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This year was definitely not the best year for albums. Absolutely nothing was mind-blowing. And Top 40? One of the worst Top 40 years since the pre-“Toxic” era (I still hold that it changed the game). But there were tons of excellent indie pop and below-the-radar mainstream pop songs this year. And yeah, I only did a top 50 this year, but to be fair, last year everything below 50 was a “eh, I guess it’s pretty good” song. As usual my bizarre criteria includes singles, songs that charted on the hot 100, short EPs, and songs with real music videos. Make sure you check out the Spotify playlist I made of ‘em.

1. Patrick Wolf - “The City”/”The City (Richard X Remix)”
   This should have been the song of the summer. Amazing big, driving, soulful pop song with a 90s Gap ad of a music video. And the 80s style synth pop remix is just as good. And, fuck, that bridge. Only problem: was released in January. Well, at least it survived the year, at no point being anything less than the song of the year.
2. M83 - “Midnight City”
   WHAT IS THAT SYNTH? An amazing danceable synth pop song that all hangs on the craziest sound to ever be created with a synthesizer. It sounds like an alien yelling in traffic. The “verses” start as pure dream pop, but then as the song builds towards its surprise sax solo finale, another voice doubles the hazy singer, but with loads of screaming passion. And a music video as epic as the song.
3. Stars - “We Don’t Want Your Body”
   Music video is hilarious, but a bit disturbing for all its scantily clad overtanned bodybuilders. Is this song meant to be a Meatloaf-esque argument duet (not musically, just argument wise)? Spooky organ riff of the year.
4. Robyn - “Call Your Girlfriend”
   Robyn could release each track from Body Talk as singles over the next dozen years and get a top ten single each year. Amazing, simple song, amazing, simple music video.
5. Fucked Up - “Queen of Hearts”
   Is David Comes to Life the first pop-hardcore album ever? Ultra-melodic big-sounding pop-punk taken to the next level by Pink Eye’s screamed non-melodic vocals. Does every great song this year have an awesome music video? I wish that’s what music class was actually like.
6. Nicki Minaj - “Super Bass”
   Finally, a Nicki single worthy of how amazing she is. Actual song of the summer.
7. Lana Del Rey - “Video Games”
   Not a bad choice as a successor’s to Amy Winehouse’s crown. I love how she sneers “go play your video games.”
8. Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself EP
9. Purity Ring - “Ungirthed”/”Belispeak”
   This successful meshing of dupstep and synthpop almost makes up for how horrible dubstep is in general. Almost.
10. NewVillager - “Lighthouse”
    Freaky-deek pop that was somehow completely ignored by even the indie crowds. Music video is even freaky-deekier.
11. Bon Iver - “Calgary”/”I Can’t Make You Love Me/Nick of Time”
    “Calgary” is a very good song, but Bon Iver’s cover of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” embarrasses me, as everytime I listen to it I have to fight back tears. Heartbreaking.
12. Jai Paul - “BTSTU (Edit)”
    The most gentle “don’t fuck with me” I’ve ever heard.
13. Beirut - “East Harlem”
14. Kanye West - “All of the Lights”
15. Architecture in Helsinki - “Contact High”
16. VV Brown feat. Chiddy - “Children”
    HOW IS VV BROWN NOT A HUGE POP STAR?
17. Zoo Kid - “Out Getting Ribs”
18. Beyoncé - “Countdown”
19. Jay-Z and Kanye West feat. Otis Redding - “Otis”
20. Yelle - “Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)”
    No song from this year makes me want to dance more. Also, Madeon is awesome.
21. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - “Belong”
    The twee-est name in the game takes a heavy dose of Smashing Pumpkins.
22. Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz - “6 Foot 7 Foot”
23. EMA - “California”
    For all the schmucks who moved to L.A. this year.
24. Los Campesinos! - “By Your Hand”
25. Cloud Nothings - “Nothing’s Wrong”
26. Jamie Woon - “Lady Luck”
    Not sure how amongst all the good moody R&B this year (James Blake, Drake, Sbtrkt) that this one got ignored. Don’t ignore it.
27. Adele - “Rolling in the Deep”
28. Kendrick Lamar - “A.D.H.D.”
29. Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris - “We Found Love”
30. Fucked Up (as Animal Man) - “Do You Feed”
    From the fake compilation album made by Fucked Up as a companion to their concept album David Comes to Life. They made a bunch of fake British punk and new wave songs for a bunch of fake British bands from the fake British town the main character of the album is from. This one, extolling the virtues of curry in an absurd fake cockney accent, is definitely the best.
31. Drake feat. Nicki Minaj - “Make Me Proud”
32. Cut Copy - “Need You Now”
33. Sbtrkt feat. Roses Gabor - “Pharaohs”
34. Patrick Wolf - “House”
35. The One AM Radio - “Sunlight”
36. Holy Ghost! - “Wait and See”
37. Sin Fang - “Because of the Blood”
38. Cloud Nothings - “Understand at All”
39. Dananananaykroyd - “Muscle Memory”
40. Deleted Scenes - “Bedbedbedbedbed”
41. Beyoncé - “Best Thing I Never Had”
42. Iceage - “New Brigade”
43. Rihanna - “Cheers (Drink to That)”
44. Holy Ghost! - “Do It Again”
45. Jay-Z and Kanye West - “Niggas in Paris”
46. Lady Gaga - “Yoü and I”
47. Lil B - “Unchain Me”
48. Jonti - “Fireworks Spraying Moon”
49. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - “The Death of You and Me”
50. James Blake - “The Wilhelm Scream”