Best Songs of 2010 (So Far) -- Part One
- Posted by Spinner Staff
- Comments (22)
On Wall Street, quarterly reports show how investments have fared during three-month increments. But here at Spinner, we like to take stock in music. And if the first quarter is any indication, 2010 should be a robust year. Some of the new year's most successful acts are still on a roll from 2009, of course. But others have launched with the new decade. Here are 20 of our favorite songs that rose in popularity the first three months of this year.
'Giving Up the Gun,' Vampire Weekend
Despite the name, these preppy Columbia University alumni are not a fly-by-night kind of band. This song from VW's sophomore effort wants to be an '80s synth hit with sweet vocals, but any true attempt at retro is halted by the beating-a-door-down drum riffs.
'Heaven Can Wait,' Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck
In these fickle music times, even über-cool Beck already seems so ten years ago. But here we're reminded of his gifts in a song that sounds like '60s rock mashed with thumping, Beck-like beats. With zombie-inspired vocals, this song explores death -- something French actress Gainsbourg nearly encountered after what was thought to be a minor water skiing accident nearly killed her in 2007.
'Telephone,' Lady Gaga Feat. Beyonce
While there have been other contenders, Lady Gaga is easily the closest anyone has come to inheriting Madonna's Queen of Pop crown. And her bizarre fashions, club-friendly songs and Material Girl dance moves have helped revitalize music videos. (Two years after her debut, she became the first artist to surpass a billion views on YouTube recently.) Here she offers all that -- and Beyonce.
'Harmonix,' Surfer Blood
This song isn't your typical surf song in the Dick Dale or Beach Boys sense. But, like many mellow Shins tunes, if you play it to a longboard surf flick, it works. Hailing from West Palm Beach, Fla., this new indie rock quartet is garnering lots of Weezer comparisons.
'Go On,' Basia Bulat
If you were starting to miss Tracy Chapman, her quivery vocals seem to be passed on to Bulat, a product of London, Ontario, whose album 'Heart of My Own' was inspired by the brutally cold and lonely Yukon Territory. This dramatic tune starts out sparse but then transforms into a robust folk rocker with mournful strings and busy drums.
'Window Seat,' Erykah Badu
The low-budget video of Badu stripping naked at the site of JFK's assassination gave Badu even more exposure -- this time in the media. But the video threatens to overshadow what is a stellar song, featuring jazzy piano and Badu's '70s-style soul vocalizing.
'Silver Soul,' Beach House
Starting out with bubbling creek and bird noises, this dreamy, echoey song -- recalling Radiohead and early My Morning Jacket -- is good for those moments when you want to lie motionless while staring at the ceiling. Beach House pairs Victoria Legrand with Alex Scally, both hailing from Baltimore.
'Solitary Gun,' Rogue Wave
With its hand claps, peppy melody and slick harmony vocals, Rogue Wave's 'Solitary Gun' is a perfect song for a road trip. Recorded after singer-guitarist Zach "Rogue" Schwartz suffered two slipped discs in his neck, keeping him largely immobile for months, the song deals with death but in a bubbly way that still makes us want to dance.
'Gone Man,' Eels
The first line -- "She used to love me, but it's over now" -- leaves no mystery that this is a break-up song. And indeed it was written after Mark Oliver Everett, the man behind the Eels, went through a divorce and pondered middle age at 46. Recorded on a 4-track in his basement, this energetic rocker pairs rockabilly guitar with swampy vocals and old-school guitar leads Bill Haley would appreciate.
'Easy,' Joanna Newsom
As this singer-harpist captures Kate Bush's weirdness and inventiveness, her song will frustrate anyone looking for a simple melody. Like a theatrical number, it rises and falls somewhat unpredictably, with falsetto vocals leaps here, flute accents there and strings to boot.
Despite the name, these preppy Columbia University alumni are not a fly-by-night kind of band. This song from VW's sophomore effort wants to be an '80s synth hit with sweet vocals, but any true attempt at retro is halted by the beating-a-door-down drum riffs.
In these fickle music times, even über-cool Beck already seems so ten years ago. But here we're reminded of his gifts in a song that sounds like '60s rock mashed with thumping, Beck-like beats. With zombie-inspired vocals, this song explores death -- something French actress Gainsbourg nearly encountered after what was thought to be a minor water skiing accident nearly killed her in 2007.
While there have been other contenders, Lady Gaga is easily the closest anyone has come to inheriting Madonna's Queen of Pop crown. And her bizarre fashions, club-friendly songs and Material Girl dance moves have helped revitalize music videos. (Two years after her debut, she became the first artist to surpass a billion views on YouTube recently.) Here she offers all that -- and Beyonce.
This song isn't your typical surf song in the Dick Dale or Beach Boys sense. But, like many mellow Shins tunes, if you play it to a longboard surf flick, it works. Hailing from West Palm Beach, Fla., this new indie rock quartet is garnering lots of Weezer comparisons.
If you were starting to miss Tracy Chapman, her quivery vocals seem to be passed on to Bulat, a product of London, Ontario, whose album 'Heart of My Own' was inspired by the brutally cold and lonely Yukon Territory. This dramatic tune starts out sparse but then transforms into a robust folk rocker with mournful strings and busy drums.
The low-budget video of Badu stripping naked at the site of JFK's assassination gave Badu even more exposure -- this time in the media. But the video threatens to overshadow what is a stellar song, featuring jazzy piano and Badu's '70s-style soul vocalizing.
Starting out with bubbling creek and bird noises, this dreamy, echoey song -- recalling Radiohead and early My Morning Jacket -- is good for those moments when you want to lie motionless while staring at the ceiling. Beach House pairs Victoria Legrand with Alex Scally, both hailing from Baltimore.
With its hand claps, peppy melody and slick harmony vocals, Rogue Wave's 'Solitary Gun' is a perfect song for a road trip. Recorded after singer-guitarist Zach "Rogue" Schwartz suffered two slipped discs in his neck, keeping him largely immobile for months, the song deals with death but in a bubbly way that still makes us want to dance.
The first line -- "She used to love me, but it's over now" -- leaves no mystery that this is a break-up song. And indeed it was written after Mark Oliver Everett, the man behind the Eels, went through a divorce and pondered middle age at 46. Recorded on a 4-track in his basement, this energetic rocker pairs rockabilly guitar with swampy vocals and old-school guitar leads Bill Haley would appreciate.
As this singer-harpist captures Kate Bush's weirdness and inventiveness, her song will frustrate anyone looking for a simple melody. Like a theatrical number, it rises and falls somewhat unpredictably, with falsetto vocals leaps here, flute accents there and strings to boot.
- Filed under: The Hit List
Reader Comments(1 of 2)
your mumat 4-25-2010
Bone Thugs N Harmony - Meet Me In The Sky>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>this brainwashing mainstream garbage
hugo limat 4-30-2010
no body knows these songs except for telephone. Telephone is the only song that deserves to be here. Where is rude boy?, blahblahblah?, need you now?, nothin on you?, whataya wnat from me?
shut upat 5-15-2010
shut your mouth you don't know what real music is
kesha is trash all she is is voice editing
romrumat 6-01-2010
TOTALLY TRUE man all these things r songs idk and probably nobody knows except for few
this is a true list:
tik tok
in my head
bad romance
break your heart
omg
nothin on you
LIKE THAT! not "solitary guns" wat the heck?
carleyat 6-08-2010
Maybe if you actually listened to some of these songs you would see why they're on this list. Get some taste. You don't know what real music is if you're listening to kesha and adam lambert..
mojavemommaat 5-02-2010
This is a GREAT list!
The EELS are one of my fav bands, and happy to see them on the list (although Little Bird is an awesome song worth noting).
And to hugo lim who commented that nobody knows these songs, I wonder where have you been living? Under a soundproof rock. At least the Lady Gaga f. Beyonce song you must have heard of...
aleckzat 5-05-2010
i dunno any of these songs exept telephone. justin bieber kesha lady antebellum lil wayne nicki minaj were r they
BMWat 11-12-2010
People need to get off America's top 40. The only band/artist you mentioned that is any good is Lady Antebellum, and you probably wouldn't even know who they are if they hadn't gone mainstream. I'll give you them and you can take back the crap Lady GaGa sells. Go out and decide for yourself what good music is despite what others may think of it. Music is meant to be interprated by each individual in their own way. Don't be affriad to let the music move your soul. I'm only 21 but I shy away from no music. I like Nas, Lil' Wayne,Kid Cudi, Chevelle, Avenged Sevenfold, Kanye, and hundreds of other main stream bands, but I like more Nick Drake, Fleet Foxes, Eel, Air, Smog, Iron & Wine, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Band of Horses, and on an on and on. I don't care about the name of the artist, or the genre it is labeled as, if the song moves a part of me, I embrace it.
