Crappy Chart Reviews #2: SiriusXM Hits 1 Weekend Countdown (2016)

So, I got a request from Chasetrovicii to review a SiriusXM Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, and I thought that would be a good idea. I haven't reviewed anything related to Hits 1 in a while, so I think this should be fun. However, I have been pretty busy lately and don't have time to go through a weekend chart, so I will look at their year-end chart for 2016 because it's one of the ones I'm most familiar with. I hope that's sufficient for the suggestor. Anyways, no need for an introduction because I kind of just gave one. Let's do this!




REVIEW

45. "Stitches" by Shawn Mendes
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I remember hearing this song on the radio all the time back in late 2015 and early 2016. I liked hearing it on there because I thought the song was catchy and well-produced. I'm glad that Shawn Mendes got so popular because he is talented.

44. "Hymn For The Weekend" by Coldplay and Beyonce
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Although Hits 1 apparently played the SeeB remix of this song, I am basing this off of the original because it's the one I am more familiar with. I loved the original from the very first listen and still do to this day. Probably not Coldplay's best, but I am impressed with how good it is considering how late in their career it was released.

43. "Roses" by The Chainsmokers and ROZES
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This song is weird, but I enjoy it. The Chainsmokers make some good EDM music and they are the main reason why this appeals to me.

42. "I Know What You Did Last Summer" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Yay, more Shawn Mendes! I don't stan him or anything, but I'd much rather see him on 2016 charts than some lazy, overrated trap music. Camila Cabello is great on this song as well.

41. "Same Old Love" by Selena Gomez
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Some people were not huge fans of Selena's music from this era, but I didn't mind it. This song sounds very similar to "Havana" by Camila Cabello to me, and I guess that's a good thing because it could have paved the way for "Havana" to be as good as it is. I don't know. But I do think this song is decent.

40. "Into You" by Ariana Grande
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I was really into this at one point, and my love for it hasn't really decreased any. I don't know what it is, it's just so fun and upbeat. This is what I like to hear from Ariana rather than stuff like "7 rings".

39. "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber
Rating: 6.5/10
Comments: I like it, but I think it is kind of overrated. It was Billboard's #1 song of 2016, which I don't really agree with, but it's better than a boring trap song, I guess.

38. "Let It Go" by James Bay
Rating: 5/10
Comments: I have mixed thoughts about this one. Part of me thinks it sounds okay, but a bigger part doesn't find it as pleasing to the ear. It's certainly not bad, but it's also hard to call it good. I don't know what it is.

37. "Out of the Woods" by Taylor Swift
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I actually listened to 1989 in full a couple weeks ago. It was a great album that I could do a full post on in the future if anyone wanted it. All of the many singles were great, and this is no exception. The production is great and Taylor sounds just as great. I wish I was into it more when it was popular.

36. "Girls Talk Boys" by 5 Seconds of Summer
Rating: 7/10
Comments: I don't remember this band's songs from around this time too well, but this was pretty decent from what I remember. But I think I preferred their more recent hit "Want You Back".

35. "Youth" by Troye Sivan
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I was sort of into this song when it was popular, and I tend to forget about that. This isn't quite as good as songs like "My My My!" but I like the background music in this one a lot.

34. "One Call Away" by Charlie Puth
Rating: 6/10
Comments: I think Charlie Puth is very talented, but this song is pretty boring. His vocals kind of keep it from being something not worth listening to, although it's still nothing I would look forward to going back to.

33. "Confident" by Demi Lovato
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Wow, I've gone back and remembered a lot of talented singers from this time now. Demi has a ton of good songs and this is a good example of what she can do. I always seem to forget about how good she is, although I wish I couldn't.

32. "Stand By You" by Rachel Platten
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Wow, I've gone back and remembered a lot of talented singers from this time now. [2] I liked "Fight Song" but I prefer this for sure.

31. "In The Night" by The Weeknd
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Not the best song off of Beauty Behind The Madness, as that probably goes to "Can't Feel My Face". But I think it's good, he sounds great as usual.

30. "Drag Me Down" by One Direction
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I wish these guys would get back together in an attempt to pull everyone away from the dangers of rap flooding the charts. This song spent a week at the top spot of Hits 1's weekend countdown, which is good considering what music had usually been like. Both the vocals and production shine a lot on this track, something that is common with this band. If you have not heard a song by One Direction and want something kind of recent, I recommend this. It's really cool.

29. "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" by Adele
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I actually had to listen to this song for a listening assignment in music class a couple months ago. I kind of forgot that it existed until then. I had it on Spotify for a fair amount of time so I obviously thought it was good, but I may have liked it more a couple months ago than I did in 2016. It's just catchy and the instruments work well together.

