The Worst Songs of 2022 (and Best?)

 Who would've thought that the year would go by so fast? I mean they always go by fast, but it's still surprising when you realize there are only a few weeks left in the year. It's been a pretty bizarre year for music, at least on the pop side of things. I struggled to really find songs that I really hated or loved in the pop charts and a lot of it just felt like it didn't stick with me. Lots of big artists dropped some mediocre albums that still broke the charts. Taylor Swift released another album along with artists like Drake and Bad Bunny who all seem to release new albums every year. It was all just... there. 

The trend of releasing songs to become popular on TikTok to get hits is still going strong, which usually produces some pretty mediocre products. I still don't really get the full appeal of TikTok, and it's probably because I'm old now, but it just seems like a lot of the good content is buried underneath thousands of bad videos. It feels like a lot of the songs that are overused in TikTok are designed to be as annoying as possible, so I'm not sure how, but it seems to work for them. I just don't have the patience to create some sort of algorithm by looking for and liking any decent TikTok. 

But enough sounding like an old man who yells at clouds. It's time to list the best and worst songs of the year 2022. But first a few special mentions:

Kate Bush - "Running Up That Hill"

I thought about including this on the best song list proper but I ultimately decided to leave it out as it's really not a song from 2022. If it was, I would put it as my number 1 song of the year so that's mainly why I left it out. It's Kate Bush, a highly influential artist who rightfully got the recognition she deserved this year thanks to her song being the anthem of the latest Stranger Things season. It was nice seeing this have a big resurgence. It also makes me wonder what other classic songs could have a resurgence like this through the next season of the show or other series. 

Glass Animals - "Heat Waves"

I actually put this on my worst list last year so I can't include it this year. I just wanted to mention how much I dislike this song because it actually ended up being the highest-selling of the year 2022. Mediocre garbage like this gets the most play out of any other song in the USA and that's... well pretty standard these days I guess. I don't even hate this song, I just find it annoying how a boring song like this is the one that will be known as the biggest song of the year. 

Imagine Dragons - "Enemy ft. JID"

I mostly put this song here because I can't tell if I like it or hate it. It's got a certain charm to it that makes me like it, but it still has that annoying Imagine Dragons style that I'm super tired of hearing at this point. I guess I'll say this is the best thing they've released in a while, but still not good enough to be on my best list. Not being on my worst songs list is an improvement though?

Jake Harlow - "First Class"

I really thought this had the potential to be really good, but it falls short of that mark. The chorus sample is a really clever use of Fergie's "Glamorous" and the beat is pretty good. The thing that holds the song back is Harlow himself who just doesn't do the good ideas this song has justice. Things like rhyming "I am" with "I am" like five times and the super awkward "sweet sweet semen" line just make this song hard to listen to. Better luck next time I guess. 

Morgan Wallen/Lil Durk - "Broadway Girls"

Morgan Wallen trying his best to get everyone to forget what he got caught saying on camera not too long ago. Here Wallen tries his best to sound tough and strains his voice to a painful point. Then at the end of the song, he starts sounding like some sort of duck honking... I guess that's his mating call? I don’t spend a lot of time with Morgan’s music but if it anything like this then I’m glad I’ve not heard much. 

Alright, that's all for the honorable mentions, on to the top 10 worst and best songs of 2022. 

10th Worst: "I'm Good (Blue)" By Bebe Rexha and David Guetta

I only first heard this song a few weeks ago, so that's why it's low on my list here. Honestly, if it had been around longer in my life it would probably be in the top five at least. I don't even know where to start with this song though. Maybe the super obvious Eiffel 65 "I'm Blue" sample that David Guetta thought was the most clever thing he's ever done no doubt. Is it already okay to start using samples from the late 90s and very early 2000s? Everything about this just feels wrong, especially when you add Bebe Rexha to the mix, an artist who always seems to suck the energy out of any song she's in. I guess she got lucky enough to have her name pulled out of a hat when David Guetta was choosing a "generic pop singer who's not too big to work with me". This song just feels lazy and basically just completely relies on the nostalgia of the original song or all the young people that never heard the original thinking this is something new and groundbreaking. Bring back the crappy CG aliens. 

10th Best: "Anti-Hero" by Taylor Swift

Taylor dropped her much-anticipated album Midnights a few months ago now. The album itself is pretty decent, and "Anti-Hero" stood out on my first listen. I guess everybody felt the same because it became the most popular song from the album at this point. Before I praise the song further I have to call out the strange lyrics where she calls everybody a "sexy baby". Yeah, that's the reason this song isn't any higher on this list. Probably should have kept it off the list after that, but the rest of the song is good enough to let it slide. Besides that, it feels like a good look at Taylor's insecurities and her inner thoughts on the theme of "Midnights". The album was created as a way for Taylor to express herself and her thoughts through many sleepless nights. I think this song does a great job of exploring those thoughts. 

9th Worst: "Unholy" by Sam Smith & Kim Petras

Ugh, I really don't know about this one. I feel like there were some elements that could have worked here. Sam Smith and Kim Petras aren't a bad combo for a song, I just don't love what they did in this particular one. I'm not a fan of the whole dark creepy religious imagery to make a "sexy song". To be fair the song is about a person who's cheating on their partner so I guess that imagery can make more sense in that way. Okay, so the theme matches the lyrics... why do I still not like this song? I think the production and the melodies in the song just don't work for me in the end. At the end of the day, the song is just not fun to listen to and it's the kind of song I will never be in the mood to listen to. I think it just doesn't fit the artists involved and maybe needed someone who would be more natural in this style. 

9th Best: "We Don't Talk About Bruno" by the Cast of Disney's Encanto

Encanto was one of the better Disney musicals of the last decade. The story was pretty good, but the thing that really made the movie memorable were the extremely catchy songs that were also really well performed by the voice cast. "We Don't Talk About Bruno" stood out from the soundtrack as the best song pretty early on. The way the song uses the strengths of the entire cast as singers and how it mixes lots of different styles into a really cool blend at the end is really awesome. It's got a great Latin style that a lot of the movie uses, but this one, in particular, stands out as really special. I think it works better in the movie where the animation also adds to the whole song, but even on its own, it's still really good. 

8th Worst: "Left and Right" by Charlie Puth [Ft. Jung Kook]

Oh, Charlie Puth is back... great. Charlie Puth might be the most generic pop star in the entire world. His music is so devoid of personality I'm pretty sure it's all written by an AI. That might be an insult to AI? "Left and Right" continues the trend of Puth songs that make me feel absolutely nothing. The music, lyrics, melodies, and production are so plain they even make Jung Kook of BTS sound like he's half-asleep during this track. I guess it keeps working though because Charlie has yet another hit on his hands here. That could be partly due to him attaching a BTS member to this song, as they continue to be one of the biggest acts in the world. Either way, this song will be forgotten before the end of the year and never talked about again. 

8th Best: "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat & SZA

Doja Cat's been on my radar for a while, but I don't think I truly appreciated her until this year. Honestly, I feel bad I missed this song last year because it would have made my best-of list in 2021. Thankfully the song was a hit in 2022, so I can show it some love here. Everything I said about Charlie Puth is the opposite of Doja. She's got a clear personality that people can identify with and love, as well as making fun music that's fun to listen to multiple times. When you add the always fantastic SZA then you get a really fun song with lots of vocal talent. Hopefully not the last time they work together. 

7th Worst: "Pushin P" by Gunna/Future/Young Thug

Wow. Three artists trying to see who can bore their audience the most in one single song. It actually ends in a three-way tie. Seriously, there is not a single second of this song that is even remotely interesting. Maybe if you find the three guys saying the letter "P" 100 times a little funny you can find something to like here. This is like anti-charisma meets zero effort in an attempt to make something that resembles art, but I'm not sure it technically qualifies as art? I mean art requires some effort, right? The era of sleepy rappers who try their best to sound like they don't care at all has to be ending soon right? 

7th Best: "Glimpse of Us" by Joji

I really like these super sad songs. I think it's a good challenge for an artist to take a song that is meant to be incredibly depressing sounding and still makes it a good listen. Nothing makes me happier than a great super depressing song. Seriously. That being said, I still don't know how much love I'll have for Joji even after this song. While I enjoy this one, it didn't really heighten my interest for more from the artist so that's why it isn't too high on the list. 

6th Worst: "Emo Girl" by Machine Gun Kelly & WILLOW

One of the worst pop-punk choruses ever made by the artist who claimed to be the savior of the genre. This feels like the kind of song some music executive wrote thinking about all the money they'll make from the "youths" of America. The thing is, this song could have worked if it was performed in a more tongue-in-cheek way rather than taking it completely seriously like the song actually does. All I can think about when I hear this are a bunch of out-of-touch music executives who really thought this was going to work for the memes and the "TikTok". Just... go listen to artists who actually care about this genre and know how to have fun while not making shitty pandering music like this. At least MGK left to go back and make shitty rap music again now, so that's a win? 

6th Best: "Break My Soul" by Beyonce

I'm not sure anyone expected Beyonce to drop a big house single in the year of our lord 2022, but it happened. I think the bigger surprise is that it's a very 90s-style house music song. The Beyonce song samples the 1993 classic "Show Me Love" by Robin S as well as parts of Big Freedia's "Explode". It all works pretty damn great, especially when you have Beyonce singing with some passion. Have to subtract some points for Beyonce rhyming the word "outside" with "outside" like 4 times. Also, the whole theme of the song where Beyonce is acting like she's some regular person who works 9 to 5 at a day job is a little dumb. Not saying she doesn't work hard, but you're not a regular person Beyonce...

