6. The Wanted - 'Walks Like Rihanna'
This one is a tricky one, largely because the criticism levelled at the song and at the band isn't so much the song itself, as it is the potential largely wasted, which seems rather unfair. The Wanted are a British-Irish boyband (like One Direction, or their female counterparts The Saturdays) who have long since struggled with their sound, swerving from early origins as pure pop into more EDM-flavoured fare, and then into big comeback single 'Walks Like Rihanna' which was met with a bit of a 'boo'. 'Walks Like Rihanna' is a song about a girl who lacks a lot of commodities - singing, dancing, etcetera - but has the walk of a Bajan global superstar, and when enjoyed as a slice of pure pop, it's actually very solid and quite lighthearted. It almost feels quite Nineties-inspired and the fact that the boys would eschew their laddish images and release a song that is, for all intents and purposes, is pop at its most essential. The song isn't hugely innovative, this is true, but then again the question comes again or whether or not it needs to be? Forward-thinking pop is all well and good, but the majority of pop listeners want solid, enjoyable, simple tunes that while not being on the cutting edge lyrically or sonically, are nonetheless pleasant to the ear. 'Walks Like Rihanna' certainly hits all the criteria out there and actually spells a positive change for the boys - after a terribly mismanaged album campaign, the boys seem to be coming towards a balance in their sound. They can do the satisfying pop songs like 'Walks Like Rihanna' and also the party anthems such as 'We Own The Night' and ballads like 'Show Me Love'. The Wanted need to make 2014 a year they perfect their sound and their image, but more songs like 'Walks Like Rihanna' certainly wouldn't be shown an early exit for their aural celebration of pure pop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OGyHRKMPOE