#ESPECIALLY NIGHTCORE CHANNELS

[juvellianthebee-archive]

the pain of seeing all your favorite YouTubers start using AI in their thumbnails 😔

[arsonbur-riley]

Um, is it just me or has Will deleted a few videos on his music channel?

The nightcore version of Mammalian Sighing Reflex isn't there, and also Your City Gave Me Asthma (but I think YCGMA wasn't on there to begin with, idk-)

Also his new bio reads, "Gasping,"

He's changing things for sure, especially with the fact he's changed the picture and channel name as well. I hope he's doing okay...

What do y'all think?

[uolivegb]

modern!LU headcannons that are all real and credible because i said so, pt. 1

i am not the sole brainstormer! creds are also due for my lovely friends @hyrules-feral-hero and @nihilistic-wobbufet they are hilarious

~

WIND: has been obsessed with thomas the train since he was a kid and just never grows out of it, and its his biggest secret because he never wants anyone to find out or he would never recover from the embarrassment. he has a sizeable collection of memorabilia, and if like mcdonalds or some other fast food chain were to do themed toys, you already KNOW my boy is out there grinding for happy meals. he would babysit time and malon's son for the sole reason of being able to watch thomas and friends in public and have nobody shame him because "the baby likes it." even if said baby has been passed out for like two hours in his arms and wind is still in the middle of his marathon, doesnt even matter. time and malon ask him to go home? no, you fools, season four isnt over yet. he was also extremely distressed with the 3D models when they were introduced, and he would absolutely protest against them like pokemon genwunners.

he listens to all sorts of music, but especially loves bubblegum pop and nightcore circa like 2009. this, of course, is a wonderful contrast to his baby sister aryll's taste in music, which despite her innocently pastel sense of style is almost exclusively death metal (and the battle for the aux cord is brutal).

FOUR: casual twitch gamer, began his whole career while watching wind play fnaf one time and literally like six months after he started his own channel it BLEW UP and now he has a gajillion followers on his streams and on youtube. he likes to play kirby and metroid. despite the fame, his attitude remains casual, which is part of the reason why people like him so much. hed just show up on a random tuesday morning wearing his shirt backwards and be like "hi guys today im going to break my world record speedrun time" and then he just Does It. iconic king.

he has heterochromia, and his eyes flash different colors when a certain one is fronting (?), unrealistic in modern standards i know but just roll with it. vio especially loves gaming, and whenever people in chat ask why the literal hell his eyes seem to change color all the time, four just plays it off like "trick of the light. it just be like that" and no further comment. he has the most casual schedule ever but he pulls in absolute BANK.

also plans on one day learning how to blow glass. he thinks its so cool (because it is.)

TWILIGHT: professional wrestler who used to be a gym bro, just cause he's so good at it. is swole af and even though he's short he is super intimidating, and since due to publicity most people know that he's capable of bodyslamming someone twice his own weight most strangers will not approach him. heaven above forbid if he is there to witness somebody getting mugged or something- he goes rabid (one might even describe him as wolfish ;)) (said occurrence has happened twice. both times, he was offered a date afterwards but he said no cause hes

A. awkward, and

B. YEARNING for his old high school crush midna.)

whenever he gets back to his place, he throws on hello kitty slippers, plops down sideways on his couch, and cuddles his newest baby- a tiny white kitten he named marie (like from the aristocats. its his favorite movie, even though he tells everyone else who asks that its die hard.) just an enormous soft dork, a himbo, if you will

HYRULE: ABSOLUTELY a park ranger, and he adores his job!!! just picture him in like khakis and big stompy boots (i know, so cute!), and his knees and forearms are covered in colorful bandaids cause hes in the woods so much! he likes to give tours the most, and will go on and on about bear safety and how to read trail maps (despite never using them himself lol)

he would go up to a bear and be like "this is richard, hes chill, he gave me a pinecone once so now i like to think we are married" and all the people on the tour are like "isnt it dangerous to get up close to a bear like that?" and hyrules like "yes <3"

always mild mannered, except for when he finds poachers or traps laid out. i'll just leave that there.

WILD: you already KNOW my boy is a sous chef at some uppity restaurant, and hes the best damn cook there. he likes to goof off a lot which makes his superiors kinda hate him, but none of them can do anything about it because he is the singular reason why the restaurant has so many glowing reviews, and its super common for customers to ask for him by name so they can meet him. he just kinda messes around and does his own thing and is incredibly unpredictable, but he more or less runs the show because they cant just fire him, so days at work would go as follows:

"you cant film tiktoks in the break room 15 minutes before rush hour, we need you at the stove!"

"yeah no ill only be like 10 minutes this one is gonna be so funny i have to make it now"

"thats not what i said-"

(the superiors are both baffled and Very Done when his tiktoks actually bring in more customers.)

wild knows the power he holds and more or less has a freelance schedule, like if he forgot he made plans with the chain on a day hes supposed to come in? not a problem, he can just call and have them make a coworker cover him. because its not like they can fire him. as a result of this he becomes like some sort of kitchen cryptid, nobody knows where he comes from or when he comes he is just There. customers will be like "is the tiktok chef in today?" and there are several sighs and a resounding groan before somebody else answers "....yes."

~

anywho this just came about after a random brainrot conversation, but we agreed that theyre too good not to share. enjoy! xoxo

[worddevourer]

Adventures in Autoplay

YouTube is an interesting place.  More to the point, it’s a massive place, filled with people of just about every possible description.

That is to say that I, on a regular basis, really only interact with a miniscule fragment of what’s out there, because A. There’s just too much of it to interact with all of it, and B. I just... don’t.

The way I’m envisioning it is like a massive ocean, and most of us spend our time around small islands.  I usually do, at least.

Sometimes, but not always.

I find it an interesting exercise to just drift with the current, and let autoplay take me wherever the hell it likes.

So, how has it gone?

Round 1:  I believe I started on a video featuring Hank Green making drinks with someone.  From there, I went into other videos with the same premise (same channel, different people making drinks with them).  Then, I ended up on the channel of one of the guests.  And then...  I was on that channel for hours, and, in fact, autoplay didn’t take me away before I finished.

Round 2: The earliest part of this that I remember was a song from TAZ balance (Violet Wurm, or something similar).  Then, and this is the one that really interests me, because I remember the exact chain, it went: More TAZ, TAZ balance trailer with Steven Universe, SU video to a P!atD song, multifandom video for Victorious, MLP Video for Victorious, and then I was in MLP hell for the next several hours.

No, seriously, it started off with music videos, then went into fansongs, and then I was basically just listening to The Living Tombstone (Currently best known for remixes) mixed with MLP fansongs for the next several hours (I didn’t know he had an early bunch of fansongs, but apparently.)

The uniting detail between them is you may slide through a few genres, but once you hit one with a strong enough pull, you basically just can’t leave without manual intervention.  To use that ocean analogy, you follow the current until you hit a whirlpool, and then you’re just... in the whirlpool.

Now, those are the two rounds that I really remember the details of, which ended up in places that I usually would never have thought to go.  However, I still occasionally do this, and the results have borne out, the whirlpool theory.

Common end-points:

Electro-swing: turns out, there’s a lot of electro-swing in the world, and if I get anywhere near it, it will pull me in and never let me go.

The Score:  A band with a very specific vibe, which is mostly along the lines of ‘ ‘I’m unbreakable, let the world come, I’ll take it all on.’  This band has quite a few songs, and most of those songs come with multiple videos including: Album, lyrics, music video, fancy background.  That in mind, that in mind, they have the material to lock me in for hours.  Notably, there’s some overlap with Imagine Dragons (Which I’d assume to be fanbase overlap, since a lot of fans are like ‘wow, I’d love to see them collaborate.’) specifically ‘Natural,’ and similarly, I occasionally escape into Fallout Boy.

Fallout Boy:  Speaking of which, Fallout Boy has locked me down for long stretches of time.  They’re a lot like The Score in that regard, but more popular.  Mona Lisa seems to be more popular than expected, but that might just be warped perception.

The Kobe Steak Loop:  This one isn’t a band, so much as it is a tiny set of songs that somehow still have the power to hold the autoplay’s attention for quite some time.  These songs include:  Kobe Steak (which has way too many videos), Ten Feet (Daxten Remix), Just Like a Goldrush, and Six Shooter.  This loop is interesting because, although they’re tightly grouped (at least according to my autoplay) none of them seem to be in quite the same genre, nor do any of them appear to be by the same artist.  I’m singling out Kobe Steak here because one time, I got it, I believe 3 times in 4 songs.   Fun Fact: While I was writing this, I pulled up Kobe Steak, and sure enough: Kobe Steak, Ten Feet, Ten Feet, Kobe Steak, Kobe Steak (nightcore).  It feels like the SPAM sketch from Monty Python, honestly..

Now, having written it down, it technically qualifies as science, but, like, if this sounds interesting, please, try it, and then tell me how it ends up for you.

(If you do, a word of warning: Pausing for too long seems to reset the autoplay’s flow, and it will recycle songs.  This is an especially useful warning because the other thing you’ll need is significant amounts of time; for me, I was playing Minecraft for hours on the one that ended in MLP.)

[idreamiwrite]

Sometimes, I wonder if nightcore music channels even know how to credit. Especially when the credit section of the description looks like this:

???

[lovemizumikan]

I need your help.

Okay guys! After 2 years (I think) this person finally made the mistake she didn't have to make.

I need to report you a YouTube channel. Here you can find AMVs of various Animes, especially on One Piece.

Is a couple of years that I keep an eye on this channel, you know why? Because every video published has been stolen from other people. I've already had her videos removed in the past, like the one she stolen years ago of @mugiwaranokyubi (warning her that her video had been re-published).

Now you know what have done this person? I was waiting for this moment.

Here:

This is the current interface of his channel, even If she always change the name, the photos and everything.

So, this is her actual last video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtsrysL-dv0

Want know more? 

Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQYnYVpmg7k

This is my original video. (The edit really sucks, because this was one of my firsts try with a edit program.)

You know what she do with every video? 

She just download them from others channels, then she change the music putting an Nightcore for no copyright issues (years ago not even this, she simply reloaded the original video without applying changes) and then she take the credits of the video -.-’’.

So guys, please, report this channel or fill her channel with comments to make her stop! 

We creators take a long time to create our AMVs. And it's not fair that our work is stolen so by squalid people like her. Because really, what he does is squalid. Why not create your own video instead of stealing? Come one..

Thanks for reading. Reblog please.

[catcatb0y]

I think it's also... a lacking sense of community?

