The month of March was filled with music releases in every genre, from hardcore rap to bubblegum pop. With such a large array of songs and albums dropping at once, it’s often hard to sort out and decide which are actually worth listening to, and which are just cash-grabbing sellouts made only for radio airplay and to make a profit.

To help readers decide which songs are Chanel and which are Walmart, The Colt has decided to run ‘Angel’s Top 10’ to serve you with the best music releases of each month. The list will include album and single releases, and to be featured, the work has to have been released within the month being covered. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

#10 Slime Season 3 by Young Thug

Atlanta born rapper Young Thug dropped the third installment in his critically acclaimed Slime Season trilogy on March 25. With only eight tracks, the rapper failed to meet the high expectations of fans and critics alike, however, the album’s short 30 minute run-time is only a minor critique. The central issue here lies within the lyrics. While he did have a couple solid bars here and there (take the iconic first lines of the hook in “With Them” for example) and some infectiously catchy hooks (“Digits” being the best hands down) he just didn’t push any boundaries or do anything particularly new. For instance, “Drippin” had the potential to be one of the best songs on the mixtape, with it’s hard-hitting bassline and steady synth backing, however, the overdone lyrical content and incomprehensible yells towards the end just watered down the entire track, making it mediocre at best. The only song that really exemplifies Young Thug at his best is track one “With Them”, partly due to the genius of producer Mike Will Made-It, partly due to the aforementioned brilliant opening bar, and largely due to Young Thug finally opting not to suffocate his voice with auto tune. This song, coupled with “Memos” and “Digits”, are the sole reason this mixtape got a position on my list, as the genius of these tracks outshines the failures of the rest of the album. Overall, despite a couple production issues, if you enjoyed SS1 and SS2, this record is definitely worth a listen.

#9 No Broken Hearts by Bebe Rexha

If you’ve listened to the radio recently, whether you know it or not, you’ve likely heard Bebe Rexha’s voice. From being the lead vocalist on David Guetta’s summer hit “Hey Mama” to being snagged by G-Eazy on ballad “Me Myself & I”, the girl has undoubtedly been putting in some work in the studio lately. Riding on the success of these two bangers, Rexha has decided to depart from being a guest voice on songs to making solo efforts. “No Broken Hearts” is an urban pop anthem that speaks on generic pop themes (e.g dancing your problems away, leaving your ex in the past, and generally “turning up”). She even enlisted the likes of Nicki Minaj to give the song some oomf, and the rapper definitely brought her best guns to the rodeo (the Monica Lewinsky line is iconic). While the song isn’t particularly amazing, it also isn’t bad for Rekha’s first time singing on a song of her own. Hopefully, “No Broken Hearts” is just the singer dipping her toe in the water. I can’t wait to see more of what this talent has to offer.

#8 Be Alright by Ariana Grande

“Be Alright” is a marimba-packed dance track inspired by ‘90s R&B tones and rhythms. The 2nd promotional single from her upcoming album Dangerous Woman shows Ariana Grande staying within her sweet spot of sweet dance-pop tracks, but yet it feels different than anything she’s ever done. It’s not a typical in-your-face pop song, and is a promising peek at her upcoming album titled Dangerous Woman. Lyrically however, nothing new is ever really brought to the table. The saving grace of the song is the sweet intended message though. Grande assures her fans that while we may face obstacles in our life, relationships or otherwise, in the end everything’s gonna be alright. While this isn’t anything groundbreaking or innovative, it’s these kind of messages that are absent in today’s pop music, which is why the song landed a spot on my list.

#7 Team by Iggy Azalea

Australian rapper Iggy Azalea must have the beat gods shining down upon her. Azalea released the long awaited lead single off her sophomore album, and while she’s turned many heads, not many of them were impressed. However, just because the general public doesn’t favor a song doesn’t mean it should necessarily be written off as a flop, so let’s take a look at all the things Azalea did right. First, the impressive syncopated, reverbed synths in the intro and the chorus absolutely draw the listener into Azalea’s world of “Digital Distortion” and give lead to a promising first verse. Also, the trap-esque, twerkable breakdown in the bridge is enough to get anybody up and moving, fan or not, and was a smart move on her part, due to it making the song a lot more playable in a club setting and just giving it more favorable airplay. However, most praise ends here, as the quite literally garbage lyrics and already done metaphors call for a timeout on Azalea’s part. I mean seriously, who let this woman leave the studio with the hysterical thought that “Watch a new car dash, call me Kylie” was an acceptable punchline? Either she’s completely oblivious to the fact that Kylie is in fact not a Kardashian but a Jenner, or her co-writers just really really hate her. Despite the disappointing lack of clever puns and her lazy flow, “Team” could possibly reach a level of global success due to the sheer crossover potential Azalea exhibits throughout and, again, the undeniably sick beat.

#6 Low Life by Future

While “Low Life” from rapper Future’s mixtape wasn’t necessarily dropped in March, it was officially made a single within the month and started gaining mass attention, which is why I decided to include it. The dark and grimy collaboration features Canadian singer The Weeknd and was produced by Metro Boomin, Future’s go to beat producer. It is a catchy hip-hop banger and has the longevity to stay on the charts for a while. While the smoldering collaboration’s title is “Low Life”, it does anything but represent for those less fortunate, as it continuously boasts the things they do as they partake in their luxurious lifestyle. It’s catchy, simple and bound to be a hit.

