So, it takes an underground train to breakdown in a tunnel, and forgetting your headphones with a fully charged ipod, to succumb to the challenge of composing my top 100 songs of the year (just passed).
There maybe a few discrepancies with songs that didn't see the light of release, but, they were available on Itunes, and I own them, so...
Only rule is the release (or re-release) must've occurred within 2010.
So here goes:
100 Rumer - Aretha
99 Sleigh Bells – Infinity Guitars
98 Duck Sauce – Barbara Streisand
97 JLS – One Shot
96 Alexandra Burke – The Silence
95 You Me At Six – Stay With Me
94 Laura Marling – Rambling Man
93 The Chemical Brothers – Swoon
92 Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. ft. MDMR & Q-Tip - Bang Bang Bang
91 Plan B – She Said
Commentary (100-91)
Straight in at 100, are the heavily playlisted and Radio 2 favourites, Rumer. On first listening, it felt like a song that was better placed on Magic, but almost immediately, I realised that there was no pretense - it was meant to sound like a 'back in the day classic.'
At 99 the Sleigh Bells with Infinity Guitar. Hailing from Brooklyn, USA, this American noise act are tipped for bigger and better things in 2011, counting Zane Lowe among their growing UK fanbase. On first listening, it literally does sound like noise. Worth mentioning that we've remixed one of their tracks due for release in 2011:
www.indabamusic.com/submissions/show/39998 - visit the link to vote for our mix, (currently 4th).
Duck Sauce exploded back on the scene this year following last year's aNYway, with the infinitely more commercial Barbara Streisand. It's cheesy disco-house at its best, catchy yet harmless at 98.
One Shot, however, to me is a piece of offensive harmful catchy pop. Try as I might, I built up some artificial rage the second I heard the JLS club music attempt spun on the radio...but eventually I found myself playlisting and secretly liking it. Miles better than anything else they've released this year, bar none. The Silence, a place higher, to unsubtly remind those of Burke's superiority (though it should be said, Start Without You was worse than anything JLS have EVER put their name to).
Stay With Me, picking up where perhaps the Lostprophets left off, before they decided to be underground and less commercial (again). Adele's favourite, Laura Marling, at 94, with Rambling Man. Beautiful acoustic and folky singer-songwriter at its best. Chemical Brothers' Swoon with a beautiful piece of ambient electro. The album is actually one of the better Chemical Brothers' albums and deserved a lot more success in my opinion...but alas, at 93.
Bang Bang (repeat) to me, demonstrated the very definition of 'grower.' Absolutely hated it at first - couldn't see where Master Ronson was trying to go, but after a few plays, it instantly became a classic - and kudos also for attempting a completely different style after being so successful (previously) with another. Rewarded for bravery, Ronson, 92.
At 91, Plan B, with the surprisingly commercially successful, She Said.
Had his collaboration from Harry Brown with Chase & Status been a track from 2010, well I'd go as far to say that the top-10...NO -5 (and quite probably -3) would be very different. So there's a bit of backstage exclusive-ness right there, no more Plan B, in my countdown...
In the meantime, vote for our remix: www.indabamusic.com/submissions/show/39998 (takes about 30 seconds, just input your email, then click the link in the email to prove that you're a real boy)...thanks in advance...
