The Bias Checklist is a Ok-pop weblog that additionally covers a good quantity of J-pop. However identical to most music followers, I take pleasure in tracks from all world wide. So, I believed I’d begin a month-to-month round-up of a few of the non-Ok-pop songs which have caught my ear. No rankings — simply highlights!
February 2022 // March 2022 // April 2022 // Could 2022 // June 2022 // July 2022 // August 2022 // September 2022 // October 2022 // November 2022 // January 2023 // February 2023 // March 2023 // April 2023 // Could 2023 // June 2023 // July 2023 // August 2023 // September 2023 // October 2023 // November 2023 // January 2024 // February 2024 // March 2024 // April 2024 // Could 2024 // June 2024 // July 2024 // August 2024 // September 2024 // October 2024 // November 2024 // December 2024 // January 2025
Alice Chater – Mattress Of Lies
All of Alice Chater’s singles to this point have been “nearly there” for me and that is no completely different, however I really like the groove.
Arttu Wiskari – Suuria tarinoita
Propulsive Finnish pop from a grasp of the style.
Ava Max – Misplaced Your Religion
Ava will get numerous crap on-line about how “fundamental” her music is, and I suppose there’s some fact to that. Nonetheless, her songs are all the time catchy and enjoyable to sing together with and I fairly just like the extra rock-influenced edge to this one.
Bentley Robles & Zee Machine – Lock Me Up!
These two got here collectively for considered one of my favourite songs of 2024 and intention to repeat that glory with Lock Me Up. It’s one other victory lap for each of them. I simply love this high-energy synth sound.
DE’WAYNE – Freeway Theft
The proper mix of Prince and Lenny Kravitz with a new-gen edge. I really like the sound of this however I’m enjoying final 12 months’s bombastic Synthesizer much more. He’s such an thrilling new pop/rock star!
Grant Knoche – Autopilot
80’s funk meets early-2000’s Neptunes/Timbaland beats for a complete standout.
Gustaph – Actually Mine
Gustaph stays one of many world’s greatest purveyors of genuine 90’s home.
John Lundvik – Voice Of The Silent
Tacky as all get-out, however I’m a sucker for these massive, anthemic pop tracks.
JVG – Rehellisesti
Finland’s main rap duo has slowly morphed into an unimaginable dance act. That is huge.
Käärijä & Hooja – San Francisco Boy
Nobody pulls off novelty higher than Käärijä. That is manner catchier than it must be.
Kaleen – Knocking On Heaven’s Door
She’s persevering with her rave from final 12 months with this easy, crystalline membership banger.
Klara Hammarström – On And On And On
Melodifestivalen 2025 has been underwhelming to this point (I assume they’re saving the very best for final), however that is my spotlight of the primary half. It’s the form of huge dance monitor you may solely get with Eurovision.
Kristy Spiteri – Heaven Despatched
Talking of Eurovision, I’m not a fan of the Kant track Malta ended up selecting however I actually love this zany, operatic runner-up.
Woman Gaga – Abracadabra
My favourite growth of 2025 to this point is most people’s rapturous acceptance of this sensible new Woman Gaga single (adopted intently by Erika Vikman successful UMK). The track is all the pieces I’ve been lacking in mainstream pop and has me ridiculously excited for the upcoming album. We’re so again!
Ladybug – Scorching As Hell In Paradise
Operatic bombast on a larger-than-life pop banger. I reside for this drama.
Landy Wen – One Kiss (ft. icyball)
Taiwan’s diva unleashes an enormous disco bop with the assistance of fantastic synth-rock again icyball.
Le Manou – Fille à papa
On to Belgium now, with one other enormous membership hit. That electro beat is deadly.
LLL – Parasite
I really like a brand new lady group with a pounding rave sound!
Lovequest – Wrecking Crew (with Extremely Naté)
This new dance outfit groups with legendary membership queen Extremely Naté for a predictably nice home hit.
Madison Rose – Panavision
I featured this in an earlier round-up however wished to provide its cool self-directed music video some highlight too. Madison continues to kill it.
Maja Ivarsson – Kamikaze Life
I can’t imagine I’m listening to a Maja Ivarsson track in 2025 that sounds as if it may have been part of The Sounds’ debut album. It’s an enormous shot of nostalgia.
Michael Medrano – The Penthouse
I really like how components of this echo the addictive bounce of J-Kwon’s immortal hip-hop basic Tipsy. The whole album is sleazy enjoyable with constantly excessive power.
Ollie Wride – Holy Drug
Ollie Wride’s second album is extremely sturdy, particularly when you love 80’s Spingsteen-esque synth-rock. That is considered one of my favourite b-sides, however I additionally need to hyperlink the unimaginable Radio – a stellar single I in some way missed from final 12 months.
Olly Alexander – Heal You / I Know
Olly’s new album is tremendous strong. It’s very Erasure-esque at instances (with a contact of Darren Hayes), which these two standout tracks characterize. Nice melodies and nostalgic manufacturing.
Punchbag – F**okay It
I’m intrigued by this new duo and their pummeling sound.
Sissal – Hallucination
We’ve obtained a ton of Loreen impressed Eurovision tracks this 12 months and I’m not complaining one bit once they’re this satisfying.
Tone Damli – Final Music
Only a nice, shimmering dance-pop monitor.
Tuure Boelius – Kertaakaan
His new EP is constantly nice, however I largely need to publish this so I can name again to 2023’s attractive Läpi, which is anchored by a two-note synth riff that’s fully foundational to my life. It jogs my memory of Til Tuesday’s 80’s hit What About Love, which for no matter purpose is linked with extremely vivid sense reminiscence for me. Music is really the world’s biggest magic trick. How can two notes, organized in a particular meter, comprise a lot of an individual’s musical DNA?
The Weeknd – Open Hearts
His new album’s a boring slog, however this one track stands out as an enormous spotlight.