#5 NØ by Meghan Trainor

Megatronz, rejoice! Miss Meghan Trainor has returned from her very brief hiatus and is pulling out  every stop in order to regain the public’s attention, from ditching the blonde hair for a more subtle auburn look, to gracing the music industry with a ‘90s Britney Spears-esque vibe we so desperately craved on the lead single from her 2nd studio album titled Thank You. While the name of the track is “NØ”, listeners won’t be able to think anything but “YAAASSS” as they’re served right off the bat with the finger-snapping doo-wop melodies that made Trainor famous, and the sweet inflected vocals her fans know and love. While the dance-pop anthem is stylistically similar to her 2014 summer hit “All About That Bass”, it takes a different approach than it’s predecessor on dealing with the male species. Lyrically, AATB caters more to the guys, giving the assertion that men like a woman with curves. “NØ” does sort of the opposite and shows Trainor shutting down an unimpressive male suitor in a club, repeatedly chanting “My name is no, my sign is no, my number is no, you need to let it go.”  What I like about the song is the raw intensiveness of the bass drop at the beginning, not to mention the urgency Trainor sang with, hitting nearly every note flawlessly and with a vengeance. Could this possibly be the career reviving song the singer gravely needs?

#4 Mind of Mine by Zayn Malik

Fresh off his very public departure from One Direction, Zayn Malik has at last dropped his debut album as a solo artist, titled Mind of Mine, and his efforts accomplished a feat his ex-boyband members still have yet to achieve to this day: a number one entry on the Hot 100. With a clear narrative, a plethora of compelling hooks, and a sound reminiscent of the echoing pop/R&B production on Justin Bieber’s Purpose, Zayn has undoubtedly surpassed the low music standard of quality his former bandmates set. Mind of Mine shows Malik taking a more adult approach on his music, and is a seamless intersection of alternative pop, smooth R&B, and dancehall tones. Unlike most debut albums, Malik doesn’t rely on a superstar guestlist of other pop stars, and only has one feature from Kehlani on likely the best song on Mind of Mine, titled “wRoNg”. The track is a dark and seductive mid-tempo ballad and really fits in well with the comprehensive soundscape. Zayn and Kehlani’s soulful voices beautifully collide and make for one heck of a sexy vibe. The soul in this entire album is apparent, making this solo effort the career move that he undeniably needed to make. Overall, with it’s cool, laid-back beats and Malik’s powerhouse vocals, it shuts down the critics who thought Malik never had the potential to make it as a solo artist. It was, without a doubt, one of the best album releases of March.

#3 Work From Home by Fifth Harmony

Fueled by the global success and favorable reception of their last #1 hit “Worth it”, the girls of Fifth Harmony have blessed mass media with the release of their new, more mature single, titled “Work From Home”. The Caribbean-influenced chorus features all five of the girls harmonizing over a poppy, laid back xylophone, with Lauren leading the pack, and repeatedly chanting “Work” (hey, it worked for Rihanna didn’t it?) for a total of nine times per chorus. The hard-hitting crescendos from Ally and Camila in the bridge of the song really pushed it over the edge for me, and proved to their critics once and for all that these girls have really got some pipes. “Work From Home” shows a departure from the bubblegum pop lyrics of the past and makes room for more sultry and seductive content, showcasing the group’s evolution from Destiny’s-Child wannabes to bonafide pop divas. Rihanna, secure your edges and tighten your weave, as this down-tempo song has the potential to take the charts by storm and possibly knock your song “Work” from it’s current top position.

#2 Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande

Fifth Harmony weren’t the only artists to take a more seductive approach in March’s music releases, Ariana Grande turned up the heat in her new, edgy pop-rock single, “Dangerous Woman”. The track is bold, sexy, and the slow, drawn out melodies simply cry out to be featured in a James bond movie. While the sighing, waltzy vibe was a different direction for Grande, she certainly did it justice. She entails the lustful tale of a good girl gone bad with finesse, and sells the persona without flaw. “I’m bulletproof and know what I’m doing” she asserts to her lover. “Don’t need permission, made my decision, to test my limits.” Grande doesn’t need the authorization of her unnamed bad boy to break free from the preconceived ideas others might have of her, and this carefree attitude, along with the minute-long guitar riff and overall irresistible assonance of the whole song is enough to earn Grande a high spot on my top 10 list.

#1 Watch Me Do by Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor makes a second visit on my list, beating out all other acts with her latest upbeat single, “Watch Me Do”. The groovy confidence anthem is an ode to feminism (a trend for Trainor) and opens with the singer serving 50 shades of sass. “I’m that shh… be quiet. I been on that low hater diet” she brags in the opening. Trainor made a smart decision to ditch the humdrum ‘70s sound she’s become known for, as the track is peppered with funky hip-hop beats throughout. She goes into full-flaunt mode in the chorus as she boasts on her accomplishments she made as a debut artist last year. She borrows every page from the diva handbook verse after verse, and is done with a flair so cocky and self-confident that one can’t help but tap their feet, bob their head, or just flat out get up and dance, no matter the setting.  The song showcases Trainor at her best, and if this is any indication as to what her sophomore album Thank You is going to sound like, the project could easily be her best to date.