Thanks For The Memories: Top 77 of 2007!

Before I conclude 2007, it has become a tradition of mine to post my top songs of the year. You may disagree with a few choices, and even downright question my taste in music. But the following choices reflect my favorites in top 40, r&b, rock, and popular music. I love discovering newly released music and sharing what's fresh with whoever comes on here to read and for the past five months, you had a taste of what i've been listening to via my weekly charts (which i probably will transfer over to an outside blog from myspace in the upcoming year). Now here are my favorite 77 songs of 07! The songs marked with "*" may have not reached their peak yet, so they have the potential of charting in 2008. Enjoy!

But first, close but no cigar: Colbie Caillat - "Bubbly", Faber Drive - "Tongue Tied", Justin Timberlake "What Goes Around Comes Around", Lil Mama - "Lip Gloss"

The Top 77 of 2007 by Ray V.

77: Because Of You - Ne-Yo
76: Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy
75: Stop Me - Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather
74: Breathe In Breathe Out* - Mat Kearney
73: Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now - Joss Stone feat. Common
72: The Way I Are - Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson and D.O.E.
71: Never Again - Kelly Clarkson

70: Salamat - Yeng Constantino
69: Better - Regina Spektor
68: Dreaming With A Broken Heart - John Mayer
67: Rehab - Amy Winehouse
66: What I've Done - Linkin Park
65: Can U Believe - Robin Thicke
64: 1234 - Feist
63: About You Now - Sugababes
62: Give It To Me - Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake
61: Pressure Suit - Aqualung

60: Wonderful World - James Morrison
59: Lose It - Cartel
58: Say OK - Vanessa Hudgens
57: When Did Your Heart Go Missing - Rooney
56: The Good Life - Kanye West feat. T-Pain
55: With You* - Chris Brown
54: No U Hang Up - Shayne Ward
53: Colorful - Rocco DeLuca and the Burden
52: Love Today - Mika
51: Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

50: Say This Sooner - The Almost
49: Who Knew*- P!nk
48: Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
47: Time Won't Let Me Go - The Bravery
46: The Sweet Escape (Konvict Remix) - Gwen Stefani feat. Akon
45: Nolita Fairytale - Vanessa Carlton
44: Everything - Michael Buble
43: All Good Things (Come To An End) - Nelly Furtado
42: Light Up The Sky - Yellowcard
41: Human* - Jon McLaughlin

40: Real Girl - Mutya Buena
39: I'm Like A Lawyer... (Me & You) - Fall Out Boy
38: When You're Gone - Avril Lavigne
37: Whatever It Takes* - Lifehouse
36: Big Casino - Jimmy Eat World
35: Glamorous - Fergie
34: LoveStoned - Justin Timberlake
33: Gone* - Matt Nathanson
32: No One - Alicia Keys
31: Home - Daughtry

30: Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
29: Pictures Of You - The Last Goodnight
28: Don't Stop The Music* - Rihanna
27: Love Song*- Sara Bareilles
26: Lost Without U - Robin Thicke
25: When It Was Me - Paula DeAnda
24: Clothes Off! - Gym Class Hereoes feat. Patrick Stump
23: Heaven On Earth* - Britney Spears
22: Hate That I Love You - Rihanna feat. Ne-Yo
21: Seven Days Of Lonely* - I Nine

20: Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
"Hey hey, you you. I want to be your girlfriend" should become the new high school cheerleading chant for the 21st century.

19: Cupid's Chokehold - Gym Class Heroes feat. Patrick Stump
GCH frontman Travis McKoy is confident and not cocky in his ode to being hit by the love arrow in this hybrid hip-hop/rock song.

18: Patience - Take That
Rebanded as a Brit man band, Patience was all over the UK and Europe during the winter months. Citibank Hungary loves the tune, because the song was played during two separate visits to the bank!

17: Apologize - OneRepublic feat. Timbaland
Although Timbaland enhanced the song with some of his signature beats and ehs, it is Ryan Tedder's voice that carries the weight of its success.

16: The Shake (Awful Feeling) -My American Heart
Take one part Fil-Am and one part emo and it's outcome would sound something like this. The Shake was the first single off their album Hiding Inside The Horrible Weather.

15: Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
Rounding out last year's countdown at number 50, its steady success as a worldwide club and radio hit lasted well through the first quarter of the year. Thanks again to the aid of super-producer Timbaland, Furtado gained her second number one in the US.

14: Dig - Incubus
The mesmerizing guitar riff throughout the song and refreshing lyrics that boast of friendship dig the song out of what could have been a trite ode to a lover. Fortunately this is Incubus and they can never do wrong.

13: Broken Heart - Motion City Soundtrack
The first single off of the band's third album, Even If It Kills Me, has a great, catchy and cheerful chorus with a depressing subject matter of love lost. The video is seals its appeal, with an average joe dressed in a human heart costume.

12: Grace Kelly - Mika
This song was the biggest download in the UK this year and it was no surprise that it got massive airplay all across Europe during my study abroad. Singing with a flamboyant style reminiscent of a certain Queen frontman mentioned in the lyrics, masking the fun is his musical identity crisis.

11: First Time - Lifehouse
Even if you've never heard of Lifehouse, you may have heard this song on those Dodge commercials. The Jason Wade-led band who created uber-hits like "Hanging By The Moment" breaks through with a more refined singnature sound. The song hits a high with its steady beat, sonic riffs, and catchy chorus. As for its simple meaning, Wade sings of feeling like being in love for the first time.

10: So Small - Carrie Underwood
This American Idol winner just keeps churning hit after hit. After a successful debut over a year ago, So Small doesn't tinker with the effective and successful formula of the inspirational and heart-wrenching country ballad. Here, Underwood comes to the realization that certain things in life are petty.

09: Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy
Thnks t Fll t By, y cn d tw thngs: wrte txt msgs wtht th vwls nd brk p wth yr sshle byfrnd r btch grlfrnd wtht tlkng t thm! Wldn't tht b th grtst thng n th wrld?!

08: Car Crash - Matt Nathanson
One of my personal favorite musicians released his much-awaited album since 2003's Beneath These Fireworks with 2007's Some Mad Hope. Car Crash goes back to classic Nathanson rock territory. The single is an amazing sonic rush of Nathanson's comforting vocals, chill riffs, and steady drumming. The message is awesome too: wanting to live life and to be 'hit' by the next best thing.

07: Misery Business - Paramore
It's hard to imagine that Hayley Williams, the sole female of this punk band is barely 17-years-old. With her soaring and confident vocals, she commands your attention just like a seasoned pro. And it doesn't hurt that this type of song inspires the belief that you could sing from the top of your lungs...and pull the pads out of the mean girl's bra too.

06: You Give Me Something - James Morrison
What attracts me most to this song is Brit-born Morrison's soulfull and raspy voice. Add a guitar, a violin, and pleas for a relationship to work out and what you get is a dream-like, modern-day serenade. The most refreshing thing about him is his incredible live performance. Stripped down with only a guitar and sincere vocals, he can evoke the rawest of emotions.

5: The Great Escape - Boys Like Girls
Arguably one of the songs that have defined my summer of 2007, the emo-rock Boston-based frontman Martin Johnson's booming vocals and rush of guitars form a rallying call for youths to have fun and live with a carefree spirit. The second single off of their self-titled debut is certainly a song that you can't help but sing along to. I can't wait to see more of BLG in the upcoming year.

4: Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
Who knew Fergie could sing a song without spelling? Following the huge success of the midtempo jam by Beyonce, Fergie's own "Irreplaceable" has lyrics that sound downright juvenile ("I'll be your best friend and you'll be my Valentine") but she somehow makes it work. What also sold the song was its video which featured a faux-tatted Milo Ventimiglia, Fergie dropping panties (into a laundry basket), and talk about jacks and Uno cards, which although incomprehensible is at the same time a bit playful and flirty. And of course, that and an unavoidable and catchy tempo will stick in your head, even if you don't exactly know the words. By August, BGDC became her third number one single, cementing her solo debut The Dutchess, which has spawned five top five hits in the US.

3: Won't Go Home Without You * - Maroon 5
It is a wonder that frontman Adam Levine's voice can sound both uninspiring and evocative in this song. Not an easy thing to pull off, but in the second-coming of "She Will Be Loved", Levine pleads for a love that has gone astray with sheer aplomb. The constant riff, reminiscent of The Police's "Every Breathe You Take", and the haunting vocal help to make this song one of my favorites this past year.

2: Beautiful Disaster - Jon McLaughlin
This Indiana-born singer-songwriter is an emotional tour-de-force with this piano rock ballad about an insecure teenager who fails to see her beauty and self-worth beyond the flaws. Initially featured in the film Georgia Rule, McLaughlin's lilting voice sings: "She prays one day she'll find someone to need her". With an earnest, heartbreaking, and honest delivery, the end product is intense, lush, and beautiful.

1: UMBRELLA - Rihanna
With its inescapable global domination and provocative video, Umbrella truly was the defining song of 2007. Arguably the reigning song of the summer, its message and delivery is anything but sunshine and cheer. Rihanna vocals are intriguingly cold and her hypnotic echoes of "ella ella eh eh eh" are haunting, if not the ire of many now. When she reaches the bridge, her words turn to comfort. The subject matter becomes clearer as she confidently affirms to her lover or friend that she will offer her unconditional support even through the stormiest of times. And alas! - The brilliance of the metaphorical umbrella, protecting against the emotional rain. Brilliant hit! After releasing several top ten hits since 2005, Umbrella has become the most successful and definitely the best song to date for the Barbadian songstress. Plus you certainly couldn't avoid it anywhere, with covers by Mandy Moore, Marie Digby, Scott Simons, and remixes with Lil Mama and Chris Brown – all marks of a truly great pop song.

So, what do you think?! Do you agree with my choices? Comments are appreciated!

Let's see what 2008 brings to the world of music...including exciting changes in store. Starting next week, the Earworm Top 40 blog will become the Friss Zene!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!