Song of the Day: Lil Wayne- "How to Love"

People are saying this is a totally new direction for Lil Wayne, because he's singing and not cursing and all that.  The not cursing is admittedly a new direction, but the singing is nothing new.  However, the subject matter is a departure from the normal Weezy.  But hey, I get why he's going "soft."  Wayne's clearly going after the valuable black girl demographic with this song.  I guarantee you they'll be screaming the words at all his shows this summer.  Make no mistake, black girls go crazy for songs like this.  Next thing you know, Lil Wayne's gonna be the black Bieber.

Song of the Day: Hot Chelle Rae- "Tonight Tonight"

Yesterday we had Foster The People in this spot with their take on pop/rock.  Today we have Hot Chelle Rae, another band in a similar vein whose debut song is now in the Top 10.  What a difference a day makes.  "Tonight Tonight" is infectious, catchy, and fun, with memorable lyrics and a toe-tapping beat- in short, everything missing from yesterday's song "Pumped Up Kicks."  This is a true summer anthem, and I guarantee we'll remember it for years to come.  Yesterday I said that I hope we don't hear again from our Song of the Day artist.  Today I can say that I hope we do.

History Lesson: The Most Ubiquitous Songs of Each Year of the Last Decade*

Every year, there’s at least one song that, for a certain period of time, appears to be the only song on the radio.  Whether it’s blaring out of a passing car, at a bar, or in your friend’s basement, it’s inescapable.  Here’s a look at the most ubiquitous song each year from the past decade (obviously excluding 2011, on account of it being unfinished).

2001: Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule- "I'm Real"

This was the biggest hit on the radio right around the time I started listening to pop music.  It was undoubtedly one of my least favorite tracks, and every time I turned on my clock radio or convinced my parents to turn on the car radio, I suffered a crushing letdown when this smarmy duet inevitably cascaded over the airwaves.  My stance has softened over the years, though- hearing it now mostly just brings back nostalgia for a time when hearing this song was literally the worst thing that could happen to me.

2002: Nelly- "Hot in Herre"

Not only was “Hot in Herre” the indisputable summer jam of 2002, but also it represented a time when nothing was hotter than the St. Louis/Dirty South rap scene, baggy clothes, throwback jerseys, huge chains, huge cars, and (apparently) Band-Aids included.  Man, I loved those songs, and their music videos, even though they were all the same.

’03: Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz ft. Ying Yang Twins- “Get Low”

           

If “Hot in Herre” was the summer radio jam of 2002 and a celebration of Southern rap culture, “Get Low” was an underground anthem that accomplished the same goals despite not getting nearly as much airplay.  There was a time when you literally could not escape people singing this song, because it had so many quotable lines, best of all, obviously, the one about the window and the wall.  “Get Low” was also the mainstream debut of crunk, and I distinctly remember the first time I heard this song with my brother, we both just went “Whoa…this is some wild shit right here…this is gonna be huge.”  We were right, and it’s still one of my favorite rap songs of all time. 

2004: Outkast & Sleepy Brown- "The Way You Move"

           

I know “Hey Ya” was a bigger hit, but everyone remembers that song.  Big Boi’s single was also #1 for three weeks, and with good reason- I heard it so often (and I liked it even less than “Hey Ya”) that it certainly felt more ubiquitous than Andre 3000’s classic.  2004 was a great year for music, so it’s sad that the song that was the most inescapable was one of the least enjoyable.  But perhaps that’s why it sticks in my memory.

2005: Mariah Carey- "We Belong Together"

            

If you’re not a chart geek like me, you probably didn’t know that Billboard ranked this the #1 hit of the past decade.  You probably forgot this song even existed- after all, it’s pretty forgettable.  But for some reason (either record execs liked it or, God forbid, regular people liked it), it got almost constant airplay on Top 40 and urban radio back in 2005.  I think it’s an injustice that a song like this can get top billing over some of the far more memorable tracks released in the last 10 years, but stats are stats, right?

2006: Justin Timberlake- "SexyBack"

           

I have immense respect for Justin Timberlake.  He has succesfully navigated the transition from child star to boy-band star to solo artist to Hollywood leading man in a way that Justin Bieber can only hope to do (see my Pop Music Fantasy Draft for details).  All that being said, though…I’ve hardly liked a single song he’s ever made, and “SexyBack” is no exception.  It’s just repetitive and annoying, with little melody or a good enough beat to make me want to dance.  I am still mystefied as to why everyone loved it so much.  Just kidding I know it was because the ladies love JT unconditionally.

2007: Fergie- "Big Girls Don't Cry"

            

Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that this song was absolutely everywhere for most of 2007.  I actually grew quite fond of it, and I always enjoyed singing along when it came on, trying to squeeze out the high notes, much to the annoyance (or perhaps amusement) of anyone around me.  Let me tell you- Fergie has an impressive vocal range, and it is hard to duplicate.

