Jake’s Take: Top 40 Songs of the Year (the 2015 Edition)-Part One

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

Christmas is just two weeks away and New Year’s Eve is just around the corner!

You know what that means?

2015 is coming to a close!

Throughout the holiday season, I have been counting down the Best of 2015 in both Reality TV and music.

Today, Jake’s Take is revealing part one of the Best Songs of 2015!

 

 (Album cover property of Roc Nation)

(Album cover property of Roc Nation)

#40: Rita Ora featuring Chris Brown- Body On Me

Rita Ora’s steamy duet with R&B bad boy Chris Brown kicks off this countdown! Co-written and produced by Ora, Brown, James Abrahart, Myron Birdsong, Rosina Russell, Robin Weisse, Teris Vinson and the Monsters and the Strangerz, this R&B club banger perfectly showcases The X Factor UK judge’s sultriness and her superb vocal chemistry with the “Forever” singer-songwriter.

 

Pharrell Williams Freedom

(Album cover property of Columbia Records)

#39: Pharrell Williams- Freedom

The Voice coach’s powerful message about the joys of freedom definitely put a smile on many listeners’ faces. The song was heavily used in Apple Music’s campaigns and scored top spots in Bulgaria and Israel’s music charts.

#38: The Band Perry- Live Forever

I always enjoy when my favorite artists try something new. For their first single off their upcoming 2016 album, the Band Perry teamed up with new collaborators Jenna Andrews and RedOne and the result was an infectious pop rock track that you might have expected to hear from frequent pop rockers with country ties such as Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood to record.

#37: Brian Wilson featuring Nate Ruess-Saturday Night

“Saturday Night” was one of the many highlights that came from Brian Wilson’s No Pier Pressure.  Nate Ruess brilliantly transported us to Brian Wilson’s Los Angeles-home to pitch perfect harmonies and superb arrangements.

#36: Carrie Underwood-Renegade Runaway

The first track off of Ms. Underwood’s fifth studio album was filled with classic Carrie moments. From the escalating guitars and drums from the first measures of the song to the femme fatale lyrics courtesy of Ms. Underwood, Chris DeStefano and Hillary Lindsey, “Renegade Runaway” definitely has the potential to take 2016 by storm.

 

Jason Derulo Cheyenne

(Album cover property of Warner Bros. Records)

 

#35: Jason Derulo- Cheyenne

Speaking of femme fatales, Jason Derulo’s track about his obsession with a seductress is the next entry of our countdown. Co-written by Derulo, Ian Kirkpatrick and Sam Martin and produced by the Monsters and the Strangerz, this tale of deceit, deception and twisted love peaked on FIVE Billboard charts: US Rhythmic, US Mainstream Top 40, US Dance/Mix Show Airplay, US Adult Top 40 and the Billboard Hot 100!

DNCE Cake By the Ocean

(Album cover property of Republic Records)

#34: DNCE- Cake By The Ocean

One of the hottest new music groups that is taking the United States by storm is DNCE! Made up of Joe Jonas, Jack Lawless, Cole Whittle and JinJoo Lee, this pop rock quartet’s fiery debut track received over 3,711,880 views on YouTube and peaked at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

 

Matt McAndrew Counting On Love

(Album cover property of Republic Records)

 

#33: Matt McAndrew- Counting on Love

The Voice: Season Seven fan-favorite’s first single with Republic Records featured superb guitar riffs that transported the audience to one of Matt’s rock concerts. After debuting the track on The Voice, the single peaked at number 20 on iTunes’ Top Songs chart. Congrats Matt, this song (as Mel B would put it) is OFF THE CHAIN!!!

#32: Lana Del Rey- High By the Beach

Lana Del Rey’s first single off of her successful fourth studio album, Honeymoon, was the perfect summer jam.  Ms. Del Rey enchanted listeners throughout her 4-minute, 18-second track that focused around a summer romance gone awry. While the track peaked at number 51 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Australia’s ARIA, “High By the Beach” peaked at number 4 on Israel’s music chart.

#31: Madonna- Living for Love

The Queen of Pop rounds out part one of the countdown! Madonna’s killer first single off of Rebel Heart was the perfect club anthem for the first half of 2015.  With the support of Alicia Keys (piano), Diplo (production), MNEK (background vocals) and the London Community Gospel Choir (background vocals), “Living for Love” peaked at the number one slot of Billboard’s US Dance Club Songs and the number three slot of Billboard’s US Hot Single Sales.

I do not own any media that is sprinkled throughout the article. They belong to the artists and their respective record labels.

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