#and b) how orchestrated is the video

[noobsomeexagerjunk]

I just remembered when Ositio Bimbo/Cucurucho/Census Bureau, upon being asked (I forget who did but when I find the clip again I'll remember, it was around the first few streams), said their name was "Smile"

It then occurred to me that the TTS voice they have would read ":)" as "Smile" hence my theory here that Osito Bimbo sometimes speaks as the server or through the Federation in in-game chat

And based on the event the images above are referencing, I think we can confirm 10101100 clearly works with the Federation

:)

Give up.

I’M SORRY?/? what actually is this thing??? THIS IS SO SCARY RIGHT NOW

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

It’s incredibly brave of Blake to take a stand and make all this public. Or rather, that she bided her time, let the process do its thing, and seemingly compiled such a strong case against Justin Baldoni and basically let him and his team hang themselves with their own hubris. And like many others have said, the fact that she was arguably the most powerful person in that production and he and his team thought they could treat her the way they did and subsequently handily “bury her” speaks volumes on the rampant misogyny in the industry, and about how if it was this bad *for her*, imagine how bad is must be for people who don’t have the protection of her level of fame and wealth and privilege.

It’s so weird because obviously I like I think many of us knew things were bad during the movie’s press tour; with the whole cast unfollowing him, everyone distancing themselves from him, the comments, etc., I figured something happened along “creative differences” and that he was evidently not well-liked, but I never imagined it was this insidious or conspiratorial. How could one B-list one-time CW actor cause that much damage on a set? Well, it turns out, extremely easily. Because systems are in place to protect these men, no matter how privileged on paper the women around them are. The depths to which this team sought to ruin her, as an assault on all fronts, is truly Machiavellian.

Blake was “lucky” because she had people who believed her and had the resources and access to protect herself and advocate for change on her set, but she should never have had to protect herself like this in the first place. She went through traumatic incidents at the hands of these men, ones that had tangible consequences on both her mental and physical health and that of her child. And again: if this is how awful the experience was for her at the top of the call sheet, how many other people on this set and others suffer in silence too? How much do these ill-intended people in positions of power get away with that never get brought to light?

I find myself so rattled by this, even though on paper, I shouldn’t be. But it’s just like… We hear about the Harvey Weinsteins and Johnny Depps of the world, the industry titans who prey on people with less power all over the place. Yet for every Harvey Weinstein there’s a Justin Baldoni, just Some Dude who thinks by virtue of their privilege can act with impunity. (And yes, I know the man was a “successful” actor, but he wasn’t Ryan Reynolds-level successful. And I’m not saying success = permission to act this way, I’m saying the abusers are painted as these nearly godlike levels of fame and power, and the reality is that literally anyone can be an abuser and turn a situation into an unsafe power dynamic.)

And not to bring Taylor into it and make everything about her, but I also can’t help but think about the 2016 of it all, let alone situations she’d been in long before that. And how so many things happened to her: the revenge porn music video, the phone call, the smear campaign deliberately orchestrated by the Kardashians, Kanye’s link to Scooter, the internet harassment, etc. The difference was that everything was an onslaught, and Taylor didn’t have the public support or sadly, the evidence, to back up her experience. How different could things have gone if she’d been able to speak up? If she’d been able to counteract the obvious lies? Been able to call out the music video for what it was? She couldn’t for a million reasons, and we now have a glimpse into how traumatic that forced silence was for her. One of the differences between Taylor’s experience then and Blake’s now is that in some ways, folks are smarter about how social media is manipulated (but in others, they’re also much, much more gullible). Taylor had the entire media it seemed out to get her; Blake seemed to be following suit, until her own actions proved the lies incontrovertible so that she couldn’t be silenced.

I don’t really know where I’m going with this, except: it doesn’t matter if you’re one of the most famous people in the world, like Taylor was then and exponentially more so now. It doesn’t matter if you’re an industry veteran like Blake, with a husband who’s one of the most recognizable and powerful figures in the industry himself. Predators will prey on people they want to conquer and put in their place, and they will think they can do so without consequence. The cruelty, as always, is the point.

[ragingduststorm]

R U Mine?

Since I'm in my Ed Skrein phase right now and just watched the first Deadpool again, I just had to write some smut about baby boy Ajax.

Little background: OC is a mutant water bender (ATLA style) and gets paid to heal people. On their first meeting, she accidentally heals his lack of emotion and he develops an obsession for her. They become something like friends and she constantly teases him for not being able to do nothing and just chill. He finally takes his chance after orchestrating some time off for them.

OC's name is Ray, uses she/her pronouns, self-conscious about her body

Word count: ~5k

Warning (this is a long one): 18+, so, so much sex, obsession, oral (both f and m receiving), degradation (the b word is used several times), praise, a lot of biting and scratching and pain, edging, dom/sub, lots of swearing I might forget something, it's honestly so much

“Just give me a second. Stay there!”, she laughed as she sprinted into her bedroom. She could have purged the alcohol from her system, but she enjoyed not worrying all the time. Her brain was constantly filled with questioning whether she acted normal, if she was too much or too loud. He’d never given her the impression or made a mean comment about it, but still the thoughts were there. Not when she was mildly drunk, though. She laughed as loud as she wanted and spoke whatever came to her mind. And that’s why they were in her flat now. Because she’d blurted out that the morally grey love interest in the book she’d just finished, looked alarmingly like him. She would probably regret all of this by tomorrow and ghost him as a result. But that was a problem for the Ray of tomorrow.

Now, she rummaged around the room, looking for that damned book. She’d finished it last night and had decided to take it back instead of keeping it here in the safe house. It was a beautifully bound hardcover filled with illustrations. Something like that had to be displayed, even if she was the only one who’d ever see it. By the third pile of clothes she started to panic. Ajax was in the other room, in her home, alone. And that nosy shit would absolutely be snooping around. She had to hurry. There! Underneath a stack of papers and some spare sheets. How on earth did it get there? It didn’t matter. She flipped through the pages, looking for a suitable picture as she returned to the living room.

 Ajax was nose deep in her video game collection, of course. “You know, we haven’t done that part of the list yet.”, he said as he turned around. “Patience, young Padawan. I’ll beat you in Mario Kart later.”, Ray grinned as she stepped closer to him. ��See, this is your good twin. Culann, Lord of the Risen Court and Master of the Wind and all its creatures.” Ajax looked at her sceptically and then at the illustration. “Hmm, I don’t know.” Her reflexes were sluggish from the alcohol, so he snatched the book from her hand with ease. “Hey!”, she said, but he was already on the other side of the room. God, that bastard was fast. He flipped through the pages as she chased him through the room. “So that’s what you read, ey? I mean, I knew you had a dirty mind, but this is utter filth.” Ray’s whole face burned red hot as she knew exactly what page he was on. “Give it back, that’s private!” The adrenaline paired with the alcohol made her completely forget about her powers. She tried to jump at him, but he dodged easily. “Doesn’t look very private to me. That’s quite an audience in this picture.” This time, when she tried to grab the book, he didn’t dodge. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and before she knew it her back was pressed against his front. His free arm was draped around her chest, making it impossible for her to flee as he held the book so that they both could look in.

“A medieval fantasy setting and still they have showers. Wouldn’t it make more sense to fuck in a bathtub?”, his mouth was dangerously close to her ear, his voice low and threatening. An involuntary shudder gripped her body, making her lurch, but still, he held tight. The illustration showed the winged love interest kneeling in front of the female protagonist, eating her out like his life depended on it. Ray remembered the moment she’d read the scene. How it had turned her own and how she’d taken care of herself afterwards. In her imagination it hadn’t been Culann, though.

“You fucking piece of shit.”, Ray stammered, out of breath not only from the struggle. He’d pressed her so close to him, she could feel his body through the thin clothes she was wearing. It wasn’t only his abs that were surprisingly hard. “Such a filthy, filthy mouth.”, he breathed into her ear and her legs almost gave out from under her. Ray was utterly confused and horny at the same time. They were…friends, right? Sure, they had flirted before, but it had always just been a joke. He was teasing her, making fun of her. “Ajax.”, her voice was quiet and he could feel a shift in him. “Stop me, if you want to.” It wasn’t sarcasm, it wasn’t malicious, it was genuine. If she wanted to, she could stop this, could have stopped this at any point. She could sober herself up, force him to get away from her, but she didn’t. Not because she had forgotten, but because she didn’t want to. She liked this. She craved this. 

“I yearn for the day when we can cast aside the façade and embrace the chaos we’ve sown together.” Ray’s mind cleared. She turned around in his arms as he threw the book onto the couch. They were so close. Closer than they’d ever been before. She could smell his cologne and beneath, his natural scent, could see every little imperfection. She looked up into his icy eyes that were fixed on her. “You read it.”, she said, surprised. He smiled at her and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face. The gesture made her breath hitch. “Bought it yesterday. I’m not as fast a reader as you, so I’m only on page two hundred something.” So, he’d spent almost the whole day before dinner reading. “Congratulations, you know how to chill.” “It’s a lot more fun with you around, though.”, he said almost inaudibly as he caressed her face. His mouth was so dangerously close to hers. They were so close, she could feel his heartbeat, could feel his blood pumping through his body. She could stop this. She could make him back off. She could make his heart stop with just her thought. Instead, she reached up and kissed him.

It was like the floodgates had opened. All the pent-up tension that had built up for more than a year exploded as they kissed frantically. She pushed him back against the wall that he hit with a thump. Their hands wandered, exploring each other’s bodies. But he didn’t overstep. Only when his hands moved underneath his shirt, so did his under hers. When she took off his shirt, he in return took off her top. “Fuck.”, she whispered as she looked at him, shirtless and hers. “Likewise.”, he laughed as he took off her bra and caressed her breasts. He took one of them in his mouth and flicked her already erect nipple with his tongue before biting it lightly. Ray cried out and almost lost her footing, so she moved them to the bedroom. It was utter chaos in there, proving that she hadn’t in a million years believed this was a possible outcome for the day. But he didn’t see it. He only had eyes for her.

She opened his belt and he stepped out of his jeans, leaving him only in tight underwear that showed a perfect outline of his hard cock. Her mouth watered just glancing at it. She pushed him down to sit at the edge of the bed. He kissed along her stomach, reaching her waistband. With one clean sweep he pulled both her pants and underwear off. Good, because she’d been wearing some embarrassingly old panties today.

She stood in front of him now, completely naked. Embarrassment rose in her as she compared his perfectly sculpted body to hers. She couldn’t understand why he wanted her or maybe he was just horny and she was simply there. She tried to move, but he’d grabbed her ass as he kissed along her hips. As if he’d read her thoughts, he looked up, right into her soul. “You’re so god damn beautiful, you know?” She didn’t know. But before she could reply, he pulled her down onto the bed, right beneath him. He parted her legs with his body as he kissed her with such passion, she couldn’t form a coherent thought anymore. His still restrained erection brushed against her delicate spot, making her moan. “Oh, I love that sound.”, he growled into her ear. Her body burned with desire for him. She wanted him to touch every part of her and she wanted to touch all of him in return. He went lower and lower, kissing and biting while she scratched his back with one hand. The other caressed his head.

