rolling pop thread 2015

let's kick off this thread by talking about SOPHIA GRACE OMFG

in case you haven't heard it yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdsIVUuO7GM

also i feel like this totally belongs in the R&B thread but i felt like some people would disagree

of all the music I expected sophia grace to inevitably release, what I did not expect was kidz bop "my main"

oh dear

cute but not really OMFG

meanwhile in grownup rnbass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaRypcAQGps

(also possibly R&B thread but this is getting pop-radio pickup so idk)

lmao whitney interpolation, it's really good though and def better than "don't tell em"

yeah it's juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust on the line of being too much

yay i am happy for 808 cowbells making an appearance in that, this is rly what 'rnbass' has been missing for a while

New Susanne Sundfør from upcoming album like the great Fade Away https://soundcloud.com/susannesundfor/delirious/s-E2ts1

Guess Zara Larsson is giving the US dream a go, releasing Unbroken there with a new MV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-PXEe-qeK4

http://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/0ZgCXRp0oHsCdNZldCOGna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Css5daFQA

This is from last month, but I just discovered it... If we're talking about this kind of breezy dance-pop in this part of the world, it usually comes from Sweden, so I was genuinely surprised this is from Finland. Though apparently Ronya is half Finnish-Swedish, half British, which I guess might explain it... Anyway, I just love the whole arrangement on this tune, there's all these lovely tiny details but absolutely nothing extra, taking away any of those elements would diminish the tune.

Already sick of that Natalie La Rose song.

Well hey

http://trib.al/oWrjUYg

ugh, why is paul mccartney on another pop single in 2015.

i'm usually ok with rihanna's voice but it sounds like nails on a chalkboard on this. the song's style doesn't suit her at all.

That Susanne Sundfør song is amazing. I think it probably needs a radio edit to trim that first minute down to a few seconds, but man, that moment when the harmony kicks in at the end of "I hope you have a safety net / 'Cause I'm gonna push you over the edge" has, it seems to me, world-dominating pop potential.

The belated Indiana album No Romeo is now streaming on Soundcloud.

Also, Lex offered his praises amidst grousing about post X-factor pop.

has anyone been listening to rae morris' debut unguarded? i've been thoroughly enjoying it

lol sanpaku that's not me

Shit, I've been mislead by a poor memory of a passing reference for ages, then.

Ah, now I remember. Sorry for the confusion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSInGcNW-uM

This is a little too big, bold and mainstream for the Shambhala thread, but I thought it might fit in here.

Also, I am ALL ABOUT that Susanne Sundfør track. I've probably played it a hundred times in the last three weeks.

Tuomas, that "Work Harder" track is great. Thanks for the tip!

Posted this in another thread but probably deserves to go here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDBJVgIVPcs

Anybody else looking forward to this guy's album?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu1Ko02P7vk

I'm not sure which tread to put this, but maybe this is the correct one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoT8QfpOvko

Argy & Mama, the latest signing for Bpitch Control, their album just came out. I'm getting heavy Eurodance vibes from both the tune and the video (probablyn intentional), but since Eurodance is my jam, I'm liking this a lot!

fifth harmonys record is surprisingly good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m45DTO8sKcE

lol i just came here to post the fifth harmony song i have heard on the radio a few times now. i find it hard to care about most of the girl groups lately including them but it's pretty catchy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCJ3rmiZFr8

ew Meghan Trainor wrote it though

The Fifth Harmony record is uneven, but it's got a couple great tracks on it. Namely Reflection and We Know. The Mariah-sampling track is a valiant effort, but I don't think I like it.

xp you shouldn't have told me! now i can't like it :X

3 songs co-written by meghan trainor, the rest reminds me yours truly

Not really seeing the Yours Truly comparison aside from Everlasting Love and Sugar Mama. Both of those are pretty good too. I think I like the Mariah Carey song.

Reflection is the best song on the album. The reveal of "i'm talking to my own reflection" made me smile. And it's the only RnBass-influenced song on the record that is halfway decent.

Already enjoyed BO$$ and Them Girls Be Like.

Daniel Johns, late of Silverchair (!), gets all sultry on ur earholes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opTvK5fpbSI

omg omg omg

(basically i am engineered to like this)

My initial impression was "oh, he bought some Timberlake and Usher cds" but then I realized it's more a direct line towards Frank Ocean. imo at least. I like it whatever his inspiration was.

johns also co-wrote this and two other total jams from the last kimbra record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHGRNUVqmas

"But Fifth Harmony is also taking things one step further: the back half of Reflection is basically a misandrist constitution"
lol, misandry

http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6458265/fifth-harmony-reflection-track-by-track-review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7MQDULNIdU

I curse you, maura.

xp misterjoshua not in aesthetic level, but ideas...

I think you meant to put this is in the "Worst of 2015" thread, maura.

i don't think it's that bad

https://soundcloud.com/candolove/tori-kelly-nobody-love

can't stop smiling. a bit like "problem" (also produced by max martin) but 1000x more joyous. the final chorus i'm in tears

i just discovered this french duo called paradis and their 3-track EP called couleurs primaires, and it's exactly the kind of dance-pop i love: mellow, sensual, good for balmy late summer nights. also sweetsexysmooth french male vocals! their most well-known track is called hémisphére from two years ago, which i guess was something of a hit on majestic casual (lol)

here's the two main singles, "garde le pour toi:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWhR0RMcdfw

and my favorite between the two, "sur une chanson en français:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCmnx-e928k

The Susanne Sundfør album is apparently up on Spotify US / UK. Not here though.

Based on the four song titles I see there and the fact that her album will be called Cry Baby, the verdict is GUILTY OF ANNOYING ME.

um what is that song on the radio that's like Bruno Mars - his most famous one? they still play it all the time. Uptown Funk i think. i'm still forming my opinion.... i'm worried i like it fuck o_O

there are support groups, don't give up

great uptempo bouncy bass banger pop track from Nero

Nero - Two Minds
https://soundcloud.com/nero/two-minds

Seinabo Sey - Pretend

another bass heavy pop track that deserves your listening attention

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xbX5hCk9FE

going from Sweden, Seinabo Sey to Denmark's Mendoza

Mendoza - Love Druggie

another strong bass driven track (you what i like!) with a powerful addictive pop hook chant

this track first emerged in denmark in 2013, but is now promoted by Atlantic Records / Warners for a 2015 release in the UK on July 24th. I wonder if it's on Spotify US? yet I haven't seen any US coverage of this track.

soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/omfgitsmendoza/love-druggie

spotify:
Mendoza - Love Druggie
https://open.spotify.com/track/6CStdYvgAkOBkLreuAOmQu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8i50l9xhtA

So Popjustice are raving about this Grace Mitchell track, "Jitter". The song is kind of a schizophrenic mess and that includes Mitchell's singing who, at times, sounds like Santigold and other times like ...I don't know, but something very different. However, somehow it all works. It REALLY works.

Second track on this link:
http://www.hillydilly.com/2015/08/grace-mitchell-raceday/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhnC0NPl76s

DON'T GET TIRED YET
TIRED YET
DON'T GET TIRED YET

that Grace Mitchell track is now on spotify

Grace Mitchell - Jitter
https://open.spotify.com/track/3JU0hTjV1dO5iri97sz6Hg

as part of a 5 track Raceday ep
https://open.spotify.com/album/474fYqG7ZsHIPaAkHQPYEm

<3 that Becky G!

Fever High from NYC

so going through this week's Spotify Fresh Finds playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/3rgsDhGHZxZ9sB9DQWQfuf
i came across this track:

Fever High - Tantalized
https://open.spotify.com/track/65oCsBAaymBY1IsxRGjdik
released August 14th

a joyful uptempo infectious electronic pop track

Soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/feverhigh/tantalized

immediately on listening to the track: Bananarama flashed in my mind,

did a quick google search, and yep others noticed the similarity, including a twitter account:

LoveBananarama
https://twitter.com/LoveBananarama/status/632153402563276800

Looking forward to the Brooke Candy album if / when it ever comes out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg77h0ePeHQ

Lyric video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAZIyOBN2RI

this may be my favorite song of the year so far

Lyric video is not really what that song needed. Didn't realize it was so full of dated-five-minutes-from-now slang until it was right in my face.

It is a little bit in some places, yes. Trying a bit too hard. But on the other hand the line "tout le monde est jittering" line makes me happy.

that's almost like a k-pop song in how it's five songs

oof that was rough

"Break a Sweat" is cool but what I really want to hear is a remix that stretches out the groove at 3:05-3:10 for ~10 minutes.

funky electronic pop / with soulful vocals similar to Huntar / Roosevelt

Klyne - Paralyzed

spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/0I2Rf23IjDIKHsfJnYz6wu

soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/thisisklyne/sets/paralyzed-single

Jahkoy from Toronto, with an uptempo electronic R&B pop track, Still in Love - that locks into a groove

Jahkoy - Still in Love
https://soundcloud.com/jahkoy/sil

another artist from Toronto !

Bossie - There will be Time
https://soundcloud.com/bossieperson/there-will-be-time

strong uptempo pop track with a pulsating groove, stereogum throw up Blondie and Cyndi Lauper references, i also detect some Altered Images

via

http://www.stereogum.com/1825754/bossie-there-will-be-time-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

Bossie is Toronto pop artist Anne Douris. She got some positive attention for last year’s “Meteor,” a bass-driven groove that managed to be both wildly fun and deeply wistful, especially when paired with its humorous, glittery video. She’s getting ready to make her live debut next month, and it’s preceded by another excellent single called “There Will Be Time.” There are traces of Blondie in the way Bossie’s breathy vocals navigate the verse’s dark-tinged synth-bass undercurrent, but the roller-rink chorus is all Cyndi Lauper. It’s one of those genius pop songs that feels like an explosion of bright colors and good feelings.

the other Bossie track mentioned by Stereogum is down as a 2015 track on spotify

Bossie - Meteor
https://open.spotify.com/track/3snildafxwEjzbWbZ1YnWY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvueoO7JXcQ

I mentioned Madi Diaz's in the rolling pop thread last year, and now there's a new standalone single "Control". Such a thick low end! It's possible she's crossed all the way over into shambhala at this point, but I still think she's got pop bona fides that a lot of things I share in that thread don't.

...Madi Diaz's album...

why is rita ora like this inescapable fact of life in the UK but in the US she's practically a non-entity?

uptempo bouncy electronic pop from the mysterious, Mocki on the kitsune label, this track was released in January 2015

Mocki - Weekend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGmmQ69L6Ac

Spotify: Mocki - Weekend
https://open.spotify.com/track/2Wd0mlukS5SBPTbl1mZTvH

facebook
https://www.facebook.com/officialmocki

why is rita ora like this inescapable fact of life in the UK but in the US she's practically a non-entity?

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Friday, September 4, 2015 7:43 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i dunno, but doesn't this describe most UK-based pop singers who aren't Sam Smith or Adele? Rita at least has a US label trying hard to keep her visible, so far the Iggy Azalea hook is the only thing that's really broken through.

is rihanna an inescapable fact of life in the UK? if not, there's the other half of it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlARJAmytnk

New Petite Meller track out today:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/barbaric-single/id1041497958

no willow smith on thread? both of these are great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YonSeyqOn60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSVdGh3iylc

This is a quick, third-quarter reminder that all available tracks mentioned on this thread (and a handful of album selections from each listed) are being updated to the thread-specific Spotify playlist as posted. I just did another top-to-bottom sweep prior to posting this message and have revised as of today with everything that's been added since first mentioned. Subscribe if you're into it!

It's 120 tracks, over 7 hours.

Rolling Pop 2015 Thread Spotify Playlist

kinda feel like someone should mention hotline bling in this thread
i'm pretty sure i don't like it but it's interesting to me that drake is doing bruno mars and that's likely gonna make for his most marketable self.

no idea where bruno mars figures into this

hotline bling sounds to me like mars would be a more honest delivery system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfyc2YHj3zM

new tkay maidza track is catchy.

M.O.B.?

M.O.B. is ok, but I like this one a lot better:
https://soundcloud.com/tkaymaidza/ghost

Just found out about Dua Lipa cause she's in the BBC Sound Of 2016 longlist. I dig this. A lot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rey3m8SWQI

As we move into December, I'd like to drop a quick note to encourage any readers / lurkers / ilxors to post their favorite as-yet-unmentioned pop tracks from this year to the thread so that I can hoover them into the ongoing spotify playlist. Last chance for any accessible stragglers that may not already be in the lexicon.

Not sure if it's been posted in this thread but loving this track off the new Little Mix album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujbW5m9NITM

Pet Shop Boys at MAMA with f(x)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py334YG7aag

Addictive goodness from Holland:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vZ_SBbeURs

Ronnie Flex ft. Mr Polska "Niemand"

I'm really happy about Zara Larsson's success in the UK and Europe and Australia but now I hope Lush Life becomes as big or a bigger hit than the one with MNEK.

I'm wrapping this playlist for the year. It has been updated with a few new adds (Tkay Maidza, Ronya, Kiiara, Flor) and includes every track mentioned on thread that is available via Spotify's US catalogue as of EOY 2015. If I missed something or if a track comes available sometime in the future, bump here to let me know and I'll add.

Rolling Pop 2015 Thread Spotify Playlist

Is there a 2016 thread or are we just keeping this one going?

I'm really happy about Zara Larsson's success in the UK and Europe and Australia but now I hope Lush Life becomes as big or a bigger hit than the one with MNEK.

On track to do so here, and given that the song scans to me like a new and improved version of "Lean On" I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up smashing everywhere. Threw it onto the end of my ILX ballot, it's been my early summer bop

weirdly also the snakehips x tinashe x chance the rapper track is at #3 in the charts here; not exactly a peak moment for any of them but very happy to see them getting some coin / spotify streams

Rolling Pop 2016

uptempo vocal house pop track released in the autumn of 2015, riyl: Kiesza, Duke Dumont

Blinkie - Don't Give Up (On Love)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u0EYOQDPag

spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/5LUC0ft6qKTAZLWYC1qVWi

Video shot in Barcelona
http://www.promonews.tv/videos/2015/10/27/blinkie-dont-give-love-ozzie-pullin