Album Review: Jessie J's "Sweet Talker" Is Her Best Yet

In less than 4 years of being a professional singer, Jessie J has experienced everything that artists normally take many, many years (if not decades) to experience. She's had a massive first album with 5+ chart hits, been featured on numerous soundtracks (The Mortal Instruments, Kick Ass 2, Easy A, etc.), shaved her head, broken her leg, experienced severe controversy (The Voice UK), released an album that was considered a critical and commercial failure and experienced a second coming in career. As an example, it took Britney Spears over a decade to complete a similar cycle (maybe 12 years), while it took Madonna roughly 25 years.

After the surprising outcome and subsequent success of the lead single from Sweet Talker, "Bang Bang", which was billed as Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj, people were finally starting to hop back onto the Jessie J bandwagon. All of a sudden, the British artist announced that she'd be releasing a new album to worldwide retailers on October 14th. Several days later, a not so good looking album cover was released and the album's tracklist soon followed. But does Sweet Talker having anything else besides "Bang Bang" that's 'sweet enough' to be marketed toward potential buyers and listeners? Based on what happened with her last album cycle ("Wild" and Alive), you'd think not. Fortunately, Sweet Talker is a marked improvement over J's previous album. In fact, I'd consider it her best if you (like me) think songs exclusive to Who You Are: Platinum Edition should be considered excluded because they were also released as a separate EP.

Although there are some distinct problems with several song on the album, the set as a collective piece feels like it works well enough to drum up enough sales. It has the already recognizable "Bang Bang", the album's instantly catchy second single ("Burnin' Up") and most surprising win of them all: the album's title track ("Sweet Talker"), which is mild yet extremely powerful at the same time.

While "Burnin' Up (feat. 2 Chainz)" is similar to some other songs we've heard recently (the french horn element has been really popular this year in grimy pop songs), it's diverse enough to be chalked up to a win. Here's what I said about it upon release:

"Burnin' Up (feat. 2 Chainz)" couldn't fit her new style better. Similar to Cheryl Cole's "Crazy Stupid Love", "Burnin' Up (feat. 2 Chainz)" is a trap inspired dance number with an irresistibly catchy chorus. The addition of a featured rap verse from 2 Chainz doesn't really feel necessary, but in this case, it doesn't detract from the quality of the song either. Bound to be an instant hit, "Burnin' Up (feat. 2 Chainz)" should easily replicate the success of "Bang Bang" in a handful of countries (namely the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scotland) and could potentially be another hit for the artist in the United States (where "Bang Bang" has reached #3).

Not only should it become a big hit, it could end up topping the United Kingdom charts as well. As for other standout tracks, "Sweet Talker" would be my next favorite song from the album. While starting off much slower than the album's previous two singles, "Sweet Talker" packs a powerful punch, bolstered by impressive vocals from both the artist and her back up vocalists as well as a think skinned beat composition arranged by world class DJ Diplo. With a whizzing beat and out of the box production, the track feels like it could work on Adult Contemporary, Pop, Rhythmic and possibly Rap (if she re-releases the song to feature Tinie Tempah, the artist featured on the live version) radio formats and, while its likely that it won't, could become a hit in the United States. However, there are several areas that need significant work. Elsewhere, on tracks like "Fire" and "Loud (feat. Lindsey Stirling)", Jessie J is thrown increasingly dramatic back beats. Unfortunately, the writers of those works decided that short handing the chorus and several portions of the verses would go unnoticed... untrue. I will applaud "Fire" for being in the style of a John Newman song (a style I like; he co-wrote it), but it just has too many kinks to work well. As for "Loud", Jessie J literally says the word loud nearly 100 times within the 4 minute and 30 second song. Violinist Lindsey Stirling doesn't add any value to the track at all; she's completely worthless on this song. I was expecting something along the line of Stirling's own "Shatter Me" (which would be a standout on this album). Unfortunately, no such luck. This is the biggest disappointment for me from the album. Back to other tracks that deserve attention would probably be "Strip" and "Masterpiece". "Strip", while being reserved for the deluxe edition, is written and sung in the same vein that the artist's hit single "Price Tag" was. I could see it being used as a promotional tool/eventual single later on in the album cycle to drum up sales of the premium priced deluxe edition.
Overall, I'd say it's worth the purchase... Alive wasn't.
Rating: 81/100 (B-) Positive

Album Review: Ariana Grande's "My Everything" Turns On Variety... A Little Too Much?

Ariana Grande first soared onto the music scene with "The Way (feat. Mac Miller)", a catchy yet heavily sample driven rhythmic pop production. She rapidly accumulated fans by the hundreds of thousands and began working very hard on what would eventually become her first studio album, Yours Truly, which saw release in August of 2013. About 4 months later, Grande returned with a digital only Christmas inspired EP, Christmas Kisses, which received instantaneous critical acclaim. Similar critical acclaim came in April 2014 with the release of Grande's never before heard new single, "Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)".

When "Problem" debuted on the Hot 100 with sales of 438,000 (the year's biggest debut thus far), Grande had solidified her status as a pop diva and stripped away any remaining Nickelodeon threads. She was shining and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Unfortunately for Grande, not all of My Everything really seems up to par with "Problem" and "The Way". Sure it shows more maturity and a lot more variety, but it doesn't seem to encompass one true body or theme. It's a bit too scattered. "Problem" was not a good representation of anything else on the album at all.

Relying on the strength of co-headliners like Iggy Azalea, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj, Jessie J, and Zedd, My Everything falls a bit flat when it comes to solo performances. I mean why include "Bang Bang" if you're in the backseat the entire time? An additional slew of unneeded track samples further downgrade the quality of the album as a whole. What's the point of including a sample of Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out" on "Break Your Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino)" if its going to get hidden in the backbeat? It makes the younger generation confused and the older generation disgusted.

With that being said, there are some distinct highlights on My Everything. "One Last Time" (probably my favorite track other than the singles) blends the right amount of dance vibes and pop vibes, while supplying vocals that aren't too candy coated nor overly dull.

