Top Ten Pop-Meets-Rap Collaborations Of The Decades Eras
At Decades, Panorama Productions’ newest club, celebrating the pop music of the greatest-selling eras in music history is exactly what’s being done at all times. One of the keys to the music of these eras selling so well is that oftentimes genres were blended and blurred in ways that created fresh sounds and fanbases for hit singles. Notably, it’s when hip-hop and mainstream cultures merged when the hits were the biggest. Here’s the ten biggest-selling pop-meets-rap collaborations in the past thirty years.
All songs listed are also available for purchase by clicking them!
10. Eve feat. Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Ya Mind (2001)
#1 – 5 countries, 7 million singles sold
By 2001, Ruff Ryders’ affiliated rapper Eve had broken out from the considerable shadow of fellow “Double R” clique members DMX and Swizz Beatz to be rap’s top-selling female performer of that era. Dr. Dre and Scott Storch co-produced this heater, which was the second single from Scorpion, Eve’s breakthrough second album. For Eve and Gwen, it was the bigger-selling of their two Dre-produced collaborations, the other being, “Rich Girl,” a 2004 Stefani single.
9. Flo Rida feat. T-Pain – Low (2009)
#1 – 5 countries, 9 million singles sold
Before his debut 2009 single “Low,” Flo Rida was an appropriately-named emcee from Carol City, Florida. Comparatively, T-Pain had released three albums that had sold nearly two million copies in the United States alone, with five top-ten singles including 2007’s “Buy You A Drank (Shawty Snappin’).” T-Pain delivers on the hook for “Low,” as “Apple Bottom jeans, and boots with the furrrr” is probably one of the era’s most iconic moments.
8. Katy Perry feat. Juicy J – Dark Horse (2013)
#1 – 8 countries, 20 million sales and streams
Katy Perry goes electro-trap alongside a member from Three Six Mafia? That’s exactly what happened on this extremely surprising hit 2013 pop meets rap collaboration. Regarding working with Perry, one-time “Stay Fly” Three Six Mafia hit-maker Juicy J said, “My verse I did on that song, she was singing it. She’s really a genius, she was by the mixing board and telling the guy what to take in and take out. She’s really hands-on with her music, she knows music.”
7. Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland – Dilemma (2002)
#1 – 10 countries, 8 million singles sold
When St. Lunatic Nelly and Destiny’s Child member Rowland combined forces on 2002 R & B ballad “Dilemma,” the result was a Grammy-winning smash. In the same way that ‘80s heavy metal’s “rules” meant that every huge band needed a power ballad, rappers enlisted the aid of pop/soul divas to make their largest waves. Throw in a sample from Patti LaBelle’s 1983 R & B smash “Love, Need and Want You,” and the song had just enough OG soul legitimacy and pop power to make an impact.
6. Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland – SexyBack (2006)
#1 – 10 countries, 9 million sales
Following up partnering with Pharrell Williams for his 2002 album Justified, Justin Timberlake paired with another Virginia-born producer in Timbaland for 2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds. Leading the charge on the album was this soulful electro-pop jam that featured Timbo in a role similar to Diddy, cheering on JT’s vocals from the background. Similar to so many Bad Boy hits of the late ‘90s, “SexyBack’s” mix of party chants, sexy soul lyrics, and a thumping beat are undeniable.
5. Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg – California Gurls (2010)
#1 – 12 countries, 8 million sales
The standard setter for Katy Perry and Juicy J’s “Dark Horse” is her “surprising” collab with none other than Snoop Dogg for 2010’s “California Gurls.” Regarding the mega-hit’s inspiration, Perry noted, “it’s been a minute since we’ve had a California song and especially from a girl’s perspective. We took the references of Prince, which is always a great reference, and we took a lot of the ’90s, … almost that house music, some of those references.”
4. Puff Daddy, 112, and Faith Evans – I’ll Be Missing You (1996)
#1 – 14 countries, 10 million sales
Alongside his Bad Boy artists 112 and mourning widow Faith Evans, Puff Daddy bittersweetly honored the memory of his slain protege The Notorious BIG with 1996’s “I’ll Be Missing You.” The sample of The Police’s 1983 hit “Every Breath You Take” added to the song’s appeal, which made it to that point, Diddy’s biggest-selling artist single. An iconic songs that’s instantly recognizable as a part of hip-hop culture, it has a legacy that’s larger than the number of copies it’s sold overall.
3. Rihanna feat. Jay Z – Umbrella (2007)
#1 – 15 countries, 9 million sales
Amazingly enough, one of Rihanna’s biggest hits ever was originally written for Britney Spears. Of course, given that Jay Z was the president of Rihanna’s label Def Jam, there’s no guarantee that Hov would’ve appeared on Brit’s version of “Umbrella,” but still, what a fact in general, right?!?!? In one epic smash, “Little Miss Sunshine” broke out from being the child known for “Pon De Replay” into being the woman known for hits like “Work.”
2. Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean – Hips Don’t Lie (2005)
#1 – 16 countries, 6 million sales
When Caribbean dancehall mixed with Puerto Rican salsa on Haitian vocalist Wyclef Jean and Colombian singer Shakira’s 2005 hit “Hips Don’t Lie,” there’s the influence of two continents, 30 countries, 25 islands, and an American territory at play. Therefore, the song being a global smash makes sense. Throw in a music video with hip-shaking dancing, and there’s literally something in it for absolutely everyone.
