Jamaican artistes feature on American Music magazine’s top songs, albums lists
Some of dancehall’s heavy hitters have made Pitchfork’s list of biggest songs for the 2010s decade. The American online music magazine listed Gyptian at No. 49 for his 2010 crossover hit ‘Hold Yuh’ on the list of best 200 songs.
“Everyone wants a song of the summer, but few people realise the song that defines a summer doesn’t necessarily arrive as the season is fully blossoming. There are tracks like Hold Yuh that poke their heads stateside in the spring before getting played in clubs or on the radio until the melody affixes itself to a moment, then an entire season — and maybe even a whole half-decade worth of seasons,” the magazine said.
It added: “Gyptian had been flourishing on the Jamaican dancehall charts for over five years with songs like Serious Times before Hold Yuh became a crossover success. It is almost unfair how irresistibly danceable this song is.”
Vybz Kartel, Vanessa Bling and Popcaan featured on the top 200 songs list for their collaboration Clarks.
The track came in at No. 161.
Pitchfork described the track as “a fashion anthem that paid homage to that most classic of song topics: simply keeping the ’fit straight and the kicks clean”.
Popcaan is featured on the list on two other occasions. His song Good Times, done with Jamie xx and Young Thug,came in at 100 on the list.
Popcaan was the only Jamaican artiste who made the top 200 albums list. His 2014 compilation Where We Come From came in at No. 172. It was an accomplishment the artiste seemed happy about as he bragged about it on his official Instagram page.
“Talk to badman wid respect or stop. Where we come from album was included in Pictchfork’s top 200 album of the decade,” his post read.