Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
Friday, December 31, 2010
Number one song of 2010!
Honestly, how could it be anything else???
Classic Toni sound? CHECK
Sexy video? CHECK
Great live performances? CHECK
Biggest hit she's had since 2000? CHECK (not saying much unfortuntaely)
Should've been nominated for one Grammy? CHECK
#3
SUCH a gorgeous song. I'm glad to see that even though the song didn't go to #1 on a weekly chart, it's still landing at #3 on the year end chart.
Her two songs peaking really high on the year end both only managed to work their way up to #2, but they do bring her count of top 5 hits up to 5.
#2
Settling for #2 is my favorite of the Alexandra Burke songs that was released this year. Usually my number 1 song has spent 10+ weeks as a weekly #1, but All Night Long was totally a fighter. It's still hanging out in the mid-region of my top 30 after being on for 42 weeks.
Number 1 coming up....
But before we get there, let's take a look back again at all of the past year-end top 3s on my chart.
2005
1. Cool - Gwen Stefani
2. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
3. We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
2006
1. Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
2. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
3. I Don't Know Why I Love You - Brand New Heavies
2007
1. Like A Boy - Ciara
2. Dig - Incubus
3. Over It - Katharine McPhee
2008
1. Energy - Keri Hilson
2. Work - Kelly Rowland
3. Disturbia - Rihanna
2009
1. Knock You Down - Keri Hilson
2. Sweet Dreams - Beyonce
3. Halo - Beyonce
2005
1. Cool - Gwen Stefani
2. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
3. We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
2006
1. Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
2. Hips Don't Lie - Shakira
3. I Don't Know Why I Love You - Brand New Heavies
2007
1. Like A Boy - Ciara
2. Dig - Incubus
3. Over It - Katharine McPhee
2008
1. Energy - Keri Hilson
2. Work - Kelly Rowland
3. Disturbia - Rihanna
2009
1. Knock You Down - Keri Hilson
2. Sweet Dreams - Beyonce
3. Halo - Beyonce
#5
Watch the video and you'll see why I love this song:) Best choreography ever.
MEMORIES OF TOBAGO 2010 FOREVER!
#6
I've been a big Robbie fan for a while now, but the longer he's around the less I love his music. This song was definitely an exception. It spent 7 weeks at number 1 at the beginning of the year. Give the song a listen - it sounds perfect for winter.
#7
We're gonna get into a little bit of pure UK streak for the next few songs. Here's another appearance by X-Factor alum Alex Burke. Start Without You is the 5th single from Overcome and her 3rd #1 in the UK. At first, I wasn't a fan of this song, but it really grew on me within a few weeks.
#8
Ciara has has a rough few years,and this year is no exception. The only hit she was able to squeeze out of her last album owed all of it's success to a Justin Timberlake feature. While Ride was the biggest hit she's seen probably since Like A Boy, the song didn't move albums off the shelves.
When she comes hard, she comes hard. It's just too bad she doesn't always come hard.
BTW - Like A Boy was my #1 song of 2007 (lots of time spent at Cubbyhole that year).
#9
The latest Alexandra Burke single, her 6th from Overcome, only peaked at #16 in the UK. On my chart, it is spending week number 3 at the top.
The no-holding-back ballad is one of her many songs that would be totally appropriate for breaking her in to the US market, but it looks like they'll wait for some new material to use for that campaign.
Seek out of a live performance of this song and you'll see why I'm obsessed!
#10
10. Love All Over Me - Monica, Peak - 3
(Picture to come - and it's a beautiful one again)
Monica's follow up to the #1 R&B hit Everything To Me was also a huge success. It peaked at #2 on the R&B charts. I personally like this one a touch more because I think the vocals are better, the production is little more current, and it doesn't have a heavy sample.
(Picture to come - and it's a beautiful one again)
Monica's follow up to the #1 R&B hit Everything To Me was also a huge success. It peaked at #2 on the R&B charts. I personally like this one a touch more because I think the vocals are better, the production is little more current, and it doesn't have a heavy sample.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
#11
Beautiful song, beautiful woman. I think that about covers it.
