10. Neon Indian “Polish Girl”
Neon Indian has to hate M83. It seemed almost inevitable Alan Palomo’s synth-line was going to be 2011′s most memorable before the ascent of “Midnight City.” The two synth-lines were so iconic that even blog elitists like Stereogum confused the two when they proclaimed that “Polish Girl” soundtracked a Victoria’s Secret commercial when indeed it was M83. The truth is, if M83 did not exist, that spot probably would have belonged to “Polish Girl” because the riff is that catchy and iconic.
MP3: Neon Indian “Polish Girl”

09. Drake “Marvins Room”
What makes Drake so great is his ability to take a typical hip hop situation like drinking in a club and turn it on its head. Instead of “Marvins Room” being a song about partying, Drake highlights the loneliness that follows the party. The track’s minimal beat allow for Drake to explore what happens after the girls have left and he is drunk and alone. What unfolds is a story about drunk dialing an ex and the conversation they have. While you might expect lines like “fuck that nigga you love so bad” to come out of other rappers’ mouths, there is something that sounds so earnest about it when Drake uses his melodic flow to express it.
MP3: Drake “Marvins Room”

08. Destroyer “Kaputt”
If you were to write a list about artists most likely to sing about cocaine, Destroyer‘s Daniel Bejar would probably not be high up there. What has always made Destroyer great is his ability to put himself into unfamiliar situations and still tell a compelling story. “Kaputt” transfers you into a dream world of backrooms filled with cocaine and groupies. The instrumental reflects this dream world with its Italian disco sound and 80s easy listening schlock.
MP3: Destroyer “Kaputt”

07. Real Estate “It’s Real”
While a good amount of the top ten tracks 2011 features strong synth-lines, Real Estate‘s “It’s Real” is the only one to feature a strong lead guitar riff. The catchy, surf-inspired riff is placed over Byrds-esque guitar arpeggios and a lazy but upbeat drum line. For a group of former beach bums, it is impressive they wrote such an arena-size chorus of ohs and the single line of “it’s real.”
MP3: Real Estate “It’s Real”

06. EMA “California”
It takes a couple of listens to properly evaluate EMA’s “California.” The first listen is spent waiting for the shock of the opening line “fuck California, you made me boring” to wear off. The second time through, the listener can concentrate more on what is going on in the song. The noisy instrumentation sets the backdrop for EMA’s confused and conflicted lyrics. Blips of social commentary like “What’s it like to be small-town and gay?” lies among personal commentary like “I’m sorry Steven and Andrew that I ever left you,” mix the message of the song but not the power. The track remains the most haunting four minutes recorded this year.
MP3: EMA “California”

05. Beyonce “Countdown”
If “1+1″ is the sentimental love song, “Countdown” is Beyonce‘s overjoyed, giddy love song. The track’s instrumental features horns reminiscent of “Crazy in Love” over militaristic drums and video game beeps. With so much going on musically, it is easy to think that the vocals would get lost but Beyonce delivers a strong vocal performace. She mixes longer diva-esque lines amongst faster, syncopated vocals creating a dynamic performance.
MP3: Beyonce “Countdown”

04. Adele “Rolling in the Deep
While “Someone Like You” is probably a lyrically better song, “Rolling in the Deep” set the tone for Adele‘s sensational year. The track features Adele’s finest vocal performance on 21. As the opening lyric’s state, “there’s a fire” to Adele’s vocals. The fire is accompanied by thumping drumbeat befit of a White Stripes, striking piano, and gospel-chanting backing vocals. The stripped-down instrumental helps accentuate the vocal tour-de-force while still giving it character.
MP3: Adele “Rolling in the Deep

03. Lana Del Rey “Video Games”
Lana Del Rey seemingly came out of nowhere. Suddenly the blogosphere was smitten with the pouty-lipped, husky-voiced singer. “Video Games”‘s odd instrumentals a combination of Hollywood soundtrack string programming and long, drawn out piano chords sets the melancholic backdrop of Del Rey’s sex-soaked vocals. Provocative lyrics like “holds me in his big arms” and “I’m in his favorite sun dress/Watching me get undressed” paint a picture that is rare for debut singles. Whether the track is signs of bigger and better things to come or if Del Rey becomes another one hit wonder, “Video Games” seems to have a certain timeless quality that will live on.
MP3: Lana Del Rey “Video Games”

