11. Meghan Trainor – Lips Are Movin’
Luciana Villalba: I can’t help but think that from now until her career runs its course, all of her songs will sound the same. Don’t even get me started on the videos. It seems like this is working in her favor to climb the pop charts with catchy songs, and “Lips Are Movin'” is just another win for her. C
12. Usher feat. Juicy J – I Don’t Mind
Kevin Montes: This is one of the simplest tracks Usher has made. But the track is catchy, smooth, and Juicy J isn’t as rambunctious in delivery. The instrumental is a major selling point. It gives off a nice R&B vibe rather than having overlapping hip-hop kicks. It’s use of a piano with the claps during the first half of the hook; and the transitions come with ease. This isn’t something I don’t usually say about new Usher, but this song has merritt for laxin with the homies type of track. B
13. Sam Smith – I’m Not the Only One
Ryan Gibbs: Still boring, but significantly less so than “Stay With Me.” The jazzy tone is a good fit for Smith, and it wouldn’t be a bad direction for them to bring his career in. Begging for a remix. C
14. Nicki Minaj feat. Drake and Lil’ Wayne – Truffle Butter
Ryan Gibbs: Beat seems like DJ Mustard with the serial numbers filed off, but everyone on this track actually puts in a great verse. Significantly better than “Only”, and not just because Lil’ Wayne doesn’t sleepwalk through his verse and Chris Brown is nowhere to be seen. B+
15. Fall Out Boy – Centuries
Ryan Gibbs: Fall Out Boy, I love you, but you’re bringing me down. They’re one of the best singles acts of the new millennium and it pains me to say that this is probably my least favorite single of theirs since “Saturday” off Take This to Your Grave (That “Beat It” cover never happened, you cannot convince me otherwise). I was really into this for a few weeks, and then it started to just do nothing for me. And I finally figured out why: what makes this song fall short for me is the production. J.R. Rotem was a terrible choice for the producer of a rock song and everything here kind of forms into a shapeless mash. Still, there’s a lot to love here if you’re a FOB diehard. The interpolation of Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” is neat and well utilized and Patrick Stump’s vocal performance is top notch. The other singles from American Beauty/American Psycho have been so much better than this. It’s interesting to note that this has become one of the band’s biggest hits in their career. I guess the public really loves their electro arena rock bangers. C+
Melody Rice: I’m astounded that the worst song from their album (and easily one of their worst ever) is charting so high. How does anyone like this? F
16. Fetty Wap – Trap Queen
Ryan Gibbs: There’s so much deliriously giddy energy in Fetty Wap’s delivery that it threatens to overtake the beat, and I mean that as a compliment. To me at least, the song comes off as the hip hop equivalent of The 1975’s “Chocolate”. It’s solid and unusual, and definitely doesn’t come off as your average Top 20 rising hip hop act crossover B+
17. Zedd feat. Selena Gomez – I Want You To Know
Gabrielle Bondi: I’ve listened to this song once–just ONCE–and it’s been in my head for two days. It’s definitely catchy, but it sounds just like Zedd’s other songs. It also doesn’t help that I’ve never been a fan of Selena Gomez’s vocals. D
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18. Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil’ Wayne & Chris Brown – Only
Melody Rice: Decent Nicki verse and weak Lil Wayne verse, with the best thing Drake has ever done sandwiched in between. And if Chris Brown can’t be banished, turning him into an adequate hook singer on songs this memorable is a better option than most. B+
Kevin Montes: I take back everything I say about Rae Sremmurd. Nicki, you had good verses before, what happened? Drake, I’ve heard better on If you’re reading this, it’s too late, and I didn’t like that album… Lil Wayne, was Carter III the last you time you tried? This is so conceited and really bad. The worse thing is that these rappers can flow, but the flow here is worse then Earl Sweatshirt’s (I love his music, but his flow is very bland). Is there a grade worse than F? F-
19. Ne-Yo feat. Juicy J – She Knows
Ryan Gibbs: The trap beat doesn’t mix well with Ne-Yo’s vocal style. There’s a decent showing from 2006 Academy Award winner Juicy J, but his guest verse is incredibly brief. Don’t know this managed to get into the Top 20. D
20. Nick Jonas – Jealous
Ryan Gibbs: Aw, that’s cute. He wants to be Usher now. D
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Luciana Villalba: Aw, that’s cute. He wants to be Justin Timberlake now. Either way, I admire the fact that he moved from pop-ish J-Bro thing into a sexier, edgier tune with Jealous. C+
Melody Rice: His album is better than this would lead you to believe, with “Chains” and the Angel Haze feature “Numb” tearing this to shreds. The main problem isn’t the songwriting, which is solid, but his voice, which sounds strained and unfit for these notes. And before you criticize him for trying to be Justin Timberlake, remember that Timberlake was once the guy from ‘NSYNC who everyone thought was trying to be Michael Jackson. B
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