Reading Time: 8 minutes
I’m a little late again (sorry!). Life is crazy.
This is a really special set of songs for me and I am really excited to share these with you.
These blog posts typically take around an hour to an hour and a half to write so as always, I REALLY appreiciate every read / scan / visit. It makes it all worthwhile.
You can see my Top 5 at the top for a quicker version or read the longlist below.
Let’s dive in!
The Essential 5
Post Malone – What Don’t Belong To Me
Post Malone finds his new calling as a country-pop musician on this gorgeous, warm and reflective country-pop track abundant with slide guitars and his classic raspy vocals.
Pale Waves – Thinking About You
Pale Waves channel their inner Cranberries on this exquisite dream-pop track which feels like it’s been lifted straight outta 1989. It’s a little bit of The Cranberries, a little The Cure and a little The Cocteau Twins.
ufo ufo – Whiplash
A lovely, mellow indie-pop track with warm guitar chords and heavenly falsetto vocals.
The Jonas Brothers – Don’t Throw It Away
Brilliant production courtesy of Greg Kurstin on this perfect pop ballad from 2019’s ‘Happiness Begins’. Full of punchy percussion, gorgeous falsettos, heavenly harmonies and warm synths and a mega chorus.
Addison Rae – Diet Pepsi
Heavenly synth-pop full of lust and sensuality with a sexy mid-way slower tempo switch up.
The Long List
Post Malone – What Don’t Belong To Me
I ADORE THIS. Post Malone has a raw, honest energy which really feeds into his music. I’ve enjoyed many of the songs he has put out during his career but this is my new favourite. He suits country-pop absolutely perfectly, his slightly over-tuned, raspy vocals gliding effortlessly over a warm, nostalgic backing track comprised of a driving drum beat, slide guitars and mandolins. It’s warm, reflective and vulnerable with his raw vocal growls during the climax of the song particularly brilliant. Simply beautiful.
Pale Waves – Thinking About You
I loved Pale Waves when they first debuted a few years back with ‘There’s a Honey’, but then it felt a little like they were rehashing the same song over and over. This is the first song of theirs since their debut that I’ve fallen in love with to be honest. An emotive, wistful song with jangling guitars and reverb heavy instrumentation, lead singer Heather’s trademark vocals complete with a slight overuse of that squeaky, hiccupy delivery, it’s part The Sundays, part The Cranberries, part The Cocteau Twins and part The Cure. It feels very late 80’s/early 90’s in a beautifully nostalgic way. Gorgeous.
ufo ufo – Whiplash
Came across this lovely, mellow indie-pop track with warm guitar chords and heavenly falsetto vocals through an autumnal playlist on YouTube and fell instantly in love. Simply lovely.
The Jonas Brothers – Don’t Throw It Away
I saw the Jonas Brothers live a few weeks back and had a brilliant time. I’m more of a fan of their poppier stuff to be honest and the whole ‘Happiness Begins’ album (which this song is from) is brilliant. It was fab to hear so many of their album tracks live, including this one. I’ve always loved this track with its punchy rhythm track, gorgeous falsettos, heavenly harmonies and warm synths. Brilliant production courtesy of Greg Kurstin and a mega chorus. Pop perfection.
Addison Rae – Diet Pepsi
This is a heavenly piece of synth-pop full of lust and sensuality, accentuated from everything from it’s lyrics to its shimmering synths, lo-fi beats and Rae’s soft, almost-murmured vocals. Also worth noting the sexy mid-way slower tempo and pitch switchup. Absolutely love this.
Omar Apollo – Drifting
Omar Apollo can be a little hit and miss for me which frustrates me when I loved his EP ‘Friends’ so much. Still, there’s a few tracks on his latest album which I can get on board with, including this dreamy soft dancepop track which beautifully samples chillout, downtempo track ‘Edge of the Ocean’ by American indie-pop trio Ivy. It’s irresistibly catchy and chilled out.
