25 Recent Songs That Are Modern Classics
When "Before I Let Go" hit the airwaves in 1981, Frankie Beverly and Maze probably had no idea it’d become a must-play at family functions over 30 years later. The same holds true for a select list of the tunes that have graced our ears in the past five years. These songs will undoubtedly be spun at our weddings, barbeques and parties in the coming decades. Take a look backward and forward with VIBE's 25 Modern-Day Classics. — Iyana Robertson
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Beyoncé - "Love on Top"
Mrs. Carter's proclamation of the happy heart, a whimsical doo-wop melody, reminds us just how good love feels. "Love on Top" yields the signature finger-snap, hip-sway combo brought on by all ghosts of classic groove's past. Cue the Electric Slide. Photo Credit: iam.beyonce.com
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Usher - "Climax"
Laced with regret and a mean falsetto, this song will eternally make the cut of an R&B fan's breakup playlist. Usher’s vocal range and the thumping pulse of "Climax" make for an everlasting hypnosis. Photo Credit: RCA
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Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"
This expressive war cry of a scorned lover (complete with stomps and hand-claps) highlights Adele's already iconic voice while portraying the timeless sentiments of a bitter, broken heart. Never mind whether or not they can hit the notes—exes everywhere will wail this song forever. Photo Credit: XL Recordings
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Rihanna - "We Found Love"
Rih Rih offers a trippy, synth-sick fantasy with visual lyrics on her most dance-heavy single to date. Tailor-made for her vocals, "We Found Love" allows Rihanna's soprano to give meaning to a song that would otherwise just join a bulk of EDM tracks that make us jump in place. Instead, we’ll always be reminded of unlikely discoveries of love. Photo Credit: Def Jam
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Drake Feat. Lil' Wayne - "The Motto"
Drizzy's "YOLO" motto was the culprit behind poor decision-making for a solid year, and some people still have yet to hang up the tireless phrase. Drake’s the pied piper of today's hip-hop catchphrases (see: "started from the bottom" and "no new friends"), and his affirmation that you only live once is the reason this track will never die. Photo Credit: October's Very Own
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Bruno Mars - "Just The Way You Are"
Bruno made girls everywhere feel like natural women with a lover's ode. Highlighting everything beautiful about his mate, the track serenades with an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" message, making it an infinitely palpable dedication song for the fellas or simple self-esteem booster for the ladies. Photo Credit: Atlantic Records
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Justin Timberlake - "Suit & Tie"
Celebrating the timeless uniform of sophisticated gentlemen, this track is relevant to the men who don suits and ties, and to the women who like to be shown a few things. A melting pot of drums, cowbells, horns and Justin's smooth vocals, "Suit & Tie" transcends the sounds of any particular decade, creating an anthem for today and tomorrow. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed] Photo Credit: RCA
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Beyoncé - "Dance For You"
Sexy never gets old, no matter how the definition changes, and "Dance For You" exemplifies every sense of the word. Bey's sensual-seduction vocals, combined with a hearty boom-kack tailor-made for a striptease, provide women everywhere with a song for which every man can remain grateful. Photo Credit: Columbia
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The Throne - "Niggas In Paris"
Hit-Boy's infectious dubstep may be the principal reason this song will live on, but two other components also contribute to its timelessness. Take the "cray" idiom for one; it’s sure to be a shorthand version of the word crazy for some time. Add in the "ball so hard" mantra, and The Throne has made a permanent stamp on your vernacular. Photo Credit: Def Jam
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Frank Ocean - "Thinking Bout You"
By the time this song is unanimously dubbed a classic, Frank Ocean will likely have a gang of songs that can be crowned as such. "Thinking About You," the ramblings of a man struggling with the admission of his love, contains the fluidity and trance-like quality that ensure that songs—and feelings—like these never get old. Photo Credit: Def Jam
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Bruno Mars - "Marry You"
You may never run off and frivolously marry someone you may or may not last with just because it sounds fun to do, but this track will still make you entertain the idea. Once the literal sense of the lyrics are set aside, everything everlasting about "Marry You" shines through. The nearly bare track lets Bruno's voice and a tambourine be a testament to buoyancy and a damn good time. Photo Credit: Atlantic Records
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John Legend - "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)"
Though a sexy (and quite ballsy) number from Mr. Legend, this song's promise of a top-notch night of lovemaking does not stand the test of time for its bedroom references. Instead, it achieves a feel-good element via the resilient bass and John's cocky drawl and catchy falsetto. Notwithstanding the slightly raunchy lyrics, you can groove to this in a room full of generations. Photo Credit: Columbia
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Fun. - "We Are Young"
Fun lives up to their name here, chronicling a night where cares are set aside for the sake of drunken antics. Years from now, when older and wiser days are upon us, this song will be a reminder of when were young, irresponsible, fist-pumping lovers of rebellion. Photo Credit: iTunes
