DSTP's Top 10 of 2006

Ok it's a few weeks overdue, but it's worth it and you know it!

#1 Boyband - You Really Got Me (RobPop, MaryCherry)


New Zealand’s Boyband are simply fabulous. Born out of a radio station promotion to get New Zealand’s first boyband to number one, the whole act is very tongue-in-check. You have FatBoy Jay, GayBoy Rob, BadBoy Gerard, HotBoy Pieter and Mummy’sBoy Chris, and the boys knew it was a pisstake and played on it. The plan was only for one single and a farewell tour, but this year sees the boys booked to play gay festivals up and down New Zealand. However no second single seems to be coming, which is a shame, because despite not being the best singers or dancers (and HotBoy being miscast in his role), these boys were fun right from the start—and quite frankly that’s what pop music’s about. Their only single You Really Got Me knocked Fergie off the top of charts before slipping to #2 for a further two weeks, a very impressive achievement when it only made it to #73 in the airplay charts. We’d’ve also included the B-side, Pour Some Sugar On Me, here for your, ummm, listening pleasure… However, it’s unlistenable even though it features ex-TrueBlisster Joe Cotton on back up. Joe quite rightly declined being credited for her vocals and GayBoy Rob once famously said "yes, we were a pisstake, but quite frankly, I find that b-side offensive and apologise to anyone who paid for a copy!”
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#2 Silvia Night – Congratulations (MaryCherry)


If there were any justice in this world, Silvia Night would’ve won Eurovision and it would’ve been cancelled in future because no one would ever top her performance so there’d be no need to try. Silvia was an Icelandic character and totally took the piss out of the whole competition—swearing, screaming, dressing and acting like the global superstar she should be, Silvia single-handedly made Eurovision interesting again. To top it off the song was great and her whole image is simply divine. All hail!

#2 Pay-TV - Work That Body (RobPop)


With lyrics that would appease the deconstructionist of Derrida and Sartre, Pay-TV’s ode to self-destruction, glamour and a fine butt was the best thing of 2006. Collapsing the electro, eurotrash and disco genres in one perfect song the Swedish girlband put feminsim out of its world of hairy armpits and Gucci mini-skirts. Andrea Dworkin would be so proud!



#3 Carly Binding – So Radiate (MaryCherry)



The ex-TrueBlisster’s second album was released in 2006 and despite being utterly brilliant achieved less than stellar sales, but Carly didn’t seem to care. She’s about to head off to Sweden and tour there with her boyfriend in a new band and she’s also written a couple of songs for an upcoming album by a former TV star turned popstar… This songs a little rocky but it’s just irresistible and her voice is fantastic.

#3 Robyn/Ola Salo/Chrstian Falk - Dream On (RobPop)

The lyrics of the song are bliss. If you’ve ever lost or bullied this song washed away those years.


#4 Clea - I Surrender (RobPop)


Those Danes sure know pop when they hear it. When I first heard the song I described I Surrender so good it’ll lift the shirt off of ya back and it ripped the gay clubs of Copenhagen. The mixes were sublime too.

#4 Jessica Simpson – A Public Affair (MaryCherry)

Wow! After the absolute atrocity of These Boots, Jessica comes back with the most poptastic song of the year. She could’ve tried to be cool and do some faux R’n’B number (like upcoming single Fired Up) but she went hard core pop complete with Madonna pastiche. However it didn’t quite prove to be the big hit it should’ve been.


Young Divas – #5 Happening All Over Again (MaryCherry)


The gayest group ever… And they’re huge in their native Australia. Much has been written on these Aussie Idolers and first single This Time I Know It’s For Real only misses out because the original was so perfect no one could improve on it. However with Lonnie Gordon’s hit from the early 90s, the Divas have outdone the original and made a Stock Aitken Waterman song even gayer.

