So, the first three months of 2017 are over. And that means we've already had a quarter of the year's charts so far. 2017 has been an odd year: there hasn't been any set template. There have been really poor weeks, really great weeks, really middling weeks, we've had the lot. So, with 2017 proving utterly unreadable, I'm going to try and look at where the high points and low points have been for these three months, which genres have done the best, and which songs have played the most important roles in defining the sound of 2017.
The most immediate thing I've noticed about 2017 is that this will be the year that EDM finally bites the bullet. EDM has been struggling since the middle of 2016: once, it was the genre that hit-makers loved to plunder. Now, however, a lack of creative input and new, strong figures have critically weakened the genre to the point where it's once original beats and imaginative composition has been lost in favour of just repeating the same formula ad-nauseum. Sure, Just Hold On and Call On Me haven't been terrible, but one thing that they have been is dull and unimaginative. Added to that the natural retiring of Tropical House, and the charts are currently suffering from a bit of a power vacuum. That's the reason why things like Human and Big For Your Boots have entered the charts: they're filling a space that previously had been reserved for EDM songs. And it's clear that Grime appears to have been the winner of that brief and rather uneventful spat between the two competing styles (Grime and what I can best describe as Grunge Rock), as, while Human climbed higher in the charts, Big For Your Boots had a wave of other songs follow in it's path. Now sure, the charts do need shaking up. Such a massive change hasn't really happened since the tail end of 2013, when EDM started to become popular, so it was bound to come eventually. However, while I think that Grime is a perfectly valid form of music, and the charts do need shaking up, I feel like this is the wrong shot in the arm. Grime has a very marmite appeal - some love it, lots hate it and I'm afraid that I just don't like it very much. But I think the main issue that it has is that it's an unfinished genre. There's no core template: every Grime song does different things, but not even constantly. Each song feels like it's half-finished, and I'm not sure I really want that in the charts. Not yet, at any rate. And I don't really Grime's really suited to the mass market either. Sure, EDM could take the few steps it needed to be popular, but can you imagine Straight Outta Compton being moulded for a mass-market audience? It's outside the established order, so I'll be surprised if it really flourishes inside the order for long.
The other trend that has been most exemplified by You Don't Know Me is laziness. Now, of course, I'll level this accusation at any song with Drake's name on it, but it also applies to several other songs: you could argue that Maroon 5's Don't Wanna Know fitted into this category, as does the two EDM songs I mentioned earlier, Zayn Malik and 'The Other One's' really quite breathtakingly dull song for Fifty Shades Darker and Katy Perry's chart contributions all smell of little effort. That's not something you can level at certain acts like Ed Sheeran, Rag'n'Bone Man or Zara Larsson, but there has been quite a lot in the charts recently that seems to have been produced quickly, with little to no thought put into it. I'm sure they had plenty of writing teams agonising over them, but I just feel that it's starting to become a regular problem. However, you could just argue that all of these artists have had this problem: I certainly wouldn't disagree with you regard Jax Jones or Zayn Malik, and certainly it's an accusation that you could level at some of Katy Perry's discography (especially This Is How We Do!). And Maroon 5 have been around for quite a few years now: is it any wonder? And certainly the stronger chart contributors have been on firing form over the past few weeks: Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Zara Larsson, Little Mix etc have all produced excellent work. But there's a sense that certain artists are scrimping and saving, trying to slip past with little effort but maximum impact, and it's something I'll definitely be looking out for.
