#my favorite mika interview of all time i adore him so

[gn001-re]

Do you have any relatively unknown fun facts about Setsuna, or any specific headcanons you have about him you’d like to share? He’s my favorite character from 00, and it’s so nice seeing someone else who loves his character so much

Thank you so much for the question! Though honestly it's difficult for me to pick only a few... Sorry if it's too long, or if some of the canon details are too obvious, but I tried to focus on the things I like thinking about the most 🙇‍♀️

Random fun facts

• His scarf is actually a turban and I think it's amazing. Sure, it's obviously shown on S1E12, but that get some surprised reactions every time I mention it. That or "but a piece of cloth can be anything, it isn't that deep!!" - except I think it is. Despite Setsuna wanting to leave his whole identity and past behind, he keeps his turban around his neck, still carrying a reminder of his roots with him while still rejecting the traditional way of wearing it.

• I have never seen anyone talking about it, but can't get over how Setsuna is extremely smart. He never had a normal life, and if he ever went to school then he stopped at the age of 6. Sure, he probably got some time to study and train between being recruited by Celestial Being at 14 until they started their activities at 16, but that's still only 2 years. Yet he has such a good understanding of world policits, geography, and just how many languages does this guy know? For sure he grew up with Sorani Kurdish and Farsi. Celestial Being most likely uses English. Then he was stationed in Japan for most of Season 1. 4 languages at the age of 16. And he's bad at communication. Amazing.

• When Feldt asked if he misses his home, Setsuna says he doesn't have one and that he belongs to space instead, which I think ties up so beautifully with his connection with the ELS. Though in the same chapter he also tells Marina that she's forever the one princess of "his" country, so despite the complex ties he has with Azadistan, in a way he does acknowledge it as the closest thing he has to home. (Kouga Yun's manga "in those days" Chapter 空と大地のまじわるところ)

• Probably everyone knows this, but I'll never get over the fact he goes to a bar to order milk even as an adult, as he doesn't drink alcohol. Which is both a sweet lasting effect of Neil's care for him, and an adorably amusing detail. (Same manga mentioned above, "wanderer" chapter)

• His favorite foods are listed as Ghalieh Mahi and fast food. Though in many official art he's often nibbling on sweets or fruits, and a few of this Gundam Café themed dishes were often desserts (like the cotton candy pancakes for the Re:vision one), so I believe he has quite a sweet tooth. Also, how can someone be THIS HAPPY eating bread, that's a mystery...

• Gundam 00 director, Seiji Mizushima, has stated more than once in interviews that Setsuna was the most difficult character to write for him.

• Setsuna possible alternate jobs would be aviator, police officer, astronaut, sportsman, or technician/engineer

• Everyone probably knows about the Gundam Beyond for the franchise 40th anniversary having Setsuna meeting Mika. But somehow not everyone knows they were meant to be discussing the roles of people in their lives and comparing them. (I need to translate them someday)

Headcanons

• Quanta is a central element of Gundam 00, yet the movie theme song is Qualia. Antonyms by definition - what makes us equals vs what makes us unique. Qualia's lyrics are very obviously from Setsuna's point of view, so I imagine that, after unifying the galaxy, Setsuna finally got to focus on his own feelings. That's what Marina wanted after all, for him to "pursue his own happiness". And Trailblazer ends with them finally understanding one another… I like my headcanon that Setsuna ends up opening a flower shop and slowly learning to allow himself to enjoy the peace he fought so much for. Maybe his ELS powers would get in the way a bit, but he's amazing at learning how to adapt. In a way I believe forgiveness is one of the many themes in Gundam 00 and it'd tie up well with Setsuna learning to do the same towards himself.

• I also want to believe that gunpla became a thing in A.D. timeline after Celestial Being: The Movie, and that becomes one of Setsuna's passions after he's back from the ELS planet...

• Although 50 years passed on Earth during Setsuna's trip to find a new home for the ELS, because of time dilation caused by Setsuna's quantum leaping/traveling faster than light, I imagine he only experienced a much shorter span of time. Maybe it wasn't more than a few years for him.

