Paula Abdul - Here For The Music
The haters were out in force when Paula unleashed this delectable ditty on the world. Yes, it may be just a Kylie reject, but it's still good, and it's Paula! It's been a busy year year for Miss Abdul from hosting the worst VH1 Divas ever to quitting American Idol (I pray not to start a career presenting TV shows). Lets hope she's got an album in store for 2010.
Alphabeat - The Spell
I think it's fair to say The Spell didn't do very well, but this kind 90's retro dance/pop is right up my alley.
Roisin Murphy - Orally Fixated
I thought she'd lost the plot when this appeared on my the front page of my favourite daily read, The Guardian. But Roisin is merely raising the bar for electro queens everywhere!
La Toya Jackson - Home
Toy's tasteful tribute to her late brother was her first UK release since 1988! Fingers crossed it makes a chart one day soon, can I see a pig flying....
Hahahaha I love this, perhaps more for the sentiment than the questionable quality of the music. A welcome return.
I wish Shakira would do a full on disco album one of the days, this is almost there and is one of her best! Like the video too.
Teena Marie & Faith Evans - Can't Last A Day
Not a UK single sadly, but a US one at least, and a great duet between two distinctive vocalists. Perhaps the most soulful song on my list and one of the best. Teena is coming to the UK at the end of January for a show in London, I saw her in Phlly this summer and she was wonderful.
I think I first heard this when I saw Kelly headline the Love Music Hate Racism festival and I think it's brilliant. Uplifting dance music at it's best!
Martina McBride - Ride (Lenny B Radio Edit)
Country singers generally have great voices but more often than not they don't embrace the dancefloor, Martina is one of my favourites and Ride is a great positive track that I just can't resist it, in particular the Lenny B Mix!
Saint Etienne - Method Of Modern Love
This piece of plastic-pop perfection is just lovely, after lead singer Sarah Cracknell did that revolting Lloyds Bank cash-in single I feared the worst, but this is a great track! Such a shame it did quite badly.
Madonna - Celebration
I just love this! After her embarrassing foray into hip hop hell, Madge really delivered on this one. I hate the awful version in the video, it's all about the album version for me. I got to see the Hard Candy tour in London too and lets just say the TV version had some major work done on it, by ears bled.
Ain't no one got nothin' on Whitney, X-Factor performance aside this was brilliance, Whitney fans weren't overly keen on her 'taster' single Didn't Know My Own Strength so this disco gem was wheeled out and became a big hit re-establishing her as the queen that we all know she is. I have tickets to see her live next year and I cannot wait. It's based on a Loleatta Holloway song.
So much better than 'Remedy', this was her first chart hit and although I find her very boring I really like this, it's all about the chorus.
Wynonna Judd - Sing (Pete Hammond Mix)
I have a soft spot for Country music queens trying to cross over and this just sucked me in, 80's master mixer Pete Hammond really goes to town on this uplifting tune, sadly it didn't get a commercial release, but there was a promo with more mixes on it - worth checking out.
Bananarama - Love Comes
This was so good, electro-pop at its best with a catchy chorus, but in the ageist world of contemporary pop we all know that's not nearly enough - to the 20 people that bought it this is a true gem! I was lucky enough to see them live this summer.
Beverley Knight - In Your Shoes
"Get yourself a life and make it work!" Chants Bev on her funky single 'In Your Shoes' which samples Orange Juice's 80's hit 'Rip It Up' to great effect. Sadly this flopped hard, but it's in great company on this blog. I think the album version is the best but the single version is pretty hot too, although I could do without Chipmunk.
Lady Gaga - Pokerface
Gaga is absolutely amazing so it is hard to pick a favourite from Just Dance, Love Game, Bad Romance, and Pokerface, which were all hits this year, but the latter perhaps just clinches it for me. A great track from a great pop act. 2009 would have been deadly dull without her outfits and out there performances.
Janet Jackson - Make Me
In the great tradition of Janet singles you can barely make out the lyrics in places, probably a good thing, as this seems like a breath of fresh air after years of Miss Jackson banging on about her nether regions. Currently straddling the top of the Billboard Dance/Club Chart, Make Me is funky and fun and a welcome addition to any playlist. Sadly it flopped in the UK even after her X Factor performance, but who cares! This is one to get, and it can be found on Janet's 'The Best' CD.
