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 // March 2022 // April 2022 // May 2022 // June 2022 // July 2022 // August 2022 // September 2022 // October 2022 // November 2022 // January 2023 // February 2023 // March 2023 // April 2023 // May 2023 // June 2023 // July 2023 // August 2023 // September 2023 // October 2023 // November 2023 // January 2024 // February 2024 // March 2024 // April 2024 // May 2024
Becky Hill – Back Around
Becky Hill’s new album is a consistently solid string of dancefloor bangers. This is one of my favorites.
Benjamin – Vanha minä vainaa
A slightly different sound for Benjamin, melding dark club vibes with Nordic melodies. He’s yet to release a bad song, honestly.
Benjamin Ingrosso – Look Who’s Laughing Now
This track floored me from the very first listen. Structurally, it sounds like classic Abba. The arrangement is so bombastic and fun and the melodies kill.
Bess – Kyyneleet sateessa
Bess takes a slightly more atmospheric 80’s approach with this synthy highlight.
Bingo Players – Summer Dreaming (ft. Pure Shores)
As you might have guessed from the title, this is aimed straight for your summer playlists. It does its job well!
Bonnie McKee – Show You Mine
If you’re a fan of early-2010’s pop music, Bonnie McKee’s finally-released album is a total treat. This is one of my early standouts. I love the energy.
Charli XCX – Sympathy Is A Knife
I’m not as big a Charli XCX fan as most seem to be, but the dramatic arrangement of Sympathy Is A Knife makes this an easy highlight from her new album.
Chrissy Chlapecka – 10 Boyfriends / Sugar
Chrissy Chlapecka’s music is a little Gaga, a little Britney, a little Paris and a lot of campy, sex-forward fun. I really love her new EP – especially some of the b-sides like Emergency. These two singles showcase much of the cartoonish energy that makes her music so fun.
Confidence Man – I Can’t Lose You
This screams “song of the summer” to me. It’s everything I’d want in a cheesy Europop/rave throwback. I can’t stop playing it.
Dagny – Strawberry Dream
Strawberry Dream was released a few months ago, but Dagny’s album finally came out last week so I’ve just now caught up with the song. The chorus is pure pop bliss. She’s a master of melodies.
Darin – Moonlight
Darin takes a more subdued synthpop approach with Moonlight, continuing his string of solid late-career hits.
Infernal – Touch Heaven
Infernal were one of my favorite dance acts of the 2000’s, but I haven’t really kept up with their music since then. This new track has really brought me back. The chorus is massive.
Julie Bergan – Eternity Tonight
A thumping Europop banger with energy and hooks to spare.
Madison Rose – Paradise
Madison Rose has to be one of the world’s most underrated acts. Every song she releases distills the best elements of pop music into slick mega-bangers. Paradise is no different.
Marcus & Martinus – Die For You
Marcus & Martinus’s album is largely composed of pre-release singles, but this sleek Weeknd-esque house track makes for an unexpected highlight toward the end.
Neea River – XOX, From Me
I don’t love this quite as much as her past tracks, but that’s a very high bar to climb. She’s still one of the most reliable pop musicians out there right now.
The Scarlet Opera – Someone’s Gotta Love ‘Em
I’ve had my eyes on The Scarlet Opera since last year and I’m glad to see them releasing new music. This is an old-school rock stomper that sounds a bit like Queen. How could you not love that?
Tove Lo & SG Lewis – Heat
The combination of Tove Lo and SG Lewis is a proven powerhouse. Their new EP is more club/dub inspired than pure pop, with Heat leading the charge.
Velvet – Beautiful Pain
Velvet is back! I can’t believe it, and her music has returned just as potent and anthemic as ever. Seriously, she’s so good at delivering these big, sentimental, strings-laced dance bangers.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
The new Charli XCX album Brat is currently my favorite, along with Kali Uchis’ Orquideas which came out in January. In fact, Brat is a gateway album for me, as I’m discovering her previous work that didn’t really click with me at the time (other than Crash, which really is an outlier in terms of her sound).
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Surprised that Midnight Ride by Orville Peck and Kylie Minogue didn’t land on your list this month; I feel like some of Kylie’s most fun works have a country tinge to them, so this collab worked really well for me!
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I need to give that one more listens. I’m a little drained on anything country-related at the moment, to be honest. It’s become such a big trend in the US right now.
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Lately my only exposure to new music has been this blog and my YT recs (which are shaped by all the music I check out here), so my thanks to you I guess for filtering that trend out in your posts 😃
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Ayo where’s ariana grande’s the boy is mine 😦
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It’s okay.
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what about Rainbow’s End by Mariah Carey? thoughts?
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Ooh, I like! I didn’t realize there would be any “new” songs on the rerelease. She should do a whole album of club music.
I never thought Rainbow was one of her better albums, but I like how she goes all out for the anniversaries. Butterfly remains her peak.
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Listening to Marcus & Martinus’s new album, and i was shocked to hear an english version of Taemin’s I Want. I guess one can consider it Taemin’s impact lol
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Oh my god I can’t believe I didn’t catch that! When that song started I immediately thought “this sounds like SHINee.” Guess I know why!
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I thought it was fun to check out the different versions. I liked the production on Taemin’s version quite a bit more. What surprised me is I didn’t like the English lyrics. Taemin’s version had a few too many hot hots but I’ll take it. I will check out this other song by this duo though.
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I really like it, it has a different feeling than Want to me, the production is more biting.
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Chrissy is so fun, I ran into her last year and have been a fan since. I need to listen to Brat but that time has been stolen away by how much I adore Normani’s album. If you can’t make time for all of it I would definitely recommend ‘Lights On’ (where she studied at Janet Jackson University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree), Tantrums feat. James Blake and Insomnia.
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I’m pretty sure Look who’s laughing now played on my country’s pop radio, which is absolutely surprising because we’re so deep into American culture that we don’t even hear our home music a lot of time. Glad to see him getting the recognition!
I’m pretty sure I heard it during Eurovision too and I love it, outside the contest I haven’t been much of a europop girlie but I’m getting into Marina Satti, Joost Klein and I might have to add Ingrosso to the list too.
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Okkk this is my first time commenting but I’ve become a huge folllower of ur posts recently n u hav genuinely changed my music taste for the better. Here r some songs that released this yr that Ive been obsessed with and mayb possibly are to ur tastes
Situations- Nicolina
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=scVoEfyA18Y&si=EZO3wj9fhbRHHYrD
I Dated a Monster- CATTY
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=DfHTSrtukPc&si=yOf6CG4UAYdRl5Wv
Live or Die- Brooke Daye
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=-yiYCWCTcgY&si=LI38q-CurM9wwjix
Blue Moon- Bebe Rexha( not released this yr but recently discovered this gem frm her Bebe album)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=GM1CHS2tMBI&si=qxiJIM8P1m5xY_O7
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