25. "Russian Roulette" - Rihanna (Rated R)
The lead single from Ri Ri post-Chris Brown album is dark, moody and dangerous - the perfect way to annouce her return from a hellish year.
24. "Tik Tok" - Ke$ha (Animal)
Like Lady Gaga's trashy sister from the dark alley's of LA, Ke$ha made her mark as music's newest party girl in this Dr. Luke-penned party hardy anthem. Infectious as herpes and bouncy as a stripper's bra, "Tik Tok" is the party jam du jour.
23. "She Wolf" - Shakira (She Wolf)
It's French disco sung by a Colombian beauty, it has lines like "this is lycanthropy" and "I'm starting to feel just a little abused like a coffee machine in an office." It shouldn't work, but by some voodoo, it does.
22. "Strut" - Adam Lambert (For Your Entertainment)
It's the theme song for every Tyra wannabe, "Strut" has soundtracked my every attempt at walking in imaginary heels and gown.
21. "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" - Pitbull (Rebelution)
The Cuban-American rapper creates my favorite naughty line ("Got her in the cock pit, playing with Pit's cock/now watch me make a movie like Alfred Hitchcock") and gives me a song to sing to my boyfriend to let him know I'm in the mood.
20. "Laughing With" - Regina Spektor (Far)
Regina explores the painful reality of life, while reminding us to laugh along with the Almighty when things go wrong.
19. "All I Ever Wanted" - Kelly Clarkson (All I Ever Wanted)
Kelly may have been forced by Clive Davis to create a radio-friendly album, but that didn't stop her from playing on the edges of pop/rock a little. This funk-fused pop song, the title track from her fourth album, utilizes Kelly's powerful pipes to their full effect.
18. "Stillness Is The Move" - Solange (unreleased)
Solange samples the same source material as Erykah Badu's "Bag Lady" to cover indie stars Dirty Projector's love song, creating a brilliant old school soul jam.
17. "Dance In The Dark" - Lady Gaga (The Fame Monster)
As if creating an 80s style synth-pop dance song wasn't enough, the Gaga one drops a "Vogue" style breakdown in the middle and name checks every tragic fame monster ever, from Sylvia Plath to Jon Benet Ramsey. Brilliant!
16. "Battlefield" - Jordin Sparks (Battlefield)
Pat Benatar may have let the world know that love is a battlefield some twenty-odd years ago, but that doesn't stop Jordin Sparks (with some help from Ryan Tedder) from asking why.
15. "Already Gone" - Kelly Clarkson (All I Ever Wanted)
Ryan Tedder was a busy boy this year, producing hits for Jordin Sparks, Beyonce, Kelly and One Republic as well as album tracks for Adam Lambert. So it seems eventually he would recycle ideas from one song to another. But even after giving the same beat to Kelly and Beyonce, it was clear that Kelly's heartfelt vocals and heartbreaking lyrics created a better song.
14. "Fuck You" - Lily Allen (It's Not Me, It's You)
Lily Allen kept her potty mouth for the follow-up to her debut, but dropped the retro sound for the sleek, modern electropop of It's Not Me, It's You. But on this middle finger to the Bush administration, she sounds like a chorus girl with a heart of black hatred. And light snarkiness.
13. "Te Amo" - Rihanna (Rated R)
What's a girl to do when fun on the dancefloor turns into something more? Try not to break any hearts, even if it belongs to a girl who can only say "I love you" in Spanish.
12. "You Belong With Me" - Taylor Swift (Fearless)
She might be the hottest thing in country music, but "You Belong With Me" is hookier than most pop songs and the lyrics are universal. For every gay boy in love with his straight best friend, every lonely girl in love with the boy next door and every person who ever felt the sting of unrequited love, this is your song.
11. "My Life Would Suck Without You" - Kelly Clarkson (All I Ever Wanted)
Yes, it's "Since U Been Gone" part two. But what better song to recycle? It's a brilliant slice of power pop perfection, and there is nothing better than Kelly on her game, singing the songs of Max Martin and Dr. Luke. (Well, besides singing her own songs... coughMyDecembercough)
10. "Date My Avatar" - The Guild feat Felicia Day (Single Only)
I know it was meant to be a throw away promo for a web show about geeks playing RPGs. But it filled the Aqua shaped void in my heart and taught me the glories of cosplay.
9. "Genius Next Door" - Regina Spektor (Far)
Over a densely moving piano, Regina waxes poetic over kids almost drowning in lakes. Is it a metaphor? Is it a true crime story? Do I care? It's brilliant.
8. "Two Is Better Than One" - Boys Like Girls feat. Taylor Swift (Love Drunk)
Two is better than one, at least when those two are a pop punk band and a country cutie who harmonize over acoustic guitars and strings. Ah, I'm just a sucker for a power ballad...
7. "Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga (The Fame Monster)
It's dance pop at it's most intelligent, with forty-seven hooks and seven zillion pounds of glamorousness. If you can resist dancing, you have better self control than I. If you can resist singing along, you are not human!
6. "Whatya Want From Me" - Adam Lambert (For Your Entertainment)
It's telling that this second single from Adam's debut is a little more toned down, and little more contrite. After the absurd scandal over his performance on the American Music Awards, Adam needed something a little softer. But that doesn't mean that this song, penned by Pink for her last album, is a snoozer. It's still powerful and perfect for his amazing instrument.
5. "When Love Takes Over" - David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland (One Love)
It's a dancefloor anthem, perfect for singing along, dancing along and living. I'm so glad to have Kelly back in the game!
.4 "Dear God, Please Help Me" - Marianne Faithfull (Easy Come, Easy Go)
Marianne's whiskey-soaked vocals completely destroy the heart of any one who hears her cover of Morrisey's song of innocence lost while in Rome. The high church organs and guitars swirl around her instrument of mass emotional destruction to create the best cover of the year.
3. "Don't Stop Believin'" - The Cast Of Glee (Glee - The Music, Volume 1)
Lea Michele and Cory Monteith lead the cast of the most joyous thing on TV in a cover of the most triumphant anthem in pop history. To not love it is to admit you are missing your emotion chip.
2. "Paparazzi" - Lady Gaga (The Fame)
Love and obsession intertwine over icy Italio Disco beats on the fourth single from Our Lady Of Perpetual Fabulousness's debut disc. The fact the video is epic and the line "You're my rock star in between the sets/Eyeliner and cigarettes" perfectly describes my current boyf helps make "Paparazzi" the best Gaga tune this year.
1. "Daniel" - Bat For Lashes (Two Suns)
In this ode to nostalgic love and the Karate Kid, Natasha Khan replaces the string quartets and girl group tambourines of her debut with synths and beats. It's still creepy as hall, and the atmospheric lead single from her concept album took her detached-yet-emotional vocals to another level.
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