I posted about her earlier, but now that her NINTH album is out, I'm going to repeat this. Sinead O'Connor, my favorite artist for as long as I've lived, is known pretty much in the older generation and those who were raised on her, in the States at least. It's called How About I Be Me (And You be You)?. My favorite however, is a song that was heard by many Americans, but not identified by many. From the movie The Waterhorse, Sinead sang Back Where You Belong, which played during the credits. It is a beautiful song, and I'm so proud of her!

Girl Talk isn't a recent song of Ultraviolet Sound's, but I'm putting it up for a few reasons. One: Their name is just so great, I've known I had to put them up. Two: This song is so true! I like songs that aren't necessarily about love, but are still relatable. So this song, which is very electronic, is, in my opinion, a great study song. Not a dance song, but more of something that's good for background.

BONUS: I already have five songs for my Swag List, i just want to give a short shout-out to Allison Iraheta and her song Friday I'll Be Over U. And to her great hair.

Swag List
Elise Estrada - These Three Words
Mia Martina - Latin Moon
Alyssa Reid - The Game
Fefe Dobson - Stuttering
Fun. ft. Janelle Monae - We Are Young

Shane Harper is releasing his debut album tomorrow! Not because its Valentine's Day, but because its his birthday. I especially love One Step Closer, but that tune is suspiciously familiar...Of course, the album is called Shane Harper since its a debut album, but Shane has some really great stuff going on, and I am pumped for this.

If you're looking for an artist with a beautiful voice, look straight at Yasmin.  I like her song Finish Line, and even though she could really do better song-wise, her voice is just so beautiful without being a ballad. So what can I say?

Swag list:

Pia Toscano - This Time

Aatyn Doyle - What It Takes

Nadine Coyle - Insatiable

Cheryl Cole - The Flood

Oh My! - Kicking and Screaming

Although they are a huge hit in the UK, they aren't even on the radar in the United States. I present, Cover Drive. I really like their name, though I have NO idea where they got it... but they are so good, that we'll pass by that! They're a Bajan group, releasing their first album, Bajan style, in 2012. So I am so pumped for that! Hopefully they will actually release in the US, because they are so good but still unknown here! And the majority of the listeners are here, so it would do them a good turn. My personal favorite of theirs reached #1 on the UK charts, is Twilight. And the best thing is, their voices are actually that good! Let's go Cover Drive!

Whoever likes Natalia Kills is sure to find love when listening to the unfortunately unknown Adam Tyler. His recent song Like A Drug is very similar to her whole style of pop. It's sort of dancy, and has a serious beat. The music videos are intense, but the music is way looser without the accompanying images, and deserves to be on the radio.

Swag List
Anjulie - Brand New Bitch
Enrique Iglesias - Tonight I'm Loving You
Jade Ewen - My Man
Kristine Elezaj - Warpath
Kayle - My Love is On Fire

Despite them having split up, I'm posting a shout-out to Wonderland, and awesome girl band from Ireland. They released their album 2011 and split up very quickly, due very much to a members pregnancy. When re-listening, I realized that they have under a million Youtube views for their most popular song, Not a Love Song, which must be because they didn't last for long at all. But if by chance you haven't heard them much or at all, Wonderland is worthy of your time!

Even though she has been listed under similar artists for multiples of the contents of my posts here, I had decided to avoid listening to Jessica Sutta. She is way better known as a member of the Pussycat Dolls, but making a name for herself as a solo artist. Her first album was called Sutta Pop, and let me say - it is pure club music. It is also significantly different from the Girlicious style of the Pussycat Dolls, and I have to say it is an improvement. Although she won't cater to those who prefer pop that leans towards indie (I don't understand you guys...) her song Show Me has a beat easy to move to. She's also coming out with an album 2012, though nobody knows what it's called or when it's coming!

Since Wonderland isn't any use to someone trying to find a new artist, I'm presenting my third option. This one is a project, called The Ready Set. They started up back in 2007, and are preparing their third album for 2012. Love Like Woe is, in my opinion, a musical masterpiece and their most famous single. Although Hollywood Dream did not chart, the quality isn't lesser in any way. Although the details for the upcoming 2012 album aren't known, I'll give them ASAP!

