obv several of these songs are very much 2010 hits, feel free to disregard them if you think this should be purely a discussion of songs that hit in 2011

Pretty OK with all of these:

8 “Super Bass”—Nicki Minaj

9 “Moves Like Jagger”—Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera

12 “S&M”—Rihanna

13 “Pumped Up Kicks”—Foster The People

18 “Born This Way”—Lady Gaga

27 “Till The World Ends”—Britney Spears

29 “The Edge Of Glory”—Lady Gaga

33 “Blow”—Ke$ha

Super Bass, followed by:

Til The World Ends

Dirt Road Anthem

We R Who We R

songs I like/love:

1 “Rolling In The Deep”—Adele

2 “Party Rock Anthem”—Lmfao Featuring Lauren Bennett & Goonrock

4 “E.T.”—Katy Perry Featuring Kanye West

5 “Give Me Everything”—Pitbull Featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

6 “Grenade”—Bruno Mars

7 “F**K You (Forget You)”—Cee Lo Green

8 “Super Bass”—Nicki Minaj

9 “Moves Like Jagger”—Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera

10 “Just Can’t Get Enough”—The Black Eyed Peas

11 “On The Floor”—Jennifer Lopez Featuring Pitbull

12 “S&M”—Rihanna

15 “Just The Way You Are”—Bruno Mars

16 “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)”—Enrique Iglesias featuring Ludacris

17 “Raise Your Glass”—Pink

19 “Fuckin’ Perfect”—Pink

20 “What’s My Name?”—Rihanna featuring Drake

24 “Someone Like You”—Adele

27 “Till The World Ends”—Britney Spears

29 “The Edge Of Glory”—Lady Gaga

30 “We R Who We R”—Ke$ha

31 “Black And Yellow”—Wiz Khalifa

33 “Blow”—Ke$ha

36 “Stereo Hearts”—Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine

37 “The Time (Dirty Bit)”—Black Eyed Peas

38 “Coming Home”—Diddy-Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey

39 “Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)”—Pitbull featuring T-Pain

40 “Only Girl (In The World)”—Rihanna

41 “6 Foot 7 Foot”—Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz

44 “Dynamite”—Taio Cruz

songs I despise with a fury rarely seen outside of explosions of gross hyperbole:

3 “Firework”—Katy Perry

13 “Pumped Up Kicks”—Foster The People

21 “Look At Me Now”—Chris Brown featuring Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne

26 “The Lazy Song”—Bruno Mars

28 “The Show Goes On”—Lupe Fiasco

49 “Yeah 3X”—Chris Brown

50 “Moment 4 Life”—Nicki Minaj featuring Drake

songs I couldn’t identify if you paid me $1M dollars based on their name:

22 “Down On Me”—Jeremih featuring 50 Cent

34 “Lighters”—Bat Meets Evil featuring Bruno Mars

35 “If I Die Young”—The Band Perry

39 “Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)”—Pitbull featuring T-Pain

42 “Just A Kiss”—Lady Antebellum

45 “No Hands”—Waka Flocka Flame featuring Roscoe Dash and Wale

47 “I’m On One”—DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross

songs that evoke an emotion best described as “overwhelming irrelevancy-based ambivalence”:

14 “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”—Katy Perry

32 “Tonight Tonight”—Hot Chelle Rae

46 “I Wanna Go”—Britney Spears

48 “You Make Me Feel...”—Cobra Starship featuring Sabi

my top 10 is:

1. edge of glory

2. give me everything

3. rolling in the deep

4. show goes on

5. fuckin’ perfect

6. yeah 3x

7. moment 4 life

8. just can’t get enough

9. moves like jagger

10. last friday night

SONGS I LEGIT LOVE (in order)

8 “Super Bass”—Nicki Minaj

38 “Coming Home”—Diddy-Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey

5 “Give Me Everything”—Pitbull Featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

11 “On The Floor”—Jennifer Lopez Featuring Pitbull

12 “S&M”—Rihanna

31 “Black And Yellow”—Wiz Khalifa

45 “No Hands”—Waka Flocka Flame featuring Roscoe Dash and Wale

46 “I Wanna Go”—Britney Spears

27 “Till The World Ends”—Britney Spears

SONGS I LIKE BUT NOT IN A TERRIBLY ENTHUSIASTIC WAY

1 “Rolling In The Deep”—Adele

9 “Moves Like Jagger”—Maroon 5 Featuring Christina Aguilera

21 “Look At Me Now”—Chris Brown featuring Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne

22 “Down On Me”—Jeremih featuring 50 Cent

29 “The Edge Of Glory”—Lady Gaga

39 “Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)”—Pitbull featuring T-Pain

40 “Only Girl (In The World)”—Rihanna

41 “6 Foot 7 Foot”—Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz

50 “Moment 4 Life”—Nicki Minaj featuring Drake

SONGS I DON’T HATE OUTRIGHT BUT WOULD STILL RATHER NEVER HEAR

7 “F**K You (Forget You)”—Cee Lo Green

16 “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)”—Enrique Iglesias featuring Ludacris

17 “Raise Your Glass”—Pink

18 “Born This Way”—Lady Gaga

19 “Fuckin’ Perfect”—Pink

20 “What’s My Name?”—Rihanna featuring Drake

23 “How To Love”—Lil Wayne

24 “Someone Like You”—Adele

28 “The Show Goes On”—Lupe Fiasco

44 “Dynamite”—Taio Cruz

SONGS THAT ARE REPELLENT TO ME

2 “Party Rock Anthem”—Lmfao Featuring Lauren Bennett & Goonrock

3 “Firework”—Katy Perry

4 “E.T.”—Katy Perry Featuring Kanye West

6 “Grenade”—Bruno Mars

14 “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”—Katy Perry

15 “Just The Way You Are”—Bruno Mars

26 “The Lazy Song”—Bruno Mars

30 “We R Who We R”—Ke$ha

33 “Blow”—Ke$ha

37 “The Time (Dirty Bit)”—Black Eyed Peas

49 “Yeah 3X”—Chris Brown

SONGS I DO NOT KNOW OR CANNOT RECALL (AND MOSTLY DO NOT CARE ENOUGH TO FIND OUT)

10 “Just Can’t Get Enough”—The Black Eyed Peas

13 “Pumped Up Kicks”—Foster The People

25 “Good Life”—One Republic

32 “Tonight Tonight”—Hot Chelle Rae

34 “Lighters”—Bat Meets Evil featuring Bruno Mars

35 “If I Die Young”—The Band Perry

36 “Stereo Hearts”—Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine

42 “Just A Kiss”—Lady Antebellum

43 “Dirt Road Anthem”—Jason Aldean

47 “I’m On One”—DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross

48 “You Make Me Feel...”—Cobra Starship featuring Sabi

nb that’s the “till the world ends” remix with nicki OBV, the original is whatevia

i also don’t know how “s&m” made it into the first category when it should be in the second

“Coming Home” was one of the weakest DDM songs from that album imo; if I’d heard it on the radio first I wouldn’t have bought the album.

This is my actual top 10, what a weird year:

41 “6 Foot 7 Foot”—Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz

37 “The Time (Dirty Bit)”—Black Eyed Peas

1 “Rolling In The Deep”—Adele

33 “Blow”—Ke$ha

2 “Party Rock Anthem”—Lmfao Featuring Lauren Bennett & Goonrock

6 “Grenade”—Bruno Mars

4 “E.T.”—Katy Perry Featuring Kanye West

31 “Black And Yellow”—Wiz Khalifa

29 “The Edge Of Glory”—Lady Gaga

7 “F**K You (Forget You)”—Cee Lo Green

i love it most as the perfect closer to the album—its power derives as much from the contrast its corniness makes to what’s preceded it—but it’s a stellar song by itself too. the “i hate that song!/love that song!” openers to each verse really make it imo—especially as diddy builds on them, telling us why he hates that song, for reasons that don’t necessarily have anything to do with the song’s quality, and he conveys something pretty truthful about the role music plays in our lives. like he hates “tears of a clown” not b/c he thinks it’s a shitty song but because it’s too truthful for him. that’s the realness right there!

xp re: “coming home”

voted “Black and Yellow” but instantly regretted it and wish i had voted for “raise a glass”

these three songs soundtracked so much of my life in 2011 and I love them eternally:

till the world ends

super bass

give me everything

(order is pretty much completely interchangeable.)

also like/love these:

1 “Rolling In The Deep”—Adele

10 “Just Can’t Get Enough”—The Black Eyed Peas

11 “On The Floor”—Jennifer Lopez Featuring Pitbull

30 “We R Who We R”—Ke$ha

31 “Black And Yellow”—Wiz Khalifa

35 “If I Die Young”—The Band Perry

38 “Coming Home”—Diddy-Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey

40 “Only Girl (In The World)”—Rihanna

44 “Dynamite”—Taio Cruz

45 “No Hands”—Waka Flocka Flame featuring Roscoe Dash and Wale

46 “I Wanna Go”—Britney Spears

Good writing, lex. However, I haven’t gotten over my dislike of Grey’s voice on that hook.

I’ve only started paying attention to “If I Die Young” in the last month – what a charmer.

just ftr, the main reason I love “Dirty Bit” so much is because I am successfully able to pretend it’s an early 90s acid track with an intentionally goofy hook

knocking out the following songs for being 2010: we r who we r, dynamite, grenade, fuck you, only girl, black & yellow, coming home

the first two were on my p&j ballot from last year, the latter two would prob be on my shortlist here

anyway

top 10 (top 5 of this i would say are all in my top 20 overall of the year)

1 party rock anthem

2 super bass

3 someone like you

4 tgif

5 just can’t get enough

6 if i die young

7 i’m on one

8 give me everything

9 on the floor

10 how to love

bottom 10

10 tonight i’m lovin you (this is 2010 too i think but w/e)

9 til the world ends

8 just the way you are

7 born this way

6 firework

5 stereo hearts

4 the show goes on

3 ET

2 the lazy song

1 lighters

weird that taylor swift didn’t land one song on this list, right?

more like WONDERFUL

well, the closest thing to a crossover smash she had on that last album was “mine” and that had peaked well before 2011

(“back to december” in the lower half of the top 100 though)

1. super bass

2. on the floor

3. black & yellow

4. give me everything

5. coming home

6. till the world ends

7. rolling in the deep

8. i wanna go

9. s&m

10. no hands

why do katy perry & bruno mars have to exist :(

give me everything

as much as I love super bass it feels odd that it’s on here idk

what

’super bass’ feels like a nicki minaj song that just happens to have a really good chorus

it does seem a little like three disparate good songs haphazardly jammed together

i think that totally fits with the schizo-personalities thing that nicki’s made her thing anyway—i love that she sounds bad-ass and tuff and goes hard in the verses, then the chorus is pure teen movie sugar rush, and they don’t act against each other

LOTS of songs here have totally abrupt disconnects between verse and chorus and/or rapping and singing but imo “super bass” is not really one of them

yeh but the rapping feels incidental on those other songs

maybe ya’ll just really like wiz’s verses on black & yellow idk

this is such a bizarre point

wiz’s rapping on black & yellow is good!

& nicki’s rapping on “super bass” is also good but it’s not, like, “monster” or “ASS” level good or anything that it doesn’t seem right for a pop song

“Give Me Everything” sounds more schizophrenic than “Super Bass.”

I never claimed ‘super bass’ was schizophrenic!

i really don’t need “super bass” to go on past the second chorus though.

in fact, schizophrenia is great in pop songs

for the most part.

the bridge is by far my favorite part of “super bass”

my fav part of “super bass” is def the last bar before the chorus

I change my mind about my favorite part of “Super Bass” every time I listen to it.

my fav part of “super bass” is def the last bar before the chorus

― v-shasty, Friday, December 9, 2011 1:47 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Permalink

“i am nicki minaj blah blah chuck the deuce up”? why?

idk, i like “back coupes up and chunk the deuce up” as a rhyme and on principal i think ending verse w/ the same phrase (either slightly tweaked or not) is fun gimmick

it also steps all over the meter of the beginning of the chorus really awkwardly both times around

i don’t like superbass because it is too similar melodically to teenage dream

anyway, party rock anthem >>> all

i like jordan’s list

Contrarian!

itt people continue to misuse the word “schizophrenic” (unless you really DO mean you like pop music that sounds like it’s hearing voices describing intricate patterns and theories that only the song can understand)

and yes, “Give Me Everything” is disjointed in a very similar way, and I like it about as much as I like “Super Bass”, ie there were at least ten other songs on that list that I like more than both

people have been conflating and oversimplifying schizo and multiple personality disorder forever and it will never stop obviously

“Channeling” or “employing voices” and we got a deal.

itt people continue to misuse the word “schizophrenic”

in ilx, people continue to complain about the meaning of words gradually shifting over time and across contexts

actually I am wrong here, this is apparently the definition of “schizophrenic” in play here:

a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements.

