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There are still four full months left in the 2010s, but it's never too soon to look back on the songs that have affected us most during this millennium.
Yes, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" just shattered the record for the longest running No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. But even that pales in comparison to the tracks that make up our list of the 150 greatest songs of the century thus far.
The music landscape since 2000 has been an interesting one. We've seen women like Beyonce, Adela and Taylor Swift take turns being the biggest pop star in the world.
Jay-Z retired, unretired and then became a billionaire. Country music went mainstream. And EDM turned into a mainstream sensation all over the world, including America.
Musicians of every genre, shape, gender and color make up are list, which features instant classics from Kanye West, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga and many more.
As always, this is just one opinion. It's likely we missed some great songs. Let us know what they are in the comments section.
150. Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi – “Tightrope”
149. U2 – “Beautiful Day”
Yeah, it's cheesy as hell. But no artist makes universally appealing rock songs quite like U2. And "Beautiful Day" may have been the band's last great one. The song doubled up at the Grammy Awards in 2001, earning both Record and Song of the Year.
148. My Chemical Romance - "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
147. Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert - "Bad and Boujee"
146. Avicii - "Wake Me Up"
Avicii debuted his Folktronica anthem "Wake Me Up" at the 2013 Ultra Music Festival after playing his massive hit "Levels." The crowd wasn't having it, expressing confusion and then anger at the such an unheard of collaboration in EDM. Of course, Avicii was just ahead of the game. "Wake Me Up" would become a huge international single and prove a game-changer for the genre.
145. Bright Eyes – “First Day of My Life”
144. Tame Impala – “Let It Happen” (2015)
143. Avril Lavigne – “Complicated”
142. College and Electric Youth - "A Real Hero"
"A Real Hero" was mostly unheard of by mainstream audiences when it arrived on Electric Youth's debut album in 2010. But the song became an essential piece of the synth-wave movement when it was used in the Ryan Gosling film "Drive" a year later.
141. Phoenix – “1901”
140. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "By The Way"
139. Nas – “Made You Look”
Nas has always been old-school, which may be why he hasn't reached the commercial heights of some of the other emcees in the conversation for the greatest of all time. His best work comes when a producer offers up a raw hip-hop beat. On "Made You Look," Salaam Remi offers up a beat with a vibe from yesteryear that Nas absolutely annihilates.
138. Miranda Lambert – “The House That Built Me”
137. The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”
136. Haim – “The Wire”
135. Run the Jewels feat. Zack De La Rocha – “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F***)”
134. Paramore – “Hard Times"
Paramore teased its move into new wave on its previous self-titled album. But the band went into full-pop mode on 2017's "After Laughter." That began with the lead single "Hard Times." Had the song and its dance-happy vibe failed to entice fans, it could have spelled the end of the pop-punk titans. Instead, it breathed new life into an act that seems like it could be around for quite a bit longer.
133. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows”
132. Sia – “Chandelier”
131. The Weeknd – “House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls”
In the years following the release of his debut mixtape "House of Balloons," The Weeknd would become a megastar. But it was on that mixtape, with songs tracks like "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls," that Abel Tesfaye would lay down the blueprint for alt-R&B and the sensual sounds of the 2010s.
130. The Roots feat. Cody Chestnutt – “The Seed 2.0”
129. Justin Timberlake – “Cry Me a River”
128. St. Vincent – “Strange Mercy”
127. TV on the Radio – “Wolf Like Me”
126. Alicia Keys – “Fallin’”
Few debuts from R&B singers come as powerful as "Fallin'." The song immediately earned Alicia Keys industry clout with both critics and fans, and began a string of successful hits for Keys that put her at the forefront of the R&B and neo-soul worlds.
125. Passion Pit – “Take a Walk”
124. Childish Gambino – “Redbone”
123. Dashboard Confessional – “Screaming Infidelities”
A picture of Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba performing "Screaming Infidelities" on his acoustic guitar should be next to the word "emo" in the dictionary. Yes, it's whiney stuff. But for a generation of Millennials, it's the ultimate breakup song that conveys the feeling that nothing in the world could feel any worse at any moment.
