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Best Songs of 2010: 50 Tracks That Blew Our Hair Back This Year

Some tracks on our list of the best songs of 2010 were so gorgeous they gave us goose bumps; others rocked our freaking faces off. Some left us blissed out or melancholy, while others propelled us onto the dance floor. The common thread? Each speaks to the kaleidoscopic nature of the musical landscape today, and we're embracing the beautiful chaos with open arms and iPods. We've whittled down the hundreds of tunes that we dug throughout the year to those we think best represent 2010 musically. Dive in, get rocked and here's to 2011 one-upping what has been an incredible year in music.
50
'Rolling in the Deep'
Adele
This stomping, bluesy cut from the North Londoner's much-anticipated sophomore outing is also that album's first single and makes full, triumphant use of the singer's soaring vocal talents. The song finds Adele in a brooding but determined mood, ruing that "you could've had it all" but making it clear she's well beyond any mournful feelings, she's moving on and she means business.
Adele
Christopher Polk, Getty Images
49
'Nothing but the Whole Wide World'
Jakob Dylan
With his Wallflowers on possibly permanent hiatus, the Royal Son released his second solo album this year. Produced by that maximally praised minimalist T-Bone Burnett, 'Women + Country' opens with this lovely, homespun rumination. Sounds like a father's uneasy hopes for his own kids, though Dylan does mention a certain deity by name.
Jakob Dylan
John Shearer, Getty Images
48
'Angela Surf City'
The Walkmen
"Life goes on around you." This is what Walkmen frontman Hamilton Leithauser chides almost tauntingly to his former lover in this tropicalia-infused tune. Far from laid-back and breezy, this is an anthem that swells with passion and bravado, drawing you into Leithauser's typically discontented world with a lovelorn fervor that's impossible to discount.
The Walkmen
C Brandon, Redferns
47
'Enough's Enough'
Jamie Lidell
Right down to the addition of a flute, Lidell pays tribute to freaked-out '70s funk on 'Enough's Enough' while throwing in his own unique forward-looking style. With an airtight rhythm section, call-and-response backup vocals and Lidell's pitch-perfect falsetto, this track has had us tapping our feet since last spring.
Jamie Lidell
Andy Sheppard, Redferns
46
'Miami'
Foals
You know what brings black-clad aging hipsters and neon-crazy dance kids together? This song. This five-piece from Oxford, England, do the song's name justice with a bright bounciness that, when paired with desperate lyrics, result in the sonic equivalent of naughty dance-floor contact.
Foals
Ross Gilmore, Redferns
45
'I'm Aware'
Clinic
With their trademark surgical masks, Clinic look like doctors ready to cut. On 'I'm Aware,' they offer up aural anesthesia, using lush '60s instrumentation -- strings, rolling acoustic guitars, trippy keyboards and Summer of Love harmonies -- to induce a psychedelic sleep state. "All the love is gone," frontman Ade Blackburn sings as our eyes begin to close, making this sound like a good thing.
Clinic
Jim Dyson, Getty Images
44
'Shark in the Water'
VV Brown
Combining retro influences, oddball lyrics and a modern pop sound, Brown's breakout hit from her debut disc, 'Travelling Like the Light,' may be the catchiest single of the year (though it was released in Brown's native UK in '09). Who knew a song about a stalker boyfriend could be so much fun?
VV Brown
Angela Weiss, Getty Images
43
'Birthday Boy'
Drive-By Truckers
If the Drive-By Truckers were a barfly's usual order, they'd be a Boilermaker -- can of beer, shot of whiskey. No grenadine, no lime wedges or muddled sugar, no paper umbrellas. 'Birthday Boy' ain't destined to replace 'Happy Birthday' anytime soon -- it's written from the perspective of a jaded working girl. "I ain't got all night," she says. We'll make some time.
Drive-By Truckers
Ebet Roberts, Getty Images
42
'A/B Machines'
Sleigh Bells
This upstart duo has a simple formula: Take one huge beat, one tossed-off guitar riff and one line of lyrics, turn the recording levels way, way into the red and then sit back and watch everyone's speakers smoke. Simple? Sure. Effective? Just ask all the sweat-drenched, dancing kids with bleeding eardrums.
Sleigh Bells
Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images
41
'Post Acid'
Wavves
The title of this track from Wavves' third long-player may suggest a psychedelic comedown, but there's nothing remotely tired about this reverb-soaked summer jam for adderall addicts. With a shout-along chorus that insists, "I'm just having fun ... with you" ad nauseam, this snotty anthem all but dares you to jump around like a hyperactive idiot.
Wavves
Roger Kisby, Getty Images
40
'I Learned the Hard Way'
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
On the title track of their fourth LP, Jones and her band boldly left their comfort zone, adding a symphony orchestra and backing vocalists. With the retro-soul diva holding back just enough of her vocal prowess to add to the heartache, the end result is nothing short of a soul classic.
Sharon Jones
Getty Images
39
'Bright Lit Blue Skies'
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Pink is plenty capable of writing his own '60s-style pop songs, but with 'Bright Lit Blue Skies,' he unearths a genuine psychedelic artifact, a swinging garage nugget recorded in 1966 by Boston's Rockin' Ramrods. The original should have been a smash, and even if Pink's cover isn't exactly burning up the charts, it's a little bit of cosmic justice: a second chance for a first-rate tune.
Ariel Pink
Michael Buckner, Getty Images
38
'Tightrope'
Janelle Monae, Feat. Big Boi
