These are the top 20 songs from albums released between December 1, 2003 and November 30, 2004 in the United States. As I do every year, I factored in the following criteria when ranking the top songs: originality, composition/arrangement/production, lyrics, catchiness/memorability, energy, emotion.
1. Kanye West “We Don’t Care” The College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella)
2. Kanye West “Jesus Walks” The College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella)
3. The Mooney Suzuki “Alive & Amplified” Alive & Amplified
(Red Ink/Columbia)
4. The Veils “The Tide That Left and Never Came Back” The Runaway Found (Rough Trade)
5. My Chemical Romance “To The End” Three Cheers For Sweet
Revenge (Reprise)
6. Green Day “Jesus of Suburbia” American Idiot (Reprise)
7. Franz Ferdinand “Jacqueline” Franz Ferdinand (Domino)
8. Interpol “Evil” Antics (Matador)
9. The Killers “Somebody Told Me” Hot Fuss (Island)
10. My Chemical Romance “Thank You for the Venom” Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge (Reprise)
11. Incubus “Megalomaniac” A Crow Left of the Murder (Immortal/Epic)
12. Dizzee Rascal “Jezebel” Boy In Da Corner (XL/Matador)
13. Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” Confessions
(La Face/Arista)
14. Franz Ferdinand “Take Me Out” Franz Ferdinand (Domino)
15. The Arcade Fire “Neighborhood #2 (Laika)” Funeral (Merge)
16. Sparta “Splinters” Porcelain (Geffen)
17. Ghostface f/Missy Elliott “Tush” The Pretty Toney Album
(Def Jam)
18. Nas “Thief’s Theme” Street’s Disciple (Columbia/Sony)
19. Kelis “Trick Me” Tasty (Star Trak/Arista)
20. The Good Life “Album of the Year” Album of the Year
(Saddle Creek)
From the former producer of MTV2's Subterranean, 120 Minutes, Hip Hop's Toughest Rhymes, Playlistism and MORE!
Posted by: Dave on January 27, 2005 at 10:00 pm
Filed in: Arcade Fire,Arista,Columbia,Def Jam,Dizzee Rascal,Domino,Epic,Franz Ferdinand,Geffen,Ghostface Killah,Green Day,Immortal,Incubus,Interpol,Island,Kanye West,Kelis,La Face,Matador,Merge,My Chemical Romance,Nas,Playlist Picks 2004,Red Ink,Reprise,Roc-A-Fella,Rough Trade,Saddle Creek,Sony,Sparta,Star Trak,The Good Life,The Killers,The Mooney Suzuki,The Veils,Usher,XL
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Man, you’re killing me with these Kanye West picks. I did a top 100 for 2004, but all I can find right now is the top 20.
How can I put this politely? Hmmm. My list is best.
20. Scissor Sisters – “Take Your Mama Out”
19. Natasha Bedingfield – “These Words”
18. Soulwax – “NY Excuse”
17. Ghostface f. Missy Elliott – “Tush”
16. Gwen Stefani – “What You Waiting For?” / “What You Waiting For?” [JLC Remix]
15. Kelis f. Andre 3000 – “Millionaire”
14. Belle and Sebastian – “I’m A Cuckoo (Avalanches Remix)”
13. Girls Aloud – “Love Machine”
12. Annie – “Heartbeat”
11. Ce’Cile – “Hot Like We”
10. Britney Spears – “Toxic”
09. Go Home Productions – “Jet Lady Joe”
08. Trick Daddy f. Lil’ Jon and Twista’ – “Let’s Go”
07. Phoenix – “Everything is Everything”
06. Young Heart Attack – “Starlight”
05. The Knife – “Heartbeats”
04. Delays – “Long Time Coming”
03. Girls Aloud – “The Show”
02. Basement Jaxx f. Lisa Kekula – “Good Luck”
01. Usher f. Ludacris – “Yeah!”
Kanye dominated 2004. The College Dropout was massive.
The best vocal performance of the year probably was Lisa Kekaula on “Good Luck.” I get chills every time I hear it.
And how about that, we’ve both got “Tush” at #17. Some claim it’s a sellout track for Ghost. I say it’s pure entertainment. Very fun.
The Pretty Toney Album is so much fun. It’s nowhere near as good as Supreme Clientele but I listened to the hell out of it at the time. RUN RUN RUN RUN!
Have you ever heard the incredibly homoerotic grunting in that track right before Jada hands the mic to Ghost? There’s some line about taking your shirt off and then Ghost lets out this really sensual response.
It’s so weird to me that Fishscale is getting all the indie love. Despite my happiness to hear Ghost returning to his storytelling skillz (the PT b-side “My Guitar” remains his best Post-Clientele rant) it’s easily his worst solo album. Easily.
But “Kilo” is one of the best tracks of the year. You’ve got to give Ghost that.
No, I wouldn’t really say that. Down year for hip hop. All the hot ideas from 03-05 are having their last gasp. The freshest stuff is TI and Timba’s goofing around with Nelly and JT. “Say It Right” and “What You Know” are probably squaring off for my slot as best American black music of the year. But I’d have to sit down and look at it.