1. Pixie Paris - Es Rappelt Im Karton
2. Lukas Graham - 7 Years
3. Honey Ryder - Years From Now
4. The Corrs - I Do What I Like
5. Robin Bengtsson - Constellation Prize
6. TheFatRat feat Laura Brehm - Monody
7. Wiktoria - Save Me
8. David Lindgren - We Are Your Tomorrow
9. Charly Cole - February 29 (Marry Me)
10. Sia - Move Your Body
11. Rihanna feat Drake - Work
12. Stereoact feat Kerstin Ott - Die Immer Lacht
13. Charlotte Perrelli - Här Står Jag
14. Pet Shop Boys - The Pop Kids
15. Ace Wilder - Don't Worry
16. Neele Ternes - Dad
17. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do
18. Barei - Say Yay!
19. Walk The Moon - Work This Body
20. Rat Boy - Move
German duo Pixie Paris first released Es Rappelt Im Karton in 2014 but the infectious pop/dance song, a sort of cross between The Ting Tings and We No Speak Americano, has only recently come to my attention. Despite being sung in German, the vocals are delivered in a style that makes it sound French, and no language barrier can deny the infectious 'ton ton ton ton ton' hook.
Sweden's always fantastic Eurovision national final Melodifestivalen has returned and five related songs are already good enough to make it into this list. Robin Bengtsson's Constellation Prize has an unforgettable harmonica hook and sounds like an international hit, Ace Wilder's Don't Worry is like a lost Livin' Joy classic from 1996, Wiktoria's folky pop song Save Me is really charming and David Lindgren's We Are Your Tomorrow sounds like Axwell & Ingrosso's Sun Is Shining but is instantly his most anthemic song to date. Meanwhile, one of the guest performances, Charlotte Perrelli's ode to schlager divas, Här Står Jag, is a cover of Helene Fischer's brilliant Atemlos Durch Die Nacht, which stays true to the original and is therefore completely excellent.
The current UK No.1, Danish act Lukas Graham's 7 Years, is very lyrically unusual for a chart single so completely stands out. I first heard it in the middle of last year but it's continued to rise in my affections ever since, a great theatrical sounding pop song with lush instrumentation and it's always good to see a Scandinavian act conquering the world. Another current global hit here is Rihanna and Drake's Work, which continues to worm its way into my head despite rather subtle production. Sigala's new single, the Mariah Carey sampling tropical house stunner Say You Do, is sure to be a future UK smash, to follow up the No.1 Easy Love and top three hit Sweet Lovin'.
For the Radio 2 fans, Honey Ryder's cover of Dr Hook's Years From Now is really beautiful and boasts a stunning violin section while Sharon Corr adds her own trademark violin touches to the new single by The Corrs, I Do What I Like. The track opened their fantastic tour last month and is probably their danciest single since the Todd Terry remix of Dreams, which hit the UK top ten in 1998. Meanwhile, emerging US country-pop starlet Charly Cole's new single, the aptly titled (for a leap year) Marry Me (February 29) has one of the most instant choruses I've heard in a while.
Otherwise unmentioned are celtic dance beauty Monody by TheFatRat, Sia's Move Your Body, a complete banger that Shakira ludicrously rejected for her last album, Neele Ternes' touching ballad Dad, Spain's fun Eurovision entry Say Yay! by Barei, rising Essex indie star Rat Boy with Move and Work This Body, another great single (and video) from US alternative pop act Walk The Moon. Meanwhile, Pet Shop Boys have returned with their finest lead single since Love Etc, The Pop Kids would have been a huge hit for them in 1993, but still sounds just as fresh and appealing in 2016 with a great story to tell and a spoken word section that reminds me of Saint Etienne's fantastic Over The Border.
Finally, something a bit different, a schlager influenced German language deep house song, Die Immer Lacht by Stereoact feat Kerstin Ott, which is the latest folky song to be transformed into a house smash by a German producer.
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