so, as i've done in the past I will now choose my favorite Rock and Hip-Hop singles. this is the extent of any singles list, because I couldn't do a full fledged one for the life of me. so let's begin!
Rock Single Of The Year
LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
this song is an epic. the 7:37 minute album version is the only way you can listen to the song. the radio edit just kills it for me. it's a song when you first hear it just grabs your attention immediately. just hearing straight up piano for a while, as drums and such slowly get added until 1:20 in when the vocals kick in. when the vocals do kick in the song displays (imo) James Murphy's most emotional vocal performance, and lyrics. the highlight of the song is when at 6:53 James Murphy yells out WHERE ARE YOUR FRIENDS TONIGHTTTTTTT. it's one of the best moments in music all year. you'll be seeing this song on top of a lot of year end lists on music sites all over, and there's a reason for it. Songs like this don't come around often, and when they do they should hope to be as great as this.
Best Hip-Hop Single and My Favorite Single Of Any Genre This Year
UGK feat. Outkast - Int'l Players Anthem
before I begin my writeup, I have to say a big R.I.P. out to Pimp C. That is not the reason why it's my favorite single of the year. I knew from the moment I heard the song back when it leaked around March 07 that this song was something special.
The word 'classic' gets thrown around a lot in terms of hip-hop. sometimes it's deserved (The Blueprint), sometimes it's just silly (the last Young Buck album). hip-hop fans it seems are really the first to declare songs/albums as classic, moreso then any other genre I notice. well, this song right here is the very definition of Classic. you put together two of the greatest hip-hop groups ever (never mind that both are from the South), and you get DJ Paul & Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia to produce the song, and it's really something for the ages. I don't think a song with all these guys could of been done any better.
you first have Andre 3000 just rapping over the sample with no drums. 'keep your heart three stacks keep your heart'. it's another tremendous verse that can be added to the Andre's legacy as (imo) the best rapper ever. then just as Andre ends with "play your part, play your part" the massive drums kick in as Pimp C opens up with the great line "My bitch a choosy lover, never **** without a rubber / Never in the sheets, like it on top of the cover". it may seem off when you first hear it, but Pimp's verse was just as romantic as Andre's was somehow. then 808's come in during Bun B's fantastic verse, and some of Big Boi's verse gets chopped and screwed. it's just such an entertaining listen. 4 amazing rappers all trying to one up each other is really what the essence of hip-hop is all about. it's a shame the song wasn't a bigger hit outside of the urban markets, cause I think the song could of done pretty well on Pop.
the song is really too perfect for words. there is not a single slow point in the entire thing. it's now one of my all-time favorite songs, and when I get married I honestly want this song played at the reception. it's a shame we'll never get another UGK/Outkast collaberation ever again, but at least the one song they did together was truly Classic.
so, there we are. done my singles list. i'll be doing Part 1 of my Top 40 Albums list either later on tonight, or tomorrow. look out for it.
Ben Ben Ben Ben! This was so damn awesome last year.
