Sunday, February 20, 2011

Part 2 The Top Songs of 2010

OMG!-- Usher featuring will.i.am: It didn't garner the critical reception but it did garner an enormous amount of airplay. It was arguably one of the songs of the summer along with Katy Perry's California Gurls. Many critics bashed the use of auto tune in the song but it was hard to deny that cool club thumping vibe; oh my gosh!
My fave line: Oh my gosh
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: #1
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard): #3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard): #3
US Pop Songs (Billboard): #2

The Only Exception-- Paramore: It didn't bust on to the charts, it didn't make its way to number one, but it's been the most popular single ever for Paramore and lead singer Hayley Williams. Glee asked Lea Michele to interpret the song by having her character Rachel sing about her boyfriend Finn. The song is a full out love story, a switch for the alternative band that usually sings about despressing issues, "doom and gloom".
My fave line: That was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love
If it does not exist
But darling,
You, are, the only exception
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: #24

Only Girl (In the World)-- Rihanna: "After going deep and dark on her last album, Rihanna has returned to the dance floor with her new single", said James Dinh of MTV News. This song was reminiscent of past hits "Please Don't Stop the Music" and "Shut Up and Drive", both songs that put Rihanna on the road to pop super-stardom. She has truly come full circle and is poised to make 2011 a banner year.
My fave line: Want you to make me feel like I’m the only girl in the world
Like I’m the only one that you’ll ever love
Like I’m the only one who knows your heart
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: #1
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard): #1
US Pop Songs (Billboard): #1

Power-- Kanye West: The song was used for the movie trailers for "The Social Network", a movie about one of the most powerful men in the world, Mark Zuckerberg. The argument could be made that "Power" is sung and written by one of the most powerful men in rap music, Kanye West. We love to hate him sometimes, but then there's this part of us that wants to like him cause his music is just so damn good.
Time magazine even went as far as to name it the number three song of 2010! Knowing Kanye, he probably felt it should have been number one.
My fave line: I’m livin’ in the 21st century
Doin’ something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music
Charts:
U.S. Billboard Rap Songs: #14
U.S. Billboard Hot 100: #22
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #22

Raise Your Glass-- Pink: The song is a celebration promoting race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, human and animal rights. Pink told a story of two female friends of hers who marries one another in her backyard. At the end of the wedding, the mom of one of the bride's cried saying, why can't this be legal? Pink said she was heartbroken. If anyone can get a point across in a loud way, it's Pink, and she makes a pretty good Rosie the Riveter to boot.
My fave line: So raise your glass if you are wrong,
In all the right ways,
All my underdogs,
Charts:
US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard): #1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard): #13
US Billboard Hot 100: #1
US Pop Songs (Billboard): #1

Right Thru Me-- Nicki Minaj: No new artist created quite as much buzz in 2010 as Nicki Minaj. She had a lot on her back, a lot of pressure to contend with, and she lived up to it with poise and that fire about her that all her fans love. Minaj has since followed up her second single Right Thru Me from her debut album Pink Friday with Moment for Life with Cash Money label mate Drake. It looks like 2011 will be just as successful and Moment for Life may prove to be true for Nicki.
My fave line: You let me win, you let me ride
you let me rock, you let me slide
and when they looking you let me hide
defend my honour, protect my pride
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: 26
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 4
US Rap Songs (Billboard): 3
US Pop Songs: 39


Runaway-- Kanye West: This is the best way to describe Runaway- "In 2010, no other song was so crazily epic or jaw-droppingly gorgeous — not on the radio, not anywhere," so said Rolling Stone magazine. I remember the first time I heard Runaway and watched the video, I was absolutely mesmerized by not just ballerinas dancing but by the music and then when the lyrics started, wow. The only way to describe it is a masterpiece. My Dark Twisted Fantasy may be Kanye's best album to date.
My fave line: Run away from me, baby
Run away
Run away from me, baby
Run away
Doesn't have to get crazy,
Why can't she just run away?
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: 12
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard): 30
US Rap Songs (Billboard): 9

