And, the moment we've all been waiting for, the top ten...
10. "Welcome to the Black Parade" - My Chemical Romance
Proving that the breakthrough year they had in 2005 was no fluke, the New Jersey goth-punkers crank up the bombast and go for broke in this surprisingly satisfying anthem.
9. "S.O.S. (Rescue Me)" - Rihanna
The sample source may have been a little too obvious in 2006, but Rihanna manages to work it in an entirely new way to bring a fresh sexiness to this undeniably catchy hit.
8. "Trains to Brazil" - Guillemots
A completely earnest love song that soars from climax to climax on the back of those fantastic horns, achingly romantic and endearingly uplifting all at once.
7. "7/4 (Shoreline)" - Broken Social Scene
An unlikely and left-field single, but all the rambling looseness falls perfectly in place after everything drops out and the horns swing by to finish things off with a flourish.
6. "SexyBack" - Justin Timberlake
I didn't like this song the first two times I heard it, but eventually the cocksure delivery of JTim's lyrics and the, let's face it, sexy Timbaland production won me over. JTim is pushing his boundaries in all the right ways, without falling over the top ala Gwen Stefani.
5. "When the Sun Goes Down" - Arctic Monkeys
"I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" may have helped break them, but it was this borderline innocent view of prostitutes and pimps that endeared them to many a heart for the long term.
4. "Maneater" - Nelly Furtado
"Promiscuous" may have been more inescapable this summer, but Timbaland pushed his '06 winning streak to new heights with the stunning production on this track. Furtado may have made the boldest sell-out move since the Black Eyes Peas, but at least she sells it convincingly.
3. "Kick Push" - Lupe Fiasco
An intelligent nerd rapper with a skateboard glides out from behind Kanye's overbearing shadow and proves that he's a star in his own right with this metaphorical tale of skating and life in the hood, there's something almost zen-like about the hook.
2. "Crazy" - Gnarls Barkley
Much like "Hey Ya" several years ago, Gnarls Barkley hit us with the mainstream breakout single of the year that showcases both Cee-Lo and DangerMouse's star material. For further proof of how killer this song is, seek out the slowed down version from BBC television earlier this year.
1. "When You Were Young" - The Killers
The lyrics may have been questionable at best ("on the back of a hurricane"? "doesn't look a thing like Jesus"?), but this represents the over-the-top bombast of the Killers at their best. A little more Route 66 than the glitz and glamour of the Vegas of "Mr. Brightside", but this is no less anthemic and stirring.
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