A big week for people that make pop music.
11. Cautious Clay - Honest Enough
If Cautious Clay doesn't blow up this year then 2019 will have taken a far different turn than we expected. Honest Enough is an after-dark RnB cut that centres around his near-perfect falsetto positioning him somewhere between The Weeknd and James Blake.
10. Nina Nesbitt - Love Letter
Nina Nesbitt is bringing back those early '00s pop guitars on Love Letter, a highlight from her freshly released record The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change. It's a slippery, effortless track that's unashamedly nostalgic.
9. ALMA - When I Die
Alma and Justin Tranter continue to explore a dark, country-western spin on pop and for some reason it's working. When I Die wouldn't work in the hands of anyone else but Alma is captivating from start to finish.
8. Billie Eilish - Bury A Friend
Billie Eilish's Bury A Friend is the most haunting pop song we have heard in a long time. We're not quite sure how The Grudge has become an influence for pop in 2019 but it may just be working.
7. Thelma Plum - Not Angry Anymore
We have a feeling that Thelma Plum is going to make a real splash in Aussie music this year and Not Angry Anymore is an excellent start to the campaign. Not Angry Anymore is a cathartic, liberated pop song that feels like emotional freedom.
6. Broods - Why Do You Believe Me?
Broods have made some mighty pop songs in their time but it's nice to hear them exploring their subtleties on Why Do You Believe Me?. The slightly warped harmonies and gorgeous and the melody feels like it slides right off the tongue.
5. Astrid S - Someone New
Charli XCX and Noonie Bao co-penned this one so you already know it's going to be an A-grade pop song. And it is. Astrid S is ready for a huge hit this year and this could well be it.
4. Perfume Genius - When I'm With Him (Feat. Empress Of)
Empress Of's When I'm With Him was one of the best songs of last year but now Perfume Genius has made us appreciate it in a whole new way. It's a masterful take on the song, pulling the breezy beat and replacing it with something far more introspective.
3. Theophilus London x Tame Impala - Whiplash
Theophilus London and Tame Impala team-up once again, this time for an original Whiplash. It's a psych-infused, groovy piece of hip-hop that could only be pulled off by Theo.
2. Omar Apollo - Trouble
Omar Apollo is a 21 year-old musician from Indiana and he's about to make a big splash this year, beginning with Trouble. Trouble is the first release of that and it's a stunningly restrained cut. Over a haunting, gentle guitar riff, he takes us into the twilight zone with a voice that feels like a daydream.
1. Mallrat x Basenji - Nobody's Home
Mallrat cruised into the number 7 position in this year's Hottest 100 with Groceries and now she's decided to go and secure another top 10. Nobody's Home, a collaboration with fellow Aussie Basenji, is a beautifully gentle pop song that showcases the sweetest and most subtle nooks of Mallrat's voice.
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