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| The sun may be setting on this summer, but pop music never stops......yikes, that is bad |
HOLY CRAP WE’RE DOING SUMMER REVIEWS ALREADY??? Yes, school is starting again (for yours truly, essentially tomorrow) so somehow the time has come to look back into the deep recesses of the mind and select ten songs that appear to have stood out from the rest over the last few months. This list is roughly chronological- don’t expect me to actually rank them because none of them are really good enough to be called "number 1."
This may just be the most ludicrous concept for a song I’ve ever heard. It’s actually hard for me not to laugh when this song comes on. It actually borders on creepy at times- “I’ma disrobe you, then I’ma probe you, see, I abducted you so I tell you what to do” is pretty much just Kanye West admitting to rape. Nevertheless, this song was inescapable this summer and, to be honest, it was pretty catchy, so my gripes ring fairly hollow.
The first time I heard J-Lo’s voice wafting over the airwaves this summer, I couldn’t believe my ears. Then I heard Pitbull’s unmistakable grunts and I knew it was for real, she had returned to chart-topping with all the ingredients for success in 2011. As J-Lo said, “It’s a new generation, of party people,” and they certainly got a reminder of why she’s one of the queens of getting you on the floor.
I just wrote about “ADELE” yesterday, and you have ears, so you may not need me to tell you what a runaway success this song, and her album 21, have been this summer. But it’s worth pointing out that this song spent seven weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 this summer, the most of any song this year, and according to Billboard, it’s the biggest crossover hit of the last 25 years. No big deal or anything though. Just some girl from England with a big voice.
Has there been a more classic summer song released this year? Name me one if you think it’s possible. I sure as hell don’t think so. The acoustic guitar, the whistles, and the subject matter all combine to make this an irresistible piece of pop, which is unfortunate because sometimes you really need to get something done, and then “The Lazy Song” comes on and, well, there goes all productivity for a little while. Hopefully next year’s summer anthem will be called “Work Your Ass Off,” so our economy doesn’t grind to a halt again.
Ah yes, Pitbull. The king of making tracks that are mildly enjoyable but not good enough to download, and that get increasingly aggravating the more often you hear them until you realize you would be perfectly okay not hearing another Pitbull song for a few years. Not that I feel that way about this song though.
Everyday I’m shufflin’! What’s funny is that in a few years, nobody will remember why that line makes sense. Which is too bad, because the first time I heard it, I thought it was genius. In general, the rise of this song has been curious because the beat is so weak and uninspiring. But good for LMFAO- they deserved a #1 hit and they sure did get one this time.
The all-out assault of Nicki Minaj on the music world was taken to a new intensity this summer when she dropped “Super Bass,” her biggest hit to date. This lady never stops working, and it’s paying huge dividends for her now. She’s already the biggest female hip-hop artist in years, and pretty soon she’s gonna be the biggest star in the world and we’ll be wondering how on Earth she managed to do it.
I just did an in-depth piece about this song when it hit #1 last week (making it the fifth single off Teenage Dream to do so, which is, in short, historic), so I won’t rehash it all. Let’s be real, though: you love this song. Even though you probably want to hate it. And that is exactly what I look for in a Song of the Summer, so you better believe it makes the list.
I should probably make a list of “Best Songs of the Summer,” because that’s where this song really belongs. Might even top the list, actually (it’s been a pretty weak summer). But that’s not the point of this list, so instead I’ll just remark on its immediate rise to #1 and its subsequent charge back up the charts after a quick drop, a very rare feat. I’ll also point out how its popularity seemed to correllate directly with its debut on “The Voice,” which proves the popularity of the NBC hit (could it challenge “American Idol?” We’ll have to wait and see).
Look, I know this is an absolute teenybopper fave jam. I know I’m not supposed to enjoy songs like these- rather, I’m supposed to roll my eyes at the little girls who love it and profess my love for more “mature” music. But guess what: if that was my mindset, why on Earth would I be writing this blog? I refuse to grow up. I like this song, and if that makes me essentially a “Musically Oblivious 8th Grader,” so be it.
Like what you like, people. Don’t have any reservations. Have a good rest of the summer. “Fall jams” are a little trickier to suss out, but I’ll do my best to get a list going for them too.
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