60-41

 

60. High Dive Heart - Vintage (#3)

59. Lost Frequencies - Reality (#4)

58. Electro Velvet - Still in Love with You (#4)

57. Loreen - Paper Light (Higher) (#4)

56. Walk The Moon - Different Colors (Lost Kings Remix) (#3)

55. Loreen - I'm In It With You (#4)

54. Emmelie de Forest - Hopscotch (#4)

53. Birdy - Wings (#2)

52. Mariette - Don't Stop Believing (#4)

51. Nádine - Skildery (#2)

50. Kadebostany - Castle In the Snow (#3)

49. Mika - No Place In Heaven (#4)

48. Mørland & Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me (#3)

47. The Common Linnets - We Don't Make The Wind Blow (#5)

46. Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me (#5)

45. Flo Rida - Once In a Lifetime (#3)

44. The Corrs - I Do What I Like (#5)

43. Philip George & Anton Powers - Alone No More (#3)

42. Grace feat G-Eazy - You Don't Own Me (#4)

41. Courtney Barnett - Debbie Downer (#3)

 

Emmelie de Forest - Hopscotch

 

 

Kadebostany - Castle In the Snow

 

 

The Common Linnets - We Don't Make The Wind Blow

 

 

Flo Rida - Once In a Lifetime

 

 

The Corrs - I Do What I Like

 

 

Just missing the top 40 are these 20, which feature a few BJSC entries, namely Avalonia's fantastic and wonderfully cheery DNQ Vintage by High Dive Heart (love love love Jason Reeves and didn't even know he was in a band!), Unovia's You Don't Own Me by Grace, now of course a huge UK smash, and one of my own, the hauntiny Castle In The Snow by Swiss band Kadebostany, sadly one of my many DNQs of 2015.

 

Representing the dance contingent are Lost Frequencies with the Euro smash and UK flop Reality (what's wrong with people though really, this is at least as enjoyable as Are You With Me!), Walk The Moon with the fantastic Lost Kings remix of Different Colors (not that the original is bad at all but this is an amazing remix), and the wonderful Another Level cover, Alone No More by Philip George & Anton Powers, which was a sales #1 (!11!!!!) but an official No.4. Went top three for me on the crest of a wave of astoundment that forgotten singles by D-list 90s boybands are now getting the dance treatment. Tropical house cover of Summertime Of Our Lives by A1 next year plz.

 

Eurovision winners of yesteryear aplenty in this section, courtesy of two songs by Loreen, Paper Light (Higher) (great song, though her voice sounds odd in parts) and the even better and very beautiful I'm In It With You, which has been knocked down a few pegs by probably the worst video of the year. Denmark's 2013 winner Emmelie de Forest is also here with the playground anthem of the future, Hopscotch, her best song since Only Teardrops for me. Talking of Eurovision, Electro Velvet's Still In Love With You is here too, the much ridiculed UK electro-swing entry - take out the guy's awful scat and it's actually an enjoyable and catchy song - and Norway's beautiful ballad A Monster Like Me by Mørland & Debrah Scarlett also features, they're definitely on a roll recently!

 

The Common Linnets didn't win Eurovision but pop up for the second time in the countdown a year after they came second with the comeback single We Don't Make The Wind Blow, which was suitably anthemic and another great lead single. And rounding off the Eurovision links in this section is Melodifestivalen top fiver Mariette with Don't Stop Believin'. It was hyped to high heavens by a couple of people on here and tipped as a winner, but didn't quite get as far as hoped in the end. Still, it was a solid top five hit for me and duly ends up in the top 50 of the year, and she's one to watch, great artist.

 

South African singer Nádine randomly pops up nearly every year in my EOY countdown without anyone really noticing and she turns the trick again with the very Eurovision-esque Eindeloos, which hit #2 at the very start of 2015.

 

Also in this section is another Corrs entry, the fantastic Empire of the Sun-esque I Do What I Like, the closest the band will ever get to a dance song (well...apart from the Todd Terry remix of Dreams maybe), and Mika, the forgotten hero of 2007, with the great album title track No Place In Heaven. Birdy's Wings was re-activated and became a hit two years late, as is par for the course with most of her singles, and duly reached a new peak in my chart, outpacing the 2013 No.9 placing, and failure to reach my 2013 EOY chart. The new acoustic version really sealed the deal for me, beautiful.

 

Flo Rida appears with album track Once In A Lifetime, though it has a video so perhaps it was a single somewhere. It should have been a single here anyway instead of the dire Robin Thicke collaboration. It's a little 2005 and chipmunk Akon-esque but it's irresistibly catchy and has a great melody/hook so would have almost certainly been a hit.

 

Australian indie singer Courtney Barnett made a big impression on me this year, and the standout album track for me, Debbie Downer, just misses the top 40 here, while the other unmentioned song is Carly Rae Jepsen's iconic second single from Emotion, Run Away With Me. Taylor Swift would have had a top five hit with it for SURE, but poor Carly had to make do with an incredibly unjust flop, which sums up the majority of her career, save for a couple of novelty hits.

Edited December 24, 20159 yr by gooddelta

Debbie Downer *.* Best song there tbh

 

Love the variety :cheer:

SLEIGH me lost kings!!!! one of the best things u've introduced me to

Debbie Downer *.* Best song there tbh

 

Love the variety :cheer:

 

Thanks Harry :cheer:

 

SLEIGH me lost kings!!!! one of the best things u've introduced me to

 

Yassss, glad you like! Shame it would get about 60 BJSC veto points, oh well!

