39.
Love On Top by Beyonce
Bey really won me over with this one with her performance at the VMAs. It's wonderful and cute and reminded me that even though Beyonce's discography has never been my cup of tea, her latest work is genuine and fantastic.
38.
Lady Luck by Jamie Woon
Jamie Woon is an artist I looked into during my obsession with the new wave of new dubstep artists that broke out pretty heavily earlier this year. Lady Luck is a standout track for me that somehow conjured a feel that banked on some of Michael Jackson's and Justin Timberlake's better pop qualities while remaining distinctly Jamie Woon.
37.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People
This is the single huge breakthrough indie pop song of the year and it's probably because it's insanely catchy. Everyone was singing this all year long whether they liked it or not, and it makes it even better that most people didn't even realize what they were singing about.
36.
We Found Love by Rihanna
This is certainly the end-of-the-year club smash. It's a massive Euro-dance injected hit filled with energy and emotion. Perhaps the only disappointing thing about it is that it's the only song Rihanna has ever been involved in where she's not the star. Calvin Harris' production reigns over this song and Rihanna's minimal lyrics serve only to amplify the effects of Harris' work. That said, the somewhat vulnerable--but still distinct--vocals offer a different side to the dance floor smash more akin to Robyn's
Dancing On My Own and surely we can't be mad about that.
35.
Alex by Girls
Something about this song makes me so nostalgic and happy. It makes me want to be in love and sing playful love songs and run away, because maybe that's what it's all about.
34.
Take Care (feat. Rihanna) by Drake
There's something about pleading with a former lover in this song that gets me. I love the simplistic and memorable production, and the lyrics are tender, filled with emotion and relatable. It may be a remake of Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx's I'll Take Care Of U, but I find it better than theirs or the original.
33.
Till The World Ends by Britney Spears
Britney Spears pulls off a classic clubbanger with Ke$ha-inspired lyrics. An anthem for drinking, dancing and partying, Britney proves that her age isn't really a factor anymore: she still knows how to get the world dancing. I can't think of any song I've heard more at the clubs this year (except for perhaps one
), and this song deserves its spot in heavy rotation there.
32.
Yonkers by Tyler, The Creator
I've noticed that most end-of-the-year lists have chosen Yonkers as the central masterpiece of Tyler, The Creator's album. I can see why. The lyrics are rebellious and explicit, the kind that make teens and kids get into rap in the first place. The production is dark, unique and heavy. It's everything I could have hoped for when picking up an album called Goblin, and I'm glad I did.
31.
High For This by The Weeknd
I'm pretty sure this isn't my favorite song on The Weeknd's House Of Balloons, but something about this song restored both my faith in my personal liking for R&B and my belief that dubstep can and still will be more successfully integrated into the pop sound. R&B has always been one of my least-favorite genres of music and for all of the wrong reasons. Something about this song seems natural and done right, and I'm glad.
30.
Shake It Out by Florence + The Machine
Florence + The Machine have certainly been on the rise for the past 12 months. After the critical success of their first album, Lungs, they followed it up this year with their second studio album, Ceremonials, to both critical acclaim and commercial success.
Shake It Out is a great summation of the unique sound the band offers, built off of Florence's distinct vocals. The song has an incredibly catchy melody that had me singing along long before I ever knew the words, and the future is looking good for the band if I'm judging by my Facebook newsfeed.