Top 10 Pop Music Divas
By Bill Lamb, About.com
1) Beyonce
2) Mariah Carey
3) Cher
4) Celine Dion
5) Whitney Houston
6) Janet Jackson
7) Madonna
8) Diana Ross
9) Barbra Streisand
10) Donna Summer
Top 10 Most Annoying Pop Songs of 2008
By Bill Lamb, About.com
Commercially successful pop music is not always good pop music. Many of us know that intuitively, but it doesn't really sink in until there is a particular song we wish would go away. Here are 10 that I have chosen as the songs I think we've heard enough times already. Without further adieu...the 10 most annoying pop songs of 2008.
1. The Pussycat Dolls - "When I Grow Up"
"Be careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it." Did we wish for this latest Pussycat Dolls opus? Yeah, it sticks in your head, sort of like that bubblegum to the bottom of your shoe. Lyrically, the song amounts to "When I grow up I don't wanna be a grown-up." The first album was great fun, but the Dolls are wearing out their welcome quickly. Bring back the wit of "Don't Cha" or let the group mercifully fade into the distance.
2. Christina Aguilera - "Keeps Gettin' Better"
Watch this phenomenal Christina Aguilera performance at this year's Grammy concert and then listen to the single "Keeps Gettin' Better." She sounds tired, bored, and uninspired. It's a serious letdown for fans of one of the most talented voices and arguably most creative individuals in pop music today. It really isn't "gettin' better" here.
3. Britney Spears - "Womanizer"
The video is Britney Spears in prime form, but the song? Yeah, we lost track of the number of times she says "womanizer," too. When your song makes listeners want to count your repetitive words, there really is something wrong. Fortunately, there is plenty of top notch music on Britney's Circus album to help you forget this annoying song.
4. Ray J. and Yung Berg - "Sexy Can I"
Ray J. takes the prize for the most blatant attempt to draw attention with salacious sexual allusions this year. I suppose this can go over well at parties and with those who like to giggle at the most clumsy sexual content in a pop song. Oh, and there is Shaquille O'Neal in the video.
5. Lil Wayne featuring Static Major - "Lollipop"
The tragedy of "Lollipop" is that 2008 was arguably THE year of Lil' Wayne and this became his biggest pop hit of the year. Fortunately, we had plenty of other opportunities to hear Lil' Wayne's true talents. This wasn't one of them.
6. Rihanna - "Rehab"
This is Rihanna on auto-pilot with Justin Timberlake along for the dull and annoying ride. The excuse for getting the year's most popular celebrity word into the mix is that your love is like a drug, so getting over you is like...you guessed it. Amy Winehouse is so annoyed right now.
7. Katy Perry - "I Kissed a Girl"
OK, this is a great song and a good performance. Revisit it a couple of years from now, and you are likely to smile and singalong. However, being over-played ad nauseam makes me never want to see cherry chapstick again. The controversy even seems boring and annoying now. Katy Perry truly hit her stride on the follow up "Hot 'n Cold."
8. New Kids on the Block - "Summertime"
Yep, this year the New Kids on the Block made their big return. However, this "Boys of Summer" for the permanently swoony 30 or 40-something boy band addict is not going to go down as one of their most memorable efforts. Ne-Yo did manage to perk up the guys who are no longer new or kids on the follow up "Single."
9. Savage featuring Soulja Boy Tell'Em - "Swing"
"Swing" was boring on its own. It only took the addition of Souljah Boy doing his same shtick once again to make this song truly annoying. The best thing about "Swing," however, are the homemade dance videos it inspired. Check one out below.
10. Shwayze - "Corona and Lime"
This laidback summer song introduced us to Shwayze. However, it gives little clue that there would be much to expect from him as an artist other than more bland, cliche-ridden pop-reggae. I do like my Corona and lime, but many more times through this annoying song, and I might swear off it for some time to come.
Top 10 Most Annoying Pop Songs of 2007
By Bill Lamb, About.com
Commercially successful pop music is not always good pop music. Many of us know that intuitively, but it doesn't really sink in until there is a particular song we wish would go away. Here are 10 that I have chosen as the songs I think we've heard enough times already. Without further adieu...the 10 most annoying pop songs of 2007:
1. Sean Kingston - Beautiful Girls
I gave it the benefit of the doubt when it first hit the charts, but after awhile Sean Kingston's nasally vocals really begin to grate on the nerves. The melody is so catchy it's almost impossible to avoid singing along while simultaneously shouting "Enough already!" That's even without mentioning the blatant sexism in the lyrics.
2. Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend
I don't know...maybe it's the overly juvenile sound of this slice of cheerleader rock, or perhaps it's the seemingly unneccessary and gratuitous use of offensive language in the album version, or maybe it's just realizing Avril Lavigne can do "so much better." She proves it elsewhere on the album The Best Damn Thing. Whatever it is, I've heard enough of "Girlfriend."
3. will.i.am - I Got It From My Mama
If you're an ugly girl, then your mama's ugly too. Yep, that's the gist of it here. Don't let this song keep you from listening to the rest of will.i.am's solo album Songs About Girls. It really is worthwhile listening. However, this song belongs squarely on the "My Humps" mixtape.
4. Mims - This Is Why I'm Hot
You know what? He's not hot anymore. The excitement over Mims has faded almost as quickly as it appeared. Holding my interest requires showing me why you're hot, not just telling me you're hot 'cause you fly. Aren't they basically the same thing?
5. Rihanna featuring Ne-Yo - Hate That I Love You
The song in which songwriter Ne-Yo thinks he's being clever but only succeeds in getting on our nerves. This is the only duet I'm aware of where both singers whine about how much they hate the fact that they're in love. Yeah, love stinks.
6. Justin Timberlake - Summer Love
The release of this single was a shameless effort to capitalize on the grand tradition of summer pop songs. Undoubtedly one of the weakest tracks from the FutureSex / LoveSounds album. We couldn't wait to have "LoveStoned" replace it on the radio.
7. T-Pain featuring Yung Joc - Buy You a Drank (Shawty Snappin')
I've got money. I'm famous. I'll buy you a drink. You'll come home with me. Sigh... Well, "Buy You a Drank" is spiced up a bit by making reference to other hip-hop hits. Once or twice was enough times to hear this for me.
8. Hinder - Better Than Me
Hands down, Hinder take the prize this year for the most hackneyed and inane lyrics in a hit pop song. "I really miss your hair in my face / And the way your innocence tastes." Hmmm...not the first 2 things many of us might think of...but then we're not Hinder. It's a no-brainer that rock isn't as popular as it once was if this is what pop radio chooses to give major exposure.
9. Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
Ah...the easiest hit song of the year to pick on. It really was rather fun the first several times through, and Soulja Boy can definitely dance. However, "Crank That" has seriously outworn its welcome, and I'm not sure Soulja Boy has anything else to hold our attention.
10. Mat Kearney - Nothing Left to Lose
It's earnest, it's emotional, and, yep, it's annoying. This is the downside to John Mayer. He pulls songs like this along in his wake.
I don't know all the songs from the 'annoying list', but God, the ones I know are awful indeed ! I can't stand 'I kissed a girl' or 'Beautiful girls'. That's why I don't listen to the radio and avoid music channels when I watch TV. Life's awesome without Rihanna, Katy Perry or Sean Kingston.
ReplyDeleteLOL! You ain't neva lied!
ReplyDeleteI agree with all the three lists!!
ReplyDeleteme too!!
ReplyDelete