12 Underrated Songs from the Past 10 years- Part I

Disclaimer: You could argue that not a single song on this list is underrated. Every song here was released as a single and received National Radio play. Some, you might even argue, were overplayed when they were originally released. However, for some reason or another, none of these songs is widely considered a classic. Some of these songs happened, but were quickly forgotten. Others have remained popular, but are still not considered the masterpieces they deserve to be. Nothing grinds my gears more than a great song being dismissed as lesser work. Consequently, I’ve decided to make it my crusade over Labor Day weekend to let the American public know what songs they’ve either forgotten about or taken for granted over the past 10 years. I’ll unveil three songs per post, with the best three songs being revealed at the end. Here we go....

Number 12: John Mayer “Shadow Days” 2012




Okay, I get why people initially dismissed this song. John Mayer’s pretty annoying and this song is basically about Mayer trying to convince himself and the American public that he’s actually a good guy. John Mayer is basically that guy whose really earnest, but in a bad way. However, if you forget about Mayer’s personality and dating life, and just listen to the music, you’ll hear one the best Southern Rock style ballads of the past ten years. The song is a mix of traditional Mayer, with a country-western vibe thanks to Mayer’s expert use of the steel guitar. You’d be hard pressed to find guitar riffs better than Mayer’s in “Shadow Days.” Also as cringe-worthy as some of the lyrics are, they are deeply sincere and awfully catchy. However, this song was never able to reach the Top-40 in the US which is certainly a shame because it’s great jam, with a vintage sound reminiscent of The Allman Brothers.


Number 11: Maroon 5 “One More Night” 2012



This song was almost a tad too popular to make my list. Afterall, it stayed number one on the Billboard Charts for nine weeks and still remains popular today. However, why wasn’t this song nominated for like 5 Grammies? This was easily the best song of 2012, regardless of genre. If anyone but the guy from The Voice had released this song it would have been considered this generation’s “Beat It.” The songs beat contains a unique blend of hip-hop, pop, rock, and reggae, and has an irresistible hook. Also, these are some of greatest lyrics I’ve ever heard “Try to tell you no, but my body keeps on telling you yes/ Try to tell you stop, but your lipstick got me so out of breath.” Adam Levine reached a new level of douchey-awesomeness with this song.


Number 10: Jay Z. featuring R. Kelly “Big Chips” 2004



Before Watch the Throne there was Best of Both Worlds. Best of Both Worlds was a joint venture between Jay and Kelly both still at the top of their respective games, where they produced two albums and a stadium tour. “Big Chips” is easily the best song from this collaboration and one of the best rap songs of the decade, but for some reason never caught on like Watch the Throne’s “Ni**as in Paris.” The song has a laid back sound, with a minimalist theory regarding it’s use of bass and drums. The song is basically just a party song, where Jay and Kelly brag about how awesome their lives are. However, it still has one of the coolest and most unique rap beats of the 21^st century.