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Post by billcs on Dec 24, 2007 10:42:16 GMT -5
I'm reserving this space for next weekend, when I'll count down my Top 50 of 2007... I'll likely use the Live Chat feature to do this too, so watch for a date and time and join in the countdown... In the meantime, here are my Top 10's from 2002 to 2006 20021 TAKE A MESSAGE Remy Shand 2 GOTTA GET THRU THIS (D'n'D radio edit) Daniel Bedingfield 3 STAR GUITAR Chemical Brothers 4 CRUSH (1980 ME) Darren Hayes 5 THE MIDDLE Jimmy Eat World 6 SPIN Lifehouse 7 SERVE THE EGO (Gabriel & Dresden remix) Jewel 8 JAMES DEAN (I WANNA KNOW) Daniel Bedingfield 9 COME ON DOWN Crystal Waters 10 STARLIGHT Supermen Lovers 200301 THE REMEDY (I WON'T WORRY) Jason Mraz 02 SIMPLY BEING LOVED (SOMNAMBULIST) BT 03 SUPERFABULOUS BT featuring Rose McGowan 04 THE SOUND OF VIOLENCE Cassius with Steve Edwards 05 AS THE RUSH COMES (Tiesto Mix) Motorcycle 06 ABSOLUTELY ZERO Jason Mraz 07 YET ANOTHER DAY Armin Van Buuren featuring Ray Wilson 08 DEEPEST BLUE Deepest Blue 09 ROCK STAR (Jason Nevins Remix Edit) N.E.R.D. 10 BRING ME TO LIFE Evanescence featuring Paul McCoy 20041 THIS LOVE Maroon5 2 AMAZING George Michael 3 LOLA'S THEME Shapeshifters 4 YEAH Usher f/ Ludacris & Lil' Jon 5 SWAY (Ralphi's Salsation Vox Edit) Michael Buble 6 ROCK U Laurent Konrad 7 FLAWLESS (GO TO THE CITY) George Michael 8 SHE WILL BE LOVED Maroon5 9 MY MY MY Armand Van Helden 10 GIVE IT AWAY Deepest Blue 20051 THE WORLD IS MINE David Guetta featuring J.D. Davis 2 PRETTY VEGAS INXS 3 THE LETTER SONG Tyler Hilton 4 ELEANOR Low Millions 5 THIS IS HOW A HEART BREAKS Rob Thomas 6 LONELY NO MORE Rob Thomas 7 DO WHAT U WANT (Max Graham After Hours In Montreal Mix) jASeFOs featuring Claire Van Der Boom 8 COLLIDE Howie Day 9 WORDPLAY Jason Mraz 10 END OF TIME The Bitch Hotel featuring Rivaz 20061 SEXYBACK Justin Timberlake 2 SET THE FIRE TO THE THIRD BAR Snow Patrol f/ Martha Wainwright 3 WATCHIN' Freemasons f/ Amanda Wilson 4 MAKE A MOVE ON ME (club mix) Joey Negro 5 TURN ON THE MUSIC Roger Sanchez f/ GTO 6 FUTURESEX/LOVESOUND Justin Timberlake 7 OVER MY HEAD (CABLE CAR) The Fray 8 IS IT ANY WONDER Keane 9 FLAWED DESIGN Stabilo 10 THUNDER IN MY HEART AGAIN (Miami calling mix) Meck f/ Leo Sayer
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Post by billcs on Dec 29, 2007 22:11:11 GMT -5
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MIKEB
The King Of Rationality
Posts: 4,536
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Post by MIKEB on Dec 29, 2007 23:12:31 GMT -5
Like the David Usher on there. You shoulda put it the other way tho. 50 first and 36 on the bottom. Since you're doing the suspense and all.
