Mel's Infamous "Celebrity" Playlist, 2010 edition

I have been listening to and loving the iTunes celebrity playlist podcasts. From what I can gather, iTunes grabs a few celebrities, makes them list their favorite top 10 songs, and lets them talk about why those songs are their favorites. To date, I don't believe a single artist has kept it to 10. My blog, my rules and I don't want to keep it to 10 either.

For me, my favorite list changes DAILY. What I fall in love with today may pale in comparison to the earworm that gets me tomorrow. And, I want to revisit this idea of "what I'm listening to now," at later times.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season growing up was listening to Casey Kasem count 'em down, when American Top 40 expanded to play the top 100 songs of the year. I was a diligent listener: I would write the list down, song by song. I would listen all day, with commericial breaks being my only way to get food, go to the bathroom, etc. The lists had a long shelf life with the kids at school, and were passed around, with everyone interested in seeing where their favorite songs ended up. I also had the knack of picking the song that was going to be #1 for the year, for several years in a row.


So, to celebrate that end-of-year tradition, I give you my in no particular order picks for 2010:

"O.M.G." Usher and will.i.am - the song is so much fun and the most fun you could have saying "oh oh oh oh" all year.

"Bad Romance" and "Telephone" Lady Gaga (w/Beyonce on the phone) - both songs delivered as pop songs and visually with their music videos. To distinguish between the two would be blasphemy by a Monster (Gaga's fan base). So what's so awesome about them? Bad Romance the song had scatting by Gaga, a catchy hook, and the rockin' sentiment that I'll love all of you, even the stuff that's not so good. The video on the other hand: the crazy fashion! the white latex asparagus outfit! the glittery breadbasket hat! the go go boots! Oh, the dance!

As for Telephone, oh how I love thee, let me count the ways. Simple lyrics with that delicious "t-t-t-t-t-" hook. Danceable, sing-a-long-able, I reckon there were lots of automobile singalongs with people shouting "stop calling, stop calling~!" And the video, and homage to Prisoner Cell Block H, Quentin Tarantino, a Wonderbread commercial, and Thelma and Louise. Little Debbie Snack Cakes. Beyonce exploring her crazy side. The dance routine! The silver boots! Beyonce's geegaw encrusted heels! Oh did I love it, and if I were younger with more time to devote to it, I would have had that dance routine down pat.

"Only Exception" Paramore: now for something calmer. A lovely little ballad by a band I hadn't ever heard of before that apparently has been everywhere. Blame me being an old woman. Hayley Williams, the lead singer, could not be lovelier in the video, her running away from love in one scenario after another, then finding that true love and going back through her past to find him. A beautiful story in under 5 minutes.

"Like a G6" Far*East: saw the video, but it makes no sense to me, I think it's just the band clubbing with other clubbers to their song. Made me think of a gum commerical with intense neon peppermint flavor. But the song is a cool blend of techno beats and sexy, detached vocals.

"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" Alicia Keys: Kind of a sleeper song that flew low on the radar but rich in story, harmony and achingly lovely, lush orchestration. Dare anyone to find a more beautiful, real-life superhero than the one Keys depicted in her video, the rich plum catsuit of the butterflied alter ego that can save everyone but her love. Slick purple motorcycle too.

"#%*! You" Cee-Lo Green: This song just kills me: it's funny, catchy and the lyrics are so bad, their's an alternate version. Ain't that some s#&%!