POP SONG REVIEW: "Happier" by Marshmello and Bastille

Come on get happier? Can Marshmello and Bastille shake pop music out of its doldrums?
(Support Todd on Patreon! / toddintheshadows )

[@Sangled]

todd: you know what, i like this song and i’m sticking with that! me, seeing that there’s 7 minutes left in the video: *no you ain’t*

[@m3rrys0ngstr3ss]

Yeah, I had that same reaction.

[@cheesyncrackers9670]

lol true (also love your art sangled!)

[@weirdaljedifan2]

Fancy seeing you here!

[@125loopy]

I was listening to the video and not watching it so I didn't know there was more to the video. I was so disappointed. I kept saying "but it's so boring" in my head over and over.

[@meamishere1166]

Whatever makes you happier.

[@ub3r825]

the drop in happier sounds like it’d be used in a spotify premium ad

[@prismatica_official]

an_android Marshmello would be better off making music for ads. It’d be better than having somewhat good music ruined.

[@couldntmixapotnoodle]

Apple has probably already claimed it for the "new apple mac pro + 13" Now with no cooling system

[@TylerGreeneNC]

The quotations should be around drop

[@nastylittlecritter]

I’m pretty sure it was

[@linusdn2777]

I wouldn't know what those sound like. I'm not some filthy peasant.

[@SalvadorSalcido]

Are we not gonna talk about how Miranda Cosgrove is in the videos for both "Happy" and "Happier" or....? On that note, I say she fulfills the prophecy and releases a song called "Happiest."

[@ffjreviews9029]

Oh yeah, that person from iCarly

[@kieranstark7213]

Fun fact: Miranda Corgrove is actually in a couple of videos of the same Pharrell Williams song. • Pharrell Williams - Happy • Despicable Me 2 (she played Margo Gru, even though one of the the problems with the Despicable Me franchise she’s too old to play a child character unless she puts on a younger-sounding voice for the character)

[@kimifw58]

That's not a prophecy. That's a pattern. Or a payoff.

[@ktownshutdown21]

@@kimifw58 But you know what it is? A joke.

[@kimifw58]

@@ktownshutdown21 A joke requires thought and logic, so it's just as subject to criticism as anything else. Maybe if you stop seeing criticism as just mean things people say, you'd know how to write jokes too.

[@SonofMrPeanut]

"I'm kidding. I'll never be able to retire." - Todd, 2018 The voice of our generation.

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

The voice of our grandparents generation: the beatles, love the beatles. The voice of our parents generation: nirvana, love nirvana. The voice of our generation: post molone, lame. Can we please have a different voice?

[@spencerjames9417]

Spoken like a true millennial

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

I’m gen Z you moron

[@corruptedsave145]

@@spencerjames9417 Gen Z is sorry for that moron above.

[@spencerjames9417]

@@corruptedsave145 i wasnt replying to his comment you fucking bitch

[@neversurrender6112]

"A song called sad... by a wife-beater... who is dead. That's what we deserve."

[@takatotakasui8307]

john lewis It is pretty fitting for 2018, somehow.

[@lunatik383]

@alexandra galici He didnt abuse her lmao. he was aquitted

[@lyricbot8513]

@@lunatik383 no dipshit, he didn't get the chance the go to court to be acquitted.

[@pagebeer1893]

@@lyricbot8513 So why do instantly believe the woman then? Niggas so quick to demonize black people

[@zeyfuller]

Geo Globe It didn't go to court so he's just guilty. Okay.

[@TCovenantUnbeliever]

This is why the "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" remix works, because the drop is cold and sad just like the lyrics.

[@douglassmithe9799]

Spot on

[@alisonbarnes7888]

Link?

[@WristFreeze97]

Another example would be All Time Low

[@ninjabluefyre3815]

I actually prefer the original, oddly.

[@cobly6873]

Still get chills from the drop 5 years later. Marshmello can learn a thing or two from Mike and Seeb

[@yoshimasterleader]

Marshmello is fitting name for this artist. The music he makes is just like a marshmallow it's light soft and while it may be sweet it lacks substance.

[@Slaggedfire]

Marshmallows usually do some pretty good crossovers with chocolate.

[@TR-ru7wl]

Alone is pretty good

[@naiknaik8812]

@@TR-ru7wl after that its eh

[@n3v3rg01ngback]

yoshimasterleader And I feel guilty after eating a whole bag.

[@BayOfWulf]

And if I get too much of it I get sick

[@ilznidiotic]

It's not you, Bastille, it's me. Wait. No it's not. It's Marshmello. Yeah, this is his fault.

[@cesarg.5750]

I'm somehow more suprised I saw Miranda Cosgrove in 2018, than Bastille.

[@gavincoria8651]

Yeah I thought Michael Jackson died 10 years ago

[@beatsbycossack]

I know right? I mean, what's next, a Jonas Brothers comeback?

[@AikiraBeats]

Same it took me a minute

[@joebob2311productions]

Honestly i thought he would've pointed it out. I was just like meh its probably someone who looks like her

[@vintagearisen]

Bastille are the kings of writing deceptively cheerful sounding songs that are actually really depressing

[@Hola-tq4pg]

Paramore Will disagree with you on that

[@landonmiller9554]

@@Hola-tq4pg *passion pit

[@macadamianut824]

Gorillaz wants to have a talk with you

[@benkenobi_]

@@macadamianut824 Bastille has been doing it since early 2014

[@Agentohyeah]

They been doing that since 2010

[@dreaminginnoother]

Howard Stern was right when Marley and Me came out. He said it's a cheap trick to have the dog die at the end because you can't not cry. I almost wanted to cry just watching this video about a video.

[@twelvehandshigh]

dreaminginnoother I did cry so you’re doing better than me

[@joshbouman1654]

I almost cried at the Tim McGraw clip. I don't even like country!

