Monthly Mix - Pop Perfection
Pop music perfection to put a spring in your step.
Hello Dear Friend,
Where to begin with this month’s mix? It turns out the subject of pop brings up a LOT of feelings for me. On everything from the sub genre cross overs that can occur (dance-pop / pop-rock etc) to the gatekeeping in record stores where pop seems to be seen as a lesser art and scoffed at snootily at the mere mention.
The pull of pop has appeared in my life sporadically since the Take That days of the early 90’s. Pushed aside at times by Brit Pop, which morphed into Indie, which made way in my late teenage years for dance and then back around to pop via the early 2000’s Kylie comeback and pretty much everything in between (I’m looking at you Einaudi / Dessner / Tori Amos / Jon Hopkins etc).
It’s too easily written off as not being worthy of attention, you need only look at the available range in any typical record store to see that as a genre it seems not to be taken particularly seriously. Every time I ask after Taylor Swift records (catching up on the back catalogue) I may as well have been seeking out drugs / porn / whichever illegal and or socially unacceptable thing comes to mind*. But I’m a firm believer that done well, it can be musical excellence and I feel like pop is having a major moment right now.
*Not the guy at Vinlystore Jnr - he was lovely and I had a very jealousy inducing chat with him about his previous attendance to the Reputation tour.
I can’t help but wonder whether the rise of pop musicians writing their own songs and playing instruments (as was the case in the time of the Beetles and Bowie etc) will pave the way for higher levels of respect and wonder whether and when the mainstream pop of now will receive the respect it is worthy of in record stores etc.
It’s an interesting (or maybe not?) thing that my main source of new music tends to come from film and TV. Back in the day; Buffy, Dawson’s Creek and a whole host of others I feel like I’m forgetting (what are they? Please remind me), latterly followed by One Tree Hill and The O.C during the “I’m going to watch these shows and pretend I’m still a teen girl and not a woman who is trapped under a sleeping baby” times and now something that is done very well by the likes of Heartstopper and The Summer I Turned Pretty, that are watched with the was sleeping babe who is now a teen girl. 80’s movies were very good showcases of the music of their day and I will announce to the world right now that I am a fan of the Pitch Perfect series who draw a lot of source material from early 00’s music. There was a lot more I wanted to add on the subject of film and soundtracks but alas that thought has leapt off to frolic with all my other lost ideas and words.
In truth I had a lot more to say on all of this and word vomited it out on a lunch time walk / talk with A. As such, I appear to have run out of steam. Open to and would welcome further discussion in the comments below.
This month I have a double mix for you. Pop perfection of the 90’s to current day and early pop perfection covering a more 70’s / 80’s based timeline. They are not exhaustive, there are so many worthy inclusions that there just wasn’t space for. Also, try and trim it down to just one Chappell Roan song. I dare you.
If you love a list or don’t have Spotify, the playlists are below as always.
With love and apologies for the ear worms you are about to receive…
V.V
Pop Perfection
Royals - Lorde
Pure Shores - All Saints
Party In The U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus
Take Your Mama - Scissor Sisters
Fantasy - Mariah Carey
Pray - Take That
Murder On The Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Some Kind of Bliss - Kylie Minogue
Crazy In Love (feat. JAY-Z) - Beyoncé, JAY-Z
Just Dance - Lady Gaga, Colby O'Donis
This Is What You Came For - Calvin Harris. Rihanna
we can't be friends (wait for your love) - Ariana Grande
Something In The Way You Move - Ellie Goulding
We Can Be Anything - Baby Queen
Welcome To New York (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift
Hard Times - Paramore
Late Night Talking - Harry Styles
Valerie (feat. Amy Winehouse) - Version Revisited - Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse
Beautiful Things - Benson Boone
BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Billie Eilish
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) - Florence + The Machine
Mess It Up - Gracie Abrams
Taste - Sabrina Carpenter
Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl - Chappell Roan
bad idea right? - Olivia Rodrigo
Pop Perfection - Early Edition
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Let's Dance - 2018 Remaster - David Bowie
Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Blue Monday - New Order
Need You Tonight - INXS
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
The Power Of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Where The Streets Have No Name - Remastered - U2
Close To Me - The Cure
Love Shack - The B-52's
She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals
I Would Die 4 U - 2015 Paisley Park Remaster - Prince
I'm Still Standing - Elton John
Rio - 2009 Remaster - Duran Duran
Take on Me - a-ha
Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
Like a Prayer - Madonna
Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Stereo Version - Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell
... Faith - Remastered - George Michael
You can find more playlist joy right here. To make sure you don’t miss the next one…
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This month’s mix. Love it? Hate it? Recommendations? I’m here for all of it, please do share your thoughts in the comments below.