Last year, Adele topped our annual list of the Top 10 Singles of 2011, but this year, there is a new sheriff in town. Usher claims the top spot on the 2012 list, which also features songs from Carrie Underwood, Frank Ocean and Bruno Mars.
His 'Looking 4 Myself' album produced five hit singles including "Climax", "Lemme See", "Scream", "Dive" and "Numb", but only one of those singles are featured on our second annual list. Peep the complete countdown of the Top 10 singles beneath:
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The funny thing about “Climax” is that it never really reaches its highest or most intense point, but it does keep you enthralled as Raymond transitions through the stages of a relationship that’s nearing its end, while brilliantly delving in and out of his falsetto. The fact that he makes a dead-end relationship seem alluring, sexy and seductive are just an added bonuses, and a testament to his unique artistry.
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At just 21 years of age, few singers are equipped with the ability to pull off a ballad like “Wanted”, and although Hayes probably doesn’t have a lot of experience to reflect on, he captures both the sincerity and emotional vulnerability needed for the first No.1 single of his career, which he wrote with Troy Verges.
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“Blown Away” doesn’t exactly hit home for Carrie Underwood, but for four minutes Underwood makes you forget her seemingly perfect life and convincingly tells the story in a way that very few, if any, of her country peers could match. She is easily the genre’s top vocalist and combined with the dark and stormy production, she soars and unearths perhaps the greatest storm of her career.
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What a year 2012 has been for Frank Ocean? The singer opened up and let his true identity shine through both personally and professionally, and those vulnerabilities resulted in one of the most dynamically-crafted albums of the year. “Thinkin Bout You”, the lead single from ‘Channel Orange’, was just one of the stunning tracks that referenced the regret and emotional turmoil that ensued from Ocean’s insecurities, and his brilliant use of wordplay allows you to read more into track than is actually there, which is just a fraction of its allure.
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Miguel has channeled Prince throughout his brief career and that influence is heard on “Adorn”, the lead single from his sophomore album ‘Kaleidoscope Dream’ and his most successful single to date. The 27-year-old crooner wrote and composed the song on his own, and it is his attention to detail on both fronts, along with his rich vocals, that allows the soul cut to pull you in and work its magic.
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With each album, Alicia Keys has delivered at least one song that magnificently captures the emotion of a woman coming into her own and on ‘Girl On Fire’, her fifth album, “Brand New Me” is that song. Not only does it depict a woman trying to regain control over the force that has held her back for so long, but the triumph lies in her emerging as a better version of herself, a message that Keys conveys with ease.
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Phillip Phillips would have defeated Jessica Sanchez regardless of what song he was given to sing in the finale, but the mere fact that he had a gem like “Home” in his back pocket only increased his chances. In three and half minutes, he relishes in the journey that lies ahead, while simultaneously reminding you to never forget where you come from, and in turn he unleashes the best coronation song in the history of reality music competitions.
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Far too often, singers are comfortable playing it safe and simply recycling the same formula over and over again in an effort to remain a viable chart force. Just two albums in, Mars has shown he is cut from a different cloth and “Locked Out of Heaven”, the lead single from his sophomore album, proves he has no problems taking risks as he transitions back to the eighties and gives The Police a run for their money on this winner.
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On what many may call their career-making single, Little Big Town makes the list for reasons incomparable to any of the other nine artists featured in the Top 10. While “Pontoon” isn’t serious or particularly innovative, it was one of the coolest songs on radio this year with its free flowing groove and easy to sing-along to lyrics, and there’s no denying that it opened the group up to a whole new audience.
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Just when Linkin Park appeared to be losing steam, the alternative rock band reemerged with “Burn It Down”, the lead single from their album ‘Living Things’. From its high-energy to its pleasing verses, the songs stands as one of the best of their career and helped put them back in contention after their forgettable ‘A Thousand Suns’ album.
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Honorable Mention
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