Hey guys, welcome back to Monthly Musical Maelstrom!
June was all about what would become the dominant songs of the Summer, July was all about Barbie, August was incredibly short and dominated by UTOPIA and misguided classism, and today September... is our longest month yet, with 40 songs from ALL over the spectrum of music.
Don't believe me? Look at the mess that is our first week of this month:
Week 35 (Sep 1st - Sep 8th)
Title: Used To be Young by Miley Cyrus
Position: #7
For all the shit I've given that new Miley album for being bland and uninspired, I'll admit that this is one of the better songs off of it, up there with River. And if I ignore that it sounds eerily similar to her 2009 song The Climb in spots - complete with piercing vocals and bog-standard piano line - you're actually left with a pretty emotional song.
In this track, Miley's partner confronts her about changing, telling her she used to be wild and free... and she breaks down because really, she's just older, wiser. After spending so many years trying to do everything she can to prove she's an adult, she finally stopped trying to prove it to everyone else, and actually grew up... and it's STILL not good enough to save her relationship!
It's the hard lesson of outgrowing your old self, which is that you can also outgrow the people who used to matter most to you. It's probably the most mature song Miley's written in years, and if you can look past some shaky production choices, you're left with a really good song.
Title: I Remember Everything by Zach Bryan
Position: #15
I spent a good portion of the 2010s shouting from the rooftops that we should be giving Kacey Musgraves the radio play that she's deserved since Follow Your Arrow hit the Billboard charts back in 2013! And a decade later, she's number 1 in the US, and in the Top 20 here in Ireland... maybe this isn't the worst timeline after all!
With all that weight and expectation though, especially on a collab with Zach Bryan, this could have very easily felt like a letdown. Thankfully though, it's not; in fact it's one of the best songs I've heard all year. The quiet simmer of the production on the verses, as each singer muses on a really toxic, drunken relationship that was terrible for both of them, yet continued coming back to for all the wrong reasons, all to hit that chorus where they admit that despite moving on, they both remember every moment they spent together, still harboring lingering affection along with a whole lot of resentment.
It's a masterfully written and paced song, where both singers sound so raw and weathered that I believe every word of it, even though I'm pretty certain they were never involved in real life. And even as a registered sucker for these types of ballads, the writing, the slow burn melody, and the TON of vocal chemistry all just floor me every time. Not the only Zach Bryan song vying for my year-end list of the best songs of this year, but as of writing this, it's most definitely the frontrunner.
Title: Single Soon by Selena Gomez
Position: #19
I heard the backlash to this song long before the song itself. That it was another bland pop sellout that did nothing to compliment Selena's strengths and was more annoying than catchy. And... maybe it's because I've been binging the excellent show Only Murders In The Building and I'm on a Selena Gomez high? Because I think this song is kinda tight!
It's nothing amazing, per se, but it's the best hook Selena has had since... fuck, maybe Good For You? And while I know some have called it callous to the guy she's leaving, planning her single life before they've even broken up, to me it sounds more like it was never that serious, and that this is just the latest in a series of flings. She's just moving on, no hard feelings.
I don't know, maybe I've just grown a bit more nuanced when it comes to how I judge others and their relationship choices, maybe it's just nice to hear Selena sounding ACTUALLY happy on a song for a change after everything she's been through, but I find myself singing along with this whenever it comes on, much to my wife's chagrin. Sorry honey. 😘
Title: Delilah (pull me out of this) by Fred again..
Position: #27
It feels weird to only be talking about this song now, considering how much I've heard it over the course of the past year. But with the rise in popularity of Fred again.., his Top 10 hit adore u, and with a well-timed concert on the BBC, he managed to get this and a couple more songs on the charts, with this being the only new one to chart this week. And yeah, it's pretty damn excellent.
Same as adore u or Rumble, I love this song because it plays to his strengths as a producer. The issue with a lot of mainstream EDM songs for me is that they can sound very bland outside of the stadiums that they're technically built to be played in, especially with the steady plastification of the deep house genre over the course of the 2010s. But in 2023, the trends are changing steadily to incorporate more Trance elements, eurodance, and even some drum-and-bass features that have been getting steadily better in my opinion. Following that trend (or arguably near the lead of it), Delilah is a house song that remains interesting throughout its runtime by chopping and screwing its sample, letting it run out on the bridge, and switching up the tempo to keep you on your toes, all building to a BEAUTIFUL drop that loops and bounces around my speakers like nobody's business!
It's the kind of song that was recorded in a way that makes you feel like you're at a festival: the mix is playful in the way a live DJ should be on stage, adding in beats and skips at just the right spots in response to the crowd's energy, It's a terrific song that I'm so sad I discovered in early 2023 instead of when it first dropped, because mark my words, this belonged in my Top 50 songs of 2022. If only I hadn't hesitated to listen to Actual Life 3... glad to finally get the chance to praise it now though!
Title: Spotless by Zach Bryan (Ft. Lumineers)
Position: #28
If I haven't said it already, I think The Lumineers are one of the blandest bands of the early 2010s, akin to the adult-alternative drivel that your parents put on when they wanted to steer clear of anything "dangerous" or "fun" on the radio. So with those rock-bottom expectations, colour me surprised that I like this a lot too!
Wesley Schultz and Zach Bryan have some really good vocal chemistry, to the point where it took me multiple listens to identify who sang what in certain parts. The slower tempo allows them both to shine really well, the chorus is once again SO strong, and for a song that essentially boils down to "we're only human after all", they do a Hell of a lot more with it than Rag'n'Bone Man ever did!
This song is less about making excuses for yourself, and more for both you AND your partner, where he's come to realise that the person he's in a relationship with has a lot of past baggage, and they now have the option to acknowledge they're not perfect and work through it together, or break it off amicably if they don't feel like trying. I like that the protagonist presents their partner with a choice, but says that as far as they're concerned, they want to try to make it work. They've run away from too many relationships in the past, and this one's worth fighting for. No jokes, just another really great duet; seriously, check out this album if you haven't already!
Title: Cheat On Me by Burna Boy (Ft. Dave)
Position: #42
I've admittedly been very hard on both of these artists throughout 2023. But in my defence, they set really high bars with their past work, and I just feel they haven't been living up to their potential this year! So it's fitting that this, a song acknowledging they've each been selling themselves short, is the best thing they're made all year!