Now, I think the final thing we have to talk about is March. What the hell happened? Well, Ed Sheeran happened. For two whole weeks, Sheeran's album dominated (and I mean dominated!) the charts. Two weeks! And then, the next week, Drake took charge! What actually happened? Well, as far as I can see, this phenomenon had two contributing factors. The first was that Spotify counts listens, not buys, as how to rank it's charts (which, in this day and age) is probably a smart move. And the second is that breakthroughs seem to be few and far between at the moment. I mean sure, Zara Larsson is a new addition to the charts, and Rag'n'Bone Man have only just achieved their first hit. But there seems a reluctance at the moment to push new music to the top, instead relying on old hands like Sheeran, Little Mix and Clean Bandit to keep the charts afloat. Mind you, if your producing work to Stormzy's, or even Starley's standards, that might not be a bad thing. And, of course, I loved Sheeran's run at the charts, while being less of a fan of Drake's. That was always going to happen.
So, having looked at the interesting patterns and trends I've spotted at the moment, it's time to look at the most important songs of the past three months. I would like to stress, I don't think these are the best, I think they're the most IMPORTANT. There is a big difference. There's also no order here, they're just randomly important songs that I've picked. So, without further ado:
1. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran (Peak Position - 1)
Of course Shape Of You was going to be here! It was number 1 for well over twelve weeks, what do you expect? This is still Ed's biggest hit, and it's not hard to see why. Just taking it apart one piece at a time, you see a complex song that has so many great elements to it. There's all the percussion, the instrumental on this thing is bloody gorgeous. There is a totally relaxed feel to it, and that's aided by the wonderful vocals and lyrics from Sheeran that just command your attention. He's the best singer at the moment for telling a story with his music, and throughout this song there's a clear story being told. Shape Of You is probably the most popular song from the past three months, and I can't argue with that. It's also definitely one of the strongest, and gives me hope that 2017 can give us more stone-cold classics.
2. Call On Me: Ryan Riback Extended Remix - Starley & Ryan Riback (Peak Position - 7)
Again, another song that was bound to be on the list, mostly due to it's infamous status as 'the song that killed EDM'. Call On Me doesn't have many issues: despite my vitriol over the weeks this song was in the chart, I still think that it's competently produced, with decent vocals, decent lyrics and a decent instrumental. However, that's it. There's no spark here, it's just what you would expect from a EDM song. Take half a dozen EDM songs you like, blend them, then sieve out the spark they had and you are ready to serve up Call On Me. It's not single-handedly the song that killed Electronic Dance Music, but it is the straw that broke the camel's back.
3. Big For Your Boots - Stormzy (Peak Position - 3)
The new EDM. Thanks guys. Sure, Big For Your Boots has it's audience, but I'm not it. I do think it deserves to be here, because I reckon that it's an important indicator as to what is coming next from music. I just find this irritatingly bad, because nothing feels quite right. The vocals are far, far too fast, the lyrics that I do get make no sense, verging wildly from one topic to another with no real connectivity, and the instrumental, while not too bad, is far, far too loud. Seriously, it's almost deafening! It's will be interesting to see whether Stormzy will be the only Grime artist to crack the top 10 this year, or whether Grime will become a universal success.
4. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man (Peak Position - 5)
Now, while Grunge Rock came second in the power vacuum battle, Human is still a vitally important song for the charts. The main reason for that is because this is so refreshing to hear! A song with genuine originality, creative flair and well-written lyrics come together to form this masterpiece. And I don't care if everyone's been saying that for the past few weeks, because I discovered this song back in September/October last year, and I had a feeling it was going to be a classic there and then. But I didn't think that it would either get onto the charts to be appreciated, or even that it would take so long for it to appear. Nevertheless, Human is a wonderful piece of work that has brightened up 2017's charts immeasurably, and is one of my favourite songs of the decade.
5. September Song - JP Cooper (Peak Position - 7)
Now, I've included this because I think it highlights a particular issue I have. There are a lot of perfectly decent songs not getting the exposure, or even playtime, that they should, and September Song is a perfect example of that. It's really struggled to find much of an audience, which is such a shame considering that it's pretty good actually. The lyrics are decent, the beat is nice and relaxed (not too overbearing, nor too extraneous), and Cooper's vocals are really decent, helping to reinforce this song's reggae vibe. It just a shame that this song has fallen the way of I Would Like and It Ain't Me, because they're really good, just a bit lost in all the loud bluster of the death of EDM and the rise of Grime.