Perhaps this is just me personally, but it's so hard to find (and keep) fandom friends. Let alone the ones that make rec lists and have similar preferences-

If you're lucky, you'll have a group of mutuals on Tumblr or something, but even then friendship is almost... performative? It's distinct like- you need to have friends to get friends, but it's harder to reach out (or maybe that's just adulthood settling in- we don't all have the confidence of a thirteen year old posting their Hetalia x Naruto 1k smut fic on Wattpad or the weird kid leaving "How was your day?" comments on Nightcore videos)

Honestly, if you're lucky, you might have a group of mutuals. They might drop you the link to a Discord- and what plays out (at least for me) is always the worst part.

Nobody cares.

I've been in many, many fandon Discords. You either get lucky enough to be one of the main clique (which happens from the start), you lurk and maybe get recognized here or there, or... you push through the crowd and try to speak up every day, in every channel, whenever you can- hoping that people care enough to listen.

But, in my case? They never do.

It's always the same fight to stay relevant, and the moment you stop, the moment you're not wholly perfect... they don't care about you anymore. Unless you're in that perfectly right circle or talk about exactly the right things- fandom is hard.

Maybe it's just the depression or growing up or crippling loneliness.... But it's so hard to make and to keep friends. Especially fandom friends.

Tumblr's algorithm has proceeded to give me EXACTLY the content I've been avoiding for months. I had to blacklist one of my favorite tags, because I couldn't stand everything that I was seeing. I would unfollow a blog, and Tumblr would tell me "You might like this!" I would block a single variation of a character tag, and Tumblr would give me a different spelling of it. I still have blogs that "You might like!" and ninety percent of their posts are of my fucking blocked tags.

Bruh.

If you talked about ao3 having a recommendation section or something like that, I would be over the moon, honestly? I don't have time to scroll through fic. I don't have the energy to 'meh' 'not for me' 'not right now' 'another variation of the tag(s) I excluded'- let alone to read through a series without knowing that it contains some untagged content that I'm not ready for. (Although, an algorithm wouldn't really help that in some cases)

The last time I went scrolling through ao3 looking for fluffy fics, I clicked on one that said "light angst" and it contained graphic s/a and attempted nonconsentual content.

I don't have it in me to keep searching for things, fearing that they're going to have the shit that I'm trying to avoid. But, you know, it would be nice if I could just find something like my bookmarked fics. Like my own fics. Like the gem I stumbled upon while looking at some Tumblr blog.

And as a writer, it sounds nice, because... well, I'm sure my fics do have a target demographic. I'm sure there's someone out there who wants the same unadded ship tag that I just created- but how do I find them? How do they find me?

In order to get fans, you've got to have friends. You gotta advertise and hope you get lucky.

Algorithms are good in theory, but they require... well less revenue incentive to work like they're supposed to. For some of us, ao3 feels like it would provide that.

I don't have anybody to give me personalized rec lists. I don't have anybody to read my fics. I don't have anybody to consistently talk about my niche interactions with the media that I like. The last time I opened up about my feelings towards a fandom, it hurt me. Constantly. I had trusted people, and now I've unfollowed or blocked just about all of them, as well as blakclisted the tags that they post about (so humans are flawed, too)

At least with an algorithm, I can say "wow this system is shit" and not 'a whole ass person who has spent months talking to me thought that I would like the one thing I've been complaining about for months... how shitty is that?"

Things were better before algorithms became popularized- or rather /monetized/. Google Plus still showed me groups and people who liked the same things as me. YouTube showed me a bunch of Nightcore videos where I would talk about anime in the comments. Wattpad would give me "Reads like this!" or "Based on your likes!" and I would spend hours of time enjoyi f everything that was there to offer.

I had content, I made friends, and I went to sleep at the end of the day. It wasn't perfect, but now I have no content, no friends, and I stay up later and later playing video games in order to avoid overthinking and existential dread. (But maybe that's just me, you know?)

Obviously, I'm not saying that ao3 SHOULD have an algorithm, but damn. I wish fandom was more enjoyable an accessible to an unlikable bastard like me, because I'm probably never going to have friends that understand me well enough to give me a thought out rec list. I've given up on trying to be understood anymore. My fifty old fics will forever sit stale on my profile, getting a kudo or two once a week (if that). I've given up on talking about and showing off my writing, since no one really cares (or has the energy to). I stopped looking for fics, because it got incredibly draining- the constant rewording of excluded tags, the untagged shit, the drone of flipping through fic after fic after fic and eventually just giving up before finding anything to read...

Algorithms are great in theory, but greedy in practice.

I just read something about some fanfic readers on TikTok, mostly younger ones, are against AO3 because it doesn't recommend fic to them. As in, it doesn't track them and auto-feed them content using an algorithm.

I am sure it's not every younger fanfiction-reading nerd. But....

The generational divide between old internet and new internet users is so stark sometimes. Like. That younger people don't remember the individual fanfiction websites days... okay. I get that. Some of them weren't even born and time is time and it moves on. It's fine.

But to grow up with an internet where you do not get a choice, or not much of a choice, except to be fed content? Oh wow that's a yikes I've never thought about before.

Yeah, there's some filter capabilities but companies override that all the time with subtle little changes. Youtube recommends stuff constantly (often conservative videos even to me who has no history of watching or liking that shit). Twitter and Facebook got rid of chronological posts and even when you try to get rid of suggested posts, they come back. Instagram is basically all ads now. And then TikTok literally doesn't even ask you to search (and as I recall, their search function sucks), and you can like videos to change what you see *a little* but ultimately the algorithm will lead you wherever it wants.

That's so sad to grow up with that. Choice and searching and relying on your judgment and the recommendations of people you like... those are good things.

