the best of twostepcubchart 2011, part 9....

Hey folks, I'm ready for the next installment of my recap of the biggest songs on my weekly list last year. This go-round we come to the redemption of Adam Levine, the discovery of Jessie J, and a Grammy winning flip of the bird. As before I've included the peaks on my chart as well as from Billboard and other worldwide lists.

20. Jill Scott featuring Anthony Hamilton - So In Love (from the CD The Light Of The Sun)

twostepcubchart peak: #13 (5 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #97
US R&B Singles peak: #10
US Adult R&B peak: #1

The highest "soul" song on my list, "So In Love" marked the return of neo-soul diva Scott, who brought class to the R&B charts. It was also the biggest song in the adult R&B genre this year, spending the most time at #1 of any of the songs on that list. This is smooth as syrup.




19. Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer - Give Me Everything (from the CD Planet Pit)

twostepcubchart peak: #4 (3 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (one week)
US Adult Pop peak: #19
US Dance Club Play peak: #15
US Dance Airplay peak: #2
US R&B Singles peak: #98
UK Singles Chart peak: #1 (3 weeks)
French Singles peak: #2
German Singles peak: #2
Global Dance Tracks peak: #7

Welcome to one of the five songs that were played to an inch of their lives this year. Pitbull graduated from a supporting player to a superstar with this song featuring Ne-Yo on vocals and Dutch DJ Afrojack producing and co-writing (I'm really not sure Nayer brings much besides a breathy backvocal). Pitbull growls through this number with a passion that woos all the ladies (and maybe some more)...but is it me, or does this sound awfully like the Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" in some parts?




18. Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger (from the CD Hands All Over)

twostepcubchart peak: #5 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (4 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (2 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #12
US Dance Club Play peak: #9
US Dance Airplay peak: #5
UK Singles peak: #2 (7 weeks)
French Singles peak: #3
German Singles peak: #2
Global Dance Tracks peak: #5

Another of those "overplayed to oblivion" songs, I originally took "Moves" for a one-off stunt single to promote The Voice, the singing competition that Aguilera and Maroon 5's Adam Levine were mentors/judges on. However, this song grew to a power way beyond the show, not only rescuing Maroon5 from their adult-pop rut, but also reincarnating XTina, giving her her first #1 hit in a decade. Nobody can claim this song is a classic work of art, but it gets it's pop job done, and proves you can be funky and still rule the chart.




17. Cee-Lo Green - Fuck You/Forget You (from the CD The Lady-Killer)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #
US Rock Songs peak: #40
US Modern Rock peak: #33
US Dance Airplay peak: #17
US R&B Singles peak: #57
UK Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
German Singles peak: #11

What started as a lyric video on YouTube that went "viral", Cee-Lo's retro-Motown kiss-off was the little train that could, impossibly conquering pop radio in its "clean" version, as well as getting covered on Glee by Gwyneth Paltrow, but nothing compares to the original it its total profane abandon. This is one of those songs that'll be remembered decades from now, and still be relevant.




16. My Chemical Romance - Sing (from the CD Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys)

twostepcubchart peak: #14 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #58
US Adult Pop peak: #10
US Rock Songs peak: #4
US Modern Rock peak: #2

The highest ranking by a song that didn't make my top-10 in any week, "Sing" was another song covered effectively on Glee, and the epic highpoint of MCR's originally unintended concept album.




15. Foo Fighters - Rope (from the CD Wasting Light)

twostepubchart peak: #6 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #68
US Rock Songs peak: #1 (20 weeks)
US Modern Rock peak: #1 (13 weeks)
UK Singles peak: #22

America's biggest rock song of the year, "Rope" debuted right at #1 on the rock chart, and stayed there for twenty weeks, before being deposed by their followup (coming up later). Dave Grohl know his way around a hook, and this song was a great lead-in to their outstanding Wasting Light CD.




14. Jessie J featuring B.o.B - Price Tag (from the CD Who You Are)

twostepcubchart peak: #3 (4 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #23
US Adult Pop peak: #19
US Dance Club Play peak: #9
UK Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
French Singles peak: #1 (one week)
German Singles peak: #3

I got to say, I simply detested Jessie J's British debut single, "Do It Like A Dude". I could not understand the hype whatsoever. Until I heard this retro throwback that borrows from early 70's soul-pop and injects a sing-a-long chorus that was universal.




13. Katy Perry - Firework (from the CD Teenage Dream)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (3 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (4 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (5 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #1 (one week)
US Dance Club Play peak: #1 (one week)
US Dance Airplay peak: #1 (2 weeks)
UK Singles peak: #3
French Singles peak: #7
German Singles peak: #4
Global Dance Tracks peak: #11

Arguably Perry's best song (it would've ranked much higher here but was spread across 2010 and 2011), "Firework" was the best moment in Perry's Teenage Dream, and its theme of self-worth was driven home by its diversity-training video, with earnest portrayals of young people struggling with weight, sexuality, abuse, and health issues. Simply flawless.




12. Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (from the CD Teenage Dream)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (5 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (2 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (3 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #17
US Dance Club Play peak: #1 (one week)
US Dance Airplay peak: #4
UK Singles Peak: #9
German Singles peak: #16
Global Dance Tracks peak: #23

This is the exact opposite of Perry's sincere "Firework", a completely comic track that sports a retro video including Glee's Darren Criss and Kevin McHale, as well as 80's throwbacks Debbie Gibson, Corey Feldman, and Kenny G, Hanson as the house band, and extending her 15 minutes, Rebecca "Friday" Black as Perry's makeover mentor.




11. Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss (from the CD Own The Night)

twostepcubchart peak: #10 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #7
US Adult Pop Peak: #4
US Country Singles Peak: #1 (2 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #10

Lady Antebellum pull off another multiformat crossover hit though not on the same scale as they did with "Need You Now" from a couple years ago. The trio is now finally in the top-10 at adult pop radio, and a stint on Saturday Night Live propelled their CD back into the top-10.



Tomorrow, I'll bring you the ten biggest songs from last year on my list for the year, including the biggest country crossover hit of the year, the happiest song about mass murder that I can recall, and a couple of tracks from the biggest name of this year. Peace.