Pharrell Williams’ 10 Biggest Songs of His Career

As the life story of ​​Pharrel Williams is told in Piece by pieceIt’s worth looking at Williams’ discography to remember, or learn, what the biggest songs of his career were. Williams always strives to think outside the box when it comes to his career, and Piece by piece is no exception. The animated movie explores Williams’ life through LEGO storytelling, amassing an impressive number of cameos from other musicians in Piece by piece As it does so – including the likes of Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar.

Of course, the reason why these musicians are included in the story is because of the many impressive collaborations Williams has been a part of his life. Williams created many songs, both under his own name and on behalf of others, which topped the charts once again and became the soundtrack to many people’s lives. Here are the 10 biggest songs of Williams’ career so far, ranked by their performance on the charts and their overall cultural impact and reception.

10

“Havana” by Camila Cabello feat. Young day

Release date: August 3, 2017

Although Williams had a smaller role in “Havana,” Camila Cabello’s song was almost inescapable from 2017 to 2018. It was one of two lead singles from Cabello’s debut album, CamilaAnd it helped launch her solo career after years spent in the girl group Fifth Harmony. Williams served as a writer for the track, in addition to providing vocals Throughout the song itself.

“Havana” took some time to rise through the charts, but eventually, it peaked on the US charts. Billboard Hot 100 in the #4 spot. Now, 7 years later, it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA in 8 different countries, and has won an impressive array of awards – including Video of the Year at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards. This success certainly makes it one of Williams’ biggest songs, but given the smaller size of his role in the song, it still sits way behind the following nine.

9

“Neon Guts” by Lil Uzi Vert Feat. Pearl Williams

Release date: August 25, 2017

Also released in August 2017 was “Neon Guts” by Lil Uzi Vert, which contained a full Williams feature in addition to him producing the track. “Neon Guts” was not a huge performer on the charts, with the song hitting a peak of #79 in the US. Billboard Hot 100 and only stayed on the charts for 2 full weeks, but its true prime arrived years after the song’s release. Because of a TikTok trend, “Neon Guts,” especially the following lyrics, became the center of its own cultural moment.

I’m Basically Saying I’m Cooler (Slat) / Getting Dior Discounts From My Cougar / Back In Sixth Grade, I Got Them Bad Grades / I Was In Love With My Tutor (Yeah)

Given how beloved Lil Uzi is as an artist, this collaboration is great for Williams, even if Williams stands on his own as a legend in his own right. The track is a fun ode to both of them and their successful lives, and the way they manage to bounce off each other throughout the track makes it a true bop in every way. Still, however, Williams helped create even more magic, even if the track’s cultural impact and overall vibe have become extremely memorable over the years.

8

“Money Maker” by Ludacris Feat. Trout

Release date: July 17, 2006

Ludacris’ “Money Maker” also sees a full feature from Williams, in addition to a songwriting and producing credit (like “The Neptunes,” featuring Williams and Chad Hugo). The track, which samples the 1961 blues song “Shake Your Moneymaker” by Elmore James, had a steady climb to become a #1 hit in the US. Billboard Hot 100 for Ludacris and Williams, which is marked Williams’ second number-one hit on the chart. It persevered to earn the top spot for two weeks, as it initially debuted at #96 and was held off the top spot by Justin Timberlake’s “Sexyback” for 4 weeks.

Although commercially, the success is obvious, the prominence of this track has died over the years. Still, that doesn’t take anything away from the magic Ludacris and Williams created in this song. Its success certainly makes it one of Williams’ biggest songs, although the next few have become absolute staples of Williams’ career.

7

“Beautiful” by Snoop Dogg Feat. Ferrell and Uncle Charlie Wilson

Release date: January 27, 2003

“Beautiful” is just the first collaboration between Snoop Dogg and Williams on this list, as the two really make a dynamic duo. The track did well commercially, reaching a peak of #6 on the Billboard Hit 100 and remain on the chart for a total of 20 weeks. With Williams credited on the track for his vocals, production and writing, it’s certainly one of the duo’s most iconic – and biggest – collaborations to date.

The impact of “Beautiful” was enough for Williams to add to the soundtrack for Piece by pieceProving how important it was to Williams’ career. This 2003 collaboration between the two would lead to their most popular the very next yearWhich was arguably one of the greatest songs of all time. It was “Beautiful” that helped pave the way, earning it a spot on this list — even if some of Williams’ other songs have gone on to become even bigger.

6

“Feels” by Calvin Harris Feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean

Release date: June 15, 2017

“Feels” sees Williams once again offer a vocal feature, this time on DJ Calvin Harris’ track, alongside two other big names: Katy Perry and Big Sean. This took place in an era where these kinds of collaborations were extremely popular, with multiple great artists coming together on one track. This was Williams’ chance to join the trend, and it certainly paid off, given his legacy 7 years later.

