ILM Top 100 2005-2009: TRACKS

yeah i'm probably playing a bit loose w/ language here but when i call something critic bait or P&J bait i generally am talking about its critical reception and am not second-guessing what the artist might've been thinking, because that's kind of impossible

Of course you can! And in this particular example, it's pretty obvious that the guy (guys?) were pretty simply using the juxtoposition between Kanye's political moment and his hit song to make a funny/true statement about Katrina. Pretty simple, pretty effective.

And not-really a traditional critic-baiting song, much more of a populist one. Not really still saying that you're implying that it was, just that it's not difficult to get a clear idea of what an artist's intentions are.

are you calling mary poppins a ho, noodle vague

And now back to dyking.

i voted for lisztomania but am having trouble thinking of much to say about it.

And not-really a traditional critic-baiting song, much more of a populist one

in terms of populism don't you think "gold digger" is, you know, slightly ahead of the other one

So we're at the halfway point... anyone want to grade 51-100? I'd give it an "A", except for the presence of "Fireworks" which drops it to an "A-".

lisztomania is a classic song but i still totally prefer stuff from 'it's never been like that'

Alls I'm saying is that Mary Poppins is popular with an awful lot of chimney sweeps.

i give it a C because i always hate on tracks lists that are full of non-hits that are on albums that will surely make the counterpart list. although obviously you guys did a great job and i love watching the list unfold.

That's why this is called a TRACKS list and not a SINGLES list, der.

If we all made the effort to check how song titles are spelled the world would be a better place.

"georgia bush" kicks the shit out of the legendary k.o. song

That may be true.

in terms of populism don't you think "gold digger" is, you know, slightly ahead of the other one

Oh, absolutely. Personally, I just didn't like "Gold Digger" until after I heard "George Bush..." I know I'm waaay in the minority on that one.

I mean, why would you deprive a good track the opportunity to appreciated on its own? The album it comes from might not be any good.

almost all of these songs have been hits of some sort

maybe i'm forgetting some tho

alright maybe not

but almost all have been singles at least

only 2 of my votes have shown up so far, but i love the majority of 51-100. a ton of "b-b-but i voted for the album" trax. a few stinkers that prevent this being an A. obv have really enjoyed it so far, so B+ or A- i guess.

i mean i probably should have voted for "love story", "fancy" etc...but i definitely used "voted for the album" as a means of whittling down by trax ballot. cuz i HAD to.

Pretty much everything today is well-known enough that I've heard them before.

50. JUSTICE "D.A.N.C.E." (2007) [282.5 points, 16 votes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49esza4eiK4

more than half of the songs so far are songs i've only heard of (as in I might know of the act, but not the song specifically) on ILM, or maybe glancing at Pitchfork or a couple other blogs maintained by ILM people.

I voted for this, mainly because I loved it at the time.

Also, TRIANGLE!

...i've only heard of ...on ILM ...or a couple other blogs maintained by ILM people

That's why this is the ILM poll and not the Guardian poll or Washington Post poll.

I can't believe this is the Washington Post.

i kind of assumed that everything nominated was a single in some capacity, i was just working from the nom list on this one

so if i voted for any album tracks i apologize

ugh i thought people would've been over justice by now, sp wrong that this placed ahead of an actual dance classic like "rej"

there's not much in music that i strongly dislike, but the overcompressed production on the justice album is up there

having experienced both in the right context (club dancefloor) and in the right ~state of mind~ i think the empirical evidence suggests that "rej" leads to total hands-in-the-air ecstatic moments while "d.a.n.c.e." leads to grimacing and maybe leaving the club

49. MARIAH CAREY "We Belong Together" (2005) [283 points, 13 votes, 1 first place vote]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0habxsuXW4g

really hoping that Kelley Polar will make the list but the increasing profile of the artists as it counts down makes that seem unlikely.

love love love love love that song

omfg omfg i didn't think that would place!!! "we belong together" - 3rd of my votes, such a perfectly-constructed, perfectly-delivered heartbreaker of a song

This is the only Justice that still stands up for me.

xp Lex - I don't think the right context really is a club dancefloor - it's a pop song dressed up in genre trappings, much closer to Lisztomania or Love Story than Rej.

the god performance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLmbWXTJ18Q

xxxp yeah this is the sad point at which all the pet picks from your top 10 are pretty much confirmed no-shows

i still like "d.a.n.c.e" a lot, but haven't listened to the album in ages, don't think it would hold up

I don't think the right context really is a club dancefloor - it's a pop song dressed up in genre trappings, much closer to Lisztomania or Love Story than Rej.

it works even worse as a pop single

Can't get past his voice on Lisztomania, it's TERRIBLE, which is weird seeing as I love Too Young and If I Ever Feel Better.

DANCE is alright but if either In White Rooms or Body Language don't place it'll be a travesty.

48. ESTELLE ft. KANYE WEST "American Boy" (2008) [284 points, 12 votes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic5vxw3eijY

gah

still great imo

i love how mariah constantly plays with the song's metre in "we belong together" - you feel like she's on the verge of tears but she's trying to hold back, trying to be restrained, hiccuping and stuttering and passing the narrative to the backing vox (which are all still her of course) and the radio, but there's always the big pay-off where she gives in to her emotions. and she doesn't belt properly until the final iteration of the chorus, which immediately fades out. best lines:

"i'm feeling all out of my element / throwing things / crying / trying to figure out where the hell i went / wrong, the pain inflicted in this song / it ain't even half of what i'm feeling inside / i need you, need you back in my life"

ayyyy "american boy" <3 <3

Haha okay Booka Shade probably aren't going to place in this are they?

I fear an imminent lack of Paavoharju (though they'd better turn up on the albums list)...

Justice is a terrible start to the top 50. Decent Mariah song. Love the Estelle/Kanye joint.

Maybe American Boy has just underperformed as I'd have had it as a lock for the Top 20.

top 20 will be GAPDY parade

xp I would've too. That's why I sacrificed ranking it super-high on my ballot because I figured others would pick up my slack. At least it placed in the top 50, but I was hoping for higher.

47. ERYKAH BADU "The Healer" (2008) [285.5 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuObEg9A2Ew

i never thought "american boy" would place highly - it took a last-minute nom from me to get it in the list at all

great to see erykah here, but i'm basically hoping new amerykah rights the wrongs of the 2008 poll and places FIRST in the albums