Top 50 Hip-Hop/R&B Tracks of 2015

2015 was one of the biggest years for hip-hop in some time. We saw album releases from just about everybody of note — Kendrick Lamar, Future, Drake, Travis Scott, Big Sean, A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, Vince Staples, Logic, The Game, Earl Sweatshirt, and many many more talented artists. We saw new artists slide into the spotlight from Kehlani, to GoldLink, to Tory Lanez, to Byrson Tiller, to Vic Mensa, to Towkio, and even more. We saw Future release like 17 mixtapes, including an overly-hyped collaborative one with Drake, plus Young Thug attracted even more attention to himself in more ways than one.

We also saw the worlds of hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, and electronic music collide on tracks like “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times) by Jamie XX, “Aquafina” by Falcons, and Tory Lanez’s entire WeDidIt Collaborative project, “Cruel Intentions.” A lot of good things happened this year in hip-hop. Looking back at the year in review, we compiled a list of 50 of our favorite hip-hop and R&B tracks from the past year, along with six additional tracks for honorable mention. Peep the Spotify playlist and the entire top 50 below.

(1) Jamie xx – I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times) [ft. Young Thug & Popcaan]

(2) Drake – Back To Back

(3) Kendrick Lamar – Alright

(4) The Weeknd – The Hills

(5) Skepta – Shutdown

(6) Falcons – Aquafina (feat. GoldLink & Chaz French)

(7) Vic Mensa – U Mad (feat. Kanye West)

(8) Vince Staples – Senorita (feat. Future)

(9) Run The Jewels – Bust No Moves (feat. Cuz)

(10) Tyler, The Creator – Smuckers (feat. Lil Wayne & Kanye West)

(11) Kanye West – All Day (feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom, & Paul McCartney)

(12) A$AP Rocky – Jukebox Joints (feat. Kanye West)

(13) Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment – Sunday Candy

(14) Tory Lanez x Snakehips – Dímelo

(15) Freddie Gibbs – 10 Times (feat. Gucci Mane & E-40)

(16) Travis Scott – Maria I’m Drunk (feat. Justin Bieber & Young Thug)

Travis Scott – Maria I’m Drunk (feat. Justin Bieber & Young Thug) from Lukáš Tran on Vimeo.

(17) Joey Purp, Vic Mensa & Two Fresh – Still Got It

(18) Future – Where Ya At (feat. Drake)

(19) Drake – Energy

(20) IshDarr – Too Bad

(21) Tory Lanez x Benzel – Initiation

(22) Migos – Just For Tonight (feat. Chris Brown)

(23) Bryson Tiller – 502 The Come Up

(24) Mick Jenkins – Your Love [Prod. Kaytranada]

(25) Mac Miller – Break the Law

(26) R. Kelly – Switch Up (feat. Lil Wayne & Jeremih)

(27) Penthouse Penthouse – ’69 Camaro (feat. Bobby Saint)

(28) Elijah Blake – I Just Wanna… (feat. Dej Loaf)

(29) Kehlani – Did I

(30) Baauer – Promises (feat. Fetty  Wap & Dubbel Dutch)

(31) Towkio – Heaven Only Knows (feat. Chance The Rapper, Lido & Eryn Allen Kane)

(32) KYLE – The Force (Co-Prod. Oshi)

(33) Kranium – Nobody Has to Know (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)

(34) Daye Jack – Trapped In Love

(35) GoldLink – Dance On Me

(36) Jay Rock – Vice  City (feat. Black Hippy)

(37) Kendrick Lamar – Black Friday

(38) D.R.A.M. – Cha Cha

(39) Logic – Young Jesus

(40) The Game – El Chapo (feat. Skrillex)

(41) Tory Lanez – B.L.O.W.

(42) Freddie Gibbs – My Dope House [Prod. Kaytranada]

(43) Justin Bieber – We Are (feat. Nas)

(44) Ty Dolla $ign – Blasé (feat. Future & Rae Sremmurd)

(45) Missy Elliot – WTF (Where They From) [feat. Pharell Williams]

(46) THEY. – Motley Crue

(47) Two Fresh – Gettin’ Throwed (feat. Towkio & Joey Purp)

(48) 20syl – Copycat (feat. Fashawn)

(49) Drake & Future – Jumpman

(50) Future – Thought It Was A Drought

Honorable Mention:

(1) Krs. – Faking It (feat. Mars Today, Chary, Maurice Moore, & BNJMN

(2) Oshi – Down For This (Feat. Krs., BNJMN, Dutchboy, & Tunji Ige)

(3) Kayjo. – Trophy (feat. RahRah The Savage)

(4) GYYPS – Canoga Park

(5) SevnthWonder & unknown – Can I (feat. Devarano)

(6) Robokid, AObeats & Manila Killa – Helix 2.0 (Ft. Blaise Railey)

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[By Sam Waggoner]

Top 50 Hip-Hop/R&B Tracks of 2015