IrishHuskie
LightNews LightNews
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
IrishHuskie
@irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
40 followers 11 following 1.2K posts
I like math, music, and memes. Occasionally I'll watch a movie or TV show and discuss it on the animation podcasts Mouse Madness or Cartoon Chatterbox: https://www.youtube.com/@mousemadness1258.
Be civil with me, and I'll be civil with you.
Posts Replies Media Videos
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#6: Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
6. Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar (2024) I never really got into Drake, even when it wasn't embarrassing to be a fan. And Kendrick Lamar's music was always outside my scope; it was the kind of music I could appreciate on an objective level, but I never went out of my way to listen to it aside from the few times he crossed over. Neither artist was one I had a particular affinity towards, and in the former's case I was actively sick of seeing him. But in 2024, the year where music actively dominated the pop culture landscape in a way not seen since the rise of Lady Gaga in 2009; the year where the conversation was dominated by Beyonce's foray into country, Sabrina Carpenter's breakthrough into superstardom, and the meteoric rise of Chappell Roan; the year where Shaboozey spent 19 weeks at #1 with a fun country song that paid homage to a crunk classic. In this wonderful year of music, the Kendrick-Drake feud took center stage. I don't know how far your head would have needed to be buried in the sand to miss this beef, but it couldn't have been easy to breathe. Drake and Kendrick kept trading diss tracks back and forth at a phrenetic pace, always one-upping each other with every song they released. That's a lie, of course: what actually happened was that Kendrick kept landing critical hits one after another, attacking him on all fronts as a person and an artist, and Drake basically just responded with "No U." And at the center of it all was "Not Like Us." I don't need to sing this song's praises. If you've heard the song at all in the last year, you know why it was as monumental as it was. And for the 10 of you who don't understand the appeal of "Not Like Us," you need to realize that for years, Drake was a blight on the Hot 100. He would churn out album after album, "hit" song after "hit" song, despite nobody outside of his ever-shrinking fanbase seeming to actually like them. At the beginning of 2024, he bragged about having as many #1 hits as Michael Jackson. Suffice it to say, he was no Michael Jackson. His chart gaming was one of several points of attack for Kendrick to exploit, along with his failures as a father, his tendency to leach off of black culture for his own gain, and, oh yeah, his predatory tendencies towards underage girls. "Not Like Us" tackles almost all of that and wraps it up in a made-for-radio format for maximum appeal. "Euphoria" and "Meet the Grahams" may have been more pointed and intricate attacks at Drake's character, but "Not Like Us," courtesy of a killer Mustard beat, showed the world how fun it could be to be a hater, and I was just as swept in the moment as anyone else. So how did this song end up as high on this list as it did, beating out the Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye? I came up with the idea to rank every #1 hit at the beginning of the year, and while I certainly loved this song from the moment I heard it, I didn't want to rank it super high off of that alone, lest I succumb to recency bias. Then I watched the Grammys. "Not Like Us" was nominated for 5 awards, including the big ones, and it won all of them. When Kendrick walked up to accept the award for Song of the Year, he was accompanied by the end of the first verse. And when it got to the "A Minor" line, everyone in the theater sang along to it. That was incredible. Then a week later, I watched the Super Bowl halftime show. Everyone was anticipating this song being part of Kendrick's set, especially after Drake threatened to sue if it was (what a loser, lol). He eventually performed the first verse to thunderous applause, becoming a beloved meme in the process (Say Drake :) ). And when it got to the "A Minor" line, everyone in the stadium sang along. In the span of one week, Kendrick called Drake a pedophile at two of the most watched events of the year and got the whole country to sing along to it. The collective hype from those two moments managed to propel the song back to #1, 9 months after it had initially debuted there. Realizing that was what ultimately convinced me to place it this high. There are 5 other #1 hits that I like more than this, but there are none that I respect as cultural milestones than this. This song is bigger than music, bigger than the feud that spawned it. It's a unifying force, a rallying cry against a common enemy that ultimately took that enemy down. It's a demonstration that music can be a driving force of good if we let it. Maybe this all sounds dramatic if you don't care about Kendrick or Drake, but to me, this song represents a cultural spectacle that I may never see again, and I'm honored to have been able to experience it.