September-- Daughtry: It's been almost five years since Chris Daughtry left the American Idol stage and in those years he has turned into a bona fied superstar. Daughtry headlines shows now and last summer the single September climbed the charts. The song was co written by Daughtry and band mate Josh Steeley and chronicles summer fading into fall and having to leave that small town to make something of yourself. Five years ago, that's exactly what Chris Daughtry was doing.
My fave line: How the time passed away, all the trouble that we gave
And all those days we spent out by the lake
Has it all gone to waste? All the promises we made
One by one they vanish just the same
Charts:
U.S. Billboard Adult Pop Songs: 2
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary: 2
U.S. Billboard Pop Songs: 24
U.S. Billboard Radio Songs: 19


Teenage Dream-- Katy Perry: Katy Perry said her song "Teenage Dream" is about "kind of like feeling that way when you were a teenager: really emotional, really invested. ... It's intense being in love and being a teenager." Teenage Dream brought out that teenager in all of us who aren't and for those who are, Perry related to them in a way many artist don't. The song not only topped pop charts but dance charts (as was made obvious by the video).
My fave lines:
We can dance until we die
You and I
We'll be young forever

You make me
Feel like
I'm living a Teenage Dream
The way you turn me on
I can't sleep
Let's runaway
And don't ever look back
Don't ever look back

My heart stops
When you look at me
Just one touch
Now baby I believe
This is real
So take a chance
And don't ever look back
Don't ever look back

I might get your heart racing
In my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight

Let you put your hands on me
In my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight

Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: 1
US Pop Songs (Billboard): 1
US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard): 1
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard): 1

There Goes My Baby-- Usher: The second official single from Raymond vs. Raymond it earned him a Grammy award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. There Goes My Baby is a song that brings me back to classic Usher (i.e. Nice and Slow, U Make Me Wanna...also reminiscent of classic R&B). For all those who said this style is played out, take a look at the chart position. ;-)
My fave line: there goes my baby
(oo girl look at you)
you don't know how good it feels to call you my girl
there goes my baby
loving everything you do
oo girl look at you
Charts:
U.S Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2

U Smile-- Justin Bieber: Usher's protege, this list would not be complete without a Justin Bieber song. Last week on Glee, one of the boys sang a Justin Bieber song in order to make this girl love him a little bit more, and guess what? It worked. Justin Bieber says U Smile was a throwback to all those great songs he listened to growing up. I wonder if singers will be saying the same thing about U Smile in 20 years?
My fave line: You smile I smile
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: 27
US Pop Songs: 26

Unthinkable (I'm Ready)-- Alicia Keys: Personally one of my favorite songs of all time. This song is honest, deep, and it comes from such a personal place. "For an artist who has built her career on songs about love, lust and heartache, Keys has never sounded quite as vulnerable and exposed as she does here," a sentiment expressed perfectly by Mariel Concepcion from Billboard magazine. The song was co-written by Keys, Drake, longtime friend Kerry Brothers Jr., and Noah "40" Shebib. Drake's musical influence is definitely noticeable on the track; Keys promised there would be more of her and Drake in the future. Let's hope.
My fave line: Moment of honesty
Someones gotta take the lead tonight
Whose it gonna be?
I'm gonna sit right here
And tell you all that comes to me
If you have something to say
You should say it right now
Charts:
U.S. Billboard Hot 100: 21
U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 1

What's My Name-- Rihanna feat. Drake: It's the collaboration that everyone wanted to happen all year, but no one was sure it would happen. Rihanna and Drake had a rumored romance in which Rihanna broke it off with the Canadian rapper just as he started to get serious about her. The song brings to light their flirty nature with one another, even more evident in the video. Rihanna even goes as far as saying, "he's the only person I thought would really understand the melody of the song".
My fave line: Rihanna: Ooh na na, what’s my name
What's my name, whats my name
Drake:The things we could do in twenty minutes girl
Say my name, say my name
Wear it out, its getting hot, crack a window, air it out
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard): 2
US Pop Songs (Billboard): 4
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard): 6

We R Who We R-- Kesha: The first single off her second album is an anthem of having pride in who you are. Kesha says she wanted to inspire people to be themselves, it celebrates quirks and what makes you who you are. Although many say Kesha has a similar sound throughout all her songs, it's a sound that her fans can't get enough of.
My fave line: Hot and dangerous
If you’re one of us, then roll with us
‘Cause we make the hipsters fall in love
And we’ve got hot-pants on enough
And yes of course because we’re running this town just like a club
And no, you don’t wanna mess with us
Got Jesus on my necklace
Charts:
US Billboard Hot 100: 1
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard): 27
US Pop Songs (Billboard): 2