So, there’s this music forum that I love to go on because it’s hilarious and informative, but I just read a thread that I have to post about just because I’m not a member of the forum and can’t comment. 

One of the problems with the forum is that it’s very pop-oriented and sometimes the opinions aren’t as viable as they should be, plus there are too many delusional stans. But, it is an internet forum so I digress. 

The thread was about which pop girl had the least creativity. The choices were Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. And people had the nerve to choose Kelly Clarkson, the argument being that even if she produces and writes work it’s still less creative than Britney Spears and Rihanna. 

One, Kelly has ALWAYS demanded creative control of her album. She’s even had to wrestle control (in quite public fights) from her record label and Clive Davis to get control. After Thankful, all of her albums have involved her songwriting and production and some way. Three singles from Breakway and arguably some of her biggest hits (“Behind These Hazel Eyes”, “Because of You” and “Walk Away”) all featured her as lead songwriter. Another three songs list her as songwriter with her getting composition and vocal credit for the album. My December, her most controversial work, featured her as executive producer, composer, vocalist and lead songwriter on EVERY SINGLE SONG. In addition, Kelly fought against her record company and Clive Davis over releasing the album because they found it too dark and non-commercial. All I Ever Wanted featured Clarkson writing as lead writer for two singles and four other songs, executive producer, composer and sole producer for one of the tracks. And finally, Stronger, had her as lead writer of 5 tracks. So, she definitely  has the most creative control of all.

Secondly, though Rihanna and Britney Spears have significantly more input than J. Lo, the amount of work they put into the album is not comparable. Rihanna’s most artistically viable work, Rated R, only featured her writing on six songs with no lead credits and no production credits. On Loud she had no writing credits, no production credits and only an executive producer credit. Talk That Talk had her writing on two songs with no lead credits again and no production credits and though Unapologetic featured her writing a lot more tracks and was her best work yet, it still is not the most enjoyable album. Britney meanwhile penned only In the Zone with a few bonus tracks along the way and executive production credit on each album. As for J. Lo, that’s a joke that I won’t even get into. None of that is comparable to Kelly’s work.

Finally, though Kelly’s work may not be “interesting” enough for you, her latest album scored her a Grammy for Pop Vocal Album in addition to her previous award for that same category for her sophomore album Breakaway. She’s received three Grammys (more than Britney Spears) and has had at least one top ten hit on each of her albums with most of them featuring more. In addition, songs like “Breakaway” and “Honestly” strike a chord that Britney hasn’t been able to do since “Everytime” and Rihanna attempts to do with songs like “Stay” and “California King Bed”. 

I’m not saying Kelly is the most amazing artist in the world because she isn’t and I”m not her biggest stan or anything. But, to say that she’s not as creatively involved as Britney, Rihanna or J. Lo. is ignorant and delusional. 

So, before y’all wanna dish tea become educated on it. Please and thank you. 

27. Listen Up! - Haley Reinhart

Haley Reinhart’s Listen Up was exemplary proof that American Idol runner-ups had plenty of talent to spare. Eschewing modern pop trends for a more soulful record, Reinhart’s album was filled with pop-soul of the 60’s and 70’s creating a soulful and heartfelt debut. While at times, the album sounded a little generic, it was a considerably well-crafted pop album. 

Listen to: Free, Undone, Now That You’re Here, Wonderland

26. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded - The Re-Up - Nicki Minaj

Adding 8 more songs to the overly-long Roman Reloaded may not have been the best decision, but The Re-Up cements Nicki Minaj as one of the more consistent and talented rappers of our generation. Heading back to her roots, The Re-Up consisted of a set of ambient R&B/rap tracks mixed with more hardcore records and a pop song or two. Overall, it was less alienating set than Roman Reloaded and a throwback to Mixtape Nicki. 

Listen to: Freedom, I Endorse These Strippers, I’m Legit, The Boys, Va Va Voom

25. Stronger - Kelly Clarkson

Kelly’s fifth LP acts as a compilation of sorts, grouping all her past sounds into one record. While it may leave the listener feeling a bit disoriented, it proves that Kelly is one of the better pop stars of the past decade. Combining the punchy dance-pop of “Stronger” with powerfully emotive ballads like “Honestly”, created a top-notch album that affirms Kelly’s talent. 

Listen to: Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You), Honestly, You Love Me, Hello

24. Something - Chairlift

With their sophomore effort, Chairlift makes the shift from dream/indie pop to 80’s electronica. Filled with jabbing, off-beat synths, dated drum machines and the cool vocal talents of Caroline Polachek, Chairlift managed to create an album that was equal parts effecting, retro, and catchy. 

Listen to: I Belong in Your Arms, Take It Out on Me, Cool as a Fire, Amanaemonesia, Turning

23. Ghost - Sky Ferreira

Ghost sees Sky Ferreira branching out of her dance-pop zone and exploring more sounds like 90’s rock (“Red Lips”) and 80’s dance (“Everything is Embarrassing”). The EP shows that Sky has plenty of tricks up her sleeve and that she may wind up being one of the more interesting pop stars down the road. 

Listen to: Lost in My Bedroom, Red Lips, Everything is Embarrassing

22. Go! Pop! Bang! - Rye Rye

Arguably one of the more underrated albums of the year, Rye Rye’s Go! Pop! Bang! might have taken years to make, but it was worth the wait. Diverse influences including everything from standard hardcore hip-hop to rave to world music, create a delightful album that’s sassy, danceable and sassy. 

Listen to: Drop, Hotter, Sunshine, Boom Boom, Dance, Rock Off Shake Off

21. Unapologetic - Rihanna

Rihanna hit the lucky 7 with her 7th album in 7 years. While that many albums in that short a time frame has definitely worn down Rihanna’s creativity, Unapologetic proves why Rihanna is one of the biggest pop stars of the 21st Century. Acting as a Rated R 2.0, the album explores world sounds, dubstep, rave, and other EDM genres while also revisiting Rihanna’s ballad roots. A very introspective and chill album, Unapologetic ended up being one of the more unexpected releases this year. 

Listen to: Phresh Off the Runway, Diamonds, Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary, Get It Over With, No Love Allowed

20. Once Upon Another Time - Sara Bareilles

Once Upon Another Time opens with the title track, an epic pop masterpiece backed, initially, with only a candle being lit. As Sara’s acapella vocals carry the track the sound involves to include an entire orchestra creating a sweeping and moving experience that can only be described as epic. With her EP, Sara Bareilles evolves her sound into a beautiful baroque-pop style. Although it still contains her typical tongue-in-cheek pop, Sara has really stepped up her game this time around.

Listen to: Once Upon Another Time, Sweet as Whole, Bright Lights and Cityscapes

19. Human Condition: Doleo - Wynter Gordon

With the Human Condition series, Wynter Gordon is exploring different aspects of the human personality. Doleo, Latin for hurt, explores regret, pain, and unrequited love. Doleo is a wildly exciting and varied EP that draws from New Wave, dubstep, alternative rock and soul to create an emotional, turbulent and touching album. 

Listen to: Stimela, Waiting, Kids, Bad Thing, No Hush