2010 Musical Year Ender Countdown

I think 2010 can go down as a great year for R&B/rap & soul house music.  From the turn of the year to the very end, we were hit with some musical goodies from artists new and old.

Some releases, I heavily anticipated & was sucked in. Most of the music I became addicted like it was crack, which was the case when I heard N‘Dambi’s “Pink Elephant” album or when Gil Scott-Heron saved my life with “I’m New Here.”

Of course with the good comes the I wish it wasn’t so bad… and with that, I present my 2010 music breakdown in 4 parts.

Top Five Albums/EPs –  Release that I could not quit for one minute from start to finish without skipping a beat.

5. Les Nubians – Nü Revolution
4. Cee-Lo Green – Stay Bullets
3. Gil Scott- Heron – I’m New Here
2. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah: Return of the Ankh
1. Kem – Intimacy: Album III

Top Five Singles – Some of these were one off releases, while others were the truest gem from an album/EP.

5. The Foreign Exchange – Make me a Fool
4. Full Crate & Mar – She Was Fly
3. Jose James – Love Conversation
2. Si*sé – This Love
1. Black Coffee – Never Saw You Coming (Franck Roger Vocal Mix)

Top Five Rediscoveries – Random selection of songs that I stumbled upon that were released years ago. From disco to hip-hop, I loved these songs this year and each was a heavy part of my 2010 life’s soundtrack.

5. Manu Dibango – New Bell
4. Goodie Mob – Goodie Bag
3. Bilal – White Turns to Gray
2. Mandrill – I refuse to Smile
1. First Choice – Love Thang

Top Five Musical Let Downs – I was excited about all of these releases, heard them & thought wow, this is what I was waiting for? Maybe my expectations were too high but I cannot support a release with 1 – 3 songs that I can’t quit.

5. Blue Six – Noesis
4. Incognito – Transatlantic RPM
3. Sade – Soldier of Love
2. Foreign Exchange – Authenticity
1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy