Sunday, June 21, 2015

THIS CENTURY'S MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS Update: #20-11. The countdown concludes next weekend with the Top 10...
THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS
FROM THE FIRST 15 YEARS
OF THIS CENTURY
Now that we are 15 years into the 21st Century, it’s apropos to look back over the 200 songs since 2000 that have made the greatest impact on the sound of music as it stands in 2015.
To be eligible for the Top 200, a song must have officially appeared on an album, CD single  or as a download between Jan. 1, 2000 and December 31, 2014.
20 MILKSHAKE
KELIS [2003]
Suggestive, sexually overt and flirtacious - Kelis is all i one - on this R&B track. It remains 1 of the highlights of the century sung by a female artist. The Neptunes' production and songwriting skills gives this even more impact.
19 PARTY ROCK ANTHEM
LMFAO featuring LAUREN BENNETT & GOON ROCK [2011]
 
LMFAO broke through with this new addition to party playlists. It brings together EDM, house and hip hop. It zoomed to #1 in the US, Britain, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. 
18 POKER FACE
LADY GAGA [2008]
Lady Gaga challenged Madonna and Kylie Minogue in the dance genre when she proved her 1st hit "Just Dance" was no fluke. She soon became a household name. "Poker Face" reached #1 in America, the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
17 AMERICAN IDIOT
GREEN DAY [2004]
Green Day cemented its place as 1 of the leading rock bands of the new millennium with 'American Idiot'. The album tackled serious subjects and questioned American sacred cows. Its title track is a thought-provoking attack on America that few other high profile groups would ever have dared to release. 
16 JESUS WALKS
KANYE WEST [2004]
 
"Jesus Walks", with its confronting lyrics, stands out from all other hip-hop recordings that preceded it. Kanye West proved his worth as a superstar of the genre. His production work holds our attention throughout the track.
15 HEY YA!
OUTKAST [2003]
 
Outkast attracted the mainstream with 1 of the new century's best feel-good songs. Hip-hop wrapped around funky beats made for an irresistible hit single. It topped charts all over the planet.
14 FILL ME IN
CRAIG DAVID [2000]
 
Craig David enjoyed success with his debut solo release. "Fill Me In" finds David's brash and smooth soul vocals atop 2-step garage. It was a radical shift in R&B that helped him attract a wider audience for 2-step in the YK and beyond. 
13 JUST DANCE
LADY GAGA featuring COLBY O'DONIS [2008]
 Lady Gaga laying down wearing a dark blue dress with a big, layered collar. Her right hand touches her forehead. Beneath her left eye is a blue-colored lightning-shaped sticker.
A synth-pop flavoured dance track introduced the world to the visually stunning Lady Gaga. Its construction benefits from the skills of Swedish super-songwriter "RedOne", who also co-wrote it. A new dance diva had arrived.
12 CLOCKS
COLDPLAY [2002]
Coldplay continued its evolution as a major recording act with "Clocks". The production reached a new standard. Lyrically, the song is deeper. Musically, it is a spellbinding aural joy. The piano draws us in with its hypnotic chords. Chris Martin's vocal is gentle and soothing, despite the seriousness of the track's theme. A well deserved Grammy Award winner in the Record of the Year category. 
11 WHERE IS THE LOVE?
BLACK EYED PEAS [2003]
 
Adding Fergie to the line-up proved to be a game changer for The Black Eyed Peas. The hip-hop group pursued a more commercial musical direction that continues to be lucrative to this day. Justin Timberlake added an uncredited collaboration to the socially conscious "Where Is The Love?". Its lyrics pose key questions that make this the "What's Going On" for the new millennium.

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