It’s high time for another installment of ‘What the Kids are Listening To,’ an occasional series in which I feature the songs currently topping Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
The current #1 is an unlikely title holder, and a song I featured on the blog just last week. Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America,’ propelled by its provocative video, earned the singer/actor his first whiff of the top ten, let alone the top spot. Previously, Gambino’s highest charter was ‘Redbone,’ which peaked at #12.
It’s back-to-back Drake, this time as the lead artist following his supporting turn on the stinker ‘Used to This.’
Drake’s ‘Fake Love’ sits at #17 following Sia’s ‘Cheap Thrills’ at #15 and Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ (Song of the Summer?) still hanging on at #16.
I’m not a Drake fan. My daughter is into his latest album but everything I’ve heard is monotonous and silly. I assume this track is from that album so my hopes aren’t high.
We have two more repeats at #12 and #13 of Billboard’s chart this week, Major Lazer’s ‘Cold Water’ and Shawn Mendes’ ‘Treat You Better,’ respectively. In the 14th spot is a cut by rapper Future, with an assist by Drake.
‘Used to This’ is a horrible song. Lyrically, it’s inane selg-congratulatory crap. How many times can rap artists brag about money and cars before they realize it’s ridiculous? Or is there some deep irony at work here that I’m missing?
It’s that time again. For the first time since March, I will take a look at the songs topping Billboard’s Hot 100.
Nine of the current top ten songs are new to the blog. These are the early contenders for Song of the Summer status, though — like a Hillary Clinton superdelegate — my vote has already been committed to DNCE’s ‘Cake By the Ocean.’ We’ll see if any of these songs change my mind.
After nearly three weeks of somber Lucinda Williams songs, I owe my readers something more mainstream. So for the next two weeks I’ll present my first 2016 installment of ‘What the Kids are Listening To,’ my quarterly rundown of Billboard’s Hot 100.
It’s been long enough since my last dive into the charts that almost every song in the Top Ten this week is new to the blog.
Meet Me In Montauk 