Episode 2: Song Review: 'Dont Wanna Know' By: Maroon 5 Ft. Kendrick Lamar.

It must not be easy trying to stay popular each year. Once you perform music and gain fame, even if it is just for a little while, some acts feel like it is important to make music one way or another every single year to stay relevant which can lead you to the risk of overexposure. Acts that are guilty of this are Rhianna, Drake, Taylor Swift, and now, Maroon 5.

Maroon 5 is a band that started out in the early 2000's with 'Rock' music and made song decent songs like 'Makes me wonder'. 'Wake Up Call' and 'This Love'. With the latter song being a personal favourite song from Maroon 5. Then they came around the 2010's and turn a little more into pop music and ended up being considered one of the biggest sell-out acts in music history. And not only did they turned their way of music, they turned the quality in their singles. While they made songs that were decent once in a while with 'Moves like Jagger' and 'Sugar', most of the songs are more missed than hit.

It started with their album 'Overexposed' with songs like 'Payphone', 'One more Night', and 'Love Somebody' that are not as good as people might remember. Then we hit 'V' with songs that were worse with 'Animals' and 'This Summer's gonna hurt like a MotherF**ker'. As the years went by, the problems with Maroon 5 became more clear. The first was that the band became more of one man act with the rest of the band being somewhat background people. Seriously, does anyone remember the names of the band without researching besides the singer? Which leads to the other problem being the frontman Adam Levine. One is that his voice can be grating to listen too, and his lyrics in some of his songs can make him look like an a**hole.

Now we cut to 2016 where outside of Levine being a judge on 'The Voice', Maroon 5 have been absent throughout the year. We thought we were finally gonna get a year without the band, until suddenly not long ago, they released a single out of nowhere called 'Don't Wanna Know'. and it just shot up to the top 10. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from this song especially when I heard that they got popular rapper Kendrick Lamar to do a guest verse.

I listened to the song a few times. And.............. while it isn't the worst Maroon 5 song (And that's saying something) I wouldn't call it a good song. It just feels like they are no longer trying and are just making filler music just to make some more money.

The Production:

If there is one word to name the production of the song, it would be 'Lazy'. It is just 2-3 sounds being tapped over and over throughout the song. It just feels like they are just pulling back and trying to be too safe which is weird coming from Maroon 5.


The Singer:

I was never really a fan of Adam Levine and his singing voice. Even in the early days, I wasn't a fan but at least there was restraint and a tune. Now, he just sounds like he doesn't give a sh*t anymore. I'll give him credit though that at least the voice tone is a little laid back that when he goes high-pitched, it doesn't make me twitch in anger.


The lyrics:

So Adam is saying that he doesn't want to hear about how his ex is having fun and being loved by her new man the same way that he did. He basically complains about his everything reminds him of her and that blames her by saying lines like 'Are you happy now?' and none of it is interesting to watch. At this point we have seem Levine trash woman in multiple songs which usually makes him look like jerk, and this just adds into the pile. And in the songs, he tries to get us to feel bad for him which usually ends in failure.


The Guest Appearance:

Like I said, Kendrick Lamar has a guest verse in this song. And I wonder if it was really worth having him in it. He really doesn't really say anything interesting. It is basically 'Stop trying to get me mad with your love life' and the verse goes so fast that you barely hear much of it. Let me just say that unlike Maroon 5, I do like Kendrick Lamar. He is a amazing rapper and deserves credit for albums like 'To Pimp a Butterfly'. But you wouldn't know that if you look at his appearances in pop songs like Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood', or Sia's 'The Greatest' and this might be his worst one yet. And honestly, watching him perform in this song with little passion just depresses me.


Final Conclusion:

I can't think of much to like in this song. Say what you want about their other songs, at least there is at least some care in the music, this doesn't show that there is any interest in what they are saying. The production is bad, the lyrics are your basic Maroon 5 stuff you hear in other songs, Levine has no care in his performance and then the biggest insult is that they wasted Kendrick Lamar. You get one of the greatest rappers working today and you don't use him. All it does is make me sad that these are the ones getting popular and not any of Kendrick's own work which is something you need to check out if you haven't already.

As a ranking, I give it a 2/10, and that might be just me being generous. If this is what to expect from Maroon 5 in 2017, then we are in for a bumpy ride. For me, I'll stick to bands like Hedley, Marinas Trench, and Green Day.

I'll see you guys later, and have a Happy Halloween.

