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deadcactuswalking · 6 months

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 06/04/2024 (Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER)

Welp, as one would expect, she gets the double, the #1 album with COWBOY CARTER and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” is back up top. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we shall start with our notable dropouts - songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the chart or a peak in the top 40 - and this week, we bid adieu to some big deals: “FRI(END)S” by V (more BTS on the way), “BURN” by Hitler and Goebbels, “Coal” by Dylan Gossett, “Grey” by Yung Filly, “Selfish” by Justin Timberlake, “redrum” by 21 Savage, “Nothing Matters” by The Last Dinner Party, “Strangers” by Kenya Grace and finally, “Escapism.” by RAYE featuring 070 Shake.

As for our returns, we see “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi back to bottom-dwell at #75 and #74, alongside “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo at #71, “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac, they’re basically all in the same boat. Notable gains on the other hand… we see boosts for “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift at #67, “if u think i’m pretty” by Artemas at #52, “FE!N” by Travis Scott featuring Playboi Carti at #50, “Never be Lonely” by Jax Jones and Zoe Wees at #41, sigh, “Been Like This” by Meghan Trainor and T-Pain at #40, SIGH, “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners at #38, “Slow it Down” by Benson Boone at #27 (likely even further next week thanks to the album), “Happier” by The Blessed Madonna and Clementine Douglas at #26, “Back on 74” by Jungle at #25 (what a great new run this is having), “Belong Together” by Mark Ambor at #22, and finally, Artemas gets his first top 10 with “i like the way you kiss me”. I mean, at least it’s interesting.

Now our top five should look pretty familiar: “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande at #5, “Too Sweet” by Hozier at #4, “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims at #2 and of course Bey knocks Benjamin Boonerang off the #1 to #2 with “Beautiful Things”. Now to talk about - let’s be real - Beyoncé and some minor cameos.

New Entries

#64 - “NEURON” - j-hope, Gaeko and YOON MIRAE

Produced by Pdogg

So, j-hope of BTS released an album - or it seems more like a mixtape - that landed at #38 on the albums chart thanks to the classic BTS sales. Whilst there doesn’t appear to be a clear single on the project, especially considering j-hope was always more of a rapper in the group, but this got the video treatment and is very much what I expect from j-hope, at least from the very little I’ve heard of his solo work. It’s got a set of blissful pads against a vocoder sample and surprisingly heavy-hitting boom bap drums, as well as sing-songy rap flows in a nasal, almost J. Cole-like delivery that could be about love but keep it vaguer in the verse, it might be more conscious and spiritual, especially considering the focus on neuron activation. Gaeko is a lot more explicitly introspective, looking back on his life and how he’s not as aggressive as he used to be in his youth, finding more solace in playing ball with his son that “embracing the bomb” - some of the Genius translation could miss out some detail or context here. Now YOON MIRAE, a female rapper, really brings the heat here, as the intensity of the pianos ramp up, the beat gets a tad more minimal and she raps bilingually in a deeper yell than either of the guys here can cough up. She speaks somewhat generically of the rap game and motivation to grind, but her riffing on the final chorus is what convinces me, as well as her acknowledging that she’s granted the beat drop in the song, it shows an awareness of the structure of the song and not just being a guest rap verse, it’s clever and interesting, really puts the verse into perspective. So I ended up really liking this - it’s a bit fluffy, as K-pop often is, but it’s got grit and meaning to it this time around, and with the variety in flows, focused content, I can dig this.

#62 - “Jump” - Tyla, Gunna and Skillibeng

Produced by Sammy Sosa

I quite liked Tyla’s self-titled debut, currently at #33 on the albums chart. The South African singer brings a reassuring, youthful joy to detailed production and it’s all a light, feathery bliss that’s just a delight to sit through, even if the record is clearly not for sitting. I have a full first-impressions review on my RateYourMusic listening log (the account is exclusivelytopostown) if you want more thoughts on that, but my favourite moments on the album are when guest features with a little more smolder are brought in to balance the sweetness, like with Tems on “No. 1” and with Gunna and Jamaican deejay Skillibeng on this track, “Jump”, which has a subtle sprinkling of Afrobeats guitars and keys over the very unsubtle rhythm section, a great deep bass and busy drums that can counter the choir vocals in the verses as well as Tyla belting a tad on the chorus. There’s little substance to it - it’s just about being hot and having fun, with a hilariously repetitive post-chorus, but both Tyla and Gunna shout out her native Johannesburg and if you were expecting anything of further depth, you’re just listening to the wrong album. This is a lot of fun and I hope it catches on.

#61 - “I LUV IT” - Camila Cabello featuring Playboi Carti

Produced by El Guincho and Jasper Harris

Sometimes I wish this show was a video series. For this entry, I would probably just point and laugh at the calculated attempt to be interesting, for a demographic I’m a part of, and failing so catacylismically that no-one is buying it or bothering to listen more than once. I don’t mean to be harsh, and I’m not blaming the artists, more so the label and marketing teams: when releasing a pop single, you first have to consider - who is this for? Who can you appeal to and how? Here, Camila has her own fanbase already, so she’s going to try and appeal to them, naturally. Also, it has a very edgy, cinematic video for fans of say, The Weeknd or people who watch Euphoria. Sure, okay, that could work. Oh, and the song sounds like Charli XCX - though she recruited ROSALÍA’s producer - so she’s trying to appeal to her hyperpop crowd, that’s fine, you’re stretching yourself a bit thin there though, it could be a bit too camp for the edgy crowd if you do that, and a bit too dark for the hyperpop crowd if you get Playboi Carti on board, because I guess she needs a rap crossover audience… or at least an experimental rap crossover audience in this case. At least she’s not using a nostalgia-bait sample of a Gucci Mane song from… oh, she’s using a nostalgia-bait sample of a Gucci Mane song from 2009. Okay, so I guess the target demographic is everyone now, but hyperpop fans like authenticity, and this clearly doesn’t have it. Carti fans hate women, Camila’s own fans, if her old comments are anything to go by, hate… “rappers”, let’s say that. And really, what person who would be nostalgic for Gucci’s “Lemonade” - never charted here, by the way - would even be keeping an eye out for Camila Cabello? This is just a travesty of a lead single… and the song’s brilliant, all of that context just makes what the eventual end product is completely hilarious.

I’ve always been an advocate for mess in pop music - not necessarily the discourse, but the music itself and the rollout surrounding it - because it is exciting and part of the reason I do this show. There are more fascinating stories to be told with music when it reaches a mass audience, it’s just natural, and that’s especially interesting when the song is a Goddamn trainwreck that’s catchy as sin and does everything wrong. There are rage synths that don’t last the entire measure for no reason - and they don’t try and hide it - whilst the synths on the chorus play the role of a theremin. Cabello not being able to sing all that well means that her playing staccato, hyperpop robo-girl over a pretty rote Jersey club groove actually goes really well for her, even if she inexplicably decorates the song in breathy ad-libs as if she herself was Playboi Carti. Speaking of ad-libs, they leave in Gucci’s original “brr”s in the chorus, seemingly out of either laziness or refusal to re-record the choir hook, and given both hooks are just mantras, there are basically two choruses instead of an active chorus/post-chorus dynamic, especially since there is no considerable change sonically or tonally between the two. This lack of structure culminates in a “bridge” that is JUST multi-tracked ad-libs, and features Cabello saying “slow down, baby”… the tempo remains the same entirely and the drums don’t go into half-time like they probably should for a Playboi Carti feature. He goes for his deep, richer voice and the song just kind of… ends with his verse? Barely catching up to the beat, Carti rambles as usual, even less coherent in his mumbling than usual, and eventually, Cabello tries to insert herself into his orbit, it’s so painful. It’s telling that when I search for this song on Spotify, the artists recommended to me are Carti, Charli and then Ken Carson and Lancey Foux. Camila herself is nowhere to be seen in that list of artists and whether that’s because there’s none of her personality in this song or she didn’t have any to begin with is a question for another day. For now, this is garbage. I love it.

#60 - “Outside of Love” - Becky Hill

Produced by PARISI

Now Becky Hill kind of has something to prove to me now, she’s been on increasingly better production that fits the places she wants to go with her voice a lot more as of recent and it’s been pretty promising. Also promising are PARISI, a duo who I mostly connect with Fred again.. but have also worked extensively with Ed Sheeran, and particularly on some of his most interestingly layered songs vocally like “Afterglow” and “Visiting Hours” which may be a coincidence but had me really excited for what the boys could do with Ms. Hill. Turns out it probably was a coincidence, the vocal mixing is kind of mediocre actually, they don’t really contain her belting very well, not that it really needs containing given this is fully in festival mode. Everytrinkling synth pad, house kick, it feels like it’s a constant light fluttering under Hill’s desperate attempt to jigsaw this relationship back together. I know it’s an EDM-pop track so the lyrics are little to write home about but it should still be said that the description of herself as on the “outside of love” is interesting imagery, it makes me wonder what could be done with that concept by a more poetic writer who has a bit more time and, let’s be real, a fitting sonic palette for that kind of lyricism. Whilst this hasn’t immediately clicked with me as much as the past two, I feel I’ll appreciate this one for just being a maximalist bop with terribly-mixed gospel-like vocals on the final drop, it goes for an onslaught of everything in a very admirable way. It’s cute, it reminds me of when 2000s Eurodance hits would go way harder than they needed to simply to raise the dramatic stakes. So yeah, another Becky Hill song I like. World’s crumbling.

#9 - “II MOST WANTED” - Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus

Produced by Beyoncé, Shawn Everett, Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus and Jonathan Rado

So, there’s a Beyoncé album, I think? It’s got a country and western tinge to it. Heard it’s long, heard it’s pretty good. Haven’t heard it. I probably will not listen to it and I’m not saying that to be “cool” or contrarian because if I were, I’d have listened to it and pretended to hate it. Realistically, I don’t have a dog in the Beyoncé does country argument. I’m not a country fan, or a country hater, I’m not a big Beyoncé fan, or Azealia Banks, so I have nothing valuable to contribute to the discourse as well as no reason to hear a damn near feature-length record. When Beyoncé did house, firstly, she did it well, and secondly, I’m a fan of house music! I know more about it than other genres, I’m quite educated in certain subgenres and I recognised a few of the samples and cultural references she was lifting from on RENAISSANCE. I feel like most of them may be lost on me or not fully resonate when discussing her pivot to country music, and I wish that wasn’t the case. Part of me just wants to say that I listen to Weezer and future bass so leave me alone. Thankfully, the British public has given me the easiest plate of two tracks from this album: a Dolly Parton cover and a mid Miley duet. It’s about being a ride-or-die, it’s got soaring guitars and both ladies have an audible rasp and grit to their voices, even if Miley ends up like a backing vocalist at times to Bey. They’re trading lyrics or in harmony nearly all the time, and Miley plays it a lot calmer than Bey, naturally, who probably wants and needs to prove herself in country pop more than the seasoned player. Hell, I actually think their chemistry here is awkward and not accentuated by the vague western-soundfont lyrics that don’t play into any notable angle, and in the bridge, just kind of give up on themselves. It’s a bit disappointing, to say the least.

