Track By Track Throwback: "THIS IS … ICONA POP" by Icona Pop

This throwback is dedicated to the almost debut album by Swedish 90's bitches Icona Pop. Though it was not their first LP, Icona Pop's revamped album of balls to the wall bangers was a reckless thrill ride across every dance floor. So let's get into shall we?

1. I Love It feat. Charli XCX

We've been through this before, but "I Love It" is OFFICIALLY the best song of last year and possibly this decade. Thanks to Charli XCX, we got an insanely catchy kiss off that every college freshman had screamed in clubs across the world. Pretty much my theme song for any occasion. At 2 and a half minutes, the three girls managed to take over TV, airwaves, movies, and anything else you may have thought of. With this being their first song on the album, Aino and Caroline set the bar pretty high.

2. All Night

"All Night" was the follow up to "I Love It" and would have removed Icona Pop from their one-hit wonder status if people would give it a chance. It starts off with a fun little guitar lick before finding the girls back on the dance floor (where they belong). Though not as immediate or anarchist, it is an aspirational feel-good jam that is especially great live. And the video should give you LIFE in so many ways.

3. We Got The World

The girls first foray into EDM territory also happens to be Tove Lo written. I wonder what it sounds like? BLOODY INCREDIBLE THAT'S WHAT! By now, Icona Pop's signature can be heard as a carefree statement of being who you are and just having fun. And it's a lesson a lot of popstars need to remember.

4. Ready For The Weekend

By now, it's pretty dizzying the pace that this album is going. The BPM is probably averages above every other album from last year. However, with "Ready For The Weekend" Icona Pop decides to mislead us into thinking that Gregorian chant would be there the entire time. Then the auto tune and beat comes in and we realize Aino & Caroline were just joking. Not the most amazing song but one of the most interesting for sure.

5. Girlfriend

Yes that is them sampling Tupac. But don't let that turn you off. The song is all right. It just kind of ambles on with steady electronic beats pairing up with the girls declaration of female camaraderie (ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND). It would have probably been better if they had replaced this with a song from their Swedish album like "Nights Like This" or "Downtown." Oh well.

6. In The Stars

We start to enter some pretty cool stuff now. "In The Stars" has the girls declaring their future as "pharaohs on the throne" before going into a rock n roll esque chorus. One of the catchier songs on the record, it will have you jamming in about 10 seconds. The best bit is when you hear one of them shouting in the background!

7. On a Roll

This Shellback-produced joyride is a definite favorite. That beginning with Icona Pop "do do doo"ing is pretty awesome. It's a headbanger from beginning to end and uses a guitar wisely for a dance song. And for some reason sounds very distinctly Swedish. Way to represent Icona Pop!

8. Just Another Night

The only real ballad on the album is the delicate and heartfelt "Just Another Night." For some reason, this appears to be Icona Pop's favorite off the album and is no doubt a nice song. For Hilary Duff. Or Celine Dion. Or Adele. Just not Icona Pop. It's sad when an act can't deliver a ballad properly but it's better to just accept it and move on to the next banger. Fortunately, this is the only really skippable song on the album.

9. Hold On

Back on the dance floor, we see the girls get a little more angsty and steer the boy-hating "I Love It" energy into a little darker territory. Then that slightly country-ish chorus comes in like sunshine and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. The most straightforward pop song for sure, a little boring compared to the others. But the chorus is still great.

10. Light Me Up

The second to last song on their album happens to be their best (besides I Love It cuz duh). Another Tove Lo co-write, it bridges the gap between older indie reggae Icona Pop and newer EDM Icona Pop.  From the islandy guitar to the "Oh Oh's" in the background, "Light Me Up" pretty much sums up the girls aesthetic for marrying organic and electronic sounds perfectly. That "Even If I go down in flames" part is really great.

11. Then We Kiss

The last song on the album is an energy filled smash that somehow incorporates an electric harmonica. Bearing a similarity to the Sugababes' "About You Now," it's a bouncy and fun song with Icona Pop recounting stories of falling in love and that amazing first kiss. It pretty much writes itself.

THIS IS… was Icona Pop's introduction to mainstream pop music and is a solid effort regardless of its lack of critical success. It may have been a lot less charming than their Swedish debut but it's a fun-filled thrill ride that succeeds in getting you to move. So let's hope Icona Pop continue to achieve the success they deserve and if not let's just remember

Best Songs Of 2013: The Top 5

Every one of these songs are stone-cold hits. Make sure to check out the rest of the list on the blog!

5. "American Girl" by Bonnie McKee

For those of you that didn't know, "American Girl" was the very first Song Of The Day post on Nonstop On Top Pop! And rightfully so. This patriotic slice of good old-fashioned electropop comes courtesy of certified hit maker Bonnie McKee and easily takes the cake as her best work to date. Ultimately, Bonnie has all the goods to be 2014's greatest popstar and she has all of Q4 to do it.