122. Rick Ross feat. Styles P – “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)”
121. Adele – “Chasing Pavements”
120. Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”
119. The Streets – “Weak Become Heroes”
Established as one of the geniuses of the early 2000s UK grime and alternative hip-hop movements, The Streets' Mike Skinner was out to defy classification. He did just that with "Weak Become Heroes," one of the standouts from The Streets' groundbreaking debut "Original Pirate Material" that mixes elements of hip-hop, electronic music and jazz.
118. Panic! at the Disco – “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies”
117. Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
116. Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats”
Breakup anthems in country music were nothing new in 2006. But armed with a surefire hit from songwriters Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, Carrie Underwood took things a step further. "Before He Cheats" is the ultimate revenge anthem that established Underwood as the superstar she showed she could be during the fourth season of "American Idol."
115. Ciara – “Body Party”
114. Blink-182 – “I Miss You”
113. UGK – “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” (2007)
112. Linkin Park – “In The End”
Linkin Park was never one to hold back. Perhaps that's what annoyed critics of nu metal. But it made the band endearing to fans and, unquestionably, the biggest thing the genre has ever scene. The band's masterpiece is "In The End," an anthem that operates with over-the-top urgency. Linkin Park would sell A LOT of records, in no small part due to this song.
111. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Run Away With Me”
110. Kacey Musgraves – “Follow Your Arrow”
109. Kendrick Lamar – “Sing About Me, Dying of Thirst”
108. Foo Fighters – “Times Like These”
Songs like "Best of You" and "All My Life" might seem like bigger crowdpleasers from Foo Fighters' 21st century run. But "Times Like These" is more, well, timeless. It's the tune you'll go back to over and over again in an effort to score the soundtrack to your life.
107. Peter, Bjorn and John – “Young Folks”
106. Drake – “Started From the Bottom”
105. Mariah Carey – “We Belong Together” (2008)
104. Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy”
"Bad Guy" doesn't sound like a traditional hit. Then again, Billie Eilish doesn't fit the bill of your typical pop star. But there's no denying her charisma and the intoxicating nature of her electronic music. Just when you think "Bad Guy" is getting too dark, Eilish hits you with a "Duh" before the head nodding hook rages in.
103. Coldplay – “Clocks” (2002)
102. Travis Scott feat. Drake – “Sicko Mode”
101. Disclosure – “Latch”
100. David Bowie – “Lazarus”
99. Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay – “212”
98. Jay-Z – “Public Service Announcement”
It's rare that one song features two of the best verses from a rapper's legendary career. But that's the case with "Public Service Announcement." The first verse finds Jay-Z re-introducing himself with brilliant wordplay that demands you hit the restart button. The second verse is the stuff of legend with a heck of a backstory dissected in Jay-Z's book "Decoded."
97. Courtney Barnett – “Pedestrian at Best”
96. Fall Out Boy – “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down”
95. Solange – “Cranes in the Sky”
94. Missy Elliott – “Work It”
93. Against Me! – “Transgender Dysphoria Blues”
The opening title-track to Against Me!'s sixth album tackles the aftermath of frontwoman Laura Jane Grace's gender transition and coming out head on. The band does this with punk rock fire power and brutally honest lyrics. If this doesn't move you, nothing will.
92. Miguel – “Adorn”
91. Arcade Fire – “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
90. Rihanna feat. Jay-Z – “Umbrella”
89. Common – “The Light” (2000)
"The Light" may very well be the greatest production work of the late J Dilla's career, which is saying something. And Common certainly knew what he had, peppering the soulful beat with a slew of beautiful pick up lines. More than any other song, it shows that J Dilla was among the best producers of his generation with a uncanny talent for soulful sampling.
88. Green Day – “American Idiot”
87. Usher – “Climax”
86. The Postal Service – “Such Great Heights”
The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" sits in this weird place in indie-pop history. It is undeniably one of the genre's most iconic songs. But also one of its most annoying. It is unapologetically sentimental. Yet, odds are it meant something special to you at some point in time. It's the crowning achievement of Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello's unique collaboration.
