Thursday, January 16, 2020

Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2010

Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2010
So, after covering some terribly date pop music from a decade ago, it’s time to cover some wonderfully dated pop music from a decade ago, and boy am I excited! 2010 was a fun and varied year for good songs. Not only was pop gripped by the Club Boom, but there were also excellent non-Club oriented Pop and Hip-Hop songs, as well as the fact that 2010 was one of the last years where Rock had a solid presence in the Top 40, most of which I enjoyed thoroughly. While 2010 had more bad music than 2019, it also had more great music, and the high points were quite a bit higher, so while calling it a good year for music may have been a bit too far, calling it an overhated year is definitely appropriate IMHO. With that being said, I think it’s time to get down to business, so without further ado, let’s count down the Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2010, starting of course with our Honorable Mentions!

HM: Mine by Taylor Swift (Peak: #3, Year-End: #46)
Here we have a hit from Taylor Swift’s early days, before her pop transition. The lyrics reflect upon her and her boyfriend’s past, while showing gratitude about how much her boyfriend means to her, as she remarks, “you are the best thing that’s ever been mine”. The instrumentation is a fun Country-Pop-Rock thing that shows genre blending at it’s best. While this has been overshadowed by many other Taylor Swift hits, even from her country era, I’d say that this gem is worth a revisit.

HM: California Gurls by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg (Peak: #1, Year-End: #4)
Here I present to you one of my biggest guilty pleasure songs, up there with songs like Photograph by Nickelback (which, yes, I do indeed like unironically). I desperately want to hate this song, and Early 2010s Katy Perry in general, as Katy was (and still is) pretty much the poster child for vapid, artificial pop music with production disguising an obvious lack of objective talent (as this video shows).
However, I cannot deny that this is one of the catchiest songs of all time, with a retro disco grooves, poppy synths and one of the most infectious hooks of all time, backed up by everyone’s favorite stoner, Snoop D O Double G. When I was listening through the list and I got to California Gurls (quite early on, it was #4 on the Year-End list and I listen from top to bottom), I was desperately apologizing to myself for liking this song, especially considering that the music video is set in freaking Candy Land. TL/DR: I want to hate this, but I can’t.

HM: Billionaire by Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars (Peak: #4, Year-End: #23)
So, let me tell you a little story. I was up early in the morning eating breakfast cereal and listening to the 2010 Year-End list. When I heard the opening line (“I wanna be a billionaire so f**king bad”), I spat out my cereal laughing and knew pretty much immediately that I loved it. 
Even with that story aside, it’s a fantastic Reggae-Rap jam with an infectious groove and lyrics about what Travie McCoy would do if he was a billionaire. It’s a shame that Travie (and his group, Gym Class Heroes) couldn’t maintain their success further on into the decade, but this was an important key to launching Bruno Mars’ decade-spanning stardom. Great tune, give it another listen.

HM: Not Afraid by Eminem (Peak: #1, Year-End: #24)
A fantastic and inspiring Hip-Hop anthem about Eminem overcoming his struggles, while encouraging others to join him in taking charge of their lives. The reason it’s not on the list proper is because there just happened to be a massive hit from a few months later that built upon this song (I was gonna say that it made this song obsolete, but hey, it’s still a fantastic song), added an interesting dynamic and is overall one of my favorite Rap songs of all time, but you’ll just have to wait for the list proper to hear my thoughts on that one, spoiler alert.

HM: Impossible by Shontelle (Peak: #13, Year-End: #70)
A heartfelt, if also basic breakup ballad. The keyboard into reminds me of Alone by Heart, and Shontelle delivers a great performance. Maybe it’s a desire for something a bit more real than all the club music, but there’s just something that appeals to me in this song.

HM: Breakeven by The Script (Peak: #12, Year-End: #27)
This song is pure desperation, and I love it. Maybe it’s because I’ve got nostalgic memories of this song, but despite some lyrical flaws (he talks about how he’s broken over this girl leaving her, but he also mentions that this other guy puts her first, which implies that he didn’t), it’s still more than good enough to make the honorable mentions.

