So Rollingstone.com (and/or Rolling Stone magazine) made a list recently of the "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century – So Far" list (see towards the bottom of this entry) and of course it's a mostly terrible list. But I thought before going into MY REACT TO List and the RS list, I think it is worth sharing Pete Pardo of Sea of Tranquility on his YouTube channel did one of his "Rants" about not the Top 100 but Top 25 (maybe the top 25 only was shared on Social Media initially?).
I largely agree with Pete Pardo. In 10 or 20 years, a good percentage of these songs, nobody is going to be listening to regularly. And among the things about the list to understand, the list of VOTERS
Bolded = the people I know and actually respect = 6 out of 81?
ARTISTS and EXECUTIVES
Cliff Burnstein, Q Prime Artist Management
Patrick Carney, The Black Keys
Julian Casablancas, The Strokes, the Voidz
Charli XCX
Wayne Coyne, The Flaming Lips
Britt Daniel, Spoon
Diplo
DJ Khaled
Steven Drozd, The Flaming Lips
Paul Epworth
Noel Gallagher, Oasis, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
John Gourley, Portugal. The Man
Thom Sonny Green, Alt-J
David Guetta
Jim James, My Morning Jacket
Jidenna
Craig Kallman, Atlantic Records
Bridget Kearney, Lake Street Dive
Greta Kline, Frankie Cosmos
Avril Lavigne
Dua Lipa
Courtney Love, Hole
Colin Meloy, The Decemberists
M.I.A.
French Montana
Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine
Stuart Murdoch, Belle and Sebastian
Rita Ora
Rachel Price, Lake Street Dive
Quavo, Migos
Mark Ronson
Santigold
Andrew Savage, Parquet Courts
M. Shadows, Avenged Sevenfold
Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy
Will Toledo, Car Seat Headrest
Justin Tranter
Lars Ulrich, Metallica
Butch Vig, Garbage
Adam Weiner, Low Cut Connie
Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy
JOURNALISTS
David Browne
Andrew Casillas
Cameron Crowe
Anthony DeCurtis
Jon Dolan
Patrick Doyle
Michael Endelman
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Suzy Exposito
Jason Fine
Leor Galil
Sarah Grant
Andy Greene
Kory Grow
Shirley Halperin
Rob Harvilla
Will Hermes
Christian Hoard
Steven Hyden
Maura Johnston
Joe Levy
Alan Light
Kurt Loder
Greil Marcus
Jason Newman
Kevin O’Donnell
Michelle Ofiwe
Jerry Portwood
Justin Ravitz
Isabela Raygoza
Mosi Reeves
Austin Scaggs
Rob Sheffield
Hank Shteamer
Brittany Spanos
Touré
Simon Vozick-Levinson
Barry Walters
Jonah Weiner
Christopher R. Weingarten
Here I will do is come up with 100 Songs that are better and very likely will actually stand the test the time in 10 or 20 years.
edit: 130 songs, lol. As I ended up just thinking of artists with music released since the year 2000, and it ballooned up almost to the point over the last 24 hours, I thought, fuck 100, how about 200 songs and different artists?
But mainly for the sake of just publishing this thing, I am going to stop with what I last counted at as 130.
And I just thought of something, this in a way could be a bit of a precursor to 2 future entries or series.
1 obviously being the Best songs of the 21st Century and even a bit of a guide for those Albums Calendars I mean to do at some point soon from 2001, 2003, 2007-present. Although if I make a fully accurate list of songs, it probably would need to include multiples tracks from many artists.
I also included the year of each track and it sort of gives a little overview of the decade debate of 2000's vs 2010's.
Now the 130 or so tracks listed below, unlike the RS list, ARE NOT RANKED IN MUCH IF ANY WAY. I.E. THESE ARE JUST 130 ARTISTS WITH 1 SONG FROM I LITERALLY JUST THOUGHT OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. AND OF COURSE, THERE'S LIKELY DOZENS OF ARTISTS NOT INCLUDED THAT I MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO, OR COULD AT A LATER TIME.
That being said, if i really wanted to invest the time, it would have been nice to include blurbs, even from 10 or 20 of them, but..time of course. Maybe another time.
And I do think these songs in the 2020's and 2030's will be as if not more worthwhile to revisit than literally 75 or more percent of that RS list. Even if most of them are not "radio hits" or have videos on YouTube that have millions of views, shares, likes, etc, etc.
A lot of great art is found decades if not centuries later. Even from obscure or esoteric artists.
I suppose something to consider doing is making another list like this both in 2020 (for 2010-2019 songs) and in 2025 or 2030 just to see if these songs all make sense to include and what all is added both from the subsequent years until then, and from 2000-present from songs that I hadn't discovered yet. I.e. like how I have been discovering 90's albums from The Spent Poets and Dada which I would never have known about making a Best of the 90's tracks literally 2 months ago, lol.
RANDOM LIST OF MY FAVORITE TRACKS FROM THE 21ST CENTURY (1 PER ARTIST)
dredg - The Canyon Behind Her (2002)
The Mars Volta - Cassandra Gemini (2005)
The Dear Hunter - His Hands Matched His Tongue (2006)
Muse - Stockholm Syndrome (2003)
U2 - New York (2001)
Imogen Heap - The Moment I Said It (2005)
King's X - Vegetable (2002)
Kimbra - Cameo Lover (2011)
Emanuel and the Fear - Jimme's Song (2010)
Fair to Midland - Orphan Anthem'86 (Original Demo) (2006)
Marillion - The Invisible Man (2004)
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element (2000)
Fates Warning - Still Remains (2001)
Kaddisfly - Via Rail (2007)
The Reign of Kindo - Til We Make Our Ascent (2008)
Zero Hour - Demise and Vestige (2001)
Bend Sinister - Time Breaks Down (2007)
Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy (2005)
Pure Reason Revolution - The Twyncyn/Trembilin Willows (2006)
Oceansize - The Frame (2007)
Major Parkinson - The Wheelbarrow (2014)
Dream the Electric Sleep - Elizabeth (2014)
Under the Influence of Giants - Mama's Room (2006)
Men, Women and Children - Dance in my Blood (2006)
Kevin Gilbert - Water Under the Bridge (2000)
Steven Wilson - Happy Returns (2015)
Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (2005)
Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness (2001)
Spock's Beard - The Great Nothing (2000)
Between the Buried and Me - White Walls (2007)
Three - Amaze Disgrace (2004)
Kiss Kiss - Stay the Day (2007)
Dream Theater - Blind Faith (2002)
Transatlantic - Stranger in Your Soul (2001)
Archive - Again (2002)
Doves - Catch the Sun (2000)
Hotel of the Laughing Tree - Weather Maps for Nikolai (2011)
Pepe Deluxe - A Night and a Day (2012)
Small Leaks Sink Ships - Building Blocks (2015)
Cloud Cult - Running with the Wolves (2010)
The Receiving End of Sirens - This Armistice (2005)
Mutemath - Cavalries (2011)
Umphrey's McGee - Mantis (2009)
Coheed and Cambria - The Willing Well (2005)
Incubus - The Odyssey (2004)
Anathema - Angels Walk Among Us (2010)
Brice Plays Drums - Freight Train Blues (2012)
House of Fools - Need to Be Free (2012)
John Arch - Cheyenne (2003)
Shaman - Fairy Tale (2002)
Anathallo - Without Love (2001)
