What the Kids are Listening to this Summer – 2011 Edition

Using Billboard.com again I’m gonna let you know what the top 10 songs of the summer were this year (well according to radio play and the chart still has a week or two to finalize).

As a reminder what we were listening to last year CLICK HERE

The chart I’m referencing is HERE

Most of you know where I’m going with this post, the top 40 songs are garbage and many of these songs on the list I’ve talked about previously. But here we go, the top ten songs of the summer of 2011…

10. Tonight Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae

The newest “rock” band to enter the pop punk world is Hot Chelle Rae. This band is what music lovers were afraid pop punk was heading, a band that sounds like Justin Bieber was apart of. You know they were half assing it when making this song since half the lyrics are “la la la”. Finally a band should never be talking about “keeping the beat bump’n” because you song shouldn’t be playing in the club you idiot (remember you are a ROCK band).

9. Good Life by OneRepublic

I’m less critical with this one, OneRepublic is hit or miss with me with their music, they remind me of a poor man’s Coldplay. You can’t deny how good Ryan Tedder’s voice is and the combination of the whistling in the chorus makes it an easy listening song. The video is interesting to watch with the sorta stop motion vintage effect painting being passed around.

8. E.T. by Katy Perry ft. Kanye West

First off, the original version of E.T. off the album is my favorite track off of Katy’s Teenage Dream album, but then add in Kanye and everything gets thrown off and the song becomes a dud (and Kanye’s been putting out decent material these last years too). This combined with a music video that registers a good 6 on the Lady Gaga weirdness scale. Katy is an alien that wants to turn robots into humans so she can take their shades? Yeah that’s what I’ll say its about.

7. How to Love by Lil Wayne

This is a rarity a song I like the video more than the song itself. This track is sort of influenced by Wheezy’s attempt at a rock album and it has a backing music of plain acoustic guitar which is fine, but what kills the song is Lil Wayne attempting to sing (which he can’t do) and ends up not being literate. The video is touching though showing two sides of how someone’s life could be by the choices made. So it’s 50/5o on this one.

6. The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga

The Edge of Glory isn’t a bad song, but its a low point for Gaga because its boring. It sounds like a generic Madonna song and doesn’t really showcase Gaga’s vocal ability or brand of electronica pop. Even the video is tame compared to all her others, she’s just dancing around a set from one side to the other.

The Drop – Week 1, September

New month, time to see if a new song can dethrone the reigning champs in my music collection, Foster the People. Once again, in this special Friday edition of The Drop, my favorite songs from ten to one…

10. What the Water Gave Me by Florence + the Machine

I’m not sure how, but Florence + the Machine somehow took simple footage of studio recording and turned it into something mystical looking in this music video. This song is just another great single that shows the great ethereal voice of Florence Welch and her music group’s indie rock vibe. Their next album is expected this November.

9. Up All Night by blink-182

Still about a month away from the release of the new blink-182 album, Neighborhoods. So until a new single is released, Up All Night gets another week to survive on my charts. I like how even though all the members of blink are in their late 30′s, the video still shows them as a stars of the teenage rebellion. Though without Fall Out Boy, I guess they are the best punk pop band out there, long live Blink-182!

8. Fool Like Me by Cobra Starship (feat. Plastiscines)

Right now I blame Ryan Tedder and Kara Dioguardi for ruining a great band that use to fuse alternative rock and electronica to make an amazing new sound. Now with the release this week of their new album Night Shades, Cobra Starship has become just generic pop. Fool Like Me is one of the few tracks I can tolerate mostly from the humorous lyrics and backing vocals from the indie band the Plastiscines. The brightside is Cobra Starship has released some of the coolest lyric music videos I’ve seen for 5 of the tracks on their new album, yay graphic design.

7. Titanium by David Guetta (feat. Sia)

David Guetta, in my mind, is still one of the most egotistical house dj’s in the business, but he does put out some really good music. Off his newest album, Nothing but the Beat, Titanium is definitely my favorite track since it features the vocals of Australian singer Sia (definitely check her out).

6. Domino by Jessie J

It seems just like a week ago that Jessie J just released a new music video for her song Who’s Laughing Now, and this week she releases a brand new single (not sure where it came from – if it will be on a new album or just a digital track). While her last single sounded more like P!nk to me, this one is more Katy Perry-ish (Jessie J is all over the place with her music I guess).

The Drop – August, Week 4

-comments to be added on saturday, technical problems with wordpress -

10. In the Sun by She & Him

9. This City by Patrick Stump ft. Lupe Fiasco

8. Darling by Kids These Days

7. What the Water Gave Me by Florence + the Machine

6. Haven’t Had Enough by Marianas Trench

The Drop – August, Week 3

We’re finally back to the classic countdown format of The Drop this week. From ten to one, it’s the songs that I am currently into this week.

10. The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala by Arctic Monkeys

A new single from the band I like to look into every once in awhile, the Arctic Monkeys. It’s a jamming groove with a hollowed out sounding guitar riffs along with lead singer’s Alex Turner’s smooth voice. The song is almost a indie rock kick back to 70′s psychedelic rock. The music video apparently features model Scarlett Kapella in different artsy shots mixed with band concert footage. Lots of quick cuts and grainy footage effect to make it look old, just something interesting to look at.

9. Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera

Guess this is my top 40 pick of the week. It’s actually just a typical Maroon 5 song with a really catchy chorus and an insert part from Adam Levine’s co-judge on The Voice, Ms. Aguilera. What I like is the video and how it mixes in some old clips of The Rolling Stones along with a bunch of people dressed in the various outfits of Mick Jagger during his career trying to “move like Jagger”. It’s sorta a cool tribute to the rocker. (Also bewared the music video is a little NSFW, but its hard to notice).

8. Otis by Jay-Z & Kanye West

The collaboration of 2 of hip hops biggest names came together for the album Watch the Throne, and amazingly with all the egos involved its not too terrible of an album (though I wouldn’t say great either). Otis is a good example of how many of the songs are like West’s last album’s ability to choose interesting out of the box sampling. This one sampling soul legend Otis Redding’s Try a Little Tenderness. Thing I like the most about this song is the simplicity of it, just back to back verses trying to top the other (though the verses are just the respective artist talking about how great they are). But with hip hop it could always be worse. I also don’t get the music video, they destroy an expensive car and then drive around, is that it?

7.  New York Moves to the Sound of LA by Funeral Party

Returns to the charts this week, but falls a 2 spots. See past posts for my thoughts.

6. Trouble on My Mind by Pusha T ft. Tyler, the Creator

Another returner from last week’s debut, but moves up 2 spots. Same deal with #7, see last week’s post for my thoughts.

The Drop – Clear the Charts, New Music

We’re cleaned the charts clean again for an all new to the charts edition of The Drop. Maybe you’ve heard some of these, maybe you haven’t, but these are ten new songs that I’m currently into…

10. Holdin’ On by Rooney

The California band Rooney has to be one of the best feel good bands today. Most of their songs are Beatle-esk with their upbeat rhythm and joint harmonies. Though its not my favorite track off their latest album Eureka, it comes to a close second. The video is a collection of set up shots of the band doing wacky things out in the wilderness, but with the soft lighting it gives it an almost western look to it.

9. Who’s Laughing Now by Jessie J

Definitely this video draws comparison from me between her and Pink or P!nk (whatever it is these days). If you haven’t listen to material before, then you are missing out on an artist who has a strong vocal talent, but is still pop friendly without the autotune. This is the first video I’ve seen that Jessie got to have fun with and act out various characters, while a young actress portrays what Jessie might have looked like at the age of 8. Basically you like Pink then meet Britain’s Pink.

8. Trouble on My Mind by Pusha T ft. Tyler, the Creator

Pusha T, formerly of the hip hop duo Clipse, will be debuting on a solo album soon and Trouble on My Mind is the first single from that upcoming album. And so far it proves that hip hop isn’t totally dead. What really makes the song are Tyler’s verses that just go hard and all out (the way rap used to be). Combine that with Pusha T’s chorus that doesn’t hold the song like most hip hop songs do these day, but just carries it. The song isn’t for the faint of heart, but come on we’ve been bogged down by G-rated rap for way too long, time to bring back the good stuff.

7. She’s the Latest One by The June Junes

The June Junes are sort of a rarity, an indie rock band coming out of Mexico. Sam’s voice is something new, a native Mexican singing English, but it works. The band they sound the most like are actually Rooney (the #10 for this week). It’s summer so upbeat music is really in for me at the moment.

6. Someone Like You by The Summer Set

It took me awhile to get used to this one since The Summer Set lost their rocking feel for a more poppy one. Their new album Everything’s Fine dropped recently, but it was sort of a let down to me so you probably won’t be seeing anymore Summer Set songs on these charts for awhile.