Paint the Town Red — Doja Cat

Doja Cat doesn't need to shout to take control of a track. “Paint the Town Red” rides a hypnotic sample, a cool delivery, and a chorus that sticks around long after the song ends. It's catchy without begging for attention and confident without trying too hard. That gives it a very different case from Cardi B's explosive “Bodak Yellow” or Missy Elliott's anything-goes “Get Ur Freak On.” Doja's biggest weapon is how effortlessly the whole thing moves. But when the bracket gets serious, will fans reward that smooth replayability over the songs that practically demand everybody scream along? The modern crowd has a real contender here.