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Pages Written on a Wall (2008)
The Family Crest - Beneath the Brine (2014)
The Decemberists - The Island (2006)
Dirt Poor Robins - Solemn Dream (2013)
Apes and Androids - Riverside (2008)
Ours - Sometimes (2001)
Enchant - What to Say (2000)
Menomena - Wet and Rusting (2007)
Ramona Falls - Spore (2012)
Opeth - The Grand Conjuration (2005)
Burst - (We Watched) The Silver Rain (2008)
East of the Wall - The Apologist (2011)
Bent Knee - Land Animal (2017)
Unexpect - Chromatic Chimera (2006)
SikTh - Another Sinking Ship (2006)
Long Distance Calling - Lines (2016)
Local Natives - Sun Hands (2009)
Foals - Spanish Sahara (2010)
Warpaint - Elephants (2008)
Typhoon - Remember (2018)
Murder By Death - The Desert is on Fire (2003)
Clann Zu - One Bedroom Apartment (2004)
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Storm (2000)
Janelle Monae - Many Moons (2007)
Annuals - Springtime (2008)
Silverchair - Strange Behaviour (2007)
The Dissociatives - Aangry Megaphone Man (2004)
Fjokra - Infinite Loops (2014)
Wolf Parade - Kissing the Beehive (2008)
As Tall as Lions - Circles (2009)
The Velvet Teen - Chimera Obscurant (2004)
Minus the Bear - Burying Luck (2007)
Bloc Party - Uniform (2007)
The Antlers - Atrophy (2009)
Biffy Clyro - Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies (2007)
Neverending White Lights - Our Final Hymn (2005)
sElf - Trunk Fulla Amps (2000)
maudlin of the Well - Gleam in Ranks (2001)
Black Mountain - Bright Lights (2008)
Fields. - Song for the Fields (2007)
The Faceless - Leica (2006)
Time of Orchids -All We Ever Wish (2005)
Aereogramme - Barriers (2007)
Russian Circles - Death Rides a Horse (2006)
Timmy Sean - Can't Stop the World (2010)
Team Me - F is for Faker (2014)
Anakdota - The Girl Next Door (2016)
Battles - Tonto (2007)
OSI - shutDOWN (2003)
VAST - Free (2000)
Everything Everything - To the Blade (2015)
Jazzkamikaze - Music is My Heroin (2010)
The Flower Kings - I an the Sun (Part One) (2000)
Mayer Hawthorne - Designer Drug (2013)
Grimus - The Hell I'm In (2014)
Josh Rouse - Comeback (Light Therapy) (2003)
Gospel - Tango (2010)
Blackfield - Pain (2004)
Woven - Inhale (2007)
Peter Gabriel - Growing Up (2002)
South - Motiveless Crime (2003)
Bruce Peninsula - Steamroller (2009)
22 - Gotodo (2010)
Gotye - Thanks for Your Time (2006)
The River Empires - Three Tigers (2010)
Judgement Day - Peacocks / Pink Monsters (2010)
Pat Metheny - As it is (2002)
Agalloch - Summerisle Reprise (2008)
Protest the Hero - Blindfolds Aside (2006)
Late of the Pier - Focker (2008)
Crotchduster - Mammal Sauce (2004)
The Chap - Proper Rock (2008)
Timbre - Night Girl: Nycteris Sees the Sun (2015)
Brooke Waggoner - Go Easy, Little Doves, I'll Be Fine (2009)
Vennart - Doubt (2015)
Mutyumu - 火焔鳥 / die Ewige Wiederkunft (2008)
Tokyo Jihen - 秘密 / Secret (2006)
Klimt 1918 - We Were Wed By the Sea (2005)
NewVillager - Lighthouse (2011)
The LIST. bolded = songs or artists I like, although many examples the artist has better songs not on the list (Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Coldplay, New Pornographers). And Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" should be higher than so many of these tracks, including Uptown Funk, Happy, etc.
