Music thread

@Myoozik  
R.I.P. Can’t say I’ve heard of Chad & Jeremy, but they seemed to have a number of hits in the ’60s.

@Count Adramélekh Sear  
Damn

Wait is over top 10 albums of 2020
 
10 Ulcerate - Stare Into Death and Be Still  
9 Eternal Champion - Ravening Iron  
8 Heathen - Empire of The Blind  
7 Svabard - When I Die, I Will Get Better  
6 Code Orange - Underneath  
5 Cryptic Shift - Visitation from Enceladus  
4 Paradise Lost - Obsidian  
3 Hellripper - The Affair Of The Poisons  
2 Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestari Kynsi  
1 Imperial Triumphant - Alphaville
 

I personally agree! 🖕😎🤘
 

@Count Adramélekh Sear  
Yeah

So 2NE1’s old song I Don’t Care had a resurgence lately because of an incident in the Philippines where unfortunately her last words were the chorus of the song before being shot down in cold blood by an angry cop.

The Lost Chord was about as tragic as I expected it to be.

Sorry about my delay on my album of the year list i was busy preparing for Christmas

@Zincy  
Yeah. Apparently they blew up the actual Plastic Beach model for that.
 
It’s a shame, because I get the vibe that this was meant to be a middle finger to the fans, a definitive end to the Plastic Beach era of Gorillaz. “We will never go back to long-form storytelling in our music videos, and stop asking us” vibes.
 
At least the music is still good.

@TheHappySpaceman
 
I read it as overcoming trauma.
 
2D moving past his torture, Murdoch moving past the fact that he caused it all, Noodle moving past all the shit that happened to her, etc.
 
 
Plastic Beach was the best time for the fans, but the absolutely worst for the characters.

So I found out that The Bee Gees are back in the spotlight because of a recent HBO documentary about them, given how a couple of their disco songs are back on the Billboard Dance/EDM chart. Yeah there’s more to this group than just a dead genre, they started as a British Invasion soft rock band and people forget about that phase of their careers.

@Myoozik
 
There used to be this girl that I’d get drunk around and sing Bee Gees to.
 
She used to love it.

@Myoozik  
I know them best as a British invasion band,I’m not that into disco.

There’s one song that sums up what happened to me and my childhood friends.

@Myoozik  
Oh yeah, the Bee Gees had a long and varied career. I think they were even a prog band for a short time.
 
@Zincy  
That makes sense, yeah. Though I do kind of miss Noodle’s phase 3 appearance and personality, I get that it was pretty traumatizing for the creators themselves, too, and I understand wanting to distance themselves from it.

@Myoozik  
70s Soft Rock in general is forgotten outside of a few artists
 
If anything, I am surprised guys like Steve Miller are still so big

Huh, never did I expect to see MF DOOM trending right now on Twitter.

@TheHappySpaceman  
“Bee Gees” and “Prog Rock” are two words I would never expect to hear used in a sentence together. I don’t know if that intrigues me or scares me.

@Myoozik  
Yeah, I haven’t heard it myself but I can only imagine how it sounds.
 
Interestingly, their big hit before this was “To Love Somebody,” which I’ve heard covered by more artists than the original.

Alt Nation is doing their top 36 of the year.
 
 
I swear if that new Eilish song makes number 1 I’m rioting. Yes, it’s a good song and I do like it, but fuck is it over-hyped.
 
If I had to guess on what will hit the top, probably Shame Shame by Foo Fighters, Level of Concern by 21 Pilots, or any of the umptine-million new Tame Impala songs.
 
 
Edit, Shame Shame made number 18. Thats…way lower than I expected.

Oh thank fuck, it ended up being Level of Concern.

Well shit, because of the fact that Christmas Day passed, literally almost all of the Top 10 save for one spot is all Christmas music. By next week when it’s the new year, all of it will be gone because all these songs are seriously screwing over any potential songs to become top ten hits or stick around on the Hot 100. In other news, I finally finished my ten best songs of the year and I’m gonna be posting here soon.

Top ten best songs of 2020:
 
Well another year, another big batch of music. To say that this year was one of the worst in history, let alone recent history is an understatement, but we’re not here to talk about that since it’s practically over. I’m here to bring to you the best that this year had to offer since we’ve had so much negativity that I’d rather start with the best. Now, I personally thought this year was surprisingly good for music, I can see why so many turned to it while we were all locked in our homes; There was a lot going on that there is so much to talk about. Streaming and Tik Tok took over as to determine what got popular and there was practically no barrier for entry for anything to make it onto the charts. So, I listened to the Billboard Year End chart and chose the ten songs that I liked and believe me, I had to make a lot of painful cuts. Once this is done, I’ll get started on the worst list and talk about the songs that I didn’t like. IMPORTANT NOTE: This is in no way an objective list nor based on fact, this is all strictly opinion based. If you don’t like any of these songs, even my number one pick then that’s understandable, you are free to disagree. With that out of the mind, let’s get into it:
 
