NPR Chose The 200 Best Performances By Women
The list we're using was put together by NPR Music, drawing on the opinions of more than 70 women and non-binary writers. You can read about, listen to, and watch each song's video by clicking the link here.The 'semi-finalists' who received a top score of '5', are listed below in countdown form; then, the complete list of 200 follows, also as a countdown.
Just a brief word on my opinions. I'm generally not a fan of Country, Heavy Metal, and Rap, though I think you'll agree I've been open-minded. The top 25 include:
World: 4
Folk: 4
Country: 3
Hip-Hop: 3
Pop: 3
Blues: 3
Rock: 2
Avant-Garde: 1
Classical: 1
Industrial: 1
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Top 25 Songs (artist, song title, year recorded, place in list of 200):
#25: Hop Along, "Tibetan Pop Stars" (2012) -- 128/200
#24: Juana Molina, "Eras" (2013) -- 172/200
#23: Jenny Hval, "That Battle Is Over" (2015) -- 140/200
#22: Sylvan Esso, "Coffee" (2014) -- 87/200
#21: Abigail Washburn, "City Of Refuge" (2011) -- 174/200
#20: Julia Wolfe, Anthracite Fields: "Flowers" (2015) -- 127/200
#19: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Maps" (2003) -- 2/200
#18: Shovels & Rope, "Birmingham" (2012) -- 101/200
#17: Valerie June, "Workin' Woman Blues" (2012) -- 39/200
#16: Janelle Monáe (featuring Grimes), "Pynk" (2018) -- 102/200
#15: Tanya Tagaq, "Uja" (2014) -- 119/200
#14: Rhiannon Giddens, "At The Purchaser's Option" (2017) -- 30/200
#13: Arooj Aftab, "Lullaby" (2015) -- 150/200
#12: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, "100 Days, 100 Nights" (2007) -- 7/200
#11: Ibeyi, "River" (2014) -- 85/200
#10: Kacey Musgraves, "Follow Your Arrow" (2013) -- 22/200
#9: Micachu & The Shapes, "Golden Phone" (2009) -- 138/200
#8: Norah Jones, "Don't Know Why" (2002) -- 28/200
#7: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down "We The Common" (2013) -- 105/200
#6: Amy Winehouse, "Back To Black" (2006) -- 4/200
#5: First Aid Kit, "My Silver Lining" (2014) -- 116/200
#4: Lorde, "Royals" (2013) -- 6/200
#3: Corinne Bailey Rae, "Put Your Records On" (2006) -- 82/200
#2: Alabama Shakes, "Hold On" (2012) -- 5/200
#1: Janelle Monáe (featuring Big Boi), "Tightrope" (2010) -- 11/200
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NPR's 200 (click to follow along)
#200: Lori McKenna's "Humble and Kind" (2016)
This is a spare, country / folk number that I liked when I heard it just now for the first time. It has interesting lyrics, I like the message. Otherwise, its pace is plodding, the formulaic country elements are predictable, though there's a beauty to the bareness, like a tree in winter. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#199: Rapsody (featuring BJ The Chicago Kid) "Black and Ugly" (2017)
"...Gritting teeth..." appears in the lyrics. Hmmm. I'm afraid profanity is one strike against this for me; violence is another. But there's pride here; a mixed beat that's interesting. I'm hoping I'll find at least one rap song on this list that penetrates my defenses. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
#198: Demi Lovato "Cool For The Summer" (2015)
Here we have the annoying drum machine, the slightly-slow-for-dancing music, the minimal tonal changes, with a very light theme. Again, not written for me. But, given a chance to branch out, musically, by her label, Lovato's voice might be fun to have on in the background. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#197: Kaki King, "Playing With Pink Noise" (2004)
Avante garde picking and thwacking. A mix between a classical guitar sound, and spontaneous hambone riffing. Not for most people, but I like it. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#196: La Insuperable (featuring Chimbala), "Damelo" (2013)
People listening to this needn't reach over to check a needle or wonder if their feed is whacko; the repetitive words and bursts of 'skipping' music are not a bug, but a feature. The accompanying video has beautifully coiffed and clothed women to look at; but they don't seem to exist, otherwise. Undulating, driving Dominican beat. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#195: Buika, "Mi Niña Lola" (2006)
Flamenco, with appropriately jazzy atmosphere. Orchestrated in parts. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#194: Lizz Wright, "Hit The Ground" (2005)
Here's the first one I've heard before. That's how sheltered I am. But, we're early days, since we're only on #194. Simple, serene, flowing and well-constructed, this is also the best I've heard so far. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#193: Allison Miller's Boom Tic Boom, "Otis Was A Polar Bear" (2016)
This is the stuff I'd be surprised to find on any chart, but it appeals to the experimental jazz lover in me. I don't care for the whimsical title, and it gets a bit up a tree in places, but I wasn't there at inspiration, was I. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
Update: August 7th:
#192: Emel Mathlouthi, "Kelmti Horra" (2012)
Song about the Arab Spring. The humming at the beginning is a terrific opening; and there are emotionally uplifting moments elsewhere in the song. Western ears usually find the quavering and minor-key phrasings of music from countries like Tunisia (in this case) hard to take--even with orchestration and interesting rhythm it is a challenge. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#191: Ashley McBryde, "Girl Goin' Nowhere" (2018)
I suppose you have to tip your hat to the understatement in this song, but aside from a few lyrics that work, this just wallows in a formulaic rut that is 'country'. But, then others may want just that kind of depression in their songs, so there. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
#190: Phoebe Bridgers, "Smoke Signals" (2017)
Again with the depressive, though here there is no formulaic pattern to follow. A delight in the bizarre (the video, the lyrics) sinks this otherwise original music that I would normally like. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#189: The McCrary Sisters, "Train" (2013)
Like the traditional "This Train Is Bound For Glory" the McCrary version is a chugger. It adds a few melodic flourishes and vocal gymnastics as well. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#188: KING, "The Greatest" (2016)
There's enough here to qualify as inspiration (the uplift to the voices at the end of several phrases, for example), despite the odd use of over-the-top self-congratulation. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#187: Anna Thorvaldsdottir, In The Light Of Air: "Luminance" (2015)
Genre: Avant-Garde Classical. Theme: wintery cold. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
Update: August 10th
#186: Torres, "Sprinter" (2015)
Melancholic rock. Accompanying video is black/white images in a sea cave. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#185: Ms. Dynamite, "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" (2002)
Catchy, inventive, fun. Especially like the dog-like panting and barking. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#184: Khia, "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" (2002)
Ummm, this is just a 'Johnny One Note' thing, literally. With over-the-top, suggestive lyrics. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
#183: Jorja Smith, "Blue Lights" (2016)
Depressive, urban, mellow rap, but with a chorus suggesting uplift. Ends with baby crying. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
#182: Idina Menzel, "Let It Go" (2013)
Programmatic, no melody; though Disney surely made a mint off of this pap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
#181: St. Vincent, "Digital Witness" (2014)
Surprising that this would make it big. Parody of North Korean - style automaton work life. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#180: Sara Bareilles, "Love Song" (2007)
When the video is so much fun; even better than the music. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#179: Laura Mvula, "Father Father" (2013)
Spare; piano, drum and vocals, accentuates a fantastic voice. Nice, obscure chords in places. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#178: Noname (featuring Raury & Cam O'bi), "Diddy Bop" (2016)
More johnny-one-note, or thereabouts, but with interesting lyrics and upbeat sensibilities. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#177: Light Asylum, "A Certain Person" (2010)
Synthesizers in the foreground. I like the neighing horses, but otherwise, this isn't for me. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#176: Victoire, "Cathedral City" (2010)
I thought maybe this would be my first '5' rating. An eclectic, background vocals and variable beat tour that skips on into entertaining. But not quite. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
Update: August 12th:
#175: A-WA, "Habib Galbi" (2015)
Another keeper. Here we have traditional Arabic women's music mixed with mild dance hall energy.
0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#174: Abigail Washburn, "City Of Refuge" (2011)
Another traditional musical style, plainsong, given a driving, even galloping pace, with banjo accompaniment. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
#173: Jhené Aiko, "The Worst" (2013)
Calm, gentle, bitter. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#172: Juana Molina, "Eras" (2013)
The unstructured song at its best; just sound that attracts; Argentinian artist. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
#171: Fatima Al Qadiri, "D-Medley" (2011)
Abstract electric dance music; Kuwaiti artist. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#170: Kelis, "Milkshake" (2003)
Fairly predictable; repetitive. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
#169: Brandy Clark, "Hold My Hand" (2013)
More generic country. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#168: René Marie, "Dixie/Strange Fruit" (2001)
A medley of "Dixie" and "Strange Fruit" that works. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#167: Daymé Arocena, "Mambo Na' Má" (2016)
Cuban mambo mixed with New Orleans brass, dubbed with scat. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#166: I'm With Her, "I-89" (2018)
Trio on guitar and vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#165: Tweet (featuring Missy Elliott), "Oops (Oh My)" (2002)
Contains some positives, but could've been greater. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#164: Amara La Negra, "Poron Pom Pom" (2013)
Peppy, driven. Dominican artist. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#163: Windhand, "Orchard" (2013)
Is it "Doom" or just heavy metal? 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#162: Cristina Pato, "Muiñeira for Cristina" (2013)
The bagpipes of Galicia meet jazz. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#161: Carly Rae Jepsen, "Run Away With Me" (2015)
As exuberant as you'd want. The drum machine makes this too predictable, however. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#160: The Band Perry, "If I Die Young" (2010)
If Country music could extract itself from predictability, it would start with something like this. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#159: Sarah Kirkland Snider, Penelope: "The Lotus Eaters" (2010)
An update for Homer's Odyssey, in song. Classical styling. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#158: Mary Gauthier, "Mercy Now" (2005)