Episode 1: Billboard Hot 100 Top 10: October 29th, 2016 (October)

First, let me introduce myself. Hello, I am the host of JMshowproductions. Here is where I talk about anything involving music. I am doing this because music is basically life for me. In this series, I plan to make an episode once a week. Maybe I'll do more as we go along but for now, 1 is good for me.

For this episode, I want to talk about the songs in the top 10 of the Billboard hot 100 that was refreshed earlier today and say what I think about them.

I will say this, if you like these songs, great. This is just my opinion on these popular songs. Lets start at the bottom with

Number 10: Side to Side by Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj (Peak: 10)

Note: Couldn't find a way to get the actual video on, so I deeply apologise.

I can say while it isn't the best song Ariana Grande has done, and not even the best single so far from the album 'Dangerous Woman', Side to Side is a decent song. The Reggae style is a fresh air and gave a nice atmosphere even if the lyrics can get dirty at times. I'm usually not a big fan of Reggae but it sorta works here. Grande performs strong. One of things she has going for her is her vocal performances and she continues to do well. I'm not quite sure how to feel about Nicki Minaj though. She seemed to be pulling a bit back in her verse. She wasn't terrible, but personaly, i would have liked to see more. Conclusion, while it isn't as good as 'Into You' or the title track, this is a decent song. I'll listen to this most days.

Rank: 7/10


Number 9: Cheap Thrills by Sia Ft. Sean Paul (Peak: 1)

There seems to be 2 sides with this song. People either love it, or hate it. I'm sorta in the middle of the line. For starters, the productions sounds good, it's a nice beat to dance to. And I do think Sia is a good singer and it shows here. For the lyrics, it's another one of those 'I don't need money for happiness' songs. But the writing is a bit lazy. I find it lazy when you take the first verse and make it the 2nd verse as well. Yeah, they changed Friday to Saturday but it is still a rehash. The only the song got attention at all was because of Sean Paul. And hes........ok i guess. I was never really a fan of the guy but he has made song decent songs before. His verse is fine, nothing great, but nothing terrible. Not much to say about it though. It's not the worst song Sia has made, but it isn't really something i would go out of my way to listen to either.

Rank: 5/10

Number 8: Treat you Better by Shawn Mendes (Peak: 6)

Oh boy. Now for the first song on this list that I really can't stand. And the fact that this was as big as it was is just.........sad. It's sad. The song is basically a 'Steal your girlfriend because I'm awesome' song. The lyrics doesn't help with Shawn Mendes saying 'I can treat you better than he can', and 'Don't waste your time crying and be with me', and 'between us, i'm the better gentlemen' and I hate it, espically with the way he sings it. While he isn't the worst singer, he isn't great either. But he can tolerable enough through his music. But the way he is singing here, along with the lyrics, makes him look like a complete asshole. I would say more but i would like to save it for the end of the year where i can really tear it apart. Just.......F**k this song.

Rank: 1/10


Number 7: Cold Water by Major Lazer Ft. Justin Bieber and Mo (Peak: 2)

I remember last year when Major Lazer made the hit song 'Lean On'. I really enjoyed it, the first time I heard it on the Much Channel. I was wondering what the next hit will be like. And here we are with 'Cold Water' with the same people except Justin Bieber replaces DJ Snake (We'll get to Snake later) and............its ok. Honestly, I never really focused on the lyrics as the production went over it and Bieber isn't really an interesting artist. But the beat is nice and smooth. Shame we couldn't have just Mo singing as she can be more interesting but she was just wasted in this song.  Overall, it isn't terrible, but I just found it underwhelming.

Rank: 6/10

Number 6: Broccoli by D.R.A.M Ft. Lil Yachty (Peak: 6)

I am a little conflicted on this song. And a little confused on how and why this song got big. Well D.R.A.M is kinda hilarious on this and the sure the lyrics is basically about weed even if they say broccoli but they aren't too bad either. On the other hand, Lil Yachty is not really interesting and the one thing that stands out the beat that does the same sound over and over which gets irritating after a minute. Then it sounds like a video game on the hook which is......weird. As whole, this lands into the 'ok' category. Not terrible, but not good.

