Christina Aguilera: The Underrated Jams.

Oh, Christina. She is definitely one of the few actual vocal talents of her generation, but time and time again I see her music go under appreciated because it's not necessarily what's hot right now. Honestly, I'm glad Christina usually does her own thing instead of trying to fight for the "hot-right-now" crown and apparently her fans feel the same way. We saw what happened when Bionic was released, even though I still think that album is great, just a little late. Yet, when Christina did something totally unexpected with Back 2 Basics, everyone loved it and it became one of the best sellers of the decade. Same with Stripped. Even though everyone was doing the whole sex-kitten thing, Christina pulled away from it after the first single and went back to letting her voice be more prominent than her image.

Here are some of the songs that are quintessential Christina, even though they weren't singles and were underrated by fans.

"Cruz"

Alright, no Christina fan doesn't love this song, but I wouldn't feel right not having this song on the list. Not even Destiny's Child can match the harmonies in this song and the only vocalists on the track are Christina, Christina and Christina.

"Mercy On Me"

This is one of those songs where Christina's vocal talent is put to the test because it calls for such a dynamic range of notes that change quickly. Plus, this song is arguably one of the greatest she ever wrote, and yes, she did co-pen this track along with long-time collaborator Linda Perry. The duo works perfectly together. They should form some kind of band together. If Christina ever did a ballads album and put material out like this, Adele would have some major competition. I've been secretly hoping for such an album since 2006.

"Make Over"

I love this song because of how raw Christina sounds. Of all the uptempo songs on Stripped, this track has the most passion behind the lyrics and the vocals. She is literally screaming in one layer of the chorus. Reminds me of a P!nk or Kelly Clarkson song, really, but Christina puts a unique spin on this that we rarely get to see from her, which is stepping away from her normally soft vocals and putting some raspy stank on the record. It makes this track magical.

"Bobblehead" 

I wanted Christina to make this a single so bad, then release a video full of badass choreography. I know it's like the most generic she ever recorded, but the subtle jabs she takes at all of the the worlds bimbos are just to shady to not love.. No one knows who she is talking about, but she is relentlessly reading them shitless.

"I'm OK" 

One of the very few songs that has really evoked an emotion out of my. I was so angry by the end of this song because I really felt so much of the pain she describes in the song. That's what makes it so great. Everything just went together so well. The acoustic set, the lyrics and the way her voice seemed so defeated and light. The imagery is like a movie if you close your eyes and listen to this.

"I Got Trouble"

It's great that Christina was able to master the old-time sound so perfectly in this song.

Honestly, I don't really have anything else to say about this song. It's just great. Deal.

"Elastic Love"

Did anyone else notice the rubber bands popping in the background? What kind of ingenious thought process did Switch have when he produced this? I love this song because it's so kitschy.

"Desnadate"/"Glam"/"Primadonna"

All produced by Tricky Stewart. All really show Christina's divatude. These are the songs that I admire the most from Bionic because they showed that Christina knew exactly how famous she was and how bad of a bitch she had become. These are feel good songs. Anyone can listen to them and feel empowered.

"Underappreciated"

Christina's got soul. She hits some crazy notes on this song, but more interestingly this song just one of those that everyone can relate to. Who hasn't had a relationship that started out in the honeymoon phase and became predictable after a while? She is a R&B artist in this song, vocally and lyrically. 

"Save Me From Myself" 
An incredible heartfelt song about being a flawed human but still being loved for who you are. Easily Christina's "Flaws & All." I used to scribble the lyrics to this song in my notebook when I was bored in class. 

What are your favorite Christina non-singles? I feel like there are so many good ones that should be on the list, but I only have room for so many! I can go on for pages about Bionic alone.