If you don't like this record you don't actually like pop music...

[DrGreggles]

Girls Aloud - Biology

Terrific pop song. Or bits of 4 other songs put together to make a terrific pop song.
Either way it works.

[DrGreggles]

I'm making a playlist from these, by the way, as I seem to own most of them (well done me) and I think it could soundtrack a long drive I have to make at the weekend.

Only 3 so far that wouldn't make the cut.

[rue the polywhirl]

Most of the songs in this thread so far are a bit rubbish to be honest.

Video Killed The Radio Star by the Buggles is a magnormously magnifique pop masterpiece for all of time and I'm 100% certain that everyone agrees.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

While I appreciate that She Makes Me Laugh by The Monkees is Rivers Cuomo self-consciously aping (ho-ho) the perfect '60s pop sound of the prefabricated four with a certain degree of irony, that doesn't detract from its brilliance. It's such an irresistible pop song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpp-Ry2ZNhY

I also find it staggering that septuagenarian rocker Micky Dolenz can still sing like he did in his twenties. 

Most of the songs in this thread so far are a bit rubbish to be honest.

Hot take.

Video Killed The Radio Star by the Buggles is a magnormously magnifique pop masterpiece for all of time and I'm 100% certain that everyone agrees.

Well I agree, for what it's worth.

[pigamus]

Your dad would probably nominate Cracklin' Rosie by Neil Diamond. And fair fucks, he'd be right.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Your dad would probably nominate Cracklin' Rosie by Neil Diamond. And fair fucks, he'd be right.

Too bloody right. Sweet Caroline too. A million karaoke murders shall not wither it.

[Dusty Substance]

Taken me years to put aside my snobbishness and give credit where credit is due.

Me too (#metoo), but it feels great, doesn't it?

There's so much great pop music I've been discovering now I'm 40 and it's exactly the kind of stuff that the 18 year old me would have been beyond embarrassed to like.

Most of the songs in this thread so far are a bit rubbish to be honest.

Video Killed The Radio Star by the Buggles is a magnormously magnifique pop masterpiece for all of time and I'm 100% certain that everyone agrees.

Good song, but for me it verges just a little too close to 'novelty' to be considered a great pop single. See also 'Money' by The Flying Lizards.

[Deyv]

Another Nail in My Heart or (Pulling Mussels) From the Shell by Squeeze.

[phantom_power]

Of course the correct answer, literally (if this question was spoken rather than written) is Pop Muzik by M. It is also a great song

[Sin Agog]

Ah, that's great. I've not heard that much by them but everything I have heard I've enjoyed.

Family Fodder - Ancestor's Feet : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2dwRNrGSM0

Family Fodder - Sitting in a Puddle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4NMOtEXV8

Must investigate further...

Either of the two comps Savoir Faire or the two-CD More Great Hits are triffic.  The former is warped pop shit mostly fronted by their French female vocalist, and the latter has more of their later reunion stuff on top of that (which you may like, as I think those two tracks you posted were from that period).  They did a lot of recording in This Heat's meat locker recording studio Cold Storage, along with the aforementioned Flying Lizards, but I feel like Alig Fodder has made his bones over the years in a way those lizard dudes haven't.  Wish more accordionists would try their hand at pop songwriting.


Anyway, because it's the pithiest pop song that nails it in just over a minute and a half (see also Wire's Outdoor Miner), I'll nominate Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs' Stay: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Z_hskvz1M

[jobotic]

In light of the Mariah Carey mention (with which I agree), I'd add Together Again by Janet Jackson

other RnB

Aaliyah - More Than a Woman
Brandy - What About Us?
Destiny's Child - Survivor
Amerie - 1 Thing

[thraxx]

In light of the Mariah Carey mention (with which I agree), I'd add Together Again by Janet Jackson

other RnB

Aaliyah - More Than a Woman
Brandy - What About Us?
Destiny's Child - Survivor

In that vein 1 Thing by Amerie is chffin ace too.

