#38

Runaway

Best Boy Grip

 

 

Album: Runaway E.P

 

Derry band Best Boy Grip are best known for their sincerely piano balladry, so it was rather surprising to hear them camp it up a bit on the fantastic “Runaway”, a song that seems to have been made to be the last song to be played before the interval at a Broadway musical, mixed with Elton John and "Video Killed the Radio Star".

#37

Wake Me Up

Avicii

 

 

Album: True

 

The 2nd of three number 1 singles top make the top 50, Avicii had a monster hit on his hands when he played around with his trademark sound by adding guitars from a former member of Incubus and vocals from Aloe Blacc to create “Wake Me Up”, a folk-inspired dance song which was unavoidable over the summer. It’s dance music for people sceptical of dance’s music’s merits, folk music for people who despite folk.

#36

Kill It

A Northern Light

 

 

Album: N/A

 

Imagine Enter Shikari.

 

Now imagine Enter Shikari, only poppier, and good.

 

That’s what “Kill It” by Belfast band A Northern Light sounds like. They’ve taken the rock framework and integrated it with synths, programming and drum loops to create something rather special.Definitely a band to keep an eye out for.

A good start, LOVE Daft Punk, Arctic Monkeys and Clean Bandit - all of which are amongst my favourites of the year. A few I've not heard, which I will in due course check out. :D

Excellent so far! I'm of course pleased to see Endless Drain here :cheer: Hopefully much more to come from Major Leagues in 2014.

Amen at Janelle Monae but I much prefer Q.U.E.E.N.!!

#35

My Number

Foals

 

 

Album: Holy Fire

 

After knocking about for 5+ years and avoiding doing so, Foals finally recorded a pop song in 2013. “My Number” is the most straightforward song the band have recorded to date, and they were rightfully rewarded for it when it became their highest charting, biggest selling single.

 

 

Previous chart positions:

 

2008 Cassius - #50

2012 Inhaler - #6

#34

Shot at The Night

The Killers

 

 

Album: Direct Hits

 

If their greatest hits album is indeed the final release from The Killers, then at least they can hold their head high with the new song they recorded for it. “Shot At The Night” is the first Killers song that I’ve really fallen in love with, with its production from M83 giving it a real boost, even if it does sound a little bit like Higher Love.

"My Number" and "Shot At The Night"! Both great tracks. :D

 

I'm hoping that a certain Not Squares may be making an appearance in this chart. :P

#33

Superfood

Superfood

 

 

Album: N/A

 

Birmingham based band Superfood have mined the best bits of Britpop to create their sound. The best fruit of their labour to date has been “Superfood”, a tongue-in-cheek theme tune that has a wee bit of Blur about it.

#32

When You Sleep

Shonen Knife

 

 

Album: Yellow Loveless

 

Have you ever listened to shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine and thought to yourself “someone really needs to cover them in a 60s girlband style?”

 

Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife did. The band covered “When You Sleep” for a tribute album to the band, and completely stripped down the walls of sound on the original into something a bit more melodic. Filled with fun harmonies and la la la’s, the band have but their own irresistible spin on a 90 classic.

 

Previous chart positions

 

2011 Perfect Freedom - #12

2012 Pop Tune - #10

#31

It’s Alright, It’s Okay

Primal Scream

 

 

Album: More Light

 

Yes, “It’s Alright, It’s Okay” by Primal Scream is basically “Movin’ On Up, Part 2”, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a fantastic song nonetheless. The song, along with the rest of the album, was produced by Belfast DJ David Holmes, who’s best known for writing the score to Ocean’s Eleven.

 

Previous chart positions

2008 Can’t Go Back - #15

"My Number" and "Shot At The Night"! Both great tracks. :D

 

I'm hoping that a certain Not Squares may be making an appearance in this chart. :P

 

I can exclusively reveal that Not Squares...did not make the cut, unfortunately. :(

Shot At The Night in your top 40. Yaaay!! :cheer:

I can exclusively reveal that Not Squares...did not make the cut, unfortunately. :(

 

:(

 

But Primal Scream are in so It's Ok (..and it's Alriiiiight). :D

The next 5 songs in the countdown includes the final #1 to make the cut. Any guesses as to what it might be?

The next 5 songs in the countdown includes the final #1 to make the cut. Any guesses as to what it might be?

Royals?

#30

Unbelievers

Vampire Weekend

 

 

Album: Modern Vampires of the City

 

They topped the very first list back in 2008, and five lists on Vampire Weekend are still as brilliant as ever. “Unbelievers” is a fantastic tune build around an organ riff, and concluding with pipes ripped straight out of a Scottish independence promotional video.

 

Previous chart positions:

 

2008 A-Punk - #1

2009 Horchata - #39

2010 Holiday - #34

#29

Katachi

Shugo Tokumaru

 

 

Album: In Focus?

 

Shugo Tokumaru up next with his post-modern pop song “Katachi” (which roughly translates as ‘shape’ in English). If you only watch one video in this countdown make it this one - it was created in stop-motion using thousands of cardboard cut-out shapes, and is absolutely stunning to watch it develop.

#28

I Love It

Icona Pop ft Charli XCX

 

 

Album: Icona Pop

 

The final #1 single to make the list is “I Love It” by Icona Pop (and Charli XCX, who wrote the song). A powerful, in-your-face dance-pop song with a pummelling bass line and defiant attitude.

#27

One Potato Two

Hentai Babies

 

 

Album: N/A

 

Fun fact - hentai is usually used to mean perverted in Japanese.

 

Another fun fact - “One Potato Two” by Isle of Wight duo Hentai Babies are a rather great band. “One Potato Two” is a great throwback to 90s alt-rock, with slight echoes of Elastica and Rocket From The Crypt.