John's Top Five (Pop) Songs of 2007

Lil' Mama's cute. So are Peter Bjorn and John's puppies. And they're both in the Top Five.

Today it’s my turn to toss out my top five tunes from the past year. And let me say first thing that my choices are rabidly populist. I’ve based my choices on, basically, what I’ve felt have been the catchiest POP tunes (for better or for worse) stuck in my head over the last 12 months. Some have been mega-hits, a couple are a wee bit more obscure. But they’ve all comprised a chunk of the soundtrack of my brain in 2007. I’m guessing you’ll relate.

You can also watch our NNN Noise Vlog episode in which Colin and I gab about our respective "Top Five" faves. It's lovely, of course...

#6 “Back to Black” – Amy Winehouse

I know, I know... I said “Top Five” but whatever. I had to find room for a "Wine-o" track in this batch. All of her druggy crackups and mishaps aside (and it’s not easy to put them aside), Ms. W did put out one of the best albums of the year. The sound is blisteringly fresh, funky, heartbreaking, staggering astute musically and just soulful and real. There are so many brilliantly executed tunes on it, but “Back to Black” is the most riveting. You can feel the singer's soul heading to its downward, heartbroken abyss as this decadent dirge chugs along defeatedly. Devastation has never sounded so lushly divine.

Hit the real "Top Five" after the jump!

#5 “A Postcard to Nina” – Jens Lekman

Jens Lekman looks good in a Band-Aid.

Sweden is the new home of all things brilliant and blissful when it comes to kick-ass, melodic pop music. And one dude leading the way is kooky, quirky, cute, nerdy and musically fabulous Jens Lekman. Kind of like a straight Swedish Stephin Merritt (less gloomy, too), Lekman is a cheery, articulately cool pop troubadour you should love. My favorite tune from his killer release is “A Poscard to Nina” (though every tune on the record is fab), a flouncy story song about how he had to pretend to be the boyfriend of his lesbian friend Nina while visiting her in Berlin. It’s whimsical and lovely.

"A Postcard to Nina" performed at the Pitchfork Festival

You can also watch the video for the soaring (literally) Jens tune “Sipping on the Sweet Nectar.” He flies a plane!

#4 “Lip Gloss” – Lil’ Mama

Her lip gloss? The term "poppin'" comes to mind.

How can ya not love a tiny, tough, pretty teenager who can rap up a storm, dance supremely and who spreads love and ferocity down a high-school hallway. This one doesn’t need explanation. "Lip Gloss" just rules. “It’s poppin’!”

#3 “Young Folks” – Peter Bjorn and John

Just put your lips together and blow. And starting whistling the simultaneously catchy and oddly sparse hook from “Young Folks” the bust-out hit for the Swedish trio (yep, Sweden again), Peter Bjorn and John. I first heard about the tune after Marc Jacobs used it as runway music for his Spring/Summer 2007 show in NYC, way back in September 2006. It officially got released her in early 2007, and its cutely crude-schoolbook animated video was everywhere, too.

Strummy and drummy, and with chalky, wry vocals... It’s springy and spunky. And it sticks in your head. Forever.

#2 – “1 2 3 4” – Feist

Feist gets a boost from her fans.

“One, two, three, four... Tell me that you love me more...” OK, Feist. I love you as much as five, six, seven... all the way up to about nine zillion. And it’s because you sound good on my iPod (or you sell them, at least). It’s because you create stunningly, spiffy, sexy, sad, splendid, sassy melodic pop/rock tunes. You can break my hard or make me wanna dance. And your disc The Reminder proved that your killer 2004 disc Let It Die wasn’t just an arty fluke.

And I love you because of that hot blue-sequined jumpsuit and your foxy little shake. Cute, cute, cute... But also substantial and sublime.

#1 “Umbrella” – Rihanna

So much for that "open umbrella = bad luck" notion.

Sorry. I can’t help it. This song is 2007. Just when I thought Rihanna couldn’t improve upon the brilliance of her perfect melding of the “Tainted Love” sampling and sexy sass of “S.O.S.”, she came back with this one. And no one was safe from "Umbrella." Who would have thought that a weirdly dark confluence of minor chords, jagged guitar, obtuse (and pointless) lyrics and meteorology would result in the one of the most blisteringly catchy tunes in years. From the very first time you heard (if that’s even possible to remember) the “ella, ella, eh, eh, eh...” bit, it was like “uh-oh.” You knew. This was the hook of the year.

Don’t just take my word for it. Ask Tegan & Sara, Mandy Moore, Gerard Way and his My Chemical Romance pals, and those cheeky lads in McFly. Those are just a few of the acts who covered it. (But my fave is by Brooklyn’s own Clint, Michigan.)

Of course the video full of rainy sparks, splashy water, crazy ballerina moves and that hot little bob hairdo, silver body paint and her crrrrazy hot bod didn’t hurt either.

Rihanna had a pretty sweet year.

Good luck in 2008 kids. Stay dry!