Megahits of 2012: Piano Book

Coates has a gift for stripping pop songs down to their melodic and harmonic essentials without sacrificing what makes them memorable. Young pianists recognize the tunes instantly, which builds motivation and keeps practice sessions focused on musicality rather than deciphering unfamiliar material. The collection pulls from genuinely popular songs of 2012, so your students will actually want to play them.

Bright, energetic, and recognizable. These are songs written for radio play and streaming, so they land with immediate appeal and maintain steady momentum. The arrangements sparkle without overwhelming, offering just enough harmonic and textural interest to feel rewarding without demanding technical fireworks.

Easy piano students looking for contemporary repertoire that connects to the music they hear on the radio. Teachers seeking to bridge the gap between classical method books and the songs students actually want to play. Any pianist who finds current pop music engaging and wants to develop fluency with popular song forms and chord progressions.

• Balance the melody against any accompanimental figures; resist the urge to pound both equally. These arrangements are written lean, so clarity of the main line should always come first.
• Pay close attention to dynamics marked in the score. Pop songs often need subtle shape within phrases rather than broad, classical-style phrasing, and the dynamic markings guide that conversation.
• When a song sits in a higher register, anchor it with confident bass notes rather than playing them timidly. The foundation keeps the top line floating.

Include these in spring or end-of-year recitals where students can showcase what they've learned while performing music that resonates with peers and family members. Slot individual titles throughout the year as supplementary repertoire alongside method book work, or assign students their own favorite from the collection to work through independently. Several titles have theatrical or film/TV origins, so you could also program them thematically with other soundtrack-based pieces.

• Reading pop chord progressions and identifying repeated harmonic patterns across songs
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in both hands simultaneously
• Performing with stylistic awareness appropriate to contemporary popular music
• Sight-reading at the easy level across varied song structures and keys
• Maintaining steady tempo and rhythmic precision in groove-based arrangements