The 30 Best Songs Of Our College Careers
Yeah, it’s finally here. College is wrapping up, and we’re all just about ready to put the cherry on top of four wild years before we go out into the harsh “real world” that every pretentious recent grad can’t seem to shut up about.
In any case, we’ll look back years from now and reflect on just how amazing of an experience this has been. One of the many things that’ll make us sweat with nostalgia someday will be the songs that were so prevalent during the past four years.
So, I’ve taken the liberty to compile what I (and a few friends) consider to be the best and most important songs of our college lives. These are songs that were wildly popular, high quality, and somehow encapsulate what college is all about. Don’t worry so much about the rankings here, and enjoy the trip down memory lane.
30. Stolen Dance- Milky Chance
Hailing all the way from Germany, the duo Milky Chance delivers a fusion of folk and electronic that’s as consistently engaging as its relentless tempo. Clemens Rehbein’s hypnotic lyrics over the equally mesmerizing instrumentals had most of us (and EVERY radio station) putting this song on repeat for months.
29. Animals- Martin Garrix
Some songs get undue popularity due to Vines, but this is song is one of the exceptions. In a true demonstration of EDM’s capabilities, Garrix puts together an experience that is melodic one moment and heart-poundingly frantic the next.
The real appeal of this song, though, is hearing it while in a crowded club/whatever. Never had that experience? Easy: go to any given EDM music festival (like Escape from…whatever, who cares) and stand there for about 10 minutes. I guarantee you that it’ll play by then.
28. Pompeii- Bastille
How do you stand above the plethora of “Euro-sounding-singer” songs that came out during 2013? Easy—add in backing vocals that are straight out of a Roman church choir. The result was an uplifting, nostalgic trip that movie trailers apparently couldn’t get enough of.
27. Royals- Lorde
I am Lorde, yah-yah-yah.
26. Shabba- A$AP Ferg feat. A$AP Rocky
Emerging from the shadow of A$AP crew trailblazer, A$AP Rocky, Ferg established his legitimacy with this unorthodox hit that had the Summer of 2013 on fire. Staying true to his Jamaican-styled delivery, Ferg pays proper homage to Shabba Ranks by…literally, describing what the guy looks like. Strange, but effective—a perfect description of the A$AP crew.
25. Loyal- Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Tyga
Chris Brown was able to (somehow) complete his comeback with this club banger, which effectively captures the source of every relationship conflict into one sentence. It was lighthearted and bubbly enough to get heavy radio play, but also touched on enough actual issues to give it real staying-power. Also-one of the better verses you’ll hear from Lil Wayne in the past few years.
24. Function- E40, YG, IamSu & Problem
Fact 1: E-40 has been making music for a long time. Fact 2: E-40 has been making GOOD music for a long time. In a track that had the Summer of 2012 jumping to the rhythm of its infectious beat, E-40 stays ahead of the cure yet again by including several up-and-comers. It also gave us one of the 600 synonyms that we would use for “social gathering” during the past four years.
23. King Kunta- Kendrick Lamar
Every great artist has a defining moment when he/she realizes just how far-reaching their influence is. For Compton-native Kendrick Lamar, this moment arrived in the form of his third studio album, “To Pimp a Butterfly”. This song combines the same lines that made Kendrick a modern hero with a newfound self-awareness of both himself and the hip-hop industry to solidify his status as the current king of rap.
22. Pop That- French Montana feat. Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne
Sometimes, an artist is able to strike gold by featuring enough rappers to carry a song from “pretty good” to a track that was understandably played into the ground. No offense to Montana here, but the combination of Ross, Drake, and Wayne over this incredibly frantic beat turns the track into a bullet train that keeps its intensity from beginning to the final “Young Moolah Baby!!”
21. Radioactive- Imagine Dragons
The Fall of 2012, Imagine Dragons burst out onto the scene with a song as unique and instantly-likeable as their band name. The track is full of peaks and valleys, with each verse’s anticipation-saturated drum beat leading to an explosion of a chorus. With lyrics full of self-confidence and such, this was a great song to play before entering an exam.
20. Who Do You Love?- YG feat. Drake
While we all knew and loved YG years before this song dropped, his debut album “My Krazy Life” demonstrated the polish and maturity that it takes to hang with the big boys. Speaking of big boys, YG is able to effectively keep up with Drake’s (HEAVILY plagiarized) verse with a stellar effort of his own. Slap that over a beat reminiscent of a 1960s monster movie, and you get YG’s biggest hit to date.
