Every year, for the last 5, I've posted a blog of my favorite songs for the previous 365-ish days. Music is a big part of my life, and I imagine it is yours as well if you're reading this.
It's gone from Live Journal (my earliest of blogs were on there), to myspace, facebook/blogger. I toyed with just posting all of the individual videos on my facebook...but lets face it, with that many videos, half of you would unfollow me, and I don't want that!
In years prior, I've attempted to put it into some form of a countdown. I don't really have the time to try and figure that all out this year, and furthermore, it's incredibly difficult to narrow it down to one favorite.
Advice? Don't ever ask someone in radio their favorite song. They have hundreds.
In fact, it'd be easier for me to tell you the songs we play that I DON'T like.
This list isn't just songs you've heard on Q92 though. Obviously I'm a big fan of pop music, but I like some alt rock as well and you'll see some of those bands and songs represented here.
Alright, enough drivel, here it is, in NO order whatsoever...Robbie's 50 Big Mack's of 2010!
KE$HA - YOUR LOVE IS MY DRUG
What better place to start than with the artist I most wanted to spend a night doing naughty things to in 2010?
K-Money is a freak, but she's fun as hell and very random, which is why I dig her so much. She had a slew of HUGE hits this year and can easily be named an 'artist of the year'...but in my opinion, this was her best track. I like your beard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR_qa3Ohwls
EMINEM - NOT AFRAID
The year of the comeback? It was for a lot of artists. Eminem included. He put out some real crap the last few years. I mean let's be honest...Crack A Bottle, We Made You...NOT his best work at all. How do you redeem yourself? Write a song that says "wow, I let you guys down, I'm not gonna do that s**t no more!"
It's a very inspirational song too. Em is good at those. "For all those who look down on me, I'm tearing down your balcony"
Eminem will appear more later, so that's all for now. Here's the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s
TRAVIE McCOY - BILLIONAIRE (FEAT. BRUNO MARS)
Well who DOESN'T wanna be a Billionaire? Ahh Travie Travie...I'll admit, I was a big fan of this song when it first came out but kind of lost faith in it. Perhaps it was Travie's behavior when we brought him to town with We The Kings. That soured me on Travie a little. But, at one point, it was one of my fav songs so I think it has to make the list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aRor905cCw
MIKE POSNER - COOLER THAN ME
Let's move into new artists that made their mark in 2010. And this guy left a BIG one. Hailing from the state of Michigan and this song was really starting to break when I was there back in June. On warped tour this year and I hear from several people that he's an awesome dude to hang with. He also posts some funny sh** on his Facebook and Twitter accounts!
His huge hit from this year...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqWq_48LxWQ
LADY GAGA - BAD ROMANCE
I really struggled on whether I wanted to go with Telephone or Bad Romance. A reason to go with Telephone would be the video. It's over 9 minutes long and it brought something to music videos that's been missing, quite frankly, since the 80's. That is, making the video into mini-movies and elaborate productions.
However, I prefer this song and think its her best to date.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I
LIFEHOUSE - ALL IN
I've been a Lifehouse fan all the way back to their first, and still biggest hit, Hanging By A Moment a decade ago. If you've never seen them in concert, you really should check them out. They give more than 100% and you'll for sure get your money's worth. I also had the pleasure of taking some Q92 winners to a private, acoustic set and meet-n-greet back in April when they came thru Cleveland. Check out those pics on the Q92 Facebook page (they're in their own album)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1odkjJCA10c
MUSE - RESISTANCE
We played alot of the Muse song Uprising at Q92 this year. This song is SO very different from that one. I'm not saying I don't like Uprising, just that they are different. I'd call Muse a 'rock opera' and I suppose I'm a fan of that. Obviously. This song was on repeat constantly this summer. I LOVE it. If I had to pick a top 5, this would go into it. Crank it LOUD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPE9uSFFxrI
TIMBALAND - CARRY OUT (FEAT. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE)
It will go down as being a song FULL of those wonderfully CLASSIC lines. Also memorable because Samantha Severo would drunk text me many of these lines between Midnight and 2am on any given Friday or Saturday night in the first 6 months of the year :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdHsuuXxfk
BOYS LIKE GIRLS - HEART HEART HEARTBREAK
We've got alot of love for this band at Q92. I remember driving to Michigan back in December 2006 to see All-American Rejects, and Boys Like Girls were the 3rd opener. I'd never heard of them. Flash-forward to my first summer here at Q92 in June 2007 and we brought them in for our first Graduation Invasion. I don't think any of us will ever forget Paul and Martin sitting on stools in the middle of a street in a residential neighborhood in North Canton.
