POP SONG REVIEW: "The Middle" by Zedd & Maren Morris/"Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha

[@ATBPRODUCTlONS]

"If you have any money in Bebe Rexha, cash-out; start buying stock in Dua Lipa. Way more upside on that one." We all know Todd is 99% wrong with predictions, but man, he completely nailed that one. EDIT: "I think Maren Morris might be building an escape route out of country music in case she needs it." Wow, he got two predictions correct in his review. Talk about luck being on his side.

[@flux_casey]

Though on the other side "Soundcloud rap is gonna have to be around for a few decades before you see Little X Fuck on a country record."

[@theycallmeroach1911]

Can't believe Todd is good at predicting female pop stars like taylor 2017, Ariana and Lipa's success

[@StuartLynx]

That prediction made me RICH by 2020

[@DatBoi-mo9vc]

@@StuartLynx behold, the only man dumb enough to bet on a todd prediction in todds favor, and lucky enough to actually profit from it

[@kjmusic99]

"Levitating" is at number one in Canada and in the top 5 in the states rn, so I'm pretty sure that Todd made an accurate prediction that usually only happens occasionally.

[@ryangregory1656]

“it’s gonna be 25 years before you see Lil X Fuck on a country song” 1 year later the top song in the country is a country rap song by someone with a “Lil” and an “X” in his name

[@ashen_roses]

Hhhhhhhhholy SHIT, you're never gonna see a goddamn thing more Toddstradamus than that

[@chuckbatman5]

Florida Georgia Line could replace every lyric in their songs with "Ride in my truck" and see zero change in song quality

[@troodon1096]

Heck, they should make that song, have Chevy make that their new commercial, so I don't have to hear them keep ruining Bob Seger's song.

[@theteethburglar4716]

Rural Noun, simple adjective

[@slamwall9057]

I GOT A NEW TRUCK! I GOT A NEW RIDE!

[@mvangord1]

"Whoa hold up girl don't you know you're beautiful" is a frontrunner for worst ten seconds in pop music of 2018

[@mychaeljones7526]

it's the Future "la di da di da" of country-pop.

[@mentalillness1574]

“Pretty feet up on my dash” definitely worse

[@HarunoMaxwell6115]

mvangord1 The reason I hate that verse is because it's the worst and wrong answer ever. Bebe sings about being tired of the fake love and something that would make her believe that it's *TRUE LOVE.* And then George from Peppa Pig says she's beautiful. Wow, totally believable!

[@RivkahSong]

That line sounds like one of those sexist catcallers about to get way too handsy with a chick that just wants to get to work on time.

[@sweetcreamnpeaches9577]

Mychael Jones m

[@militantagnostic869]

"The Middle" has become the bane of all Target employees. Also the first time I heard someone mention the song I thought they were referring to the Jimmy Eat World song because I am an old man...

[@c0mf0rta61ynum6]

They were actually playing "The Middle" on the Disney Channel because it happened to be the channel the TV was on at my most recent dentist appointment. Not sure which one was the worse experience overall...

[@HarunoMaxwell6115]

c0mf0rta61ynum6 Both of them. And breaking news, Tell Me All the Way has taken over. The dog can't stop the Effortless.

[@mastermarkus5307]

A few years back the song "Tonight Tonight" by I don't even remember was popular and my first thought was "The The Rasmus song from the 90s!?" so my references are both dated and obscure for my homeland of Canada.

[@kacchank8696]

Me too

[@frozenangel6323]

I used to work somewhere else that played pop radio and frankly came here to see it torn apart

[@witnessme4352]

I have this theory that Bebe Rexha isn't actually a person but some sort of AI construct created in the studio. I'm pretty sure she's CGI. There's no personality or spark of life there. She exists solely for EDM producers to have a generic vocalist. Dua Lipa is going to be massive though.

[@LadyAltaria]

Witness Me where did Bebe Rexha even come from? It's like she just randomly materialised into existence as a famous pop singer..

[@witnessme4352]

She did not come from anywhere. She was created by the studios as a tool.

[@amirtaj4323]

@@LadyAltaria She's been around forever but she was mostly a song writer. Her big break was meant to be Love The Way You Lie but she got cut (mostly)

[@NightmareLyra]

Ironically, Vocaloids such as Hatsune Miku have way more personality and spark of life than she ever had

[@ombrenightcores]

I just saw the 2020 Thanksgiving Parade and I think your theory has been proven. Also my mom did her mom’s makeup for a show (apparently her mom is also famous) and apparently she acts like a robot. A bitch, but a robot.

[@miticaBEP07]

"If you have money in Bebe Rexha cash out and start buying stock in Dua Lipa" Woah did Todd get a prediction right?!

[@zTeaTheCoffee]

so very right

[@AbundanceAcademy01]

Holy crap "royals" was 5 years ago

[@yung_naerdowell]

Motolani Falore holy crap “royals” was 6 years ago

[@rensje]

Holy crap “royals” was 7 years ago

[@justsamoo3480]

I miss 2013.

[@ffjreviews9029]

Can we agree that Todd was a fucking idiot in 2013. I mean, he had 6 years after to prove him completely wrong (not including 2015)

[@yupthatsme89]

Woah "Royals" was 8 years ago

[@CazMeister]

Florida Georgia Line has done to country in the 10's what Nickleback did to rock n' roll in the 00's.

[@lunatikkrazieazylum6226]

Nickelback>>>Florida Georgia Line

[@turgid_member8717]

While I agree with you on principle, Nickelback is a thousand times better than Florida Georgia Line, and I HATE Nickelback.

