Oftentimes, pop-rap is a tired bastardization of the two most ubiquitous genres of music in the mainstream (*coughs* Bad Things *coughs*). But Me, Myself & I flips that notion on its head with its rousing hook and G-Eazy's technically sound verses. Instead of opting for a conventional structure, he throws in some fun triplets and slows up a little bit before Rexha's distinctive voice kicks in. In fact, the song does a nice job showcasing both artists' styles rather than watering them down. The chorus adds so much life to the song, nicely balancing G's mellow, contemplative verses. Other than the disposable final verse–which feels tacked on to give the song additional length–this is a thoughtful, solid effort from both artists.
This position in 2015: Maroon 5 - This Summer This position in 2014: Eminem f/Rihanna - The Monster
This song makes Tory Lanez seem like the kind of guy that'll never yell at you. It's a very pretty track, his harmonies with himself combining with the slow-jam bassline to produce the gentle verses. His decision to sample Brownstone is audacious and successful, the hook sounding a bit like a call-and-response until the smooth beat drop. Say It is an extremely relaxing listening experience all the way through, but I must confess that I pay zero attention to the lyrics when I play it. Bonus points for the exquisite outro; now, if only he could hit those high notes live.
This position in 2015: Meek Mill f/Chris Brown & Nicki Minaj - All Eyes On You This position in 2014: Teeflii f/2 Chainz - 24 Hours
For many listeners, the most irritating part of this song is the fact that it so blatantly follows in the footsteps of Maroon 5. For me, though, it's the unnecessary usage of profanity, Joe Jonas sounding like a gleeful fifth-grader who has just understood its significance. In fact, Cake By The Ocean is a more addicting effort than most of what Adam Levine's crew has offered up recently, its understated guitar riff one of the biggest earworms of the year. While it's familiar, it's difficult to resist, even though the lyrics range from stupid to really stupid. They obviously don't care about that, so it doesn't tarnish the song, which is simply about having fun. Fluffy as it is, it's a very engaging track.
This position in 2015: DJ Snake & AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It This position in 2014: Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
Aminé's comedic personality shines through on this off-the-cuff effort, which prominently features a cowbell (of all things!). The singsong hook is irresistible, and the clumsy beat perfectly embodies the attitude of the song. It's a pretty simplistic song, but he has some clever wordplay and pop culture references up his sleeve to ensure that there's at least some substance. The production is fantastic, featuring a vaguely throwback-sounding instrumental and a great beat drop. His flow is super relaxed, and lines like "don't wanna hear about your horoscope or what the future holds" are so brilliantly random; the result is a legitimately refreshing rap song, one that deserves every blare out of a car it gets.
This position in 2015: Chris Brown & Tyga - Ayo This position in 2014: Kendrick Lamar - i
There are songs that I like from your last batches like "Sugar", "Middle", "Pillowtalk", "Unsteady", "My Way" (), "This Girl", "Never Be Like You", "Hymn for the Weekend", "Gold" and "This Is What You Came For". Cool to see "Lush Life" and "Say It" in the Non-Hits list, although the latter could be sleeper hit in the US. I hope it survives the freeze though.
Oh! And I agree with "H.O.L.Y." in the worst songs list.
I just wish they sent Say It to radio when it was at its peak on Spotify, not 3 months after when it had left the top 200.
i can't hate cake by the ocean which is so infectious, unlike most other maroon 5 songs which i have no trouble being able to irrationally hate them lmao
Sit Still, Look Pretty I like the synths tho but both versions slay
Dangerous Woman It got boring over time but I still love the chorus
Me, Myself & I is good but only because of Bebe CBTO is alright