Albums - 20-11

 

20. Sheppard - Bombs Away (#1)

19. Taylor Swift - 1989 (#1)

18. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas (#2)

17. Avicii - Stories (#2)

16. Little Mix - Get Weird (#2)

15. Years & Years - Communion (#1)

14. Florence + The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (#1)

13. The Veronicas - The Veronicas (#1)

12. Adele - 25 (#2)

11. Madonna - Rebel Heart (#1)

 

Into the top 20 albums of the year and we have three of last year's top five still hanging around - Sheppard's Bombs Away, which is now firmly inside my all time top ten, Taylor Swift's fantastic 1989 and The Veronicas' eponymous album, which is still great.

 

Elsehwere we have Kylie's Christmas album, which is far more enjoyable than I expected, and has kept me entertained and warm inside over the festive period, especially thanks to Every Day's Like Christmas and the brilliant 100 Degrees.

 

Avicii's Stories is nowhere near as good as True (my #1 of 2013) but it's still a solid album and deserved more commercial success than it acheived, and Little Mix's Get Weird, for me, is a really brilliant third release, packed full of 80s inspired pop, big melodies, infectious hooks and solid production, they've really stepped up a gear and deserve their position as the UK's biggest girlband right now.

 

No doubt it will top a lot of lists but Communion by Years & Years comes in at #15 here. It's certainly a really solid and enjoyable debut but aside from a few songs I think the best tracks had been heard pre-release.

 

Florence + The Machine sees similarly diminishing returns, this album slightly less enjoyable than her last, yet still a fantastic effort, although I don't think her 'sound' is very in vogue right now so she probably needs to re-invent herself if she wants any more major commercial success.

 

ANOTHER album that follows a previous EOY #1, Adele's 21 absolutely slayed the world in 2011, including me, and it easily topped my 2011 EOY chart. 25 has only been out a few weeks so does well to make it as high as #12. It's incredibly solid and its highs are as high as the highs on 21, there just aren't as many of them. But I can see this album staying with me throughout 2016 as a lot of songs keep growing and clicking. It was unlucky not to top my weekly chart but ran into an album still to come...

 

And just missing the top ten is Madonna's latest, Rebel Heart, which is probably a little bit better than MDNA for me overall, but too lacking in quality control to quite make the top ten. The highs on it (Rebel Heart, Living For Love, Ghosttown, Addicted, Wash All Over Me, Joan Of Arc) are really fantastic and some of her best work since Confessions on a Dancefloor. However the lows (mainly the songs about sex and bitches) drag it down somewhat overall.

40-21

 

40. Justin Bieber - Sorry (#4)

39. Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best (#3)

38. Jess Glynne feat Emeli Sandé - Saddest Vanilla (#3)

37. Ciara - I Bet (#3)

36. Andy Duguid feat Jaren - 7Even (#2)

35. The Veronicas - If You Love Someone (#3)

34. Truls - Circles (#2)

33. The Arrows - Pilgrimage (#2)

32. LunchMoney Lewis - Bills (#2)

31. Little Mix - Love Me Like You (#3)

30. Halleluwah - Dior (#2)

29. Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices (#2)

28. Wrabel - I Want You (#2)

27. Ulf Nilsson - Little By Little (Lulleaux & George Whyman Remix) (#2)

26. One More Time - Highland (#2)

25. The Corrs - Stay (#1)

24. Rachel Platten - Stand By You (#2)

23. Delta Goodrem - Only Human (#2)

22. Axwell Λ Ingrosso - Sun Is Shining (#1)

21. Jamie Lawson - Wasn't Expecting That (#2)

 

Andy Duguid feat Jaren - 7Even

 

 

The Arrows - Pilgrimage

 

 

One More Time - Highland

 

 

The Corrs - Stay

 

 

Delta Goodrem - Only Human

 

 

Into my top 40 of 2015 and we kick it off with Justin Bieber and the fantastic Sorry. What Do You Mean? was a fantastic come back but this was another notch up in quality, and I'm glad it eventually got to No.1 in the UK as it really is a very instant jam. I've always had time for a bit of Bieber (I even charted One Time in my top 20 lol), but this year he's really been on form and become a very exciting popstar!

 

Loadddds of BJSC in this section, so lets round them up. First up we have another entry from Unovia, who were on FIRE for two months in a row. Courtney Barnett has of course already featured in the last section but Pedestrian At Best is the highest entry of hers. It was already a mid-table hit in my chart but the BJSC link helped it to explode into the top three, it really is like no other song I've ever heard, such grit and off the wall humour, it's brilliant.

 

Kluminican Republic had strong form of their own right at the end of the year and my favourite of their two second placers is the stunning Circles by Truls. From the moment those strings crash in through to the sublime verses and the wonderful falsetto chorus, everything about this track is glorious - a really fantastic discovery. I guess I should have already heard of it through Scandipop but I've been a bit slack following it this year oops.

 

FIVE of my own entries are also in this section, including Dior, the DNQ for Icelandic trip-hop act Halleluwah. I don't really get why it appealed to nobody, to me it's a work of beauty, a really lovely soundscape and velvety vocals, it's gorgeous. Andy Duguid's 7even is perhaps the entry that 'should've done better', and I'm not sure how it crashed out in 15th exactly but it made TBO semis at least <3 It's a stunning, very haunting and emotional trance/ballad hybrid, from the RAMelia school of thinking but it doesn't really sound like that track and it tugs at the heartstrings in very different ways. It's a really powerful track which builds and builds and takes you on a journey.

 

Wrabel's I Want You is musically some sort of cross between a Major Lazer song and Mike Posner's I Took A Pill In Ibiza, vocalled by the guy that sung on Afrojack's hit Ten Feet Tall. The falsetto Sam Smith-esque vocals appealed to few (though AH Gold charted it at No.1 for a few weeks!) but it was one of my songs of the summer, such a tune really!

 

My two biggest hits of the year were very different, yet both Swedish (in fact my BJSC success rate has gone down significantly since I abandoned the Swedes for a few years until these two entries, hmmm....).Ulf Nilsson's Little By Little was originally a soft rock ballad by a former winner of The Voice Sweden but Lulleaux & George Whyman transformed it into a glorious laidback tropical house beauty. The steel pan drop is absolutely everything. It's a shame the song was never pushed although his voice is perhaps a little marmite for it to have been too big a hit.

 

And finally Swedish band One More Time's 1992 track Highland, a Scottish-inspired schlager triumph that was a hit in a few countries, but only a small top 100 'success' in the UK' surprisingly went top ten in the last contest of the year, after I charted it initially back around the beginning of the year and never really considered it for BJSC until I had nothing to use so just went with a favourite. Was really surprised but pleased that it gathered enough momentum to do that well as it really is quite a breathtaking song imo, such a triumphant chorus.

 

Elsewhere in this section is Jess Glynne and Emeli Sande's much ridiculed album track Saddest Vanilla. Sure the lyrics are ridiculous but it all adds to the charm for me and it's got a really lovely melody, and I do think their voices work well together in this duet, I'd have loved it to have been a single but I can see why it's not been one, it wouldn't do Jess' reputation much good!

 

Ciara's gorgeous I Bet was straight out of the 90s school of R&B slow jams, and duly went top three in my chart, her biggest ever hit. It's really stayed with me too throughout the year, such a great track and I wish it had been the hit it deserved to be. If You Love Someone was the second single from The Veronicas latest album, which did nothing of course as the follow up to the top ten hit You Ruin Me. However it was an absolute moment at their gig in March and is such a great singalong track, reminding me of some of their stuff from the first album.

 

The final appearance from South African duo The Arrows. Pilgrimage is actually a religious track from their debut EP back in 2009 but I only heard it for the first time this year, it has a really interesting and lovely melody, much like a lot of their output, and I'm gutted they split up this year. No Spin My World-beater around the corner.

 

Lunchmoney Lewis' novelty rap hit Bills is one of the most divisive songs of the year but it caught me on the very first listen as being really fun and so different to everything else around, sort of like how Cee Lo Green's big hits stood out from everything else around at the time they came out. It did tire on me a little while it was charting in the UK but quickly won me over again, lyrically it's something most of us can relate to I think and it's just like no other song I heard this year.

 

The first appearance for Little Mix, Love Me Like You is a classic girlband song, with shades of 60s girlgroups all the way up to Stooshe. It's a fantastic singalong and I love that it's quite festive and the fact that there is a Christmas remix!

 

Also in this section is Polina Gagarina's A Million Voices, which finished second for Russia at Euroviison. It's a really great, very positive entry from them and Polina is a real star. It grew on me more post-contest after her fantastic performance but she definitely deserved that great result. The Corrs pop up with the Xmas #1 Stay, from the album White Light. It didn't really impact me at all on the first listen of the album but it wormed its way into my head over the following couple of weeks due to the incredible section with disco strings leading up to a triumphant Irish jig, in true Corrs fashion, I could easily see this as a single and it's got a classic Corr-us (sorry) too.

 

Rachel Platten's Stand By You was the follow up to the somewhat surprising UK #1 Fight Song. It sadly hasn't impacted in many places at all but it's nearly as good as its predecessor (better to some). It's a really instant track with fantastic verses melodically and a great feelgood chorus straight out of the early 00s. The gospel choir just adds to its brilliance.

 

The second highest entry from Delta Goodrem this year is the ballad Only Human that came out towards the start of the year, for no other reason than to give her something new to sing on Neighbours, when she returned as Nina Tucker for the soap's 30th anniversary shows. It didn't impact at all in Australia but made the iTunes top 100 here after the Neighbours showing somehow. I think it's pretty gorgeous, although rather subtle, and it's a shame she didn't perform it live at her little acoustic show - more on that later. I can certainly see why it hasn't become a fan favourite though.

 

Just missing out on the top 20 are two very different songs. At #22 is the summer chart topper from two thirds of Swedish House Mafia, Axwell Λ Ingrosso. Up to the point of Sun Is Shining, I was yet to be convinced as to why they were even bothering, and wondering if Steve Angello was the magic ingredient that made their songs good. However this song is a sun-drenched progressive house monster that's as good as a lot of stuff SHM put out, plus it had vocals from one of my faves - Salem Al Fakir. It's a shame it never took off in the UK but then it wasn't really given much of a push. It did go to No.1 in Sweden though.