December 20, 2025 at 2:32 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#7: Frankenstein by The Edgar Winter Group
7. Frankenstein - The Edgar Winter Group (1973) A lot of songs in this countdown have made my top 25 in part because of their lyrics. "Frankenstein" is not one of those songs because it has no lyrics. This is the first (and [spoilers] only) instrumental on this list. Instrumentals used to be a much bigger part of the popular music landscape, but as the MTV era took shape and spectacle became just as important as the actual music, they quickly fell out of favor. There hasn't been a true instrumental #1 hit since 1985, and that was the Miami Vice theme of all things (Wikipedia will tell you that "Harlem Shake" was the most recent instrumental #1, but we all know that doesn't count). Of the few lyric-less tracks to reach the top, none of them rocked as hard as "Frankenstein." In fact, I dare say there has never been a #1 hit of any kind that has ever rocked as hard as "Frankenstein," and that includes the Rolling Stones and Guns N' Roses. Even though there are no words, the message of "Frankenstein" is crystal clear: Edgar Winter is cooler and more awesome than you or I could ever hope to be. This song is just solo after solo after solo, and Winter takes center stage for all of them. He takes command of the keyboard, saxophone, percussion, and ARP 2600 synthesizer. I don't even know what that really is, but he makes it sound just as epic as everything else he plays. "Frankenstein" is little more than an excuse for Winter to show off his many skills at many different instruments; it's a song about showing off more than anything, from a man who has more than earned the right to show off. What else is there to say? It's catchy, it's wild, and it sounds absolutely immaculate; I could listen to it all day and never get tired of it. Check it out for yourself and see if you feel the same say. And if you want to hear it at its full power, check out the group's 9-minute performance on "The Old Grey Whistle Test." Trust me: it'll blow your mind.
December 19, 2025 at 1:49 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
I’m sorry, Ms. Jackson.
I am four eels.
Never meant to make your daughter cry.
I am just four fish and it a guy.
December 18, 2025 at 2:32 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#8: Ms. Jackson by OutKast
8. Ms. Jackson - OutKast (2001) Look, I like "Hey Ya!" Everyone likes "Hey Ya!" But at the end of the day, that's an Andre 3000 song; Big Boi had nothing to do with it, so saying it's really an OutKast song is kind of misleading. Besides, it's not like this song represents their output as a whole. OutKast were a down and dirty Southern hip hop duo that put Atlanta on the map with their rapid-fire flow, intricate melodies, and genre experimentation. And if there's any song of theirs I could pick that demonstrates why they deserve to be in the highest pantheon of rap, it would be "B.O.B.", the lead single off their fourth album "Stankonia." It's fast, wild, and freaky; it's the kind of song that leaves an impression that never goes away. Unfortunately, despite "Stankonia" being their breakthrough into the mainstream, the public wasn't quite ready for that level of fire spitting, so that song didn't even crack the Hot 100 at all. Truly the greatest of tragedy of 2001. Instead, it was the second single, "Ms. Jackson," that ultimately broke through and topped the charts. And while it's no "B.O.B.", it's still one of the greatest rap songs ever recorded. "Ms. Jackson" is a perfect encapsulation of OutKast's power as a duo. Lyrically, it's a deep dive into the complex issues and emotions that arise from having a child out of wedlock (resentment, anger, frustration, guilt, sadness, etc.), all directed at the ex's mother who wants to keep the child away from him. The duo's individual verses highlight the strengths that they bring to the group. Big Boi's verses are confrontational and accusatory, and they're delivered with the rapid fire gusto that he's famous for. Andre 3000, meanwhile, takes a more apologetic approach delivered with a more lyrical flow. The two complement each other perfectly, and it makes for an incredibly engaging listen every time. The production on this song is fantastic as well. I love the reverse audio effect that opens it, I love the ironic interpolation of the Bridal March, I love the off-the-beat rhythm of the rappers' deliveries, I love all of it. "Ms. Jackson" is a song that feels too good to be a #1 hit, yet at the same time it feels too good not to be a #1 hit. OutKast were pioneers of Southern hip hop, and it was just a matter of time before they became mainstream stars. This song had all the traits that made them legends, all while being delivered in an easily digestible manner, so it's no wonder this song broke them through. Now if we could use the powers of social media to make "B.O.B." a retroactive hit like we did with Fleetwood Mac and Kate Bush, that'd be great.
December 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#9: I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye
9. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1968) When it comes to soul and R&B in the 60's and 70's no one did it better than Motown. With such signed acts as Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Jackson 5, and The Temptations, Motown played a vital role in the racial integration of popular music. And they did it with a conglomerate of classic songs that remain well-revered standards to this day. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" might just be the greatest record ever to come out of Motown, and I think Berry Gordy and Norman Whitfield knew they had something special on their hands because they shopped it around to several of the label's acts and even had them record and release it. The earliest known recording actually belongs to The Miracles, which was recorded in 1966 but not released because Gordy thought it could be stronger. The first version to be released was from Gladys Knight & the Pips, who had their own #1 hit in 1973 with "Midnight Train to Georgia," a fantastic song that unfortunately will not be appearing in this countdown. Ultimately, it was Marvin Gaye's 1967 recording that caught on with the public, becoming a #1 hit for 7 weeks in 1968 and 1969. I've listened to several different versions of this song, and regarding Gaye's version, I have to say the public got this one right. Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is one of those songs that's so perfectly crafted and performed that I really can't do it justice by just talking about it. I've already talked about Gaye as a sex icon in an earlier entry, but this song shows his range as he plays the part of a spurned lover who heard from outside sources that his wife/girlfriend is cheating on him. He sells his heartbreak with his gusto and high notes, but I think that even he knows he'll be on the rebound soon. When he says "not much longer would you be mine," he knows that she's a goner the second she confirms her infidelity. The chorus of women behind him at the end of each chorus just reaffirm what he already said, as though Marvin has plans of his own. It's like he's saying "Yeah, I'm sad about this now, but just know that once you're gone, I'll be able to get any woman that I want. Because I'm Marvin fucking Gaye." The production is more of the classic Motown sound that dominated the airwaves in the 60's, and one listen will erase any doubts that they deserved to be as big as they were. The only downside to this song is that it's kind of short. It's barely over 3 minutes, which is not enough time to be listening to Marvin Gaye or Motown. Thankfully there is no shortage of covers you can check out, and if you want the experience to last, I recommend the Creedence Clearwater Revival cover from 1970. You won't have to worry about it being too short because this version is over 11 minutes long, and it features one of John Fogerty's best guitar solos. It is not better than the Gaye version, but the core song is so good that any version will do.
December 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#10: Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye ft. Kimbra
10. Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye ft. Kimbra (2012) I was 16 years old the first time I heard "Somebody That I Used to Know." At this point in my life, I was still in my "all pop music sucks" phase; you know, the dark days. As soon as I heard this song, I instantly loved it, and I couldn't get enough of it. I wasn't much of a chart watcher back in those days, so I didn't realize the supposed gravity of a #1 hit, but I had heard enough dance pop over the last few years to get an idea of what a #1 hit sounds like. Imagine my surprise, then, when I found out that not only was this a #1 hit for 8 weeks, but it was also big enough to be named Billboard's biggest hit of the entire year. I couldn't believe it! A song like this, a soft indie-rock tune that wouldn't sound out of place if it were sung by Peter Gabriel, was the song that more people listened to that year than any other! The fact that it beat out that garbage summer song "Call Me Maybe" was just icing on the cake! ("Call Me Maybe" is a masterpiece, but back then I did think it was trash. Again: dark days.) I can probably credit "Somebody That I Used to Know" for helping me transition out of my hater phase. This was the song that made me realize that pop music could be a lot deeper and more diverse than I ever gave it credit for. Even the songs that I had dismissed as derivative slop during that phase, I actually found myself appreciating them a lot more once I approached them in earnest. There were still a lot of bad songs among that crop, but that was a conclusion I came to after seriously listening to them rather than just a gut feeling. "Somebody That I Used to Know" made me appreciate pop music much more after realizing what it could be, an appreciation that has only grown over the years if this list and my larger project are any indication. For that, this is one of the most special songs to me personally even without gauging its actual quality. And speaking of its quality...yeah, this is one of the best and most unique breakup songs I've ever heard. Breakup songs are a dime a dozen, but so few of them take the time to depict the breakup from both sides, painting a more vivid picture of the relationship and why things ultimately fell apart. Off the top of my head, the only other #1 hit I can think of that does this is Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves' "I Remember Everything" from 2023, a song that will not be appearing on this list but did come very close to making the cut. I absolutely adore that song's rustic atmosphere and the way the two reminisce about what they had and what could have been if they could have been what they wanted each other to be. But for me, nothing will ever beat Gotye waffling in vague terms about how the relationship wasn't working and whining that she didn't have to be so mean when she broke it off, only for Kimbra to come in and cut through all the bullshit, telling him to his face how he constantly screwed her over and gaslit her into thinking it was her fault. Kimbra's verse delivers a feeling of catharsis that very few other songs are capable of pulling off, and it is the piece that turns what would have otherwise been a pretty obnoxious song into the masterpiece that everyone knows it as. It's a shame that Gotye isn't better known in America beyond this one song, but if you had to be remembered for one hit, you could certainly do worse. That said, I do recommend checking out his back catalog because he is crazy talented. "Save Me" and "Eyes Wide Open" are my favorites; the latter especially deserved to be much bigger.