85. Lorde – “Royals”
84. Ludacris – “Southern Hospitality” (2000)
83. Beyonce – “Formation”
82. Wilco – “Jesus, Etc.”
81. Daft Punk – “Get Lucky”
80. Lana Del Rey – “Video Games”
Lana Del Rey may have labeled her music "Hollywood Sadcore." But it has all the winning elements of traditional baroque pop, merged with her attitude and grit. "Video Games" was a surprising sensation driven by the singer's commitment to its despair. You can help but want to wade through it with her.
79. The Knife - "Heartbeats"
78. Eric Church – “Springsteen”
77. DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down For What”
76. Radiohead - "Everything In Its Right Place"
75. Katy Perry – “Teenage Dream”
74. Sufjan Stevens – “Chicago”
"Chicago" is probably the closest thing Sufjan Stevens will ever come to writing a hit. And that's okay. The indie folk hero has songs with heavier content that stays with you long after you hear it. But nothing is quite as whimsical and replay-worthy as "Chicago."
73. Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
72. Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know?”
71. Justice – “D.A.N.C.E.”
70. Aaliyah – “Try Again”
69. James Blake _ “Retrograde”
68. Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
For all the credit Nicki Minaj gets as game-changing female rapper, there's an argument to be made that she's always functioned better as a pop star (her verse on "Monster" aside). "Super Bass" is her most noteworthy achievement, monumental in its pop-rap sensibility. Sure, the song embodies everything haters might despise about her Barbie persona. But the mainstream appeal outweighs all.
67. Kanye West – “Jesus Walks”
66. Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
65. At The Drive-In – “One Armed Scissor”
64. The Rapture – “House of Jealous Lovers”
63. The Avalanches - "Since I Left You"
62. Gossip – “Standing In the Way of Control”
61. MGMT – “Kids”
There was a time when MGMT was considered by many, the next big thing. The duo's best song, "Kids," feels like something out of the synth-pop glory days of the early 1980s. MGMT would go in other directions on future projects. But "Kids" remains an artifact of the best pop music of the late 2000s.
60. Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone”
59. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
58. Jack U feat. Justin Bieber – “Where Are U Now”
The song that kicked off Justin Bieber's comeback. Tracks like "What You Mean?" and "Sorry" would push him back to the top of the pop world. But it was his guest appearance on Skrillex and Diplo's amazing collaboration project that would get Bieber off on the right foot. "Where Are U Now" stands as one of the greatest dance songs of the 21st century.
57. Animal Collective - "My Girls"
56. Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk”
55. LCD Soundsystem – “Someone Great”
54. The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
53. Tool - "Lateralus"
52. Bob Dylan – “Mississippi”
51. Burial - "Archangel"
Even to this day, nothing really sounds like "Archangel." Burial was classified as dubstep, but he's an artist with his own unique style. The skipped drumbeats and samples on the masterful "Archangel" are underscored by a dark atmosphere that's otherworldly. It feels like the sound of the apocalypse having run its course.
There's never been a bigger EDM moment than "Levels" and there probably never will be. Whether you heard it at your favorite department store, sporting event, college party or TV show, Avicii's massive international hit was inescapable. "Levels" begins as a typical electronic dance anthem that'll make you break out your glow sticks. Then it reaches stadium status, armed with a vocal sample from Etta James and Avicii's ability to keep piling on layers of sounds. It's sonic, soulful and earth shattering.
The White Stripes' breakthrough moment doesn't even last two minutes. And, perhaps, that's what makes "Fell in Love with a Girl" work so well. Jack and Meg White's onslaught of garage punk hits the ground running. Before you can recover, you're hitting the repeat button. This is blues with urgency and pop sensibility, a winning combination if there ever was one.