Still, he went lower and as he reached her thighs, she couldn’t help but move towards him. “Patience.”, he laughed as he kissed the sensitive skin on the inside of her thighs. He took his time until she couldn’t take it anymore. “Ajax, please.” He looked up at her from in between her legs and it was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. “Please, what?”, he asked with a smirk. “Touch me, lick me, fuck me. Anything!” Her voice was thick with need for him. “Your wish is my command.” And finally, he ran his tongue along her. His strong hands held her legs apart as he dipped inside her, flicked her bud, drove her wild. She couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed the backside of his head and held him in place.

“Fingers.”, she ordered and he obeyed immediately. He covered one of his fingers in her slick and his spit and moved inside her. “More.” As the second finger joined the first one, she screamed out. “A little faster and harder.” Exactly like that. As she got closer and closer, she screamed profanities, screamed his name. “Come for me.” His voice reverberated through her body, sending her over the edge. He didn’t stop. He kept going at the exact rhythm she needed until she’d ridden out her high. When she signalled that she was done for the moment, he came back up to kiss her passionately. 

“I didn’t think you’d be such a good girl for me.” His smile paired with the look in his eyes made her immediately ache for more. “You want me to be a brat?”, she asked. “Later.” “Good, because I really need you to fuck me right now.” His eyes darkened. “Say please.” She swallowed hard. “Ajax, please, I need you to fuck me senseless right now.” He slid off the underwear he was still wearing and sat back on his knees. His throbbing erection was now free and well, large. “Please, please, please.”, she moaned as he guided it closer to her entry. He covered himself in her slick but he didn’t enter. “Look at me.”, he ordered and she obeyed. Slowly, so slowly, he entered and her eyes widened. He studied her face closely and stopped for a second when it felt like too much for her. She breathed in hard. “No, keep going.” “Pain can be good sometimes, right?”, he repeated the words she’d said to him ages ago. She nodded and bit as he continued. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Finally, he was inside her. All of him. “Fuck, Ajax. You’re so…” But she couldn’t finish the sentence as he started moving. Slowly, out and back in, as she got used to his size.

She had to focus to look at him. One hand was low on her abdomen, where he could feel himself through her skin. The thumb on his other hand he took to his mouth and licked it before lowering it to her clit and stroking in lazy circles. She would never be able to get this god like sight out of her head. He picked up the pace as she adjusted. Now, she was entirely unable to speak. She couldn’t even swear. All she could do was moan and scream and feel. “Shit, you feel so good. You take me so well, baby.” He lowered himself onto his arms, making her angle her legs and resulting in him hitting even deeper into her core. Her hands scratched along his back hard and as she came again, she drew blood. Instead of slowing down, he picked up the pace, making her scream in a mix of pleasure and pain. “Keep going, make me bleed.” He struggled to get the words out and she could feel how close he was. Her hands wandered, one hand now clawing into his ass, the other into his side. “Say my name.” He sounded utterly feral now. She obeyed. Again and again she screamed his name until he buried himself so painfully deep. He came with a roar that tore right through her body and brain. It was the hottest thing she’d ever heard. She could feel his hot cum inside of her and she was so glad that she didn’t need to worry about it. 

He collapsed onto her when he was entirely spent, burying her underneath his bulk. His weight felt calming as she hugged him tight. He breathed rapidly against her ear, she could feel his blood running through him, could feel it leaving his cock, spilling out of the wounds on his back.

They stayed like this for a while. Silent, except for their breathing. Ray’s mind began racing again. What if things got awkward now? What if he’d gotten what he wanted and he would leave? That was absolutely his right, of course. He owed her nothing after all. And she didn’t want or need anything from him, either. These past few days had been like a beautiful fever dream and now it was over and…  he kissed her. Carefully. He lifted himself onto his forearms to gaze down upon her. She’d expected to see indifference on his face, but the way he looked at her took her breath away. She’d never seen him like this. Vulnerable and soft. “Do you need anything?” The question made all of her worries fly away. “Uhm, no…well, maybe. I need to take a shower.” Not because she was covered in his sweat and scent, she quite enjoyed that, but because she absolutely needed to heal her downstairs area. It had been a while since she’d last had sex and even longer that she’d been fucked like that, if ever. “Of course.” He pulled out and sat back down on his knees in front of her. “Do you need any help?”, he asked concerned. “No, I’ll be fine.”, she answered. And groaned as she stretched her legs and sat up. Fuck, she was in an even worse state than she’d thought. She was too proud to let it show, though. Slowly, she moved to get up. And immediately sank back down onto the bed as her legs didn’t support her. Ajax was by her side immediately. He swiped her hair out of the way and kissed the tattoo on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, I got a little caried away.” “No, no, it was good…really fucking good, I’m just not used to…that.” ‘That’ was vague on purpose. ‘That’ was his dick, his strength, his enthusiasm, her feelings. One of his fingers traced down her spine, causing her to close her eyes and hum. “Do you want to?”, he asked as he reached right the base of her spine. “Hmm?” “Get used to it, I mean.” Her eyes opened with a start. He hadn’t noticed though, as he was studying her tattoos. What did he mean by that? Surely not… he must mean his size. Nothing else. “Uhm, I mean, uuuhhh…”, was her witty reply. He laughed and before she could stop him, he’d scooped her into his unbelievably strong arms and gotten up.

“Take a shower. Heal up. You can answer me later.” He carried her into the small bathroom and lowered her carefully back onto her legs, making sure she could support herself before he let go. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”, he quipped and he smacked her ass so hard, she lurched forward and had to steady herself on the edge of the bathtub. “You fucking piece of shit!”, she yelled but he was already out of the room. “You can return the favour later!”, was his answer. The throbbing of her cheek joined the rest of her body. She stepped into the tub and turned on the water. Steaming hot, just as she liked it. Didn’t matter that it was still hot as fuck outside, she needed her skin to burn right now.

She bend the water to clean up every part of her body before she concentrated on healing herself. Her insides had been in a worse state than she’d thought. She let out a sigh as the pain began to subside. Now she could see that Ajax had also bitten harder than she’d assumed. Bruises were forming along her body and Ray was sure that her ass sported an imprint of his hand. For a moment she debated whether or not she should heal all that. She quite liked how his marks looked on her body and she was one of those weird people that enjoyed pressing on a bruise. But no, it would be too weird if she healed everything except for this.

She stayed under the hot water for a while, just enjoying the heat before turning it off. She had no clothes to put on so, even though she was dry, she put on one of the gigantic fluffy towels she so loved. She’d expected Ajax to be gone or at least to be clothed and on his way out, but the sight in front of her made her jaw drop. He was lying in her bed, spread out naked like a Greek god, next to him a tray of fruit and snacks and a carafe of water. “Oh, no, no, no, that won’t do. This flat is officially a clothes free zone.”, his voice was playfully severe and he motioned for her to come closer. “First, this is my flat and I refute such a stupid rule.” She stepped a little closer, holding her towel tight. Her anxiety was now completely gone. This was her element. This was what she knew and what she was good at. “Second, a towel doesn’t count as clothes.” That bastard just sat there, lazily eating a grape, watching her. There was a glint in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. “You know, when I said later to that whole brat thing, I didn’t mean now.” Ray took a slow step towards the door to the living room. Ajax perked up, ready to pounce. “Too fucking bad. You should have specified.” They looked at each other like wild animals. He was the predator, she was the prey. The only question was, who would move first.

Ray did. She sprinted towards the door, opening it and slamming it in his face, but he was right behind her. Still clutching the towel, she jumped over the sofa to the other side of the room. She regretted not springing for a bigger apartment. “You little bitch. The more you struggle the more you will be punished.” He was in hunter mode now and Ray felt sympathy for anyone he’d ever been after. The man standing on the opposite side of the room was freaking scary and imposing. Adrenaline was pumping inside of her and her core was in knots. His cock was hard again and standing at the ready. She bit her lip. “Maybe I like the punishment.”, she hissed. He jumped and she ran into the kitchen. There was nowhere else for her to go, except the terrace, but she did not want to let the whole neighbourhood know what they were doing. The kitchen was kind of small and…tidy. He’d fucking tidied up when he got the food. Bastard.

He was blocking the doorway now and she was pressed against the sink. She had an idea. A terrible idea that was sure to make him mad. “You have nowhere to go. Come quietly and I might play nice.” She turned to look at him, catching his eye and holding his gaze. Slowly, she moved her arm towards the faucet. “Right. You bastard don’t know what nice means.” She threw an arm full of water towards him to slam him away from the door, but he’d expected that. He dodged and before she could move past him, he’d grabbed her. She screamed as he pressed her close to him for the second time today and he yanked the towel away from her.

“Oh, you bad, bad girl. You got rid of all the marks I left on your pretty little body.” Her naked back was pressed against his front. One hand held her close and aggressively fondled her breasts while the other was between her legs. “Don’t worry, I will make new ones.” His cock was throbbing against her naked ass as his hand slid along her folds. “God, you’re wet already.” It was true. Her face turned red at how embarrassingly quickly her body wanted him. But instead of admitting it, she struggled against him. He could take her right then and there. He could just thrust into her, make her scream again. “Fuck you.”, she spat out. “Your filthy mouth is just begging to be filled at this point.” And it was the truth. She longed to take his hard cock into her mouth. To choke on his length. So, instead of keeping her mouth shut, she proved him right. “Go to hell.” She hadn’t expected him to bite into the nape of her neck so hard that she gasped. He turned her around and the darkness in his eyes made her heart stop. If she didn’t know better, she would be scared. But they both knew that she was in control. She could stop this anytime.

“On your knees.”, he ordered and he pushed her down so hard she had no choice but to obey. Her face was now right in front of his cock and her mouth watered. All brattiness had left her body. Before he could say anything else, one of her hands was stroking him as the other cradled his balls. “Fuck, good girl.” She looked up at him and the feral look he gave her drove her wild. She opened her mouth but instead of taking him in, she licked the tip that was already leaking precum. His moans undid him. This man had no idea what was in store for him. She licked along his shaft while stroking him off lazily. His cock throbbed in her hand and she smiled right before she began taking him in. Slowly, she took him deeper and deeper, her tongue swirling around and licking his precum. He tried moving his hips, but she signalled him to stop. Not yet. She worked herself closer and closer to his base, taking deep breaths whenever she could and choking herself on him. Now it was his turn to swear profanities and to say her name like a prayer. His considerable size was a challenge and she doubted many had been able to take him like this. The thought made her a little proud and even more eager to please him. He held her hair out of her face like a gentleman and she gave him a sign to start moving.

