Top 15 Productions Of The Year- WhyEnd? Year Review
Welcome to WhyEnd? My annual end of the year review lists. During the last 10 days of the year, I will be releasing review lists that include Top Albums Of The Year, Top Soundcloud songs of the year, Top Sleeper Songs of the Year, and more. Today we kick it off with best productions of the year.
Enjoy.
15. Perfect Timing - Produced by NAV, Metro Boomin', and Southside
Me and Metro don't need help. And NAV was absolutely correct. NAV and Metro linked up for Perfect Timing and production wise the entire album was fire. The whole album was filled with A1 beats and Perfect Timing(Intro) was the best one. Not a surprise when two of the hottest producers of 2017 link and get some help from Southside.
14. Dothatshit! - Produced by Pi'erre Bourne
No producer has had a bigger year than Pi'erre Bourne. Before 2017, I'm pretty sure nobody knew who Pi'erre was. A year later, you can't go five songs without hearing "Yo Pi'erre" and it's because of songs like 'Dothatshit!' The song opens up with Bourne's signature tag and then the flute immediately snatches your attention. He keeps the beat open, really just looping the flute continuously, allowing Carti's chorus and adlibs to dominate the song.
13. DNA - Produced by Mike WiLL Made-It
Who would've thought Mike WiLL would produce Kendrick Lamar's two biggest hits of the year? It's surprising because you wouldn't think their styles fit but the making of DNA explains that. Mike WiLL had to build this beat around a DNA acapella freestyle. He literally had to craft the beat around Kendrick and we were rewarded with a classic.
12. The Way Life Goes - Produced by Don Cannon & Ike Beatz
No artist has a better beat selection than Lil Uzi Vert. LUV IS RAGE 2 was filled with amazing beats and one of the best was hit single The Way Life Goes. Lil Uzi's go-to's Ike Beatz and Don Cannon snapped on this one but where they left their mark is on the chorus. They sampled Oh Wonder's Landslide so beautifully and integrated it perfectly under Lil Uzi's voice.
11. Mask Off - Produced by Metro Boomin'
Future had a huge 2017. He became the first artist to have back to back number 1 albums in consecutive weeks with 'Future' and 'HNDRXX' and 'Mask Off' was undeniably his biggest hit from the two. 2017 was the year of the flute and 'Mask Off' was one of the driving songs behind it. Couple Metro's production and hit making ability with Future's penchant for catchy choruses about drugs and it's no surprise this song did numbers.
10. Unforgettable - Produced by Jaegan & 1Mind
'Unforgettable' has a case for song of the year.The collective 1Mind and Jaegan were the ones behind the boards and it's easy to see why this song popped. These are producers who know real dancehall and they crafted a dancehall hit that translated well for the hip-hop community. The infectious, fire beat mixed with Swae Lee's hit making ability and it's no surprise why this song has over 500 million views.
9. Gleeming Karnival - Produced by Digital Nas
I didn't think Trippie Redd would get this big this quickly. He broke out in the second quarter of 2017 and by the second quarter of 2018 we'll have gotten a Trippie Redd/Drake song or remix. A great choice for Drizzy would be Redd's smash hit 'Gleeming Karnival.' Digital Nas keeps the beat simple and open allowing Trippie's crazy vocals to dominate the song. Sometimes simplicity is key and four million plays on Soundcloud support that.
8. Teenage Fever - Produced by Hagler
More Life ,by and large, came and went. More Life has some songs that still get love nine months later, but no song has more replay value than 'Teenage Fever' and it's because of Hagler's amazing production. From the opening seconds, the beat puts you in a somber mode, preparing you for one of sap Drake's finest moments. But what get's you is the JLo sample on the chorus. He sampled the chorus of 'If You Had My Love', slowed it down and deepened her voice and it worked out beautifully. I don't think I've heard a more beautiful sample.
7. Proud Family - Produced by Tory Lanez, Play Picasso, and Coop Chardonnay
Tory Lanez had a relatively quiet 2017 and that's because his only project this year was dropped in January. 'Chixtape 4' had 'Proud Family' which was hit. The obvious nostalgia of the song added to the appeal but then we'd be taking away from the excellent production. Lanez and Play Picasso are frequent collaborators but sampling Solange's Proud Family theme song might be there finest work yet. Then they interpolated her vocals under Tory's during the chorus, which fit perfectly.
6. EA - Produced by Pi'erre Bourne
All it takes is one song and this was it for Nudy. Whenever this song comes on in the function, the energy is completely different and that's because of Pi'erre. You know a beat is fire when all you need to hear is five seconds and the whole party turn up. Pi'erre did the damn thing with this one, like he did all of 2017.
5. Neon Guts - Produced by Pharrell
I knew a Lil Uzi and Pharrell collab would be legendary and 'Neon Guts' definitely is. The song opens up with Pharrell's signature four count and takes off. The production is amazing, the song has a fast tempo and is upbeat, something you don't see from Uzi much nowadays. Pharrell and Lil Uzi both say they have hella' more music in the stash, and if those songs are anything like 'Neon Guts', we need them ASAP.
4. Slide - Produced by Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris created the Album Of The Summer with ' Funk Wav Bounces' and the standout track from it was 'Slide.' The song features Frank Ocean's soothing voice pn the chorus, and two of the Migos (Offset and Quavo) delivering masterful verses over Harris' piano key filled ballad. 'Slide' proved EDM and Hip-Hop can go together, all you need is the right producer.
3. Magnoilia - Produced by Pi'erre Bourne
In 2017, there was two phrases you couldn't go without hearing and they both came from this song. "Yo Pi'erre, you wanna come out here" and "In New York, I milly-rock" are products of the smash hit 'Magnolia' and we owe it to the genius of Pi'erre. This beat is different from most on the list, it's literally filled, from drum hits to high snares, but it fits perfectly alongside Carti's adlib filled rapping style. No single song this year had a bigger impact for a rapper and producer, it's spot on the list is unquestioned.
2. Butterfly Effect - Produced by Murda Beatz
Travis Scott had a relatively quiet 2017 aside from 'Huncho Jack' and 'Butterfly Effect', the latter being one of the biggest singles of the year. Why? Murda Beatz snapped on this one, murder on the beat foreal. He crafted a beat so perfect for Travis that I originaly thought Travis produced it himself. Murda Beatz has had a huge year and producing 'Butterfly Effect' was the icing on the cake.
1. Mind On A Millie - Produced by Wheezy, Metro Boomin', and Pi'erre Bourne
Pi'erre, Metro, and Wheezy? On the same beat?? How could it not be the best production of the year. These three teamed up and gave the hardest beat of the year to two of 2017's most buzzing artists. From the moment you hear Pi'erre's tag, the beat gets you in a trance, kind of hypnotizes you throughout the song. It doesn't hurt that Gunna and Hoodrich snapped on their verses too.
Make sure to follow me on Apple Music @WhyToby and check out my playlist of The Top Productions of the Year: https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/whyend-top-productions-of-the-year/pl.u-RRbV04Jt6z6o99
Agree with my list? Missed a song? Let me know on Instagram: @_WhyToby or Twitter: @_WhyToby
#2017 #MurdaBeatz #MetroBoomin #PierreBourne #CalvinHarris #Pharrell #Hagler #DigitalNas #DonCannon #Ikebeatz #MikeWillMadeIt #NAV
