VH1 100 GREATEST: MACY GRAY

I was stoked to see Macy Gray included on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music countdown. How many artists of either sex, of any genre, are as unique as her? One note in, and you know who's singing. How many other artists can you say that about?

On one hand, her first hit "I Try" could have come from the pre-rock and roll pop era. On the other, she collaborates with hip-hop artists like The Black Eyed Peas, Mos Def and OutKast. (I'd love to see her on the Rock The Bells tour). And she can roll with the rock crowd: she's jammed with Tom Morello and Velvet Revolver and I once saw her open for Bowie.

I though VH1 might forget her: she made such a huge splash when her debut album, On How Life Is, came out in 1999, and has never really matched the commercial performance of that LP. And I think it's her best album, but she's done some great stuff since then.  But if you're just checking her out, I'd definitely recommend On How Life Is, and from there, pick up The Very Best Of Macy Gray. It has an underrated track that is one of her best ever: a song she did with Fatboy Slim, "Demons."  Actually, check out that song no matter what, it's amazing and you'll thank me.