Best Song of the 2000s: HEYYYYYYYYYYYY YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Red Panda Cub · Post by **Red Panda Cub** » Sun Jan 14, 2018 6:29 pm

Crazy
Jesus Walks
Paper Planes
Chicago
Hey Ya!
Take Me Out
Feel Good Inc.
Hurt

Quinctilius Varus · Post by **Quinctilius Varus** » Sun Jan 14, 2018 6:39 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

jonpin · Post by **jonpin** » Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:44 am

sambrochin wrote: 1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash: This matchup is why we should've reseeded.

Honestly, though brackets are a lot of fun, I think it would be fun to do something like this in FA Cup style, where the organizer just randomly determines the pairings for each round.

Maury Island incident · Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:05 am

I just found out this bracket was going on but the best song of the 2000's is Umbrella.

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers - Mr. Brightside is an objectively mediocre song but fun to sing badly in the presence of other people.

Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears - A guy I used to work with who was getting a masters in audio engineering explained to me the orchestration of Toxic and I gained a lot of respect for Britney Spears. With that said, Kanye West is the greatest musical artist of the 21st century and this is one of his best songs.

99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A. - Two songs I really love but I've known all the words to 99 Problems since like middle school so I'm going with that.

Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens - Good party song, terrible dude.

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga - Someone once said to me that he'd never met a single person who disliked this song, but apparently my mother does. I don't though.

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse - I had never listened to Rehab before today but I like it a lot.

Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West - This is my second favorite pop song ever after Umbrella.

1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash - Legendary song by a legendary artist.

Rococo A Go Go · Post by **Rococo A Go Go** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:50 am

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
This is truly a difficult choice for me, because these really are two songs that jump to my mind immediately when thinking about the 2000s. I wouldn't say they are my top two, but if this were the final of this bracket, I would have no major complaints. My head and my heart are split on this, but since this is a quizbowl message board, I'm going with my head. "Crazy" is just an absolute sonic masterpiece. The lyrics aren't complicated but Cee Lo's vocal performance is fantastic, and everything Danger Mouse is doing elevates the song beyond anything else that similarly popular songs had to offer during the late 2000s. "Mr. Brightside" is a great song, and I have a few absolutely wonderful memories of connecting with people through it, but unfortunately I can't vote for it here.

Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
I won't be so verbose with this choice: I'm not a huge fan of "Toxic," although I respect that it's a good song and an enjoyable listen. "Jesus Walks" is quintessential Kanye West, although I prefer numerous other Kanye tracks over this one. Kanye is also one of the best artists of the 21st century, so whichever selection represented him in this bracket was destined to go far, at least until it meets better competition than "Toxic."

99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Alright, so "99 Problems" is a fine song and I enjoy it as much as the next person, and I'm fine with the fact that it's had a successful run here, but "Paper Planes" is one of the best pop songs ever. The song has a pretty good message, sure, but it's mostly just fun as heck. The lyrics are good, the vocal performance is good, the music and effects are great, and I could listen to those gunshots all day. The song still holds up well a decade later, and can get a party rocking even now. We played "Paper Planes" at our wedding reception with the specific intention of getting people to lighten up and dance. I could go on and on in defense of "Paper Planes" and like I said before, I will keep voting for it until it's gone.

Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
"Ignition (Remix)" is not a song I have ever liked that much. I hope it is eliminated soon and will vote for any remaining song over it. In this round, fortunately, "Chicago" is a great opponent! Sufjan Stevens has long been a favorite of mine, and "Chicago" is a big reason why. This song is utterly beautiful, both lyrically and musically, made all the more impressive by Sufjan's habit of playing several instruments.

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
I struggled to make this choice, because it's hard for me to actually argue that "Bad Romance" is the better song. It may not be, actually, but I enjoy it way more and I'm going big with this pick with the expectation that "Hey Ya!" is a favorite to win this matchup and the whole bracket. For some reason Lady Gaga was able to make a string of hits from 2008-2011 that made me want to dance, and this actually helped me reassess my relationship to pop music and begin to enjoy some stuff I did not really pay much attention to beforehand. "Bad Romance" is one of my favorite songs by Gaga, and when it started at her concert a couple months ago, I jumped up and down and squealed. It's a good song and I like it, so I'm voting for it.

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
"Rehab" is a fine song, but not exactly something I would listen to on repeat. On the other hand, I listened to "Take Me Out" on repeat for much of the 2000s. Franz Ferdinand is unfortunately not the band it was back then, but there was a time in the mid-to-late 2000s when it felt like they were in a group of rock bands (along with Arctic Monkeys, the White Stripes, The Killers, and a few more) that was going to bring the genre back to mainstream relevance. The opposite actually happened, but this song still whips.

Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
I could actually abstain here and not really be concerned. These are decent songs but neither are great and I'm not going to talk much about them.

1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash
I am picking "Hurt" because it is objectively a better song. "1901" is a good song and I like Phoenix quite a bit, but to be completely honest, I like their other stuff more. Country music is a genre that's very important to me: I was quite literally raised on the genre (I wasn't allowed to listen to anything else until I was 10) and I learned a significant amount about the history of country music from my grandfather, who had a brief songwriting career in the 1950s. Johnny Cash has been one of my idols since I was a child and "Hurt" is an astounding performance. This song was not written from the perspective of a dying old man, but that's what it's about now.

Deepika Goes From Ranbir To Ranveer · Tue Jan 16, 2018 6:05 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

It is not "fa ra fa ra ra".

jonpin · Post by **jonpin** » Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:50 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
In pre-tournament discussion, after I was told not to bother going ride-or-die for "A Thousand Miles", I said I would switch my over-the-top support for "Mr. Brightside" (my third choice, "Everytime We Touch", which is so iconic I swear I have high school memories of it despite it not existing until my junior year of college, was also left out of the tournament completely). But I said that because no one needs to go out of their way to say "Hey, you know, I think 'Crazy' is a good song." Crazy prevails, for now at least.

Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
The Happy Gilmore joke is Kanye West at his corniest, and at this point, we're basically looking for reasons to say a given song is not the best of an entire decade. Toxic

99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
If you don't like Jay-Z, I feel bad for you son, I got 99 Problems, but this pick ain't one. (I'm sorry)

Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
I still don't get Sufjan Stevens, and I don't care to. Ignition

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
I really don't think I could ever vote against Hey Ya!, no matter what song is on the other side. If the vote was "Hey Ya!" vs "Hey Ya!", I'd just abstain.

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
One of the first matchups of songs I feel I could be happy winning the whole thing. I wasn't expecting to vote for Rehab, but it's such a heartbreaking song, and for all that "Take Me Out" rocks, it is--in the end--complete gibberish.

Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
American Boy is the VCU of this bracket. Kanye's verse is excellent, and Estelle is just terrific.

1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash
Eh. 1901? Sure.

rylltraka · Post by **rylltraka** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 4:48 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers

I've said before that I find "Crazy" pretty interesting, but not at all transcendent. I also get bored with it about two minutes through, probably because its simplicity starts to wear. So does the novelty factor, as I've now heard the song multiple times. "Mr. Brightside" is probably my dark horse to win it all (if this audience cared at all for rock) for being inventive and stimulating on both vocals (is there a better chorus on this list?) and instrumentation throughout - and that great rock backbeat.

Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

I think that at this stage the rough edges of "Jesus Walks" start to show. Not sure if it's ready to go yet, though - pretty much every line hits beautifully. "Toxic" is great from a production standpoint, but I will say that most of the lyrics are not only rather banal (and not sung), but forgettable and wholly secondary to the production.

99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.

"99 Problems" doesn't have as consistent of a lyrical sharpness as "Jesus Walks" to me (although the second verse is brilliant), and the backbeat is just bruising and incessant. For Song #2, I gave it another chance, but to be honest, I find pretty much every sonic aspect of "Paper Planes" annoying, so this is an easy decision.

Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

"Ignition" is pretty much a perfect modern R&B song. I see where "Chicago" is coming from, but I don't find it compelling; prefer Jens Lekman for my Scandinavian self-referential navel-gazing pop. It's also far too long.

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga

Listening to "Hey Ya!" for the 3001st time, it struck me how well mixed it was - it has all these disparate elements, but none of them seem dominant or obnoxious. I also didn't find myself wondering how long the song was until it was near the end (and to be fair, on the radio or wherever, that part was fading out).

Story time: I'd never really listened to Lade Gaga until I was on a long plane ride somewhere (Chicago?), listening to in-flight radio because I'd brought my own headphones. And one of the songs was "Bad Romance", which I thought was truly excellent without knowing who the artist was, and then I was hooked. One of the things I appreciate about it (and much of Gaga's other oeuvre) is how we reach the point where a normal pop song should typically end, and then we introduce an interesting and somewhat unexpected element which elevates the whole - which is this case is the bridge and immediately thereafter. The song effortlessly blends about three different emotional moods - 1) straightforward lust and attraction 2) the teasing burlesque of the pop singer's persona and body on display (cg. Gaga's entire career) and 3) a subtext of emotional vulnerability and need to be loved and accepted, a complexity I admire.

Anyway, that's my treatise on Lady Gaga, which I'm delivering now, because I don't have high hopes of it reaching the next round. But I'm voting for it because it makes me feel - unlike "Hey Ya!", which is wonderful to dance to, but whose mixture of upbeat music and ambivalent lyrics obscure any potential message.

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse

I think "Take Me Out" has weaknesses (the lead guitar's screwing around most of the song, not contributing much), but I didn't love "Rehab" on the first or second pass, and it's hard not to vote for the few rock songs still alive. Also, "Rehab" has an absolutely terrible message.

Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West

"Feel Good Inc." is alright, but it isn't the Gorillaz song I like (Clint Eastwood), and it doesn't resonate as well for me. "American Boy" for sure isn't going to change the world, but it's done a good job of not shooting itself in the foot, and it's had a fortuitous draw.

1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

"1901" is an okay rock song. That's not good enough.

vengefulsweatermensch · Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:03 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse ABSTAIN
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

alexdz · Post by **alexdz** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:26 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

p-vs-vp · Post by **p-vs-vp** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:39 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:33 pm

Voting closes tomorrow night at 9 p.m.

I'm going to start counting votes soon, just to stay on top of it. If you've voted before this post and decide you want to edit your votes, please just make a note in your previous post you're changing your ballot and then post a new reply in this thread with your ballot.

ProfessorIanDuncan · Post by **ProfessorIanDuncan** » Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:28 pm

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley vs. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
I think I've voted against Mr. Brightside a number of times now. I need to fix that.
Jesus Walks by Kanye West vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
I'm not a huge Kanye West fan, but I definitely enjoy Jesus Walks. The verses are really good and the production quality is really high. Unfortunately, Britney Spears is one of the towering figures of 2000s pop and Toxic is by far her best song.
99 Problems by Jay-Z vs. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
As I listen to it more each round and as the caliber of songs gets higher, I find it harder and harder to vote for Paper Planes. Nostalgia doesn't do enough to in the matchup here.
Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Most songs it takes me at least two listens to enjoy. I loved Chicago the first time I heard it. Ignition (Remix) does deserve a lot of credit for being a great party song, but if that's the basis we are judging this on then Yeah! would still be in contention.
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
I definitely went though a phase of listening to Hey Ya! obsessively. However, as much as I enjoyed it, I never really remember being floored by it. Back in 2008 or whenever Bad Romance came out, I think it definitely suffered from over exposure. Now that I've matured a little, I'm stunned by how good of pop song it is. If there are worthy challengers to Hey Ya!, Bad Romance is one of them.
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand vs. Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Maybe this is a bit unfair, but I think that Rehab should be a bit more, I don't know, emotional. Coupled with the fact that I like other Amy Winehouse songs more (and thus hold Rehab to a higher bar), I think just does enough to lose the vote. Take Me Out is a great rock song, definitely among the best of the 2000's.
Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz vs. American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West
I like American Boy, and it definitely deserves to go this far. Estelle is fantastic in it, and the Kanye West verses are pretty good too. However, Feel Good Inc. is a song I very much enjoy and I just can't in good conscience vote against it.
1901 by Phoenix vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash
I've never heard 1901 before this bracket, and even after a few listens, I'm still not really very into it. Hurt on the other hand is still an incredibly moving song. The Nine Inch Nails version is "more vulnerable", but Johnny Cash really makes it his own and that's what makes this such a good cover.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Thu Jan 18, 2018 11:06 pm