02. Jay-Z & Kanye West “Niggas in Paris”
Everyone knows somebody who during the year referred to a night on the town as “going gorillas” or greeted you by saying “what’s drugs, my dealer?” But the most quoted hip hop track of the year is odder than that. From the opening clip from Blades of Glory, it is obvious that Kanye and Jay-z‘s “Niggas in Paris” is not your standard hip hop anthem. The track’s chorus is basically just Kanye saying “that shit cray” but it is the ice-cold synth-line that gives the song stayingg power. Nine notes is all it takes to turn a simple beat into one of the year’s biggest hits.
MP3: Jay-Z & Kanye West “Niggas in Paris”

01. M83 “Midnight City”
When I think back on 2011, it will be hard for them not to be soundtracked by the opening synth-line of M83‘s “Midnight City.” The distorted synth-line’s minor feel gives it a sense of melancholy for the sad memories. The party atmosphere of the song allow it the versatility for the good memories. No matter if it was a good year or bad year for you, “Midnight City” seems to have the answer.
MP3: M83 “Midnight City”

20. Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks”
Every year has that one band that comes out of nowhere to become “famous” but none seemed as unlikely as Foster the People and their surprise hit, “Pumped Up Kicks.” A Los Angeles-based jingle writer, Mark Foster recorded “Pumped Up Kicks” playing every instrument on the track and doing the vocals. The track was released in September of 2010 to no acclaim and was basically pronounced dead. Three months later, it rose from the dead after Sirius XM’s Alt Nation put it into rotation. From there, the track’s momentum kept growing until it was crowned as the rock track of the summer. No wonder people proclaimed it “the little track that could.”
MP3: Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks”

19. Kendrick Lamar “A.D.H.D.”
It is easy to listen once through “A.D.H.D.” and proclaim Kendrick Lamar a Kid Cudi wannabe. Similar to Cudi, Lamar portrays himself as a self-medicating loner. Unlike Cudi whose loner status seems tied to his sleep habits, Lamar’s estrangement is his discontent with society. First about his position: “you know when you’re part of section 8/you feel like no one can relate” then about his people “my generation sipping cough syrup like its water.” While socially conscious rap is nothing new, Lamar’s laid back style makes it seem more accessible than Immortal Technique or KRS-One.
MP3: Kendrick Lamar “A.D.H.D.”

18. Destroyer “Chinatown”
If you are going to call 2011 “the year of the saxophone,” you can not have Destroyer‘s “Chinatown” on your countdown. The track’s masterful use of the brass instrument is a combination of Kenny G-style easy listening and Charlie Parker-esque bop. The complex instrumental perfectly accompanies Daniel Bejar’s obtuse lyrics about a singular event which seems to be a conversation about a relationship in the streets of Chinatown.
MP3: Destroyer “Chinatown”

17. Drake “Headlines”
Boi-1da and Noah “40″ Shebib team up for a warped-orchestral-score beat providing the backdrop for the lead single to Thank Me Later. The wobbly beat is perfect for Drake‘s am-I-really-that-comfortable-with-who-I-am flow whenever he plays up braggadocio. He raps “Listen to you expressing all them feelings/soap opera rappers, all these niggas sound like All my Children.” Brave words from a man who got called out by Common for being soft. But ultimately Drake gets the last laugh because, as he says “when they get my shit and they it, I ain’t even gotta say it, they know.”
MP3: Drake “Headlines”

16. Das Racist “Michael Jackson”
Every countdown that mentions Das Racist has skipped over “Michael Jackson” to instead celebrate Relax‘ more serious tracks like “Power” or “Girl.” The truth is that in the track where Heems exclaims “I’m fucking great at rapping!” is the first time we actually hear Das Racist sound great at rapping. Heems spits a language-hopping Busta Rhymes speed flow while Kool A.D. takes it down a notch bouncing between non sequiturs and sexy flow: “I’m a daikon radish/ see me next to sushi/sexually, I’ll sex your coochie/extra juicy/electrocute me.”
MP3: Das Racist “Michael Jackson”