“Feels” was not a huge commercial hit, with the song peaking at #20 in the US. Billboard Hot 100, but it stayed on the chart for 18 weeks and was a major hit in other countries. In the UK, “Feels” topped the charts, making it Williams’ fourth to do so in the country. It has also since become a massive streaming hit, with It has amassed over 1 billion streams on Spotify in the 7 years since its release. This helps “Feels” sit just outside the top five of Williams’ biggest songs, which is an impressive feat given Williams’ discography.

5

“Alright” by Kendrick Lamar

Release date: June 30, 2015

“Alright” by Kendrick Lamar is a song that needs no explanation because it has become cultural. Williams served as a producer and writer on the track, in addition to providing some vocals. Lamar, Williams and the rest of the brilliant minds behind the song had no idea initially what was to come of the song, but after its release, It quickly became one of the world’s most important songsAnd an anthem for voices that desperately tried to be heard.

The chorus, as simple as it is with its repetitive setting of “We will be fine“, became the chant of some of the first protests in the “Black Lives Matter movement. As the movement gained more traction that year, “Alright” quickly became one of its anthems, as its message resonated with those who fought to shine a light. On Wrong “Alright” has since become one of Williams’ most culturally impactful songs, and thus one of his biggest, with only its chart performance keeping it from a higher ranking.

4

“Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg Feat. Trout

Release date: September 27, 2004

There is no denying how big “Drop It Like It’s Hot” is, a popularity that has been sustained over the past two decades. The collaboration is the biggest between Snoop Dogg and Williams, established for success by their work together on “Beautiful.” Williams served as a vocalist, producer and writer on the track, which topped the US charts Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks – and remained on the chart for 30 full weeks.

While the phrase “drop it like it’s hot” wasn’t coined by Snoop Dogg and Williams in the song, Its use not only skyrocketed with the release of the song, but it was also defined by the track. It is impossible to say the phrase now and not execute it in the style of the way it is sung here. The song became so popular that it was parodied many times over the years, in addition to its music video, which became a meme in 2011. Only three other songs managed to become bigger than this one for Williams.

3

“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke feat. Tee & Pearl

Release date: March 27, 2013

“Blurred Lines” may be one of the biggest songs of Williams’ career, but it’s also one of the most controversial – if not his most controversial. “Blurred Lines” was a massive hit at the time, spending 12 consecutive weeks at the No. 1 spot in the US. Billboard Hit 100 and remain on the chart for a total of 48 weeks. Despite the huge commercial success, however, the legacy of “Blurred Lines” took a big hit, amid both accusations of gross misogyny and legal issues.

“Blurred Lines” resulted in Tyke, Williams and T being taken to court by the estate of Marvin Gayewho claimed copyright infringement for similarities to Gaye’s track “Got to Give It Up.” The legal issues lasted for many years, with Williams defending the track as much as possible, although the court ultimately ruled in favor of Gaye’s estate. The song was already controversial for its lyrics, which many insisted had extremely misogynistic undertones, among other disturbing themes. Despite this, “Blurred Lines” is still one of Williams’ greatest songs, with only two others surpassing it.

2

“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk Feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

Release date: April 19, 2013

“Get Lucky” arrived just weeks after “Blurred Lines,” an iconic collaboration between Daft Punk and Williams. Williams served as the lead vocalist on the track, in addition to a writing credit. The song was a huge success commercially, even if it only hit a peak of #2 in the US Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for 29 weeks – and was knocked out of the #1 spot by “Blurred Lines.” The song also won many awards, including Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in 2014.

The real magic of “Get Lucky,” however, is its staying power. The song is still widely played to this day, and it has half a billion streams on Spotify, which is very impressive for a song that came out when iTunes and other music platforms were still more popular. Only one other song managed to outdo the staying power of “Get Lucky” for Williams, and set a legacy that has since come to define much of Williams’ work.

1

“Happiness” by Pharrell Williams

Release date: July 2, 2013

“Happy” is without a doubt the biggest song of Williams’ entire career, a track that had a massive impact both commercially and culturally. It was the biggest song of 2014, after receiving a re-launch of sorts when Williams re-released the single in November 2013, and It peaked at the #1 spot in the US Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 10 weeks. It would go on to stay on the chart for 47 weeks as it continued to top charts worldwide. The popularity resulted in it becoming a meme, which helped increase its cultural impact even more.

What is perhaps most fascinating about “Happy” is that it originally served as the single from the soundtrack album for Despicable Me 2. This gave Williams a legacy rooted in the Despicable me franchise; The artist continues to make music for the new movies, with “Just A Cloud Away” and “Double Life” being more recent examples that certainly had their viral moments on TikTok. “Happy” truly changed the game for Williams as a solo artist, making it an integral part of the journey that Piece by piece points in its history.