And so it begins, the most wonderful time of the year on the ATRL calendar. Due to time restraints, and a new format approach, I have condensed this year’s list to a more concise but effective Top 60 singles and Top 10 albums. A difference you may notice on the singles list is multiple songs listed by an artist for one position. For example, Gorillaz may chart with 2 or 3 of their 4 singles this year in one position, whereas the other track may chart on its own higher up due to it’s superiority. It will make more sense as you see it. Let’s get this rolling shall we?
Top 60 Tunes of 2010
60. Let’s Get It Started – Part 1 of 2
| Timbaland f. Justin Timberlake – Carry Out | Travie McCoy f. Bruno Mars – Billionaire | David Guetta f. Kid Cudi – Memories |
The first in two parts of “Let’s Get It Started” – a.k.a. songs that don’t rank high in terms of artistic merit, but were catchy at one point or another. Timbaland managed to snag one last hit single by recruiting Justin Timberlake and producing a track that uses a fast food analogy to pick up chicks, brilliant. Travie McCoy suggests that his Gym Class Heroes hit, ‘Cupids Chokehold’, may not have been a fluke. He struck the Bruno Mars iron while it was still incredibly hot and released a sensible pop track. Then the DJ that many love to hate but U.S.A. has finally embraced, D. Guetta, who recruited Kid Cudi for a filthy track with a deadly hook.
59. Broken Social Scene – Forced To Love
From an album that I couldn’t for the life of me get into, but this track was a standout. Two sold out Toronto gigs this past week show that they still rank incredibly high with respect to relevance in the Canadian music scene.
58. Pearl Jam – Amongst The Waves
The final single from the critically and commercially embraced album, “Backspacer”. More reason to put trust behind Pearl Jam’s consistency and ability to stay relevant in a crowded marketplace.
57. Florence + The Machine – Kiss With A Fist
Although it doesn’t dare to reach the stunning heights of their other tracks, more on those later, this track has a stripped down vibe similar to what I was hearing from Feist back in ’07. It is so promising to see new talent come forward with such diversity; this track is the complete polar opposite to the frivolous “Dog Days are Over” – but is essential in it’s own right.
56. Jay Z feat. Mr. Hudson – Young Forever
One of the last ditch attempts at a single off “The Blueprint 3” and thank goodness for that, as then unheard of Mr. Hudson takes reign on the epic chorus. Jay Z re-works the original verses to provide a refreshing, modern twist that struck an instant chord with nostalgic listeners.
55. The Temper Trap – Fader
This track had a “second life” with me, I got into it, quickly dropped it, and now I’m back into it again. It has all the makings of a college bar modern rock favorite, right down to the “ooooh oooo” chorus.
54. Interpol – Barricade
My how far the mighty can fall. Interpol seemed to destined to be the next big indie label success story – but pressure mounts, members split ways, and things change fast. Herein lies their tragic flaw, an inability to put out a consistent album start to finish despite several moments of shining brilliance. Here is one of them, a dizzying, and ominous barrage that heralds some of their finest work not seen since the “Turn off the Bright Lights” era.
53. Kings of Leon – Radioactive
How do you follow up a 6-mil worldwide seller? Well, this industrial soaked lead single was met with fairly warm welcomes as it rode it’s way to the summit of the Modern Rock chart. While no “Use Somebody” or “Sex on Fire”, it does echo some of the older sentiment that vintage KoL fans would readily recognize.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohqhob4FD20
52. The Arkells – John Lennon
No images to fit the theme, so I posted the youtube link for your viewing pleasure. This is a fantastic band out of Ontario, Canada who actually scored three hit singles on the Canadian Modern Rock Chart over the past 12-15 months. This was by far their best.
51. Dirty Heads feat. Rome – Lay Me Down
A song that somehow managed to spend 12 weeks at #1 on the Alternative chart, and should be recognized for it’s care-free and relaxed demeanor. It establishes the vibe so much more authentically than say someone like Jack Johnson, and makes you long for those summer days with Sublime on full volume and a corona in hand.
This Weekend: #50-41; Albums #10-9
Enjoy!
