Top 50 Singles Of 2012: 50-46

50. Donkeyboy - Pull Of The Eye



An enticing blend of Europop, old-school techno and delicious melody. The Summer song that was released a few months too early.

49. Carly Rae Jepsen & Owl City - Good Time



It achieved the impossible. It made Owl City tolerable! You can thank Carly for that.

48. Reece Mastin - Shout It Out



The song that proved Reece was more than one X-Factor-assisted hit. A fantastic blend of pop and rock.

47. Rihanna - Where Have You Been



Not quite We Found Love, but an excellent follow-up that extends the sound, while dirtying it up a little.

46. Straight Up! - Family 



Indie release from Swedish popstars in the making. This has one of the most addictively propulsive choruses of the year.

Top 50 Singles of 2011: 5-1

5. Rihanna - We Found Love



Sometimes the most amazing songs are also the simplest. Rihanna's got a lot to thank Calvin Harris for. His production on this is just stunning, but it's the gutsy, battle-cry vocals that put this over the top. Her best single yet? Maybe.

4. Example - Changed The Way You Kissed Me



An example (haha) of how to mash genres successfully and create something that's better than the sum of its parts. Electro, rap, pop... everything gets its fair share in this track, all tied together by some of the best production of the year.

3. Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory



Gaga goes full-out rock goddess. So good that listeners demanded it as a single. This is what happens when a mainstream pop star refuses to settle, going for something bigger and more majestic than anybody else.

2. Nightwish - Storytime



A symphonic goth-rocker from a Finnish band. I didn't see this coming, but I love surprises. This track meshes so many of my favorite things into just over five minutes. Catchy, Abba-esque vocals, symphonic bombast and a choir of rock angels.

1. Pnau - The Truth



Released at the very beginning of the year, this track takes the top spot because no other song represented everything I loved about 2011 music better than this. It wraps it all together. Drama, dance, rock, bombast, melody. It's all here, and it sounds new each time I listen to it.

Top 20 Albums of 2011: 8-7

8. Pnau - Soft Universe



More song-oriented than their last album, this was a very pleasant Summer surprise. It's the perfect mix of electronic music and indie rock. More than that, it has an epic scope when it comes to the sounds and structures used. Though it's buoyed by a handful of remarkable tracks, the entire thing is actually pretty consistent, especially in this genre

7. Rihanna - Talk That Talk



Rihanna's not necessarily an albums artist, but she's got about three fantastic ones under her belt. This might be the best. It's a clever distillation of aural highlights from her past. It's very poppy, but retains the darkness and experimental production that highlights her best work.

Track-by-Track: Rihanna - Talk That Talk

Rihanna has never been cooler. From the styling to the distillation of sounds on her sixth album, I'm a big fan of this era in her career. Though there's a clunker or two, and the tracks could do with some reshuffling, this could easily end up as my favorite Rihanna album.

1. You Da One - This track suffers greatly from being the opener, where it's completely out of place. Looking past that, it's a solid mid-tempo reggae flavored song. We've heard this before from Rihanna, but there's no one better when it comes to this kind of stuff. 8/10

2. Where Have You Been - Now we're talking! This is the first heavy dance track on the album. I'm convinced she should do an entire album with Calvin Harris. It's such a great match. The melody is just soaring, too. 10/10

3. We Found Love - And when we're on the topic of "soaring," this single pretty much defines the term. It's well on its way to becoming my favorite Rihanna track. So simple, but so incredibly effective. 10/10

4. Talk That Talk (ft. Jay-Z) - I could do without the Jay-Z bits, which go on a bit too long, but other than that, I'm a huge fan of this. I love the simple, almost orchestral sounding beat. Seems like an obvious single choice. 9/10

5. Cockiness (I Love It) - This approaches MIA levels of bonkers. I should hate it. It's near atonal at parts, but the craziness just works wonders. It also ushers in the album's "dirty" sequence. The next few songs are easily her most sexual work. 10/10

6. Birthday Cake - The most pointless track she's ever done. It's not a full song, but not an interlude either. It just sort of goes nowhere until it fades out, totally screwing up the sequence in the process. I don't understand the logic behind this. 7/10

7. We All Want Love - Of the full songs, this is probably the only clunker. It's pleasant enough, but just so straightforward and anonymous. The only "filler" track on the album, though it would probably sound better toward the end of the album. 7/10

