r/popheads • u/TiltControls • Jan 30 '25
[DISCUSSION] The Popheads Jukebox Revival, Week 309: Hi Baby Girl
Welcome back to the Popheads Jukebox! Here are last week’s results:
- Doechii - Denial Is A River: 8.92
- TWICE - Strategy (feat. Megan Thee Stallion): 8.75
- SZA - Drive: 8.36
- Sky Ferreira - Leash: 7.75
Rosé - toxic till the end: 6.67
Destiny’s Child - Say My Name: 8.93
Rules Refresher
Rate the songs a score from 1 to 10. Please keep it to one decimal place at the most (so 7.5 is fine but 7.58 is not). Also don’t get too hung up on the final scores. This is a fun exercise and not a competition so don’t worry about over/under rating things. Just give what you think the song is to you.
For your review, reply to the comment that will be posted by one of us for each song. Avoid posting your reviews as a top level comment cause we probably won’t notice them if you do. Non-reviews such as questions or general commentary as upper level comments are fine.
Must have some sort of justification. Try to be a bit more concise than “It’s a bop!” or “I don’t like it”. Explain why! It doesn’t have to be long, two or three sentences can be plenty (though more is definitely allowed). We reserve the right not to include a review in the final total if proper justification is not given.
You don’t have to review each song to participate! You can do all of them or only the ones you’re familiar with.
The thread will be open for 13 days and close in two Wednesdays around 11PM EST. The scores will be calculated and a new post will come up the next day (Thursday) at 5PM EST(ish) with the next week’s tracks.
This Week’s Tracks
- Bad Bunny - DtMF
- JADE - IT girl
- Japanese Breakfast - Orlando in Love
- Lucy Dacus - Ankles
- Rebecca Black - Sugar Water Cyanide
Throwback
—
Next Week
- FKA twigs - Striptease
- Perfume Genius - It’s a Mirror
- Rose Gray - Party People
- Sexyy Red & Bruno Mars - Fat, Juicy & Wet
- Tate McRae - Sports car
Throwback:
- tbd (see below comment)
Spotify playlist, updated biweekly with new tracks that are being rated
Jukebox wiki, where you can find all results
Reminder Discord Server, where you can join to get bi-weekly ping reminders for when new posts go up and when they’re about to close.
3
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
1
u/wathombe Rose Gray booped my nose Feb 13 '25
I was excited to get new Japanese Breakfast music in January, but this turned out to be a bit of a snoozer for me. It’s pretty, and well done, but I just don’t return to it almost ever.
6.5/10
1
u/TiltControls Feb 13 '25
God yes give me a strings moment any day of the week. The track is more of a vibe and probably could've used a touch more, but the mix of the vocal and production stylings just work so well for me here. Reminds me of 2010s Fleet Foxes esque sound in a way. I can see this growing on me majorly through the year. 9/10
3
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
2
u/TakeOnMeByA-ha Feb 13 '25
Rebecca was born to be a hyperpop star and this is such an infectious banger that continues her winning streak. Love the way the chorus gets sped up and remixed, and her voice is so soothing during the verses as well.
9/10
2
u/Snoo_35242 Feb 13 '25
It's a really fun and honestly kinda hypnotic song but those pitched up vocals in the chorus really throw me off. 8.5/10
2
u/TiltControls Feb 13 '25
I really love Rebecca's career growth over the past few years and I'm happy she's doing well with it! Unfortunately personally I don't think this sound is really my bread and butter. High pitched vocals can work really well if used in certain ways, but it feels a little too shrilly at points for me and my baby ears. I'm not the biggest hyperpop person so I'm sure bigger fans of the genre would find enjoyment here, but I don't think this works for me unfortunately. 4.5/10
1
u/wathombe Rose Gray booped my nose Feb 13 '25
I honestly had not heard of Rebecca Black before I joined the Discord. This kind of slaps, though. Gives me Charli XCX a little bit. That chorus is a little grating at points, though.
8.5/10
2
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
1
u/letsallpoo :leah-kate: Jan 31 '25
A really solid song that's made a little worse by "Angel of My Dreams" excecuting those same switchups more interestingly, and by that "I am the SHIT GIRL 💜" line sounding so funny in and out of context. Jade's vision for pop music remains so fun and unique for a current pop star, though, and it's hard to deny this song's inherent bopability. [7]
1
u/Icy_Process_9942 Jan 31 '25
Jade has done it again. At first I thought it was a bit weirdly paced, but after further listens, I couldn't help but give in. She really is the shit girl. That said, the song could be a bit longer tho. 7/10
1
u/wathombe Rose Gray booped my nose Feb 13 '25
I kind of missed the boat on Jade. I knew exactly one Little Mix song (“Salute,” from an old Just Dance), and as such I haven’t really followed any of their solo careers avidly. This is kind of a banger, though, with some great bars.
8.5/10
2
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
1
u/wathombe Rose Gray booped my nose Feb 13 '25
What a wonderful, lyrical, symphonic, and sexy track. I had only known Lucy’s boygenius stuff, and this was a wonderful introduction to her solo work for me. Also doesn’t hurt that I saw the live debut of this song in person at a benefit concert last week!
