Taylor Swift - reputation (Album Review)

While better than initially expected, Taylor Swift releases the worst, and most "personal", album of her career.

Release date: 10 November 2017
Record label: Big Machine
Genre: Pop
Best songs: "New Year's Day", "Dancing With Our Hands Tied", "Getaway Car"
Worst songs: "Dress", "Gorgeous", "End Game" (ft. Future and Ed Sheeran), "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things", "King of My Heart", "So It Goes..."
Rating: 4/10

See, I love Taylor Swift. She's not only my all-time celebrity crush (I guess), but she's a really good musician, with a knack for good hooks, a good instrumentalist and songwriter, and has a lot of charisma and personality in her voice. But just because you have all that, it doesn't mean the album is going to be good. Now, I knew this was going to happen. She'd find someone, and she'd be all lovey-dovey about it. But is it actually good? Well...

I suppose we'll talk about the good songs first. We get the beautiful piano ballad "New Year's Day", about holding on to the good and bad memories, as they're both valuable. While the production is sparse, and her voice isn't the greatest (my main issue is it's a bit airy), but really I don't have too much issue with this track. It's kind of being appreciative of her past, and not letting that bring her down. The issues of the past can often help you improve and I think she's finally realized that. Another song I really like is "Getaway Car". It's pretty damn catchy, and the comparison to how being in a getaway car is similar to a certain relationship in the fact that "nothing good happens at the end". The references to Bonnie and Clyde actually work here, she knows it isn't going to work out between them, it's going to end badly. And is there perhaps some admittance to cheating on here? Now, this is speculation, don't attack, but labeling yourself a "traitor" and that you turned him in is pretty alarming, especially when you connect to other songs, indicating she was interested while she was still in a relationship. And really, "Look What You Made Me Do" fit nowhere on this record. Doesn't match the theme, and it's far more dark than really... anything. Now, Taylor often has this issue constantly on this record, and I'll get to it later, when she talks about Joe Alwyn, her boyfriend, and it really just misses the mark. Well, one where I feel it does actually work is "Dancing With Our Hands Tied". Granted, there is that line about a "sacred oasis", which is just really gross. That aside, while she kept dating guys, I remember her saying (can't remember when to be honest), that due to her celebrity status, she'd likely remain single. Which does make me sympathize, because she seems like an awesome person. Well, now, she seems to have found "the one", even though the odds may seem against them in this industry, as being in the spotlight seems to hurt a lot of couples. She was able to keep this under wraps for quite a while and she seems to love this guy more than ever.

And I say this because I wouldn't be surprised if Swifties go and call me jealous for not liking the sex songs on this album. And I guess that could be part of it. Blatant sexuality like the lyrics of "Dress" or "So It Goes..." just come off as really too try-hard. "I only bought this dress so you could it off", how much your hands are shaking from all this moaning, and the "scratches on your back". But she does look hot in black, so I appreciate the imagery I guess? But seriously, first off, I don't need to hear how much good fucking you're getting, and really, it sounds like it comes from a Disney star who just turned 18 and discovered she can be "sexy" now. I mean, come on. She's even making alcohol references a whole lot more now, and it comes off as lot more mature and lot less corny. A lot of this sexiness seems forced. And while "...So It Goes" is a bit catchy, the spareness of the instrumentation at points can show off just how bare-boned her vocals can be. Not much weight to them. And the airiness of "Dress"'s vocals do make sense with the message, but she sounds far sensual and sexy in her lower range, and it has this awkward rhythmic cadence. Look, "This Is Why We Can't Have Things" was fine for a bit, but it does sound like it could have come from '1989'. And the vocal quirks, especially that laugh, was cringey as fuck. Or some of the odd "Drama!" sounds to her voice. Same with "Gorgeous", which starts off with that irritating baby voice which annoys me every time I hear it. "I Did Something Bad" was alright, how she kinda acknowledges she liked being bad, but the "da da da" just... no.

On "End Game", Future is uninteresting in his typical mumble rap drawl that's very uninteresting. And it's just as very generic except for the parts that aren't great. Ed Sheeran's more melodic "rap" delivery may come off as better as than Future's, but he did it better on "Galway Girl" on his latest album. Plus, why get them on a song? I get Sheeran's your friend, but he's been boring for quite a bit for the most part, and Future's one of the worst hip-hop artists with a big following right now. And "King Of My Heart", while I like the sentiment, those robotic vocaloid-esque vocals are a huge turn-off for me. They're usually only good on an actual vocaloid song. And really, besides the references to exes and their expensive cars, there is nothing that puts this outside generic territory.

And really, that's my problem throughout a lot of this record. Her tracks towards Joe, all this lovey-dovey stuff, it just doesn't work for me, they're often pretty by-the-numbers. Usually when there's references like this, I can at least put myself in her shoes, and feel like it's believable for the most part. I couldn't do it often here. I can't believe I'm doing this, but... 4/10, and I think I'm being generous. The lyrical content is decent this time around (save some cringey as hell lines). If it gets a lot of listens for me, it'll be just for filler. But check out "New Year's Day", "Dancing With Our Hands Tied". and "Getaway Car". I can't recommend this. It's bad when you're trying to like songs because they're from Taylor Swift and not because they're good. She's completely manufactured, and seems to have become a product of her label, which is disappointing. There's not much for a normal person to grab onto here. And I'm astonished how this is her most well-received record (at least from the public given its debut sales), because as someone who is kinda toting the fan/not fan line at this point... this is very much trying my patience.

So yeah. This'll be controversial. If you heard it, let me know what you think. Respectfully disagree please, if you're going to disagree. But feel free to call me a faggot, and out of touch if you want, I guess.

Marilyn Manson dethrones Thomas Rhett with "KILL4ME" as men dominate the Top 5

The rock legend earns his first #1 on the chart with "KILL4ME", as it moves 2-1. Also, Chika Arimura and Little Big enters the Top 10.

As Marilyn Manson earns his first #1, he is the first metal/rock act to top the chart. He also moves in the Top 5 with another song, "We Know Where You Fucking Live", as it rises 9-4. While not posted, Manson boasts #1 and #3 on the Rock Songs chart. His new #1 dethrones five-week leader, "Marry Me" by Thomas Rhett, as it falls 1-2. Recently announced as 'Life Changes' third single however, it does have a chance to rebound. It also holds for a seventh week on the Country Songs chart. "hold on" by flor rises 5-3. And rounding out the Top 5 is MAX's "Lights Down Low", which rebounds 8-5, partly due to a stripped down version released. With Taylor Swift's exit (which will be told further down), the Top 5 is entirely composed of men.

Olivia Holt's "Generous" holds on to #6, with a loss in performance after the gain from the Top 20 last week, as does Poppy's "Software Upgrade", which falls 4-7. Our first new Top 10 entry comes from Japanese cosplayer/pornographic actress, Chika Arimura. "I Live My Life For You", picks up, going 14-8. Also, Russian group Little Big rises 32-9 with "Fucking Asshole". And rounding out the Top 10, is "I'm Poppy" by Poppy, which loses 7-10.

Below the Top 10, we get MAX's new single "Meteor", which debuts at #12. The Christmas song from Lindsey Stirling, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" featuring Sabrina Carpenter, climbs 44-21. We also continue the losses for Taylor Swift, as her songs fall even faster than initially predicted. "Look What You Made Me Do" falls out of the Top 20, falling to #25. And "...Ready For It?" collapses almost falls out of the chart entirely, plummeting 3-49. Parent album 'reputation' tracks for next week though, so they might recover. Speaking of that album, 'reputation' tracks "Getaway Car" and "New Year's Day", debuts at #1 and #2 on the Bubbling Under chart, respectively.

