Best songs ever (in different genres)

[prince_xedar]

Daft Punk - Derezzed
Hall of the mountain king
Clint mansell - Lux Aeterna
some of my favourite songs off the top of my head

 

[DarkishFriend]

Spoiler: Black - Pearl Jam

While most might chose Jeremy for Pearl Jam. I like Black much more. It's a dark and stunning trip into morbidness from Pearl Jam. They express perfectly in the lyrics and the empty space the instruments convey that feeling of loneliness and longing for an ex flame that you deeply loved. This song has moved me to tears, and the ending refrain of just Eddie saying "Do do do do" along with the guitar making a similar sound cuts right into you. Eddies voice is fantastic in this and his ending line leaves an almost haunting message that anyone who has been heartbroken will chant along with him.

Spoiler: Fool In The Rain - Led Zeppelin

It's hard to make a song more magnificent than the epic ballad that is Stairway to Heaven, but this song in a way doesn't want to try to surpass it. The drum beat and the piano tune give this song a loving liveliness while Stairway leaves it up to the listener to listen deeply for all the elements until the very end. Fool starts off straight away playing the beat and the lyrics, while not special, are fun to sing along with. All the instruments add together to make this song a beautiful late Zep hit, probably their last.

Spoiler: Welcome To The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance

MCR is one of my favorite bands. So naturally it would be on the this list. The song approaches the concept of death heavy handed at the start, displaying a father who knows his time is coming and bequeathing a last request to his son while the symphony adds together until it hits the high and the conventional rock instruments add to the mix. Gerald belts out his lines like he is The Patient, knowing he is about to die and thinking he is destined for hell and regretful about not living his life to the fullest at the start. Then it breaks into the anthem where Gerald suddenly switches it to an almost poppy emo/punk song where the lyrics are inspiring as well as they are poignant, leaving nothing to the imagination about the target audience. Gerald shepards the broken and defeated to march forward into life and rejoice in the fact they can still feel the suffering and know they are human. Everything about this song screams anthem to the emos and depressed that Gerald knows very well. He adds together to be a beautiful song that even openly defies death because we all know that every second of every day we get closer and it dares us to live bigger and better.

Spoiler: Power - Kanye West

This hip hop song may seem out of place but the song has some serious power. (pun) It has a fantastic beat with a backing chorus while Kanye raps across the the beat. He doesn't compete with it, nor does he fall behind it. The samples are well done and don't detract from the song and it doesn't bastardize the original like many rap songs will do. The lyrics from the sample also play a part to the theme of the song. The lyrics take in introspective view into Kanye's own outlook on the world and himself seeing how he knows he is completely arrogant and how he and other men are given too much power over the world for not so necessary contributions.

Spoiler: Funeral - Potluck

Another hip hop song that proves lyrics in rap songs can be visceral and deal with heavy subjects without sounding idiotic or overdone. The chorus inbetween rap verses sets the mood from the start saying that no one ever knows when death comes. The raps celebrate living for the moment and avoid "haters". It is an unabashed anthem to underprivileged youth who idolize the rappers and while appealing to a certain fanbase, it doesn't alienate. Similar to Eminem's Sing It For The Moment, which is worth mentioning as it is in the same vein as this song. The rap is well delivered by all three people appearing in this song with none of them seeming to pull more weight than the other. Each part they play is crucial to the song as it gives it a sense that the theme of the song is more widespread than one person.

Spoiler: Take The Power Back - Rage Against the Machine

The song starts of with a great bass beat that is belted out while it sounds that the rest of the band is getting this **** together to basically freestyle the song. Then the rest of the band joins in with La Rocha commanding the beat "bring that shit in." Tom brings a riff that adds to the song, but allows La Rocha to show of his rapping cuts. From the very start La Rocha starts attacking what he believes holds the common man back. Attacking the system that teaches the youth today. His rap style is extremely effective as he mixing emotions with strong words and beliefs. In the middle Tom adds a solo that plays extremely effective into the song and leads into the next verse. The breakdown presents La Rocha demanding for truth through sheer emotion. Overall, a fantastic protest song, and probably one of the best of Rage's songs.

