My Favourite Artists of 2011

If you could sum up 2011 in pop music, you could use one word: Adele. But screw that overrated. over-saturated singer. Her moaning and wailing on each song bored me.

I was going to compile a list of "my favourite songs" but that they keep on changing. Instead, here's the top five artists I've most enjoyed listening to this year.

5. LADY GAGA'S QUEEN OF POP COMPLEX DEEPENS

I was in New York when Born This Way was officially released and I was faced with the hardest decision ever -- should I purchase the physical album for US$20 at Macy's or spend that money on food. I chose the latter.

Three weeks later, I'm home in Australia and I find out that Interscope was hawking the album for 99c online. For all your fuckers who say that was a horribly tacky move - how many more MILLION people illegally downloaded Born This Way in that first week for free?

Yeah, shut the fuck up.

The album campaign was a mess though. Her self-indulgent ego destroyed any momentum she had from the Born this Way single. All music videos from this era have been absolutely atrocious, reeking of narcissism and a God-complex.

Nevertheless, the standout tracks from BTW (The Edge of Glory, Bad Kids, Marry the Night, Hair and Schiebe) are still on my iPhone playlists.

4. THE RETURN OF SUPERSTAR J-LO


Jennifer Lopez was so far deep in irrelevancy her management team thought her starring in The Back Up Plan was a good career move.

Thankfully, JLo re-hired her old manager Benny Medina and orchestrated her way back in the spotlight thanks to American Idol and Lady Gaga producer RedOne. The latter collaboration was the worldwide hit, On the Floor featuring the omnipresent pesticide known as Pitbull.

Unfortunately for La Lopez, On the Floor was ignored by the Grammys committee. I'm sure she thought that she would've swept next year's Grammys just like she thought she was robbed of an Oscar.

PS I happened to love her album LOVE?


3. GOTYE - AUSTRALIA'S ANSWER TO MERLIN

Why? Because on Australia's weekly ARIA Top 50 single chart countdown, he was able to keep Adele off the number 1 spot FOR WEEKS.

This is not Gotye, but former Australian Idol contestant Anthony Callea. I thought someone other than Tim Campbell could show him some love this year. His "comeback" single had a horrible, shortlived reception.

2. NICOLE SCHERZINGER FINALLY BECOMES A STAR

Nicole Scherzinger was basically the Pussycat Dolls yet the world never took to her as a solo artist until 2011.

She deservedly scored her first number one hit single - Don't Hold Your Breath in the UK this year.

Right There, Say Yes, Tomorrow Never Dies. Killer Love was a great pop album.

1. WE FOUND LOVE / RIHANNA & CALVIN HARRIS

Both released some fucking tunes this year (Cheers, Feel So Close, Bounce) but We Found Love is my favourite song and video of the year.

Every Saturday night in my flat before heading out, it's this: