Let's Actually Listen to Spotify's Top 100 Songs

[Ello Sailor]

Was that an Elden Ring reference? I see you.

[tree_]

No I’m not that clever

[BurtReynolds]

The focus should stay on the most popular music of the current age and the dark future it heralds.

[tree_]

Since when do you care about thread integrity

[BurtReynolds]

Kevin Davis didn't have to start this thread and I expect you to show some respect.

[tree_]

How much back ordered scurvy did he purchase from you

[BurtReynolds]

He'll have to overpay for it on Amazon like everyone else.

[tree_]

Amazon sells scurvy?

[Brett]

Damn, this thread is moving fast. I'm hoping to be able to jump in here and there and give some thoughts on some of these songs, though I won't promise to always be on time.

100. Charlie Puth - "Attention":
A good groove going on here with some nicely restrained instrumentation throughout. I usually find it more interesting when a pop song makes good use of sparseness, and in a way this reminds me of the stark arrangements of "When Doves Cry" (though it's a far cry from being as good as that). It's the kind of song that you might hear on the overhead in a clothing store, and I suppose it probably got some club play at the time, too, though it seems a bit soft for that.

99. BTS - "Dyanmite":
Okay, wasn't expecting them to be singing in English. I kinda thought that the big time K-Pop band would sing in Korean, though I suppose they might not have the amount of crossover appeal that they do in that case. It's a happy, bouncy song that sounds exactly how the video looks: utterly vapid and devoid of life. I think Burt's on the money with the idea of pastel-painted artificiality. I don't know a lot of Michael Jackson, but the comparisons in this thread show these guys as a pale imitation of his work.

[Higgs]

Re: #99 BTS - Dynamite

I will try to post my thoughts straight after listening to the song, before reading any other 'reviews' etc. Don't want to have my judgement clouded by the RM hive-mind after all...

I am actually a pretty big fan of pop in general. Its a great genre with so much great stuff to listen to. This however isn't it.

I appreciate these guys are South Korean but it took me ages to confirm they were actually singing in English. Not that it is particularly important, but I thought that was interesting.

It was good to remind myself why I don't really watch music vids anymore - every 2nd frame being a "pose to camera" shot gets fucking old fucking quick.

The song was uptempo and happy enough. Those are the positives. It was also totally generic and uninspired and a cookie-cutter song written for the boy band to look good dancing to whilst not having to struggle too much to sing. I really did not enjoy this.

[Mickey]

We're talking about god's plan

[Malloy]

I don't see why we can't run like 5 of these at a time. It's not like any of these will deserve deep contemplation or anything

I'm not sure why I'm surprised it's you who's doing the tired old "this is worthless garbage not worth engaging with" thing, but I kind of am

I guess I'm kinda surprised too, but I have deep resentment towards some music, especially when it's this popular.. and this Puth song really started me off on the wrong foot

Personally even if I don't like the song they're usually interesting to examine in terms of craft... usually

I started to say something kind of sour to you when you mentioned palm mutes and arpeggios earlier, but I deleted it. This post is a good opportunity to explore what I was trying to convey.

I tend to think it's flexing way too much mental energy to bring music theory or to "examine the craft" of songs in general, and especially of commercial pop songs. Just, what's the point other than to hear yourself talk about music (or "dance about architecture", as David Byrne famously puts it.) Sure, I do it in my head from time to time, but in online discussions I'm so much more interested in the visceral, human, feels-based response people have to these massive pop hits. This is not a knock on you. In fact, I'm glad you bring it to the table because I think this is a fun thread and this is what you contribute. Hence, why I deleted my post, which was essentially a lament on the fact that we're going to have to stomach these kinds of Jorge takes for 100 songs.

I look forward to you changing my mind as this thread goes on, btw.

im excited about this type of post because i have such cursory knowledge of music theory. feelings can be instructive, too.

[Mickey]

Okay Lauren Berlant

[stip]

I like this quite a bit -- upbeat, feelgood, danceable ear candy. Deservedly popular. The guitar octaves that kick in halfway through the second verse remind me of the intro to "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. And I'm a sucker for a good last-chorus-key-change, and this is a damn good last-chorus-key-change. I enjoy this enough to look forward to the other BTS songs on the list

my daughter likes this band, I think. Or at least the larger kpop musical asthetic

Its not bad. If this was an 80s song (Tree said michael jackson or Kool and the Gang as above) Id likely have a mildly nostalgic attachment to it. Another song where Im just generally not interested, but I see why it’s popular.

I despise this whole asthetic (from the pistol gun wink at the beginning through the end) which didnt help. I would have probably had a more favorable reaction had I just heard it on Spotify.

C+ maybe. Probably nudge this ahead of the first song

[stip]

I like this quite a bit -- upbeat, feelgood, danceable ear candy. Deservedly popular. The guitar octaves that kick in halfway through the second verse remind me of the intro to "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. And I'm a sucker for a good last-chorus-key-change, and this is a damn good last-chorus-key-change. I enjoy this enough to look forward to the other BTS songs on the list

my daughter likes this band, I think. Or at least the larger kpop musical asthetic

Its not bad. If this was an 80s song (Tree said michael jackson or Kool and the Gang as above) Id likely have a mildly nostalgic attachment to it. Another song where Im just generally not interested, but I see why it’s popular.

I despise this whole asthetic (from the pistol gun wink at the beginning through the end) which didnt help. I would have probably had a more favorable reaction had I just heard it on Spotify.

C+ maybe. Probably nudge this ahead of the first song

[BurtReynolds]

I will be watching most of these videos, because I'm a visual person and I lack the vocabulary to talk about music anyway. This will probably unfairly color my reviews.

[tree_]

I will be watching most of these videos, because I'm a visual person and I lack the vocabulary to talk about music anyway. This will probably unfairly color my reviews.

sign out of youtube first

[tree_]

#98
Imagine Dragons
Radioactive



Live

[BurtReynolds]

Don't have to watch. Hate it.

[Chris_H_2]

probably my most hated band in the past decade