I auditioned on another radio station this year for a job I (obviously) did not get. That station is WIOG in Saginaw/Bay City/Flint, Michigan. And they had just announced this band as the headliner for their summer show before my audition. 10k people backed in a minor-league baseball stadium. A long way from the street in North Canton!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l0xrW0W8eA
MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD - THE SOUND OF SUNSHINE
You probably best remember him for his song "Say Hey (I Love You)" from last summer, but he put out another super-fun summer song this year too. Great music to drive to!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqgHosrqJ8o
B.O.B FEAT. HAYLEY WILLIAMS & EMINEM - AIRPLANES
If it wasn't for Katy Perry's California Gurls, this probably would have been the song of the summer. "Most lyrics used as a facebook status in 2010" would have to go to this song as well. It seemed about May and June, everyone had "Could we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars..." as their status!
This would also probably go into my top 5 songs if I were going to do a top 5. It finished at #4 for the year on Q92. You guys are certainly fans of this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov6OXsaiKy8
RISE AGAINST - SAVIOR
Let's completely change gears and genres here. I like Rise Against a lot. Just as their song "Audience Of One" was on my 2009 list, they appear again this year with one of my favorite rock songs of the year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8X3ACToii0
FLO RIDA - CLUB CAN'T HANDLE ME (FEAT. DAVID GUETTA)
This song was a bigger hit on Q92 than it was in some other parts of the country. It finishes inside our top 20 for the year. We packed a few hundred people onto the patio at Pete's downtown Canton on a sunny, hot August afternoon for our most-energetic show we did all year!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgM3r8xKfGE
VIDEO FROM OUR Q92 PERFORMANCE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnvorAH7bEs
CHEVELLE - LETTER FROM A THIEF
I know a few people are surprised I like this song. I had their song "Jars" on my 2009 list, and while I don't find this one as good as that one, it's still worthy of a spot on my 2010 list. Another great song to drive to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YMc6P6UDMk
FLYLEAF - AGAIN
I'm very much a fan of rock bands with female lead singers. Paramore is probably the most well-known, Hey Monday would be included...and Flyleaf. Flyleaf is a little more 'rock' where the other 2 are a bit more pop, but Lacey has SUCH powerful vocals. This is such a great song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbdCeWoEH1U
KEVIN RUDOLF - I MADE IT (FEAT. CASH MONEY HEROES)
If I recall correctly, this was our first 'bigger name' we brought to Canton for a show back in April. It was still cold! Kevin was one of the coolest guys we've had in too, completely chill and I'm pretty sure the dude knows how to party. It was an acoustic performance COMPLETELY unlike the original song (in a good way), plus I met a few cool people at that show who I still talk to today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_7baOCYg-Q
Video from our Q92 performance of his first hit, Let It Rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAYmnpCMVkA
TAIO CRUZ - BREAK YOUR HEART (FEAT. LUDACRIS)
Hellooooooo DANCE MUSIC! By the end of 2010, dance music had absolutely exploded in pop music. But Taio Cruz was one of the guys who really got it started early this year with this huge song (our #7 for the year on Q92)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_SI2EDM6Lo
PEARL JAM - JUST BREATHE
Probably need to slow it down after the last few songs. And this one was slowing it down for Eddie Vedder and his veteran rock band Pearl Jam in 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuq7RYQ8Wa0
DAN BLACK - SYMPHONIES (FEAT. KID CUDI)
Hey, this is my countdown and I didn't say they had to be hits. Does anyone even remember this song? Dan Black was one of the very first Stripped Down shows we did this year. I know it was still cold as we were inside at The Pub. The remix features Cleveland's Kid Cudi, who I really hope has a huge 2011. He's a great rapper and I'd love to see some new-school rap come out of Cleveland.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWWG75lLemA
30 SECONDS TO MARS - THIS IS WAR
I struggled on which 30STM song deserved to be up here on the list. Kings and Queens was a huge hit early in the year, but the song was actually released in 2009. And I LOVE their new song, Closer To The Edge, but the record company is now working that song to pop radio, which means it could land on a 2011 list of mine. So we'll opt for their mid-year, #1 alternative rock song. Jared Leto and 30 Seconds To Mars...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMAVLXk9QWA
EMINEM FEAT. RIHANNA - LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
Take an incredibly dramatic and powerful hook from Rihanna, and add some of Eminem's best and most-powerful lyics he's ever written, and what do you get? One of the best and biggest hits of his career for sure! A little inside radio info for you, we 'test' all of our songs, thru a few different sources. One of them is our "Q The Music" listener panel on our website. At one point in July and August, our top 3 songs were "Not Afraid", "Love The Way You Lie", and "Airplanes", and we'd never had scores come back as big as the score did on those 3 songs. We were playing one of those songs every 30 minutes! Not to mention the huge prize we gave away, 5 pairs of tix and hotel rooms to Eminem's sold out Detroit show. Em had one of his best years in 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U
ADAM LAMBERT - WHATAYA WANT FROM ME
I like both of Lambert's singles he put out this year. I went with this one for my list because I played it the other day and decided I liked hearing that one better on the radio still. But it's close.
