The Decade: A Retrospective The Best Songs 100-86

"Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"

Beyonce
I Am...Sasha Fierce (2008)

Kanye West wasn't kidding, Beyonce really did make on of the best music videos of all time for "Single Ladies". All it took was a black and white dance video that could easily translate to a dance craze involving only a wrist twist. How could you ignore a fire breathing Sasha Fierce in a song like this? Jay-Z didn't. He liked enough that he did put a ring on it.

"Gotta Have You"
The Weepies
Say I Am You (2006)

The Weepies' simple "Gotta Have You" is a heartfelt plea for love and a convincing argument that America needs to spend more time listening to folk-pop. It's melodic, blissful, and honest. "No amount of coffee, no amount of wine, no amount of whiskey or wine...nothing else will do, I've gotta have you," sings Deb Talan.

"Fit But You Know It"

The Streets

A Grand Don't Come For Free (2004)

Most British singers are indistinguishable from American ones, but with British rapper the Streets, nothing could be further from the truth. Inspired by former S Club 7 beauty Rachel Stevens, Mike Skinner describes a “fit” (British slang for “hot”) woman as he talks in a strong cockney accent over a snappy but simple rock beat providing hilarious lines about tan lines and queues.

"I'd Rather Dance With You"

Kings of Convenience
Riot on an Empty Street (2004)

This quirky number from indie duo Kings of Convenience (who hail from Bergen, Norway, also home to electro-pop singer Annie) recounts the all too familiar experience of dancing with a girl who wants to talk. Will they ever learn to just let their hips do the talking? The delicate strings and piano are a perfect match for the groups’ calming vocals.

"Love Story"
Taylor Swift

Fearless (2008)

Taylor Swift didn’t break any new ground with “Love Story”. It’s the tried and true model of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl’s dad doesn’t approve, and boy convinces girl’s dad to let him marry her. Swift’s simple lyrics and heartfelt vocals provided the soundtrack millions of teenage girls’ first relationships as she sang, “Romeo save me, they’re trying to tell me how to feel. This love is difficult but it’s real."

"Pork and Beans"

Weezer
Weezer (2008)

Weezer’s commentary on life in the late 00s made us nostalgic for this decade before we even got over 80s nostalgia. Written in response to their record label asking for a hit single, Weezer delivered although they had their tongue planted firmly in their cheeks as they mocked Timbaland, bathroom mirror pics, and the whole idea of writing records for the radio. And the video? Instant classic.

"One Word"

Kelly Osbourne
Sleeping in the Nothing (2005)

Kelly Osbourne seems like the last person who would have a number one dance record in the country, but thanks to writing and production from heralded songwriter Linda Perry, she did. “One Word” is a slice of futuristic new-wave pop, complete with French dialogue to set the mood and Osbourne gently cooing about the one mysterious word that can change the future.
"Faint"
Linkin Park
Meteora (2003)

Don’t turn your back on Linkin Park because they won’t be ignored. As the kings of nu-metal, LP rammed rap together with metal to create inventive music you could feel like a B.A.M.F. listening too. “Faint” is a stirring declaration of war made up of screeching samples, hard hitting hip-hop beats, and heavy guitar. Sticking it to the man never sounded this good.

"Gimme More"
Britney Spears

Blackout (2007)

“Gimme More” perfectly captures Britney Spears' darkest days. From the immortal opening, “It’s Britney bitch” to the last blip of the minimalist synth, the song portrays an insatiable appetite for hedonistic self destruction. Her panting “gimme”’s are looped and followed by a host of robotic voices demanding “more” mirroring the bizarre relationship Spears had with the blog fueled tabloid industry.

"Me and Mia"
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Shake the Streets (2004)

When coming up with ideas for songs, I doubt eating disorders is ever at the top of the list. In fact, Leo and the Pharmacists might be the only band to ever do it. Referencing Mia (bulima) and Ann and Anna (anorexia), Leo both empowers and rocks as he sings about fighting for self control despite “bourgeois social angels telling you you’ve got to change”.

"Sound of the Undergroud"
Girls Aloud
Sound of the Underground (2003)

Reality television has largely failed to produce any great songs but “Sound of the Underground” is an exception. The pulsating track employs surf guitar and a neo drum and bass beat to annihilate any preconceived notions of what kind of music reality pop stars are allowed to make. In fact, the Aloud’s debut single makes pop out to be the most exciting, underground, electric, and overpowering medium known to mankind.

"Supermassive Black Hole"

Muse
Black Holes and Revelations (2006)

Supermassive black holes are black holes with the highest classification of mass and Muse’s song of the same name is probably one of their heaviest songs. A dance rock song that borrows from Kanye West and Prince just as much as it does from Radiohead, it was so good that it ended up on the soundtrack to a very popular vampire movie. That marked the first and last time millions of pink iPod nanos had a Muse song on them.

"Sweet Dreams My L.A. Ex."

Rachel Stevens
Funky Dory (2003)

Originally an imagined response to Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River”, “Sweet Dreams My L.A. Ex.” was given to former S Club 7 star Rachel Stevens after Britney Spears wrote her own retort (“Everytime”). In the end, everyone won. Stevens’ sexy performance is a perfect complement to the juxtaposed acoustic guitars and brazen synth buzz. Sweet dreams indeed.

"Seven Nation Army"
The White Stripes
Elephant (2003)

There is no mistaking the baseline and thumping drums of "Seven Nation Army". Its role as the flagship garage rock revival song of the decade means it still gets plenty of spins and plenty of artists clammering to cover it. The song never gets too wild and out of control, but it still packs enough punch that the queen of England, the hounds of hell, or even a seven nation army can hold it down.

"Apologize"

Timbaland feat. OneRepublic
Shock Value (2007)

All Timbaland did was add some percussion and his trademark "eh" but somehow he got the lead in the featuring credit. Not fair, but it's too late to apologize. Singer and songwriter Ryan Tedder has gotten his fair share of bad press for recycling songs but "Apologize" was the cream of the crop, lamenting late requests for forgiveness and the pain of having to move on even though you don't want to.

Collaborations: How Much Is Too Much?

Two of the biggest forces in popular music during the 1990's were Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. By themselves they ruled the charts, and a superstar collaboration was inevitable. It came in the form of 1995's "One Sweet Day", a single that dominated the Hot 100 with a jaw-dropping and record-setting 16 weeks at #1. Despite the success that the collaboration yielded, acts teaming up for singles remained events as opposed to the norm.

Flash forward to the twenty-first century, and collaborations have become a common occurrence. Some of them are the lovechild of two massive musical forces such as Alicia Keys and Usher teaming up for "My Boo" or Justin Timberlake and Madonna on "4 Minutes". On the other hand, some of them, like Pharrell's "Can I Have It Like That" featuring (and I use that term lightly)Gwen Stefani, make you wonder if the featuring credit is really necessary.

Apparently it is. Looking at the #1 singles of each decade reveals an increasing trend to jam-pack credits with multiple artists. In the 1980's, collaborations accounted for only 6% of all #1 hits. In the 1990's this grew to 13%. With just over twelve months in this decade left, collaborations make up 38% of the chart toppers in the 2000's, including the current one, "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring Rihanna. One could argue that the massive success "Life" has achieved is a direct result of the featuring credits. Although T.I. has done quite well on his own (#1 album Paper Trail and #1 solo single "Whatever You Like"), "Life" utilized Rihanna for cross-over appeal to music fans who listen to more Beyonce than Big Boi.

The best example of getting the most mileage out of a cross-over hit is Nelly & Tim McGraw's "Over And Over". Talk about reaching across party lines, "Over" unites red states and blue states in a smooth twangy guitar R&B tear jerker about lost love. Pro-life or pro-choice, we all hurt. Isn't that what collaborations should be all about? Isn't that what music is all about? Bringing people together, despite our differences, because there are somethings, like the joy of love and the pain of losing it, that are universal.

Admittedly, collaborations are made more often for the purpose of selling records than for art's sake, but can you blame them? Rihanna's so hot right now, it's a wonder that only T.I. and Maroon 5 have grabbed a hold of her coattails. Looking at the growing number of collaborative hits over the past thirty years makes you wonder what the 2010's hold. With a record industry in decline, it may become a necessity to tack on as many artists as possible to a song to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. But, at what point does the excitement of having multiple big names headlining a song wear off? What about with "Stand Up To Cancer", the charity single featuring Carrie Underwood, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Nicole Scherzinger , Natasha Bedingfield, Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis, Keyshia Cole, Ashanti and Ciara. It only made it to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. You can argue that it's because it's a crappy song to begin with, but is it that much worse than "We Are The World" which was #1 for a month?

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The market has been inundated with artists featuring other artists and having Justin Timberlake or Jay-Z tack on an intro or bridge to a song isn't news anymore. The very integrity of the collaboration is at stake. The only solution is for record companies to revert back to releasing only event collaborations. Can I have it like that? You got it like that.

Highs & Lows in Collaboration History:

High: "One Sweet Day" - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men

Low: "Can I Have It Like That" - Pharrell feat. Gwen Stefani

High: "Over And Over" - Nelly feat. Tim McGraw

Low: Artists Stand Up To Cancer - Just Stand Up