[rue the polywhirl]

Good song, but for me it verges just a little too close to 'novelty' to be considered a great pop single. See also 'Money' by The Flying Lizards.

Bit confuzzled here. Doesn't the best of pop music aim to be a novelty? If there are no novel features about a song there is nothing for the ear to latch on to and no instigation for repeated plays.

[jobotic]

In that vein 1 Thing by Amerie is chffin ace too.

Ha. You must have posted that as I was editing mine. And you're right!

[Danger Man]

M Pop Muzik


Close thread

[Shaky]

Bit confuzzled here. Doesn't the best of pop music aim to be a novelty? If there are no novel features about a song there is nothing for the ear to latch on to and no instigation for repeated plays.

I disagree - many folk talk about pop being disposable but that's hardly the case. If it was, most of the tracks in this thread wouldn't have lasted so long. It can't just be about creating an ear-worm, there has to be that deeper connection with listeners as well. There's are loads - loads! - of songs which achieve the holy grail of being catchy and having something to say, speaking for a specific era etc even if it is in a simple, relatively surface manner.

I mean, take the likes of Mariah Carey - I don't get anything out of her work (bar liking her ace Christmas song) but obviously a lot of people are moved by the music and lyrics. Can't be dismissed as novelty, that.

[Bennett Brauer]

Girls Aloud - Biology

Terrific pop song. Or bits of 4 other songs put together to make a terrific pop song.
Either way it works.

I thought about nominating The Promise for its terrific chorus alone, but really the treated solo vocals in the verses aren't great.

Anyway, totally agree with Mud in the OP, and will add January by Pilot from roughly the same time, and Why by Carly Simon.

[Psmith]

Herman and his Hermits
I'm into something good.

https://youtu.be/DSAob1TnAvc

written by Coffin and King,so it's something good.

[Bennett Brauer]

written by Coffin and King

Too soon  :-(

[phantom_power]

M Pop Muzik


Close thread

Check out this dunce

[jobotic]

Herman and his Hermits
I'm into something good.

https://youtu.be/DSAob1TnAvc

written by Coffin and King,so it's something good.

Wrong. It's No Milk Today.

[Jockice]

Herman and his Hermits
I'm into something good.

https://youtu.be/DSAob1TnAvc

Imagine doing something so corny as rhyming 'good' with 'girl in the neighbourhood.' But I'm sure that there is some other acclaimed pop song that does it too. Think some DJ quite liked it. Now, what was it called again?

[Darles Chickens]

Can I nominate "Daydream Believer"?  Who doesn't like Daydream Believer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvqeSJlgaNk

[MidnightShambler]

The Night - Frankie Valli (or was it just The Four Seasons?)

The Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love

Dion - Runaround Sue

[Darles Chickens]

Imagine doing something so corny as rhyming 'good' with 'girl in the neighbourhood.' But I'm sure that there is some other acclaimed pop song that does it too. Think some DJ quite liked it. Now, what was it called again?

Never really got Peel's love of Teenage Kicks.  For me it just trudges on in a uniform kind of way for two and a half minutes, and at the end I'm totally emotionally unaffected by it.

[Natnar]

Physical by Olivia Newton John

[wosl]

Look Through Any Window - Hollies
Shooting Star - Dollar
Shy Boy - Bananarama
Since Yesterday - Strawberry Switchblade

[phantom_power]

The Turtles - Happy Together
The Turtles - You Showed Me
The Turtles - I'm Chief Kamanawanalea

The Zombies - She's Not There
The Zombies - Time of the Season
The Zombies - The Way I Feel Inside

[a duncandisorderly]

almost any buzzcocks
+1 s.o.s.
monkees- RSG
be bop deluxe- maid in heaven

[Jockice]

Never really got Peel's love of Teenage Kicks.  For me it just trudges on in a uniform kind of way for two and a half minutes, and at the end I'm totally emotionally unaffected by it.

I disagree, what with them being my favourite band ever and all that. But it's neither their best song or their best single. The latter would be Here Comes The Summer, which is a minute and a bit of total pop perfection. Followed very closely by Get Over You.