1. Usher feat. Lil Jon – Yeah! (2004)
#1 – 16 countries, 7 million sales
“Peace up, A Town down.”
By 2004, Usher had already sold 17 million albums, and had nine top-ten singles. At the same time, Lil Jon had released two #1 indie albums, had two top 10 Billboard hits, and had produced three other smash singles for artists including the Ying Yang Twins. Jon’s street stardom mixed with Usher’s mainstream success on a single that used Jon’s signature catchphrase to make the most successful pop/rap collaboration of all time.
Top Five Max Martin Productions Of The 2000s-2010s
At Decades, we celebrate a ton of amazing pop songs from the past 30 years. If you were told that there was a producer who’d written and produced songs for everyone from the Backstreet Boys and Celine Dion to Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. Overall this same creative force produced 22 #1 Billboard songs for 13 different artists. Well, that producer’s name is Max Martin, and if you come to Decades, you’re more than likely to hear any of those 22 #1 hits, or his 43 Top #10 jams with 22 different artists as well. However, of those 65 top songs, there are five that were easily not just Martin’s five best sellers, but moreover five of the most memorable songs of the eras that Decades spans.
5. The Weeknd – I Can’t Feel My Face (2015) – #1 in 10 countries, 7 million in sales and streams
Prior to his breakthrough 2015 hit, the man born Abel Tesfaye would easily rank somewhere near the bottom of the list of artists you’d want to hear sing an early 80’s-era Michael Jackson-style disco ballad. However, it’s in the brilliance of Max Martin to discover the amazing range of The Weeknd’s falsetto, and the result was a “eee heee, wooo” away from basically being “Billie Jean.” The throwback vocal style of “I Can’t Feel My Face” being accented by a slow-mo bassline and delightful melody? It’s a total winner.
4. Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg – California Gurls (2010) – #1 in 12 countries, 8 million in sales
The last tandem that anyone would ever expect to see together is one-time gospel singer Perry and cannabis king Snoop D-O-double gizzle. However, on 2010’s “California Girls,” the Long Beach County native’s bars somehow slide comfortably into place next to racing synths and a pounding electro bassline. One of Martin’s greatest gifts is knowing how to create tracks that have “just enough” funky swing and power pop influences to sound similar to, yet different than everything on the radio.
3. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off (2014) – #1 in 13 countries, 15 million in sales
There’s great reason to believe that Taylor Swift could put out anything and make every #1 chart hit #1 on every pop chart in the world. That’s not exactly true, but in figuring out how to wrap a song around Swift’s unique vocal tics, Max Martin produced a #1 hit here. On “Shake It Off,” Swift’s voice is actually less of a human thing and more of an actual instrument. Turning a voice into a hook machine is totally a trick from Eurodance and EDM that the Swedish-born producer knows all-too well, and he mixes it with straight-ahead classic US 80s to great effect.
2. Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl (2008) – #1 in 19 countries, 7 million in sales
So…yeah. You’re Columbia Records. You have an ex-Christian pop star on the label, and you’d ideally like to see her cross over as a pop star. So, you call on Max Martin and get him to craft “I Kissed A Girl,” a song that not only COMPLETELY re-brands her as possibly the furthest thing from having any religious affiliation whatsoever. 80s rock meets electro pop here, and the final product is a total winner. Sometimes kissing a girl means more than you think it does, and this, in a business sense, is one of those cases, lol.
1. Britney Spears – Baby One More Time (1998) – #1 in 23 countries, 5 million in sales
In 1997, Britney Spears was a can’t-miss star supernova in the body of a 16 year old ex-Mickey Mouse Club member who needed the *right* song to stake her claim on the top of the charts.
Enter Max Martin…
“Baby One More Time” does everything that a debut single for a new artist needs to do. Foremost, It showcased the full range of Spears’ vocal ability. Also again, as do so many Martin hits, has “just enough” funk, jazzy swing, and dance influence to excite any potential listener. Throw in a video with the not-quite 18-year old Britney dancing in a schoolgirl uniform. 23 countries later, it’s a level of hit song that’s completely unforgettable in every way.
Top Ten Boy Bands and Girl Groups From The Decades Era
At our Decades nightclub, one of the things we wanted to celebrate the most was the great pop music of the 1980s-2000s, when boy bands and girl groups seemed to be everywhere and ruled the pop charts. In order to highlight the best of these groups, we decided to research the 10 best-selling boy bands and girl groups of the Decades eras. As well, we’ve provided more than a few reasons why they’re deserving of praise.
10. New Edition
Overall career highlights:
5 #1 singles
2 #1 albums
After breaking out from inner city Boston, Ronnie, Bobbie, Ricky, Mike, and Ralph went on to become arguably the first major-league African-American “boy band” since the Jackson 5. From 1983-1987, they released nine top 10 R & B hits, including “Mr. Telephone Man,” “Cool It Now,” and “Candy Girl.” However, after the departure of Bobby Brown and him being replaced with Johnny Gill, the group went on to record hits “If It Isn’t Love” and “N.E. Heartbreak.” Not a fan of New Edition? Well, you might remember a “Poison”ous era between 1989-1993 when New Edition’s Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, and Ronnie DeVoe formed Bell Biv DeVoe!
