Awful Album Reviews #5: The Offspring - Days Go By

Hey guys, and welcome back to my blog for another album review! I have no occasion for reviewing this album, I just am because I think I know every song on it so it should be an easy one to knock out. And since I'm running out of ideas for songs and albums to review, please feel free to suggest any albums or songs for me to review, as I will not turn down anything. That said, let's start on this review.

INTRODUCTION

Days Go By is the ninth and most recent studio album by punk rock band The Offspring. This Bob Rock-produced album was released on June 26, 2012, despite being originally planned for a 2010 release. There were three singles released from this album, which were, in order: the title track, "Cruising California (Bumpin' In My Trunk)", and "Turning Into You", the former of which was a top ten alternative hit in the U.S. Other notable tracks off of the album include the eighth track, "OC Guns", which has sort of a Mariachi vibe to it, and the ninth track, a re-recorded and remastered version off of "Dirty Magic" from their 1992 album Ignition. The album sold 24,000 copies in its first week of release, but it received generally mixed reviews from different critics. So which side will I take in rating this album? Let's look into it and see.

REVIEW

This album's sound is significantly different from their previous album, 2007's Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, and from their music in general. But to say the least, I enjoy this sound. But here's what they're doing with it. Basically, music of this decade has gone through two big phases: the dance-pop phase, which lasted from the very late 2000s to around 2013 or so, and the trap phase, which began in about 2016 and is at its peak today. And these two trends have one thing in common: they rely on computer generated instruments, like synthesizers and programmed drums, rather than real ones. From listening to this album quite a few times, I can tell that The Offspring are trying their best to stick with the new trends, but keep their old stuff at the same time. They did it perfectly, and I admire that. 

As for the songs and single choices for the album, I don't necessarily think that the singles are the best songs off of the album, but they do feel like good choices. This album's title track, which was the lead single in the U.S. and the most commercially successful one, is a great choice for a single in my opinion, not only because it's pretty good, but because it feels very radio-friendly. "Cruising California" is also a great song and single choice, because it feels like something that the general public would enjoy hearing, and I think The Offspring were a good choice to make it. As far as "Turning Into You" goes, it's a good song, but not single-worthy in my opinion. On an average album, it might have been a cool single, but this album is not average. The thing I enjoy about it is that there are so many hidden gems in this album, and I would've much rather those be released as singles instead of something like "Turning Into You". We'll get into what those are in a minute. But yeah, I think that although this album does feel like a three-single one, the last choice could've been something better, and I wouldn't mind a single other than "Cruising California" either. So yeah.

And now back to what I said before, one of my favorite things about this album is that they try to make a combination of what's popular and what they are used to doing/what people are used to hearing from them. The most notable songs on this album that are like that are the last two singles. There's also a pattern I notice with the guitars that you hear here, which is that they sound more computer-generated than real. That is just cool. And there are lots of songs with that, such as "The Future Is Now", "Secrets From The Underground", and "I Wanna Secret Family (With You)". And I notice a pattern here, because these three songs really help define the album in my opinion. But are there any other songs that define it in a different way, or will these three remain as some of my favorites? Well, it's time to determine that by looking into each track.

TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS

1. "The Future Is Now"

Rating: 10/10

Comments: This is the perfect track to open up the album. No song could've done it better.

2. "Secrets From The Underground"

Rating: 10/10
Comments: Honestly, I can't describe in one little description how much I love this song. It just has everything I need in it. Awesome guitars, awesome vocals, and an insanely high energy level combined together is something I need every day. And it looks I found just that.

3. "Days Go By"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Really good lead single choice. It's not the best song off of the album, but it is nice to listen to every now and then.

4. "Turning Into You"
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: Okay single choice. I just feel like more could be added to this song.

5. "Hurting As One"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: It sounds like a slightly better version of "Turning Into You" to me. I enjoy that.

6. "Cruising California (Bumpin' In My Trunk)"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I know you heard that bass bumpin' in my trunk...

7. "All I Have Left Is You"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: One of the real hidden gens from this album. Except it's a little too hidden, as I forget that it exists sometimes.

8. "OC Guns"
Rating: 8/10
Comments: The Mariachi style present in this song is nice, but it's not enough to make this song great.

9. "Dirty Magic"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I actually like this version better than the Ignition version for some reason. It feels more clean and well-produced. But either way, this song is really chill and really cool for just relaxing.

10. "I Wanna Secret Family (With You)"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: The guitar riff really gets me here. That and the great chorus makes this song as good as it is.

11. "Dividing By Zero"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Just like "All I Have Left Is You", I think this is a great hidden gem from this album, but slightly too hidden, as it's a little forgettable for me.

12. "Slim Pickens Does The Right Thing And Rides The Bomb To Hell"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This was one of the highlights off of the album for me when I first got into it. While it's not as sticky for me now, I still enjoy it a lot.



ALBUM RANKDOWN

1. "Secrets From The Underground"
2. "The Future Is Now"
3. "Cruising California (Bumpin' In My Trunk)"
4. "I Wanna Secret Family (With You)"
5. "Slim Pickens Does The Right Thing And Rides The Bomb To Hell"
6. "All I Have Left Is You"
7. "Dividing By Zero"
8. "Dirty Magic"
9. "Days Go By"
10. "Hurting As One"
11. "Turning Into You"
12. "OC Guns"



OVERALL SCORE

112.5/120 = 9.375/10 = 0.9375 = 93.75%



FINAL WORDS

Overall, this album is amazing! The hidden gems and new sound do a great job of holding it up and making it compare to all of their classic albums. It's not their best album, but it's in my top five for sure. If you're looking for some music to discover, but better enjoy stuff from this decade, then this album is for you. Rock fan or not, it is very likeable. You can listen to it on Spotify here or on YouTube here.

And that note brings this review to a close. I'd like to thank anyone for reading this, and if you want to see me review something of your choice, I will do so, you just have to let me know of something you'd like to see me review, and I'll do it. Don't be afraid, just go for it. But until my next review, that's it, and I'll see you guys next time! Thanks again!

Sleazy Song Reviews #1: Ariana Grande - "thank u, next"

Hey guys and welcome back for another post! This one will be the start of another type of post I will be doing occasionally where I do reviews of songs. And for the first post, I will be sharing my thoughts on the current #1 song in the country that I have not listened to at all prior to making this post. So I'm going to listen to it and share my thoughts on it on this post as I'm listening. So yeah, let's get into it!



INTRODUCTION

"thank u, next" is the lead single from Ariana Grande's upcoming (as of this post) fifth studio album. At the time of my typing this introduction, this song is holding the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and it holds the Spotify record for the most streams received by a song by a female artist in a single day. This surprise release apparently mentions lots of Ariana's past relationships such as Big Sean, Mac Miller, Pete Davidson, and Ricky Alvarez. Seems like a big deal, huh? Well, I'd like to listen to this song to see why, so let's do that.



REVIEW

Right away, the intro makes it sound like it will be a good song. And when I hear Ariana's vocals for the first time, I think they sound good. Those two things immediately signal a potentially good song for me, so that's good. The first verse is a little boring because it feels like the same thing for the whole time, but although not much is added from the transition from the verse to the chorus, it sounds sort of good to me. Although the chorus is a little repetitive, it feels like the good kind to me, as I sort of like the way she repeats, "thank you, next," in it. But how she says she's, "grateful for my ex," is slightly weird to me. I also don't know if I like the background vocals that come in during this time, either. But the chorus still sounds cool from the first listen.

Going into the second verse it also sounds really cool, and she sounds even better there in my opinion. It also is when I start to notice how much the production of the song is doing for me. It's not too empty, but it's not too over-the-top either, and I like that. And like a lot of songs out there, the second verse turned out to feel shorter than the first, as the chorus comes in when I didn't expect it to. But it is nice to hear that chorus again, because it is my favorite part so far. Then another thing catches my attention: when she starts saying, "thank you, next," in a different way. And while I like the first way, a change in how she does it was nice. Then it goes into the bridge, which I enjoy because it has a pretty nice vibe and flow to it. The production continues to shine, too, which does a lot to hold the song up. After that bridge, there's a quick second that puts it straight from the bridge to the chorus, which I like a lot. One thing I noticed after that was how it really sounds like the final chorus when it's going by, with the background vocals and slight increase in energy level and everything. Lots of my all-time favorite songs are like that, and I think it's cool that this song does the same. I still can't say I'm a fan of how she says the, "grateful for my ex," part, though. But the slight breakdown and fade-out at the end ends out the song and wraps everything up perfectly, and I enjoy that.

So now that I'm finished listening to the song, I am looking at the lyrics to see if there's anything interesting in there. And sure enough, there is. I like how she mentioned a lot of her exes in the first verse, which I guess proves that Wikipedia page right. But the fact that part of the first verse was actually a pretty cool pre-chorus is neat. Also, looking closer at the lyrics from the second verse, I think they're really cool. Basically, it's saying how Ariana's "increasingly positive mental state" is helping her not worry about anything, including her past relationships. I like that a lot. But that bridge though. It is lyrically very good in my opinion. I like how the first verse is about her exes, the second is about her being able to cope with everything, and the bridge is about her engagement with Pete Davidson being called off and how she can thank her parents for it or something like that. Very neat structure there. So I think I've covered everything about this song, as little as it seems there is. Let's discuss my overall thoughts before closing out the post.



