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Fan Base: Archived: Stand Your Ground (#13)
ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/8/2006
Posts: 42,086
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Umbrella made so many end of the 2000 decade lists. What an absolute classic 
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First, it’s the drum loop: an old school beat like they used back in the 1980’s. Then it’s the quick, effective Jay-Z guest rap, harkening back to the mid-90’s and Dr. Dre’s intro for Blackstreet’s “No Diggity.” Finally it’s into this decade: crunked-out, almost sci-fi keyboard backings, growing stronger each time through the verse and chorus, only letting up for the bridge before pouncing back in to help drive the final chorus home. And on top of all that is Rhianna’s vocals, which harken back to any of these three decades. And the hooks….the hooks! Of course there’s the “Ella…ella…hey, hey” that forces itself into your brain, walking a tightrope between cool and annoying. But the chorus itself is just a great progression, helped out even more by a bit of dissonance in the keyboard arrangement keeper the listener on edge just enough that it’s almost impossible to treat the song like background music. And then, there’s a subtle hook just among the interplay of voice and chords in the verse. With it’s incorporation of influences brought together in a mashup of rap, hip-hop, Top 40, R&B and studio effects, this may be the track that most defined pop music in the ’00s.
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-Popdose
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There may be no clouds in Jay-Z's stones, but just in case the forecast turns rainy it never hurts to have a platinum smash hit to launch the career of this Caribbean princess of pop. With Tricky Stewart on the boards and The-Dream on lyrics, this song was a perfect pop storm even before Hov blessed it with a pristine sixteen. Ever since this record dropped, Rihanna has been our pick for queen of pop honors (sorry Gaga). Long may she reign
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-Complex
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Rihanna's characteristically dispassionate delivery and syllabic lollygagging both linger at the end of the tongue, and the coattails of this monster hit's reign poured like nothing else this side of “My Humps” Even if none of its descendents managed to harness enough energy to power so much as the original's high-hat, the dozens of acoustic, pop, rock, country, punk, geek, and twee covers that sprang up in its wake can attest, “Um-buh-rella” was the decade's foremost throwback to the notion of pop standards. Which, you have to admit, iTunes needed then more than ever. Henderson
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-Slant
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In pop's armory of emotions, fidelity is among the trickiest to get right. Too easily its expression tips into the reassuring sentimentality of "That's What Friends Are For". This only makes "Umbrella" more startling and precious: In this particular field the song is possibly without peer. The secret was to capture fidelity's difficulty, its challenge, and Rihanna's method is pleasingly literal, pitting her pledge of devotion against nature itself: synthesizer chords like a rainstorm and breakbeats like thunder claps or trees crashing to the ground. In the midst of it all, Rihanna herself sounds hard and defiant, abandoning her former girlish sweetness for a steely determination; hence the near-violence of her "um-be-rella-ella-ella," as impacting and stirring as a war cry. It's not sensual, but, "Said I'll always be your friend/ Took an oath, I'm a stick it out till the end," remains one of modern pop's most romantic and affecting promises.
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-Pitchfork
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 59,596
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I remember that post by that (I think?) a Selena stan saying that they remembered Britney's peak and could comment on it, since they were born in 1999. The childishness of it all.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 27,490
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All the girls on the block knocking on my door
wanna know what it is that make the boys want more
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 59,596
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Originally posted by Ramos
Meowster, given that you are one of the few people with good taste here, you need to watch Beasts Of No Nation on Netflix ASAP.
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Is that Netflix's first movie? I'll check it out when I'm not writhing in agony from this virus/flu I have.
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Member Since: 5/25/2010
Posts: 23,013
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"Shoo-wap-wap. Sha-ooo-wap-wap.
Because you know I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass."
...Vin
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 45,485
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Originally posted by Meowster
Is that Netflix's first movie? I'll check it out when I'm not writhing in agony from this virus/flu I have.
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Yes, you better not watch it with flu cause you will cry like a little bitch (I did) and it's not going to be cute.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 45,485
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BTW I saw KING Troye Sivan's music video today on VH1.
