Rock Artists Alice in Chains

Welcome, R&P, to the First Annual Rock & Pop Best Song Competition (2009 Edition). You, the community here at Yahoo! Answers, nominated 350+ songs, your favorites of the year, to face-off in head-to-head battles, tournament style, to determine the best songs of this calendar year. I can’t say I agree with all of the choices, but there was very little agreement in general.
I do ask that you listen to all of the songs… don’t vote on name alone. Listen to them, weight them, and then choose with reason, which song is the better of the two in the given match ups.

Please star this early and often, e-mail your friends and let them know this is happening. E-mail strangers and enemies too, if you think they might be interested. I want to get as many votes as we can… make this a true R&P event.

For this first group of match ups, I wanted to pick some top seeds – some very popular songs that got the most nominations, and put them up against some marquee names with songs that fell to the bottom of the list. I also wanted to try and include as many genres as possible, so, without further ado, the match ups:

Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance”

From purely a nomination point of view — this one is a winner. It received the most votes of any song, and the most number one rankings of any song. She’s become the voice of modern pop, at least for now.
VS.
Ashley Tisdale – “Acting Out”

Disney fare. She’s an actress on a show, she sings, she appears on magazines…. she got a nose job before the age of 20… she’s done it all, but can she win our respect, R&P?

Alice in Chains – “Check My Brain”

Alice In Chains returned from tragedy this year. A triumphant return if their high number of nominations is any indication. Is this metal or rock? I put it with metal. Maybe you can argue one way or the other with your vote, but they were definitely the most “metal” of the grunge bands…. though Tad might have something to say about that.
VS.
Dream Theater – “Stargazer”

Prog Rock more than Metal, but for purposes of this contest, they seem to get the most cred from the metal loving crowd. Old guard with a new album this year. Not much respect in the nominations — were they just forgotten?

Green Day – “21 Guns”

Lots of votes for this. Green Day has been around for a long time, and they have their lovers and their haters…. there aren’t many folks in between. this could prove to be the most passionate match up because they face…..
VS.
Muse – “United States of Eurasia”

The jump in popularity thanks to Twilight that these guys received has gone a long way. They’ve always had a big sound — fitting for arenas, but now they can actually play them. They have a couple of songs on the list, but United States of Eurasia didn’t do so well in the voting. Were there just better songs by this artist, or is it truly worse than 21 Guns. You decide.

So there we have it. The first three match ups in an epic competition that will take weeks to get through. Listen and let me know which song you think is better from each match up. And may the best song win.
Expect a little more brevity from me next time…….
Better Muse Link

Thanks to Mem.

Rock Artists Pearl Jam

The never-ending battle continues.
Today we have a new guest contributor. You may know him as David, you may know him as paperbag, but he’s bee a regular here for quite a while (longer than I), and he was nice enough to write up some match-ups while I deal with cross-country flights. The First Annual Rock & Pop Best Song Competition (2009 Edition) continues.

MARQUEE MATCHUP
“Last of the English Roses” – Peter Doherty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjIO-AJlFoU

The lead single from the celebrated and controversial indie icon’s debut solo album. Produced by Stephen Street (The Smiths), this atmospheric, elegant song features Blur’s Graham Coxon on guitar. Picture a lost love from your past as you listen.
VS.
“Moving Clocks Run Slow” – We Were Promised Jetpacks

Hailed by critics for their “youthful brio and subtlety” (Mojo) and “dreamy and impressionistic” lyrics (The A.V. Club), this Scottish band cites The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbits as influences. Listen to this song from their debut album and see if you feel the praise is deserved.

MATCH UP 2:
“Antenna” – Sonic Youth

A song from The Eternal, Sonic Youth’s sixteenth album. Always pushing the musical envelope, and therefore always polarizing, the band describe this song as a “melodious ode to fleeting fantasy and unresolved desire with the sound of two analogue radios communicating the emotional action.” Are you on their unique wavelength or eager to tune out?
VS.
“The Fixer” – Pearl Jam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_d6Km3QJFc

A lighter-than-usual single from the Seattle icons. Are they… having a good time?! It’s certainly no “World Wide Suicide.” A few critics have blasted PJ for this bouncier, more pop-oriented sound, damning it as forced and ill-fitting. Do you concur or are you too busy nodding your head and singing along with poppier Vedder?

MATCH UP 3:
“My Wife’s Home Town” – Bob Dylan

http://www.lala.com/#search/bob%20dylan%20my%20wife%27s%20home%20town

The legendary singer/songwriter is pushing 70 and still kicking. It’s been said his voice (always an acquired taste) is shot and he should retire; others insist he’s as brilliant and relevant as ever. Listen to this cut from Together Through Life and decide for yourself.
(editor’s note: no youtube link, sorry guys).
VS.
“Wretched World” – Converge

If elderly Dylan isn’t to your taste, perhaps a metalcore band from Salem, Massachusetts will be. This song features contributions from Genghis Tron and is included on their most recent album, Axe to Fall.

MATCH UP 4:
“New Divide” – Linkin Park

A song by one of the decade’s most successful American bands for 2009’s most popular (and most plot-free) film–this is without a doubt music as big business. Empty bombast? Or a rousing anthem? You decide. And decide quick, before Michael Bay and Megatron blow Yahoo! Answers to smithereens!
VS.
“Savior” – Rise Against

Vocalist Tim McIlrath and his band of melodious hardcore men hail from Chicago. This is one of their most successful singles to date. Oh, the angst! The sorrow! Do you feel their pain? Or will you vote against Rise Against?

MATCH UP 5:
“Baby By Me” – 50 Cent

G-Unit! The movie! The video games! You would be forgiven if you had forgotten 50 Cent’s career as a recording artist. Sales for Before I Self Destruct, his fourth album, were disappointing. Listen to this song, which features Ne-Yo, and decide if people are missing out by missing Curtis’ newer music.
VS.
“Love Me” – Justin Bieber

Get perfect hair or die tryin’. See the 15-year-old lothario steal from The Cardigans and woo tween girls from coast to coast! Does this simple, sweet pop song leave you smiling or does Justin have your stomach turning?

You, the community here at Yahoo! Answers, nominated 350+ songs, your favorites of the year, to face-off in head-to-head battles, tournament style, to determine the best songs of this calendar year.

As always, I ask that you listen to all of the songs… don’t vote on name alone. Listen to them, weigh them, and then choose with reason, which song is the better of the two in the given match ups. Star it, and try to get as many voters to this thing as you can.

So, THE QUESTION: which songs are the better of each these match ups (even if it’s only the lesser of two evils in your eyes)?
if you listened to this one Justin Bieber song — feel free to ignore my “listen to every song” rule for future Justin Bieber songs (oh, and there are like 5 more of those things on the list…. thanks, tweens).