All-TIME 100 Songs

Our critics pick the most extraordinary English-language pop recordings since the beginning of TIME magazine in 1923. Here are 100 (unranked) songs of enduring beauty, power and inventiveness

2010S

‘Tightrope’

By JESSICA WINTER | October 24, 2011 | 183

Artist: Janelle Monáe

Year Released: 2010

species. Even if her concept album The ArchAndroid didn’t catch the fire that its irresistible lead single set, the 26-year-old Monáe remains one of the most promising talents of a still-young century, and this song is the evidence. “We call that classy brass,” indeed.

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