The Top 5 English Pop Songs of 2015
Check out our list of the top 5 English pop songs of 2015! These songs are sure to get you moving and grooving!
What is pop music?
Most people associate pop music with Top 40 radio hits, but the genre is actually quite diverse. Pop music is short for “popular music” and can incorporate elements of rock, hip hop, country, and even classical music. The catch-all nature of pop music makes it one of the most popular genres in the world.
The Top 5 English Pop Songs of 2015 are:
1. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
2. “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
3. “Take Me to Church” by Hozier
4. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
5. “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor
Defining the top 5 pop songs of 2015
It’s hard to pin point the top 5 English pop songs of 2015 because there were just so many great ones! However, we’ve managed to narrow it down to the following 5 songs. They are: 1) “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars; 2) “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran; 3) “Take Me to Church” by Hozier; 4) “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift; and 5) “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor.
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
“Uptown Funk” is a song recorded by English record producer Mark Ronson and American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars, for Ronson’s fourth studio album, Uptown Special (2015). RCA Records released the song as the album’s lead single on 10 November 2014. Jeff Bhasker assisted the artists in co-writing and co-producing the track, with additional writing from Philip Lawrence. This is one of my favorite songs of 2015.
“Uptown Funk” topped charts worldwide, including the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and 19 other countries. It spent 14 consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the longest-running number-one single of 2015 and of all time on that chart. The song won two Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In 2016, “Uptown Funk” was voted by BBC Radio 2 listeners as their favorite number one hit of the past 20 years.
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
This love ballad talks about how the singer will love his partner through good and bad times and how he hopes they will stay together forever. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number one in November 2014 and stayed there for fourteen consecutive weeks, before being replaced by Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”, another song that would also spend fourteen weeks at the top spot. In February 2015, “Thinking Out Loud” became the first single to spend a whole year in the top ten of the UK Singles Chart. It was also Sheeran’s longest-charting single on the Hot 100, spending 33 weeks before finally dropping out.
“Thinking Out Loud” was commercially successful worldwide, reaching number-one in twelve countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 behind Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again”, making it Sheeran’s highest-charting single in North America to date. The song received a Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
“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. Written by Swift, Max Martin and Shellback, the track is an up-tempo dance-pop song with a duration of three minutes and thirty-nine seconds. Some critics complimented its composition, while others questioned its lyrical content. The song entered the United States Billboard Hot 100 at No. 18 and peaked at No. 1 on the Pop Songs chart; it also became her second number one on the Hot 100 as a lead artist, and fourth overall single after “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”. In Australia, “Shake It Off” was ranked as the sixth most streamed song of 2015.
“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 first studio album, Title (2015). Musically, the song is inspired by 1950s and 1960s music. The lyrics address negative body image and societal beauty standards. The song was written by Trainor and Kevin Kadish, and produced by Kadish. The single achieved commercial success, peaking atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, as well as in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
“All About That Bass” was released on June 30, 2014, worldwide through a number of online retailers; however, it was not released in physical format until September 9, 2014. A remixed version featuring rapper Justin Bieber was released on November 24; the remix peaked at number 44 on the Hot 100. Upon its release as a single in September 2014 due to popular demand after its release on YouTube and iTunes in June that year, “All About That Bass” entered several national record charts throughout Europe and Oceania; it debuted at number one in Australia, Canada and New Zealand—Trainor’s native country—and peaked within the top ten of another fifteen countries. The song has sold 11 million copies worldwide making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.
“All About That Bass” received mixed reviews from music critics who praised its vintage production but were divided on its lyrical content; some criticized it for being “preachy” while others called it “empowering”. The song won Best Lyrics Video at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards and was nominated for Record of the Year at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards (beating out songs like Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”). The music video for “All About That Bass” was directed by Fatima Robinson and co-produced by Robinson and Trainor. The visuals feature choreography by Florian Gallier;Trainor dancing with a group of background dancers throughout various colorfully decorated rooms in a mansion.