It seems like forever ago that Kylie Minogue was captivating the pop world with her album "Fever." But the songs from that album remain some of the best dance anthems from the 2000s. At the top of the list is "Can't Get You Out of My Head." If the track sounds like something pulled out of the 1990s glory days of dance music, it should. "Can't Get You Out of My Head" was co-written and produced by Cathy Dennis, who had a string of early 90s dance hits including "Touch Me (All Night Long)."
"A Milli" was the ultimate summer trunk rattler. So much so that Lil Wayne and producer Bangladesh would try and duplicate its success two years to similar (awesome) effect on "6 Foot 7 Foot." But nothing beats the original. Bangladesh's frantic beat paves the way for Wayne's stream of consciousness raps that are literally out of this world ("What's a goon to a goblin?") and completely insane ("I don't owe you like two vowels").
Thanks to "Garden State," it's the song that had to live up to the moniker "It'll change your life; I swear." To it's credit, "New Slang" comes pretty damn close. What might have otherwise been considered a simple indie-folk tune, The Shins' lead single from "Oh, Inverted World" became the face of the early 2000s indie rock surge. Frontman James Mercer would go on to more complex things, but nothing that drew you in as much as this.
Frank Ocean's "Pyramids" is the most ambitious and epic alt-R&B anthem of all time. It's a bar-raiser that merges soul, electronica, psychedelic rock and funk. Had Ocean toned things down a bit, this might sound like a Michael Jackson song. Instead, he goes for broke, crooning beautiful harmonies over a space-warped beat that switches up halfway through, becoming a dramatic club anthem.
Odds are many fans who caught "The Way We Get By" on an episode of "The O.C." back in 2003 didn't know it was a Spoon song. But people certainly got familiar afterwards. "The Way We Get By" is considered Spoon's signature song. But, more so, it's proof of how great Brit Daniel was at writing pop songs, perhaps better than any other indie rock star of his generation.
Everything about "N***as in Paris" is cray. From Kanye West's signature line to Jay-Z's killer opening verse about balling so hard [expletives] want to fine him to the wacky "Blades of Glory" sample. Had it been released a decade earlier, it might have been dismissed as too weird. But Kanye West's ambition changed the game, making "N***as in Paris" his magnum opus. Thankfully he dragged Hov along for the ride, fulfilling the hype of their "Watch the Throne" project being a must listen.
Not surprisingly, Franz Ferdinand drew a lot of comparisons to The Strokes, as well as other bands who led the post-punk revival of the early 2000s. But perhaps none of them crafted as catchy an anthem as "Take Me Out." It's a full-on radio grab, dividing the track into two parts -- the build up and the unbelievable hook.
The resurgence of Robyn was one fo the best music stories of the 2000s. Known for her string of radio-friendly teen pop gems from the 1990s, Robyn reinvented herself in the new millennium, becoming a synth-pop queen on her 2005 self-titled album. But it was her "Body Talk" series that cemented her as one of best in the business. Her masterpiece is "Dancing on My Own," a breakup song that literally moves you...to tears. No one did vulnerable dance music like Robyn, who is still crafting great music to this day.
With all the social injustice faced by African Americans, leave it to Kendrick Lamar to craft an anthem of hope. "Alright" doesn't shy away from the struggle. It addresses everything from the temptations Lamar's faced in his life to tragic police shootings and other racial injustice. But there's light at the end of the tunnel, which Lamar knows given his own personal struggles with depression. Paralleling the two results in an extremely powerful song.
It starts with the strumming of an acoustic guitar. Eventually a drum beat and piano comes in. Later, a choir echoes in the background. But none of that matters. "Rolling in the Deep" is Adele's tour de force, unearthing her voice as the greatest instrument in contemporary music. by the time her "21" album rolled around, Adele was already a Grammy winner. But the lead single and opening track from her monster sophomore album made Adele the biggest pop star in the world.
The sensitive side of Drake will give you memes and Instagram captions for days. But it also produces his best music. For all the braggadocio raps Drake can unleash, it's when he puts his heart on the line that true brilliance happens. No other hip-hop artist could make a song like "Hold On, We're Going Home" (Not even you, Childish Gambino), a cascading synth-pop song that's so enticing, you almost (emphasis on almost) feel guilty listening to it.