9. The Bangles
Overall career highlights:
2 #1 singles
10 million-plus albums sold
Dance-ready pop/rock got a girl group face in the mid-to-late 1980s via The Bangles, an LA-based foursome. Best known for their hit “Walk Like An Egyptian,” in a maybe little-known fact, none other than Prince wrote “Manic Monday,” one of the group’s three major singles including 1987 film Less Than Zero soundtrack included song “Hazy Shade of Winter.” Though the original group broke up in 1990, their influence is still felt to the present day.
8. 98 Degrees
Overall career highlights:
11 million overall albums sold
From 1996-2003, brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre and Nick Timmons partnered as 2000s era boy band 98 Degrees. Though Nick later achieved a high level of fame while married to fellow pop sensation Jessica Simpson from 2002-2005, 98 Degrees released four albums from 1998-2000, with their biggest solo hit being “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche),” which hit #2 on the US Billboard charts in 2000.
7. Boyz II Men
Overall career highlights:
32 million albums sold
7 #1 singles
4 Grammy Awards
“Motownphilly’s” favorite quartet have now impressively been together for over 25 years. Though their ballad “End of the Road” broke Elvis Presley’s record for consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard charts, it’s the already-mentioned “Motownphilly” that still packs dance floors — even at Decades today. Four-part harmonies that remind people of Motown era acts like the Temptations mixed with Michael Bivins’ “New Jack Swing”-style production have created a legacy that will last forever.
6. *NSync
Overall career highlights:
3 #1 albums
4 #1 singles
Before Justin Timberlake was wearing a “Suit and Tie” with Jay Z, he was one-fifth of *NSync, a boy band that from 2000’s “Bye Bye Bye” to 2002’s Nelly-featuring “Girlfriend” had six consecutive top-ten Billboard Pop chart singles. As well, the group has sold 35 million-plus albums overall, as well as likely having some of the most instantaneously iconic music videos and choreography of the Decades eras.
5. New Kids On The Block
Overall career highlights:
50 million-plus albums sold
From cartoon shows and bedspreads to action figures, t-shirts and more, New Kids on the Block were to the 1980s what teenage rock bands were to the 1960s. September 1988-released album Hanging Tough sold 25 million albums on the strength of the eponymous single, which has a dance that those who were pre-teens and teenagers in 1988 probably know all-too-well. In 2016, you’re more likely to find NKOTB’s Donnie Wahlberg behind a hamburger grill as you can on a stage, but the group did briefly reunite for 10, an album they released in 2013.
4. Spice Girls
Overall career highlights:
Billions in sponsorship earnings
9 #1 singles
Five women nicknamed “Scary,” “Sporty,” “Ginger,” and “Posh” invaded America (and world’s) shores in 1996 and caused a British Invasion the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the Beatles three decades prior. Their first single “Wannabe” hit #1 in 20 countries, but what may be more impressive is that the group earned $1 billion in sponsorship dollars between 1996-1999, while also selling 50 million albums and 40 million singles in the same span of time. Zigga zig uh, indeed.
3. Destiny’s Child
Overall career highlights:
6 #1 singles
2 Grammy Awards
Here’s an amazing fact: Destiny’s Child actually existed as a group for 16 years, from 1990-2006. Though the group’s membership changed on three separate occasions, Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland remained constant. From hitting Billboard’s top five with “No, No, No” on their 1998 mainstream debut album to having four top 10 singles on their appropriately titled “final” album Destiny Fulfilled, the group has sold 60 million albums (and rising) overall to-date. Impressively, tracks like “Independent Women,” “Survivor,” and “Bootylicious” still excite fans like few other songs released in that era.
2. TLC
Overall career highlights:
Greatest selling girl group of all time
8 #1 singles
7 Grammy Awards
T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili are literally the best-selling girl group of all time. Though Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez tragically passed away in 2002, their brand of soul, rap, and female empowerment has set an unequaled standard. “No Scrubs,” “Waterfalls,” and “Creep” may be their biggest-selling singles, but go back to 1992’s “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg,” and even then you hear the sound and style that would eventually become a record-setter.
1. Backstreet Boys
Overall career highlights:
87 million albums sold
6 #1 albums
6 #1 singles
There’s a ton of reasons why 25 years after debuting, the Backstreet Boys are headed to Vegas for a live performance residency in 2017. Key among them is the fact that for a generation of teenagers, the five-boy band represented the perfect space between MTV, radio airplay and massive pop music sales. Songs like “Quit Playing Games With My Heart,” “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” and “I Want It That Way” are the types of songs that defined an era, and when they’re played take listeners back instantaneously to some of the happiest moments of their lives.
Six Unforgettable Hip-Hop-Meets-EDM Collaborations From The Past Decade
In the past decade, pop music’s twin loves of dance music and hip-hop culture collided numerous times in incredible ways. Oftentimes, the tracks that resulted were either major pop culture game changers and/or Billboard chart topping hits. In this list, we highlight six different times with 13 different artists when dance and rap-friendly styles merged with amazing results.
