him and his girlfriend. In the chorus, excerpted above, Laija suggests this breakup is for the best, and goes on later to add other girls have his attention. The narrative is familiar and relatable; Love and the plight of love is universal, after all, and NEVER gets old.  Furthermore, Pluma sings sublimely with ample expression – he sells it to us, baby! Additionally, “Bye” is a melodious track too.  The tunefulness makes it endearing regardless of the ability to comprehend Spanish or not. With the theme reflecting the end of a relationship, Pluma’s voice showing a gifted star, and tuneful melodies giving the track a lift, the music might be what is most ear-catching. Pluma produced “Bye” alongside Parka. Embracing a different realm of Latin music, “Bye” exemplifies Música Mexicana – Regional Mexican music.  The instrumentation includes horns, particularly that assertive, saucy trombone, string bass, and of course, guitar.  The result is a surefire vibe – a must-hear addition to the listening rotation!     

Appears in 🔻:   

• Best Songs of 2023 (So Far)  
• Awesome Songs: June 2023  

7. Teddy Swims, “Goodbyes Been Good to You”  

I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) // SWIMS Int. / Warner // 2023

“Goodbye’s Been Good to You” appears as the fifth track from I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), the 2023 album by the gifted and talented Teddy Swims (Jaten Dimsdale).  From the onset, Swims’ vocals are everything – incredibly gritty and soulful. Dimsdale penned “Goodbye’s” alongside Dallas Wilson and producers Marc Scibilia and Andrew Wells.  Thematically, the record encompasses heartbreak, a familiar, always relatable topic.  “I been a-hurtin’ since you walked out the door,” Swims sings in the opening lyric of the first verse, adding, “You took the dog and the Honda and half my shit.” Damn, that’s rough, bro! In the second verse, he sings, “I’ll get better / Like changin’ weather / And you’re gonna miss me like how / Like how I missed you right now.” Word.  Of course, the section of the song to beat is the chorus in all its glory:   

“Goodbye my love, you tore me up  

I heard you found somebody new  

Looks like goodbye’s been good to you  

Good days I’m on  

And I can’t move on  

Quite as easy as you do   

Looks like goodbye’s been good to you.”  

It’ll get better Teddy Swims, with time.  All told, “Goodbye’s Been Good to You” is a fabulous pop-soul record.  Teddy Swims, you did that my man!   

Appears in 🔻:  

• 13 Marvelous Songs That Have BEEN There (2024) 

8. Marshmello & Juice WRLD, “Bye Bye” 

“Bye Bye” // Joytime Collective / Grade A Productions / Interscope // 2022 

“I hit her with a bye-bye, bye-bye / You’re out your mind / I’m out of pills / And you’re out of lies.” Posthumously, “Bye Bye”, a brief collaboration between Juice WRLD (R.I.P.) and Marshmello, gets its proper bow. “Um, see you later, uh / Girl, I got a question for you, yeah, I need a favor / Turn yourself back to a demon, I’m a demon slayer.” Even though Juice is no longer with us, his spirit, in all its glory, is written all over this track. Juice’s melodic performance is spot-on, as he leaves this girl – giving her that bye-bye after all! Also, true to self, Juice references drugs, throws in some captivating pop cultural references (The Matrix and Hell’s Kitchen), and mentions his dreamcatcher (“I remember havin’ a dream catcher when I was like ten / Set that bitch on fire, all my dreams been comin’ true since”).  What’s interesting about the set that bitch on fire lyric is how it applies to his disdain for this girl! Also, can’t fail to mention the rad trap production Marshmello serves up.  It’s the perfect backdrop for the late melodic rapper, whose memory and music legacy is enduring.   

Appears in 🔻:  

• Awesome Songs: October 2022 

9. Father John Misty, “Goodbye Mr. Blue” 

Chloë and the Next 20th Century // Joshua Tillman / Sub Pop // 2022  

The question for Grammy winner, Father John Misty, is, WHO is the Mr. Blue he mentions in “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” the second track from Chloë and the Next 20th Century (2022)? He is a cat 🐈 as opposed to a person.  So, why is Josh Tillman singing about a cat? Tillman, or the character he plays, isn’t too enthused to “Go down to the corner / And buy the damn cat the expensive food.” He also provides specific info about the cat and why he’s annoyed: “That Turkish Angora is ‘bout the only thing left of me and you / Early this morning, it started making sounds that say / ‘Don’t the last time come too soon? / One down, eight to go, but it’s no less true’…” Interesting that the cat has lost a life if you catch Tillman’s clever lyricism. “Goodbye Mr. Blue” is less about the cat (who dies within the song) and more about the death of the relationship itself.   

