As we come to the end of the first day of July and enter the second half of the year, it's time to look back over the last six months of the year and see what I think the top 40 tracks have been.
As always my thoughts on songs can change so this might fluctuate in the final forty, but I would love to hear your thoughts on my choices!
40 Sara Bareilles - Uncharted
A piano-led ballad with a singable hummable chorus. Another great single from this up-and-coming artist.
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39 Tiesto vs Diplo feat Busta Rhymes - C'mon (Catch 'Em By Surprise)
A complete change of tone to this bouncing dancefloor thriller that will get you moving, even if does have about seven hooks within its lyrics.
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38 The Feeling - Set My World On Fire
It might sound like every other The Feeling song ever but it's a pleasant addition to their discography and is very summer=y.
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37 Patrick Wolf - The City
Musical newbie this mixes up some interesting production that roots in your head with a catchy chorus.
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36 Avril Lavigne-What The Hell
The feisty Canadian returned with this ode to 'Girlfriend' that is just as catchy with its hooks.
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35 Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man
From their album of the same name this is one of the strongest of their most recent tunes. Classic.
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34 Jedward - Lipstick (Radio Edit)
Possibly the first "controversial" inclusion on the list, it might be unbelievably cheesy and, of course, a Eurovision track, but it's great with it.
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33 Britney Spears - Till The World Ends (Radio Edit)
Not a very big single but as slick as her big releases and difficult to ignore the 'oh-oh-oh' bits. A grower.
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32 Cee Lo Green feat. Wiz Khalifa - Bright Lights Bigger City
Not a patch on 'Forget You' or its, eh-um, uncensored brother, but still another great slice of tunage for Mr Green.
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31 Snoop Dogg - Sweat (David Guetta Remix)
A jazzed-up and far better version of the 2010 song 'Wet' (censored to 'Sweat') makes you wonder what song David Guetta couldn't turn his hand to.
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30 Sara Bareilles - King Of Anything
Her second appearance and probably her best single to date with some great attitude. Easily singable.
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29 Alice Gold - Runaway Love
Speedy, and great, lyrics over a top beat make this a strong track from this year.
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28 Jessie J - Nobody's Perfect
The third single from Jessie and, though maybe not as catchy as her previous two, the emotive lyrics make it stand out. It's better than 'Price Tag', thankfully.
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27 Noah and the Whale - Tonight's The Kind Of Night
The second single from their latest album and extremely well put together and shows they are here to stay.
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26 Britney Spears- Hold It Against Me
The video shows her destroying her previous images but it certainly fits in with her poppier roots but keeping the attitude from her more recent releases.
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25 Rebecca Black - Friday
It might be the most derided video around and developing its own legend but strip away all the tabloid inches and its quite a good pop song. Why else would everyone be talking about it?
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24 Tinie Tempah - Wonderman (Featuring Ellie Goulding)
At the tail end of his album releases, this is actually one of the strongest and most diverse song on his album. I don't usually enjoy the voice of Ellie Goulding but she mixes in nicely with Tinie on this song.
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23 The Baseballs - Hello
A rock-a-billy pastiche from the German singers, this is up with their usual brand of adaptations.
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22 Claire Maguire - The Last Dance
A powerfully sung song that is all well produced and delivered. A great, hairbrush chorus.
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21 The Wombats - Techno Fan
The fourth single from their album but one of the strongest. A classic slice of indie.
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20 Clare Maguire - The Shield And The Sword
Another great track from the powerful female singer. Just a slight bit better than 'The Last Dance' at 22.
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19 REM - Discoverer
REM returned with a new album this year and this lead single is a stormer. Classic REM but with a 2011 twist.
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18 Lady Gaga - Judas
It's a bit like someone asked her to record a song that is stereotypically her, but it's as catchy as her bit hits even if not quite up to the hot singles from her first album.
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17 Nerina Pallot - Put Your Hands Up
Her previous album was fantastic and, though this doesn't quite hit those heights, it's still a marvellous, laid-back, song but with a kicking chorus.
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16 Nicole Scherzinger - Dont Hold Your Breath
Doing well after leaving the Pussycat Dolls, this is the best of her singles so far, great for the radio and the club.
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15 Take That - The Day The Work Is Done
Not yet a single, taken from their special expanded EP 'Progressed', this is the highlight of the extra eight tracks. Great lyrics and interesting production effects.
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14 Katy Perry - E.T. (Featuring Kanye West)
Refreshingly different from her previous songs, plus an appearance by Kanye, the chorus is up there with her best and the mixture of styles work well.
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13 Dr Dre feat Eminem and Skylar Grey - I Need A Doctor
To call it a Dr. Dre single is an injustice to Eminem who does most of the vocal work here. Mixed in with the beautiful vocals of Skylar Grey it's a throwback to Eminem's classic work.
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12 The Black Eyed Peas - Just Cant Get Enough
Though it goes off on one two-thirds in, the magic of the touching chorus and less forced production work from Will.I.Am has already worked.
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11 The Wombats - Jump Into The Fog
A great keyboard riff, lyrics and chorus all combine to make this a brilliant single from the Liverpudlian band.
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10 REM - Überlin
The best track from REM's latest album 'Collapse Into Now' it's difficult to pin-point what is so great about it. It just is.
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09 Weird Al Yankovic - Perform This Way
The master of the parody returns with this look at Lady GaGa's fame. Quality song and even better video.
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08 The Feeling feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Leave Me Out Of It
Presumably an upcoming single, the most touching and emotional song of the year so far. Should do big things, I hope!
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07 Noah and The Whale-L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
History's most DJ-unfriendly title, it's a cracking tune none the less.
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06 Lady GaGa - Born This Way
We've had the parody now for the original. As catchy as the big hits from the first album it's up there with her best. Even if the video is shockingly bad. Oh, and it'll now be difficult not to sing 'Weird Al's' lyrics to it.
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05 The Wombats - Anti-D
A much more downbeat track than their usual stuff but once it's in your head it'll be stuck there. Great orchestral work too.
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04 LMFAO feat I.Q. Lauren Bennett & Goon Rock - Party Rock Anthem
Putting the phrase 'Everyday I'm Shuffling' firmly into pop culture, it's a great club track that will be played for months to come.
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03 Blondie - Mother
The brand new single from Blondie belies their age as a band. One of the best songs you'll hear all year from any band, especially one with such a career to live up to.
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02 Take That - Love Love
The lead single from their 'Progressed' EP, the bombastic backing and determined vocals make this the boy band track to beat.
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01 Rihanna - S&M
It's difficult to believe it was only released in 2011 as it seems to have been around for ever (though it was mid-January). Great lyrics, production and catchiness, it still stands up even if its controversial side was removed.
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Friday, 1 July 2011
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