2017 Into the Popvoid Year End Top 50
Quite literally the 50 most popular songs on Into the Popvoid in 2017, as chosen by you, the readers.
Brandy Clark – Big Day in a Small Town
Stewart, in addition to being an awful lot pop, is also a little bit country. Here he is on one of the genre's finest, Brandy Clark.
Janet Jackson – R&B Junkie
Damn it, Janet. Dan Poliak on the complete madness of 2004.
Inga Humpe – Riding Into Blue (Cowboy Song)
1990: Inga makes another attempt at UK stardom and Trevor Horn has had a few cowboys in...
Electribe 101 – You’re Walking
A brief introduction to Electribe 101. Or, if you will, Electribe 101 101 *has mild hysterics*
Kim Wilde – A Miracle’s Coming
In which necessity is the mother of re-invention.
Frazier Chorus – Typical
Don't bore us, get to the Frazier Chorus.
Darren Hayes – Darkness
Had it, lost it, got it back on his own terms: here's Derek on the very wonderful Darren Hayes.
Kirsty MacColl – Terry
It's one of Kirsty MacColl's greatest songs. Terry's ALL GOLD.
Jody Watley – I’m the One You Need
Category is: dancefloor eleganza. Yes, it's the Morales-booster that is "I'm the One You Need".
Étienne Daho – Week-end à Rome
In which familiarité breeds contentement.
Bright Light Bright Light – Little Bit
Ooh-aah, just a Little Bit: the greatest pop moment of 2016.
Eg and Alice – Indian
1991: the year that wanted to sex you up. Possibly one of the reasons why Eg and Alice never troubled the charts.
Milla Jovovich – Gentleman Who Fell
Film star in Moomin-pop-courtly-love-quite-good-album shocker!
Kimbra – Cameo Lover
She's just some pop star that you used to know. As it turns out, a ruddy brilliant one.
Randy Newman – Falling in Love
Probably the best record ever made about the fuzziness of falling in love.
Spagna – Easy Lady
You're a mid-tempo, mid-eighties filth-fest, I'm a downtown, downbeat guy.
Blue Pearl – Running Up That Hill
Yes, it is that Running Up That Hill.
Alphabeat – What is Happening
Alphabeat exerted a certain fascination on the British public in 2008 - for precisely three singles. The fourth, annoyingly, was AMAZING.
Jagwar Ma – O B 1
Stewart writes about embracing the new, as long as it sounds a bit old.
1970s ›
Boney M – No Woman No Cry
Conspicuous by their absence no longer, it's the one, the only (apart from the numerous versions appearing in a club near you) Boney M!
Dolly Parton – Here You Come Again
Dolly! Dolly! Dolly!
ABBA – If it Wasn’t For the Nights
A fun discussion when ABBA fans get together is "what singles would YOU have chosen from 'Voulez Vous'?" Before you know it 37 years will have passed and no consensus will have been reached.
Donna Summer – The Hostage
It's 1974 and Donna Summer, prior to becoming the first lady of everything, speaks out on terrorism and police incompetence. Wait, come back!
1980s ›
Kirsty MacColl – Terry
It's one of Kirsty MacColl's greatest songs. Terry's ALL GOLD.
Étienne Daho – Week-end à Rome
In which familiarité breeds contentement.
Randy Newman – Falling in Love
Probably the best record ever made about the fuzziness of falling in love.
Spagna – Easy Lady
You're a mid-tempo, mid-eighties filth-fest, I'm a downtown, downbeat guy.
1990s ›
Electribe 101 – You’re Walking
A brief introduction to Electribe 101. Or, if you will, Electribe 101 101 *has mild hysterics*
Kim Wilde – A Miracle’s Coming
In which necessity is the mother of re-invention.
Jody Watley – I’m the One You Need
Category is: dancefloor eleganza. Yes, it's the Morales-booster that is "I'm the One You Need".
Eg and Alice – Indian
1991: the year that wanted to sex you up. Possibly one of the reasons why Eg and Alice never troubled the charts.
2000s ›
Darren Hayes – Darkness
Had it, lost it, got it back on his own terms: here's Derek on the very wonderful Darren Hayes.
Alphabeat – What is Happening
Alphabeat exerted a certain fascination on the British public in 2008 - for precisely three singles. The fourth, annoyingly, was AMAZING.
Billie Piper – Misfocusing
The entire pop career experience squeezed into a little under two years: it's the one and only Billie Piper!
Robbie Williams – Better Man
In which Dan asks the question "Is 'Better Man' Robbie Williams' career-defining song?" Dan is American, and therefore has an entirely different perspective from the rest of us who are all shouting "NO, IT'S OBVIOUSLY ANGELS" right about now.
2010s ›
Bright Light Bright Light – Little Bit
Ooh-aah, just a Little Bit: the greatest pop moment of 2016.
Kimbra – Cameo Lover
She's just some pop star that you used to know. As it turns out, a ruddy brilliant one.
Jagwar Ma – O B 1
Stewart writes about embracing the new, as long as it sounds a bit old.
Tracey Thorn – Joy
Christmas. It's for the grown-ups really, isn't it?
Duos ›
Blue Pearl – Running Up That Hill
Yes, it is that Running Up That Hill.
Erasure – She Won’t Be Home
Look, we can argue about whether this is technically a hit or not until the cows come home but it might just be THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS RECORD EVER. So, um, there.
Hurts – Stay
The best wintry ballad of the decade.
