3. Psy - 'Gentleman'
The man behind the dance movement that has become a dancefloor staple across the globe since 2012, South Korean superstar Psy is now infamous for his worldwide smash hit 'Gangnam Style', a song that both made him a household name and catapulted K-pop music. This year, he valiantly tried to repeat the same success with 'Gentleman', a song that failed to capture the same kind of attention but was equally addictive and solid in its production. It earned a lot of negative comparison to 'Gangnam Style' and was considered by many to be an inferior carbon copy of the earlier song. It has to be said that had 'Gentleman' had been released first, it may not have gained the same traction or popularity of 'Gangnam', but then that does not make it an inherently lesser song. Objectively, the production is very solid and the electronic breakdown following the chorus is a catchy, almost retro-evoking beat destined for the dancefloor, while the signature moves employed by Psy and his troupe of very skilled dancers are much easier to copy and emulate when a listener is strutting their stuff. 'Gentleman' might not be the next groundbreaking single for Psy, but it remains a fantastic listen and a solid reflection of the singer's sound as he ventures forth out of his native South Korea. More than that, in the wider socio-cultural context of music, 'Gentleman' indicates a stronger focus on bringing South Korean music to the biggest Western markets on the planet. Bands such as Girls' Generation, 2NE1 and G-Dragon are emerging in the United States as credible pop artists and in the modern era where anyone in the world can listen to anything from anywhere, 'Gentleman' did the solid, enjoyably pleasant work of ensuring that 'Gangnam' wasn't just a flash in the pan nor a one-hit-wonder for a potentially fantastic global popstar in the making. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASO_zypdnsQ