#also they’re making a song together for lil nas’ new album!?!?!

[sock-the-wet-sock]

i love this so much for so many reasons and i could go on a tangent about how it’s great to see an older musician who had to hide being gay bonding with a younger one who is open and proud but like, my mind is so melted at the outfits lmao

#also they’re making a song together for lil nas’ new album!?!?! #i love #elton john #and #lil nas x #so #freaking #much #actual tags now: #lgbt #gay #rocketman #montero #update: the song is BANGING. good stuff.

[moonbeamsung]

under the cut you will find my comprehensive brain dump about hot sauce <3

okay in addition to all the shitposts i made about the album as i listened for the first time, i have so much i wanna say about each track so here we go, even if no one reads this i don’t mind because i’m just posting it for myself! this is 15% semi-professional-sounding album review talk and the other 85% is me freaking out lol

hot sauce: someone said this is zimzalabim’s brother and i can’t stop thinking about it, but unlike that song it honestly didn’t take multiple listens for me to like the song itself. the only thing that was the slightest bit off-putting about it was the higher pitch of the chanting (which i still don’t know if i’m imagining or not) but i don’t mind it as much as i used to. the beat is so interesting and funky and the latin-ish(?) sound of some parts suits them unexpectedly well :,) all the members’ voices are so distinct and i think they all got a chance to shine, like even without looking at the line distribution it just seems pretty even to me when i listen. okay now onto the mv i think it’s super cool and when i saw it for the first time it felt like there was a lot going on and it was a little overwhelming but i think that’s just because it was 5 in the morning and my senses were overwhelmed lol (like the lyrics say o_o (i think??)) also JISUNG’S DANCE BREAK I AM ON THE FLOOR. he sounded so good sjdfbds. renjun’s adlibs (in the final chorus especially) are really something else and his lil duet part with jisung in prechorus 2 is amazing showstopping never been done before etc etc. haechan’s high note and jeno’s and mark’s (side note i can’t believe we really have 7dream again :,)) and jaemin’s raps and chenle’s voice throughout the entire thing are just,,, perfection omg. overall i love this song so much and think it was a great title track for them!!

diggity: IT GOES SO HARD IT’S CRAZY. first of all here are some timestamps that make me lose my mind: 0:30 i swear the adlib sounds like mark but the video shows that it’s renjun and he sounds😳whew. and 2:48.....jisung.........i can’t do this............for maximum pain watch a clip of him talking from 2016/2017 and then listen to this part but warning you may cry. HE SOUNDS SO SKDFBL WHEN DID HIS VOICE GET SO DEEP🥲like i knew it was but this is just. another level lmao but anyways, the bridge in this song as a whole sounds amazing!!! i’m very much in love with really small moments like the little “na na na”s in mark’s rap and the way they sound, sorta minor in tone. also love how the beats build up to the chorus each time and i just wanna bop my head to it! it seems like i hear new little harmonies and adlibs every time i listen and it’s such a nice mix of vocals and strong raps :)

dive into you: the VIBES of this song??? i liked it from the teaser but as i listen more and more it gets even better it seems. like imagine a summer roadtrip to the coast because that’s what this sounds like.  mark and jisung really started things off with one of the catchiest raps i’ve ever heard and everything about it is so perfect😩jaemin and jeno singing >>>> and chenle chose violence with his high note and hearing all the harmonies from every single one of them makes me so happy :> they’re so beautiful like aaaaa. also i just love the minor-sounding notes (that’s a favorite thing of mine can you tell) in the chorus with the “you-ooh” parts. VOCALIST JENO AT 2:36 IS THE PRETTIEST THING I’VE EVER HEARD DO YOU HEAR HIS HARMONY. can’t forget vocalist jisung either, any time he sings i’m just🥰which has happened a lot this cb which is GREAT :DD and then on top of all that, the track video is adorable and they look so happy!! driver haechan doesn’t hurt either lmao AND THE PERFORMANCES OF IT ARE SO CUTE TOO LIKE HHHH

my youth: something about this song sounds so nostalgic and it’s going on my driving playlist because it just gives me such a carefree feeling, like being on the highway or driving through a city at sunset. it’s really chill and it’s one of the softer songs on this album so it balances out the harder-hitting tracks :) jaemin’s rap is so nice, reminds me of how much i love his voice :( i heard a clip of them singing this song live and it doesn’t sound the slightest bit different, it really shows all their singing talents🥺

rocket: omg definitely another favorite of mine on the album, it’s so upbeat and reminds me of dream run!!! also it’s moonshine produced so you know it’s going to be a total bop. for some reason it feels like something that would play on a rollercoaster if they had music, the scales and the synth make it sound really fun and it’s extremely enjoyable to listen to, makes me wanna dance around :) jaemin’s rap with the little star wars line is cute hehe. and chenle’s “level up” part, he sounds SO GOOD! from the bridge towards the end, that’s my favorite part, it’s such an energetic beat and, like, bouncy? i guess? that’s not the best word but i really really really love this track☺️☺️☺️

countdown (3,2,1) : besides the fact that mark decided to k word me with that “explOsive” line at the opening i love this one too! it sounds futuristic almost. i never knew how much i needed to hear jisung say “control freak” before this and his singing voice at 1:15 and 3:11 and 3:24 is just wOw—plus his RAP I’M NOT GONNA RECOVER FOR A WHILE😔🤭......also love the transitions from jaemin into mark and then jeno for that part in the bridge and the buildup it has to the final chorus. i think haechan’s and renjun’s voices sound so good on this track like at that softer part? aND HOLY HECK IS HYUCK THE ONE DOING THOSE ADLIBS TOWARDS THE END BECAUSE IF SO DAMN. yes boys you are very dangerous

anl: why couldn’t they have just called it all night long because everyone’s reading it wrong🤠this one is really chill and i think the way it sounds kinda matches the vibe of their boring ver. photos, if that makes sense. it’s also going on my driving playlist!! i don’t know what to call the little twinkling sounds at the start but i love those, and mark’s voice is so soothing in this song🥺something about the way renjun sings “sky high” is gorgeous and jisung’s parts with the harmonies are truly a blessing to the ears :] the chorus sounds so inherently dream and i feel like track itself has something mature about it? (not in that way geez) but like it just shows how far they’ve come music-wise/vocally

irreplaceable: except for mark’s one english line in the bridge (you know the one don’t make me type it) (but it doesn’t make me cringe quite as much anymore) i also adore this song☺️if this track had a video, i’d picture it looking something like the cafe 7dream content. it sounds really acoustic and warm and like they could just be casually singing it together in a cozy cafe or studio! also, i realized that it reminds me of another dream song when i hear it and i figured out that it’s bye my first hehe. HAECHAN’S HIGH NOTE IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST PART, MARRY ME SIR.

be there for you: literally the renhyuckle ballad we’ve always wanted!!! i don’t even have that much to say because it’s just so beautiful, all three of their voices blend so well together and it’s such a comforting track. nct’s slower and softer songs like this are very distinct and have a gentle kind of power. listening to it feels like a hug and the harmonies and high notes and the extent of their vocal ranges are just so, so amazing.

rainbow: for all the times i’ve cried to it, i still love it :,) those first lyrics from chenle make me want to bawl my eyes out simply because his tone there is so nostalgic and pretty and sad-sounding, and reading the lyrics makes me even more emotional (or maybe i’m just overly sensitive oops). the softer raps and angelic vocals and every little harmony and adlib are EVERYTHING, this is another song that just suits the unit so well. regardless of their positions this track proves that every single member is beyond capable of being a vocalist. i don’t know why it seems like such a sad and nostalgic song to me, but it’s also really hopeful at the same time. it’s like this dreamscape of emotions (no pun intended), and the video is so otherworldly and enchanted it seems almost magical. the colors and the playground set? their expressions and interactions with one another? i swear, their friendship and bond is unlike any i’ve ever seen. this track also makes me think of how proud i am of them, and i wanna give them all the biggest hug in the world🥺

if you decided to read this whole thing i would like to say i’m sorry for the ramble but also thank you for being interested in what i had to say :)

#what do i even tag this as?? #dream aoty🌶 #i guess

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 08/05/2021 (Billie Eilish, DJ Khaled)

Whilst this is slightly busier than last week, I am genuinely surprised with how little is actually going on here on this week’s chart, a lot less than I expected or predicted. With that said, the top of the chart is where our biggest story comes from and that is “Body” by Russ Millions and Tion Wayne taking advantage of a weak chart with its star-studded remix and peaking at #1 for its first week, replacing Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)”. Not only is it the biggest hit for both of these guys and their first #1s, but it’s the first #1 for the entire UK drill genre, which kind of came out of nowhere for me since I think the song’s pretty worthless but with a TikTok challenge and streaming numbers that have even placed it in the American Spotify chart, it’s gearing up to be one of the biggest British rap songs ever. Let’s hope maybe this one doesn’t stall out as badly as “Don’t Rush” outside of the UK. With all that out of the way, let’s start REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

Our only new arrival from last week’s UK Top 75 (which is what I cover), “Come Through” by H.E.R. featuring Chris Brown, is gone on the next off of the debut. Well, at least we have more than one new song this week, as well as some interesting chart nonsense lower down, but also some notable drop-outs for “Mr. Perfectly Fine” by Taylor Swift, “Mercury” by Dave and Kamal., “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” by Drake featuring Rick Ross, “All You Ever Wanted” by Rag’n’Bone Man (which will rebound next week as that album makes its impact) as well as “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles finally making what seems to be its last exit. Our only return is in the form of “Confetti” by Little Mix getting a massive surge back at #15 after its Saweetie remix and the attached music video, though Saweetie doesn’t happen to be credited here.

We do have an interesting selection of gains and losses, as with the notable fallers – dropping five spots or more down the chart – we have “Titanium” by Dave at #23, “Wellerman” by Nathan Evans and remixed by 220 KID and Billen Ted getting ACR’d down to #29 (it had a surprisingly great run), “The Business” by Tiesto having the same happen to it at #32, “We’re Good” by Dua Lipa at #40, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo at #43, “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd at #45, “Don’t Play” by Anne-Marie, KSI and Digital Farm Animals at #51, “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay and 6LACK hit hard to #54, the same with “Up” by Cardi B at #59, “You” by Regard, Troye Sivan and Tate McRae shaking off the gains #63, “Get Out My Head” by Shane Codd at #60, “Heat” by Paul Woolford and Amber Mark at #66, “Solid” by Young Stoner Life, Young Thug and Gunna featuring Drake at #69, “Paradise” by MERDUZA and Dermot Kennedy at #71 and, sadly, “How Does it Feel” by London Grammar at #75.

Where it gets a bit more telling about how the charts are going to adapt into the Summer is in our climbers as we have solid gains for “Another Love” by Tom Odell making another run at #60, “Sunshine (The Light)” by Fat Joe, DJ Khaled and Amorphous inexplicably at #57 and now we get into the top 40 where we have more potential future hits. “Way Too Long” by Nathan Dawe, Anne-Marie and MoStack is at #38, “Don’t You Worry About Me” brings the Bad Boy Chiller Crew their first hit at #37 (although the song is only ever worth hearing for that chorus) and “WITHOUT YOU” by the Kid LAROI returns to the top 40 at #30 thanks to a remix with Miley Cyrus who is again not credited by the Official Charts Company. Boney M. are granted their first new top 20 hit since the 1990s, even if it is just a remix of a song that went #2 in 1978, as Majestic’s remix of “Rasputin” is at #18. Our final gain is for a song first entering the top 10 thanks to the remix with Ariana Grande finally making an impact – yet once again not given the official credit by the OCC – as “Save Your Tears” by the Weeknd makes its way up to #8, becoming his tenth top 10 hit here in Britain. That’s not the only song to first enter the top 10 this week but we’ll get to that in due time with our... odd selection of new arrivals this week.

NEW ARRIVALS

#73 – “EVERY CHANCE I GET” – DJ Khaled featuring Lil Baby and Lil Durk

Produced by DJ Khaled and Tay Keith

Two of our new entries are from DJ Khaled’s most recent album Khaled Khaled, an album much like any Khaled album I found cheap and just dull. This record especially is just mixed horribly, with a budget spent exceedingly on getting big-name features instead of any worthwhile engineers to actually mix and master this 50-minute trainwreck. The album doesn’t have many highlights at all but if I had to choose some they would be the two debuting this week, the first of which is basically a Lil Baby cut, “EVERY CHANCE I GET”, with a verse from Lil Durk. Okay, so, yes, first of all, much like the rest of the record, this mix is compressed and just weak, with bizarre bass mastering and drums that sound like garbage, before we get to Lil Baby himself sounding even froggier than ever. I do think that gives the song part of its charm, though, as with a Tay Keith beat, it’s definitely going for a hardcore, old-school Memphis rap atmosphere, and with Lil Baby’s flow switches disguising paranoid lyrics about the typical gunplay and flexing, it does effectively make a pretty intimidating listen... okay, well, it would, if DJ Khaled didn’t have to pop in to convince Lil Baby to “keep going”. We also get a single verse from Lil Durk here, mixed like he recorded his vocals in his bath to the point where it’s clipping against the bass, but delivering a King Von-esque flow that sounds pretty great, and admittedly more detail than you’d expect. I also love that silly “mmm-mmm” flow he uses at the end. I do wish a song like this, clearly supposed to be menacing, did not have the ludicrous personality void that is DJ Khaled on it, and it’s not like they need Khaled to collaborate together – or with Tay Keith for that matter – so I don’t really see why the dude doesn’t just shut up and promote his albums as compilations instead. I understand it comes from his mixtape days, but if this is going to be a studio album, treat it like one and just be quiet for once.

#72 – “Oblivion” – Royal Blood

Produced by Royal Blood

Royal Blood got the #1 album this week for Typhoons and admittedly, whilst I am interested in this band, I haven’t gotten around to listening to it, so I’ll take this album cut as a preview of what to come. If I am doing that, I hope to be surprised by whatever else that album has in store as I’m not really a fan of this. That eerie choppy guitar loop being immediately crushed by this heavily distorted riff and stiff percussion just does not sound unique or interesting, especially if Mike Kerr is going to sound this soulless. The build towards the chorus feels pretty pathetic and unwarranted, and said chorus is just not catchy, before we get to content about how he knows his fate through how arrogant he’s been and he deserves what’s coming to him. I mean, sure, but there’s nothing that makes it obvious that these guys don’t care about what’s coming to them given the pained vocal delivery and monotonous instrumental. It doesn’t feel exciting, rebellious or whatever emotion this tries and fails to capture, just stiff and staggered in its execution. This does make sense for Royal Blood but seems to me like they’re resting way too heavily on ideas ran through the soil at this point. With all that said, this isn’t bad at all, just not as great as those other singles have been from the record. I think I’d be more forgiving if it didn’t come off as a Queens of the Stone Age tribute act writing “originals” that bomb at their shows.

#56 – “love race” – Machine Gun Kelly featuring Kellin Quinn

Produced by Jeff Peters, Jared Gudstadt and Travis Barker

I guess this might actually be a rock-heavy week – not that I’m complaining about more of a rock presence on the chart but God, I wish it wasn’t coming from MGK. I’ll have some choice words to say about this guy’s last attempt at a pop-rock hit by the end of the year, probably, but at least for this song he brought on someone with some kind of legitimacy. Kellin Quinn is the frontman of post-hardcore band Sleeping with Sirens, one of the most successful bands in their genre but not one unlike others that grew out of the metalcore-infused pop rock to anything more unique or experimental. With that said, Quinn is barely here and other than Travis Barker’s typical explosive drums, MGK is the biggest presence here in his raspy but borderline unlistenable vocal tone that I just can’t stand, especially if it’s going to stretch out “run” as long and as far as he did in that longing, desperate chorus. MGK barely even lets Kellin Quinn have his own verse, registering him as backing vocals throughout the entire song, dampening his vocals that sound a lot more unique and enthused, especially when he starts screaming. That bridge did give me trancecore flashbacks – not that I’m complaining if I’m fully honest – so I’ll admit the part of me that eats up emo-pop garbage did let this grow on me a bit, but, man, without a guitar solo to distract from pretty awful lyrics (not that I’d expect much more from this artist or genre) and without really letting Quinn loose on the vocals, it’s lacking a certain grit and punch I expect from post-hardcore. The song did, however, indirectly remind me of New Found Glory, for which I am thankful for.

#53 – “I DID IT” – DJ Khaled featuring Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby and DaBaby

Produced by Ben Billions, Joe Zarrillo, DJ 360, Tay Keith and DJ Khaled

You wouldn’t expect an artist line-up like this to continue this trend of rock in this week’s new arrivals, but you’d be surprised, and personally I’m pretty happy with how much rock seems to be creeping up back into the public consciousness as if there’s one thing I got back in touch with the most over lockdown, it was the rock music I was raised on and it led to me even further appreciating a genre I had kind of lost touch with over the years out of just a lack of interest. With that said, this isn’t a rock song per se, but it does heavily and lazily sample a classic like much of this Khaled album, going for “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos. I’m not going to lie, either, it sets up a pretty effective back-bone for a trap banger about being awesome, especially with those squealing riffs in the chorus. Oh, yeah, and the mixing is horrible as expected, but to be honest to me it does not dampen the boasting, anthemic nature of this track, especially with Post Malone being a perfect choice to croon that infectious chorus. Megan Thee Stallion has a pretty embarrassingly by-the-numbers verse over a switch in the beat that makes it sound oddly stunted, but she does have that swinging rock charisma that people like Lil Baby do not have. With that said, I think I’m at the point where I eat anything Lil Baby says or does, because the flow switches combined with his frog-throat delivery is just impeccable. Content-wise, I think everyone here realises they’re being squashed by the clipping beat as they just go off about complete nonsense that goes in one ear and out the other apart from Lil Baby’s misguided but still pretty funny line about how he contemplated going vegan but sees no point in it because he’s got ten karats in both of his ears. Sure. At least DJ Khaled as something to do as he... harmonises, I guess, with Posty on the chorus. DaBaby is as distant as possible from the microphone to the point where I can barely hear him, not that it matters when his verse is that basic and short. This is kind of a trainwreck in all honesty, but with four choruses and a beat this heavy, it’s hard to be annoyed by it. Overwhelming maybe but these performers are all characters by themselves and throwing them in this three-minute chaos of squealing guitars and trap skitters just fascinates me if anything. Does it count as a posse cut? I don’t know. Either way, this is hilarious.

#5 – “Your Power” – Billie Eilish

Produced by FINNEAS

Decidedly not hilarious is this new single from Billie Eilish looking to be a smash from that upcoming album which now has a track listing and release date, with this functioning as I suppose the true lead single and her seventh top 10 here in the UK. It’s a brave choice too considering the lyrical content which is a pretty scathing attack on her ex-boyfriend and their abusive relationship, making several references to the gap in age and power dynamic that played into something really distressing for the both of them but especially a young, vulnerable Billie Eilish who found herself helpless in this relationship because of that “hero” quickly revealing himself as little more than his projected insecurities. The song’s detailed enough not to detach itself from Billie’s personal struggles but also works as what I suppose is a warning, as it’s retelling a story all too familiar with many girls of her age at the time who end up in these really scary situations. It does help that the song itself is great, relying on these layered acoustic guitars to form some kind of dejected groove behind Eilish’s vocals, whispery and cooing as always but in this case way too loud in the mix for my taste to the point where it kind of takes me out of the song as a whole. With a better master that blends her vocal take a lot better into the guitars, maybe going for a fuzzier, dream-pop angle, could work a lot better but with that said, I do understand the purpose of making it feel this intimate and minimal because Billie’s honest songwriting calls for a delivery like this, even if she ends up sounding shakier or even mumbling at times as a result. This is a big debut for Billie for a song not prepared to do as well as it did given its content and sound that is not exactly radio-friendly and oftentimes requires more heavy of a listen than a pop song would otherwise. I do love that final outro as her humming careens off the gentle guitars with just enough scratch but I do question how abrupt the ending is. Hopefully when the album’s out, we’ll have a bigger picture to as where this single in particular fits in.

Conclusion

With only five new arrivals and not much in the way of anything bad, I guess Worst of the Week goes to “Oblivion” by Royal Blood but giving a Dishonourable Mention would just end up as dishonest. Therefore, Best of the Week goes to Billie Eilish for “Your Power” but – and I cannot believe I am saying this for a 3/10 album with only fluke hits – but DJ Khaled – and Lil Baby for that matter – get a tied Honourable Mention for both of their songs, “EVERY CHANCE THAT I GET” with Lil Durk and “I DID IT” with Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby. Now to distract from the fact I just did that, here’s this week’s top 10:

I can’t really make any healthy predictions for next week. Maybe we’ll get some songs from Lil Tecca, Rag’n’Bone Man or Bebe Rexha? Maybe we’ll end up with some fluke Weezer smash hit, who knows? Regardless, thank you for reading and I’ll see you next week.

[abcdosaka]

a few weeks ago spotify had that error where a bunch of kpop songs were missing and i couldn’t listen to my mamamoo chill playlist anymore (i like listening to it when i’m working) so i made a new playlist on youtube with basically every mamamoo song i like (currently has like over 100 songs). since youtube’s shuffle is busted i found a website that shuffles them better and i can listen to it together with my other youtube playlists (i made one for red velvet, even though i only know like 7 songs by them that i like; same with ariana grande i only know a few of her songs and then the songs from her first album). anyways ive been shuffling those three playlists together and only listening to that for the past month even though spotify fixed its issue already. and you know what ill still never get tired of mamamoo songs. they’re so perfectly produced and the vocals are alllways on point. 

the things that suck about this situation is that my ears hurt from always wearing my headphones, and also i haven’t been able to listen to any new/different for a while. like this is my playlist for the past two months:

its only 15 songs and 4 of them are from wheein’s album so i feel like they only count as “1 discovery of new music”. if that makes sense. 

kinda think i should stop wearing headphones so often but its hard to change anything about me rn. at least let me have music. (that’s me talking to myself like always).

hmm what else....montero is so catchy. lil nas x songs are always super short but omfg he really knows how to write a catchy hit. even without the controversy i think he still would’ve charted super high bc the song is so good.

[taste-in-music]

My Favorite Hit Songs of 2019

This year’s crop of popular music was... absolutely bonkers? I mean, this year we had Billie Eilish crash into the mainstream, Lizzo managed to get multiple hits out of songs she released nearly three years ago, the Jonas Brothers made a comeback, and the longest-running #1 hit in Billboard history became a rap/country crossover that got its start on Tik Tok made by a complete nobody and the dad from Hannah Montana. I’m going to admit, this list was pretty hard to put together, as I found it hard to find 10 songs that I genuinely loved that were hits this year. Despite that, the sheer absurdity of this year’s popular music gave me a spark of hope going into the new decade. For this list, I’ll be selecting my favorite songs off of Billboard’s year end Hot 100 songs list. I’m ready to recount this year in music, so...

10) Sucker by Jonas Brothers I never watched the Jonas Brothers show or listened to their music back when they were big on Disney, so I’ve got no nostalgic investment in them. However, this was a fun comeback to watch play out. This song was pretty dang good for a while, with the funky guitars and the instantly catchy lyrics. It reminded me of “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man. Then it got the point where three separate radio stations were playing it at the same time, and now I can barely stand it. I think that after the radio releases this song from its clutches it will warm up on me again though, because I do like it overall.

9) Better by Khalid The strongest attribute of this song is its ATMOSPHERE. The beat, melody, and vocal delivery all compliment one another perfectly, combining to create a smooth, almost sexy sound that washes over you with ever listen. I also like the Daft-Punk-y vocoded lines that pop in at the end, they’re so unexpected and yet they fit in perfectly. I've always loved Khalid’s vocal timbre, it’s so chill and yet warm at the same time. The only thing I can’t praise about this is the lyrics, because I have no clue what they are. Khalid, bless his sweet soul, cannot enunciate. It’s the same problem I have with Ariana Grande. I love your voice, I want to know what you’re saying! 

8) Trampoline by SHAED Give me the hipster points, because guess who knew about this song before it was cool! I’ve loved SHAED’s music for some time now, so it’s been thrilling to watch this song climb the charts and for them to get the recognition and success that they deserve. While this song isn’t my favorite by them, (that slot would probably be reserved for “Perfume” or “Melt,”) it does showcase the group’s strengths, which are emotive vocals and glossy electronic production. I love the effervescent backing vocals and bubbling keys that pepper this song, it gives the song a floaty feel while still keeping it tense. 

7) Old Town Road by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus I can’t think of a piece of music in recent memory that has captured the public’s attention so swiftly and so completely, and you know what? Sometimes something gets big because it’s good. This song, despite all the memes and jokes and radio play and oversaturation, never ever got old to me. Every time it comes on, it puts a giant, goofy smile on my face, and I sing along to the whole thing. I want Lil Nas X to stick around, but even if he doesn’t, I want what this song represents, genre blending, trend-bucking, and a sense of fuck-it fun, to stay.

6) bury a friend by Billie Eilish Out of all the strange hits we had this year, this was the weirdest one to hear on the radio. It doesn’t have a classic structure! It’s about the monster under your bed! It’s got nothing but a shuffle beat, bass, and the sound of dental drill! It just doesn’t belong on the airwaves next to songs like “ME!” or “I Don’t Care.” Despite that, I’m beyond happy that Billie Eilish is bringing a bit of emo weirdness to the mainstream, because if the success of her music, specifically this song, says anything, it’s that pop is heading in a far scarier and more experimental direction. And I’m on board with that. 

5) break up with your girfriend, i’m bored by Ariana Grande The groove on this song is fantastic. The combination of eerie synths, bass, reverbed backing vocals, and rolling snares makes it feel tight and controlled, but also loose and flowing at the same time. There was a lot of pushback against this song due the sentiment of the lyrics, but it’s not like Ariana is unaware that she’s the bad guy in this position. There’s enough indifference and sarcasm in her delivery to show that she’s self aware. This was probably my favorite out of the hit singles from the thank u, next era, (”thank u, next” is great but got a bit old to me, and I don’t care for “7 Rings.”) 

4) Circles by Post Malone  This is embarrassing to admit, because I rarely, if ever, enjoyed any music Post Malone has put out in the past. But this song just hits different. The instrumental feels more acoustic-driven and has a nice pulse to it, projecting a warmth and comfort that none of his other songs have. This was a perfect hit for Autumn, being chill and relaxing enough for Summer, but the underlying bass groove makes you want to move into the productive patterns of the school year. If Post Malone made more music like this I’d reckon I’d enjoy his music quite a bit. 

3) Dancing With A Stranger by Sam Smith ft. Normani Sometimes radio filler turns out to be spectacular. The ambiance this track builds is relaxing but in an otherworldly kind of way, forming a soundscape of echoing drums and whispering synths. I’ve always stood by the opinion that Sam Smith sounds really good with an electronic beat under them, it helps their great voice move in a more free-flowing way. Normani also sounds amazing on this song, her vocals dipping into smokier territory, and when the two sing together they play off one another’s performances with ease. 

2) Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max Who predicted this in their last year’s hit song’s list? This bitch! I was so happy to see this hit the U.S. charts, you have no idea. It was such a breath of fresh air in that it was so splashy, sugar-sweet, and unabashedly pop. The lyrics are some of the silliest of the whole year, (”she’s poison but tasty” makes me chuckle every time,) but it doesn’t matter. The addictive melodies and the earnestness in Ava Max’s performance make them sound like Shakespearean poetry, or at least like she believes that they’re Shakespearean poetry. 

Should Have Been Hits

Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift This should’ve been a single. I get why Taylor chose the singles she did, but this was primed to be a Summer smash, with the glossy synths and vocoded backing vocals and soaring chorus. We were robbed. Robbed, I tell you!

Graveyard by Halsey While “Without Me” got all the glory, this is my favorite of all the Halsey singles we’ve gotten so far by a wide margin. It’s the only one that I’ve made the conscious choice to listen to on my own time for one. I love the way the production rushes as the chorus hits, and the synths that sparkle throughout the verses, and Halsey’s reserved performance.

3 Nights by Dominic Fike This was a hit in the U.K., and I even heard it on a few alternative stations, so why no cross over? If there was any song that should have been the chill Summer hip hop hit, it should have been this. This song is weirdly addictive, the chorus is so inexplicably catchy that once you hear it one time through you will know all the words to it. 

Blame It On Your Love by Charli XCX ft. Lizzo When the mainstream decide that it didn’t need Charli XCX? Because it’s wrong, it needs her very, very badly. The success of “1999″ in the U.K., the name recognition, and the Lizzo feature should’ve been more than enough to boost this onto the charts, but I guess we didn’t want an instantly catchy and fun EDM pop song on the radio. Oh well. 

Motivation by Normani Normani and Lauren are my favorite Fifth Harmony members, so I’ve been rooting for their solo careers like nobody’s business. This single in particular had so much potential: a bouncy beat, a stamp of approval from Ariana Grande, and a kick-ass music video filled with impressive choreography. I hope this gets a bigger push into next year, because Normani is a wildly talented performer that deserves success outside of her collaborations. 

Guilty Pleasures

bad guy by Billie Eilish This was a good song, just not my favorite off the album, or of the hits, (I prefer ”bury a friend,” obviously, and “when the party’s over,” which made last year’s list.) Still, watching this idiosyncratic little tune become one of the biggest pop smashes of the year was enthralling. Like “bury a friend,” it was so strange to hear this on the radio. 

Close To Me by Ellie Goulding ft. Diplo & Swae Lee When a melody gets its claws in me, there’s nothing I can do about it. This is not Ellie Goulding at her best, (I’ll admit that I miss the days of “Lights,”) but the way she delivers the hook on this song is absolutely infectious. I’m not the biggest Swae Lee fan, but he’s fine here too. I never minded when this song came on the radio. 

This year was a bit of a roller coaster for me. Needless to say, there were several instances where I felt quite a bit of stress and insecurity, and oftentimes, I would turn to music to make myself feel better. There was one song in particular that a friend of mine, @hasanminajs​, introduced me to, that instantly became a beacon of self-appreciation and enjoyment to me throughout the year. And when I tell you that I have never been happier to hear a song on the radio than I have with this one, I'm telling the truth. 

