What Is The Ultimate Pop Song?

[motely36]

WXPN in Philadelphia has been running a thread on its website (http://xpnonline.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=32207) discussing what the ultimate pop song is. What is your ultimate pop song? What criteria did you use to pick it? For example, I would nominate "You're An Ocean" by Fastball. It's catchy and pop-ish. Another choice might be "Smooth" by Santana (with Rob Thomas). Although it was way overplayed, I still sing along with it when it pops up on my I-Pod.

[Swede]

1. 1979 - by the Smashing Pumpkins was a good pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrivjzw0RlI

Shakedown 1979, cool kids never have the time
On a live wire right up off the street
You and I should meet
Junebug skipping like a stone
With the headlights pointed at the dawn
We were sure wed never see an end to it all
And I dont even care to shake these zipper blues
And we dont know
Just where our bones will rest
To dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below
Double cross the vacant and the bored
Theyre not sure just what we have in the store
Morphine city slippin dues down to see
That we dont even care as restless as we are
We feel the pull in the land of a thousand guilts
And poured cement, lamented and assured
To the lights and towns below
Faster than the speed of sound
Faster than we thought wed go, beneath the sound of hope
Justine never knew the rules,
Hung down with the freaks and the ghouls
No apologies ever need be made, I know you better than you fake it
To see that we dont care to shake these zipper blues
And we dont know just where our bones will rest
To dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below
The street heats the urgency of sound
As you can see theres no one around

[Mike 03]

8. No, that song is art. It's too good to be Pop. It's more

sociological than artistic, because it's self-reflexive about that period.

It's commentary, not artifact, if you know what I mean.

[mitchum]

22. The lyrics are Corgan's typical doggerel, but the melody is GREAT!

I always found him to be a strong melodist

[Amerigo Vespucci]

56. I watched "Clerks II" again last night...not a great movie, but "1979" is used in it...

..."Clerks II" was one of those films that wanted to be better than it actually was. The reason for watching it more than once is Rosario Dawson. According to Amazon.com, her appearance in the film "was demanded by producer Harvey Weinstein to boost box-office appeal."

That was a smart move by Harvey.

:toast:

[omega minimo]

60. Good call, that's in my Top Ten singles

[mitchum]

2. "Be My Baby" The Ronettes

[nomorenomore08]

32. + [insert infinity sign here]

No less an authority than Brian Wilson (say what you will, but he was once an undeniable genius) proclaimed "Baby" his favorite song of all time.

[mitchum]

40. Apparently he would wake up and play it over an over for several hours at a time...

Wilson may have done a lot of crazy things, but doing that wasn't one of them. It seems perfectly reasonable to me.

[enigmatic]

50. Spector's greatest moment

:thumbsup:

[Rhythm]

3. "Beat It"

It's Michael Jackson, the best-selling pop performer, at all...
It's catchy as hell...
An it's got those wicked riffs by Eddie Van Halen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqxo1SKB0z8

[Glorfindel]

4. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy by the Ohio Express

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG1SVKipKZE

[Lavender Brown]

5. Girls Just Want to Have Fun

[Mike 03]

10. That's a great selection. NT

[BlueIris]

74. I was just coming here to post that. It's endlessly entertaining, but does have a ring of truth

(sort of) beneath the pop lyrics.

[bigwillq]

6. Any 1980s Madonna song!

:bounce:

[LSdemocrat]

20. Well, Madonna's "Immacuate Collection" compilation album is probably the height of conventional pop

If you like that sort of thing, which I do.

I think you would be hard pressed to find anything better in terms of conventional commercial pop, track for track, that that album delivers, especially if we are discussing female artists.

[Mike 03]

7. "Borderline" by Madonna. It's perfect pop. NT

[mvd]

13. Or "Lucky Star"

So many good choices.. the Beatles' "Penny Lane" and the Cars' "Just What I Needed" are two more.

[blue_onyx]

39. I would go for "Like A Prayer"

Best Madonna song ever. I'm not a fan of the earlier Madonna songs.

[mvd]

58. I like them equally

I love Madonna except for a bit in the Erotica era.

"Knowing Me, Knowing You" by Abba is another one

A few modern ones: "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson, "Breathless" by The Corrs, "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World, "Home" by the Barenaked Ladies, and "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch

[blue_onyx]

69. One of my favorite Madonna songs came from Erotica

The song "Rain" is usually one of the more forgotten Madonna songs but I love it. It's probably number 3 on my list of favorite Madonna songs, behind "Like a Prayer" and "Hung Up."

I agree about "Since U Been Gone"....it's a fantastic song. I love Breathless too and I was just listening to it on youtube 2 days ago. I think "All You Wanted" is a better Michelle Branch song. I could listen to it over and over and never get sick of it. A few more modern songs I would add would be "Baby One More Time" and "I Want It That Way." Love those two songs.

[mvd]

70. "Rain" is good. I don't dislike all of that album

I'm not a Britney fan, but "Baby One More Time" could go on my list. I could go with either Michelle Branch song - she's that good.

[seaker]

9. Sugar Sugar by the Archies

:hi:

[GCP]

33. +1

I put it down-thread then noticed yours!

[elshiva]

11. I Only Want to Be With You- Dusty Springfield

[Iggo]

42. +1

That one does it for me.

[Red State Rebel]

12. Build Me Up Buttercup :)

[Maru Kitteh]

14. "Wake me up, before you go-go" by WHAM!

Oh God. Pure cotton candy; brightly colored, sickeningly sweet and full of absolutely nothing. AND THEY WOULDN'T STOP PLAYING IT.

[ghostsofgiants]

15. "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys.

[OmahaBlueDog]

18. I am grinning ear to ear at your sig picture

[ghostsofgiants]

19. Hahaha, isn't it great?

[Neoma]

16. Safety Dance.

[MrSlayer]

17. +1

[OmahaBlueDog]

21. How are we defining "Pop"

American Pop? Brit Pop? Top 40?

The blog you cited had some great tunes. For example, I love Nick Lowe's "So It Goes", but the only thing "Pop" about that song is that it's from an album called "Pure Pop for Now People".

I'll give you an example of why this question is so hard for me. In 1977, The Brothers Johnson performed "Strawberry Letter 23". It was produced by Quincy Jones and the song was written by Shuggie Otis. Pop? R & B? Hell if I know. The same would go for the Gamble & Huff hits; TSOP (a.k.a. the theme from "Soul Train"), or "When Will I See You Again" by the Three Degrees.

I'd agree Madonna is Pop in the 80's. What about an artist like Rihanna today? Pop? R & B? None of the above?

[Toucano]

73. There is a definition.

Pop music is a music genre that features a noticeable rhythmic element, melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and a conventional structure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_music

Top 40 is not a musical genre, but just refers to what is currently selling and what stations are playing. It could refer to blues, jazz, rock, country, bluegrass or even a show tune.

[Shell Beau]

23. If Michael Jackson is the "King of Pop"...

:shrug:

[Eyerish]

24. "Mickey" by Toni Basil

[hellbound-liberal]

25. Love Shack, Baby!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqjRVp9EHOY

[Tikki]

26. "A Million Miles Away".....The Plimsouls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qei8FeFcjMk
"A Million Miles Away".....the Plimsouls

Tikki

[mix]

35. +1

nt

[enigmatic]

48. Great choice

:thumbsup:

[kentauros]

27. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radiostar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9slEfTBRXc&feature=related

:D

[Kat45]

28. "My Sharona" by the Knack, OR

"What I Like About You" by the Romantics.

[nuxvomica]

29. "She Loves You" by The Beatles

It's so pop it's almost self-caricaturizing. Upbeat, rhythmic, repetitious, simple and it's about love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyhlP9yBAic

[GCP]

30. Sugar Sugar by the Archies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BORbFsNjGAk

[no name no slogan]

31. "I'm Not In Love" by 10cc is in the top 10

nt

[mitchum]

67. Good call...gorgeous sound and nasty lyrics...

what's not to love?

[nomorenomore08]

34. The Stone Roses - "Elephant Stone"

Only because it's just lightweight and catchy enough to be "pop," and I happen to love it to the point of obsession...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfzQLZtCZSY

[SoxFan]

36. "She Bangs The Drums"

[nomorenomore08]

37. That's their third-best song. "Mersey Paradise" (the B-side to that one) is #2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZQ4HJPVoTw

[mix]

45. have you seen this?

wicked

http://vodpod.com/watch/49764-the-stone-roses-she-bangs-the-drums

[SoxFan]

54. Reni's hat looks familiar...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bEBzZgZ5Tmc/SaAA-5iG8HI/AAAAAAAAUoM/5x_PNI2jEDw/s400/dumb+donald+fat+albert.jpg

[SoxFan]

38. Jangle Pop, Pop Metal, Merseybeat, Power Pop...

Translator-"Gravity"
Tracy Ullman-"They Don't Know" (yes, I know Kirsty McColl wrote it, but I like Tracy's version)
Bangles-"Going Down To Liverpool"
Beatles-"I Wanna Hold Your Hand"
Cheap Trick-"Dream Police"
Outlets-"Tilted Track"
Twisted Sister-"We're Not Gonna Take It"
Voice of the Beehive-"I Say Nothing"

[Sewsojm]

41. Nobody But Me - The Human Beinz

[blonndee]

43. "Billie Jean."

That song puts the moniker "pop" to shame, IMO.

[vadawg]

44. take on me by AHA

[jobycom]

46. Dancing Queen, by ABBA!

Don't know how to define pop, but that's it.

[JanMichael]

47. Tempted nt

[omega minimo]

61. up there

:thumbsup:

[enigmatic]

49. "Shake Some Action"- The Flamin' Groovies

It has everything; a killer cascading guitar riff, glorious harmonies, and an instantly hummable chorus:

[mitchum]

65. Good call...I especially love the melancholic undercurrent in the song....

there was a great band from North Miami called Charlie Pickett and the Eggs who did a wonderful cover of the song. They also did a really badass cover of "Slow Death" I believe that Bloodshot is releasing a retrospective of Pickett and the Eggs work. Check it out. They, like the Groovies, were one of the great unknown rockandroll bands.

[XemaSab]

51. Hard to argue with "Summertime Blues."

:)

[jeff30997]

52. The Ultimate Pop Song:

Lollipop lollipop
Oh lolli lolli lolli
Lollipop lollipop.....

:P

[mix]

53. genius of love - tom tom club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnC1Xzm5uKM

[bookworm65t]

55. New York, New York

Frank's rendition is timeless

[donheld]

57. So many...So little...

[omega minimo]

59. Venus

[Sebastian Doyle]

62. Pop Song 89?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQJowszQH_4

[WinkyDink]

63. "Fun, Fun, Fun"---Beach Boys.

[PassingFair]

64. Needles and Pins (a) & No Reply

Toss up.

Both epitomize the "pop" genre for me.

[mitchum]

66. Great call...I once told Chastity Bono that despite her father's scumbag politics...

I would always have a soft spot in my heart for him because he cowrote "Needles and Pins"

[PassingFair]

68. I was surprised when I found out that Sonny had written it!

It clicks right into my serotonin uptake whatevers
like a drug when I hear it.

It think its the expectation of the refrain.....

No Reply works the same way, only
a tad more complex (and SLIGHTLY less effectively).

[underpants]

71. "Cruel to be kind"

this thread is OVER

[gmoney]

72. "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5

Although "Cruel to be Kind" is a good choice.

Or maybe "Mmmbop" by Hanson, sorry to say...