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Best & Worst Singles of 2004:

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Turn it up, turn it off...


Christine

The best (clockwise): Evanescence, My Immortal; Lindy, Beautifully Undone; Kylie Minogue, I Believe In You; Stabilo, Meant to Live; Switchfoot, Everybody.

In 2004, my Winamp player got to see a lot of action.

In a lackluster year, the only options available seemed unappealing: it was either listen to older songs, or put a sharp object in my ear. And since no one likes to see her own blood, I opted for the former. My criticism of 2004 may be harsh, but when the likes of Ja Rule can crack the SoundScan top ten in its initial debut, there isn't much left to be said.

So what was new in 2004? Let's see…there was someone named JoJo, who at first I mistakenly thought was a runaway circus monkey but ended up being a fourteen-year-old girl. And then there was Ashlee, Jessica's little sister, who enjoyed the spotlight fairly enough (being number one on the charts is no small feat - unless you're up against Lindsay Lohan and Clay Aiken - then it's really just a matter of when you want to steal that candy from the baby) but quickly lost it with her famous "Saturday Night Live" non-performance. Hilary Duff tried to pull a Jennifer Lopez in the music and movie departments, and almost succeeded until Avril Lavigne told her off (but not to her face).

2004 also saw the resurrection of a few almost-forgotten groups, namely U2, Duran Duran, Green Day, The Beastie Boys, and Destiny's Child (but who's that third woman? Oh, right). And Nelly and Eminem made their infamous comebacks after a brief hiatus, dominating the charts in usual form. This year, George Michael was outed from the closet and stalked, but still managed to put out a club-friendly album, metrosexualing it all the way to the bank.

On the Canadian front, it wouldn't have been a year without Sarah McLachlan floating around somewhere. Simple Plan managed to irritate me to no ends with their teen angst propaganda, forcing me to write them numerous letters reminding them that it had been done already. On their last album. Alanis, Shania, and Nelly (Furtado) put out okay, uninspired, and good albums, respectively. Luckily, k-os came out with a great studio CD, and all was right with the world once again.

It was a great year for hip-hop and rap; the genre still keeps its stronghold on the charts (as the article is being written, Kelly Clarkson is the only pop-oriented artist to crack the top ten on the Billboard charts). Nevertheless, the industry became increasingly contrived and irreverent, which made it that much more imperative to have artists like Kanye West, Eminem, and OutKast in the spotlight. You know, to get rid of the stank ho smell. ¤ C.Ho.

The BEST

1. All Falls Down (Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson): Kanye was one of the few gems to emerge out of hip-hop this year, and this little single proves that he can have fun in the studio without resorting to violent or demeaning lyrics. Props to Kanye for also producing a better-than-average video, and for casting Stacey Dash in all her bra-less wonder.
2. Nobody's Home (Avril Lavigne): I know I've expressed my unfavourable opinion of Lavigne numerous times, almost to the point of obsession, but I can't help but like this song. This is because a) she doesn't talk about a man wronging her; b) she doesn't beat up anybody in her video; and c) that wig is really awesome. But seriously, a great single, and a great songwriter (Ben Moody, ex-Evanescence band member) that can finally get her to stop singing about not giving it up.
3. Beautifully Undone (Lindy): Possibly one of the best songs this year, if only for the title alone. Haunting melody, poignant lyrics, and the most vulnerable voice heard since Billy Corgan.
4. Switchfoot (Meant To Live): Great lyrics, great (albeit depressing) message, and when you can use "we were meant to live for so much more" without sounding ironic or like you're stuck with a country writer, you're gold.
5. Everybody (Stabilo): This songs speaks volumes to me, especially the part about wanting five more minutes in bed, and who hasn't? A bit reminiscent of REM's "Everybody Hurts" single, and that was a great song in itself.
6. Yeah! (Usher): Spunky and energetic, Usher's first single off his Confessions CD was one of the best of the bunch, both in and out of hip-hop. Although I still don't really know what he's singing about, I dare you not to dance.
7. Numb/Encore (Jay-Z and Linkin Park): This match-up between king of hip-hop Jay-Z and uber-rockers Linkin Park is a "smash up" made in heaven. Playing off Linkin Park's "Numb" backbeat, Jay-Z manages to add to, not change, the song. And when Jay-Z raps, "I came, I saw, I conquered / from record sales, to sold out concerts / so motherfucker, if you want this encore / I need you to scream 'til your lungs get sore," you know that the resounding record sales will make his impending retirement that much more temporary.
8. Like Toy Soldiers (Eminem): Eminem finally grows up, sort of. This song, which samples Martika's "Toy Soldiers" (and one of my favourite 1980s pop song, go figure), is deep, honest, and unpretentious. The single explores his ongoing feuds between Ja Rule and Ray Benzino, MC and editor of The Source. Eminem just wants to squash the violence, dammit! (But please, not with Ja Rule.) And with "Like Toy Soldiers" (this year's "Stan," if you will), Eminem has once again managed to fuse true-to-life lyrics with a catchy hook.
9. Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day): If you haven't jumped on the Green Day bandwagon yet, it's time to consider it. The three-chord punk trio isn't the most consistent in this industry, but when they hit the mark they do it well. This song is everything that wasn't in 2004.
10. I Believe In You (Kylie Minogue): I'm not usually a big Minogue fan (although I dug her "Locomotive" song), but I do concede that she does work hard to sustain her career. And with this fun little single, she's back in true form.

Honourable Mentions:

• What Happens Tomorrow (Duran Duran): Much, much better than "(Reach Up For) The Sunrise." Any song that includes a parenthesis in its title - which is utterly useless except to show off your great grammatical skills - should never be anyone's first single. But I digress.
• My Immortal (Evanescence): This song totally deserved to be in the top ten, but alas, its much overplayed stay this year made the song a little less special.
• Let's Get Retarded (Black Eyed Peas): Also known as "Let's Get It Started" in its radio-friendly version, this track is a great party anthem.
• Give A Little Bit (Goo Goo Dolls): This remake of a Supertramp song, sung live over a summer concert, is just plain sweet. And we all need a little bit of sweet in our lives, no?

The WORST

1. Party For Two (Shania Twain featuring Mark McGrath): Not only is this ditty utterly pointless, but the video (which was shot in two versions, one with McGrath and one with Billy Currington) is the strangest, most incoherent thing to hit the airwaves since Macy Gray. Throw in Shania's cheesy dance moves, of which she is not ashamed to have guest-appear in her video, and this song is like watching a train wreck, in slow motion and with lots of fake-dish breaking.
2. Dip It Low (Christina Milian): There is nothing inherently wrong with this "sexy" R&B song, but there are many, many intrinsically things that are wrong with its video. Is it the showering? The mud wrestling for one in a giant vat of…something brown and gooey that cannot seriously be chocolate? Remember when Milian wasn't such a "worldly" woman? That was a good year.
3. Heaven (Los Lonely Boys): This song managed to annoy me for the whole summer, and for several reasons: not only is it exasperatingly upbeat and peppy, a song like this will only garner you a one-hit wonder mention in a couple of years. And "Los" Lonely Boys? For whatever crossover appeal it might have - not a good band name.
4. R.U.L.E. (Ja Rule): Let's face it; anything that this four foot tall man puts out cannot possibly be good, no matter how many times he enlists in Ashanti to screech the hook for him.
5. In the Shadows (The Rasmus): This isn't a bad song, if you like repetitive. And repetitive it is, with Finnish lead singer Lauri belting, "in the shadows!" over and over again, until you do just want him to go into the shadows, and far, far away from your radio.
6. Carwash (Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott): As far as remakes go, this isn't nearly as offensive or as irritating as others…oh, who am I kidding. It's one of those throwaway songs for an overhyped movie that only Will Smith fans under the age of twelve will call decent. The cameo at the end of Shark Tale, featuring Aguilera and Elliott as animated fish, is just milking whatever cheesiness the rest of the film couldn't fit into its ninety minutes (which was probably Will Smith's idea all along).
7. My Prerogative (Britney Spears): Another remake that shouldn't have been made at all. Everything - from Spears' breathy come-hither voice that sounds more like she has asthma, and the decidedly ludicrous video wherein she writhes half-naked on a bed and then fake-marries Kevin Federline - is a big joke that no one gets. Except maybe Bobby Brown, who should be raking in the royalties for this mess.
8. Kiss the Wall (Souldecision): You know how Nick Carter was a Backstreet Boy and then he went solo and did the whole blonde preppy guy with a band who pretends he was never a Backstreet Boy? Multiply that by four and you have this group. I really don't know if this song is trying to be funny or just ran out of steam by the middle of things, but anything that includes "I'd rather kiss the wall" as its main dis is not worthy of airplay.
9. Flying (Bryan Adams): This has got to be the slowest, most painfully unbearable sedative to hit the airwaves since Adams' last single. The only thing this song will ever will induce is sleep.
10. Daughters (John Mayer): Zzz.

