It’s time for my annual reemergence to commemorate the most poptastic songs of the year, but this time around I’m doing things a little differently. I decided to break out from the confines of my usual formula, and this year I’ll be sharing a top 25 instead of just a top 10, as I felt more inspired to write about the trends and themes of the year than to zoom in on just a few songs. One reason for this is that although there have been some iconic pop moments in 2023, and there were a few songs I knew would be in this list as soon I heard them, there wasn’t an obvious no.1 compared to other yea ..read more

The countdown of the most poptastic singles of the year continues with numbers 5 to 2… 5. Devon Cole – W.I.T.C.H. Released: 7th July Writers: ​John Mark Nelson, Devon Cole, Alexandra Soumalias Trivia: While W.I.T.C.H. is pure pop, Devon cites Shania Twain and The Chicks among her references, and you can definitely see the influence in the sassy, feminist lyrics of this song. She also went viral on TikTok with a witty rewrite of Blurred Lines. Best bits: 1. She don’t wanna be anybody else, she’s a woman in total control of herself 2. La-la, la-la-la-la-la, woman in total control of herself 3 ..read more

It’s that time of year again, when I pop up to tell you my top 10 songs of the year, and then disappear for another 363 days. This time you may notice the site’s had a bit of a revamp (well, it’s more purple). If you want the full list of songs I’ve been enjoying this year, or to keep up with my faves in the future, check out my Top of the Poptastic playlist, updated regularly with new releases. 10. Chloe Moriondo – Fruity Released: 16th August Writers: ​Chloe Moriondo, David Pramik, ​Jesse Saint John Trivia: The second single from Chloe’s latest album is called Cdbaby<3 – it’s unclear whe ..read more

What a strange year for music 2021 has turned out to be. If it wasn’t unusual enough that my top 10 features a live version, two remixes and five performers in their 70s, I’ve ended up with a no.1 that’s a 10-minute-long ballad. Not only that, but an extended version of a song that I wasn’t even a big fan of in its previous form. Yes, I’m as confused as you are. The fact that Taylor managed to create a song that is all those things and still so enjoyable is why I couldn’t choose anything else as my no.1 this year. It’s a true testament to her talent that she can take a concept that would be d ..read more

The countdown continues, from 5 to 2… 5. Mabel – Let Them Know Released: 18th June Writers: Mabel McVey, Rachel Keen, Samuel George Lewis, Uzoechi Emenike Trivia: Mabel says the inspiration behind this song was the New York drag and ballroom scene, as depicted in Paris Is Burning, Pose and RuPaul’s Drag Race. She captured the vibe very well, and it’d be great to see Let Them Know as a ‘lip sync for your life’ track in a future episode of Drag Race UK. Best bits: 1. Let them know, oh baby let them know, ‘cos they can run they mouth but I’ma stand and pose for you 2. ‘Cos baby you’re that ..read more

The countdown continues, from 5 to 2… 5. Mabel – Let Them Know Released: 18th June Writers: Mabel McVey, Rachel Keen, Samuel George Lewis, Uzoechi Emenike Trivia: Mabel says the inspiration behind this song was the New York drag and ballroom scene, as depicted in Paris Is Burning, Pose and RuPaul’s Drag Race. She captured the vibe very well, and it’d be great to see Let Them Know as a ‘lip sync for your life’ track in a future episode of Drag Race UK. Best bits: 1. Let them know, oh baby let them know, ‘cos they can run they mouth but I’ma stand and pose for you 2. ‘Cos baby you’re that ..read more

Yes, it’s time for the annual tradition where I re-emerge to tell you what I’ve been listening to this year, before returning back to hibernation, pleasantly reminded of my love for pop music. Over the next 2 days I’ll count down from 10-1, sharing some fun facts about the songs and why they made the cut. If you want the full list of songs I’ve been enjoying this year, or to keep up with my faves in the future, check out my Top of the Poptastic playlist, updated regularly with new releases. 10. ABBA – Don’t Shut Me Down Released: 2nd September Writers: Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus Trivia: T ..read more

Songs 2-4 switched places endlessly while I was compiling my top 10 this year, but the no.1 never changed. In fact, I was 99% sure Rain On Me would be my no.1 from the first time I heard it. There was a lot riding on this song and Chromatica as a whole when it was released. We had faced such a relentless onslaught of bad news in the previous months that the news that the album, Gaga’s eagerly-awaited return to electro-pop, had been pushed back was barely a blip on the radar. However, as the rescheduled date approached, it gained an unintended significance. By this time, we’d moved from being ..read more

The countdown continues, from 5 to 2… 5. joan – want u back Released: 18th June Writers: Steven Rutherford, Alan Benjamin Thomas Trivia: It took me most of this music video to realise that there are only 2 members of joan, not 6, and they had used some visual trickery to turn themselves into triplets. All white guys look the same to me (honestly, the number of times I’ve introduced myself to men I already know is slightly worrying). Best bits: 1. Is it bad, I want you back, I want you back, I want you baby? 2. Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh yeah, the way you called me “baby” got me feeling crazy 3. I wa ..read more

What a strange year for music 2021 has turned out to be. If it wasn’t unusual enough that my top 10 features a live version, two remixes and five performers in their 70s, I’ve ended up with a no.1 that’s a 10-minute-long ballad. Not only that, but an extended version of a song that I wasn’t even a big fan of in its previous form. Yes, I’m as confused as you are. The fact that Taylor managed to create a song that is all those things and still so enjoyable is why I couldn’t choose anything else as my no.1 this year. It’s a true testament to her talent that she can take a concept that would be d ..read more