POP SONG REVIEW: "This Is What You Came For" vs "Cheap Thrills"

I don't need dollar bills to have lightning strike every she moves!

[@CariRuth]

Sia's pop career also took off around age 40. By hiding her face she's effectively made herself ageless. I think it's a smart move.

[@Xondar11223344]

Agreed!

[@xaviera4810]

I’m pretty sure you’d know this after 4 years, maybe not, but she hides her faces because she perceives herself as ugly. But yeah, your point still stands.

[@Huss_D]

True. it’s worked for Daft Punk as well.

[@rainbowkittycat627]

@@xaviera4810 I mean she might perceive herself as ugly because of her age. Ageism is real, yo.

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

If only she'd translated that intelligence to her directing career...

[@BugsMcCoy]

I always forget Todd is faceless like if I meet him one day to say thanks for the entertainment and there's just a black void in a hoodie I wouldn't even blink.

[@HaydenX]

He's like Shedinja. If you stare into the void...it steals your soul.

[@sinsoftheswamp8346]

I'm the spiderman musical you can see half his face

[@BugsMcCoy]

I have seen his face, naturally it was the first thing I looked for when I first found his channel through Nostalgia Chick way back when. I never looked for it again once I became a fan of the guy proper.... The man is a handsome cat though I know that.

[@subice2158]

Same, I'd be more surprised if he actually had a face lol.

[@mostafaebrahim2498]

Same here, seeing his face for me would kinda be like that feeling you get when you first meet one of your teachers in a grocery store or something and realize that they have lives too.

[@Morbos1000]

I don't blame Sia for hiding her face. She's pretty much said she doesn't want all the comments she'd get for daring to be a 40-something woman with average looks. She just wants to be judged for her music.

[@RheaStorm]

Well it doesn't work because her music is shit too.

[@bluesyace9564]

@@RheaStorm she's probably the best artist that's broken into the pop scene

[@RheaStorm]

@@bluesyace9564 Not by a long shot. I still don't like her music, I'm not a fan of her voice.

[@lbthebookworm2807]

Wish Master That’s okay! It’s not for everyone. I wasn’t really a big fan of hers at first, but after I saw the live version of Alive, and I got actual chills! But it’s just an opinion, so no big deal.

[@TetrisShark70]

So it's kinda like what buckethead does but he's 20x the musician

[@Catyclept89]

Seeing Todd slowly look at the camera, but having no fucking face was absolutely hilarious to me. I'm so glad Todd has got the lighting for his video's down perfectly so he can pull gags like that.

[@ndx2k]

for me it was absolutely frightening

[@tallulahahrens-siegel9832]

Lighting? This is his natural state.

[@killerbug05]

Genuinely terrifying.

[@twigboat]

Sia's vocals really elevate the song for me, I like when it comes on the radio.

[@HectorGonzalez0642]

Same! She's a wonderful singer! 😍

[@jlprizm]

Same here. She's my favorite part of the song. I like Sean Paul actually too even though it just sounds like gibberish..but catchy gibberish.

[@A-Oh-Trey]

Same. Sia is one of the few current pop stars whose vocal ability I'm legitimately impressed by. Like Todd said, I probably wouldn't like "Cheap Thrills" if it wasn't her singing it.

[@thirteenfury]

+kenterminatedbygoogle I find it creepy too. Especially in that video where she danced with a half-naked, disheveled Shia Le Bouf. But also because I found that girl annoying and her mom bitchy when they did "Dance Moms".

[@jlprizm]

thirteenfury That's the only way Shia exists. Half-naked and disheveled. 😁

[@eurythmica8467]

I personally always had a soft spot for Cheap Thrills. I like Sia's epic-sounding vocals and the island sound makes it less jarring than a lot of electronic pop songs.

[@lbthebookworm2807]

I like it too. It’s just something I can dance too, and it has Asia’s voice, so it’s a win win.

[@cosmicdib4823]

Shiro

[@galactor123]

I'm sure someone mentioned it already, but just to say it again: Sia does have a pretty good reason for hiding her face. She disliked the fame that she had accrued to the point that she became suicidal about it. She finally found her voice by writing for people, but didn't want to deal with the fame of continuing with the limelight, so she decided to cover up her face, and make that her 'gimmick' so to speak. Turning a negative into a positive.

[@thatdapperfellow]

I think the thing with Sia was that she was planning to retire into writing when David Guetta released Titanium with her demo vocals against her will and the wig is about not being super comfortable as a popstar because she wasn't seeking it out. Or something along those lines.

[@girlysword]

bring Taylor Swift a peeled grape! idk why, but that was the funniest part of the review

[@Usagi393]

At least for me, it's because I can totally see that happening IRL

[@samanthacarey3]

agreed!

[@crazyluigi6664]

For me, though, it was him saying "NO, NO, YOU'RE DOING IT ALL WRONG, GODDAMNIT!!!" at Michael Buble with the corn on the cob.