Among the other highlights are "Break Free (feat. Zedd)" (which was released as the album's second single), "Love Me Harder (feat. The Weeknd)" and of course "Bang Bang". Unfortunately, that short list of about 4-5 songs is composed nearly entirely of tracks that feature help from other artists, bringing several questions to mind. Most notably: Was this album rush released and filled with as many cheap collaborations as possible to distract us from the fact that Ariana hadn't actually grown that much 12 months? I'm betting on a yes.

I guess I should have known something was up when I wasn't impressed with the "Break Free" video:

"While the rest of Ariana Grande's music videos are far from perfect, the music video for "Break Free" borders on the edge of utter ridiculousness -- her worst video to date. The inspirations behind it -- original Star Trek episodes, space dominatrixes, Katy Perry's "E.T." video, Star Wars, etc. -- would normally all work together to create a strong final product, but the lack of originality and an interesting story line, combined with the fact that nearly everything in the entire video was developed on a green screen, make for a really uncomfortable and downright stupid video.
I understand that you can't actually shoot a project in space, but it feels like they spent too much time on Grande's appearance rather than the sets and plot itself. Okay, yes, she looks cute but then again when has she not?
Despite critical opinions popping up all across the internet, most of America has embraced the video for "Break Free" with open arms -- Ariantors have made sure of it. Once again, a terrible video will help propel a decent song to success. We needed another one of those."
I guess the same thing can be applied to the album. It has solid material, yet it also has some songs that sound like they were strung together randomly.

Overview: While My Everything is far from terrible, it lacks uniform and has a lazy overall structure. The over used samples and overly promoted collaborations make for an album that feels just a bit rushed. There are some notable and worthy highlights on the album ("Problem", "Break Free", "One Last Time", "Love Me Harder" and "Bang Bang"), but everything seems to lie on the shoulders of the collaborators, which is the exact opposite of what happened on her last album. Overall, the individual themes on My Everything are all pretty much clear, but when they're combined together, everything seems a lot hazier and the overall theme feels distant. There's too much going on. There's lots of pop, lots of r&b, lots of rap, lots of EDM and a lot of filler. It's solid, but at the same time its not.

Rating 71/100 (C-)

Chart Highlights: Röyksopp & Robyn, Alyssa Reid Reach Top 10

Meanwhile, Iggy Azalea's "Black Widow" pushes 38-26 as the Hot 50's Greatest Gainer, Ella Henderson's "Glow" snags top debut, and Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" dives 29-41.

The Hot 50 chart is counts points from Saturday to Friday and is formulated using the following:

• Official US Radio plays that I listen to count as 1 point each. Referred to as the Radio Songs Chart.
• Plays through my iTunes or Spotify (mainly the former) libraries count as 2 points each. If the track is not available to purchase at a given moment, plays of the track's official audio on Youtube or Soundcloud also count for 2 points each. Referred to as the Streaming Songs Chart.
• The release of a track's official music video sees the song in question receive a one time bonus of 5 points if I watch the video within its first two weeks of release. If a song first charts over two weeks after the video's release, it is eligible to get the five point bonus within its first two weeks of charting. There is no component chart for this category given that it awards a one time bonus.
• The top 10 most voted for songs on the "Vote For Your Favorites of the Week" chart receive points. #1 gets 10 points, #2 gets 9 and so on and so forth. If voting reaches a certain threshold during any given week, the 2x multiplier will be unlocked. If the 2x multiplier is unlocked, #1 gets 20 points (instead of 10), #2 gets 19 points (instead of 9) so on and so forth. #11 gets 10 points (instead of none), and #20 gets 1 point (instead of none). Referred to as the Social Songs 100 Chart.

As I do every weekend, let's dive deeper into the numbers and how things played out on this week's Hot 50 chart. But before we get into that, I'd like to point out that it will be impossible for any song to pass Platinum status (1000+ points) by the end of 2014. In addition, said song would pretty much have to remain in the top 5 for the next 20 weeks to reach that level.

For those of you that are not aware of how the point system works:

The #1 song each week receives 50 base points and a weekly bonus. #2 receives 49 points and a bonus and so on and so forth. #50 receives 1 point and a bonus. The bonus is determined by how many weeks a track is listed on the Hot 50. In week #1, any given track will receive .01 extra points, regardless of position. In week #2, they'll receive .02 and so on and so forth until they end their chart run.

As another note, the Summer Songs Competition will run for another 3 weeks (ending with the Hot 50 issue dated September 11th). The top 40 Summer Songs will be revealed in a special post on September 7th, so get ready!

Maroon 5's "It Was Always You" holds at #1 for a second consecutive week, breaking a 3 way tie for third place among all time longest reigns at #1 for a Maroon 5 song. It now just holds third place by itself, while "Love Somebody" and "One More Night" both fall into 4th place. With this week at #1, Maroon 5 becomes the only artist to hold the #1 position for more than 6 weeks in 2014. Additionally, they log a 13th overall week at the summit since the chart's 2012 inception. These 13 weeks are of course spread across 5 #1's (which ties Rihanna's sum of 5 as the most for any artist or group). Among all acts, Maroon 5 ranks 3rd for most overall weeks at the summit behind Rihanna's record 20 and Lady Gaga's 18 (all of which came consecutively at the tail end of 2013).

Here's a quick look at Maroon 5's #1 reigns on the Hot 50 since its 2012 inception. The bolded track is the current leader ("It Was Always You").

Weeks - Title - Start of Reign
5 Weeks at #1 - "Maps" - July 10th, 2014

4 Weeks at #1 - "Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)" - April 19th, 2012
2 Week at #1 - "It Was Always You" - August 14th, 2014

1 Week at #1 - "Love Somebody" - September 20th, 2012

1 Week at #1 - "One More Night" - September 13th, 2012

Back to "It Was Always You", the track posts across the board gains on the Streaming Songs chart and the Radio Songs chart. It holds 2-2 on the Streaming Songs chart (behind Kiesza's "Hideaway" which holds the top slot for a record 16th consecutive week) with a 6% gain, jumps 4-1 on Radio Songs but unfortunately dips 14-37 on the Social Songs 100. The cut holds at #1 on the Pop Songs list for the second consecutive week as well as on the subsidiary Adult Pop Songs and Adult Songs lists.

