For me I have a hate/love relationship with Jay Z as a musician. There are times I find him really boring with his monotone flow, but I have to say he has had some great jams over the years, Girls Girls Girls, Izzo, etc are some of my favorites from Jay Z’s discography. Now let’s talk about this album. The production on this album is undoubtedly one of the hottest of the year but really that’s all this album has in my opinion. What happened to Jay Z’s lyrical game? He used to be such a beast on the mic but sadly now I feel like he is being lazier, dumbing it down for the radio more and more. The lyrical content is really missing in this album – The replay value wasn’t high for this one. Only a few tracks that I really digged and kept listening to, other than that? A valiant effort from Jay Z but that’s about it. Maybe next album will be better hopefully.
HIGHLIGHTS: BBC, Tom Ford, f*ckwithmeyouknowIgotIt, Holy Grail
Album score: 6/10
The single to there album Native is actually pretty dang good. I really like Ryan Tedder's voice on this track with the production. Feel like this is a really underrated song from them. I love how it starts off than really goes into the chorus. The chorus is great for this song, really gets in your head after a couple listens you'll be singing along with this song.
76) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Thrift Shop
So this song is one of the biggest hits of the year. People say this is a novelty song, but really I don't think so. It has some funny lyrics yes, but I think It's different for a hiphop song. I've started to hear about this song before it got exploded, and the chorus just got instantly hooked on. "I'M GONNA POP SOME TAGS, GOT ONLY 20 DOLLARS IN MY POCKET!" . It's one of those songs where the video is brilliant more than the song. The video was really well done/shot. The white lady singing the hook? f*ing awesome!
75) Wale f/ Tiara Thomas – Bad
I'm sorry but Rihanna's version won't be making appearance on this list. I much preferred this version from Wale. Tiara's vocals is well more suited in my opinion on this song and I just prefer her chorus rather than Rihannas. Wale's verses are nice, and a good flow to vibe too.
76) fun. – Carry On
This song is a GREAT uplifting song to listen along with whenever you feeling down or something along of those lines. This is an underrated fun. song, I think it should've been a much bigger hit than it was. One of my favorites from the album, and Nate voice sounds great on here. It's kind of funny I have listened to Nate's voice since 2008 with The Format, but he sounds even better on fun. and this song is an example of Nate's voice. It's an acquired taste but whatever I really like this song.
I be on my suit and tie crap, can I show you a fewwww things, a few things. Damn. I love the way how this song starts off mellow and then really hits the gear with the production, I thought the way they did that was really well done. Overall the chorus is the best thing about this song, and of course the beat. Other than that, it’s one of JT’s weaker singles? Maybe but It’s a total guy anthem. I play this prior to every wedding I go to now lol. It’s just gets you amped up for the festivities of any night! Jay Z’s lyrics have been getting very lazy though is my only complaint really.
70) Krewella – Alive
I really wish this song was a bigger hit than it was. It was a good hit on radio, but sales wise it could’ve been pushed to a really big hit. The first time I heard this song was when it was prior to getting big. I came across it on a forum and I’ve fallen in love with the girls in the group. Yasmine and Yousaf, are typically the girls I kinda like since they share the same ethnicity as me! Anyways, on to this song. I love this song. They look hot in the video, especially Yasmine. The chorus is so catchy and that beat is infectious! “Take me home, where my dreams are made of gold. In the sun, where the beat uncontrolled, I know what it feels like”
69) Tegan & Sara – Closer
I kinda like this song. Gives me some 80vibes with the chorus. Tegan & Sara are a unique duo and there album is pretty good.
68) Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines
ERRRRR BODY GET UP! I just love the way Pharell says this at the start of the song. instantly catchy. I did not think this song would become one of the biggest radio hits ever when I first heard it. I thought it would be a hit for sure but to be one of the biggest radio hits really surprised me. This song gets lots of criticism, people saying that “it’s terrible,” “sexist,” or what not but personally I don’t really see it that way. I see it as a normal song, with a catchy infectious hook/beat. The video however, now let’s talk about that. The video is kind of silly, ain’t it? It’s funny and sad at the same time, and I have no idea how they managed to pull that off. Though, I can’t lie, whenever this song came on during the summer, It was defiantly a song in my summer playlist. Not my favorite of the summer but defiantly makes a memorable summer for this year.
67) Cedric Gervais f/ Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness
You all might be surprised to see this remix of Lana’s song this low but it’s just because it’s a remix that got popular on radio that it’s even on here cause I typically don’t really include remixes of the song but this song made Lana Del Rey finally played on American radio so I was happy about that. However I got a few complaints about this song or remix. I think the original is way better and more authentic if you get what I mean. This song gives the general public the wrong idea of what kind of artist Lana is because none of her other songs are like this at all. Summertime Sadness is one of my favorites on Born To Die and I thought it could’ve been a hit if Interscope just had a little faith for it and the whole album as a whole but alas this song has somehow become Lana’s signature song. It’s kind of a bittersweet feeling for me. The production towards this is kind of basic but still jam worthy of a track and I think that's why people connected to it andit just happened to be come a hit