8. Drunk On Love - A big belter with a Te Amo-esque beat. Not single worthy, but an excellent album track. 9/10

9. Roc Me Out - One of the album's best songs, and probably should have been the first on the cd. It's like SOS meets Shut Up And Drive meets Rude Boy, but might be better than all three. The chorus is massive. 10/10

10. Watch 'N Learn - Another favorite. The playful sexuality and lush midtempo production reminds me a bit of Janet Jackson. There's something about the seesaw melody that's so addictive. 10/10

11. Farewell - The album's big ballad. Think along the lines of the last few tracks on Rated R. The lyrics are a little clumsy, but the production is beautiful and I love how she didn't hold back on the drama. 9/10

* If I were to take a stab at reordering the sequence, I'd do this: 1. Roc Me Out 2. Where Have You Been 3. We Found Love 4. Talk That Talk 5. You Da One 6. Cockiness (I Love It) 7. Watch 'N Learn 8. Drunk On Love 9. We All Want Love 10. Farewell (unfortunately, I don't like any of the bonus tracks enough yet to warrant adding them to the album)

Album Grade: 9.0/10

November is the Month for Albums

November is always a reliably strong month for pop music. Historically, it's when most of the would-be blockbuster albums are released in time for Holiday shopping. This year, we need November more than ever. It's been a pitiful past few months for big pop albums. I can't remember a dry spell this lengthy in years. It seems like everything's just been shut down since the Spring. Even countries like Sweden, who are usually quality pop producers, have been quiet of late. Luckily, there are plenty of releases coming up in the next few weeks that I'm very much looking forward to:

The Sound Of Arrows - Voyage (11/7)
I've been waiting for this one for years. The singles have all been excellent, the videos even better. I can't wait to hear the album in full.
Samples



The Wanted - Battleground (11/7)
Their first album was a very pleasant surprise and I'm hoping for more of the same on this one.

Samples




Cher Lloyd - Sticks & Stones (11/7)
The new single is excellent and Lloyd is an undeniable pop star. Having heard most of this already, I know it'll be great.

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One Direction - Up All Night (11/21)
My favorite X-Factor contestants of all time had one of my favorite singles of the year already. I'm eagerly awaiting more from them.
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Rihanna - Talk That Talk (11/21)
There isn't even a tracklist yet, but Rihanna never disappoints. The new single is one of her best and the new video is the most riveting thing she's ever put to film.
Video



Olly Murs - In Case You Didn't Know (11/28)
I wasn't sold on his debut, but I've loved both of the singles from this. I'm hoping this will end up as a nice surprise.
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Eric Saade - Saade Vol. 2 (11/30)
Volume One left me mostly cold, but I have faith in Saade. He's representing Sweden this month, so he better not disappoint.
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Others that I'll give a try: Pixie Lott - Young Foolish Happy JLS - Jukebox, Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires, The Saturdays - On Your Radar

Pop Blitz 10/26/11

One Direction - Got To Be You
Not as strong as their last single, but this is pretty much everything you'd hope a boy band ballad would be. Bonus points for the interesting choice of harmonies in the chorus. It's a very winter-sounding track. A-

Olly Murs - Dance With Me Tonight
His last single was the single best thing he's done. This isn't, but it's still better than the tracks they chose to release off his debut. It's certainly catchy, but I feel it has a very limited shelf life. B-

Professor Green - Read All About It
His voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me. It's like everything that bugs me about Eminem amped up even further. The hook is alright, I suppose. C

Will Young - Come On
That's two great singles in a row from Mr. Young. This is excellent stuff. Not quite as excellent as Jealousy, but very enjoyable. A-

Rizzle Kicks - When I Was A Youngster
Their ascent to total domination continues unabated. It's not necessarily my thing, but I can appreciate this. I really like these guys, and this may be even better than their last single. B+

Yolanda Be Cool - Le Bump
I was a huge fan of the deliriously We No Speak Americano. This is not up to that level, even though it tries to be. In fact, I'm finding the hooks pretty forgettable. C+

Coldplay & Rihanna - Princess Of China
It's a neat collaboration in theory, and this isn't bad. However, I think I was expecting more from the caliber of stars involved. Like Coldplay's past few singles, it just doesn't go anywhere. Still, it's much better than Paradise. B-

Your Choice: What's your favorite Pop Blitz song this week?

Pop Blitz 10/26/11 Your Choice!

