Board 8 > CasanovaZelos's Top 250 Songs Project

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139. ANOHNI Drone Bomb Me (2016)
from the album HOPELESSNESS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUEoic7ro_o

Key lyrics:
Let me be the first
Im not so innocent

On several songs, ANOHNI has toyed with the idea of playing a willing victim. The obvious route while writing a protest song is to remark upon the harm done and beg for change. ANOHNI instead drops into the heart of the matter. On Drone Bomb Me, she plays a Middle Eastern girl begging to be taken with her parents during a bomb strike. The complexity around the issue is intentionally reduced, the song instead playing exclusively within this dark fantasy. Gory details are replaced with fantastic imagery. It is a portrait of absolute devastation forced into a palatable state.

The synthesizer glimmers and sparkles. A strong drumbeat suggests this to be a dance song. ANOHNI sings with so much hope in her voice that it masks the bitter irony. On a sonic level, this is a flawless piece of electronic art pop, with every other line written to call upon stock love song phrases. It borders on sinister, how easily this can blend in with similar songs. The listener is asked to analyze the lyrics to get at the vehement rage at its heart. ANOHNI aims to repulse us through the glossy presentation and thus question why we allow our news media to do the same.

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What are some good resources for really getting deep into music? I mean seeing top rated or most popular albums by year, lists of the best or essential songs, etc.

Like for movies Id recommend Letterboxd, iCheckMovies, TSPDT, Criterion, etc.

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wallmasterz posted...

What are some good resources for really getting deep into music? I mean seeing top rated or most popular albums by year, lists of the best or essential songs, etc.

Like for movies Id recommend Letterboxd, iCheckMovies, TSPDT, Criterion, etc.

My go-to has always been acclaimedmusic.net

It is essentially the popular music equivalent of TSPDT

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I like rateyourmusic

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I feel like RYM has a particular brand of user that I don't click with, so I don't make much use of it.

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wallmasterz posted...

What are some good resources for really getting deep into music? I mean seeing top rated or most popular albums by year, lists of the best or essential songs, etc.

Like for movies Id recommend Letterboxd, iCheckMovies, TSPDT, Criterion, etc.

I really liked listening to Pitchfork's song of the year lists (then deep diving into the bands I really enjoyed from there), until they got absolutely awful ~5 years ago.

I think I'm going to skip updating for the day because listening through Hamilton is taking up my usual music time

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138. Kate Bush Hounds of Love (1985)
from the album Hounds of Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VerK4zwMRQw

Key lyrics:
I found a fox, caught by dogs
He let me take him in my hands
His little heart, it beat so fast
And Im ashamed of running away

Hounds of Love is a deceptive slice of art pop. With propulsive drums, a forceful cello, and the hum of a synthesizer, Kate Bush suggests something massive. It is easy to overlook that there is not much more to it, other than her voice. Having always had an ear for a classical sound, Kate Bush managed to craft a maximalist atmosphere out of a minimal arrangement. This is assisted by her always distinct vocal style. In addition to her usual singing, she layers herself for the backing vocals, which evolves into something akin to barking at key moments. In true art pop fashion, all of these elements add up to something both immediately accessible yet completely distinct from anything else.

The raw passion in Kate Bushs voice is phenomenal. Her first lines carry a frantic edge, only to soften up and grow quieter as she first remarks upon the hounds of love. This shift suggests a haunted feeling, as though she is afraid to speak up. Her frantic energy bubbles up again during the chorus, reaching a high as she rolls through the word throw. This energy takes on a reflective quality during verse two, as she describes an encounter with a fox. As the chorus returns, a subtle shift creates a hopeful atmosphere someone becomes darling. The idea of falling in love can be terrifying from a distance, but Kate Bush finds comfort in the actual act.

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137. Bjrk Bachelorette (1997)
from the album Homogenic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNJv-Ebi67I

Key lyrics:
Im a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

In the first line of Bachelorette, Bjrk declares herself a fountain of blood in the shape of a girl. This opening line is loaded with metaphorical meaning and visceral imagery, the weight of which a lesser song might collapse under. Instead, it sets the stage beautifully for the tense experience that follows. A train-like beat establishes a sense of motion contradicted by the strings and Bjrks tendency to draw out each line. Where I described Joga as the atmospheric backing track for a climactic romance scene, Bachelorette feels like a genuine showstopper. Bjrk belts out her lines with the articulation of a stage performer; she wants you to hear each and every one of these desperate pleas.

Pop rarely sounds this intimidating, art pop or otherwise. Bjrk is a woman on a warpath, never outright threatening but instead warning of dire consequences for any betrayal. The lyrics maintain an evocative quality throughout, matching the density of that opening line. And though each verse begins by casting her in an inhuman role, they mask a very human sense of hurt. During the second verse, she is a path of cinders something which can do real harm but also exists only to be stepped on. Through this intense mix of lyricism and instrumentation, Bjrk breaks love down to an ugly core.

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Bachelorette is such a powerful, emotional track. Its been my favorite Bjork song for a long time now.

136. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs Matador (1993)
from the album Vasos Vacos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3__HmlJIyIU

Matador exists at an intersection between modern and traditional forms of music. At its heart, this could be referred to as ska, but the Latin influences run so deep that this defies simple categorization. The prominent use of candombe drums add another layer. And though candombe would be considered a traditional genre, the combination with modern rock feels almost too perfect. Ska has always been a confrontational genre, but it has never felt more commanding than while paired with these drums. This massive rhythm section combined with the shouts gives a communal quality, like the band is leading a street parade.

With most ska acts, the percussion tends toward peppy rhythms. This typically results in a laidback atmosphere, one that sometimes rubs me as disingenuously upbeat. By dropping that aspect entirely, the horn section which serves as the other pillar of ska takes on an entirely different form. In Matador, the horns suggest building tension. Perhaps this is not a street parade but a riot. Even without knowing the language, Matador is a deeply evocative title. The atmosphere suggests not just a bullfighter but a warrior. With the political context of the actual lyrics, this is a marching song demanding its listeners come out fighting.

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Going away from Youtube this time to share an interesting video made for this song several decades after its release

135. Bob Dylan Like a Rolling Stone (1965)
from the album Highway 61 Revisited

http://video.bobdylan.com/

Key lyrics:
How does it feel?
How does it feel?
To be on your own
With no direction home
A complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?

