So, the chart's been through some massive changes. With two brand new Ed Sheeran songs just being releases to huge acclaim, the chart has become rather shook up. Let's take a look at where things stand at the moment:
10. Sexual - NEIKED (Chart Position - 10)
While this song is still in the chart, I must point out that it's barely hanging on in there, much to my excitement. There was one point where this song wasn't on the chart at all, so it's a shame it's managed to smuggle it's way back in. This song hasn't grown on me at all across the week, I still hate the dratted thing as much as I did last week. I'd feel like I would be repeating myself if I was to keep on going about this train-wreck, so I just summarise it quickly: badly mixed, badly sung, badly written, with bad melodies, bad beat drops and bad base sounds. Just bad.
9. Say You Won't Let Go - James Bay (Chart Position - 6)
Another song that hasn't grown on me across the week. I'm sorry, but I just can't like this new mix. The original was perfectly fine - I mean I doubt it would have been remembered by the end of the year, but it was completely ok in terms of it's melodies, beat and vocals. This new version just doesn't capture any of that, instead coming across as a pale imitation of it's former self. Alright, this song would have struggled this week anyway, what with superior vocalist Ed Sheeran's two new singles out, but it would have been a bit higher, were it not for this disappointing remix.
8. Rockabye - Clean Bandit (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie) (Chart Position - 3)
It took Ed Sheeran's double bill of power to knock this song off the top spot, and thank goodness it did. This song still isn't growing on me, if anything it's starting to slide back again. I don't like the main message of the song, which paints single parenthood as literally the worst thing ever, the melodies and beat are all over the place, some showing off the flair and creativity of old Clean Bandit, others just sounding like poor, generic pop beats and Sean Paul's contributions are starting to grate on me. 2017 needs to get releasing some stuff, because, as the weeks go on, I can see I'm going to find more flaws with this.
7. Just Hold On - Steve Aoki (Chart Position - 8)
I'm not sure how Mr Aoki has managed to do this, but, somehow, he's made... a bland EDM anthem. Just like Don't Wanna Know last week, this is a bland, inoffensive song, designed to fill up the chart and give it some bulk. Unlike Don't Wanna Know, however, this is a big problem. Not only because, as far as I'm aware, this is Steve Aoki's first hit song, but also because this is an EDM anthem. The sort of thing to get the club/party/one man rave (guess which I have) fired up and dancing. Yet this just feels, even by this genre's double standards, empty and vacuous. The beat feels ripped out of any EDM track from the last five or six years, if I'm being honest, and the base drop isn't that offensive, but follows a current trend of trying to deafen the listener with sounds. If I had one major complaint, it would be Aoki's choice of vocalist - Louis Tomlinson is not suited to a house anthem at all. He's just too light and bouncy, and ends up fading into the beat. I'm not saying that he's a bad singer, rather he just isn't suited to this kind of song. This loses points for being a bland EDM song, and for employing the wrong singer for this type of song, but at least isn't terrible. Just really, really forgettable.
6. Starboy - The Weeknd (Chart Position - 7)
This song does look like it's slipped, but, truth be told, the chart's just full of really good songs this week, and something had to give. I still think this is great - nicely relaxed, not too demanding and just generally enjoyable. It's not The Weeknd's usual fair, but that's ok. It's nice to have something different, especially from one of the most commercial and critically successful artists at the moment. That might have been cause for The Weeknd to rest on his laurels, but his most recent effort has certainly impressed this listener, if not having moved up in his expectations as he might have hoped. I would certainly like to see I Feel It Coming chart, I think that could be a very interesting song to talk about.
5. I Would Like - Zara Larsson (Chart Position - 5)
It feels almost criminal to put this song here, as while it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, it's one that I really do like. This gets everything right where Sexual got it wrong: the beat is great, with a sophisticated drop that doesn't fling everything at the listener. The melodies flow into each other perfectly, there's no distracting sound effects here. And the vocals and lyrics are much stronger, much more restrained. Zara Larsson knows when to give to us, and when to tease, and believe me she does enough of that. While last week, I wasn't sure why I liked this song, I think this week I have an answer. It's subtle, unlike Sexual. This is great, and I'm certainly now going to be following Zara Larsson with great excitement. You've peaked my interest, Miss Larsson. (Which, with pop music, is pretty bloody hard.)
4. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran (Chart Position - 2)
The first of Ed's double bombshells this week owes more to his earlier work rather than the singles released from his album X. This song has a really welcome 7 Years vibe, and it feels like your on that road trip with Ed. Ed has a beautiful poetry in his lyrics: he knows how to communicate a message with his audience really easily. That's backed up by a really strong guitar beat, some amazing choral work that's subtle and in no way intrusive and some excellent electronic melodies. It's really hard to say much about Sheeran songs like this or Lego House: they just touch something that is seemingly at the core of most people, if not everyone. The only thing I would criticise with it is that his high-pitched sound-offs for most of the choruses are a little grating, but that's not really enough to put it lower. I love this, and is this is anything to go by, we're in for a really good year for music.
3. Touch - Little Mix (Chart Position - 4)
Still a great song. Certainly, the developments this week have pretty much put paid to this one's steady climb through the ranks, but I would say that it's still a worthy number 1. The song itself is catchy and interesting, the Mixers have fantastic vocals that really sell the song more than most other girl groups could. In fact, I was thinking recently that they're probably the strongest girl band in recent memory. Yes, I'd say they're better than Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and even the Spice Girls (although that's a controversial topic for another day). Touch is still great, and there's little more I can say other than that.
2. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran (Chart Position - 1)
Bet you were expecting this to be number 1, weren't you? This second success from Sheeran is more in the vein of his X songs, particularly Sing, Don't and Bloodstream. Those songs really made Sheeran the long-last success that he is, and Shape Of You is more proof of the formula being a success. The beat, with it's various guitars and medley of instruments, is a lovely thing to listen to. I think it's a great hit, backed up by some amazing vocals from Sheeran himself. He captures that feeling of loving someone for their physical appearance perfectly. Like Closer, it doesn't glamorise it, but rather paints it in a cinematic scope. Everyone has some experience of being infatuated with someone based on their physicality, and Sheeran captures that perfectly. It's certainly a better depiction than Sexual could manage in a thousand years. That's the power of skilful lyrics. Shape Of You sets the bar pretty bloody high for 2017, and it's going to be hard to top.
1. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man (Chart Position - 9)
I suspect this is only a brief resurgence, which is why I'm putting it here. Easily one of the best songs of this decade, I've listened to Human so many times that it's actually possibly in the triple-digits. I love this for it's gritty-ness: it's dark and deep and it's not afraid to show it. The beat is slow in the verses and powerful in the choruses, while the vocals keep everything fixed in the lowest of registers. I love the lyrics too, which have the truly realistic feel this song is going for. I love the fact it fades out as well. So many songs just stop in today's chart, it's nice to have one that, while does stopping, it winds down, with some isolated vocals at the end. The bridge is pretty much perfect too, carrying the song into it's ending perfectly. I think, most of all though, I connect with this song personally. It just has a connection with me that most other songs lack. They're what I want my life to be - this is what my life actually is, and, for that, I have to say it's one of my all-time favourite songs, in any category.
So, this is the Spotify Chart cross-compared with my listings for ease of reference:
Spotify:
1. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran
2. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran
3. Rockabye - Clean Bandit (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)
4. Touch - Little Mix
5. I Would Like - Zara Larsson
6. Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur
7. Starboy - The Weeknd
8. Just Hold On - Steve Aoki
9. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man
10. Sexual - NEKIED
Me:
1. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man
2. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran
3. Touch - Little Mix
4. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran
5. I Would Like - Zara Larsson
6. Starboy - The Weeknd
7. Just Hold On - Steve Aoki
8. Rockabye - Clean Bandit (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)
9. Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur
10. Sexual - NEKIED
This week's been really great for music, and I'm really hopeful about what next week can bring. I'll see you then, when I'll be dissecting next week's top 10, and seeing what's changed!
