30 Andy C & Fiora — 'Heartbeat Loud'
This is another one that falls into the 'fucking hell Cheryl how about recording something interesting' category.
29 Dominique Young Unique — 'Throw It Down'
We're not sure how this woman isn't a proper international pop obsession but maybe it'll all happen for her in 2015.
28 Kylie Minogue — 'Into The Blue'
Listening to this now for the first time in a couple of months it seems obvious that we should have put 'Into The Blue' quite a few places higher on this list, but we've done all the formatting now so here it will have to stay.
27 Lady Gaga — 'GUY'
It's funny how Lady Gaga will say things along the lines of "people want another 'Bad Romance' but that doesn't interest me because I'm such a free-minded creative spirit" when, actually, 'GUY' isn't far off being exactly that. If the production wasn't so wonky this would be in the Top 3; the "I don't need to be on top…" portion is Gaga at her very best.
26 Invader Girl — 'Starting Fires'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTWCdX139LU
We liked this one a lot.
25 Style Of Eye feat SoSo — 'Kids'
This one actually came out in the rest of the world last year but it wasn't released in the UK until 2014. Obviously it was completely ignored by radio and the world at large, despite being totally incendiary. While we're talking about release date fiascos, can we just say that Tove Lo's 'Habits' isn't on this year's singles Top 45 because it was actually in last year's. Sorry about that, but what can you do.
24 J.Lo — 'First Love'
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you do a chorus.
23 Years & Years — 'Take Shelter'
In the video for this, Years & Years go for a walk in the woods. Next thing you know there's a swamp girl wafting around. Madness. We think this is probably supposed to be quite sensual but when you think about it, chances are that if this girl lives in the woods she probably stinks to high heaven, which is a shame.
22 One Direction — 'Night Changes'
A classic boyband ballad.
21 Ed Sheeran — 'Thinking Out Loud'
A classic boyband ballad.
20 Ella Henderson — 'Ghost'
Like the Years & Years video, the clip accompanying this tumultuous Tedderbanger is partially set in the woods. Mind you, it's also partially set near a venetian blind. One in the eye for those who say pop is afraid to take chances.
19 Nero — 'Satisfy'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHFevxf3IKA
A couple of the songs on this year's Top 45 list sound slightly ahead of their time, but 'Satisfy' is the only one that sounds like it's somehow appeared a full ten years ahead of scheduled release.
18 Elliphant feat MØ — 'One More'
A song of two halves, like in football, but with a song. The point at 2:01, when 'One More' suddenly changes from slinky downbeat thimble to scary electro bucket, is one of 2014's best pop moments.
17 Iggy Azalea feat Charli XCX — 'Fancy'
There are times in pop when an artist says, "do you know what, I'm several hundred grand in the hole, I'm probably going to get dropped, I'm going to get Charli XCX on the phone and make a song and video so irresistibly brilliant that everyone will have to sit the fuck down and accept that I'm here to stay, for at least the next eight months". But enough about Icona Pop's 'I Love It', let's turn our attention instead of 'Fancy', which contains one of the year's three best (if least convincing) opening lines.