Autumn 2020: UK Top 20 Hit Songs Ranked
4/4...
The finale in a four-part series that has spanned each season of 2020 and covered the most popular music throughout the year.
When I began this series in January, I wanted to do something different for my blog, particularly given the lack of mainstream coverage as more and more of the albums I typically cover come from the underground. I've been fascinated by pop music for a while, and observing and commenting on what is popular is like second nature to me, so beginning this series was somewhat inevitable. Of course, I have to praise my influences here for the sleek format and their own entertaining commentaries, primarily the Double Agent and Sean Fey Wolfe. Now, how well the format translates from video to blog is for you to decide, but I'm incredibly proud of how this has turned out and I'm announcing here and now that I will in fact be continuing it into 2021 and hopefully beyond.
Now, as far as how enjoyable this particular ranking was to put into place, I can't deny that the songs were overall lacking in the kind of starpower that dominated the Summer hits. On that ranking, big names like The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Blackpink, Ariana Grande, Stormzy and Harry Styles. Only one of these artists appears on Autumn's top 20, and aside despite multiple appearances from Drake this season is definitely dominated by rising stars rather than established ones. That's not a criticism in any way, but a fascinating observation that perhaps reflects an "out with the old" mentality that I can see why is commonplace in such a tragic and punishing year. Anyway, enough ramble, let's get this thing started...
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20
"Holy"
Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper
Chart Position: #10
First of all, this is supposed to be quite a soulful, almost-gospel tinged track to coincide with the blurred lines between romance and religion on this track. I say supposed to be, because the reality is the drabbest, most unbearably white take on a classic sound palette. Bieber's lyrics here induce pain. Yes I'm fully aware this is nothing new, and his older tracks like "Baby" and "Mistletoe" prove their worth (or lack thereof) with every subsequent listen, particularly in the lyrical department. But at least with those songs, everyone involved knew they weren't being clever. The writers of those songs were very clearly focused on making pop hits that would appeal to the largely pre-teen demographic that was Justin Bieber's audience. Half a decade later, and Justin Bieber's fourth studio album Purpose was released.
This was, without a doubt, his best album. Inevitably, it had its fair share of lows, but overall the songs were less annoying and far, far better written, reflecting the requirements of an aging audience reaching into their later teens. This was an essential part of Bieber's marketing, the way to keep him relevant when so many other child stars were falling out of favour with the public. What happened next? Well... nothing. It took five long years before Bieber made his comeback, and by that time he was an adult and the marketing department at his record label needed a way to keep him relevant so that they could keep milking Bieber as probably their biggest star for years to come. The problem with this? Aside from his latest album completely flopping, the singles failed to stick around for as long as his previous work. I have two reasons as to why this was the case. Reason number one: aside from "Yummy", none of the songs are in any way catchy or memorable. Reason number two: the writing was arguably the worst it has been throughout his entire career, mainly due to the fact that the marketing department didn't know what to do with Bieber. And I sincerely hope that "Holy" isn't what they've landed on.
It thinks it's intelligent. That's my big problem. I just don't want to hear a song from the perspective of Bieber rambling on about his Christianity, bringing his typically emotionally void vocals over a dull, lifeless soul instrumental. Not only this, but there's one specific lyric in here that comes across as anti-Buddhism, and I don't think Bieber means that in a provocative way to allude to the religious tensions and intolerance of our modern society. So yes, not only do I detest this song, but I am also offended by it. Congratulations Justin Bieber, for continuing to make my ears bleed into a new decade. Your persistence is admirable.
Please stop.
19
"Laugh Now Cry Later"
Drake, Lil Durk
Chart Position: #13
On top of all this, the song is too long for its own good, topping out at well over four minutes. Not that a runtime like that would usually bother me, but in this case it's over four minutes of the same looping, flat trumpet and piano sample that just goes around and around and around and around and around and arou-
*shudders*
Yikes. Well it goes around and, ah, it's this absolute lack of variation or creativity in terms of how the sample is used that just enables it to get under my skin, the monotony of the sounds droning on in my head and reminding me of a far better executed hit from last year that also utilised a minimalistic horn section along with a simple beat, although that song was J. Cole's "Middle Child", which did it specifically to emphasise the interesting lyrics and narrative aspect of the track. Unsurprisingly, Drake's song doesn't do this. The lyrical substance of "Laugh Now Cry Later" goes about as deep as the title, given that the whole song is just Drake's typical writing tropes and an awkward verse from whoever Lil Durk is. Maybe you think I shouldn't have put it in the Terrible Tier just because it's boring, but it's the complete lack of effort, emotion and interest that has me convinced this is not simply a dull song, but an insufferably unengaging one.
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18
"Lasting Lover"
Sigala, James Arthur
Chart Position: #18
Generic beat, warm synth stabs, James Arthur's overbearing singing? Check. Well I suppose this fits all the usual criteria for an entry into the Meh Tier then. Right. Moving on I suppose. Except, wait. What's that I hear? They've sampled the iconic synth riff from MGMT's 2007 hit single "Time To Pretend", one of my favourite pop songs of all time - you have my attention. I wonder how they choose to utilise the sample throughout the song, what they do to really make it their own. Oh, what's this? They turn it into an overcompressed, piercing and irritating synthline... and they use it as the song's main drop?! What is this cruel world and why am I here.
On a separate note, I've just realised that James Arthur's vocals might just be the Beta version of Lewis Capaldi. No wonder I've always hated him.
17
"Giants"
Dermot Kennedy
Chart Position: #16
Speaking of Lewis Capaldi, if James Arthur is his English Beta version then Dermot Kennedy here is his folksier Irish counterpart. A modded version, you could say. To give you some background, I actually started off quite liking his single "Lost". In fact, I even through it on a playlist I had at the time. Then came "Outnumbered". If you want to know my opinions on THAT song, well, I suggest you read this. To summarise, listening to "Outnumbered" was like taking a drive in a brand new car that you think is pretty good. Suddenly, the car takes on a life of its own and drives you off a cliff. Since then, I've been extremely wary of all the songs that this guy has put out, most of which have landed on the wrong side of mediocre. Just like this new one of his. If there's one thing that instantly jumped out at me, it was the fact that songs called "Giants" tend to utterly fail to compel me, or even feel appropriately gigantic as they kind of should. Sometimes this is because they're just underwhelming songs, and sometimes it's because they're by Take That. Regardless, songs with the title tend not to be my cup of tea, and this new one from Dermot is exactly that.
First of all, the immediacy of Dermot's strained, tryhard-earnesty in his vocals is the quickest way you can convince me this is a song I should skip. The thing is, Dermot clearly isn't content to leave it as that, placing an ugly clapping rhythm under everything that acts as the main percussion for the verses. Behind this is the reverbed, faux-grandiose backing vocals, singing ominous "ooo"s just to let you know that- well I'm not even quite sure really, I suppose it's to let you know that they couldn't think of any interesting backing vocals and they wanted to expand the song a little past the bare-bones percussion and piano. Speaking of the percussion once more, after all, it's one of the song's worst features, it evolves with the chorus to being unjustifiably metallic and cheap sounding, contrasting with the warmth of the serviceable piano chords and offsetting the song's entire vibe. And no, doing so is not creative or clever but simply a product of contemporary production choices made to sacrifice the song's natural sound for one that is "trendy". At least they didn't slap a trap beat onto it, this isn't Tom Walker after all.
16
"you broke me first"
Tate McRae
Chart Position: #9
Billie Eilish has sure left her mark on the mainstream, and just like Lorde before her there was sure to be a horde of copycat artists attempting to capitalise on her sound in her absence. This is pretty much all there is to Tate McRae, who's single here is a bass-heavy, minimalistic trap-pop / indie pop adjacent song with a personality-devoid singer and lyricist who just comes across as butthurt and selfish, something that really shouldn't be the case given the guy she's singing about very clearly comes across as a not particularly pleasant person (to say the least). Unfortunately, the lack of details, skittish and predictable beat and vocals that make her sound like a Billie Eilish impressionist with a strong cold are all elements too strong for me to take this seriously, or hold it in any kind of regard. It isn't a song I enjoying listening to and I certainly don't want to hear it again, but I suppose at least it isn't as bad as Kiiara.
15
"Mood Swings"
Pop Smoke, Lil Tjay
Chart Position: #6
Obviously there are many parallel cases of artists obtaining varying degrees of success and even acclaim after their untimely deaths, particularly in the rap scene over the past few years, but when it comes to posthumous releases there's always the feeling that the record labels are exploiting people's guilt for their money, something that becomes particularly evident when a now-passed artist releases several albums in a single year. Thankfully, this hasn't been the case with Pop Smoke; rather, the label managed to get his debut album finished up and released a few months after his death, and delivered it in a gratifyingly polished and complete state that speaks to a respect of the artist and his work that I appreciate. Not only this, but the singles from the project has naturally grown to reach heights rather than experiencing the typical surge and drop off that typically characterises releases such as these.
In terms of the actual song, I'm afraid to say that "Mood Swings" is easily one of the weakest songs on the album and a definite low point in his discography. It's a boring, pretty flavourless trap song with a decent bell-like synth that's too far back in the mix to capture my attention. On top of this, the song's actual beat is pretty lacklustre and I can't help but feel the feature here from Lil Tjay is the weakest part of the song, although neither artists' flows are in any way impressive, let alone the lyrics. Trust me when I say there are far better Pop Smoke songs out there, two of which we'll get to later on in this ranking.
14
"Head & Heart"
Joel Corry, MNEK
Chart Position: #12
I feel as though Joel Corry has been frustratingly slipping since the release of his breakthrough single "Sorry" in 2019, the followup "Lonely" feeling comparatively generic and severely lacking in its exploration of what is essentially an identical sound palette to the aforementioned breakthrough hit, which I found to be satisfyingly engaging and creative in its unusual minimalist chorus that stood out from the oversaturation of the drop in almost all dance and pop music as of late. All of this now said, I was certainly cautious first going into this song, hoping that it wouldn't end up as another inferior retread of Joel's seminal single. So, what exactly did we get from Joel's third single in the spotlight? Let's just say that the downward trajectory has persisted, with this latest effort coming across as, well, lacking effort.
I think my primary issue here is the decreasing size of Joel Corry's tunes, something that is a direct result of his lack of creativity and differentiation. Not only do "Lonely" and "Head & Heart" both lack the chorus quirk that became the focal point of "Sorry", but when listening through the songs chronologically there is an audible devolving of creativity in how the songs were put together. Now, "Lonely" may have been far from bad, but there were moments (albeit not as prominent) that clearly mirrored its predecessor, particularly in the song's structure, a fact that impeded the impact it had on me, along with a more repetitive chorus and somewhat irritating post-chorus courtesy of the featured singer Harlee. Now, fast forward to "Head & Heart" and all the issues of "Lonely" are only magnified, as the beat is noticeably simpler, the choppy percussion as the track builds is less clear and precise and the chorus is the most repetitive and simplistic from a musical perspective, and the most frustratingly irritating from a lyrical one as MNEK sings the criminally unignorable "bum-bum-ba-dum-dum"s that utterly tear this song apart from the inside. Not only this, but it lacks any kind of creative musical decision such as the chorus breakdown on "Sorry" or the exciting bridge leading to the final chorus on "Lonely". In this way, the song comes across as empty and hollow, a cheap capitalisation on sounds proven to work but executed without any heart. An ironic failure, given the song's title and lyrics.
