10 Best Songs of 2010 Lists

With a continued flurry of new releases, we're still highlighting the best songs of 2010 to date. Many of the new singles feature guest artists, an "et-al" phenomenon that includes Ludacris, Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Hayley Williams, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg and others leading the pack. But let's not exclude Lady Antebellum, whose success from their earlier album release has carried them over into the new decade. Here are AOL Radio's Top Pop Songs of 2010 so far -- pulled from listener ratings on our Fresh 40 station. Be sure to check back frequently, as we will be updating this post every couple months with the best 2010 songs.

10. Rihanna - Rude Boy

'Rude Boy' is the third single (second international single) from her fourth studio effort 'Rated R.' Driven by steel drums, the ska and dancehall track's title references Jamaican slang -- specifically males who are continually in trouble. After all, who doesn't love a bad boy?

09. Lady GaGa - Telephone

Not to be confused with Beyonce's remix of 'Video Phone' -- which also includes Lady GaGa -- this top pop song is featured on GaGa's 'The Fame Monster' and was released as a single on Jan. 26. Although the song incorporates a harp, it's definitely club-ready -- and features a surprising rap sequence in the middle by Beyonce. Written by GaGa and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, the song was originally intended for Britney.

08. Usher - OMG

Borrowing a commonly-used text acronym to describe Usher's feelings for a girl, this best song of 2010 features stadium cheering in the chorus and Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, singing auto-tune vocals backed by his own hip-hop beats.

07. B.o.B - Airplanes

Atlanta's newest MC and producer recruits Paramore's tangerine bombshell Hayley Williams for this hip-hop track, featuring piano melodies and prominent clapping backbeats as he says, "I could use a dream or a genie or a wish / To go back to a place much simpler than this." The 2010 song is off B.o.B's debut album 'B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray,' which topped the Billboard 200 in its first week.

06. Kesha - Your Love Is My Drug

The bubblegum '80s-sounding track -- off her January debut 'Animal' -- opens with the delusional line: "Maybe I need some rehab / Or maybe just need some sleep / I've got a sick obsession, I'm seeing it in my dreams." With a modern Cyndi Lauper-inspired chorus, the song has a playful take on a teen love obsession, with auto-tuned vocals and casual chatty ad-libs.

05. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now (2010 Mix)

This top song is about the longing of late-night companionship. A beautiful ballad for a booty-call, the song reached No. 1 on the Hot Country charts in November, eventually transitioning over to pop radio. The 2010 pop mix version has electric guitar replacing the country guitar twang in the chorus and the bridge. Subtle, but it does the trick.

04. Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart

This R&B song -- with auto-tune vocals and a synth back-beat -- is the first single from Taio Cruz's September-released album 'Rokstarr.' Originally penned for UK singer Cheryl Cole, this No. 1 UK hit has been remixed in 2010 for the US version that features rap sequences by Ludacris.

03. B.o.B - Nothin' on You

'Nothin' on You' is the very first single by B.o.B. Featuring Bruno Mars (who sings the catchy chorus about all the beautiful women uncomparable to "the one"), this best song of 2010 is also included on B.o.B.'s debut studio album, 'The Adventures of Bobby Ray.'

02. Eminem - Love the Way You Lie

The blockbuster album 'Recovery' has been breaking records on the Billboard charts, as well as its second single, 'Love the Way You Lie.' The mid-tempo rap track, with melodic piano chords and a soaring chorus, has R&B diva Rihanna joining Eminem to tell the story of an abusive couple who can't stay apart, despite bringing out the worst in each other. "It's something that, you know, [Eminem and I have] both experienced ... On different sides, different ends of the table," Rihanna, recently told Access Hollywood.

01. Katy Perry - California Gurls

Featuring hip-hop star Snoop Dogg,
the song includes Prince-sounding '80s guitar beats and summer-ready lyrics: "California girls / We're unforgettable / Daisy dukes, bikinis on top / Sun kissed skin, so hot, will melt your popsicle." Is it the California version of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' 'Empire State of Mind'? We'll let the fans determine that.
2010 Best Songs -- The Runner-Ups

These songs just missed our 10 Best Songs of 2010 list :

Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me

The Singer, songwriter, producer, and recent Duke University graduate came into the limelight with his debut album, June 2010's '31 Minutes to Takeoff.' The lead single, 'Cooler Than Me' was produced by Gigamesh, and originally appeared on Posner's mixtape, 'A Matter of Time,' which came out last early last year.

Eminem - Not Afraid

The lead single off Eminem's smashing album, 'Recovery,' 'Not Afraid' perfectly sums up the rapper's rehabilitation from drug addiction. Produced by Boi-1da, it shows an optimistic Eminem, who chooses to face his fears: "I'm not afraid to take a stand / everybody, come take my hand / We'll walk this road together, through the storm / Whatever weather... you're not alone / Holler if you feel that you been down the same road."

Lady Gaga - Alejandro

With Europop influences and Madonna 'La Isla Bonita' similarities, the third single off 'The Fame Monster' has Gaga turning away true love: "You know that I love you boy / Hot like Mexico, rejoice / At this point I gotta choose, nothing to loose." According to Gaga, the song's controversial video is a "celebration and an admiration of gay love -- it confesses my envy of the courage and bravery they require to be together."

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