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Post by billcs on Dec 31, 2007 0:16:32 GMT -5
OK Mike, my next batch will be in countdown order... Here are #35 through 21 | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 35 | You Give Me Something | James Morrison | 6 |
I like to think of James Morrison more of a neo-blue-eyed soul singer, along the lines of his namesake Van, rather than the other British James (Blunt) whose popularity overshadows him in North America. This guy’s sophomore CD should be a treat. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 34 | Nothing But A Heartache | Freemasons f/ Sylvia Mason-James | 4 |
Another one of my dance trifles, this one is a cover of a long forgotten Pop/R&B hit from 1969 by The Flirtations, done up Freemasons style. Recently released as a single overseas too. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 33 | You Are The One | Shiny Toy Guns | 5 |
Shiny Toy Guns represent one of several bands who are currently looking back to 80’s New Wave for inspiration. “You Are The One” definitely captures that urgency, and certainly helped get them that weird Grammy nom for Best Dance/Electronica album! | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 32 | You Can't Stop The Beat | Cast of 'Hairspray' | 5 |
I never saw the play, but this song has been resonating with me since it was played several times on season two of So You Think You Can Dance. This new version from the film contains the wide variety of vocals by Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, and John Travolta, and uses them effervescently with bounds of enthusiasm. Radio is really missing the boat by shunning songs like this. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 31 | Fidelity | Regina Spektor | 6 |
Regina Spektor has one of the most unique new voices of 2007. Songs about heartbreak rarely sound so sweet. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 30 | Stronger | Kanye West f/ Daft Punk | 4 |
I was skeptical about this mashup of artists, it seemed like a sellout to me. But man does it work - both the Daft Punk hook and Kanye’s forceful vocals grab you EVERY time. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 29 | Seven Day Fool | Jully Black | 5 |
I call “Seven Day Fool” a distant cousin to Craig David’s “7 Days”, and it’s just as good. The au courant Amy Winehouse attitude about this song is only one of many styles prevalent on Jully Black’s sophomore CD Revival – one of the most varied and also one of the best of the year. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 28 | Say It Right | Nelly Furtado | 3 |
My reference point for comparisons for “Say It Right” is The Vogues’ 1965 hit “Five O’Clock World”. Timbaland uses a similar echo-call-back style in this song that seals it for me. But the song and Nelly’s vocals are good too – and I like the Friscia & Lamboy Electrotribe Mixshow mix as well! | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 27 | Shake Tramp | Marianas Trench | 5 |
Marianas Trench proved with this song that not only are they in your face big time with volume and aggressive lyrics, and jokesters at heart with the fabulous video, but they are also astute musicians with great harmonies – just listen that much closer. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 26 | Make Me Better | Fabolous f/ Ne-Yo | 3 |
Seldom have there been finer blends of rap and R&B vocals than with this unexpected pairing in a fabulous song. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 25 | Destination Calabria | Alex Gaudino f/ Crystal Waters | 3 |
Despite the obvious mashed up title, this blend of Rune’s 2003 dance hit “Calabria” and Crystal Waters’ “Destination Unknown” via DJ Alex Gaudino is a 2007 dance track to die for, even though it’s currently being usurped by DJ Enur’s adaptation. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 24 | Wake Up Alone | Amy Winehouse | 4 |
The first of three entries in my Top 50 (sorry, “Rehab” didn’t even grace my regular chart) is this beautiful ballad soaked in pure 60’s soul. Back To Black is one of the most impressive albums of 2007. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 23 | The Music | David Usher | 4 |
David’s biggest hit of three in the year end Top 50 is one of my favourites from him. It’s hard not to like a song like this, being a big music buff, and it definitely harkens back to the Morning Orbit and Hallucinations CD’s. It looks like David’s heading for softer, acoustic stuff for his next CD. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 22 | Tulsa | Rufus Wainwright | 4 |
I have been fascinated by Rufus’ career since I saw him in concert in a small (250 people) club in Toronto called The Rivoli back in 1998, shortly after I bought his debut CD, which is much-loved by yours truly, His new songs from Release The Stars are generally darker and more lyrical, but “Tulsa” throws a fly in the ointment by not only showcasing a tour-de-force vocal, but lyrics that turn out to be an ode to Brandon Flowers of The Killers! Only Rufus could get away with that and make it work. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 21 | Don't Stop The Music | Rihanna | 3 |
To my ears, “Don’t Stop The Music” was the top dance track of 2007 (but not the best one…) that also became a huge pop hit. The seductive vocal and undeniable hook send it home, despite the unnecessary sampling of Michael Jackon’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”.
