STARBOY ALBUM REVIEW - The Weeknd

This is a guy that had me from Kiss Land all the way through Party Monster.

As I have done already for OneRepublic and Oh My My (which by the way received over 150 pageviews, more that triple any of my other posts), in this post I will review The Weeknd's Starboy. There are already three songs on my chart from this album and one that came and went.

*I will be using Adrian's colour-code (purple=best song; green=good song; blue=okay song; red=bad song; orange=worst song; dark green=no opinion)*

Track 1: Starboy (10/10)
I loved it from the first listen. Daft Punk's beat is great, but not amazing. The Weeknd's voice is SPECTACULAR!!! I have never heard a song as catchy as this one. I think the only song I listened to so many times on repeat and didn't get sick of it was Stressed Out, but Twenty One Pilots are another story. I think the best part of the song is the pre-chorus, because the chorus doesn't have much vocals to it, being great, of course.

Track 2: Part Monster [feat. Lana Del Rey] (10/10)
I just reviewed this song last post. This song sounds like typical rap these days. The Weeknd is actually really surprisingly great at rap. I am not saying The Weeknd should switch. But this song is really good. I like that he is teaming up with Lana Del Rey. Except the awful disaster Summertime Sadness, she is pretty good. And in Prisoner she was great.

Track 3: False Alarm (8.5/10)
This song is annoying when he screams but it is great in the verses and The Weeknd really showcases his voice. Although the first scream is cool, the other screams destroy the song's perfection.

Track 4: Reminder (10/10)
This is The Weeknd as I know him. Leaving back that feeling of "WOW that was amazing" that just paralyzed you and then you can't even remember the tune of the song after you tell your friends about this song.

Track 5: Rockin' (8/10)
This is a very catchy song. However, this is not the typical Weeknd, but change is good. Although this song could be better, it is definitely not bad.

Track 6: Secrets (5/10)
This song is annoying how The Weeknd tries to use a monotone but still chaneg pitch. Choose one or the other. How is this song more popular on iTunes than Reminder?

Track 7: True Colo(u)rs (3/10)
This song is confusing with the background voices and the electronic sounds after. And the meaning is strange and frankly, downright horrible. You have to maintain The Hills, if not High For This or In The Night and their feelings (not meanings though).

Track 8: Stargirl Interlude (feat. Lana Del Rey)
This is an interlude of two minutes. It is just music and Lana Del Rey's voice. I mean she is good and the interlude is fine. But I can't really rate this as a song

Track 9: Sidewalks [feat. Kendrick Lamar] (8/10)
This song is so catchy. But the messiness makes it a bit too confusing. And Kendrick Lamar sounds better in The Greatest or Don't Wanna Know that here.

Track 10: Six Feet Under (10/10)
I love everything about this song. The repetition and the "Six feet under she goin' get that ___ paper" is so catchy. Despite the overload of ____s, the song deserves credit.

Track 11: Love To Lay (9/10)
I love this song and The Weeknd's rhymes are very clever. This and Party Monster are songs that I can't help but move to. Instead of I Feel It Coming, release this, or Reminder, or better yet Six Feet Under.

Track 12: A Lonely Night (3.5/10)
I guess The Weeknd has to stay in his falsetto all throughout at least one song. This song would be amaziing if Adam Levine and Maroon5 sang it. But it is just annoying with The Weeknd's R&B/Rap voice. One of only three bad songs on Starboy.

Track 13: Attention (9.5/10)
I guess this song is just average. For The Weeknd. The awesome beat, the great electronics, the weird lyrics. I am getting tired of ranting about his excellence.

Track 14: Ordinary Life (10/10)
What a song! What heart! The Weeknd and his sombre! I can't believe this hasn't already hit #1 on every chart. I can listen to this song for the rest of my days and not get sick of it. I will recommend this to everybody.

Track 15: Nothing Without You (2/10)
After hearing Ordinary Life, this is trash. And the notes he hits hurt my ears. I guess the verses save it from a flat 0/10. But I hope no more songs like these come out anymore from the epic Abel Tesfaye.

Track 16: All I Know [feat. Future] (10/10)
This is a great mellow song and a square up to Nothing Without You, and Future does very well in this song. The first collab with a rapper where the rapping does not ruin the song. Congrats, Future!

Track 17: Die For You (10/10)
The third song that I can't help but to bob my head like an idiot. And one of the very few actual love song from The Weeknd. I wished The Weeknd would come out with one love song without sex or drugs related. GREAT lyrics, finally.

