Alright, so I had hope that the Grammys were finally getting their act together by nominating Radiohead, Lil Wayne, and M.I.A. for awards like Album of the Year and Record of the Year. I should have known better, I really shouldn't have gotten excited because a boring-ass choice like Robert Plant & Alison Krauss walked away with everything again.
However, Blink-182 got back together (OMGZ!1!one!) and there were some fantastic performances. Kanye West, T.I., Lil' Wayne, Jay-Z, and an extremely pregnant M.I.A. all performed "Swagga Like Us." The energy it was delivered with made it even better than the studio version, but more importantly, just how classy are those suits?
Radiohead also performed "15 Step" with the USC Marching Band:
For the past year or so, I've been making mixes compiling my favorite mashups that I've been able to find around the net. The ones presented here defy the standard laws of mashup physics by holding up on repeated listenings and staying fun. "Sexual High" has to be the MVP of those that I've found though -- a remix pairing Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" with Radiohead's melancholy anthem, "High & Dry." It's sexy, laid back, and epic - if you can't feel good about your life while blasting that track, there's no hope for you anywhere.
For anyone who already has these mixes, Vol. 2 is expanded slightly in the version I've posted here because I decided I had to include AyPerskAy's "Luda La Vida Remix". Other than that, you guys already know what's in here.
The Best of Internet Mashups & Remixes Vol. 1 The Summer Mashup Mix
1. Overnight Star - Twista vs. Sigur Ros 2. Untitled - TLC, Ludacris & Terror Squad vs. Blink-182 3. When The Last Time I Left You - Clipse vs. The Avalanches 4. Collide You A Drank - T-Pain vs. Cloud Cult 5. My Love (Diplo Mix) - Justin Timberlake vs. LCD Soundsystem 6. Bros Before Whoas - Black Rob vs. Panda Bear 7. Yoshimi Battles Snoop Dogg - Snoop Dogg vs. The Flaming Lips 8. Jack & Diane (Pressure Mix) - John Mellencamp vs. Leftfield 9. Sexual High - Marvin Gaye vs. Radiohead 10. Bittersweet Dirt - Jay-Z vs. The Verve 11. Stuntin' Like Black Rock - Birdman & Lil Wayne vs. Black Rock 12. The Next P.I.M.P. - 50 Cent vs. Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg 13. Tambourine Reckoning - Eve vs. Radiohead 14. Smack My Bitch Up Orinoco Flow - Prodigy vs. Enya 15. Clipse Your Hands Say Wamp Wamp - Clipse vs. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah 16. I'm A Flirt (Shoreline) - R. Kelly vs. Broken Social Scene 17. No More Pressure - Annie Lennox vs. Queen & David Bowie 18. Sentimental Mouths - Ludacris vs. She & Him
The Best of Internet Mashups & Remixes Vol. 2 - Winter 2008
1. Beautiful Girls In Magic Positions - Sean Kingston vs. Patrick Wolf 2. No Karma - Jaydiohead 3. Act A Fool (Ravestradamus Remix) - Lil' Jon & Three 6 Mafia 4. Flashing Lights (DJ Benzi Refix) - Clipse 5. Boyz (Remix) [feat. Jay-Z] - M.I.A. 6. Stayin' Alive In Da Club - 50 Cent vs. The Bee Gees 7. Lean Back (DVDJ Unique Remix) [feat. The Notorious B.I.G.] - Terror Squad 8. I Get Money (Remix) [feat. P. Diddy & Jay-Z] - 50 Cent 9. What A Night For A Gangsta Party! - 2Pac & Snoop Dogg vs. Frankie Valli 10. The Year This Club Broke (My Heart) - Usher vs. Los Campesinos! 11. Mr. Me Too (Z.A.K. Remix) - Clipse 12. We Are From Venice (Lil' Weezy Ana) - Lil Wayne vs. The Bloody Beetroots 13. Alright (Ratatat Remix) - Memphis Bleek 14. Luda La Vida Remix - AyPerskAy 15. Single Foxes (Put A Wood On It) - Beyonce vs. Fleet Foxes Download Here (via FileFactory)
It looks like the divide between singles artistsand album artists continues to widen. To me, the top crop of the best songs of the year were put out on inconsistent and altogether weak albums, but the pattern makes sense. The alternative crowd pledges allegiance to the album format and the world digests music in three and a half minute increments. Lil Wayne, as usual, seems to be the anomoly who's been able to win over both the masses and the indie kids, delivering globe conquering singles in addition to well-received albums and mixtapes.
The competition for the top spot was a two horse race between "Love In This Club" and "Single Ladies," but I had to give the edge to Usher because "Love" succeeds as an R&B slow burner and a club banger at the same time, effortlessly and completely. The beat was apparently created on GarageBand as well, so bonus points have to be awarded there.Off we go. The Top 10 Songs of 2008
There was a lot of grumbling all around that this was one of the worst years of the decade, but I don't see that. There were gems released this past year -- they just came from slightly more obscure places than we're all used to seeing. Radiohead, Arcade Fire & M.I.A. all had the year off, so it was up to the young and the hungry to make an impression in 2008. I believe that they did.