A more traditional Country music. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#157: Terri Lyne Carrington, "Mosaic Triad" (2011)
What I used to call experimental jazz. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#156: Julien Baker, "Sprained Ankle" (2015)
Simple, sweet, soothing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#155: Mortals, "View From A Tower" (2014)
The heavy metal moondogs return. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
#154: Holly Herndon, "Chorus" (2014)
What might be called a collage of digital snippets and voices. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#153: Lily Allen, "Smile" (2006)
A light-touch, Ska-influenced number. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#152: DJ Sprinkles, "House Music Is Controllable Desire You Can Own" (2008)
(no audio)
#151: Fever Ray, "Seven" (2009)
Another artist I've heard many times. Roots electronica? 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#150: Arooj Aftab, "Lullaby" (2015)
Pakistani sufi styled music through an accessible, western filter. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
#149: Sky Ferreira, "Everything Is Embarassing" (2012)
Drum machine, predictable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#148: Rilo Kiley, "Portions For Foxes" (2004)
Lyrics and attitude are of the 'bad news' variety, but buoyant, driving music contrasts. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#147: Imogen Heap, "Hide And Seek" (2005)
Simple vocal gymnastics; quite satisfying. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#146: Metric, "Help I'm Alive" (2008)
Begins in promising manner; never blows past that opening. Would benefit from further melodic development. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
#145: Nicole Mitchell, "Shiny Divider" (2017)
Jazz for flute is tough to pull off. Here it underscores vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#144: Jamila Woods, "Blk Girl Soldier" (2016)
A mix of lament and uplift. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#143: Mala Rodríguez, "Yo Marco El Minuto" (2000)
A funky underpinning is wasted on yet more Johnny-One-Note rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#142: Cooly G (featuring Aaron Carr), "He Said I Said" (2012)
Again, an interesting drum/bass/rhythm is wasted on droning rap vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
#141: Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me" (2008)
A commercially crafty production. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
#140: Jenny Hval, "That Battle Is Over" (2015)
Musically enchanting; visually disturbing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing (not seeing) it twice: 5
139: Moor Mother, "Deadbeat Protest" (2016)
Punk meets industrial and they rage on. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
138: Micachu & The Shapes, "Golden Phone" (2009)
Industrial, but melodic, catchy and upbeat. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
137: Jazmine Sullivan, "Bust Your Windows" (2008)
A darker mood, though well done. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
136: Mon Laferte, "Pa' Dónde Se Fue" (2017)
Chilean artist, music. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
135: Big Thief, "Mary" (2017)
Electric piano, sweet voice. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
134: Maren Morris, "My Church" (2016)
A good example of a Country song that affirms its genre, while at the same time transcending it. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
133: Gossip, "Standing In The Way Of Control" (2006)
Protest song, with driving beat, big vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
132: Ciara (featuring Petey Pablo), "Goodies" (2004)
The usual: drum track, tendency towards Johnny-One-Note. A few clever lyrics. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
131: Jlin, "Black Origami" (2017)
Experimental percussion. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
130: Elizabeth Cook, "Heroin Addict Sister" (2010)
Good lyrics, simple country-tinged tune. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
129: Joanna Newsom, "Sapokanikan" (2015)
Whimsical, unpredictable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
128: Hop Along, "Tibetan Pop Stars" (2012)
With an excellent, grungy backdrop, the vocals could have shone bright. And they do, in parts. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
Update: 8/15:
127: Julia Wolfe, Anthracite Fields: "Flowers" (2015)
To win a Pulitzer Prize in music, you have to be good. And this is. Most people would call this classical, though it has a folk theme. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
126: Andra Day, "Rise Up" (2015)
Moving, melodic, anthem-like. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
125: Priests, "And Breeding" (2014)
Irreverent. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
124: Amerie, "1 Thing" (2005)
Great mix-up rhythm. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
123: Tegan And Sara, "The Con" (2007)
Well constructed song. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
122: Kali Uchis (featuring Jorja Smith), "Tyrant" (2017)
Agreeable, but predictable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
121: G.L.O.S.S., "G.L.O.S.S. (We're From The Future)" (2015)
Violent, angry. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
120: Miley Cyrus, "Wrecking Ball" (2013)
Powerful voice, but song relies on predictable, plodding structure. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
119: Tanya Tagaq, "Uja" (2014)
First Nations, visceral, urgent and raw; otherworldly, yet compelling. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
118: Big Freedia, "Azz Everywhere" (2010)
No audio.
