with the furrrrrrrrrrrrr
April 24, 2017 10:47 AM Subscribe
We voted, we debated, and we have our answers: Billboard's list of the 100 greatest choruses of the 21st century, ranked by no metric other than the songs that most immediately came to mind when thinking about everything that a great chorus should be -- clever, catchy, singular, and utterly unforgettable. And perhaps most importantly: When you see the song title, does the chorus immediately jump to mind, not to leave anytime soon? If so, it's the right song for this list.
*Scrolls down without reading anything else*
KELLY WAS ROBBED
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:54 AM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
KELLY WAS ROBBED
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:54 AM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
I am SO EXCITED to listen to all of these and have opinions.
posted by redsparkler at 10:57 AM on April 24, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by redsparkler at 10:57 AM on April 24, 2017 [6 favorites]
There's really only one song that belongs on this list. The only way Ignition comes in at #8 is if #s 1-7 are also Ignition.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:04 AM on April 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 11:04 AM on April 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
Wait what? "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is not an 80s song?
I guess I've only ever heard it at karaoke (usually when the mild-mannered bartender steps up, lays waste to the chorus, then drops the mic to resume house pours)...but I always assumed the Darkness were like a cock rock Sparks circa 1985.
posted by Beardman at 11:04 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
I guess I've only ever heard it at karaoke (usually when the mild-mannered bartender steps up, lays waste to the chorus, then drops the mic to resume house pours)...but I always assumed the Darkness were like a cock rock Sparks circa 1985.
posted by Beardman at 11:04 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Picking Up All the Pieces is also not an 80s song.
I guess if we've all learned one thing today, it's that later things can sound like earlier things.
Day well spent.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:09 AM on April 24, 2017
I guess if we've all learned one thing today, it's that later things can sound like earlier things.
Day well spent.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:09 AM on April 24, 2017
I don't know why I even look at these lists. I am usually unfamiliar with 99% of the songs and the other 1% I don't know the name of.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:19 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by blue_beetle at 11:19 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
No "Tarzan Boy", a complete failure of a list.
posted by GuyZero at 11:20 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 11:20 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
Shit man if Tarzan Boy is not an 80s song I'm going to stick my head in Descartes' stove
posted by Beardman at 11:24 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Beardman at 11:24 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
For my money, the only really unwelcome entry in the top 50 is O-Town, who I honestly assumed I would never think about again in my life.
I was also amused that the blurb for Shots wonders whether it's the best chorus that's the same word repeated, but then Baby comes in 40 spots higher.
posted by Copronymus at 11:30 AM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
I was also amused that the blurb for Shots wonders whether it's the best chorus that's the same word repeated, but then Baby comes in 40 spots higher.
posted by Copronymus at 11:30 AM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
My taste is so out of step with the musics of today that it was a pleasant surprise to find two songs I know and love on this list. (The Knife and M.I.A.)
My contribution to the list would have been "Help I'm Alive" by Metric. The chorus just kills!
posted by ejs at 11:32 AM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
My contribution to the list would have been "Help I'm Alive" by Metric. The chorus just kills!
posted by ejs at 11:32 AM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
Oh I missed the "21st century" part. I gotta slow down here.
posted by GuyZero at 11:32 AM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 11:32 AM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
I sing a modified version of the "Shots" chorus almost everyday while dressing the baby ("Socks"), that song was robbed. So catchy.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:34 AM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:34 AM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
Well they've got the wrong Mika song (should be We Are Golden) and the wrong t.A.t.U. song (should be All About Us), but it's a fun list so far.
posted by schoolgirl report at 11:36 AM on April 24, 2017
posted by schoolgirl report at 11:36 AM on April 24, 2017
They got #1 bang on. I care about little else.
posted by parm at 11:39 AM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by parm at 11:39 AM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
(actually that's a really really great list and I'm bookmarking the playlist for next time I have a party)
posted by parm at 11:45 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by parm at 11:45 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'd just like to take a moment to appreciate that Billboard is showing all 100 songs as a single list on mobile, instead of splitting it up in order to pump up page impressions.
And yeah, I'm surprised that a lot of these are from the 21st century, until I remember that I'm Officially An Old now, and we're over 16 years into the new millennium.
posted by KGMoney at 11:49 AM on April 24, 2017 [7 favorites]
And yeah, I'm surprised that a lot of these are from the 21st century, until I remember that I'm Officially An Old now, and we're over 16 years into the new millennium.
posted by KGMoney at 11:49 AM on April 24, 2017 [7 favorites]
Going to RTFA, but I love you for the title of this FPP alone. Great work.
posted by threetwentytwo at 11:52 AM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by threetwentytwo at 11:52 AM on April 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
Mr Brightside has a great opening verse but I never thought of the chorus as being that great
COMING OUT OF MY CAGE AND IVE BEEN DOING JUST FINE
posted by threetwentytwo at 12:21 PM on April 24, 2017 [6 favorites]
COMING OUT OF MY CAGE AND IVE BEEN DOING JUST FINE
posted by threetwentytwo at 12:21 PM on April 24, 2017 [6 favorites]
Is this where I post Cosmo the parrot's unique rendition of "apple bottom jeeeans, boots with the furrrrr"?
posted by redsparkler at 12:29 PM on April 24, 2017 [12 favorites]
posted by redsparkler at 12:29 PM on April 24, 2017 [12 favorites]
Am I the only pedant who thinks year 2000 songs belong on the 20th century list? It is the 100th year of the previous century.
Also, these songs are new and don't belong on my lawn.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:51 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also, these songs are new and don't belong on my lawn.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:51 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
My knowledge of 21st-century pop music is pretty poor, so I don't feel particularly qualified to comment on this list. I've observed in trivia my knowledge of music from the 1960s-1980s is reasonably good, with a gradual decline through the 1990s and then falling off a cliff around 2000.
So when I read this:
I was surprised and pleased with myself that I recognized 41 of them from the artists and titles alone. Probably means it's a reasonably good list if that many of them have caught the ear of a 21st-century-music philistine such as myself.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:09 PM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
So when I read this:
When you see the song title, does the chorus immediately jump to mind, not to leave anytime soon?I thought, I'd go through the list, expecting to recognize maybe 20 of them if I was lucky.
I was surprised and pleased with myself that I recognized 41 of them from the artists and titles alone. Probably means it's a reasonably good list if that many of them have caught the ear of a 21st-century-music philistine such as myself.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:09 PM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Am I the only pedant who thinks year 2000 songs belong on the 20th century list? It is the 100th year of the previous century.
You're not wrong. On the other hand, that takes, I think, two-ninths of the songs I recognize off of the list.
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:14 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
You're not wrong. On the other hand, that takes, I think, two-ninths of the songs I recognize off of the list.
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:14 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Surprised there isn't more Bieber on this list, tbh...surely he's the biggest male pop star of the 21st century? Guess his choruses aren't "catchy" enough?
This playlist is going to make cleaning the house so much more fun tonight. Thanks for this!
posted by R a c h e l at 1:34 PM on April 24, 2017
This playlist is going to make cleaning the house so much more fun tonight. Thanks for this!
posted by R a c h e l at 1:34 PM on April 24, 2017
No room for Gotta Get Away by The Black Keys on this list?
posted by HillbillyInBC at 1:44 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by HillbillyInBC at 1:44 PM on April 24, 2017
"Surprised there isn't more Bieber on this list, tbh...surely he's the biggest male pop star of the 21st century? Guess his choruses aren't "catchy" enough?"
I was like baby, baby, baby, no they're not.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:49 PM on April 24, 2017
I was like baby, baby, baby, no they're not.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:49 PM on April 24, 2017
Just slacked this to my office and am waiting to see which entries garner shouts of outrage
posted by Hermione Granger at 1:51 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Hermione Granger at 1:51 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
This is a surprisingly good list. I could probably quibble about the order, but I've decided it's better to ignore the actual rankings, and consider it, 100 best choruses in a somewhat random order.
But it is a little depressing that the top comment on the youtube video for Flo Rida's "Low" is about how it was this person's favorite song when they were 6. So I feel old now.
Also, as I was scrolling through the list I kept thinking, I would love a playlist with all these things, and lo and behold, a Spotify playlist at the end of the article. So that's neat. Almost as great as the fact that this was all on one page.
posted by litera scripta manet at 2:04 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
But it is a little depressing that the top comment on the youtube video for Flo Rida's "Low" is about how it was this person's favorite song when they were 6. So I feel old now.