6. Paris - The Chainsmokers (Peak Position - 4)
Paris marks the final transition from what The Chainsmokers were to what they are now. The only early song anyone remembers them for was #Selfie, which was so bad, it made me swear I would never enjoy any Chainsmokers songs at all. Shows how wrong I was. Closer, All We Know and now Paris have shown the transition from obtuse, poorly-mixed mess to subtle, striking instrumentals, which have a really power and drive behind them. I've called Ed Sheeran the master of storytelling in music, but The Chainsmokers are the masters of imagery in music. The pictures they paint are absolutely fantastic, and just go to show how much imagination you can cram into one song. A fantastic piece of work that manages to set fire to your imagination: something that's very rare in the past few years of pop music.
7. Chained To The Rhythm - Katy Perry & Skip Marley (Peak Position - 7)
Possibly the most generic, by-the-numbers, uninteresting blob of nothing the charts have ever farted out. And I mean that. The only reason why this has cranked the list is because of how generic it is. Remember the laziness factor I mentioned above? Well, it certainly applies to this song. Honestly, only three songs in the past three months feel lazier than this (that's Black Beatles, Sexual and You Don't Know Me - Drake doesn't count because, for him, being lazy is an improvement). There is absolutely NO effort here. Believe me, I've check. Katy Perry sounds more bored than usual, Skip Marley is... well, he's here, and he says stuff. I've no idea what, I'd switched off by that point. The lyrics are flat and dull, there's no originality in the instrumental, and everything just feels like it has 'generic pop drivel' written all over it. I genuinely didn't think pop could get anymore bland than this - welcome your new queen, Chained To The Rhythm. For she is the blandest of them all.
8. Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran (Peak Position - 1)
Wow, I wasn't expecting this! Irish riverdance and heavy electronica? Now that's a combination I didn't think would work. But my god it does! It's a great combo, and it's sold by Sheeran's fantastic delivery and his excellent lyrics. Sheeran is undoubtedly a skilled storyteller, and that really comes through here, as Galway Girl feel like, in part, like a piece of flash fiction communicated through a song. The two styles come together fantastically, created something that feels rooted in Irish tradition, but also with the same punch from modern music. Sure, I doubt it's everyone's cup of tea, but for daring to be different, pushing at the boundaries of pop music and being an excellent piece of work, it certainly deserves a place on this list.
9. I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) - ZAYN & 'The Other One' (Peak Position - 6)
This is a prime example of a great instrumental, stonkingly good instrumental in fact, being reduced by poor lyrics and poor vocals. I would never have said that Zayn Malik would have been that inspirational a choice for a song like this: he's basically The Weeknd just with a different name, and with a song that has pretty much a Weeknd tribute instrumental, he just blends hideously into the background. And 'The Other One' is barely on it, and her contributions are so lightweight and fragile that a light breeze could blow them away. Of course, that's not even touching upon what the song is attached to, but I Don't Wanna Live Forever follows a couple of other songs (Just Hold On and Something Just Like This) where the instrumentals have been fine, but the lyrics and/or artist have really let the song down badly. I can sense that this topic might be one we come back to in the future.
10. Passionfruit - Drake (Peak Position - 3)
Now, for my final choice, I've gone for one of Drake's latest songs, and the reason for that is because it's... actually competent! I know, shocking isn't it? It almost seems inconceivable that something Drake has been involved with wouldn't just elicit a negative reaction out of me straight away. I mean it's no match for pretty much everything else on the chart at the moment, but Passionfruit is genuinely not bad, and has some good elements. It is a wasted opportunity, but considering that this is Drake, we have to look upon this as an achievement.
