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Singles Rate: 2001 (Winner Announced!)


TwistedElegance™

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Nelly Furtado kicks off our Top 10 with Turn Off the Light, the second single from her debut album, Whoa, Nelly! It surpassed the chart success of former single I'm Like a Bird, becoming Furtado's first Top 5 hit on the Hot 100 and placing 48th on the year-end chart. The singer heavily credits her ethnic background and childhood for culturally and crucially spawning her creativity on the song, which drew inspiration from a mix of mainstream and alternative artists like Mariah Carey, Portishead and U2. Hip-Hop was a catalyst in shaping Furtado's musical appreciation, and she cites her time as part of the duo Nelstar for allowing her to get comfortable with writing her own melodies and freestyle rhymes (hence Furtado has the sole writing credit on the song). Turn Off the Light earned the singer praise from critics for her audacious songwriting abilities, noting she was not at all hesitant to bare her emotions, tackle winding melodies, or bend boundaries to the point that much of the song sounds like folk-pop backed by production designed for TLC. She had made her mark as a musician with serious ambitions, a notion that was supported not only by her naked lyrics but especially by her singing. The song's remarkable video was directed by Sophie Muller, notable at the time for directing fellow commanding females such as PJ Harvey, Sinéad O'Connor and Gwen Stefani. Turn Off the Light also marked the beginning of Furtado's rewarding relationship with producer Timbaland who remixed it with then-protégé Ms. Jade, a favour she returned by appearing on Ching Ching, from the rapper's debut, Girl Interrupted. Turn Off the Light proved a big hit worldwide, reaching number one in New Zealand, Portugal and Romania, while placing Top 10 in Australia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The breakdown ~ Turn Off the Light reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 and places 10th with a voter average of 7.36.

  • 10 - TwistedElegance
  • 9 - kennita jo & LyricalLesson
  • 8 - DarkStormSC, Dammn Bu, hotboy06 & __VelvetKnowledge1814
  • 7 - RedSimba
  • 6 - Jarrylf
  • 5 - Stealth
  • 3 - Game
  • Upvote 5
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Turn Off The Light is amazing, all around. And that remix...Tim knocked it out of the park with that beat, and Ms. Jade killed her verse ! I don't know which version I like better. The eerie, slightly haunting vibe of the original -- or the electrifying, energetic vibe of the remix. This song is living proof that top notch lyrics, versatile vocals and an extremely catchy melody can fit completely different instrumental productions (on opposite ends of the spectrum) like a glove. Ahh, the power of music! ^_^

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Touching down in ninth place is Jennifer Lopez with Love Don't Cost a Thing. The lead single from her sophomore album, J.Lo, it became an instant hit among fans and critics, and marked the beginning of a true winning streak for the star, whose rate of release had already proven rapid after she lifted five singles from On the 6. Many snickered when Lopez made her pop move with that album in 1999, figuring it was not more than a one-off vanity project. As it turned out, she was as serious about music as she was about film, and even if she didn't possess a particularly distinguished voice, she was earnest and it showed in her string of mainstream singles, delivered with seductive videos and tight choreography. Love Don't Cost a Thing was certainly a product of its time, propelled by tinny, skittering drums and a big pop chorus. It also gave weight to the argument that Lopez's strong suit was dance tunes, not ballads, however it still managed to add a new dimension to the singer's output. Its flashy clip was directed by Paul Hunter, the man behind stunning R&B videos for Janet Jackson (I Get Lonely), TLC (Unpretty) and Erykah Badu (On & On). He had also previously directed Lopez in her videos for If You Had My Love and Feelin' So Good, and would work with her again over ten years later on Papi and the Pitbull-assisted Dance Again. It is notable also for Lopez's relationship with backing dancer Cris Judd, who featured prominently and would become her husband by year's end. The song was remixed with a verse from frequent collaborator Fat Joe which appeared on Lopez's remix album released in early 2002. Love Don't Cost a Thing was a major success worldwide, topping the charts in Canada, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Spain and the UK, while peaking Top 5 in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland.

The breakdown ~ Love Don't Cost a Thing reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and places 9th with a voter average of 7.54.

  • 10 - Jarrylf
  • 9 - LyricalLesson
  • 8 - DarkStormSC, hotboy06, Stealth & __VelvetKnowledge1814
  • 7 - Dammn Bu, Game, kennita jo & TwistedElegance
  • 4 - RedSimba
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Was that after The Spirit Indestructible:lol:

Nelly has really fallen off the map in recent years. She was so big from 06-07, but with Timbaland's sound being dated (a bit) and her being gone for so long, I think public interest in her has declined seriously. She usually gets big time work when she does "We Day" up here in Canada.

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