10 songs that deserved better.
Welcome to #MIXTAPE — where great music gets its flowers, no matter how long it’s been waiting.
This isn’t just another playlist drop. #MIXTAPE is a space carved out for the tracks that got lost in the noise, the singles that should’ve ruled the radio, and the songs that still live rent-free in our heads even if the charts didn’t reflect their genius. Each week, we hand-pick 10 (+1 honorary mention) tracks that are connected by a common thread — sometimes it’s a theme, sometimes a shared sonic vibe, and sometimes (like this week)… it’s about justice. Musical justice.
For our very first edition, we’re shining a big neon spotlight on the underdogs of pop. This one’s a love letter to the misfits — the glittering anthems that never quite got their moment. Maybe they were ahead of their time, maybe the label didn’t push them hard enough, or maybe the world just wasn’t ready. But here? In this space? They get the celebration they always deserved.
Expect euphoric choruses, bulletproof hooks, bold statements, and a few “how the hell was this not a hit?!” moments. Let’s rewrite the narrative, one banger at a time.
🎵 Carly Rae Jepsen – “Run Away With Me”
A triumphant saxophone riff. A heart bursting open in 4 minutes. This isn’t just pop — it’s pop cinema. “Run Away With Me” feels like falling in love under neon lights while racing through a city you’ve never been to before. It’s joyful, vulnerable, and anthemic in all the right ways. The fact it never became a global smash? Unforgivable. Justice for Queen Jepsen.
🎵 Dagny – “Love You Like That”
This one practically shimmers. Dagny blends glossy synth-pop with raw sincerity, and the result is a track that feels like the early stages of an infatuation you know might ruin you. The chorus explodes in colour, and her vocals walk the line between euphoria and desperation. It’s one of those songs you want playing as the credits roll on your own personal romcom.
🎵 Rina Sawayama – “Lucid”
“Lucid” is pure electro-pop escapism — glittering, surreal, and euphoric. Produced by BloodPop (aka Lady Gaga’s secret weapon), it’s got that polished futurism we crave in dance music but with a real emotional core. Rina sounds like she’s floating above the clouds in a dream she built herself. That this didn’t become a club staple? Criminal.
🎵 Foxes – “Body Talk”
There’s something melancholic about how upbeat “Body Talk” is — like smiling through tears on a dancefloor. Foxes captures the ache of a fading connection with synthy gloss and driving energy. It’s a bittersweet disco anthem, and it deserved to be her biggest hit. Instead, it’s now the kind of song you introduce to your friends like it’s a secret.
🎵 Agnes – “24 Hours”
Dark, seductive, and totally addictive. “24 Hours” feels like it belongs in a smoky underground club in Stockholm where time doesn’t exist. Agnes leaned hard into Scandi disco revival and gave us a pulsing, dramatic banger. It’s the sound of obsession wrapped in velvet. She reinvented herself here — and the mainstream didn’t even notice.
🎵 Sophie Ellis-Bextor – “Starlight”
Elegant, ethereal, and utterly underrated. “Starlight” feels like it should be playing during the most romantic part of a movie — slow dancing under fairy lights, or staring up at the night sky with someone you love. Sophie’s voice glows on this track. It’s refined pop at its best: grown-up, graceful, and criminally overlooked.
🎵 Allie X – “Casanova”
This is synth-pop strut music. “Casanova” walks into the room with red sunglasses and doesn’t care if you’re looking — but you are. It’s stylish, sharp, and laced with quiet rage. The verses brood, the chorus bites, and the whole thing sounds like a neon-lit showdown between desire and independence. The kind of track you replay because it makes you feel powerful.
🎵 Marina – “Forget”
Forget is a word — but this song is unforgettable. A highlight from her FROOT era, “Forget” pairs Marina’s classic lyrical bite with crashing guitars and a shoutable chorus. It’s cathartic, it’s empowering, and it comes with a solid music video that captures its chaotic, colourful spirit. If “Primadonna” was the glam, “Forget” was the glow-up.
🎵 Sugababes – “Flatline”
The original trio. The harmonies. The comeback. “Flatline” was everything fans wanted — a soaring, emotional track with a slow-build that explodes into euphoric unity. It’s all about resilience and finding your voice again, wrapped in the kind of vocal blend that only Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan can deliver. That this wasn’t a triumphant return to the top of the charts? The world was clearly asleep.
🎵 Annie – “American Cars”
Dreamy, detached, and hypnotic. “American Cars” is like drifting through a futuristic city at 2am, neon lights reflected in the windows. Annie’s voice is pure ice — cool, controlled, and completely captivating. This is less about hooks and more about mood. It’s a vibe piece, a slow burn, and one of her finest.
⭐ Honourable Mention: Vanessa Amorosi – “Absolutely Everybody”
Let’s end on a high. “Absolutely Everybody” was a hit in parts of the world — but it’s often treated as a one-off novelty rather than the joyous, inclusive, disco-pop gem it is. It radiates early-2000s euphoria and Olympic ceremony energy. After this, Amorosi disappeared from international charts, but this song lives on in the hearts of those who remember dancing to it without irony. One-hit-wonder status? Unfair. Let’s give it the legacy it deserves.
💿 Flops? Maybe on paper.
But let’s be real — chart stats don’t tell the whole story. These songs resonate. They carry emotional weight, showcase creative risks, and deliver hooks that still hit like a freight train. They were bold, brilliant, and in many cases, criminally ahead of their time.
Just because they didn’t top the charts doesn’t mean they didn’t leave a mark. Some tracks find their justice years later — when fans rediscover them, when nostalgia kicks in, or when someone finally says, “Wait… this was a BOP.”
This playlist is that moment. The reintroduction. The redemption arc. A small but loud reminder that pop history isn’t just written by sales figures — it’s written by the hearts that keep playing these songs on repeat.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify:
(Because some songs deserve their standing ovation — even if it comes a little late.)
Studio DJC 