#8 - “JOLENE” - Beyoncé

Produced by Beyoncé, Khirye Tyler, Jack Ro and NOVA WAV

Dolly Parton’s iconic 1973 jam “Jolene”, begging desperately for this beautiful woman not to cheat on her husband, is pretty undeniable, right? Well, I’ve never really liked it, sorry to say. My taste in country is pretty horrific, I’ll be the first to admit, but I’ve always found the instrumentation underwhelming and going for sinister when Dolly is selling it with a long of strength and desperacy, like she’s at her last tether. The sapphic elements are compelling of course, but they collapse in the third verse, then it fades out having sonically done nothing much at all. There’s always been something breezy about it to me that I never really understood, and that’s no disrespect to Dolly, she’s easily my favourite part. Regardless, this is one of those times where I have to give a chart history, so flashback to 1976, when “Jolene” first lands on the UK charts and peaks at #7, when “Combine Harvester” by the Wurzels was #1. I know that one because of my dad, if you haven’t heard that song… you know what, don’t.

“Jolene” was Dolly’s first top 10 over here and ended up re-entering a few times in the 2010s. Before that came many re-imaginings. First, in 1985, we had Glasgow’s Strawberry Switchblade cover the song, in a weird mix of new wave, freestyle and western elements that really show what performative country aesthetics can be, because this has more to do with darkwave than anything from the Deep South. It peaked at #53 and it is terrible. The 2000s is where the covers really ramped up, firstly in 2000 with the #100-peaking cover by London alt-rock outfit Queenadreena. Seemingly not on streaming, it came with their original, “Pretty Polly”, and fully goes into the dark cabaret aesthetic, especially in that... choice of a music video. I think I might prefer it to the original, it makes Jolene sound like an evil woman who I would like to step on me. We also saw a #99 peak for a song in 2007 by folk singer Ray LaMontagne also coincidentally called “Jolene” - it’s not a cover, but it’s a pretty great, tragic narrative ballad if you’re interested. Good accidental discovery to make. My favourite cover of “Jolene”, however, and the only version to get close to Dolly’s original peak until Queen Bey was the version recorded by the garage rock duo, The White Stripes, specifically a 2004 live version that peaked at #16. Now, am I biased because I love Jack White? Yes. Yes, I am, and so does Beyoncé, so shush. Everyone and their mother has covered Dolly, but out of all “Jolene” renditions I’ve heard, Jack just sounds the most devastated, and the eventual crash into distorted, hapless guitars and Meg White’s ugly-ass snares after that rushed, chaotic percussion panned exclusively to the left throughout, is incredibly cathartic. And that’s just the studio version - the live version that charted is even more dire and Jack is downright pathetic on it, worsened by the audience wooing, cheering and clapping on occasion, it eggs on Jolene in a way and publicises his angst “Jolene - Live Under Blackpool Lights” might honestly be one of the greatest cover songs of all time.

So how does Beyoncé fare? Well, she changes a lot of the lyrics to act more as a warning to people attempting to take JAY-Z instead of desperately begging Jolene not to get with JAY-Z, mostly because I don’t think Beyoncé could easily sell being helpless, especially in the context of her husband - we all heard Lemonade. I’m not sure how effectively you can sell the warning shot either considering, well, there was a Becky with some good hair who did all of this a few years ago. Sonically, I’m not head over heels for what sounds like a pretty rote rendition, even if Beyoncé’s vocals and some of the lyrics add a lot of character that simply isn’t in the instrumental. The backing vocal repeating “Jolene” at sporadic intervals, I can’t figure out exactly who it is, probably The-Dream, but he reminds me of Wyclef Jean on “Hips Don’t Lie”. That’s my intellectual observation. I just used a review of a song from the biggest black female country album ever to talk about a guy whose last name is literally White. When she releases a pop punk album, I’ll be more in tune, but for now, leave it to Azealia Banks and Spectrum Pulse, I’m sure if you combined the two, you’d create Frankenstein’s cultural critic.

Conclusion

Fascinatingly enough, this was a great week outside of Beyoncé, who takes away Worst of the Week for “II MOST WANTED” with Miley Cyrus and the Dishonourable Mention for her cover of “JOLENE”. Neither song are terrible, but I think I established in both reviews that my general disinterest for the album doesn’t entirely cover a lot of the flaws I believe are present in these tracks, I’m sorry. Again, I like Beyoncé, just not these particular records. As for the best… oh, God, it’s Camila Cabello’s “I LUV IT” featuring Playboi Carti, isn’t it? Honourable Mention goes to Tyla, Gunna and Skillibeng for “Jump” but I think I’ll have to spend a few days in rehab recovering from picking the other song as my Best of the Week. As for what’s on the horizon, more insufferable discourse as J. Cole drops a surprise diss record. Other than that, Charli XCX links with Gesaffelstein, Benson links with Boone and there’s new tracks from Bryson Tiller, Ava Max and the Imagine Dragons. All of it could chart, none of it could chart, we’ll see. For now, however, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

#uk singles chart #pop music #song review #beyonce #cowboy carter #miley cyrus #dolly parton #white stripes #becky hill #camila cabello #playboi carti #tyla #gunna #skillibeng #j-hope #gaeko #yoon mirae

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umazane-muesli · 8 months

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Jukebox January: Day 14

I know, I'm late (again) but I could simply not miss the day that contained my Most Beloved <3

(I finished this in the middle of the night so I'm queuing it for the morning, you do not want to know at what ungodly hour I'm still awake)

Today: songs starting with N

Novi Val - Joker Out

Obviously I had to open with this one. My favourites may change and fluctuate, but I will always have a special place in my heart for Novi Val <3 it was my most listened song of 2023 because I am a basic bitch who loves a rock ballad (does it count as a rock ballad? idk) with silly little hopeful and earnest lyrics. I also love that when they play it live they all come to the front and chill and hold each other (except at the concert I went to, Jure didn't come to the front :( ) I can only apologise to whoever was in front of me at the concert for the person I became when they played it, I know a worrying amount of the lyrics and I got a bit carried away 🙃

La Noche Sin Tí - Los Huayra

I got absolutely obsessed with this song when I was in Argentina, I don't know what else to say, I love the vibe, the vocal harmonies, and the memories it brings back :)

November Rain - Guns N' Roses

Oh, an overdramatic 80s power ballad? In my Jukebox January? You don't say 🙄 anyway, yes I know, I'm predictable, yes I know, this song is 9 minutes long, but also it's great, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

No Big Deal (I Love You) - dodie

This slow, emotional song is one of my favourite by dodie, and the 3-rythm (idk what it's called in english) in the bridge(?) makes me lose my entire mind i love it so much.

Need A Little Love - The Fratellis

Sorry for putting you to sleep with all my beloved ballads, I promise that's not all I listen to. As proof, here's a dancey bop from The Fratellis :)

Ni Panike and Ne Hvala - Masayah

Masayah is one of my favourites among the many Slovenian artists I've discovered last year! I didn't know which song to choose (I could've honestly filled this post just with songs starting with the word "no" in one language or another), so you get two for the price of one. If you're a rap or hip-hop person, go listen to Ne Hvala, and if you prefer a more groovy, jazzy song, Ni Panike might be for you :)

New Born - Muse

I'm not the resident Muse person in this tag game but I need to shout out this song anyway, it's a great song with banging instrumentals and a very cool build up.

Noche - Sofiane Pamart

I have listened to a lot of Sofiane Pamart in 2023, and I could recommend so much of his music, but let's start with his last solo single. He makes beautiful piano music, kind of romanticism-inspired, but more contemporary, and also collaborates with a lot of french rappers.

NGVOT (Live from Arena Stožice) - Joker Out

Yes, of course this one was going to make an appearance, and yes, of course it has to be the live version. I loved this song on the studio album already, but after months of losing my entire mind over every tiny clip of Kris singing it at various concerts, I'm glad we have a beautiful clean version to listen to whenever we like <3

(Wow I can't believe I have "song lyric that I sacrificed for a stupid pun (username version)" and "song lyric that I sacrificed for a stupid pun (blog title version)" in the same post lol)

And a few bonus ones:

- Needle - Born Ruffians

- No Wahala - 1da Banton

- No se va - Morat

- No existen los milagros - Amaral

- Na soncu - Siddharta

- Never Be Me - Miley Cyrus

- Nevermore - Queen

- Nina Cried Power - Hozier

#jukebox january #music game #samsposts

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rhizomehaunt · 2 years

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eeee thanks @yellghoul ily ˙ᵕ˙

1. picrew game

my hair is getting dangerously mullet-ish in the back (but not in the good kind of way) as I'm growing it out but this is pretty close. I live in soft and oversized clothes and especially a big black hoodie my girlfriend got from working on the set of POWER BOOK II: GHOST.

2. shuffle my on repeat playlist and post the first 10 tracks

1/ Too Close, Sir Chloe

2/ Flowers (Demo), Miley Cyrus

3/ Tisched Off, Bartees Strange

4/ Freakin’ Out on the Interstate, Briston Maroney

5/ To be honest, Christine and the Queens

6/ la chute (piano), Jean-Michel Blais

7/ Rät, Penelope Scott

8/ A Place To Lie, Art School Girlfriend

9/ Younger & Dumber, Indigo De Souza

10/ After The Earthquake, Alvvays

Honestly not a terrible overview of my listening habits, but there's definitely more classical that didn't make the cut asjsfhsfj.

3. this questionnaire:

Tea, coffee, or soda?

Coffee, black, several cups a day.

Dogs or cats?

cats always and forever <3

Can you play any instrument?

I haven't played piano in years but am hoping to get a keyboard and start again! I'm shit at sight reading but used to be good at chords and playing by ear.

What's your sun sign?

gemini (chaos)

First song lyrics that pops into your head?

And you got a lot on your mind / And your heart, it looks just like mine / There's no use in wasting your time, anymore

Do you have any tattoos?

I have three and want many more. a tattoo of a drawing I did of the chair in my grandpa's studio on my wrist, an ambiguous flower and two hands clasped by it on my upper arm, and then a big warped text piece wrapped around my entire right thigh reading the sweeteness of you carrying yesterdays feelings to tomorrow beyond what i knew before

Favorite place you've travelled?

Paris, because I took myself there for three weeks as I was breaking up with a terrible ex, amid a complete collapse of everything, and it was the first time I left the country, first time in my entire life I wasn't scraping by, and I did it alone, on my own, and just read and walked the entire time. I became friends with the local orange seller by the apartment I stayed, got asked out at the Louvre by a chef from Argentina while I drew an old man who was drawing a painting who I later spoke to in broken French (and he clasped my hand and cheered me on), made a friend at a bookstore who was writing her masters thesis on the same author I wrote my undergrad thesis on and we ended up having lunch and she gave me some of her old books, and also started talking with another solo traveler from South Korea who's a brilliant artist and musician at Musée de l'Orangerie and we wandered around and then met up for lunch the next day and are still in touch.

What's the last movie you've watched?

The Muse

What languages do you speak?

English and some very poor French

Do you have any hobbies?

I suppose baking?? It’s hard to distinguish what’s a hobby and what’s routine. I don’t really think of anything I do as a hobby any more, but that’s probably bc I’m always trying to do a million things.

You can hang out with one fictional character for an hour, who do you choose?

Camilla Hect, beloved.

these are always so fun, i'm tagging @zuko and @baezel2<3

#tag game #i look more tired irl

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elxctrics · 4 days

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(—) ★ spotted!! AXEL FITZGERALD on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 25 year old looks like RYAN MANICK, but i don’t really see it. while the MUSICIAN/ACTOR is known for being PERCEPTIVE my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be BROODY i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song SIGN OF THE TIMES by HARRY STYLES { HE/HIM, CISMALE }

˗ˏˋ ＊ ‣ 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 :

connections || musings || instagram || headcanons

𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

name: axel mitch fiztgerald

age: twenty five

nicknames: axe

date of birth: march 2nd, 1999

astrological sign: pisces

place of birth: new york , new york

occupation: musician / actor

label: the brooder

positive traits: perceptive, deep, creative, charming

negative traits: broody, irrational, impulsive, addictive

characters/celebrities he’s like: harry styles, britney spears, justin bieber, miley cyrus,

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂

the first born son of mitchum and lorelai fitzgerald, although his parents were the heirs to the infamous lvhm group, parenting always came first for them and they were ever present and ever involved, although axel shows all the classic tell tale signs of a rich kid with mommy and/or daddy issues.

growing up in the lavish lifestyle that they did, axel always felt like it was cold - the houses were too big, the designer stuff was tacky, the excess was exhausting and he just felt as though there was more meaning to life then all this stuff.

seeing that their son clearly needed an outlet, they enrolled axel in music classes and almost immediately, he showed an insane amount of talent.

he caught on to guitar and piano rather quickly and after a few years, he was writing his own songs.

with his parent's encouragement, when he was sixteen, he tried out for the x-factor and while he wasn't good enough to make it as a solo artist, the judges put him in a group with four other guys and there, their journey to international stardom began.

the group of five went on to win the show and stole hearts all over the world. teenage heartthrobs, it wasn't long until they were embarking on world tours, selling out stadiums and living the rockstar dream.

however, the dream was a nightmare for axel. because while he was getting all of the attention and adoration in the world, he was singing stupid teeny-bopper sounding songs that didn't mean anything to him. all of his suggestions were turned down and he was simply forced to be 'the pretty one' in the group - the one that girls threw themselves at and while he was standoffish about it for a while, he got to a point where he had no choice but to completely embrace it.

he played the part well - almost every other month had a different super model or actress on his arm, and slowly but surely began to become who people looked at as the 'leader' of the band.

he wasn't that close with his bandmates and instead, formed a clique inside of hollywood that consisted of a group of young people with far too much money and far too much time that enjoyed partying and excess.

it wasn't rare for the paparazzi to find him coming out of the club as the sun was rising with blood shot eyes nor was it rare for him to find himself getting into a drunken fight...or two...or five.

his behavior began to get more sporadic as time went on - often going on instagram lives, smoking a joint and ranting about how everything was pointless and nothing but a meaningless joke, much to the dismay of the band and their management team that tried to present the boys with a squeaky clean image, but after five years of this rollercoaster, axel was beyond fed up.

his parents never interfered with his behavior. they chalked it up to him being young and simply 'trying to find his way' and thought it would be better for him to figure things out on his own, even though he was getting to a point where adult interference was truly what he needed more than anything.

in 2020, when axel was 22 years old, the band's team presented them with a concept for their next album and axel, being high off of his mind in the meeting, threw an absolute fit. it was the same stuff the bad had been singing for the past five years, the same teenage image even though they were all in their twenties now and axel had enough. after a long winded rant and flipping a few tables, axel stormed out and quit the band for good. the band only lasted a few months without him before breaking up.

2021 was the darkest year of his life. he did absolutely nothing but loose himself further in drugs, alcohol, meaningless sex and parties. and all of that started turning him into a shell of a person. he truly didn't care about anything or anyone and after being arrested four times for driving under the influence, the fourth time resulting in him crashing his car into a strip of stores on hollywood boulevard, he was court ordered to enter rehab in the beginning of 2022.

his year in rehab did nothing but further his belief in the fact that hollywood was an evil and soul sucking place and the only reason he ever did drugs or drank in the first place was a way to escape from that. he felt as though he was smarter and already knew better than everyone in rehab and simply put on the act - pretended like he was going through the steps and that it was all working just so he could get the hell out of there and release his truth - his first album which he wrote completely while in rehab.

he was released in the fall of 2023 and after laying low for a few months, he reached out to his team about his album, however they shot it down immediately and said he had to clean up his image first before anyone bought his record.

so, they got him cast on one tree hill - a show about teenagers, the very thing that had drove him insane in the first place - having to act like he was some stupid kid having the time of his life.

he hates everything about the show and his stupid character, nathan scott, and is not exactly keen on becoming friends with his castmates either, but is simply trying to behave as much as he could so he can release the music he act

#axel #hillzintro

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dan6085 · 2 months

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Creating a list of the top 24 female singers from 2000 to 2024 involves considering their impact on the music industry, chart performances, awards, influence, and contributions. Here’s a detailed overview of some of the most influential female singers of this period:

### 1. **Beyoncé**

- **Career Highlights:** Former lead singer of Destiny's Child; successful solo career.

- **Impact:** Known for her powerful voice, dynamic performances, and influential albums like "Lemonade" and "Beyoncé."

- **Awards:** 32 Grammy Awards, among numerous other accolades.

### 2. **Adele**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakout with "21"; continued success with "25" and "30."

- **Impact:** Renowned for her soulful voice and emotionally powerful ballads.

- **Awards:** 16 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

### 3. **Taylor Swift**

- **Career Highlights:** Transitioned from country to pop with albums like "1989," "Reputation," and "Folklore."

- **Impact:** Known for her songwriting prowess and reinventing her musical style.

- **Awards:** 12 Grammy Awards, including multiple Album of the Year wins.

### 4. **Rihanna**

- **Career Highlights:** Hit singles like "Umbrella," "Diamonds," and "Work."

- **Impact:** Versatile artist spanning pop, R&B, and reggae; influential in fashion and cosmetics.

- **Awards:** 9 Grammy Awards and numerous chart-topping hits.

### 5. **Lady Gaga**

- **Career Highlights:** Albums like "The Fame," "Born This Way," and "Chromatica."

- **Impact:** Known for her theatrical performances, activism, and versatility.

- **Awards:** 13 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe.

### 6. **Alicia Keys**

- **Career Highlights:** Debut with "Songs in A Minor," continued success with "The Diary of Alicia Keys."

- **Impact:** Blends classical piano skills with R&B and soul music.

- **Awards:** 15 Grammy Awards.

### 7. **Katy Perry**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakthrough with "Teenage Dream," known for singles like "Firework" and "Roar."

- **Impact:** Pop icon known for her catchy songs and vibrant performances.

- **Awards:** Multiple American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards.

### 8. **Shakira**

- **Career Highlights:** International hits like "Hips Don't Lie" and "Waka Waka."

- **Impact:** Blends Latin, rock, and pop music; known for her distinct voice and dance moves.

- **Awards:** 3 Grammy Awards and numerous Latin Grammy Awards.

### 9. **Britney Spears**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakout in the late 90s, continued success with "Oops!... I Did It Again" and "Toxic."

- **Impact:** Pop icon of the early 2000s, influencing a generation of pop music.

- **Awards:** Grammy Award and multiple MTV Video Music Awards.

### 10. **Billie Eilish**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakthrough with "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?"

- **Impact:** Known for her unique sound and style, representing a new generation of pop music.

- **Awards:** 7 Grammy Awards, including multiple wins for Album of the Year.

### 11. **Ariana Grande**

- **Career Highlights:** Albums like "Thank U, Next," "Sweetener," and "Positions."

- **Impact:** Known for her impressive vocal range and pop-R&B fusion.

- **Awards:** 2 Grammy Awards and numerous Billboard Music Awards.

### 12. **P!nk**

- **Career Highlights:** Hits like "Just Give Me a Reason" and "What About Us."

- **Impact:** Known for her powerful voice, acrobatic live performances, and rock-influenced pop.

- **Awards:** 3 Grammy Awards and numerous MTV Video Music Awards.

### 13. **Christina Aguilera**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakout with "Genie in a Bottle," continued success with "Stripped" and "Back to Basics."

- **Impact:** Powerful voice and influence in pop and R&B music.

- **Awards:** 5 Grammy Awards.

### 14. **Miley Cyrus**

- **Career Highlights:** Transition from "Hannah Montana" to successful pop career with hits like "Wrecking Ball."

- **Impact:** Known for her evolving musical style and provocative performances.

- **Awards:** Multiple MTV Video Music Awards.

### 15. **Lorde**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakthrough with "Pure Heroine" and continued success with "Melodrama."

- **Impact:** Known for her introspective lyrics and unique sound.

- **Awards:** 2 Grammy Awards.

### 16. **Jennifer Lopez**

- **Career Highlights:** Hit singles like "If You Had My Love," "On the Floor."

- **Impact:** Multifaceted career as a singer, actress, and dancer.

- **Awards:** Multiple Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards.

### 17. **Kelly Clarkson**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakthrough as the first "American Idol" winner, hits like "Since U Been Gone."

- **Impact:** Known for her powerful voice and versatility across pop and rock.

- **Awards:** 3 Grammy Awards.

### 18. **Carrie Underwood**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakthrough on "American Idol," hits like "Before He Cheats."

- **Impact:** Leading figure in country music with crossover appeal.

- **Awards:** 8 Grammy Awards.

### 19. **Sia**

- **Career Highlights:** Hit singles like "Chandelier," "Cheap Thrills."

- **Impact:** Known for her distinctive voice and impactful songwriting.

- **Awards:** Numerous ARIA Music Awards.

### 20. **Dua Lipa**

- **Career Highlights:** Breakthrough with self-titled album, continued success with "Future Nostalgia."

- **Impact:** Known for her dance-pop hits and powerful stage presence.

- **Awards:** 3 Grammy Awards.

### 21. **Selena Gomez**

- **Career Highlights:** Hits like "Come & Get It," "Good for You," and "Lose You to Love Me."

- **Impact:** Transitioned from Disney star to successful pop artist.

- **Awards:** Multiple American Music Awards and Billboard Women in Music Awards.

### 22. **Avril Lavigne**

- **Career Highlights:** Hits like "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi."

- **Impact:** Pop-punk icon of the early 2000s.

- **Awards:** Multiple MTV Video Music Awards.

### 23. **Demi Lovato**

- **Career Highlights:** Hits like "Sorry Not Sorry," "Heart Attack."

- **Impact:** Known for her powerful voice and candid discussions on mental health.

- **Awards:** Multiple MTV Video Music Awards.

### 24. **Halsey**

- **Career Highlights:** Hits like "Bad at Love," "Without Me."

- **Impact:** Known for her distinctive voice and blending of genres.

