I was listening to Lady Gaga while driving earlier and I was thinking about how absolutely fucking brilliant Paparazzi is. If I were going to make a playlist to introduce someone to pop, I'd most likely include it. It got me wondering what others songs should go on a "Pop 101/Masterclass"-type playlist. I'm talking about songs which are critically-acclaimed as well as loved by pop fans. Songs like Paparazzi, Bad Romance, Biology, Umbrella and What You Waiting For? What would you include? I'm not necessarily talking about your favourite songs by each artist. Personally, I'd probably include Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya) and Untouched, but I don't expect a lot of you to agree. They're two of my favourite pop songs of the past 10 years.
Remedy. It is the most obvious example of a perfectly written pop song from the last years. And The Fear.
Trying to keep it POP, I will suggest some older stuff because I know everyone else can provide plenty of recent examples like Britney etc: 1975 Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen 1976 Dancing Queen - ABBA 1977 I Feel love - Donna Summer 1978 You're The One That I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton John 1979 Heart Of Glass - Blondie, They Don't Know - Kirsty MacColl 1980 The Winner Takes It All - ABBA 1981 Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode 1982 Only You - Yazoo, My Camera Never Lies - Bucks Fizz, Heartbreaker - Dionne Warwick 1983 Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics, Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler, Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 1984 Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper, What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner, Dancing In The Dark - Bruce Springsteen 1985 I'm Your Man - Wham!, Take On Me - A-Ha, Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush 1986 Chain Reaction - Diana Ross, Glory Of Love - Peter Cetera, What Have You Done For Me Lately - Janet Jackson 1987 Love In The First Degree - Bananarama, Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship, I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston 1988 Fast Car - Tracy Chapman, Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle, The Only Way Is Up - Yazz 1989 Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler, Don't Wanna Lose You - Gloria Estefan, Straight Up - Paula Abdul 1990 Hold On - Wilson Phillips, Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode, Vision Of Love - Mariah Carey 1991 More Than Words - Extreme, Joyride - Roxette, Crazy - Seal 1992 Why - Annie Lennox, One - U2, Stay - Shakespear's Sister 1993 I Would Do Anything For Love - Meatloaf, Dreams - Gabrielle, Pray - Take That 1994 Confide In Me - Kylie Minogue, Breathe Again - Toni Braxton, I'll Stand By You - Pretenders 1995 Think Twice - Celine Dion, Protection - Massive Attack, Waterfalls - TLC 1996 Jesus To A Child - George Michael, If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow, Wonderwall - Oasis 1997 Don't Speak - No Doubt, Don't Let Go - En Vogue, Angels - Robbie Williams 1998 Believe - Cher, Frozen - Madonna, You're Still The One - Shania Twain, I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Aerosmith 1999 I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys, I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden, Driftwood - Travis Then there are of course all the 60s classics!
Love this idea. Can't Get You Outta My Head - Kylie Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis Baby One More Time - Britney Genie In A Bottle - Xtina Cry Me A River - Justin Timberlake Milkshake - Kelis Hung Up - Madonna Jealousy - Will Young We Found Love - Rihanna Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson Maneater - Nelly Furtado Overload - Sugababes Halo - Beyonce
We have a 60 year history of pop songs and the best you can come up with is Paparazzi ?!! It's just a perfectly serviceable song, i suggest you broaden your horizons.
I thought it would be more recent pop but if we're looking at older stuff: Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy Like A Prayer - Madonna Careless Whisper - George Michael Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls David Bowie - Let's Dance Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack Bon Jovi - It's My Life Dido - Here With Me Coldplay - Trouble
I would also like elect this effortless masterpiece by one, Onika Maraj. Welcome to pop in 2013. You, Mariah and 99.9% of the general public.
Amerie - 1 Thing Annie - Chewing Gum Britney Spears - Toxic Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe Girls Aloud - Biology Groove Armada feat. Mutya Buena - Song 4 Mutya Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl Jamelia - Superstar Kelis - Milkshake Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head Nicola Roberts - Beat Of My Drum One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful Rachel Stevens - Some Girls Shakira - She Wolf Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Murder On The Dancefloor Sugababes - Push The Button
Whoa...class is in session, amazing! I'm Googling the two on this list I don't know because of the company they're keeping.
Well, no, I never claimed it was the best pop song ever, it was merely the inspiration for this thread. But, please, feel free to provide us with some input.
Off the top of my head; ABBA - Dancing Queen Madonna - Into The Groove Belinda Carlisle - Heaven in a Place on Earth Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart Madonna - Like a Prayer Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody Madonna - Vogue Wham! - Last Christmas Natalie Imbruglia - Torn Cher - Believe No Doubt - Don't Speak Ace of Base - The Sign Moby - Southside (feat. Gwen Stefani) Jennifer Lopez - Waiting for Tonight Madonna - Ray of Light Kylie Minogue - On a Night Like This Steps - Tragedy Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life Kylie Minogue - Love at First Sight Jewel - Intuition Sugababes - Freak Like Me Backstreet Boys - Everybody Annie - Anthonio No Doubt - It's My Life Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For Girls Aloud - Biology Nelly Furtado - Maneater Britney Spears - Toxic Calvin Harris - I'm Not Alone Lady GaGa - Bad Romance Lily Allen - The Fear Robyn - Dancing On My Own Demi Lovato - Give Your Heart a Break While not necessarily the best songs objectively, if you wanted to teach somebody how to 'do pop', this is basically it. I'm sure there are a ton of songs I've missed.
Donna Summer - This Time I Know It's For Real Goldfrapp - Strict Machine Pretenders - Back on the Chain Gang Björk - Human Behaviour Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman Sia - The Fight Joni Mitchell - Help Me Margaret Berger - Samantha Kate Bush - Babooshka Linda Ronstadt - You're No Good The Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Pet Shop Boys/Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done to Deserve This? The Ronettes - Be My Baby Laura Branigan - Self-Control The Exciters - Tell Him Jevetta Steele - Calling You Duran Duran - Ordinary World Bangles - In My Room Blondie - Call Me Left Banke - Pretty Ballerina Garbage - Stupid Girl Hooverphonic - Mad About You Mandy Moore - Candy
The 60's, 80's and 00's have been my favorite periods for popmusic. Here are some cracking 60's classic's 1961 Non, Je Ne regrette Rien - Edith Piaf Telstar -The Tornadoes 1962 Tous Les Garcons Et Les Filles - Francoise Hardy Bobby's girl - Susan Maughan 1963 Johnny Remember Me - Johnny Leyton Anyone Who Had A Heart - Cilla Black Move Over Darling - Doris Day 1964 As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithful Terry - Twinkle House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals 1965 I Know A Place - Petula Clark Stop In The Name Of Love - Diana Ross And The Supremes Long Live Love - Sandy Shaw 1966 You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Dusty Springfield 1967 Walk Away Renee - The Four Tops Angel Of The Morning - P P Arnold A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum All Tomorrow's Parties - The Velvet Underground Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli 1968 What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong San Francisco (be sure to wear flowers in your hair) Scott Mckenzie 1969 Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley Je T'aime moi non plus - Jane Birkin And Serge Gainsbourg My list could have been never ending, for me the 60's and the 80's are the best years for pop music ever.
Phoenix's list is utterly flawless. All pop perfection even if I don't like some of them. I do think 'Paparazzi' is a strange starting place? I think it's one of Gaga's weaker efforts and am sat here now having trouble even remembering how it goes. 'Bad Romance' would make much more sense. Others that should be included........... The Supremes - Baby Love (I fact The Supremes have half a dozen that could be added) Culture Club - Karma Chameleon Kylie - Better The Devil You Know David Bowie - Let's Dance George Michael - Careless Whisper Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
Let's see, I'll go with more recent songs I can think of for the most part: Landslide - Fleetwood Mac Cosmic Love - Florence + The Machine Untouchable - Girls Aloud Come Clean - Hilary Duff Stay - Hurts Battlefield - Jordin Sparks Teenage Dream - Katy Perry Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson Marry the Night - Lady Gaga Ride/American - Lana Del Rey Faithfully - Journey I Want to Know What Love Is - Foreigner Nothing Fails - Madonna H.A.T.E.U. - Mariah Carey Party In the USA - Miley Cyrus Say It Right - Nelly Furtado Secrets - OneRepublic We Found Love - Rihanna Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez One - Sky Ferreira Sober - Kelly Clarkson Say OK - Vanessa Hudgens Potential Breakup Song - Aly & AJ 4ever - The Veronicas Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen Parachute - Cheryl Someone Like You - Adele Hold It Against Me - Britney Spears Beautiful - Christina Aguilera Sober - P!nk
