This list was compiled while I was preparing to speak at the Battle of Ideas discussion, Is Modern Music Rubbish? Although I was critical about the modern pop industry, I wanted to acknolwedge some songs which prove, to my ears at least, that commercial pop can still come up with the goods now and then.
Click on the links to listen to the songs or immerse yourself in the whole set on this YouTube playlist.
- Victoria Aitken – Weekend Lover
- Alizée – A Contre-Courant
- Basement Jaxx – Romeo, Where’s Your Head At?
- Beyonce – Halo, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
- Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
- Cascada – Evacuate the Dancefloor
- Chris Brown – Beautiful People
- Taio Cruz – Dynamite
- Daphne and Celeste – Alarms, A.L.T.O.
- Electric Six – Gay Bar
- Five – Keep on Moving
- Fuse ODG – Dangerous Love, Antenna, Ye Play
- Poli Genova – If Love Was A Crime
- Girls Aloud – Love Machine, Biology
- The Go! Team – Semicircle Song
- David Guetta feat Kelly Rowland – When Love Takes Over
- Hearsay – Everybody
- Hoku – Another Dumb Blonde, In the First Place, How Do I Feel? (The Burrito Song)
- Holiday Sidewinder – Leo, Baby Oil
- Enrique Inglesias – I Like It
- Jamelia – Superstar, See It In a Boy’s Eyes
- Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
- JLS – The Club is Alive
- Jojo – Leave (Get Out), Baby It’s You
- Lady Gaga – Alejandro, Paparazzi
- L.M.F.A.O. – Party Rock Anthem
- Pixie Lott – All About Tonight, Boys and Girls
- Las Ketchup – The Ketchup Song (Asereje)
- Madonna – Beautiful Stranger
- Marina – Man’s World
- Declan McKenna – The Key to Life on Earth, Daniel, You’re Still a Child
- M.I.A. – Paper Planes
- Milky – Just The Way You Are
- Nicki Minaj – Starships, Super Bass
- Kylie Minogue – Get Outta My Way
- N.E.R.D. – She Wants To Move
- Outkast – Hey Ya!
- Nerina Pallot – I Don’t Want To Go Out
- Peaking Lights – Bad With The Good
- Katy Perry – California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Roar
- Eric Prydz – Call On Me
- Puffy AmiYumi – Love So Pure
- Flo Rida – Club Can’t Handle
- Robyn with Kleenup – With Every Heartbeat
- Royksopp – Eple
- Nicole Scherzinger – Don’t Hold Your Breath
- Sigala feat. Paloma Faith – Lullaby
- Sugababes – Overload, Freak Like Me
- Taylor Swift – Shake It Off, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
- Justin Timberlake – Rock Your Body
- The Ting-Tings – That’s Not My Name, Great DJ
- Tulisa – We Are Young
- Usher – OMG
- Charli XCX – SuperLove