28. "History" by One Direction
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: This feels like nothing compared to how good I thought "Drag Me Down" was. In fact, it seems a bit different from 1D's average style. It worked pretty well to me, although songs like "Drag Me Down" remain superior.

27. "No" by Meghan Trainor
Rating: 8/10
Comments: This song was hated by all sorts of music critics out there. While I certainly don't think it's bad, the lyrics and the tone of the song are a bit cringe-worthy. But aside from that, it sounds kind of catchy, and I think Trainor is a good vocalist. I think her 15 minutes of fame have passed, but I didn't mind hearing this song on the radio a lot when it was popular.

26. "Unsteady" by X Ambassadors
Rating: 5/10
Comments: I really liked "Renegades", but this didn't appeal to me all that much. The vocals weren't as good and it didn't have too much of a punch to it. It's just not really for me.

25. "Closer" by The Chainsmokers and Halsey
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I know a few songs called "Closer", but this is hands-down the best one. It has great vocals by both artists, and an amazing EDM production that this duo is always capable of. I'm glad it was so successful because it deserved it.

24. "7 Years" by Lukas Graham
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This song got quite a bit of hate for various reasons, but other than the vocals, which I don't think are the best, this song is pretty much flawless. The story told in the song is interesting and lots of fun to hear. This song should not be so hated, it really is not that bad.

23. "Sorry" by Justin Bieber
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I personally think this is a lot better than "Love Yourself". The vocals are better and it is a whole lot more fun (thanks to Skrillex for that). It was a pretty big hit but I would replace this with "Love Yourself" as the #1 song of 2016 if I could.

22. "Work From Home" by Fifth Harmony and Ty Dolla $ign
Rating: 10/10
Comments: The lyrics in this song are extremely cringy, as I assume it means that the girl wants her boyfriend to work at home so they can have sex there. Or maybe the "work" she is talking about means sex. Just something to do with that. But that aside, this song is fun for me. I like the vocals, and the production isn't too much but it makes the song sound cool. I don't mind Ty Dolla $ign's part too much but it doesn't make much of a difference to me. Good song, though.

21. "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots
Rating: 6/10
Comments: I'm pretty surprised that Hits 1 would be in love with a band like this. People often consider Twenty One Pilots an emo band, and this song is a good example of how dark they can get. This song is weird for sure, but I guess it's not bad.

20. "Just Like Fire" by P!nk
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Another talented singer pulls up to the list. I like it. P!nk's talent plus that awesome production makes for a pretty fly song. I kind of miss hearing stuff like this.

19. "Hands To Myself" by Selena Gomez
Rating: 7/10
Comments: This is one of my least favorite Selena Gomez songs although it isn't bad. It has good parts and it has not-so-good parts. The good parts are what I like to hear from her, and vice versa. The song is overall decent, I guess.

18. "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris and Rihanna
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: The drop in this is pretty underwhelming, which is a huge drawback for me because that build-up is awesome. But everything else shines so much. The newer Calvin Harris isn't as bad as I remembered because this song has a lot of good qualities in it.

17. "Irresistible" by Fall Out Boy and Demi Lovato
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Another emo band that Hits 1 somehow likes. But I won't complain. I liked this song a lot when it was big. The original is great enough, but the Demi Lovato version brings more talent and more heat, and I'm glad that one was popular.

16. "Pillowtalk" by Zayn Malik
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Here's another instance of a solo artist's music being quite a bit different from the one they did with their band. I don't know how to describe this song because it sounds kind of funky and abnormal. Zayn's vocals are great, however, which make it a good listen.

15. "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I had mixed feelings on this one when I first heard it, but now I think I have come to a consensus that I enjoy it. The chorus is really the good part for me, I don't know why, I just enjoy that.

14. "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" by Mike Posner and SeeB
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I totally forgot that this song existed until now! I remember discovering it before it blew up, and I'm glad I did because seeing it be a big hit made me glad. I wish we had more music like this out nowadays.

13. "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: The vocals on this track really get me into it. The guitars are good too.

12. "Hello" by Adele
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I remember the day this song came out, when it blew up and broke some Internet records. I think Adele has a great voice in this song, which is why I love it. Some of the records this song set have probably been broken by now, but at least this song seemed to make the mark that it should have.

11. "New Romantics" by Taylor Swift
Rating: 10/10
Comments: It's so cool how an album released in 2014 still had singles going strong two years later. Shows how good people, including me, thought it was. This isn't one of the best ones but I don't mind it being a single because it does sound really cool.

