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Posted by: Cody Cranston 16th January 2024, 08:21 AM

This will be (sorta) short and sweet.

Top 150 songs.
+ 5 colors. Each representing 5 segments of the best things about 2023.

I'll try to actually get this done this time.

May the power protect you.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 16th January 2024, 08:42 AM

#150-146

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150. Demi Lovato - 29
Weeks on Chart: 4 (total 14)
Chart Run: ...17-20-28-40
Chart Points: 1493
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmpBEoiuUBw


149. Tyler Hubbard - Dancin’ In The Country
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 50-47-42-38-35-32-31-32-28-35
Chart Points: 1501
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma3L7xWB_1U


148. The Weeknd f/Future - Double Fantasy
Weeks on Chart: 8
Chart Run: 41-36-32-34-28-28-31-50
Chart Points: 1544
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMoFcvfd5t4


147. Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal - B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)
Weeks on Chart: 6 (total 21)
Chart Run: ...20-27-30-32-38-46
Chart Points: 1571
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtGFByAJRQQ


146. XG - Left Right
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 50-44-44-46-46-38-32-28-25-29-42
Chart Points: 1574
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6YVgEpRU6Q

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150: This was a carryover from 2022 and one that I started playing heavily when I was at Portugal. I'm usually not into ballads, but Demi has the vocal prowess to pull it off and you can feel the pain in the lyrics through her delivery. It managed to peak in the top 20, something Demi hadn't done in my chart since 2018. This year I'm about to turn 29, and I can only wish I had the same sense of self-worth that Demi has in this song (or at least what Demi actually projects in public). I'm still waiting on an absolute moment like Cool For The Summer again though.

149: So this guy is from Florida-Georgia Line. I hate them with a burning passion. Bro country is one of the worst things to happen to music, and they really went off the deep end in 2020 when they released "I Love My Country", a horribly timed annoying piece of dick that sounded ignorant at best and extremely tone deaf at worst. On principle, I should NOT like this song. And yet somehow, at a time when the country genre was at both its worst and its best, this managed to stick out as a fun dance song. It was oddly wholesome and sentimental. "Let's have fun and not try to do anything stupid" is one of the better motifs that country songs could and should use. It's not my favorite country song of 2023 but it's a lot better than what reached #1 in the US.

148: This is standard fare for The Weeknd. You could put this in any of his last 3 albums and it would still fit in. Somehow synthwave in pop songs still has a chokehold on me. Future is.... negligible, but at least Abel gets his time to carry. Oh, also I have only seen parts of one episode of The Idol. Never again. Jennie I am so sorry sweetie 😢

147: Another carryover from 2022. Yes we get it, it went #1 in the UK, I shouldn't have won BJSC that month, yada yada yada- THIS IS A GOOD SONG. It took a while to grow on me after it became a huge irl smash but it's great. I also kinda wish that this got some radio support stateside. Should have played this rather than Stay and/or Heat Waves for the 80 billionth time.

146: I remember seeing this impact US radio and I was SHOCKED. They were a group that I had my eye on in 2022, I thought their first two singles were decent, and by the time I charted this I was getting really into Shooting Star (which is yet to come). XG's aesthetic enthuses me. They come off as girl crush, but then you see their color palette and it's a mix of late 90's and Y2K elements with a bit of hyperpop. Then you listen to their music and it's slick. This group manages to make everything work. I also liked the remix with Ciara and Jackson Wang. A lot of netizens don't, but I think it's more of Jackson being a K-pop stan's whipping boy if anything.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 16th January 2024, 09:27 AM

#145-141

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145. The Chainsmokers & Bob Moses - Why Can't You Wait
Weeks on Chart: 6 (total 11)
Chart Run: ...36-35-27-27-26-37
Chart Points: 1594
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1mpculkegY


144. Zara Larsson & David Guetta - On My Love
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 49-41-39-38-30-30-27-28-39
Chart Points: 1601
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gudx8Bvnqsg


143. SZA - Nobody Gets Me
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 47-41-41-37-34-34-29-26-29-37
Chart Points: 1654
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNd_ufPG3x4


142. Jack Harlow - Lovin' On Me
Weeks on Chart: 6 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 48-37-31-28-26-25-...
Chart Points: 1663
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq8h3GEe22o


141. Jain - Makeba
Weeks on Chart: 9
Chart Run: 45-39-37-32-28-27-27-30-44
Chart Points: 1762
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59Q_lhgGANc

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145: Canadian radio is bizarre. They would play some of the most random EDM tracks along with their usual promo for local talent, and this pops in when I check Mediabase. So, in a yearning for some new good Chainsmokers content, I checked it out... and it surprised me. This started impacting in December 2022 and it didn't fully peak until two months after.

144: I had high hopes for yet another David Guetta collab with a blogpop flop girlie and I liked the subtle vibes of this Zara Larsson collab. It didn't go further than the low top 30 thanks to the chart being super competitive and it getting lost in the shuffle, but it still wowed me enough to send it that high up. Guetta still has a monster 4 songs left on the chart.

143: The SOS campaign started back in 2021 and I hadn't fully gotten into any of the singles from that rollout until this popped up in my radar. I like it more than Snooze at least. It's a great acoustic waltz ballad which fit in with the tail end of DWTS and me getting over my withdrawal symptoms of that past season. I would still love to see a waltz for that.

142: Well thank GOD he released this and the Jungkook collab bc we were NOT gonna let Jackman be his one release of the year It's an okay album but one that's not really for me. Lovin' On Me is standard hip hop but it's the one that reminds me of high school. And more of the good parts where I felt more comfortable in my skin rather than having to play the role that my family wanted me to play. It's a fun song and I see it continuing to grow on me this year.

141: We can thank LaurenJumps for this one! I was flabbergasted to see this semi blow up on TikTok and then later getting radio attention. Like... the first time I heard this song was in a Levi's commercial! Oh well, we take wins where we can get them. It's a weird song that is both monotone and complex at the same time, and it faded just as quickly as it came, but it was fun while it lasted. The "oooWEEooo" parts are what get me the most. All in all, I kinda enjoy TikTok's rediscovery of random year old tunes when they offer something new to the table rather than deep cuts from already popular artists.

Posted by: Sergej 16th January 2024, 09:51 AM

Hi Cody!

Nice to see "Makeba", "Lovin On Me", "On My Love", "BOTA" and "Double Fantasy" on here.

Can't wait to see the rest of it!

Posted by: JosephChalamet 16th January 2024, 06:40 PM

29 was one of the best songs from HOLY FVCK, a really powerful track, Demi at her best!

Posted by: Cody Cranston 17th January 2024, 07:25 AM

Thanks to everyone for the comments so far! For people looking for Demi recommendations from the latest album I'd definitely recommend "Substance" - it's reminded me the most of the Don't Forget era while staying true to what Demi was doing through at the time

Posted by: Cody Cranston 17th January 2024, 08:28 AM

#140-136

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140. Doja Cat - Agora Hills
Weeks on Chart: 6 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 45-32-29-27-24-23-...
Chart Points: 1891
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c66ksfigtU


139. e-lie f/Mariah Carey - Circles
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 48-40-35-33-28-26-26-29-32-49
Chart Points: 2054
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVcBEv9mqQ


138. Sigala & MNEK - Radio
Weeks on Chart: 8
Chart Run: 45-43-36-30-23-22-25-40
Chart Points: 2058
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orLQZk-znEU


137. Elton John & Britney Spears - Hold Me Closer
Weeks on Chart: 14 (31 total)
Chart Run: ...22-29-31-33-35-35-36-36-34-42-43-44-48-49
Chart Points: 2070
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qExVlz3zb0k


136. Doja Cat - Attention
Weeks on Chart: 9
Chart Run: 45-39-31-32-27-27-26-29-47
Chart Points: 2080
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agXQQDasq0U

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140: This is another song that has DEFINITELY been growing on me these past few weeks. It's equal parts cringy and catchy and it becomes hard to ignore. For every "like Fortnite imma need your skin" there's the wispy "It's so lonely in my mansion..." and "you hang up... YOU HANG UP" that whisk you back in. You get the sense that Doja enjoyed the last time her boy toy came over, and now she's yearning for more - more from the relationship but also more sex. Definitely one of the slickest R&B productions that year.

139: So this I randomly found on a YouTube trawl and that first pre-drop was enough to make me chart it. Never did I think I'd want Mariah to do a bunch of dance remixes, and I'm glad that she's embraced the song so much, especially during Pride festivals. It faded rather quickly but it was nice while it lasted.

138: Another one that I absolutely loved and had just as high of a burn rate. Sigala killed it for most of 2022; Melody and Living Without You were some of his highest charting songs on this chart and I really got into this for the sheer adrenaline of it all. After a while it got lost in the shuffle, but it's probably due to me liking a lot more music around spring time.

137: Another carryover from 2022. I think it was a nice gesture for Elton and his husband to offer this collab to Britney as a means to help her cope. All in all the song is still great, but it hits even more when you're on an airplane. Landing or taking off while this song plays just hits you with a different aesthetic. It was tasty then and it still is now.

136: "Look at me, look at me...... YOU LOOKIN? 👀 👀 👀 " I remember being really excited for this and then hearing it sound more grunge. It was an interesting choice at the time but it also kinda led to the song burning on me a bit. It has its moments for sure, with the slow droning production mixed in with the ethereal vocals in the chorus and the way Doja eases herself into the verses. The album might not have been the most revolutionary thing but at least this song shows people who were fans of the Planet Her era that she can be versatile.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 17th January 2024, 09:09 AM

#135-131

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135. Black Eyed Peas, Anitta & El Alfa - Simply The Best
Weeks on Chart: 6 (9 total)
Chart Run: ...30-26-22-23-25-40
Chart Points: 2097
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbNOhZ1rsG8


134. Regard & Drop-G - No Love For You
Weeks on Chart: 9
Chart Run: 48-43-39-33-28-27-22-25-40
Chart Points: 2110
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qajc5JpBVyY


133. Dave Audé & ZEE MACHINE - Motions
Weeks on Chart: 8 (10 total)
Chart Run: ...43-40-33-30-27-24-25-42
Chart Points: 2173
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia_fFKKxh4c


132. The Kid LAROI - Love Again
Weeks on Chart: 12
Chart Run: 50-47-45-44-38-38-34-30-27-24-20-35
Chart Points: 2278
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc-wFcieEmU


131. Jax Jones f/Calum Scott - Whistle
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 45-42-42-38-35-30-27-25-24-28-43
Chart Points: 2298
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpLS7tpVWMM

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135: I guess Don't You Worry was just a fluke and they went back to pseudo-Reggaeton like they had been doing throughout this decade. Go figure. I was actually into this for a bit after going on a cruise to Ensanada and it stuck around after their previous single became a megasmash on my chart. Anitta helps make this song the way it is, as well as that melody and the "lo mejor lo mejor lo mejor lo mejor" part that is super catchy for some reason.

