Taylor Swift—”Mine”
#3
After two albums chronicling teenage life and daydreams, as Swift nears 21 she has no choice but to move on to a more adult perspective. Problem is she’s had no real adult life to write about (unless touring and promotion count), so the details here, though they sound authentic enough, carry no emotional resonance–they’re just the imaginings of an astute and intelligent songwriter who’s still learning her craft. The result is technically flawless but stiff and lifeless. I can’t see Swift ever turning into a hack, but she’s got some real living to do before she can fulfill the promise of her first two records.
Linkin Park—”The Catalyst”
#35
I can’t say for sure that this is the worst record ever made—I’d have to wade through too much dreck to find out—but it sure is close. Loud boys with loud toys and no brains.
Sean Kingston featuring Nicki Minaj—”Letting Go (Dutty Love)”
#46
If Kingston has to change it’s better he go dancehall than anything else, and this is far less irritating than his last couple of singles. But even if you give Nicki Minaj credit for name-checking Hugh Hefner and rastafari in the same line, it isn’t terribly exciting
Jay Sean featuring Nicki Minaj—”2012 (It Ain’t the End)”
#50
When your music is this generic it’s not a good idea to dare comparisons to Prince, who has owned this particular theme for almost thirty years. Though it’s tempting to think that records like this may have been exactly what the Mayans were talking about.
Katy Perry—”Not Like the Movies”
#53
Released as a pre-album teaser (“Look! There’s a ballad, too!”), and we can only hope that it never qualifies as an actual single. I appreciate Perry’s daring, but if she’s going to be this hokey and over the top she needs a beat. Let’s face it, sincerity, even feigned sincerity, does not become her.
Daughtry—”September”
#94
I’m not sure which is the bigger surprise: that Daughtry is still milking their second album, or that some people are still buying it. At least Nickelback’s songs have hooks.
The Script—”The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”
#96
The last verse, where the singer fantasizes about becoming famous for camping out on a street corner waiting for his girl to come back, is clever, but it doesn’t come close to saving the song, which is as generic and musically unimaginative as they come. Do these guys call themselves The Script because they think they’re writing one, or because they’re following one?
Tags: Daughtry, Jay Sean, Katy Perry, Linkin Park, Nickelback, Nicki Minaj, Sean Kingston, Taylor Swift, The Script