20. Katy Perry - Roar
Vastly superior to 'Brave', sorry to all the girls who thought I was shading it earlier in my list! The moody guitar tone in this track is the greatest sound in the world. Amazing production.
19. Kacey Musgraves - Keep It To Yourself
Clark/McAnally/Musgraves write the best country lyrics around, and they work perfectly with Kacey's weary vocal.
Yeah, when you're drunk / And it's late / And you're sad / And you HATE going home alone.
18. Demi Lovato - Heart Attack
Oversinging has never sounded so good. Batsh*t insane song. The hardness of the verses vs the out of control hysteria of the choruses.
17. Brandy Clark - Take A Little Pill
The darkest, grittiest kind of country song aka my favourite. Almost Lord-levels of emotional devastation in this song. A husband and father dies in the first line of the song and it doesn't get any more upbeat than that as the story unravels.
16. Beyoncé - XO
Bit like "Keep It To Yourself" in how effective the weary, exhausted vocal is. The bridge is such a rush. It's bursting with so much joy and warmth.
15. Blondes - Elise
When this song is playing, nothing else in the world matters.
14. Tegan and Sara - I'm Not Your Hero
Dark yet life-affirming. So many gorgeous melodies. Feels like they're holding something back in the first choruses, but the pay-off in the final one is so effective and shows how much they truly 'get' pop:
I do my best to walk the finest line 'till I've had all that I can take. That addition takes the song from very good to OMFG ON REPEAT FOREVER. And I love the sound of the beat and how it takes over in the last minute.
13. One Direction - You And I
THAT GUITAR SOLO. And Zayn's vocals are literally from the GODS ABOVE. Such a dramatic, romantic ballad, I can't.
12. Fall Out Boy - Young Volcanoes
Can't not grin from ear-to-ear. How do they make a song that sounds like a cross between "Hey Soul Sister" and "We Are Young" sound THAT good? My lifegoal is to drunkenly jam out to this round a campfire in the mountains. Until that moment happens I have not lived.
11. Pitbull feat. Ke$ha - Timber
Ecstasy. Infectious melodies, fun rap verses, best use of a harmonica ever (soz Bob Dylan), amazing in a club. Literally no flaws.
Amazing set!
