Week of November 25, 2017

#1 Rockstar by Post Malone ft. 21 Savage

• This is basically 2017’s version of Black Beatles: hip hop stars comparing themselves to rock stars, but unlike Black Beatles, this feels more on topic with Post Malone’s chorus; it references rock star activities like doing drugs and having sex with groupies with 21 Savage rapping much of the same. Overall, this song feels boring which isn’t surprising coming from these artists.

#2 Havana by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug

• Dig that old-style piano melody along with the sultry Latin production and vocals from Cabello and Young Thug who despite sounding like he’s sleepwalking through his verse doesn’t drag the song down for me. Hope this goes to #1!

#3 Bodak Yellow by Cardi B

• Cardi B’s flow feels over the top and annoying next to your standard trap hi hats and synth riff. Overrated!

#4 Too Good at Goodbyes by Sam Smith

• I like how the song builds up with the piano, guitar, strings and background vocals and calms down at the end for the finish. Like most of this retro soul music, I don’t mind it compared to a lot of big mainstream music

#5 Thunder by Imagine Dragons

• The chipmunk effects on the chorus are annoying as well as Dan Reynolds ending every line on his verses with an upward inflection. But despite that, I really don’t care for it cause just like most of Imagine Dragons’ music, it’s real purpose is to serve as filler for the radio and be used in commercials which it has been many times and doesn’t generate any emotional reaction from me.

#6 1-800-273-8255 by Logic ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid

• While I definitely appreciate anyone making a song bringing awareness to an issue like suicide, parts of the execution feels off to me. Those enthusiastic chants during Logic’s chorus of “Who can relate! Whoo!” sound so inappropriate for the sad and empowering tone of the song. Logic also doesn’t bring a lot of the emotion and detail in his parts compared with Alessia Cara and Khalid who do a much better job at portraying the feelings of helplessness and empowerment. Those strings and piano also help to set the mood and I like how they get louder towards the end. I appreciate this song more for its intent than its execution

#7 Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man

• It’s a real nice breath of fresh air to have some indie rock next to Migos and Post Malone. Everything about the song works for me from the bass riff that opens the song to how the lyrics and music tries to bring back the 60s feeling of revolution and rebellion with the title implying the singer still feels that feeling today. Despite this, my one problem with this song is that it’s under three minutes long. For me, I like songs more in the regular 3-5 minute length and for a song like this I wish it could’ve had another minute or two cause this is one cool jam.

#8 Perfect by Ed Sheeran

• This is pretty much a retread of “Thinking Out Loud” with the guitar tones and solo, typical ballad chord progressions, and lyrics about falling in love that just like “Thinking Out Loud” make it a perfect soundtrack for proms and weddings. I do appreciate on this song the sweet sounding violins and organs that help make the song more romantic sounding.

#9 What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 ft. SZA

• Like the funky groove that runs through much of the song and Adam Levine and SZA work well together. While I haven’t cared much for Maroon 5 in the 2010s, this is a song from them I don’t mind

#10 Mi Gente (Remix) by J Balvin, Willy William ft. Beyoncé

• This song actively annoys me with that constant vocal loop that sounds like a llama yelling along with the clattering percussion on the chorus that makes it even more unlistenable. Just like “Despacito,” this song only got big thanks to an English remix with a big pop star, which in this case is Beyoncé. And like Justin Bieber on “Despacito,” Beyoncé is unneeded and is only here to give this song crossover English appeal. J Balvin is boring and Willy William does his Pitbull impression. After translating the Spanish lyrics it does look and sound like something that Pitbull would have done during his peak hit-making period from 2009-2013. Overall, this song is an annoying mess.