1) Truth Hurts by Lizzo I have never rooted for a song’s success like I have for this one, and watching a hip hop track this bouncy, confident, and enigmatic climb the charts was an absolute joy. There are so many great punchlines in this song, from “why men great till they gotta be great?” to “I don’t play tag bitch, I’ve been it,” to the ever-iconic “I just took a DNA test, turns out, I’m 100% that bitch.” This song raised the standards for lyricism in the mainstream. I want Lizzo to be huge, I want her to be influential, I want her to be one of the biggest pop stars of the next decade if not longer. Everything about this song, from its production to its message to its performance makes me smile. And you know what? Sometimes that’s all that pop music needs to do. 

Do you agree with this list? What were your favorite hit songs of 2019? Leave a comment and let me know!

#music #taste-in-music top ten #jonas brothers #khalid #SHAED #lil nas x #billy ray cyrus #billie eilish #ariana grande #post malone #sam smith #normani #ava max #taylor swift #halsey #dominic fike #charli xcx #lizzo #ellie goulding #diplo #swae lee #taste in music #taste in music 2019 faves

[beatsfortheillperth]

Words with Umys

All photography by @giulio.rose.giannini, find more blessed works by Giulio on instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/giulio.rose.giannini/

Our next words are with a creative that calls the small town Wendell, North Carolina, home. Brimming with good energy and presenting production and sounds genuine to the mood he radiates - UMYS is someone that shows the ever-adapting not to mention soothing road music can take one down.

Whether you be cruising or chilling through the day or night, UMYS has the soul sorted and the mind elevated with his truly diverse array of beats. 

Adding a layer of vibrations and sonic sounds to hip hop classics old and new and experimenting beyond genres, UMYS is one of those musical brains that one really shouldn't miss as his music sets moods not to mention emotions beyond expectations.

Bringing together stress relief in the form of his beat-tapes, chill flips vol.1 and 2, both released last year in July and August. Then add to the mix his new years day phonk blessing - Phonk Nights Vol. 1, a collaborative 7 track beat-tape with sr.sn - fellow North Carolina native, friend, and musical vision, and you just can't go wrong, as UMYS provides a catalog for any situation that requires some bounce or a burst of creativity. 

A true gem of the production world and appreciator of fellow creators, UMYS presents quality, and with that enjoy our words with the North Carolina beat-smith, making moves and shifting boundaries within music.

On a side-note check the beatsfortheill Soundcloud below for UMYS's mix for the online magazine curated and delivered with nothing but goodness.

All songs featured in the mix are by UMYS and his close friends so be prepared for some blessed goodies. 

UMYS & the Homies Beatsfortheill Mix- 

https://soundcloud.com/chofiemay/umys-the-homies-beatsfortheill-mix 

Much Love.

Hey UMYS, thank you for the opportunity to share words, I thought we would start with a few random questions to get things flowing.

Favourite Food: Habachi Steak WITH Fried Rice

Favourite Beverage: Dr. Pepper

Last track you listened to: GETTING FRKYFRKY TONIGHT by LO$ER

A childhood memory in regards to music: Taking guitar lessons when I was about 10 years old.

Must cop Album: Die Lit by Playboi Carti

Favourite track at the moment and why it's a favourite: 12.21 by bsterthegawd. Honestly, everyone go listen to this yourself because words could not explain the beauty of this track.

Views on life beyond Earth: I find it incredibly hard to believe that Earth is the only place with life being such a small place in such a big universe.

Views on mainstream media: I typically stay away from mainstream media and try to formulate all my opinions on my own research.

Your go-to artist when you were 15: A$AP Rocky

Favourite Location: Key West, Florida

Movie or Show recommendation: South Park

What you love about your hometown: The people, all my very best friends are from my hometown and I always love going back home to see everyone.

Thanks for that Warren aka UMYS (pronounced YOU-MISS). I'd like to start by asking, what inspired you to start producing in the first place?

Did you have any help or musical experience before you began producing? When did you start experimenting with beat-making? And also what keeps you producing in the present?

I started producing when I was 16 years old. One of my hometown best friends, linanthem, used to come over to my house during the summers and work on beats in my living room and watching him work was so inspirational. 

Pretty early on in our friendship he helped me learn FL Studio and I started off making shitty trap beats no one would ever rap on hahaha. I took some guitar lessons early on in life but basketball took over my life until I was about 18 and then that’s when I started making beats every day.

My passion for music keeps me sitting at my computer every single day trying to learn and experiment with new sounds.

You're from a small town Wendell in North Carolina, small-town vibes here for me too. How do you feel being from a small town benefits you as a creator?

Does your community effect the music you make at all? What do you feel are some cons to making music in a small town?

Being from a small town as a creator definitely has its pros and cons. Some of the pros being I’m a well-known name in my hometown but some of the cons are the lack of connections that can be made. 

Luckily, Wendell is just outside of Raleigh which is a really big city so that allowed me to dive into that scene as well and make a lot of connections throughout the 919. 

The community around me most definitely inspires me. When I hear something I like, I’m instantly inspired to hop on my computer and make something with a similar vibe to whatever I just heard.

What is the North Carolina music scene like and how do you feel your music fits into the mix? Can you share a few of your favourite artists coming out of North Carolina? 

What do you feel creatives are doing right there and also what places would you recommend our readers check out if they're ever in the area?

Where do I even start hahaha. The music scene in North Carolina seems to be growing every single day and the really cool part about it to me is we all seem to have our own unique sound. 

Some of my favorite artists in NC are, Maasho, Sonny Miles, Dot Wav, Felix Wood and Curtis Waters. 

My favorite producers are the homies of course, GMO, sr.sn., linanthem, primoux, B4 and MFM. I feel like all the creators around here know each other and we are all friends and/or mutual friends. 

All the musicians I’ve met in NC have been nothing but nice and ready to work. If you’re ever in North Carolina, you should definitely check out Raleigh. There are WAY too many amazing places to eat.

Back onto your music, I've raided your Bandcamp, and honestly so much goodness there, I'd like to talk about your three tapes available on Bandcamp separately, but the first one I'd like to have a chat about is your July 4th, 2020, 13 track release "chill flips vol.1"

This is a true gem of a release, thank you for making these beats that just take you to another world of listening, much respect. Chilled and healing samples and flips of the likes of Danny Brown, Playboi Carti, Eazy E, Lil Wanye, Marvin Gaye, Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, and more, you take listeners on an elevated journey, much love.

What was "chill flips vol.1" like for you to create and what do you enjoy about this tape overall? Being your first beat-tape, can you share what inspired each track from this release and what you personally enjoyed about each track?

This is definitely one of my personal favorite projects but one of my least known. I never got too into Bandcamp but wanted to put a tape up there which is why I released chill flips as an exclusive on bandcamp.

chill flips vol. 1

a milli (flip) - I love this track so much. I feel like this really sets the tone for the rest of the tape and allows you to relax and get comfortable for what’s ahead.

J0000008.WAV – This was actually the first beat I made using my SP-404sx. It was a little bit of an experiment but turned out so well.

die like a rockstar (flip) – This beat is inspired by the producer stxn.x. The chops in the song were made by him. Definitely one of my personal favorites on this tape.

i was in a really good mood when i made this – This beat is a real feel good beat. I definitely made this in a really good mood hahaha.

a damn shame – Some more inspiration from my man stxn.x with his smooth drums

can't relate bro – This is probably my favorite flip I have ever made hahaha. What’s better than Playboi Carti on a smooth lofi beat.

fast cars, bad b*tches, and designer clothes – Lil Pump but it’s lofi LMAO

i'm not mad – This one was a fun one to make. Extremely simple beat but so chill.

backseat freestyle (flip) – The keys on this track really bring it together. Definitely one of the more chill ones on the tape.

i'm on a diet_ - This was one of my first flips to really pop off on Soundcloud so this one is a special track to me.

tomato salad – I actually made this beat for a Kenny Beat’s Beat Battle and it came in 5th place. I liked it a lot and thought it was a good vibe to add to the tape

thug 4 life – I honestly really just wanted to make a Tupac flip on this tape and this is what came out.

high school – This is another early one to pop off for me. Such a simple yet beautiful flip.

Link to chill flips vol.1 on Bandcamp here - https://umys.bandcamp.com/album/chill-flips-vol-1

You followed up chill flips vol.1 within a couple of months with chill flips vol.2 released on the 8th of August 2020, and for sure this release is another blessing to the ears. Blending old with new, words, samples, and bass-lines like a natural, this release is a solid ode to those you flip much respect.

I've enjoyed chill flips vol. 1 and 2 in various environments and for me vol.2 is perfect for mornings to motivate your day, your plays on tracks by Migos, Playboi Carti, Nas, Barry White, and more is beyond refreshing, thank you for this release.

What inspired you to release chill flips vol.1 and 2 reasonably close together? Also, what did you enjoy about putting this slightly shorter beat tape together? Do you have a favourite from the mix? If so share your favourite and why it appeals to you the most?

Also, have to ask on your track "wow" who did you sample in the beginning? Her vocals add so much to this beautiful Post Malone flip.

You have a gift with that btw, by blending samples to create a unique journey. How do you come up with these little blended treats? Is there some sort of process you follow with these particular tracks?

Link to chill flips vol.2 here - 

https://umys.bandcamp.com/album/chill-flips-vol-2

Honestly Chill Flips Vol.1 and 2 dropped closely together because I was just really excited about them hahaha. My favorite from the two is either Can’t Relate Bro or Cheese in my Pockets. 

Both of those are 2 of my favorites till this day. I liked the facts Chill Flips vol. 2 is shorter making it easy to sit down and listen to from start to finish and I feel there’s never a dull moment on that tape. 

The track wow actually got me a strike on Soundcloud because of the Post Malone vocals hahaha. The vocals at the intro were actually from Splice and it just seemed like the perfect intro. 

Thank you so much for the kind words about my sampling. I honestly just go through a lot of trial and error and stick with what sounds best. I try to not overthink in the process of making music. 

It’s supposed to be fun and I don’t want to ever make it not fun by getting frustrated. If I get stuck, I move on to another beat and come back to it later and try again.

Thanks so much for your insight so far, it's much-respected, your solo releases have a lot to offer, variety, and mood with each play, thanks again for what you're doing creatively.

Something you also showcase through your SoundCloud and Bandcamp is your ability to collab with taste and precision. I'm referring to your January 1st, 2021 collab release "Phonk Nights Vol. 1" that you co-produced with Raleigh, North Carolina producer talent and best friend of yours sr.sn.

"Phonk Nights Vol. 1" has to be one of the best releases of this year and you and sr.sn worked brilliantly together on it. I get the feeling things are really natural when you work together is that true?

How did you two meet and what inspires you to collab with sr.sn often?

You've collaborated before this beat-tape was released, beautiful works as well. What was it like working on a whole tape together compared to single releases? And what made you both want to release a Phonk tape?

Can you share your favourite track from "Phonk Nights Vol. 1"? Also, can you give us a run-through of what inspired each track from the release and what you enjoyed about creating each one?

I am so glad you enjoyed it so much. We had such a good time making it. sr.sn and I met in our early years of high school because we had a class together. It seems like after that we just became best friends. I don’t think either of us could tell you exactly how we became best friends, we just did. Ian is really easy to

work with because we both have our own sounds, but they blend together so nicely. It’s not like that with everyone but Ian and I have a whole folder of beats that are just great. The story behind Phonk Nights is actually really cool. We made the whole entire tape from December 22nd-28th and then released it on New Years so it was an extremely quick process. We play video games together almost every night and on the 22nd we were in discord and we made Wocky Slush. After that, we kept making 1-2 tracks a night and I think the only day we took off was Christmas Day. Then, all of the sudden we had 7 really solid tracks and wanted to just throw them on a tape. So that’s how Phonk Nights happened.

Phonk Nights Vol. 1

Sum Expensive w/ sr.sn – This sample just seemed like the perfect sample to have as an opener. This track really sets the tone with a really smooth and mellow start followed by a hard drop.

Wocky Slush w/ sr.sn – This was the first track we made for Phonk Nights. We also released it as a single and this was around the time that wocky slush Tik Tok went viral and we both thought that video was hilarious.

Ghost Ridin' w/ sr.sn – Probably my personal favorite on this tape, the vocals and the beat just match up so well. This track is a vibe and has a real nice bounce to it.

Pop a Perc w/ sr.sn – This track was one of our first phonk collaborations and definitely a fan favorite from our collabs.

That's How All my Partners Roll w/ sr.sn – This one was such a quick cook up and just resulted in perfection. A very simple melody with some hard 808s, you can’t go wrong with that.

I Get da Bag w/ sr.sn – One of my favorite samples on the tape. Switched the vocals around a few times on this one and finalized it with some Gucci hahaha.

Splashin' w/ sr.sn – We were both so excited about this one. It’s the perfect closer to the tape.

Link to Phonk Nights Vol. 1 here - 

https://umys.bandcamp.com/album/phonk-nights-vol-1

Support sr.sn here - https://soundcloud.com/srsn

I'm honored to mention you've also put together a blessed mix of moods and sounds for the beatsfortheill Soundcloud - "UMYS & the Homies Beatsfortheill Mix"

It is compiled with tracks by yourself and your best friends which makes it that little bit more special. Tracks by the likes of sr.sn, linanthem, sleepdealer, fk linny, GMO, and B4 all talented in their own right but blended together, you get a listening delight and story thanks to your mixing on this favourite for myself, thank you.

Firstly, can you give us a paragraph about what inspired this mix and what you tried to create with it?

How did you feel while you were making it? And finally, what do the people mean to you that you feature in the mix? And how important is it to have good friends around you while you create?

I have been so excited to talk about this mix. I had such a great time making it. The concept behind the mix is it’s only my real-life friends who also produce. 

I take so much pride in how amazing my friends are at making music. They all inspire me every single day. I love these guys and would take a bullet for any of them. I always love having people around when creating. 

It’s really fun to be in an environment doing what you love with people that you love.

Link to UMYS & the Homies Beatsfortheill Mix here -

Here at beatsfortheill, we have a love for various forms of art. 

Can you recommend a few artists from different fields that you think our readers would appreciate? if you can link them even better. What do you enjoy most about their work?

I am a huge fan of Rude Manners and all of his work musically and artistically. His socials are @rudemanners and his art account is @daltonmannerud. 

He’s a super genuine guy and has done some of my artwork for me. Definitely be sure to tune into everything he’s doing.

Also, a really good friend of mine and the best photographer I know, Giulio Giannini. His Instagram is @giulio.rose.giannini and you should definitely go check out his shots. 

He has done a handful of shoots with myself and other upcoming artist and producers out of Raleigh and is a really good guy. Not to mention he’s a great architect with some wicked designs. Please be sure to check my man out!

Musical Recommendations?

Anything by bsterthegawd, Lil Gotit, Wifi Gawd, LO$ER, DJ Yung Vamp, and Swum have been heavy in my personal music rotation lately.