A$AP Rocky – Wild For The Night (produced by Skrillex) (2013)
By 2013, the idea that dance and rap could pair together in the modern era and create an enormous and progressive sound was quite well known. However, when party-ready rapper A$AP Rocky paired with festival smasher Skrillex for this trap and dubstep-themed track, many more than “me, myself, and I, my three friends” were into it. While not a top 10 hit by any stretch, it’s definitely the song that set the table for tracks like Skrillex’s recent pairings with Pusha T for “Burial,” “No Chill” with Vic Mensa, and Rick Ross for “Purple Lamborghini.”
Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki Remix) (2010)
Impressively, six years after its release, Steve Aoki still plays his electro house remix of Kid Cudi’s 2010 single “Pursuit of Happiness.” Similar to Italo house kingpins Crookers’ remix of his 2009 single “Day N Nite,” this is an iconic Cudi remix known much more for the damage it caused on EDM floors than in traditional hip-hop circles. Well worth a listen, it’s one of those tracks that impressively defines an entire era.
Tiesto & Diplo feat. Busta Rhymes – C’mon (Catch Em By Surprise) (2011)
Whereas Diplo collaborating with major-level dance music kingpins is pretty much par for the course these days, his 2011 collaboration with Tiesto and Busta Rhymes for “C’mon” was groundbreaking. The bassline electro bomb was a left-field sound for Diplo at the time, and for Tiesto, it pre-dated his evolution from being known mainly for trance into making sounds that had a greater number of genre influences.
Swedish House Mafia feat. Tinie Tempah – Miami 2 Ibiza (2010)
Before uniting as Swedish House Mafia, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso and Axwell were house music titans. However, with a touch of UK hip-hop powerhouse Tinie Tempah’s superstardom, the trio reached an iconic level of success. Post “Miami 2 Ibiza,” Swedish House Mafia went onto sell 50 million-plus singles, including collaborations with Usher, Knife Party, Pharrell, and Coldplay.
Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling (produced by David Guetta) (2009)
The Black Eyed Peas’ evolution from pop-locking rappers on 1998’s “Joints And Jam” to club-ready fist-pumpers by 2009’s David Guetta-produced “I Gotta Feeling” would be remarkable on the surface, but upon deeper review was always a potential final destination. Check out 2000’s “Weekends,” 2004’s “Let’s Get It Started,” and 2006’s “Pump It,” and the rap-meets-EDM smash that was “I Gotta Feeling” ultimately makes all of the logical sense in the world.
Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers – Get Lucky (2013)
From rapping and singing to songwriting and producing, Pharrell Williams is a man-for-all-hip-hop-seasons. Putting him in the same room as “French touch” giants Daft Punk and disco icon Nile Rodgers of Chic fame effectively unites four decades of American urban dance culture on one production. Therefore, the idea that “Get Lucky” would be debuted at Coachella and go on to be a US and UK #1 dance hit as well as reach #2 on the American pop charts makes sense. A little smoother than trap and funkier than house, this one perfectly hits all of the right musical spots.
Timbaland’s Ten Best Productions Have Spanned The Decades
In arguably Decades’ favorite era between 1994-2013, Timbaland produced 36 singles that hit #1 on ten different American pop charts, as well as having a hand in production on 50 different releases that hit the top of five different American album charts, too. From Jay Z and Missy Elliott, to Madonna and Aaliyah, to Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, he’s made hits with seemingly just about everyone. Here, we take a look at, statistically, the ten best #1 singles he ever produced.
Summer 2000’s biggest rap single could easily also be known as one of rap and pop music’s most culturally impacting hits of all time. Jay Z pairs with legendary Port Arthur, Texas born “southern rap impresario” duo UGK on the track, which for the tandem was also their most significant reach onto the Billboard rap charts. Timbaland’s notable sample here is from “Khosara Khosara,” an Abdel Halim Hafez song, performed by Hossam Ramzy, from a CD compilation entitled The Best of Bellydance from Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey.
Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, Lil’ Mo, Nas, Eve, and Q-Tip’s collaboration for 1999 single “Hot Boyz” is one of those rap moments when, even before there’s a voice on the track, hands are in the air and screams are audible from the crowd. In fact, the song was such a club crusher that it spent roughly one-third of 1999/2000 as the number one rap single on Billboard’s “Hot Rap Singles” chart. The synth pulses that open the production? Instantaneously iconic hip-hop sonic blasts.
Timbaland’s work as a solo artist isn’t exactly on the same level as his work as a producer, except for the case of his Shock Value album lead single “The Way I Are.” The dance-ready club heater features additional vocals from Keri Hilson, and has a sound that’s very similar to a song we’ll see later in this countdown from Justin Timberlake. A wonderful mix of Motown-style songwriting, disco-esque soul and then-modern electro pop, it’s a futuristic hit that’s still relevant in the modern age.
As if to prove that there’s nothing that Justin Timberlake and Timbaland couldn’t do as a collaborative unit, with 2008’s “4 Minutes,” they provided Madonna her first American top ten hit since 2002’s James Bond soundtrack single “Die Another Day,” and her first top five hit since 2000’s “Don’t Tell Me.” The dance single is described by Madonna as being about “saving the environment and hav[ing] a good time while we are doing it,” it’s certainly one of the most notable superstar moments in Timbaland’s career.
Timbaland’s produced his fair share of “suggestive” tracks, but none are quite Beyonce’s 2013 ode to her love of all things related to her husband Jay Z. The song is unique in that it’s one of Timbaland’s few forays into producing trap-style beats, which he accomplishes with his usual flair for both the unique and dramatic. Gypsy folk-meets-urban soul here in the most amazing of ways and hits home with a monster hit that likely impacted pop culture more than the music industry.