HM: Animal by Neon Trees (Peak: #13, Year-End: #61)
Now, for a blast of pure Pop-Rock fun! A New Wave throwback in the vein of bands like The Cars, this was an important precursor to the Indie Boom of 2011-2013, which the Neon Trees themselves benefitted from with another major hit two years later. While the lyrics are a bit too sleazy for my semi-prudish tastes (although some of the picks on the list proper might make me look a bit hypocritical), I can’t deny how fun this song is, and that alone gets this a spot in my Honorable Mentions.

HM: Need You Now by Lady Antebellum (Peak: #2, Year-End: #2)
The final, painful cut from my list, this was one of the most successful country crossover hits of all time. These two former lovers are up late at night, separate, wasted and alone and decide to call each other, even though they know it’ll likely end badly, as shown by the line “guess I’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all”. The instrumentation is absolutely gorgeous, highlighted by a simple yet powerful piano line and touches of pedal steel in the chorus. I guess the only reason this didn’t make the list proper was because of how strong 2010’s best hits really were. Speaking of said hits, let’s talk about them, shall we?

#10: Undo It by Carrie Underwood (Peak: #23, Year-End: #88)
At #10 on the list, we have a slightly less complex and successful Country song than Need You Now, but one that is able to make up for it through it’s performer alone. Comprised of pounding Country-Rock instrumentation and Carrie Underwood’s awesome voice, the entire sentiment of the song can be summarized as “I wish I’d never fallen for you”. While I do enjoy the more remorseful breakup songs, I do enjoy some pure venom once in a while, and this will not be the only song on this list where a female performer ruthlessly tears into a guy. While lyrics like “you stole my happy” may not make a whole lot of sense, it doesn’t matter all that much when you have someone like Carrie Underwood behind the mic. While this may not be the most complex song in the world, it’s got more than enough charm and vitriol to make up for it.

#9: Whataya Want From Me by Adam Lambert (Peak: #10, Year-End: #45)
The next entry on the list comes courtesy of everyone’s favorite American Idol contestant turned Freddie Mercury impersonator, Adam Lambert, with his biggest hit, Whataya Want From Me. A Pop-Rock jam about asking what his partner wants from him, while also doubting his own ability to keep the relationship going, the reason that this made the list is almost entirely due to the chorus. I’m a sucker for massive hooks, and this unfortunately forgotten gem provides one of the strongest of the entire year, which is saying something considering that this was at the height of the Club Boom. With the hard rock swell that was sorely lacking in the decade to come and Adam’s soaring vocals, I wish that we could have more stuff like this on the Hot 100 in the 2020s. Hey, speaking of monstrous choruses…
#8: Bad Romance by Lady Gaga (Peak: #2, Year-End: #8)
Well, this is just a little bit less forgotten than the previous two picks. The signature song from one of the biggest pop stars this side of the year 2000, this is a song well on its way to becoming a bonafide classic. If I’m being honest, I should not like this song nearly as much as I do. What, with the heavy, disturbing synths and made up words, this should’ve ended up a lot more like Telephone, which was in the same spot on my worst list. However, unlike Telephone, Bad Romance doesn’t cross the line into obnoxiousness, as it keeps Gaga’s voice front and center, and it all comes together in the chorus, which seamlessly transitions the song’s overall vibe from mildly disturbing to glorious and anthemic. Plus, as someone who took French in High School, I find it cool when Gaga changes languages before the final hook (“Je veux ton amour et je veux ta revanche”). I don’t have much else to say about this one, it’s one of the most iconic songs of its era, so let’s move on to our next entry.

#7: Secrets by OneRepublic (Peak: #21, Year-End: #76)
Now, we’ve got something a bit more organic than the previous pick. The second single from OneRepublic’s sophomore album Waking Up, Secrets is on the list mainly because of its instrumentation. Including a Cello in a pop song isn’t something you see (or rather hear) every day, and it’s a joy to listen to. The lyrics about being an industry songwriter and writing your experiences and thoughts into songs, regardless of what others may think (“don’t care if critics ever jump in line”) doesn’t hurt this song’s cause either. Also, I have some nostalgic memories regarding this song, so that may or may not have affected this song’s placement on the list. Either way, good song, sorry I couldn’t find anything useful to say, I had some pretty bad writers block. Moving on…

