Gauging of interest on music review thingey

[Grefter]

Okay up front you know it's David Bowie because it is David Bowie and me.  I listened to him last because I didn't want every thought to be "but yeah it isn't that awesome Bowie song" which wasn't super successful, but still.  Also I am only seeing the film clips after the fact, I listened to them on the way home from work.  So videos only being seen when I review for write up.  SO they don't really change my opinion.

Ariana Grande - There is a lot going on here and some parts of it I like in a vacuum but I don't think I like it in aggregate.  I dig that guitar tone a lot.  I like the trappy hi hats.  I would normally like that there is probably like 4 instruments involved?  I also normally like a massive bass line.  This bass line just blasts over everything else and is never in synch with the guitar tone I like.  It just blares over the top of it and just rolls over a couple of notes.  There is the core of a nice fun song in the lyrics as well but it just loops too fast and doesn't cover any ground at all.

acapellascience - Okay confession time.  I kind of hate Disney songs.  It is why you don't see me commenting much in CKs cartoons threads.  Like I hate them to the point where I kind of think they poisoned me to musicals in general, like to the point where I was genuinely shocked that I enjoyed Chicago and Chicago is fucking great.  So this song.  This song is a Disney musical number done about science, discovery and touches on points where not all of it is the proving the theory, some of it is actually does have human elements to it rather than grinding out formulas to discover proofs.  But at the end of the day it is still a Disney musical.  It also doesn't gain much as acapella piece I think?  It is probably something I should define more clearly in like Smooth McGroove pieces as well, but while recording vocal pieces in place of instrumentation is a thing that you can do and works and sounds fine, it also isn't really doing much with the composition of a piece in his cases and here sort of highlights the problem.  It all comes out a bit samey in the wash when you do it.  Like other than delivery, the backing here works pretty much the same as Smooth McGroove does.

I.O.I - I didn't have much to say on this before I saw the film clip.  ON the song I ... don't know what to say.  It gets repetative quickly.  I guarantee a ton of that is not understanding lyrics since I can tell they are different verses but they are delivered with the same notes (which is one reason why your verses should be musically different not just lyrically different).  Film clip comments.  It is weird that they have clips of them recording in a well setup studio then cut to them dancing in a stripped out commercial/industrial space with no fittings so that it would have the shittiest accoustics possible.

Pentatonix - Did this come up when Megan Trainor did it?  Did I talk shit about it then?  Because I like it now.I am not going to say much but its my second favourite.  Instead I am mostly going to use it to counterpoint acapellascience.  See you have two out of five members here acting as the instrumental background, but instead of it being one person recorded and tracked over the top of themselves they have to do it in sequence with everyone else.  They have to shift up delivery to two tones at once.  Two voices makes the construction of it way more diverse as well rather than just being a shifted tone.

but seriously if I talked shit about it before I must have not been in the mood or she must have dropped the ball horribly compared to normal for Megan Trainor (I will google it later).

Rick Astley - If this wasn't Rick Astley it would be third pick probably as like "Hey yeah this sounds pretty interesting and different a classic working class sort of ballad".  Instead it is Rick Astley and I can say Hey yeah this sounds pretty interesting and different a classic working class sort of ballad that goes in third place and Rick is looking pretty good.  He wears the suit a lot more convincingly and 2010s fashion does him more favours than 80s did with that trenchcoat back in teh day.

David Bowie - So I spent more time trying to track down where the harmonica sample is from than listening to the rest of the songs.  I misplaced it as from something more modern that it was because the rest of the track is veeeeeeeery late 90s to recent Bowie tracks.  The harmonica was off A New Career In a New Town on Low, which was 1977 so from the Berlin Trilogy.  That said, the rest of the track really is very very much like the work Bowie was doing on Heathen, Hours..., Reality and even patches of Buddha of Suburbia and the like earlier in the 90s up until The Next Day which was a throw back to the rest of his career.  So it makes me happy to have this because it is my favourite Bowie era overall.

So I enjoy how many levels it works on.  It is following up Blackstar where it left off talking about him and his fame. Where Blackstar has reference to how he effectively won't die and will come back because of his work as an artist.  Then you have I Can't Give Everything Away, which on the surface that I can quickly think of now is at least going to be "I can't give away all the things that got me here" he is still an artist after all an and also the acts of a dying man "I literally cannot give away everything that I want to who I want to". 

