I thought I'd let you know

Before we go onto the top two, I wanted to take a moment to list some non-singles released in 2007 that I was introduced to by other blogs and absolutely adore. As non-singles, they weren't eligible for my top 40 countdown, but to let the year end without giving them special mention and the blogs who introduced me to them special thanks would be criminal.

Take That, "We Love To Entertain You" via You Don't Know Pop
Quite possibly my favorite song of the whole year. See Troy's original post on the song and its (very deserved!) ranking in his year end countdown.

Miley Cyrus, "See You Again" via Into The Groove
Yes, this song is (amazingly and thankfully!) getting radio play but, from what I've read, it doesn't sound like Disney has actually serviced this out to radios as a single...as a result, I didn't count it as eligible for my year end countdown, but rest assured it would have finished very highly in it, if it was.

Keke Palmer, "Bottoms Up" via Don't Stop The Pop
I actually liked her song "Tonight" for the Night At The Museum soundtrack enough to post it at one point, but I never guessed she'd give us a song as great as this on her actual album. A little electro, a little R&B, and very very pop, "Bottoms Up" is so much fun, and not just because Keke's tossing in little references to other songs; it's just incredibly infectious.

Vanessa Hudgens, "Make You Mine" via Into The Groove
This song, which Jessica described as a mix of Lilyjets and Rachel Stevens, is so much better than everything else I've ever heard from her (which is admittedly not that much). Technically from a 2006 album, but it's so good that I'm stretching the rules.

Dot Dot Dot, "Take That Away" via #1 Hits From Another Planet
They appeared on that band version of American Idol, which I watched one episode of, and I know some people hated them--I imagine their emo-type styling didn't help with that--but, though I couldn't be bothered to watch the show, the fact that Nick had already introduced me to them via this song meant I think very positively of them. "Take That Away" is nothing less than perfect synth-pop.

Jordin Sparks, "One Step At A Time" via Chart Rigger
Like Ne-Yo's best songs, but not written by him or StarGate.

Jim, "Fenomeen" via PopSound
Where are you, Popsound? Come back (at least the template as changed, so I still hold out hope)! The fact that this catchy upbeat pop-rock song was never a single is one of the biggest losses of the year; it's got "radio friendly" written all over it.

Andermay, "Entre tú y yo" via Don't Stop The Pop
Yes, it's from a 2003 album, but I somehow spent most of the year under the impression that it was from their 2007 album, so it makes the list. Gorgeously happy, catchy, and poppy, "Entre tú y yo" ends with the female singer dissolving into giggles, and that couldn't be more appropriate, since that's exactly how this song makes me feel.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "If You Go" via XO's Middle Eight/Into The Groove
Brilliant. Magical. Timeless.

There were also some fantastic singles I was introduced to by blogs throughout the year that just barely missed out on my actual countdown (some of which, in retrospect, should have made the cut).

(Note that songs like Darren Hayes's "Casey" are not on this list because they'll be eligible for the singles of 2008 list.)

Also in terms of year end song wrap-up, I'd like to mention Laakso, who released a fantastic album but also frustrated me by not releasing one of the most instant and best songs of the year as a single. "Norrköping" is perfect.

Finally, though it will not be taking one of the top two slots, had I started this countdown at the actual end of December, Daughtry's "Over You" would without doubt be on it. I always liked the song and found it to be a huge improvement on his first two singles, but as the month passed and I heard it on the radio again and again, I realized it could have theoretically been in my top five for the year. Oops! Love love love it, though. I think it's my favorite song to sing along with in the car at this point.