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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Year: 2006
Track: WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE – MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
Comment: I quite enjoyed that, not at all familiar with the Chemical’s oeuvre. Confident segue from a May-inspired military riff to Green Day indie and back again. Good stuff.
Rating: A-
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