Continuing the "Katy picked some wrong singles" trek is this number, which is far more aggressive and interesting than either of her two singles. Once again, shame about the live performances which have been nothing short of ridiculous, as it actually deserves far better.
36 "Grown Woman," Beyonce
I'll say this for Beyonce, she knows how to surprise. I fell in love with the song the instant I saw the Pepsi commercial, and as she teased the world with whether or not the song would ever see the light of day it became one of my most played songs of the year. There is a level of empowerment in the track, both for the listener and for her, and while it doesn't quite mesh with the Beyonce album it's easily one of her most fun tracks.
35 "Glue," Nine Muses
Here's the thing about K-Pop I've discovered. When they get it right it's oh so right, but when they get it wrong its a massive car crash. 9M has had four singles...or comebacks...or mini albums...or whattheeverlivinghellever and this is the only one that sounds instantly like a hit. It's partially the Timbaland knockoff effect but a lot has to do with the modern disco sound in the track. And while I'm not entirely sold on rap in a foreign language, it's done rather well here to blend itself to the entire track.
Plus, it's not shoving eight songs into the track for no reason with no applicable reason why *coughGGcough*
34 "Hello," Stafford Brothers ft. Christina Milian and Lil' Wayne
I forgot how much I like the tone of Christina's voice.
33 "Summertime Sadness," Lana Del Rey
This is NOT the remix, which is on another list for another day *hint: it blows donkey balls* but I'll give Lana credit, between this and Y&B I'd almost consider being a fan. But then I listen to the album and want to yank my ears off and throw them down the garbage chute.
32 "Dreaming Now!" Koda Kumi
So a couple months ago I was asking about Perfume and a mini stan war amongst the four major pop ladies of Japan broke out. And while I tend to side with Namie then Utada then Ayu (while loving them all), I normally blank Koda. Which is funny since she was my biggest guilty pleasure a couple years ago with "SHOW GIRL." Well, she then released a song for the Volleyball World Cup singing about wanting to win a "winners cup" that, English lyrics aside, is a complete blast of fresh air for dance music. I love how aggressive it is.
As to Avex....JUST SHOW THE WHOLE DAMN VIDEO!!
31 "Gossip Girl," Girls Generation
Dear GG: more this, less "I Got A Boy." Thanks!
30 "Big Boys Cry," Namie Amuro
Oh Avex....I've seen the whole video. But I dunno how to link a random Japanese site to here.
And continuing the Japanese express is Namie with a track from her majority English album. While I think I love the drag-tastic "Heaven" a bit more this is just a fun and bouncy song. Plus, she swears in English!
29 "Story Of My Life," One Direction
If Phillip Phillips is Mumford & Sons with training wheels, what is this song? Yes its trite and a bit hokey and the videos dumb as hell and the one with the crazy hair seriously needs to stop yelling the chorus, I really like this song. Lets see if they can trick me with another single.
28 "Naedine," Nyusha
Well I've got Korean and Japanese on the list, why not Russian. While I've loving the return of 90s house, the chill effect of this song is rather glorious.
27 "White Walls," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Schoolboy Q and Hollis
Well well, four singles I like from him. I actually like this single the best, as it feels the most organic coming from Macklemore and I love Hollis's voice on the chorus.
26 "Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell and T.I.
OK, is it rapey? Perhaps. Does it degrade women? Oh most certainly. Do I get Robin's sort of explanation before he shoved his entire foot into his mouth about loving to objectify women? Yep. Is Paula Patton constantly drunk? Possibly, but that's not relevant here.
What is relevant is that the video, for all it's male gaze annoyance, is actually a bit brilliant, I actually thought the song was about miscommunication long before I thought it was about possible date rape, and T.I.'s George Jefferson dancing is outstanding and should be mimic'd forever.
Tomorrow is the rest, and then we head into badness. I'm this excited:
I really dislike Katy Perry, but "Dark Horse" is a big guilty pleasure for me, first song I like from her since Hot N Cold
Summertime Sadness + Blurred Lines are amazing! I don't consider them guilty pleasures lol
Yes, I sing this every time I hear "Girl On Fire" now.
24 "Pour It Up," Rihanna
There's something utterly hypnotic about the track, and while I judged the hell out of a denim thong in May I actually think the video is one of her best.
23 "Braveheart," Neon Jungle
I'm interested to see where they go with this. If they stay slightly clubby they're going nowhere. But there's something here that makes me think they could be great.
22 "Crazy Kids," Ke$ha
Yeah, she lost the script AND made us sit through a william remix. But I like it.
21 "All-American Girl," Bonnie McKee
How did Katy not record this?
20 "Wrecking Ball," Miley Cyrus
I actually hate the melody on this but love the lyrics. And I actually can handle Miley singing this. t feels off constantly but I like the idea of it.
