alexanderao Posted December 10, 2018 Posted December 10, 2018 Hello and welcome to my fifth Best Of event! You might notice that there isn't much stuff here. Despite always looking forward to this event, I have been far busier this fall than I was last fall; consequently, I haven't worked on my lists for this year much so far (and haven't done any writing at all). I don't have graphics yet, or even a schedule. As you'll know if you followed my past Year-End Events (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017), I will have multiple countdowns ongoing at the same time. They are as follows: Top 30 of Top 40 - A ranking of my 30 favorite mainstream hits of the year. This has previously been a list of 40 songs, but this year it will be 30 because I simply didn't listen to/like enough pop to find 40 hits I liked. That doesn't mean it'll be 30 from now on– that's just the way it is this year. Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - A ranking of my 40 favorite rhythmic/urban hits of the year. Anything that got played more on rhythmic and urban radio more than on pop will go on this list. Note that songs that did equally well on all of those formats but that I judge to be more rhythmic/urban than pop will chart on this list. Top Non-Hits - Formerly a top 20, this was changed to a ranking of my 25 favorite non-hits last year. I am not sure yet how many songs it will include this year. Note that these songs must have all been official singles (so album tracks or promotional singles are not eligible). Top 10 Albums - A ranking of my 10 favorite albums (any genre) of the year. Because I don't have a schedule yet, I'm not exactly sure when I will start posting updates, though I hope to begin in earnest by this time next week. My embarrassing lack of preparedness aside, I really am excited to get started on this!
JGibson Posted December 10, 2018 Posted December 10, 2018 Hopefully we'll get quality served this year.
Remmy Posted December 11, 2018 Posted December 11, 2018 Yay for 5 years Will probably like almost nothing on the Urban list but I'm perched for pop!
Mark Rih Posted December 13, 2018 Posted December 13, 2018 Quote Top 30 of Top 40 - A ranking of my 30 favorite mainstream hits of the year. This has previously been a list of 40 songs, but this year it will be 30 because I simply didn't listen to/like enough pop to find 40 hits I liked. That doesn't mean it'll be 30 from now on– that's just the way it is this year. pop truly lost this year huh? can't wait for your lists
alexanderao Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 First updates to the two main lists will be coming today (12/18).
alexanderao Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - #40 YG f/2 Chainz, Big Sean, & Nicki Minaj - Big Bank 6.9/10 I enjoy the cocky attitude each artist brings to Big Bank, a song that is much more fun to hear in public than in private. Its exceedingly rowdy nature makes it an ideal addition to a pumped-up atmosphere, but by itself its Khaledesque parade of guest verses falls somewhat flat. Every aspect of the song is solid, though unspectacular. The xylophone-infused beat is the most interesting thing here, yet I don't find it particularly catchy. Big Bank is perfect workout or stadium playlist filler; bolstered by its raucous energy, but otherwise a fairly pedestrian production. This position in 2017: Rae Sremmurd - Swang This position in 2016: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2015: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2014: N/A -- this list was a top 30
alexanderao Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - #39 Tyga f/Offset - Taste 6.9/10 Although Taste is monotonous and too long considering its simplicity, I like the sparse, deadpan flow Tyga employs throughout the track. The plain-vanilla instrumental (seriously, one of the least interesting ones of the year–exactly the kind of beat you'd expect to see aspiring producers mail in and upload as a "METRO STYLE BEAT" on YouTube) is enhanced greatly by an annoyingly catchy background voice. Just when the song starts to get a little too boring, Offset pops by and delivers a slick guest contribution. It's nothing I'm clamoring to hear on a daily basis, but Taste manages to work. This position in 2017: J. Cole - Deja Vu This position in 2016: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2015: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2014: N/A -- this list was a top 30
alexanderao Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - #38 Cardi B - Be Careful 7.1/10 I love the minimalistic yet upbeat production of Be Careful, a song that is bogged down mostly by its clumsiness. Cardi's reserved rap-sung flow is a good fit for the production, but the lyrics–which amount to a stream-of-consciousness rant–are so wordy that they detract from everything else that's going on. The chorus in particular feels awkward and is consequently anticlimactic. The end result is a song that's not very engaging, even though it contains some juicy lyrics. She just doesn't assert itself like she does on Bodak Yellow, making the song feel a little watered-down despite her larger-than-life personality. This position in 2017: Khalid - Young Dumb & Broke This position in 2016: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2015: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2014: N/A -- this list was a top 30
