5 Seconds Of Summer – ‘She Looks So Perfect’

27 March 2014 The reference to American Apparel underwear in the chorus of 'She Looks So Perfect' hasn't aged well. Many fans of 5 Seconds Of Summer have surely grown out of them too. (The band, I mean, not the underwear.) Still, 5SOS continue to release new music, and back in 2014 they found considerable … Continue reading 5 Seconds Of Summer – ‘She Looks So Perfect’

Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones – ‘I Got U’

20 March 2014 Our previous 2014 number one, 'Rather Be' by Clean Bandit, included a feature credit for then-unknown guest vocalist Jess Glynne that effectively launched her career. However, the vocalist on DJ-producer Duke Dumont's 'I Got U', Kelli-Leigh, doesn't get a feature credit - that goes to the other DJ-producer here, Jax Jones. Now, … Continue reading Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones – ‘I Got U’

Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne – ‘Rather Be’

20 February 2014 On the basis of 'Rather Be' and most of their subsequent singles, Clean Bandit's artistic vision seems to be: what if every uplifting dancefloor pop hit aspired to the state of the University Challenge theme tune? This is an understandable worldview, I grant you, when your group was formed at Jesus College, … Continue reading Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne – ‘Rather Be’

Pharrell Williams – ‘Happy’

2 January 2014 The last time we saw family-friendly Pharrell here before this soundtrack hit from all-ages cartoon Despicable Me 2 was a mere six months earlier as randy player Pharrell on consent-bemoaning anthem 'Blurred Lines' with Robin Thicke, whose cartoon would be Despicable #MeToo. Here in 2024, I doubt we'd be so ready to … Continue reading Pharrell Williams – ‘Happy’

Lily Allen – ‘Somewhere Only We Know’

21 November 2013 They said it couldn't be done. However, on a TV commercial just now I've heard a sad cover version of the ultimate '90s dayglo Eurodance banger, 2 Unlimited's 'No Limits'. I think it was an ad for some telecommunications product and its generous user tariff, hence the connection. (Correction: it's actually for … Continue reading Lily Allen – ‘Somewhere Only We Know’

Eminem ft. Rihanna – ‘The Monster’

7 November 2013 Even though the year was dominated by 'Blurred Lines', 2013 couldn't pass without the O.G. crassness of Eminem. His singles this year include 'Berzerk' (with sexist slurs and a cheap diss of a female celebrity), 'Survival' (sexist slurs) and 'Rap God' (homophobic slurs and a cheap diss of a female celebrity), all … Continue reading Eminem ft. Rihanna – ‘The Monster’