4. "Habits" by Tove Lo

"Habits" holds a special place in my heart as I discovered Tove Lo early on and thus, knew a trendsetting popstar before most others even knew she existed. Now, Habits is sitting nicely just outside the iTunes charts and Billboard Hot 100. Come on, "I eat my dinner in my bathtub, then I go to sex clubs" is the best opening line in the history of pop. And Tove's album has shaped up to be the best of 2014. All in all, you go Tove Lo (a la Mean Girls)!

3. "Beloved" by Say Lou Lou

Technically, this was a B-side to another really amazing song. But seriously, the fact that Say Lou Lou created a B-side better than the vast majority of hits from the past decades just boggles the mind. First off, a ballad has never gotten this high in my rankings before. But "Beloved" was so devastatingly beautiful, so poignantly heartbroken, and just so fantastic it had to make it to 3rd place. And the girls already have claim to best album of 2015. Amazing.

2. "SuperLove" by Charli XCX

It happened. Out of all the hits Charli XCX has made since she was seventeen, she managed to top them all with SuperLove. How could this be possible you ask? Well, it takes all her quick fire pop hooks that made you fall in love with her and matches it with a fun pop-rock melody. And it came 6 MONTHS after her album dropped. Charli is nothing if not a hard worker and 2014 finally saw how good of a popstar she is. And that's why she will always be my favorite.

1. "I Love It" by Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX

I'm sorry to say that it was rather obvious that "I Love It" was going to be the best song of the year. A simple 2 and a half minutes of pure recklessness, joy, anger, and general fucklessness. It never occurred to anyone that Icona Pop had it in them, but I Love It seemed destined to be the worldwide hit that gave the girls a reputation as Sweden's best export of party music. But more importantly, it set the stage for Charli XCX's takeover as the best songwriter in the industry right now. It's always great when good pop is recognized and thankfully, "I Love It" will go down in history as a success story for all music. And I will forever be a 90's bitch. 

Congratulations 2013 for having amazing music and here's to 2014 for giving us the same!

Song Of The Day: "Get Lost" by Icona Pop

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ICONA POP ARE BACK! That's right, Swedish girl group, masters of the shouty pop song, and the artist's behind THE BEST SONG OF 2013!!!!! have returned to give us more music. Before blowing up with their Charli XCX co-write, Aino and Caroline were known for a more indietronica sound but they made the correct decision to become true popstars and their debut album in the states was a nonstop joyride of anthemic pop songs.

Unfortunately, the public kind of thought they were one-hit wonders despite "All Night" being amazing as well. But the girls aren't fucking around now. Their new single, just released today, "Get Lost" is a signature Icona Pop song, complete with rollicking piano riffs, a slight retro feel, and a no fucks given chorus. Much like "I Love It", just try not to sing along to this while driving down the coast, "leaving this fucked up world BEHIND!" Could Icona Pop repeat their success and claim BEST SONG OF 2014 too?!? "Get Lost" may just do that!

Song Of The Day: "Boom Clap (Cahill Radio Edit)" by Charli XCX

After a nice relaxing weekend, I like to find the most spazz tastic remix of a hit pop song. And look at that, Charli XCX decided to help me out this time! "Boom Clap" was already one of my favorite songs of the year when it came out in April and it is probably the only reason I decided to go see the Fault In Our Stars since it was in the soundtrack. It was a smart move on Charli's part because I was ecstatic to see it when it broke the top ten on iTunes and become her first Top 20 hit in the States as a solo artist. And there is no greater feeling when a favorite underground pop singer finally goes global and you have every right to say "I found her first bitches!" (I promise to not be too annoying about it).

Boom Clap is amazing for many reasons. The first is that it was written by Charli XCX and Patrik Berger among others, aka the team that created the smash hit that was "I Love It." Secondly, it was supposed to be Hilary Duff's comeback single. IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A HILARY DUFF SONG!!!! Amazing. Too bad Hilary thought the song wasn't cool enough for her but thankfully, Charli proved her wrong. Boom Clap mixes insanely catchy pop hooks with XCX dark lyricism and hard hitting synthiness and it has finally paid off in being her most popular song (although SuperLove will probably always be my favorite). Epic remixer Cahill has decided to keep all the pop elements but replace the brooding background with bouncy bubblegum beats that make the song a surefire dance floor hit. And there's a rave piano thrown in there, making it immediately listenable (this is a scientific pop fact for those who don't know already). When you mix one of my favorite artist with one of my favorite remixers, you are clearly getting something special and from this Soundcloud link, I'm going to go ahead and name this my favorite remix of 2014.