So I have three possible topics for this week's Open Letter to Music. One would be on Katy Perry and "This Is How We Do," one is on what actually bothers me about "All About That Base" and one asks just what the hell a Troye Sivan is.
Yes yes yes we need some good body image songs. Of course claiming at 13 you had no anthems when we all know "Beautiful" was around makes me wonder about you. As does the existence of "Unpretty." And "Bitch." And a lot of other songs that deal with women accepting who they are and casting aside the confines of societal expectations. Mika tried and failed with "Big Girl You Are Beautiful." Hell, we already had "Pretty Hurts" go nowhere this year and it's basically "Unpretty" focusing strictly on society.
So why is this the big hit? I think it's twofold: it skinny-shames (sorry, no blase "just kidding" allows for it to be a joke) and it molds everything within the scope of the male gaze. Really Meghan, your mom's response to your concerns about being picked on was that boys like junk in the trunk so it's all good? Way to demean yourself down to "a walking ass," especially as you flaunt how you have "all the right curves in all the right places" AND WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IS SHAKE IT SHAKE IT. Its one think to encourage big girls to love themselves (which we do need more of), its another to play up so-called male fantasies about hips and thighs while demeaning thin women (and really all women who think they are fat). But then again, you work in Nashville songshops so this really isn't a surprise seeing as the crap country has put out about women lately.
Love the beat, the chorus makes no sense, but the verses have to go.
Hugs and Firey Destruction
Mikal
P.S. Sam Hunt? Naming your album X2C? Is not clever. Or really country.
The Chart
40
Happy Little Pill
Troye Silvan TRYXE
Weeks: 1 | Peak: 40
NEW
OK, so I don't get YouTube stars (as Willam says, just cuz you finally sucked a dude doesn't mean you should start a webshow) but his voice is at least interesting and the chorus is delicious.
39
Movements
The Solutions Movements
Weeks: 8 | Peak: 20
-16
38
Won't Look Back
Duke Dumont
Weeks: 4 | Peak: 38
-4
37
Stand On The Horizon
Franz Ferdinand Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action
Weeks: 2 | Peak: 37
+1
36
Two Weeks
FKA twigs LP1
Weeks: 2 | Peak: 36
+1
35
Come Over
Clean Bandit (ft. Stylo G) New Eyes
Weeks: 3 | Peak: 35
+3
34
Little White Lies
Florrie
Weeks: 6 | Peak: 21
-5
33
Come Back
Yuna Nocturnal
Weeks: 4 | Peak: 30
+2
32
Mess Is Mine
Vance Joy Dream Your Life Away
Weeks: 3 | Peak: 32
+4
31
Electric Lady
Janelle Monae The Electric Lady
Weeks: 3 | Peak: 31
+2
Happy first week back from the University of New Orleans. Lord let this be the last year so we can call me Dr. Mikal (of Politics) next fall!
Dear Music
I really want to rip Taylor a new one for pulling a Lily Allen and yet not being lambasted for the twerking scene in her pop "debut" (p.s. her song sounds like a 2008 Avril reject so if you like it you CLEARLY have zero taste and should consider praying to baby Jesus) but someone brought up sadness Katy hadn't debuted so why not do that instead?
I'm actually gonna say something nice to Katy: this is easily my favorite video from the Prism era and probably my third favorite video from her (Fave? "The One That Got Away." Second is "Hot N Cold."). It's vibrant and interesting and the sets and the use of dancers are rather striking. It's not innovative but seriously compared to a lot of artists right now she did something weird and it works.
The problem, however, is that the song is just so God-damn-awful and I can't approve of white people doing baby hairs (seriously, can we not let minorities have their own cultural traits #notallKatys) to let it chart. I mean, it may make my 50 Best Videos of the Year anyways but the song just kills any love.
AND ARE YOU WATCHING KIESZA ZOOMING UP THE CHARTS WITH "HIDEAWAY"?!?!?!?! YOU ARE MISSING BEING AHEAD OF THE CURVE WITH "WALKING ON AIR" AND A 90S DEEP HOUSE REVIVAL?!?!??!?!?!?!
Seriously, bad move by the lable here.
Hugs and Firey Destruction
Mikal
The Chart
40
Do It Again
Röyksopp & Robyn Do It Again
Weeks: 5 | Peak: 27
-12
Alright, I'm not gonna lie. The video is really interesting. And a horrible fit for the song.
39
My Song 5
HAIM (ft. A$AP Ferg) Days Like These
Weeks: 1 | Peak: 39
NEW
When the hell did I start liking Haim?
38
Stand On The Horizon
Franz Ferdinand Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action
Weeks: 3 | Peak: 38
-1
37
Come Back
Yuna Nocturnal
Weeks: 5 | Peak: 30
-4
36
Two Weeks
FKA twigs LP1
Weeks: 3 | Peak: 36
NO CHANGE
Second Wonder Girl (it's Yeeun, for those who care) to go solo. Had this been here last year, "24 Hours" by Sunmi would have been #1 for at least a month. Or two. It's one of the best KPop videos ever. As for this? It's Korean Sia which I will take cuz Yeeun sings the hell out of this and you can actually feel it which is rare as fxxk for KPop.