Also, as I was scrolling through the list I kept thinking, I would love a playlist with all these things, and lo and behold, a Spotify playlist at the end of the article. So that's neat. Almost as great as the fact that this was all on one page.
posted by litera scripta manet at 2:04 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Wait what? "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is not an 80s song?
Are you confusing it with the Bonnie Raitt "Thing Called Love" song, maybe?
i know i did
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:17 PM on April 24, 2017
Are you confusing it with the Bonnie Raitt "Thing Called Love" song, maybe?
i know i did
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:17 PM on April 24, 2017
Although some quibbles:
I would have gone with "Somebody Told Me" over "Mr. Brightside" if we're doing this based on chorus.
Also, I'm surprised Nelly's "Hot in Here" isn't included. That was a pretty catchy chorus that just seems like it was everywhere. I also wouldn't argue with "Country Grammar," but maybe not everyone has that chorus seared into their brain.
And for Lady Gaga, I would not have chosen "Born this Way" out of all her songs, many of which have very catchy choruses. Bad Romance was a good choice, but I might have also included Poker Face.
And how is Single Ladies not included?
There were some other songs I was ready to argue for, but then I realized they were from the 90's, so...
Anyway, Hot in Here and Single Ladies should have both been on here.
posted by litera scripta manet at 2:20 PM on April 24, 2017 [6 favorites]
I would have gone with "Somebody Told Me" over "Mr. Brightside" if we're doing this based on chorus.
Also, I'm surprised Nelly's "Hot in Here" isn't included. That was a pretty catchy chorus that just seems like it was everywhere. I also wouldn't argue with "Country Grammar," but maybe not everyone has that chorus seared into their brain.
And for Lady Gaga, I would not have chosen "Born this Way" out of all her songs, many of which have very catchy choruses. Bad Romance was a good choice, but I might have also included Poker Face.
And how is Single Ladies not included?
There were some other songs I was ready to argue for, but then I realized they were from the 90's, so...
Anyway, Hot in Here and Single Ladies should have both been on here.
posted by litera scripta manet at 2:20 PM on April 24, 2017 [6 favorites]
I would also put P!nk's "So What" and "Raise Your Glass" instead of "Just like a Pill", and "Best of You" by Foo Fighters, but you know, whatever. It's a good party list.
posted by ApathyGirl at 2:40 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by ApathyGirl at 2:40 PM on April 24, 2017
the best thing about this list is that it's reminding me of songs from forever ago that I liked but were tremendously overplayed (Macy Gray's "I Try", Michelle Branch's "Everywhere", Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts", City High's "What Would You Do", and many more), so I shunned them. And now they're like warm memories I can welcome back into my Spotify playlists.
posted by numaner at 2:54 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by numaner at 2:54 PM on April 24, 2017
I don't know why I even look at these lists. I am usually unfamiliar with 99% of the songs and the other 1% I don't know the name of.
Hey, I knew maybe ten or eleven. Or at least recognized the titles.
posted by octothorpe at 3:14 PM on April 24, 2017
Hey, I knew maybe ten or eleven. Or at least recognized the titles.
posted by octothorpe at 3:14 PM on April 24, 2017
also, how is A Thousand Miles not higher? Literally everyone I've met can sing that chorus.
posted by numaner at 3:18 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by numaner at 3:18 PM on April 24, 2017
Okay, here's something that I didn't realize until way, way too recently about the song "Low". At first, shorty is described wearing "Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur" while the whole club was looking at her. But then, after hitting the floor and getting low, shorty is in "baggy sweat pants and the Reeboks with the straps". Are these two different shorties? Is it the same shorty on two different occasions? Is the shorty in question a quick-change artist? The continuity in these lyrics is a confusing at best.
posted by mhum at 3:44 PM on April 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by mhum at 3:44 PM on April 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
Okay, here's something that I didn't realize until way, way too recently about the song "Low". At first, shorty is described wearing "Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur" while the whole club was looking at her. But then, after hitting the floor and getting low, shorty is in "baggy sweat pants and the Reeboks with the straps". Are these two different shorties? Is it the same shorty on two different occasions? Is the shorty in question a quick-change artist? The continuity in these lyrics is a confusing at best.
I WONDER THIS TOO. I have tried to bring it up to people and they just look at me strangely.
So, personally, I think that "Yeah", by Usher and featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris was ROBBED by not even showing up on this list. A chorus - heck, a whole song - that can be identified by three notes.
Good choice on the DMX song.
