A 'Lavender Haze' creeps up on Taylor Swift and I'm listening to the top 20-ish of the UK pop charts. Miley Cyrus is number 1. Can she be knocked off the top spot? I'm a bit subdued. It's February. I'm listening to some of the singles charts maybe before I have a try at making some music of my own. I don't know what deals Radio 1 does with record companies but they always play Sam Smith.
Pink is back in the charts at number 19 but the chorus here sounds really familiar. This has a very kid-friendly vibe, an ultra poppy dance number with a strong disco undercurrent (reminds me of the Trolls soundtrack). A double-negative in the title. Is it a reference to 'Never Gonna Dance Again'? That's not a song, that's a line in 'Careless Whisper'. I'm not really with it. How can I sit here and review the pop charts? Discussing music which I'm no expert at. I can't really make it. I quite like Heaven by Niall Horan which is awful really. I really don't like all the talking and silly soundbeds they play along on the charts.
Who's this? Cian Ducrot. I don't like this. What's the point? He just sounds like the Scottish guy whose name I fail to recall [it's Lewis Capaldi]. Just a little Irish lilt at the end otherwise it is Lewis Capaldi. I have headphones on and there's lots going on; not just in this but in all the songs overall; just so much popping and wheezing and whistling about in my headphones. Cian will be waiting anyway. I do like Mimi Webb though this isn't her best. It's not her anyway: this is just trancey housey pop and it is a bit dull as a song. Songs whizz past so fast sometimes. It's not really very exciting. It all sounds so fake and artificial. How can you make someone trust you when you have thirty seconds to just emote louder or differently from everyone else? 'Trustfall' by Pink does try. Electro beats here. I like it. This is the title track from her new album. I am just listening to this emotion oozing everywhere in sound. Libianca. It keeps climbing. At least I know it well; I'm not sure why.
Cool. I miss some of this from Strandz. This is alright. I like the beat and the feel. It's pretty standard pop grime. Maybe it's a bit lazy. Close to the top 10. George Ezra is back - not sure why. He does have a cool voice and a charming way with it. I haven't really heard much yet that is particularly striking so I may take a break. 38 seconds till I can start tipping people on Publish0x.
Oh I'm listening to Raye and it is sounding good! It takes three listens. Yep, I like it now. Best song yet. Lizzy McAlpine... this is nice... this'll get me - a quite unique voice and subtle-ish strings. In real life she sounds like AI! Ooh what's this? Tiesto is in the charts... but he's not really. I get excited because Jack plays a B-side or something, something banging which is not on the Tate McRae single they play.
Coi Leray's track is pretty cool. Harry Styles... this song has been in the charts for 47 weeks. Stupid. Rema's 'Calm Down' has been there a long time also. It sounds different anyway. Onto the top four and here's Miguel. This is chilled. Yeah, something about it has a vibe and makes me move. These are mainstream poppy songs - it's the charts - but the best does sort of rise sometimes. SZA dropped out of the Top 20 too fast. It's quite Boyz II Men, Miguel and 'Sure Thing'. Who is Pink Pantheress then? Sounds cool. Oh yay... actually SZA and 'Kill Bill' is at number three. It is fab. Lovely. Crazy lyrics, nice subtle electro sort of country 'guitar' line, and that sizzly vinyl hiss. I'll get another coffee before we do the top two.
Right then... PinkPantheress at number 2. This has that 80s computer game lo-fi sound... what do they call that? Chiptune. Yeah, this is chiptune music which doesn't usually make the charts. I don't get the track though. It might be great but on my first listen PinkPantheress's 'Boy's A Liar' is underwhelming. Miley Cyrus retains the number 1 spot and she's been there a fair while now. She has a sassy voice and the disco vibe in this song, yes it's nice. I still don't know how to make music but I'll keep trying. This track, 'Flowers', all fits together very nicely and it sounds very 1976.