[@SilverSpireZ]

And what Limp Bizkit did to music in the late 90s

[@claystripe6514]

Not surprising, they shared the same producer for their breakout albums

[@SuperDevolution]

Honestly, that might be insulting to Nickelback at this point.

[@wolfeyes555]

Todd... from the bottom of my heart... thank-you for tearing into "Meant to Be". I work at a story that leaves it radio on a country station and that song plays all. the. god. damn. time. It was driving me crazy. Also, I've noticed that thing you said about county being all about men these days. It's gotten to the point where I prefer the female lead country songs. Although, that might be because most of them are about them getting back at their terrible husbands which is a lot more interesting then what bro-country sings about these days.

[@crazyluigi6664]

And The Middle.

[@msedievc7706]

I definitely agree on you with preferring female-led country! If you like female country artists, there's this really awesome group of small singer/songwriters called The Song Suffragettes who all work together and make their own music, and talk openly about the need for more creative women on country radio, it's given lots of girls their big break in the industry including Kelsea Ballerini and Kalie Shorr who are currently both getting airplay and attention!

[@HarunoMaxwell6115]

Will Bowling Before He Cheats is a cool song, so I agree.

[@cassidy5944]

I have a feeling there's actually a reason why K-pop and J-pop is becoming more successful in the West is because pop music in the West is becoming boring when pop music in apparently korea and japan is fun according to the listeners that's my only guess and the examples of meant to be and in the middle even existing it's almost like music is an identity crisis and people are leeching off to other countries music weird music times we are living in

[@kaorugirl180]

Cassidy also it doesn't hurt if the lyrics are embarassing, you can't actually tell how much they suck if you don't know the language.

[@HelterSeltzer_the_one]

They are the new Euro-pop

[@russellalexanderyim8623]

Cassidy nah. The teens are in it for the femenine men

[@Danae_O]

I'd also say that Kpop and Korean music in general (and there was a Rolling Stone article that explained it very well) tends to incorporate a lot of Western sounds - good or bad, mostly from the 90s, like 90s R&B - that just aren't as used anymore in Western Top 40, especially since they're mostly groups of 5+ members and they have to write more complex vocals and melodic variations to include everyone. Or, more controversially, they just take on songs that get rejected by Western artists. So the result is like a mix of stuff that is technically different, but sounds more familiar rather than innovative (sort of like retro-ish). I still don't like most of Kpop, but I get why some people would gravitate towards that. There's also other factors, of course.

[@cassidy5944]

Doge Commissar also maybe the colorful girl groups at least that's what I've heard

[@UDontTakeMeSeriously]

Are we in our own 1990? We're not exactly in the 2000's anymore, the 2010's are losing their charm, and we're all just kind of waiting for something to break through and change stuff.

[@crazyluigi6664]

1990 was a dreadful pop year when you look at the Year-End list that year!

[@culwin]

The 2010's had charm?

[@rockingbirdey]

Let's hope hip hop has its own equivalent to the grunge/alt-rock explosion of early 90s

[@SRLovesPandas1]

When Daft Punk released their album, that brought back some charm imo it made me think we were gonna have a new disco era lol

[@jimllc]

culwin Until about 2014 where everything kinda imploded.

[@Hippiethecat124]

No sarcasm or snark, I'm really glad that Todd seems to be able to enjoy electronic production more now than he used to when it first started to make its way into the pop charts. Zedd does indeed have a great ear for fine details.

[@ReitheOffbeatOtaku]

Zedd's a good producer, but I feel like he's kind of lost his identity over time.

[@hteekay]

can't be considered as one if he keep recycling his music hits.

[@diamondcreeper28]

Do you listen to any artists on the Monstercat label? Seems like you'd like at least a couple

[@ayyboilmao]

Grey has definitely been a great aid to his tunes. Most of the percussion Todd seemed to be into was their contribution

[@kaydwessie296]

Me too, he hated it so much and it made me sad cause I love it

[@loekos]

fun fact: zedd got bebe rexha to record a demo of the middle before maren morris (as well as a bunch of other artists)

[@uglyaniimals]

demi lovato too (who he mentions maren morris as the diet version of)

[@achewy7700]

the middle is just a repackaged version of stay and meant to be is the reason why pop and country are different genres

[@crazyluigi6664]

In other words, they encompass the worst of EDM, country, and pop, yet somehow are the biggest hit songs that aren't (trap) rap. Am I right on that?

[@ayyboilmao]

Crazy Luigi definitely not the worst of electronic. It’s a well written tune with interesting production and good mixing. There’s a lot of trash in the genre but I definitely wouldn’t put “The Middle” in that category

[@crazyluigi6664]

Maybe not in terms of tunes, but the problem is it's literal plagiarism against Zedd himself. Twice, I might add! If that's not awful in terms of music, I don't know what is...

[@chuckbatman5]

I don't mind The Middle being a redone Stay because I didn't like Stay and The Middle is the better version of it that makes it decent. Certainly better than Meant To Be aka Generic Pop Country Trash Mix #47

[@crazyluigi6664]

You really don't hear the way it sounds like Starving also?

[@stewieismyhomeboy]

I got really confused at first when you said Mare Morris was a country music singer, because she sounds so very pop. Like, even more pop than when Taylor Swift was considered country. She sounds as pop as Bebe Rexha. Then you played her country stuff and...yeah, I'm still confused. Even when singing country music, she sounds pop.

[@dw89music73]

Not to mention that Maren has been a polarizing figure in the country music community for the reason you stated.

[@imaheck7078]

I feel like genre is seen as more important than it actually is.. :/

[@50l50l50Productions]

"I feel good, sometimes i dont." -Drake "Maybe we will, maybe we wont'' -Florida Georgia Line whose the lazier indecisive artist?

