Here's the list of my top 50 tracks of 2011 in full:
1. Me and My Drum - Swingfly
2. Like Suicide - Christian Walz
3. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
4. Higher - Taio Cruz feat. Kylie Minogue
5. In The Club - Danny Saucedo
6. Me & My Microphone - September
7. Get You - Alexey Vorobyov
8. Solid Ground - Pnau
9. Let Me Go - Maverick Sabre
10. Bullets - Rebecca & Fiona
11. Good Intentions - Bressie
12. The Moment I Met You - Vincent
13. Oh My God - Le Kid
14. Hot Mess - Chromeo feat. La Roux
15. Coming Home - Sjonni's Friends
16. New Tomorrow - A Friend In London
17. Idiot - Lena Philipsson
18. Judas - Lady Gaga
19. Jag e Frågan, Du e Svaret - Earpony
20. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People
21. Loca People - Sak Noel
22. Dance Alone - Love Generation
23. Called Out In The Dark - Snow Patrol
24. Love Love - Take That
25. Love In Rewind - Dino Merlin
26. Rope - Foo Fighters
27. Don't Know Why - Soundgirl
28. Kärlekens Tunga - September
29. Breaking Up With God - The Ark
30. Fest Hos Mange - Mange Makers
31. Lifeline - Jamiroquai
32. Hollywood Hills - Sunrise Avenue
33. Paradise - Coldplay
34. Something In Your Eyes - Jenny Silver
35. Angel In Disguise - Musiqq
36. Taken By A Stranger - Lena
37. Warrant - Foster The People
38. Good Enough - Father McKenzie
39. Depend On Me - Babel Fish
40. No One Else Could - Sebastian
41. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
42. Traktor - Wretch 32
43. Fade Into Darkness - Avicii
44. What You Want - Evanescence
45. Wall Of Sound - Bressie
46. Not A Love Song - Wonderland
47. Jag Kommer - Veronica Maggio
48. Feel So Close - Calvin Harris
49. Changed The Way You Kiss Me - Example
50. Yeah Right - Dionne Bromfield.
Showing posts with label 2011-50. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011-50. Show all posts
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The 2011-50: No.1 - Drama, drama, drama, drama like a soap opera
"Me and My Drum" - Swingfly.And so to my no.1 song. It was always going to be difficult compiling the chart this year due to the absence of any new solo material by Salem Al Fakir, who had previously topped my chart for the past 4 years. Hoping for "normal service" next year of course!
When the line-up of songs and artists for this year's Melodifestivalen was announced, I didn't expect at that time that "Me and My Drum" by Swingfly would end up topping my chart. Yet it quickly became a favourite and post-contest I continued to play it all year. Despite the song only coming 5th in the contest, it did very well in the Swedish charts, in a year when very few MF songs charted for any length of time.
This high-powered pop-rap song has lyrics rapped by American rapper Swingfly (previously best known for "Singing That Melody"), and a mid-song rap by Beatrice Stars. All good so far, but then comes the icing on the cake - former Idol 2007 contestant Christoffer Hiding, who I absolutely love, singing the chorus. I'll never forget that moment he stepped onto the Melodifestivalen stage - one of my favourite moments of the year actually ;)
In what has been a personally very dark year, I thought it would be appropriate that something fun and uplifting should top my chart. Boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom-boom-boom :))http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHxr4vJmT70
The 2011-50: No.2 - I guess I love the way it burns
"Like Suicide" - Christian Walz.
The offputting title/lyrics and bizarre styling at Melodifestivalen probably contributed to him not progressing any further in the competition, but the fact remains that Christian Walz is one of the finest artists to come out of Sweden in recent years.
One more fact: Melodifestivalen will always produce some of my favourite songs of the year and this is no exception. Yes, the ill-advised title should have been changed, but the song as a whole is three minutes of absolute class. Now can we have a new album please, Christian???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbxy682-Tro (audio version)
The 2011-50: No.3 - If I share my secret, you're gonna have to keep it
"Moves Like Jagger" - Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera.So, I made it through a week of extreme weather conditions, heavy snow and hurricane-force storms in my part of the world, to bring my annual countdown to an end with the final three songs.
It's typical: you wait for a song with "Jagger" in the title and two come along at once. One of them came to symbolise everything that is wrong with music in 2011; the other is an insanely catchy pop song which is so fresh that I never tire of it, and probably never will.
