1Justin Timberlake ft. Timbaland, ""SexyBack""
Justin Timberlake's ""SexyBack"" is the perfect song to drown out the radio airwaves in a year full of some of the greatest comebacks of all time. While redefining pop music with an infectious beat courtesy of Timbaland, sensual vocal styling and a music video that makes JT out to be one of the coolest guys on the face of the earth, it is apparent that Mr. Timberlake has established himself as one of the greatest pop stars of all time.
—Brien Barrett
2Gnarls Barkley, ""Crazy""
While ""Crazy"" came out just before the summer got on its feet, the smooth rhythms had people on theirs immediately. Sounding like an unreleased Prince song circa 1989, this single gave hope to many listeners who were quickly becoming disenchanted with recent attempts at spicing up R&B. If the electric violins in the catchy chorus didn't get you dancing, then the pretty damn relatable ""crazy"" lyrics did. This song will undoubtedly go down as one of this young century's classics.
—Christopher Guess
3Justin Timberlake ft. T.I., ""My Love""
Great dance songs command people to move their feet. Classic dance songs force people to hit the dance floor. And then there's that killer single that comes along every few years that actually induces Dionysian possession in the listener. Your eyes glaze over, your body moves without input from your brain and nothing else matters at that moment but the song. With its wash of New Wave synths and Prince-like falsettos, ""My Love"" is the sound of trance-inducing bliss.
—Joe Lynch
4 ""Weird Al"" Yankovic, ""White and Nerdy""
""Weird Al"" Yankovic hasn't been around for more than 20 years by being a novelty act. He's an extraordinary musician, and ""White and Nerdy"" secures that. A parody of Chamillionaire's ""Ridin',"" the song is one of his finest not only because it sounds exactly like the original but because it's a testament to modern geekdom. Yankovic throws down lines about Wikipedia, Segways, ergonomic keyboards and MySpace, impressing listeners with his lyrical skill while embarrassing them with how many of his nerd qualifications they meet.
—Les Chappell
5Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean, ""Hips Don't Lie""
Shakira's sultry voice sexed up radio stations across the nation this year with the song ""Hips Don't Lie"" featuring Wyclef Jean. Though the song was actually a revamped version of Jean's 2004 single ""Dance Like This,"" Shakira was the added spice that turned an already catchy club hit into the mainstream dance mantra of the year. Wyclef's tempting woos and Shakira's playful replies blended Haitian and Latin sounds, creating a flirtatious call and response sequence that went beyond the dance floor.
—Eunice Abraham
6Sean Paul, ""Temperature""
Sean Paul will never achieve what a certain other dreadlocked, part-Jewish, cannabis-enjoying musician did, but he's accepting his role as Jamaica's biggest export since Marley quite nicely. ""Temperature"" wasn't going to tax anyone's brain either musically or lyrically, but its addictive bass-pounding beat and Paul's Rasta patois made it one of the most purely fun songs of the year. Whether Paul is actually directly descended from King Solomon (as he claims) is debatable, but the fact that he's one of the best pop stars out there today isn't.
—Dan Wohl
7E-40 ft. Keak Da Sneak, ""Tell Me When to Go""
E-40's hyphy hit "" Tell Me When to Go"" swept the nation this year, opening the doors of mainstream rap to the Bay Area hip-hop culture and educating the youth of America. Despite E-40's command for his homies to ""go dumb"" at one point in the song, this gritty music is full of historical knowledge, including a reference to Jesus Christ shakin' his dreads. Thanks, E-40, for setting the biblical record straight.
—Ashley Spencer
8BeyoncAc, ""Ring the Alarm""
""Ring the Alarm"" is extremely intense and innovative, finding BeyoncAc Knowles extending herself from her comfort zone with amazing beats and heavy bass. The distortion on her vocals is incredibly edgy, offering a fresh perspective on her music. Knowles' incredible vocal range and her ability to rap help to create an amazingly catchy, viral and danceable track. These elements combined work greatly in her favor and make for an unforgettable song.
—Beth Wick
9OK Go, ""Here It Goes Again""
It was catchy, frivolous fun that ran all summer long. OK Go's hit ""Here It Goes Again"" set the airwaves on fire with its rock-out, head banging, handclap, sing-a-long pleasures. Famous for its video—the one that has band members doing a dance number on treadmills—the track kept listeners rapt from start to finish without getting boring, even with its rapidly repeated, but not repetitive, lyrics. ""Here It Goes Again"" is one of the most enticing, danceable and entertaining songs released this year.
—Bridget Maniaci
10T.I., ""What You Know""
The second single of off T.I's stellar King, ""What You Know"" is the most regal club banger of the year. Thanks to the unstoppable production of DJ Toomp, T.I. found music epic enough to actually match the size of his deservedly huge ego. As the rumbling bass intertwines with stuttering high-hats and the massive hook-laden synth, T.I. drops verses from his chromed-out throne, all effortless Atlanta drawl, cementing his place as the king of Southern rap.
—Adam Dylewski
