34-37-37-07-09-11-20 (still charting)

 

'I... won't break down tonight, I feel it for the first time'

 

Ever since Afrojack first appeared on the scene, I was drawn to the absolute quality of his production skills. Without him, Give Me Everything would have been even more of a mess than it already is, and his solo tracks are nothing short of excellent. No Beef took quite a while to grow on me; it had been and gone in the charts before I noticed the epic drop this track has. It needs to be played loud, and Miss Palmer's vocals only add the great feeling that this dance track has. I'm a little thankful I haven't yet heard it when I'm drunk, but it is really, really good, especially the momentum building that sneakily works all the way through the track.

 

 

07-14-29-27-14-12-09-25-44

 

'Now I'll put my hands up, put my put my hands up'

 

Quite a lively mover, heh. The Entertainer is a very good album, containing two of my all-time favourites on it, (Radio and Take Control) and this was a pretty good choice as a 3rd single. I don't want to talk about Alesha's floppage in the charts. :cry: Nevertheless, this proves the rule of Jay Sean features, they are always very good. One Jay Sean feature to come in this chart, not with Alesha, someone else. One of my favourite songs of the early part of the year, which was quite barren, with the exception of the #1s.

 

 

04-05-08-21-35-31-48 (still charting)

 

'What I've been missing in my life I've been dreaming of, you be that girl, you be'

 

I didn't hear this until it charted in the UK. I knew of its existence, but I never bothered with it, I thought I'd let it come to me. By the time it charted in the UK, I wasn't bothered with it either. It was only after it left the charts and I started listening to it that I knew I had missed a gem. For me, it's similar enough in structure to Moves Like Jagger to call it the better of the pair. Ok, they aren't exactly the same, but I enjoy listening to Cobra Starship far more. Sabi makes this song what it is though.

 

 

08-12-08-10-18-40

 

'This is transcendental, on another level'

 

Kanye's rap is a write-off. But this is one of Katy Perry's best singles from Teenage Dream, her 3rd best of the 6. One of the two beating them was Teenage Dream, the other is still to come on this countdown. However, the thing that sold this for me was the video. It's a great song, I thought it was more amazing when it premiered than now, I certainly played it enough back then, but the amazing visuals in the video, aside from the fact that it shoehorns the rap into the worst possible place imaginable, makes the whole song worth it. The other Katy song to come also relies on its amazing video.

 

 

12-04-13-14-23-15-21-38-41

'The city is my church'

 

A song with extra extra on the instrumental amazingness, Midnight City gives that atmosphere perfectly, and despite me not thinking it would be my thing, I got addicted to this great song, and it gains a very worthy place almost into my top 60.

Let's get this thing DONE!

 

 

39-34-30-02-03-07-17-28-43

 

'I have died every day, waiting for you'

 

The first of three entries in the top 100 for one of my favourite new singers around, Christina Perri. Besides having the looks, she also has an incredible voice, and A Thousand Years possibly shows it off best as she drifts through the song effortlessly. It isn't quite my favourite song from her, but it's very appealing and easy on the ears, and deserved those 3 weeks in my top 10.

 

 

42-16-05-06-21-44

 

'On my last night on Earth, I'll pay a high price. To have no regrets, and be done with my life'

 

A rousing track that deserves all the success it got, this was everywhere in the early part of the year, and it stuck with me throughout the entirety of the year. It's simple folk-rock, but it's the sort of track everyone seems to like, and one everyone sings along to the chorus, and I like it immensely. Noah do have one more song to come though.

 

 

19-10-08-06-09-11-19-33-41

 

'Keep me, keep me on your radar'

The Saturday's best... single (so far) from On Your Radar. It's a simple club track, but it's catchy in it's simpleness, and doesn't need to be anything more. It's not near approaching my top Saturdays tracks either, but it's a solid 6th best ever effort from them. I do really quite enjoy it.

 

 

 

15-05-06-06-07-12-16-24-31

 

'We don't follow no crowd, they follow us'

 

Throughout 2011, Wretch 32 has been a bit of a poor man's Tinie Tempah. In fact, rather poor indeed. But this, this is an exception. Catchy, with one of Example's best features, it definitely deserved to get to #2, it's just a shame (for me) that Don't Go outpeaked it and got to #1. I was obsessed with this for quite a while earlier in the year, and it's still, for all intents and purposes, a great hip-hop track.

 

 

30-45-29-34-36-42-42-46-50

 

'Was I hard to love, cause I just can't seem to find enough, I think this is the end of us'

 

Probably my biggest chart regret throughout this year, I've been incredibly excited for all of Yasmin's material, and I don't know why I didn't chart it higher originally. I made up for it a little bit with the longevity, but I think this is its redemption. On My Own is still to come. (DO AN ALBUM ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!) Finish Line is amazing, and I was so happy that it got the peak that it did in the official charts, especially as I never thought Yasmin would get that high after the floppage of On My Own.

 

42-x-34-10-03-04-05-17-24-37-48

 

'I try but always break, cause the day always lasts too long'

 

A song that took a long while to click with me, I first heard it a few months before its release, and so I was incredibly pleased when it became a real hit far beyond what I could have imagined. It took that long to properly click with me though. And I was obsessed for a few weeks. Daddy was nowhere near as good as this, one of the best examples of soul in 2011.

