[Shaun]

50. Fairytale - Alexandr Rybak
It won Eurovision for Norway with a record-breaking total [though number of participants and voters did boost this somewhat]. Crazy violin folk that was incredibly catchy to some, horribly annoying to others.

49. Jump In The Pool - Friendly Fires
Hearing the song in a porno [on a trampoline, if you're interested] made this stick in my head for a while - one of the many FFs of music now (joining the ranks of Foo Fighters, Fleet Foxes and Franz Ferdinand), the breathy background makes this stand out from the crowd.

48. Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer) - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
The Freemasons' efforts have been depleted this year compared to others, but one that certainly shone through was the return of the quirky popstar with a bright video to boot. Nothing new from the dance giants, but it pleased mine ear enough.

47. Back To The 80's - Aqua
Certainly didn't predict a comeback from THEM this year. The Danish cheesypopgods jumped on the nostalgia bandwagon this year with an unfortunate bunch of lyrics so shortly before the death of MJ [the lyrics "When Eminem was just a snack, when Michael Jackson's skin was black" feature]. But it was ludicrously catchy and I felt 9 again for a brief period.

46. She's Got Me Dancing - Tommy Sparks
I actually discovered this last year. Pffft. Borrowing heavily from the insane catchiness that is the guitar riff of "Rollercoaster of Love" (the artist eludes me), this came out of nowhere and had indie kids dancing for a few months. If that.

45. Box N Locks - MPHO
One of the many soulful solo female artists to emerge off the back of the year, she was less fortunate where Pixie Lott, Little Boots and, to an extent, VV Brown were. Nonetheless, this little gem stayed on my iPod playlist for almost the whole year. Fierce video, and cute song.

44. Ego - The Saturdays
It's only just come out but it's already stuck in my head and won't go away. The video's a bit naff - its attempt at a Sin City / Fantastic Four vibe is laughable. But the scalding lyrics, their signature pop-catchiness and sexiness combine to a practically perfect pop record.

43. Say It - Booty Luv
Strange choice of marketing here - following the modest success of their 2007 singles from the Boogie 2nite album, their follow-up was eagerly anticipated (by me anyway). We got this this year. But nothing else. Hmm. But it was a stomper.

42. Rain - MIKA
Having a habit now of starting off loud and proud and back-pedalling to more soulful material, Mika's sophomore album was more of the same flamboyant and shameless pop that saw Life in Cartoon Motion go mega. Rain is shrill, melodramatic and inane. But it works.

41. Bonkers - Dizzee Rascal
He's had a mammoth year - I remember when his offerings were mostly irritating, particularly on Band Aid 20. But Dance Wiv Me came, and then this followed. Teaming with Armand van Helden, Bonkers was one of the biggest dance hits of the year.

40. Wheels - Foo Fighters
How do you cap off a greatest hits album? With two new tracks? K. But I wasn't expecting one of them to be this good - it didn't explore new territory by any means, but it's easy on the ears and represents all things beautiful and Foo.

39. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
Choristic indie pop. Doesn't sound too interesting on paper, but the atmosphere and harmony of their voices melts into something quite wonderful here.

38. Don't Trust Me - 3OH!3
If "Shush girl, shut your lips. Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips" doesn't win an Ivor Novello then I give up, tbh.

37. So Human - Lady Sovereign
On paper, it sounds like I should hate it. Poor rap skills, a rip-off of a Cure song which I happen to adore. But...the sheer audacity of this impresses me. Be nothing without Close To Me but it's hilarious. Fun times of driving down the motorway to this in the dead of night.

36. Talk You Down - The Script
The last of their singles from 2008's self-titled album, The Script continued their trend of, for me, easy-on-the-ear and beautiful-melody yet emotional pop-rock this year with this.

35. Party In The U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus
Let's get this out of the way. I don't want to like it. But it's ****ing immense.

34. Poker Face - Lady GaGa
Well it was everywhere, wunnit?

33. Love etc. - Pet Shop Boys
They can't do anything wrong by my book. The epitome of Xenomenia-produced pure pop catchiness, and with an electronic swagger they've become renowned for.

32. Rubber Lover - Marmaduke Duke
It's only a couple of minutes long, which is a shame, because this is a ****ing tune. Please enlighten yourselves with it, you won't be disappointed.

31. Good Girls Go Bad (feat. Leighton Meester) - Cobra Starship
Well I'm not particularly subject to either of these 'artists' normally - I don't watch Gossip Girl and had never really head of the band before. But this was just...great.

30. Mama Do - Pixie Lott
Probably the pop debut of the year for me. Catchy, sexy, simple.

29. Bodies - Robbie Williams
For me, the comeback was a little disappointing. His album has no stand-out incredible track that we've seen in She's The One or Feel, but this came close to resembling that quality. Soaring chorus.

28. Who'd Have Known - Lily Allen
Before Take That's Shine was overplayed to death and came to represent Morrisons adverts, I thought it was a brilliant tune. So for Lily to remould it into this was a breath of fresh air.

27. Never Leave You (feat. Amelle Berrabeh) - Tinchy Stryder
He's had some brilliant success this year with great records, the best of which for me was this. Simple, sweet and I played it a lot in Summer road journeys.

26. Walking On A Dream - Empire of the Sun
Their breakthrough track, the Australian weird-indie rock men have had one of the year's most critically-acclaimed albums and two of their songs have been playing non-stop for me. Great stuff.

25. Stand and Deliver - No Doubt
I was hoping this'd be a single, but alas. I was long awaiting their reunion - Gwen's solo stuff was different, and good, but not the same. This cover of the Adam and the Ants hit was cheeky, confident and indicative of what I hope turns out to be a brilliant return to form.

24. Sweet Disposition - Temper Trap
It's been everywhere for the past few months - its euphoric sound capping off many a night out recently. Really can't get tired of it.

23. Wonderful - Gary Go
Truly uplifting and motivational song, and makes me happy without fail.

22. We Are Golden - MIKA
His first single from album number 2. As bold, brash, camp and colourful as you could have imagined. And then some.

21. Russian Roulette - Rihanna
Wow. Dark, sinister, whatever you want to describe it, it has a kick to it that's a welcome change of direction from the afflicted R&B star.

20. Bad Romance - Lady GaGa
The video is pretty ****ing fierce. The song's a bit more.

19. We Are The People - Empire of the Sun
Is STILL on my 'nushit' playlist. After 8 months.

18. Bad Boys (feat. Flo-Rida) - Alexandra Burke
Her follow-up to the obligatory Xmas No.1...well I wasn't expecting this. On first listen the synths were too brash and I had a headache...over time it numbed and I grew to adore it. Silly dancing in the video is forgiven.

17. She Wolf - Shakira
****ing hell that video. Like. I mostly like guys. But. We're talking serious fap here.

16. I'm Not Alone - Calvin Harris
One of those dance hits that you hear everywhere and instantly love, but with a name that's recognisable and you won't forget by the time you've stumbled home.

15. Boys & Girls - Pixie Lott
The video's sexy, I like to dance like it. And the song's SOOOOO catchy.

14. I Gotta Feeling - BEP
You know it.

13. Never Forget You - Noisettes
A really basic tune that's stuck in my head for a long time, and fitting given the departure of many de mon amis for Uni. Aaw.

12. Feelings Gone (Feat. Sam Sparro) - Basement Jaxx
Raindrops was alright I guess. But this...wow. I think I bored friends to tears when hijacking their iPod/car radio adaptors and putting this on. But I don't care. <3 Interesting collaboration, it works wonders though.

11. Sweet Dreams - Beyonce
I've played this sf much and I'm still not tired of it. Fantastic song.

10. New York - Paloma Faith
Her voice has this southern-american twang to it that is just heavenly. Really sad song, I played this as I walked away from potentially the most heartbreaking moment of my life.

9. Remedy - Little Boots
Music is the cure is my new motto. With tracks like this it's not hard to see why.

8. The Girl & The Robot (feat. Robyn) - Royksopp
Another unusual collab. - well perhaps not given her dance success with With Every Heartbeat 2 years ago - but their sounds blend to perfection here. Relentless.

7. Halo - Beyoncé
Um. I don't know where to start. Immensely beautiful song. Plus it's mine and my best friend's song.

6. Farewell To The Fairground - White Lies
This has such an atmospheric sound that makes me feel other-worldly when I have it on my iPod. Remorseful, reflecting...it's a thunker too.

5. The Fear - Lily Allen
Well at first I saw this as hypocritical from her. And to an extent I still do - she's incredibly self-righteous and it's very irritating. But this song is just brilliant.

4. A Dustland Fairytale - The Killers
I count this as more 2008 so it doesn't chart quite so highly here. I can't begin to explain how this makes me feel - I get goosebumps every time. How it builds is just incredible.

3. Uprising - Muse
At first I didn't get it. But it built. and built. Into something quite spectacular. I love the verses more than the chorus, they have a swing to them that almost sounds unintended.

2. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) - Florence and the Machine
It's extravagant, full of imagination, flamboyant, camp...I've pictured myself in bizarre and surreal music videos to this. It's just incredible.

1. Shark in the Water - VV Brown
As if it was going to be something else. One of, if not the best pop song of the decade. So. ****ing. Catchy. It makes me ecstatic.