So, that's you're lot. I hope you've enjoyed this little reminiscence on the past three months, which have been slightly mixed in my opinion, but promise lots of good things for the future, so long as certain roads are taken. I'll be continuing my weakly rundown into April, but join me again at the end of June, when I'll be rounding up my thoughts on the summer's chart toppers!
The most immediate thing I've noticed about 2017 is that this will be the year that EDM finally bites the bullet. EDM has been struggling since the middle of 2016: once, it was the genre that hit-makers loved to plunder. Now, however, a lack of creative input and new, strong figures have critically weakened the genre to the point where it's once original beats and imaginative composition has been lost in favour of just repeating the same formula ad-nauseum. Sure, Just Hold On and Call On Me haven't been terrible, but one thing that they have been is dull and unimaginative. Added to that the natural retiring of Tropical House, and the charts are currently suffering from a bit of a power vacuum. That's the reason why things like Human and Big For Your Boots have entered the charts: they're filling a space that previously had been reserved for EDM songs. And it's clear that Grime appears to have been the winner of that brief and rather uneventful spat between the two competing styles (Grime and what I can best describe as Grunge Rock), as, while Human climbed higher in the charts, Big For Your Boots had a wave of other songs follow in it's path. Now sure, the charts do need shaking up. Such a massive change hasn't really happened since the tail end of 2013, when EDM started to become popular, so it was bound to come eventually. However, while I think that Grime is a perfectly valid form of music, and the charts do need shaking up, I feel like this is the wrong shot in the arm. Grime has a very marmite appeal - some love it, lots hate it and I'm afraid that I just don't like it very much. But I think the main issue that it has is that it's an unfinished genre. There's no core template: every Grime song does different things, but not even constantly. Each song feels like it's half-finished, and I'm not sure I really want that in the charts. Not yet, at any rate. And I don't really Grime's really suited to the mass market either. Sure, EDM could take the few steps it needed to be popular, but can you imagine Straight Outta Compton being moulded for a mass-market audience? It's outside the established order, so I'll be surprised if it really flourishes inside the order for long.
The other trend that has been most exemplified by You Don't Know Me is laziness. Now, of course, I'll level this accusation at any song with Drake's name on it, but it also applies to several other songs: you could argue that Maroon 5's Don't Wanna Know fitted into this category, as does the two EDM songs I mentioned earlier, Zayn Malik and 'The Other One's' really quite breathtakingly dull song for Fifty Shades Darker and Katy Perry's chart contributions all smell of little effort. That's not something you can level at certain acts like Ed Sheeran, Rag'n'Bone Man or Zara Larsson, but there has been quite a lot in the charts recently that seems to have been produced quickly, with little to no thought put into it. I'm sure they had plenty of writing teams agonising over them, but I just feel that it's starting to become a regular problem. However, you could just argue that all of these artists have had this problem: I certainly wouldn't disagree with you regard Jax Jones or Zayn Malik, and certainly it's an accusation that you could level at some of Katy Perry's discography (especially This Is How We Do!). And Maroon 5 have been around for quite a few years now: is it any wonder? And certainly the stronger chart contributors have been on firing form over the past few weeks: Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd, Zara Larsson, Little Mix etc have all produced excellent work. But there's a sense that certain artists are scrimping and saving, trying to slip past with little effort but maximum impact, and it's something I'll definitely be looking out for.
Now, I think the final thing we have to talk about is March. What the hell happened? Well, Ed Sheeran happened. For two whole weeks, Sheeran's album dominated (and I mean dominated!) the charts. Two weeks! And then, the next week, Drake took charge! What actually happened? Well, as far as I can see, this phenomenon had two contributing factors. The first was that Spotify counts listens, not buys, as how to rank it's charts (which, in this day and age) is probably a smart move. And the second is that breakthroughs seem to be few and far between at the moment. I mean sure, Zara Larsson is a new addition to the charts, and Rag'n'Bone Man have only just achieved their first hit. But there seems a reluctance at the moment to push new music to the top, instead relying on old hands like Sheeran, Little Mix and Clean Bandit to keep the charts afloat. Mind you, if your producing work to Stormzy's, or even Starley's standards, that might not be a bad thing. And, of course, I loved Sheeran's run at the charts, while being less of a fan of Drake's. That was always going to happen.
So, having looked at the interesting patterns and trends I've spotted at the moment, it's time to look at the most important songs of the past three months. I would like to stress, I don't think these are the best, I think they're the most IMPORTANT. There is a big difference. There's also no order here, they're just randomly important songs that I've picked. So, without further ado:
1. Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran (Peak Position - 1)
Of course Shape Of You was going to be here! It was number 1 for well over twelve weeks, what do you expect? This is still Ed's biggest hit, and it's not hard to see why. Just taking it apart one piece at a time, you see a complex song that has so many great elements to it. There's all the percussion, the instrumental on this thing is bloody gorgeous. There is a totally relaxed feel to it, and that's aided by the wonderful vocals and lyrics from Sheeran that just command your attention. He's the best singer at the moment for telling a story with his music, and throughout this song there's a clear story being told. Shape Of You is probably the most popular song from the past three months, and I can't argue with that. It's also definitely one of the strongest, and gives me hope that 2017 can give us more stone-cold classics.
2. Call On Me: Ryan Riback Extended Remix - Starley & Ryan Riback (Peak Position - 7)
Again, another song that was bound to be on the list, mostly due to it's infamous status as 'the song that killed EDM'. Call On Me doesn't have many issues: despite my vitriol over the weeks this song was in the chart, I still think that it's competently produced, with decent vocals, decent lyrics and a decent instrumental. However, that's it. There's no spark here, it's just what you would expect from a EDM song. Take half a dozen EDM songs you like, blend them, then sieve out the spark they had and you are ready to serve up Call On Me. It's not single-handedly the song that killed Electronic Dance Music, but it is the straw that broke the camel's back.
3. Big For Your Boots - Stormzy (Peak Position - 3)
The new EDM. Thanks guys. Sure, Big For Your Boots has it's audience, but I'm not it. I do think it deserves to be here, because I reckon that it's an important indicator as to what is coming next from music. I just find this irritatingly bad, because nothing feels quite right. The vocals are far, far too fast, the lyrics that I do get make no sense, verging wildly from one topic to another with no real connectivity, and the instrumental, while not too bad, is far, far too loud. Seriously, it's almost deafening! It's will be interesting to see whether Stormzy will be the only Grime artist to crack the top 10 this year, or whether Grime will become a universal success.
4. Human - Rag'n'Bone Man (Peak Position - 5)
Now, while Grunge Rock came second in the power vacuum battle, Human is still a vitally important song for the charts. The main reason for that is because this is so refreshing to hear! A song with genuine originality, creative flair and well-written lyrics come together to form this masterpiece. And I don't care if everyone's been saying that for the past few weeks, because I discovered this song back in September/October last year, and I had a feeling it was going to be a classic there and then. But I didn't think that it would either get onto the charts to be appreciated, or even that it would take so long for it to appear. Nevertheless, Human is a wonderful piece of work that has brightened up 2017's charts immeasurably, and is one of my favourite songs of the decade.
5. September Song - JP Cooper (Peak Position - 7)
Now, I've included this because I think it highlights a particular issue I have. There are a lot of perfectly decent songs not getting the exposure, or even playtime, that they should, and September Song is a perfect example of that. It's really struggled to find much of an audience, which is such a shame considering that it's pretty good actually. The lyrics are decent, the beat is nice and relaxed (not too overbearing, nor too extraneous), and Cooper's vocals are really decent, helping to reinforce this song's reggae vibe. It just a shame that this song has fallen the way of I Would Like and It Ain't Me, because they're really good, just a bit lost in all the loud bluster of the death of EDM and the rise of Grime.
