Year: 2016

Track: SHOUT OUT TO MY EX – LITTLE MIX

Comment: So, X-Factor winner repurposed as Spice Girls de-nous-jours via Girls Aloud. It’s alright I suppose, rather inoffensive really,

Rating: C+

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Year: 2015

Track: WHAT DO YOU MEAN – JUSTIN BIEBER

Comment: Ahh Bieber, a classic can you separate the artist from their art problem. In this case it’s not a problem, because the art is just as tedious as the artist. What do you mean Justin ? Really?

Rating: C-

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Year: 2014

Track: ALL ABOUT THAT BASS – MEGHAN TRAINOR

Comment: I know a lot of people are going to disagree, but think this is okay. It’s quirky, a little tongue in cheek with a body- positive-girl-power-y lyric. Nothing wrong with that.

Rating: B

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Year: 2013

Track: COUNTING STARS – ONEREPUBLIC
Comment: I enjoyed that. It trundles along very nicely, with a catchy acapella bit at the end. Good

Rating: A-

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Year: 2012

Track: SWEET NOTHING – CALVIN HARRIS/FLORENCE WELCH

Comment: Ms Welch seems to hold her own here much better than Rihanna did in the last one. My ability to predict the drop is getting better, and still not my cup of tea.

Rating: C+

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Year: 2011

Track: WE FOUND LOVE – RIHANNA FT CALVIN HARRIS

Comment: I can see that it’s very well done, but it seems more like Calvin Harris ft Rihanna than as billed. Spent most of the time trying to predict when the drop was going to come. Not really my cup of tea.

Rating: C

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Year: 2010

Track: FORGET YOU – CEE LO GREEN

Comment: Beginning of the Bruno Mars/Mark Ronson-ing of pop music. Still sounds fresh and very enjoyable.

Rating: A-

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Year: 2009

Track: BAD BOYS – ALEXANDRA BURKE FEAT. FLO RIDA

Comment: Competent. Slick. Safe. A bit boring.

Rating: C

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Year: 2008

Track: SO WHAT – PINK

Comment: To be honest I’d hoped for better from Ms Pink. The playground riff and the curiously detached vocal despite the slightly self absorbed content of the lyric. Merely OK.

Rating: C+

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Year: 2007

Track: ABOUT YOU NOW – SUGABABES

Comment: Sugababes v2 still plugging on. Still competently and rather showily produced, but the law of diminishing returns has hit hard here

Rating: C

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