Top 50 Songs of the Decade

20. Broken Social Scene – “Stars and Sons”

A gentle, smooth bass line introduces us to a relaxing power ballad clouded in Broken Social Scene’s signature haze. “Stars and Sons” is more than just another perfect addition to the fantastic You Forgot it in People, it’s the bridge between soft and sweet melodies and heart-racing anthems. And then, just to make sure we’re listening, they throw in one of the decades best clapping segments that seals the deal– and we’re applauding too.

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19. Gui Boratto – “Beautiful Life” [download]

There are two minutes before the drums come in, the melody alters, and the song begins to take shape. Normally, we refer to this part of a song as the introduction. The introduction is a tool used to ease the audience into a song, gearing up for the inevitable chorus that’s full of (usually) cheap hooks, hoping the listener will walk down the street humming this very tune. From the very first notes of Brazilian techno producer Gui Borrato’s remarkable “Beautiful Life,” all preconceived notions of song structure and normality in music are thrown to the wind, and we are left with the most thought-provoking, limitless and emotionally impactful song of the decade. Life goes fast– it’s time we sit down, stare, smell and absorb the roses.

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18. Page France – “Chariot”

There might not be a sweeter and more mellow tune on this list. In “Chariot,” Page France rock us to sleep with bells, xylophones, and a genuinely friendly voice. It’s straightforward, not trying to reach any new musical heights, but that’s why it’s so nice to listen to. They stick to their strengths and give us a song to fade out in the moonlight to. “So we will become a happy ending” gets repeated over and over, and the unforced power behind this song will give you just that.

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17. LCD Soundsystem – “Tribulations” [download]

It’s hard to classify LCD Soundsytem’s most uncomplicated and upfront single, but only because it does so many things at once. It’s got the verse-chorus-verse song structure of any old electro jam, but the crystalizing synths and spunky bass lift this song off the page and into your mind. James Murphy slams his foot on the gas peddle and we’re rocketed into this wonderful world of painlessly addictive dance-rock.

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16. The National – “Fake Empire”

Few songs capture a mood in the same all-encompassing way that The National do on “Fake Empire.” Matt Berninger croons “we’re half awake in a fake empire,” and this insomnia-filled room is full of late-night loungers basking in the glow of faded lights and the silent slumbers of everyone else in this world. The dancefloor has a few stragglers, swaying back and forth, not able to accept the end of the night. All of this we get from the opening chords of this charming and gripping grower. And when it’s over, it’s like getting a brick in your face, realizing that you’re not actually where this song has taken you.

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15. Morgan Page – “The Longest Road (Deadmau5 remix)” [download]

Everything about this remix screams Deadmau5– the killer bass, the epic length of the song, the repetitiveness and simplicity of the melody. In “The Longest Road” Deadmau5 has perfected his craft, creating a dark and bewitching deep-house anthem that invades and attacks every cell in your body. The song has so much power that it makes it virtually impossible to continue any task you were involved with beforehand. It commands your attention and your contemplation, and I promise you, you will be a different person after letting the mau5 eat you alive with this song.

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14. M.I.A – “Paper Planes (Bun B & Rich Boy remix)” [download]

We all know the story of this song– it got released to criminally underappreciated fanfare, and then the Pineapple Express trailer launched it into the mainstream audience. At first I couldn’t tell if I enjoyed it new found sucess– the music snob inside me cringed at shouts of “play that song with the gunshots!’ But the lady deserves all the credit in the world– it is undeniably tuneful. Just when the song is about to get a bit repetitive, boom, here comes Bun B and Rich Boy delivering grade-A verses over the shotgun-weilding beat that lifted the song to new, unforseen heights.

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13. Radiohead – “Everything in its Right Place”

The opening song on 2001’s Kid A, Radiohead made it abundantly clear that this time around, there would be some surprises. Deep, dark and mysterious chords lead us into a frightening tunnel of the unknown. We slowly crawl through, exploring what Thom Yorke and Co. have to offer. It’s the music of another species, like the musical notes to comunicate to aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Yorke belts out non-sensical lyrics that act as more of an instrument than a linear progression of ideas. It’s music for headphones, surely, but also music for and by some unearthly creature– and we’re privaleged we get to hear a bit of their world.

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12. Daft Punk – “Digital Love”

The most straightforward pop song Daft Punk has ever done, it also happens to be their finest. Sure, bangers like “One More Time” and “Around the World” might light up dance floors and hearts alike, the french robots’ take on the classic love tune is more memorable than anything else they’ve embarked on. “I don’t know what to do about this dream and you… we’ll make this dream come true” a robotic voice longingly urges. It’s a shame this track has been left out of the duo’s incredible live performances, possibly because they haven’t been able to find a way to match the rave-ness of their other hits. But no mixing and matching is needed here- they can throw this on during their intermission, and we’ll all be more than happy.

11. The Arcade Fire – “Haiti” [download]

Surprisingly enough, a song about Haitian refugees sung half in french by Arcade Fire’s second singer (Regine Chassagne instead of the usual, brilliant, Win Butler) can make its way high up on this list. Unlike other Funeral cuts, “Haiti” does not have the usual powerful, rock heavy surge that lifts the spirits of everyone and their mom. But unlike those others, “Haiti” has a special, unique charm from Regine’s personal attachment to the subject she sings about, and the watery, swift and smooth backing arrangement from the band. Not to mention, it acts as the calm before the storm for another Funeral gem (we’ll get there in a minute…). Its pace is slow and pensive but has as much burning desire as anything else these Canadians have touched.

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