5th Worst: "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" by Harry Styles

Harry Styles released a hugely anticipated new album this year named "Harry's House". It was a pretty mediocre album by Harry's standards, mostly failed by the production, and this song (Sushi Restaurant) is the best example of that. It feels like it's just too much thrown into one song and it ends up sounding like a total mess of a song that's honestly pretty hard to listen to. The title of the track comes off pretty pretentious when you actually hear the song, even if it was meant as a joke. The worst part is the second verse where he repeats the title of the track multiple times and even tries scatting? It just feels like it's trying too hard to be this big epic piece of music, but it ends up sounding like it doesn't really know what it's trying to be. 

5th Best: "Titi Me Pregunto" by Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny released arguably the biggest album of the year in 2022 with "Un Verano Sin Ti" If he wasn't the biggest artist in the world before, he certainly is now after this massive album. "Titi Me Pregunto" is just a really fun song, probably the kind of song that makes the crowds cheer at the club when it comes on. It just has this fantastic energy and charisma from Bad Bunny that it's impossible to not find yourself having fun along with him. My only complaint could be it goes on a little too long. The slowdown at the end works but maybe drags down a really fun song. 

4th Worst: "Bam Bam" Camila Cabello & Ed Sheeran

God, I'm really starting to not like Ed Sheeran. But here's Camila Cabello with her "Latin pop" single of the year. This time they make the most basic radio-friendly salsa song ever written. I guess it could always be worse, I mean this could have involved Shawn Mendes at one point. Ed Sheeran is the worst part of this song though, couldn't you get another Latin pop star or salsa singer to join you here instead of Ed Sheeran? Like someone who actually has popularity in the genre you're trying to make a hit song in? I guess popping Ed Sheeran's name on a song gives it more chances to be popular worldwide. Even if he doesn't really add anything interesting you got to have that star power. At least it's not as annoying as "Senorita" I guess. 

4th Best: "As it Was" by Harry Styles

While I did call his latest album mediocre earlier, I can't deny that it still has some great songs on it. The lead single "As it Was" is a standout as it really excited me for the upcoming album. While the entire album didn't live up to the hype created by this song, I can't really say it's taken away any appreciation I have for it. Still really well made and still not tired of throwing it on every now and then. This is a song that has great production and really pushes Harry Styles' strengths. While I still prefer his first album overall and "Sign of the Times" is still my favorite Harry song, this one could climb up there too. I really wanted Harry to lean more into Rock like his first album, I understand that's probably not going to be the more popular route, but I think he had a lot of potential to make some classics in that genre. Still, there are at least some great songs like "As it Was" to listen to here. 

3rd Worst: "Made You Look" by Meghan Trainor

So Meghan Trainor dropped a new album this year. Honestly, if I wasn't making this list I wouldn't have even known about this album. The big hit from this new album is called "Made You Look" and it is incredible. It's incredible that Meghan Trainor has run out of ideas and has to go back to her original doo-wop style that made her famous already. This song is pretty much ripping off her own songs "All About That Bass" and "Dear Future Husband", but somehow less interesting. "Made You Look" is all about how Meghan Trainor is gonna wear all her awesome expensive clothing and make everyone around her stare at her in awe, but it wouldn't matter if she was naked or wearing an old hoodie because you'd still be in awe of her.  It's not a terrible idea or anything, but I think it's the fact that she's relying on this old style again to try to get hits that annoys me. It feels lazy for her to do this retread already and doesn't feel like anything new and fresh from an artist that should be trying new things. I'm also really tired of artists name-dropping Gucci and Louis... we get it, you are rich. 

3rd Best: "Smoking Out the Window" by Silk Sonic

Silk Sonic is back on my best-of list with their big hit "Smoking Out the Window". Last year I gave their song "Leave the Door Open" the best song of the year and honestly this new single wasn't too far off from that level. Unlucky for them I thought two other songs were better (I'm sure they really care about this list and how high they make it). This is yet another super smooth single with awesome vocals and has a lot of the same great elements from the song last year. Not sure if this partnership is going to be a one-off thing, but I really hope not. 

2nd Worst: "Staying Alive" DJ Khaled/Drake/Lil Baby

Oh yeah, nothing says "Stayin' Alive" like Drake sleepwalking his way through another collab with the always amazing DJ Khaled. Sorry, that's "DJ KHALED!!! I DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SONG IN AN IMPACTFUL WAY!!!"

Does DJ Khaled have dirt on Drake to keep him coming back to these mediocre singles? Not that Drake is dropping anything much better under his own discography these days. This just feels like another desperate attempt at keeping Khaled relevant for another year. Well, sadly it worked because yet again we have another big hit here. This time Khaled butchers the all-time classic Bee Gees song that defined an entire decade. Yeah, let's do that song but take out all the fun energy and social messages. Couldn't even try to sample the iconic intro riff? I expected nothing and I'm still disappointed. 

2nd Best: "Sacrifice" by The Weeknd

I'm surprised by how little love this album seemed to get in the charts. The Weeknd dropped a new album "Dawn FM" early in the year and it's still one of the best albums of 2022. Even though it sold well, I feel like I didn't hear a lot about it compared to a lot of his other releases. "Sacrifice" was the big single from the new album and it's a great song on its own, even better with the rest of the album. The album has a darker atmosphere to it, with some existential crisis/ end of the world vibes throughout the album narrated by Jim Carrey. It fits well with the theme and the songs are perfect for a nighttime drive. 

THE WORST SONG OF 2022: "abcdefu" by GAYLE?

This is the part where I feel old again. This is yet another one of those TikTok songs that gained most of its popularity from people using it in their videos on that app. There are plenty of great breakup songs out there and this is 100% not one of them. Nothing says I hate you and I'm angry like a mid-tempo song with no emotion behind it and some Na-Na-Na's in the chorus... that'll show him. Also, the whole lead-up where she has to go through the ABCs just to get to F YOU is not nearly as clever as she seems to think it is. 

The idea of being so angry at someone you want to just tell them and anybody close to them off, I can maybe see that working if presented in the right way. This doesn't really do that. What did his mom and sister do to you? Why are you dissing him for having a job and a car? Why are you dissing his art when the best you can do is this lame-ass song? "abcdefu" is just plain bad. Well, thankfully we won't have to see GAYLE? again because I can guarantee she will never have another hit again. 

THE BEST SONG OF 2022: "Bad Habit" by Steve Lacy

Every now and then the pop charts throw a nice surprise that completely catches me off guard. This year it was Steve Lacy's big hit "Bad Habit". I never had the pleasure of listening to Lacy before this hit, but when I first heard it I was intrigued. His style of R&B mixed with modern indie rock works really well and he's got a lot of interesting music in his catalog. I didn't realize I'd probably heard him before since he's worked with artists like Vampire Weekend, Blood Orange, and Tyler, The Creator. It's nice to see him get his moment in the spotlight, but hopefully not the last time he's there. 

And that was my list of 2022. Not a bad year of music honestly, as the good really outweighed the bad here. As always I'll list some of my favorite albums of the year down below, hopefully people can discover something great they missed. I'll put a * next to my favorites.

Spoon - "Lucifer on the Sofa" (Indie/Rock) *

Michelle - "AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS" (Indie/Pop) *

Mitski - "Laurel Hell" (Indie/Rock)

Frank Turner - "FTHC" (Punk)

Gang of Youths - "the angel of 8th ave." (Indie/Rock)

Nilufer Yanya - "PAINLESS" (Indie/Alt)

Hippo Campus - "LP3" (Indie/Pop)

Ricky Montgomery - "It's 2016 Somewhere" (Indie/Pop) *

Everything Everything  - "Raw Data Feel" (Indie Rock) *

Drug Church - "Hygiene" (Punk)

Wet Leg - "Wet Leg" (Indie Rock)

Bob Vylan - "The Price of Life" (Rap/Punk)

Fontaines D.C.- "Skinty Fia" (Alternative)

Braveweather - "Stay Here" (Indie Rock/Alt)

Ethal Cain - "Preacher's Daughter" (Indie Rock)

The 1975 - "Being Funny in a Foreign Language" (Pop/Rock)

Tove Lo - "Dirt Femme" (Pop)

Phoenix - "Alpha Zulu" (Indie Pop) *

Charlie XCX - "CRASH" (Pop)

Alvvays - "Blue Rev" (Indie Rock)

Viagra Boys - "Cave World" (Hardcore Punk)

Beach Bunny - "Emotional Creature" (Indie Pop)

SZA - "SOS" (R&B)

Denzel Curry - "Melt My Eyez See Your Future (Hip-Hop)

Little Simz - "NO THANK YOU" (Hip-Hop)

Here's a playlist of some of the best songs too: 

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Top 20 Best Animated Movies of ALL TIME

Animated movies. It's a medium that's grown a lot since its inception close to 100 years ago. I guess the reality is that it's nothing like it was when it first became popular. Animation has transitioned from the classic 2D Walt Disney style animation to now the highly detailed computer animated style. It took a while before computer-animated movies looked anywhere near as good as the classic 2D style, but I'm glad that we've finally gotten to the point where they can look just as beautiful and detailed as the older style. Personally, I wish the big studios still released some old-school 2D animated movies every now and then, but it's easy to see why they wouldn't (mostly money reasons I assume). But this list I'm going to make here is to celebrate animated movies of all forms: 2D, 3D, Stop-motion, and the rest. Since the release of Snow White, there have been countless animated classics and hits released, to the point where it was impossible to watch all the greats. Still, I took the time to go through a lot of the major animation studio releases and some indie ones to make this list. I did my best to try to get all the great movies and decide whether or not to include them and it was really tough. But that's what nearly 100 years' worth of great animated movies will do to you. No doubt I missed some, and there's still a lot I haven't seen yet, though I will try to catch up on them soon. Still, I think I've seen enough to be able to make a list of the top 20 best-animated films ever (in my opinion). So here it is:

But first some small honorable mentions:

Persepolis: A movie that sounds like it wouldn't be the most interesting topic for an animated movie, but actually ended up being one of the best. The art style is an interesting choice as it goes for a black and white 2D style like the graphic novel it's based on. The movie follows the life of young Marji as she grows up during the Iranian Revolution and how it affects her and her family. It has a lot of great heartfelt moments while still bringing in some good humor throughout the story. It's really worth a watch if you can find it on streaming. It's a very unique movie with a great story to tell. 

