So, recently PitchFork has released P2K, it’s top 500 tracks of of 2000. It’s a pretty detailed story told in four lists, four essays, and a timeline of events of what happened in music in the last 10 years. Lists like these are always entertaining and interesting but a bit ridiculous. I mean how are you supposed to choose the top 500 tracks of a decade? It seems like a near impossible assignment.
The list it’s self does a pretty good job highlighting some of the most incredible and popular tracks of the 00’s but I’m interested in how the list was compiled? The list starts at #500 with The Big Pink’s, “Velvet” and ends at #1 with OutKast’s, “B.O.B.” In between you can find what would be expected: a mixing of lesser none indie acts, platinum selling R&B artists, teenie-bop singers, rappers, critic babies, and top 40 darlings.
Everyone I’ve spoken with has issues with the list… I suppose that’s inevitable. Everyone’s natural reaction is to say where is [ insert favorite band and favorite band track here]? How can Kelly Clarkson’s Since You’ve been gone be in the top 50? … and how can OutKast’s “BOB” be number 1?
The answer to all of that is this. It’s their list. This is coming from the world’s number 1 music publication. Pitchfork has proudly, and smugly, waived the elitist flag since its inception. You either love or hate, or love to hate Pitchfork… either way, you’ll most likely be there in the morning.
Anywho, after all of that I would like to chime in. The list it self is huge so I’ll stick to the top 20. Here it is:
(Pitchfork’s top 20 of the 2000’s)
20. The Walkmen “The Rat”
19. R. Kelly “Ignition (Remix)”
18. Hercules and Love Affair “Blind”
17. Annie “Heartbeat”
16. The Rapture “House of Jealous Lovers”
15. The Knife “Heartbeats”
14. Jay-Z “99 Problems”
13. LCD Soundsystem “Losing My Edge”
12. OutKast “Hey Ya!”
11. Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
10. Arcade Fire “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
9. Animal Collective “My Girls”
8. Radiohead “Idioteque”
7. Missy Elliott “Get Ur Freak On”
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps”
5. Daft Punk “One More Time”
4. Beyoncé [ft. Jay-Z] “Crazy in Love”
3. M.I.A. [ft. Bun B and Rich Boy] “Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)”
2. LCD Soundsystem “All My Friends”
1. OutKast “B.O.B.”
The top 20 seems, give or take a track, pretty good until about 7… but then again I’m bias. Missy Elliot = my ears wishing they’d been had been part of an abortion. Honestly, I couldn’t stand it while it was happening and I really can’t revisit it now and enjoy it. Timberland was a pretty damn influential producer of the 00’s mega radio and club hits but I wouldn’t even put this track in the top 200. Beyonce at 4?? Yikes. OutKast = one of the most creative and innovative acts of 2000… and I love(d) the track but number 1? Top 100 material? Maybe. Music and culture can co-excist with out always mirroring the other. I think ‘BOB’ was a cop out way of trying to encapsulating a period of time by a bullshit war(s). Soooo, what was the #1 song of the 2000’s? I don’t know. What do you think?
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