December 16, 2025 at 1:57 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#11: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
11. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears (1985) This is one of those songs where I'm just in awe every time I hear it. A song like this feels too good to be popular, let alone a #1 hit. And yet, for two weeks in 1985, the public decided that the biggest song in the country should be a new wave synth-pop jam about corruption and the human desire for control and power. The American public is cool sometimes. Everyone praises "Hey Ya!" for the dissonance between its upbeat music and downbeat lyrics, but "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is the best example of this dissonance I have ever heard from a pop song, and possible any song for that matter. The best word I can think of to describe how it makes me feel is "cold." And not in the sense of being emotionally distant, but like I need to put on a jacket. It feels like walking through a city at night in the middle of winter, where everything seems to be at a standstill, yet you can't shake the feeling that things could suddenly come alive at any moment. This song came out during the Cold War, when the world's largest superpowers wielded weapons of mass destruction that both sides knew the other could use to launch the world into war once again. In that sense, it acts as a perfect soundtrack to that moment in time. I imagine most ordinary people in 1985 would go about their days living their perfectly normal lives, while subconsciously sensing that the world as they knew it could come crumbling down as the world leaders' lust for power reached a breaking point. And as we currently live in a world where the President seems to threaten war every time someone looks at him wrong, that underlying tension persists even today. In that sense, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is timeless, for better or for worse. It's pleasant enough to listen to casually, but one deeper listen can evoke feeling much larger than its production portends. For me, that's the sign of a masterpiece. And also it just sounds great.
December 15, 2025 at 1:53 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#12: Sweet Child o' Mine by Guns N' Roses
12. Sweet Child o' Mine - Guns N' Roses (1988) This is the most boring song of the entire list. I don't mean that the song itself is boring; it's on this list, after all. Rather, it's boring in the sense that I literally have nothing unique or interesting to say about it. "Sweet Child o' Mine" is one of the most universally beloved rock songs of the 80's, and one listen will instantly reveal why. The simple yet heartfelt lyrics of the joys of love are backed by one of the most iconic guitar riffs ever written, all culminating in an outro that shows off the chops of both Slash and Axl Rose. Not that I have to convince you to listen to it yourselves; the fact is that if you haven't heard this song, you've literally been living under a rock your whole life. I hope it's comfortable under there; I hear those things aren't very spacious. Guns N' Roses have had a ton of good songs, some even better than this ("Welcome to the Jungle" and "November Rain" come to mind), but this one has such a universal appeal that it's no wonder this was the one that made it to #1. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only people who don't like this song are the members of Guns N' Roses themselves. In a 1990 interview, Slash was quoted as saying "...I like it, but I hate what it represents." Honestly, I can only feel so bad for them. If they didn't want it to be a hit, they shouldn't have made it a masterpiece.
December 14, 2025 at 3:09 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#13: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
13. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones (1965) Three notes. That's all the riff consists of. And yet those three notes form the backbone of one of the most important songs in American history, courtesy of a band that's not even American. The British Invasion of the 1960's remains one of the most influential pop culture phenomena ever, and the Rolling Stones were vital contributors to it, possibly the most vital. There was that one other band that came before them; I forget what they were called, but I think they were named after insects or something like that? Did they ever do anything noteworthy after 1964? Probably not, I bet. All jokes aside, I do think that "Satisfaction" is the quintessential song of the British Invasion, and not just because it was one of the biggest and most enduring hits to come out of it, but also because of what it meant at the time. The British Invasion was a cultural movement just as much as it was a musical movement. In case you didn't know, the mid-1960's was a politically fraught period of American (and, indeed, world) history. A massive counterculture arose in opposition to things like the Vietnam War, the rising cost of living, and political corruption, while celebrating personal freedoms and sexual liberation. The music of the time both reflected and influenced the counterculture, and "Satisfaction" serves as somewhat of an anthem of that time. It's not nearly as detailed and eloquent as Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" from the same year, but that song only made it to #2; the Stones made it to #1. Part of what makes "Satisfaction" stand out so much is that it is a fairly simple song. The lyrics are not complex at all; they're just a list of things that make Mick Jagger unsatisfied. In particular, he expresses his dissatisfaction at rampant commercialization (which I sympathize with) and his own sexual frustrations (which I sympathize significantly less with). The lyrics are blunt and direct with not even a hint of subtlety, but that's what makes it work. It cuts right to the chase and speaks directly to the participants of the counterculture in as straightforward a way as possible. This wasn't the first song to do this, but it was the first one to make such an impact, and its effects would not take long to be seen in the pop music landscape going forward; "Eve of Destruction" would climb to the top of the charts just 2 months after "Satisfaction" dropped off. But none of this would matter if the song itself weren't a banger in its own right, and that's the other part of what makes it work. The message of the song wouldn't mean anything if people didn't pay attention to it, and the Rolling Stones made damn sure that everyone noticed it. That memorable riff, that driving beat, and those undeniably unique vocals all combine to create an experience that the listener will never forget, and that's the most important thing a song like this can accomplish. "Satisfaction" is a great song, but more importantly, it's an anthemic song. It's the centerpiece of one of the greatest musical movements of all time, and for that, it earns its spot in my top 25.
December 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#14: No Diggity by Blackstreet ft. Dr. Dre and Queen Pen
14. No Diggity - Blackstreet ft. Dr. Dre and Queen Pen (1996) I'll keep this one brief. Sometimes I can talk about a song for paragraphs upon paragraphs, talking about all the ways it works as music and as a pop culture phenomenon. Some of the songs later in the list will be deeper dives, but this is not one of them. Sometimes all I can say is to just listen to it yourself. It's already regarded as one of the greatest R&B songs of the 90's, with an impeccable Bill Withers sample, a pounding piano riff, flawless and distinct vocal deliveries from Teddy Riley and Chauncey Hannibal, and instantly memorable rap verses from Dr. Dre and Queen Pen. All of which is to say, it sounds really fucking good. I'm running out of ways to say that these songs sound good, but this one might just sound the best from a pure production standpoint. It certainly sounds good enough to soundtrack the Ninja Turtles. This song has been used in countless movies, shows, and ads, but one of the more noteworthy needle drops was in the 2023 animated film "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" during the fight montage. The montage was already great from an animation standpoint, but the inclusion of "No Diggity" skyrocketed it to being the best scene from any animated movie of that year. And yes, it is the best animated scene of 2023. Ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing.
December 12, 2025 at 1:58 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#15: California Love by 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre
15. California Love - 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre (1996) The mid-90's rap scene was dominated by the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry. New York vs. L.A., Brooklyn vs. Compton, Puff Daddy vs. Suge Knight. At the musical center of it all was The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, both of whom dominated with some of the most iconic rap songs of the decade and continue to dominate the conversation after their respective drive-by shootings. Biggie had a couple #1 hits of his own, one of which was really good and could have easily been in my top 25. And while I respect the hell out of "Hypnotize," I had to go with 2Pac on this one. At the end of my writeup for Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)," I said that it was one of the greatest hip hop songs of the 90's, but not THE greatest. "California Love" is one of the few that could possibly give it a run for its money. "California Love" was 2Pac's first single after being signed to Death Row Records, released as a double A-side single with "How Do U Want It." Despite getting second billing, it has since gained a reputation as his signature song, a reputation that it has damn well deserved. Part of that is due to being a love letter to the entire state of California, from L.A. to the Bay Area to Sacramento. It was basically tailor-made to be an anthem of West Coast rap, especially since it was made by one of the pioneers of West Coast gangsta rap. The song was produced by Dr. Dre, and he brought some of his best production and sampling work of his entire career onto this track. It sounds fucking amazing, and it's all because of him. In fact, most of this song belongs to him, as 2Pac only raps the second verse with lyrics he apparently wrote in 15 minutes. Regardless, whoever claims ownership of this song, everyone involved deserves praise and adulation for this towering masterpiece of hip hop, one that very few songs, let alone #1 hits, could hope to match.
December 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#16: Let's Go Crazy by Prince
16. Let's Go Crazy - Prince (1984) You know, I never really got into Prince while he was alive. My perception of him for a long time was that he was a weird man who made weird music. It was brilliant, but it was weird, and I always had a hard time getting into him. I was almost 20 when he died, and even though I had immense respect for him, I didn't really re-evaluate his music. I listened to "Purple Rain" when it went back into the top 5, and though I could recognize it as an objectively masterful work of pop music, there was just something that kept me from fully appreciating it, and so I decided that his work just wasn't my thing. As it turns out, I just needed more time, because now I can recognize his genius and jam out to it in equal measure. I've listened to a lot of his biggest hits over the last few years, and with the exception of "Batdance," I've loved all of them. "Let's Go Crazy" may not be the greatest song to ever hit #1, but it's hard to find one that's more instantly grabbing, infectious, and fun. From the moment that opening synth organ hits and Prince's monologue begins, the song has your full attention. And once the main hook kicks in, you just can't help but groove along to it. In the lyrics, Prince invites you into a world where your troubles just don't exist anymore; a world where you can focus on the great things in the world and lose yourself in the joys it has to offer; a world where you can just go crazy. And if you need proof that he was one of the most underrated guitarists ever to grace the charts, that ending guitar solo will erase any doubts. Even as someone who took his time getting into Prince, I've always loved this song, and I've only loved it more with time. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to look for a purple banana. Don't ask why.
December 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#17: Hey Ya! by OutKast
17. Hey Ya! - OutKast (2003) Who doesn't love "Hey Ya!" by OutKast? When Rolling Stone magazine released their updated list of the 500 greatest songs of all time in 2021, this song was at #10. For reference, "Bohemian Rhapsody" was #17. These days, it's become the go-to example of upbeat songs with downbeat lyrics. It's a song about navigating complicated feelings in a relationship and the anxiety that comes with worrying whether or not it will last, the overwhelming feeling of dread that things are at their breaking point. Yet the presentation is so joyful and happy that even Andre 3000 himself has to acknowledge it ("Y'all don't wanna hear me, you just wanna dance"). I imagine it's this contrast that makes it so revered even decades later. What stands out to me the most about this song, aside from this contrast and its time signature (it's not in 11/4, don't let anyone tell you that it is), is what I like to call its "controlled chaos." No two parts of this song sound the same; the melodies switch up between the verses, the second chorus adds in a whole new vocal part, and the bridge is just all over the place. And yet, it's all held together by the same 4-chord structure throughout the whole thing (G, C, D, E). Songs that can go wild while still being grounded always stand out to me, because that's not an easy trick to pull off. And it works to the song's advantage, because it's about a relationship in danger of going off the rails. Maybe it's meant to mirror the way that the relationship is about to fall apart, but there's something at the core, some fundamental element, that keeps it held together however haphazardly. Or maybe I'm just projecting. Either way, I love it. "Hey Ya!" may not be the best representation of OutKast's dynamic; after all, Big Boi isn't even on it. But it's earned a reputation as an eternal classic nonetheless, and that's alright (x14) by me.
December 9, 2025 at 12:57 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#18: Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 by Pink Floyd
18. Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2 - Pink Floyd (1980) This is one of the most improbable #1 hits of all time. Pink Floyd weren't exactly chart darlings; they've only had one other song make a year-end list, 1973's "Money," and that didn't even crack the top 10. Their songs were always meant to be listened to within the context of the album they came from, to be part of a larger experience. This is especially true with "The Wall," a rock opera that tells a continuous story from beginning to end. How could any of those songs be released as singles? And furthermore, why did they choose this song as the lead single? I guess they thought the disco-inspired song would sell better to contemporary audiences than the ethereal vibes of "Comfortably Numb," and boy were they right. I bet even Columbia Records were surprised that it went all the way to #1, becoming the second best-selling single of 1980. Much like "Another One Bites the Dust," the similarly-titled #1 hit from the same year, "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2" is a relatively stripped-back disco-inspired tune from a band that usually goes much bigger. I ranked this one higher because it has more going for it musically. The children's choir is the most notable element of this song; the themes of rebellion against oppressive authority are that much stronger when they're being sung by actual children. The song also ends with a pretty kickass guitar solo, although not as kickass as "Comfortably Numb." It's tight, it's catchy, and it really feels like something's about to break. I still can't believe it was a #1 hit, but I'm more than glad it was. The best way to listen to this song is by leading in with the album's previous track, "The Happiest Years of Our Lives." That's how the radio always played it, and it establishes the oppressive nature of Pink's educators while also hinting at their pathetic personal lives. It makes the catharsis of ABITW much stronger, so that's the preferred way to listen to it.