The Mitchells vs the Machines: The newest movie on this list only came out just last year. It wasn't long before this one became one of my new favorites. This movie had everything going for it, from the brilliant animation and voice acting to the story itself. It's a nice father and daughter story which I feel isn't seen a lot in these animated movies. The movie has a lot of great action and humor inside what is really a heartfelt story with some really memorable characters. 

Wolf Children: A Japanese film from 2012 with a really unique story about a single mother raising two babies who happen to have the ability to turn into wolves at any time. It's a great story about two kids who are struggling to find their identity in the world as the mother who can't always relate to their unique struggles tries her best to help them. It has plenty of emotional moments while still feeling mostly light-hearted and fun. Definitely an underrated gem. 

Perfect Blue: One of the most shocking movies I have ever seen left me with my mouth open once the credits started rolling. It's most definitely not for kids, as it features some horrific scenes and pretty graphic violence. Yet, despite all this, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen as it all unfolded. The story is so captivating and even though it can be hard to watch at times it was impossible for me not to want to keep watching to see where the story ultimately goes. The story follows a young pop star who decides she wants to transition into an acting career. While she slowly starts to lose her sense of identity in this new career. The less you know going in the better, just let the story totally take you for a ride. Just know the movie can be hard to watch (as I said several times) because some of the scenes can be pretty graphic. That's why it didn't make the list proper, it's not the most rewatchable movie. 

Shrek 2: On a lighter note, here's one of the funniest animated movies ever. Shrek 2 is the perfect example of how to make a sequel to a beloved movie. You take all the characters from the first movie, add new characters who are just as lovable, and put them into a story that builds on the story from the first movie. The movie does a great job at building on Shrek and Fiona's relationship by introducing her family. It's like a fairy tale version of Meet the Parents, but with some more ridiculous situations. Even after all these years the humor still holds up and even the dated animation still looks pretty good for the time. 

Grave of the Fireflies: An animated film that takes a more realistic look at the effects of war on a family. It's a beautifully told story through maybe even more beautiful animation. It can feel a bit hopeless at times, but I think that goes with the themes of war and loss. Not the easiest movie to put on for a rewatch, but I don't think that takes away from its impact on animation and storytelling as a whole. 

Now for the list proper: The Top 20 Animated Movies of All Time! (in my opinion)

20. Prince of Egypt

Loosely based on one of the most famous stories from the Bible comes Dreamworks' best movie. The story of Moses is one most people have heard in their lives at one point or another. This movie takes that story while adding its own little twists to it, while still staying true to the moral of the story and the character of Moses. The movie is beautifully animated, one of the best 2D and computer-animated hybrids created. That alongside some great vocal performances by some Hollywood greats like Val Kilmer and Stever Martin helped put this classic story into a film. Whether you are a believer or not, it's hard to not call this a great movie that does a fantastic job at retelling the Moses story. 

19. Coraline

The first feature-length film from the great animation studio Laika. Coraline is a beautifully crafted stop-motion animation movie. The movie is based on Neil Gaiman's book of the same name. The story is wonderful and yet a little creepy, especially for kids. It's the kind of story that could maybe be slightly too much for very young kids, but for anyone else, it's highly recommended. The stop motion visuals are top-notch and the creepy visuals used all create a very fun world that is great to come back to again and again. It all adds up to a movie I find myself coming back to a lot, especially during the spooky season. 

18. Ratatouille

At a time when it seemed Pixar could do no wrong, they released what sounds like a pretty ridiculous concept for a movie. A rat in Paris dreams of becoming a world-class chef and making the dishes he's imagined in his head. He finds an opportunity when he takes control of a young boy who cleans at a high-class restaurant and helps him make stunning dishes that surprise everyone. As weird as it sounds, it all works extremely well and makes for a really funny and charming story with some great characters. The setting of Paris really helps make this movie feel really unique from the other Pixar movies as it was really the first to entirely take place in a real-life city. It really felt like the animation was being pushed to incredible new levels... but I guess you could say that about most new Pixar releases back then.

17. Little Mermaid

The movie that kickstarted one of the most beloved eras of Disney Animation. The fantastic colorful animation with great detail reminded everyone why Disney was the best at the craft. That and really focusing on bringing the iconic musical aspect of the classic Disney movies back. Little Mermaid has one of the most memorable soundtracks of any Disney movie, with one of the all-time greats "Under the Sea" among the tracks. It also brought in one of the more memorable villains in the drag-queen-inspired Ursala who was as evil as she was magnificent. This movie will always have a special place in Disney's history for how much success it brought the company, but it will also stand the test of time as a classic animated movie. Also fun fact: this was the last traditional animated movie that wasn't created using computers in one way or another (at least for Disney). 

16. Akira

One of the most influential animes ever made, Akira changed the anime landscape in the late 80s. Taking place in the cyberpunk future of Neo Tokyo, the art style and story truly captivated Japanese audiences in its release. It's gained a cult status among anime fans around the world as time has passed and more people have discovered it. The movie is very gritty and dark, taking place in a world full of violence and gang warfare. On top of that, the government has some shady dealings as they take children into their custody to experiment on them and give them telekinetic powers. A story that would influence many a sci-fi and horror film since its release. There's no denying that this movie is an important part of animation history and it's still of the best ever made. 

15. Princess Mononoke

From one anime classic to another. This Miyazaki film came out in 1997 and was quickly branded another Studio Ghibli classic. This is the first Studio Ghibli film on the list, but... well it won't be the last. If you've seen a Miyazaki film, then you know how beautiful the animation is with the amount of detail the worlds in his movies have. On top of that, you get some top-notch storytelling with characters that will be remembered forever. Princess Mononoke is a fantasy story about a young man named Ashitaka as he tries to find a cure for a disease that is slowly killing him. On his journey, he meets a girl named San who is accompanied by large wolves. Together they find themselves in a war between the forest spirits and the humans who deplete the forest of its resources. A story that is heavy on environmental themes, and conservation. It handles the themes well and doesn't feel like it's too heavy-handed or preachy. 

14. Aladdin

A lot of people will always remember this movie for one of the most iconic Disney characters in Genie voiced by the legend Robin Williams. It's true that his performance here completely changed the landscape of animated movies and the voice-acting casting that would be more in favor of celebrity star power over actual voice work talent. That's how good he was in this role, he changed things forever. It's easy to forget though, the rest of the movie is fantastic in its own right. The romance between Aladdin and Jasmine is a big part of the movie that works well, as well as the villain Jafar. While a few things here and there might not have aged like fine wine, it still holds up for the most part. 

13. The Incredibles

The first Pixar movie to be centered around human characters. It's actually interesting to see the evolution of human characters in these 3D animated movies, as in the early days it wasn't always so easy to make humans look good. You can really notice how basic this movie is with the textures and design of the characters compared to what they can do now. It doesn't take away from how good this movie was and is still to this day. Superhero movies now are all over the place and it's become so big with Marvel that every studio wants to try to get some of that success. This movie came out at a time Superhero movies were just starting to really take off with X-Men and Spider-Man. It took the genre and put a unique twist on it. Everything about this movie just works. The action is a lot of fun, the characters are all memorable and the music is fantastic. Even the villain, who doesn't show up until a little later in the movie, is really well done. I think this should be considered one of the best superhero movies and not just in the animated genre. 

12. The Iron Giant

Before Vin Diesel was Groot, he was a giant metal robot thing. The Iron Giant was released by Warner Bros Feature Animation is the year 1999. For a studio that was known for its iconic cartoon series like Looney Tunes and Animaniacs, it really struggled to release successful theatrical animated movies. It's actually sad that this was the last fully animated movie they made because it ended up being one of the best animated movies ever made. It's surprising that this movie actually failed hard at the box office considering how beloved it is nowadays. The story follows young boy Hogarth and his friendship with a giant evil robot. Turns out the robot isn't so evil, but actually wants to be good and a hero. But, the US military sure doesn't see him as a hero, as they want to capture and destroy the gentle iron giant. The relationship between Hogarth and the Giant carries this movie and it's surprisingly emotional and heartfelt. 