I never think of the term “schizophrenic” this way but it makes sense (and explains why it gets used interchangeably with MPD)

I ended up voting for Britney—“I Wanna Go,” strangely enough. Sad that Kelly Rowland’s “Motivation” didn’t make this list.

generally speaking, mainstream America does not really care about Kelly Rowland unless she’s with Beyonce or Nelly (which is really too bad)

that song was a p big hit though

I never think of the term “schizophrenic” this way but it makes sense (and explains why it gets used interchangeably with MPD)

I had assumed that this metaphorical definition developed from the pervasive misuse of “schizophrenical” as a clinical term.

i mean, beyonce didn’t make this list either. did she have a song off this last record as big as ‘motivation’?

“Best Thing I Never Had” peaked at 16.

“Motivation” peaked at 17.

meanwhile I have still never actually heard Lady Antebellum (and I hope I never do)

“Motivation” #1 on the R&B charts for seven weeks. “Best Thing I Never Had” peaked at #4.

“Motivation” went platinum, “Best Thing” only went gold. Kelly won this year, singles-wise at least.

But isn’t this Billboard chart determined exclusively by Hot 100 performance?

yes. but “Motivation” is higher than “Best” on this list too.

because chart longevity matters more than peak positions.

(Motivation at #53, Best Thing at #86)

btw if you wanna get an idea of just how little influence urban radio has on the Hot 100 these days, the #1 R&B/hip-hop song of the year, Miguel’s “Sure Thing,” is #92 on the Hot 100 year-end list.

Oh, I know that. I’m responding to deej and Crut who are disappointed/surprised that “Motivation” isn’t on the list at all. It was a big R&B hit, apparently (I’ve never heard it) — but it only peaked at #17 on the big chart, so it’s going to have some trouble landing in the year-end top 50.

I’m not actually sure what point deej was trying to make by pulling in Beyonce.

i didn’t pull her in, dan did when he mentioned that no one cared about kelly unless she was on a song by beyonce or nelly

how have you not heard motivation?

the #1 R&B/hip-hop song of the year, Miguel’s “Sure Thing,” is #92 on the Hot 100 year-end list.

And that’s a song I’ve only heard because ILXors have mentioned it and I’ve looked it up on YouTube. Doesn’t get much airplay on the Top 40 stations here (even the “rhythmic” one).

Lyrically, Miguel uses analogies to express his love interest, such as “You are the chalk / And I could be your blackboard” and “If I’m the lyric baby / You could be the note”.

how have you not heard motivation?

Where would I have heard it?

I mean, I only really listen to the radio on the weekend when I’m running errands. So the songs that stick are the ones that are played a million times.

xp Yeah, I’m listening to it now, just because I wanted to make sure I really hadn’t heard it.

And the pop stations I listen to are B96 and Kiss 103.5.

i didn’t pull her in, dan did when he mentioned that no one cared about kelly unless she was on a song by beyonce or nelly

rmde

if you couldn’t parse that as “Kelly has never made an EOY pop list unless she’s in Destiny’s Child or on ‘Dilemma’” I don’t really know what to tell you

I’m also not as into keeping up with pop music as I used to be, in part b/c I don’t love the aesthetic that dominates in 2011 and in part because I’m lol old.

“Motivation” is #33 on the ‘radio songs’ chart, so it’s bigger if you’re looking purely at airplay and not stuff like itunes sales

6 foot 7 foot no hesitation

ugh son

SMH

idg 6 foot 7 foot

like, if you want to talk about trebly, harsh songs that sound like cats having sex

pretty great rap song while wayne is going but it’s not a classic or anything

also it gets annoying when played on the radio too much

weezy sounds like a police siren

yeah it’s seriously one of the most unpleasantly shrill songs i’ve ever heard in radio rotation

idk, i like “back coupes up and chunk the deuce up” as a rhyme and on principal i think ending verse w/ the same phrase (either slightly tweaked or not) is fun gimmick

― v-shasty, Friday, 9 December 2011 14:50 (2 hours ago) Bookmark Permalink

misread this as “i like ‘back coupes up and chunk the deuce up’ as a rhyme on principal” & was like “otm”

lol did you all hate “A Milli” too?

yeah it’s too twee

i was kind of an “a milli” detractor at the time but i give it its due respect as a hugely influential song. i don’t know why i should extend the same courtesy to one of its most transparent knockoffs, though.

same here (i wont give up my preference for ‘lollipop’ tho)

one of my more blatant contrarian positions lol

in a milli weezy’s voice is much lower-pitched and the sample is lower too

gonna challop and say ‘how to love’ >>>>>>>>>>> ’6 foot 7 foot’

i agree with that, i hate to admit it but “how to love” is kind of a sensitive well written song

i was out in front of the “how to love” bandwagon

and “She Will” is best of all.

