4 October 2012 One Direction's 'Live While We're Young' is the track that kept 'Gangnam Style' off the Irish number one spot. Justice dispensed or justice denied? While K-pop would have been a welcome addition to our story of Ireland's chart-toppers, I must admit my slight relief at not needing to engage with the global … Continue reading One Direction – ‘Live While We’re Young’ →

6 September 2012 What motivational memes and inspirational quotes drove The Script and Will.i.am while making 'Hall Of Fame', do you reckon? An Insta post that says "Keep It Stupid, Simple"? A coffee mug with "Same Shit, Different Day" on it? That '70s poster of a tennis player scratching their arse, with the slogan "Yerra, … Continue reading The Script ft. Will.i.am – ‘Hall Of Fame’ →

30 August 2012 Here's Little Mix with their second Irish number one - and their last. I had expected to be featuring 'Black Magic' and 'Shout Out To My Ex' here in due course, but those will only peak at numbers three and two respectively. Granted, it's not a chart injustice of Girls Aloud proportions. … Continue reading Little Mix – ‘Wings’ →

16 August 2012 Or if you like, the music from a ton of TV ads and montages but not the ukulele one, which is 'Riptide' by Vance Joy. Interestingly, while 'Little Talks' was originally a US hipster pick in late 2011 and then a global hit in 2012—between ad breaks as well as during them—it … Continue reading Of Monsters and Men – ‘Little Talks’ →

9 August 2012 Fans of copyright claims, case law and incongruous swearing will enjoy the details of Oyewole v. Ora, a legal action taken in New York by US poet Abiodun Oyewole against the Notorious B.I.G. and Rita Ora. Oyewole claimed Biggie's track 'Party And Bullshit' as interpolated by Ora's 'How We Do (Party)' infringed … Continue reading Rita Ora – ‘How We Do (Party)’ →

2 August 2012 Today's who's-related Irish Number Ones factoid: British singer Example, a chart-topper in Ireland with 'We'll Be Coming Back', is a nephew of '80s Irish footballer Tony Grealish. I'm not aware of Calvin Harris being related to any famous Irish person, but let that pass. 'We'll Be Coming Back' is the fourth of … Continue reading Calvin Harris ft. Example – ‘We’ll Be Coming Back’ →

19 July 2012 As a lifelong pop fan I normally look for fast-acting bangers rather than slow-burning growers, so it's rare that a tune or album I previously didn't get into suddenly clicks for me at a later date. However, that's what happened for me with the first Florence & The Machine album, Lungs. I … Continue reading Florence & The Machine – ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’ →

12 July 2012 Flo Rida followed at number one by Will.i.am: no doubt my enthusiasm is leaping off the screen at you. A couple of months earlier, our chart-topper was the glorious 'Call Me Maybe'. Now, this. 'This Is Love' gives the people of 2012 what they want: insipid R&B-pop piano-plinking verses; the whoop-holler hip … Continue reading Will.i.am ft. Eva Simons – ‘This Is Love’ →

21 June 2012 Have I been too harsh on Flo Rida and his Guetta-flavoured sub-Black Eyed Peas output? After all, 'Whistle' has that catchy, likeable whistling hook and a lighter, breezier sound. Maybe Flo Rida has developed as an artist and a human being. No, of course I haven't been too harsh. 'Whistle' is laboured, … Continue reading Flo Rida – ‘Whistle’ →