Best 10 Songs of 2010 (USA) Admin

 

 

 

 

10

'Need You Now'

Lady Antebellum

An undeniable force to be reckoned with, this Nashville trio had us all high-fiving over their "booty call" lyrics
 and humming their absurdly catchy melodies.
We'll be damned if we aren't suckers for those ringing guitars Lady Antebellum  are plucking and strumming.  

C Flanigan, FilmMagic  

 

 

09

'Tighten Up'

The Black Keys

There's no way to refrain from grinning like a goof during the playful whistle-filled intro that kicks off this infectious gem. The Black Keys will make a believer out of anyone with this deceptively simple bluesy stomper, which rockets forward with rump-shaking rhythms and Dan Auerbach's walloping falsetto -- no doubt a career-defining song.

C Brandon, Redferns 

 

 
 

08

'Laredo'

Band of Horses

Ben Bridwell and band pull out all the stops on this expansive anthem. It's radio rock in all the best ways: Rollicking Southern guitar lines, a mid-tempo pace that never becomes pedestrian, packed with watertight harmonies and entirely conducive to road-tripping. If we're honest, we're still not entirely clear what the song is about, but we do know we want to go to Laredo, and if there's a lake there for a-dippin', we're in.

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images 

 

 

 

07

'Monster'

Kanye West

Posse cuts tend to be soulless and bloated, but this time the all-stars went all in. Rick Ross barrels through, making room for West's self-aggrandizing jaw-drops and Jay-Z's hard-fought flow, while Bon Iver's Justin Vernon adds indie framing. Amid this, Nicki Minaj flips schizophrenically between accents, time signatures and personalities as she rampages through 32 bars, each one "hotter than a Middle Eastern climate."

Ben Hider, Getty Images  

 

 

06

'Dance Yrself Clean'

LCD Soundsystem

Though you could probably pick a handful of equally deserving tracks from 'This Is Happening,' the wonderfully weird, synth-driven slow-burner "Dance Yrself Clean," is a quintessential LCD Soundsystemsong: nine minutes long, quirky, awesome.

Mark Venema, Getty Images  
 

05

'Wake Up Everybody'

John Legend and the Roots

Inspired by Obama's election and the 'Hard Times' in America of recent years, the talented smoothie Legendand Jimmy Fallon's house band turned a one-off session into a killer album of classic conscious-soul covers. Their stylish version of this Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes nugget lent the album its title, and its attitude.

D Dipasupil, Getty Images  

 

 

 

04

'Dancing on My Own'

Robyn

For anyone who's watched across a crowded room while his or her biggest crush crushed on someone else, Robyn's tale of unrequited dance floor love might hit a little too close to home. Calling a club hit "emotionally devastating" isn't usually a rousing endorsement, but this track packs in so much ass-moving brilliance that we can all just dance the pain away.

Jason LaVeris, Getty Images  

 

 

03

'F--- You'

Cee-Lo Green

Though the radio-friendly version comes off as relatively less significant, Cee-Lo'sgleeful joint about being an Atari dumped for a richer Xbox is more than some curse-filled novelty. It sounds like a lost Stax deep cut, and while the chorus' lushly profane f-bombs add a humorous punch, they also emphasize that even a soul machine like Cee-Lo can get all tore up inside, as becomes epically clear during his "I still love youuuuu" breakdown on the bridge.

Gary Miller, FilmMagic  

 

 

02

'The High Road'

Broken Bells

Becostumed beatmeister Danger Mouse and Shins melodist James Mercer were the Oscar and Felix of "indie" pop on a major label in 2010. First released as a download giveaway on Broken Bells' website, 'The High Road' began the year promising a Danger-ous bounty, which included a second Black Keys album and a second collaboration with the late Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse

Andy Sheppard, Redferns  

 

 

01

'Stylo'

Gorillaz

The rubber-ball bass line alone makes any car ride feel like an adventure (just ask Bruce Willis, who hot-rods his way through the video). Then, when you throw in Damon Albarn's silky lead vocals and smoking guest appearances from Mos Def and Bobby Womack, you've got the Gorillaz's slick, soulful soundtrack to a never-ending road trip, as well as the makings for our top song of the years.