• The meaning of "Setsuna F. Seiei" as "moment from the holy eternity" is common knowledge, and how it's supposed to be a reference to him being humanity's first Innovator. But beyond that, I find it pretty cool how "setsuna" is a Buddhist concept for the shortest possible amount of time, and it also carries the context of value in what's ephemeral. Seiei is "holy eternity", obviously. He's part of Celestial Being, his first Gundam is based on the angel class of Christianity exousia. Yet Setsuna himself is an athetist. I interpret his name as Setsuna embracing being a living contradiction. A self-proclaimed destroyer yearning for peace. The boy who struggled with words yet saved Earth through communication. A momentary eternity... People make fun of how often he says his full name, but it makes sense it's so meaningful.

• It's also common knowledge that Setsuna was inspired by Kak Satellite/Soran Ebrahim from the Kurdish movie Turtles Can Fly. Though their personalities are polar opposites - Setsuna was quiet and introverted even as a kid, Satellite is an extroverted and natural leader - I love their other similarities, besides obvious things like their names, both being better known by an alias, and both being direct victims of war... But both are competent with mechanisms and electronics, Satellite gets his alias from being the one going around fixing TVs and installing antennas, which are invariably a medium of communication. He's also the only person in his refugee camp who has some (limited) knowledge of English language, and he genuinely likes trying to talk to the American soldiers rather than being scared of them. If Setsuna's journey of understanding and communication as means to cease conflict isn't a parallel to it, I don't know what is.

Also, we don't know exactly what Setsuna was doing between first seeing the 0 Gundam and being recruited by Celestial Being. We also don't know what he was doing between seasons other than traveling the world and trying to repair Exia. But my headcanon is that he had a life similar enough to the original Soran Ebrahim, small jobs of fixing electronics, clearing minefields, doing some mechanic work (if he could fix Exia without barely any resources, he can fix anything…)

• Super random trivia, but still on "Soran" as a name... In Kurdish, the name originates from the word for "red" (sor). It's a common name with its origins from a historically significant region, but it was originally named after the red stones found in the area. Despite Setsuna's color as a Gundam Meister being blue, we all know he's always wearing that red turban/scarf and how it complements his reddish-brown eyes so well. Soran as a name and the red color association can be seen as a symbol of courage and strength, I can't help but think it perfectly suits him.

• I headcanon that art is one of the things that can touch his heart. I mean, it's canon that Marina's song has such an effect on him. On the interview with director Seiji Mizushima in the Gundam 00 Complete Best, he talks about how his original plans was for Marina to be a painter and inspire the feelings of peace through this medium, but it'd be too difficult to convey so it was changed to music. So I imagine he's surprisingly easily moved by art that can express feelings beyond words, and some stories might impact him a lot.

• I also find it interesting how he struggles with communication so much during Season 1, yet he was able to write such a heartfelt letter to Marina. He has some talent there... On the same note, I imagine he's the type who has an easier time talking to others through text rather than speaking.

• Setsuna's scent headcanon: Sweet metallic, like a Helichrysum flower, some cotton candy, and gunpowder like a deep campfire.

Sorry it's all over the place and I hope they make sense. I tried focusing on the more general headcanons but I have more specific ones too, if anyone ever wants to hear about them. Also I'm open to hearing if anyone disagrees with them, Setsuna is my ultimate passion and my life goal is to fully understand him.

Thank you once again!

[moonkkives]

— ( THE DUTCH & THE DUTCH(ESS) )

pairing: max verstappen x fem!reader, driver!reader

summary: the ups and downs of max verstappen, the dutch lion, and his equally impressive dutch teammate.

warning: lots of fluff and adorable max for your enjoyment.

word count: O.9k

them: safe with me by gryffin & audrey mika

author’s note: thinking about turning this into a series of one shots if it’s something you guys would be interested in! i think it would be really fun to write shy boy! max and his equally shy girl! teammate. plus, the red bull team orders💀 that would also be interesting

‘22 france gp: my little ferrari heart can’t take this anymore😭 charles just had it in the bag and baby carlos i’m sorry!! the ferrari strategists really need to get their shit together oh my god.

• max and you go all the way back to karting. you bumped into each other a couple of times during races, never even looking at the other’s direction for years. in fact, there are group pictures in which neither of you remember ever even knowing that the other was there.

• that is, until one faithful day max, accidentally, —according to him— bumped into your kart as you were both fighting for the first place of a race.

• sadly, i’d ended with both of you out of the race and no one placing inside the top three.