One Direction - Got To Be YouOlly Murs - Dance With Me TonightProfessor Green - Read All About ItWill Young - Come OnRizzle Kicks - When I Was A YoungsterYolanda Be Cool - Le BumpColdplay & Rihanna - Princess Of China

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Pop Blitz 9/29/11

Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It All
It's a breezy return for Clarkson, and this song goes down real easy. I'm actually surprised how much I like it. Her vocals sound so amazing on the chorus. A-

The Wanted - Lightning
I love this melodically, but I can't help but feel that there's a little something missing in the production. Even so, this easily keeps up their run of brilliant pop singles. B+

Rihanna - We Found Love
It's another big hit, and a new venture into a very European sound. Thank Calvin Harris, whose production is gonna sound very fresh in the US (even though it's getting pretty stale worldwide). Still, this is more anthemic than she's sounded in awhile. A-

Jason Derulo - It Girl
I like how everyone's jumping on the whistle craze now that Maroon 5 have found such success with it. Unfortunately, the whistling is by far the best part of this forgettable slow jam. C+

Bruno Mars - It Will Rain
It's an odd choice for a Twilight soundtrack, for sure. For me, his singles have either been amazing or dire so far. This is oddly somewhere in the middle. Certainly not bad, but it doesn't have that "wow" factor, either. B-

Pixie Lott - All About Tonight
If she's looking for a US career, she would be wise to offer this as her opening salvo. It never breaks away from trendiness, but it's her catchiest single to date by a mile. B

B.O.B. - Strange Clouds (ft. Lil' Wayne)
A lot's riding on this comeback single. It's certainly not the crossover hit he needs for pop radio, but it's not hideously mediocre either. It's a little Tinie Tempah-esque, except not as good. C+

Your Choice: What's your favorite Pop Blitz song this week?

Pop Blitz 9/29/11 Your Choice!

Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It AllThe Wanted - LightningRihanna - We Found LoveJason Derulo - It GirlBruno Mars - It Will RainPixie Lott - All About TonightB.O.B. - Strange Clouds (ft. Lil' Wayne)

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Pop Blitz 3/8/11 - Diva Edition

Avril Lavigne - What The Hell
What an odd career path this girl's had. And who, honestly, thought she'd be around this long? This dials down the snottiness of Girlfriend and seems to be a natural transition. Catchy chorus, but the whole thing's definitely lightweight. B

Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath
Her best single to date, by a mile. Though it remains to be seen whether or not this will get a big push in the US, it's a strong pop song with a great beat. Nicole should stick to this poppier sound. It suits her voice better than the slinky r&b they're trying to market her with. A

Keri Hilson - Pretty Girl Rock
Not bad. It's silly and a little stupid, but good fun at the same time. And that slow-burning hook really gets under your skin. B+

Britney Spears - 'Till The World Ends
It's not a good sign when the best part is the Britney-less chant that makes up the chorus. It reminds me of Deep Forest (anyone?). The rest is just not that good. The song could have been special with warmer, less synthetic vocals. C+

Rihanna - S&M
I used to like Rihanna, but this is just stupid. She should take cues from Janet's The Velvet Rope on how to tackle this subject in a more subtle, artistic way. The vocals grate and the lyrics are pretty cringe-worthy. C-

Jennifer Lopez - On The Floor
I didn't expect to like this, but I see now why it's become the worldwide hit it is. She's cleverly mixed about every trend in dance/pop that she could find, and it actually works. There's something very European about the sound. A-

Ke$ha - Blow
I've made my distaste for Ke$ha known on this blog several times, but I'm always willing to give new singles a chance because I've been surprised before. This sounds like a worse version of the Britney song. I just can't wait until we don't have to hear this voice anymore. D

Pop Blitz 11/23/10

Michael Jackson - Hold My Hand (ft. Akon) C'mon, there's gotta be more interesting stuff in his vault than this. Take Akon out of this song and you'd have something much stronger. As it stands, this just sounds like anyone could sing it. I expect more from Michael. B-

JLS - Love You More
The singles from their first album weren't half bad, but the offerings from the second one have been (so far) pretty awful. This veers into boring Boyz II Men territory. I'm sure it's intentional, but I am not a fan. C-

September - Resuscitate Me
While nowhere near as strong as her very best singles, this is a welcome return for September. I'm actually liking this more and more each time I hear it. A-

Rihanna - What's My Name
A lazy song from a lazy album. It's pleasant enough, but a popstar of Rihanna's stature should aim higher than "pleasant." That being said, it's not something I would automatically turn off if it came on the radio. B

