September was a bit of an intriguing time in the world of music. The Billboard Hot 100 at long last said goodbye to Bieber’s “Sorry” and welcomed with open arms a slew of alternative artists such as Twenty One Pilots and newcomer Daya. There was a surplus of fresh music releases and surprise album announcements (Alicia Keys and Lady Gaga’s being the most exciting), and one song captured the hearts of millions. So, in case you were living under a rock for a while, here are my picks at the top 10 best albums and songs that made their mark in the month of September.

#10 We Don’t Talk Anymore (feat. Selena Gomez) by Charlie Puth

Whispery, light and melancholy all embody “We Don’t Talk Anymore”, Charlie Puth’s third consecutive hit to make it big on the radio. However, as we all witnessed on the train wreck of a single “One Call Away”, Puth doesn’t have the ability to achieve mainstream success going solo just yet, so what better way to do so than to enlist the likes of America’s Sweetheart, Selena Gomez. 

The couple plays the roles of two estranged lovers longing to communicate after a breakup, but held back by the fear of unreciprocated emotions. The delicate acoustic guitar serves to keep the song authentic and earthy, two traits both singers fail to possess to their credit, and does the job well. Both artists give a breathy and honest delivery, Gomez really brings the song home with her airy vocals and beautifully written verse. Thematically, the song doesn’t really gain any traction, but with a title as trite as “We Don’t Talk Anymore”, did you really expect it to?

#9 and #8 Gangsta by Kehlani & You Don’t Own Me (feat. G-Eazy) by Grace

The Suicide Squad movie was undeniably a failure of epic proportions, but the film did spawn a critically acclaimed soundtrack featuring a grab bag of rather random artists ranging from Panic! At the Disco to Lil Wayne. Tracks such as “Sucker For Pain”, “Heathens”, and “Purple Lamborghini” give the album that grimy and dark edge needed to accompany a super villain flick, but the two songs that really caught my attention were those featuring a female songstress lead, particularly fresh face Grace’s “You Don’t Own Me” and bad-gal veteran Kehlani’s “Gangsta”. The latter is an eerie ode to the Joker and Harley Quinn’s relationship, and focuses on the necessity for a dominant and “gangsta” partner in every relationship.  The former is a revival of a 1960’s hit but with a contemporary twist. It bounces between the modern murky rap style of G-Eazy and the soulful pipes of Aussie-native Grace. The singer pleads with her lover, crying out “Don’t tell me what to do, don’t tell me what to say, please when I go out with you, don’t put me on display, you don’t own me,” timeless lyrics that carry just as much prevalence from the era they were written in as they do today.

#7 The Greatest (feat. Kendrick Lamar) by Sia

Sia seems to have developed a bit of a formulaic approach on churning out hits in the pop music machine: understated tropical melodies, poppy hook-laden choruses, and a hidden poignant meaning. “The Greatest” featuring Kendrick Lamar is no exception to this standard. The single is an upbeat anthem parading self-confidence and acceptance, but Sia has also gone on record to regard it as a tribute to the Pulse victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre. The heartfelt message of the song resonates throughout while simultaneously being a banger able to be danced through the night to, a feat worthy of praise in itself. Sitting pretty in Billboard’s Top 20 currently, the track impacted rhythmic radio on September 5.

#6 That’s My Girl by Fifth Harmony

There’s a certain power in songs that evoke an emotion so fervent that you feel inclined to actually get up and make a difference in this world. This is precisely the sentiment “That’s My Girl” brings forth. The rawness and passion in the voices of the ladies in Fifth Harmony draw inspiration in all who listen, particularly their female listeners. The girl-power anthem starts with a quirky trumpet sample and builds up to all five band members chanting “that’s my girl” over a syncopated synth beat. Empowering, sassy and inspirational, the track was officially made a single on September 27, and while it has yet to gain any radio or streaming traction, a video featuring the girls in a post-apocalyptic war-zone was released on September 19, and is steadily bringing the song the momentum it desperately needs to cling onto the Hot 100.

#5 Perfect Illusion by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is no stranger to reinventing her musical style. She experimented (very successfully might I add) with jazz for a period of time with the Grammy-winning album Cheek to Cheek, was heavily influenced by dancehall tones in the dawn of her career, and draws upon elements of R&B with singles such as “Do What U Want”.

