For the second year in a row, I’m adding a special countdown for all the pop music (ie: anything that isn’t Korean or Japanese) I loved in 2022. I’ve slowly dipped my feet back into international music markets, highlighted by the blog’s “Global Round-Up” posts that kicked off this February and will continue into the future.
Here’s the first half of this year’s countdown: songs number forty to twenty-one!
Honorable Mentions:
Ciara – Jump
Demi Lovato – Skin Of My Teeth
Benjamin – N-Y-T / Gay
Diplo & Miguel – Don’t Forget My Love
Darren Hayes – All You Pretty Things
Tove Lo – 2 Die 4
Theoz – Det Kommer Bli Bra
David Guetta – Crazy What Love Can Do
Bree Runway – Somebody Like You
Darin – Superstar
2022 YEAR-END MASTERPOST
40. Oliver Tree & Robin Schulz – Miss You
I love high-octane dance music, especially when coupled with a vocal so searing and otherworldly.
39. Lil Nas X – Star Walkin’
Lil Nas X goes full-on “anthem” with Star Walkin‘s stirring pop chorus.
38. Alok & Bastille – Run Into Trouble
An addictive, hazy dance track with a stellar beat drop during its hypnotic hook.
37. Carly Rae Jepsen – Western Wind
I still don’t know what to think of Carly’s newest album, but this was a lush, understated return.
36. Darin – Satisfaction
The always-excellent Darin experiments with brittle 80’s funk to brilliant effect.
35. Latto – Big Energy
Technically, this came out in 2021. But, it became ubiquitous this year. That Tom Tom Club sample never fails.
34. Lizzo – 2 B Loved (Am I Ready)
This should have been massive. What a perfect pop chorus!
33. Sophie And The Giants – We Own The Night
This stylish bit of dance pop scratched my itch for early-10’s era maximalism.
32. Ava Max – Million Dollar Baby
It’s all about those stacked vocals and that swirling dance-disco instrumental.
31. Robin Packalen – Magic (ft. Maejor)
Robin continues his dive into synthwave sounds. We all benefit from this musical transformation.
30. Harry Styles – As It Was
One of the biggest hits of the year for good reason. It sunk its talons into me, as well!
29. Silence Wang – Dance Club
A little-known Chinese track that feels as if it was created just for me. I love its surging dance sound.
28. Rina Sawayama – Hold The Girl
A glitchy anthem with one of the year’s most rousing bridges. It gets better with each listen.
27. Tove Lo – No One Dies From Love
Coupled with an eye-catching, emotional video, this is perfect tears-on-the-dancefloor heartbreak fuel.
26. Omar Rudberg – Todo De Ti (All That She Wants)
A cheeky reinvention of the classic Ace Of Base hit, Todo De Ti is the rare update that works.
25. Jessie Ware – Free Yourself
In a year with plenty of disco retreads, none sounded quite as authentic as Free Yourself.
24. Sophie Ellis-Bextor x @WuhOh – Hypnotized
It’s nice to have Sophie’s arch, mile-a-minute phrasing back in pop music. This is addictively off-kilter.
23. Madison Rose – Technicolor
Madison Rose was a huge discovery for me this year, and Technicolor offers a bright taste of her excellent album.
22. Charli XCX – Used To Know Me
Robin S’s immortal Show Me Love became a popular touchstone this year, but few harnessed the sample with more panache than Charli XCX.
21. Jonas Blue x Why Don’t We – Don’t Wake Me Up
This is just straight-up EDM bliss with a massive pop chorus that aims straight for the jugular.
