If you had told me in 2011 that one of the best singles of the year would come from the oft-forgotten Cassie, I would have... well, I would've believed you, actually (CASSIEFAN4LYF). This song was released on Valentine's Day, giving me a greater gift than any of my imaginary lovers could've possibly given. I love that this is a song where Cassie's paper thin vocals actually add something to the track, she never reaches outside her comfort zone. Plus, the climax of that final chorus is enough to make anyone lose their mind on the dancefloor. Chart positions aside, King of Hearts will go down as one of the most unjustly overlooked bangers of 2012.
9. Black Heart - Stooshe
Black Heart was not the single I thought I wanted from Stooshe. It was the antithesis of the trashy but fun Fuck Me, in the very best way possible. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing this song in the Summer and I had very high hopes for the girls after it peaked at #3. Where would they go next? Would they rival Little Mix as our next great girl group? Turns out they released a cover of Waterfalls and had their album pushed back to 2013. But even if 2012 is the biggest year for Stooshe, at least we'll have Black Heart to fondly remember them by.
8. National Anthem - Lana Del Rey
I put this on here because, even though the demo is still much better, the song deserves to be here. As does the video. If someone were to ask me who Lana was or what her whole shtick was, I'd show them this. It sums up Born To Die nicely, while managing to sidestep the slightly sickly Lolita persona she adopts sometimes. Plus, she makes one hell of a Marilyn.
7. Lolita - The Veronicas
We may have ended up having to wait a little longer for their third album than we hoped, but what's a few more months when this is our appetiser? In retrospect, I'm not surprised this song wasn't a hit. It's too far from the safe side of the dance sound on radio today and the video is more than a little weird. I just hope it's disappointing chart position doesn't result in Life On Mars becoming an album full of the pop rock of their debut. Lolita was a progression for the girls, I don't want to see them wind back the clock in an attempt to get a hit.
6. Ride - Lana Del Rey
Lana finished 2012 with this sweeping ballad and it's masterpiece of a video. It may feature one too many moustaches for my liking, but it still managed to prove that music videos CAN double as mini movies without being overwrought and desperate.
5. Kiss You - One Direction
After releasing the musical equivalent of Nyquil with Little Things, One Direction wisely upped the ante with this as their third single from Take Me Home. I think my favourite thing about this song (aside from the use of the phrase "chinny chin chin") is how earnestly the boys sing the chorus. It's as if they really don't know whether listeners actually get that kind of rush every time they touch them, as if they don't really know whether we'd take them home. Don't be silly, Zayn. Everyone wants to take you home. EVERYONE.
4. The Boys - Nicki Minaj (feat. Cassie)
And now we have the second and final appearances from Nicki and Cassie in my countdown. When I heard that Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was going to be getting a re release, I was ready for another Red One produced smash hit. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right? Well Nicki managed to break it (her run of successful singles) with The Boys. It was an attempt to show all the haters that she could still rap better than any of the other women in the game. Turns out, no one gave much of a fuck and the song was eventually demoted to 'buzz single' status. It's a shame, but what do you expect when you choose Cassie as your featured artist? Was it a flop? Yes. Was it a bad song? Definitely not. After all, it has a reference to Blossom in it. A reference that rap music was sorely missing, am I right? Hopefully Eminem references Clarissa Explains It All on his next album.
3. Your Body - Christina Aguilera
I give up, Christina. I get that you had a tough couple of years. Unsold copies of Bionic are currently being melted down to create Lady Gaga's next tour stage. Burlesque was cruelly ignored by the Acadamy. So when Max Martin gifts you with this wonder of a song, what do you do? Do you promote it? Do you use your platform as a judge on The Voice to perform it to millions of viewers? Do you sing it at the AMAs? No. You perform it with a stapler on Jimmy Fallon. You know what you can do with that stapler, Christina? Shove it up your ass. For shame, woman. For shame. What a waste. Oh the humanity. (The video's a hoot though.)
2. Something New - Girls Aloud
When I first heard this song, I swear to God, I lost the feeling in my face. It was the perfect reintroduction to the greatest girlband ever (and yes, I'm including the Spice Girls). There's a part of this song where each member takes a few words of the line, like they're fighting each other to be heard. It's hectic, it's bizarre and it's one of the many reasons this song is one of their finest singles ever. Other reasons? "Follow the leader!", "I LIKE IT LIKE THAT!", "TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIIIDE OF LIFE". The video is also quite lovely. Look how happy Nadine Coyle is to be filming a music video instead of cleaning up puke at Irish Mist. Just look at her.
1. Anything Could Happen - Ellie Goulding
Do you ever listen to a song and it gives you a sudden urge to walk up to a stranger and hug them? A song that makes you so deliriously happy it seems nothing could ever irritate you again?
Me either, but Ellie came pretty close with this single. It's a song that means something different to me every time I play it. Like today, for instance. On the second last day of the year, it means "You know what, Mark? Anything COULD happen. Maybe 2013 will be the year you stop falling asleep in lectures? Maybe you'll get discovered in the shopping centre and quickly become famous as a world class lip syncer? Maybe you'll meet the love of your life while dancing to Scream & Shout in a nightclub? Or maybe 2013 will be a carbon copy of 2012 except with less money?"
Whatever it means to me, it always makes me smile. And it turns out, in 2012, there was little more I wanted from a song.
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