Swag List:
Natalia Kills - Break You Hard
Alexa Jordan - Happiness
Girlicious - Like Me
Green Day - Good Riddance
Jason Derulo - In My Head

If there is a single new pop duo worth mentioning, that duo is Oh My! The duo in question is new enough that there isn't a Wikipedia page for them, and less than 6,000 listeners on last.fm. It is very much Brit pop - the girls accents are very obvious in the songs, and the style is very Brit pop, a bit cheeky and playful rather than the more intense tones of US pop. My personal favorite of their very small repertoire is Kicking and Screaming, but I appreciate the Dirty Dancing references in Dirty Dancer. Oh My is worthy of checking out, but if you aren't an indie fan (just like me) then don't watch the videos, and just listen, as the videos have a somewhat indie stylization.

I guess when I clicked Replay for the second time without being tired of the song at all, I realized I had to blog about Angel. I also just saw the film Joyful Noise, so this song could come right from the pop-gospel themed soundtrack. And although I normally don't listen to religiously themed songs, this song is so sweet and very universal. It has a touch of Western and Country, but is the ultimate comfort track. Go In, Go Hard sounds as if it might be very inappropriate and dirty, but it isn't at all! Surprise!

Swag List:
Cascada - Evacuate the Dancefloor
Guns n' Roses - Street of Dreams
Aqua - Cartoon Heroes
Luminites - All Dressed Up
DJ Earworm - United States of Pop 2009 (Blame it on the Pop)

In the mood for something different, I decided to re-listen to Kerli. Well. Although her videos are incredibly creepy and terrifying, her songs are different, falling into the sub-genre goth-bubblegum. It's actually incredibly difficult to choose my favorite song, but I tend to lean towards Army of Love. Although that's all the way back from 2010 - so old, right? I heard she was coming out with a new album for 2012. So exciting!

Guess who came out recently? The long ago spoken of Rita Ora! I still don't get the style choice in the video, but okay. She has a lower voice than you would expect, but the song is very cool and bouncy. In your mind you can just see a really cool dance going on - its one of those songs. Or a song that you would randomly sing to impress someone, and it definitely has the award of legitimate potential to shoot up the charts, even though it's only 69 cents on iTunes now. But look at Hot Right Now, it truly is worth it.

As an apology for being so long, thanks to finals, I include a third artist. Although I feel like this also belongs on my newly invented Swag List, I have to put Charice as an artist down here. She's been around since 2005, so she really is known, but it took her a while to finally get out her second album, and with her second single Louder and her first was Before It Explodes, which, being written by Bruno Mars, I think is very sweet, yet it has a ring like his songs. Her new album will be called Infinity, and I'm so excited!

Explanation of my new addition to posts: Swag List. Randomly I will re-find old songs that I had long forgotten, or I'll hear a song that I haven't heard before that came from a band long split up. What I personally have been listening to and thinking about. I'm starting with five a list, and lets see how that goes.

Swag List:
Kristina Debarge - Goodbye
Hey Monday - Homecoming
Aloha From Hell - Don't Gimme That
P!nk - F**kin Perfect
Colette Carr - Back It Up

The Top Singles of 2011

1. Avril Lavigne - What the Hell
2. Ariana Grande - Put Your Heats Up
3. Aqua - Sucker For A Superstar
4. September - Party In My Head
5. The Wanted - Warzone
6. Ed Sheeran - Lego House
7. Colette Carr - We Do It (Primo)
8. Luminites - All Dressed Up
9. Alexis Jordan - Hush Hush
10. Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath
11. One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
12. Olly Murs ft. Rizzle Kicks- Heart Skips A Beat
13. LaDolla - Criminal
14. Anjulie - Stand behind the Music
15. Neon Hitch - Bad Dog

Even though at this point I'm posting on January 1st, I started this the 31st. Happy New Years everyone! Here are my top 15 singles of the year, and I hope you enjoy them.