- **Awards:** Multiple Billboard Music Awards.

These singers have made significant contributions to the music industry, each bringing their unique style and influence to the forefront. Their impact extends beyond music, often influencing fashion, culture, and social issues.

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theoneandcody · 3 months

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Ngl ya'll, I need a relationship thats as yearning as Hozier, as gut wrenching and alleviating as Florence + the Machine.

Someone who kisses me like Lana Del Rey and holds me like Frank Sinatra. I need passion like Chappell Roan and someone to dance with me like Wild Cherry!

I'm talking, touch me like Doja Cat and let me wash your hair like ABBA. Party like Bee Gees and swing me in your arms like Panic! At the Disco.

Sing for me like Elton John and wait like David Bowie, shout at me like Queen and knock your forehead against mine like Bruno Mars.

Play my harp shaped heart and rake your hands down my arm like you're playing the piano. Voice your melody and overwhelm me with your high notes and low thrums, entice me with a catchy beat and then knock me out with a crazy fucking drum solo.

Miss me like Joji and think of me like Kali Uchis, dream of me to Glass Animals and write your love letters like Stevie Wonder.

Pay me forward your wildest Britney Spears and the after crash. Yell like Prince Daddy & the Hyena, mourn like Mitski.

Fight me with the vigor of Eminem. Hit me with your Billy Joel acceptance and your Arctic Monkeys plead.

Ask for me like Ghost, and braid my hair like Leith Ross. Breakdown from the world like MARINA and fight it back like Miley Cyrus.

Become my ever changing discography and warp the ends of my existence until my playlist consists of your tender and aggression. Your hopeless and your power. Rock my world like ACDC and then soothe me to sleep like Ricky Montgomery. Sing like Paramore and talk to me like Tame Impala, riddled and suave. Regret it like George Michaels Careless Whisper.

Anyway. I'm a hopeless romantic with the yearning of ten thousand stars.

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sitpwgs · 9 months

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Hi! I'm so sorry you had to cancel your plans! That sucks..I hope it was still okay. My sister and I have decided to wait to make our resolutions until February cuz January will be a stressful month lol but I'm happy to hear them if you wanna share.

Oh I'm glad they still liked the movie.haha I just learned that My family doesn't even know who Timothee Chalamet is..so I find that pretty funny but they said that Wonka seemed interesting once I explained it to them. I'm still not sure about it yet but wanna watch eventually. I liked the In The Heights movie well enough but they also made a few changes and cut a few songs cuz they cut her mom out of the movie. I looked at the Mean Girls tracklist very briefly and probably won't until I watch it. But Not my Fault is growing on me now and there was a video for it that just got released that I watched. You can share your thoughts about it though..cuz I guess it's not really a spoiler anyway. To me, it seemed like they kept all the main songs..the ones I knew the most so I think it will be fine. I wanna see it but don't know if I will be able to at this point unfortunately. I think I would pick piano..or whichever one would be easier I guess..but I don't think I would like holding a guitar for a long time and my fingers might hurt lol. I feel the same way about learning and not being good..that's why I never really tried it.

I'm glad you liked Funny Story! I would love to hear more about it and what to expect. Which of her books is it most similar to in your opinion? I saw someone say the main male character was similar to Nick from New Girl so maybe I will picture that couple when I read it but I have no idea if that's true lol. I totally recommend the show in case you haven't seen it. I think I'm most similar to January I guess and also like Beach Read the best so far too. I just realized you decided to reread Beach Read cuz her name is January lol. It seems like you are doing pretty good with your reading goals so far but I honestly don't know if I have a lot of time for reading this month to read the Starless Sea with you..but I support the url change!

I saw your post and am so glad you enjoyed After Laughter! Also hate to see your heart break from their Paramore album has always been one of my favorites too. Did you forget to listen to Brand New Eyes or did you already know it? I think All I wanted is my all time favorite song of theirs. For After Laughter, my favorites are Hard Times, Rose Colored Boy, Told You So, 26, Fake Happy and Tell Me How. What about you? I'm so excited to see you listen to This is Why..I think it's one of their best albums. Then of course there is also her solo albums too which I love. I'm glad you are deciding to do it! I have plenty of recommendations to share if you want.So I made a top albums and songs list for the year finally and I guess we can start there. I will just share some of my top albums for now but let me know if you also want songs. They aren't really in order or anything..it's more like a list lol. And some you have already heard. So..Speak Now TV/1989 TV of course, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Maisie, Lana, Olivia, Hozier, Noah Kahan, Mileys album, Holly Humberstone, Troye Sivan, Ellie Goulding, Aly and AJ, Laufey, Niall Horan and Kelly Clarkson. I also like everyone that was nominated for Grammys like Ed Sheeran or Boy Genius and Jon Batiste. Now for the artists you don't know..which are more alternative, Movements, Pierce the Veil, and Slowdive. I might see Movements in March so I'm excited. I listened to all their albums and there's only 3 but I like their new one but I would recommend their old songs Fever Dream and Daylily too. My favorite album from Slowdive is Souvlaki. Some more are The Beaches, Cannons, Misterwives and Plain White Ts. There is also Bethany Cosentino from the band Best Coast who had her own solo album but I would also recommend everything from Best Coast cuz I loved them for years and they're similar to Paramore. I think they opened for them before and her and Hayley are good friends. Also everything from Soccer Mommy who is also like Paramore..all her music is so comforting to me, but she had an album last year if you don't wanna hear everything. Lights is also one of my favorites and had an album last year and pretty similar in sound. Same with Bad Suns. Idk if you care about the Cure or the Smiths. The Smiths only have four albums but also unreleased songs and I mostly just have favorite songs compared to picking their best album or anything so I can give you my favs if you want cuz idk if you even like that music. Disintegration by the Cure is kinda my comfort album lol and I like the album Wish. Overall though..I am just more of a favorite songs person than album. This is long and maybe I should have put it in a separate ask lol. I'm sure I'm forgetting some but there will always be more to recommend anyway. There is also of course twenty one pilots!

But first I forgot to ask you what you would think or want for Taylors next album? Since you asked me and I was just making a guess mostly. I also hope she goes to the golden globes and wins tonight! But I will share the similarities between Taylor and twenty one pilots. I already mentioned they both have Christmas songs and they also have a lyric similar to and I will hold onto you from New Years Day. It's and I'll be holding on to you from their song Holding on to you which is the first song I ever heard from them and it's still one of my favorite songs. Its from before new Year's Day came out so just a cool coincidence. They also both have a self titled album as their first album. But everyone in Taylors fandom calls it debut while top fans always say self titled lol. Technically Tyler has solo album called No Phun Intended from when he was 17 and if you count that..they match with debut and Fearless, so debut doesn't even match with self titled lol. Then they have an unreleased album you can search on YouTube called Regional at Best which I guess is Speak Now..only fans appreciate the album. Vessel is Red..fan favorite and popular songs. Blurryface is 1989..mainstream with singles and also won Grammys..gained a lot of new fans. Trench is reputation..darker sound and vibe to the album. Their most recent album is similar to Lover..pink and blue on the cover and overall happier album with mixed fan reactions. So now I'm really curious what their new album will be like. We know it will be a little darker cuz it will be the final chapter of Blurryface and Trench which has to do with the lore. That's a whole other thing I can explain if you want in the next ask but you can still listen to the music without knowing it. These are just the basic similarities and I hope it makes sense. I think in the future, I will try to send shorter responses in general and because I'm still busy right now and will be until end of January. I hope you feel better if you're still feeling sick and are having a good weekend!

you've mentioned being a bit stressed out lately (i remember you saying you had a lot going on in december, and it seems like you've got a lot going on this month) — please don't worry about replying to me! i hope you're taking care of yourself + taking time to rest 🤍

i haven't listened to not my fault yet! i think i might wait for the entire soundtrack to be out (it might already be out; i'm behind on things) before listening to it? but i'm also thinking maybe i should just wait until i watch the movie, even if i don't know when that'll be ... i do wish they kept more is better; i think that's the only song in there that i actively miss, because i think it was like, pretty important for cady's breakthrough/character development. i'm sure they'll have some sort of scene that replaces it though!

i loved funny story! it's definitely in my top 3 emily henry books — which is saying something because nothing will ever beat my top two favorites (beach read + book lovers)! i'm trying to figure out what i can say about it without giving tooooo much away, but i do think that the love interest kind of gave off nick miller vibes! i watched a season and a half of new girl, maybe a bit more? i never finished it, but i definitely watched some episodes here and there and liked what i saw. and that's okay! i have not started my starless sea reread officially, but i also don't think i'll have a lot of ~ sit and annotate ~ time this month, so it might take a while before i finish it! i'm going to change my url after i finish answering this ask <333 !!!

i listened to brand new eyes already! i don't think i told you though!! my favorites from it were careful, misguided ghosts and all i wanted. just looked through my hobonichi and it looks like it was my january 2nd album (although i've been doing more than one album a day, most days) and i listened to this is why when it first came out, but think i will give it another listen this week! i will add the albums i do not know to my list of albums to listen to, thank you!! 🤍 i think i might slow down a bit and listen to fall out boy's stuff next (and then all of their openers, because i forgot they have like ... three openers) and i want to study their music before my concert but then i'll go back to listening to all the other recs!! i have heard of a few albums you've mentioned, and there's some artists you talked about that i do love as well 🤍 !!! especially holly and noah :")

i think for taylor's next album, i'd love to see something more centered around stories? if that makes sense! i listened to the new troye sivan album yesterday, and was reading the apple music interview description (yes i am an apple music user) and he said that “There’s 10 stories, 10 moments,” and then goes to share a bit about each song, which i think was really cool! i think i care less about the sound and would just love to see another long pond situation? not necessarily in orchestrations/arrangements (which i do love!) but in terms of getting to hear taylor talk about the music more.

i loved reading your twenty one pilots comparisons!! i will have to save this ask for when i listen to their music and then we can chat about it 🤍

hope you're doing well and staying safe friend! always lovely to hear from you! xx

#post: answered #🩷 anon

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scienza-magia · 10 months

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L'Argentina userà il Dollaro come valuta corrente

Dollarizzare l’Argentina? Tutti i rischi di un’operazione con pochi precedenti. La nuova presidenza vuole adottare la valuta Usa e abbandonare il peso ma la situazione finanziaria del paese rende la transizione molto rischiosa, anche sul piano geopolitico. Dollarizzare l’Argentina: ma è davvero un’opzione possibile? L’elezione alla presidenza di Javier Milei, che si dice anarco-liberista, pone ora all’ordine del giorno uno dei punti chiave della sua campagna elettorale: l’abbandono del peso e l’adozione del dollaro Usa per contrastare l’inflazione, che ha ora raggiunto il 142% (in sostanza, l’11.75% mensile). Un’operazione che costa 40 miliardi di dollari e che deve fare i conti con le volontà di Pechino. L’esperienza di Quito e San Salvador I dubbi sono tanti. Nessun Paese delle dimensioni dell’Argentina ha mai provato ad abbandonare la propria moneta (l’eurozona ne ha adottata una nuova, è un esperimento totalmente diverso). A Panama, dove stampare banconote è vietato dalla Costituzione dal 1904, in Ecuador, a El Salvador la moneta Usa circola liberamente, e con qualche vantaggio economico, ma sono paesi decisamente più piccoli. L’Ecuador ha adottato il dollaro nel 2000: dal 2004 al 2022 – dopo quindi tre anni di “convalescenza” dall’alta inflazione – ha registrato un’inflazione media (geometrica) annua del 2,8%, con una crescita media del 6,9%. Nello stesso periodo El Salvador ha registrato un’inflazione del 2,5% e una crescita del 4,8, e Panama un’inflazione del 2,5% con una crescita media del 9,5% malgrado la maxirecessione del 2020 (-18%). Dollaro e moderazione fiscale Uno sguardo alle finanze pubbliche mostra anche una certa moderazione fiscale: il debito 2022 in rapporto al pil – che non può essere “gonfiato” dall’inflazione – è del 57,7% in Ecuador, e del 53,7% a Panama. Più complessa la questione di El Salvador, che ha di recente portato il suo debito pubblico al 75,1% dall’88,1% del 2020: era al 46,8% nel 2004, segno che la dollarizzazione non impone una sana gestione dei conti pubblici. Come cinque Ecuador e diciassette El Salvador L’Argentina è un’altra cosa: a parità di potere d’acquisto – un’unità di misura necessaria, vista l’elevata inflazione del paese – le sue dimensioni misurate dal pil 2022 sono pari a cinque Ecuador, diciassette El Salvador (e mezzo), e sette Panama. C’è un evidente problema di dimensioni: il governo di Quito ha dollarizzato praticamente grazie alla Coca Cola, e alla sua controllata Tonicorp, attiva anche nel settore dei latticini, che riusciva a distribuire dollari anche nei villaggi più piccoli. Non sono mancate, proprio in quel caso, tensioni sociali e politiche: i primi depositi in dollari avevano un tasso di interesse negativo. Milei in cerca di 40 miliardi di dollari La transizione dal peso al dollaro può diventare onerosa. Lo stesso Milei ha valutato in 40 miliardi di dollari, da recuperare, l’intero costo dell’operazione; e questo anche se gli argentini, per mantenere fermo il loro potere d’acquisto, possedevano già, a fine 2022, nei loro conti bancari o in contanti 246 miliardi in valuta Usa: più del 50% del pil in dollari del 2021, il 39% di quello del 2022 (la svalutazione morde…). La sola scelta del tasso di cambio – tra tassi ufficiali e tassi del mercato nero – può avere conseguenze enormi. È vero che l’operazione può avvenire in un tempo relativamente lungo: El Salvador ha impiegato due anni, l’Ecuador sei mesi. Riserve valutarie negative Occorre però fare attenzione alle riserve detenute dalla banca centrale: Melei dice di volarla abolire (anche se Ecuador ed El Salvador la conservano), ma in ogni caso le sue attività e le sue passività, tra le quali ci sono riserve e banconote, sono parte del bilancio allargato dello Stato. A maggio, sulla base dei tassi di cambio allora vigenti, era stato calcolato un fabbisogno di dollari pari a 5,5 miliardi, non poco, solo per l’autorità monetaria. In ogni caso, con 23,8 miliardi di dollari di riserve valutarie lorde (e -10 miliardi di riserve nette, perché prevalgono le passività, secondo il Fondo monetario internazionale) l’Argentina «non ha abbastanza dollari per dollarizzare - come ha spiegato Alejandro Werner, ex direttore per l’Emisfero occidentale per l’Fmi, all’Americas Quarterly – e non ha accesso ai mercati per ottenere dollari». La bomba fiscale dei Leliq La Banca centrale, inoltre, sta emettendo titoli di liquidità, i Leliq, per drenare moneta dal sistema e tenere sotto controllo l’inflazione: l’ammontare complessivo è in riduzione, ma l’autorità monetaria è ancora esposta per 22.581 miliardi di pesos, pari a 62,8 miliardi di dollari al cambio ufficiale, sui quali riconoscono un tasso del 130%. Sono il triplo della base monataria argentina e il triplo delle riserve valutarie lorde: per l’economista Ramiro Castiñera sono l’equivalente di uno schema Ponzi. Secondo Roberto Cachanovsky, economista anch’egli ultraliberista – propone come Friedrich Hayek l’uso di qualunque moneta, in concorrenza tra loro – e favorevole alla dollarizzazione fino al 2019, questa massa di debito impedisce ora l’adozione della valuta Usa. Non mancano soluzioni più o meno creative, che consistono in una ristrutturazione dell’intero bilancio della Banca centrale o, in alternativa, l’ennesimo ricorso ai prestiti del Fondo monetario. Un’antica proposta, mai realizzata Il passaggio, insomma, è delicato e gli aspetti tecnici, fondamentali per la riuscita del programma, sono molto complessi. Un ennesimo default non si può escludere. Non si può dimenticare che l’idea di dollarizzare l’economia non è nuova: fu proposta nel 1999 anche da Carlos Saúl Menem, il presidente che varò nel ‘91 il currency board, il cambio fisso con la moneta Usa. Fu istituito un gruppo di lavoro alla banca centrale, ma la sola notizia determinò un aumento dei tassi, nel timore di una nuova svalutazione, dopo quella decisa a gennaio di quell’anno. La storia dei mesi successivi, tra l’elezione di Fernando de la Rúa, e l’introduzione del Corralito e poi del Corralón per evitare la corsa agli sportelli, e infine il rovinoso crollo del currency board spinsero il progetto sullo sfondo, anche se gli economisti hanno continuato a discuterne. Allora, come oggi, la proposta fu avanzata durante una fase di crisi, quando l’intera operazione era decisamente più complicata. Obiettivi irrealistici L’esperienza del currency board mostra anche cosa ci si può realisticamente attendere da una dollarizzazione: la stabilità monetaria, ma niente di più. L’Argentina non cederebbe più alla tentazione di monetizzare il proprio debito pubblico, e tornerebbe ad avere un’inflazione ragionevole. Non male, per un paese colpito ripetutamente da un surriscaldamento dei prezzi che, alla fine, punisce i più deboli. La dollarizzazione però non garantirebbe una sana gestione fiscale e soprattutto non sarebbe sufficiente, da sola, per stimolare la crescita, per la quale occorre innanzitutto innovazione. Durante il currency board, l’aumento della produttività e quindi dei salari reali fu piuttosto limitato. Il tutto al costo di un forte irrigidimento della politica economica: niente politica monetaria, niente politica valutaria. Il ruolo di Pechino Non manca un versante geopolitico. Una quota importante delle riserve valutarie sono a disposizione dell’Argentina grazie a uno swap bilaterale, attivato nel 2014 e valido fino al 2026, tra la banca centrale di Buenos Aires e la Banca del Popolo cinese, che ha quindi un ruolo importante nel sostenere i pagamenti internazionali del Paese. Dei 23,8 miliardi di dollari di riserve lorde, a metà agosto 17,9 miliardi risultavano forniti dalla Pboc cinese, anche se finora l’Argentina ha effettivamente attivato lo swap per 6,5 miliardi. I molti swap attivati dalla Cina sono operazioni che, secondo molti analisti, danno a Pechino un forte potere sui paesi assistiti, e la cosa è ancora più evidente per l’Argentina, in evidenti difficoltà finanziarie: i contratti sono formalmente simmetrici, ma è difficile che la Pboc abbia bisogno dell’assistenza di Buenos Aires. Il dilemma di Milei Milei ha adottato finora una forte retorica anti-cinese, ma è verosimile che abbia ora bisogno anche di Pechino, subito e a maggior ragione durante e dopo un’eventuale dollarizzazione (la Cina aiuta anche il dollarizzato Ecuador). Forse sarà addirittura necessario un via libera da parte della Cina. A meno che la dollarizzazione non avvenga con il sostegno pieno, e un’intesa formale, con gli Usa. Operazione semplice con un’eventuale nuova presidenza Trump - “the Donald” è apparso entusiasta per l’elezione di Milei - più difficile, a meno che non prevalga un pragmatismo di carattere geopolitico, con Biden o un suo successore democratico. Read the full article

#anarco-liberista #argentina #currencyboard #debitopubblico #Dollarizzare #DollaroUSA #JavierMilei #pesoargentino #PresidenteArgentina

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hala2021 · 1 year

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Solo una teoría

Anoche se cortó la luz, típico de este edificio. No fui a comprarle las flores a mi hija, porque llovía mucho. Esta semana se las voy a comprar, si Dios quiere.

Muchas veces repito lo mismo, porque cuando redacto lo hago en base a mis pensamientos y a mi vida, que suele ser repetitiva. Pero hay algo que me quedó en el tintero. El otro día, cuando escribí "La mesada de granito", me hizo pensar en ese desencuentro de las personas con aquellos que coinciden. Habia expresado sobre todas esas personas que coincidían con la mala elección de la chica que cambió una mesada de granito por una laca blanca brillosa. Y entre esas personas no suelen encontrarse. Y esto me hizo pensar en todos los que son tan diferentes de ti y que pareciera que se te unen, como garrapatas. Y me preguntaba si eso era casual o diseñado por mentes siniestras. Conozco a un excelente musulmán que se casó, tuvo una hija y después se separó. La madre se fue a vivir a otra provincia y alejó al padre de su hija. Y así le suele pasar a la gente buena. A mí que me molestan los alumnos que nunca llevan ningún material, siempre consigo horas cátedra en los colegios en donde van todos los chicos de la villa, que nunca traen hoja ni lápiz. Y recuerdo a una musulmana que decía que uno se casa con la persona que no quiere. Y yo dije una vez que eso me hizo pensar. Lo que quiero decir es si no existe una secta globalizada satánica que analiza cuáles son tus gustos para hacerte vivir todo lo opuesto de tu forma de ser. Aquel musulmán que mencioné solo tiene de tesoro a esa niña. Y la madre la lleva lejos. Pero así es todo. Resulta bastante extraño que en la Argentina, en donde una mayoría es pobre y vive de planes sociales haya votado en las Paso a Milei, alguien que publica que eliminará los planes sociales y despedirá a millones de personas. Por eso me pregunto a veces si los que viven en las villas, me refiero a una mayoría y no a todos, realmente son pobres o viven actuando. Veo a las alumnas que vienen de las villas, algunas con el cabello cuidado que no lo tienen así ni la modelo más famosa. También, con celulares de alta gama, que tú no lo puedes comprar ni en dos años. ¡Cómo puede ser que gente que vive en la miseria total haya votado a Milei, alguien que supuestamente está a favor de los ricos!

Ayer me puse a toca el teclado, yo le digo "piano", pero no es lo mismo. Aprendí que no es lo mismo un piano, órgano o teclado. Y se cortó la luz. Siempre en este edificio se corta la luz un fin de semana largo o cuando toco el piano. Según una vecina, el barrio está unido en grupos por ese problema: el corte eléctrico. Me dijo que a la vuelta hay una cámara en donde se inunda, justo en donde se encuentran los cables de la zona. ¡Qué casualidad que el edificio es nuevo! Ni loca me uniría con esta gente que me dejó abandonada a mi suerte. Ahora me llueve en la baulera. Siempre algo pasa en mi departamento, porque saben que a mí me interesa sentirme cómoda en mi casa. Suelo pasar muchas horas aquí.

