thisismyname Encapsulating a pulsating sound full of heart and power, "Rebellion (Lies)" can fill an entire room, car, or concert hall with a primal energy that anyone can relate to. PulpAffliction A battle cry against dreams, "Rebellion (Lies)" was the pinnacle of sonic and thematic arcs that ran through one of the best albums of the decade.

PulpAffliction As a rap/r&b/pop/hip hop crossover, it topped every chart (including modern rock) and captured the zeitgeist for an entire year. At it's heart, though, "Hey Ya!" is just the perfect pop song: It's giddily infectious and stuffed to the brim with spectacular nonsense.

Makebelieve81 "The Funeral" opens with an emotional beauty that captivates listeners and stops them in their tracks. Then as the song builds to chorus you are completely sucked into the arena worthy melodies and power of this song. genghisnyc What begins with a haunting pace and Ben Bridwell's quiet but moving vocals explodes into an epic track that anchors one of the best and most memorable albums of the 2000s.

sixtimes You can't talk about "Crazy" without talking about the mythology of the group - the costumes, the goofy name, the record-setting run on the British charts before it had even made a dent in the American consciousness, and Danger Mouse's ridiculous conquering of the record industry after the Grey Album scuffle. But you can't talk about the mythology of the group without talking about how great the song really was - addictive bass line, soaring crescendo after soaring crescendo, and triumphant chorus. What a summer 2006 was.

PulpAffliction This has to be the sharpest left turn, and one of the biggest surprises from any album from the aughts. Anyone who tells you that after eight tracks of raucous, noisy, yelping art rock they expected the next song to be one of the most gorgeous, sweeping love songs of the decade is lying through their teeth.

scottyh Lyrically poignant, building from a midtempo strum to a soaring finish, "Wake Up" has always been the one song I (and many others) instantly associate with Arcade Fire's style. After essentially launching my love of indie rock when it was released in 2005, it was fitting that the decade closed with me falling in love with this song all over again. recycleonly One of the few times Arcade Fire decided to forget about build-up and chose to explode immediately into one of the most gorgeous anthems the indie world has ever heard.

Carligula As with so many White Stripes compositions, Jack White proves that one simple but bad-ass guitar riff is sometimes all it takes to make a great song. Throw in some explosive build-ups and that great song becomes one of the best of the decade.

stealyourcarbon "Tunnels" explores the intensity of childhood love and imagination, about running away from parents and life because nobody else understands you. But the genius lies in the warning that while all else is forgetten, we can't forget those that love us. Where The Wild Things Are, anyone? hulksmash Every time I hear this song it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It's beautiful, romantic, and the perfect way to open the album.

illiniemags Harmonious and communal with a driving beat, "Chicago" is this generation's definitive road-trip song. An indie staple of the new millennium, it brought indie folk to the masses, myself included. rosseus It's fitting that this song was used in Little Miss Sunshine because it's so cinematic and large in scope - and it centers around road trips. But there's also something much larger in there: The desire to rid yourself of your possessions and surroundings for something larger and more meaningful. Transcendence, what more could we all want from music?

fowruok The halting breakdown at 0:55 has to be one of the most thrilling musical moments of the past decade. Coupled with Alex Kapranos' arresting lyrics, which may or may not be about the demise of the band's namesake, we have Franz Ferdinand's signature moment.

illiniemags It's dark, urgent, apocalyptic, and created from samples and computers and instruments I couldn't recognize. A strange, hauntingly beautiful warning cry from someone who sees our present before we do - plus it has a good beat and you can dance to it.

clouddead After just two picks in the top songs of the 2000s, I was ready to say "/end competition." The rock-centric, jungle-infused beat is almost single handedly responsible for ending my short foray into the world of 90s emo. While other tracks off Stankonia, such as "So Fresh, So Clean" and "Ms. Jackson," were more popular ("B.O.B." never charted), no song is more critically acclaimed.

Rosseus How good is this song? Good enough to carry the eternally quirky Modest Mouse into the mainstream, if only for a moment. Perhaps the song's popularity arose behind its message that even when bad things happen, better things are just around the corner to cancel them out. Or it could just be that it's so damn catchy.