Alexis Holleran
“Orphans” by Coldplay
After not making music for four years, Coldplay is back with a new album that’s been in the making for a while. “Orphans” right off the bat is more modern pop-rock than they’re music has been in the past. As soon as the song starts, you get some quality chanting and a groovy bass line, and I know everyone can get down to this song. The only way to truly describe this song is that it’s just, life. You can how free the lead singer Chris Martin feels while singing and you can here the smiles on everyone’s face while recording in the studio. There’s just so much positivity happening in this song and Martin is trying to captivate the listener and tune out all the negativity in their life. "Orphans" by Coldplay, it was emotional listening to it and reading the lyrics; and I'd recommend that you listen to the song yourself. 5/5
"Runaway" by Half Alive
Half Alive is known for their radio hit “Still Feel”. They recently came out with a new album this year called “Now, Not Yet” and its got some serious beats and “Runaway” is riddled with emotions and lyrics that everyone can relate to. The song kind of has a balance between who you want to be, and who you are. In the music video the lead singer, Josh Taylor plays a father who is going off to war in the 1940’s and leaving his daughter behind. However, that doesn’t necessarily represent what the song actually means. Taylor made this brilliant song that matches the true emotion of leaving a loved one or realizing who you truly are with the help of people around you. I recommend listening to the rest of the album to get the full experience and listen to everything Half Alive has to say. 4/5
"Make It Right" by BTS feat. Lauv
“Make It Right” is one of BTS’s most ballad-like songs from their recent Map of the Soul: Persona EP, and an earnest expression of gratitude over melodic, R&B-lite beat. The song was also written by the famous songwriter/singer Ed Sheeran, so the lyrics are perfect for Lauv’s downtempo pop signature voice. This song was made in celebration of World Mental Health Day, since the Korean boy band and Lauv are both big voices in their corner of the industry it was a perfect opportunity to help start the conversation about mental health. BTS and Lauv were a surprising collaboration but apparently BTS was dying to meet Lauv and work with him. Unlike the remix, the original version of the feels almost raw and real. You can hear in their voices that everyone making this song truly wants to “Make it Right” for anyone who’s having a rough time. 3.5/5
Daniel Curry
“Blind Leading the Blind” by Mumford & Sons
Mumford & Sons newest release Blind Leading the Blind takes a look at the cynicism and self obsession of today society. The idiom that matches the title of the song describes a situation where a person who knows nothing, is getting advice and help from another person who knows almost nothing. The song also addresses other issues such as vanity, poverty, and apathy. "My generations stuck in the mirror, "forget the poor 'cause I don't like that word"", states lead singer Marcus Mumford. Aside from the lyrical sense, the instrumentals of the song carry weight too. With the classic folk rock instruments that are expected from Mumford & Sons, and the harmony of the vocals, Blind Leading the Blind is a captivating song both lyrically and musically. 5/5
“We Made It” by Louis Tomlinson
"We Made It" is ex-One Direction member Louis Tomlinson's newest single. As stated by the artist himself, the songs lyrics have two main meanings. The verses discuss the good memories and moments with his girlfriend, and the chorus talks about the feelings of success that he has on stage and in front of his fans. In the first verse, Tomlinson sings "Oh, I remember those nights, meet you at your Uni', cheap drinks, drink 'em all night". This is one of those memories that he recalls with his girlfriend. In the chorus Tomlinson sings about finally making it, whether that be with his girlfriend or with his fame. Instrumentally the song follows an acoustic guitar with heavy chords and other swelling instrumentals that give the song it's triumphant feeling. 4/5
“Checklist” by MAX
"Checklist" by MAX and featuring producer Chromeo, is a fun song, with a catchy chorus and a consistent theme of the song following a checklist as the title suggests. The song features poppy instrumentals that lets the listener groove along. The lyrics of the song follow MAX spoiling a girl and telling her, "I can give you what you want, You just need to put it on a checklist". Overall "Checklist" is a fun song with easy going lyrics and instrumentals. 4/5
“The Best” by AWOLNATION