Despite being the lead single from what may or may not be a concept album about battles featuring a character named Yoshimi, "Do You Realize??" may very well be The Flaming Lips' most accessible. That is, of course, because Wayne Coyne was inspired by one of life's most universal questions -- What does it mean to be alive on Earth.
For a guy that had been shot nine times, the stars definitely aligned for 50 Cent. He was signed by the biggest rapper and producer in the business and then armed with an early run of singles that would captivate the mainstream. Dr. Dre's beat on "In Da Club" probably would have produced a hit for any number of rappers. But Fiddy certainly does his fair share to push "In Da Club" to iconic status, kick starting the song with a new birthday anthem before dropping unforgettable gems like "I ain't into having sex, I'm into making love."
Prior to releasing "Not Ready to Make Nice," the Dixie Chicks had essentially committed what, at that time, was the country music equivalent of career suicide. Vocalist Natalie Maines had spoken out against President George W. Bush, drawing the wrath of conservative country musicians and their fan bases. However, by standing together, the Dixie Chicks got the last laugh, flipping their defiance into the lead single from "Taking the Long Way," which would sweep the main categories at the 2007 Grammys. The lesson: Don't mess with the Dixie Chicks.
For a while there, Modest Mouse sounded like the indiest of indie rock bands. Then, in 2004, the band went another way. "Float On," the lead single from "Good People Who Love Bad News," still features Isaac Brock's awkward voice. But the overall sound of the song and its blissful hook was built for the mainstream. The fact that Modest Mouse went positive maybe didn't sit well with indie purists. But the band clearly had reached new heights commercially and creatively.
For the most part, the songs on Lady Gaga's debut album "The Fame" were somewhat non-distinct. It wasn't quite clear yet we were dealing with a new type of bold artist. "Bad Romance," released on the follow-up "The Fame Monster" EP, made that statement and then some. Anchored by the catchiest of hooks, Gaga pulled out the theatrics, establishing herself as one of the biggest pop stars in the world and someone who was gonna "Rah rah" her way all the way to the bank.
Not since The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" had an emcee so vividly described what it was like to go from nothing to something in the rap game. Of course, Eminem's "Lose Yourself" came with an added bonus. It was the biggest song from one of the biggest movies in the world in 2002. "8 Mile" was Eminem's "Rocky" vehicle. And while it was hard to imagine Eminem getting any bigger than he already was, his lyrical firefight over that iconic guitar riff and drumbeat made it so.
Forget about the video, which may be the sexiest clip that's ever aired on MTV. Sure, D'Angelo's abs were part of the appeal of "Untitled (How Does It Feel)." But the song itself is enough to induce orgies. Co-written and co-produced by D'Angelo and Raphael Saadiq, "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" is a mesmerizing vocal showcase for, arguably, the best voice to ever grace the neo-soul genre.
This is the second song co-written by early 1990s dance songstress Cathy Dennis to make the top-50. But make no mistake, "Toxic" is the perfect Britney Spears song. It's a sonic wonderland that makes any vocal limitations Spears might have had irrelevant. Auto-tune and overly sultry harmonies are welcome in this dance-pop play land. The more, the merrier.
To say "Welcome to the Black Parade" is an emotionally heavy song would be an understatement. The song is at the center of My Chemical Romance's Queen-like rock opera about a "Patient" who dies and sees death come for him in the form of a parade. Story wise, it's utterly brilliant. But it wouldn't have gone anywhere had MCR not been able to shape it into a rocking pop-punk anthem that, despite, it's dark story that would ultimately prove inspirational, taking pop-punk to a new level.
"99 Problems" was an immediate standout from Jay-Z's "The Black Album" for the simple fact that it didn't sound like anything else on the album. In fact, it didn't sound like anything Jay-Z had done before, which was Rick Rubin's point in using classic 1980s samples from Billy Squire and others. But it's Hov that flips Ice T's originally "99 Problems" concept about sexual conquests into an anthem about, among other things, dealing with the cops during a traffic stop and going up against a guy who is "loud as a motor bike, but wouldn't bust a grape in fruit fight."
