Ahh yes, here we are. Where the weirdest bitch in pop music got even weirder. As we all know, 'Born This Way' was hyped to be album of the century, blah blah blah. Gaga does take a revolutionary route here. She completely started the album from the ground up with a new producer for one. While White Shadow didn't produce the entirety of the album, he did produce the 1st and biggest single from it. The album sounds incredible fresh despite having taken a page out of some retro books here and there. The album is very well produced and while there aren't any tracks that allow Gaga's chops to shine persay, she does sound great. So with this album did we get the album of the century? HELL no. Did we still get a damn good album? HELL yes.
I wanted this released as a single for the longest damn time. And of course I got my way I'm disappointed in how it was handled (concert-ish video, released way to late) but now when you look at the big picture it all makes sense. WFL came out shortly after this was released, and all in all this was a great way to end the amazing ride that was the "Loud" era.
#14
Till the World Ends (and accompanying remix) | Britney Spears
2011 was an amazing year for Britney, and this song is one of the reasons why. Ke$ha did a great job writing the song and Luke delivered on the production. Ms. Spears definitely brought it. The remix is cute but it got pretty boring after awhile. The song is very epic and grimey pop, I love.
#13
Black & Yellow | Wiz Khalifa
I had the Wiz fever earlier this year but now I realize he is just trash. But anyways that is besides the point because this sing is amazing. Great catchy Hip-Hop song with enough pop appeal to cross over. Stargate did amazing with the production. This song was inescapable in early 2011 and I adore it and thus it had to be included. If only the rest of his album was worth listening to.
Yup, that’s right. Bey won out of the trinity this year with this beautifully crafted piece of work. In her best effort yet, Bey reaches for the moon and catches some stars. “I Miss You” and “End of Time” were not only some of the best songs on the record, but some of the best songs released this year period. ‘4’ is more of a traditional, retro sound, which as we all know didn’t translate into sales very well. However Beyonce gained a lot of respect from not only me but critics and millions worldwide for putting out one of the most believable, authentic, and attractive records of the year. The only place that ‘4’ loses points for me is that it had a very high burn rate. I was finished spinning it by the end of the summer. For what it’s worth, this is a great record.
Written In the Stars (feat. Eric Turner) | Tinie Tempah
This song rocked my **** in early 2011. The production is very anthemic in the vein of Alex Da Kidd, but alas it was made by British producer Ishi (who worked with Tinie for a lot of his album). I always knew that this song would be huge but it was a little less than that, peaking Top 20 on BB but I’m not mad. I just wish this guy could have netted another hit. Hopefully Tinie has a better year in 2012 with his sophomore album coming and all.
#11
E.T. (feat Kanye West) | Katy Perry
Katy just ******* on anything and everything in 2011, and “E.T.” was a major part in that. I love the song but I’m not IN LOVE with the song if that makes any sense lol. I do recognize that it was one of the better pop singles of the year however. The dark vibe is a great contrast to the rest of the singles from her this era and Kanye made an interesting guest. The video was gorgeous as well. Grand song across the board.
#10
Blow | Ke$ha
The Queen only graced the masses with one single this year, so it’s a good thing it *******. ‘Blow’ is one of the most beat heavy singles of the year which is never a bad thing in my book. That chorus is more than catchy. Too infectious for words. The video was funny and enjoyable to watch. It’s my honor to let K$ kick off the Top 10 of my favorite singles of this year. Also, if you haven’t listened to the Cirkut remix of this, do it. Now.