umber One. Missy Elliot- “Work It”
Through her first three albums, Missy Elliott made a career out of deft use of space and silence. This year, she and co-producer Timbaland returned with “Work It,” their wordiest track yet. One of about a million and two great post-Ecstasy hip-hop singles, “Work It” contains more neck-snapping sounds and grin-inducing lyrics than any other this year. From “Get your hair did” to “ga-donk-a-donk-donk” everything she spits is memorable and quotable. When Missy finally ran out of things to say, she spoke backward. If she and Timbo ever run out ideas, we’re gonna grieve when they leave dog, fa sheezy.
[Scott Plagenhoef]

02. Clipse- “Grindin’”
The Neptunes, oh they of the slick keyboards and infectious melodies, bring a surprise with a beat that claps and clatters like rival dealer getting thrown into a dumpster. Newcomers Pusha T and Malice throw down verses with cold stares, daring you to enter their world of guns and coke. Meanwhile, Aphex Twin starts combing through his Rolodex for drug-dealing MC teams.
[Gavin Mueller]

03. Clipse- “When the Last Time”
The second single from the hit Neptunes produced Lord Willin’, has the Virginia duo returning with a even more club ready banger. The song hinges on the anchor of gracefully fucked keyboard sample and the “which brother is rapping now?” question becomes moot as the song glides towards its finish leaving you breathless for more. Lord Willin’ will get a full album of tracks this good next time. For now, “When the Last Time” and “Grindin’” will have to do.
[Todd Burns]

04. Ludacris- “Saturday”
The sound of Luda hitting his stride, "Saturday (Ooh Ooh)" was one of the top party songs in a year that produced more excellent party songs than the previous four. "Satuday" also has the virtue of being the first Ludacris single not ruined by excessive running time. If for nothing else, the song deserves positioning on a thousand NOW! compilations for the "YOU GOT A NOSEBLEED?" bit alone.
[Colin Beckett]

05. Nelly- “Hot in Herre”
This song here's about a couple of kids who don’t know what they’re supposed to do. The boy’s just trying to see how far his big mouth can take him, trying what he can but not really expecting any reaction. Our girl’s worried too, just came to the club for the first time maybe, doing what she think she’s supposed to but not really being honest about it. In the second or third verse the boy goes too far and invites the girl to come do some dancing in his friend’s basement. His parents are probably sleeping upstairs but this is still too much, man, and our girl won’t stand for it. “What?” she says, offended and shocked. He’s gone too far and he knows it! “Oh- I’m just kidding like Jason...unless you’re gonna do it!” That’s the essence of the song...this reserved hope, born of inexperience and insecurity...it’s perfect. After watching the video, though, I'm not so sure.
[Leon Neyfakh]

06. LCD Soundsystem- “Losing My Edge”
NYLPM’s Tom Ewing called 2002 the year “everyone became a dilettante,” and he couldn’t be more right. The Internet and reissue culture has obliterated the line between then and now—everything is available to be experienced in the present. One of the problems, of course, is that listeners research rather than discover music, and their reactions are more borrowed than honest, detached more than resonant. The song itself is an eight-minute post-punk, rhythm-box workout with a canon—Jamaican Soundclashes, the Paradise Garage, Daft Punk—I can support and a lament (“I’m losing my edge / The kids are coming up from behind”) that cuts to the bone. It’s the missing link between Playgroup’s “Partymix” and Osymyso’s “Intro-Inspection” and one of Retro (Not Retro)’s leading lights. And the B-side is even better.
[Scott Plagenhoef]

07. Golden Boy feat. Miss Kittin – “Rippin Kittin”
Miss Kittin became the electroclash diva thanks to ironic, dead-pan, spoken-word paeans to the new wave ’80s or the hyperconsumption of velvet-rope celebrity. But it’s her first attempt at actually singing—over Misfits-quoting gothsynth that sounds like ABBA’s “The Day Before You Came” played at double speed, no less—that she really hits her stride. The opposite of much of Miss Kittin’s often labored-sounding stuff, this is effortless and brilliant.
[Scott Plagenhoef]

08. NORE- “Nothin’”
"Nothin"’s beat sounds like it came straight from the Orient, from a kingdom hall somewhere in the Far East, put over a shy drum and completely destroyed from above by Noreaga. He walks in at the beginning and yells “Oooh!” like the Black Knight, stomping all over and declaring what he’s come to do. The chorus is kind of reminiscent of "Grindin'" by the Clipse, in that you have to look for it to find it, but everything else is so over the top, so strong, so intimidating, that it’s almost a reassuring pat on the back after he jumps at your face to make you flinch.
[Leon Neyfakh]

09. The Rapture- “House of Jealous Lovers”
There’s no intro here- it’s a groove all the way throughout. Breaking this hypnotic groove is the lead singer yelping “House of...Jealous Lovers” at regular intervals- oh, and the occasional “shake down!!!” It’s joyous, life affirming- the best rock song to dance to in a long time. Only thing wrong with it? More cowbell, guys.
[Todd Burns]

10. NERD- “Lapdance”
The Neptunes conquered the pop world in 2001. In 2002, they released their manifesto on how they plan to rule it with In Search of...'s first single: shallow, glammed out keyboards, neck-snapping drums, sneering guitars, lots of heavy breathing. Cut some lines, pop some Cristal, and never consider what you're going to deal with in the morning.
[Gavin Mueller]

11. The Hives- “Hate to Say I Told You So”
Chad Hugo calls him a "Baby Jagger". He calls his own band "the best one in the world". Whatever the longevity of the band: one thing is clear, the Hives are riding the wave of the so called rock revival and produced one of the best singles to hit the radio in 2002. Raw and unbridled fury mixed with a healthy dose of arrogance make this one of the most interesting bands to watch, even if the Vines did beat them at the Battle of the Bands at the Music Video Awards this year.
[Todd Burns]

12. The White Stripes- “Fell in Love With a Girl”
There's just one reason this song is so good: energy. Raw, sloppy riffing and Jack White's frantic screaming drive the track to the point of near-collapse, but the best part of the whole damn thing is when it does collapse, and Jack screams out, "I said it once before but it's worth repeating" in the most crazed, off-key tone you could imagine. That it ever became a hit single is baffling at best, but this slice of joyous pubescent rock was made even more enjoyable when it was sandwiched in between all the usual sterile radio fodder.
[Ed Howard]

13. Eminem- “Lose Yourself”
And people actually said nothing good could ever come of rap-rock? It seems strange that Eminem would save his best material from this year for a soundtrack, but the rock/hip-hop hybrid "Lose Yourself" clearly trumps nearly everything on The Eminem Show. With its understated piano intro seguing into a rousing guitar-and-drums stomp, and Em rapping out the transcript to a motivational speech, this is the best pump-up anthem soundtrack cut since "Eye of the Tiger." The song's suffered tremendously from its ubiquity on MTV and radio, but even massive overplaying hasn't diminished its unique power.
[Ed Howard]

14. Queens of the Stone Age- “No One Knows”
Yar, it is I, Lord Rock, and I live high above the world atop Mount Riff. I surround myself with my fellow mortal slaves, such as Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Page, and Josh Homme. From the fiery chasms of thy mountain, we create Rock Music to blow your mind, especially if there are several tasty riffs, hot from the pit, freshly branded with my own hands from Hell's chasm, on top of one another, in one song. Or if it is a rock epic, that is good as well. Wailing guitar solos help too.
[Sam Bloch]

