Another current Billboard Top 10

The only songs I like in the top ten are "Take Me to Church" and "I'm Not the Only One".

 

Okay. Which song sounds like Maroon 5 except for the Maroon 5 song?

 

Popular music is in a very sad state.
You would think it can only get better - but it doesn't, in fact it gets worse.

 

Let's agree to disagree, I love this stuff

 

Are you referring to this chart specifically, or popular music in general. Because I think that any chart that has a song as strong as "Take Me To Church" on it, can't be ALL bad. Granted, that's just one track, but in my opinion it's a very good one.

 

the Take me to Church song sounds like a mix of Elton John and Mumford and Sons.

 

In your estimation, is that a GOOD thing, a BAD thing, or is it just an observation?

 

It's no worse than 90% of the Top 10 charts that have ever existed. I like some of the stuff a lot; some not at all. Some of the songs will probably be classics in 20 years; the rest just guilty pleasures for those who put them into the Top 10 today.

And, for the record, I AM all about that bass...

 

Popular music in general. Top 10 at any given time is a snapshot of general music taste and quality.

 

I like Ed Sheeran and that Tove Lo song is decent, although I think it tries a bit too hard. I guess "Take Me to Church" is OK, but the singer annoys me. The rest I don't like at all. I especially can't stand that "All about the bass" song.

 

Not so good. There's no grit to the vocals; its all been smoothed out. Almost sounds auto-tunish.

 

Amen to that. Today's music is crap. Rock died in 67 or so.

 

So are you most upset that a top 10 pop chart list in 2014 isn't rock? Or that it doesn't sound like music from 47 years ago?

 

That's a nice Top 10. I know most of the songs, there's some nice musicality and unique sounds there. Like both Taylor Swift songs, the Maroon 5 song isn't bad either. No issues with any of it.

 

I don't even know some of them! Love Secret by Madonna. The rest (the ones I know) I can live without.

 

Seriously? None of these "artists" will be known in 5 years. Pathetic, vile, crap.
But mainstream music has been dreadful for a pretty long time. Pablum for the masses.

 

This week in 1967: a couple of classics; a few forgettables; not a ton of "rock".

Sorry, just hard to see how it is SO much worse now.

LLBOARD (USA) MAGAZINE'S SINGLES CHART FOR WEEK OF:November 25,1967TW LW Wks. Song-Artist
1 3 9 INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS-STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK
2 1 12 To Sir With Love-Lulu
3 4 9 The Rain,The Park & Other Things-Cowsills
4 2 12 Soul Man-Sam and Dave
5 33 2 Daydream Believer-Monkees
6 6 9 Please Love Me Forever-Bobby Vinton
7 8 6 I Say A Little Prayer-Dionne Warwick
8 5 13 It Must Be Him-Vikki Carr
9 10 7 I Can See For Miles-The Who
10 9 13 Expressway (To Your Heart)-Soul Survivors

 

As a 52 year old, I'm surprised I'm as familiar with some of these as I am!

The ones I can't bring to mind are Tove Lo, Hozier, and I don't think I know the Araina Grande song. In my defence though, she has released about 30 singles this year!

I like both Taylor Swift songs, with a preference for Blank Space. Maroon 5 I also don't mind, though this formula is wearing a bit thin now. I remember the days they were (almost) a rock band!

The Meghan Trainor song is annoyingly catchy, and I can see why it's been such a hit. Recently got Ed Sheeran's X album and really like Don't.

Sam Smith is a bit of a one trick pony thus far, but his album is pleasant listening. Nick Jonas' song is one of those that I can't decide if it's good, or just so bad it's good! His brother Joe had a solo album out a few years ago and the tracks I've heard from Nick's latest are similar in style to that.

 

Yes I love this chart, but there will always be people who don't like the music. I posted Billboard Top 10's here from 1972 and 1979 and there were still a lot of "crap", "terrible" comments

 

Ariana has had quite the year. Not bad for a girl who released her first studio album just last summer. Ariana is from Nickelodeon. Before her NO successful
artist had branched out from the channel.

This year she's had "Problem", it peaked @ #2, and has sold 3.3M in just the US. Its her biggest hit

She also had "Bang Bang"
which went to #3, and #1 in the
UK. "Break Free" went to #4 and now "Love Me Harder" so far has peaked @ #7.

Her album "My Everything" has also considerably outperformed her debut in just the few months its been out. She doesnt sell albums like Taylor though, noone does.

Ariana has the most top 10 hits from any artist this year and has spent a combined 30+ weeks in the top 10 this year alone. She's a force and if she has staying power could be one of the biggest artists of this decade (10's). She does have strong competition though. Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Adele will soon be releasing. Not to mention how Taylor Swift single handedly took the industry by storm with this era. She just became the first female artist in BB history to self replace at #1.

I get excited thinking abour what the future holds for these acts. They do represent my generation at the end of the day.

 

She's this generation's Mariah Carey.

 

I knew somehow Mariah's name would be brought up...

Outside of the fact that Ariana is heavily influenced by Mariah, the whistle register and higher tones etc. I don't find them too similar. Regardless at her peak Mariah was selling 30M copies of Musicbox and 25M of Daydream as well as the countless #1 hit singles. I love Ariana but she is not on that level, YET..

 

She never will be on that level. Ever!
At best she'll be one day be on Rihanna's level but it's too early to say.

 

I know all those Ariana songs you mention apart from the current one.

Taylor Swift certainly is a force. I looked away for a minute and she became the top selling female singer in the world!

I'm pleased that Bruno Mars is due to drop an album soon. I was wondering where he'd gotten to. Not a fan of Adele, but like some of Rihanna's stuff.

I won't stay that I feel the same pull towards modern pop as I did the music of my youth. The stuff you hear in your teens and twenties is enormously important and stays with you forever. There's nothing like it. That said, I'm not one of those people who dismisses the current charts... There are always good songs around if you're prepared to listen out for them. Sure, over time, there's a sense of 'been there, done that', but music doesn't really change that much anyway. If you love it, you'll always seek out new stuff, and enjoy doing so.

Even if you tire of modern music, don't forget there's over 40 years worth of pop to catch up on. I'm still trying!

 

I'd not seen a connection between Mariah and Araina... The latter isn't (yet) anywhere close to being a big an album shifter as the former. Still, I do like Grande's voice a lot more than Mariah's. Ms Carey can be quite draining over a full album!