Spoiler: 2112 - Rush

I'm surprised it took me this long to get to this song. Many will remember Rush's Tom Sawyer, Limelight and YYZ fondly but to me, 2112 is their magnum opus. It is greeted extremely well live. The original is a massive 20 minute song with 5 different parts and multiple riffs. Everything about the song is like a gift from the Progressive God. The sonic elements are blended perfectly into the song with Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart making enough sound to mimic a 5 man band. There talent stands very apparent as each of them as large part in playing some of the faster sections, especially at the start. Geddy takes lead with his bass while Alex and Neil provide backing for the first minute until Alex steals the show with an amazing riff leading into a great guitar solo to start the song off, and that is just the first 5 minutes. The lyrics present a very possible dystopian future where music is heavily moderated by the government and the guitar is a foreign object not fit for their outlook on the culture. A trend we may be heading to with current music. The finder of the guitar can not handle the idea of the magical music not being heard by millions and eventually ends his life in the cave he found the guitar after seeing a glimpse of what life was like for the people who championed the guitar. At the very end an ominous message is repeated where the government has taken control. Very heavy handed in their message that music is for individual consumption and not something that should be mass produced. This song is the epitome that is Rush and an example of how progressive rock can be go between a hard nosed rocker to a beautiful ballad. I can't possibly condense 20 minutes of amazingness into text to do the song justice. This is one of the songs I'd really advocate everyone hear before they die.

Spoiler: Tribute - Tenacious D

The song Tribute is relatively straight forward and doesn't have an apparent deeper meaning, and the fact it doesn't is it's charm. The song is nothing more than a joking attempt to retell the creation of the greatest song ever made in song form. Tenacious D's sticht is that they act like they are the greatest band ever and that the world just doesn't know it yet. Because of this, their use of heavily used rock and metal cliches works in their favor as they are lampooning many ideas such as the idea that there is a greatest song in the world. Humor aside Jack and Kyle bust some good guitar chops. They know how to play their instruments, and fairly well, taking only two acoustic guitars and making a huge amount of sound. Jack's voice is fantastic. It has power, finesse and poise, which fits for the vocalist of the greatest band in the world, and he sings the lyrics so bombastically that you think he may actually believe they are the best. At the very end they bust out a guitar solo that can shred some faces with both the electric and acoustic playing a vital role. Something some bands can't do and simply forgo the acoustic when the electric kicks in. The very end being an obvious quip towards Metallica's One, which Jack played for Kyle saying it was the best song in the world. The song is easily the powerhouse on the album, but the album too contains many great songs that are good in their own way with a lot of them being only 1 - 2 minutes long.

Sorry for the double post.

 

[DarkishFriend]

Spoiler: Panic! At The Disco - Northern Downpour

Before starting it's probably worth stating you've made you mind up about Panic! or any band like Panic! before you opened this box. This song, along with this album, are nothing like the first album Panic! released as well as the rest of the emo/pop/punk scene that was popular in 2005. The entire album is a trip back into the 60's borrowing heavily from bands like The Beatles, The Kinks, and The Beach Boys and mostly focuses on a sound that is like mixing pop with the psychedelia elements from Sgt Peppers etc. Northern Downpour is an extremely soft spoken song and doesn't demand a lot from it's listeners. It has a simple melody, verse - chorus structure and doesn't really deviate. Even when the electric guitar comes in, it just adds another sonic element to the mix. The fact the song is simple is what makes it so enjoyable. It's just a happy song in general and to tie in with the experimental elements you can hear different horns etc going off in the background of the track. It adds together with the gently played acoustic and sweet piano to make a song that sounds like a lullaby. I don't know if anyone would consider a song written by a pop/punk band the best of anything but this song is one of my favorites, is extremely serine and is worth a look.

Spoiler: Judith - A Perfect Circle

A great angry white kid song right here. What it lacks in straight ahead riffing and a slower tempo it makes up in power. Firstly, the guitars and drums are added into the background until the chorus where they help take center stage. The guitar is eerie giving a sense of non urgency even though this is basically a protest song. Why it works so well even though it doesn't stand out is because of the vocalist. Maynard James Keenan, also vocalist of Tool, is an incredibly gifted singer. His voice is perfectly fitted for this song leaving a haunting sound in your ears as he sings about how God has abandoned those who use his name in vain and use his name to blame and judge others. It condemns those who cling to their religious views and don't question anything. It is overall a haunting song that is easily their best song because everything adds together to be a fantastic experience where Maynard interjects his emotions perfectly into the listener, making them want to scream along with him.

Spoiler: War Pigs - Black Sabbath

No list would be complete without Black Sabbath. They are the original creators of metal, and everyone who has ever head banged or raised their devil horns in protest owes these gentlemen. Now it might be a bit cliche to pick War Pigs, but I feel this is the best song that really showcases Black Sabbath. It really shows of Tommy Immoi's skill at the guitar. Not just at making a truly dark riff, but late into the song he shows off a skillful display of solo abilities. The riff, that encompasses most of the song is something that can't just be described, it has to be heard. It is probably one of the most recognizable riffs in metal. While the rest of the band plays fine here, Tommy and Ozzy own most of this song. Ozzy is almost too perfect for his role as a vocalist. He doesn't sound amazing, he certainly isn't the best vocalist, or even close, but his voice trying to wrap itself around the idea of metal, when at the time this was just "heavy blues" gives the lyrics added weight as the lyrics paint the picture of a world where people are nothing but mere tools for those who seek war. Anti-war being a big theme in the metal genre, this song is the song that made that. Paranoid as a whole is a fantastic album, and certainly deserves it's place as one of the best metal albums ever released.

Spoiler: Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

I've always loved songs written by not-McCartney,not-Lennon. I love how most of the songs aren't played too serious and as a whole take themselves too seriously whereas I feel some of McCartney/Lennon songs realize they are what the fans want and in a way alienate the other members. I love this song because it's a fairly simple song that actually eventually leads into something much bigger than you expect with more elements being added and the constant bass playing. The guitar strums out a cheerful melody that the lyrics match with optimistic lyrics about the sun coming out after a dark Winter. It's a really good song to just play while you relax as if the song doesn't want you to have to think to enjoy it.

Spoiler: Bartholmew - The Silent Comedy

This one turns out of nowhere, having just been introduced to me a few weeks back because of the Dark Souls trailer. Make no mistake, this song wasn't made for the trailer and it doesn't need Dark Souls to survive. This song boasts powerful vocals along with immense group vocals with a steady drum beat giving it a good urgency. The guitar keeps up with the vocalist word for word providing the way for a background to add to the singing. The riff is pretty good and not just a straight forward 4/4 chord structure. The real power in this song are the vocals. I don't know who the vocalist is, but I love his voice. Every line that is sung during this song is golden with extremely catchy lyrics that invoke the will to sing along once you know what to say. Overall a very good song that proves good rock is still being made and enjoyed.

Spoiler: Art Is Dead - Bo Burham

I admit, being the best song comedy music isn't that hard. Where many artists are mostly unheard of and admittedly I only know of three. Though this song makes a distinction from usual comedy rock. It doesn't require the jokes to be good. Bo is very adept at creating a very catchy song with just a piano and even rivals Tim Michin. Though the lyrics are worth mentioning. The lyrics present a straight faced outlook on how art is abused by people who just want the attention and money. The jokes here aren't that they are witty, it's that they are so blatantly true, and it helps that Bo has a voice that goes well with the piano melody he creates. Probably my favorite as far as comedy music goes, not because it is the funniest or the most musically skillful but because the message is true and it is in ironically catchy song.

 

[DolorousEdd]

Damn you, one day too late. I was just about to post my thread of randomly posting music, but mine would have been about THE BEST MUSIC OF ALL TIME (IN SPACE) of the current moment, i.e. any music that you think at the moment is unparalleled in sheer bestness. But I think this works too.

Whatever, my example would have been this from the soundtrack of Machinarium:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU_-9rjg41M

 

[DarkishFriend]

Spoiler: Light Up The Night - The Protomen

The second the song starts you feel like you're inside the song. The beat energizing every movement and every breath. The beat taking you along for the ride into an 80s videogame turned into a tragic opera that is played completely serious with elements of music from the 80's. If this song were on a soundtrack for a movie, it would be when the main character starts a car chase. The vocals are powerful and help propel the song forward, even if you can't understand or hear what he is saying, you know it has meaning. Even without knowing the context one knows that this song has a subject matter that the cliche 80 elements hide. The story behind the lyrics is that a band took the Megaman story and transformed it into a straight face tragedy in a dystopian future where the evil professor rules the world. If you're into 80's done right in 2000 check this band out. This song is just a good example of their ability to craft music.

Spoiler: Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits

This song starts out as a simple boogie rocker Seconds into the song you'll hear the distinctive blues playing Mark Knopfler is known for. Dire Straits formed in a time where Britian was experience an explosion of punk bands where the emphasis was on being as loud and destructive as possible and style. Instead Mark decided to forgo the volume and the pick to finger play the guitar for an extremely satisfying low-key blues song. The song for the first start sounds bluesy and is note worthy but nothing special until the solo starts and Mark starts to show off his abilities and skills. Mark proves in two solos how he is one of the best blues guitarists and is recognized with people like Eric Clapton. His second solo on the song is extremely powerful without being loud. Mark does what others would do with volume, with precise notes. The solo completely satisfies and doesn't overpopulate the track with too much noise. It's the perfect blues song where every noted second is used to it's full potential. The live version has 5 more minutes and encompasses a much longer solo from Mark as well as a melodic pause inbetween the solos.

Spoiler: Holy Diver - Dio

Dio was formed when Ronnie James Dio, who is credited with popularizing the devil horns, broke off from Black Sabbath and formed his own band. The first minute of the song sets the scene, with sounds of wind and emptiness. Out of the emptiness Dio and the guitar burst forth. Dio's voice being extremely prominent as he is known for the powerful voice by metal enthusiasts. The guitar lays the backing for Dio chugging out power cords and takes the song during the solo. Dio, who sometimes has a tendency, to sing over the riffs and therefore ruin some good riffs with too much emphasis being put on his voice during production. This is sidestepped in this song as Dio never interferes with the guitar and the guitar gets to shred out it's own solo that is in and out in a quick time allowing Dio to come back to the listeners, but it doesn't feel forced, it doesn't feel like the solo was cut to allow Dio more time. The song together is known as an extremely powerful metal song and among metal heads is well known.

Spoiler: A Nightmare To Remember - Dream Theater

Dream Theater, formed because the metal world needed a Rush is a 5 man group that plays progressive metal. The band is noted for having extremely talented members at all positions, with Mike Portnoy standing out as drums. Mike can be described easily as the Neil Peart that plays metal. This song clocks in at a long 16:11 minutes, but it's worth stating that once the song starts, not a second is wasted on fretboard masturbation or useless sonic elements added to pad the song. The song is metal in every sense. It starts off with a loud thundercrack and an organ supplements the guitar at the start of the song. After the initial solo, the guitars switch the extremely heavy riff that leaves you shaking and truly believing that something horrific happened. Sonic elements are added that sound like old horror movie sounds that helps supplement theme. Mike is evident at every part of the song. His bass drum is extremely prevalent but never feeling overused or overheard. He fires out a triplet as fast as his bandmates on the guitar can. The guitarist John Petrucci shows off his amazing skill with the guitar matching seamless transitions between strong chord based metal to the melodic and somber chorus. Most people might at this point start saying the song is indulging too much at this point, but the excesses are what makes this genre special and this band amazing. John has plenty of riffs and when he gets a chance to play a solo he shows why Dream Theater is easily the most popular progressive metal band. He shreds his way across the fretboard and in a quick 30 seconds shatters every preconception about metal being bland music and shows quickly why they chose to play this type of genre of music. The song has a perfect amount of experimentation as it does not alienate away newcomers to this band with overly complicated or showy solos. The vocals are well done in the sense that they are delivered with respect for the other instruments. The vocalist knows the fans are here to see the technically and musically prowess and never attempts to steal the spotlight from the other members.

Spoiler: Lust For Life - Girls

Very quick to state, indie is not for everyone and neither is this song. Infact, for face value most people would brush this song aside for it's lyrics and sound as being gay, and with just face value I would be inclined to agree. With lines like "I wish I had a boyfriend." It's hard to argue against it. The beauty and creativity of this song
comes when you learn about the history of this band it's lead singer and guitarist Chris Owens. Chris is former member of the Children of God cult. He never met his father and he was conceived in a ritual for the cult. He was sheltered from outside world culture and was only allowed to listen to music the cult deemed ok. He absorbed old rock, from the 80's and back. This album is an attempt for Chris to be creative as he wants without boundaries. The reason this song is poignant is because of the lyrics. Knowing his history and reading the lyrics paints a different picture. It shows how Chris is an almost tortured individual stuck in awkward adolescence and unable to assume duties as a man because he lacked a father figure. The show just briefly shows Chris' will to be loved, but bad luck and bad circumstances. The song itself is almost the opposite of the lyrics, it's catchy, poppy and bouncy. The song is so infectious that after getting past the lyrics you'll hear the song in your head constantly. It's only two minutes long and in those quick minutes it shows where the influences lie. The song is a great opener for an album that explores heartbreak and depression in a new way that isn't the straight faced emo apporach. Chris shows himself to be a deep character in this song is worth checking out.

Spoiler: Little Piece Of Heaven - Avenged Sevenfold

While A7X gets a bad rap for wasting talent on metalcore, and while they deserve a lot of it, they still display a lot of good skill on the guitar and the drum. This song, is notable though for not being anything like the other songs A7X has made, in a good way. It's not some sappy ballad. The song starts off with a horn section with a chorus of voices adding before the metal takes over. The horns don't quit, they continue into the song and provide a lot of the backing instead of traditional guitar. This is how the song is different. It doesn't rely on the 4 instrument approach and allows the band to have a lot of creativity with it. Clocking in at 8 minutes it has plenty of space to experiment and A7X does just that. Many parts of the song have orchestra instruments playing in the background to supplement the riffs and in many cases being the riffs. The lyrics tell the story of a young couple that fell out of love and the young man decides to kill his ex and use her dead body as a sex puppet. The soul of the dead comes back and kills the young man and then they both get revived to get married and start killing. As you can see, really demented and not exactly normal. I consider the song to be the best A7X song because it tries to be different and doesn't get bogged down by too much experimentation or too much balladness. If you've listened to A7X and didn't like them, I'd suggest trying this song at least for the way it approaches metal in a different way.

 

[Winterfel]

Don't stop belivin' - KitSch 2.0 Remix by Stan Courtois & Felly
It never, ever, ever gets old.

Spoiler: YouTube

 

[shadow_Fox81]

Lost in the supermarket- The clash

 

[Zeema]

Maybe one of the best songs i have heard country rock wise

but i do enjoy Rolling stones ROCK THUMBS UP THIS COMMENT [wait this isn't utube]

and lastly
tell me what you guys think