MY TEN FAVORITE FOREIGN SONGS OF 2014 #7 Showtek and the Noisecontrollers - Get Loose (Tiesto Remix)

It's not uncommon for a Body Jam song to make it to my year-end list.  There have been many good selections this year, which I would have missed if not for the meticulous curating the people behind this Les Mills program does for the songs they use in this dancexercise.

This year, I was introduced to the pulsating music of Showtek and the Noisecontrollers. Definitely my favorite dance rave track for the year!

MY TEN FAVORITE FOREIGN SONGS OF 2014 #8 Beyonce and Jay-z - Drunk in Love

I admit I wasn't immediately bowled over with Beyonce's last self-titled album.  It took months and a lot of hip hop classes with the G-Force for me to appreciate the fantastic work she did with that album.  Not surprising that she got a Grammy Album of the Year nod for it and I think she has enough fans in the Academy to snag her first Grammy for that prestigious category!

Funny thing is I also didn't immediately like this song when I heard it the first time at last year's Grammy awards.  Eventually, it became my most favorite song from that album of hers for obvious reasons, it's also the most raunchy!

MY TEN FAVORITE FOREIGN SONGS OF 2014 #9 Hillsong United - Oceans

I've been a fan of contemporary Christian music for decades now, and although I'm Roman Catholic, it hasn't stopped me from buying the CDs and watching the concerts of top Christian acts like Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, Kathy Troccoli, Switchfoot and this year, Hillsong United.

The Born Again community, as we call them here, usually comes in full force and I don't really mind. There is not much difference between theirs and our expression of faith.

The band came to Manila middle of this year and performed before a jampacked Araneta Coliseum. This song was also lording it over the Billboard Contemporary Christian charts for weeks already. It is a stunningly beautiful song and I would often sing to it when I feel weak and sad, just to reaffirm my faith.

MY TEN FAVORITE FOREIGN SONGS OF 2014 #10 Shaan and Shantanu Moitra - Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh

The DVD to the Indian movie Three Idiots has been sitting on my desk for months and it was only Holy Week this year that I decided to watch the movie - and like many of the young people who watched it before - and know already what a good movie it was, I was really touched and blown away by what I saw.

It is a very long movie with all the Bollywood singing and dancing but it was a movie that spoke to me - more than two decades after graduating from college!

As the movie opens, this song is going to be sung and I think it's the most beautiful of all the songs they sang in this wonderful movie. If you haven't seen the movie, you have to watch it! It's funny, it's so full of joy and twists and unexpected happenings!

Grab something to bite - it's a long movie but really worth your time.

Bastille's Concert Setlist for Manila Show

It would only be the first week of 2015 yet there's already a concert that I would like to watch.  It's the band Bastille and this is their most likely setlist for their show here in Manila -

1. Bad Blood 
2. Weight of Living, Pt. II 
3. Laura Palmer 
4. Laughter Lines 
5. Things We Lost in the Fire 
6. Blame 
7. Overjoyed 
8. Poet 
9. These Streets 
10. The Driver 
11. The Silence 
12. Oblivion 
13. No Angels 
14. Icarus 
15. The Draw 
16. Flaws 
17. Encore:
17. Get Home 
18. Of the Night 
19. Pompeii 

Gary Barlow Tops My Personal Countdown for the Fifth Time

In a career spanning three decades, Gary Barlow's tenth top 10 solo hit in my personal countdown becomes his fifth #1 song as well.  This week, 6th Avenue moves up to the top spot of my personal countdown.  It's the second top 10 hit from his latest album, Since I Saw You Last.  Gary's span of solo chart hits extends to 17 years this week.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending December 12, 2014.

