"Beauty and a Beat" Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj

I initially intended to ignore "Beauty and a Beat," the third release from Justin Bieber's Believe. I was just about done with Canada's biggest export since Shania Twain after his two previous singles proved among the year's most disappointing, wasting perfectly good pop hooks on desperate (and somewhat creepy) attempts to prove that he's all grown up. But my mission would be a futile one—inevitably, "Beat" became another inescapable radio hit—and in its failure, I discovered something unexpected: This may just be the best single of Bieber's young career. It's not the dubby flourishes or the breathy Nicki Minaj guest verse that stand out—not in an era dominated by them. Rather, it's the sense that the Biebs has finally found a pop star persona that fits. Concerned with nothing more than the girl and the music that "make my life complete," this sweet, celebratory serenade hums with a youthful cheeriness that is entirely age-appropriate. It's not poetry, but what more do you want from an 18-year-old? A-

Throwback Thursday: "Family Affair" Mary J. Blige

It's the year that gave us the enduring "bootylicious," but the greatest pop music neologism of 2001 has to be "hateration," from Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair." This Dr. Dre production is an undersung classic of the era—a jaunty, joyous celebration of good times and no more drama that never fails to get things "perculatin'" in the "dancery," to borrow two more of the song's novel lyricisms. And "hateration" so perfectly captures the essence of Blige and "Affair": playful, yet strong; slightly over-the-top, but still on point. (Just listen to her impassioned delivery run wild, frequently ignoring, but never forgetting, the staccato beat.) Best of all, it's remarkably easy to slip into everyday conversation. No hateration intended, but "bootylicious" who? A-

11 years ago this week, "Family Affair" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"My Life" 50 Cent ft. Eminem and Adam Levine

50 Cent's career has been on life support ever since his rivalry with Kanye West ended in embarrassing defeat five years ago. Could Adam Levine be the one to finally revive his fortunes? The Voice mentor features on "My Life," the lead single from 50's upcoming fifth studio album, and a performance on last night's episode of the NBC hit helped this comeback track quickly shoot to #1 on iTunes. Whether that renewed success is sustainable is another question entirely. "Life" is a surprisingly compelling bit of candid self-doubt and frustration—including a spirited guest verse from 50's own mentor, Eminem—but it's saddled with a drab hook that won't demand much attention from audiences. B

"I Cry" Flo Rida

With the release of "I Cry," his fourth single this year, it's clear that Flo Rida has established a comfortable formula. Step One: Start with an easily recognizable hook that will get audiences dancing—extra points if it's already a well-liked club hit. (This time around, he interpolates the chorus from Bingo Player's "Cry [Just a Little]," a dance remix of Brenda Russell's 1988 power ballad "Piano in the Dark.") Step Two: Add some generic rhymes that everyone will just ignore as they wait for the hook to come back. (I'm not sure what Flo Rida has against champagne buckets and chandeliers, but apparently they've got him tearing up.) Step Three: Wait for pop success. Obviously, something about the chemistry is working right, as "I Cry" recently became the rapper's fourth consecutive top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, but artistically, it's definitely off. Blame staleness or a bad batch—this is no "Wild Ones." C

"Woman's World" Cher

There are those pop culture legends who quit while they're ahead, in order to leave an impressive legacy untarnished. And then there's Cher, who has made so many comebacks over the course of her five-decade career than I'm beginning to suspect she'll join the cockroaches in outlasting us all. The now 66-year-old music icon appeared headed toward retirement in 2002 when she embarked on a three-year farewell tour, but it was a short-lived break from the spotlight. By 2008, she was headlining a concert residency in Las Vegas, then starring opposite Christina Aguilera in the 2010 musical Burlesque. Now, out of nowhere, Cher has debuted a new single: "Woman's World," her first release in almost a decade. Continuing the late-career transformation into club diva, it's a thumping Eurodance track produced by Paul Oakenfold. Unfortunately, this is no "Believe." Just about everything—from the I-am-woman-hear-me-roar lyrics to the heavy synth beat—falls flat from familiarity. Only Cher's powerful voice, still as deep and distinctive as ever, stands out. It should be fun to see her on stage again, camping it up to "World," but here's hoping the rest of her forthcoming 2013 album is a notch better. C+

Throwback Thursday: "Big Girls Don't Cry" The Four Seasons

The massive Broadway success of jukebox musical Jersey Boys has given a second life to the legacy of the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli's pop vocal quartet, which ran up a string of hit singles in the 1960s. Among their five #1's was "Big Girls Don't Cry," a doo-wop riff on a line from the 1956 film noir Slightly Scarlet. The short song revolves around the events of a break-up, told in chaste and slightly nonsensical detail, but it's really all about the famous titular refrain. Five decades later, the burst of falsetto harmonies that anchors "Big Girls" remains just as splendid and satisfying as ever. B

