I’m offering a palate cleanser today—let’s talk about perfect pop songs. There are other perfect songs in other genres and just overall, but for now let’s narrow it down to pop music. And here I mean music that is/was widely played, regardless of genre. I’ll take another cut at it in a future post.
In no particular order:
Play That Funky Music White Boy by Wild Cherry
This song came up recently while I was playing trivia. Everyone immediately began singing it.
The Rubberband Man by The Spinners
I love the bass line of that song.
Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor
I generally think of pop songs as peppy and boppy, but that one definitely belongs on this list.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
What a voice, and what a great song.
Unbreak My Heart by Toni Braxton
Another sad ballad, but lush and with her incredible vocal.
Raspberry Beret by Prince
Prince at his poppy best, and the bass line is so much like the sound in Rubberband Man.
And 2 songs from my youth that started my love of pop music. First, I Think I Love You by The Partridge Family:
I really loved this song.
And to close this list, the first single–the first record, actually–I ever owned: The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace:
There are so many other songs to listen to but I’ll save that for another time. I’ll close with this favorite, though:
Two songs that I was recently introduced to, though I missed them when they came out years ago: “That’s Not My Name” by the Ting Tings, and “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye w/Kimbra.
Two viciously well-done songs with lyrics and sound that mesh well together. I wasn’t listening to pop in the early aughts and missed both.
i had heard Somebody and agree. I had not heard TNMY and what I love about it is the use of a Lindy Hop/swing/jitterbug tune. I was thinking of eventually doing a post about that style still produces infections music (TSwift’s Shake it Off, Pharrell’s Happy, etc.) and i will include it then. thanks!
Love the list. Two recent ones I like a lot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH9gepcjwzg
Great album cover for an record named “Jaguar” btw. I’ve noticed pop music is gaining inspiration from pop music of our past, and this song has a 70s soul vibe to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV1-GJJf2Pg
In keeping with pop being inspired by music from the past – this song harkens back to the 90s (note the Sunny Came Home reference in the beginning). While this band is more indie rock, their fanbase is insanely dedicated (this song is a good example of why) and 2023 was quite a year for these three incredibly talented female songwriters.
thanks for those–i like them. I saw boygenius on SNL earlier this season. good stuff.
I tend to sing along with Raspberry Beret as “Raspberry parfait, the kind you buy at a Dairy Queen store”
I like them all, with the exception of “The Night Chicago Died”, which I hate with a passion.
fair enough, lol
A couple of suggestions: You Make My Dreams Come True by Daryl Hall and John Oats; Year of the Cat by Al Stewart.
yes to both. I’ll have to try another cut of this theme another time.