OVERALL THOUGHTS

In sum, I think this song is really good! It's catchy and has some interesting lyrical themes that contribute to the great structure that is used in the song. It's definitely not Ariana's best song, but it was a really nice listen that I would go back to again. And now that I've heard it, I can definitely see why it's the #1 song in the country right now, considering how much of news Ariana's engagement and break-up were. Although I probably prefer the song that's #2 behind this, which is "SICKO MODE" by Travis Scott, this is a nice choice for #1 and I would be all for it staying there if "SICKO MODE" wasn't right behind it. But yeah, really cool song, and it makes me anxious to hear more of her album when it comes out. But we'll see shout that when the time comes. And if I had to give the song a rating out of 10, I'd give it a 9 to a 9.5.



FINAL WORDS

And that wraps up this post! I had a fun time listening to this song and sharing my thoughts on it. If you haven't heard this song yet and are curious to see what I'm talking about when sharing my thoughts, you can listen to the song on YouTube here or on Spotify here. Other than that, I have nothing else to say other than that if you want to suggest something, feel free to do so. It can be a song review, a chart review, or an album review of your choice. I will never turn anything down as I am very open to discovering new music! So yeah, you can do that if you're ever bored. But until I post again, that's it for today and I'll see you guys next time!

Awful Album Reviews #4: Wu-Tang Clan - The W

Hi guys, I'm back here to do another album review! Today we will be reviewing the Wu-Tang Clan's The W because it celebrates its 18th birthday today! This should be another easy review because I've listened to this album plenty of times already, so let's dive right in!



INTRODUCTION

The W is the third studio album by east coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 21, 2000. While this album was not as successful as its predecessors Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers and Wu-Tang Forever, it did produce the minor hit singles "Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)", which is an interpolation of their debut single "Protect Ya Neck", and "Gravel Pit". The album received mostly positive reviews by critics, including a few who included it in their album of the year lists. Also, in this album you can find guest appearances from Isaac Hayes, Redman, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, and Junior Reid. Seems stacked right? Well, let's see if I think so.



REVIEW

I think this album is a perfect mix of the content from Wu-Tang's first two albums, Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers and Wu-Tang Forever. What do I mean by this? Well, I think the material on 36 Chambers had hardcore lyrics but not hardcore beats. On the other hand, I think that on Wu-Tang Forever, the lyrics are a little less hardcore, but the beats are in more of a boom-bap style, rather than the less heavy kind on 36 Chambers. And I think that The W is a combination of the two. It has some songs that would fit better on 36 Chambers such as "I Can't Go To Sleep" and "Hollow Bones", and others that would fit better on Wu-Tang Forever, like "Gravel Pit", "Do You Really (Thang, Thang)", and "One Blood Under W". But the other songs I think fall into a separate category of songs that sound like a mix of the two; they possess qualities of both of Wu-Tang's previous album, but wouldn't really fit onto either because they might stand out at least a little bit from the album as a whole.

And that's what I like about this album. It has a few songs that are like 36 Chambers, a few that are like Wu-Tang Forever, and the few in between that not only have qualities from both albums, but work to create a new style as well. And remember how I said I love music works that take a lot of IQ to make? Well, here you go. I don't think I've seen any other artist do anything like this yet, so that's just cool how they did that.

As for the lyrical themes throughout the album, they aren't much different from some of the themes on 36 Chambers in my opinion. So it's good to see a revival of that. I also like the flows and the rapping style that is present here. And RZA, the group's main producer, did a great job on producing the album, along with the help from Mathematics. Other than all that, I don't really know what else to mention. So let's do the track-by-track reviews!



TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEWS

1. "Intro (Shaolin Finger Jab) / Chamber Music"
Rating: 7/10
Comments: Cool intro, but when it comes to the whole album it's very forgettable.

2. "Careful (Click, Click)"
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This song has a very catchy hook, which I always love to hear in rap songs. And I like how a lot of the song's flow is based off of that.

3. "Hollow Bones"
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: That gunshot right at the beginning though. But other than that, I feel like the song is somewhat empty and could have more to hold it up.

4. "Redbull" featuring Redman
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I like Redman's part and the instrumental. It isn't something that comes right to my mind when I think of great songs off of this album, but still pretty good.

5. "One Blood Under W" featuring Junior Reid
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Junior Reid's voice is a little weird here, but now that I've gotten used to it I think it's cool. Masta Killa also had a good effort on his verse and RZA also did a good job on the production.

6. "Conditioner" featuring Snoop Dogg
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Really chill track, and one of those that contributes to the new style that came out of this album. The hook is really sticky, too, which is good because that means it was written well.

7. "Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)"
Rating: 8/10
Comments: It's obviously not better than the original "Protect Ya Neck", but still a nice alternate to it.

8. "Let My N***as Live" featuring Nas
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: A really cool song about street life. I also think that intro skit is cool for some reason.

9. "I Can't Go To Sleep" featuring Isaac Hayes
Rating: 7/10
Comments: I know that the song is supposed to sound sad or negative, but I don't want to listen to depressing songs too much, so that kind of brings this down a bit. But I do like how that mood is used to help convey the message of the song.

10. "Do You Really (Thang, Thang)"
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: The catchiness in this song definitely caught my attention from the beginning. I also like that skit-thing towards the end that repeats, "Got to check out The W" or something like that.

11. "The Monument" featuring Busta Rhymes
Rating: 7.5/10
Comments: Pretty forgettable, but also pretty good. I like what Busta Rhymes has to add here.

12. "Gravel Pit"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This might be one of the catchiest rap songs I've ever heard before, because everything about the production shines so much. Every verse adds to that. This song is so good I actually strongly considered putting it on my best songs of 2000 list, but didn't at the last minute. Still really good, though.

13. "Jah World" featuring Junior Reid
Rating: 5/10
Comments: Not a fan of this one to be honest. It's not bad, but nothing I see myself listening to anytime soon.



ALBUM RANKDOWN

1. "Gravel Pit"
2. "Do You Really (Thang, Thang)"
3. "One Blood Under W"
4. "Careful (Click, Click)"
5. "Let My N***as Live"
6. "Hollow Bones"
7. "Conditioner"
8. "Redbull"
9. "Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)"
10. "The Monument"
11. "I Can't Go To Sleep"
12. "Intro (Shaolin Finger Jab) / Chamber Music"
13. "Jah World"



OVERALL SCORE

105/130 = 8.08/10 = 0.808 = 80.8%



FINAL WORDS

So, is this album better than 36 Chambers or Wu-Tang Forever? No. But is it still a good album? Definitely! It was an enjoyable listen that I would go to again if I had the chance. Just like a lot of albums I listen to and review, this is definitely not for everybody, but if you want to see what old school rap sounds like, you can check out this album on Spotify here or on YouTube here.  So yeah, I don't really have anything else to say here. Thanks for reading and be sure to leave me suggestions if you have them!

Crappy Chart Reviews #1: Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles of 2017

Hey there music fans, I'm back again for my first chart review on this blog! I feel like the 2017 year-end Hot 100 would be a good place to start with this, because I know most of the songs on it and so does my audience (I think). So this should be a good chart to test out this series with. I'm not sure how it will turn out in the end, and I'm interested in seeing that, so let's get started!



INTRODUCTION

2017 was a very interesting year for music. This includes the tying of the weeks at #1 record by a random Latin song, the surge of trap-style music on the charts, the further development of "album bombs", and much, much more. I think it would be interesting to go back and review this chart because I'm not sure whether or not I can call 2017 a good year for music, so I guess it's time to find out. Also, the style in which I do this might be a little different, but hopefully it doesn't make it harder to understand. So yeah, without further ado, let's get this review over with!



SONG REVIEWS

100. "The Fighter" by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I love that beat in the background. Very unique for a song by two country artists. I also think Keith and Carrie sound very good together throughout the whole song.

99. "Look At Me!" by XXXTENTACION
Rating: 7/10
Comments: This song is...weird. The bass boosted production and the awkward lyrics about sex grab my attention in a negative way. But the song feels catchy in a couple ways, and I think the rapping (not the lyrics, the rapping) is pretty good, so I'd call it more good than bad.

98. "do re mi" by blackbear
Rating: 4/10
Comments: Not really feeling this one. It feels really bland to me, although I like his vocals.

97. "What Lovers Do" by Maroon 5 and SZA
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: It's not a truly amazing song, but it is a nice little tune that I wouldn't mind on my rotation. I think the chorus is very catchy and I enjoy SZA's contributions.

96. "Havana" by Camila Cabello and Young Thug
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I couldn't explain in a couple sentences how much I enjoy this song. Everything is just in the right place here. I love what's in the background and how good Camila Cabello sounds in this. Also, I don't know why but that trumpet solo towards the end feels really good to me. It might be my favorite part of the song.

95. "Everyday We Lit" by YFN Lucci and PnB Rock
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: It's just a banger. Pretty much any song that has to do with feeling good, or in this case, being "lit", is really good to me, and this is a perfect example of that. I also enjoy that piano in the background for some reason.

94. "Small Town Boy" by Dustin Lynch
Rating: 10/10
Comments: It's nothing more than average amazing country song to me. I don't spot very many flaws in it, which is good.

93. "I Get The Bag" by Gucci Mane and Migos
Rating: 6/10
Comments: It's not the best trap song out there, but it's not the worst, either. I feel like it could have more to it, but I do enjoy the contributions from the Migos, so it's fine, I guess.

92. "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Shawn Mendes is a very talented music artist, and this song shows it. A very good vibe is going on here, which I always enjoy hearing.

91. "No Promises" by Cheat Codes and Demi Lovato
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I like how one of the guys from Cheat Codes is singing along with Demi Lovato in here. He adds a lot to the song in my opinion. Demi sounds great as well.

90. "Down" by Marian Hill
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I enjoy the combination of the female vocals and the piano that comes at various points within the song. But when it breaks into the trap part, it's cool, but I think the drums there are a little too loud. But it's still a cool song.

89. "Malibu" by Miley Cyrus
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: This is a pretty cool different sound from Miley Cyrus. I think the guitars in the background are nice. But I think it could have a little more to it.

88. "Water Under The Bridge" by Adele
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Adele strikes again! I think her vocal performance here is great, and so is what's in the background. Sounds really good overall.

87. "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Harry Styles sounds great over this amazingly-produced music. It's better than a few of the songs he did with One Direction, in my opinion.

86. "Slippery" by Migos and Gucci Mane
Rating: 7/10
Comments: I prefer this over "I Get The Bag", but it's still only at the "good" level for me. I like the production here, as that's probably my favorite part. Gucci Mane contributes nicely, too.

85. "Swalla" by Jason Derulo, Nicki Minaj, and Ty Dolla $ign
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Really catchy, just has a few empty spaces in it that could be filled.

84. "What About Us" by P!nk
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Great comeback song for P!nk. It doesn't remind me too much of her older stuff, which can be good because it means she's trying a new sound very well. And I like that.

83. "Both" by Gucci Make and Drake
Rating: 7/10
Comments: It's not a song I should be liking, but I do anyways. I like Drake's contributions, and they really help define the song in my opinion.

82. "Starving" by Hailee Steinfeld, Grey, and Zedd
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I personally prefer her late 2017 hit "Let Me Go" to this, but "Starving" is still really good. The EDM-like production does a lot to make it that way, and I like how Hailee Steinfeld sounds here.

81. "Drowning" by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Kodak Black
Rating: 8/10
Comments: A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is a good rapper, but although Kodak Black isn't bad I don't think he fits on this beat. His part does bring the song down slightly, but A Boogie's part and the cool piano help to bring it back up.

80. "Love Galore" by SZA and Travis Scott
Rating: 5/10
Comments: SZA is a good vocalist, but she often doesn't choose good beats to sing over. And this is the case with this song. Her vocals shine a lot, but the production doesn't. Travis Scott sounds good, though.

79. "Magnolia" by Playboi Carti
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This is a pretty big guilty pleasure for me. His rapping is pretty weird, but pretty good at the same time. I also like the faster beat.

78. "Young, Dumb, & Broke" by Khalid
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: This is probably my favorite song from Khalid as a lead artist. It's very sticky, which usually equates to something pretty good.

77. "Too Good At Goodbyes" by Sam Smith
Rating: 5/10
Comments: Sam Smith is a good vocalist, but this isn't really my style of music. It's not bad, but not something I'd voluntarily listen to again, either.

76. "Hurricane" by Luke Combs"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Probably the best country song on this list. Luke Combs has a great voice and he shows it perfectly here.

75. "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion
Rating: 8/10
Comments: low low low low low low low low low low low low low low low low low low low
(but seriously, it's a pretty cool song)

74. "Feels" by Calvin Harris, Big Sean, Katy Perry, and Pharrell Williams
Rating: 10/10
Comments: It's just a fun, feel-good song that I can always listen to if I'm looking for something like that. Everything about it shines so brightly here.

73. "Chained To The Rhythm" by Katy Perry and Skip Marley
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Very good comeback from Katy Perry. I could do without Skip Marley's part, but Katy's parts make up for that.

