Finally it's here! Firstly an introduction. I'm doing my chart a little differently this year with 10 songs at a time, rather than the old two songs a day format.
I've probably missed out on a lot of good new music this year, mainly due to the fact that I haven't really listened to much music at all. So for that reason, the chart is only a reflection of what I listened to over the past 12 months. As usual, the criteria is pretty random: there are songs which I was aware of in 2011 but for various reasons didn't make my chart last year so they qualify for this year's chart. Likewise there are probably some songs kicking around at the moment which have missed out on this year's chart and may pop up next year, who knows?
50. "Chasing The Sun" - The Wanted.
A summer anthem for the summer which we never had. I haven't been totally satisfied by the musical career path which The Wanted have followed since "All Time Low" but this is, IMHO, their best track since that one and it's catchy as hell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFS5N_yAGTo
49. "Make It Better" - Tommy Fredvang.
49. "Make It Better" - Tommy Fredvang.
One of my favourite songs in the Norsk Melodi Grand Prix this year, this was an uptempo number which deserved its place in the final. Nothing particularly new or original about it, but an enjoyable pop song nonetheless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsxzjChjgm0
48. "This is Love" - Will.i.am featuring Eva Simons.
I feel slightly ashamed including this in my year-end chart as there are undoubtedly many better songs which missed out, but this was part of my walking-to-work soundtrack for a while and it did the job. It's so addictive, annoyingly so, but it eventually wore me down. Say hell yeah!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I9Ar6upx34
47. "Vart jag än går" - Stiftelsen.
One of Sweden's most distinctive vocalists, Robert Pettersson, took a break from his day job as Takida front man to form a side-project band called Stiftelsen, made up of old friends, and crucially singing in Swedish. Yes, that was one of the most significant Swedish musical trends for me this year: artists turning away from English to sing in their own language. This was Stiftelsen's debut single and is a really nice change from the Takida-style. And it's not the last appearance from Mr Pettersson in my chart this year...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TMXA8SIdcM
46. "Take Our Hearts" - Jesper Nohrstedt.
Forget the abomination which won the 2012 DMGP - I can't even bring myself to mention it - and instead let's celebrate a couple of the songs which also featured in this year's contest. This youngster produced a very catchy dance anthem and judging by this, he has a bright future ahead. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgiSXh_OIvs
45. "Best Thing I Got" - Aya.
Written by the people behind Lena's "Satellite" (a good thing or a bad thing depending on your view) anyway this is a fine retro-pop song, which I can't help liking although I don't care much for her squeaky voice, and her styling at DMGP was horrific. Reasons to love it: the chorus has the same chord structure as Steve Balsamo's "Sugar for the Soul" (released in 2002) which has an indescribable level of fabulousness so maybe that's why I like it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiSbXlnVtaY
44. "Is This Love" - Aiden Grimshaw.
I really can't be bothered with X Factor winners or contestants, but it's a nice surprise when someone manages to escape the cover-version circus and release something new and remotely interesting. So without any prejudice, thank you Mr Grimshaw and I hope that you will produce more music as good as this. This song might have done better in my chart, but points were deducted for the "dubstep breakdown" :( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wm57rqkHmU
43. "Sweet Nothing" - Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch.
Calvin has reached superstar DJ notoriety over the past year so can we now call him Scotland's answer to David Guetta? I'll admit that I'm disappointed by this change in direction and would have preferred him singing his own material. I like to judge a song on its own merits regardless of what I think of the artist: I'm no fan of Florence or her machine, "Spectrum" goes beyond irritating the life out of me but this is one seriously addictive tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17ozSeGw-fY
42. "Quelque Part" - Kenza Farah.
A song which caught my ear during our brief trip to Nice back in September. A nice laid-back slice of French reggae-flavoured sun-soaked r'n'b which was the perfect soundtrack to the fine weather during that holiday! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-1L_MX_d40
41. "Lyckligare Nu" - Linnea Henriksson.
47. "Vart jag än går" - Stiftelsen.
One of Sweden's most distinctive vocalists, Robert Pettersson, took a break from his day job as Takida front man to form a side-project band called Stiftelsen, made up of old friends, and crucially singing in Swedish. Yes, that was one of the most significant Swedish musical trends for me this year: artists turning away from English to sing in their own language. This was Stiftelsen's debut single and is a really nice change from the Takida-style. And it's not the last appearance from Mr Pettersson in my chart this year...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TMXA8SIdcM
46. "Take Our Hearts" - Jesper Nohrstedt.
Forget the abomination which won the 2012 DMGP - I can't even bring myself to mention it - and instead let's celebrate a couple of the songs which also featured in this year's contest. This youngster produced a very catchy dance anthem and judging by this, he has a bright future ahead. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgiSXh_OIvs
45. "Best Thing I Got" - Aya.
Written by the people behind Lena's "Satellite" (a good thing or a bad thing depending on your view) anyway this is a fine retro-pop song, which I can't help liking although I don't care much for her squeaky voice, and her styling at DMGP was horrific. Reasons to love it: the chorus has the same chord structure as Steve Balsamo's "Sugar for the Soul" (released in 2002) which has an indescribable level of fabulousness so maybe that's why I like it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiSbXlnVtaY
44. "Is This Love" - Aiden Grimshaw.
I really can't be bothered with X Factor winners or contestants, but it's a nice surprise when someone manages to escape the cover-version circus and release something new and remotely interesting. So without any prejudice, thank you Mr Grimshaw and I hope that you will produce more music as good as this. This song might have done better in my chart, but points were deducted for the "dubstep breakdown" :( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wm57rqkHmU
43. "Sweet Nothing" - Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch.
Calvin has reached superstar DJ notoriety over the past year so can we now call him Scotland's answer to David Guetta? I'll admit that I'm disappointed by this change in direction and would have preferred him singing his own material. I like to judge a song on its own merits regardless of what I think of the artist: I'm no fan of Florence or her machine, "Spectrum" goes beyond irritating the life out of me but this is one seriously addictive tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17ozSeGw-fY
42. "Quelque Part" - Kenza Farah.
A song which caught my ear during our brief trip to Nice back in September. A nice laid-back slice of French reggae-flavoured sun-soaked r'n'b which was the perfect soundtrack to the fine weather during that holiday! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-1L_MX_d40
41. "Lyckligare Nu" - Linnea Henriksson.
I love her style and her attitude, and it particularly delighted me this year to see her having so much post-Idol success in Sweden Here's a clip of her performing the song on Allsång during the summer of 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZgbSta7Jds
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