10. Whats Poppin (Remix) by Jack Harlow feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne (Hot 100 peak: #2) – With rap being the biggest genre right now, it’s no surprise that it’s not only creating new artists, it’s also reviving an old trend of rap remixes. A lot of them ranges from mediocre to unnecessary, but this one is the best out of the ones that got big. To start with, it has four rappers from beginner Jack Harlow to superstar DaBaby to semi famous Tory Lanez to rap veteran Lil Wayne and all bring something to the table since it’s about flexing and showing off your wealth. One thing that all have in common is they all have great flow and don’t waste a note at all. As for each individuals, Jack Harlow is the weakest link where his lyrics could’ve been better, DaBaby is the one with the better lyrics, Tory Lanez has the tightest flow out of all of them and Lil Wayne is more in the middle despite the years not being kind to him. The production is great with the piano combined with the trap beat going well and even pausing to let the song breathe. The original song just has Jack and he has much better lyrics so I don’t get why he had to record new lines when he could’ve used his old lyrics. Either way, I love this song to complain too much because it goes hard.
 
9. Dior by Pop Smoke (Hot 100 peak: #22)– One peculiar thing about 2020 was that two of the biggest artists were dead rappers, Pop Smoke who got shot in February and Juice WRLD who suffered a deadly seizure in December of 2019. While the latter didn’t make the list even though one of his songs I really liked, the former did with a banger. On the surface, it’s just a regular rap song about being fly and having drip (which means looking fashionable in Gen Z slang), Pop Smoke really sells it and shows that he means business. The beat goes really hard with the faint strings and the beat that complement each other well but in the Spotify version at least it does drag on at the end when it should’ve stopped like in the music video version, the rapping is tight and his gruff voice makes the song sound aggressive, which adds a lot of weight to the lyrics which while it does have some weird and clunky lines, the flow and voice doesn’t downplay them. This song and the one above me show how much of a powerhouse rap was in 2020 and that it can still bump and be fun without it being depressing and have mumbling. It’s a shame that he had to die very young and right as he was starting to get popular, I guess the good die young. Despite that, this song is a banger and it’s my favorite rap song of 2020. Rest In Peace Pop Smoke, you left us too soon when you had talent.
 
8. Good As Hell by Lizzo (Hot 100 peak: #3)- If you can make a song with a good message and make it sound awesome, then you get my approval and this song just that. Ever since Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” became huge, it seems like a bunch of artists wanted a slice of that pie and make their own version with songs about both internal and external positivity and make it sound upbeat with a retro style, and Lizzo does the best version of this. Lyrically, it’s about moving on from a breakup by going to a salon and as the title implies, feeling good as hell. While there are different ways to cope with a breakup, this one is one of my favorites where you not only forget about the drama, but you can also focus on yourself in an uplifting and positive way. The lyrics are empowering with a chorus this catchy that it’ll be stuck in your head for hours. The rest of the song is no slouch either with Lizzo herself having a great voice and radiating energy and conviction with a production this fun and bouncy that Meghan Trainor wishes she had been a part of. Despite this, this song did get its charm worn off from me a bit because of it being used haphazardly on the teaser trailer for Pony Life, which is what this song is best known for. It’s sad because the song itself is really great and it makes me wish that Lizzo is a much bigger artist now. Overall, it’s an awesome song and one last blip of positivity before the depression of 2020 really sunk in.
 
7. ILY (I Love You Baby) by Surf Mesa feat. Emilee (Hot 100 peak: #23) - If you’ve been following memes or anything popular on social media like Twitter, Instagram or Tik Tok for the past year, you’ll notice the increase in chill and lofi music among the current generation. It’s pretty odd, but personally I like it a lot, and this song shows how big it’s getting in the popular conscience. You’ll notice that the song is actually a lofi cover/remix of the 1967 song “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli, which itself is a regular love song. It’s a song that’s perfect for this kind of remix and it does a great job of not only making it chill by adding a trap beat and a vocal filter, but also giving it a summer vibe that you can play while driving down the coast or through the mountains. Emilee’s vocals are also pretty nice, not wasting any notes at all, but if there is something that I can complain about, it’s that it does get repetitive and it would’ve been better if there was a period in the middle of the song where the vocals were paused just to break the flow and let the beat shine through in solitude. Even then, it doesn’t take away from the song itself, which is a great song to relax and study to. Even though I don’t like Tik Tok, I’m glad that it made this song popular.
 