11. Finding Nemo

How fast can Pixar make you cry? Pretty fast it turns out. Finding Nemo was a phenomenon when it first came out in 2003. I haven't seen this movie in years now, but I feel like I can still remember every scene and most of the dialog with how much I watched it back in the day. Not only that, but it's also one of those movies where every scene is really good and serves a purpose. The storytelling is fantastic here and the relationship between all the characters really takes this movie from great status to amazing. Even though I was never the biggest Ellen fan, I can admit she was the perfect casting choice for Dory and I can't really imagine anyone else in the role. 

10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

The first-ever animated feature-length movie by Disney is still one of the best of all time. While its importance to animation as a whole is a big deal, even without that it still deserves to be on this list. The beautiful animation still looks great to this day and considering how early it was that is pretty amazing. The story is timeless too with lots of great humor and heartfelt moments. The story was already well known as it was created by the Brothers Grimm, who made plenty of classic fairy tales. This was a great adaptation of their work and it wouldn't be the last. Now I'm just hoping they don't make a live-action remake of this one. 

9. Wall-E

WALL-E is a special movie because it does something that none of the movies on this list did. Having a protagonist that doesn't speak isn't unheard of, in fact, Disney did it with the movie Dumbo decades ago. Still, this was Pixar's first time doing so and it worked amazingly. WALL-E's design makes him lovable at first sight with his small rusty body and big robot eyes.  It's his actions that really make you root for him though and his connection to EVE that carries the environmentally friendly message of the movie. The animation is of course top-notch, but that's expected of Pixar at this point. 

8. Inside Out

One of the newer movies on this list left an impact on me right away. This movie actually came out at a time Pixar was starting to feel a bit stale with its storytelling. Movies like Cars 2, Brave, and Monster's University just felt like they were missing the great Pixar touch. Then came Inside Out. It felt like the old Pixar came back for one last great story. The idea was simple enough, a story about what our emotions would be like if they were living creatures. Pixar took a good idea and made a really great story out of it with some memorable characters that made you laugh and cry like Pixar usually does. It also has one of the best celebrity voice castings since Robin Williams as Genie or Mike Myers as Shrek with Amy Poehler playing Joy. What I really liked about this movie though, is how it teaches a great message that you don't really see a lot of kid movies do. Sadly Pixar went on another bad streak after this movie, but it looks like that's turning around recently with better movies like Coco, Soul, and Luca. 

7. Spirited Away

 One of Miyazaki's most beloved films is worthy of all the praise it gets. The story is so unique and bizarre, but it works so well because of the characters and beautiful animation. A young girl named Chihiro is trapped in a bathhouse that is home to many unusual spirits. She has to try to work her way out of it and rescue her parents. While she is trapped, she meets a boy named Haku and they slowly form a bond that will change Chihiro's life forever. This movie features some iconic anime visuals and characters that are referenced in many other works. In fact, you can find many people with tattoos and collectibles of this movie because of how iconic it has become over time. If you've never seen a Miyazaki film, this one is a good place to start... or the other one I'm going to mention soon. 

6. Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse

The newest movie on the list was one that became a favorite of mine in pretty much one watch. I've seen it many times now and it only seems to get better with every rewatch. The story, animation, and music all combine to make one of the best animated movies ever. I'd even say this is my favorite Spider-Man movie too, which is crazy considering how good a lot of the other ones have been. There's just something about the unique animation style mixed in with great storytelling that puts this one on another level. It's got so much style, but it doesn't take away from the substance of the characters and storytelling that can be really captivating. The characters are memorable and even the villain(s) were really well done. Maybe over time this movie will move up and down on the list, but for now, it's one of my favorites ever. 

5. Beauty and the Beast

It's one of the most beloved Disney movies of all time and also the only Disney animated feature to be nominated for best picture at the annual Oscars. It's a tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast was one of the earlier movies of the Disney Renaissance. I feel like it really took what Little Mermaid did before it and improved upon it. It showed that the Little Mermaid wasn't just a one-time fluke, but that Disney was in fact back in form. The beautiful animation and the iconic music really pushed what was already a great story into legendary status. The love story between Belle and Beast certainly carried the movie, but the memorable side characters like Gaston, Lumiere, and Mr. Potts took this movie into iconic status. 

4. Howl's Moving Castle

The final Miyazaki movie on this list is one I love to revisit. It's a simple story: a young woman meets a young wizard, the young woman is cursed with old age by a witch, and the young handsome wizard helps the old lady get back her young body. We've all been there. But seriously, it's a fantastic story that's carried by the great connection between the two protagonists. As with every Miyazaki movie, the animation is insanely good and incredibly detailed. Miyazaki's influence on animation is probably on par with that of Walt Disney, maybe even greater you could argue. The fact that you could debate which of his many movies is the best one shows how much quality he brings into the world of animation. This is my favorite personally, and I would highly suggest you watch any of his movies if you've never seen them. 

3. Lion King

This is still my favorite Disney movie to date after all these years. Though there have been many greats before and after this movie, this one still holds a special place. It's a flawless movie in its entirety. The characters, story, music, animation, voice acting, and setting all come together so perfectly that it's impossible for me not to put this so high on this list. At points, it has you ugly crying and at other points it has you crying from laughter. The story is so well done, with the movie showing you a great father and son relationship that makes Mufasa's death so impactful because of how great a character he was in the short time you spend with him. Watching Simba grow from a tiny lion cub who's clearly not ready to be king into the lion his father always hoped he would become is a great arc. Even the villain Scar has great motivation and has one of the best villain songs in any Disney movie. It's the perfect movie. 

2. Toy Story 3

It was hard to choose which one of the Toy Story movies I would put on this list because they are all so great, but ultimately this one felt right. It was the end of the Andy saga that was being built up in all of the movies, especially the second one. Toy Story 3 takes everything that worked from the first two movies and builds on it to create a perfect ending to a trilogy. Of course, it didn't end up being a trilogy after all, since they made one last movie to give Woody his big finale. Still, this movie still felt like the perfect send-off to all the beloved characters at the time, since most of us thought this was the last one. The themes of growing old and always being there for your friends carried on, but this time felt more emotional because it really felt like the last time we'd see these beloved characters. I'm not sure if it's fair to say the existence of Toy Story 4 affects that or not, because I think 4 is also a great ending to the series too. 

1. Fantastic Mr. Fox

When I first heard Wes Anderson was making an animated feature I was immediately interested. Never would I have imagined that it would end up being one of my favorite movies of all time and the best-animated movie ever made (in my opinion). It's one of the most unique movies I've ever seen and it's so visually interesting I can never take my eyes off of the screen when I watch it. The movie has this great quirkiness to it that's incredibly charming and funny. But like with a lot of these movies, the characters really carry the movie and there's a great story here. If you've never seen it, it's about a famous thief fox who decides to retire to focus on his family life. He quickly grows bored with the ordinary life and plans his greatest heist yet. For the first time in his life though, he's taken on more than he can do alone. It's a really funny story, but still has great moments of heart and lessons that don't feel out of place in the story. It does everything so perfectly, which is why it's my favorite animated movie of all time. 

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Best Hit Songs of the 00s

 The 2000s: The decade that almost wasn't. At least that's what a lot of people believed in the year 1999 as the new Millenium was about to start. Lots of things were changing as the world was about to enter the 2000s. With the rise of the internet and it becoming more and more accessible to the public, it's true that things would change forever. Technology not only changed how we did lots of our everyday tasks but also how we found entertainment. Before the internet, finding music was all about trading CDs/tapes with friends, going out to live shows, or hearing new songs on the radio. Now we could download MP3s straight into our computers, go into music forums or stream music straight from a browser. It was pretty freakin' amazing, and the potential for the smaller artists to get more recognition was out there. It took a while before that really happened, at least in the mainstream. For most of the 00s, it was still mostly about radio hits and big music labels promoting artists. 

The 2000s saw a big change in the dominant sound of music. It was already happening in the 90s, but in this new decade, Hip-Hop finally became the number one genre in the mainstream and pretty much has stayed that way until today. Lots of other genres and trends have come and gone in the music charts, but Rap and its sub-genres have stuck around since the early 00s. Big names like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Outkast, Jay-Z, Kanye, and a lot more carried the genre to new levels of popularity. 

There was also the rise of indie rock and the Post-Punk Revival of the early 00s which holds a special place in my life. Some amazing music came from that time period of rock, with lots of bands I still love to this day like The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, and Arcade Fire. On the radio though, it was lots of sad post-grunge acts like Nickelback, 3 Doors Down, and Creed in the early years of the decade. Honestly, one of my least favorite time periods of rock radio besides maybe the very early 90s. Later on in the decade, we moved more into pop-rock and pop-punk in the mainstream, which was a lot more fun and still very nostalgic to me. 

I should also mention the big pop stars of the decade, a lot of whom got their start in the late 90s. Artists like Justin Timberlake, Pink, Beyonce, and Gwen Stefani really took off on their own and really dominated the decade. Towards the end of the decade, we saw the rise of the new stars who would break records in the next decade like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Carrie Underwood. Things would really change with the rise of the iPod and Itunes, making music that much easier to get and giving music listeners more choice in what they purchase and listen to. This really felt like the fall of the album and the rise of the single. No longer did you have to buy a whole album just to listen to that one song you really liked, and it really changed the way artist released music. Thankfully I think streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music coming out made albums feel more important again. 

Now that I think about it though, out of the three decades I've done a list like this for (the 80s, 90s, and now 00s), this one has to be the hardest to pick from of the hit songs. I think that might be because of the fact that I lived through the entire decade and have a lot more personal connections to these songs. It's interesting to see how different things were from the first half of the decade to the later years. Didn't even really mention how 9/11 in 2001 affected music in a big way too with a lot of shifts in lyrics and styles. A lot of artists would make music in protest of the ongoing war, but a lot of artists were also making lots of come together America type songs too. 