[@robinwilliams6970]

lol, totally!

[@RukonTheCreator]

The face made it all the more perfect. XD

[@HipsterShiningArmor]

I usually don't like to pick on popular targets, but Meghan Trainor really is as abysmal as everyone says she is.

[@irishhuskie2585]

"If I was you, I'd wanna be me too." Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Meghan.

[@emblom52]

The thing that drives me right up the wall with that song is how she keeps adding a V to the "wanna." No, Meghan Trainor, I don't "vwanna" be you, too.

[@maggiekoch9348]

What an ego she has.

[@heusvjsysghahsuvsisy7711]

Meghan trainor makes music moms listen to in there car with there daughter she really has never had any amazing anything

[@tobos8909]

After they hailed her as a fucking queen when AATB was a thing, which was only enjoyable as background music at a barbecue when you were extremely drunk

[@jaisesworld4206]

Not sure if that "witness protection" thing was a joke or not.

[@originlollol7]

That's the magic of TiTS, my man.

[@deviantyte8860]

For a second I thought you meant Trials in Tainted Space, and was very confused.

[@badgergaucho99]

Seriously, i too wonder. Now i'm scared it's true.

[@bennitori4]

Same. I mean...that's a good reason to hide your face. But at the same time it's so unexpected you can't help but wonder if he just said that. Like in the same way he occasionally jokes about being different races.

[@jaisesworld4206]

I'm leaning towards it being a joke, but you never know.

[@squishy3248]

“She’s just always there” hits different in 2024. She hasn’t dropped an album since Anti in 2016 and is still dominating charts and in the top 10 most streamed monthly artists on Spotify. Woman is going to wreck the music industry whenever she drops that 9th album she’s been teasing for years😭

[@Cyancat123]

“Bring Taylor Swift a peeled grape” will never not make me laugh uncontrollably

[@robinthrush9672]

I find the gruffness of Calvin Harris's voice refreshing after so many super smooth pop singers. A lot of rock songs people love aren't sung by smooth-voiced singers.

[@drpibisback7680]

Robin Thrush Yeah, that was my thought. He sounds like a grunge singer from the mid 90's. Gravelly yet also gentle. More interesting than every other generic male singer.

[@hafsaz4513]

That Michael Bublé picture had me in tears 😂

[@jlprizm]

It was hilarious but at the same time I never want to see it again. I'm gonna try to continue loving Michael even with that image in my head.

[@starseer73]

I love that he finally mentioned Meghan Trainor I want another Meghan Trainor review so bad

[@PrincessLockette]

I hope he puts that song in the top 5 for the worst of this year :)

[@starseer73]

PrincessLockette I hope he mentions all the Meghan Trainor singles this year in his worst

[@PrincessLockette]

starseer73 Honestly, I don't think he's going to put more than two megan trainor songs on his worst list because that wouldn't be any fun or interesting if he put ALL of her hits this year on his list

[@starseer73]

PrincessLockette sometimes songs are just that bad though..

[@C_hoffmanni]

+PrincessLockette He'll either pick the one song that is the worst(Me Too) compile them together or save the others for dishonorable mentions

[@krisdaschwab912]

Cheap Thrills >>> This is What You Came For. I mean shit, Sia is better at being Rihanna than Rihanna.

[@wendel5868]

True. For me artists that actually write their songs are always a step above. Not bashing on Rihanna tho, I like her, but composing is pretty hard and I admire the ones who do it.

[@pyrolusite_d]

+RedSkirmish its like i will always love you Huston vs Parton Huston's vocals are god like but Parton's singing manners and the fact that she wrote it makes it more touching and personal in a way To some the comment and this reply have no connection but thats how i see it anyway

[@henryam503]

Sia's just a better singer to me

[@hankcyrus9776]

+Dimitri Paichadze I have the same

[@kaygoldman7933]

True, but Rihanna's also better at being Sia than Sia

[@englishhedgehog7]

As soon as you played Me Too, I muted it faster than I've ever muted anything in my life

[@andrewlyon4495]

Me Two*, judging by the video.

[@mokinokaro]

It really is one of the worst pop songs I've ever heard

[@Tirgo69]

I said "kill me" under my breath

[@jlprizm]

Seriously. I was like god no..turn it off..turn it off.

[@KPater-mf4je]

It's a song? Seriously though, it is pretty terrible. It's like an unironic version of "Shoes".

[@whatistheporpous1193]

AT LAST!! HE HAS A PROFILE PICTURE!!

[@overlookers]

*Morpheus turns* At Last! *lightning clap*

[@tobos8909]

+overlookers This is what you came for

[@karda009]

And it's better than anything I ever imagined.

[@sangieredwolf]

Was about to make the same comment xD

[@bbsuffering]

First thing I notice? Todd has a profile pic!

[@bbsuffering]

***** Thanks!

[@cheezdoodle96]

It's back! It's finally back!!