Kiesza's "Hideaway" holds 2-2 on the Hot 50, tallying a 10th consecutive week in the runner up slot (after leading the list for 6 weeks beginning in early May). With 10 weeks in the runner up slot, the track breaks a tie with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)" to become the song with the most amount of weeks in the position. The honor of the longest time spent in the second place slot is still bestowed upon OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" which wrapped an 11 week run in the slot back in early 2014.

In addition to that, "Hideaway" notches a 16th consecutive week within the top 2, which rewrites history in the fact that it has now spent the most weeks within that 2 position region for any song to date (16). Lady Gaga's "Applause" previously held the most overall week title with 15 (which were in 2013-2014). OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" previously held the most consecutive week title with 13 (all of which were in 2014). With "Hideaway" still in a great spot, it's highly likely that the track winds up with a final point cume around the same level as both "Applause" and "Counting Stars" (both of which ended with over 1500 points and currently rank among the All Time top 5). With approximately 800 points earned through week #16, "Hideaway" is already one of the most successful singles of 2014.

Maroon 5's "Maps" holds 3-3, tallying a 4th non-consecutive week in the position, and a 9th week in the top 5. It previously peaked at #1 for 5 consecutive weeks. Following its run in the top slot, it relinquished its throne to fellow Maroon 5 track "It Was Always You". With just 3 more weeks of tracking left in the Summer 2014 season, "Maps" is bound to finish in the top 5, likely behind longtime frontrunner "Hideaway" (by Kiesza), and Sweden's Eurovision 2014 entry, "Undo" (by Sanna Nielsen). As for the final outcome of "Maps", it should be on track to complete the year with around 1000 points, which would make it the group's third single to do so. With "Animals" set to be released at the end of next week, Maroon 5's forthcoming album, V, which will debut on September 2nd, could end up producing another instant hit just like 2012's Overexposed did.

Back to "Maps", the cut holds at #2 for a second week on Pop Songs (which it previously led for 5 weeks), slides 3-5 on the Streaming Songs chart (where it previously bulleted at #2 for 4 weeks) and bullets yet again at #1 on Radio Songs (which it has lead for 9 consecutive weeks). It also elevates sharply on the Social Songs 100. It previously led the mentioned chart for a single week. Additionally, "Maps" holds at #2 on Adult Pop Songs and on Adult Songs. It led the former for 5 weeks and the latter for 7 weeks.

Kiesza's "Giant In My Heart" holds tight at #4 on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 for a second week, tallying a 9th consecutive week in the top 10. It previously stalled at #3 for a record long 4 consecutive weeks. Previously, her debut single "Hideaway" reached the summit of the Hot 50 chart for 6 consecutive weeks. While "Giant In My Heart" is in a tough spot (thanks to a strong amount of competition), it could eventually wind up as Kiesza's 2nd consecutive chart topping single. With two more tracks ready for release (an official worldwide release of the rarely heard "No Enemiesz" and a collaboration with Diplo and Skrillex titled "Take U There"), Kiesza could end up walking away from 2014 with 4 #1s. That would tie Rihanna and Nicki Minaj for the most #1 singles by an artist in a single calendar year (4 apiece). But lets not get ahead of ourselves; Kiesza has only nailed a single #1 for now. Stay tuned.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj bound 7-5 with "Bang Bang". With the move, Nicki Minaj scores her 7th top single (in its debut week it became the singer's 12th top 10). Additionally, the track is Jessie J's 3rd top 5 and first since "LaserLight (feat. David Guetta)" wound up at #3 in mid 2012. It's also Ariana Grande's first single to reach the top 5, with "The Way" and "Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)" stopping at #9. "Break Free (feat. Zedd)", her only other charting entry to not reach the top 10, has since reached #40 on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50.

Meanwhile, Sia's "Chandelier" reverses course by dropping 5-6. It previously reached a peak of #5 during its 21st week on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, her second highest peaking single to date. Her only other journey to the top 5 came when her collaboration single with David Guetta ("Titanium") reached the pinnacle of the Hot 50 for two consecutive weeks back in August 2012 (almost exactly two years ago), while her collaboration with Flo Rida ("Wild Ones") reached #8 several weeks after the inception of the chart (early 2012). Unfortunately, the only record that "Chandelier" could have possibly broken was the longest climb to the top 5 record (held by Kelly Clarkson's #3 peaking "People Like Us"); it missed tying the record by one week and fell two weeks short of rewriting the record.

Two entries catapult into the CDS Music Chart Hot 50's top 10 this week: Röyksopp & Robyn vault 15-7 with their debut collaboration single "Do It Again". As separate artists, they each claim their first ever top 10 singles. The track claims this week's Airplay Gainer distinction. Additionally, Alyssa Reid's "Satisfaction Guaranteed" reaches the upper tier by blasting 19-8. It's the CDS Music Chart Hot 50's biggest streaming gainer this week, as well as Reid's first ever top 10 single. These tracks swap with with Vita Chambers' "A+D" (which drops 6-11) and Nico & Vinz's "Am I Wrong" (which dives 8-13).

Secondcity's "I Wanna Feel" climbs a single rung to #9 (10-9). While it might end up being stuck in the same position for a few consecutive weeks, it's likely that "I Wanna Feel" winds up peaking higher than this.

Clean Bandit's "Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)" dips 9-10, spending an 19th non-consecutive week in the top 10. To date, the track has scored just over 1100 points to date, which is just 40 points under the amount of points scored by the #1 song of the year to date (One Republic's "Counting Stars"). In just about one more weeks, "Rather Be" will become the most successful single of the year to date.

Come back for more posts!

Weekly Video Recap: Rita Ora & Iggy Azalea, Ariana Grande and More

Welcome to a brand new weekly segment called Weekly Video Recap. The whole point of the segment is pretty clear: recapping this week's top video premieres. So which new videos sizzled the internet this past week? Find out below!

