The highest ranked rap/hip-hop single on my list and it squeezes its way into the Top 10. At first I didn't think I would take Childish Gambino seriously, since it is the rap alter ego of actor and comedian Donald Glover. But then he released this masterpiece and I immediately changed my mind. I will say one thing: it's a very dirty song. You don't realize how many of the lyrics are actually sexual innuendos until you listen to the clean video version. It's about a relationship in which the narrator's ex hooks up with another guy but he still loves her and has mixed feelings about ever being with her in the first place. Sound complicated? Well it is, and the song's arrangement along with Childish Gambino's rapping fit the message perfectly. The song starts out very slow and mellow, then the bass comes in and the tempo picks up and it becomes more intense. The narrator describes his situation in two verses, becoming gradually angrier with each word he says, until it builds up to a climax at the end of the song where he says "I wish we never f**ked and I mean that". And then when you think it's over, he doubts himself again by saying, "But not really. You say the nastiest s**t in bed and it's f**king awesome". With Heartbeat, Childish Gambino pours emotion and anger into his lyrics in a way I've haven't seen a rap artist do since Eminem released Till I Collapse way back in 2002. Hats off to the best rap song of the year. This is the only song by Childish Gambino in the list.
Young the Giant "Cough Syrup"
Oddly enough, it wasn't the 2011 VMAs that got me into this band. I'm not even one of those people who knew Young the Giant before they performed there, because at the time I wasn't a huge fan of alternative music. I vaguely remember seeing their performance, but I didn't think much of it. I thought that they were just another average rock band who would get some publicity from their performance and then never be heard from again. I've never been happier to be so wrong in my life. It was actually Sirius XM Hits 1 that got me into YTG, when they added Cough Syrup to their playlist in November 2011. (I know I keep shamelessly promoting this station, trust me it's really great though. ) It's so cute and brilliant and it has one of the catchiest choruses I've ever heard in an alternative song, I immediately fell in love. And when I found out the meaning of the song, I came to love it even more. Cough Syrup is about someone who has fallen short of achieving their life goals, on the verge of depression, who is trying to swallow his guilt and his regrets (the cough syrup) and become a better person despite everyone who wants to see him fail. I think to some extent, all of us have gone through experiences like this in our lives; we've had either one or a series of failures and we doubt ourselves and begin wondering if we're really good enough. This is probably one of the most personal and hard-hitting songs I've ever heard and I'm really thankful to Young the Giant for creating such a gorgeous and meaningful track. But the best thing about it is you would never guess that meaning if you didn't pay attention to the lyrics. It just sounds like a happy and carefree song about drinking cough syrup. I really hope this band continues to be recognized because now I realize how much they deserve it. This is the only song by Young the Giant in the list.
Alicia Keys f/Nicki Minaj "Girl on Fire"
My second favorite female artist finally came back in 2012 with Girl on Fire and I couldn't help but love it. The lyrics are so inspirational and fierce, I almost feel like Alicia's writing about herself in her journey to become a superstar. Other than the thumping bass, there is very little production in the song, leaving room for her voice to shine. And damn, can this girl sing. Just listen to the chorus once and you'll see what I mean. "This girl is on fayaaaaaaaaaah" I wish the haters would just stfu about her screaming when she sings though. I guess they're just jealous because their less talented fave could never even hope to sing that well. Also I really love the video, even though it is kind of basic it still shows us how Alicia, being the superwoman that she is, does a great job of juggling the responsibilities of being a superstar and being a mother/housekeeper. Finally there's the subject of the different versions of this song. It's constantly debated which one is the best: original, Inferno, or Bluelight. Personally, I enjoy the Inferno version the most. I'm not a big Nicki fan, but I feel like for once her lyrics actually made sense and she gave a significant contribution to the song. Girl on Fire was one of my anthems during the latter part of 2012, and while it's not quite on par with Alicia's masterpieces like Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart and If I Ain't Got You, I still loved it and its spot in the Top 10 is completely deserving. This is the only song by Alicia Keys in the list.
JoJo "Disaster"
My list is really full of surprises, isn't it? lol. Well I'm not gonna lie I've had a crush on this girl for a while now, I mean she's beautiful, talented, and really not that much older than me But that's not the reason she's so high on the countdown. It's because Disaster is an absolutely brilliant, underrated masterpiece. If you didn't know it already, this song will prove to you that JoJo is really a great singer. Her voice is incredibly mature for being 20 years old, that last chorus gives me so much life. And not to mention her image. In the video she looks at least 29 or 30 years old and I mean that in the best way possible, my baby has grown up I think it's great that she's tackling these type of slower pop-rock songs, it shows that she wants to break out of the teen-pop mold and become her own artist. But honestly this is kind of a moot point, since JoJo never really fit into the typical teen-pop mold She recorded Leave (Get Out) when she was f**king 13 years old and it shows very few elements of the bubblegum pop characteristics or lovey-dovey lyrics that normally appeal to teen and tween audiences. It makes me so mad that she's flopping right now, it's such a crime to take away the career of someone so young and with so much talent especially when they're releasing some of their best material yet. I hope JoJo gets some new management and better promotion because I'm not here for another great single wasted like this. This is the only song by JoJo in the list.
Pink "Try"
Both of my queens came back in 2012 and both of them appear on this set, lol. I have to say Try is probably one of the best song and video combinations by a female artist I've ever seen. The song is very beautiful, it's kind of sparse lyrically compared to Pink's other singles but I think that was intentional. With all of Pink's angry and bitchy songs about breakups I guess she figured it was time to tone it down a little. The chorus is definitely my favorite part in terms of lyrics, the metaphors are brilliant and don't feel the slightest bit clichéd. Also what I love is that the chorus is slightly misleading. If that was the only part you listened to, you would probably think that Try is just another rehashed self-empowerment anthem. But if you listen more closely to the lyrics in the verses, you'll find that there's a deeper meaning. And the video illustrates that meaning beautifully. The song is about the struggles of an abusive relationship, and in the video Pink shows this relationship through a type of slow-moving ballet. Honestly, it's probably because she didn't want to go through the risks of acting out a fight at normal speed. I'm glad she did it this way though, it really puts an emphasis on the struggles that she goes through. And the AMA performance was just It's a shame that it took people this long to realize that Pink is the best live performer of our generation. Doing all those complicated dance moves while still singing live and slaying with her vocals. Who else could pull it off? This is the last of two songs by Pink in the list.
Any guesses for my Top 5? I think some people already got a couple of them. The only hint I'll give is that there are three solo artists and two bands left.