The sample is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here, as the light piano-lead production, with the bouncy percussion and the occasional flair of a guitar or horn, it all gives the song this really wholesome backdrop, which flatters both our performers perfectly, giving the song this very sincere but loose feel to it!
And this is easily the best Burna has sounded all year, as he laments that it took him so long to even question why it's so hard for someone from his country to even get a permanent visa... FAIR! Dave isn't bad either, as he raps about getting high with his girl, and although it's corny as Hell - "I'm Mario, my girl got a peach" good grief... - it adds to the good vibes of the song very nicely. An underdog tune that may not be anything too special, but does everything right to win me over.
Title: Meridian by Dave & Tiakola
Position: #62
And for the SECOND Dave song of the week, it's a bilingual French/English song with French singer/rapper Tiakola... random! Or eclectic, depending on who you ask. Because as someone who grew up with a fair amount of francophone rap in Belgium, this is pretty damn good too!
Okay, it's a teeny bit cringe hearing Dave try to speak French. He's pretty solid on the English bits, but some parts simply don't translate - "Mec, I travel overseas" ("mec" is slang for "dude") sounded exactly like "Mecca, travel overseas", and had me thinking he was converting for a moment - while Tiakola really steals the show: his flow and lines are just much smoother and fit the pretty guitar-based beat really well. Plus he doesn't try to sing or rap in English much outside of a couple of stock phrases that STILL translate better than Dave's attempts at crossing the language barrier.
Still, the song is once again quite pretty and still ranks near the top of what Dave has released this year. Jeez, a lot of good music this week! Is that about to change?
Title: Party All The Time by Hannah Laing, HVRR
Position: #66
... That's a nope.
Hannah Laing's Good Lovin' has been one of the biggest growers of 2023 for me, a song I was initially a bit lukewarm on, but which then absolutely refused to leave my head for about a month, really going straight for the nostalgia as a really danceable song that I'm STILL listening to! That is until this dropped... cause I might like this even more!
And again, at first, I wasn't sure! Even with the goodwill built up by Good Lovin, this felt like it was treading in similar territory, and even the pitched vocals of HVRR sounded like RoRo, it was just too similar to praise... and then it too refused to leave my head for weeks on end! And the more I listened to both, the more I grew to prefer this!
And it's almost entirely because of the added organ effects and that one repeated lyric. The organ is just a kickass instrument and will always win big points with me no matter how synthetic it is, as it serves to give the song so much more grandeur! As for the lyrics (or lyric), just the simple fact of changing it to third person adds a whole dimension to the song, a celebration of someone else's fun as the music takes her into the partying spirit! As someone who's more of an indoor person and who has dated a few people who were not, this is an anthem to vicarious enjoyment, which I'm only half-sure was fully intended... either way, love this!
Title: Damage Gets Done by Hozier (Ft. Brandi Carlile)
Position: #67
This might shock you all to hear... but of the songs to have charted from Unreal Unearth, this might be my least favourite. And that's INSANE to me, considering how much I love these 2 artists individually! You would think a track from these 2 powerhouses would be stunning, similar to if not better than I Remember Everything! And yet... no, despite listening to it time and time again, I always feel like the song's missing something. Weirdly, these 2 might be too talented for each other, Their voices are equally matched, they each sound great, but they never quite feel like they're singing to each other, there's simply no chemistry. That and the instrumental just isn't any good, leaning way too hard into the electronic elements and teetering somewhere between too little and too much.
To be clear, I don't think this is a bad song, in fact I think the content about NOT blaming your past mistakes on being young and reckless - because that's how you're SUPPOSED to be in young relationships - is kind of insightful. But it all results in a very mid song, which isn't something I ever thought I could call a collab from these 2. So much potential, all of it sadly wasted... at least on me.
Title: Night on the Town by The Tumbling Paddies
Position: #88
I am well aware how corny this song is. It's a trad song with modern production - pretty standard for the Tumbling Paddies - in which they're hitting the town looking for a party. Feels like deja vu! There's a even a line where, beneath the lights of the dancefloor, he proclaims "this place is lit", which made me cringe SO hard at first, especially considering it's right there in the chorus!
And yet the verses are anything BUT fun! His home life sounds like kind of a mess, he's in financial distress, his wife's ready to leave him, and this night on the town is his only escape. It adds surprising stakes and a touch of hidden desperation to the jovial smile presented on the hook, and goddamn, it worked, they made me care!
I know it's silly, and as 2023 modern trad songs go, I think Son Of Ireland by The High Kings still gets the edge for me, but as a sucker for this type of song, dancing in the face of pain, this is surprisingly potent!
Title: Baddadan by Chase & Status, Bou (Ft. IRAH, Flowdan, Trigga & Takura)
Position: #92
Woah woah WOAH! What the fuck??
I only really knew Chase & Status before this from that Becky Hill collaboration Disconnect, and Flowdan's the only other name I recognised here. And I've gone on record criticising a lot of drum-n-bass in the last year or 2, proclaiming it as being "not really my thing", but specifying that I'm not writing off the whole genre, it just takes the right approach to win me over. And... well, this is it!
This is AWESOME! It's badass, it knocks like you wouldn't believe, it's menacing, the performers each come in with their deep voices trying to outdo the previous one, and it does all that while still being catchy as Hell, all with those echoing group vocals calling "nobody badder than we" to accentuate the danger!
Seriously, I want THIS to be the new normal, the song people look to when they're looking to make this genre interesting, intimidating and downright COOL to me! What more can I say? This kicks ass!
Title: Million Dollar Bill by Beyond Chicago, Majestic & Alex Mills)
Position: #98
And at the end of one of the best and most colourful weeks I've ever covered on this blog, we end on a slightly more conventional note. In the proud tradition of taking older songs and interpolating them for modern success, we have the newest offering from a collection of DJs bringing us a lesser-known Whitney Houston track from 2009(!), her song Million Dollar Bill. And look, I could very easily critique this very harshly next to all these more interesting songs... but I honestly kind of enjoy this version.
Look, 2009 was not the high point of Whitney's powers, and dare I say it, this version has a joyful energy that the original lacked. The tempo is higher, the beat is really danceable, and the energy injected into these vocals makes the excitement at finding that 1 person who treats her right bleed through my speakers. It gives it that punch of youthful innocence - or maybe even rediscovered youth after years of disappointment - that just puts a smile on my face in a way that the slower original song never managed to do.