[@Godzillant]

to be fair he technically had a profile picture before, it was just the default google one, and this one is a new default google one

[@cheezdoodle96]

Godzillant Dude, he's got the Peanuts one, same as his Twitter account. Not the coloured T.

[@Godzillant]

cheezdoodle96 i see, however for me it still shows it as the t

[@samoria7530]

I actually like cheap thrills. Even though it is very generic it does it really well kind of like how in da club by 50 was done well dispite how generic it was. this is what you came for on the other hand sucks. There was no thought put into it besides the beat and the song suffers greatly from it.

[@samoria7530]

whoops! I did not mean to post this comment as a reply to yours! sorry

[@JFairy189]

Would you say this song is a cheap thrill lol?

[@OddMike]

Sia has an autoimmune disease that causes facial features to warp over time and she's very self-conscious about it :(

[@TSFboi]

Rhianna has had more #1 singles than anybody else in the 2010's. Literally the most successful singles artist of our time.

[@zrj-ro6304]

I remember Lady Gaga stated one of reasons she became a pop music was to make it fun again. I think now that ship has sailed.

[@pipesoyogx]

The way that ANTI and Work became some of the most succesful and influential album and song in the decade is pretty astonishing, i also didn't think much of them when they released, music is weird

[@mammamiaculpa]

You don't dance, you just kind of awkwardly jump about to it.

[@ZannyAisling]

Wow there aren't any actual comments about the content of the video yet. I'll start: i kinda love sia conceptually nowadays. She reminds me of a less-awful Mr. Quimper. This faceless presence in her own music, like she was consumed by some entity as she entered the pop scene.

[@taelicht]

Personally, I was always reminded of Sucre, which I noticed is your avatar! Maybe it's just the bob haircut, but honestly they both have the same feeling of being both exposed and anonymous at the same time

[@kiks2793]

Cheap thrills is the better song for me, but not that Sean Paul remix

[@selfmadetrillin2581]

Boring kind of

[@HectorGonzalez0642]

Same

[@representationmetaphorique]

Sean Paul just kinda ruins every song he features in.

[@iBlackMamba12]

"ba-da-bong". XD. For some reason it's the one they play on the radio where i live. And it's god awful.

[@jayromeo940]

Sean Paul makes that song

[@MyssBlewm]

I remember last year I was in the car with my best friend and I said that I've been enjoying Sia's music, and he said he wasn't a big fan of hers' especially since "Chandelier" was overplayed. He said he did like Rihanna's new song, and it just so happened to have come on the radio. I paused, and I was like, "Um I think that's a Sia song." It was "Elastic Heart". LOL Yeah this year's music has been quite a dud, and these two songs are ok. Passable. More than what I can say for most of the hits this year.

[@tobos8909]

The charts have been fucking dreadful since February

[@michaeladkins6]

She had a big good hit off of Anti, Love On the Brain.

[@megamage911]

Not to seem creepy or anything... But seriously, the little girl in the Sia video was adorable xD She just seemed like she was having so much fun, it was so nice to see, a great departure from the often very dull, almost depressed faces many dancers put on.

[@leonthethird7494]

Kefka Palazzo in in general meaning anyone who just get lanched into the limelight with no skill

[@megamage911]

Leon the third But she's clearly a skilled dancer, so how does that apply here?

[@megamage911]

Leon the third But she's not even an actor though, she's just a dancer xD

[@michaelhall5429]

@@leonthethird7494 did you just call a 12 year old a video ho, claim a dancer was an actor, say someone with clear talent had no talent and then claim we know what you mean?

[@inf0phreak]

So this is like three years late, but that's Maddie Ziegler. She did the dancing in "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart" as well.

[@JoshuaFagan]

Whenever i see a new Todd review, I drop whatever i was doing and watch it.

[@annnee6818]

me too. they tend to disappear :(

[@HectorGonzalez0642]

Same here!

[@TiztasticallyWicked]

Whenever I see a new Todd review, I.... continue with what I'm doing until I'm finished doing that thing and I say "Oh hey, a new Todd video."

[@theblackbaron4119]

I hope you never have to assist someone giving birth.... Look at it it's a healthy baby .... Oh Todd in the shadows *thud*

[@ChaoticSorceror]

Pretty sure "modern dance music" is just music that you jump up and down in place to.

[@samiali749]

And it's all the same and uses zero effort to make a song

[@jlprizm]

Same thoughts here. I don't think there is a "dance". You just jump up and down or if you're feeling even lazier just put your hands up and down.

[@juliaisafilmbuff123]

Yes.

[@JFairy189]

aka Rave noise

[@silvertamagachi]

I want to respect EDM, because as a pop music fan I know what it's like to have assholes dismiss an entire genre, but . . . I don't get it. It all sounds the same and seems to take the interesting part of music (the lyrics and the performer) out of it. As much hate as he gets, I almost get Skrillex (and I know he's not really EDM, but they sound similar to me), but that's as close as I get to understanding the rave/house movement.

[@RyanStorey1231]

I love Sia (indie or mainstream pop) and I really love "Cheap Thrills", which is weird because if it were performed by any other artist, it would just be another generic party song. However, Sia's voice has such a childish and emotionally tragic resonance that it really makes her pop songs work. What's striking about Sia's songwriting (for herself or for other artists) is that while there's often not a lot to them lyrically, structurally, or melodically, there is an emotional core and simplicity that really hits you, which is why whenever I find that a pop song was written by Sia, I immediately take a liking to it, even if I don't particularly care for the artist. Sia really deserves all of her success as a songwriter. She even managed to write one of Britney Spears' best ballads ("Perfume") and sadly no one heard it. Let me repeat that: She brought the best out of Britney Spears, who on this particular song, managed to sound like a human being instead of a robot for the first time in over a decade. What also makes "Cheap Thrills" work is not the fact that it's a generic party song, but it's a party song about being broke. There's an escapist quality to the sentiment being portrayed: This person in the song is so broke and unhappy that she takes to dancing the night away at a party like an addict takes to alcohol or drugs. It's a sentiment to which I can personally relate. There's this element of shirking your responsibilities and obligations off on your primal, childish urges to fill your instant gratification for emotional highs and fleeting flights of lofty happiness- which is further enunciated by the children shouting in unison "I love cheap thrills" during the chorus. That, combined with Sia's tragic and sad vocal delivery, really makes this otherwise generic party song truly perfect in every capacity. This element is definitely there in other Sia songs, particularly "Chandelier", "Big Girls Cry", "Elastic Heart", and "Clap Your Hands". Sorry for over-analyzing this, but I just love Sia and this song so much and I don't know why. Also, "Elastic Heart" is one of most beautiful and tearjerking pop songs ever recorded and I will hear nothing to the contrary.

[@NANYADAMBUZNIS]

I totally agree it's my favorite ❤

[@idanschonberger8994]

PLEASE make a video about "me too". the comedy there writes itself

[@aenjgeal]

I feel like "Me too" could have worked 1000 times better if it had been ironic. Like if the verses didn't try to build her up but actually built her down. How about mentioning the fact that people call her the cancer of music, and how she might feel about that. Maybe bring in a few issues with her smash celebrity-status or something like that. Then the chorus could be ironic in that people only see the surface of fame and money, and they wish they were her, when in reality she has issues of her own. Like of course the person looking at her from the outside would want to be her, because they don't understand what's going on underneath. However, as it stands, it's another piece of shit arrogance piece that really helps her earn her cancer status.

[@drpibisback7680]

aenjgeal Pop stars who don't act like assholes are always better than those that do. So why isn't that more common!?

[@lilbunny9833]

Work is in patois. Its very tiring for people to say it’s gibberish without bothering to look it up. Its not the deepest song in the world ofc but , there are actual lyrics.

[@baronofbahlingen9662]

Review sweatshirt, but be warned, make sure any sharp objects in your house are far away when you listen to it.

[@crazyluigi6664]

I think there's a different Jacob Sartorius song he could look at instead.

[@DendyJungle]

that song isnt even trendy anymore

[@brawlerdude555]

Impyling that's actual music

[@peanutreject]

I don't think he will unless it had chart success/radio play

[@KingHiki]

It wasn't a hit

[@shadowofdancingleaf]

"BRING TAYLOR SWIFT A PEELED GRAPE!" never gets old. 😂

[@danielmenzies3255]

Hi Todd. Your reviews are excellent, but I think you missed the point and purpose of "This is What You Came For". For years Rihanna has developed a HUGE following in the gay club scene and this song is tailor made for drag queen performances. When she sings "And everybody's watching her/But she's looking at you, ooh, ooh..." this is a cue for the performer to directly in the eyes of a fan waving the most money. They then spend the duration of the chorus gyrating and collecting tips. The section that goes "We go fast with the game we play/Who knows why it's gotta be this way..." is a cue to flirt with the straightest looking guy near the stage. I have seen this song and routine followed so often that it had to be Rihanna's whole reason to put it out in the first place. If that's the case then "This is What You Came For" is the most functionally brilliant song of 2016

[@Eolsvik98]

I did not know that Michael Buble picture existed, thank you so goddamn much

[@silvananoir]

I don't want to be that black person. But this really does bug me. Work is sung in a Jamaican accent. Yes, Rihanna is not Jamaican, but she is playing up her Barbadan accent. Nothing pisses black people off more than when white people go on and on about how they didn't understand what she was saying and how the white versions of the songs were so much better.

[@kbomb234]

+LegoGuy87 You do realize she's singing in Jamaican Patois, an English dialect with heavy African, Spanish, and French influences?

[@silvananoir]

Sure I have no issue with people saying the lyrics were dumb. But the comments of the how she was singing were a problem. The white covers were an issue not because they were white, but because of the ignorant comments. Again, I get not liking the songs because of the lyrics. But Todd's comments on the accent bugged me because this was a major issue on black sites and black twitter. And from a critic like Todd, I had thought him better than that.

