Its Saturday night. You've just stepped out of the small yellow taxi cab in front of Chicago's hottest night club. Darting through the sleek glass double doors,you and your 2 friends head straight for the center of the dance floor and you're ready to bust a move, any move. All of a sudden, you hear it. Single Ladies. The jam that is your anthem, in its entirety. What do you do? You try your best to flaunt those dance moves you've been practicing from that fierce music video. Oh, of course you sing...at the top of your lungs.


These are the songs that have been bleeding through the stereos of nightclubs and blaring into headphones. We've seen the music videos, the dance moves, and like it or not, know the lyrics word for word. They are Rolling Stone's Best of 2008: Singles of the Year.

As I take a second glance at the list, i have to admit, i was a bit taken aback by some of the songs presented in the top spots. For instance, the number 4 spot is entitled "Furr" by Blitzen Trapper. I took a look at Rolling Stone's reasoning for this placement, went ahead and took a listen. The singer's voice strangely reminded me of one Bob Dylan. The 3 mins., eventually had an end, I on the other hand, was left with the thought "that was good, not great, and not single of the year material." As I scanned through the list a second time, I noticed that artists such as Lil' Wayne and Panic at the Disco were placed in a couple of the bottom spots.

Lil' Wayne who appeared in the Billboard Hot 100's top 10 with "A Milli" wasn't even ranked in the top 50 for Rolling Stone's. I recall the times when I couldn't go to any party, talk in any conversation, or go into any store without hearing the phrase "A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI." During this time, I was positive that such a song known by teenagers as well as adults would be featured in Rolling Stone's top 10 if anything. I for sure didn't expect to see this replaced by My Morning Jacket's "I'm Amazed." This prompted me to ask myself, as well as artists, the question, "What must a single be made of to be in the top 10 of Rolling Stone's Singles of the Year?" Does the song have to have anything to do with popularity or radio play? Are these the choices picked by the staff's favorites? Is this list more of a "here's some good songs to take a listen to if you already haven't?"

These are the questions that will now trace through my mind as I turn on NME radio or go to the local best buy to pick up a CD on Tuesday. Through the upcoming year of 2009, I challenge you to think of those latest jams that you and your mom end up singing at the top of your lungs on Saturday night.