Top 50 Singles of 2014: 30-26

30. Winner - Empty



The debut single from one of the most successful newcomers on the K-pop scene this year. It's a slow burn, but once the melody gets under your skin, it'll stick there.

29. Akdong Musician - Give Love



The other super-successful debut this year, Give Love has spring and summer written all over it. It's fresh and happy and pretty much adorable (without grating, like most adorable things do).

28. Avicii - The Days (ft. Robbie Williams)



As far as hit Avicii singles go, this flew under the radar despite being one hundred percent amazing. It's also the best thing Robbie Williams has put his name to in awhile.

27. Hi Suhyun - I'm Different (ft. Bobby) 



I used the word "adorable" earlier, which by the way is not a word I use often. But one half of Akdong Musician, paired with the soulful, quirky Lee Hi and charismatic Bobby certainly earn the word.

26. Exo - Overdose 



Exo was one of the very first K-pop groups to catch my eye, and I've been amazing at how insanely popular they've become since then. This isn't their best single, but it's definitely near the top.

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

Robbie Williams - Raver

"I go dancing"

I've been working a lot at prepping this year's single and album countdowns, which will start next week, so this week might end up being pretty slow when it comes to new posts. And not that much new music is released in December anyway. For today, I want to spotlight a song from Robbie William's new b-side collection. I've been a fan of Robbie practically since he released his very first album over a decade ago. He's one of the few UK artists of his age that still manages to interest me, especially when he works with longtime collaborator Guy Chambers. Despite being an album full of "not good enough to be studio album tracks," the new collection is actually pretty strong. I particularly love the one-two punch that opens the album. Raver is the second track, and has a great hands-in-the-air chorus that sounds ballsier than Williams has in quite some time. Now if only it didn't have that dire album cover. Some things you can't un-see.


Robbie Williams - Raver / Under The Radar Volume I by BLiSs4RW

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

Avicii & Robbie Williams - The Days

"These are the days we've been waiting for"

So where the hell did this come from? I love it when awesome, random pop collaborations just appear out of nowhere. I don't think I ever would have considered Avicii and Robbie Williams as two artists that would go well together, but as soon as I heard their names, it made perfect sense. The Days is their new collaboration single and, surprisingly, it's a lot less dance/club inspired than I would have expected. Up until the last minute or so, it sounds like a classic acoustic 70's singalong with some modern electro production to push it forward. The hook is fantastic, and Robbie's vocals are always a treat. I was a big fan of his "dance" album Rudebox, so I certainly wouldn't mind hearing more like this in the near future.



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

Top 20 Albums Of 2013: 16-15

16. Ulrik Munther - Rooftop



I’m still waiting for the album from this guy that will boost him into my top ten of the year. There’s so much potential. I love his vocals and the fact that he writes all of his own stuff (with co writers/producers, of course). An album full of Tell The World I’m Here style tracks would have been something really, really special. As it is, this is still a very solid piece of pop rock that shows growth and maturity without becoming a complete bore.

15. Robbie Williams -Swings Both Ways



When I first heard about a second swing album from Robbie Williams, I prepared myself to be bored by it. Not that I didn’t like his first standards collection, but swing just isn’t my favorite genre and a little goes a long way. Instead of being bored, though, I soon discovered that this is an incredibly fun collection with--best of all--a mini reunion between Robbie and songwriting partner Guy Chambers. The originals are outstanding, and I hope it’s the beginning of a rekindled partnership between the two.

Robbie Williams - Snowblind

"You wrapped yourself 'round me"

Initially, I wasn't too excited about Robbie Williams releasing another swing album, but then I heard Go Gentle and read that the album would have a bunch of new tracks co-written by Guy Chambers. For those who don't know, Williams' best and most famous work was created in collaboration with Chambers, but the duo haven't worked together much at all (in fact, only one song by my count) in the past decade. This reunion is really something special. Snowblind, apparently, was first written in the Escapology album days (that would be 2001/02) and I'm absolutely delighted that we get to hear it now. Sometimes simple is better, and though this ballad lacks the bombast of some of Williams' bigger hits, it is absolutely, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The orchestration is gorgeous. The melody is gorgeous. The vocals are gorgeous. It reminds me of something off of Hedwig & The Angry Inch, which is a big compliment coming from me.



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

Dizzee Rascal & Robbie Williams - Goin' Crazy

"I believe I'm losing my mind"

It's so cool to hear Robbie Williams on a track like this. Years ago, he did a semi hip-hop collaboration with producers 1 Giant Leap that revealed a more rhythmic side to his voice, and then of course came Rudebox. This is different, though, as its a collaboration with a tried and true rap superstar. As such, it feels like the most relevant thing Williams' voice has been on since the Take That reunion. The hook here is really strong and really cool, and I love the filters on the vocals. It feels like a major Summer hit in the UK, with the possibility of even crossing the Atlantic and making some waves here.



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

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.

Robbie Williams - All That I Want

"The heart has chosen"

Sometimes with Robbie Williams, I can get a little complacent as a listener. He releases albums so often that I just kind of expect them without appreciating them. But this new one, Take The Crown, might very well be his most consistently enjoyable since Sing When You're Winning, and if not that, definitely his best since Rudebox. The opening two tracks are a definite return to form, with Gospel being especially effective, but I decided to focus on the dancier, funkier All That I Want instead. It really shows how he's not content to rest on his laurels. It's vibrant, expertly produced and ridiculously catchy, while of course maintaining the cheeky type of lyrical content he's known for. And I love when he sings in his lower register. It's all very stylish.



