80s HI-NRG jam-fest!

Thanks in part to a good caffeine buzz from my morning jug-o-Pepsi, Im in a hyper and upbeat, bouncy fun mood!

These tracks are all from the 80s and all GUARANTEED to get you in a GREAT mood and get you movin!

LaFlavour - "Mandolay"

Jermaine Stewart - "We Don't Have To Take our Clothes Off"

Q-Feel - "Dancing in Heaven" (Orbital BeBop)

Trans X - "Living On Video"

Lime - "Were Gonna Love Tonight"

GIRLBAND LEGEND: No Angels

At the start of 2001, no one would have been able to envision the impact No Angels would have on the European pop scene. As winners of season one of PopStars in Germany, one would expect a big hit single and album a few flops and then a quick descent into obscurity along the lines of Excellence, TrueBliss, Hear'Say, Eden's Crush etc. However the girls (Vany, Nadja, Sandy, Lucy and Jess) defied all that and ended up raking up a dozen top 20 hits (4 of which hit #1) and three #1 albums before going on a break in 2003. Well they’re back in the charts again (minus one member) with single Goodbye To Yesterday and the album Destiny, both of which have stormed the German top 5.

What makes them legends though? Hard to pinpoint really, but while other girlbands have come and gone, No Angels have stayed at the top of their game in the German-speaking world – despite no German language tracks. In fact they’re the most successful girlband on Germany’s chart ever. They've seen their material released throughout the world with Daylight In Your Eyes making the US top 20 singles sales chart (admittedly you only need to sell 5 copies for that!). And just a couple of years ago the divine extended version of their hit Let's Go To Bed was a regular feature of gay clubs in New Zealand — a place where it was never even released.

What makes them even more legendary, is that unlike the Spice Girls, No Angels realised quickly that people weren’t overly interested in their solo careers (Sandy being the only one to score a solo top 10 hit) and so with only Vany pulling a Melanie C, they regrouped and made more hits. Interestingly Jess left for third album Pure to have a baby and returned for The Best Of No Angels and Reason, (a reworking of That's The Reason from the debut album) and ultimately Destiny, while Vany hasn't returned for Destiny apparently over wrangling due to unpaid royalties for their #1 hit Something About Us. Given her solo album made #135 in Germany, perhaps this wasn't a smart move...

They’re also legendary for their shameless covering of other tracks. From the obvious like There Must Be An Angel and All Cried Out to covers of previously little known tracks like Daylight In Your Eyes (which sold over a million copies). Latest album Destiny features covers of Agnes (who also covered No Angels on her first album), Dana Glover and L5. Now this is where the covering gets complex as L5’s Deconnecter is in fact a francophone cover of Unexpected, the title track and third single for Sandy’s first solo album. Phew!

They also gave great singles packages, pretty much always including a B side, like What Am I Supposed To Do? and cheesy remixes! What more could you want? (Well aside from full-length mixes and an Almighty mix, although their is a WIP mix of Daylight In Your Eyes!)

At the end of the day though, No Angels made some of the best pop music this decade. Prime example being the stunning Still In Love With You (presented here in extended form) which even had a camp as Latin remix . Even their ill-fated solo attempts had golden moments – like Jess’ power bitch anthem 10 Steps Back, Nadja’s sublime Ich Hab Dich. Even Vany's flop album Mamma Lila Would contained some gems like the nasty B.B.B which was rumoured (but never confirmed) to be directed at either Sandy or some TV reporter.

Videos were another area they excelled in. Still In Love With You is just stunning, while No Angel (All In Your Mind) is hot and Rivers Of Joy is high-camp.

The new album can be purchased at amazon as can their entire back catalogue — both solo and together. So while Germany will never live down their embracing of the Hoff, we can at least forgive them since they gave us No Angels!

