Do you wonder why it is that so much of today's pop music sucks?
Have we collectively lost our ability to discern good music vs. bad music?
I don't think that's the case. What's happening now more then ever in the past is that the labels are regurgitating variations of the same tired tunes over and over again. They are using production techniques such as autotune to make the music sound better then it actually is and foisting it upon the masses like a medieval plague.
Popular music has become less about talent and more about appearance and personality. Just look at the joke that is the Grammy Awards and you'll see how pop music has become less and less about the music and more about image. While it's a sad state of affairs, there is a better way forward.
We as consumers have the ability to reject the crap the labels are giving us. We have the power of the purse and we have the power to simply not listen to the music we are given. The best way of doing this is identifying the real talent in the music industry, to separate the good from the bad and let the figurative cream rise to the top.
This blog is here to provide a guide to what I believe is the best and worst of pop music today, in the hope that we can improve the industry one good song at a time.
Let 2015 be the year that we take back pop music!
Sunday, February 8, 2015
My Reaction to Sam Smith Sweeping the Grammys
I admit Sam Smith is a good vocal talent he's just boring. His songs have no energy or force, and no reason for me to keep listening. Maybe one day he'll make a song that's more then just mediocre ballad fodder but he hasn't so far.
Fuck the Grammys...
Billboard Hot 100: Best and Worst for the Week of February 14, 2015
It's the week of Valentine's Day and once again there's very little to love about the pop charts this week. There's been no movement into and out of the top 10 at all and very little in the way of new songs worth talking about. The majority of movement took place down the charts and there are at least some goods songs to talk about. Without further ado here's my inaugural top 10 songs from the Billboard Hot 100 this week along with this week's worst song.
NUMBER 10
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Bang Bang (2014)
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj
Pop
Lava/Republic
Chart position: 35
Sure the song is getting old but I still find myself listening to it. Ariana Grande is one the most talented female vocalists in pop today and is far from her peak, and while Jessie J is an average talent in my eyes she does a great job here. The song has a catchy beat with bombastic horns and claps that demand you get up and dance to it. All goes well until Nicki Minaj opens her trap and things go downhill from there. It's still a worthy song that has seen it's day however. Expect this to be off the list next week.
NUMBER 9
Chandelier (2014)
Sia
Electropop
Monkey Puzzle/RCA
Chart Position: 37
Another 2014 holdover on the list, Chandelier was one of my favorite songs last year. I just love the energy of this song. Sia's vocals aren't perfect and are at times overwhelming but there's no denying that the song is well written. The person in the video is not Sia by the way. Sia is an almost 40 year old artist who's been doing underground stuff since the 90s and is just now doing pop songs. Pop music is better as a result.
NUMBER 8
Homegrown (2015)
Zac Brown Band
Country Rock
Southern Ground/Big Machine
Chart Position: 73
The Zac Brown Band is one of the few country acts I respect these days, mainly because... well they don't suck... and because their songs have more of a rock influence then the typical "bro country" dominated country music scene today. Homegrown is one of the better country songs I've heard lately with some very good rock influenced guitars and a great buildup to the chorus. I especially like the key change near the end of the song. If only we saw more of this and less Florida Georgia Line on the charts maybe I'd actually listen to more country music.
NUMBER 7
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Stuck on a Feeling (2014)
Prince Royce ft. Snoop Dog
Hip Hop/Latin Pop
RCA
Chart Position: 43
I never thought going into this song I would like it, in fact I dismissed it out of hand but listening to it more it's definitely grown on me. Prince Royce's fusion of Latin stylings with hip hop work extremely well here and it's obvious there's some real talent on display here. Use of Spanish (or any foreign language) lines in an English language song can either work well or be a disaster and this is definitely the former. Snoop Dog is also pretty good here and unlike Wiggle, his verse actually adds to the song in a positive way.
NUMBER 6
Time of our Lives (2014)
Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo
EDM/Synthpop
Mr. 305/Polo Grounds/RCA
Chart Position: 11
Yes, I like a Pitbull song. I liked Timber quite a bit too but that was mainly due to Kesha and the good use of country/rap fusion. This song is really just a dumb party song, but it's a good dumb party song. It's lyrics speak to a large segment of the population who are struggling financially and that you should still be able live your life and have fun. Ne-Yo is the vocal winner here but Pitbull isn't godawful like he usually is. This song isn't deep or anything, it's just a dumb party song done right for once.
NUMBER 5
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Heartbeat Song (2015)
Kelly Clarkson
Synthpop
RCA
Chart Position: 56
This song is here for one reason: Kelly Clarkson still has amazing vocals. It's a very catchy song that while simple and derivative it's hard to stop listening to. If this was most any other artist it wouldn't even be a blip on my radar but I've always admired Kelly's talent since her Idol days and she obviously still has it. I do wish in the future her songs had a bit more substance and nuance.
NUMBER 4
Love Me Like You Do (2015)
Ellie Goulding
Synthpop
Polydor
Chart Position: 14
One thing you will notice quickly if you follow my blog is that I have an unnatural love for the talents of Ellie Goulding. I can write an entire blog post on why I think she is one of the best female pop vocalists of this generation, but suffice it to say there's very little she does that I don't absolutely adore. This song however is not her best by a country mile. The lyrics are a mess and the backing synths and melodies are not up to her usual level of quality. She had very little to do with the writing and production on this song and it shows. What Ellie does though is take what she's given and absolutely slays on the vocals. Ellie Goulding just doesn't do power ballads, but this song proves she can belt it with the best of them. Any other artist and this would probably be on my worst list but damn Ellie is good.
NUMBER 3
Outside (2014)
Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding
Synthpop/Electro House
Deconstruction/Fly Eye/Columbia
Chart Position: 50
Ghost (2014)
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Uptown Funk (2014)
NUMBER 10
Bang Bang (2014)
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj
Pop
Lava/Republic
Chart position: 35
Sure the song is getting old but I still find myself listening to it. Ariana Grande is one the most talented female vocalists in pop today and is far from her peak, and while Jessie J is an average talent in my eyes she does a great job here. The song has a catchy beat with bombastic horns and claps that demand you get up and dance to it. All goes well until Nicki Minaj opens her trap and things go downhill from there. It's still a worthy song that has seen it's day however. Expect this to be off the list next week.
NUMBER 9
Chandelier (2014)
Sia
Electropop
Monkey Puzzle/RCA
Chart Position: 37
Another 2014 holdover on the list, Chandelier was one of my favorite songs last year. I just love the energy of this song. Sia's vocals aren't perfect and are at times overwhelming but there's no denying that the song is well written. The person in the video is not Sia by the way. Sia is an almost 40 year old artist who's been doing underground stuff since the 90s and is just now doing pop songs. Pop music is better as a result.
NUMBER 8
Homegrown (2015)
Zac Brown Band
Country Rock
Southern Ground/Big Machine
Chart Position: 73
The Zac Brown Band is one of the few country acts I respect these days, mainly because... well they don't suck... and because their songs have more of a rock influence then the typical "bro country" dominated country music scene today. Homegrown is one of the better country songs I've heard lately with some very good rock influenced guitars and a great buildup to the chorus. I especially like the key change near the end of the song. If only we saw more of this and less Florida Georgia Line on the charts maybe I'd actually listen to more country music.
NUMBER 7
Stuck on a Feeling (2014)
Prince Royce ft. Snoop Dog
Hip Hop/Latin Pop
RCA
Chart Position: 43
I never thought going into this song I would like it, in fact I dismissed it out of hand but listening to it more it's definitely grown on me. Prince Royce's fusion of Latin stylings with hip hop work extremely well here and it's obvious there's some real talent on display here. Use of Spanish (or any foreign language) lines in an English language song can either work well or be a disaster and this is definitely the former. Snoop Dog is also pretty good here and unlike Wiggle, his verse actually adds to the song in a positive way.
