Top 100 Pop Songs of the Decade: #70-61

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#70: “White Iverson” by Post Malone

Release Date: August 14, 2015

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #14 (January 23, 2016)

Cultural Relevance: 5/10. Post’s first big break allowed a whole new generation of fans to learn the Iverson mythos.

Allen Iverson is a hero of mine, full disclosure. Growing up going to 76ers games during the AI era, nobody personified toughness or the power of the individual quite like the six-foot guard from Georgetown.

On a nightly basis, you would see him take 20 hits that should’ve been called fouls, only to get up each time. He was ridiculed for his dress code, becoming the scapegoat for league-changing rules. Through it all, Iverson stayed unapologetically himself. While he didn’t reach the pinnacle of the NBA championship, he made up for it with critical acclaim and a unique style those watching will never forget.

Post Malone, despite lacking a killer crossover (as far as we know), also harnesses individualism for good. Just like a small, corn-rowed guard wasn’t a conventional NBA superstar, a face-tattooed white man with an affinity for metal and pro wrestling isn’t a conventional rap juggernaut.

Malone busted all stereotypes with his rise in 2015-17, mainly by staying true to himself and his grunge-rap sound. Turns out, there was a whole new audience of millennial that wanted a 90s-era rough-around-the-edges superstar in their lives, a role which Malone filled perfectly. “White Iverson” is low-key yet powerful, a mission statement that he’s in the rap game to stay, skin color and quirky style be damned. It also shows off his basketball knowledge, and is an eternal reminder of how bad the Pelicans messed up the Anthony Davis era.

Follow-Up: Post took his unique style all the way to the top, with his current Hollywood’s Bleeding album tearing up the charts.

 

#69: “The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco

Release Date: October 26, 2010

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #9 (June 3, 2011)

Cultural Relevance: 7/10. One of the biggest rap tracks of 2011.

Sometimes, a label isn’t the worst thing in the world. Yes, the contention over “The Show Goes On” and how Atlantic Records wanted Lupe to sound on the track (more radio-friendly) was a hot-button issue for a time. Should the label ask certain things of their artist, even if its out of their comfort zone? Are the demands of the label worthwhile? Is the artists’ rebuttal to the demands fair or not?

While “The Show Goes On” is certainly more radio-friendly, and is almost an in-joke in itself on the struggles Lupe went through to produce both the song and his Lasers album, it’s still great material. There was a method behind the madness, too, as the song is still Lupe’s top moneymaking track.

I get that an artist’s integrity can be their most important trait, as it is with Lupe (an artist’s artist), but compromises can still come out like gold, as it does here. The beat and lyrics are motivational, the music video is simplistically excellent, and Lupe (despite his more melancholy discography) feels right at home making an anthem.

Trust me, I understand the villainy of some labels, as Atlantic has been the biggest offender in pushing talentless artists to the forefront of pop music. Sometimes, though, they are genuinely doing what’s best for both themselves and the artist. Lupe and Atlantic had their spat, but it came out smelling like roses.

Follow-Up: Fiasco remained a hot property for the next several years, eventually parting ways with Atlantic after 2015’s Tetsuo & Youth. His last release was Drogas Wave in September 2018.

 

#68: “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons

Release Date: October 29, 2012

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #3 (July 6, 2013)

Cultural Relevance: 9/10. Try and find a commercial break in 2013 that didn’t have this song featured at least once. I dare you.

I can’t stand Imagine Dragons. I hate the fact they’re the “standard bearer” for “rock” entering the new decade. I hate the fact their lyrics never make a lick of sense, and are just written to “sound cool.” I hate that “Thunder” seems to be the most-played song on half of my radio dial, and I hate that anyone ever deemed them star material.

That said, “Radioactive” is by far their best effort to date, a post-apocalyptic hype-up to wake you up into the “new age” of the world, whatever that may be to each individual. The EDM-influenced sound works miles better here than it does on Alex Clare’s similar-sounding “Too Close.” It’s not dubstep sounds thrown in to mask nothing being said, it’s techno that puts the song over the top. While the band doesn’t say much here, either, at least it’s coherent. No “first things first” B.S. that has riddled their other hits.