Is this sacrilege? Is it bizarre that it took this many cooks in the kitchen to make this? Was it worth the price of the sample clearance? I don't know. But after the last Majestic hit was such a basic and low-effort "reimagining" of Boney M's Rasputin, this actually feels like real passion and effort went into it, and it shows! Genuinely enjoyable, nice job!
Holy shit, this may be the most positive I've ever been in one of these weeks. You see it sometimes in shorter weeks, but this one had 12 songs and I didn't dislike any of them! To the point where... crazy to say, I think Hozier & Brandi Carlile earn Worst of this week with Damage Gets Done, not because I dislike it, but because it's just the least good of an extremely good batch! As for Best... fuck, I have WAY too many picks! I'm tempted to give a 4-way tie... so fuck it, let's do an impromptu ranking! As of writing this:
#4: Baddadan by Chase & Status, Bou (Ft. IRAH, Flowdan, Trigga & Takura)
#3: Party All The Time by Hannah Laing & HVRR
#2: I Remember Everything by Zach Bryan (Ft. Kacey Musgraves)
#1: Delilah (pull me out of this) by Fred again..
But just know that ranking could absolutely change, what a phenomenal collection of songs!
Week 36 (Sep 8th - 15th)
Title: Strangers by Kenya Grace
Position: #30
You know what, I didn't know what to expect from this. The best way I can describe it is Drum-n-Bass bedroom pop; an interesting blend, but not one I thought would stick with me long-term. And yet this left a much bigger impact on me than I was expecting, primarily due to Kenya Grace herself.
She has a lot of personality for such a soft-spoken singer, in a way that I rarely see done this well. Usually these types of singers blend into the background, but with her you can feel the emotion coming through her hushed delivery, accentuated by the minor instrumental. Hell, I'd argue the cyclical aspects of the production work really well in the song's favour. After all, this is a song where she's lamenting that every single relationship she gets into ends the same way, time and time again, with them kissing in her back seat and eventually ending up strangers as they just start ghosting her. Granted, it sounds quite cynical... until the final verse where it's revealed that this entire mindset was all due one guy, the relationship that ruined her trust. And yeah, it's not healthy, but as somebody who's been similarly ruined for a short while, trust me, this is something that people do deal with, especially early on in their love lives.
To me, the writing gives the song a whole new dimension that I wasn't expecting at first. I wouldn't call it incredible, but I think it does more with what it has then a lot of other pop artists in her vein have delivered before! Nice job, Kenya Grace, I surprisingly find this extremely revisitable.
Title: Tension by Kylie Minogue
Position: #34
So I'm really torn on Kylie Minogue's new album. On the one hand, I think it's brave of her to try her hand at a different sound, as her last album was such a retro pastiche that it ended up feeling a little too safe to me. On the other hand, I do think that the future pop aesthetic was best left back with the Black Eyed Peas on 2009's The E.N.D., especially with the questionable vocal production choices.
Seriously, the "Oh my God, touch me right there" moments of the song are flushed with this UGLY robotic filter that just sounds awkward! It takes all the sex appeal out of a track that is supposed to build on that sexual tension, cramming weird robot noises in right at the moments where you're supposed to be feeling that release of euphoria! Fuck's sake, the song is CALLED "tension", imagine if Usher had done this on Climax a decade ago?!
In other words, of all the songs on Tension, the title track might be my least favourite, purely from a production standpoint. Heck, on repeated listens, even her delivery on the build-up to that chorus sounds bored, so I guess there was no tension at any point to even rob. If you want to see this done right, go listen to Jessie Ware's That! Feels Good, it's LEAGUES better than this!
Title: Last Time I Saw You by Nicki Minaj
Position: #67
Oh goody, yet another Nicki Minaj song. And this time it's not even hip hop, it's mostly sung, calling back to her early 2010s material. Oh, there's a rap verse thrown in the middle of it, but it's primarily an RnB jam. And at this point, my thoughts on Nicki's artistic and personal journey are well documented, I'm not a fan. And yet just like when Super Freaky Girl dropped last year, right as I'm right about to jump off the train altogether, she releases something that I actually find myself enjoying quite a bit.
Honestly, there are parts of this where I could easily say it's the best thing she's released in years. The production is soft and soothing, the singing is actually really good and emotive, and I LOVE the content of the song, where she reminisces on a past relationship where she didn't pay enough attention and ended up losing him, to the point where even when she called him back, he had nothing to say. It's a song full of maturity, regret, or even the rap verse maintains that somber tone quite well. Seriously, I think that the start of that verse might be one of the best thing she's ever done, it almost feels too good for the radio.
But then she kind of fumbles. I think the "on a flight but not attendant" line has been FAR too overused and always feels forced. And furthermore, the "star light, star bright" passage with the fuzzed out vocals... I just didn't like it! It was corny, plus the vocal effects are just unnecessary! But you know, if I take those 2 caveats away, I think you're left with a pretty great song. So close Nicki, but hey, at least you got my attention again.
Title: Demons by Doja Cat
Position: #70
Okay, look, I'm not going to argue that this is "better" than the Nicki Minaj song. I'm not even going to argue that it's a good song. In fact, in many ways, it reminds me of the worst Doja song Need To Know, where the problems with it are so immediately obvious that it's hard to really put into words why the song doesn't work, aside from just telling you to listen to it. It's just SO bad on every level... and yet I do kind of like this. A lot.
I don't know what it is about this one, because again, I've been very hard on Scarlet outside of the singles, and similar cringe-on-purpose songs like Get Into It (Yuh) are emphatically NOT for me! But this one... maybe it's the fact that Doja is clearly just having so much fun with the various vocal stylings and accents that she peppers throughout the song. Maybe it's the fact that none of the lyrics are meant to be taken seriously, and yet every verse has a passage that sticks in my mind - the "we are enemies, we are foes, who are you, what are those" lines, I will NEVER get tired of quoting that! Or maybe it's simple because, as much as there's a lack of musicality to the jerky instrumental, it still manages to be catchy.
I really don't know how she does it, but this is what I'm talking about when I say Dojo is one of the more talented pop artists on the charts right now. She can sing, she can rap, she has killer instincts in both which are often underestimated, and she's not afraid to play and have fun! Sure, she can make the quirky pop crossover hits in her sleep, but sometimes I need a Doja song that's just weird as fuck to bring me back to Earth... or take me to outer space, whichever makes sense.