Amy Winehouse's vocal performance on "Rehab" is one of the best you will ever hear bringing old-school 1960s style soul back into the mainstream with help from Mark Ronson. But the subject matter of the song -- about her not thinking she needed rehab and her father agreeing with her -- didn't really sink in until Winehouse's death by accidental alcohol poisoning. Despite her downfall, Winehouse's legacy is as one of the best vocalists of her generation.
System of a Down's "Chop Suey!" is a song about death, believe it or not. But what stands out most is just how unique it was among the still emerging nu metal scene in the 2000s. During its verses, "Chop Suey!" is a blistering onslaught of alternative metal. But that eventually paves way for Serj Tankian's haunting vocals about crying when angels deserve to die. But just when you think things are about to calm down, the song gets even more intense. It's that dramatic push and pull that makes "Chop Suey!" the best hard rock song of the 21st century.
It's not surprising that directors like Cameron Crowe and Zach Braff would choose Bon Iver's "Holocene" to use in their films. After all, it can be difficult to craft a movie scene that can pack this kind of emotional punch. "Holocene" is a subtle roller coaster ride of lyrics and sonic emotions that gives you chills. Bon Iver has said the song is about redemption and discovering one's worth. Even if he never sang a single note, you'd feel that.
"Oblivion's" minimalistic beat and Grimes' one of a kind harmonies might lead you to believe it's simply a great and unique dance song. But there's something mysterious about it that demands a deeper dive. As we would come to find out in interviews, Grimes was assaulted and found it hard to have relationships with men moving forward, which inspired the track. Knowing that, the song took on new meaning. It's captivating nature felt even more human.
Yes, the members of The Strokes were great songwriters in a band that felt every bit worthy of the hype that came with the post-punk revival. But what separated them from their contemporaries was swagger. The Strokes had it for days, best showcased on "Hard to Explain." Think of that moment when the song pauses out of nowhere like the gasp you make when something takes your breath away.
Rihanna had several big hits before releasing "We Found Love." But most of them had come with gimmick (usually, shock value and sex appeal) or a high profile guest appearance. But in pairing with Calvin Harris, she found a kindred spirit ready to craft a beautiful love song the world could fall in love with. And that's exactly what happened. For every great pop song Rihanna has released, none of them were perfect...except for this one.
The idea that Outkast would release a double album witch each member taking the lead on their respective side was weird. But Andre 3000's creative direction was even weirder. While Big Boi released the brilliant "The Way You Move," Andre dropped "Hey Ya!," a song no one expected and then couldn't get away from. "Hey Ya!'s" combination of funk and soul, with rap being completely absent, felt like a breath of fresh air. It even managed to revitalize Polaroid. So there's that.
If you want to, you can attribute the start of the 21st century pop-punk boom to Fall Out Boy's mid-2000s run or go all the way back to Blink-182 conquering MTV's "TRL." For us, the spark that lit the fuse was Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle," the bouncy anthem that became a mainstay on college, alternative and mainstream radio stations, while laying the blueprint for everything that came after from Fall Out Boy, Paramore, All Time Low and many others.
At the end of "Walk on Water," a recent song by Eminem that you will soon forget, Marshall Mathers proclaims, "B****, I wrote Stan!" But what Eminem should realize is that we've never forgotten that. How could we? The hip-hop universe had never heard anything like "Stan!," a song rapped from the perspective of a fan who gets more and more crazy with each verse before murdering his pregnant girlfriend. The final verse finds Eminem responding to him, only to realize it's too late. The song produced one the best music videos of all time (Shout out to Devon Sawa!) and made the term "Stan" the go to for any fan who seem a bit obsessed.