[@HeyLetsDoAThing]

Marley and Me wasn't a cheap trick. It was literally the full story of that family and how having Marley affected them. Without his death, it wouldn't have been nearly as meaningful or impactful. The movie would have just ended with "and they all lived happily ever after" somewhere in the middle of the story. Howard Stern is a hack.

[@eilonwy0360]

Well, as some already said, Marley's death wasn't just a cheap attempt to make the audience cry, it was a logical and emotional conclusion of his life story. The family got bigger, kids are growing up, but dogs' years are short and humans have to cope wuth a thought that nothing in nature is ever-lasting. Their happiness with Marley had to come to an eventual end. And you know, we don't just cry at his death because we feel poor for a dog just cause it's a dog. We cry because we as audience and movie characters had such a strong and believable connection to Marley. We saw how utterly genuine the owner's love for his dog and we're sad to see them separating. It's pretty much like with How to Train Your Dragon, with a dog.

[@MintyBingus]

dreaminginnoother i did cry... but im a crybabt and kinda drunk

[@jetpantsjess]

I went to a music festival and saw Marshmello. He was HORRIBLE. 45 mins late and he played a bunch of pop songs (not remixed or anything) in between his songs. Then kept turning down the music so that the crowd could sing along ASSUMING that everyone knew the words and it was SILENT. Terrible performer too. It was like he had a Spotify playlist and pressed shuffle. Even my friends (who were fans of his) were so disappointed and we left. Awesome video as per usual, Todd. Hoping to see this on the worst list...

[@Flowtail]

r/thathappened (Edit: Or at least i would hope this story is an exaggeration..)

[@markborishnikoff5485]

I know people that are fans of Marshmello, but i don't know anything more.

[@johnindigo5477]

What festival

[@mls669]

He's a douchebag too a friend asked him for an autograph, and he said "yeah I'm not doing that"

[@hind__]

@@Flowtail Nah he's kind of a diva over nothing its true lol

[@izzy1221]

Todd wants the party anthem back? *Assemble the Black Eyed Peas.*

[@WristFreeze97]

Assemble LMFAO!

[@RenaldyCalixte]

Black Eyed Peas are the Avengers?

[@UnorthodoxIndividual]

And here we are in 2020 and The Black Eyed peas are in the top 30 right now.

[@luckjes112]

I blame you for their return.

[@ffjreviews9029]

They have returned in 2020,

[@glennwelsh9784]

Being a masked EDM DJ seems like it could be a sweet gig. You make music people can dance to and you wear a mask that can be an instant marketing tool. And then you can take the mask off when you're not DJing and you can go about your life doing everyday shit like grocery shopping or going on vacation without being hounded by the media because no one knows what you actually look like. Also, nice Casey Kasem reference, Todd.

[@whodatninja439]

Ehh, you can find what he looks like on google if you want.

[@toyoezodus]

That's actually why Daft Punk said they started wearing the robot costumes in the first place. Something about not liking the concept of a 'celebrity' in general.

[@dre724]

Good Grief is wayyy better than this soulless dribble

[@MomoGobboYT]

But it also makes your image a gimmick so quicker to fall out of relevance

[@rct3isepic]

As someone who was a masked DJ for a couple years, IT'S WAY HARDER THAN IT LOOKS. Coming up with the mask itself, performing in a hot sweaty face case for hours on end, and until you get big, people will ALWAYS know who your secret identity is...it has it's perks which you mentioned a few of them, but as a whole it's weird. The reason why I stopped was just because not having a huge TV head on the bus wasn't very economical and I couldn't dance in very well.

[@germanvisitor2]

That dog didn't die. He just lost the will to respond to any stimuli due to hearing _Happier_ too often.

[@colliwer]

Dan Bastille vs Sans Undertale

[@skrrrrrrrrt]

what

[@paparika2095]

what

[@hiro8840]

Oh i get it lmao

[@ARTV-]

Holy shit, you just pulled "Just To See You Smile" out of nowhere, my dad played that song all the time when I was a kid. I love it!

[@LavenderRare]

Aaaaa its ARTV!!!!!

[@rachaelbeth3119]

Same only my mom played it

[@jacobmartin7481]

I love that song, a staple of my childhood when I mainly listened to country music in the late-90's/early 2000's.

[@yserareborn]

"And given the chance I'd lie again" That is a genius, gut-punch of a line. I do love that song.

[@zdknightsky2852]

Artv holy crap

[@monadoboy9670]

I love how Panic at the disco only has one member yet he sounds more like a band than Maroon 5 and Imagine Dragons

[@crazyluigi6664]

Irony...

[@jakegibbard]

Same with Tame Impala

[@emilyhogan4973]

Brandon Urie has a very powerful singing voice.

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

Brandon Urie is a national treasure

[@zombieedrea]

No lies were told

[@stellafagerstedt2256]

I died at the "have you seen "the neighbourhood" missing for 13 years" 😂

[@CardsNHorns04]

Hey! They put out some good songs. “scary love” is a good song!

[@worm3041]

They've had some pretty good music since then and their songs have had a lot of views so I'd have to disagree but it is kind of funny.

[@alexandertruuvert2037]

As a massive Bastille fan I can say I was also disappointed by the song. I would definitely recommend the stripped version of the song which is just so much calmer and matches the theme of the song better.

[@Foxbl00d_Gaming]

yeah the stripped version was better

[@joelmole3157]

So this is the 'Blank Space' of this year. A song that Todd liked at first but then got sick of due to its bland musical accompaniment.

[@witnessme4352]

The difference is that "Blank Space" is actually a really good song.

[@gavinfelker7630]

And in Blank Space, the instrumentation was just forgettable and bland, as opposed to happier, in which it actively works against the message of the song

[@KevinContreras2013]

Yeah, but it’s not a bad instrumental.

[@loekos]

i'm curious to see what marshmello's "Style" is gonna sound like

[@GambeTama]

@ loeko I'm thinking something along the lines of Avicci's "Wake Me Up"

[@tskxm]

fingers crossed for DJ Pyramid Head in 2019

[@Valanway]

Hope dental drills and grimy palm muting is a major part of DJ Pyramid Head's repertoire.

[@Nersius]

Probably going to jail for rape : X

[@jeanclaudevanswag]

Nersius nah, for indecent exposure because he tried to have sex with a mannequin in a department store.

[@gloryblackjack584]

i be that would work if hmthwy played like diaturbed and creepy edm traks. songs that sound like they are waterboarding a synthasiser.

[@DwarfElvishDiplomacy]

i honestly cant tell these songs apart anymore

[@AikiraBeats]

So true

[@Dumb_Killjoy]

Me neither

[@tinx713]

I know right, mainstream music really sucks nowadays, now I have to go digging for my own music to enjoy.

[@ffjreviews9029]

2016 basically killed music. It’s never been the same, unless you count the fact that horrible songs are famous off that cringey vine rip off.

[@memorygongs1133]

I forgot how depressing these 2017/18 reviews were. The landscape of popular music isn't exactly great at the moment, but as a casual observer of what's played on the radio there seems to be more variety and vigour than even a couple of years ago; I don't think pop music was ever in a worse state than when those lifeless non-drops were clogging up the airwaves

[@msunflowers]

Quarantine + the advent of sites like tiktok seriously disarmed the pop charts, and despite the problems tiktokification brought, I consider that a net good. The latter half of the 10s was full of so much undanceable e*D*m.

[@gregorybest6580]

The fact that the second hit we gave Bastille was a Marshmello collab instead of Good Grief is just proof that we're undeserving of god's light.

[@brennens8849]

Twin Pines TRUE. maybe we’ll get some hits from the upcoming album? not counting my chickens though.

[@Emilytheawesome131]

Yesss. I love good grief

[@GambeTama]

I would have settled for "Cast Them Off" too, or "The Current, or "Warmth" ... you know what, I'm just gonna go listen to Wild World again.

[@vintagearisen]

Honestly the fact that we haven't given Bastille any other hits since Pompeii is proof that we're undeserving. They roll out the best songs one after the other and America just ignores their brilliance.

[@whitneymouse]

Twin Pines Good Grief is BEAUTIFUL!

[@kevinrooney3351]

Watered-down pop-EDM is eating both pop and dance music alive, just like watered-down pop-disco did back in the '70s.

[@NJGuy1973]

You think "Happier" will be played at weddings forty years from now?

[@kevinrooney3351]

@@NJGuy1973 If people can play Nine Inch Nails' "Closer", The Police's "Every Breath You Take", and Hinder's "Lips of an Angel" at weddings, then they will definitely play "Happier".

[@stephancalitz7113]

@@kevinrooney3351 who the fuck plays closer at a wedding

[@knowyourroleboulevard7119]

@@kevinrooney3351 who plays Lips of an Angel at weddings. Well who would want to. Who the f... hell wants to!!!!

[@MQKWJXNDRBTVPL]

Well... At least, this seems to be a comforting thought? The comparison makes one think this is not going to be something we will need to endure for the rest of our lifes, just yet another of the cycles of music and the industry.

[@stephenmcginnis5488]

"It's not you, Bastille, it's me" Actually it sounds more like it's marshmallow

[@LouisWritingSomethingCrazy]

Is it just me, or does all these EDM styled songs make you feel like you're standing in an elevator? The music itself has no emotion, but it feels like it's waiting for an emotion.

[@RareTalent007]

You've only heard marshmallow, who is complete shit

[@cassidy5748]

I suggest listening to Jai Paul and Daft Punk

[@TheBrettAbides]

I hate that this kind of music passes for EDM these days. Just sounds like something Max Martin shat out to me.

[@jordan80673]

Bro wtf elevator are the worst they move so much

[@Real_Eggman]

I think NCS songs are really good.

[@jakem5916]

The "stripped" version actually removes the EDM elements and, at least in my opinion, gives it the much needed emotional punch the original lacked. Even the artwork for the single is more moody.

[@MiloKuroshiro]

Nah. Still as Meh and weak... It still build up nothing for nothing.

[@maxpowr90]

@@MiloKuroshiro In Classical music, it's called "tidal flow": pieces that just go back and forth with little theme/motif development to make the piece interesting. Said pieces are usually in the dustbin, forgotten about and only get brought up if another famous composer wrote a piece like that. They're technically sound pieces but you likely won't be hearing them performed in concert halls unless some conductor wants to play said esoteric piece.

[@gfuffhffjfrfhehfrnfj]

I'm also not a fan of the production. I think I would have liked the version with a regular Bastille production much better, because I think that they're great producers on their own. And what kind of bothers me is that Marshmello seems to be getting the most credit for that song even though he basically just remixed it.

[@GambeTama]

This song definitely comes off like Bastille provided the lyrics and Marshmellow handled the rest after.

[@SJ-98]

BetaBran that’s exactly what happened. Marshmello said in an interview that Bastille sent him their version of the song and he liked it

[@GambeTama]

+ NeonViking I do hope, we get to hear that one some day.

[@SJ-98]

BetaBran they released a “stripped” version of the song that might be the original or close to it!

[@GambeTama]

For those of you in this comment chain who still care, here's a stripped down version of the song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3jXgXukeKd7adk

[@shonkywonkydonkey]

Ed Sheeran already released a song called 'Happier' this year. And it was about accepting that an ex is better off with someone else. Like holy shit how much more unoriginal can pop music get

[@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo]

I prefer Bastille's Happier. Ed's bores me.

[@planescaped]

How about neither? I pick neither... and 80's music. >__>

[@sonicjrjr14]

Rock and country aren't doing much better either.

[@keizeradrianus703]

@@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo Atleast Ed's song makes you feel how you're supposed to feel

[@Scanned]

It's not exactly a groundbreaking concept.

[@RBRSC]

Yeah the pop end of EDM is kind of weird. You have a theoretically near infinite library of sounds to pull from, which should allow you to have dozens or hundreds of potential timbres to suit the emotion of a song. And its always a light clean flat sounding air synth, much in the vein Todd mentions of a hockey arena organ. Its the same problem that people criticize vocals on when they say "Autotune".A sound thats too cleaned up and artifically cut to evoke a sense of human fraility or energy. While I can't claim any expertise with producing electronic music, I'd have to imagine it can't be that strenously impossible to pepper in some little bits of distortions of slips a fraction of a step off the note.

[@douglaspantz]

at the end, you seem to be describing glitch hop…

[@apatheticobserver5290]

@@douglaspantz Thats a thing? What other forms of pop are there?

[@mitchnin10dofan]

Funny how today on the radio I listened to Happier by Marshmello and then I changed the station and it played Happy? by Mudvayne.

[@MrChaotic4]

Try listening to Ed Sheeran's song of the same name.

[@sadboipotato3382]

Does it make you happy?

[@SyntheticFuture]

Hmm mudvayne. Much better =D

[@primetime429]

Man ur lucky you have a modern rock station

[@ark4896]

primetime429 where I live there's two modern rock stations that play mudvayne/hellyeah regularly

[@wstine79]

This review makes everyone happier.

[@mordecai3479]

Yeah!!!

[@christianfaux736]

Your comment on pop music today not "being anything" is remarkably on point. Out of curiosity I asked the kids in my youth group who they listen to on the radio and it was all over the place. All the way down from 60's rock to modern emo shit and literally everything in between. There was no consistency, and no one really listed any big pop stars.

[@AikiraBeats]

Cause they really sound the same to the point where you forget who actually sings the song

[@sweesbees]

look, i can easily imagine music for each decade that captures the zeitgeist, from the 50s to the 2000s. but for the 2010s i have nothing. i mean yeah, you could say genres like trap and edm could work, but neither of those feel like they completely capture the times. the 2010s was a big mess of, eventually, nothing.

[@lefromage2001]

lmao modern "emo" do be better than this garbage I would listen to My Chem or Palaye Royale over Maroon 5 any day rather listen to a meaningful song abt death than a substanceless song with nothing creative or interesting in it

[@frogfireFantasy]

Okay.But If nobody's listening to these folks.... why are they big pop stars?

[@backtoklondike]

@@sweesbees Yeah and I don't imagine trap at least to last decades to come. I can imagine some of 2010 edm to have some staying power and to be played at old folks party in 40 years but even then, no one will remember who the creator was because they are long forgotten.

[@elijahpaulin4292]

"breakup dance" looks like a fortnite dance to me tbh

[@grfrjiglstan]

Still, good to see Miranda Cosgrove getting work.

[@rudiejazz]

MattheJ1 she’s such a meme now that I genuinely thought you were joking until I saw in the video

[@David-hd4et]

Thanks to the memes now every time I see her all I see is Michael Jackson after surgery

[@wmhfv992]

The casting is absolutely terrible, none of the girls/women cast to be a single person look like they could be the same person lmao.

[@dellayassine]

"Better than Imagine Dragons" is not exactly saying much.

[@bladefox-ik5iy]

Better than taking a bath in boiling kettle water

[@kathleentatman330]

Rebecca Black Friday is better than Imagine Dragons

[@roguishpaladin]

I like to pretend that Imagine Dragons stopped recording after Demons (which I was OK with) and that Radioactive was basically their career.

[@broadstreet223]

Are you joking? Listen to Night Visions.

[@misanthraaa]

It even takes less time to just say "not Yoko Ono" the normal way.

[@gregdeandrea1450]

I am not joking when I say now more than ever we need a return of Hair Metal. I think we all, collectively need that.

[@DahliaLegacy]

As someone who's still not over the loss of her dog... Yeah, like don't you ever pull that dead dog card. It will make me never want to listen to your song or see your movie. It's not cute, it's depressing and we have enough to be depressed about.

[@DahliaLegacy]

In case you aren't aware, I agree with Todd, this isn't against what he said, it's a doubling down on it.

[@watchmewhipbruh1095]

So no depressing scenes in movies??? Movies would be boring without emotional scenes.

[@DahliaLegacy]

I can watch depressing scenes, just no dog deaths. T_T

[@watchmewhipbruh1095]

@@DahliaLegacy fair enough.

[@Shadowtheheartbroken]

Im sorry.

[@sentientblender]

I've never quite been able to pin down an opinion on Marshmello. I hang out in EDM-centric circles a lot of the time and he gets a lot of flack for being unoriginal, cheap, all the usual fare. And I guess that's true, he's not pushing any envelopes in the industry, but I really can't hate that sugary, positive aesthetic he gives off. I'm cool with some upbeat, major pop-electronic on my charts. He's cool by me, all things considered.

[@mikerivera373]

That may be so, but FRIENDS is still a musical atrocity.

[@TitaniaBird]

TheBlenderman sugary, positive, and cheap fare? Picked a good stage name, at least.

[@iamwontolla]

Weird that his breakout hit was about being sad and lonely. imo there's upbeat, and then there's electronic diabetes.