Title: It's That Time by Marlon Hoffstadt AKA DJ Daddy
Position: #82
So, I was pretty sure that I was going to come on here and write about how this was just some weird Euro-trash pop music from Germany that somehow managed to get a foothold because this sort of stuff has its audience - not an insult, for the record, as a proud piece of euro-trash myself - but then I actually look up Marlon Hoffstadt and realize that he made THIS, which I have not consciously thought about in around a decade, so fair play!
So yeah, turns out I've been hearing this guy's music in the background for a while, but he's REALLY blown up in the last couple of years, with a sold-out tour and multiple huge songs hitting the clubs thanks to his pretty huge SoundCloud following! And today, Marlon Hoffstadt, aka DJ Daddy has a big charting hit in Ireland, and it's pretty awesome! It's the kind of song that I hope gets big at all sorts of weddings and corporate events in the future. because it has the same base appeal as the Cha Cha Slide, a song that just forces you to get up, let loose, and DANCE! It just pumps you up for one thing and one thing only: it's that time for you to get on the floor! To move that body and show them you want some more!
Need I say more? It's all right there in the chorus. And yes, it's repetitive, it's simplistic, and if this does get played at every single wedding for the next decade, maybe I'll eventually regret those words! But as of right now, this is a song that will always get me to bust a move, for lack of better 90s slang. If it's the next trend to be revived, let's go all out with it!
Title: I KNOW ? by Travis Scott
Position: #83
Hear me out: this might be the best Travis Scott song in the last few years.
And I know that's crazy! As somebody who flat-out said he didn't really get the hype behind Astroworld, and thought Utopia was kind of a drag, why is THIS of all things the song that I'm deciding to praise as the quintessential Travis Scott track instead of, say, Telekinesis?
Well, first of all, I did like Telekinesis, I still do think it's one of the better songs on the album. But if I had to pick a favourite, I think it is this one, for similar reasons that I like Drunk Texting by Chris Brown. Because it is LOST in its own hedonism, a plinking creepy piano beat where Travis Scott essentially asks you "U up?" in a drunken stupor in the middle of the night, even though he knows it's a mistake, and he's probably going to regret it. And I like that before he even gets an answer, he's already making excuses, trying to brag that he has plenty of other women he could call, in fact, he's with one right now, even though her dead eyed look is kind of taking him out of his high as he starts to spiral slightly along this train of thought, realizing just how to empty and kind of worthless his own life is, devoid of any real personal connections. ... That was a long, running sentence but it does feel fitting when describing this song.
Yes, I am very much reading between the lines - even if I do think his constant mentioning of being drunk feels like an escape from grim reality and thinking too much about his life - but I genuinely think these are real thoughts that Travis Scott has sometimes, and there's something macabre and fascinating about it to me! The production allows me to lose myself in Travis' revelry, especially with the rambling structure of the lyrics and the dejected tone. And sitting in a dark parking lot, staring into the void and listening to Travis, alone on this track, and his drunken musings... it got to me more than I was expecting. I think this song is great.
Title: Groove Thang by Ewan McVicar
Position: #87
Ah, Ewan McVicar. Why does that name haunt me so much? I mean, it's not like I really know anything about the guy outside of 1 song, but my GOD did Tell Me Something Good haunt me throughout 2021, an earworm that was incredibly simplistic in its setup, and which I ultimately got pretty fucking sick of over the course of the months that followed its release. If I were making that Worst list again, it would likely make my Top 10, it really hasn't aged well!
But hey, now he's back with a new song... and it's kind of promising. the vocals have a good amount of expression, a great pounding beat, some fun lyrics, and I was feeling really charitable towards it until I heard the original! Because Groove Thang by Zhané from 1994 is a slower and honestly just far better Canadian R&B song that deserves way more attention. And I don't think you can use the Whitney Houston excuse on this one! Because unlike Million Dollar Bill, this doesn't elevate the song or modernize it at all. In fact, I'm almost positive he just copied the beat from Tell Me Something Good, sped up the original song, and then played around with a few skips and loops here and there.
Sucks to say, but maybe just because of my inherent bias against this guy, I only listened to this twice before writing it off. It's not bad, in fact, in many ways, I think it's quite good, but whenever those 90s synths blare out, I just get inexplicably annoyed. I just don't think that it's very creative, it goes on just a bit too long, and leaves me feeling oddly cold by the end.
Title: Back on 74 by Jungle
Position: #94
Wow, this really is the week of random blasts from the past! Jungle is a neo-soul/funk band that made it big about a decade ago, with 2 of their songs {The Heat and Busy Earnin) becoming minor Belgian hits, and the band winning a few awards in the underground UK scene. And while they never fully went away in my home country, apparently it took this long for a new song from them to cross over to the English-language charts, with this cracking the Top 50 in both the UK and Ireland.
And I can see why, because this is smooth and pretty beautiful! Apparently it got some momentum over on TikTok, which is how it got here, but the song itself also features this smooth, minimal soul beat, GORGEOUS group vocals, and a pretty engaging falsetto. It actually does sound like as revival of a genre that doesn't get nearly enough love anymore, and the wistful lyrics reflect that, thinking back to a time where life was simpler and you and this person were together.
It's not deep or complicated, and the lyrics barely matter compared to the sound, it's pretty simplistic, but it captures the essence of 70s soul so purely that I can't help but smile whenever it plays.
And with that, we end our second week in September, and while it's not quite as strong as the first one, there's still nothing I outright hate here. I mean I'm giving Worst of the week to Tension by Kylie Minogue, but even that song has elements I enjoy fine. As for the Best... oooh the Barbs are going to hate me for this, but fuck it, I'm giving a tie to the excellent Strangers by Kenya Grace and the haunting I KNOW ? by Travis Scott, 2 songs I love(?) and respect in equal measure.
Week 37 (Sep 15th - 22nd)
Title: get him back! by Olivia Rodrigo
Position: #5
It's time the Olivia Rodrigo show, the week that the GUTS album bomb hit! And considering how often I've said I enjoy that album by now, you can imagine that this is going to be fairly positive, even if I'm only talking about 2 new songs from the project (remembering that an artist can only have 3 charting songs at a time in Ireland). And my GOD do I love this first one!
I know it's bratty, it's in your face, and technically speaking, something like bad idea right is "smarter" in its knowing, wink-wink style of songwriting. But you know what, there is something so cathartic about this chorus whenever it hits! It just slaps you full-force in the face with a double entendre of wanting to win someone back but also get a sweet sweet revenge on them for how badly they treated you. Plus, I think the verses are fucking hilarious! As much as I love SOUR, GUTS has a lot of unique personality and humour that I didn't know I wanted until I got it here! I love the scorn in the "6 foot 2" line, or how she says she wants to kiss his face with an uppercut, call his mum and tell her her son sucks, all while also showing her unwilling affection on lines like "I am my father's daughter, so maybe I can fix him." It's equally smart as bad idea right? but with even less subtlety or even bothering with any winks towards the audience, and it's somehow SO much better for it! And I already loved bad idea right?, don't forget!
I love this song! It's all of Olivia's unapologetic tendencies cranked up to the max, and it has slowly but surely become one of my favourite songs on the album! This song rocks, strong contender for Best of the week right out the gate! But let's see if anything can beat it.
Title: the grudge by Olivia Rodrigo
Position: #6
Oh a very strong contender! Because yeah, I love vampire more than most, but I still think that the grudge might be the best ballad on the album. When my only issue with your song is that it reminds me too much of your other great song drivers license, that's a pretty good sign!
And I'd argue this is better anyway, a song where, much like Kesha before her, she goes over all the ways that this guy treated her badly when she was younger, and comes to the point where she's about to forgive him. But unlike Kesha on Praying, then she decides not to. Because she's not quite strong or mature enough to be able to forgive him just yet.
And honestly, I think that line that is surprisingly powerful! Sometimes you need to be in the right mindset to forgive someone. You shouldn't always do it just because it feels like the right thing to do. Why should anyone else question that decision? I think this song is beautiful and unexpectedly complex. Again, I still don't think it quite beats get him back! or one or two of the other tracks on the album, but it's definitely up there.
Title: Billie (loving arms) by Fred again..
Position: #46
So when Fred again.. did that set on the BBC a couple of months back, not only didf Delilah get some traction, but so did another older song. And while I don't like this one nearly as much, it's still a really good song!
I just love the way that Fred again.. doesn't just loop a beat cyclically, he actually mixes songs in the same way a DJ would at a live concert with skips and slow downs and speed ups, letting the sample play out before reeling it back, and argh, it's so dynamic and interesting, I love that he keeps all that on the record! And this one's a love song, asking your partner - or Billie in this case - to put their loving arms around you as you sway and dance together.
There's just something very intimate and sweet about the mix on this, it's definitely a song that I can see modern millennial and Gen Z couples dancing together to in their middle age. And honestly, what's wrong with that? The song is lovely, yet another late legacy hit from fred again.., and we're all better off for it.
Title: Bongos by Cardi B (Ft. Megan Thee Stallion)
Position: #64
I mean look, the best way I can put the appeal of this song into words is: if you liked WAP, you'll probably like this, albeit not as much. That's basically what I've heard from everyone I've spoken to about this: they either hate it just as much, or they absolutely adore it, but maybe not quite as much. And you know what, that's exactly where I fall on this.
For me, this is the 24K Magic to to WAP's Uptown Funk. A phenomenal, essential copy that is taking. a boatload of cues from the original product, and yet it does a good enough job at copying that thing that I am more than happy to have as many copies of it as we can get! Because yeah, I genuinely think that these 2 rappers have some of the best chemistry of anyone in the industry right now. And whenever they hop on a track together, it's an event for a reason! Even the beat - which I know as a lot - has grown on me significantly, especially when they just start trading bars back-and-forth towards the middle. It's awesome and both of these women are on FIRE, with line after line that just absolutely slaps, easily the best thing either of them have put out at since Megan's THOT SHIT.
Yet another a collaboration where the 2 names and the title are really all you need to know whether or not you'll love it. And personally, I knew from the very beginning this was going to be a banger. Glad I was right, hence why it's been on replay for months now!
Title: City Boys by Burna Boy
Position: #86
So shortly after I wrote my piece on Cheat On Me, I had a discussion with a big Burna Boy fan who told me that she felt that this song, City Boys was way better. And what followed was a great 20-minute debate that ultimately went absolutely nowhere, where we basically couldn't agree on anything.
From what I can tell, the main appeal of this song is that it contains more of a sexy, ghetto, dangerous appeal and... sure I guess so? But I don't know, to me a lot of the flexes feel really shallow and there's less actual content than there is just a lot of repetition without much of a point to it. At the very least the message of Cheat On Me is concise, simple and heartfelt, whereas this just feels like it's flexing and posing like those Beastie Boys videos where they used to thrust their entire chests out and arms out into a fish-eye lens camera. This is that, only in musical form and a lot less self aware.
Maybe this is the kind of flexing jam for you, but for me, you need actual content to back up your flexes. Maybe that's too much to ask. Also the "lick it like ice cream, as if you mean to be disgusting" line... ew, hard no!
Title: Lil Boo Thang by Paul Russell
Position: #98
So if you've been anywhere near Instagram or TikTok you've heard this song it's been absolutely fucking inescapable. A retro pastiche with some great bounce, a killer hook and content where Paul Russell gives you exactly what you expect... and nothing more.
It's a song where he's hitting on this girl, calling her his little boo thing, even though he then immediately specifies that she's with someone else. But he doesn't seem to care about that. He then proceeds to just neg her, and spends the entire song talking about how he'll take care of her while her man's gone, and how great he is... okay, maybe this is because I've been listening to An Evening with Sonic Sonic a lot recently - I've been learning to drive and it has become my go-to album whenever I'm practicing - but this style of retro music works best when you're a lot less negative towards the women you're singing to! Or at least whenever you are, it's clearly very tongue-in-cheek. Whereas this... I don't know, it just feels really icky and ttoxic to me at this point.
Add onto that that it doesn't stand up to ANY amount of overplay - the melody and style feels way too plastic for me - and despite this being right up my alley, I got sick of it surprisingly quickly. It works fine in short snippets on Instagram reels, but if you like it, I'd advise you to avoid listening to the entire song.
So yeah, Worst of the week... eh, I don't like Lil Boo Thang, but again, at least it works fine as an Instagram snippet. Whereas City Boys by Burna Boy is boring at best and kind of disgusting at worst! As for the Best, can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm giving out another tie, I SWEAR these used to bee rare at some point! First to get him back! by Olivia Rodrigo for being one HELL of a hilarious banger, and second to Bongos by Cardi B (Ft. Megan Thee Stallion), for... well, exactly the same reason actually.