[@crazyluigi6664]

Judging from the lyrics here, I say the latter!

[@mychaeljones7526]

FGL because at least in Drake Song it's talking from a perspective of a sad person.

[@witnessme4352]

They're indecisive, they can't decide

[@witnessme4352]

Sorry for making anyone think of that atrocious song.

[@troodon1096]

The latter by far.

[@danstiver9135]

I used think I HATED country music. Bland as hell pop music pretending to be rootsy, I thought. And I'm right, about MODERN popular country music. But once I started listening to country and western music from the 60s and 70s I realized that the genre was once great. Country music currently has a ton of extremely talented singers, but they're becoming increasingly reliant on imitating rap music and overproduction. They need to bring back more instrumentation and a more down-home feel that doesn't feel manufactured in some studio in the city. It needs to be COUNTRY music, not just bland pop music manufactured for conservative white people.

[@khalis6973]

My dude, you need to listen to some Sturgill Simpson

[@zombieb0mb]

I WAS BORN IN THE WRONG GENERATION11!!11!!!!!!1111!

[@TiaLuxanna]

Yo, there's a lot of modern country singers that are great, they just don't get as much attention of the country radio. Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert (it's a goddamn crime she didn't have more hit singles with her last album, especially Tin Man), Sturgill Simpson, Courtney Marie Andrews, Caitlyn Smith, Ashley Monroe, Chris Stapleton... The thing is what makes success in country radio right now... doesn't sound country at all.

[@ConductorCatnip]

Mr Shambleface I still not that much of a country fan as I think folk or at least the the very rootsy feel from John Prine and Conor Oberst

[@WushuKnight19]

Don't forget Lydia Loveless

[@CobraAce04]

For a split second I thought it was Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” and I got my hopes way up. I know Todd doesn’t have a segment that covers classic indie track between One Hit Wonderland, Trainwreckords and the regular reviews but I’d kill to finally get that Modest Mouse “Float on” review he pranked us with a few April Fools back

[@ReitheOffbeatOtaku]

Would Modest Mouse or Jimmy Eat World not qualify for One Hit Wonderland? Tbh, even if they're not one-hit wonders, I feel like they deserve to be covered, since I don't really see any songs by either band talked about anymore, and both of the songs themselves are pretty good.

[@JetstreamGW]

I, too, briefly hoped this was about Jimmy Eat World. I'd like a series about classic music like that. I would like it indeed.

[@lilflo36]

Honestly I’d love to see him cover those bands. Modest mouse had a decent album recently and so did Jimmy Eat World, but ironically all I hear on the alt stations are their older material.

[@napalmblaziken]

Rei The Offbeat Otaku I don't think so. Modest Mouse is pretty influential for the indie rock scene, and while Jimmy Eat World only had one top 40 hit in the Billboard Hot 100, they were still commercially successful, as Pain was certified gold, something The Middle wasn't. So the term, "one hit wonder" is pretty loose, with people generally using it to define groups/artists who really only had one commercially successful song. That's why Jimi Hendrix, despite only having one hit song with a cover of Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, is not considered a one hit wonder.

[@evanmaier2551]

I also got my hopes up. That song is one of my favorites :)

[@voltairinekropotkin5581]

Music now represents everything I feared about the "segmenting" nature of the internet. Everything is divided into very specific niches and there's no overarching cultural environment. Which, to be fair, has a lot of positive aspects. It's now easier than ever to find stuff you connect with in a big way and to find like-minded people across the whole world. But the lack of anything which feels shared by all is something of a loss.

[@mychaeljones7526]

atrocity exhibition

[@psychoticentertainment7526]

Agreed however the idea of surrounding yourself with strictly like minded people is dangerous as hell though. That's how antivaxers, flat earthers and moon landing denier's, you know people with insane ideas, who normally would be like one of 3 or 4 in total in your town, now can say well ALL these people agree with me so I must be right.

[@bigkroner766]

What we need is more interesting voices! These girls and guys on the pop charts all sound too perfect, their voices barley have any personality and sound way to similar . We need some spice and variety, I’d argue that’s part of why hip hop is dominating, you may not like 21 Savage, Kodak Black or Post Malone, but you would be hard pressed to confuse their voices.

[@ashtonf2m]

Lowgain Louis Tomlinson has an interestingly different type of voice but he can’t seem to break through

[@mikerivera373]

^ this is why the only real pop stars left are Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Ariana Grande. Whether you like them or not, each of them have incredibly distinctive voices and musical styles. It’s why Dua Lipa will be a star in the near future. Hell, even Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth are carving out identities for themselves. But who the hell cares about Bebe Rexha, Camila Cabello, Halsey or Anne-Marie?

[@ponygon777]

I can't tell any of the trap artists apart, especially when they are all just mumbling to the same dull beat.

[@loganhiltibidal799]

Zack F Then your painfully ignorant, because all of the big trap stars are extremely easy to identify from each other. You probably thought Future was rapping on Panda, didn’t you?

[@RyanStorey1231]

Exactly! I can't tell Alesia Cara from Halsey, and so on. They all have the same shrill, passionless, ear-grating soprano. That's why I liked Lorde. She had some bass in her voice and it was so refreshing. We need more altos and contraltos in pop music.

[@representationmetaphorique]

Get Zedd some divas !!! Break Free is some of his best work and Grande's best work !!!

[@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo]

I just hope it doesnt end up like Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa. One Kiss is fucking awful. The beat sucks and Dua sounds way too obligated. Like someone said "sing for him or we'll kill your cat"

[@DeeFig66]

I agree. Break free is just fun and exciting (even though there are parts where Ariana Grande is sort of chewing her words a bit.) but at the chorus I pump that jam up and I feel like strutting down a hallway while throwing confetti in the air. LOL.