15. Cam’ron- “Hey Ma”
"Hey Ma"’s appeal is a mystery, because the flow’s kind of lazy, wit’s not all there some of the time, and Cam’s conviction just doesn’t sound quite strong enough. The piano saves it though, makes you want to hear it again and again, to wait for the opening and the closing, and that brilliant line in between about “Yo L / whaddup? / I hit / What else? / Plus dome / Say word? / And we got in tonight!” That last one sung like a playground taunt. “Boy, you’s a baby, right?” And that girl! Not quite as hot as Nelly’s and not nearly as much attitude, but man, she’ll do anything.
[Leon Neyfakh]

16. Madonna- “Die Another Day”
The good Bond movie is all about tradition. There have to be the corny one-liners that make you groan, the ridiculous-looking bad guys, the two Bond girls (one good and one bad), and the long opening credits with the female silhouettes and, of course, the theme song. "Die Another Day" is yet another great cut in that tradition: it's sultry and sexy, yet somewhat icy and distant, recalling the best of Madonna's work circa Erotica. This is the sound of the Material Girl rejecting the folky poses of Music and returning to her seductive dance-pop roots.
[Ed Howard]

17. Sugababes- “Freak Like Me”
In UK teen pop stakes, lobbing a couple of singles outside of the top 10 and losing a member and a record label means there really isn’t much use in continuing. After that adversity, the Sugababes attempted to do so anyway. They wheeled out a cover for their make-or-break comeback single, but rather than a standard or show-stopping ballad or a track, it was this—a bootleg of Adina Howard’s “Freak Like Me” over Gary Numan’s “Are ‘Friends’ Electric.” Drafting original producer Richard X to rough up the edges and boost the drums, the song put the girls on top of the charts and to No. 1. A one-stop zeitgeist, it remains elecroclash’s and bootleg culture’s biggest hit—and all good to me.
[Scott Plagenhoef]

18. Christina Aguilera- “Dirrty”
With the comeback single of the year, Xtina ushered in a new direction for teen pop stars- skank. With her push/pull eroticism, Xtina turned Rockwilder's production into a confusing wheel of high notes, grunts, and sweat. It was the most exhausting single of the year. It was a song that demanded you close your eyes and enjoy the ride- it may be a bumpy one.
[Todd Burns]

19. Justin Timberlake- “Cry Me a River”
In which Justin Timberlake cleans out his closet and explains his talk-show locker room braggadocio as a way to smooth his bruised ego. Punctuated by Timbaland’s narration, JT’s ill-wishes make pop’s best spiteful epic. Brit and Justin may never again meet along the bumpy road of love, but this is our collective memory of how he dangles his knife—and how broken relationships change our life.
[Scott Plagenhoef]

20. Eminem- “Without Me”
The requisite "comeback" song from Eminem's third album, "Without Me" proclaims that the rapper is, once again, back, and whining that we all must've missed him while he was gone. So, basically, this is more of the same from white America's favorite scapegoat. While much of the rest of this album finds Marshall maturing and branching out, the lead single is--appropriately--just another fun romp through the shady one's bizarre consciousness. It felt so empty without him, indeed.
[Ed Howard]



Individual Lists

Cam Lindsay
01. LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge”
02. The Hives – “Hate To Say I Told You So”
03. Doves – “There Goes The Fear”
04. The Rapture – “House Of Jealous Lovers”
05. The Coral – “Dreaming Of You”
06. Ash – “Envy”
07. Truth Hurts f/ Rakim – “Addictive”
08. Queens Of The Stone Age- “No One Knows”
09. The White Stripes – “Fell In Love With A Girl”
10. Electric 6 – “Danger! High Voltage”
11. Eminem – “Lose Yourself”
12. Coldplay – “In My Place”
13. Sugababes – “Freak Like Me”
14. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Spread Your Love”
15. Nelly – “Hot In Herre”
16. The Vines – “Get Free”
17. The Streets – “Let's Push Things Forward”
18. Missy Elliott – “Work It”
19. The Libertines – “What A Waster”
20. Noreaga – “Nuthin'”

