John's Top Ten Songs for 2011...So Far!

The year 2011 has already been a great year for pop music. Recently I shared my picks for the top five albums of the year so far, and herein I present my choices for the ten best songs of the year for the first half of 2011. This year has already seen some great songs that will endure as this year's entries into the great American songbook, songs like Bruno Mars' "Grenade," Katy Perry's "Firework" and "E.T.," Rihanna's "S&M," Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow," Pitbull's "Give Me Everything" and "Hey Baby," and so many more.

Of course, pop music with a dance feel is what I like, so many of the tunes on here are of that genre, yet all of them have hit Billboard's Top Ten during the first six months of 2011. Take a look and if you have other favorites from the first half of the year, please leave a comment.

#10 -- Blow -- Ke$ha

I'm not a really big fan of Ke$ha, but she's starting to grow on me. Her voice is not exactly what I would call a good singer's voice, but it works for the type of music she makes. This one follows up on her previous smash, "We R Who We R," and is just as catchy and danceable. Watch the video for "Blow" here.

#9 - Just Can't Get Enough -- Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas keep on rolling with this mixed tempo ditty off their latest effort, "The Beginning." Check out the Peas doing their thing right here.

#8 - S&M -- Rihanna

Na na na na na, c'mon!

This latest track by pop sensation Rihanna is an irresistible dance song that's got quite an edge. Take a look at the very colorful video for "S&M" right here and check out a review of her album "Loud" here.

#7 - Perfect -- Pink

Brand new mommy Pink released this one as a new song on her greatest hits album. It was the second to be released as a single after "Raise Your Glass" and it's a great song, despite the original title. I've heard both the original and radio versions of it and to me the cleaned up version sounds better anyway. The song is yet another fine example of the wonderful writing talents of this star. Take a listen to the uplifting song right here.

#6 - Till the World Ends -- Britney Spears

This song, penned by dance diva Ke$ha, helped propel Ms. Spears' album "Femme Fatale" into the spotlight. It's a fun dance song that's easy on the ears and catchy in the chorus! Check it out here.

#5 - On the Floor -- Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez made a huge return to the central music stage with this one, a funky number that samples the familiar "Lambada." Rapper du jour Pitbull adds to the appeal of this one,, which is still hot on dance floors across the land. Watch the video for "On the Floor" right here.

#4 - Born This Way -- Lady Gaga

There's nothing wrong with loving who you are"
She said, "'Cause he made you perfect, babe"

Like her or not, Lady Gaga has a talent for getting noticed, and when you get right down to it, it's her music that's the foundation of her star status. This anthem, the first single off of her new album of the same name, is all about empowerment, a message she consistently strives to deliver to her fans. Take a look at the singer performing "Born This Way" straight out of an egg at the Grammy Awards right here.

#3 -- Grenade -- Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars is one talented songwriter! This was his second smash off of his debut "Doo Wops & Hooligans," behind the classic "Just the Way You Are," and it takes the form of a defiant rant of a scorned lover:

Gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash

You tossed it in the trash, yes you did!

Powerful stuff! Take a look at "Grenade" here.

#2 -- Firework -- Katy Perry

Katy Perry has been seeing great success with her 2010 album, "Teenage Dream." With no less than five top ten hits (and four of them have hit number one so far!), Perry's star has risen to new heights coming into 2011. This one is my personal favorite off of the album. It's melodic, inspirational and beautiful and great to sing along to! Check out "Firework" right here.

#1 - Rolling in the Deep -- Adele

There's a fire starting in my heart

Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark...

So begins this year's best song so far. Adele is having a wonderful 2011, although she's recently had to reschedule some North American tour dates due to illness. This one is fast-becoming the smash hit of the year as it has spent seven weeks in total perched at the pinnacle of Billboard's Hot 100 Chart. An uplifting remix is still being played regularly at clubs everywhere and it shows no signs of letting down. Check out the video for the awesome "Rolling in the Deep" here.

So there you have it, My picks for the ten best songs of 2011 so far. If you have any favorites that you haven't seen here, feel free to mention them in the comment section. Thanks for reading!