2008: Ray-J feat. Yung Berg- "Sexy Can I"

             

Was this a good song?  No, not even after just listening to it again for the first time in three years.  Was it catchy as hell?  Absolutely, and that’s why it got stuck in my head to a much hugher degree than it should have.  It must have happened to a lot of people too, because it wound up being one of the most played songs of the year, and one of the ones I remember most.  Like ’04, 2008 was a great year for music, maybe the best one of the decade, but all I can remember it by is this piece of crap.  What a waste.

2009: The Black Eyed Peas- "I Gotta Feeling"

             

The very first time I heard this song I was putting on my suit for prom.  Very interesting.  These are the things that stick with you.  Then I heard it approximately 7,674,329 more times that year.  I always thought it should have had a harder-hitting beat, but apparently America didn’t mind because I think it spent most of the year at #1.  The only part of it I liked every time were the “Mazel Tov” and “L’chaim.”

2010: Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg- "California Gurls"

             

I know I already mentioned this in my Pop Music Fantasy Draft a couple weeks ago, but this song serves as a bridge to right now.  “California Gurls” was the lead single off Perry’s album Teenage Dream.  The fifth single off that album, “Last Friday Night,” is currently #2 on the Billboard chart.  Hard to believe the lifespan for that album.  As for the song, it’s by far my least-favorite single of the five released so far, but I would absolutely say it was the most ubiquitous song of 2010.  As for 2011, well, Katy Perry has three entries that could make this list, but plenty of other acts could stake a claim as well.  We’ll just have to wait and see.

*Results compiled scientifically (in other words I looked at the Billboard Year-End Top 100 for each of these years and decided which one I thought was the most ubiquitous).

Song of the Day: Foster The People- "Pumped Up Kicks"

So this song has slowly crossed over from the Alternative scene and has now broken into the iTunes Top 10, and reached #29 on the Billboard chart.  You certainly won't hear anything else like it on Top 40 radio right now.  But although it's different, it's mostly just more boring than most other pop music out right now.  It doesn't hold up well on repeated listening.  So although I respect Foster The People and I hope to see more breakout alternative acts soon, I also hope this is the last we hear of them.

Do you agree?  Or do you wanna Kick me in my Pumped Up head?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Coming Soon: Song Of The Day!

Starting tomorrow, get ready for a Song Of The Day every weekday (and maybe every day).  This could be a song you probably haven't heard yet, or it could be a song you've probably already heard but need to look at a different way.  These will mostly be Top 40 songs though, obviously.

Also, look for another in-depth feature in the near future- this time, I'll be deciding the most ubiquitous song from each of the last ten years.  Ubiquitous doesn't necessarily mean good or bad, just inescapable and exceptionally popular.  You probably think you remember all the big hits, but be prepared for some surprises. 

In the meantime, here's another attraction that's sure to leave you coming.  Har har.

This is Natasha Bedingfield, and I apologize for my usage of crude humor.

Six Country Songs You Should Probably Know

So if you follow contemporary country music at all, you probably know all these songs well already.  But if you're like me and have a lot of breadth but not much depth in your library, these are the best country hits out there right now.  I'm not too much of a country fan, but songs like these are the exception.  We'll save for another time the in-depth discussion about the industry behemoth that country music has become, but it certainly will be worth discussing at some point.  In the meantime:

Eli Young Band- "Crazy Girl:"

 

Brad Paisley feat. Carrie Underwood- "Remind Me:"

Lady Antebellum- "Just A Kiss:"

The Band Perry- "If I Die Young:"

Jason Aldean feat. Kelly Clarkson- "Dont You Wanna Stay:"

Blake Shelton- "Honey Bee:"

Pop Music "Fantasy Draft," Part 2- The Guys!

So, although I'm a couple minutes after my self-imposed deadline, here is Part 2 of our epic Pop Music "Fantasy Draft," almost on time.  This time we focus on the fellas.  Again, if you missed the basic premise, here it is one more time:

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.  

Feel free to comment tell me how awesome I am (disagreements not accepted).  Here's the list:

10. T-Pain

This is not the most well-informed or well-researched choice, I admit.  But the sheer number of songs that T-Pain appears on, whether or not they reach the Top 10 (which, by the way, there have been 14 of) indicates to me that T-Pain can be a good investment, if due only to his tireless work ethic.  The more appearances he makes, the higher the likelihood of a hit, which means T-Pain is a pretty safe bet.  Also he pioneered the use of Auto-Tune so I have to give props where they’re due.

9. Bruno Mars

A classic up-and-comer with one solo album, a few hit singles, and already an impressive number of featured appearances, Bruno Mars seems loaded with potential.  He was also “loaded” with a charge of cocaine possession, but that’s another story for another time.  Point is, this is a choice with a lot of upside, and Mars still has almost his whole career in front of him (which maximizes the amount of money he could make you) but because we have such a small sample size of material to work with thus far, we can’t say with lots of confidence that he’ll continue to be this successful.  But his potential is strong enough to warrant a number 9 ranking.

8. Chris Brown

Two years ago, Chris Brown would have been in the Top 5 of this list.  Six months ago, he would have been off the list.  But despite his rather serious personal issues, he has managed to resurrect his music career, and has returned to the land of marketability.  Brown possesses such talent and crossover appeal that he should be able to make people completely forget his troubles and continue buying his music, and concert tickets.  As long as he can avoid another meltdown, his product is certainly good enough to make his record label boatloads of money.

7. Usher

Usher is pretty similar to Chris Brown, but different in a few key ways.  First, he’s ten years older than Brown.  Not good.  Second, he’s much more emotionally stable.  Very good.  Third, he’s had a consistently successful career with few bumps in the road.  Also good.  So, although he has less time left in his “prime,” he goes one spot higher than Breezy because the rest of his career seems like more of a sure bet than Chris Brown.

6. Drake

Drake can do it all- sing, rap, dance…well, maybe not dance so much.  But still, he can sing and rap and write his own rhymes, and he can headline a song or just do a guest spot, and he makes it all work.  It’s not really fair to call Drake an up-and-comer at this point because he’s already so established, but he still isn’t quite as much an entrenched sure thing at this point as the guys in front of him.  I’m still not certain that Drake can be his own self-sufficient act at this point; I think he needs help from too many other artists all the time to offset his sound.  Nonetheless, he has an extremely bright present and future, so I have him as my sixth choice here.

5. Jay-Z

An artist like Jay-Z really tests the limits of my premise.  If we look at him purely as a rapper, the signs look bleak- he’s 41 and he already “quit the game” once before returning.  It’s hard to see him signing off on a five-album deal that brings in tens of millions for a record label.  However, if we expand the premise to look at the industry-mogul side of Jay-Z, then we have to take him very seriously.  I draw the line somewhere down the middle.  I say we would stand to profit from some of Jay-Z’s nonmusical endeavors, like clothing lines or other brands, but not from his positions as head of Roc-a-Fella or Def Jam or the New Jersey Nets.  Based on these guidelines, he comes in at number 5, but in actuality he could be pretty much anywhere on the list depending on what you choose to include for him.

4. Eminem  

What an awesome old-school picture!

This one’s a more straightforward option.  Eminem sells truckloads of albums.  He always has.  If he wasn’t so old, he would probably be number one.  But just like Jay-Z, his motivation to keep rapping has wavered at times, and he certainly finds himself on the brink of being past his prime or just tired of it all.  But after the runaway success of his last album, Recovery, and his current venture Bad Meets Evil, with Royce da 5’9, I have to figure he’s got one or two monster albums/tours left in him that will leave my imaginary label flush with cash to go find the next Great White Hope.

3. Kanye West

Some people may be tempted to put Kanye West at number one, but those people are confusing musicianship and artistic integrity with sales appeal.  Sure, Kanye is a gifted rapper and he sells a ton of records, but he doesn’t sell as many as the people above him, nor does he have the total package of album sales, singles sales, concert sales, and other merchandise and ventures to be the top choice.

2. Lil Wayne

Yes, Weezy was in jail for a good while.  But rewind just a little further than that.  His last album, Tha Carter III, was the top-selling album of 2008, selling over 3 million copies.  Since then, he released an ill-fated rock album and an EP, both of which have sold remarkably well for what they are, and headlined a couple sold-out tours.  After this government-induced hiatus, Wayne is coming back with Tha Carter IV, and if it’s as good as the last Carter (which I think it will be) it should outsell it.  Lil Wayne has everything going for him at this point; he’s very versatile and can sell just about anything, and he’s only 28.  The only reason he comes in second here is because of a certain invincible force in front of him…

1. Justin Bieber

Look, it’s not like I’m a Justin Bieber fan.  And to be honest, I have my doubts about how well his act will carry over as he gets older and moves out of his adorable-shaggy-haired-teenager phase.  But what I do know is that if I am a record executive and I have the option of signing any male solo artists and I pass up signing Bieber, I would look pretty damn stupid.  His appeal with teenage girls and children, the most fanatic of all demographics, is unparalleled.  He’s made so much money already, and he’s so young still, that I have to figure he’ll make me more in the future than anyone else on this list.  In real life, I hope I’m wrong, because I can’t stand the guy.  But for the purposes of this exercise, taking Justin Bieber as my male solo artist is an absolute must.