2013's Settle LP was the home to a whole string of massive chart hits that made the year seem an exciting time for house and dance music; there was the breakthrough single "Latch" with Sam Smith, top ten hits "White Noise" and "You & Me", and other star names like Mary J Blige, London Grammar, Jessie Ware and Jamie Woon appeared to create something special. The record really sprang to life, though, thanks to the reworking of Eric Thomas' motivational speaking on this track. The production is immaculate.
The winner of the BBC's annual "Sound Of..." competition is usually someone incredibly safe and white and in the 2010s there were only three that didn't become chart-toppers or festival headliners... they happened to all be black (Michael Kiwanuka and Octavian are the other two... the other 7 are Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding, HAIM, Years & Years, Jack Garratt, Jessie J and Sigrid). But yeah... no racism in the UK What's especially frustrating for me is that RAY BLK - demonstrably on this track, but on many others, too - has more heart and soul in her voice than the majority of those other winners combined. This video shines a light on the experience of trans and gay people in Jamaica, and the track is just so breezy and showcases both her singing and rapping.
I haven't checked, but this might be the earliest-released song to make it into this thread... having dropped all the way back in April of the year 2000 The song needs no introduction; it firmly established itself as a garage classic back at a time when your Craig Davids, Artful Dodgers, Mis-Teeqs and So Solid Crews were in full swing - but at the same time it doesn't suffer particularly from that dated feeling that some of its contemporaries might experience; there's an electronic poppy element to it that cements it as an immediate floor-filler, whatever the year.
Narrowing down Gaga's discography to just the two tracks to feature in this list was an arduous effort, given the sheer number of hits and reinventions of herself. One I had to choose, however, wasn't even a single; "Monster" is hidden on her 2009 album The Fame Monster with a cold, slick, metallic production and a dark, cannibalistic lyric.
As I've already said, this list was compiled long before I even knew what a Midnight Sky was, and as such it might feel a little dated... but I picked this track when there were other competitors like Malibu, We Can't Stop and Nothing Breaks Like a Heart on offer, and I am comfortable I made the right choice. Party in the USA is an iconic moment in pop: it's cheesy, it's camp, it's the catchiest thing you'll hear all day and it's one of the most joyous and sing-along-able songs released this century. **** the Star Spangled Banner, this is their national anthem
Then again, maybe this is a more appropriate American national anthem. Foster the People came along and disappeared promptly in 2011 with this monolith of a hit that deploys an unmistakable cool. That its lyrics for such a cheery, foot-tapping song are the vows of a high school shooter to terrorise his classmates is remarkable; and the fact that this song endured such longevity despite being pulled from radio stations every time one such tragedy happens, is nothing short of an oddity.
At the height of their fame, Kasabian were one of the UK's most exciting bands to bother the charts; taking Oasis' remnants of Cool Britannia and adjusting them to a more electronic-friendly audience. Their self-titled debut album in 2004 is one of my favourites, and the psychedelic haze about this saw it become an indie classic.
Mensa broke through in 2014 with this monstrously catchy hit that... sadly was never really followed up on. His album came three years later, and it was... bland and forgettable hip hop. Go back to deep house pls x
Before he went straight to the top of the charts with Grace Kelly, Mika dropped this song first and it was an instant shake-up of 2000s pop music. A queer immigrant from the Middle East commanding the charts felt like a real breath of fresh air, and it helped that the cheesy pop he was releasing was golden and full of joy.
Although best known for that inescapable synth hook on 'Kids', MGMT really made their first impact with this single in 2008. I suppose I loved the psychedelic element of the song and its aesthetics so much that I was able to suppress my queerness (and ignore the hotness of the lead singer, apparently, jesus christ I missed this one?!) But... jesus this song defines a wonderful period of time.
__________________ Cad is gá dom a dhéanamh mura bhfuil mé ag bualadh leat?
Tá ceann folamh agam, yah, agus pearsantacht nua
Eirím níos dofheicthe, is tú imithe, ó mo shaol
Níl aon rud fágtha sa scátháin
An mbeidh mé álainn mhaol? Yeah
12-03-2021, 09:04 AM
What's especially frustrating for me is that RAY BLK - demonstrably on this track, but on many others, too - has more heart and soul in her voice than the majority of those other winners combined. This video shines a light on the experience of trans and gay people in Jamaica, and the track is just so breezy and showcases both her singing and rapping. 
The song needs no introduction; it firmly established itself as a garage classic back at a time when your Craig Davids, Artful Dodgers, Mis-Teeqs and So Solid Crews were in full swing - but at the same time it doesn't suffer particularly from that dated feeling that some of its contemporaries might experience; there's an electronic poppy element to it that cements it as an immediate floor-filler, whatever the year.
Threaded Mode