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Top 20 Songs of 2011

A few months ago, I made a list of my top 10 songs of the year at that point.  I figure, since 2010 just ended, I'll expand on that and do a list of the top 20 songs of 2011. I've listed them below along with a sentence or two on why I like them.  Also, here's a zip file of all of them.
  1. Nicki Minaj - Super Bass: Possibly the greatest pop song of all time.  It was technically released in 2010, but I included it here because no one knew about it until Taylor Swift dug it up in 2011.  Sure, the difficult to understand, rapid fire verses might've prevented this song from hitting #1, but, without them, we would've never gotten this and then this and then this. (Yes, it's basically the same thing, but yes, it's worth watching three times.)
  2. The Weeknd - Wicked Games: Abel Tesfaye's uniquely dark, carnal take on R&B has never been more convincing and melodic than it is here.
  3. Drake - Marvin's Room: Drake bares his soul in a surprisingly compelling manner, supported by one of the strongest choruses he's ever written.
  4. Tyler, The Creator - Yonkers: Idiosyncratic rhymes combined, for once, with a genuinely enjoyable beat.  Oh, and the video is the best one to come out this year.
  5. Adele - Rolling in the Deep: The best beat of the year.  The song and the singing aren't bad either.
  6. Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks: The verses are admittedly terrible, but that chorus melody is just stunning.  It took this song almost a year to get big, but it sure as hell deserved it.
  7. Adele - Someone Like You: The lyrics are heartfelt, the melody is great, and the piano backing provides both momentum and gravitas without interfering with the best vocal performance of the year.
  8. DJ Khaled - I'm on One: The synth line is sick, and the chorus is the best one Drake's ever done.
  9. Coldplay - Princess in China: It's not Coldplay's best song (that honor goes to Viva la Vida), but the chorus is the best chorus Chris Martin's ever written.
  10. Frank Ocean - Strawberry Swing: Frank Ocean takes this track and gives is the soul and emotional depth that Coldplay never could.
  11. Cults - Oh My God: Melodic, joyful and absolutely defiant.
  12. Kurt Vile - Jesus Fever: Kurt Vile strikes a perfect balance between the dour subject matter and the casual, breezy melody.  The guitar work is understated yet brilliant as usual.
  13. Beyonce - 1+1: The best Prince song of the past 20 years.
  14. Patrick Wolf - The City: Four minutes of effervescent joy.  The happiest song of the year.
  15. M83 - Midnight City: The song every indie blog put as their #1 song of the year, and not without merit.  I especially like this bit, but so does everyone else.
  16. Chris Brown - Look at Me Now: The best thing every single person on this track has done this year.  By my count, this song has saved four music careers, which is a pretty damn good track record if you ask me.
  17. Destroyer - Kaputt: A dreamy, nostalgic track that sets itself apart with good lyrics, interesting instrumentation, and catchy melodies.
  18. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Illest Motherfucker Alive: It's just a bonus track with no chorus, and Kanye West spends part of his verse listing off people named Russell.  However, Jay-Z's stellar verse and the equally stellar beat make up for all of that.
  19. Elbow - Jesus Is a Rochdale Girl: Simple and subdued, with a stellar melody and devastatingly good lyrics. 
  20. Johan Agebjörn - Watch the World Go By: A simple, hopeful love song.  It sounds widescreen and progressive, but, at the same time, it expresses humble and traditional emotions.

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