134: One that I managed to come across when I was looking at other radio stations' playlists. Didn't expect Regard to come in with another banger after Hallucination. It did fine, climbing up the charts for a few weeks before I got bored of it and it crashed down. It's a standard random dance song. Nothing more, nothing less. I'd be surprised if anyone outside the US knows this. Hell, I'd be surprised if any of the American posters here know of this.

133: The first of a few BJSC entries on the list. ZEE MACHINE is incredible and I highly recommend you check out his music, but this was by far the most euphoric and energetic of the bunch. Dave Audé did his thing with the production. I decided to go for an unapologetically queer entry and I'm glad I managed to do the genre/subculture justice, even though it lands in my "regret bc a song I considered did much better" pile.

132: Wow this song. This one took a WHILE to grow on me. It took me the entire Fortnite event to really get into this song and once it did, it started collapsing on radio and a bunch of other songs impacted me at once. I mean it peaked around the same time IVE returned to the chart I kinda expected this type of sound from him; he's been trying to recreate Without You for the past few releases to varying success. It did decently irl so I guess it's working? Also I just wanna say his new haircut makes him look like a Sprouse twin 💀

131: Another one to add to the "random dance debut" pile. It's what we've gotten used to from Jax Jones which explains why it did so well irl and why I connected to it at first. It also kinda explains why most of BJ hated it but that's another can of worms. It's a fun house song, Calum sounds decent in it, he should do more dance songs, and it did well to help transition fully into the spring season.

Posted by: Sergej 17th January 2024, 11:08 AM

Really like "Whistle", "Love Again", "No Love For You", "Simply The Best", "Hold Me Closer" and "Radio".

"Radio" and "No Love For You" are really underrated, "Love Again" have heard it lots on my German workplace radio and "Simply The Best" have been listening on Italian Radios a lot.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 18th January 2024, 06:14 AM

QUOTE(Sergej @ Jan 17 2024, 03:08 AM)

Posted by: Cody Cranston 18th January 2024, 08:03 AM

#130-126

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130. Luke Combs - Fast Car
Weeks on Chart: 13
Chart Run: 47-42-41-40-35-33-30-29-27-27-29-34-44
Chart Points: 2329
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr7oYjnt3bM


129. Troye Sivan - One Of Your Girls
Weeks on Chart: 8 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 46-33-31-29-27-26-25-24-...
Chart Points: 2353
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhGl8McrOHo


128. Lil Nas X - Star Walkin'
Weeks on Chart: 6 (18 total)
Chart Run: ...14-19-24-29-34-42
Chart Points: 2412
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYsz1hP0BFo


127. Jax - Victoria's Secret
Weeks on Chart: 6 (21 total)
Chart Run: ...12-18-25-31-36-44
Chart Points: 2440
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9K5IS-inHs


126. Tyla - Water
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 49-44-32-26-24-21-19-...
Chart Points: 2463
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoiOOiuH8iI

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130: This is a very barebones cover, and yet it's one of the more refreshing songs to smash this past year. It's one of the songs that managed to grow on me after I heard it a few times at work and it's been a staple of the work playlist ever since. There's a feeling of reverence when it comes to this cover and it's more exemplified by the fact that Luke straight up sings the lyrics with zero changes. This was the country hit the world needed. Except everyone went with Morgan Wallen and Try That In A Small Town. Jesus, we are a broken species.

129: "Face card, no cash no credit" ❤️ Okay yeah that video is basically a Calvin Klein ad mixed with Justin Bieber's 2U video from 7 years ago, but it helps depict the song rather than detracts from it. This is a really interesting take on the "draw me like one of your French girls" motif, and it also functions well as a midtempo offering, contrasting from the other two more speedy releases Troye had for this era.

128: Lil Nas X and League Of Legends seems like a weird pairing (although not that much considering he also has Industry Baby in his discography), but for this track he manages to make it work. It's anthemic as I would have expected from a Worlds release. This also might be the first song with drill elements that has made it super far in my chart. It managed to peak at #2 during the fall months of 2022, and I don't think he's gonna make a song as good as this.

127: I would rather have this as an ode to female empowerment rather than Cinderella Snapped. I heard it on the radio during my birthday and it kinda had me in a chokehold at the end of 2022, so this chart run was just this song waning on me and making room for other songs. I like the sentiment - body dysmorphia is a bitch and the media likes to play around it and sometimes a normal looking body is just as beautiful. If I had one criticism, I just wish it wasn't so............. pointed.

126: I'm actually really obsessed with this now. I wasn't that much into Tyla's music prior to this (Been Thinking was okay and her other BJSC entries were just not my thing), but the calmness and ease this song projects made me gel with it. It's been charging up my chart lately and I'm loving it more and more, so consider these stats as more of a test run.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 18th January 2024, 09:00 AM

#125-121

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125. Lil Uzi Vert f/Nicki Minaj - Endless Fashion
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 46-39-35-33-31-27-24-22-24-40
Chart Points: 2604
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11DoZ4Fl928


124. Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo - RATATA
Weeks on Chart: 12
Chart Run: 48-39-39-34-33-37-32-27-26-23-26-42
Chart Points: 2615
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhGl8McrOHo


123. Taylor Swift - Hits Different
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 49-44-32-33-30-28-22-20-25-42
Chart Points: 2649
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f4yoKJL7IQ


122. Troye Sivan - Rush
Weeks on Chart: 12
Chart Run: 48-46-40-37-34-30-31-29-24-21-26-44
Chart Points: 2668
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b53QJYP-lqY


121. Taylor Swift - Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)
Weeks on Chart: 6 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 47-40-32-23-18-13-...
Chart Points: 2692
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNxUxm3-658

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125: Uzi did great, but Nicki hard carried this song. Her verse is one of the most quotable verses of 2023. Her calling out her alter egos, the shout out to Karl Lagerfield and Natalie Nunn, hell even the "Republican doctor" meme which is just so bizarre but I reference that so many times in streams. It's another song that interpolates Blue (Da Ba Dee), but it's a sample that doesn't overstay its welcome and also doesn't make it its entire personality.