 “Perfect Illusion”, Gaga’s lead single off her upcoming album Joanne, reveals the songstresses plans to leave no musical stone unturned while simultaneously solidifying her title as a certified genre-bender. Her latest single shows Gaga fully immersing herself in hard-hitting, classic rock & roll. “It wasn’t love / It was a perfect illusion / Mistaken for love” she chants over a heavy guitar, comparable to a female Bruce Springsteen in her gritty delivery. This reinvention of sound has Gaga exploring themes of “modern ecstasy” and contains commentary on social media and the issues one might come across trying to present this “perfect illusion” of themselves.

#4 Starboy by The Weeknd

If anyone can pull off dark and sleazy electro-R&B (oh this isn’t a genre? well it is now), it’s The Weeknd. “Look what you’ve done / I’m a motherf—ing starboy,” accuses Abel in the chorus over a Daft Punk assisted soundscape. He has a point. In the past year the world has witnessed the Canadian singer skyrocket from mixtape obscurity to mega mainstream success, and “Starboy” is a testimony to this newfound fame. The titular track off his forthcoming album shows the Weeknd wallowing in his destructively opulent lifestyle, and makes it clear he holds “you” (the public) responsible for the perils and pitfalls he now faces because of it. While I wouldn’t venture out to claim it’s as spectacular as his previous lead singles (“The Hills” really set the bar high), if this is a snippet of what to expect from his next album, color me more than intrigued.

#3 Side to Side (feat. Nicki Minaj) by Ariana Grande

Pop music has never been renowned for its subtlety, and while this is a globally known fact, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj take this notion to an entirely new dimension with “Side to Side”, a tongue-in-cheek bop filled with NSFW references and a (not so) encrypted message.

“I’ve been here all night / I’ve been here all day / and booo-oo-oo-ooy got me walkin’ side to side,” Grande wails in the intro and chorus. The reggae-tinged melodies coupled with Minaj’s crass tongue and producer Max Martin’s ear for creative hooks helped rocket this song to iconic status shortly after the diva’s premiered the single on the 2016 MTV VMA’s with a sexy live performance. “Side to Side” assists in shedding Grande’s former pristine image of absolute wholesomeness in favor of a more brazen persona, and is a step in the right direction in doing so.

#2 Wild (feat. Alessia Cara) by Troye Sivan

It’s a tale we’ve all heard before. A young, attractive, usually white teen rising to mega stardom by posting a couple half-decent singing videos on the internet and subsequently gaining a mass following of adoring tween fans along with million dollar contracts for Coke and various acne products. Their fame is usually not rooted in their subpar vocal talents, but rather their insane luck in the genetic lottery. They go on to make a couple commercial studio albums lacking any depth or musical insight and then fade into obscurity for years. This is not the tale of 21-year old Australian artist Troye Sivan. While he did make his start on YouTube, surrounded by some of its rather unsavory characters, he possess a vocal talent unmatched by many of the website’s stars, his records are tinged with raw authenticity, and he’s gay. So undoubtedly a bit different than the rest. Sivan’s storytelling abilities are impeccable for such a young age, and “Wild” is a testament to this. Within the song, Sivan tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers confined by the parameters of a “blue neighborhood” and longing for liberation from this imprisonment. With the help of “Here” hitmaker Alessia Cara, Sivan illustrates just how “wild” the nature of forbidden love can drive us, and does so flawlessly.

#1 Closer (feat. Halsey) by The Chainsmokers

It’s hard to put a finger on just what makes “Closer” as infectiously catchy as it indisputably is. Perhaps it’s the blaring synthesizer in the chorus. Maybe the soft-grunge edge that unwittingly comes with having a Halsey feature is what’s gaining the single its favorable airplay. Whatever the culprit, “Closer” has been dominating the charts for months now, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The Chainsmokers single is a cookie-cutter pop song if I’ve ever heard one. The lyricism isn’t groundbreaking. The instrumentation isn’t innovative. The vocals aren’t particularly spectacular. So what makes the song so irresistible?

The reason may forever remain unknown, and perhaps the lack of rationale alone may be exactly what makes the song such a sensation. It’s the unexplainable gravitation towards its beat and the warm fuzzy feeling the words give you inside that make the song so great, no matter how mediocre we’re aware the production is. It’s inexplicably finding yourself whistling the chorus on the way to work or school regardless of how annoyingly unremarkable you may find the artists on the track. That’s part of the magic of “Closer”, and entirely why it’s number one worldwide on nearly every chart, including this list.