[@kbomb234]

+LegoGuy87 I'm not offended, I'm just explaining that Rihanna is effectively singing in a different language. Because of the African influences, most Caribbean dialects repeat words for emphasis. It is also an easy way to add a filler to the music. But the actual subject matter of the song is nothing new, a bad relationship based solely on sex that can't be given up. Most pop in a nutshell. It just bugs me when people write it off because they can't understand what she's saying. It's just a typical club banger with nothing new except a heavy Caribbean influence and the lyrics in a different dialect. But yeah, I'm not demanding you like it at all. I'm just providing a little bit of background.

[@RyanStorey1231]

Agreed. And I actually like Rihanna's vocal style on "Work" and it really complimented the minimalist production. I've always been a bit of a Rihanna apologist, so I actually don't mind her voice or her vocal inflections. It's very pleasing to listen to.

[@hinasakukimi]

lbr mate, if she were singing the word "work" over and over again in the queen's english it'd still be annoying as fuck. however, i did think to myself "she sounds drunk" though now i know it's simply an accent, sorry about that. then again, i've heard her use that accent before and i swear it sounded way less slurred together in an ariana grande-esque way.

[@EpicBeard815]

If there's a Rihanna song to make it into the top 10 best, it's gotta be "Kiss it Better" Throwbacks are a bit overplayed, but goddamn if that song doesn't grab you by the ears.

[@chrismathgenius]

Unfortunately, it wasn't a hit. So it could only be an honorable mention.

[@EpicBeard815]

I seriously don't understand how Work could be a hit but not Kiss it Better. The charts have been as bad as the rest of the music world has been good this year.

[@CGray44]

M

[@arklestudios]

Kinda funny that this video is about both Rhianna and Sia, since Sia co-wrote the song that Rhianna sang for the new Star Trek movie (which was good BTW; the movie I mean, but I liked the song too).

[@WeDwellinaFiefdom]

I didn't remember any songs from that new movie except for Fight the Power and Sabotage, and the theme of course.

[@arklestudios]

It played during the closing credits, after the dedications to Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin.

[@RhythmGameAddict]

Yeah, in that song, Rihanna _really_ sounds like Sia, especially on the chorus.

[@bulliedkid]

Oh man, Todd, both the peeled grape and the corn had me in stitches. Your comedic timing was impeccable in this video.

[@ahmaddiab9480]

The "you oo ooo" are taylor's vocals btw... it's her voice, its obvious when u focus

[@Ch3f_B01_RD]

Shitting on ANTI was probably Todd’s worst take of all time

[@kyIesaurus____________________]

6/10

[@BunnySenpai]

Will Todd ever upload an avatar? Find out next time on Todd in the Shadows!

[@Nazgy]

Todd in the Default Avatar

[@SageKStroke52]

+eating raw faces is my least favorite thing to do. It's just a purple T though

[@protojager]

He didn't upload that, that's the default google+ avatar, youtube just changed everyone who was using the default youtube avatar over to that one.

[@DOSRetroGamer]

+Stephen Terry (Pixel Implosion) Nope. The new standard avatar is the first letter of your username over a single color background. Look at mine.

[@MrMysterySweGuy]

He's done it now. You pushed him

[@YorkChangeling]

I love you, Todd, but lemme' pause early, here, to point out that "Work" is an example of Jamaican Patois reggae music and not, as you put it, a Helen Keller impression...

[@YorkChangeling]

Okay, lets pause again. Sia hides her face because she doesn't want to be put under the scrutiny that an older woman would be in the pop industry and, according to the Wiki, has Grave's disease. There are worse reasons to want to keep a low profile.

[@BroncosXNumberX1]

This Is What You Came For is still the god damn catchiest song ever and I love the atmosphere Calvin Harris creates for the song. I feel like it's ok not to have a lot of actual lyrics because the song does most of its talking without it. It's honestly the only song that I can't not listen to when it comes on the radio when I'm driving.

[@cicadeus7741]

In retrospect I totally agree! It has this thick, underwater, flashing-ligjts atmosphere. You're drowning until the pop drop hits and the chorus is full of clarity

[@katherinewaldroop8364]

I love Todd's commentary. He consistently reminds me why I haven't listened to pop music in 13 years.

[@wulfleyn6498]

I'd say modern dance music is basically about jumping around and keeping a rhythm.

[@johnkoch9315]

Every song mentioned in this video is something I feel unable to feel anything towards

[@SpyHunter89]

Even "Me Too"?

[@johnkoch9315]

Just had to look that up cuz I didn't recognize it by name. Yeah. The instrumentals and the verse are just droning and boring and not at all different from these Rihanna songs. The chorus is by the books pop, but not really catchy or infectious either. Was it supposed to be offensively bad or anything? I didn't listen to the whole thing just skipped through the video cuz I can't be fucked to listen to the whole thing.