124: Another one that's sample heavy, but also a song with THE Missy Elliott on it, so who cares? It's also shorter than 2 and a half minutes so even if it's built on the sample it doesn't overstay its welcome too much. It's good workout music, and this song is the most pumped I've been listening to a new Skrillex song.

123: The first of 6 appearances from Miss Taylor *.* I wasn't sure if it was going to be pushed as a promo single... that definition gets more and more arbitrary as the years go on. I don't think it was ever pushed. Oops. Oh well, consider this the New Romantics of the Midnights era. It's what I would have expected from her more pop Vault track efforts, most likely Red since that's the vibes it gave. Sometimes all she needs is a nice feel good pop song like all of the pop girlies love to make. It's also a pop song with edge. She playfully admits that she's been the dumper and broken hearts before, but this is the first time she feels guilty over it, and she also parades around talking to her friends about how being in a relationship sucks. She's a hypocrite - we've all been there. Doesn't change the fact that it sounds more hopeful than it gives off.

I saw a YouTube short that described Sabrina Carpenter songs as "whining about being single when you're mean to all men" and honestly I've never heard a more accurate description of Swifties in my life.

122: With all the dance collabs Troye has been a part of, I'm surprised he hasn't gone full on house until now. The almost dazed production and Troye's delivery pack a one-two punch to make this a bonafide dance smash. This should have gone big on radio. The US really dropped the ball with this one I'm afraid I've also heard the version with PinkPantheress and Hyunjin from Stray Kids and it's also fire (even though I can barely hear Hyunjin ).

121: At the time I'm posting this, this is currently sitting at the top spot. It's one of the more dreamy and captivating Vault tracks in 1989 TV and I'm glad it became a single (even though I'm fairly certain Harry's next lead single is gonna flop now) if only to get another Taylor song on the radio other than Cruel Summer. I like the idea of nostalgia as a talking point in songs; it's one of the motifs that got me into songs like Stressed Out. Taylor looks back at parts of her relationship almost fishing for signs that it was going south and thus there's a dichotomy of pessimism and optimism. She loved every part of it but she knew things weren't right once she started thinking about what could go wrong. It also leaves things open to interpretation - was it all in her head and her overthinking the entire relationship was what got it to end? Or were those proverbial red flags actually there? This is the type of introspective Taylor that I liked.

I would have preferred Suburban Legends, but this was also a good choice.

Posted by: Sergej 19th January 2024, 11:09 PM

Nice to see "Fast Car", "One Of Your Girls", "Star Walkin'", "Water", "Rush" and "Is It Over Now?" from your latest selection!

Still can hear "Star Walkin'" on german radios, even in my workplace radios.
"One Of Your Girls", "Rush" and "Is It Over Now?" wished they would've done better for me, but at least they got enough weeks for the Year-End list, "One Of Your Girls" and "Is It Over Now" potentially making my 2024 Year-End list.
"Fast Car" was also a fantastic cover of Tracy Chapman's classic, Luke did an amazing job!

Posted by: jimwatts 20th January 2024, 03:33 PM

'B.O.T.A.' and 'Nobody Gets Me' are my favourites so far - never thought about the latter being a waltz, guess I don't associate the F-bomb with waltzing 'Water' is great too but I'd happily not hear it again for a month or so!

Posted by: LewisGT 21st January 2024, 02:21 PM

'Double Fantasy' and 'It It Over Now? (Taylor's Version)' are my favourites so far. 'Double Fantasy' does feel a bit like The Weeknd on auto-pilot but it's a sound that works so I don't mind.

Also, I'm loving your ITZY signature. I think 'UNTOUCHABLE' might already be my favourite single of theirs.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 23rd January 2024, 08:59 AM

The Five Colors are gonna be the different "bests" throughout the year aside from songs, and we're gonna start with...

PINK

BEST MOVIE OF 2023: BARBIE



Honestly after several seasons of Riverdale, a few other dark-ish remakes following it, and a now cancelled live action Powerpuff Girls, I was skeptical when I first saw that this was gonna be turned into a movie. Seeing those photos of Ryan Gosling as Ken also didn't help. However, when the trailer dropped, it was as if the Earth had shifted. It kept all of the bright elements, the actors felt right for the part (if a bit random at times, the Dua Lipa and John Cena cameos were hilarious), and the movie as a whole felt like a ton of fun. Pairing it with Oppenheimer made it even more enjoyable to follow and build up hype. This is probably the best pre-release ride I've ever witnessed from a movie.

The film itself was a great balance of spectacle and substance. For every scene like the choreographed dance scene and I'm Just Ken that were fun and bubbly, there are the other scenes with Barbie crying and of course the meta ending where she meets the creator. All of it- chef's kiss. I also like the whole premise of challenging the idea of "power and privilege" by proposing a theory to what would happen if the roles were switched. What happens when a demographic that has been systematically oppressed gets the power? Does the definition of privilege change?

The answer is no.

Barbieland is exactly like the real world, but women hold all the power and men are considered property.When Barbie and Ken venture out to the real world to fix this glitch in their matrix, they're shocked to find out that Ken is respected for being a man and Barbie is nothing more than an IP. Adding on to that, America Ferrera's character, Gloria, has let her inner thoughts seep through a mixture of possible Barbie collections that leak onto Barbie herself from another dimension. Already trippy as it is. It's made exponentially worse when Ken travels back to his dimension with a (vague and narrow) viewpoint of patriarchy and... it nearly breaks reality. It puzzles me deeply to think about how something that is of Ken's mind, from another dimension, all of a sudden sell like hotcakes in the real world. Gloria's speech about how society boxes women into unrealistically high expectations is enough to snap the Barbies back into their former selves and they fight back to try to restore society in Barbieland to the way it was before. Except it's not the same and now they have that experience of how it felt being systematically oppressed. This was a good way to not only solve the external conflict but also tie up the theme of fighting for equality over superiority. This leaves the internal conflict: Barbie's identity. Barbie was created to help give little girls hope, to help stoke the imagination and inspire young girls everywhere that they can take on any ambition they seek. She, according to her creator, was mean to be open-ended, and she fulfills her purpose every day. She was an idea, and the human experience sucks overall, yet she still took the leap. At that point, you're now making the ideas.

It's safe to say this film is a cultural reset. And it's hard to argue why not - the production is glitzy, the pacing was fantastic, it made me laugh and kept me on the edge of my seat, and it was all around an enjoyable experience in the movies. Even the small things got me - the quips Sasha made about Barbie, the main gag around patriarchy being horses, Ken realizing that he can't do his beach job irl without the right credentials, heck even the "si se puede" at the epilogue that was clearly a reference to Gotta Kick It Up. This is a movie that I would recommend all day every day and I definitely think this is gonna be the random pop culture movie of this decade the same way Mean Girls and to a lesser extent Pitch Perfect were.

Come on Barbie, let's go party.



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Honorable Mentions:
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (this was camp, sorry)
Evil Dead Rises
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (this was nearly my pick but then Barbie happened)
Leave The World Behind
Suzume
The Menu
The Nun 2
+ a few others that I can't name off the top of my head

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more songs coming soon!

Posted by: Cody Cranston 24th January 2024, 09:13 AM

#120-116

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120. HRRTZ f/Poppy Baskcomb - Saviour
Weeks on Chart: 10
Chart Run: 49-44-38-33-27-24-24-21-23-35
Chart Points: 2819
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdx_tvGdAgI


119. Conan Gray - Never Ending Song
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 41-39-35-30-29-26-22-24-24-33-50
Chart Points: 2931
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0q6JMuLBYQ


118. DVBBS & Clementine Douglas - Just Words
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 50-47-44-41-34-31-24-22-19-20-36
Chart Points: 2991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p63Tl5cCi0


117. Nicki Minaj - Super Freaky Girl
Weeks on Chart: 11 (28 total)
Chart Run: ...18-22-23-25-28-29-31-32-32-41-46
Chart Points: 3223
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5uAR9w7LBg


116. Baby Storme - this city is a graveyard
Weeks on Chart: 8 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 50-35-30-25-23-19-20-17-...
Chart Points: 3359
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHWKGi1S5Fk

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120: The first of my BJSC entries. It's yet another mainstream dance song that takes inspiration from CamelPhat/John Summit and does its job fairly well. Poppy Baskcomb is an exceptional vocalist for these types of songs, and it's partly the reason why it continued to grow on me slightly after the contest. At the same time............ I really was overthinking the contest a bit and just sent it bc it sounded really good and I had to fish for a replacement, thus I was kinda going through the motions that contest. Still a good dance recommendation though.

119: I didn't think Conan Gray doing a Depeche Mode impersonation would have grabbed my attention so much but here we are. It's not in the top 100 and didn't reach the top 20 in my chart, but I gotta give credit where credit is due. The song overall is the most interesting thing I've heard from him since Overdrive. It shows off his lower vocal range well and tickles my nostalgia bone. It might have burned on me after a while but I appreciated the effort nonetheless.

118: Another basic random dance offering. DVBBS have been doing pretty well this decade with their relentless releases in Canada, and this is no different. It actually didn't slay the radio charts there like I thought it would but they still delivered a fun time nonetheless.

117: A carryover from 2022 that I'm somehow still obsessed with. Thank you Pink Friday 2. I heard this one relatively early as an edit to a Big Brother meme surfaced with a snippet of this at the time unreleased song and I was HOOKED, so I was even more pumped when she got to perform it at the VMAs that year (with BLACKPINK in attendance, we love to see it ). It just never got old for me, and whatever promotional efforts came up to offer the song aid definitely helped more than detracted (like the video, good god Alexander Ludwig fans were FED). It's one of those songs where I would instantly get in the mood to scream rap every time I hear it.

116: Another BJSC entry. I first heard this around July through YouTube but didn't think it was the right time to send it... until October, of course. This was such an obvious spoopy choice. It's clear to see Willow Smith's influence on the indie scene with how much melanin is present in the roster (safesp8ce & hemlocke springs are other good examples) and I'm here for it. I do think the Mareux comparisons people made to it were spot on, though the first thing I heard was Mr. Kitty, but it was in the same wavelength. Baby Storme's vocals also fit this decrepit atmosphere, and she does the juxtaposition of frilly and light with death very well.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 25th January 2024, 07:48 AM

#115-111

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115. Jisoo - Flower
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 48-40-36-31-27-28-23-23-21-23-40
Chart Points: 3376
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YudHcBIxlYw


114. P1Harmony - Jump
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 46-41-38-32-28-22-24-21-21-22-39
Chart Points: 3440
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hc1OjFxv-M


113. Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage - Good Good
Weeks on Chart: 14
Chart Run: 46-43-39-35-32-28-28-23-22-23-25-29-35-45
Chart Points: 3509
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jA-tE-4BYI


112. Big Time Rush - Can’t Get Enough
Weeks on Chart: 12
Chart Run: 50-42-39-39-32-30-25-22-19-19-20-38
Chart Points: 3521
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n4srKq21j4


111. Marshmello, P!nk & Sting - Dreaming
Weeks on Chart: 8 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 40-32-27-24-18-17-15-...
Chart Points: 3554
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2xramv88Io

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115: Jisoo was the last of the BLACKPINK girlies to get a solo debut, but not the last of them to get their solo project to debut. I should probably debut a Jennie song soon. This is a sultry type of bop that sounds completely unassuming, yet once the song ends you can't get it out of your head. That chorus has been the biggest of earworms for a while and for it to fend off Eurovision songs as long as it has it an amazing feat. Then again that spring was the strongest time for K-pop in a VERY long time. I thought Jisoo killed it, and her performance in Coachella (+ the fact that the signature flower move in the choreo looks like a Power Ranger morph sequence) sealed the deal.

114: This is so random, I've hated most of their title tracks up until the comeback before this one This popped up for a few days on the US radio charts, particularly because some stations were playing the English version. As advantageous as Keeho's nationality has been for the group, I never cared for it. But there was just something very catchy and reminiscent of recession pop about this despite it sounding like it came from this decade. It's the most fun I've heard a P1Harmony track sound. It is a typical hype song, but the slap house production helps give it a bit of an edge.

113: Usher has been recently on the up and up ever since he got announced by the Super Bowl and I'm here for it. He's certainly doing much better than Justin Timberlake and at least one early 2000s crooner needs to have their career revival moment. This song feels like old school Usher, down to the production and inflections in his voice. The premise of exes staying good friends is one that needs to be explored more in music. Breakups can be amicable and you can stay in good terms with your exes, even when you're in new relationships.

112: A new album and a whole tour for it and this is all they have to show for it. Oops. BTR doing the nu-disco sound definitely fits them as a bunch of 30 year olds. It's not as good as their first two tracks in their comeback era (which should have been on the album and I'm gonna be forever sad about it), but it's better than the tracks they released since. It's also the only song from Another Life that grew on me enough to chart.

111: So after P!nk released one of her greatest songs ever in Trustfall, she teams up with Marshmello & Sting for a pseudo-EDM track that kinda interpolates "Fields Of Gold". A ton of "almosts" in there. Marshmello surprised me with this; I didn't think he or his production team would be capable of something so laidback without leaning on it being hype. It feels like a refreshing drink after going hard during a workout. I'm also surprised that Sting is doing what he can to keep his name out there. This is his second song to chart EVER and they've both been EDM.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 26th January 2024, 06:35 AM

#110-106

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110. Loreen - Tattoo
Weeks on Chart: 9
Chart Run: 41-40-29-23-20-21-18-21-37
Chart Points: 3552
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lD0-1Uplms


109. Mae Stephens - If We Ever Broke Up
Weeks on Chart: 12
Chart Run: 48-43-36-31-29-29-26-21-18-19-32-49
Chart Points: 3593
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbGT3d0pHgo


108. William Shewfelt - Give My All
Weeks on Chart: 12
Chart Run: 42-33-31-30-28-24-23-25-22-25-36-50
Chart Points: 3632
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20kn-sP1aHw


107. PNAU & Khalid - The Hard Way
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 48-43-39-32-26-27-25-20-17-19-37
Chart Points: 3652
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKBuGEDGSWE


106. Ellie Goulding - Let It Die
Weeks on Chart: 9
Chart Run: 39-29-24-22-22-23-19-20-39
Chart Points: 3694
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivvBb-SOnRA

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110: We're now starting to get into the realm of top 20 peaks. This was my initial Eurovision fave that year (although it gets overtaken by something else, more on that another time). I hadn't gotten into Loreen's discography since Euphoria and when she was sorta everywhere in Europe that year, but I've heard good things. Her getting the chance to enter Eurovision again was a sight to behold, and I'm glad that she ended up winning. It was just a well crafted pop song that builds and builds. Also that instrumental bridge is to die for.

109: Another one that I found through AllAccess, although I ended up finding out that it was used in TikTok a lot so there's that. It's another fun appetizer song that doesn't really get annoying but also doesn't get any better. The small synth hits after she completes every verse in the chorus also just hit different.

108: I just checked and this is the highest track to peak outside the top 20. Neat.

So this guy is the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Ninja Steel, and one of three Rangers in that ensemble with a musical footprint. This also came out in 2021-ish and only grew on me after a rewatch of Ninja Steel. We love a Ranger team with a strong vocal line. Now that I've explained myself... my first impression of the song is that it's Post Malone doing The Weeknd and yet it kinda worked. Will has this raspy deep voice that fits this type of sound and style, and from what he's said about the song on social media, had been working on how he sounded in recordings for a while. Another song fit for traveling and driving down the freeway.

107: I like that Khalid has been going for a funk type of sound especially after the success of talk, and I'm still sad that "Skyline" flopped. This pretty much completes that trilogy (excluding "Numb" which wasn't really funk) unless he decides to release another song with this type of sound. This sounds super retro even down to the chord progression. It kinda gives off the same feeling as Stevie Wonder or even "Last Christmas", which was what grabbed me in the first place. Maybe if it was released closer to winter it would have grabbed me more, but this chart run seems about right.

106: More time during the hyper competitive Q1 months for newer entries props this higher than it should be. As soon as New Year's ended, I was set on hammering this a bunch of times as I was excited for another good Ellie Goulding era. That album was... nice, but this was one of the standouts. It's very airy in the beginning but then comes out very stern and strong by the chorus, almost as if there's something Ellie should be demanding. Here, she sings about a toxic relationship that has finally taken enough of a toll on her for her to realize that it isn't worth it and that she should get out. We have to stan honestly.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 27th January 2024, 09:48 AM

#105-101

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105. Ed Sheeran - Celestial
Weeks on Chart: 8 (13 total)
Chart Run: ...29-23-21-21-20-18-22-37
Chart Points: 3750
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23g5HBOg3Ic


104. Carly Rae Jepsen - Talking To Yourself
Weeks on Chart: 13
Chart Run: 50-46-41-41-34-33-30-23-21-16-19-26-42
Chart Points: 3759
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u2PPXhEelo


103. Jungkook - Standing Next To You
Weeks on Chart: 7 (in 2023)
Chart Run: 34-29-24-22-17-16-14-...
Chart Points: 3909
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNo0TG9LwwI


102. LOWES - Bloodstream
Weeks on Chart: 11
Chart Run: 43-39-36-28-25-24-21-19-20-20-35
Chart Points: 4011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sicIYaWh4x0


101. Zara Larsson - Can’t Tame Her
Weeks on Chart: 13
Chart Run: 46-44-36-31-33-32-27-25-21-19-18-21-40
Chart Points: 4027
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNcX0qqnE2Y

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105: I hardcore played Pokemon Violet from the time I bought it up until around February where I started to play Overwatch more. Meanwhile this song was slowly growing on me because Ed Sheeran decided to make something remotely decent. Celestial is the video game addict younger brother to Castle On The Hill and I am proud to say that after all these years I finally get the latter. It might have taken close to seven years and an IZ*ONE fan video to do it but I finally do. It fits well within the context of Scar/Vio and has that bright open ended feel that the game implements. Ed needs to do more songs like this and less like... what he released after.

104: This feels like such a random debut. It's so odd that radio decided to abandon Carly while she still made quality music, because a lot of what she's made has grabbed from the Kiss era and augmented it further. I randomly heard this in an ad and OH MY GOD it hit me like a truck. It's the song that reminds me the most of her older music, mostly in vibe rather than in production. This is another song that details the potential aftermath of a breakup where Carly implies that he's feeling some sort of longing after he let her go and she moved on. It fits the Kiss era just as much as it fits the era of origin.

103: I feel like from the beginning his label was trying to make Jungkook the band's Justin Timberlake (even more prominent with "3D" but that's a story for later), so it made sense that they were going for "Suit & Tie" with this one. It wasn't the immediate smash that I thought it was gonna be like the previous two singles from this album but he did his thing with this one. This was probably what I expected from Jungkook - a brassy funky midtempo Mark Ronson-esque track that showcases his smoothness and fluidity. I feel like Usher in the remix doesn't add that much to the song but also doesn't actively harm it, which I like. I just think it's random that it will be included in Usher's next album though. Trying to get ARMY's approval I see?

Idk if I'm going to credit Usher in the future with this. Normally I just lump them together with the version I play the most (like with "Crazy Kids") but while the remix is more prominent I like the original version better. Peculiar. We'll see what happens in the Super Bowl. I doubt it will change things but you never know.

102: These guys had never charted prior to me entering them to BJSC and now I kinda feel bad bc their dance features were fire. It's a nice successor to "Game Of Love" even if it relies on most of the same things that made their previous single pop and shine. The syncopation in the beginning of the chorus when the lead sings "got... so. deep." is the real killer, along with the second drop after "you set my skin on fire". It's a track that keeps its energy throughout and I appreciate that.

101: Yeah, I gravitated towards this bc it sounded like "I'm So Excited" and I was elated to hear that Zara was channeling Saved By The Bell with this kinda. It's the lyrics from "She Wolf" mixed in with the theme and tone of "Sorry Not Sorry". She's a woman with zero inhibitions and just wants to party all night. Very recession pop. It kinda got lost in the shuffle after a while but it was a nice showing from Zara nonetheless. Idk if I would classify her as a one-hit wonder but she also feels like one, probably because Ruin My Life doesn't feel that big in the US and it's like... her second biggest radio song here so I'm not sure. The UK really does treat her so much better.

