It's funny because when this song initially came out, I preferred Judas. However, with time, I have come to appreciate The Edge of Glory more than I ever did Judas, as I feel The Edge of Glory is more smartly written, more easy to connec to, and ultimately more timeless. The song has an amazing message, too. Glory is a sort of uptempo pop ballad that recalls the 80s, especially during the saxophone solo parts. In 2011, it was kind of an odd single choice, and it probably suffered for that reason in terms of sales and impact. I actually think this has become Gaga's most underappreciated Top 10 hit to date, since it's rarely been mentioned since 2011 because of the video (which isn't THAT bad, in fact I think it fits the song well with the city backdrop and nighttime lighting). While it was one of the more overshadowed summer hits of 2011, it certainly stood out to me, and it will always remind me of that year in my life.
89 ZZ Ward - 365 Days2012
I thought that ZZ Ward would've blown up by now, but sadly she's on Hollywood Records. Her debut album, Til the Casket Drops is one of the best debuts of the past five years. I would describe her voice as a unique mix of Adele's accent and P!nk's gruffness, and she primarily does blues-esque pop/rock. Her debut has a bunch of highlights to pick from, but my absolute favorite has to be the final track, which I believe was released as a single at some point, entitled 365 Days. It best sums up everything that she's about and everything that she's capable of as an artist vocally and lyrically. Plus, the guitar in this song in nothing less than awesome, and definitely one of the best guitar solos in a pop song in recent times. It's a cool song that manages to stand out on its own despite the onslaught of other Adele copycats that followed 21's success. I initially thought ZZ would be an Adele wannabe, but the two are actually totally different and hardly alike at all.
88 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Thrift Shop (featuring Wanz)2012
After hearing this song countless times throughout time, I still have to say that the beat is absolutely SICK. I definitely think Thrift Shop is the song that intensified the whole "horns in a pop song" trend that's practically taken over now. Who can argue that the horns are infectious as any of the best pop hooks of 2013, though? Besides the horns, I absolutely love that this song is literally a 4 minute ode to thrift shopping... so random, but SO fun too. Macklemore's rapping is actually good here, though, and not to be discredited, though. He comes up with some really funny and quotable lines in the verses give the song that fun-vibe that's tied to its success. The song is basically a giant hook of memorable punchlines, and while it's certainly a novelty hit, it's a quality one.
87 Kiesza - Hideaway2014
For some reason, I thought this song was released in 2013 and didn't include it in my 2014 best of list... BIG MISTAKE. I've recently been getting more into this song again after taking a break from it for a couple months, and I'm re-realizing that it has to be one of the best workout songs I've ever encountered. That beat just begs you to move. Kiesza voice perfectly fits the whole 90s-house vibe that the beat creates; however, the song is just as modern as it is retro, excellently produced and an absolute beast on quality headphones and speakers. Sadly, it didn't take off in the US, but it did slay Europe, which I'm happy for at least. Not sure why America slept on this, but I'm definitely not ever sleeping when this dancepop behemoth comes on.
86 Nicki Minaj - The Crying Game (featuring Jessie Ware)2014
This was already included on my 2014 Best Of Countdown, so like Eternal Sunshine, not much more to say on this that hasn't already been said. It's a highlight off The Pinkprint, showcases some of her best verse lyrics to date, and features a beautiful and unexpected contribution from Jessie Ware. It encapsulates everything I wanted from The Pinkprint prior to hearing it.
85 Ariana Grande - Best Mistake (featuring Big Sean)2014
Third one from 2014 in a row, lol. Like I said already, it's simple and really showcases Ariana's more mellow and restrained self. It's a very sad song with a dreary but captivating bet, all finished by an underrated, fitting, and appropriately personal (for Ariana) verse by Big Sean. It's a well done album track and should be Winter single, but sadly I doubt it will be released properly.
84 Maroon 5 - One More Night2012
Maroon 5 has always induced mixed reactions from people... you either love them, or you absolutely abhor ever hearing Adam try to reach his falsetto every time you turn on your Top 40 station. Because no matter your opinion, One More Night was unavoidable in late 2012 and early 2013. I was in the majority (or minority, who knows) who loved when this song was all over radio, since I'm an avid M5 fan anyway and have been for years. This is one of their best "pure pop songs" to date, and yet another carefully crafted song by Max Martin and his team of perfectionists. It has elements of pop, hip hop, and even reggae all mixed together to create a hard-hitting and bass-pounding backdrop. To add to the intensity are Adam's urgent-sounding and earworm verses. Oddly enough, the verses are "bigger" and more energetic than the chorus; but since the song is so huge anyway, a bigger chorus would've been too empowering. It was ridiculously overplayed, but it was well worth it and solidified that M5 is here to stay and knows who to work with to keep their music fresh and new.
83 Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven2012
This was popular at almost the same time as One More Night, but it was even MORE overplayed, if that was possible. Bruno is arguably the king of pop radio this decade, though, so it's no surprise radio showed Heaven a lot of love. What is surprising is how much more I like this song over his other songs on his debut album. Heaven has more replay value, groove, and "cool factor" than the songs on Doo-Wops that tended to fall towards the "cheesy" category. It clearly shows artistic growth and increased understanding of what listeners like me want in their pop music. LOoH is a Sting-inspired and quick-paced pop song with a guitar instrumental and excellent vocals from Bruno, all centered around a super memorable chorus ("you make me feel like I'm locked out of heaven"). The song took a couple of listens to grow on me initially, but once it did, there was no stopping it. Just like everyone else, I was obsessed and really excited to see Bruno avoid the sophomore slump. I'm hoping his next first single is as fresh and exciting as Locked Out of Heaven (hopefully not retro and funk like Uptown Funk, though, since that'd be too predictable).
82 Britney Spears - Work Bitch2013
I don't even know how to give this song a serious description... but I have zero shame in saying this is one of THE most carefree and instantly infectious dancepop songs in my recent memory. What kind of economic stimulus package anthem? If you're looking for lyrical substance, it's not here, but why would you look for that in a song called Work Bitch anyway? The lyrics somehow work extremely well for what the song is in their fun-to-quote fashion ("you wanna hot body? you wanna bugatti? you wanna mazaretti? you betta WERK, bitch!"). Let's not even talk about that crazy amazing beat. This is one of, if not my very, favorite Britney song of the past five years, even above the best that Femme Fatale had to offer (an album full of quality guilty pleasure dancepop). Like Hideaway, I highly recommended for the gym. If you want a confident, feel-good anthem and don't take yourself too seriously, GO CALL THE POLICE! GO CALL THE GUVANAH!
81 Calvin Harris - I Need Your Love (featuring Ellie Goulding)2012
I really started getting into Ellie Goulding's music around late 2012 and throughout 2013, so I was happy to know she worked with Calvin Harris for his album after the success of Lights. The two are a perfect pair, musically, and really compliment each other. Her unique voice carries huge dance beats really well, never overpowering the beat and never sounding generic either. Calvin delivers equally on the production front with the hook-worthy breakdown (easy to hum to), and hype-building pre-breakdown during Ellie's chorus. One thing I really like about this one, as opposed to Outside, is that it never loses its energy and stays interesting for the whole duration. I also appreciate the bright and happy energy that Calvin and Ellie both bring to this song, making it a repeat pleasure to listen to. Overall, I'm hoping this song can stand the test of time and maybe be more appreciated when all is said and done. It was kind of overshadowed during its US run, at the very least.
