June 25, 2020
jmunney
Best of the 2010s, Best of the Decade, Music
Adele, Ariana Grande, Beck, Best of the 2010s, Best of the Decade, Beyoncé, Carly Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX, Childish Gambino, Daft Punk, David Bowie, Hans Zimmer, Janelle Monáe, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Kendrick Lamar, Kesha, Lady GaGa, Lana del Rey, Lizzo, Lorde, Major Lazer, Miguel, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Sia, St. Vincent, Tame Impala, Taylor Swift, Tegan and Sara, The Black Keys, The Weeknd, Tove Lo, Vampire Weekend, Weird Al Yankovic
CREDIT: YouTube Screenshots
One more list! One more list!
My Best of the 2010s list-making journey has finally come to a close! (Or has it? … For now, it has at least. The future will come as it may, and it may just surprise you, and me.) All this week, I’ve been posting my rankings of a few categories that I was inspired to put together after submitting them to a Best of the 2010s polls that I’m participating in with some of my fellow cultural aficionados. To wrap it all up, I guide you along to the realm of music and lyrics, as I present the Best Musical Artists of the 2010s.
My criteria was similar to that of my choices for Best Film Directors. I considered a combination of how much I enjoyed their musical output as well as how much – and how well – they influenced the industry at large.
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April 16, 2020
jmunney
Best of the 2010s, Best of the Decade, Music
Adele, Ariana Grande, AWOLNATION, Best of the 2010s, Best of the Decade, Beyoncé, Carly Rae Jepsen, Childish Gambino, Daft Punk, Disclosure, DJ Snake, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Kendrick Lamara, Kesha, Lana del Rey, Lil Jon, Lorde, Miguel, Miley Cyrus, Nile Rodgers, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Sia, Tame Impala, Taylor Swift, The Black Keys, The Chemical Brothers, Tove Lo
CREDIT: YouTube Screenshots
Of all the pieces of art and entertainment that I’m ranking for the decade, songs are probably the most personal. Yet somehow I feel compelled to consider how they affected the world at large moreso than all the other categories. The tunes that I value the most aren’t just the ones that make my own heart sing but also the ones that draw all of us closer together. So as I assembled this list, I asked myself both, “What has made me dance these past 10 years?” and “How would I like to dance with everyone else?” Here’s what that playlist looks like.
(I aimed to stick only to songs that were released as singles, as opening this to deep album cuts would’ve made things so overheated.)
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February 6, 2018
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Elizabeth Debicki, James Corden, Margot Robbie, Matt Lucas, Peter Rabbit, Rose Byrne, Sam Neill, Sia, Will Gluck
CREDIT: Sony Pictures
This review was originally posted on News Cult in February 2018.
Starring: James Corden, Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, Daisy Ridley, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, Matt Lucas, Sia, Sam Neill
Director: Will Gluck
Running Time: 93 Minutes
Rating: PG for Cartoonish, But Quite Dangerous, Violence
Release Date: February 9, 2018
For the most part, Peter Rabbit is just another trifling kids movie with CG-animated animals. It is not the worst of the menagerie, though it is far from the best. But like many movies of this ilk, it also raises some weird metaphysical conundrums that I do not think it ever planned on grappling with but that it cannot avoid entirely. When you have anthropomorphic animals interacting with humans, especially when those humans are played by live-action actors, you have to decide how much the humans can recognize the critters’ extraordinary abilities. When the beasts talk to each other, does it just sound like animal noises to people? Or can they hear it perfectly, thus forcing the animals to be discreet? Or maybe there is only Dr. Dolittle-type, going mad over the loneliness of his interspecies communication powers.
In this case, Peter (James Corden), his triplet sisters Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), Flopsy (Margot Robbie), and Cottontail (Daisy Ridley), and their cousin Benjamin Bunny (Matt Lucas) are quite sneaky, and as their schemes become more and more elaborate, there is no reason to pretend that they are not fully intelligent creatures. The confirmation that they can in fact talk to humans is a rather sloppy reveal, as it begs the question: how have they hidden this secret for so long? Regardless of what mysterious machinations they have pulled off, the narrative requires that they spill the truth, considering that Peter is responsible for extensive property damage, and furthermore, he wants to apologize to Bea (Rose Byrne), the human that he loves, and make peace with Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson), the human that he has been torturing. This all makes for a resolution that is sweet but with disturbing subtext.
But beyond that, this is a fairly typical entry for this genre, as typified by its soundtrack of the pop hits of the past twenty years. Len’s “Steal My Sunshine,” Basement Jaxx’s “Do Your Thing,” and Portugal. The Man’s “Feel It Still” will keep the kids bouncing in their chairs without challenging their soundscapes. Lady Bird can take note that Peter’s use of Dave Matthews Band’s “Crash Into Me” is not similarly profound. Elsewhere, the film’s raison d’être is excessively painful physical gags, including a truly worrying number of electrocutions (this is nowhere near as gentle as Beatrix Potter’s source material). There is a rake gag that I must admit I chuckled at, though I am concerned that the target audience will not realize how heavily indebted it is to The Simpsons. And that is indicative of the whole: a satisfying diversion, but with some worrisome implications.
Peter Rabbit is Recommended If You Like: MouseHunt, Dr. Dolittle, the Pop Dance Hits of Today!
Grade: 3 out of 5 Winking Rabbits
October 6, 2017
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Andrea Libman, Ashleigh Ball, Cathy Weseluck, Emily Blunt, Jayson Thiessen, Kristen Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: The Movie, Sia, Tabitha St. Germain, Tara Strong, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba, Zoe Saldana
CREDIT: Lionsgate/Hasbro
This review was originally posted on News Cult in October 2017.
Starring: Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain, Cathy Weseluck, Emily Blunt, Michael Peña, Liev Schreiber, Taye Diggs, Zoe Saldana, Kristen Chenoweth, Uzo Aduba, Sia
Director: Jayson Thiessen
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Rating: PG for the Stone Hearts and Warped Magic of Cartoon Villains
Release Date: October 6, 2017
There’s a contingent of young adult (mostly) male fans of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic TV series who go by the moniker “bronies.” Some might suspect irony in this demographic’s devotion to a cartoon about unicorn ponies, but everything I know about them indicates that they are completely genuine. As I am curious enough to check out any show meant to appeal to demos completely different than mine, I once upon a time wondered if I too might become a brony. So I watched an episode of Friendship is Magic several years ago, and … I didn’t really get what all the fuss was about. But with a movie adaptation on the horizon, and with me as someone who is professionally bound to sample every wide release, the ponies stood another chance of hooking me into their fold.
Alas, after catching My Little Pony: The Movie, I must report that I still remain unconverted. But I suspect the fandom will be pleased. Normally when reviewing something, I keep every possible audience in mind, but MLP should not be faulted too hard for catering to one crowd in particular. It has no desire to expand its appeal with the self-awareness of DreamWorks, or the adult themes snuck into Pixar’s childlike wonder, or the anarchy of Despicable Me. Furthermore, the plot is simple, straightforward, and archetypal: the heroes make a bunch of new friends on a Campbell-esque hero’s journey, and the villain is not evil so much as misunderstood. While I would be more impressed with My Little Pony if it were more ambitious, there is something to be said for easy-to-understand positivity.
For those looking for some distinct personalities and imaginative flourishes, there are some pleasures to be had. Emily Blunt is positively purring as Tempest Shadow, a heavy metal-influenced purple unicorn who threatens to ruin the good vibes of the ponies’ homeland of Equestria. Then there is Taye Diggs familiziairing everyone with the message of the beatniks in his voicing of hepcat humanoid feline Capper. The color palette is relentlessly bright, which certainly earns my favor, but for those who like it a little darker or at least subdued, it is still impressive how fastidiously each shade of the rainbow is woven together. In total, MLP: The Movie does what it sets out to do.