Ella Henderson - "Glow"
While her previous release, "Ghost", got a good review from me, it wasn't until the release of "Glow" that I really became impressed. It's no instant hit like "Ghost", but it's powerful, filled with exquisite vocals and just absolutely breathtaking. While it definitely reminds me of Ellie Goulding's #8 peaking  "Burn", it feels a lot more original and a lot less overproduced -- which in this case, is a good thing.

With that being said, do I think "Glow" will become a top 10 hit on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50? Shockingly, yes. It'll be a tough accomplishment for a number of reasons (including lack of US Airplay and Ella's still underdeveloped fan base), but I could ultimately see it becoming an eventual hit and one of the this year's late bloomers.

The music video for the track, which dropped just a few days ago, is much like her previous video for "Ghost", but it feels more full of energy. Documenting the events of a group of friends that party all night, "Glow" embraces the feelings of togetherness and friendship. Just like the rising sun in the music video, Henderson is one of the brightest burning stars (in the music business)... hopefully she'll 'glow' for years to come.

Ariana Grande - "Break Free (feat. Zedd)" While the rest of Ariana Grande's music videos are far from perfect, the music video for "Break Free" borders on the edge of utter ridiculousness -- her worst video to date. The inspirations behind it -- original Star Trek episodes, space dominatrixes, Katy Perry's "E.T." video, Star Wars, etc. -- would normally all work together to create a strong final product, but the lack of originality and an interesting story line, combined with the fact that nearly everything in the entire video was developed on a green screen, make for a really uncomfortable and downright stupid video.
I understand that you can't actually shoot a project in space, but it feels like they spent too much time on Grande's appearance rather than the sets and plot itself. Okay, yes, she looks cute but then again when has she not?
Despite critical opinions popping up all across the internet, most of America has embraced the video for "Break Free" with open arms -- Ariantors have made sure of it. Once again, a terrible video will help propel a decent song to success. We needed another one of those.

Iggy Azalea - "Black Widow (feat. Rita Ora)" Long before the release of the official music video for "Black Widow", we already suspected a Kill Bill themed clip. What was really surprising was that the Quentin Tarantino inspired video featured Michael Madden and Paul Sorvino, who appeared in actual Tarantino films Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs respectively.
The video, which was shot around Los Angeles, California is pretty straight forward and follows the basic plot of Kill Bill: a former female assassin that takes revenge on those who've deeply hurt her.  Read more about Kill Bill and its intense story line, read here (Note: highly recommended movie). While the story seems a little drastic in this situation, given that the whole revenge plot was formulated in Iggy Azalea's character's head after another character was rude to her at the diner she worked at.
Either way, it's still a decent attempt at recreating a small piece of one of the greatest movies of all time. As for the song itself, it's already making its way up the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, which of course indicates that I like it.

Bebe Rexha - "I Can't Stop Drinking About You" While you may have never heard of Bebe Rexha, you've definitely heard her both lyrically and vocally. That's right, Bebe Rexha was the original writer of Eminem's smash #1 single "The Monster (feat. Rihanna)", and she can also be heard on the dance hit "Take Me Home" by Cash Cash, which bubbled under the Hot 50 for several weeks. She was also a co-writer for "Glowing" by Nikki Williams, which peaked at #11 on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50.
Other than her writing one of the most successful songs in Eminem's career (both on the CDS Music Chart and around the world), what makes Bebe Rexha so interesting? Her diversity. As a singer and songwriter, she's gone from pure pop to electronic pop and has even been behind more urban offerings.
On her debut single (which has received rave reviews from critics), Rexha experiments by combining her experienced, soothing vocals with an heavy dose of electro beats and of course relatable lyrics.  As the song progresses it gets even better, transforming from a moderately paced pop song into a absolute club anthem, all the while keeping it classy. It's also extremely catchy, without overdoing it.
The music video sees the artist reliving the pain her cheating lover has caused her, all the while knowing she'll never stop loving him. Congratulations on creating a video that actually has something to do with the song (thank you! It makes the whole experience better). Few artists can.

Röyksopp & Robyn - "Monument" I honestly though that "Monument", a ten minute long hazy adventure, would never be chosen as the next single from the Do It Again. "Sayit" would have been my choice, but with that being said, "Monument" really is a great, under-appreciated track. See the video below and my original comments from the Do It Again EP review.
"This dark and scattered mix of cloudy and feverish vocals is a haunting track that clocks just past the 10 minute marker. The first solid minute feels like a whisk into a darkened space reminiscent of both heaven and hell. Robyn chimes in with chanting vocals for the next two minutes. Throughout this time, special effects layer over her vocals, and knives chop the whispering backbeats in uneven patterns. The vocals fade away until they are replaced with jazz instruments and sounds of drowning words. Robyn returns once more to mutter the chorus for several seconds. Sounds of drums and other related tribal instruments encompass the final 2-3 minutes of the track, until a fire extinguishes all sound in the final moments of the track. It's a melancholy affair that is both intriguing and spooky...
...Among the highlights (it's hard to pick when there's only 5) are "Monument" and "Do It Again"."

Vote for your favorite new music video below, share this with others and comeback next weekend for a new edition of Weekly Video Recap.
Coming next week: Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off", Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" and more! Stay tuned.

Which New Video Is the Best?

"Black Widow (feat. Rita Ora)" by Iggy Azalea

"Break Free (feat. Zedd)" by Ariana Grande

"Glow" by Ella Henderson

"Monument" by Röyksopp & Robyn

"I Can't Stop Drinking About You" by Bebe Rexha

pollcode.com free polls

Chart Highlights: "Anaconda" Slithers Onto Hot 50, Maroon 5 Self Replaces At Summit

Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" vaults, and Iggy Azalea's collaboration with Rita Ora scales the Hot 50.

