Here are my top 20 singles of June, compiled into a poptastic playlist for your enjoyment. I hope you discover some new favourites! I’ve also updated my Spotify playlist, which features all the songs from my monthly charts of 2015 (or the ones available on Spotify, at least), and you can listen to that here.… Continue reading Top of the Poptastic: The best singles of June 2015
Month: June 2015
Song of the Week: Christina Skaar – Critical
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. 2015 really is Norway’s year. Aurora and Susanne Sundfør are my favourite new discoveries and among the best live acts I’ve seen (twice each), while my Song of the Week has been Norwegian for the past two weeks. Now let’s make that three, with… Continue reading Song of the Week: Christina Skaar – Critical
Future Hits: The Big Boys
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. This week’s playlist features five future hit singles by some of the biggest male solo artists of the moment. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw0LjVTuPux-sTWYtrXwNp0cE79JAlHBe] Tracklisting: The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face Avicii – Waiting For Love Kygo ft. Parson James – Stole The Show Ed Sheeran –… Continue reading Future Hits: The Big Boys
Future Stars: Sigala (Ministry of Sound)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. London electro producer Sigala caught my attention when I heard Easy Love, his remix of ABC by The Jackson 5, on Radio 1 last week. Like many others, I frantically grabbed my phone, and the track trended worldwide on Shazam. Not only is ABC… Continue reading Future Stars: Sigala (Ministry of Sound)
Future Stars: Halsey (Astralwerks/Capitol)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. Halsey is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter who I think has great pop star potential. I found her music videos and lyrics for singles Ghost and Hurricane a bit try-hard and self-consciously provocative, but as they are pretty good pop tunes, I gave her one more… Continue reading Future Stars: Halsey (Astralwerks/Capitol)
Song of the Week: Suite 16 – I Don’t Think So
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. While British boybands may be clamouring to grow up fast and be taken seriously, their Scandinavian equivalents are going in the opposite direction. The Fooo Conspiracy (think *N Sync-meets-Jedward) are huge in Sweden, and Norwegian teens are obsessed with a five-piece called Suite 16.… Continue reading Song of the Week: Suite 16 – I Don’t Think So
Future Hits: We’re On Each Other’s Team
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. This week’s playlist features five future hit singles by established artists coming together to attack the charts. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw0LjVTuPux9cRHDGPDU8MrbUL8QYMn-4] Tracklisting: Sigma ft. Ella Henderson – Glitterball Disclosure ft. Gregory Porter – Holding On Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor – Marvin Gaye Natalie La Rose ft.… Continue reading Future Hits: We’re On Each Other’s Team
Future Stars: Rachel Platten (RCA)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. Rachel Platten fits into a strange little set of artists that can have huge hits with pop songs without having any particular star quality or following current chart trends. Think Sara Bareilles, Christina Perri, Passenger and Magic!. It’s pop with the edges smoothed out,… Continue reading Future Stars: Rachel Platten (RCA)
Future Stars: Loren Kramar (Unsigned)
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. Amid the endless thinkpieces on Apple Music, this one from Music Business Worldwide stood out, with its insightful projections on how the new streaming service will affect record labels. The idea that Apple could single-handedly launch an artist without label involvement was particularly interesting.… Continue reading Future Stars: Loren Kramar (Unsigned)
Song of the Week: Samsaya – Beginning at the End
Taken from this week’s Future Pop mailer. Click here to subscribe. Norwegian-Indian singer Samsaya released a very poptastic single, Stereotype, in 2013, but none of her other tracks have captured its brilliance. Beginning at the End isn’t a chaotic, bouncy tune like Stereotype, but it may be even better in its own way. It’s a… Continue reading Song of the Week: Samsaya – Beginning at the End