Week 38 (Sep 22nd - 29th)
Title: greedy by Tate McRae
Position: #4
I've seen a lot of negative buzz for the song The comeback from Tate McRae where she reportedly sounded at her weirdest and ugliest. So I went in with VERY low expectations, a shame for someone who's actually liked the last few things she's put out. And you know what? I don't think it's THAT bad.
Now I won't call it good. I think Tate McRae is easily the worst part of her own songwhere her delivery and singing sound terrible and are lacking in any tangible emotion, trying to sound sexy and just sounding flat. But the writing is actually quite good; this guy keeps coming on to her, twice her age and spouting these corny-ass lines, trying to get her attention, claiming he can make her feel like no one else does. So she blows him off, responding that he can't handle her, it won't end well. Okay, the self-love is clunky - "I would want myself, I'd go through Hell just to know me" doesn't sound entirely convincing when it sounds like she's speaking right after inhaling a bunch of helium - but it's a fine sentiment in this context, trying to out-cocky him.
Weirdly - and bear with me on this - the song reminds me a LOT of Give It To Me by Nelly Furtado, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, not just in the attitude or the content, but even the sound. Okay, it sounds considerably worse, and the charisma is FAR more lacking, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out Tate McRae has been listening to a lot of Nelly Furtado's music recently.
And as such, while again, I can't call this song good, I do find it interesting, even ambitious. 10:35 is probably my most played Tate McRae song to date, but it's far from complex, and while the lyrical sentiment of she's all i wanna be is engaging, the sound is pretty straightforward. This is far inferior to either of those, but it's the first song of hers that she may actually have aspirations to be a more interesting pop star. And in that respect, I'm rooting for her, even if this song in isolation isn't great.
Title: Slime You Out by Drake (Ft. SZA)
Position: #13
The second song this week where the buzz I heard going into it was extremely negative and much like greedy, I think it's only partially warranted. Don't get me wrong, I am so fucking sick of Drake, but I'm more numb to him than anything else at this point, it takes something especially shit to light a fire in my belly about him and this ain't it.
Well, for the record, I do think the first verse of this song is AWFUL, possibly some of the worst shit that Drake has put on record in a while. The whiny nagging, the assertion that women need someone to tell them what to do (clearly just trolling for attention), the fact that he threatens to take away all the stuff that he gave you during the relationship and essentially make you pay him back for the next 150 years. And even though I KNOW he's just doing it to rile me up, the moment he calls the decisions you make childish and proceeds to essentially make fun of the new guy that you're moving on with, it's a level of pathetic that came pretty close to getting to me! And don't forget "whipped and chained you like American slaves", I can't emphasise enough how far I want you to stick your own dick inside yourself to fuck yourself EVER so deeply!
HOWEVER, not only do I think that SZA's verse is considerably better than Drake's - no less petty but with much better delivery and avoiding that fucking falsetto with his - but I even think that, to his credit, when Drake comes back after her verse, he's a LOT better. The segment where he goes through each month of the year is actually really fucking good - apart from the one line in July ("August, it was "baby" this, "baby" that like you had your tubes tied"), which is a level of sexism I honestly should be used to by now from Drake - and then the closing lines are pretty good too.
So you know what: it's about 2/3 of a song I like and 1/3 I despise beyond comprehension, so it comes out to being kind of okay as a whole. I can see why people hate this, but I can also see why his fans may like it. Personally, the parts I hate mean I'm never going to play it again, but if I turn on the radio midway through the song, I can definitely vibe with it.
Title: On My Love by Zara Larsson & David Guetta
Position: #34
Zara Larsson is one of those names that I've kind of come to dread seeing on the pop charts. Which is really sad, because much like Ella Henderson, when she first stepped onto the scene, she has SO much promise! With a debut album that genuinely contains some fantastic music, I STILL talk about how much I love Lush Life and Symphony! But yeah, since then it's kind of all been downhill, with Zara Larsson seemingly not having much of an idea where to take her pop career next and defaulting to being the generic blonde girl to team up with most DJs whenever they want an easy radio hit. Which... fine, it's lead her to a lot o success, but it still feels like a waste of potential, especially when I see her on a song with David fucking Guetta! True to his usual role, he's kind of the chameleon here, giving her a very anonymous piano-based house beat to sing over - which sound eerily similar to Here by Tom Grennan to me - on an equally generic love song where she will bet everything on her love.
For what it is, it's not terrible, just very interchangeable. Not painfully so, this isn't something that I'm going to forget the very next day - which I will credit to Zara Larsson, she still manages to give an expressive performance even on something this fucking bland - and it definitely sounds better than Words with Alesso last year, a song I still can't believe people actually like! But I do think that it's one of those songs that feels VERY manufactured. If you do listen to it, you'll know you've heard a similar song within the last year or 2. There's nothing special about it, nothing that makes it stand out. But I suppose nothing makes it stand out in a bad way either... so that's something. I guess.
Title: A N X I E T Y by Sleepy Hallow (Ft. Doechii)
Position: #36
My introduction to Sleepy Hallow was 2055, which wasn't exactly his best foot forward, as a vaguely catchy but impressively empty song, especially at the time when SoundCloud rapper were dropping random shit on the charts every week. So colour me kind of impressed that he's got another hit now, even with his admitted connection to RCA records.
Now, it does help that this song is a LOT more interesting! The sample of Somebody That I Used to Know alone caught me off-guard, biut combined with Doechii's surprisingly strong hook, it didn't even end up being that distracting on repeated listens. And I like Sleepy Hallow's delivery way better on this too, as he attempts to elevate his sleepy flow with a bit more energy and swagger, even speeding up his flow considerably. Okay, it's still not enough to make the verses stand out at all, as the entire song would all but blend together if not for the particularly bad lines. To name a handful:
"I had two chops with the sticks like I'm Chinese"
"Feel like I'm stuck in a maze, I just try not to feel too amaze"
"You just make sure you get back like a spine"
Pretty dumb, but enjoyably so! I don't know how much I'll actively seek it out, but it's a marked improvement.
Title: Water by Tyla
Position: #38
So this is a song that initially found virality on TikTok (yet again) and then started charting properly as the radio picked it up across multiple countries. And I can kind of see why, the song's pretty beautiful!
Hailing all the way down in Johannesburg, South Africa, Tyla here managed to cross over with a hit where the entire vibe just feels so chill and smooth, a tune you can't help but sway and bob along to. The myriad of vocals that come in on that hook are drop-dead gorgeous, as cool and refreshing as the water they're singing about, and while I'll admit I find it more soothing than sexy - it's got nothing on Khelani's Water in that respect - it's still a damn pleasant listen, helping me zone out and smile whenever it comes on.
