Favorite Songs of 2010

Here are the 20 songs which made my year:

1. Cee Lo Green: F*** You: As you already know I’m in love with the crass obscene version of this song. It is incredibly catchy and fun, gets in your head and never leaves. To me it represents the year completely. 

2. Mumford and Sons: Little Lion Man: This is a newer addition to my list because I recently got into Mumford and Sons, but this song rocks my socks. It’s folksy bluesy rock at its best. 

3. Janelle Monae: Tightrope: I know I’ve been discussing this song a lot lately but it really is a fun funk/hip hop song reminiscent of  James Brown. Janelle can dance, sing and rap. Is there anything she can’t do?

4. Arcade Fire: Sprawl II: Yes I’m one of those people who thinks Arcade Fire always sounds good. They specifically shine on this song where they describe the suburbs and the feeling it’s like to live out of the city. 

5. Maroon 5: Give a Little More: This is my favorite song of Maroon’s new album Hands All Over. It has a unique retro 70’s pop-rock vibe to it which makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to.

6. One Republic: Marching On: I was torn whether or not to put the Timbaland version of this song on the list, but I went with the original. It happens to be that I love this song, and it is my favorite that one republic has ever released. It uses non conventional “band-like” instruments which aid in telling the story of moving on.

7. Eminem: Not Afraid: Many would put Love the Way You Lie over Not Afraid but I chose the latter for one simple reason, it is classic Eminem. Yea he’s angry, but the whole point of this album is repentance (Recovery). Eminem proved he could come back onto the scene with a vengeance and give the radio what it had long been missing.

8.  Florence and the Machine: Cosmic Love: This song touches me on a deeper level thanthe ever popular Dog Days Are Over. It is moving and almost always tears me up every time I hear it  

9. Paramore: The Only Exception: Technically this album came out in 2009, but this single wasn’t released until Feb 2010. This is one of my favorite Paramore songs. Like Hallelujah on their previous album, The Only Exception isn’t as hard as their usual materials. Rather, it is heartfelt, and that’s what makes it so enjoyable to me. 

10. The National: England:This song is what The National is all about. They begin with a slow moving tempo and build to a string and horn crescendo. The song on the whole is quite moving, and really interesting and different. 

11. Freelance Whales: Hannah: This song is a mixture of the Postal Service and Owl City. I love Freelance Whales for their innovative use of non conventional instruments, and their ability to make me smile with incoherent and random lyrics.

12. Against Me: Bamboo Bones: I happen to love the fact that Against Me has British punk rock-esque sound even though they are actually from Florida. Bamboo Bones is probably my favorite off of their new album White Crosses. It is fast and fun and silly at the same time.

13. Kanye West: All of the Lights: Kanye’s entire Dark Twisted Fantasy is an oratory masterpiece. This song is my favorite off of the album. Not only because it has so many additions to the tracks, but also because of Kanye’s random spouting of every light he knows “stop lights, strobe lights” etc. 

14. Brandon Flowers: Crossfire: The Killers’ front man’s debut single was off the hook. It sounded like a killers song with something totally new to it. It reminded me in a way of Mr. Brightside in the sense that it is about a relationship which is undergoing stress. I also really like the video which stars Charlize Theron.

15. Adele: Rolling in the Deep: Adele has one of those voices which always amazes me. Her voice is so soulful it’s a wonder she is not a large gospel singing woman. Rather, in this song she belts out a bluesy song about a relationship that you can actually feel the pain in her singing. It’s marvelous. 

16. V.V. Brown: Shark in the Water: I recently found out this song was about a creepy stalker, which I had no idea about. It is so upbeat and fun that you would never know the oddities which lie beneath the surface. This is definitely the best track off of V.V’s debut album and will ultimately get stuck in your head whenever you hear it. 

17. John Mayer: Heartbreak Warfare: Ok, even though John Mayer is a womanizer, I am still mesmerized by his dulcet tones. This song in particular is one of my favorites. It is again about a soured relationship and how even when you attempt to put things back together they can almost always fall right back apart.

18. Two Door Cinema Club: I Can Talk: I like this song because of the weird guttural noises they use at the beginning and middle of the song. Two Door Cinema Club’s album is actually quite catchy and enjoyable in its entirety if you ever get a chance to listen to the whole thing.

19. Guster: Do You Love Me:  Yes, I love you Guster. Not only was I super happy to see that guster had come back with a new album this year, but also opened with this catchy single Do You Love Me. It had me singing along with it until the end.

20. Enrique Iglesias: I Like It: This song was overplayed to death on the radio, but I couldn’t have a list without my beloved Enrique on it. The first time I heard this song in my car on the radio I actually screamed and jumped excitedly in my car.