 

And finally, at #21, a real Buzzjack fave, it's Jamie Lawson with Wasn't Expecting That. First time I heard this I was really touched by the lyrics and the piano breakdown before the middle eight which reminds me of another past fave, Ten Days by Missy Higgins. I get why people hate it but I make no apologies for the fact that I really adore it, and am glad it gave him a top ten hit and number one album, even if it was really just by riding Ed Sheeran's coattails.

Albums,

 

20. Sheppard - Bombs Away (#1)

19. Taylor Swift - 1989 (#1)

18. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas (#2)

17. Avicii - Stories (#2)

16. Little Mix - Get Weird (#2)

15. Years & Years - Communion (#1)

14. Florence + The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (#1)

13. The Veronicas - The Veronicas (#1)

12. Adele - 25 (#2)

11. Madonna - Rebel Heart (#1)

 

All are good and have highlights

 

Singles,

 

40. Justin Bieber - Sorry (#4)

39. Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best (#3) My fave of the lot tbh :heart:

38. Jess Glynne feat Emeli Sandé - Saddest Vanilla (#3)

37. Ciara - I Bet (#3) :heart:

34. Truls - Circles (#2)

31. Little Mix - Love Me Like You (#3) :heart:

29. Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices (#2)

25. The Corrs - Stay (#1)

24. Rachel Platten - Stand By You (#2)

23. Delta Goodrem - Only Human (#2)

22. Axwell Λ Ingrosso - Sun Is Shining (#1) :heart:

21. Jamie Lawson - Wasn't Expecting That (#2) :heart:

 

Yesss Pedestrian At Best <3 Such a unique song I agree, in general there's nobody quite like Courtney and she's all the better for it.

Albums,

 

20. Sheppard - Bombs Away (#1)

19. Taylor Swift - 1989 (#1)

18. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas (#2)

17. Avicii - Stories (#2)

16. Little Mix - Get Weird (#2)

15. Years & Years - Communion (#1)

14. Florence + The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (#1)

13. The Veronicas - The Veronicas (#1)

12. Adele - 25 (#2)

11. Madonna - Rebel Heart (#1)

 

All are good and have highlights

 

Singles,

 

40. Justin Bieber - Sorry (#4)

39. Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best (#3) My fave of the lot tbh :heart:

38. Jess Glynne feat Emeli Sandé - Saddest Vanilla (#3)

37. Ciara - I Bet (#3) :heart:

34. Truls - Circles (#2)

31. Little Mix - Love Me Like You (#3) :heart:

29. Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices (#2)

25. The Corrs - Stay (#1)

24. Rachel Platten - Stand By You (#2)

23. Delta Goodrem - Only Human (#2)

22. Axwell Λ Ingrosso - Sun Is Shining (#1) :heart:

21. Jamie Lawson - Wasn't Expecting That (#2) :heart:

 

Thanks Harry :D

 

Yesss Pedestrian At Best <3 Such a unique song I agree, in general there's nobody quite like Courtney and she's all the better for it.

 

I agree, she's really an exceptional talent, so good <3

Albums - 10-1

 

10. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

 

http://cdn.gomusic.fm/artists/c/courtney-barnett/albums/sometimes-i-sit-and-think-and-sometimes-i-just-sit-5.jpg

 

Chart run: 2-1-1-2-2-3-6-7

 

Highlights: Pedestrian At Best, Debbie Downer, Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go To The Party, Depreston, Elevator Operator

 

9. Ellie Goulding - Delirium

 

http://albumsleak.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Ellie-Goulding-Delirium-Deluxe-Album-Download.jpg

 

Highlights: Love Me Like You Do, Something In The Way You Move, Lost and Found, Aftertaste, Keep On Dancin, Codes, Army

 

Chart run: 1-1-3-4-6-5

 

8. The Common Linnets - II

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51+McOQCARL._SY300_.jpg

 

Highlights: We Don't Make The Wind Blow, Proud, Hearts On Fire, Dust Of Oklahoma, Runaway Man, That Part, As If Only, Days Of Endless Time, Soho Waltz

 

Chart run: 1-1-2-3-3-3-7

 

7. Tove Styrke - Kiddo

 

 

Chart run: 1-1-4-4-4-5-4-5-3-4-4-6-7

 

Highlights: Ego, Borderline, Even If I'm Loud It Doesn't Mean I'm Talking to You, Snaren, Burn, Walking A Line, Number One, Decay

 

6. Mika - No Place In Heaven

 

http://musicdl.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Mika-No_Place_In_Heaven_Deluxe_Edition-WEB-2015-LEV_iNT.jpg

 

Chart run: 2-1-1-1-2-2-2-1-1-3-5-7-8-10

 

Highlights: No Place In Heaven, Talk About You, All She Wants, Good Guys, Oh Girl You're The Devil, Last Party

 

5. Jess Glynne – I Cry When I Laugh

 

http://cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/quench/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/10/jess-glynne-i-cry-when-i-laugh-artwork-1431358767-300x300.jpg

 

Chart run: 1-1-1-4-5-6-6-6-6-6-2-5-10

 

Highlights: Hold My Hand, Real Love, Rather Be, My Love, Take Me Home, Don't Be So Hard On Yourself, Saddest Vanilla, Ain't Got Far To Go

