bradluen.substack.com/p/semipop-li...
42. CMAT: "The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station"
Ireland 2025
"My Singapore-style fried rice:
Put ½ a tablespoon of olive oil into the hot pan"
yeah I'm gonna stop you there, Jamie
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTWg...
42. CMAT: "The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station"
Ireland 2025
"My Singapore-style fried rice:
Put ½ a tablespoon of olive oil into the hot pan"
yeah I'm gonna stop you there, Jamie
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTWg...
41. Wet Leg: "Chaise Longue"
UK 2021
alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd9j...
41. Wet Leg: "Chaise Longue"
UK 2021
alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong alldaylong
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd9j...
40. Corook: "They!"
USA 2025
Look, I'm not saying that Corook being the only artist to get two of my top 50 means I think they've had a musically better decade than, say, K. Lamar or B. Eilish (who got none.) They're probably on a par at best
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoTG...
40. Corook: "They!"
USA 2025
Look, I'm not saying that Corook being the only artist to get two of my top 50 means I think they've had a musically better decade than, say, K. Lamar or B. Eilish (who got none.) They're probably on a par at best
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoTG...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8eR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8eR...
39. Dj Kawest, T-Gui, T-Will: "Konpa Paradise 2"
France/Guadeloupe/Martinique 2024
The most audacious opening ten seconds of any song this decade. Seconds fifteen to twenty-five, when the keyboard part fully vests, are nearly as good.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWIe...
39. Dj Kawest, T-Gui, T-Will: "Konpa Paradise 2"
France/Guadeloupe/Martinique 2024
The most audacious opening ten seconds of any song this decade. Seconds fifteen to twenty-five, when the keyboard part fully vests, are nearly as good.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWIe...
Howlin' Wolf (1962)
How do you follow perhaps the GOAT blues LP? With your SEXFUNK record obvs. Wolf/Dixon/Sumlin etc. spin tales of fluids being drunk by the spoonful, modest-sized cocks causing ruckuses, back doors well you see where this is going.
Howlin' Wolf (1962)
How do you follow perhaps the GOAT blues LP? With your SEXFUNK record obvs. Wolf/Dixon/Sumlin etc. spin tales of fluids being drunk by the spoonful, modest-sized cocks causing ruckuses, back doors well you see where this is going.
Howlin' Wolf (1962)
How do you follow perhaps the GOAT blues LP? With your SEXFUNK record obvs. Wolf/Dixon/Sumlin etc. spin tales of fluids being drunk by the spoonful, modest-sized cocks causing ruckuses, back doors well you see where this is going.
38. Rosé & Bruno Mars: "Apt."
South Korea/USA/technically NZ 2024
For a year I've been puzzling over whether "apateuapateu" is five syllables or six. Currently I think it's five and a third, so I hope they didn't overpay "Mickey"'s writers.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8WE...
38. Rosé & Bruno Mars: "Apt."
South Korea/USA/technically NZ 2024
For a year I've been puzzling over whether "apateuapateu" is five syllables or six. Currently I think it's five and a third, so I hope they didn't overpay "Mickey"'s writers.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8WE...
37. Duke Deuce, Lil Yachty, Turnt Lil Thadd: "Crunk Ain't Dead Mob"
USA 2020
Things I wish there'd been more of in 2020s rap: crunk; unison chanting; finding solidarity in survival; spelling things; jumping around in shopping mall food courts.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_cB...
37. Duke Deuce, Lil Yachty, Turnt Lil Thadd: "Crunk Ain't Dead Mob"
USA 2020
Things I wish there'd been more of in 2020s rap: crunk; unison chanting; finding solidarity in survival; spelling things; jumping around in shopping mall food courts.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_cB...
36. Sabrina Carpenter: "Please Please Please"
USA 2024
The nerd Antonoff: I polished up the arpeggios real nice, w-will you go to the prom with me
The chad Bunetta: I literally used the same sample pack as "Say So"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF1N...
36. Sabrina Carpenter: "Please Please Please"
USA 2024
The nerd Antonoff: I polished up the arpeggios real nice, w-will you go to the prom with me
The chad Bunetta: I literally used the same sample pack as "Say So"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF1N...
35. Ina Colada: "Komplett am Arsch"
Germany 2020
Luke Combs and Gmac Cash lose out on the Covidsong slot to this Partyschlager singer I am the only person whom Chuck Eddy convinced to listen to. Wir sind komplett am Arsch, doch wir leben!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKc4...
