Joe McElderry: 'Someone Wake Me Up'

Here at DS Towers, it doesn't take long for a discussion about a surprise chart disappointment to get heated. "What happened?", "Who was at fault?" and "Will they get dropped?" are but three of our stock pop flop questions - and while Joe McElderry's debut single and album have performed reasonably well, their lack of customary No.1 X Factor success means we've been reluctantly applying them to the lovely Geordie lad.

One theory is that he perhaps strayed too far from his his XF sound - something this latest single attempts to nip neatly in the bud. With life-affirming lyrics and a chorus chunky enough for Louis Walsh to nod along to with gusto, this midtempo guitar ballad is the pop equivalent of quilted Andrex: soft, satisfying and - crucially - appealing to guys and gals of all ages. Thank goodness for that, because by the looks of things, a lengthy debate on Alesha Dixon is imminent.

> Click here to watch the 'Someone Wake Me Up' video