That was just a brief look at how music was in the 2000s, but now I'll talk about the songs themselves. Starting with some special mentions before going into the actual top 10 songs of the decade. Just in case you didn't read my previous ones (the 80s and 90s) I only work off of hit songs that were on the radio and charts. So basically no indie artists or b-side songs. 

SPECIAL MENTIONS

(2003) The White Stripes  - "Seven Nation Army"

Starting off with one of the most famous rock songs of all time is Jack White and Meg White's iconic stadium hit "Seven Nation Army". If you've been to or watched a sporting event chances are you've either heard this song playing or the crowd chanting the famous riff. I love how the song starts off quiet and slow before really kicking into high gear after the buildup. It's not a song I find myself listening to a lot on its own, but when it comes on I'm always a little surprised by how good this song really is. I still prefer The White Stripes when they are their hardest like "Black Math" and "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine" from that same album, but this song deserves a mention here.

(2007) Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse - "Valerie"

Can't have a list of the best songs of the 2000s without mentioning Amy Winehouse. In her short career, she made a huge impact in music with one of the best albums of the decade "Back to Black" and some great performances. Her team up with Mark Ronson in 2007 created this gem of a song (Valerie) that became not just a big hit, but a pretty iconic song in its own right. Mark Ronson does have a way of bringing out the best in some great artists, teaming up with Amy Winehouse was a great choice for both of them. "Valerie" gets a lot of inspiration from retro music while still sounding modern enough to be a huge hit in the 2000s. This was the perfect song for Amy Winehouse and her unique vocals to really shine along with some really catchy and well-crafted music. 

(2004) Usher - "Yeah!" (Ft. Ludacris and Lil Jon)

If you were alive in the year 2004 with working ears then you must have heard this song at least 1000 times. Yeah, this song and the album it came from completely dominated the year 2004 and turned Usher from a well-known R&B artist to a mega pop star. Really, this song had three huge stars at around their peak because Ludacris and Lil Jon were also at the height of their powers, and this song pretty much proved that. The iconic beat kicks off and immediately you know what song it is and every word comes back to you instantly. To this day I still hear people using this song as their ringtone... probably cause they don't know how to change it, but still. 

(2000) U2 - "Beautiful Day"

Having multiple hit songs for three straight decades is no easy feat, but U2 found a way to stay relevant throughout the 80s, 90s, and now the 00s. It wasn't without some bumps on the road, but they stayed consistent enough to keep their fans throughout the years as well as bring in new ones. When you keep making classic after classic I guess it's not hard to see why they remained successful all these years. "Beautiful Day" was a reminder of what this band was capable of after floundering in the late 90s. Starting off the new decade with a big return to form and a new classic from the band. The uplifting sound of "Beautiful Day" felt like a throwback from U2 without just feeling like a retread.

(2004) Kelly Clarkson - "Since U Been Gone"

One thing that really took off in the 2000s was reality TV. With shows like Survivor, Real World, and The Bachelor dominating television, it was only a matter of time until they created a show to find the next superstar artist. While there were a lot of these shows, the one that really took off was American Idol in 2002. Lucky for American Idol that the first-ever winner of the show turned out to be a really big star named Kelly Clarkson. Her big hit "Since U Been Gone" was the perfect song for her to really kick off her career as it used her unique vocals and range perfectly. The song was heavily inspired by a song that's on this list later actually, more on that soon. 

(2005) Mariah Carey - "We Belong Together"

A big return in the year 2005 for Mariah with her biggest hit since her 1995 album "Daydream". At a time when R&B was insanely popular, it only felt right that Mariah Carey would be amongst the biggest artists putting out hits. I feel like there are some similarities between this and Usher's big hit "Confessions". That would make sense since that album came out the year before and was the biggest album of that year. Mariah brings out "We Belong Together" to remind everyone why she is one of the best voices in the genre by killing it on this track. It's all just very good. 

(2003) Beyonce - "Crazy In Love" (ft. Jay-Z)

Beyonce had her first big solo hit to kickstart her career away from Destiny's Child, the first of many more. It was obvious that she was going to be the star to emerge from Destiny's Child, I mean the group was formed by her dad to help make her a star. This new single "Crazy In Love" was the perfect start to her career as it was a massive hit, and is still really loved by many to this day. As an artist, Beyonce would grow leaps and bounds beyond this first album, but even so, it's good to come back to where it all started. 

(2002) Snoop Dogg - "Beautiful" (ft. Pharrell & Uncle Charlie Wilson)

The 2000s were full of hip-hop "love" songs, but none did it better than Pharrell's smooth vocals and legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. The beat can get a bit repetitive, but it's a really good one so it doesn't bother me too much. All that is made up by the great verses followed by some really catchy choruses by Pharrell. Then the song kicks into super-smoothness with the romantic bridge where they actually have some really sweet lyrics for their girls. A lot of the rap love songs of this time period were missing that actual sweetness to them, often still trying to show how tough they are as rappers instead of actually showing a vulnerable side to their ladies. This song doesn't fall into that cliche like rappers Fat Joe, 50 Cent, and Ja Rule always did. For that alone, I give it a lot of credit. 

(2003) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps"

Remember that song that was the heavy inspiration for "Since U Been Gone"? That would be this song. The story goes that a big-name music producer heard this song and was really annoyed by how it never really kicks into high gear and wanted to make his own version that actually does that. He teamed up with Kelly Clarkson to write and create a harder version of "Maps". I'd be kind of annoyed at his attitude towards indie rock, but at least we got a great song out of it. I still think "Maps" is the better song though. It had such a great unique sound at the time, with some great drum and guitar work really carrying the song along with the vocals. At a time when indie rock was really growing and lots of bands were fighting for the spotlight, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs stood out by making some fantastic music. 

Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc."

Speaking of innovative bands, here comes the most famous virtual band Gorillaz. In the 2000s the frontman of the rock band Blur named Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett created this band of virtual characters who would become iconic in the music world. The music would be a mix of indie/alt-rock and hip-hop, usually featuring lots of guest rappers from around the world. Their biggest hit would come from their 2005 album "Demon Days", a little song called "Feel Good Inc".  This song still feels unlike anything else I've ever really heard, even Gorillaz themselves haven't really been able to completely replicate its success. Not to say they haven't made good songs after, because that's not true either. The mix of guitar and bass mix to make a really fresh sound at the time with the mix of hip-hop elements. 

Coldplay - "Fix You"

One of the biggest rock bands of the last 20+ years had to be included in this list. The thing that I always loved about Coldplay was their ability to make their music so full of emotion through just the instruments. This song is the perfect example of that as even without the lyrics you can feel the same emotions. This song just brings a mix of sadness and hope that is almost addicting to listen to. Once the bridge kicks in it's a pretty glorious sight, especially in live performances of this song if you've seen them. 

(2004) Kanye West - "All Falls Down"

Kanye's career has been in a bit of a downward spiral the last few years with his move to more religious-focused music. With the way his music and personality have affected how people view him recently, it's easy to forget just how important his work was in the last twenty years. Right from his first album "College Dropout", he was creating interesting and unique beats and rhymes for his music. Many argue about what Kanye's best album is and this is definitely a contender. My favorite from this album is "All Falls Down", which was inspired by Lauryn Hill's "Mystery of Iniquity" on her live MTV album. Using the sample creates a perfect backdrop for Kanye's song about material possessions and how they are used to build self-worth and hide insecurities and weaknesses. Something I wish Kanye would think about nowadays.

Okay, well I probably included more special mentions than I had originally intended to, but there were so many songs I wanted to give a shoutout to. I still had to leave out a bunch of songs I really like despite having all these mentions. But anyway, here are the TEN BEST SONGS of the 2000s.  

(2006) My Chemical Romance - "Welcome to the Black Parade"

When I was a young man, I witnessed this music video on FUSE TV for the first time. My jaw dropped because I knew I had just witnessed probably the greatest emo thing I've ever seen. The mid-2000s had some of the best emo music that ever existed and My Chemical Romance was in a lot of ways the one leading the movement. They took the emo music throne in 2006 when they released this song and the album of the same name. "Welcome to the Black Parade" feels like emo music's Magnum Opus as it fell right in the middle of the genre's most popular time. I think it may have been more appropriate as a send-off to the genre's peak because it never really reached this momentum again. While the genre isn't nearly as popular as it was in the mainstream 15 years ago, it still holds a place in a lot of people's hearts. "Welcome to the Black Parade" is a perfect song to remember those times.

(2007) Lady Gaga - "Just Dance" (Ft. Colby O'Donis)

In the late 2000s, a star was born. It really felt like Lady Gaga just decided to become a huge superstar one morning and just like that she was one of the biggest names in the world. This was the big opener from her debut album and what a way to kick off her first album. One of the best pop songs of the decade showed off everything about Lady Gaga and why she deserved all the praise she was getting. The vocals, charisma, and presence are all here on display and would only get better over time. Lady Gaga has this unique charisma that makes people drawn to her and her music. Even though she came into the decade near its end, I think it's hard not to say she was incredibly important to the 2000s music scene. 

