2010 Song Project - Countdown - #10-#1

#10 Broken Bells - "The High Road" from "Broken Bells" - DJ Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins teamed up on the Broken Bells side project, which produced a fantastic album which was headed up by this classic single.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWBG1j_flrg&ob=av2e


#9 The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from "High Violet" - 2010 was a breakthrough year for The National, as they finally started to gain some of the sub-mainstream appreciation that they've deserved for the better part of the last decade. "Bloodbuzz Ohio" was a modest hit on the indie charts, but widely appreciated as the best song off their latest album, "High Violet".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfySK7CLEEg&ob=av2e


#8 Kanye West - "Monster" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Guest stars Rick Ross, Jay-Z and particularly Nicki Minaj team up with Kanye for yet another classic song from the best rap album of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLnS-2h_nog


#7 Vampire Weekend - "Cousins" from "Contra" - Vampire Weekend managed to duck the sophomore slump that usually clobbers indie sensations with the release of "Contra", a classic almost as good as their debut album. "Cousins" is the highest-charting song from that album on my list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e0u11rgd9Q&ob=av2e


#6 The Arcade Fire - "Ready To Start" from "The Suburbs" - A more traditional Arcade Fire song, with the long build-up leading up to a spectacular climax. This song was performed at the end of the Grammys, but the best part of the song got cut off to thank the hotel where the performers were staying. Seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oI27uSzxNQ


#5 Cee Lo Green - "Fuck You" from "The Lady Killer" - Yes, I'm using the original song title rather than the bastardized title that was popular on the radio. Cee Lo turns in the best pop / R&B song of the year with this hooky classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU&ob=av2e


#4 LCD Soundsystem - "I Can Change" from "This Is Happening" - James Murphy has decided to stop making music as LCD Soundsystem and he couldn't have quit at a higher point in his career. "I Can Change" is a brilliant indie pop love song in the tradition of Morrissey and the Cure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW8FKkVnqng


#3 Kanye West - "Runaway" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - From the arrogant boasting of "Power" to the semi-apologetic ballad "Runaway", Kanye's best album features a variety of different styles that all seem to display a different aspect of his psyche.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm5iA4Zupek


#2 The Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" from "The Suburbs" - The Arcade Fire have always been a great band and "The Suburbs" is the best of their many great albums. "Sprawl II" is the best song off of the album and is characterized by deep lyrics, great vocals and a style that veers far from what had previously been the Arcade Fire's sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab2DDmwYVQw


#1 Kanye West - "Power" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - As I've suspected for awhile, the #1 song of 2010 is "Power" by Kanye West. Kanye's always had a gift for creating great beats, but it wasn't until "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" that he combined his genius beats with lyrical skills on par with the true greats of the rap world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouwCWDbBskU

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #20-#11

#20 The Arcade Fire - "The Suburbs" from "The Suburbs" - The opening track from their epic concept album, "The Suburbs" has a hypnotic bounce to it and, as always, great lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Euj9f3gdyM


#19 The Roots - "How I Got Over" from "How I Got Over" - Another 2009 holdover, "How I Got Over" is an uplifting hip hop song from the legendary Roots crew.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI4D1QOLGuM&ob=av2e


#18 The Arcade Fire - "Month Of May" from "The Suburbs" - Perhaps the most pulse-pounding song in the Arcade Fire's catalog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqBTL-HWPvA


#17 The National - "Terrible Love" from "High Violet" - More deep gloom and doom from the masters of the dark side of indie rock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqHdi_94SR4


#16 Blitzen Trapper - "Heaven And Earth" from "Destroyer Of The Void" - "Destroyer Of The Void" is another brilliant album from Blitzen Trapper, one of the most under-rated indie rock bands around and "Heaven And Earth" is their best song of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI6jrdnUIv8&ob=av2e


#15 Against Me! - "I Was A Teenage Anarchist" from "White Crosses" - Against Me! set a new career high-point with their punk rock anthem about the lead singer's realization about the realities behind anarchist ideology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7RUeMCZL3Q


#14 Kanye West - "Gorgeous" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye gets help from Kid Cudi and Raekwon on his 4th highest-ranking song on the 2010 list. This song features some of the best lyrics in Kanye's career.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghc_fc4R1rI


#13 Frightened Rabbit - "Swim Until You Can't See Land" from "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" - The under-rated Scottish indie rock band Frightened Rabbit comes in at #13 with "Swim Until You Can't See Land", a song that is actually up-beat by comparison to some of their earlier classics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzjERZU3wbY


#12 Sleigh Bells - "Rill Rill" from "Treats" - This song is also known as "Ring Ring", but I prefer the original version which was a little less fuzzy and distorted. This song is the highest-charting repeat from the 2010 list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmFgejWZjtg&ob=av2n


#11 Johnny Cash - "Ain't No Grave" from "Ain't No Grave" - Johnny Cash has been gone for years now, but the material he produced in his later years continues to be released and most of it is excellent. The title of this song (his best since "Hurt") seems to be entirely accurate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66QcIlblI1U

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #30-#21

#30 Frightened Rabbit - "Nothing Like You" from "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" - A surprisingly positive outlook permeates Frightened Rabbit's usual gray skies with "Nothing Like You", which sort of comes off as a Cure song as interpreted by Joy Division.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WCskABeyYo


#29 Sleigh Bells - "Crown On The Ground" from "Treats" - A full Hendrix album worth of distortion is packed into this catchy indie pop song from the King and Queen of Indie Noise Rock, Sleigh Bells.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z8ppcFGPlY


#28 The National - "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" from "High Violet" - Chalk up another gloomy indie rock song for Team America as The National keeps up with Frightened Rabbit in the race for the Prozac rock title.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a1UoljLWrY


#27 Gorillaz - "Stylo" from "Plastic Beach" - Every Gorillaz album has one instant all-time classic and "Stylo" is "Plastic Beach"s representation with a great beat and guest vocals from Mos Def and RNR Hall of Famer Bobby Womack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhPaWIeULKk&ob=av2e


#26 Admiral Fallow - "Squealing Pigs" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Is 2010 the year of the gloomy Scottish indie rock sing-along? Probably not, but here's another brilliant one that slipped past everyone but Blalock and the producers of "Chuck".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB4ZwKaW9kY