#6: According To You by Orianthi (Peak: #17, Year-End: #55)
Years ago, I recall my sister listening to this song, and I can’t blame her, ‘cause this is a banger. It perfectly blends the high-energy simplicity of Pop Punk with the badass shredding of 80s Hair Metal, a genre that should have seen a lot more throwback hits in this vein (yeah, a lot of it sucked, don’t @ me). The lyrics can basically be summarized as “you do nothing but complain about me, while he’s head over heels for me, so why should I stay with you?” While Orianthi may not be the best singer, her voice fits the song very well, and the fact that it has a kickass guitar solo basically secured its spot on this list. It’s a shame that this song has been forgotten over the past decade as Rock’s fortunes in the mainstream dried up (which it was definitely in the process of doing by 2010), and this definitely deserves more attention as one of the last of its kind.

#5: B.o.B (Three awesome songs on the Year-End list)
Yep, when multiple awesome songs by the same artist makes the Year-End list, expect me to talk about them all at once. While B.o.B. is mainly known as the Flat Earth guy, his three hits in 2010 were all amazing, and he was unquestionably one of the best things about music that year. 
To start, I’ll talk about Airplanes, his biggest hit in 2010. A collaboration with Hayley Williams of Paramore, Airplanes peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 and clocked in at #6 on the Year-End list. The lyrics reflect upon B.o.B’s life before he became famous, wishing that he could have the anonymity he had back then, with Hayley performing the hook. The instrumental is built mainly off of piano, guitar and percussion, a pleasant departure from the stale trap beats to come later in the decade. 
Next, we have Nothin’ On You, a #1 hit that served as the breakthrough not just for B.o.B, but for Bruno Mars as well. Expect Bruno to appear on quite a few of my best lists through the remainder of the 2010s. In contrast to the many Hip-Hop songs that brag about how many female dogs and yard tools they bang (don’t get me wrong, there are songs in that lane that I actually like, Area Codes by Ludacris being an example), Nothin’ On You emphasizes the narrator’s commitment to his girl, assuring her that no other girl could take her place. He compliments her financial prudence (“plus you pay your taxes”), which would’ve been a key selling point in the years following the 2008 Recession (not like it’s unimportant today, pay your taxes folks), compares her to Wonder Woman (and himself to Mr. Fantastic, need a bit of flexing in there) and how she makes him freeze “like a Nintendo 64”. Also, Bruno Mars is on it. Overall, it’s just a sweet song that may or may not end up on my wedding playlist some day (Lord willing).
Finally, we have Magic, his smallest hit in 2010 (peaking at #10), but also the first one I heard. In fact, I had this on my old iPod that I used from 2013-2016. Featuring Rivers Cuomo of Weezer on the chorus, this is a much more typical brag rap, but not without any sort of B.o.B charm. Using various references to magic (duh), B.o.B flexes about his skill with the ladies (something that I unquestionably lack), sometimes going a bit too far, such as the time he compares himself to Aretha Franklin (dude, show some R E S P E C T). Even with that said, it’s still an awesome song, and the perfect capstone to B.o.B’s Magic year (see what I did there, ba dum tss). So, what else is there? How about quite possibly the best hit of the entire Club Boom?

#4: DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love by Usher ft. Pitbull (Peak: #4, Year-End: #22)
I remarked in my worst list that Usher could do so much better than O.M.G., which was a dishonorable mention, and for the clearest example of Usher making awesome music, I give you his other Top 5 hit in 2010, DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love. Despite not being as big at the time, this has had more staying power than the aforementioned O.M.G. (thanks in no small part to the Minecraft parody), and hey, I can’t complain, because this is the better song. The production manages to be bombastic without being overpowering, and the lyrics, while not anything too different from your typical club banger of that era, still do their job in setting the mood of going out to party after a long and stressful work week (a premise similar to Off The Wall by Michael Jackson).  Really, the best part of the song is undoubtedly the chorus, which beats just about anything else from that era (possibly with the exception of Bad Romance, my #8 pick). Even Pitbull, who’s verse features lines like “she don’t wrestle, but I got her in a headlock” (umm… awkward) and “yabba dabba doo, make her BedRock” (G R O C E R Y  B A G)  can’t take anything away from this blast of a song. If Like A G6 was everything wrong with the Club Boom, then this was everything great about that era in popular music. Now, it’s time for something a bit… less fun and carefree.