And she's one place above Yasmin (Only the first Yasmin though :P)

 

 

06-06-14-32-29-23-28

 

'If you ever leave me baby, leave some morphine at my door'

 

Another song that took an age to click with me, so much so I don't know what I was hearing when I first heard it, because I wrote it off. Come release date, and I began to love it. I tend to like songs with 'rain' in the title, and this ended up being no different. Classy and dark, as befits the (superb even if the franchise isn't) soundtrack it comes off of. As such, it's a crying shame that this is looking to be his least successful single, while trash like The Lazy Song and Marry You long outstayed their welcome.

 

 

18-10-14-17-23-36-47

 

'When I look into your eyes, it's over'

 

A catchy, sweet followup track to the amazing On The Floor that was almost as good. I had never been THAT interested in J.Lo before, but she comes back with superb material, I begin to like her. I also like her music videos and body. :kink: While a little repetitive, it's some fine pop, and I can never say no to that.

 

 

01-02-07-14-27-43-46

 

'It's as if tonight I change, oh please say this moment's real'

 

Come September and my first participation in BJSC, I was rather excited. I listened through my semi as soon as I could, nothing stood out on the first listen. Then on the second listen, my attention was drawn to Addy's entry. I listened and listened again, in fact I listened so so much. So, when I gave it my 12 points in the final, I finally moved it onto my chart (I thought at the time, instantly making it a #1, as I was tempted to do, would make the whole thing way too obvious) It's not a perfect system, but this is a superb mid-tempo that I gave SO many plays, and was a worthy 12 pointer from me. A month later, I was hardly listening to it, but that's how my trends in music go. I picked the love for it back up recently. The breakdown into the final chorus produces the most lovely sound, and I really do love this.

 

 

02-02-02-07-18-41

 

'I ain't no player, without you I'm not ok,

Viva La Vida, now she trying to give me Coldplay'

 

You Me At Six is a strange act for me. I like them, but not that much (although Underdog is rather good). So when they do what seems to be a sellout by most of their fans (talking to people I know, going on that), I really like it. It seemed to be everywhere for a couple of weeks. I swear I heard Radio 1 play it twice in a row, and I loved it (I didn't love the fact that virtually all its sales seemed to be made in the first few hours of its release, but THERE WE GO). The combination of Radio 1-backed-rock and hip-hop makes the whole thing rather perfect. It plummeted quickly for me, but it has the distinction of being one of the first ever hits in a chart I actually compiled, so don't feel too bad about missing out on the top 50, YMA6.

 

31-21-06-06-04-11-08-16-27-34-38

 

'I traded friends for fans, cement for sand, raise your hand, The Wonderman'

 

I tend to love most things Tinie put out, and most things Ellie puts out, so the two of them together was always going to be good. I didn't expect it to be this good though. Ellie's chorus is uplifting and fits in perfectly with the song, while Tinie's lyrics are I think, arguably his best. Coupled with the fact that it was on radio enough for me to really like it and not get fed up of it, this leads to a song I really enjoyed in those first few months of 2011. A worthy 3rd best Tinie (after Written In The Stars and Invincible)

 

 

31-43-43

 

'Cause if you can't find the time, my bleeding heart won't make it'

 

Another massive changearound of opinion, C&S are lucky in this regard. Time is sublime though, and its where the wonderful Delilah got introduced to me. It was a perfect choice of single, and I began to love it about a few months ago, after having almost forgotten about it. There isn't much production, but what there is is just enough to make this almost perfect.

 

48. Cady Groves - This Little Girl

 

26-02-05-05-08-07-12 (still charting)

 

'I'm two stops from the edge, don't push me over it'

 

The last of my 4 BJSC entries, the only one to eventually make my top 100, although Emmon came close, and by far and away the one I'm most proud of. I can't remember how I found Cady, it was mainly through searching Youtube, she has a large amount of videos on there. This is her newest single, so I went for it. In structure, it's similar enough to On A Mission, in voice, well I've had trouble finding a voice to compare Cady's to. It's a bit like Ellie Goulding's but with power. The sort of power needed to do glorious trashy uptempos like this. It may not be everyone's favourite, but I fell in love with the song, and it's the standard I'm trying to measure up future potential entries to. Which is proving rather hard. Hmm... Best moment was when this got through to TBO semis somehow. It was more than I ever expected. Here's to a good year for Séyetana in 2012. With entries like this to round off the year, I'll have to find some good songs for 2012.

 

 

40-29-35-27-20-17-36-47-47-49-48

 

'It's a new J-loration

 

Longevity counts, children. I think this is one of the last to have a crap chart run. It is, however, one of the few big hits this year that I never ever got sick of, and as a pop song, it is generally quite amazing. Not much to it, but it's a long-lasting hit, and it's perfect for a party song in almost every way. One of my favourite #1s of the year too, I believe. Who'd have thought J-Lo would have had a song this big again? I like her comeback, it produce good music, this good for mood.

