Music in 2011 saw the further domination of hip hop and indie rock as the principal forms of ‘good’ music. Forms of electronic music have also taken up a much more mainstream appeal in recent years, and there is certainly evidence of this in what was great in music in 2011. Here are ten of my favorite songs not of my Ten Essential Albums.
Artist: Dum Dum Girls Song: Coming Down Producer: Richard Gottehrer & Sune Rose Wagner Featuring: N/A Album: Only in Dreams Why It Made the List: Coming Down is just a fantastically moody ballad, packed with almost tentative emotion and sorrow. Available: Here
Artist: Ellie Goulding Song: Lights Producer: Richard Stannard & Ash Howes Featuring: N/A Album: Lights Why It Made the List: Lights is my favorite pop dance track of 2011. Ellie Goulding, already a star in England, is one of the many great new artists this year. Available: Here
Artist: Eminem & Royce da 5’9” Song: Fast Lane Producer: Supa Dups Featuring: N/A Album: Hell: The Sequel Why It Made the List: Eminem and Royce da 5’9” flow back and forth effortlessly, creating one of the best rap tracks of 2011 with Fast Lane. They have great chemistry. Available: Here
Artist: Frank Ocean Song: Novocane Producer: Tricky Stewart Featuring: N/A Album: nostalgia, ULTRA. Why It Made the List: Along with The Weeknd, Frank Ocean (of Odd Future) has reinvented and taken over the pop modern R&B sound. Novocane is a brilliant example. Available: Here
Artist: Girls Song: Vomit Producer: Girls and Doug Boehm Featuring: N/A Album: Father, Son, Holy Ghost Why It Made the List: The San Francisco duo has brought sort of a grunge sound to indie rock, and it is wonderful. I also like the sort of grand progression of Vomit as well. Available: Here
Artist: Neon Indian Song: Polish Girl Producer: Alan Palomo Featuring: N/A Album: Era Extrana Why It Made the List: As chillwave becomes more and more popular, Neon Indian’s Polish Girl serves as both a song to relax to and also get down to. Available: Here
Artist: Peter Bjorn and John Song: Second Chance Producer: Per Sunding Featuring: N/A Album: Gimme Some Why It Made the List: Second Chance is an immediately likable and catchy driving pop rock song; I dare you not to like it. Available: Here
Artist: Reks Song: 25th Hour Producer: DJ Premier Featuring: N/A Album: R.E.K.S. (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme) Why It Made the List: Very nearly one of my ten essential albums, 25th Hour is the best song off this great hip hop album. DJ Premier’s beat and Reks’s flow meddle together perfectly. Available: Here
Artist: Rihanna Song: We Found Love Producer: Calvin Harris Featuring: Calvin Harris Album: Talk That Talk Why It Made the List: We Found Love is a fun dance track that is catchy but also has a real emotional core. Available: Here
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