Haha, honestly though, this song is catchy as hell. The album is catchy as hell. Kids love to dance to this song. I could go on forever about why it's a shame that this just barely misses the top 10 of the year.
Here's to hoping the new year and the new season of Drag Race is also paired with a new album of the goods that Ru delivered with Champion! She's due for another #1.
#12
Beautiful song, beautiful woman. I think that about covers this one.
Really though, isn't that a great picture?
#13
Make My Heart - Toni Braxton, Peak - 3
Ah my sweet love. My sweet, broke love. I want to thank you for making a song and a video catering to us gays:) I also want to thank you for doing both of them very well. In a day where videos mean little to nothing for most people, you gave us one of your best offerings.
Ah my sweet love. My sweet, broke love. I want to thank you for making a song and a video catering to us gays:) I also want to thank you for doing both of them very well. In a day where videos mean little to nothing for most people, you gave us one of your best offerings.
#14
The girl has a good voice, looks good, and has racked up two decent sized hits.
I bet that if you played this song and asked people who sang it though, they'd have no clue.
This song is undeniably catchy though and it comes in just shy of the top 10 for the year.
Your number 1?
#15
This song was initially just supposed to be a promo song for a Nivea commercial. But then people like me pushed for it to be a single, so they released the song and it flopped hard enough that Natasha might not be able to recover.
I still think the song is awesome. Some people thought the story she tells is too wordy, but she always tends to be wordy. Some other people said it sounds like she's trying to hard to jump on the current dance bandwagon, but I totally disagree. In my opinion, Red One songs and copycats recall C&C Music Factory, Black Box, etc... something such as Like A G6 kinda throw it back to the mid 90s like Set U Free by Planet Soul.
Unlike the rest of current music that's borrowing from early to mid 90s pure dance music, this brings Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 to mind.
Radio didn't want to play it. Oh well. It seems like she has the connections that she'll get another chance. I see an X Factor US performance in her future in the next two years, and that paired with an uplifting inspirational Natasha song will put her right back on the map.
#16
It shouldn't be much of a surprise to those who know me that Lady Gaga's highest entry on my chart is the song with Beyonce.
Let's take a moment to check out prior year end positions for both ladies.
2005
Destiny's Child - #14 overall artist
Lose My Breath - 49
Soldier - 59
Girl - 75
Stand Up For Love - 97
2006
Beyonce #2 overall artist
Ring The Alarm - 18
Check On It - 25
Irreplaceable - 27
Upgrade U - 50
Listen - 90
Deja Vu - 97
2007
Beyonce #3 overall artist
Get Me Bodied - 7
Listen - 23
Upgrade U - 48
Irreplaceable - 86
Beautiful Liar - 93
2008
Just Dance - 27
Single Ladies - 38
2009
Lady Gaga #7 overall artist
Lovegame - 27
Poker Face - 52
Paparazzi - 57
Bad Romance - 66
Telephone - 87
Beyonce #1 overall artist
Sweet Dreams - 2
Halo - 3
Ego - 71
Single Ladies - 91
#17
It makes me happy when it looks like someone's career is long gone, and then they come back with a huge hit. Enrique is doing something that is rarely done - following it up with another hit.
After Nelly's fall from the charts, he stormed back with Just A Dream, but wasn't able to strike while things were hot.
Enrique looks like he might be following in Mariah's Emancipation footsteps and getting all he can out of this second life of his career. The fact that he all of sudden looks 10 years younger than he used to isn't hurting.
#19
Every once in a while, my interest in Alicia almost completely fades, and then she comes back with a bang.
With Element of Freedom, the lead single (Doesn't Mean Anything) bored me so much that I didn't even think of buying the album. It was a recommendation from someone I didn't know well at all that made me give in, and this song is one of several high points.