[@representationmetaphorique]

Denise F and when she gets to the bridge and gives u that "everytiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!I ooooooh baby !!!!" I feel so rejunevated

[@MrHoeBow]

Turning notifications on for Todd in the Shadows is the best decision I've ever made.

[@MrLucBoulianne]

Clarity is Zedd's best song imo

[@Ene-Chan]

Luc Boulianne spectrum is my fav or his candyman remix

[@jordanboze113]

I will probably get killed for this, but im personally really partial to Stay the Night.

[@singlelooo9212]

@@jordanboze113 Funny considering that song ripped off Clarity

[@swagzilla3000]

@@jordanboze113 they're both fantastic guilty pleasure for me i usually only listen to weird electronic stuff like four tet and i love those tracks

[@MegCazalet]

Not many songs keep me in the car sitting in the driveway when I’ve gotten home, but Clarity did. So did fun’s Some Nights. It’s been a long time since I’ve found a Driveway Song, but I haven’t been driving much in a long time either.

[@justcallmecaligula]

i work in a dollarama and i hear these both at least 8 times a day, it makes me want to die

[@monadoboy9670]

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus I crashed my car a month ago, and the song that was playing was Meant to Be, that song gives me some serious PTSD

[@bradwolf07]

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus similar. I hear these songs so darn much that I learned to tune out.

[@bradwolf07]

MonadoBoy sorry to hear that. I hope you can avoid the song

[@yserareborn]

Working at a dollarama? I guess being an Emperor just doesn't pay as much as I'd expect...

[@nothingforgrantedPS23]

Nothing like getting songs stuck in your head that you hate! Feel bad for y'all in those stores. At least I can bluetooth my tunes sometimes..

[@NJGuy1973]

Yes, I Googled "Lil XX4ukk" and got no results. Oh, like no one else did.

[@Insider2000]

Shout outs to those of you who work Electronics/Tech in Target, and have had to hear 'The Middle' fifty thousand times a day at work. I like the song, so I can only imagine how much those of you who hate the song are suffering. Also, Todd has a point. "Clarity" and "Break Free" (especially Clarity) are Zedd's best songs. And I can't bring myself to hate Zedd. Especially when he helped Kesha out in the midst of Sony screwing her over. But please, hate "The Middle". Cause we Target employees are losing our minds... just a little.

[@glennwelsh9784]

Given how generic and similar modern pop music is, is there any wonder why 80's and 90's hits are regaining popularity on the radio? Hell, acts like Backstreet Boys - a boy band once hated for being corporately processed mush specifically aimed at shrieking teen girls - is now looked at fondly (if you've been in any packed bar on a Friday night lately, then you've heard a cheer go up from the crowd when a Backstreet Boys song comes on). I work with a number of people in their late teens and early 20's, and they adore 80's music and despise nearly all modern music, and the only major modern pop act they enjoy is Bruno Mars because ALL of his hits sound like they came from a previous decade.

[@chuckbatman5]

Glenn Welsh the Backstreet Boys resurgence is one of the most bizarre things in music I've seen lately. They were a little before my time so I always assumed they were just a sort of lesser N-Sync (cuz N-Sync had Timberlake) but suddenly all these young people my age are mentioning Backstreet Boys songs as if they've been listening to them their whole lives. I'm pretty sure I've heard more Backstreet Boys in the past few months than I had in the rest of my entire life, and honestly I'm really starting to like them. For example, I've been listening to Everybody (Backstreet's Back) a lot lately, it's an amazing pop beat with a wonderfully creative music video that I never knew about before now (I'd heard the song before, but I never really connected it with them or sought it out to listen to). Also I'd love Bruno Mars if he stopped recycling Uptown Funk over and over in less good iterations

[@sosarickgrimes5301]

90s pop music was horrible

[@codeblack9407]

Da'Bones it was garbage

[@ivratsdargy955]

What you said also applies to previous decades as well; just look at Todd's worst of 1987 list. Pop music tends to become a Cronenbergian tumor of cliches and simplicity at some point no matter how much the styles change over the decades. It just gets easier to listen to many years after the overplay stops.

[@crystallewis5902]

Coolman Hahn Lol BSB actually predates NSYNC, though.

[@ZeuzMakesMusic]

Zedd has always been a pretty decent producer in the mainstream. Middle is ok but his older stuff is better imo.

[@hanskirsch2300]

Zeuz Music the interesting thing here is that Zedd didn't produce any major part of the song. The whole instrumental/beat was made by producer duo "Grey", the vocals were most likely recorded under Zedd's supervision and the whole song was engineered and mixed by Zedd's team. I agree, most of Zedd's old songs sound better because he actually took a major part in producing them. Now, most of what he does is coach pop vocalists

[@Ene-Chan]

Zeuz Music yes give me some more stuff like spectrum

[@theMoporter]

"SoundCloud rap is going to have to be around for a few decades before you see Lil_xX4ukk on a country record." 7 months before Old Town Road.

[@TheArceusftw]

Zedd really went somewhere after he decided to quit trying todestroy the Power rangers.

[@weathermangohanssj4]

Thats the power of the Zordon wave...although his wife Got 5he better deal being the mother of all magik or something like that.

[@jaydedjen110]

LMFAO 😂😂😂😂

[@marywolf4433]

I remember country songs being defined by revenge, beer, girls, trucks, a ridiculous story arc or some baffling combination.

[@thehopeofeden597]

Todd. Thanks. That's all.

[@megano2000]

"Stay" is better. Watch "The Middle" be, like, in the first half of his best songs list next year.