Full chart: https://crownnote.com/charts/naos/my-top-50-22

Taylor Swift - Red (Throwback Album Review)

Going back to 2012 five years ago today, to look at Taylor Swift's first "pop" record, featuring some of her best, and some of her worst. Some of her most mature, and simultaneously, least.

Release date: 22 October 2012
Record Label: Big Machine
Genre: Pop, country, rock
Best songs: "All Too Well", "22", "Begin Again", "State Of Grace", "Come Back... Be Here" (Deluxe Edition only)
Worst songs: "I Knew You Were Trouble.", "The Lucky One", "The Last Time" (ft. Gary Lightbody), "Everything Has Changed" (ft. Ed Sheeran)
Rating: 6/10

Well, first off, my sincerest apologies for procrastinating this review for so long. But since the fifth anniversary of this album is the day of posting, I figured, why not today? Let's just right into it, shall we?

The album opens up with "State Of Grace", an... alternative rock song. Interesting. The song reminded me a lot of Muse interestingly enough. With the melody being largely driven by electric guitar. I also hear a bit of U2 on this song too. Swift delivers from very powerful vocals to this track, and in my opinion, one of her best vocal performances to date. And then we get "Red", and look, the lyrics are fine. But this song is the same problem I have with a lot of Ed Sheeran material. It sounds like filler for Adult Contemporary radio, and despite this being in a lot of ways, a country song, some of these vocal effects... just no. If she went for less generic production here, I would have loved this, the guitar solo is good, and it has this feeling of intense love that I do like.

Further down, we get "22", a fun single about being young and just having fun. It's funny how she says "dress like hipsters", when she wears a fedora on this record (the kinda hats I like by the way). It's really catchy, and as someone who didn't have a lot of fun throughout my young life, it's a nice little song that just is fun to sing and (probably) to dance to. I also want to talk about the two collaborations. First, "The Last Time". I don't like Snow Patrol really unless it's "Chasing Cars", so I'm already biased. I'm not too fond of his vocals. Gary Lightbody's upper range is weak, and I feel they probably should have harmonized lower. The chemistry just doesn't seem there, and both singers sound like it's a typical day in the studio. The second one is with Ed Sheeran in "Everything Has Changed", and look. It's emotional, they have some nice chemistry, but it's too cute, and taking this as a relationship... no. I could never see Taylor dating Sheeran. It's unconvincing. It's pretty generic in its composition too, a basic acoustic melody. Get this crap outta here!

Now, I want to talk about the single, "I Knew You Were Trouble.". While "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" was annoying for a bit, it was pretty fun, and didn't have irritating pseudo dub-step breakdowns. I get hating the guy who's a bad boy, and that you're nothing but a "notch in his belt", he's a douchebag, I get it. But, looking at your relationship history, a lot of who you've dated are these guys who like to fuck and run. Remember John Mayer? The lyrical content itself is fine, but when you're jumping from bad boy to bad boy... girl, it's hard to have sympathy for you. But ironically, after this comes the heartbreaking "All Too Well". Why was this never released as a single? At least in my Top 10 of Taylor Swift songs, possibly my #1. Here, she acknowledges she's not over this guy, reminiscing on the experience, and hey, I can't relate to that because I'm probably going to die alone, but putting myself in your shoes... yeah, I definitely can understand it. Another great vocal performance, with an emotional delivery, and amazing writing. I'm not much a crier, but this song... it's amazing.

Look, this album was better than I remember, but it's showing two sides to Taylor that clash. The mature, understanding Taylor, and the immature teenage Taylor, which doesn't work when you're 22, especially if you're trying to be more mature on other songs. 6/10, there's still some pretty good songs, but the immaturity turns me off a lot of the time, and some of it is just generic and uninteresting. But it also features some of her best songs, and a lot of it's honest. So, if you're a fan, you'll probably like it. If not... I'd say go for "All Too Well", "22", and from the deluxe "Come Back.. Be Here".

Thomas Rhett dethrones Taylor Swift with "Marry Me"; MAX and Marilyn Manson enter Top 10

Pop country singer Thomas Rhett goes to #1 with "Marry Me".

Yes, Thomas Rhett gives the chart its first #1 country single "Marry Me". Rhett earns his second #1 following "Unforgettable". After a month of leading the chart, "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift falls to #2. But it could go back to #1, given the fact the chart gives priority to songs that are official singles, while "Marry Me" is just an album track. "Cut to the Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen holds on to #3, despite a pretty heavy loss during the week. "...Ready For It?" by Taylor Swift rises to #4, a new peak, as it is the second single from 'reputation'. Rounding out the Top 5 is "Too Much to Ask" by Niall Horan, which takes a slight slip.

Now, the rest of the Top 10 is far more exciting. "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett picks back up to #6, off of the weakness of his other song "Craving You", falling to #7. Now, we get three new Top 10 entries. "Lights Down Low" by MAX rises 20-8, "KILL4ME" by Marilyn Manson shoots up 20-9, and for the biggest gain of the week, "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift leapfrogs 46-10, off of my analysis of parent album 'Red'.

Two newer songs near the Top 10 as, "Reggaeton Lento" by CNCO and Little Mix rises 15-12 and "hold on" by flor rises 30-15.

Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" tops Top 50 for fourth week, Echosmith enters Top 10

Taylor Swift once again rules the chart with "Look What You Made Me Do". Also, Echosmith enters the Top 10.

"Look What You Made Me Do" leads for a fourth week, but it could be facing competition down the road. And that'll likely come from "Marry Me" by Thomas Rhett. Still holding on to #2, its small gains with Swift's small loss could give it just enough to overtake "Look What You Made Me Do". "Cut to the Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen holds on to #3, and it looks to be in the running for #1 as well. Another big gain for "Too Much to Ask" by Niall Horan, as it rises 9-4. He recently was #1 for one week with "Slow Hands", and "This Town" was #1 on the year-end list for 2016. "...Ready For It?" by Taylor Swift, makes another healthy gain, from 7-5. As it's announced to be the next single from 'reputation', it could make a big boost in the future.

Somehow, "Craving You" by Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris takes only a light fall, from 5-6. Like I said, Top 10 mainstay. But it could fall out to healthier competition. "Bring It On Down" by Rhymeberry looks to be that, rising 10-7. "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett, holds on to #8. It will not be lasting much longer. "Hey Guapo" by Play-n-Skillz and kirstin collapses 5-9, getting a major loss in points this week... and finally, at #10, "Future Me" by Echosmith, rising from No. 17. I don't think it'll last long past the album, but it's a pretty good song, so who knows?

Now, two songs are making major rises below the Top 10. "Country Song (Pandering)" by Bo Burnham goes 40-11, and "Reggaeton Lento" by CNCO and Little Mix makes another big gain, rising 30-15. Both could be making plays for the top 10 in the future.

Looking early to next week, "Marry Me" and "Look What You Made Me Do" will be fighting for the #1 spot. 

Drake Bell - 'It's Only Time (Throwback Album Review)

For this review, we'll be going back to a stellar album of Beatleseque goodness that 'Drake & Josh' star Drake Bell released in 2006.
Release date: 5 December 2006
Record label: Universal Motown
Genre: Power pop, pop rock
Best songs: "Makes Me Happy", "I Know", "Fallen For You", "Fool The World", "Do What You Want", "Rusted Silhouette"
Worst songs: "End It Good"
Rating: 10/10
NOTE: Skip to second paragraph to skip background info.