[Ranmilia]

Ariana Grande - Nice song.  Dunno how to evaluate it effectively.  Very repetitive and sensual, like a lullaby.  My socks aren't knocked off, but it's not bad, especially for looping.

Acapella Science - Some positive points for the subject, some negative points for the video, which I found bad enough to be actively offputting.  Male vocals doing puckered lips 80% of the song taking up most of the screen, not really great.  But that leaves me with the actual song, which is... very good!  Good composition, good delivery, progression and a strong finish, using a full range of devices... Just great all around.

I.O.I. - Kpop eschewing spectacle for earnest enjoyment of what they're doing?  Yeah I'm down.  The sheer enthusiasm comes across in the singing and that's exactly what's necessary to sell me on a track like this.  Not the most amazing or unique track, perhaps, but the delivery is what makes it.  Earnestness goes a really long ways to me.

David Bowie - So this is still coming out, huh.  Well, it's Bowie.  And... it's Bowie.  The quality is there, the voice is there.  The writing is... maybe not quite there, compared to other Bowie, this song doesn't speak to me as deeply or personally.  That might be a dealbreaker for me given the strength of the week.  But it's Bowie, I still immediately went back for 4 listens.

Pentatonix - Annnnnd another acapella track with a funny and positive subject, huh.  This one's a cover, but no negative there, Pentatonix clearly puts their own arrangement spin on the song.  This is also great.  One of the best Pentatonix tracks I've heard, actually.  I think Science edges it in the head to head, but it's veeeery close.... and I've swung the other way on that a few times now.

Rick Astley - I get a very President of the United States vibe from this song.  That and Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer.  It's very good, I'm really happy Astley's leveraging internet memes to come back, his older voice is pretty great.  In the context of this week, it's going head to head with Bowie and losing, but there's no shame in losing to Bowie.


Amazing week.  I liked everything.  Bowie > Astley, I think I like Science over Pentatonix in the end, Grande lands at the bottom mostly by default but is still good.  Do the acapellas beat Bowie... no.  Does IOI beat Bowie... ... ... yes?

I.O.I. > David Bowie > Acapella Science > Pentatonix > Rick Astley > Ariana Grande

[metroid composite]

Alright my ordering at the bell (tends to move around a lot to be fair):

Acapellascience > Ariana > pentatonix > rick Astley > i.o.i > Bowie

i.o.i definitely spent some time higher than 5th (as high as 1st probably, and as low as 6th).  Bowie, Astley, and pentatonix all spent some time outside of the top 6.

The three first places are bowie (aggregate about 1+2+6 = 9) acapella science (1+3+5ish = 9) i.o.i (similar).

And then the best one that didn't get any golds would be like...pentatonix (2 + 3 + 4 = 9)

Yeah, so, there really isn't a trend here.  Think I will go for acapellascience, though, just because it's my first place, and it was actually pretty dramatically ahead of the rest for me.  (Lyrics about awesome shit like Calculus wheeeeeeeeeeee).

[Grefter]

I probably should have noted that it absolutely is a you song.

[metroid composite]

This week had a ridiculous number of music videos (like...120) and...of course I forgot to send the links to myself.  Let's see how many of the top 6 I can remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuAdKbEEf0o
The 69 Eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGI0Pja2Sro
Nemesea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yR8wleuCho
Sigma ft Majestic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pLyutp2iJU
Macklemore ft Ryan Lewis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbV8htgtbfs
pentatonix ft jason derulo

And...a sixth one where I'm blanking on the artist name, so have some player piano instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbeEDE4XMEc
Player Piano /Sonya Belusova

[metroid composite]

Oh well, no responses yet, so here was the sixth one I couldn't remember:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfzbHKayVxE&nohtml5=False
Roxette

[Grefter]

Bad day/week at work, sorry, short.

The 69 Eyes - Have they come up before?  Old school hard rock stuff.  Pretty alright.

Nemesea - Very melodramatic.  Looks like I feel about losing my wallet but is actually about sick children?    Its okay, but not the mood.

Sigma ft Majestic - Drop is at 1:10.  A little offended at "Here comes the bass, put your hands up, GO!" for such a weak bass line.

Macklemore ft Ryan Lewis - So we have established that I am white enough to like Macklemore right?  Okay yep.  This feels too much like Froggy Fresh though.  You don't wanna go head to head with Froggy Fresh on his shtick.  You will lose because Froggy Fresh has perfected that shit.

pentatonix ft jason derulo - ft jason derulo is the official sign that you have gone too mainstream.
 