He held her head steady by the hair as he fucked into her face. Careful at first, but more and more frantic as he realized that she could take it. One of her hands was still on his balls, kneading them as her other hand wandered between her legs. It was just a small release of the pressure she felt, but she knew she would get her turn later. The good thing about her power was that she could bend down the excess spit that would have made her cough and choke otherwise. Her knees began hurting on the cold tiles, but in the moment she wanted nothing more than to have Ajax cum right into her mouth. She could feel he was close. Until he hit her just as she was breathing in and she began coughing. He pulled out immediately to check if she was okay. “I’m fine.”, she said in between coughs, but he wasn’t having it. He pulled her back up on her wobbly legs to kiss her. “Fuck, baby, you did so good.”, he was genuinely impressed, but Ray was indignant. “I wanted you to cum in my mouth.” “Oh, no, I wouldn’t have. I have other plans.” 

He made her wrap her legs around his waist and carried her back into the bedroom, where he threw her onto the bed. That bastard had planned that, the tray was already on the floor. “That wasn’t much of a punishment if you enjoyed it, don’t you think?”, he asked as he stood at the foot of the bed, lazily stroking himself as he looked her up and down. Like he was going to devour her. Ray got goosebumps. “I mean, I almost choked on your cock, so I’d say that’s punishment enough.” Her voice was cocky to goad him on. She had no idea what else he wanted to do to her, but she desperately wanted to find out. “Turn around, on your stomach.” She gave him a smile. “No.” “Ray.” She’d always loved how her name sounded from his lips, but this was something else entirely. “Ajax.”

He didn’t take any more of her shit. He straddled her and even though she did her best to struggle, he turned her onto her stomach without a problem. Then, he sat down so she was trapped. “You little fucking brat.”, he spat and she couldn’t see him, but she could feel what he was doing. He jerked himself off. “No, no, no.”, she protested, her pussy aching for the relief she’d counted on. He pushed down onto her back with one arm. She couldn’t move. She was helpless. “You don’t deserve to cum.” “Ajax, please!”, her voice was so needy, it was embarrassing. “Oh, no. Begging won’t help you. You’re a dirty little bitch and you don’t deserve this.” And when he said ‘this’, he touched the wet spot between her legs, making her squirm. “I know how much you want it.” He moved lower down so he sat on her legs, his dick so close to both holes she wanted filled. She moved her ass closer. And jerked back as his hand hit her cheek hard. She cried out. He hit her again and again, alternating hands and cheeks and she just knew he had the nastiest grin on his face. But she didn’t dare look. She just screamed into the pillow. Healing the bruises had been a terrible idea. She wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Right before she told him to stop in earnest, he already did. He lay his body down on top of hers, his dick between her ass cheeks. And he moved. Her tears turned from tears of pain to tears of frustration. He was so close. Just a little adjusting and he would be inside of her. But he didn’t let her shift. Instead, he bit into her neck, into her shoulder, never breaking skin, but leaving nasty, painful bruises. “Please, Ajax. I can’t-“ another bite made her yelp. “I can’t take it anymore. Please!” Her voice was full of the frustration she felt. He let up a little and turned her painfully so she could see him. “Are you sorry?”, he asked, his gaze was hard. “Yes!” “What are you sorry for?” “I’m sorry I got rid of the bruises you left on my body.” “Do you swear to never do it again?” “Yes, of course!” “I don’t think you understand. Do you swear to let my marks on your body heal naturally, even when I’m not around?” Ray’s voice caught before she could speak. What? Was he serious? He, of course, noticed her silence. “Do you swear?” She could feel him stroking himself again. “Okay, yes, I swear!” She would have said anything in that moment to get him to fuck her. He couldn’t be serious anyway. It was just a game. “And do you swear to always see me before the bruises fade so I can give you new ones?” Oh. “What?”, Ray asked, now completely confused. He lay down back on top of her, pressing her into the bed. His mouth was right by her ear when he said: “Do you swear to let me fuck you, to let me hurt you, regularly? Do you swear you will make time for me, to let me come to you whenever either of us wants to? Do you swear you will keep yourself safe so that I won’t have to worry about you when we are apart?” Her head swam. She was horny and confused and so fucking turned on and insecure. His cock throbbed against her back. She had no idea what she agreed to when she said: “Yes, I swear. Now please, please, fuck me.”

“With pleasure.”, he said with an obvious grin in his voice. Before she could say anything else, he’d buried himself inside of her. The tears came back, now because of the pleasure and the release she felt. He fucked her hard and deep and she came almost immediately. “Say my name.”, it was more of a plea than an order, but she was happy to obey. Her body was in so much pain and her head was confused, but she relished in the first thing and refused to acknowledge the second. When she came back down from her admittedly very long high, he pulled out and she could feel hot ropes of cum shooting across her back. Another way to mark her as his, even though she didn’t quite realize it yet.God, she was so tired. The alcohol was completely out of her system now, making her sluggish. The fact that it was five in the morning didn’t help either. Ajax carried her back into the bathroom, but this time he carefully put her in the bath and turned on the water. She knew it was both because he wanted to take care of her and because he wanted to make sure she only healed what was necessary and not one bruise more. He carried her back to the bed when she was finished and tucked her underneath the blanket. As he returned from his own shower, she was already half asleep. They didn’t say a word when he cuddled up against her as the big spoon. He pulled her close and she used his arm as a pillow. It was surprisingly comfortable. Usually, she had trouble falling asleep even when she was tired, but his steady breathing and the beating of his heart were like a lullaby to her. She must have already been dreaming because she could have sworn she heard him say “You are mine.”

[science-lover33]

Exploring the Intricacies of the Respiratory System 🫁💨

Welcome to my Tumblr blog, where we embark on an exciting journey through the intricate world of human anatomy and physiology. Today, we're focusing our lens on the respiratory system – a wondrous network of organs and tissues that orchestrates the exchange of gases essential for our survival. So, fasten your seatbelts as we venture into the fascinating realm of respiration!

Anatomy of the Respiratory System: A Symphony of Structures

At its core, the respiratory system consists of a highly organized ensemble of organs and structures working together seamlessly. This symphony of components includes the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and, of course, the lungs. Each of these elements has a crucial role to play in the intricate process of breathing, ensuring our bodies receive a constant supply of life-sustaining oxygen while effectively eliminating carbon dioxide.

The Alveoli: Tiny Powerhouses of Gas Exchange

Now, let's zoom in on the alveoli, the star players in the respiratory system's performance. These microscopic air sacs, nestled deep within the lungs, are where the real magic happens. Through the process of diffusion, oxygen from inhaled air enters the bloodstream, while carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, is expelled from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled. It's here, at this cellular level, that the respiratory system's vital exchange takes place.

Breathing Mechanics: The Art of Inhalation and Exhalation

But how does it all come together? Breathing, a seemingly simple act, is a complex process guided by the contraction and relaxation of specialized muscles, primarily the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. These muscular movements manipulate the volume of the thoracic cavity, creating changes in pressure that facilitate the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Understanding the mechanics of breathing is fundamental to comprehending various respiratory disorders and their potential treatments.

Regulation of Respiration: A Symphony Conducted by the Brain

The respiratory system doesn't operate in isolation; it's under the watchful eye of our central nervous system. The medulla and pons, two regions of the brainstem, serve as the conductors in this symphony of breath. They continuously monitor factors like blood pH, carbon dioxide levels, and oxygen levels, adjusting our breathing rate and depth to maintain the delicate balance required for optimal body function.

Recommended Resources to Dive Deeper:

Book: "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology" by Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan H. Derrickson - This comprehensive textbook provides an in-depth exploration of the respiratory system, complete with detailed illustrations and accessible explanations for all levels of learners.

Article: "The Physiology of Respiration" by Stephen A. Ernst and John R. Helliwell - Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, this scholarly article offers an authoritative look into the physiological mechanisms of respiration, making it a valuable reference for those seeking in-depth knowledge.

Book: "Respiratory Physiology: The Essentials" by John B. West - For a concise yet informative journey through the key concepts of respiratory physiology, this book is an excellent resource, perfect for those looking to grasp the essentials of the subject quickly.

I hope this extended entry has sparked your curiosity about the intricate workings of the respiratory system. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you'd like to explore another captivating topic in the realm of medicine and biology! 🌬📚

Here is my YouTube channel where you will find interesting videos, here is the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system

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[ronearoundblindly]

A, D, E for jimothy please? 🥺💕

Prompts from this dirty ask game, and since I am not able to make a story canonically accurate to time period or the location of The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (plus I grew up in the South *gag* and don't want to relive it), this is for the Common Education, a modern AU, where Jimmy is finally taking advantage of his scholarship to NYU (not Ole Miss b/c *more gagging* sorry).

These asks do contain explicit description, so MINORS DNI.

A - Alone Time

I don't even care if this is a spoiler, but you catch him masturbating once, before you two ever even admit feelings for each other.

Jimmy's roommate, Steve, is an art history major taking several of your classes. Since Steve is sickly, you were kind enough to set up a video feed of your lectures, and Steve often plays them whenever he's feeling up to studying/reviewing. Jimmy is very used to hearing your voice come from the adjoining room of his dorm suite.

What he doesn't realize, as he's daydreaming about you laid out on one of those flimsy tables on the lecture hall platform, is you are actually visiting your student to see how Steve is doing. Jimmy isn't listening to the exact conversation; he's just thinking about you muttering quietly as he runs his hands over you.

And then Jimmy 'imagines' you saying his name, chanting it really, loudly because his touch feels so good, and he reaches his end with an "'m coming' out loud.

Which made you--who was actually knocking to say a quick hello to your former student--think it's okay to open the door, and he scrambles to cover himself in bed, mid-orgasm.

🥴 so get excited for that tale...

At the general store he took over from his drunk father back home, he only needed a computer that could calculate finances and contact suppliers, do some inventory tracking, etc. He didn't need a fancy laptop and he didn't need it at home, so Jimmy has never bothered much with porn. He had some casual girlfriends over the years, and Jimmy is...pretty good-looking. He never hurt for company.

Working 16 hour days regularly also left very little time to care about anything other than sleep.

D - Dominance

Jimmy might not be forward, but, yes, he is dominant. The largest population in his hometown was farm animals, and his own parents were a terrible example of a relationship. We are lucky he knows not to just mount someone he likes and stuff his dick in.

Jimmy was one of those men who didn't understand female pleasure until a knock-down, drag-out, drunk screaming fight with his ex at a bar. To be fair, how would he know he hadn't made her come if she faked it every time?

Anyway, he's dominant in the way that he's pretty raunchy in bed. He praises and coaches you as much as he orchestrates your position. He also does all this with respectful vocabulary but in an extremely dirty voice.

It's, uh... It's good. It's real good.

E - Extra Info

He has smoked for so long he has an oral fixation. Enjoys using his mouth on you very much. If he weren't quite vanilla in his sexual tastes, he'd probably realize there's a reason he loves you in a choker necklace. Just saying. Oh! And Jimmy go nuts over dainty, feminine things you wear. Lace panties are kinda his pinnacle of 'needs to fuck now' if he sees you wearing them.

He's never admitted to another living soul that he's had a fantasy about being cockwarmed while he stands behind the store cash register. Also, last but not least, Jimmy gets way more aggressively naughty during sex the fancier/nicer yours/his clothes are. I don't have an explanation for that, but I know it's a fact. So there. 😁

Thank you for asking!

