The eight hundred eighty-fifth song: One Armed Scissor - At the Drive-In
We're starting off with some hardcore punk, with a driving guitar, loud drums and a lot of screaming. The anger in this song is clear, the negative emotions overpowering more excited shouts. It gives you a good feeling of the mood, becoming powerful in its own right with it.
The eight hundred eighty-sixth song: Hate to Say I Told You So - The Hives
Following that, Hate to Say I Told You So starts off as a throwback, a rock song that could have been written in the sixties or seventies. The lyrics are the rebellious kind and aside from a few synthesizer sounds, it doesn't do anything you wouldn't have had back then. It strays from getting too poppy, while still staying memorable.
The eight hundred eighty-seventh song: Frontier Psychiatrist - The Avalanches
We've heard how far electronic music has come with samples, but this feels like it's one step further - the song is almost entirely samples, the 'lyrics' are taken from sketches and feel quite tongue in cheek, and there's this cobbled together feeling that's fascinating, even if it's weird to wrap your mind around as well.
The eight hundred eighty-eighth song: One More Time - Daft Punk
If I have to pick a point where I'm most comfortable with electronic dance music, it is, as I think it is for many others, at Daft Punk. There's a great melody and build up to the songs and there's that great balance between variety and repetition, creating a good song rather than only something to dance to. Add to that that we're still in an era where autotune is new and used to manipulate it well, rather than the crutch that's bothering me in some more modern songs, and you get the strange, but worthwhile effect.
The eight hundred eighty-ninth song: Stan - Eminem featuring Dido
I remember how much of an influence this song was and has become since its release. Before this, Eminem was quite an aggressive comedy rapper, more in it for diss songs than providing something special. On the other hand, this song was dark, there was a lot of depth to what it was saying and it's a comment on fame and fans that has become more notable in the decades after as social media amplified these voices and the connection between fans and performers has grown. It's a standout in its own right, with the video adding to that.
The eight hundred ninetieth song: Oh My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams feat. Emmylou Harris
This is a simple country ballad, telling its story without too much accompaniment. It's straightforward but works well with what it does.
The eight hundred ninety-first song: Fuck the Pain Away - Peaches
This bold portrayal of sex and gratification is something that feels like it couldn't have emerged sooner than this. It's honest, loud and in a way quite clear in what it's saying and that is a lot of its strength. The mechanic groove that it falls into as the title gets repeated is in contrast to the more sensual parts of the song, almost like it's separating the seduction and the act. It's bold and impressive.
The eight hundred ninety-second song: Feel Good Hit of the Summer - Queens of the Stone Age
This hit does its job quickly, jumps in with its list of various drugs repeated through the whole song, and finishes that before three minutes have passed. It doesn't need more - it has the sound, it has the lyrics, it gives you the experience and then leaves it alone.
The eight hundred ninety-third song: Ms. Jackson - Outkast
While former companion blog Before I Kick still has comments on its page about how Hey-Ya should be on the list, Ms Jackson works as well. It's an apology song, whose choruses really drive that home, while the rap verses feel raw. They are the sort of comments that don't necessarily belong to a relationship that last, but it hits up an honesty in what it wants to say at the moment. It's that catchy chorus that really drives it home though and feels strongest.