2015’s Best Pop Music

A comprehensive guide to the best pop music of 2015. Featuring top tracks and artists from around the globe.

Introduction

It’s been a great year for pop music, with huge hits from both established stars and exciting new faces. Here are our picks for the best pop songs of 2015.

“Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
This infectious track was inescapable this year, thanks to its catchy hook and fun video. It spent 14 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it one of the longest-running No. 1 hits in recent years.

“Can’t Feel My Face” – The Weeknd
The Weeknd had a breakout year in 2015, thanks in part to this seductive disco-influenced track. It spent three weeks atop the Hot 100 chart and was nominated for two Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.

“Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)” – OMI
This remix of OMI’s song became a surprise international hit, reaching No. 1 in several countries around the world. It was also a top 10 hit in the United States, making it one of the year’s most ubiquitous songs.

Best Pop Songs of 2015

It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by, and with it, another year’s worth of amazing pop music. While it’s impossible to fit every incredible song that came out this year into this one article, we’ve narrowed it down to 2015’s best pop songs. Here they are, in no particular order.

“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars

“Uptown Funk” is a song by English producer Mark Ronson from his fourth studio album, Uptown Special (2015), featuring American singer Bruno Mars. The song was released as the album’s lead single on 10 November 2014. The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Ronson’s second US number-one single, after “Just the Way You Are” (2010), which featured vocals from Mars as well. “Uptown Funk” also peaked at number one in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, giving Mars his second UK number-one single and Ronson his third. The song won two Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.

In October 2014, Sony Music Entertainment released a teaser clip of the music video on YouTube. The video was directed by Bruno Mars’ creative directors Craig Kallman and Cameron Duddy. On 20 November 2014, the official music video was uploaded to Mars’ Vevo channel on YouTube. The video features cameos from actor/musician Terrence Howard and actress Laverne Cox. As of June 2019, the video has received over 3 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the website’s all-time most-viewed videos.

“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran

“Thinking Out Loud” is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, released as the third single from his second studio album, × (2014). Sheeran wrote the song with Amy Wadge and it was produced by frequent collaborator Jake Gosling. “Thinking Out Loud” is a romantic ballad with soul influences. It was released in the United Kingdom as a digital download on 24 September 2014. The lyrics are about everlasting love and were inspired by Sheeran’s then-girlfriend Cherry Seaborn.

The song was recorded in two separate sessions; one at Gosling’s studio located in Leicestershire, England and one at STREAM team’s studio in Ewloe, Wales. The track no doubt benefited from having two high quality studios to choose from but was very near completion before recording actually began due to the number of times that it had been performed during concerts. The single became Sheeran’s fifth number-one hit in the UK; it topped the UK Singles Chart for three non-consecutive weeks starting from 15 November 2014, selling 746,000 copies in total during its run there.

“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift

“Shake It Off” is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014). Written by Swift, Max Martin and Shellback, it is an uptempo dance-pop track considered to be a departure from the country pop music style of her previous releases. The song’s lyrics describe the protagonist’s frustrations due to haters and gossipers. “Shake It Off” won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and is one of the best-selling songs by a female artist in digital history.

Commercially, “Shake It Off” debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, becoming Swift’s second number-one single in that country and the 22nd overall top 40 radio hit from 1989. “Shake It Off” peaked at number one in Australia and Canada as well; it also became Swift’s first number-one single in New Zealand. The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Romanek and features Swift dancing in various styles as she comes to terms with her critics. The video won several MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year and Best Female Video.

