The staff at Billboard have released their picks for the 50 best songs of the year thus far!
On June 24 local time, Billboard published its midyear roundup of “The 50 Best Songs of 2026 So Far,” ˙which spans a variety of genres.
BLACKPINK’s Jennie and Tame Impala’s collab remix of “Dracula” made the list at No. 14, with Lyndsey Havens writing, “It’s not often that a remix eclipses an original, but that’s exactly what happened here—thanks in large part to Jennie’s cohesive contribution. On ‘Dracula (Remix),’ the pop star doesn’t drop in for a verse [or] two, she’s embedded throughout, making her whispered presence a quiet, creeping force that creates a more intimate, conversational tone than Kevin Parker solo—especially with lyrical tweaks like ‘My friends are saying, “Shut up, Jennie, just get in the car”’ (instead of ‘Shut up, Kevin’) and later asking, ‘Hey Kevin, what’s up?’ As such, Jennie hopping on the track helped lure fans of the original and new listeners alike to crave another bite.”
Meanwhile, BTS’s “SWIM” took No. 25 on the midyear list. Kristen Wisneski wrote, “‘SWIM,’ the lead from ‘ARIRANG,’ BTS’s first studio album of new material since 2020, blends a melodic, mid-tempo alternative-pop sound in contrast to the upbeat songs the group usually releases. The song’s metaphor, combined with the lyric ‘I just wanna dive,’ allows the septet to reflect on taking a chance, embracing the unknown, and diving into something new while acknowledging that they’re ready for more. This sense of readiness for what lies ahead, together with the smooth synth-driven sound, created an atmosphere of calmness and reflection throughout the track, and helped make it smooth sailing for the group’s journey back to the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100.”
Finally, KATSEYE’s “PINKY UP” made the list at No. 45, with Kristen Wisneski describing the single as “just one piece of the vision behind the group’s new musical era.” She went on, “With the group putting its ‘PINKY UP’ as a symbolic response to the imminent apocalypse (‘One day, soon, the world’s gonna end/I’m gonna make out with my new bestest friends’), they make the best of end times and spend their final days on cloud nine. With an upbeat melody and highly danceable rhythm, the song continues to strike a chord with fans, both on their playlists and throughout KATSEYE’s festival run this summer.”
Congratulations to Jennie, BTS, and KATSEYE!
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