By the way, I've decided that I'll just reveal the full Top 50 Most Played list on 1/1. There'll be too many position changes between now and then for me to be able to reveal a few positions every day.
Nicki Minaj - The Night Is Still Young
alexanderao's rating: 6.6/10
Another quick burner for me. Come to think of it, all of the songs in the 35-40 range of this list were quick burners; otherwise, they'd probably be somewhat higher on the countdown. I have traditionally had a love-hate relationship with Nicki Minaj's pop music. On one hand, it can be very energetic and fun to listen to, but on the other hand it can be processed to the point where it feels more like a slew of pop sounds all crammed into one song, making for an unpleasant listening experience (see: Hey Mama). This song is one of the better pop songs she has released, and I like how it has a subtle nostalgic, bittersweet tinge to it, evident in her tone and the instrumental but not the lyrics. This isn't a fantastic song, as the synth-heavy chorus isn't particularly inspired, but for a period of time during the early summer it was fun to jam to.
Pros: hint of nostalgia, pop instrumental Cons: low replay value due to unoriginality/relative blandness
This position in 2014: Pharrell Williams f/Miley Cyrus - Come Get It Bae
I feel like this song would have been a lot better with a different chorus, one without the awkward percussive breakdown. The prechorus is actually very good, and the verses aren't bad either, with Jonas' sultry singing in the spotlight as it was on Jealous (which did not appear on my 2014 countdown, but grew on me a lot in 2015). The difference, though, between Chains and Jealous is that the former overdoes what the latter did so well. In Jealous, Jonas glides cleanly over the smooth electro-pop instrumental to convey the song's emotions, but in Chains both he and the instrumental almost seem to exaggerate the song. That being said, though, Chains is not a bad song at all, and it was another nice short-term earworm for me this year.
Pros: prechorus, captivating vocals Cons: breakdown, general exaggeration of the song's theme
This position in 2014: Justin Timberlake - Not A Bad Thing
The Night Is Still Young I agree with you completely on Hey Mama. That song is a complete disaster. TNISY does have that slight twinge of sadness, that gives it some more subtlety than you would think.
This isn't even close to the best song on surprise release If You're Reading This It's Too Late, but nevertheless it manages to sneak into one of my lists. The lyrics are typical Drake fare, proudly arrogant and egotistical, and the instrumental is pretty basic, consisting of a Boi-1da loop beat with a few synths and sound effects thrown in. So why does it get a spot here? It doesn't overstay its welcome -- clocking in at just 3 minutes and 2 seconds long -- and it's fast-paced and full of adrenaline, as its title would suggest. Drake brings his trademark rap-sing approach to the table, keeping the song from sounding too monotonous. This is below your average Drake track in terms of sonic complexity, and the lyrics aren't anything special, but the execution is confident and polished enough to make it work.
Pros: Good overall execution Cons: Not a standout at all, either among Drake's discography or among 2015 urban songs
This position in 2014: Rae Sremmurd - No Flex Zone
Wale f/Jeremih - The Body
alexanderao's rating: 7.3/10
Wale kicked off 2015 by ascending to #2 on urban radio (blocked from #1 by 7/11) with this sleek track. The instrumental is oddly calming, and has a very sexy, modern feel to it. I'm a fan of Wale's laid-back, casual delivery here, and Jeremih's chorus does not disappoint (which they usually don't). I'm also a fan of the song's unusual structure: it begins with a short chorus, then has a long verse, followed by a prechorus and a longer chorus, followed by a normal-length verse and another longer chorus, which transitions smoothly into the outro. This would work fantastically if the song was engaging all the way through, but unfortunately it isn't. By the second verse, the flow has become less of an atmosphere-setter and more of a bore, and I find myself wanting to switch the song. There's plenty of wasted potential in this song, but there are several very good things about it, and you'll love it if you're in the right mood to hear it.
Pros: Jeremih's chorus, sleek instrumental, unique structure Cons: Drags on far too long, gets boring quickly
This position in 2014: Drake - 0 to 100 / The Catch Up
I just listened to the Wale song since I didn't know it. Sounds like an attempt for another Lotus Flower Bomb. It has its moments though
Oh yeah, I totally agree here. I feel like it's one of those songs where if I'm in the right mood (chilling on a Sunday morning with no homework, for example), I really like hearing it.
It's funny- I associate The Body with wintertime more than almost any other song on my Top 30, simply because I was playing it the most during Boston's coldest month in recorded history. I love how I associate songs with weather. Two of my passions intertwining.
Oh yeah, I totally agree here. I feel like it's one of those songs where if I'm in the right mood (chilling on a Sunday morning with no homework, for example), I really like hearing it.
It's funny- I associate The Body with wintertime more than almost any other song on my Top 30, simply because I was playing it the most during Boston's coldest month in recorded history. I love how I associate songs with weather. Two of my passions intertwining.
I hear you.
I do the same thing with certain songs. Some songs are winter songs, some are summer songs, some are rainy day songs. Boston's coldest month in recorded history though, I'm getting cold now thinking about it
Alexanderao taste >>>>>>>>>>> 
)