• to say you were angry as an understatement; you were absolutely fuming. and so, your little six year old body marched you towards the incompetent kid and stomped on the ground.

• “you are a cheater!”

• max was in a fine line between confusion as to who you were and anger at the fact that he had lost the medal because of you.

• “no, you don’t know how to drive!”

• that was even worse; little you hated when you were bad at something. regardless, he was the one who bumped into you, so, with red cheeks, you retaliated.

• “don’t be mean!” you whined in dutch, something you usually did when you were annoyed.

• max immediately raised a brow in suspicion, as if surveying whether you were the enemy or not. “are you dutch?” he asked in, well, dutch.

• you raised a brow back at him. “are you dutch?”

• and that was the start of your friendship.

• after that, you were attached to the hip: cheering for each others wins, immediately looking for the other person during any break during competitions, playing board games that max was clearly bad at only to make him suffer. you know, the usual.

• max has always been extremely protective of you. when you were little he would “accidentally” slam his foot in the toes of any kid that would try talking to you.

• he would also throw them a dirty look or spit out a comment similar to ‘what do you want?’ in a very shady tone.

• however the protectiveness hit a new peek when you entered formula one, especially as his new teammate in redbull.

• his eyes would always try finding yours in the crowd. during interviews after each race, he’s always caught looking over his shoulder or to the side as if to check up on you.

• if possible he always has a hold on you: his arm over your shoulders, his arms hugging you from behind and, the fan favorite, his hand in your lower back or hip.

• you both have mastered the art of deflecting any type of question that involves you romantically.

• you probably spend almost every single day together, weather on race weeks or during breaks. you even spend christmas together, both of your families making a big dinner on christmas eve.

• max knows everything about you, and doesn’t hesitate to comfort you when he feels your mood drop for whatever reason.

• even though you have your own personal assistant, max makes sure to get your coffee every single morning before work.

• he knows how particular you are on the amount of sugar you put on your coffee, so he decided to go to the coffee shop every single morning and personally get it for you.

• he gets a coffee with no sugar and then he puts the exact amount of sugar you like.

• you’re lovingly referred to by the media as ‘the dutchies’ or ‘the dutch twins’.

• the craziness of the dutch grand prix is always heightened by the fact that both red bull drivers are dutch and they’re insanely good. austria too, almost feels like an extension of their country due to the amazing support from fans.

• shit talking about people that piss them off and complaining about media schedules. all in dutch. just to annoy people around them.

• many fans on social media refer to 2O21 as the ‘great dutch era’ of f1, as max verstappen won that year's championship, in part, thanks to his teammate and friend.

• however, being in the same team meant that max was your number one rival and the one you’re constantly compared to.

• the close bond you two had made it so you never let competitiveness get in between your friendship.

• there’s the infamous ‘team orders’ scandal which really put a strain between max and you, plus you and red bull.

• truthfully, you weren’t mad at max, as he had no say on what christian horner decided to do or not do. however, in the heat of the moment, you both said really hurtful things and it would have escalated to something much worse if daniel hadn’t interfered.

• and you were both dutch so, obviously, you didn’t talk to each other for a couple of weeks.

• until one turn of events had you finally make up.

• at this point, everyone is aware of the way max’ is all smiles when he’s around you. how his eyes light up when he sees you walk across the room. how he’s always eager to hug you after a race, no matter the outcome. how his tone of voice fills with love when referring to you.

• “that’s p1 max, very well done.”

• “amazing job guys— how did she do?” every single race.

• both garages have a bet going on to see who will confess first.

• gianpiero is completely sure it won’t be max whilst christian horner doesn’t see you doing it yourself.

• in other news, the paddock is simply waiting for you guys to finally get together.

• but you are simply too stubborn and shy to be the first one to admit it.

• charles, pierre and daniel are on the verge of having a mental breakdown.

• only time will tell. maybe.

[wolfstarlibrarian]

Thank you so much to Maria (@mad1492) for giving us so much insight into her process and inspiration in the interview! She's also graciously picked some of her own works to share with everyone as well as some of her favorite works by other creators.

Check out her recs for both fics and art below!

🎨

List 5 of your own pieces of art that you’d like to showcase/share.