72. "What Ifs" by Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Another really good country song from the list. Their voices work really well together.

71. "Slide" by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean, and Migos
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: I personally prefer "Feels", but this one is still nice to listen to.

70. "Broccoli" by D.R.A.M. and Lil Yachty
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Another guilty pleasure. The piano in the background, which sounds similar to the one in the rap classic "Still D.R.E." by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, is probably the best part, as it makes the song feel really uplifting. But using the term "broccoli" to refer to marijuana? That's a little weird...

69. "Cold" by Maroon 5 and Future
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I prefer "What Lovers Do" slightly, because I think the featured artist in this song does more harm than good. But I still like it, as it's still catchy.

68. "goosebumps" by Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I used to not be a huge fan of Travis Scott, but after hearing his new hit song "SICKO MODE", that changed. I enjoy this song because he and Kendrick both rap well in it.

67. "Praying" by Kesha
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I never thought there could be so much power in one song. And even if it did happen, I wouldn't have thought it would be from someone like Kesha. Such a good job was done to make this song what it is.

66. "LOYALTY." by Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: The sample from Bruno Mars's "24K Magic" did a lot here. It took me a while to notice it, but when I did, I found it cool that they would sample a song as recent as that.

65. "Passionfruit" by Drake
Rating: 8/10
Comments: v i b e s

64. "Swang" by Rae Sremmurd
Rating: 2/10
Comments: No. Just...no.

63. "Juju On That Beat (TZ Anthem)" by Zay Hilfigerr and Zayion McCall
Rating: 7/10
Comments: The dude's voice is awful but that catchy beat makes up for it somewhat.

62. "DNA." by Kendrick Lamar
Rating: 8.5/10
Comments: The news sample thing that comes with the beat switch in the middle is really cool. It makes the song more interesting than it would be otherwise.

61. "Rolex" by Ayo & Teo
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Really cool dance song. I love the guy's voice as well.

60. "Caroline" by Amine
Rating: 6/10
Comments: One of those songs that's very weird but very catchy at the same time.

59. "Now or Never" by Halsey
Rating: 4/10
Comments: Is this that song that ripped off Rihanna's 2016 hit "Needed Me"? If so, Halsey did not do a good job at it.

58. "Heathens" by twenty one pilots
Rating: 8/10
Comments: It's pretty dark, which is interesting because only a small portion of songs I listen to are dark. But it's nice to have a change-up there.

57. "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Not one of the best country songs on here but still pretty cool.

56. "rockstar" by Post Malone and 21 Savage
Rating: 6/10
Comments: I have a lot of mixed thoughts on this one. It sounds cool, but there are a few things that make me question whether or not to like it. I guess it's good then?

55. "Tunnel Vision" by Kodak Black
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I know, I know, I should hate this song, because the guy's a rapist and drug dealer and all that. But in my opinion, those qualities inside a person should not affect someone's opinion on their music, and just like I say, if it sounds good it is good.

54. "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Shawn Mendes and his talented vocals come to make a song great once again!

53. "Rake It Up" by Yo Gotti and Nicki Minaj"
Rating: 6/10
Comments: I would hate this song if it didn't feel so harmless to me. Yo Gotti is not a bad rapper that I certainly don't mind getting mainstream success.

52. "T-Shirt" by Migos
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Not in my top 3-5 songs off of Culture (which I might review soon), but it's still a cool listen.

51. "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons"
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I loved this song from the very first listen, and when I saw them in concert this past summer, it just made all their songs better for me, including this one. Still remains as one of my favorites of 2017 to this day.

50. "Mi Gente" by J. Balvin and Willy William
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Really cool Latin song. I like that beat in the background.

49. "CAN'T STOP THE FEELING!" by Justin Timberlake
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This song is gonna be a big dance classic for many years to come because of how good people think it is. And I agree with these people because of how fun this song is.

48. "Bank Account" by 21 Savage
Rating: 7/10
Comments: Whatever that is in the background is the coolest part. 21 Savage isn't a bad rapper so I enjoy his parts somewhat, too.

47. "Sorry Not Sorry" by Demi Lovato
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Very cool song, just think the chorus is a little too overboard than it should be.

46. "Let Me Love You" by DJ Snake and Justin Bieber
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Every part of this is amazing, except for the drop, which is pretty underwhelming in my opinion. But aside from that, Justin Bieber sounds really good, and DJ Snake did a good job with every part other than the drop. Glad it was a hit.

45. "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This isn't something I would've expected to be big, but I can't complain, because I really enjoy it.

44. "Rockabye" by Clean Bandit, Anne-Marie, and Sean Paul
Rating: 10/10
Comments: I think the single mother awareness theme here is cool, but it's not what gets my attention. The actual music is what does that. The song is very fun and although I could do without Sean Paul, Anne-Marie sounds amazing and helps a lot to make the song amazing.

43. "Side To Side" by Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Really catchy guitar in the background, and really good vocals by Ariana Grande here. My second favorite song off of Dangerous Woman, only to the truly amazing "Into You".

42. "Paris" by The Chainsmokers
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Not their best song (maybe not even close), but it's still amazing. Andrew Taggart and the female (not sure what her name is) both sound great, especially together.

41. "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello
Rating: 8/10
Comments: MGK's rapping is really good as usual, but is the chorus really ripped off from Fastball's hit song "Out of My Head" like that? It sounds good, though.

40. "Castle On The Hill" by Ed Sheeran
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This is much, much better than "Shape of You" in my opinion. If only this song was the hugely successful song instead of that.

39. "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift
Rating: 5/10
Comments: The pre-chorus is pretty much the only good thing about this song. Other than that, this style doesn't really fit Taylor Swift in my opinion, and I'm pretty sure that this is a diss track aimed at Kanye West, which is never something I'd like to hear. I'm sort of glad this song kept "Despacito" from breaking the record for the most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, however.

38. "Don't Wanna Know" by Maroon 5 and Kendrick Lamar
Rating: 9/10
Comments: It's catchy, and I love Kendrick Lamar's verse a lot.

37. "Fake Love" by Drake
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I prefer "Portland" to this, but I still like it.

36. "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne and Quavo
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Good song for Liam Payne's first song since One Direction's hiatus. Shows how he's grown up now pretty well.

35. "Bounce Back" by Big Sean
Rating: 7/10
Comments: I Decided. was a pretty good album, and this was one of the highlights off of it.

34. "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd and Daft Punk
Rating: 10/10
Comments: The Weeknd has a lot of good songs, but this one might be my favorite. Daft Punk did a good job on the production, and The Weeknd slayed his vocals as usual. I'm glad this song was very popular because it definitely deserves it because of how good it is.

33. "Love On The Brain" by Rihanna
Rating: 6/10
Comments: It feels extremely dated to me, but hey, at least it's not the trash that is "Work".

32. "Slow Hands" by Niall Horan
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I liked this a lot better than "This Town", and I'm glad this was the bigger hit. It has a lot more to it.

31. "1-800-273-8255" by Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This isn't the best anti-suicide song out there, as "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind exists as well. But it's certainly a good song for that topic, especially considering it's somewhat of a rap song.

30. "Scars To Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Cool self-empowerment anthem, although it's definitely not the best out of those.

29. "Issues" by Julia Michaels
Rating: 4/10
Comments: Not a fan of this one. It's not bad, but Julia Michaels does not sound good over this bland production at all.

28. "iSpy" by KYLE and Lil Yachty
Rating: 10/10
Comments: That poppy little beat in the background says it all. It gives the song an uplifting vibe that can't be found in too many modern rap songs.

27. "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez
Rating: 9/10
Comments: The chopped up vocal samples are interesting. Also, Selena Gomez sounds really good.

26. "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by ZAYN and Taylor Swift
Rating: 7/10
Comments: Sounds weird in some parts, but overall it's good. Zayn's falsetto is annoying at first, but it gets better as the song goes on.

25. "Redbone" by Childish Gambino
Rating: 8/10
Comments: I can definitely see the hate for this, but it's a score for me. Not his best song, though.

24. "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)" by Cardi B
Rating: 8/10
Comments: The beat in the background is really cool. Cardi B has a good flow and good rhymes as well.

23. "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" by Shawn Mendes
Rating: 10/10
Comments: This might be my favorite Shawn Mendes song on this list, or maybe period. He expresses his vocal abilities the best in this song, and that cool guitar in the background adds to it.

22. "Attention" by Charlie Puth
Rating: 8/10
Comments: That bassline makes the song really cool for me. Gives it a vibe that's hard to resist.

21. "Location" by Khalid
Rating: 5/10
Comments: Not bad, just really bland in my opinion. Khalid does sound good in this, however.

20. "Starboy" by The Weeknd and Daft Punk
Rating: 9/10
Comments: "I Feel It Coming" should've hit #1 instead of this in my opinion, but I still think this song is really good. This and "I Feel It Coming" are probably my two favorite songs off of Starboy.

