Queen, "The Prophet's Song"
I've made the comparison before, but I don't know if I've made it here or not: power metal is just Queen played fast. All the over-the-top theatrics and corn are there in spades. Sure, there are usually fewer elves in your average Queen song, and there are more wheedly-weedly solos in power metal, but nevertheless, they're basically the same.
Sharon Jones, "Pick It Up, Lay It In The Cut"
The first Sharon Jones record was rawer than what would follow, which is A-OK by me. Not to say that all of her records aren't great, but there's something about the filthy sound of those drums that gets me going.
Lupe Fiasco, "Gold Watch"
The Cool was a let down after his first album, but it's certainly not without its highlights. This song, for instance. This beat is pretty simple, but it works. In particular when it clears out for those little hits, that's just hot. And Fiasco sounds really good.
Come on, Josh, "sounds good"? Ooh, me good write!
La Gritona, "Carrion"
I think I've mentioned before, but digging up La Gritona and letting me listen to this shit is one of the best things that Bandcamp has done for me. That bass line is just getting me seriously amped up over here. I'm going to see if I can learn that and just sit in my basement playing it over and over.
(NB: the version I got was a different take, but whatever, close enough.)
Renegade Soundwave, "Traitor"
Industrial music eventually grew to encompass industrial dance, and then under that banner it managed to sweep up plenty of bands who had basically nothing industrial about them. Renegade Soundwave, for instance. A little bit of stank on your synths and the occasional blurt of distorted guitar does not an industrial band make. I don't think it was Renegade Soundwave's fault, mind you, marketing and fans are what they are.