19. All Day- Kanye West
Love him, hate him, wanna date him, whatever. But, one thing can’t be disputed: Kanye West makes damn good music. In this recent hit, West addresses the critics of his rhyming ability with what sounds like a “Greatest Hits” of bars. Layered over the same flawless producing and pop culture references that made West famous, and we get the pleasure of hearing an icon reach his pinnacle.
18. Get Lucky- Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
After a few years of being on milk cartons, Daft Punk returned from outer space in 2013 to remind the world that they are still the kings of dance music. Along for the ride was the ageless wonder Pharrell Williams, whose silky smooth (like his head) delivery helped this song release an effortless aura of coolness. Sure, it got played into the ground, but just try and remember the possession of groove you felt when you first heard it.
17. Money Trees- Kendrick Lamar
One of Kendrick Lamar’s greatest skills as an artist is his ability to create a mental movie of his life—and Compton life in general—using layman terms. In an album full of instant classics, Money Trees receives special recognition for its genuine nostalgia and masterful lyrics. This isn’t even one of the best hip hop songs of college—this is one of the best hip hop songs ever. Ya bish.
16. Rack City- Tyga
Hey, remember this song?
Well, those of us fortunate enough to have been in college when this omni-present song dropped sure do. Among freshmen, blasting this song daily was as big of a habit as hanging dorm keys around your neck.
Rack City touches on something that truly makes a song successful in colleges: it transcended demographics. Frats played this song. Random DP houses played this song. Parties in the Hub played this song. The ice cream man played this song. The stupendously catchy beat of this track made us all forget that it’s actually about throwing money on strippers.
In any case, this is one of the few songs that went from “must play” at parties to “never play”. That’s what I call a legacy.
15. Versace (Remix)- Migos feat. Drake
It’s amazing how one verse can change an artists’ life. For Migos, Drake blessing this track with a verse that was absolutely on fire introduced the world to the trio from Atlanta. How far Migos have come, and how far they go can all be attributed to Drake’s assistance. This is especially true given the fact that most DJs will skip to the next song after the first verse. Versace ended up effectively becoming the obligatory annoying summer hit of 2013. Sales of Versace…anything probably plummeted, too, since most rich people probably didn’t want to be associated with youth culture.
14. Wake Me Up- Avicii feat. Aloe Blacc
2013 was a good year for Aloe Blacc. He had a great, inspirational hit “I’m the Man” that reached the coveted acclaim level of appearing on Beats by Dre ads, and was also apparently played 108 times during the 2013 NFL draft. Then, he followed up his debut effort by appearing on this incredibly uplifting Avicii track that’ll make you want to go out and conquer the world.
Speaking of which, where in the world has Aloe Blacc gone?
13. I’m Different- 2 Chainz
In 2012 Tity Boi…er, 2 Chainz finally received a big time opportunity and ran with it. Four years later, we’re all looking back and glad that he did. It’s one thing to say “I’m Different” (which he does about 800 times on the track), but he was able to back it up with a refreshingly intense delivery and hilariously unique lines (Everything hot/ Skip lukewarm). He sounds like…well, a guy who had been in the game for years and was releasing a career’s worth of frustration on a single track. Cheers, Tity Boi.
12. Applause- Lady Gaga
It’s no secret: I love Lady Gaga. With songs like this, though, how could you not? Gaga faces her critics head-on in this effort, by flaunting the obvious: The woman is an entertainer, and has now become one of legend. She showcases her flawless theatric vocals with the same hey-look-at-me pizzazz that she’s known for to deliver yet another pop anthem.
Absolute. Queen.
11. Rap God- Eminem
After years of being more or less “iffy”, Eminem made a huge comeback at a time when hip hop really needed him. Each verse communicates a self-awareness of the current rap scene that only Slim Shady himself could ever have. In what I can only describe as a verbal onslaught, Em completes his transition into music immortality by effectively giving every other rapper in the game a nice spanking, all with the same playfulness that made him famous to begin with.
10. Hold On, We’re Going Home- Drake
Drake uniquely addressed his “soft” label with this homage to classic love songs that sounds like it belongs in a John Hughes movie. It’s probably one of the best produced songs of Drake’s career, with a calming beat and dream-like backing vocals. The cherry on top is the fact that Drake actually sings pretty well on it, too.
9. Stay With Me- Sam Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rC8RRXcfeo
In an era that has had a mysterious lack of pure singers, Sam Smith has become a godsend. With vocals that convey genuine emotion, and lyrics that are equally heartbreaking, this has become a song that no one should listen to while alone. Especially given how many college relationships are made of glass. With this song, Sam Smith has single handedly caused a spike in single-serve wine bottle sales.
