2006 is wrapping up soon. X'Mas is just 4 days away. While this is the time which everyone is really looking forward too, I don't really anticipate it though. Well, it's never an important day for me since young. No exchanging presents. No mistletoes. No christmas tree. No turkey. Just a plain Christmas in my mind. Yet, I'm fine with it.

Anyway, just like previous years, I'm going to pick the some of "favorites ... of 2006" to write on. So, here it goes...

Favorite Singles of the Year

1) Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie

This collaboration which was infused in the later edition fo Oral Fixation 2 shook up radios worldwide. It broke record in the US for the most spins in some pop radio. Here in Malaysia, it's also the most played song as advertised on a random poster in Tower Records. The song is so massive that it was even featured and performed during the World Cup under the bamboo version. It also hit no.1 almost everywhere in the world, one of the only few that were able to do so. All in all, definitely the song of the year!

2) JoJo - Too Little Too Late

While a few other teenager popstars failed to blossom in their early career, JoJo proved that she has the it factor to sustain in the industry. Her sophomore album is selling well thanks to a strong debut comeback single. The song was also everywhere. I remember tuning into Hits.fm while the song was broadcasted. Then, in another channel, the same song was also played. A friend of mine even heard the song for about 5 times within a short period of time. Crazeeeee.

3) Beyonce - Irreplaceable

With the mixed reviews of B'Day, Beyonce made the right choice to release this as her 2nd single internationally. (Note, its her 3rd one in the US since Ring the Alarm was released there too.) The song is pretty infectious up and down left to right. The acoustic guitar background and easy-to-be-remembered lyrics are the ups of the song. Everyone can easily pick up the golden lines of the song "to the left, to the left".

4) Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back

JT JT JT. I might not have liked his album, but I am in love with the beats of the song. Even though many argued that this is his weakest song from the album, I have plenty objections for that. I have to admit its one of the few listenable ones. It's a great club hits.

5) Nelly Furtado - Maneater

No longer the innocent and no long a bird, songstress Nelly returned with a breakthough comeback album. Compared to Promisncuous, I prefer this a lot better. The video's hot, and will keep one crumping and hitting the dancefloor every second. However, I have never actually heard this being aired in any clubs before. What a waste. It certainly is capable of getting the temperature rising at a faster pace.

6) Cassie - Me & U

If you have not even heard the song once before, you're a loser. This song is extraordinarily ordinary. Extremely sensual and groovy, the ladies might just pole dance to this song. Nonetheless, I personally think that it would be a little challenging to sing along with the song.

7) Christina Aguilera - Hurt

Also coming back is Xtina. Hurt is yet another classic, strong piece of work offered by the Best New Artist grammy winner few years ago. It does resemble something that we have heard before. Remember The Voice Within? Similar elements, musically and lyrically, yet both blows me away.

8) Fergie - London Bridge

Diverging into solo act, BEPs's only princess rocked the radio with this song. London, London, London... rather monotonous, it hit #1 easily by garnering huge sales physically and digitally. When it first came out, I hated it. But now, I kinda like it after spinning it for a few tens of times. Also to watch out is her second single Fergalicious that suggests that Fergie is delicious from every aspects. Was she also aiming to get the word fergalicious into the dictionary like how Beyonce did with bootylicious?

9) P Diddy feat. Nicole Scherzinger - Come To Me

It was a very sexy, hot team-up between the 2. It's not the usual love ballads, but a more contemporary R&B song which I think is great for hook-up occasions. Nicole proved that she doesn't need the other dolls to keep her on top of the music industry. I guess that explains why she's coming out with a solo debut album somewhere next year. Better watch that y'all. Meow!

10) Paris Hilton - Nothing In This World

Either like her or hate her. But admiration may start after hatred. That happened to me. Whilst many were sickened by her debut single Stars Are Blind, Nothing In This World is such a great song that it should be listed as one of the top pop songs this year in any widely acclaimed reviews.