Track 18: I Feel It Coming [feat. Daft Punk](6/10)
My opinion sank completely from this song after I heard the rest of this album. This will 100% leave my Top 60 chart next week to leave place for Ordinary Life and another great song that is yet unrecognized. Funny how the song starts and ends with Daft Punk, and The Weeknd releases both those singles off his album. I think him and Daft Punk are friends.

Top 5:
1. Ordinary Life
2. Party Monster
3. Starboy
4. Die For You
TIE 5. Six Feet Under
TIE 5. Reminder

And that is the album review! I will be extremely grateful if you would please leave your comment on how I can improve this blog.

Alex Da Kid/X Ambassadors/Elle King/Wiz Khalifa (1) - Week #48

THIS REALLY WAS SOME HARD WORK RIGHT HERE.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who live in the United States.

This came out late because of the long comments on debuts. We have a new MOST DEBUT WEEK. I knew you all probably thought that this would happen... So I decided to expand my chart again to 60 spots.

Exits:
The Summer Set - The Night is Young (#30)
Major Lazer/Justin Bieber/MO - Cold Water (#44)
Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#45)
Fifth Harmony - All In My Head (Flex)(#46)
Glenn Morrison/Evalyn - I'm The King (#47)
Karl Wolf - Amateur At Love (#48)
Ariana Grande - Touch It (#49)
Martin Garrix/Bebe Rexha - In The Name Of Love (#50)

#1 song last week: Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons/... - Sucker For Pain (3)
#1 song this week one year ago: The Weeknd - In The Night (10)

60. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming (DEBUT)
59. Lady Gaga - A-YO (DEBUT)
58. John Mayer - Love On The Weekend (DEBUT)
57. Pentatonix - Hallelujah (DEBUT)
56. Flume/Vince Staples/Kučka - Smoke & Retribution (DEBUT)
55. Daya - Words (DEBUT)
54. Pitbull/Flo Rida/Lunchmoney Lewis - Greenlight (DEBUT)
53. Rihanna - Love On The Brain (#41)
52. The Lumineers - Sleep On The Floor (DEBUT)
51. Justin Bieber/DJ Snake - Let Me Love You (#37)
50. Twenty One Pilots - Doubt (#35)
49. Alan Walker - Faded (#42)
48. Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild (#40)
47. All Time Low - Missing You (#39)
46. ControlMX/Becky Hanson - I Started A Joke (#32)
45. RedOne/Enrique Iglesias/R. City/Shaggy/Serayah - Don't You Need Somebody (#38)
44. Coleman Hell - FIreproof (DEBUT)
43. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#34)
42. Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful (#36)
41. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You (#33)
40. Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor (DEBUT)
39. Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap (#19)
38. Hailee Steinfield & Grey/Zedd - Starving (DEBUT)
37. Shawn Mendes - Mercy (DEBUT)
36. Twenty One Pilots - Cancer (#20)
35. Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things (#31)
34. Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side To Side (#28)
33. OneRepublic - Let's Hurt Tonight (#27)
32. The Chainsmokers/Xylo - Setting Fires (DEBUT)
31. The Chainsmokers/Phoebe Ryan - All We Know (DEBUT)
30. Coldplay/Beyonce' - Hymn For The Weekend (#26)
29. Virginia To Vegas - Lights Out (#24)
28. Snakehips/Zayn - Cruel (#25)
27. Nick Jonas - Bacon (#23)
26. Sia - The Greatest (#15)
25. The Weeknd/Lana Del Rey - Party Monster (DEBUT)
24. Fifth Harmony - That's My Girl (DEBUT)
23. Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You (#21)
22. Flume/Tove Lo - Say It (#18)
21. Maroon5 - Don't Wanna Know (#13)
20. Sia - Never Give Up (DEBUT)
19. Sia/Miguel - Satisfied (DEBUT)
18. Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence (#16)
17. OneRepublic - Choke (#17)
16. Hedley - Can't Slow Down (#11)
15. Mike Posner - Be As You Are (#12)
14. Sum 41 - War (DEBUT)
13. Hedley - Lose Control (#14)
12. OneRepublic/Peter Gabriel - A.I. (#7)
11. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - Starboy (#10)
10. DNCE - Body Moves (#8)
9. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (#9)
8. Frenship/Emily Warren - Capsize (#6)
7. Trevor Guthrie - Wanted (#30)
6. Lindsey Stirling/Andrew McMahon - Something Wild (DEBUT)
5. OneRepublic - Better (#4)
4. John Bellion - All Time Low (#5)
3. Michelle Treacy - Armageddon (#3)
2. Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons/... - Sucker For Pain (#1)
1. Alex Da Kid/X Ambassadors/Elle King/Wiz Khalifa - Not Easy (#2) [1st week @ #1]

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Trevor Guthrie - Wanted (+23)
Biggest Drop Of The Week:  Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap (-20)

Comments on debuts:
There are eighteen to get through, and I am pretty sure none of you are going to read them all. So I will start with the best and end with the worst. Something Wild is the first time I heard of Lindsey Stirling. But I would like to talk about Andrew McMahon. I first heard him in Cecilia & The Satellite, then in High Dive. I love his voice! It is spot on all through all his songs and the meanings of his songs also stand out to be great. This song was an instant hit for me.

War is one of the few rock songs that make it on this chart. Don't get me wrong, I like rock. What with Evanescence I can't say no. And then there was the amazing song Mechanical. But War really is an expert piece of rock music and Sum 41 really shows me that rock is not all Evanescence.

The first Sia song debuting this week in the top 20 is Satisfied. The bridge is not that Si-like. But those verses! There are so catchy and Sia is perfect for this song. Sia never fails. And the chorus! This song is probably going to turn out Sia's best. I hope it gets famous soon. Also, Miguel's exchange lines are great. But this is a soundtrack. Those names, Alexander Hamilton, Angelica, they get annoying because I will not watch The Hamilton MixTape. And Queen Latifah ruins the song so I decided it would be better without her :)

Sia's next top 20 debut is Never Give Up. Like The Greatest, it is a stand up song. The Greatest was better, but that will change. It is a great song, and I sense that it will get pretty big (I hope so) because radio will need a new Sia song after The Greatest.

That's My Girl is noise. But it is fun catchy noise. It is a very dumb song, but I can't stop dancing to it.

I am listening to Party Monster right now. It sounds like typical rap these days. The Weeknd is actually really surprisingly great at rap. I am not saying The Weeknd should switch. But this song is really good. I like that he is teaming up with Lana Del Rey. Except the awful disaster Summertime Sadness, she is pretty good. And in Prisoner she was great.

Setting Fires is just better than All We Know, which is just better than Closer. That is because they are all catchy and repetitive. But the beat in Setting Fires is the best one.

Mercy was better since his performance on the AMAs but it is still not better than Something Big, or Life Of The Party. But it is definitely better than Stitches and now, better that Treat You Better. But I thought more highly of Treat You Better when it was first released.

Starving is super old and was SO annoying when I first listened to it. But now it is okay, and I must say it is better than Love Myself. And when music like 24K Magic or Million Reasons come up, I love Starving.

If I got you this far please leave a comment to tell me that you are an amazing person. As I said before, Versace On The Floor is more of the old Bruno Mars and the only good song on his album. I hope this is his next single because Bruno Mars should remember when he sang Just The Way You Are. That is what introduced me to Pop music and now he comes up with 24K Magic. Versace On The Floor can reintroduce him to my good books.

Fireproof is old, but I didn't listen to it until my mother caught on to it when she was alone in the car and said "Hey, you know that song must be fireproof is really good" so I listened to it. I mean, I was really strict considering the worst song in the history of Male Pop, 2 Heads, came from his part. And I thought Fireproof was a catchy song that I should take more seriously.

Sleep On The Floor is the new The Lumineers single. It is fine but Ophelia was better by miles and miles and miles. And so was Ho Hey. But they have had bad works, these Lumineers.

The other old song debuting is Greenlight. I realized that Flo Rida is an excellent rapper. He is so catchy and Lunchmoney Lewis's part is so bad I wish Flo Rida was the only part of this song.

Daya has had better than Words. Don't Let Me Down will always be your best, Daya. Don't bother trying to beat it unless you use that voice again.

Flume's new track, the follow up to Never Be Like You and Say It, Smoke & Retribution, is in collaboration with Kučka and Vince Staples. Kučka helped a lot on Flume's album and Vince Staples did well in this song. Otherwise, I only listened to it once.

I needed a newish Hallelujah to acknowledge Leonard Cohen.

I only heard Love On The Weekend once and I will be back with more, probably next post.

A-YO is so much better that any of her previous song that hurt just to write down their names. It is a very good song for the new Lady Gaga.

last post I said I Feel It Coming was "okay". It is still. I needed a filler because a 59-song countdown just doesn't have that much of a ring to it. Whew! I did it! And you did too! congratulations to all who read that whole thing!

Hit-Bound:
Machine Gun Kelly/Camila Cabello - Bad Things
Lukas Graham - You're Not There
Calum Scott - Dancing On My Own
James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go
Starley - Call On Me
John Legend - Love Me Now (DEBUT){because of the AMAs} [this sure cut itself by quite a bit :)]

Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons/... (3) - Week #47

Anyone who would skip this paragraph would think that I was colour-coding. The extreme amount of biggest drops was 99% by accident (I had to bump up a notch Still Falling For You), but the rest is 100% authentic.

Before we begin, this post was so much fun to make. What with the 20-or-so Hit-Bound songs and the enormous biggest drop ties, and the awesome top three of Sucker For Pain-Not Easy-Armaggedon and the best top fifteen of the year so far, what more could I want? 

But, Bruno Mars has released his whole new album and of the 11 songs, only Versace On The Floor is good.

And the Weeknd has two new songs also, with Daft Punk I Feel It Coming (amazing) and the awesome Party Monster, alone.

Thursday I went to a symphony orchestra concert (my uncle is master timpanist). The pianist, Denis Matsuev and (if you guys follow other type of music) is ranked in the top 5 pianist ever, and if I may say he was amazing. He did two encores and I think the ovation lasted a good fifteen minutes. I really suggest for anyone who understands classical music to check him out. He is truly a master.

Last point before we begin, I finally updated the records page.

Thank you for kindly reading this rather large proem.

Songs leaving:
NONE

#1 song last week: Lil Wayne/Imagins Dragons/... - Sucker For Pain (2)
#1 song this week one year ago: The Weeknd - In The Night (9)

50. Martin Garrix/Bebe Rexha - In The Name Of Love (#42)
49. Ariana Grande - Touch It (#45)
48. Karl Wolf - Amateur At Love (#50)
47. Glenn Morrison/Evalyn - I'm The King (#39)
46. Fifth Harmony - All In My Head (Flex) (#49)
45. Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#44)
44. Justin Bieber/Major Lazer/MO - Cold Water (#36)
43. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#35)
42. Alan Walker - Faded (#41)
41. RIhanna - Love On The Brain (#33)
40. Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild (#43)
39. All Time Low - Missing You (#31)
38. RedOne/Enrique Iglesias/R. City/Shaggy/Serayah - Don't You Need Somebody (#38)
37. Justin Bieber/DJ Snake - Let Me Love You (#40)
36. Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful
35. Twenty One Pilots -- Doubt (#37)
34. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#48) [+14]
33. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You (#25)
32. ControlMX/Becky Hanson - I Started A Joke (#34)
31. Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things (#32)
30. Trevor Guthrie - Wanted (#46) [+16]
29. The Summer Set - The Night is Young (#30)
28. Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side To Side (#20)
27. OneRepublic - Let's Hurt Tonight (#29)
26. Coldplay/Beyonce' - Hymn For The Weekend (#24)
25. Snakehips/Zayn - Cruel (#23)
24. Virginia To Vegas - Lights Out (#27)
23. Nick Jonas - Bacon (#15)
22. The Chainsmokers/Phoebe Ryan - All We Know (#14)
21. Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You (#26)
20. Twenty One Pilots - Cancer (#12)
19. Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap (#21)
18. Flume/Tove Lo - Say It (#22)
17. OneRepublic - Choke (#28) [+11]
16. Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence (#19)
15. Sia/Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest (#16)
14. Hedley - Lose Control (#13)
13. Maroon5 - Don't Wanna Know (#10)
12. Mike Posner - Be As You Are (#8)
11. Hedley - Can't Slow Down (#5)
10. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - Starboy (#7)
9. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (#9)
8. DNCE - Body Moves (#11)
7. OneRepublic/Peter Gabriel - A.I. (#6)
6. Frenship/Emily Warren - Capsize (#4)
5. John Bellion - All Time Low (#3)
4. OneRepublic - Better (#2)
3. Michelle Treacy - Armageddon (#17) [+14]
2. Alex Da Kid/X Ambassadors/Elle King - Not Easy (#18) [+16]
1. Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons/... - Sucker For Pain (#1) [3rd week @ #1]

BIGGEST JUMP OF THE WEEK: Not Easy; Wanted (+16)
BIGGEST DROP OF THE WEEK: In The Name Of Love; Cold Water; Cancer; Missing You; I'm The King; Bacon; All We Know; Side To Side; Still Falling For You; Love On The Brain; Don't Let Me Down (-8)

COMMENTS ON DEBUTS:
NONE!

HIT-BOUND [more than double of max!!!!!]
Shawn Mendes - Mercy
The Weeknd - Party Monster
Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor
Sia/Miguel/Queen Latifah - Satisfied
The Chainsmokers/XYLO - Setting Fires
Lady Gaga - A-YO
Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex
Clean Bandit/Louisa Johnson - Tears
John Mayer - Love On The Weekend
Flume/Vince Staples/Kučka - Smoke & Retribution
Coleman Hell - Fireproof
Lukas Graham - You're Not There
Calum Scott - Dancing On My Own
Fifth Harmony - That's My Girl
The Weeknd/Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming
James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go
Starley - Call On Me
Sum 41 - War
Machine Gun Kelly/Camila Cabello - Bad Things
Pentatonix - Hallelujah
Daya - Words
Lindsey Stirling/Andrew McMahon - Something Wild
Sia - Never Give Up
  What if all those songs debuted next week {...}

Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons (2) - Week #46

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge Leonard Cohen, who passed away this week. This man really was a mark in music and I am glad that Canada respects him by his song Hallelujah #1 on iTunes.

I don't listen to much nowadays. I have a very busy week, if I may say:
Monday: Volunteer work until 9:00
Tuesday: Badminton until 6:30
Wednesday: Piano until 6:00
Thursday: Swimming until 6:45
Friday: Blog
Saturday: Russian school until 4:55
Sunday: Free

So I don't have much iTunes free time.

Songs leaving:
Niall Horan - This Town (#27)
The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer (#33)
Britney Spears/G-Eazy - Make Me... (#46)

#1 song this week 1 year ago: The Weeknd - In The Night (8)
#1 song last week: Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons - Sucker For Pain (1)

50. Karl Wolf - Amateur At Love (#50)
49. Fifth Harmony - All In My Head (Flex) (#49)
48. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#48)
47. Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful (#47)
46. Trevor Guthrie - Wanted (DEBUT)
45. Ariana Grande - Touch It (#45)
44. Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#44)
43. Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild (#43)
42. Martin Garrix/Bebe Rexha - In The Name Of Love (#42)
41. Alan Walker - Faded (#41)
40. Justin Bieber/DJ Snake  - Let Me Love You (#40)
39. Glenn Morrison/Evalyn - I'm The King (#39)
38. RedOne/Enrique Iglesias/R. City/Shaggy/Serayah - Don't You Need Somebody (#38)
37. Twenty One Pilots - Doubt (#37)
36. Justin Bieber/Major Lazer/MO - Cold Water (#36)
35. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#35)
34. ControlMX/Becky Hanson - I Started A Joke (#32)
33. Rihanna - Love On The Brain (#31)
32. Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things (#30)
31. All Time Low - Missing You (#29)
30. The Summer Set - The Night Is Young (#28)
29. OneRepublic - Let's Hurt Tonight (#26)
28. OneRepublic - Choke (#25)
27. Virginia To Vegas - Lights Out (#23)
26. Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You (#17)
25. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You (#21)
24. Coldplay/Beyonce' - Hymn For The Weekend (#22)
23. Snakehips/Zayn - Cruel (#20)
22. Flume/Tove Lo - Say It (#34)
21. Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap (#19)
20. Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side To Side (#26)
19. Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence (#18)
18. Alex Da Kid/X Ambassadors/Elle King/Wiz Khalifa - Not Easy (DEBUT)
17. Michelle Treacy - Armageddon (DEBUT)
16. Sia - The Greatest (#16)
15. Nick Jonas - Bacon (#15)
14. The Chainsmokers/Phoebe Ryan - All We Know (#14)
13. Hedley - Lose Control (#13)
12. Twenty One Pilots - Cancer (#12)
11. DNCE - Body Moves (#11)
10. Maroon5 - Don't Wanna Know (#10)
9. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (#9)
8. Mike Posner - Be As You Are (#8)
7. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - Starboy (#7)
6. OneRepublic/Peter Gabriel - A.I. (#3)
5. Hedley - Can't Slow Down (#2)
4. Frenship/Emily Warren - Capsize (#4)
3. John Bellion - All Time Low (#5)
2. OneRepublic - Better (#6)
1. Lil Wayne/Imagine Dragons - Sucker For Pain (#1)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Flume/Tove Lo - Say It (+12)
Biggest Drop Of The Week: Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You (-9)

Hit-Bound:
Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor
Sia/Miguel/Queen Latifah - Satisfied
The Chainsmokers/XYLO - Setting Fires
Lady Gaga - A-YO
Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex
Clean Bandit/Louisa Johnson - Tears