Y fíjate Facebook, que dice: "¿qué estás pensando?". Tampoco eso es casualidad. No me parece azar que alguien que no te quiere se quiera casar contigo. Seguro que aquella mujer que se casó con aquel musulmán ni lo quería, pero le arruinó la vida. A mí me pasó lo mismo con un musulmán, que a las dos semanas me dijo que nuestro matrimonio era una porquería. Jamás discutimos y yo hacía lo que él quería. Y me lo presentaron. No quiero que me presenten a nadie más. Al mes y medio nos separamos. ¡No! Yo no quería vivir con el enemigo. ¿Pero fue ese encuentro casual? ¿Por qué se te une gente que es tan diferente de ti? Y las redes sociales son ideales para saber qué te gusta y cuáles son tus pasiones.

Por eso, creo que hay gente que vive actuando. No me creo la pobreza en la Argentina. Pocos somos los verdaderos pobres que jamás votaríamos a Milei. Esos planes sociales alguien multimillonario los está pagando. Imposible que el pueblo argentino pueda pagar a tantos miserables. Todo se esconde. Las personas que nos parecemos en gustos e ideas nunca logramos encontrarnos, porque se hacen nuestros amigos gente totalmente diferente de nosotros o terminan casándose gente que te detesta.

Hay mucha gente que anda en algo raro. Los colegios, en donde trabajo, ya son una tortura mental. Coordinadores que funcionan como supervisores, observando todo lo que haces. Nosotros somos minoría, estudiados como conejillos de india, para saber lo que nos gusta y hacer todo lo contrario.

Claro, es solo una hipótesis.

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padfootastic · 2 years

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url + songs

thank u sm for the tag @femme--de--lettres bc this looks really fun <333 fair warning, my taste in music is very basic + all over the place lol

P — Poraney, Poraney, Ranjith and Neha Bhasin (just. so beautiful. god.)

A — À peu près, Pomme (v nostalgic song that’s carried me though a lot of long solo walks)

D — Dandelions, Ruth B (literally one my favorites. i’ve listened to this on repeat for like,,,6 days straight at one point)

F — Fat Funny Friend, Maddie Zahm (*coughs*)

O — Oceans, Seafret (so!!much!!nostalgia. seafret is a beautiful band)

O — Overboard, Justin Bieber ft Miley Cyrus (hehehe jb was my first love <3 and i used to have this song on yt on repeat while staring at the chemistry b/w these two)

T — Tum Mile, Pritam and Neeraj Shridhar (emraan hashmi era—need i say more?)

A — Achilles Come Down, Gang of Youths (one of the most chilling songs i’ve ever heard. u don’t even realise how long it is bc u never want it to end)

S — Sofia, Alvaro Solar (a bop!!!! super super fun)

T — This is Gospel (piano cover), P!ATD (first time i heard this, i was literally slack jawed at how beautiful it was. literal goosebumps.)

I — Irresistible, Fall Out Boy ft. Demi Lovato (s’another fun song what can i say?)

C — Chinni Chinni Aasalu, Shreya Ghoshal, Ashwin and Hari (it’s so precious omg. just the cutest vibes ever <333)

tagging @mystifiedmess @jmagnabo92 and @juliemaradeurfan bc i’m curious to see what yalls choices would be 👀

#oof. that was. not easy #i didn’t make a playlist bc this is a mess and i didn’t think anyone would be interested #but hey if anyone wants it i certainly can #there are a lot of songs i’m obsessed w #i’m the kind of person who listens to the same song for hours on repeat w/ no break #and i don’t rly focus on lyrics or genre as much as ~vibes #and if i can sing along passionately to it #all the songs here are good for that i think #i’m gonna refrain myself from commenting even more on every song here lol #tag game

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deadcactuswalking · 8 months

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 20/01/2024 (Ariana Grande, 21 Savage's american dream, D-Block Europe)

The story of this week is… well, there are a lot of stories, and the moral of nearly all of them is: don’t get your hopes up. Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” has halted a certain someone off the top spot, and welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we swiftly ignore you-know who and instead spend a little time on the notable dropouts, songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover (read the FAQ), after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. As one would expect, there’s quite a lot of movement this week so we do have a hefty list, bidding farewell to… “Just Another Rainbow” by Liam Gallagher and John Squire after just one week at #16, “Entrapreneur” by Central Cee, “You’re Losing Me” (From the Vault) by Taylor Swift getting three-song-ruled out and exchanged for another Taylor song, and then “Standing Next to You” by Jung Kook, “Murdaside” by Mazza_l20 and friends, “First Person Shooter” by Drake featuring J. Cole, “adore u” by Fred again.. and Obongjayar, “Daylight” by David Kushner, “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and the Selena Gomez-assisted “Calm Down” by Rema. Yeah, some massive losses this week, it really is ushering in the 2024 hit parade this quickly

As for our notable gains, well, we see a return for “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift at #69 due to the swap I talked about earlier - it really isn’t a good trade-off in my opinion. Aside from that, there are boosts for “Black Friday” by Tom Odell at #31 which I can’t complain about, and same goes for “Never Lose Me” by Flo Milli at #24. I will complain about “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield at #18, but that brings us neatly to our top five, where we have Teddy Swims fly in at #5 with “Lose Control”, followed by familiar faces, “Lovin’ on Me” by Jack Harlow at #4 and “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor at #3, and then, despite multiple versions and a music video, Noah Kahan fended off Ariana Grande’s comeback single “yes, and?”, stalling out narrowly at #2. It’s fully the season of the sticks, and also the season of 11 Goddamn song reviews, some of which were expected and don’t give me much to say, or much that I want to say, and some that just came out of thin air. I guess let’s just get this party started.

New Entries

#73 - “Scared to Start” - Michael Marcagi

Produced by David Baron

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Who the Hell is This Guy? So, Mr. Marcagi started out as the lead singer for non-starter indie rock band The Heavy Hours, before the release of two very recent and very obviously trend-chasing solo singer-songwriter singles. This is the second of them, and seems to have been his breakout and yeah, I suppose we have Noah Kahan at home. The song is overall about a youthful relationship that gets them into undetailed recklessness and escapism, particularly getting away from a small boring town into being on-the-road nomads, without much care for where the future actually takes them. I like the heartland rock pianos and the tried-and-true drop into half-time for the second chorus, though by the time he does it again in the final chorus, I mostly wish he just picked up the pace as the momentum needs to accelerate from there if it’s such a carpe diem track, it feels like a missed opportunity to really go hard at the final hustle, like Kahan would do. As a whole, it’s really not that difficult to see why this is here or even why people could love it, but I feel like it needed more refining to truly make it worthwhile.

#63 - “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” - YG Marley

Produced by Lauryn Hill, YG Marley and JohnnyG

When I say everything will chart in January, I mean everything. This is one of Bob Marley’s many grandchildren, and yes, that is the Lauryn Hill you’re thinking of. She married into the Marleys, this is her son, she co-produced and co-wrote the song, which additionally samples the original Marley’s “Crisis”, a 1978 track with the Wailers, an uplifiting song about living it up through crisis, staying aware of tragedy but taking time to yourself to allow for fun to be had, peace to be found. I like the song a lot, but it was an album track and hence never charted until it was sampled on this newer song from late last year, which - this is not the first time this week we’ll see this either - turns the otherwise conscious track into a love ballad, but sonically, it’s incredibly faithful, even down to the liquidy reggae groove and charming background singers. Sadly, YG does not have the presence of his grandfather, sounding mostly like a nervous, Auto-Tuned child stumbling onto the school talent show, but that’s also partly due to the mix crushing his nasal croon a bit, it feels smashed in between different elements of the mix instead of resting carefreely in it like Bob would. I do actually appreciate the shift in content for the second verse, which I can only assume was written by Ms. Lauryn Hill considering its cynical, conscious stabs at soul-taking and standing your ground. In fact, I actually like this song quite a lot - whilst it starts off as a love ballad, it ends up using more of an appreciative worship angle that fits much better with the lax, improvisational performance, especially once Lauryn comes in for the outro, it’s just nice to hear her singing again, to be honest. The guitars are also surprisingly sludgy by the end, it feels, fitting the mix’s general vibe, which makes it feel a tad sinister or at least defiant, which makes the sample flip - or really, recreation - a lot more sensible. So, yeah, I think this turns around to actually being quite good, if not great? I guess you can’t go wrong when you just plod in that classic Bob Marley tune as a loop for so long and get Lauryn Hill to do backup, I mean, it really does not seem like you can go wrong placing those two together on a track, albeit posthumously. I know it’s never coming but part of me wants to at least hope this may mean we get, if not a solo album, a wider array of collaborations from Lauryn Hill in the future.

#61 - “No Man’s Land” - Marshmello and venbee

Produced by Marshmello, Digital Farm Animals and Earwulf

To be completely honest, I thought Marshmello’s time in the Sun was over. He’s been latching onto Fuerza Regida and Latin music overall Stateside, so I figured his hit-making days could be far behind him, yet here he is without a reggaetónero or corrida band, and instead venbee, who has yet to really replicate the success of “messy in heaven”, but maybe this will be a winning combination and not another desperate last-minute attempt by Marshmello to find a final niche before the spark dies completely. Surely by now, you know where this is going. Mr. Mello even got Digital Farm Animals to co-write and produce so there really is a distant scent of imminent failure written into this one. That’s not to say the song isn’t good because, well, despite all my cynicism, it’s a damn good track, I actually really love this one. It has all the 2018 plastic tropical flavour but due to going for a faster-paced drum and bass rolick and surprisingly compressed and gross-sounding mix on venbee’s vocals, it doesn’t have any of the effortless sheen and instead sounds a bit rough around the edges, with even the little intricate details in that second verse sounding a bit out of place. That lines up pretty perfectly with venbee’s self-loathing that she feels has buried her into an isolation that she can’t really handle considering how much she hates that cycle. Now I don’t think this’ll be a hit: it sounds like something that could be a sleeper success, but by the time it would get much traction, the song is rather too depressive to be dropped into a Summer EDM mix, and honestly, we have no track record for venbee in terms of any consistent success, and it’s not like Marshmello is a pull anymore. So whilst I actually think this is brilliant, I would have to say to Marshmello: Maybe don’t get your hopes up.

