#56
Lupe Fiasco “Kick, Push”
2005

A hip-hop song about skateboarding? It’s true.

Lupe Fiasco announced his presence to the world with this first single, earning a Grammy nomination and setting the stage for larger exposure with his hit second album Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool.

#57
Spoon “Everything Hits At Once”
2001

Spoon consistently made great albums throughout this decade, but Girls Can Tell (their first of the decade) may be the best.

“Everything Hits At Once” is my favorite from that album…and favorite Spoon song overall.

#58
MGMT “Kids”
2008

MGMT came out of absolutely nowhere to explode in popularity in 2008.

Psychedlic synthpop songs like “Kids”, “Time to Pretend” and “Electric Feel” helped MGMT go from complete unknowns to household names in a very, very short time.

#59
Phoenix “Lisztomania”
2009

This song’s title is a reference to 19th century Hungarian virtuoso pianist Franz Liszt, who apparently was the subject of Beatlemania-type adoration a full century before the Fab Four took the world by storm.

After making solid pop music for several years, Phoenix finally got the credit and mainstream exposure that they deserved with 2009’s fantastic Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

#60
The Shins “New Slang”
2001

“You gotta hear this one song—it’ll change your life.”

Gag.

That’s how Natalie Portman’s character introduced the Shins to the mainstream world in 2004’s Garden State.

While it may not be exactly life-changing, “New Slang” is at least strong enough to stand on its own legs without Zach Braff tearfully shoving it into your face.

#61
The National “About Today”
2004

The National is often soft and subtle as it is, but “About Today” takes that to its extreme.

Soft, somber and undeniably beautiful, “About Today” details the foreboding sense of loss as a relationship falls apart.

#62
Arcade Fire “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”
2005

This is Arcade Fire at its heaviest…the song that normally provides a late jolt to an already intense live show.

“Power Out” is actually extremely powerful, providing the intensity and urgency that makes Arcade Fire so great as a band.