This is just my opinion, obviously, but my opinion is probably the right one, so you should pay close attention.
20. Drake- “Find Your Love”:
The single most incessant radio song of the summer, especially on urban-format stations, but ultimately it got stuck in my head so much I had no choice but to put it on the list.
19. Usher- “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”:
I would have ranked this song a lot higher, but all I can see in my head when I hear it is that creepy midget lip-synching to it and attempting similarly cringe-worthy dance moves. Totally ruined it for me. Sigh.
18. Rihanna ft. Jeezy- “Hard”:
ihanna didn’t really beat around the bush here, although the double-entendre about hardness may not truly be anatomically accurate. Fantastic song though.
17. Katy Perry- “Teenage Dream”:
Possibly my guilty pleasure of the year. Guilty because it’s essentially impossible to sing along as a guy and not be embarrassed. Pleasure because, well, it’s Katy Perry and her “skintight jeans.” Need I say more?
16. Neon Trees- “Animal”:
This track surprised me because I heard it pretty early and thought it was great, then (surprisingly) America agreed with me and made it a top-10 hit. Usually songs I take a liking to fade into obscurity as soon as I hear them. Strange.
15. Uncle Kracker- “Smile”:
Seems like every five years or so, Uncle Kracker emerges from hibernation and releases a totally middle-of-the-road pop/country album that always includes a fantastic midtempo piano ballad just like this one. Another great singalong.
14. Maroon 5- “Misery”:
Rarely do I purchase whole albums, so when I do, I make them count. “Misery” was such a good lead single that I went right out and bought Maroon 5’s subsequent album “Hands All Over” and I thoroughly recommend it. They’ve found their formula and they work it to perfection.
13. Paramore- “The Only Exception”:
This is the slowest song on the list, and compared to some of the glitz and glam around it, it would be easy to overlook. But Paramore displays genuine emotion on this song, something that was admittedly hard to come by in 2010. So take a deep breath, listen to this song, and just enjoy.
12. Timbaland ft. Katy Perry- “If We Meet Again”:
Timbaland’s most recent album, Shock Value II, released late last year, wasn’t quite as great as its predecessor, but this song matches almost anything Timbaland’s ever been featured on, its frantic verses crescendoing into a perfect chorus.
11. Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne and Sean Paul- “Do You Remember”:
Another guilty pleasure, I guess, considering Lil Jon declares “This one for the ladies” at the song’s outset. Oh well. Looks like they hooked me too, as well as (I presume) some ladies.
10. B.o.B.- “Nothin’ On You”:
B.o. B. broke into the big-time this year after waiting his turn for way too long. This was possibly the best rap song of the year, finishing second in my mind only to…
9. Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys- “Empire State of Mind”:
Let’s be clear. I hate New York, or at least their sports teams and their fans. But if I lived in New York I would be blasting this song until my ears bled because it’s such a perfect anthem. When Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed it live at Yankee Stadium before a World Series game, even I knew the Yankees were winning it all. I can only tip my hat…
8. Far East Movement- “Like a G6”:
Not only did I not see this one coming, I don’t think anyone did. I can guarantee no record exec went, “OK, I got four Asians who say they rap and use AutoTune, I think they’re gonna be the next big thing.” These guys just went out and did it, and opened up the pop charts for Asian acts. Breaking down barriers, gotta love it.
7. Ke$ha- “We R Who We R”:
Go ahead, raise your hand if you thought Ke$ha was not a one-hit wonder! Raise your hand if you thought she would actually make a likeable song! I’m sitting on my hands right now. But the facts remain: “We R Who We R” is a serious party jam.
6. Michael Buble- “Haven’t Met You Yet”:
I passed on Michael Buble in the past, knowing he was a Frank Sinatra type who mostly stuck to covers. So when I heard “Haven’t Met You Yet,” I was floored. So floored, in fact, that I went out and covered it myself. Let’s just say I have some…vocal catching up to do. I think (hope) all copies of my attempt have been destroyed.
5. Cee-Lo- “F**k You”:
Guys all around the world have been waiting for a song like this, and many music critics have been waiting to see what Cee-Lo would do after “Crazy.” Yet somehow, he actually went out and shattered what were certainly sky-high expectations. My guess is many men had a cathartic experience listening to this song for the first time.
4. Lady Gaga- “Alejandro”:
This song got a little overlooked in 2010, considering it had to follow up “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” as singles, but I think it was the best single off The Fame Monster. And that’s saying something, because I still put that album on repeat quite often.
3. Owl City- “Fireflies”:
Kind of not fair that I get to put this on the list, since it was released so long ago, but iTunes counted it for 2010, so I will too. A lot of people wrote off Owl City, but I find his/their songs almost impossibly catchy, and Fireflies is the best of all.
2. Rihanna- “Rude Boy”:
Once again, Rihanna goes for the strictly sexual here. Geez, one minute she’s saying how “hard” she is, then she’s demanding that her man “get it up.” This lady is horny! It’s almost like she’s the…
1. Rihanna- “Only Girl (in The World)”:
Wow, what a year for Rihanna. I didn’t used to like her quite as much, but in 2010 she officially became the single best Top 40 artist in my eyes, helped tremendously by the best pop song of 2010, the irresistible “Only Girl.” Here’s hoping for a similarly fantastic #1 in 2011.
*Source- iTunes Top 100 Best-Selling Songs of 2010