[@PastelPixie99]

Caesar Orzell I think the singers sound the same... Lol idk

[@DeeFig66]

Stay is better. The clock theme goes throughout the song so using the sound is a tiny bit more clever as a texture to the music. Edit: I also like: "Your "hands" on mine" as a parallel between people spending time together and the "hands" of a clock that indicate just time in general. I might be coincidence but I get a nice visual out of that line.

[@nicoyazawa6837]

Stay is at least catchier to me. The Middle was just sort of there. Nothing impressive or interesting.

[@kieranstark7213]

*Stay* is actually greater than people think, but I can at least see why not everyone likes it (the drop is one of the reasons, but its fairly emotional 8-bit sound makes me like it). *The Middle* is just ripped off from *Stay* yet more overpraised than the average Zedd song.

[@killapositionz2]

@@DeeFig66 also Alessia Cara gives a more compelling performance than Maren Morris.

[@noahcasey369]

how in hell did you get a prediction right? "Sell Bebe Rexha, buy Dua Lipa" -Todd, 2018

[@sakurathefresh5678]

"Gonna be a couple decades before we see lilxfuck on a country album" One year later: I'M GONNA TAKE MY HORSE TO THE OLD TOWN R O A D

[@minumeyli]

When you said it would take forever for country to have a Lil X something to make a country hit... well wait till you hear Old Town Road

[@drksideofthewal]

It must be like coming full circle, for Todd. He started out liking country music when he was a kid, now country music is all there's left to talk about lately.

[@throwaway1743]

I just wish you knew how good ZEDD was BEFORE he jumped ship on his old sound. Clarity is still one of the best EDM albums of the decade.

[@theplatformgamer6867]

zedd was one of my favorite producers!!!! clarity is so good!!! i kinda miss when edm was more energetic- there's tons of good stuff online but pop "edm" has been really boring for the past few years :/

[@AvatarSmurf]

Agreed, but for what it’s worth, “Clarity” was at least an honorable mention on Todd’s 2013 list.

[@jstrct]

One hit wonderland you get what you give new radicals

[@jimllc]

I'm still calling him out for a "Bitch."

[@AlexYorim]

rob boss Someday we'll know if Todd will review that song.

[@zombieedrea]

YEEEESSSSS!!!! Would Shake It by Metro Station count as a one-hit-wonder? It's only been a decade since that song came out and I KNOW that band didn't have any other hits. I'd be so ecstatic if he reviewed it.

[@jimllc]

It absolutely would.

[@CoolAdrian30]

The closest I can think of The Middle being is like if Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" and The Chainsmokers "Closer" met somewhere in the middle (pun fully intended).Like its got a bit of edm pop and bit of country. Its basically about two people who have clearly moved on but still want to give something a shot. And I dont know I geniunely like Zedd's production , so this hits a soft spot. I expect it to grow on me a lot

[@mikerivera373]

Fun fact: both Need You Now and Closer topped Todd’s lists of their respective years. He was very right about one of them and very wrong about the other (guess which one is which).

[@jimllc]

Mike's Music Reviews Never let him live that down. Even if his reasoning is sound, as a critic, that was the wrong move.

[@TiaLuxanna]

Adrian Christopher if there was a scale which Need You Now is white and Closer is black, The Middle would be dark gray.

[@ebtrax4081]

Adrian Christopher Except need you now is actually decent

[@CoolAdrian30]

eb man yeah that's why I said they need straight in the middle. Though I do have a little liking for closer

[@strifera]

There is apparently such a thing as too much autotune. I'm completely shocked that the Black Eyed Peas weren't the group to discover this.

[@troodon1096]

I think nobody whose name isn't T-Pain has any business using it. Especially people just using it to cover up the fact they can't sing.

[@ffjreviews9029]

The black eyed peas actually returned in early 2020. I never heard any of the hits though

[@rabidhog4912]

@@ffjreviews9029 thank lord

[@ryanwelch1272]

If you're looking for material, there's "Whatever it takes" by Imagine Dragons and "One Foot" by Walk the Moon. Been haring it on the radio for a bit. Plus, it would be a good idea to compare the two bands.

[@ByeByeDeadName]

Ryan Welch knowing Todd, it’ll probably be 50% praising Walk the Moon and 50% shitting on Imagine Dragons

[@MauricioMorales-tc7kw]

Unfortunately, one foot charted at 60-70 and left

[@Tirgo69]

One Foot wasn't a hit, Whatever It Takes is basically Believer/Thunder 3

[@KaijaSchmauss]

Too bad One Foot wasn't a hit. It 100% should have been, though. It's better than Shut Up and Dance by a mile.

[@ryanwelch1272]

Actually, it's kinda better than that. It has good buildup. Unfortunately, the chorus sucks. As for One Foot, I liked it until I realized they were using the four chords of pop.

[@brad6546]

Zedd literally makes the same song every year. Like that ticking clock sample was used in Stay, at this time LAST YEAR

[@YuukitheMighty1]

I really hope this country mixing in pop doesn't become a trend or im gonna be really miserable.

[@c0mf0rta61ynum6]

Sad to say, I'm kind of afraid it already has...

[@AlexYorim]

coughcougholdtaylorswiftcoughcough

[@TiaLuxanna]

Alex Yorim Taylor hasn't been country for years. Maybe pop country lost its flavor without her dominating the charts, so they started doing, literally, POP with some country people in it.

[@dingusdangus3155]

Well I've got some bad news for ya....

[@troodon1096]

Me too. As Todd said, it's making both genres worse.

[@SwiftyStardust]

To be honest, I haven't really minded the lack of pop song reviews because I'm a huge fan of One Hit Wonderland

[@codeblack9407]

Schwifty Stardust I love trainwreck episodes

[@HangmanVa]

I work at a McDonalds. Save the pity. I was starting to think the Sirius radio station we played was stuck on the same 4 songs, and bugged out. It was a maddening experience, especially when having to clean the bathrooms where we blared that shit. Then recently, the station started going 50/50, with a 'new' song (See, Meant to be, The Middle, Thunder, ect) then an old song from the late 80's-early 2000's. Hell, Iv'e even heard Sting's 'Desert Rose'. TWICE. It absolutely blew my mind, since I don't pay any attention to top 40 radio, and it's nice to see that I wasn't the only one who noticed this trend. Also, why is nobody calling out one of the Florida Georgia guys at 13:20 for totally ripping off Kid Rock with the wide-brim hat and braided hair?

[@Ramonatho]

I mean, Willie Nelson did the hat and hair first, which really shows just how non-existent country is in mainstream culture now.

[@canadmexi]

3:07 Then, Old Country Road came out, Toddstradamus, you've done it again!

[@Astolfo2001]

*Old Town Road

[@smartsport]

IT JUST TAKES SOME TIME LITTLE GIRL YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIDE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WILL BE JUST FINE EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT

[@kylehegedus5498]

smartsport The better song with that title!!! Jimmy Eat World 4 Life!!!

[@JenkinsJPEG]

Holy shit todd was right bebe went nowhere, dua lipa is killing it... It's a real correct todd prediction! Wow.

[@Betta66]

Please review This Is America EDIT: He did! Suck on that!

[@Rikku147]

Betta66 +

[@p.darker5306]

Betta66 I think the Internet already has

[@Tirgo69]

What can he even add to the song?

[@qmandolin5020]

That might be too hiphop for Todd. He usually tries not to touch hiphop since he feels like he doesn't know enough about it to have a real opinion - Which I totally understand. It's nice to have something new and interesting on the scene tho.

[@يوسف-ك3ذ5ت]

he doesn't review rap that much for some reason

[@sovrinn16]

8:04 "Start buying stock in Dua Lipa" wowwww was this ever an excellent prediction, Dua is the queen of 2020

[@edatube7616]

"start buying stock in dua lipa" todd you did it!! an accurate prediction!

[@Spalfos]

5:45 is a live performance on James Corden that I was present for, and they made everyone in the audience dance around like we were enjoying the song in any way. It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to make myself do in a long time

[@prismaze]

damn, i feel your pain.

[@VulpesHilarianus]

I attribute this solely to the fact that public audio services refuse to acknowledge that an artist can span multiple genres. They try pigeonholing songs based on the artist's discography, leading to stuff like a pop starlet singing over a trap beat while some dude warbles in a fake accent being called "country."

[@NJGuy1973]

And then Lil Nas X came along and destroyed the whole idea of "genre" altogether.

[@anuel3780]

8:05 "start buying stock in Dua Lipa" if only I listened to 2018 todd

[@celebrimborblue5052]

I see you mentioned Dua Lipa, so, like, when are you going to review something of hers?

[@MauricioMorales-tc7kw]

Celebrimbor Blue hopefully on a couple of months, she’s already 40-35 on the hot 100

[@kyoungt14]

8:00-8:08 The one prediction from Todd that aged like fine wine

[@gikem4882]

8:00 And now Dua Lipa has the biggest hit of 2021 (which is also one of the biggest hits of all time), while Bebe Rexha's latest album flopped hard and her time in the mainstream hit parade is pretty much over. Toddstradamus got this one right for once.

[@aflameinthevoid8047]

That Dua Lipa stock prediction paid off

[@vworldgaming]

The Middle is OVER PLAYED

[@theincredibleshibe2462]

I can’t stand it 😖

[@j.d.t.5761]

So was Meant to Be

[@WiiAsian]

God it is good to see a new pop song review Todd!!!! Always look forward to your videos. Also, saw Zedd live in Vegas and am so glad you love his music production. You always seem to say what I feel about the latest music perfectly, when I'm usually scratching my head for why I don't like a particular song.

[@LenFreak]

I'M TRYNA SLEEP TODD GOD DAMN EDIT: Also thank you for shouting out Dua Lipa because she is a godsend to music and my future wife

[@thema1998]

LenFreak It's 9:46 P.M. here in New York City.

[@markavelli]

Move to the west coast.

[@arianag.5148]

ADP1998 it’s like 7 pm right now and IT IS STILL SUNNY

[@monadoboy9670]

You from Europe or something?

[@LenFreak]

MonadoBoy In England

[@bradwolf07]

Hey Todd, I've heard at least 2 versions of Meant to Be. The most common one you reviewed, and one where Bebe is the first one on the song (singing the first verse the F/G Line sing)

[@dlmetal9606]

bradwolf07 see I was confused when he mentioned that in the video. I've always heard the version with her first on the radio. Then I saw your comment.

[@bradwolf07]

Happy to help.

[@SOBEKCrocodileGod]

It plays every day in the grocery store I work at and I never even noticed any male vocals

[@willbowling8084]

Dale Lapp Then you must not have heard it on the country stations.

[@joemomma3648]

Don't lose all hope of good country still existing Todd! Right now on Metacritic Cusp by Alela Diane is in the top 10 best reviewed albums of the year, a blues-country albums that's largest inspirations were the tragic death of a much too young Sandy Duncan, her near-death experience in childbirth and the fears and doubts brought on by motherhood. Good country is still out there, you've just gotta dig sometimes.

[@kylehegedus5498]

joe momma Good music in general is still out there, but like you said, you gotta dig for it.

