6. OMI’s “Cheerleader” Had the Whole World Shaking Their Pom-poms

Clarendon, Jamaica’s OMI had a phenomenal year, with the Felix Jaehn remix of his single “Cheerleader” yielding double platinum, platinum and gold certifications all over the globe and charting at No. 1 in 20 countries. One of the summer’s most summer’s most ubiquitous party anthems, the track has led to performances all around the world, including an appearance on Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour. What not many people who have been listening to “Cheerleader” know is that it was actually penned circa 2008, and released in a reggae-inflected island pop version in 2012. Music heavyweights Clifton “Specialist” Dillon, Sly and Robbie, Dean Fraser all played a huge part in piecing it together, and the track was subsequently released independently before Ultra Music snapped it up. It was the EDM remix by Felix Jaehn that really caught the world’s attention, though we knew this song was a hit back in 2013 when OMI appeared in LargeUp’s annual Artists to Watch list, right behind Chronixx.  — Nadine White