#25 Mark Ronson And The Business Intl - "Bang Bang Bang" from "Record Collection" - Mark Ronson gets an assist from Q-Tip on this catchy re-make of the theme song to an old children's television show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM6TCGltfHM


#24 LCD Soundsystem - "Dance Yrself Clean" from "This Is Happening" - Another great, hypnotic dance track from LCD Soundsystem's farewell album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj9Sv1JpmPs


#23 Chrisette Michele - "Let Freedom Reign" from "Let Freedom Reign" - A politically aware hip hop song featuring Talib Kweli and Black Thought, two of the best rappers of all-time along with a great chorus from Chrisette Michele.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ9idmO0JpE


#22 Maximum Balloon - "Apartment Wrestling" from "Maximum Balloon" - David Sitek of T.V. On The Radio's channels the best of David Byrne on this indie pop classic from his side project, Maximum Balloon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_2o-bSpghw


#21 Eminem - "Love The Way You Lie" from "Recovery" - Rihanna sings the chorus on Eminem's best single in years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U&ob=av2e

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #40-#31

#40 These New Puritans - "We Want War" from "Hidden" - An excellent techno-industrial mixed sound makes this the best song These New Puritans have put out so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIfKqgWPVvk&ob=av2e


#39 Cypress Hill - "Rise Up" from "Rise Up" - Another Cypress Hill song on the countdown, another great guest appearance, this time by legendary guitarist Tom Morello.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iatjMEp3bxw&ob=av2e


#38 Nicki Minaj - "Roman's Revenge" from "Pink Friday" - 2010 was a huge year for Nicki Minaj, who nailed guest verses on several of the year's biggest hits. "Roman's Revenge" is the best song off of her debut album and features a great back and forth between Minaj's character Roman and Eminem's Slim Shady.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfbEDapKf_k


#37 The Naked And Famous - "Young Blood" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - A hit on the Billboard Modern Rock charts before the song was released on an album, "Young Blood" is one of the best songs off of the 2010 Blalock Indie Rock Playlist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdO85Qf4Poc


#36 Mumford And Sons - "Little Lion Man" from "Sigh No More" - Mumford and Sons bite heavily from the Bright Eyes apple on this song, but if you can do it this well, why not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLJf9qJHR3E


#35 Cypress Hill - "Trouble Seeker" from "Rise Up" - Cypress Hill caps off their comeback album with a song that sounds like a lost System of a Down song, thanks mostly to a guest vocal from Daron of SOAD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMpXZ6lHSbI


#34 Mumford And Sons - "The Cave" from "Sigh No More" - The best song from the indie rock breakthrough artist of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KkUeRPjc-Y


#33 Beach House - "Norway" from "Teen Dream" - No song illustrates the dreamy, breezy sound of the Dream Pop sub-genre as well as Beach House's "Norway".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciHpW0rlKcM


#32 Two Door Cinema Club - "I Can Talk" from "Tourist History" - "I Can Talk" is one of those songs that get's stuck in your mind, but you have no idea who sings it until you come acrossed it on their album or on Blalock's IRP. Time will tell if the band sticks around, but they're off to a great start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJDCMth8poM


#31 OK Go - "This Too Shall Pass" from "Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky" - By far the highest an OK Go song has charted on my countdown, "This Too Shall Pass" is a great rock song with one of the year's best chorus hooks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #50-#41

#50 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers -"I Should Have Known It" from "Mojo" - Even when Petty releases an album quietly it still includes a series of great songs, such as this slice of blues rock excellence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_iBKacXIA4&ob=av2e


#49 Street Sweeper Social Club -"Ghetto Blaster" from "The Ghetto Blaster EP" - Although the Rage reunion album still seems far off, Tom Morello has kept busy with this side project, which is as Rage as any band has been since Zack's One Day As A Lion side project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_mYolM_NY


#48 Titus Andronicus -"A More Perfect Union" from "The Monitor" - Titus follows up their 2008 successes with a more radio-friendly sound on "The Monitor", a Civil War themed album that features this brilliant piece of art rock as it's centerpiece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08fqHr_KGPY&ob=av2n


#47 Kanye West -"All Of The Lights" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye gets help from a cast of seemingly dozens on this song, but Rihanna plays the biggest guest role on this epic hip hop anthem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAfFfqiYLp0&ob=av2e


#46 Seal -"Weight Of My Mistakes" from "Seal 6: Commitment" - Seal doesn't release very many great songs, but when he makes contact he tends to hit it out of the park. This song is on par with "Crazy" or "Kiss From A Rose".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgPk-kyOfG8


#45 Eminem -"Not Afraid" from "Recovery" - Eminem continues his mid-career comeback with this excellent follow-up to "Love The Way You Lie".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s&ob=av2e


#44 Big Boi -"Shine Blockas" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - A single from 2009, "Shine Blockas" was officially released on Big Boi's long-awaited "Left Foot" album and it's still excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GK23f_xtZY&ob=av2e


#43 Kanye West -"So Appalled" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye gets guest verses from his mentor Jay-Z and Wu-Tang Clan member The RZA on yet another great song from one of the greatest rap albums of all-time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBWZYu5IPSE


#42 Big Boi -"Shutterbugg" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - Big Boi is going to have a lot of songs on this countdown, but "Shutterbugg" is his highest charting song from his long-delayed but brilliant debut solo album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWsvkW6rKkQ


#41 Foster The People -"Pumped Up Kicks" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Another great indie pop song with a great chorus that helped a new band break through to the Modern Rock charts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ&ob=av2e

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #60-#51

#60 Janelle Monae -"Tightrope" from "The Arch Android" - A bouncy pop / R&B song from Monae with guest verses from no less than Big Boi make for one of the coolest songs of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc&ob=av2e


#59 The Black Keys -"Tighten Up" from "Brothers" - While Vampire Weekend is a strong challenger for the song placement title, they'll never catch up with The Black Keys, whose music was present in over 18% of all pop culture moments in 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpaPBCBjSVc&ob=av2e


#58 Vampire Weekend -"Holiday" from "Contra" - As heard in multiple commercials in the last year, "Holiday" has almost allowed Vampire Weekend to permeate the popular culture, whether said p.c. likes it or not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vraoiVCDdaM&ob=av2e


#57 The Arcade Fire -"City With No Children" from "The Suburbs" - Yet another great song from the year's best concept album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unwL8TaG8LA


#56 The K-Os -"I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman" from "Yes!" - It seems like every year I find a catchy De La Soul-esque underground hip hop song that's fun, but doesn't take itself too seriously. This year's owner of that crown is The K-O's with their Phantom Planet sampling "I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJAYHOTlilo


#55 Against Me! -"Suffocation" from "White Crosses" - Against Me! is a band that sings revolutionary punk but does so using hooks so catchy that they could have been in a pop song and "Suffocation" is a fine example, as the stabbing chorus makes the song more memorable and accessible than the usual punk fare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y0us6-PXJg

Note: I picked this video because the parkour is friggin' insane. There's another video out there that's just album cover and lyrics if you prefer.


#54 Daniel Merriweather -"Change" from "Love & War" - When I first listened to Daniel Merriweather's album I had honestly never heard of him and that's surprising because his music is great, starting out with this pop / R&B gem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvz2PLiHyo4&ob=av2n


#53 Spoon -"Written In Reverse" from "Transference" - Another year, another great indie pop song from Spoon, one of the most reliable artists in the genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYWlg9iHHlY


#52 Nas And Damian Marley -"Africa Must Wake Up" from "Distant Relatives" - You would think that Nas' rap style would clash musically with Damian Marley's reggae, but the opposite is true as their sounds flow seamlessly back and forth throughout their first album together. On this, the best track on the album, they get a helping hand from K'naan, one of 2009's most promising new rappers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKPP9KMS3o0


#51 Los Campesinos! -"There Are Listed Buildings" from "Romance Is Boring" - 2010 was a big year for twee indie-pop band Los Campesinos! as several of their songs made my countdown, with this track being at the top of the heap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dbs9nzErz4

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #70-#61

#70 Bruno Mars -"Grenade" from "Doo Wops And Hooligans" - 2010 was a great year for Bruno Mars. After spending the past few years writing and contributing guest appearances on some of the best pop songs around, Mars released his debut solo album and it was filled with brilliant R&B songs and pop ballads like "Grenade", his best song to date.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR6iYWJxHqs&ob=av2e


#69 Bone Thugs N Harmony -"Rebirth" from "Uni5: The World's Enemy" - It's been quite awhile since "Tha Crossroads", but what made BTNH great then still makes them great, as they continue to be one of the best hip hop groups around with great hooks and fast-paced, highly addictive lyrical flow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsBV-P9gIC0&ob=av2e


#68 Good Shoes -"I Know" from "No Hope, No Future" - It seems that it wouldn't be one of my countdowns if it didn't feature at least one aggressively subversive anti-religious protest song. "I Know" is a fast-paced punk song with outstanding lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMS8HPbNmNI


#67 The Court Yard Hounds -"It Didn't Make A Sound" from "It Didn't Make A Sound" - One of the top country songs of 2010, "It Didn't Make A Sound" is highlighted by a fantastic, ridiculously catchy hook in the chorus and great vocals and lyrics throughout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wn-Ua0VPDA


#66 Ke$ha -"TiK ToK" from "Animal" - It's not going to win any songwriting awards, but "TiK ToK" is one of the best pop songs of 2010 with a pulsing backbeat and a bouncy chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs&ob=av2n


#65 Katy Perry -"Teenage Dream" from "Teenage Dream" - Don't get me wrong, I despise almost every Katy Perry song, but when she gets her hands on a decent hook, she knocks it out of the park. "Teenage Dream" is simply a great pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WtmW-lfeE&ob=av2e


#64 Robyn -"Hang With Me" from "Body Talk" - Robyn is the rare pop singer who earns respect from the indie crowd for her clever lyrics and extraordinary hooks. "Hang With Me" doesn't get the hype some of her other songs from 2010 get, but it's her best of the year in my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3a2qoyONVA&ob=av2e


#63 Vampire Weekend -"Giving Up The Gun" from "Contra" - Light and breezy even for a Vampire Weekend song, "Giving Up The Gun" was one of the band's biggest hits of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bccKotFwzoY&ob=av2e


#62 One Night Only -"Say You Don't Want It" from "One Night Only" - Every year needs a glossy Brit-pop anthem that comes out of nowhere and achieves greatness and this year it's "Say You Don't Want It".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF1WzzrLmpk&ob=av2e


#61 Grinderman -"Worm Tamer" from "Grinderman II" - Nick Cave's current band Grinderman puts their highest-charting song on the countdown with this crunchy, industrial nightmare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPfuiT5XstU

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #80-#71

#80 Nas And Damian Marley - "As We Enter" from "Distant Relatives" - The best song off of "Distant Relatives", Nas is the driving force in this song, but Damian Marley proves to be outstanding at keeping up with one of the best rappers in the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyY70LE2D-Y


#79 Janelle Monae - "Cold War" from "The Arch Android" - One of the best R&B songs of 2010, Janelle Monae captures the musical spirit of her mentor, Prince, and creates a fun, peppy R&B / pop song with a great chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqmORiHNtN4&ob=av2e


#78 The Klaxons - "Surfing The Void" from "Surfing The Void" - A crazy electronic-influenced indie rock song with swirling guitars and wild vocals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg-cgsCQhEU


#77 Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - "Last Days" from "The Brutalist Bricks" - Ted Leo's highest-charting song of the year (or any year), "Last Days" is a high-intensity alt rock song with a driving pulse and a cathartic chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TRAJbSuld4


#76 My Chemical Romance - "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)" from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" - Aggressive and intense, "Na Na Na" is an exciting in-your-face punk rock song that servces as the key statement piece from the "Danger Days" album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egG7fiE89IU


#75 Grinderman - "When My Baby Comes" from "Grinderman II" - Nick Cave's signature style permeates throughout this gloomy, grinding classic from "Grinderman II".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIgLDLHiYUs


#74 Cults - "Oh My God" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Cults is expected to be one of the biggest new indie pop acts of 2011, but a few of their songs were released to the IRP during 2010, including this light, ethereal slice of indie pop. The lead vocals add a sunny, dreamy tone to the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd8Lk6lrLpU


#73 Aloe Blacc - "I Need A Dollar" from "Good Things" - "I Need A Dollar" is famous for being the theme song to HBO's "How To Make It In America", but more than just being a theme song, it's also a cleverly written blues song that could have belonged to an era of music from the last 50 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUWZ_OAEgQE&ob=av2n


#72 Michael Jackson - "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" from "Michael" - Lenny Kravitz guest stars on this song, continuing a tradition of MJ hiring the best guitar players in the world to add an edge to his pop songs (Eddie Van Halen, Slash). I don't know how much MJ recorded before his death, but this may end up being his last great song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPKKDNo4luI


#71 April Smith And The Great Picture Show - "Colors" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - A fun and bouncy indie pop song with Rilo Kiley-esque vocals and one of the hookiest choruses of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfeXhQ5wvoE

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #90-#81

#90 Big Boi - "Daddy Fat Sax" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - Another brilliant hip hop song from Big Boi. There are a lot of them on this album...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJtJ3eLRZS0


#89 The New Pornographers - "Crash Years" from "Together" - 2010 was a great year for indie pop and the New Pornographers were one of the best acts, placing several songs on the 2010 countdown, with the hooky "Crash Years" ranking the highest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KZANuDcRO4


#88 Ryan Star - "Brand New Day" from "11:59" - This song has a timeless feeling to it, but that's probably because it's been floating around for five years (or because it's the theme song for "Lie To Me"). It is an excellent pop rock song though, so it's good that it finally gets its recognition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj3dDjL4p98


#87 Hole - "Nobody's Daughter" from "Nobody's Daughter" - The title track from Hole's latest album, "Nobody's Daughter" is an excellent throwback to 90's alternative rock with great lyrics and dark undertones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDKS0OjFSJ8


#86 The Lighthouse And The Whaler - "Under Mountain, Under Ground" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - Fleet Foxes didn't release any music in 2010, but you'd never know that after hearing this outstanding indie folk song from The Lighthouse And The Whaler, which captures the essence of FF's sound and alters it enough to make a distinct statement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuCEPmrUb34


#85 Bruno Mars - "Just The Way You Are" from "Doo Wops And Hooligans" - One of the biggest pop hits of 2010, "Just The Way You Are" is a nearly perfect pop love song, sincere without being treacly and catchy without being irritating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk&ob=av2e


#84 Broken Bells - "The Ghost Inside" from "Broken Bells" - An excellent follow-up to "The High Road", "The Ghost Inside" is a catchy indie pop collaboration between James Mercer of the Shins and DJ Danger Mouse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVxTsXRjNTw&ob=av2e


#83 Joan Armatrading - "This Charming Life" from "This Charming Life" - This song seems like it belongs to a different era, specifically the soul music of the mid-to-late 60's when singers like Aretha Franklin and The Staples Singers produced this kind of golden soul song on a consistent basis, but "This Charming Life" (prominently featured on the season finale of "Sons Of Anarchy") was released in 2010, representing a major comeback for Armatrading.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsRnwJ57hp0&ob=av2e


#82 Vampire Weekend - "Jonathan Low" from "Twilight: Eclipse Soundtrack" - It seems like everything Vampire Weekend touches turns to gold, whether it be a song for one of their own albums or this 80's-tinged song from the soundtrack of the latest Twilight abomination.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eMw0Bq-tek


#81 Alberta Cross - "Leave Us And Forgive Us" from "Broken Side Of Time" - A returning song from the 2009 list, "Leave Us" is an intense alt rock song from the obscure band Alberta Cross. The song starts out slowly, but builds to high level of intensity by the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oB55Ixdu70

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #100-#91

#100 The New Pornographers - "Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk" from "Together" - An excellent indie pop song, one of the year's best from The New Pornographers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3uFCeDnBPk&ob=av3n


#99 Isobel Campbell And Mark Lanegan - "Come Undone" from "Hawk" - A slow-burn alt rock duet from one of the best and most unusual duos in modern rock n roll.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F2oEpif-6k


#98 Kanye West - "Dark Fantasy" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Nicki Minaj opens the song with a crazy poem and from there the song becomes a perfect starting point for one of the greatest hip hop albums of all-time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-qKboHKPEA


#97 LCD Soundsystem - "Drunk Girls" from "This Is Happening" - On the surface, this sounds like a cheesy pop song, but it's actually a brilliantly sardonic look at the club scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY7-0W0celo&ob=av2n


#96 Titus Andronicus - "Four Score Part Two" from "The Monitor" - The condensed version of a much longer song, "Four Score Part Two" features desperate vocals driven forward by machine-gun drums and a heavy guitar riff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etOLciQBvV8


#95 Prince - "Bonus Track #77" from "20Ten" - It's a shame that this funky pop song, Prince's best in a decade, doesn't have an actual title, so it'll probably never be heard by the masses.

Damn you, Prince. This song is great, but I can't post a link if you won't let youtube host your videos.


#94 Eminem - "Won't Back Down" from "Recovery" - Pink sings the chorus on this tight, aggressive return to form from one of the best rappers of all-time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h9_L98H84U


#93 Burn Before Reading - "Markers" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - There are actually six songs from Blalock's list that ranked higher than this song, but this darkly intense song is definitely one that might have been missed completely without the IRP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKthiG7d3Dw


#92 Marina And The Diamonds - "I Am Not A Robot" from "The Family Jewels" - Marina is pretty much Lady Gaga without the insane hype. "I Am Not A Robot" is the band's best song so far, but they have style and a unique sound, so the future looks pretty bright from here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_oMD6-6q5Y


#91 The Whigs - "Kill Me Carolyne" from "In The Dark" - Considering the band had three songs from their last album in the top 25 (I think) in 2008, their follow-up has to be considered a disappointment, but "Kill Me Carolyne" is on par with the band's best music and one of the best alt rock songs of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIIw_b1BNew

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #110-#101

#110 Devo - "Don't Shoot (I'm A Man)" from "Something For Everybody" - Devo's surprising comeback reaches its peak with the trippy "Don't Shoot" at #110.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKxhlXZ3hcY


#109 The Black Keys - "Howlin' For You" from "Brothers" - The Black Keys have been the reigning champs of blues rock since The White Stripes broke up and "Howlin' For You" ranks amongst their best songs overall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLSpj7q6_mM&ob=av2e


#108 Reflection Eternal - "Back Again" from "Revolutions Per Minute" - Fast hip hop lyrics mix with a R&B ballad chorus for one of the best songs on "Revolutions Per Minute".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziuEUUC61H8&ob=av2e


#107 Serj Tankian - "Left Of Center" from "Imperfect Harmonies" - The best System Of A Down song in years, "Left Of Center' is an intense heavy metal punch to the face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh7tsMKv0Lo&ob=av2e

Note: The video is insane and reminds me of the Tool videos from the mid-90's.


