Top ten songs of the month

It's been an amazing few weeks for pop...

McLovin

First up, I just want to say 'apols' to Craig for my lack of McSpyMusic action the past couple of months. I hope this post somehow makes up for it. Second, one of the reasons I haven't written many reviews is that I'm in love with so many songs at the moment, it's been impossible trying to choose which one to concentrate on. So here's my top ten songs of the past few weeks, which have managed to make Gotye's rein of terror feel like a distant memory...

10. Rita Ora feat Tinie Tempah - 'RIP'

I haven't decided if I prefer this one or 'How We Do (Party)', but seeing as the UK are getting this one first, I'll 'plump' for this. Tinie's Borders bookshop joke makes me smile every time (lame, I know), while Rita Ora is clearly the best thing that's come out of pop this year.

9. Scissor Sisters - 'Only The Horses'

Calvin Harris continues on his quest to become the most sought after producer since The Guetta, and the Sisters makes their best comeback single since, well, their last one. Which was amazing. 

8. Madonna feat Nicki Minaj - 'I Don't Give A'

'MDNA' feels harder work than it really should be (although I knew what I was letting myself in for when I bought the double-disc deluxe edition). But this is a bit more interesting than the other album tracks. I love the middle eight bit where she goes 'I tried to be a good girl' through to Nicki's rapping 'There's only one Queen, and that's Madonna. BITCH!'. 

7. Nicki Minaj - 'Pound The Alarm'

Speaking of Nicki, 'Pound The Alarm' makes me feel giddy and woozy and slightly nauseous and my ears hurts when I listen to it too much which is ALL OF THE TIME. 

6. Justin Bieber - 'Boyfriend'

I didn't really find the high standard of 'Boyfriend' that surprising, seeing as some of the album tracks on his Christmas album were so good. However, I am aware that I was the only person who bought it in the UK, so it's nice that people are talking about a song of his rather than his dodgy driving or new haircut for a change. 

5. Jennifer Lopez feat Pitbull (of course) - 'Dance Again'

I like this a lot more than 'Get On The Floor', the pre-chorus is Abbaesque in all the right ways, and even the Pitbull rap I find endearing. (The second one, not the first one where's he's all 'oh your girl only goes one way does she now?'. Shut up Pitbull.) 

4. Conor Maynard - 'Can't Say No'

I was thinking the other day about how music history might have been so different if, say, Craig David had travelled into the future, stolen this song off Conor, and released this instead of 'What's Your Flava?' as his second album comeback single. He'd probably have messed it up with the follow-up, but still, this would have rocked 2002's world. 

3. The Saturdays - '30 Days' 

I didn't think much of this at first, but with each play it reveals a subtle depth and warmth that was lacking on some of their last album's 'oh will this do?' attitude (although I still reckon 'White Lies' should have been a single). 

2. Carly Rae Jepsen - 'Call Me Maybe'

Shock! Carly isn't at the top! Well okay, 'Call Me Maybe' is clearly incredible and will probably end up as my favourite song of the year, but for the time being I thought someone else deserved a turn at Number One. 

1. Cheryl - 'Call My Name'

I know Craig isn't convinced yet, and I've only listened to it three or four times so far. But I've been humming the chorus all weekend, and it clicked with me in a way a song hasn't since, well Carly Rae Jepsen. So not long really, but for the time being 'Call My Name' sneaks into pole position. Calvin's done it again. 

(EDIT:  I really like the new Nelly Furtado song too.)