We’re almost home! I was only planning one more post for our countdown of the 101 Best Songs of the Aughts, but I had a lot to say about the top five. I figured it would be better to split this final section into two pieces.

(For the rest of the countdown, go here.)

20. “Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz (2001)

There was a time when the term “virtual band” could only inspire thoughts of The Archies or Jem & The Holograms: No matter how much we wanted Jerrica’s earrings, we couldn’t take her seriously as a musician. For one thing, the music these “bands” created always seemed like an afterthought… something designed to sell comic books and action figures.

Then Gorillaz hit the scene. An ambitious fusion of visuals and music, the group is a serious, ongoing performance art project. The band’s “members” are animated characters created by designer-cartoonist Jamie Hewlett, and he gives them all distinctive looks and backstories. Meanwhile, an ever-expanding roster of excellent musicians, led by Blur’s Damon Albarn, makes noise in the recording studio.

And oh what noise it is! Gorillaz defy categorization, throwing hip-hop, rock, dub, soul, and the kitchen sink into their records. Take “Clint Eastwood:” The heavy drums and ominous cackles could be lifted from a Vincent Price film; guest rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien sounds like he’s rapping from the back of his throat; and the slurred hook (“I got sunshine in a bag,” etc.) may as well be wrapped in a pair of skinny hipster jeans. Yet the disparate pieces form an addictive whole. (Personally, I live for the moment when Del whispers that it’s all in my head.)

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19. “The Long Way Around” by Dixie Chicks (2006)

“The Long Way Around” has so many layers, so many harmonies and instrumental flourishes that it’s just… Wow. It’s really hard for me to speak about. Something in the song moves me very deeply. It’s the sound of the Dixie Chicks’ voices. It’s the way the banjo sneaks into the mix, not forcing itself on me, but assuredly moving me forward. It’s the lyrics, which are so specific and yet so  applicable for anyone who feels like they live outside the mainstream. (I guess that’s everyone, at one point or another.)

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18. “Falling Slowly” by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (2007)

I can’t believe I forgot to include Once in my Best Picture Expansion Project entry for 2007! It’s such a lovely, honest, and surprising movie.

But I haven’t forgotten to include “Falling Slowly,” the Oscar-winning cut from the film’s phenomenal soundtrack, on this countdown. Like Once, it digs deep emotion out of quiet moments. Hansard’s aching voice blends with Irglova’s ethereal lilt to beautiful effect, and that finale is all passion.

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17. “This Is the Last Time” by Keane (2004)

As I’ve written, I’m keen on Keane. You want some ear-shredding guitar rock? Check their latest album. You want Beatles-esque pop? They’ve got you covered. You want a memorable melody? Try everything they’ve ever recorded.

Of all their excellent songs, “This Is the Last Time” is my favorite. It’s got the grandeur of Queen, the hookiness of Mika, and a bittersweet charm all its own. I can’t find an embeddable video of the studio version, so if you want to hear the goodness, go here.

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16. “Umbrella” by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z (2007)

I know, right? You’ve heard it a zillion times, and it’s still so good. “Umbrella” rightfully pushed Rihanna over the line that separates stars from superstars.

Granted, Rihanna’s vocals are nothing special here, and any competent singer could make “Umbrella” work. Rihanna, however, is the one who got the job. It’s her song, and it always will be.

Ironically enough, it seems to have cleared the way for her personality. Later singles like “Disturbia” and “Take a Bow” feature stronger, more distinctive vocals that give her a raspy, biker-chick persona. Just another way “Umbrella” improves the world, I suppose.

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15. “Leave Me Alone (I’m Lonely)” by Pink (2006)

A perfect distillation of Pink’s persona and appeal, “Leave Me Alone (I’m Lonely)” is a propulsive dance-punk number in which Pink goes schizophrenic on her boyfriend, telling him to go away and come back in the same breath. She admits that’s she totally messed up, and it makes her human and relatable. She drops F-bombs like rain, and they seem appropriate to the topic at hand. And of course, she sings the hell out of the song, which is why she’s one of my faves.

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14. “I’m Movin’ On” by Rascal Flatts (2000)

Can you pass the tissues, please? We’ve got ourselves a tearjerker. It’s not just the piano-and-strings arrangement and gorgeous vocals that get me going, though. The lyrics are what really knock me over.

They’re just so accurate, you know? I remember those years in college when I realized that if I was going to live the life I wanted, I would have to move far away. And I remember, too, that some people resisted seeing me change, even though they loved me. (Not my parents, though. They rule.)

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13. “What Would You Do?” by City High (2001)

I hope that some of you are saying, “Damn! I forgot about that song!”  I hope you’re remembering that City High delivered a bouncing baby masterpiece back in 2001.

That’s right, I said masterpiece. Here’s why:

(1) “Hold up” — You know what I’m talking about. That Nate Dogg sample launches the funky-funk breakdown and sends “What Would You Do?” to the next level.

(2) The chorus we all wish we’d written — City High deserves credit for briefly reviving the social conscience in R&B. There are some interesting issues at play in this song, like the effects of poverty and conflicting notions of personal responsibility.

And the lyrics are clever, yo. “Somewhere smokin’ rock now/In and out of lockdown/I ain’t got a job now.” That’s pop gold!

(3) That one guy from City High was the kid who sang “Joyful, Joyful” in Sister Act 2 — That fact isn’t really about the song, but it’s too awesome to ignore.

(4) The song inspired me to write a Krispy Kreme-themed parody — I was in the Krispy Kreme on Ponce de Leon in Atlanta (the one that had the conveyor belt of doughnuts in the back), and while I was waiting in line, this alternate version popped into my head:

What would you do if I took your doughnut?
Said you want it back, but I don’t give a fuck
‘cuz I’m hungry.
And the only way to feed me is to
give me a doughnut with a little bit of sprinkles,
or a lemon-filled.
I’m giving it the praise now, yes I am amazed now,
‘cuz it’s double glaze now.
And for you, this might not mean much
but for me, this is what I call lunch.
Mm-mmm!

Thank you, thank you. But I couldn’t have done it without City High.

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12. “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson (2004)

Despite how it seems, “Since U Been Gone” has not been around since the beginning of time. Despite it’s near-perfect penetration of our culture, it was released a mere five years ago.

And frankly, even if Kelly Clarkson had retired two seconds after “Since U Been Gone” came out, her place in the pop firmament would be secure. Thanks to her kick-ass vocals (and Max Martin and Dr. Luke’s songwriting), this hit made her a legitimate pop force. She’s never quite matched it, but who could? Let’s just crank it one more time and be happy she scaled these heights at all.

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11. “Natasha” by Rufus Wainwright (2003)

This ballad spills out like a single thought. The verses and choruses melt into each other, gently pulling us along, and when Wainwright finally stops singing, we’re left with a swell of strings like a melancholy wave as he heads for the door.

I’ve heard the song’s about Wainwright’s friendship with the actress Natasha Lyonne, who has has battled all kinds of addictions. That makes sense, but whatever it’s about, “Natasha” is an elegant expression of confusion. I mean, how do you face the people you love if they hurt you all the time?

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10. ” Hey Ya!” by OutKast (2003)

I’m so glad the “Charlie Brown ‘Hey Ya!’” video is still online, because you know that expression on Snoopy’s face when he’s got his head thrown back and he’s dancing on top of Schroeder’s piano? (It starts at 1:24.) That’s exactly how this song makes me feel. Like, I’m so happy when it comes on that I reach an instant state of bliss.

Funny story: When “Hey Ya!” came out, I couldn’t stop playing it. One day my dad heard it, and he noticed I was shaking it like a Polaroid picture.

And do you know what he said? “Who shakes a Polaroid?”

Dad, I love you. I know you’re reading this, and I have to tell you… everybody shakes a Polaroid.

I’ll give my dad credit, though. He may not have cottoned to the Polaroid reference, but he did do a jig to the song. It was a momentary jig—a jiglet, really—but it was there. He’s really a pretty cool guy.

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9. “Crazy In Love” by Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z (2004)

2004 was an embarrassment of musical riches. We got “Crazy in Love” and “Hey Ya!” at almost exactly the same time, and all it cost us was six gallons of sweat and a booty sore from shaking.

My friend Rachel, much wiser than I, says “Crazy In Love” is amazing because it’s actually multiple songs in one. First, there’s the horn part, which announces B’s arrival; then there’s the verse and chorus, with their crazy energy; next comes Jay-Z’s killer verse, which makes history’s greatest use of the word “chinchilla;” and finally, there’s the “uh-oh, uh-oh, oh no-no,” which puts a sassy little stamp on the whole affair.

8. “So Alive” by Ryan Adams (2003)

Remember when U2 was good? Remember when their music was passionate and raw and soared through the clouds? Well, Ryan Adams remembers.

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7. “Dead Flowers” by Miranda Lambert (2009)

Miranda Lambert’s music just keeps getting better, as evidenced by the fact that she released this exceptional track just a few months ago. Is it bold to put a song so young in my top ten for the entire decade? Perhaps! But I stand by my choice. Here’s the essay I wrote about “Dead Flowers” back in May. I still mean it.

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6. “Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service (2003)

For some people, The Postal Service, a one-off collaboration between Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and dntel’s Jimmy Tamborello, is a minor religion. (I’m a convert myself.) For some, however, I’m sure The Postal Service is nothing at all. Though they’re certainly popular, they are not the kind of act that’s going to pierce the general consciousness. Indie electro-pop is still indie and electronic, after all.

If you already know “Such Great Heights,” then take another dip. It’s just as good as you remember: The lyrics are still delightful. The fizzy electro swirls still sound like the butterflies you get when you think about your first love.

If you don’t know the song, then I encourage you to give it a try. It’s electronic music at its warmest, its brightest, its best.