#106 The Dead Weather - "Die By The Drop" from "Sea Of Cowards" - Jack Black's most White Stripe-y song with The Dead Weather, "Die By The Drop" is a hooky blues rock song with a creeping backbeat that bleeds into pure classic rock a minute in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0YI0UUazkU&ob=av2e


#105 The Arcade Fire - "Modern Man" from "The Suburbs" - Yet another soul-searching / depressing indie rock song about the despair of modern life from the classic concept album, "The Suburbs".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjm8WDG-Gy8


#104 M.I.A. - "Born Free" from "Maya" - Now this is the M.I.A. that everyone hoped to here from on "Maya". "Born Free" is bombastic, in your face and fun with just enough weirdness to make it stand out in a crowd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeMvUlxXyz8&ob=av2e


#103 Stone Temple Pilots - "Between The Lines" from "Stone Temple Pilots" - The pulse-pounding modern rock song that signaled the long-awaited return of STP, which lasted for a little less than a year, but at least they finished an album full of great glam rock like this song first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzS590AkE6c&ob=av2e


#102 Soundgarden - "Black Rain" from "Telephantasm" - "Black Rain" was more of a teaser for the Soundgarden comeback than the comeback itself, but the song still ranks in the pantheon of great Soundgarden songs and shows that they're still one of the best heavy metal bands in the world, even after taking more than a year off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K913KVe3kH8&ob=av2e


#101 Black Milk - "Black And Brown" from "Album Of The Year" - A high-intensity hip hop song with great flow and in-your-face lyrical style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKkbSCsaqAE

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #120-#111

#120 Slash - "By The Sword" from "Slash" - Andrew Stockdale, the gale-force wailer from Wolfmother, provides the vocals on "By The Sword", the best song on Slash's outstanding self-titled album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwENuEZ7XPc&ob=av3e


#119 My Chemical Romance - "Sing" from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" - An over-the-top anthem that served as the centerpiece of the "Danger Days" concept album, "Sing" was also something of a crossover hit for MCR, getting so mainstream it was even featured on "Glee".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTgnDLWeeaM&ob=av2e


#118 The Constellations - "We're Here To Save The Day" from "Southern Gothic" - Asher Roth and a children's choir guest star on this gritty, creeping hip hop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-vqTBS7Hwc


#117 Reflection Eternal - "Ballad Of The Black Gold" from "Revolutions Per Minute" - Talib Kweli gets aggressively political on this assault on the oil industry and the damage it's done to the world. It takes real skill to take a political rant worthy of Spike Lee or Oliver Stone and turn it into a pop song, but if anyone could ever do it, it would be Kweli.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phzHbzMu7E4&ob=av3e


#116 Against Me! - "Bitter Divisions" from "White Crosses" - Another political song comes in at #116, but this one comes from reformed anarchist Tom Gabel and Against Me!. The chorus is a call to unity, but the verses lend the skepticism of the current political environment as a counter-argument.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsMlYXQ4P0o


#115 My Chemical Romance - "Bulletproof Heart" from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" - The latest indie glam rock track from MCR's concept album, "Bulletproof Heart" is a hooky song with a driving guitar track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--0XPGid7JY


#114 Teenage Fanclub - "Baby Lee" from "Shadows" - It's been awhile since we've heard from Teenage Fanclub. "Baby Lee" is an excellent light-toned indie pop song that sounds like it was a lost Kinks track from the British Invasion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6UuoS7kd-g


#113 Iron Maiden - "Coming Home" from "The Final Frontier" - "Coming Home" is as close as Iron Maiden is likely to get to singing a heavy metal ballad. It's amazing that the band can still create music this great after spending 30 years in a genre not reknowned for it's longevity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPlCp-eko7I


#112 Fang Island - "Daisy" from "Fang Island" - "Daisy" is a difficult song to describe, but it features swirling guitars, pounding drumbeats and rapid-fire light-hearted lyrics. They share elements with distortion-heavy bands like Sleigh Bells and My Bloody Valentine, but also surf-pop bands like The Drums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIurAP4yHtQ


#111 Kid Cudi - "Revofev" from "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager" - Kid Cudi's best song off of "Man On The Moon II", "Revofev" is a head-bouncing hip hop song with a hypnotic beat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23J8ldem_Hs&ob=av2n

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #130-#121

#130 Neon Trees - "Animal" from "Habit" - One of the biggest modern rock hits of 2010 (and 2009 for that matter), "Animal" is a light-hearted, hooky pop rock song with a stadium rock caliber chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM7Hlg75Mlo&ob=av2e


#129 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - "First Flash Of Freedom" from "Mojo" - A slow-tempo classic rock style song from Tom Petty with the usual great lyrics and some excellent guitar solos from Mike Campbell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0JwsooTM6M


#128 The Court Yard Hounds - "Then Again" from "It Didn't Make A Sound" - A hooky country pop song from The Court Yard Hounds, featuring several members of the Dixie Chicks. Not quite their best song from 2010, but close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxmpwWPaYU0


#127 Vampire Weekend - "Diplomat's Son" from "Contra" - There's definitely an African world music vibe to this light, airy indie pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyHU5k4Elts


#126 Eminem - "No Love" from "Recovery" - Eminem and Lil Wayne trade verses on this Haddaway-sampling hip hop "ballad".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV2ssT8lzj8&ob=av2e


#125 Stone Temple Pilots - "Hickory Dichotomy" from "Stone Temple Pilots" - Can a song be grimy and glam at the same time? Hard to say, but if such a thing were possible, it would definitely be on an STP album. "Hickory" certainly comes close to that description with grimy lyrics and a glam rock chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxWcndzhAbc


#124 Katy Perry - "California Gurls" from "Teenage Dream" - Snoop Dogg guest stars on Katy Perry's other outstanding pop song from 2010. The verses are mediocre, but the chorus ranks among the best of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F57P9C4SAW4&ob=av2e


#123 Band Of Horses - "Factory" from "Infinite Arms" - An indie pop ballad from "Infinite Arms", "Factory" ranks among the best songs from Band Of Horses, one of the most under-appreciated bands in pop music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m0Iein_nuc


#122 Melissa Etheridge - "Drag Me Away" from "Fearless Love" - No one does classic rock bombast quite as well as Melissa Etheridge and "Drag Me Away" is the best song off of her comeback album "Fearless Love".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p8r-CSzdbg&playnext=1&list=PL7F83EC19542287C6

Note: I have no idea why the person who created the video for this used footage from Kill Bill, but the only other video I saw featured a frickin' terrier.