 

 

19-28-21-16-19-25-35-40-40-40 (still charting)

 

'Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground'

 

Never at the beginning of 2011 would I have thought that a track by Flo M would end up in my top 50 at the end of the year (partly because I hadn't thought of the concept of doing one, but COME ON). It's the song that finally sold me on her though. I even thought What The Water Gave Me was a fluke and didn't bother with this for a few weeks. That was a shame, because it's one of the most well-constructed and epic tracks I have heard throughout all of 2011. Even now it refuses to leave my chart. This is proof you can reach high in my EoY chart, even if I never see fit to put you top 10. Well done, Florence.

 

07-08-14-20-43-50

 

My second favourite track from Scherzinger this year. It wasn't one of the many great ones from Killer Love, it was on the re-release. I've been rather harsh to Scherzy this year, most of her tracks fell outside my top 250, only Killer Love, this and her most successful track on my chart made it in. This is a wonderful ballad that deserved FAR more success in the charts, though, it took a little time to grow on me, but it is rather pleading, and pleading is great.

 

 

01-01-01-01-05-12-23-34-39

 

'There's a world out there that we should see'

 

MY VERY OWN GOOD TIMES OF 2011! This was quite honestly my theme track of March 2011 and almost gone after that, so I don't regret that run. Using the same backing track as Bieber's Somebody To Love (The best Bieber track, which isn't saying much) it's the vocals of Ryan Tedder on the chorus that do it for me. Far East Movement aren't bad either, and this track changed my opinion on them for the better, as has been said, I wasn't fond of Like A G6 when it premiered. The chorus is sound at its best, I couldn't put this any higher, like Roll Deep for the UK in 2010, it fails to make my top 40 due to 'low sales weeks' when at the top spot.

 

 

16-21-32 (LATE CHARTING)

 

'So now I can break away'

 

Did I mention that I LOVE LOREEN? I didn't hear this until after Sober won BJSC, so I had to check it out. It was better than Sober. I was honestly rather surprised. But it was a good surprise. I thought 'I can't put this all the way to the top ten' but I wouldn't have minded it. I shall be paying attention to Melodifestivalen 2012, in the hope of finding something like this. Loreen has a 100% hit rate in making excellent songs, come on, be more successful! :D

 

 

17-23-14-09-11-07-09-20-27-34

 

'It's hard to feel the rush, to push the danger of us'

 

Gaga's highest entry this year. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Gaga, but I can't deny she makes good music. And when this came out, unlike Born This Way and Judas, it wasn't pretentious, it wasn't accompanied by a hugely long video where Gaga does weird stuff (although Judas' video was good also), it was normal. It was a throwback to Telephone, Paparazzi and Just Dance Gaga, a brand I tend to love far more, when just good songs are being produced. The only single of hers I didn't like was Poker Face, I'm not a hater, but I'm not a massive fan either, hence why I never got her albums. This however, I believe is Gaga's crowning triumph from Born This Way, it was her most successful single in terms of longevity, and it achieved that not through the attention-seeking, or any weirdness at all, but for being a good song. And that's all that should matter.

 

41. Rihanna - Fading

 

09-12-19-25-32-26-16-17-16-35-50

 

'But then apparently, things just stay the same, and I'm ready for change'

 

My second favourite entry from Loud. We aren't done with Rihanna entries, there are A LOT of them still to come in the top 40, but this song is quite amazing. It's the underrated gem for me on Loud, a Bajan ballad the likes of which we haven't really seen since A Girl Like Me, and throughout the whole song, it's incredibly enjoyable. It was in my chart when I first started on Buzzjack, and it stayed there for ages, I never hoped it would be released as a single, but I do think it's one of the better songs Rihanna has put her name to. I tend to really enjoy RiRi ballads, this is one of them.

 

Up to the top 40. The point where most people start. :lol: Well, I'll start in there tomorrow. Expect commentary to get even more detailed, all songs from now on, and indeed, these last few, are 10/10 and songs I really love.

 

Speculation for what'll be at the top, what'll come in the middle, and what I'll eliminate next is very welcome.

// 40. Owl City - Deer In The Headlights //

 

 

25-22-13-07-07-07-13-26-41

 

'I got the hint I was not her type, by the black eye and bloody nose'

 

Kicking off the top 40 is one of the singles and one of the strongest tracks on All Things Bright And Beautiful. It's probably the best received in the wide world also, it's no Fireflies, but it's more this albums equivalent of Umbrella Beach, lots of glorious instrumental, a lot of uptempo. It's also unusually dark in lyrical matter for Owl City, and while I may have overplayed it a little bit, it's one of Adam Young's best songs, even though it took a while to grow on me. One more entry for the urban night bird to come.

 

// 39. Avril Lavigne - What The Hell //

 

 

05-08-04-06-41-20-28

 

'Well, I'm messing with you'

 

A bit of a WTF run, but my chart was messy without some Excel to bring order, I honestly forgot about Avril one week. Anyway, it's the best thing salvageable from Goodbye Lullaby, it's classic Avril, but it has a charm that makes it far better than Girlfriend. And it's uptempo enough for me to bloody love it, all of it. The success it got in the UK was enough to make me happy, I can't help but feel it's Avril's last impact on the charts though. :(

 

// 38. Ed Sheeran - The A Team //

 

 

17-07-06-04-04-06-06-07-09-11-12-34-33-32-39-47

 

'It's too cold outside, for angels to fly'

 

One of my longer running top 10 hits, it's possibly a bit surprising it ended up this low, especially since I didn't get bored of it until recently. I do feel the 37 songs above are better though, and that's the only justification. It's beautiful and classy, it first clicked with me in Switzerland, when some friends played it to me, the week it entered the charts, and it was ultimately the success story of 2011 for me, I expected it to be a one-week wonder, but it managed to outlast all the songs it entered the top 40 with, and become a future classic in the process. One of the best successes for me in 2011. He still has one more entry to come.