How important do you think downtime is for creatives? When you take a break from music, what do you like to do to recuperate and replenish? Also, do you have any other interests away from music that helps you when it comes to creating a track?

I think that giving yourself some downtime is extremely important. Sometimes when you just lock in and over work yourself, your mixes may start sounding sloppy and just little details you may just skip over them. 

It’s good to do stuff to refresh your brain and give it a break. Personally I use video games, basketball, and quality time with my friends as breaks from that creative mindset. 

I really love movies so I often include iconic movie scenes and quotes in the intros and background in some of my beats.

Do your family know you make music? If not, why? If yes, are they supportive? Has your upbringing influenced the music you make at all?

What about your upbringing (ideas, traditions, etc) have you carried with you through to adulthood?

Yes! My family has been nothing but supportive which is awesome. 

My dad calls me every day and always asks how things with music are going. I wasn’t really raised in a musical household, so I didn’t really have any inside influences when it comes to music. 

But I do share the same values and traditions with my family and spend almost every holiday with them. I remain very close with my family and family is something that has always been important to me.

Back to your music, it must be mentioned, your latest EP release "Changes" which came out via Kindbrew Records on March the 5th of this year. It's got that lazy Sunday kind of vibe, smoothed through with jazzy vibes all round, love this release, much respect.

You've worked with Kindbrew Records in the past with your single City Lights which was officially released later through Changes. It's a soulful retreat by yourself, the single, and the EP, much love.

What's it like to work with Kindbrew and what was it like for you to release an EP with Kindbrew Records?

Also, what did you enjoy about making Changes? What do you enjoy most about exploring and creating music from varying genres? Can you share what sort of feel you were going for with Changes?

I absolutely love Kindbrew Records. Coldbrew is doing a great job with the label and is a good friend of mine. I really enjoyed making Changes. I was going through a bit of a hard time when I made that EP and I wanted to express myself through that tape. 

I told myself a long time ago that I never wanted to limit myself to a single genre and wanted to be known for having a wide range of music. I love experimenting and trying out new sounds.

Link to UMYS Changes EP here - https://open.spotify.com/album/5KaelTe9ZlCrNDFWyWEhAe

Link to Kindbrew Records here - https://www.instagram.com/kindbrewrecords/?hl=en

What keeps you humble as a creative?

When I send a song to one of my friends and they tell me it doesn’t sound good hahaha. 

I appreciate honesty and I typically rather get feedback and criticism when I send an unreleased beat to someone rather than them just telling me it sounds good and that’s it

Umys and linanthem

How do you keep yourself in the right headspace with everything that has been going on this year and last with the various obstacles the world has had to face collectively?

I just try to focus on the positives. I try to remember all the great relationships I have with people and how well music is going, and I always try to always look forward and never back. Living in the world right now is not easy and I encourage anyone that is struggling to reach out to a friend and just talk to them.

What helps keep you positive?

Generally, I am just a really happy person and I believe that’s because of all the amazing people I have in my life to be thankful for. It can be hard to stay positive especially in unprecedent times. But, it’s good to surround yourself with honest and loving people and I am so thankful to have people like that in my life.

B4 and Umys

Musical Influences?

linanthem of course because he’s who got me started and I’d say some of my other biggest influences are Monte Booker, bsd.u and swum.

Any shows or releases coming up that we should keep an eye out for?

Right now I am in the planning phase and trying to figure out who and where to release some projects through. But, I do have a single coming out with Lodge Records on June 11th!

Any Last Words?

Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me and for all of the kind words and questions. S/o to beatsfortheill!!!!!

Support UMYS here: 

Bandcamp - https://umys.bandcamp.com/ 

Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/umys 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/1mb6xWEzSmVN3YiSa4NSC1 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/umysbeats/?hl=en 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/umysbeats

[angryconnoisseurgentlemen]

Samsung Spotify Free

In addition, U.S. Consumers buying the new Galaxy S10 will qualify for six months of free Spotify Premium access if they’re new customers, Spotify said. Now you can easily install Spotify Premium in your android device whether it is Samsung, Google Pixel, Nexus, LG, OPO, Xiaomi, Huawei etc. Works on Galaxy S2.

Samsung Spotify Free Trial

Spotify Premium Samsung

On the watch, go to the Samsung music icon. Click on the 3 dots on the right side, click on the Music player Icon, scroll down to Spotify and click on the Spotify dot. Come out and go to Galaxy App Store on your watch and then search Spotify. It appears and I have just downloaded it to my watch.

Open the Spotify app preloaded on your Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G or Note20 5G Ultra, Galaxy S20 5G, S20+ 5G, S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy A51, or Galaxy A71 5G. Log in or create an account, and tap the ‘Premium’ tab on the bottom of your screen to learn how you could get your first six months of Spotify Premium for free.

Spotify is a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs. Spotify is all the music you’ll ever need. Listening is everything - Spotify.

The company also announced a new promotion that offers a free six-month Spotify Premium subscription to new Galaxy S10 owners, although there are a few caveats. The free Premium offer only works.

Most importantly, Spotify is now free on your Android phone and tablet and play any song, artist, album, or playlist in shuffle mode. Even if you have used Spotify on your laptop to save songs and playlists, you can access all your saved songs and playlists right on Android app.

Some things, while great on their own, are even better together. Think cookies and milk, Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, and Spotify and Samsung. Spotify was named Samsung’s go-to music service provider in 2018. Since then, the partnership has expanded to create an even better experience for users, culminating in made-for-Spotify integrations on Samsung’s newest devices. Now that’s a match made in music heaven.*

Spotify comes preinstalled on millions of new Samsung devices globally. That means users can start playing their favorite music and podcasts as soon as they start up their new devices. And the latest integrations on the Galaxy S20, Galaxy Z Flip, and Galaxy Buds+—just revealed at Samsung Unpacked—provide more ways than ever to play, share, and listen to Spotify.

Here’s what users can look forward to.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ x Spotify

Whether you’re on the train, in the car, or still rushing out the door, you can start Spotify with a single touch on the new Samsung Galaxy Buds+. That’s thanks to the latest update rolling out soon to Android devices. Just put on your Buds+ and get the tunes playing with a simple long press. We’ll start playing wherever you left off—or, if you weren’t listening to anything, you’ll hear something new that we think you’ll like. Not feeling it? Press again and we’ll dig up something just for you.

Samsung keyboard integration

Ever heard a new song that you just had to share with friends? Soon it will be easier than ever to quickly search and share music from Spotify. That’s because Spotify will be integrated directly into the Samsung keyboard. Songs, albums, and playlists are sent through a generated link that, once tapped, brings you directly to Spotify or to a page to sign up for an account.

Samsung Clock

The Spotify integration into the Clock app from Google™ has been a hit, and soon, the latest Samsung devices will also allow users to wake up to their favorite music and podcasts. Simply go into your phone’s built-in clock app, set an alarm, tap the Spotify logo, and choose what you want to wake up to. Spotify Premium users will be able to choose any song, playlist, or podcast. Free users can also use this integration and choose their wakeup jams in shuffle mode.

Bixby Routines

The latest Spotify integration with Bixby Routines can soon help you play the perfect playlist for every part of your day. Bixby Routines lets you pick what you like to listen to when you make dinner, hit the gym, commute to work, or otherwise go about your day, making sure you have the right soundtrack for every moment.

Get ready to listen to Spotify on your new Samsung devices like never before. The Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy Z Flip, and Samsung Galaxy Buds+ come out in March 2020.

*Update March 6, 2020: Now, you may be eligible to get six months of Spotify Premium for free on select Samsung Galaxy mobile devices. The offer is available to users who have not already tried Premium. Offer available in the U.S. beginning on March 6 2020; and in Germany and Italy beginning on March 13 2020, France and UK to come. May vary by region and carrier. For eligibility requirements and additional details, see Terms and Conditions.

2019 is the first year that Samsung released three Notes at the same time including Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G. Even Samsung has made some controversial decisions, the three smartphones can also be known as the best smartphones Samsung has to offer right now.

The new Samsung Galaxy Note10 / 10+ / 10+ 5G has some changes from the Note 9 and so on. All of them have been removed the headphone jack, and are starting to phase out the microSD card. However, with gorgeous AMOLED displays, faster performance, and an S Pen that does more than ever before, these new Notes are certainly worth a look.

Since the 3.5mm headphone jack is no more with the Note 10, how to listen to Spotify music or watch videos on the phone? Please don't worry, you can still use wired headphones with the Note 10's USB-C port — either with the USB-C headphones Samsung includes in the box or with a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter.

If you are a music fan, the streaming Spotify music you won't want to miss. Do you know that Spotify and Samsung have joint promotion plan. Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e and Note 10/10+ owners who haven't had Premium before can get 6 months free. Any US/DC resident who is at least 18 years of age who purchased a new Samsung Galaxy S10+, S10 or S10e and Note 10/10+ between 2/21/19 and 12/31/19. No other Samsung devices are eligible for this promotion.

For Spotify comes preinstalled on all Samsung Galaxy S10/S10+,/S10e and Note 10/10+ devices, there is no need to install Spotify on your Samsung phone again.

Open the Spotify app preloaded on your Galaxy S10+, S10, or S10e.

Log in or create an account. If you're new to Spotify, you get the option to sign up for free.

Tap Premium . You’ll be redirected to claim your free 6 months.

Tap GET PREMIUM and enter your payment details.

There's no initial charge, but your payment details are needed to confirm your location, eligibility, and to process payments after the offer period ends.

Note: When the 6 months are up, your Premium automatically continues at the standard rate. You can cancel Spotify anytime. If you want to stop Spotify Premium after the 6 months free, you have better cancel the auto pay for the next by yourself.

Samsung Spotify Free Trial

Still play downloaded Spotify songs on your Samsung Note 10/10+/10+ 5G

When you stop your Spotify Premium service, you may find that you can’t play the downloaded Spotify music files, because Spotify Free account doesn’t supports downloading for offline playing.

Want to still play the downloaded songs? You can use Spotify Audio Downloader to download the Spotify music songs or playlists on your computer and save them to MP3, AAC, FLAC and WAV format, then transfer the downloaded files to your phone. You can also use it to download the latest Podcasts on Spotify.

Spotify Premium Samsung

Conclusion

Until October, 2020, Samsung has released Glalaxy Note 20 5G, Note20 Ultra 5G, new Galaxy Z Phones and also Galaxy A42 5G. Now you will find the Spotify app preloaded on your Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G or Note20 5G Ultra, Galaxy S20 5G, S20+ 5G, S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy A51, or Galaxy A71 5G. Log in or create an account, and tap the ‘Premium’ tab on the bottom of your screen to get your first six months of Spotify Premium for free.

And then you can try Macsome Spotify Downloader, which can help you download music from Spotify and transfer Spotify songs to your Samsung phone. Once the Spotify Premium subscription expired, you can also keep the downloaded Spotify music and enjoy them on your Samsung phone.

[momentsinsong]

Moments In Song No. 019 - Victor

“Moments In Song” asks people one simple question, “What are you listening to?” We believe that you can learn a lot about an individual and their experiences based off of the music they love. For every installment we ask someone to make a playlist of 10 songs they’re listening to, whether it be something new they stumbled upon, or a song they’ve always loved, and explain the story behind their choices. The person’s playlist is then uploaded, giving them the chance to share it with others. Each post aims to profile someone from a different walk of life, whether they be an artist, a student, the mailman, a school teacher, an athlete, a nurse, your next-door neighbor, anyone with a love for music; showing that no matter where we come from, what we do, or what we look like, music has the ability to bring us together.

With an ethereal set of songs that accompany his pensive thoughts, pharmacy student and rapper Victor gives us a track by track breakdown of his playlist. We talk his musical influences, Clams Casino productions, and what he thinks is the greatest song of all time.

Listen to Victor’s playlist on Apple Music and Spotify.

Words by Julian | Photos by Tayo

What was thought process behind putting your playlist together?

I just made a playlist of almost all the songs I listen to when I’m in pensive thought or songs that have a cool ethereal mood to them. I’ve always been in tune to that kind of music. That’s why I have two songs from Clams Casino on there. For me, Clams Casino is probably one of the best producers of the past decade. Very influential. His influence spans what most people can even fathom. If I look at his work with Lil B in 2009, 2010, and then look at the type of beats all these rappers are rapping on now, or their style, and how they rap, Clams Casino and Lil B were very influential.

Without Lil B and Clams Casino partnering, Clams Casino doesn’t have the platform that he has today. Then someone like A$AP Rocky probably doesn’t hear him, and so his first two projects don’t have that Clams Casino sound. You look at so many artists that started to blow up in 2010, 2011, A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, Lil B, they were really coming out with that “drop your top, relax and cruise to music,” and I think Clams Casino is a big part of all of that.

Other songs that I put on my playlist from underground artists like Reva Devito, Thatshymn, Abhi//Dijon, these are artist I listen to when I chill, or when I study. That’s what I’m trying to go for with the playlist. Just a type of sound that you don’t have to necessarily have move to it, you can just sit back, relax, and get into your own zone.

I put my song on there at the end because I thought it helped tie everything on the playlist together.

I was listening to your playlist earlier and I noticed there weren’t any real dance or turn up kind of songs on there.  I felt like they all fell into either a boom-bap category, with like eu-IV and Reva Devito, produced by Tek.Lun, the old school Kendrick, and on the other half, that Clams Casino, Abhi//Dijon, Sango, kind of relaxed and melodic category. Did you know from the start that this is the kind of theme you wanted your playlist to encompass?

Yeah absolutely. Even though some of these songs are kind of old, like “Ignorance Is Bliss,” “Realest Alive,” and “Moments In Love,” which is from the 80’s, I listen to them either every day or at least once a week. Especially times when I’m in school, studying, or in the mood to delve into my thoughts.

“Ignorance Is Bliss” is one of Kendrick’s best songs to me. Overly Dedicated does not get the recognition it deserves as a cumulative work. I personally do believe that Overly Dedicated is on the same tier as Section.80 in terms of Kendrick’s bravado and lyricism, because he’s really rapping something serious on that song. I still go back to those to projects a lot. I feel like a lot of the themes on there are universal. There’s no filler on them. You know exactly what you’re getting.

“Moments In Love” is a long song, it’s like 10 minutes long, and that version has always been my favorite. People don’t know how influential The Art Of Noise are, just to music in general. When people listen to Yeezus or My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, or some of the stuff from Michael Jackson’s HIStory album, The Art Of Noise did that stuff back in the 80’s.

I’m not super familiar with them, are they a pop group? Electronic?

They were an experimental band in the 80’s from the U.K. So many things that people are doing today, they did 30 years ago, which is mind blowing. The way “Moments In Love” is structured, you have a lot of different part, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of different breaks. And all of these breaks evoke a different emotion, and plays into the emotions that someone might feel in a relationship. When I was making this playlist, I knew it had to be number one. In my opinion it’s the best song of all time.

Wow, that’s quite the claim.

Honestly. Out of everything that I’ve ever listened to I can’t find anything, at least in my personal opinion, that really…

Evokes that same kind of emotion,

Yeah emotion, the techniques they use for the time era they were in. If you listen to other stuff from the 80’s compared to this, this is just crazy.  It’s still even really different compared to music out today. Along with that, its influence that people may or may not know about is amazing.

And then after that I went to “Realest Alive.” Lil B’s version isn’t on any streaming sites, but it’s a great song.

What era of Lil B is that?

That’s 2010 Lil B. So that’s when Lil B was just really starting to get out there. This was back when Lil B would release 5 songs a day. Literally he would release 5 different songs a day, and he would have 4 troll songs, and one song that was great. And he would do that on purpose because when he tries he’s an extremely good rapper. The thing is that he’s a deconstructionist. If you listen to Lil B from 2008/2009 he’s rapping on perfectly on the beat, but towards the end of 2009 he released “Like a Martian” and started doing all his based freestyle, stream of consciousness stuff. So during that time, this would be the 1 out of the 5 songs he’d be serious on. By 2011 he was legitimately a well known phenomenon.

Yeah I feel like around that time he was doing a lot of work with Soulja Boy, and influenced that way he made music after that. And even guys now like Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi, there’s definitely some Lil B DNA in them.

For sure. So from “Realest Alive” it goes to “Ignorance is Bliss,” which has Kendrick rapping about a whole range of different topics.  I feel like that streamlines very well into “Numb” by Clams Casino. Now from “Numb” I wanted to lighten up the mood a little bit so I went into songs that are love related. Once you get to “IVyou Pt. 2,” “Rose Gold,” “Therapy” those songs show more of a positive side of what one can feel in a relationship.

You go to “How Do You Love Me” by Xavier Omar and Sango. That song is actually about Xavier Omar asking God, “How could you even love me, even though I am the way I am, even though I am this imperfect being?” I think it segways nicely from “Therapy” because Thatshymn talks about how weed, drinking, and sex can be a form of therapy, but for Xavier Omar he’s talking about how God can be a therapy. For me. I feel like that’s a great contrast, and shows two different forms of love.

And I just finished things with “Stu Pickles.” It’s a good mellow track, talking about relaxing with friends and everyone working together to achieve their goals. For the lyrics I say, “I’m way to blessed to not stress right now,” it’s just me talking about God blessing me to be in the situation I’m in.

I think in our society we take a lot of things for granted. I saw a crazy statistic one time when I was younger. It said if you have a house with electricity, a roof over your head, a bed, and all these other commodities, you’re already richer than 75% of the people in the world.  If you think about that it’s crazy. Everyday really is a blessing, and you try your best to fill it out, and find your way to where you need to go.

What songs and artists made you want to start rapping and making your own music?

If I’m thinking about my favorite rappers growing up, Tupac is number one by a mile. Tupac was extremely influential to me. All Eyez On Me, I know that entire double album back and forth because my dad had the OG double CD that was released in 1996. So after Tupac, it’s Nas, all of his stuff. The first album I ever bought with my own money was his Untitled album. That and the Wu-Tang Clan’s 8 Diagrams. Wu-Tang Clan was also very influential to me. Enter the 36 Chambers  I know that album so well. ODB was so ahead of his time. You listen to “Brooklyn Zoo” and the way he’s rapping is so crazy, but somehow he’s perfectly in pocket, he’s perfectly on the beat. In order to rap like that is extremely hard. ODB to me is just an extraordinary rapper.

Any final thoughts on your playlist?

It’s a microcosm of me throughout the years. It represents the type of music I listen to when I’m in a pensive mood. It’s “sit down and think” music.

Connect with Victor:

https://twitter.com/viceroy_o

https://www.instagram.com/victorolalekan_/

https://soundcloud.com/victorolalekan

Connect with Moments In Song:

https://www.instagram.com/momentsinsong/

https://twitter.com/moments_in_song

https://tinyurl.com/MISAppleMusic

https://tinyurl.com/MISSpotify

#Moments in Song #what are you listening to #music #hip hop #electronic #alternative #instrumental #pop #art of noise #clams casino #Kendrick Lamar #eu-iv #reva devito #tek.lun #abhi//dijon #thatshymn #sango #xavier omar #vic flair

[withpenandjournal]

It’s All A Trend

Kids these days need artists they can look up to and be inspired by. They need artists that make albums that tell a story, not just a playlist.

J. Cole’s cousin introduced him to rap when he was 12 years old. When they got together, they would mess around and freestyle. Ever since then, he was inspired to be a rapper and looked up to story telling artists like Eminem, NAS, and Jamaican rapper, Canibus. Kendrick Lamar started rapping and putting out projects when he was 16 and looked up to artists like the late rappers Tupac and Notorious B.I.G, and Jay-Z. 

You would agree that those artists are one of the greats, right? I would agree with you and it seems like as time goes on, they get better and better.

Take a look at the other side of the spectrum. Florida based rapper, Lil Pump, made his name on the music streaming site, Soundcloud. His hit song “Gucci Gang” ranked #3 on Billboard for 24 weeks. Now, you might be thinking:

“This guy must be pretty good at what he does if he hit #3 on Billboard.“

Let me show you the lyrics to that song

“Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang Spend ten racks on a new chain My bitch love do cocaine I fuck a bitch, I forgot her name I can't buy a bitch no wedding ring Rather go and buy Balmains”

- Lil Pump, Gucci Gang

It was on the charts for so long because kids were listening to it over and over again. And all it does is repeats itself over and over again. I think at first people were making fun of the song but the younger kids didn’t know what they were talking about so they looked up the song and the rest is history.

Artists like him are not in it for the music, they’re in it for the money and the fame and it clearly shows in their work. That’s the wrong message they’re sending to the kids. If one kid says, “I wanna be the next Lil Pump” and he gets big with lyrics like him, the industry would just sound the same, and it does.

It’s also the industry’s fault for signing these rappers because they’re all just money hungry and don’t care how they get it.

#lil pump #jcole #kendricklamar #rap #soundcloud

[wmua-amherst]

Happy New Year! Here are some of WMUA staff's favorite albums from 2019:

PR Director - Ariya Sonethavy

House of Sugar by (Sandy) Alex G and Anak Ko by Jay Som -- I think I overplayed these records in the second half of the year. House of Sugar is magnificent every time and I absolutely love how different each song is, though listening to it in order always feels like something new. The way he produces and manipulates instruments/vox is insane. Anak Ko is my go-to comfort record for the last few months and I've become very attached to it. I love the layers Melina Duterte produces with tracks that are sunny and warm but also moody. I'm also obsessed with the fact that both Alex G and Melina Duterte write and produce all their own tracks -- their songs fill me with big ultralight beams!

General Manager - Toby Cashook

When I first listened to Digital Shades Volume II, it's as if I had finished a surreal sci-fi Dungeons and Dragons adventure narrated by Panos Cosmatos. Having only known M83 as their electric-pop, “Midnight City”selves, this was a total vibe check. Anthony Gonzalez, the lead on this project, reminisced that this was an album that, for him, brought back a feeling of childlike adventure. Inspired by early-age videogames and similar source material, DSVII echoes those mediums that are so endearing and so close to our hearts. For me it was 'Oh Yes You're There, Everyday' and 'Feelings' that reminded me of that naive experience when exploring classic RPG and fantasy games like Bethesda's Skyrim or Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time open worlds for the first time. In a way, my naive sense of childlike wonder was restored. It was like old friends reuniting after seeing hadn't seen each other in quite some time. Similar in nature to Ben Prunty's Curious Merchandise, each song plays like a series of short stories, each describing a unique setting or situation that plays itself out in a satisfying way. 

DSVII leaves you wanting more. Within the chaos of our society, DSVII is a nostalgic album. It's a call to remember the simplicity in our lives that we once let go. It can be tiresome to imagine those moments, and yet listening to DSVII feels as though they've always been by your side. It's a throwback for sure, and I'm sure all of us could use that reminder. 

Programmer - Taylor Cassidy

I think my staff pick for 2019 is Better Oblivion Community Center by.... Better Oblivion Community Center, better known as Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers. This release is from the earlier part of 2019, but it's one of the few albums of this year where I dove in and listened to more than just one or two tracks, and I enjoyed it all. Oberst's emo vocals and punk sensibilities complement Bridgers' songwriting and deeper voice, and they just really come together perfectly in this bizarre concept album about joining a cult. It's folk rock for people who had an emo phase and hate the word "folk" - a label which I guess suits me. Many of the songs are catchy despite being weird, creepy, or depressing and songs like "Dylan Thomas" have a really anthemic, singable feel. It was a release I was really anticipating and wasn't disappointed when I added it to my library.

Finance Director - John Matraia

Bandana by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib is the rap album of the year. Five years removed from their last collaborative album Piñata, it seemed improbable that the duo could top the 2014 classic. And while it’s hard to pick one over the other, it’s clear that both of these guys only get better with time. And more dynamic, too. Just look at "Palmolive” (with an incredible guest verse from Pusha T) or the heartfelt "Practice." On every track here, Freddie and Madlib are fighting to outdo each other, and the greatness that both artists strive for puts this tape over the top. Sure, maybe on a song like “Crime Pays”, Madlib’s mesmerizing instrumental just edges out Freddie’s greatness, and maybe Freddie steals the show on “Education.” But it’s tracks like “Fake Names” and “Cataracts” where both connect at the top of their game and prove that they’re the best in their respective lanes. Freddie claimed that this album was his “baby”, and this sentiment bleeds through on the uplifting intro track “Freestyle Sh*t”, where he reflects on everything he’s been through to reach this point. What follows this are thirteen tracks that serve as a victory lap for both artists, with Freddie making a case for the best rapper alive, and Madlib proving why he’s the best producer of all time. 

Communications Music Director - Alex MacLean

It’s so hard to pick just one record from this year, the amount of plainly great music that has come out this year is absurd. However, I’d like to make the case for one people might not have heard much about. Foam by Diviño Niño is a wiggly, catchy, summery bit of psychedelic pop, with lyrics in English and Spanish that are equally evocative and lovelorn in both languages. The Chicago-via-Colombia band runs through a wide array of sounds and styles with ease. It’s easy to put on and let it breeze tunefully by, but if you pay closer attention, the record’s clever songwriting and wonderfully quirky and detailed instrumentation begin to take hold on you, worming their way into your head. The beachy title track grooves with funky guitars and auxiliary percussion like Speaking in Tongues-era Talking Heads, and second track “Quiero”’s half-time chorus stops the song’s midtempo momentum in its tracks to let singer Camilo Medina make important declaration: “I don’t ever wanna change your mind / I wanna be with you the way that you are.” Elsewhere, “Maria” is an all-Spanish language breakup song about having your heart ripped from your chest and spit out by a girl named Maria (figuratively, of course), after which the singer decides to drink a lot and smoke 7 joints: “Chaqueta de liquor / Siete porros y un adios.” It’s an example of evocative lyricism that cuts to the emotional core despite its economy. There are lots more I enjoyed this year, but Foam is an underappreciated record that stuck with me.

Archival Music Director - Jamie Daitch

For me, 2019 has been the year of embracing country music, and no album pulled me closer in than the self-titled debut of the Highwomen, a supergroup composed of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires. This is the best sort of collaboration,where every artist is giving their absolute best to the project to make an incredibly compelling whole. This album captures a large swath of feminine life experience, with sharp, detailed, emotionally complex writing that will give you new little details every listen. And you'll want to listen over and over again, with melodies that are just so catchy and song structures that hook you along for every ride. I can't think of an album I listened to more this year. If the closest you've come to country as of late is Kacey Musgraves's "Golden Hour" and Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," then this is an album to try. The Highwomen demonstrates the unique strengths of country music better than anything else this year. Check it out!

Check our WMUA’s CURATED playlist for best picks of 2019: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3SgHBwTf6Tq1Ts5eMzwBzL?si=Q_9wsLgqRTKvRRdz3LnixA

[1079mixfm]

New Post has been published on https://mix1079.net/garth-brooks-won-entertainer-of-the-year-at-last-nights-cmas-and-carrie-underwood-didnt/?utm_source=TR&utm_medium=1079mixfm+on+Tumblr&utm_campaign=SNAP

Garth Brooks Won Entertainer of the Year at Last Night's CMAs . . . and Carrie Underwood Didn't

We all knew the spotlight would be on the “women of country” at last night’s “53rd Annual CMA Awards”, and it was . . . until the end, when GARTH BROOKS won Entertainer of the Year. 

That last female to win that award was Taylor Swift in 2011.  The favorite this year seemed to be CARRIE UNDERWOOD.  She launched an all-female tour, worked hard promoting her album, but didn’t win a thing.  She was up for three awards. 

The CMAs did come through with a solid show.  It opened with an all-female medley that started with Carrie and her co-hosts, DOLLY PARTON, and REBA MCENTIRE.

And then came Jennifer Nettles, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, The Highwomen, Tanya Tucker, Gretchen Wilson, Crystal Gayle, Terri Clark, Sara Evans, and Martina McBride . . . who all took turns honoring decades of female country songs.

That could’ve been a tough moment to follow but Carrie, Dolly, and Reba rolled into the monologue without missing a beat.  They didn’t do any long and involved comedy bits, as Carrie did with Brad Paisley, but they didn’t need them.  They’re pros.

As for the performances:  MIRANDA LAMBERT had a spark in her eye while singing “It All Comes Out in the Wash”.  I think marriage agrees with her.  Speaking of that:  How many years before she and Blake Shelton shake hands and make nice?

We were treated to PINK and CHRIS STAPLETON doing “Love Me Anyway”.  It was one of those performances that remind you why awards shows can be so awesome.  It got a standing ovation.

OLD DOMINION performed “One Man Band” and it was subdued but really good.  Even better, later on in the show, they won their second Vocal Group of the Year award.

Hey, LUKE COMBS did a wardrobe change.  He was all dressed up when he accepted Song of the Year for “Beautiful Crazy”, but when he returned later to sing “Beer Never Broke My Heart” he was in short sleeves and a cap.  And then the suit came back when he won Male Vocalist of the Year.  For some reason, I love that.

KELSEA BALLERINI went solo with her guitar while performing “Homecoming Queen?”.  And then she launched into “Girl Crush”, which kicked off another succession of female performers that included Lindsay Ell, Runaway June, Maddie & Tae, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce . . . and Little Big Town.

The LADY ANTEBELLUM and HALSEY collaboration featured stripped-down versions of Lady A’s “What If I Never Get Over You”, and Halsey’s “Graveyard”.  They sounded great together.  How about an album?

The guitars came out and the volume turned up when BROTHERS OSBORNE joined BROOKS & DUNN for “Hard Workin’ Man”.

A night dedicated to women in country music seemed right for a pregnant MAREN MORRIS to perform her song “Girl”.  She also won Album of the Year for “Girl”.

Blake Shelton did a nice thing while performing “God’s Country”.  He showcased his fiddle player Jenee Fleenor, which was cool for two reasons.  She won CMA Musician of the Year, and, believe it or not, she was the first woman to ever win that award.

Hands down, the sweetest moment of the night was when KACEY MUSGRAVES and her hero WILLIE NELSON performed “The Muppet Movie” song “Rainbow Connection”.  Unfortunately, Willie’s voice was wavering, but that’s okay.

(There’s a nice selection of red carpet photos at CMAAwards.com.  And you can check out performance clips and photos on the CMA Awards Instagram page.) 

(TasteOfCountry.com did their Best-Dressed list . . . and Worst-Dressed list.)

Here’s your complete list of winners . . .

Entertainer of the Year:  Garth Brooks

Male Vocalist of the Year:  Luke Combs

Female Vocalist of the Year:  Kacey Musgraves

Vocal Duo of the Year:  Dan + Shay

Vocal Group of the Year:  Old Dominion

New Artist of the Year:  Ashley McBryde

Album of the Year:  “Girl”, Maren Morris

Song of the Year:  “Beautiful Crazy”, Luke Combs.  It’s a songwriter’s award so he shares it with Wyatt B. Durrette III, and Robert Williford.

Single of the Year:  “God’s Country”, Blake Shelton

Musical Event of the Year:  “Old Town Road (Remix)”, Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

Music Video of the Year:  “Rainbow”, Kacey Musgraves

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#cma #Garth Brooks #winners

[sinceileftyoublog]

Hyro the Hero Interview: Pits Where There Shouldn’t Be

Photo by Mark Adriane

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Let’s get it out of the way: in the critical sphere, rap rock has a bad connotation. Rarely, if ever, do artists tastefully combine the two genres, or even produce something that touches the spirit of both. Enter Houston’s Hyron Fenton, who goes by Hyro the Hero. Following a series of mixtapes, his 2011 debut album Birth, School, Work, Death was a revelation, blending punk and post-hardcore with rap, featuring contributions from some of Fenton’s biggest influences, namely At The Drive-In/The Mars Volta’s Paul Hijonos. Last year, he finally followed up his debut with the more rap-oriented Flagged Channel. His mixture of styles lands him on tours with bands like P.O.D. and festivals like the Rockstar Energy Drink Disrupt Festival, which comes to Tinely Park’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on Friday, and the Vans Warped Tour. But his loyalty to black music and culture nabbed him a spot on this year’s Afropunk lineup, too. 

Last month, over the phone, Fenton (who now lives in L.A.) spoke to being the outlier at many shows and festivals and how the history of his across-the-board influences helped him navigate the terrain. He also shared some wisdom about the contemporary music landscape and its increasingly blending notions of genre. Read below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: It’s been a year since Flagged Channel came out. How has your relationship with the album changed over then?

Hyron Fenton: It’s more of a live feel with the album now because now I’m performing it. I feel it on a different level. I get to push the energy a little bit more. When I’m in the studio, I try to capture that vibe, but it’s nothing like being on the stage.

SILY: It was a few years between that and your debut.

HF: Yeah, it was a whole learning process. I was just trying to get myself together, learn my craft a little more. I got into rap a little bit more, learned structure, different choruses.

SILY: Is your background more in rap or rock?

HF: I come from a hip hop background. Growing up, I was listening to Tupac, 50 Cent, Cam’ron, Eminem--one of my favorite rappers ever. I was the guy who flipped the channel. I started listening to Nickelback and shit like that, and thought, “Okay, this is rock.” And then there’s deeper than that. I got into At The Drive-In, Rancid, and Bad Brains. A little bit more punk rock. I was learning my roots: The Judgement Night soundtrack.

SILY: Were you influenced a lot by the Houston rap scene?

HF: Oh yeah, man, the Houston rap scene is what got me. My sister used to rap with DJ Screw, who was the man in Houston. He died. She knew him before he blew up. To see him start a movement and turn into a whole thing. In Houston, we were kind of snobby about our music--all we would listen to was Houston music. But I decided to venture out a little bit. I started rappin’, and when I rapped I would scream all the time because I would listen to Tupac and try to imitate him. He wasn’t really screaming, but I thought it was so I would scream. I think that’s what helped me out in rock.

SILY: When was the point where you realized you wanted to combine rap and rock?

HF: It was when my ex-girlfriend in high school left me and I got real mad. So I wanted to make a song about it. I didn’t want to rap, because I couldn’t get the emotion out of it, so I took a rock song and I sampled it. I was screaming on that, and it took off from there. I put it up on Myspace.

SILY: Is it still up, or did it get lost when Myspace lost a bunch of data?

HF: I can’t find it! I think I deleted it. I put that one up and a song called “Punk Rock” where I sampled a Soulja Boy beat and sped it up. I was saying, “I’d rather be a punk rocker than a hip hopper, ‘cause y’all just doin’ the ringtone shit.” I was dissing a lot of people back then. [laughs]

SILY: Were you ever into other bands that combined rap and rock, like the Beastie Boys or Rage Against the Machine?

HF: Oh yeah, man. Limp Bizkit. Especially when it came out when they had a song with Method Man, and Eminem had a song with Kid Rock. I saw it becoming cool in a sense. I saw how much respect rock had for rap, but I didn’t see it the other way around so much. Rap was kind of scared of guitars, so it was cool how they blended it.

SILY: I’ve talked to friends who only listened to rap and then the Jay-Z/Linkin Park mashup came out, which turned them on to rock.

HF: They did it right! Jay-Z has such a cool voice, so they really nailed the chill hip hop vibe with it. The music with Linkin Park is so good and respectable. It blended it perfectly.

SILY: Do you feel like you’ve established your own sound beyond your influences?

HF: Yeah, I think I’ve got my own sound going. I’m always compared to Rage no matter what, but the way I rap is a little different. I put in more words. The way Zack [de la Rocha] did it, with little small sentences that were so powerful. That’s a hard thing to do. I got a lot of stuff to say, which is why I rap a little fast and make my words poetic. What they did was so special, though, so it’s cool to get compared to them.

SILY: Looking at the types of shows you’re playing, you’re with a lot of pure rock bands.

HF: The cool thing about me is I can do rap, I can do metal, I can do punk. They can put me in anything. My music blends all categories.

SILY: When you go to the Disrupt Festival versus something like Afropunk, do you cater to what the crowd is gonna want to hear?

HF: I used to do that, but I felt like that didn’t work for me. Now I just do my own thing. I’ve turned some places into pits that shouldn’t have pits. Especially Afropunk--I can’t wait to bring my vibe there. Same energy I bring everywhere.

SILY: Have you gained a lot of new fans at festivals where you’re the genre outlier?

HF: Oh yeah, man, especially in this day and age. Back then, it was a little different. People were a little bit wary of it. Now, everybody is into everything. If you look at rap shows, they’re trying to be like punk rockers with mosh pits. It’s really no different.

SILY: Trap has mosh pits, but then there’s also emo rock rap like Lil Peep.

HF: XXX[Tentacion], Lil Uzi [Vert], and all them. They’re doing stuff I was doing when I was young. [laughs] I was just a little ahead of my time.

SILY: The rise of the Internet really allowed that to happen.

HF: It’s a gift and a curse. It’s open for everybody, so everybody thinks they’re a rapper and they can do music. The special feel of it has gone. Truly talented people don’t get heard. It’s just if someone makes an ear candy song. At the same time, people are able to express themselves and it makes everybody work harder to get heard.

SILY: And people who previously didn’t have an in or money can get heard.

HF: I was like, “Damn, man, I didn’t have these opportunities when I was young.” I had a crew, but I didn’t have YouTube or Instagram. It’s a gift right now. 

SILY: Do you feel like you have to anticipate trends or what people are going to be doing so you can stand out?

HF: I just do my own thing. I don’t pay attention too much. I listen to music, and it inspires me, but as far as the waves go, I’m a little too old to know what’s up. By the time I hear a song, I’m like, “Oh, it’s a big song?” People got dances to it and everything, and I’m already late on it. [laughs]

SILY: How do you listen to music these days?

HF: Spotify playlists. I love YouTube. I like looking at old live shows. If you look at my Instagram stories, I call it homework. Looking at live shows from Queen, Bob Marley.

SILY: Have you heard anything lately that’s blown your mind?

HF: Lately, I’ve been into this band from Flint, Michigan, King 810. The song “Alpha & Omega”. It’s real dark and heavy. I don’t know if it’s old, but I jam that album. [Editor’s note: It’s from 2016.]

SILY: Are you a big metal fan?

HF: Oh yeah, I’m into metal. More punk rock, but I fall into metal because I love the metal sound. But I couldn’t tell you any new metal bands. I’m into old school metal. If you look at lineups, the old school cats still headlining.

SILY: I saw the Slayer farewell tour at the venue you’re playing here.

HF: Oh man. For throwback Thursday, I was gonna post a picture I had with Kerry King. It’s from back in 2012.

SILY: Sounds like I need to follow you on Instagram!

HF: I have tons of cool stuff there, especially with the lyrics I spit. I’m not political--I leave that up to everyone else. Everybody’s super political online and “woke”--I just like to be fun. [laughs]

SILY: Changing gears--does Houston still feel like home?

HF: Oh yeah, I was just there with some homies for 4-5 days. Went out to the club, partied hip hop style with bottles and stuff--shit I don’t normally do, but it was fun--I ain’t gon’ lie.

SILY: My girlfriend has family near Houston in Humble, and we go to the rodeo every year.

HF: The rodeo is fun, man! I haven’t been to it in a while. I remember when Destiny’s Child did shows there before they were super famous.

SILY: Increasingly, they’re booking a lot besides country. This past year, Cardi B broke the attendance record, before first Los Tigres del Norte and then George Strait broke it again.

HF: That’s crazy! They’ve been booking all kinds of acts now. And even if you look at country--look at Lil Nas X. Hip hop goin’ country. There’s another song going viral right now, a young black kid doing country with a trap kind of vibe.

SILY: Do you like “Old Town Road”?

HF: I love it. I hope he got another one, because it’s so good. It’s kind of hard to top it. [Editors note: Yes, it is.]

SILY: I loved Billy Ray Cyrus’s post-Billboard charts “Is this country enough for you now?” flex?

HF: [laughs] I get it. They probably looked at it and thought, “You’re making a parody of country.” But he’s really sticking with it.

Country already had some hip hop aspects to it, like Florida Georgia Line. I’m from Texas, so I know a little bit about old country, like “Mama Tried”. It’s cool to see the hip hop aspect of it.

SILY: Why did you change your name from Hyro Da Hero to Hyro The Hero?

HF: “D-A” was a little too hard--I always had to spell it out. People just said “The” anyway. So I thought I’d change it. Maybe some Mandela Effect type of way. But I didn’t realize I had so much stuff that said “Da,” so it messed up my merchandise. [laughs]

SILY: It’s probably really valuable!

HF: Yeah, and I have a lot of it.

SILY: Do you have any new music you’re thinking about or recording?

HF: I’ve been working on some dope stuff. I can’t really speak on it, but when people say it’s kind of hard to do the next album--this one might give Flagged Channel a run for its money. Some of these songs, I’m just so excited to do live.

SILY: Are you going to do any of them on upcoming shows?

HF: No, we haven’t learned them yet. A lot of them I don’t even know if they’ll make the album. I have a few for sure with some really cool people. Artists like me--I’m a rapper slash rocker, so I can move around with different bands and musicians and have an all-star cast.

SILY: And introduce people who haven’t met or worked with each other.

HF: Exactly. That’s what’s so dope about it.

#hyro the hero #Interviews #rockstar energy drink disrupt festival #vans warped tour #afropunk #pits where there shouldn't be #mark adriane #hyron fenton #birth school work death #at the drive-in #the mars volta #paul hijonos #flagged channel #p.o.d. #hollywood casino amphitheatre #tupac #50 cent #cam'ron #eminem #nickelback #rancid #bad brains #judgement night #dj screw #myspace #soulja boy #beastie boys #rage against the machine #limp bizkit #method man

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 03/04/2021 (Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO”, Mimi Webb, Russ Millions & Tion Wayne)

So, we have a #1 debut, and that’s pretty much the only story here in the UK Top 75 as we get a filler week before Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Tjay run in and cause havoc. As for now, “Wellerman” is replaced at the top by Lil Nas X’s controversial “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)”, spending its first week at #1 after making pretty sudden gains assisted by the video and alternate versions – the mid-week projection had this at #15. Elsewhere, we just see the fall-out from Bieber. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

It’s a quiet week – only seven new entries, and none from Rod Wave, 24kGoldn or AJR as I had predicted. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some stuff to talk about within the chart, or particularly off of the chart, as we have a fair few drop-outs switching their places with returning entries. In particular, we have Justin Bieber’s “As I Am” featuring Khalid being swapped out for “Anyone” at #25, as well as drop-outs for “Arcade” by Duncan Laurence – slightly premature, I’d think – and all of Lana Del Rey’s songs from last week. We also “Anxious” by AJ Tracey, “Heat” by Paul Woodford and Amber Mark and “Toxic” by Digga D exit the chart, but the only real notable loss was “34+35” by Ariana Grande ending its 21-week run on the chart. Returning to the Top 75 in its place – which I cover – we have “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers of course at #73, as well as “Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus at #72, “You’ve Done Enough” by Gorgon City and DRAMA at #70 (really hope this one becomes a hit) and “Don’t You Worry About Me” by Bad Boy Chiller Crew at #66. In terms of climbers and fallers, we do have some notable gains and losses. For songs travelling down the chart, we have “Patience” by KSI featuring YUNGBLUD and Polo G tanking a sharp drop in its third week to #18, “Streets” by Doja Cat shaking off the video gains at #22, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo continuing to collapse at #27, another sharp drop for HVME’s remix of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” down to #34 probably due to ACR, which was probably the fate for “Get Out My Head” by Shane Codd at #46. The same probably can’t be said for Drake’s losses, as “What’s Next” is at #40, “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross is at #41 and “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby stalls at #55. We also see falls for “Money Talks” by Fredo and Dave at #50, “Bringing it Back” by Digga D and AJ Tracey at #51, “Sweet Melody” by Little Mix on its way out at #57, “Headshot” by Lil Tjay featuring Polo G and Fivio Foreign down to #61 off the debut (although it’ll rebound thanks to the album as soon as the next week rolls around), “Ready” by Fredo featuring Summer Walker at #62, “You’re Mines Still” by Yung Bleu featuring Drake at #63 and “Day in the Life” by Central Cee at #69. Where it gets interesting are our gains, such as outside the top 40 with “What Other People Say” by Demi Lovato and Sam Fischer which could very well get even higher next week thanks to the album. We also have “Track Star” by Mooski at #53 off of the debut and a couple of tracks entering the top 40 for the first time, those being “Heartbreak Anniversary” by Giveon at #39 and Majestic’s remix of “Rasputin” by Boney M. at #38. Elsewhere in the top 40, we have “Let’s Go Home Together” by Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan at #13 and two songs marking their first week in the top 10, those being “Little Bit of Love” by Tom Grennan at #10, a song continuing to sour on me, and “Your Love (9PM)” by ATB, Topic and A7S, an EDM song at #8 that I initially mocked for its soulless repackaging but has honestly got me pretty hooked since. I’m excited to see how this one does. For now, however, let’s get on with our new arrivals.

NEW ARRIVALS

#64 – “Cloud 9” – Beach Bunny

Produced by Joe Reinhart

Beach Bunny is a power pop band who last year released their album Honeymoon on Mom+Pop and it’s basically a modern r/indieheads staple in that it’s an accessible, airy pop-rock record fronted by a woman. It’s not anything unique, really, or different if you look further into it but that’s fine because there’s a lot of vaguely “indie” or music snob releases pushed out every year that miss the charts entirely. It’s a different story, however, when a year later, it gets viral on TikTok and streams its way onto the chart. In that case, we have “Cloud 9” by Beach Bunny, a pretty simple but sweet love song about a guy who just makes her feel a lot better about herself in times where she can’t pick herself up from the rut she’s in. Again, it’s a simple track but enhanced by the wonderful and unique vocal performance from front-woman Lili Trifilo and some pretty great production making sure no guitar lick is missed in this mix, especially in that chorus which is such an ethereal blend of the electric guitar dubs. I would argue that this actually should end at that second chorus even if it ends feeling abrupt as the transition to the final chorus feels a lot less cathartic than it does awkward, especially if the bridge is going to be a simplistic, quirky instrumental meander that doesn’t go far enough to be a guitar solo and hence feels kind of like a worthless addition. As is, this is a pretty great song still, just not the most fully realised once it loses that initial tight surf groove, though I’ll let it pass if we’re going to get rock this good on the charts again. I know this won’t really get more traction for Beach Bunny – or power pop for that matter – but more of this, please.

#52 – “You All Over Me” (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault) (Remix) (feat. DaBaby) (Part 2) (Radio Edit) – Taylor Swift featuring Maren Morris

Produced by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner

Sadly, this does not feature DaBaby and is not the remix, radio edit or sequel to any previously released song. Jokes aside, I guess brackets are the next big comeback for pop music, which goes hand-in-hands with remixes and re-releases, hence why Taylor Swift is dusting off this leaked Fearless-era cut for a new recording with country singer Maren Morris, who you probably know from her contributions to Zedd’s “The Middle”. Now whilst Swift is a great songwriter, I do often find myself frustrated by how she treads common ground all too frequently without establishing much different with how a song is structured or how it emotionally connects. This is true not just lyrically but especially sonically as of recent, as despite being written in 2008, it has too much in common with the less interesting cuts off of folklore for me to really care that much. That’s especially if Taylor’s going to undercut the clean acoustic guitars with flourishes of harmonica and crow sound effects, showing some genuine intrigue here before refusing to let any of that develop past a couple stray melodies or notes further back in the mix. I’m trying really hard to be compelled by these re-recordings and re-releases of her back catalogue as I do consider myself a fan, but it’s tough to pay attention when any new compositions we get sound like folklore leftovers with Maren Morris only put to use as decoration, much like HAIM on “no body, no crime” – and we already got an album full of folklore leftovers. I’m not a fan of this, sorry – I can see the appeal, and I do think this has enough of a country tinge to it to make it at least somewhat interesting – but this goes in one ear and immediately out of the other.

#48 – “Tonight” – Ghost Killer Track featuring OBOY and D-Block Europe

Produced by Ghost Killer Track and Kenzy

Screw the formalities and screw the analysis because D-Block Europe are back to add another D-Block to their EU collection – and since they’re Londoners, their only – and that’s Paris, and contrary to the British nature, we’ve let French rap chart in the top 50 out of the fact that they collaborated with two of the most comical rappers in British history. They’ve also linked up with producer Ghost Killer Track, also from France, as this is ostensibly his song even if he intends not to prove himself with this dull piano-based beat and oddly-mastered bass and percussion, which are really just DBE staples. Unfortunately, past the initial comedy of that first line in the chorus, neither Young Adz or Dirtbike LB deliver any stupid lyrics or funny inflections, instead just resorting to being as boring as they can in their constant flexing as possible. I guess the French guy here, OBOY, commands a higher energy in his verse if only through his comical “no, no, no” ad-libs, but he’s the only French speaker in an otherwise basic British trap song that I just cannot see the appeal in when we’ve had song after song from these guys for three years now. This won’t be the last we see of cookie-cutter UK rap this week though so brace yourselves for that.

#47 – “Last Time” – Becky Hill

Produced by LOSTBOY

It’s almost as if the charts are trying to send me off to sleep as here we have Becky Hill, a singer hedging the line between a non-presence and mildly annoying, which is arguably more frustrating than downright infuriating as her slightly smokier voice does not sound bad, just lacking in texture in every way, especially if the multi-tracking is going to be this minimal on a royalty-free deep-house beat produced by Getty Images with a pretty worthless drop, a generic and simple melody of piano stabs for major chords, and a whole bunch of reverb on the vocal take... but it still ends up feeling dry as there’s nothing here to quench that thirst for a tighter, bass-heavy house banger or even a more ethereal, dreamy trance track, deciding to stick to a healthy medium of boring and utter garbage. Yes, that was a singular sentence. I’m not awake enough to form a cohesive sentence less than 40 words long, and this new Becky Hill track is just worsening that if anything. Speaking of...

#21 – “Body” – Russ Millions and Tion Wayne

Produced by Gotcha Bxtch

Who’s Russ Millions? He’s Russ. No, not that Russ. British Russ – or Russ Splash, stylised as Russ splash on Spotify and nowhere else. This confusingly-named fellow appeared on the charts a couple times and possibly most famously with “Keisha & Becky”, a song also featuring Tion Wayne that is referenced on this very track. Sigh, I usually like Tion Wayne but even he can’t be bothered to delivery his usual brand of suave charm or sinister menace, instead opting for a more growling but ultimately completely monotone cadence that doesn’t flatter him or Russ, who one of my friends described as sounding like one of the aliens from Toy Story. This is a pretty by-the-numbers drill beat too, and it’s pretty safe to say that neither Russ or Tion Wayne here are going to bother with wordplay, even when they start pretty smoothly trading bars and Tion Wayne goes for a more unique chopper flow in the second verse. This is just not of any note. Once again, speaking of...

#17 – “Good Without” – Mimi Webb                        

Produced by Freedo

I assumed Mimi Webb debuted this high because of a talent show she won or something because I’d never heard her name but instead, she just happened to have a major label deal before her unreleased song just happened to go viral on TikTok and just happened to be supported by one of the women who just happened to be the biggest creator on the platform. Yeah, and this song just happened to be garbage, suffering from every possible millennial pop trope and then some, from the mix dressed rather too overtly in reverb, the ugly guitar pluck, a generic indie-girl voice that you swear you’ve heard before in one of those dreadful piano covers of popular songs they use in adverts, as well as this ballad being undercut by badly-programmed trap percussion. I can tell this label is trying to create somewhat of an Olivia Rodrigo phenomenon from this and I for one am terrified of the Poundland knock-offs to come. Screw this.

#1 – “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” – Lil Nas X

Produced by Roy Lenzo, Omar Fedi and Take a Daytrip

At least Lil Nas X will bring some passion into this chart week? Well, not really, as when I hear this I recall that Pitchfork review of his EP, a much-maligned critique that featured the ever-so pretentious questioning if Lil Nas X really enjoyed making and listening to music. It reminds me because I think I now fully get it – at least when Lil Nas X was making slap-dash pop rock with Travis Barker or meme-worthy country rap with Billy Ray Cyrus for less than two minutes apiece, there was something invigorating in the execution or at least in concept. That 7 EP is still not a bad debut at all, but this new single “MONTERO”, a long-anticipated record that went from constantly-teased demo to Super Bowl commercial to Satanic-panicked videos of Lil Nas giving Satan a lap-dance to own the conservatives, has the same remote dreariness to it as “HOLIDAY” did late last year. The acoustic, Latin-flavoured guitar loop reminds me of his much better track “Rodeo” from that aforementioned EP that used its energy for similarly lighthearted subject matter but with some genuine energy, a Cardi B feature and a lot less subtle moombahton creeping in. With that said, I can’t say Lil Nas X didn’t try, as his vocal performance, whilst largely insufferable and strained, gives some energy to an otherwise aggravatingly stunted beat, and makes it a lot more infectious than it has any right to be. Content-wise, the song is essentially about a full circle where Lil Nas X becomes increasingly desperate for a man who starts off lonely and in a bad place, and the irony is that Lil Nas gets more explicitly sexual and crazed due to a combination of the LA life-style surrounding him and the fact that he’s simply, for lack of a better term, “down bad”, despite the fact that this guy doesn’t seem particularly desirable. Lil Nas knows this, though, and acknowledges it in the pre-chorus where he outright says that this guy is living the cocaine-addled celebrity life, but not living it right without Mr. Bullriding and Boobies in his life. I’m happy about the video and the outrage it seems to cause not just within conservative spaces but also amongst the hip-hop community, particularly Joyner Lucas, and I’m pretty happy with how out and proud Lil Nas X is about his sexuality, even if it leads to lines like “Shoot a child in your mouth while I’m ridin’”. I’m just really not a fan of this song past its content, which could really be interesting but falls flat with this plucking production that wastes time in barely two minutes with humming interludes. It’s not bad at all, just not for me.

Conclusion

And that concludes our week, and wow, what a bad week this was for new arrivals. Admittedly, it’s a filler week so only “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” will probably last – or at least we can hope as even if I don’t like the song, I still have to give out an Honourable Mention to someone, and it may as well be Lil Nas X trying to put the effort in. Best of the Week easily goes to Beach Bunny for “Cloud 9”, far and away the only good song here, with Worst of the Week also going out pretty easily to Mimi Webb’s “Good Without”, which is the type of soulless, unmemorable garbage that makes pop music look uninspired, and as a person who writes about the charts constantly, it’s a misconception I don’t want proven or revisited. Dishonourable Mention is a toss-up but I guess I’ll give it to Russ Millions and Tion Wayne for that sprinkle of drill disappointment that is “Body”, and that’ll be it for this week. I predict some impact from Demi Lovato, Lil Tjay and especially Olivia Rodrigo next week, but for now, here’s our top 10:

Thank you for reading – sorry for the grouchiness on this one – and I’ll see you next week!

[onestowatch]

Jozzy Takes Us into the Writing Session for “Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)”  [ANATOMY OF A SONG]

It seems that Jocelyn Donald, better known as Jozzy, was born to be a songwriter. Raised in Memphis to a musical family, she made a name for herself locally as an R&B songwriter, which led to the opportunity to work with Timbaland. A fortunate series of events later, she found herself under Missy Elliott’s wing, which eventually sent her songwriting career into orbit. 

Jozzy has worked with the likes of Pharrell Williams, Usher, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne, in addition to contributing to the 2018 FIFA World Cup theme and movie soundtracks. Her most recent work has taken the world by storm, pioneering a blend of hip hop and country by writing Billy Ray Cyrus’s verse on Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road Remix.” Surpassing 100 million streams with ease, the remix delighted audiences and forged a path for unlikely collaborations within the hip hop and country sphere, proving that old and new can be a golden combination.

We caught up with the rising songwriter to get the scoop on working with Billy Ray, the power of southern charm, and stepping into her own artistry.

OTW: Let’s talk about your songwriting journey before we dive into this specific song. How did you get your start?

Jozzy: Since I was a kid, music has been important to me and my family. I sang in my church and wrote my first song at 11 years old. I started out in a little studio in Memphis that I lovingly refer to as the Trap House. I would get the Brown Paper Bag Money, rappers would come in and give me cash under the table to write their hooks. Then the studio got raided by the police, and it wasn't really functioning anymore. A producer from Memphis then put me in touch with Timbaland protege Wizz Dumb, and I went down to Miami to write and record. I was only supposed to be there for a week but I ended up staying for five years. I've worked with Coldplay, Pharrell, 21 Savage, Jacquees, Chris Brown and Usher. I'm moving into the artist space as well; my song which features Lil Wayne will come out on May 17.

BRAIN: The Thought Process

OTW: So diving into “Old Town Road,” we are so curious about how this session went. Who was there? What was the vibe?

 Jozzy: The vibe was one of the most memorable vibes I have ever had in a session. It was me, Billy Ray, his wonderful wife Tish, and the engineer. Billy was like an open book, he was so cool and was excited to be part of this song. It felt stress free. I wanted the new generation to get to know Billy and wanted Billy to be as cool as Lil Nas X, because he is! They're both dope. They let me freestyle a melody and then we wrote it down. 

OTW: What was your role in writing the remix?

 Jozzy: My sole purpose was to help Billy with his verse. I added a few vocals, but really my role was to make sure Billy had the best verse for Old Town Road. Lil Nas X had killed it with the song, so we wanted the remix to be insane.

OTW: The song is just under two minutes. Did you consider making the remix longer?

Jozzy: I don't think we thought about length. Lil Nas X made a great song - it’s not too short, it’s not too long. For the remix, we just thought about what felt right and what worked for Billy.

 HEART: The Core Emotion

OTW: How did you and Billy Ray connect during the session?  

Jozzy: I connected with Billy Ray because he reminded me of my dad. Billy was loud and funny with Southern Charm and Tish was so chill. We are all Southern so we had the South to bridge us. They felt like family to me.

OTW: What emotion was at the core of the song in your opinion?

Jozzy: I wasn't trying to convey any emotion, but was more trying to go for a Beverly Hillbillies sort of vibe. Like I wanted to take this quintessential Nashville guy and put him into Beverly Hills. Make him a city boy but with that country swag. I think we really conveyed that.

OTW: The country sphere has historically been dominated by white men. How was your experience working with an established country star like Billy Ray Cyrus on such an offbeat song? Was is what you expected?

Jozzy: Well back in the day, country music didn't always accept Billy. So I think we all were doing something unique, and it was even better than I expected. Here was a young black man making this great hit song that can work with many genres, including country, and then came along me, a black woman, doing the remix. Billy has a lot of experience and has worked in Nashville for a long time and his cosign really made a difference. I feel that sometimes it takes a figure who people recognize, from a certain genre or world, to cosign something that might be otherwise unfamiliar to a separate demographic. There were people who didn't want to give Lil Nas X a chance, and then Billy Ray stepped up and people paid attention. In 2019, we have advanced in technology and how we listen to music, but country still feels pretty white, and now it feels like the door is being opened for people of color to get to experiment with country music and experience country music.

LEGS: The Means to Take Off

OTW: Did you anticipate it being such a hit when you were writing it?

Jozzy: “Old Town Road” was hot, and it just keeps getting hotter. When I was asked to work with Billy on the remix, I did not expect it to be this big, I'm not even going to front. I'm proud that people love the song and the remix and that both are doing so well.

OTW: How has your life changed since the massive success of the song?

Jozzy: This has been a great year! I've signed with Columbia Records and my song, which features Lil Wayne, comes out in May. I am stepping into my artistry and will be working not only as a writer but also as an artist.

OTW: What specifically about the song do you think people resonate with?

Jozzy: I think it’s different, and people have been waiting for a song that this is youth friendly but grown ups can feel cool singing it too. We needed a song for everybody and this is it.

OTW: What are the challenges that come with blending hip hop and country?

Jozzy: The challenge is acceptance. Rappers are lyrical and big on emotion, and country music is totally based on emotions so it can be done, and it can work well together. It just has to be accepted, and the country world has to be open to rap artists tapping into this world.

