Pop Blitz - U.S. Itunes Top Ten

Time for a little snapshot of Summer 2013 on U.S. itunes. These are the top ten tracks at the time of writing. Do they stack up against other summers?

1. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)
This is the Summer of throwback jams. I'm continually amazed that Thicke still has such a strong career. This gets a little annoying after repeated listens, but there's no denying nostalgia. B+

2. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop
Didn't like it at first, but the track's druggy weirdness won me over in a big way -- enough to become my favorite American Summer track so far this year. A

3. JAY Z - Holy Grail (feat. Justin Timberlake)
Timberlake just annoys me, but his vocals are almost unrecognizable here. I actually really like the first minute or so, but then it becomes all too murky and forgettable. The Nirvana reference doesn't work at all. B-

4. Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
This has become more and more inescapable as the months have gone on. It's not really my thing (a little too dark), but I can appreciate it -- and it's definitely got that big hook. B

5. Daft Punk - Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)
A nice compliment to song number one, this disco throwback has become a surprising hit. It's deservedly soundtracking the Summer. A-

6. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Same Love (feat. Mary Lambert)
For some reason, I thought this was Frank Ocean for the longest time. The track never really surpasses its "message" status, but it's an important message and I'm certainly happy that it's become so big. A-

7. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)
I'm actually kind of amazed at how much success these guys have had. I'm not as big a fan of this track as the last one, but it's cool enough, I guess. B

8. Florida Georgia Line - Cruise (Remix) [feat. Nelly]
Country and rap... is not something I usually enjoy. Add a healthy bit of vocoder and you've got this weird track. I just don't know... C

9. Anna Kendrick - Cups
She must be absolutely shocked that she suddenly has a top ten hit. I was a fan of Pitch Perfect when it was first out, but have cooled on it quite a bit as it's gained so much popularity. This is... fine (for a little cup ditty). B

10. Bruno Mars - Treasure
I don't know why I've never connected with Bruno Mars. On paper, he should be everything I like. I just can't get into it. This is a nice throwback and better than I expected, actually, so I'm hoping it'll grow on me. For now I'm gonna have to give another B

Pop Blitz 3/19/13

Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man
I've tried to get into the Bruno Mars thing, but honestly, I just find him to be a second rate Prince/Michael Jackson clone. The enormous success of this track baffles me. He's got absolutely no edge. C

The Saturdays - What About Us
This is another pop group I've tried to love without much success. That said, this is one of their best singles. It's hooky throughout and the melody doesn't get lost in the production (which is admittedly trend-conscious). B+

Nicole Scherzinger - Boomerang
I'm pleased to see that she's sticking with straight-up pop, now that she's gained a foothold on the UK audience. This isn't up there with her best, but it's a fun bubblegum pop track. B

Pink - Just Give Me A Reason (ft. Nate Ruess)
I'm not much of a Pink fan anymore, but I do love Nate's singing and (especially) songwriting, and that's what makes this single special. It's her best in years, with a strong, theatrical melody and rock production. A-

Pitbull - Feel This Moment (ft. Christina Aguilera)
This is just offensive, mostly because sampling A-Ha was a great idea used/abused for such a crappy song. Seriously, Pitbull needs to go away and take Christina with him. D+

Demi Lovato - Heart Attack
Not into it. More and more, Lovato's singing voice just irritates me. The melody and production seem so dated to me, and not in a good way. It's got that uninteresting, dirge-like sound to it--just kind of plods along until it's over. C

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors
I can't stand the guy, and judging from the samples of the album, it sounds absolutely atrocious and self-indulgent. This track is the silver lining, though, as it's the best single he's released since his debut. I'm even forced to like it a little bit. He's still a sorry excuse for a pop star, though. B+

Now it's your chance to have your say. Which track is your favorite?

Pop Blitz 3/19/13 Your Choice!

Bruno Mars - When I Was Your ManThe Saturdays - What About UsNicole Scherzinger - BoomerangPink & Nate Ruess - Just Give Me A ReasonPitbull - Feel This Moment (ft. Christina Aguilera)Demi Lovato - Heart AttackJustin Timberlake - Mirrors

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Countdown to the Countdowns: The Worst Singles of 2011

yes, it's a matter of taste, but if I didn't have taste I wouldn't be running this blog. So before I count down the best tracks of the year, let's look at a few that I never want to hear again.

