Top 50 Singles of 2009

We've come to the end of yet another not so glorious year so what better way to say "fuck off" to a terrible year then to celebrate the best singles of the year. While I've complained throughout the year that 2009 has been a terrible year for albums, the same can't be said for its singles. There were a plethora of fantastic songs to choose from and what a decision it became! Even if the choice seems fairly obviously, it became an epic month-long struggle to choose my number one song; at least seven songs were in contention at some point. And, as the list went down, it became harder and harder to pick what went on and what had to be forced off. In a weaker year, many of my runners-up would be serious contenders for the Top 20. Many thanks to Dave, Kameron, JD and Glenn for continuing to spread the good word of pop music and telling me what to listen to. I hope you enjoy this list and please feel free to let me know what you think.

The 10 Runners-Up: P!nk 'Sober' | Alexandra Burke featuring Flo-Rida 'Bad Boys' | Britney Spears '3' | Kelly Clarkson 'My Life Would Suck Without You' | Leighton Meester featuring Robin Thicke 'Somebody to Love' | Star Pilots 'In the Heat of the Night' | Demi Lovato 'Here We Go Again' | Blake Lewis 'Heartbreak on Vinyl' | Beyoncé featuring Lady GaGa 'Video Phone' (Extended Remix) | Lady GaGa 'Lovegame'

50. Disney's Friends for Change [Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus & Selena Gomez] 'Send It On'
The ultimate guilty pleasure of the year. It's so, so bad but so, so good at the same time. If nothing else, 'Send It On' proves that 2009 was the year of Demi Lovato.
49. Cascada 'Evacuate the Dancefloor'
48. Sugababes 'About a Girl'
47. Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West 'Run This Town'
46. Cheryl Cole 'Fight For This Love'
45. Jennifer Hudson 'If This Isn't Love'
44. Britney Spears 'If U Seek Amy'
43. Agnes 'I Need You Now' (UK Radio Edit)
The album version was mediocre at best but the radio edit is simply glorious. Let's hope that Agnes' impending US debut makes her as big of a star as she deserves to be.
42. Alphabeat 'The Spell'
41. Shakira 'Did It Again'

40. Dolly Rockers 'Gold Digger'
Have you been Dolly Rockered yet? I know I was the instant I heard this track.
39. Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys 'Empire State of Mind'
38. VV Brown 'LEAVE!'
37. Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester 'Good Girls Go Bad'
I wouldn't have cared if Leighton Meester wasn't featured here. In much the same way Rihanna did on 'Run This Town' and 'Live Your Life,' Meester completely steals the track from Cobra Starship and makes it all about her. If this is any indication, 2010 should be a great year for her.
36. Darin 'Viva la Vida'
35. David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland 'When Love Takes Over'
34. Röyksopp featuring Robyn 'The Girl and the Robot'
33. Kings of Leon 'Use Somebody'
32. Taylor Swift 'You Belong With Me' (Pop Remix)
31. Erik Hassle 'Don't Bring Flowers'

30. Taylor Swift 'Love Story' (Pop Remix)
29. Demi Lovato 'Remember December'
28. MPHO 'Box N Locks'
27. David Archuelta 'Touch My Hand'
26. Pixie Lott 'Boys and Girls'
25. Mini Viva 'I Wish' (Cahill Radio Edit)
As if the Xenomania-produced wasn't amazing enough, the Cahill Mix turns the epicness of 'I Wish' to 11.
24. Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo 'Knock You Down'
23. A.R. Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls 'Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)'
This was the version that should have won the Oscar.
22. VV Brown 'Shark in the Water'
21. Beyoncé 'Sweet Dreams'

20. Mariah Carey 'Obsessed'
Mariah's dismissal of Eminem was by far more creative than anything Eminem has done in more than five years. "You're a mom and pop/I'm a corporation" is still one of the best insults I've ever heard.
19. Frankmusik '3 Little Words'
18. Girls Aloud 'The Loving Kind'
17. V Factory 'Love Struck'
16. Freemasons featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor 'Heartbreak (Make Me a Dancer)'
15. Jordin Sparks 'Battlefield'
14. Jonas Brothers 'Paranoid'
The Jo Bros grow up and deliver their cleverest pop song yet. A song about the pitfalls of celebrity that isn't whiny or "oh, pity me and my horrible life" after about thirty seconds.
13. Miley Cyrus 'Party in the USA'
Miley does it again! After the insipidness of 'The Climb,' she came back with this song and proved that she is the go-to girl for turning stupid-sounding lyrics into pop gold.
12. Natalie Imbruglia 'Want'
11. La Roux 'In for the Kill'

10. Jesse McCartney 'How Do You Sleep'
As I said before when I named 'How Do You Sleep' the 82nd best song of the decade, it is the epitome of summer jams. The song's message may not be especially "laid back," but Jesse's breezy delivery makes it feel that way.
9. Lady GaGa 'Paparazzi'
Need more proof that GaGa was the woman of 2009? 'Paparazzi,' a legitimate contender for best song of the year in any other year, is only the first of three GaGa songs in the Top 10. Excessive? Yes. But would the GaGa really have it any other way?
8. Shakira 'She Wolf'
Who else but Shakira would be insane enough to use not only the word "lycanthropy" in a pop song as casually as it was "love" or "heart" but also a wolf howl (a WOLF HOWL!) over the chorus? Bonus points for having the best non-GaGa music video of the year.
7. Little Boots 'Remedy'
It took me awhile to get into 'Remedy,' but once I did, I was addicted like that chick who huffed electronic dusting spray on Intervention.
6. Agnes 'Release Me'
I fell in love with Agnes and her 90's power-pop throwback 'Release Me' at first listen.
5. La Roux 'Bulletproof'
If Agnes brought 90's pop music back, La Roux made 80's synth pop relevant again.
4. Lady GaGa 'Poker Face'
Who knew that "Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-poker face" would be the most addictive hook of the year?
3. Girls Aloud 'Untouchable' (Album Version)
Mark my words: In ten years, after the "OMG what a failure!" hysteria has died down, this and 'Biology' will be the songs Girls Aloud are remembered for.
2. Leona Lewis 'Run'
Technically this was released in the US in December of last year, but it's my list and I didn't discover it until this year anyways.
1. Lady GaGa 'Bad Romance'
Epic. Probably the most epic American song since Celine's 'It's All Coming Back to Me Now.' Lady GaGa already knew how to make catchy simple pop songs, but 'Bad Romance' adds an emotional, almost psychotic, desperation to that final minute that instantly turns the song into a classic. If this is where Lady GaGa is heading in the future, there is absolutely no way I am going to miss out on what she has to offer next.