#20
A few years ago, a couple of my closest (Sosa and Nile) went crazy over Sara's Love Song. I didn't quite get it then. I liked the song and it charted pretty well, but it never bowled me over.
Zoom forward to today, and I totally get it just with a different song. Things to like about this song:
- The vocal arrangement (amazing)
- The bouncy beat
- Lyrics that sound like a 5-year old girl talking to the boy she hates at school
It's nice to see Sara get another hit and take her a little further from One Hit Wonder territory. (When people talk about one hit wonders, they always tend to ignore a song like Bottle It Up. Even though the song did fairly well on the radio, it'll be chalked up to riding on the coattails of Love Song. That argument definitely can't be made for this song. All anyone can say was that it wasn't as big as Love Song was.)
#21
Commander - Kelly Rowland, Peak - 1(3)The third and final song from the Kelly Rowland all-over-the-place trilogy.
My advice to Kelly: When you give this third solo album another shot in 2011, DO NOT throw three singles out there hoping one (or more) of them will stick. Leave that to Beyonce. Instead, your best bet is to focus your energy on tracks like this. Even if your dance music doesn't have the hit potential of something like Grown Ass Woman, you can chalk it up to America "not getting it" if it underperforms, where Grown Ass Woman was just a flop through and through.
Whatever you decide to do, even if it is three more singles at the same time, I'll be here ready to support!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
#22
Raise Your Glass - Pink, Peak - 2
This is a future number one after hanging out with my beautiful sister for the past two weeks:)
I appreciate Pink for making a song that has a message that's hidden by an awesome party song encouraging us to have another drink!
I appreciate Pink for making a song that has a message that's hidden by an awesome party song encouraging us to have another drink!
#24
When I posted about California Gurls earlier in my rundown, I thought about how much of a love/hate relationship I have with Katy Perry. When I first heard this song, I thought it was boring since a lot of the chorus is one note repeated. It grew on me a little bit, and then after hearing the a cappella Glee version, I appreciated the original even more. This was definitely a winner and another big hit for her.
#26
Something for Tyler! Appreciated artists don't need to release an album every year to sell. In fact, Sade and Maxwell are two that seem to do better the longer they wait in between albums. Even though the lead single only made it to #52 on the Billboard Hot 100, 23 places higher than the timeless By Your Side peaked, the album is one of the top selling of the year.
#27
Here's the second of the two Ledisi songs on the chart. Higher Than This shows a little more of Ledisi's edge that you don't necessarily see on Going Thru Changes.
If you really want to see her edge or power, check out the performance of 4 Women from Black Girls Rock or Them Changes.
Ledisi is up for 2 grammys this year (to add to two nods in 2007) - one for Best R&B Album and the other for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Goin Thru Changes".
#28
Those of you who know me know that I was a very big fan of Donna's album from a couple of years ago, Crayons. It had a youthful feel without making it feel like the 61 year old was trying too hard (see Madonna's Hard Candy for my definition of trying too hard).
A song like To Paris With Love seems appropriate for Donna. She was the queen of disco and continues to do well on the dance chart, where 4 of her last 5 singles (this included) went to number 1.
However, some of the real gems she's offered up recently are the more adult contemporary Celine Dion style songs hidden away on Crayons. They may be a little cheesy, but they're definitely well done. After the new year, I'll highlight some of these:)
#29
Rashad introduced me to Ledisi last year, and once I bought her album on his recommendation, she became a new staple on my chart. Ledisi is extremely versatile, someone where you really need to sample different selections to get a feel for what she has to offer.
Going Thru Changes has a nice mellow feel that she pulls off well.
#30
Fefe's second appearance on the year end chart is her earliest hit of the year. It's really hard to say where this project began for her as she had a slew of promo singles last year. This seems to be where it really picked up. While it wasn't a hit at all in the US despite potential, it was a hit in her native Canada.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
#32
Earlier we talked about how Kelly was all over this place with the album she put together.
