Everybody’s favorite grungy, vaguely-reformed fraternity brother Post Malone has kept busy. He recently went on Jimmy Fallon to talk his feature on the SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack, and ditched his signature messy hair look in favor of a shorter version. Add in his performance at the 2018 American Music Awards and you have a guy who frequently finds himself a topic of conversation.
Post has become something of a household name in the past few years, especially with the release of his latest album Beerbongs and Bentleys. With an ever-growing catalog, its evident that our favorite Post tracks are bound to change. But what are the most memorable songs in his existing body of work? Here are our top ten picks for the best Post Malone songs, so far. For the sake of this list, we’re sticking to Post as the main artist on the track (sorry, ‘Jackie Chan’).
10. “92 EXPLORER”
One thing Post Malone excels at is making catchy-as-hell hooks. That, along with a host of talented producers in his corner, amounts to a hefty serving of bops on the regular. "92 Explorer" is a prime example. London On Da Track comes through with a bouncy, spacious beat that gives Malone permission to coast along with lines about buying Gucci socks and dropping "forty G’s" on the notorious Rodeo Drive.
9. “MONTA” FT. LIL YACHTY
This mixtape release doesn’t exactly feel like a Post Malone track, which is perhaps what makes it so interesting. The first few notes of the Cashio beat might have you thinking that a Young Thug ad-lib is imminent. To his credit, Malone makes it his own. The song’s title comes from Monta Ellis, a second-round draft pick for Golden State back in 2005. It’s a classic take on the "baller anthem," but still succeeds in part due to a lively feature from Lil Yachty. “I got more hoes than Elvis,” Yachty says part-way into his verse, which tells you just about everything you need to know about this song.
8. “GO FLEX”
As the title might imply, this track is about flexing. And to a certain degree about a desire to escape the dramas posed by the women in his life. The lyrics feature an overt obsession with gold chains and marijuana, undoubtedly making this a good track to play if one finds themselves in a setting that has the latter. “Go Flex” radiates Post Malone’s signature energy, and endears you to his desire to escape his surroundings in favor of hanging with his crew.
7. “RICH AND SAD”
The loneliness here is haunting. The start of the chorus has Malone’s vocals mangled to a similar octave as Swae Lee, an unnatural jump that emphasizes his grief. "Rich and Sad" finds Malone musing on how his riches and fame are useless when it comes to keeping a loved one around. It’s a raw, emotional, and vulnerable experience, an artist bearing his soul with regrets over never being enough. It’s a relatable struggle that makes it one of the most engaging songs on Malone’s second studio album.
6. “CONGRATULATIONS” FT. QUAVO
On the victory lap "Congratulations," Malone dives deep into his emotions, reflecting on making it in the industry and his sense of being entitled to success. He talks about the feeling of his mom seeing him on TV, driving in Bentleys, and working nonstop to make it. The assistance from Quavo, who’s group Migos would find immense success with their hit "Bad And Boujee" a year later, is a testament to the two’s foreseeable longevity in the rap game. It doesn’t make for a bad festival performance, either.
5. "I FALL APART"
The start of the track finds Post with an almost gospel-sounding croon. What follows is the tragedy of heartbreak, of being “scarred” and broken after being left by someone you trusted. There has yet to be a conclusive scientific study on break-ups, but the average person will swear on their life that physical pain is involved. Evidently, Malone feels it to be true, expressing his shock and grief at being alone. “I Fall Apart” is less a song title and more a state of mind for anyone in a post-breakup headspace.
4. "BETTER NOW"
Alas, the track that got a somewhat random compliment from Taylor Swift backstage at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. In many ways "Better Now" is the sequel to "I Fall Apart," possibly from the alternate perspective; Malone is less angry than remorseful, stating plainly “I did not believe that it would end.” He acknowledges some blame in the matter, noting that he “never meant to let you down,” making it seem as if he was perhaps the reason the relationship didn’t turn out. It’s hard taking some responsibility, but harder still to acknowledge that you’re the problem.
3. “ROCKSTAR” ft. 21 SAVAGE
It’s curious that a song talking about "feeling like a rockstar" would be so moody. More Led Zeppelin than AC/DC, "Rockstar" features Post’s signature warbling vocals riding a wave of ominous synths and a smattering of trap drums. It’s an ode to pills and blowing smoke, with a bridge that feels almost depressed. And somehow, it works, the rare track that's versatile enough to fit in a hype setting or laid back, marijuana-infused vibe. 21 Savage delivers a characteristically chest-thumping verse, blending to Post’s style like second nature.
2. "WHITE IVERSON"
You must always give credit where credit is due. Without “White Iverson” there would be no Post Malone. The song was initially uploaded to Post’s Soundcloud in February of 2015, but would eventually land a major release from Republic Records in August of that year. The song would go on to peak at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and go 5x platinum. It’s not difficult to see why the track was such a major success. It’s a laid-back, Drake-esque approach to rapping, perhaps more focused on the overall sonic aesthetic than actual bars.
1. "PSYCHO" FT. TY DOLLA $IGN
This is the quintessential Post Malone track, the culmination of three years of craft-honing. It showcases his melancholy and lulling vocals paired with a spacey beat that gives both himself and guest Ty Dolla $ign ample room to show off. The topics of discussion are the usual suspects - jewelry, designer brands, and attractive women - but Post somehow makes it refreshing. It’s not a reinvention of the wheel, simply a change of rims. Oh, and it peaked at #1. So there’s that.