After just one hearing there was never any doubt that this song was going to place very highly in my chart this year. "Moves Like Jagger" has also single-handedly resurrected two floundering pop careers thanks to this collaboration, which came about after Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera participated as judges/mentors on the US version of "The Voice". Definitely my favourite non-European track of the year.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
The 2011-50: No.4 - I got this high without taking a pill
"Higher" - Taio Cruz featuring Kylie Minogue.
Although the prolific Taio has also reached a certain level of ubiquity, he at least manages to put out the odd above-average dance/pop single from time to time: "Come On Girl", "Dynamite" and then this one. Not even the completely unnecessary inclusion of Travie McCoy on an alternate version of the song could ruin the greatness of this pop/dance crossover, which boasts a guest appearance by a certain Ms Minogue. When compiling this annual chart, the higher positions always tend to go to songs which answered my question: "do I still love listening to this song after all this time?" The answer to this, and the remaining 3 songs to follow is a resounding "Yes!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRBS5WZMdik&ob=av2e
The 2011-50: No.5 - It's Friday night, I barely made it through this week
"In The Club" - Danny Saucedo.OK, what I'm about to say may sound contradictory, but I hope you understand what I mean. "In The Club" may not have turned out to be my favourite Melodifestivalen song of the past 12 months, but it was the one which I most wanted to win that contest.
Despite following Melodifestivalen for more years than I can remember, I still can’t figure out why the results end up the way they do. No offence to Eric, who achieved a very respectable result at Eurovision, but I still believe this should have won MF 2011. Just as 'second time around' was lucky for young Mr Saade, then it might well be the case for Danny as he's having another attempt at the contest in a few weeks' time.
In a year when every second song seemed to be about being "on the floor" or "in the club", Danny actually managed to make the concept interesting and was vocally spot on.
Melodifestivalen performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or_ZIe_-nJw
Monday, December 05, 2011
The 2011-50: No.6 - I wrote it for you, you're the title of my song
"Me and My Microphone" - September.
And the title of her song was originally Mikrofonkåt, which came out of the original (and best) season of Så mycket bättre. "Me and My Microphone" may have lacked the lyrical twists and turns of her version of Petter's Swedish-language track, but it is still a classic in any language. It's been a long wait, but the song's finally been released in the UK this week, one year after it originally surfaced! One more thing...on a personal note, Petra’s live collaborations with Salem Al Fakir this year inevitably strengthened her legend-status :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie5UiQoQYz4
The 2011-50: No.7 - I rule my world like great men do
Get You - Alexey Vorobyov.
One point was proved in 2011: that Eurovision has no regard for superstar reputations. Just as my no.22 song by Love Generation couldn't run away with a Melodifestivalen win, when it came to ESC even the might of RedOne and his team couldn’t push Alexey up the scoreboard. It still remains my favourite ESC entry of this year, however when the contest came around it lost its way, for reasons which I still can't fathom out. Maybe the lighted jackets, I don't know....in the meantime, here's the official video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvX8NaHcdSk
The 2011-50: No. 8 - There's too much worth living for, baby I'll show you
Solid Ground - Pnau.
Whilst we wait for the return of Empire of the Sun - which is gonna happen, folks! - Nick Littlemore’s other project filled the gap nicely. And this song perfectly summoned up the EOTS spirit. A summery sound for a non-existent summer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1k2xqnS1lU
The 2011-50: No.9 - With you I won't be, a better man
"Let Me Go" - Maverick Sabre.One of the very few good things to come out of the otherwise tedious ‘urban’ music trend of the last couple of years. Inventive use of the Portishead "Glory Box" sample. Vocally he's very reminiscent of Finley Quaye, with a 21st century reboot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVMWgmQA4Ig&ob=av2e
The 2011-50: No.10 - Don't let me show you how weak you are
"Bullets" - Rebecca & Fiona.Into my top 10 with one of the brightest new musical finds of the past year or so, and needless to say they're Swedish! Rebecca & Fiona came out of the Swedish dance music scene with their own distinctive sound. "Bullets" has sweet vocals and a distinctive guitar sample/hookline which really set this song apart from the rest of the year's more cliched dance tracks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWkGrdEdSgI
Sunday, December 04, 2011
The 2011-50: No.11 - Judged once but on trial for a lifetime
"Good Intentions" - Bressie.If someone asked me to name my favourite new solo artist of the year, I wouldn't hesitate to name Ireland's very own Niall Breslin, a.k.a. Bressie! "Good Intentions" is the perfect kind of pop-rock song which I love, and it was my favourite track on his debut album. He has a great voice and I'd love to see him become the superstar he deserves to be. Bressie will be one of the judges/mentors on the Irish version of "The Voice" and that should massively raise his profile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZdQcmz5IKw&ob=av2e
The 2011-50: No.12 - Into the wild Serengeti hills of Himalaya
"The Moment I Met You" - Vincent.He's a huge talent and his comeback was long-awaited and very welcome. Yet Mr Pontare is in danger of being better-known for being Agnes' boyfriend than for his music, as for an unfathomable reason his return to the music scene appears to have been ignored.
Both this and its predecessor "Baby Hurricane" showcase Vincent's effortless ability to craft a classic pop song, which thankfully doesn't have any need to resort to the r'n'b sound of the day.
The 2011-50: No.13 - Like a teenage dream it's a love supreme
"Oh My God" - Le Kid.
They brought an almighty fun-filled candy shop explosion to this year's Melodifestivalen, but despite dancing sweets and exploding cupcakes it was the wrong "Oh My God" which made it to Globen. Which is a real shame, because this is a fine slice of retro bubblegum pop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCKi587DU9w
The 2011-50: No.14 - Your love is real but I just feel suffocated
"Hot Mess" - Chromeo featuring Elly Jackson.No, it wasn't a cover version of the fab Sam Sparro song, but this collaboration between the eccentric electro-funk duo and the La Roux singer was one of my most played songs during the first quarter of 2011. As you know, I'm no fan of La Roux by any means, but this ice-cold combination was a perfect match, and in a year dominated by mostly inferior electro-dance, this definitely stood out as a quality product.
The 2011-50: No.15 - I just wanna see your face again
"Coming Home" - Sjonni's Friends.Still on the Eurovision 2011 theme....sometimes you just get a simply delightful song which is maybe out of step with the contemporary norm, but who cares about that? The writer of this song passed away before the Icelandic national final, so his friends stepped up with the finest tribute they could pay. Even all these months later it still remains a lovely, joyous, heartwarming treat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY2l00PC0JA
The 2011-50: No.16 - And your weapon is your voice
"New Tomorrow" - A Friend In London. Several months down the line, Eurovision 2011 seems a bit strange and disappointing, marked by a totally inconsequential and forgettable (but inevitable) winner from Azerbaijan. There were very few songs I continued to listen to after the contest, but happily this was one of them. There are exciting times ahead for this band and I hope they continue to build on their 5th-place success in the contest.
Saturday, December 03, 2011
The 2011-50: No. 17 - Du kan få bli min idiot
"Idiot" - Lena Philipsson.I've been a big fan of this true Swedish music legend for almost 25 years, and she remains totally fabulous. "Idiot" may not have set blog-land on fire, or thrilled the hardcore fans who were expecting something much more anthemic, yet this fine electro-pop song became one of my most played songs of the year.
Here she is, entertaining the Linköping massive at this year's Melodifestivalen...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLuUF3wZopoThe 2011-50: No.18 - A king with no crown
"Judas" - Lady Gaga.In the rewriting of the Gaga history book, if reviews are anything to go by, it appears that "Judas" is already being consigned to the dustbin of history in the style of a dead Soviet leader. Despite this, it’s still fondly remembered as a Friday night favourite at EuropeCrazy HQ and I'm not ashamed to say that I prefer it to either "Born This Way" or "The Edge of Glory".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wagn8Wrmzuc&ob=av2e
The 2011-50: No.19 - Kanske det mest omaka paret
"Jag e frågan, du e svaret" - Earpony.This song probably caused more controversy in my head than any other this year, purely because I had to come to terms with the idea that here was a musical project involving Salem Al Fakir which didn’t automatically guarantee top-spot in my annual chart. For anyone unfamiliar with Earpony, it's a duo made up of Salem and his friend (and previous bandmate in The Bloody Romance) Pontus De Wolfe; the duo also published a book this year, "Vad är musik?", and if you need more info, the whole thing was documented over at my other blog Planet Salem.
On first hearing of this song, (live version), I didn’t like it at all, but having listened several times to the studio version, particularly during the preparation of this chart, this lo-fi tune - performed by Pontus (lead vocals/guitar) and Salem (backing vocals/keyboards) really grew on me and I feel it therefore deserves its top 20 spot.
Of course it goes without saying that I am counting the days until Salem finally unveils his new solo material!
In the meantime....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU5d0Wwy1_g
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