“Greatest of the Latest” is a new weekly column I’ll be
publishing that breaks down the 20 best of a certain category over the past 20
years. I’d guess that our average reader is about 20 years old (as am I), so
it’s pretty much going to be the best of the best of our lifetime. While Ice
Bath Report is primarily a sports blog, I also know what I’m talking about when
it comes to movies, music, and other entertainment categories. Therefore, I’ll
be alternating between sports and entertainment lists.
Our first list will be of the 20 best songs of the past 20
years. While popularity and catchiness were definitely considered in the
formation of this list, a song actually had to have some content to make the
cut (sorry Katy Perry). Enough talk though; let’s get to it.
In the late 1990s boy bands were all the rage, and it seemed
like that would continue into the new millennium. Then three dudes known as
Blink-182 came streaking out of nowhere and into the mainstream. Blink had been
around for a few years, but “All the Small Things” really put them on the map.
This punk-pop gem of a song put the instruments back into bands and changed the
landscape of pop music.
In all honesty, is this literally the catchiest song of all
time? I know most people are pretty sick of it by now, but go back to when this
song came out. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, was addicted to this song. When
spoof videos are made ranging from Disney Channel stars to the Harvard baseball
team, you know how universal the song is. Say what you want now, but “Call Me
Maybe” was as big as a song can get. Personally, I still kinda like it.
“The Rising” didn’t get the radio play of all the other
songs on this list, but its importance alone earns it a spot. Springsteen and
the E Street Band came out with their first album in 18 years in response to
the September 11th terrorist attacks, and America was given an extra
boost of hope. The song in particular describes a firefighter climbing the
falling World Trade Center. Eleven years later, it’s still as powerful as ever.
What’s a drummer to do when he’s a part of the biggest band
in the world but then the lead singer takes his own life? Just ask Dave Grohl,
who after the downfall of Nirvana reinvented himself as the lead of the Foo
Fighters. Once everyone heard “Everlong,” no one questioned Grohl’s vocal or
songwriting talents. It’s one of those rock songs that you know a few years
down the line will be considered classic rock.
I don’t know if anyone really knows what the title of the
song means, but this song kicks so much ass that it doesn’t even matter.
Stefani left No Doubt and shocked America with this in-your-face pop record. No
one really knew how to dance to it but everyone still loved it. Besides, it
also reminded us how to spell bananas (B-A-N-A-N-A-S).
Kanye West, the producer, and Jamie Foxx, the actor? Doing a
rap record together? After everyone heard “Gold Digger,” no one was asking
questions anymore. Kanye West exploded onto the scene and ushered in a new era
of rap with this megahit that told women after his money to f- off. It was new,
it was different, and it’s still just as good.
There are three periods in Britney Spears’s career. There’s
the first one, where she was the no-so-innocent schoolgirl. There’s the current
one, where she has come back from rock bottom as strong as ever. And then,
there’s “Toxic.” It’s that good enough to stand on its own. It’s scary and sexy
at the same time, and after you listen to it you wonder what the hell just hit
you. You don’t know what it is, but you like it. A lot.
Bum, bum bum bum bum
bum, bum. As nonsensical as that last line looks, you completely know what
I’m talking about. The opening riff to “Seven Nation Army” is an all-time
great, and it’ll still amp anyone up. With those simple notes, Jack White
proved he’s the best guitar player on the planet. Oh yeah, the rest of the song
is damn good too.
Now you might know them individually as Cee Lo Green and
Danger Mouse, but in 2006 they were collectively Gnarls Barkley. And after they
released “Crazy,” no one seemed to notice that they were named after a
washed-up NBA player. The song is almost hypnotizing, as Cee Lo wails over a
heavy beat from Danger Mouse. It’s definitely one of the more unique songs of
the past 20 years, but it’s also one of the best.
Apparently releasing just one chart-topper from the dead
wasn’t enough for Notorious B.I.G., so he came out with the even bigger “Mo
Money Mo Problems.” The chorus gets stuck in your head for days, the message is
powerful, and Biggie’s flow in his verse is just sick. This rap masterpiece is
just another reminder of how unlucky we are to have lost Biggie so early.
As soon as Usher drops “in
the club with my homies,” this song has you hooked. It dared to combine
R&B, hip-hop, and crunk into one song, and goddamn did it work. Ludacris’s
verse is just hip-hop genius, and everyone loves Lil Jon spontaneously
screaming throughout the song. When it comes to party starters, it really
doesn’t get any better than “Yeah!”.
Just thinking about “Clocks” makes me want to cry. From the piano
melody to Chris Martin’s vocals, the whole song is just an emotional roller
coaster. Coldplay takes a lot of heat, and they can thank The 40-Year-Old
Virgin for a lot of it. Still, there’s no denying that they are freaking
talented, and that “Clocks” is a work of art.
Before 2008 Beyoncé was a superstar who had turned out
numerous hits. But it wasn’t until “Single Ladies” that she became the queen of
all women on the planet. Even though this song scared the shit out of a lot of
guys, I’m sure most still like this song as much as girls do. The music video
deservedly gets most of the recognition, but the song itself is phenomenal.
For a few years I was genuinely scared about how big Lady
Gaga was going to become, and I was never more scared then after she came out
with “Poker Face.” Lady Gaga’s success is simple: she’s just so much better
than everybody else at making pop songs. She’s a genius in her own weird way,
and so far “Poker Face” has been the height of her genius.
After ‘N Sync broke up, Justin Timberlake was relevant as a
solo act but hadn’t really done anything huge. Then “SexyBack” happened. No one
had heard anything like it, and no one wanted to stop listening to it. Now,
J.T. is on top of the world, married to Jessica Biel, hosting Saturday Night
Live, acting in movies, etc. Lucky bastard.
There’s a reason that almost everyone around my age knows
all of the words to “Wonderwall.” It’s just such an undeniably good song.
Behind “Wonderwall,” Oasis started a new era of modern rock, paving the way for
bands like Coldplay. You can relax to this song, you can sing along to it, and
you can air guitar to it. It’s just as complete as a song gets.
When people think of the late 1990s, boy bands are one of
the first things that come to mind. And when it comes to picking the best song
by a boy band, “I Want it That Way” stands alone. Even as a past member of Team
‘N Sync, I’ll admit that it’s not even close. Say what you want about boy
bands, but this is an unbelievable song from start to finish. The Backstreet
Boys actually make it seem like they can kick your ass just using their vocal
chords. And if you have ever seen those guys, that’s saying something.
The best song by the best rapper of all time (I said it).
It’s really hard to get much better than that. Jay-Z gets real with his lyrics
over a huge riff and a monster beat, and it sounds so damn good. “99 Problems”
propelled Jay-Z to the top of the game, and he hasn’t turned back ever since.
In the song he also reminds us that he’s nailing Beyoncé in his own subtle way,
so extra props to him for that.
After proclaiming that Jay-Z is the best rapper of all time,
I guess I’ll just keep being bold. “Lose Yourself” probably is the best rap
song of all time. Before 8 Mile, Eminem rapped about things like
impregnating Spice Girls and getting a blowie from Christina Aguilera. There
was no denying his talent, but once he put towards something more serious, a
masterpiece was created. If Eminem is the Da Vinci of rap, then “Lose Yourself”
is his Mona Lisa.
Easy choice for me. The thing about “Hey Ya!” though is that
no one knows how to describe it. It’s pretty much genre-less, as there has
never been a song like it before or since. And yet, it is universally accepted
and loved. It’s cool, catchy, smart, and funny all at the same time. Every time
I listen to it, I just want to give Andre 3000 a high-five. To sum it up in two
words: musical perfection.
Well, that’s my list. Don’t agree with the order? Think I
left some songs out that deserved a spot? Let us know at Ice Bath Report! Until
then, I’m out.
-PJ Moran
No comments:
Post a Comment