(2006) Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"

The team-up of Ceelo Green and Danger Mouse was one that led to lots of great tunes. None really reached the level of "Crazy" though, their only big hit under the name Gnarls Barkley. Danger Mouse's production mixed with Ceelo's smooth vocals created this undeniable sound that was easy to love. The great bass carrying the song along with some cool string sounds to elevate the choruses is really great. 

(2002) Eminem - "Lose  Yourself"

The 2000s was Eminem's decade that he ruled with multiple hits that made him arguably the biggest rapper of the decade. In terms of talent, it's debatable, but in terms of sales, no one is close to Eminem. In 2002 he starred in his own movie called "8 Mile" which was actually a really good movie. Along with that, he released a single as a tie-in with the movie called "Lose Yourself". The song quickly became insanely popular and is Eminem's signature song. Eminem has a lot of comedy and over-the-top violence in his songs usually, but every now and then he brings out a track like this where he sheds all that and takes a more serious route. The iconic piano intro leads into the also iconic guitar riff and Eminem brings some of the best verses he's ever written alongside a chorus that is actually really good. Eminem's choruses are almost never the best part of his song, but this actually stands out. In a lot of ways he never reached the same heights he did with this song and everything he did before this. His career past the 2000s has been hit or miss, but there's no denying how insanely popular he was during the 2000s. 

(2008) Rihanna - "Umbrella" (ft. Jay-Z)

If you asked many people what the song that defined the 2000s was, a lot of people would probably bring this song up. I think it's totally a candidate for the song that defined the second half of the decade. Rihanna was one of the biggest names in pop music in the 2000s and 2010s, this is still considered her trademark hit by many. Listening to this song again, it's the perfect embodiment of the sound that dominated the late 2000s on the radio. A mix of synth and hip-hop beats with usually a rap verse thrown in by a big-name rapper for more crossover appeal. This is the sound that artists like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, and even a band like Onerepublic used. This song didn't start that trend, but it pretty much perfected it. 

(2003) Linkin Park - "Numb"

In the 2000s Linkin Park owned the Nu-Metal genre and probably were the ones who kept it relevant past the early 00s. Well, them and Nickelback I guess. Despite being considered a Nu-Metal band, I think Linkin Park's sound was unique enough that it was hard to really keep them in that bubble. Lots tried to replicate them, but none could ever find that same sound and popularity. Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington's mix of rap and singing worked so well together. To me though, Chester's vocals were so amazing that he could have been successful in many other genres. The way he can transition from his screaming vocals to his cleaner vocals was always so impressive to me. "Numb," I think really showed off perfectly what he was capable of as a singer. Along with the great musicians in the band who could always make music to match Chester's passionate vocals, Linkin Park were groundbreaking and ahead of their time. 

(2003) Outkast - "Hey Ya"

One of the best Rap groups of all time featured Andre 3000 and Big Boi creating some amazing music from back in the 90s to the 2000s. In 2003 they created one of the biggest songs of the decade in "Hey Ya". A mix of their usual hip-hop sound infused with more pop and dance music. This song is so memorable that I could play any second of this song and most people will immediately recognize what song it is. It really makes me wish they had stuck around longer because this was really the last album they made together outside of a movie soundtrack album. Outkast had so many iconic songs though, it was still tough to pick just one, but considering how big this one was it made sense to put it on the list. Originally I wanted to put "B.O.B" on here because it's probably my favorite rap song, but sadly it wasn't technically a hit song. The only thing I have left to ask is: What's cooler than being cool? 

(2003) Britney Spears - "Toxic"

If you wanted to hear what a perfect pop song would sound like, you would listen to "Toxic". With Britney Spears at the height of her powers, she and her producers crafted the perfect song just for her talents. The strings kicking off the song are such a great idea, and the melody used with them became iconic in music. Britney herself puts a strong performance in the vocals, knowing just how to sing the vocals to match the lyrics of the song and not overdo it. When it comes to pop songs, it would be hard to find a song better than this one. 

(2004) The Killers - "Mr. Brightside"

The peak of the post-punk revival came in 2004 when The Killers released their album "Hot Fuss". Right from the second the guitar kicks in you know you're in for something special. It's crazy to think this was one of the first songs made by the band when they first got together. Like, imagine your first song becoming one of the most recognizable and loved songs in the world. While the band never made a song that matched the hype and popularity of "Mr. Brightside", they have had plenty of hits in their career and continue to make great music. "Mr. Brightside" just felt like it captured a moment in time perfectly, with the Post-Punk Revival at its peak this song felt like the perfect send-off to the movement. Not that it went away at all, but just that its time in the mainstream charts hasn't really reached the heights it did back then. 

(2000) Crazy Town - "Butterfly"

Honestly, I just wanted an excuse to put this ridiculous music video on here. 

(2004) Green Day - "American Idiot"

No song takes me back to the 2000s more than Green Day's "American Idiot". A song that completely changed the way I listen to music and an album that inspire me to want to learn to play music on my own. Personally, this song and album are incredibly important to me, but the song was also a huge hit that brought Green Day back into the limelight after a few years away from it. Green Day was still a pretty big band at the time, but this song led them to a peak in popularity. The song hit in the post-9/11 United States at a time when protest songs were pretty regular, especially in the punk scene. At a time when the media was trying to control the political narrative more than ever, this song stood against that. It's about fighting for what you want and believe in and not just being part of the status quo. A song that sadly seems to be relevant at all times in the USA, perhaps even more so these days. I'll be singing along to this song until the day I die. 

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World Cup 2022 Preview

 I've been trying to write about some different things here on my blog just to see what I can maybe focus on in the future and see how it feels to touch on different subjects I like. This time I'm covering sports for the first time, specifically Soccer and the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. The World Cup would not be starting at this time in normal circumstances, but it's a bit different this time around. Qatar is way too hot for players to be safely playing 90-minute games without serious risks to their health and to the fans who are going to attend as well. So instead it's going to start in late November, which is just days away. So I figured now that every team is officially getting ready for the World Cup, I would take a look at each team's chances of winning their groups and possibly winning the entire tournament. 

So this is a pretty controversial World Cup to begin with, mainly because of where it takes place, but not just that. FIFA itself is known by most fans of soccer for its shady business deals and for pretty much being openly corrupt. So most weren't surprised when the deal was made for Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup after Russia in 2018, which was pretty controversial too four years ago. Since the time of its announcement, thousands of workers have died working on the new stadiums and facilities for the upcoming World Cup because of poor working conditions. Things like having to stay in tiny "houses" cramped full of people to not being paid for a lot of their hours and overtime. On top of that, the country of Qatar is also far behind in human rights where it punishes homosexuality and free speech and turns a blind eye to things like domestic violence against women. Many players and coaches from other countries have stood against the decision to have the World Cup in Qatar. Even with it being so clearly corrupt and wrong, everything still looks set for this World Cup to go through. I forgot to mention that Qatar isn't even really known as a big soccer-playing country. This all seems like a big scheme for people to see Qatar as a destination to travel to and to try to hide all the problems within the country itself with a big sports event that will have tons of beautiful shots of the country during the broadcasts. Similar to what happened at the last World Cup in Russia. Then there's also the huge mess that was left behind after the empty World Cup stadiums in Brazil 8 years ago. All this to say that it's understandable to still watch the World Cup knowing this because it's the biggest sporting event known to man. Just that there's a desperate need for change in the way FIFA handles business and who it does business with. We shouldn't have to watch the World Cup thinking about how corrupt it is and the many lives it wrongfully took to make it happen. And that isn't even all of the problems with this year's World Cup, just the ones I felt the need to cover here. 

That was a lot, I know. I knew I had to bring up the matter of Qatar being the host because it is important to know just how big of a problem it is that this country is hosting. But now for some more fun, I'd like to take a quick look at all the teams that qualified by going through their groups. There are 8 groups of 4 teams in the World Cup, with only the best two of each group moving on to the next round.

GROUP A

Qatar - Well I've spoken about the host country itself, but how is the team? Well, the team is... okay. I'd put them as one of the least favorites to win the World Cup and I don't think they'll even make it past the group stage. In fact, I see them most likely finishing dead last because of the competition they have to face in the first three matches. The country has been developing its players in a state-of-the-art facility with old pros showing the young players how it's done. Still, this country is decades away from being a true contender for this kind of international tournament, but it's definitely on the rise.  I'd much rather talk about the other three teams though.

Ecuador - A team with a lot of momentum at the moment, seemed to come out of nowhere this time around. It's been a while since they have been to a world cup, but this time around they weren't messing about. They finished their continent's (CONMEBOL) qualifiers in third place ahead of countries like Uruguay, Peru, and even Colombia. Despite them having a strong showing in qualifiers, I don't see them making it out of the group stage and finishing third. Not so much a knock on this team, but the two other teams in this group are quite good. But I must admit I'm not fully convinced this team won't make it, because they do have talent. 

Senegal - A team that just recently won the African Cup of Nations and beat a pretty strong Egypt team in order to qualify for the world cup. I'd say out of all the African teams, Senegal should go the farthest in this competition. A solid team with one of the most prolific strikers in the world right now in Sadio Mané. Their road to the World Cup was a bit controversial with a very strange win over Egypt to qualify. They've been very disappointing the last few months with lots of losses and draws, not looking very strong. But then again, Ecuador hasn't been looking too good either so there's that?