Posted by: Cody Cranston 27th January 2024, 09:54 AM

Listed so far:
101 | 4027 | Zara Larsson - Can’t Tame Her
102 | 4011 | LOWES - Bloodstream
103 | 3909 | Jungkook - Standing Next To You
104 | 3759 | Carly Rae Jepsen - Talking To Yourself
105 | 3750 | Ed Sheeran - Celestial
106 | 3694 | Ellie Goulding - Let It Die
107 | 3652 | PNAU & Khalid - The Hard Way
108 | 3632 | William Shewfelt - Give My All
109 | 3593 | Mae Stephens - If We Ever Broke Up
110 | 3552 | Loreen - Tattoo
111 | 3544 | Marshmello, P!nk & Sting - Dreaming
112 | 3521 | Big Time Rush - Can’t Get Enough
113 | 3509 | Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage - Good Good
114 | 3440 | P1Harmony - Jump
115 | 3376 | Jisoo - Flower
116 | 3359 | Baby Storme - this city is a graveyard
117 | 3223 | Nicki Minaj - Super Freaky Girl
118 | 2991 | DVBBS & Clementine Douglas - Just Words
119 | 2931 | Conan Gray - Never Ending Song
120 | 2819 | HRRTZ f/Poppy Baskcomb - Saviour
121 | 2692 | Taylor Swift - Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)
122 | 2668 | Troye Sivan - Rush
123 | 2649 | Taylor Swift - Hits Different
124 | 2615 | Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo - RATATA
125 | 2604 | Lil Uzi Vert f/Nicki Minaj - Endless Fashion
126 | 2463 | Tyla - Water
127 | 2440 | Jax - Victoria's Secret
128 | 2412 | Lil Nas X - Star Walkin'
129 | 2353 | Troye Sivan - One Of Your Girls
130 | 2329 | Luke Combs - Fast Car
131 | 2298 | Jax Jones f/Calum Scott - Whistle
132 | 2278 | The Kid LAROI - Love Again
133 | 2173 | Dave Audé & ZEE MACHINE - Motions
134 | 2110 | Regard & Drop-G - No Love For You
135 | 2097 | Black Eyed Peas, Anitta & El Alfa - Simply The Best
136 | 2080 | Doja Cat - Attention
137 | 2070 | Elton John & Britney Spears - Hold Me Closer
138 | 2058 | Sigala & MNEK - Radio
139 | 2054 | e-lie f/Mariah Carey - Circles
140 | 1891 | Doja Cat - Agora Hills
141 | 1762 | Jain - Makeba
142 | 1663 | Jack Harlow - Lovin’ On Me
143 | 1654 | SZA - Nobody Gets Me
144 | 1601 | Zara Larsson & David Guetta - On My Love
145 | 1594 | The Chainsmokers & Bob Moses - Why Can't You Wait
146 | 1574 | XG - Left Right
147 | 1571 | Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal - B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)
148 | 1544 | The Weeknd f/Future - Double Fantasy
149 | 1501 | Tyler Hubbard - Dancin’ In The Country
150 | 1493 | Demi Lovato - 29

Posted by: Cody Cranston 31st January 2024, 08:19 AM

#100-96

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100. Alok, Sigala & Ellie Goulding - All By Myself
Weeks on Chart: 7 (17 total)
Chart Run: ...5-10-14-20-27-33-41
Chart Points: 4077
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Bg0kyxKoY


99. *NSYNC - Better Place
Weeks on Chart: 7
Chart Run: 29-21-16-14-15-19-38
Chart Points: 4093
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8rpVEzU9do


98. Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha
Weeks on Chart: 9
Chart Run: 35-29-22-22-19-19-18-21-39
Chart Points: 4187
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-b5gDWVnps


97. charlieonnafriday - Enough
Weeks on Chart: 7 (11 total)
Chart Run: ...19-14-12-14-16-21-35
Chart Points: 4348
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhj9z_OHNUw


96. OneRepublic - Runaway
Weeks on Chart: 13
Chart Run: 44-40-30-24-23-19-18-15-18-25-42
Chart Points: 4559
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWJU_eANW4M&

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100: This peaked in the top 3 around the tail end of last year so by the time the new chart year began it was already making it's quick descent down. This has been a randomly good year for Ellie with this and another dance collab doing well + her finally releasing an album even though barely anyone knew about it. But hey... at least the music was quality? This heavily samples Depeche Mode which was both a red and green flag - I wasn't expecting the sample jumpscare but I wasn't completely mad at it either. This brought out a spurt of new Alok singles that I've really been digging and honestly there's no better way to get big than to make bops.

99: Oh this song. This was really supposed to be the big comeback. But the memoir was too good.

Normally the most random children's movie soundtrack songs don't grab me that much. I only got obsessed with "We Don't Talk About Bruno" because of work and I started spamming it daily. Plus it's Disney. However, there is something very 2014 Pharrell Williams about this, which can be taken as a positive or negative depending on how y'all feel about "Happy". But it's a more upbeat song and something that fits both the movie and the current boy band style. The only thing that bothers me about this is that Big Time Rush or the JoBros could have put this in their latest albums and no one would have batted an eye. It's no wonder this sunk like a stone after that first hit - the memoir dropped, which destroyed both of JT's big musical returns (and destroyed Nelly Furtado's return in the crossfire - Timberlake not beating the incel allegations I see), and Trolls World Tour got barely any promotion because of the strike. In a world where everyone was decent, this would have fared better.

98: This year was the best that Eurovision songs had done in the history of my chart, and Käärijä was the big success story. I was....... unsure about how to feel about it when I first listened to it. It only kept growing from there. I was somehow not turned off by the metal influences, and that's mainly because the verses kept a more inhibited approach to introducing the big drop. They were one build up, and then it explodes into a frenzy. No wonder it got so popular off the backs of TikTok and the like. This type of madness is what they aim for. Finland ended up getting 2nd that year but I gelled with this song more than I ever did with "Tattoo".

97: The Machine Gun Kelly/blackbear copycats really need to be studied at some point. First Trevor Daniel, then The Kid LAROI and now this. Maybe Knox will end up in the same boat in the future. Yeah the Laroi comparisons were what attracted me to the song in the first place. US radio seems to like this stuff a lot. It's equal parts trap and emo sad boi hours core. It's a combination that I feel like should annoy people a lot but most seem to tolerate it.

96: Every year there seems to be that one song by these guys that they release and I think is one of the catchiest things in the world. I guess this was their one for 2023. My first impression of the song was that it sounded like something and I couldn't put my finger to it. That ended up being "Tattoo", and to be honest that was probably me being delusional. This was another song that was a nice rush of adrenaline and never overstayed its welcome because it was so short. I like this droplets era that they're in right now.