With the hours ticking down to the start of another year, it’s time to share my Top 100 Tracks of 2010.
Not a ranked list, but rather alphabetized by artist, I’ve tallied the top 100 tunes that were warmly welcomed into my headspace over the past twelve months — the tracks I most enjoyed hearing over and over (and over) again. Pop, dance, indie, rock, hip-hop, R&B — each genre has its representatives. Some were monster singles, some were total flops, while others were never singles. Some made a splash only in the UK, and some took a year to make their way over here. And some of my faves were totally overlooked, regardless of origin.
I’m surprised to see so many artists achieving doubles and triples on this year’s list. I’m sure I’ll get some grief over the artists who made the finally tally (Ke$ha, Christina Aguilera) and those who didn’t score a single mention (well, you tell me). I did save a couple of late-breaking contenders for next year’s consideration, like Duran Duran’s “All You Need Is Now,” though Adele’s scorching “Rolling In The Deep,” released in late November, did make the cut. I’ve been playing the single nonstop and can’t imagine 2010 without it.
Oh, and yes, while the finally tally isn’t ranked, I will divulge that my most favorite track of 2010, hands down (or more appropriately, up) is Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own.” I’ve about worn out my iPod with replays of that bit of pop brilliance.
Popservations’ Top 100 Tracks of 2010
“Rolling In The Deep” – Adele
“My Girls” – Christina Aguilera feat. Peaches
“Not Myself Tonight” – Christina Aguilera
“Heat Wave” – Alphabeat
“We Used To Wait” – Arcade Fire
“Boyfriend” – Best Coast
“Nothin’ On You” – B.o.B. feat. Bruno Mars
“Love Part II” – Bright Light Bright Light
“Parachute” – Cheryl Cole
“Hostage” (Mike Bordes Remix) – Kelli Crossley
“Break Your Heart” – Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris
“Don’t Stop The Music” (Rihanna cover) – Jamie Cullum
“In My Head” – Jason Derulo
“Volcano” – Dragonette
“Birthday Boy” – Drive-By Truckers
“Down By The Water” – The Drums
“Barbra Streisand” – Duck Sauce
“Kickstarts” – Example
“Adt” – Fake Problems
“Obsession” – Sky Ferreira
“One” – Sky Ferreira
“Heavy In Your Arms” – Florence + The Machine
“Crossfire” – Brandon Flowers
“Jump On Stage” – Girl Talk
“Rocket” – Goldfrapp
“Guns And Horses” – Ellie Goulding
“Fuck You” – Cee Lo Green
“Without Me” – Tevo Howard feat. Tracey Thorn
“Wonderful Life” – Hurts
“Closer” – Jes
“Happiness” (Wideboys Club Mix) – Alexis Jordan
“Fire In Your New Shoes” – Kaskade feat. Dragonette
“Stop For A Minute” – Keane feat. K’naan
“Acapella” – Kelis
“We R Who We R” – Ke$ha
“Your Love Is My Drug” – Ke$ha
“Look Out Weekend” – Kid Sister feat. Nina Sky
“Radioactive” – Kings Of Leon
“Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum
“Telephone” – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé
“If I Had You” – Adam Lambert
“Whataya Want From Me” – Adam Lambert
“Get Some” – Lykke Li
“Hollywood” – Marina & The Diamonds
“Just The Way You Are” – Bruno Mars
“Heartbreak Warfare” – John Mayer
“Red” – Daniel Merriweather
“Stadium Love” – Metric
“XXXO” – M.I.A.
“All The Lovers” – Kylie Minogue
“Get Outta My Way” – Kylie Minogue
“Bitter Pill” – Mt. Desolation
“Little Lion Man” – Mumford & Sons
“Enjoy The Silence” (Depeche Mode cover) – Nada Surf
“Mirrors” – Natalia Kills
“Animal” – Neon Trees
“Glitter” – No Age
“If You Want It” – OMD
“Save Me” – OMD feat. Aretha Franklin
“California Gurls” – Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
“Teenage Dream” – Katy Perry
“Together” – Pet Shop Boys
“Raise Your Glass” – Pink
“Never Know” – Primary 1
“Only Girl (In The World)” – Rihanna
“Rude Boy” (Wideboys Stadium Radio Mix) – Rihanna
“What’s My Name?” – Rihanna feat. Drake
“Dancing On My Own” – Robyn
“Hang With Me” – Robyn
“Indestructible” – Robyn
“Somebody To Love Me” – Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. feat. Boy George and Andrew Wyatt
“Commander” – Kelly Rowland feat. David Guetta
“Forever And A Day” – Kelly Rowland
“Rose Colored Glasses” – Kelly Rowland
“Aretha” – Rumer
“Sunshine” – Rye Rye feat. M.I.A.
“Soldier Of Love” – Sade
“Ego” – The Saturdays
“Higher” – The Saturdays feat. Flo Rida
“Fire With Fire” – Scissor Sisters
“Invisible Light” – Scissor Sisters
“Perfect Nightmare” – Shontelle
“Clap Your Hands” – Sia
“Tell ‘Em” – Sleigh Bells
“No Surprises” (Radiohead cover) – Regina Spektor
“Wrote A Song For Everyone” (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover) – Mavis Staples
“Bullet” – Steel Train
“Alligator” – Tegan & Sara
“Taxi Cab” (Vampire Weekend cover) – Tracey Thorn
“Hands” (Ralphi Rosario Radio Edit) – The Ting Tings
“Dead American Writers” – Tired Pony
“Keep Up” (Jackson Uro Trans Mix) – Treasure Fingers feat. Haley Small
“Giving Up The Gun” – Vampire Weekend
“Not Giving Up On Love” – Armin Van Buuren & Sophie Ellis-Bextor
“Once” – Diana Vickers
“Power” – Kanye West
“Runaway” – Kanye West feat. Pusha T
“Mountaineer” – White Sea
“Whip My Hair” – Willow Smith
“O.N.E.” – Yeasayer
To listen to clips or purchase these tracks (most, anyway), visit the Popservations – Top Tunes of 2010 playlist posted on iTunes. Twelve tracks on the list aren’t available for purchase (mostly UK releases), plus one, Hurts’ “Wonderful Life,” that’s currently only sold in remixed form.
With full-lengths forthcoming in the new year from Adele, Fiona Apple, Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Kelly Rowland, R.E.M., Britney Spears, and The Ting Tings, plus the return of Roxette, Blondie, The Cars, and The Human League, 2011 promises to yield a bumper crop of pop.
Thanks for your support, and please stay tuned to discover more good tunes.