[@richarddorazi8565]

There is a guitar in Meant to Be but it’s buried so much in the mix that you have to really listen carefully on your headphones. Agree with your commentary. You gotta review This is America!

[@tbkmusic2640]

Dude this is America sucks dick

[@troodon1096]

No he doesn't. There's nothing of value to that song and nothing of value to be said about it.

[@Betta66]

I already said he should review This Is America. Surprisingly, not many people agreed

[@Ene-Chan]

Richard D he just did

[@roguishpaladin]

8:00 The rare Toddstradamus prediction that seems to be working out. Bebe Rexha's gotten up to 35 since then - respectable, but certainly not breakout - while Dua Lipa has hit 2 and 13 with different songs since then. Now, to be fair, Rexha hasn't released a full album since 2018 and she could come out with one and storm the charts, but Dua Lipa seems like the better bet right now.

[@thekillerfroggy]

3:04 you called the "lil" and "x" but were off by about 18 years for the marriage of trap & country

[@ajax4887]

A couple of decades before a country trap crossover? Kinda crazy that it took less than a year...

[@LiThePear]

“If you have any money in Bebe rehxa, I say cash out and start buying stocks in dua lipa” Todd actually predicting something -2018

[@GalvanizedArt]

IT JUST TAKES SOME TIME LITTLE GIRL YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIDE- oh, wait, never mind

[@samoria7530]

That song is so much better than either of these songs

[@nopenope2550]

It's all stagnating. Rock has been stuck in a rut for probably ten years now and refuses to evolve. (Popular Rock anyway, there's still some incredible underground rock acts out there). Pop is going nowhere fast. Country is well, Country. Rap always seems to come in waves so who knows there. There's a reason Trap has pretty well taken over. Say what you want about the genre it is something a bit different. I'm not the person to say what exactly as I avoid Trap like the plague but from what little I've heard I can almost understand it's popularity. It's different and has this sense of authenticity, of being built by the artists. Same with J-Pop and K-Pop. Both tend to be fun and upbeat while incorporating a lot of old-school American pop elements. It's perfect nostalgia fodder and far more enjoyable than dull, plodding, emotionless void pop has been stuck in recently. Long story short, Pop must evolve. It's simply being out competed by more enjoyable genres. And if it's going this Country route... Let's just say I can't see good things in the future, but God I hope I'm wrong.

[@at3396]

Oh boy looking back on the whole "rock is dead" thing. You see that that thing changed for the better

[@DjPjX]

Zedd is extremelly skilled, yes. But come on dude, the majority of production for The Middle was handled by Grey. You cannot just exclude an artist which is in the title from your review.

[@StubzTurner]

It wasn't a single, buy Miranda Lambert recently did a duet with Green Day. It's not just a trend in Pop.

[@Blkloligamer]

I work in a retail store and hear Meant To Be every goddamn shift. I took solace in the fact that I only had to hear it when working. But then, Todd.

[@BlackburnBigdragon]

I love how in the video it was showing Bebe Rexha and the boys singing in front of a band with guitars and drums, but the music is just a drum machine and loops, and the voices were autotuned. This alone should bring EXTREME shame to Country Music. (Rings shame bell. SHAME!!! SHAME!!! SHAME!!!!)

[@AaronGaleProductions]

Country and Rock are dying. Pop is killing itself while rap stays alive .

[@mikemoos]

Yes, but with a brain hemorrhage(mumble rap).

[@mychaeljones7526]

fuck you go see hip hop top hits and artists you need to search hip hop thats how it was born. fuck you.

[@mychaeljones7526]

atrocity exhibition CHECK.

[@AaronGaleProductions]

Mychael Jones I have nothing against it calm down.

[@lagozzino]

Todd, I mean... you've created this overly specific metric for the kind of songs you'll cover, which no one is holding you to but yourself, and then you complain that there's a lack of material. You'll say on twitter that you wanted to cover a song but won't now because it fell out of the Top 40 (months after it was released, because you actively refuse to cover most songs unless you've been hearing them on the radio for months) so its too late to bother with, or that you're saving your thoughts on a song for your end of year lists instead of doing a video on it right away, but then complain that there is no material to make videos about and it just makes me want to shake you down. If you're just not into the current music scene anymore then that's totally fair and understandable, but stop putting these limits on yourself and then complaining that you have such a limited selection of songs to cover.

[@SW23252]

lagozzino , you've got a good point. Todd's main issue is that he's waiting for a "big" breakout hit that will dominate the airwaves for months at a time. But as he says in the video, I think we might be past the point of huge megastars in music. With the internet and different platforms to discover new music on, I don't think we will ever see another world conquering act like a Madonna or Michael Jackson (I could be wrong, though). Most artists will probably be able to gather a decent following, but won't become household names. If Todd wants to keep reviewing "pop" music, he's going to have to start covering some of these smaller hits, or seek them out instead of them coming to him via the radio.

[@Cthulu1985]

Not to take a piss on Todd, but a I see your point Iagozzino. That´s the format Todd has been working on since the beginning, but with the current landscape it seems that he´s going to need new parameters to pick songs to review.

[@claystripe6514]

Stephanie Wozny There *are* megastars that dominate like Madonna and MJ, though. Drake's the biggest one, guy literally never left the Hot 100 for years and landed back-to-back #1s as soon as he returned. Bruno and Rihanna have had at least one major hit every year for even longer. Kendrick doesn't look like he's slowing down, seems like he can make as many hits as he wants. And there are tons of young/emerging artists that are booming with hit after hit- Migos, Cardi, Post, Khalid, SZA. Tl;dr- Anyone who thinks pop is dead just doesn't like hip hop/R&B

[@regulatorsmountup4931]

Clay Ammentorp Todd doesn’t know enough about rap & trap music to review it and he knows that. In my opinion he’s doing what he can right now.