The Hot 50 chart is counts points from Saturday to Friday and is formulated using the following:

• Official US Radio plays that I listen to count as 1 point each. Referred to as the Radio Songs Chart.
• Plays through my iTunes or Spotify (mainly the former) libraries count as 2 points each. If the track is not available to purchase at a given moment, plays of the track's official audio on Youtube or Soundcloud also count for 2 points each. Referred to as the Streaming Songs Chart.
• The release of a track's official music video sees the song in question receive a one time bonus of 5 points if I watch the video within its first two weeks of release. If a song first charts over two weeks after the video's release, it is eligible to get the five point bonus within its first two weeks of charting. There is no component chart for this category given that it awards a one time bonus.
• The top 10 most voted for songs on the "Vote For Your Favorites of the Week" chart receive points. #1 gets 10 points, #2 gets 9 and so on and so forth. If voting reaches a certain threshold during any given week, the 2x multiplier will be unlocked. If the 2x multiplier is unlocked, #1 gets 20 points (instead of 10), #2 gets 19 points (instead of 9) so on and so forth. #11 gets 10 points (instead of none), and #20 gets 1 point (instead of none). Referred to as the Social Songs 100 Chart.

As I do every weekend, let's dive deeper into the numbers and how things played out on this week's Hot 50 chart. But before we get into that, I'd like to point out that it will be impossible for any song to pass Platinum status (1000+ points) by the end of 2014 if they do not debut by next week. In addition, said song would pretty much have to remain in the top 5 for the next 20 weeks to reach that level. 

For those of you that are not aware of how the point system works:

The #1 song each week receives 50 base points and a weekly bonus. #2 receives 49 points and a bonus and so on and so forth. #50 receives 1 point and a bonus. The bonus is determined by how many weeks a track is listed on the Hot 50. In week #1, any given track will receive .01 extra points, regardless of position. In week #2, they'll receive .02 and so on and so forth until they end their chart run.

As another note, the Summer Songs Competition will run for another 4 weeks (ending with the Hot 50 issue dated September 11th). The top 40 Summer Songs will be revealed in a special post on September 7th, so get ready!

Maroon 5's "It Was Always You" jumps 4-1 to crown the chart for the first time. With the jump to the summit, Maroon 5 becomes the first artist or group this year to replace themselves at the top slot (previously, "Maps" had led the list for 5 weeks before being replaced by "It Was Always You"). Additionally, they log a 12th overall week at the summit since the chart's 2012 inception. These 12 weeks are of course spread across 5 #1's (which ties Rihanna's sum of 5 as the most for any artist or group). Among all acts, Maroon 5 ranks 3rd for most overall weeks at the summit behind Rihanna's record 20 and Lady Gaga's 18 (all of which came consecutively at the tail end of 2013).

Here's a quick look at Maroon 5's #1 reigns on the Hot 50 since its 2012 inception. The bolded track is the current leader ("It Was Always You").

Weeks - Title - Start of Reign
5 Weeks at #1 - "Maps" - July 10th, 2014

4 Weeks at #1 - "Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)" - April 19th, 2012
1 Week at #1 - "It Was Always You" - August 14th, 2014

1 Week at #1 - "Love Somebody" - September 20th, 2012

1 Week at #1 - "One More Night" - September 13th, 2012

Back to "It Was Always You", the track posts across the board gains on the Streaming Songs chart, the Social Songs 100 and the Radio Songs chart. It gains 6-2 on the Streaming Songs chart (behind Kiesza's "Hideaway" which holds the top slot for a 15th consecutive week), jumps 8-4 on Radio Songs and soars 47-14 on the Social Songs 100. The cut takes over the Pop Songs list (dethroning "Maps", which led for 5 weeks) as well as the subsidiary Adult Pop Songs and Adult Songs lists (dethroning "Maps" on both).

Kiesza's "Hideaway" holds 2-2 on the Hot 50, tallying a 9th consecutive week in the runner up slot (after leading the list for 6 weeks beginning in early May). With 9 weeks in the runner up slot, the track ties Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)" for the second most amount of weeks in the position with 9 apiece. The honor of the longest time spent in the second place slot is bestowed upon OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" which wrapped an 11 week run in the slot back in early 2014. Interestingly enough, all songs to spend at least 8 weeks in the position hit #1 immediately following or immediately preceding their time at #2. Even more twisted, all tracks to reach #1 after spending at least two months at #2 wound up with extremely short reigns at the summit. In fact the longest time spent at #1 after spending at least 8 weeks at #2 is a mere 3 weeks (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us").

In addition to that, "Hideaway" notches a 15th consecutive week within the top 2, which rewrites history in the fact that it has now spent the most consecutive weeks within that 2 position region for any song to date (15), and ties for the most overall weeks in the 2 position region (Lady Gaga's "Applause" spent 15 non-consecutive weeks in the region across 2013-2014) . OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" previously held the most consecutive week title with 13 (all of which were in 2014).  With "Hideaway" still in a great spot, it's highly likely that the track winds up with a final point cume around the same level as both "Applause" and "Counting Stars" (both of which ended with over 1500 points and currently rank among the All Time top 5). With approximately 750 points earned through week #15, "Hideaway" is bound to become one of the most successful singles of 2014, if not the most successful.

For those of you that have been paying attention, you'll note that Maroon 5's "Maps" (which led last week) has indeed landed at #3 this week, which marks a two position drop from the top (1-3). This week ends the 5 week command of "Maps", which along with "Hideaway" has pretty much ruled this Summer. Racking nearly 400 points across its first eight weeks, the track will without a doubt pass 900 points and continue Maroon 5's massive success streak. As a side note, however, Maroon 5's next single ("Animals") will debut within the next two weeks and could wind up stealing the show from both "It Was Always You" and "Maps". I'm expecting "Animals" to eventually wind up with a #1 stint, but whether or not it will directly follow up "It Was Always You" at the summit is beyond me. Maroon 5's forthcoming album, V, will debut on September 2nd and could end up producing another instant hit just like 2012's Overexposed did ("Lucky Strike" followed by "Love Somebody").

Back to "Maps", the cut slides 1-2 on Pop Songs (which it previously led for 5 weeks), slides 2-3 on the Streaming Songs chart (where it previously bulleted at #2 for 4 weeks) and bullets yet again at #1 on Radio Songs (which it has lead for 8 consecutive weeks). The track bullets 40-9 (a 31 position gain) on the Social Songs 100, becoming one of this week's greatest gainers. It previously led the mentioned chart for a single week. Additionally, "Maps" slides 1-2 on Adult Pop Songs and on Adult Songs. It led the former for 5 weeks and the latter for 7 weeks.

