John's World's Top 20 Pop Songs of 2014

At the end of each year, I like to look back at the music that's rocked my world throughout...and maybe some of these have rocked yours too.  Up until last year, I'd done this sort of post for Yahoo Voices, but since that's gone I'll just have to do it here, lol.  I'm going to preface this post by stating, as if you already didn't know, that my type of music is almost always dancey stuff.  On occasion I find things of other genres that I like, but it's rare.  So if you're looking for any type of rock or alternative stuff in my list of the best in pop for 2014, then you've come to the wrong place.

So herein take a look at John's World's Top 20 Pop Songs of 2014...

#20 - Rude - Magic!

Why you gotta be so rude?
Don't you know I'm human too?
Why you gotta be so rude?
I'm gonna marry her anyway

Okay, I know I already said not to expect anything alternative on this list, and here I go with the very first tune an alternative song.  What can I say?  Throughout the latter part of spring and into summer, the oh so catchy chorus of this one seemed to play out over and over in everyone's heads, including mine.  I posted it on June 11th and you can check it out here.



#19 - Timber - Pitbull and Ke$ha

One of the better collaborations of Pitbull's career features dance singer/songwriter Ke$ha.  This one's got an awesome hook and the track is lighthearted and fun.  Check out a recent Song of the Day post featuring Timber.

#18 - Jealous - Nick Jonas

Anyone who's been following this blog knows that I love Nick Jonas.  The man has come out in a big way this year (and I don't mean closets!), and all the while embracing his fans of the gay persuasion. This, so far, is the biggest hit of his newest eponymous album, and, um,, yeah!  Check out Jealous.



#17 - I - Kendrick Lamar

OMG, I absolutely LOVE this brand new one from R&B singer/rapper Kendrick Lamar.  I discovered it on Spotify only recently, and posted it as Song of the Day just a week and a half ago, and it's good enough to be one of the bestest songs of the year.  Smooth groove, smooth vocals...great vibe!  Check it out...



#16 - Riptide - Vance Joy

Another Spotify-discovered song that I absolutely LOVE!  It's by a relatively obscure Aussie singer Vance Joy and the words just make you want to sing along.  Check out this Song of the Day feature from October here.

#15 - Am I Wrong - Nico and Vinz

I just posted the other day that the feature for this Song of the Day back in July garnered the highest number of page views for the year 2014 under that tag. Check out the infectiously island-infused Am I Wrong.


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#14 - Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars

I said it back on December 9th that this one was going to be a smash, and from what I'm seeing and hearing, it already is.  This high energy, Minneapolis-inspired funk is nothing but down home fun! Don't believe me just watch...



#13 - All of Me - John Legend

I admit that it took me a long time to get this one.  It is a ballad, after all...but there was one day at Cherry Grove over the summer when it came on and nearly everyone in the bar was singing along to every word and I didn't know it.  Well I know it now and I love it, especially the dance version! Check out the beautiful All of Me.

#12 - Rather Be - Clean Bandit, featuring Jess Glynne

Here's one my personal favorite tunes of 2014.  This one is so beautiful, so sweet, and so melodic that I just can't not listen all the way through whenever it's played.  If you don't know it, then you'd better check it out...



#11 - Fancy - Iggy Azalea, with Charli XCX

First things first, I'm the realist...

What a big year 2014 was for the Aussie rapstress (who's been taking a lot of b.s. from that other Azealia) Iggy Azalea, who first gained notoriety on Ariana Grande's smash Problem and then whipped it up on this funky, bassy jam.

#10 - Happy - Pharrell Williams

This oh so 'happy' tune finally brought some very well-deserved attention to a longstanding multi-talented artist Pharrell Williams.  This one is of a new breed of genre that's brought back some old feel good funk and was definitely a precursor to Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk.  Check out the Happy Song of the Day Post from February.



#9 - Royals - Lorde

Though this masterpiece from young New Zealand singer/songwriter Lorde was released in 2013, it still got lots of airplay in 2014.  The Grammy winning Royals is one of those songs that comes along only once in a blue moon and is very deserving of a spot on the top ten tunes of 2014.

#8 - Talk Dirty - Jason DeRulo

Ooh, this was a fun one.  A little...no, a lot...on the explicit side, but it's got that R&B smooth swagger that's so fun to jam to.  Check out Talk Dirty.


#7 - Waves - Mr. Probz

My face above the water
My feet can't touch the ground
I can see the sands on the horizon
Every time, you are not around
And I'm slowly drifting...

The year 2014 saw a resurgence of chill/lounge music, and this one lead the way, growing in popularity throughout the year.  The Robin Schulz (who I've really come to love) remix is the one that you all know and it goes a lil something like this...



#6 - Problem - Ariana Grande, with Iggy Azalea

Now a year I ago, many of us never even heard of Ariana Grande, but after this one with the oh so appropriate in-your-face lyrics and the infectious dance track, she's become a huge part of the current pop music landscape.  Check out the Problem Song of the Day Post from May.