Olly Murs - Thinking Of Me
Now this I would turn off. Or maybe I would keep it on just to make fun of it. The lyrics are dire, the melody is plodding and I'm afraid this could be the last single he's allowed to release. But it does get bonus points for being very easy to mock. D+

Jesse McCartney - Shake
Jesse McCartney is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. There's just enough kitsch in his music to make it enjoyable. I really shouldn't like this stupid song, but as usual with him, I do. B+

Nicole Scherzinger - Poison
Kudos to her for pulling a Bad Romance and throwing it all out there. This is far more interesting than I would have expected from her. I feel like it's got a pretty short shelf life, but for now it's kind of awesome. A-

Pop Blitz 9/8/10

Alexandra Burke - Start Without You A RedOne production, which in itself is something to be thankful for because he compliments Alexandra quite well. This wasn't on the album, but should have been. It's got a bit of novelty to it with the Caribbean feel, but it's fun late-Summer pop. B+

Cee Lo Green - FU
He's finally found another track to rival Crazy! This is great, old-school soul (though the hook's foul-mouthed lyrics are bound to get him censored). A-

Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Currently the number one song on US itunes, this is a slightly trancey ballad that's actually better than I expected. The melody's nice, if a little boyband. It sounds very current, in a way that's pleasant now but completely forgettable down the road. B-

Taylor Swift - Mine
And she's regurgitated the same single over again. Each time, the music becomes less charming. This targets her audience perfectly, but it's just grating for the rest of us. C

Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
It's back to uptempo dance music for Rihanna. This is a good thing, and this is a great song. There's a danger of this sounding like everything else out there, but she definitely puts her own stamp on it. A promising taster from the new album. A

Selena Gomez & the Scene - A Year Without Rain
Ends her string of great bubblegum pop singles. This is her trying to be serious, which results in a snore of a song that's more mood than melody. Too bad. It's her first big misstep as far as singles go. C+

Olly Murs - Please Don't Let Me Go
He was a consummate song and dance man on X-Factor, but this dials down the showmanship in favor of a Jason Mraz sound. It's not annoying, but it's not interesting either. It's just sort of there. B-

Rihanna - Sexuality

"You want me, then make a move"

Today's post is a little different than most because I usually write about indie or unknown artists, but that doesn't mean that I'm not 100% obsessed with mainstream pop music. It's been several months since Rihanna released her latest album and I've gotta say I haven't listened to it since 2009. This despite the fact that I gave it a very high grade in my review and even featured it in my top ten albums of the year. I don't take any of that back, but (as if it hasn't been said by everybody else already), it doesn't mean that it's a fun album. Doesn't make it bad or good, but it does make it something that I'm usually not in the mood to hear. Now, this brings me to Sexuality, an unreleased track that's light years away from the stuff on Rated R, yet could have easily been an example of the sound of a never-completed project. I'm not sure it's any better, but it's definitely more fun. The obvious inspiration here is Prince. In fact, it's nearly a carbon copy of his 80's work, even down to the title. I love the spare, funky synths and drum beat. Rihanna doesn't quite get away with the dippy lyrics (she needs a bit more funk), but this could've been a fantastic single in another world.

Rihanna - Sexuality by alienhits

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

Top 20 Albums of 2009: 10-9

10. Rihanna - Rated R



This was the album no one knew they wanted from Rihanna. After a string of ridiculously successful mainstream smashes, she goes and does something closer to the Velvet Rope than All For You (to put it in Janet terms, as I tend to). Rated R is nowhere near as good as the Velvet Rope, but it is a huge step in terms of artistic integrity and reinvention. I imagine it hasn’t appealed to everyone. It’s almost relentlessly dark, but it’s also easily her most consistent work yet. And more importantly, it sounds like the work of a human being, not a production team.

Myspace

9. Alcazar - Disco Defenders



Before 2009, I’d never listened to an Alcazar album. The band seemed too campy for me, too disco, almost (I know, is that even possible?). Their Melodifestivalen entry forced me to sit up and give them my attention, and I’m glad I did. This is one of the year’s best pop albums. The only reason it’s not higher is because there are a few clunkers in the tracklist that only prove my prior assumption of the group. But the highs are very high, and I can now safely count myself a fan. The opening trio of songs is just pop perfection. That album cover is still dire, though.

Myspace