In the fun piece of trivia attached to this song, it was included on the soundtrack of 2000 film Romeo Must Die, which also featured Aaliyah starring alongside kung fu master Jet Li. The synth heavy R & B that Timbaland became synonymous with later in his career is somewhat on display here as this is a happy point in-between a song like Ginuwine’s 1997 smash “Pony,” and his work on Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds album.
When Timbaland was finished weaving his magical sounds around the talent of Canadian folk-soul vocalist Nelly Furtado, what emerged was sexed-up electro pop anthems like her 2006 Timbaland collaboration “Promiscuous.” Somehow Furtado rap-singing the verses while Timbaland performs the hook works here. There’s something completely catchy about absolutely everything in this song, from the melody that merry-go-rounds in your head and more. Timbaland definitely “[had] what [we needed]” on this one.
Timbaland’s been quoted in interviews as saying that his sounds are responsible for dubstep’s innovation. While that may not be true, when Kanye West needed to find someone to re-track the drums on his Daft Punk-inspired Graduation lead single, he called electro-soul pioneer Timbaland, and he weaved his magic into the track’s bottom end. There’s a richness in the quality of the sound on this one that arguably influenced everyone from Steve Aoki to David Guetta and more.
Timbaland’s first solo-billed single #1 Billboard single is this boast-filled electro-meets-club jam that features the voices of both Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado. As with many Timbaland productions from this era, there’s an almost disco-like desire to get people on the floor here, as the stomping drums are aided by keyboard-led melodies that just insist that dancing to them is both the only and best answer.
When Justin Timberlake paired with Timbaland, pop music moments that were on a level that had not been heard since Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones collaborated together in a studio occurred. The best of these iconic times was FutureSex/LoveSounds’ lead single “SexyBack.” Intriguingly, pop music one year prior was actually hurting for alpha male pop sex appeal. 50 Cent and Kanye West were rappers, and Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was an epic moment for pop-aimed rock and roll. Enter JT and Timbo to change the pace and tenor of the times.
Timberlake himself refers to the song as “David Bowie-meets-James Brown,” which is amazing in and of itself. However, throw in Timbaland listening to The Rapture’s indie rock breakthrough “House of Jealous Lovers” and Prince hits from the era of “Controversy” into the mix, and what results is something exactly in the middle of all four of those influences that still slays dance floors like Decades’ to the modern day.
Gwen Stefani Made 80s Hits Into Timeless Classics
From starting her career as No Doubt’s lead singer to a solo pop career that’s spanned four albums with 10 million albums sold overall, Gwen Stefani is a pop dynamo whose songs defined both the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
Breaking down her success though, there’s a very clear formula at play that involves, like Diddy once did, “taking hits from the ‘80’s” making them “sound so crazy.” Of his many hits, these are the five that really exemplify what made her sound be so infinitely catchy and define one of the biggest pop-hit decades of all time.
1. Hollaback Girl – #1 US single released in 2005 – PURCHASE HERE
Sound-alike: “Mickey” by Toni Basil – #1 US single released in 1982 – PURCHASE HERE
Dancer/vocalist Toni Basil’s ode to teenage love and cheerleading has been sampled for numerous songs, including Gwen Stefani’s super-catchy 2005 hit that was her first solo number one song. The success of “Hollaback Girl” is made even more impressive when noting that with nearly three million digital and physical copies of the song sold to this day, it’s literally twice as commercially successful as it’s sound-alike. This beat, unquestionably bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S.
2. Wind It Up – Top 10 single in 17 countries released in 2006 – PURCHASE HERE
Sound-alike: “Lonely Goatherd” by Julie Andrews – from the 1965 film version of The Sound of Music – PURCHASE HERE
While not a hit from the 80s, Julie Andrews’ yodel-centric ballad from the Sound of Music was definitely sampled by both the Muppets and Weird Al Yankovic in the 80s. Regarding some public push-back against the Pharrell-produced single, Stefani noted, “I still think it’s brilliant and I stand by it. Why can’t you do something weird for a while? These songs are all about having fun, silly records that are to be enjoyed and not taken too seriously.” The “weird” smash spawned a mashup with the original take that was a viral YouTube sensation.
3. Luxurious – European hit single released in 2005 – PURCHASE HERE
Sound-alike: “Between The Sheets” by The Isley Brothers – Top 10 R & B single released in 1983 – PURCHASE HERE
“Between The Sheets” has been sampled 44 other known times including for A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 jam “Bonita Applebum” and Notorious B.I.G’s 1994 breakout smash “Big Poppa.” For Gwen Stefani’s duet with Houston-based emcee Slim Thug, digging into the song’s rap roots make sense and allowed for a song that married Stefani’s pop-meets-hip-hop chic branding with Thug’s well-established rap superiority.
4. Hella Good (by No Doubt) – #1 US Dance chart single released in 2002 – PURCHASE HERE
Sound-alike: “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen – #1 American Pop, #2 Disco and Soul Chart single released in 1980 – PURCHASE HERE
No Doubt’s pop/rock flexibility allowed the band to have hit singles in genres including, but not limited to ska, reggae, punk and in the case of “Hella Good,” vamping disco-soul. Interestingly enough, the song has been both a platinum release in it’s physical form and reached gold status in the digital age. The song’s sales pale by comparison to it’s sound-alike, but as a concept, No Doubt going disco allowed for an an unexpected chart topper.
