2011 saw many British artists go global; with the likes of Tinie Tempah, Adele and Jessie J all scoring big hits across the pond as well as in the UK.
It was also a year which witnessed the rise and fall of 'on air, on sale' - the industry's attempt to reduce illegal downloading - meaning the singles charts became a free-for-all with the buying public.
But which are our favourites of the year? Digital Spy counts down its top 25 singles of 2011.
1. Britney Spears: 'Till The World Ends' - Britney's best track since 'Toxic' takes the lead as our favourite single of 2011; it's also her most underrated hit.
2. Rihanna: 'We Found Love' - Rihanna returned a mere fortnight after the last release from her previous album Loud with this hectic but instantly addictive club anthem.
3. Adele: 'Rolling in the Deep' - 2011 started with the pounding piano and mighty vocal force of Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep', which would go on to spearhead an unthinkable year for the songstress.
4. Lady GaGa: 'The Edge of Glory' - GaGa's mix of emotive lyrics and epic Euro synths were made even grander by Clarence Clemons's powerful sax solo.
5. Chris Brown: 'Beautiful People' - Brown's triumphant comeback piqued with the release of this epic dancefloor thumper.
6. Emeli Sande: 'Heaven' - After a string of anonymous guest features, Sande unleashed her impressive vocal talents on this soulful, club-classics number.
7. Kanye West ft. Rihanna: 'All of the Lights' - The original version boasts a stellar lineup including Alicia Keys and Elton John, but the Rihanna-only edition also suits us just fine.
8. Adele: 'Someone Like You' - After causing much blubbing at the 2011 Brit Awards, this heart-wrenching ballad went on to sell over a million copies in the UK alone.
9. Katy Perry: 'E.T.' - Katy embraced all things other-worldly in her fourth Teenage Dream single, which includes added star quality from Kanye West.
10. Nicki Minaj: 'Super Bass' - As predicted, it was those hefty "boom badooms" that finally gave Nicki Minaj her first UK top ten single.
11. Will Young: 'Jealousy' - Young's trailer for his fifth album was a sad-pop disco number in which he wore an all-in-one lycra bodysuit in the accompanying video. What's not to like?
12. Lana Del Rey: 'Video Games' - The Lake Placid native caused a storm online earlier this year with her Nancy Sinatra-inspired debut; or as she described it: "Hollywood sadcore."
13. Lady GaGa: 'Judas' - GaGa's second Born This Way cut managed the impressive feat of offending people before its premiere, though its Eurovision-meets-glam-rock sound was anything but.
14. Florence + the Machine: 'Shake It Out' - Ms Welch headed up her second album Ceremonials with this genre-straddling effort of crashing symbols, gothic piano and glittery synths.
15. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: 'AKA... What A Life!' - Noel's second cut from his debut solo album was originally called 'Ride The Tiger', but was changed after he didn't feel comfortable with it. Who knew he was such a prude?
16. Beyoncé: 'Run The World (Girls)' - She may have pilfered a two-year-old dance beat courtesy of Diplo, but Bouncy's lead single from 4 was nonetheless a ferocious club stomper.
17. The Weeknd: 'The Knowing' - The standout track from mixtape House Of Balloons got us excited for what to expect from The Weeknd's debut album next year.
18. Jennifer Lopez: 'On The Floor' - J.Lo's winning mix of bouncy club beats and 'Lambada' sample reinstated her position as one of the world's favourite entertainers.
19. Chase & Status: 'Blind Faith' - The dubstep duo kicked off 2011 with this stadium-sized grime/dance crossover that was both thumpingly energetic and beautifully uplifting.
20. Nicola Roberts: 'Beat of My Drum' - The Girls Aloud star's debut solo single may have failed to set the charts alight, but the Diplo-assisted track was a hit with critics.
21. Coldplay: 'Paradise' - The second single from Mylo Xyloto showcased the band's newfound pop sensibilities and ability to own "wooaaaoohhs".
22. The Saturdays: 'All Fired Up' - The Saturdays' reinvention as dance divas gave them their best first-week single sales, but due to a busy release schedule the girls didn't nab their first number one single.
23. Kasabian: 'Days Are Forgotten' - Tribal wails and a stadium-sized chorus make this track a future festival classic.
24. Jay-Z and Kanye West: 'Ni**as in Paris' - An addictive riff, tight rhymes and a Blades of Glory sample make this a highlight from the pair's Watch The Throne LP.
25. Jessie J: 'Price Tag' - Jessie's second single cemented her position as 2011's biggest new star by bothering charts the world over.
Their teas are pretty hot.
