#peoplespop25 final choice and final deliberate boost Fell into Emjay’s stuff via bbtrickz. Here’s hoping she doesn’t have the same edgelord tendencies. (Or if she does, they never get translated into English - or Welsh! - so I remain blissfully unaware.) Anyway, this is awesome - Emjay, Boss

#peoplespop25 6/7 Time to boost something deliberately! Ngishutheni, by Goon Flavour, Master KG and Eemoh is absolutely my other favourite South African flavoured song of the year

#peoplespop25 5/7 Right, I’ve checked the Spotify playlist and this one definitely hasn’t been picked yet Debbii Dawson channelling Lidl’s own brand version of a Miley Cyrus/Stevie Nicks mash-up Chemical Reaction, Debbii Dawson

#peoplespop25 4/7 Not sure I’ve seen this one yet - my favourite from Berghain Rosalía, Reliquia

#peoplespop25 3/7ish More gloriously silly pop Welshness from Marina! Still think it should be Cuntissima rather than Cuntissimo, mind

#peoplespop25 2/7ish Country doesn’t always do that well in the PPP. Here’s this year’s doomed tasteful US country lady. Love this song, has a feel of Slipping Through My Fingers about it (complimentary) Cyndi Thomson - Five More Minutes

#peoplespop25 1/7? Oops. More or less completely missed this hashtag. Sorry Tom! Will try to do a couple of catch-up songs that I’ve not seen yet before boosting a couple that I have First up, Blaq Major and B Yember (ft Mzamo Ngcobo & Sophie) Faki Beer One of this year’s strong South Africans

#thetwen2ie5 day 50 Finishing with an absolute banger than I first heard on this challenge (And resisting the temptation to go for one that I first heard today!) Awesome East African/Jamaican crossover Zuchu, Amanda (ft Spice) (2025, 🇹🇿 ft 🇯🇲) Thanks for organising, Arron!

#thetwen2ie5 day 49 More glorious amapiano fun (or other genre tbc by lokpokpo) Blaq Major leading a cast of 1000s. I was concerned about splitting his vote, but don’t think anyone chose his other efforts either! Blaq Major & B Yember (ft Mzamo Ngcobo & Sphiwe), Faki Beer (2025, 🇿🇦🇸🇿)

#thetwen2ie5 day 48 My favourite of this year so far - 11 point BONUS! (Remix in particular) Emjay, Boss (2025, 🇲🇽)

#thetwen2ie5 day 47 Don’t have too many from this year. Most haven’t reached a fixed place for me yet. But this one feels like it’s going to stick Théa, Qui Fera Taire Les Kidz Fucked Up? (2025, 🇫🇷)

#thetwen2ie5 day 46 Seen a few of theirs come up, but not this one. Oh well, it’s fun anyway Confidence Man, Home Again (2025, 🇦🇺)

#thetwen2ie5 day 45 Into this year at last! Rianne Downey has a Stevie Nicksesque quality to her voice, more people should hear her own stuff as well as the Beautiful South bits Rianne Downey, Lost In Blue (2025, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿)

#thetwen2ie5 day 44 This song was very close to a bonus: un chanson enorme And it’s a nice warm-up for a PPP World Cup, as Théodora could almost be a group on her own Théodora, Kongolese Sous BBL (2024, 🇨🇩🇨🇭🇬🇷🇫🇷(🇷🇪))

#thetwen2ie5 day 43 Not sure I’ve seen this one yet, but it’s a sweet little song Bea And Her Business, Safety Net (2024, 🇬🇧)

#thetwen2ie5 day 42 Google wouldn’t let me see the proper video of this, so here’s the safe search description: “a mid-size sedan known for its comfortable ride, available all-wheel drive, and fuel efficiency” 11Point Bonus for the motherf*cking princess Doechii, Nissan Altima (2024, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 41 Don’t think the song is quite the masterpiece that the video is but they work brilliantly together and it’s definitely my favourite post-talent show winner’s solo project debut Jade, Angel of My Dreams (2024, 🇬🇧)

#thetwen2ie5 day 40 J-Pop! A catchy tribute to the hectic nature of the Tokyo commuting experience, by a band that is somehow a spin-off from the Sailor Moon manga (think something got lost in translation) F5ve, Underground (2024, 🇯🇵)

#thetwen2ie5 day 39 Back to South Africa: ampiano? gqom? Not sure I can answer that and still have enough characters for the cast list Dlala Thukzin, Funky Qla, Zee Nxumalo ft MK Productions, Ama Gear (2024, 🇿🇦)

#thetwen2ie5 day 38 The Babs Windsor of pop! Shame she couldn’t get Dolly to join in the swearing but it’s a great couplet either way “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherfucker” Sabrina Carpenter, Please, Please, Please (2024, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 37 The last song had Billie exploring her sexuality. This one has Mica being dumped by an alien. Tale as old as time Magdalena Bay, Death & Romance (2024, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 36 I like the way the bass line feels as lewd as the lyrics Billie Eilish, Lunch (2024, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 35 The bullying song! Catchy, though Kendrick Lamar, Not Like Us (2024, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 34 Another from the extended MJ Lenderverse. Gorgeous tune and harmonies. It can be tricky to tell which new songs will stick with you but it feels like this will be around for a long time Waxahatchee ft MJ Lenderman, Right Back to It (2024, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 33 Really appreciated the pop polls for many things, one of them already knowing who Chappell Roan was when she suddenly became famous This was my favourite: good clean, dirty, camp fun, and a perfect riff off the Oasis song Chappell Roan, Red Wine Supernova (2023, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 32 A Taylor Swift support act, channelling Low? Lovely Mitski, Bug Like An Angel (2023, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 31 My CMAT choice. Not the same as everyone else’s but epitomises her appeal for me - a fun sound and witty too CMAT, Stay For Something (2023, 🇮🇪)

#thetwen2ie5 day 30 Another slice of yearning Americana. Apparently about bad dating experiences, which makes me grateful for being old - a lovely sound though Jess Williamson, Hunter (2023, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 29 Afrobeat/hip hop poppy crossover? Yeah, I’m easily pleased tbf Ladipoe & Bella Shurma, Guy Man (2023, 🇳🇬)

#thetwen2ie5 day 28 Perhaps the least streamed song on my list A lovely old-sounding reggae number written by the guy behind 90s punk band, Rancid, but it is from this decade! Rockstone Rockstars, Orange Street (2023, 🇯🇲)

#thetwen2ie5 day 27 Nice little slice of Americana this, and reminiscing about the stupid things you do when growing up in a small town Wednesday, Chosen to Deserve (2023, 🇺🇸)

#thetwen2ie5 day 26 Back to the main list. As mentioned before, her French is so clear I almost believe I can understand it. And repurposed nicely as an anti- Front National number Zaho de Sagazan, Tristesse (2023, 🇫🇷)

#thetwen2ie5 HonMen5 One from the most popular artist of the decade. With a song that Google thinks is about his dog Bad Bunny & Bomba Estero, Ojitos Lindos (🇵🇷🇨🇴, 2023)

#thetwen2ie5 HM4 Best Eurovision song ever? Don’t think I can improve the top YouTube comment “A ukranian woman that looks like she's come from matrix, riding a car that looks like is from mad max, in Chernobyl dancing with people that look like they come from breaking bad” Go A, Shum 🇺🇦 2021

#thetwen2ie5 HM3 Didn’t make the 50, as it was a bit too similar to my Ayra Starr choice . But worth an hon mention Rema & Selena Gomez, Calm Down (🇳🇬🇺🇸, 2023)

#thetwen2ie5 HM2 Couldn’t quite find a space for this fantastic Haitian-French banger. Great fun, though Joé Dwèt Filé, 4 Kampé (🇫🇷(🇭🇹), 2024)

#thetwen2ie5 Honourable Mention 1 Song 51, the last to miss the list, mainly coz I had another by the same artist (so I’m picking it now to stop me forgetting and choosing it on the proper list later) Slight, but fun Olivia Rodrigo, So American (🇺🇸, 2024)

#thetwen2ie5 day 25 Finishing the first part of two with a duet. Lovely blend of voices here Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen, Like I Used To (🇺🇸, 2021)

#thetwen2ie5 day 24 12- Point Bonus!!! My favourite of the decade so far. The enthusiasm is absolutely undeniable Sho Madjozi, Chale (🇿🇦, 2023)

#thetwen2ie5 day 23 Lovely loping beats, clever lyrics and a very, very north London voice - have seen my daughter’s American and Aussie friends trying to copy her accent which is hilarious Couldn’t have a 20s countdown without her Little Simz, Gorilla (🇬🇧, 2023)

#thetwen2ie5 day 22 Continuing to be basic with another massive global hit. Who’d have thought a song about feeling isolated and depressed and drinking too much would strike such a chord immediately after the pandemic? Libianca, People (🇨🇲🇺🇸, 2023)

#thetwen2ie5 day 21 There was something in the water a couple of years back in west Africa If feels like this borrows from Rema’s Calm Down and it feels like the Selena Gomez remix of that song borrows from this Ayra Starr, Rush (🇧🇯🇳🇬, 2022)

#thetwen2ie5 day 20 Doh, think this may be another ISC non-compliance - forgot about it as it was the featured rather than lead artist Anyway, lovely tune that I think I probably heard when my son was playing FIFA Sampa the Great ft Angélique Kidjo, Let Me Be Great (🇿🇲🇦🇺/🇧🇯🇫🇷, 2022) ISC ❌ (5)

#thetwen2ie5 day 19 Yet more 80s throwback, with the 21st century’s answer to Billy Idol This song is kind of a companion piece to White Wedding in terms of pop rock for formal occasions Yungblud, The Funeral (🇬🇧, 2022) NKC ❌ (5 - last of my ISC/NKC fails, I think)

#thetwen2ie5 day 18 This song would fit well in this month’s Black Pop History Month challenge too - in many ways it’s the NKC-compliant version of As It Was Lizzo, 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready), 🇺🇸, 2022)

#thetwen2ie5 day 17 The word of the decade And appropriately, the song sums it up perfectly, going on and on changing attention between several styles. Love it Metric, Doomscroller (🇨🇦, 2022) ISC ❌ (4)

#thetwen2ie5 day 16 One where I seem to be out of sync with the consensus choice. But as this was a global no 1 with a billion streams, my assumption is that everyone else is splitting the vote by choosing #53 Quevedo: BZRP Music Sessions #52, Bizzarap & Quevedo (🇦🇷, 🇮🇨/🇪🇸, 2022) NKC ❌ (4)

#thetwen2ie5 day 15 Another Euro-banger. Although her version of the dance is different from the one I remember Janie, La Macarena (🇫🇷, 2022)

#thetwen2ie5 day 14 Having just seen today’s choice had a 2019 release prior to being re-recorded in 22, it’s on to tomorrow’s Charli needs to be on my list as does Rina, so why not on the same record? Vote-splitting be damned, I like this! Charli XCX & Rina Sawayama, Beg For You (🇬🇧/🇯🇵, 2022)

#thetwen2ie5 day 13 Not expecting this to be in anyone else’s 50. It’s a pleasant enough German indie rock/pop song, mildly uplifting this time, and it stubbornly clung on every time I pruned the playlist Judith Holofernes, Ich Wär So Gern Gut (🇩🇪, 2021) ISC ❌ (3)