Top Songs of 2010

Warning: This is a long post. If you don't feel like reading all this nonsense, just skip and watch the videos and listen to the greatness of these songs.

I'm writing this when I should be finishing an article that I have for class, but I've been distracted by this list for a while. I loaded my iTunes and sorted all of the songs that were released in 2010, and added the tracks that I really liked to a playlist. This list could come from any genre of music and could come from an album released by a major record label or a mixtape from the artist down the street.

I don't have that many songs in my iTunes library as my computer is relatively new and I'm not too into the songs played on radio stations. I narrowed down my top choices by only allowing one song come from an artists or band, even though some bands had several contenders.

This is the list that I came up with, and I will provide links soon. Since there's still about two weeks left and an edit option, this list is not permanent. If there's something you think I need to check, let me know and I can judge if it deserves to uproot a song on this list, which is presented in no order. I might also try to fancy this page up when I edit it with links and videos.

Top Songs of 2010:

Arcade Fire - "Ready To Start"
This song was a major hit off "The Suburbs" and has it all. Great lyrics and powerful guitars take over and set the trend for this album.


Atmosphere - "The Major Leagues"
Great storytelling from Slug and Ant drops a heavy guitar-lead beat that sounds like a mix of hard rock and gangsta rap.


The Black Keys - "I'm Not The One"
The Ohio duo had major success with "Brothers," and picking one song was difficult. The slow pace of this song lends to the great blues sound and greater effect when it gets heavy.


Chromeo - "Don't Turn The Lights On"
Chromeo has a gift for making songs that are fun to dance to, with a touch of romance and humor. This song represents all three to the fullest.


Copywrite ft. Rakaa & Evidence - "Three Story Building"
This track watches Rakaa upstage Copywrite, and then watches Evidence steal the show on the closing verse. From solid stories about growing up and great DJ scratching, this is excellent hip-hop.


Eligh ft. Zumbi & Scarub - "Beneath The Sea"
This was a tough call between this song and "Shine," as both tracks had uplifting and catchy choruses and outstanding guest features. I gave the nod to this track because it seemed a little more innovative with it's talk of living underwater.


Grouplove - "Colours"
I just heard about this band and downloaded their EP. In only six tracks, I was thoroughly impressed and thankful that "Dirty" Dave Campbell told me about them. I went back and forth between this song and "Don't Say Oh Well," but I just love how this song flows.


KiD CuDi - "Mojo So Dope"
Rapping about your "swag" and how cool you are is usually very annoying, but KiD CuDi flips it and turns it into an interesting reflection about his life. The beat is dark and the background singing gives it a unique sound.


LCD Soundsystem - "Home"
This track spans almost eight minutes and doesn't get repetitive or boring, which is impressive in itself. But the dance-happy music to the lyrics to James Murphy's great singing provide a great track that must be put on repeat.


Little Brother - "Tigallo For Dolo"
This track might not captivate your ear at its onset, but Phonte absolutely murders this track. His lyrics provide humor, creativity, and a serious look at the state of hip-hop. Khrysis provides a soulful beat that reminds listeners of 9th Wonder's production on previous albums.


MGMT - "Siberian Breaks"
This album ranked as a disappointment in the number of overall tracks that I enjoyed, but this song alone made it listenable. Blending in between different beats, this was like a couple of songs combined into one.


Nas & Damian Marley - "As We Enter"
The opening track on "Distant Relatives," the collaborative album from Nas & Damian Marley, "As We Enter" featured the two rapping back and forth with a sped-up reggae beat. Marley's ability to keep up with Nas was impressive.


Passion Pit - "Swimming in the Flood"
"Manners" was a major hit for Passion Pit, and this song represented the band's appeal. The slow intro builds up to a nice drum beat, and the piano playing kicks in with a nice melody. The song evokes powerful emotions and is difficult to not sing along to.


The Roots ft. John Legend - "The Fire"
"How I Got Over" is an amazing album, which is no surprise coming from the Philadelphia hip-hop powerhouse. "The Fire" features a stunning beat, a wonderful hook from John Legend, and clever rhymes from Black Thought.


Zion I - "The Sun Come Out"
It was tough to decide on one track from this standout album from the Oakland duo, but this song has too much emotional appeal to ignore. The soulful beat talks sets the stage, and Zumbi details a neighborhood murder while preaching uplifting vibes. Something about the song inspires hope in spite of tragedy.



Kanye West ft. KiD CuDi & Raekwon - "Gorgeous"
Kanye's fifth album saw a return to a stronger sound that he became known for on albums one through three. "Gorgeous" has a brilliant hook from KiD CuDi that makes you think you can do anything, and Kanye raps about everything from airport security screening to being made fun of on South Park. Just when the song seems over, Raekwon comes on for the last verse and gives a classic performance that we've been used to since his days in Wu-Tang Clan.


The Limosuines - "Wildfires"
The Limosuines have gained some exposure this year, although I just found out about them from my brother on Christmas. An infectious electronic sound similar to MGMT, their album "Get Sharp" is fun and dance-inducing. While "Internet Killed The Video Star" was their major hit, I love the instruments and pace of "Wildfires.