 

// 37. Nicki Minaj ft. Rihanna - Fly //

 

 

27-15-12-09-06-07-05-12-21-29-49

 

'I wish today it would rain all day,

Maybe that would kinda make the pain go away'

 

When I heard Nicki Minaj had collaborated with Rihanna, I expected it to be good. I wasn't prepared for how good it was. It features what is Nicki's best rapping by far (Me against enemies, me against friends :wub:), and it feels like there is meaning behind it, while Rihanna's chorus is a bit lacklustre by her standards, but still very powerful. And the concept of flying is quite beautiful. I was obsessed with it for a long while.

 

// 36. Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It All //

 

 

47-49-x-06-08-09-20-26-31-49

 

'Baby you don't know a thing about me'

 

I wrote this off at first. I don't know why, because every song I'd heard from Ms. Clarkson up until then had been nothing short of perfect. It clicked with me after her X-Factor performance, I believe, and I re-entered it, giving in to Kelly and her brilliance. It's a good run, maybe not the best, it's not Kelly's best, but it's getting near there. Really love Kelly, it's the strongest track off of Stronger, and one I really enjoyed in the latter part of the year (which was the strongest part in general).

I LOVE fading too , its at number 73 on my EOY :) x great chart so far.

// 35. Yasmin - On My Own //

 

 

27-18-42-48

 

'And if I fail, at least I know, I did it on my own'

 

My favourite song from Yasmin, it took a long while to grow on me, but when it did, I truly loved it. It feels inspiring all the way through, I can relate to the lyrics, well, not so much personally, but because they are really epic. I can't believe how much this got forgotten about, when I thought it might go top 20 at first. :( Ah well, I've done it justice, I think.

 

// 34. Vanbot - Make Me, Break Me //

 

 

13-21-45 (LATE CHARTING)

 

You begging me, I'm begging you to leave'

 

I didn't come across this glorious piece of electropop until the last part of the year, and then only because it was entered into BJSC earlier. However, I instantly fell in love with it. Make Me and Break Me, it ended up being the song I played SO much at my 18th party, which kind of did make me/break me. Anyway, it's glorious, perfect in almost every way, and I couldn't have put it any lower down.

 

//33. Bad Meets Evil ft. Bruno Mars - Lighters //

 

 

29-13-14-17-13-11-09-09-14-16-20-22-22-22-38-46

 

'I came with 5'9'', but I feel like I'm 6'8'''

 

I liked this from the instant I heard it, I thought of it as this year's Airplanes, and in many ways it was. Although it didn't have as good a singer on the chorus, nor was it as good overall, but it is very good nonetheless. I kept in my chart for so long, because I didn't get tired of it, until it finally got successful. Figures. But it was amazing throughout all of the summer, Bruno gives one of his best choruses, but its Eminem and Royce that make this what it is.

 

// 32. Same Difference ft. Alcazar - Karma Karma //

 

 

43-04-04-02-10-07-05-07-16-26-41-47-x-44

 

'I'm only human. Doubt, I never get it right'

 

Again, I was obsessed with this for a good while when I first heard it, it's joyful, and ridiculously happy, and it's this love in the first part of the year, with some excellent Alcazar production and some good lyrics from Same Difference that make this one of my favourites. I haven't been able to get back into it with the same love since, but seeing as it is rather undeniable, it needed to get up this high.

 

// 31. Nero - Guilt //

 

 

10-04-12-16-24-31-24-30-34-49

 

'You try to fake it but you're breaking every rule'

 

Yes, yes, yes. By far and away the greatest song done by Nero. The sound they have balanced on this record is just right to be incredibly pleasing to my ears, I do prefer the album version, I think, as opposed to the radio edit. The difference in quality, for me, between this and the likes of Promises and Me & You, is so different I wonder if I'm listening to the same producers. In any case, Guilt is one of my favourite UK hits this year, my favourite dubstep hit and one of the best around for purely the instrumental.

// 31. Nero - Guilt //

 

Yes, yes, yes. By far and away the greatest song done by Nero. The sound they have balanced on this record is just right to be incredibly pleasing to my ears, I do prefer the album version, I think, as opposed to the radio edit. The difference in quality, for me, between this and the likes of Promises and Me & You, is so different I wonder if I'm listening to the same producers. In any case, Guilt is one of my favourite UK hits this year, my favourite dubstep hit and one of the best around for purely the instrumental.

 

I think this is very true, 'Guilt' feels so much fuller and darker than any of their other songs, it's has a completely different force.

 

A load of great choices here - I never really gave 'Karma Karma' its due but it is rather irresistible, although Alcazar should probably have kept it for themselves given it's better than their own material of late!