“All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor

“All About That Bass” is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for her 2014 debut EP and 2014 studio album, Title. Written by Trainor and Kevin Kadish, the song was inspired by Trainor’s love for 1950s and 1960s music. It sold 11 million units worldwide, becoming the third best-selling song of 2014. “All About That Bass” was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, from November 15, 2014 to January 10, 2015 (making it the longest running number one by a female artist in 2014), while topping the charts in 58 countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Upon its release in June 2014 as the lead single from her EP and albumTitle(2014), “All About That Bass” topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK Singles Chart simultaneously for seven weeks straight before dethroning “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

The song received mixed reviews from contemporary music critics who praised its production but were critical of its lyrical content. Some praised it as a “breath of fresh air,” while others felt it was “sexist” and “harmful”. In September 2015, BET honored Trainor with their Digital All Star Award as recognition for inspiring positive change with her body image anthem. The accompanying music video was directed by Fatima Robinson and choreographed by Talia Favia. It features Trainor dancing provocatively with several fat women around Los Angeles to show that “all shapes and sizes are beautiful.”

“Take Me to Church” by Hozier

“Take Me to Church” is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, released as his debut single in September 2013. The song was written by Hozier and produced by Rob Kirwan. It was released in Ireland on 13 September 2013 and debuted at number one on the Irish Singles Chart. In October 2013, it was released in the United Kingdom and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart. In November 2013, it was released in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song has been certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold more than 5 million copies in the United States. In 2014, it topped Billboard’s year-end list for Hot Rock Songs, and also claimed the top spot on Spotify’s US Viral 50 chart for that year. Internationally, “Take Me to Church” peaked at number one in 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany and Russia.

Best Pop Albums of 2015

It’s been a great year for pop music, with a wide variety of artists releasing fantastic albums. In this article, we’ll be counting down our picks for the best pop albums of 2015. From synth-pop to indie-pop, there’s something for everyone on this list. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

“1989” by Taylor Swift

Released in late 2014, “1989” is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. A pure pop record with heavy influences of ’80s synth-pop, the album marks a major sonic departure from the country-based sound of her previous releases. “1989” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and has since been certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and spawned five chart-topping singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“X” by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s “X” is one of the best pop albums of 2015. With hits like “Thinking Out Loud” and “Photograph”, it’s no wonder this album has topped the charts.

“In the Lonely Hour” by Sam Smith

If soulful, deeply emotive pop music is your thing, then you need look no further than Sam Smith’s “In the Lonely Hour” for the best pop album of 2015. Smith’s voice is downright gorgeous, and he knows how to use it to deliver heart-wrenching lyrics about love and loss. The production on the album is top-notch, with lush arrangements that perfectly support Smith’s vocals. From start to finish, “In the Lonely Hour” is a masterfully crafted pop album that will stay with you long after the last track has ended.

“Frozen” by Idina Menzel

“Frozen” is the best-selling album of 2014 and the fifth best-selling album of all time by a female artist. It has sold more than four million copies in the United States and more than eight million copies worldwide. The album has been certified Diamond in the United States and multi-Platinum in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

“Ghost Stories” by Coldplay

Ghost Stories is the sixth studio album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 16 May 2014, by Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and by Atlantic Records in the United States. The album was produced by Coldplay with Paul Epworth, Avicii, Timbaland and Reyessuccessor to Hot Fuss (2004). It is a pop album with electronica elements and lyrical references to personal struggles and relationships. The band promoted the album with the Ghost Stories Live 2014 promotional tour, which featured a televised concert performed at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on 24 May 2014.

Critical reception to Ghost Stories was mixed; some critics praised the production and acoustic music, while others criticized itselectronic influence and minimalist aesthetic. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 53%, based on 39 reviews. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart selling 168,156 copies in its first week and became Coldplay’s fifth consecutive number-one album in their home country. In the United States it debuted at number two on Billboard 200 selling 342154 copies in its first week .Ghost Stories was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at 57th Grammy Awards.

Singles from Ghost Stories include “Magic”, “A Sky Full of Stars”, “True Love” and “Midnight”.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best pop music of 2015 was a varied and eclectic mix of sounds and styles, with something to suit everyone’s taste. From the thumping bass lines of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” to the reflective lyrics of Adele’s “Hello,” there was a pop song for every mood and moment. And while there were plenty of huge hits from established pop stars like Taylor Swift and Rihanna, there was also room for fresh voices like Halsey and Troye Sivan to make their mark. It was an exciting year for pop music, and we can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store.