#5 - Take Me to Church - Hozier

Here's another song I only recently discovered from Irish indie singer Hozier.  The Grammy-nominated song is simply powerful and the video is equally so.  Check out this Song of the Day post of Take Me to Church.

#4 - All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor

One of the most iconic and popular songs of the year comes from newcomer Meghan Trainor and she had us all thinking about bass and treble in a whole new way.  Check out All About That Bass.

#3 - Sing - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran was one of the most successful artists of the year 2014, and this is the one that was his springboard to success.  With the help of producer Rick Rubin, Sheeran recorded his second studio album, X, a compilation of twelve stellar tunes.  The album has earned the singer many accolades, nominations and fans, including me, and though I love the entire set, this one featuring Pharrell Williams has to be my favorite!




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#2 - Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

This one is so irresistable it's got to be one of the catchiest and funnest songs of all time!  Check it out...

And the players gonna play play play play play 
And the haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate...



#1 - Dark Horse - Katy Perry, featuring Juicy J

All the while I was thinking about this post, I was sure that I was going to name Swift's tune the #1 Song of the Year, and then I remembered this one.  Katy Perry's Dark Horse came out in late 2013 and its title is very appropriate.  It wasn't originally aimed to be a single, but its perfect blend of thumpy beats, Juicy J's raps and mystical feel simply induced all who heard it to listen and listen and listen.  Oh, what a great song!  Take another listen...


So there you have it, my Top 20 Pop Songs for 2014.  I hope you've enjoyed reading and reliving some of the year's best music and please let me know down in the comments some of the songs that rocked your world in 2014.  Stay tuned for my annual countdown of the year's 30 best dance/club tunes coming soon!

Song of the Day - Blank Space - Taylor Swift

Here's Taylor Swift's next big thing.  I'm not sure if I'm loving it or not, but it certainly seems to be making a splash.  Check out Blank Space...

Song of the Day - Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

Seeing Kelly Clarkson perform Taylor Swift's Shake It Off last night from Buffalo had me changing my plans for today's Song of the Day.  Like I mentioned yesterday, there are plenty of new songs I'm looking forward to sharing with you, including Swift's next big song, Welcome to New York, when it's available.  Since realizing that Swift's 1989 album comes our today, I figured I'd re-post her big smash, and the very first Taylor Swift song I ever bought!  Shake It Off...  God, I hate that I love this song!!!

Kelly Clarkson Wows with a Cover of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off"

I absolutely love it when singers cover the songs of other singers, especially when it's done right, and in Buffalo last night, Ms. Kelly Clarkson did a fun interpretation of Taylor Swift's Shake It Off. Swift's newest album, 1989, drops tomorrow and the young superstar couldn't have been more excited about the performance:

Swift tweeted the video, adding "Watching Kelly Clarkson SLAY "Shake It Off" is an excellent way to celebrate 26 HOURS TIL 1989!!!"  Nice!  You go Taylor....and Kelly!  Now, everybody,

And the players gonna play play play play play 

And the haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate...

Source: Huffington Post Entertainment

Song of the Day - Don't - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is totally awesome!  After digging on his monster hit, Sing, a few months ago, I took a chance and downloaded his latest X album and I am loving it!  His latest single is another masterfully written and performed song that's about a not-so-nice breakup with someone who'd cheated on him. The song is rumored to be about either Taylor Swift, a close friend of Sheeran's who's romantic connection to him is unclear, or most likely Ellie Goulding, Sheeran's ex-girlfriend.  The tune has been famously remixed by rap mogul Rick Ross (check that version out here) and you can check out the original here...

Song of the Day - All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor

First Taylor Swift, now Meghan Trainor!  I tested this one out a couple of weeks back for a posting, but because it reminded me something Swift might do, I passed.  Newcomer Trainor's got sort of a country twang to her voice and at first she might seem like a Taylor Swift wannabe, but that is where any comparison ends.  With lyrics like Yeah my mama she told me don't worry about your size, She says "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night," You know I won't be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll, So if that's what you're into then go ahead and move along, she does it way more like Nikki Minaj or Lilly Allen than Swift.

After hearing All About That Bass several times on the radio and seeing Trainor jamming on it with Jimmy Fallon and gang, I'm actually starting to love it!  Check it out... 

Song of the Day - Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

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Okay, so it's been a little while since I've played anything current, so I figured why not go with the #1 hit in the country at the moment.  Taylor Swift's brand new Shake It Off is quite the up tempo pop ditty, and the video is equally, um, peppy, as the 24 year old superstar tries her hand at being a cheerleader, ballerina, hip hop dancer, post-modern contemporary dancer...(huh?), and of course pop singer.  I've never been a big Taylor Swift fan, but I do say I kind of like this one!  Check it out...

  

Music News Bytes: Music in 2013...so far!; A Timberlake Tease; Pitbull's "International Takeover"

Music News Bytes is a collection of short news items that I follow on the Web. If you're into the same type of music I am, that is pop, dance, R&B, and such, check it out...