[@crazyluigi6664]

Honestly, the song is a completely annoying as fuck train wreck of a song.

[@WushuKnight19]

Me Too gave me pain in my ears the moment I listened to it.

[@Saintnick90]

Maybe it's because it's one of the few genuinely upbeat pop songs of the last three years, "This is What You Came For" is actually sounding better these days than it did in its peak.

[@alysonburch]

That Meghan Trainor song is absolutely wretched... I clicked on it the day it came out and couldn't even make it through the whole video. You should do an episode about that..

[@gentlemanjared]

I came off deployment in fall 2016 and "This is What You Came For" was everywhere. Heard it everywhere.

[@vallraffs]

Yay, not blocked yet!

[@isabellamorris7902]

"YOU DON'T HAVE A FACE!!" I am cackling in my university room

[@savannahrangel4480]

Man, Rihanna is stunning.

[@jetseekers]

watching this around now takes me back to my early college years and watching this while eating at the dining court

[@MD0K]

I went to see Calvin Harris in Vegas on NYE 2020, sang my heart out to this song with a random guy but changed the lyrics to scooby dooby doo, top 10 best moments of my life

[@unwritten_zephyr]

I’ll take Cheap Thrills over This is What You Came For anyday. The beat is just so bouncy, it makes me smile.

[@JammyD2579]

I'm so thankful you brought me to Sia's Cheap Thrills. Because I honestly love that track now. Island beats seem to get to me, for some reason. (plus I'm broke)

[@winteredsoul]

God, seeing this video pop up in my sub box made me pretty happy. I'm glad it was uploaded on my birthday.

[@piplup2009]

i hated that work work work work work song did she even try to add any lyrics instead of saying fuck it i'll just mumble, i prefer sia by far....without the Jamaican rapper

[@YungbansCousin]

yep but party next doors version was good

[@sebastianq.7884]

It's, like, called "Work"! Like, oh my god, you only say "work", like, one time!

[@eugenideddis]

The thing people enjoy is that it's incredibly Caribbean. Comparatively, Caribbean people think it's super generic.

[@annnee6818]

Rihanna has become boring...

[@gamerguy425]

omg that remix with the Jamaican-sounding guy just annoyed the crap out of me. He added literally nothing to the song so much as distracted from it.

[@felixhenson9926]

"YOU DON'T NEED TO USE MAKE-UP. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A FACE" I snorted.

[@gabe_s_videos]

When Todd said he was going to play both at the same time, I literally thought he was just going to play them on top of each other and all we'd hear was atonal noise. XD

[@vintagearisen]

Also "Me Too" is the most cringeworthy song since "Wiggle." SO AWFUL.

[@thomasdegroat6039]

Can Todd please stop commenting on why Sia hides her face until he actually learns why she hides her face. There *is* a reason behind it and its pretty important to her music and persona.

[@RyanStorey1231]

Yeah, Todd clearly doesn't do any research on the artist beyond superficial glimpses. Sia has multiple interviews disclosing why she hides her face.

[@BabysitterSky]

i looked it up. its not important to anything. its pretencious artist crap.

[@BabysitterSky]

are you defending her singing on work???

[@RyanStorey1231]

***** I agree. Considering that Todd is BFF's with Lindsay Ellis, who is usually all about social equality and feminism and all that jazz, I would expect him to know better. I understand that Rihanna's vocal style on "Work" is not listenable for everybody and I can see how it may confuse or annoy people who don't get it, but to write it off as "drunken mumbling" or "singing after getting a root canal" is kind of insensitive and ignorant. Rihanna is Caribbean and therefore she is going to show that influence in her music. Before critiquing it, you should at least know what you're talking about.

[@fancygiraffe3340]

He commented on it to make a joke, then pointed out that it's a bit silly to start covering your face AFTER you become famous. It's almost like a completely reasonable thing to say, that shouldn't be taken too seriously because he literally made a joke about how he has no other reason to hide his own face other than "it's my gimmick." It was practically more self-disparraging than anything else, and you're still annoyed because he . . . what? Didn't talk about her stated reason? Such lack of research! Also he's not obligated to like "Work" just because it's a style that's supposed to sound like drunken mumbling. It's almost like BECAUSE it's supposed to sound that way, his criticism is perfectly valid. Just because a culture has a specific tick in their media doesn't mean everyone has to love it. Todd's videos routinely make fun of people, so if you didn't have a problem with it before then maybe you need to get your shit together. Figure out if it's okay to make fun of everyone, or if social equality means you can only make fun of certain people, or whatever.

[@KumeraiFang]

WOW! The ending with "Me Too" summed up this year's music perfectly. Nice one, Todd!

[@shrimpyasaad]

thumbs upped for the "Cheap thrills ay ay nah nah nah ella"

[@raylazerman8240]

1. I'm probably in the minority here that thinks that "This is what you came for" is the better song. 2. "Feel so close" is awesome to me.

[@DaltonLunday2103]

I’m actually one of the few people who prefers this what you came for. Cheap thrills isn’t my kind of song.

[@stevencaruso825]

2016 the year of the DUMPSTER FIRE

[@jackdomenicucci8363]

Who’s watching this after the ableist movie sia made

[@dw89music73]

I wonder if Todd has seen that movie, since it was directed by Sia, whose many songs Todd has praised on this channel. I know Todd isn't autistic, considering that the movie was supposed to be about autism, but I just want to make sure he did. Not to mention that Todd seems to come off as a bit ableist in how he sees certain singers, like Pat Monahan from Train as if he's got schizophrenia and Wyclef Jean on the 25 For Haiti remake of "We Are The World" wailing and screaming like someone with severe cerebral palsy.

[@ghostofabulletproducciones5748]

@@dw89music73 He made those jokes years before people started to talk in the mainstream about ableism. I don't think Todd would make that kind of jokes now.

[@tala954]

@@dw89music73 well... As an autistic, I can say that that film is really beautiful and portrayed well, it's a tribute to a Sia friend and a lot of autistic people have contributed to it. Don't really understand the hate towards it

[@dw89music73]

@@tala954 The hate towards it comes from Maddie Ziegler being cast to portray the the titular character and that her portrayal came off as being akin to bullies mocking autistic people. And also, there was 2 scenes in which Music was being restrained on the ground to help calm her down when it's widely reported to have killed autistic people in the past. Also, the music videos had triggering overstimulating colours and flashing lights. And the first music video even had Maddie Ziegler appearing in blackface. There's also the fact that Sia snapped back at autistics on Twitter who tried to tell her about how harmful her movie would be to the community, even going so far as to call one of them a "bad actor".

[@tala954]

@@dw89music73 That's not a blackface at all, wth?? U blind? Second, her twitter interactions were humanly understandable, don't y'all be hypocrite, y'all have breakdowns too. Third, the portrayal is accurate and it was a copy of Stevie behaviours (the Sia friend that inspired the movie). Forth, that practice of restraint is actually used by some people but anyway, Sia deleted the scene. Fifth, a person with that type of autism can't stay on a set, Sia tried with a little girl but it was too dangerous, it could create trauma, if you see the movie you can understand more. I live with someone like that and Sia did absolutely the right choice. The film has bright colours... And? It's not a film about autism, it's a music anyway. It's a film about addiction to drugs etc etc. And it has a warning. So... ?? and anyway, I repeat, Sia was completely right responding like that, autism doesn't make you a saint, those persons judge Sia and an entire film by a minute of scene without even know the back story. She has a human reaction. Y'all are so superficial, Y'all read a post on twitter and start speculating, god damn. Sia portrayed a part of the autistic community that everyone ignore, showing real struggles of todays families.

[@aodhancollins]

it's surreal to hear you talking about how rihanna is the biggest person alive in music considering how she hasn't released a song since maybe 2000BC

[@aodhancollins]

@@takemyhand1988 at which point she WILL be the most powerful being in the galaxy and the song will essentially be her victory lap.

[@josephsullivan4560]

So who wants to bet on Me Too placing higher on the worst list than 7 Years?

[@C_hoffmanni]

Ooooo that's a hard one, I'd say Me Too is worse because it has Meghan trainor who is the audio equivalent of a gangrenous wound

[@dethbreth8]

I don't think it will. At least Meghan's honest about her ego stroking.

[@crazyluigi6664]

I think it's going to take #1 for sure. Likely because it's going to a similar case to the Birthday Cake song by Rihanna and Chris Brown in the Worst of 2012 list.

[@cubedmelons876]

As bad as 7 Years is, at least it doesn't insult the listener right in the chorus. That, and it lacks the will.i.am-quality beat.

[@leemacwilliams2237]

I'm honestly more looking forward to the best list this year. I've got a good feeling about Ibiza and Into You, but that's it. Also, if Carly Rae has any hits... everything she's done that isn't Call Me Maybe is what pop is supposed to sound like.

[@evanmcmanus2222]

"You start low, and then you go high!" I think Eric Clapton might disagree with you... *cough* Layla *cough*!

[@aurora7934]

Who's Layla?

[@waywardlaser]

Pop music is just passing me by now. All year long I haven't even heard of any of these songs until Todd does a review of them.

[@danieldb631]

Strangely enough, the two titles look like a conclusive sentence.

[@cocobarbarian1510]

TODD FINALLY HAS AN AVATAR! HURAY

[@lbthebookworm2807]

Sia said that when she broke into pop music, she was thinking about what doesn’t exist in pop, which is mystery. That’s why she wears the wig. Plus, it’s something we’ve come to associate with her, so it you see a black and white wig in an ad, you immediately think about her. Honestly, I thought the whole idea was a little strange, but Sia now has a character in the My Little Pony universe modeled after her, so what do I know?