NUMBER 6
Time of our Lives (2014)
Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo
EDM/Synthpop
Mr. 305/Polo Grounds/RCA
Chart Position: 11
Yes, I like a Pitbull song. I liked Timber quite a bit too but that was mainly due to Kesha and the good use of country/rap fusion. This song is really just a dumb party song, but it's a good dumb party song. It's lyrics speak to a large segment of the population who are struggling financially and that you should still be able live your life and have fun. Ne-Yo is the vocal winner here but Pitbull isn't godawful like he usually is. This song isn't deep or anything, it's just a dumb party song done right for once.
NUMBER 5
Heartbeat Song (2015)
Kelly Clarkson
Synthpop
RCA
Chart Position: 56
This song is here for one reason: Kelly Clarkson still has amazing vocals. It's a very catchy song that while simple and derivative it's hard to stop listening to. If this was most any other artist it wouldn't even be a blip on my radar but I've always admired Kelly's talent since her Idol days and she obviously still has it. I do wish in the future her songs had a bit more substance and nuance.
NUMBER 4
Love Me Like You Do (2015)
Ellie Goulding
Synthpop
Polydor
Chart Position: 14
One thing you will notice quickly if you follow my blog is that I have an unnatural love for the talents of Ellie Goulding. I can write an entire blog post on why I think she is one of the best female pop vocalists of this generation, but suffice it to say there's very little she does that I don't absolutely adore. This song however is not her best by a country mile. The lyrics are a mess and the backing synths and melodies are not up to her usual level of quality. She had very little to do with the writing and production on this song and it shows. What Ellie does though is take what she's given and absolutely slays on the vocals. Ellie Goulding just doesn't do power ballads, but this song proves she can belt it with the best of them. Any other artist and this would probably be on my worst list but damn Ellie is good.
NUMBER 3
Outside (2014)
Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding
Synthpop/Electro House
Deconstruction/Fly Eye/Columbia
Chart Position: 50
My biggest criticism of Calvin Harris is that every song he does is too similar musically. Put the vocals aside and this song is essentially Summer with very little variation. Summer didn't have Ellie "solid" Goulding though. Ellie and Calvin are a match made in heaven here and her vocals are spot on perfect. Calvin's typical synths work a lot better for Ellie then it does for the other multitude of guest vocalists he uses. The song is quite a bit better then Ellie's other song on the chart this week primarily due to a better lyrical structure and solid synth work even though it is somewhat derivative.
NUMBER 2
Ghost (2014)
Ella Henderson
Pop/Soul
Syco
Chart Position: 26
Ella Henderson came out of absolutely nowhere to become one of the best up and coming vocalists and this song should propel her to super stardom. I don't want to compare her to Adele because Ella's vocals are different but this song has the same soulful power that Adele so wonderfully captures. The song is extremely well written (by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder) and Ella's vocals are simply beyond compare. I don't know how she managed to only finish 6th on X Factor UK because if she sung this song back then she would've won no question.
NUMBER 1
Uptown Funk (2014)
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Funk/Pop
Sony/Columbia/RCA
Chart Position: 1
For once, the charts got it right. I hear quite a bit about how overrated this song supposedly is. These people probably are too young to remember the 70s and 80s funk hits that this song so faithfully replicates. Mark and Bruno managed to take a great old school funk base and modernize it with some amazing instrumentation and vocals. "So hot... hot damn... make a dragon want to retire man..." is probably my favorite lyric of the year. Everything about this song is pure genius and if it doesn't compel you to get up and dance then I don't know what will.
WORST SONG
CoCo (2014)
O.T. Genasis
Trap Rap
Conglomerate
Chart Position: 20
I can open a thesaurus and look up the word "bad" and list every synonym there and still not be able to fully represent how utterly detestable this song is. It has no business on the pop charts or any chart for that matter. To me, it's not really a song. It's one of the sorriest excuses for hip hop I have ever heard. Now I'm not a rap expert to be sure, but the lyrics here are not only contemptible in their message but constructed in a way that can't possibly entertain anyone listening to it. I have no problem with songs about drugs, but can you have even a little bit of nuance. Just going "I'm in love with the CoCo" isn't going to cut it.
Dishonorable Mention: Only by Nicki Minaj ft. Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown
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