The 1975's frontman Matt Healy has stated that "Love It If We Made It" is the band's version of "Sign 'O' the Times," in which they gathered every statement about the current social climate and unleashed it on one amazing track. Yet where "Sign 'O' the Times" is a minimal funk odyssey, "Love It If We Made It" is a soaring romp that gets bigger and bigger as it goes on. By the time you're done with the second verse, the track opens up and consumes you emotionally. The lyrics about everything from police brutality to drug overdoses to national anthem protests aren't lost on anyone. But it's the soaring synths on the chorus that will give you goosebumps every time.
Of all the songs on Arcade Fire's masterful debut album "Funeral," "Rebellion (Lies)" is the one that stays with you most. Maybe its the drum beat, that frenetic piano, Win Butler's haunting voice or all of the above. The song certainly rocks harder than anything else on the album in effort to build that kind of drama that makes the story of "Funeral" all the more compelling.
Here are just some of the things that happen on "Get Ur Freak On": A guy opens the track speaking Japanese, Missy pauses the tight Timbaland beat to yell the word "Holla!," and she later hocks a loogie. None of it takes away from the fact that "Get Ur Freak On" is one of the most brilliant hip-hop songs ever crafted, arguably, the peak of Timbaland and Missy Elliott's creative partnership.
The Neptunes began the 2000s establishing its group N*E*R*D as an indie force while crafting stellar beats for rap's biggest names. But in 2002, the duo of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo took the next step with a new group called Clipse, signed to its Star Trak label. To introduce them, the Neptunes delivered their greatest beat yet, a choppy, bubbly, bass-heavy force that was an instant classic. Clipse brothers Malice and Pusha T took hold of it, showcasing its arsenal of coke-themed rhymes with commitment to drug stories that was as unwavering as it was captivating.
There's something hypnotizing about "All My Friends" and its simple piano melody. That's how it starts... and finishes, while building slightly throughout its seven and a half minute album version. James Mercer lets loose emotionally, almost begging for his friends to join him. In that, it makes the listener feel like a member of the group and we're all on board for the entire ride. Mercer has said he hated how pop-driven the song sounded. But perhaps what he was hearing was less a cheesy pop sound and rather the feeling of nostalgia that "All My Friends" produces. It's hard to imagine a world before it existed.
"All Too Well" is Taylor Swift's ultimate song for a few reasons. First, it combines the two sides of her musical personality. Those being pop and country. Second, it lyrically establishes a narrative (built around a scarf) that hooks you right from the start. Third, it blends reality with fiction, inspiring Swifties everywhere to debate who is that guy she's talking about (It's Jake Gyllenhaal) and what happened to that damn scarf (Where is it, Maggie!?). The best Taylor Swift songs tell stories we can all insert ourselves into. "All Too Well" does it as well as any song by any songwriter of Swift's generation. Because if you've never danced in the kitchen in front of that refrigerator light, then you certainly wanted to after hearing this.
There's no mistaking "Midnight City." From the first time you hear it, the riff is embedded in your brain. The rest of the song sounds like something uber-hipster and modern, yet also ripped out of the 1980s. M83's brand of synth-pop has always been dream like. But "Midnight City" is the one song you don't want to wake up from. The track wasn't a major hit, but it was catchy enough to score a Victoria's Secret commercial. And we haven't even mentioned that closing Clarence Clemens-like sax solo. Swoon.
Of all the people to make memorable hits during the 21st century, M.I.A. may be the most likely of them all. Especially when you consider the lyrically and musically diverse "Paper Planes" is a revolutionary song about class conflict. Yet, the song's catchy beat, gun shots and cash register sounds were pure magic. So much so that the song was later hijacked by four of the best rappers in the world for "Swagga Like Us" and a variety of movie trailers.
If Timbaland had perfected his masterful production of R&B on Aaliyah's 1998 hit "Are You That Somebody?," he somehow outdid himself eight years later on Justin Timberlake's "My Love." Combining those heavy synth sounds with mostly beats he mostly produced with his mouth, Timabland (with help from protege Danja) gives JT the perfect groove for his falsetto. And what puts the song over the top is T.I.'s verse that drips with so much swag you don't mind that he calls himself "candle guy."
