Top 50 Singles of 2014: 15-11

15. Josef Johanssson - Hela Natten



I love a choir in a pop song, but this galvanizing anthem is more than just its choir. It was the best song in this year's Melodifetivalen, even though it didn't make it to the final.

14. HyunA - Red



A demented and fun nursery-rhyme gone mad. This was the party track of the summer, with a deliriously in-your-face, irresistible hook.

13. Taeyang - Eyes, Nose, Lips



One of the biggest tracks in Korea in 2014, this ballad has immense staying power. Honestly, I'd already consider it a classic-in-the-making. And I'm not even a ballad guy!

12. Wolf Gang - Black River 



Undeservedly, this modern rock masterpiece flew under the radar this year. It's all about those layered, Fleetwood Mac-esque vocals that pop in more and more as the song grows and becomes a total epic.

11. Henry - Fantastic 



Just like I love choirs, I adore classical instrumentation in a pop song. The violin that forms the spine of this song elevates it into something really special. Add to that the amazing dance beat, and you've got something impossible to resist.

Don't forget, if you'd like to listen to the Top 50 Singles Countdown in full, download the audio version!

Henry - Fantastic

"It's gonna be fantastic"

Kicking off this week in k-pop is Henry's amazing new comeback track. Henry hails from Canada and, despite learning Korean, is a bit of a fish out of water in the country. He's parlayed this fact (and his natural charisma and charm) into an incredibly popular career as both a singer and an in-demand reality tv star. Check him out in the popular Real Men series and you'll see why. The guy's got a great, endearing personality. Not only that, but he's a savant at violin and piano. The former instrument makes a breathtaking addition to this new song, which is already one of my favorites of the summer. I LOVE when classical music mixes with pop and dance, and the fusion is absolutely brilliant here. This is ridiculously catchy stuff, full of personality and a mammoth beat. Unfortunately, while the accompanying mini album is still good, it doesn't sound at all like this title track. I'm of the opinion that all of Henry's future music should include the violin. And he should also be a worldwide star. Just saying.



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

Countdowns Wrap-Up: Top 5 EPs

The music industry is in continual change, and one of the things I've noticed (especially internationally) is that more and more artists are choosing to release EPs rather than albums. I don't think it's fair to pit them against full-length albums, as it's easier to have five awesome songs than it is to have twelve, but I also wanted to make sure that these amazing releases got their due on my blog. So here they are... my top five EPs of 2013.
 

1. The Fooo
I used to not be enthralled with the idea of a boyband, but that was before they started churning out some of the best pop music around. The Fooo are young, fresh and bring an extraordinarily high energy to the pop scene. Best of all? Each song is a solid gold hit and comes with its own promo video. There's no filler here.

2. Anton Ewald - A
Fresh off of his Melodifestivalen success, Ewald opted for an EP rather than a full-length, and that was a smart choice because it allowed him to distill what was great about his hit single Beggin' and craft a handful of other tracks that lived up to its promise. No dreary ballads here, just great Scandinavian pop music.And from the sound of his new track (which I'm sure I'll write about next week), this is just the tip of the iceberg.

3. Henry - Trap
Probably the most Americanized K-Pop release of the year (it even has a song entirely in English), this still manages to take the best from both worlds and work as a really solid endeavor in international radio pop. No pretensions beyond those of making some incredibly catchy tracks.

4. Diviney - Sex Games
The Short Stack frontman stepped out with an extension of the sound from his band's most recent album. Self-financed through a Kickstarter-like format, I was delighted that he was able to get the music out in this way.

5. Seungri - Let's Talk About Love
Big Bang's youngest member released his second EP, and it definitely improved on the first with a string of excellent r&b flavored dance tracks. Guest spots from fellow bandmates G-Dragon and Taeyang certainly didn't hurt.

Top 50 Singles Of 2013: 30-26

30. Loreen - We Got The Power



She'll likely never be able to touch Euphoria again, but she was able to bottle some of that magic for this powerful follow-up.

29. Girls' Generation - Love & Girls



The sugariest rush of bubblegum on my countdown this year (yes, even more than Crayon Pop). You're either going to love it or hate it.

28. Henry - Trap



Debut solo single from Canadian-born K-Pop star. That piano refrain is enough to get it on the countdown. The melody and performance puts it in the top 30.

27. The Fooo - Freestyler 



An unexpected cover for the young group, who managed to make the song bigger, louder and fresher than the original.

26. Hedley - Anything 



Blazing comeback from one of my favorite Canadian rock bands. This is an enormous worldwide crossover hit that hasn't found that deserved success... yet.