DONTSTOPTHEPOP'S SUNDAY BLESSINGS

Pew One-Marta Sanchez

Track: Embrujada

Giving Monica Naranjo a run for her money Marta has dumped her pop-ballad history and has just released a very dance-pop album in her native Spain. DSTP featured her a few weeks ago with her Superstar track which sampled Depeche Mode. Now I've had a little listen to the in impload under the mirrorball like Madonna did with her Confessions LP. Buy it now!


Pew Two-Nez


Track: Body Language

Nez hails from Turkey. Her self-titled album weaves together classic music, Turkish "oriental" tribal music and modern pop music. Sometimes she busies herself with Arabic traditional disco and then she'll surprise you with a slice of classic pop trash.


Pew Three-W.I.T



Track: Hold Me, Touch Me

W.I.T are a girlband like no other. Produced by Larry Tee, W.I.T throw electric slicks over Joan Jett, The Donnas and The Bobbyteens and have created something wonderful on their debut album Whatever It Takes. Their album is a must for the The Cars cover Just What I Needed alone. The track above sounds like a strange combination of the extended Can't Get You Out of My Head, Pay-TV and Blue Monday. Danish I think! Official website


Pew Four-XYP



Track: Blue Day

This is pure pop bliss. Blue Day is one of the best pop songs to come out of Holland. It sounds like the Carpenters covered in Amy Diamond. Hard to believe? Try it for yourself. It comes from the new XYP album Confessions which is out now and highly recommended. The songs The Deep End, Jump and In The Village are the best, like, ever! Get it!


The Confession Box: Barbie & Ken



Track: Nobody Taught Me

I must confess the lovely girls of CFgoesPop! sent me this the other day and its been cheering me up ever since. Nobody Taught Me is a great little pop song that involves a duet between Barbie and Ken. Much better than the damn Aqua take on things. I love it for the fact that Ken knows how to "Cha Cha" like good boys of his sort should do!


The Mass

Magnus Carlsson has recorded a French version of his Live Forever classic. You can have a listen to it here. See the Spanish version here. He's pulled a "Robyn/Be Mine-acoustic version" and done a very beautiful acoustic performance of Live Forever. See it here.

I've written a little essay on PopJustice and Bodies Without Organs over at You Call That Life. Have a look here.

PosterGirl has posted an amazing new song by Janne. It sounds like its sampled one of my favourite Kylie songs "Love At First Sight". Listen here.

PopJustice had an amazing gig on Wednesday. I chatted to Siobhan Donaghy and danced my head off to BwO. Check out the BwO performance at ECStoday here.

Dame Shirley Bassey stunned her audience on British TV by performing her new single Living Tree on the Dame Edna show. Sadly I can't find the amazing performance on Youtube but check out her studio full length covers of Get The Party Started and I Will Survive over at her myspace now.

Dannii heading over to the dumper? The X-Factor job is yet to be confirmed and she's failed to chart well with her single He's The Greatest Dancer. Check her terrible position over at Addicts.PopTrash here.

GIRLBAND LEGEND: 4CATS

Music

Welcome From The Moon-A very early song from 4Cats so forgive the rather basic production. Still, if you thought the idea behind Kylie's Light Years was original you'd be wrong. Its clear Cat4 wrote this when listening to a lot of the Doors, the Age Of Aquarius and the Kim Wilde cover of the Supremes classic You Keep Hanging On.

Nehna Mnusroq-The most amazing electro pop song I've heard from a girlband. This has the usual traditional Lebanese pop echoes but it also strives to take the genre of pop music straight into the future and enters places of the beyond. Its very rare you'll find a pop song that crosses genres, traditions, decades and scenes with ease like this one does. This is anthemic. A MUST DOWNLOAD!

Raqesni Dakhlak-Starts off very slowly and then plays with listener. Is it a Lebanese folk song? Is it a throbbing 70s tribute? Or, is a house record of the American tribal house scene? Its everything. How many things can you fit on one record? 4Cats try their best to stuff the pop song with every thing they can. Including the male voice of the singer Azar Habib.

Sherah-This is very post-modern. Again 4Cats refuse to be pigeon-holed and put together rock, electro and traditional eastern standards of Lebanese pop music. And it works.

