Lopez Blogs

It's always a bit difficult to subjectively pick your favourite songs of the year. Songs I may have gushed over earlier in the year have had their glow dulled by time; songs I may not be as enthusiastic about in a few months are currently hot stuff for me - so I've put together a list that more or less showcases my favourite songs I listened to this year. So not necessarily released this year (though the majority were) and not necessarily singles, but just what I ended up still really liking as I sit and type this :) Enjoy and let me know your thoughts...

RELAUNCHED SINGLES FROM 2008: Lily Allen's F*** You; Lenka's The Show; Marit Larsen's If A Song COuld Get Me You...

BEST NON SINGLES OF THE YEAR: Deborah Gibson's Already Gone; Scissor Sister's Do The Strand; No Doubt's Stand and Deliver; that choir version of Lily's Chinese...

BEST OF THE REST (in no particular order): Saturdays ~ Just Can't Get Enough; JLS ~ Everybody in Love; Mini Viva ~ I Wish; Sugababes ~ Get Sexy; Miley Cyrus ~ Party in the USA; Cascada ~ Evacuate The Dancefloor; Pussycat Dolls ~ Hush Hush; Kelly Rowland ~ When Love Takes Over; Pet Shop Boys ~ Love, etc; Jason Mraz ~ Try Try Try; Annie Lennox ~ Shining Light; Sound of Arrows ~ M.A.G.I.C; Take That ~ The Garden; Whitney Houston ~ Million Dollar Bill; Mika ~ We Are Golden; BSB ~ Soldier Down; Erik Hassle ~ Hurtful; Leona Lewis ~ Happy; Lady Gaga ~ Bad Romance; Lady Gaga ~ Love Game...

MY NUMBER ONES:

• Simon Curtis/Victoria Justice ~ On The Wings of A Dream (4 weeks)
• Sugababes 3.0 ~ Every Heart Broken (4 weeks)
• Pet Shop Boys ~ Love etc.
• BWO ~ You're Not Alone (4 weeks)
• Mans Zelmerlow ~ Hope and Glory (4 weeks)
• Marina & The Diamonds ~ I Am Not A Robot (2 weeks)
• "Abba" ~ Second Best To None (4 weeks)
• Benny Andersson Band ~ Story Of A Heart (7 weeks)
• Madonna ~ Celebration (2 weeks)
• Mika ~ We Are Golden (3 weeks)
• Robbie Williams ~ Bodies (4 weeks)
• Blake Lewis ~ Heartbreak on Vinyl (2 weeks)
• Darin ~ Viva La Vida (3 weeks)
• Simon Curtis ~ Delusional (2 weeks)
• Pet Shop Boys ~ It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas 2009 (6 weeks)
• Simon Curtis ~ Diablo (1 week)

TOP 30 SONGS OF 2009:

30 ~ James Leon, Purple Heart: Sultry, seductive, a deceptively addictive beat and chorus plus remixes by our very own Worrapolava. What more could one ask for in a rising star?
29~ Alexandra Burke, Bad Boys: Not quite as inventive as Sound of the Underground but a huge step forward for a winners first single proper and even better without the Flo-Rida bit!
28 ~ Mini Viva, I Left My Heart In Tokyo: They went back to the 80s in the best way possible with a Pete Hammond remix, but even in normal guise this was one pop treat to satiate fans during the Girls Aloud year off...
27 ~ Robbie Williams, Bodies: It didn't work for some people because it was a hotch potch of every Robbie single to date but that was exactly why it worked for me - even with his crazy X-Factor eyes!
26 ~ Little Boots, Remedy: Not quite the massive star she was lauded as early in the year, something about Victoria didn't quite click, but she certainly had a way with creating beautiful pop-dance tunes like this one...
25 ~ Jordin Sparks, Battlefield: It caused a near twitter meltdown of excitement when it was first released; six months on, it's a solid enjoyable pop tune that didn't exactly tax Ryan Tedder but is still a belter to listen to.
24 ~ Same Difference, Better Love Me: Sigh, if there had been any justice in the world, this glorious Steps-It's The Way You Make Me Feel homage would have done much better. It's lovely anyway.
23 ~ Same Difference, All Roads Lead To Heaven: Massive pop tune that had this been used as a lead off single, the world might now be appreciating what I already know - Same Difference know pop. Thank God for more from them in 2010...
22 ~ Alphabeat, The Spell: Back to the 90s, back to rave. It was Black Box, C&C Music Factory and faceless dance wrapped up in a charming singalong tune that made the Danish band more appealing than ever...
21 ~ BWO, Right Here Right Now: It may be You're Not Alone that topped my chart for a while, but this classic pop tune lingered longer in mixes and duets that it felt like it was around for half the year without ever overstaying it's welcome...

