18 August 2017 The most disappointing thing about Dua Lipa's 2024 album Radical Optimism was that it meant her excellent preceding album Future Nostalgia was the exception. Where she had infused the fresh and exciting 'Don't Start Now' and 'Physical' with character and energy, seemingly kicking on to a higher level and upping her game, … Continue reading Dua Lipa – ‘New Rules’
Tag: 10s
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – ‘Despacito’
5 May 2017 The 15 weeks of 'Despacito' were finally overtaken by Kingfishr's 'Killeagh' in January 2026 as second only to 'Riverdance' on the all-time list of songs with the most weeks at number one in Ireland. 'Killeagh' had the power of local Gaelic football and hurling, a folk music resurgence and a prominent Late … Continue reading Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – ‘Despacito’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Galway Girl’
10 March 2017 Steve Earle's Galway Girl was from Dublin. Ed Sheeran's Galway Girl was from Limerick. Alliteration, rhythm and other mysteries of lyric writing were probably the forces prevailing over mundane accuracy in both instances. That said, fans of feminist and post-colonial theories will recognise the trope of a western male tourist or voyager … Continue reading Ed Sheeran – ‘Galway Girl’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Shape Of You’
13 January 2017 Welcome to 2017, the year Ed Sheeran broke the Irish singles charts and they had to change the rules. It's also the year that, aside from a week's carry-over of 'Rockabye' from the end of 2016, only eight songs went to number one in Ireland; since three of them are his that's … Continue reading Ed Sheeran – ‘Shape Of You’
Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul and Anne-Marie – ‘Rockabye’
18 November 2016 Gawd. The knuckle-gnawingly naff title and chorus alone were enough to put me off 'Rockabye' at the time. Yet this was a genuine heavyweight smash: eight weeks at the top of the charts in Ireland, nine weeks in the UK, and in both countries the 2016 Christmas number one. Not being a … Continue reading Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul and Anne-Marie – ‘Rockabye’
Little Mix – ‘Shout Out To My Ex’
28 October 2016 Going by the tepid take-up for their debut solo releases in 2024-25, next on the Little Mix agenda may well be the perfunctory reunion and greatest hits tour. That's a pity. Okay, Perrie's tracks were safe and unmemorable chart-pop, but I liked Leigh-Anne's dip into garage and Afrobeat, and Jade's intriguing 'Angel … Continue reading Little Mix – ‘Shout Out To My Ex’
James Arthur – ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’
14 October 2016 Getting done for copyright infringement by The Script feels ignominious, like losing a table quiz to a team of farmyard animals. Anyway, the law has spoken, and James Arthur's 'Say You Won't Let Go' is now obliged to show in the ingredients that it contains traces of creepy pushy-guy dad-rock anthem 'The … Continue reading James Arthur – ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – ‘Closer’
2 September 2016 It throws a wee bit more trap into the pot, but otherwise 'Closer' is yet another mid-'10s sad-boy trop-house number one. It topped the US charts for twelve weeks and the Irish charts for six, so the good folk of 2016 clearly couldn't get enough of that sound and vibe. Halsey gets … Continue reading The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – ‘Closer’
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – ‘Cold Water’
29 July 2016 'Cold Water' gives Justin Bieber his fourth Irish number one single and a total of 22 weeks at the top of the Irish charts, all within twelve months. It's also the second chart-topper in Ireland for the partnership of Major Lazer and MØ in just over a year. All these tracks sound … Continue reading Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – ‘Cold Water’
Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – ‘This Is What You Came For’
13 May 2016 Nils Sjöberg here joins Bernard Webb, Christopher, Ann Orson, and Ron Dunbar & Edythe Wayne in the rank of hit songwriters who were pseudonyms of already-famous acts. While the Harris-Sjöberg writing team may have never, ever got back together for further hits, 'This Is What You Came For' at least reunites the … Continue reading Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – ‘This Is What You Came For’