Like a Rolling Stone has solidified its place in the upper echelons of popular music for good reason. When Bob Dylan picked up the electric guitar, the world of folk music changed forever. Folk was among the last popular bastions for acoustic guitar, and this song proved an existential threat with a rising star like Bob Dylan going electric, what future would the genre have? Bob Dylan took rock music and made his own distinct blend of the two, maintaining his lyrical excellence while expanding his sound. This is one of those revolutions that became so ubiquitous that any idea of controversy is likely lost on my generation. But long before Rolling Stone magazine declared this the greatest song of all time, Bob Dylan was booed during the first live performance.

For this to successfully spawn folk rock as a popular genre, the song itself had to be excellent. Beyond the electric guitar, the instrumentation is top of the line the Hammond organ and harmonica are just as key to establishing the distinct sound. The lyrics are strong, including one of the greatest choruses ever written. With all the high praise, people seem to overlook just how catty Bob Dylan is being on a lot of his best hits. Like a Rolling Stone absolutely eviscerates an unnamed woman. Imagine annoying an artist so much that he commits musical sacrilege to help kick-start a new genre just to diss you.

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134. Billie Holiday Strange Fruit (1939)
non-album single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx_mOECjT_8

Key lyrics:
Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root

This is a rare song where I specifically remember my first listen. My high school history teacher began a class by playing Strange Fruit. I do not believe any other hour of my high school experience was so quiet Billie Holiday sings with enough power to shut a bunch of white kids up real quick. The rest of that class was a grotesque necessity it says a lot about this song that it has haunted me as much as the horrid postcards we were made to observe. Certain people would do anything to erase that history, but works like this ensure it remains in the popular conscious. Strange Fruit is a prime example of why art should be political.

You can find several versions of this song. No matter which you choose, the impact remains the same. All it needs is Billie Holidays stunning vocals and those gut-wrenching lyrics. The words paint a visceral image of the American South, speaking of hanging bodies like common fruit. Like dozens of holocaust films, Strange Fruit is a reason I shy away from the term favorite. This song crawls beneath my skin. Art can be fun, even an escape, but it is the lasting impact that makes something truly stick. Strange Fruit is a strikingly unpleasant experience, and it is so very important that it exists.

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133. Robyn Dancing On My Own (2010)
from the album Body Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcNo07Xp8aQ

Key lyrics:
Im in the corner, watching you kiss her
Im right over here, why cant you see me?

Club songs are typically designed to be upbeat who wants to go out dancing and be sad about it? At the same time, the actual process of using a club to meet people can be a typically disappointing affair. Robyns Dancing On My Own captures that mixed experience. The music is pounding, a perfect dance track, yet Robyn finds herself watching an ex with a new lover. Like rubbernecking, she cant look away, no matter how much it hurts. In an act of sad defiance, she ends each chorus by dancing alone she can get through this, but boy is it tough.

The synthesizer on this track throbs the flurry of notes are contradicted by their repetition. The bridge is key to the experience. Though the surrounding pieces are much the same, the bridge itself drops out much of the instrumentation to emphasize Robyns sadness. When the drums break her free from this momentary despair, the song takes on a new form. Her distant brooding starts to read as self-love. Her idle watching which first read as self-destructive feels like a necessary act seeing this ex with someone new is key to moving on. Until she finds someone new, she can find solace in dancing alone. Dancing On My Own creates the perfect atmosphere for breaking out of those lonely moods.

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Dancing On My Own is so great. Not trying to be one of those "covers are never as good as the original" prudes, but when that piano cover, by someone whose name is Callum Scott I think, was popular on the radio, it sounded so wrong. This song needs to be dance-y because that's the damn point of it.

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Great write-up on Strange Fruit, that was chilling the way you phrased that song.

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132. Bright Eyes First Day of My Life (2005)
from the album Im Wide Awake, Its Morning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwFS69nA-1w

Key lyrics:
Im glad I didnt die before I met you

Writing a sincere love song without a hint of sentimentality is difficult to achieve. With First Day of My Life, Bright Eyes hits the right note by starting at a downward angle. The opening lines suggest a man walking outside to blow off steam after a fight, only to realize the strength of his feelings while alone. This messy side shows Bright Eyes is not placing love on some magical pedestal. Minor disagreements can explode into more, and this song hones in on that fragile feeling that you might be about to lose everything. First Day of My Life reflects on love, not through rose-colored glasses but with perfect clarity.

The most intense declaration is framed as an old quote from the partner. Through this distance, Conor Oberst drains any sentimentality by making it an observation. Presented directly from a singer, these lines would read as an overstatement as something a lover might say to another, it reads as perfectly authentic. Adding to the authenticity is how the song largely avoids metaphors. One comes in during the final chorus, but Oberst turns the trope on its head. Love is a paycheck. This almost feels reductionist; where most songwriters rely on flowery language, Oberst uses something mechanical. But he is aiming for a higher truth: love requires constant effort or else it ends. First Day of My Life suggests the true beauty of love is in its mundanity.

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131. Bob Dylan Tangled Up in Blue (1975)
from the album Blood on the Tracks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKcNyMBw818

Key lyrics:
We always did feel the same
We just saw it from a different point of view

Whether discussing the current political climate or simply tearing into an old friend who slighted him, Bob Dylan goes all in with his lyrics. His voice may be harsh, but his odd inflections help articulate his dense writing. Tangled Up in Blue feels like his most monumental achievement. Though it is far from his longest song, the lyrics suggest grand swaths of time while being littered with classical references. This is a man giving a full tour of his love life, grit and all. The amount of detail alone is astounding; the fact he manages this while maintaining a complex rhyme scheme is truly breathtaking.

The ambling guitar perfectly matches Bob Dylans unusual cadence. The verses stick to a strict structure, but the instrumentation subtly grows denser with each repetition. This growing sound is matched by his delivery as he begins to draw out certain words. This is one of the ultimate Bob Dylan songs because it is so clearly written for his voice. No one can do Tangled Up in Blue better, as it so clearly comes from a specific person. Just to confirm this, the song naturally ends with a sudden harmonica solo. Bob Dylan is a man of many talents, but lyrical storytelling is his most impressive, with Tangled Up in Blue serving as a perfect showcase.

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130. Miles Davis So What (1959)
from the album Kind of Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylXk1LBvIqU

So What begins with a perfect build-up. The song starts quiet, with just a piano and bass. The central riff ambles about, punctuated by two louder notes. This instrumental call and response is essential to the track. The other instruments slowly join in during the response, the song growing louder with each addition. After a minute and a half, the song enters a smoother section. Throughout, the band suggests something to be growing, yet the expansive sound is also soothing. After a flurry of solos, the song ends by circling back to the beginning. Two notes have rarely held such power.

For me, the strength of jazz is its ability to generate specific moods purely through instrumentation. So What places me in a mode of active thinking. Those two notes are an interruption, making it impossible to settle into the groove even once they fade away. This should be easy listening, but the opening trains its audience to anticipate sudden change. Though played at a moderate tempo, the combined effect is something busy. The return of those two notes immediately ends the tension, helping kick off a strong outro. Miles Davis has tons of technical greats, but So What is his rare piece with pop appeal.

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129. Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg Nuthin But a G Thang (1992)
from the album The Chronic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F0CAEoF4XM

Key lyrics:
You never been on a ride like this befo
With a producer who can rap and control the micstro

Obviously, hardcore hip hop was already well-established by the time Dr. Dre released The Chronic Dre himself had been a member of N.W.A. Despite the quality of those earlier records, there was a decidedly niche element limiting their appeal. This particular subgenre is designed with a certain audience in mind, and those involved had no reason to consider outsiders. But something about Nuthin But a G Thang had an undeniable mainstream appeal, stopped just short of hitting #1 on the Billboard charts when the only rap songs to reach those heights were largely novelties like Ice Ice Baby and Baby Got Back.

There are a few obvious elements to this success. Foremost is Dr. Dres sampling, notably from a 1970s Leon Haywood track. The original song is rather mundane and light, but Dr. Dre snips out just the right portion and amplifies it into something extraordinary. The best sampling recontextualizes the original recording, and this sample is turned into something striking and cool. Then theres Snoop Dogg, who has a decidedly chill delivery. In a genre dominated by aggression, Snoop Dogg asked everyone to relax and take it easy for a moment. Nuthin But a G Thang dropped much of the typical gangster rap subject matter, operating as a perfect party jam. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg achieve mainstream accessibility while maintaining an undeniably cool atmosphere, establishing a template many rappers would follow.

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The Chronic is G-Funk, not hardcore rap! But perhaps that's why it was a chart topper.

ChainLTTP posted...

The Chronic is G-Funk, not hardcore rap! But perhaps that's why it was a chart topper.

I mean, yes, but The Chronic helped establish G-Funk as a subgenre within gangster rap - gangster rap mixed with funk is still a form of gangster rap.

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128. Joni Mitchell A Case of You (1971)
from the album Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YuaZcylk_o

Key lyrics:
Part of you pours out of me
In these lines from time to time

It takes a special skill to make such a touching minimalist track. Joni Mitchell is accompanied by nothing but a dulcimer and acoustic guitar. This minimal arrangement puts her voice in the spotlight, and does she ever run away with it. Words are drawn out to a breaking point, moments of heightened emotion find her voice growing ever higher. Her voice quavers with vulnerability, singing with utmost sincerity. Though the piece might be simple, few can sing quite like Joni.

A Case of You stands apart from other love songs due to its angle. The very first line sets its subject matter in the past but this is not a breakup song. Rather, this is a lovingly nostalgic reflection on a relationship that could not last. Moments like this are exceedingly rare. To be able to look at a past romance not with hate or sadness but a simple acknowledgment of its foundational effect captures a flurry of emotions. This is sad and happy in the same breath. The lyrics are exceptional, starting with Joni cutting down one of his grandiose phrases before turning herself to metaphor. She casts him as being in her blood, too familiar to carry any more impact yet an essential part of her existence. A Case of You captures a bittersweet emotion some might never get a chance to experience otherwise.

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127. The Supremes Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
from the album Where Did Our Love Go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTBmgAOO0Nw

Right before the British Invasion really took off, popular music in the 1960s seemed headed in a very different direction. This was the age of the girl group, bands of young women singing in close harmony supported by some of the best songwriters and producers of the era. Most of the lasting megahits from this era have a celebratory or high energy atmosphere. Where Did Our Love Go, on the other hand, is surprisingly mellow. Diana Ross leads with the gentlest vocals imaginable, even while singing about a failed relationship. The foot stomping percussion lends a dynamic element to an otherwise simple beat. The backing vocals exist at a distance, coming off as echoes of Rosss sentiments.

Other than a brief saxophone solo right in the middle, there is not much variance to this short track. This simplicity works to establish Where Did Our Love Go as a purely emotive piece. Diana Ross plays a woman stunned by the sudden end of a relationship, rambling lyrics suggesting a total loss for words. This is soul music in a distilled form. Sometimes emotions are too extreme for words, and The Supremes capture so much longing and ghostly despair despite the surface level pleasantness.

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Do you think Soft Cell did to this song what they did for Tainted Love just as well?

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Snake5555555555 posted...

Do you think Soft Cell did to this song what they did for Tainted Love just as well?

Not really. Their version of "Tainted Love" feels like a complete reconstruction. Their version of "Where Did Our Love Go" changed up the instruments, obviously, but it keeps too close to the original while also missing a lot of the key elements that make the original so great. Almond has nothing on Diana Ross (which is weird, considering the passion displayed on "Tainted Love"), and the lack of backing vocals leaves it kind of empty. The percussion on the original is also stronger.

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126. Big Thief Not (2019)
from the album Two Hands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIcVwH47uxQ

Key lyrics:
Its not the hunger revealing
Nor the ricochet in the cave

The lyrics of Not cut deep in a way I have rarely encountered. Off the top of my head, the only song that compares is Leonard Cohens Who By Fire. Both have an insistent structure. But where Who By Fire is simply listing off the many ways to die, Not remains nebulous in its meaning. What does it mean to describe something only through negation? We are given everything it is not without a clear hint of the actual subject matter. The experience is legitimately upsetting. Adrianne Lenkers vocals are oozing with devastation, but the lack of solid details warps our ability to empathize. We are asked to understand emotion without context.

By the third verse, Lenker delivers some of the rawest vocals indie rock has ever seen. The way she tears through the phrase its not the hunger revealing is revelatory. The final chorus is practically shouted, the emotions too overwhelming. And then words finally lose all impact. In a song about the inability to express emotions verbally, Big Thief expertly decide to drop the vocals entirely. They are replaced by a nearly three minute guitar solo. In an era where guitar has seen less emphasis, Big Thief show the power of an expertly timed solo. This is an all-time great, morphing the energy of the vocals into an extended, explosive finale. Not is made up familiar pieces the poignant lyricism of folk, the grunge aesthetic, and an electrifying classic rock closer. But by being so many things at once, its not anything but itself.

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5 more artists have dropped out, including my #1 - Bob Dylan had four songs in the top 200 but nothing which cracked the top 100.

List so far:
250. The The - This is the Day
249. Goldfrapp - Lovely Head
248. Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
247. Cerrone - Supernature
246. Jessie Ware - Spotlight
245. SOPHIE - Bipp
244. Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
243. The Beatles - Yesterday
242. The Walkmen - The Rat
241. Hank Williams - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
240. Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck
239. Sigur Ros - Svefn-g-englar
238. The Clash - London Calling
237. Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth
236. Fever Ray - If I Had a Heart
235. Bjork - Joga
234. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain
233. Stereolab - Cybele's Reverie
232. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
231. Prince - When Doves Cry
230. New Order - True Faith
229. The Cure - Just Like Heaven
228. Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
227. Vashti Bunyan - Diamond Day
226. The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
225. Elliott Smith - Waltz #2
224. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Mustt Mustt
223. Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
222. Amy Winehouse - Rehab
221. Charles Mingus - Track C - Group Dancers
220. Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
219. Janelle Monae - Tightrope
218. M.I.A. - Paper Planes
217. Soft Cell - Tainted Love
216. Elliott Smith - Between the Bars
215. Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren
214. The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows
213. M83 - Midnight City
212. Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)
211. Arcade Fire - Wake Up
210. Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line
209. Art Ensemble of Chicago - Theme de Yoyo
208. Missy Elliott - Work It
207. Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
206. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
205. 808 State - Pacific State
204. LCD Soundsystem - How Do You Sleep?
203. Bruce Springsteen - The River
202. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
201. Courtney Barnett - Avant Gardener
200. Kendrick Lamar - i
199. Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road
198. Nick Drake - River Man
197. Lucy Dacus - Night Shift
196. The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
195. Buddy Holly & The Crickets - Peggy Sue
194. Bob Dylan - Hurricane
193. Lou Reed - Perfect Day
192. The National - Fake Empire
191. Nina Simone - Feeling Good
190. Roy Orbison - In Dreams
189. Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better
188. Caribou - Can't Do Without You
187. The xx - Crystalised
186. Beck - Where It's At
185. Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence
184. Pixies - Debaser
183. Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight
182. Solange - Cranes in the Sky
181. The Specials - Ghost Town
180. Todd Terje - Inspector Norse
179. Nick Cave - Into My Arms
178. Neil Young - Heart of Gold
177. Vampire Weekend - Hannah Hunt
176. Lorde - Royals
175. The Knife - Silent Shout
174. Hot Chip - Over and Over
173. Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again
172. Slint - Good Morning Captain
171. The Velvet Underground - Venus in Furs
170. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
169. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues
168. Nirvana - Lithium
167. Aldous Harding - The Barrel
166. David Bowie - Young Americans
165. Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side
164. Big Thief - Shark Smile
163. Burial - Archangel
162. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
161. Townes Van Zandt - Pancho and Lefty
160. Chico Buarque - Construcao
159. The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
158. Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot
157. David Bowie - Lazarus
156. The Knife - Full of Fire
155. Dave Brubeck - Take Five
154. The Cure - Close to Me
153. James Brown - Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine
152. Funkadelic/Parliament - One Nation Under a Groove
151. !!! - Me and Giuliani Down by the Schoolyard
150. Lana Del Rey - Video Games
149. Nico - These Days
148. Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
147. Daft Punk - One More Time
146. Underworld - Born Slippy
145. Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You
144. The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
143. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit
142. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
141. Elbow - One Day Like This
140. James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream
139. ANOHNI - Drone Bomb Me
138. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
137. Bjork - Bachelorette
136. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Matador
135. Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
134. Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
133. Robyn - Dancing On My Own
132. Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life
131. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue
130. Miles Davis - So What
129. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg - Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang
128. Joni Mitchell - A Case of You
127. The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go
126. Big Thief - Not

Top 100 artists (with no remaining songs; artists from the most recent batch bolded):
1. Bob Dylan: "Tangled Up in Blue (#131)
3. Nick Cave: "Into My Arms" (#179)
14. Neil Young: "Heart of Gold" (#178)
16. Kanye West: "Monster" (#309)
18. Tom Waits: "Time" (#790)
21. The Cure: "Close to Me" (#154)
24. Miles Davis: "So What" (#130)
25. Charles Mingus: "Track C - Group Dancer" (#221)
26. Leonard Cohen: "Suzanne" (#588)
28. Nirvana: "Lithium" (#168)
34. Arcade Fire: "Wake Up" (#211)
36. Fiona Apple: "Heavy Balloon" (#275)
38. Metallica: "Master of Puppets" (#348)
39. PJ Harvey: "Rid of Me" (#472)
40. Led Zeppelin: "Kashmir" (#619)
43. Animal Collective: "My Girls" (#307)
45. The National: "Fake Empire" (#192)
46. Joni Mitchell: "A Case of You" (#128)
47. St. Vincent: "Digital Witness" (#334)
49. U2: "One" (#434)
50. Pink Floyd: "Wish You Were Here" (#514)
51. Vampire Weekend: "Hannah Hunt" (#177)
53. The Police: "Roxanne" (#285)
54. Beastie Boys: "Sabotage" (#261)
55. Portishead: "Sour Times" (#254)
56. The xx: "Crystalised" (#187)
58. The Chemical Brothers: "Hey Boy Hey Girl" (#271)
60. The Kinks: "Waterloo Sunset" (#355)
62. Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Fortunate Son" (#333)
63. Lou Reed: "Walk on the Wild Side" (#165)
64. Can: "Mother Sky" (#398)
65. Mogwai: "2 Rights Make 1 Wrong" (#399)
67. John Coltrane: "A Love Supreme, Part 1: Acknowledgement" (#661)
69. Bob Marley: "Redemption Song" (#506)
73. Depeche Mode: "Never Let Me Down Again" (#173)
75. Madonna: "Like a Prayer" (#336)
76. Simon and Garfunkel: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (#248)
77. The Clash: "London Calling" (#238)
80. Sigur Ros: "Svefn-g-englar" (#239)
81. M.I.A.: "Paper Planes" (#218)
82. Bon Iver: "Skinny Love" (#262)
85. Green Day: "Basket Case" (#371)
90. ANOHNI: "Drone Bomb Me" (#139)
91. Elvis Presley: "Suspicious Minds" (#387)
92. Fever Ray: "If I Had a Heart" (#236)
93. Beyonce: "Countdown" (#615)
94. Funkadelic/Parliament: "One Nation Under a Groove" (#152)
100. Robyn: "Dancing On My Own" (#133)