#59 - “J CHRIST” - Lil Nas X

Produced by Omer Fedi, Gesaffelstein and Lil Nas X

“The biggest comeback” since Jesus and he couldn’t even break top 50? In this chart climate? In this economy? I did see a lot of social media disillusionment with Lil Nas’ religious angle, none of which I agreed with because really, it’s only his second time doing so and who decided that artists suddenly couldn’t use themes in their music? Yet that may explain the lack of success out of the gate for… “J CHRIST” - God, what a terrible song title - and I can’t say it’s unfortunate, this song is terrible, and not in an honest-sounding way either. LNX has never sounded more bored and typical, going for a vocal take that doesn’t even fully sound like him, as if he was pitched up in post, and the lyrics seem absolutely unfinished if not unchanged from a mumbling reference track. Even the catchy hook is pretty gimmicky with the “high note”, and the second verse just repeats itself sloppily over this piano-based trap beat, that doesn’t really go anywhere at all. In fact, if left on its own, one could consider this a bit of a feat: gawk in awe at Lil Nas X trying and failing to inject life into an amateur YouTube remake of “HUMBLE.” made by a guy with 12 subscribers! Yet due to the promising, alien outro from Gesaffelstein, we know that more effort could have been put into this to make it much more unique and refreshing, and his springy synth bounce lingers throughout the rest of the track, especially that pre-chorus, as a tease for something to come, which would be promising if that “something to come” wasn’t the absolute lowest barrier of entry for decent music: being interesting. Again, don’t get your hopes up.

#46 - “Alibi” - Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental

Produced by Aidan Glover, Cliff Masterson, Rudimental and Punctual

It is with the deepest of sighs that I say the late Coolio’s iconic Dangerous Minds soundtrack cut “Gangsta’s Paradise”, that has long outlasted its film companion, debuted at #1 upon release in 1995 and stayed there for two weeks total, and has returned intermittently to the UK Singles Chart since 2009 due to just how great of a song it is, a timeless Stevie Wonder flip with L.V. on the chorus and some of the most harrowing yet accessible conscious verses that have ever appeared on a chart hit. Ella Henderson, we are not doing this. Why Rudimental decided to credit themselves onto this… thing they barely produced is beyond me, because this is a worthless parody of the original, a dead-on-arrival concept with little respect for its source material… but that makes it sound cool, doesn’t it? It makes it sound risky, like it’s trying new things, when in reality, that’s far from the case. Ms. Henderson copies inflections and melodies directly from L.V., who already took them from Stevie, and replaces the lyrics with meaningless relationship platitudes. The beat is stock drum and bass, the main lead sample is from the most famous and memed part of the song. This kind of song makes me question whether I can even consider it art at all because what human aspect could have possibly been involved in this? Ella’s singing, sure, but not only are the vocals touched-up in post, it’s not like she or her choir care all too much about emoting these lyrics, and they really shouldn’t. Sure, a human - or several, according to the credits - programmed this song, but would you really be surprised if it was done algorithmically based on a TikTok search of the original song? I love sampling, it’s possibly the most interesting thing about popular music past the 1990s, but some reinventions are little more than fleeting insults at artists not alive to repel them. The man rejected Weird Al’s parody and even after he’d lightened up about that, I have serious doubt he would sign off on this garbage. May he rest in peace - I personally really love his other single “Fantastic Voyage”, maybe even more than “Gangsta’s Paradise”, and I’ll always remember his voice performance as the Kwanzaabot in Futurama. This? I’m trying not to remember it. Hopefully the UK can realise this for its cheap distasteful novelty and leave it buried in the dregs of Spotify where it belongs.

#42 - “Heather on the Hill” - Nathan Evans

Produced by Alan Jukes and Stevie Jukes

I’m… genuinely surprised Nathan Evans is still popping up, especially with a song like this. The title may be referring to the song of the same name in the 1947 musical Brigadoon, set in the Scottish Highlands, perhaps most well known in its version by Grace Kelly. Now that is a beautiful composition with a surprisingly frail performance in the verses that really gives a lot of lackadaisical charm to the track, even if I’ve never even heard of the musical before. This track by everyone’s favourite sea-shantier has nothing to do with that song. The traditional Scottish folk strings may interpolate the original slightly but this is a pop song through and through, with Lewis Capaldi-esque vocal and guitar production, it’s all compressed and staccato and aimless but at least you can tell Evans is Scottish given all the references which would seem tacky if there weren’t just so many of them, and Hell, I’m not Scottish, I can’t judge how a Scotsman expresses his Scottishness. There is a great dramatic charm in the absolute joyfulness this seems to at least want to display, especially with the Scottish folk chaos in the back of the mix and Evans just giving it all he can. In fact, I kind of love this: it’s an adorable love song that ends very abruptly for no good reason, is littered with little Scottish lyrical details, and whilst it doesn’t hit the same as the song from the musical, it’s going for an entirely different vibe: one of folkish lovestruckness and awe, admiration. This feels like a first crush, if my first crush was from Orkney. She wasn’t, of course, but I can dream; both songs I discovered from this entry I appreciate in largely different ways but are pretty admirable all the same.

#27 - “n.h.i.e.” - 21 Savage and Doja Cat

Produced by Kurtis McKenzie, Scribz Riley, Jonah and Nineteen85

Okay, so 21 Savage released a new album, american dream, last Friday, and it debuts at #2 on the UK albums chart, with three new songs debuting here because the entire album was new material, and quite frankly, next to none of it fit the concept of the album, and that includes pretty much everything we have here. It’s really frustrating when ambition, especially conceptual ambition, seems to be promised and whilst the product itself is completely fine, serviceable and in the case of this 21 album, frankly quite good, it does not abide by the ideas that were presented in, say, the introduction, the soundtrack connection, how 21’s mother appears on both the opener and closer to speak frankly about her experiences and how they relate to her son’s, especially in regards to travelling from London to the US. Given that 21’s finally gained US residency and this seemed like his way of commemorating his escape from the confusing citizenship debacle, wherein he can be proud of both his British and American heritage, I was quite disappointed when it was 90% a typical rap album with soul samples, trap beats, flexing on haters, having sex with women, killing people in comical detail and even having a second half largely consisting of R&B just for the ladies, I suppose. With all that, like I said, I enjoyed the album! 21 is a lyrically and vocally quite fun presence nowadays, and the production was incredibly cohesive in its sound despite trying out some different rhythms and vibes throughout. It is, by all means, a good 21 Savage album, but if you’re hoping for more than that, again, don’t get your hopes up. As for the tracks that debuted, they are by far the least interesting and actually some of my least favourites. This one has an eerie guitar lick but also Doja Cat all over the track just whispering and distractingly so, with 21 kind of on autopilot, even if his short verse is pretty good. Doja is doing the whole quirked-up not-a-rapper schtick with the “ad-lib!” ad-lib and basic flow accentuated by again, those multi-tracked whispers and outright refusal to write a verse of considerable length. It’s just lazy on mostly her part but pretty much everyone else as well, there’s little to care for here.

#23 - “née-nah” - 21 Savage, Travis Scott and Metro Boomin

Produced by Metro Boomin

Why is the song called that? Anyway, this is my least favourite track easily. You have a straight minute of Travis wasting my time - without the Auto-Tune, without the spacey production, without the atmospheric concepts and ambition, who even IS this guy, really, other than an unconvincing cornball who never decides on a solid flow and fills up time with ad-libs, including some weird Westside Gunn riffing this time around? Also, considering how much time he’s spent with Kanye, I’m getting slightly worried to who this villainous “they” he’s referring to in this verse all the time might actually be, he’s been oddly defensive and conspiratory since UTOPIA at least. This is a completely serviceable Metro beat, though it actually gets kind of hard on the ears midway through due to that shrill sample that doesn’t really have much to blend with when the chopped, vintage sample isn’t present. It’s a shame that the rest of the track is pretty much garbage because 21 delivers some of his most violently funny and out-of-pocket verses on this whole album, with a cold-as-Hell chorus and lines about Virgil Abloh and Usher that hit pretty hard as punchlines. Again, a shame it’s all placed here on what was for everyone else, a throwaway track.

#19 - “Eagle” - D-Block Europe and Noizy

Produced by Da Beatfreakz

DBE sold like 10 million USB sticks or something, their album is #1 yet here’s their sole track in the top 75. Now this is the kind of so-bad-it’s-enjoyable DBE I like to hear, with Beatfreakz on production, an unusually long, minimal intro, an array of deranged ad-libs, terrible Auto-Tune, Young Adz stammering helplessly and not understanding how disparate some of the consecutive lyrics are from each other. He barely sticks to a coherent flow and starts the chorus with declaring that he thinks he’s Albanian, but he doesn’t enunciate so it sounds like he just calls himself the country of Albania. We even have Dirtbike Lb going for a verse that completely washes whatever Youthful Advertisement was doing, he actually kind of kills his verse, it’s impressive. The flow switch is much clearer and well-done than whatever Adz tries his hand at, his slurring and naturally slow, droning delivery is used to its best extent here. Oh, and like half the song belongs to this one extended verse from an actual Albanian rapper, Noizy, who goes in… I think? He says near the end, “I’m Albanian, you’re not supposed to like me” and I really don’t know what to make of that, or this song in general, it’s kind of a fascinating mess with some genuine flow highlights but mostly just bizarre choices. In that regard, classic DBE.

#11 - “redrum” - 21 Savage

Produced by London on da Track and Peeb

My favourite track from this album is “see the real”, a sassy, witty and dismissive hyphy-esque bop that inflects a lot of melody into 21’s sound but not enough to dissuade you from his cold demeanour. Some of my other favourite tracks include the sincere PSA “dark days”, the needlessly catchy R&B track “should’ve wore a bonnet” and yeah, “redrum” has none of what I just described. It’s pure violence, it got the music video set in London, so here it is, with its Italian classical music sample in the intro that just eventually forms into a menacing, unchanging loop. It sounds great, but with the caveat that it also just sounds like that the whole time. If 21 weren’t generally an incredibly compelling and more importantly convincing presence as a killer on the mic, this would be a pretty unimpressive beat, so it really shows how much better an instrumental can sound when the right pocket’s found, and for 21, who is on his A-game punchline and ad-lib wise on this track, it seems almost effortless. I’ve obviously not got much else to say about this song or the album as a whole, but I do think it’s a shame that its most unique and enlightening moments didn’t make their way to the charts, or that they were so few and far between to begin with. Hey, at least we didn’t get any shreds of that terrible Kid Cudi project, right? Sheesh.

#2 - “yes, and?” - Ariana Grande

Produced by Ariana Grande, Max Martin and ILYA

It’s fine. I know it’s the big story of the week but there’s nothing too celebratory, triumphant, badass or even interesting about this comeback single from Ariana, that clearly goes for an attitude it couldn’t fully commit to, given the cheaper-than-usual sounding vocaloid chop behind the diva house pianos and a cooing that sems to miss the point of its own genre. Lyrically, it’s self-motivation but I mean, we have “BREAK MY SOUL”, and the genuinely experimental and explorative RENAISSANCE from just two years ago, we really don’t need a lacklustre Ariana Grande rendition of this genre, especially when she’s completely phoning it in. She’s not someone who’s meant to chant mantras, that’s not the kind of loose, parading singer she is, it’s why she never worked on trap beats. The spoken word bridge is pitched-up - because sure, Ariana needs pitching up of all singers - and practically egregious: going for the censor during the Ethan Slater-related line is exactly the “serve” it was intended to be, given that it’s the one time the song actually feels like it exists, but it also just drills this hole further that Ari cannot sell this at all, and should absolutely not be trying to when the audience, even if invested in the “I’m fucking the SpongeBob guy” drama, cannot find themselves motivated by because, well, last time I checked, the only other person fucking the SpongeBob guy was the mother of his child. If someone can point me to the passion and empowerment in this song and its seven other versions instead of a lingering tinge of desperate acting-out, please do, because every listen just leaves an even sourer note in my mouth. Ugh, let’s move on.