Focusing on wolfstar I think my favourites would be these ones: /no titles because I’m shitty at them/ :)

A lil'bit late but Happy father's day

Remus and Sirius with books and a drink

Morning in bed with Remus, baby Harry, and Padfoot

Remus touching Sirius’s wheat tattoo

If Remus and Sirius would have raised Harry

📚

Do you have any favorite fanfics you can share?

Ok, favorite fics, that is a difficult one, and also I must say in advance that I mostly read Darry so… Yep, all my favorites are going to be drarry (there's some flint/wood pretty high in my list because I really enjoy the enemies dorkly in love trope -yep, I'm all for the clichés-). So, not in a particularly order but I would say that some of my favorites are (and I'm also probably forgetting a lot):

Date Blindness by dysonrules

Harry was perfectly happy with his life until Hermione decided to set him up on a blind date.

Temptation on the Warfront by alizarincrims0n

Draco Malfoy is forced into hiding with the Golden Trio and dragged into their search for horcruxes. What ensues is a journey of redemption, unexpected friendships and an unwanted, turbulent romance with Harry Potter. Warnings for swearing, sexual content, and dark themes.

Draco Malfoy, It's Your Lucky Day by Faith Wood (faithwood)

Even though he's unarmed, injured, lost in the Forbidden Forest, and facing a possible murder charge, Draco Malfoy gets lucky.

Then Comes a Mist and a Weeping Rain by Faith Wood (faithwood) *(yes, I really like how Faith Wood writes)

It always rains for Draco Malfoy. Metaphorically. And literally. Ever since he had accidentally Conjured a cloud. A cloud that's ever so cross.

And I'm gonna add a Wolfstar one (in Spanish, it is quite short but I really like how it's written)

Un cuadro de Mucha by Adhara

En esa tarde, en 1978, en un pub muggle, con las orejas ateridas de frío, Remus sabía que el dueño del bar no consideraba perfecto el hecho de que fueran casi las once y él acabara de entrar en el local.

🎨

Do you have any favorite wolfstar art/artists that you'd like to share?

And regarding favorite wolfstar artist, also suuuuuper difficult to choose, I love like a ton, but when I want to make a list my mind is unable to make any names so I am probably forgetting a lot of people and, as soon as I finish writing this a lot of names will pop up (actually I had to check my likes in tumblr and insta to remember what I like because I’m kinda stupid).

moony, you flirt by @tamehill

Their wolfstar is *chef kiss* like, seriously. Is it possible to be in love with an art style? I think so because I am, go check @tamehill stuff.

tired, lonely nights at 12 grimmauld place by @upthehillart

Upthehill art like… She is kinda an institution on the fandom, love all her art

wolfstar kiss by @trashcanprince

I discover her quite recently and… well look at her stuff because everything is so cute and wholesome

this and this and this by @fruityhag

This is so pretty, I’m wanna cry in a corner. I really like them as adults being happy again

But seriously, there are so many amazing artists in the fandom I am forgetting to add.

🎨

Thank you SO MUCH to @mad1492 for taking the time to put together this list of works. This list is wonderfully extensive and hopefully, you all enjoyed finding some new works!

[halliewriteshockey]

I was asked to make a Chris Kreider/Mika Zibanejad primer

Naturally I jumped at the opportunity. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

Chris Kreider

This motherfucker

Graduated college because his mother asked him to do that before going pro

Loves his mother

Has a communications degree, sharp as a tack even if he does sometimes have regrettable facial hair

“Sharp as a tack” except for that one time he ignored his body trying to tell him something was wrong and nearly died

Plays piano, guitar, and saxophone

Has a beautiful baritone singing voice

Has been known to serenade his teammates during practices

Avid reader, takes his Kindle everywhere

Tends to run over goalies (bad Chris, NO)

Teaches his teammates new words for fun

Speaks at least three languages—English, Russian, and Spanish. He’s rusty in Russian but he speaks it to the baby Russians on the team to make them more comfortable. Him speaking Russian

He really loves dogs. Like really loves dogs. I mean really.

I could go on, honestly

Mika Zibanejad

This motherfucker

French-braids his hair for special occasions (see above gif)

Born in Sweden, but is actually half-Finnish, half Iranian. He speaks Swedish, Finnish, Farsi, and English.

Drafted sixth overall by the Senators in 2011, traded to New York in 2016. Had literally just bought and started building a house just before he was traded.

Is left handed, wanted to learn guitar at school but they didn’t have any left handed ones so he took drums, wasn’t impressed.

DJs in his spare time. Is actually really good at it?? Has played for multiple Rangers’ charity events, as well as friends’ weddings. Did the player intro song for the team’s 2018-2019 season. Makes some incredibly catchy music. My favorite

Owns a restaurant in Stockholm with his brother and several friends—announced last year a portion of proceeds are going to women’s hockey

Volunteers with kids in Sweden to help grow the sport and encourage interest

Oh yeah he’s also really good at hockey?

Nbd he just scored five goals in a single game one time and here’s a video of all five

His father had come to visit and told him as they were leaving Mika’s place for the arena, “you know, I’ve never seen you score a hat trick”. So Mika casually went out and got five goals instead because that’s just the kind of overachieving bastard he is

Wraps his stick for Pride Night (so does Chris), and actually scored those goals on Pride Night, so he said GAY RIGHTS and I think that’s very sexy of him

Adores his niece Nikki and brand new nephew Knox, him and Nikki

His hair should be illegal

Takes the rookies under his wing, mentors them, and often lets them live with him until they find places of their own.

Will almost certainly wear the C sooner rather than later

And now for my favorite part

Chris and Mika’s relationship

Chris was Mika’s first liney when he arrived in New York

They bonded immediately

Chris has visited Mika in Sweden over the summers not once but at least twice that we know of

The first visit - this picture tragically cut off the caption Mika put on it, which was “reunited with bae 😍”

They did an interview game on how well they know each other. When they were asked who Mika would take on vacation with him, they both instantly answered “20” and Chris muttered, “You’d better take me.” 

(Also, Chris made a fantastically dorky reference to Robots [a movie like three people saw] at the beginning of that video, so that made me love him even more)

Here’s the video, watch it at your peril

The second time Chris visited him in Sweden

Chris represented America at Worlds last year. Mika didn’t represent Sweden, but he went to see Chris play. (Don’t have a source on this)

They’re addicted to hugging each other

No really

Like actually addicted

You think I’m joking?

Mika’s flirting is… not subtle

Oh did you think we were done with hugging clips?

That’s cute

Chris literally held Mika’s hand on the bench

MORE HUGGING, MOTHERFUCKERS

Mika has a Chris-specific smile, I’m not joking

Chris: *says anything* Mika: *gazes at him adoringly*

Mika is not shy about being tactile, and Chris clearly loves it

This one just makes me laugh because Chris is being so intense and Mika’s having none of it

In conclusion, please join me in appreciating not only the bond these two idiots share but also their individual personalities, because they’re both pretty damn great

[johannesviii]

Top 10 Personal Favorite Hit Songs from 2007

18 to 19 years old. Things were slowly starting to get better and better.

15 honorable mentions, but this is still only a top 10. What an incredible, amazing year for music. My favorite hit song for the entire decade is in there! I think everyone already knows what that is because I am, in fact, extremely predictable.

Disclaimers:

Keep in mind I’m using both the year-end top 100 lists from the US and from France while making these top 10 things. There’s songs in English that charted in my country way higher than they did in their home countries, or even earlier or later, so that might get surprising at times.

Of course there will be stuff in French. We suck. I know. It’s my list. Deal with it.

My musical tastes have always been terrible and I’m not a critic, just a listener and an idiot.

I have sound to color synesthesia which justifies nothing but might explain why I have trouble describing some songs in other terms than visual ones.

Second to third year of my History studies. Met a great guy. So great, in fact, that I married him in 2019 because we’re still living together 13 years later. Got my first summer job but spent my first pay on driving lessons, because, again, I needed to get out of my parents’ appartment and knowing how to drive would be good to find a job. I had a much better access to internet. I still had great grades. Things were getting much better.

I stopped making my personal lists of favorite songs that year, and I had an mp3 player, which really opened a world of possibilities even if you could only put something like 40 songs on it, at best.

I was still reading Rock Mag a lot. As you can see, the biggest controversy at the time was what was emo and what wasn’t.

We were alright.

As far as non-elligible songs go, well there’s I Still Remember by Bloc Party (and the fact I can’t put it on the list is a heartbreak and a half) and basically everything from Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails. Nightwish, Epica and Within Temptation all had pretty good albums too.

Here’s a metric ton of honorable mentions first!

Snow (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - Perfectly pleasant song.

D.A.N.C.E (Justice) - Never understood why this was so popular. Still good.

Love is Gone (David Guetta) - Heyyyy another repetitive dance track, perfect.

Miracle (Cascada), Smack That (Akon), Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol), SexyBack (Justin Timberlake) and Say It Right (Nelly Furtado & Timbaland) - Still elligible songs for that year. Still great songs. Still not making the list.

Butterfly (Superbus) - I didn’t like this band, but I liked that song.

Thanks for the Memories (Fall Out Boy) - Same here basically.

Who Knew (Pink) - Not her best, but not her worst by a mile either.

Walk It Out (Unk) - Stayed in my head for days, I swear. I have no idea what the general opinion about it is nowadays. Maybe that’s a humiliating pick and I genuinely have no idea.

Crank That (Soulja Boy) - I do, however, know that the fact this very nearly made the list IS hilarious.

Alive (Mondotek) - Laugh all you want about the tektonik phenomenon, this is still a banger and a half.

Sound of Freedom (Bob Sinclar & Cutee B) - Not as good as Rock This Party. That’s the only thing I can say against it.

Umbrella (Rihanna) - This is an edit because holy shit I forgot Umbrella. It very nearly made the list too. Sorry.

And now, possibly one of the best top tens yet.

10 - This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race (Fall Out Boy)

US: #32 / FR: #71

Almost everyone got the lyrics wrong. The title is way too long. I really don’t like this band of pretentious idiots; if you’re gonna be pretentious at least write about something more grand and epic than your own navel, and go all out (more on that later). Nobody ever really cared about their supposed feud with Panic! At The Disco. And, to make matters even worse, the singer looked exactly like the terrible ex I had punched in the face the previous year.

This is still a damn good song and it’s on the list instead of any of the honorable mentions.

RIP me.

9 - How To Save A Life (The Fray)

US: #24 / FR: Not on the list

You already know I loved The Fray. This song could have apparently also made the previous list but it’s on this one instead. It was overplayed. I still loved it.

8 - U + Ur Hand (Pink)

US: #29 / FR: Not on the list

In 2002, I bought Pink’s Missundaztood album and as you might remember this was the second album I ever bought in my life, right before the gigantic trainwreck that highschool was.

The fact that about five years (that felt like twelve) later, Pink was on the other side of that trainwreck, back in my earphones, just as energetic and fun as she was before, was nothing short of heartwarming.

7 - Je Suis Un Homme (Zazie)

US: Not on the list / FR: #43

I’m not gonna beat around the bush. This song is terrifying.

Here’s a translation. Yeah, it’s about humanity destroying the Earth and itself in various ways, and it’s preachy, but holy shit, how can something be so bleak, so scary and still so catchy. It’s a mystery.

6 - Double Je (Christophe Willem)

US: Not on the list / FR: #2

When I first heard this song, I genuinely thought that was also Zazie and I was like oh wow, she’s learned to have fun again after that bleak, bleak song.

But no. She only wrote it, and it’s sung by this guy. It’s relatable as hell (”When I grow up it’s gonna be easy, I’ll finally know what I am”, “Who’s fault is it? / I’m something and its opposite / Double me”). The fact that a guy had this kind of voice and that a ton of people loved it (enough for him to win a big talent show and make this the second biggest song of the year!) also did wonders for my dysphoria, by the way.

5 - Ta Meuf (Faf Larage)

US: Not on the list / FR: #19

This is a song applying the most obnoxious rap and hip hop clichés about gangsters (and guys in general) to a woman, and she ends up terrorising all the guys and they’re realising these clichés might, in fact, be really toxic.

It’s a great song about gender roles usually seen in this kind of music and instead of being preachy, it’s hilarious, and well-written (I mean, it’s Faf Larage, it’s a given, but still). Check it out.

4 - Relax Take It Easy (Mika)

US: Not on the list / FR: #12

All hail the new king of pop. He was here to stay and what a breath of fresh air he was. This was very much his year in Europe as soon as the album Life In Cartoon Motion dropped.

My significant other absolutely loved this album and we listened to it wayyyy, way too much, and even with all the radio overplay AND the overplay when we were together, I still can’t get enough of this album.

3 - Love Today (Mika)

US: Not on the list / FR: #39

Here he is again!

