My Top 20 Favorite Hit Songs of 2007 Part 1: 10-1
10. The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani, Akon (Peak #2, Billboard Year End: #3, Jan-Dec Year End: #3)
I usually like Gwen Stefani. And while this isn't my favorite thing she's done either solo or as a part of No Doubt, it's a banger and a half. I love her silky voice over these bouncy horns and synths, the hook is incredibly catchy and fun, and Akon's woohoo yeehoos add so much energy to the song. The lyrics are not the reason I love it but they're not bad either.Time for a song from an album that is incredibly beloved by the main Discord server I'm a part of. An album I'm not as big a fan of as my friends, but hey, I mean, I do love this song a lot...
9. Rehab - Amy Winehouse (Peak #9, Billboard Year End: #74, Jan-Dec Year End: #70)
I listened to Back To Black by Amy Winehouse a while back during an album trade with my online friend Leslie, and I wasn't wowed by it. Soul music isn't really my thing and while it was still an enjoyable listen, I wasn't a huge fan or anything. That said, I agree that Rehab is a fucking classic. I love the horns and I think drums, and I love how Amy sounds on this song, how dramatic she sounds. And the lyrics about not wanting to go to rehab are haunting considering how she died. Now I would like to invite in my friend Leslie to talk about her thoughts on this song and Amy Winehouse in general.
Leslie: In my early childhood, there were certain musical artists that were staples in my house: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sinead O'Connor, and Nirvana. These were some of my dad's favorite musicians since I was a baby. His music taste had a profound impact on mine, especially when he started getting into genres like folk-rock. But during the early pendemic, he started getting into this new artist from a totally different genre. He bought a vinyl to Back to Black and started playing it a lot, and I started to really like it. The James Bond type feel mixed with her soulful vocals throughout the album captivated me in a way that was hard to explain. This was my gateway to getting into soul and r&b, (which are my favorite genres nowadays). So for that, Amy's music means a lot to me. Hearing more about her life story just crushes my soul, especially with how talented she clearly was. She didn't deserve what she got, and I hope she found peace after death. Rest easy. And that takes us to her biggest hit according to Billboard, Rehab. This song is depressing with context, the fact that she needed to go to rehab. She knows it, but she can't admit it to herself. It's hard to listen to in the best way. It helps that the song just sounds incredible. Amy is one of the best vocalists ever, and Mark Ronson proves himself to be an outstanding producer with lovely horns and some of the best sounding drums I've ever heard. Truly a gem of a song, one that I can't sing the praises of enough. Thank you Drake for letting me speak on this list, I'm happy to do this. Leslie out.
Thanks for joining me Leslie. Anyway incredible song.
I already referenced this song on my 2017 best list so you knew this was coming. You might be surprised how low it is. That is a testament to how stacked the best hits of 2007 are in my opinion. Cause this is a fucking masterpiece.
8. Runaway Love - Ludacris, Mary J. Blige (Peak #2, Billboard Year End: #35, Jan-Dec Year End: #40)I referenced this song and compared it to Rockabye by Clean Bandit in my 2017 best list, and while I do love this song a lot, I do prefer Rockabye because it's easier to listen to. But still this is a damn powerful song. It's about kids abused or neglected by their parents. The song tells multiple stores at once, all of them haunting and depressing. And I also love the instrumental and vocal performances of both artists. It's not an easy listen because of the subject matter but a very powerful one all the same.
Timbaland.
7. Say It Right - Nelly Furtado (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: #9, Jan-Dec Year End: #13)
A year ago this wouldn't have even been an Honorable Mention on this list if I made it then. I considered it mid then. That aged incredibly poorly. This is just a beautiful pop song. The beautiful echoes, incredibly melodic, groovy, and beautiful beat from Timbaland, Nelly's beautiful, hypnotic voice, the hypnotic, beautiful, echoing backing vocals. You know what, hypnotic is a very good word to describe this song in general. And that is a compliment. This song just takes you to a different world with its soundscape and I can't recommend it enough if you have somehow never heard it. 6. Hey There Delilah (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: #7, Jan-Dec Year End: #5)
Between this and A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton, a song about long distance relationships with strings is likely to wow me. Although I hate I'm Already There by Lonestar so there's that. But anyway, this song. This song is also similar to Perfect by Ed Sheeran to me in that the simplicity of it really adds to the charm. It's not this guy really trying to be flashy and impress us, he's just expressing his love for Delilah and longing to meet her. And you can just hear his longing in his voice. And the scope of the strings creates the feel of the distance between them. And they also just sound beautiful. And I also love the simple guitar line, it's really peaceful and calming.
