The perfect pop song?

stimpsonslostson

For me it's 
Mmmbop 

Never fails to put a smile on my face & that's what pop songs are for. 

Fwiw- I've never liked ABBA. I'm sure they're brilliant but I just dislike their music. 

euan

Higher by Jackie Wilson is my perfect pop song 

stickyfiddle

Oooh, also Roll To Me. 2:20 of utter joy

I don't mind ABBA but only like the most obvious stuff. Waterloo is unquestionably perfection though, whatever anyone says

equalsql

Funkfingers said:

This Woman's Work - Kate Bush

Mrs equalsql  would definitely approve, it's beautiful, but hardly a what you'd call a pop song. 

stickyfiddle

I'm gonna be on this thread all day now.

I Am, I Feel - Alisha's Attic (i think just about pop)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
I Only Want To Be With You - Dusty Springfield

and the greatest pop record in history, Be My Baby - The Ronettes

springhead

The La's - There she Goes

ICBM

zedhex said:

I loathe Abba. Horrible saccharine-sweet garbage.

Someone has clearly never actually listened to the lyrics .

springhead said:

The La's - There she Goes

I knew someone would say that eventually. It’s an exercise in listing all the words that rhyme with ‘inane’ .

darthed1981

stickyfiddle said:

I Am, I Feel - Alisha's Attic (i think just about pop)

I'm really hoping for a vinyl reissue of the album with this on - even if its a limited RSD run!

scrumhalf

Didn't we do this a while ago?

Be My Baby - The Ronettes. 

barnstorm

stickyfiddle said:

I'm gonna be on this thread all day now.

I Am, I Feel - Alisha's Attic (i think just about pop)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
I Only Want To Be With You - Dusty Springfield

and the greatest pop record in history, Be My Baby - The Ronettes

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is another good post-Motown-era contender. I find Brandi Carlile a bit annoying, but I enjoy that she seems to jam that into her gigs at any opportunity. She's just finished another one of her 'Girls Just Wanna Weekend' festivals, and look at this setlist from one of the '…and friends' shows with all the other artists joining in:

Flashdance... What a Feeling

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

I Think We're Alone Now

Walk Like an Egyptian

9 to 5

Jump

I Love Rock 'n' Roll

If I Could Turn Back Time

(I've Had) The Time of My Life

Alone

I Wanna Dance With Somebody

The Best

Ain't Nobody

Eternal Flame

Livin' on a Prayer 

Straight Up

Push It

Heaven Is a Place on Earth

Material Girl

What's Love Got to Do With It

Let's Hear It for the Boy

Like a Prayer

That's What Friends Are For

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Some songs there I don't like, but that's a fun night out.

stickyfiddle

@barnstorm that's a hell of a (mostly) girl-pop set!

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Some great suggestions in the thread. Can't help but like a bit of Abba. I even ended up accidentally watching Mamma Mia 2 on Christmas night on ITV - shite film, but the songs are so catchy it got me hooked and I couldn't turn it off!

Few other suggestions of favourites from me (all coincidentally from the 80s, showing my age!)

Under Pressure - Queen
Whole of the Moon - The Waterboys
Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle

Iamnobody

Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You

Tenebrous

Is "Smooth" in with a shout? From wiki  "Smooth" would ultimately become the second biggest-selling single of all time, after Chubby Checker's “The Twist.”

I don't know anyone who doens't like the song

Reverend

Madness - Our House
Frank Wilson - Do I Love You
Outcast - Hey Ya
Adam And The Ants - Prince Charming
Jackson 5 - I want you back
Neil Diamond - Solitary Man

Narrowing down Abba songs might take some time. 

Tenebrous

I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned.

stickyfiddle

@tenebrous d’oh! And I’ve literally been learning that this week! Cracking tune - see also Last Train to Clarksville.

I agree on Smooth too. Maybe a bit of a cliche but it’s great

CharlieShaw

zedhex said:

I loathe Abba. Horrible saccharine-sweet garbage.

I’m with you.

Buzzcocks and Blondie did the kind of pop songs I liked at that time.

breakstuff

Laura Branigan - Gloria.

Absolute masterpiece.

breakstuff

Superstar - Jamelia.