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Miles' Best of 2012: Singles 7-1 Up
Member Since: 2/13/2012
Posts: 62,082
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"Only One"  I didn't know anyone else liked that track! It made my most recent set 
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Member Since: 10/8/2009
Posts: 8,118
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One More Night 
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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18
B.o.B (Feat. Nicki Minaj): Out Of My Mind
I began stanning for B.o.B this year due to the fact that he put out AMAZING music. This past spring he dropped Strange Clouds, then So Good, Play The Guitar, Where Are You, So Hard To Breathe, Ray Bands, and Both Of Us as either singles or promo singles. All are fantastic.
Of course, the song that IMMEDIATELY caught my eye when the tracklist came out was the Nicki feature. And with a title like "Out Of My Mind" I had HIGH expectations. And oh boy, did they deliver!
Bobby Ray drops two damn good verses, like usual, but he just can't keep up to Nicki. This is Nicki's best feature of the year (perhaps tied with I Love Dem Strippers). She just goes absolutely CRAZY and MAKES the song. And the ad-libs at the end are genius.
Combine that with one of the best music videos of the year (it's sexy, clever and spooky all at the same time) and you get a massive hit, right?
No, sadly. This flopped hard, it didn't make the BBHot100 and was not played by radio. Even though it's disappointing, I can easily see why. It's too crazy for radio. B.o.B shouldn't have released this as a single, he should have left it as an album gem. Either way though, it's flawless.
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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17
Rihanna (Feat. Chris Brown): Birthday Cake (Remix)
Awww, look at Riri and Breezy! Don't they just look adorable together!? Aren't they just the perfect couple!?
Ew, no. They disgust me.
Anyway, this song is a ratchet urban masterpiece. The minute and a half long solo version is good, but it's just not ENOUGH. So I have to thank Rihanna for listening to her fans and giving them this awesome remix. It's undeniably catchy and fun, and could have been a massive hit with promo. And Rihanna's little rap at the end is awesome.
Love the song, hate the bitch. (And the *****)
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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16
Gotye (Feat. Kimbra): Somebody That I Used To Know
One of the three biggest hits of the year, and perhaps the most unlikely of them all. This song doesn't sound like something radio would play, and it doesn't sound like something that EVERYBODY would be blasting out their cars at the beginning of summer.
But it was.
I avoided this song for MONTHS after I first heard it, I thought it was so annoying. Then I heard it in the car on the radio and I couldn't avoid it any longer. And like every other person in the world, I started yelling "NOW YOU'RE JUST SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW!" at random inopportune times.
Thanks Gotye, for some great memories. You may now fade back into irrelevance.
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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15
Nicki Minaj (Feat. Lil Wayne): Roman Reloaded
Nicki Minaj's first appearance as a lead artist comes in the form of this promotional single. After the shock of Roman In Moscow, the horror of Stupid Hoe, and the controversy of Starships, I needed the return of solid, classic hip-hop Nicki. In other words, I needed Roman Reloaded.
I loved this song from the second it came out; it's the second most played song on my ipod. It'll never get old. Nicki goes hard and Wayne's verse is, for once, tolerable. I need more like this in the future.
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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14
Rita Ora: How We Do (Party)
This was the song that got me hooked on the lovely Rita Ora. It's simple, catchy, and summery, exactly what a lead single should be to break into the States. In fact, this song reminded me of TiK ToK when I first heard it! That's how much I loved it! When I started hearing this daily on the radio this past summer, I thought Rita had made it, but sadly she's still relegated to being the Queen of the UK. Oh well, I guess there are worse fates!
Congrats to Rita for having a super successful year! Thanks for jams like this one and please give me more in the future!
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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13
Kesha: Die Young
Finally! I waited two years for Kesha to return after a hardcore stan-session from 2009-2010. And honestly, I had kind of written her off. She was gone for so long and she was rambling about spirit journeys and **** pop and Iggy Pop and I just had no expectations whatsoever.
So when Die Young dropped, I was floored. It was exactly like her old stuff! Which was exactly what I wanted. Unlike most, I didn't want a new Kesha, I just wanted more of the same. Die Young was exactly what I had been hoping for. No matter how many times I heard it on the radio, I never got tired of it. Great song!
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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12
Drake (Feat. Rihanna): Take Care
Amazing. Just amazing. The best introspective rap song of the year. Another masterpiece from Drizzy. Everything about this song is incredible. Drake's verses are always great, but he upped it a notch for this. And Rihanna's silky voice just works here. Right from the get-go I knew this would be a monster hit.
