#Yswimmer96: Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You
I thought she had WAY more #1 hits than she does, but nope I guess the Kelly Clarkson options are pretty limited here which is kinda sad. This is the best of her #1s easily, this is a pretty inessential but still very fun bop about a relationship going south FAST but still being too good to give up entirely. This song is an underrated gem of the late 2000s, I have always loved it and always felt it deserved to have the same levels of popularity as Since U Been Gone but this one gets slept on!
#NewNightmare7: Blondie - Call Me
Debbie Harry is a goddess. That’s it, that’s the review.
In all seriousness, this song is absolutely deserving of its spot in the list of 100 biggest songs of all time according to Billboard. Everyone knows that, in terms of music, the 80s are an absolutely glorious decade packed with amazing material. And, given when this came out, I’d argue that this song in particular was the one that officially rang the 80s in, the song that showed the 80s what they could be. I wouldn’t just say this song was big or great, I’d say this may have been a very influential song, and for that I have so much respect for it.
#Booyahhayoob: C+C Music Factory: Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
This song is very good, I like it a lot. The “EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!” is one hell of a command, when you hear that you get your ass up and you start dancing. Now, I had a whole essay typed up regarding all the shady shit that went on behind the scenes of this song but decided against including it since it really doesn’t affect my opinion for this game. All I’m gonna say is, she isn’t credited at all on this song but look into Martha Wash, the woman who was singing on this, because she is amazing. You may also know her from The Weather Girls (of It’s Raining Men fame.)
#Txashaun: Coldplay - Viva La Vida
I see what you did there! Yeah, this song is one of the few I would consider to be perfect. Coldplay are great normally but they went above and beyond for this masterpiece. I don’t think I can say much here, this song kinda defies analysis, it’s just so obviously great. Everyone knows it, everyone loves it.
#Ilovetosing: Monica - Angel Of Mine
I only knew Monica before this for The Boy Is Mine, but in all honesty I’d say I liked this even more. This song is just really pretty, I’m totally into this type of soulful R&B. She has a really pretty voice which I found easy to fall into. This may be just another love song, but it’s a damn good one, she sells her feelings with such conviction and a level of intimacy that I found to actually be quite comforting. I really liked this!
#Weetmaster: Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men - One Sweet Day
Again, this would have worked so well in the Make Me Cry round! But this song also works well here too because it’s just so great. For various reasons, death ballads are something that usually strike a chord with me, and this one is one of the best in that category. This song is just a STEAMROLLER of grief, with Mariah’s powerful vocals accenting Boyz II Men’s harmonies to create the perfect blend of anguished mourning. It’s no wonder this held the record for longest #1 run until a couple years ago!
#Yswimmer96: Sasha Alex Smith ft. Sam Hunt - when was it over?
Okay, I guess Sam Hunt is capable of being on more than 1 good song, this is the 2nd song I’ve ever heard him on that I didn’t immediately hate, lol. This song is very relatable content. I've been here enough times and watched partners lose interest in me despite giving them everything that this immediately struck a chord with me. I liked this a lot and thought their voices blended together nicely, they’ve got a lot of chemistry (which is weird bc I didn’t think Sam Hunt would have chemistry with any woman ever) and all in all it ended up being a very nice, although emotionally heavy, listen!
#NewNightmare7: MGMT - Electric Feel
I’ve only heard a few of MGMT’s biggest hits but I do LOVE what I’ve heard from them! This song is so trippy and so wild but so much fun to listen to. It’s sad they weren’t bigger than they were but I know MGMT are critical darlings, most people who’ve heard them end up loving them, and I am absolutely included in that!
#Booyahhayoob: Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - See You Again
The version of this song that is just Charlie Puth probably would’ve won the Make Me Cry round ngl. This version though, I don’t think it aged that well. It doesn’t sound like Wiz cares all that much if I’m being honest. This sounds like two entirely different songs were stitched together, with Charlie pouring his heart out and showing some very raw emotion while Wiz is barely able to emote past one singular low grunt. Did Wiz watch the movies?
#Txashaun: Billie Eilish & Khalid - lovely
I’ve been aware of this song’s existence for a while now but for whatever reason I’ve just avoided listening to it. In retrospect I’m not entirely sure why I did since these 2 just seem like such an obvious collab that was bound to happen at some point. Their vibes are very similar and, as expected, a song with the 2 of them together ended up being a raw, moody gem. I’m not sure whether I’d call this my favorite by either artist but I get why it exists and I did enjoy it to some degree.
#Ilovetosing: Santana ft. Michelle Branch - The Game Of Love
Santana is so amazing, I’ve always loved his work. And I also love Michelle Branch, she’s an amazing artist who I’ve enjoyed pretty much everything I’ve heard from. And I really wish I loved this song more. Both artists are amazing, but for whatever reason this song just has not connected with me the way I desperately want it to. I want to get lost in Santana’s glorious guitar play and Michelle Branch’s great voice, but there’s just something that hasn’t quite connected for me yet. I hear the quality, I hear a lot that I should enjoy, but it just doesn’t hit me the way it should and that upsets me.
#Weetmaster: Barbara Streisand & Judy Garland - Happy Days Are Here Again
This sounded very pretty! Both of them have wonderful voices and their chemistry is just divine. The whole skit before the song being about how one of them wants to be hated, followed by a song about being happy, was such a funny juxtaposition. Initially I was very confused on how to feel but after thinking on it a bit I've decided I'd rather be on the side of defending this than not liking it.
So that's what we had this round! But who's coming out on top? Unlike last round, both categories have different top placers! Finishing on top of the Chart Toppers is...
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. Txashaun!
I don't think this is going to be a contentious pick at all, to my knowledge most people have accepted Viva La Vida as one of the greatest songs ever written.
Admittedly not my favorite MGMT song but they are critical darlings for a reason!
Meanwhile, the same person IS taking the bottom spot in both categories. One is moreso just by default since all 6 submissions were excellent and it came down to nitpicks, the other category was a bit more decisive. That person is...
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. Booyahhayoob
The C+C Music Factory song is very good, just outshone by the other submissions. The Wiz/Charlie song... well, the fact that this song that is significantly improved by dropping one of the artists on it says more than I ever could here.
As I stated last round, the face-offs where multiple songs were submitted in a round will be whatever Category A was for that round. In this case, a Billboard #1 hit. Both of you, send me your picks IN MAILS and I will give results once I have them.