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I also wanted to compare how my #100 and #1 artist got their respective positions. For each album in my top 1500 and song in my top 3000, I assign points based off their tier. It looks something like this:
For songs, my #1-25 receive 50 points (these are my 10/10 songs)
26-100 receive 47 (9.9/10)
101-200 receive 44 (9.8/10)
201-300 receive 42 (9.7/10)
and so on until I get outside the top 1000, when it starts going by 200. The number of albums are simply split, so it goes by 50 through the top 500 and 100 through the top 1500. That final tier (2801-3000) gets 10 points - so lower ranked songs still give a notable boost over not being ranked at all.

To give albums more weight, I then divide the overall song points in half.

With this system, Robyn has 176 points, and the points slowly grow from there. If Robyn gained even one 10-point song, she would jump to #87 - a lot of my top 100 artists are fairly close.

My #10 band has 443.5 points - a notable jump up from Robyn, but that makes sense with a 90 place gulf.

But then Bob Dylan has 781 points - more than four times as much as Robyn. Only one artist is within even 100 points. In general, my top 6 artists under this system exist in a completely separate sphere from everyone else. My actual favorite band sits at #7, but they simply lack the body of work to compare, with another 100 point gap between them and #6. All six of these have been my #1 artist at some point outside of Nick Cave, who has been steadily rising with releases over the last decade.

To visualize this in a more digestible way:
1. Bob Dylan - 781 points
2. ??? - 711
3. Nick Cave - 674.5
4. ??? - 663.5
5. ??? - 635
6. ??? - 588.5
7. ??? - 481
8. ??? - 474.5
9. ??? - 450
10. ??? - 443.5

This is what those points look like with the associated body of work

Robyn - 176 points total:

Albums:
Body Talk - 32 points
Robyn - 24 points
Honey - 24 points

Songs (points divided by 2 in the overall score):
Dancing on My Own - 44 points
Call Your Girlfriend - 30 points
Missing U - 24 points
Be Mine - 24 points
With Every Heartbeat - 20 points
Do It Again - 18 points
Honey - 18 points
Monument - 14 points

So, 3 albums and 8 songs can be enough to crack my top 100...but to reach the #1 spot...

Bob Dylan - 781 points total:

Albums:
Blood on the Tracks - 44 points
Highway 61 Revisited - 44 points
Bringing It All Back Home - 42 points
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - 36 points
Blonde on Blonde - 32 points
Time Out of Mind - 28 points
The Times They Are A-Changin' - 22 points
Love and Theft - 18 points
Desire - 18 points
Modern Times - 16 points
Nashville Skyline - 16 points
John Wesley Harding - 12 points
Rough and Rowdy Ways - 12 points
The Basement Tapes - 11 points
Oh, Mercy - 10 points

Songs:
Tangled Up in Blue - 44
Like a Rolling Stone - 44
Subterranean Homesick Blues - 44
Hurricane - 44
It's Alright Ma - 42
Positively 4th Street - 40
Ballad of a Thin Man - 36
Masters of War - 36
Shelter from the Storm - 30
Blowin' in the Wind - 26
The Times They Are A-Changin' 26
Stuck Inside of Mobile - 24
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - 24
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - 24
Idiot Wind - 24
Desolation Row - 24
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - 20
Simple Twist of Fate - 20
Girl from the North Country - 20
Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - 18
Murder Most Foul - 18
It Ain't Me, Babe - 18
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - 18
I Want You - 18
Just Like a Woman - 18
Gates of Eden - 16
Visions of Johanna - 16
Maggie's Farm - 16
Boots of Spanish Leather - 14
Not Dark Yet - 12
Blind Willie McTell - 12
My Back Pages - 12
Lay Lady Lay - 11
Mississippi - 11
Every Grain of Sand - 10
Things Have Changed - 10

So my #1 spot takes 15 albums (tied only with Nick Cave, and 4 more than any other artist) and 36 songs (3 more than anyone else).

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125. Dead Kennedys Holiday in Cambodia (1980)
from the album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Oil9GB_Sec

Key lyrics:
Dont forget to pack a wife

Ramones achieved their signature sound by playing rather ordinary songs twice as fast. The hardcore punk movement then came along saying that was not fast enough. There is something raw, almost animalistic that makes hardcore punk hit different than other hard genres. Where the various forms of metal typically feature complex instrumentation, most of the hardcore punk acts stick to the simple structure of punk. Everything is in the presentation.

Jello Biafras vocals make Holiday in Cambodia unlike anything else. He gives off an air of genuine insanity in his gleeful sneers. Where many hardcore performers rely on anger, Biafra makes it clear his target deserves nothing more than biting ridicule. This delivery has an unlikely effect though both the subject matter and music are aggressive, Biafra seems to be inviting us to laugh along.

The guitar toys with surf rock, turning out one of the sickest riffs in punk. This adds to Biafras bitterly cynical sarcasm the beaches of Cambodia are totally tubular, dudes. The song veers off into several instrumental breaks, all more sinister than the last. The finale descends into Biafra muttering Pol Pot over and over, reducing the dictator to a decontextualized rhythmic element. Holiday in Cambodia is as biting as it is fun.

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124. Julee Cruise and Angelo Badalamenti Falling (1989)
from the albums Floating Into the Night and Soundtrack from Twin Peaks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIUeZ4OqLXU

Key lyrics:
Dont let yourself be hurt this time

An instrumental variant of this song would be used as the iconic theme for Twin Peaks. Being that Twin Peaks is my favorite television show, I may be a tad biased but Badalamentis score is such a big part of this love. Further, while I once begrudged acknowledging other media influencing my love for certain songs, I now recognize this denies music one of its major functions. More than any other medium, music has been used to accompany other works of art. The act of helping another work achieve greatness can itself be a sign of greatness. This extends beyond something as explicit as a television theme the most iconic songs become symbols in themselves. I cannot dissociate These Days from Margot Tenenbaum stepping off the bus or The End from Apocalypse Now nor would I want to. Its not that Twin Peaks elevates my love for Falling, but that their greatness is interlinked.

Julee Cruises vocals transform the atmospheric grandeur into something ethereal and dreamy. The contrast between her gentle vocals and the signature bass simulate the spirit of David Lynchs work. Julee Cruise plays an innocent girl on the verge of being crushed by the weight of the world. Whenever the instruments threaten to drown her out entirely, she resists. The song rises with her voice, the music bending to her will. This is a ray of hope in a grander body that would constantly deny its audience and characters such levity.

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CasanovaZelos posted...

Songs:
Tangled Up in Blue - 44
Like a Rolling Stone - 44
Subterranean Homesick Blues - 44
Hurricane - 44
It's Alright Ma - 42
Positively 4th Street - 40
Ballad of a Thin Man - 36
Masters of War - 36
Shelter from the Storm - 30
Blowin' in the Wind - 26
The Times They Are A-Changin' 26
Stuck Inside of Mobile - 24
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - 24
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - 24
Idiot Wind - 24
Desolation Row - 24
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - 20
Simple Twist of Fate - 20
Girl from the North Country - 20
Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - 18
Murder Most Foul - 18
It Ain't Me, Babe - 18
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - 18
I Want You - 18
Just Like a Woman - 18
Gates of Eden - 16
Visions of Johanna - 16
Maggie's Farm - 16
Boots of Spanish Leather - 14
Not Dark Yet - 12
Blind Willie McTell - 12
My Back Pages - 12
Lay Lady Lay - 11
Mississippi - 11
Every Grain of Sand - 10
Things Have Changed - 10

No It's All Over Now, Baby Blue? Probably my favorite Dylan track but it fluctuates for sure.

123. A Tribe Called Quest Scenario (1991)
from the album The Low End Theory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6TLWqn82J4

Key lyrics:
Rawr, rawr, like a dungeon dragon

Scenario is far from a typical Tribe Called Quest production. Their other hits tend to take a lighter atmosphere, more in line with De La Soul than Wu-Tang Clan. Scenario is a one-off exploration of hardcore elements, but the Tribe give a convincing performance. Their sample is as simple as it is confrontational. This is the ultimate posse cut, cycling through the members and several guests from Leaders of the New School. The minimalist production spotlights the delivery there are moments where lines seem to exist purely to create an impossible flow. Short bursts of backing shouts add to the experience. Plenty of rap tracks emphasize vocals, but Scenario focuses more on the cadence than the lyrics.

Already exceptional during its first half, Scenario becomes an all-time classic by introducing the world at large to Busta Rhymes. The whole song seems built to encapsulate his specific strengths. His persona is aggressive yet absurd, a perfect match for this nontraditional hardcore cut. Despite its relative hard edge, Scenario fits perfectly alongside the other Tribe Called Quest hits through its playfulness. This track only toys with intimidation, cutting it down with bizarre exclamations. This is simply a group of young men having a whole lot of fun, resulting in an explosive party jam.

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Good God I love Scenario. One of the first tracks I ever drank to lol.

Thanks for that Like A Rolling Stone video, that was a lot of fun. Tangled Up in Blue is also pretty much my favourite Dylan track; everything about it just works so well. Ballad of a Thin Man comes close, but that one is challenged by a great Triggerfinger cover.

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I've been trying to do 3 a day recently but today ended up being crazy busy, so I'm gonna skip today

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122. Kraftwerk Trans-Europe Express (1977)
from the album Trans-Europe Express

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_85fUIRlmU

Key lyrics:
From station to station, back to Dusseldorf City
Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie

Trans-Europe Express chugs along just like the international railway which inspired its creation. The robotic Kraftwerk had their eye on transportation from the beginning their first two albums feature traffic cones on the cover, while their breakthrough hit was a 23 minute epic about the Autobahn. The full album of Trans-Europe Express feels like a grand tour of the European countryside. But where album opener Europe Endless is pretty enough that it could have been used to advertise the now-defunct TEE, Trans-Europe Express kicks off side two with something sinister. While that first track simulates a peaceful trip, Trans-Europe Express mimics the harsh sounds of the train itself.

The vocals add to the industrial soundscape. At first, they are modified with a metallic layer. This dense production suggests a discordant harmony of metal scraping against metal. Even when the band sings without modification, there is an insistent monotony to their performance. This is cold and calculating in other words, efficient. Through all the tense atmosphere, there is no suggestion Kraftwerk views this machinery with disdain. Grand, rising synthesizers create a monolithic entity. Viewing the future of both transportation and music as gods from the machine, Kraftwerk cast them both as awe-inspiring, in the most classical sense of both fear and wonder.

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121. Jay-Z 99 Problems (2003)
from the album The Black Album

Key lyrics:
If you dont like my lyrics, you can press fast forward

Jay-Zs greatest hit acts as a deconstruction of his success. Built around a chorus ripped straight from Ice-Ts own 99 Problems, Jay-Z takes a literal interpretation. Instead of focusing on the women, his gaze is focused exclusively on the problems. The chorus thus acts as needless button-pushing, of which he tackles in the first verse. Do any of his critics understand the context of his success? Misogyny may be a common problem in hip hop, but the critics ignore why those songs exist. These are celebratory songs from a group which has been given little reason to do so. Those more upbeat if problematic tracks act as a necessary catharsis. He then bitterly descends into the real problems these critics demand.

The production is an absolute masterwork. Few songs manage such inseparable synthesis between voice and instrumentation. The beat stutters and stops, helping to emphasize every single word. A few guitar chords strike at the end of every other line, continually pushing us into the next section. Through this aggressive, minimalistic beat, Jay-Z paints a grimy picture of life as a black man in America. By doing so, he actually flips the chorus on its head a good woman might just be his one relief.

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120. SOPHIE Immaterial (2018)
from the album Oil of Every Pearls Un-Insides

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv3yIv9nwf8

Key lyrics:
I could be anything I want
Anyhow, anywhere, any place, anyone that I want

On her first studio album, SOPHIE largely shed the hyperpop aesthetic of her earlier singles to create some truly aggressive electronic bangers. Immaterial feels like the one leftover from those earlier creations, and its context within such a heavy album is what finally sold me on the hyperpop sound. SOPHIE plays with the concept of gender throughout the album, with Immaterial as conceptually relieving as it is sonically. Where Faceshopping simulates a breakdown over the need to present oneself a certain way, Immaterial is a firm embracement of the ethereal. With this track, SOPHIE affirms that we have the power to define ourselves. The seeming frivolity of her earlier work is shattered by this clear statement she made such unusual music because she could.

