Most people are thanking their lucky stars that 2017 did not end with a mushroom cloud hanging over everyone’s heads, but there is little doubt that the year still sucked donkey balls, thanks to a certain rude White House occupant. Although Alabama turning blue for the Senate race in mid-December did offer some sort of late-year surge of hope. Whatever, we’re not holding our breaths for anything.

But thank heavens for music! Can you just imagine how sordid and inconsolable we would all be without the comforting and soothing power of music? Let’s have a look at the songs that made us feel safe and hopeful, that made us fall in love again, and that made us dance.

As per usual, these 21 songs are ranked based on each title’s performance on the Bent*Spun 21 from the chart dated January 1, 2017 through to the chart dated December 31, 2017. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 21 earning the least.

This year we saw Taylor Swift clapping back at the haters, Post Malone feeling like a rock star (deservedly so) and a perky girl from the Bronx showing us a thing or two about her money moves.

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