December 8, 2025 at 2:23 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#19: Sicko Mode by Travis Scott ft. Drake
19. Sicko Mode - Travis Scott ft. Drake (2018) Travis Scott is one of the most successful artists on the Billboard charts over the last 10 years, with 5 #1 hits, including one earlier this year. But don't let that success fool you; most of those songs have not had any legs beyond their high chart debuts, and between his endorsement with McDonalds, his Fortnite shows, and his disastrous (not to mention deadly) live-shows, he's functionally little more than a brand, a franchise, a hype-man with no hype. Only one of his songs has stood the test of time in any way, and it just so happens to be one of the best songs of the entire decade. Since "Sicko Mode" has three musically distinct sections, the comparisons to "Bohemian Rhapsody" are inevitable; I myself like to call it "Bohemian Trap-sody." But that's not where the comparison ends. "Bohemian Rhapsody" wasn't the first song of its kind, but it was the first one to break through into the mainstream and changed the landscape of rock by doing so. "Sicko Mode" did the same thing for hip hop and trap; songs like this did exist beforehand, but they stayed firmly in their niche before this one broke the doors down. Much of the 2020's hip hop landscape was influenced by "Sicko Mode," particularly with the abundance of songs that are really just multiple songs stitched together. Some of them were good, others were bad, and most of them were by Drake, but none of them sounded as good as this. That's the other way "Sicko Mode" compares to "Bohemian Rhapsody": even with all that they inspired, they still sound amazing in their own right, and usually a lot better than what came after. I remember not getting into "Sicko Mode" at all when it first came out, but I just kept hearing it over and over on the radio, and suddenly it was my newest obsession. Any song that can grow on me like that is doing something very right. It's just a shame that Scott and especially Drake would never make anything this good again.
December 7, 2025 at 4:19 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#20: You Haven't Done Nothin' by Stevie Wonder
December 6, 2025 at 3:21 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#21: Superstition by Stevie Wonder
21. Superstition - Stevie Wonder (1973) I'll keep this one brief. If "Let's Get It On" is the sexiest song ever recorded, then "Superstition" is the funkiest song ever recorded. The lyrics detailing various superstitions and how obsessing over them leads to nothing but misery are fine and all, but they don't really matter. All that matters with this song is that groove, that guitar line, those vocal inflections from Stevie. You listen to it once, and you'll be grooving to it all day. How can anyone get tired of this? You can't it's just not possible. Everyone knows this song, and everyone loves this song, so do I even need to elaborate any further? If you haven't heard it before, what are you waiting for? Ignorance ain't the way!
December 5, 2025 at 4:52 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#22: Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor
22. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye (1973) Here's something you may not know about me: I am asexual. I've only recently become comfortable giving myself that label, and for all I know I could change my mind next year, but for now, that's how I identify myself. I won't go into the details of my "discovery" here; it's neither the time nor the place for it. The only reason I'm bringing this up is because, oddly enough, being asexual is what made me love this song enough to place it in the top 25. Because let's be real: it doesn't take a perpetual hornball to know that "Let's Get It On" is the sexiest song of all time. In "Let's Get It On," Marvin Gaye wants to have sex. What a concept, I know. There are countless songs with this sentiment, and plenty of them have screwed it up in one way or another. But there's a major difference between Gaye's pleas for intimacy and, say, Robin Thicke insisting that he knows you want it, and that difference is atmosphere. The production of "Let's Get It On" is lush, smooth, and seductive, which does wonders to sell the idea that Gaye is truly in love with this woman and wants to share everything with her. Lyrically, he sings about how there's nothing wrong with giving themselves to each other if the love is strong and true, and the production, combined with Gaye's incredibly powerful voice, will have you believe that it is. It will make you believe that sex as an act of love is one of the greatest feelings you can experience. Go listen to it if you haven't, and then laugh at the audacity of Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor for thinking they could replicate it. I still can't believe that happened...
December 4, 2025 at 2:28 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#23: Doo Wop (That Thing) by Lauryn Hill
23. Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill (1998) Oh, what Lauryn Hill's career could have been. After being pegged as the breakout star of The Fugees, she proved all the critics right with her 1998 solo debut "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." That album received critical acclaim, winning 5 Grammy awards out of 10 nominations. Additionally, the lead single, "Doo Wop (That Thing)," not only became her only #1 hit, but she also became the first artist to debut at #1 with her debut single. But as big as that album was, it would remain, and still remains to this day, her only solo album (we don't talk about Unplugged 2.0). Between mental health issues, drug abuse, and lawsuits, her creative drive was just sapped, making her one of the biggest what-if stories in hip hop. But if you could only have one album with only one #1 single, you could certainly do worse on both fronts. "Doo Wop (That Thing)" is simultaneously a call-out song and a cautionary tale. The verses call out both men and women for self-destructive and deadbeat behavior while cautioning both men and women against these kinds of people. In the hands of a lesser artist, this could come off as insufferably preachy. But Lauryn delivers the verses with such confidence and smooth flow that you're hung onto every word. It's also unique in that it calls out both men and women, and not in the "you're forever awful" way, but rather the "I know you can be better" way. Add in a kickass beat, and you've got one of the most unique and greatest hip hop songs of the 90's. But it's not THE best 90's hip hop song to hit #1. For that, you'll have to stay tuned.
December 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
#24: Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
24. Another One Bites the Dust - Queen (1980) I don't need to sing Queen's praises. Everyone knows them, and everyone loves them. Their masterpiece "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a perfect showcase of all their greatest qualities, and it really speaks to how universal their appeal was that, upon front man Freddie Mercury's death, it almost went to #1 on its re-release in 1992 (it peaked at #2, behind "Jump" by Kris Kross. I love this fact so much). In their prime, they were larger than life, and they sounded like it. They were loud, bombastic, and just plain epic. And yet their biggest hit, 1980's "Another One Bites the Dust," is not loud and bombastic. It's not larger than life. In fact, it's about as stripped down and bare-bones as they've ever gotten. But that doesn't mean it's not still epic. I don't need to sing this song's praises, either. Just one listen will have you humming that bassline for the rest of the day, and possibly the rest of your life. The song is just tense enough to leave you on the edge of your seat, yet loose enough that you can't help but move to it. It's the perfect mood for the (literal and metaphorical) gunfight that Mercury describes. If I were ever delusional enough to own a gun, this is the song I would load it to. This song is the definition of "less is more," and I never get tired of it no matter how much it lodges in my head. Now that's epic.
December 2, 2025 at 3:10 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
Counting down my top 25 favorite #1 hits of all time from now until Christmas! Let's go!

#25: Can't Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
25. Can't Hold Us - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (2013) If all you heard from Macklemore was "Thrift Shop," even if you liked it, you probably wouldn't ever expect to take him seriously after that. He'd be just another anonymous flash-in-the-pan who conquered the world with one silly yet infectious song and then left the wider world alone. In other words, he'd be to 2013 what Psy was to 2012. But "Can't Hold Us" proved that he had serious chops as a rapper and hype man. It also showed that he knows how lucky he was to get even one hit song, and he's more than grateful to the city of Seattle and all the people who got him there. He wants to pump you up not just because pump-up anthems sell well, but because he wants you to experience his journey with him. He knows you helped him get to where he is, and he wants to take you wherever he goes next. Really, how can you not appreciate that? There was a time when "Can't Hold Us" was my favorite song of all time. To this day, it's one of my go-to pump-up anthems whenever I work out or get ready to attack the day. It's a shame that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' time in the spotlight fizzled out so quickly, but at least we got this great song as a memento. Also, I recommend listening to the music video version with the extended intro and outro; that's the one that'll really get your blood pumping.
December 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
Wut? How?
The Chicago Bears are in first place in the NFC after Week 13
December 1, 2025 at 4:50 AM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
Can we say that shoes from XBox are dumb?
November 24, 2025 at 8:13 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
I said I was planning something in December. Here it is.
Hey guys, Huskie here! As many of you who follow me know, I've spent the year listening to every single #1 hit in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 and ranking them. The idea was to eventually release a full list ranking all ~1200 songs, and I still plan to do so, but with real life getting in the way, I haven't had time to make much progress recently. But I didn't want to end the year without anything to show for my efforts, so I decided to do this: Throughout the month of December, I will be counting down my top 25 favorite #1 hits of all time! Each day, I will reveal a new song on my best-of-the-best list, with #25 being revealed on December 1 all the way to my favorite being revealed on Christmas day. I'll also write a brief entry for each song to try and justify why I love them so much, even though most of them should be pretty self-explanatory. Most of my entries are already highly regarded to begin with; you're not gonna see me try to defend "Harlem Shake," is what I'm saying. If you want to see what my favorite #1 hits ever are, then either follow my BlueSky account or just follow this thread. Feel free to try and predict what songs will make the list if you like. I'm looking forward to sharing my picks with you throughout the Advent season!
November 24, 2025 at 5:19 PM
irish-huskie-2596.bsky.social
If I had a nickel for every left-handed Hall-of-Fame outfielder born on this day in Donora, Pennsylvania, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice, right?
Stan “The Man” Musial, born 11/21/1920 in Donora, PA Ken “The Kid” Griffey Jr., born 11/21/1969 in Donora, PA
November 21, 2025 at 3:14 PM