Day 79 equals Now! #79, which came out on 25th July 2011.
The thunderstorms weren’t really conducive to summer songs, but from what I remember there were an awful lot of them that year. Let’s have a listen.
Track 1: Adele – Someone Like You
Beautiful tune, but I’m not really into slow ballads.
Track 2: Aloe Blacc – I Need A Dollar
Great track! Love the atmosphere on this one.
Track 3: Bruno Mars – The Lazy Song
A welcome break from Bruno Mars’ saccharine ballads. This one’s very funny, and the video is great.
Track 4: Jason Derulo – Don’t Wanna Go Home
It’s the one with the sample of Show Me Love that I mentioned in my Now! #24 review. Good beat, happily nodding along here.
Track 5: Lady Gaga – Born This Way
Great beat, very danceable.
Track 6: Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull – On The Floor
Another great dance track – really like this one. The Lambada sample is immense!
Track 7: Alexandra Stan – Mr Saxobeat
An all-time favourite! I love this track, especially the jaunty saxophone hooks throughout.
Track 8: Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (TGIF)
The song’s a solid pop track, but it’s the hilarious video that really makes this one (Hanson! Rebecca Black! Just Dance!). Also, I REALLY appreciate the sax solo, ’cause you hardly ever hear them in 2010s pop.
Track 9: The Wanted – Glad You Came
Great summer dance track – this was another favourite of mine that year.
Track 10: Nicole Scherzinger – Don’t Hold Your Breath
Gorgeous tune – yet another favourite!
Track 11: The Black Eyed Peas – Just Can’t Get Enough
Thankfully/sadly (?) not a cover of the Depeche Mode song. I’m not really a fan of songs copying classic song titles unless they’ve got some link to the original – it causes confusion apart from anything else.
It’s a nice tune though – quite like this one.
Track 12: Take That – Love Love
Nice feelgood tune – quite like this track. Love that bassline!
Track 13: Jessie J – Nobody’s Perfect
Irritating tune, and I’m not keen on the theme.
Track 14: The Saturdays – Notorious
Another track that borrows a classic title (see track 11 above). Not a cover of the Duran Duran song.
I actually really like this track, though – I just wish they’d used a more original title!
Track 15: Rihanna – California King Bed
It’s the kind of ballad that would normally be too slow for me, but the tune’s so gorgeous that I really like it. Also, that rock guitar solo is retro and epic!
Track 16: Scouting For Girls – Love How It Hurts
Too saccharine for me.
Track 17: Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
I find this tune a bit irritating.
Track 18: Cee Lo Green – I Want You (Hold Onto Love)
Nice retro disco feel, but the tune’s a bit forgettable.
Track 19: Yasmin – Finish Line
Dull and uninspired, and that As sample is just ill-fitting.
Track 20: Ed Sheeran – The A Team
Lovely tune, but I find the theme a bit on-the-nose.
Track 21: Birdy – Skinny Love
Highly irritating whiny ballad. Not a fan.
Track 22: Templecloud – One Big Family
I like the vocals, and it’s a good atmosphere, but it’s too slow for my liking.
Track 23: Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer – Give Me Everything
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Pitbull on track 6.
This is a great track though – I love the tune on the chorus.
Track 24: LMFAO, Lauren Bennett and GoonRock – Party Rock Anthem
I’ve always really liked this daft dance track – it was played at every wedding I went to in 2011 (and there were a lot of them!)
Track 25: DJ Fresh and Sian Evans – Louder
’90s-tinged dubstep, which was a big thing at the time and which I had kind of forgotten about until now. Good beat, but the tune’s a bit generic.
Track 26: Example – Changed The Way You Kiss Me
An absolute classic! Wonderful track – love the tune, the way it builds, everything.
Track 27: David Guetta, Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj – Where Them Girls At
I like that chant-along chorus, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the video.
Track 28: Chris Brown and Benny Benassi – Beautiful People
Annoying chorus, and the rest of the tune’s just uninspired.
Track 29: Calvin Harris and Kelis – Bounce
Great feelgood dance tune! Gorgeous stuff.
Track 30: Loick Essien and Tanya Lacey – How We Roll
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Great atmosphere, good beat. Quite like this one.
Track 31: Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Nicki Minaj on track 27.
This tune’s okay, but it’s a bit generic.
Track 32: Tinchy Stryder and Dappy – Spaceship
Daft track that always makes me laugh with its ridiculous lyrics. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not.
Track 33: Wretch 32 and Example – Unorthodox
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Example on track 26.
This is another great track though – love that chorus. The Fools’ Gold sample is awesome too.
Track 34: Vato Gonzalez and Foreign Beggars – Badman Riddim (Jump)
Some good lines on this dance track, but it’s a little messy.
Track 35: Snoop Dogg and David Guetta – Sweat
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had David Guetta on track 27.
Good beat, good atmosphere – very danceable.
Track 36: Swedish House Mafia and John Martin – Save The World
Repetitive, irritating tune, and in general I just find this one a bit bland.
Track 37: Dev, The Cataracs and Tinie Tempah – Bass Down Low
Daft theme, but I really like this one!
Track 38: Mann and 50 Cent – Buzzin’
Another pleasingly daft song, but I find the tune a bit annoying.
Track 39: Chase & Status and Tinie Tempah – Hitz
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Tinie Tempah on track 37.
This one’s too messy for my liking, although Tinie Tempah’s whimsical rapping is always appreciated.
Track 40: Katy B – Broken Record
I find the tune very irritating, but the beat’s okay.
Track 41: Nero – Guilt
This one’s pretty boring, but I quite like the dubstep bass once it gets going.
Track 42: Alex Gaudino and Kelly Rowland – What A Feeling
The tune’s too cheesy for me, but it’s got a good beat.
Track 43: Wynter Gordon – Dirty Talk
Another solid pop track – really like this one.
Track 44: Inna – Sun Is Up
The tune’s a bit dull, but it’s fairly danceable.
