Just because I dislike a lot of modern pop and rap doesn't mean that I hate all of it. In fact, I will throw down this list just to prove that I'm not a pure hater and that I give all music a chance.
If you know me well, a lot of these will probably surprise you. Though I must say, just because a song is on this list, doesn't mean that I like the song a ton. It's just a song that I don't hate and get some sort of enjoyment out of.
Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts
Christina Perri is an incredibly talented singer! Holy shit!
What's interesting about Christina Perri is that she doesn't really unleash the full potential of her voice like Haley Williams or Adele would. However, the way the songs are written, it's almost like it's unnecessary, even out of place, for her to sing at the top of her lungs. The passion and emotion are there without it. It will be interesting to see what else she turns out in the future (if the pop world allows her to stay around).
The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
This could be the only party song in history that I actually enjoy. Though, as much as I hate to admit it, Will.i.am is a pretty good composer. He just doesn't put effort into it and frequently turns out pure shit like Imma Bee, My Humps, and...well... a whole host of others that I could spend hours bitching about. If the Black Eyed Peas put a little bit of effort in and did more songs like this, they could actually have my interest.
But Fergie will always suck. Always.
Skee Lo - I Wish
My close friends know exactly what this song is. Yeah, a friend of mine frequently sings the chorus to this song, especially if he's getting his ass kicked in a video game. In all seriousness though, I think that this song's message is pretty cool. Basically, it's about how girls dig the dumbest shit and how they don't like guys because of dumb shit. So, the irony of the song is that he raps about all the things that he wants just to impress girls. Specifically, in the song, he talks about a girl named Leoshi. At the end, he then talks about the things he actually wants and the things he actually cares about. Now that's something I think all of us guys can take away as a good message.
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
Ah, the late eighties (before rap really started to suck ass). This is about the only rap song that makes me say, "I don't wanna fuck with these guys!" The more modern gangsta rap is just so ridiculous that it feels like a pure work a fiction. Like you're being read a fucking fairy tale. This song would even make Ned Flanders want to go and beat the shit out of a guy and curb stomp the shit out of him!
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Michael Jackson was one of the best performers of all time. As a musician, however, I always thought he wasn't amazing, but still pretty good. Thriller is one of the those songs that has always stood out to me as his best. The groovy bass, the trumpets, the wolves howling, they are all awesome!. Also, the music video is pretty cool too. As overproduced as it is, it is pretty cool. It makes you want to go into a graveyard with a boom box on your shoulder and start dancing the night away!
Don't do that though. It's very disrespectful...
Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
Haha. This song. I don't even know what this song is about. I could never understand what he was saying and never cared enough to look up the lyrics or listen more closely. What I do like about this song is what's going on in it. You got some cool synth lines and a pretty cool organ line during the verses. The drumbeat is basic but it keeps you groovin'. And... *gasp* a guitar solo? What? Pretty well done guitar solo too. I like the instrumentation of this song a lot. The mix of rap and alternative elements remind me a lot of a band called Chronic Future. If you haven't heard of Chronic Future, I highly recommend you check them out.
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
What I like a lot about this song is that it really brings the realities of gang life to the forefront. It doesn't talk about the money or the girls or being a tough guy or whatever. It talks about how it's tough and how you get drawn into the gang life. Most importantly, how you can't leave the gang life. I think it's a good change-up from the typical shit that the genre usually offers. The synthesized choir in the chorus and at the end of the song is also pretty cool.
The Fray - How to Save a Life
Yeah, a lot of us are really sick of hearing this one. You know what though, I do like the message of this song, a lot. I think it raises awareness on an issue that is often swept aside for more "important" issues or, what I like to call, "In your face issues." I won't delve into it too much because it's a pretty heavy topic (and I'll probably write about it on this blog at some point).
Secondhand Serenade - Fall For You
It's funny because this song really isn't that different from the pop acts that really suck. So why do I like this song? Well, I guess the fact that they actually play instruments and don't auto tune the shit out of the singing is a start. I think I like it though because it's also a little deeper than most...barely. It's not about the typical relationship crap like wanting your ex back, wanting to be with someone really bad, or being really in love with someone. It's a bit of a bittersweet message about grudgingly giving your ex a second chance and knowing that you're probably making the wrong decision. What I always found ironic was that this song was the theme for prom my senior year...I think. I don't really remember. Probably because I never went to prom. Regardless, it was the theme some year and it was always ironic because high schoolers always make that mistake of giving their ex a second chance when they know it's gonna end badly. Especially the stupid kids that were at my high school. Especially!
Ingrid Michaelson - Be OK
This catchy little pop/folk song can make just about any terrible day a little less terrible. Even days when you just want to slash your wrists apart, it makes you put your knife down and say, "Hey, it's gotta get better. I'm gonna be OK."
No comments:
Post a Comment