#5 Rosa - Mas (RobPop)

Rosa got all club heavy with her comeback album of the year. But back to the single. Mas is an anthem for any self-respecting pop slut like myself. If Cher was still making music she’d do an English version of this no doubt. I love it. It also manages to advance dance music into something that also sounds pop with a soaring chorus that would make fans of Eurovision most pleased.


#6 Monrose – Shame (MaryCherry)


Leave good girlband pop up to the Germans. In the search to find the next No Angels (who are reuniting!) we get Monrose – ok the band’s name is a little dumb and it’s a blatant ripoff of Clea’s The Lie but still great classy pop from the country that gave us the greatest popstars band ever.

#6 Margaret Berger - Samantha (RobPop)

Yet another pop song about ‘the man done me wrong but be strong’. Think I Will Survive meets Gary Newman and Fisherspooner.


#7 Marianta - DJ (RobPop)


Covering Carola will always put you in good steed with us at DontStopthePop and Greek diva has just done that with DJ. It's not often that the original is improved but Marianta outshines the diva. I’ve always thought Carola always goes a bit nuts on her songs and spoils the fabulousness of the affair. Marianta keeps the song in its place but doesn’t go all diva over it.


#7 Natasha Bedingfield – The One That Got Away (Valentin Radio Mix) (MaryCherry)

Well this track was the b side to These Words but was released as a single to US clubs/radio in a fabulous remixed form last year and topped the club chart. Nothing better than a sad heartbreaking song with a camp dance beat.

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#8 Tina Cousins – Pretty Young Thing / All You Need Is Love (MaryCherry)


I don’t care that Lene recorded it first, Tina’s angelic voice is much more suited for the song and her video fits the song much better than Lene’s – although saying that, Lene’s video is a great concept. Backed with the camptastic All You Need Is Love, this was supposed to cememnt Tina’s comeback in Aussie and march straight into the top 10. However with the Brazin group (HMV, Sanity, Virgin) pulling out of the ARIA charts the week before and a major stuff up from her inadequate distributors, Rajon, meant it only managed 4 weeks in the top 40, when it deserved so much more.


#8 Dover - Let Me Out (RobPop)

You’ll rarely find rock acts on DSTP but Dover, who hail from Spain, released one of the poppiest albums of 2006. Let Me Out was the Spanish no.1 that launched the entire affair and boy did the song reach iconic status. If you go to youtube you’ll find a many Spaniard rocking around in their bedrooms to Let Me Out. Pure pop bliss!


#9 Dannii - So Under Pressure (MaryCherry, RobPop)


Dannii did well with this song. Even if it did arrive two years too late it comes to life when played at parties and clubs. Which is all that matters isnt it? Not the the poor chart placings. Some actually got ahead of themselves and proclaimed the single better than the recent Pet Shop Boys release that came out during the same time frame. Whilst many laughed off such derisions can you remember the Pet Shop Boys single? Or can you remember the snake that wrapped around Dannii’s legs? Hmmm
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#10 Patrick Nuo – Watching Over You (MaryCherry)


Ok Patrick’s appeal is possibly more to do with his looks than his music but there’s no denying this is a rather good slice of faux-rock pop and his voice is just sublime. Based in Germany, Patrick’s never hit the top 20 there, despite this being his seventh single so I’m not sure how he keeps a record deal. Maybe he’s too hot to let go?
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#10 Socxx - Get The Party Started (From Dusk Till Dawn) (RobPop)

Do I put Madonna’s Jump here? Gloria by Young Divas? Or perhaps Monrose's huge no.1 Shame? Well thing is, they all sound like older songs. Shame sounds like The Lie by Clea and Gloria was of course a famous 1980s hit single. As for Madonna, if you’ve flown British Airways you’ll know they play a little electro beat as board and leave. Jump sounds exactly like that. Which is why they are not here and is why I’m going with what I know by choosing a new girlband from Germany. Sounding a bit like a much better Please Stay (by Kylie) Soccx return to 1998 and remind us a popworld of All Saints, Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys. You can almost imagine Mel C backflipping, Shaznay pouting and Kevin sliding to the left!