Songs of '11: #5-#2 Static Jacks, Drake, James Blake, Adele

Happy holidays! It's the time of year when we look back. Last week, we looked at the 25 best albums. This week, we'll review the 25 best songs.

#25-#21, #20-#16, #15-#11, #10-#6

5. The Static Jacks, “Mercy, Hallelujah” (Fearless): There is always a need for young rockers who rifle through their older brothers' record collections and build their own anthems, singing as if their souls are on fire.

4. Drake feat. Rihanna, “Take Care” (Young Money/Cash Money): Of all the things this dancefloor ode to love after breakdowns does right, the best is what it doesn't do. When Rihanna sings, “I've loved and I've lost...” they simply let the line hang for a few measures, letting the silence tell the story.

3. James Blake, “The Wilhelm Scream” (Universal Republic): As much a dubstep meditation as an actual song, but the way he submerges the vocal into the mix makes it sound like he's “falling, falling, falling, falling” is nothing short of brilliant.

2. Adele, “Rolling in the Deep” (XL/Columbia): Somehow she manages to make her bluesy kiss-off sound triumphant and wounded simultaneously, not to mention simple enough to be unforgettable.