Pop conversion therapy

[hudweiser]

A girl I work with who likes Radiohead and grimaces whenever I mention anything poppy, has asked me to create a CD to see if she's wrong about pop.

Thus, I need track suggestions of sophisticated pop tunes that won't reinforce her "it's all shallow" outlook. Old stuff, new stuff, commercial stuff, unknown stuff. A good mix of various pop avenues will help! So long as they're great records!

Thank you in advance!

[cleggar]

Ha, good luck! Probably just be easier to get a new job.

Here are a few of my quick suggestions. I've avoided the big names that might get instant groans i.e. Britney, Beyonce, Katy Perry etc, but I'd say these are all pretty sophisticated in one way or another. They're also all amazing.

Agnes - One Last Time
Bright Light Bright Light - Waiting For The Feeling & Grace
Darren Hayes - Bloodstained Heart
Dragonette - Competition
Erik Hassle - Isn't It Obvious & Bump In The Road
Girls Aloud - Black Jacks, Graffiti My Soul and Swinging London Town
Hurts - Stay & Wonderful Life
Jessica Mauboy - Empty
Kelis - Acapella & Home
Lady Gaga - So Happy I Could Die
Marina & The Diamonds - Primadonna
Mini Viva - I Wish
Nerina Pallot - Sophia & Put Your Hands Up
Rachel Stevens - Nothing Goodbye About This Goodbye
Rihanna - Fire Bomb & G4L
Robyn - Dancing On My Own & Indestructible
Roisin Murphy - Let Me Know
Sia - Clap Your Hands
Siobhan Donaghy - Overrated
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Not Giving Up On Love
Tove Stryke - Call My Name
Will Young - Losing Myself & Hearts On Fire

[Charley]

Moa Lignell - When I Held Ya

[_hazzie_]

Good list cleggar, I'd throw some Florrie in there too, Experimenting With Rugs or something.

[StratusJM]

My default answer for anything like this is Lena's 'Taken By A Stranger'. You can't go wrong with that.

For Florrie, 'I Took A Little Something'!

[JadeFan]

Madonna - American Life & Confessions of course.

[invertedbutterfly]

Cocknbullkid's Hold on to Your Misery (or Asthma Attack).

[Andrew & the Nouns]

These tracks probably would have changed the attitude of the former "POP IS EVIL" me:

ABBA – The Day Before You Came
Amanda Mair – Doubt
Bright Light Bright Light – Immature
Everything but the Girl – Single
Firefox AK – Color the Trees
Frou Frou – Let Go
Garbage – You Look So Fine
Girls Aloud – No Good Advice ('Parental Advisory' version)
Goldfrapp – A&E
Hooverphonic – Mad About You
iamamiwhoami – goods
Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
Katie Melua – The Flood
Kylie – Confide in Me; most of Impossible Princess
Madonna – Drowned World/Substitute for Love; Frozen
Natalie Imbruglia – Identify; Beauty on the Fire
Nerina Pallot – Not the Same; most of Fires
Pet Shop Boys – You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Today the Sun's on Us; most of Shoot from the Hip
The Cardigans – You're the Storm; most of Gran Turismo
The Cure – Just Like Heaven; Catch
Titiyo – Come Along
Tracey Thorn – Why Does the Wind?

Now I know that these songs might not all be strictly pop, but keep in mind that rock/indie-minded people are frequently allergic to excessive 'kitschy' synths and drum machines, clichés in lyrics, oversinging/melisma, and ooh/aah/hey/yeah/la-la/na-na hooks.

Some non-pop covers of pop songs also made me check out the originals and fall in love with them, for example: Steven Wilson's cover of ABBA's "The Day Before You Came"
Guillemots' version of "Black & Gold"
Kylie's "Hand on Your Heart" covered by José González
Timo Räisänen's version of "About You Now".


...Now I don't remember why the hell I used to think it wasn't okay to listen to both 'alternative' music and pop.

[Jonathan27]

cleggar picked some really great ones, as did Andrew, but I'll throw out a few others:

Erik Hassle - The Thanks I Get
Rihanna - Cold Case Love
Marina & The Diamonds - Obsessions
Katy B - Broken Record
Amanda Mair - House
Ellie Goulding - Under the Sheets/This Love Will Be Your Downfall
Dragonette - Stupid Grin/I Get Around
Florence - Seven Devils/Shake It Out/Cosmic Love
Kelly Clarkson - Sober
Nicola Roberts - Fish Out of Water (risky choice)/sticks + stones
Lana Del Rey - Without You
Lady Gaga - So Happy I Could Die
Katy Perry - Not Like the Movies
Britney Spears - Unusual You

The last three are just if you wanna throw in something super mainstream but different from those artists. Most of the songs I chose were for some truly outstanding lyrics and production that isn't too over the top.

[Christafa]

Miranda Cosgrove - High Maintenance

[hudweiser]

Awesome lists, people! Looks like it's going to be a box set.

[Jonathan27]

Awesome lists, people! Looks like it's going to be a box set.

You have to keep us updated as to the final product and how she reacts!

I have a friend very similar to your's whom I'm gradually getting to understand things, but I may put together a similar collection if yours goes well.

[Wishlight]

Everything you listed reminded me of why I love pop. Well done everyone.

EDIT: She must listen to "Come And Get It" in its entirety. She just must.

[KhiaShamone]

Mel C - Never Be The Same Again (feat. Lisa Lopes)
Spice Girls - 2 Become 1
Sugababes - Stronger
Liberty X - Gotta Have Your Love
Mis-teeq - Can't Get It Back
Katy Perry - E.T. (feat. Kanyé West)
No Doubt - Don't Speak
Destiny's Child - Emotions
Dido - Don't Believe In Love
Sixpence None The Richer - Don't Dream It's Over
Ellie Goulding feat. Frankmusik - Wish I Stayed
Ellie Goulding & Erik Hassle - Be Mine
Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend
Kate Nash - Foundations
Madonna - Love Profusion
Britney - Everytime
Queen - Love Of My Life
Shakira - Whenever Wherever
Shakira - No
Rihanna - Take A Bow
Mary J Blige - Be Without You
Mary J Blige - Family Affair
Mary J Blige - No More Drama
Shania Twain - You're Still The One
Dolly Parton - Bargain Store
Dolly Parton - Jolene
Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me
Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry
Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River
t.A.T.u. - All The Things She Said
t.A.T.u. - All About Us
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved
Gwen Stefani - Cool
Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway
Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love?
Sophie Ellis Bextor - Murder On The Dancefloor
[Dude] feat. Sophie Ellis Bextor - Groovejet

Pop music shall never be low brow qorl.

[SilverSurfer]

All these are perfect pop songs:

The Ronnettes - "Be My Baby"
Gwen Stefani - "Cool"
Britney Spears - "Oops!...I Did It Again"
Robyn - "Dancing On My Own"
Annie - "Heartbeat"
Justin Timberlake - "Cry Me A River"
Kate Bush - "Running Up That Hill"
Spice Girls - "Viva Forever"
Kylie Minogue - "Love At First Sight"
Michael Jackson - "Billie Jean"
Robbie Williams - "Angels"
OutKast - "Hey Ya!"
t.A.T.u. - "All the Things She Said"
Dido - "White Flag"

[Andrew & the Nouns]

I'll throw in some more:
A Fine Frenzy – Electric Twist
Alphaville – Sounds Like a Melody (the 4:45 album version on Forever Young, not the 4:30 single remix with no build-up)
Beyoncé – I Miss You
Butterfly Boucher – Not Fooling Around
Jessie Ware – Running
Kate Miller-Heidke – Can't Shake It
Keren Ann – My Name Is Trouble
Melanie C – The Sea
Scissor Sisters – Take Your Mama
Siobhan Donaghy – Iodine
Steve Mason – Lost and Found; Am I Just a Man
Tori Amos – A Sorta Fairytale

Not sure about the Spice Girls, Katy and BEP suggestions though. Don't Dream It's Over is also risky as it's a cover.

I also suggest you don't write the artists' names on the CD. Keep us posted!

[Kirkland]

Give her Anniemal and Don't Stop. Witness the transformation happen before your very eyes! Only Annie has the credibility and pop smarts to convert the pop haterz.

[Jonathan27]

Give her Anniemal and Don't Stop. Witness the transformation happen before your very eyes! Only Annie has the credibility and pop smarts to convert the pop haterz.

I'd say Ellie and Marina both stand a better chance.

[Kirkland]

I'd say Ellie and Marina both stand a better chance.

I think if you love music, you automatically hate Ellie Goulding. Marina is good but it would have to be her first album. Hud's friend would hear Radioactive and see Marina in a blonde wig and probably hate it.

[hudweiser]

I'll throw in some more:
I also suggest you don't write the artists' names on the CD. Keep us posted!

Yes, I was thinking about doing this so there's no prejudice.

She's now getting 2 CDs, one of just ABBA as that was the act she initially sneered at, and the other so far only has three definite finalists:

Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up (it converted me to them)
Scissor Sisters - Sex and Violence
Benjamin Bates - Two Flies

[Jonathan27]

I think if you love music, you automatically hate Ellie Goulding. Marina is good but it would have to be her first album. Hud's friend would hear Radioactive and see Marina in a blonde wig and probably hate it.

This is the most offensive thing I've ever read.

Ellie does a marvelous job of bridging pop and folk by pairing amazing hooks with some of the best lyrics in the current industry.

I'll take Marina's decomposition of self through parody of the modern popstar over the self-indulgent treacle her debut served up most of the time.

[hudweiser]

Convert-subject did say she likes a folky sound yesterday.

Then played me some Dragonette.

[MissGranolaSuicide]

Lots of great suggestions! Here's some of mine:


Emeli Sandé – Heaven
Hercules And Love Affair – Raise Me Up
Moby – Disco Lies
Ladyhawke – Magic
Roisin Murphy – Movie Star
Goldfrapp – Koko
Adele – Hometown Glory (High Contrast Remix)
Deadmau5 – Ghosts n Stuff - Nero Remix
MGMT – Kids
Groove Armada – Paper Romance
Röyksopp – Tricky Tricky
Janelle Monáe – Dance or Die - feat. Saul Williams
Paloma Faith – Stone Cold Sober - Radio Edit
MIKA – Relax, Take It Easy - Alpha Beat Remix
Scissor Sisters – Comfortably Numb

[KhiaShamone]

My list was fucking flawless.