Don’t Let the Perfection of These Perfect Songs Overwhelm U! | Playlist 🎧

1. Alicia Keys, “Perfect Way to Die”

💿 Alicia • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2020

🎵 “Perfect Way to Die” (💿 Alicia) captures the racial inequality and police brutality that has dominated the headlines. On this piano/string ballad, 🎙Alicia Keys tugs at the heartstrings as she depicts incidents where innocent black lives were lost.  “Simple walk to the corner store,” she sings on the first verse, continuing, “Mama never thought she would be gettin’ a call from the coroner / Said her son’s been gunned down.”

The second verse is similar, this time with a girl being the victim – the martyr if you will.  Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, where “the perfect way to die” comes into play.  There is no perfect way to die, but in a sense, it seems Keys is trying to find the positive that can come from such tragedy, including necessary change.  “Perfect Way to Die” is upsetting, but it’s an upsetting, woke song that needed to happen.

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2. Ed Sheeran, “Perfect”

💿 ÷ • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2017

“When you said you looked a mess, I whispered under my breath / But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight.” Aww, how sweet ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ On “Perfect”, a highlight from his album, 💿 ÷, 🎙 Ed Sheeran is focused on love, a subject that frequents the 2017 album.

“Perfect” has a soulful, throwback quality that makes it quite pleasant to the ears.  Sheeran is sincere, exhibiting authentic, genuine emotions, carried by his personality.  He doesn’t break new ground on this ballad, but he doesn’t need to do so either.  In addition to the original, there’s a pretty sweet duet version with the one-and-only, 🎙 Beyoncé. 

Also appears on 🔽:

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3. Lorde, “Perfect Places”

💿 Melodrama • 🏷 Universal Music • 📅 2017

“Every night, I live and die / Meet somebody, take ‘em home / Let’s kiss and then take off our clothes / It’s just another graceless night…” 🎵 “Perfect Places” concludes the 🎙 Lorde masterpiece, 💿 Melodrama, superbly. It opens with a sense of mysteriousness initially, best explained by its suspect, party vibe.  This sentiment comes through loud and clear on the first verse. The second verse confirms the carefree, unapologetic party vibes, in a sexually charged manner.  Spare production work on the verses allows for her voice to shine. A grand chorus is bright and energetic, featuring a sound vocal mix.

“All of the things we’re taking
‘Cause we are young and we’re ashamed
Send us to perfect places
All of our heroes fading
Now I can’t stand to be alone
Let’s go perfect places.”

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Perfect 💯: 5ive Songs No. 74

4. Luh Kel, “Perfect Time”

💿 L.O.V.E. (Deluxe) • 🏷 Cinematic Music Group • 📅 2020

Teen R&B artist 🎙 Luh Kel is best known for his hit, 🎵 “Wrong”.  “Wrong” appeared on the singer’s 2019 debut album, 💿 Mixed Emotions, while a remix graced his follow-up, 2020’s 💿 L.O.V.E. Unfortunately, Kel’s ‘ace in the hole’ doesn’t work for this compendium of perfect songs, no matter how perfect it might be.  The eighth track from L.O.V.E., 🎵 “Perfect Time,” is a perfect fit for obvious reasons!

So, what’s the focus of this brief record? Why, it’s matters of the heart!  Young love!

“Oh yeah, you came
Ooh, you came in perfect time
I fell in love for the one night, I
I stay fallin’ for you.”

Luh Kel serves up an enjoyable, well-rounded vocal performance as he shares how this girl has him totally in his feelings.  “If I give you my heart and my all, just show me that you real.” A simple request he has, right? Kel sounds young, energetic, and passionate.  Making the record even better is sleek production work by 🎙 Avedon and 🎙 Alter Ego.

5. Cousin Stizz, “Perfect”

Ft. City Girls

💿 Trying to Find My Next Thrill • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2019

“Ride with me, bitch, you perfect / Slide with me, bitch, you perfect / Die for me, bitch, I’m perfect / Lie for me, bitch, I’m perfect.” Massachusetts in the house! That’s where rapper 🎙 Cousin Stizz hails from.  On a truly PERFECT song for this particular list, 🎵 “Perfect,” ‘Cuz’ enlists 🎙 City Girls for the assist. That, ladies and gentlemen, suggests that this record is going to be a truly unapologetic banger. “Perfect” appears as the second track off of Stizz’s 2019 album, 💿 Trying to Find My Next Thrill.

