General Top 40/Pop Music Thread

[KevShmev]

Too long to watch the whole thing , but Happier Than Ever at number 1 given your parameters made sense.  I only like a couple songs by Billie Eilish, but that song is pretty awesome.  Not surprised to see no Taylor, as Willow was her one big consistently charting single in 2021, and that is literally one of the two or three least best songs from Evermore. 

Serious question: can The Weeknd actually sing?  Both big hits, Save Your Tears and Blinding Lights, are insanely catchy and enjoyable, but it feels like his vocals are constantly drowned in effects to where I can't tell if he can actually sing without a lot of studio trickery.  I know he did the Super Bowl, but I have zero memory of it.

[Ben_Jamin]

I actually really enjoy Ellie Goulding's song Burn. My nieces like the song and I would only pay attention to the chorus as that's the part they sing along to and is the part I hear from tv, radio, or the stores.

It came up on my Spotify after my playlist ended and after hearing it, it's a good song. The music and the atmosphere it gives is nice.

[Skeever]

I've been really listening to Ariana Grande's last 3 albums a lot recently ("Sweetener", "thank u, next", and "Positions") and I've got to say I just absolutely love the vibe of all three of these records. They're just like R&B soundscapes that are extremely relaxing to listen to.

[HOF]

I've been really listening to Ariana Grande's last 3 albums a lot recently ("Sweetener", "thank u, next", and "Positions") and I've got to say I just absolutely love the vibe of all three of these records. They're just like R&B soundscapes that are extremely relaxing to listen to.

My kid loves Ariana Grande. I'd actually say it's some of the more listenable modern pop stuff that she likes.

[Zook]

I can't stand Ariana Grande. One Last Time is nice, but everything else is abysmal. Ellie Goulding is good though.

[Skeever]

I've been really listening to Ariana Grande's last 3 albums a lot recently ("Sweetener", "thank u, next", and "Positions") and I've got to say I just absolutely love the vibe of all three of these records. They're just like R&B soundscapes that are extremely relaxing to listen to.

My kid loves Ariana Grande. I'd actually say it's some of the more listenable modern pop stuff that she likes.

There's nothing I've found quite like her. Her lyrics/songwriting can be pretty hit or miss, but the combination of the voice with that really slick, urban production, is just so unique. I've found artists who are better than her pound for pound in many categories, but no one who quite pulls everything together the way that she does in a way that just totally hits the spot for me from time to time.

[Stadler]

I get it, it's like any genre, so sometimes people like it sometimes they don't, but IMO there's a lot of decent stuff in the Top 40/Pop Music genre.  I think I gravitate to that which boils down to a solid performance or a well-written song (even if it appeals to the masses; I think it's hard to connect to people to begin with, so anything that DOES connect to me is something to be applauded not derided).  I think I lose interest when it's just weird for the sake of being weird. 

Thankfully, I've found that there are more of the former than the latter, even today in the age of "likes" and "viral". 

[Ben_Jamin]

I really got into Ghost by Justin Bieber.  It's even better live because the live band adds more guitar to it.

[HOF]

I've never heard of this artist before (she may be someone well known even), but this performance blew me away and it seems like it might fit in this thread.

Elise Trouw - See Through (Live Loop Video) at Sweetwater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnqgYm0CXys