TwistedElegance™

This still hasn't sunk in.

6 Inch | Beyoncé feat. The Weeknd

Sorry | Beyoncé

I mean, that's a Led Zeppelin sample on Don't Hurt Yourself. Take all my fucking money.

MNEK getting involved on Hold Up! Affiliating herself with Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Father John Misty to name a few. I remember when 4 was released she said the word "success" had been completely redefined to her. She meant it.

Hold Up | Beyoncé

Pray You Catch Me | Beyoncé

The collaborations on paper are so impressive to me. I'm excited to dive into this. Bye @ Tidal, though. It still feels like these artists are trying to scoop water out of a sinking boat.

Tying with Janet for sixth position are the four self-appointed "badass chicks from the Moulin Rouge", Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and P!nk. Steered by Missy Elliott and producer Rockwilder, the foursome struck gold with their version of the disco classic, first released by Labelle in the mid-'70s and later by All Saints in 1998, who took it to number one in the UK. After topping the Hot 100, it became the third song (behind Aaliyah's Try Again and Shaggy's Angel) to reach No. 1 solely on the strength of airplay. Like any hit collaboration, chemistry was key. And although the ladies had it, the making of the song was not without its tension. During P!nk's Behind the Music, she revealed Lady Marmalade to be the root of her long-standing contention with Aguilera. She recalled, "Ron Fair walked in, he didn't say hi to any of us and said, 'What's the high part? What's the most singing part? Christina's gonna take that part.' And I stood up and I said, 'Hi, how are you? So nice of you to introduce yourself. She will not be taking that part. I think that's what this fucking meeting is about.'" The animosity grew further when Aguilera hired Linda Perry for Stripped, after P!nk plucked her from obscurity during the creation of M!ssundaztood! P!nk, commenting on Aguilera's Beautiful, written by Perry, said, "I took it really personally when she started working with other artists, particularly artists I didn't like. I don't think imitation is the highest form of flattery, I think it's annoying." Still, the beef did nothing to hinder Lady Marmalade's chances at success, soaring to No. 1 in over ten countries and remaining to this day the longest-running No. 1 by an all-female collaboration on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40. It also held the record for longest-reigning number one single by a female rapper until Iggy Azalea's Fancy surpassed it in 2014. The song earned the ladies a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, and also took home Video of the Year at the 2001 VMAs. Many rumours have surfaced over the years of a remake based on the 2001 version, with Rita Ora pushing for Azalea, Miley Cyrus and Charli XCX to join her. While Aguilera herself suggested last year that Cyrus and Nicki Minaj were two that directly came to mind. The breakdown ~ Lady Marmalade reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 and places 6th with a voter average of 8. 10 - DarkStormSC, hotboy06, Jarrylf & TwistedElegance9 - Stealth & __VelvetKnowledge18148 - kennita jo & LyricalLesson7 - RedSimba5 - Dammn Bu2 - Game

No update today.

This just doesn't seem real. I truly thought he'd be around til the end.

Nooooo!

Btw, I didn't skip 7th place. One song has tied with Janet in 6th...

After claiming victory for 2000, Janet Jackson lands at No. 6 with the exuberant Someone To Call My Lover. As mentioned in this round's intro, the song was built around the riff from Ventura Highway, a Top 10 hit for America in 1972. Jam + Lewis associate, Prince, is also believed to have drawn inspiration from the song as it contains the phrase "purple rain", a piece of trivia never confirmed, although it has been reported as true by a number of news outlets. Someone To Call My Lover was the second single lifted from Jackson's All For You album, and became her 22nd solo Top 5 on the Hot 100. Having experienced a split from her long-term partner, the song celebrated a central theme of the album, embracing the single life and channelling positive energy into finding a perfect match. It's sun-kissed video was shot by Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence who would work with Jackson further on Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You) and All Nite (Don't Stop). The song earned Jackson a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, however it went to Nelly Furtado for I'm Like a Bird. Around the world the track performed modestly, reaching Top 10 in Canada while managing a Top 20 peak in Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and the UK. The breakdown ~ Someone To Call My Lover reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and places 6th with a voter average of 8. 10 - Game, hotboy06 & Stealth9 - DarkStormSC, Jarrylf & __VelvetKnowledge18148 - TwistedElegance7 - kennita jo, LyricalLesson & RedSimba2 - Dammn Bu

I do love it. I only gave three songs a 10 for this round, though.

Eh.

Eve claims eighth spot with her Gwen-Stefani-assisted smash, Let Me Blow Ya Mind. Released as the second (and surprisingly, final) single from her sophomore set, Scorpion, the song was an instant hit for the rapper, who had previously had moderate chart success with a handful of solo tracks and guest-spots on hits from The Roots, BLACKstreet and Missy Elliott. Let Me Blow Ya Mind was a reunion of sorts for Eve and the song's producer, Dr. Dre. Originally signed to his Aftermath label, she left without putting out an album. Known for being a perfectionist, the legendary rapper got under Eve's skin in the studio. "I don't like being told what to do", she said. "I don’t care if you’re the best at what you do. Dre just knows how to push your buttons, but I just have to say every time he pushed my buttons, he got the best out of me. So he knew what he was doin'." Part of his plan was to pair her with Gwen Stefani. Although fresh off collaborations with Prince and Moby, the No Doubt frontwoman was still finding her solo legs when the rap icon approached her. "Dr. Dre called and I went down and sang," she recalls. "The band were like, 'Go for it!' It was fascinating to go into Eve's world, so different from anything I've done before. When I left I was like, 'Whoa, I've just worked with Dre!'" All three stars would later re-connect on Stefani's Rich Girl; a second Top 10 achievement for the trio. Let Me Blow Ya Mind earned the inaugural Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, a category born out of the unstoppable rise of featured artists and crossover success in hip-hop and R&B music. It has since been won by monster tracks such as Dilemma, Crazy In Love and Empire State of Mind. Its video, directed by Phillip G. Atwell (Eminem, Ice Cube & Marilyn Manson), won Best Female Video at the 2001 VMAs, over fellow Singles Rate finalists All For You and Love Don't Cost a Thing. Let Me Blow Ya Mind reached No. 1 in Belgium, France, Ireland and Switzerland, while peaking Top 5 in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands and the UK. The breakdown ~ Let Me Blow Ya Mind reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and places 8th with a voter average of 7.63. 10 - Jarrylf9 - Dammn Bu & kennita jo8 - hotboy06, LyricalLesson, TwistedElegance & __VelvetKnowledge18147 - DarkStormSC & RedSimba6 - Stealth4 - Game

I really like Tweet. But I only came in here for Game's response.

Loose was such a great era. I think it was always going to be hard for her to follow, but that huge break did her no favours.

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 - Jarrylf9 - LyricalLesson8 - DarkStormSC, hotboy06, Stealth & __VelvetKnowledge18147 - Dammn Bu, Game, kennita jo & TwistedElegance4 - RedSimba

6,000 was truly a shock.

Was that after The Spirit Indestructible?

Thrilled TOTL got to the Top 10 tbh. I think it's flawless.

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 - TwistedElegance9 - kennita jo & LyricalLesson8 - DarkStormSC, Dammn Bu, hotboy06 & __VelvetKnowledge18147 - RedSimba6 - Jarrylf5 - Stealth3 - Game

Black Eagle | Janet Jackson