Pop Merit Poll #2

[Soot and Stars]

Same idea as before. For the initiated here's the idea:

"In this series of polls I'm going to take a song that at one point was playing everywhere and like it or not you likely heard it unless you lived under a rock! The purpose of pop is to write something that the masses will like. It's not a self indulgent genre writing wise and I like that. Some songs are well crafted and still universally liked, some are very simple but brilliant in execution and some are just a very fresh way lyrically and sonically to express something to/for the masses they haven't heard before. Oh yeah, and some are just fun and people catch on! Anyway, I'll give you a hit song and you can pick whether it stands out in the world of pop exclusively or not. Feel free to discuss in detail your reasoning whether it be based on originality, beat, instruments used or not used, melody, lyrics, etc.! Peace!

Did this song deserve to be a hit?"

Rihanna-Umbrella

 

[architect]

absolute crap

 

[AboutAGirl]

Loving these polls S&S!

I'm definitely a Rihanna fan but it took me forever to tolerate Umbrella. I know it's basically considered her tour de force, and all. But it always just grated on me. The hook is boring, if you ask me.

I eventually came to like it well enough after a million listens. But Rihanna has probably 30 better hit singles to speak of. I can rest assured that while it'll always be one of her biggest songs, it'll be in a sea of about 100 by the end. Like if somebody hated American Girl but loved Petty.

Some of the best Rihanna hits by my estimation? Unfaithful, Pon De Replay, Shut Up And Drive, Russian Roulette, What's My Name, Only Girl in the World, S&M, Cheers (Drink to That), and definitely We Found Love.

 

[ILoveJimmyPage]

That was one Rihanna tune I just didn't like.

 

[Big Ears]

Sorry Soot, I don't like this stuff at all, but it's not intended for fifty-year-old men.

 

[Mr. Bob Dobolina]

Sorry, but I had to vote no. It's just not my cup of tea.

 

[METALPRIEST]

Yes, but not a major one. It's catchy but only for so long!

....The chorus is pretty good, but the song itself is just a little too long IMO

 

[Soot and Stars]

No need for apologies guys! There will be a ton of these that are going to be love them or hate them songs. I personally think this is a yes for me. I'm not even saying this as a Rihanna fan because I've never even heard a cover song I haven't gotten into that I wasn't feeling. It's a perfect formula that no one could mess up. All four writers came up with one of those once in a lifetime perfect song chemistries. I think that's awesome as I think songwriting for others if you can't sing well yourself is a great talent and the craft of just doing that is not appreciated enough. The appreciation was actually there for once as the "song" itself was talked about more than the singer IMO. And why does the song work for me. Simple things but simple things done well. Awesome drum beat, steady vocal that captures the emotions/story but let's the song structure be the star. Instead of diva high notes and overdramatics this song is about pop repetition and great vocal hooks. There's something about the long drawn out unbrell-ella-ella that just makes you want to say it forever. This may be surprising but I think it's worst point is Jay-Zs rap. It's just awkward, forced and unnecessary. RThe song needed no intro. My favorite covers of this is are by Train and Mandy Moore. Both different takes but the song is great in any form.

 

[Jake T]

It deserves to be a hit in today's market, but it will never make my classic rock list.

 

[METALPRIEST]

No need for apologies guys! There will be a ton of these that are going to be love them or hate them songs. I personally think this is a yes for me. I'm not even saying this as a Rihanna fan because I've never even heard a cover song I haven't gotten into that I wasn't feeling. It's a perfect formula that no one could mess up. All four writers came up with one of those once in a lifetime perfect song chemistries. I think that's awesome as I think songwriting for others if you can't sing well yourself is a great talent and the craft of just doing that is not appreciated enough. The appreciation was actually there for once as the "song" itself was talked about more than the singer IMO. And why does the song work for me. Simple things but simple things done well. Awesome drum beat, steady vocal that captures the emotions/story but let's the song structure be the star. Instead of diva high notes and overdramatics this song is about pop repetition and great vocal hooks. There's something about the long drawn out unbrell-ella-ella that just makes you want to say it forever. This may be surprising but I think it's worst point is Jay-Zs rap. It's just awkward, forced and unnecessary. RThe song needed no intro. My favorite covers of this is are by Train and Mandy Moore. Both different takes but the song is great in any form.

Wow I was also going to say that the rap section was another points off factor