20 ~ Blake Lewis, Heartbreak On Vinyl: More 80s homage in a year overflowing with 80s homage. However, this tune had glorious lyrics matched to a synthy beat and a passionate charm to the song that made it - and Mr L - a total winner...
19 ~ Will Young, Hopes & Fears: Criminally ignored by the public (was it even released?), at least the album did well. If Annie Lennox were a man, this is what some of her tunes would sound like. Timeless, melody driven pop. Aces.
18 ~ Madonna, Celebration: Not her finest ever moment but a strong entry for Lady Ciccone. Danceable, singalong, feel good, uplifting - it even felt age appropriate for Madonna to be singing it. Ace fan-filled video for it too...
17 ~ JLS, Beat Again: Still the real winners of the X Factor as far as I'm concerned, they have certainly proved it by becoming a massive phenomenon not seen since the early days of Take That. This was sleek, up to date, non-threatening pop at it's best.
16 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, Hope and Glory: Gorgeous to look at, effortless to listen to, Mans is what every country needs in a popstar and while people scoffed that this was Cara Mia 2, who cared? It was utterly brilliant and had a rather groovy keychange. Let's not forget the amazing acoustic version too. Job done.
15 ~ Simon Curtis/Victoria Justice ~ On The Wings of a Dream: The standout entry from the Spectacular! soundtrack, this showed for the first time Simon as an out and out pop singer ably assisted by Victoria. Proof that he is destined to be a major major star someday.
14 ~ Taylor Swift, Love Story: I think the Kanye jokes have been run into the ground, but this really did have quite the charming video, great cutesy lyrics, the best country crossover chorus this side of Shania Twain and a key change on a par with Don't Cry Out Loud. Of course it won me over!
13 ~ Lily Allen, The Fear: She seemed a bit more polished this time round and had as insightful lyrics as ever on this credit crunch anthem to modern life. Lush video and a brilliant chorus added to her bonkersosity made this a massive song all year round. Why didn't Stacey do it on the X Factor?!
12 ~ Sugababes 3.0, Every Heart Broken: When I belatedly fell in love with this tune I had no clue there would be a 4.0... If they ever sing this song, I won't be able to listen because everything about this slick, addictive nugget is nigh on perfect and can't be topped.
11 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, I Am Not A Robot: Wasn't she also a big pick for 2009? Whatever - she's rolled over to 2010 and I'm sure that one day this lovely simplistic minimalistic song will get the kudos and success it deserves. Quite quite amazing.

10 ~ Simon Curtis, Delusional: Kicking off 8-Bit Heart with this song (though I would have plumped for the more audacious Pop Messiah followed by this) was a work of genius. It was free, it was brilliant, it was dancey and it was completely what the blogosphere and twitter-ites needed. Smart boy-pop that matched Gaga step for step. And it was going to get even better...
09 ~ Robbie Williams, You Know Me: As I'm writing this in early December I worry that this song got a bit lost in the Christmas Chart deluge. Shame if it did because it's gentle, it's restrained and it's a bit heartbreaking and it definitely shows that Robbie hasn't lost his knack for creating utter magic.
08 ~ Kelly Clarkson, My Life Would Suck Without You: Yes yes, it may be the most audacious rewrite of a hit song (Since You've Been Gone) ever, but it was also one of the years most instant and grabbing ebulliant hits. Massive from the first note, a soaring chorus, it rampaged along at breakneck speed and was totally enjoyable from start to finish.
07 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Heartbreak Makes Me A Dancer: Floating around for a while in demo format, the freemasons kicked it up a gear and while it didn't quite match the chart heights it should have it was a brilliant slice of ice cool pop. Now if Victoria Little Boots could look as natural and confident as Soph, she might be in a much stronger position now...
06 ~ Darin, Viva La Vida: Take one of the best penned compositions of recent years, add one of Sweden's most likeable pop exports and give it a europop sheen and you've got the recipe for an enormously enjoyable tribute number. It takes the magic of the original number and makes it sparkle a little bit for the dancefloor. Heaven.

05 ~ Pet Shop Boys, It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas 2009: I already loved this song so wasn't sure what a remix could do for it. Make me completely and utterly obsessed with it, that's what. Whether it be the addition of organ laden carol melodies or the dramatic "BING CROSBY" or the melting of cynicism in the chorus, everything about this already theatrical number was more more more. Magnificent. If only for 2 months of the year...
04 ~ Elouise, One Night Only: I've only ever heard it sung by her live but I instantly loved this song and her ballad-to-disco interpretation of the DreamGirls classic. Plus she sang it so well, had brilliant but learnable dance moves and made it my go to saturday night anthem. Big things in 2010, mark my words...
03 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo: Yes it was held off by Pet Shop Boys over Christmas, but I've taken into account my seasonal addictions and completely realise that Diablo is perhaps, nay indeed, one of the greatest pop songs of the year. Wry, funny, catchy, groundbreaking and as instant as instant porridge oats, it is just a massively brilliant, brilliantly massive pop tune from someone who eats sleeps and breathes pop and then channels it all into their music. And you can so tell. Amazing, amazing stuff and quite deservedly the last number one of 2009...
02 ~ "Abba", Second Best to None: I still maintain this would have made a much better X-Factor charity single but what do I know? Whatever, the staff at Hotel Rival took the Benny&Bjorn penned track and made it into their anthem, then shared it with the world. Thank heavens they did - ridiculously catchy, moderately cheesy, an completely amazing promo video to go with it (introducing the world to another doable bar man) and filled with pathos and regret. It was totally Abba and the only thing wrong with it was that Frida and Agnetha weren't singing it. Other than that, I drove my friends mad with it for weeks on end.
01 ~ Benny Andersson Band, Story of a Heart: As if the emergence of Second Best to None wasn't enough, Benny then came back with another track he penned with Bjorn and it was perhaps the most affecting Abba song since Day Before You Came or Winner Takes It All. A glorious melody, a wonderful chorus, a devastating breakdown in the middle eight and then a passion filled plea to take you to the end of the song. I could never and still haven't been able to listen to it just once. Quite quite magic, and would have made an amazing X Factor winners single.

What came to pass...

• Top 25 songs of 2008