1. Alice Merton - "No Roots"
Alice Merton's debut single has been a big top 5 pop hit in her native Germany and several other countries across Europe, but so far she's just slowly breaking into alt rock radio in the U.S., where I think it will ultimately do well but probably not become some "Royals" type crossover success. I really like it, though, it's got a nice driving groove to it and some weird squelchy synths, and I'm kind of interested in the idea of a young German making a rallying cry out of "I've got no roots" at a time when white nationalists are trying to sneak these shitty racists ideas into the mainstream in the form of taking pride in 'European identity' or whatever. Here's the 2017 singles Spotify playlist I update every month, although my proper year-end lists will be coming along shortly.

2. LANCO - "Greatest Love Story"
There are few things that grab my attention more when I'm perusing Billboard's country charts than a Jay Joyce production credit, so I was instantly attracted to the sound of the debut hit by this Nashville quintet he's taken under his wing. But it's really the song itself that has slowly grown on me, it's so sweet and simple and unadorned.

3. Gucci Mane f/ Migos - "I Get The Bag"
Both Gucci and especially Migos have been so ubiquitous this year, and already had one recent hit together, "Slippery," that I was skeptical about "I Get The Bag" being able to break out of the pack. The chorus even reminds me of "Slippery" a bit (particularly when Quavo says "in Italy"). But this has really stuck out and just sounds so much better on the radio than "MotorSport" or "Too Hotty," and opens with a great Takeoff verse.

4. Paramore - "Fake Happy"
Every time I get a Paramore album, there's some song that I instantly fall in love with and patiently hope and wish for it to eventually be released as a single (previously: "That's What You Get," "The Only Exception," and "Ain't It Fun"). I don't know if "Fake Happy" will wind up being a major hit for the band like some of those songs were, but I'm still pretty thrilled for it to get more exposure, it's really been one of my anthems of 2017.

5. Why Don't We - "Something Different"
A few years ago there was a lot of media hype about a new 'boy band era' that eventually shook out to be just One Direction destroying the competition. And now that One Direction has splintered into solo careers, there are a few baby boy bands on the horizon trying to kickstart that next wave. So far I haven't gotten much of a sense of any of those groups having really serious commercial potential, but I really like this song, wish it got more radio traction.

6. Lil Uzi Vert f/ Oh Wonder - "The Way Life Goes"
There's an odd little convention of Soundcloud rap where the official versions of singles often have a weird quick sizzle reel-like excerpt of a few lines from the middle of the song put at the opening of the track before the song gets to its proper beginning that feels like a simulation of how mixtape DJs will play a snippet before they 'run it back' (some famous examples of this are XXXtentacion's "Look At Me" and 6ix9ine's "Gummo"). "The Way Life Goes" is a very accessible crossover song for Uzi, but he manages to open the song like this and it's surprising to me how well it works. And I'm trying to enjoy the original version as much as I can as a brace myself for radio stations to possibly replace it with the entirely unnecessary Nicki Minaj remix.

7. Marilyn Manson - "Kill4Me"
It's probably for the best that Marilyn Manson didn't try to capitalize on his friendship with Lil Uzi Vert for his new album, that combination might be more interesting on paper than in practice. But I really like this song, it's got a little of that sleazy slithery glam thing that he's done pretty well in the past. But it's funny to think how him releasing a song imploring the listener to kill for him would have been an absolute scandal in the '90s and now it's just another song.

8. Olivia Holt - "Generous"
This song's beat is such a spot-on pastiche of 2010s Pharrell production that I actually had to check and make sure he wasn't involved. It's a really good, catchy song besides that obvious stylistic debt, though. Holt is one of those Disney Channel actresses making tentative steps toward proper pop stardom, and it's a shame that she's not there yet because I'd love to hear this one on the radio.

9. Fifth Harmony - "He Like That"
While the Camila Cabello solo career is suddenly, inexplicably thriving, I continue to root for her old group that's arguably better than ever without her. I tend to find the group's '90s interpolations to be their weakest moments, but I kind of love that Hammer's "Pumps And A Bump" has been dredged up by a 2010s pop group, and the bassline on this song is just killer.

10. Eminem f/ Beyonce - "Walk On Water"
Here are two superstars that nobody ever really expected or even wanted to work together. I've always been a little lukewarm on Eminem even back when he was good, and I never thought his big mawkish Rihanna collaborations were much better than the rest of his largely awful later work, so I braced myself for this to sound like that. But I have to admit, the whole restrained piano ballad thing works. The idea of a couple of huge stars like this talking about how anxious they are to keep their audience happy could come off really obnoxious or sappy, but there are enough little details in Em's verses and in Beyonce's delivery that I kinda feel the sincerity of it.

The Worst Single Of The Month: Baka Not Nice - "Live Up To My Name"
The idea of Drake rapping with his bodyguard like Nas on "Oochie Wallie" is really funny, and I'm entertained by Baka's claim that he gets drunk at a gun range so that he'd be able to Shyne up the club while drunk if necessary. But man is this song unpleasant to listen to.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 17, 2017 at 9:07 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.