Results

Mr. Brightside by The Killers 23, Crazy by Gnarls Barkley 22
Toxic by Britney Spears 23, Jesus Walks by Kanye West 22
Paper Planes by M.I.A. 26, 99 Problems by Jay-Z 19
Chicago by Sufjan Stevens 26, Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly 19
Hey Ya! by Outkast 32, Bad Romance by Lady Gaga 13
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand 28, Rehab by Amy Winehouse 16
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West 24, Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz 21
Hurt by Johnny Cash 32, 1901 by Phoenix 13

Next round starts tomorrow.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:56 pm

Voting is open until 1/27 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Song: Mr. Brightside
Artist: The Killers
Album: Hot Fuss
Year: 2003

Song: Toxic
Artist: Britney Spears
Album: In the Zone
Year: 2003

Song: Paper Planes
Artist: M.I.A.
Album: Kala
Year: 2007

Song: Chicago
Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Album: Illinois
Year: 2005

Song: Hey Ya!
Artist: Outkast
Album: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Year: 2003

Song: Take Me Out
Artist: Franz Ferdinand
Album: Franz Ferdinand
Year: 2004

Song: American Boy
Artist: Estelle featuring Kanye West
Album: Shine
Year: 2008

Song: Hurt
Artist: Johnny Cash
Album: The Downward Spiral
Year: 2002

Your ballot:

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Post by **Auks Ran Ova** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:06 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

kammajos000 · Post by **kammajos000** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:17 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Amiable Vitriol · Post by **Amiable Vitriol** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:31 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers
Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast
Hurt by Johnny Cash

A Dim-Witted Saboteur · Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:34 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Auroni · Post by **Auroni** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:35 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

rylltraka · Post by **rylltraka** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:38 pm

This is by far the easiest round to judge.

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Abstain - neither of these songs should be here.

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

By my estimation, there's only one song left that can take out "Hey Ya!", and it isn't Franz Ferdinand.

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

It's been a great Cinderella run for "American Boy", which I didn't even vote for in Round 1.

MiltonPlayer47 · Post by **MiltonPlayer47** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:39 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Victor Prieto · Post by **Victor Prieto** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:42 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
this one is mainly out of spite for you idiots voting out Crazy

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
this cannot be the best song of the 2000s

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash
not gonna lie, I'm slightly surprised Estelle made it this far

eliza.grames · Post by **eliza.grames** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:42 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

How has American Boy made it this far???????

Zealots of Stockholm · Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:48 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

jonpin · Post by **jonpin** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:56 pm

Mr. Brightside vs. Toxic - Part of me doesn't want to forgive "Brightside" for knocking out "Crazy", but the majority of me knows that Mr. Brightside is a fantastic song.
Paper Planes vs. Chicago - All I wanna do [bang bang ca-ching] is see Sufjan Stevens get eliminated.
Hey Ya! vs. Take Me Out - There's really no one outside of this pairing that has any business winning this tournament anymore.
American Boy vs. Hurt - Turns out that Estelle was stronger than you or I or anyone else thought at the start.

heterodyne · Post by **heterodyne** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:58 pm

Toxic

Chicago

Hey Ya!