Where Rose Colored Glasses is pop/rock-lite, Grown (Ass) Woman is her attempt at mainstream R&B. One thing is for sure, regardless of what music she's doing, her voice has definitely grown over the past few years.
#33
Her second entry on the top 100. This is Chrisette's second big year on my chart - last year she was the number 4 office.
I read somewhere that initially, Chrisette did not want to include this song on her album, but it really grew on her. Good thing, because it's definitely a highlight.
#34
The single from the second installment of Body Talk is the highest entry of the three Robyn songs on the year end survey. I got to a late start charting this song because I had mistakenly read that In My Eyes was the lead single rather than this.
#35
Bulletproof has a similar story to Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz. I charted this song last year when it was released in the UK. Unlike Break Your Heart that did a little better the second time around, Bulletproof comes in a bit lower this time around - Last year it peaked at #3 and made it all the way up at #12 on the year end chart.
It frustrates me so much that a group like La Roux has so much buzz stateside and they haven't even released a second single yet.
On another note, one song that I failed to chart in it's stateside run is Shark In The Water by VV Brown (#69 last year).
#36
Broken Heels - Alexandra Burke, Peak - 2
Broken Heels is the first of 4 appearnaces on the chart for Alexandra Burke. Four songs in the top 40 definitely goes to show that she's my new obsession.
Last year was her first chart appearance - Bad Boys came in at 31 on the year end chart.
#38
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga, Peak - 3
The song peaked this year, but a good portion of Bad Romance's run was actually on last year's chart, where it was #66.
For all the times I'm saying I wonder how someone's next album is going to do, this is where I'm the most curious.
#39
If you know who Peter Andre is, it's probably from reading Perez and recognizing him as Katie Price/Jordan's ex-husband. He's seen a bit of a comeback in the UK after the divorce.
Defender is an improvement over his hit on my chart last year, Behind Closed Doors, which peaked at #4 and landed at #59 for the year end.
I was about to incorrectly call this the highest peaking song by a male on the year-end chart (which would've just been crazy). Good thing I checked, there's a few more coming up later in the countdown.
TOP 40!!
Oh this one will definitely help the credibility of my new pop blog... Kenny G? Listen to the song and you'll see why I charted it. He's helped by Robin Thicke on this gorgeous song that sounds like something from the mid-90s Babyface/Toni B days. This was Kenny G's first appearance my chart.
Monday, December 27, 2010
45 to 41
45. Dancing On My Own- Robyn, Peak – 5
The second of three Robyn songs on the chart, this was the single from Body Talk Pt. 1. It was a big hit in the UK
44. In My Head- Jason Derulo, Peak - 8
This is Jason Derulo’s 4th and highest song on the year end survey. While it only peaked at number 8, it hung around for a while.
43. Nothing- Janet Jackson, Peak – 4
One of my highlights of the year is definitely going to see Why Did I Get Married Too? And then doing a chain restaurant pub crawl around times square afterward. To me, Nothing is a classic sounding Janet Jackson song. Every single she’s released in the past year and a half indicates that her next album will be an awesome return to form. Here’s hoping 2011 is a great year for Janet.
42. Wear My Kiss- Sugababes, Peak – 5
This was the third and final single from Sweet 7. All singles reached the top 10 in the UK
41. All The Lovers- Kylie Minogue, Peak – 5
The song was a large hit in the UK , and actually even reached #102 here in the US
50 to 46
50. 10 Seconds- Jazmine Sullivan, Peak – 8
Jazmine kills it on her new album. The first of two appearances is her second single from Love Me Back. This album SHOULD bring her more grammy nominations as well as more interviews, interviews, interviews!
49. Dynamite- Taio Cruz, Peak – 6
It’s pretty impressive that Taio Cruz’s second US single, Dynamite, ended up being the bigger of his two hits of the year. Two reasons it surprised me, 1) Break Your Heart was a huge hit and usually a second single after a huge hit doesn’t do quite as well, 2) Dynamite doesn’t have a featured rapper/vocalist to give it an extra boost. On Billboard’s year end chart, Dynamite (#9) just outpeaks Break Your Heart (#10). Since the guy writes his own songs, he’s definitely paid this year.
