“Crabbuckit” is one of those songs that you can’t help but like. It all comes down to the bouncy killer bass riff, lifted from The Cure’s “Lovecats”’ who lifted it from Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack.” The video is just as good with super-vision sunglasses that see Star Wars-like monsters, a Nelly Furtado cameo as well as breakdancers pulling “Smooth Criminal”-era Michael Jackson moves. The song and video, off Joyful Rebellion, had so much crossover appeal, it also got k-os’ parents to stop worrying about whether his son had made the right decision to pursue a music career. “They were worried that I was picking something that I wouldn’t succeed at,” k-os told The Coast earlier in the year. “For my dad to see me have some sort of success, he’s estatic now. I was talking to my mom the other day and she was like, ‘My friend heard “Crabbuckit” on the radio and they like it.’ I can feel proud about that.”
Runners-up: Wintersleep, “Sore”; Avril Lavigne, “Nobody’s Home”