Nearly 20 years after its release, Daft Punk's "One More Time" is still the 21st century dance tune you think about most when you're picturing a celebration. The song literally commands you party your butt off. And it's impossible not to. "One More Time" feels like Aliens have come from another planet to throw the ultimate party. There's even that slow breakdown that gives you the rare chance to breath, wipe the sweat away and get going again.
More so than "Karma Police," "Paranoid Android," "Fake Plastic Trees" or any other classic you can name, "Idioteque" is the quintessential Radiohead song. And not just because it's the one that often produces the biggest roar at concerts. Lyrically, it's a song that is open to interpretation. But there's no confusing the sense of anxiety it creates sonically. When Thom Yorke sings, "This is really happening," you know it's something dire. And that feeling never goes away, no matter how many times you hear it.
"Crazy In Love" is a song that hits the ground running. It is Beyonce's coming out party as a solo artist that establishes her as a young pop force in a world she would eventually rule. And while it would be a hit with our without Jay-Z, you can't underestimate what he brings to the table. His verse is both extremely basic and brilliant. The way he rides Rich Harrison's beat with his flow is so mesmerizing, you don't even care that the lines are dated by today's standards.
The song in which Jack White tunes down his guitar to the point where you swear it's a bass playing over that marching drum line. It's likely White didn't imagine when he was unleashing his devastating "Seven Nation Army" that it would become the kind of anthem played at sporting events around the world. But it's hard to argue with the raw and pulsating energy that rises and falls. It's the most brilliant thing White has put together in a career full of brilliant things.
There's a good chance you'd never heard of Skrillex until you found out he had sold out some venue in your hometown. And then, after reading a variety of critical reviews, you surely hated him. But here's the truth -- Skrillex was the peak of the EDM movement, a juggernaut whose music could move everything from a small frat house to a massive soccer stadium. And the song that started his run, "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, still sounds like it can move mountains. It embodies the wildest aspects of 21st century pop culture, not only becoming an EDM sensation, but doing so by incorporating a viral YouTube video into its sound. "Oh my god!"
In 2010, Kanye West was set to debut a new song at the Video Music Awards, just a year after he became the pop music world's villain by snatching a microphone away from Taylor Swift. Not everyone expected West to recover. And yet, there he was on that stage in 2010, delivering the greatest performance in VMAs history, debuting "Runaway" alongside a ballerina and a fantastic guest verse by Pusha T. Like it or not, West is this generation's greatest musical genius. And before you go stating he's a d-bag of epic proportions, remember that he knows it. That's what "Runaway" is all about. It's West at his most vulnerable, winning you over with self deprecation on a track whose sound and format defies logic.
Here's the thing about "Mr. Brightside." It feels like it's always been here. It's both familiar but incredibly refreshing. It's the simplest of pop songs. But Brandon Flowers gives the track, about paranoia and jealousy, his all. And oh, does that guitar riff get you? This is as catchy as music gets during the 21st century. Soak it up in all its glory, as its reputation only seems to get bigger as time goes on.
Contrary to revisionist history, "Ms. Jackson" was not the first single released from Outkast's mainstream breakthrough album "Stankonia." It's not the best song either. Both honors go to "B.O.B." It's certainly not the surefire hit a record label executive would choose as a lead single. But Outkast knew the statement it was making. "B.O.B." is a spark plug of an anthem driven by drum and base and hard hitting raps (Big Boi's verse is the definition of smooth AF). Hip-hop hasn't heard anything like this and probably won't unless Outkast decides to get back together. We can hope, can't we.
Until "Maps," Yeah Yeah Yeahs were a hard rocking band that was pretty much in your face with everything it did. But the band's iconic single finds a softer side to rest on. Guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase hold their own on a song that, when broken down, is a true sonic masterpiece. But singer Karen O brings "Maps" to extraordinary new heights, stripping down her voice, which gives the song a sentiment befitting its heartbreaking theme. She's begging the person she loves not to leave. Somehow, there's so much beauty in that sadness.
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