Player Piano /Sonya Belusova - This is probably more the original piece than the delivery, but man sometimes the timing on this sounds fucked.  She does a nice job and as always the piano itself is beautiful, but I don't know the source material super well so it makes some of the shifts in the song sound weird.

Roxette - Often when there is an old band that makes it on here I will talk about how I love their old stuff and I really dig that they push the envelope and still sound fresh, new and exciting (like say if Blondie ever gets on they are amaaaaaazing).  Roxette do not get that.  Roxette doesn't sound that evolved at all.  Maybe a bit partyish, but Roxette always was mainstream pop stuff, so whatever.  It is still really good.

I prefer Roxette, but would also totally go with 69 Eyes or Nemesea (I really hate Jason de Rulo tracks).

[metroid composite]

The 69 Eyes - Have they come up before? 

don't think os

[metroid composite]

So...I fully expect Grefter and Alex to talk me out of my personal favourite this week.  (Then again, if they do like it I'll totally be picking it).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fgzu9Fo66Y
Tom Odell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtV9Vi6tSVk
ParryGrip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIiCPopHxuU
Stratovarius

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6tfeK4NLuU
Berry Good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgUpRwMeRr4
Little Mix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nOqvm_62rM
Margaret

[Grefter]

Which one was it?

[metroid composite]

Which one was it?

Bearing in mind that I post these in random order, as I like to have you go in with a fresh perspective (as knowing what I liked can easily influence people).

First place for me was totally ParryGrip.  But it is one of those silly internet songs where I can't actually tell if other people will like it, or hate it and think it's obnoxious garbage.

[Grefter]

And I didn't post because I wanted to know for the same reasons.  Though I suspected as much.

Will edit in a run down in a bit.

[Ranmilia]

Didn't do last week due to forum glitches.  THis is a day late too, oops.  Thanks for songifying though!

Tom Odell - Is okay.  I like some of the little touches like putting the car engine sounds in, and the half dance beat.  Content and delivery doesn't do much for me.  If you break it down it's sort of whiny and grimey "why doesn't she love me" stuff?  Eh.

Parrygrip - This is catchy, cute and funny, and so close to being great!  The lyrics are flat though.  If they were just a LITTLE more clever or punchy I would love it, as is I just kind of like it.  With such a short length I think you really have to aim for the stars - I wanted a line that made me laugh out loud and didn't find one.

Stratovarius - It is metal from the heart and we know I'm a sucker for that.  Kind of by the book for this sort of thing though.  I will take it over many other things as a base, but it isn't particularly exciting or outstanding.

Berry Good - Softer take on kpop is neat.  Not really to my taste but at least it's unique.  The "pure" atmosphere of the video is drastically undercut by the sexualization, I'm not sure what to make of it.  Vocals are strong.

Little Mix - Stock content but really nice delivery.  It's very snappy and hummable/danceable.  I'm tempted to be all counterculture and dismiss it but... my kneejerk reaction is actually good?  That pizza in the video looks nasty though, but that strikes me as intentional.  Very casual song that invites you to like it, and I guess I do like it.

Margaret - Ahhh just as I was questioning my abnormal tastes hipster cred this came along and let me reaffirm it.  I can't even get all the way through a serious listen of this, it's generic and just bleh.

So.

Little Mix > Stratovarius > Parrygrip > Berry Good > Tom Odell > Margaret.

That's my pretty clear personal rank... buuuutttt I am definitely not opposed to MC fiat for Parrygrip though, it is cute and a very rare/novel sort of thing to find on the list.  The two I like above it it are neither very far above it nor particularly unique, some amount of pro-novelty bias for final picks is a thing I am in favor of.

[Grefter]

The day just got completely away from me.

Tom Odell - I dug this when I first listened to it.  It is the kind of mindless pop I like.  Sort of Coldplay with better singing and a more danceable drum line.  Probably my second favourite and the one I think is best put together, but it hits personal weaknesses.

ParryGrip - This is what I expected.  The only bullshit I will call is that bread doesn't love you.  It is trashy, but whatever. If this is what you like then this is probably what you should pick.

Stratovarius - This was my favourite because its camp as fuck and ridiculous metal

Berry Good - I kind of expected this to rate higher on an aggregate than it did.  I think its pretty solid.  I like it and its well put together, but I don't like it as much as cheesey metal or dance coldplay.  So... its middle of the road?  I don't think it is signs of a strong week either.  Weird.