[@theyounglinksociety6258]

I like both. I wouldn't say they're amazing but if they come on the radio i'll leave it on.

[@chuckbatman5]

Cheap Thrills is better because the hook doesn't make me wanna fill my ears with gasoline and light them on fire. I've always though Sia was the better Rihanna and this just reinforces my opinion. Sia doesn't NEED to show her face or have her own flamboyant pop identity. In fact her NOT having one makes her more interesting. She's this weird caricature of a pop singer with (for me at least) an instantly recognizable singing voice, and a damn good one at that. Rihanna can be a good singer, but she's so big that she doesn't even have to try to crank out hits. I mean just listen to "Work".

[@aphr0d]

I LOVED THE Anti album

[@sebastianq.7884]

Definitely one of your best videos in a little while. This has to be one of your funniest.

[@AD-wz6nd]

Sis covers her face due to anxiety, as well as insecurity surrounding her Grave’s disease.

[@Burtzman20]

Nice. The two current songs I've been wanting to see Todd review the most, in one vid.

[@ursidae97]

I like that Sia hides herself even though we know what she looks like. It becomes a symbolic move of death of the author rather than being, I don't know, scared of people.

[@tristanbrown5879]

Sia does it so you can focus on the movements of the dancers

[@johnwerner69]

Nah

[@TimmyTickle]

Sia does it because she's a raging egomaniac

[@johnwerner69]

+Tim Mackie nah

[@brynnplant]

Hiding... her face... makes her an egomaniac?

[@bigmac137]

Cheap Thrills is better for the fact that it actually has lyrical value and she has an amazing voice.

[@Nagoragama]

I like the syncopated rhythms in the "This is What You Came For" chorus.

[@germanvisitor2]

Party music is not my thing. I do not party. Yet, _Cheap Thrills_ helped me a bit in a depressive phase. I had it running on loop for hours a day over weeks.

[@modtick]

this is one of the best review you've done in a long time. great job

[@InaZeaAnaZazi]

Remember when drops weren't THE thing in music?

[@prufrock1977]

As some who doesn't listen to pop music...like, ever...even having preteen daughters...I totally love your reviews. Thanks for all the work.

[@msdisco85]

Calvin Harris was good in 2008, when he was the club guy for indie kids on his first album with songs like 'Acceptable in the 80s'. But he really sold out. Maybe that's why he went out with Taylor Swift, cos he knew about ditching credibility for the pop crowd.

[@mitchellhorwood8767]

Talk about Cold Water and Let Me Love You. 2 electronic dance songs with the same vocalist: Justin Bieber. Major Lazer and DJ Snake are the makers of these songs and it seems like they are both trying to make the song of the summer again as they both collaborated last year for one of the songs of the summer in "Lean On" which features M0 who was also a featured vocalist on Cold Water. This shows a trend of where pop music could be going to. Popular singers and popular DJ's collaborating by making mediocre mindless dancehall music. I'd love to hear your opinion on it!

[@lkrnpk]

I would say the trend was started alredy by, incidentally, Calvin Harris and Rihanna in 2011 with ''We Found Love''... it was the first song where I really saw the future of pop... that EDM would become big on US charts. I even posted that somewhere, like mark my words, you will see more of this in future, this is the sound of 10s pop

[@mitchellhorwood8767]

+lkrnpk I agree completely

[@ZepawFox]

The Mau5 is a total gimmick but it's not like he hides his identity.

[@anthrax1328]

I mean, to be fair, Sia only just started doing that, so it's not like she really does either.

[@tehberral]

I think a lot of this goes back to Todd not really getting Electronica at all. A lot of artists (esspecially solo artists) in the genre go out of their way to hide their face or use said hiding as part of an aesthetic. In fact that's why, at one point Aphex Twin's art direction was seen as odd within electronic circles because his face was the primary part of the presentation. But as a whole, like with the Mau5head, electronic music isn't really "Star power" driven like other genres. Todd overall covers pop music, which is mostly about personality driven, so I get why this concept might be odd.

[@samoria7530]

+AllRightsRejected sia hides her face for a different reason. she doesn't want people to recognize her in public

[@tehberral]

+The REVENGERS I get that, and it makes perfect sense to me with how rabid press and fan alike are. On the plus side she does use it as a fairly interesting visual presentation which I can appreciate even if I'm not a huge fan of her music. Still not sure what Todd's issue is with it.

[@samoria7530]

+AllRightsRejected idk maybe he's jelous of her awesome wigs

[@protohunters]

14:22 Dear fucking god Todd, you have to warn us when you're about to put a jumpscare in the video. I nearly had a heart attack.

[@josuelopez3145]

Cheap thrills literally sounds like crying in the club and another one by Shawn Mendez at least this is what you came for has some element of originality

[@tala954]

No it doesn't sounds alike... The best and everything is just different. Wth r u saying? And Sia wrote that Camila song anyways but it doesn't sounds alike