Netherlands - The clear favorite of Group A should top the group easily in my opinion. A team stacked with world-class players and a good manager needs to show all other teams right away that they are here to win. Now even though I think they will top the group, I still wouldn't consider them a favorite to win this whole tournament. I think they can potentially make it far, like top 4 at the most. If everything comes together for this team, maybe they can go even further than that. They've never won the competition, but have made it to a final recently where they lost to Spain in a close match. They have put on some good matches recently so I think if they bring their recent success into the competition they can really stand toe-to-toe with any team. 

GROUP B

England - Going into this competition, I really thought England was going to be one of the favorites to win the whole thing. The past few months have made me think much less of them. They have been a mess right now, losing to Hungary twice and drawing the rest of their games to look pretty mediocre. They have a lot to figure out, but thankfully for them, the other teams in their group haven't been much better. We'll get to those other teams, but England really struggles at keeping the other teams from scoring and just lack cohesion. If they play anything like they have recently, they won't make it past the first knockout game. That being said, they should still be winning this group. They got plenty of great goal-scorers (Harry Kane is one of the best in the world), but they need to find a good defensive pair in the back to stop other teams from scoring on them so consistently. 

IR Iran - Iran feels like a bit of a wild card in this group. They dominated their qualifiers in Asia only losing one of ten games. The competition wasn't exactly top-level, but it's still impressive for them to do that. They topped their group, which included South Korea. I feel like this team will cause problems for one of the big teams in this group (England or USA) because they can be feisty and if the other teams underestimate them it will bite them in the butt. All that to say this team will most likely not make it out of the group stage. At the moment Ukraine and others around Europe and the world are trying to get Iran removed from the World Cup for how they treat women. Mainly the fact that women have not been allowed to attend sporting events in the country for decades. 

USA - Much like England I have no clue just how far this team can really make it this year. With one of the youngest teams coming into the World Cup, there's a lot of energy and hope building around the future of the US men's team. The team has had moments of glory recently winning the Gold Cup and Nation's League. Then they struggled to stay consistent in the qualifiers for this competition. The team struggles hard when they aren't playing at home, especially when they have to play in Central America against teams like Costa Rica and Panama. I still have lots of hope for this team to really make an impact this year and make it out of the group stage, possibly even finishing ahead of England? It's all about building momentum for the next World Cup in 4 years, which will take place here in North America. I really don't see them winning it this year barring some miracle run. In their last two matches before the world cup, they were dominated by Japan and struggled to create anything against Saudi Arabia. This team looked lost and totally not ready for the tournament in November. The fact that most of the teams in this group look like that is the only hope I have right now.

Wales - It's been a long time since Wales made it to the World Cup. Not since the 1950s has this team been to the grandest stage of soccer. This time around it felt like the perfect time as it will be the last time legendary player Gareth Bale will be playing for his home country. A little bittersweet to see them qualify as they had to knock out Ukraine to get here and we know they could've had a very inspiring run in this year's World Cup. I question just how far Gareth Bale can really take this team though. Not to take away from the great players around him, but he is going to be carrying this team on his back unless someone truly steps up. He's not the player he used to be, but still has enough left to have some big moments. I still don't think it will be enough to stop the USA and England from moving forward, but I'm not counting them out completely. (They did not win a single Nation's League match this summer, so that hurts)

GROUP C

Argentina - The first big powerhouse team in this year's WC (I'm going to shorten World Cup to WC from now on).  Many people, including myself, see Argentina as a favorite to win this whole thing. It's hard not to see why with how dominant they have been recently. Winning Copa America and not losing a single game during the qualifiers is a big deal. Having a strong team of veterans and younger rising stars is great. Then there's the fact that this is the last world cup Messi will be playing in to really motivate the team to get him that trophy as a perfect send-off. Mind you Messi isn't the only legend playing his last WC this year, as a certain rival is also in that same boat. But, Argentina should easily dominate this group and move on to the knock-outs where they will face their first true test. A meeting with France or Denmark could be in the cards there and that will be a tough match either way. 

Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia had a surprisingly strong showing in the qualifiers. They got through with relative ease in a group with Japan and Australia, two of the stronger teams in Asia. With Argentina most likely winning this group, there is an opening for a team like this to make it through but I just don't think this team has everything you need to move on. I still see them finishing last in the group. 

Mexico - A team that always plays with heart in the WC, but is always knocked out by one of the big favorites. I'm hoping to see more from this team as they are fully capable of making it out of this group in second place. I think Poland will be a threat though, a team with one of the best goal-scorers in the world. Mexico also struggled a lot through the qualifiers but found quality at just the right time to finish strong. This team can be incredibly feisty and incredibly disappointing at times. In their last game before the WC they put up a great game against Colombia, only to completely fall apart and lose the game in the second half. I still believe that this team is going to show a lot of fire and do enough to get through this group stage. 

Poland - Another team whose best player is most likely playing in his last WC. Lewandowski is the kind of player who can take a pretty good team into some big wins. That being said, one amazing player can't win the whole tournament. I think Mexico will have just enough to beat this team out in the group, but it's going to be a good matchup. Poland can hang with most teams but has struggled against the heavyweights like Netherlands and Belgium recently. So it's almost a coinflip for me trying to decide between Mexico and Poland to join Argentina in the knockout rounds. I'll stick with Mexico. 

GROUP D

France - The last few WC tournaments have not been kind to defending champions. This year France goes in with hopes of repeating its success four years ago. Spain, Germany, and Italy learned the hard way that you have to be completely focused from the start or you'll find yourself out of the competition early. This group seems like an easy win for France and Denmark, but for France, you want to show your dominance early. The past few months have shown that France can struggle against quality opponents as they failed to win five out of six matches. I can't see the same thing that happened to Spain, Italy, and Germany (not making it past the group stage) in the last three World Cups happen here... but anything is possible? France has so many world-class players that they had to leave out some pretty amazing players from this year's WC. Hopefully, they made the right player choices because repeating won't be easy. With a front three of Mbappe, Giroud, and Benzema you can't really go wrong though. 

Australia - A team that struggled through the qualifiers and just narrowly found a way to qualify through play-offs. Stuck in a group here that has two heavy hitters in France and Denmark. The most I can see this team doing right now is maybe putting up a fight against France and stealing a draw. Besides that, I think this team has the potential to at least finish third. They just narrowly beat Peru to take the final playoff spot in the World Cup from the Asia region. The only two games they've played since June was against New Zealand, in which they won both. I'll be rooting for this underdog, but I'm not exactly hopeful they can make it out of a tough group. 

Denmark - You want to see a team that plays with heart, you look at Denmark. I feel like this team always plays with a chip on their shoulder wanting to prove they can stand toe to toe with giants. I'm not so sure they aren't giants themselves at this point. I really think this team can make it far in this competition as they've proven that they can beat pretty much any team recently. I wouldn't put them as favorites, but I think they are the team that should be feared. They've already proven they can beat France, as they've done that twice during the summer. If you're looking for a good underdog team to root for that actually has a good chance to win this, here they are. 

Tunisia - Not much to say about this team. They found themselves against Mali to qualify for the WC, but barely beat them to get in. Kinda bummed not to see a team like Egypt or Ivory Coast here as I think they would have a better chance in this group. Still, they earned a spot and have a chance to prove that they belong amongst the stars here. They recently got destroyed by Brazil but did manage to get a dominant victory over Japan. 

GROUP E

Spain - It's weird to call a powerhouse like Spain an underdog, but I think that's what they are at this moment. Lots of their stars and veterans left and now new players are bringing up this team. I think the future is very bright for Spain and they are favored to get out of this group. I can see them getting pretty far in the competition, but I don't think they will win it all. By the time the next WC comes around though this could be a team ready to win another trophy. 

Costa Rica - A team that struggled through qualifiers early, but fixed a lot of issues for the later games in order to bring themselves back to the WC. They even humbled the USA in the final game to finish off strong. There's one factor in this team that keeps them in games, and that's their world-class goalkeeper Keylor Navas. He keeps busy in the goal since Costa Rica doesn't usually hold on to the ball for very long. They focus on counterattacks and speed to get the goals. Sadly this is probably the worst group they could have gotten and it's going to be tough to beat out two European giants and a very capable Japanese team. 

Germany - After a huge disappointment 4 years ago, Germany is back to prove that their previous run was just a one-time thing. Right now Germany has a very strong team of veterans and rising stars that could really take this team back to another final. They still have some things to fix defensively, but their goal-scorers all look in form and ready to take Germany far in this competition. I believe this team is one of the favorites to win, but first they need to make it out of this tough group. They've been pretty uneven lately, getting lots of draws against other European giants. They have the talent to win this world cup, but there's definitely something lacking in this team to make them a finals contender. Plenty of time to figure it out in the last few months, but they're going to need to start strong to show everyone that the Germany of old is back again. 

Japan - Just like Costa Rica this team struggled early on in the qualifiers but bounced back in the second half of the schedule to secure a place in the WC. Four years ago this team really showed that they can cause any team trouble if underestimated. This time around, I just can't see them making it past Germany and Spain. Unless both of those teams manage to underperform again, it's likely Japan won't be able to make it out of the group. They recently beat the USA in a dominant fashion. They even put up a good fight against Brazil, still losing by a single goal. If they bring that energy to this WC, then I don't see why they can't make something happen in this group. 

GROUP F

Belgium - A team that can never seem to truly live up to their potential. A lot of their world-class players are not going to be playing on this team for much longer, so the window for success is closing in on them. This group isn't going to be easy for them to get through either. With three other teams that have been playing very well recently, it's not guaranteed for them to move on to the next round. I am going to make a bold but probably wrong prediction and say that Belgium doesn't make it past the group stage this year. 

Canada - Nobody could have predicted that Canada would completely dominate the CONCACAF qualifiers and finish in from of both the USA and Mexico. Not only that but they managed to beat both teams very convincingly when they faced off in the cold at home. Now heading to the opposite type of games in the desert, can they repeat that success? I think they really can! I believe this team is capable of upsetting some of the teams in this group. This is a really tough group overall though and if I had to make a prediction I think Canada will do just enough to make it through, just narrowly beating out Belgium for the second-place spot.

Morocco - The only team in the African qualifiers to win every game and qualify for the WC. To be fair though, they did face a lot of smaller countries that they were heavily favored to beat. But you can only beat the opponents in front of you and they did just that. One big news story for them is that Ziyech, one of their stronger players, is coming back to join the team for the WC. This could be a nice boost for them, it never hurts to bring in a great player. The problem is they are in a very tough group with two strong European teams and a solid Canadian team. I can't see them making it out of this group, but it's not completely out of reach for them. A lot of people would favor them ahead of Canada, but I still believe that the Canadien team will really push hard in these games. 

Croatia - Croatia is a team with a lot of older players who are just past their peak, but still fully capable of playing some great football. One of the best mid-fielders around Modric is still able to play smart football and create some good chances at goal. Alongside him are plenty of veterans who know the game very well. They came close to winning their first WC four years ago and this time they are looking for one last shot at glory for a lot of their squad. Recently they've beaten teams like France and Denmark proving they can still hang with some of the European greats. I see them winning this group and making it at least past the first knockout game, but not making the final again.

GROUP G

Brazil - Many are calling this current Brazillian team the favorite to take home the trophy this year and it's pretty clear why. They completely dominated their qualifiers only dropping 3 points out of a possible 48. They also completely dominated South Korea a few months ago and got a close win over Japan. Their squad is stacked with superstar players like Neymar, Vini Jr, Silva, and Richarlison. They also have two of the best goalkeepers in the world Alisson and Ederson to pick from. They also got a good draw here in Group G with no other football powerhouse to really challenge them. It's still the WC though, and it's not just going to come easy because it's Brazil. More pressure seems to come to them just because of how big the game is in their home country, the kind that they need to use to play better and not play with nerves. If they continue to play like they have, the finals are going to be in their future. 

Serbia - A team that was underestimated by Portugal in the qualifiers, which ended up being their downfall (though they found a way back did Portugal). No other team in the group should make that mistake because this team is fully capable of capitalizing on mistakes and complacency. I'm not sure of the full potential of this team, but I think it's at least making it out of this group. Do I think they will? No, not really. The fact that they don't have as much pressure as the other teams in this group could be an advantage though. Also, Mitrovic is going to be a problem for defenses in this group. 

Switzerland - I kind of put them in the same boat as Serbia in a way. Though I think there's a bit more expectation for this team. They also found a way to upset a favorite going into the qualifiers, but for them it was Italy. Thanks to this team (and N. Macedonia) Italy will once again miss a WC, which is still pretty crazy to think about. This is an interesting group for the Swiss. I can see them ending the group stage at pretty much any position. It all depends on what version of this team we get. If they play at their best, they will make it out of the group and even possibly give Brazil some trouble. They eliminated France in a shocking twist last year in the Euros and beat Spain and Portugal recently too. If we get that version of this team, then I wouldn't take them lightly. 

Cameroon - Just narrowly beating the Ivory Coast and Algeria to get into the WC, Cameroon is put into a pretty tough group. I'm not sure they have the squad to survive Brazil. They will need to get results from the other two games to have a shot at moving on. They do have a world-class striker in Choupo-Moting from Bayern to net them some goals. A player like him can make a huge difference, but they still need to stop the other teams from scoring and that's probably where the problems will lie. They haven't faced any quality opponents recently, and the ones they have faced were a struggle. 

GROUP H

Portugal - A team that's got a roster full of amazing players, but somehow always finds a way to disappoint. This time they're in a group that's full of teams that have some recent history with Portugal. Uruguay eliminated them in the last WC and Ghana who was in the same group as them in 2014, which they failed to pass. There was also the WC in 2002 where South Korea eliminated Portugal, but that was a while back. This team has a chance for a lot of revenge here and to also prove that they really are contenders. This is going to be Ronaldo's final WC and I'm sure he will do everything in his power to make the final against Messi this year because it would be so poetic or something like that. It's possible but I can't see this team keeping it together all tournament long to make the final. This team seems to throw out an uneven performance every few matches. I think it happens again and it's goodbye. But they will win this group before that collapse. I say that with not much confidence. 

Ghana - This team has had a lot of heartbreak in this competition, and one team in this group is guilty of stabbing them right in that heart. Uruguay and Suarez found a way to send a team destined to make history back home in tears after a cheap handball turned the game around. If there was ever a moment for some payback I guess it would be now. Sadly, this Ghana team isn't as good as the one from the 2010 WC, at least not on paper, but lucky for them the Uruguay team they will be facing is also in the same situation. It's not all about revenge though as I'm sure this team wants to make it far in the competition. This group feels pretty open for them to grab that second spot behind Portugal. I guess it would be a little sweeter to send Suarez home too. I say this not knowing how the players actually feel about Uruguay and Suarez. I'm sure they've totally forgotten about it and moved on right? 

Uruguay - This team struggled a lot in the qualifiers, looking like a team in transition. While they still have a lot of great players, it feels like this team needs some more time to rebuild into something else. I think they still have enough to make it through this group, but ultimately won't be able to. Also, they'll probably draw with Ghana. Even though a lot of people might not see him as a big name, this is going to be Suarez's last WC too. Though he annoys me for that handball moment against Ghana, he's been an extraordinary player for many years, one of the best really. It'll be sad to see a lot of great players living in their last moments of soccer glory, but it'll also be nice to see the young stars who will take their place. 

Korea Republic - Son Heung-Min. That is all. The best goal scorer in the Premier League isn't someone to take lightly. I might be overly optimistic here but I really see this team making it out of the group over Ghana and Uruguay. Two teams that are struggling lately taking on a South Korean team that has been consistently good as of late. And again, they have one of the best goal scorers in the world, that will be the difference between them. 

I highlighted the teams I think will move past the group stage in blue. This ended up being longer than I thought it would be, but I enjoyed going over every team. Super excited to watch these teams play this fall and I hope the conditions aren't too rough for the players. The three favorites going into the tournament look to be Brazil, Argentina, and France. I also think teams like Germany, Netherlands, and Denmark have a good shot at it too. But now the wait is over... in just one week the greatest tournament in the world will start. I'll miss most of the games live because of the time difference, but I will be listening to the radio commentary of these games on Talksport during work to keep up with the scores. I believe the games will be live broadcast on Fox, Peacock, and Telemundo. Super excited to watch the games live on the weekend and Thanksgiving break though. Here are some notable matches I think will be really fun to watch every day in order:

Sunday 11/20: Qatar V Ecuador

The first game of the WC is obviously important and worth watching. Both these teams could put on a good match too.

Monday 11/21: USA V Wales

The first USA game is obviously worth watching too, especially when it's a game they could totally win. Will the USA actually be good this time around? Probably not. 

Tuesday 11/22: Mexico V Poland

Two evenly matched teams face off to see who can compete for the second spot in the group. Should be a fun game. 

Wednesday 11/23: Belgium V Canada

This could be a very dominant Belgium win, but I really am hopeful that Canada can put up a fight and win here. 

Thursday 11/24: Brazil V Serbia

Brazil's first match is against a very good Serbia team that could surprise any team if taken lightly. This could be a surprisingly competitive match, even though I still see Brazil winning. 

Friday 11/25: England V USA

One of the matches I'm looking forward to the most. The USA actually beat the English last time they faced off in the WC. They will 100% do it again this time... right?

Saturday 11/26: France V Denmark

A battle of two European giants that we've seen a few times recently. Except for this time, it's on the biggest stage and it's for a very important spot at the top of the group. Will France finally get one over on Denmark? Although Mexico taking on Argentina comes in a very close second to watch this day. 

Sunday 11/27: Spain V Germany

Two more European giants battle it out to see who's better. This could be another WC classic if it goes the way I think it does. Lots of goals in a very even match... please be a good match. 

Monday 11/28: Portugal V Uruguay

Ronaldo and Suarez play each other with one of these teams possibly going out of the competition early. Two legends finishing their careers with their national teams could make for a fun game as these two teams are both good but not great (recently) and the match should be competitive. 

Tuesday 11/29: Iran V USA

Sticking with the USA game here because this could potentially be a very important game to decide if the USA is going to make it out of the group or not.

Wednesday 11/30: Saudia Arabia V Mexico

The only match that looks like it could be competitive on this Wednesday, could also be important to see if Mexico or Saudia Arabia will be moving on to the next round.

 Thursday 12/1: Canada V Morocco

A normal person would have put Belgium taking on Croatia here, but I'm not a normal person. I truly believe this game will decide if Canada will be going into the next round and that it will be a really fun competitive match. 

Friday 12/2: Ghana V Uruguay

How could you not want to watch this match? Ghana could have the chance to eliminate Uruguay and get some sort of revenge for the last time they played at a WC? Sounds like good drama to me. I totally jinxed this game into ending in a draw didn't I... 

Well if this post is popular enough I might make a follow-up with predictions to all the group games and who I pick to win the entire competition in December. 

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