Music Review
Ozzy Wagenseil, ‘22
November 2019
For this review, I will be using the source https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100, to which I will listen to the top 10 songs so far of the week and review them on based on lyrics, singing/rapping, and beats. And at the end, I will calculate the average ranking of that song based on those three categories. This list is also in the order that the website lists the songs.
10. “Bad Guy” Billie Eilish: This felt very uncomfortable to listen to. No disrespect to Billie Eilish and the great singer that she is, but she uses her talents at an underwhelming level in this song. Her singing is just simple whispering (“Don’t Come Out the House” copycat…), which is disappointing as she could use her incredible vocal range. The lyrics are typical for her style, and also very simple. The line “So you're a tough guy, Like it really rough guy, Just can't get enough guy, Chest always so puffed guy,” may best exemplify this simplicity. However, the beat was very interesting and oddly pleasing. I liked the uncomplicated kick drum sound to it, and the beat switch at the end also scaled things up and made for an excellent beat for this song.
Lyrics: 7/10. Singing/Rapping: 6/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~7/10.
9. “Panini” Lil Nas X: The follow-up song from Lil Nas X right after “Old Town Road” is an enjoyable one. The part of the song that sticks out the most is the lyrics. Using lyrics as an outlet, Lil Nas X is discussing how he is adjusting to his newfound fame. Two examples are, “I got fans finally, ain't you wanting them to see me?” and “Now they need me, number one on streaming, Oh yeah, you used to love me, So what happened, what's the meaning?” It seems as if he is wanting someone to notice his uprising, bringing more complexity to his song. The beat for the song is unique and enjoyable to vibe out too, therefore making the song more listenable. The singing is the part of the song that underperforms compared to the other categories. The singing is a bit dry and has enough autotune to hide the real singing.
Lyrics: 8/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~8/10.
8. “No Guidance” Chris Brown featuring Drake: This song has such a crisp vibe to it, which is mostly thanks to the beat. The song has a lovesick emotion to it that is very relatable, hence why this song feels very smooth. However, Drake’s singing is superior to Brown’s. While Brown’s singing is over the top and trying to show off, Drake just sings in a natural level tone that blends well with this song. And of course, the lyrics are just trying to be smooth and slick while talking about men hitting up a girl. The best example of this is “Lil' baby in her bag, in her Birkin, No nine to five, put the work in, Flaws and all, I love 'em all, to me, you're perfect.”
Lyrics: 6/10. Singing/Rapping: 8/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~7/10.
7. “Follow God” Kanye West: This song brings back old 2000’s Kanye vibes. I find it good compared to other songs he has released in the past few years (*cough* “I Love It” *cough*). The rapping of this song is very good with a fast, non-stop flow, making the song delightful to one’s ears. The beat of the song is fantastic as well, bringing back an old-school hip-hop vibe to perfectly match Kanye’s flow. Kanye’s lyrics are also well done. He has a nice repeated rhyme scheme which makes it thrilling to listen to. Alyric that shows this rhyme scheme is “Driving with my Dad, and he told me, "It ain't Christ-like, I'm just tryna find, I’ve been looking for a new way, I'm just really tryna not to really do the fool way.”
Lyrics: 8/10. Singing/Rapping: 8/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~8/10.
6. “Good As Hell” Lizzo: Lizzo has just made her mark in music history with this new song. The song is just so… wonderful. There’s no other way it can be put. The beat alone is so enjoyable. The fanfare with the piano and the trumpets blasting in the background can make anyone feel good after having a bad day. She also puts her singing to good use, showing her empowering and motivating attitude. Her best is seen at the end of the song when she holds a note for a long time. And finally, the lyrics are very well written. Just reading them makes one feel invincible. The lyrics that stands out the most is “Boss up and change your life, You can have it all, no sacrifice, I know he did you wrong, we can make it right, So go and let it all hang out tonight.” Her motivational attitude makes sure that when you are down, you will never be alone. And that might be why this song is one of the best.
Lyrics: 9/10. Singing/Rapping: 9/10. Beat: 9/10. Average:~9/10.
5. “Truth Hurts” Lizzo: To be completely honest, I did not think this song was great at first. But I finally heard all of it, and it turns out I really do enjoy it. The lyrics are very creative, and I like the complete confidence she has with her delivery. Specifically, the beginning verse when she says, “I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that bitch, Even when I'm crying crazy, Yeah, I got boy problems, that's the human in me, Bling bling, then I solve 'em, that's the goddess in me.” She has raw passion, and I love it. Another thing I like is her rapping/singing style, both of which are perfectly on the beat with the song. And finally, I find the beat not bad, but it could be better.
Lyrics: 8/10. Singing/Rapping: 8/10. Beat: 7/10. Average: ~8/10.
4. “Senorita” Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: I'm sorry to say this, but I do not like Camila Cabello’s voice at all. Either that or her song “Never Be The Same” really just left a bad taste in my mouth. But besides that issue, this song does have some decent ,elements. The singing could be better. Still, it is pretty good as Shawn and Camila do show off their vocal ranges with high notes and display the mood of the song with real compassion for one another. The beat is something that everyone can listen to; it provides a nice sound for the theme of romance and love for another person. The one thing that I find fault with is the lyrics. Sure, they show true love and romance, but they can be very basic. Take this line as an example: “Sapphire moonlight, We danced for hours in the sand, Tequila sunrise, Her body fit right in my hands, la la la.”
Lyrics: 6/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat 8/10. Average: ~7/10.
3. “Circles” Post Malone: The debut song for Post Malone's new album is very good. The beat, for starters, is a nice guitar melody with the perfect blend of drums and other instruments, providing the song with a new Post Malone style. The lyrics of the song, while slow and dull, do give the song a memorable chorus. The chorus goes such as follows: “Seasons change and our love went cold, Feed the flame 'cause we can't let go, Run away, but we're running in circles, Run away, run away.” These two parts of the song makes up for the singing that is subpar compared to Malone’s other songs, but it is a great song despite its few flaws.
Lyrics: 7/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~7/10.
2. “Someone You Loved” Lewis Capaldi: Wow. This song is very depressing. Sad boi hours. The piano playing is very standard and is similar to other piano riffs, but that does not mean it isn’t pretty good. It makes one feel very sad. Speaking of sad, the lyrics are just that. Lewis Capaldi’s chorus delivers a lot of raw feelings. The chorus states: “Now the day bleeds, Into nightfall, And you're not here, To get me through it all.” This guy needs a big hug with what feelings he’s suffering. Finally, the singing, of course, is diverse with low and high ranges, especially evident in the chorus and the third verse. Just a beautiful, sad song.
Lyrics: 9/10. Singing/Rapping: 9/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~9/10.
1. “Lose You To Love Me” Selena Gomez: This song is similar, but not on par with “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. In fact, this song is just a B-class version of the mentioned song. The simple piano is there but is also similar to other sad songs like it. It’s okay, just not great. Selena’s singing in this song is somewhat acceptable but does not bring the feeling that she wants her listeners to feel. Specifically, it does not feel like a sad song. And finally, the lyrics are just sad and basic lyrics, as well. She repeats most of her lyrics, but does it in a way that’s blatantly obvious and does not flow smoothly with the rest of the song. An example of a repeated lyric is: “We'd always go into it blindly, I needed to lose you to find me, This dance, it was killing me softly, I needed to hate you to love me, yeah.” As well as that, the ad-libs just ruin the vibe of the song too.
Lyrics: 7/10. Singing/Rapping: 7/10. Beat: 8/10. Average: ~7/10.