the best of twostepcubchart, part 10, the final 10....

Hey everyone, it's time for the top 10 in my recap of the biggest songs of the year on my weekly list. I've got the biggest country crossover of the year, the sunniest mass murder ditty ever, and the person who spent fifteen weeks at #1 on my chart.

10. Foo Fighters - Walk (from the CD Wasting Light)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #83
US Rock Songs peak: #1 (8 weeks)
US Modern Rock peak: #1 (8 weeks)

My favorite rock album of the year's best track, "Walk" was a perfect blend of rock edge and pop sensibility that gave the band a 2nd #1 rock hit in 2011, giving them a total of 28 weeks on top. The video is a perfect knockoff of Falling Down as well...




9. Jason Aldean featuring Kelly Clarkson - Don't You Wanna Stay (from the CD My Kinda Party)

twostepcubchart peak: #8 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #31
US Country Singles peak: #1 (3 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #9
US Adult Contemporary peak: #3

This song was the country crossover story of this year, combining the hottest male singer of the year with the first American Idol herself, Kelly Clarkson. The powerballad was born for pop out of the box, with only Aldean's gritty voice binding it to country. After reigning on country radio for 3 weeks, the song made the top-10 on adult pop radio, and made Aldean the A-lister he deserves.

8. OneRepublic - Good Life (from the CD Waking Up)

twostepcubchart peak: #5 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #8
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (4 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #4
German Singles peak: #18

The Colorado Springs group's third single from their sophomore effort became their biggest hit since their debut single with Timbaland, "Apologize", also achieving a rare feat of a pure pop-rock song reaching the Hot 100 top-10.




7. Pink - Fuckin' Perfect (from the CD Greatest Hits...So Far!)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #2
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (7 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #2
US Dance Airplay peak: #14
UK Singles peak: #10
German Singles peak: #7

Pink added two classic songs of empowerment to her Greatest Hits set, and "Perfect" was my favorite. She gave a voice for the bullied and marginalized, and this song would be a fitting anthem for the "It Gets Better" movement.




6. Bruno Mars - Grenade (from the CD Doo Wops and Hooligans)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (5 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (4 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #3
US Adult Contemporary peak: #11
US Dance Airplay peak: #9
UK Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
French Singles peak: #7
German Singles peak: #1 (6 weeks)
Global Dance Tracks peak: #28

Mars' second lead-artist #1 hit was a classic heartbreaker that if written in the 60s (which it sounds like it could) would've been a smash for the Four Tops or the Temptations. Timeless.




5. The Script - For The First Time (from the CD Science & Faith)

twostepcubchart peak: #2 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #23
US Adult Pop peak: #4
US Adult Contemporary peak: #5
UK Singles peak: #4

The Irish band's lead single from their sophomore effort, the conversational piece was a winner with its singalong chorus and heartfelt lyrics to their longtime love. By the way the girl in the video is Bono's daughter Eve...




4. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks (from the CD Torches)

twostepcubchart peak: #3 (5 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #3
US Rock Songs peak: #3
US Modern Rock peak: #1 (5 weeks)
US Triple A Rock peak: #2
US Dance Club Play peak: #39
US Dance Airplay peak: #1 (one week)
UK Singles peak: #18
French Singles peak: #14
German Singles peak: #9
Global Dance Tracks peak: #22

This year's modern rock breakthrough group is the trio lead by Mark Foster, with a song that I loved from the start, but never thought would get a wide audience given its dark subject matter. Nevertheless, the melodic production made everyone overlook its Columbine leanings to made it the slacker earworm of 2011...




3. LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock - Party Rock Anthem (from the CD Sorry For Party Rocking)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (6 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (6 weeks)
US Dance Club Play peak: #2
US Dance Airplay peak: #1 (5 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #15
US R&B Singles peak: #79
UK Singles peak: #1 (4 weeks)
French Singles peak: #1 (9 weeks)
German Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
Global Dance Tracks peak: #1

The uncle-nephew duo provided the world with the undisputed song of the summer with a jam that 100% lived up to its title. The synth hook was inescapable, and the 28 Days Later-inspired video made me feel like I wanted to get whatever these dancing zombies got.




2. Adele - Rolling In The Deep (from the CD 21)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (6 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (7 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (13 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #1 (19 weeks)
US Rock Songs peak: #15
US Modern Rock peak: #21
US R&B Singles peak: #61
US Triple A Rock peak: #1
US Dance Club Play peak: #14
US Dance Airplay peak: #2
UK Singles peak: #2
French Singles peak: #3
German Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
Global Dance Tracks peak: #13

This first single from unquestionable album of the year was the running year-to-date #1 single on my chart until the very last week. The bluesy belter proved that class can prevail in the commercial mainstream, and the song with ubiquitous on pop, R&B, dance and AC radio. And only one person can top this effort...




1. Adele - Someone Like You (from the CD 21)

twostepcubchart peak: #1 (9 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (4 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #1 (9 weeks)
US Adult Contemporary peak: #1 (one week)
US Dance Club Play peak: #24
US Rock Songs peak: #24
US Triple-A Rock peak: #2
US Dance Airplay peak: #5
UK Singles peak: #1 (5 weeks)
French Singles peak: #1 (4 weeks)
German Singles peak: #4

..and that would be herself. Adele's "Someone Like You" outdid even the aspirations of "Rolling", baring her pain with just a piano and her voice. Even Saturday Night Live created a skit on its universal theme of heartbreak and coming to terms with emotions everyone has experienced. I know there's been a couple times in my life where this song would've sent me over a bridge, but even now it brings tears to my eyes. If Adele did nothing beyond this song, she would still be placed in the pantheon of greatest women singers ever.




And that's it for my recap, thanks to anyone coming across and reading this through the interwebs, and I'm looking forward to revamping the site next year. Until then, I'll be posting my weekly top-100 list either tomorrow, Sunday, or Monday, but I hope everyone has a great Happy New Year.