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13
"GREECE"
DJ Khaled, Drake
Chart Position: #15
Have you ever wondered what Drake would sound like if he was trying to emulate the swathes of up and coming rappers capitalising on the genre's popularity without any respect for quality or legacy? Well funnily enough neither had I, but that's exactly what you get here on "GREECE", the 'comeback' single from DJ Khaled, a fact that really shouldn't be a big deal given Khaled doesn't make or produce any of his music. But of course, Drake's name is here, and a prestigious feature such as this is the exact kind of thing that someone as pointless as DJ Khaled needs to stay relevant, and so here we have a song that comes across as the epitomé of relevancy chasing and a desire for clout. Of course I hate it. That said, it's a lot less bad than it could have been, with a genuinely pleasant atmosphere and halfway decent synths. Other features include a repetitive, generic trap beat; repetitive, generic flows; repetitive, generic lyrics and, ah yes, a repetitive and generic melody. So... pretty unremarkable and somewhat frustrating. I mean it's exactly what I expected really.
12
"Dynamite"
BTS
Chart Position: #19
This song is incredibly lame and more than a little embarrassing, with a feel good chorus and party theme that couldn't be more out of place in the year that is 2020. *sigh*, I wish I was satisfied leaving it at that, but sadly that is not the case. Here goes.
Firstly, this song is melodramatic. Not a criticism, not a commendation, simply a fact. This song is melodramatic. What's the point of me stating this? Well, for one it plays into the issue I mentioned in the prelude to the song in which I mentioned how out of place it is in a year where parties are impossible. Now, there will always be people who want specifically to hear a song to remind them of better times, of fun and dancing and excitement, to fill the void created by Covid, and I completely respect and understand this. No, the problem begins with the hype that the members of BTS give to this song in their verses, and the contrast that the chorus actually provides. It's not that the song isn't danceable, but the kind of partying that they're talking about comes across as huge and undeniable, something irresistibly funky and fun - the song is literally called "Dynamite" for goodness sake, and yet I listen and then the instrumental just doesn't match up. "Can you hear the bass boom?" asks Suga in the pre-chorus, followed later by a resounding "let's go!" from RM: these are the kind of lyrics that require a strong instrumental. However, there is no incredible bass boom, no "King Kong" sized kick drum, and certainly no moment that in any way justifies Suga excitedly stating "this is getting heavy". No, this song isn't a powerful, grandiose dance track. What it is, however, is a weak attempt at recreating Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now" mixed with the Jonas Brothers' "Sucker", a surefire recipe for success, but not one for quality it seems.
For one, what made both Dua Lipa's and the Jonas Brothers' hits so enticing was their respective basslines. Dua's bassline was a poised and commanding cobra, whilst "Sucker" was essentially a remake of a better song's bassline. The bassline here on "Dynamite" is not commanding, and nor is it booming or even particularly catchy. No, the bassline here is hidden non-offensively at the back of the mix, easily ignorable and barely present in a song that compresses every other element to a ridiculous degree, creating a sterile and controlled sound that takes away from the free fun of a good party song, thereby failing to convey the exact feelings that I want a taste of in a party-less world. Aside from this, the lyrics are characteristically cringe inducing and the rest of the instrumental is made up of a particularly cheesy but fun brass section. All in all, this thing doesn't entirely suck, but it fails to complete its base function and that frustrates me.
11
"Tick Tock"
Clean Bandit, Mabel, 24kgoldn
Chart Position: #11
Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock...
Yeah, if this isn't the most blatant capitalisation on a piece of relevant pop culture, I don't know what is. Aside from that, well it's an incredibly unambitious and boring exploit, sorry, exploration of dance-pop that does absolutely nothing new or interesting. In short, it's exactly what I expect from a Clean Bandit song that doesn't feature an exceptional singer, and it sounds less human than some songs written by AI. Next!
10
"Lemonade"
Internet Money, Gunna, Don Toliver, Nav
Chart Position: #5
Were this song to feature some actually interesting rappers with something at least engaging to actually talk about, then this could have been a pretty decent song. Unfortunately, some pretty nice flows at the beginning of the song and curious production flares that dwell deep in the background of the mix are all totally squandered by an ultra-generic beat, a boring chorus and bad guest verses. On top of this, the transitions between the mournful guitar introduced in the song's first few bars and the actual beat is unsatisfying in its compromise between a hard transition and a typical soft one, resulting in something that just sounds awkward and uncommitted, much like the rest of the song. Besides that, I really don't have much to say here as this song just isn't interesting, to listen to or to talk about.