[Main Masterlist; Dirty Asks Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

[thesinglesjukebox]

TINASHE - "NASTY"

The TikTok career-heating inferno strikes another match...

[6.46]

Alfred Soto: "Is someone gonna match my nasty?" she wonders. The listener might wonder whether this midtempo R&B track with a trap beat does more than tease.  [6]

Rachel Saywitz: Nasty Girls (nasty), rise up, our time is now! As the hot summer months sweat into our skin, now is the time to turn your ho-ing into overdrive. Now is the time to be a "Nasty Girl (nasty)," everywhich-way-when-where-how. You might be thinking: "but Rachel, I'm not a 'Nasty Girl (nasty)!' I don't grind on guys in the California desert dressed in raunchy Fast & Furious garb! I don't grab my crotch and then roll into a bridge pose!" My friends, listen to me. The nastiness of us has always existed deep within. It can be sex, sure, but nasty's birthplace is not sexual in nature. It is our soul's most primal desire—the desire to fuck. shit. up. Nasty is buying a pizza made for two people and eating it by yourself because this nastiness can only hold one worldly being. Nasty is reaching out to that friend you haven't talked to since college, then deleting all the photos you have of your college ex in your phone. Nasty is the carriage scene in the third season of Bridgerton where two characters hook up to an orchestral version of Pitbull's "Give Me Everything," and you watch it and realize: "Oh my god, listening to Pitbull is going to make me horny from this point onward," and you just kind of sit with that for a few months. Nasty is a white boy dancing soca with so much rizz that he lands a collab with Marc Jacobs and turn a Tinashe song into what might be a genuine hit, 10 years after "2 On." Nasty is your freak, unmatchable and entirely unique. One quick note on what Nasty is not—the reeking smell of your two-week old takeout leftovers. You should really throw those out. [9]

Julian Axelrod: How did it take this long for Tinashe to score a TikTok hit? She's been producing bite-sized morsels of freaky pop perfection since the Obama administration, so if it takes a nerdy white guy wining to recreate the magic of "2 On," that says more about us than her. "Nasty" doesn't reinvent the wheel because Tinashe's been honing that wheel for the past decade. She knows what lines to loop, she knows which beats will bang, and she has an endless arsenal of tawdry Tinashe-isms just brazen enough to make you blush. The success of "Nasty" is a testament to her unwavering commitment to horny excellence. Tinashe is the Malcolm Gladwell of matching freak. [7]

Ian Mathers: Match your freak? In this economy? [7]

Jonathan Bradley: Making a hot meme is nearly as good as making a hot song, but "Nasty" is too low-key to really be called a comeback. What is here is charming enough — robot voice, melodic kick sequencing, some nice vocal technique on the pre-chorus — but each idea comes back too soon, wearing out its welcome like a tired prompt tweet. [5]

Katherine St. Asaph: I have little to say that wasn't said better by Steacy Easton, about "Freak" by Estelle and Kardinal Offishall: "In two weeks I am going to a library at the Leather Archives in Chicago, and watching a video described as: 'unknown individual that calls himself Cowboy appears to be a master at whipping. Videos show various men tied to trees being whipped while having their genitals played with. Videos are home made and from his personal collection, they are copies of the originals according to a note found in the donation box.' This is my new standard of freakdom. Estelle does not measure up." Tinashe does not measure up either, not by monotonously matching the freak ante of a saucy Tinder ad on the subway. Basically, it's just moving kind of slow. [3]

Tim de Reuse: Something deeply funny to me about repeating the word "nasty" over totally clean, dry, unadorned sine waves: a dial tone in minor key, stark, inhuman, like the smell of a hospital. It's the opposite of sound design. Does that sound like I don't like it? I mean, on a purely sensory level, I don't, but it's a deliberate choice that's impossible to ignore. It's a lens that focuses everything down to that single repeated hook and the crunchy, over-articulated way she pronounces it. I let the whole track rattle through my skull three times on the bus yesterday and felt like I was being put under hypnosis. Your freak has my respect, Tinashe, if not my heart. [6]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: The type of runaway, mind-zapping hit that has even the straight white boys in my classes humming along unconsciously.  [8]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Is it a good song or just a good collection of bits — the "match my freak" bit that everyone is doing, yes, but also the hook itself, the soaring, horny grandeur of the pre-chorus, the way Tinashe says she might just let this guy pay her lease? How much does that matter? In terms of shiny objects, this is stronger than anything she's done since "Superlove," but a song made just out of hooks can get a little tedious. She's independent now, but this is still factory pop: a delivery device for an attempted hit that lacks the connective tissue that her best misses have. [6]

Nortey Dowuona: Tinashe went a whole decade constantly failing to launch then suddenly slipped out of the iron grip of RCA and started dropping classics. But a lifer like Tinashe wasn't meant to stay away from the industry that's had her since she was part of the Stunners (which also included the excellent Hayley Kiyoko), so she signed to Ricky Reed's Nice Life imprint, released the bouncy, light BB/Ang3l, and went back on tour like any industry pro would. Now, we have "Nasty," a light bubbly fizz drink of a song co-produced by Ricky Reed and the fantastic Zach Sekoff (architect of "Crabs in a Bucket," "Homage," and "Party People" off Vince Staples's Big Fish Theory, as well as sharing in the spoils on "Freeman" from Dark Times). "Nasty" feels so comfortably settled and relaxed that you foolishly feel like volunteering to match her freak -- until the beat switches into a rippling bass wave over the drums that presses you until you crumple. Guess it wasn't you. NEXT! [8]

Taylor Alatorre: As good an illustration of the Duality of Tinashe as you'll find anywhere, almost as if it was constructed by her and Ricky Reed for that exact purpose. She sounds downright proud of herself in the chorus for pulling off such a clean bait-and-switch, with the "nasty girl" mantra a mere wind-up for the kind of angelic R&B slinkiness that she rightly feels should be her trademark. The problem with nastiness-as-pretext is that it threatens to make the parts of the song that aren't the chorus seem more vestigial than usual, but this is a problem that singers with half of Tinashe's talent would love to have. And it's not like there aren't steps taken to mitigate this issue: the pre-echo of the chorus gently hand-holding us into the confession booth, where Tinashe plays with her enunciation in weird enough ways to keep us invested until the portal to 2002 opens up.  [7]

Dave Moore: I'm happy to see Tinashe reach official meme status, but "match my freak" is also the highlight here and it happens in the first 20 seconds, which makes me wonder how much of the single's success is the opening bit insinuating its way into popular consciousness. The song stalls out afterward.  [6]

Michael Hong: "Nasty" is a solid distillation of Tinashe: confident and playful, with a hook that's immediately memorable and a pre-chorus melody that's just skillful but not showy. Doesn't stop the fact that she's released at least a couple dozen tracks in the past decade that are more interesting. [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[ficticiousdelicious]

"Hollowed" (remix - Old Scool and TYBW) - D.Meletis (extended)

This HIGHLY NIFTY extended version uses the TYBW's remix of both versions of Bleach's "Hollowed" OST tracks: "Hollowed" and "Hollowed - B Type". (I'm screaming.) By combining the two previous official versions the anime's remix brings together some of the most grand parts of each version. Extending it gives us a good amount of time with the deep distortion and orchestral flare and maintains quite a sense of haste with crunchy guitar and either the hollow clacking percussion or other less sharp percussion constantly present. D.Meletis's extended version of the anime's remix is my favorite alternate version of "Hollowed" so far. Adrenaline cranking. A looming sense of doomy foreboding getting closer. Awesome. Without question.

.

The originals:

FIRST (old school Bleach anime):

"Hollowed" - Shirō Sagisu

This first official version of "Hollowed" has always felt the scariest and heaviest, my opinion. The sharp percussion in it is my favorite bit, which might be hyōshigi (clappers) or the side of a drum. That percussion sound is pretty interesting because it produces a somewhat hollow 'clack' when it hits. YA SEE WHAT THEY MIGHT'A DONE THERE, EH? Under the percussion whatever doomy (keyboard?) sound comes in layered with next-level crunchy distortion is just scary! Good scary. The higher (keyboard?) sounds that sneak in half-way through and persist until they take over at the end are an interesting departure from the other sounds. This track starts one way and ends in a very different way. It's filled with so many interesting but strange distorted sounds that give it a lot of its peculiar charm.

.

SECOND (TYBW Bleach anime):

"Hollowed - B Type" (TYBW) - Shirō Sagisu

This second official version turns the og Bleach "Hollowed" into something grungy, rockish and orchestral. It moves between each type yet overlaps them a bit too. This version has also swapped the hollow clacking percussion for deeper drums and cymbals. There are suddenly trumpets at some point too lol. It has removed the strange doomy (keyboard?) sounds, mostly replaced with guitars and orchestral strings. This version has plenty of sharp, crunchy distortion via guitar but with added orchestral flare. It's a lot higher and feels less scary, my opinion, but no less grand.

.

Another enjoyable version:

"Hollowed - B Type" (TYBW) - Hurakion (remaster)

In true remaster form this version changes very little of the second official version "Hollowed - B Type", only adding weight with deeper rock sound - took a bit of the high sound out but does it well. That drop feels like a slight return to how doomy the first official version sounded. This is a very pleasant remaster.

.

(I do not own or profit from mention of these videos and music.)

[srs-deep-dives]

Tifa's Theme: A Musical Deep Dive (Part II)

Part I here.

Section (B) continued:

Concluding our second subphrase of the intro, we now encounter the dominant chord.

Now to those of you new to music theory, I must introduce the idea of chord function. (If you are not a rookie on chord function, then skip to the text three video-clips ahead.) Don’t worry, we will keep things brief and (hopefully) as simple as possible!

You may have noticed when we compared our F major key to D minor (from Listen to the Cries of the Planet) that there is a scale of seven chords in each key. Each of these seven chords serves a particular function within the key, and that function pertains to the relationship between the tonic and dominant chord.

We’ve already noted that our tonic is our ‘home’ point; our point of return, resolution. The dominant is the chord farthest from the tonic in pitch; the place of the highest tension. It is the goal of every musical score to constantly move away from the tonic and return to the tonic, and it is these mini-journeys that subvert, intensify and carry emotion.

Here are the seven chords within our key of F major, labeled in roman numerals by their scale degree (majors in capital, minors in lower-case). Don’t be overwhelmed – there’s no need at all to memorize them! I am just using them to illustrate the rules.

You’ll notice that our tonic (the F major chord) is named by the roman numeral I. Because chords iii and vi share two notes of the tonic, they share resemblance to the tonic in pitch and therefore function either to ‘prolong’ the tonic or serve as ‘substitutes for’ the tonic. The other chords, however, move away from the tonic in pitch (creating tension), until we get to our dominant – chord V. Because chords ii and IV share notes with the dominant, they are called predominant chords. Chord vii° is a bit special: it can stand in for any function except the tonic.

So in summary, each chord in the key functions as either:

the tonic;

a ‘prolonged’/’substitute’ tonic;

a predominant; or

the dominant.

Music rookies, are we in Greek territory now? Don’t panic – the sole point I want you to take away is this:

The dominant maximizes instability that will be resolved by the tonic; thus

if a musical phrase does not end on the tonic, it feels ‘unsettled’; and so

for the music to find resolution, it must return to the tonic.

The dominant climaxes tension; the tonic provides release of tension. And so we go, round and round and round, having our emotions toyed with.

To demonstrate the four functions, I’ve provided a simple chord progression in our F major key. Don’t worry about the labels so much as listening to the building and releasing of tension. (All I am doing is highlighting what our ears naturally pick up.) Tension and release, okay? That is all we are looking at. This excerpt is from Yasuharu Takanashi’s track ‘A Mother’s Love’ in Naruto Shippuden:

See how our phrase ends on the dominant and feels unsettled? Our ears are naturally left seeking resolution: we expect to come home to the tonic. Here is the piece again and continued, where that tension is released…

Tifa’s Theme is a lot more complex. Recall our chromaticism so far (chords ‘borrowed’ from the parallel minor key) – which, as we’ve already established, create tension also. I have only scratched the surface when it comes to chromaticism in Tifa’s Theme, but that is not our focus for today. Again, I just want you to listen for tension and release. Here is the original game’s intro as re-orchestrated in Remake. (Remember, don’t worry about the labels. Just focus on what you are naturally hearing.)

Right. Picking back up on our analysis. As you’ve now seen in A Mother’s Love (by the way, see the key’s beautiful connection with home and motherhood?), F major’s dominant (chord V) is C major. Did you notice that the intro passage of Tifa’s Theme, however, ends on a C minor chord? We will get to this chromaticism shortly. But let us resume where we left off first: the last two bars in Subphrase Two.

Where Subphrase One ended nice and neatly on our tonic…

…Subphrase Two does the polar opposite. A predominant chord follows our tonic (building tension) prior to the last bar. Then, where we expect resolution, we end on the dominant – our highest tension key-chord. And in fact, it is in the midst of this very tension that the main melody kicks off…

Here is our summarized analysis of Subphrases 1 and 2 (the whole Advent Children intro):

Advent Children’s intro has only one phrase (comprised of the two subphrases we just dissected). But the intro in the original game’s version of the track, as you’ll have noticed from our re-orchestrated video, has two. Its first phrase (Subphrases 1 and 2) ends resolved on the tonic chord. The second phrase (Subphrases 3 and 4), however, ends – like Advent Children – in tension. I have contrasted these two phrase-endings in the video below.

Rather than the E note of the first phrase (C, E and G being the notes of the C major dominant chord), the second phrase’s last chord contains an E flat, making the chord a C minor rather than a C major. C minor is not the dominant we’d find in our F major key, but rather the dominant of F minor. So once again, Uematsu-san has ‘borrowed’ from the parallel minor key. Only this time he has borrowed its tensest chord, creating even greater instability. And here exactly ends our intro as Tifa’s main leitmotif begins.

So what does this unresolved, unstable ending convey? The fully-established permeance of Tifa’s internal conflict. With the intro ending in utter tension, and the main leitmotif jumping in amid this tension, Tifa’s conflictions are wholly and completely centralized.

Below is our full analyzed piano sheet of the intro, with the orange ‘waverings’ representing Tifa’s:

strivings to avoid being trapped with her anxieties and heartaches;

longings to confront Cloud with the truth;

uncertainties of what the truth is;

fears of losing Cloud should she take action; and

doubts toward the validities of her own memories.

In a nutshell, her internal conflict. Which also pertains to her connections with Avalanche, in that she:

is Avalanche’s home and maternal figure;

feels “trapped” in her position with Avalanche’s fight despite her desire for revenge against Shinra;

is morally hesitant about Avalanche’s methods;

is uncertain about her feelings and role within Avalanche; and

fears losing all her loved ones and community to Shinra – again.

And that concludes the intro. Here is our full summary:

Part III, the main leitmotif, here.

[eldritch-spouse]

hi pinnie!! thank you for always providing us with your lovely content and characters <33 like how that one ask said you are one of my favorite writers! also another thing! how would the clergy be on social media or media in general? i can imagine morell being one of those famous chefs that post videos on youtube, instagram or even have their own tv show and facebook moms are O B S E S S E D with that mushroom man

[Ahhh thenk ye!! <:7]

I'd love to humor this, but canonically, staff doesn't really have social media accounts where they're active in. This is done for the sake of keeping The Clergy's Eye somewhat obfuscated from mainstream media. In fact, one of Fank-e's tasks is keeping the surface net squeaky clean of mentions of the establishment and anything related to it. However, it's worth noting that The Clergy is talked about openly in Hell.

That being said, the staff does have a group chat, which I have briefly talked about.

Morell did have a bit of social media presence before he became a worker at The Clergy, a page somewhere mostly orchestrated by younger, more tech savvy relatives. Though, predictably, all of that has been scrubbed as soon as he was accepted into the team. And Morell prefers it to be that way, because chances are said Facebook moms would not find it very uh, palatable, that Morell gets off on cooking people.

Santi is allowed to have social media outside of The Clergy's group chat only for the purposes of advertising his services.

[crabknight]

Crabs top 10 video game soundtracks

This here is a list of my top 10 favorite video game soundtracks from games I have played (for the purposes of this ranking, franchises will only have one spot on the list so I can't just fill the whole list with fire emblem)

10. Deemo

Deemo is this little obscure and niche rythm game that I have played on and off for many years now. The entire game is just a vibe, but the songs are all very awesome and there are SO MANY to pick from, it's honestly pretty surprising just how many bangers there are, taking into account the sheer amount of songs. My favorite will always be "Metal Hypnotised" even if it doesn't really match the vibe of the rest of the game.

9. Sly Cooper 2

Sly Cooper is a series from my childhood, I played this a lot back in the day so I have a lot of nostalgia for it. My favorite game in the series just so happens to be the second game which is filled with so many great tracks, ESPECIALLY the paris level. That's where all the good stuff is at, "Paris rooftops" especially is great for a nice chill theme, but I cannot deny that all the versions of the "Nightclub" track including "Nightclub", "Dimitri Battle" and "Following Dimitri" just cannot be beat.

8. Hollow Knight

Hollow knight has some great music, especially for the bosses in the game. I really like the orchestral vibe and a lot of the boss music fits the fights very well. I really like that the music for the titular Hollow Knight has a bit of a sad vibe, it's a great song and it gets even better when you learn the lore of the guy. That said, I gotta shout out my guy Grimm with his awesome battle music "The Grimm Troupe" It just goes so hard and is so extra in the best way.

7. Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 just has some great music in general, especially octo expansion, which I have been playing a little bit on and off recently. It's all just so unique and I haven't quite heard anything like it. It really is almost just it's own genre. Always gets me pumped and is very hard not to bop to. My favorite track is probably "Fly Octo Fly" but the others like "Calamari Inkantation" and "Bomb Rush Blush" also just slap so hard.

6. Dark Souls

Every game in the Dark Souls series has great music, including Elden Ring and Bloodborne, but I have chosen the first game for my list because all of the music in that game is so iconic. The tracks are all so hauntingly beautiful and all fit the vibe of the game so well. It's all so melancholic in the best way. While "Gwyn, Lord of Cinder" always hits the feels and "Firelink Shrine" always makes me feel safe and nostalgic, I have chosen "Dark Sun Gwyndolin" not only because I love the guy, but because the theme itself is just so calm and haunting in a way I really enjoy.

5. Child of Light

A quaint little rpg with heavy fairy tale vibes, and the music heavily reflects this. It is such a beautiful soundtrack and I just can't help but love it, even if a lot of the melodies are the same. But come on! People have won figure skating competitions to these songs, you gotta love them. My favorite is definitely "Off to Sleep" that plays at the end of the game but "Final Breath", "Aurora's theme" and "Pilgrims on a long journey" all slap also, the last being the before mentioned figure skating song.

4. Fire Emblem

Now, am I cheating here by not picking a specific game? maybe. Do I care? no. Do you care? probably not, and if you do, bugger off! Anyway it had to be here, it's my favorite franchise ever and the music is great. My biggest problem is that it isn't on spotify and that I wasn't into fe when I listened to music on youtube and that's why it isn't higher. The music in all the games are hype as fuck but the highest points in the series are probably FeEchoes and Fe3h. My favorite track of all just so happens to be from echoes, that being the theme of the one and only Berkut, known as "Pride and Arrogance" It just fits him so well and it just goes so hard I cannot deny it it's spot here. "Lady of the Plains" is a classic tho and "Fodlan Winds" go hard as fuck.

3. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

Now, all the shantae games have fantastic music, but Pirates curse is just a cut above the rest imo. The vibes are great, they're mostly upbeat and are all fantastic, especially all music from zombie island. I also have a lot of old great memories with this series which also helps quite a bit tbf. I mentioned zombie island and that's because they have three great tracks in "Rave in the Grave", "Run, Run Rottytop" and "Rottytops", while I love all, I am choosing rave in the grave here, but do feel free to listen to the others, and also just the rest of the ost, they're all bangers.

2. Katana Zero

An absolutely fantastic soundtrack to an absolutely fantastic game, the general vibe (idk what to call it, synth maybe? for most of it?) is just fantastic for this game specifically and there is just such a wide variety of emotions and vibes that this collection encompasses. My favorite however that I keep coming back to however is "Rain on Brick" the title theme, it is just so fantastically melancholic in exactly the way I need it to be, I will however also recommend you to go listen to sneaky driver, that is also a great track.

Oneshot

And it's not even close, this soundtrack is so damn good it's the only thing I listened to for, like, at least a week after I finished the game and I still listen to it regularly. The whole album for the soundtrack is my go to study music, my comfort playlist has 32 songs and 6 of them are from oneshot and I could definitly add more AND I'm pretty sure that the track called "Niko and the World Machine" is in my top 3 songs listened to of all time, that said the song I have decided to show you is the song called "Eleventh Hour" which is also very great.

[shrinkthisviolet]

⭐

Gonna talk about a deep cut: in that very moment when i love him (i destroy him), a Peter & Otto fic I wrote after playing the first Spider-Man Insomniac game!

Peter & Otto is such a special relationship to me, I love it so much. The friendship, camaraderie...and the betrayal! They really make you hope that Otto can somehow avoid his fate, they get you attached to him, and that’s a remarkable thing. But you can’t...because not only is he doomed to become Doc Ock, but also...he's already tumbling down that path before he puts on the neural interface. Even before the game begins.

This is something that this video essay brings up, something I hadn’t even considered before (and really, that video essay is the main inspiration for this fic). Because of course, the most common mainstream telling of Otto’s story is in Spider-Man 2, when he is indeed a good man corrupted by the neural interface. But here...the sheer scope of his plans by the time Peter finds them means he's been orchestrating things from the very beginning. He was falling down the path before we even knew it—and of course, it’s because of his grudge against Norman Osborn that began when they experimented on Martin Li, a grudge that burst into bloom when Norman cut Otto’s lab funding.

So that’s key point #1.

The same video essay linked above brings up the idea of short-term vs long-term consequences, and how Peter will always make the choice that has benefits in the short-term (minimizes short-term consequences), and then take on all the blame for any negative consequences (as someone who falls into this trap a lot in my own life, that hit hard). Even with Otto, he says, “how did I let this happen?” Maybe if he got to the lab earlier, checked the machines better, paid more attention...

But a) he’s focused on the short-term (for the sake his own peace of mind, he has to be, but this is a flawed approach, his fatal flaw), which just keeps coming, and b) as mentioned before, Peter couldn’t save Otto, because he mistakenly assumes the trouble started with the neural interface. It didn’t—it started before, though ofc when exactly it started is unclear. It’s not something Peter could’ve saved him from, in any case. He realizes that here:

“Please, Peter,” Otto begged, “that wasn’t me!”

But it was. Peter knew it was. He wanted to throw it in Otto’s face: the files, the plans, all the stuff he’d found. That anger…it wasn’t simply occasional experimental frustration like Peter had initially thought. It was genuine rage and impatience…and Peter had been too naive to see it.

(Though ofc he still blames himself 🥺)

And that’s the focus of this fic, really: the scene where Peter walks away from Otto, but expanded. What’s Peter thinking during that scene? How does he reconcile it with May “when you help someone, you help everyone” Parker? Well...this is how:

When you help someone, you help everyone, May often said. But she also always stressed the importance of self-care, first and foremost. It was worth putting in the effort to try, she said, but you had to know when the effort was futile. When it was time to cut your losses.

Peter had never thought he’d encounter someone like that. Someone he was so desperate to help, who rejected all attempts for him to do so but fooled him into thinking he had a chance. Someone who wormed his way into his heart and shattered it bit by bit, until all he had left was a hole in his chest filled with shards.

Peter hates cutting his losses. But here...after trying throughout this fight scene and subsequent conversation to save Otto...he has to. Even as Otto begs him to come back and help him…Peter walks away. Though of course...he’s still Spider-Man. So what does he promise Otto?

“I’ll do everything I can,” he choked out, “to make sure you get the best care.” That, at least, he could promise. He did it for his Rogues, he could do it for Otto too.

Even now, he shows Otto compassion. He promises Otto will have the best care. Because that’s who Spider-Man is…even to the enemies that stab him in the back so viciously. Especially when, in their lowest moments, those villains still fall back on their bad habits and prove how little remorse they truly feel:

“And of course,” Otto continued, seeming relieved suddenly—probably something in Peter’s face, Otto had always been able to read him so, so easily, “you’ll rest easy, knowing your secret is safe with me.”

Because Peter lives by a creed. And most importantly, he and Otto have some key differences:

He lived by that philosophy of responsibility, by his uncle’s last words: with great power comes great responsibility. And for a time, he’d thought Otto believed the same. And maybe he did.

But Peter would never ever make the mistake of thinking the people of New York were in any way beneath him. Him having superpowers, saving them…it wasn’t out of any sort of arrogance or superiority. It wasn’t because he believed himself to be more than them.

It was because he believed them to be capable of more. Because, where most people looked around the city and saw lost causes and corruption and fear, he saw potential and hope and life.

What sort of hero would he be if he didn’t protect that life?

Otto believes in “doing what’s best for those beneath [him].” Peter believes in helping everyone, no matter what.

So this fic really ended up being part-Peter & Otto exploration, part-Peter/Spidey character study, based on some of the ideas presented in a stunning, moving video essay (linked in the 3rd paragraph). And I love it to pieces 💞

director’s cut ask game!

[hivearchive]

Algorithmic Harmony: Navigating Musical Serendipity and Fandom Discoveries

Have you ever had the joyous experience of stumbling upon your next favorite song in the most unexpected way? Perhaps it was a track by an artist you had never heard of, prompted by a captivating album cover or a song title that resonated with you. If you've found yourself in this blissful moment of musical serendipity, consider yourself fortunate – the algorithm gods were at work, tailoring your musical journey with precision.

This is a tale of how music and fandom discovery unfold through the intricate dance with algorithms. In a world where the next sonic adventure is just a click away, I found myself captivated by the melodies of an artist I hadn't known before, drawn in by the algorithmic magic that led me to his unique sound.

As I became captivated by this artist, I found myself delving into the depth of their fandom, exploring the digital communities that amplify the passion and connection shared by fans around the world. This is the story of how, in the age of algorithms, every click holds the potential to unveil a new chapter in your musical journey and immerse you in the vibrant tapestry of fandom culture.

The Discovery

One day, I found myself navigating the endless sea of YouTube videos, and in the vast expanse of digital possibilities, serendipity struck. A splash of vibrant blue caught my eye—an album cover named "Big Wave." Its colours, so vivid and reminiscent of summer, drew me in with an irresistible allure.

Intrigued, my cursor hovered over a track called "Magic Ways." With no preconceived notions, I clicked, and in an instant, I was transported to a different world. The music resonated with a kind of enchantment I hadn't expected. The rhythm, the melody – it was an auditory journey that captivated my senses.

Curiosity led me to the comments section, a digital agora where opinions and discoveries intertwine. Amidst the collective musings of fellow listeners, I unveiled the enchanting world of Japanese City Pop—an intricately woven genre with R&B and jazz influences, dating back to the late 1970s and 1980s.

During this era, Japan soared as the world's second-largest economy, poised to surpass the West with its corporate dominance and cutting-edge technology. Upwardly-mobile Japanese citizens embraced a life of luxury, adorned in designer clothes, sipping imported wine, and traversing the globe. The advent of the Sony Walkman and sophisticated car stereos allowed them to curate their on-the-go soundscapes, transforming casual strolls through the city and weekend joy rides into cinematic experiences. City Pop emerged as the soundtrack to this cosmopolitan lifestyle.

The music itself, often exuberant and glitzy, drew inspiration from American styles like funk, yacht rock, boogie, and lounge music. However, the splendor and ease embodied by city pop faced an inevitable downturn. In the harsh reality of the 1990s, Japan's economic bubble burst, thrusting the country into its “lost decade.” This historical context rendered my discovery all the more special, a glimpse into a bygone era that had momentarily slipped away. (Zhang, 2021)

At that time, the allure of city pop hadn't yet transcended the borders of Japan, turning my discovery into a sensation akin to stumbling upon a hidden treasure, a gem waiting to be unearthed from the folds of history.

But the lingering question remained: How did YouTube know I would be drawn to this kind of music? The algorithms seemed to understand the language of my preferences even before I did. In a world where every click leaves a trace, it was as if YouTube's algorithmic magic had orchestrated a symphony tailored precisely to the nuances of my musical taste, opening the door to a realm of Japanese City Pop that awaited exploration.

As I assessed the factors that brought "Magic Ways" to my YouTube feed, I realized that my immersion in the world of lo-fi music and extended jazz playlists had painted a vivid portrait of my musical preferences. The algorithm, a vigilant observer of my likes and watch history, seemed to anticipate my evolving taste. Furthermore, around 2016-2017, the genre "vaporwave" experienced a surge in popularity. Defined partly by its slowed-down, chopped, and screwed samples of smooth jazz, 1970s elevator music, R&B, and lounge music from the 1980s and 1990s, vaporwave heavily sampled from Japanese City Pop songs during that time, creating a nostalgic and disorienting sonic landscape (Rinehart, 2023). Japanese City Pop, with its inherent nostalgia, seamlessly fit into this musical milieu.

Around the same time, "Plastic Love," a Japanese City Pop song by Mariya Takeuchi, started gaining popularity. A remix of the song by future funk artist Night Tempo, released on March 11th, 2016, garnered over 2.4 million views.

Beyond that, the surge in popularity sparked discussions within online communities, notably on the /r/listentothis subreddit, where it gained significant attention. This exposure, fueled by the enthusiasm of the Reddit community, inevitably led to the song popping up in YouTube recommendations. It was through this virtual serendipity that I was introduced to "Magic Ways," and it swiftly became one of my favorite songs.

Platforms like tumblr or pinterest and other forms diluted the lines blending Japanese otaku culture with mainstream pop culture making city pop’s resurgence a testament to its timelessness.

In this delicate connection between personal preferences, algorithmic insights, and the vibrant energy of digital communities, the magic of YouTube's recommendation algorithms becomes more than a sequence of code; it transforms into a symphony that resonates with the collective harmony of music enthusiasts across the digital landscape.

References

Zhang, C. (2021, February 24). The endless life cycle of Japanese city pop. Pitchfork. https://pitchfork.com/features/article/the-endless-life-cycle-of-japanese-city-pop/

Rinehart, J. (2023, July 23). What is Vaporwave? And Why Is It So Popular? DITM. https://www.deepinthemix.com/what-is-vaporwave/

[wheresurboytonighthelookslikeenj]

hi malloy i want to listen to more fob do you have any song recommendations?

hellow vic! gosh how do i recommend fob to someone when the discography is so large and varied... hmmmmmm

ok i’ll separate by album so you can like choose what you wanna listen to depending on your style, with one gateway song that i think is a good intro to it and a personal fav

under the cut because i got carried away (like seriously i ended up writing a paragraph for each album 💀) but there are eight albums so sixteen recs for you👍

malloy’s crash course in fob albums + what to listen to first

take this to your grave — their first official album, a pop punk staple, extremely pop punk very clearly showing their hardcore roots:

gateway song: grand theft autumn/where is your boy (teehee its my url song but also i believe every person dipping their toes into the scene needs to listen to this song. it’s that iconic)

a fav that u should also listen to: saturday (this song means a lot to the band! they close every single show with it! and also it goes off!!)

from under the cork tree — the breakthrough album, the album with sugar we’re goin down and dance dance, another pop punk staple but now with slightly more pop friendly elements:

gateway song: a little less sixteen candles a little more “touch me” (another hit single and also just. a bop. an absolute bop)

a fav that u should also listen to: the music or the misery (this one isnt even on the actual album it’s technically an additional track from a deluxe edition. however i think it’s going to be in my spotify top 5 this year. the hook goes SO hard)

infinity on high — probably the most popular among fans? ive already said this album is insane it had such a perfect mix of their pop punk sound with stuff like soul, r&b, horns and violins… fucking insane. this is the one with bang the doldrums:

gateway song: i’m like a lawyer with the way i’m always trying to get you off (mmm i feel like i can eat this song it’s so comfy and easy to get into)

a fav that u should also listen to: i’ve got all this ringing in my ears and none on my fingers (OUGH. the orchestrations.. the piano!! the horns!!! patrick’s ba ba ba ba ba ba ba da da during the bridge. a banger.)

folie à deux — this one goes hard. it was a very different album so there were a lot of people who hated it when it first came out but now it’s commonly agreed that it’s one of their best!! folie is like ioh with the experimentation turned up even more with lyrical focus on criticizing the media and celebrity culture among other things and it is cool ✨:

gateway song: she’s my winona (catchy as hell, i’ve always thought it was the best track to introduce someone to folie)

a fav that u should also listen to: america’s suitehearts (my fob tag (#you don’t don’t know you’re a legend) is lyrics from this song. it is. really fun to sing to and the music video is wonderfully trippy)

save rock and roll — first post-hiatus album! these next three are very different from the previous albums, way more pop than pop punk. srar itself is what i can only describe as an album that sounds so 2013 radio pop rock sometimes feel like i’ve regressed 10 years and the next song i’m going to listen to is counting stars by onerepublic. this is the album with my songs know what you did in the dark. album still slaps tho. fun fact they made a movie out of it which has elton john:

gateway song: alone together (top tier example of a 2013 pop song tbh. pop done wonderfully. wowzaz)

a fav that u should also listen to: where did the party go? (the bass… the synth… the delivery of the lyrics… this was the song that convinced me to relisten to save rock and roll and really get into it)

american beauty/american psycho — people call this one sports commercial/stadium rock music and honestly yeah. yeah. this one had not only centuries but immortals from the big hero six movie. i’m like split down the middle on this album because half i simply cannot care about but the other half goes really hard fav after fav so:

gateway song: fourth of july (*cackling* (this is the other song people heavily associate with mikey way) but seriously this one can wreck you)

a fav that u should also listen to: the kids aren’t alright (this one will wreck you. genuinely? lyrics of all time.)

mania — my fav ✨😌 though polarizing among fans because this album is the furthest from pop punk theyve ever gone; it’s experimental pop rock/electropop. but i love it to pieces its clear themes of changing yourself for better or worse and looking back at how things used to be and knowing that you’ve survived and redemption through love drive me insane. ough:

gateway song: the last of the real ones (a single. it bops and its lyrics are wonderful. the piano is iconic)

a fav that u should also listen to: sunshine riptide (SONG OF ALL TIME!!! idk if it’s still my fav but damn i love it so much. beach vibes. a summer song. banger hook. vocals that make me feral.)

so much (for) stardust — THE RETURN ALBUM! came out in march :D “a return to their roots” everyone says, mirroring folie in its rock/pop punk sounding base with funk, soul and even disco influences? insane. absolutely insane:

gateway song: hold me like a grudge (the funky bass is enough for me to die happy tbh this is such a silly bop. yeag this was the song with the lyric fanfic writers were clamouring over (“part time soulmate, full time problem”))

a fav that u should also listen to: what a time to be alive (they made a fucking earth wind and fire song about the fucking pandemic and it is kinda their best song ever)

[dailyexo]

[NEWS] EXO’s Best Tracks of 2022

"Clash Music: The 20 Best K-Pop B-Sides From 2022

Chen - I Don’t Even Mind

EXO’s Chen is truly the gift that keeps on giving. In his latest release, ‘Last Scene’, the calming singer further explores the ballad genre he’s become synonymous with in recent years. While other B-sides from the EP touch on the orchestral elements of a ballad, ‘I Don’t Even Mind’ differentiates itself by taking the neo-R&B route instead—a first in Chen’s discography. The soft plucks of the added guitar go hand-in-hand with the warmth and comfort illuminating the singer’s voice, like a star touching down on Earth. Even its lyrics, also written by Chen, are breathtakingly beautiful as he navigates love while practicing patience and consideration toward the other person’s feelings for him.

It also doesn’t hurt that seeing Chen perform ‘I Don’t Even Mind’ in the rain sealed the deal as one of his most astonishing ballads yet.

Suho - Decanting

It’s borderline alarming how each EXO member can encapsulate their chosen styles in one album, let alone two. In Suho’s sophomore EP, ‘Grey Suit’, the fearless leader takes listeners on another ride through his unique take on the modern rock genre for a K-pop audience. With different variations of soft rock emanating from the six tracks, ‘Decanting’ delivered on a sensual level that was somewhat surprising but welcomed. With a touch of neo-soul, the track is effortlessly soothing, allowing the listener to melt away as Suho murmurs sweet nothings—lust dripping from every syllable.

Teen Vogue: The 79 Best K-Pop Songs of 2022

Suho, "Hurdle"

How would you define Suho? The upstanding, chiseled leader of EXO. Lover of Dad jokes and ballads. Secret goofball and bonafide gentleman. We first witnessed a deviation through EXO’s 2019 banger “Obsession” when Suho emerged as his “X-EXO” alter-ego (the group’s baddie counterparts). Glitter, sexy smirk, red hair waxed into horns, with a cropped bolero revealing ripped abs, it was a seismic shift felt across K-pop. Three years later, after returning from his mandatory military enlistment, he’s given us something to howl at again. Grey Suit, his sophomore EP released in April, was a minxy, sultry, multigenre album, and off it, the anthemic “Hurdle” was a revelation. An unexpected swerve from Suho, who ricocheted between a tight falsetto and honeyed baritone effortlessly over distorted guitars, the song was arguably his take on ‘90s Brit-pop — think Pulp or Suede, but brighter, more funkadelic, and less slurry. It was an ambitious foray that paid off, leaving us echoing Suho’s opening lines, “Oh, what’s your secret formula?”

Genius Korea: 25 Best K-Pop Music Videos of 2022

15. “Grey Suit” – Suho

In a closet full of grey suits, the music video for SUHO’s 2022 title track was one of the most symbolic videos of the year. The music video tells the story from two perspectives, his ‘grey outward life’ and the ‘colorful artist life’ that’s hidden within. Clothes are our way of showing our colors, personalities, and mood. A grey suit, therefore, symbolizes an empty palette. The music video also used still frames which symbolize how his life and career came to a pause upon his enlistment, something he needs to restart now. At the end of the music video, we see him break out of the closet into the parking lot, symbolizing that he has finally found his color again.

Genius Korea: 25 Best OSTs of 2022

9. “Bite” – D.O.

Another moment where the drama’s actor is also a talented singer occurred in the legal drama Bad Prosecutor with D.O. of EXO. The vocalist performed the third OST for the show, “Bite”, a song about the animalistic hunger of his character for justice. The song’s emotions were amplified by D.O.’s acting on screen as listeners could picture his character in their minds. Like his character, D.O. armed “Bite” with badass energy and grit."

Credit: Clash Music, Teen Vogue, Genius Korea, Genius Korea.

[ketlin-r]

VMA 2023 Nominees

Video of the Year 

Doja Cat - "Attention"

Miley Cyrus - "Flowers"

Nicki Minaj - "Super Freaky Girl"

Olivia Rodrigo - "Vampire"

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - "Unholy"

SZA - "Kill Bill"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

Artist of the Year

Beyoncé

Doja Cat

Karol G

Nicki Minaj

Shakira

Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

Miley Cyrus - "Flowers"

Olivia Rodrigo - "Vampire"

Rema & Selena Gomez - "Calm Down"

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - "Unholy"

Steve Lacy - "Bad Habit"

SZA - "Kill Bill"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

Best New Artist

GloRilla

Ice Spice

Kaliii

Peso Pluma

PinkPantheress

Reneé Rapp

PUSH Performance of the Year

August 2022: Saucy Santana - "Booty"

September 2022: Stephen Sanchez - "Until I Found You"

October 2022: JVKE - "golden hour"

November 2022: Flo Milli - "Conceited"

December 2022: Reneé Rapp - "Colorado"

January 2023: Sam Ryder - "All The Way Over"

February 2023: Armani White - "GOATED"

March 2023: Fletcher - "Becky's So Hot"

April 2023: Tomorrow X Together - "Sugar Rush Ride"

May 2023: Ice Spice - "Princess Diana"

June 2023: FLO - "Losing You"

July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith - "That Part"

Best Collaboration

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha - "I'm Good (Blue)"

Post Malone & Doja Cat - "I Like You (A Happier Song)"

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami - "Gotta Move On"

KAROL G & Shakira - "TQG"

Metro Boomin ft. The Weeknd, 21 Savage, Diddy - "Creepin' (Remix)"

Rema & Selena Gomez - "Calm Down"

Best Latin

Anitta - "Funk Rave"

Bad Bunny - "Where She Goes"

Eslabon Armado & Peso Pluma - "Ella Baila Sola"

Grupo Frontera & Bad Bunny - "un x100to"

Karol G & Shakira - "TQG"

Rosalía - "Despechá"

Shakira - "Acróstico"

Best Pop

Demi Lovato - "Swine"

Dua Lipa - "Dance the Night"

Ed Sheeran - "Eyes Closed"

Miley Cyrus - "Flowers"

Olivia Rodrigo - "Vampire"

P!NK - "Trustfall"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

Best Hip-Hop

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami - "Gotta Move On"

DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby - "STAYING ALIVE"

GloRilla & Cardi B - "Tomorrow 2"

Lil Uzi Vert - "Just Wanna Rock"

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX - "Kant Nobody"

Metro Boomin ft. Future - "Superhero (Heroes and Villains)"

Nicki Minaj - "Super Freaky Girl"

Best R&B 

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye - "Stay"

Chlöe ft. Chris Brown - "How Does It Feel"

Metro Boomin ft. The Weeknd, 21 Savage, Diddy - "Creepin' (Remix)"

SZA - "Shirt"

Toosii - "Favorite Song"

Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj - "Love In The Way"

Best Alternative

Blink-182 - "Edging"

Boygenius - "The Film"

Fall Out Boy - "Hold Me Like a Grudge"

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste - "Candy Necklace"

Paramore - "This Is Why"

Thirty Seconds To Mars - "Stuck"

Best Rock

Foo Fighters - "The Teacher"

Linkin Park - "Lost (Original Version)"

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Tippa My Tongue"

Måneskin - "The Loneliest"

Metallica - "Lux Æterna"

Muse - "You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween"

Best K-Pop 

Aespa - "Girls"

Blackpink - "Pink Venom"

Fiffty Fifty - "Cupid"

Seventeen - "Super"

Stray Kids - "S-Class"

Tomorrow X Together - "Sugar Rush Ride"

Best Afrobeats 

Ayra Starr - "Rush"

Burna Boy - "It's Plenty"

Davido ft. Musa Keys - "Unavailable"

Fireboy DML & Asake - "Bandana"

Libianca - "People"

Rema & Selena Gomez - "Calm Down"

Wizkid ft. Ayra Starr - "2 Sugar"

Video for Good

Alicia Keys - "If I Ain't Got You (Orchestral)"

Bad Bunny - "El Apagón - Aquí Vive Gente"

Demi Lovato - "Swine"

Dove Cameron - "Breakfast"

Imagine Dragons - "Crushed"

Maluma - "La Reina"

Best Direction

Doja Cat - "Attention"

Drake - "Falling Back"

Kendrick Lamar - "Count Me Out"

Megan Thee Stallion - "Her"

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - "Unholy"

SZA - "Kill Bill"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

Best Cinematography

Adele - "I Drink Wine"

Ed Sheeran - "Eyes Closed"

Janelle Monae - "Lipstick Lover"

Kendrick Lamar - "Count Me Out"

Miley Cyrus - "Flowers"

Olivia Rodrigo - "Vampire"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

Best Visual Effects 

Fall Out Boy - "Love From the Other Side"

Harry Styles - "Music for a Sushi Restaurant"

Melanie Martinez - "Void"

Nicki Minaj - "Super Freaky Girl"

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - "Unholy"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

Best Choreography

Blackpink - "Pink Venom"

Dua Lipa - "Dance the Night"

Jonas Brothers - "Waffle House"

Megan Thee Stallion - "Her"

Panic! at the Disco - "Middle of a Breakup"

Sam Smith & Kim Petras - "Unholy"

Best Art Direction

Boygenius - "The Film"

Blackpink - "Pink Venom"

Doja Cat - "Attention"

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste - "Candy Necklace"

Megan Thee Stallion - "Her"

SZA - "Shirt"

Best Editing 

Blackpink - "Pink Venom"

Kendrick Lamar - "Rich Spirit"

Miley Cyrus - "River"

Olivia Rodrigo - "Vampire"

SZA - "Kill Bill"

Taylor Swift - "Anti-Hero"

[winterrhayle]

RANK 1989 AND FEARLESS RIGHT TF NOWW

i cant even complain anymore bc i brought this onto myself ahaha

1989

this love - the bridge of this song actually KILLSLSSSSS me everytime it makes me FEEL THINGS OMG LIKE. the production is like a wave just HIT ME IN THE FACE,, and the added echos onto taylors version????? PUT ME LITERALLY 6 FEET UNDERGROUND ITS SO GOOD,,,, im so glad that people are finally starting to give it attention bc of it being one of the 2 tvs on 1989 bc this song really is THAT GIRL

you are in love - this song is literally all i want to experience in life,,, its another underrated gem and its sosososo cute and i love how she wrote this about jack antonoff thats peak friendship tbh

wildest dreams - so iconic how she put her actual heartbeat into this song,, also have u heard the music video version of this???? basically, towards the end theres added instruments and it sounds more orchestral and ASIGDUSDGLHFASTFGYUASGDJHAIISUFGHJKAFDSGH

style - THEEEEEEEE STRUT SONG. CATCH ME ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN MY ONESIE PRETENDING LIKE IM ON A CATWALK IN MY BEDROOM. im not a haylor stan BUT thank u harry styles for making this song happen (same goes for out of the woods which brings me to my next ranking,,,,....)

out of the woods - THE PRODUCTION. PUT THE SONG ON AND PROPERLY L I S T E N. jack antonoff and taylor put their whole soul into that bridge bc....,..,, the build up to that big moment and the layering of sounds and then the pull back of the production on 'you were lookin at me' to show that all of the anxiety from outside of the relationship fades when she looks at HIM AND OAFIUAGFHLSVHDG (im so normal about this)

i know places - ok 1989 has the best production ever tbh,, bc the click of the recorder thingy at the start and end of the song to show that shes constantly being watched by the public????? *CHEFS KISS* its always super interesting to see insights like this into what its like to be famous, and this song with all of the themes of being anxious in a relationship bc of people watching is soo reminiscent of out of the woods (and u already know how i feel about that song hahaha)

blank space - this song is reputation (lyrically) before rep even existed,, the whole thing with her leaning into the untrue persona people gave her is very rep coded + this song is probably the most iconic thing to come out of 2014, and its also so funny bc when it came out i didnt know it was satire, so 8 year old me was yell-singing 'boys only want love if its torture' with my WHOLE BODY LMAOOOO and i turned out to be a lesbian so maybe i was onto something there

wonderland (gotta preface this by saying that im NOT a gaylor,, im just gonna say how i interprate this song for myself ) - i listen to this song in a very lesbian way. the idea of a relationship being doomed bc of peoples thoughts but being in ur own bubble in the magic of it all anyway??????? lesbian. 'too in love to think straight'???? lesbian. also the b

shake it off - i unironically think this is such a bop. idc what yall say,, if ur a shake it off hater u just dont know how to have fun,, haters gonna hate i guess

new romantics - this song is soooooo 1989 tour. whenever i think about it i mourn the fact that i didnt go and experience it

welcome to new york - ICONICCCC ALBUM OPENER. the progression from 'some day i'll be livin in a big old city' to 'welcome to new york it's been waiting for you' makes me want to sob. also her going 'the lights are so bright but they never blind me' to 'the lights and boys are blinding' ON THE SAME ALBUM is so funny like girl why are u lying😭

all you had to do was stay - this song is so funny bc didnt she say that she heard the high pitched 'STAY' in her dreams and then put it in the song😭, also i love the genre of taylor song that is actually lyrically so sad but is paired with really upbeat happy production😭 for example august and forever winter

clean - i have a confession, i didnt like this song for yearrrrsss but now ive matured and im sane and i understand that this is such a perfect album closer, i love how its a lot calmer than the rest of the album and i really love the secret message for this song in the album cd booklet 'she lost him, but she found herself, and somehow that was everything'

how you get the girl - iconic of her to have a literal instruction manual for men with no communication skills. and its a bop so there really is something for everyone here

i wish you would - this song kinda reminds me of i almost do (aka one of my faves off red)

bad blood - iconic music video, iconic feature with kendrick lamar BUT. the lyrics arent up to her usual level,, however the bridge is still rly good,, i just think that reputation executed this songs vibe a lot better

fearless (im already dreading this omg,, why is it SO LONG) also just for fun im gonna put this emoji ☔️ on every song that mentions the rain or a storm bc theres sososo many

come in with the rain ☔️- shout out to me for bring the only person who appreciates this song,, like.....,.,.,.,,,,,, 'hoping that someone will come back and just watching the 'and i, ive got you down / i know you by heart / and you dont even know where i start' HELLO? this is such a comfort song and it is very relatable 13/10

the other side of the door ☔️- another underrated bop BURIED by the sheer number of songs on this album😭 the outro alone should make this song more popular bc LISTEN TO ITTTTT

the way i loved you☔️ - shes so silly for this bc this mindset is exactly what she was taking about growing from in daylight😭 anyways,, iconic bridge,, so fun to sing, another 13/10

you belong with me - PICK ME ANTHEM🗣🔊💥💥💥💥 also i saw someone post that its rly funny how the song says 'i remember you drivin to my house in the middle of the night' but in the music video taylor and the love interests are next door neighbours😭 like why are u driving 10 meters king !?

breathe - ANOTHER COMFORT SONG (the lyrical content is actually very sad but whatever) its about a friendship breakup and to me it also is very reminiscent of a wlw breakup and iahdouslahgdhfgsadfhjgshjadf also i love the outro sm (the im sorry repeat part) anddd idk why but i find the way she sings 'and we know its never simple never easy' soo satisfying

fearless☔️ - THIS SONG IS SO FUN IM SO GLAD SHES PLAYING IT ON THE ERAS TOUR BC IT SO PERFECTLY REPRESENTS THIS ALBUM AS A WHOLE WITH THE FREENESS OF THIS LOVE AND THE RAIN LYRICS AND THE BANJO AND EAHHASAGDFHGLSDAHFSDGF

white horse - i love this song sm bc in all her old albums (including this one) she really emphasises the whole perfect fairytale romance thing but in this song she flips the whole thing and shes like nvm ive been delusional bc this isnt a fairytale, i deserve better, and and ur actually not allathat. byee

youre not sorry - THE MELODRAMA HAHAHAHHAH I LOVE THIS SONG, also im obsessed with the speak now mashup where she did back to december/apologise/youre not sorry bc thats probably my favourite ever live recording of her

bye bye baby ☔️- the first line is so good bc she says 'it wasnt just like a movie / the rain didnt soak through my clothes (❌☔️)/ down to my skin' bc this whole album shes talking about fairytale romance and kissing in the rain and here shes like nah i lied i was over romanticising this bc this didnt actually happen lolz (similar to white horse)

fifteen - this song is so relatable bc this exact thing happened with me when i was 15☠️ also why are her songs about abigail always the saddest things ever bc we have this one AND HAPPINESS???????? abigail was going thru it fr..,. oh and production wise i love the brief pause and the drums at 3:48 (this is very specific but whateverrr lol)

love story - what can i say...,.,,, its literally love story..,,,,,.,,,,.. the song of the century tbh, its not my personal favourite but i still adore it sm and i love the romeo juliet aesthetic and i love how shes wearing romeos shirt in the fearless taylors version cover (also apparently taylor wrote this song in 20 minutes???? thats crazy talent)

dont you - im obsessed with the vocal layering on 'my heart knows what the truth is' in contrast to the rest of this fairly simple song. also i love the parallel between 'sometimes, i really wish that i could hate you / i've tried, but that's just somethin' i can't do' and 'i can’t make it go away by making you a villain'

we were happy - to make this even more depressing i like to imagine this song sung by the person from mary's song,, where before they were these childhood friends-lovers who thought they were gonna be together forever. 'and our daddies used to joke about the two of us / they never believed we'd really fall in love' to 'talking 'bout your daddy's farm / and you were gonna marry me'

forever & always☔️- she ENDED joe jonas in this one LMAOOOOOOO 'was i out of line? / did i say something way too honest / made you run and hide / like a scared little boy' kills me hahhahahha

tell me why - i cant relate to this song but it is so fun to pretend to be angry and sing

thats when☔️ - most of the fearless vaults are super underrated and that makes me so sad actually, bc this song is so nicely produced it feels so light and airy

you all over me☔️ - 'once the last drop of rain / had dried of the pavement' is a very iconic lyric for such a rainy album. its good closure only...,,.,,,, THE ALBUM IS NOT FINISHED BC ITS 26 TRACKS LONG

mr perfectly fine - ok im gonna say it, this song is overrated. im SORRY,,, i love the song (especially the key change bc omg) but i feel like forever & always said everything this song did but in a better way???? but i do appreciate the sarcastic nature of this track

the best day - GOD BLESS ANDREA SWIFT

today was a fairytale - ok from this song ranking down i feel like the songs could have been cut out of the album,, bc honestly these songs are the reason why fearless drags on and is my least favourite ts album :(((( if these werent on it fearless would be higher on my album ranking,, anyway i think that today was a fairytale is super cute and nice but its very generic lyrically (also i like to imagine this song to be about the too perfect bf she talks about in the way i loved you)

untouchable - when i found out this song is a cover i was actually shook to my core bc the og is rock and it sounds so different😭 props to taylor bc she rly did make the song her own

change - the hallelujahs in this song are funny bc its literally christian country girl cosplay😭 go off i guess??????? one time my dad gave me the aux at church (hes a priest) and he told me to put on some christian songs and i played this one LMAOOOOOO

superstar - this ones cute, its like those one direction fanfics where a member would fall in love with a fangirl

jump then fall - this song is nice ! thats all i can say tbh

hey stephen☔️- whyyyy is this on the album,, stephen i do NOT care about u and this song is boring sorryyyyyyyyy,, the only good part is the mmm mm mm m m mmm m m OHH AND THE 'all those other girlssss yeah theyre beautiful / but would they write a song for you?? HA'

im not putting if this was a movie on here bc that is NOT A FEARLESS SONG. ITS A SPEAK NOW GIRLIE IDC. TAYLOR CANT GASLIGHT ME