If this was any other year this would top the list very easily. What were the US even thinking back then to not let this guy chart. Why isn’t Mika a huge star over there too. What is your problem guys. Do you have something against fun or what.

Anyway, here’s possibly the best comment on the music video:

I mean. You’re not wrong.

2 - What I’ve Done (Linkin Park)

US: #38 / FR: Not on the list

Aaaaaaand they’re back. And they’re once again topping my list. Lord have mercy on me. I loved them so much.

This was the first step into their modern sound, less raw, more U2. A couple of years later, when Lacuna Coil released Shallow Life, I used to joke that Lacuna Coil was trying to sound more and more like Linkin Park, that Linkin Park was trying to sound more and more like U2, and that U2 was trying to sound more and more like boring garbage and. I mean. I wasn’t wrong there.

My absolute favorite part of the song is at 2:24, when the music calms down a bit and the lyrics go “I start again / And whatever pain may come / Today this ends / I’m forgiving what I’ve done” and then the guitar explodes again. So powerful. Love it.

And now you’re probably thinking “so... Linkin Park was back, and with such a top quality song and it’s NOT your #1? After you put a Linkin Park song or a Linkin Park remix at #1 for three years in a row in 2002, 2003 AND 2004? What’s going on, Jo? Are you okay?”

Oh I’m more than okay. Friends and enemies, here comes the absolute best hit song of the entire decade and possibly of my entire life so far.

You probably already know what it is.

1 - Welcome to the Black Parade (My Chemical Romance)

US: #59 / FR: Not on the list (shame on you French charts)

I know I keep complaining about stuff I love not charting, or charting but not high enough to make any year-end list, but... How was this even allowed to chart. Why and how did it end up on the US year-end list when so many more radio-friendly hits I loved couldn’t even scratch the hot 100.

I’m not complaining at all. I’m just baffled.

Play the first note on a piano and I’m already a wreck. Heck, I’m pretty sure everyone from my generation is. It was basically our very own Bohemian Rhapsody. It still is. Where do I even start.

Oh. I know. Look at this page from a 2006 Rock Mag, it’s gold.

Yep, they highlighted The Open Door by Evanescence and praised it, and were like “this is very risky and ambitious and we’re not sure you’re gonna like this” for The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. Hilarious in hindsight.

A few months later, the same magazine was desesperately using double pages to interview them because everyone adored the album.

So in case you’ve never listened to it (I’m... not even sure why I’m doing this since I’m pretty sure even people who don’t like this type of music have tried to out of sheer curiosity), it’s a concept album about a guy (...possibly. I mean there’s a lot of trans and/or nonbinary hints in the lyrics and did you really NEED to make all of this more relatable? What the hell guys) dying of cancer, remembering all the good and the bad things that happened in his life, and since his fondest memory is seeing a marching band once as a child, death arrives in the form of a marching band. He then settles some scores with his friends and family, says his goodbyes, and... and doesn’t die in the end. He ends up surviving the whole ordeal, and the last song, Famous Last Words, is one the most incredible things I’ve ever heard. It’s so propulsive, uplifting and motivating. “I am not afraid to keep on living / I am not afraid to walk this world alone”. Holy. Shit. Sadly, it’s not elligible.

Welcome to the Black Parade is basically the centerpiece of the album, as you already know or might have guessed, but here’s the thing. It also works out of context because there’s already an entire narrative arc within this one song. It’s larger than life. It’s about death and the meaning of existence. It basically contains all the stages of grief, and the conclusion it reaches is that this guy will be remembered and therefore, he will transcend death. It’s full of rage and passion and triumph. There’s key changes. There’s tempo changes. There’s everything. It’s a rock opera in a single song. I put it on my mp3 player immediately after listening to the album, and it’s still on my mp3 player today. I never, ever removed it. I listened to it countless times and every single time, it feels like rewatching one of my favorite movies.

Best hit song of 2007 by a mile. Best hit song of the decade, hands down, and now that the 2010s are over, I’m pretty confident in saying nothing has topped it so far. I’d say “fight me” if I thought this was a controversial opinion, but it’s not even that controversial.

And that feels damn right.

Next up: Is... is this a list with actual filler? Are you telling us there was ONE mediocre year for music in the 2000s? Sounds fake but okay