6. Die From A Broken Heart by Maddie & Tae (Hot 100 peak: #22) – Other than rap, country music was a genre that was also a powerhouse, with a lot of songs not only making the Top 40, but making homegrown superstars that even non-country fans know. The benefit of this is that the bro-country craze finally died which led to a big increase in quality, and this song is a big indicator of it. Maddie & Tae are a duo who generated buzz in 2014 with their debut “Girl In A Country Song”, which was the much needed response song giving the middle finger to bro-country. After that, they laid dormant for years and came back with this well-crafted piece. The lyrics are really well thought out for being a breakup song where you go to your parents wondering what’s gonna happen now that you called it quits. It’s a relatable scenario that should be sung about more. Both girls singing and harmonies are beautiful, and the production is well composed with the acoustic and slide guitars giving it a nice country twang with the percussion coming in at the right time to not overtake it. Just a beautiful song from a duo who deserves more success and shows that country music can hold on its own years after the legends have come and went.
 
5. Rain On Me by Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande (Hot 100 peak: #1)- In recent years, more and more artists have been getting surprising comebacks, and one of the biggest was Lady Gaga. Absolutely dominating the early 2010’s with her club infused dance pop, she’s had multiple genre shifts throughout the decade and her most recent album goes back to her roots but with a more updated modern sound. The production is really great and fun, giving it a danceable vibe that doesn’t make it obnoxious or in your face and having an early 90’s techno vibe. The lyrics are about moving from a breakup using the metaphor of rain, which isn’t new, but it does more by not just stating a metaphor but playing with it and giving it a positive and upbeat meaning to it. Lastly, Gaga and her collaborator Ariana Grande have great chemistry and convey plenty of emotions while having fun at the same time. The harmonization’s are on-point, both singers hold on their own and they greatly compliment the production. A really fun song that’s also a ray of sunlight on the gloominess of the year and shows that this type of music isn’t dead and can still be popular.
 
4. Juicy & Say So by Doja Cat (Hot 100 peaks: #41 & #1) – My favorite new artist of the year was Doja Cat, an R&B singer and rapper with some great tunes to back her up. Her two songs to make the year end were really great that I couldn’t decide which one I liked the most. First let’s start with Juicy, which is about her flaunting her body and being positive about her body. The production with its ice cream truck sound fits the lyrics and is pleasant to hear, the sultry singing and rapping is really great and shows that she means business with the lyrics, which are not only sexy but is filled with really clever wordplay. Tyga’s guest verse is not that bad, tying well into the song but does feel kinda tacked on. This was the song that made me fall in love with her, with her next song solidifying it. Now we move on to Say So, which is identical with its lyrics to Juicy, but more about beauty rather than sex appeal. Singing is sexy and has a 2000’s R&B vibe to it, lyrics are great with some good wordplay but what really steals it is the production. A throwback to 70’s music with its soul and disco flavor, it perfectly encapsulates what made that great so fun and memorable with the funk guitar and drums sounding very reminiscent of the years 1976-1977. The rap part does feel out of place and sounds a lot like Nicki Minaj, but by itself its decent that shouldn’t have been included. Either way, both of these songs are my favorite R&B songs from a very talented and sexy woman. I can’t wait to see what she’ll do next in 2021.
 
3. Even Though I’m Leaving by Luke Combs (Hot 100 peak: #11) – This is such a beautiful and heart wrenching song. I could end this review right here because that’s all that can be said, but I suppose I can say more. Luke Combs is easily the best country artist right now, producing songs that plays with your emotions, and this song might be his magnum opus. It’s about his dad telling him that he’ll always be with him even though he’s leaving and will be far away. That there tells you everything about the lyrics, which is both sad and very heartwarming that his dad will be with him in his heart no matter what. It really plays with your emotions and can make you weep (No seriously, I legit cried listening to this song while finding candidates). The singing is phenomenal and gives the song a lot of emotion and hope with the production greatly complimenting it, the mandolin being my favorite part. There’s not much else I can say, it’s such a beautiful song that makes me happy knowing it almost made the Top 10 and that Luke Combs is still a great performer. Easily my favorite country song of 2020.
 
2. Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa (Hot 100 peak: #2) – One of the biggest pop stars is Dua Lipa and she’s well deserved of the success, with her songs with not just great lyrics, but with upbeat and interesting production. Just like the above songs, this is another song about a breakup, but this time moving on from it. It’s rather vague yes, but it’s the vagueness that makes it great with it being applicable to anybody while sounding positive by telling them to move on already. The singing is great and the production has a retro sound to it which makes you want to get up and dance with how bouncy and perky it is. The breakdown after the chorus with the distortions and cuts is what really sells it and gives it a lot of personality with it being part of her brand. A phenomenal song that will likely be well remembered down the line, in which I really hope so.
 

@Myoozik  
I’ll make sure to listen to these. Though there’s a couple here i recognize. But good list and review.