I am not like "oh those youths!" here. I am "fuck these corporations!" here. Look at this shit. It's not a rec list from someone you like and trust--it's what corporate has decided you should like. And a lot of these kids have not known anything else. That's scary and infuriating.

[stonestridernerd]

🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 *burries you in flowers*

40 thoughts...I suppose we're going to be dangerous deep in random ones, huh?

Starting off, I've been debating making a discord channel for casual converstion. I loved my original guild's IC interviews we used to have, so that would be great to carry on, perhaps with some OoC talks as well. I don't really have a steady grasp of it other than it being a place to connect with other roleplays without too much stress.

But for it to work, I'd have to have some executive functioning, which has not been my strong suit lately, so who knows.

The last few days that my brother's been reading aloud, he's picked all my favorite books as a kid. I'm living it up in childhood nostalgia right now.

I'm in a dragon mood. I really want to make a dragon whelping character, but do I make them a blue or green dragon? Chyrra or Macego? Gaaaaah!

Speaking of dragons, I'm making a dragonborn for my first DnD campaign! Her name is Nustsemorkei Boamativ, or Boa for short.

Her clan name (first part) means 'Those of Glory' while her given name is "Fly/Go Onwards.' All of it is based on Draconic from the Skyrim series.

I literally based on her dragonflight based on stats...and having a ring of fire. That way, whenever she uses the ability, I get to sing some Johnny Cash!

Also, I've got a little internal debate going on. See, I'm planning on going the dual sword route with her, but when I do that usually, they end up as the biggest, flirtiest lesbian possible. Yet Boa has such a low charisma score...my bet is that she's going to be a terrible, corny flirt whose lines don't land. B-D

This heatwave may kill me. I used to be able to stand the heat, but the older I get, the colder my body wants its surroundings to be.

Drink lots of water. Live inside with some AC, or at least, hang out somewhere where it's cool. No one is dying on my watch, dang it.

While we're talking about the heat, I'd like to dedicate a line to my hatred of my swamp cooler. It doesn't work well anywhere about 80°F and breaks all the time.

I look forward to the day I have central air.

Everytime I see this prompt, my little brain starts singing 'You're the sunflower~' from Into the Spiderverse.

I'm cautious optimistic about the new Little Mermaid movie. Mostly because of Halle Berry and all the beautiful fanart that's been coming out.

I looooove hooooooounds.

And my kitties who sit on my head and purr. Blessed are those wondrous days of soothing purrs and affection.

I've been using so many lavender scented products that I'm surprise my room doesn't smell like ground zero for the scent.

I've almost got flying (the last three reps I need are all within 2000 XP after today)!

Draenei are way underappreciated. We need more draenei RPers like we do for tauren.

I will honest to goodness try to raid Org myself if the Banshee Queen goes after Baine again.

I really need to redo my TRPs since they wiped Friday, but...*weakly reaches over to my hot laptop before giving up* eh.

It has been decided that I'm fandom trash.

I ship so many things I might just have an armada to rival the navy.

So the other day, my uncle called(!) for the first time in months. It's weird, because while the news that he's going back to Iran isn't surprising (he's been in and out of the Middle East for most of my life), he was talking about getting 15 acres in Tennessee and divvying it between his family, mine, and grandpa and grandpa. I'm not sure if he's gotten lonely or if he genuinely wants to help or if there's something else going on entirely, but it worries and excites me.

I also love using parentheses and I can't apologize for that.

Speaking of which, I'm trying to get myself to stop apologizing so much. It's my knee jerk reaction, which hasn't been doing me any favors.

My YouTube playlist right now is all over the place. Nightcore music, top 10 disturbing lists, WoW lore, random conspiracy theories, Good Omens clips, MLB, and ERB.

Goodness, I can't wait for next Monday when I'm done with my job at 5 am and I get to sleep in the mornings again!

Welp, I'm not sure what else to say here...I guess I just had an apple?

Yep. And it was a good plump one too. It was a nice break from all the cherries and grapes I've been gorging on.

I had the most civil argument with my dad over women in media, well...ever, the other day. He didn't yell and go off on SJWs or any of that crap. Both of our voices got loud, but neither of us were hurtful. It was really nice not having to worry about that for once.

I'm not sure if it was because neither of us were particularly invested in the main material we were talking about or if we're getting better at this. Either way, thank goodness for that discussion over Bond!

I absolutely love Mecagon! It's a beautiful aesthetic and change of pace from the faction feud.

The only part I have issue with is that I'm never sure where I can jump around the wall or not. 35

I love how all my bright elves end up with bright green hair.

Expressing my joy at Sapphronetta survival! I love her relationship to her goblin lover.

My favorite number for sending random asks are 817, 17, and 87.

I'm not the best at paying attention in class, especially if my professors are just talking.

Finally, I really need to go back and put a line break for reading more.

Thanks @shuuhuu!

[ocreeps]

What types of music do the pastas listen to?

YEEEE BOI

↓

Jeff: he says he listens to heavy metal, because he likes being seen as punk rock. But in all honesty, he just jams out to Melanie Martinez when he’s alone.

BEN: I’ve mentioned this before, but rap. When he’s high, he likes things that are a more chill kinda thing (lil uzi vert and kendrick lamar kinda shit), but when he isn’t high then it’s things like Eminem he listens to.

EJ: he likes things that are indie (independent); troye sivan and stuff like that. It calms him in times like of stress

LJ: he’s that one weirdo who has no particular taste, he’ll like anything no matter the genre. His favourite artist is highkey britney spears.