My Little Pony: The Movie is Recommended If You Like: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Unikitty from The Lego Movie, Parent-child bonding time
Grade: 2.5 out of 5 Hippogriffs
March 4, 2017
jmunney
Best of 2016, Best of Music 2016, Music
A Tribe Called Quest, Alessia Cara, Ariana Grande, BANKS, Beck, Beyoncé, Bishop Briggs, Childish Gambino, Drake, Flume, Glass Animals, Gold, Gucci Mane, Highly Suspect, Kaleo, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Kiiara, KONGOS, Lady GaGa, Leonard Cohen, Phantogram, Rae Sremmurd, Rag'n'Bone Man, Rihanna, Sean Paul, Sia, Tove Lo
All songs on this list were released as singles in 2016, or 2015 but didn’t make an impact until 2016.
1. Kiiara – “Gold” – An ingenious production trick wins the top spot. The best music in the world rewires your brain.
2. Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Freedom” – Beyoncé BUSTS out every emotion of the year.
3. Phantogram – “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” – I can feel myself dissolving in the despair.
4. Lady GaGa – “Perfect Illusion” – GaGa’s crying out in beautiful pain.
5. Kanye West – “Fade” – From another dimension.
6. Rag‘n’Bone Man – “Human” – The blues are alive and kicking.
7. Sia – “The Greatest” – Sia’s career is the soundtrack for perseverance.
8. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful” – What could have been an anodyne message piece instead infuses an influx of attitude.
9. Flume ft. Tove Lo – “Say It” – An airy, effervescent blast from 2016’s top DJ.
10. Childish Gambino – “Me and Your Mama” – Where did this burst of neo-P-Funk come from?!
11. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles” – This sounds like nostalgia and the future.
12. Glass Animals – “Life Itself” – Alternative quirk’s top spot of the year.
13. Bishop Briggs – “River” – I need at least one lady rocker belting it out like this per annum.
14. Beyoncé – “Formation” – The production is so much more adventurous and more mature from Queen Bey than ever before.
15. BANKS – “Gemini Feed” – Icy and boopy, with attitude to spare.
16. Leonard Cohen – “You Want It Darker” – I’m vociferously nodding along to every declaration Mr. Cohen makes.
17. Kaleo – “Way Down We Go” – That title is sort of like musical onomatopoeia.
18. Highly Suspect – “My Name is Human” – These guys from Cape Cod ought to be rocking stadiums to their core.
19. Beck – “Wow” – Beck’s gonna keep uncovering these strange corners in the aural landscape.
20. Kongos – “Take It From Me” – These South African rockers are totally in control.
21. Tove Lo – “Cool Girl” – Tove keeps freaking up the airwaves.
22. A Tribe Called Quest – “We the People” – A necessary anthem.
23. Sia ft. Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills” – Bounce along when you’re looking for fun.
24. Ariana Grande – “Into You” – Features the year’s most killer opening line
25. Rihanna ft. Drake – “Work” – One of those great songs that defy natural analysis.
December 13, 2016
jmunney
Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music
Billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Sia, The Greatest
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
2. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
3. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
4. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
5. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
6. Zay Hilfilgerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
7. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
8. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
9. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
10. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
11. Drake – “Fake Love”
12. D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
13. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
14. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
15. Aminé – “Caroline”
16. gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien – “i hate u, i love u”
17. Mariah Carey – “All I Want for Christmas is You”
18. Sia ft. Kendrick Lamar – “The Greatest”
19. Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
20. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. The Greatest
2. Starboy
3. Scars to Your Beautiful
4. Black Beatles
5. Side to Side
6. Broccoli
7. Love on the Brain
8. Closer
9. 24K Magic
10. Heathens
11. Starving
12. All I Want for Christmas is You
13. i hate u, i love u
14. Bad Things
15. Let Me Love You
16. Caroline
17. Fake Love
18. Don’t Wanna Know
19. Treat You Better
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
December 9, 2016
jmunney
Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music
Billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Sia, The Greatest
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
2. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
3. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
4. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
5. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
6. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
7. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
8. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
9. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
10. D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
11. Drake – “Fake Love”
12. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
13. gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien – “i hate u, i love u”
14. Aminé – “Caroline”
15. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
16. The Weeknd – “Party Monster”
17. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
18. Sia ft. Kendrick Lamar – “The Greatest”
19. Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water”
20. Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. The Greatest
2. Starboy
3. Scars to Your Beautiful
4. Black Beatles
5. Side to Side
6. Cold Water
7. Broccoli
8. Closer
9. Party Monster
10. 24K Magic
11. i hate u, i love u
12. Starving
13. Heathens
14. Bad Things
15. Let Me Love You
16. Caroline
17. Fake Love
18. Don’t Wanna Know
19. Treat You Better
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
December 4, 2016
jmunney
Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music
Billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Sia, The Greatest
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
2. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
3. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
4. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
5. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
6. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
7. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
8. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
9. D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
10. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
11. Drake – “Fake Love”
12. Aminé – “Caroline”
13. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
14. gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien – “i hate u, i love u”
15. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
16. Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water”
17. Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
18. Sia ft. Kendrick Lamar – “The Greatest”
19. Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
20. X Ambassadors – “Unsteady”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. The Greatest
2. Starboy
3. Scars to Your Beautiful
4. Black Beatles
5. Side to Side
6. Cold Water
7. Unsteady
8. Broccoli
9. Closer
10. 24K Magic
11. i hate u, i love u
12. Starving
13. Heathens
14. Let Me Love You
15. Can’t Stop the Feeling!
16. Caroline
17. Fake Love
18. Don’t Wanna Know
19. Treat You Better
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
November 27, 2016
jmunney
Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music
Billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Sia, The Greatest
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
2. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
3. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
4. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
5. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
6. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
7. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
8. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
9. D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
10. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
11. gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien – “i hate u, i love u”
12. Aminé – “Caroline”
13. Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water”
14. Drake – “Fake Love”
15. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
16. Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
17. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
18. Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
19. Sia ft. Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills”
20. Sia ft. Kendrick Lamar – “The Greatest”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. The Greatest
2. Starboy
3. Scars to Your Beautiful
4. Cheap Thrills
5. Black Beatles
6. Side to Side
7. Cold Water
8. Broccoli
9. Closer
10. 24K Magic
11. i hate u, i love u
12. Starving
13. Heathens
14. Let Me Love You
15. Can’t Stop the Feeling!
16. Caroline
17. Fake Love
18. Don’t Wanna Know
19. Treat You Better
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
August 23, 2016
jmunney
Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music
Billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Cheap Thrills, Sia
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
2. Sia ft. Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills”
3. Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water”
4. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
5. Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – “This Is What You Came For”
6. twenty one pilots – “Ride”
7. Drake ft. Kyla and WizKid – “One Dance”
8. The Chainsmokers ft. Daya – “Don’t Let Me Down”
9. Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
10. Adele – “Send My Love (to Your New Lover)”
11. Rihanna – “Needed Me”
12. Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
13. Ariana Grande – “Into You”
14. Drake ft. Rihanna – “Too Good”
15. DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “For Free”
16. Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, & Imagine Dragons with Logic, Ty Dolla $ign ft. X Ambassadors – “Sucker for Pain”
17. Desiigner – “Panda”
18. Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
19. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
20. Flume ft. Kai – “Never Be Like You”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Cheap Thrills
2. Never Be Like You
3. Needed Me
4. Into You
5. Cold Water
6. Ride
7. Closer
8. Let Me Love You
9. Don’t Let Me Down
10. Send My Love (to Your New Lover)
11. Can’t Stop the Feeling!
12. Too Good
13. One Dance
14. This Is What You Came For
15. Panda
16. For Free
17. We Don’t Talk Anymore
18. Heathens
19. Sucker for Pain
20. Treat You Better
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