Ah, Drake Bell. Most of reading this will know who he is... because of me. But I don't praise someone without good reason, and this album is a very good example of that. Drake Bell's an amazing musician, showing prowess on several instruments. While he's mainly a guitarist, he's a pretty good pianist as well. And his range is really good, especially in his later works. Now, for those who don't know, Drake Bell's an actor/musician who got his start at the age of 5 in several commercials, notably one memorable one for the video game 'Pokemon Red & Blue', and a nice little role in Tim Allen's 'Home Improvement'. He later, when filming the 2001 film 'Chasing Destiny', got his initial guitar lessons from The Who's Roger Daltery. And Daltery clearly had an influence, as he went on to take guitar as his primary instrument, and his music from 2005-2014, encompassing three studio albums, got major influences from the 1950s and 1960s, and a bit of 1980s as well. He later went on to star on Nickelodeon's 'The Amanda Show', and 'Drake & Josh', where he had his breakthrough roles. Now, to music. Bell's most successful record, it shot him to super stardom in Latin America. While it only debuted at #81 on the Billboard 200, with 23,000 copies sold (it later went on to sell 200,000 copies in the US), and he only had a song reach the Bubbling Under chart, in Mexico, the album was a Top 5 success, and yielded the #1 single "I Know". Which led to him to selling out Auditorio Nacional, a venue with over 10,000 people, and performing to 50,000-60,000 people on several occasions... and that record was 'It's Only Time'.

I didn't understand it at the time, but if this came out from a current Nickelodeon star, I'd be astonished. Most artists from Nick are putting cookie-cutter pop... and here we get Beatles harmonies, references to Norma Jean, Mildred Davis, and Harold Lloyd, and production that sounds like it was largely influenced by Abbey Road Studio. Colour me intrigued. Now let's get to the tracks themselves. "Up Periscope" is a breezy jam that could've fit well in the summer, with obvious references to sex. It opens up with a monologue of a... submarine captain? This guy has been listening to 'Yellow Submarine' or something? And while there are some cheesy lines like "Don't you want to be the captain of your submarine?", which sounds like he wants to ride her, not the other way around, Bell's charisma pays off. The second track, the lead single "I Know", which was promoted at TRL, became huge in Mexico, and reached over 20 million views on YouTube. Opening up with really good instrumentation, the piano diddly is clearly very 60s influenced. It's clear the girl's despreate for love, and she'll take anyone who will fulfill her fantasy. This track's surprisingly accusatory despite it's more upbeat sound. Calling her out as "the pride of every fake that comes around". She's just a groupie who isn't in any way talented and just hangs out with celebrities all the time. But he does acknowledge they're both in the wrong, and that he's in love with her, something not a lot of people can do... I'll give him some credit.

Then we get the track "Do What You Want". Another piano driven song, the relationship doesn't appear to work out after the break-up, as they're pretty angry. He does censor out the cursing, but Bell tells her to just do what she wants, be free, live how you want, if that's what you want. It's clear she doesn't want this anymore. And he just wants to be done with it. The anger really shows here, and it's a pretty damn good song. Now, the title track, has a bigger gear towards guitar on this song. Oddly enough, the lyrics seem to tell that he's cheating, and "It's Only Time till you find out", and it's because she wasn't appreciative enough. Hmm... okay. Not going to typical route of saying "sorry". "Found a Way" is next, of course the 'Drake & Josh' theme song. I'm not too fond on the acoustic version of track, his delivery doesn't fit the acoustic backing. Still decent though. The second single, "Makes Me Happy", reminds me largely of "Baby's Coming Back" by 80s power pop band Jellyfish (believe me, hear the guitar line in both songs), and it's a pretty upbeat love song about how this girl makes him happy, and it's basic, but effective all the same. Damn catchy too. Now I don't even know what "Fool the World" means, but it's piano line sounds so 60s, I just couldn't not love it. "Everyone would love me if I could fool the world", hmm... what I got from this, is Drake doesn't have to be honest about who he is, and if he fooled the world, everyone would love him. Pretty interesting I guess. Now, what followed was a interesting medley.

"Fallen For You" starts it with references to Jelly Shoes of the 80s and 90s... okay. And he name drops Buddy Holly, Betty Page, and Norma Jean. Seriously, I'm just thinking this kid was really born in the wrong era. He likes classic girls, I guess. I do wonder why he should lie about his age, though. Is she older? I mean, he was dating Stevie Ryan at the time, and she was a bit older, so maybe it was her? Sounds sweet. "Rusted Silhouette", once again, loving the 60s feel. Sounds like something I could see Paul McCartney putting out. Drake here, appears to have been friend-zoned, after "Falling For You". He gets cocky, calling her a "lucky one" that he's coming over, but she wouldn't have it. It's a very dreary track for just being rejected, saying he likes her company more than a "sympathy symphony". Now, "Break Me Down" is a medley of both songs, where he takes about him wanting to get his "78s and 45s" back after a break-up... seriously, man. Retro references all over. And finally, we get "End It Good", which goes even more retro and sounds like a ragtime song from the 1910s. And it's pretty good, albeit, short, and really goofy and cheesy, with again, another retro reference, to B.B. Daniels. It also features vocals from the late Stevie Ryan, and does end the album "good", I guess.

All in all, this was a really amazing record that I'd recommend for any Beatles fan, especially of their weirder stuff or records like 'Yellow Submarine' or 'Abbey Road' or 'Rubber Soul'. 10/10, I'll take this over whatever kid pop star's putting out a record now. So, thanks for reading, I will be reviewing Taylor Swift's 'Red' next, so stay tuned for that.

Taylor Swift Spends a Third Week at No. 1 With "Look What You Made Me Do", RHYMEBERRY Debuts

Taylor Swift continues to dominate, being No. 1 for a third week with "Look What You Made Me Do". Also, RHYMEBERRY debuts.

Obviously, as previously stated "Look What You Made Me Do" spends a third week at the top. Interestingly enough, it appears to have a small gain in performance. Now, while it can't challenge just yet, "Marry Me" by Thomas Rhett inches up, moving 3-2. It's still going pretty strong, and could become the next No. 1, unless something robs it. Having a better week than expected, "Cut to the Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen moves 7-3, almost nearing the points of the No. 2 song. 

In a particularly bad week for Kirstin Maldonado, "Break a Little" fell hard out of the Top 10, and "Hey Guapo", her collaboration with Play-n-Skillz, falling to No. 4 with heavy losses in performance. Bleeding points fast, it can be out of the top 10 in as early as two weeks. At No. 5 we get "Craving You" by Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris. It seems to be a Top 10 mainstay as its points are falling, but extremely slowly. "My Mind Is For Sale" by Jack Johnson rises to No. 6, which is unexpected for a mellow, indie folk like this. But it hit a point peak and may not be sticking around much longer. To continue Taylor Swift's fortunes, "...Ready For It", moves 9-7 for a new peak, and a new peak in points. It'll likely be heading for a Top 5 position in the future. Now, a previous No. 1, "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett, is in the opposite position, falling 5-8. It won't be lasting much longer, but it had a pretty good run. 

Now, we get two new Top 10 entries. The first being "Too Much to Ask" by Niall Horan, which boosts 11-9, with decent performance, but nothing stellar. And our second song is a debut, and an unexpected one at that... "Bring It On Down" by RHYMEBERRY. The J-pop/rap song debuts at No. 10, despite having less than five days of tracking. This can be a No. 1 within the next few weeks. This is a very good week for international acts, as we have acts from Canada, the United States, Russia, the UK, Japan, and France on the chart.

Looking to next week, based on early predictions, Taylor Swift will likely be holding her #1 spot, "Hey Guapo" could be falling out of the top 10 entirely, and "...Ready For It?" and "Bring It On Down" will be fighting for a spot in the Top 5.

Taylor Swift Returns to #1, Jack Johnson Earns His First Top 10 Entry

In a particularly eventful week, Taylor Swift returns to #1 with "Look What You Made Me Do", Jack Johnson earns his first top 10 entry, and Carly Rae Jepsen and Sabrina Carpenter make big returns.

To start, "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift goes 5-1. It tallies its second non-consecutive week at #1. Now, this could've faced challenge from "Hey Guapo" by Play-n-Skillz and kirstin... except it had a pretty bad week. The real challenger is "Marry Me" by Thomas Rhett. Despite it not being a single, it is getting pretty big gains, so it will likely overtake "Hey Guapo" soon. Speaking of Thomas Rhett, he takes up the rest of the Top 5, as "Craving You" with Maren Morris holds on to #4, despite having a pretty bad week, should be out of the Top 10 soon. But it still held up over his other song, "Unforgettable" which took a massive loss in points as the album hype fades. As such, it replaces Taylor Swift's spot at #5.

Now, we get two returning entries to the Top 10, as "Why" by Sabrina Carpenter comes back at #6 (going 14-6), for a new peak. It only left because Thomas Rhett flooded the chart. And in a huge surprise boost, "Cut to the Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen returns to #7 (rising massively from 25-7), off of its music video. Could it gain more? Who knows. It's got competition from our only new song, "My Mind Is For Sale" by Jack Johnson. See, I did not expect this, but it's really good. The anti-Trump single reaches the top 10 with huge momentum. It is the first political song in the top 10.

And at #9, we get "...Ready For It?" by Taylor Swift, which is sticking around longer than I expect but not in the top 10 much longer. And finally, at #10... "Break a Little" by kirstin bounds 12-10? It really just shows how weak the bottom two songs are. In some good news, two big arrivals come right below. "Too Much To Ask" by Niall Horan debuts at #11, and "GUY.exe" by Superfruit at #12.

In our very early projections, it'll be a battle between "Marry Me" and "Look What You Made Me Do" for #1.

Full chart: http://crownnote.com/charts/naos/my-top-50-15

Thomas Rhett - 'Life Changes' (Album review)

Time to look at the third studio album from pop country star Thomas Rhett... and how it's... good?!
Release date: 8 September 2017
Record label: Valory Music Co., Big Machine Records
Genre: Pop country
Best songs: "Marry Me", "Craving You" (ft. Maren Morris), "Life Changes", "Sixteen", "Gateway Love", "Grave"
Worst songs: "Leave Right Now"
Rating: 8/10

To be honest, I didn’t even expect to cover this. Because to be honest, I hated Thomas Rhett when he was putting out atrocious songs like “Crash and Burn” and “Vacation”. Sure, his debut album ‘It Goes Like This’ could have been way worse, considering it was bro-country. But then, ‘Tangled Up’ was released, and oh, god, was it bad. Let’s just say, ISIS could’ve used it as torture. But, I did like “Die a Happy Man”, and “Star Of The Show”. “T-Shirt” wasn’t that bad. And then, we got the two singles, and I really liked them. And with all the promotional singles, I liked them much better than I thought, and I was excited for the album, so how was ‘Life Changes’?

Well, far better than what I expected when looking back at 2015. Pretty much everything is better. “Craving You” is a electric guitar driven song, and while it does do the overdone “love = drugs” kind of thing, it really doesn’t bother me. There’s a lot of energy to it, and Maren Morris definitely does well here. Even though she kinda blows Thomas Rhett out of the water. We also get “Unforgettable”. A pretty likable acoustic pop song. Sure, the percussion could be a little bit heavy, but the lyrical content is alright. It’s a nice love song. It’s followed by “Sixteen”, another acoustic driven song that leans a bit more country. And it’s surprisingly mature coming from Rhett. Looking back on the years, back when he thought big of things that were really pretty little. And I can get that. Then we get the obviously country “Drink a Little Beer”. Which features his father Rhett Akins. It’s not really a song like too much. It’s basically a song full of country cliches, and the little outro regarding his father’s possible comeback album, I wasn’t too fond of the advertisement. Just seemed pointless to me. And following this, we get the best song on the album, “Marry Me”. This is something I certainly didn’t expect from him. Basically, it's about if his wife (who he knew since they were like, 7) ended up marrying someone else, and the depression and alcoholism he would have to deal with, and that he'd still wish her happiness, despite loving her and having been friends forever. And I can understand that sentiment. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m going to be in this situation soon. And this is probably one of my favourite songs to come out in 2017. Another showing a ton of maturity, and emotional intensity that you don’t expect from Thomas Rhett. Piano was a good choice for the backing, but i don’t think the drums or anything else were necessary. Still a really good song.

“Smooth Like The Summer” is a pretty breezy track that would’ve worked for the… well, summer. But like “When You Look Like That” and “Sweetheart”, they weren’t all that interesting. Definitely not bad songs, but they’re barely above average. Although we get good tracks like “Life Changes”, where he talks about how his life is changing, how he’s all of sudden got two kids. Life can change that quickly. And… yeah, it’s catchy, mature, it’s pretty good. “Gateway Love” is a weird one. I didn’t like it at first, but it’s actually pretty good. Range is diverse, and his upper range again, sounds pretty decent. “Kiss Me Like a Stranger” seems to be R&B inspired. Nowhere near my favourite, but it isn’t bad. It's a fine enough hook-up jam. Also, "Grave", It's actually pretty good, especially the hook and message behind how Thomas will take her love to the grave. Then we get “Leave Right Now”, pretty basic, an generic EDM Chainsmokers song, which is of course, stealing a guy's girlfriend. Only bad song here, but even then... it isn't abysmal.

I liked it so much more than I thought. The writing’s a whole lot more mature, the production is still all over the place, but it’s usually good. Thomas Rhett doesn’t go into asinine territory with his lyrics, and he appears to have finally grown up. Those kids are doing good on him. Solid 8/10, I definitely recommend this! I'm looking forward to the next album!

Thomas Rhett Takes #1 and Dominates The Week With 'Life Changes' Album

Achieving far more than predictions indicated, the Country star achieves his first #1 with "Unforgettable". Along with this, he ties Taylor Swift for songs record, and ties for most songs in the Top 10.

As Thomas Rhett's "Unforgettable" moves 4-1, Rhett scores his first #1 song on the chart. He narrowly just missed the chart previously with "Craving You" (which moves 5-4), which peaked at #2. Along with this, Rhett debuts four songs in the wake of his 'Life Changes' album. Rhett's third studio album, has allowed him to match up records with the likes of Pentatonix and Taylor Swift.

The debuting songs are "Marry Me" (#3), "Life Changes" (#7), "Leave Right Now" (#9), and "Kiss Me Like a Stranger" (#10), which brings Rhett's Top 10 total to seven, tying Pentatonix, Superfruit, and kirstin, who have all achieved the feat. Rhett also narrowly beat the record, as "Gateway Love" debuts at #11. This disruption has kicked several successful songs out of the Top 10. Previous #1s, "Break a Little", and "Honest", took major drops this week due to Rhett. 

Rhett also ties pop/ex-country singer Taylor Swift for her record of having most songs in the Top 50, as Rhett achieved 16. All of 'Life Changes' is in the chart this week, aside from two tracks. Three of his previous hits remain in the chart: "Beer With Jesus", "Die a Happy Man", and "T-Shirt". He also debuts with his cover of Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man". He also narrowly missed beating this record as well, as "Star Of The Show" (which previously peaked at #8), just missed the required points to re-enter.

