My top picks: The best singles of 2012
The year 2012 was a great year in pop music. Although dance (and dance-like songs) still ruled the charts, this year also saw the re-emergence of other genres — RnB saw a boost with Frank Ocean, The Weeknd and Miguel, while the success of Carly Rae Jepsen and Ellie Goulding allowed more traditional pop music to be in the forefront once again.
Before we welcome 2013, here’s my list of the top 21 singles of 2012. Last year, I listed my top 11, but there were lots of great songs this year that I had to expand my list to 21.
21 – “Your Body” – Christina Aguilera
Aguilera’s ‘comeback’ didn’t exactly happen, but I still loved this flop. Reminiscent of Aguilera’s Dirty era, “Your Body” is a filthy, fun pop song.
20 – “Where Have You Been” – Rihanna
Although it sounds like “We Found Love” part 2, Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been” is an instant classic. With Ester Dean, Dr. Luke, and Calvin Harris all having a hand at this song, it’s no wonder radio ate this up. The lyrics and the infectious instrumental breaks are irresistible.
19 – “Never Close Our Eyes” – Adam Lambert
I’m still confused why Lambert’s sophomore album flopped, but that doesn’t change the fact that he had some awesome tunes. “Never Close Our Eyes” has a concept most of us are familiar with — it’s about dancing the night away because life is short — but Lambert’s unique vocals and confident delivery really did it for me.