And I cannot say enough good things about the music video. The harsh contrast of the light and dark, the fierce and the timid, the masculine and feminine... amazing visuals and direction. And this is Rihanna's best look of all time. Stunning.
Just wow.
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Member Since: 2/11/2008
Posts: 10,964
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Die Young 
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Member Since: 5/23/2007
Posts: 65,087
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Out Of My Mind is not bad, and my fave from this set is the amazing Die Young 
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 12/7/2008
Posts: 87,284
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Member Since: 9/16/2004
Posts: 34,379
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Gotye, Drake, Ke$ha and Rita 
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Member Since: 1/3/2011
Posts: 30,381
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Rihanna Drake, Gotye, Ke$ha, and maybe Rita Awesome 
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Member Since: 4/24/2004
Posts: 7,295
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Die Young 
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Member Since: 12/24/2010
Posts: 37,039
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How we do is super high 
CAKE CAKE CAKE
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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11
Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz: Mercy
The inescapable hip-hop track that was on every dude's speakers this summer just missed out on my top ten. This song gave combines three of the most popular men in the rap game (and Pusha) and they all gave brilliant verses that build on one another. Mercy is filled with quotable lyrics and has a chorus that's incredibly catchy.
This song introduced me to Big Sean, who I'm now a huge fan of. He lays down a killer first verse with brilliant wordplay on the word - what else - "ass" and gives us two iconic catchphrases: "Swerve!" and "Oh God!"
Honestly though it's impossible to say who has the best verse: Kanye, 2 Chainz and Sean's are complete perfection.
Oh! And you know I wasn't just going to not mention Nicki's flawless remix! She's got more money in her ****ing purse!
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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10
Iggy Azalea (Feat. B.o.B): Million Dollar Misfits
The first entry in the top ten belongs to two of my favorite rappers. When I heard that Iggy and Bobby Ray were collabing for the first time, you bet I was incredibly hyped. Not only did B.o.B drop a great verse and sing a super catchy chorus, but he must have given Iggy a few tips because her second verse in this song is one of her best ever. I need more like this from Iggy.
When this came out, I knew that I was on board with Iggy. Roman In Moscow got my attention, Murder Business and Beat Down piqued my interest, and Million Dollar Misfits sold me.
I don't know why this never made it to the radio (there's even a clean radio edit) but I have a sneaking suspicion that it may have something to do with Iggy's LACK OF A LABEL! I love the girl, but I question her decision to go it alone... Still, I wish her the best!
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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9
B.o.B (Feat. Lil Wayne): Strange Clouds
In 2010, I became a huge fan of B.o.B's Airplanes just like everybody else, but my favorite track of his was Magic. I blasted that allllllll summer! Aside from those two songs though, I never got into him.
Fastforward a year and a half and BOOM, I spot this sitting in the iTunes top 10. And WHOA! It goes hard! I was not expecting this from B.o.B, but I LOVE it! The chorus, the verses, the beat... everything! Amazing.
First of all, I have to praise Doctor Luke. I had no idea he could make hip-hop beats, but I can't say I'm surprised. The man is a genius.
Second, I have to praise Wayne. I've called Wayne's verses on I Can Only Imagine and Roman Reloaded "tolerable." Well his verse on Strange Clouds is one of those super rare occasions where he actually ADDS something to the song! He sounds great on this! (Maybe B.o.B wrote it for him... hmm...)
And third, I have to praise Bobby Ray for his lyricism and flow. He has a style all his own that's both quick and snappy while still being understandable at the same time. I absolutely love it. And these lines are genius:
I just wake up and then I roll over to perverts
These ****** wake up on my dick at least have some breakfast first
And keep your nourishment first
And your mind on my lyrics
Cuz what you hoping to accomplish, I already did it!
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Member Since: 11/28/2011
Posts: 10,662
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8
Nicki Minaj: Freedom
Nicki's first entry into this as a solo artist! It's also her first AND ONLY entry from the Re-Up (The Boys is ****.)
Even though I love Nicki and PFRR, like most others, I prefer the Pink Friday sound. I like the songs where Nicki raps the verses and sings the chorus. And I am ALWAYS down for an emotional Nicki song.
When Freedom dropped, it was a huge sigh of relief. This was exactly what I needed to hear going forward: that Nicki is returning to her roots as a rapper. I love this song. Just like Fly, I can play it over and over again and I will never get tired of it.
And just look at how sexy she looks in the music video!
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I love all of these 