15. Britney Spears featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha “Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix)”
I thought that this selection would get me the most shit from musical elitists and then Pitchfork put it on their Top 100 Tracks of 2011. So why would Pitchfork and I both give critical acclaim to a track that seems like dance pop fluff? It was probably the addition of Nicki Minaj‘s heroic opening verse. In under a minute, Minaj goes through no less than four accents before finally announcing “it’s Britney, I’m Nicki Minaj, and that’s Ke$ha!” before going into the track’s already standing epic chorus. Throw in a little dustup outro and boom! The track is ten times as great as the original.
MP3: Britney Spears featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha “Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix)”

14. R.E.M. “Oh My Heart”
It will be hard for many music fans to remember 2011 without remember that it was the year R.E.M. disbanded. Their break-up over shadowed the fact that they released an album this year and a damn good one at that. “Oh My Heart” remains the signature song from that album. Billed as a post-Katrina tribute to New Orleans from Michael Stipe, the beauty of the lush instrumental is complimented by a chorus of backing vocalists, namely Mike Mills and Eddie Vedder.
MP3: R.E.M. “Oh My Heart”

13. Frank Ocean “Novacane”
Frank Ocean is the kind of crooner that is too cool for whatever situation he’s in. So when the story of “Novacane” starts off, the listener automatically thinks they know where its going. When he sings “met her at Coachella, I went to see Jigga, she went to see Z Trip, perfect,” the audience automatically assumes that sex in the desert is the next step. But then Frank Ocean takes you in a completely different direction, that includes drugs spikes with local anesthetics, amateur chemistry, and everyone’s favorite line “cocaine for breakfast, yikes!” And then Ocean still delivers with some sex.
MP3: Frank Ocean “Novacane”

12. Jay-Z & Kanye West “Otis”
When I first heard Jay-Z & Kanye West’s “Otis,” I thought it was awful. The disjointed sampling mixed with “I am the one percent” lyrics all crescendoing with ear piercing screeches. But the more I listened to “Otis,” the more I heard. Jay-Z is essentially doing what he does so well, talking about money and fame and then Kanye is playing the schizophrenic little brother trying to compete with his big brother’s claims. Jay-Z raps “I got five passports, I’m never goin to jail” and Kanye picks right up: “I made ‘Jesus Walks’ so I’m never goin to hell.” It’s like a buddy cop movie only catchier.
MP3: Jay-Z & Kanye West “Otis”

11. Cut Copy “Need You Now”
On the surface, there is not much out of the ordinary with Cut Copy‘s “Need You Now.” The track features textured synth-pads, standard drum machine beats, and a vocalist with a cool deep voice. But when you listen to the song, you know this is not the typical etherial dance track; there is something more to it. The soaring effect created with the synths somehow soars higher than similar tracks. Singer Dan Whitford’s voice seems cooler than most others in the genre. When the track finally crescendos around the four minute mark, it is as if you have been swimming in a cool ocean and you finally make it to the surface and in the sky are fireworks. Not many other tracks in the genre can transport the listener like that.
MP3: Cut Copy “Need You Now”

30. Wild Flag “Romance”
So I heard Sleater-Kinney frontwoman Carrie Brownstein and Drummer Janet Weiss start a new band with Mary Timony, I thought “this is going to be some crazy post-punk riot grrrl shit!” Then “Romance” comes on and I think “riot grrrl is not supposed to be this poppy.” But the song works as the introduction to Wild Flag and a new style for the quartet ready to shed the rough-on-the-ears persona and make music that is easily digestible but still rocks.
MP3: Wild Flag “Romance”