10. "Sit Still, Look Pretty" by Daya
Rating: 6/10
Comments: Meh.

9. "Victorious" by Panic! At The Disco
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I had to re-listen to this one because I didn't remember it as well, but I remembered it once I did, and I think it's good. Not a huge fan of the "Tonight we are victorious" shouts, but everything else is good.

8. "Cheap Thrills" by Sia and Sean Paul
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: This song is slightly boring but catchy at the same time. Also, I think the version without Sean Paul is much better than the one with him.

7. "Don't Let Me Down" by The Chainsmokers and Daya
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Here's something else I was really into at some point in 2016. I still kind of love it now. I remember trying to play the guitar part in this once because I thought it was pretty cool. I'm not the biggest Daya fan but I can't picture anyone else singing in this. And The Chainsmokers did great as usual. Once again, we need more songs like this becoming hits. I really like them.

6. "Perfect" by One Direction
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I kind of loved One Direction for some reason, and I feel like a lot of it started with this song. I was pretty shook when I first heard this back in late 2015, and it still sort of leaves me that way to this day.

5. "Ride" by Twenty One Pilots
Rating: 10/10
Comments: One of my favorite songs from them. A lot of them feel a little too dark and edgy, but this is perfect for me.

4. "My House" by Flo Rida
Rating: 10/10
Comments: His songs from earlier in the decade were obviously better, but for a time when his career was supposed to be dying down, this is pretty good. I like the rapping and the production and everything. It's a fun escape from the trap that was popular at the time.

3. "Can't Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
Rating: 10/10
Comments: If I had to pick a song in the top 5 to be #1, I'd pick this. It was played on the radio a lot after it came out and I still hear it sometimes to this day. It's such an uplifting, energetic song that is pretty hard not to like. I love JT and this song started a lot of it.

2. "Cake By The Ocean" by DNCE
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This band seems like a nice Joe Jonas side project. I haven't heard much from them outside of this song but I really liked this, so it must be good. I didn't expect this to be this high on the chart, but I won't complain.

1. "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I don't think this should be the #1 song of 2016 according to this station, because as you just saw, there are much, much better options. I like this song, but it doesn't feel as good as a lot of the other ones at the top do. But it's better than something like "Love Yourself" at #1, I will give you that.



OVERALL CHART SCORE

403/450 = 8.95555/10 = 0.895555 = 89.5555%



FINAL WORDS

Wow, that was much better than I thought it was. I never considered 2016 all that great of a year for music, but then again, this station kind of omitted the popular rap songs from around that time, so I guess I don't know yet. But either way, this was fun to do, as I enjoyed looking back at songs I enjoyed a few years ago. Thank you if you read this far, I appreciate it. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know as I would be happy to comply with them. I have a few posts in mind I want to do in the future, so stay tuned for them if I decide to do them. Thanks again and I'll see you guys again soon!

Random Post: 32 GREAT songs I recommend that are under 3 minutes long!

Hey there everyone, and welcome back to a seemingly random post I'm making just because I'm bored! First of all, I did get a post recommendation from the last time I posted, and I'm just letting everyone know that I am working on that and it will come when I get the chance. But for now, I have this. It's pretty self explanatory if you read the title. Have you ever been in a situation where you want to listen to new songs, but you can't because you're short on time and won't get enough songs in? Well, you've come to the right place! These are 32 songs I love and recommend to you guys that are under three minutes long. And that way, you don't need as much time to listen to them, and you can listen to more songs in a shorter period of time. A huge portion of these songs are rock and punk songs, but I threw in some country and rap songs along with it so you have a good mix of songs to get into. Also, I did set a limit of three songs per artist just so you won't have too much of anything. I will present the songs from longest to shortest, so the ones closer to three minutes will be first and the shorter ones will be last. I will post a YouTube embed for each song and make a Spotify playlist with them, which will make things easier on you. So yeah, enough talking, let's do this!

1. Ty Dolla $ign/E-40 - Saved (2:59)
I would say that rap fans shouldn't go too far into this because they may not enjoy it, but I feel like it's for everyone. It has a great beat and great rapping from both artists, and unlike most modern rap songs, it's just fun. I've been into it for a while now and you should too.

2. Skillet - Monster (2:58)
I didn't know about this song until recently, and I'm glad I found about it because I love it. At first I thought it was supposed to be an edgy teenager sort of thing, but after doing my research I found out it is a Christian song that has to do with how you feel when you're doing non-Christian things. A bit weird but that doesn't bring the song down. It's very energetic and fast and anyone who loves hype songs like that will love this. No guarantees but I think some will.

