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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The 10 Best Singles By... Robyn

So here's the thing about Robyn. All her singles are excellent. And more than that, most of her album tracks are, too. Here's the best of the best.

10. Do You Know (What It Takes) (1997) - The only pre-indie song on the countdown, this is a completely different Robyn. But it's also a laidback, 90's highlight.

9. Dream On (2008) - Initially a duet with Ola Salo, this was later remixed as a solo Robyn track. The subject matter is unexpected, as is the staccato, experimental beat and melody. Even so, it manages to soar.

8. Hang With Me (2010) - A breezy Summer track if there ever was one. The electronics are pure bliss, but it's the lyrics and delivery that truly makes this something special.

7. Girl & The Robot (2009) - A spacey, odd collaboration with Röyksopp, this is Robyn at her most daring. Though it doesn't feature on any of her albums, it's a standout in her discography.

6. Handle Me (2007) - A confident, trash talking Robyn emerges on this single. The spare beat highlights the undeniable charisma dripping from every vocal. It's an underrated track.

5. Call Your Girlfriend (2011) - The melody just screams "anthem," while the lyrics pack a personal edge. This is Robyn at her songwriting peak.

4. Konichiwa Bitches (2007) - The cheekiest single of her career, it's a bit of a rarity in her discography. There's a handful of similar sounding tracks on her albums, but she never seems to release them. It's a shame, because this is totally entertaining.

3. With Every Heartbeat (2007) - The single that (quite rightly) broke her for the second time outside Sweden. It's an epic, orchestral track that ranks among the very best songs of the decade, which means the two above it are bonafied masterpieces. This single is pure emotion.

2. Be Mine! (2005) - This single-handedly introduced a different Robyn. With its Eleanor Rigby style strings and heartbreaking, spoken middle-eight, this is nothing short of a classic pop song. It still gives me chills.

1. Dancing On My Own (2010) - And she keeps getting better. Her standout comes after what some may have seen as the peak in her career. What can I say about this song? I've heard it hundreds of times and never tire of it. Perfection.

So there you go! But here's the thing, no list is complete without hearing what you think! Leave your top ten Robyn songs in the comments!

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9 Comments:

Blogger trebledmind said...

I'll confess to not having much affection for "Handle Me"—much like I don't really care for "Who's That Girl"—so I'd swap it out for the one single that I think is criminally missing from this list: Indestructible. It duels with Dancing On My Own for the title of Scott's Favorite Song From Body Talk.

5:42 PM  
Blogger Nick said...

You know, Indestructible has definitely grown on me, but it still hasn't connected as much as the other singles from BT. I love the acoustic version, but I've never quite warmed up to the single edit. Still a great song, though.

5:47 PM  
Anonymous Dwayne said...

You have nothing from the "My Truth" album on your list. While it may not have been "dancey" it has some of the prettiest and emotionally moving songs she has ever recorded. The first time I heard it I was severely disappointed, but repeated listens sucked me in to its greatness.
1. Play
2. My Only Reason
3. Underneath The Heart

I still play these 3 regularly.

6:04 PM  
Anonymous gmisk said...

Be mine live is terrific...I would have stars4ever, Time Machine, and indestructible in my top 10

5:45 AM  
Anonymous Eric said...

While I applaud your efforts, the task of creating a top 10 of Robyn songs is fruitless. Depending on your mood, almost every song has something incredible to add to life. With that said, anyone who leaves Robotboy out is crazy. Crazy.

9:39 AM  
Blogger Nick said...

LOVE Time Machine and Robotboy, but neither were singles. Making a list of the top ten Robyn songs would be infinitely more difficult!

11:04 AM  
Blogger Robpop said...

LOVE THIS POST!

I never liked Handle Me.

I'd definitely try and argue for Electric, Play, Keep This Fire Burning and Remember. They're fab singles that wrap me up with bubbles of pop love.

2:20 PM  
Blogger alesta said...

Ups, you forgot both "Electric" and "Keep This Fire Burning". The latter is my favourite of hers, pre-body Talk era.

10:50 PM  
Blogger Rachel said...

I still have a soft spot in my heart for "Show Me Love". Its just so unapologetically pop. But you can't put everything on here, so that said, great list.

8:02 PM  

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