10. Sexual - NEIKED (Chart Position - 10)While this song is still in the chart, I must point out that it's barely hanging on in there, much to my excitement. There was one point where this song wasn't on the chart at all, so it's a shame it's managed to smuggle it's way back in. This song hasn't grown on me at all across the week, I still hate the dratted thing as much as I did last week. I'd feel like I would be repeating myself if I was to keep on going about this train-wreck, so I just summarise it quickly: badly mixed, badly sung, badly written, with bad melodies, bad beat drops and bad base sounds. Just bad.
9. Say You Won't Let Go - James Bay (Chart Position - 6)
Another song that hasn't grown on me across the week. I'm sorry, but I just can't like this new mix. The original was perfectly fine - I mean I doubt it would have been remembered by the end of the year, but it was completely ok in terms of it's melodies, beat and vocals. This new version just doesn't capture any of that, instead coming across as a pale imitation of it's former self. Alright, this song would have struggled this week anyway, what with superior vocalist Ed Sheeran's two new singles out, but it would have been a bit higher, were it not for this disappointing remix.
8. Rockabye - Clean Bandit (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie) (Chart Position - 3)
It took Ed Sheeran's double bill of power to knock this song off the top spot, and thank goodness it did. This song still isn't growing on me, if anything it's starting to slide back again. I don't like the main message of the song, which paints single parenthood as literally the worst thing ever, the melodies and beat are all over the place, some showing off the flair and creativity of old Clean Bandit, others just sounding like poor, generic pop beats and Sean Paul's contributions are starting to grate on me. 2017 needs to get releasing some stuff, because, as the weeks go on, I can see I'm going to find more flaws with this.7. Just Hold On - Steve Aoki (Chart Position - 8)
I'm not sure how Mr Aoki has managed to do this, but, somehow, he's made... a bland EDM anthem. Just like Don't Wanna Know last week, this is a bland, inoffensive song, designed to fill up the chart and give it some bulk. Unlike Don't Wanna Know, however, this is a big problem. Not only because, as far as I'm aware, this is Steve Aoki's first hit song, but also because this is an EDM anthem. The sort of thing to get the club/party/one man rave (guess which I have) fired up and dancing. Yet this just feels, even by this genre's double standards, empty and vacuous. The beat feels ripped out of any EDM track from the last five or six years, if I'm being honest, and the base drop isn't that offensive, but follows a current trend of trying to deafen the listener with sounds. If I had one major complaint, it would be Aoki's choice of vocalist - Louis Tomlinson is not suited to a house anthem at all. He's just too light and bouncy, and ends up fading into the beat. I'm not saying that he's a bad singer, rather he just isn't suited to this kind of song. This loses points for being a bland EDM song, and for employing the wrong singer for this type of song, but at least isn't terrible. Just really, really forgettable. 6. Starboy - The Weeknd (Chart Position - 7)
This song does look like it's slipped, but, truth be told, the chart's just full of really good songs this week, and something had to give. I still think this is great - nicely relaxed, not too demanding and just generally enjoyable. It's not The Weeknd's usual fair, but that's ok. It's nice to have something different, especially from one of the most commercial and critically successful artists at the moment. That might have been cause for The Weeknd to rest on his laurels, but his most recent effort has certainly impressed this listener, if not having moved up in his expectations as he might have hoped. I would certainly like to see I Feel It Coming chart, I think that could be a very interesting song to talk about.5. I Would Like - Zara Larsson (Chart Position - 5)
It feels almost criminal to put this song here, as while it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, it's one that I really do like. This gets everything right where Sexual got it wrong: the beat is great, with a sophisticated drop that doesn't fling everything at the listener. The melodies flow into each other perfectly, there's no distracting sound effects here. And the vocals and lyrics are much stronger, much more restrained. Zara Larsson knows when to give to us, and when to tease, and believe me she does enough of that. While last week, I wasn't sure why I liked this song, I think this week I have an answer. It's subtle, unlike Sexual. This is great, and I'm certainly now going to be following Zara Larsson with great excitement. You've peaked my interest, Miss Larsson. (Which, with pop music, is pretty bloody hard.)4. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran (Chart Position - 2)
The first of Ed's double bombshells this week owes more to his earlier work rather than the singles released from his album X. This song has a really welcome 7 Years vibe, and it feels like your on that road trip with Ed. Ed has a beautiful poetry in his lyrics: he knows how to communicate a message with his audience really easily. That's backed up by a really strong guitar beat, some amazing choral work that's subtle and in no way intrusive and some excellent electronic melodies. It's really hard to say much about Sheeran songs like this or Lego House: they just touch something that is seemingly at the core of most people, if not everyone. The only thing I would criticise with it is that his high-pitched sound-offs for most of the choruses are a little grating, but that's not really enough to put it lower. I love this, and is this is anything to go by, we're in for a really good year for music. 3. Touch - Little Mix (Chart Position - 4)
Still a great song. Certainly, the developments this week have pretty much put paid to this one's steady climb through the ranks, but I would say that it's still a worthy number 1. The song itself is catchy and interesting, the Mixers have fantastic vocals that really sell the song more than most other girl groups could. In fact, I was thinking recently that they're probably the strongest girl band in recent memory. Yes, I'd say they're better than Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and even the Spice Girls (although that's a controversial topic for another day). Touch is still great, and there's little more I can say other than that. 2. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran (Chart Position - 1)
Bet you were expecting this to be number 1, weren't you? This second success from Sheeran is more in the vein of his X songs, particularly Sing, Don't and Bloodstream. Those songs really made Sheeran the long-last success that he is, and Shape Of You is more proof of the formula being a success. The beat, with it's various guitars and medley of instruments, is a lovely thing to listen to. I think it's a great hit, backed up by some amazing vocals from Sheeran himself. He captures that feeling of loving someone for their physical appearance perfectly. Like Closer, it doesn't glamorise it, but rather paints it in a cinematic scope. Everyone has some experience of being infatuated with someone based on their physicality, and Sheeran captures that perfectly. It's certainly a better depiction than Sexual could manage in a thousand years. That's the power of skilful lyrics. Shape Of You sets the bar pretty bloody high for 2017, and it's going to be hard to top.1. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man (Chart Position - 9)
I suspect this is only a brief resurgence, which is why I'm putting it here. Easily one of the best songs of this decade, I've listened to Human so many times that it's actually possibly in the triple-digits. I love this for it's gritty-ness: it's dark and deep and it's not afraid to show it. The beat is slow in the verses and powerful in the choruses, while the vocals keep everything fixed in the lowest of registers. I love the lyrics too, which have the truly realistic feel this song is going for. I love the fact it fades out as well. So many songs just stop in today's chart, it's nice to have one that, while does stopping, it winds down, with some isolated vocals at the end. The bridge is pretty much perfect too, carrying the song into it's ending perfectly. I think, most of all though, I connect with this song personally. It just has a connection with me that most other songs lack. They're what I want my life to be - this is what my life actually is, and, for that, I have to say it's one of my all-time favourite songs, in any category.So, this is the Spotify Chart cross-compared with my listings for ease of reference:
Spotify:
1. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran
2. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran
3. Rockabye - Clean Bandit (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)
4. Touch - Little Mix
5. I Would Like - Zara Larsson
6. Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur
7. Starboy - The Weeknd
8. Just Hold On - Steve Aoki
9. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man
10. Sexual - NEKIED
Me:
1. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man
2. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran
3. Touch - Little Mix
4. Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran
5. I Would Like - Zara Larsson
6. Starboy - The Weeknd
7. Just Hold On - Steve Aoki
8. Rockabye - Clean Bandit (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)
9. Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur
10. Sexual - NEKIED
This week's been really great for music, and I'm really hopeful about what next week can bring. I'll see you then, when I'll be dissecting next week's top 10, and seeing what's changed!
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