117: Jean Grae and Blue Sky Black Death (featuring Chen Lo), "Threats" (2008)
Epic soul, then comes the rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
116: First Aid Kit, "My Silver Lining" (2014)
Swedish sisters manage to sound authentically Western (cowboy, that is). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
115: The Internet (featuring Kaytranada), "Girl" (2015)
An easier rap, but still formulaic. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
114: Laura Marling, "Rambling Man" (2010)
Folk from Great Britain; a bit predictable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
113: Flor De Toloache, "Dicen" (2014)
Mariachi. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
112: Estelle (featuring Kanye West), "American Boy" (2008)
Suave, catchy, but superficial. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
111: Mary Halvorson Octet, "Away With You (No. 55)" (2016)
Jazz guitar in an 8-piece band. Challenging. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
110: Santigold, "L.E.S. Artistes" (2008)
Different, and appealing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
109: Angel Olsen, "Shut Up Kiss Me" (2016)
A funny kind of punk. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
108: Pistol Annies, "Bad Example" (2011)
Inventive country. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
107: Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl" (2004)
Disappointing, from someone with so much talent. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
106: Babymetal, "Gimme Chocolate!!" (2014)
K-pop meets heavy metal. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
105: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down "We The Common (For Valerie Bolden)" (2013)
Folksy, but surprisingly supple uplift. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
104: Princess Nokia, "Tomboy" (2016)
Rap lyrics are different, but uninteresting. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
103: Beyoncé, "Countdown" (2011)
Frenetic, driving, but well-done if one likes this sort of thing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
102. Janelle Monáe (featuring Grimes), "Pynk" (2018)
Gentle hip-hop; a revelation. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
101: Shovels & Rope, "Birmingham" (2012)
Expressive, different country number. Video is fun. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
100: Maggie Rogers, "Alaska" (2016)
Quite enjoyable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
Update: 8/16
99: Ana Tijoux, "1977" (2009)
Chilean rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
98: SOPHIE, "Lemonade" (2014)
Sound effects used to the extreme. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
97: Ludicra, "Clean White Void" (2010)
Heavy duty metal. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
96: EMA, "California" (2011)
Overdone generalizations galore. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
95: Noura Mint Seymali, "Ghlana" (2016)
North African meets pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
94: Eve (ft. Gwen Stefani), "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (2001)
Has a mellow rap fun feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
93: HAIM, "The Wire" (2013)
Without the delirious video, the music is plodding. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
92: Fea, "Mujer Moderna" (2016)
Chicana punk. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
91: The Moldy Peaches, "Anyone Else But You" (2001)
A folksy, simple duet. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
90: Caroline Shaw, "Partita For 8 Voices" (2012)
A cappella experimentation: Baroque music mixed with spoken word. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
89: FKA Twigs, "Two Weeks" (2014)
Calm, stately, with interesting percussive backdrop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
88: Evanescence, "Bring Me to Life" (2003)
Operatic in feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
87: Sylvan Esso, "Coffee" (2014)
A low-key twinkler. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
86: Matana Roberts, "All Is Written" (2015)
Sax, voice, experimental patchwork. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
85: Ibeyi, "River" (2014)
Wonderful background vocals and beat; well done lyrics, too. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
84: Pink, "Don't Let Me Get Me" (2001)
Pop, for sure. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
83: Young M.A., "OOOUUU" (2016)
Rap caricatures: "ho"s and "bozos". 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
82: Corinne Bailey Rae, "Put Your Records On" (2006)
Delightful summer-time voice (and video) makes this a sure-fire winner. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
Update: 8/19
81: Jenny Lewis, "Just One of the Guys" (2014)
Commendable message, but plodding. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
80: Joanna Newsom, "Peach, Plum, Pear" (2004)
Unusual, almost childish delight in eccentricity. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
79: Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman" (2004)
Anti-stereotype stereotype, complete with "Hell yeah" as call-and-response. But, very well crafted. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
78: Natalia Lafourcade, "Hasta La Raíz" (2015)
Simple, melodic (in Spanish). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
77: Anohni, "Drone Bomb Me" (2016)
Disturbing art, harping on recent wars. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
76: Rihanna, "Bitch Better Have My Money" (2015)
Tedious music, profane. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
75: Jill Scott, "Golden" (2004)
Ok, ok, I'll make it Johnny-two-three-note. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
74: Sharon Van Etten, "Every Time The Sun Comes Up" (2014)
A well-done foundation for a song. Could have been so much better. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
73: Icona Pop (featuring Charli XCX), "I Love It" (2012)
Inhibition; she doesn't care. Song reminds me of a pounding headache, despite the upbeat feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
72: Regina Spektor, "Us" (2003)
Fun video. Music is classical-meets-unexpected. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
71: India.Arie, "Video" (2001)
Auto-biographical lyrics on a simple, bluesy track. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
70: Blu Cantrell, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (2001)
Catchy. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
69: Xenia Rubinos, "Mexican Chef" (2016)
Johnny-one-note- bass line and drums, with pointed lyrics. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
68: Nicki Minaj (featuring Beyoncé), "Feeling Myself" (2014)
Well-done rap, but that's not much of a complement. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
67: Grouper, "Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping" (2008)
Dreamlike, languid. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
66: Sia, "Chandelier" (2014)
Operatic feel, with soaring melody. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
65: Shakira (featuring Wyclef Jean), "Hips Don't Lie" (2006)
A Caribbean feel, but plain, until the solos. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
64: Waxahatchee, "Bathtub" (2012)
Calm, matter-of-fact voice with minimal guitar strumming. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
63: Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream" (2010)
Plodding in its own way. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
62: M.I.A., "Bad Girls" (2012)
Moroccan feel; but superficial swagger for the most part. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
61: Broken Social Scene, "Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl" (2002)
Whispery vocals, banjo; repetitive. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
60: Ivy Queen, "Quiero Bailar" (2003)
Supposedly exotic, but droning on (in Spanish). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
59: Little Big Town, "Girl Crush" (2014)
Country, but relatively inventive. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
58: Adele, "Someone Like You" (2011)
Simple piano and voice. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
57: Lady Gaga, "Born This Way" (2011)
Driving beat is unqualified. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
56: Nelly Furtado, "I'm Like A Bird" (2000)
Fairly interesting, but derivative. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
55: Tune-Yards, "Powa" (2011)
Punk for pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
54: Margo Price, "Hands Of Time" (2016)
Here's Country that makes a contribution. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
53: Cecile McLorin Salvant, "Monday" (2015)
A Broadway feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
52: Vanessa Carlton, "A Thousand Miles" (2002)
Appropriately mobile video combined with a fairly predictable voice, piano and strings. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
51: Feist, "1234" (2007)
Simple, catchy jingle. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
50: Downtown Boys, "Monstro" (2015)
Boisterous, declarative. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
49: Robyn, "Dancing On My Own" (2010)
Pop dance number. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
48: Beyoncé (featuring Jay-Z), "Crazy In Love" (2003)
I guess it just isn't for me. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
47: Avril Lavigne, "Complicated" (2002)
More pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
46: Azealia Banks (featuring Lazy Jay), "212" (2011)
More out-of-control rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
45: Anaïs Mitchell, "Why We Build The Wall" (2010)
Spare, voice and acoustic guitar. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
44: Lizzo, "Good As Hell" (2016)
Nice feel to this pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
43: Taylor Swift, "Blank Space" (2014)
"I've got a blank space..." 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
42: Esperanza Spalding, "I Know You Know" (2008)
Jazzy. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
41: Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
Technically emotive, but still pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
40: Rihanna (featuring Calvin Harris), "We Found Love" (2011)
Another big name, another low score (sigh). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
39: Valerie June, "Workin' Woman Blues" (2012)
Traditional blues; cutting, thrilling vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
38: St. Vincent, "Cruel" (2011)
Bizarre, but compelling. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
37: Paramore, "Misery Business" (2007)
Sorry, but angry pop is still pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
36: Bomba Estéreo, "Soy Yo" (2015)
Great beat and flute track (in Spanish). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
35: The Knife, "Heartbeats" (2002)
Warped vocals and lyric; but strangely, it works. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
34: Carrie Underwood, "Before He Cheats" (2005)
Well-done Country. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
33: Courtney Barnett, "Avant Gardener" (2013)
Blase attitude meets crafty tune. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
32: SZA, "The Weekend" (2017)
Suggestive traipsing about is a near sure sign of debasement. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
31: Against Me!, "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" (2014)
A spritely rock pace combined with the transgender blues. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
30: Rhiannon Giddens, "At The Purchaser's Option" (2017)
Traditional Americana: voice, banjo and drum. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
29: Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance" (2009)
Aggressive beat, slick production. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
28: Norah Jones, "Don't Know Why" (2002)
Sincere and simple. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
27: Kesha, "Praying" (2017)
Programmatic. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
26: Miranda Lambert, "Gunpowder & Lead" (2008)
Country that is violent, but well-done. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
25: Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow" (2017)
Violent rage, profanity. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
24: Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z), "Umbrella" (2007)
Johnny-one-note, with blah chorus, reprised. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
23: Amy Winehouse, "Rehab" (2006)
Wonderful 50's era feel; lyrics are poignant. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
22: Kacey Musgraves, "Follow Your Arrow" (2013)
Inviting, clear-eyed Cowgirl. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
21: Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe" (2012)
