Your favourite year(s) for pop music in the last decade?

[Loufoque]

Building from the Bleeding Love discussion in the X-Factor thread, I was just thinking about what a fabulous year 2007 was for pop music... from Say It Right to Call The Shots and Gimme More. It felt like so many big stars were firing on all cylinders.

But I've always had rather a soft spot for 2009 as well, when Beyoncé and Gaga really RULED the world.

[VoR]

1998 and 2000 were pretty incredible. More recently, 2009 was good.

[Penelope]

2004 and 2007 through 2009 were all SHEER BRILLIANCE. I really enjoyed 2006 but there was a bit too much landfill indie about to mark it out as spectacular. Unfortunately everything's just gone seriously downhill chart-wise since about around the time Bad Romance premiered.

[Dr Lecter]

1993 - 1996 are my main ones just for all the dance classics that came out.

[Pingu]

2009 is pretty unbeatable from what I can remember, but I also have a soft spot for 2004. That being said that might be more of a personal thing because it's the first year I really started SAVOURING music, listening to albums, going to gigs etc.

[Dinlo]

2004 and 2007 through 2009 were all SHEER BRILLIANCE. I really enjoyed 2006 but there was a bit too much landfill indie about to mark it out as spectacular. Unfortunately everything's just gone seriously downhill chart-wise since about around the time Bad Romance premiered.

I just came back to this thread to write almost this exact same post (less well-worded, OBV)

Yeah, basically, what Penny said.

[David_5000]

For me 2011 is a standout.

[VoR]

Oh and YES 2007. After years of landfill indie we get Robyn at #1, Umbrella turning Rihanna intona superstar and all the stuff Lou mentioned.

[Jark]

2003 and 2005 were the absolute peaks for me. Dannii, Sugababes, Rachel Stevens, Britney, Madonna, Holly Valance, Kelis, Kelly Clarkson et al were all pumping out the kind of pop which still sounds ASTONISHINGLY GREAT several years on in a way which you just know the big pop successes of the last few years won't by the time 2016 rolls round.

[Jark]

(I am aware numerous people on that list are OVER and OUT in 2012 but it doesn't diminish the music they brought out back in the day!)

[Penelope]

2003 and 2005 were the absolute peaks for me. Dannii, Sugababes, Rachel Stevens, Britney, Madonna, Holly Valance, Kelis, Kelly Clarkson et al were all pumping out the kind of pop which still sounds ASTONISHINGLY GREAT several years on in a way which you just know the big pop successes of the last few years won't by the time 2016 rolls round.

See the problem with those years I have is that though everything you mention there was terrific, they were all by and large the gems amongst a complete SEA OF SHIT in terms of how music was in those years, which really lets them down for me.

[Johnkm]

In chart terms 2008/09 were both very good years, 2010 wasn't THAT bad but 2011 and 2010 have been absolutely DIRE, especially for #1's.

[VoR]

2010 had one of the greatest #1 singles of this century though.

PUT DOWN YOUR CUP

[Tetris-Rock]

I agree with people saying 2007 to 2009. After being thoroughly disinterested in the charts in 2006, I remember really getting BACK INTO THINGS in 2007. 2008 was when I left school and 2009 defines the music playing during my first year of university. Clubbing was still FUN when they played music I actually liked. I'd say things really started to go downhill at some point during 2010 but it's been rather gradual. There's obviously gems HERE and THERE but I think the fact that I just thoroughly can't be arsed with it so often is indicative of just how low my expectations have dropped.

I mean, i've just gone onto ChartStats and looked at the top 5 for this week in 2009 and the top five are all GEMS. I am aware that Michael Jackson is a bit of an anomaly after his death but the rest is just GOLD. Yes, even the number one.

1. Cascada- Evacuate The Dancefloor
2. La Roux - Bulletproof
3. Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror
4. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
5. David Guetta - When Love Takes Over (ft. Kelly Rowland)

[Devil]

The sad thing is, name a year from 1996 - 2005 and I can immediate give it a rough rate out of ten based on the albums released. But since then it's so hard to remember what came from what year now that I no longer buy CDs So I've probably under-rated several of the latter years as I have no idea exactly what was out and when it arrived.

But from that 2003 is my favourite. Particularly the final quarter - albums from Britney, Sugababes, Holly, Kylie, Sophie, Liberty X (at the time) etc, along with several long-time favourite singles (yes, this includes Emma Bunton and Phixx ) make it my winner.

[Loufoque]

But from that 2003 is my favourite. Particularly the final quarter - albums from Britney, Sugababes, Holly, Kylie, Sophie, Liberty X (at the time) etc, along with several long-time favourite singles (yes, this includes Emma Bunton and Phixx ) make it my winner.