It’s a clear package with a strong sound, and is the only ID track that has stood the test of overplay.

Follow-Up: Imagine Dragons is currently the biggest rock band in the world. I need a drink.

 

#67: “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Release Date: December 18, 2013

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #4 (June 14, 2014)

Cultural Relevance: 8/10. This one was straight up infectious, crawling onto both pop and rap radio for the summertime.

 

…..

 

….

 

 

 

TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!?!?

Seriously, that’s all I have to say. Fun production from DJ Snake, the always-fun Lil Jon and an ultra-fun catchphrase to yell out at parties. The definition of light-heartedness and musical excitement.

P.S. Lil Jon is a national treasure and one of the music world’s best characters, so it was great to see him regain relevance here.

Follow-Up: DJ Snake used the track as a launching pad for even bigger hits such as “Lean On” and the Justin Bieber-assisted “Let Me Love You.” Lil Jon is still Lil Jon, a hero to all and a continued inspiration in getting crunk.

 

#66: “Wake Up” by Fetty Wap

Release Date: April 20, 2016

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #50 (July 23, 2016)

Cultural Relevance: 1/10. A charting hit as a byproduct of Fetty’s popularity.

Yes, I put Fetty Wap on the list and no, it’s not “Trap Queen.” With “Wake Up,” Fetty gets relatable by telling of his come-up, specifically the failed operations on his troubled left eye and the social ramifications of it. Everyone goes through an awkward period in high school, where the smallest of faults can be picked at relentlessly. Fetty’s fault is nothing mental or emotional, but can still be seen just by looking at his face. That type of superficial teasing can be a test, and Fetty tells how he passed through to stardom.

The song follows the path of a high school student, from an angst-filled wakeup where you don’t care about school and just want to sleep, to the moment of graduation when you “know you made it.”  The laid-back, simple instrumental reflects the high school days of simplicity, where you could just go through the motions of school just to get “Wiz Khalifa” afterwards with your friends. An interesting song about an interesting time in all of our lives.

Follow-Up: Fetty’s 2015-16 momentum tapered off after “Wake Up,” with his only charting songs after being features for Fifth Harmony and everyone’s favorite rainbow-colored rat 6ix9ine. “Keke” is probably 6ix9ine’s best song, thanks to the features of Fetty and A Boogie. I blame Drake for this, actually, as his remix of “My Way” was so popular, people began to think it was Drake’s song.

That said, Fetty is still grinding, with his King Zoo album scheduled for 2020.

 

#65: “Fight Night” by Migos

Release Date: April 8, 2014

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #69 (September 6, 2014)

Cultural Relevance: 8/10. Didn’t chart high, but was one of the biggest songs in the Migos revolution of 2013-14.

Despite being as popular as ever, it seems as though the Migos era is drawing to a close. Their specialty (trap-influenced club hits) seems to be the new norm, with cringe-worthy attempts to recreate the sound plaguing rap charts the past few years. Even the Migos themselves fell too far into attempts to recapture the energy of older tracks, as Culture II was quite the disappointment compared to earlier efforts.

That said, their movement from 2013-15 was wholly unique, a trio of pop-rap hitmakers that modernized the southern sound for wider audiences. The one that got me on board was “Fight Night,” after the releases of “Versace” and “Hannah Montana” had me thinking they were very one-note.

“Fight Night” doesn’t stray too far off the reservation, but the pounding bass and MC swagger heightened its standing. The beat locks you in with its unchanging, up-tempo style, and the trio doesn’t take anything off the table. Add a memorable chorus (which actually challenged folks to determine which side of the club they’re on as it plays), and it’s hard not to feel the excitement. Migos brought that during their initial rise, and is remembered as one of the best come-ups of the decade.

Follow-Up: I’ll have more to say later, but the group’s popularity went nuclear due to the widespread usage of “The Dab,” specifically by Cam Newton, in 2015. They’ve been on top ever since.

 

#64: “Institutionalized” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg

Release Date: March 16, 2015

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #99 (April 4, 2015)

Cultural Relevance: 2/10, on account of being on the biggest rap release of 2015.

