#that was it. i had to go through the chorus in my mind. jt music has like... at least one banger in most fandoms. like their batim song

[violetandstarlightgirl]

My Favorite Songs I Discovered in 2022

Hoo boy, haven't done this in three years. Thought I'd start doing this again especially since I found some really good songs this year!

As with the previous entries, nothing's in any particular order, and not everything was released exclusively this year. There's also a bonus list at the bottom of some of my favorites from 2020 and 2021 as well, since I still wanted to mention them.

Here's the old lists I've done so far: 2017 , 2018 , 2019

Honey I'm Home- Ghost (Honey I'm Home, 2019)

This is definitely the black sheep on this list this year.

I found it through a beautifully made Hollow Knight animatic by Icelandin, and something about the spooky insectoid imagery and intense instrumentals stuck with me. Not to mention the lyrics and the story they tell! (the artwork in the original music video is gorgeously disturbing)

Once I can find the peace of mind and the free time, I'd love to make an animatic with this song!

Windy Summer- Anri (Timely!!, 1983)

Since I found out about Dress Down, I have been fascinated by what I now know is the "80's City Pop" subgenre from Japan. I found a whole playlist of songs near the start of the year, and I fell in love with Anri's Timely!! album. This song in particular is featured because it's my favorite from the album, with Remember Summer Days being a close second.

I absolutely love the summer vibes from this song, and I like listening to it while driving. I even set it as my wake-up alarm for when I'm having a nap or my routine-app alarm isn't on for whatever reason. It's just a lovely upbeat song great for when you need to get stuff done!

Not Your Father's Son- JT Music, featuring Andrea Storm Kaden (Not Your Father's Son, 2022)

I received Hades as a birthday present last year and I have loved every second of it. The artwork is stunning and I'm captivated by the story, but one of my favorite creations related to the game is this fan-song made by the same talents behind the Elden Ring fanpiece, Solo.

I love the Greek inspired instrumentals that play throughout and the message in the chorus; you might be divine but you'll find you're not your father's son. Zagreus is his own person and needs the opportunity to forge his own path, and the chance to learn the truth about who his mother was.

On the Nature of Daylight- Max Richter (The Blue Notebooks, 2018)

A really somber instrumental piece here, I love the gradual addition of each instrument as the song progresses (kind of like In The Shape of Longing, one of the songs from my very first songs of the year list!). I don't know a lot of the context for the piece, but it makes me think of a tragic event that inspired a person to change for the better.

Desert Rose- Peter Hollens and Alaa Wardi (Covers Vol III, 2017)

As a young kid I've always been fascinated by the original version of this song by Sting, but at the start of this year I also found out that one of my favorite cover artists, Peter Hollens, had covered the song within the last few years.

Peter's acapella style adds something new to an already stellar masterpiece and keeps to the Middle Eastern roots that inspired the original with the inclusion of Alaa Wardi (a gifted singer in his own right!). It's a neat reminder of the beauty that can come from collaboration between cultures to make new things.

Judas- Gemyni (Judas 80s ver., 2020)

I've discovered a fun genre of cover styles this year, where people take pop songs from the 2000s and later and turn it into dark synth 80s (go check out Izzy Perri's cover of Toxic you won't regret it), but I wanted to highlight Gemyni's absolutely haunting cover of Lady Gaga's Judas on this list.

I enjoy that the tempo is slowed into something sensual (it's been used in a couple of thirst trap edits for a good reason) but everything still nods to the original. Even Gemyni's vocals are reminiscent of Gaga but it is still uniquely her own.

Dark Seeks Light- Yui Ninomiya (Dark Seeks Light, 2021)

My husband is a big fan of the isekai subgenre of anime (reincarnating with some or all knowledge from a previous life and achieving great things in the new life) and a favorite of both of ours is The World's Finest Assassin (Gets Reincarnated in Another World as An Aristocrat). One of the biggest selling points for both of us is the opening theme and the title sequence it plays in (check it out here!!)

It's a gripping and fast-paced song that keeps your attention and gets you pumped for the action. The lyrics even hint at the themes of the story; seeking light in darkness by snuffing out corruption from its festering source.

Brutus- The Buttress (Brutus, 2016)

As with a few of the songs on this playlist, I discovered this one while I was searching for stuff for a character playlist. I hadn't listened to anything by The Buttress before, but I'm definitely a fan of this piece.

I can easily feel the vitriol and rage pouring from the character as the song plays, and I love the touch where eventually their voice raises from a whisper to a shout. The character is psyching themselves up to commit fratricide, motivated by many things none the least of which is envy ("please know that my actions are not motivated only by envy", "I don't want what you have, I wanna be you").

It's a powerful piece and I love the detail of the nonsensical words spoken by the chorus in the background.

Devil's Backbone- The Civil Wars (The Civil Wars, 2013)

This was a song suggested to my by a friend for another character playlist. As a lover of folk music, I love the strings and the vocals in this one! The lyrics are also emotional and powerful; a woman praying for the soul of a man with a dark past whom she loves dearly. It's short, but absolutely sweet.