// 30. Owl City ft. Shawn Chrystopher - Alligator Sky //

 

 

33-28-22-12-11-14-06-04-09-19-26-37-39-36-44

 

'Rollercoaster through the atmosphere, I'm drowning in a starry serenade'

 

Yep, it's Owl City's comeback single. I was a little wary at first seeing the verses were being carried by a B.O.B clone, but to my surprise, it worked, especially since one of the verses from the non-rap version got carried in, and the rap fitted in with the Owl City sound quite nicely. It grew on me rather steadily, and eventually I loved it. The excellent video coming out helped matters too, its just a shame it seemed to get ignored by everyone else. Alligator Sky as a title... don't ask, though. Again, it's no Fireflies, I think Adam Young will have outdone himself if he ever comes up with a masterpiece like that again.

 

// 29. Dr Dre ft. Eminem, Skylar Grey - I Need A Doctor //

 

 

01-01-03-03-09-17-22-39

 

'I'm about to lose my mind, I'm running out of time'

 

Eminem's highest entry, obviously Dr. Dre's highest entry, but not quite Skylar's. This was a #1 for me in February, it was the first #1 to be backdated, but it could have been nothing else back then. It also remains the ONLY song in 2011 to spend 2 weeks consecutively at #1, without any further runs at the top. Eminem and Skylar have the best parts of the song, I'm not a huge fan of Dre's last verse, but it's Skylar's pleading vocals really that sell this song to me. Eminem's verses seem to have real meaning behind them too. I was so happy when this went top ten, especially as I thought it would fail at first.

 

// 28. Chart Music - All My Life //

 

05-02-02-01-02-02-05-09-14-37-37

 

'Life on my own, seems beautiful now, when you're gone, I couldn't just stand by your side'

 

I can't seem to find this on the internet any more. :( This song really drew my attention to BJSC, and the great songs you could discover from it. I wasn't even sure if I'd join before I heard this, after it, I was certain I wanted to join in. I got into it after it won, but it remained an irresistible force in my chart for the next few weeks. To date, it remains my second favourite song I have discovered from BJSC, my favourite will be up in a second. The production on this is quite brilliant, and the vocals have a wonderful touch to them. A solid 10/10 for me, and I look forward to seeing how well it does in the TBO final.

 

// 27. Diddy Dirty Money ft. Skylar Grey - Coming Home //

 

 

38-02-03-05-07-10-41-35-44-43

 

'So here I stand, a better man, Thank you Lord, Thank you all'

 

Another what I have dubbed a 'What The Hell' style chart run, blame my charts. But this is Skylar's best feature for me, even if it got stuck at #2 behind a chart force that INAD didn't have to deal with. I love both Diddy's rapping in here, it's incredibly pleasant to listen to, and then the chorus is even more epic. The Skylar only version I've recently come across doesn't seem to have the same power behind it, like INAD, the easy-on-the-ears chorus coupled with some rapping with emotion built into it make a brilliant song, and in this song is one of my favourite hits of the year.

 

// 26. Kyla La Grange - Heavy Stone //

 

 

01-02-03-09

 

'We will remain unfinished puzzles as we said'

 

Heavy Stone has ended up becoming my favourite discovery from BJSC, and will remain that way for a good while, I think (there is one song in the top 25 that was entered into the contest, but I didn't discover it through the contest). A late entry to my EoY chart, it's done very well to make it this high up, but I was and am still very in love with it. It took two listens. And I thought it sounded like a grower at first. I was really tempted to enter it early, in fact, but I decided to let a few other songs get the #1. I have listened to it at least 60 times, which is huge for me, and I still don't get tired of it. Epic all the way through, it picks up brilliantly at the end to reach a tantalising climax. And Kyla's vocals are so amazing, yet so different and alternative, it brings the song home to you. :wub:

I think this is very true, 'Guilt' feels so much fuller and darker than any of their other songs, it's has a completely different force.

 

A load of great choices here - I never really gave 'Karma Karma' its due but it is rather irresistible, although Alcazar should probably have kept it for themselves given it's better than their own material of late!

 

Guilt completely changed my opinion on them, before I thought they were incredibly overrated, now I just think they are rather hit and miss.

 

I haven't heard any recent Alcazar material, actually, aside from the Dream Beats song, which again, isn't them. Catchy, admittedly, but I haven't seen any of their solo material around.

// 25. Noah And The Whale - Tonight's The Kind Of Night //

 

 

01-02-04-03-03-06-10-16-28-39-42-45-48-42-41-47

 

'On his lips a perfect smile, his eyes begin to flood'

 

Another #1 for me, one which I seem to be alone in saying is better than L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N, both are great, but Tonight's The Kind Of Night is slightly better for epicness and emotion (not clichés with me at all, no no). The lyrics paint a lovely picture that I'm sure is why I love it so much, it was painful for me when it only got to #67 in the UK charts, but that week was doubly painful as I loved the #66 even more. :o

 

// 24. Alexis Jordan - How You Like Me Now //

 

 

31-42-x-21-17-19-20-21-22-18-25-36-48-24-23-30-44

 

'I bet that you regret the day you left, because I'm doing fine and you're a mess'

 

Not related to that last note at all. Well, yes, it only peaked at #17, but it had a huge chart run for me, and I was king of giving it second chances. If Happiness was Alexis' Rolling In The Deep in my chart and Hush Hush was my er.. stop with the analogy now, eh? :whistle: then this is my chart's Set Fire To The Rain. Despite never going top 10, I really loved it, and charted it throughout the period where it should have been announced as the 4th single. I don't know what the record label did with the 4th single, firstly it was this, then it was Laying Around, then they finally gave Say That a video with no fanfare at all. I don't mind, but as for me, this is my 3rd favourite track off that stunning album. It took a little while to grow, but it's never grown off me.

