Megan and Liz, Really Not Bad For Me. At All.

I'm so obsessed with US teen pop at the moment. There's definitely a revival going on. It started with Selena and Demi releasing two of last year's best albums and has gained momentum with newcomers like the amazing Bridgit Mendler. Another couple of names to watch out for are 19-year-old twin sisters Megan and Liz. The new millennium's Mel and Kim have steadily built a following via YouTube - they have 750,000+ subscribers - and now have their sights set on chart glory with new single "Bad For Me".

Co-written and produced by Martin Johnson from Boys Like Girls, the sisters' breakthrough anthem is an irresistible shot of pure pop. The song taps into the ever-popular synth-pop/lite-rock sound first perfected by Hilary Duff almost a decade ago. There's a little bit of angst in the mix but it's very well hidden by the crisp beats, catchy hooks and perky vocals. "Bad For Me" is a cute song and deserves to do well. Megan and Liz are rising on US iTunes and could have something big on their hands if radio plays along. The video (below) is pretty basic but it does the trick.

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Icona Pop & The Song Of The Year?

I'm a bit late on this. Scandipop fans and other cunts I usually ignore have been raving about this duo for the best part of a year but until now I've failed to see the appeal. Sure, "Manners" (which has been heavily sampled by Chiddy Bang on his current hit "Mind Your Manners") was a good song - if slightly pretentious Swedish indie-pop floats your boat. Personally, I'd rather listen to Bionda. So imagine my surprise when I heard "I Love It" in a club and pretty much had a multiple eargasm. Pop doesn't come much better than this nuclear-powered rant. Imagine flawless early '00s girlband Daphne and Celeste crossed with Luciana's trademarked electro-shouting for some idea of what to expect. The production goes hard and that chorus will have every drunk bitch from Brisbane to Broome singing along. Their less-is-more approach to music videos (below) also demands our admiration. This is the cheapest clip I've seen since Madonna's last effort. "I Love It" has been picked up by Neon Records in Australia and has hit written all over it. Download Icona Pop's future smash today for bragging rights.

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Stooshe Claim The Girlband Throne

Well over a year ago I wrote a post about a British girlband called Stooshe. At the time they were a relatively unknown viral sensation due to an explicit song called "Fuck Me". They continued on their merry way and finally had their long-deserved commercial breakthrough when "Fuck Me" was re-released as "Love Me" in March - complete with a cameo by Travie McCoy. It became a top 5 hit and the lovely ladies are now officially the next big thing. Instead of crumbling under the expectation, they have raised the bar even higher. "Black Heart" is the cutest Motown throwback I've heard in a very long time. I'm completely obsessed with this flawless gem. Everything about it is perfection. Beautifully understated production, killer vocals and one of the best videos of 2012 (below). Even the remixes are amazing! Forget about The Saturdays and those flop Korean girlbands The Prophet is always ranting about. Stooshe is the only bunch of babes you need to have on your radar!

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Stellar > Your K-Pop Faves

I don't get to feature as much K-Pop as I'd like on this blog but then I've always gone for quality over quantity. Cough. While less discerning blogs like The Prophet and Pop Reviews Now write about has-beens like KARA and 2NE1, I keep it classy by ruminating on the brilliance of underground icons like LPG and INY. You know, fearless pioneers whose artistry and elegance will stand the test of time. It's been a bleak couple of months in the K-Pop world but an act has finally come along that not only meets but exceeds my lofty standards. Stellar is - quite simply - your new favourite girlband. These four angels have the smouldering talent of Destiny's Child and the hood credentials of Electrik Red. Throw in the exquisite pronunciation of the iconic Ping Pong lady from Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert and you are left with the future of popular music.

Stellar is comprised of Ga-young, Jeon-yul, Lee Seul and JoA. They must have impressive connections because they somehow managed to nab Eric Mun of Shinhwa to produce their stunning debut "Rocket Girl". It doesn't matter that they can't actually pronounce the title ( it sounds like locket gur) and have the vocal prowess of an unautotuned Scarlett Belle, this is an addictive triumph that blends Eurohouse elements with dub-step to create something utterly ridiculous amazing. I particularly love the chorus and riveting rap. These girls are way too edgy for Korea! Proof in point is the fact that the video (below) was banned for sexual overtones and violence. Come again? My angels simply stun bad guys with water pistols they picked up from Toys R Us between killer dance moves. I smell a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top! Stellar clearly has the competition stressed, pressed and totally obsessed.

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