Tag: The Black Eyed Peas

Top Ten Summer Music Hits of 2007: A Look Back

Today on the blog, I continue on with my listing of the Top Ten Summer Hits from years past. I’ve already gone over both 1987 and 1997. If you missed those entries, you can find them here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2017/07/07/top-ten-summer-music-hits-of-1987-a-look-back/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2017/07/11/top-ten-summer-music-hits-of-1997-a-look-back/

On this Throwback Thursday, we travel back a decade to 2007 to find what was burning up the charts in a summer where comedies like Knocked Up and Superbad were making us laugh, the Transformers franchise was just beginning, and Spider-Man 3 was overwhelming us with too many villains and Tobey Maguire dancing.

As I have with these posts before, I’ll rank them on my own (not exactly refined) musical scale of 1 (summer bummer) to 10 (summer fire) and let you know whether or not said song resides on my Apple Music playlist.

Let’s get to it!

10. “Make Me Better” – Fabolous feat. Ne-Yo

Brooklyn MC Fabolous starting making hits in 2001 and this Timbaland produced and string heavy track featuring Ne-Yo is one of his biggest. Timbaland always delivers good beats. It’s decent, though nothing too memorable.

My Rating: 6 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

9. “Bartender” – T-Pain feat. Akon

Like many of Mr. Pain’s tracks, this is made for careless nights at the club and in that sense, it’s perfect acceptable. Like some of those nights, however, you may have forgotten it by morning.

My Rating: 6

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

8. “Makes Me Wonder” by Maroon 5

The first single from Maroon 5’s long-awaited second album, this was actually their first #1 hit (a bit surprising considering the smashes from their debut release). It’s a catchy as heck pop concoction with Adam Levine’s fine vocals.

My Rating: 8 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: Yes

7. “Beautiful Girls” by Sean Kingston

Jamaican artist Kingston scored a huge one hit wonder here with this reggae tinged ode to a girl he loves. The lyrics are really quite disturbing if you think about them at all, but summer songs are all about enjoying them with the top down and this pretty much delivers.

My Rating: 6 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

6. “The Way I Are” by Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson

Grammatical issues aside, the second single from mega-producer Timbaland’s Shock Value album is a synth heavy standout jam. My goodness – this man was on fire in the mid 2000s.

My Rating: 8 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: Yes

5. “Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” – T-Pain feat. Yung Joc

And now for the lead single from Mr. Pain’s second smash album. It’s another club anthem meant for quick consumption on a night out and it’s a notch above #9 “Bartender”.

My Rating: 6 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

4. “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s

The signature tune from these Illinois rockers, this track was inescapable a decade ago. The ballad’s rating here perhaps suffers from its overexposure, but it does get in your head.

My Rating: 7

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

3. “Party Like a Rockstar” by Shop Boyz

The first and only hit from these Atlanta rappers, “Rockstar” merged the sounds of hip hop and rock that first gained exposure two decades earlier with Aerosmith and Run DMC. It’s the most downloaded ringtone of 2007. It’s not “Walk This Way”, but it’s fun.

My Rating: 6 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

2. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie

The fourth single off her debut album and the third #1 from it, Black Eyed Peas songstress Fergie slowed it down here with this ditty. Truthfully, it was never among my favorite tracks that were singles but maybe I just gravitated toward other hits like “London Bridge”, “Glamorous”, and “Clumsy”. Still it’s solid. By the way, if that guy Fergie is romancing in the video looks familiar – that would Milo Ventimiglia or Jack from TV’s “This Is Us”.

My Rating: 7 and a half

Is It On My Apple Music?: No

1. “Umbrella” by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z

Now we’re talking! One of Rihanna’s best cuts, this was actually rejected by Britney Spears. Oops. With a fine assist from Mr. Shawn Carter (who co-wrote), “Umbrella” features a towering beat and is one of the endlessly played tracks that somehow doesn’t get old. It deserves its accolades.

My Rating: 10

Is It On My Apple Music?: Yes

Well, that does it folks! The last ten, twenty, and thirty years of summertime hits. Next summer – get ready for 1988, 1998, and 2008. And hitting the blog within days will be reviewing the movie summers of 1987, 1997, and 2007. Stay tuned!

Top Ten Summer Music Hits of 2005: A Look Back

We’ve arrived at day three of my look back at the top 10 Billboard Summer Songs from the past 30 years, 20 years and tonight – from 10 years ago. If you missed my first two posts, they should be linked at the bottom of this here post. As with the previous entries, I’ll offer my thoughts on each track on a scale of 1 (summertime blues) to 10 (summertime classic). And I’ll reveal the all important answer as to whether said song is on my iTunes.

Let’s get to it with the ten most listened to songs of summer 2005:

10. “You and Me” by Lifehouse

OK, the list isn’t starting out so well. I’ve never been a fan of this band and “You and Me” (which I had completely forgotten about) didn’t change that. Listless and dull pop rock.

My Rating: 3

Is It On My iTunes? No

9. “Let Me Hold You” by Bow Wow featuring Omarion

The Columbus based rapper dropped the Lil from his name and entered grown folks territory with this R&B flavored ditty that samples Luther Vandross. It’s a perfectly passable radio diversion that is easily forgotten.

My Rating: 6

Is It On My iTunes? No

8. “Just a Lil Bit” by 50 Cent

Two years prior, 50 had a hip hop classic with “In Da Club”. This one isn’t close to that classic but it’s a pretty good effort from Mr. Cent.

My Rating: 6 and a half

Is It On My iTunes? No

7. “Lose Control” by Missy Elliot featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop

Now we’re getting somewhere! This is a genuine club banger from Missy and her brilliant producer Timbaland. Sounds as fresh today as it did a decade ago.

My Rating: 9 and a half

Is It On My iTunes? Yes

6. “Pon De Replay” by Rihanna

This is how it all started for superstar Rihanna and her debut single is a reggae influenced dancehall jam. Even better work would follow, but this was a nice start.

My Rating: 7 and a half

Is It On My iTunes? Yes

5. “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” by The Black Eyed Peas

The first single off their album Monkey Business, “Phunk” employs the sound we’ve come to expect from BEP. It’s goes down well and is easy to dance to, but this is not among their very best work.

My Rating: 7

Is It On My iTunes? No

4. “Behind These Hazel Eyes” by Kelly Clarkson

The inaugural American Idol champion followed up the massive “Since U Been Gone” with another tailor made hit to belt out alone in the car and only feel slightly guilty about it.

My Rating: 7 and a half

Is It On My iTunes? No

3. “Don’t Cha” by The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes

The group may have been manufactured but this single is a pop gem with a rap assist by Busta Rhymes that came from producer Cee-Lo Green.

My Rating: 8

Is It On My iTunes? No, but it should be

2. “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani

You might have grown sick of it, but this Pharrell produced infectious groove was a monster hit for a reason. It’s impossible to forget, especially that addictive chorus from No Doubt’s lead singer.

My Rating: 9 and a half

Is It On My iTunes? Yes

1. “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey

It was a juggernaut of a song and a major comeback for Miss Mariah. It’s a slow tempo and simply produced track and there’s nothing really wrong with it, but it’s far from one of my favorite tunes from her.

My Rating: 6 and a half

Is It On My iTunes? No

And there you have it! The summer songs of 2005. I hope you enjoyed reading my throwback look back at the seasonal hits of 1985, 1995 and 2005.