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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Pop Blitz 6/28/11

Maroon 5 (ft. Christina Aguilera) - Moves Like Jagger
I haven't been a Maroon 5 fan for a couple of albums now, but this is easily my favorite single they've released since at least 2008. That whistling hook is the strongest part and carries the entire song for me, while Christina is very misplaced and only distracts. A-

Coldplay - Moving To Mars
Definitely different for them, and more than a little Bowie-inspired, this is an interesting promo single. I'd like it better with a different single, but that's more personal preference than anything. B

Kelly Rowland - Motivation
Though this single's doing well, moving from dance to staccato r&b was not a decision I'm happy about for Rowland. Like Beyonce's most recent efforts, there's not enough melody in this. C-

One Republic - Good Enough
Like most of their songs, this single's bread and butter is in its repetition. It's a style of songwriting that I'm getting a little sick of (including the trademark Tedder drum beats). This doesn't do much for me. C+

Beyonce - Best Thing I Never Had
Her album may be a disastrous disappointment, but this is at least one of its better tracks. It's a big, soulful ballad with some rock 'n roll production in the chorus. It's not up with her best, but it's alright. B-

Ed Sheeran - The A Team
The lyrics are definitely the standout here. Beyond that the melody's pretty forgettable and I'm actually surprised this is as popular as it is. I guess Europe needs its John Mayer too. B-

Cobra Starship - You Make Me Feel
Embracing rather than setting trends, this is catchy but sounds like EVERYTHING ELSE and very little like Cobra Starship. It's a disappointment after their last album, which was actually pretty strong. C+

Pop Blitz 5/19/10

Katy Perry (ft. Snoop Dogg) - California Gurls
This should be horrible. It's got a lame title, some dubious lyrics, and a general Ke$ha-ness about it. Yet the summer beat washes all the shortcomings away and makes this one of Perry's strongest tracks. It's gonna be inescapable. B+

Muse - Neutron Star Collision
This Eclipse single is stronger than most of the stuff on Muse's last album. Sure, it's basically a Queen soundalike, but it's a very good one. And it only gets better as the beat speeds up. B+

Natasha Bedingfield - Touch
Unsurprisingly, she's gone the electropop route. The chorus, as with most of her songs, is slightly irritating and the song as a whole isn't particularly memorable. I'd rather have her brother back, honestly. C

Yeasayer - One
By far their danciest single to date, and one of their best. It comes off a very strong album, too, and has a great video. Very 80's, in the best possible way. A-

Christina Aguilera (ft. Nicki Minaj) - Woohoo
The worst thing I've heard her do (and that's including the last single). It's a thoroughly unsexy "sex" song and by far the most irritating thing in this week's blitz. In fact, it just may be the most obnoxious thing I've heard this year. It's that bad. What a fall from grace. F

Travis Garland - Believe
A budget-rate Jason Derulo/Jay Sean, who themselves are inferior versions of greater artists, this will be here and gone in the blink of an eye. The only thing that saves this song is Garland's voice, which could actually be spectacular given the right production. C

Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love
A huge hit in mainland Europe, and now the UK, this is certainly an interesting club track. All swishy noises and exotic strings, without much of a melody. I really can't make my mind up about this one. I'll probably like it better the more I hear it, but for now it's a B-

Pop Blitz 5/5/10 (Diva Edition)

Miley Cyrus - Can't Be Tamed
Despite some cringe-worthy lyrics, Cyrus maintains her string of great pop singles. It's more dance/urban this time around, which shouldn't really work with her husky voice. But it does. B+

Kelly Rowland - Commander
After her big dance hit last year, Rowland's decided to stick with the genre. Good move. Shame this isn't as strong as last year's. It's not bad, but the vocals do get a little shrill at points. B-

Shakira - Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)
It was written for the World Cup and certainly works in that context. Taken on its own, it's a great piece of African-inspired Shakira-pop. Not catchy enough to be a major hit, but pleasant. B

Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight
The song, and accompanying video, just screams desperation. Worst of all, it's virtually hookless. A big step back for her, and hopefully not a sign of what's to come from the album. C-

Janet Jackson - Nothing
A one-off soundtrack cut from Jackson, and thank god for that because this is pretty sleepy. An attempt to replicate past, better, ballads, it comes up a little short. C

Mini Viva - One Touch
I'm in love with this. It's got one of the strongest bridges of any pop song this year and is a great example of that old-school Xenomania pop. Stuffed with hooks. A

Kelis - Acapella
Her foray into dance music, and definitely a success. The hypnotic beat stands out more than anything else, though I bet there's better stuff on the album. B+