3. Godsmack - Bulletproof (2:57)
I will talk a lot more about how much I love this song when I make a top 10 Godsmack songs post (yes, that will happen eventually), but for now, let's just say that despite my somewhat disapproval of the new direction this band has taken with their new album, there were some very good songs that came out of it, and this is one of them. It's very anthemic and I love that. It's hard to get sick of because of how much heat it brings with every listen. Hopefully I still love it by the time I make that post because this will be kind of high up on that list.

4. Breaking Benjamin - Polyamorous (2:57)
It took me a few listens to Saturate to get the appeal of this song, and I don't regret listening to that album that much because of how much it's gotten me to love this song. It is under two minutes long, but there is fire in pretty much every second of it, and if you're a bit hesitant about listening to Breaking Benjamin because of the really edgy songs they have, go for this, because it's nothing but awesome. Not my favorite Breaking Benjamin song but it is kind of up there.

5. Flaw - Get Up Again (2:57)
Here's a really random song I discovered when listening to my Discover Weekly on Spotify. This is more chill and not as exciting as the four songs I just talked about, but it's still fun to hear. The guitars in the background work very well and give the song the life it needs. Chris Volz has nice vocals throughout as well. It's not a song I would recommend for people who want to start getting into nu metal, but if you want to hear a more chill nu metal song with not much of that screaming, then this is for you.

6. Michael Ray - Think A Little Less (2:57)
Looking back, I'm not sure how I discovered this song, but it doesn't matter as long as I love it, I guess. I tend to like most country songs I hear, but ones like this that just seem to stand out are the ones I like to hear the most. It's not as country as a lot of other hit country songs, so if you're not into the stuff that is a little too country then you should still proceed with this.

7. Chris Stapleton - Second One To Know (2:56)
I guess I can say I'm a Chris Stapleton fan because he has a pretty decent amount of songs that I can get into and enjoy listening to. I think I discovered this song from a game I did on Pulse Music Boards, and out of all the songs and genres in the list this stood out so much, that I started listening to it way more than I should have. I'm not sure why it's that good, it just sounds cool, I guess? I don't know. You can just listen for yourself and see.

8. City High - What Would You Do? (2:56)
I really was into this song last summer. It's pretty hard to get sick of for me which is a good sign. It's not the most upbeat or club banger-type song, as it's more of a chill old school-sounding thing, but listen to the lyrics. I haven't done my research on this song, but I think the lyrics are pretty straightforward. They seem to tell the story about someone going through certain hard times, and they are always interesting to hear. Cool how an interesting story like that is packed into this short of a time frame.

9. Linkin Park - Lying From You (2:55)
I debated on whether or not to include this or "Faint" as the third Linkin Park song for this list, and I ended up choosing this one. But definitely check out "Faint" as well because it is pretty much just as good. This is one of the highlights off of Meteora for me because of its cool rap verses and awesome screaming in the chorus. The bridge might be my favorite part, though, because the energy seems to peak then. But all of it is good and worth a listen.

10. Good Charlotte - The Anthem (2:55)
This is a really weird band, as I haven't been able to get into everything I've heard from them. Although this song sounds kind of cheesy, it is still pretty fun, and as the title hints, sort of an anthem. This is probably my favorite Good Charlotte song because it has the most energy and it's the least weird. But if you don't like songs with somewhat cheesy lyrics, then proceed with caution.

11. Godsmack - When Legends Rise (2:53)
Yet another gem from Godsmack's newest album. I don't know if I'd call it better than "Bulletproof" or not, but this really does bring the heat like it should, and if you like anthemic songs then you will like this. Also, fun fact: I put a comment on the video of this song that has 164 likes at the time of me typing this, so you can see that if you wish.

12. Three Days Grace - The Good Life (2:53)
If I redid the top 10 post I did for this band forever ago, this song would be a lot higher just because of how fun it is. About 70% of the songs I know from them are either really edgy or not very upbeat or fun, and this is one of the 30% that is nothing but energy and good things. (Just don't listen to the album if you don't like the edgy stuff)

13. Rise Against - Give It All (2:51)
When I think of great punk bands, Rise Against doesn't immediately come to mind for me, just because of their mainstream kind of nature. But they do have some pretty good songs that are worth checking out. This is one of them, as it goes hard and leaves a lot behind. If you liked this, then also check out "Savior" and "Prayer of the Refugee", which are great songs although they don't fall into the requirements for this post.

14. Bad Religion - 21st Century (Digital Boy) (2:51)
First off, I would like to clear up that two versions of this song exist: One from Bad Religion's 1990 album Against The Grain, and a re-recorded one from their 1994 record Stranger Than Fiction. Both versions are good, but please listen to the version from Against The Grain because it's a lot better in my opinion. I will do a music battle post on those versions in the future, but if you want a short answer on which one, then there you go. Anyways, I will probably do a top 10 post on Bad Religion in the future, so get ready for that because this song will be high up on it. I'm glad it was released as a single because not all of their great songs from the 80s and 90s were.

15. Blink-182 - The Rock Show (2:51)

This has pretty much everything I need in a good pop punk song. It has pretty catchy lyrics that make the song sound good, and it goes hard for the whole short time that it lasts. Not the best Blink-182 song out there but this is worth checking out.

16. Lit - My Own Worst Enemy (2:49)

This is nothing but a pop punk classic. This band may seem like a one hit wonder, but they do have a few other good songs out there. However, they don't come close to topping this because of how hard to top it is. The guitar riff is great and it builds a strong foundation to keep the song going in a good way. In addition, A. Jay Popoff is a great singer and this song really shows it. It's hard to believe that this band went country recently, though, because this sound worked out great for them.

17. SR-71 - Right Now (2:47)

I think I already talked about this song in-depth in a separate post, but I don't mind bringing it up again because it's that good. The guitars are catchy, including the solo, which is worth paying attention to. Everything else builds off of the guitars and instrumental nicely to form a fun, fast-moving song. Glad it was a hit because it deserved it.

18. Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff (2:47)

Definitely proceed with caution on this one, because I think loving this song and Limp Bizkit in general is unpopular. However, if you like rebellious songs and songs about, well, breaking stuff, then I guarantee you that you won't have any problems. I just really like the guitars and Fred Durst's rapping, and I've had this song in my playlists for about six months now if I remember correctly, which is pretty good if you ask me.

19. Linkin Park - Bleed It Out (2:46)

Minutes To Midnight did have some really popular singles like "What I've Done" and "Shadow of the Day". While I like those songs, I think it's songs like this and "Given Up" that make the album stand out. This song was very well-made and well-produced, and I feel like if one instrumental or vocal thing was even slightly changed, the song wouldn't be the same. Mike Shinoda's rapping and Chester Bennington's singing are on point and do a lot to help the song be great. Pretty underrated if you ask me.

20. Weezer - Troublemaker (2:45)

I'm not sure how popular this song was, but I don't feel like it got as much recognition as it should have. The lyrics in this are fun and give the song a catchy vibe. You kind of get infested in it and don't realize that it's only two minutes and 45 seconds long, which is good because it means the song is a good listen. Any Weezer fan, or alternative rock fan in general, should like this a decent amount.

21. Thousand Foot Krutch - Rawkfist (2:40)

I kept getting recommend this band on Last.fm and other places, so I decided to give a couple of their songs a try. I found this one and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's one of those anthem-type songs that you often can't help but love because of how upbeat and energetic they are. So shoutout to Last.fm for helping bring me to this.

22. Sum 41 - Still Waiting (2:39)

Along with "The Hell Song", this is one of my two favorite songs from Sum 41. It goes right in with bringing the hype and energy, and it stays that way for pretty much the whole song. It seems like the shorter the song is, the more energetic it can be, and this song proves that true. This should have been Sum 41's biggest hit instead of "Fat Lip" because it's significantly better in my opinion.

23. Tee Grizzley/Lil Yachty - From The D To The A (2:39)

This was my absolute favorite song about two years ago, and despite all the hours I spent listening to it, I would never get tired of it, because just like "Still Waiting", it brings the heat right off the bat, and it keeps the heat until the last beat. Even now when I value older mainstream rock over modern rap, this song is such a fun listen, and if you despise trap music that is popular nowadays, this will be a nice escape for you.

24. Linkin Park - One Step Closer (2:37)

This is not my favorite song off of Hybrid Theory because "In The End" exists, but this plays a huge role in making that album so good. It just feels perfect to me. Everything comes in at the right time and plays the role it should in the song. That screaming in the chorus and in the bridge helps as well. It's just a nu-metal classic that doesn't get old.

25. Sum 41 - Over My Head (Better Off Dead) (2:29)

As another single off the album that "Still Waiting" and "The Hell Song" were on, this was bound to not disappoint. It has pretty much the same amount of energy that those two songs do, and how it does so much in just under two and half minutes is great. I know a couple other songs called "Over My Head", but this may be the best one.

26. Art of Dying - Get Thru This (2:28)

Here's another song I found through my Discover Weekly on Spotify. I don't know any other songs from this band, but I'd like to find more because of how good this song is. The line, "If I can get through this, I can get through anything," is great and I feel like the song wouldn't be as good without the same theme. The instrumentals and vocals also are up to par. I don't know anything else from this band, but because of this song they're probably worth checking out.

27. Bad Religion - Punk Rock Song (2:27)

This is one of my current obsessions. It is not quite Bad Religion's usual sound, and while I do love their usual sound, they need more songs like this. The lyrics are a bit intriguing, and I like how Greg Graffin uses political statistics to convey a message (example: "One in five kids below the poverty line, one population runnin' out of time"). I think it is one of Bad Religion's most popular songs on Last.fm, and that is good because it deserves more recognition. If you're looking for a perfect example of a great political punk song, then here you go.

28. The Offspring - (Can't Get My) Head Around You (2:15)

The Offspring have a lot of awesome songs that don't reach the three-minute mark, so I tried to go with some shorter ones that aren't quite the normal length for a song. I don't think I have this song too much respect when I reviewed Splinter for its 15th birthday, but it grows on you like a lot of songs. It's so upbeat and has some pretty groovy riffs that help it stay that way. For me, it turned from an undeserving single to a highlight off of its album. And it can do something for you, too. Give it a try.

29. NOFX - Linoleum (2:10)

This may sound weird, but I think that NOFX's 1994 album Punk In Drublic may be one of the best albums of the 90s. This song is the album's opener, and although it wasn't released as a single, many recognize it as NOFX's signature song. It is definitely in my top three favorites from NOFX, because of that grinding riff and fun nature of the vocals and lyrics. Minus the silence from the hidden track, Punk In Drublic is under 40 minutes long, so you can listen to it in full if you ever get bored. The album has so many energetic songs that keep your attention, which is why I love it so much. Maybe I'll do a full post on it in the future.

30. Madvillain - All Caps (2:10)

You know how nowadays, people seem to classify rap music into categories such as "brag rap" and "real rap"? Well, if anything should automatically go into the "real rap" category because it just sounds better than most of the stuff out there, it's this. The production is cool, but it's the rapping that stands out as something above average that we sadly do not hear more often. So give your ears a break from low-quality modern rap and introduce them to this beauty.

31. The Offspring - All I Want (1:55)

This was one of the four singles off of The Offspring's 1997 album, Ixnay On The Hombre. I can't necessarily call it the best of those because "Gone Away" and "I Choose" are out there, but this is still a great example of a short but sweet punk rock anthem. YAH YAH YAH YAH YAH!

32. Bad Religion - Henchman (1:08)

Well, here's the final song, which means shortest song, on this list. I know quite a few good Bad Religion songs around this length, and while "Henchman" was not released as single nor seems to be a huge fan favorite, it's just a masterpiece to me. It doesn't take long for it to leave you shook from all of the energy that bursts out in the first couple seconds, which is amazing. No Control, or what I like to call "15 joints in 28 minutes", is an awesome album that you should for sure check out if you liked this. 

And that is the end of this post! Thank you, everyone for reading it, and if you think any of these songs sound cool to you, then take advantage of my commentary and give them a listen. I gave YouTube embeds for each one, and if you prefer Spotify, I made a playlist that has all of these songs in it. You can check that out here. Thanks again and I'll see you guys next time!

Awful Album Reviews #10: The Offspring - Smash

Well folks, it's finally time to review this record, because it celebrates its 25th anniversary tomorrow. You may be asking, "Why not just wait until its actual anniversary?", and the answer to that is I don't want to wait and I want to dive in as soon as I can. Also, this isn't going to be as much of a review as a lot of my posts on other albums were, it's going to be more of me raving about how good and iconic this album is, so if you're looking for more of a review then you might want to not read any further. Anyways, let's get started!



INTRODUCTION

Smash is the third studio album released by American punk rockers The Offspring. It was released on April 8, 1994, by Epitaph Records, an independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The band recorded this record after touring for their previous album, Ignition, in over two months in North Hollywood. It was produced by Thom Wilson, who also produced their previous two albums. Many hit singles came out of the album, including "Come Out and Play", "Self Esteem", and "Gotta Get Away", with "Bad Habit" also being a minor radio single. This album, along with Green Day's Dookie (which I reviewed a couple months ago if you want to go check that out), is widely credited for helping pop punk music emerge in the mid-1990s, which could be one reason why critics loved it so much. The success from this album also allowed the band to sign with Columbia Records in 1996. It is the all-time best selling album released by an independent record label, and has been certified platinum six times in the U.S. That is pretty good if you ask me. So, now you wonder what exactly is the big deal with this album, and why was it so successful? Well, how about we dive in and see why.