Catchy and fun pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
20: Adele, "Rolling In The Deep" (2010)
Excellent singing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
19: Beyoncé, "Formation" (2016)
Making put-downs and clever word play work. Video adds political context. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
18: Grimes, "Oblivion" (2012)
Punk industrial combined with ethereal vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
17: Florence + The Machine, "Dog Days Are Over" (2009)
Joyful. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
16: Mitski, "Your Best American Girl" (2016)
Loser's song. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
15: Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass" (2010)
Enunciation quite good, but Rap without any melody. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
14: Hurray For The Riff Raff, "Pa'lante" (2017)
Obscenities work against, for me. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
13: Lana Del Rey, "Video Games" (2011)
Tired sounding, though serene. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
12: Solange, "Cranes In The Sky" (2016)
Peaceful, but seemingly directionless. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
11: Janelle Monáe (featuring Big Boi), "Tightrope" (2010)
Ah, a Rap song I can love--actually much more than Rap. Percussion is excellent. Motown feel to it; cosmo horns; funky choreography (foot as mop). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
10: Peaches, "F*** The Pain Away" (2000)
I'll pass on this one. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
9: Brandi Carlile, "The Story" (2007)
Country verging into rock. Operatic uplift. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
8: Alicia Keys, "Fallin'" (2001)
Bluesy R&B with real teeth; not having to parade for the camera a clue here. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
7: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, "100 Days, 100 Nights" (2007)
Old-time Motown sound. Refreshing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
6: Lorde, "Royals" (2013)
Melody rules. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
5: Alabama Shakes, "Hold On" (2012)
Those guitars and voice build a classic. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
4: Amy Winehouse, "Back To Black" (2006)
Excellent composition. Sounds old and new all at once. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
3: Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" (2008)
Shaking one's booty in a song's video usually means there's not much going on in the music. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
2: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Maps" (2003)
Fantastic underpinning of drums and guitar; repetitive lyrics almost did this one in. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
1: M.I.A., "Paper Planes" (2007)
Upbeat, happy, sound-effects heavy. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
121: G.L.O.S.S., "G.L.O.S.S. (We're From The Future)" (2015)
Violent, angry. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
120: Miley Cyrus, "Wrecking Ball" (2013)
Powerful voice, but song relies on predictable, plodding structure. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
119: Tanya Tagaq, "Uja" (2014)
First Nations, visceral, urgent and raw; otherworldly, yet compelling. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
118: Big Freedia, "Azz Everywhere" (2010)
No audio.
117: Jean Grae and Blue Sky Black Death (featuring Chen Lo), "Threats" (2008)
Epic soul, then comes the rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
116: First Aid Kit, "My Silver Lining" (2014)
Swedish sisters manage to sound authentically Western (cowboy, that is). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
115: The Internet (featuring Kaytranada), "Girl" (2015)
An easier rap, but still formulaic. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
114: Laura Marling, "Rambling Man" (2010)
Folk from Great Britain; a bit predictable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
113: Flor De Toloache, "Dicen" (2014)
Mariachi. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
112: Estelle (featuring Kanye West), "American Boy" (2008)
Suave, catchy, but superficial. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
111: Mary Halvorson Octet, "Away With You (No. 55)" (2016)
Jazz guitar in an 8-piece band. Challenging. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
110: Santigold, "L.E.S. Artistes" (2008)
Different, and appealing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
109: Angel Olsen, "Shut Up Kiss Me" (2016)
A funny kind of punk. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
108: Pistol Annies, "Bad Example" (2011)
Inventive country. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
107: Gwen Stefani, "Hollaback Girl" (2004)
Disappointing, from someone with so much talent. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
106: Babymetal, "Gimme Chocolate!!" (2014)
K-pop meets heavy metal. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
105: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down "We The Common (For Valerie Bolden)" (2013)
Folksy, but surprisingly supple uplift. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
104: Princess Nokia, "Tomboy" (2016)
Rap lyrics are different, but uninteresting. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
103: Beyoncé, "Countdown" (2011)
Frenetic, driving, but well-done if one likes this sort of thing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
102. Janelle Monáe (featuring Grimes), "Pynk" (2018)
Gentle hip-hop; a revelation. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
101: Shovels & Rope, "Birmingham" (2012)
Expressive, different country number. Video is fun. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
100: Maggie Rogers, "Alaska" (2016)
Quite enjoyable. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
Update: 8/16
99: Ana Tijoux, "1977" (2009)
Chilean rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
98: SOPHIE, "Lemonade" (2014)
Sound effects used to the extreme. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
97: Ludicra, "Clean White Void" (2010)
Heavy duty metal. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
96: EMA, "California" (2011)
Overdone generalizations galore. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
95: Noura Mint Seymali, "Ghlana" (2016)
North African meets pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