29. Jeff the Brotherhood “Hey Friend”
No song this year had as many fake outs as Jeff the Brotherhood‘s “Hey Friend.” It begins with an annoying DJ bullhorn making you think “is this going to be some reggaetone bullshit?” Then it kicks in with a blistering minute-and-forty-five-second guitar solo before the song actually starts. When the song actually starts, the first line is “I’ve been thinking about your mom/you can’t tell me if its really wrong” and you are thinking “what is this? ‘Stacy’s Mom’?” But as you listen to the track, you realize that the track is not about a boy with a crush on a mom but a boy who is estranged from his kin and just wants to be absorbed into his friend’s family.
MP3: Jeff the Brotherhood “Hey Friend”

28. Florence + The Machine “Shake It Out”
Florence + The Machine‘s Ceremonials was a fairly well celebrated album in 2011. Noted for being a vocal tour-de-force and “lavish orchestral spectacle,” no song showed off both quite like the single, “Shake It Out.” From the intro of Florence belting over a solitary organ to the gospel choir-style chorus, the track seemed bigger than anything Flo accomplished before; a track to fill an arena but still did not seem like an exercise in pure egotism.
MP3: Florence + The Machine “Shake It Out”

27. College featuring Electric Youth “A Real Hero”
If you know me, you know I have this unrequited love for French culture. But if you look at recent music history, the French get music. Daft Punk and Phoenix in years past and this year we had M83 and College. Producer David Grellier created a hazy 80s-inspired synth pop beat that sounds like the Chariots of Fire theme song mashed up with a Hall and Oates instrumental. Add over that, Electric Youth‘s reverbed vocals and you have the year’s best track to muster 80s kitsch without needing a saxophone solo!
MP3: College featuring Electric Youth “A Real Hero”

26. Jens Lekman “An Argument with Myself”
Jens Lekman has proven time and again that he is one of the best moodier storytellers in music. “An Argument With Myself” is the perfect example. He seamlessly takes us on a trip through Swedish streets as he walks home after a break up. The track’s story line follows him yelling at himself quips like “oh please, no you oh please!/I wanna see you drop down on your knees/I wanna see your hand waving farewell/why you hitting’ yourself, why you hitting yourself?” The lines seems almost too goofy to work but woven into the story, Lekman pulls it off.
MP3: Jens Lekman “An Argument with Myself”

25. Adele “Someone Like You”
Not many songs can be as popular and overplayed as Adele‘s “Someone Like You” and can still make the listener feel awkward listening to it. If you listen to the lyrics, it is like watching the heroine of a movie hit rock bottom. Turning up uninvited hoping to win back the man of her dreams only to be rejected again. You can not help but cringe but as you listen on, you hear Adele reemerge stronger and regain her dignity. It is the type of defeated-turns-triumphant story that has made great cinema for decades.
MP3: Adele “Someone Like You”

24. Toro Y Moi “All Alone”
After his chillwave 2010 debut full length, Toro Y Moi went a slightly different direction in 2011. His album, Underneath the Pine seemed to go more in the direction of electro-psychedelic. It was not until later in the year, when he released Freaking Out that the bridge between his debut and sophomore album seemed to be gapped. The EP’s opening track, “All Alone” takes the disco taste of Causers of This and mixes it with the psychedelic electronics of Underneath the Pine to create a handicapping jam that sounds like the indie rock equivalent of “A Roller Skaing Jam Named Saturday.”
MP3: Toro Y Moi “All Alone”

23. Nicki Minaj “Super Bass”
Nicki Minaj seemed destined to be known as an artist that peaked too early. Her show-stopping verse on Kanye‘s “Monster” seemed like a high point followed by the massive let down that was her debut album, Pink Friday. But buried deep in the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of the album was the gem, “Super Bass.” The Kane Beatz & JMike beat perfectly balances pop and hip hop and allows Minaj to successful explore both her singing and her rapping in a way that no other track on Pink Friday accomplishes. But make no mistake, it is Minaj that deserves credit for the track’s success. Her spastic in-and-out-of-various-accents flow is humorous, engaging, and unique in a way that no other emcee has ever accomplished.
MP3: Nicki Minaj “Super Bass”

22. Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris “We Found Love”
At some point in the year, I vowed to not post anymore remixes or mashups featuring the acapella from Rihanna‘s “We Found Love.” Partially it was because Rihanna created one of the most overplayed songs of the year. Partially it was because there is only so many times I could listen to her sing “we found love in a hopeless place.” Partially it was because Calvin Harris deserves a hell-of-a-lot of credit for the success of the track. The spot on production switches between bouncy 90s-style house to Ibaza party crescendo flawlessly creating the kind of anthem that could be played in an arena, club, or house party and have the exact same result.
MP3: Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris “We Found Love”

21. Nas “Nasty”
At least a couple times over the last decade or so, hip hop fans had to have written Nas off as incapable of ever writing anything quite as good as Illmatic again. Infuriating beats, weird collaboration choices, and label politics have all conspired to derail Nas but what can be forgotten is, Nas is one hell of a rapper. He demonstrates this on “Nasty.” With his “no time for a chorus” flow, Nas creates a captivating non-stop 3 minutes of rapping few emcees can rival.
MP3: Nas “Nasty”

40. Adebisi Shank “International Dreambeat”
It is difficult to justify putting instrumentals into end of the year countdowns like this because pop music is so heavily weighted on the strength of a vocal performance. Without the vocal performance, it is hard for a song to be catchy based on instruments alone. Adebisi Shank do not have that problem with their sophomore album’s opening track, “International Dreambeat.” The track is a hard-hitting, math-rock track that never fails to stay in your head. It is truly a rare feat.
MP3: Adebisi Shank “International Dreambeat”

39. DJ JS-1 featuring Tonedeff “Last to Know”
In May, DJ JS-1 released his guest-appearance filled third installment of his Ground Original series. While the album felt too packed with guests and not enough with concept, buried deep on the album (the 21st track!) was this single guest gem. Tonedeff drops two verses but it is his second verse that remains one of the best of the year. He raps a conversation between fans and himself “Man, you should be famous/no doubt, I appreciate it/Keep it underground for life/of course, I love to be paid less” and “why don’t you tour with Common?/Awesome, more I’ve never thought of/You should ghostwrite for Ke$ha/I’d rather be drawn and quarter by chihuahuas/Dumb it down like Jay/I’m too smart to lower my prowess/Just get a track from Dr. Dre/All right, well hold up while I call him. You got his number? I don’t!”
MP3: DJ JS-1 featuring Tonedeff “Last to Know”

38. Battles featuring Matias Aguayo “Ice Cream”
When “Atlas” dropped and became a major “thing” in 2007, no one would have thought disjointed math-rockers Battles would ever be soundtracking an international FIFA 12 commercial. Four years later, that is exactly what Battles did with “Ice Cream.” The song is spastic enough to accompany flashing images of people like Steve Nash playing FIFA which still, as Dave Konopka described, having “an underlying level of sexiness.”
MP3: Battles featuring Matias Aguayo “Ice Cream”

37. The Belle Brigade “Losers”
When you tour the country as an brother-sister acoustic duo, I am sure it is hard to seem cool but not since Beck described himself as a loser in the 90s has the title of “loser” seemed so okay. Maybe that is because of how Belle Brigade‘s lead singer Ethan Gruska defines loser. To him, being a loser is not caring about winning or being smooth with women, or being the life of the party. It seems like a majority of people fall into that category but it is the being okay with it that makes the song seem like an anthem for the self-actualized.
MP3: The Belle Brigade “Losers”

36. St. Vincent “Cruel”
I have never been a huge fan of St. Vincent‘s albums but I’ll be damned if I do not like her singles. “Cruel” is the kind of song almost everyone can get behind. In a world where bullying is the kind of issue that needs a ham-handed Glee episode to be address, St. Vincent belts out “Cruel” with all the nuances to get the point across while not seeming preachy. Add that to the fact that the track’s catchy as all hell, it amounts to a pretty great single.
MP3: St. Vincent “Cruel”

35. Fitz and the Tantrums “MoneyGrabber”
Released mid-way through 2010, Fitz and the Tantrums‘ debut album, Pickin’ Up the Pieces nearly faded into obscurity before releasing “MoneyGrabber” as a single in 2011. The track peaked at 33 on the US Rock charts and 34 on the US Adult charts. While those are nice distinctions, the song is neither very rocky or adult; it is, however, the best O’Jays-aping track heard since the mid-80s. From the opening piano line to “ooh” backing vocals and big horn chorus, the track is straight out of the 70s, in a very good way.
MP3: Fitz and the Tantrums “MoneyGrabber”

34. Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz “Six Foot Seven Foot”
Lil Wayne debuted “Six Foot Seven Foot” at New Year’s Eve 2010 parties. So after being able to meditate on the track for an entire year, it still seems as fresh as the first time I heard it. The beat is based off of a fairly singular sample similar to “A Milli” but the more proper chorus somehow makes it not quite as annoying and the addition of Cory Gunz gives the listener’s ears a rest from Weezy’s occasionally grating voice.
MP3: Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz “Six Foot Seven Foot”

33. Lykke Li “Youth Knows No Pain”
As the opening track to Lykke Li‘s sophomore album, Wounded Rhymes, “Youth Knows No Pain” has the unenviable task of trying to summarize the album’s pathos while hooking the listener in. The track combines Lykke Li’s emotive vocals with tribal drums and 60s organ to create great pop music while not feeling fluffy.
MP3: Lykke Li “Youth Knows No Pain”

32. Beastie Boys featuring Santigold “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win”
While many other white rappers have experimented with reggae (I’m looking at you, Snow), Beastie Boys have avoided it until now. “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win” seems to work because it is less a vehicle for the Beastie Boys and more a Santigold track. The first 45 seconds of the track is all Santigold and after a brief Beastie Boys interruption, Santigold is back for the chorus. Not to say the Beastie Boys don’t have anything to do with the track’s success, MCA’s mere declaration of “that’s danger!” during the chorus seems like a perfect pop moment.
MP3: Beastie Boys featuring Santigold “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win”

31. Acid House Kings “Would You Say Stop?”
Twee pop sometimes get a bum wrap because it seems too cutesy. Acid House Kings masterfully mix cute and catchy with some depth on Music Sounds Better With You. This combination is exemplified in the album’s lead single “Would You Say Stop?” The track’s lyrics seem to be the giddy companion piece to Adele‘s “Someone Like You” but the flamenco percussion and drawn out piano chords shout ABBA.
MP3: Acid House Kings “Would You Say Stop?”

50. Lion Cub “Flora/Fauna”
Number 50 is always where the editor gets to pull rank and stick on something for personal satisfaction. This year that comes in the form of Lion Cub‘s “Flora/Fauna.” Because of personal connections to the band, I have to recuse myself from putting the song any higher in the countdown but that makes it no less deserving of being included. The track balances melancholy lyrics with fun, keyboard-driven pop to create a memorable track for those few that caught it this year.
MP3: Lion Cub “Flora/Fauna”

49. The Lonely Island featuring Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga “3-Way (The Golden Rule)”
The problem I generally have with Lonely Island is they release albums and so much of their humor is visual based. No one listened to “Shy Ronnie” and thought “this is funny” without having seen the video. But with “3-Way (The Golden Rule),” the group creates humorous audio with little need for visual representation to get it. The smooth 80s schlock beat perfectly accompanies Andy Samburg’s ridiculous attempt at Barry White-esque bass and Justin Timberlake‘s standardly wonderful tenor. Lady Gaga‘s appearance may be nothing but a bit part, but the concept holds up as one of the funnier ideas hatched by the Island.
MP3: The Lonely Island featuring Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga “3-Way (The Golden Rule)”

48. Kreayshawn “Gucci Gucci”
There were not many figures in 2011 that were as divisive as Kreayshawn. A cocky white girl with a voice like mcchris who simultaneous talks down to Arby’s workers and Gucci wearers. Despite “Gucci Gucci” not being “good” per se, there is an element to it that makes it irresistible. Its similar to that never-ending “badger” song, you can not look away.
MP3: Kreayshawn “Gucci Gucci”

47. R.E.M. “We All Go Back to Where We Belong”
For many people, 2011 will be remembered as the year R.E.M. called it quits. Their final single, “We All Go Back to Where We Belong,” is the type of majestic send off that all elder statesmen hope for. A carefully crafted acoustic pop tune with shades of Burt Bacharach that proves the band still had their faculties about them even in their last breathes.
MP3: R.E.M. “We All Go Back to Where We Belong”

46. T.I. featuring Big K.R.I.T. “I’m Flexin’”
T.I. was released from his halfway house after his stint in prison on September 29th at midnight. The next day “I’m Flexin’” dropped. After the disappointment of No Mercy, “I’m Flexin’” was a breathe of fresh air. A re-dedicated T.I. rapping about what he knows best: himself and how great he is. Big K.R.I.T. produces the dirty South beat and adds a verse of I-don’t-give-a-fuck lyrics to top it off.
MP3: T.I. featuring Big K.R.I.T. “I’m Flexin’”

45. Lady Gaga “Edge of Glory”
It would figure that pop music would rediscover the power of the saxophone the same year Clarence Clemons passes away. The E Street Bands big blower paved the way for this year’s resurgence of the brass instrument but who would have thought Clemons’ swan song would not be backing Springsteen but rather backing the year’s most epic disco track. After mastering the artsy-pop star persona, Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” is finally an all-out arena-thumping dance track that is simultaneously 80s aping and ahead of its time.
MP3: Lady Gaga “Edge of Glory”

44. Childish Gambino “Heartbeat”
Donald Glover was a bit of a lightning rod in 2011. He garnered a good amount of fan support (peaking at number 2 on US Billboard hip-hop albums and rap albums) yet he was still shun by some publications (I’m looking at you, Pitchfork). Whether you believe that Glover is a Kanye-aping false-outsider or a pop-rap genius, “Heartbeat” seems to be the peak of his accomplishments. From the track’s overly emotional piano intro to its electro-pop beat, Childish Gambino and producer Ludwig compose the perfect backdrop for Glover’s angry wordplay-packed flow. You can’t help but crack a smile with lines like “we used to hold hands like field trips” and “he just a fake nigga who blog in all caps.”
MP3: Childish Gambino “Heartbeat”

43. Peter Bjorn and John “Second Chance”
When Peter Bjorn and John hit with their breakthrough single “Young Folks” it seemed like they were destined to be one-hit wonders. Yet, five years later, Peter Bjorn and John are still cranking out pop tunes that are making an impact. Take “Second Chance” for example: it crept into collective consciousness being used in Bud Light commercials, in Grey’s Anatomy episodes, and as the theme song to 2 Broke Girls.
MP3: Peter Bjorn and John “Second Chance”

42. Young Jeezy featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000 “I Do”
When T.I. released “Swagger Like Us” in 2008, rumors swirled about a track called “Swagger Like Us Pt 2″ which was to be released on Jay-Z‘s Blueprint 3. The track was supposed to feature Jay-Z, Andre 3000, Young Jeezy, and T.I. After some delays on Jay-Z’s album, when the tracklisting finally did appear, “Swagger Like Us Pt. 2″ appeared to be just a mirage. Three years later, three of the four superstars gather on “I Do.” While the track is not as hard hitting as “Swagger Like Us,” it allows the three to give their best “ladies, come and get it” flows. Especially note the closing verse from Andre 3000 over the sped-up soul-sample breakdown.
MP3: Young Jeezy featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000 “I Do”

41. Hayes Carll “KMAG YOYO”
If you are going to blatantly rip off Bob Dylan‘s classic “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” you really have to commit to it. Hayes Carll, not only committed to it, but may have bested it. Creating a Slaughterhouse 5-esque story that begins with working at Dairy Queen has the hero fighting Al Qaeda in the middle and on an alien spaceship by the end. It is a trip that can only be accomplished a four-minute high-energy country-folk song or a 300 page novel.
MP3: Hayes Carll “KMAG YOYO”