Hurt

sephirothrr · Post by **sephirothrr** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:06 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

rylltraka · Post by **rylltraka** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:13 pm

Also, I do actually want to see Fred's mini-bracket of the 16 worst takes, perhaps because I might appear on said list.

eliza.grames wrote:
How has American Boy made it this far???????

It's had the luckiest draw of the entire bracket - so far it's beaten Radiohead's "Idioteque", "Yeah!" (split the hip-hop vote), "Feel Good, Inc." (not Gorillaz' finest song).

Apocolocyntora · Post by **Apocolocyntora** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:25 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

ryanrosenberg · Post by **ryanrosenberg** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:29 pm

heterodyne wrote:Toxic

Chicago

Hey Ya!

Hurt

merv1618 · Post by **merv1618** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:30 pm

Toxic

Paper Planes

Hey Ya

Hurt

I want your revenge

nycaqb1999 · Post by **nycaqb1999** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:32 pm

Ok, so I've abstained up until this point, but after seeing modern masterpiece "Crazy" beaten by only one vote, I'm jumping on in.

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

Besides the fact that Mr. Brightside cruelly murdered "Crazy," Toxic represents the best of what made 2000s pop so enjoyable: a diversity of influences, tight production, and infectious catchiness. Mr. Brightside pales in comparison.

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Paper Planes samples the best Clash song and also like money registers, sorry Sufjan

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

I will vote Hey Ya! until the world comes crashing down.

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

I know people are surprised American Boy got this far, but circa 2008 this song was everywhere and its still super-enjoyable.

women, fire and dangerous things · Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:54 pm

Toxic

Chicago

Hey Ya!

Hurt

Irreligion in Bangladesh · Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:54 pm

Mr. Brightside [it beat Crazy for a reason]
Chicago
Hey Ya!
Hurt

Charm Bison · Post by **Charm Bison** » Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:55 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams · Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:05 pm

Toxic
Chicago
Take Me Out
Hurt

Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:38 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Fat Lip · Post by **Fat Lip** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:15 am

Toxic by Britney Spears
Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast
Hurt by Johnny Cash

maddiehue · Post by **maddiehue** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 2:13 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Grinola · Post by **Grinola** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 2:15 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Dantooine is Big! · Post by **Dantooine is Big!** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:12 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

alexdz · Post by **alexdz** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:42 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

These were tough matchups for me, especially the last one... I really like American Boy but man, Johnny Cash's rendition of Hurt is still incredibly haunting. Just can't bring myself to vote against it.

1992 in spaceflight · Post by **1992 in spaceflight** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:47 am

merv1618 wrote:Toxic

Paper Planes

Hey Ya

Hurt

I want your revenge

Wynaut · Post by **Wynaut** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:04 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

what have i become

Gemistus Pletho · Post by **Gemistus Pletho** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:46 am

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

The Favourite · Post by **The Favourite** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:19 pm

rylltraka wrote:This is by far the easiest round to judge.

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Abstain - neither of these songs should be here.

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

By my estimation, there's only one song left that can take out "Hey Ya!", and it isn't Franz Ferdinand.

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

It's been a great Cinderella run for "American Boy", which I didn't even vote for in Round 1.

Everything Mik said

Deepika Goes From Ranbir To Ranveer · Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:48 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

pray for elves · Post by **pray for elves** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:50 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears
Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash

Hey Ya! is the only song remaining that deserves the crown.

Whiter Hydra · Post by **Whiter Hydra** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:18 pm

Mr. Brightside by The Killers vs. Toxic by Britney Spears

Paper Planes by M.I.A. vs. Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Hey Ya! by Outkast vs. Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
Hey Ya is amazing for the first two minutes, but it slowly loses its luster, and by the end of the song I am content. Take Me Out rocks, continues to rock all the way through, and makes me want to keep rocking after the song is over.

American Boy by Estelle featuring Kanye West vs. Hurt by Johnny Cash