Chris Andrews
01. Missy Elliot – “Work It”
02. Mum – “Green Grass of Tunnel”
03. Mestar – “Distant Star”
04. Brunettes – “The Moon in June and Stuff”
05. Trinity Roots – “Little Things”
06. Flaming Lips – “Do you Realize??”
07. Mini-Snap – “In My Pocket”
08. Pine – “Days on End”
09. DJ Shadow – “Six Days”
10. No Doubt – “Underneath it All”

Chris Smith
01. Missy Elliott – “Work It”
02. The Rapture – “House of Jealous Lovers”
03. LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge”
04. Melt Banana – “Get the Head Back”
05. Clipse – “Grindin’”
06. Clipse – “When’s the Last Time”
07. Nirvana – “You Know You’re Right”
08. Noreaga – “Nothin’”
09. The White Stripes – “Fell in Love with a Girl”
10. Black Eyes – “Shut Up I Never”
11. Scarface – “On My Block”
12. Erykah Badu – “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)”
13. Andrew W.K. – “Party Hard”
14. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows”
15. The Blood Brothers – “Kiss of the Octopus”
16. Kylie Minogue – “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”
17. Racebannon – “Electricity”
18. Adult – “Hand to Phone (Cordless Mix)”
19. Glass Candy and the Shattered Theatre – “Love on a Plate”
20. Interpol – “NYC”

Colin Beckett
01. Fabolous-"Young'n"
02. The Clipse-"Gridin'"
03. Missy Elliott-"Work It"
04. N.O.R.E.-"Nothin’"
05. NERD-"Lapdance"
06. Ludacris-"Saturday (Ooh Ooh)"
07. Foxy Brown-"Stylin'"
08. Aaliyah-"More Than A Woman"
09. Eminem-"Lose Yourself"
10. The Clipse-"When The Last Time"
11. Khia-"My Neck, My Back"
12. NERD-"Provider"
13. Wilco-"War on War"
14. Eminem-"Without Me"
15. Wu-Tang Clan-"Rules"
16. Scarface-"On My Block"
17. The Hives-"Hate To Say I Told You So"
18. Nappy Roots-"Po'Folks"
19. Lyric f/ Loon - "Young & Sexy"
20. Busta and P. Diddy-"Pass The Courvoisier Pt.2"

Colin McElligatt
01. The White Stripes - “Fell In Love With A Girl”
02. The Clipse - “Grindin’”
03. Spoon - “The Way We Get By”
04. Eminem - “Without Me”
05. Q And Not U - “Ten Thousand Animal Calls/Soft Pyramids”
06. Trick Daddy - “In Da Wind”
07. NERD - “Lapdance”
08. Interpol - “Obstacle 1”
09. Missy Elliot: “Work It”
10. Kylie Minogue - “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”
11. Queens of the Stone Age - “No One Knows”
12. Justin Timberlake - “Like I Love You”
13. Wilco - “War On War”
14. The Hives - “Hate To Say I Told You So”
15. Cam’ron - “Hey, Ma”
16. Eminem - “Lose Yourself”
17. Múm - “Green Grass of Tunnel”
18. Nappy Roots - “Po’ Folks”
19. Jimmy Eat World - “Sweetness”
20. Flaming Lips - “Do Ya Realize?”

Ed Howard
01. The Microphones – “Lanterns”
02. Osymyso – “Intro Inspection”
03. DJ Shadow – “You Can’t Go Home Again”
04. Eminem – “Without Me”
05. Fog – “Pneumonia”
06. The Flaming Lips – “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, pt. 1”
07. Guided By Voices – “Everywhere With Helicopter”
08. Wilco – “Heavy Metal Drummer”
09. Kenna – “Hell Bent”
10. The Strokes – “Someday”
11. Blackalicious – “It’s Going Down”
12. System of a Down – “Toxicity”
13. Local H – “Half-Life”
14. DNTEL – “(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan”
15. Ugly Casanova – “Things I Don’t Remember”
16. Interpol – “Obstacle 1”
17. Primal Scream – “Autobahn 66”
18. Wilco – “War On War”
19. Nappy Roots – “Po’ Folks”
20. The Flaming Lips – “Do You Realize?”

Gavin Mueller
01. Missy Elliott – “Work It”
02. Ludacris – “Move Bitch”
03. Clipse – “Grindin'”
04. Nas – “Made You Look”
05. Sean Paul – “Gimme the Light”
06. Ms. Jade – “Big Head”
07. Eminem – “Without Me”
08. White Stripes – “Fell in Love With a Girl”
09. Brandy – “What About Us”
10. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
11. Busta Rhymes & P. Diddy – “Pass the Couvoisier Part 2”
12. Capitol K – “Pillow”
13. El-P – “Deep Space 9MM”
14. Tweet – “Oops (Oh My)”
15. Nelly – “Hot in Herre”
16. Eminem – “Lose Yourself”
17. Justin Timberlake – “Like I Love You”
18. QOTSA – “No One Knows”
19. Foxy Brown – “Stylin'”
20. Khia – “My Neck, My Back”

Joe Panzner
01. Clipse- “When the Last Time...”
02. Ludacris- “Saturday”
03. Nelly- “Hot in Herre”
04. Clipse- “Grindin’”
05. Missy Elliott- “Work It”
06. Outkast- “The Whole World”
07. Snoop- “From the Chuuuch to Da Palace”
08. Erick Sermon and Redman- “React”
09. Cam’ron- “Hey Ma”
10. Musiq- “Don’t Change”
11. N.O.R.E.- “Nothin’”
12. Cam’ron- “Oh Boy”
13. Nappy Roots- “Aw Naw”
14. Tweet- “Oops (Oh My)”
15. Eve- “Satisfaction”
16. Eminem- “Without Me”
17. Ludacris- “Move B****”
18. Busta Rhymes- “Pass the Courvoisier”
19. Nelly- “Dilemma”
20. Lil’ Flip- “The Way We Ball”

Sam Bloch
01. NERD - “Lapdance"
02. The Hives - “Hate To Say I Told You So"
03. The Strokes - “Hard To Explain"
04. Clipse - “When The Last Time”
05. Wilco - “Heavy Metal Drummer”
06. Super Furry Animals - “(Drawing) Rings Around The World”
07. Justin Timberlake - “Cry Me A River"
08. DJ Shadow - “You Can't Go Home Again"
09. Missy Elliot - “Work It"
10. Ladytron - “Seventeen"
11. Blur - “Don't Bomb When You're The Bomb”
12. Flaming Lips - “Do You Realize??”
13. Elvis Vs. JXL - “A Little Less Conversation”
14. Ash - “Burn Baby Burn”
15. Doves - “Pounding”
16. Eminem - “Without Me”
17. Madonna - “Die Another Day”
18. Kylie Minogue - “Love At First Sight"
19. Primal Scream - "Miss Lucifer”
20. Nelly - “Hot In Herre”

Scott Plagenhoef
01. The Sugababes- “Freak Like Me”
02. The Streets- “Weak Become Heroes (Röyksopp’s Memory Lane mix)”
03. Missy Elliott- “Work It”
04. Golden Boy feat. Miss Kittin- “Rippin Kittin”
05. Ludacris- “Saturday (Ooh Ooh)”
06. Nelly- “Hot in Herre”
07. Andrew WK- “Party Hard”
08. Ms. Dynamite- “Dy-Na-Mi-Tee”
09. LCD Soundsystem- “Losing My Edge / Beat Connection”
10. The Wildbunch- “Danger! High Voltage!”
11. Justin Timberlake- “Cry Me a River”
12. DJ Sammy and Yabou feat. Do- “Heaven”
13. Fischerspooner- “Emerge”
14. Miss Jade feat. Timbaland and Nelly Furtado- “Ching Ching”
15. The Streets- “Let’s Push Things Forward”
16. Sophie Ellis-Baxtor- “Murder on the Dancefloor”
17. Avril Lavigne- “Complicated”
18. Freelance Hellraiser- “Marshall’s Been Snookered”
19. No Doubt feat. Bounty Killer- “Hey Baby”
20. Nappy Roots- “Awnaw”

Sterling Clover
01. R. Kelly – “In The Name of Love”
02. Christina Aguilera – “Dirrty”
03. Madonna – “Die Another Day”
04. Truth Hurts – “Addictive”
05. Golden Boy ft Miss Kittin – “Rippin Kittin"
06. Nelly feat Kelly – “Dilemma”
07. Ja Rule – “Down 4 U”
08. Dixie Chicks – “Landslide”
09. Tweet – “Oops (Oh My)”
10. Sean Paul – “Gimme The Light”
11. Justin Timberlake – “Like I Love You”
12. Clipse – “Grindin'”
13. Big Tymers – “Still Fly”
14. 3LW – “I Do”
15. Nelly – “Hot In Herre”
16. Sugababes – “Freak Like Me”
17. Paulina Rubio – “Don't Say Goodbye”
18. Ludacris – “Saturday (Ooh! Ooh!)”
19. DJ Sammy – “Heaven”
20. Cam’ron – “Hey Ma”

Todd Burns
01. Tatu- “Not Gonna Get Us”
02. Christina Aguilera- "Dirrty"
03. Golden Boy feat. Miss Kittin- “Rippin Kittin”
04. Avril Lavigne- “Complicated”
05. Eminem- “Lose Yourself”
06. The Rapture- “House of Jealous Lovers”
07. The Streets- “Let’s Push Things Forward”
08. Justin Timberlake- “Cry Me A River”
09. Dixie Chicks- “Landslide”
10. Interpol- “PDA”
11. LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge”
12. Ms. Dynamite- “Dy-Na-Mi-Tee”
13. Sophie Ellis-Baxtor- “Murder on the Dancefloor”
14. The Vines- “Get Free”
15. Akufen- “Deck the House”
16. Sugababes- “Freak Like Me”
17. DJ Sammy and Yabou feat. Do- “Heaven”
18. Daniel Bedingfield- “Gotta Get Through This"
19. Fischerspooner- “Emerge”
20. Missy Elliott- “Work It”

Tyler Martin
01. Missy Elliott – “Work It”
02. Eve – “Satisfaction”
03. Madonna – “Die another Day”
04. Nelly – “Hot in Herre”
05. Cam’ron feat. Juelz Santana – “Hey Ma”
06. Mack 10 – “Connected For Life”
07. Clipse – “Grindin’”
08. Clipse – “When the last time”
09. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows”
10. Justin Timberlake – “Like I love you”
11. Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland – “Dilemma”
12. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
13. Daniel Bedingfield – “James Dean”
14. No Doubt – “Hey Baby”
15. Daniel Bedingfield – “Gotta Get Thru This”
16. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “By the Way”
17. Big Tymers – “Oh yeah”
18. Scarface – “On My Block”
19. Andrew WK – “We Want Fun”
20. Angie Martinez – “If I Could Go”

Wendy Jones (Logo Designer)
01. Missy Elliott– “Work It”
02. Cam’ron– “Oh Boy”
03. Kylie Minogue– “Can’t Get You (Outta My Head)”
04. Clipse– “Grindin”
05. N.O.R.E.– “Nothin”
06. Ludacris– “Saturday”
07. Erick Sermon and Redman– “React”
08. Snoop– “From the Chuuuch to Da Palace”
09. Clipse– “When the Last Time...”
10. Eve– “Satisfaction”
11. Musiq– “Don’t Change”
12. Outkast– “The Whole World”
13. Cam’ron– “Hey Ma”
14. Tweet– “Oops (Oh My)”
15. Ludacris– “Move B****”
16. Eminem– “Without Me”
17. Nappy Roots– “Aw Naw”