48. Firework- Katy Perry, Peak – 3
Firwork is still in the top 5 on my chart, so this position at #48 is for a partial chart run. Katy has one more song on the countdown coming up later.
47. Holding You Down- Jazmine Sullivan, Peak – 10
Another Jazmine song, this was the lead single off of her new album. One comment about Jazmine’s album – the singles don’t grab me as much as the singles from her last album did, but the set of songs as a whole is a lot more cohesive.
46. Here I Am- Monica, Peak – 4
Monica had a really good year this year. She racked up a few grammy nominations that will hopefully turn into wins. She also had a few big R&B hits. Here I Am was not one of these. It was originally slated to be the 2nd single from the album, but was scrapped in favor of a song that became a huge hit. Then a duet with Trey Songz was half-heartedly released as the third single, but no video and no promotion left it pretty much unknown. Give it a listen – Monica doing this more Urban stuff alongside the modern R&B classics make her as well rounded as anyone in the game right now.
55 to 51
55. Cover of a Magazine – Margo, Peak – 4
ConcreteLoop.com introduced me to Margo, and I was hooked right away. I only have 3 songs by her so far, but they’re all great. I can’t wait for a full length album.
54. Hey Soul Sister – Train, Peak – 10
I really liked Hey Soul Sister before it became an unavoidable hit that’s on every commercial. It peaked high on last year’s chart, but it’s not something I listen to anymore.
53. Ego – The Saturdays, Peak – 5
This is the year I became a huge fan of The Saturdays. Ego was their first song of The Saturdays that made an appearance on my chart. It is the second (and final) single from their second album, Wordshaker. This is the first of 3 appearances on this year’s chart for the group.
52. Ridin Solo – Jason Derulo, Peak – 7
Now up to the 3rd of 4 Jason Derulo songs. A lot of people really hate how he says “Solo” in this song, but I don’t mind it at all. It was quite a year for Jason in both the US and the UK
51. DJ Got Us Falling In Love – Usher, Peak – 9
Usher had quite a comeback over the past 12 months. We already talked about There Goes My Baby back in the 80s, a song that immediately caught my attention. This Usher song took a while to grow on me and slowly made it’s way to a peak of number 9 – the climb took 13 weeks.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
60 to 56
60. Nothing On You – B.O.B., Peak – 9
The highest appearance of new star B.O.B’s three entries, Nothing On You is driven by Bruno Mars’ hook. Actually, all of the B.O.B. songs on the chart are driven by the featured vocalist.
59. Good To Me - Letoya, Peak – 6
This was confirmed as Letoya’s 4th single from her album Lady Love, but I don’t think it was actually sent to radio. It’s a pretty good song on a pretty good album.
58. Oh Santa – Mariah Carey, Peak – 5
I think Oh Santa is a lot of fun, and it’s clearly not going to become her second Christmas classic, but I’ll be playing it every Christmas.
57. Happiness – Alexis Jordan, Peak – 4
I still have this song inside the top 10. It’s one of those songs that I wasn’t really sure who it was, but knew I would hear anytime I went to Bartini. It was a big hit overseas, where it’s stuck in the clubs in the states.
56. Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas, Peak – 12
This song has the honor of the highest year end chart that peaked outside of the top 10. Thanks to Kenny and his conversations about this reminded him of bumble bees, I got into this song a little more than I would’ve otherwise.
WORTH NOTING
Since I never published last year’s chart, this seems like an appropriate time to give props to Keri Hilson, who had the number one song of both 2008 (Energy), and 2009 (Knock You Down).
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas!!
