And now I can get to my favorite part in which I get to celebrate only the best of Jenny from the block! Here’s the top 5 best Jennifer Lopez singles!
Beauty at its best!
5.) “Let’s Get Loud”
(from the album On The 6)
This is a Jennifer signature, with its infectious dance beat and Latin rhythm. And who can forget her performance at the 1999 Women’s World Cup? This song is just another example of what a fierce Latina she is!
4.) “All I Have” (featuring LL Cool J)
(from the album This Is Me…Then)
Everything about this song just screams “HIT RECORD”. From a guest appearance by LL Cool J, to a sick hip-hop sample, Jenny from the block certainly continued her R&B/Pop reign and showed even more depth than before. While the video gets a little cheesy in most parts, the song is so great that I'll forgive her!
3.) “I’m Real [Murder Remix]” (featuring Ja Rule)
(from the album J.Lo)
This is exactly what she needed to show greater range. People were already starting to grow a little weary of her music from her second album, so releasing this remix was the perfect answer. And the controversy surrounding her use of the “N” word didn’t hurt one bit. Back when Ja Rule was in his prime, this was a perfect summer duet, helping Ms. Lopez gain more street cred.
2.) “If You Had My Love”
(from the album On The 6)
Who can deny Jennifer’s debut #1 hit single? With production from Darkchild, it served as the big introduction for Jennifer Lopez the singer. Today, the video looks so ancient with it's website and clicking sound effects (remember those?), but for its time with the internet web cams and all, it's hard to remember how groundbreaking it was! And who can forget the fact that we finally got to hear her sing! You can never forget your first...
1.) “Get Right”
(from the album Rebirth)
You either think this is the most annoying song in the world, or one of the most infectious. For me, it’s the most infectious songs I’ve ever heard, and her best one to date! It is a very repetitive sample that is used by producer Rich Harrison, but it certainly got people moving. And while it may not be her most popular album, this turned into another J.Lo signature in my eyes.
And now the time has come to celebrate only the best covers that came from Glee’s first season. This was a tough task to accomplish only picking ten, since there were so many to choose from this time around, but hopefully someone out there agrees with it.
10.) “Vogue”
(from the episode The Power of Madonna)
Here is the first of three songs from Glee’s best episode in both seasons that have been airing. This episode started off the theme craze, and it was perfection at its best. What made this episode the best was the fact that they worked really hard to make sure the songs tied in well with what the storylines were. This was Sue’s big make-over, presenting her new image by also paying tribute to her icon, Madonna. It was a frame by frame remake of the classic music video, but one that passes off as genius and not just a copy cat. They updated the lyrics to give a little Sue twist, and who knew Jane Lynch had such a beautiful singing voice!
9.) “Maybe This Time”
(from the episode The Rhodes Not Taken)
Before people like Gwyneth Paltrow and Neil Patrick Harris were stopping by to visit the Glee Club, it was Kristin Chenoweth who helped pave the way with this powerhouse duet she does with Rachel. What starts out as some kind of competition between who does it the best, Rachel puts up a good fight, but it’s Kristin with that last note that knocks it out of this world! God bless that voice, and here’s to hoping for more April Rhodes in the future.
8.) “Don’t Rain On My Parade”
(from the episode Sectionals)
What makes Glee a great show is not just the writing or performances, but it’s also its ability to show off classics that today’s generation may not be aware of. I would consider this to be one of Glee’s signature songs. After all that Rachel has been through (and after all the tormenting and slushies the club has received) this was a dynamite opening to their Sectionals set-list, and definitely set the bar for starting a show by walking through the audience (which also has become yet another Glee signature).
7.) “Bust Your Windows”
(from the episode Acafellas)
There’s no denying it, Mercedes can sing! And while it was obvious from the very first episode that she had the attitude to back it up, this was her big shining moment to take the entire spotlight. This happens to be one of the rare songs that sounds great originally by Jazmine Sullivan but also stands on its own by Amber Riley too. And the ending dialogue made it even more great: Kurt, “Mercedes, you busted my window!” Mercedes, “well you busted my heart!”
6.) “Like a Virgin”
(from the episode The Power of Madonna)
Another great cover from the best episode Glee has produced. “Like a Virgin” had it all: six big stars of the show all taking a big step in their sexuality, matching outfits, genius choreography, and the introduction of Santana actually singing! Everything was there, and boy did Jessie, Rachel, Will, Emma, Finn, & Santana deliver. What was even better was that last moment after this big musical fantasy when it cuts back to reality to see Emma, Finn, and Rachel taking one last look in the mirror before their big “debut”. Words can’t even begin to describe what it’s like to see Rachel’s cold stare as she tells herself she’s ready with those big, beady eyes of hers, then gently walks away.