Edunia Heek-A sweet Summery track.

--

Never heard of 4Cats? Thats Ok. This girlband are huge and last year sold millions (rough estimates come in at a shocking 12 million records!!). They've released five poptastic albums-some good and some dreadful. Still, I love them.

Of all the girlbands we've featured on DontStopthePop 4Cats can claim to have the most line-up changes. Starting way back 1998 with Dalida, Chantal, Zeina, and Rula they stormed the charts after the release of "10, 11, 12". By the time they reached their fifth album the roll-call of members consisted of Dalida, Chantal, Zeina, Rula, Nicole, Zeina, Perla, Nisreen, Natalie and their newest member the cute button of a singer Goyce (who was actually just recently replaced by Aline!).

I make that eleven band-members in total. Thats a lot of cats! All past members have since gone to carve out great solo careers but none have managed the success of 4 Cats. So where are they from? 4Cats started being a band based in Lebanon but eventually they broke through other territories such as Syria, Iran, UAE, Israel(!) and Egypt. Despite singing in Arabic they have recorded a number of songs in English including the electrolush "Welcome From The Moon" which is included above. Each album of theirs is completely different. Sometimes they'll cover Lebanese classic folk songs and sometimes they'll bounce out pulsating pop music that give would Fisherspooner the chills. Then, they'll disco it up with the likes of "Raqesni Dakhlak" which is so camp it'll have you dancing like a bitch from a mirrorball hell...Its as if the true spirit of Army Of Lovers lives on through a girlband from Lebanon. Alexander Bard would be most proud.

Oddly, they never appear on pop blogs which saddens me quite terribly. This band are so poptastic it transcends the need to speak Arabic. You'll be dancing by the time the songs hit their second chorus.

Sometimes tacky, occasionally awful but always poptastic...4Cats-DSTP salutes you! You are girlband legends!

Credits: I'd like to thank 4Cats for allowing us to share these songs (Shukran!). Also I'd like to thank Ralph Bachour from their official website!

DONTSTOPTHEPOP DISCOVERS PETROS.......

Music:

Utopia-Sounds like what pop in 2007 should sound like.

V.I.P-The male PAY-TV? Petros channels his GLAM-Bitch side and produces a poptrash classic.

Petros is hot. Deeply connected to trashy electo and pure pop, his music flies far above much of the usual stuff that drenches myspace these days. If you felt Fisherpooner were too up themselves but loved the mix they did of Come Into My World you'll like Petros. The key-note track V.I.P collapses the sound The Flirts and Pay-TV into one monster pop song. We ain't taking about the singer-songwriter territory of Mika or James Blunt as Petros declares "we don't need your rock & roll" but instead "sex, drugs, techno". Fuck yes! A popboy that is finally ticking all my boxes.

Petros has eyed-up the best of scandipop and the long-lost dance-pop scene of America and produced something quite unique. Brilliant, quirky and timeless poptastic anthems. Another American lad tried to this last year and his name was one Simon Curtis. However Petros chews up Simon and spits him out. Indeed, the best Simon Curtis song Put Your Make Up On sounds very much like the average Petros productions. Petros lyrics arn't rushed yet spew out thick and fast, the music takes centre stage and the produced is overflowing with utter-catchiness. The line "the heir to the throne of the microphone" makes me giggle like a giggle-monster riding the giggle-ride at Giggleand. It seems Simon has a rival who has raised the bar, the glam and the music which means a competition might be on! (A bit of competition is always good in my books!)

So where to place Petros musically? I've already mentioned Fisherspooner but he's more catchy than that. I've mentioned Simon Curtis but to me his vocals seem more balanced and less falsetto. Personally I feel he's releasing music that J.C Chasez would cream his pants for. Theres also a little bit of Darren Hayes inside Petros.




Remember the Britney songs Breathe On Me and Before The Goodbye? Although they were criminally overlooked by Jive Records Petros recognises the Spears gems in his stunning song Utopia. This pop music but not as we know it people! Just as you think Utopia is a typical soft-core electro ballad Petros throws in heavy slabs of dancepop of the type I haven't heard since er like Evah!

Petros: a star thats well worth watching. Ladies, gentlemen, girls, boys, queers and dogs, this is pop but not as we know it!

Credit: huge thank you Petros for getting in touch and sending the album! Much appreciated!

Petros Myspace

NO ANGELS RETURN AND COVER DANA GLOVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Angels-A Reason
Dana Glover-A Reason

A few months ago DSTP covered one of my favourite acts Dana Glover. In a few days No Angels will be given the title DontStopthePop Girlband Legends. Now, out of nowhere the girlband from Germany has regrouped and released their studio album Destiny today! It features a number of brilliant pop songs including covers of Agnes Carlsson and L5 gems!

What is even more jaw-dropping is the fact that the girlband has covered the song "A Reason" which was originally available on the Dana Glover totally underrated debut album "Testimony". If you have no idea who the hell the singer is just check this link to recall our feature...this is what we said-


"Today's act is one of those artists that makes you weep a thousands tears, move mountains, sends your nervous system into shock and taps into anger ever so deep when you find out she's without representation. Her name is Dana Glover and she's my all time favourite act. I feel quite strange sharing her with others as her music is so special to me but shes the reason why I started this blog so here goes..."

In a very "PopEatsPop"-esq way I have included both versions of the songs. All I can say is this-DANA GLOVER FUCKING ROCKS!!! And it would be a girlband legend like No Angels that recognised Dana's brilliance.


No Angels-Make A Change
L5-Reste Encore

Extending the PopEatsPop madness I have also included the L5 original version of the No Angels track "Make A Change". I've always loved the original by the French girlband, who like No Angels were a produce of the TV series Popstars, but the German foursome make the song just a little bit better. The same can't be said for their cover of "A Reason" but they have a try. When the original is by Dana Glover your setting yourself a huge mountain to climb. A mountain of absolute perfection.....

Buy Dana Glover at Amazon and check out her Myspace
Buy L5 at Fnac
Buy No Angels at Amazon.

**Does a little dance of joy around the bedroom! I love Girlbands! I love Dana Glover!**

P.S-Don't you think Dana Glover gives us another album?

P.P.S-Don't you think PopEatsPop should come back?

Credits: Amazon Germany for sending the No Angels to my door on the day of release and Pinkie for the pic.

GIRLBAND LEGEND: FUNKY DIAMONDS

Music

Summer Vibes-From their first album. This was totally ripped off by Vengaboys. Sounds like a better version of Stars Are Blind....

Spooky-From their first album. This was totally ripped off by Backstreet Boys.

Its My Game-From their first album. This was totally ripped off by Solid HarmoniE.

I Wanna Have-An amazing dance track. Early Pay-TV? This was totally ripped off by Vengaboys. The similarity is shocking. From their second album "Diamonds Are Forever".

Bad Girls(Bad Boys Remix)-A Hardcore yet vocal edit of their debut single taken from the maxi cd. Fiercely poptastical!

Info

To start off our series of Girlband Legends DontStopthePop revisits the group Funky Diamonds. There is very little about the group and their wikipedia entry is highly flawed. They had two albums not one! The second album "Diamonds Are Forever" was a huge success in my bedroom when I was a kid. So there.

Who are they and what makes them legendary? Well, without the Funky Diamonds you'd never have had Samajona, No Angels, Monrose and Preluders for they were the German girlband that kicked it all off. They allowed NSync to support them in Germany and scored high positions in Japan and parts of Europe. They also covered Donna Summer before it was fashionable. Need we say more?

They were pop pioneers who recorded stuff that would later be heard on the UK shores in the bands Spice Girls, S Club 7, All Saints and so on. The greatest example would be the track I Wanna Have which was totally copied by the Vengaboys/Alice Deejay. But thats how original Funky Diamonds were. Every song on their albums were like templates for future pop sounds, genres and bands. Their album was like the future of pop of the mid and late 90's. Its such a shame history has forgotten them. Until now that is.