#3: Love The Way You Lie by Eminem ft. Rihanna (Peak: #1, Year-End: #7). 
I… don’t know how to talk about this song. Domestic violence is a topic that requires a lot of tact and discipline to cover effectively, and the margin of error is razor thin, so I’ll put it this way: Rihanna has never sounded (and likely never will sound) better than she did on this chorus, and the lyrics are some of the best that I have ever heard. I don’t have the confidence that I won’t F up this segment and come off like a tasteless douche if I go into more detail, so let me just say that this might be the best #1 Hit of the entire 2010’s decade. For a better take on this song, go check out this review of the song from a colleague of mine, while he’s not as positive towards this song as I am, he definitely covered this in a more in-depth way than I did. 
Now, excuse me as I get to something that I’m definitely more suited to cover, Country.

#2: The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert (Peak: #28, Year-End: #91)
In case you didn’t figure this out from my Best of 2019 list, Country is indeed my favorite genre. That’s not to say that there isn’t bad Country music (Eyes On You by Chase Rice was a dishonorable mention on my Worst of 2019 list, after all), but I’d generally say that the high points in Country music are among the highest of any genre, and this gem is a perfect example of that. 
In contrast to so much of 2010’s pop music, this is a very minimalistic acoustic ballad about a woman returning to her childhood home in order to reflect upon her life. Originally written for Blake Shelton (who Miranda Lambert would later marry and then divorce), Miranda Lambert knew immediately upon hearing the song that she wanted to record it. Her soft-spoken performance and minimalist instrumentation give these lyrics room to really shine, and boy do they ever. Filled with little details like how her handprints are on the front steps, her favorite dog is buried by the tree and how her mom cut out pictures of homes from magazines in order to find the inspiration for the house, this is country storytelling at its best, and it is without a doubt one of the best hit songs of 2010. Now, to see what could’ve topped it.

I’m gonna start doing these long-winded intros that tons of reviewers do before they reveal their #1 pick. 
So, you start listening through a year-end list from the past, filled with well-remembered staples and forgotten relics, with stuff you know by heart and that you have no recollection of whatsoever. However, you always had one song that was the frontrunner from the beginning, a song that holds a special place in your heart, and even after dozens upon dozens of songs that you listened to, it still comes out on top. Well, that year for me was 2010, and that song was The Only Exception by Paramore.
#1: The Only Exception by Paramore (Peak: #24, Year-End: #93)
Well, here we are, my #1 pick. Apparently this was the first love song that Hayley Williams ever wrote, which is a surprise to me, because this is one of the best written love songs I’ve ever heard. Going beyond all the sappy cliches and tired, overdone phrases, this tells a story of a woman who’s closed herself off from any sort of romantic relationship, and yet is opening herself up for just this one man. 
To start, the first verse goes over how her parents divorced when she was really young, which made her cynical about the concept of relationships, adding in little details about her daddy cursing at the wind and her mama swearing that she’ll never forget what happened, which reminds me of a lot of Country songs (I mean, she did grow up in Mississippi, there’s a pretty good chance that she was Raised On Country). The second verse of the song details how she’s kept a distance from any relationships, “because none of it was ever worth the risk”, seeing how her parents’ marriage ended in disaster. Finally, the bridge states that she’s gonna jump right into this relationship, even though she believes that it’s gonna end badly. These are some of the best written lyrics in any song that I’ve ever heard.
Also, it doesn’t hurt that the instrumentation is absolutely gorgeous, built off of an acoustic guitar line in the beginning, then building up to a dramatic bridge, and then winding back down again for the final chorus and conclusion. Just amazing…
BTW, Hayley Williams later got divorced from the man she wrote this song about (Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory), thus proving her cynicism about romance correct, but it doesn’t change that this song is undoubtedly The Best Hit Song of 2010, and one of the best love songs ever written. Take care, folks, I’ll see you in my Winter Top 20 Ranking.

1 comment:

  1. It's already been two years since these lists came out... dang.

    ReplyDelete