[@gaffel2835]

I really don't like his music it feels boring but I really like how he's not doing just music he is making gaming videos with famous KZbinrs, cooking videos and actually reading peoples comments in his video that is making me happier when I saw a heart from popular guy to comment by guy who nobody knows I like him as a person not as a music producer

[@aR0ttenBANANA]

EDM has no type or artistic integrity except for Skrillex and Deadmau5 and those guys aren't the big thing anymore. There's so much good electro and techno music out there that isn't garbage but teh average idiuot doesnt care

[@CazTheGamerGuy]

DJ Pyramid Head's career has been all downhill since "The Room" album.

[@Valanway]

True, but there were those few hits in the "Shattered" and "Homecoming" albums.

[@RukonTheCreator]

I was so upset when his "Silent Hills" tour got cancelled...

[@MrSilnev]

I remember when he did a collab with Korn for his 'Downpour' discography.

[@ThatGuyfromBrazil]

That joke was good, but it also hurt...

[@abi5068]

Honestly, I think the depression of mainstream pop is part of the reason Kpop has gotten more popular, a lot of their music is still happy and is full of superstars. This may be the reason for Ariana's extreme popularity as of late. Just a theory.

[@joyoustye2326]

Yep

[@astroastroastro5741]

pop edm artists like marshmello do not excite me at all. its like the soccer mum of the music world

[@leonlawson2196]

More like the degenerative brain disease of the music world

[@IsaacMayerCreativeWorks]

Wait - is this a review of a current pop song? Do those exist?

[@SirAlanOD]

They came back to take revenge and reclaim their kingdom from stream services. Just like Simba in The Lion King. In movie theaters 2019.

[@Saintnick90]

2018 is the year pop music really feels like it became a niche genre. I listen to a local pop station, but I'm looking at a list of contenders for the year-end list, and I don't know half of them, even some of the number ones.

[@Lexivor]

@@Saintnick90 Isn't every genre a niche genre now?

[@usernameof5]

There's still a lot of really good pop music this year it's just an underground genre now and isn't on the hot 100. Artists like Kali Uchis, Robyn, Twenty One Pilots, Mariah Carey, Troye Sivan, and even Charlie Puth have made good and interesting pop albums this year that got no hot 100 traction even though they would've just a few years ago

[@Saintnick90]

@@Lexivor True, but it seems like just a few short years ago that the songs at or near the top of the Hot 100 felt inescapable regardless of medium. Now, it seems like songs chart high based on streaming alone, and unless you're an avid listener of said genres, you can easily never hear them even if your sources are more traditional media like the radio. I'm not saying that's a good or a bad thing, but I'm just pointing out that the market has changed considerably in a few short years. Also, there have been decades where pop has felt more "pop." Before the '90s, if a song charted high, you could be guaranteed that everybody knew it. The '90s was certainly splintered among several different genres (For instance, there are a lot of alternative rock and country songs that are better remembered than some of the biggest hits of that time, even if they didn't chart very high. I guess you can blame the radio for playing songs that weren't released as physical singles for that), but it feels like the big hits of the '00s and early '10s were huge in the real world.

[@sundropcenter6758]

Do I sense a “Thank U, Next” review in our future?

[@littlelordfuckleroy3822]

god I hope so, in my opinion Ariana's one of the only pop stars doing anything interesting

[@Slayer1111111111able]

I think he actually just promised two pop song reviews within 7 days of one another

[@culwin]

I hope so, it's one of the most boring songs I've heard in years.

[@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo]

He almost never releases two reviews in a row, just in special ocasions just like LWYMMD. The problem is that he is time-limited because he only has a month to finish his worst list.

[@seppoleonvervloet132]

@@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo he doesn't start until the year end releases and december is over so he has time

[@bldwldr]

it's not you or bastille, it's marshmello

[@somerandomfatguy.3384]

Phakahaw. ..nail on the head.

[@pop2art]

grrr marshmello

[@MakeAcid]

the part about the drop is so true drops used to be this moment of bliss even a production skills showcase and now they are so samey and boring at least on the mainstream

[@extrahourinthepit]

Make Acid ?! Man I love your remix of Fireflies!

[@littleprincess4615]

I feel like there still are good drops, but all of the ones that get popular are just too weak. Like Todd said, they started getting sadder so now they’re boring. Going back to older songs with super intense drops, the drop is still fun but all the popular stuff is WEAK

[@cassettegirl9928]

If you think drops are bland in 2018, you saw nothing. Look in 2021 music… Tiesto - The Business Travis Scott and HVME - Goosebumps These drops are SO bland.

[@mrmustard98]

Can't wait for the think piece on "thank u, next"

[@MyssBlewm]

Wow so I take it someone put a curse on Todd for putting the Chainsmokers' "Closer" number 1 on his Best of 2016 list.

[@yukiamerica]

I know he is not of the likes of many people here, but of the EDM Djs, I appreciate that at least Calvin Harris is still doing House danceable music. One Kiss doesn't have the classic EDM big drop, but at least it has a nice summer feeling that makes you dance walking.

[@IntenslyStupid]

He definitely has done some really interesting stuff this year and last, lots of funk to his productions.

[@NYUMIR]

I really wouldn’t call Marshmello an EDM Artist anymore, he’s more of an electro pop artist now

[@jasonguarnieri4127]

I look forward to your review of ‘Sadder’ four years from now.

[@EmperorTigerstar]

The Casey Kasem reference was brilliant.

[@bladefox-ik5iy]

Hello Tigerstar. I see you’re back here again.

[@SonofMrPeanut]

Now I need to go put on "Shannon."

[@RobertJRoman]

I'm glad he didn't bother to come back to the reference or explain it. It was just a sort of Easter egg.

[@Ryw316]

What happened to those pictures?!

[@davidmonypeny5734]

First thing I thought of, too.

[@d3m3nt3dmous3]

This video inspired me to listen to Pompeii like 8 times

[@dundee6402]

Kevin Trombly In 10 minutes?

[@d3m3nt3dmous3]

@@dundee6402 I watched it on Patreon last night >.> I was mostly just excited to actually be the first commenter on a video and wanted to say something other than "furst harharhar" =P

[@thotung34]

Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

[@WaffeHo]

And I still cannot listen to the drum part in Pompeii without visualizing Animal from the Muppets. Thanks TitS !

[@TheLuci915]

This video caused me to cleanse my earholes with "The Way It Was" by The Killers because I... hate this song... so... much :(

[@katedate96]

I've already been traumatised by Marley and Me movie when I was a kid because at that time it was released my golden retriever was recently put down due to bone cancer and the advertisements in my country gave the assumption it was just a cute animal movie on a whacky adventure. The dying animal idea tends to be abused for a cheap tearjerker or attempt at gaining critical praise and is rarely done right. I rarely watch any animal related movies due to this unless its an accurate and unbiased documentary.

[@megmoore8681]

There's a website called Does The Dog Die? which has content warnings for movies and stuff!

[@extrahourinthepit]

This is the second bloody time I encounter a picture of Haruhi watching Todd In The Shadows, what the hell

[@Xarfax321]

Todd! I just realized something: We have brought back the 90s musically! In the late 80s, early 90s, Glamrock was the hot shit, music about partying and having a good time. Big arena shows with large rock anthems. And then came Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. And with that, the party was over.

[@oscarnemo8084]

Except today we have the internet, so not only do we have old music readily available and accessible, we also have indie artists, internet artists, and music from all over the world. I've been trying to figure out how to find the good stuff, what to search for. My starting point is probably Wulfpeck or Bill Wurtz for a nice combo of humor and music skill, but then there's Snarky Puppy as well. And years worth of vgm soundtracks and vgm remixes. But with the pop stuff? Yeah, you're right. And things are pretty bleak economically, culturally... grammatically... So it fits. Sadly.

[@kimifw58]

Yeah, but just the worst parts of the '90s. Not the substance or attitude.

[@kimifw58]

And dance music was still dance music.

[@anoob6614]

Glamrock was already gone by the mid 80's when post punk came, but there was hair metal

[@gimmefeedback]

“What is this a breakup DANCE?”

[@samuelesalvatico7259]

It's the "I'm dumping you dance" from the "break up" video

[@Karmy.]

Wait what??? Bastille is back?? Holy shit it's been a while

[@SarahSyna]

If you like Bastille, go listen to Send Them Off! from their Wild World album. SO GOOD.

[@komencanto]

Nah skulls off all this bad blood is better

[@jk844100]

Bastille get a good amount of radio play here in the U.K.

[@Saintnick90]

If you listen to alternative radio, they never really left.

[@TiggerIsMyCat]

@@SarahSyna Like literally when he mentioned good lyrics, the first thing that popped into my head was the "Desdemona, won't you liberate me..."etc second verse of that song! God, I listened to that whole album over and over for a month. Keeping up with Todd's Twitter I've been considering suggesting Snakes, but I think it might be TOO relatable

[@ryankasch5561]

Definitely my least favorite Bastille song, but I still kinda like it. The music just doesn't work with the Bastille lyrics, but I wanted them to get another hit so bad I listened to it nonstop for 3 days

[@thediscostu4127]

I never thought I'd get a Casey Kasem reference from Todd in the Shadows

[@PapaVanTwee5]

Man, I had to go through so many comments to finally see this one. I was beginning to believe I was the only one I got it. Ponderous, man! Ponderous!

[@brantlarson421]

He drops the clip in his worst of 1976 songs list too

[@dellayassine]

'A song called "Sad." By a wife-beater. Who's dead.' 👌

[@jkingisbeast]

I feel a worst hit of the year candidate is here

[@riverstover6609]

It's a shitty joke about an unproven charge its fuckin stupid and your dumb as a rock for laughing at a dead man smh

[@slinky2237]

@@riverstover6609 it was proven u idiot xxx was a wife beater

[@crazyluigi6664]

Apparently this year, we also deserved two shitty hit songs (one in the Top 3) by a rapping pedophilic rainbow man with 69 tattoos on his body and is about to face the idea of life in prison now..... Can we kill 2018 already?

[@dellayassine]

@@riverstover6609 Well good sir, I have the basic ability to differentiate between 'Your' and 'You're.' So I'm probably not the dumb one over here. PS: Don't shake your head too much, you might add further damage to your brain. 👍

[@Olodus]

11:41 "Farting synthesizer-line" - is an amazing way of describing a lot of modern pop. Will start to use that :P

[@cookieskoon2028]

I like drops, but I admit they've gotten so overused and boring recently. Pop is so painfully overproduced and has been for a long time, but it somehow keeps getting worse. I put the blame partially on the lack of organic instruments. Even when you think you hear horns or piano or strings, it's still computer generated. There's nothing wrong with electric sound, but where are all the acoustics? Where are the guitar solos (or duets), the violins, the saxophones, drums, brass, woodwind, ANYTHING!?

[@jayjaywon]

Same. Organic instruments give the song so much life, especially when the song is vocal-oriented. To mix the vocals with a generated note just sounds and feels hollow with no substance.

[@lefromage2001]

It's why I love the All-American Rejects their songs all have guitar that's actually there. Same with Black Veil Brides, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, even My Chemical Romance (Ik i have weird taste leave me alone) The Guitar and Drums and Piano is all played on actual real instruments and it makes it sound more meaningful and interesting as well as relatable lyrics about taboo topics (well less so fall out boy most of their earlier songs are abt getting laid lmao)

[@santoriomaker69]

Idk, you can still bring out a TON of emotion from electronically produced sounds. Marshmello decided to make the most hollow sounding drops I've ever heard used in his electronic music. Organic Instruments wouldn't do shit on Marshmello or any other pop producer that tries to create popular yet boring songs.

[@cookieskoon2028]

@@santoriomaker69 I think you missed something in my original post and became too focused in your response.

[@santoriomaker69]

@@cookieskoon2028 Oh no no, I agree with a part of your sentiment here where pop became to get overproduced and overpolished. I was more on replying on one of the replies here because I want to voice out that electronically produced sounds can in fact, sound emotional and maybe even as organic as the real instruments if done right.

[@henriquepacheco7473]

SO this is why the world sucks so much these past few years, Toddstradamus predicted we'd be getting happier back in '18

[@KikoKatsuya]

What the hell happened to Dan Bastille's hair?

[@planescaped]

Escaped and returned to its family only to find out that they moved on, thinking them dead?

[@rabidraccoon73]

He cut it off in the quarter past midnight video

[@elliewilliams9331]

He shaved it in the quarter past midnight video. No idea why

[@lucasaugsten]

He finally apologised for putting Closer as the top hit song from 201...6?

[@jeevithrai7994]

@Salmonfaky except for that coldplay one,imo

[@CloverLovesTT]

todd’s a straight man, sometimes he has slip ups-such as liking this song. everybody makes mistakes.

[@ThePonderer]

I think Todd just articulated a HUGE problem I’ve had with recent pop and have been trying to put into words for a while.

[@katbird2699]

My boyfriend broke up with me today for "my sake" and I thought I'd go to Todd for a distraction. Yeah. I might've picked to wrong video.

[@madratthemighty]

I agree that the mainstreaming of electronic music production in pop songs has resulted in some of the worst drops in existence.

[@miahthorpatrick1013]

I legit can not stand that drop in chain-smokers "closer"

[@dumbumbumbum8649]

“I’m gonna have a thinkpiece for you by the end of the week.” So....tomorrow?

[@Lucy-kq4bs]

Somehow hearing two lines of that Tim Mcgraw song made me feel more emotion than any pop song I've heard today

[@MopishfoolVids]

“A song called Sad. By a wife beater. Who’s dead.” That part made me chuckle more than I should’ve.

[@Crazelord91]

I just... I just want another 4 chord pop song again...nothing melancholy... no mumbling... I'll stop complaining about them... please?

[@KhayJayArt]

NO THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR COMPLAINING

[@galacticpenguintv6752]

She's Kerosine by the Interruptors has the 4 chords.

[@miniwy01wyatt70]

I just want real instruments and originality

[@trinifernandez8870]

May I sugest sweet but psyco?

[@Crazelord91]

@@trinifernandez8870 It isn't bad. Not a huge hit though

[@darkyviews]

I was actually expecting some kind of comparison between this one and Happier by Ed Sheeran which is about the same but actually sounds sad and has the stupider video

[@TheAdrift]

"This is one of the better drops I've heard this year" wow, I never thought I'd find myself pining for Skrillex. But seriously, thank you for articulating why I couldn't get hyped about that song! You were right, all the components are there (the breakdown-build-anthem formula is tried and true in electronic music, and the song has a breakdown, a build, and kind of a shitty anthem), but they don't work together in the slightest.

[@ReitheOffbeatOtaku]

I think the big problem with this song is that the lyrical dissonance doesn't feel intentional. It just suddenly turns into a hyper-upbeat party jam halfway through.

[@dahazelgen]

One hit wonderland - Macerena

[@paulakroy2635]

Kedi - Hall of fame

[@JamesR1986]

AYE!!

[@jopersoniusker4268]

5:53 Oi, isn't that Miranda.... what was it? Cosgrove? From ICarly?

[@Craftedz]

JoGeronimusKer of ebblepub yeah

[@sudevsen]

They actually made a video about killing the family pooch? This is a new low for creative bankruptcy in pop music.

[@thecreeker1917]

Todd: This song called Happier In the Video: Dogs dies Todd: Wat

[@McMenemy5orSomething]

I just wanna say that I started binge watching your videos recently and I absolutely LOVE the content you put out. Keep it up, much love!

[@akillen77]

Welcome he is hilarious imo

[@Nightingale_time]

Welcome!!! 😊

[@MyssBlewm]

Welcome! Todd's videos are so good that I've rewatched his videos a lot. I usually end up binging on his One Hit Wonderlands or his Worst/Best Top 10s.

[@TheProfessor529]

Yeah, I've been swimming through the backlog too.

[@SabrinaRina]

Yoyoyo, it's DJ Pyramid Head on the turn tables with that summertime dance hit... Pain & Suffering. 👍

[@TitaniaBird]

Sabrina Also appropriate for 2018.

[@user-rm6ce2np5v]

Pls make a review of Ariana's "Thank you, next"

[@spiderspartianProductions]

Short reveiw repetitive redundant garbage

[@ducklordthegreat352]

spider spartian 2006 Productions I mean Todd loved it so I doubt he’d say tha

[@burningchaos1411]

I really like Bastille but I hate this song.

[@aaronhurst4379]

That whole talk about the apparent devolution of drops just makes me miss Avicii :-(

[@hithedragon7842]

Same. I was thinking about it during that whole part of the video.

[@brainflash1]

You better have gone and given Amy Dog ALL the hugs and belly rubs after finishing this review, Todd!

[@YourCrazyOverlord]

I was trying to put my feelings towards this song into words for MONTHS, and then Todd does it perfectly in just 15 minutes. Thanks Todd!

[@SomeRPGFan]

I have to say that regardless of how Todd feels about the genre I'm starting to miss the days of techno and eurodance. At least you could actually *dance* to electronic dance music back then. How am I supposed to dance to something like this?!