9
"For The Night"
Pop Smoke, Lil Baby, DaBaby
Chart Position: #17
That said, it's certainly closer, with a pretty great chorus and a much more engaging beat than "Mood Swings", although that may be more because of its jarring pauses than the beat itself having much substance. What I do appreciate is the soothing guitar and Middle Eastern flare to the supporting instrumentation, although unfortunately this is somewhat compromised during my least favourite part of the song, that being DaBaby's verse. I mean, I've made no secret about finding his music to be painfully generic and similar, but it's here on "For The Night" that he's at his worst, simply because his brand of somewhat aggressive rapping is in apodictic juxtaposition to the more downbeat atmosphere of the song, an atmosphere that he utterly compromises for the duration of his verse, a fact that frustratingly pulls this song down a Tier for me. Other than that, the lyrics here aren't particularly worthwhile outside of that chorus, and all in all there remain better Pop Smoke songs.
8
"Midnight Sky"
Miley Cyrus
Chart Position: #7
Am I the only person who is stubbornly unimpressed by this? I mean sure, who doesn't love a good eighties pop throwback like this, I'm definitely someone who would usually be more than up for something like this. Of course, I work confidently on a case to case basis, and I won't simply subscribe to a song just because it's suddenly cool to like Miley Cyrus music, or because she's made a clear throwback to a genre that is currently in a state of overexposure. Overexposure that inevitably harkens underperformance, something this song criminally suffers from, and no I'm not referring to Miley's vocals on this thing but the instrumentation itself.
Everyone is talking about how this track is a hard reset for Miley, whilst as far as I'm concerned she's already had about four other career milestones that could equally be named that, and this track here feels a whole lot less important than any one of those tracks. Firstly, it's one thing choosing to make a throwback track such as this, but context is everything and not only has our society been obsessed with eighties nostalgia for almost a decade at this point, but it's a nostalgia that is likely at its peak in 2020 and therefore takes away any and all novelty that Cyrus making a song in this genre would potentially have had. On top of all this, and potentially my primary issue with the track, is the fact that the instrumental just isn't that good. Sure it has the characteristically chugging synth bass that sounds pleasant enough, but the splashes of the synth pad do little more than fill space and the drums are about as simplistic as you can get without making a "We Will Rock You" beat, so she's not exactly scoring any points there either. Then comes the moment every music critic is going to be drooling over: the guitar in the final pre-chorus. What do I think of it? Well...
It's weak.
Really weak.
It honestly sounds scared to steal the show as it's clearly intended to do, as if the producer (Louis Bell) was afraid the mainstream wasn't ready to hear a guitar, thereby channelling that fear into what ends up being a pathetically timid guitar. What's worst is, the song could really have benefited from an actually strong guitar presence to help hit the message home, but instead we're left with a mix that's horribly claustrophobic and far too dependent on people just loving synth basslines in order to carry the song. Admittedly, it do be a good bassline. But that's not enough to carry the song.
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7
"WAP"
Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion
Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion
Chart Position: #2
So this song is **** **** ***** **** **** **** ****** **** **** - woah, woah, no need for that. Everyone gets it. This song is pretty ****ing explicit. Excuse the bad humour.
"WAP" is a song that has really only drawn in as much attention due some incredible marketing and the novelty-that-shouldn't-be-a-novelty of two female rappers collaborating. This isn't the most explicit song, nor is it the most explicit song ever to hit the charts, but admittedly it is pretty out there at least when compared with the majority of songs that hit the Top 40. What I am willing to say about it is that the flipping of the sample from something derogatory to something empowering is, well, cool I suppose. It isn't exactly the first time anyone's done that before, and neither is the sample actually that good or interestingly integrated. Cardi and Megan do have some pretty good flows, but what actually matters about the song is there are some phenomenal one liners. Aside from that, well, it's actually quite a basic song, and another demonstration of Megan wasting her potential. If you disagree, I recommend checking out Tina Snow.
Oh, and one more thing. F***- [this content is censored as it may be deemed offensive by some audiences]
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6
"Mood"
24kgoldn, Iann Dior
Chart Position: #1
Okay, so this might come as a shock but this song is actually really fun. Don't be dissuaded by these artists' previous songs because yes, neither 24kgoldn nor Iann Dior have ever made a song that's even just peaked my interest in the past, and when I first saw this was at number one I thought it would immediately fall off and fade away. The truth is though, I couldn't stop listening to this thing, and clearly I wasn't the only one as it's currently spending its second week at the top spot, and seventh week on the chart overall, having showcased some rapid but admirably natural growth from its initial debut at #51. Sure, each and every year there are countless songs that progress naturally up the charts in the same way, but I think the significance here for me is that the artists in question have never before felt like they could actually carry a song enough for it to be a real, bona fide hit. On "Mood" though, well, let's just say they have a not-so-secret weapon in their favour.
The chorus. It's irresistibly catchy, intoxicating and quite frankly one of the strongest I've heard this year, from any artist in any genre. The rest of the song though? Well, it's surprisingly okay. Although they may lack prominence, the peppy guitars make for some essential energy with something of a pop-punk vibe, if a little on the light side. Aside from that, the beat is alright and there are some good progressions from the weak verses into that defining chorus, and the later pre-choruses serve as similarly great moments that help take the song from mid to good. Of course, the lyrics themselves somewhat fail to match the rest of the track's quality, but this is more than I could ever have hoped for.
5
"Looking for Me"
Paul Woolford, Diplo, Kareen Lomax
Chart Position: #4
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This song is in the Good Tier for one single reason. That reason is the flourish of synth keys in the later choruses and in the surprisingly atmospheric middle eight section which could have been taken straight out of an ambient drum'n'bass track. Huh. That could have been really great actually. Other than that, this song has some pretty engaging little edits going for it that help to elevate things, and overall it's just a style of music I'm biased towards so yes, I quite enjoy it. Do I have anything else to say about it? I think this will answer your question:
4
"What You Know Bout Love"
Pop Smoke
Chart Position: #14
Here we go then, the third and in my opinion best of Pop Smoke's three hits in the Top 20. To me, this song excels in one region that elevates it to the heights I've placed it in, and that region is atmosphere. To me, this is a vibe first and a song second, with each individual element helping to contribute to a very specific and delightful feeling. What better way to introduce itself with the muffled sample of a sincere 2000s R&B song guiding the listener into an immediate lull, with Pop's husky voice laughing casually over the intro. To me, this is an immediate and classic-rooted way to master the atmosphere of a song, and despite the obvious difference in sound in reminds me in some ways of Tricky and his knack for excellent, precise samples, just as this song has selected the perfect phrase to contribute to "What You Know Bout Love"'s sleazy yet sweet vibe. What comes next you ask? Well, that would be the beat, which is a whole lot more basic, but is paired with a modulated, phasing synth key in the background which pretty fantastically utilises panning again to heighten that atmosphere. In accentuating the gentle sides to each instrument in the song, Pop's voice is allowed to continue acting as a guide taking you through what's otherwise an incredibly basic song. Yeah, you could very easily make the argument that this is far from his best song, and I won't disagree that this isn't Pop Smoke's most interesting, but I love it for what it achieves and the feelings of bliss it evokes, with the help of some genuinely sharp writing.
3
"Take You Dancing"
Jason Derulo
Chart Position: #8
Well this is embarrassing.
