Adam's Top 100 of 2011! [02-01 COMPLETED!]

[Matti88]

03. Adele - Set Fire To The Rain

Adele was huuuge in 2011, great to see her track in top 3 of your countdown!

I really have no idea what might be the number one on your chart this year. In the poll The Saturdays are winning, so All Fired Up definitely won't miss the top 100, but there are three amazing songs left and only one of them will chart... Um, can't wait to see the final result!

[stevyy]

set fire to the rain isn't my fave track on the album but it's moving too.

[UKMusicLova]

Lights is stunning! I love Ellie so much.

Set Fire To The Rain is Adele's most epic IMO, I like that it's quite commercial too.

Now for top 2, I am guessing Bruno and The Saturdays.

I failed miserably last year in guessing your #1 but atleast it still made your top 100, I'd hate to have voted for the song that misses your top 100 this time. But let me just warn you, we are getting divorced if 'Grenade' is not top 2!

[Bhaggers]

Nice to see you have Kelly twice in your Top 10!
And LOVELY to see 'Paradise' in your Top 10 as well!

The Saturdays for #1!

[adg]

Great to see Set Fire To The Rain so high

[werewolf]

Woo 'Set Fire To The Rain' is brilliant! I hope Bruno and Sats are in your top2

[Thriller]

Kelly and Ellie both great songs, Adele is good but I've never been into it as much as most.

[Jack]

Great to see "What A Feeling" in your Top 5

[nickf1]

Lights is awesome, her second best single after Guns and Horses!

[SholasBoy]

Benny Benassi, Kelly and Birdy are my faves in your top 10. Not overly keen on any of the 4 on your poll, so maybe there'll be a surprise yet

[Noahh]

Lights and Set Fire To The Rain are both great!!

[king_oxymoron]

Before tomorrow's final reveal, my top 20 artists of this year.

TOP 20 ARTISTS OF 2011

20. (03) Biffy Clyro
19. (-) Arctic Monkeys
18. (-) Cher Lloyd
17. (-) Kelly Clarkson
16. (-) Birdy
15. (08) Mumford & Sons
14. (-) Sara Bareilles
13. (-) Jessie J
12. (-) Robyn
11. (19) Olly Murs
10. (-) Kelly Rowland
09. (-) Melanie C
08. (12) Bruno Mars
07. (-) Coldplay
06. (-) Two Door Cinema Club
05. (-) Adele
04. (-) Ed Sheeran
03. (-) The Wombats
02. (02) The Saturdays
01. (-) BEYONCE

A bit of an odd one this year, as my No.1 artist of the year had no singles in my top 100 countdown However, I did actually love all of her releases and really love 'End of Time'. The reason is of course, the Glastonbury set which I really think was the best night of my life, in my favourite place. Just amazing. It's also been her year in terms of the baby news, and various high profile shows that she's made. I have loved her.

It does mean the Saturdays have had to settle for being my No.2 for the third year in a row You'll get that No.1 somewhere, someday girls

Have had the pleasure of seeing 14 of my top 20 acts live (a big part of why some of them made it), and saw all top 9 live this year. Only Kelly Rowland sneaks into the top 10 without me having seen her live (this year, anyway).

All have had amazing years, remains to be seen if more than 5 can retain their places next year!

[SholasBoy]

Who?

[Spartan]

Who?

Poor Saturdays. I don't think they've had a #1 anywhere EVER. Neither on UKMix or in the charts, poor gals.

[abi]

BEYONCE!

[toni_pest]

Beyonce Poor Saturdays missed the top 3 years in a row

[UKMusicLova]

WOooooo for Beyoncé! Poor The Saturdays but they're used to #2 I guess

[steophonic]

Beyoncé!? Really!? Didn't see that one coming

I remember you raving about the set though and it did look fantastic on telly.

Can't help feeling sorry for The Sats though.

[Noahh]

Woo for Beyonce being your favorite artist of the year!

[Tiger]

03. Adele - Set Fire To The Rain

Best Adele song!

[werewolf]

Woo that's a great suprise! '4' is a really great album.

