Until embarking upon the task of compiling my Top 100 Tracks of 2011, I had no idea just how strong the year had been for music.

Revisiting past posts, sorting iTunes play counts, and checking song purchases resulted in over 250 potential candidates for inclusion. Pruning that too-long list was easy at the start, but as I edged closer to the 150-130 range, there were more Sophie’s Choice moments than I would have liked. (I’m happy to report that no progeny, real or imaginary, were sacrificed in the culling.)

The 100 tracks listed below made it through the madness, with some artists even managing to land multiple entries (Adele, Chromeo, Selena Gomez, Theophilus London, Vanbot). Others are in the 2011 club thanks to a rather brilliant remix (Hurts, Alexis Jordan, Kylie Minogue, Yasmin, and again, Selena Gomez). And I’m beyond thrilled that every genre I post about — pop, dance, indie, rock, hip-hop, R&B — is represented below. Some of these 100 tracks were monster singles, some were total flops, while others were album cuts or relegated to bonus track status. Some made a splash only in the UK, never making their way across the pond. And some of my faves were totally overlooked, regardless of origin.

My annual cop-out remains, however: It’s not a ranked list, but rather alphabetized by artist. I will go on the record and state that my single favorite track of 2011 is Vanbot’s “Lost Without You.” That’s two years in a row for sister Swedes, with Ester Ideskog taking the crown from Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own,” last year’s champ.

With three ways to preview (most of) the 100 tracks below — via the “Now Playing” iTunes box to the right of this post and or playlists posted to iTunes Ping and Spotify — let the quibbling commence!

Popservations’ Top 100 Tracks of 2011

Adele – “Set Fire To The Rain”
Adele – “Someone Like You”
Beyoncé – “Schoolin’ Life”
Big Talk – “Getaways”
Blackroom – “What Is It That You Want”
Blawan – “What You Do With What You Have”
Blood Orange – “Dinner”
Bright Light Bright Light – “Disco Moment”
Charli XCX – “Nuclear Seasons”
Chromeo feat. Elly Jackson of La Roux – “Hot Mess”
Chromeo feat. Solange Knowles – “When The Night Falls”
Alex Clare – “Treading Water”
Kelly Clarkson – “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Class Actress – “Keep You”
Cocknbullkid – “Asthma Attack”
Coldplay – “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall”
Creature – “So High”
Cults – “Abducted”
Lana Del Rey – “Video Games”
Beth Ditto – “I Wrote The Book”
Beth Ditto – “Open Heart Surgery”
Dom – “Living In America”
Dum Dum Girls – “Bedroom Eyes”
DWNTWN – “Hungry Eyes”
Elite Gymnastics – “Omamori”
Sky Ferreira – “99 Tears”
Fitz & the Tantrums – “MoneyGrabber”
Florence + The Machine – “Shake It Out”
Florrie – “I Took A Little Something”
Foster The People – “Helena Beat”
Friendly Fires – “Live Those Days Tonight”
Friends – “I’m His Girl”
Alex Gaudino feat. Kelly Rowland – “What A Feeling”
Ruby Goe – “Get On It”
Selena Gomez & The Scene – “A Year Without Rain” (Dave Audé Remix)
Selena Gomez & The Scene – “Love You Like A Love Song”
The Good Natured – “Skeleton”
Wynter Gordon – “Still Getting Younger”
Ellie Goulding – “Lights”
Cee Lo Green – “Bright Lights Bigger City”
David Guetta & Sia – “Titanium”
GusGus – “Over”
Erik Hassle – “Are You Leaving”
Darren Hayes – “Talk Talk Talk”
Hologram Heart Parade – “Dirty Heart”
Hurts – “Sunday” (Seamus Haji Remix)
Ice Choir – “Two Rings”
Icona Pop – “Nights Like This”
Jessie J – “Domino”
Joe Jonas – “Just In Love”
Alexis Jordan – “Good Girl” (Freemasons Remix)
Kay – “My Name Is Kay”
Ke$ha – “Blow”
The Knux feat. Kid Cudi – “Run”
Wendel Kos feat. Andrea Holley – “Dancing On The Lights” (Bayazzo Edit)
Lady Gaga – “The Edge Of Glory”
Avril Lavigne – “What The Hell”
Leona Lewis / Avicii – “Collide”
Lykke Li – “Sadness Is A Blessing”
Little Boots – “Shake”
Little Dragon – “Ritual Union”
Theophilus London – “Girls Girls $”
Theophilus London feat. Sara Quin – “Why Even Try”
M83 – “Midnight City”
Clare Maguire – “The Shield And The Sword”
Marina and the Diamonds – “Radioactive”
Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera – “Moves Like Jagger”
Kylie Minogue – “Put Your Hands Up” (Pete Hammond Remix)
My Tiger My Timing – “Endless Summer”
Neon Hitch – “Get Over You”
Oh Land – “Sun Of A Gun”
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – “Heart In Your Heartbreak”
Pandr Eyez – “Eyes On You”
Penguin Prison – “Fair Warning”
Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
Psychologist – “Comes In Waves”
Purple Crush – “Sweat”
The Rapture – “How Deep Is Your Love”
R.E.M. – “Überlin”
Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris – “We Found Love”
Nicola Roberts – “Lucky Day”
Robyn – “Call Your Girlfriend”
Emeli Sandé – “Heaven”
The Saturdays – “All Fired Up”
Say Hi – “All The Pretty Ones”
SBTRKT feat. Little Dragon – “Wildfire”
Nicole Scherzinger – “Don’t Hold Your Breath”
Serenades – “Come Home”
Martin Solveig & Dragonette – “Hello”
Britney Spears – “Till The World Ends”
[STRANGERS] feat. Lara Smiles – “Promises”
Strange Talk – “Climbing Walls”
Vanbot – “Lost Without You”
Vanbot – “Make Me, Break Me”
Van Go Lion – “We Don’t Miss A Beat”
Washed Out – “Eyes Be Closed”
Michelle Williams – “Love Gun”
Patrick Wolf – “Together”
Yasmin – “Finish Line” (Freemasons Pegasus Club Mix)
Zebra & Snake – “Empty Love Song”

With Madonna, Bright Light Bright Light, Garbage, The Gossip, George Michael (back at home in London following a near-fatal bout of pneumonia), Keane, The Killers, La Roux, Adam Lambert, The Ting Tings, and (maybe, just maybe) Fiona Apple all on deck to deliver new albums in 2012, next year already promises to yield yet another a bumper crop of pop.

Purchase 81 of these tracks via the somewhat misleadingly titled Popservations’ Top 100 Tracks of 2011 playlist posted on iTunes. Nineteen aren’t available since some haven’t been released in the U.S., while others were only offered as free downloads. Or listen in full (again, to most) via Spotify.