Written by: Ellie Goulding and Jim Eliot
Produced by: Ellie Goulding and Jim Eliot
Album: Halcyon
UK release: August 2012
UK chart peak: 5

Look, I’ve consistently loved Ellie Goulding. The Lights and Halcyon albums are both among my all-decade faves, and there was some really great stuff on Delirium as well (Something In The Way You Move says hi!). And the gorgeous Still Falling For You – the Tove Lo co-write released in support of the Bridget Jones threequel – was very nearly on this 100 Songs list too.

But it’s Anything Could Happen that is, in my view at least, her pièce-de-résistance.

There’s a lot going on lyrically, but it all weaves together as part of this big theme of looking back on things and thinking “well, that’s that then! ?” in a tear-stained-but-smiling-at-the-sky-with-hands-aloft sort of way. And production-wise, it’s just massive. That huge, glitchy, electro-stormer of a chorus is a euphoric masterpiece, especially towards the end when everything’s kicking the fuck off and Ellie’s airy ad-libs are gliding over the cacophony. Hook this to my veins any day of the week.

• I’ll be writing about my favourite 100 pop songs of the decade; one a day for the last 100 days of 2019. They’re in no particular order, except the Top 10 – which will (obviously) come in late December.
• See the full list so far here.
• You can follow the rolling, daily-updated playlist below, or here.