Conclusion

I actually did not dislike “yes, and?” before writing this episode, but several listens and caring to look at the lyrics more have really prevented me from enjoying it the way I wanted to so, yes, it will get the Dishonourable Mention, with the Worst of the Week being so obvious I really don’t have to say it, do I? Best of the Week goes to Marshmello and venbee for “No Man’s Land” with an Honourable Mention to Nathan Evans of all people with “Heather on the Hill” and I suppose that’s it. It was a bit of a long ordeal this week, but thank you for reading, see you… a bit earlier than next Friday, I think, but still, next week.

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siredsong · 3 years

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🎮 30 Questions Tag Game 🎮

Tagged by my love @knjsnoona 🥺 thank you ameliaaaa 😘😘😘

name/nickname: leeba

star sign: taurus

height: 170 cm

birthday: april

favorite band: ahhh way too many !!! but bts <3

time: 4:25 pm

favorite solo artist: ooo also way too many but some of my faves are bruno major, brent faiyaz, charlie burg, clairo, dpr ian, zico, dean, eloise, billie, finneas, giveon, harry styles, jaden, joji, kendrick lamar, kali uchis, lorde, miley cyrus, mitski, olivia rodrigo, omar apollo, pink sweat$, role model, ruel, sza, sik-k, troye sivan, tyler the creator, willow, and yenkee :) haha just to name a few....

song stuck in your head: lucy by yenkee

last movie you watched: harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban

free space!: umm i love u guys haha thanks for sticking around even tho im annoying as fUCK ;p

last show: doom at your service! and that was a whileee ago so need to start a new one asap

when i created this blog: it’s been almost 3 weeks!! which is crazy cause it feels like i’ve been here for a while

what i post: i mostly shit post lol but i make mood boards and i’m thinking about writing soon...maybee

last thing i googled: i may have wanted to spell check to make sure i was spelling azkaban correctly haha so i googled harry potter 3 😭

other blogs: @leebsrecs which is a side blog for fic recs and such but currently i just reblog a bunch of fics that i want to read haha will start writing fic recs soon tho so stay tuned!

do i get asks?: uhhh occasionally but not much no! but i do love getting them so so very much, literally every single one is special

why i chose my url?: there was something that i saw a while back that was called sired sadist and i had always thought it sounded very cool but i’m not a sadist lol so i wanted to change it to something that related to me so siredsong came into existence since i love music and singing so very much. i’m not sure if i should change it tho since it isn’t bts related or anything but i like it at the moment :)

following: i’m following soo many people, i would not be able to name them all but i’m following a bunch of amazing writers and mood board/gif creators!! my dash is always full of amazing content, i love it :)

followers: 91 last time i checked!! which i think is absolutely crazy since i haven’t been here very long! thank you to every last one of u for clicking that follow button 🥺 i have no clue why u would want to since i literally spew shit all the time but thank you all the same 🥰

average hours of sleep: umm around 7-8 hours of sleep as of late since i’m home for the summer but usually 5-6 hours

lucky number: i don’t have one but i like the number 23 a lot

instruments: i can’t play anything well but i’ve been trying to learn how to play piano!!

what am i wearing?: leggings and a t-shirt lol bumming out at home as per usual

dream job: doctor at the moment but if i was living my ideal life i would really love to do something with music

favorite food: i love all kinds of food but the fucking crunchwrap supreme from taco bell is. my. shit 😩😩😩

tea or coffee: coffee! i do love tea a lot but i make coffee literally every day haha

nationality: american....lmaooo yea ur not getting anything more than that...yet

favorite song: HAHA bold of u to assume i’d be able to choose a favorite, there are way too many beautiful songs out there, i could never choose just one

last book i read: little women

top three fictional universes i would like to live in: oh definitely the harry potter world, terabithia, and narnia

tagging: @smasmashin @memphisfaith @secretum-scriptor @pjmsdior @jungkooksbroski @vantezza @kookiecrumb @taeshuworld @oasiswithmyg @yuniixoxo @taegularities @cythjk @xpeachesncream @xjoonchildx @moresarcasm @intokook @dulcehobi @moon-write @sunshinerainbowsbts @midknight-marauder @disvease @peachyyoongs @pitchblackserein @kkookiee and whoever else wants to do this!!

ahhh sorry for the tag spam, feel free to ignore haha and lmk if u want me to stfu <3

#tagged #get to know me #ameliaaa !!#babes

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stylesnews · 4 years

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A year ago, the guitar was in dire straits. With songs like Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings,” Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” and Panic! At the Disco’s “High Hopes” among the most consumed of 2019, programmed beats and horns were the sonic flavors of popular music. Sure, there were outliers — the Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker,” Maroon 5’s “Memories” and Post Malone’s “Circles” among them — but as the rock and alternative genres embraced artists like Billie Eilish, whose innovative music made the traditional band approach feel outdated, the days of chords and solos seemed numbered if not headed towards irrelevance.

Then came the coronavirus pandemic and things changed. Forced to perform from home or in rooms not intended for live music during lockdown, many artists went back to basics and out came the trusty six-string. For iHeartRadio’s “Living Room Concert for America” in March, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl played an acoustic Guild on “My Hero”; Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day strummed to his band’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”; and even Eilish, with her collaborator brother Finneas, sang her hit “Bad Guy” accompanied by only a Fender acoustic. Other benefit livestreams like Global Citizen’s “One World Together At Home” event saw the Rolling Stones, Keith Urban and Shawn Mendes strip down their hit songs for unplugged versions. And in April, Miley Cyrus delivered an emotional cover of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” on “Saturday Night Live” with Andrew Watt, himself a COVID survivor, on guitar.

At the same time, there was an electric guitar solo being heard on one of the most-played songs in the United States. Harry Styles’ “Adore You,” which has logged 1.1 million radio spins in 2020, according to Mediabase, and has been streamed more than 400 million times, per Alpha Data, features the playing of Kid Harpoon (real name: Tom Hull), Styles’ friend and producer, who handled the guitar parts for much of the Brit’s excellent “Fine Line” album, released in Dec. 2019. As it turns out, the melody of the solo, which also serves as the bridge to “Adore You,” was first hummed by Styles for Hull to emulate. “I did it with my mouth into a microphone,” Styles told Variety in October. “And then Tom sent me this video trying to get it to sound the same. He spent a couple of hours getting it.”

Why include a guitar solo when most pop songs would never dare? “I feel it’s kind of like ‘La La Land’ saving jazz — only for rock ‘n’ roll,” Styles cracked when posed with the question. But more seriously speaking, Variety‘s Hitmaker of the Year added: “I’m not a spearheader of the movement, like, ‘Let’s bring back guitars.’ There’s plenty of times when [a song] doesn’t sound better with a guitar, and you don’t use it. But a lot of the references I grew up with have guitars; and it’s the first instrument I played, so it makes sense that I would like the sound of them more. I don’t think the guitar is dying. Guitars are great and always have been.”

In fact, guitar sales in 2020 have been robust. Music retailer Sweetwater reports more than 50% year-over-year growth in guitar purchases, with even larger increases during the peak COVID months of April, May and June “when customers most likely hunkered down to practice and create music after watching all of the streaming video they could handle,” according to a rep for the Indiana-based company.

The spike extended to other string instruments as well, which saw growth of more than 70% year-over-year in the price range of $299 or lower. The metric indicates that “new players are joining the fold,” says Sweetwater, which has been in business for over four decades and operates online. (Competitor Guitar Center, with more than 250 physical locations in the U.S., did not fare as well, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month.)

Even in the virtual world, learning to play an instrument has taken off during lockdown. The platform Yousician, which provides interactive learning for guitar, bass, ukulele, piano and voice, currently reigns as the No. 1 app for music instruction while its sister product, GuitarTuna, is tops for guitar tuning.

Ask current writers and producers working in pop and hip-hop about their process and you soon learn that an acoustic guitar is often the beginning or the essence of a hit song. Among Variety‘s 2020 Hitmakers, the trio of Taz Taylor, Charlie Handsome and KC Supreme credited a guitar loop as the foundation for Trevor Daniel’s “Falling.” For Maren Morris’ “The Bones,” producer Greg Kurstin noted: “The first thing I noticed was Jimmy Robbins’ guitar hook; I wanted to keep the song rooted in that.”

“So many hit songs from 2020 started with a acoustic or electric guitar, whether it be a melody line or simple progression,” says songwriter and producer Jenna Andrews, whose recent credits include BTS’ “Dynamite” and Benee’s “Supalonely.”

And often, those guitar-based foundations remained through the finished product — for instance, 24KGoldn’s “Mood,” with its impossibly catchy sun-kissed guitar riff, and Powfu’s “death bed (coffee for your head).”

“I know it sounds kinda old school, but I love it when a well-recorded acoustic pops off on the radio,” says Sam Hollander, whose hits include the aforementioned “High Hopes” and Fitz and the Tantrums’ “HandClap.” “The bulk of my songs tend to be born on guitar. Without that foundation, the lyrics and melodies never really emote the heartbeat and emotion that I’m trying to dial in. There’s just a general warmth to it that’s hard to replicate. It’s like the warmest chocolate chip cookie.”

“I think the prevalence of guitar in 2020 has a lot to do with hip-hop producers using more emo and punk-rock influences,” offers Angie Pagano, whose AMP management company represents Tommy Brown (Ariana Grande, Blackpink) and Mr. Franks, among others. “Juice Wrld really helped bring this into the mainstream over the last few years. We’re seeing a great blend of emo and trap these days.”

Indeed, the year’s most-consumed hits leaned hip-hop — Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” landed at No. 1 on the Hitmakers list with Future and Drake, Jack Harlow and Megan Thee Stallion in the Top 10 — but even DaBaby’s “Rockstar,” the No. 3 song of the year, referenced a guitar in its chorus, albeit alongside mention of a Glock pistol. That visual may go against what Hollander calls “the Kumbaya vibe of the guitar,” but the song still features an acoustic strum at its core.

In the case of Styles’ 2020 successes, which also include the ubiquitous “Watermelon Sugar,” his producer further explained that, while aware of what was reacting on the charts at the time they were recording, Styles wasn’t about to chase the trends. Said Tom Hull: “We [thought], we can’t play the commercial game in terms of what’s happening right now. What we can do is make music that really resonates with us. There’s no blueprint. You just have faith. We love records from the ’70s and ’80s; weird prog rock music that might be a seven-minute instrumental; then you’re listening to Shania Twain, like, ‘This is awesome, too.’ The goal was to make something we will always love, and if it completely flops commercially, at least we know we love it. We have that.”

#harry styles #jan21 #variety21

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