Little Mix - I don't dig this.  Not the target audience though.  I guess this is a good use of your Sean Paul?  I like my break up songs to be devestating not celebratory.  ALso I think singing into a hair straightener is a fucking nightmare in the making.

Margaret - This has some nice trap beats in it.  A nice delivery and pretty great flow.  It is a shame it has like 5 lines because the repetition kills it.  DOw dowodwodwodwodow dow down sinks it even further.

[metroid composite]

Country Music and Insane Clown Posse and K-pop, Oh My!  (I am really not sure what to pick this week, incidentally)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Ovq52kaIw
Rachel Platten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGXaLdVMwRU
Elle King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDUapULLhv4
Insane Clown Posse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcnswosAUs
Mighty Mouth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9FTAcOK3cA
April

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3gEPlAsFQA
Anca Pop (this is actually one of three fairly good remixes of the same song--my favourite of the three as it stands out the most to me but I'd be open to arguments for this remix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1MKvTkLNvo or this remix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVAe9UvnHWM)

[Ranmilia]

Forums not dead again, yay!

Rachel Platten - Very simple.  Exists.  Doesn't do anything for me.  Especially fails to evoke the desired emotions, that's just me though.

Elle King - Hey, now this is much more my speed.  One of quite few country-based songs I've actually immediately liked.  Heavy pop influence, which should make it more generic, but the lyrics, delivery, and energy save it from that fate.  I expected to dismiss the "country" portion of the list but wound up with this being one of the strongest contenders this week.

Insane Clown Posse - Wow, they're still releasing music huh.  The last ICP-related thing I checked out was the upcoming Juggalo card game, which actually looks really good, so I tried to go into this with a hopeful and open mind.  Unfortunately the track has an overly simple, static flow and lyrics, weak atmosphere, and no development.  I can sort of vaguely see the attempt to appeal to blue collar populations with messaging about urban decay, but... it's just weak and I have to squint really hard to see even that.  Disappointing.

Mighty Mouth - Above average Kpop sums up this one.  Beats are good, vocals are good, song and video are funny.  Nothing spectacular or unique but enjoyable.

April - Kpop, Disney influence easily heard, sugary and light.  To me this is firmly average Kpop.  Below Mighty Mouth, not bad, but no desire to relisten.

Anca Pop - So, uh, the video's basically porn.  Not gonna lie, I have a hard time getting past that.  Which is a shame, because the music is pretty good.  I agree that this is the best of the three mixes, I like the vocal mods and reverb stuff a lot.  They're the main sell to me, actually.  Impossible not to think of SUPER HOT, due to both the main lyric and the auditory style.  It's a very fun listen, left me wanting more of the shenanigans.  But that video.

Pretty clear rank for me, the last few could shuffle but whatever.  Elle King is definitely my pick, way ahead of everything else.

Elle King > Anca Pop > Mighty Mouth > April > ICP > Rachel Platten.

[metroid composite]

Hmm...weird mix this week, but high quality weird.  If we go with the Big Daddi piece, I'm probably going to write about cultural appropriation (because this is a bunch of Germans trying to do their best American impression).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF6fudGO_Tg
Big Daddi & Andrew Spencer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUL6AKzJQw8
Krewella x Diskord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4tefnQGtNY
Ingrid Michaelson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlfHK_r7dug
Gareth Emery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rhp7SEQQFI
Visions of Atlantis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3cBZ5X-eGw
The Piano Guys



And bonus video--I don't think this is a serious option, because Daily Show videos are usually blocked in Canada (my entire family), but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSBGDC0rKWU
Black Trump (a.k.a. Roy Wood Jr)

[Grefter]

Big Daddi & Andrew Spencer - Ice Ice Baby (DJ Gollum feat. DJ Cap Video Edit) - Nothing about this makes any fucking sense but I enjoy it anyway.  Gut getting pelted with tennis balls and then getting red carded is the highlight.

I do also have a weakness for dudes busting out even weak breakdancing bits in modern songs and I blame Laggy.

Krewella x Diskord - Beggars - Pretty sure I liked last time Krewella came up?  Pretty sure I still liked it this time.  This is like Linkin Park's first album which is really the only one I dug.  The fact that it uses more dirty modern tones and mixes it with clean vocals probably makes me like it more.

It could probably have the break beat that carries the chorus mixed up a bit louder, but whatever.Ingrid Michaelson - "Hell No"  - I am not the target audience and the film clip was painful.  I get what they are going for and do think that if you really like this one you should go for it, but its not me.  I am pretty sure I have something like this in my collection somewhere but not this.

Gareth Emery feat. Gavrielle - Far From Home (Craig Connelly Remix) - I don't think I am being fair to this.  It hits a lot of things I like, it has some of those same tones from big bass stuff and it is pretty relentless, but it just fell kind of flat for me?  Not sure whats the go.

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS - Winternight - I am not sure if this is too much for Dhyer, but this is definitely in that wheelhouse.  The first half of it had me wondering why this is being released under Napalm Records or why the description said stuff about Symphonic Metal.  This is pretty rad.  Not really my kind of Symphonic Metal but I dig it.  It isn't hilariously over the top for one thing and it is wayyyy more on the Symphonic side than the Metal side (even when you get the the electric guitar its some pretty chill bass and drums).  Still yeah metal represent gets pretty far up my list.

The Jungle Book / Sarabande (Mayan Style) - ThePianoGuys - ThePianoGuys, opens with drums and cello.  I was disappointed.  Its neat I guess?  Shocking revelation that I am sure no one sees coming, I don't really care for/about Disney's Jungle Book.  Poking at their stuff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCaH-qqTWpk Their Kung Fu Panda mashed up with Chopin is more up my alley, but mostly just for the Chopin.  Its good though.  They are amazing at what they do (damn good musicians and whoever is doing their composition knows their shit), but eh.  Wrong track/week to rate.

Black Trump (a.k.a. Roy Wood Jr) - The uploader has not made this video available in your country.

Sorry about that.

I think I prefer Krewella x Diskord over the rest but like straight below that is a mileu of the others.  I couldn't pick between Big Daddi & Andrew Spencer and VISIONS OF ATLANTIS.  I couldn't pick between my indifference on the rest.

Where its good its good this week and where its not it just is mostly something missing the mark.

[Ranmilia]

Late on these, just haven't had any time to sit down and listen to musics the last couple days.  Apologies.

Big Daddi - Well, that certainly happened.  I think the middle phase loses some (or all) coherency, but, uh, it still brings it back in the end?  More interesting for the cultural stuff and the video than the actual music, for sure.

Krewella - This is some sort of Platonic ideal form of music.  So grungy I feel guilty listening, but still satisfying.  Very well put together. 

Ingrid Michaelson - You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you?  The perfect teen girl song.  Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility. I admire its purity.  A track unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality. 

Gareth Emery - Similar to Grefter's reaction, it seems okay on the surface but just didn't do anything for me.  Not really sure why.

Visions of Atlantis - I like both parts of the track independently, but I'm a little iffy on the combination.  It is still rad but I think I would like it better if it went full on one way or the other, or an even mix of both.  75% elegance 25% metal misses the mark for me.

The Piano Guys - I was in there for the first 1:30 when they were being drum and cello guys.  The piano is my least favorite part of the track, and the original mixing's way better than the straight Jungle Book cover.  Other parts are all really good though.  I am close to really liking it, but that break into the pavilion is just meh.

Black Trump - I didn't realize the gimmick until almost the end.  Absolutely amazing.  Wish other countries could see it.  This guy would win the general election.


Really interesting week.  Everything except Ingrid Michaelson and Gareth Emery are extremely close, and in similar ways, they're around 80% great and 20% I don't like.  Black Trump is fitting in shockingly low on the relative list, yet still is well above the "I feel good with this winning a week" bar.

Krewella > Visions of Atlantis > The Piano Guys > Big Daddi > (Black Trump) > Ingrid Michaelson > Gareth Emery

[metroid composite]

I feel like the overall quality of this week is high, as there was a good Justin Timberlake song that didn't make the cut.  Then again, none of these are super standout either.  Although if nothing else, one of my brother in law's favourite groups is back on the menu.  In other noteworthy writeup tidbits, NERVO does Drum n Bass, and Meghan Trainor does K-Pop (like...it's not just me, that's totally k-pop, right?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgmx7z49OEk
jennifer lopez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XEkXvUp8VM
teegan and sara

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvI9PuGorwI
rachel platten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8zB7QKU87c
headhunterz & skytech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDRORgoZxZU
meghan trainor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kKnAnn-nQo
nervo

[Grefter]

Going to post and edit thing in while I am on Mobile waiting for plane.