100. "Gasolina" Daddy Yankee feat. Glory
99. "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)," UGK feat. Outkast
98. "Archie, Marry Me," Alvvays
97. "1901," Phoenix
96. "Tighten Up," The Black Keys
95. "Can't Get You Out of My Head," Kylie Minogue
94. "Jesus Walks," Kanye West
93. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)," My Chemical Romance
92. "Stoned and Starving," Parquet Courts
91. "Despacito (Remix)" Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber
90. "1 Thing" Amerie
89. "Hate to Say I Told You So," The Hives
88. "Hannah Hunt," Vampire Weekend
87. "We Belong Together," Mariah Carey
86. "I Love It," Icona Pop w/Charli XCX
85. "My Shot," Original Broadway Cast of 'Hamilton'
84. "One More Time," Daft Punk
83. "Lost Cause," Beck
82. "New Slang," The Shins
81. "Hollaback Girl," Gwen Stefani
80. "Ante Up (Robbin-Hoodz Theory)" M.O.P.
79. "Drop It Like It’s Hot" Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell
78. "Young Folks," Peter Bjorn and John
77. "Losing My Edge," LCD Soundsystem
76. "Get Lucky," Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
75. "The House That Built Me," Miranda Lambert
74. "Letter From an Occupant," The New Pornographers
73. "House of Jealous Lovers," The Rapture
72. "Bad and Boujee," Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert
71. "Call Me Maybe," Carly Rae Jepsen
70. "American Idiot," Green Day
69. "Thinkin Bout You," Frank Ocean
68. "Springsteen," Eric Church
67. "What You Know," T.I.
66. "Beez in the Trap," Nicki Minaj feat. 2 Chainz
65. "We Found Love," Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
64. "DNA," Kendrick Lamar
63. "Sugar, We’re Goin Down," Fall Out Boy
62. "Teenage Dream," Katy Perry
61. "Hung Up," Madonna
60. "The Wire," Haim
59. "Bodak Yellow," Cardi B
58. "Ni**as in Paris" Jay-Z and Kanye West
57. "Do You Realize??" The Flaming Lips
56. "Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi," Radiohead
55. "212," Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay
54. "Portions for Foxes," Rilo Kiley
53. "Oblivion," Grimes
52. "Chandelier," Sia
51. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Beyoncé
50. "The Scientist," Coldplay
49. "Sign of the Times," Harry Styles
48. "Happy," Pharrell Williams
47. "Redbone," Childish Gambino
46. "Cry Me a River," Justin Timberlake
45. "Sorry," Justin Bieber
44. "Stan," Eminem
43. "Cranes in the Sky," Solange
42. "Electric Feel," MGMT
41. "Hurt," Johnny Cash
40. "Beautiful Day," U2
39. "No One Knows," Queens of the Stone Age
38. "Formation," Beyoncé
37. "You Want It Darker," Leonard Cohen
36. "Gold Digger" Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
35. "Blue Jeans," Lana Del Rey
34. "Mr. Brightside," The Killers
33. "Idioteque," Radiohead
32. "In Da Club," 50 Cent
31. "Wake Up," Arcade Fire
30. "Mississippi," Bob Dylan
29. "All Too Well" Taylor Swift
28. "Umbrella," Rihanna feat. Jay-Z
27. "B.O.B." Outkast
26. "Hotline Bling," Drake
25. "Uptown Funk," Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars
24. "Lose Yourself," Eminem
23. "Ms. Jackson," Outkast
22. "Take Me Out" Franz Ferdinand
21. "Bad Romance," Lady Gaga
20. "Rehab," Amy Winehouse
19. "Dancing on My Own," Robyn
18. "Blackstar," David Bowie
17. "Work It," Missy Elliott
16. "All My Friends," LCD Soundsystem
15. "Crazy," Gnarls Barkley
14. "Toxic," Britney Spears
13. "Alright," Kendrick Lamar
12. "Get Ur Freak On," Missy Elliott
11. "Since U Been Gone," Kelly Clarkson
10. "Last Nite," The Strokes
9. "Royals," Lorde
8. "Rolling in the Deep," Adele
7. "Runaway," Kanye West feat. Pusha T
6. "Maps," Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5. "99 Problems," Jay-Z
4. "Hey Ya!", Outkast
3. "Seven Nation Army," The White Stripes
2. "Paper Planes," M.I.A.
1. "Crazy in Love," Beyonce feat. Jay-Z
