Amazing how someone can drop rudimentary tracks like this and be considered one of the greatest rappers alive. Just to be clear, I'm probably a bigger Drake fan than most, and do genuinely enjoy a bunch of his projects, old and new. But between the amount of wealth he's accumulated over the years and the weathering of several controversies/rap beefs, it's clear that Drake is just on autopilot, running on fumes as he pumps out track after track with little care put into them. ... read more

I swear, it's always weird seeing great songs on here. And yes, this song is great, excellent even. Lola Young has clearly refined her sound and found an aesthetic that really allows her punchy vocals to come through, along with some strong lyrical content that just commands your attention so well without coming across as too juvenile. If "Messy" was the start of a burgeoning artist bubbling with talent and ready to show it to the world, then "One Thing" is the ... read more

How did I just now realize this was a release? And one that's better than the original, at that? It would be weird to give this a comprehensive review, seeing as how it's mostly in line with the original and only really deviates in the instrumentation, but the harsh approach to the vocals is far more streamlined here, and works to create a versatile, piano-heavy acoustic track with legs. While I'm not sold on this occupying space as a standalone track on the pending album, the ... read more

It'll be hard to write a substantive review for this one, mostly because Girl in Red brings the substance in spades. I mean, this is just a great song. Excellent writing, stellar production, and a solid execution of the vulnerable, gripping themes that have been a staple in Ulven's discography up to this point. It's not her most compelling vocal performance, and occasionally there are some lyrical pockets that aren't smooth in the cadence, but everything else in this mostly ... read more

First listen to any Conan Gray track, and about thirty seconds in I thought to myself "over 23 million monthly listeners?" Don't get me wrong, this is a fairly competent song, both vocally and sonically, but nothing about it screams "number 280 in the world". The writing feels very earnest (especially in the chorus), and Gray has a surprisingly compelling singing voice, but there's a certain awkwardness that lingers over the track, mostly due to the fact that the ... read more

Oh no, the TikTok crowd found Doechii. Can't say I'm surprised though, as this song didn't really do her any favors. There's certainly a ton of interesting ideas at play here, from the erratic backing vocals to the tastefully drawn out singing which provides an excellent contrast given the song's overall theme, but that instrumental is so...why? I don't think I need to clarify on what was sampled, since everyone alive has heard the original (a great song, would ... read more

A little late to the Laufey train, but this is an alright first impression. I've been told that her music heavily leans into Jazz/Bossa Nova, which is definitely evident in the heavy, deep strings and plucky instrumental that provides some nice variation throughout the track, but the (mostly) juvenile songwriting doesn't really paint a jazzy picture, and kind of clashes with the mature tone this song clearly wants to have. I also don't think the vocal performance really sells it ... read more

Zutomayo has flirted with jazz-inspired elements in many of their tracks, but this is the first one I've heard that fully leans into it, which yields some very positive results. This is a great song, further elevated by some excellent arrangements in the production (especially when the horns break through the pleasant, doo-wop harmonizing). The songwriting remains consistent with their previous releases, in that the lyrics are incredibly tame, but the formulaic writing is easily trounced ... read more

I guess there's no shame in your artist debut being a TikTok anthem, especially if the production sounds as decent as...wait, this is DRAKE? Actually, that explains why the lyrical content is rudimentary at best. It seems Drake is content with shrugging off his career-ending beef with these radio-friendly club party tracks, and more power to him, but anything above a 6/10 would be unbelievable.

Took a while, but we finally got a "The Lazy Song" for this generation. And this one also has Bruno Mars! Despite the similarities however, this track is a far better nothing pop song than the former. Fun production, a cheesy chorus that somehow manages to sink in as an earworm, and some genuinely solid chemistry between Rose and Bruno Mars, both in the vocal performances and their charismatic music video. 8/10, a very good first impression from Rose.

There's lyrics, a backing track, and...singing? Couldn't really tell you what's going on here, as the song chooses to revel in its mediocre writing instead of the excellent sounding guitars that make up the bulk of what is some really fun production. I won't deny the clever, cheeky moments that make this track somewhat enjoyable, but seeing as how Charlie xcx's "Brat" already exists, I probably won't be revisiting this one. 5/10.

You know what? Not bad, not bad at all. This feels like it came out of left field from Sheeran, and given the insanely catchy melody and chorus, I'm perfectly fine with that. I will say that it's incredibly obvious the track only has verses so it can be considered a song and not an interlude, as the track loses most of its momentum whenever it leaves the chorus to indulge the mediocre songwriting rife within the verses, but man do you forget that when the chorus starts again. 7/10, ... read more

Yep, immediately clocked this as being popular solely due to TikTok. I listened to "Diet Pepsi" almost an hour ago, and the song had completely left my head, so much so that I had to play it as I wrote this review. The production is very uninspired (even down to the robotic synths and basic percussion), but the vocal arrangements are nice and easily stand out (though this is mostly made possible due to the "made in committee" lyrics present throughout the track). 6/10.

Wait, there's good songs on this site? Since when? Anyways, this song is a banger and anyone who still doubts Troye Sivan as a musician or vocalist should be forced to listen to this groovy track before getting to fire off their hot take. It'd still be wrong, but at least they got to be in close proximity to what pop music on the radio can and should sound like. 9/10, with the missing 1 being due to the...interesting music video.

Even giving this a review feels like charity. Rihanna is clearly done with making music, and Jon Bellion clearly did this for an easy check. But given that their last collab was Eminem's "The Monster", this is an utter disappointment on all levels. Production has a groove that goes nowhere, vocals (lol) are a feature at best, and the melody is an anti-earworm. 2.5/10, leaning very close to 2 and not 3.

I can never get a good read on Fujii Kaze, but thankfully his complex yet strangely vulnerable R&B tracks fill in some of those gaps for the listener and I alike. There's a ton of borrowed influences present here (trap 808s, heavy rock guitars, and a smidge of grunge in the arrangements), but they never feel overbearing or like they're weighing down on the track's authenticity. Kaze's stunning vocals remain the focal point as he effortlessly glides over these ... read more

Consider this a formal apology to Lorde, who has still retained her phenomenal pop instincts despite being overlooked by music listeners for no good reason. Aside from being a masterclass in writing, this track sounds gorgeous (especially when the knocking percussion/wavy synths break through) and is sung incredibly well. 10/10, no notes whatsoever.

EDIT: Against all odds, this track actually works within the context of the album. Would still never listen to it of my own volition, but compared to the other terrible songs of "C,XOXO", I can accept this one for what it is. Leaving the old review up, but my new rating: 6.5/10, leaning closer to a 6.

Dear god...why is this track? In a normal world, this collab could have worked and been something. And sure, the production at least adds some much needed groove compared to the other ... read more

Mom, we have Freddy Mercury at home! On a more serious note though, this is an interesting track from Boone. The synths are clearly trying to invoke the 80s (with mostly positive results), but what really sells the track is the storytelling in the lyrics. Both the verses and chorus blend together in a fairly cohesive way, though not so much the bridge. The vocals are...fine, but feel too much like spoken word as opposed to the melodic delivery on songs like "Beautiful Things". 7/10, a ... read more

If you've never heard of interpolation, or are aware that songs have been sampling melodies for decades, then I could see why this track pisses you off. But for anyone with even a smidge of musical knowledge, this is a pretty alright track. Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" makes yet another appearance in a pop song, but thankfully this one does it tastefully, like the Miley Cyrus/Dua Lipa duet of "Prisoner". The vocals are also the most tolerable out of all the ... read more