5. It’s My Life (by No Doubt) – Top 10 single in 14 countries released in 2003 – PURCHASE HERE
Sound-alike: Talk Talk’s original version of “It’s My Life” was released in 1984 – PURCHASE HERE
“It’s My Life” was released as new, unreleased material on No Doubt’s 2003 Greatest Hits album. The release was the last No Doubt album until 2008. English new wave band Talk Talk’s original was a #1 Billboard dance single, No Doubt’s cover hit #1 on the Adult charts, which is interesting only in the sense that the songs are separated by 20 years. Likely the same people that danced to the song in their 20s make it a hit in their 40s. Amazing.
Five Times When Michael AND Janet Jackson Had Hits At The Same Time
Yes, it’s true. Janet Jackson, one of Decades’ favorite artists, is amazingly pregnant with her first child at the age of 50. In order to celebrate this incredible occurrence, we at DC Clubbing have put together a list of five occurrences when both Janet AND her brother Michael had top ten songs that were popular at roughly the same time. For most of the eras when both Michael and Janet were releasing music, they oftentimes staggered releases so as to likely not step on each other’s toes. However both the “King of Pop” and “Ms. Jackson (if you’re nasty)” were such massive stars that they did have some overlapping hits. Here are those five times.
1987
Janet Jackson – Pleasure Principle – PURCHASE HERE
Amazingly the SIXTH single released from Janet’s third studio album Control, the very dance-able “Pleasure Principle” hit #1 on Billboard’s dance charts. The song’s lasting legacy may be that none other than Britney Spears referenced “Control’s” video in her performance in the video for her own 2000 hit “Stronger.”
Michael Jackson – The Way You Make Me Feel – PURCHASE HERE
This funky Quincy Jones production also bears a blues-meets-synth pop feel and was the third single from Michael’s 1987 mega hit album Bad. AllMusic reviewer John Erlewine notes about the song that “out of all of Bad‘s songs, ‘only three can stand alongside album tracks from [Jackson’s 1983 breakout album Thriller].’” “The Way You Make Me Feel” is counted alongside “Bad” and “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” in that statement.
1987
Janet Jackson – Control – PURCHASE HERE
“Control” was produced by frequent Prince collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and is often pointed to as a perfect example of the “Minneapolis sound” that they were applauded for creating in pop music of that era. The song’s subject matter deals with Janet wanting to finally take control of her life, and, when released, was her biggest hit-to-date.
Michael Jackson – Bad – PURCHASE HERE
Amazingly, both Michael and Janet released two of their most iconic songs at roughly the same time. Bad is inarguably a pop/rock masterpiece of a jam, as funky bass guitars and magnificent synth-work highlight a jamming groove. The lead single from Jackson’s legendary seventh solo album, which to-date, has sold nearly 50 million copies worldwide.
1989
Janet Jackson – Miss You Much – PURCHASE HERE
“Miss You Much” was the lead single from Janet’s 1989-released album Rhythm Nation 1814. It was easily the song that best defined the summer and close of 1989, hitting #1 in September and staying in the Top 10 until December of that year. As far as the song’s legacy, it’s inspired everyone from Britney Spears and Pink to the Backstreet Boys, Akon and more.
Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal – PURCHASE HERE
When the suit that you wear in the music video for a song is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and positioned at a 45 degree angle to match one of your best non-dance and virtually imposible dance moves, you’re on another level of stardom. That’s the case for the seventh single from Michael Jackson’s album Bad, which hit Billboard’s Top 10 in January 1989.
1995
Michael AND Janet Jackson – Scream – PURCHASE HERE
By 1995, Michael and Janet Jackson had 55 global top 10 hits and seven platinum-selling albums between them. Therefore, an epic collaboration was in order. “Scream”’s music video cost a rumored $7 million to make, and had three separate premieres on on MTV, BET and the next evening on ABC’s “Primetime Live.” The production was a collaboration between Michael, Janet and Ms. Jackson’s frequent collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. A #1 single in 17 countries worldwide, it also topped American Billboard’s Dance charts.
2001
Janet Jackson – All For You – PURCHASE HERE
By 2001, it’s an easy-to-argue point that Janet Jackson had become a bigger pop icon of that moment than Michael. Proof of this comes in Janet’s lead single from All For You. This platinum-selling disco-funk jam zoomed to the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 and Dance charts, and was Janet’s 10th overall number one hit.
Michael Jackson – You Rock My World – PURCHASE HERE
Here’s the answer to the trivia question of “when did Jay Z, Chris Tucker and the ‘King of Pop’ collaborate on a remix?” Released in 2001, Invincible was Michael’s last album of original material, and the original version of “You Rock My World” was arguably the last “huge” hit of Jackson’s life.
On Burning Man 2016 And The Evolution Of Festival Culture
Thirty years ago, Burning Man was a festival associated with “radical self-expression” that took place in the shadow of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and ended with the ritualistic symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy-as-man. In 2016, Burning Man is a destination on Instagram near Reno, Nevada where from August 28-September 5, the likes of Paris Hilton and 70,000 of her friends partied on-board a jet-plane as art installation, Jack U played Billboard pop hits, and yes, they still burned a wooden man. Somewhere in the middle of this insanity there’s a lesson about what happens when underground things become mainstream fads because everyone loves a good, cool party that it seems like nobody else is attending.
