Top 50 Singles Of 2012: 10-6

10. Foxy Shazam - Holy Touch



Carrying on the best of glam rock, this is the kind of over-the-top, stirringly produced single that doesn't come around much these days.

9. Icona Pop - I Love It



They came out of what seemed like nowhere to deliver one of the strongest musical statements of the year. A blistering assault.

8. Jedward - Waterline



Pure cheese, in the absolute best way possible. This is Jedward as good as they will ever be, with a song that you may want to dislike, but won't be able to.

7. Scissor Sisters - Let's Have A Kiki



In an off-year for the Sisters, it's amazing that they were still able to deliver a career highlight. Silly fun, yes, but sometimes that's just what you need.

6. Matt Cardle - It's Only Love (7th Heaven Radio Edit) 



I would've laughed hysterically if anyone told me a Matt Cardle song would have been on my list, especially in the top ten. But, this is a Matt Cardle remix, and it's perfect. The Delays song they never recorded.

Matt Cardle - It's Only Love (7th Heaven Radio Edit)

"You don't have to fall, lean on me"

Not only is this an absolute revelation, but it's also the single biggest musical surprise of the year. I severely disliked Matt Cardle on series 7 of X-Factor UK, where he came in first over acts like One Direction, Cher Lloyd and Rebecca Ferguson. I wasn't alone in this dislike, as Cardle's winner's album died a quick death on the charts while all three runners up have been amongst the most successful acts ever to come out of the series. Even though I never cared for Cardle's perceived bad attitude or complete lack of presence, what I could at least admire were his vocals. Now, with this remix of his new single, those vocals have finally been put to brilliant, downright soul-stirring use. This track sounds exactly like I wish the Delays still sounded (and would fit in quite nicely on their 2006 album, You See Colours). Cardle simply has the voice for dance music. It's powerful, androgynous and textured. I'd count this as being in the top five singles to come out of that year of X-Factor, and that's saying something considering he was one of my least favorite contestants of the series. Drop your preconceptions and listen.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Countdown to the Countdowns: The Worst Singles of 2011

yes, it's a matter of taste, but if I didn't have taste I wouldn't be running this blog. So before I count down the best tracks of the year, let's look at a few that I never want to hear again.

1. Pink - F**kin Perfect/Jessie J - Price Tag
With her first two albums, Pink was very high on my list of the best pop stars out there. Then she began to repeat herself and water down the music. Perfect, with it’s cutesy lyrics and plodding chorus, just turned me right off her. And if that’s not bad enough, we were forced to endure the song twice this year under two names. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the chorus of Price Tag is exactly the same thing. As if it wasn’t mind-numbing enough the first time.

2. Christina Perri - Jar Of Hearts
Suffers similar problems as Pink’s song. It’s got those kind of Starbucks poetry, precious lyrics that just rub me the wrong way. Still, it was a hit around the world. I know people love it, but I seriously can’t listen to it again.

3. Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song
Almost Don’t Worry, Be Happy levels of irritation. It’s the kind of novelty track that sets an artist back years in my opinion. Everything else Bruno released this year was fine. This made me scream every time I heard it on the radio.

4. Anything by Taylor Swift
Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one in the world that who is totally done with Taylor Swift. I just can’t deal with the “dooby dooby doo… princess… dooby dooby doo… white horse… dooby dooby doo… ballerina…” nature of her songwriting. I know I’m not the target audience and that it’s just a matter of taste, but to me it’s like nails on a chalkboard.

5. Matt Cardle - Run For Your Life
The UK X-Factor winner lived up to his title of dullest champion yet with this unceremonious dirge. The title basically says it all.

6. Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight, Tonight
This epitomizes what irks me about the hipster mentality in pop music. It's like the soundtrack to a bad romantic comedy (in fact, it probably is). None of the little catchphrases in this track are the least bit cute or funny.

7. Coldplay - Paradise
More of a pet peeve of mine than anything. I hate songs whose chorus consists of the same word repeated over and over again. To me, it's lazy songwriting and almost always results in a plodding melody. Coldplay have done much, much better in the past. I can't believe I gave this a decent grade when it first came out.

8. Train - Marry Me
Thankfully it never became as ubiquitous as their last single, because this is the most saccharine track they've ever released.