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Post by Bullet on Dec 31, 2007 0:18:07 GMT -5
Justin and Christina!!! ;D
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MIKEB
The King Of Rationality
Posts: 4,536
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Post by MIKEB on Dec 31, 2007 2:06:26 GMT -5
Awesome stuff!
How do you know about David's next CD? Is it coming out next year? I'd kinda hope so but I'm still riding high on 'Strange Birds'. I kinda hope his CD isn't like 'if god had curves' tho. That wasn't a bad CD but is my least favourite of his five.
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Post by billcs on Dec 31, 2007 11:36:45 GMT -5
Awesome stuff! How do you know about David's next CD? Is it coming out next year? I'd kinda hope so but I'm still riding high on 'Strange Birds'. I kinda hope his CD isn't like 'if god had curves' tho. That wasn't a bad CD but is my least favourite of his five. I don't know about the CD really, but from his comments on his site and in his MySpace blog, I'm expecting something softer.
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Post by billcs on Dec 31, 2007 17:20:40 GMT -5
Continuing with the countdown, here are songs 20 through 11 - I hope to post the Top 10 tomorrow (and while I'm sure most of you know my #1 song, you can have fun guessing the rest of the Top 10 in the meantime ). | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 20 | It's All True | Tracey Thorn | 2(2) |
Everything But The Girl’s Tracey Thorn returned to a solo career after EBTG’s 15+ years when partner Ben Watt stepped over to production/DJ work. Out Of The Woods is her first solo CD since 1982, and while the other songs from the CD were inconsistent, “It’s All True” sounds like she never missed a beat after EBTG’s last CD Temperamental in 1999. While not groundbreaking, “It’s All True” is like slipping into a comfortable pair of old dancing shoes. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 19 | The Magic Position | Patrick Wolf | 4 |
I thoroughly enjoy “The Magic Position” each time I play it. Patrick Wolf’s vocals and instrumentation mesh beautifully, and the melody simply sparkles. One of the best ‘feel good’ records of the year. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 18 | Papercut | Roz Bell | 2(1) |
Roz Bell is a true original waiting for the world to catch up. The Toronto resident’s debut CD The First Sunbeams has a lot to say, but does it in such a laid back way that a lattè in the corner café is the required accompanying environment. “Papercut” is gritty, carefree, and extremely well sung. Another Roz hit is just ahead. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 17 | In The Dark | Tiesto f/ Christian Burns | 3 |
Dutch DJ/producer Tiësto has made some of the most impressive dance music of this decade, whether he uses vocalists or creates instrumentals. His most recent CD Elements Of Life picks up where his 2004 duet with BT “Love Comes Again” left off, using BT once again on vocals (see #41 “Break My Fall”) as well as others, like ex-BBMak-er Christian Burns. And it’s Burns who makes “In The Dark” an emotional dance floor classic as he convinces us never to be alone in the dark again. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 16 | Love Is Gone | David Guetta f/ Chris Willis | 3 |
Tiësto has his DJ/production competition with France’s David Guetta, who once again dazzled us with his usual line up of amazing vocalists. Guetta’s “The World Is Mine”, a pairing with vocalist JD Davis, was my #1 song of 2005, and “Love Is Gone” finds him back again with American Chris Willis, who’s most notable for one of Guetta’s earlier hits, 2003’s “Just A Little More Love”. Willis once again works his urgent, soulful voice against the layers of Guetta’s production for one of 2007’s most compelling dance hits that also converted some pop fans. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 15 | Yesterday Man | Roz Bell | 2(1) |
So we’re back to this guy named Roz Bell, who writes these damned catchy tunes like “Yesterday Man”, and you’ve gotta wonder if he’s lived these tunes or just likes giving advice. Whatever the case, a few listens later, you’re hooked and singing along just as if you’ve known the words for the longest time. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 14 | Simple Things | dbClifford | 1(1) |
Toronto-based dbClifford is a new piano man for our time. His debut CD Recyclable glows with jaunty pop sensibility like other piano men we’ve heard in the past. “Simple Things” is a song for the sunniest, shiniest day when you have picnics, take long walks, and play Frisbee, remembering the little things in life that make us all happy. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 13 | Makes Me Wonder | Maroon5 | 1(2) |