 

// 23. Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me //

 

 

14-14-11-06-03-04-06-08-11-15-21-42

 

'I guarantee you'll miss me, cause you changed the way you kiss me'

 

My 4th favourite UK #1 in this countdown, and definitely one of the best we've had this year in an lineup that was rather awful looking back at it at the end. I was quite glad when it finally netted Example his first #1, he's extremely big in my friendship group, and this was a song I really quite enjoyed, his first album's singles were OK, but nothing standout. This was standout, unique, well, it felt unique, and something I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the remainder of the singles from his album have been rather samey, well, they do have interesting things about them, I'll grant (Midnight Run is a very unique track), but it's the sound in general I'm getting tired of. Fortunately, I still really enjoy Changed The Way You Kiss Me.

 

// 22. Kanye West ft. Rihanna - All Of The Lights //

 

 

08-22-15-14-22-35-42-23-19-29-38

 

'Her mother, brother, grandmother hate me in that order'

A song I literally rejoiced about when it finally hit the UK top 40, I honestly thought it was going to flop. It is added to the endless list of Rihanna features that I love unconditionally for hopefully more reasons than it just being Rihanna. And the cast list is impressive on this one, I haven't bothered typing it all out, but it certainly stands out, and collectively, it's the best thing I have heard from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Tbh, the best part are the bits at the end with Fergie and Alicia Keys, my Rihanna looning can be restrained. And the glorious instrumental all the way through. Runaway was nice, but this, this is my Kanye West highlight (and yes, I know my Kanye taste is not for everyone, his best is Stronger for me, which also has more energy than the Daft Punk song it samples, but I'm going off on a tangent here). Kanye should do more things like this, I haven't really liked a single thing I've heard from Watch The Throne.

 

// 21. Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris - We Found Love //

 

 

01-02-02-02-04-05-08-13-13-11-22-19-22

 

'Yellow diamonds in the light'

 

And it's another Rihanna just missing out on the top 20. This may have had some looning factor in me putting it all the way to #1, but of the biggest hits of the year, it's the one I love the most. The video is amazing, the release strategy as a whole has been amazing, spending 6 weeks at #1 is nothing short of amazing, Rihanna rules all. And I love it. I think Where Have You Been is slightly better, so that'll appear high in next year's chart as I felt I couldn't put it in here, but in any case, this is one of RiRi's best lead singles, third only to Umbrella and Russian Roulette in my affections, and it's a great club track which I do think I've had the pleasure of hearing at a party, can't remember if I did though. In any case, its loony run is entirely deserved.

 

I shall start, and hopefully finish, the top 20 tomorrow night. But we shall see.

Here we go... My 20 best songs of the year...

 

// 20. Nightwish - Storytime //

 

 

02-03-05-02-01

 

'I am the journey, I am the destination'

 

Late November this year saw the reawakening of a band I now love. See, I had this little song called End Of All Hope on my iTunes through seeing it in a few Youtube videos, and I rather liked it. Then I noticed Storytime in Ghosty's chart (Thanks, btw), recognised the name, and tried it out. And it's become one of my favourite songs of the year, one of the best rock songs I've heard recently, and my current #1. Woo. Nightwish is the closest I will ever get to metal, but it's pleasant on the ear, there is the rule of female-fronted rock (as in, I will always like a rock beat if a female voice is singing over it), Finland is one of my favourite foreign countries for music, and this is great in every way, especially the epic... er.. storytelling. I love the amount of fans they seem to have on the internet, I've found so many around.

 

// 19. Coldplay - Paradise //

 

 

06-05-05-03-07-07-07-11-13-21-28-26-34-23-19-26

 

'I know the sun must set to rise'

 

I awaited the premiere of Paradise with anticipation. Every Teardrop had disappointed me a little, it was rather good, but nothing special, and I expected Coldplay's 2nd single to be better. It was. It was epic. The shimmering instrumental wouldn't tire on me, nor would the lyrics, which got better and better each time I heard them. And it finally got to #1! :w00t: It's one of Coldplay's finest works, one of the best on Mylo Xyloto, and it's one of the most enduring tracks of the year, for me.

 

// 18. Jessica Mauboy ft. Jay Sean - What Happened To Us //

 

 

01-02-04-07-11-19-21-33-45

 

'I feel you even though we are apart,

and without you there's a hole in my heart'

 

It was a recommendation from last.fm. I don't know how, but it was all I could listen to for the week I heard it. The instrumental accompanying Jess Mauboy's vocals (and Jay's as well, ok) and it's the best thing I've heard from her. Inescapable has nothing on this for me, WHTU is excellent. It keeps wheeling through the song, never stopping, and it's great.

 

// 17. Jojo - Disaster //

 

 

31-15-02-06-07-15-33-43

 

'Cause the walls burned up and our love fell down

And in turned into whatever, now we're saying never'

 

Again, I was looking forward to hearing more Jojo, as she can produce some CHOONS. Disaster did not disappoint. It's actually better than Leave (Get Out) for me and I really like that. With a chorus that is absolutely undeniable, maybe the most out of all the tracks in here, Disaster is another of those great pop songs that I had to put up here for simple power behind it. And it really sounds nice as well. ^_^

 

// 16. Ed Sheeran - You Need Me, I Don't Need You //

 

 

18-10-06-02-01-03-06-01-01-04-08-14-22-33-47

 

'Melody music maker, reading all the papers, they say I'm up and coming like I'm f***ing in an elevator'

 

From my point of view, Ed Sheeran's best single. Now, I like The A Team, a lot, but I wasn't blown away by it. This however, 21 places up, I was. It's a completely different Ed Sheeran, and it feels better. Utterly brilliant lyrics aside, it's catchy, and while it's mostly rapping, it's incredibly pleasant to listen to as Ed rambles along. This actually only rose to #1 originally on the, IMO, inferior version that was floating around before + got released. Then I got +, and when I listened to the version on there, it was like discovering the song for a second time, hence the sudden revival from 6 to 1. Particularly the lyrics I've highlighted above, they bring a fantastic conclusion to a fantastic song. It's a little lower than a few other #1s, but hopefully, when you see the competition, you'll understand. Every song in the top 15 reached my top 3, no more chart turnarounds, and indeed, 11 of them reached #1.

 

In a minute...

// 15. Take That - Happy Now //

 

 

20-29-08-04-02-06-15-26-28-34-44-49

 

'And they checked my pulse and it gave them hope, that there was no truth to what was wrote'

 

So. 3rd single from Progress. Kidz had comparatively flopped. I thought it was the best thing they'd put out for a long time. I didn't see how they could better it. And then, along came Happy Now. Almost the opposite of what I expected from a song with that title, the lyrical intricacy of the verses drew me in and I stayed there. I wouldn't say I relate to them, but the lyrics are both dark, mechanical, and uplifting at the same time. I don't know how they did it, but a band who I normally only like on occasion, who I'd never bought an album of before (but have since changed this), had just put out the (second) best song of their long career. And I loved it.

 

// 14. Labrinth ft. Tinie Tempah - Earthquake //

 

 

26-01-03-03-06-06-10-15-21-39-41-49-44 (still charting)

 

'This one's feeling like a straight 10 on the Richter scale, y'know'

 

So. Labrinth. Last year, made a brilliantly simple song with Let The Sunshine. Didn't think he'd better it. Never expected to see a solo track of his again, to be perfectly honest. But then, he comes back. And he did better it. Firstly, there's that unmistakeable bassline, then there's the fact it's been used gratuitously at every party I've been to in the latter part of 2011, it's a track everyone seems to know and love. And it sounds great coming out anything. LABRINTH! COME IN!

 

// 13. The Saturdays - Faster //

 

 

01-02-01-06-03

 

Oh yes. My favourite album track of the year. It may sound similar to Alexis Jordan, yes, and this may be what drew me to it, but there's also the fact I played it near enough 20 times straight after first hearing it. It's the finest thing on On Your Radar, I may need a break of it soon, it's soundtracked my life for the past few weeks, but it's one of the best things the Saturdays have ever done, and likely will ever do. Hyperbole, maybe, but BRING THIS OUT AS THE 4TH (or any) SINGLE NOW!! There, done. :D

 

// 12. Christina Perri - Jar Of Hearts //

 

 

03-02-05-07-13-18-23-03-05-08-13-14-22-27-32

 

'You're gonna catch a cold, from the ice inside your soul'

 

Christina Perri is probably my favourite new singer that I discovered this year. Not only that, she's easily my favourite of the piano ballad movement. She works emotion into her songs, what so many other singers of her ilk lack. Of all the big sellers of 2011, this is the one I was most surprised, and then exceedingly happy at its success, and likelihood to go down as a future classic. As it began to appear from nowhere into the top 10, where I thought it would stall outside the top 40, I fell in love with it. And then, while still riding high in my affections, Craig Colton delivered a heart-wrenching performance of it in the X-Factor, which got me listening to the song so much more, and as you can see, it pretty much starts a second life for the song. Stay in the charts forever, Christina, you are very welcome there.

 

// 11. Adele - Set Fire To The Rain //

 

 

13-05-02-03-08-15-22-20-20-25-25-31-35-39-30-36-45-49

 

'But I set fire, to the rain, watch it pour as I touch your face'

 

And it's Adele who misses out on the top 10. I'm only a casual fan of Adele. I like 21, don't think it's a masterpiece or anything, Someone Like You has been killed by overplay for me, and 19 as an era is rather boring on the whole, the singles from it aside. But this, this is perfect. I heard that Set Fire To The Rain was an album highlight as soon as 21 was out, it was only when I got the album that I began to see for myself. It wasn't boring at all, it was everything I wanted in a song. The feeling that washes over you when it is playing is brilliant, and while it never got to the UK top 10, I am still rather pleased at how it's success went, it's become nearly as big as the other singles from 21. Most certainly, for me, a career highlight for unarguably the biggest singer of 2011.

