Written by: David Guetta, Savan Kotecha, Giorgio Tuinfort, Rami Yacoub and Carl Falk
Produced by: Rami and Carl Falk
Album: My Everything
UK release: August 2014
UK chart peak: 2

Even under ~normal circumstances, One Last Time would comfortably be among Ariana Grande‘s best songs. A danceable semi-ballad with emotionally complex lyrics and affecting vocals, it’s powerful in the way it juxtaposes vulnerability with a danceable beat, and – let’s be honest – it’s far superior to Problem and Break Free, the My Everything singles that overshadowed it at the time.

But One Last Time isn’t a ~normal pop song anymore. After the 2017 bombing at Ariana’s concert in Manchester, it became a tribute to those who lost their lives and lost their loved ones, and a symbol of solidarity for all affected by such a fucking mindless tragedy. It’s a prime example of pop music’s ability to provide a sense of togetherness at the worst of times, and now it isn’t just one of the best songs of the decade, it’s also one of the most important.

• I’ll be writing about my favourite 100 pop songs of the decade; one a day for the last 100 days of 2019. They’re in no particular order, except the Top 10 – which will (obviously) come in late December.
• See the full list so far here.
• You can follow the rolling, daily-updated playlist below, or here.