31 August 2018 If you wanted a hit single in 2017-18, clearly you first had to sound somewhat sad-to-morose, then steer a course between the dreary folk-pop of Ed Sheeran and the dreary trap-hop of Drake. George Ezra's groaning 'Shotgun' hugged the Sheeran shoreline; Post Malone's dumb 'Rockstar' dredged the Drakean shallows. Here, 'Eastside' still … Continue reading Benny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid – ‘Eastside’
Tag: 10s
George Ezra – ‘Shotgun’
29 June 2018 Are you a fan of Glór Tíre, Opry an Iúir and the rest of TG4's round-the-clock coverage of the country & Irish scene? Then you'll find the post-chorus part of 2018 chart-topper 'Shotgun' by George Ezra to be similar to the chorus of 2014 single 'Flowers In Your Hair' by Carlow country … Continue reading George Ezra – ‘Shotgun’
Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – ‘Solo’
22 June 2018 Ireland's chart-topping singles of the mid-to-late-'10s have been mostly a litany of bland, basic, trop-house-flavoured EDM-pop. 'Solo' is similar in particular to Dua Lipa's 'IDGAF' earlier that year in serving up big talk and a timid chorus F-bomb. Clean Bandit know how to top the charts with innocuous dance-pop, though their trademark … Continue reading Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – ‘Solo’
Ariana Grande – ‘No Tears Left To Cry’
27 April 2018 This was the first new music released by Ariana Grande after the bomb attack outside her concert in Manchester on 22 May 2017. Twenty-two people were killed by the attack and over a thousand others were injured. The up-tempo electro-pop of 'No Tears Left To Cry' aims to be defiant and resolute … Continue reading Ariana Grande – ‘No Tears Left To Cry’
Drake – ‘God’s Plan’
2 February 2018 Maybe the provocative video for 'God's Plan' was acknowledgement that the track was especially bland and needed an add-on to grab attention. The synth riff and trap beat are nice but slight. Drake's rap, though, is a contrail of nothingness, a swatch of beige and off-white shades you could paint your kitchen … Continue reading Drake – ‘God’s Plan’
Dua Lipa – ‘IDGAF’
26 January 2018 I feel defeated. 'IDGAF' must be one of the dullest tracks ever to top the charts. From its lack of a tune to its lack of a hook, the whole thing is resolutely dour and flat. The pitch is Dua Lipa serving up attitude, but her cursive monotone is a subdued mumble … Continue reading Dua Lipa – ‘IDGAF’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Perfect’
8 December 2017 When all 16 tracks from Ed Sheeran's Divide album swamped the top twenty in the UK and in Ireland in March 2017, they had to change the rules. However, Ed wasn't done with breaking the charts that year, no sirree. 'Perfect' had been around for a while - after all, it was … Continue reading Ed Sheeran – ‘Perfect’
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – ‘Havana’
3 November 2017 With all the tropical house appropriation of the preceding couple of years, it's somewhat heartening that 2017 gives us two huge Latino Caribbean hits—'Despacito' and now 'Havana'—from acts for whom the culture is their family heritage rather than a keyboard setting. That said, I wonder if there are native Cubans who feel … Continue reading Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – ‘Havana’
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – ‘Rockstar’
20 October 2017 My brain, stretched to breaking point by all this listening and mulling on Ireland's historically WTF music purchases, evidently only has room for one chart-topping track called 'Rockstar', as this 2017 number one has been overwritten by a number one of the same name from 2020. Another explanation is that this one … Continue reading Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – ‘Rockstar’
Taylor Swift – ‘Look What You Made Me Do’
1 September 2017 Our first chart-topping encounter with the world's biggest pop star feels like it's overdue. 'Shake It Off', 'Style' and 'Bad Blood' had already been gargantuan hits in the preceding couple of years, even if only top ten placers in Ireland. They had also helped establish the most popular flavours in the Taylor … Continue reading Taylor Swift – ‘Look What You Made Me Do’
