"Set Fire To The Rain" Hits #1 On iTunes Top 200!

Hooray for Adele!  Or, as iTunes calls her, ADELE!  If you read my Top 30 Songs Of 2011 list, you know that "Set Fire" came in at #3.  Obviously, this means I'm super psyched about this, since it's pretty rare that a song I like this much gets this popular.  In fact, if any song out there deserves to be #1, it's this one, so this is big news at Consider Me Named.  I guess it's celebration time!

Song Of The Day: Adele- "Set Fire To The Rain"

I already sort-of reviewed this one on my Top Songs of the First Half of 2011 column back in June, and although it's been released a single now, it still doesn't have an official music video for me to post for your viewing pleasure.  However, its suddenly quick rise up the charts makes it impossible for me to ignore it any longer.

According to its Wikipedia page, some "critics" didn't like "Set Fire To The Rain."  Some even thought it was the worst song on Adele's Grammy-nominated sophomore album 21.  Some, though, have their heads screwed on straight, and realize it's in fact the best song on the album, by far.  On no other song (except, perhaps, "Ill Be Waiting"), does the production value match Adele's voice. 

That's not to say this song is overproduced, but it hits you from all angles, rather than from just a vocal one.  Anyone who thinks this song is overproduced needs to get down from off their high horse and recognize it as both the catchiest and most powerful song on the album.  I sincerely hope Adele's third album is focused more on songs like this and less on songs like "Someone Like You."  Actually, I just hope she's able to record a third album at all.  Be thankful for what you've got, people.

Top 10 Songs Of The Summer

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."

Katy Perry feat. Kanye West- "E.T."

           

            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.

Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull- "On The Floor"

            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.

Adele- "Rolling In The Deep"

            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.

Bruno Mars- "The Lazy Song"

            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.

Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer- "Give Me Everything"

            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.

LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock- "Party Rock Anthem"

            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.

Nicki Minaj- "Super Bass"

            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.

Katy Perry- "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"

            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.

Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera- "Moves Like Jagger"

            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).

Hot Chelle Rae- "Tonight Tonight"

            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 8^th 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.

Song Of The Day: Adele- "Someone Like You"

How do you follow up the biggest song of the year?  I was hoping it would be with this, but I guess Adele (and her people) decided to go with this instead (or, as she would say, "in-stayeeed").  There's no way "Someone Like You" will be as big a hit as "Rolling In The Deep," but it doesn't really matter, since her sophomore album 21 has sold way, way, way more than any other album this year.  Obviously huge props have to go out to Adele for succeeding so remarkably only using her natural vocal talent.  That's also a testament to the buying public that we still (apparently) recognize good music and not just a scantily-clad chick or a thumping beat.  So let's all pat Adele, and ourselves, on the back for being so awesome, and I'll leave you with a burning question:

Why does iTunes continue to refer to the artist of this song as ADELE???  All caps?  Really, iTunes?  Why do you insist on yelling her name?  Is this some kind of marketing ploy to get us to notice her, or is this a longstanding technical glitch that you somehow either can't fix or repeatedly ignore?  I actually don't want them to fix it at this point because I think it's hilarious, but it truly baffles me.

Pop Music "Fantasy Draft," Part 1- The Ladies!

Yesterday I promised you an epic new post would be coming soon.  Well, here it is.  Here's a quick reminder of the premise:

You are a record exec and you have to sign two artists this year- one male solo artist and one female solo artist.  Any and all acts are potential “free agents” who could be signed.  Who do you pick and why?  Rank your top ten choices for each gender from 10-1.

 Today I present part one- the ladies.  Check back tomorrow for the guys' list, and feel free to comment and disagree with me vehemently.

10. Jennifer Lopez

     

Part of the original “Big Three” of late-90s bubblegum pop, J-Lo has proven herself to have lots of staying power, continuing to chart with both Spanish and English-language hits throughout the past decade.  The massive success she had with her most recent hit, “On The Floor,” makes me believe she still has a couple of years left in her.  But she is now on the “wrong” side of 40, which means she would be far from my number one spot.

9. Nicki Minaj

After toiling for years appearing on a seemingly endless number of obscure hip-hop remixes, Nicki Minaj is finally reaching her moment in the sun.  At this point, every music fan in America knows who she is, and many think she is the best female rapper in the game, if not the best overall.  She also finally has a Top 10 hit under her belt with “Super Bass” and a successful album in Pink Friday.  However, despite a lot of potential, it remains to be seen just how bankable Minaj really is, so I would still consider her a bit more of a “prospect” than a certifiable superstar.  This is a risky pick but one with a lot of upside.

8. Britney Spears

A lot of things have been said about Britney Spears (some of them very frightening) but one thing that cannot be denied is her impact on pop culture and her continued ability to make hit records.  She may be a bit over the hill in terms of sex appeal, but if you think about it she’s actually a surprisingly safe bet to make some money because no matter how bad her product is, lots of people will still buy it just because it says Britney Spears.  This is of course ignoring all the people who would never buy it for the exact same reason, but those people aren’t the point of this premise anyway.

7. Ke$ha

Can Ke$ha really sell millions of albums?  Probably not.  Can Ke$ha really sell out stadiums?  After seeing her on “Saturday NightLive,” almost definitely not.  But can Ke$ha sell untold boatloads of singles?  Absolutely.  She has already (her first six singles have reached the top 10) and thus it holds that she can continue to do so.  And in today’s singles-driven music industry, that’s often all you need to be a successful artist.  So, I have no doubt that Ke$ha would be a very valuable artist to have on your label, although she’s not as well-rounded as some of the ladies higher up on the list.

6. Adele

After the absolutely stunning runaway success of Adele’s sophomore album 21, and its lead single “Rolling in the Deep,” you would think she would be even higher up on this list.  And I admit I thought about it, given how well she’s done.  But I just can’t justify putting her any higher because she hasn’t proven that she can sell concert tickets, or that she can have another single anywhere near as successful as “Rolling in the Deep,” at least in the U.S.  And without those things, she lacks the bankability that the truly top stars have.  So she’s a bit like Nicki Minaj in that she could someday be at the top of this list, but for right now I have to see her as a bit more of an up-and-comer based on lack of evidence.  Which hurts, because she’s certainly the most talented vocalist on the list, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

5. Beyoncé

Since leaving Destiny’s Child almost a decade ago, Beyonce has produced a steady stream of hits and become an African-American icon.  She has sold 75 million records as a solo artist and earned hundreds of millions on tours.  She is absolutely rock-solid.  However it’s worth mentioning that her fourth solo album, appropriately titled 4, has not performed nearly as well as her first three to this point.  Because of this, she comes in at number five, although at age 29 she should have another good decade ahead of her.  But it would be hard for her to top her first decade as a solo performer, so I can really only see her downslide from here.

4. Lady Gaga

Right off the bat it has to be pointed out that Gaga’s latest album, Born This Way, is a warning sign.  Sure it sold phenomenally well in its first week, and its title track spent six weeks at #1.  But the album has not proven to have the staying power that Gaga’s first album, The Fame, did.  But while this drop-off can’t be ignored, neither can the jaw-dropping and historic figures of her first tour.  And with the fanaticism shown by her legions of fans, and her icon status within the LGBT community, Lady Gaga is an industry presence you absolutely want on your side.

3. Katy Perry

Katy Perry has spent over 14 consecutive months in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.  Her sophomore album, Teenage Dream, has exceeded all expectations and produced four #1 singles and a fifth currently peaking at #3.  There is no doubt that if it’s hugely successful singles that you want, you go out and get Katy Perry for your record label.  There’s nobody better than her right now.  Both of her albums have gone 5x platinum as well, so she clearly has some depth.  But again, I have to consider the future here, and I feel like Katy Perry is peaking right now, and it’s all downhill from here.  Certainly her upcoming tour will be a profit bonanza, but after that, does she have another standout album left in her, or will her act get stale?  Ultimately her future may not be as bright as the top two ladies on the list.

2. Taylor Swift

Here are the basics: Taylor Swift is the top-selling digital artist in music history, has sold over 20 million albums worldwide, has had 9 Top 10 hits, and is a role model to millions of teenage girls around the world.  Yet she’s never had a number one hit, and she’s only 21 years old!  What amazes me the most about T-Swift is how well she’s handled going from a teenager to a young woman, both in her personal life and musically.  She seems to be the real deal- no scandal, no changes in genre, just top-notch songwriting and authentic musical talent.  And she basically prints money.  I have zero doubt that she will continue to be a superstar for at least the next decade.  The only thing holding her back from the number one spot is the relative lack of diversity of her fanbase.  First, many guys can’t stand her (although there are many that love her as well).  Also, let’s face it, blacks and Hispanics don’t like country or occasionally-corny pop songs.  Maybe that doesn’t matter, but just for argument’s sake, I say you need to take someone who can truly appeal to just about everyone.

1. Rihanna

Rihanna is the youngest artist to ever reach ten Number 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.  She has already released five albums that have combined to sell over 20 million albums worldwide, and she’s only 23.  These numbers are staggering, but by themselves do they warrant a number one ranking?  I don’t think so.  Luckily, there are some other reasons why Rihanna deserves to be chosen.  Yes, she tours well and can guarantee you lots of money that way, but more importantly she has proven already to be remarkably versatile musically.  Rihanna doesn’t write her own material, and that makes her extremely malleable.  Giver her reggae-dancehall pop and she’ll make it great, give her midtempo R&B and she’ll sell that, and as we’ve seen recently, give her an island-flavored house beat and she’ll make it legendary.  No matter what type of music is popular in the next decade, you can bet that Rihanna’s take on it will hit #1.  Because of that versatility, she has to be my top female choice.