best of alexanderao's 2017 Year-End Event | Everything else

[Alldeezy]

Heavy & Cold  

[Kavish]

Heavy, Cold, and Dusk Till Dawn. 

[Mark Rih]

Portland is such a JAM, whew.

 

Sad to see STBL making the non-hits list deserved more

[prézli]

Heavy remains trash with or without his suicide.  

[JGibson]

Heavy + Versace On The Floor + Cold 

[Pacaveli]

[Pacaveli]

Heavy, though. 

[Navyofbadgals]

Versace and Scared To Be Lonely are both very decent, me likey

 

[lhdang2000]

Heavy, Scared To Be Lonely.  

 

[potent]

STBL and Versace are cute!

[Lazuli]

Cold was not good tbh

Scared To be Lonely and Versace On The Floor  

[Brandon]

 

Dusk Till Dawn & VOTF 

[Bubble Tea]

I.... have nothing to say about any of these songs lol. Let me just say (I think again?) that Ready for It and Bad Liar deserved a lot more. Especially Selena Legend.

[shelven]

Dusk Till Dawn didn't deserve to flop  Easily ZAYN's best single IMO (although that's mainly just because of Sia )

 

I agree with your opinion on STBL - it's pretty generic and kind of forgettable, but Dua sounds really good on it.

[alexanderao]

P!nk - What About Us

6.3/10

 

The main problem here is that P!nk has indicated What About Us is a thinly veiled sociopolitical commentary, but it's not even a bark, much less a bite. The writing is actually quite good, just specific enough for her purpose to be understood but vague enough to be interpreted in a myriad of different ways. But the production is incongruous with the song's defiant sentiment; it's a mild rallying cry, a mellow expression of anger. During the verses, she uses this reassuring tone that for me evokes the image of a mother singing lullabies to her toddler. This is nice to listen to, but it's not in agreement with the attitude of the song. The downcast chorus doesn't have much edge to it, and it's a little clunky, but she emotes very well and comes off as genuine. The final third of the song is an unnecessary drag, but overall What About Us is a pleasant, even soothing pop song, if one rendered awkward by the disconnect between its message and mood.

 

This position in 2016: Maroon 5 f/Kendrick Lamar - Don't Wanna Know

This position in 2015: Sia - Elastic Heart

This position in 2014: Maroon 5 - Maps

[alexanderao]

Imagine Dragons - Thunder

6.4/10

 

 

 

I have become so accustomed to hearing Thunder's ubiquitous chorus by itself that it feels weird listening to the song in full. It is admittedly good, particularly the "lightning then the thunder" line, but when contextualized within the song, it feels anticlimactic. The verse structure feels slightly unnatural, and despite the lyrics telling a story, there just doesn't feel like a lot of emotional depth in the song. Even the final line of the second verse–meant as a diss–is delivered with little gusto. The instrumental bridge does add a much-needed jolt of energy, though, and the extra guitar over the final portion of the track is a great touch. Thunder isn't electrifying, but it has subtle strengths, like its catchy finger-snaps and the well-done vocal layering during the verses. Put bluntly, it's decent enough to be carried by a firm, hard-to-forget hook.

 

This position in 2016: gnash f/Olivia O'Brien - i hate u, i love u

This position in 2015: Rachel Platten - Fight Song

This position in 2014: Sam Smith - Stay With Me

[alexanderao]

Cheat Codes f/Demi Lovato - No Promises

6.5/10

 

No Promises is a far cry from some of Demi Lovato's previous miserable attempts at dance-pop. It's a song about excitement, about connection, and she conveys this well. Her higher register is fitting for the track, her eagerness and anticipation shining through during her parts. The pre-chorus is short and sweet, and though the drop is nothing unique–unlike Major Lazer or DJ Snake, Cheat Codes don't really seem to have carved out a sound for themselves–nothing is egregiously bad. No Promises is clearly designed for clubs, which excuses its formulaic structure to an extent, but it still feels somewhat disposable after repeated exposure. It's easy to enjoy in the moment, though– and that's really the point.

 

This position in 2016: Calvin Harris - My Way

This position in 2015: Andy Grammer - Honey, I'm Good.

This position in 2014: OneRepublic - Love Runs Out

[alexanderao]

Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful

6.5/10

 

There's a certain irony to the concept of creating a commercial-sounding song to rail against ideas perpetuated by the media. Even so, Alessia Cara manages to make the booming Scars To Your Beautiful work. She had already firmly established herself as a nonconformist with her previous couple of radio singles, and she is someone whose fame has left her personality unscathed. In essence, she is a particularly convincing messenger. The spaciousness of the production gives her ample room to belt her words out, especially towards the end of the second verse. There are several drawbacks to the song, namely her liberal usage of platitudes and the extraordinarily plain instrumentation. This banality turns what would be an endearing call-and-response bridge into a complete bore. Its intentions are positive and its performer genuine, yet Scars To Your Beautiful can't help but induce a few yawns along the way.

