Our Singles of the Year

Madonna – "4 Minutes"
Say what you will about the Queen of Pop, but when those barnstorming horns came clattering in you just HAD to dance.

Girls Aloud – "The Promise"
Not actually necessarily the best Girls Aloud comeback song ever, but they did retro, and they actually did it differently and without sampling a Boots ad.

Lady GaGa – "Just Dance"
This was like Into The Groove for a new generation. Bringing together Indie kids and pop aficionados alike, undoubtedly the dance record of the year.

Goldfrapp – "A&E"
Unspeakably gorgeous and rather odd. Saved the whole Seventh Tree business from being completely forgettable.

P!nk – "So What"
Not anywhere near as artistically fulfilling as the rest of the album, but an undeniably brilliant slice of pop-punk goodness and awesome breakup song.

Ladyhawke – "Back of the Van"
Those aching synths and Ms. Hawke’s own wistful vocals made this bittersweet little song one of the best underdog singles of the year.

Britney Spears – "Womanizer"
Yet again… it was a good year for amazing intros. The swizzling synths punctuated by those snare tumbles made up for the disappointment of Circus.

Solange – "I Decided (Part II)"
Not just a single of the year but probably the remix of the year too. The Freemasons managed to masterfully turn Motown funk into a veritable pop stomper of a song.

Jordin Sparks – "No Air"
An odd R&B ballad. Soaring, emotional and bizarrely structured. This wasn’t your conventional pop duet, but it was so good it was a hit anyway.

Katy Perry – "I Kissed A Girl"
Awful yet ubiquitous. No “singles of the year” list would be complete without it. It was predictable, a cheap shot and yet oddly irresistible.