Billboard Mid-Year Music Awards

Well, the year 2013 is halfway over and I think it's as good a time as any to take a look at the year in music so far.  Billboard just released its own Mid-Year Music Awards, which was voted on by fans and dominated by Taylor Swift.  Here's a look at some of what the industry expert's poll found, of course with commentary by me:

Billboard

First Half MVP - Taylor Swift

I'm not sure exactly what MVP would entail, but Billboard fans voted Taylor Swift as their Most Valuable Player in music for the year so far.  I suspect that the voters who voted are pretty much the same type of people who vote in shows like Idol and such.  You guessed it, pre-teen girls.  I mean, okay, I'm not a Swift fan, so I can't really argue here, but Justin Timberlake and Beyonce finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.  Really?

Best Newcomer - Ariana Grande

With a little help from Mac Miller on her hit, The Way, teen actress turned singer Ariana Grande won in this category, further proving just who the voters are.  Can anybody repeat pre-teen girls?  Jeez!

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Best Song - Just Give Me a Reason - P!nk, featuring Nate Ruess

Yeah baby, finally something I can agree with!

Other Billboard Mid-Year Music Awards went to artist I would expect to see, given the results of the major categories.  Swift, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and the rest of the usual tennie bopper crowd that are found all over pop music these days rule the roost.  For more on Billboard's list, check out their web page to see winners in other categories such as Best Video, Best Comeback, Most Memorable Feud, Most Shocking Moment, and more.

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My Top Ten Songs of the Year...so far!

I've just published my own list of my picks for the ten best songs of the year so far on the Yahoo Contributor Network, and there you'll see much of what I like in music.  Many of the songs listed have been featured on my Song of the Day posts and I like my picks much better than what the Billboard readers, or voters, would have selected.  Check out The Top Ten Pop Songs of the Year, So Far.

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Justin Timberlake Teases New Stuff

I mentioned in a previous Music News Bytes that Justin Timberlake would be putting out yet another album in September.  Well, Timberlake recently released a snippet of a new song from The 20/20 Experience II.  The tune, Take Back the Night, is tantilizingly good and you can check it out here.

Pitbull's Gonna Rock Your Summer!

Before I ever got to finish track reviews of Pitbull's Global Warming (I'm gonna get to it, I swear!), Mr. 305 just dropped a new album called International Takeover.  It's a compilation album of summer ready dance tracks with the likes of Trick Daddy, David Rush, Qwote, and more.  Pick it up at iTunes below, and stay tuned for track reviews of this one!



Well, that's all she wrote for this edition of Music News Bytes. Stay tuned for more on music, music, and a little bit of life as I see it on John's World.

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Song of the Day - We Are Never Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift

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I never thought I'd ever put up a Taylor Swift song on here (she's just not my style!), but I actually don't hate this one.  In fact, a couple of my students were caught singing emphatically to this tune in my classroom and I thought it was kind of cute!  Swift won eight Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night, and so between that and my students love of this song, I hereby declare her We Are Never Getting Back Together today's Song of the Day.


Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back... by f1642743907







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Music News Bytes: BMA Winners: Gaga/Cher Song May Not Make the Final Cut; A New Janet Album?

Okay, so I still haven't had time to watch the Billboard Music Awards, which took place on Sunday night in Las Vegas, and so I won't comment on the show itself, but I figured I'd follow up on Saturday's post to see how I fared with my predictions, and hey, am I good or what?


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Artist of the Year 

My pick: Taylor Swift

My prediction: Swift (or Justin Bieber)

Hot 100 Song

My pick: Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye

My prediction: Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye

Top Billboard 200 Album

My pick: Babel - Mumford and Sons

My prediction: Red - Taylor Swift

Top Duo or Group

My pick: One Direction

My prediction: One Direction

Top New Artist

My pick: One Direction

My prediction: One Direction

To see the full list of winners from last night's show, check out Billboard.


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Gaga Track may not make the final cut of Cher's new album

Yes, apparently Cher's new album is all finished being recorded, and the finishing touches and final decisions have yet to be made.  The legendary singer was interviewed on 20/20 Saturday night and during the discussion, she revealed that the song she recorded with Lady Gaga, The Greatest Thing, may not make it to the final version of the album.  The blog propagaga quoted the diva as saying "There is a track with Lady Gaga, but it's very on the line right now...she may not want to be on the album.

So what does that mean?  I guess we'll have to stay tuned to this one to find out more.  In the meantime the album, which was originally slated to be released last March, isn't due out now until September.

Miss Janet Conceptualizing New Album

Janet Jackson hasn't released a new studio album in a long, long time, and she told Billboard recently that her and her team are "creating the concept and initial thoughts on the music" and that she's "excited about the direction that we’re taking.”  This is good news indeed!  

Miss Janet recently celebrated the 20 year anniversary of her dynamite fifth album, janet on May 18th.  Look for a special tribute to that great one in the upcoming days... 


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