Kiesza's "Giant In My Heart" slides 3-4 after peaking at #3 for 4 consecutive weeks, to notch a 8th consecutive week in the top 10. Previously, her debut single "Hideaway" reached the summit of the Hot 50 chart for 6 consecutive weeks. "Giant" ups 4-3 on the Streaming Songs chart, and charges 42-29 on the Social Songs 100. At this point, it is highly likely that Kiesza's "Giant In My Heart" ends up joining "Hideaway" in the Summer Songs top 10. We'll know more about where it could rank in just a few weeks, as the competition will gruel on for 4 more weeks.

Sia's "Chandelier" reaches the top 5 for the first time in its 21 week run on the Hot 50 by climbing 7-5. With the move, the track becomes Sia's second highest peaking single to date and second to ever rank #5 or above. Her only other journey to the top 5 came when her collaboration single with David Guetta ("Titanium") reached the pinnacle of the Hot 50 for two consecutive weeks back in August 2012 (almost exactly two years ago), while her collaboration with Flo Rida ("Wild Ones") reached #8 several weeks after the inception of the chart (early 2012). Also to note, "Chandelier" becomes just the third song ever to reach the top 5 after spending at least 19 prior weeks on the chart. Kelly Clarkson's #3 peaking "People Like Us" (which holds the record for the longest climb to the top 5) took 22 weeks to reach the platform, while Marina & the Diamonds took 20 weeks to land "How to Be A Heart Breaker" in the region. It's safe to say that "Chandelier" is extremely unlikely to summit the Hot 50: no act has ever reach this milestone and reached the top of the chart.

Vita Chambers' "A+D" holds 6-6 during its 15th week on the chart. The song, which previously peaked at #4, was the 4th single from the artist to reach the CDS Music Chart Hot 50's top 5. It followed "Fix You", "Masquerade" and "What If?", which peaked at numbers 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj bound 9-7 with "Bang Bang" thanks mainly due to a 2-1 rise on the Social Songs 100 and a 10-8 rise on Streaming Songs. With the lift, the track becomes Ariana Grande's highest charting single ever (her only other top 10 singles, "Problem" and "The Way", both stopped at #9) and the highest charting single ever from a 3-pack of solo artists.

Nico & Vinz crash 5-8 with their debut single "Am I Wrong". The track, which peaked at #5 for two consecutive weeks, is the only song by an Norwegian group or solo artist to reach the top 5. Unfortunately, this track didn't hold as well as initially expected, elevating over 30 positions and crashing downward all within a 10 week span. Hopefully the September 16th release of the group's debut studio album (Black Star Elephant) can help regenerate some momentum for the song.

Clean Bandit's "Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)" dips 8-9, spending an 18th non-consecutive week in the top 10. To date, the track has scored just over 1060 points to date, which is just 80 points under the amount of points scored by the #1 song of the year to date (One Republic's "Counting Stars"). In just about two more weeks, "Rather Be" will become the most successful single of the year to date.

To round out the top 10, Secondcity's "I Wanna Feel" climbs 11-10 on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50. With the move, the track becomes Secondcity's first ever top 10 single, as well as the 4th and final deep house song to rank in the upper tier this week.

Below the top 10, "Satisfaction Guaranteed" by Alyssa Reid rebounds 24-19 on the CDS Music Chart after leaving the top 20 for several weeks. Thanks to a large gain at the end of this week, it could end up reaching the top 10 next week. Röyksopp & Robyn's "Do It Again" is in a similar predicament. It rebounds 20-15 on the Hot 50 as well, and should be able to crack the top 10 next week.

This week's top debut arrives courtesy of Nicki Minaj. The rapper arrives at #29 with her just released new single, "Anaconda". With the debut, the track becomes the artist's 21st entry onto the Hot 50. That ranks 1st all time (since the chart's 2012 inception).

Genre Based Top 5's:

Pop Songs
#1(+1) "It Was Always You" by Maroon 5 (1 week @ #1)
#2(-1) "Maps" by Maroon 5 (5 weeks @ #1)
#3(+1) "Chandelier" by Sia
#4(-1) "Am I Wrong" by Nico & Vinz
#5(+1) "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj

Notable Gainer: "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor

Hip-Hop/Rap Songs
#1(=) "She Came To Give It To Yo (feat. Nicki Minaj)" by Usher (2 weeks @ #1)
#2(=) "Fancy (feat. Charli XCX)" by Iggy Azalea (13 weeks @ #1)
#3(+1) "Pills N Potions" by Nicki Minaj
#4(-1) "Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)" by Ariana Grande
#5(=) "No Mediocre (feat. Iggy Azalea)" by T.I.

Notable Debut: "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj

Dance Songs
#1(=) "Hideaway" by Kiesza (13 weeks @ #1)
#2(=) "Giant In My Heart" by Kiesza
#3(+1) "Chandelier" by Sia
#4(+1) "Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)" by Clean Bandit
#5(+1) "I Wanna Feel" by Secondcity

Notable Gainer: "Ready For the Weekend (feat. Ayah Marar)" by NERVO & R3HAB

Electronic Songs
#1(=) "Hideaway" by Kiesza (15 weeks @ #1)
#2(=) "Giant In My Heart" by Kiesza
#3(=) "Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)" by Clean Bandit (7 weeks @ #1)
#4(=) "I Wanna Feel" by Secondcity
#5(+1) "Do It Again" by Röyksopp & Robyn

Notable Gainer: "Ready For the Weekend (feat. Ayah Marar)" by NERVO & R3HAB

On The Bubble/Next Up:
New tracks you'll see on the chart soon.
#51(NEW) "Dirt" by Florida Georgia Line
#52(=) "0 to 100/The Catch Up" by Drake

#53(=) "Big Girls Cry" by Sia
#54(=) "Go (feat. Blood Diamonds)" by Grimes
#55(=) "Stolen Dance" by Milky Chance
#56(=) "Gecko (Overdrive)" by Becky Hill
#57(=) "Bo$$" by Fifth Harmony
#58(=) "Happy Little Pill" by Troye Sivan
#59(=) "Rainbow" by Sanna Nielsen
#60(NEW) "I'm Not the Only One" by Sam Smith

Out:
X (60) "Ordinary Human" by OneRepublic

In the Mix:
Tracks that are just starting to surge in popularity. You'll see 'em on the Hot 50 real soon! Bold indicates that the track is one of the largest movers of the week. Red tracks are falling off.

- "Lovers On the Sun" by David Guetta
- "Go (feat. Blood Diamonds)" by Grimes
- "Big Girls Cry" by Sia
- "Ghost" by Ella Henderson
- "UP!" by Samantha Jade
- "Bartender" by Lady Antebellum
- "Hurricane" by Alyssa Reid
- "Happy Little Pill" by Troye Sivan
- "Another's Arms" by Coldplay
- "Rainbow" by Sanna Nielsen
- "Wait On Me" by Rixton
- "Cellophane" by Sia
- "Waves" by Mr. Probz
- "Back to the Shack" by Weezer
- "Chains" by Nick Jonas
- "Battle Cry" by Imagine Dragons
- "Chimes" by Hudson Mohawke
- "Paralyzed" by Mystery Skulls
- "Turn Down For What (feat. Lil Jon)" by DJ Snake
- "Bo$$" by Fifth Harmony
- "Glow" by Ella Henderson
- " This Is How We Do" by Katy Perry
- "Dirt" by Florida Georgia Line
- "I'm Not the Only One" by Sam Smith

Falling Off:
- "Try" by Colbie Calliat
- "Flipside" by Lana Del Rey
- "Smoke (feat. Trey Songz)" by 50 Cent
- "Eye of the Needle" by Sia
- "Gore & Glory" by Lorde
- "A.K.A (feat. T.I.)" by Jennifer Lopez
- "Extraordinary (feat. Sharna Bass)" by Clean Bandit
- "Rainmaker" by Emmelie De Forest

Voter's Top 10:
The top 10 most approved songs by the public across all platforms. Red tracks didn't reach the Hot 50 this week. Bolded tracks debuted on the Hot 50. Italicized tracks were on Hot 50 last week and are listed again. Vote for your favorites each week.

#1(+1) "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
#2(+19) "She Came To Give It To You (feat. Nicki Minaj)" by Usher
#3(+21) "Pills N Potions" by Nicki Minaj
#4(NEW) "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj
#5(NEW) "Flawless (feat. Nicki Minaj) [Remix]" by Beyoncé*
#6(+3) "Hideaway" by Kiesza
#7(+19) "2 On (feat. SchoolBoy Q)" by Tinashe
#8(+77) "Boom Clap" by Charli XCX
#9(+31) "Maps" by Maroon 5
#10(+77) "This Is How We Do" by Katy Perry

Top 10 Dropouts:
#12(-4) "Ready For the Weekend (feat. Ayah Marar)" by NERVO & R3HAB
#13(-12) "Superheroes" by The Script
#16(-6) "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor
#21(-17) "Strange Enough" by VÉRITÉ
#32(-26) "Satisfaction Guaranteed" by Alyssa Reid
#64(-61) "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" by Paloma Faith
#69(-64) "Angel In Blue Jeans" by Train
#77(-70) "First Love" by Jennifer Lopez*

*Charted as "Bow Down/I Been On" in May 2013.

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Song Review: "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande

 

While Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj promoted and teased "Bang Bang" for a number of weeks before the single's release, many speculated that it would become a massive critical failure. Fortunately, everything changed when the single surprisingly came out on top.

While Nicki Minaj remains rightfully in her position as the rapper of the track (delivering a strong, catchy verse), the overlapping vocals between Jessie J and Ariana Grande were honestly very surprising. Jessie J (an artist known for her average soul vocals) was actually the act that really made the song for me, overpowering Ariana Grande (who is known for Mariah Carey-esque, powerhouse vocals). That was the biggest shocker to me, other than the fact that the song itself was actually good.

The entire style of the track is just very unique for this era (as well as being extremely unexpected), making it one of the biggest releases that seems to be both critically and commercially. In a side note, the track is expected to open with a first week upwards of 225,000 copies. It's a perfect ending to the summer season.

86.5

Rating (Out of 100)

Positive/Acclaim

Hot 50 Forecast: Maroon 5 Set For Top Opening, Jessie J’s “Bang Bang”Starts Lukewarm

Now that approximately half the week is gone, it’s time to get down to this week’s forecast. Remember, the Hot 50 forecast is a representation of the first four days of tracking (Saturday-Tuesday) and is not reflective of the entire week.
 

Maroon 5’s just released single, “It Was Always You”, is currently in the lead among new entries this week, ranking among the top 20 this for the week to date (through Tuesday) despite just be released for the first time on Monday night. “It Was Always You” (which follows the group’s #1 peaking “Maps”) previews Maroon 5’s upcoming 5th studio album V. At this point, “It Was Always You” is set for a top 15 finish, which would be a modest start for the band (5 out of 8 of their previously charting hits have opened at #10 or higher). Heading into Wednesday, the track could enter the top 10. While we’re on the topic of Maroon 5, it’s worth pointing out that “Maps” (last week’s leader) is set to command the top of the list for a 5th consecutive week. If it does wind up on top this week, it’ll surpass 2012’s “Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)” as the group’s longest running #1 to date. “Maps” will additionally become the second longest reigning song of 2014, behind Kiesza’s unstoppable “Hideaway”, which topped for 6 straight frames starting in early May.

On the other hand, Jessie J’s Collaboration with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj (“Bang Bang”) is off to an underwhelming start. With just a handful of first day spins, don’t expect this to amount to much in its first week. When the Social Songs 100 opens up for voting later today, I’m guessing that “Bang Bang” will ride into the top position, which would give it an additional 10 points right off the bat. Still, at this point it’s likely that “Bang Bang” (a track that is actually decently composed) nabs the second highest debut of the week.

The Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga collaboration (“Anything Goes”) could potentially become the third highest debut of the week, with somewhere between #35-45 being a reasonable guess. While that would be a record low start for Gaga (who has tallied 18 weeks at #1), any debut on the Hot 50 would mark a career high for Bennett, who hasn’t released many tracks since the 2012 inception of the CDS Music Chart.

Other tracks that could potentially make a splash include Train’s “Bulletproof Picasso” (from the forthcoming album of the same name), and Secondcity’s “What Can I Do (feat. Ali Love)”. Hillary Duff’s “Chasing the Sun” is currently on pace to fall just short of the official Hot 50.

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Album Development: The Saturdays Greatest Hits, Ariana Grande (Target)

The Saturdays Release Greatest Hits Album Cover, Tracklist

After releasing 4 full length studio albums, UK all girl group The Saturdays have announced that they plan to release a 2 disc greatest hits on August 11th, 2014 of this year. The standard edition of the greatest hits album (titled Finest Selections: The Greatest Hits) will contain 20 "selections" (most of which are top 10 UK Singles Chart efforts) including 3 new tracks. A deluxe edition will be released including the most popular B-Sides on a second disc. 19 B-Sides will be part of the deluxe edition. A Super Fan Edition only from the official The Saturday's store will include all of this plus all 18 music videos recorded for the official singles. The album's lead single "What Are You Waiting For?" will be released on August 10th. See the track lists below.

Standard Edition Tracklist

1. What About Us (Feat. Sean Paul)

2. Higher (Feat. Flo Rida)
3. Ego
4. All Fired Up
5. What Are You Waiting For?
6. Up
7. Forever Is Over
8. Issues
9. Disco Love
10. Notorious
11. Missing You
12. Work
13. Not Giving Up 
14. 30 Days
15. 808
16. Gentleman
17. If This Is Love
18. Walking Through The Desert
19. My Heart Takes Over
20. Just Can’t Get Enough

Deluxe Edition Tracklist (Disc 2; Flashback - The B-Sides)
1. Not That Kinda Girl

2. Flashback
3. Wildfire
4. Beggin’
5. Turn Myself In
6. Love Come Down
7. Ladykiller
8. I Can’t Wait
9. Somebody Else’s Life (Acoustic)
10. Had It With Today
11. Ready To Rise
12. So Stupid.

13. What Am I Gonna Do
14. On The Radio
15. Unofficial 
16. Golden Rules
17. Bigger
18. Crashing Down
19. When Love Takes Over

Super Fan Deluxe Edition Tracklist (Disc 3; The Videos)

1. If This Is Love (Music Video)
2. Up (Music Video
3. Issues (Music Video)
4. Just Can’t Get Enough (Music Video)
5. Work (Music Video)
6. Forever Is Over (Musicc Video)
7. Ego (Music Video)
8. Missing You (Music Video)
9. Higher (Music Video)
10. Notorious (Music Video)
11. All Fired Up (Music Video)
12. My Heart Takes Over (Music Video)
13. 30 Days (Music Video)
14. What About Us (Music Video)
15. Gentleman (Music Video)
16. Disco Love (Music Video)
17. Not Giving Up (Music Video)
18. What Are You Waiting For? (Music Video)

Ariana Grande Announces Deluxe Tracklist, Unveils Target Bonus Version

After announcing and revealing the album covers for the deluxe and standard edition track lists of her second studio album, My Everything, Ariana Grande announced that Target will carry a super deluxe version of the album. This new version includes 2 additional bonus tracks (on top of the 3 deluxe version tracks). The Target version will include a slightly revamped cover that's pink tinted with shades of gray. See all the covers below (pink is Target, Gray is standard, and navy plus is deluxe) plus all three track lists. A special deluxe Japanese version includes "Baby I" (a song that featured on Grande's debut studio album) for no particular reason.

Standard Edition

1. Intro

2. Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)

3. One Last Time

4. Why Try

5. Break Free (feat. Zedd)

6. Best Mistake (feat. Big Sean)

7. Be My Baby (feat. Cashmere Cat)

8. Break You Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino)

9. Love Me Harder (With The Weeknd)

10. A Little Bit Of Out Heart

11. Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg)

12. My Everything

Deluxe Edition

13. Bang Bang (Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj)

14. Only 1

15. You Don't Know About Me

Target Extra Bonus

All of the above +2 more songs.

16. Cadillac Song

17. Too Close

Jhené Aiko Announces Album Release Date

R&B/Soul singer Jhené Aiko has announced that she will release her debut studio album, "Souled Out" on August 25th... in direct competition with Ariana Grande's My Everything. The album comes preceded by "To Love & Die (feat. Cocaine 80s), the album's leaded singles. Aiko previously released her debut mixtape Sailing Soul(s) in 2011 and her 2013 debut EP Sail Out. Apparently she likes souls and sailing. No announced track list or cover yet.

Come back for more posts soon!

That's it for this edition of a new feature called Album Development, where I dive into news about upcoming large releases. Keep it here for more updates!

Year To Date: Top 50 Singles (Through July 10th)

Several weeks ago I published a list with the top 20 best performing songs of 2014 thus far. This time around, I have expanded the list to a top 50 through July 10th. Though points have already been added for the top 15 songs on the July 17th chart. While this might give several songs large advantages, it's worth noting that songs below the top 15 don't get nearly as many points, so their scores aren't effected downward a whole top.

Which Song Is Better?: "Problem" or "Break Free" (Poll)

It's the question that has everyone chatting: which Ariana Grande track is truly better? While "Break Free (feat. Zedd)" feels more accessible and definitely more danceable than "Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)" (which feels more rhythmic and pop infused), but it left some listeners feeling a little underwhelmed. Now it's time to finally settle the debate. Which track from Ariana Grande's upcoming My Everything album is actually better? Cast your vote below or remain indecisive by picking "both bad" or "both good".

"Problem" has peaked at #9 on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 thus far (slipping 9-10 this week), while the recently released "Break Free" has yet to chart. You can also vote for one of these tracks as your favorite song of the week here.

Note: You may need to wait a while for the poll to load.

My personal choice: I would pick "Problem" as the better one, but they are both great releases.

Which Song Is Better?: "Problem" or "Break Free" (Poll)

"Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)" by Ariana Grande

"Break Free (feat. Zedd)" by Ariana Grande

They're both good

They're both bad

poll generator