Great section there, Love Kendrick, Macklemore and Tinie ft Jess Glynne :heart:

Great to see 'King Kunta' making an appearance! He is the best urban artist around right now in my opinion.

 

I need to listen to Tove Styrke, i've been told multiple times that i'd be a fan but for some reason I have delved into her stuff ;o

Tori Kelly, one of the most underrated artists of the year for sure :( can't believe someone as talented as her has basically just gone under the radar in the UK :drama:

Love this layout and the commentaries as usual.

 

Totally agree about Not Letting Go, it's far from breaking boundaries but it did what it needed to do well and provided a great summer tune along the way.

Great section there, Love Kendrick, Macklemore and Tinie ft Jess Glynne :heart:

Great to see 'King Kunta' making an appearance! He is the best urban artist around right now in my opinion.

 

I need to listen to Tove Styrke, i've been told multiple times that i'd be a fan but for some reason I have delved into her stuff ;o

Tori Kelly, one of the most underrated artists of the year for sure :( can't believe someone as talented as her has basically just gone under the radar in the UK :drama:

Thanks for the comments, guys. :D

 

And Bal, I still haven't properly listened to Tove's stuff either but would highly recommend 'Borderline' (along with 'Ego' of course).

 

 

#85 Fleur East | Sax

 

UK | 3 | Ire | 5 | US | - | PC | 18

 

If ever there was a launch single so expertly engineered for chart success by capitalising on the unique appeal of a new signing, it’s Fleur East’s ‘Sax’. The song is almost laughably predictable and feels entirely contrived, bearing all the elements of the standout performance of ‘Uptown Funk’ that catapulted Fleur to an unprecedented level of cultural prominence while competing on The X Factor in 2014. A bold, brassy, beat-driven track with fast-paced, innuendo-filled verses and an enormous instrumental breakdown, it’s as if ‘Sax’ was constructed and fine-tuned by a team specifically envisioning her return performance on the show and nothing else, right down to the capacity for high-energy choreography and undemanding vocal requirements. It does exactly what it sets out to do, loudly announcing Fleur’s arrival as a popstar and setting itself up to be an irresistible party staple over the festive season, as realised by its impressive chart run to date. I briefly, half-heartedly, tried to resist the song when snippets first surfaced (as the whole thing just seemed too knowing) but I was completely won over by the big comeback performance for which it was so perfectly crafted, and I haven’t looked back since.

 

#84 One Direction | Perfect

 

UK | 2 | Ire | 1 | US | 10 | PC | 17

 

The penultimate single release from One Direction before their indeterminate hiatus, ‘Perfect’ bears striking melodic and instrumental similarities to Taylor Swift’s ‘Style’, and as the song progresses it becomes clear that those efforts are absolutely deliberate. A laid-back track about a fleeting romance, its subject matter provides an effective antithesis to that of the song it near-imitates, never more so than with the middle 8’s statement lyric; ‘If you’re looking for someone to write your break-up songs about/Baby I’m perfect’ - a line delivered impassively by the American superstar's former flame. Beyond its interesting context and formulation, however, 'Perfect' does manage to stand on its own as one of the group’s most accomplished and mature releases to date, demonstrating the artistic ground they’ve made from the fun but insubstantial fangirl pandering that defined their early years.

 

#83 M.O | Preach

 

UK | 51 | Ire | - | US | - | PC | 20

 

 

It’s inherently enjoyable to support underdogs but there’s a time when their inability to attain success and mainstream recognition for their efforts gets frustrating above all else. That time has long passed for M.O; A trio of stunners specialising in a 90s-rooted R&B and garage hybrid that's brought to life by a chemistry reminiscent of the best girl groups of yesteryear. The ladies just can’t seem to catch a well-deserved break, even with a hyped and radio-backed single as strong as ‘Preach’. The breezy jam showcases impressive harmonies and oozes an element of cool (well, aside from the ‘You say you wanna rock for me/But you don't know geology’ line) that can’t be manufactured, and the song’s video only serves to confirm that natural charisma and latent star power. An act I really hope can break through in 2016, but I fear their chances are running out.

 

#82 Maroon 5 | Sugar

 

UK | 7 | Ire | 5 | US | 2 | PC | 22

 

As an avid chart follower, I’ve found there’s something uniquely satisfying about watching a post-album single gradually emerge from the depths of iTunes and push through to become a lasting resident in the chart’s upper tiers, particularly when it single-handedly rescues a parent campaign and ends up outshining its pre-album predecessors despite lacking their fanbase support and artist-related hype. The third single from Maroon 5’s fifth album achieved all that and more, spending an incredible 11 weeks in the lower half of the UK top 10 and cementing itself as a signature track of the long-running band against the odds. While its smash hit status is still a little perplexing, it’s easy to understand why ‘Sugar’ caught on with the public at large - its catchy, upbeat sound combined with a viral-ready video forming a truly irresistible package. Aside from that visual component, there’s absolutely nothing innovative about the release (in fact many would say the song’s a blatant rip-off of Katy Perry’s ‘Birthday’). It’s simply enjoyable pure pop unashamedly catered to mainstream radio and mass consumption, and it does its job expertly.

 

 

#81 Years & Years | Border

 

UK | - | Ire | - | US | - | PC | 6

The penultimate track on Years & Years' debut record, ‘Border’ is an undeniable highlight as 'Communion' reaches its final stages. Olly’s repeated promise in the pre-chorus; ‘I’ll bring you another rush’, is more than fulfilled when the gently pounding, serenely anthemic and beautifully melodic post-chorus (delayed chorus?) finally kicks in, which not only elevates the understated mid-tempo to something truly special but constitutes my favourite moment on the entire album. The track is a real hidden gem and I feel it's better left just as that, rather than given attention as a single down the line.

Edited January 16, 20169 yr by Noahspike

Sax, Preech, Sugar and Border :wub:

#80 Brandon Flowers | Lonely Town

 

UK | - | Ire | - | US | - | PC | 7

 

Song #6 on Brandon Flowers’ sophomore solo effort, ‘Lonely Town’ feels like the centrepiece of ‘The Desired Effect’ in more ways than one. The track’s unconventional structure and increasingly chaotic but unquestionably 80s instrumentation make it seem like a moment for which the Killers frontman has true creative freedom in putting together his love-letter to his favourite decade. Lyrically inspired by 80s stalker anthem ‘Every Breath You Take’, the creepiness of lines like ‘Did you lock the door when it shut?’ are effectively masked by a huge retro cacophony of soaring synths, horns, drums and a soul choir. In fact, so busy is the whole thing as it goes on that I spent the final portion of my first ever listen desperately trying to locate where I’d left a tab open with another song playing!

 

#79 CamelPhat ft. A*M*E | Paradigm

 

UK | - | Ire | - | US | - | PC | 8

 

Maybe it’s because I’d just submitted a torturous 4,000 word essay distinguishing between theoretical paradigms before hearing it and its title alone instinctively filled me with fear, or perhaps it’s all owed to the track’s distressed vocal delivery and darkly ominous vibe, but I've always found there to be something very unsettling about ‘Paradigm’; the collaboration between UK duo CamelPhat and singer-songwriter A*M*E. While deep house has come to be associated with festival season and the warmer months, I've found that the menacing atmosphere so effortlessly created by this track's spellbinding piano progression and bassline means it's much better suited to hurried journeys home on cold, miserable, wintery nights.

 

#78 Olly Murs | Seasons

 

UK | 34 | Ire | 58 | US | - | PC | 18

 

 

Released as the third single from the fourth album of the X Factor-sourced franchisee to Robbie Williams’ brand of vocally limited cheeky chappiness that’s so feverishly lapped up by UK housewives audiences en masse, ‘Seasons’ made for a minor blip in the consistently prosperous career of Olly Murs, failing to follow its predecessors to hit status and instead stalling just inside the top 40 before a hasty exit. I always thought its underperformance was undeserved, with the track’s reggae-esque vocal delivery and out-and-out catchiness feeling reminiscent of Maroon 5 at their best. For me, the Ryan Tedder-headed package (the vocal contributions of whom are distinctly obvious towards the end of the song) proved a refreshing departure from the tried-and-tested Olly formula so apparent in ‘Wrapped Up’ and the like.

 

#77 Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar | Bad Blood

 

UK | 4 | Ire | 8 | US | 1 | PC | 11

 

I wasn’t best pleased when ‘Bad Blood’ was revealed to be the fourth single from Taylor Swift’s monstrously successful fifth album, and only ~90% of the reason for that was because it meant the wondrously life-affirming gem of pop magnificence that is ‘Out Of The Woods’ was being sidelined yet again. The track easily felt like a weak point among the accomplished pop throughout ‘1989’, with the chants in its chorus coming across more so as clunky and try-hard than anthemic. I shouldn’t have been so quick to doubt the sanity (and budget) of Team Swift, however, who invited Taylor’s famous squad paid a load of popstars and supermodels to appear in the ridiculously elaborate music video, knocked together a much-improved single edit and somehow still had enough leftover coins to convince Kendrick Lamar to forgo some of his highly-esteemed swag in contributing a couple of knockout verses, all of which elevated the track to something almost unrecognisable that became one of the biggest growers of the year.

 

 

#76 OMI | Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)

 

UK | 1 | Ire | 1 | US | 1 | PC | 24

‘Cheerleader’ is one of those ubiquitous smashes that I find impossible not to appreciate, never seeking it out myself but always content to hear its familiar opening moments play out on the radio or as part of mindless hits playlists. Making expert use of the (then) on-trend trumpet, the upbeat, house-ified reggae-pop jam bounces along as OMI leisurely professes his undying love for his ‘queen’, with the whole thing being such a warm, sunny pleasure that it’s hard not to feel just as enamoured as him - that is, if you ignore the alarm bells that should be going off in the Jamaican's head when repeatedly asked ‘Do you need me?/Do you think I’m pretty?/Do I make you feel like cheating?’... I’d give it six months. Ooooops, misinterpreted the lyrics *facepalm*

Edited January 19, 20169 yr by Noahspike

Perfect really is a great pop track and I totally agree that it shows off their more mature take on music as of recent times, especially with the clear Taylor reference/influence on the production. I love how, despite the progression from album 1, you can still tell it's 1D though. They have that distinctive sound but have progressed a lot and become way more accomplished in their sound, which is what you can only hope for in any artist really. Good on them!

Like this section, Bad Blood amazing :heart:

Perfect really is a great pop track and I totally agree that it shows off their more mature take on music as of recent times, especially with the clear Taylor reference/influence on the production. I love how, despite the progression from album 1, you can still tell it's 1D though. They have that distinctive sound but have progressed a lot and become way more accomplished in their sound, which is what you can only hope for in any artist really. Good on them!

Yeah, very true. They've experimented quite a bit and managed not to come across as stale with their singles (maybe with the exception of 'Live While We're Young'). I still haven't checked out their new album but I was really impressed by 'Four', especially with how consistent and cohesive it all was. I shall probably secretly miss them just a tiny little bit tbh. :ph34r:

 

Thanks for commenting, and Hazza too. ^_^

 

#75 G.R.L. | Lighthouse

 

UK | 55 | Ire | 59 | US | - | PC | 5

 

My top 75 begins with one of the most moving single releases of recent memory. ‘Lighthouse’ surfaced at the very beginning of 2015, the first (and ultimately, the final) song from G.R.L. after the tragic death of group member Simone Battle four months prior. With her sudden passing coinciding with the release of their international breakthrough hit ‘Ugly Heart’, there was a sense that it was particularly difficult for the remaining four girls to know how to go on following their initial shock and grief, with the need for them to take time out from the spotlight and indeed to respect Simone’s family and memory challenged more and more by the interests of their budding career in a notoriously fickle industry, something for which all five of them had worked tirelessly for years and had only just been seeing come to fruition. The next song from the group would always be interpreted as their response to their loss, and it had to acknowledge Simone sincerely without ‘capitalising’ in any way, adapting their sound and stylings appropriately without compromising their artistry and identity. Additionally, of course, there was a pressing need for the single to be a commercial success and to sustain the momentum they’d only just started to build with their late bandmate. In hindsight, it was all an impossible task, especially considering the toll the emotional trauma experienced both individually and as a unit would take when coupled with a hectic daily schedule in the public eye. ‘Lighthouse’, however, should still be remembered as the beautiful, heartfelt and entirely fitting tribute that it is; a song reaching out to Simone at her toughest times of despair with words of comfort and unconditional love. The concept and lyrics are unembellished and direct throughout; a lighthouse working perfectly as a simple metaphor for a friend’s support during the depths of depression. As well as the immense sadness inherent to the song, which really reaches a pinnacle with the near-spoken delivery of ‘If you ever need me know I’ll be there/Don’t you ever be afraid to call’, the rousing final chorus of impassioned harmonies and ad libs gives a strong sense of hope that things get better if you fight together - a crucially important parting message to fans from the legacy of Simone Battle and G.R.L.

 

#74 5 Seconds of Summer | She's Kinda Hot

 

UK | 14 | Ire | 7 | US | 22 | PC | 3

 

The lead single from the second album of Australian faux-punk fanbase-reliant boyband 5SOS always seemed like it was setting itself up for relative mediocrity, its title appearing to reference their debut smash hit ‘She Looks So Perfect’ in a not-so-complimentary way. Indeed, the track proved inferior both commercially and on its own merits, but I still think it was being sold short. Punchy verses filled with irreverent lyrics and a huge, noisy crash of a chorus made for a nostalgic throwback to the hits of the band's forefathers; Blink 182, Sum 41, Good Charlotte and UK-equivalent Busted, who peddled a sound that had its heyday 15 years ago, helping to define my childhood. The song was thus a very welcome chart addition in my book.

 

#73 Sia | Alive

 

UK | 30 | Ire | 44 | US | 56 | PC | 32

 

 

As the first song to emerge from ‘This Is Acting’, an intriguing album project whereby Sia assumes the roles of famous names who turned down her customised hit-ready offerings, the Adele-rejected ‘Alive’ both irritated and confused me at first. The Aussie’s uncontrolled wailing got increasingly intolerable as the track reached the piercing cries of its final chorus, and her trademark unintelligible enunciation coupled with the fiercely empowering subject matter made it seem like she was doing a pitch-perfect impression of herself more than anything else. As I lived with it for a bit, I began to appreciate the raw emotion inherent to the song that drives Sia’s harsh, unpleasant screaming, but (aside from the vaguely ‘Rolling In The Deep’-esque beat) couldn’t get the Adele connection or shake the feeling of self-parody. However, all that changed when the undisputed comeback track of the year surfaced and instantly impacted the entire globe, a colossal statement of arrival with an immense, unrestrained chorus. Adele herself has said that ‘Hello’ is a song addressed to everyone; her loved-ones, fans and those from her past with whom she’s lost contact, simply telling them that she’s still here. As such, it'd seem Sia was a hell of a lot closer to the mark than it appeared at the outset.

 

#72 Ellie Goulding | Love Me Like You Do

 

UK | 1 | Ire | 1 | US | 3 | PC | 20

 

Ellie Goulding’s career is quite fascinating to follow, and ‘Love Me Like You Do’ somewhat unexpectedly had her hit her highest commercial heights yet. Originating as an act with very niche appeal and continually shifting genres and target audiences almost with successive single releases, it often seems like her overall prosperity in the market rests dangerously on the progress of her current single, with a lack of commonalities throughout her back catalogue apart from a distinctive airy tone and unconventional vocal delivery meaning her following could be highly unconsolidated. Be it motivated by pure artistry or outright hit-chasing (and nearly always executed with the help of well-placed industry connections), she strikes gold relatively often, managing to buoy her name up from era to era release to re-release. Her ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ soundtrack single feels like a great big mix of everything that’s defined her career thus far. It’s got a hugely accessible, radio-juggernaut of a chorus that absolutely refuses to go unnoticed, yet makes use of enough of her vocal idiosyncrasies and unique subtleties to feel fresh and even somewhat genuine. It’s a modern power ballad with the artist who seems least suited to pulling off such an effort at the helm (well, apart from Selena obviously), but in 2015 it all makes perfect sense.

 

 

#71 Hurts | Some Kind of Heaven

 

UK | - | Ire | - | US | - | PC | 17

Dapper synth-loving hipster duo Hurts have long struggled to experience sustained success in the UK mainstream despite the darkly soulful and slickly melodic sounds of their debut (I have no recollection of their second album, does anyone?), instead finding proper appreciation on the continent (and briefly at home with an unremarkable Calvin Harris #1 feature, of course). ‘Some Kind of Heaven’, the lead single of their third album, seemed like just the thing needed to capture attention once again, with its more overtly pop sensibilities and instant, anthemic chorus feeling like a real statement of intent. A commercial breakthrough didn’t quite materialise, however, but the song did do enough to deliver the ‘Surrender’ era to a nicely subtle level of prominence that's probably more suited to their overall stylings and should prevent them from abandoning their homeland altogether.

 

Alright there Noah!

 

Very impressive narratives for each song, you seem really gifted at prose that really brings a song to life. :) Enjoyable reading every review, even for those I do not like or haven't heard.

 

Loving the inclusions of King Kunta, Where Are U Now, Cheerleader & Preach (shame that underperformed). Will be the following the remainder with great interest!

Love Me Like You Do is too low. :( It slayed me so hard with its amaze flawlessness, especially the last chorus , but did get old after a while. So relieved that's Ellie's biggest hit now as the thought of Burn being the song she's best known for was unsettling since the day it hit #1. I always associate LMLYD and Sugar together as being two modern ballads that were big around the same time, so it's cool to see them near each other on the countdown (I expect them to be even closer together on mine B-)).

 

Excellent write-ups for everything so far. I also really like Perfect, Cheerleader, and Should've Been Us and agree 100% on the remix of Bad Blood being way above and beyond the horrific :puke: original. The verses in particular were cringe-inducing so thank goodness they were all removed!!!

Like all apart from that GRL song. Ellie I love though :heart:

Edited January 26, 20169 yr by HarryEzra

Good countdown so far, keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing what's coming up next.

 

 

Is this not getting finished then? :(

:wave:

 

 

:bounce:

 

 

:party2: :bounce: :wave: :bounce: