Perfect Pop Song?

Cupz · Post by **Cupz** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:12 pm

Guido wrote:Je T'aime <3

Scyye · Post by **Scyye** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:46 pm

FernieCanto wrote:Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas. If I were ruler of the universe, this song would play at least once, every day, in every radio station. "Perfect" does not define it; it defines "perfect".

Indeed it does. That song makes me cry tears of joy almost every time I listen to it.

machinea · Post by **machinea** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:56 pm

In recent years, trying to stick with a pop format, I would have to say

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream is right up there with anything as good as I've ever heard in the last decade.

Fitz and The Tantrums - Moneygrabber excellent motown throwback. Frankly could have been a hit in the 60's .. rather timeless.

The Beach Boys - God only Knows
The Five Stairsteps - ooh child.
The Spinners - Could it be I'm falling in Love

There are almost too many to list though just through the 50-70's alone. I'm going to leave rock and roll out of the pop category.

Abba wrote great pop music, I generally consider them the greatest pop band of all time.

But for me the greatest Pop/Alt song of all time is

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill It was so original, fresh, her voice .. just oh my god, the drop interval of her voice a minor 6th (very unusual). Dear Lord the song is painful and exquisite at the same time.

Cupz · Post by **Cupz** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 5:35 pm

Scyye wrote:
FernieCanto wrote:Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas. If I were ruler of the universe, this song would play at least once, every day, in every radio station. "Perfect" does not define it; it defines "perfect".
Indeed it does. That song makes me cry tears of joy almost every time I listen to it.

You guys got me playing this on repeat all day again -_-

A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:10 pm

The Jackson Sisters - I Believe in Miracles

Guaranteed floor filler there.

re-phaelam-ed · Post by **re-phaelam-ed** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:16 pm

the full package comes with this tune...

incredible recording. freakin LOVE it

but my perfect pop is...

epic album.

machinea · Post by **machinea** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:14 pm

re-phaelam-ed wrote:the full package comes with this tune...

incredible recording. freakin LOVE it

but my perfect pop is...

epic album.

I almost mentioned Tears for Fears. This was one hell of an album. I felt lucky to see them during the songs from the big chair tour. though I wasn't crazy about that album they played mad world and pale shelter so I was very happy.

Speaking of 80's music (and there are a lot of really great pop songs from 83-84 once the new wave stuff moved in a more pop direction for better or worse, but I'm going for happy pop tunes here, because the Killing Moon by Echo and The Bunnymen is just a fantastic fantastic song, but a bit dark for what I think of pure pleasure pop,

is something like this: If only I could write a song this bloody heartbreaking joyful.

other superlative top contenders have to be What is Love by Howard Jones and It's My Life by Talk Talk. My love of synthesizers comes straight from these songs.

jcnporter · Post by **jcnporter** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 5:51 pm

I can't believe I forgot about this. There's no other song that can bring a smile to my face as quickly -

Sue by Frazier Chorus is probably about the most perfect pop album I've heard, although a few band's greatest hits would come close, such as the aformentioned Talk Talk (well, their earlier stuff), the Lightning Seeds -

Or Erasure -

BairdDeanna · Post by **BairdDeanna** » Fri Nov 01, 2013 11:48 am

Thrift Shop sounds like a perfect pop song to me.

ross adey · Post by **ross adey** » Fri Nov 01, 2013 12:22 pm

Snufkin · Post by **Snufkin** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:06 pm

This Madonna song is pretty gud also... :0

The Telepathic Kid · Post by **The Telepathic Kid** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 12:08 am

Cupz wrote:
Scyye wrote:
FernieCanto wrote:Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas. If I were ruler of the universe, this song would play at least once, every day, in every radio station. "Perfect" does not define it; it defines "perfect".
Indeed it does. That song makes me cry tears of joy almost every time I listen to it.
You guys got me playing this on repeat all day again -_-

fourthing this.

one of the best songs of all time.

mucephei · Post by **mucephei** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 12:35 am

Some superb choices happening here...many thanks....