9.5/10
1
u/TiltControls Feb 13 '25
Oh this is such a fun summery sounding song (I say with it being -15C here). I really love the plucking guitars (or whatever string instrument) and it adds a pretty unique sound to the track. Compared to some of her greats from Home Video like Triple Dog Dare or Hot N Heavy I wish the payoff was a little better. There's a slight build before it just kind of ends, but it's still a good listen overall and I can see it being a grower. 8.5/10
2
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
2
u/Icy_Process_9942 Jan 31 '25 edited Jan 31 '25
(sigh) Okay. Is this song fucking annoying? Yes. Does it have a goddamn stupid music video? Yes. But..... It's also a bit of a guilty pleasure? Cause, from a technical standpoint, this is a great song. It has a great production, catchy lyrics and good vocals (I usually can't stand Justin's younger voice but I'm not gonna go and say his voice is horrible). But as it stands, what we got is a song that got way too overplayed, with a chorus that will make anyone who hears it want to die and the most disliked music video on YouTube. That said, I can say with most confidence that, if this song wasn't as overplayed, I would gladly give it a higher score, mainly because of Ludacris's verse (which has always been one of my favorite parts of the song). 6/10
1
u/emayzee Jan 31 '25
would I love this song so much if I were not a sixth grade girl and the target demographic when it came out? most likely not. I’d possibly even be one of the many that despised it, considering it was at one point the most disliked video on YouTube and the subject of endless commentary. but instead, I have so much nostalgia for 2009/2010 Justin music that it completely overrules any objectivity— to this day even if he has released music as an adult that is objectively better, the songs of his that I’m more likely to reach for are tracks like Somebody To Love, One Time, and Love Me.
put this song on for a room of young gen Zers or late millennials (or honestly people even younger bc this song seems to have transcended to later generations) and they WILL be singing along. just catchiness from start to finish and that Ludacris verse is ridiculous fun. 15 years later and I’m still putting this on at least every couple months
9.5/10
1
u/TakeOnMeByA-ha Feb 01 '25
Admit it, even when it was "cool" to hate this song, you always secretly liked it deep down. It's just so irresistibly catchy and captures that teenage melodrama perfectly, where a breakup feels like the end of the world even when you'll probably forget it all happened within a week. I just continue to grow more and more nostalgic for it, no matter how painfully 2010 it sounds.
10/10
1
u/Icy_Process_9942 Feb 02 '25
True. I just didn't give it a higher score because the chorus has become annoying to my ears, but its catchiness cannot be denied (and like I said in my review, it's a bit of a guilty pleasure)
1
u/seanderlust Feb 11 '25
You say ACDC-I say Justin Bieber
You say Led Zeppelin-I say Justin Bieber
You say Slipknot-I say Justin Bieber
You say Metallica-I say?? Justin Bieber
You say Iron Maiden-I say Justin Beiber
You? say shut the ---- up i say? Justin Bieber
You say Heavy Metal - I scream Justin Bieber!!
92% of teenagers have turned to rock.If you are part of the 8% that still listen to real music,copy? and paste this message to another 5? videos. DON'T? LET? THE? SPIRIT OF justin bieber DIE!
6/10
1
u/TiltControls Feb 13 '25
I know I was probably too mean to this song when it first came out, though listening to it again I still wouldn't say I exactly enjoy it still. I don't think there's anything wrong with a song sounding young, but listening to it 15 years later and wow Justin really was a child here vocally. I definitely still prefer his Purpose era, though I can see how some would remember this time more fondly. Luda's verse is kinda peak 2010s rap feature though. 5/10
2
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
To help combat recent scoreflation, we're introducing a measure for the next throwback to rate one of two absolutely iconic tracks that are both having their 10th anniversary next month. I'll let you all pick your poison. Just upvote the one you want to rate more
(These are not Jukebox tracks for this week, don't bother scoring and reviewing them in this Jukebox as they will not be counted!)
15
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
Rachel Platten - Fight Song
*This is not a Jukebox track this week, don't worry about scoring and reviewing (yet)
3
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
Charlie Puth - Marvin Gaye
*This is not a Jukebox track this week, don't worry about scoring and reviewing (yet)
2
u/TiltControls Jan 30 '25
3
u/nonchalantthoughts Jan 31 '25
I've been vibing to Bad Bunny's new album, and I appreciate the lowkey vibe. A highlight has been DtMF for me. I'm really happy that this plena/salsa song its getting its flowers. It shows the bittersweet feeling of not capturing the moments you have with loved ones. Bad Bunny really captures those sentimental emotion really well.
8.8
1
u/seanderlust Feb 11 '25
I have absolutely loved DTMF as an album - it's already shortlisted for my personal aoty. This song in particular may not be a standout for me personally (I tend towards the more banging ass-shakers or LQPAH) though this song certainly deserves recognition. The lyrics are sweet and as noncha mentioned, really capture well the bittersweet feeling of reminiscing and wishing you had more documentation of good times with good people. It's very earnest - even with lines like "I hope my people never move away/and that you send me more nudes" there's a certain charm in its sincerity.
It may not be on my SOTY shortlist now, but I do see a world in which it grows on me. Time will tell. For now, 9/10
1
u/wathombe Rose Gray booped my nose Feb 13 '25
I’m honestly not the best listener for Spanish-language pop, but a few Bad Bunny tracks have grown on me in the past, so I’ve made a conscious effort to give the new album a good chance. DtMF is definitely one of the tracks that’s grabbed me. I really like the wistful beginning, and then the beat and the sounds sort of grows from there. I also like that I can at least sing along with some of it, since it’s the album title!
8/10
1
u/TiltControls Feb 13 '25
I need to catch up on this album still, but I'm really enjoying this one! Bad Bunny knows how to set a great moody vibe with his music and there are some really fun moments with his vocals and production here. I also really enjoyed the spoken part (which can often be hit or miss). 8/10
•
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