As of the rest of the Top 10, "Hey Guapo" falls 1-2, "Look What You Made Me Do" sinks 2-5, and "...Ready For It?" rises 10-8. 

Next week, we should see the fallout of an album bomb. But who knows? It could all stick around. Full chart coming soon.

kirstin and Play-N-Skillz dethrone Taylor Swift with "Hey Guapo"

So yes, kirstin returns again to #1 with "Hey Guapo". But Taylor Swift's not completely out of the running.

As "Hey Guapo" pushed "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift down to #2, it's not losing all that much. Both songs have over 9000 points. The rest of the chart seems pretty irrelevant, as all songs have almost less than double the points of these two. 

Naturally, this causes push-backs. "Honest" by Drake Bell down to #3 as it is just nowhere near as strong. However, a music video could be coming soon, so if it's good... who knows? But till then, it'll be replaced by "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett. Holding on to #4 with good gains. He has two other songs, "Craving You" falls to #5 as it's just losing in points now, with "Sixteen" up to #6. All songs may be getting a boost, as Rhett's 'Life Changes' album released on the 8th. 

"Break a Little" by kirstin falls to #7, falling pretty lighter than I thought, and "Why" by Sabrina Carpenter holds a #8. And we get two songs entering or re-entering the Top 10: "Sexy Ladies" by Superfruit boosts to #9, and the top debut goes to "...Ready For It?" by Taylor Swift at #10. The first promo single from 'reputation', as it was released on a Sunday, it had less chart impact than it would have. 

Now for next week, looking to predictions, "Hey Guapo" and "Look What You Made Me Do" will be battling it out for #1, and Thomas Rhett could push "Unforgettable" into the top 3. Full chart comes Friday.

Note: Also, I'm running out of pics for that girl.

Taylor Swift boosts to #1 with "Look What You Made Me Do"

The pop star goes 40-1. She also debuts a song in the Top 10, and takes up over 10% of the whole chart, breaking the record for most songs on the chart.

"Look What You Made Me Do" rises 39 spots to take the #1. It breaks multiple records this week. Most points earned in a week (10,000). This amount overtakes the previous record holder, kirstin's "Break a Little", by 3000 points. It also breaks the record for biggest jump to #1. I could this sticking around for a while, if only a certain someone didn't decide to drop a amazing song of Spanglish goodness (which I will get to later). Now, this pushes back "Honest" by Drake Bell down to #2, which is facing a lot of competition despite its momentum. Now, what doesn't have a lot of momentum is "Craving You" by Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris. Its days are numbered, it's lasted quite long. It'll be replaced soon likely by the #4, "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett. 

Now, "Imaginary Parties" by Superfruit and "Break a Little" by kirstin, these Pentatonix members have done well on the chart, but those songs are starting to sputter out. Now, we get to our #7, and I can't believe I'm saying this, it's "Sixteen" by Thomas Rhett, meaning we could have three Thomas Rhett songs in the Top 5 eventually. Joy. Now, another competitor is "Why" by Sabrina Carpenter, which rose 10-8, and it's still doing fine. Now, "Cut To The Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen... well, it might get a modest boost from Leap!, but it's falling to #10. If it does come back, it'll be short-lived. 

Back to discussing Taylor Swift, as the heartfelt ballad "Ronan", about a 4-year-old boy who died of nueroblastoma back in 2011, debuts at #9. It's a damn good song, and when people say all Taylor Swift writes about is breakups... there you go. Along with this, she takes over 10% of the chart, with 16 songs currently on the chart. But, the big challenger is "Hey Guapo" by kirstin and Play-N-Skillz. With only three hours of tracking, the Spanglish pop song debuts at #42, and like I said, could make a serious play for #1.

According to predictions, it may slightly overtake "Look What You Made Me Do", and could achieve double the points of Drake Bell's "Honest". If it does, it'll be the first foreign language song to top the chart, and will mark Kirstin's third #1 (not counting her work with Pentatonix). Although, these two songs may not be the best thing for the chart, as this could lead to a lock up of at least the top 2 spots, if not more.

For a link to the full chart for this week, click here!

kirstin - 'L O V E' EP - Album Review

The sole female singer from Pentatonix releases a pretty good pop EP.

Release date: 14 July 2017

Record label: RCA Records

Genre: Pop, Dance-pop

Best songs: "Break a Little", "Naked", "Bad Weather"

Worst songs: "See It", "All Night"

Rating: 8/10

Now, a little background. Every time music groups go on hiatus, maybe to do their own thing, or there's any sort of tension, or someone leaves, there tends to be rumours of breakups. And, this did happen with Pentatonix, an a cappella vocal group from Texas who gained prominence after their competing in the third season of 'Sing-Off'. Avi Kaplan, the vocal bass left the group, and it led to members feeling they could be doing solo projects. This brings to Kirstin Maldonado, the only female of the group. Who decided to release an EP influenced by a lot of recent dance-pop. So, what did we get with 'L O V E'?

Well, quite a bit actually, and no, this isn't because she's a cute Latina girl with an admitting good looking body. And yes, I'm pointing this out for a reason, just look at the album cover and one of the tracks, I'm not a huge pervert. She's one of the few pop stars aside from Adele who's not considered skinny. And like Adele, she's got the pipes, although I'd argue Kirstin's far better. It's actually a pretty tasteful piece of art. And it's representative of the album, especially the song I wanna talk about first: "Naked". One of my favourite songs, "Naked" talks about how her intimate most parts about herself (much like her body), are for her lover's eyes only. It starts with a couple sensual verses, leading to huge chorus about how "With you, I'm naked baby, with my clothes off", so even when she's put up her shield and try to hide, he can see through it. He can help her "get her clothes off". And really, you can take it as an outright sex song, because she actually comes off as sexy in her vocal tone and can really pull it off. It has that breathy sound that definitely works. The bumping bass and percussion in the chorus, and the nice quieter verses. It's a nice contrast. Next we'll talk about the lead single, "Break a Little". It starts with a nice piano, and slowly builds up, like with "Naked" with a bombastic chorus. The synths creating the dance-up elements are very well done, and the lyrics about a bad breakup gone wrong and that sticking with it, clinging to that person, could just make things worse. Which if you know Kirstin's romantic situation, it could be unconvincing, as she's engaged and soon to be married, but she's a good enough singer to convince me otherwise, it's a really great song and could have done well had RCA sent it to radio.

"Bad Weather" has a good instrumental loop, and she shows off her great, darker part of her range. Just own who you are, is what the songs is telling. Believe what you believe, and don't care what others say. It's very confrontational. Talking about rumours, and how they can give you a bad image, and it does kinda piss her off. Hell, a media outlet reviewing Kirstin cut up her interview and made her look petty. I guess Kirstin knew this was going to happen, or it happened to her already. It's a huge anger I haven't seen from her, and it's great. In "Something Real", I love the dance synth work on this song, it's a banger. And honestly, it's a fun, and it's kinda asking for sex. At least that's what I got from it. Then we get to see "See It", and it's not great, but it's decent. Far too percussion heavy, but I like the snaps. Has a okay bit of anger, not near "Bad Weather" however. Not much to say as a whole.

Now to the song I don't like... "All Night". It's not the lyrical content. I've gone through this situation. Someone on your mind, and you're not sure if they're actually good or bad for you. It is just all in your head, actually just wishing they were there for you? But the pitch shifting and repeating syllables... see if you got rid of that, I'd love the song. It's not bad by any means, but it's certainly not great. 

See, she has the look, personality, charisma, writing chops. She has the vocals to be able to pull off different emotions, and has an amazing range. I can definitely see her breaking into the mainstream. It's a crime she hasn't. Of course, there's always seems to be bad luck for artists I like, so maybe it's wishful thinking. 

Taylor Swift set to rise to #1 next week

If the predictions are correct, "Look What You Made Me Do" will be destroying the weekly points record.

Looking at point totals throughout the weeks, the pop star should easily overtake the record for most points obtained in a week. It also should have the biggest gain in points, and the biggest jump to #1. The previous record holder for the most points in one week was kirstin's "Break a Little". The song, which led at #1 for 10 weeks (the record so far), managed to score 7000 points for two weeks, in its debut week, and the week the parent EP 'Love' debuted. Crunching the numbers:

1. Look What You Made Me Do (+39) - 8000 (+7200)
2. Honest (-1) - 5200 (+300)
3. Craving You (-1) - 4200 (+100)
4. Unforgettable (+1) - 3800 (+900)
5. Imaginary Parties (+1) - 3500 (+300)
6. Break a Little (-2) - 3100 (-1000)
7. Sixteen (+1) - 2400 (+400)
8. Suna No Wakusei (+1) - 2200 (+200)
9. Why (+1) - 2000 (+100)
10. Cut To The Feeling (-3) - 1800 (-900)

Drake Bell's "Honest" returns to #1

The Nickelodeon star returns to #1 with "Honest". Also, Aly & AJ debuts in the Top 3.

With it still going strong, Drake Bell's "Honest" returns to #1. Which blocks Thomas Rhett from his #1, as "Craving You" featuring Maren Morris, is stuck at #2. And it may have to settle for #2. We'll get to that later. The comeback single from 2000s teen pop stars, Aly & AJ, makes a lofty debut at #3 with "Take Me" (note: Aly & AJ was originally estimated to debut at #1). "Break a Little" by kirstin took a hit, going 1-4. It's been around pretty long though, as it holds the record for most weeks at #1 (10). Rounding out the Top 5 is "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett, which holds the same position as last week.

Rising 8-6 is the #3 peaking "Imaginary Parties" by Superfruit. The Top 5 is relatively strong, so I don't see this getting much higher. I could make the same case for Carly Rae Jepsen's "Cut To The Feeling", which goes 6-7. But, the film "Leap!" is being released, so it'll probably get a boost from that. Now, Thomas Rhett scores his fourth Top 10 entry with "Sixteen", which rises 11-8. Rhett is the first artist to have three songs in the Top 10 at once that's not due to an album release. "Suna No Wakusei" by Hachi featuring Hatsune Miku loses 7-9, and finally "Why" by Sabrina Carpenter makes its first week in the Top 10, by rising to #10. 

Further down the chart, "1-800-273-8255" by Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid re-enters at #20. Now, the bigger story is "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift. The pop starlet debuts at #40, after only tracking for three hours. Prediction article coming later.

Kirstin's "Break a Little" Gets 10th Week at #1

"Break a Little" leads for its tenth week at #1, extending its record for longest running #1.

Yes, "Break a Little" further extended its record for another week, as it held up against "Craving You" by Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris, as it goes 4-2. The latter is going strong, while the former continues to slowly fall in performance. Drake Bell's "Honest" holds on to #3, as it has stabilized. "Glorious" by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey loses 2-4, as everything about it is just doing better. And, we get our first new Top 10 entry at #5: "Unforgettable" by Thomas Rhett. Roaring up from #11, it is Thomas Rhett's second Top 5 and third Top 10. Along with this, "Sixteen", also by Rhett, manages to debut at #11, it being the highest debut of the week. It is the third highest peaking country song, as "It Ain't My Fault" peaked at #10, and "Yesterday's Song" peaked at #2.

Now, "Cut To The Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen holds on to #6. It's doing okay for now, when Leap! gets released, it could continue to rise. It might not hold up against "Suna No Wakusei" by Hachi and Hatsune Miku, which goes 10-7. And, this brings "Imaginary Parties" by Superfruit down to #8, despite a gain in performance. I could see this getting a boost. Not the same case for "Naked" by kirstin, which falls 7-9 as it's just not holding up against everything else. And, off the album Rainbow, Kesha's "Praying" rises 14-10. While being a good song, it's not really something I listen to a ton, so it may not be in the Top 10 long, but speaking of Kesha, "Let 'Em Talk" featuring Eagles Of Death Metal is the highest debut from the album, debuting at #19.

My Top 50: Drake Bell's "Honest" Tops Chart

Drake Bell earns his third #1 on the chart with "Honest", which moves 17-1. Also, Brothers Osbourne reaches the Top 10.

As Drake Bell continues promotion for his EP 'Honest', the title track shoots up to #1. This makes his second #1 from the EP and third #1 on the chart overall. "Break a Little", in a close race, had to settle for #2, rising 3-2. "Glorious" by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey hits a new peak, rising 4-3. "Craving You" by Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris gets his first song in the Top 5, as it goes 9-4. And closing out the Top 5, the previous #1, "Naked" by kirstin, falls 1-5.

Drake Bell's "Rewind", falls 2-6. "Imaginary Parties" by Superfruit takes a modest fall from 6-7. "Cut To The Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen continues to do well, rising 10-8. "Leaves" by Drake Bell re-enters the Top 10, going 11-9. And finally, at #10 - "It Ain't My Fault" by Brothers Osburne (which goes 15-10). 

Regarding debuts, there were few. Only five, and only one got into the Top 40. Regarding large gains, "Suna No Wakusei" by Hachi featuring Hatsune Miku surges from 41-21, and "With You" by Alex J. O'Connor (a lovable atheist Brit who runs a YouTube channel called "CosmicSkeptic"), goes 50-24.

Now, predictions will be added to the Top 10 article (unless there is a close competition to be expected). "Break a Little" is set to return to #1. How it's looking:

1. Break a Little (+1) - 4900 (-100)

2. Glorious (+1) - 4200 (=)

3. Honest (-2) - 4000 (-1000)

4. Craving You (=) - 3900 (+400)

5. Cut To The Feeling (+3) - 3200 (+700)

6. Imaginary Parties (+1) - 3100 (-300)

7. Naked (-2) - 2700 (-800)

8. Bad Liar (+3) - 2500 (+250)

9. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (+3) - 2400 (+200)

10. Suna No Wakusei (+11) - 2000 (+1000)

Linkin Park - Artist Review

Credit: James Minchin

Artist grade: B

Vocal grade: B

Vocal range/type (Chester Bennington): Tenor, G2-G5 (Three octaves)

Best album(s): Hybrid Theory, Meteora, Minutes To Midnight

Worst album(s): One More Light

Best song(s): "In The End", "One Step Closer", "Leave Out All The Rest", "What I've Done", "Waiting For The End", "Burn It Down"

Worst song(s): "Heavy" (featuring Kiiara)

Positives: The late Bennington has (had) a immediately recognizable tenor voice, with a lot of presence. Exceptional belts. Darker timbre. A nice, decent range, but nothing exceptional. Often emotional, convincing delivery. Mike Shinoda, the rapper of the group, was able to deliver good bars and had a great flow. The writing often dealt with topics such as depression, which is pretty much what the band is known for, and they have the composition to match. They have pretty catchy songs and some great guitar riffs.

Negatives: Writing can come off as immature (like the band are a group of emo teenagers) or pretentious. Bennington's vocals can be a bit thin at times. The sellout to a more pop sound can be off-putting to people.

Predictions: "Break a Little" vs. "Honest" for #1

kirstin's "Break a Little" set to further extend record, returning to #1 for a ninth week. Or will Drake Bell take #1 with "Honest"?

Yes, "Break a Little" could go back to #1, as the songs above it appear to be falling. But it is Kirstin vs. Drake Bell once again, as they have about the same amount of points. The title track was announced as the second single from Bell's EP 'Honest'. Along with this, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, Kesha, and Brothers Osbourne will be making plays for the Top 10. What we have is:

1. Break a Little (+2) - 5000 (-100)
2. Honest (+15) - 5000 (+2800)
3. Glorious (+1) - 4800 (+50)
4. Naked (-3) - 4400 (-1100)
5. Rewind (-3) - 4200(-700)
6. Craving You (+3) - 3500 (+900)
7. Imaginary Parties (-1) - 3400 (+400)
8. Cut To The Feeling (+2) - 2500 (+300)
9. Leaves (+2) - 2400 (+200)
10. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (+4) - 2300 (+500)

Other songs fighting for the Top 10:
- "Bad Liar" - 2250
- "Strip That Down" - 2200
- It's Ain't My Fault" - 2200
- "Praying" - 2000

So, this week is looking to be slightly competitive.

Kirstin's "Naked" goes to #1; Linkin Park debuts in Top 10

Kirstin's "Naked" moves 2-1, and Linkin Park debuts in the Top 10. Also entering is Thomas Rhett and Echosmith.

So, yes, Kirstin's "Naked" goes to #1, meaning Kirstin has replaced herself. The Pentatonix member is the first artist to ever replace herself on the chart. And with that, let's look at the rest of the Top 10. "Rewind" by Drake Bell rebounds 8-2. Our previous #1, "Break a Little", falls 1-3. Though I myself can see it sticking around. "Glorious" by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey rises 7-4, hitting a new peak.

Now we get our first new Top 10 entry: "Goodbye" by Echosmith. It gains 17-5 as it's done well, though since I don't love the song, it probably won't be sticking around in the Top 10 long. A re-entry to the Top 10 comes to "Imaginary Parties" by Superfruit. My favourite track on their EP goes 12-6. Our second Top 10 entry comes from "In The End" by Linkin Park. It's off the wake of a death, it might not last long. Plus, it's a relatively old song. Speaking of that song, and keeping with the depression theme, Drake Bell's song of the same name manages to debut at #20.

"Bad 4 Us" by Superfruit rises 10-8. Not much to say, probably won't last long. The challenge comes from our third Top 10 entry... "Craving You" by Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris. What can I say? I like the song. It goes from 20-9, making it Rhett's second Top 10 entry. And it may outpeak "Star Of The Show". And finally, at #10, coming from #19 - "Cut To The Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen. Much better song that I originally gave it credit for.

Along with this, "My Mind Is For Sale", the heavily political track from Jack Johnson debuts at #19.

Top 10 Songs From Artists I Hate

So, for my first Top 10 list, I will be talking about my favourite songs from some artists I hate. I could probably do multiple of these, so I might. This will be based on a mix of factors, how much I hate the musician, and how much I like the song. At the end of the day, it's mostly interchangeable. I love all these songs. Starting off with...

10. Michael Jackson - "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"

I know, the pitchforks and torches. You don't like Michael Jackson? Burn the witch! Wait, just hear me out before we start re-enacting the Salem Witch Trials. Now it may sound hypocritical coming from me. As I have a feminine voice and I love voices like Mitch Grassi's or Chris Colfer's, his androgynous sound always sounded fake to me. Like a man trying to sound like a woman. Not a man that naturally has a feminine touch, or like Grassi, just straight can sound like a woman, Jackson sounds like he tries too hard. Really evident from the more spoken sound at the beginning of the song. It's airy. And Jackson's voice seems to think volume equals power. But yeah, this song is really good. The 80s production, Jackson's upper range sounding pleasant, and his lower notes sound powerful. I love the six-piece horn section as well.

9. Drake - "Best I Ever Had"
Oh, when Drake was good. Not all that good, mind you. I can't even really point out why I like this song. His singing and rapping doesn't sound lazy, and he actually sounds invested. But he tends to go off-topic, and this song comes off as cocky. No one knows who you are at this point really, and girls think your songs are about them? Please, bitch.

8. Maroon 5 - "Won't Go Home Without You"
Back when Maroon 5 wasn't the worst thing ever, I didn't dread a new song from them, and Adam Levine was a competent vocalist. Neat. Well, I love this song to this day. Getting a very similar guitar line to The Police's excellent song "Every Breath You Take", Levine of Maroon 5 delivers a heartfelt track, that's affectionate. Please, Maroon 5, go back to this. Don't continue to be garbage.

7. Kanye West - "Stronger"
Now, with West, it's mainly his ego. Because he's a very good producer and rapper. But there are times like with 'The Life of Pablo', he can just be terrible. Make more stuff like this and "Gold Digger".

6. Skrillex - "Purple Lamborghini" (with Rick Ross)


Not much to say. Rick Ross is a decent rapper here and Skrillex actually does the production quite well.

5. David Guetta - "Titanium" (ft. Sia)
Now this song's just beautiful. Sia's beautiful voice telling about no matter the hardships in life, whatever "bullets" get to us... that we're bulletproof and they'll just bounce off. You know, after I saw this video, I found the Christina Grimmie cover... and I just got depressed as hell, so let's just end this here, shall we?

4. Black Eyed Peas - "Where Is The Love?"


Such an excellent track before the Black Eyed Peas went to shit. Being an actual hip-hop group rather than EDM, the group tackles issues such as terrorism, racism, war, and even violence against gay people. And it goes along with very good uncredited vocals from Justin Timberlake. If they went back to making music like this... I probably would have been a fan.

3. R. Kelly - "I Believe I Can Fly"
He could be good, but R. Kelly is too garbage of a human being. And that forever taint his music for me. Look, this song was a part of my childhood, and R. Kelly definitely has a good delivery. But since he thinks it's okay to marry 15 year olds and run sex cults... all I gotta say is fuck you!

2. Thomas Rhett - "Craving You" (ft. Maren Morris)
Now, this one's a bit more lighthearted. I always hated Thomas Rhett for the nepotism and the fact country radio gives him hits despite his songs being bottom of the barrel when it is country, and there's some pop disguising itself as country. This song is a full pop song, and I admit, it's pretty good. Thomas Rhett should be focusing on pop radio. Very nice, albeit familiar sounding melody, the harmonies from Maren Morris are pretty good, though I wish she got a bigger part. "Star Of The Show" definitely could have qualified for this list as well.

1. Justin Bieber - "Maria"


I feel like this song is very similar thematically to "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Stan" by Eminem, or "Loretta" by Will Smith. Crazy fans. And I tend to like these songs. And while this one's a bit brighter toned, it's amazing. Bieber has a strong falsetto, the production is catchy. This is Bieber at his best. If he did music like this on a regular basis, I'd probably be a fan. Good work.

Conclusion
So, yeah, that's my list. Let me know of what you think in the comments, and maybe give a list of your own. Thanks for reading!

Predictions: "Break a Little" set to be dethroned at #1

Shot from kirstin's music video for "Naked".

kirstin is looking to be dethroned... by kirstin.

