I first heard of Halsey in September of 2015 when the music video for “New Americana” was just making its rounds on YouTube, and I came across it while on autoplay. I am not going to say I was enthralled because “New Americana” is still my least favorite Halsey song, but it kept me in the loop. That was when I found “Hold Me Down” on Vevo LIFT Live. Yes, I know the story behind this performance, but that does not make it any less breathtaking. This was the turning point for me. I had never seen someone look so beautiful, rough, and possessed at the same time.
In 2017, I went to her “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom” concert with my dad. He was told he was the oldest person there by the security guard, but I can assure you, he still had fun. I sang along so much that I lost my voice, and a grin was plastered on my face for days. The videos I took are all blurry and shaky, but I can feel the joy from within every time I look at them.
As a certified Halsey stan, this list (in alphabetical order) is extremely hard for me because I can actually say I like every single song she has put out. This is not an exaggeration. I have every song on my phone, including the unreleased ones, and love all of them. She is my favorite artist, and I hope that this list will introduce some people to her or at least give you a new perspective.
1.) “Alone”
The funny thing about this song is that it paints a specific picture of loneliness in my head. There is a steady marching beat and the vocals seem on the verge of tears. It makes me feel lost in a crowd of people, so that no matter how many people surround you, you still feel powerless. Of course, not everyone will hear that in the song, but they will feel something and perhaps dance to it.
2.) “Angel on Fire”
This is more loneliness and social anxiety said and sang in better ways that I ever could. Halsey is gifted at articulating what it feels like to be in certain situations that she describes personally, but she always leaves space for the listener to come in and join her.
3.) “Bad at Love”
It’s almost 2020, a bi anthem about being the problem person in relationships is both applicable and relatable.
4.) “Castle”
There was a version of this song released in the movie The Huntsman: Winter’s War (the movie was not great, they lost Kristen Stewart, and she was an essential part of the franchise), but having a Halsey song in it did make it more bearable. The movie version is more cinematic and instrumental that the original album version; there is just more of everything, and in this case, I would say it does not help the song. “Castle,” as it was released on her album, is stripped down in comparison and has an artificial feel, but a personal feel, because it is truly her song and not commercialized with extra instruments and vocals to make it sound more powerful.
5.) “Clementine”
“Clementine” is Halsey’s newest song! It was released on her 25th birthday and pays homage to her older, softer songs, as well as it alludes to her other music. It seems like an acoustic track, a convoluted one, a calmer song.
6.) “Control”
“Control” is probably my favorite Halsey song ever. I feel like I am betraying my entire list by saying that. There is something completely chilling about her voice and how it flows that just carries the song along through your brain. And the lyrics are truly something else.
7.) “Garden”
I think part of the reason why I like this song so much is that it is a hidden gem. It is an unreleased song, as well as an older one, so not many people have heard it. As much as I would love for this song to remain unknown, more people should feel and hear this special song.
8.) “Gasoline”
This song really should have a music video. Almost every lyric is quotable, the best one in my opinion is “Low on self esteem so you run on gasoline.” I mean, what a line! The background music is awesome even on its own as an instrumental and the song overall is hard hitting, loud, angry and meaningful.
9.) “Haunting”
“Haunting” is similar in sound to “Control” for me. It is silky and spooky, and in the end, it’s just beautifully dark.
10.) “Heaven in Hiding”
I was not going to include this song because as much as I loved it dearly (and it is my dad’s favorite), I wasn’t sure if it would make it into a Top 20 slot. But Halsey has stated that “Heaven in Hiding” is her favorite song on “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom,” and I would be a fool not to include it after that.
11.) “Hold Me Down”
This song is back. Whenever I play “Hold Me Down” in public, half the people think it’s about religion, and the other half think it’s about some weird sexual relationship. I like to think it’s both, or whatever you want it to be, but it makes heads turn.
12.) “Hurricane”
Despite the music video seriously creeping me out, the lyricism of this song is clever and twisted. Since it is an older song of hers, it came out in 2014, her vocals are not as strong as they are now, but this gives the track a more vulnerable and naive feel.
13.) “Nightmare”
I was waiting for this song with so much anticipation that I watched the new music video in a hotel room in Spain at 3 a.m. I was not disappointed. This song is as gritty as what drew me to “Hold Me Down” and is also timely to the “Me Too” movement, bringing killer vocals that seep into multiple genres.
14.) “Not Afraid Anymore”
“Not Afraid Anymore” definitely gets overlooked as a good Halsey song or as a Halsey song in general because it was never released by her alone, it was part of the “Fifty Shades Darker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,” Despite the content of the song most likely not being personal to her, her voice and vocal power carry the song and make it a standout against others.
15.) “Sorry”
Melancholy? Check. Piano ballad? Check. Love story? Check. Beautiful lyrics? Check. The only way this song could be better would be if it weren’t so sad.
16.) “Tokyo Narita (Freestyle)”
This song is the reason why I can now tell anyone the name of the airport in Tokyo. Hint: it’s Tokyo Narita. “Tokyo Narita” is a fun song, with rhymes and references to other musical artists and albums. It is smart, but that is not what makes it great. What makes it great is that this song doesn’t have an important message or a puzzle to figure out, it’s just a cool song.
17.) “Trouble”
“Trouble” reflects a past, less vocally strong Halsey. This Halsey trembled a bit when she sang and wasn’t a big deal yet, but this song here is a big deal. It is about a manipulative and, at times, emotionally abusive relationship, and she approaches it with clever wordplay and sensitivity that is genuine, but also takes time to figure out. On the surface, the song can be seen as being about destructive love, but as you dig deeper, the power struggle becomes more evident, as well as the growth of the speaker.
18.) “Walls Could Talk”
I am biased against this song. I used to not be able to listen to it at all because it was my alarm clock song— horrible choice— and whenever the first word started, I would nearly jump out of my skin. I would say I have desensitized myself to it at this point, but my hair still stands on end. The beat is fast and catchy, the lyrics are frank, now if only I could get past my bad decision of 2017.
19.) “11 Minutes”
This song is a collaboration with Yungblud, a British musician who she was/is dating (reports are unclear at the moment if they have broken up or not, but that is not relevant to this song). The song is about two lovers, one of which who dies, and they sing about how they did not make the most of the time they had together. When speaking about the story, Yungblud said: “We never take a minute to think or to live in the moment because we’ve got too much to think about because we have so much in front of us.” We as humans are so busy, and we always think that there will be time for the people we love the most because they will always be there when we get back, and this song illustrates, in a heartbreaking way, to never take what you have for granted.
20.) “100 Letters”
“100 Letters” is the first song on “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom,” meaning it is the first song I heard from the album while halfway undressed to get in the shower. It’s a smashing hook into the story. There are allusions to Midas and him turning everything he touches into gold, but also to her real life and past, coming together to create a larger than life storyline and opening song.
For me, it’s about the storyline, the lyrics and the sounds. I like a song based on how it sounds, and I will go from “like” to “love” based on how the song is written. Good writing can make or break a song, as can content. Halsey is a multidimensional and genre-crossing artist, and I happen to love all her songs, but that doesn’t mean everyone else will. I encourage everyone to check out her music with an open mind. It’s going to be 2020 soon, we can stop holding grudges against artists (except for Chris Brown), and stop hating artists based on “cancel culture” or that one song you clicked on in 2014 when you were drunk.
Pick a song and let me know what you think! Are you still stuck in the Badlands or Hopeless Fountain Kingdom? I’m ready to start a journey to her next story, wherever that takes us.