Michelle

The best (clockwise): John Legend, Used To Love U; Anthony Hamilton, Charlene; Akon, Ghetto; Black Eyed Peas, Hey Mama; Nina Sky, Move Ya Body.

As mainstream as hip-hop and R&B currently are, I was amazed, yet very much thrilled that, for the majority of the year, music from those particular genres ruled the charts. Acts like Alicia Keys, Kanye West, and that man-that-could-do-no-wrong, a.k.a. Usher (well, that's debatable - let's ask Chili), were staples in the weekly countdown. Not only were these artists in heavy rotation, they were on the cover of every magazine, and they won almost every award that they were nominated for. Big up to R&B and hip-hop!

Oh, speaking of Alicia Keys, it was in 2004 that I became a full-fledged fan of hers. When she came out in 2001, I liked "Fallin'," but I thought that she was destined to become a one-hit wonder. Three years later, my girl showed me that she could throw down with the best of them. "If I Ain't Got You" and "Diary" were the baddest R&B tracks of the year, and they solidified her genuine R&B skills. These two songs had me singing at the top of my lungs in the shower, in the car…wherever. I didn't care.

As you can tell from my recap of music in 2004, I am a true R&B chick. However, I did manage to branch out and listen to different genres. I was completely in awe of the rock group Evanescence. Amy Lee, the lead singer of the group, has such a captivating voice; you would have to be made of stone to not be moved by her music. Even though "My Immortal" is an amazingly haunting song, I enjoyed "Everybody's Fool" a little more. I'm not sure if it was the overwhelmingly visual video that did it, but I liked the emotion that the song evoked.

Okay, before I recall every single song that I loved this year, I will reveal the top ten songs that seemed to stand out from the rest. Enjoy! ¤ Michelle

The BEST

1. The Love Song (k-os)
2. Charlene (Anthony Hamilton)
3. Yeah! (Usher)
4. All Falls Down (Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson)
5. Diary (Alicia Keys)
6. Hey Mama (Black Eyed Peas): This is my booty shaking song.
7. Naughty Girl (Beyoncé)
8. Everybody's Fool (Evanescence)
9. Used To Love U (John Legend): On the merit of this one song, I can predict that John Legend will be hot in 2005!
10. Move Ya Body (Nina Sky)

Bonus Track

• Ghetto (Akon): Isn't it refreshing when you hear a good beat paired off with thought provoking lyrics? Thanks, Akon!

Although there were a number of impressive songs that made it to the airwaves this year, there were lots of crappy songs that flooded radio. Luckily for me, I had plenty of songs to choose from for my worst singles of the year category. Did these songs annoy you as much as they did me?? Check out my picks.

The WORST

1. Take My Breath Away (Jessica Simpson)
2. Rumors (Lindsay Lohan): This child really needs to stop tryin' to sing. It ain't funny anymore. [This song annoys me to no end as well. Doesn't it just want to make you start…spreading rumours about her! - Chris]
3. Balla Baby (Chingy)
4. My Prerogative (Britney Spears): Who the hell gave her the right to touch that song??
5. Flap Your Wings (Nelly)
6. Everytime (Britney Spears)
7. Jimmy Choo (Shyne featuring Ashanti): Shyne must have been kidding when he signed on to do this song? Why, Shyne??
8. Fly (Hilary Duff)
9. Over and Over (Nelly featuring Tim McGraw): When did Nelly become a crooner?
10. Soldier (Destiny's Child)