Heartbreak turning into a lesson turned. Solitude reframed as both struggle and strength.

Axar.az reports citing Foreign media.

A country where injustice reigns. These are the subjects of the year’s best songs, as documents of both personal and cultural challenges. Ranging from R&B and jazz to electronic, rock, and rap, it’s a collection that puts introspection and creative expression first.

5. Mac Miller, “Self Care”

Pittsburgh rapper Miller died from an overdose just a month after releasing his last album, Swimming. “Self Care” is the standout, a sinuous and introspective track that nods at his demons. In a year that saw the passing of many beloved artists, Miller’s insight into his struggles rings true.

4. Joji, “YEAH RIGHT”

Japanese-born Joji is part of a loose collective of artists expanding Asian representation in music—and on “Yeah Right,” a slow-­burning, melancholy R&B single, he effortlessly shows off his impressive range.

3. Ariana Grande, “thank u, next”

Few artists have been the subject of as much public scrutiny this year as Grande—so when she surprise-­released “thank u, next” not long after her widely covered breakup with SNL’s Pete Davidson, fans might have expected a diss track. Instead, “thank u, next” is a highly personal song of self-love and growth that subverts all the obvious pop scripts. It allowed Grande to reframe her narrative as an artist and a woman—and crafted an anthem that celebrates gracious independence over heartbreak.

2. Childish Gambino, “This Is America”

With his musical project Childish Gambino, Donald Glover has the power to kick-start a news cycle with a single song—and top the charts too. Bolstered by an irresistible but layered music video, “This Is America” turned bona fide cultural phenomenon, and rightly so: as it swings effortlessly from trap to gospel, commenting on race and police brutality, Glover proves even our most insidiously catchy party hits can still have something to say.

1. Christine & the Queens, “Girlfriend” (feat. Dâm-Funk)”

On her album Chris, French performer Hélöise Letissier wanted to explore what it means to be -manly—“a macho man,” as she put it—while in a female body. On the dazzling, funky “Girlfriend,” she pulls it off and then some. Flexing lyrically over a Michael Jackson–inspired beat, Letissier wrestles with and ultimately rejects, gender norms. In the process, she proves that pop’s boundaries can be just as fluid as identity—if only we are bold enough to assert ourselves as she does.