Best "Pop" Record ever produced?

[Huff]

I could make a strong argument that the perfect Pop record is 'Say a little prayer' by Aretha Franklin. 2min40 of songwriting perfection.


Meanhwile I'll just put on this clear vinyl mac and sharpen the fire ax.

[The Hypno-Toad]

Admit it, you hid this thread in The Lounge so I wouldn't find it, didn't you?

One? ONE? ONE?


Can't be done, there is not just ONE, there are many.

First of all the rules.
1.) All great pop songs have to be happy & cheerful, no gloomy guts allowed.
2.) All great pop songs have to be under 4.00 minutes long. This so you can rewind the tape or put the needle back at the start so you can play it again as soon as possible and enjoy that sweet aural junkie fix again. Don't bore us, get to the chorus. Surprised this hasn't already been mentioned because its the law.
3.) All great pop songs should be about love or even better the expectation of love, love that might be soon arriving. The only exception to this is songs that are about pop music. That is also the law.

So here's a little list in no particular order because you have to have a list;

1.) Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N-qO3sPMjc

2.) Sugar, Sugar - The Archies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9nE2spOw_o

3.) Ring, Ring - ABBA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL0EoXdpOqg

4.) Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury & The Blockheads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WGVgfjnLqc

5.) Pop Music - M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avvh5H-EPWU

6.) Kiss - Prince
No video owing to Prince's ridiculous view of Youtube

7.) You're In A Bad Way - St Etienne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4szHXagmryo

8.) I Saw The Light - Todd Rundgren
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXq81-cGJr4

9.) Hey Ya! - OutKast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw

10.) Too Funky - George Michael
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ2DVwSVIIo

There are many but that's the best ones I have got tonight. Just be grateful I didn't post Saturday Night - Whigfield because that fits the bill too.

Toad Out.

Now quick, get the picture back before Elephant Head comes on and sings...

[MarshPhantom]

Lulu/Bowie - Man who Sold the World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyFAnA9oPRE

Song and vid.

[wibble cb]

There she goes by The La's short but perfectly formed....

[davidc1]

Prince , kiss
George , faith

[jogger1976]

Spanglepants said:

Tainted Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGXpDhNAO1Y

It's a cover of a Northern Soul classic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSehtaY6k1U (Still a great pop song, though)
Talking of Northern Soul, I think this might be the happiest most joyful two and a half minutes in pop history. Also one of the rarest and definitely the most expensive singles ever sold. £25000 to you sir.
Frank Wilson, Do I Love You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvpeYiQwss

[98elise]

MarshPhantom said:

Jobbo said:

M - Pop Musik of course: https://youtu.be/iEfFOd8TDZA

Despite that being my era and producing some almost perfect pop gems (Relax, Don't You Want Me etc etc) I think there have been some recent pop tunes which beat them. Call Me Maybe, Party Rock Anthem, I Gotta Feeling, Happy (Pharrell) for instance.

Sadly Wham doesn't get a look in. Faith was a better pop single than any Wham track.

M is a good call.

Its was my first thought too, but a close runner up is Micky by Toni Basil

[Thankyou4calling]

I think a lot of this is age related, just off the top of my head;

MJ Thriller, Smooth Criminal, they don't care about us.
Blue One love
Spandau Ballet Gold

That Bay city roller song Shang a Lang referred to earlier, a bit before my time but a great tune.

And, at risk of being shot down Gary Glitter Rock n Roll part 1 that I believe a lot of US NFL teams used to run out to, doubt they do now.

[Studio117]

Rhythm is a dancer

[Funkycoldribena]

Everyone can argue but theres only one pop song that pretty much everyone knows...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPudE8nDog0

[Willy Nilly]

Crazy In Love - Beyonce is a pop music master piece as is Hey Ya by Outkast

[technodup]

If we're talking recent then Blurred Lines or something by Lady Gaga, Poker Face or Born This Way.

And not that it was a pop song but Amen, Brother has been sampled in popular music from Oasis to NWA to Slipknot, not to mention so many dance tracks it's generated genres based around it. If we were talking most influential bit of music that 6 seconds is it, no question.

[9patch]

The Stranglers...Hanging Around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfmZcD9IRgQ

or...

Working For The Corporation...M.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aSpC8CovW0

or...

Sniff n the Tears...Drivers Seat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V88yyayq6AY

or...

I'm Not Like Everybody Else...Don Deligo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INGZc0J573U

[TR4man]

Everlasting Love by the Love Affair

[Lotus Notes]

The Hypno-Toad said:

7.) You're In A Bad Way - St Etienne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4szHXagmryo

Hmmmm Sarah Cracknell...

[Impasse]

It's about time this thread was Rick Rolled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

[theshrew]

Bohemian Rhapsody - Is and probably will always be the greatest pop song ever. Who has ever said a bad word about it ? Who doesn't sing it or at least in there heads when they hear it ? People do this no matter how old they are - That's the sign of a outstanding song.

Michael Jackson, Bee Gee's or a Abba song could in the hunt for a top spot tbh but I cant think of one better that BR. I don't like any of the bands / groups / songs I've mentioned but they certainly have there place in pop music history.

[Deisel Weisel]

Gangnam Style

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

[Graculus]

John Peel famously played this twice in a row...

Awarded it 28 stars out of 5...

Described it as his favourite song ever...

"Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxPiD8EB3ZU

[MissChief]

boxst said:

DoubleSix said:

Thank me later....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6omsDyFNlk

That is really only watchable on mute

I quite like her, ahem, the singing, in this as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlOBZBXSGIw