The NSOTP Best Singles of 2007

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Q2 is upon us and to celebrate. I've decided to release the NSOTP Best Singles of 2007. The beginning of the golden age always has fond memories and hopefully you find some great throwbacks and hidden gems. So get ready for some era-defining music. It's 2007, bitch.

50. "Promise Ring" by Tiffany Evans feat. Ciara

Don't judge me, this was the jam. Tiffany Evans made one of the better R&B hits of the year, and the cameo by Ciara certainly didn't hurt.

49. "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse

Songs like these remind me of how great Amy Winehouse really was. At the time, she may have been weighed down by controversy but "You Know I'm No Good" threw it all back with the signature jazzy sass that makes it all the more devastating she is gone.

48. "Let It Go" by Keyshia Cole feat. Missy Elliott & Lil' Kim

The R&B ancestor of "Bang Bang". Except I guess Missy would be Ariana in this case, wouldn't she? 

47. "Summer Love" by Justin Timberlake

If Zayn could drop something like this anytime soon, he will have completed the transition into post-boyband fame. This is something Justin Timberlake basically invented, with "Summer Love" being one of the many amazing songs off his second album.

46. "Song #1" by SEREBRO

The best song at this year's Eurovision was this electrobanger by Russian girl group SEREBRO. They simply don't make songs like these anymore (but they should).

45. "Don't Give It Up" by Siobhan Donaghy

This hypnotic piece of cutting edge pop made us realize why the Sugababes were amazing in the first place. Good thing Siobhan is back with the Origibabes now!

44. "Stop Me" by Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather

Who knew Mark Ronson's album of covers could produce so much amazing pop! Too bad his cover of "Toxic" wasn't as good as "Stop Me" and his other song on this list.

43. "Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven

YES, I GET IT. IT'S NOT POP MUSIC. "Paralyzer" has some really good pop elements though and was significantly better than anything that Nickelback has produced so it gets to be on the list.

42. "With Every Heartbeat" by Robyn & Kleerup

No big deal, just Robyn announcing herself as the global popstar that will forever change the face of music with majestic and heartbreaking dance music. 

41. "Do It Well" by Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has been pretty consistent on the whole "being amazing" front, hasn't she?

40. "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne

By far, the most annoyingly catchy song of the year. Still, this was era-defining for any Avril Lavigne fan in 2007.

39. "Crucify My Heart" by PRIVATE

You can always count on PRIVATE to create the deranged type of pop that is timeless yet cutting edge. Still waiting on that second album though…

38. "Take It Like A Man" by Dragonette

Some would argue that Dragonette don't really have crossover potential. To those idiots, I would say listen to this song and cry at your own stupidity.

37. "Shut Up and Drive" by Rihanna

It's always a good year when a Rihanna album has more than one great song on an album. In fact, Rihanna had so many great songs in 2007 that it's a wonder anyone else even bothered making pop music this year. Nonetheless, "Shut Up & Drive" maintained Rihanna's image as the accessibly naughty popstar we were all waiting for.

36. "Destination Calabria" by Alex Gaudino feat. Crystal Waters

One of the best horn-heavy dance songs in history.

35. "Over It" by Katharine McPhee

From a time when even contestants on american Idol could become superstars, Katharine McPhee's career was a big shock to everyone. "Over It" was the sound of a new talent proudly showing off what she was capable of. Too bad the video is shit.

34. "Foundations" by Kate Nash

When love songs are this brutally honest, you just have to take notice. Kate Nash's frank delivery was also pretty delightful when you heard this on the radio.

33. "Tambourine" by Eve

For a song without a chorus, this was pretty great. But couldn't Eve have at least recruited her BFF Gwen Stefani to make it a 10/10? Oh well.

32. "Drivin' Me Wild" by Common (& Lily Allen)

This video was pretty great. Common's poignant rap collides with Lily Allen's cool chorus to make a hip-hop track that was ever so slightly ahead of its time.

31. "Fergalicious" by Fergie feat. will.i.am

When it comes to mononymously named songs, "Fergalicious" will forever be in a league of it's own. The world will never be the same without will.i.am's spelling of "tastey"

30. "Walk This Way" by Girls Aloud vs. Sugababes

The girl band aspect of this song was something the world had been waiting for since the dawn of time. Still, it's pretty clear Girls Aloud kind of killed the Sugababes in the personality, music, and longevity departments.

29. "Do It" by Nelly Furtado feat. Missy Elliott

Nelly Furtado was the queen of 2006 but she still had the good sense to release album highlight "Do It" with resident verse-provider Missy Elliott. Imagine if both of them made a comeback at the same time?!

28. "I Get Around" by Dragonette

No other single in this list encapsulates the act's image better than Dragonette's debut. It not only set the tone for their album, but their entire career. For pop fans, you can see why Dragonette have remained one of the best acts in music since this song came out in 2007.

27. "Here (In Your Arms)" by Hellogoodbye

Teenage love never felt more pure than during the psychedelic euphoria of these Hellogoodbye song.

26. "My Secret Lover" by PRIVATE

This was a proper pop moment. Squelchy synths, nonsensical lyrics, and a clear homage to the past while looking towards the future. The best part was the auto tuned voice that comes in just to keep you on your toes.

25. "Glamorous" by Fergie

The first time I heard this, I thought it was a Taco Bell ad. Imagine if all Taco Bell ads sounded this good? We would all be kicking it with Nachos Bell Grande just to listen to jams like this!

24. "Sexy! No No No…" by Girls Aloud

Now THIS is what it's all about. The Girls Aloud comeback single was something nobody realized they needed. From the ridiculous title to Cheryl Cole's robotic intro, to Sarah's "Whisper Hon-ay, YOU'RE DELICIOUS (HELL NO!)" and Nicola being a "woman sunshine." When you pull out all the stops, you get one of the most iconic songs of a generation.

23. "Catch You" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Sophie Ellis-Bextor may be the popstar that turns into a serial killer. First, she was killing people on the dance floor and now, she swears she'll catch you and do god knows what. Luckily, both of these songs are of extremely high quality. Just kill me softly, Mrs. E-B.

22. "Too Little, Too Late" by Jojo

One of the many reasons why Jojo's comeback needs to happen now more than ever. 

21. "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse

This was the big one that we all knew and loved. It seems like honesty in lyricism was a theme this year in music, huh?

20. "Shine" by Booty Luv

What happens when you take a Luther Vandross cover to the disco? One of the greatest tracks to get drunk and dance your booty off to on a Saturday night!

19. "Tears Dry On My Own" by Amy Winehouse

This will forever go down as Amy Winehouse's masterpiece. It's a jazz ballad that will make you cry on a sunny summer day or a winter snow storm. More than anything, it's a testament to the experience Winehouse had as a true musician, something a lot of people in the industry can't even come close to saying. RIP Amy.

18. "Me and My Imagination" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

It's a love song with smart lyricism coupled with unbridled romanticism. It even has VIOLINS! Well played, Sophie, well played.

17. "Give It To Me" by Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake

When you're friends with two of the world's biggest popstars of the generation, why not get them to hop on your song and do most of the singing? Still one of the best collaborations of the decade.

16. "Overpowered" by Róisín Murphy

Before Lady Gaga went around wearing a chicken nugget on her head, it was Róisín Murphy who was at the forefront on the whole avant-garde fashion with great pop music thing. "Overpowered" still holds as a powerfully understated piece of electro-trance 8 years later.

15. "Hearts On Fire" by Cut Copy

The only reason this Cut Copy song is on the list is for the part before the chorus that sounds like someone's taken a 90's boom box  and thrown it into space and recorded it. The rest of the song is pretty great too though.

14. "Lip Gloss" by Lil Mama

"Yes, Ms. McClarkson?" Just one of the many zeitgeist-capturing moments in Lil Mama's one amazing song.

13. "About You Now" by Sugababes

Just when we thought the whole Sugababes train was about to fall apart, "About You Now" came along and said "One of the world's greatest girl bands here. Don't underestimate us." Luckily, the song did it with a smile.

12. "Valerie" by Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse

One of the most heartwarming things is to know that Amy knew how to get down to the funky music just like us. This was also the first sign of just how talented Mark Ronson would be in later years…

11. "Chelsea" by Stefy

Stefy basically made a Eurythmics song about a slutty girl trying to steal her man. Even that sentence is timeless, so imagine just how great the song is!

10. "Gimme More" by Britney Spears

"It's Britney, bitch." With that line, we witnessed the greatest comeback to music the world has ever seen. Nothing has come even close to topping that line yet.

9. "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis knew she was destined to be a global songstress. "Bleeding Love" made her become just that. It also started the trend for amazing X Factor contestants and blossomed into bleeding more music for the world to enjoy.

8. "Let Me Know" by Róisín Murphy

One of my greatest dreams is to enter a breakfast diner and turn it into a disco while dancing like I'm on LSD. Oh look, Róisín Murphy did just that! "Let Me Know" was the perfect soundtrack to any amazing night out, and I mean that for any decade.

7. "The Way I Are" by Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.

This highly grammatically challenged song was still one of the major triumphs of the year. It essentially captured the sound of 2007 by sounding like almost every other song on this list put together.

6. "The Girls" by Calvin Harris (but really "The Boys" by Dragonette)

Calvin Harris made some pretty funky music back in the day, with "The Girls" being one of his best work. HOWEVER, Dragonette's cover of the song is still legendary and kind of overshadows the original. How it has not been a Lip Synch For Your Life is beyond me. Well done to all parties (Blond Boys are my fave)!

5. "Beautiful Liar (The Freemasons Remix)" by Beyoncé & Shakira

The original version of this song was mainly amazing due to the clash of two of the hottest divas in music. Luckily, The Freemasons managed to make the music live up to the potential of Beyoncé and Shakira, beautiful and banging at the same time. Shakironcé if you will.

4. "Call The Shots" by Girls Aloud

Considering this is Xenomania's masterpiece, it's surprising that "Call The Shots" didn't make Girls Aloud the global musical goddesses that many pop fans knew them to be. This wistful yet dramatic electroballad defined a huge part of the 00's and the bridge is one of the most perfect pop moments you will ever come across in your life (thanks for all the "Dreams That Glitter" Nicola). Just another reminder of why Girls Aloud were the greatest band to ever walk this Earth.

3. "Umbrella" by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z

Oh dear god. This song. That chorus. The video. This was the Rihanna that everyone knew would one day conquer the world. Still waiting for that girl to return to us, but until then I'll just stand under my umbrella (ella, ella) (eh, eh, eh).

2. "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige

Leave it to Mary J. Blige to give us one of the big pop surprises of 2007. "Just Fine" was a song that captured all the hope and confidence that seemed to be lost in a lot of the music in 2007. Rather than wallowing in a self-help anthem, it revels in being a testament to why life is meant to be lived. The best part was that it came off like Mary wasn't even trying. Just wonderful.

1. "Don't Stop The Music" by Rihanna

"Don't Stop The Music" accomplished a lot for pop music. It cemented Rihanna's status as a globe-conquering superstar. It managed to use a legendary sample in an inventive and forward thinking way. Rihanna basically outmatched Michael Jackson at his own game. "Don't Stop The Music" was the nocturnal party anthem that captured the precise moment things get interesting on a night out.  It was the ancestor to all the EDM-driven pop music over the past 8 years and it remains the absolute best from the first listen all the way to the 1000th. Most importantly, it's got the excitement, allure, attitude that draws people to pop music. If Rihanna had this in her DNA at one point, we can only hope for another "Don't Stop The Music" sooner or later. Until then, it will remain the crowning jewel in 2007, a truly amazing year of music.