Wake Me Up, Thrift Shop, Locked Out of Heaven those are gonna be some of the most remembered songs of this early 2010s decade
Cough Syrup is really good and underrated. Countdown, Real Love, Hideaway
Unfortunately, I just started getting into most of his music like yesterday (I only knew of Papaoutai previously from six months ago), so I haven't had enough time to let it all sink in and compare it to the rest of my music in time for it to make a best of list. He are my three favorite songs of his that all deserve honorable mentions:
100 Avicii - Wake Me Up (featuring Aloe Blacc) 2013
94 Beyoncé - Countdown 2011
93 Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble. 2012
84 Maroon 5 - One More Night 2012
83 Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven 2012
81 Calvin Harris - I Need Your Love (featuring Ellie Goulding) 2012
It's fair to say that everyone immediately compared The Monster to Love the Way You Lie upon its release. The Monster is definitely the less remembered of the two, deservedly, but that doesn't mean I dislike the song. In fact, I was more than satisfied with these two reuniting once again after LtWYL and Numb, with The Monster ranking inbetween the two in terms of quality (Numb being the worst of the three). The Monster is one of Eminem's most pop songs ever, and while the lyrics are rather dark and heavy, the beat and overall vibe is lightweight, making it easily replayable. Rihanna sounds amazing during the chorus, written by Bebe Rexha, and its clear her voice has grown since Love the Way You Lie. Honestly, her vocals here are stronger than on LtWYL, especially once she goes into falsetto. Eminem's lyrics in the verses are highly overlooked but also excellently done. It's a really solid hip-pop track that's a very safe and predictable option for both of them, but a joy to listen to repeatedly nonetheless.
79 Rihanna - What Now2012
Rihanna shows up once again, but this time with one of her own songs. This was released as a single last year, but underperformed for whatever reason. It deserved to be another Top 3 hit for her with its huge power-ballad chorus and booming finale. The majority of Unapologetic represented a huge vocal growth for her, with What Now being one of her absolute finest moments vocally. Her voice tosses itself around like acrobatics, swiftly going from falsetto to deeper voice in a matter of seconds during the verses. Then, during the chorus and conclusion, she really shows what she's made of, proving that her voice is often underrated and unfairly criticized. Not only are the vocals knockout, but so are the introspective and thought-provoking lyrics that obviously have a personal touch with Rihanna, even if she didn't write them herself. It's always been one of my favorites from this phenomenal album, and a song that deserves a lot more in terms of recognition of talent.
78 Azealia Banks - Ice Princess2014
Already described this one in my Best of 2014, but main points: it's the best song on Broke With Expensive Taste and is truly genre-bending, quickly switching from urban in the verses to house in the chorus, and perfectly blending the two all in-between. It's an unpredictable rap song in a league of its own in terms of creativity, proving Azealia is one of the most innovative artists we have today.
77 Kid Ink - Show Me (featuring Chris Brown)2013
In terms of DJ Mustard productions, this remains DJ Mustard's best one to date. It's also his most well-done production and the very first one I heard by him sometime in January of last year. The production is modern, infectious and an instant knockout on the radio, making it no surprise to me it broke some records on the hip hop & R&B charts in 2014. While Kid Ink's verses are highly replaceable by any rap artist, they're still fun and fulfill their purpose justly. Chris is the one who steals the show, though, singing a chorus that compliments the beat and begs for a good time. With his and Mustard's help, the song smartly straddles the lines between hip hop and pop and giving it tons of crossover appeal. This should've been even bigger than it was and would've made a worthy Top 5 on the Hot 100 and the airplay charts.
76 Taylor Swift - Enchanted2010
I can't believe Taylor never released this as a single! It would've definitely been another Top 5 or 10 for her, even in 2011 when her pop radio presence wasn't quite as strong as it is now. I think that this song really summarizes her potential as an artist the best out of almost anything in her discography (besides one other album track which is coming up later in the countdown). It's a dramatic recount of meeting someone you fall in love with, but with its descriptive and storytelling lyrics, it's hard to get enthralled in the whole thing. I specifically really love her using the deeper register of her voice while singing the highlight lyrics of her career during the beginning of the song, since that's the part of the song I replay the most. The rest of the song speeds itself up and becomes a sort of pop/rock explosion of emotion, making it all worthy of the best final scenes in movies. It's the best song on Speak Now and one of the first Taylor songs I ever really grew into.
75 Ariana Grande - The Way (featuring Mac Miller)2013
The only thing I knew about Ariana in early 2013 is that she was from some kids show I had never watched, so she wasn't really on my radar, but I knew of her existence. I remember someone posted this song on ATRL, and I checked it out because "why not?". I totally didn't expect what came out of my headphones: a 90s-R&B/pop throwback showcasing an amazingly talented vocalist who knew how to totally OWN a beat. She flows over the verses and chorus like someone well beyond her years, already showing her potential to become a huge popstar before she even really blew up. And then the notes in the final chorus absolutely won me over and made me an instant fan. I was unexpectedly obsessed with this song for all of 2013 and it was a constant go-to on playlists. When an artist stops you in your tracks and makes you go "damn", it has to mean something. If I only I'd known how amazing the rest of her music would end up being!
74 Ciara - Overdose2013
Ciara's career has taken many tumultuous turns in the 2010s, but it finally seems like things are looking up for her after her last album. While I can't forgive her or Epic for not releasing this potential smash, I can say that I'm glad that she released a song like this at all. It's by far the most pop song on the mostly R&B self-titled album, but it's a refreshing final song on the tracklist. It ends the album on an energetic and memorable note of pop bliss and an explosion of hooks. From the verses to the chorus, every line stands out against the other, creating a song that will only take one listen to get stuck in your head the entire day. This is everything "ear candy" is supposed to be. I still play this all the time, and rightfully so. Ciara deserves to be a much bigger star than she is, and I hate how severely underrated she has become.
73 Miguel - Adorn2012
By far one of the best progressive R&B songs of the 2010s & Miguel's strongest song to date. It was only right that this song smashed the hip hop & R&B charts mercilessly. The lyrics are affectionate & loving, accented by Miguel's impressive vocals. I especially love the falsetto notes near the end of the song! Adorn actually feels really short when I listen to it, prompting me to put it on repeat at least 3-4 times whenever I decide to turn it up. Miguel has created a song that has all the makings to become an R&B classic of the 2010s. It has a great message & an appeal that all lovers of R&B will respect. It recalls prior classics of R&B will paving a new path for itself in the genre on its own sonic merit.
72 Maroon 5 - Give a Little More2010
Hands All Over is absolutely Maroon 5's most overlooked album to date. It's also their best album to date (yes, I prefer it over SAJ!) and by far their best album of the 2010s. It was a flop era in 2010 up until Moves Like Jagger literally saved Maroon 5's life and totally revamped their career on pop radio. Prior to MLJ's saving grace, they released several singles that all did lukewarm to downright horrible on the Hot 100, including Give a Little More. While audiences didn't click with it, I was always really drawn to its fastpaced beat, awesome guitar, Adam's haunting vocals in the verses, and the head-bopping chorus. It doesn't follow any boring and predictable formula for a typical pop-rock song, instead opting to have a sound of its own. I wouldn't call it a "dark" sounding song by any means, but it has a heavier sound than a lot of their other 2010s work. For that reason, it will probably stick with me more than most of the tracks from Overexposed or V.
71 Dawn Richard - Heaven2012
Dawn Richard (apparently pronounced Rich-ARD and not Rich-ERD, lol), is yet another artist in the 2010s that doesn't get her credit or success where it's due. While she's recently been in the spotlight for that absolute fiasco of a Danity Kane reunion, there's more to her than that. She released two great bodies of work in the 2010s: Armor On, an EP, and Goldenheart, her official debut album. Both include really fine songs, but Heaven is one I will always show to people who haven't heard her song. I would describe it as hypnotic and melancholy R&B song, reminiscent of the vibe that a lot of Drake's Take Care had. It literally sounds heartbreak and the desire to fix something that you know will never actually be fixed; thus, as intended, it's a very saddening song that induces a lot of emotion. I had never planned to take Dawn seriously as an artist until I heard her Armor EP on in full. One of the most memorable songs to hear at first was Heaven, and it's still one of her finest moments. I'm hoping she keeps up this level of quality for future work and doesn't let her lack of success hinder anything.