Rank: 5/10

Number 5: 24K by Bruno Mars (Peak: 5)

And now, we get to the big one on this list. The long awaited comeback song from Bruno Mars that we have been waiting for. And................. this is it? Seriously? I might be in the minority on this, but I did not see this as a good song. Once the song started i quickly went 'What the F**k is up with the auto-tune?' And it barely showed in the rest of the song so it just seemed out of place. And then theres the lyrics. Which is a typical bragging song about money and girls. Unlike 'Uptown Funk' where while there was some bragging, it that kick-ass production to rock the song out, that is not the case here. It seems downplayed, even compared to 'Unorthodox Jukebox'. And hearing Bruno say lines like 'Bad Bitches with their ugly ass friends' makes me feel sad inside. Never since B.o.B have i felt more depressed about the drop in quality. And i can this 'Bruno Mars, you're better then this'.

Rank: 2/10

Number 4: Let me Love you by DJ Snake Ft Justin Bieber (Peak 4)

Hello again Justin Bieber. The most overexposed artist of 2016. Honestly, there isn't much to say about him. In his comeback year, when he isn't sounding like an ass like in 'Sorry', he is soooo.....boring. I say that as when we get to this song with rising EDM star, DJ Snake, not much has changed. He doesn't sound interesting, and the lyrics are basically some kind of a love song'. What stops the song from being medicore for me is DJ Snake. I might be one of the few people that still likes 'Turn Down for What', and he helped make 'Lean On' be fantastic. One clear thing about DJ Snake is that his music can sound really weird....but in a good way. While this isn't the best, it still sounds nice and Snake almost saves song. It isn't great but it slides into 'Decent' for me.

Rank: 6/10


Number 3: Heathens by Twenty One Pilots (Peak: 2)

One of my regrets this year is not seeing 'Suicide Squad' in theaters. I wanted to see it, but time really got in the way for me. The only thing I heard or seen from the movie is their 2 hit songs. We have 'Heathens' that is still in the top 10 now, and 'Sucker for Pain' which I'll talk more about in the end of the year. For me, 'Heathens' is pretty good. The music part is dark and smooth and it works here. The lyrics is frontman Tyler Joseph talking to a newcomer about how their prison works, and what his heathen friends are like. And for the most part, the lyrics work. If I did have a problem, it would be Tyler Joseph himself. He sounds not interested in what he's saying and almost like he is about to sleep. The vocal effects doesn't help much either. Thankfully the music works around it, so he isn't too much of a problem but it can be noticeable sometimes. But outside of that, I do like this song. Glad it became a hit.

Rank: 7/10


Number 2: Starboy by The Weeknd Ft. Daft Punk (Peak: 2)

---------Cant Upload the Video for some reason.----------

And heres the return I am happy for. I am surprised that The Weeknd has because as big as he did. If 'Beauty behind the Madness' came out in 2012, who knows how it would have went. But now we have a new song with Daft Punk in 2016 in the top 2. And it is great. The Weeknd still has likable presence and can keep you entertained. The lyrics are bragging done right. While he happy and talking about the success he has gotten, he isn't being obnoxious and getting in your face about it. And to top it off, we have Daft Punk and makes a enjoyable and yet somewhat dark tone and it really works. With this and 'False Alarm' which i prays become a hit, I am looking forward to that new album.

Rank: 8/10

And finally

Number 1: Closer by The ChainSmokers Ft. Halsey (Peak: 1)

If you asked me at the end of 2014 that the guys that made 'Selfie' would become one of the biggest acts of 2016, I would have laughed hard. But here we are with 4 top 20 hits, and this one being the biggest with no music video either. And.....I'm mixed on this. For one, I like Halsey's performance on this. Way better then 'New Americana'.  But Andrew Taggart sounds wooden when he sings. The Beat sounds nice and summer like so i can see how this song got the top spot. And then theres the lyrics which leaves me scratching my head. Sure, it can be about living while you are young, and then you have Taggart talking about a girl he sees in a bar after a few years and talks about how she left and that shes the bad one and yet he slams her and her friends that makes him sound like an ass. But that's just me. Conclusion, it's not bad and The Chainsmokers can do a lot worst, but it isn't something i would want to listen to anytime all the time.

Rank: 5/10

Best: StarBoy

Worst: Treat you Better

Looking at the top 10, i only found 2 songs i enjoy and 2 songs that are just terrible. The rest were 'Meh'. But as we head to the end of the year, and year-end things start popping up, We might have a bright future ahead of us.

That's it for today, feel free to leave a comment below. But keep it civil, as in not too nasty as this is my first post so there is bound to be mistakes. I'll see you next week for a 'Song Review'.