21. Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
Ashley Bulayo: I think it’s nice to have a song replace “Stitches” on the radio. I respect Shawn Mendes so much. He has some pretty good music, IMO. A-
Brittany Menjivar: It sounds way too similar to “Stitches” for my taste. C
22. Twenty One Pilots – “Heathens”
Ashley Bulayo: LOVE THIS SONG. This got me all excited for Suicide Squad! This song alone got me interested in hearing the whole soundtrack. A
23. Rihanna feat. Drake – “Work”
Gabrielle Bondi: Another certifiable hit for Rihanna, Work is a chill fusion of electronic and hip-hop. Smooth, upbeat and fun. A
Bri Lockhart: Rihanna can be hit or miss for me, and sadly this one is a miss. That monotonous chorus distracts from the more interesting verses, and I just can’t get past that. C-
Jon Winkler: I saw Trevor Noah do stand-up recently and he opened by pondering the writing process of this song, specifically how it probably wasn’t the hardest thing to do (“work work work work work”). While this isn’t one of RiRi’s most memorable songs, the beat is solid and it’s sexy as hell. It gets annoying on repeated listens, but it doesn’t take away from RiRi being one of pop’s most sexually enticing singers today C+
24. Ariana Grande – “Into You”
Ashley Bulayo: I’m liking Ariana’s chill vibe way more than her first album when she sang about a piano. I’m serious. Her sound and confidence has really kicked it up a notch over the years. A-
Amber Mack: We’ve heard Ariana’s sound became more confident with a splash of sassy but this song is a hit and definitely a club tune. Plus haven’t you seen the music video? A+
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25. Flume feat. Kai – “Never Be Like You”
Ashley Bulayo: Yeah, nah. I can’t get sick of this song as much as I want to. But, Flume does need another song to get on the Top 40 list already. A-
Jon Winkler: Damn, this Flume guy is onto something fierce. The thumping beat work of this one is stellar, leaving just enough room for Kai’s strong vocals to cut through. While there may not be a great buildup and climax to the song, it makes for an impressive departure for current dance-pop. Side note; check the Disclosure remix of this song, hits you like a mother B+
26. Lukas Graham – “7 Years”
Gabrielle Bondi: I feel like every few years we get the same pop song like this, one that chronicles the passage of time. For me, this doesn’t do much to stand out from the rest. C+
Ryan Gibbs: An incredibly boring, try-hard song with grating lyrics. I didn’t know we needed another Simply Red. D-
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Jon Winkler: *Monday Night RAW chants* BOOOOORING! BOOOOORING! BOOOORING D
27. Charlie Puth feat. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
Ashley Bulayo: As much as it is super catchy, it’s actually pretty relevant in so many people’s lives. Props to you two, Charlie and Selena! A
Jon Winkler: So we didn’t ask for Pat Boone in 2016, but we sure got him in the form of Charlie Puth. While most of Puth’s output has ranged from tolerably cute (“One Call Away”) to insultingly stupid (“Marvin Gaye”), this is an interesting pick. The Spanish guitar picking that drives the song is a nice touch, if only screaming for actual drums instead of annoying electronics. This is the way Puth should sound: lonesome, desperate and quiet. It makes the listener sympathize with him and feel what he’s saying. Same goes for Selena, who isn’t believable in the slightest when she’s trying to be a diva (“Same Old Love”). There’s a solid narrative of a lost love in here and the duo pull it off nicely. So the lesson here for Puth: try harder B
28. Fifth Harmony feat. Fetty Wap – “Flex”
Brooke Pawling Stennett: The vibe of this song is so good it’ll make you forget about “Work From Home,” and let yourself be entranced by the sultry rhythm that Fifth Harmony is cranking out at top speed as of late. Definitely a favorite on their album, “7/27.” A+
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29. Twenty One Pilots – “Stressed Out”
Ryan Gibbs: The rise of Twenty One Pilots as one of the biggest rock groups in the country is perplexing, particularly because their breakthrough was this crummy song. Tyler Joseph’s singing is bad enough to just come of as strange and the song is a black hole of charisma. D
Jon Winkler: As an early twenty-something missing the simpler times of my youth, I think I can relate to the lyrics of “Stressed Out” alot, and that’s rare to say in regards to pop hits. Which is all the more reason that I feel bad to hate this song. It’s just so…damn….flat. Nothing about it garners my interest, excitement, or praise. The beat just plops along and Tyler Joseph has so little charisma and drive. So sad C
30. DJ Khaled feat. Jay-Z and Future – “I Got the Keys”
Ryan Gibbs: It’s been a decade since he first started having hits, and I still don’t know what DJ Khaled even does on his songs other than yell “we the best.” He’s not listed as the producer on this song, for starters. The song its self is pretty ho hum. Jay-Z sounds good at least. Arguably much more of a Jay-Z and Future song than a DJ Khaled one. C–
Jon Winkler: So I’m currently writing my review of Khaled’s newest album, Major Key, which I’m only doing on the merits of this song alone. I guess Lemonade shook up something fierce in Jay Z because THE RULER’S BACK. This is the most alive Hov’s sounded in years and while it’s not lyrically deep or anything thing, Jay’s talking nothing but boss talk and sounds like the baddest man on the planet (that 808 Mafia beat doesn’t hurt either). But when Khaled himself screams “I GOT THE KEYS TO MORE SUCCESS,” it’s damn hard to disagree. Major Key alert B+
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