Lately I'd been feeling a bit cynical about the state of mainstream pop music. Shame on me for being so negative, I just needed to look at popjustices top 104 singles of the year.
http://popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3307&Itemid=9
Yes, of course about 3/4 of it is muck, but 90% of everything is rubbish so that's a pretty good quality ratio. Just look at some of the genius singles released this year.
The Ting Tings - 'That's Not My Name'
Sebastien Tellier - 'Divine'
Little Boots - 'Stuck On Repeat'
Annie - 'I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me'
MGMT - 'Kids'
La Roux - 'Quicksand'
Alphabeat 'Fascination'
MIA - 'Paper Planes'
Tilly & The Wall - 'Beat Control'
Cut Copy - 'Lights & Music'
Hot Chip - 'Ready for the Floor'
Ladyhawke - 'Paris Is Burning'
Santogold - 'LES Artistses'
Lykke Li - 'I'm Good I'm Gone'
Christian Falk feat Robyn - 'Dream On'
I mean for one year, that's a decent number of great good straight up pop singles. It's just a shame that there isn't a "pop" context for this sort of stuff to exist in any more with the singles charts no longer having the relevance it once had and top of the pops no longer existing.