Burning Man has existed for 30 years, but it was ultimately the festival’s close alignment with mid-2000s leading indie-to-pop cultural staples of electronic music and festivals as communal experiences that arguably put it over-the-top. Over the past weekend, Burning Man’s attendance reached a 40% surge in the past five years. That’s roughly 70,000% growth in the festival’s 30-year history, so it’s probably as good of a time as any to sit down and consider how movements develop and when it’s time to start doing something new.
Getting angry about Burning Man “not being for the scene” anymore is arguably fruitless. From disco to old-school rap, scenes evolve over time, as people, places and economics “conspire” to open culture up to society-at-large. These evolutions welcome in people who bring their unique human backgrounds into what are ideally supposed to be “shared cultural spaces.” Whenever “sharing” occurs, there’s a balance that must be achieved. Of course, when that balance is between wealth and “free-thinking,” the idea that wealth allows for free-thinking to include so much of what we saw at Burning Man 2016, stories like that of a “fancy camp” founded by the son of a Russian billionaire being ransacked make sense.
There’s been recent discussion of moving the Burning Man Festival out of the Nevada desert because of festival taxes being levied by the state of Nevada. If Burning Man were still all about free-thinking hippies on a beach, that’d be a problem. However, confusing what Burning Man originally was with what it is right now is like comparing a McDonald’s Big Mac to a steak dinner at The Palm. In Burning Man 2016 being far more of the latter and less of the former, the idea of taxing the wealth-positive festival makes sense.
Here’s an intriguing solution. Maybe it’s time for the OG burners to head, as VICE suggested in 2015, to Utah. In June 2016, Burning Man’s organizers purchased the 3,800 square foot Fly Ranch in Washoe County, Nevada in order to build year-round Burning Man-style infrastructure. While for some this may seem like an ideal solution for those looking to get away from the growing crowd in Black Rock City, heading to Utah instead could be a winning plan.
In the 2015 Vice piece, Burning Man’s CEO Marian Goodell notes that the Nevada taxes has made the festival’s organizers “ look longingly towards Utah or any other state that might not have levied that.” However, when Goodell also notes, “[w]e have watched the change in the type of people that come to Burning Man, and we’re not gonna get in front of certain things and force issues. We are gonna nurture the process so we all get the best results. Burning Man is an experiment in temporary community, and we’re the stewards of that process,” is it also a nod to potentially taking things elsewhere? When she continues to note that at 2015’s festival may be the most important sign that times have changed and that the festival’s culture may need to evolve:
“I was one of the people who was awakened at 3 in the morning by the sound of thumping music. My trailer was vibrating! Several of us came out, shocked, and couldn’t understand, even though I’ve been doing this for 19 years. We got in the cart and went out and it was an tart car facing its speakers towards the camp. It was past the man and it woke me!”
Again, in 2016, Burning Man was a destination on Instagram near Reno, Nevada where from August 28-September 5, the likes of Paris Hilton and 70,000 of her friends partied on-board a jet-plane as art installation, and ultimately, given how change occurs and things evolve, that’s okay. In looking to discover how to preserve a Burning Man that’s more about good music, good vibes and hanging out on a beach as a wooden man burns, maybe it’s time to think about Utah, and that’s okay, too.
How Lil Wayne Changed The Music Industry Forever
With three tweets on September 3, Lil Wayne announced what may be his retirement from recording music. In believing his announcement to be based in truth, it’s time to acknowledge why he’s easily one of popular music’s most game-changing artists and likely to get a ton of spins at Decades. In taking rap music from being driven by the radio, pop charts and concerts to being pushed by the internet and the club, he opened the door for the future of music and changed the industry forever.
There’s video footage of Lil Wayne getting turnt in New York City nightclubs at the age of 13. Southern rap broke all of the industry’s established rules, but in Lil Wayne being signed to Cash Money at 13 and earning millions of dollars as a rapper by 16 by being featured on Juvenile’s “Back Dat Azz Up,” B.G.’s “Bling Bling” and releasing his own single “Tha Block Is Hot,” Lil Wayne arguably broke them best. Weezy was already well along his way to iconic status long before he could vote, drink or drive. However, let’s be clear that part of what makes Wayne a superstar is that it’s highly likely he was already doing two of the three activities listed long before his 18th birthday.
By the time Wayne was 21, he was four albums and 11 released singles into his solo career and releasing the Mannie Fresh-produced single “Go D.J.,” which was his second top 10 rap release. Between 2005-2008, Wayne’s output continued to be significant to the point where amazingly enough, he had sold nearly 10 million singles without ever having any of them crack Billboard’s Top 10.
Between the release of his albums The Carter II and The Carter III, Wayne released seven internet-only mixtapes. The thus appropriately nicknamed “Mixtape Weezy” released some 150 tracks on non-mainstream album material in three years, songs that became classics to a new generation of music consumers who were more likely to download music on the internet for free than to purchase an album in a retail store. Amazingly enough, Wayne’s biggest selling album was 2008’s The Carter III, the one that came after his mixtape-driven hiatus, but as a testament to his internet-driven fame, it’s only sold just under four million copies since its release.
