Navyofbadgals Posted December 11, 2017 Posted December 11, 2017 19 hours ago, Staryu said: I love how Pure Heroine is still your avi after all these years iconique tbh
alexanderao Posted December 12, 2017 Author Posted December 12, 2017 Many people are doing recaps. If you'd like to look at what I picked for last year's event, here's the thread for your scrolling pleasure.
Red Posted December 12, 2017 Posted December 12, 2017 How ya doin', alex? Me, I'm taking my time on my ride.
alexanderao Posted December 15, 2017 Author Posted December 15, 2017 DJ Khaled f/Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, & Lil Wayne - I'm The One 6.0/10 DJ Khaled's electrifying personality belies his predictability. Nobody should have been shocked by the bevy of featured artists on I'm The One whose agreement to participate on the song was probably predicated solely on its potential. And it sounds more or less like you would expect it to– a nifty little chorus with a catchy melody tightly sandwiched in between three guest verses of roughly the same length. It is truly a lifeless structure, akin to running on a treadmill perpetually set to the same speed. The production is so sleek that it feels uncomfortably artificial, but this actually serves to complement Quavo and Wayne's signature autotuned cadences. Khaled has a penchant for featuring one too many artists on his productions, though, and in this case it is Chance The Rapper's contribution that is not worthy of further discussion. All this being said, I'm The One is a harmless listen, an effective playlist placeholder that should be forgotten but not loathed. It could be much worse. This position in 2016: Robin Schulz f/Francesco Yates - Sugar This position in 2015: Hailee Steinfeld - Love Myself This position in 2014: DJ Snake & Lil Jon - Turn Down For What
alexanderao Posted December 15, 2017 Author Posted December 15, 2017 Taylor Swift - ...Ready For It? 6.0/10 ...Ready For It? lacks the magic of Wildest Dreams, the personality of Blank Space, and the universality of Shake It Off, so it's easy to feel a little disappointed with it. It's understandably difficult for Taylor to sing convincingly about sexual fantasies when she is so adamantly attempting to maintain her appeal to young fans– and this contradiction is front and center here. The lyrical content takes a relative back seat here, though, because the song boasts a beautiful, soaring hook tailor-made to soundtrack dramatic moments. Max Martin's production is well thought out, never overwhelming her and injecting noise into the song at the right times. That said, the awkward half-sung verses are a major liability, as their main purpose seems to be simply to enable the chorus to rise above them. ...Ready For It? is questionable in a lot of ways, but it is a lively song with commendable spirit. This position in 2016: Sia f/Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest This position in 2015: Zedd f/Selena Gomez - I Want You To Know This position in 2014: Ingrid Michaelson - Girls Chase Boys
rvx Posted December 15, 2017 Posted December 15, 2017 (edited) I'm The One is kinda OK. It wasn't very catchy. Ready for It: It's growing on me a little bit. Edited December 15, 2017 by rvx
alexanderao Posted December 15, 2017 Author Posted December 15, 2017 Selena Gomez - Bad Liar 6.1/10 Bad Liar is the most unabashedly minimalist single Selena Gomez has ever made. The production is very low-key but maintains an upscale feel to it, featuring a persistent bassline and just a dash of percussion. Selena's experimentation is admirable, but the verses are disappointing; her hushed tone is not at all captivating, and the lyrics are quite unwieldy and somewhat distracting (with the Battle of Troy line standing out as particularly questionable). Yet her subdued vocals in the chorus work well, the little pauses in between its lines further emphasizing the sparse nature of the track. It can't help but feel transient, though, and the lushness of follow-up Fetish furthered the notion of Bad Liar as a sort of one-off. Contrasted with Gomez's prior music, the song is certainly an interesting case study. That said, it's not particularly engaging overall. This position in 2016: James Bay - Let It Go (DJ Mike D Remix) This position in 2015: Nicki Minaj - The Night Is Still Young This position in 2014: Pharrell Williams f/Miley Cyrus - Come Get It Bae
alexanderao Posted December 15, 2017 Author Posted December 15, 2017 Rae Sremmurd - Swang 7.2/10 The spacey, disorienting Swang is likely to induce a mild state of lethargy in the non-Rae Sremmurd stan, but Swae Lee's super-sticky hook and those funny-sounding horns have carved out a space in my head. The duo's vocals sound like they were pulling an all-nighter and about to crash in the studio, though Swae Lee does well to debut an amusing higher register which staves off the monotony. While it's a little all over the place, Swang's quirky brand of slow-motion trap is nonetheless compelling. 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 15, 2017 Author Posted December 15, 2017 J. Cole - Deja Vu 7.3/10 J. Cole's flow here is assertive and steady, and he is backed by an un-retouched production that is rich despite lacking intricacies. In lieu of fancy rhyme schemes or tongue-twisting couplets, Deja Vu takes a no-frills approach, making for a song that just chugs right along. The hook is somewhat unwieldy, but this is made up for by the insistent rhythms of the verses. Despite the plainness of their delivery, the lyrics are thoughtful, and the introspective Cole always sounds better when his songs double as short stories. 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 15, 2017 Author Posted December 15, 2017 Khalid - Young Dumb & Broke 7.4/10 A candidate for the most relatable song of the year, Young Dumb & Broke's this-is-who-we-are attitude is charming. Khalid's playful lyrics, lighthearted delivery, and message of unabashed self-acceptance are perhaps what every stressed high school kid could use right now. It is a more nuanced song than it may first seem; rather than adopting a naïvely celebratory tone, Khalid seems to realize that the moments he's describing are, when contextualized, fleeting. At its core, Young Dumb & Broke is an earnest tribute to youth that prompts both appreciation and reflection. Its choppy production might not pack much of a punch, and it becomes rather saccharine upon repeated exposure, but it is indeed heartfelt. 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
Navyofbadgals Posted December 15, 2017 Posted December 15, 2017 RFI and BL I find Young Dumb and Broke to be somewhat irritating tbh
ATRL Moderator Legend E Posted December 15, 2017 ATRL Moderator Posted December 15, 2017 RFI is the best so far
Fruity Posted December 15, 2017 Posted December 15, 2017 (edited) Me reading through your 2016 lists expecting to see Needed Me at the end and it never came Edited December 15, 2017 by Fruity
Hourglazzez Posted December 15, 2017 Posted December 15, 2017 i'm the one, RFI, bad liar, young dumb & broke
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