PLAYLIST: What 50 songs best define the idea of 'The Bop'?
For 50 Bops, I wanted to create a playlist that really encapsulated the idea and the aesthetic of The Bop. Yes, I wanted songs that are timeless and iconic, but I was more interested in the sound and the feeling of each song rather than how popular or famous it is. I wanted songs that were catchy, bouncy, danceable, and infectious. I also knew I wanted a list of 50 tracks without any repeated artists.
In order to do this, I started with artists I felt had to be included. The greats of modern pop music – Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Madonna etc., and then supplemented the list with lesser-known, but still deserving entries. For each artist, I picked the song I felt was their truest Bop. Not necessarily my favorite song by them, but the one that encapsulated that distinct Bop feeling better than any other.
So what's in it?
In some cases, that song was a career defining hit (like ‘TiK ToK’ by Kesha or ‘California Gurls’ by Katy Perry). For some other artists, I picked something of a b-side. For example, I chose ‘I Hate Boys’ by Christina Aguilera, from her criminally underrated Bionic album. I’m sure some of my choices will be controversial, and I will probably regret some of them tomorrow. But, overall, I am pleased with this list.
The track list is ordered in a way that I thought created a pleasant flow throughout the three-hour runtime. It is not in any way ranked by quality (or boppiness).
Ultimately, I created this list to hopefully bring a smile to your face and to get you dancing around your apartment. I know I’ve been dancing around mine.
Stream at the links below.
50 Bops TrackList
- G.U.Y. – Lady Gaga ARTPOP
- Can’t Be Tamed – Miley Cyrus Can’t Be Tamed
- Stronger – Britney Spears Oops… I Did It Again
- Girls Night Out – Charli XCX Non-album single
- I Don’t Want It At All – Kim Petras Non-album single
- Greedy – Ariana Grande Dangerous Woman
- TiK ToK – Kesha Animal
- Boy Problems – Carly Rae Jepsen Emotion
- Tearin’ Up My Heart – *NSYNC *NSYNC
- Get Outta My Way – Kylie Minogue Aphrodite
- Irresistable – Jessica Simpson Irresistable
- Ba$$in – Yelle Complètement Fou
- Intuition – Jewel 0304
- Hi High – LOONA [+ +]
- American Boy – Estelle featuring Kanye West Shine
- Hung Up – Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor
- Juice – Lizzo Cuz I Love You
- Waiting for Tonight – Jennifer Lopez On the 6
- Fembot – Robyn Body Talk
- We Run the Night – Havana Brown featuring Pitbull Flashing Lights
- Sparks – Hilary Duff Breathe In. Breathe Out.
- Demons – Hayley Kiyoko I’m Too Sensitive for this Shit
- Are We Good – G.R.L. Non-album single
- Larger Than Life – Backstreet Boys Millennium
- California Gurls – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg Teenage Dream
- There You Go – P!nk Can’t Take Me Home
- That’s My Girl – Fifth Harmony 7/27
- Casanova – Allie X CollXtion II
- I Hate Boys – Christina Aguilera Bionic
- Physical – Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia
- Play – Betta Lemme Non-album single
- Rich Girl – Gwen Stefani featuring Eve Angel. Music. Baby.
- Fluids – Michael Medrano Non-album single
- Pandemonium – LIZ Non-album single
- Turn Me On – David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj Nothing But the Beat
- What Do I Tell My Friends? – Bree Runway Non-album single
- Anna Wintour – Azealia Banks Non-album single
- One, Two Step – Ciara featuring Missy Elliott Goodies
- Crazy in Love – Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z Dangerously in Love
- Primadonna – MARINA Electra Heart
- Rumors – Lindsay Lohan Speak
- Boss Bitch – Doja Cat Birds of Prey: The Album
- Mine – Slayyyter Slayyyter
- SOS – Rihanna A Girl Like Me
- Damaged – Danity Kane Welcome to the Dollhouse
- Gimme – Ralph A Good Girl
- Blinding Lights – The Weeknd After Hours
- Saxobeat – Alexandra Stan Saxobeats
- Be Good to Me – Ashley Tisdale Headstrong
- Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys) – Rina Sawayama SAWAYAMA
After you listen to my list (enjoy!), head on down to the comment section and let me know what your all-time favorite bops are.