35. Ina Colada: "Komplett am Arsch"
Germany 2020
Luke Combs and Gmac Cash lose out on the Covidsong slot to this Partyschlager singer I am the only person whom Chuck Eddy convinced to listen to. Wir sind komplett am Arsch, doch wir leben!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKc4...
34. Mariah the Scientist: "2 You"
USA 2021
That I haven't got anything out of her subsequent run as an actual star/gossip column regular doesn't detract from how pretty and balanced this is. Sure was beautiful, now I lay it in the grave.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwNO...
34. Mariah the Scientist: "2 You"
USA 2021
That I haven't got anything out of her subsequent run as an actual star/gossip column regular doesn't detract from how pretty and balanced this is. Sure was beautiful, now I lay it in the grave.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwNO...
Mahotella Queens
Adrianne Lenker
Olivia Rodrigo
Megan Moroney
Doechii
Victoria Monét
Matana Roberts
Elizabeth Nelson (of the Paranoid Style)
Jane Remover/leroy
Edna Martinez
Ano
Poppy
BabyMetal
Hanabie
Shakira
Broken By The Scream
Ava Max
Aespa
Halsey
F5ve
Gillian Welch
Lana Del Rey
Cassandra Jenkins
Jessica Pratt
Weyes Blood
Tamara Lindeman
Elizabeth Fraser
Beth Gibbons
Katie Crutchfield
Elizabeth Fraser
#musicsky
Mahotella Queens
Adrianne Lenker
Olivia Rodrigo
Megan Moroney
Doechii
Victoria Monét
Matana Roberts
Elizabeth Nelson (of the Paranoid Style)
Jane Remover/leroy
Edna Martinez
33. Zuchu: "Amanda"
Not from Uganda or Rwanda, she's from TANZANIA, 2025
Late change to accommodate the breakout hit of the poll!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9f4...
33. Zuchu: "Amanda"
Not from Uganda or Rwanda, she's from TANZANIA, 2025
Late change to accommodate the breakout hit of the poll!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9f4...
32. Baby Queen: "Buzzkill"
South Africa/UK 2020
So Olivia must've had her former support act in mind when she & Nigro wrote "Get Him Back!", right? Not shocking that keying his car was much more streamable than partying with your self-loathing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYQM...
32. Baby Queen: "Buzzkill"
South Africa/UK 2020
So Olivia must've had her former support act in mind when she & Nigro wrote "Get Him Back!", right? Not shocking that keying his car was much more streamable than partying with your self-loathing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYQM...
31. Sho Madjozi: "Chalé"
South Africa 2023
Never got over the fact that even after gerrymandering my 2023 year-end poll, this still got beaten into second by "Bad Idea Right?"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut3l...
31. Sho Madjozi: "Chalé"
South Africa 2023
Never got over the fact that even after gerrymandering my 2023 year-end poll, this still got beaten into second by "Bad Idea Right?"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut3l...
30. Dolly Style: "Yihaa"
Sweden 2025
If these kawaii Swedish cowgirls still have my top song of 2025 at the end of December, it'll have been a weird year
(they probably won't)
(it'll still have been a weird year)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQAo...
30. Dolly Style: "Yihaa"
Sweden 2025
If these kawaii Swedish cowgirls still have my top song of 2025 at the end of December, it'll have been a weird year
(they probably won't)
(it'll still have been a weird year)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQAo...
patch.com/new-york/min...
patch.com/new-york/min...
29. Iris DeMent: "Goin' Down to SIng in Texas"
USA 2020
Another ISC strike, but worth it for one of the great living folk singers shouting out the Squad and (even more surprisingly) the Chicks. Good day for a pro-Muslim, anti-war criminal song!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfwz...
29. Iris DeMent: "Goin' Down to SIng in Texas"
USA 2020
Another ISC strike, but worth it for one of the great living folk singers shouting out the Squad and (even more surprisingly) the Chicks. Good day for a pro-Muslim, anti-war criminal song!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfwz...
28. Tommy Womack: "Call Me Gary"
USA 2021
Finally, a (double non-complying) old white guy & a guitar!
With a song about the long-term fallout of church abuse!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr2d...
28. Tommy Womack: "Call Me Gary"
USA 2021
Finally, a (double non-complying) old white guy & a guitar!
With a song about the long-term fallout of church abuse!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr2d...
bradluen.substack.com/p/semipop-li...
bradluen.substack.com/p/semipop-li...