Scarlet – Love Hangover
Not that Love Hangover. The other Love Hangover.
Female Solo ›
Janet Jackson – R&B Junkie
Damn it, Janet. Dan Poliak on the complete madness of 2004.
Inga Humpe – Riding Into Blue (Cowboy Song)
1990: Inga makes another attempt at UK stardom and Trevor Horn has had a few cowboys in...
Kim Wilde – A Miracle’s Coming
In which necessity is the mother of re-invention.
Kirsty MacColl – Terry
It's one of Kirsty MacColl's greatest songs. Terry's ALL GOLD.
French Pop ›
Jakie Quartz – À la vie à l’amour
We now return to the bottomless well that is Atmospheric French Pop.
Vanessa Paradis – Love Song
Another in our occasional "let's restart Emma Bunton's pop career" posts, this time courtesy of a très bon Vanessa Paradis number.
Stéphanie – Irresistible
You might think that to be successful in pop you need to be able to carry a tune. But as any backing singer will tell you – probably through gritted teeth – […]
Mylène Farmer – Désenchantée
We return now to the realm of French pop and its undisputed queen, Mylene Farmer. Were you inclined to put Madonna and Pet Shop Boys into a blender and blitz on full power […]
German Pop ›
Claudia Brücken – Absolut[e]
Where do Brücken hearts go? The bargain bin, sadly.
Boney M – No Woman No Cry
Conspicuous by their absence no longer, it's the one, the only (apart from the numerous versions appearing in a club near you) Boney M!
London Boys – My Love
They sold more albums than Kate Bush or Tears for Fears in 1989, but will anybody these days admit to buying a London Boys record? I will, obviously.
C.C. Catch – Strangers by Night
Great Britain joined the European Union in 1973. Perhaps one day pop will get that memo.
Groups ›
Frazier Chorus – Typical
Don't bore us, get to the Frazier Chorus.
Alphabeat – What is Happening
Alphabeat exerted a certain fascination on the British public in 2008 - for precisely three singles. The fourth, annoyingly, was AMAZING.
Jagwar Ma – O B 1
Stewart writes about embracing the new, as long as it sounds a bit old.
New Radicals – Mother We Just Can’t Get Enough
Pop: one of the few career choices where quitting early can actually do you a favour.
Male Solo ›
Étienne Daho – Week-end à Rome
In which familiarité breeds contentement.
Bright Light Bright Light – Little Bit
Ooh-aah, just a Little Bit: the greatest pop moment of 2016.
Randy Newman – Falling in Love
Probably the best record ever made about the fuzziness of falling in love.
Brandon Flowers – Lonely Town
My beautiful dark twisted fantasy of four top ten hits from a Brandon Flowers album.
Scottish Pop ›
Simple Minds – Love Song
1981 and 1982 - are they the MOST EXCITING years in pop? Spoiler: yes, yes they are.
Belle and Sebastian – I Didn’t See it Coming (Richard X Mix)
In which Belle and Sebastian turn into Dollar for four perfect minutes.
Thomas Leer – No 1
Two years prior to "Snobbery & Decay", Thomas Leer was out-blowing the Blow Monkeys with the string and saxophone drenched "No 1".
The Blue Nile – Headlights on the Parade
Niall on the 'Nile. It had to happen eventually.
Swedish Pop ›
Niki & The Dove – So Much it Hurts
Pop: expressing how we feel so we don't have to. Thank goodness for that.
Ace Wilder – Busy Doin’ Nothin’
Updating the sentiment of "Wham! Rap" for Melodifestivalen 2014, it's Sweden's Ace Wilder - she takes pleasure in leisure and believes in joy...
Karin Park – Thousand Loaded Guns
Dramatic synth-pop from a 6'2" Scandinavian songstress. Where do I sign up?
Niki & The Dove – DJ, Ease My Mind
A magnificent entry in our occasional 'Crying at the Discoteque' series, Niki & The Dove's "DJ, Ease My Mind" demonstrates why Scandinavians do pop better than just about anyone.
Who’s number one today?
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The Divine Comedy – Our Mutual Friend
We’ve all woken up in a stranger’s bed with a sense of deep shame. Only The Divine Comedy would dare set that to an orchestra.
Kylie Minogue – Turn it Into Love
Fun fact! This was probably the song that started off the whole Into the Popvoid concept. I've been bitter about Turn it Into Love's non-single status for 28 years.
Five Star – There’s a Brand New World
1988, and Five Star become a Leather Proposition.
Swing Out Sister – We Could Make It Happen
As we’ve discussed at length before, pop is brutal. Our test-case today is Swing Out Sister, one of Britain’s greatest ever groups, but one who were given incredibly short shrift in their […]
Laura Branigan – Shattered Glass
It’s almost impossible to discuss pop music at the end of the 1980s without mentioning Stock, Aitken and Waterman. For the last two years of the decade they essentially colonised the UK charts, […]
Tears for Fears – Famous Last Words
Everybody loves a happy ending, but for the longest time it looked like Tears for Fears weren't going to get one.
Frazier Chorus – Typical
Don't bore us, get to the Frazier Chorus.
Kylie Minogue – Your Disco Needs You
Question: can you have a hit so gay it irrevocably changes your career? Even damages it? Answer: yes you can. Case in point: Go West by Pet Shop Boys. Back in 1993 Neil Tennant was yet […]
Colors – Never Mind
This time last week I'd never heard of Colors. Now "Never Mind" is one of my favourite records and I'm busy inserting it into all my memories of 1985.