Sally: That creepy music that most youtube channels make nightcore remixes of. Things like Hide and seek is her favourite.

Masky: He likes classic rock, Nirvana and Pink Floyd kinda stuff. He has band posters rolled up and collected under his bed.

Hoodie: This guy really likes shit like Neon Trees and Simon Curtis. I don’t even know what this genre is called but anyways.

Toby: He REALLY likes pop. Katy Perry and Selena Gomez, mainstream stuff, y'know? He likes how the beat matches his happiness and the lyrics are just fun, something unusual in the life of a murderer.

Bloody Painter: Classical music. It calms him and helps him sleep when he hasn’t for so long. It also inspires him to make more art so yay.

Puppeteer: like Laughing Jack, he’s everywhere. Alternative is his favourite though, especially bands like Set It Off and Get Scared.

Slenderman: this hoe likes to pretend he’s classical af, and will listen to Beethoven and Yiruma in front of others. Behind doors? Marilyn Manson.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 06/03/2021 ("BED”, Digga D, Kali Uchis)

It’s finally a really short filler week on the UK Singles Chart but not one without its importance as we’ve got some real interesting stuff to talk about this week, even if there are only six new arrivals. Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” is at #1, and whilst I may not be able to post this on Twitter because I’ve been locked out – don’t ask why – this is still REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

So, a lot of our debuts are gone, including “test drive” by Ariana Grande as well as other bigger hits dropping out of the UK Top 75 – which is what I cover – including “Burner on Deck” by Fredo featuring the late Pop Smoke and Young Adz, “i miss u” by Jax Jones and Au/Ra, Taylor Swift’s re-recorded “Love Story”, “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi, “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. There are also a handful of fallers across the chart like Fredo’s continued drops as “Money Talks” with Dave is at #28, “Let’s Go Home Together” by Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan off of the debut to #34, “Love Not War (The Tampa Beat)” by Jason Derulo and Nuka at #36, “34+35” by Ariana Grande at #40, “Good Days” by SZA dropping hard with the streaming cut down to #46, “Mixed Emotions” by Abra Cadabra at #54, “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles at #60, “Didn’t Know” by Tom Zanetti off of the debut to #68, “Siberia” by Headie One featuring Burna Boy at #71 and “willow” by Taylor Swift at #72. What’s probably more interesting are our gains and returning entries, as for returns, we’ve got “ROCKSTAR” by DaBaby featuring Roddy RIcch back at #75, Wilkinson’s 2013 drum and bass track “Afterglow” featuring uncredited vocals from Becky Hill back at #74 for whatever reason, “Higher” by Clean Bandit featuring iann dior at #70 and “Goodbye” by Imanbek and Goodboys coming back strong at #59. Our gains are also pretty unique, as we have some second winds for “Looking for Me” by Paul Woolford, Diplo and Kareen Lomax at #67, “Loading” by Central Cee at #61 and “Roses” by SAINt JHN and remixed by Imanbek at #55. We also have a handful of climbers within the top 40, like “All You Ever Wanted” by Rag’n’Bone Man surging up to #33 off of the debut, which I’m pretty happy about as it’s a really good song. I’m less over the moon about “Little Bit of Love” by Tom Grennan at #27, “Believe Me” by Navos at #25 and finally, “My Head & My Heart” by Ava Max up to #19. There’s not much movement above that however, so let’s get into our new arrivals, starting with something I didn’t think I see here this soon.

NEW ARRIVALS

#65 – “SugarCrash!” – ElyOtto

Produced by ElyOtto

I love doing this show because I find out more about genres I’d usually tend to avoid. I’m not the most knowledgeable person about Afroswing or really, a lot of the house that ends up charting on the UK Singles Chart. I think I know my fair bit about at least the mainstream of a lot of the UK drill stuff, but what I really would consider myself somewhat specialised in is hyperpop. I’m probably too old to enjoy any of it as much as I do but that may just be why I have a connection to this overly online, digital scene of SoundCloud producers and rappers making pretty obnoxiously mid-2000s-influenced electropop, as it really does feel like a retreat to a simpler time with all of the angst of the emo-pop being made around the same time. The hyperpop scene and bubblegum bass as a whole has always felt inclusive, which I think is one of the main reasons why it’s big with teenagers nowadays, because there really isn’t much of a limit in the genre or at least the scope that we’ve found as of yet, whether it be integrating elements of ‘hexd’ or brostep or trance or what have you. Whilst companies may want us to be nostalgic for the 1990s, I think most people are taking a couple steps forward here, and it’s creating some genuinely great music – some of the time, at least. Hyperpop has birthed many SoundCloud-based sub-genres, or I guess micro-genres, including one of which being glitchcore, a glitchier, more off-the-wall brand of cloud rap with a lot of high-energy trap production and nightcore-esque pitch-shifting. I see some brands of infighting amongst people who listen to hyperpop and glitchcore seeing as glitchcore has arguably taken off a bit faster than other more electronic or pop-focused scenes, but I see that as evolution of a scene more than anything. 100 gecs sounds nothing like A.G. Cook, anyway, it’s pointless gate-keeping at this point, especially when TikTok gets their hands on this random kid from Canada. In a genre full of pioneers, this young Canadian guy’s debut single is what gains traction and for what it’s worth I’m happy for the guy but I’m not a fan of the song at all. This does feel like a parody if anything, with its fast-paced gecs impression and admittedly pretty ethereal synth patterns pretty drowned out by lightweight trap percussion and this ElyOtto guy who really isn’t a presence at all, especially if he’s going to pitch himself down and further into the instrumental on the outro... of a song that’s already only one minute and 20 seconds yet runs through two choruses and a verse, of which nothing really is said of substance. People like blackwinterwells and osquinn make similar music especially in terms of lyrical content but there is something to be said about their honesty and somewhat paranoid tones that creep in, whilst there’s nothing really emotionally convincing about this guy’s delivery or content, as while he may make the same semi-ironic references to self-harm, pain medication and Gen Z culture as they do, he doesn’t really have any tact and it feels overly self-aware to the point where I refuse to believe anyone outside of ElyOtto can really enjoy it fully. It makes perfect sense that this started off as a “short soundfont test” and really, it probably should have stayed that way. There’s a lot to be enjoyed in hyperpop but if this isn’t a satire and is a genuine attempt at approaching the scene, I’d be genuinely surprised. That said, his song “TEETH!” is legitimately good with the exact same length, so maybe I’m just full of it. Either way, I’m not a fan. Sorry.

#56 – “AP” – Pop Smoke

Produced by 808Melo and Rico Beats

Another posthumous Pop Smoke single, except this was actually recorded well before his death and probably finished before to boot, as it’s attached to a film, Boogie, that he will actually star in. With 808Melo on production, it’s guaranteed to have at least some hard-hitting drill production and, yeah, I mean, it’s fine. It’s got a pretty eerie vocal sample behind all the murderous lyrics and pretty busy drill percussion with some great 808s, even if it and the sample feels a bit too loud in the mix when Pop Smoke’s rich voice feels buried. It’s just gunplay, really, and a bit of flexing and references to his older songs, as he makes a call and it’s war and he’s off that Adderall. It’s sad that from now on, any material we get from Pop Smoke will be his leftovers and throwaways. That said, this is fine, perhaps a bit too long, and it could be worse – I mean, it originally leaked with a Rich the Kid verse, it REALLY could have been worse. Once again, RIP Pop Smoke and I hope 808Melo gets his YouTube channel back if he hasn’t already.

#50 – “Pierre” – Ryn Weaver

Produced by benny blanco, Ryan Tedder and Michael Angelakos

The UK Singles Chart is changing, and I think that’s what makes this such an interesting week as there is genuinely some stuff here we’ve never seen debut on the chart before – or anything like it – and that’s exciting to me. You probably know Ryn Weaver from “OctaHate”, a brief 2014 viral pop song written by Charli XCX and produced by Cashmere Cat that led to a debut album the next year and thanks to presumably TikTok, a deep cut from said album has now debuted in the top 50. Now I hadn’t heard of her before looking at the chart about an hour ago, so I can’t tell you much of anything at all about the California singer. I’m not really a fan of “OctaHate” but I do have a fondness for that janky electropop production from the mid-2010s – “Gold” by Kiiara is a hill I’d die on – so with production from Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit, I’d hoped “Pierre” would be pretty cool and, yeah, it’s pretty odd, actually. It seems like a pretty ballad but with a very fast-paced, raspy delivery from Weaver and some choppy production that soon tenses in the chorus and I’ve got to say, while I’m not 100% on the mixing, I can get behind the concept here, especially with some multi-tracked vocals from Weaver. The song itself is about trying to run away from her feelings for a lover that never really went away, particularly as she hooks up later with a man called Pierre who speaks in broken English, which gives a lot of reason for the tense pace of the song, even if that is undercut by the production being muddy and awfully willing to kill its momentum in the outro as there’s never really a proper climax. That said, it’s fitting for that final line, “I’ll come around”, which can be interpreted as about moving on or complacency – just coming back to that guy after years of searching for someone else. I do like this – or at least what it’s trying to do – but I feel like it’d enjoy it more with less clutter, particularly in that chorus, which could really elevate this but as it is, it’s fine.

#45 – “telepatía” – Kali Uchis

Produced by Albert Hype, Manuel Lara and Tainy

Okay, so alt-pop all the way from Latin America, that’s also a first... except not really, as ROSALÍA has charted before, if only off of the back of Billie Eilish. Regardless, this is a really high debut for a global hit from Colombian-American critical darling Kali Uchis, someone I’m always glad to hear from. Admittedly I did not check out that last project that was a return to a lot of the Latin American music, including reggaeton, she took early influence from. That debut studio album is mostly an English-language neo-soul record so I appreciate the risks taken, even if I personally didn’t check it out. I probably should though, because this bilingual streaming success “telepatía”, is pretty damn smooth with some of the signature fuzzy keys you’d hear from any Kali Uchis song, somewhat reminiscent of Tyler, The Creator in all of the elegant piano ambiance and soul drums that cut the line thin between live and programmed, but sound quite either way. I especially love the flushes of Latin guitar in the chorus but really, Uchis’ silky voice is what shines here, especially in the subtle, seductive double-tracking and how smoothly it switches from Spanish to English. It’s not perfect, I mean, the transition from chorus to second verse and back again is somewhat awkward, and it does feel like it runs a little short. I was honestly expecting a guitar solo or something but we get very little of anything after that final chorus. Given that I know Tainy mostly from his work with J Balvin – and I’ll admit, also mostly from his work on the Sponge on the Run soundtrack – I’m pretty pleasantly surprised with how this has meshed together and I do really hope this sticks around.

#23 – “Bluuwuu” – Digga D

Produced by Glvck

We didn’t get an album bomb from Digga D, bless the Lord, but we did get this one single and... do American rappers make genuine death threats on their top 40 singles? Just wondering, because this has several references to rival gang members and how he’s going to hurt them in one way or another. That would be fine if it were convincing, but this guy really isn’t, especially if he’s going to do the silly “bluuwuu” ad-lib in the chorus over one of the least interesting drill beats I’ve ever heard. The 808s don’t slide notably, the percussion is like a template and there isn’t any energy to this... which is fine, because it’s very much just about gang violence, half of it censored. That said, it crosses the line from intriguing detail to possibly too detailed in a way that’s just unwarranted over a boring beat and with the tendency to go off-topic with his flexing ever so often. I’d probably rather listen to the posthumous Pop Smoke single over this if I had to choose, at least that beat is, you know, good.

#20 – “BED” – Joel Corry, RAYE and David Guetta

Produced by Giorgio Tiunfort, New Levels, David Guetta and Joel Corry

I thought these guys were literally famous for just being producers, why does a song by two producers need two extra producers and if it really needs them, why aren’t they given a lead artist credit as well? Oh, right: name recognition, even though neither Corry or Guetta have ever made anything worth recognising. This song with RAYE, personality-void guest singer, relies on the line, “I got a bed, but I’d rather be in yours tonight”, because it’s a sex jam in one way or another, even though there are no stakes to that chorus line at all. Yes, I know RAYE has a bed; she probably sleeps very comfortably on it. She probably bought it from Premier Inn. Maybe they were having a sale. There’s no point in clarifying that you have a bed – in fact, a more interesting lyrical turn would to maybe bring some stakes into it by saying that RAYE does not in fact have a home, and the intimacy with unnamed man keeps her afloat in times of hardship. This is really just me stalling because this may be our highest debut but that does not mean it’s worth talking about. “BED” doesn’t really do much more than it’s supposed to. It’s got some vaguely 90s keys, fake hand-claps, a checked-out performance from RAYE and an anti-climactic deep house drop. Do you care? Does that description make you want to hear it? It’s not a negative critique, it’s an unbiased description of what happens. Are you intrigued with that? Do you want to check this out? This’ll go top 10 next week because of the music video, but God, this is just soulless, and that’s coming from someone who talks almost purely about the pop charts. I do like the post-chorus vocal melody for what it’s worth, but, yeah, no, I don’t care.

Conclusion

I don’t even care enough to give it Worst of the Week, as that’s going to “SugarCrash!” by ElyOtto with a Dishonourable Mention for Digga D’s “Bluuwuu”. Best of the Week should be obvious as Kali Uchis’ “telepatía” is the only good song here, but the Honourable Mention I guess goes to the late Pop Smoke for “AP”, even if that’s mostly because of 808Melo on the production. Here’s this week’s top 10:

I predict a lot will change next week, as we’ve got new songs from Justin Bieber, James Arthur, Bruno Mars (with Anderson .Paak!) and an EP from Drake... follow me on Twitter @cactusinthebank if you want in the event that I can use that again, and I’ll see you next week for that snoozefest.

[frozensriracha]

nina the killer, oh my god, i love her!!

that precious girl does not get enough love 🥺🥺

❤️💜🖤❤️💜🖤❤️💜🖤❤️💜🖤

and because nobody asked for them but i wanted to share them, have some nina hcs!!

5’2

at least half mexican

bi icon

she/her pronouns

never really left her scene phase

eyeliner is ✨on point✨

HUGE sweet tooth, oh my zalgo!

her favorites are pop rocks and sour gummy worms!!

definitely owns a pair of light-up cat ear headphones

she’s accumulated a rather large collection of hairbows, and even tho she likes her red one best she switches it up sometimes

loves rom-coms but always bursts into tears at the end

same nina same

can sing every vocaloid song perfectly, no looking the lyrics up

on that note, her singing voice is pretty good!!

favorite shows are lalaloopsy, monster high, buffy the vampire slayer, and star vs. the forces of evil

also enjoys the odd anime such as future diary and elfen lied

loves wearing oversized hoodies, neon colors, silly bandz (anyone else remember those?) and fishnet gloves

has a gacha channel with a decent following that makes music videos (usually for songs by blood on the dance floor, paramore, jeffree star, and black veil brides, ESPECIALLY the nightcore/nightstep versions) and the odd minimovie

she cosplays!! she sometimes likes to dress up as a character from one of her favorite shows/animes and finds a con to walk around for a day or so (which slender does not let her do oftem for fear of discovery; that and the merch she always gets carried away buying fan merchandise and it’s starting to overflow out into the hall)

one of her happiest moments was when she went to a con cosplaying draculaura and a little girl walked up and told her she was pretty before begging her for a picture

she ofc was happy to do so 😌😌

LOVES otome games and has definitely not tried to pay ben to hack the game and rename the love interest she’s pursuing “jeff”

she’s become a little less crazy abt jeff since meeting him (keyword: a LITTLE)

btw, total simp. probably wants to smooch at least half of the characters from all the media she consumes

nope, no projection here 👀👀

don’t be fooled by her adorable exterior. she’s good as hell with a knife and can 10/10 kill you

would still take a bullet for her though

From now on we starting a loving Nina chain let’s add to it <3

[cosmosarcana]

i was not expecting the nightcore channel i've been subscribed to for 8 years to appear on my dash, especially not in 2020 kajehdhsow

[wolfpack201-blog]

DAGames: Not Here All Night Nightcore. Make sure that Y'all Subscribe to DAGames and WolfPack201 and DarkPack 201/ Dark YouTubers Please come and send me a friend request on pokemon go.  I need y'all help so I can get to level 10. Especially my Closest friend WolfPack2011 1847 8523 2121 Jackseopticeye 0456 1820 6879! Invite to WolfPack201 Channel http://aminoapps.com/invite/O4CILBDB05 This Amino is about YouTube and making videos and hanging out with friends.  So come join us to this Amino. This is the other thing. This serious is about Five Nights at Freddy's OC's customs. Here's the thing that you can do for her to choose your OC. 1. Pick your favorite FNAF Character. 2. You can only pick 1 animatronic. 3.. Pick 3 Colors. one for the eyes, and two for the animatronic. 4. The Name for the custom. 5.If you have a YouTube channel She can put it on their for you all to subscribe. So those are the list that you need to do or you want to do. She going to start the serious next week, so be prepare. She can't wait to see you suggestions for the customs. So if have any ideas for your OCs Custom on YouTube I'll make your OCs Custom and if you do have a YouTube channel then at the end I'll apply your YouTube channel on it. https://everyplay.com/videos/47132288 Video recorded with Everyplay. Download Geometry Dash on the App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id625334537 WolfPack201 vs DarkPack Series: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF5mIdfpZFunxrT_A1dOv_GoRkZ_uZTN- Guys WolfPack can take requests from you guys and see can do them and put them on this channel. For Geometry Dash. Please leave a like and nice comments and subscribe to our YouTube channel and show your friends and family and subscribe to Sladerrome12 1 YouTube channel including Jcnrose YouTube channel as well.    WolfPack201 - https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCLUrbGaU4LOin-K1WqW-zqg     Sladerrome12 1 YouTube channel - https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=UURBIX16ItaNwoTmEu1N2LIQ     JuR YouTube channel - https://m.youtube.com/user/Jonathancalebnoble    Dark YouTubers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdcQGwEz4VA     Wolf Pack Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/sarah.jernigan https://www.instagram.com/p/BtBgyNDBAFS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fzsuxja5l2ve

[decemberlog]

1st December 2018 (#1)

The starting point. I’ve worked hard and today I was in a meeting with Teach For India. And worked hard more.

I’m going to take songs for my brother [as in, give him some music to listen to]. I’m a slow typer. My brother hasn’t uploaded a single video for more than a week, his channel is “LordGokubot”. You must subscribe to his channel and support his creative capacity. Watch as how he conquers ROBLOX, Minecraft and makes Nightcore remixes all at once.

As I was stuck to write a first post for this new blog, this was what my little brother told me to type. Non je ne regret vie en. Atleast, I don’t regret anything at the moment.

Now, this blog is actually quite up-reaching. As in, what I aspire to do here is basically create a flood of content this month. Yes, as a writing challenge. It’s going to be tough because the rules here are:

“You must write posts everyday such that on December 1st, you write one post. On December 2nd, you write two posts... on December 31st, you write 31 posts. In short, write a number of posts corresponding to the date.”

Ofcourse, the topics will be under my discretion..er, I mean chaos and randomness. You can leave now if that’s not your cup of tea. Understandable.

I believe I’m allowed to chart what I’ll be writing on based on a content calendar.

Making one is going to be tough. The rest of the month will become just a clickety clacking of typing and nothing much else. I’m sure that the constant  increase will be very tough. The linear slope of content will require an exponential amount of corresponding effort to accomplish. i know that’s a big way to say it, but to simply say it’s going to get more difficult with each passing day would be an understatement.

What again is my motivation to undertake this time-eating no-reward headache?

Well, as you may know, especially if you personally know me or have been following my story for some time atleast, there is nothing really I have ever been able to accomplish. There have been many things I’ve tried. Has anything ever worked out? Almost never.

The exceptions being when my goal was to participate and I do, and do it well. 

What I’ve learnt is, in this world of competition, it’s just not enough to try anymore. If you’ve been lazy your entire life and suddenly jump up open to the call of meritorious achievement, feel free to also prepare for disappointment and heartache. Even right now, someone is sending e-mails to superstars and big shot directors, asking for even the slightest of opportunities, and not even getting the courtesy of a decline. For just so many people, that feeling of rejection and being mercilessly ignored are such a common thing in every day of life.

If it’s not something you’ve ever noticed, consider yourself lucky.

It is said the master has failed countless more times than the student has even tried.

I’m listening to a TEDxRGPV talk from Surabhi Gautam on how she cleared the much coveted IAS exam in India. 

She says at 11:12 of her talk, she says:

I completed my college when I was 20 and half. So, you need 21 years as minimum age for the UPSC exam. In the meanwhile, I wrote GATE exam, ISRO exam, BAT exam, SAIL exam, MBBS exam and after six months, I wrote IELTS exam. And my dear friends, I qualified all of them. ** Applause ** 

She was then the first lady to top engineering service exam. And, I’m stunned her success is just the brunt of regular amounts of excessive work.

She was, in her words, “stealing minutes from hours”. Life was miserable with no certainty of much of anything. Cut out family responsibility, social responsibility and such and all we are left with is our dream. We are left with an age old piece of wisdom: 

“There is no substitute for hard work, and no shortcut to success”

I invite you to partake in this challenge with me. Please feel free to share, reblog, like, comment below. My best wishes to you in this very blessed season of joy. See you soon, action-team.