#121 Frightened Rabbit - "Foot Shooter" from "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" - An up-tempo indie rock song that builds to the first chorus and refuses to slow down once it gets there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOl-SOxXyPY

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #140-#131

#140 Reflection Eternal - "So Good" from "Revolutions Per Minute" - Talib Kweli's lyrics are highlighted on this track, which features a sly flow and a bouncy backbeat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-llDbfOA53o


#139 Nas And Damian Marley - "My Generation" from "Distant Relatives" - A children's choir provides the chorus to this sweeping hip hop anthem with Lil Wayne and Joss Stone providing guest vocals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJaMyJt1a1Y


#138 Weezer - "Memories" from "Hurley" - Even if Weezer isn't as dynamic as they used to be, they are still a great pop rock band and every album they produce at least one brilliant single.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5Fq3U_FjYc&ob=av2e


#137 Vampire Weekend - "Horchata" from "Contra" - Vampire Weekend's latest world music influenced contribution to the indie rock scene, "Horchata" has been around for awhile, but was finally released in January 2010 on the "Contra" album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkUQ-OBazbc


#136 Yeasayer - "Ambling Alp" from "Odd Blood" - A unique indie pop song with a moderate tempo and great lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VatNuR_Uk


#135 MGMT - "Brian Eno" from "Congratulations" - "Congratulations" was a bit of a disappointing follow-up to "Oracular Spectacular" and I can't Say I endorse all the directions the band went on the album, but "Brian Eno" is a genius pop song that ranks amongst the band's best ("Kids", "Time To Pretend").

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30WPeyEY40


#134 The Radar Bros. - "Quarry" from "The Illustrated Garden" - An excellent indie folk song with a breezy tone and a driving backbeat throughout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiCeSnAuUiI


#133 Infant Sorrow - "Going Up" from "Get Him To The Greek" - If not for some radio unfriendly lyrics, this could have become a legitimate rock anthem. Of any song off of "Get Him To The Greek", this is the most difficult to identify as satirical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvzKJDtYB04


#132 Los Campesinos! - "Romance Is Boring" from "Romance Is Boring" - The title track from LC!s latest album is an aggressive, bouncy indie rock song highlighted by its high-intensity chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebhVhkba3Xk


#131 Shontelle - "DJ Made Me Do It" from "No Gravity" - Asher Roth guest stars on Shontelle's only song on the countdown, a fun R&B song with an outstanding chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMMyHwgzEPY

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #150-#141

#150 Kanye West - "Christian Dior Denim Flow" from "Good Friday" - Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Ryan Leslie and Lloyd Banks guest star on this massive R&B / rap song. This is one of a handful of Kanye songs released in 2010 as part of his "Good Friday" twitter project. Many of those songs ended up on his album in some capacity, but a few (including this song) weren't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twPlTFyVDdE


#149 Infant Sorrow - "Bangers, Beans And Mash" from "Get Him To The Greek" - This song would have worked on it's own as a monster ballad, but what makes it's great is the hilarious lyrics which completely change the meaning of the song, but only if you pay close enough attention to figure out what Russell Brand is actually singing about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlZqtqWPJzM


#148 Big Boi - "Turns Me On" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - A sexy hip hop song with typically outstanding lyrics from Big Boi and a great chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwaUNbuhdKo


#147 Anais Mitchell - "Way Down, Hadestown" from "Hadestown" - One of the most unsual songs on the 2010 countdown, "Hadestown" sounds like a song that could have been written 100 years ago with its distinct New Orleans sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcZPTp-F0nE


#146 B.O.B. - "Magic" from "B.O.B. Presents: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray" - Rivers Cuomo was all over the radio in 2010, with yet another solid album with his band Weezer and providing the chorus on this song from B.O.B., one of the up and coming pop star's best songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq-NShfefks&ob=av2e


#145 Slash - "We're All Gonna Die" from "Slash" - Iggy Pop provides the vocals on this down n dirty metal song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXnbLmQBGB4


#144 David Guetta - "Sound Of Letting Go" from "One More Love" - An outstanding disco / dance track from David Guetta. The vocals provided by Chris Willis is excellent as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpq3BE9OjVY


#143 Kylesa - "To Forget" from "Spiral Shadow" - Among the best heavy metal songs of 2010, Kylesa made a huge splash this year with their prog breakthrough "Spiral Shadow", featuring this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeoxLEBAzDs


#142 Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - "Something Good Coming" from "Mojo" - Sounding like a lost track from "Echo", "Something Good Coming" is an outstanding ballad with great lyrics and a moving chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSvlJe1mwlw&ob=av3e


#141 Nas And Damian Marley - "Dispear" from "Distant Relatives" - Another great collaboration between top representatives from two of popular music's best genres. Marley's half of this song is particularly great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hVDgAgJUsk

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #160-#151

#160 The Constellations - "Felicia" from "Southern Gothic" - A funky pop song with a hooky chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X46e4Qnr1TY&ob=av2e


#159 Take That - "Affirmation" from "Progress" - The most unlikely song on the 2010 countdown, Take That's reunion album was mostly unremarkable, but "Affirmation" sounds like one of those great synth rock songs from the 80's (think Tears For Fears or Flock of Seagulls).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQIPEC46TUQ


#158 Vampire Weekend - "White Sky" from "Contra" - Another great song from Vampire Weekend's classic album "Contra", "White Sky" has a light afro-pop sound to it and the usual great lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhdqfX44zUM


