This time of year, people like to make lists. News stories of the year. Sports plays of the year. Etc. Data collector and analyst that I am, I have fallen victim to this temptation myself from time to time. This year, lists have been especially popular in the media, with the turn of the decade. Thus, I will indulge you with my own ‘songs of the decade’ top five.
I am no music critic, nor do I claim to know all that much about what makes a song ‘good’ musically. I have, however, listened to an awful lot of radio between 2000 and 2009. In my estimation, songs of the decade influence pop culture, other music that follows, and most of all, get played so much that they get stuck in our head and become ANNOYING.
I have a few friends who do not follow popular music at all. I will concede to them missing a couple of these songs, but certainly not all. To miss all five would be to live under a rock these last 10 years.
Finally, these should not be confused with MY favorite songs. My top five would look much different. To those students who have accused me of being a ‘fan’ of Lady GaGa or Flo Rida due to my occasional use of pop culture examples in my teaching, I say, ask me for MY list. Those artists would not appear on there. Very often.
• Low - Flo Rida (feat. T-Pain) (2007)
Apple bottom jeans. Boots with the fur. Lyrical genius indeed.
• Poker Face - Lady GaGa (2008)
I liked this song the first two or three times I heard it. Then it was repeated so many times on the radio, it was kind of frightening.
• SexyBack - Justin Timberlake (feat. Timbaland) (2006)
Seriously, if you haven’t at least heard of this one, you have been living under a rock.
• Bye Bye Bye - ‘N Sync (2000)
Props to Laura Ratsch and Cindy Fierros for performing the world-famous dance to this one at the 2009 CSUN psychology department talent show.
• Umbrella - Rihanna (feat. Jay Z) (2007)
The first time I heard “umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh” I was like, seriously, that sounds really dumb. Shows how much I know.
