Top 50 Singles of 2015: 30-26

30. GD and Taeyang (ft. Kwanghee) - Mapsosa



Quite the unlikely collaboration, recorded as part of Korea's biggest reality show. It's a prime example of Bigbang members having fun, without worrying about the need to project a "cool" image.

29. Ola Salo - How I Kill



The Ark's frontman went solo with a track that sounded a lot like his old band. In the glam rock wasteland that was 2015, this is a very good thing. This is also the highest ranking English-language track on the countdown. My, how things have changed!

28. iKON - Airplane



YG's newest group blitzed us with five singles in three months, but this emotion, midtempo pop ballad was the best.

27. Bigbang - Bang Bang Bang 



The successor in many ways to the group's epic Fantastic Baby, the only thing that prevented this from being higher is that letdown of a chorus.

26. News - Chumu Chumu 



Cheesy? Yes! But that's okay when the best and most fun elements of Bollywood are so expertly translated to bombastic J-Pop.

GD & Taeyang - Good Boy

"I am a good boy"

When I hear that G-Dragon is coming back (in any capacity), I automatically get very excited to hear what he's come up with. Now, of all the genres he dabbles in, trap is not really my favorite version of GD. Because of this, it took a couple of listens for me to get over the disappointment that Good Boy wasn't another Crooked and learn to enjoy it for what it actually is. Having fellow bandmate and old friend Taeyang on the track certainly helps, as his parts are easily the catchiest -- especially that rapid fire bridge before the breakdown. Even the squiggly beat, which I'd initially found a little annoying and overdone, has wormed its way into my head. Above all, this track makes me even thirstier for a full comeback from Bigbang. I can think of no other band in the world who is able to pull apart and be so incredibly awesome and successful as solo artists. I feel like all of that experience is going to make for one hell of an album once they decide to release it.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Taeyang - Stay With Me (with G-Dragon)

YG Entertainment never disappoints. They might not release albums quite as frequently as I'd like, but their roster of artists is simply the best, most consistent in K-Pop. I feel like they know each artists' strengths and run with it, so while many share the same collaborators and general vibe, there are a wide range of sounds present on their roster. Their last release, Akdong Musician's Play, will likely be known as this year's breakout, and rightly so. Big Bang member Taeyang's new album veers toward the r&b side of things, which is a 360 from Akdong's brand of quirky folk pop. And, like a lot of YG's releases, the first time I heard the album I was a little underwhelmed, but all it took was another listen and I was hooked. It helps that my favorite Korean artist, G-Dragon, features on this track. In fact, I'd go so far as say Stay With Me is more of a G-Dragon track featuring Taeyang, and I'm just fine with that. But the song would be nothing without that smooth, surging, melodic hook. It's like late 90's r&b all over again. It's a shame that the song hasn't been selected as one of the album's singles, because I'm sure it would do amazingly well.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 50 Singles Of 2013: 5-1

5. Isac Elliot - New Way Home



The youngest act to ever land in my top ten, and that's thanks to this Avicii-like dance track that outdid Avicii himself. It's absolutely massive.

4. Ola - Tonight I'm Yours



I was always going to love this. Patrick Berger and Kristofer Östergren and Ola working together? It's a match made in pop heaven (and that string section certainly doesn't hurt)

3. Ulrik Munther - Tell The World I'm Here



I've always liked Ulrik's music, but with this song it was as if he was aiming straight for my specific tastes. Bombast, sweeping production, anthemic delivery and a positive message to tie it all together.

2. Darin - En Apa Som Liknar Dig (A Monkey Who Looks Like You) 



Not strictly a 2013 song, but I had to include it because I'm not sure if there was a track I played more often this year. It transcended its place as part of a Swedish reality show and became an enormous hit on its own merits.

1. G-Dragon - Crooked 



For the second year in a row, Korea (and specifically, a part of K-pop band Big Bang) has taken the top spot. G-Dragon remains the coolest pop star on the planet, and this stadium-worthy rock anthem is his best song to date. I knew immediately that it would be in my top five. The more I play it, the more I like it. A pure shot of adrenaline with a frustrated, melancholic core.

Top 20 Albums Of 2013: 6-5

6. G-Dragon - Coup D'etat



K-Pop’s top MC returned with an album full of interesting sounds, futuristic beats and strong pop choruses. It’s GD’s most international album yet, even including spots by Missy Elliott and Sy Ferreria. Its diversity of sound is both its greatest pleasure and biggest detraction. At times it barely holds together as an album, but the highlights are so impressive that it’s hard to care about such quibbles. Like Miley’s album, it’s ballsy and fresh--two prerequisites for a lasting music career.