19. "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd and Gucci Mane
Rating: 7/10
Comments: It has a pretty fun beat, which makes it pretty good. But nothing else can bring it up to the "great" tier for me.

18. "Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled, Rihanna, and Bryson Tiller
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I prefer "I'm The One" to this, but not by much. I still love the sample from Santana's hit single "Maria Maria" here, and how well Rihanna and Bryson Tiller fit over it. Glad it was a hit.

17. "Stay" by Zedd and Alessia Cara
Rating: 9.5/10
Comments: Really catchy beat, and Alessia Cara provides some pretty good vocals.

16. "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Another amazing comeback from 2016/2017!

15. "Unforgettable" by French Montana and Swae Lee
Rating: 10/10'
Comments: French Montana definitely knows how to make good rap music in the era of weird trap music. This might be his best song, although I also like "Bring Dem Things" and "No Stylist" a lot.

14. "Mask Off" by Future
Rating: 8/10
Comments: This is really chill, which I love to hear most of the time. That flute thing in the background sounds nice, too.

13. "XO TOUR Llif3" by Lil Uzi Vert
Rating: 9/10
Comments: The only bad thing about this is that mumbling that comes a little more than halfway through the song. Other than that, it's really good!

12. "I'm The One" by DJ Khaled, Chance The Rapper, Justin Bieber, and Quavo
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Anthem. Everyone contributes at least somewhat here. Great lead single for Khaled's album.

11. "Say You Won't Let Go" by James Arthur
Rating: 6/10
Comments: It's a bit cheesy, but somewhat cool.

10. "Congratulations" by Post Malone and Quavo
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Really fun song, I like the positivity that Post Malone has in the chorus. I also like his and Quavo's verses.

9. "Believer" by Imagine Dragons
Rating: 10/10
Comments: P̭̻̺A̤͡I̸̞̤̤̦̘N͎͉̭!̛̝̱

8. "Body Like A Back Road" by Sam Hunt
Rating: 7/10
Comments: This is a pretty big guilty pleasure. It's basically a rap song disguised as a country song, which can take some IQ to do even if it doesn't sound the best. But Sam Hunt is a really good country singer that has made much better songs than this, so it sort of sounds bad in comparison.

7. "Closer" by The Chainsmokers and Halsey
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Andrew Taggart and Halsey sound really good together. The drop is just as good.

6. "Bad and Boujee" by Migos and Lil Uzi Vert
Rating: 9/10
Comments: This song is fun! I like how that "rain drop, drop top" part was turned into a big meme.

5. "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Chris Martin is an amazing vocalist, and no one could have done this song better than him. Didn't expect this to be in the top 5 of this chart, but I certainly won't complain.

4. "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Kendrick Lamar is a great rapper, as he delivers some very cool lyrics in his songs. This song is not an exception. It also has a pretty playful beat that makes it stand out from a lot of his other songs.

3. "That's What I Like" by Bruno Mars
Rating: 9/10
Comments: It's not superior to "24K Magic", but it's still really good. It has a little bit of a different vibe in it, which is fun to hear.

2. "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber
Rating: 9/10
Comments: I'm not to thrilled about this song tying the record for the most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which it shares with "One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. And if you remember, I included that song on my top 25 songs of all-time list I posted earlier this month. But anyway, I think this song is really cool regardless of what records it almost broke. The Latin feel is not something I'm used to hearing in hit songs, so that was cool.

1. "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran
Rating: 8/10
Comments: It's a good song but it doesn't deserve to be the number one song of the year in my opinion, considering that it's my least favorite song in the top 5 and second-least favorite song in the top 10 of this list. But I still don't mind it, because there are worse options.



OVERALL SCORE

842/1000 = 0.842 = 84.2%



FINAL WORDS

So that wraps up this pretty long post! This chart was very fun to review, because there were a lot of really big songs on here that I had gone quite a long time without hearing them, so coming back to them was interesting. This review shows that in my opinion, 2017 was a pretty good year for music. It didn't have too high of highs, but there was only one song on this whole list that I just don't like at all, which is slightly less than I'd find on an average year-end list. I didn't expect it to be this good, but it was, and that is cool. Also, I was considering making a separate section where I'd list my 10 favorite and 10 least favorite songs on this list, but with how many 10/10s and how few low ratings I had on here, that would be difficult, so I decided not to.

But yeah, this was fun to do and I'm glad I did it. I'd like to thank anyone a lot who read it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as I did making it. And don't forget, if you have suggestions, be sure to hit me up with them, because I would love to hear them! Thanks again and I'll be back tomorrow for another album review!