Prior to Lil Wayne’s success, one could look to a rap artist’s own albums and find all of their most iconic moments. However, Wayne’s mold-breaking extends to here as well, as he’s unquestionably the king of the “guest appearance on another rapper or DJ’s club hit or remix.”
From 1999’s already discussed “Back Dat Azz Up” and “Bling Bling” to DJ Khaled’s “I’m So Hood,” “I’m On One,” and “We Takin’ Over,” Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now,” will i. am and Britney Spears’ “Scream And Shout,” Fat Joe’s “Make It Rain” and Jay Sean’s “Down,” Lil Wayne has always appeared to be an artist who had multiple hit songs everywhere at the same time. As well, it always appeared as if these singles were all aimed at being as supremely turnt up in the club as humanly possible. In fact, if you head out to Decades soon, we’re quite certain that in the club’s hip-hop friendly room that you’ll be hearing all of these aforementioned hits, possibly sometimes one after the other.
In looking at the future of where rap is headed, it’s possible that the success of artists like Wayne’s protege Drake and Chicago-based star Chance the Rapper is directly related to what Lil Wayne accomplished. Drake’s 2015-released collaborative album with Future was originally released as an internet-only mixtape, and is filled to the brim with club-ready heaters. Also, Chance the Rapper does not have a mainstream record deal, and the idea that he’s ONLY wanting to put out free internet mixtapes has made Grammy change it’s tune about nominating and awarding music that’s been released for free.
Whether or not Wayne returns is anyone’s best guess. However, his legacy is absolute and certainly worthy of celebration.
On that note, Decades is opening soon.
Kanye West Is Running For President In 2020. Here’s How He Wins.
In August 2015, Kanye West took to the stage at MTV’s Video Music Awards and announced that he was running for President of the United States in 2020. As if wanting to make absolutely sure that we all knew that he wasn’t backing out of his prior announcement, he returned to MTV’s VMA stage on August 28, 2016, and in a manner most “presidential” outlined an anti-urban violence stance as well favorably compared himself to the likes of President Harry S. Truman, automaker Henry Ford, iconic entrepreneur Howard Hughes, entertainment titan Walt Disney, and pioneering Apple tech visionary Steve Jobs. In considering how and why he could win in 2020, that’s where things begin to get interesting.
Yes, the Republican nominee for President stated that, if elected, he would force Mexico to build a wall to contain its potential immigrants. However, Kanye West once said that George W. Bush didn’t like black people. We’re in a political environment where sound bites oftentimes carry more weight than full speeches. In this being the case, Donald Trump’s grassroots appeal being based on enraging/engaging snippets of thoughts could be mirrored by a potential West campaign.
2016’s Presidential campaign has involved Donald Trump making numerous statements about Hillary Clinton’s desire to stay with Bill Clinton after the infamous Monica Lewinsky scandal. By comparison to Kanye’s wife Kim Kardashian being filmed in a globally-distributed sex tape with one-time pop-star Ray J, the Clinton’s failings pale in comparison. While yes, setting up a slippery slope of sex and drama isn’t exactly what we should want to achieve in a presidential election cycle, if Kanye runs in 2020 — especially as a Democrat in the primaries against Hillary — it’s bound to occur.
The easiest way for Kanye West to avoid many of the potential public relations pitfalls of a Yeezus for President campaign will exist in his ability to use his pop-star swagger to overcome public angst. Ever since we elected movie star Ronald Reagan as president in 1980 and Bill Clinton became a late-night and MTV celebrity in 1992, there’s a certain level of superstar cool associated with the American presidency that’s maybe more important than public policy stances. In many ways, arguable public policy know-nothing Donald Trump’s successful obtaining of the Republican nomination can almost entirely be directly related to the 35 years that he’s spent as an global media icon alone. However, we’ve never seen arguably one of the top five most entertaining hip-hop artists of all time running for president. The idea that a superstar is vying for a superstar’s job could literally be more than enough to put him over-the-top.
And let’s also seriously break down the idea that Kanye could release his entire platform as a mixtape, and that mixtape would be FIRE. In a realm of things that could legitimately occur in the world, imagine Kanye’s Watch The White House mixtape being hosted by Barack Obama. Tracks could feature everyone from Beyonce and Rihanna to Jay Z and Nas, Chance the Rapper and Jaden Smith, Kim Kardashian and Amber Rose, Jack U and Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, and the Foo Fighters and Guns N Roses. U2 once released an album on iTunes that magically appeared in everyone’s collections free-of-charge. Zero campaign laws would be violated if private company Apple Music publicly supported Kanye’s presidential aspirations with a similar move. Between blog traffic, think-pieces, potential Billboard chart-topping hits, videos and live performances, that’s an unprecedented media assault that could disrupt traditional campaigning forever.
Debates would be LIT AF, too. When not potentially nervous and speaking without a script onstage at the Video Music Awards, Kanye West is the son of a college professor and well-acquainted with doing compelling oration in front of thousands-to-millions of people. If Kanye’s coached for debates in a manner similar to any other presidential nominee, it’s easy to imagine that he’d actually not just make points, but be really entertaining at doing so, too.
Kanye’s running in 2020. Intriguingly enough, he could easily win.