Funky Diamonds consisted of Mo, Kira, Deedee, Y and Indira. Despite being a German girlband all their music was recorded in English. They released two albums which included covers of Conga, Night Fever and the aforementioned Bad Girls. Soundwise their first album read like the best pop album that Max Martin failed to record. Indeed, their track Spooky was ever so similar to Everybody (Backstreets Back!) released by the male version of Funky Diamonds.

Perhaps because of their original pop brilliance their record company never gave up on Funky Diamonds despite being upstaged by Backstreets Back and Spice Girls at every damn turn. Boombastic Records in Berlin released a string of singles as proof of their passion and faith in the girls. By the second album the girls channeled PWL and produced some pop thrillers like "One In A Million", "Slip and Slide" and the Grace Jones sampling "Get Funky, Go Sista".

Their videos were themselves a subject by themselves. Take their discotastic track Bad Girls released in 1996. Usually a single that not only covered disco queen Donna Summer but also included lyrics about afro-pumps and referenced the songs "DJ Let The Music Play" and "Jump To The Beat" would have a video set in a disco. Think again! Check out the promo here thanks to the lovely YouTube. As you'll see a ruin and some steps set the scenes for the video. Just sublime. If you liked Solid Harmonie check out the video for "Its My Game". Not only does the song sound very similar to the British girlband but so does the look! Judge for yourself.

If you listen closely to"Its My Game" you'll hear the baseline of the song somewhat reappears on "I'll Be There For You" by Solid HarmoniE. But thats nothing surprising. Most of the songs by Funky Diamonds would be remorphed by other acts and claim the sound all for themselves. It would appear that that "Swedish" sound that journalists go on about when talking about Max Martin and Cheiron isn't so Swedish when you play the albums by Funky Diamonds which were recorded in Berlin!

Funky Diamonds are girlband legends. They recorded music that would shape the pop for the next five years or so. They set the pace, caste the die and never get a thank you. Hopefully, this will turn the tide and restore them to their rightful place in the genealogy of pop music...

ROBYN Live from BBC1 Broadcast 8th of April!!

You know when I said DontStopthePop would evolve into a sort of semi-Robyn fan site during her UK tour I really wasn't lying. Last night myself and Lena (owner of the Swedish fansite) tried our very best to stay up to listen to the small concert Robyn gave at the Maida Vale studios that Radio One premiered about 1:30 am!

Its Lena and Robyn!

Sadly, Lena couldn't keep her eyes open and went to bed. This is for her and any other hardcore Robyn fans who also missed it. Sometimes sleep just takes over and no matter the amount of cola you drink the pillow just demands its station. Anyway, I hope you like it!

Key things: With Every Heartbeat is performed and captured in all its proper glory for the first time. She also adds new bits which could be on the re-recorded radio edit of the song.

Set List/Tracklist: CobraStyle, Konichiwa Bitches, With Every Heartbeat, Jack U Off, Be Mine

Major thanks/kisses/credits: Steve

Credits: BBC1, Radio 1

BETCH!

This is *THE* worst song of 2007 (so far). I saw a glimpse of the video on LOGO and I couldnt help but watch. It got stuck in my head and I hated it.



Its a week later, and I cant get enough of it. I usually wouldnt give this song the time of day, but the video is BRILLIANT. I LOVE IT. You have to check this out but watch it ALL THE WAY THRU. Its ElectroBitchPop!

KELLY - "SHOES"



(The actual song doesnt start for about a minute... but the beginning clip is funny, so its all good)

HA! My first post and its THIS of all songs! Arent you guys glad I joined DontStopThePop!?

ROBYN With Every Heart-Concert Of A Decade

In the past few days Robyn performed/released material in UK. I’d planned a review. I’d planned something “street-team”. I’d planned something fan-based.

Perhaps a bit kiss-ass. But That’s Ok. I’m a Robyn Fan.

