In no particular order...
Arcade Fire - Wake Up
Ridiculously atmospheric, a breath-taking change half way through, beautiful orchestral music and passionate lyrics, this is a definite contender.
Jay-Z - 99 Problems
I know Jay-Z isn't everyone's cup of tea, that much was made pretty apparent by a large crowd of unimpressed faces surrounding me when I saw him 'support' Coldplay at Wembley Stadium. Whether you're a hip-hop fan or not, you can't deny that the lyrics of this song aren't an incredibly thought - provoking social commentary. The prominent addition of percussion to a rap track was pretty impressive as well. He's built an empire (including his own record label) from scratch and paved the way for current and emerging hip hop artists, plus he married one of the biggest selling female artists of our generation. Not bad going for a disadvantaged kid from Brooklyn.
Coldplay - In My Place
Although the success of some of their more recent songs seems to have eclipsed their earlier releases, In My Place remains, for me, one of the best tracks of recent years. The first few drum beats before the guitar kicks in are instantly recognisable, and the sweeping crescendo key change at the start of the chorus has sparked thousands of yearning sign-a-longs. This song also marked the point in their career where they progressed from sentimental indie musicians into mainstream soft rock stars. Their first album was released in 2000, but it wasn't until In My Place in 2003 that they really started to gather a strong following and develop into one of the biggest bands in the world by the time the decade was done.
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
For a Jack White creation not to be included in any list categorising some of the best music of the decade would in all honesty, be a bit of a travesty. One of the most influential artists of the last decade and fearless leader of the 'super-'group' movement, White has thrust himself upon our earlobes via three different incarnations; The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and more recently The Dead Weather.
After they made waves with their single 'Fell in Love with a Girl', it was Seven Nation Army that really made everyone sit up and pay attention to the Stripes duo. Never has single drum beat and a lone guitar riff sounded so addictively irresistible, and by the time the more perplexing and raucous bridge and chorus kick in, you know that you want to be signing up to White's Army too.
