Everyone who has a blog and their mother have excellent countdowns of their favorite songs/albums of 2008, so I figured I’d follow the trend and give in to the peer pressure. However, the task itself was incredibly formidable. I couldn’t really decide my favorite songs, to be honest, so I turned to my best friend/stalker, Last.FM, to tell me what my favorite songs are. Although I don’t entirely agree with the order, these are the top 28 songs I’ve listened to in the past 12 months in terms of overall plays. As always with when I talk about songs, if you’d like one of these songs to sample for yourself, just comment and let me know.
4. The Saturdays “If This Is Love”
"What", you say? Two Saturdays songs in a row? (For those of you paying close attention, anyway.) To this, I respond with a hearty, "Duh." From the second I heard this song, I thought – whoa. These girls are kind of the real thing, aren’t they? I first heard about them on Pop Justice, just before it was announced they would open for Girls Aloud. That was enough for me. This song soars in sugary synthy pop perfectness. Their vocals are strong, but not too strong to make you tire of vocal histrionics. The real star of the song is that beat. Kudos to Mr./Mrs. Producer. This one couldn’t be better if it tried.
Best Part: The sparkly synthy backdrop.
3. Red Blooded Women “Colour Me Dirty”
This song is RBW’s current “single” (from what I gather, as a brilliant new remix of the song, dubbed "Colour Me Pjanoo" just debuted on their MySpace), and was instantly my favorite the second I heard it. It sounds very 80’s to me, and I mean that in a very good way. It’s almost like the old Duran Duran or Dead or Alive records, spiced up with 2008’s electro flair. I like to think that was what they were going for, as it feels familiar without being tired, but whatever it was – it works. The key is interesting, the verses are unique in sound from anything else you would hear on the radio, and the pulsating backbeat sucks you in. RBW is one of the few cases when I would say – you should definitely believe the hype. Every detail is pitch perfect.
Best Part: The backbeat juggernaut slide during the verses.
2. Rihanna “Disturbia”
What can be said that hasn’t already been said? 2008 was the Year of Rihanna. She was the queen of just about everything in the US – bringing us back to that timeless era of good pop when Michael Jackson was king, and there were seven or eight huge singles on one album. Let’s face it – that just doesn’t happen anymore. And they wonder why sales are sliding? If every record produced was like “Good Girl Gone Bad”, everyone in the music business would be filthy rich (not just the CEOs). I love everything about this song, from its “Thriller” callback, to its creepy vocoded riffs, to the haunting lyrics (written by Chris Brown, turns out), the “bum bum bee dum” hook, and Rihanna’s trademark vocals fitting into this song like a tight leather glove.
Best Part: “It’s a thief in the night to come and grab you…A disease of the mind, it can control you” … “Ahh, put on your brake lights, you’re in the city of wonder” … “If you must falter, be wise” … oh, who am I kidding? Every second of this almost 4 minute stunner is a keeper.
1. The Saturdays “Up”
And here it is. The pinnacle of 2008’s pop perfection, and once again, proof positive that the Europe just knows how to do pop better than anyone else could ever hope to. I love everything – the sweeping synthy rain effects, the swirl to the chorus, the lyrics, the staccato, the “Up! Up!”, the monotone beeps, the modest harmony, the message behind the song…it’s all just incredible. It was one of those songs, that when you heard it, you knew, this was a hit. It was undeniable and unrelenting. Can’t I be the sixth Saturday? Please???
Best Part: ALL OF IT. The lyrics to the chorus is my new motto for life in general. Yes. It’s that. Effing. Good.
4. The Saturdays “If This Is Love”
"What", you say? Two Saturdays songs in a row? (For those of you paying close attention, anyway.) To this, I respond with a hearty, "Duh." From the second I heard this song, I thought – whoa. These girls are kind of the real thing, aren’t they? I first heard about them on Pop Justice, just before it was announced they would open for Girls Aloud. That was enough for me. This song soars in sugary synthy pop perfectness. Their vocals are strong, but not too strong to make you tire of vocal histrionics. The real star of the song is that beat. Kudos to Mr./Mrs. Producer. This one couldn’t be better if it tried.
Best Part: The sparkly synthy backdrop.
3. Red Blooded Women “Colour Me Dirty”
This song is RBW’s current “single” (from what I gather, as a brilliant new remix of the song, dubbed "Colour Me Pjanoo" just debuted on their MySpace), and was instantly my favorite the second I heard it. It sounds very 80’s to me, and I mean that in a very good way. It’s almost like the old Duran Duran or Dead or Alive records, spiced up with 2008’s electro flair. I like to think that was what they were going for, as it feels familiar without being tired, but whatever it was – it works. The key is interesting, the verses are unique in sound from anything else you would hear on the radio, and the pulsating backbeat sucks you in. RBW is one of the few cases when I would say – you should definitely believe the hype. Every detail is pitch perfect.
Best Part: The backbeat juggernaut slide during the verses.
2. Rihanna “Disturbia”
What can be said that hasn’t already been said? 2008 was the Year of Rihanna. She was the queen of just about everything in the US – bringing us back to that timeless era of good pop when Michael Jackson was king, and there were seven or eight huge singles on one album. Let’s face it – that just doesn’t happen anymore. And they wonder why sales are sliding? If every record produced was like “Good Girl Gone Bad”, everyone in the music business would be filthy rich (not just the CEOs). I love everything about this song, from its “Thriller” callback, to its creepy vocoded riffs, to the haunting lyrics (written by Chris Brown, turns out), the “bum bum bee dum” hook, and Rihanna’s trademark vocals fitting into this song like a tight leather glove.
Best Part: “It’s a thief in the night to come and grab you…A disease of the mind, it can control you” … “Ahh, put on your brake lights, you’re in the city of wonder” … “If you must falter, be wise” … oh, who am I kidding? Every second of this almost 4 minute stunner is a keeper.
1. The Saturdays “Up”
And here it is. The pinnacle of 2008’s pop perfection, and once again, proof positive that the Europe just knows how to do pop better than anyone else could ever hope to. I love everything – the sweeping synthy rain effects, the swirl to the chorus, the lyrics, the staccato, the “Up! Up!”, the monotone beeps, the modest harmony, the message behind the song…it’s all just incredible. It was one of those songs, that when you heard it, you knew, this was a hit. It was undeniable and unrelenting. Can’t I be the sixth Saturday? Please???
Best Part: ALL OF IT. The lyrics to the chorus is my new motto for life in general. Yes. It’s that. Effing. Good.
2 comments:
Great number-one, "Up!" almost made '08 for me -- I hope The Saturday's become as successful as Girls Aloud or Sugababes in the years to come... hopefully... :(:( no Britney??
I agree, J! :) Here's to hoping 2009 brings them lots of their deserved successes. And I have to say, "Womanizer" grew on me, even though I hated to admit it. But I think "Circus" is a brilliant track...
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