Electric Lady
Janelle Monae The Electric Lady
Weeks: 4 | Peak: 24
+7
23
Monument
Robyn + Royksopp Do It Again
Weeks: 1 | Peak: 23
NEW
22
Budapest
George Ezra Do You Hear The Rain
Weeks: 7 | Peak: 22
+7
21
Shower
Becky G
Weeks: 5 | Peak: 21
+3
Ya wanna know what I love most about this song? The fact there is no real chorus. Think about it, won't you? Thank you
20
My Copycat (나처럼 해봐요)
Orange Caramel (오렌지캬라멜)
Weeks: 1 | Peak: 20
NEW
OC's best song. And maybe one of the best "pop" songs out of Korea this year. Why is After School so useless but Nana, Raina and Lizzy knock it out the park every. single. time?
The problem, however, is that the song is just so God-damn-awful and I can't approve of white people doing baby hairs (seriously, can we not let minorities have their own cultural traits #notallKatys) to let it chart. I mean, it may make my 50 Best Videos of the Year anyways but the song just kills any love.
Take it to SYG
And yet you like shower which has no chorus...well I will love both.
I assume you don't use Katy Perry's songs for bop purposes only
I assume you don't use Katy Perry's songs for bop purposes only
Actually I like a lot of Katy's weird pop stuff. And I will say TIHWD is growing on me a lot
-----
Week 18: August 29, 2014
Dear Music
I want an explaination for this, country radio.
Seriously, we are aware this is not country? It's a poorly made Avicii b-side that Jason slurs his way through as if it's cool. And I never needed to imagine him naked in a bed so thanks to whoever wrote that lyric. The fact that this has been #1 for a month or so aggravates me, especially since Florida Georgia Line just proved that a broken clock can indeed be right twice a day with a legit country song in "Dirt." And the idea that I have to promote the useless FGL idiots as a paragon for country radio makes me break out in hives.
Oh, and Brantley Gilbert and whoever Chase Rice is? There is zero reason to have people throwing rock horns in your videos. As there is nothing "rock", let alone "country" in your monstrocities. Both of you go the hell away already.
Hugs and Firey Destruction
Mikal
The Chart
40
Prayer In C [size=1](Robin Schulz Remix)
Lily Wood & The Prick Invincible Friends
Weeks: 2 | Peak: 39
RETURN
39
Animals
Maroon 5 V
Weeks: 1 | Peak: 39
NEW
38
Come Back
Yuna Nocturnal
Weeks: 6 | Peak: 30
-1
37
Two Weeks
FKA twigs LP1
Weeks: 4 | Peak: 36
-1
36
My Song 5
HAIM (ft. A$AP Ferg) Days Like These
Weeks: 2 | Peak: 36
+3
35
Gecko (Overdrive)
Oliver Heldens (ft. Becky Hill)
Weeks: 9 | Peak: 10
NO CHANGE
34
Mr. Ambiguous (Mr. 애매모호)
Mamamoo Hello
Weeks: 10 (Retired) | Peak: 14
NO CHANGE
Tough Love
Jessie Ware Tough Love
Weeks: 11 weeks | Peak: 2
-8
12
Crazy Stupid Love
Cheryl Cole (ft. Tinie Tempah) Only Human
Weeks: 11 | Peak: 10
-2
11
Maps
Maroon 5 V
Weeks: 11 | Peak: 6
+2
10
Rather Be
Clean Bandit (ft. Jess Glynne) New Eyes
Weeks: 18 | Peak: 4
-4
09
Fxxk Boys Get Money
FEMM Twerk 'Em All
Weeks: 8 | Peak: 7
+2
08
Girl In A Country Song
Maddie & Tae
Weeks: 5 | Peak: 8
+1
07
HER
Block B HER
Weeks: 6 | Peak: 7
NO CHANGE
06
Traum
Cro Melodie
Weeks: 7 | Peak: 6
+2
05
Giant In My Heart
Kiesza Hideaway
Weeks: 10 | Peak: 1
-3
Funny story, so this is on the cd that H&M just got (I also work at H&M besides teaching three days a week and praying I can finish my dissertation #professionalgurl) and one of my visual managers CANNOT. STAND. KIESZA. ON. THIS. Cuz Kiesza does that Gwen Stefani thing where she's hittinh above the note. Drives her batty when this plays and I laugh and laugh and laugh.
04
Jubel
Klingande
Weeks: 13 | Peak: 1
NO CHANGE
03
Never Say Never
Basement Jaxx (ft. ETML) Junto
Weeks: 5 | Peak: 1
-2
02
Habits (Stay High)
Tove Lo Queen of the Clouds
Weeks: 11 | Peak: 1
+1
but I love the new #1! Faded debuts, I love that song. And I'm glad Budapest is back 
I don't know, it's catchy 