“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 released as the lead single from his extended play and self-titled debut studio album. “Take Me to Church” has charted in multiple countries, reaching number one in Ireland and number two in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Poland and Switzerland. In the United States, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
Hozier wrote “Take Me to Church” about his frustration with the Catholic Church’s teachings on homosexuality. The song became widely known for its connection to the LGBT community and its promotion of same-sex marriage. In 2014, Hozier told Rolling Stone that he did not intend for the song “to be this big anthemic hit”, but that he hoped it would be “a genuine expression of frustration and anger towards those institutions”.
The song received positive reviews from music critics. Critics generally praised its composition, Hozier’s vocals, and its message. At the 57th Grammy Awards, “Take Me to Church” was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Rock Performance.
Why these songs?
There were a lot of great pop songs that came out in 2015, but these five are the ones that really stood out to us. They’re catchy, they’re fun, and they’re just overall great songs. We’ll tell you a little bit about each one and why we think it deserves to be on this list.
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
With a groovy bassline, bouncing brass, and Bruno Mars’ inimitable swagger, “Uptown Funk” was inescapable in 2015. The fourth single from Mark Ronson’s fourth studio album, Uptown Special, “Uptown Funk” spent an impressive 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. In doing so, it became the longest-running British single in the chart’s history.
The song’s retro sound (reminiscent of early 1970s funk and soul) was a refreshing change of pace in a year that saw the ascent of tropical house and Justin Bieber’s continued domination of the pop charts. Though it may not be the most original song of 2015, “Uptown Funk” is undeniably catchy and fun, making it deserving of its place on this list.
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
“Thinking Out Loud” is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, recorded for his second studio album, × (2014). It was written by Sheeran and produced by frequent collaborator Jake Gosling. “Thinking Out Loud” is a sentimental pop ballad about the power of love and was released as the third single from the album in the UK on 24 September 2014. In June 2015, “Thinking Out Loud” became the first single to spend a full year in the UK top 40. In September 2015, Sheeran performed the song at the Wembley Stadium as part of his x Tour.
The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 26, and after ten weeks on the chart, reached number-one in December 2014; this made it both Sheeran’s first UK chart-topper and Atlantic’s first since Emeli Sandé’s “Next to Me” in May 2013. It spent there a total of 19 weeks before finally dropping out in April 2015; it climbed back to number one upon its re-release in June 2015 for an additional six weeks (for a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks), making it both Sheeran’s longest-charting single and Atlantic’s most successful since David Gray’s “Babylon” in 2000 (which had a 28-week run). “Thinking Out Loud” also peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his second and Atlantic’s fourth US chart-topper. Internationally, it became Sheeran’s second single to enter into several other countries’ top ten charts after “The A Team”, peaking within the top ten of 13 nations such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.
“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
So why was “Shake It Off” so popular in 2015? First, the catchy beat and fun lyrics make it fun to sing along to. Second, the music video features a wide variety of dancers from different backgrounds and cultures, shaking off stereotypes and embracing diversity. And finally, the song has an uplifting message about staying positive and not letting haters bring you down. It’s no wonder that “Shake It Off” was one of the most popular songs of 2015!
“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 her 2014 studio album, Title. Written by Trainor and Kevin Kadish, the song was released by Epic Records on June 30, 2014 as a digital download. It served as Trainor’s breakthrough single, peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and several other music markets. The song sold 11 million units worldwide, becoming the third best-selling single of 2014 and one of the best-selling singles of all time.
“All About That Bass” was well received by music critics, who praised its vintage pop sound and praised Trainor’s body-positive message. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Song written for Visual Media. “All About That Bass” topped the charts in 58 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and many more. The song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, making it the longest-running female solo No. 1 since 1997’s “How Do I Live” by LeAnn Rimes.
“Take Me to Church” by Hozier
When it comes to catchy pop songs, Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” is hard to beat. The soulful ballad has a mix of blues, gospel, and rock elements that come together to create a sound that is both unique and accessible. The lyrics are also incredibly powerful, with Hozier singing about how love and religion can both be used to control and manipulate people. Despite the heavy subject matter, the song is incredibly infectious and was impossible to resist in 2015.
