105. The Saturdays - Higher
A sad state of affairs in 2010 pop, The Saturdays some how became the biggest English-speaking girl group in the world. The second (and should have been first) single off of their EP Headlines, Higher succeeds because it doesn't try to hide the girls flaws - their utter indistinctness, the anodyne vocals, the absence of personality. The song's peak moment? When a member's belt transcends auto-tone and becomes the human embodiment of a Vocoder. Kesha's jealous.
See also: Keri Hilson, "Pretty Girl Rock"; Ciara featuring Bei Major and Andre 3000,
"Ride (Remix)"
104. The Saturdays - Missing You
An unusually brave choice for first single, the decidedly dark Missing You is faulted by the geniune basicness of The Saturdays - but saved by one of the most interesting and complicated narratives mainstream pop's seen in years.
See also: Gyptian featuring Nicki Minaj,
"Hold Yah {Remix)"; The Saturdays, "
Missing You (Cahill Radio Edit)"
103. Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris - Baby
I had been fighting my attraction to this song for months, but DJ Earworm's use of it as the main song in his best mashup this year proved too irrestible for me to ignore. This song, with its splattering of shimmering synths, is almost good enough to make me forget that Tricky Stewart also "produced" Not Myself Tonight and Glam. Ludacris, reassuring his title as the best guest rapper around, provides able to support to the young Mr. Bieber, who finally has a song that (somewhat) justifies his career.
See also: The Saturdays,
"Baby (Justin Bieber Cover)"; DJ Earworm,
"Like OMG Baby"
102. Think About Life - Havin' My Baby
What gets me about this song is how it combines a lot of the trends that are going on in indie rock right now, trends that I can't put a name to, with true exuberance. It's one of the most joyful examinations of unplanned pregnancy I've ever heard, but the tension between the sample and the actual verses displays a complexity about the situation that's appreciated.
And the video's boss too.
See also: Think About Life,
"Johanna"
101. Grum - Can't Shake This Feeling
An obvious and appreciated throwback, Can't Shake the Feeling gets is all right. The vocals are soulful but anonymous, the beat is playful, with hints of a seedier underbelly, and it ends with a drug bust. Viva la eighties!
See also: Grum, "
"Can't Shake this Feeling (Aston Shuffle Remix)"; Kylie Minogue,
"Can't Beat the Feeling"