alexanderao Posted December 18, 2018 Author Posted December 18, 2018 Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - #37 Rae Sremmurd f/Juicy J - Powerglide 7.1/10 It's only fitting that Powerglide is around two minutes longer than it needs to be, considering that Rae Sremmurd were the ones who decided to release a triple album earlier this year. Its ultra-sleek, highly danceable production is like a less drugged-out Black Beatles. Swae Lee's enthusiastic delivery carries the song, while Juicy J's contribution is superfluous. Unfortunately, Powerglide is set to one speed for its entirety, and it lasts more than five minutes. That is not a winning combination, and prevents it from being a truly exciting listen. This position in 2017: 2 Chainz f/Gucci Mane & Quavo - Good Drank This position in 2016: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2015: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2014: N/A -- this list was a top 30
alexanderao Posted December 19, 2018 Author Posted December 19, 2018 Top 30 of Top 40 - #30 Marshmello & Anne-Marie - FRIENDS 6.0/10 Pretty much the only reason that FRIENDS makes this list at all is the guitar loop that plays for the duration of the song, and specifically that pesky, inexplicably addictive little four-note riff at the end of the loop–I simply love it. The rest of the song is uninteresting to me. The chorus is cute, but it has definitely worn out its welcome. There are some catchy melodies interspersed throughout the song, and there's certainly no shortage of sass, but FRIENDS doesn't strike me as being much beyond pop radio fodder. This position in 2017: Miley Cyrus - Malibu This position in 2016: Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl This position in 2015: Pitbull & Ne-Yo - Time Of Our Lives This position in 2014: Martin Garrix - Animals
alexanderao Posted December 19, 2018 Author Posted December 19, 2018 Top 30 of Top 40 - #29 G-Eazy & Halsey - Him & I 6.1/10 Him & I is an extremely prototypical rap/sung collaboration; G-Eazy's crisp verses are sandwiched cleanly between three repetitions of Halsey's chorus. While I find his easygoing flow pleasant, his lyrics are written as if to sound just edgy enough to remain fit for pop radio (exhibit A is the self-censoring of the word "dick"), which makes for an awkward listen. While Halsey navigates her parts coolly, the song just doesn't give her enough room to really inject her personality into it. Ultimately, it's this excessively methodical structure that holds the song back. This position in 2017: Kesha - Praying This position in 2016: Flume f/Kai - Never Be Like You This position in 2015: Taylor Swift f/Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood This position in 2014: Calvin Harris f/John Newman - Blame
Temporal Posted December 20, 2018 Posted December 20, 2018 Friends is cute, but Happier definitely outsold
alexanderao Posted December 21, 2018 Author Posted December 21, 2018 Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - #36 Cardi B f/21 Savage - Bartier Cardi 7.2/10 Everyone understood that the purpose of Bartier Cardi was to ride the wave of momentum generated by Bodak Yellow. But Bartier is plenty good on its own, featuring a gritty beat that pairs well with Cardi's bristling flow. Her verses are rock-solid, composed mostly of Migos-style triplets that she delivers with good charisma. However, I grew tired of the tedious hook fairly quickly, and it has become more cringeworthy in retrospect. 21 Savage's guest contribution is characteristically entertaining and adds needed variety to the track. It may not be the flashiest of songs, but it gets the job done. This position in 2017: Drake f/Quavo & Travis Scott - Portland This position in 2016: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2015: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2014: N/A -- this list was a top 30
alexanderao Posted December 21, 2018 Author Posted December 21, 2018 Top 40 Rhythmic/Urban Hits - #35 Childish Gambino - This Is America 7.2/10 This Is America will obviously be remembered for its blunt political message and its thought-provoking visual accompaniment, but it's a fascinating song as well. The chaotic, industrial production is sonically overwhelming, making the song somewhat grating to listen to. However, it helps create a stark atmosphere that augments the importance of the lyrics. The strange pre-chorus, with its warm guitar and Gambino's inimitable falsetto, seems outlandish on paper but manages to work. Also, the humorous guest adlibs that pepper the second verse deserve a shoutout. This Is America is, paradoxically, one of the most memorable songs of the year. Its residence time in the public consciousness may have been brief, but it's admirably complex and creative in more ways than one. This position in 2017: Yo Gotti f/Nicki Minaj - Rake It Up This position in 2016: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2015: N/A -- this list was a top 30 This position in 2014: N/A -- this list was a top 30
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