Top 20 Albums of 2010: 6-5

6. Marina & The Diamonds - The Family Jewels



I came full circle with Marina this year (seems to be a trend with 2010 albums). Though I didn’t mention her all that much on the blog, this album sound tracked much of the first half of this year. What initially seemed cluttered and a bit crazy sharpened into a lush, intriguing pop album the likes of which we haven’t seen in quite awhile. It won’t be everybody’s cup of tea (hell, it nearly wasn’t mine), but once it connected it connected in a big way. It’s one of the few albums I don’t seem to get tired with.

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5. The Hoosiers - The Illusion Of Safety



Wow, this year’s list seems to be populated with artists that I previously disliked or was ambivalent to. I was not a fan of the Hoosiers’ first album, but as soon as they reinvented themselves as a Buggles-esque 80’s synth-pop band, I knew I had to give them a chance. What resulted was one of the best albums of the year. It’s simply flawless pop throughout, veering off in surprising directions while never straying too far from the radio. Uniformly great choruses, too.

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Top 50 Singles of 2010: 30-26

30. Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood



Her calling card in a year full of great Marina singles. This was the song that finally convinced me that she was worth a listen. So glad it did.

29. Alcazar - Headlines



Their second Melodifestivalen entry in as many years, this string-laden disco track was unfairly shut out from the finals. Pity, as it’s one of their best.

28. Katy Perry - Firework



More anthemic and touching than I thought Katy Perry could be. Loved this as an album track, but as soon as I saw the video I knew this would be one of her biggest hits.

27. Take That - The Flood



Honestly, as much as I liked their singles in the past, this was the first time Take That became required listening for me. The grandest song on the list.

26. Carpark North - Burn It




I never thought they’d be able to match the quality of 2006’s Human, but with this gargantuan greatest hits single they came back in perfect form.

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 45-41

45. The Dirty Disco - Sista!



One of my list’s newer bands, these guys burst on the scene in the best possible way with this rock/electro/glam/hybrid.

44. Hurts - Stay



The first of several songs on the countdown from the group formerly known as Daggers. This is a big, dramatic ballad done right.

43. Example - Last Ones Standing



It’s all about that thundering opening. He found a way to make what can be a niche sound into something stadium-filling. His best single.

42. Tove Styrke - White Light Moment



The Swedish Idol alum proves that she’s the coolest of the cool with this stately electro anthem. Best thing she’s done by far.

41. Marina & The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot



So good it was released twice. This delicate, icy ballad pushes “quirky” to just the right level. I love it when it takes off at the end.

Marina and the Diamonds - Oh no

Ja, ze is leuk en iedereen moet haar in ieder geval een keertje een kans geven. Het nieuwe album heet: The Family Jewels. Ze komt uit Wales. En nogmaals, ze is leuk.

Marina and the Diamonds was nominated for Critics' Choice at the 2010 BRIT Awards and came fifth in SHREDnews' "Ten Artists To Watch in 2010" list in March 2010.

Home: oorbijter

Marina and the Diamonds - Hollywood

Hier houden wij van bij Oorbijter. We hebben het al eens over Marina & The Diamonds gehad. Dit is haar nieuwe single. Beetje Patti Smith, maar dan veel knapper.


Shakira? My name's Maria! Reminds me of Patti Smith, but much prettier ;-)
Watch this as well...

Home: OORBIJTER

Pop Blitz 2/3/10

Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood
I'm still not entirely in love with Marina's voice, though that's more of a personal thing. However, the song's quite nice. Subtle in a way... it doesn't really hit you over the head the first time. It's a real grower. Hopefully that means longevity. B+

Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
I'm not a country fan but I can see why this is taking America by storm right now. Somehow it sounds more like a big 80's ballad than anything. There's nothing like it on the radio right now. Very pretty. A-

Jedward - Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) (ft. Vanilla Ice)
I'd probably hate this if I hadn't followed John & Edward on X-Factor. As it stands, it's a super fun slice of novelty pop. And it does the impossible: makes Vanilla Ice tolerable! B+

Pink - Glitter In The Air
Her performance at the Grammys catapulted this non-single to hit status and unearthed a buried gem. It's one of her most delicate ballads. Reminds me of the late 90's. A-

Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be
This is absolute crap, and represents the worst side of BEP. It's not a song. It's noise. The military could use it to drive Bin Laden out of hiding. F

Iyaz - Solo
Horrible. Basically, he took a classic song, changed the lyrics and sang it horribly. I can't believe that something like this could even be deemed radio-worthy. D-

Jason Derulo - In My Head
Maybe he won't be a one hit wonder, after all. This sounds a hell of a lot like Chris Brown, and possesses exactly 0% originality, but it's pretty catchy. Could've been a LOT worse. B