Oh and speaking of that...
5. Bubbly - Colbie Caillat (Peak #5, Billboard Year End: #67, Jan-Dec Year End: #32)I think this is one of the most calming songs I have ever heard. It just sounds like a peaceful hot bath in a spring or hot tub where you can forget all your problems and just sit there in comfort. I love how delicate the guitar sounds and how well it conveys the feeling of bubbles, and Colbie's voice glides over it so perfectly. Listening to this song often helps me put my mind to ease, something I need a lot these days. Unfortunately I haven't heard anything else anywhere near this good from her, although I do like Brighter Than The Sun, but this is was an incredible moment.
4. Who Knew - P!nk (Peak #9, Billboard Year End: #69, Jan-Dec Year End: #48)
This is the best song I've heard from P!nk if I'm being honest. I once thought it was Please Don't Leave Me, but I like this one more now. And it's for similar reasons to why I love Ghost by Justin Bieber so much. This song is about the death of a loved one and how when they were alive, she didn't believe they were gonna die and ignored people telling her to spend time with her loved ones while she could, but now she can't spend time with them any more and will cherish all the memories she does have with them. And I was right there with my grandma on my dad's side when she passed away from cancer and I really wish I had spent more time with her while I still could, although to be fair she did live a few hours away from where I live. Combine that with a gorgeous guitar and drum line that even adds in strings later on to ramp up the power and you have an absolute masterpiece. You knew this was coming after my 2022 worst list. Because how dare Jack Harlow ruin this song?
3. Glamorous - Fergie, Ludacris (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: #10, Jan-Dec Year End: #7)
The Dutchess by Fergie is a great album, I used to think it was a 10 out of 10 album and while I don't think that anymore, it's still great. And Glamorous is one of the best songs on it. It's about how even with all the fame and glamour, Fergie is still the person she has always been, still a human being, who goes to Taco Bell, spends time with her family, and even remembers fondly times when she was poorer. And I think this is important to remember that famous people are still human beings and not just robots manufactured to make music or act in movies. But the real star of the show is how beautiful this song sounds. The synths and Fergie's voice are so silky in the absolute best way and it just sounds so beautiful. It's ear candy. I also really like Ludacris's verse, the stuttering effect really works here and he also does good. You want to know my favorite song on that album? A song that would have topped this list if I made it a few years ago...
2. Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: #4, Jan-Dec Year End: #1)
Back in 2021 this would have easily topped this list for me. And it still got this high for being one of my favorite songs I've ever heard. It took something very special to top this, and we have one such song. But Big Girls Don't Cry is still one of my favorite songs ever. Fergie sounds even better here than than she did on Glamorous, and the acoustic instrumental is absolutely perfect, this song is absolute ear candy to me, even more so than Glamorous. And when the strings come in later on it only gets even better somehow. But what has really connected with me about this song the past couple years is the lyrics. I'm 19 at the time of writing this and in my first year of college. It's time for me to step out of my comfort zone of childhood and into the adult world. And this song is an anthem to that. It's time for me to be a big boy now and I've gotta get a move on with my life. Fergie saying "Myself and I, we've got some straightening out to do.." or "I've gotta get a move on with my life, it's time to be a big girl now, and big girls don't cry" it just hits home. Before we find out what song beat it, we have some Honorable Mentions
HM. Paralyzer - Finger Eleven
I used to hate this song, but I came around to it. The guitar groove is fantastic, the singer sounds good, and the hook is iconic. Shoutout Leslie too.
HM. Teardrops On My Guitar - Taylor Swift
Taylor's first Year End hit, and while not anywhere near her best material, and not even my favorite single from her debut (which is one of her weakest albums in my opinion), that being Tim McGraw, this is a cute song, and I like the writing too.