1. Gary Barlow - 6th Avenue (#3)

2. Kendrick Lamar - Backstreet Freestyle (#2)

3. Brett Eldredge - Beat of the Music (#4)

4. Imagine Dragons  - Cha-Ching  (#10)

5. John Legend - The Beginning (#6)

6. Jamie Cullum - Save Your Soul (#7)

7. G.R.L. - Ugly Heart (#8)

8. Maroon 5 - It Was Always You (#9)

9. Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance (NEW)

10. Take That - These Days (NEW)

Kris Lawrence Finally Tops My OPM Countdown

Kris Lawrence finally tops my OPM countdown this week, as Torpe, moves to the top spot.  I haven't really followed much of Kris' career, although I had seen him perform in a musical a few years back.  I do hope he comes out with a full album soon, because is Torpe is the vibe and the type of music he's currently working on now, he's on to something good!

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending October 10, 2014 -

	10-Oct-14
1	Torpe	Kris Lawrence	2
2	Para-Paraan	Nadine Ilustre	3
3	Bahala Na	James Reid / Nadine Ilustre	4
4	Dito Na Lang	Kyla	5
5	Natataranta	James Reid	6
6	This Love is Like	Toni Gonzaga	8
7	Everytime	Frencheska Farr	9
8	Kunwa-Kunwari Lang	Kyla	10
9	Kiss You	Karylle	NEW
10	Ikaw Pa Rin	Kaligta	NEW

James Reid and Nadine Ilustre: Pop Music's Hitmaking Love Team

James Reid and Nadine Ilustre get their second #1 song this week, as Bahala Na moves to the top of my OPM countdown. This song is from their latest movie, Talk Back and You're Dead.  

Earlier this year, their song No Erase, also went to #1 and that was from the movie Diary Ng Panget.

They become the second and third artist to have two #1 songs this year.  Chris Cantada was the first one to do that.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending October 17, 2014 -

	17-Oct-14
1	Bahala Na	James Reid / Nadine Ilustre	3
2	Para-Paraan	Nadine Ilustre	2
3	Dito Na Lang	Kyla	4
4	Natataranta	James Reid	5
5	This Love is Like	Toni Gonzaga	6
6	Everytime	Frencheska Farr	7
7	Kunwa-Kunwari Lang	Kyla	8
8	Kiss You	Karylle	9
9	Ikaw Pa Rin	Kaligta	10
10	Sa'yo	Silent Sanctuary	NEW

Kyla Posts Two #1 Songs Within an 8-Week Period

That Kyla is able to have two #1 songs (Salbabida and Dito Na Lang) within a span of 8 weeks contrasts starkly to her being absent from my OPM countdown for a decade - until this year! I have shied away from her music for so long because she has depended so much on covers, and although I like some covers from local artists, well, only once in a blue moon while, those versions very rarely enters my OPM countdown, as I prefer original composed music.

Well, I am definitely going to buy Kyla's latest album to check if she still has some more gems there.  Another one of her songs, Kunwa-Kunwari Lang is also climbing my OPM countdown.

Dito Na Lang tops my OPM countdown this week.

Here are my ten favorite OPM songs for the week ending October 24, 2014 -

	24-Oct-14
1	Dito Na Lang	Kyla	3
2	Para-Paraan	Nadine Ilustre	2
3	Natataranta	James Reid	4
4	This Love is Like	Toni Gonzaga	5
5	Sa'yo	Silent Sanctuary	10
6	Kunwa-Kunwari Lang	Kyla	7
7	Everytime	Frencheska Farr	6
8	Kiss You	Karylle	8
9	Ikaw Pa Rin	Kaligta	9
10	Kung Akin ang Langit	McCoy Fundales / Clara Benin	NEW

Nadine Ilustre Becomes First Artist To Have Three #1 Songs in 2014

Nadine Ilustre becomes the first artist this year to get three #1 songs in my OPM countdown.  Earlier this year, she was one-half of the love team she has with James Reid, that brought the #1 hits, No Erase and Bahala Na, two songs from two box-office films she was in, as well. 

This week, her song, Para-Paraan finds its way to #1 in my OPM countdown.

Here are my ten favorite OPM songs for the week ending October 31, 2014 -

	31-Oct-14
1	Para-Paraan	Nadine Ilustre	2
2	Natataranta	James Reid	3
3	This Love is Like	Toni Gonzaga	4
4	Sa'yo	Silent Sanctuary	5
5	Kunwa-Kunwari Lang	Kyla	6
6	Everytime	Frencheska Farr	7
7	Kiss You	Karylle	8
8	Ikaw Pa Rin	Kaligta	9
9	Kung Akin Ang Langit	McCoy Fundales / Clara Benin	10
10	Kapiling Kita	Karylle	NEW

Natataranta: The Third #1 Hit for James Reid in My OPM Countdown

James Reid gets his third #1 song in my OPM countdown this week, as Natataranta moves to the top spot.  That's three #1 songs for 2014.  His screen partner, Nadine Ilustre, is the only other artist to be able to achieve that this year.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending November 7, 2014 -

#1 James Reid - Natataranta (#2)

#2 Toni Gonzaga - This Love is Like (#3)

#3 Silent Sanctuary - Sa'yo (#4)

#4 Kyla - Kunwa-Kunwari Lang (#6)

#5 McCoy Fundales / Clara Benin - Kung Akin ang Langit (#9)

#6 Frencheska Farr - Everytime (#6)

#7 Kiss You - Karylle (#7)

#8 Ikaw Pa Rin - Kaligta (#8)

#9 Karylle - Kapiling Kita (#10)

#10 Janella Salvador - Mahal Kita Pero (NEW)

McCoy Fundales and Clara Benin

McCoy Fundales and Clara Benin get their very first top 10 hit in my OPM countdown as Kung Akin ang Langit, the song they sang in this year's Philpop 2014.  This week, the song zooms to #5.

Everytime is Frencheska Farr's Fifth Top 10 Hit

Frencheska Farr has five top 10 hits my OPM countdown, four of them went all the way to #1.

2012 - Isama Mo Ako (#1)

2013 - Inside My Heart (#1)

2013 - Bakit Ikaw (#1)

2014 - This Feeling (#1)

2014 - Everytime (#6)

Ikaw Pa Rin Kaligta

Local band Kaligta finally gets their very first top 10 hit in my OPM countdown this week, as Ikaw Pa Rin stays at #8 for a second week.

The Futuristic Polar Bears Puts EDM at the Top Spot

Two EDM acts get the top two spots in my personal countdown this week.  The Futuristic Polar Bears and R3hab and Deorro, get the #1 and the #2 slots in my personal countdown this week. EDM has definitely made its presence felt this year, thanks largely from the creative track lists of Les Mills Body Jam.

Ed Sheeran also has two top 10 hits in my personal countdown this week.  Afire Love is on its way to the top while Sing hangs out at #7.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending November 7, 2014 -

#1 Futuristic Polar Bears - Back to Earth (#2)

#2 R3hab & Deorro - Flashlight (#3)

#3 Ed Sheeran - Afire Love (#4)

#4 Sara Bareilles - I Choose You (#6)

#5 Ingrid Michaelson - Girls Chase Boys (#7)

#6 Chris Brown, Usher, Rick Ross - New Flame (#8)

#7 Ed Sheeran - Sing (#9)

#8 Kendrick Lamar - Backstreet Freestyle (#10)

#9 Brett Eldredge - Beat of the Music (NEW)

#10 A Great Big World - Rockstar (NEW)

Futuristic Polar Bears Roars Back to Earth

The British trio Futuristic Polar Bears has one #1 hit in my personal countdown. Their song Back to Earth went to #1 this week ending November 7, 2014. The song was featured in Body Jam 70 that's why it's in my personal countdown.  It's one of the few EDM songs that went to #1 this 2014.

Ingrid Michaelson On Chasing Boys

Ingrid Michaelson chases boys on her first hit in my personal countdown, as Girls Chase Boys continues to move up, this week, stopping at #5.  I don't quite get her homage to Robert Palmer's iconic 80's video of Simply Irresistible since it feminizes the men but it's her work and we can leave everything else to interpretation.

Usher

 

Usher has fourteen top 10 hits in my personal countdown.   Seven of them went all the way to #1.

2001 - You Remind Me (#3)

2001 - U Got It Bad (#3)

2002 - U Don't Have to Call (#1)

2004 - Yeah (with Lil Jon and Ludacris) (#1) 

2004 - Burn (#3)

2004 - My Boo (with Alicia Keys) (#1)

2010 - Lil Freak (with Nicki Minaj) (#1)

2010 - OMG (with will.i.am) (#1)

2010 - DJ Got Us Fallin in Love (with Pitbull) (#1)

2010 - Hot Tottie (with Jay-z) (#4)

2011 - Without You (with David Guetta) (#1)

2012 - Climax (#4)

2014 - More (#8)

2014 - New Flame (with Chris Brown and Rick Ross) (#6)

Rick Ross

Rick Ross has one top ten hit in my personal countdown.

2014 New Flame (with Usher and Chris Brown) (#6)

A Great Big World: My Brand of Pop Music

One of my favorite musical discoveries this year is the duo, A Great Big World. They already have four top 10 hits in my personal countdown, three of them going all the way to #1.  I definitely love their latest album, Is There Anybody Out There, which should be running for the 2014 Album of the Year in my personal music awards.

A Great Big World is an American two-member musical group from New York made up of singers and songwriters Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino.  They have four top 10 hits in my personal countdown including one #1 song.

2014 - Say Something (with Christina Aguilera) (#1)

2014 - I Really Want It (#1) 

2014 - Already Home (#1)

2014 - Rockstar (#10)

Zsa Zsa Padilla Tops My OPM Countdown for the Ninth Time

Veteran chanteuse Zsa Zsa Padilla claims her ninth top 10 hit in my OPM countdown, as All Cried Out moves up from #2 to #1.

It's her third single from her latest album, Palagi to make it to my top 10.

#10 Kyla - Kunwa-Kunwari Lang (NEW)

Kyla gets her third top 10 hit in as many week, as Kunwa-Kunwari Lang debuts at #10.  Ever since she came out with an album of all original music, Kyla has been finally getting her due in my OPM countdown.




#9 Frencheska Farr - Everytime (NEW)

Frencheska Farr gets her fifth top 10 hit in my OPM countdown as Everytime debuts at #9. Frencheska's first four hits went all the way to #1.






#8 Toni Gonzaga - This Love is Like (NEW)

Toni Gonzaga gets her fifth top 10 hit in my OPM countdown, as This Love is Like, debuts at #8.  It's from her new album, Celestine.





#7 Dello feat. Jacq Dionisio - Araw-Araw (#8)

Dello's first hit in my OPM countdown, Araw-Araw, moves up this week to #7.




#6 James Reid - Natataranta (#9)

The first of James Reid's hit in my OPM countdown, moves up to #6 this week.  This is also his second top 10 hit in my OPM countdown.



#5 Kyla - Dito Na Lang (#10)

Kyla's follow-up to Salbabida moves up fast from #10 to #5 this week.  It's her second top 10 hit in my OPM countdown.  She also has another hit in my OPM countdown this week, with Kunwa-Kunwari Lang at #10.





#4 James Reid / Nadine Ilustre - Bahala Na (#6)

The tandem of James Reid and Nadine Ilustre get their second top 10 hit together as Bahala Na continues to move up my OPM countdown, this time to #4.





#3 Nadine Ilustre - Para-Paraan (#4) 

 Nadine Ilustre's third top 10 hit in my OPM countdown, Para-Paraan moves up to #3 this week.





#2 Kris Lawrence - Torpe (#3)

Kris Lawrence's first top 10 hit in my OPM countdown, Torpe, looks like a #1 candidate for me as it moves to #2 this week.





#1 Zsa Zsa Padilla - All Cried Out (#2) 

 Zsa Zsa Padilla claims her ninth #1 song this week, as All Cried Out moves up from #2 to #1 this week. It's her third top 10 hit from her latest album, Palagi.

The Renaissance of Zsa Zsa Padilla

Local singing legend Zsa Zsa Padilla has twelve top 10 hits in my OPM countdown including nine hits which went all the way to #1.  She's one of the few local OPM artists whose span of hits date way back more than three decades ago!

The release of her current album, Palagi, has now spawned four top 10 hits for the diva in my OPM countdown.  I admit I kinda tuned out of OPM for sometime, but it's never too late!I'm glad I'm actively listening right now once again, since there's really a lot of good OPM to go around!

1983 - Kahit Na (#1)

1984 - Point of No Return (#1)

1984 - Kapag Puso'y Sinugatan (#1) 

1985 - Eversince (#1)

1986 - Could We (with Gary Valenciano) (#1)

1986 - Hiram (#1)

1986 - Mambobola (#3)

1986 - Ikaw Lamang (#1) 

2013 - Di Ka Na Akin (#8) 

2013 - Palagi (#1)

2014 - How Can You Say (#5)

2014 - All Cried Out (#1)

Nadine Ilustre Navigates Both Movies and Pop Music Successfully

Teen movie star and budding pop star Nadine Ilustre continues to produce both hit movies and hits.  A few weeks ago, her movie with James Reid, Talk Back and You're Dead opened and with it a few pop songs were released which I assumed is in the movie.  One of those songs becomes her second top 10 hit in my OPM countdown.

2014 - No Erase (with James Reid) (#1)

2014 - Para-Paraan (#3)

2014 - Bahala Na (with James Reid) (#9)

Showtek's We Like to Party Tops My Personal Countdown

Showtek leads an EDM onslaught this week as We Like to Party moves from #3 to #1. It's their second #1 song in my personal countdown.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending October 3, 2014:

#10 Shakira - Empire (#6)

Shakira's 11th top 10 hit in my personal countdown, Empire, slips this week to #10.


 

#9 Busta Rhymes feat. Eminem - Calm Down (#5)

Busta Rhymes 5th top 10 hit and Eminem's 11th top 10 hit, Calm Down, slips this week to #9.  The song has already peaked at #5.





#8 Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne - Rather Be (NEW)

British electronic group Clean Bandit debuts in my personal countdown this week with Rather Be.  It's their first appearance in my personal countdown.





#7 DJ Snake feat. Lil Jon - Turn Down For What (NEW)

DJ Snake gets his very first top 10 hit in my personal countdown this week as Turn Down For What debuts at #7.





#6 Futuristic Polar Bears - Back to Earth (NEW)

British trio Futuristic Polar Bears get their very first top 10 hit in my personal countdown. Back to Earth debuts this week at #6.






#5 R3hab and Deorro - Flashlight (NEW)

R3hab and Deorro get their very first top 10 hit in my personal countdown this week, as Flashlight, debuts at #5.





#4 Diplo - Set It Off (NEW)

Diplo's Set It Off debuts this week at #4.  The song is in the new release of Body Jam, that's why it's here in my personal countdown.







#3 Iggy Azalea (feat. Charli XCX) - Fancy (NEW)

Fancy becomes Iggy Azalea's third top 10 hit in my personal countdown. This is Charli XCX's second top 10 hit in my personal countdown.





#2 Jennifer Lopez - First Love (#2)

First Love is poised to be another #1 song for Jennifer Lopez.  This week, the song spends another week at #2.



#1 Showtek - We Like to Party (#3)

Showtek gets their second #1 hit in my personal countdown this week.  We Like to Party moves up from #3 to #1.