[@troodon1096]

Want to make your own pop music reviews, nobody's stopping you.

[@Volvandese]

"Soundcloud rap is gonna have to be around for a couple decades before you see Lil X Fuck on a country record" *one year later*

[@FlutterLights]

Please review Lil XX4ukk. They're probably going to be big in a few months judging where popular music is headed.

[@lunatikkrazieazylum6226]

FlutterLights I really like that song where he says "yuh" and "aye" over and over again over a minimal trap beat.

[@FlutterLights]

Lunatikkrazie azylum yuh yuh yuh aye aye aye fuckyourbitchfoasifjzosawithmygangasofizqotiq yuh yuh yuh oooo

[@smjaiteh]

Lil Xx4ukk both looks and sounds like he’s a lil current4ukk.

[@misty9964]

No

[@Sammyyaam]

speaking of, whatever happened to that panda guy Desiigner

[@krzuker]

This whole review is very good, but I laugh at the line "To add depth, she had to pull in Florida/Georgia Line, both of whom have a stack of old Maxims where their brains should be," every time I hear it.

[@troyareyes]

Todd giving any ups to Dua Lipa is the biggest surprise of this review.

[@kieranstark7213]

Anyone would want to give Dua Lipa ups. Not only is she a mainstream late 2010s artist that is actually favourable, SHE’S ALSO AWESOME IN PERSON!!!

[@troyareyes]

@@kieranstark7213 I only say that because a few episodes prior he included her in a medley of boring sounding artists

[@kieranstark7213]

I see, but she doesn’t even sound boring at all! 😁

[@troyareyes]

@@kieranstark7213 yea he later recanted

[@ReboyGTR]

*I AM SICK TO DEATH WITH FUTURE BASS AND TROPICAL HOUSE!*

[@AndiEmly]

I didn't even know "Middle" was a huge popsong cause I only go down the Spotify rabbithole now and hardly ever know if I'm listening to something hip or not. Thanks for keeping me up to date Todd!

[@Fuiotter]

Watching this and the description of how Country is traditionalist while Old Town Road is happening. Nostralamus, Todd.

[@jayceontaylor8195]

3:03 “soundcloud rap will have to be around for a few more decades before Lil X Fuck is on a country beat” wtf u predicted Lil Nas X but it came sooner

[@spunksprinkledsurprise9059]

3:04 “SoundCloud rap is going to have to be around for a few decades before you see lil xfuck on a country record” ... cut to 1 year later and lil nas x collabed with billy ray cyrus (and we all know how that went)

[@davidwright1577]

"Soundcloud rap will have to be around a few decades before lil x fuck will be on a country album" Toddstraudomus strikes again. Enter Lil Nas X

[@mattm820]

heck yeah! another episode! glad you still have the energy to pump out episodes monthly, todd!

[@carsonBonn]

These 2 songs have been playing every morning on my way to school for two months.

[@bobshoe8426]

OHHHH T.I.T.S UPLOADED AGAIN!!! I LOVE T.I.T.S!!!

[@mightyfilm]

UGH! Yeah. There's nothing more annoying than hearing "iddle bee, iddle bee, iddle bee" over and over. You'll notice I didn't say "it'll be" since it sounds like freaking nonsense the billionth time you hear it.

[@witnessme4352]

TIMOTHY YOUNG They're saying that they're bees. They're telling us that they're big, buzzing bees! BZZZZZZZ! I'm thinking it, you're thinking it, Vice President Joe Biden's thinking it, we're all thinking it, because it's simply what they're saying!

[@berniefunk3840]

Or "why don't you just meet me in the 'middow.'

[@eduardocampos4123]

TODD DEFENDING BRO COUNTRY? The world is upside down

[@AngelGonzalez-bj6mo]

In which video did Todd say that?

[@ImTooFlawless]

7:59 Todd's prediction was right.

[@gakailyn9249]

Yeah I'm not happy about this change. I can't stand trap music

[@crazyluigi6664]

And I despise both of these songs also.

[@lukeg1940]

Kailyn Anderson f

[@KaijaSchmauss]

Same. If I'm gonna listen to hip-hop, it's gonna be something with substance on some level. Gimmie Kendrick Lemar, or Childish Gambino. J.Cole would even work. Not this half mumbled garbage with the same beat as every other trap song.

[@lunatikkrazieazylum6226]

I miss the days when Lil Wayne was the most hated rapper. We didn't know how good we had it.

[@SOBEKCrocodileGod]

Honestly I enjoy trap and I don't like this change too much either

[@FantageJapanRules]

omg the dua lipa prediction... Todd got it right

[@srslydoatm9251]

I can't stand this song but Todd's piano cover is gold for my ears

[@kieranstark7213]

When Todd in the Shadows plays bad songs, he makes them sound so much better than the original versions! It’s like he should be in concerts!

[@MrAluminum]

I work at Target and I am forced to listen to The Middle at least once every day. And I hate it.

[@HollowGolem]

So glad I listen to jazz, metal, and underground hip-hop. They're doing fine. Plus, I have back-log of artists I'm still discovering. It's great. That way, I don't have to sit through whatever it is the pop charts are stuck in right now.

[@quentinchilds4007]

Chris Check Same here.

[@mychaeljones7526]

atrocity exhibition

[@bbqplatypus318]

Didn't see the first comma there for a second. My first thought was "Sweet, a Shining fan." (Which to be fair, may still be the case).

[@ThenVSNowBusiness]

God I love how authentic you are Todd.