J-Lo -  Okay opening with talk about wage gap and a call for change is good.  Then it's mostly just a rejection of the house wife norm?

So this next bit it not writing to say "this is why this song is bad because it doesn't appeal to me" and just "why this doesn't appeal to me".  I just want to note that I am glad this exists.

It's like... Yeah I normally end up not liking Beyoncé tracks, but that is just because I am not the target audience not because I dislike the message.  So again, I am behind the message, but Beyoncé with less teeth is still not going to speak to me.  Probably even less so than Beyoncé does.

Also those denim chaps (?  I honestly don't even) kinda freaking me out.

Tegan & Sara - This is like Andy trying to direct a film clip for a break up song.  What's the saddest thing? PUPPIES.  So the whole thing is repeat slow motion shots of dogs.

I dig the song, it is elegant and as minimalist as the film clip.  I dig it, but then I almost always like break up songs.  The film clip is great but I like the song more, I just have less to say about the song because the film clip is puppies.

Rachel Platten - feels as emotionally manipulative as the film clip.  I am sure the cameramen doing all those pan shots helped not frame the "social experiment" in such a way as to produce spectacle (ignoring the obvious artifice).

I am mad because people feel joy.

headhunterz & skytech - fuck yeah this is more like it.  Car crashes and dead birds, now you are talking my language.  Someone wrote a modern dance track and dusted off their old big bass/stomp synth. It's alright. Not as relentless as an older hard dance track but hey it's there.

It is okay.

Meghan Trainor - okay I get where you are coming from, like K-Pop bands do a ton she is taking inspiration from older styles and mixing the up into a mileu of song.

Also to be a heap of shit and gauge someone's worth based on how they look, this is the best I think she has looked in one of the film clips I have paid attention to.  There is probably a lot of douche going on in those comments.

So like... What do I think of the song though?  Eh I dunno it's okay?

Nervo - Wonderwall as a dance track.  It's okay.  It's not Tegan and Sara.


So yeah Tegan and Sara for me by a long shot.  It's an okay week for me with a track I really really like and then there is everything else that's like okay I guess.

[Ranmilia]

J-Lo - Network quotes go straight to my heart, a good start.  Unfortunately, the complexity fades away once the song proper starts, and it becomes a straightforward empowerment song (and Hillary 2016 campaign ad).  Like Grefter said, it's cool this exists, but I didn't find it very enjoyable to listen to in either messaging or music.   

Tegan and Sara - Ehn.  Unlike Grefter, I don't bear any particular affection for breakup songs.  The minimalism here just comes off as "not enough there" to me. 

Rachel Platten - Wait, didn't we have this song up a couple weeks ago?  *checks*  Yes we did.  I ranked it last, and the new video does nothing to change my opinion.  I am mad because people feel joy.

headhunterz & skytech - Pretty standard dance track.  I like the vocals, especially at the start.  Meh on the synths but they're not terrible.  It's all right.

Meghan Trainor - Wow yeah, the section starting around 55 seconds is Xtreme Kpop Sound.  Nice blend of styles, there's a lot of Stuff Going On and I like that.  Like she's singing a kind of country beat, almost, but it's totally in a different context.  Eloquence!

Nervo - Are we far enough away from that movie to give a song this title safely?  I'm not sure, I spent every chorus primed to hear "can't hold it back anymooooooore"...  But that aside, I enjoyed the track quite a bit.  Feels very well produced.  This seems like a content-based week and the lyrics here did a good job for me at being "the other songs but better" - better breakup than T&S, better empowerment than J-Lo, better "find joy in life" than Rachel Platten. 

I went back and forth a bit between Meghan Trainor and Nervo but managed to talk myself into Nervo with writeups.  Those two definitely above all the rest for me.  Not a great week for my tastes, but it does seem a very lyrical content/topics that speak to people week, and these mostly all miss my various levels of brokenness.

Nervo > Meghan Trainor > headhunterz > J-Lo > Tegan and Sara > Rachel Platten

[metroid composite]

Teegan and Sarah was #1 for Grefter, #1 for me, and was decent writeup bait, so...went for that.

[metroid composite]

Since Florence + The Machine's Oddyssey came up quite a bunch, figure I'd link the compilation video which puts all parts of it back to back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HajiEqEtIRY

(Not going to consider it for the SotW as it's like...9 songs, not one; totes cheating).

[Grefter]

It would still win for me.