2006: #8 - "Maneater"

When Timbaland joined forces with pop stars Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, the results were as unexpected and memorable as any of the avant-R&B or experimental pop-rap he had done in his career (Think "Pony" and Aaliyah, or "Get Ur Freak On" and "Big Pimpin'").

In 2006, we heard some of the greatest Top 40 art-dance tracks ever on JT's FutureSex/LoveSounds and NF's Loose, whose lead single, "Maneater", was a classic example of Timbaland's ability to make something totally inaccessible-sounding into a mainstream hit.

The beats are all over the place, the melodies are slightly dissonant, and sometimes the music - a minimalist art-funk - even drops out entirely. For these reasons, we guess, you rarely hear this one on the radio anymore, so if you've forgotten it, go back and give it a quick listen.