5. Studio Killers - Studio Killers



The lead-up to this album release was nearly unbearable. Studio Killers had been offering us all-too-infrequent teasers for years. They were so amazing that I declared this the album of the year before even hearing it. While it didn’t quite reach that peak, there’s no denying the strength of every single song on here. Nobody did breezy electro pop better in 2013, and it’ll probably be awhile before someone does. So often in this genre, you get the sense that artists favor production over songwriting, but I think that, even if you were to strip everything back, each track would still stand out on melody and lyrics alone.

G-Dragon - Crooked

I'll be harping on and on about this guy from sometime. I know I just featured a song by him before my vacation, but honestly, his outstanding new album Coup D'Etat has been soundtracking the past couple of weeks of my life. And no song more than Crooked. As a huge G-Dragon fan, it's hard for me to pick out his best track, but if I was forced, this might just be it. It also happens to be his most recent single. Crooked is everything I love about music. A driving rock beat, a chest-pumping, anthemic hook (my god, is that spectacular), a punk aesthetic and an overall sense of desperation and melancholy (translated, the lyrics depict a man driven to stray from a broken relationship). It's really a genius piece of pop music, and quite unlike most K-Pop. Then there's the video, where GD once again proves he's the coolest, most charismatic singer in the world right now. If all my blustering hyperbole hasn't convinced you to check out his music yet, this should be the song to do it. It translates, English or no English.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

G-Dragon - Coup D'Etat

Freaking hell. I knew there was a reason I was obsessed with this guy. I've raved about how G-Dragon is the future of pop before, and I think this video only cements it. I'm not sure I've seen a more visually striking music video this year. Sure, the song's not his absolute best, but my god he's an innovator. I don't think I need to say much more. Just watch.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the first part of the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

G-Dragon - Michi Go

Some things just defy explanation. I'm not a big fan of hip-hop and I don't speak even a bit of Korean, but over the past year, I've been obsessed with K-Pop rapper G-Dragon. As the leader of the band Bigbang, he's responsible for most of their hits and is a ridiculously talented songwriter and producer himself. More than that, though, he's got the kind of charisma and way-out-there style choices that we don't see enough of in male popstars these days. I maintain my thinking that he could be enormous in the West if he decided to pursue an English music career. I don't mind if he stays in Korea, though, because his stuff, from Heartbreaker to One Of A Kind to Crayon, is amazingly fun and interesting (and varied). Michi Go is his new single and it's a bonkers mix of hip-hop and dubstep that nearly goes over the edge of craziness without turning into a complete mess. I hope there will be an accompanying music video, because that's where his music really comes to life. I'm aware this won't be to everyone's tastes (hell... sometimes I'm surprised that I like it!), but I'm thrilled to have new music from G-Dragon and can't wait for the upcoming EP.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Download the track (in a very confusing way) here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 50 Singles Of The Year: 20-16

20. One Direction - One Thing



A pop song manufactured by factory, in the best way possible. Each note is precision-calibrated for massive effect.

19. Justin Bieber - As Long As You Love Me



His coolest, most interesting track. It was the moment I started thinking he could outlast his teen idol status.

18. G-Dragon - Crayon



The most demented, funhouse-crazy single of the year. Took me awhile to warm up to it, but once I did, I couldn't stop returning.

17. Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe



Ubiquitous song #1. Think back to before it was everywhere and how amazing that sugar-coated hook was.

16. PSY - Gangnam Style 



Ubiquitous song #2. Surpasses its novelty status with that massive instrumental dance hook. Infinitely remixable.

Top 20 Albums Of 2012: 10-9

10. Robbie Williams - Take The Crown



The consummate performer, Williams has been churning out albums pretty regularly for the last decade. This is quite likely his best in many years. It's got the experimentalism and fun of Rudebox with the melodicism of Reality Killed The Video Star. He found the perfect hybrid. And really, the one-two punch of the opening pair of tracks is unbeatable.

9. G-Dragon - One Of A Kind



In my mind, he's the MVP of pop this year. I can't think of any other male artist with more charisma or style. Listening to this EP is like listening to a million ideas thrown together at once. You never quite know what's coming next. I'd love to see even more international attention given to him, because I think he's primed for a worldwide breakthrough if he wants it.

Top 50 Singles Of 2012: 30-26

30. One Direction - Little Things



It's the classic boyband ballad for 2012, and one with a deceptively simple--yet effective--melodic hook.

29. Jesper Nohrstedt - Take Our Hearts



An ultra-melodic, semi-dance track that should've went on to represent Denmark in Eurovision.

28. Loreen - Crying Out Your Name



An epic piece of electronic-fueled balladry, delivered by 2012's best vocalist.

27. Donkeyboy - City Boy



The first peek at the band's new, dance-oriented sound. It's like a cool version of Eiffel 65.

26. G-Dragon - One Of A Kind 



The year's most cocky hype track. But this isn't just empty boasting. The production and playfulness of the hook register long after the track ends.