It was for his average song Wild, but still.
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Member Since: 8/22/2011
Posts: 18,944
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Originally posted by Ramos
It will be in December.
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Yes, get those Christmas sales Taylord.
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 28,773
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Omg Stone Cold 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 59,596
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I was a by-product of my older sister (huge Britney, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Destiny's Child, and Christina Aguilera fan - I also think she stuck with Xtina the longest too, Stripped was so huge in my household). I used to play with her Britney and Xtina barbies together (at least I remember an X doll - not sure if there was one or not, definitely remember Bernie's).
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Member Since: 8/4/2010
Posts: 12,356
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Walk Like An Egyptian
Eternal Flame
Manic Monday
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 45,485
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I still don't get why MTV haven't made a TV Show where they get people to vote for songs live on Twitter and all that stuff, get artists involved. They truly need to revamp their TV Shows, they are all flopping.
Stan Wars would be pretty epic with something like this.
Thank God Celebrity Deathmatch is coming back.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 27,490
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Where have you been? Where did you go?
Those summer nights seem long ago
BEST SONG ON ULTRAFLOPPAGE
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 6/29/2002
Posts: 77,601
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ramos
BTW I saw KING Troye Sivan's music video today on VH1.
It was for his average song Wild, but still.
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Wild is his best song and his only song worth televising.
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Member Since: 5/6/2010
Posts: 35,158
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Celebrity Deathmatch was sooo ****ing stupid. Re-delete it, fat.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 59,596
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Originally posted by Shaliydah88
Celebrity Deathmatch was sooo ****ing stupid. Re-delete it, fat.
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The video game was so much fun though. LOL.
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Member Since: 10/30/2010
Posts: 8,520
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Originally posted by EOMM92
I find extremely ironic how most ATRLers act like they know what Britney, BSB, Spice Girls, etc. were in the late 90s when several polls reveal more than half atrl is underage, like how do you know how it was if you were 2 years old at the time 
Some were in kindergarden when Gaga debuted, yet they act like they were at the clubs when she was unescapable...
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This is true, lol.
It's actually one of the reasons I can't really "stan" for artists like Mariah or Janet, whose music and catalog is among my absolute favorite, because I wasn't old enough/aware of when they were slaying.
Spice Girls were the first act I was really aware of and stanned for. And then obviously BSB/Brit/N/X all came and were amazing.
But yeah, there's obviously tons of music I discovered over the years and artists like Mariah and Janet and Madonna that have catalogs that I absolutely love but I'll never feel that "stan" type connection with them.
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Member Since: 8/22/2011
Posts: 18,944
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Originally posted by Bounce
Where have you been? Where did you go?
Those summer nights seem long ago
BEST SONG ON ULTRAFLOPPAGE
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Not when West Coast exists.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 45,485
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Quote:
Originally posted by Meowster
I was a by-product of my older sister (huge Britney, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Destiny's Child, and Christina Aguilera fan - I also think she stuck with Xtina the longest too, Stripped was so huge in my household). I used to play with her Britney and Xtina barbies together (at least I remember an X doll - not sure if there was one or not, definitely remember Bernie's).
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I'm hispanic, so we just stanned for Britney & Backstreet Boys (the global ones). I remember in school we all shaded NSYNC and Xtina.
Kinda funny to see NSYNC (Justin T) & Legend X winning over Deadney & BSB now-a-days.
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Member Since: 9/9/2012
Posts: 59,872
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We Belong Together
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Mar 2015 2,329,782
Apr 2015 2,380,793
May 2015 2,716,691
Jun 2015 2,512,560
Jul 2015 2,554,290
Aug 2015 2,469,799
Sep 2015 2,432,251
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Starships
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Mar 2015 2,213,828
Apr 2015 2,252,274
May 2015 2,323,219
Jun 2015 2,245,881
Jul 2015 2,349,420
Aug 2015 2,086,847
Sep 2015 1,861,128
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dfmdsk;
Mariah's classics. 
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