The top 100 countdown will resume tomorrow!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, December 24, 2010
65 to 61
65. Just A Dream – Nelly, Peak – 7
This is another song that benefits from friends that love it (see Tyler
64. Yesterday – Toni Braxton, Peak – 4
Speaking of Toni Braxton, this is the first of a few entries of hers on this year’s chart. Yesterday was a huge #1 smash on last year’s chart. On the year end chart, it came it at #4 right behind Knock You Down, Sweet Dreams and Halo.
63. Break Your Heart – Taio Cruz, Peak – 10
Break Your Heart is a song that I also charted last year. The difference is that Taio had two separate chart runs. Last year’s run happened when the single was released in the UK , and this year when the single was released in the US
Taio isn’t a stranger to my chart. In 2007, he bubbled under with a song called I Don’t Wanna Know. In 2008 he hit #1 for 2 weeks with Come On Girl (#15 year end), and followed it up with the minor hit She’s Like A Star (#22 peak)
62. Rock That Body – Black Eyed Peas, Peak – 10
It’s been hard to avoid the Black Eyed Peas over the past 2 years. I read an album review recently that called them the Kool & The Gang of our time – a band who made party anthems that would be played at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and quinceneras for decades to come. Sounds pretty accurate to me.
61. Stuttering – Fefe Dobson, Peak – 6
Fefe is such an interesting story to me. She’s been releasing music for 8 years and still has yet to register a major US hit. Stuttering is the 4th time she’s made it inside the top 40 at pop radio, but she’s never gone higher than around 25. Somehow she still manages to attend award shows, get her picture taking on the red carpet, and have record companies pump money into her albums. This song is just reaching the top 40, and maybe it’ll end up being her first hit.
Sounds like Behind Those Hazel Eyes, right?
70 to 66
70. Only Girl – Rihanna, Peak – 11
The best part of this song is making fun of Rihanna’s “strong” voice on the chorus with Sosa. Nile thinks it is juvenile. I’m only half interested.
69. What If – Jason Derulo, Peak – 9
Jason had quite a year and a half, with three huge singles. The 4th single wasn’t as big as some expected, but it did alright. This ballad is kind of cheesy, but catchy.
68. Naturally – Selena Gomez, Peak – 6
I feel like this is where we start to get into the songs I really liked (with the exception of the low placement of One Love). Naturally is such a catchy tune, and I’m glad it was pretty successful for Selena.
67. Cold War – Janelle Monae, Peak – 9
Another Janelle song. As a single, this one works a little bit more for me than Tightrope did.
66. Airplanes – B.O.B., Peak – 10
My chart is definitely influenced by the songs that friends go crazy about when we hang out, and this song definitely benefits from the reaction it got at some summer parties. One comment – I thought for sure Paramore would release something a little more pop-leaning right after the success of this to capitalize on how big this was. I see a few more collaborations in Hayley’s future, kinda like what Gwen Stefani was doing 10 years ago.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
75 to 71
Ohhhh Rockstar. This is the first of 4 Rihanna songs in this year's top 100 (Te Amo and What's My Name are just outside the top 100). I'm not really sure how this song made it into the top 10, because I still don't like it's work. I guess I was trying to give it a chance while listening to Fire Bomb ;)
74. 2012 - Jay Sean, Peak - 10
This song still gets stuck in my head a bit. I can't figure out whether his career is going anywhere in the US or if he's done. This by no means was a smash, and I have a feeling the next single's success will be based on the featured artist more than Jay. Good luck to him! That only goes so far.
73. Tightrope - Janelle Monae, Peak - 8
Fun song, good single, awesome album! This is the lower of two Janelle appearances.
72. One Love - David Guetta w/ Estelle, Peak - 8
Love this song. It should've been released here in the US and I should've charted it much higher! There was some fierce competition earlier in the year.
71. Round & Round - Selena Gomez, Peak - 10
My love affair with Ms. Gomez started earlier this year. Her music is pretty good... not too young, not too old. Just about what someone her age should be singing about, setting the stage for a transition into an adult career.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)