AWOLNATION's newest release "The Best" is a heavy song that follows a heavy guitar rift but also incorporates some electronic elements that give the song it's weight. Lyrically, the song focuses on insecurity and as the title suggests, becoming the best. "Me, I want to feel, a little bit stronger, oh, Me, I want to think a little bit smarter" sings lead singer Aaron Richard Bruno. Overall "The Best" is a heavy listen, both instrumentally and lyrically, touching on the insecurities that many people face every day. 4/5
Maddie Lloyd
“Raising Hell” by Kesha
For someone who doesn’t listen to a lot of pop music I can honestly say this song gets me wanting to dance. I love the brass instrument used in the song during the chorus. The song pokes a little fun about getting into trouble before you die and go to heaven. It is a fun catchy song that has a lot of humor in it. I like that there was not a lot autotune used in the song because I think Kesha has a very powerful voice without it. Overall, I think this a really fun pop song to dance to and I would recommend giving it a listen. 3/5
“Lose You To Love Me” by Selena Gomez
Honestly anytime I hear anything by Selena Gomez I get a lot of nostalgia for being young and watching her on Disney channel. I love that her new music has taken a more mature sound. This song is not your upbeat pop song, but it is a beautiful slow song. The message is about loving yourself even if you need to lose someone in the process. This message is important for anyone who feels like they are losing who they are in a relationship. I really enjoyed this song especially the piano underneath the vocals. This one will is definitely getting added to my playlist. I would completely recommend this song to anyone. 4/5
“Opie Taylor” by Yelawolf
This song has a really good beat and is fun to listen to. It only has two verses and the chorus is super simple, but not very catchy. My least favorite part of the song is the end outro. It fits with the beat of the song, but I don’t feel that it adds much to the song. It’s a pretty simple song musically. The song does get my feet tapping, but overall, I don’t enjoy the song that much. I feel like it is a pretty forgettable song. 2/5
“Nice Guys” by Easy Life
This song is an easy listen and the chorus is super catchy. This is a song you could learn the lyrics to pretty quickly. The song is about, yeah you guessed it, nice guys finishing last. The end of the song includes several brass instruments that really fit in well with the beat and feel of the song. I am immediately moving my head to the beat of the song. The song is relatively short, but, overall a pretty good song. 3/5
Gio Battaglia
“Good As Hell” by Lizzo feat. Ariana Grande
The 2016 version of “Good As Hell” was a song that I discovered from Lizzo after her breakthrough sleeper hit “Truth Hurts” – and it was another anthem that showed empowerment, a message that has not been represented in music much lately – but Lizzo does it with power. Her extravagant performances containing the infamous flute, the attitude of body self-love, and the fresh sound creates an environment for fans to be hooked for years to come – Lizzo is going nowhere. It was a very smart decision for Lizzo to collaborate with Ariana Grande for a 2019 remix, these two are critically acclaimed for virtually portraying the same message in their music. Something I particularly enjoyed about this remix was how Ariana didn’t take over the song and add too much that it would be mistaken as an Ariana Grande song instead of a Lizzo song. Also, the seamless transition to Lizzo to Ariana is so satisfying to listen to. I have had this one on repeat – and is one of the few songs I have bought directly from the iTunes Store instead of streaming. 5/5
“Imperfections” by Celine Dion
Céline Dion will never come out with a bad song. She is still one of the few legends who can still bring down a room with a piano and voice and leave an audience in tears and is one that audiences still want to see perform. The way she is able to keep up with the way music is evolving reminds listeners that she’s still got it and may even encourage them to listen to what made her such a respected artist to this date. My first initial listen to this song made it feel like I was listening to a debut hit song from an artist – that fresh sound she can still create is mind-blowing to me, but she does it just perfectly. Dion is a household Vegas name, with a raved about residency that has had fans in tears, and after performing the same songs night after night I could see the itching to create some new music, and this new music is far from rushed and makes me excited to listen to the full album in mid-November. 4.5/5
“Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa is back with a banger! After her debut album in 2017, which became the most streamed album by a female artist and spawned the hits “IDGAF” and the top 10 hit “New Rules” on the Billboard Hot 100, and her Grammy award for Best New Artist, the general public knew there would be no slowing for Lipa. She returns in 2019 with a new dance record, “Don’t Start Now” which gives a fresh sound and I can see being played on repeat at all the night clubs and dance parties. Don’t let the catchy beat and chorus that will be stuck in your head for weeks get you fooled, Lipa is actually still saying something with this track. It sounds like she invested a lot of her time into a relationship that seemed to fail, and she spent some time reflecting on ways to move on without them, and then realized she can get herself back together and she doesn’t need someone for her to be on top, a message that can never repeated enough for people who feel broken after a relationship. This song is at the top of my playlist and I highly recommend it for everyone. 4.5/5
“Fine Wine and Hennessey” by Afro B feat. Slim Jxmmi
“Fine Wine and Hennessey” by Afro B ft. Slim Jxmmi is the perfect dance song. It delivers a beat for fans to be able to clap, sing, and dance along to – another solid club song. Some songs are created to take the listener away from individual problems and dance them out without having to really dig in deep about the meaning of the song that they are listening to, and this is the perfect song for that. Upon first listen to this song, I immediately pictured my friends and I on a drive and dancing and singing along to this forgetting about the daily stressors. Overall, a good tune and will be added to all dance playlists and will be a recognized song. 4/5
Kelly Jones
“Go Crazy” by Leslie Odom Jr.
You might know Leslie Odom Jr. from arguably his most famous role of Aaron Burr in the hit musical Hamilton. Ever since leaving the production he has worked on many different projects; one of them being music. “Go Crazy” is from his most recent album “Mr.” and fits with most of the songs that he has produced on his two prior albums. Leslie Odom Jr. is known for switching and mixing genres in his songs and this one does the same. It’s considered to be pop but it also has a jazz vibe as well thanks to brass that plays in the background. I highly recommend this song; it mixes pop and jazz which is refreshing compared to all the other songs that have come out lately. Once you listen to it, you’ll be hooked. 4.5/5
“You?” by Two Feet
Two Feet is a fairly recent artist debuting in 2016, you might recognize his single “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” which reached no. 1 on the billboard alternative chart. If you liked that song you’ll love this one, but if you haven’t heard any of his songs before I definitely recommend this one. He mixes synth with some amazing guitar riffs, which is what he’s known for. It has a very addictive sound that’ll drag you in and want to listen to his other songs. I first listened to him when he opened for Panic! At the Disco and I was blown away. I definitely recommend this song especially if you like bass drops and awesome guitar riffs. 5/5
Monica Williams
"Good Thing" by Zedd feat. Kehlani
The song “Good Thing” is the collaborative single between Grammy award winning record producer/songwriters Zedd and Grammy award singer-songwriter Kehlani. The song starts off with a slow beat and that is interrupted by Kehlani pop/soulful voice. The song alludes to the luxurious yet lonely life of the rich and famous, and the comfortability that one has with the single life. Kehlani sings “I like my own company-Company, I don’t need” and “Cause I already got a good thing with me”, she describes throughout the song that she already has all the material aspects of life such as money and cars and isn’t seeking companionship. The song overall is pretty cliché pop sounding and wouldn’t stand out from most pop music if I were to hear it on the air. “Good Thing” is assumed to be a promotional cut from Zedd’s long-awaited third album, which I hope sounds overall more diverse and exciting than this song. 2/5
"Strange" by LP
The song “Strange” by LP is a mellow ballad about living a different lifestyle that will never change and destructive relationships. The track is the 8th song off of LP’s album Lost on You, in the song LP sings “They're the ones make you trust in the universe. When I'm lost and I'm left and it's getting worse”. It seems like LP is singing about a friend that she lost, or she could be singing about her mother’s death. LP is also an accomplished songwriter and has cowritten songs for other artists including Rihanna, the Backstreet Boys, Leona Lewis, Mylène Farmer, and Christina Aguilera. This song has a powerful meaning about embracing one’s “strangeness” in society, but I feel like the production and instrumentals could have been better. 3.5/5
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