10. Paramore - Monster

 

 

18-05-01-01-03-06-08-13-12-13-14-19-38-42

 

'It's somewhere down at the bottom, but I'll get a new one'

 

My favourite song this year that one could call a rock song. I've always liked Paramore, but perhaps not as much as I should, given that they are a female-fronted rock band the likes of which I normally go silly for. Monster kind of changed all that. A week or so after hearing it, it was irresistible for me, and is one of the best things Paramore have ever put out, second only to Brick By Boring Brick, I think. It's epic, Hayley William's voice is definitely at its best on this, and while I don't know much about the band troubles (I thought Playing God was more of a stab at their ex-members than this) there does seem to be an air of revenge in this. Which is good. I thought this might have gone top 10 at first, so its flopping in the charts was a little upsetting, but hey, at least I can like it.

 

9. Katy Perry - The One That Got Away

 

 

01-03-04-04-05-07 (still charting)

 

'All this money can't buy me a time machine,

Can't replace you with a memory'

 

It has now become by far my favourite Katy Perry song. I didn't actually get this until about a couple of month ago, even past the X-Factor performance and its first attempt at the charts. It suddenly clicked with me one week and it was all I could listen to. Even now, it's still, as a ballad version of Teenage Dream, beautiful. The way Katy sings 'In another life' is both brilliant and heart-wrenching. It was this that finally persuaded me to get the album, and at least it's getting some form of success now, even if will probably end up being Katy's lowest-selling single. It's epic all the way through, the video is, in my opinion, easily her best, it fits so easily with the poignant lyrics, and, for once in her career, Katy Perry has released something that I can find nothing to criticise about whatsoever. Choked. :wub: :cry:

8. Coldplay ft. Rihanna - Princess Of China

 

 

02-01-03-07-09-18-15-15-14 (still charting)

 

'Once upon a time we fell apart,

You hold us in your hands

The two halves of your heart'

 

As soon as I heard about a Coldplay and Rihanna collaboration, I knew I was going to like it. Paradise was at the time riding high in my affections though, so I didn't see how it could better that. It kind of did. The frantic pace that the opening verses go through, with the instrumental that Coldplay have worked on perfecting for the Mylo Xyloto era have made for a great pop song. Release it asap, Coldplay, it's a song that I'm still enjoying even now, and it gets a well deserved place in my top 10 songs of 2011, because it is just THAT good.

7. Christina Perri - Arms

 

 

01-01-01-02-05-09-17-33-49

 

'The world is coming down on me, and I can't find a reason to be loved'

 

Christina's second entry in the top 15. This was slightly better than Jar Of Hearts for me, there seems to be even more emotion in it. Falling, coming home, it has all the elements of a ballad I really love, and I even changed my avatar and things for it, something I don't normally do. I was really quite taken with this beautiful song when I finally got around to listening it, and despite its release getting cancelled in favour of A Thousand Years, which, while good, isn't nearly as good for me, I don't mind, if this is kept as a gem on Lovestrong, then so be it. It's an easy 10/10 for me, and as out of the tracks left, there is only one more ballad, it is my second-favourite ballad of 2011, no mean feat, as I love the things.

6. Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath

 

 

30-08-02-14-25-31-22-31-39-49-41-27-33-39-40-47-47-50-50-42-31-37-39-46

 

'Move on, don't look back, I jumped off the train running off the track'

 

And my favourite UK #1 of this year goes to Don't Hold Your Breath. When Nicole came back, I loved Poison, so so much, and then she released this track. Indeed, of all the regrets with regards silly chart runs and all, my biggest regret is only giving this two weeks top 10, because as you can see from that run, I couldn't dump it off my chart for a good age, indeed, all but two of the tracks that knocked it out of the top 10 were long gone before Don't Hold Your Breath was gone. And there was no beating those two. I never, ever, ever got tired of it, it's the best thing that Nicole has done throughout her long career, it's perfect that it got a #1 for her, it's at exactly the right tempo for me to love it (no speeding up remixes please) and my favourite success story of 2010.

 

Top 5 I shall do later. Almost finished, I didn't imagine how much work this would be, but it's been fun too.

5. Rihanna - California King Bed

 

 

18-13-09-06-11-04-06-09-13-21-05-03-02-02-05-05-08-12-21-26-29-33-38-40-48

 

'Just when I felt like giving up on love, you turn around and give me one last touch'

 

Wow, it was a pain typing that run out. By far my favourite song from Loud, and a perfect single choice for me. The video is absolutely perfect in terms of viewing and appreciating Rihanna *ahem*, and the part where the song builds up to the climax and the video turns black and white brings back good memories of Unfaithful. Whenever Rihanna does a ballad, I will go after it and love it almost without fail, I always think she carries off ballads superbly, even better than many of her upbeat songs, and California King Bed is the Loud example of this. Following on from S&M, having fallen in love with almost every other song on the album, I was keen for her to release any of them, but it's fitting that Rihanna chose my absolute favourite from the album. A welcome return to my year-end top 10 for Rihanna (Unfaithful, Umbrella, Live Your Life, Disturbia, If I Never See Your Face Again and Russian Roulette have all made it in the past, but she was notably absent from 2010). Hopefully she'll make it again in 2012. :D

 

My last #2. The top 4 all made it to the top of my chart.