 HANDS: Advice for Songwriters Who Need a Lift

OTW: What advice do you have for up and coming songwriters who are trying to get their break?

 Jozzy: My advice is just don't let anyone put a limit on your dopeness and tell you what you can and can't write. Don't put a limit on your dopeness. Write a lot of songs, be open, you never know what song could change your life. Don't be too attached to your songs, and don't be afraid to step out of the box and don't let anyone put you in a box.

OTW: Who are your Ones to Watch?

Jozzy: I believe in Destiny Rogers and Ant Clemons (he did a lot of work with Kanye). DaniLeigh is hard, she's incredible. And I believe in myself as I get into my artist road and ready my album.

#anatomy of a song #old town road #billy ray cyrus #country #hip hop #jozzy #interview

[northenn]

My 100 yens about the album...

I’ll be brief. The worst album ever made. By humankind.

It’s so bad that if I were about to die and had some blood to waste, I’d probably use it to write this album name on the cold, hard ground. It’s so bad that my cat was in the same room while I was listening to the whole shit and she abandoned me on the side of a trafficked highway. It’s so bad that Death came at my door and when I asked her how bad I was she was like “nah man, you know, you’re kinda in a bad position but not as bad as this album”.

When they told me they were going to ask random artists the write them shit  they didn’t tell me said artists had already this shit written and that they used it to wipe their asses. Is this some kind of poetic revenge? For having forced so many good souls to play with Nishi on Sunday afternoons? Is this a dream? Is this a reality? Did I slip over the blood coming from my ears and died? Is that Subaru over my dead body? Is that Subaru that tiny, sad old man running in the distance with a bras in hand? Hold on, where’s my bras? Is that my bras? SUBARU YOU LIL PIECE OF SHIT COME BACK WITH M-

02. IMA That. Motherfucking. CRESCENDO. Them nanaNANANAAAANAAANAAAAA. I can’t. They did put it basically everywhere. Even the damn line before the chorus (that is the crescendo) basically grows on a crescendo. Subaru sings in crescendo. The violins go in crescendo. You know what else is in crescendo in this song? My balls. You have managed to get my balls in crescendo and I’m not even a man. You had Yoko Kanno for this one and you managed to lose her like that. It’s almost like having the chance to bring back Dax Johnson from hell and being like “Yo Dax, man! Since you’re gimme some of them Daft Punk vibes, will ya? Love you man, you the man!” Like. WHAT THE EVER LOVING FUCK IS EVEN WRONG WITH YOU YOU PIECES OF PIGS SCRA-

03. DO NA I For some reasons I dance the chorus of this one as Aserejé. Don’t ask, don’t know. It’s a good song after all. Kinda summerish, kinda happy, doesn’t pretend to be too much if not a song with two lines counted and a Gorilla that had a perfect chance to rap with the others during Egetsunai (hold on asshole, it’s not your moment yet) but probably during the recordings was like “I don’t mix with the plebs” and went out of the studios like a diva, flipping his fur coat all over his shoulders even tho it was mid August. It had me dancing like a polar bear shoot in the shoulder, which is always a good sign when it comes to the songs I like, so it’s okay. I guess.

05. YUME HE NO KAERIMICHI Okay, listen to this. Now go and listen to Aladdin’s A Whole New World. And don’t tell it’s not the same basic hook ‘cause I’m going to hire a llama to spit you in the face. I know the right people, I have the possibilities to do this. They needed an encore song. They needed it so badly that probably the writing of the song went on like: “We need LALALAS for people to sing over them while branding our new balls shaped concert torches”. “So you want a song with some LALALAS?”. “No, we ain’t need a song. We need LALALAS”. “LALALAS?” “LALALAS motherfucker.” They’re going to put this in the encore. We’re going to be forced to sing sixty-two hours of LALALAS while Subaru gropes everything on stage, Nishi watches him in awe from behind the curtains and the Gorilla thanks even his mother for having porked her husband 40 years ago and so having given him the chance to perform that day. Watch them. Get your balls torches ready and watch them.

06. EGETSUNAI I kinda want to hate on this one but at the same time I can’t ‘cause I know this is going to be FIRE during the lives. Ohkura asking Yasu if he needs some phone books to stand on to be seen. Subaru wondering if Yoko has fried his last brain cell left while doing the sauna. Yoko reminding us that Subaru drops his videogames in the toilet and then spends the evenings crying about it. Like. They’ve improved the dragging game so much that I feel that I, as a common mortal, all I can do is stare at them awe and praying for their benevolence. At least five of them are going to stab each other in the eyes during this performance before the end of this tour, god bless their hearts, this song has taught me so much.

08. NEVER SAY NEVER Imagine. You’re in theatre, watching with pounding heart uncle Ben getting shot for the sixth time in the span of seven years while all the hands of the uncles in the sala misteriously disappear between their legs, right where balls are supposed to be, and a general grasp grasp starts to be heard in the dark of the theatre. Uncle Ben dies in the middle of a busy street. And then, during a funeral full of black umbrellas, rain and people watching the ceremony from under a tree 4 chilometres away, the opening of Hamtaro starts playing. Now. Dwarf, with all due respect. NOW. I’m not saying the song is bad, what I’m saying is that all I’m hearing is “hey hey bon bon” and so will probably all the people attending to uncle Ben’s funeral. I’m not saying this is bad, but Elektra get an Amy Lee singing for her while all Spidey is going to get is you and other six crippled old men singing “dance dance”. Just. Just think ‘bout it, ‘kay? Friends as before, we’re chill.

10. S.E.V.E.N KOROBI E.I.G.H.T OKI “S.E.V.E.N KOROBI E.I.G.H.T OKI” *this going on for some time*

12. SEISHUN NO SUBETE Yume V 2.0 but this time we decided to cut Ohkura’s atrocious tower of babel off to give him that white, angelic voice that every boy under the age of eight has but that we don’t have enough money to hire so he can sing that one line. Also. You get a season, and you get a season, and you get a seaso- 13. ANSWER Q: Is George Michael really dead? A. No. I honestly have no idea what’s bothering me more in this song: if the Broadway Cool Gang Entering In The Scene Snapping Fingers, if the people happily clapping their hands while Yoko is singing in a futile attempt to cover his voice, if George Michael appearing in my room as the ghost of the past, the present and the future everytime the chorus starts or if them throwing up sounds towards the end of the song. Debate is opened.

14. NOSTALGIA AHAHAHAHAH. FUCK. YOU.

The regular edition is not around yet, so I still have no idea what Jam Lady and Ikiro are going to be. I’ve heard that for Ikiro members were requested to write their own scores, so I’m kinda curious for this one. Never mind, good souls exist and they’ve helped me to find Subaru’s long lost daughter. So, for the members song I have:

1.1. TRAFFIC If you’ve read the entire shit or even the first paragraph then you probably have a pretty clear idea of my opinion regarding this album. I did only pre-ordered one limited (the B) as soon as YesAsia released the album infos and that was it. By the end on the week I’m probably going to get myself the Regular, cause that’s how much this song is good. TRAFFIC is hands down one of their best band songs. It has balance, it has balls and guts and in certain ways it has managed to change their game when it comes to band songs. The classic guitar opens the song and is chaotic and never going to be heard again. The bass plays the boss role and appears predominatly during the verses. It’s loud and tight and it has the drums following closely, step by step. The trumpet appears only in the pre-chorus and speeds up the tempo. Then, all the instruments have this match midway song. Even the way the members split the verses has changed: Yasu challenged the beginning, Ryo forgotten his central role during the chorus and went second, Subaru and Ohkura somehow ended up together, speeding up together during the pre-chorus, Maru is first heard during the last bit of the song and funny enough the only instruments following him are the drums, keeping this strange balance of bass and drums, bassist and drummer. It’s refreshing. I guess there’re no other words to describe it: a refreshing, intense band song that dares to challenge the usual positions of the members.

1.2 IKIRO Subaru’s songs always have this weird “you can do it!” feeling. It’s kinda hard to explain, but it’s almost like you’re watching a romantic comedy and there’s this guy that realizes last minute how much he loves the girl that now is leaving the country and so he runs to the airport. Subaru’s songs are basically how I see the dude’s brain working as soon as he realizes he might still have a chance, if he manages to make it in time. Ikiro is not any different, with the only exception that before writing his guitar score the Dwarf went on Hendrix’s grave and spit on it in a challenging way. Ikiro is good song after all even tho it has some of this “already heard” feeling, some bits of LIFE, some others coming from their ballads I can’t really put my finger on. But you can still pick that hopeful, weird Subaru-ish sound and that’s the reason why I promote Ikiro after all.

So, in conclusion: TRAFFIC, IKIRO: GOOD ALL THE OTHER 26526 SONGS: THAT’S THE TEMPO DANTE WAS IMAGING THE DAMNED SOULS DANCING TO IN HELL

#no one gives a shit #my life full of surprises

[mastcomm]

Behind a ‘Best New Artist’ Nod: Yola’s 20 Years of Experience

Yola — Yolanda Claire Quartey — sang her first recording session 20 years ago, as a teenager in her English hometown, Bristol. This Sunday at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, she has been nominated for best new artist and three other awards: best Americana album for her debut, “Walk Through Fire,” best American roots performance and best American roots song.

For Yola, 36, the two decades in between encompassed homelessness, international arena tours, stealthy appearances on dance-pop hits and, eventually, the hard-won self-reinvention that brought her to Nashville to make “Walk Through Fire” with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach as producer.

The one constant was her formidable voice — a range that stretches toward four octaves, backed by the power to infuse whatever she sings with deep soul. Yola can moan and rasp and steamroller her way through a chorus, bringing crowds to their feet; she can also tease out the pain, longing and humor of subtler moments. Onstage and off, she’s a vivid presence: a voluble storyteller with an imposing Afro and a boisterous laugh.

Although Yola grew up in the 1990s, she built her vocal approach on sounds of earlier generations: Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Mavis Staples, Ella Fitzgerald, Otis Redding, Dusty Springfield and more. “I was very isolated from the ability to absorb popular culture,” she said in a recent interview in New York. “Poverty is a wonderful isolator. If you have resources, you have access to all the latest computer games, all the latest records.”

She didn’t. Streaming wasn’t yet an option, so she soaked up music from the LP collections of her mother and her friends’ parents. At her most recent New York City show, a sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg, Yola interspersed her own songs with showstoppers from Franklin and Elton John, but also delivered an introspective deep cut from the Beach Boys, “Till I Die.”

Yola proudly describes her music as “genre-fluid” and “out of time.” Her Grammy-nominated song, “Faraway Look,” is a reverb-laden ballad that harks back to the early 1960s pop melodramas of the Righteous Brothers and Roy Orbison. Much of her album reaches back to vintage Southern soul: hand-played rather than programmed, sung with fervent grit and grain, and reclaiming the relationship between soul and country music that Yola sums up as “an interstate between Nashville and Memphis.” (Her competitors for best new artist include commercial blockbusters like Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Lil Nas X.)

For Yola, the songs about love and self-preservation on “Walk Through Fire” mark her escape from what she recalls as the “negative, abusive environment” of her 20s — when she was working constantly as a singer and collaborating songwriter — and from a “bro-tocracy” that convinced her for too long that she couldn’t make music on her own.

“I was just made to be afraid of my own personality in every single situation I was in before I was solo,” she said.

Yola describes “Walk Through Fire” as “a breakup record” with her diffident former self. In the video for “Ride Out in the Country,” she drives a pickup truck into the backwoods and buries a corpse that also turns out to be Yola. “Doormat Yola goes in the ground where she belongs!” she explained, with a cheerful cackle.

“For so much of the album, I’m talking about who I was, not who I am,” she added. “You have to go back to a previous incarnation of yourself, you have to reconnect with that old part of yourself — and the vulnerability in that state — to be able to tell the story.”

Yola dropped out of college to work as a singer, and despite some lean times — at 21 she was evicted and homeless in London — she got gigs as a “frontwoman for hire” with her undeniable voice. In the mid-2000s she sang for Bugz in the Attic, a dance-pop group that drew large audiences in Europe, Asia and Australia, and in 2008 she toured with the Bristol trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack. She also sang and co-wrote melancholy, rootsy songs for her own group Phantom Limb.

Yola’s first teenage recording session was with the Bristol-based production team Distorted Minds, and behind the scenes, she continued to work as a studio singer and topliner for electronic producers, belting hooks others had written or coming up with lyrics and melodies for their tracks. “All of my old network that were players and music makers, there were a handful of token women and they were the singers. And then there’s a crowd of men and they’re like the expertise, all the players and the technicians,” she said. “My whole life was one of codependency.”

Yola’s voice topped British dance-club hits including “Turn Back Time” by Sub Focus, for which she wrote the top line, and “Don’t Look Back” by Duke Dumont. And because British copyright law provides “neighboring rights” royalties to performers as well as songwriters, her work was profitable. But with rare exceptions — like the country-blues-rooted “The Devil and Midnight,” which she wrote with the producer Nitin Sawhney — she refused to be credited for her studio vocals.

“Part of the contract was that you don’t use my name. Because when I debut, I want to debut under my own guise,” she said.

In 2012, Yola started to redefine herself, a process that accelerated after the death of her mother the following year. She broke away from old associates, learned to play guitar and started writing songs on her own.

“It dawned on me that I needed to be my own rich daddy,” she said. “Because what’s the music industry full of, other than rich kids who had daddies who could prop them up?” With her dance-pop royalties, she financed and produced her largely acoustic debut EP, “Orphan Offering,” billing herself as Yola Carter. Its opening song, “Home,” turns into a multitracked vocal crescendo, vowing, “Let’s get going!”

For her showcase at the 2016 Americanafest in Nashville, Yola got a crucial endorsement from NPR Music. She went on tour with a full band, using those royalties from her dance hits — “the bank of Yola,” she said — to pay them.

By 2017, after touring festivals in the United States, Europe and Scandinavia, she had built considerable word of mouth. She returned to Americanafest for a more prominent spot. A video of her performing reached Auerbach, who was building his Easy Eye Sound studio and label in Nashville. “As soon as I heard her I wanted to meet her,” he said by phone. “I was instantly struck by her voice, by the range of her voice, just the command that she has — it spoke to me.”

They wrote and recorded “Walk Through Fire” fast. Yola, Auerbach and assorted co-writers — including Dan Penn, a writer on Aretha Franklin’s “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” who joined Auerbach and Yola for “Faraway Look” — got together for songwriting sessions, often with different combinations in the morning and the afternoon. In a week and a half, they had dozens of songs. “Some people have it and some don’t,” Auerbach said. “She just sounds like a record.”

Yola was collaborating again, but in Nashville, Auerbach said, “She was the leader. She’s unafraid to take it to the edge, and her edge is way further than most people’s.”

Getting recognized with Grammy nominations for work made on her own terms “made me feel as though for the first time, I had the sense of a safety net,” Yola said. “I’m O.K. I can carry on growing and if I need to take another risk then just take it. It’s all working. You’re not crazy. This is the solid foundation on which I build my fabulosity.”

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#Entertainment