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On “Rhythm Nation,” Janet set out on a cultural revolution, and won. Built around a funky af sample of Sly & the Family Stone’s “Thank You (…),” this track brought social issues to the dance floor like never before. It’s a call to arms for togetherness; an escape to a rhythmic utopia – or maybe even a cult, but I’m joining. And to do all that on such a commanding, audacious song like this…wow. It’s pop music that matters.

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This track gives off the impression it’s way quirkier than it actually is. The inherent flamboyance of Boy George’s existence has a lot to do with that. In reality, “Karma Chameleon” is an achievement. Lightly seared with a country twang, a spry harmonica riff, and an incredible earworm of a chorus, it’s a perfect song.

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From the bedroom to the biggest stages in the world, Billie Eilish is going into the history books, and her rise to the top will be studied. Few artists come along and capture the public so profoundly – a whole generation of kids saw themselves in her – but the backbone of it all is great music. FINNEAS, as a producer, thrives on sparsity and letting the empty space reverberate louder than the beats…and “bad guy” feels like a scream. Just a pulsing bassline, a steady beat, and the touch of whistly synth is all you need. Oh, and Billie’s menacing near-whisper vocal.

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When Taylor Swift got together with the incomparable Max Martin – whose work is all over this list – it was inevitable. While her presence on the pop charts was prolific up to this point, she was largely considered a country crossover; this was the stepping stone. Everything felt like it stopped in its tracks when this dropped, and listening back you can tell Taylor knew this was her moment. Her charismatic one-liners and ad-libs are so endearing, but it’s the confidence she exudes in this melody that makes it so much next-level.

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One of ABBA’s few stand-alone singles, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” has stood the test of the time; in fact, it holds up better than almost any of their hits. While it’s probably their closest to textbook-disco effort, it was sonically built to last in a way only they could construct. The strings swirling up into an explosion of a man-craving chrous mimics the ‘gasm these women are pining for. And that synth hook is just beyond incredible, only the Queen of Pop herself has ever been allowed near it.

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With its Blondiesque disco swagger and sparkly guitars, “Lovefool” is undeniable. The track is so uplifting and dreamy, you can almost hear the heartbreak turn into blissful delusion…songwriting brilliance. Yet it’s that delectable hook that makes this song such a standout. Anyone who’s ever written a pop song has wished to make something as simple, as hard-hitting as “love me, love me.” And that hook will continue to resonate for years and years.

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Despite being everyone’s April 30th nightmare, this is actually *NSYNC’s best song. It is just so effing melodic, and captures this indescribable energy of late-90s/early-00s pop. Seriously, that chorus is gold. There’s beatboxing, a funky bass line, what more do you need?

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Don’t call Gwen a cheerleader, apparently! I mean, “Hollaback Girl” takes the whole concept and shoves a couple of middle fingers into it. The Neptunes production strips everything down to the basics – a drumline, a marching band, and little else – and lets Miss Stefani’s relentless sass handle the rest. The chorus is a gem by itself, but we all really gotta give it up for, “This shit is bananas.” Hands down one of the greatest hooks ever written.

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What ultimately made MJ’s career crownable was his fearlessness, his boundlessness, and the flawlessness in his execution. Who’s Annie? Why did someone kill her? Why are we making a pop song about this? But that’s why Michael Jackson was a musical genius. Number one, this is one of the greatest basslines ever. Each second of this track feels intentional and exciting – each hiccup, each horn hit – and it’s an incredible earworm at the same time.

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Already a standout from Charli’s seminal brat, the remix featuring Lorde turned into something astounding. We just have to talk about the verse she added. The epitome of vulnerability. A summation of the complexities of, but ultimate strength in, being a girl. She’s so brilliantly able to mirror the conversational nature of Charli’s original while making it completely her own – mostly spoken, but unable to resist slipping into a melody here and there. What incredible gift to have two of the most important and game-changing artists of the last, well…50 years, come together and deliver something some powerful.

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