2011 saw the release of two incredible albums by two of my favorite artists, Adele’s epic masterpiece “21” and Foster the People’s debut album “Torches.” The best song of the year is without doubt “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele’s triumphant song of betrayal, heartbreak and ultimate survival. Foster the People have three songs in my top 10, beginning with “Pumped Up Kicks,” with it’s dark message sharply contrasting with a peppy upbeat melody.
Here are my Top 50 favorite songs of 2011:
1. ROLLING IN THE DEEP – Adele
2. PUMPED UP KICKS – Foster the People
3. MOVES LIKE JAGGER – Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
4. STEREO HEARTS – Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine
5. READY TO GO – Panic! At the Disco
6. RAISE YOUR GLASS – P!nk
7. HOUDINI – Foster the People
8. HELENA BEAT – Foster the People
9. SOMEONE LIKE YOU – Adele
10. FIREWORK – Katy Perry
11. PERFECT – P!nk
12. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL – Coldplay
13. ADOLESCENTS – Incubus
14. PARTY ROCK ANTHEM – LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
15. CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT – Foster the People
16. HOWLIN’ FOR YOU – The Black Keys
17. GOOD LIFE – OneRepublic
18. SHAKE ME DOWN – Cage the Elephant
19. MONEYGRABBER – Fitz & the Tantrums
20. ONLY GIRL IN THE WORLD – Rihanna
21. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE – Bruno Mars
22. JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH – The Black-Eyed Peas
23. FOR THE FIRST TIME – The Script
24. BORN THIS WAY – Lady Gaga
25. MY BODY – Young the Giant
26. THE LAZY SONG – Bruno Mars
27. GIVE ME EVERYTHING – Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afro jack & Nayer
28. GRENADE – Bruno Mars
29. WHAT’S MY NAME? – Rihanna featuring Drake
30. TONIGHT, TONIGHT – Hot Chelle Rae
31. THE CAVE – Mumford & Sons
32. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP – Andy Grammer
33. WALK – Foo Fighters
34. WAITING FOR THE END – Linkin Park
35. RHYTHM OF LOVE – Plain White T’s
36. DON’T YOU WANNA STAY – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
37. DON’T GOTTA WORK IT OUT – Fitz & the Tantrums
38. THE ADVENTURES OF RAIN DANCE MAGGIE – Red Hot Chili Peppers
39. DOG DAYS ARE OVER – Florence + the Machine
40. THE SOUND OF WINTER – Bush
41. THE EDGE OF GLORY – Lady Gaga
42. YOU AND I – Lady Gaga
43. LAST FRIDAY NIGHT (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
44. UNDISCLOSED DESIRES – Muse
45. YOU ARE A TOURIST – Death Cab for Cutie
46. IF I DIE YOUNG – The Band Perry
47. NOTHING – The Script
48. WITHOUT YOU – David Guetta featuring Usher
49. JUST A KISS – Lady Antebellum
50. NEVER GONNA LEAVE THIS BED – Maroon 5
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 
Great list and love ” Rolling in the Deep”! Although I found the video to be a little weird in terms of the setting and the water glasses (?) Also loved to see both Pink and Lady Gaga had numerous hits on your list. A lot of people write Lady Gaga off because of her crazy outfits but glad you recognize her talent. Pink could sing a phone book and I would love it!
A question though for you Jeff. If you take the 3 main sources of top music hits for the year of 2011, what do you think would be the average of number of different songs that make their top 50 for one year? Just seems to me that it would be not a lot of different songs. Not sure if my questions makes sense.now that I read it. I guess the question really is, how many different songs make a top 50 list in the period of one year.
Have a great day!
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Are you asking how many different songs are there to make the various lists? There are always several “crossover” hits that make all the major charts, though a rap or R&B song won’t appear on the County chart, for example.
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Yes, in the period of one year how many different songs actually make a top 50 list. Just seems to me that in one year it would be difficult to have a lot of different songs that would make the top 50 in any category.
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Each year there are literally thousands of songs released, but only a few hundred ever get much radio or TV play. Many of the songs that make the year-end Alternative Rock top 50 never make it to the year-end Hot 100 chart, and certainly don’t appear on the Country, R&B or Rap charts. However, hundreds of Country and Rap songs appear on the year-end Hot 100 chart, meaning those genres (which don’t much appeal to me) are much more popular than Alternative Rock.
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Kind of what I was thinking. NOt a lot ever even make a list. Thanks Jeff!
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