Here's the deal though. I like his music, I think he's a great performer...but I would never go see one of his concerts. What I'm about to say won't be very popular.
Look, everyone knows Adam Lambert is gay. And there is nothing wrong with that! Good for him, go for what makes you happy! But he feels the need to 'shock' people at his shows, by almost over-doing it and forcing it in your face. Why? I don't understand that at all.
Like I said, I DO like his music though!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1Fqn9du7xo
DAVID GUETTA & CHRIS WILLIS - GETTIN' OVER YOU (FEAT. FERGIE & LMFAO)
Another fairly early entry into the year of dance. This was a banger in the spring....kinda disappointing you don't hear it much anymore. I think it's a great track!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2llO3KW5djc
RYAN STAR - BREATHE / START A FIRE
Here's another one where I couldn't decide which song I wanted to use. I've had a few people tell me they've seen him do some acoustic stuff, and he plays with just as much soul and passion as his full-band performances. I'm a Ryan Star fan!
BREATHE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUKO6yOWm-g
START A FIRE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma2nfetVV-s
TIMBALAND - IF WE EVER MEET AGAIN (FEAT. KATY PERRY)
This song didn't get the chance to be the hit it deserved to be, perhaps in part due to California Gurls. Timbaland lays down another fantastic beat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDKva-s_khY
THE READY SET - LOVE LIKE WOE
This song was 'new music' in October across most of the country. It was new music on Q92 in June and was a big hit for us...finishing the year at #13 actually. A pretty-much unknown Jordan came to Canton in July for another Q92 show, this one featuring 2 acts (Hot Chelle Rae was there as well). Another show where I met some really cool people who are still in my life!
I also got to see them in Cleveland in October and their set was the best of the bands that night. Hopefully not a one-hit-wonder, we'll see what he's got in 2011!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh6Oz-L156c
BROKEN BELLS - HIGH ROAD
I don't really have a reason to like this other than the beat and music is pretty cool. I guess the dude's voice is pretty cool too. :shrugs: Heh, that's all I got for this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWBG1j_flrg
P!NK - RAISE YOUR GLASS
There aren't many songs that are 'one listens' for me, to tell if they are hits or not. I usually have to hear them a few times. Not only did I NOT have to do that with this song, I was convinced by the first freakin' hook! Pink's salute to...the rest of us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVNlG5cZyQ
KEANE - STOP FOR A MINUTE (FEAT. K'NAAN)
The lead singer of Keane (I don't know his name and I don't feel like looking it up) has some unique, great pipes! I've always liked their stuff and when I saw they had a song out with K'Naan, I thought "ok, I'll check this out"...never expected Keane to drop a beat like this!! I'll bet most of you have never heard this song, but check it out, its actually quite good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI9C9j0QgU4
OUR LADY PEACE - THE END IS WHERE WE BEGIN
OLP puts out some powerful rock ballads. This is one of them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2BuGkzT3TY
RIHANNA - HARD (FEAT. JEEZY)
Rihanna had some big hits this year...Rude Boy, Only Girl (In The World), and she closes the year with What's My Name? still climbing. And while this one doesn't receive any love any more, it was everywhere to start 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcwd_Nz6Zog
DAUGHTRY - SEPTEMBER
Thanks to a busy busy schedule, I didn't get to see many shows this year. But I did make it to Cleveland back in April to check out Lifehouse and this band, Daughtry. It was April fools day, and this first real warm day of the year. Had to be up into the 70's? Ashley remembers! HA, inside joke. Anyway, Daughtry is very high on my list (with Lifehouse too) of great live performers! Check them out if you get a chance...especially if you're a Daughtry fan, you won't be disappointed!
Their hit from late in the year...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJzBcKM3ZIE
PARAMORE - THE ONLY EXCEPTION
Paramore is known to rock it out. So when they came with a ballad, I was skeptical. For quite a while actually. But this is a great song, lyrically, and the ladies love it...which is certainly not a bad thing! Hayley Williams and Paramore...in happier times, as they split up just 2 weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J7J_IWUhls
PARAMORE - BRICK BY BORING BRICK
At the same time "The Only Exception" was a hit at pop radio, this song was the hit at rock radio. From slow Paramore, to rockin' Paramore...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A63VwWz1ij0
DAVID GUETTA FEAT KID CUDI - MEMORIES
How true the lyrics are..."all the crazy sh** I did last night...those will be the best memories". David Guetta dropping hot beats, Cleveland's Cudi rockin' the mic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gLkOfzIYcU
TRAIN - IF IT'S LOVE
Alright, I know Hey, Soul Sister is one of the biggest songs of the year...but I never liked it. Train 'wussed' out. Obviously it paid off for them in a huge way, so no problem with them doing that, and not that they were exactly hard to begin with. Drops Of Jupiter, Calling All Angels, and Ordinary are still the best songs by Train. But If It's Love was closer to the sound of Train from the old school. And I dig it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxWK3qACDGk
BRUNO MARS - JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Speaking of love, there is without a doubt, no better love song that Bruno Mars' "Just The Way You Are". Every guy should think of these words when he thinks of his girl. And ladies, if he doesn't, ditch him. Bruno Mars was on the hook's of "Nothin' On You" by B.o.B and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy and you kinda went...ok, who IS this guy. Then he dropped this song. OHHH...THAT'S Bruno Mars! A very cool video too, if you've never checked it out! As long as he keeps the drugs down, he promises to have a long, successful run in music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk
GOOD CHARLOTTE - LIKE IT'S HER BIRTHDAY
A big hit on Q92 this fall, not so much in the rest of the country. The return of the guys that started the emo teen rock back in 2002...one of our final Q92 Stripped Down shows of the year, on a 45 degree October day, outside on the patio at Pete's. FUNNY guys too, very cool dudes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4o7YqMb8qw
FROM OUR Q92 SHOW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHSdD7HKrFM
JOHN MAYER - HEARTBREAK WARFARE
I've never been the biggest John Mayer fan. "Why, Georgia?" from like 2002 is still my favorite song from him, by a mile. I think it's fantastic. But Mr. Mayer finally found a way to put out some songs that *I* like again late last year. "Who Says" isn't bad, this song, Heartbreak Warfare, is better. Sadly, I think this song might be forgotten over time...which is too bad, really.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeCClzNCfcA
PAPER TONGUES - RIDE TO CALIFORNIA
Again, it's my countdown, so I'm well aware that this song wasn't much of a hit, but I personally like it! And they have a new song coming for 2011 that's already getting some airplay on some big radio stations in Florida, so the year ahead looks to be good for them! Another artist Q92 brought in in 2010? Yes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCzFYU17Soo
NELLY - JUST A DREAM
It's the year of the comeback, isn't it? Enrique, Eminem, Train...NELLY! FINALLY! I said thru much of 2008 and 2009...if only Nelly and Eminem could release some great songs like they used to in the early part of the decade. 2010? Done! While this is certainly much different than earlier Nelly, I'm still a fan. Excited to see what he bring in 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6O2ncUKvlg
PHOENIX - 1901
The trend for several years has been songs that start on TV. Mostly on hit TV shows, but every now and then a commercial spawns a hit. Hop in your Cadillac, and crank up some alt rock from Phoenix!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL548cHH3OY
ENRIQUE IGLESIAS - I LIKE IT (FEAT. PITBULL)
So here we are, 2010. Enrique Iglesias had some big hits in 2000, 2001. But he's attempted to put some songs out since then, and they never do ANYTHING. So when he teamed up with Pitbull for this one, the intial thinking is 'ok, it's alright, but it won't do much, it's Enrique IGLESIAS!'
Wrong. And, I'm sure most folks are glad to be proven wrong. This song still sounds GREAT on the radio and he's got another song climbing the charts right now. Welcome back, Enrique!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9_n8jakvWU
LINKIN PARK - WAITING FOR THE END
Song without hooks don't typically do well. Is there a hook here? I can't find it. It's still a great track and I'm glad to see LP getting some love on the pop charts. It's some needed rock in a world of dance beats at the moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qF_qbaWt3Q
DIRTY HEADS - LAY ME DOWN
A great, relaxing song from the summer. That's all I really have to say about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnuEOYK1Kps
NEON TREES - ANIMAL
Lastly, Neon Trees. I'm disappointed that I missed them when we brought them into Canton back in June for various reasons. I remember the PD at one of the stations I auditioned for this summer, asking me what I thought. I told him we had just started playing it and he should put it on, sounds good on the air. He did a week later. And he still didn't hire me? Pshhh!
Again, like Linkin Park, a needed infusion of rock into the pop charts.
Look forward to hearing more from them next year!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM7Hlg75Mlo
It's been a GREAT year at Q92. We brought over 30 acts right here to Canton, and you got a chance to see them perform acoustic songs, you got autographs and pics from them. We gave away countless other concert tickets, trips to Detroit, shopping sprees to Westfield Belden Village. Our staff also enjoyed our highest ratings we've ever seen. It's exciting to be a part of all of that, and we love doing cool things for you guys. Join us in 2011, it's gonna be fun!
Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment