Amph WMMR's Top 35 Rock Songs of 2011. Full List Posted.

Philly's rock station, 93.3 WMMR, recently did a Top 20 of 2011 countdown based on a survey of 500 VIP listeners, though they posted the Top 35 results. Being from a radio station, though, it's obviously limited to singles but I thought it'd make for a good thread.




#35: 311, "Sunset in July"


I actually don't think I've heard this one before- it certainly didn't get much play on MMR. Still, it's not a bad track- like much of 311's work, it's a decent song to listen to while relaxing.

(Though part of me wishes 311 had ended up being a little harder of a band like their first single "Down" had hinted at long ago. Still, the "chill" angle is nice to pull out every now and then.)

 

#34: Adelitas Way, "Sick"


This one I have heard a few times. It's pretty decent- it starts to gain some traction with the beginning of the chorus but I think I expect it to get bigger after that, but it doesn't, which restrains my enthusiasm for it.

 

Its not their most catchy song.

 

I think that's what I meant by "traction"- it feels like it's about to grab you and get big, but it kinda flatlines and trails off.

 

#33: Papa Roach, "No Matter What"


This one's not bad either- I rather like most of Papa Roach's modern work, but for the more softer/ballad-like songs that they've done, this isn't their best (Scars & Lifeline are much better), but still not bad. Still, my least favorite of their most recent 3 singles from this album.

 

Well, even though I'm linking to official music videos, it's for the songs, not the videos.



#32: Sick Puppies, "Riptide"


This one I've heard quite often and I think it's quite a good song. In fact, most of the singles from this album over the past couple years have been pretty solid ("Odd One" was one of my favorite songs from last year). I may grab the album at some point.

 

#31: 3 Doors Down, "When You're Young"


Though not my favorite 3 Doors track (there's too many good tracks on their first album to choose from) this one's still quite good.

I actually got to see part of their set at a concert last summer and they sound exactly the same live as recorded (however, their lack of a stage show and the general style of their music does not make them a good choice as the headliners for a day-long event (which included more energetic acts), which is why we left early).

 

#30: 3 Doors Down, "Everytime You Go"


Has a lighter sound than they usually have, i think. I almost want to say there's a pop edge to it- I wouldn't immediately know it was 3DD if not told, or at least, wouldn't be 100% certain it was them.

 

#29: Theory of a Deadman, "Lowlife"

(WARNING: language)

Though not my favorite track from them (Bad Girlfriend is still my favorite song from them), this one is fun/bouncy and catchy. Also funny.

 

#28: Kings of Leon, "Radioactive"


Never heard this one before- or, at they very least, it doesn't leave enough of an impression that I'd actually remember if I had. Has a very U2/Coldplay generic elevator music vibe to it... though, to it's credit, the chorus later on gives it a bit of energy, and there's a bit of a brief funky twist in the basic riff.

 

#27: Shinedown, "Diamond Eyes (Boom Lay Boom Lay Boom)"


I guess this one was included on a technicality- it was initially released in 2010, as it was written for The Expendables, but topped in the mainstream rock charts in March of 2011.

Anyways, a kick-ass song. One that probably made me more excited about the movie than the cast (there's something perfect about the feel of the song at the "this is philosophy" part that, when coupled with a brief shot of Mickey Rourke revving his bike that was one of those perfect trailer moments I'll always remember for some reason).

The song didn't end up in the theatrical cut (to my disappointment) but was reinstated to play twice during the Director's Cut to good effect- as was the scene where the team members recite the poem the song is titled atfter.

Asked for the reason why the song has "(Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)" as a subtitle, frontman Brent Smith told The Pulse Of Radio the story behind it. "When we wrote the song, Sylvester Stallone said, 'You have to repeat in some kind of a chant form or an anthemic form, I need it if you can to have it go 'boom-lay boom-lay boom.'' 'Cause it's based off of a poem called 'The Congo' that he based a lot of the premise of 'The Expendables' off of," he said. "In that poem, between each paragraph, it goes 'boom-lay boom-lay boom' and then it goes to the next section of the poem."

 

#26: Rise Against, "Make It Stop (September's Children)"


I've only started paying attention to Rise Against recently, and while this one is not as outright awesome as Help is On the Way or Savior, the chanting part does give it a nice epic edge. Though I'm trying to focus more on the song itself than the video, the video is a part of the It Gets Better Project and the visuals do work with the song better than the song does by itself, i think.

 

That song in particular, or the list (so far) as a whole?

 

Well, as I specified in the OP, we're primarily looking at singles released on a rock station (albeit one that tends to have a wider selection than most major rock stations) within a particular year (which will only tally up to be so many songs), and we're still in the bottom third of the list, so the entries would be more hit and miss, comparatively speaking.

 

The hope is there will be more interest/activity moving forward now that the move/merger has concluded. Since it's a relatively short list, it also makes it easy for folks to catch up on the pre-move content as well.

However, I do agree the list has been mixed so far- only the Shinedown song so far kicks ass (but isn't technically a 2011 song ) and I probably only like the Sick Puppies and 3 Doors Down tracks beyond that. The others are so-so at best or skippable.

 

#25: Papa Roach, "Burn"

(WARNING: violence/language)

Now this one does kick ass. I had commented earlier in the thread about how the #34 song by Adelita's Way felt like it was trying to build to something with traction, but never had the payoff (or hook) to really give the song the impact it could have had.

But here? The total opposite- the song has payoff in droves. What I love about it is how it builds (when "Don't try to deny it.." kicks in- something a lesser song would use for it's payoff in of itself), gives you a payoff (with "Burn! Burn!" etc) yet still manages to continue to build (towards the "get what you deserve" portion) and then hits you with another payoff. Very satisfying.