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:50 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
I WONDER THIS TOO. I have tried to bring it up to people and they just look at me strangely.
So, personally, I think that "Yeah", by Usher and featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris was ROBBED by not even showing up on this list. A chorus - heck, a whole song - that can be identified by three notes.
Good choice on the DMX song.
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:50 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
Different shorties. Like in the video.
posted by numaner at 3:51 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by numaner at 3:51 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Other songs that seem like glaring omissions:
TLC's "No Scrubs"
Kanye's "Gold digger"
Destiny's Child "Survivor" (honorable mention: "Say my name")
Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" (Who hasn't had to desperately try to get that song out of their head?)
Hm, and maybe Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback"? It definitely one of those choruses that is seared into my brain.
And was there an unofficial limit on number of songs per artist? Because you could have filled up like 10 spots with Rihanna songs. For example:
S&M
Diamonds
Only Girl in the World
Pon de Replay
Rude Boy
Don't Stop the Music
To name a few. I don't know, she just has a lot of really catchy choruses. (And Umbrella is one of my least favorites of those, actually).
Of course, it's also hard to balance out "Best chorus" in the sense of high quality (which is obviously very subjective) vs popularity (which is a little less subjective). Because I have a maybe irrational hatred for "Call me maybe" but I can certainly see popularity wise why it would be included.
I'd be interested to see this list for the 80s/90s. I know there have been a million top 100 hundred songs of the 80s/90s, but top choruses is a slightly different and interesting metric.
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:53 PM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
TLC's "No Scrubs"
Kanye's "Gold digger"
Destiny's Child "Survivor" (honorable mention: "Say my name")
Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" (Who hasn't had to desperately try to get that song out of their head?)
Hm, and maybe Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback"? It definitely one of those choruses that is seared into my brain.
And was there an unofficial limit on number of songs per artist? Because you could have filled up like 10 spots with Rihanna songs. For example:
S&M
Diamonds
Only Girl in the World
Pon de Replay
Rude Boy
Don't Stop the Music
To name a few. I don't know, she just has a lot of really catchy choruses. (And Umbrella is one of my least favorites of those, actually).
Of course, it's also hard to balance out "Best chorus" in the sense of high quality (which is obviously very subjective) vs popularity (which is a little less subjective). Because I have a maybe irrational hatred for "Call me maybe" but I can certainly see popularity wise why it would be included.
I'd be interested to see this list for the 80s/90s. I know there have been a million top 100 hundred songs of the 80s/90s, but top choruses is a slightly different and interesting metric.
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:53 PM on April 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Hm, and maybe Justin Timberlake's "Sexyback"? It definitely one of those choruses that is seared into my brain.
Oh man, I remember the first time I heard that song. I felt like I was listening to something from the future, or from another dimension - I felt like it wasn't even music because it was just coming at me sideways. There was nothing else like it on Top 40 Radio at the time. It is definitely burned into my brain, for forever.
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:57 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh man, I remember the first time I heard that song. I felt like I was listening to something from the future, or from another dimension - I felt like it wasn't even music because it was just coming at me sideways. There was nothing else like it on Top 40 Radio at the time. It is definitely burned into my brain, for forever.
posted by chainsofreedom at 3:57 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh, and it's definitely different shorties.
Also, I'm surprised there were no JLo songs on here, but then I couldn't decide what I would have chosen. What JLo song has the best/catchiest/most seared into your brain forever chorus? I fear it might be "Jenny from the Block" but I feel like we can do better than that.
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:59 PM on April 24, 2017
Also, I'm surprised there were no JLo songs on here, but then I couldn't decide what I would have chosen. What JLo song has the best/catchiest/most seared into your brain forever chorus? I fear it might be "Jenny from the Block" but I feel like we can do better than that.
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:59 PM on April 24, 2017
songs that I'm surprised weren't in there:
"Yeah" by Usher & Lil Jon & Ludachris
"Move Bitch" by Ludacris
"Happy" by Pharrell
"Livin' La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin (1999, which is close enough if some of these other 1999 songs are in the list)
"Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega
"Riptide" by Vance Joy
"Fell in Love With a Girl" by White Stripes
"Hero" by Enrique Iglesias
"All the Small Things" by blink-182
"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne (that chorus is way more memorable that Girlfriend, which I didn't even recognize until I played the song)
songs I'm surprised weren't in there but I'm glad because I hate them with a passion:
anything else by taylor swift
the best one word chorus not in the list:
SAIL
posted by numaner at 4:13 PM on April 24, 2017
"Yeah" by Usher & Lil Jon & Ludachris
"Move Bitch" by Ludacris
"Happy" by Pharrell
"Livin' La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin (1999, which is close enough if some of these other 1999 songs are in the list)
"Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega
"Riptide" by Vance Joy
"Fell in Love With a Girl" by White Stripes
"Hero" by Enrique Iglesias
"All the Small Things" by blink-182
"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne (that chorus is way more memorable that Girlfriend, which I didn't even recognize until I played the song)
songs I'm surprised weren't in there but I'm glad because I hate them with a passion:
anything else by taylor swift
the best one word chorus not in the list:
SAIL
posted by numaner at 4:13 PM on April 24, 2017
I fear it might be "Jenny from the Block" but I feel like we can do better than that
I always think of "Waiting for Tonight", but that's because I used to listen to an EDM remix over and over.
posted by numaner at 4:18 PM on April 24, 2017
I always think of "Waiting for Tonight", but that's because I used to listen to an EDM remix over and over.
posted by numaner at 4:18 PM on April 24, 2017
the best one word chorus not in the list:
SAIL
SNAIL
posted by chainsofreedom at 4:18 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
SAIL
SNAIL
posted by chainsofreedom at 4:18 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
I really appreciated that dedication to detail with the trailing echo after "TREE" in the third verse.
I also argue this is singlehandedly the best use of that song.
posted by numaner at 4:25 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
I also argue this is singlehandedly the best use of that song.
posted by numaner at 4:25 PM on April 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
Surprised not to see "Nagadaraichu a love song" on there. Or its evil twin by Bublé.
posted by emelenjr at 4:39 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by emelenjr at 4:39 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
For what it's worth, I'm an old guy and I offer R.E.M. - ÜBerlin. An utterly gorgeous chorus.
posted by davebush at 5:11 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by davebush at 5:11 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
"PARTY IN THE USA WAS ROBBED"
"WTF IS ASHLEY SIMPSON DOING ON THIS LIST"
"WHERE THE FUCK IS MAMBO NO 5"
"Awww, no Spice Girls?"
posted by Hermione Granger at 5:48 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
"WTF IS ASHLEY SIMPSON DOING ON THIS LIST"
"WHERE THE FUCK IS MAMBO NO 5"
"Awww, no Spice Girls?"
posted by Hermione Granger at 5:48 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
numaner: "Different shorties. Like in the video."
My gut feeling, too, is that it is referring to different shorties but I don't know if the video is quite so definitive. It's shot in the typical music-video-set-in-a-club rapid-cut style and I wasn't able to make out exactly which of the various shorties portrayed was the one in Apple Bottom jeans and boots with the fur and which was the one in baggy sweatpants and Reeboks with the straps. In fact, I'm not sure any of the women in the video were in baggy sweatpants nor do they seem to show any clear shots of those aforementioned boots or Reeboks (though that is a pretty low-res video on YouTube).
posted by mhum at 5:58 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
My gut feeling, too, is that it is referring to different shorties but I don't know if the video is quite so definitive. It's shot in the typical music-video-set-in-a-club rapid-cut style and I wasn't able to make out exactly which of the various shorties portrayed was the one in Apple Bottom jeans and boots with the fur and which was the one in baggy sweatpants and Reeboks with the straps. In fact, I'm not sure any of the women in the video were in baggy sweatpants nor do they seem to show any clear shots of those aforementioned boots or Reeboks (though that is a pretty low-res video on YouTube).
posted by mhum at 5:58 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
What an embarrassing piece of shit-click-bait that is licking the asshole of the labels that are barely buying ad pages anymore. It ignores a lot of amazing indie rock and pop.
No Arcade Fire?
No Radiohead?
No Edward Sharpe?
No Sparks?
Full disclosure: I used to work at Billboard a long time ago, before the music industry imploded, and this publication that calls itself Billboard bears no resemblance to the giant book we used to churn out on a weekly basis. Yeah, we ran a crap-tonne of fawning coverage of Celine Dion and the like, but there was plenty of room for smaller, more obscure acts around the world.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:27 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
No Arcade Fire?
No Radiohead?
No Edward Sharpe?
No Sparks?