Then I decided against all of that. The review. The set list. All scrapped. You can go to other places for those details. I want to do something else. Something for the fans of Robyn who were not able to attend the show.

You see reviews of amazing shows can be annoying for those who can’t be there due to time, geography, family responsibilities and work related issues. They read things that have passed. Its not nice. Its liking missing the last bus home when its raining…

So this is different. This is for the Robyn fans. Hopefully you!

Robyn performed a show in London on thursday. A concert for the fans. Some of which couldn’t make it. She exposed a physical existence of the exuberant. Something I noticed in Robyn all the way back in 1995. All her performances have that similar energy.

So what follows is a concert of sorts. A “set list” of Robyn’s best live performances of the past few years.

Most are from her Swedish only tours (Malmo, Malmofestivalen and Goteborg). They are extremely high quality and very rare. Most have only ever been performed for her home crowd and will never again appear on a Robyn set list. Like Play for example. Her recent shows, including those in Sweden, have utterly forgotten the second album. Not on this set list!

I want to share these songs especially for the fans that couldn’t make Cargo. So they can now nod their heads and sing along with fans who did manage to buy a ticket. Moreover, this is also to celebrate the week that sees Robyn's new album "Robyn" released in the UK. This concert took a decade to make, write, tour and produce...enjoy

ROBYN WITH EVERY HEART-CONCERT OF THE DECADE
(Sendspace link)

Small words for each song

1. Intro/Breakdown Intermission-Performed at Malmofestivalen in 2003. Includes brilliant fan fare. Check out audience members screaming “hurry up!”.

2. Do You Know What It Takes-This kicked off her 2005 Swedish tour for her Robyn LP. Robyn makes her 1995 hit single all electro with amazing results.

3. Medley/Konichiwa Bitches-Performed as part of her 2005 Swedish tour in Goteborg. Includes her current UK single, Buffalo Stance and Leila K.

4. Blow My Mind-Performed as part of her 2005 Swedish tour in Goteborg. Blow My Mind is from her Don’t Stop The Music LP. Originally a light electric ballad, Robyn morphs the production and turns it into a tribute to the 1980s, PWL and Prince.

5. Dream On-With Christian Falk and Ola Salo from The Ark. This stunning song was performed on her UK dates. This recording is from the P3 Guld Galan last year.

6. Do me Baby-And now lets step back in time. DSTP premiered this last year. Do Me Baby was originally supposed to be on the U.S issue of Robyn Is Here. Robyn gave it to the singer Michele. Recorded circa 1996? We don't know. Like all good pop concerts theres got to be a random lost track included for good measure and Do Me Baby fits the bill perfectly. Is it a Show Me Love part II? What do you think?

7. Play-Robyn rarely performs songs from her second album. As you’ll hear, its amazing. Taken from her appearance at Malmofestivalen in 2003.

8. Should Have Known-One of the highlights of the Don’t Stop The Music LP. So much so its featured in her recent tours and even re-recorded for the album released today. Robyn goes “gospel” towards the end of this song. A case of the live version being better than the studio mix. Taken from the same tour as the one above.

9. Electric-The amazing lead single from My Truth. Sadly Robyn has never performed this song outside Sweden. This recording, like the one above, is taken from her appearance at Malmofestivalen in 2003.

10. Be Mine-the hit single that launched her Konichiwa Records. Recording taken from her 2005 tour in Goteborg.

11. Crash and Burn Girl-An amazing performance of her fourth single from the Robyn LP. Recording taken from her 2005 tour in Goteborg.

12. Handle Me-Taken from her 2005 tour in Goteborg. Includes all lyrics censored on the studio versions (both in UK and Sweden).

13. Bum Like You-Absolutely amazing version of her album track. I have to say, again, the live version is so much better than the one of the CD. Recording taken from her 2005 tour in Goteborg.

14. Message In A Bottle-A brilliant cover of the Police classic. Taken from her 2005 tour in Malmo.

15. Show Me Love-The hit! Nowadays Robyn performs this song in a stripped down manner. Here is a recent recording of Show Me Love in all its glory! From Malmofestivalen in 2003.

16. Keep This Fire Burning-A song that will always be in Robyn’s set lists! This version is amazing. From Goteborg in 2005.

17. Jack U Off-Rip roaring cover of the Prince gem that Robyn simply loves to perform ever since she recorded the song and included it on the flipside to Be Mine. Taken from her 2005 tour in Malmo. Check out the audience going wild!

18. Eclipse-One of Robyn’s best ‘slow-down’ tracks. Probably the defining Robyn song has ever recorded and in its live format it just blossoms. The pauses, the piano and the tears-simply beautiful. Recording taken from her 2005 tour in Goteborg.]

19. With Every Heartbeat-Performed with Kleerup. A very different version to the one available on the album and performed at her recent London shows. Nevertheless, it remains to be the most beautiful piece of music thats ever appeared on this blog and this "tour" is thus named after it. Performed this year in Stockholm.

Encore

20. Main Thing-Another long lost song from her second album that deserves a bit more sunshine. This song was written with Masters At Work and is a fan favourite. Sadly, Robyn has performed this only once! Performed in Stockholm in 1999.

21. Don't Stop The Music-This storming song about fitting in and misfits is now a firm favourite amongst all fans. Criminally the single, which was covered by girl band Play, wasn't anywhere to be seen during her recent UK dates. Don't Stop The Music is the how this blog got its name! Performed during her show in Goteborg in 2005.

22. Nummer Ett-To finish things up, a nice sing-a-long pop mini-gem performed when Robyn was about 12. Very much for the poptrash crowd!


NB: All recordings are bootleg and thus unofficial. They were recorded for fans by fans. Hope you enjoy. Buy the album today here and check out all the latest Robyn news here.

Photo Details: Taken of Robyn at Grona Lund in 2003 by Ola.

Thanks to Lena, Ola and Mike in NYC.

If you have any issues, questions or indeed corrections please email me at Dontstopthepop@hotmail.com.

ALANIS RETURNS TO POP AND COVERS MY HUMPS

Alanis, queen of reinvention has finally returned to her pop roots with this brilliant cover of My Humps originally by the Black-Eyed Potatoes. Ok, so her Fergie looks more like Lily Allen but I totally love it. I see an entire album of interesting Alanis covers. Perhaps the follow-up single could be Konichiwa Bitches.

What an interesting year for pop its turning out to be! Robyn comes back and her album gets reviewed with full stars from The Guardian, NME and Popjustice! Take That have two no.1's. Scooch are bigger than ever before. Alexander Bard returns to UK shores with his band BwO on the 18th of April. Kylie is recording a huge pop album that is "clubby with a great hooks" (thanks Kasper). Gareth Gates bids once more for the charts. Five return....want me to go on and on?

(the Robyn special will be with you this evening)

MARTA SANCHEZ Superstar

DontStopthePop loves its European pop divas and it doesn't get more fab than the new single by Miss.Sanchez. Don't know of Marta? She comes from great stock for her father is the great Antonio Sánchez Camporro! After a number of very popular albums of the ballad sort she's gone and pulled out a dance record for us her adoring fans. Just don't mention Monica Naranjo!

Many have mentioned Madonna but I don't believe I see any sort of similarity. I seriously don't. One samples ABBA and destroys the classic Swedish anthem about men after midnight and the other improves on the original by Depeche Mode and perhaps pays tribute to it.

Superstar is yet another slice of brilliant Spanish pop music that the U.K desperately needs. If there two countries in Europe that I would move to it would be Spain or Sweden on music alone. The two countries just do pop like no other. Perhaps I'd also do Spring in Greece and parts of winter(their summer) in Australia.

Buy Marta at El Corte Ingles

KYLIE OR GERI?

This week DSTP will have something "fa-fa-fabulous" regarding Robyn for her fans. Oh and something very unusual by Kylie Minogue. It involves Queens and a hare.