HM. Cyclone - Baby Bash, T-Pain
I get why some in this community hate this song, but come on this just slaps. HM. Wind It Up - Gwen Stefani
This is how you use yodeling in a pop song, if you ask me. Have it in an upbeat goofy pop song that isn't meant to be taken seriously. Not a personal downbeat ballad. Like cough cough Lonely by Justin Bieber cough cough.
HM. Walk Away (Remember Me) - Paula DeAnda, The DEY
Just a great pop duet I don't have much to say about.
HM. Face Down - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
A great rock song where the narrator calls out a fucking asshole boyfriend at his shit which is powerful. I'm not a big fan of the scream near the end though, which keeps it from fully clicking for me. HM. Bartender - T-Pain, Akon
Not much to say about this one it just slaps. HM. U + Ur Hand - P!nk
P!nk has better songs in my opinion, but this is still pretty good. HM. Stronger - No One
Sigh. As much as I don't want to praise this man right now, I do still enjoy a fair amount of his 2000s music and this one is an example of that. It's a bit longer than it needs to be, but I really like the Daft Punk sample and Kanye sounds good. HM. What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
This is one of my favorite Justin Timberlake songs. I love how majestic this song sounds with the strings and the buildups surrounding his serene vocals. I don't listen to this song as much as I would if the version on Spotify wasn't 7 minutes long, but whenever I do it's a good experience.
HM. Crank That (Soulja Boy) - Soulja Boy
SOULJA BOY ENDED ALL YOUR FAVES!!!! Okay but for real I unironically enjoy this song. It's fun, bouncy and catchy.
HM. This Is Why I'm Hot - MIMS
This song is great and I will hear no words otherwise. I love the bubbly beat, I really like Mims's voice, and my favorite thing about this song is how when he mentions cities or regions, the producer plays a sample of a famous rap song by a rapper from that area, specifically the California Bay Area and Tell Me When To Go by E-40, Chicago and Jesus Walks by Kanye West, Compton and Nuthin' But A "G" Thang by Dr. Dre, New York and Shook Ones Part II by Mobb Deep.
HM. Party Like A Rockstar - Shop Boyz
PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR I TOTALLY DO! HM. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
Yes I like this song less than many of their 2010s pop hits. I do not care what you think of that. This song is also great though so hey I get it. I prefer a lot of Songs About Jane to this song though. HM. Umbrella - Rihanna, Jay-Z
Rihanna has better in my opinion but this still slaps and I especially love how she says Umbrella-ella-ella.
And now it is time for, one of my favorite rock songs I've ever heard, and not just that, one of my absolute favorite songs I've ever heard of any genre as well...
1. Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Peak #22, Billboard Year End: #91, Jan-Dec Year End: N/A)The Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of my mom's favorite bands, and I heard their music around the house all the time growing up. And these days most of their big hits are phenomenal to me. Songs like Under The Bridge and Otherside will probably be extremely high on my best lists for their respective years. And Snow (Hey Oh) is my favorite of their songs I have heard (or at least that I know by name) Firstly, I ADORE the guitar rhythm on this song, how it conveys the feeling of snow perfectly, but also sounds incredibly calming during the verses and the way it combines with the vocals create this incredible groove that few songs I've ever heard compete with. And the way it builds into the chorus with the drums is so addictive and never gets old. And the vocals are fantastic too. And now we have the lyrics which, resonate with me so much right now. This is a song about trying to wipe the slate clean of your bad habits and start over, specifically during a drug addiction, and how hard it is because the drug is so tempting and seems a great escape from your struggles. Now I have never done drugs (outside of like cold medications and stuff like that) and don't plan on ever doing them (I've seen what that shit does to your body) but I relate to this song more in a general sense. I am now an adult and I have lots of bad habits that I really need to get rid of as I continue in college and whatever comes after for me. And they are so tempting and I keep falling victim to them because of that. And I really need to become stronger at resisting my bad habits. And this song is an absolute anthem to that. I don't really want to go in depth on what those bad habits are on this blog, but they really cause this song to hit hard every single time. This is the reason why this is not just my favorite hit song of 2007, but a top 10 song I have ever heard and possibly my favorite hit of the entire 2000s decade now. Snow (Hey Oh) by The Red Hot Chili Peppers. My pick for the best hit song of 2007!Thanks for reading. Urtar Reviews signing out. I'll see you next time.
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