They came back, bigger, glossier and ready to conquer, and to a point that’s indeed what happened with Maroon5 in 2007. “Makes Me Wonder” was an instant smasheroo, the song that radio had been waiting to play by Spring 2007. If they have a formula, it works, with slick production that turns each of their songs into show-stoppers. Whether they last for another CD before all eyes go toward singer Adam Levine is another matter entirely. Like my #1 song of 2004 “This Love”, “Makes Me Wonder” will endure, even if radio puts it on its ‘never remove’ recurrent list. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 12 | Me Myself And (I) | Darren Hayes | 1(2) |
The first time I heard Darren Hayes’ “Me Myself And (I)” was at his Toronto concert in June at The Mod Club, when he turned it into a jam with Prince’s “Baby I’m A Star”. So I knew by the time it was released as a single in most of the world in November that it would be one of the most interesting party anthems of the year, even if it’s about the possible outcomes of time travel… Hayes is so wrapped up in having a good time with this song that it’s highly contagious. This is the first of three Darren songs in this countdown from his CD This Delicate Thing We’ve Made. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 11 | The Fear You Won't Fall | Joshua Radin | 2(2) |
If there was ever a year when my Top 10 of the year should've been a Top 11, 2007 is that year. I first heard Joshua Radin’s “The Fear You Won’t Fall” on TV, but every time I heard it, the song was excerpted. Funny thing is, the best part of the song was missing! 2007 was a year in which many kind and gentle voices could be found in the pop/rock world, and newcomer Radin, with his unique perspective, is one of them. Don’t be at all surprised if you find yourself getting misty-eyed with this song, which is available for listening on his MySpace site.
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I Got Soul.
Mr. Brightside
All this work keeping people from having sex. Now I know how the catholic church feels. ZING!
Posts: 10,836
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Post by I Got Soul. on Jan 1, 2008 14:31:50 GMT -5
Fantastic to see the likes of Maroon 5, Rihanna, and Amy Winehouse doing so well. Can't wait for your top 10.
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Post by billcs on Jan 1, 2008 14:38:48 GMT -5
Here's the Top 10 : | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 10 | The Way I Are | Timbaland f/ Keri Hilson, D.O.E. and Sebastian | 1(2) |
“The Way I Are” is the most unlikely song to be in my Top 10 of 2007. I didn’t like it when I first heard it. I thought it ripped off the hook of Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It” too much. But then I got to see people’s reaction to the song and after repeated listenings realized what a massive jam it was! I also like the interplay between all of the vocalists, and the overall sound of the song has become a signature of 2007. All in all, “The Way I Are” is a song that’s just impossible to ignore or dismiss. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 09 | You Know I'm No Good | Amy Winehouse | 2(1) |
With the few opening chords, “You Know I’m No Good” bustles its way into your head and tells a familiar story. At the end you just go “Yeah!”. But the song wouldn’t work as well without Amy Winehouse’s bluesy, been-there-doing-that interpretation. It’s her first song in my Top 10 of 2007. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 08 | Beautiful Day (Sunburst Radio edit) | Matt Darey f/ Antoine (of Second Sun) and Marcia Juell | 2(5) |
Even though it incorporates part of the chorus of U2’s “Beautiful Day”, DJ/producer Matt Darey’s song of the same name is still the best club song of 2007 – and the most overlooked and underrated (most of you haven’t heard it). It’s another song meant for the sunniest, best days of the year, but this time imagine a huge outdoor club scene. Darey picked two perfect, relatively unknown vocalists to convey his message, Antoine of DJ/production duo Second Sun and Marcia Juell. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 07 | LoveStoned | Justin Timberlake | 1(2) |
In 2006, Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” was my #1 song of the year and “FutureSex/LoveSound” ranked #6. It’s extremely rare for three songs from the same CD to end up in a year end Top 10, but Justin achieves just that as the supremely catchy “LoveStoned” fits snugly into the 2007 year end Top 10. It’s been one of my favourites from the first time I heard the CD, and I’m glad radio managed to play the full CD version of the song with the ballad interlude of “I Think She Knows”. JT is such a massive talent now it’s hard to say what he can possibly do as a follow up. But because his work with Timbaland has been so innovative and influential, you shouldn’t expect anything less in the future. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 06 | Doctor Blind | Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton | 1(2) |
“Doctor Blind” is an ethereal, strange song that is perfectly suited to get anyone through the winter months. The images created in this song remind one of unusual plays or movies or artwork that blur together as the dreamy music plays on. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 05 | Ruby | Kaiser Chiefs | 1(3) |
If your ears didn’t perk up when this highly praised UK band shouted “Ruby! Ruby! Ruby! Ruby!” then you just must have been asleep. It was the only song outside of my #1 of the year to remain at #1 on my bi-weekly chart for more than two appearances in 2007. The Kaiser Chiefs create pub rock that gets taken two levels beyond… you sing and chant and raise your hands to their songs, and then the lyrics take you to an entirely different place. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 04 | Apologize | Timbaland f/ One Republic | 1(2) |
Simply put, “Apologize” is one of the most achingly beautiful songs of the year. It will survive the endless recurrent airplay that it will attain in 2008. It will contribute to the ongoing success of Timbaland protégés One Republic, and particularly singer/songwriter Ryan Tedder, who has quietly made his name as the most sought after songwriter of the year. Not bad for being dumped by Sony a few years back and having to rely on MySpace to keep afloat! | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 03 | Tears Dry On Their Own | Amy Winehouse | 1(1) |
Although “Tears Dry On Their Own” wasn’t initially my favourite track from Back To Black, it quickly became so with its carefree 60’s UK pop melody and its almost opposing heartbreaking lyrics. This song, more than any other on the CD, defined the unique and lasting appeal of the songs of Amy Winehouse. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 02 | How To Build A Time Machine | Darren Hayes | 1(2) |
“How To Build A Time Machine” is a song that must be taken in direct context with the CD from which it comes (This Delicate Thing We’ve Made). I heard it at Darren Hayes’ Toronto concert in June, but amid the club setting the song seemed interesting but had little effect. It really is a bookend with the song that precedes it on the CD, “Waking The Monster”, and is about exploring the dangerous possibility of time travel – to go back and possibly change things and make the good ones better. It’s an argument that pervades the CD to highly emotional effect. I don’t get easily wrapped up in songs, but the first several times I heard this song, my eyes just welled up… not because I have anything in common with the words, more because they made me wonder why someone would want to go back in time to change what has made them what they are now. It makes me appreciate our memories, good and bad, and celebrate what is now. I thank Darren Hayes for creating my favourite CD of the year, a beautiful and unexpected treasure trove of words, melodies, ideas, and experiments. | Rank | Title | Artist | Peak | | 01 | Step Into The Light | Darren Hayes | 1(2) |
From the first time I heard it, I knew “Step Into The Light” would be one of my favourite songs of 2007, and in short order it became apparent that there was no song that would come close to it this year. It reigned supreme on my chart at #1 for six appearances, the first time that’s occurred since 2002 when my #1 song of that year “Take A Message” by Remy Shand, achieved the same feat. If you’ve ever looked at a spotlight only to wonder what it would be like to stand in it, then I’d suggest you take the opportunity next time. I found this song to be a great confidence builder in many ways, even if that’s not the way Darren Hayes might have meant it to be inspiring. Darren’s band used a 1982 Fairlight synthesizer throughout his CD, and nowhere is it more prominent than in “Step Into The Light”, as it steps into a 1970’s disco and revels under the lights of the disco ball. I also adore the “Moto Blanco mix” of the song, which adds different synthesizer sounds (like strings) to mix more in with mid-70’s Philadelphia styled disco. “Step Into The Light” will rank right up there with my All Time Favourites in time. Here's the full Top 50 as posted on my website: www.geocities.com/tunedon/bestof2007.html
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Us Kids Know
I want your babies. Natasha Bedingfield totally stole my line! Therefore: We have beef.
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Post by Us Kids Know on Jan 1, 2008 18:11:36 GMT -5
Rihanna at #21? Grrr, not acceptable! She has to be at least #7. But hey, Tiesto and Timbaland's "The Way I Are" are up there, good! Wicked Top 50.
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