[@Caldera01]

There is another reason why I don't fancy this song. We're given NO evidence that she actually would be happier if they split up. This is all assumptions by the guy. Couples argue and fight because they care and miscommunicate, there's still potential there and the guy here is just giving it all up on the base of an assumption. It's selfish and lazy. On the other hand, the country version Todd brought up, she LITERALLY brings up another guy she's happier with. Here the breakup makes a lotmore sense. We have concrete proof that she actually would be happier with the other guy. We also have Ed Sheerans song with the same name 'Happier' where we also literally see she's happier AFTER the breakup and the guy is also happier. Here as well the split is justified. Meanwhile in this Bastilles version, we have nothing but a lazy selfish asumption that she might be happier.

[@carolinapena9041]

Caldera I get where you are going but I definitely like this perspective of you thinking you aren’t good enough, sometimes you feel like you should go because you believe you are not worthy of them, you believe you are dragging someone you love down with you, I think the song was okay , the lyrics where but as he said the music doesn’t go with it, in the bastille style I would have loved it

[@Caldera01]

@@carolinapena9041 Talking from first person experience... this is more likely to just frustrate and break the heart of the girl, who propably still valued the relationship. What you describe is what I've lived through and is the major reason why I'm still alone now.

[@bodybuild9768]

That’s the point of the song.

[@vocalcalibration8033]

I think that's kinda' what he was going for.

[@vocalcalibration8033]

@meme-ology ‘ The topic isn't really the issue, any subject can be made interesting if written well. Musically however he is a very uninteresting musician.

[@TheKeeperofChaos]

Can we get a One Hit Wonderland on Dragostea Din Tei? Or is that too obscure?

[@chdreturns]

TheKeeperofChaos Especially now that the OHWl restriction on artists who are big elsewhere has been lifted (and O-Zone were MASSIVE in Moldova, and Romania).

[@gabriel77196]

@@poisony3k não mostra isso pra eles não po kkkkkjmhkkgkgjgkfjdb

[@kris8695]

As a Romanian who grew up in the 2000s I would love this!!!

[@zzcolby27]

i wonder if Dreamscape by 009 Sound System will be on OHW. It wasn't a Billboard hit, but it was a HUGE internet smash.

[@igp.]

"Dan Bastille. I don't remember his last name" it's frickin Smith.

[@sweesbees]

in retrospect bastille is better

[@luanafernandesoliveira3291]

The part about Todd's antipathy towards drops reminds me of a video where Charlie Puth explains his process behind "Attention" and says he hates the beat drop so much that he made the song's chorus an "anti-drop" just out of pure spite

[@cartmann94]

First Todd video ever that has made me cry. 😢 On a song called “Happier”. What’s wrong with you, “Happier”’s music video director?

[@PA551ON]

Marshmello has said the song was literally written about his childhood dog dying. That's why the music video is what it is

[@whitneymouse]

cartmann94 yeah, that dog messed me up!

[@stranget92]

The "Does The Dog Die?" website should have a section on Music Videos.

[@krusher181]

You fools. Never trust a silent short film set to trashy beats.

[@robinchesterfield42]

I KNOW! Not knowing anything at all about the song or video before coming here, and just clicking on it because I was...well, happy, that Todd had posted a new pop song review...wow. Just wow. And I've been feeling extra depressed all day today too, so THANKS for that, video. Also reminds me of this cartoon short called "Diana's Piano", which I saw as a kid. It's like this but with a cat and longer. DO NOT look it up if you don't feel like crying today. ...more.

[@SpicyMapping]

Anyone got predictions for his year end lists? So far I got Best- Finesse Nice For What Youngblood Breathin Pray for Me Delicate Shallow Thank U Next No tears left to cry I like it Worst- Girls Like You Meant to Be FEFE Mo Bamba I love it Freaky Friday Filthy Friends Lucid Dreams Natural

[@crazyluigi6664]

All The Stars for best? Certainly Gummo for worst, at least.

[@SpicyMapping]

Crazy Luigi Definatly possible, though I think gummo hit top 20 in 2017, so he would have put it on the year before’s list.

[@crazyluigi6664]

@@SpicyMapping Maybe, but it was closer to the Top 10 in 2018.

[@lisagalvan6884]

We all know Finesse will definitely be on the best list. What does Todd like mode than Modern Bruno Mars? New jack swing music.

[@vintagearisen]

Thank U Next? Really?

[@cantshakeyoumel]

I KNOW U thought I wouldn't catch that but THE LORDE reference from team. thank u. 10:19

[@prfo5554]

5:06 Speaking of Disney, Marshmallow was in the promo music video/ad for the 2018 RadioDisney awards that aired on Disney Channel and Disney XD.

[@fatcoyote2]

Is that Miranda Cosgrove? Was that a Casey Kasem reference? Who is the Dark Man?

[@baileyr7553]

Yep. That's Miranda in the video.

[@IaMaPh1991]

The Kasem reference made me smile so hard

[@Broadwaychica]

@@IaMaPh1991 It's especially ironic since years ago he made fun of a song about a dog dying and used that reference. This was before he had Amy. Talk about character development.

[@annasaringer3729]

10:19 Is that a L O R D E R E F E R E N C E

[@Hells0Depths]

You make me see with my OWN TWO EYES the implication that a pupper gets put down and then you don't even soothe me with video of the Amydog??? MONSTER!!! Also, yeah, that weakass drop that is all the crazy is boring AF.

[@ouijacorn]

Corny as this seems, this song made me cry the first time I heard it because it helped me get over a difficult breakup. So I have nothing bad to say about it. In my opinion, it's a whole lot better than "Closer", which I thought was unbearably precious (though that's how I feel about everything Halsey is involved with). That may be an unpopular opinion, but whether or not you agree with me, I think we can ALL jam to DJ Pyramid Head.

[@joshuajames6481]

I actually liked Happier too Still do