The Bias List is a K-pop blog that also covers a fair amount of J-pop. But just like most music fans, I enjoy tracks from all around the world. So, I thought I’d start a monthly round-up of some of the non-K-pop songs that have caught my ear. No ratings — just highlights!
February 2022 Edition // March 2022 Edition // April 2022 Edition // May 2022 Edition // June 2022 Edition // July 2022 Edition // August 2022 Edition // September 2022 Edition // October 2022 Edition // November 2022 Edition // January 2023 Edition // February 2023 // March 2023 // April 2023 // May 2023
Alessandra – Pretty Devil
I love this! I actually prefer it to her Eurovision entry, mostly due to how hard its big pop chorus hits. The beat has such texture and force.
Bingo Players & Peyruis – Static Body (ft. Marlene)
I’m always on the lookout for good dance tracks and this one scratches my itch for upbeat 2000’s-era sounds.
Dagny – Same Again (For Love)
This is pretty much perfect pop. The melodies and production are so tight.
Dom Dolla & Nelly Furtado – Eat Your Man
Nelly Furtado is back, and she’s apparently still a Maneater.
Dua Lipa – Dance The Night
Dua can’t miss with this disco sound. Initially, I feared the song might be too slight, but it’s held on with an iron grip over the past few weeks.
Jake Shears – Really Big Deal
Jake Shears’ new album is really great and this is one of my favorite tracks on it. It sounds like vintage Scissor Sisters.
Leigh-Anne – Don’t Say Love
Such great 2000’s-era nostalgia!
Ollie Wride – Victoria
I’ve been following Ollie Wride since he first burst onto the scene in the early 2010’s, and I can confidently say this is one of his best tracks. If you like 80’s synth rock or The Killers, you’ll love this.
Phelly – Sen blir du stark
Phelly continues her run of superb synth pop.
Purple Disco Machine – Bad Company
Latin freestyle is one of my favorite sub-genres, yet even with the industry’s 80’s obsession no one seems to be touching this sound. Purple Disco Machine have set things right with this summer highlight.
Purple Disco Machine – Paradise (ft. Sophie and the Giants)
It’s Purple Disco Machine again! This time they’ve pulled in frequent collaborators Sophie and the Giants for a catchy bit of modern dance pop.
Slayyyter – Out Of Time
This is probably my favorite song of the bunch. It just hits all the right notes for me, from its propulsive groove to the slick, dramatic melodies.
The Band CAMINO – Last Man In The World
Once the chorus gets going, Last Man In The World never looks back. It hits surprisingly hard.
The Weeknd – Popular (ft. Madonna & Playboi Carti)
This song is SO addictive, perfectly capturing the early-00’s hip-hop funk of The Neptunes through an unexpected collaboration. I can’t stop playing it.
Tove Lo – I Like U
Tove Lo is fully inhabiting Robyn’s tears-on-the-dancefloor dance pop with this one.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I’ll have to check this out. I’m so boring these days. Just Cravity, Fromis-9, and old stuff (1950-present) this month.
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It’s been a very strong month for pop music so far!
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Idina Menzel’s new solo stuff is pretty good!
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because this is a global pop post, it gives me a great opportunity to do a re-ranking of all the songs from just dance 2023!
amazing i love it so much omg (10-9): physical – dua lipa (9), stay – the kid laroi & justin bieber (9.5), telephone – lady gaga (9.25), wannabe – itzy (9), toxic – britney spears (10), numb – linkin park (9), bring me to life – evanescence (10), ubu love – naniwa danshi (9), disco inferno – the trammps (9), million dollar baby – ava max (9), i knew you were trouble – taylor swift (9), euphoria – loreen (10)
i think its good (8.75-8): locked out of heaven – bruno mars (8), sweet but psycho – ava max (8.5), love me land – zara larsson (8.25), rather be – clean bandit feat. jess glynne (8.75), boy with luv – bts feat. halsey (8.75), driver’s license – olivia rodrigo (8), psycho – red velvet (8.25), woman – doja cat (8), magic – kylie minogue (8.75), as it was – harry styles (8.25), we dont talk about bruno – encanto (8.5), wouldn’t it be nice – the beach boys (8), danger! high voltage – electric six (8.5), top of the world – shawn mendes (8.75), vleugals – k3 (8.5), anything i do – cliq feat. ms banks & alika (8.25), farfalle – sangiovanni (8.75), good ones – charli xcx (8.5), playground – bea miller (8.75), sissy that walk – rupaul (8.5), walking on sunshine – katrina and the waves (8.75), thank u, next – ariana grande (8.25), about damn time – lizzo (8.75), wet tennis – sofi tukker (8), give that wolf a banana – subwoolfer (8.25), more – k/da (8), jamais lâcher – michou (8.5)
mid (7.75-7): dynamite – bts (7.5), radioactive – imagine dragons (7.75), heat waves – glass animals (7.75), witch – apashe (feat. alina pash) (7.25), therefore i am – billie eilish (7.5), majesty – apashe (feat. wasiu) (7.75), if you wanna party – the just dancers (7.25), provenza – karol g (7), slomo – chanel (7.5), trenuletul – zdob si zdub and advahov brothers (7)
no likey (6.75-6): watch out for this (bumaye) – major lazer ft. busy signal , the flexican and fs green (6.75)
go to hell (5.75-): can’t stop the feeling – justin timberlake (5.5), zooby doo – tigermonkey (5.25), abcdefu – gayle (5.5)
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also ik im a bit late but i am so fucking happy for the news yesterday of EVERY SINGLE LOONA MEMBER BEING OUT OF THE HELLHOLE THAT IS BBC, WE HAVE WON
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Can’t wait to see what the girls do next I know oec is cooking something up. Yves was my favorite member so I hope she continues as a singer
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What do you think of doja cat’s new song? I didn’t like that she denounced her past music, but I did find it lyrically impact. I think it could’ve had a stronger hook, epecially after listening to the songs you’ve posted (most of which of I was singing along with before the end of my first listen 😭)
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Yeah, I like Doja Cat a lot but I’m not a fan of this new sound…
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Alright Slayyyter – I like this latest track too! Troubled Paradise was promising but this is fire. Tbh, i didn’t really follow Tove Lo after Habits until last year’s No One Dies from Love but definitely going to check out this release.
Most of Tinashe’s music tends to lean towards r&b than dance pop, but some tracks do fall between the two. It’s a little old, but Perfect Crime really grew on me and quite a few tracks from last year’s 333 (Shy Guy, Undo, and the second half of the album in general). Ex-bandmate Hayley Kiyoko’s for the girls is standard pop but a fun listen all the same.
Other artists with heavy rotation – Charlie XCX (Crash was a good album overall) and only a few-songs-old-Hemlocke Springs with girlfriend, sever the blight and more recently heavun which certainly feels like an ode to the disco era I feel love-type of classics.
Now if only Grimes releases her album.
Great round-up again!
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I like Dua’s new song. I hope it’s a good holdover to her next album that she’s working on. She’s one of the only artists that Disco-influenced pop seems to fit like a glove.
And I did not know Leigh Ann put out music! I honestly haven’t been paying attention to any of the Little Mix member solo activities, so thanks for letting me (and us) know lol
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Never thought I’d see Band CAMINO on TBL. Their new song is great, but nothing can top ‘I Think I Like You’ for me.
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