#157 Frightened Rabbit - "Not Miserable" from "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" - Frightened Rabbit adopted an sweeping epic sound on "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" and that sound is best illustrated when Edge-like guitars start swirling around the chorus of this brilliant track, one of the band's best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv0xsCh6ZOg


#156 Marina And The Diamonds - "Girls" from "The Family Jewels" - One of the countdown's wildest acts, Marina and The Diamonds is as over-the-top as Mika and as radio-friendly as Robyn. "Girls" is a fun high-wire act of a pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O2W18RE6nI


#155 Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - "Where Was My Brain" from "The Brutalist Bricks" - A lean and mean punk song from one of the best underground artists in indie rock. The title of this album is derived from a lyric in this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M64ZjKOLm8o


#154 The Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang" from "American Slang" - The title track from The Gaslight Anthem's breakthrough (if not mainstream at least underground) album, "American Slang" is one of the best songs from the Springsteen influenced rock act in 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZKq6ZnWH-E&ob=av2e


#153 Sara Bareilles - "King Of Anything" from "Kaleidoscope Heart" - Sara's best song since "Love Song", "King" is a bouncy pop song with an excellent Sheryl Crow meets Alanis Morissette chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR7-AUmiNcA&ob=av2e


#152 Band Of Horses - "On My Way Back Home" from "Infinite Arms" - The most roots rock song on "Infinite Arms", "On My Way" could have been a track from a Fleet Foxes album with its great lyrics and tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVlHNDk_hM


#151 Los Campesinos! - "Straight In At 101" from "Romance Is Boring" - A high-energy indie pop song with some deceptively filthy lyrics hidden in the light-hearted beatsand tone. "I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock" ranks among the best lyrics of 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhTKKtdxKOY

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #170-#161

#170 Vampire Weekend - "I Think Ur A Contra" from "Contra" - The closest VW has ever come to writing a ballad, "I Think Ur A Contra" is a solid change of pace from a mostly up-tempo band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRmNmoIPxWE


#169 Prince - "Compassion" from "20Ten" - 2010 saw Prince return to the funky style of music (like "Compassion") that made him one of the biggest stars in the world in the 80's. It's not the most unexpected comeback of the year, but it was a very welcome surprise.

Prince's songs aren't available on youtube.


#168 The Audio Bullys - "Only Man" from "Higher Than The Eiffel" - Not quite trip hop, but there are definitely elements of the genre in this aggressive dance rock track from Audio Bullys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yD0KEi554c


#167 The New Pornographers - "Moves" from "Together" - "Moves" is one of the best indie pop songs of 2010 and a perfect example of the vocal dynamics at play in the New Pornographers sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYyu5vbwvbA


#166 My Chemical Romance - "Planetary (Go!)" from "Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys" - One of the most successful songs off of "Danger Days", "Planetary" is a vintage glam-punk song in the MCR tradition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvfNmXbVHi4


#165 Travie McCoy - "Billionaire" from "Lazarus" - One of the biggest pop songs of 2010, "Billionaire" was written by and features guest vocals from Bruno Mars. Mars' vocals are the highlight of the song, but Travie's lyrics are also fun and the song has an upbeat reggae beat to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aRor905cCw&ob=av2e


#164 The Paper Tongues - "Trinity" from "The Paper Tongues" - Another song making a re-appearance from the 2009 list, "Trinity" is an obscure alt rock song from a band that has yet to reach these heights again. The sweeping chorus is the highlight of the song to be sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOBay3G4aQU&ob=av2e


#163 LCD Soundsystem - "All I Want" from "This Is Happening" - The first of four brilliant songs from LCD Soundsystem's farewell album, "All I Want" is a driving indie pop ballad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6BYCcy5aeo


#162 Kelis - "Acapella" from "Flesh Tone" - Kelis isn't a prominent artist in my countdowns to date, but "Acapella" is a great R&B dance track with a pulsing beat and a hooky chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8D9xCBcfzw&ob=av2e


#161 Sleigh Bells - "Riot Rhythm" from "Treats" - "Riot Rhythm" finds the tiny middle ground between distortion rock and radio-friendly pop thanks to the sharp guitar riff that drives the song and the bouncy lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ld-0na1mpI

2010 Song Project Countdown - #180-#171

#180 Frightened Rabbit - "Living In Colour" from "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" - Frightened Rabbit presents a unique combination of the obscurely indie and the stadium-filling mainstream, sort of a Scottish mix of The National and U2. "Living In Colour" is one of their most mainstream friendly songs, but it still maintains the same undertones that makes all their best songs great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bjxQav-jRs


#179 Kanye West - "Lost In The World" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Sampling both Bon Iver and Gil Scott-Heron, "Lost In The World" is the most experimental song on "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", but the risk pays off big time with one of West's best songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGfkacwWf0g


#178 Kid Cudi - "Scott Mescudi Vs. The World" from "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager" - "Man On The Moon II" took a decidedly darker, more addiction-fueled tone than the previous album in the series. "Scott Mescudi Vs. The World" is no different, with a dark, aggressive tone wrapped around a fast-paced song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62cb9Kh6R9M


#177 The Dirty Heads - "Lay Me Down" from "Any Port In A Storm" - One of the biggest modern rock songs of 2010, "Lay Me Down" was a decent reminder of how great Sublime used to be, preparing the way for Sublime's official comeback in 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnuEOYK1Kps&ob=av2e


#176 The Arcade Fire - "Empty Room" from "The Suburbs" - Like the best song off of "The Suburbs" (we're a long way away from that one), "Empty Room" features lead vocals from one of the female singers in the band. It's a short song with a driving urgency to it, a rarity on this particular album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJIilmx-wGI


#175 American Hi-Fi - "Frat Clump" from "Fight The Frequency" - An unusual source for a great song (American Hi-Fi has spent most of their career miring in the mainstream rock muck with bands like Jimmy Eat World), but this 90's throwback brings to mind hard rock artists like Stone Temple Pilots and when done properly, that's hardly a bad thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlfH18Gy3c0


#174 Black Country Communion - "Sista Jane" from "Black Country Communion" - Glenn Hughes' crazy hard rock vocals are the highlight of this bluesy 70's rock throwback from the super-group Black Country Communion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq62jyh67yw


