The cTunes 50 Countdown: #1 - Swagger Like Us

Yes, I love music. With 2008 coming to end, I decided to go through my iTunes and compile a list of my top 50 songs of the year. It was pretty hard to cut it down to 50 and especially hard to rank them. I limited the list to music that only came out in 2008 or December 2007. It's mostly going to be hip-hop and R&B and alot of it are songs that were never played on the radio so don't confuse this for the most popular songs of 2008. I like good music and I appreciate everything from the production to the melody to the lyrics to the concept to the artist's singing/flowing abilities and I think this list will represent that. And I especially appreciate anyone that tries to be innovative, push boundaries, and create something special that's not like anything else that's out.

#1 - Swagger Like Us by T.I. (2) & Jay-Z (6) feat. Kanye West (11) & Lil Wayne (11): This shit is beyond epic... The rappers, the M.I.A. Paper Planes sample, the beat, the verses... The song of the year!
#2 - I'm Me by Lil Wayne (10): I used to HATE Lil Wayne until I heard this song and now he appears the most times on this list along with Kanye. Every line in this song is quotable. Even Michael Phelps said on the Today Show that he specifically listened to this song before his races in the Olympics. This would've been my top song of the year if it wasn't for the 'super collabo'.
#3 - Put On by Young Jeezy (2) feat. Kanye West (10): This was the first appearance of Kanye on a new song after his mom passed and the beginning of him on auto-tune. Very rarely do we hear rappers rap about being vulnerable but Kanye doesn't hide anything. Depression or whatever, he says what he feels even if it makes him look crazy or weak. It just makes him look human. And you gotta respect the artist for that.
#4 - Man On The Moon (The Anthem) by Kid Cudi (6): New artist of the year/Future artist of the year.
"They can't comprehend
Or even come close to understanding him
I guess if I was born they would love me more
Guess if I was simple in the mind
Everything would be fine
Maybe if I was jerk to girls
Instead of being nice and speakin kind words
But then maybe it would be ok to say then
I wasn't a good guy to begin with"
#5 - Jockin Jay-Z by Jay-Z (5): Classic Hov with the beat of the year by 'Ye.
#6 - Say You Will by Kanye West (9): Most of the time the music creates emotions. In 808's & Heartbreak, Kanye's emotions create the music.
#7 - Girls All Around The World by Lloyd feat. Lil Wayne (9): "This goes out to girls all around the world..."
#8 - A Milli by Lil Wayne (8): "YOUNG MONEY!!... A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI A MILLI..."
#9 - Da Art of Storytellin Part 4 by Outkast: I hope the new Outkast album is this good.
#10 - Shoot Me Down by Lil Wayne (7): "Please don't shoot me down cuz I'm flyin."... dope production by 'Ye.
#11 - Welcome To Heartbreak by Kanye West (8) feat. Kid Cudi (5): Everything about this song is sick.
#12 - Go Hard by Kanye West (7) feat. T-Pain (2): This would be higher if Khaled wasn't screaming over it... and I wish Kanye would make more music like this.
#13 - The Coolest by Lupe Fiasco (6): My favorite track on one of the best albums of the year.
#14 - Paris Tokyo by Lupe Fiasco (5): Good chill music.
#15 - Pinocchio Story by Kanye West (6): "Wise man say, wise man say: You'll never figure out real love, you'll never figure out real love."
#16 - Day N Nite by Kid Cudi (4): "The lonely stoner seems to free his mind at night."
#17 - Live Your Life by T.I. feat. Rihanna: Hook of the year by Rihanna.
#18 - Street Lights by Kanye West (5): The Black Coldplay.
#19 - We Fight/We Love by Q-Tip feat. Raphael Saadiq (3): All around good song.
#20 - History by Jay-Z (4): Only Jay can personify Victory, Defeat, Death, Success, and History like this.
#21 - Promised Land by Malik Yusef feat. Adam Levine & Kanye West (4): The Obama song.
#22 - Tie My Hands by Lil Wayne (6) feat. Robin Thicke: Dope combo.
#23 - See You In My Nightmares by Kanye West (3) feat. Lil Wayne (5): "I've got the right to put up a fight but not quite cuz you cut off my light but my sight is better tonight and I might see you in my nightmare."
#24 - Mr. Carter by Lil Wayne (4) feat. Jay-Z (3): "I feel big... not big in a sense of weight, like gaining weight or nothin like that... like colossal..."
#25 - Amazing by Kanye West (2) feat. Young Jeezy: Sounds like Johnny Cash.
#26 - If U Leave by Musiq Soulchild feat. Mary J. Blige (2): Classic Musiq.
#27 - Embrace The Martian by Kid Cudi (3): This is what 2009 sounds like.
#28 - Everybody Knows by John Legend (2): Genuis.
#29 - Quickly by John Legend feat. Brandy: "I want you to love me like you know the world is about end baby, quickly."
#30 - Best Thing by Usher (2) feat. Jay-Z (2): Best of both worlds.
#31 - Gold Watch by Lupe Fiasco (4): A song about the "essentials of cool".
#32 - Put You On Game by Lupe Fiasco (3): A song about "evil".
#33 - I Luv Your Girl by The-Dream: "Radio killa... should beat the track up like guerilla..."
#34 - Addiction by Ryan Leslie feat. Cassie & Fabolous: Sickest production (video)
#35 - Superstar by Lupe Fiasco (2): Best flow in the game.
#36 - Never Give You Up by Raphael Saadiq (2) feat. Stevie Wonder: Another classic. Go check out The Way I See It album if you haven't already.
#37 - Oh Girl Remix by Raphael Saadiq feat. Jay-Z: Classic. Soulful.
#38 - Love In This Club Part 2 by Usher feat. Beyonce & Lil Wayne (3): The power track.
#39 - Everyone Nose Remix by N.E.R.D. feat. Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco & Pusha T: Video of the Year!
#40 - Nike Boots by Wale (2): Best flow since Lupe.
#41 - Change by T-Pain feat. Diddy, Akon & Mary J. Blige: Sick remake.
#42 - Let The Beat Build by Lil Wayne (2): Now that's how you let the beat build, bitch!
#43 - 50 Ways To Make A Record by Kid Cudi (2): To quote Ruel: "this song is about how you're not limited in life, rather there's actually "50 ways" to everything and anything."
#44 - Queens Get The Money by Nas: Reminds me of Illmatic.
#45 - The Prayer by Kid Cudi: Simply dope.
"My heart thump not from being nervous
Sometimes I'm thinking God made me special here on purpose
So all the while 'til I'm gone make my words important so
If I slip away, if I die today the last thing you remember won't
Be about some apple bottom jeans with the boots with the fur
Baby how I dream of being free since my birth
Cursed but the demons I confronted would disperse
Have you ever heard of some shit so real
Beyond from the heart, from the soul you can feel"
#46 - Warwick Avenue by Wale feat. Duffy: Sick storytelling.
#47 - So You Can Cry by Ne-Yo: Good song writing. And yea, I like this song.
#48 - Better In Time by Leona Lewis: Best vocals in the game. And yea I like this song.
#49 - Mrs. Officer by Lil Wayne: Clever concept, catchy hook.
#50 - Paper Planes by M.I.A.: Way different, in a good way.

CMCs Top 50 Songs of the Year Countdown