6. Paris - The Chainsmokers (Peak Position - 4)
Paris marks the final transition from what The Chainsmokers were to what they are now. The only early song anyone remembers them for was #Selfie, which was so bad, it made me swear I would never enjoy any Chainsmokers songs at all. Shows how wrong I was. Closer, All We Know and now Paris have shown the transition from obtuse, poorly-mixed mess to subtle, striking instrumentals, which have a really power and drive behind them. I've called Ed Sheeran the master of storytelling in music, but The Chainsmokers are the masters of imagery in music. The pictures they paint are absolutely fantastic, and just go to show how much imagination you can cram into one song. A fantastic piece of work that manages to set fire to your imagination: something that's very rare in the past few years of pop music.
7. Chained To The Rhythm - Katy Perry & Skip Marley (Peak Position - 7)
Possibly the most generic, by-the-numbers, uninteresting blob of nothing the charts have ever farted out. And I mean that. The only reason why this has cranked the list is because of how generic it is. Remember the laziness factor I mentioned above? Well, it certainly applies to this song. Honestly, only three songs in the past three months feel lazier than this (that's Black Beatles, Sexual and You Don't Know Me - Drake doesn't count because, for him, being lazy is an improvement). There is absolutely NO effort here. Believe me, I've check. Katy Perry sounds more bored than usual, Skip Marley is... well, he's here, and he says stuff. I've no idea what, I'd switched off by that point. The lyrics are flat and dull, there's no originality in the instrumental, and everything just feels like it has 'generic pop drivel' written all over it. I genuinely didn't think pop could get anymore bland than this - welcome your new queen, Chained To The Rhythm. For she is the blandest of them all.
8. Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran (Peak Position - 1)
Wow, I wasn't expecting this! Irish riverdance and heavy electronica? Now that's a combination I didn't think would work. But my god it does! It's a great combo, and it's sold by Sheeran's fantastic delivery and his excellent lyrics. Sheeran is undoubtedly a skilled storyteller, and that really comes through here, as Galway Girl feel like, in part, like a piece of flash fiction communicated through a song. The two styles come together fantastically, created something that feels rooted in Irish tradition, but also with the same punch from modern music. Sure, I doubt it's everyone's cup of tea, but for daring to be different, pushing at the boundaries of pop music and being an excellent piece of work, it certainly deserves a place on this list.
9. I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) - ZAYN & 'The Other One' (Peak Position - 6)
This is a prime example of a great instrumental, stonkingly good instrumental in fact, being reduced by poor lyrics and poor vocals. I would never have said that Zayn Malik would have been that inspirational a choice for a song like this: he's basically The Weeknd just with a different name, and with a song that has pretty much a Weeknd tribute instrumental, he just blends hideously into the background. And 'The Other One' is barely on it, and her contributions are so lightweight and fragile that a light breeze could blow them away. Of course, that's not even touching upon what the song is attached to, but I Don't Wanna Live Forever follows a couple of other songs (Just Hold On and Something Just Like This) where the instrumentals have been fine, but the lyrics and/or artist have really let the song down badly. I can sense that this topic might be one we come back to in the future.
10. Passionfruit - Drake (Peak Position - 3)
Now, for my final choice, I've gone for one of Drake's latest songs, and the reason for that is because it's... actually competent! I know, shocking isn't it? It almost seems inconceivable that something Drake has been involved with wouldn't just elicit a negative reaction out of me straight away. I mean it's no match for pretty much everything else on the chart at the moment, but Passionfruit is genuinely not bad, and has some good elements. It is a wasted opportunity, but considering that this is Drake, we have to look upon this as an achievement.
So, that's you're lot. I hope you've enjoyed this little reminiscence on the past three months, which have been slightly mixed in my opinion, but promise lots of good things for the future, so long as certain roads are taken. I'll be continuing my weakly rundown into April, but join me again at the end of June, when I'll be rounding up my thoughts on the summer's chart toppers!
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