[Fan]

Not a massive fan of Lights. I do like it, but I think it's Ellie's weakest single to date!
Set Fire To The Rain on the other hand is amazing, such a classic already.

Can't believe Bruno is still to come, as I'm sure he didn't miss the top 100.

Lol at The Saturdays being #2 Never getting a #1 anywhere.
Woo for Olly!

[JSparksFan]

"Set Fire To The Rain" is fantastic! Glad to see Bey as your #1 artist of 2011! She's definitely been one of my faves as well.

[Play]

You freaky beyonce lover! You just love the woman not the music

[king_oxymoron]

Thanks all, let's do this!

WHO WINS?


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02. The Saturdays - All Fired Up

Sorry to Pete, Paul and four others who were the 66% of remaining voters sure this would be my No.1 - sadly the Saturdays fall short of the mark once more, though of course this does come from the album I ranked as my favourite of the year.
This is just a quality dance track. At the time of release, the trance sound for a pop act wasn't as popular as it's perhaps becoming and I was glad the Saturdays weren't on a more typical dance bandwagon. Though there was lots of criticism that it didn't have their signature sound, it didn't bother me, as long as they release good music, I'm happy. And I find this incredible - especially when played loud as it's absolutely euphoric.
From the opening 'blow my mind, DJ blow my mind' (one of my favourite Vanessa parts on any Sats song), they're onto a winner. I love Rochelle's verse to the same tune, and though I was never keen on Mollie and Frankie's 'we're so close to the edge of desire' bit, the video made me love it, and you'll always find me doing the corresponding dance move
The song just peaks at the end with a massive last chorus leading into Una's brilliant 'on your radar, keep me, keep me, keep me' part (again, got the moves) - it's just a magical song for me.
It sits pretty on top of the Sats on my end of year chart (though I do prefer Missing You, actually, it was just more competitive last year clarly) - one thing they do very well for me is consistency - let's hope next year they can have a No.1!

LISTEN

The SATURDAYS
02. All Fired Up (2011)
03. Missing You (2010)
13. Higher ( ft. Flo RIDA) (2010)
14. Work (2009)
22. Up (2008)
27. Notorious (2011)
29. Issues (2009)
33. Ego (2010)
35. Forever Is Over (2009)
37. My Heart Takes Over (2011)
65. Just Can’t Get Enough (2009)
94. If This Is Love (2008)

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01. Bruno Mars - Grenade

And taking the crown for this year as guessed by psychic Carly and one unnamed other is the brilliant Bruno Mars with his classic 'Grenade'. I believe I'm right in saying I loved this from the very first listen, it is just the most perfectly constructed pop song. From the opening piano to the beautiful verses 'easy come, easy go'. It's not often that verses, bridge and chorus are all equally as strong but that's definitely the case here. It amps up into the 'gave you all I had and I tossed it in the trash' segment and flows effortlessly into the chorus 'but what you don't understand is I'd catch a grenade for you'. All just melodically stunning.
Besides this, what an honest, emotive set of lyrics, matched perfectly by Bruno's stunning and emotional vocals, peaking and troughing as he pledges his love and tails off with 'but you don't feel the same'.
The absolute highlight of the song is definitely the middle 8 into the final chorus though - 'you said you loved me you're a liar cause you never, Ever, EVER did baby - cause darling I'd still catch a grenade' - the musicianship and Bruno's angry vocals are just stunning and the way his voice soars on that 'grenade' note are amazing. I never thought he could pull it off live but I remember watching an acoustic performance Carly posted and he does it with such ease, one of my favourite live vocals of the year, if not ever. The man is just amazing and this song is him at his very best. I remember Carly and I both saying as we counted down our 2010 sets that we would chart Grenade in 2011 and it could be a good shout for No.1 - some things don't change

LISTEN

Bruno MARS
01. Grenade (2011)
21. Just The Way You Are (2010)
58. Billionaire (with Travie McCOY) (2010)
60. Nothin’ On You (with B.o.B) (2010)

GOOD SONGS THAT MISSED OUT


Thank you to everyone who followed my chart, I hope you enjoyed the outcome!