Someone mentioned Tears for Fears: apart from Mad World I love this overlooked gem:

http://youtu.be/96025-qG3C8

ONTHE88 · Post by **ONTHE88** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 1:00 am

Surprised I haven't seen this one here yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLeCB7Kn-VE

2ndMOUSE · Post by **2ndMOUSE** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 1:37 am

Too many.....but these spring to mind very quickly

The beach Boys -- Good Vibrations. It was said at the time that the beach boys were the peak of music , and that music in general wouldn't evolve any higher as they employed groundbreaking techniques that , although are commonplace now , were state of the art back then. The whole Pet Sounds album should be in everyones cd collection too

Semisonic -- Chemistry. More hooks than a bait 'n' tackle shop. One of my all time favourites

Supergrass -- Caught by the fuzz

The Eagles -- Witchy Woman best track they ever did , IMHO

E.L.O. -- Mr. Blue Sky

Wings -- Silly Love Songs

Pink Floyd -- Another Brick in the Wall

Deep Purple -- Strange Kind of Woman

Mr. Mister -- Broken Wings

The Stranglers -- Golden Brown

Men at work -- Down under

Japan -- Quiet Life

Gerry Rafferty -- Baker Street

Jeff Buckley -- Vancouver

Spandau Ballet -- To cut a long story short ( probably the only good track they ever made )

The Undertones -- My perfect cousin ( absolute classic !! )

Ultravox -- One small day

10cc -- Dreadlock Holiday

Blur -- Parklife

The devine Comedy -- Thrillseeker

Van Halen -- Why cant this be love

A recent favourite is by an artist I never dreamed I would be able to mention in a list like this , but Try by Pink , is an incredible , powerful song that has everything. Great melody , powerful lyrics , and flawless production. Don't knock it till you've heard it.

Anything by Crowded House
anything by ZZ top

2020k · Post by **2020k** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 5:31 pm

I love that the majority of these replies just have mystery YouTube links instead of listing the artist and name so that we have to click and decide whether they're cringeworthy or not.

I agree with the one that links to Lou Reed's favorite song of 2003 and would like to add in "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Tears for Fears.

For a mystery link,I would like to offer this specific one. It's literal engineering and production perfection and if I recall, in the guilty pleasures thread there's quite a few of us that tend to cower in a corner and jam out to this particular act.

(I actually think, even though her lyrics lack substance most of the times, that the production and engineering on her albums are perfect pop, mostly. I mentioned how her records sound far ahead of her contemporaries in an article when I first started the blog.

)

Scyye · Post by **Scyye** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 6:55 pm

2020k wrote:"Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Tears for Fears.

For a mystery link,I would like to offer this specific one. It's literal engineering and production perfection and if I recall, in the guilty pleasures thread there's quite a few of us that tend to cower in a corner and jam out to this particular act.

YES to both of them

2ndMOUSE · Post by **2ndMOUSE** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 7:56 pm

2020k wrote: (I actually think, even though her lyrics lack substance most of the times, that the production and engineering on her albums are perfect pop, mostly. I mentioned how her records sound far ahead of her contemporaries in an article when I first started the blog. )

To be fair , any skill in her music is gonna have very little to do with her , except vocally.
She probably can't play a note.
The real stars in modern music are the engineers , producers and , in most cases , the songwriting team who sell their hit songs to artists , while the artists get all the kudos even though they contributed very little creatively , except maybe a dance routine

So many artists these days , who are given the studio star treatment , but its all a marketing exercise.
Its my pet hate to see artists get to where they are , when they have contributed so little creatively.
I expect a backlash , but this is my opinion.
Artists like madonna , natalie imbruglia , tori amos , alicia keys etc....can all play an instrument , or are adept in the studio , wheras people like britney spears , the spice girls etc.....are more of a PR / marketing triumph.
It wasn't that long ago Roland Rat was in the charts , and if they can make a cloth puppet sell records........

The Telepathic Kid · Post by **The Telepathic Kid** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 3:05 am

2020k wrote:

(I actually think, even though her lyrics lack substance most of the times, that the production and engineering on her albums are perfect pop, mostly. I mentioned how her records sound far ahead of her contemporaries in an article when I first started the blog. )

the production on this track is damn good, it's both synthetic and organic, futuristic and slightly retro, with Spears' vocals reaching both near growls and high pitched falsettos. It gives you so much and every time you hear it you get more out of it. It's pretty damn good.

Dunno if it's been brought up in the thread yet but I'm gonna put my 2 cents in for Beyonce's Single Ladies being one of the best songs of the past 15 years or so.

also gonna pitch this classic. It's not God Only Knows, sure, but the harmonies are so fucking heartbreaking;

also might be breaking the mould a bit here, but in terms of indie rock and all that stuff, here's one of the best songs to come from that camp which I would consider pop;

azamarro · Post by **azamarro** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 5:45 am

I agree with "Good Vibrations" being a near-perfect pop song. It's complex and easy to listen to all at once.

The Pipe Dream "January Girl" Obscure psychedelic classic. So much going on—harpsichord, trumpets, acoustic guitars, ace vocal harmonies and unexpected key changes.

My Tears for Fears choice was "Head Over Heels".

Chaka Khan "I Feel for You" Written by Prince, cut-up 80's electro r&b that features Stevie Wonder on harmonica and Grandmaster Melle Mell rapping. Perfection!