DOWNLOAD THE TOP 25 SINGLES OF 2010 MIXTAPE ON BWU'S FACEBOOK PAGE AT 12AM 1/1/2011! LIMITED TIME!
These songs were picked from my Top 50 Most Played of 2010 playlist on iTunes, but they aren't necessarily in the top 20 of the list. Some songs I overplayed and others I really loved but just didn't play too often, possibly to preserve my love for it.
Anyway, here are my Top 25 songs of 2010, with peak positions on the US, UK, and BWU Singles charts (sometimes US Dance):
25. Secrets - OneRepublic (US #21, UK #77, BWU #10)
I won tickets to go see them live over the summer, and Ryan Tedder blew me away with his oft-criticized voice. The criticism is nonsense because he has an incredible tone and power to his voice, nowhere more evident than on this excellent single. The song is also a good representative of the sheer musicality that OneRepublic possesses, especially in an Auto-Tuned, electronic era.
24. Someone Wake Me Up - Joe McElderry (UK #68, BWU #1)
So what if it flopped? In fact, a good number of the songs on this list flopped. It just goes to show how poor the taste of the mainstream has gotten. This charming improvement on his ridiculous first single "Ambitions" should have saved his debut album. I guess Joe has to settle with the knowledge that he is a much better singer than any male X Factor contestant ever, even if Olly Murs is beating him on the charts (don't worry Joe, Olly's not on this list).
23. The Silence - Alexandra Burke (UK #16, BWU #1)
A few posts ago, I posted a New York Times article about the fate of pop divas and, by association, the ballad. "The Silence" is the best evidence that, even if the melisma era is ending, there is no knocking an amazing ballad with an amazing singer singing it. This is the best song Alexandra's ever released, in my opinion.
22. Hot Tottie - Usher feat. Jay-Z (US #25, BWU #4)
Usher caught some slack for supposedly "selling out" after the massive successes of pop songs like "OMG" and "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" (more on them later). He silenced those critics with this banger of a single, featuring one of the best verses of Jay-Z's career. I'm still not sure what a "hot tottie" is supposed to mean, but with a song like this one, it's all right in my book.
21. Airplanes - B.O.B. featuring Hayley Williams (US #2, UK #1, BWU #13)
The song, produced by hotshot Alex Da Kid, was inescapable in the first half of the year, but for good reason. It's beautiful piano melody, paired with a heavy drum beat, gave the "airplanes as dreams" metaphor some serious (and a bit annoying after a while) weight. The success of this song led to one of the biggest songs of the year, so thank you B.O.B.
20. Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine (US #21, UK #23, BWU #5)
The big-voiced Welshwoman stunned American audiences when she scored multiple VMA nominations for the video of this song. They were even more surprised when she delivered a show-stopping performance at the ceremony. Me? I wasn't stunned or surprised. I knew she was amazing from "You've Got The Love". Still, this song was a brilliant breakthrough for a brilliant audience, who I'm glad is actually getting attention for our notoriously difficult market.
19. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) - Shakira (US #38, UK #21, BWU #3)
This global megahit may have been fueled by the World Cup, but it was it's infectious, positive message that supported Africa that caught the hearts of people all over. It also doesn't hurt that Shakira, a global megahit in her own right, sang the song.
18. Hang with Me - Robyn (US Dance #10, UK #54, BWU #1)
Everything this Swedish pop queen makes is amazing, but it wouldn't be fair if I put all of Robyn's Body Talk on this list. Instead, let's focus on the brilliance of Robyn's second single. A bombastic, somber, heartbreaker of a track, Robyn continued perfecting her unique genre of electropop.
17. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum (US #2, UK #21, BWU #3)
I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it on radio, pop radio. Yes, country group Lady Antebellum made the difficult crossover to the mainstream with this excellent ballad about simply needing someone, especially when you're a little drunk. It was sad, lonely, and utterly relatable, which is why it was a massive smash.
16. What's My Name? - Rihanna and Drake (US #1, UK #2, BWU #1)
After the Europop stomp of "Only Girl (In The World)", everyone was surprised by the follow-up, a chill, laid-back groover with an opening verse by Drake. It was the perfect showcase for Rihanna's revived island swag, becoming her eighth #1 single in America and her second #1 on the BWU Singles Chart.
15. Find Your Love - Drake (US #5, UK #21, BWU #11)
The Kanye-produced second single from Thank Me Later showed listeners a completely different side to the hyped-up rapper. The Drake on this song was vulnerable, yet determined to "find your love". And he did; the success of tis song pushed his debut album to sales of over 500,000 in its first week of release.
14. Promise This - Cheryl Cole (UK #1, BWU #1)
After a bout with malaria and a divorce, Cheryl Cole returned to the music scene with this unexpected pop rocket. The song's surprising melody, somber lyrics, and killer French hook made it a huge hit in the UK and on the BWU Singles Chart, hitting #1 on both. No wonder Cheryl is considered the nation's sweetheart.
13. OMG - Usher feat. will.i.am (US #1, UK #1, BWU #21)
Usher returned to the top of the charts with "OMG", the purest pop record he's ever released in his career. It was clear from this unique electro smash that Usher regained all of his swag, making him one of music's hottest commodities once again.
12. California Gurls - Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg (US #1, UK #1, BWU #3)
This song was impossible to escape or resist this summer. Katy's ode to the golden coast burned up airwaves and TV screens, thanks to brilliant hook and candy dreamland music video. With the success of this song and her future singles, Katy Perry solidified her status as a pop superstar.
11. 4th of July (Fireworks) - Kelis (US Dance #4, UK #32, BWU #2)
Kelis' comparison of her lover to fireworks is a pretty darn nice compliment. To match it, she turned to electropop to properly express her feelings. The result was a relentless groovy synth dream that made summer so much more awesome. It should have been so much of a hit than it was.
Check out the Top 10 after the jump...
