12 Underrated Songs from the Past 10 Years- Part III

Dying for more underrated songs? Here's your fix...........numbers 6 through 4.


Number 6: Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake “Give it to Me” 2007



It’s understandable why this song has been overlooked. It was released during the homestretch of Timbaland’s two year long dominance of the pop-music industry. From “Promiscuous Girl” by Nelly Furtado to One Republic’s“Apologize”, Timbaland owned 2006 and 2007. His crowning achievement from this era was certainly Justin Timberlake’s FutueSex/LoveSounds, most of which was produced by Timbaland and is widely considered one of the best pop albums of the 2000s. However, his best individual song from this 2006-2007 period was “Give it to Me.” The song has a unique futuristic sound featuring percussion bass, breathless drums, and digitalized keyboards. However, for as complex as the Timbaland’s composition is, the overall sound feels simple and laid-back. Additionally, the lyrics in the song are great, with Timbaland spending his entire verse dissing fellow producer Scott Storch. This song did reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 briefly in 2007, however it has been mostly forgotten since then. This confounds me; since I still think it’s the best song either Timbaland, Furtado, or Timberlake have ever been a part of. This song should be on regular rotation in every bar and club in America. Until then, it remains one of the most underrated songs of the past 10 years.

Number 5: Diddy featuring Keyshia Cole "Last Night" 2007

Diddy needed a big hit in 2007. The late 90s were a long time ago and Diddy had just spent the past five years as the host of MTV’s Making the Band, rather than pumping out hip-hop hits. With “Last Night”, Diddy may have only created a minor hit, but still proved why he’s capable of being one of the best producers in the rap game. Sampling the drum beat from Prince’s “Erotic City”, “Last Night” has a fun and energetic 80s feel. However, Keyshia’s vocals on the song are what make it a classic. The contrast between her powerful voice and Diddy’s low key rapping style are fantastic and the song features a memorable hook. It’s really the perfect song to listen to while driving fast on a hot summer night.

Number 4: Rilo Kiley "Silver Lining" 2007
 

 “Silver Lining” was the second single off of Rilo Kiley’s album Under the Blacklight. This is definitely one of the coolest songs I’ve ever heard. It features a mixture of alternative rock, country-western twang, and George Harrison style guitar riffs, which come together to create an iron-clad classic. Additionally, Jenny Lewis has a great, soulful voice and belts out an incredible chorus here. However, despite receiving immense critical praise, this song was never able to reach the Billboard Top 40. However, it’s not too late to discover this song now. If you’re a fan of Fleetwood Mac style rock, or just good music in general, you’ll certainly connect with “Silver Lining.”