94: Eve (ft. Gwen Stefani), "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (2001)
Has a mellow rap fun feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
93: HAIM, "The Wire" (2013)
Without the delirious video, the music is plodding. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
92: Fea, "Mujer Moderna" (2016)
Chicana punk. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
91: The Moldy Peaches, "Anyone Else But You" (2001)
A folksy, simple duet. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
90: Caroline Shaw, "Partita For 8 Voices" (2012)
A cappella experimentation: Baroque music mixed with spoken word. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
89: FKA Twigs, "Two Weeks" (2014)
Calm, stately, with interesting percussive backdrop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
88: Evanescence, "Bring Me to Life" (2003)
Operatic in feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
87: Sylvan Esso, "Coffee" (2014)
A low-key twinkler. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
86: Matana Roberts, "All Is Written" (2015)
Sax, voice, experimental patchwork. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
85: Ibeyi, "River" (2014)
Wonderful background vocals and beat; well done lyrics, too. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
84: Pink, "Don't Let Me Get Me" (2001)
Pop, for sure. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
83: Young M.A., "OOOUUU" (2016)
Rap caricatures: "ho"s and "bozos". 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
82: Corinne Bailey Rae, "Put Your Records On" (2006)
Delightful summer-time voice (and video) makes this a sure-fire winner. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
Update: 8/19
81: Jenny Lewis, "Just One of the Guys" (2014)
Commendable message, but plodding. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
80: Joanna Newsom, "Peach, Plum, Pear" (2004)
Unusual, almost childish delight in eccentricity. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
79: Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman" (2004)
Anti-stereotype stereotype, complete with "Hell yeah" as call-and-response. But, very well crafted. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
78: Natalia Lafourcade, "Hasta La Raíz" (2015)
Simple, melodic (in Spanish). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
77: Anohni, "Drone Bomb Me" (2016)
Disturbing art, harping on recent wars. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
76: Rihanna, "Bitch Better Have My Money" (2015)
Tedious music, profane. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
75: Jill Scott, "Golden" (2004)
Ok, ok, I'll make it Johnny-two-three-note. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
74: Sharon Van Etten, "Every Time The Sun Comes Up" (2014)
A well-done foundation for a song. Could have been so much better. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
73: Icona Pop (featuring Charli XCX), "I Love It" (2012)
Inhibition; she doesn't care. Song reminds me of a pounding headache, despite the upbeat feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
72: Regina Spektor, "Us" (2003)
Fun video. Music is classical-meets-unexpected. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
71: India.Arie, "Video" (2001)
Auto-biographical lyrics on a simple, bluesy track. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
70: Blu Cantrell, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (2001)
Catchy. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
69: Xenia Rubinos, "Mexican Chef" (2016)
Johnny-one-note- bass line and drums, with pointed lyrics. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
68: Nicki Minaj (featuring Beyoncé), "Feeling Myself" (2014)
Well-done rap, but that's not much of a complement. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
67: Grouper, "Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping" (2008)
Dreamlike, languid. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
66: Sia, "Chandelier" (2014)
Operatic feel, with soaring melody. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
65: Shakira (featuring Wyclef Jean), "Hips Don't Lie" (2006)
A Caribbean feel, but plain, until the solos. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
64: Waxahatchee, "Bathtub" (2012)
Calm, matter-of-fact voice with minimal guitar strumming. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
63: Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream" (2010)
Plodding in its own way. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
62: M.I.A., "Bad Girls" (2012)
Moroccan feel; but superficial swagger for the most part. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
61: Broken Social Scene, "Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl" (2002)
Whispery vocals, banjo; repetitive. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
60: Ivy Queen, "Quiero Bailar" (2003)
Supposedly exotic, but droning on (in Spanish). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
59: Little Big Town, "Girl Crush" (2014)
Country, but relatively inventive. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
58: Adele, "Someone Like You" (2011)
Simple piano and voice. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
57: Lady Gaga, "Born This Way" (2011)
Driving beat is unqualified. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
56: Nelly Furtado, "I'm Like A Bird" (2000)
Fairly interesting, but derivative. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
55: Tune-Yards, "Powa" (2011)
Punk for pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
54: Margo Price, "Hands Of Time" (2016)
Here's Country that makes a contribution. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
53: Cecile McLorin Salvant, "Monday" (2015)
A Broadway feel. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
52: Vanessa Carlton, "A Thousand Miles" (2002)
Appropriately mobile video combined with a fairly predictable voice, piano and strings. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
51: Feist, "1234" (2007)
Simple, catchy jingle. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
50: Downtown Boys, "Monstro" (2015)
Boisterous, declarative. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
49: Robyn, "Dancing On My Own" (2010)
Pop dance number. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
48: Beyoncé (featuring Jay-Z), "Crazy In Love" (2003)
I guess it just isn't for me. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
47: Avril Lavigne, "Complicated" (2002)
More pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
46: Azealia Banks (featuring Lazy Jay), "212" (2011)
More out-of-control rap. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
45: Anaïs Mitchell, "Why We Build The Wall" (2010)
Spare, voice and acoustic guitar. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
44: Lizzo, "Good As Hell" (2016)
Nice feel to this pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
43: Taylor Swift, "Blank Space" (2014)
"I've got a blank space..." 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
42: Esperanza Spalding, "I Know You Know" (2008)
Jazzy. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
41: Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
Technically emotive, but still pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
40: Rihanna (featuring Calvin Harris), "We Found Love" (2011)
Another big name, another low score (sigh). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
39: Valerie June, "Workin' Woman Blues" (2012)
Traditional blues; cutting, thrilling vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
38: St. Vincent, "Cruel" (2011)
Bizarre, but compelling. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
37: Paramore, "Misery Business" (2007)
Sorry, but angry pop is still pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
36: Bomba Estéreo, "Soy Yo" (2015)
Great beat and flute track (in Spanish). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
35: The Knife, "Heartbeats" (2002)
Warped vocals and lyric; but strangely, it works. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
34: Carrie Underwood, "Before He Cheats" (2005)
Well-done Country. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
33: Courtney Barnett, "Avant Gardener" (2013)
Blase attitude meets crafty tune. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
32: SZA, "The Weekend" (2017)
Suggestive traipsing about is a near sure sign of debasement. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
31: Against Me!, "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" (2014)
A spritely rock pace combined with the transgender blues. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
30: Rhiannon Giddens, "At The Purchaser's Option" (2017)
Traditional Americana: voice, banjo and drum. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
29: Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance" (2009)
Aggressive beat, slick production. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
28: Norah Jones, "Don't Know Why" (2002)
Sincere and simple. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
27: Kesha, "Praying" (2017)
Programmatic. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
26: Miranda Lambert, "Gunpowder & Lead" (2008)
Country that is violent, but well-done. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
25: Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow" (2017)
Violent rage, profanity. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
24: Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z), "Umbrella" (2007)
Johnny-one-note, with blah chorus, reprised. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 1
23: Amy Winehouse, "Rehab" (2006)
Wonderful 50's era feel; lyrics are poignant. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
22: Kacey Musgraves, "Follow Your Arrow" (2013)
Inviting, clear-eyed Cowgirl. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
21: Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe" (2012)
Catchy and fun pop. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
20: Adele, "Rolling In The Deep" (2010)
Excellent singing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
19: Beyoncé, "Formation" (2016)
Making put-downs and clever word play work. Video adds political context. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
18: Grimes, "Oblivion" (2012)
Punk industrial combined with ethereal vocals. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
17: Florence + The Machine, "Dog Days Are Over" (2009)
Joyful. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
16: Mitski, "Your Best American Girl" (2016)
Loser's song. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
15: Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass" (2010)
Enunciation quite good, but Rap without any melody. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
14: Hurray For The Riff Raff, "Pa'lante" (2017)
Obscenities work against, for me. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
13: Lana Del Rey, "Video Games" (2011)
Tired sounding, though serene. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
12: Solange, "Cranes In The Sky" (2016)
Peaceful, but seemingly directionless. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
11: Janelle Monáe (featuring Big Boi), "Tightrope" (2010)
Ah, a Rap song I can love--actually much more than Rap. Percussion is excellent. Motown feel to it; cosmo horns; funky choreography (foot as mop). 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
10: Peaches, "F*** The Pain Away" (2000)
I'll pass on this one. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 0
9: Brandi Carlile, "The Story" (2007)
Country verging into rock. Operatic uplift. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
8: Alicia Keys, "Fallin'" (2001)
Bluesy R&B with real teeth; not having to parade for the camera a clue here. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 4
7: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, "100 Days, 100 Nights" (2007)
Old-time Motown sound. Refreshing. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
6: Lorde, "Royals" (2013)
Melody rules. 0 - 5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
5: Alabama Shakes, "Hold On" (2012)
Those guitars and voice build a classic. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
4: Amy Winehouse, "Back To Black" (2006)
Excellent composition. Sounds old and new all at once. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
3: Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" (2008)
Shaking one's booty in a song's video usually means there's not much going on in the music. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 2
2: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Maps" (2003)
Fantastic underpinning of drums and guitar; repetitive lyrics almost did this one in. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 5
1: M.I.A., "Paper Planes" (2007)
Upbeat, happy, sound-effects heavy. 0 -5 interest in hearing it twice: 3
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