P.S. The screename relates to nothing more than a nickname. I am in no way rich,self righteous,self loving, or arrogant. I grew up a humble family dairy farmer amidst today's pop culture. This gave me an appreciation for all cultures. If only more americans were lucky enough to grow up poorer and escape the social status judgements of their peers.
choppydat 5-06-2010
great list. Love EELS. Also - nice variety of styles. Add some hiphop and you've got it covered.
ponyboyat 5-15-2010
It's too bad teenagers are the ones dictating radio play and "pop music." Even stuff that's hardcore, true to its genre, gets washed out by teenage influence. "Kids don't know shit."
WWEFAN211at 5-30-2010
K where the fuck is Not Afraid By Eminem, I say best song ever, and you dont even have it on the best of 2010so far, come on man............. WASSUP WIT DAT?
Trudy Maseat 7-02-2010
not afraid
Missyat 7-03-2010
This list isn't the best There are soo many other songs that need to be on this list like:
Airplanes by B.o.B and Haley from Paramore
Not Afraid by Eminem(Amazing song)
Billionare By Travie Mcoy
OMG by Usher
BulletProof by La Roux
:)
Emilyat 7-11-2010
It's good to see a list that is populated by actual artists instead of top 100 autotuning nightmares.
Great list. I now have some new artists to look into.
Alexisat 7-30-2010
UMMM OK?WTF? WHO ARE THE EELS? MAYBE IVE NEVER HEARD OF THEM CUZ THEY SUCK!! BUT...YOU ALL DEFENDING THIS "MUSIC" HAVE HEARD JB, KESHA, KATY PERRY, TAYLOR SWIFT,UMM ETC...I DONT SEE THEM ON TOP TEN SONGS OR HAVING BEST MUSIIC VIDS! SO GET OVER THIS 2000 SONGS AND GET INTO SUM 2010 MUSIC! WOO HOO!! OH BTW I PERSONALLY THINK TELEPHONE IS KINDA DUMB BUT BETTER THAN THESE "SONG" WHICH I CANT EVEN UNDERSTAND ALL I HEAR IS AHHHHHHHH! WOW GOOD MUSIC...PSH WHATEVER!!!!!
Nickyat 8-15-2010
most of these songs were made 3 or 4 decades too late to be appreciated by anyone who wasn't around 3 or 4 decades ago. it isn't that the youth of today doesn't know anything about real music, it's that the definition of "real music" has changed, as it tends to do with each new generation. music is like art, it's relative to what the general populous considers real music, and like art, it has changed dramatically from generation to generation throughout the eons. i don't think it's fair to discriminate against the youth that live in 2010 for not appreciating the music on this list when it doesn't represent what their generation considers the best songs. i think the title is misleading in that manner, because, although these songs are from 2010, they are reminiscent of the 70's and 80's. try thinking back to when you guys were teenagers and how your parents probably felt very much that your brand of music wasn't "real music," either before you get angry at people for disagreeing with this list.
imanat 8-18-2010
where the hell is eminem? i'm really afraid
EMINEM OWNSat 9-11-2010
EMINEM SHOULD BE HERE... SERIOUSLY WHO THE HELL WROTE THIS?
P Mat 9-03-2010
Where the hell is Janelle Monae?! Tightrope is one of the best songs of the year and it's not even mentioned.
TINAat 9-20-2010
CHECK OUT THE NEW GROUP "THE MARK" SINGLE OUT CALLED 21ST CENTURY. AVAILABLE ON NAPSTER, ITUNES ETC.
SOME TIMES THE UNKNOWNS ARE THE BEST.
DEF MY FAVOURITES FROM 2010. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE IS NEXT SINGLE TO FOLLOW I THINK.
ALSO IMELDA MAY IS AWESOME.