The biggest pull for me is the connection I made to this song with my Monster of the Week character, Tabby Green. Tabby is in a romantic relationship with Julian Darling, a troubled man with a checkered past. Without going into too much detail, I feel like the lyrics adequately describes her feelings about the situation.

Under the Heavens- Tony Anderson (Under the Heavens, 2022)

One of my best friends has sent me a few of Tony Anderson's pieces over the years, and this one is definitely one of my favorites he's ever done to date!

It's kind of a weird way to describe it, but it feels like you're listening to a sunrise. The sound that those first morning rays feel on your skin as the day begins.

Bonus!!! Stuff I Discovered in 2020 and 2021

In Dulce Jubilo- Mike Oldfield

A beautiful Christmas instrumental that I'd love to use in an animatic someday, introduced to me though a YouTube video by Caddicarus where he talked about his first videos on the site.

Wishbone- nervous_testpilot

A funky tune that gives me ENA vibes, overall just a fun song to chill to and have in the background when I'm doing things.

The Foyer- Drab Majesty

Something I found when looking for things to put in a character playlist for a Goth vampire who was turned in the 80s. Listening to it makes me feel this intense nostalgia even though it's less than a decade old.

Song for a Siren- The Jane Austen Argument

A beautiful modern sea shanty I used as major inspiration for my triton rogue (whos campaign concluded in July!)

Sleeping in the Cold Below- Keith Power, Alan Doyle, Damhnait Doyle

Space-shanty that I fell in love with when I got to that part of Warframe.

Drown in Pale Light- Andreas Vollenweider

An absolutely serene piece of harp music that puts my soul at piece. Worth mentioning because it was my #1 song played on Spotify this year (in the bonus segment because I discovered it in 2021)

[crazyw3irdo]

ok so we brought back minecraft parodies and fnaf songs when we gonna bring undertale fansongs back to the mainstream

[starrybluez]

I was tagged by 2 lovely mutuals @music-on-canvas and @duranarchy-in-the-uk to put together a list of the 10 songs I'm most obsessed with. Thank you both! 💜😊

This was tough for me to narrow down from my collection of music which songs I loved the most. Tried to just pick one per artist to make it a little easier. Almost all of these are rockers - the more easy-going mellow tunes are at the end.

1. New Religion – Duran Duran

I keep changing my mind on favorite Duran songs. Most of the early ones have become my babies so it's difficult to pick a favorite! 😅 I went with New Religion this time because that BASS. JT definitely wins my heart on this one. The live versions they did in the 80's are particularly great to watch. It's really a treat to hear Andy singing along with Simon. Love Andy. 💖

2. Get It On – The Power Station / T.Rex

Both versions sound great to me but if I had to choose, I really enjoy the power (no pun intended) of the Power Station one. Nice to hear Andy shredding on guitar and Robert Palmer's take on the vocal.

3. Gotta Get A Grip On You – Robert Palmer

And speaking of Robert Palmer, I can't get enough of this song of his. Incredible and versatile singer. I do recommend listening to the whole album “Some People Can Do What They Like” if you want to funk out a bit. My dad bought the album and I guess he's still a big fan since he recently quoted the chorus from "Addicted To Love".

4. White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane

One of the many songs on this list I will sing along to. Yeah, most likely this is acid fuelled – or something to that effect, but what colorful lyrics it inspires! “Go ask Alice. When she's ten feet tallll!” Not that I'm encouraging everyone to take recreational drugs – I’ve never taken any and I can be weird and silly enough without them! 😅

5. I Want To Take You Higher – Sly & The Family Stone / Ike & Tina Turner

Only recently did I hear the Duran remake of this song. Love Simon's vocals but everything else on it was giving me a headache. Maybe if I heard it through the proper speakers instead of a tinny cellphone or computer, I could at least hear the bass. Still prefer the earlier soul singer versions. I don't think anything can beat those. Both Tina and Sly are so good, I don't even have the words. They render me speechless! On a side note, I did watch the Prince's Trust video from ’86 with Tina and a handful of my other favorite singers and she just outsang all those guys.

6. So Glad To See You Here – Paul McCartney & Wings

He's mostly known for his ballads, but this rocker is a favorite of mine. There's a whole slew of well-known guest musicians jamming on this. But really it's fun for me to just hear Paulie wailing his face off back in the day. Again, I highly recommend the album it's from. Very unpopular opinion, but I regard Back To The Egg as his best album, along with Flaming Pie.

7. Mystery Achievement – Pretenders

Another album from my family's music collection that I grew up listening to. And it's another one I would listen to in its entirety. The rhythm section along with Chrissie Hynde's amazing voice really drives the song at the beginning and then the guitars join in to carry it along to the end.

8. Suffragette City – David Bowie

Another one I have to sing along to everytime. The lyrics are too much fun not to. And it's Bowie, which should say enough right there. Hard for me to get through the whole song though without cracking up at the line “this mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place”. Yes. I'm also really mature. 🙄

9. Turn My Back On You – Sade

This group does not get talked about enough. Again the bassline is what's most memorable for me. The singer is effortlessly cool. And if you've seen the music video, she rocks a suit as well as any of the guys in the band.

10. Many Too Many – Genesis

Now we get to the really mellow stuff towards the end. This piano ballad is often in my head. The beginning notes particularly stand out. The whole thing is very dreamlike. I'm actually more of a fan of their 70's songs than their popular 80's hits.

Bonus: 11. You Go To My Head - Frank Sinatra / Ella Fitzgerald

And I added this classic tune as a bonus, because I didn't think the list would be complete without one great jazz standard. I picked both singers’ versions – they are two of my favorites from the 40's and 50's era. I find myself getting lost in those dreamy vocals.

I could add some more bonuses, but then this list would be way too long. I tag anyone else who wants to participate!

[deejayers]

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ AND YOU BETTER SHUFFLE UNTIL ONE OF THOSE RAPS FINALLY COMES UP XD

YOUR WISH IS MY HAPPY COMMAND! XD

I shuffled too many times to count but I finally got Born Into Tyranny by J.T. Machinima and god bless do I love this fucking song! Hands down, top favorite line in that song is

Chasing a shadow, how's that been workin'?Can't catch a Kenway, you oughta learn itHidden beneath my hood's a purposeFirst things first, get off my turf bitch

If I’m not fully appreciating that line when it hits, I start the song over because the oomph on that damn line gets me hyped every single time. *v* Idk if you’ve listened to the many AssCreed raps that J.T. Machinima have put out but if not you so need to! Hell, most all of their game music is amazing as far as I’m concerned. All raps but awesome raps. I will link Born Into Tyranny because Connor, that’s why. *w*

And cause I have nothing better to do on this lovely day off, I’m gonna pick my favorite line from the next 20 shuffles because why not!! You’re gonna get a firsthand look at my wide range of genres. xD

I’ll italicize the lyrics and add bold to the particular lines I love the most.

Amen by Halestorm

But I won't runI'm not ashamedIt's gonna take more than this for me to break

Fireborn by JT Machinima and Andrea Storm Kaden

Hold onto hope, I'm homeward boundIn the darkest of night, there's Light to be foundWhen a hero is born of fireShine through the shadow of doubt

Cradle to the Grave by Five Finger Death Punch

The soul that lives within my chest(The soul that lives within my chest)Just won't allow me to turn out like the rest(Turn out like the rest)This heart that's driving me on and on and on(On and on and on)Has the same vision and it keeps me fucking strong

Bulletproof by Aviators

You can shoot me down, but you're never gonna hide the truth'Cause words are bulletproof

The Only One by Ra

So you just sit there stuckAfraid to risk realityThose words are mineAnd you can find them deep inside of me

Assassin’s Creed Rap Megamix by JT Machinima (fuck yeah, two of them!!!!)

I'm planting the seedOf the family treeBy my hand, minds are freedNot a man, I'm a creed

Livin’ On A Prayer by Bon Jovi

We've got to hold on to what we've gotIt doesn't make a difference if we make it or notWe've got each other and that's a lot for loveWe'll give it a shot

Faithless by Black Veil Brides

Live with defianceIt's time to fightDon't ever let them keep your words from being heard

Let It Go by George Strait (I couldn’t pick a single line in particular cause I just love the whole message of this song |D)

You never knowWhat’s waiting just up the roadSooner or later that sun’s gonna shineLuck will turn on a dimeSo when the good times roll let ‘em rollBut when they don’tLet it go

Move on, keep moving ‘til you see the lightThe one that you’ve been waiting onShining bright in the nightSaying hey there friend where the hell have you been

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Mama, oh oh Didn't mean to make you cryIf I'm not back again this time tomorrowCarry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters

Any Man Of Mine by Shania Twain

Any man of mine better walk the lineBetter show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda timeI need a man who knows, how the story goes

Bad Moon by Hollywood Undead

So take my hand nowI'll welcome you to my bad dreamUp in the clouds nowThat bad moon comes, and it grabs me

Guys Do It All The Time by Mindy McCready (pretty much the whole chorus is amazing so I won’t bold any of this one lmao I’d have to bold it all)

Guys do it all the timeAnd you expect us to understandWhen the shoe's on the other footYou know that's when it hits the fanGet over it, honey, life's a two way streetOr you won't be a man of mineSure I had some beers with the girls last nightGuys do it all the time

You look like you just took a long look in the mirrorTell me baby if things don't look a whole lot clearer

You Can Hang by JT Machinima

C'mon team, it's a four-on-oneSo until you stop breathing - you're not doneThank God this job comes with a lot of perksWhen you're stuck with a bunch of punks who don't wanna work'Cause we all got chores, let's do a little more pleaseI feel like a single mother - call me Mrs. VoorheesUsed to hide, now I thrive as a fighterDestiny's Child - I'm a survivor

Sick Individual by Halestorm

'Cause I'm a sick individualAnd I'm doing this thing called whatever the fuck I want, want, wantI'm unusualAin't taking no shit, gonna drink this sip 'till I'm gone, gone, goneI'm livin' it up, not giving a whatI'm livin' it up, not giving a whatSick individualAnd I'm doing this thing called whatever the fuck I want

Hypnotized by Set It Off (I have a burning love for this song for reasons pertaining to my brother’s ex-wife. I’d love to dedicate it to her.)

Listen carefully (Shhh)I know it’s hard for you (I know)You’re not quite used to vulgarity and verbal abuse (Get ready)Well first off fuck you and what you represent

Who’s Laughing Now by From Ashes to New

Back to the wall, I was afraid to act outFeeling so small, I'm scared and trapped, nowI'm standing up tall and don't plan to back down

Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood

He looks like a cool drink of waterBut he's candy-coated miseryHe's the devil in disguiseA snake with blue eyesAnd he only comes out at night

Muckalee Creek Water by Luke Bryan

I'm free, and I'm meBeing everything that I wanna beNobody jacking with me,No sign of the city lightsHell with the city lights!

Independent Women, Pt. 1 by Destiny’s Child

I worked hard and sacrificed to get what I getLadies, it ain't easy being independentQuestion, how'd you like this knowledge that I broughtBragging on that cash that he gave you is to frontIf you're gonna brag make sure it's your money you flauntDepend on no-one else to give you what you want

Okay so this was a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed shuffling around my playlist even if it did pull up a lot of the same bands. XD I had to do some extra shuffling so it wasn’t the same band or artist in a row a few good times. Like, I have a ton of Halestorm, FFDP, Luke Bryan, JT Machinima, George Strait, and Set It Off, amongst others. They kept popping up so I had to reshuffle. I hope you enjoy looking through this list of random ass songs and chunks of lyrics! XD 

[onestowatch]

Luna Aura Aims to Set Fire to Society’s White Picket Fences in “English Boys” [PREMIERE + Q&A]

Photo: Quincey Sablan 

Luna Aura is cutting as she is cunning. A woman dedicated to living life unapologetically, Luna Aura has gone through a wide variety of life experiences, both euphoric and painful. The result is an artist who exited the other side with a deeper understanding of herself and the world around her. 

Yet, at times this world can be unforgiving to some of its most poignant inhabitants. Growing up amongst the Mormon community, Luna Aura became well versed in the flagrant injustices and inconsistencies that plague women in our society today. Thousands of years of mass accepted oppression does a number on the psyche of all those involved. Therefore, to truly combat this we must question how we as a community have internalized and personify this discrimination, women included.  

Luna Aura’s latest single, “English Boys,” takes the ironies of self-inflicted oppressive behaviors and, in Luna Aura and her gang of female choristers’ own words, “burn(s) it down.” Synth-driven and visceral in nature from the get-go, JT Daly's (K.Flay, PVRIS) production chops shine effervescently, getting that head banging violently before the finish of the first bar. About 20-seconds in Luna Aura enters with prowess, setting the stage that she intends to destroy. 

“My English boy / He calls my name / He breaks my heart / But I’m to blame,” Luna Aura sings as she transitions into an explosive chorus, reminiscent of the children’s choir present on Pink Floyd's “Another Brick In The Wall,” a fitting comparison considering both artist’s fervent penchant for social justice.   

It is this feminist-focused fight for equality that encapsulates the themes of Luna Aura’s highly-anticipated debut EP Three Cheers For The American Beauty, due 2020. From her previous single “Crash Dive” which explores freeing women’s sexuality, focusing on the fact that women masturbate too and shocker, they like it. Now onto “English Boys,” each song on the EP champions a different feminist theme in punk-rock fashion, holding nothing back and grinning widely at the face of disapproval. 

Luna Aura’s grin is defiant in nature, incorrigible if you are so inclined, and how could it not be? We had the chance to catch up with the rising rockstar on everything from transitioning out of the Mormon church peacefully, how the loss of her younger brother has affected her relationship with music, and her continual riposte to those who attempt to silence her.   

  OTW: Can you share the birthing story of the artist persona Luna Aura?  

Luna Aura: The name Luna Aura comes from a Marvel comic book character named Luna Maximoff. I was inspired by her power, which is the ability to see and feel what others are feeling and manipulate those emotions. It really spoke to me as an artist and stuck. 

OTW: What made you decide to move from Arizona to LA to pursue music as your career?  

Luna Aura: I chose to move to LA for the opportunity to grow as a songwriter and creative mind. I love Arizona, I go back frequently, but there is a level of community and opportunity that exists in Los Angeles that you really can’t get anywhere else. I also just wanted to be challenged. 

OTW: Tell us about growing up Mormon. What elements of that part of your life do you hold onto and what have you relinquished?  

Luna Aura: The Mormon faith has beautiful teachings. Forgiveness, family, love. It was never the teachings that turned me off of the Church. The Mormon community consists of some of the best people I’ve met to this day, but I’m not someone who does well with organized religion. There were things I was being exposed to as a young woman that didn’t align with the person I wanted to be. Some practices and teachings felt archaic, especially as a woman. 

OTW: In January 2015 your brother passed away from a tragic accident. How does his spirit inspire you in your music and how you live your life?  

Luna Aura: My brother taught me the greatest lessons I will ever learn. Life is not promised to you, and every day spent breathing is a gift. As my little brother and friend, he taught me what it meant to love and care for somebody, and his passing taught me to never let a day go by without doing what I love. My music is a direct reflection of that.    

OTW: You are a well-versed and accomplished performer, having shared the stage with the likes of The Killers, K. Flay, Chance the Rapper, P!nk, Run the Jewels, and more. How did you develop your performance style? How do you prepare for your performances?   

Luna Aura: I’m working really hard on building a solid health routine! These shows we’ve been playing are no joke, and your girl loves to Netflix and chill with a saucy burrito from time to time. I’ve been getting better about respecting my body and making sure I’m in the best shape possible, so I can deliver the high-energy show that people deserve. I used to be trash when I first started performing, but I got better by learning from my mistakes and never giving up.  

Photo: Sam Katz 

OTW: Can you expand on your recent sonic transition? What made you decide to move from pop to a more rock-based sound? 

Luna Aura: I LOVE a good pop song, and I truly had an affinity for it growing up. I got into pop because I enjoyed it but, as an artist, I didn’t know who I was yet. My voice, my sound, what I wanted to say. None of that was figured out when I started this whole music journey. You build your identity off of your experiences, and it took me a while to figure that out. But here I am, and I’m proud as hell of it.

OTW: You’ve been working very closely with the producer JT Daly, best known for his work with K.Flay and PVRIS. How has working with JT shaped the sound of the new EP? 

Luna Aura: JT was incredibly instrumental in shaping my new sound. He heard a song I wrote called “Baby Be Cool” and wanted to work with me to my disbelief. I couldn’t find a single producer that understood my vision, and/or wanted to be a part of what I was trying to create. He just let me be who I was, and didn’t stand in the way. He completely elevated this project to something I never thought it could be. 

OTW: We know there is some ironic symbolism present in your latest single. What does “English Boys” represent? 

Luna Aura: I was going on a trip to London a couple years ago, and I remember having conversations about how excited I was to meet and marry an English Boy. There I was, about to travel out of the country for the first time and I was talking about meeting a guy. I sounded brainwashed, kind of made me sick. I realized it was stemming from the whole white picket fence fraudulent dream that gets put in every little girl’s head at one point or another. This song is my recognition of that in myself and choosing to let it go, even if that means setting it on fire I guess.

OTW: Is that a choir we hear on the track? Can you tell us about the creative process of this single in particular? 

Luna Aura: My friend Matt Keller was able to find and record a group of young female singers who work with an amazing vocal coach named Satyam in Phoenix. That element was extremely important to me and it added a lot of dimension to the song sonically. 

OTW: We know that your upcoming EP Three Cheers for the American Beauty is based on various feminist themes. Were there any specific events that inspired the project? 

Luna Aura: I just got to thinking what it meant to be an American woman. I researched the societal pressures of young women in American culture and realized I was looking into a mirror. I hated that. I want to create a world where all that conditioning gets thrown out the window, and women take back the life that belongs to them. In my world, it’s not just about fighting against those who stand in the way of female advancement in American culture, but also the war we fight within ourselves. 

OTW: Who are your Ones to Watch?

Luna Aura: I’ve been listening to girl in red, Slaves, and Fidlar a ton lately!  

Thirsty for more Luna Aura? Quench your thirst with her performance of “Crash Dive” for our sister site The Noise. 

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 12th May 2019 (Logic & Eminem, Shawn Mendes, Lewis Capaldi)

We have a bunch of new arrivals this week, most of which are big-name debuts within the top 20, so safe to say we have another busy week on our hands. Let’s get it.

Top 10

One of my biggest surprises on this chart is that the top five is still relatively stable, and Stormzy’s “Vossi Bop” is still at the number-one spot, even though I thought it’d collapse like Dave and Fredo’s “Funky Friday” did after it debuted at the top due to insane streaming. Despite my expectations, it’s fine. It’s still here. Speaking of...

“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and later remixed by both Billy Ray Cyrus and Diplo, and possibly Young Thug(?), hasn’t moved from the runner-up spot from last week.

Lewis Capaldi had a good week here – even his single “Grace” that has been mostly stagnant increased three spaces elsewhere – but he places twice in the top 10. The first appearance here is for “Someone You Loved”, rebounding a singular position up to number-three.

His other appearance within the top 10 is right here, funnily enough, as he makes a consecutive appearance here at number-four, with the debut of “Hold Me While You Wait”, Capaldi’s third top 40 hit in the UK as well as his second top 10 and top five hit.

At number-five, up one spot from last week, is “bad guy” by Billie Eilish.

Meanwhile at number-six, we have MEDUZA and Goodboys with “Piece of Your Heart” down one space from last week.

I’m surprised at how Taylor Swift’s “ME!” with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco essentially just collapsed entirely as it drops down four spaces to number-seven. Yes, it’s still in the top 10, but it’s worrying how quickly this is dropping down; The UK doesn’t count radio in its charts so I suppose it’s impressive that such a radio-targeted song is doing so well on sales and streaming, but I’d chalk that up to YouTube.

Meanwhile, at number-eight, “SOS” by the late Avicii featuring vocals from Aloe Blacc is down one spot from last week.

We have yet another top 10 debut as “If I Can’t Have You” by Shawn Mendes makes its chart premiere at number-nine (Noticeably lower than its #2 debut in the US), becoming his ninth UK Top 40 hit and his sixth to reach the top 10.

At #10, to round off the top 10, we have “Just You and I” by Tom Walker slowly making its way out down two spaces. It’ll probably have a bit of a comeback next week.

Climbers

Naturally, due to the nature of this week’s business, we don’t have many songs being able to make room for themselves on the charts – by that I mean we have one notable enough climb, and it’s “Sixteen” by Ellie Goulding up five spaces to #31.

Fallers

I would like to say these are a different story, but there are less than I expected. Going from the top, we have expected yet arguably slightly premature losses for Khalid and P!nk’s “Talk” and “Walk Me Home”, down six and five spaces respectively to #20 and #21. I think their runs have been long enough, although I expected “Walk Me Home” to smash considering the top 10 debut, but it’s since faded away and has just been fodder in the top 20 for a while. We also have consecutive losses for mediocre British hip-hop, as Digga D’s “No Diet” is down seven spaces to #27, right next to JAY1’s “Your Mrs” down five to #28. Otherwise, we have mostly continued losses, including “Don’t Call Me Up” by Mabel down five to #32, “i’m so tired...” by LAUV and Troye Sivan down seven to #33, “Boy with Luv” by BTS featuring Halsey down eight to #37 (I’m surprised it’s lasted this long), and sadly, “Disaster” by Dave featuring J Hus down seven to #40.

Dropouts & Returning Entries

First of all, I’d like to note “wish you were gay” by Billie Eilish has dropped out from #35 to not even in the top 75 due to streaming cuts. That’s how detrimental they can be to a song’s success over here, although that song was already on its way out. Anyways, we don’t have any returning entries, but we do have some drop-outs – quite a few – but all to be expected, really. “Let Nature Sing” by the RPSB is out from #18 but it’s a charity birdsong single, I’m just surprised it’s still at #63. We’ve just got three others, and those are quite literally last week’s bottom three. All of these dropping out from #38, #39 and #40, we have “Let Me Down Slowly” by Alec Benjamin featuring a duet with Alessia Cara, “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, and finally, “Wow.” by Post Malone. New arrivals time.

NEW ARRIVALS

#34 – “M.E.N. II” – Bugzy Malone

Produced by Zdot

Now for some brief backstory. This is a sequel track to Bugzy Malone’s 2015 track “M.E.N.” that directly interpolates the prior single to reflect on how far his career has changed from the year he released that single. Looking at the album charts, you can really tell as his last EP debuted at #4 in 2017 and his 2018 album at #8, but Bugzy Malone, despite being one of the key grime MCs to form the modern, trap-influenced style and become less commercially focused as they were in the early 2010s, has never made the top 40 until now. This is his first UK Top 40 hit, despite a few close calls and even an album bomb, in which none of the tracks touched the top 50. He has since built up a lot of hype, clearly, collaborating with the likes of Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, but is the music any good? Well, I’m not familiar with much of Bugzy at all, I’ve only heard a few singles here and there, but I’ve never been all too impressed, although I have been listening to the poppier, charting stuff. Maybe I would appreciate a return to its roots more, and you know what, to an extent, I do. The upbeat synth is quite cloudy but allows for a fun, bouncy flow over an admittedly stilted drum beat that feels very generic although definitely more fast-paced than what I’m used to hearing on the charts. I do appreciate Bugzy Malone’s introspective lyrical content, where he looks back on his come-up and has some very specific details in how he made it, with eerie synths shrouding his blunt vocal delivery in an odd mystery, which seems unfitting considering Bugzy Malone’s lyrics are quite hard-hitting; A lot of the instrumentation feels too sparse and spacey, in fact, for such a personal and intimate song talking about struggle with religious worship and beliefs, experience with cocaine since he observed his friends slowly suffer from the abuse of the drug, relationship issues where Bugzy feels like he needs to overly compensate for the lack of attention and speaking on how he wouldn’t mind dying and going out as a legend of Manchester if that’s what it takes for respect. With a beautifully-sang outro in what I’m assuming is Bugzy himself in a falsetto, it really should be more than what it is, but he struggles to stick to a topic at once sometimes and often the beat is less intense than it really should be. This is still good, but I’m not entirely sure if it’ll have any longevity.

#18 – “Guten Tag” – Hardy Caprio and DigDat

Produced by JT and CallMeTheKidd

Oh, hey, another relatively non-notable UK drill/trap song that debuts into the top 20 inexplicably, is expected to drop off quickly, sticks around for way too many weeks before it’s cut down by the streaming chart rules in the UK. This one is by two familiar faces though, Hardy Caprio and DigDat, who have both charted once or twice before and have both been incredibly uninteresting. This is Caprio’s fourth Top 40 hit and first Top 20, whilst it’s DigDat’s second of both – and this one might just be a tad weirder and a tad more unique than any other UK trap song that could have debuted this week. There’s no chorus at all, barely even anything resembling it other than how a refrain is kind of implemented into an intro and outro, and it takes only a couple bars for an odd Family Guy/The Cleveland Show reference to talk about the cocaine he’s trafficking, because, well, sure. The beat is fantastic, it has got a summery tropical vibe in its breezy synths and flutes but it’s immediately drowned out by the insanely dark and heavy 808s and sub-bass, which sound great. Caprio and DigDat flow well over it, and the slight tinge of guitars that appear throughout the beat are so cool, especially when they’re used to build up to the chorus in an otherwise menacing section of just bass and the skittering trap percussion and it can only be heard in the left channel. It really shows how any natural, lively instrumentation is distant from the intense and tragic lives of UK drill musicians, I suppose. This is really good, actually, I’m surprised. Sure, the lyrical content is nothing to speak of, ut that doesn’t matter when the beat is this interesting and the vocal inflections are this powerful. Check this out, I’d recommend it, even if just for that beautiful watery synth melody and the incredible flute in the outro.

#15 – “Homicide” – Logic featuring Eminem

Produced by Bregma and Shroom – Peaked at #4 in New Zealand and #5 in the US

God, where do I even start with this one? Okay, well, since none of the other singles from Confessions of a Dangerous Mind took off, Logic essentially put on Hot 100 Easy Mode and got an Eminem feature while rushing something at the beginning to make sure you knew it was a Logic song as well. Hence, he got the second biggest hit of his career. This is Logic’s third UK Top 40 and top 20 hit, and I’m not even going to count Eminem’s, he has way too many to even start trying at this point. Let’s just take this one step by step because there’s a lot to unravel here. First of all, we have Logic’s dad Smokey Hall telling an obviously scripted reverb-drowned joke with some fake laughter. If that’s really how Logic laughs, then I’m scared for his life. Logic’s dad REALLY sounds like Logic, though, like they’re nearly identical, especially when they both laugh in unison. The joke isn’t funny either, and it’s just kind of painful to sit through, especially with little drowning it out other than the beat warming up. The beat by itself is actually just kind of okay, but definitely is menacing when you hear the intimidating bells and pair them with Logic and Eminem’s rapid-fire flows. Logic’s verses sure are... Logic verses from 2019? They’re incredibly generic, although I do like the Eminem references and Logic’s flow and vocal delivery is on point, until...

(In a weird voice) When I rap like this, do I sound like s***? / Well, it don’t really matter, ‘cause I’m killin’ this s***

Uh, Eminem, you must have heard Logic’s verse, right? You admitted on “Not Afraid” that the use of the dumb accents on Relapse was pointless and unnecessary, so why are you letting Logic do them? His voice is even more nasal here, and I’m still baffled by how little self-awareness he seems to have here. No one is criticising Logic for rhyming words with themselves, they’re criticising his subject matter, so rhyming a phrase with itself four or five times isn’t a valid argument against these critics, because you don’t know their argument in the first place. Also, I’m not letting Logic anywhere near my baby, especially if it is in fact true that he does have rabies.

There’s nowhere to hide, we call this s*** genocide

No, you don’t. The song’s called “Homicide”.

We gon’ leave ‘em crucified, we call this s***...

Homicide.

...genocide

God damn it, Bobby, can’t you get anything right? Okay, well, the criticism of autotuned mumble rappers makes no sense considering how shallow his criticisms are and how he himself has focused on the exact subject matter he mocks for the past two years, and only that subject matter, as well as the extensive use of autotune on Bobby Tarantino II – the only hit single from the tape, “Everyday” with Marshmello, owes a lot to it. He then talks about how if he’s calling himself the greatest ever, he must come with the best raps, and then he repeats a couple words, has some filler, but honestly the monotonous droning of the sub bass and darker synth tones really add to the pure aggression of Logic’s distorted yelling by the end of his second verse.

Honestly, all of the lyrical content can be forgiven because at no point does the momentum of the track come to a halt, especially when Eminem comes in and feels like himself again. All these forced 2018 Slim Shadyisms aren’t there, or at least harder to spot, so it just feels like Eminem with Slim Shady-like vengeful tendencies but more importantly a passionate, violent rapper who loves what he’s doing and wants to prove himself as the best to ever do it, which is all I want from Eminem. His rhyme schemes are complex and insane, his baseball wordplay is fantastic and continues for a much longer time than I initially thought, which is impressive. He has some quotables about farm animals, specifically sheep and dogs, continuing the metaphor he started on Boogie’s “Rainy Days”, that he is the violent wolf or dog who leads a pack of sheep. I love Eminem’s verse and I’ll take anything I can get from Logic, so after Eminem talks about bringing the fingerless gloves back (Yeah, remember those?) he has a couple more bars before finally killing the song’s momentum by abruptly ending the beat and his verse entirely, because he’s too good for it. This is the Eminem I love, this is the Eminem I wanted out of Kamikaze but wasn’t treated to. Eminem on trap beats can work fantastically, and if anything, this just proves that Eminem still isn’t even on a comparative level to those he inspired. Oh, yeah, and the outro is a Chris D’Elia skit sampled from Twitter or something that mimics Eminem’s rhyme scheme. It’s funny for about 10 seconds, but not for nearly a whole bloody minute as that’s how long they keep it for. Yeah, okay, that was unnecessary, and does kill the momentum more than Logic ever could. I guess I’m revealing my inner Eminem fanatic here, but God, do I love his verse, and I feel with a better Logic verse (The hook is great by itself, and the beat is fitting enough), this could have been 10/10 territory, honestly, but even without that, his verse works in the most primal, violent way it could have possibly worked with, so I’m not complaining, in fact, this is probably the best new arrival here. Honestly, I’m just glad it’s not “Lemon Drop”. Now for some boring pop singers, I guess. Did you realise none of these new arrivals have been females? Yeah, none of them are. Three out of five are hip-hop as well. Interesting.

#9 – “If I Can’t Have You” – Shawn Mendes

Produced by Scott Harris, Mark Williams & Volta, Shawn Mendes, Nate Mercereau and Teddy Geiger – Peaked at #2 in the US

Apparently this song needs five producers. Okay, what is this, “SICKO MODE”, or did we really need five producers? Did all of these producers seriously contribute enough for a full credit and not a co- or additional production credit? Ah, well, that’s nitpicking. I’ve talked about the stats before, but this is Mendes’ highest-peaking song ever in the US and it seems to have just been a massive smash hit everywhere, and it will be even bigger once radio picks up on it. What have I heard about the track before peeping this new song? Well, I see that everyone loves it, and I understand why. It’s really upbeat and Mendes’ performance, albeit breathy, is really powerful and intense. The bassline is pumping and the guitars are nice and tropical, but I can’t feel like I would have found this more refreshing in 2016. What I’m saying is that this is bland and tasteless, and I now understand why there’s five producers. It’s overproduced to hell and back, or at least that’s how I see it. There’s reverb absolutely EVERYWHERE, as if it’s a Post Malone deep cut, and the vocals are in the front of the mix so the instrumentals in the back of the mix just end up piling into a pile of mush. The multi-tracking in the first chorus sounds like a choir of Shawn Mendes, but it ends up sounding like Shawn Mendes breaking the microphone. That freaking piano part as well, it’s so tackily added in, especially since the video uses it as a focal point. Has this had any actual arrangement before the CDs were burnt and the vinyl records were pressed (Yes, they made them, because that’s the only way this got #2 in the US)? My friend said this sounded like royalty-free vlog music, and yeah, that’s a pretty solid description, except there’s no ukulele... I pray to God an acoustic version of this song with a ukulele gets released. Yeah, this is just tepid, saccharine and uninspired, I don’t see the praise. Sorry.

#4 – “Hold Me While You Wait” – Lewis Capaldi

Produced by Lewis Capaldi, Edward Holloway, Nick Atkinson and TMS – Peaked at #1 in Scotland and Ireland

Speaking of the devil, here’s more pop that I’ll find embarrassingly dull and saccharine, except this time it’s going to be a gruelling piano ballad because that’s all Capaldi does. He’s not the first, we’re just feeling a lack of Ed Sheeran right now and when he comes back, this dude will be off the charts, hopefully forever. What a talentless, putrid hack. Okay, maybe he isn’t talentless, he can sing, sure. He doesn’t know where to sing, though, because he does borderline spoken word in this raspy voice over once again, just a boring piano melody like his last one, a freaking Zedd alarm clock ticking in the background, and Lewis Capaldi sounding like a frog sobbing over its grandfather that had just flatlined. He sounds strained and he just repeats that “My love”, it gets on my nerves. It’s not intense or intimate, it is aggravating and I never want to hear it again. This is borderline unlistenable to me and I can’t even figure out exactly why, I can’t pin-point it, but it’s just assault on my ears, with the incessant layers of background vocals haunting me as I try and find some solace in the strings, but the last note has to be Capaldi vomiting up his kale yogurt from the night before. Disgusting waste of studio time, and what an overbearing, sickeningly overproduced piece of gutter trash that even Sheeran would spit on and give to his cats. I hope to see this guy fall naturally out of public consciousness before I get much more repulsed of him than I already am.

Conclusion

Should be obvious here – Worst of the Week goes to Lewis Capaldi for whatever the hell that three minutes and 26 seconds was, with Dishonourable Mention going to Shawn Mendes for “If I Can’t Have You”. Logic and Eminem grab Best of the Week for “Homicide”, whilst Honourable Mention is going to Hardy Caprio and DigDat for “Guten Tag”. Yeah, I know, I’m surprised too. Follow me on Twitter @cactusinthebank for more pop music ramblings and Top 20 rankings, and I’ll see you next week!