Full disclosure: I used to work at Billboard a long time ago, before the music industry imploded, and this publication that calls itself Billboard bears no resemblance to the giant book we used to churn out on a weekly basis. Yeah, we ran a crap-tonne of fawning coverage of Celine Dion and the like, but there was plenty of room for smaller, more obscure acts around the world.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:27 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
None of these choruses have that awesome break where the music stops, and it's just hand claps. Are we not doing that in the 21st century?
posted by gladly at 6:29 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by gladly at 6:29 PM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
"Waiting for Tonight"
That actually was the first one that popped into my head, but it turns out that came out in 1999.
"Awww, no Spice Girls?"
Sadly, the most classic Spice Girls songs were also pre-2000. Otherwise, "Wannabe" would certainly have been here. Similarly, Backstreet Boys "I want it that way" which seemed like a shoe-in, just missed the cut, coming out in 1999.
Can we make our own 90s version of this list? Because aside from the already mentioned ones, I think we would definitely have to have "Ironic" on there, and of course, "Baby Got Back."
What an embarrassing piece of shit-click-bait that is licking the asshole of the labels that are barely buying ad pages anymore. It ignores a lot of amazing indie rock and pop.
I think they probably should have just said definitively that this is a list of mainstream pop, because it seems like "popularity" was a major criteria, so they might as well have gone all in. Although the indie version would be a lot of fun too.
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:01 PM on April 24, 2017
That actually was the first one that popped into my head, but it turns out that came out in 1999.
"Awww, no Spice Girls?"
Sadly, the most classic Spice Girls songs were also pre-2000. Otherwise, "Wannabe" would certainly have been here. Similarly, Backstreet Boys "I want it that way" which seemed like a shoe-in, just missed the cut, coming out in 1999.
Can we make our own 90s version of this list? Because aside from the already mentioned ones, I think we would definitely have to have "Ironic" on there, and of course, "Baby Got Back."
What an embarrassing piece of shit-click-bait that is licking the asshole of the labels that are barely buying ad pages anymore. It ignores a lot of amazing indie rock and pop.
I think they probably should have just said definitively that this is a list of mainstream pop, because it seems like "popularity" was a major criteria, so they might as well have gone all in. Although the indie version would be a lot of fun too.
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:01 PM on April 24, 2017
I was really happy that I could recognize better than half the songs, but I was still glad that they cued up the links to the choruses.
Also, "Empire State of Mind" should be lower.
posted by ob1quixote at 7:59 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
Also, "Empire State of Mind" should be lower.
posted by ob1quixote at 7:59 PM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
I think it should have been the Creep instead of Just Had SEx
posted by PinkMoose at 8:37 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by PinkMoose at 8:37 PM on April 24, 2017
Oh, I also might have included Love the Way You Lie.
posted by litera scripta manet at 9:06 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by litera scripta manet at 9:06 PM on April 24, 2017
Although actually, for best chorus, this other Rihanna/Eminem collaboration might be a better choice: Monster
posted by litera scripta manet at 9:09 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by litera scripta manet at 9:09 PM on April 24, 2017
cmd-F Africa
*not found*
WTF THAT IS THE GREATEST CHORUS EVER I CAN'T BEL—
*looks at article title*
never mind
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:19 PM on April 24, 2017
*not found*
WTF THAT IS THE GREATEST CHORUS EVER I CAN'T BEL—
*looks at article title*
never mind
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:19 PM on April 24, 2017
Oh sick! I wonder where 'Get Ur Freak On' wound up placi-
well ain't this a bunch of bullpucky
posted by ZaphodB at 11:45 PM on April 24, 2017
well ain't this a bunch of bullpucky
posted by ZaphodB at 11:45 PM on April 24, 2017
OK, another glaring omission - Nickelback and their classic "How You Remind Me". Never fails to get the growl out of everyone..
posted by Metro Gnome at 2:21 PM on April 26, 2017
posted by Metro Gnome at 2:21 PM on April 26, 2017
WTF THAT IS THE GREATEST CHORUS EVER I CAN'T BEL—
I can already tell it's gonna take a lot to drag you away from this opinion.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:24 AM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
I can already tell it's gonna take a lot to drag you away from this opinion.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:24 AM on April 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
« Older a gap between my head and the piano | The Myth of the Monolith "Millennial" Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by everybody had matching towels at 10:51 AM on April 24, 2017 [10 favorites]