I was ready to hate it on principle but then I applied the j0rd s. ‘where/how often have you heard it’ test and it was all over the place and it won me over

“A Milli” is one of my least favorite hits of the last few years.

you can forgive me for having a cynical initial reaction to a lil wayne song featuring guitar AND singing though, surely (xpost)

“how to love” is kind of a sensitive well written song

not well sung though

it’s not supposed to be! in fact that’s kind of its charm

the Phil Oakey Clause does not apply here.

measuring how ‘good’ a singer is objectively is pretty rockist and/or HI DERE-ish

the buzzing autotuned “MMMMMMM” that wayne ends the song with is so disgustingly unpleasant that i’ll never give the track any credit as an enjoyable recording, but i’m saying the song itself is just fine

“how to love” is kind of a sensitive well written song

― some dude (Mr. Stevenson #2), Friday, December 9, 2011 1:22 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark

I agree with this but musically it’s soporific.

It sounds like something Stargate would do at 8AM before they’ve had their coffee

oh yeah production wise it’s kind of ugly and chintzy

those tinny snare triplets are straight soundclick

it’s kind of like if your spouse who doesn’t know how to sing or dance or play an instrument, learned how to sing/dance/play an instrument and sang you a love song on your birthday

or baked you a cake that ended up tasting like ass apples (the important part being she baked you a cake)

while Stargate are in the kitchen, quietly drinking coffee.

here’s another jam for all you ppl boosting “How To Love”

“how to hate” f/ t-pain is hilarious and the best song on c4 though

easily

prob would be the best song on the t pain album too

the t-pain leaks have felt so dull and forced

the album is only okay i think

i haven’t listened to it yet you act like thr33 ringz is his crowning achievement so your opinion is a little suspect, no offense

you act like thr33 ringz is unlistenable bcuz it has skits so your opinion is a little suspect, no offense

haha it’s not bad or anything but i mean nothing on it would make like t-pain’s top 30 songs

okay that’s crazy

ok maybe “chopped n skrewed”. but it’s very middling, his first two albums each have 10 songs better than anything on it.

t-pain ruined ‘the way you move’ w/ his asinine ‘left cheek right cheek’ bit

that’s just a reference to his single ‘booty wurk’ but that’s not really a defense

born this way

fuck outta here

the song feels like such a distant memory now that i didn’t put it on my year-end list but i still have no problem with “born this way”

yeah it’s seriously one of the most unpleasantly shrill songs i’ve ever heard in radio rotation

― some dude (Mr. Stevenson #2), Friday, December 9, 2011 8:59 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Permalink

this might provide a clue as to why jjj loves it so much

lemme see if i can find his albums ballot from last year...

(Note: I recognize that I may be overstating the case by claiming that he ‘loves it so much’)

Phosphorescent — Here’s to Taking it Easy

Third Eye Foundation — The Dark

Foetus — Hide

Faun Fables — Light of a Vaster Dark

Enslaved — Axioma Ethica Odini

The Body — And All the Waters of the Earth Shall Turn to Blood

High on Fire — Snakes for the Divine

Shining — Blackjazz

Titan — Sweet Dreams

Owen Pallett — Heartland

Slough Feg — Animal Spirits

Ufomammut — Eve

Across Tundras — Old World Wanderer

Harvey Milk — A Small Turn of Human Kindness

Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Swans — My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

Charming Hostess — The Bowls Project

Vampire Weekend — Contra

Alcest — Écailles De Lune

Agalloch — Marrow of the Spirit

Liars — Sisterworld

School of Seven Bells — Disconnect From Desire

Against Me! — White Crosses

Nels Cline — Dirty Baby

^anything up there that approaches the description ‘unpleasant and shrill’?

it’s kind of like if your spouse who doesn’t know how to sing or dance or play an instrument, learned how to sing/dance/play an instrument and sang you a love song on your birthday

smh i hope no spouse of mine would try this

(i remain single)

lex only fucks with real divas

Automatic thread bump. This poll’s results are now in.

i agree w/ what Sasha said about nicki in his hip-hop roundup

which was...?

smh @ you fuckin ke$ha people

esp for picking the wrong song