“This may be the last time  

The last time I lay here with you  

Do you swear it’s not the cat?  

You don’t have to answer that  

I’ll just make do.”    

Never change, Father John Misty, never change.   

Appears in 🔻:   

• 13 Intriguing Songs That Reference Animals (2023)  
• 13 Songs That Feature Names, Vol. 3 (2023)  

10. Chlöe, “Boy Bye”

“Boy Bye” // Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia // 2024

“Boy, bye / Bye / I won’t even cry / You stupid motherfucker.” Chlöe (Chlöe Bailey) exhibits plenty of attitude in her second single of 2024, “Boy Bye”.  She penned this ‘anthem’ alongside Carter Lang, Yeti Beats (David Sprecher), jesse saint john, Kurtis McKenzie, Rogét Chahayed, and Soraya LaPread.  Yeti Beats, Chahayed, Lang, and McKenzie produced it. One thing is clear – she’s kicking this lame-o to the curb! “Boy Bye” contrasts previous records from Bailey.  While it still falls under the R&B umbrella, it’s poppier. The groove kicks ass, helping to fuel the narrative she paints about this no-good dude. Lyrically, it’s familiar territory but it never gets old.  In the first verse, Chlöe states, “If we bein’ honest, it was never my fault / You just gave a little while I gave my all.” In the second, she says, “You can go back to the girl you fuckin’ on the low /… I think by now that you should know you a silly ho.” Woo! In the pre-chorus, he’s got her messed up, but in the chorus, she lets that stupid mofo walk! Chlöe has received some justified criticism as a solo artist, but on “Boy Bye” things click.  She sings well, brings feistiness and sassiness, the lyrics are relatable (and profane), and the record sounds incredible.

Appears in 🔻:

• Bops That Pop: April 2024

11. Joe Cocker, “Bye Bye Blackbird”  

With a Little Help From My Friends // A&M / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1969 

“Pack up all my cares and woes / Feeling low, here I go / I should have dialed (Bye, bye, blackbird) …” Joe Cocker was the definition of a male powerhouse.  That man could flat-out sing 💪! “Bye Bye Blackbird” is NOT a Joe Cocker original.  Sure, Joe makes this Mort Dixon and Ray Henderson-penned number his own, but it was first recorded in 1926 🤯!  The first hit version also arrived in 1926, courtesy of Gene Austin. It has been covered hundreds and hundreds of times. This standard appears as the second track on his 1969 album, With a Little Help From My Friends.  There is a more iconic cover from the LP but “Bye Bye Blackbird” in his hands is EPIC.  

Denny Cordell produced “Bye Bye Blackbird,” which features a bluesy, soulful instrumental.  The piano leads the charge initially. However, “Bye Bye Blackbird” becomes even grander with the organ entering the mix as well as an incredible guitar solo by the one-and-only Jimmy Page around the 1:40 mark. The star of the show, Mr. Cocker, gives his all to the vocals, singing commandingly, soulfully, and infusing grit. Besides his dynamic, nuanced lead, the background vocals bring the heat too. Again, this is not an original written for Cocker, but he makes it sound original.  It’s easy to buy what he sells as he sings: “Nobody seems to love / Or understand me / And horrid hard luck stories / They keep on handin’ me.” Indeed, Joe, indeed.  “Bye Bye Blackbird” = sensational.  

Appears in 🔻:  

• Joe Cocker, Bye Bye Blackbird: Covers No. 17 (2024) 

Compelling Bye Songs, Vol. 2 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; A&M, Asthmatic Kitty, Double P, Grade A Productions, Interscope, Joshua Tillman, Joytime Collective, Kim Gordon, Lovett Music, Inc., Matador, RCA, Republic, Sub Pop, SWIMS Int., UMG Recordings, Inc., Warner; Monstera Production, Nicholas Githiri, Polina Kovaleva, Polina Zimmerman, from Pexels]