DISCLAIMER: Due to all of the copyrights on YouTube, I tried my best to find the actual video, but sadly this was the best I could find. But after all, you should know what I'm talking about by now!
5.) “Poker Face”
(from the episode Theatricality)
It may not have been the most appropriate song for a mother-daughter duet, but it certainly stands out as one of the most memorable moments in Glee. We all knew (or at least I did) that the minute they announced Idina Menzel was going to be guest starring on Glee that she would end up being Rachel’s long lost mom. With those beautiful faces and those Broadway voices, it’s hard to determine if Lea Michele and Idina Menzel aren’t actually related in real life. Let’s just clarify though, Lady GaGa stripped down this club anthem way before Glee put its touch on it, and it was perfection that stood on its own compared to the original. But what Glee did was take it even further, taking her spontaneous cover and structuring it with beautiful harmonies between mother and daughter.
4.) “One Less Bell To Answer/A House Is Not A Home”
(from the episode Home)
It was hard to tell at first where this was going with April staying in Will’s home. Were they going to hook up? Would they become an item? What happened instead was more beautiful than I expected, a special bond between two heartbroken people, trying to find solace in the midst of all their pain. What we get in return is a knock-out duet that gives me chills even just writing about it. Again, PLEASE bring back April Rhodes!
3.) “Like a Prayer”
(from the episode The Power of Madonna)
What to you get when you take Madonna’s song about late night pleasure, add in a gospel choir, and put in highlights from not just Finn and Rachel? You get this classic cover which did a great showcasing a broader range of voices, from Rachel to Kurt, from Jessie to Finn, and all the way to Mercedes to take it home! I can’t help getting teary-eyed just from the beginning cries of Rachel’s opening.
2.) “Somebody To Love [Queen Cover]”
(from the episode The Rhodes Not Taken)
The rule stood strong in the Top 10 Worst Covers list: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But this is the exception to that rule. Queen’s original version stands on its own as one of the most original songs in music. And Glee provides this signature song that truly can stand on its own when compared to the original. We get to hear Artie really get into it for the first time, not to mention Mercedes once again taking it all the way home with her powerhouse voice. This just happens to be another one of those covers that gets me all teary-eyed.
1.) “Don’t Stop Believin’”
(from the episode Pilot)
Was it any kind of mystery as to what the #1 best song on Glee was? “Don’t Stop Believin’” has become Glee’s theme, and it’s hard to imagine that originally they wanted to use Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” instead. It was also hard to choose between the original version from the first episode, or the Regionals Version from the first season finale, since it puts up a really good fight compared to the first. But it’s better to go with the first at its best, and what a memorable moment it was! It was the beginning of the Glee takeover, the spark that created the fire in all of us Gleeks. If they could pick themselves up, not give in to negativity so easily, and never stop believing in themselves, then BY GOLLY all of us have something to look forward to as well! And while there may be moments in both seasons that have us question the quality of the show we’ve come to adore and love (more so in Season 2 than in Season 1) we will never be able to stop believing…
Finally something we can all agree on: Britney Spears has her fair share of memorable hits! Here’s what I think are the best ones though.
5.) “Womanizer”
(from the album Circus)
This was another twisted point of view from Britney Spears, very reminiscent of “Toxic” (not just the song, but the video too). It’s quite repetitive in some areas of the chorus, but that’s what makes it one of the most infectious Britney singles released.
4.) “Baby One More Time”
(from the album Baby One More Time)
How can you have a “Best of Britney” list and not include her debut single? From the pop lyrics of the song that captures the spirit of the time, to the famous video which she dons that famous school girl outfit, it left its mark in pop culture. It was a welcome bandwagon for Britney Spears into the world of pop music.
3.) “I’m a Slave 4 U”
(from the album Britney)
She finally came into her own with this song. Sure there was always some kind of rebellion and sexiness with singles prior to this (“Oops!...I Did It Again” anyone?) but she finally took it to the next level with her sexiest vocals to date, thanks to the production quality from The Neptunes. Only adding more greatness to the song was the sexy, sweaty music video, as well as the snake dance at the VMA’s that year.
2.) “Gimme More”
(from the album Blackout)
Who can resist the open line “It’s Britney, bitch!”? It was a new Britney we were hearing, and it helped us begin to move past her troubles in the public eye. She was getting back to what she does best, and that’s coming out with infectious music you can’t get out of your head, but you really didn’t mind that it was there to begin with!
1.) “Toxic”
(from the album In The Zone)
This just happens to be the only thing in Britney’s career that she’s won a Grammy for, and we certainly know why. It was the perfect mix of upbeat pop music, with a little Tango twist, mixed in with a little bit of Bollywood sound. It’s one of the best pop singles in music out there still today!