The first thing that stands out about “Perfect” is the production. 🎙 Lil Rich constructs a backdrop that kicks some serious ass – NO CAP! Naturally, Cousin Stizz drops a compelling flow, even if he offers up nothing profound or transcendent.  He rides the beat like a champ, particularly on the aforementioned chorus.  Similarly, 🎙 Yung Miami brings the ‘perfect’ heat on the third verse, which is a mix of drip and sex (“Cheat on your bitch, I’m worth it”).  Worth noting, there’s a 🎵 remix featuring 🎙 Doja Cat and 🎙 BIA.

6. Roddy Ricch, “Perfect Time”

💿 Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2019

💿 Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, the debut album by 🏆 Grammy-nominated rapper 🎙 Roddy Ricch, is most renowned for one particular song: 🎵 “The Box”.  That’s to be expected, as “The Box” is pretty 🎵 “Fuckin’ Perfect”, P!nk! That said, “The Box” doesn’t fit the mold for this particular list.  “Perfect Time,” the album’s brief fourth track, does fit the mold.

One of the things that stands out on “Perfect Time” is the uniqueness of the flow.  Roddy Ricch is melodic throughout, but he also changes the sound of his vocals – the vocal inflections – throughout.  Sometimes he sings in his lower register, closer to un-pitched rhymes, while at others, he flaunts his upper register. These contrasts make the record a bit quirky, yet incredibly intriguing as well.  We do manage to get an interesting chorus out of it, even if it’s not the catchiest you’ll ever hear.

“Peanut butter seats came perfect time
Rich but I’m still ducking one time
I seen the light, then I climbed in
Had to take ‘em out, we ain’t gon’ dine in.”

7. Shawn Mendes, “Perfectly Wrong”

💿 Shawn Mendes • 🏷 Island • 📅 2018

🎵 “Perfectly Wrong” is the the lovely penultimate cut from 💿 Shawn Mendes, the third studio album by 🎙 Shawn Mendes (duh).  Here, he asserts, “Me and you / We are made to break.” Matters of the heart – always a great theme for a song in nearly any genre, especially pop.

On the chorus, the then teenaged musician sings, “You’re perfectly wrong for me / All the stars in the sky could see / Why you’re perfectly wrong for me.” Give him credit – he portrays vulnerability well, particularly as he gets all riled up on the bridge. His voice is absolutely stunning.  Of course, many would characterize him as ‘stunning’ behind his instrument, ha-ha.

Also appears on 🔽:

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8. Jonas Blue, “Perfect Strangers”

Ft. JP Cooper

💿 Blue • 🏷 A Positiva / Virgin • 📅 2018

English DJ and Producer 🎙 Jonas Blue definitely knows to craft a hit – well – lots of hits to be fair.  He’s highly respected and for good reason! On his 2018 album, 💿 Blue, he enlisted fellow English musician, 🎙 JP Cooper, to sing on 🎵 “Perfect Strangers.” The results are – wait for it – P-E-R-F-E-C-T!

Starting with the production on “Perfect Strangers,” Jonas Blue definitely ‘puts in work.’ The sound is bright, bubbly, exuberant, and definitely ear-catching.  As you listen to the backdrop Blue’s constructed, you can’t help but to feel giddy, jubilant, and all ‘warm and fuzzy’ on the inside.  The summer vibes are on 10 and that’s AWESOME – PERFECT! Of course, my boy JP Cooper ‘does the damn thing’ himself, delivering clear, absolutely radiant vocals.  He’s on-point throughout, but he truly shines during the infectious chorus:

“Maybe we’re perfect strangers
Maybe it’s not forever
Maybe the night will change us
Maybe we’ll stay together
Maybe we’ll walk away
Maybe we’ll realize
We’re only human...”

9. Lady Gaga, “Perfect Illusion”

💿 Joanne • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2016

🎵 “Perfect Illusion”, the promo single from 💿 Joanne, represents vintage 🎙 Lady Gaga…with some tweaks. The record initiates exuberantly with sleek production work – pummeling drums hitting you right in the chest. Gaga’s vocals are riper and more powerful than ever, showcasing incredible assertiveness.

The chorus is top rate:

“It wasn’t love; it wasn’t love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Mistaken for love, it wasn’t love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
You were a perfect illusion.” 

Besides being an awesome dance track with an infectious chorus, it is a powerful, relatable break-up anthem. As great as “Perfect Illusion” is – and it is great – it ain’t even the crowning achievement of Joanne! 

10. One Direction, “Perfect”

💿 Made in the A.M.• 🏷 Sony • 📅 2015

“But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms / And if you like having little secret rendezvous…” Sigh, 🎵 “Perfect,” a standout from the ‘final’ 🎙 One Direction album, 💿 Made in the A.M. (2015) is at least near perfect, if not totally perfect 😉.  The grittiest member of the collective (and most successful solo artist I might add), 🎙 Harry Styles, totally nails it on the anthemic chorus, which continues as follows: “If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn’t do / then baby, I’m perfect / Baby I’m perfect for you.”

Tasteful with some innuendo thrown in, “Perfect” marks a nice balance between teen and transitioning into adulthood.  It should be noted, all members of the band – including Harry, the youngest – were all 20 or older when Made in the A.M. arrived.  🎙 Louis Tomlinson was pushing 24.

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Perfect 💯: 5ive Songs No. 74

11. P!nk, “Fuckin’ Perfect”

💿 Greatest Hits…So Far!!! • 🏷 LaFace / Sony • 📅 2010

“Pretty, pretty please / Don’ you ever, ever feel / Like you’re less than fuckin’ perfect to me.”  Now that is “pretty fuckin’” uplifting, right? You bet! Amazingly, the beloved, 2010 🎙 P!nk gem, 🎵“Fuckin’ Perfect” didn’t appear on a studio album, but rather, the compilation, 💿 Greatest Hits…So Far!!!.  Regardless, despite relying on the use of For Under Consent of the King, it’s quite a powerful, thoughtful record.

Here, on this exuberant 🎙 Shellback and 🎙Max Martin producer number, P!nk emphasizes empowerment, redemption, and high self-esteem and self-worth.  “Made a wrong turn, once or twice / “Dug my way out, blood and fire,” she sings at the beginning of the first verse, later adding that despite the adversity and missteps, “Look, I’m still around.” It’s a similar situation on the second verses, where the confidence is down, but P!nk urges to “Change the voices / In your head / Make them like you instead.” She’s right, of course, with the results yielding a brilliant, transcendent pop record.

12. 5 Seconds of Summer, “She Looks So Perfect”

💿 5 Seconds of Summer • 🏷 Universal Music • 🗓 2014

Back in 2014, Australian boy band 🎙 5 Seconds of Summer – 🎙 Luke Hemmings, 🎙 Michael Clifford, 🎙 Callum Hood, and 🎙 Ashton Irwin – landed their breakout hit, 🎵 “She Looks So Perfect.” Originally appearing on the 💿 She Looks So Perfect (EP), “She Look So Perfect” would be reprised on the collective’s full-length debut, 💿 5 Seconds of Summer. Undoubtedly, “She Looks So Perfect” is the best track off of either early project.

“She Look So Perfect” is a prime example of bright sounding pop/rock with sharp lyrics and a catchy, irresistible chorus. The best moment comes by way of the chorus, with a reference to American Apparel underwear leading the charge. Yeah, it’s random, but totally infectious.

“You look so perfect standing there
In my American Apparel underwear
And I know now that I’m so down
Your lipstick stain is a work of art
I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart
And I know now that I’m so down
Hey, hey.” 

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13. The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir & J.J. Wright, “Perfect Praise (Live)”

Ft. Chris Dingman, Emorja Roberson, Godwin Louis, Ike Sturm, Karen Schneider & Mark McLean

💿 Catch the Spirit (Live) • 🏷 The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir • 📅 2020

There are some songs that are truly PERFECT and never grow old.  One of those is the gospel classic, 🎵 “Perfect Praise,” penned by 🎙 Brenda Joyce Moore.  Sometimes referenced as “Jesus is Excellent,” this gem has been covered by numerous choirs and even arranged for marching band as well – pretty cool.  The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir and J.J. Wright deliver a truly excellent rendition, recorded live in 2020, which appears on their album, 💿 Catch the Spirit (Live).  What makes this version so excellent, you ask? The awesome lead vocals by 🎙 Emorja Roberson is a huge selling point.  Of course, beyond his lead, the Folk Choir provide great supporting vocals, with the harmonies fully locked in, while the instrumentalists all shine in their respective roles.  You can tell just listening to this recording that this is indeed a favorite of the University choir – they do it justice by all means.

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Perfect 💯: 5ive Songs No. 74