 

This position in 2016: Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

This position in 2015: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis et al. - Downtown

This position in 2014: A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera - Say Something

[alexanderao]

Miley Cyrus - Malibu

6.5/10

 

Malibu is reflective and idyllic, and though it's written with a single person in mind, it definitely aspires to transport the listener to this state of eternal pleasure that Miley is in. Her vocals are decidedly casual, which is fine, but the hook feels very halfhearted. In fact, all throughout the song I can't shake the feeling that there are a few elements missing. The electric guitar, which serves as the centerpiece for the production, has a tinge of sadness to it that doesn't seem to mesh with her attitude on the song. I do enjoy the light percussion that comes in for the chorus. It's a strong chorus, one that blends well with the verses and transforms the song into a breezy foot-tapper for a fleeting moment. Malibu is a sonic chill pill, but it's not a groundbreaking pop song, much less one that feels complete.

 

This position in 2016: Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl

This position in 2015: Pitbull f/Ne-Yo - Time Of Our Lives

This position in 2014: Maroon 5 - Animals

[alexanderao]

The Weeknd - Party Monster

7.8/10

 

Party Monster sees The Weeknd playing the character of, well, himself. The song doesn't quite have the shock factor he seems to want it to have– it's neither the most lascivious nor the most sinister he has ever been. One thing it isn't short on, though, is excitement. The verses are urgent and filled with adrenaline, and the downplayed chorus adds a disquieting element to the song. The production is unmistakably commercialized, but at least it manages to honor Abel's M.O. of incorporating dark themes in his music. In a sense, Party Monster is akin to a good amusement park ride that you've already been on– the mood is familiar, yet continually enticing.

 

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]

Rihanna - Sex With Me

7.8/10

 

Sex With Me is a very upfront song. Its informal production radiates warmth, and Rihanna's free-flowing delivery strikes a great balance between braggadocious and playful. Though lyrically overt, it feels more candid than trite or tryhard. Furthermore, it conspicuously lacks the layer of artificiality that so many past Rihanna hits have had. It is perhaps the purest expression of her oft-cited "bad gal" mentality. As such, it's a lot more likable than it is classy– and that's fine.

 

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]

Ayo & Teo - Rolex

7.8/10

 

Rolex has an identity crisis– it can't seem to decide whether it wants to be a novelty song or not. This makes for awkward verses that I wish I could speed up. Despite Ayo & Teo's admirable enthusiasm for their watches, they are just about the most unmemorable characters one could conceive of. All this being said, Rolex possesses a shockingly clean production that belies the superficial nature of the song and features a tremendously catchy piano line (which is always my main impetus for streaming it). As the fusion of an irresistible beat with mindless substance, it is a lot of fun in moderation. Just don't think about it too much.

 

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]

Travis Scott - Butterfly Effect

8.0/10

 

It's easy to see how Butterfly Effect was left off of Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight. The song is unwavering in its restraint– something Travis Scott isn't used to exercising. But he never compromises his persona; in fact, he cultivates a feeling of mystique around it with his can't-be-bothered flow. Murda Beatz's production keeps the song moving at a steady pace and provides a steady influx of hypnotic melodies. Butterfly Effect isn't flashy, but it's sneakily addictive.

 

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]

Drake - Fake Love

8.0/10

 

Drake can get irritated, just like the rest of us. That's the main takeaway from Fake Love, a slightly disheveled island-style production (resembling a less sophisticated Hotline Bling) with a whimsical feel to it. He deftly alternates between a soft croon for the verses and an anguished yell for the hooks. Now, this isn't a song that was made with deep philosophical thinking in mind. But it doesn't feel meaningless–just reactionary. This is what makes it such a satisfying listen; his mood on the chorus is pretty much how I feel in the aftermath of something annoying happening to me. Fake Love is enjoyable despite reeking of bitterness.

 

This position in 2016: Kevin Gates - Really Really

This position in 2015: Kid Ink f/Dej Loaf - Be Real

This position in 2014: B.o.B. f/2 Chainz - HeadBand

[Staryu]

Butterfly Effect, Scars, Malibu   I don't really care for Imagine Dragons's like everyman, generic, Linkin Park of the '10s rock, but Thunder does get stuck in my head a lot randomly