Tove Lo & SG Lewis – Heat
Regular collaborators, the Swedish pop icon Tove Lo and British electronic producer and writer SG Lewis are a match made in heaven, exemplified on this euphoric, sexy house track. Reportedly inspired by Kylie Minogue’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, it follows suit with a hypnotic, repetitive vibe with effortless self confidence.
Chappell Roan – Good Luck Babe!
Oh I know, I’m massively late to the party. I’ve actually been enjoying this song for months, I just kept forgetting to add it to the blog. Plus my love for it has intensified, anyway! I genuinely think this is one of the best Pop songs from the past few years. The whole baroque-pop feel, the chorus melody, the queer lyric content and the way the song’s tempo slows at the end during the line ‘You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling’ is all just perfect.
Will Young – Me Without You
Will’s new album is great and this is a highlight for me. Marrying together a slight pop-trap feel in terms of its beat and exquisite acoustic guitar-work in similar vein to Sting’s ‘Shape of My Heart’, it has a slight Latin flavour. Whilst the lyrics are a little predictable (‘Me without you is a sky without blue’), musically and melodically, the song holds its own. I particularly love the 90 second outro which contains beautiful adlibs from WIll and gorgeous guitar work.
Lily Meola – Cowboy
Another song I found through that autumnal playlist on YouTube. Many songs I love use this chord progression so I guess it was a given that I’d like this! Really love the reflective, nostalgic feel to this and the way it perfectly blends pop and country together. Worth a listen!
Taylor Swift – Fresh Out The Slammer
This is a highlight for me from Taylor’s latest album. I love its moody, dark tone, the chords and the boomerang-like melody and the comparing-a-relationship-to-being-in-jail anology. Definitely one of my favourite Taylor tracks.
Colbie Caillat – Bubbly
I’d never heard this debut single from American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat before but I’m so glad it’s now in my life! This is a light, uplifting and romantic acoustic guitar based song which captures the loveliness of having a crush. Lovely.
Remi Woulf – Soup
A pop bop with a slick bass line, space-y synths, crashing percussion and an anthemic chorus, this is a great pop track. If I’m being picky, the chorus is a little shout-y for me but I guess it works in the context of the song. A great pop track.
The Jonas Brothers – I Believe
Another favourite from 2019’s ‘Happiness Begins’ and another album track which I was fortunate enough to experience live. A mellow, slow jam apparently about Nick’s whirlwind romance with Priyanka Chopra, it’s catchy, funky and sensual.
Christopher & Griff – It Could Have Been Us
Exquisite ballad from Danish singer Christopher and British singer Griff. Utilising lovely piano chords, reverb-heavy and thunderous beats and an emotive delivery, it’s powerful and extremely beautiful. Really love this!
Taylor Swift – august
Discovered due to EVERYONE using this as the soundtrack to their August photo dumps on Insta. Similarly to ‘Fresh out the Slammer’, it’s the chord progressions and ear for melodies on this which stand out to me. Lyrically very interesting and exquisitely poetic, it documents an ill-fated summer romance over warm acoustic guitars which feel a little reminiscent of Sixpence None The Richer (‘Kiss Me’), complete with a dramatic orchestral ending.
brb. – Undo
Singaporean boyband brb. have been on my radar for a while now and I have included a few songs of theirs over the years. This pulsing R&B track has great energy with jazzy electric piano chords, a garage-like beat and smooth vocals.
tendai – Twin Flame
After adoring tendai’s ‘Tried to Fly’, I checked out his album ‘The Rain’. This mellow R&B track was a highlight for me with tendai’s signature passionate vocal delivery and pensive piano chords over hiphop beats.
Will Young – No Man’s Land
Another highlight from WIll’s new album ‘Light It Up’. Again, this is a chord progression utilised in many pop songs and is always a winner with me! The production on this feels a little 2010 to be honest but I love it, so I’ll forgive it’s slightly dated feel!
beaux – I’ll Be Here When You’re Back
A great indie-pop ballad with a descending bass line not too dissimilar to The 1975’s ‘Me & You Together Song” and warm, murmured vocals.
As always, here’s the full playlist if you were looking to listen to the whole thing or for quick Spotify previews.
the-music-box.co.uk 