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

Robbie Williams - Candy

"Liberate your sons and daughters"

That tidal wave of new music I was talking about last week has started, and Robbie Williams' return to pop is among the spoils we get to bask in for the next few months. Many are calling this his comeback single, but I don't think that's really true. I mean, his last album sold very well and was released only a couple of years ago, and his reunion with Take That was a bonafide blockbuster. So, it's not really a comeback. More of a victory lap. It is, however, his first single in awhile that embraces a pop sound, rather than go down the easier, adult-contemporary route. Candy, co-written with band-mate and X-Factor judge Gary Barlow, is big, brash and sickeningly catchy. One listen to the chorus and it'll be stuck in your head all day. I'm not sure exactly what's going on in the video (below), but it's entertaining. That's the big word for this track: ENTERTAINING. I love it. He is a legend.



(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.

Robbie Williams - Email From A Vampire

"I don't like sunlight"

What to say about Robbie Williams? By now he's such an important part of the British pop landscape, that it's hard to remember when he wasn't releasing music. And although his output will never reach the popularity (or general quality) that it once had, he's still churning out great records. His new greatest hits (about as comprehensive as it gets) has just been released and, if for some reason you're unfamiliar with his material, I can't imagine a more perfect album. The real treat for fans, though, is the third cd of b-sides. All but three have already been heard, but Williams is definitely a b-side artist. He's got dozens and dozens of them, and most are of album-quality. The three new tracks are amazing, particularly Email From A Vampire. As the title suggests, it flirts with novelty but is saved by a soft 80's rock beat and gorgeous melody. This is exactly the sound he should be moving toward--a mix of Rudebox era experimentalism and his newer, mature releases.

Robbie Williams - Email From a Vampire by alienhits

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

Pop Blitz 10/7/10

Joe McElderry - Ambitions While I can't say I'm happy that this perfect Scandinavian hit is being repackaged by another artist, this could be a lot worse. Sure, it's been stripped of the delicate melancholy of the original, but the new Jai-ho peppiness of it all makes this a different kind of treat. A good song is a good song. A-

Nelly - Just A Dream
I can't say I expected this comeback. As far as hip-hoppers go, I've always found Nelly pretty charming. This is more gooey ballad than rap thumper, and it's all the better for that. A nice surprise. B+

Kings Of Leon - Radioactive
Unlikely to chart as high as past hits, but this percussive, rootsy rocker has its own charms. Pleasant, even if it isn't the most memorable thing in the world. B

Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow - Shame
They deserve a stronger song. It sounds like a b-side. That being said, I'm a fan of any song Robbie touches, and the laid-back orchestral flourishes bump this up a little for me. B-

Pink - Raise Your Glass
She's never really released a bad single, so the quality here is no surprise. I'm more fond of the verses than the chorus, though. B+

Kanye West - Runaway
I'm not aboard the Kanye train. When this was performed on the VMAs, I thought it was ridiculously stupid. Presented here without the added spectacle, it's just pretty stupid. C-

The Saturdays - Higher
As far as girl groups go, the Saturdays have done little to impress me. This is utter crap. It's so derivative that I can't believe there were actual songwriters involved. So devoid of any personality. And any semblance of a hook. D

Top 20 Albums of 2009: 12-11

12. La Roux - La Roux



One of the more exciting debuts of the year, La Roux’s album has a very specific, easily recognizable sound. I would have never thought that icy synthpop would find the success it did this year, though they’ve been unable so far to break America. As evidenced by the handful of hits taken from the album, there’s plenty to love here. The non-singles are just as interesting and memorable as the ones we all know. I’m especially a fan of the ballads. Elly’s voice can at times be a bit much, but when she calms it down it’s very magical.

Myspace

11. Robbie Williams - Reality Killed The Video Star



This was the perfect album to release at this point in his career. The sound’s still identifiably Robbie, but it’s also more mature and world-weary. In the hands of a lesser performer, this could have been a dreary, forgettable collection of songs, but Robbie uses that indelible charm to make the album something very special. Fusing elements from throughout his career, there’s something for everybody here. The production is lush, filled with dramatic string sections and soaring instrumentation befitting the legend that is Mr. Robbie Williams.

Myspace

Top 50 Singles of 2009: 40-36

40. La Roux - In For The Kill



Icy and dramatic, this proved to be the introduction to one of the more interesting looking popstars of the year. Too shrill at first, but after a few months resistance was futile.

39. Muse - Uprising



The furthest the band has ever ventured into straight-up glam rock, this had a beat to die for. Couple that with a slyly memorable hook and some football chants, and you’ve got yourself an anthem.

38. Jesse McCartney - How Do You Sleep



A surprise addition to the list, this kitschy pop/hip-hop single was inescapable this spring, and the chorus was one of the best of McCartney’s career.

37. Robbie Williams - Bodies



The big comeback single that didn’t seem to be so big at first. Like all the best songs, it became more and more impressive as the weeks went on.

36. Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me



She’s verging on the point of over saturation, but before that, this simple, lovelorn pop song hearkened back to the simple radio hits of the late nineties.