Griff X Sigrid - Head on Fire (Official Video)

As the sheer exuberant joy of this video suggests, Sigrid and Griff already had a mutual admiration society going on. That was before they connected with each other during lockdowns and before they hung out together and had a songwriting session, the fruit of which was 'Head on Fire'. 

An uplifting, giddy headrush of pure pop, 'Head on Fire' seeks to capture the experience of meeting someone new, who utterly disrupts your thoughts and feelings, who you are not able to stop thinking about. A particularly irresistible ear worm, it's surprising that it didn't go on to dominate the charts upon its release in January 2022. Especially given the love it received from critics ahead of its release. But, over a year on, it's ageing well and has all the early hallmarks of a pop classic.

The Lemon Twigs - Every Day Is The Worst Day Of My Life (Official Video)

Because we all have days like this.

The Linda Lindas - "Too Many Things"

A welcome return from LA's premier punk band, seen here having fun with food as they sing about living in a society where there's just... Too.Much.Stuff.

They continue to exude the same kind of breezy punk spirit of the Go-Go's, which is certainly no bad thing, and it still looks like they're having fun with the band (always good).

I salute them as I await further singles.

Megan Black - Just For Fun

It was Ashley Stein who introduced me to the music of Megan Black. Speaking of the Scottish songwriter, who performed at Ashley and Gillian's Women In Music: It's Brutal Out Here event last month, Ashley said "She's kind of what I imagine Janis Joplin would have been like to talk to, as a person?" Like La Joplin, Black has clearly been blessed with the kind of knock 'em dead combination of voice and stage presence that comes along all too rarely.

While 'Just For Fun' was released in 2022, it's not included on Black's album of that year, Deadly Is The Woman, which is a shame. A stand alone track that struts like a champion and snarls with style, it serves as a particularly epic calling card for Megan Black. We have certainly not heard the last of her.