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PSY - "Gangnam Style"
Do you have any idea what PSY is saying on "Gangnam Style?" Neither do we. Do you still jump around like a damned fool when the song plays? So do we. Proof of the power of our ever-digital world, YouTube's most-watched and most-liked song proves music and charisma to be international languages as it challenges our ability to resist the replay button. Photo Credit: amazon.com
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Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys - "Empire State Of Mind"
Jay and Ms. Keys pay homage to one of the world's most iconic cities in a way that had not quite been done before with "Empire State of Mind." Most odes to NYC play up the extremities of a particular genre, while this gem incorporates a rock-like bass-snare combination, colorful rap, jazz-inspired piano and roaring vocals into its salute. Infinitely New York. Photo Credit: amazon.com
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Carly Rae Jepsen - "Call Me Maybe"
The easiest thing to liken "Call Me Maybe" to is cotton candy; it's sweet, fluffy and colorful. And while cotton candy may not be the most delectable treat, it somehow manages to always pop up everywhere. There’s nothing impeccable about the lyrics, beat, or Carly Rae for that matter—and yet the song gets plastered in your mind and playlist. File it under "je ne sais quoi." Photo Credit: amazon.com
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Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"
The music history books will undoubtedly be seasoned with the likes of Lady Gaga's artistry. "Bad Romance" is not your quintessential pop record; though it contains familiar techno sounds and catchy repetition, it is Gaga herself who takes it a step further. Choosing to express the masochism sometimes involved in love, she coins an infectious chant and yells that she is a "free bitch." That kind of song is hard to forget. Photo Credit: Interscope
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Chris Brown - "Forever"
Topping off the relentless two-step worthy drums and gentle synths, CB achieves a noteworthy feat on "Forever”: delivering vocals that remain sincere while withstanding AutoTune and echo effects. Likely a deliberate channeling of the King of Pop, Breezy manages to achieve MJ-like timelessness with a modern, electronic twist. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed] Photo Credit: Bebo
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Kendrick Lamar - "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe"
K-Dot's entire good kid m.A.A.d. city album will be heralded as a hip-hop classic; the young lyrical virtuoso revives and recreates conceptual rap through the telling of a cinematic narrative. A highlight in the story, "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" employs inescapable repetition for a clear message to any of his opposition. If looked at deeply, the track is a cornerstone of a new generation. If taken on a shallow level, it is a worthy party crowd pleaser. Either way, it's here to stay. Photo Credit: Rolling Stone
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Miguel - "Adorn"
Offering up the idea of love as a garment, Miguel dresses his lady in promises of adoration in this incomparable R&B groove. As the booming bass, accentual hi-hat and looped "art dealer chic" ad-lib take command of your head-nods and toe-taps, Miguel serenades your ears with sexy, eargasmic vocals. Easily a staple in the genre. Photo Credit: Soulculture
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Alicia Keys - "No One"
Ms. Keys' conviction will stand the test of time on "No One." So sure of what she's singing that it sounds as though she may cry, she slams the piano as she howls how irreplaceable her love is. Accompanied by a striding bass drum and horns that threaten to drown her out, Alicia's voice still reigns supreme. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed] Photo Credit: J Records
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MGMT - "Electric Feel"
"Electric Feel" has been here before. Reminiscent of a Jackson 5 single, MGMT reincarnates the feel-good sounds of a '70s hit. Turning the modern-day concept of "electric" on its ear, the song embodies the traveling charge of a dance floor lit by a disco ball. And nothing is more everlasting than retro; we love retracing our footsteps. Photo Credit: 991
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Chrisette Michelle - "A Couple Of Forevers"
Every couple has their "song," and we won't be surprised if this Chrisette Michele cut is the soundtrack of mad love connections. "A Couple of Forevers" prompts a classic performance scene at any wedding: one immaculately-dressed songstress, three backup singers and a live band. Expect to see renditions of this song for decades. Photo Credit: 2dopeboyz
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Daft Punk - "Get Lucky"
Every now and then in our era, we're blessed with the overwhelming funk of a track like "Get Lucky." Invoking involuntary head rolls and pelvic thrusts, Daft Punk returns with an assist from the genius that is Pharrell Williams to give us something we can feel. A derivation of '80s dance music, the song celebrates the end-of-the-night good fortune men and women will always search for. Photo Credit: amazon.com
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Avicii – “Levels”
A simple Etta James sample expresses just what this contagious song enacts: a good feeling. If you’re able to sit still in the presence of this mega-house banger, you may need to see someone. The absence of lyrics is what ensures the spin-count of "Levels" for years to come. It doesn't need many words, because you wouldn't have cared about them anyway. Photo Credit: amazon.com
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