In January, who would have thought that the most successful
song of the year would have come from South-Korea?
1. Psy – Gangnam Style
Without a mention of his name or even the song title, you
know exactly who I’m talking about. Of course, it is 34-year-old Psy, whose
song ‘Gangnam Style’ has inspired us all at our Christmas parties to take up
that horse-like dance craze that has become a universal phenomenon. Just last
week on December 21st, Gangnam Style became the first video ever to
hit 1 billion views on YouTube, but why? Despite being immensely catchy, with
the phrase ‘Opa Gangnam Style’ sparking a dance-uprising whenever it is heard,
we have absolutely no idea what it means! Even Psy himself in an interview said
“It doesn’t have any meaning actually. I’m just saying Gangnam Style, Gangnam
Style.” Nevertheless, 1 billion of us worldwide have sat and watched that video; plus, people are still
buying it! After reaching the UK Number One spot in September, it still hasn’t
left the Top 10, even eighteen weeks after its release.
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2. Gotye – Somebody That
I Used To Know
Gotye may not have a renowned dance routine or even a
particularly catchy dance beat, but is still responsible for undoubtedly one of
the most successful songs of 2012. If asked if you had heard of Wouter De
Backer, I’m quite confident you would have no clue who he was, but once hearing
the xylophone introduction of his universally popular song, his identity would
soon become clear. After its release in January, Gotye spent 5 weeks at #1 and
a sensational 18 weeks in the Top 10. His success was worldwide, particularly
in his homeland of Belgium, where it became the most downloaded song of all
time.
3. Carly Rae Jepsen –
Call Me Maybe
We have Justin Bieber to thank for this one. After hearing
the song and tweeting about it, the power of Bieber was truly reflected as the
song began to spread. By April, the song reached the UK #1 spot where it
remained for four weeks. With an incredibly memorable chorus, you will find the
lyrics haunting you all day. Whether you like the song or not (although I
imagine most people fall into the first category), you will have found yourself
humming to its upbeat and cheery tune at some point. Just like Psy, Carly Rae
Jepsen has inspired us all to take up a dance routine, although inadvertently, to
sing and dance along holding our thumb and little finger in the typical telephone
manner as the title ‘Call Me Maybe’ is sung and repeated.
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| Carly Rae Jepsen & Katy Perry |
4. Fun. – We Are
Young
Spending 14 weeks in the UK Top 10, this indie power ballad deserves
its place on this list. After its release in April, there came a time when you
couldn’t go a day without hearing ‘We Are Young’ playing somewhere. It has been
said by many critics that the success of the song was propelled by hit US TV
show ‘Glee’, where it was first brought to attention commercially. As the
success of the band has spread, this debut #1 single and the accompanying debut
album ‘Some Nights’ have both been nominated for the a notorious Grammy Award.
5. Maroon 5 –
Payphone
Following on from the success of their hit single ‘Moves Like
Jagger’ in 2011, Maroon 5 returned in 2012 with yet another ultimate track that
remains stamped in your memory. Unlike the other tracks on this list, whose musical
introductions immediately gain your attention, ‘Payphone’ is even more overt,
pumping out its initial lyrics through your stereo, instantaneously launching
your vocal participation!
6. Emeli Sandé – Read
All About It (Pt III)
In this ultimate sporting year for Britain, this song quickly
became the unofficial soundtrack to everything Olympics-themed. Opening
Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and even BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Emeli
Sandé was everywhere. Part One of the song, a collaboration with rapper
Professor Green, was already a successful hit in 2011; Emeli reintroduced her
part of the song as a solo track in 2012 and was clearly a favourite of director
Danny Boyle, as well as the BBC who quickly pressed the ‘Play’ button on the
track whenever a musical interlude was required on any Olympics coverage.
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| Running Joke: a worker on the underground reflects the repetition of Emeli Sande's appearances at the Olympics |
Words are continuously being coined and added to the English
Dictionary and so it seems only suitable that the term ‘earworm’ was created in
2012. As stated in the Oxford Dictionary, an earworm is ‘a catchy song or tune
that runs continually through someone’s mind’; a term that can easily sit
alongside these 6 most heard songs of the year. No matter how irritating they may
become after a sustained period of time, it is without doubt, however, that
these six songs deserve their success as the year’s greatest earworms.