19 "How Could I Want More," Jamie-Lynn Spears
Like others who listen to country, I've got one eyebrow raised on this. But the song is rather cute and if she stays in this direction she could make herself a comfortable little niche. But I think everyone is waiting for her to Swiftify herself.
18 "Slow Down," Selena Gomez
Lets put it this way, while her Rihanna impersonation on "Come And Get It" is atrocious, her Cheryl Cole impersonation here is rather spot on.
17 "F'n Problem," A$AP Rocky ft. 2 Chainz, Drake and Kendrick Lamar
I...I dunno why I like this. I just do *kanyeshrug*
16 "I'm Out," Ciara ft. Nicki Minaj
FINALLY she does a proper dance club banger that doesn't make me want to tear my hair out. The video is rather cute, Nicki continues to prove she's a fantastic feature artist and I sorta just love the whole feel and message of the song.
15 "People Like Us," Kelly Clarkson
I feel like Kells, while amazing as a vocalist, overpowers such a song. It's a good song and hey, we can always use another "We R Who We R" song but it feels a bit too forced from her. Hence it making it to the guilty list. Well, that and the fact the spoken word spot is annoying.
14 "Dancing Queen," Crayon Pop
OK, lets get a couple things straight:
1) "Bar Bar Bar" is horrible
2) Their whole bicycle helmet look is obnoxious
3) How the hell did they go from looking like adult women in their performances for "Bing Bing" and this to nine year olds styling them now. I'm not asking them to be Nine Muses, but hell Girls Generation look close to their age even when they pull the whole cutey girl nonsense.
4) Did you know the youngest member is 22? And the oldest is 25? WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE THIS?!?!?!
5) Is it me, or are they all sounding sharp for no reason?
But this song is rather charming even if the video is a mess and I don't understand the "forehead migrane countdown" dance.
13 "I Wish," Cher Lloyd ft. T.I.
Once again Cher's here trying to get her hands on someone else' man. At least she's considering flipping herself around rather than attacking another woman for a change, which is new for her. I'm actually sorta liking her whinyness on this track and while T.I. is actually useless on this,
The worst of my musical taste up tonight. Please note: there's more Korean to come
OK, I love his flow and his speed on the rap. And the video is crazy inventive. It's a bit of a mess overall but its one of those I tend to be really impressed with overall.
11 "Wa$$up," WASSUP
While they've gone cutey with their new song (which I like) I love the aggressive nature of the song and their whole presentation here. I actually buy the idea of them as a group and they being a group a bit in touch with the developing urban culture. Plus the chi chi bang bang is addictive. Granted there is bad twerking but why not.
10 "Gone Gone Gone," Phillip Phillips
Yay, more folk for beginners! So "Home" is a far better song there is something sweet and comforting about the song. I really like where he's going with his music but I hope he goes full out into folk sometime soon.
9 "Wake Me Up!" Avicii ft. Aloe Black
Continuing the popification of folk, we have this number. I love Aloe's voice, I like the idea of this song in theory but there's something off that bugs. But I still play it a lot, unlike his newest folk electronica number.
8 "Hey Pretty Girl," Kip Moore
I have not liked a song from Kip until this simple sweet ballad. It doesn't feel forced or fake, which is a major issue facing pretty much all the country male artists right now (please see my 50 Worst Songs list for a further discussion). I know when you look at the lyrics its just a hokey list that nearly every damn song on country radio is, but the chorus sells this better than I'd ever think Kip could do. This, as well as "Like Jesus Was" from Eric Church, are really the only bright spots on a horrible no good very bad country year.
7 "Kisses Down Low," Kelly Rowland
I love songs about lady head. And the fact that she clear gives no ish what you think about that. We need more of those.
6 "Freaks," French Montana ft. Nicki Minaj
I really want to hate it. French is a horrible rapper but he actually sells me on this dumb song. And Nicki once again saves the day by selling her rap like the rent was due two hours ago and you're writing a check to the landlord for her.
5 "Boomerang," Nicole Scherzinger
OK, still don't like Nicole but I adore this stupid little song. And am really confused why the BBC won't just invite her to sing for Eurovision. The video's a mess but there's something to this song that I suspect for any other singer it would have been a hit stateside. Or even a comeback PCD hit.
4 "Loveeee Song," Rihanna ft. Future
This is one of those I have no reason why, but I feel like I should hate. I think its due to Future, who's a waste of oxygen as a rapper. However, this song is rather romatic-sounding and I actually really really like Future and all his vocoder effects on this track and I'm really confused why this wasn't pushed harder as a single.
3 "All Gold Everything," Trinidad James
Um...I can't explain it. I just love this dumb as hell rap.
2 "Here's To Never Growing Up," Avril Lavigne
Sigh...while she and I have similar mentalities on aging (like hell am I ever acting like a grown-up) I have some many problems with this song. Yet I sing along at the top of my lungs when I hear it on the radio.
1 "Bombo," Adelèn
Here, watch:
All my double-denim dreams! Here she is live:
She's horrible on it, it's bad fake "tropical" sounding and the lyrics are stupid. It's overly hokey and too try hard. But it charms my pants off way too much. And I still sorta wish she had beat Margaret and won the Norwegian Melodi Gran Prix to go to Eurovision.
I hope everyone's been good this year, cuz we start the naughty list on Christmas Eve
Crazy Kids is great. I love American Girl too! and agree, that sounds like a Perry song.
Wrecking Ball was a great surprise this year
Wake Me Up... is not bad, but I'm so disappointed with that song, I really love Avicii, need his old music back
I love everything that Nicole releases, she's my guilty pleasure lol
As a reminder since I know some of ya'll will miss this, these are the videos I hated this year. So the higher up they appear, the worse they are.
50 "Miss Moving On," Fifth Harmony
Yes, they are teens so everything should be fine with this. I just don't like it and it feels like a clunky video with barely a plot attached to a decent song being oversung to an inch of its life by five girls who failed to understand what the "harmony" part of their name means.
And them shoving a sense of a plot towards the end with the random hookup does not make for an actual plot.
49 "Say Something," A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera
There is one big huge glaring problem with this video and her name is Christina Aguilera. While she looks fab, her sauntering in and posing like its "Your Body" and not a breakup song, especially with the various vignettes playing with our emotions (I see you old couple dying). Why is she not just standing still in a separate spotlight? Why is clawing at herself sexily?!?!
Granted, I have no idea what the other dude is doing but at least he looks properly morose.
48 "Tennis Court," Lorde
I actually like this video but lets not get it twisted, her barely lipping to the track with lips coated in chocolate frosting is not the best idea for a song about privileged kids bitching about being privileged.
47 "TKO," Justin Timberlake
I spent the whole video screaming "OH MY HELL JUST KILL HIM ALREADY!" Longest breakup ever, she needs to meet the chick who beat Kanye to death in "Flashing Lights."
46 "Downtown," Lady Antebellum
It's a cute idea. But really it's just a dumb video.
45 "Hey Brother," Avicii ft. Dan Tyminski
I....I just don't like this video. I don't like the concept and I don't think it works at all with the song, which I do not like at all. I give him props for trying something different, but it's just a blah mess.
44 "Story Of My Life," One Direction
I think I'd like the execution more if it was on a different song. The usage of the pictures from the boys past doesn't make sense with this song, which is clearly about a relationship. I'd have liked this more if you were watching a couple actors going through the motions of a breakup and maybe the guy or girl, as a last ditch effort, did the pictures all across the space to remind the other of what they had and what they could have. It's a good idea but the execution just doesn't work.
I should like the idea of turning the rave into a modern take on the don't stop moving dance contest. But it doesn't work and feels like a basic retread of most of the dance videos coming out of England nowadays. Fatboy has done better and can do better, and I'm a bit shocked he didn't have something else in mind for this.
42 "Come And Get It," Selena Gomez
While I'm aware all Disney girls must grow up sometime and do an "adult" video, it just looks like she's playing in Cinderella's old rags. The dance sequence also doesn't work at all, as it's not really lined up with the melody and the beat calls for something less rigid and jerky.
41 "Live It Up," Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull
I hate the whole fashion sequence, a designer would have lost their mind had anyone tried to pull an eighth of the stunts she does, Pitbull has become completely useless, the fashion designer and his team make me rage, I hate her lipstick and I can't make it through this video without throwing things.
40 "Mirrors," Justin Timberlake
I get what he's trying to do. I really do. But the video tries to shove in three plotlines (the old couple working on their tai chi, their younger selves living an accelerated life, and JT deciding to play in a funhouse) which don't make proper connections outside of the one funhouse scene. Further, the last three minutes of JT playing in the mirror room is utterly useless and detracts from the attempted message in the song, but that's also a result of him and Timba thinking we all want to hear two songs back to back in one entry with very little blending.
39 "Acapella," Karmin
There's a problem when the only good thing in a video is when the girl lead cut her hair so she can never do that boathat look again. The dancing is lame, the sets are ridic and I don't get how any of this connects to the song. And we'll discuss just how horrible this song is in three days, cuz it's just bad on a cosmic level.
38 "Unconditionally," Katy Perry
Look, I loved what Joe Scott did with Anna Karenina but I'm not going to half-ass a video about it. It looks worse than her perfume comercials, the editing is constantly off, the cgi "flames" are completely ridiculous, they "symbolism" is drowned out by the overabundance of it, defeating the purpose of it, the plot is confusing since we have no idea if or when Katy "dies" and joins the royal Russian court. Seriously, she should have just left the lyric video as the official video.
Second part up tonight, just in time for Santa's flight!
I really love the Tennis Court music video in a strange way
The Eat Sleep Rave Repeat is boring, but I love the song.
I really like the Acapella music video it's so fun to watch.
Agree with that boring KP music video
+ Dark Horsey! 
it's so fun to watch.