It may be self-hating, but I might have to say that Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" might be one of the best songs of this past year. As I was putting together my end of the year mix I tried really hard to ignore her because of her checkered-gay-for-pay past. But I figure if I can look past the histories of Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston to still enjoy their musics, then I can certainly give KP a little credit.
And it's not even that the lyrics are particularly awesome or even good. But she can write a catchy hook (see also Kelly Clarkson's "I Don't Hook Up") and sometimes that's all I need. All this also reminds me of how much of my favorite songs of the past year are clearly those also favored by 12 year olds. I can say that I probably saw this one coming when I saw the Black Eyed Peas in concert sometime earlier this year. And when I also saw Lady Gaga. I do refuse to see Justin Bieber, but I will say "Baby" was one of my most played songs in iTunes this year.
I guess here is where I post my mix:
1. Lea Michele - Don't Rain On My Parade. I know this is from Glee and that show is kind of bizarre and pretty bad, but dang if this song doesn't make me float on air and get my arm hair raised.
2. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream. See above.
3. Justin Bieber - Baby.
4. Rihanna - Only Girl in the World. I dare you to not strut it out when you're walking on the treadmill to this one. Go ahead, wipe that sweat from your forehead because you are working it out.
5. Kelis - Acapella. I have loved this lady since the beginning. Sometimes she can do wrong, but her latest album was oh so right.
6. LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change. This song came on at work all too frequently but not so frequently that I wouldn't listen to it outside of work. I also feel like this gives me some street cred, but it's also highly pretentious. I don't care.
7. M.I.A. - Xxxo. This album was a hot mess and I really wanted to love it. This song made it into the mix mostly because I feel bad for her and her truffle fries.
8. Usher feat. Will.i.am - OMG. I wanted to hate this song when it came out, but it quickly became the song I most secretly wanted to be my ringtone.
9. Beck and Bat for Lashes - Let's Get Lost. I thought this was a song I knew from work when I first heard it during a recent Redbox viewing of "Eclipse". Now I'm not so sure, but the soundtrack of that movie is kind of good and this is the first of two songs from it that made my mixdown.
10. Karen Elson - The Ghost Who Walks. I love fashion and I love music. Hello Karen Elson. She sometimes inspires me to bleach my eyebrows, but they are crucial to my face. This also makes me feel sufficiently indie, which I need sometimes to make my purchases from Urban Outfitters that much more credible. I am indie rock music.
11. Beach House - Zebra. Not sure really sure, but this is definitely inspired by my need to feel cool. But it is a sweet song.
12. Kandi - I Just Know. And this is when I get back to just loving the music I love and not even caring about what other people might think. This chick needs my money because Bravo only pays so much. This song makes my heartstrings strum.
13. Monica - Love All Over Me. This girl I work with laughed one day saying, "Can you believe Monica still thinks people like her music?" And I said, "But girl, I have loved both singles off her latest album. And I tend to buy each album she comes out with." I have a big old place in my heart for Monica and this song is so good.
14. The Dream - Love King. I can thank my friend Lauren for turning me on to this one. We both love The Dream. His albums, his entire albums, tend to be pretty good. And this one involves spelling, which clearly makes me want to sing along and decide who is getting what, sidechicks and all.
15. Rihanna - Rude Boy. I am not cool, despite what I want to think. And I love this song. Give it to me baby, like boom boom boom. This song rocked my world since the summer.
16. Cee Lo Green - What Part of Forever. Part two of my Eclipse jams. I love a song where I can envision models getting their struts on. This songs reeks of a fashion show and makes me want to get up on the treadmill and let those folks know who gots it.
17. Willow Smith feat. Nicki Minaj - Whip My Hair Remix. Y'all, I loved this song in its original incarnation, then to go and add Nicki Minaj, Willow, you better do it! I do not care for Nicki's original/solo songs, but she can spit a hot verse on somebody else's song and I like it.
18. Kanye West feat. Raekwon and Justin Bieber - Runaway Love Remix. This songs reminds me of childhood. I hurt my neck when I was dancing to it after playing it three or four times in a row. But y'all, it was worth it. Clearly, I have no shame and love some Justin Bieber. He's okay on this one. The shining star on this is Raekwon.
19. Mark Ronson - The Night Last Night. This is the only song worth much on his latest album. I loved his album of covers but most of that had to do with Amy Winehouse and whoever did "Apply Some Pressure". Again, this is a song where I can see folks strutting it out and I have sweated out a number of tortilla chips and mint M&MS to this one. The drummer is the same from Mark's first one and finds his regular job to be with The Dap Kings. You can count on his rhythm to keep you in shape and your face dripping.
This is my music 2010. Get these songs and get to moving thangs.
Jon