50 years ago this week, "Big Girls Don't Cry" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Looking Hot" No Doubt

The recent controversy surrounding No Doubt's ill-advised cowboys-and-Indians video for their latest single, "Looking Hot"—which was quickly pulled after complaints from the Native American community—is the most buzz that the band's foundering comeback has had in several months. It's too bad, because the music has been solid, including the aforementioned "Hot," an infectious blast of preening dance-rock. Over a driving drum beat, Gwen Stefani wonders, "Do you think this hits the spot?" and for fans of the Orange County quartet, it's a definite yes, particularly when the ska breakdown kicks in like it's 1995 again. B

"I Knew You Were Trouble." Taylor Swift

You know dubstep has hit critical mass when even Taylor Swift is getting in on the action. The syncopated, bass-heavy EDM subgenre has been creeping into pop music for several years, but since Britney Spears' underrated "Hold It Against Me" kicked the trend into overdrive early last year, the number of wobbly breakdowns in mainstream music has exploded. They're smoothly and effectively put to use on Swift's latest pop single, "I Knew You Were Trouble.," which she debuted at last night's American Music Awards with a glitzy, production-laden performance. The wubbed-out chorus lends a bit of drama and edge to this otherwise perky lament of romantic abandonment, produced by Max Martin and Shellback. Much like the title's extraneous punctuation, the bass drops present a bold statement—of musical climax, artistic confidence, and potential new direction in the country princess' career. B+

"Scream & Shout" will.i.am ft. Britney Spears

I make no secret my general disaffinity for will.i.am, whose bloated sense of his own genius has already produced two of the year's worst songs. So imagine my surprise that "Scream & Shout," the umpteenth single from his eternally delayed album #willpower, is actually, ahem, pretty good. This sleek house track sounds like a surefire club smash, with a throbbing synth beat that is pure electro ear candy. Even better, will.i.am and his superfluous rhymes mostly take a back seat, allowing guest Britney Spears to shine in moments both absurd (an extended riff with British accent) and rapturous (a harmonious oh eh oh refrain). Plus, any reference to "Gimme More" is all right in my book. B+

Throwback Thursday: "How Do You Talk to an Angel" The Heights

Musical drama The Heights was a total flop for Fox back in 1992, but its fictional band accomplished something the Glee kids never have: a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. (Two weeks later, the show was cancelled.) Unfortunately, said hit—the show's theme song, "How Do You Talk to an Angel"—has not aged gracefully in the intervening two decades. It's chock-full of the era's cheesiest soft-rock impulses: husky yet tender vocals, courtesy of Jamie Walters; ridiculously oversold conceptions of romance ("It's like trying to catch a falling star"); and, of course, sexy saxophone flourishes. That's not to say "Angel" is entirely without appeal these days (seriously, who doesn't love some sexy sax?), but it rests more on nostalgia and campy appreciation than a sense of artistic accomplishment. B-

20 years ago this week, "How Do You Talk to an Angel" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Thrift Shop" Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz

Wit is an essential ingredient of hip-hop music; every great emcee should be able to eviscerate their rival with a series of stinging, yet clever, barbs. But comedy rap? That's a whole other game. Sustaining the laughs of a particularly potent punchline across an entire song is a serious challenge—not to mention the difficulty of coming up with fresh concepts, if the steadily diminishing returns of Eminem are any indication. No wonder it remains largely the domain of Internet jokesters, and the few signed professionals are mostly Jewish nerds who would normally be laughed out of the Def Jam offices. (What up to the Lonely Island!)

All of which is to say, it's impressive what indie favorite Macklemore has done on "Thrift Shop," bringing together humor and hip-hop in such legitimate fashion. This ode to bargain hunting, now getting spins on alternative and even urban radio, is more Weird Al than Jay-Z, but there's no wink-and-a-nudge to the audience. Even when the jokes land, it feels, first and foremost, like a song, rather than an SNL sketch set to music. Credit as well, then, to producer Ryan Lewis and the two great hooks he helped craft: a wildly danceable staccato saxophone beat and the super catchy chorus ("Only got twenty dollars in my pocket"). Fucking awesome, indeed. B+

"Don't You Worry Child" Swedish House Mafia ft. John Martin

Scoring the biggest crossover hit of your career—it's not a bad way to go. Just as dance music supergroup Swedish House Mafia prepares to take an indefinite hiatus, their farewell single, "Don't You Worry Child," is finding unexpected success on the pop charts. (It also recently became their third #1 club hit.) Helping the transition from dance floor to radio is a touch of pathos, evoked most prominently by vocalist John Martin. Recalling a father's advice, his ecstatic cries add an emotional texture to the otherwise fairly standard rave-up, giving a sense of deeper meaning to a listener's desire to jump along. B

"Swimming Pools (Drank)" Kendrick Lamar

Last week, good kid, m.A.A.d city, the first studio album from Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, bolstered by the success of his bleary-eyed hit "Swimming Pools (Drank)." There's always a place in popular music for odes to alcohol, and Lamar has taken it a step further, crafting a song that feels like the deep dive into a pool of liquor that the chorus recommends. As the dark instrumental oozes along like the fuzzy processing skills of a tipsy brain, it steadily grows to match Lamar's swaggering rhymes, a boost of confidence that will surely be familiar to anyone who's ever felt a little too cool after a few too many drinks. "Pools" is a high-concept party track that still sounds mighty fine up in the club with drank in hand. B+

Throwback Thursday: "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" Soulja Boy Tell'em

Before PSY, there was Soulja Boy Tell'em, another goofy rapper with incomprehensible lyrics and a ridiculous dance craze. His breakthrough hit—amazingly, other successes followed—was "Crank That (Soulja Boy)," a seven-week #1 in the fall of 2007 thanks to a viral video and the questionable purchasing habits of teenagers. (Sound familiar?) Composed entirely of stock loops from a music-editing program for PCs, "Crank That" almost feels like the work of an idiot savant. Its spare steel-drum-and-snaps instrumental offers a surprisingly catchy hook—which is then buried under Soulja Boy's drawling, tuneless drivel. Worse songs have hit the top of Billboard charts, but for mind-numbing stupidity, "Crank That" is a real winner. C-

Five years ago this week, "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Begin Again" Taylor Swift

She may be the biggest musician in the country right now, but Taylor Swift is walking a precarious artistic tightrope between widening her audience and alienating her old fans. It's a difficult balancing act for any artist, and the jury's still out on how she's managing. On the lead single from her latest album, Red, Swift went full-blown pop, earning her first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while simultaneously missing the top ten on country radio for the first time in her career. So it's unsurprising that follow-up release "Begin Again" is a much safer choice for the Nashville starlet, trading in bubblegum Max Martin hooks for soft acoustic guitar and softer vocals. Those yearning for the return of Swift's airy storytelling will be satisfied by this understated ballad, as sweet and detailed-oriented as any in her catalog. And despite the presence of banjos and fiddles, "Begin" never quite breaks out into twang, remaining accessible for potential crossover success. B

"Little Things" One Direction

On their exhilarating debut single, the boys from One Direction showered love upon a girl who doesn't know how she beautiful she is. Now it's become clear that they may, in fact, have something to do with that. "Little Things," their first ballad release (co-written by Ed Sheeran of "The A Team" fame), spends three-and-a-half painfully intimate minutes pointing out all the supposed flaws that cause the unnamed leading lady's self-doubt—freckles, crinkly eyes, chubby stomach—before doubling back with a simple "But I'll love them endlessly" and "You're perfect to me." Uh-uh, guys, it doesn't work like that. Best keep those thoughts to yourself next time—even if you feel the urge to express them via stripped-down acoustic guitar arrangement and supple man-on-man harmonies (complete with a self-serious black-and-white video to match). D+

"Little Talks" Of Monsters and Men

Every once in a while, a hit song completely passes you by. Such was the case with the whimsical, propulsive "Little Talks," the debut single from Icelandic indie rock outfit Of Monsters and Men. I heard it for the first time last week, as I was scanning past on the radio, and I was immediately struck by its tender coed harmonies and blasting trumpet. In the excitement of my discovery, I failed to realize how late to the game I was; "Talks" reached the top of Billboard's alternative chart this summer. But better late than never, I suppose. The song's juxtaposition of melancholy storytelling—that of a woman talking to her recently deceased husband—against energetic, six-piece revelry (punctuated by celebratory cheers) is a stunner, evoking a gorgeous, cathartic swirl of pain and joy. It would have been a shame to miss this one altogether. A

Throwback Thursday: "Candle in the Wind 1997" Elton John

Following the car crash that killed his close friend, Princess Diana, Sir Elton John released "Candle in the Wind 1997," a reimagining of his 1973 ode to Marilyn Monroe. It quickly went on to become the biggest single of all time, a monster smash that sold over 33 million copies worldwide and spent 14 weeks at #1 in the U.S. Tied, as it is, so innately to the tragedy that is describes, "Wind 1997" is a much more emotional tribute than the original. But it's also a less musically interesting song, lacking the heft of the '73 version's bluesy electric guitar, choral harmonies and percussion section. Performed only once, at Diana's funeral, it scales down to primarily John and a piano, drifting along to its demure conclusion. That said, John's perfectly expressed sentiment—reverential, but not syrupy; grief that is gracefully palpable, but not overwrought—is a standout in pop music's long history of honoring legends. B

15 years ago this week, "Candle in the Wind 1997" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.