"It's a brotha who will smotha your motha"



27. "Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A.

Dr. Dre and Eazy-E had a blood feud going earlier in the countdown, but in reverse chronological order they come together and make their best song. As a team they are the 2nd and 3rd artists to score two of the greatest hits. This a full team effort though as Ice Cube and MC Ren just as instrumental in this masterpiece. Until the movie came out I actually thought Ice Cube was the star of this song. And why not? He had a series of hits when I was growing up and more importantly survived the Anaconda (spoiler alert). Yet Eazy is the real main event and at the very least he equals Ice's explosive opening verse. And though this album is credited with ushering in the gangsta rap scene, structurally it is still representing the decade it came out in. Its rooted in rock and is able to sample freely. They just added a lot more anger.

"Here's a murder rap to get ya'll dancin"

"London Calling" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are great examples of VH1 classics (when I used to watch VH1 they never had an hour without showing one of these). Both are good. Fine even. I prefer the Nirvana one more but, eh, I never got on those wagons.

They're both on my pre-top 50 shortlist, great one-two punch there.

As for 50 - 32, I'm mostly unfamiliar with them, I'll give them an individual listen later too.

And a overview of the list so far here:
50. Toxicity - System of A Down
49. Badfish - Sublime
48. ATLiens - Outkast
47. Tell Me Baby - Red Hot Chili Peppers
46. Forgot About Dre - Dr. Dre and Eminem
45. Talk - Against The Current
44. Help I'm Alive - Metric
43. Best of You - Foo Fighters
42. All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
41. Warrior Man - Dr. Dog
40. State of Grace - Taylor Swift
39. Real Mothaphuckkin G's - Eazy-E, Dresta and B.G. Knocc Out
38. Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode
37. One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket
36. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
35. Wish - Nine Inch Nails
34. Wish You Were Here - Incubus
33. Uprising - Muse
32. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous
31. Wonderwall - Oasis
30. Thriller - Fall Out Boy
29. London Calling - The Clash
28. Smells Like Teen Spirit
27. Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A.

So yours will be the IMDB Top 50 of Music?

Perhaps...I'm not done yet, but I feel there's a good chance there will be few songs you wouldn't know.

My list will just be pop hits.

Only if they're Dutch.

I am not going to lie, yours is the one I look forward to the least. I wish you would expand your music and film taste.

"The microphone explodes, shatterin the molds"



26. "Bulls On Parade" by Rage Against The Machine

Lol Zach looks like such a nerd in that video. His rhymes make up for it though. I was introduced to Rage through TRL actually, known for pop music but hey they had to come up with 8 videos per day that weren't by Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. So for awhile, one of those videos was "Guerrila Radio". I really enjoyed this, but wouldn't have considered them a favorite like the greats Limp Buzkit, Korn and Kid Rock. Then came Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and the 2000 election, which both featured those new Rage songs heavily. So if my Rage origins all include the Battle of LA album, how did we get here? Well because Bulls On Parade is just that freakin awesome. I talked of mosh worthy a little while, and its actually requires a strength of will to not go crazy whenever that opening riff pops up. Even though Zach's lyrics and rhymes are dope here, this is Tom Morello's finest hour. He keeps you going after the amazing opening all the way to the killer guitar solo and to the end as Zach shouts the title of the song over the return of that amazing opening riff. It's a science fact that someone gets accidently elbowed in the face eight out of ten times this song comes on.

"Just feed the war cannibal animal"

Thanks stuffp and now we can add Bulls On Parade to complete the first half.

I got kinda drunk last night and woke up late today for totally unrelated reasons. That's why things have been moving even slower than usual. I hope to get two up before the sandman takes me tonight though.

I don't get Rage Against the Machine. It worked for The Matrix soundtrack, but otherwise it is just angry and talentless.

"Don't know want I want but I know how to get it"



25. "Anarchy In The U.K." by Sex Pistols

Well I guess I do like the "BURN IT DOWN" style of punk better. And in an inverse of the Pac v Biggie debate (Pac), I would actually pick the Sex Pistols over The Clash even though they only have one real album. There's no real origin story here. One day I decided to check out these Sex Pistols who were supposed to be so outrageous. And even though like Catcher in the Rye, time has diluted the controversy, from "Holiday In The Sun" down to "EMI" I loved the whole damn thing. Anarchy stuck out above the rest. You could say their whole style is like a drunken (or heroin induced) night out. Sloppy walking, loud talking, everything seems like a good idea. Yet Anarchy adds a little extra. Like we are angry, but we're not totally sure why so lets just have a good time. And oh yeah, fuck the government. Lets all chant this together. And how can you not? I can only imagine how amazing the end of this song would be to experience live.

"Get pissed, destroy!"

Wonderwall!

I'm shocked to read this considering your love for Audioslave. I figured you'd be a Tom Morello lifer.

Lol VH1 classics, that is a better way to describe this little run.

Rage is just too grungey for my liking. Audioslave is a passionate high-production value band.

"Let's conspire to ignite all the souls that would die just to feel alive"



24. "Starlight" by Muse

After the first listen or five of Muse's best, and one of my all time favorite, album I might not have even put Starlight in top 3. "Map of the Problematique" goes so hard, "Knights of Cydonia" feels so epic and "Supermassive Black Hole" is such a good time. Starlight has just grown and taken over my heart as their overall best song. The lyrics are so powerful and image conjuring alongside great guitar and piano riffs to take me far away. In the video they are riding an actual boat and have fireworks, but without the video it is of course a spaceship or at the very least some kind of alternative earth ship ala Stardust. And the fireworks are the stars, not exploding but guiding the way through to our hopes and expectations, though I once heard a live version where he subbed in trials and tribulations. So the journey may not be easy but itll be worth it. Fun note; this is my favorite karoake song for the ladies, though I'm still not sure if it really works or just makes me look silly.

"We will chasing this starlight for the rest of our lives"

I approve of all Muse entries.

I am a fan of Starlight as well, probably my favorite entry on your list so far

Never really got into Muse, but that's an amazing tune.

I feel like you've never lost your musical virginity.

"Sleeping is giving in, so lift those heavy eyelids"



23. "Rebellion (Lies)" by Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire are known as the little band that could and one that has an acquired taste like wine. I don't know if its that true though. I first heard "Power Out" in a Random Song Contest from ATRL where everyone would anonymously send in an unknown track and have the best one win. My entry was "Helicopter" by Bloc Party (which I still love and would have made a top 100) but I knew was outclassed. Since its ATRL neither of us won the contest of course, but I won by gaining what would become one of my favorite bands. Rebellion overtook Power Out mostly thanks to the live performances of the Kroq webcasts (shouting Lies! at my computer is totally normal.) Its such a great song that builds from simple and beautiful to a monumental stadium rock anthem. And they really take advantage of their numbers, subbing out different instruments throughout the song. I finally got to see them live in person on the Reflektor tour and it remains my all time favorite concert. Arcade Fire just have a way of elevating their material. That's why I said its not really an acquired taste. You either get caught up in it or you don't, there's not gonna be just the one hit song to cling to. They're a niche the size of Texas.

"Come on baby in our dreams, we can live our misbehavior"

Another great pick! Happy to see the great review of their live performance, I'm probably going to see them in October

Was gonna post #22 earlier but had a change of heart and bumped it up a fee spots. First time this has happened actually. The new #22 should be up soon.