#173 Against Me! - "White Crosses" from "White Crosses" - The title track from the latest Against Me! album, "White Crosses" is a hooky punk song with darkly political lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q-kECVL5lg


#172 I'm From Barcelona - "Anywhere You Looked" from "Blalock's Indie Rock Playlist" - I'm not sure when the new I'm From Barcelona album comes out, but if the rest of the songs are like this hooky indie pop chant-along, it's going to be fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhgftwiPK70


#171 M.I.A. - "It Takes A Muscle" from "Maya" - "Maya" was a big of a letdown for M.I.A., but it still managed to include several quirky, brilliant alt rock songs like "It Takes A Muscle", which could have made it on the pop charts if presented as a straight pop song without the digital effects that make it great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbgMqK0CFRs

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #190-#181

#190 Minus The Bear - "My Time" from "Omni" - It's weird that an indie rock song released in 2010 would have a 70's feel to it, but that's the case with "My Time", the top Minus The Bear song on the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9rSYYNPQSc&ob=av2n


#189 Good Shoes - "Under Control" from "No Hope, No Future" - A tight indie rock song with solid lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1KworDaCqs


#188 Jennifer Knapp - "Letting Go" from "Letting Go" - This song gets lumped under the "country" genre, but it's really more of a singer-songwriter song, and a powerful one at that, with an Etheridge-level of passion applied to the chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXe76HUnXtE


#187 Paul Weller - "Wake Up The Nation" from "Wake Up The Nation" - I don't know what it is about songs with "Wake Up" in the title, but they always seem to be excellent. Case in point, this punchy alt rock song from former Jam front-man Paul Weller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HykV37M67MI


#186 Devo - "Later Is Now" from "Something For Everybody" - Yes, that's right, Devo is still making music and it's still awesome. They sound just as sharp as they did back in the 80's and now that technology has infected our lives more than ever, their sound is as urgent as it's ever been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqwZm3mgM4c


#185 Big Boi - "Train, Pt. 2 (Sir Lucious Left Foot Saves The Day)" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - The title track from "Sir Lucious", "Train" is a trippy hip hop song with many weird music effects mixed in with Big Boi's usual lyrical brilliance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXgY7NoEzYo


#184 Mark Ronson And The Business Intl - "Introducing The Business" from "Record Collection" - The chorus is hypnotic to the point of being damn near subliminal and the verses feature some of the best hip hop lyrics of the year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EKLzvx6EbI


#183 Emma Pollack - "I Could Be A Saint" from "The Law Of Large Numbers" - A slow starter to be sure, this song has a fantastic chorus of "How you gonna break my heart when you've never even made my day" that fits the song perfectly, creating a great narrative tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXsdGW42Du0


#182 The Vaselines - "My God's Bigger Than Your God" from "Sex With An X" - All of the world's religious politics condensed into a 3 minute pop song. If you've followed my countdowns in the past, you know that I love this sort of thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQljbGEwvgY


#181 Reflection Eternal - "Strangers (Paranoid)" from "Revolutions Per Minute" - Bun B guest stars on this Reflection Eternal song, which does an outstanding job of living up to its name by building a paranoid atmosphere with nervous lyrics and the booming horn section that injects itself into the song every couple seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjsn9ifTwMg&ob=av2e

2010 Song Project - Countdown - #200-#191

#200 How To Destroy Angels - "Fur Lined" from "How To Destroy Angels" - One of two Trent Reznor projects in 2010 (he also won an Oscar for his "The Social Network" score, which unfortunately didn't put any songs on the countdown), How To Destroy Angels features a female vocalist, but the industrial dance style and dark tones bear Reznor's signature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul0cqfSJJxo


#199 Sex Bob-Omb - "Summertime" from "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack" - Heavily distorted lyrics and fun lyrics make this one of 2010's best songs by a fake band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cltx4MQPsVw


#198 The Deadstring Brothers - "Can't Make It Through The Night" from "Sao Paulo" - The Deadstring Brothers channel "Exile On Main St."-era Jagger and Richards on this (and every) song off of "Sao Paulo". This is a song that sounds 40 years older than it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X92Ms4vXhYk


#197 Fang Island - "Life Coach" from "Fang Island" - I caught their concert in St. Paul, MN last summer. They were an unbilled opening act for Stone Temple Pilots along with Cage The Elephant. Their live show is much more distorted than their album, but even when I could barely understand their lyrics I could tell they were something special. "Life Coach" isn't their highest ranking song, but it is an outstanding indie pop song in the Animal Collective tradition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCaojIXbsB0


#196 The Midnight Juggernauts - "This New Technology" from "The Crystal Axis" - 2010 wasn't quite as good a year for the Midnight Juggernauts as 2008 was, but they still released this excellent alt rock song this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcMsG8FYxXA


#195 Big Boi - "Follow Us" from "Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty" - The latest song from "Sir Lucius" features the usual great lyrics from Big Boi and a solid R&B chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHN8IHh8mGk


#194 Muse - "Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)" from "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - Soundtrack" - You didn't think that Muse would miss out on the countdown just because they didn't release an album in 2010, did you? "Neutron Star Collision" is another over the top indie rock song from Muse. Say what you will about the wretched "Twilight" movies, their soundtracks are outstanding and if it weren't for them, Muse wouldn't be one of the biggest acts in rock n roll right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTvgnYGu9bg&ob=av2e


#193 Blitzen Trapper - "Evening Star" from "Destroyer Of The Void" - A falsetto chorus highlights the latest indie folk classic from Blitzen Trapper to make the countdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDDqGwESbus


#192 The Vaselines - "Sex With An X" from "Sex With An X" - The Vaselines (made "famous" by Nirvana when several of their songs were covered on "Incesticide") enjoy a healthy comeback with their sensational "Sex With An X" album, which featured this hooky indie pop song as it's title track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHIa3zr_vTQ&ob=av2e


#191 Slash - "Beautiful Dangerous" from "Slash" - Yeah, that's Fergie singing the vocals on this Slash song. It's strange, but she really has a voice for metal. When she's in the studio anyway... "Beautiful Dangerous" has some of the most aggressively 80's style of vocals I've heard since the hey day of GNR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjmTf31MAe8&ob=av2e