Ever fantasize that a great Bond theme song would come from George Clinton? We're thinking Monae did just that, as 'Tightrope' proudly boasts one of 2010's most infections rhythms, paired with Monae wailing on about naysayers, a guest spot by Big Boi and a well-timed orchestral moment. It's nothing you'd want to listen to while on an actual tightrope: You'd be way too inclined to move.
Janelle Monae
Daniel Boczarski, Getty Images
37
'Written in Reverse'
Spoon
Over the past several years, Spoon have transformed from a little angular guitar band to a full-on soulful combination of modern rock and classic R&B. But 'Written in Reverse' immediately recalls what we loved about Britt Daniel and Co. in the first place: audible angst, cryptic wordplay and a strong sense of urgency throughout these Texans' standout single from 'Transference.'
Spoon
Kevin Mazur, Getty Images
36
'Scribble'
Underworld
Co-written by drum & bass producer High Contrast, with a huge nod to Underworld's epic live song "Do You Scribble," the UK duo's first offering in almost three years is everything we hoped for, and nothing we expected; melodic D 'n' B with a blissed-out Underworld sensibility. Galloping drums deliver the rising synth line to an exultant finish, while Karl Hyde's vocals tell us what we knew all along: "And it's OK/You give me everything I need."
Underworld
Srdjan Stevanovic, WireImage
35
'We Don't Want Your Body'
Stars
The lyrics for Stars' 'We Don't Want Your Body' sound like the secret thoughts of a partygoer who just turned down the village idiot. But rather than reading like a non-redacted cable from WikiLeaks, 'We Don't Want Your Body' is way more inviting, musically, than the lyrical interpretation would ever let on. The devilish dichotomy makes it intriguing, but it's the music itself that makes it so damn good.
Stars
Gary Wolstenholme, Redferns
34
'Coma Cat'
Tensnake
"Can I get/Can I get get?" With its '80s R&B-influenced congas, bells and synths, German disco/house producer Tensnake's breakthrough single "Coma Cat" was ubiquitous in 2010. The infectious hook inspired by Jellybean Benitez along with its gratifying payoff insure that "Coma Cat" will continue to be a dance floor favorite, from the dankest backrooms to the most mainstream nightclubs, for years to come.
Tenspace
Myspace
33
'Younger Us'
Japandroids
Noise duos are dime-a-dozen nowadays, but none boast the striking songcraft that grounds Japandroids' two-ply rock propulsion. The emotional undercurrents first heard on the Vancouver group's breakthrough LP, 'Post-Nothing,' rise to the surface on this anthemic 7-inch, which continues the young pair's fearful, fuzz-laden fixation on growing up. Such premature nostalgia may be unearned, yet it still sparks fire.
Japandroids
Roger Kisby, Getty Images
32
'One Life Stand'
Hot Chip
Starting off as a cool come-on, complete with a big, dark bottom end and sneaky steel drum samples, the title track from Hot Chip's latest somehow ends up at a bright and sunny chorus about getting all hot and ... monogamous? All the ladies in the house, let me hear you say, "Awwwwww, how sweet."
Hot Chip
Graham Denholm, Redferns
31
'Good Morning (The Future)'
Rogue Wave
Everyone loves a comeback story, and after a freak accident that left Rogue Wave's Zach Rogue nearly paralyzed, the Oakland, Calif.'s group seemed kaput. Which is why 'Good Morning (The Future)' felt all the more poignant: The clarity in Zach's voice has a ring to it that that you find in those who are cheerful not because they're in a popular indie rock band but because they're living to write another song.
Rogue Wave
Christopher Polk, Getty Images
30
'Excuses'
Morning Benders
This honeysuckle charmer is such a throwback it just begs to be put on the soundtrack of some early-'60s period piece. But just sounding retro isn't enough to make this list. The Morning Benders' Wall of Sound tribute scores big for its lulling chamber orchestra intro, its earworm melody and a sweetly layered a cappella break that should inspire contestants on 'The Sing Off.'
Morning Benders
Roger Kisby, Getty Images
29
'Something Else'
Diamond Rings
John O'Regan, aka Diamond Rings, admits on 'Something Else' he's not his crush's cup of tea. "But just in case you change your mind," the androgynous Ontarian croons, "I wrote this song for you to sing." And what a fine song it is: four minutes of earnest vocals, subtle synths and understated post-punk guitar -- all set to a minimalist electro-pop beat. If O'Regan's potential paramour doesn't sing along, the rest of us will.
Diamond Rings
Myspace
28
'Rose Garden'
Shad
Shad masterfully bookends a jewel of a sample ("I didn't promise you a rose garden/Along with the sunshine/There's gotta be some rain sometimes") with witty observations on the neuroses of modern life. This soulful throwback -- helped along by the sunny vocals of Broken Social Scene's Lisa Lobsinger -- is a killer head-nodder, proving the rapper's prowess as a wordplay master.
Shad
Vanessa Heins
27
'Say My Name'
Holy Ghost!
From its somber opening notes to its anxious crescendo, the Brooklyn-based disco-synth group's dance floor-shunning, night driving, slow burner "Say My Name" is a dark piece of melancholic mastery. As Holy Ghost! are fans of both Sunny Day Real Estate and Larry Levan equally, the duo's moody song manages to be both upbeat and depressive, eerily marking itself as one of the most poignant songs in recent memory.
Holy Ghost
Ben Hider, Getty Images
26
'Crash Years'
New Pornographers
Some have suggested this song refers to recent Wall Street woes, but, really, it could apply to any troubled era. With its thick orchestral arrangements and glass-half-empty lyrics, 'Crash Years' conveys a sense of looking-back sadness, of having survived something bad -- but not necessarily for the better. The song is lush and complex but not bloated. And even though the Crash Years were surely dark, the New Pornos' 'Crash Years' is a beacon of light.
New Pornographers
Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

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esmoke

enjoyed the best songs now..



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June 11 2011 at 12:38 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
michael

really enjoyed it tks so much

June 01 2011 at 7:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BARBARA

enjoyed the great music today

May 24 2011 at 9:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Karen

I'm sorry but the music out here today - all the singers don't even try. They sing one line, repeat it the whole time, and put a beat behind it. Look @ that "fly like a G6" song. Thats the whole thing!!! Back in the day, the songs had 6 versus and a chorus...try harder people

January 03 2011 at 9:14 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
mervyndilated

LOL

January 02 2011 at 10:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JD

Pathetic load of noise that some nut wants to call talent. I call it disturbing the peace

January 02 2011 at 7:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JohnBliss

It is bad enough when ppl use my "sir name" as in Hersery's Bliss, or a number of ice-cream stands, Blissfull whatever..., then you have the nut-balls that mis-quote; "ignorance is bliss" when it really read, when Ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise. Now this writer used a NON-Word, Blissed! It doesn't exist!

January 02 2011 at 6:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to JohnBliss's comment
tyrebitre

Ah, but it exists now. Anytime a series of letters are joined with the intent of conveying a specific meaning, one has a "word". The fact that ii is not currently given official status doesn't render it not a word. Every word had a beginning and at that point you would have labeled them all as non-words.

January 02 2011 at 10:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cutie

......I couldn't name two songs in the last decade ...the singers, the songs are awful.

January 02 2011 at 5:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cutie's comment
Rhett

Cutie, I agree 100% with u! They mean these songs actually sold somewhere? Maybe big overseas?

June 01 2011 at 12:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
svenskasandy

Where's Coldplay" They are awesome.

January 02 2011 at 4:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sharron

I have heard of NONE of these people. Perhaps a group of folks who actually listen to main stream music should make this list rather than someone to only listens to the unknowns??????

January 02 2011 at 1:47 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply