40
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Take That - Up All Night
Artist link: 6  7  19 21
Once again, Take That have mastered the art of taking an unfashionable genre of music and, weaving their all-conquering magic, turning it into a can't-get-it-out-of-my-head anthem. With Up All Night, their unsuspecting victim can only be described as the "Cheeky Chappie Cockney Knees-Up". Forget Roll Out The Barrel, Rabbit or even Snooker Loopy, this is the song to sing round the 'old Joanna' for the 21st century. It has all the requisite components for those lock-ins down the old boozer - chirpy melody, cheeky lyrics and a cheesy video - plus a healthy dose of TT charm; it fits so well together, it's almost quite annoying. Can this group do no wrong?
Kat B
No of votes: 6, Score:
45, Highest vote: 1st
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39
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Pixie Lott - Boys And Girls
So what did 2009 bring us? Lots of lovely ladies, that's what! The female artist reigned supreme over the charts with Lady Gaga and Lily Allen leading the charge, but we also got to know a new crop of British talent, such as La Roux and Florence and the Machine, who released great pop-based (with hints of rock or electronica) songs. Pixie Lott is one of those new girls at school and, in Boys and Girls, all she wants is for you all to come and boogie down the local nitespot with her. The song is a toe-tapping, shoulder-jigging, catchy old thing, which is a good thing as you'd look a bit silly trying to throw some shapes to something from *gasp* 2001! One thing's for sure, this girl's definitely got something "goin' on".
Kat B
No of votes: 7, Score:
26, Highest vote: 5th
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38
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Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart
Ah, the ladies man. That most venerable of gents. Everywhere he goes, women swooning around him left, right and centre. Always got the stick wedged in his back pocket (no, not down his trousers, he's got no trouble there, thanks very much) to beat off any feisty lady that tries to claim him as theirs. And so, here we have Taio Cruz, neatly distilling the oh-so-troublesome aspect of his life - having to let all those laydeez down, but accepting that yes, in the nicest possible way, it's going to cause the women to break out boxes of kleenex and a night eating Haagen Dazs on their sofa. Of course, what this song does so well is insert this harsh reality into a great piece of dance music - so effectively in fact, that Mr Cruz got his first UK number one off the back of it. Trouble for him - all that extra exposure means even more women to fend off now.......
Jason M
No of votes: 7, Score:
29, Highest vote: 3rd
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37
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Mika - We Are Golden
Artist link:3 34 35
The golden boy from 2007 returns with his own whimsical take on Teenage Kicks, distilling those magical years between twelve and twenty (all raging hormones, greasy hair and general stroppiness - ah, those were the days) into four storming minutes of hook-laden, choir-backed psychedelic pop. The first time I heard this track I have to admit I had my doubts - it seemed a bit simple and obvious and I didn't instantly warm to it. But I gave it chance and it turned out to be a real grower - the layers peeled away revealing unexpected sophistication and the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Which is just like a teenager, if you think about it.
Greg B
No of votes: 7, Score:
33, Highest vote: 3rd
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36
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A R Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls feat. Nicole Scherzinger - Jai Ho!
One of the feel good songs of the year from one of the feel good movies of the decade, the original, non-PCD version of this track is the heartbeat behind the big dance number in Mumbai's central railway station at the end of Slumdog Millionaire. The title translates as "Victory to You", which summed up the movie perfectly, and may have also been a pointer to the various awards, including the Oscar, that the track would pick up. This energetic remix, featuring a breathless vocal by Nicole Scherzinger, brought a little Bollywood magic to the charts and, train station or no train station, it's so damn infectious you can't help but shake your booty to it. Jai Ho!
Greg B
No of votes: 7, Score:
33, Highest vote: 1st
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35
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Calvin Harris - Ready For The Weekend
Artist link:25
If you've not heard this song, firstly, where have you been?! and second, isnt it just one of those songs that gets stuck in your head. I have a feeling Calvin was intouch with his femine side when he chose the fine lyrics for the chorus "I put on my shoes and I'm ready for the weekend" - oh how right the tall Scottish man is. Anyone who uses a pineapple on his head to upstage those awful twins on Xfactor is a good un in my book :)
Veronica S
No of votes: 7, Score:
36, Highest vote: 2nd
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34
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Paloma Faith - New York
Lots of comparisons to Duffy and Amy Winehouse but I think it's unfair. Amy would have got super-pissed, kicked the crap out of New York for stealing her ex-convict ex-husband, and then spent the night in the clink. Duffy would have whined a lot about it, knowing she could never find her way out of Wales to win him back, even if she tried. But Paloma, in her fabulous burlesque outfits and retro up-dos, simply lets her heart break and shares the story with soul and emotion. I hope her man has a good time with New York. New York is fun but can turn into quite the bitch; I think he'll regret losing this beautiful, kooky and talented red-head.
Jane B
No of votes: 7, Score:
37, Highest vote: 1st
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33
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Katy Perry - Waking Up In Vegas
Artist link:5 9
Last time I woke up in Vegas I was alone, not particularly hungover, and not at all out of pocket. I showered, packed my bags and drove to the airport with a stop en route at the Outlet Mall to get a couple of pairs of cheap Nike trainers and some end of season shirts from Banana Republic. Something tells me that Katy Perry and I lead very different lives. 2008's It Girl may have been usurped as Queen of Cool by the rise of La GaGa, but this rollercoaster ride through all that is great about the jewel of the Nevada desert was one of the best pop songs of the year and proved she was still a force to be reckoned with. And when you're having this much fun, who needs to bother with a poker face?
Greg B
No of votes: 7, Score:
39, Highest vote: 2nd
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32
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Shakira - She Wolf
Like Monsters Inc for grown-ups, Shakira is the She Wolf in your closet, and I doubt there are many red-blooded males that wouldn't like being woken in the middle of the night to the sound of Shakira howling and panting inside their wardrobe. The lyrics might sound like they've been translated into English from Columbian by someone with only a tangential understanding of either language (they were actually written by Sam Endicott from The Bravery, and he should know better than using similes involving office-based hot drinks dispensers), but any deficiency lyrically is more than made up for by a very slick production. The thumping disco beat, vocodered backing vocals and catchy chorus mean that once you've heard this track, it'll be going around and around in your head until the next full moon.
Greg B
No of votes: 7, Score:
39, Highest vote: 1st
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31
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The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
You know when you hear a song and you think "Mmmm - this sounds good.........." the more you listen the more you think "I REALLY like this!"....... And then the chorus kicks in. FAB! The vocals of Dougie Mandagi and the great guitar riff are a great combination and have put the Australian music scene back on the worldwide map (not that it really went away if you include such fine artistes as say, Dannii Minogue)
Veronica S
No of votes: 7, Score:
51, Highest vote: 1st
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A MASSIVE THANKS also to all those who slaved over a hot keyboard to produce the write ups: Danny G, Paul M, Kat B, Isaac H, Milly H, P Shoo, Emyr I, Greg B, Veronica S, Jane B, John C, Swiss T, Faye P