1. Pink - F**kin Perfect/Jessie J - Price Tag
With her first two albums, Pink was very high on my list of the best pop stars out there. Then she began to repeat herself and water down the music. Perfect, with it’s cutesy lyrics and plodding chorus, just turned me right off her. And if that’s not bad enough, we were forced to endure the song twice this year under two names. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the chorus of Price Tag is exactly the same thing. As if it wasn’t mind-numbing enough the first time.

2. Christina Perri - Jar Of Hearts
Suffers similar problems as Pink’s song. It’s got those kind of Starbucks poetry, precious lyrics that just rub me the wrong way. Still, it was a hit around the world. I know people love it, but I seriously can’t listen to it again.

3. Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song
Almost Don’t Worry, Be Happy levels of irritation. It’s the kind of novelty track that sets an artist back years in my opinion. Everything else Bruno released this year was fine. This made me scream every time I heard it on the radio.

4. Anything by Taylor Swift
Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one in the world that who is totally done with Taylor Swift. I just can’t deal with the “dooby dooby doo… princess… dooby dooby doo… white horse… dooby dooby doo… ballerina…” nature of her songwriting. I know I’m not the target audience and that it’s just a matter of taste, but to me it’s like nails on a chalkboard.

5. Matt Cardle - Run For Your Life
The UK X-Factor winner lived up to his title of dullest champion yet with this unceremonious dirge. The title basically says it all.

6. Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight, Tonight
This epitomizes what irks me about the hipster mentality in pop music. It's like the soundtrack to a bad romantic comedy (in fact, it probably is). None of the little catchphrases in this track are the least bit cute or funny.

7. Coldplay - Paradise
More of a pet peeve of mine than anything. I hate songs whose chorus consists of the same word repeated over and over again. To me, it's lazy songwriting and almost always results in a plodding melody. Coldplay have done much, much better in the past. I can't believe I gave this a decent grade when it first came out.

8. Train - Marry Me
Thankfully it never became as ubiquitous as their last single, because this is the most saccharine track they've ever released.

Pop Blitz 9/29/11

Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It All
It's a breezy return for Clarkson, and this song goes down real easy. I'm actually surprised how much I like it. Her vocals sound so amazing on the chorus. A-

The Wanted - Lightning
I love this melodically, but I can't help but feel that there's a little something missing in the production. Even so, this easily keeps up their run of brilliant pop singles. B+

Rihanna - We Found Love
It's another big hit, and a new venture into a very European sound. Thank Calvin Harris, whose production is gonna sound very fresh in the US (even though it's getting pretty stale worldwide). Still, this is more anthemic than she's sounded in awhile. A-

Jason Derulo - It Girl
I like how everyone's jumping on the whistle craze now that Maroon 5 have found such success with it. Unfortunately, the whistling is by far the best part of this forgettable slow jam. C+

Bruno Mars - It Will Rain
It's an odd choice for a Twilight soundtrack, for sure. For me, his singles have either been amazing or dire so far. This is oddly somewhere in the middle. Certainly not bad, but it doesn't have that "wow" factor, either. B-

Pixie Lott - All About Tonight
If she's looking for a US career, she would be wise to offer this as her opening salvo. It never breaks away from trendiness, but it's her catchiest single to date by a mile. B

B.O.B. - Strange Clouds (ft. Lil' Wayne)
A lot's riding on this comeback single. It's certainly not the crossover hit he needs for pop radio, but it's not hideously mediocre either. It's a little Tinie Tempah-esque, except not as good. C+

Your Choice: What's your favorite Pop Blitz song this week?

Pop Blitz 9/29/11 Your Choice!

Kelly Clarkson - Mr. Know It AllThe Wanted - LightningRihanna - We Found LoveJason Derulo - It GirlBruno Mars - It Will RainPixie Lott - All About TonightB.O.B. - Strange Clouds (ft. Lil' Wayne)

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Pop Blitz 4/19/11

Lady Gaga - Judas
Yes, it's basically Bad Romance Part Two, but you can't deny that the thing's catchy. A little more innovation would have bumped this up a notch, but Gaga by the numbers is still something to get excited about. A-

Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat
The latest European dance hit, sampling a saxophone loop. It's hardly original, and it's not as catchy as either We No Speak Americano or Stereo Love, two similar hits in this genre. It's just a little dull. C+