And no, I don't mean for me, I mean for Miley Cyrus. What Jason Derulo has done here is make a song that blows "Midnight Sky" out of the water. I won't apologise for enjoying good music, and honestly that's exactly what this is. This song features an incredibly groovy bassline that demands you dance (I mean it's right there in the title). More than this though, it has distinct features to each section of the song, something I feel is worth mentioning given Derulo's tendency to base everything around one specific loop, but no, here on "Take You Dancing" the structure is impeccable, transitioning from an alluring, attention grabbing intro into a sly, retro R&B verse with some admittedly cringy lyrics but a growing pulse that is gorgeously developed with a subtle piano in the prechorus, adding a dreamier quality to the inviting guitarline. And then the chorus hits. Oh what a chorus.
In fact, from here on out the song is firing on all cylinders, with a significantly improved second verse that nicely builds on both the groove of the chorus and the atmosphere of the previous verse, filling out the space in the song before it all drops out again in the chorus before it hits all over again with the song's centrepiece, the infectious post-chorus. Quite frankly, I'm confident in calling this Jason Derulo's very best song, for the incredible production (looking at you Miley), amazing bassline (looking at you Joel Corry), successfully uplifting vibes (looking at you BTS), and, maybe best at all from my perspective, Jason Derulo showing some restraint when it comes to his pig-squeal falsetto.
And yes, I am as surprised as you are that I actually like this.
2
"808"
Da Beatfreakz, Dutchavelli, DigDat, B Young
Chart Position: #20
I have nothing to say about this song.
I mean, it's fun. It's really fun. Also, the weird shaky percussion in the song's outro is incredible. Also, I very much enjoy the warping basslines that have become a staple of UK grime and drill music. Also, their flows are pretty entertaining, engaging and they all play off of each other very well, something particularly satisfying in the age of forced remixes. Also, the song's atmosphere proves what I've noticed about a lot of British rap music being influenced in some of the best possible ways by US rap, particularly when it comes to those strings, as well as the minimalism (not minimalistic but actually minimalism) type approach the song takes towards putting things together in a very loop-oriented yet satisfyingly cohesive progressions.
Huh. I suppose I actually had quite a bit to say about this song.
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1
"Ain't It Different"
Headie One, AJ Tracey, Stormzy
Chart Position: #3
It's also the first time any of these three artists have had a song in the Excellent Tier, and there are some very good reasons for that, one of which could very well lead to me rambling about excelling in atmosphere again... could lead to, but for the entertainment of you as the readers I'll try and keep it at a minimum. Firstly, this is one of many high profile collaborations that all three of these UK rappers have put out this year, and whilst I'd say I've enjoyed the vast majority of those various different songs, it's here on "Ain't It Different" where the titans of grime are at their peak, and indeed much of that is likely courtesy of them having such an impressive beat to rap over.
This song contains not one but two prominent samples, one of which is a loose guitar melody from a Red Hot Chilli Peppers song, the other being a vocal sample taken from the Lady Saw song "No Long Talking". These samples used together as they are is, I must say, a pairing that thrives off of how disjointed they are, the haunting guitar failing to keep time whilst the vocals add something of an aggressively victorious angle to the song, both of which work together in tandem with the stuttering, warping, bass-heavy beat to offset the more mechanical synthesiser as it 'bleeps' to its own tune in the background. The magic? Honestly just the fact that these wildly different song elements come together in such a simultaneously perfect and yet fragmented fashion, helping it to go above and beyond any of the other songs I covered today.
So, to sum up this seasonal Top 20 ranking we have...
2 songs in the Terrible Tier (+0 points)
5 songs in the Bad Tier (+5 points)
6 songs in the Meh Tier (+12 points)
1 songs in the Decent Tier (+3 points)
5 songs in the Good Tier (+20 points)
And 1 songs in the Excellent Tier (+5 points)
Meaning that the Top 20 for Autumn 2020 gets a score of 45/100, yet another decline and the lowest score yet on any of these rankings, eight points lower than the Summer. That said, I very much enjoyed this entry in the series, and I'm not remotely disheartened by my persisting plans to take this into the new year, as far off as that may currently be. Just as I said last time, I have absolutely no idea as to where popular music will be in three months, let alone the world at large, but I hope you all manage to enjoy yourselves nonetheless.
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