If I had one tiny critique, it would be that I think the production and backing vocals often overpower Tyla herself. She's not bad by any means, but she doesn't command this mix, she sort of gets pulled along with the rest of us. maybe that's why the sex appeal isn't quite there for me, it's missing that anchor. But whatever the original intention was... fuck it, I still enjoy this song a lot!
Title: My Love Is Mine All Mine by Mitski
Position: #51
Oh BOY, I am delighted this is here! I'm a bit of a more recent Mitski fan: I've been getting recommendations to check out her stuff since 2018, but I never actually took the plunge until I moved in with my partner, who is a HUGE fan of hers. So that was my main introduction, and while I don't think the subsequent album Laurel Hell was everyone's cup of tea, I thought it was really underrated by a lot of critics for its brighter pop pivot. And as for the new album, while I don't love it quite as much, it still has some real gems, and you'd better believe this is one of them!
It's a slower country ballad with touches of guitar and liquid pedal steel, where she revels in all the ways that her partner has made her better, and longingly hoping that she'll be able to lavish with just as much as has been bestowed upon her, hoping God herself manages to bless her lover as much as she's been. It really takes its time to build and while that may be an exercise in patience for some, it's such a beautiful listen that I find it really hard not to be fully engrossed all the way through! It's just too gorgeous and Mitski is such an emotive singer that it becomes impossible to ignore.
Add the fact that the context that she has very little to give to begin with ("nothing in the world belongs to me"), and that this gift of love means so much more of that, the most precious thing she can give and entrust, and this song's emotional resonance really hits you hard... and on the flip side:
Title: ecstacy (slowed) by SUICIDAL IDOL
Position: #70
(TRIGGER WARNING: EXPLICIT VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ABUSE)
So to be clear, the regular version has nowhere close to the numbers that the slowed version has, so this is the one I'm focusing on. Not that it will change much, because the slower synths on this are honestly the best part of it. Oh, it's an absolute slog, and the slurring, pitched-up vocals clash horribly with the clunky beat, particularly with the egregious reverb... but that is still nowehere near as awful as the rest of this.
See, take even a second to look at the lyrics, and you are faced with what I can only describe as the darkest timeline of Kid LAROI. It's an INTENSELY creepy and possessive song from the perspective of a "woman"... and I put those quotations there because this is no woman that exists. She's a sexual fantasy who's dehumanised to a frankly disturbing degree. Begging you to kiss and choke her, mistreat her, manipulate her... and then comes the line "you're my everything, just r*pe me", followed immediately by "I just wanna be your sweetheart"... because juxtaposition, fuck, what the shit, fuck!!!
Now, I know nothing about SUICIDAL IDOL, but based purely on that, I think I have a fairly good idea of who they're catering to. And sure enough, one Google search later showed me that this song has been picking up major steam on Incel TikTok... because of course that's a thing!!! This makes ROMANTIC HOMICIDE look fucking tame by comparison, a disgusting track sonically and lyrically, which is sadly doing exactly what it was designed to do. It's the type of misogyny that goes beyond disrespect, and I'm frankly sickened this got to radio. Don't listen to this, don't support this, trust me, the vibes aren't fucking worth it!
Title: Leftover Love by Picture This
Position: #74
Oh thank GOD that's not the note I'm ending this week on, SAVE ME PICTURE THIS!!!
That being said, as much as I do like this band, I haven't adored a song of theirs since 2021's Things Are Different. But on the other hand, I don't think I've disliked anything they've put out over the past year. So was this going to break the mold and make my heart soar/plummet? Well... it was the former! Because this song is fan-fucking-tastic!
A lot of the power of this song comes in that propulsive beat - kind of a cheat code since I think those drums are real - which really burst out right before that chorus hits you full-force! And then there's frontman Ryan Hennessy, who is in FINE form, his earnest and wonderful voice exploring his entire range over the course of the song! It all sounds phenomenal, but none of that would matter without the heart behind it all. That tragic moment when a relationship wasn't destined to fail or where the end was always on the horizon, but when the rug is suddenly pulled out from under one of you as your partner breaks it off with you out of nowhere. You're left with all this leftover affection and emotion with nowhere to put it, and while there's definitely a reason this happened, right now you're at a complete loss to know WHAT!
I'm surprised I don't hear more music written from this perspective, because I feel like this is very relatable to a lot of people, especially when they're younger. And I love the detail in the verses, where after being left in the lurch, his first instinct is to bargain, or ponder whether he'll ever love again, or even accepting that it';s over, but still at an utter loss as to what to do next! Picture This have never been poet laureates, but my GOD to they know how to use simple language to get riught down to the human core of my emotions! It's a song built on earnestness and a terrific instrumental that didn't have to try as hard as it did, but is OH so much better for it in the end result. Congrats you guys, I think this song is terrific.
So wow, what a weird week! Quite a bit of rage and delight, but the extremes are crystal clear: Leftover Love by Picture This wins Best of this week and ecstacy by SUICIDAL IDOL wins Worst, couldn't be easier. Slime You Out annoyed me a lot in spots, and again, all the love to Mitski, but neither of those ignited the fire that our 2 winners did, respectively.
Week 39 (Sep 29th - Oct 6th)
Title: Black Friday by Tom Odell
Position: #6
I'm not gonna lie to you: the first time this played, I genuinely thought my playlist had ended and that this was some indie shit that was recommended to me "Because I Liked Noah Kahan!"... because how the fuck could this ever be a Top 10?!
But it happened: Tom Odell debuted with this song at an alarmingly high spot. And look, I understand. The guy made Another Love, many people likely feel that earns him a pass for the rest of his career. But as someone who took a long time to warm to that song, let me tell you, it's not that easy, especially when THIS is your big comeback single, and it kind of sucks a whole lot!
A forlorn and wistful song on its own is fine, but with the ugly and dull production, in spite of the 3 and a half minute runtime, it feels more like it's 10! It's cyclical, repetitive and boring, not to mention the subject matter is basically pulled straight from Lizzie McAlpine's ceilings! Although where she waited until the end of the song to reveal the whole twist that her lover isn't really there, he repeats it on every single chorus, until the horse is beaten so far beyond death that it reincarnates into a brand new fucking pony! The entire thing is just so flagellating and basic in terms of both the songwriting and the instrumentation, nothing about it really hits, the chorus comes and goes like it's nothing, there's no hint of the majesty or the crescendo of Another Love.
Even the timing of this was dumb as Hell, considering we're only now approaching Black Friday as of when I'm writing this! And I can't believe how long I've been writing about this, because the song just gives me NOTHING to work with and I have absolutely no clue how the fuck it debuted this high! Not a good song, don't give it any more attention!
Title: Sarah's Place by Zach Bryan (Ft. Noah Kahan)
Position: #28
I didn't know what to make of this collaboration the first time I saw it. I mean I like both of these artists and they've both put out really good music over the course of the past year, but a collaboration between the 2 of them? I just didn't know.
Thankfully, I was worried about nothing, because this song is actually really good. It is more acoustic, definitely closer to a Noah Kahan song, but that chorus just hits so well! And I really really liked the framing, as the girl that they're both singing about has left them and moved on to better things. And despite the fact that they've had to struggle really hard in order to remotely put their lives back together, thinking back on her now and hearing how much she's thriving, there's only joy and happiness for her that she's made a better life away from home. It's not bitter or resentful, it's just settled, clearly long after the relationship is over and just happy your ex is doing well.
It's such a disappointingly rare sentiment to see in popular songs, and with the terrific production, the great writing, and the vocal chemistry between the 2 men, it all works so goddamn well. Definitely a real gem from these 2, might just be the best thing that at least one of them has put out this year!
Title: Agora Hills by Doja Cat
Position: #36
Okay, can you not tell that Doja is just trolling you all at this point? Because once again, this is a song poking fun at her own audience, this time adopting a silly fake accent, and essentially making an incel fantasy, where she talks in pretty graphic detail about her lover and how they're everything she wants, all while taking jabs at all the people who hit on her online who clearly want to fuck her.
It's essentially the antithesis to ecstacy, since it was ACTUALLY written by a woman (and avoids using the R-word), and sounds HELL of a lot better despite the same hazey, reverb-heavy aesthetic. And while I don't think it's as devastating as Attention, or as catchy as Paint The Town Red, or even as interesting and quirky as Demons, I do still enjoy it. Honestly, I think the single choices from Scarlet were phenomenal, because all my favorite songs have ended up charting.
Not the most interesting song of hers, basically just an R&B twist with some a lot of glitz and glam and shimmering vocal effects, but you know what, Doja can sell that with the best of them. Good B-tier track!
Title: Got Me Started by Troye Sivan
Position: #43
Don't get me wrong, I like Troye Sivan a lot. In fact, I think the new album was pretty good, and I think Rush is genuinely a great song. But my GOD, why did he feel the need to sample this song?!
As you ALL know, guaranteed, Shooting Stars made it very big a few years back as a meme, and a pretty shitty one at that. Even then, I didn't find it funny, and the final nail in the coffin was when it appeared in this, hands-down one of the worst music videos ever made! And that music video came out five years ago, long after the meme had even peaked! Either way, it's just a terrible choice of sample and takes absolutely any hotness or sexiness out of the song itself. Everything about it just makes me cringe and no matter how admittedly sensual the verses are, it doesn't matter when the chorus sucks this badly.
Shame I won't remember the song for any of the good bits, but producer Ian Kirkpatrick really fucked up here. Bad idea, shouldn't have done it!
Title: Daily Duppy by Nines (Ft. GRM Daily)
Position: #49
As someone who has been very ambivalent on Nines and his music from the very beginning, I've had the full spectrum of reactions to his charting hits this year. Now, after hearing Calendar, I got annoyed enough that I never bothered listening to the album... but after hearing this, maybe I need to give Crop Circle 2 a chance after all.
Look, say what you will about it, but the beat's really good, Nines has got some pretty clever bars all throughout, and nothing TOO cringeworthy, and even if, yes, the content is completely disposable... I dunno, the Crash Bandicoot reference genuinely made me chuckle, as did "the strap come with two bodies like Siamese twins line." I mean I don't even know if I'd call these lines good, but I had fun with them, and it feels like Nines was having fun as well.
Maybe that's what Nines needs more of: just lay a beat in front of him and let him riff as much as he can. Even if he writes those bars out beforehand, I honestly think he sounds so much smoother and looser than on anything else I've heard from him this year. Again, maybe I'll give Crop Circle 2 another chance.
Title: ONE MORE TIME by blink-182
Position: #70
And last but certainly not least, we have some legends in the house! Because yes, for the first time ever, I am going to talk about blink-182, a band that I admittedly did not grow up with and never fully listened to outside of the one time for posterity's sake. I don't know, there was something about that era of music that just didn't appeal to me much, and every time I've tried to go back to it, I've always been met with the same sinking feeling that this simply isn't for me, at least not compared to the grunge scene or even some of the pop rock that broke through in the late 90s.
And yet, even all of that context would not have prepared me for this, primarily because this is an entirely different subgenre. With the blurry vocal effects and the processed guitars, it's more like something you'd hear on indie rock radio, certainly not the in-your-face attitude and desperate recapture of that teen hormonal energy that I was expecting. No, instead these guys actually sound quite mature... which might be because this entire album - and this song specifically - were inspired by a near-death experience the 2 of the members had! ... Fun!
But yeah, I do like this; it's an invitation to follow them into the light one more time with feeling - that's a Nick Cave reference for those of you paying attention.
It feels like they know who their fans are, and they're not expecting anything from them, but they're hoping that they'll give them a chance, despite the fact that they're very clearly different from who they were before. And you know what, at least for me, the earnestness wins me over. I won't call it a great song - it's not incredibly catchy and the chorus does a lot of the heavy lifting - but I do think that this is a surprisingly good song considering how different it is from everything else they've put out before. Nice job.
So we've finally reached the end of September! And with this final week, Worst of the week is very easy: I don't like that Troye Sivan song, but Black Friday by Tom Odell is just SO much worse, as well as pretty disappointing. Best is obvious too, Sarah's Place by Zach Bryan & Noah Kahan is so wholesome and catchy, the kind of country folk I want way more of on the charts!
And with that, we are just a little behind on being fully caught up! Maybe I'll set myself another deadline for the October edition, I was REALLY productive in writing this post! As always, let me know in the Comments what you thought of the songs covered this week, and leave a Like if you enjoyed! Please make sure to follow me everywhere so you don't miss a thing, and Subscribe to the blog to keep up with my weekly chart reflections. Stay safe and happy everyone and until the next time, I'm Fionn and this is The Social Tune signing off!