Jennifer Lopez - Papi
After On The Floor, which I loved, Jennifer Lopez suddenly got interesting again. This isn't quite up to that level, even though it strives for the same international appeal. Still, it's better than the stuff she's been releasing the past few years. B

Tinie Tempah - Written In The Stars
After hitting it big in the UK, this seems to be Tempah's American breakthrough. It's got a nice hook that reminds me of that Airplanes song from last summer. It's better than that, though nothing that's really knocking my socks off. The surging production is the best part. B-

Owl City - Galaxies
A couple years ago, I hated nothing more than Owl City and his whiny Fireflies song. The vocals in this are so much more tolerable and the melody and production is shockingly good. What ruins it are the cheesy religious lyrics. I wish they were in another language so that I could ignore them. B

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
A hit around the world, this has (weirdly) yet to strike in America. Give it time. This will be everywhere. It's irritating, yet somehow it's almost impossible not to like. It's what BEP could sound like if they didn't take themselves so seriously. The video's better than the song, though. B-

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song
After a pair of strong singles, this Jason Mraz castoff is a misstep. I can't believe this was chosen as a single. It's a weak album track, at best, with annoying lyrics. I hope to god I don't have to hear this over and over on the radio. D+

Pop Blitz 12/08/10

Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude
I like this girl because I think she's got charisma. But... I'm not crazy about this song. It grates a little and I just feel like for as much hype as she's getting, she could've come with something more original. B-

The Wanted - Lose My Mind
Their debut album was stronger than it had to be and really quite a good listen, but this song has never screamed "single" to me. It's one of their more skippable tracks, particularly because it sounds way too much like Kings of Leon. As an album track, I love it, but I wish it would've stayed that way. B

Bruno Mars - Grenade
He was smart to release this, one of his album's strongest tracks, as a single. If he continues this quality, he's going to have quite a career. The vocals are amazing. A-

Coldplay - Christmas Lights
If any band were made to write a Christmas song, it would be Coldplay (especially after Clocks). This is somewhat underwhelming, mostly because it really doesn't sound like Christmas at all. That's probably the point, but to me it's a missed opportunity. C+

Sugarland - Stuck Like Glue
I first heard this a couple of months ago and thought: "hey, this country song could totally cross over to pop radio." And it did. It's dangerously catchy. I'm not even sure if I like it, but I can't resist it, which means once it becomes even more ubiquitous I'm sure I'll hate it. For now, it's an A-

Wiz Khalifa - Black And Yellow
I was all prepared to hate this, but the beat's actually really good and the hook's not bad either. I could see this easily pulling 50 Cent In Da Club type success and crossing over. It's not really my thing, but for what it is it's solid. B

Natalia Kills - Mirrors
This reminds me a little of what Lady Gaga sounded like when she first came out. It's great, but the only problem is that we have a Lady Gaga already and it's just a little too similar. Even the vocal delivery is the same. That being said, I'm liking this more each time I hear it. A week ago this would've been a B- at most. Now it's a B+

Pop Blitz 9/8/10

Alexandra Burke - Start Without You A RedOne production, which in itself is something to be thankful for because he compliments Alexandra quite well. This wasn't on the album, but should have been. It's got a bit of novelty to it with the Caribbean feel, but it's fun late-Summer pop. B+

Cee Lo Green - FU
He's finally found another track to rival Crazy! This is great, old-school soul (though the hook's foul-mouthed lyrics are bound to get him censored). A-

Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
Currently the number one song on US itunes, this is a slightly trancey ballad that's actually better than I expected. The melody's nice, if a little boyband. It sounds very current, in a way that's pleasant now but completely forgettable down the road. B-

Taylor Swift - Mine
And she's regurgitated the same single over again. Each time, the music becomes less charming. This targets her audience perfectly, but it's just grating for the rest of us. C

Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
It's back to uptempo dance music for Rihanna. This is a good thing, and this is a great song. There's a danger of this sounding like everything else out there, but she definitely puts her own stamp on it. A promising taster from the new album. A

Selena Gomez & the Scene - A Year Without Rain
Ends her string of great bubblegum pop singles. This is her trying to be serious, which results in a snore of a song that's more mood than melody. Too bad. It's her first big misstep as far as singles go. C+

Olly Murs - Please Don't Let Me Go
He was a consummate song and dance man on X-Factor, but this dials down the showmanship in favor of a Jason Mraz sound. It's not annoying, but it's not interesting either. It's just sort of there. B-