The rapper of the decade (sorry, Drake) finally checks in at #64 with a more laid-back tale of the “hood mentality” being inescapable in some ways. Kendrick’s existential crisis and scars shown from the m.A.A.d city era followed him into stardom, with his mind still considering how the hood interacts with Hollywood. It turns out, not well, as instead of applauding celebrities for their wealthy status, it’s an opportunity to take possessions from the rich.

Snoop Dogg’s verse as a narrator figure for the story is a great callback, as when Hollywood was first awkwardly convening with rap culture, Snoop was one of the main targets of both affection and uneasiness. As much as there was love on the surface between celebrities and the 90s gangster rap movement, there was still a tinge of racial frightfulness. On “Institutionalized,” Kendrick paints a picture of a hypothetical, showing you the unfortunate proof behind the mistrust of rap figures. It makes you think, and it lets you ride out on the fantastic production from Tommy Black and Rahki.

Follow-Up: Kendrick Lamar continues to be one of rap’s largest figures, casting a shadow despite a lack of recent releases. Expect more of him in 2020 would be my prediction.

 

#63: “The Monster” by Eminem ft. Rihanna

Release Date: October 29, 2013

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #1 (December 21, 2013-January 11, 2014)

Cultural Relevance: 7/10. The biggest song off of Marshall Mathers LP 2, and charted high due to the Eminem-Rihanna pairing.

 “The Monster” is probably the most succinct sample of an artist that has, willfully or not, begun to accept his lane in the industry. On the original Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem lashes out against the notion he’s a pop artist, continually taking potshots at the hand that feeds him. Through the rest of the 2000s and into the 2010s, he gradually shifted into the pop artist the industry wanted him to be, to mixed results. The Eminem Show and Recovery were full of pop-rap smash hits, while Encore and Relapse were less than stellar. We know this, because he isn’t afraid to say so.

Through it all, he accepted his pop artist status, finding the best balance between the new and old Slim Shady on Marshall Mathers LP 2, with “The Monster” as one of its crowning jewels, heightened by Rihanna’s chorus. Which can probably be said about 100 songs from 2012-14, but still, she definitely works here more than on “Love The Way You Lie.”

Follow-Up: Not much in the way of releases until 2017, when the much-maligned Revival hit streaming. After an almost universal pandering, Em picked himself up, got back on tour and delivered Kamikaze a year later.

 

#62: “Crooked Smile” by J. Cole ft. TLC

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #27 (October 5, 2013)

Cultural Relevance: 4/10. Part of the pristine Born Sinner package.

Jermaine Cole is pretty smooth when he wants to be, including on the “Just The Way You Are” of rap tracks. There’s an authenticity to his words in “Crooked Smile” that takes it past the level of Bruno’s song, however, as does the backup of TLC.

I won’t waste breath here, since I’ll be getting to Cole very deep into this list (spoiler), but the genuine, hopeful energy of the Born Sinner era became the calling card of not only Cole, but those who followed in his footsteps since. This is nothing but a positive, as more in-depth rap fare doesn’t nearly enough shine on the radio or the charts. Cole’s thoughtfulness was a much-needed break from the endless club jams, and attracted enough following to make Born Sinner and 2014 Forest Hills Drive mainstream crossover classics.

Follow-Up: Cole continues to make hit records, and will be releasing the follow-up to 2018’s KOD sometime in 2020 (hopefully).

 

#61: “God’s Country” by Blake Shelton

Release Date: March 29, 2019

Peak on Billboard Hot 100: #17 (July 13, 2019)

Cultural Relevance: 4/10. Got huge play on country radio over the summer, as is typical for arguably country’s biggest current star.

Songs that double up as mission statements always receive more praise from me, as is this three-minute scorcher from Shelton. Simple, to the point, the track lets you know the type of man Shelton is, without being preachy about it. Many "anthems" these days are created selfishly (looking at you, Ariana), and not in the best interest of the wider audience. I am part of that wide audience when it comes to country, as I'm not used to living in a place with the genre owning the radio dial. Shelton roped me back in with force.

Follow-Up: Shelton continues his regular role on The Voice and has begun to involve lover Gwen Stefani in his music.

 

Up next: #60-51, featuring more Kendrick and a double shot of someone new to the list.