I'm not going to update tonight, because an update would be interrupted by maintenance. Instead, I'll update twice tomorrow- once at noon and once later at night.
Before he recorded anything with Daft Punk, this song was the closest The Weeknd came to a Michael Jackson imitation. It's as pure of a pop song as we have heard from him, and he hits even more high notes than he did in Can't Feel My Face– there's a reason he lowers the key of the song for live performances. The chorus feels somewhat melodramatic, but it's danceable nonetheless. I really don't like the prechorus, though. Overall, the song isn't close to Max Martin's best work, though; the production never wavers, but it never gives me the rush of excitement Martin clearly wanted to lace the song with. In fact, it almost feels overdone, severely lacking the personality of Abel's other hits. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a nice song to hear on the radio.
This position in 2015: Ariana Grande - One Last Time This position in 2014: The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather
Although it contains quite possibly the worst couplet of the year ("home run, slam dunk, touchdown pass / mi casa es tu casa, so there's no holdin' back"), My House is about as good as it gets from Flo Rida these days. It is the epitome of pop-rap, anchored by a catchy six-note piano riff and buoyed by a heavily produced saxophone during the hook. Given that Flo is closer to 40 than 30 and coming up on a decade of rap-singing about parties, the whole thing feels both comedic and contrived. Luckily, it only goes on for a little over 3 minutes, because it could have easily been a disaster otherwise. Disposable as it may be, the song has aged surprisingly well for me, and it is a fun listen– it always makes me smile, whether I'm laughing at how poor the lyrics are or internally singing along "welcome to my house..."
This position in 2015: Charlie Puth f/Meghan Trainor - Marvin Gaye This position in 2014: Lady Gaga f/R. Kelly - Do What U Want
The thumping production feels somewhat generic, although it's incredibly catchy; I especially like the buzzing synth that opens the song. Abel makes the track, providing a stellar fast-paced verse as well as a simple yet effective hook. Belly's flow isn't bad, and he sneaks in several fun lines ("baby sit calm, we don't need another episode" is a standout), but it doesn't have a lot of character. That said, I find the chorus so addicting that his verse is relegated to relative unimportance. The song's structure emphasizes simplicity, which is fine when you have a vocalist as strong as Abel to distract from that, but I imagine it would feel far more boring if Belly did the whole thing himself. But it ends up being a very accessible head-banger through and through, a solid showcase of the two XO labelmates' talents.
This position in 2015: Rae Sremmurd - This Could Be Us This position in 2014: DJ Khaled et al. - Hold You Down
*actually, it should be The Weeknd f/Belly because I counted and Abel's verse and choruses add up to be 113 seconds long and Belly's verse is only 58 seconds so yeah awkward
A white rapper using a guitar as the centerpiece of his song was definitely something I did not expect to see in 2016, but Post Malone's go-with-the-flow style and friendly demeanor make it work. Compared to last year's polished hit White Iverson, Go Flex is just as chill, but it gets there via a completely different route. Will Malone succeed Wiz Khalifa as the next purveyor of relaxing, catchy music with references to marijuana? Only time will tell. The vocal layering works well in the chorus and bridge, but I don't think it should be present in the verses. The bridge, which he makes into a quasi-rallying cry, is easily the highlight of the track, a hint of attitude in an otherwise easygoing song.
This position in 2015: Carly Rae Jepsen - Run Away With Me This position in 2014: Martin Garrix - Animals
I'm very tired, and I need to wake up at 7:15. As a result, there won't be a second update tonight, and I'll remain one update behind schedule. Hopefully I can make it up on Friday, as I'll be busy for most of this week.
By the way, if you're wondering where my honorable mentions and favorite albums are, those won't be coming until at least this weekend.
Also, I fixed the thread title, which previously read "#29/#28 pop."
(altho the Tove collab >)
love it! and Never Be Like You is amazing too! amazing set 