REVIEW

Before I start raving, can I just say that I've listened to this album well over 50 times in the past few months because of how good it is, and that when I say something about it, I'm not wrong. So if you want a legitimate answer as to whether or not this album is worth a listen and deserved its success, then you're in the right place. Let's get started.

So first of all, I'd like to discuss what I think this album means to this band and their discography, and also a little bit the growing punk scene of the 1990s. I often think of the first half of The Offspring's career in two phases: The first one being the beginnings, when they had a classic-punk kind of sound that kind of resembled early Bad Religion and a little bit the Descendents. You can really hear it in their self-titled album and there are some songs in Ignition that show it as well. And the second phase is when they developed the pop-punk style that they are widely known and recognized for. That style is easily audible in Ixnay On The Hombre, Americana, and Conspiracy of One, and once you hear it, you can't help but really enjoy it. I think that this record is very unique because it was kind of a gateway to their sound that they are known for. It's sort of like a bridge from their classic-punk sounding style to their pop-punk albums. I personally think those bridge-type albums can be very interesting to hear because of the good mix of songs they have in them, and Smash is a perfect example. There are some lower-tempo mainstream sounding songs like "Gotta Get Away" and "Self Esteem" that the band definitely went on to make more of, some hard, driving punk tracks that help define the album's sound, including, "Bad Habit" and "Something To Believe In", and some album tracks later in the album that are just cool. Some of the songs stick out when matched up with the rest of their discography, and the ones that do make this album as a whole stick out like that.

As for the growing punk scene of the 90s that this album helped build, it can be easily compared to Green Day's Dookie because of how both albums show a good example of a pop-punk sound and how they worked together in making pop-punk more popular. While I don't think Dookie was necessarily a bridge-type album (I would call Nimrod a good Green Day bridge album), it had a good mix of songs that made it sound like one. There were other albums from around 1994 that helped that scene grow, such as Bad Religion's Stranger Than Fiction, NOFX's Punk In Drublic, and Rancid's ...And Out Come The Wolves, but out of that group of albums, this has to be the best and most iconic one. There is good in pretty much every part of it: Catchy singles and energetic album tracks in the first half, and lots of pure punk and Offspring in the second half. An album often starts good and dwindles a lot towards the end, but this is not one of them. It starts off on a good note and ends off on a good note. I always love to hear that.

And then there's the content in the songs. Energy is a big one. Pretty much every song on here has at least a good amount of energy, and as someone that often gets bored listening to albums, that is a huge pro. Also, lots of rock artists have upbeat bangers towards the beginning of the album, it settles down slightly as it goes on, and then has a closer that is a slower ballad or stripped-down type song. I tend to like those types of albums most of the time, but not as much as ones that bring the heat at the beginning and then keep the heat going for the entire time. The Offspring are very good at doing that, which is one reason why I love them so much. As for instruments, they all are a big reason why. Noodles and his upbeat guitar riffs shine as usual, and Greg K. is responsible for many of the album's great basslines (especially the one in "Gotta Get Away") , so props to him. The album also showcases how talented drummer Ron Welty is, and while new drummer Pete Parada is good, he doesn't quite match Welty. He can drum fast and hard and make the drumlines almost as good as the guitar riffs and bass lines. And of course there's Dexter Holland who does an amazing job on the vocals as usual. I feel like his singing style played a huge role in developing his band's iconic pop-punk sound, so it is one thing to pay attention to. I'm not sure what tracks he played rhythm guitars on, or if he did at all, but whatever else it was, I'm sure it was good. Thom Wilson did a pretty good job on producing this album, and while I prefer later producers like Dave Jerden and Brendan O'Brien, the band may not have developed a good sound without his help. Honestly, everything was just good, and everyone who did work on this album played a good role in making it what it is. If one little thing changed, it might be totally different. That's what I like, everything coming together in the right way. This is for sure one of the best-made albums I have heard in a long time, and if you have the opportunity to listen to it, please use my advice and take it. You won't regret it. Let's review the songs now.



TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS

1. "Time to Relax"
Rating: N/A
Comments: This doesn't get a rating because it's only a short spoken intro, but it does a good job at preparing you for the album. Seriously, you just need to relax when listening. Indulge yourself, kick off your shoes, put your feet up, lean back and just enjoy the melodies. Because after all, music soothes even the savage beast.

2. "Nitro (Youth Energy)"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is a pretty good opener and it starts the album off on the right foot. It's kind of short, but there's enough energy to give the album its first push into greatness.

3. "Bad Habit"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Who knew that road rage would make such a good song? I didn't. But the band packs so much energy into making it as good as it is. Also, that bass intro tho.

4. "Gotta Get Away"
Rating: 100/10 10/10
Comments: This is by far one of the most depressing songs I've heard in my existence, but that doesn't make it bad. It's actually the complete opposite. You have to really listen to this song a lot of times to see the deal (it took me 30-40 listens to get it), and once you do it's just a masterpiece. I might talk more about this song and what's behind it in a separate post, but for now just know that it slaps.

5. "Genocide"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Really catchy song. It has many catchy guitar riffs throughout the song that come together really well and make it what it is. Not one of the album's best but it is worth a listen.

6. "Something To Believe In"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: To me, it's one of the more forgettable tracks off of the album, but I'm not sure why I got that into my head because this song is great. The chorus rocks and gives the song a good feeling. But in terms of quality it doesn't quite match up with anything else I've talked about so far. Though it is still good.

7. "Come Out and Play"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: The story behind this song is really interesting and singer Dexter Holland did a great job writing about it. The way that the catchy melody and riffs were put behind those lyrics sounds great to me, although I think the mixing could be slightly better.

8. "Self Esteem"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: OH WAYYYYYY OOOOOOOOOH YEEEEEEEAH, YEEEEEEEAH....
While that may be how I feel when listening to the song, it's also a part that makes the song stand out and have a good vibe. I think calling it the band's best song is a bit extreme, because other songs like "The Kids Aren't Alright" and "Gone Away" exist, but I can sort of see why. Glad it was a hit, though.

9. "It'll Be a Long Time"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This song sort of marks where the driving album tracks start, at least it's what I thought. It's not a perfect song, but I like it a lot and it plays a good role in defining this album.

10. "Killboy Powerhead"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Fun fact: This song is actually a cover, and I didn't know that until after I first listened to it. But it didn't affect my opinion on the song. It's short, but it goes hard for all 122 seconds and becomes sort of a standout because of it. It's hard to get sick of, which is also a plus.

11. "What Happened To You?"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Although this is one of the album's weaker songs, it is still fun to listen to after how hard "Killboy Powerhead" goes. It's not a typical Offspring song, but they made a decent use out of this style.

12. "So Alone"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This is really good for how short it is. Again, I think it's on the weaker side of the album, but it is still pretty good.

13. "Not the One"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This sounds more like a straight-up Offspring song, and songs like these sort of helped the band develop the pop-punk style that they are known for today. Also, listen to the lyrics in this. They're pretty interesting and they make up a pretty interesting meaning.

14. "Smash"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: So, this track is very interesting, as it's sort of a four-in-one. Let's go through each part.

1. The final song on the album, called "Smash". I think it's a very good song about being yourself and not sticking with trends if you don't want to. Musically it is great as well. The rating comes from this song, by the way.

2. A short spoken coda that is the beginning of the end, at least to me. It says things like, "I hope you enjoyed our time together today," and something else about sitting back and enjoying the finer things in life. I'm pretty sure that means things like classical music, wine, cigarettes, and poetry, as I saw a video of Noodles saying he liked the finer things and then listed those. But aside from that, I think it's a cool outro that reflects on the album and helps end it on a good note.

3. A slowed-down reprise of the track "Genocide" that lasts for about a minute and five seconds. This riff was later used for Ixnay On The Hombre's closer, "Change the World". I really like the riff and reprise and it helped make "Change the World" as good as it is.

4. After about five minutes of silence, an acoustic reprise of "Come Out and Play" starts nine minutes and ten seconds in. I really like this reprise and think it's the perfect way to close out this amazing album. It's not quite as good as the "Pretty Fly" reprise from Americana, but it's still enjoyable.



OVERALL ALBUM SCORE

136.5/140 = 9.75/10 = 0.975 = 97.5%



FINAL WORDS

So that is the review. This was more than just another excuse for me to listen to this album, as I never thought I could dig deeper. I had fun doing it and I hope you had fun reading it. If you think that you would like this album after all I've said about it, then feel free to check it out on Spotify here or on YouTube here. I recommend it to anyone who just wants to hear something good, and I'm sure that's pretty much all of you. So go right ahead. You will love it. Thank you to anyone who read this far, and don't forget that you can suggest any post you want me to do and chances are, I will be glad to do it. You can comment here or talk to me on Discord if you want to suggest anything, but whatever it is, don't be afraid and just go for it. Thanks again and I'll see you guys next time!