As someone with a firm understanding of their gender identity but difficulty with expression, I struggle to put into words how much this song means to me. There are so many works about transitioning and the like, but Immaterial embraces the nebulous. As someone whose identity is defined by a lack of clear definition, this song gave a hitherto unknown sense of validation. The bridge at the center is a blast of gender euphoria I dont even have to explain, just leave me alone now. Like any great bridge, the return to form on the other side hits with joyous new meaning. Never has a song made me feel so at peace with myself.

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119. The Beatles A Day in the Life (1967)
from the album Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usNsCeOV4GM

Key lyrics:
Id love to turn you on

Despite the many iconic songs The Beatles recorded, A Day in the Life still feels like an easy choice for their all-time best. It feels like a culmination of so many of their ideas. Introspective verses by Lennon are split by a peppy slice of mundanity by McCartney. These sections are bridged by a rising cacophony, culminating in one of the grandest finales in popular music history and punctuated by a shocking chord that stretches for another forty seconds. More than their popular success but also due to it, the reason The Beatles remain such an important band is their ability to make a wide audience embrace the avant-garde. They rarely shoved it down our throats. Rather, their best songs contained only snippets of their experimental proclivities. These bite-sized chunks made even the harshest sounds accessible.

The orchestral segments of A Day in the Life could have been genuinely terrifying. McCartneys stray verse sometimes seems out of place, but the sheer juxtaposition transforms it into some much-needed relief. Coming down from the second orchestral segment, Lennons final verse is lent extra weight. The lines alone mean nothing, but the grandiose presentation could bring a man to tears. By capturing the sometimes overwhelming feeling of everyday life, The Beatles made a stellar experiment that spoke to all their disparate listeners.

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118. Nat King Cole Nature Boy (1947)
non-album single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpF1J9FnD4E

Key lyrics:
The greatest thing youll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return

Few songs haunt me like this short tune from the late 1940s. Lyrically, this is ostensibly a wondrous tale. A chance encounter with a magical boy opens the narrators mind up to the beauty of love. Without the instrumentation, Nature Boy could have been schmaltzy there are an endless number of songs about the power of love. A magical boy delivering the message changes little. A lush string arrangement makes it something revelatory. And instead of meeting these words with wonder alone, Nat King Cole responds with fear. Nature Boy captures the overwhelming sensation of realizing ones perspective has changed for better or worse, he will never be the same person again.

The flute lends a magical element throughout the opening. Key to the arrangement is an instrumental break as the narrator ponders the final statement. The wondrous flute disappears, replaced by a less gentle piano. The strings operate differently when played against this instrument. The lyrics suggest a fae encounter, and this break feels like the aftermath. The narrator has been abandoned in the woods, left to find his way out while puzzling over the experience. Nature Boy is a reminder that something of wondrous beauty can be unexpectedly terrifying in its power.

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117. R.E.M. Losing My Religion (1991)
from the album Out of Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwtdhWltSIg

Key lyrics:
I think I thought I saw you try

Changing up traditional rock instrumentation can go a long way. With Losing My Religion, R.E.M. built a song around the mandolin and acoustic guitar, creating a soft yet striking sound in an era where rock would soon be defined by a messy edge. Michael Stipe shows the gentlest arrangement can contain a passionate fury. This is a man distantly in love, too afraid to speak up, stewing in his dissatisfaction. He looks for any sign of mutual interest, but also knows any hint is his own delusion. With a harder sound, this could have been a stalker song. Instead, R.E.M. keeps it light and therefore relatable who hasnt longed for someone they know to be unattainable?

A unique instrument can help a song elevate a standard element. The mandolin is not doing anything particularly special in its own terms, but it helps sustain an unusual rolling motion. This helps place Losing My Religion in a constant state of familiar action, even as the other elements shift around. What would usually be a backing element is placed in the spotlight the trick R.E.M. pulls off here is using a distinct sound to redirect our attention. The result is something as introspective as it is fiery, never once losing its cool.

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116. OutKast B.O.B. (2000)
from the album Stankonia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVehcuJXe6I

Key lyrics:
The fence is too high to jump in jail
Too low to dig, I might just touch hell hot!

There are a handful of songs I have noted as ageless, largely due to their singular design. Songs by artists sitting just outside the mainstream, with no one taking them as influences until decades later. B.O.B. is inimitable from a more enviable position, a song by a hit band pulling off something only they could do. Few artists can match the rapid delivery, and even less while maintaining their joyous energy. Their follow-up album helped fuel endless debates about who is the stronger OutKast member, but B.O.B. shows they work better together. Their distinct styles make the two extended verses engaging. Even 20 years later, every second of this song sounds so fresh.

Everything about this track is absolute chaos. The lyrics overstimulate, a cycle of mad references like a paranoid We Didnt Start the Fire (but actually effective). Though the mere presence of rapping has a tendency to overwrite every other genre, this really is a stylistic smorgasbord. Hard dance beats propel this track, while a stellar guitar solo jettisons us out from the second verse. The finale is a celebration of this achievement, a choir chanting power music electric revival. B.O.B. takes the typically dreaded list song and puts it on another level, a sonic assault of everything at the same time.

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115. New Order Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)
from the album Brotherhood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKVbB_qZQcU

Key lyrics:
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
Im waiting for that final moment
You say the words that I cant say

I have previously remarked that Bernard Sumner might have the weakest voice among all my favorite bands. Bizarre Love Triangle makes perfect use of his minimal range. Here, he sounds completely out of his element, an ordinary man caught up in a situation he has little control over. Many synth-pop hits have difficulty with sincerity, but his mundane stylings mitigate any potential cheesiness. This is not a diss in the mechanical world of the synthesizer, Sumner brings a vulnerable human element. Bizarre Love Triangle achieves musical ecstasy without force.

Everything about this track jitters and bounces. With Sumner acting to restrain these elements, they are sweet without being sugary. To craft a perfect synth-pop hit requires a balancing act with the default state coming in too high, the best bands counteract this by infusing certain melancholy elements. New Order are experts at this, crafting delectable dance beats that go down easy. Tracks like Bizarre Love Triangle are almost ephemeral. This track consists of several dense layers, but they all work in tandem to the point you might not notice the odd tricks New Order pull off. Bizarre Love Triangle captures the high of letting yourself get carried away by emotions which you know can only end badly.

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114. The White Stripes Seven Nation Army (2003)
from the album Elephant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY

Key lyrics:
All the words are gonna bleed from me
And I will sing no more

Being born in 1992, I got to grow up through what might have been rocks final mainstream hurrah. Pop rock bands achieve spotlight status now and again, but Seven Nation Army feels like the last hit of true guitar-driven rock and roll. This is a minimalist masterpiece, striking in its ability to make you ignore its simplicity. There are only two instruments on display here the definitive bass riff is actually the guitar, explaining why the two sounds never coexist. This results in a simple yet effective structure. The verses are all about the pseudo-bass and Meg Whites hypnotic thump, while the instrumental interludes shift into explosive guitar solos.

This structure explains the wide appeal. Seven Nation Army was easy to digest in the pop sphere, but rock enthusiasts were rightfully blown away by Jack Whites godlike skills. After the early 70s, it became increasingly rare for rock songs to be built around a simple riff. To stand out, most bands had to explore more complex elements there are only so many riffs that can stand alone, and bands like The Rolling Stones and The Kinks seemed to have milked it dry. Jack White managed to drag rock back to its simple roots while mimicking the grandiosity of arena rock. The fact this is nothing more than a guitar and drum set is truly staggering.

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CasanovaZelos posted...

164. Big Thief Shark Smile (2017)
from the album Capacity

Definitely could hear the Springsteen influence.

156. The Knife Full of Fire (2013)
from the album Shaking the Habitual

I can't decide if I love this or hate this; leaning towards the former. It's certainly an interesting wall of noise.

CasanovaZelos posted...

153. James Brown Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine (1970)
from the album Sex Machine

Such a cool song. Love the beat.

CasanovaZelos posted...

152. Funkadelic One Nation Under a Groove (1978)
from the album One Nation Under a Groove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WOZwwRH6XU

Key lyrics:
Feet dont fail me now

Fitting to have this placed after Get Up. Love those funky rhythms.

CasanovaZelos posted...

151. !!! Me and Giuliani Down by the Schoolyard (A True Story) (2003)
from the album Louden Up Now

Another one I like. I can only assume based on your write up that LCD Soundsystem is involved with this because there's some instrumentation here that distinctly reminds me of them.


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Seanchan posted...

Another one I like. I can only assume based on your write up that LCD Soundsystem is involved with this because there's some instrumentation here that distinctly reminds me of them.

!!! are actually six years older than LCD Soundsystem, though the bands do share a bassist. Either way, both bands are influenced by dance-punk, which has actually been around since the late-70s, so I think a lot of the similar elements are simply reflective of that genre.

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113. Prince Kiss (1986)
from the album Parade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9tEvfIsDyo

Key lyrics:
You dont have to be rich to be my girl
You dont have to be cool to rule my world

Only Prince could land a #1 hit by singing a piercing falsetto throughout nearly the entire length of a song. Kiss could almost be taken as an absurdist piece if not for the sheer artistry on display. Prince is absolutely in his element here. The instrumentation is sparse, lacking a bass entirely and thus letting his odd vocals dominate. Like David Bowie, Prince crafted his image around a gender-defying style Kiss captures that idea purely through sound. He is at once exaggeratedly feminine while singing all about a woman, with rare dips into baritone showing a gruff, masculine edge. Most importantly, these extremes work in tandem to create something uniquely sexy. Prince became a sex icon by not playing to anyones expectations.

The funky guitar keeps things grounded. An instrumental break expertly divides the falsetto assault, but Prince only takes that as a challenge. The closing section finds Prince pushing his limits, soon erupting into what I can only describe as a shriek. Falsetto is one thing, but Prince does things with his voice here no person should be able to do. And though this should be unpleasant, the raw delivery acts as a perfect payoff. Few artists could bend the pop world to his will like Prince.

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112. The Rolling Stones Sympathy for the Devil (1968)
from the album Beggars Banquet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnClrx8N2k

Key lyrics:
I shouted out, who killed the Kennedys?
Well, after all, it was you and me

Of the two leading British Invasion bands, The Rolling Stones rarely experimented like The Beatles. They were happy to stick with guitar-oriented rock, and they did it well. Sympathy for the Devil is a fluke of sorts, a song that did not sound quite right until they tried out a few variations. They stumbled into this jazz samba sound, with bongos, congas, and a piano taking lead over traditional rock elements. Backing vocalists chant woo woo throughout, giving an almost hypnotic appeal. These elements would never come together again in the same way within the pop sphere, marking this a truly incomparable Rolling Stones track.

Mick Jagger is an expert showman, and he plays the devil well. The lyrics rip through a dozen atrocities, only for him to put equal blame on us all. This devil is not an agent of destruction or tempter, but rather a trickster taking pleasure in our societal failings. Not leaving their rock sound completely behind, the electric guitar pops in about halfway through, giving a stray solo for the briefest of moments and only returning during the extended finale. Its sharp edge collide against the otherwise acoustic sound, yet that distinction lets the guitar almost float outside the rest of the track, giving it room to thrive. With Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones stepped outside their comfort zones but still managed to showcase their strongest elements.

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111. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Maps (2003)
from the album Fever to Tell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIIxlgcuQRU

Key lyrics:
Wait, they dont love you like I love you

There was a brief period in the early 2000s where I got really into music videos, in an era where MTV2 was still operating as MTVs music-oriented spinoff station before the rise of YouTube. Few videos struck me quite like hearing Maps for the first time. As a ten-year-old, I could not have possibly understood the desperation underpinning this song, but Karen O crying during the video stuck with me. The lyrics are as minimal as they come outside of electronic music, but Karen O sings with such subtly affecting power. This is a woman too crushed to do anything but beg, her quiet demeanor revealing she knows too well nothing will work. After growing up and going through similar experiences, I soon recognized the truth in this song. Sometimes, there is nothing you can do but mutter soft comforts to yourself.

The instrumentation is just as essential. The droning guitar is a perfect lure, and then the drums thunder in like nothing else. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are no fragile indie band this is a garage act taking a moment to show their vulnerable side. As the grief seemingly overwhelms Karen O, the guitar roars to life with a truly killer solo. The insistent pattern of the drums sting with the numbness of a breakup. Maps is an emotional tour de force, its instrumentation filling in the lyrical gaps with emotions that can hardly be expressed through words.

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