Music Favourites: October 2014

5 most listened to songs for the month :

(Random Order) 

1. She came to give it to you- Usher ft. Nicki Minaj- UR (2014)

This song just has this amazing funky disco vibe that makes you want to dance. It's a classic Usher Contemporary R&B tune but with a hint of funk and disco. That disco rhythm is what makes it super peppy. The video is again, classic Usher; Mad hip-hop dance moves, his dancing silhouette in front of a spotlight (example YEAH!) etc. I am not a very big fan of Nicki Minaj, I was kind of traumatized after watching her Anaconda video, but I think as a collaboration, she does a good enough job like in this video. There is little to no meaning to the lyrics, but Usher knows how to work that rhythm. 7/10.
Talking about Discos...




iTunes: http://smarturl.it/SCTGITY?IQid=yt 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-93LzZM1y0




2. Colours- Calvin Harris- I Created Disco 

I don't really know why I haven't heard this one before but it's a really nice track. I think I have this disco theme going on this October. The album is I Created Disco and hence the disco tune to it. I am not a very EDM person, but I guess this works for me. It's the kind of song you listen to for 2 weeks or so in your shower and then get over it. Again, the lyrics don't really make sense, but yes the tune is wonderful. 6/10.

Shower reminds me...



iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/in/album/i-created-disco/id256277919
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipdbzG874ms


3. Shower- Becky G

Teen pop is just that mad genre which goes haywire on the charts 2-3 weeks after releasing and then eventually disappears for a while only to go crazy on the charts again. I cannot stand Becky G. Her voice is a certain pitch which I just can't listen to, but luckily I didn't expect her to be the one singing when I listened to the song. It's a classic teen-pop/hip-hop/R&B tune. The song is highly influenced by snap music.

POI: Snap music is a dance-centric sub-genre of hip-hop that originated in the late 1990s in Bankhead, West Atlanta, USA. Early snap music artists include Dem Franchize Boys, K-Rab and D4L. "Crank that Soulja Boy" is a famous example.

The lyrics don't make sense but it's cute and relatable if you're 13. It's a cute little teenage love song. The video is filled with crop tops, winged eyeliner, high-waisted denim shorts and head-scarf-band. Everything from teen-fashion from this summer.
7/10.

Teenage love songs are almost a patent of...

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/in/album/shower-single/id868199032
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50-_oTkmF5I 


4. Shake it Off- Taylor Swift-1989


No matter how many love songs or break up songs this woman writes she still manages to be on top of the charts. Taylor Swift is known for her rule over teen pop. 5 years ago she was my most listened to artist even if at that point she was so repetitive. It's like the Hannah Montana phase.
This song is I think the most adorably stupid song I have ever heard. It doesn't really make much sense but once you watch the video you're hooked onto it for weeks. It released sometime in August, and I still listen to it regularly. Pop in the most high school form.

I MUST talk about how stupid (in a good way) and carefree this video is. Taylor Swift is asking you to CHILL dear teenagers. No you don't have to be poised and elegant, nor do you have to twerk flawlessly, you just have to Shake it off. Haters gonna hate, screw them and let loose. The video begins with her her elegant (ha) ballet moves, goes onto tutting with swag (haha), then to her beautiful contemporary dancing with a cloth as a prop (hahaha) and finally onto twerking like T.Swizzle in the club (HAHA!) and a few other crazy sub stories of it's okay to not be good at something. The video is extremely clumsy and carefree. And it works! (I think I am kind of writing a tribute to being my most listened to artist 5 years ago or something, but whatever)

Taylor Swift also sported a new look in this video which has now become a trend. Yes, the shoulder length hair. That outfit is just a perfect mixture of classy and comfort. Plain black top and bottom with red lipstick and cute ballerinas; but what pulls that look together is the hair, gorgeous I tell you.

 Nice change from the love and break-up songs. Carefree and clumsy all the way.
(8+1)/10. (+1 for the black and black look in the video)

Speaking of Tributes...

iTunes: http://www.smarturl.it/TS1989
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM 

5. Girls Chase Boys- Ingrid Michaelson- Lights Out

This Homage to Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible" is indeed an intelligent twist on a literal tribute. Ingrid Michaelson initially started this song as a break-up song based on her experiences but eventually started addressing the deeper issue of Same Love or in simple words, no matter who or how we love, we are all the same. The song is the kind of song you would listen to while driving to or from work. It's a great representation of her Indie-pop nature musically.

The tribute is an intelligent twist on a literal copy in a way that Ingrid is dressed like Robert from his video, and surrounded by people in pink. Yes, people. The video amazingly addresses stereotypical gender roles and breaks the stereotype in the most normal way possible. Men in makeup doing "girly" dance moves from Palmer's video and Ingrid dressed like Palmer seems like a great way.  From #4 and #5 of this list, I just realized how music is just not about singing a song to a rhythm but also about sending a message using cinema. Even if the lyrics aren't as poetic or don't hold a super deep meaning you can make the video so cool that, 1.You can sell it, and  2.You can send a message. The Music Industry intelligently plays with peoples' emotions sometimes for the greater good and makes money from it. No wonder they make so much money.

8/10. Kudos to breaking the stereotype :)

iTunes: http://smarturl.it/IMLightsOut
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GBT37_yyzY

I hope you enjoyed reading my little rant on my most listened to music from this month. 

Fin.