8. Levels- Avicii
I’m not the biggest fan of house music, but again, that’s what makes a song great. This track is as nostalgic now as it was annoying when it first came out, given the fact that it became a Greek life anthem. It’s hard not to hear this song without thinking of all the fun stuff you did in college. For better or worse, this time capsule of a song will be with us for the rest of our lives.
7. Ayy Ladies- Travis Porter feat. Tyga
Who is Travis Porter? Well, a better question would be who are Travis Porter. This southern trio combined their unique delivery over a sped-up crunk beat to deliver a club banger that still prompts off-rhythm clapping today. This has become a bonafide “safety song” for DJs across the globe. And for good reason, too. It’s catchy, woman-friendly (ish), and even has designated “yeahhhh” portions so bad dancers can feel included. This song had it all, and it’s sad to see a recent decline in dance-friendly tracks like this.
Travis Porter(s?), wherever you are, come back. We need you.
6. Swimming Pools- Kendrick Lamar
King Kendrick completes a hat trick on this list with this homage to alcohol abuse off his sophomore album, “good kid, m.A.A.d city”. In a song that college students ironically used as a pregame anthem, Kendrick outlines the horrors of peer pressure and alcoholism by accurately depicting the deadline routine of chronic drinking. He even includes the internal dialogue people often have when they have become too intoxicated and just want the experience to be over.
What we don’t want to be over, though, is the song. From the ominous opening sound waves to the concluding violins, Kendrick put together a song that will become a college staple. For better or worse.
5. Counting Stars- One Republic
This song has all the makings of an early 2000s hit—which was a very competitive era for music: mostly nonsensical verse lyrics, a relentless tempo, an actually watchable music video (remember those?), and a fantastic climax of a chorus. Some songs on this list are here for popularity, while others are here for quality. This song has a perfect harmony of both, strung together along a bridge section that makes you feel like you’re in church.
I suppose it’s a good song if you’re Facebook stalking someone, too.
4. Fucking Problems- A$AP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar
It’s a particularly rare occasion when four artists, all in their prime, come together and exchange sections on a single track. It’s even more rare when each artist delivers among the best verses of their respective careers. Along with 2 Chainz’s genius double entendre of a chorus, and a mind-bogglingly layered beat, Fucking Problems became a perfect storm of timing and talent.
It was only fitting that King Kendrick himself closed the show, giving a verse that even my grandma knows the words to. That’s the definition of iconic.
3. Drunk In Love- Beyonce feat. Jay-Z
Queen-of-the-world (according to the internet) Beyonce decided to team up again with boo Jay-Z during the peak of her global domination tour and deliver a song that nearly everyone in college can relate to.
Now, I’m not the biggest Beyonce fan in the world, but you cannot deny this woman’s astronomical talent. One thing that sets her apart in my book is her simplicity. She doesn’t dance around with gimmicky beats, and instead allows her bombshell vocals to knock you back into your chair.
At the risk of continuing to sound like the average rabid fan, I’m going to stop here. The song is good. Listen to it. On your surfboard.
2. Latch- Disclosure feat. Sam Smith
Think of a song that comes to your head when you think “College”. There’s a high percentage that it was this timeless gem by the duo of Disclosure and Sam Smith. For graduating seniors (like me), this is probably going to be the song that all my memories will be set to. Thanks again, Greek life.
A beat that emits an underwater vibe seems only appropriate to be the anthem for a school on the beach. I suppose that’s what really gets this song at #3: the easygoing vibe and poppish beat effectively captures what our school is all about.
1. The Motto- Drake feat. Lil Wayne
Seriously, did you expect anything else?
It was a monster hit when we started college, and is definitely going to be a song that’s going to see us out as we celebrate graduation.
Now Drake had been quite present on the scene before this song, but this is the track that turned Drake into Drake as he is today. It also gave the world one of the most annoying acronyms of all time (YOLO), which thankfully faded away as quickly as it came.
For people in college, this is another one of those unifying songs that EVERYONE knows the words to. Luckily, those words happen to include perhaps the best verse of Lil Wayne’s career. The song is also set to a beat so frustratingly catchy that it makes me feel genuinely lucky that I’ve had this song throughout college.
Seeing as how our college careers progressed at roughly the same time that Drake’s music career did, it’s only fitting that Drizzy himself takes the crown on this list. Thanks to Drake, we all have a certain party, dance, and any number of things that took place while this song was playing. Pretty good song, too. Go play it while the nostalgia is still high. Like, now.
Tunechi!!!
Well, there ya go. It’s been a great, fun-filled four years, and I had a lot of fun putting this list together. Hopefully, you had just as much fun reading it. If you think I missed anything, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
And to all seniors: Congratulations. We f*cking did it.