Yes, for the first time on the Top 50 so far, an artist appears to be dethroning themselves from #1. "Naked" appears to be leading in the way of points. "Break a Little"'s still got its record for now. Along with this, "Glorious" by Macklemore and "Rewind" by Drake Bell both will battle with "Break a Little" for the #2 spot, and Echosmith could be making a play for the Top 5. Linkin Park, Thomas Rhett are also making possible Top 10 entries. So let's look at predictions:

1. Naked (+1) - 5500 (=)
2. Break a Little (-1) - 5100 (-1400)
3. Glorious (+4) - 5000 (+200)
4. Rewind (+4) - 4900 (+200)
5. Goodbye (+12) - 3700 (+2000)
6. Bad 4 Us (+4) - 3500 (-200)
7. In The End (debut) - 3400
8. Imaginary Parties (+4) - 3000 (+500)
9. Craving You (+11) - 2600 (+1300)
10. Cut To The Feeling (+9) - 2200 (+600)

Kirstin takes entire Top 6, while Echosmith debuts in the Top 20

kirstin dominates the Top 6 with her 'L O V E' EP, while also taking the record for most weeks at #1.

So let's get to it. First, "Break a Little" holds on to #1 for an eighth consecutive week, beating out previous record holder, "Run Away" by Drake Bell, which led for seven weeks. It doesn't end there for kirstin's good fortunes, however.

All of her EP's album tracks in the Top 5. "Naked" (#2), "Bad Weather" (#3), "Something Real" (#4), "See It" (#5), and "All Night" returns to the Top 10 at #6. As for the rest of the Top 10, "Glorious" by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey falls 5-7, Drake Bell's album tracks "Rewind" falls 2-8 and 3-9 respectively. And "Bad 4 Us" by Superfruit clings on, going 6-10.

Further down, we get two new entries to the Top 20. Echosmith brings their first Top 20 with "Goodbye", which debuts at #17. And Thomas Rhett's "Craving You" with Maren Morris, rises 25-20, earning him his second Top 20 (following "Star Of The Show", which peaked at #8). Along with this, "Sakura Kiss" by Kristine Sa makes a return to #25, and "Just Like You" by Megan Lee debuts in the Top 40.

Thank you for reading, and the chart will finish updating possibly later today, if not tomorrow. Prediction thread will be posted today as well, along with possibly a Top 10 list (or two) coming up, so stay tuned for that.

kirstin expected to dominate next week, as she looks to be debuting all of her EP in the Top 6.

kirstin's 'L O V E' EP appears to be dominating next week.

kirstin appears to be one of the only artists I care about a whole lot releasing an album, her album blitz is coming. If the predictions are correct, "Break a Little" will break "Run Away"'s record for most weeks at #1. Due to this, songs are expected to crash hard next week despite gains in overall performance.

What it's looking like currently:
1. Break a Little (=) - 6500 (+500)
2. Naked (debut) - 5500 
3. Bad Weather (debut) - 5400
4. Something Real (debut) - 5300
5. See It (debut) - 5200
6. All Night (+8) - 5000 (+2500)
7. Rewind (-5) - 4950 (-1025)
8. Leaves (-5) - 4800 (-1150)
9. Glorious (-4) - 4800 (-400)
10. Bad 4 Us (-4) - 4700 (-300)

"Break a Little" returns to the summit; Drake Bell debuts three songs in the Top 5

"Break a Little" rebounds 2-1, and Drake Bell debuts in the Top 5 with 'Honest' EP.

Yes, kirstin (who just looks gorgeous in the picture I decided to use, by the way) once again returned to #1 with "Break a Little". By returning, it makes its seventh week at #1, tying with the current record holder, Drake Bell, with his song "Run Away" (which returns at #20). Speaking of Drake Bell, he debuts all of his album tracks in the Top 5. "Rewind" debuts at #2, being only 25 points away from kirstin (the latter song was bought on Thursday, which just gave it the edge). "Leaves" and "Honest" debut at #3 and #4 respectively.

A new entry to the Top 5 is the new single from Macklemore, "Glorious", which features Skylar Grey, gains 9-5. Last week's #1 "Bad 4 Us" by Superfruit, crashes 1-6, and their album track "Imaginary Parties" loses 3-7. Liam Payne and Quavo continue their ascent in the Top 10, as "Strip That Down" goes 10-8, for a new peak. The final two songs re-enter the Top 10 - "Coming In Hot" comes back at #9 and "Slow Hands" comes back to close the Top 10.

As previously mentioned, "Run Away" by Drake Bell returns at #20. Other songs with big gains both make entries into the Top 20, as "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" by Shawn Mendes makes an unexpected gain of 30-11, and "Unpredictable" by Olly Murs and Louisa Johnson shoots up 29-19.

Big songs expected next week from: Echosmith, Selena Gomez, and a gain from Bruno Mars. kirstin is expected to do well next week, so stay tuned for that. 

Prediction post: http://naosslife.blogspot.com/2017/07/kirstin-expected-to-dominate-next-week.html

It's kirstin vs. Drake Bell for #1 on the Top 50

Well, two of my favourite artists going up against each other for a #1. Interesting.

As Drake Bell's EP 'Honest' will be debuting on the chart next week, he had a very good shot at #1. His only clear competition for #1 is Kirstin Maldonado. Her single "Break a Little" has led at #1 for six consecutive weeks before dethroned. As with strong performance and her own EP release coming the week after, it has a good chance of still dominating.

The most likely candidate to block kirstin's return will be Bell's "Rewind". However, any songs off the EP with the exception of "Run Away" have a chance at #1. Speaking of "Run Away", it led the Top 50 (previously My Hot 100), for seven consecutive weeks. kirstin therefore, has a shot to tie his record for most weeks at #1. "Run Away" so far leads the year-end list and will probably be able to return to the Top 20 next week.

Other candidates gaining in the Top 10 will include Macklemore, who has a shot at the Top 5, and Liam Payne. Diamante and Niall Horan have chances to return to the Top 10 as well as Superfruit's EP begins to lose plays.

So far, this is the standings:
1. Break a Little - 6000
2. Rewind - 6000
3. Leaves - 5950
4. Honest - 5500
5. Bad 4 Us - 5000
6. Glorious - 4950
7. Imaginary Parties - 4000
8. Strip That Down - 3950
9. Coming In Hot - 3700
10. Slow Hands - 3300

Looking at the standings, it's anyone's question. Well, won't find out till Sunday, 16 May, when charts will be updated. So stay tuned for that.

Superfruit Dethrones kirstin, debuts entire EP in the Top 10

"Bad 4 Us" goes to #1, Superfruit debuts six songs.

Superfruit's "Bad 4 Us", in wake of their EP 'Future Friends - Part One", jumps 2-1. By doing this, they dethrone fellow Pentatonix member kirstin, who led at #1 with "Break a Little" (which falls 1-2), for six consecutive weeks. Superfruit further dominates by debuting six songs in the Top 10: "Imaginary Parties" (#3), "Future Friends" (#4), "Worth It (Perfect)" (#5), "Heartthrob" (#6), "Sexy Ladies" (#7), and "Vacation" (#8). Because of this, "Glorious" by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey falls 6-9, despite a heavy gain in performance. And finally, "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne featuring Quavo holds at #10.

More Superfruit further down, as the "Superfruit Theme Song" rises 16-14, Mitch Grassi (aka my gay crush) rises to the Top 20, going from 31-20. Also, the Frozen Medley (featuring Kirstie Maldonado), debuts at #40. Other songs with big gains are Selena Gomez's "Bad Liar" (32-18), and Shawn Mendes' "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" (43-30). "As If It's Your Last" by K-pop girl group BLACKPINK debuts at #1 on the Bubbling Under chart.

For next week, we should see debuts from Drake Bell, Kesha, and The All-American Rejects.