 

4. The Rua - Essence

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61PFwj6DfIL._SY300_.jpg

 

Chart run: 1-1-2-3-1-1-1-4-6

 

Highlights: Fight For What's Right, I'm Okay, Without You, Reflections, Hear Them Calling, Stand Out, As Good As It Gets

 

3. Rae Morris – Unguarded

 

 

Chart run: 1-1-2-3-4-5-6-6-8-10-10-9-7-4-10-9

 

Highlights: Don't Go, Cold, Do You Even Know, Closer, Love Again, Unguarded, Grow, Morne Fortuné, This Time, Under The Shadows

 

2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion

 

 

Chart run: 1-2-2-3-3-6-4-5-3-5-6-5-5-2-4-5-4-5-7-1-4-7-9-7-10-10

 

Highlights: Run Away With Me, I Really Like You, Making The Most Of The Night, I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance, Your Type, All That, When I Needed You, LA Hallucinations

 

1. The Corrs - White Light

 

http://zeneihirek.hu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/The-Corrs-White-Light-300x300.jpg

 

Chart run: 1-1-1-1

 

Highlights: Bring On The Night, White Light, Harmony, Stay, I Do What I Like, Ellis Island, Gerry's Reel, Unconditional, Strange Romance, Kiss Of Life

 

-------------------

 

A solid year for albums, with some really great comebacks and follow ups. The top ten kicks off with the aformentioned Australian indie darling Courtney Barnett, who is an absolute genuis, both lyrically and musically and her voice is so unique. She also reminds me of my housemate Jenn from five years ago randomly!

 

Ellie Goulding's Delirium is a really solid and enjoyable effort, if a little too long if you bought the deluxe version like I did (then again even the standard is 16 tracks...). But there's an incredibly brilliant 12 tracker in there which is a worthy follow up to her predecessors. Sure it's a lot more poppy and commercial than she's been before but then I always preferred Bright Lights and Halcyon Days to Lights and Halcyon so this is sort of the record I always hoped she'd make in a way.

 

The Common Linnets continue on top form with a second excellent album in as many years. I saw the Dutch country band live last October and they played almost the whole of this album as new songs at the gig so I already knew it was going to be great, the melodies and harmonies are so on point once again, even if the highlights aren't as high as those on the debut.

 

Swedish singer Tove Styrke topped my singles chart in 2010 with the epic White Light Moment but the parent album didn't do as well because it was a little patchy. Tove has abandoned that debut and everything from it these days, which is a great shame for fans of White Light Moment and Call My Name but she equally hasn't disappointed with her new material. Again, I saw most of it previewed live at a gig last year so I knew it would be great, but the album certainly delivered, and then some. Classic melodic Tove is still here in Ego and more beat-driven Tove is evident on the rest of the album, but when the songs are as infectious as Borderline I'm sold, and I just wish it had sold better.

 

Mika has been a firm favourite of mine since 2007. His music never evolves but because there's nobody else out there like him, it doesn't really need to, he fills a quirky theatrical pop niche very well. The highlights from No Place In Heaven are up there with anything from his debut and I'm pleased that Europe continue to support him so he can keep making stuff like this on a decent budget.

 

Jess Glynne's debut album is more like a greatest hits of the past two years, certainly if you've got the deluxe edition which features about 49 UK #1 singles. Her brand of string laden disco pop married with her slightly husky vocals stand out in the current market and it's easy to see why she's so well liked. Still a few songs with decent hit potential left on the album too but admittedly at 20 tracks long, there are also a few fillers, which keeps it out of the top four.

 

A trio made up of siblings, The Rua have obvious comparisons to The Corrs, and I think that's a big reason as to why I like them so much. Their debut album Essence actually came out last year but passed me by, and unfortunately has passed everybody else by too. Fight For What's Right and I'm Okay would be huge Heart FM smashes, and the other highlights are just as packed with melody and brilliant violin sections.

 

Another very long awaited debut album was Unguarded by Rae Morris. She first topped my chart back in early 2012 with Don't Go and I was made to wait three years for an album! By that point of course I'd already heard the vast majority of the songs on it and it was like another greatest hits set, but it didn't really matter as she's perfected her craft over the years and the likes of Cold and Do You Even Know show how far she's come since Don't Go, which has been remixed for the album (and since again for a single release). Like much of my top ten, this is an album that deserved far more commercial success. For somebody so hyped, the UK public haven't really taken to her much at all.

 

Kiss, an 80s-inspired bubblegum pop effort made my top ten albums of 2012 for Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen and I don't think I expected her new album to live up to that, let alone be ten times better, after first single I Really Like You suggested it would be more of the same. But Emotion is a much more mature and well rounded album, with tighter production and bigger melodies, and taking inspiration from a different side of 80s pop music. Its one of those very few albums where I can remember nearly every track by memory after just one listen, it's smash after smash after smash, yet it wasn't. In Taylor Swift's hands this would have been one of the biggest albums of the decade, and rightfully so, but due to Carly's inability to sell albums, or apparent lack of star quality (three UK top five hits tho...), it completely flopped, and can now be filed next to the likes of Rachel Stevens' Come and Get It forever more as an example of high quality and undeserved flop pop that we can all refer to for years to come.

 

And...just pipping Carly at the post in the final weeks, it is of COURSE the new album by The Corrs. By far my favourite ever band, I've been waiting for this since 2004's incredible Borrowed Heaven (lets ignore the lukewarm Irish album Home from 2005) and I certainly wasn't disappointed. The three sisters (and Jim) stepped back out in Q4 with this release after apparently not again a day in the past ten years and delivered something spectacular. I really hadn't imagined this album would be that great, but one listen through reminded me of exactly why they remain my favourite band. From the traditional Irish songs - Gerry's Reel, Stay, Harmony and Ellis Island - to the gorgeous lead single Bring On The Night - the drama of White Light and the dance effort I Do What I Like, nearly everything on here is perfect. The real surprise is Unconditional, which is heavily inspired by Taylor Swift's Style and sounds quite similar to that and One Direction's Perfect...who knew The Corrs could deliver something so relevant. And the album is somehow within touching distance of gold even though it annoyingly peaked at No.11, so the public still have a lot of love. Spread the word, this album is incredible and well worth the wait.

Top 40 albums of 2015 - recap

 

1. The Corrs - White Light

2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion

3. Rae Morris – Unguarded

4. The Rua - Essence

5. Jess Glynne – I Cry When I Laugh

6. Mika - No Place In Heaven

7. Tove Styrke - Kiddo

8. The Common Linnets - II

9. Ellie Goulding - Delirium

10. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

11. Madonna - Rebel Heart

12. Adele - 25

13. The Veronicas - The Veronicas

14. Florence + The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

15. Years & Years - Communion

16. Little Mix - Get Weird

17. Avicii - Stories

18. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas

19. Taylor Swift - 1989

20. Sheppard - Bombs Away

21. Take That - III

22. S Club 7 - Best: The Greatest Hits

23. Kelly Clarkson – Piece By Piece

24. Måns Zelmerlöw - Perfectly Damaged

25. Leona Lewis - I Am

26. Fleur East - Love, Sax And Flashbacks

27. Disclosure - Caracal

28. Tove Lo - Queen Of The Clouds

29. Nerina Pallot - The Sound And The Fury

30. Texas – Texas 25

31. Lucie Silvas – Letters To Ghosts

32. Zedd - True Colors

33. Marina and the Diamonds – FROOT

34. Galantis - Pharmacy

35. Closer to Heaven (Original Cast Recording)

36. Walk The Moon – Talking Is Hard

37. Susanne Sundfør - Ten Love Songs

38. Carrie Underwood – Storyteller

39. Jamie Lawson - Jamie Lawson

40. Alesso – Forever

Corrs slayage *.* Not enough love for Kiss Of Life tbh

Expected #1 but well deserved :D

Big catchup time now! :cheer:

 

77. Taylor Swift - Blank Space (#5) Easily one of my favourites of the last few years, absolutely amazing pop song :heart:

76. Kelly Clarkson - Heartbeat Song (#6) :heart:

74. Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You (#8) One of the best of the year, fun pop at its best!

67. Madonna - Living For Love (#5) :heart: :heart:

65. Galantis - Runaway (U & I) (#7) :heart:

64. Dolly Style - Hello Hi (#5)

63. Sigala - Easy Love (#6) :heart:

54. Emmelie de Forest - Hopscotch (#4) I quite liked this but never really listen to it anymore

53. Birdy - Wings (#2) So so happy this got a big boost this year, absolutely fantastic track :heart:

46. Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me (#5) This so deserved to be a massive hit :( Another incredible song!

44. The Corrs - I Do What I Like (#5)

42. Grace feat G-Eazy - You Don't Own Me (#4) :heart:

41. Courtney Barnett - Debbie Downer (#3)

40. Justin Bieber - Sorry (#4) By far the best Bieber song!

39. Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best (#3) :heart:

38. Jess Glynne feat Emeli Sandé - Saddest Vanilla (#3)

37. Ciara - I Bet (#3)

35. The Veronicas - If You Love Someone (#3) I like this but haven't heard it in about half a year!

32. LunchMoney Lewis - Bills (#2)

31. Little Mix - Love Me Like You (#3) One of my favourites this year, amazing girlband track :heart:

29. Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices (#2)

25. The Corrs - Stay (#1)

24. Rachel Platten - Stand By You (#2) Hoping this can become a big hit at some point :heart:

23. Delta Goodrem - Only Human (#2)

 

Albums

1. The Corrs - White Light

2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion :heart:

3. Rae Morris – Unguarded

5. Jess Glynne – I Cry When I Laugh

9. Ellie Goulding - Delirium

10. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

11. Madonna - Rebel Heart

12. Adele - 25 :heart:

13. The Veronicas - The Veronicas

14. Florence + The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

16. Little Mix - Get Weird Surprise of the year for me, so many amazing and incredible tracks! By far their best album yet!

18. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas

19. Taylor Swift - 1989 Fantastic to see this here for another year! Really is one of my favourite albums of all time now I'd say :wub:

20. Sheppard - Bombs Away

In the album Top 10

 

Courtney Barnett - I really love this album such a talented songwriter just wish she had success as she so deserves it :heart:

 

Ellie Goudling - I really love this album I think it is just as strong as her other two albums, Codes is my fave of the album :heart:

 

Not heard the Tove Stryke album but curious by it :thinking:

 

Jess Glynne - Strong album hearing to it as I type this actually :P

 

Rae Morris - Absolutely Love this album :heart:

 

Carly Rae - Such a good and underrated album :heart:

 

 

Corrs slayage *.* Not enough love for Kiss Of Life tbh

 

I mentioned it as a highlight :angel:

 

Expected #1 but well deserved :D

 

<3

 

Big catchup time now! :cheer:

 

77. Taylor Swift - Blank Space (#5) Easily one of my favourites of the last few years, absolutely amazing pop song :heart:

76. Kelly Clarkson - Heartbeat Song (#6) :heart:

74. Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You (#8) One of the best of the year, fun pop at its best!

67. Madonna - Living For Love (#5) :heart: :heart:

65. Galantis - Runaway (U & I) (#7) :heart:

64. Dolly Style - Hello Hi (#5)

63. Sigala - Easy Love (#6) :heart:

54. Emmelie de Forest - Hopscotch (#4) I quite liked this but never really listen to it anymore

53. Birdy - Wings (#2) So so happy this got a big boost this year, absolutely fantastic track :heart:

46. Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me (#5) This so deserved to be a massive hit :( Another incredible song!

44. The Corrs - I Do What I Like (#5)

42. Grace feat G-Eazy - You Don't Own Me (#4) :heart:

41. Courtney Barnett - Debbie Downer (#3)

40. Justin Bieber - Sorry (#4) By far the best Bieber song!

39. Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best (#3) :heart:

38. Jess Glynne feat Emeli Sandé - Saddest Vanilla (#3)

37. Ciara - I Bet (#3)

35. The Veronicas - If You Love Someone (#3) I like this but haven't heard it in about half a year!

32. LunchMoney Lewis - Bills (#2)

31. Little Mix - Love Me Like You (#3) One of my favourites this year, amazing girlband track :heart:

29. Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices (#2)

25. The Corrs - Stay (#1)

24. Rachel Platten - Stand By You (#2) Hoping this can become a big hit at some point :heart:

23. Delta Goodrem - Only Human (#2)

 

Albums

1. The Corrs - White Light

2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion :heart:

3. Rae Morris – Unguarded

5. Jess Glynne – I Cry When I Laugh

9. Ellie Goulding - Delirium

10. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

11. Madonna - Rebel Heart

12. Adele - 25 :heart:

13. The Veronicas - The Veronicas

14. Florence + The Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

16. Little Mix - Get Weird Surprise of the year for me, so many amazing and incredible tracks! By far their best album yet!

18. Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas

19. Taylor Swift - 1989 Fantastic to see this here for another year! Really is one of my favourite albums of all time now I'd say :wub:

20. Sheppard - Bombs Away

 

Thanks UV, agree with you about Get Weird, and as for 1989, it's creeping up my top 100 albums of all time now!

 

In the album Top 10

 

Courtney Barnett - I really love this album such a talented songwriter just wish she had success as she so deserves it :heart:

 

Ellie Goudling - I really love this album I think it is just as strong as her other two albums, Codes is my fave of the album :heart:

 

Not heard the Tove Stryke album but curious by it :thinking:

 

Jess Glynne - Strong album hearing to it as I type this actually :P

 

Rae Morris - Absolutely Love this album :heart:

 

Carly Rae - Such a good and underrated album :heart:

 

I agree, recently delved into her earlier EPs too, I can't get enough of her!

 

I really recommend the Tove Styrke album if you get a chance!

I have finally obtained Courtney Barnett's album (as in, I gave it to my brother so I'd get to listen to it). Very much looking forward to hearing that, I will keep an eye out for the highlights. Might just Spotify Mika's album if it's getting that praise from you, I still really enjoy the other three and I liked Talk About You so there's probably no reason why I wouldn't enjoy this one. (haven't actually heard any of the albums in the top 10 but I've been enjoying reading your commentary on them).

 

Your latest singles section contains so many highlights though, those BJSC entries of yours, all (except) Wrabel highlights of my year and then some great non-Rontvian entries in there too. Also, very pleased to see Stand By You in here, always like seeing love for Rachel Platten. And Sun Is Shining. That had actually passed me by until very recently even though I loved Something New a lot but it's just as good a song, so uplifting and among the best bits of dance I've heard lately.

20-11

 

20. The Rua - I'm Okay (#2)

19. The Corrs - Harmony (#1)

18. Tove Styrke - Ego (#2)

17. Adele - Hello (#1)

16. AronChupa - I'm an Albatraoz (#1)

15. Mark Ronson feat Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk (#1)

14. Little Mix - Black Magic (#2)

13. Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand (#1)

12. Elina Born & Stig Rästa - Goodbye To Yesterday (#2)

11. The Corrs - White Light (#1)

 

The Rua - I'm Okay

 

 

Tove Styrke - Ego

 

 

The Corrs - White Light

 

 

Kicking off the top 20 of 2015 is the first of two songs from The Rua, with the lovely album track I'm Okay, which features an instant chorus, lovely chord changes and a lovely violin section.

 

Another band of siblings, The Corrs, have their first of three top 20 entries with Harmony, which topped my chart for a week recently. It's classic Corrs, almost like a more accomplished vocal version of the classic instrumental Erin Shore. The best part about the track is indeed the building harmonies towards the end of the song, which are quite unexpected going by the quite different first half of the track.

 

Tove Styrke's Ego made it into the top 100 last year based only on hearing a live version of it once last November, so it was a safe bet that a studio version of the track would do well, unless it had been produced terribly. Luckily this wasn't the case and the sparkling Xenomania-esque production (which is interesting for being called Ego, rather than Impossible) scored three weeks at No.2 early on in the year. Utterly beautiful.

 

Adele's Hello needs no introduction, as the most famous song of the last few months. The first single from 25, it reached the top of my chart for a week and sneaks into the end of year top 20. It's pretty epic and certainly up there with the best of 21, that chorus is a monster, and was instantly memorable from the first listen.

 

Another one week No.1, from the start of the year, is Swedish producer Aronchupa's novelty hit I'm An Albatraoz, which eventually reached the UK top 40 though wasn't a particularly hit due to practically zero support. I'm not quite sure why I love this so much, as it's really only a sonic step away from Crazy Frog, but it's pretty irresistible.

 

Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' gigantic smash Uptown Funk (already in the UK top five sellers of ALL TIME *.*) crept into the top 40 of 2014 at the last minute and goes quite a bit higher this year and into the top 15, after continuing its reign atop my chart as 2015 began. It really is a work of art, like nothing else in the chart at the time yet still sounds incredibly fresh every time I listen to it.

 

Their best single EVER, the UK's only current popular girlband Little Mix returned in the summer with the fantastic Black Magic. With a bassline that reminds me of some of Blondie's late 70s/early 80s track and an unforgettable chorus that's taken right out of the B*Witched school of cheese, this song is everything and more, although sadly only reached No.2 in my weekly chart, but at least beats a fair few chart toppers in this end of year chart! The video is also my favourite of the year I think, so much fun.

 

Jess Glynne's highest single on this countdown is the piano house smash Hold My Hand, which I guess was the lead single from the album but then I guess Real Love was the first single to be taken from it and Don't Be So Hard On Yourself lead the album into the shops. Anyway, Hold My Hand has a gorgeous melody that evokes M People to me in many respects, the chord change in the 'I'm ready for this' in particular sounds like One Night In Heaven. The bridge has an equally lovely tune. One of the better UK No.1 singles this year, which managed two weeks at the top of mine.

 

Estonia were on a roll at Eurovision for me from 1999 to 2002, during which time they delivered four 9/10 or 10/10 tracks in a row for me - Diamond Of Night, Once In A Lifetime, Everybody and Runaway. After that they became rather patchy but they were back up to their best this year. Goodbye To Yesterday sees Estonia delivering the best indie-tinged track the contest has seen for years, courtesy of the lovely Elina Born and Stig Rästa, who at least gave us an idea of what Louis from One Direction will look like in 20 years time. Anyway, the song is absolutely gorgeous and spent an eternity in my top ten, even though it only peaked at No.2, and is the highest non No.1 in this year's chart.

 

And juuuuust missing out on the top ten is The Corrs with the album highlight and title track White Light. The first time I heard this song was instant love and my passion for it hasn't waned yet. Reportedly about Amy Winehouse and the trappings of fame, which in itself is really lyrically interesting, the song has a really powerful chorus that takes me back to some of the highlights from the band's debut album, with rocky production, quiet violins and a really powerful chorus. The middle eight is also spectacularly dramatic and completely changes the direction of the song before quietening back down before a final chorus. This will undoubtedly become one of my favourite Corrs tracks given time, it really is quite something.

I have finally obtained Courtney Barnett's album (as in, I gave it to my brother so I'd get to listen to it). Very much looking forward to hearing that, I will keep an eye out for the highlights. Might just Spotify Mika's album if it's getting that praise from you, I still really enjoy the other three and I liked Talk About You so there's probably no reason why I wouldn't enjoy this one. (haven't actually heard any of the albums in the top 10 but I've been enjoying reading your commentary on them).

 

Your latest singles section contains so many highlights though, those BJSC entries of yours, all (except) Wrabel highlights of my year and then some great non-Rontvian entries in there too. Also, very pleased to see Stand By You in here, always like seeing love for Rachel Platten. And Sun Is Shining. That had actually passed me by until very recently even though I loved Something New a lot but it's just as good a song, so uplifting and among the best bits of dance I've heard lately.

 

Ooh, hope you like it, it's really quite something, very different to anything else.

 

Mika's album is definitely worth hearing if you liked the other three, hunt down the new edition as it adds some quite interesting French language tracks.

 

I really appreciate Seyetana's support this year, you seem to have liked quite a lot of even my biggest flops! And yes, it was a good year overall so lots of nice stuff from other countries too :D Rachel is great, 1,000 Ships got top three in my chart off the back of BJSC in 2011 so it was lovely to see her return in somewhat emphatic fashion with a UK No.1 single!

Hi GoodDelta,

 

18. Tove Styrke - Ego (#2)

17. Adele - Hello (#1)

15. Mark Ronson feat Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk (#1)

14. Little Mix - Black Magic (#2)

13. Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand (#1)

12. Elina Born & Stig Rästa - Goodbye To Yesterday (#2)

 

Good Batch here, Hello, Hold My Hand and Uptown Funk are my favourites of the batch tho, good rundown :cheer: :music: