POP SONG REVIEW: "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons vs. "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man

Is it just me or has indie rock lost its indie mojo in the Commercials Era of music?
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[@Bj5m17h]

Imagine a dragon. Pretty cool, right? Now listen to Imagine Dragons... Your dragon is now sad and feels kinda lame.

[@annieboookhall]

My dragon is Toothless and he has way more personality than ID

[@mrboerger1620]

My Dragonite looked at me in Pokemon amie or whatever and than she just made a weird noise

[@hirightnow]

I imagined a jhereg...now what?

[@Bj5m17h]

@@hirightnow Imagine Trogdor burninating the houses.

[@thesaurusakasickakatheomc7688]

Imagine Dragons are worse than the Rick and Morty dragon episode.

[@e11aguru]

"Thunder" doesn't even sound like it's by a band. It sounds like a jingle written by some corporate advertising agency sung over music from a computer.

[@ozmarichardson6524]

I mean, that's how I've felt about most everything that's been released in the last 25 years. (PS I'm 25)

[@qster4]

But that's Imagine Dragon's music in a nutshell.

[@SarcasticPossum]

Well that's alot of how most music becomes popular nowadays.

[@Xetelian]

Did you not see Imagine Dragon's league of legends song? Warriors? Its like that band had a hit come out and then spent the last 5 or so years pitching songs in office meetings instead of writing music like bands used to.

[@mrflipperinvader7922]

How you know

[@shelbyfrancis3961]

My husband pointed out to me that the weird robot voice in the back sounds like it's saying "fundip" and now I can't unhear it.

[@rzeka]

lmao

[@ZainR]

I've told people at work the same thing and now we all call it the fun dip song.

[@KlonBlastbeat]

Ha! A guy I work with showed me the same thing.

[@spazzyshortgirl23]

I hear the voice of a toddler asking for his "wah-ter?". There's one kid I desperately want to record and dub into this song.

[@bigkirbyhj666]

Eh I've always preferred pixiesticks.

[@Vote4Drizzt]

It will not ever cease to irritate me that Imagine Dragons isn't a Scandinavian fantasy metal band

[@princealigorna7468]

Especially when the singer looks like a member of Wardrunna

[@Future_Doggo]

Thankfully, Amon Amarth will always be there for us.

[@isaiahromero9861]

Are you implying that "imagine dragons" is a cool band name lol

[@pseudofox]

"Feel It Still" is a fun, funky pop rock song that's aged pretty fine, I think. Imagine Dragons has become a punchline, though. For real.

[@ambern6069]

They’re the new Nickelback. A band that still appears to be thriving, but not a single person you know likes them.

[@cfredrics]

@@ambern6069 "Imagine Dragons is the new Nickleback" is one of those statements of fact that just makes this wild and crazy world make just a little bit more sense.

[@SirLightsOut99]

I do like the song, but to me it also feels like it’s become the template for so many generic alternative tracks, if alternative is even the right word to use anymore.

[@drstrangelove307]

Feel it Still is a generic mess honestly that uses the same template of all mainstream alt pop, at the very least with Imagine Dragons’ songs you know the lyrics beyond 2 words.

[@Demiglitch]

@@drstrangelove307 No? I know the word "Thunder" in a high pitched voice.

[@Nrdyco]

I like how you... actually give the pause for "Portugal..... The man"

[@MsAngrybutterfly]

I went to a fancy art school and because of it I have this theory: a lot of my friends from Fancy Art School who became successful are in their 30's and 40's now and producing a lot of commercially successful mainstream stuff, since they grew up listening to 90's alternative bands, they are the ones picking the music for commercials now. This is also why 80's jingles sounded like mainstream pop music from the 50's and 60's. The tastes of people in their 30's and 40's are what actually inform mainstream commercials. Hence the 30 year fashion cycle. Thanks for coming to my ted talk.

[@JohnMoseley]

See also music for kids cartoons now, loads of which sounds like very alternative US indie stuff from the '90s.

[@fka_sophrosyne]

I like "Feel It Still" but it sounds like it's going to be used in a Swifter commercial in 4 years

[@sketchyjulia]

Or an Illumination movie trailer

[@jack_lion]

Will lyk next year

[@abigailc8829]

It got used in a Vitamin Water commercial :/

[@ARTV-]

The ad jingles you pitched, I laughed so damn hard. Hyundai, buy a Hyundai. I'll never hear it the same way again, and I wouldn't want to.

[@zfbananas]

Aha at least it makes that song **slightly** more entertaining

[@liamburke66]

Yo I was just watching you

[@ByeByeDeadName]

Papa Jon

[@patricklauer4452]

Helloooooo Jon

[@Static_Symphony]

Youre damn right John..

[@caitlinroseblaney226]

“Feel It Still” is “Please Mr. Postman”. Compare: “Ooh, I’m a rebel just for kicks, yeah / your love is an abyss for my heart to eclipse, yeah...” With: “Woah, yes, wait a minute Mr. Postman / Wa-ai-ai-ait, Mr. Postman...” No wonder they reference the 60’s in the song!

[@lasagna312]

Just like Todd, the first time I heard Feel It Still was in that vitamin water commercial, and the first thing I thought was "This sounds like Please Mr. Postman. Also, is that Aaron Paul??"

[@no_peace]

@David Clinging that's good, i was wondering why there wasn't rioting in the street

[@renerusselladorio1952]

Triple q

[@pocketpicker6613]

The vocal delivery and overall groove is more in line with Get Ready by The Temptations though. The only thing that's similar is the chorus hook.

[@slartybartfast4213]

@@pocketpicker6613 Yeah it's almost a direct rip-off, hope they got a credit for it, I also first thought of Please Mr Postman with that 1st line. BTW Get Ready is a great song, I don't think I've heard it before, thanks mate.

[@lucyw4195]

2017: "I can only assume this means Father John Misty has a trap song he's waiting to release." 2020: Father John Misty writes "Myself" for Post Malone It's true, all Todd's ironic predictions come true!

[@Demiglitch]

The monkey's finger curls...

[@pree381]

“Feel it still” was really exciting for me purely on the grounds that the band came from Alaska, it wasn't something I ever expected to see. Music is a really big deal here, but nothing local ever seems to make it very far.

[@hamsters7760]

Hey, you got Jewel. *eyes Trainwreckords* For a bit...

[@TortoiseMaximus]

Jolteon’s name in Japan is Thunder, so yeah it is a pokemon saying its name

[@itsonlytaylor5124]

Jerkhov lol

[@rzeka]

Jerkhov I thought that was zapdos's name edit: Zapdos is Thunder (sandaa) and Jolteon is Thunders (sandaasu)

[@Tonithealtwing]

Thunder always reminded me of Suicune for some reason. Thunder, in my mind, is always going to be known as The Suicune Song.

[@Nnoitrum]

@@markusnashorn1145 yes, "rai" is thunder, zapdos and jolteon have the english word "thunder(s)" written in japanese as their name

[@metademetra]

Their creatures? Great! The names? Just terrible. Someone at Game Freak is awful at naming things.

[@izzy1221]

**bites into a iPhone** Mmmm...consumerism.

[@SamanthaPortUkulele]

Mmmm, broken glass, shards of metal, and blood. My favorite!

[@madeupname3008]

Isagail sounds like a Simpsons joke before it went to shit

[@ELEcomments]

I have a term for music that sounds like or is in ads and trailers, I call it Com-Pop lol. And I believe it blew up in 2006-2009 originally where songs like "Fireflies" By Owl City, and "Suddenly I See" By Kt Tunstall were around. Simple songs with a commercial appeal that makes it easy to put them into ads and trailers. Unfortunately now that seems like the mould for EVERY song.

[@jessica23claire]

All I think of when I hear Bruises by Chairlift is an iPod commercial so I agree

[@sirgemini5743]

fitz and the tantrums and edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros are basically the first thing when i think of com-pop.

[@Zayloxithe]

Every time I hear feel it still I always hear "I'm a rebel with a kickstand"

[@violetn.8688]

Hearing "Little Talks" in this video made me genuinely happy. I'd forgotten how much I love that song.

[@BlakeGeometrio]

Violet N. Same.

[@Greymetaphor]

Same. One Foot applies for me as well :)

[@genderqueergorehound]

I just can't hear that song without thinking of the Isosine mashup.

[@kristine6643]

oMaM really is a great band. Shame they haven’t released anything since 2015. I felt the same thing when I heard It’s Time. God I miss those kinds of Gonad Migraines songs.

[@RealLukeWilson]

It’s such a bombastically optimistic, feel-good song

[@calebboatman9840]

I can't stand thunder, I actually like Feel It Still

[@user-uv2cp1qd1j]

That's a very popular opinion.

[@Liliputian07]

They're both perfectly fine songs

[@thatjillgirl]

I enjoy when Feel It Still comes on the radio, but I haven't felt compelled to buy it. When Thunder plays, I don't hate it, but I do get really confused as to why it's as popular as it is. It just sounds like kind of a nothing song to me.

[@GHguy17]

I can’t stand either.

[@riahlexington]

Same

[@GNo03]

The only theory I have for “kick it like it’s 1986” is at the beginning of Fight for your Right by Beastie Boys they shout “KICK IT” and that song came out in 1986. Kind of weird cause there’s so many songs that have “kick it” in it lol

[@koboldcatgirl]

I always assumed the "kick it like it's 1966" was more about, y'know, the 60s. As in, civil unrest, riots in the streets. It's the mood they're in. I Googled it and they actually explained it in an interview: “Things often start off kinda like automatic writing. Words that sound good and feel right to us. It’s very subconscious in the beginning and as we fine tune things we learn a lot about ourselves and how our brains work. It’s kinda crazy. Like a Rorschach Ink Blot Test. Generally inspired by a couple specific sea changes that mean a lot to us. 1966 - Civil rights movements, war protest and LSD testing. 1986 - first finding out about New York hip hop. ‘License To Ill’. ‘Fight For Your Right to Party’. Essentially a rebel just for kicks. “

[@koboldcatgirl]

Oh, and I also took this as a song about being exhausted by protest and politics and rioting and mostly sticking with it for the "thrill" . I kind of interpret it as an old protester singing about the newer and more idealistic protesters. "I may not have their optimism anymore, but hey, I still like punching Nazis, y'know?"

[@Starcrunch72]

“Things often start off kinda like automatic writing. Words that sound good and feel right to us. It’s very subconscious in the beginning and as we fine tune things we learn a lot about ourselves and how our brains work. It’s kinda crazy..." Oh yeah, like it was automatically written by AI or something....smh "What a drag it is getting old..."

[@koboldcatgirl]

@@Starcrunch72 Funny you mention the Rolling Stones, who also wrote Ruby Tuesday-explicitly a song about nothing. Not everything has to be a crisis and sign of pop music's freefall.

[@TokuBoyStudios]

I love it when Todd does double song episodes

[@exiledevertonian3336]

I love it when todd actually uploads

[@wombatkidd]

that's the statemint of the great mint in double mint gum.

[@originalscreenname44]

Toku Nation it seems to be Imagine Dragons most of the time.

[@gutsmasterson2488]

I love it when Todd tells us what is going wrong in the world of music

[@SamanthaPortUkulele]

originalscreenname44 "it seems to be Imagine Dragons -most of the time- twice." FTFY

[@justcallmecaligula]

thunder = bad feel it still = fine, but overplayed by now

[@juancarlosprovenciolameira9326]

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Although I like the exposure that the band is getting because of it.

[@EYTPS]

More like thunder = scary

[@afterdinnercreations936]

They used it in a James Cordon rabbit-movie

[@isaiahromero9861]

Wild how badly both songs aged

[@undertasty]

I get how it's sad and annoying to see all these authentic, earnest indie acts being used for a bazillion commercials, but it's not a sign of upcoming apocalypse or anything. It's a trend, and it will pass like anything else. In ten years, I don't think anyone will remember the friggin sugarwater ad, but they will be rebels just for kicks now and always.

[@planescaped]

Commercials have ruined so many songs for me. I am so thankful I got rid of television in 2007. It's enabled me to enjoy so much music I'd otherwise be unable to dissociate from a fucking commercial... I love the song Roam by the B52's, but even still, after all this time, all I think of when I listen to it is a travel agency commercial I saw when I was 8 or 9... Half of ACDC's and Guns and Roses's songs are ruined for me by association with commercials and movies. Despite my best efforts not to, Do you Realize by the Flaming Lips always reminds me of a car commercial as well. :(

[@OldFantasy]

Yes Indie is annoying

[@n3v3rg01ngback]

under the empty sky They will rebel against peace and democracy. That happens every century.

[@mamawray]

Zactly. Stones songs were used to sell both Microsoft and Apple products back in the 90s. SFW.

[@ErieRosewood]

Idk, I get happy whenever I hear my favorite indie band in a commercial. I guess that's just me but, if they're really small I just feel proud of them

[@cinnamonnoir2487]

"Kinda sounds like a Pokemon saying its own name..." The fun part is that in Japanese there actually _is_ a Pokemon called "Thunder". Hint: It's Zapdos.

[@MagusMirificus]

Does is bother anyone else that the hook in "Feel It Still" is borrowed from the intro to "Please Mr. Postman"? "Ooh, woo, I'm a rebel just for kicks, now" "Oh, yeah, wait a minute Mr. postman"

[@Wired4Life2]

MagusMirificus Should it count as a sample then?

[@samfeldstein4498]

Am I the only one who thinks the beginning sounds a bit like a combination of The Name Game by Shirley Ellis and Happy by Pharrell Williams?

[@MagusMirificus]

tg72211 Whoa, really? I had no idea.

[@kathrinw.7716]

You're absolutely right. It also resembles Happy by Pharrell, though probably more by genre.

[@abcdefgold]

it doesn't bother me, but it bothers me that Todd didn't mention it - I was waiting for that the entire episode

[@LewdConnoisseur]

Remember when Glee was a thing and we got our obscure hits that way?

[@leonconnelly5303]

Gonzo Lewd how can you have an obscure hit?

[@jk844100]

Leon Connelly he meant obscure songs that become hits.

[@KaijaSchmauss]

They made A Great Big World and Fun. a thing. As someone who that show meant a lot to, but will also rant for hours about how bad it got in the last 3 - 4 seasons, I will always thank them for that. Especially given that when I actually met A Great Big World both of them were as kind as they could've been.

[@RyanStorey1231]

We really need another show like Glee. Not for the show itself, but so we can have other means of getting obscure indie hits.

[@RyanStorey1231]

Kaija Schmauss - Its sad that Fun. broke up so quickly after that breakthrough album, because they had multiple hits and then they announced their hiatus. Such a wasted opportunity. They could have easily been one of the decade's biggest bands if they had just stayed together for a little bit longer.

[@dappleback]

I heard this as a rumor so I can't guarantee its authenticity, but my understanding is that Imagine Dragons was originally assembled to write music for Spiderman Turn Off The Dark, but early into production someone decided they really liked their music on its own and decided to promote them as a band, independent from the musical. Radioactive was originally about the radioactive spider that bit Peter Parker, but the lyrics were changed to avoid association with Spiderman.

[@Ene-Chan]

Then bono took over!?

[@silversamm]

That doesnt sound right... they did weird Vegas showtune music or something, under the name Imagine Dragons before they hit the mainstream. They had female vocals too, some of it sounded fun, one I remember most is called 'speak to me'

[@amberhernandez]

@@silversamm I'm not sure, but I think the female vocalist's first name was Tess or Theresa.

[@uglyaniimals]

do you have a source on this ? either way it's an interesting theory

[@alejandroescalante6338]

It warmed my heart to see Metric and hear Help I'm Alive even if it's only on the background, those guy deserve so much recognition

[@gombocdimensional9050]

were they band playing at 12:00

[@alejandroescalante6338]

@@gombocdimensional9050 Yes, they were

[@beehivehurricaine]

Portugals song sounds like mr postman and happy had a love child

[@shaid1111]

Wow... He is totally right. But honestly who can blame these bands? They have to make money somehow.

[@Bakermillerpinko]

Herman Falck How dont blame the bands, blame the economic hellscape were in.

[@Scorpia161]

Herman Falck How honestly, makes me wish I werent fucking poor so i could buy music lol..i find new music youtube, i wonder if that helps?

[@ShjadeNexayre]

I dunno, the rightness of his claim sorta depends on how much TV you watch. I heard both of these songs on the radio (far too often for my taste in the case of Thunder) and haven't heard them on any commercials, so... *shrug?* It doesn't have the "wow this is so commercial" effect on me that he describes experiencing.

[@kathrinw.7716]

Herman Falck How I agree but music should have a place to itself, where it isn't just one mere tool by Marketing Hacks.

[@Archeopteryxman421]

Shjade I do watch some television, so I first heard, at least "Feel It Still" in that Vitamin Water ad he showed. Honestly, until I heard the song separately, I thought it was an ad jingle.

[@krystencabbage1032]

The benefit of listening to the radio and not having TV service is that I'm not exposed to ads, except on youtube, and with that, it's mainly some boring thing about investments. So when I hear a new song, it's usually on the radio or internet.

[@ispearedbritney]

The radio. Not exposed to ads. LMAO

[@MQKWJXNDRBTVPL]

Funny of you to mention that, i don't remember the last time i even used a radio or a TV, i ONLY hear music, and for that matter, ONLY actually consume content™ on KZbin, and i mostly have adblock on (Except for channels i like and convinced me to actively support them), so, i'm kind of immune to the Ads watering down music that i like... Now that i typed all of this, i might just explained to myself several things about my own music taste.

[@VictoryfortheFreeman]

Todd is the best modern music historian. He notices this shit as it happens not years after.

[@Ene-Chan]

VictoryfortheFreeman Heck Yeah

[@Gingerm0nster]

4 years later, you’re still right. I have my gripes with Todd as a critic, but his biggest strength is his real time historian analysis. He does it better than anyone else.

[@artbk]

Yeah, Todd's zeitgeistying is impressive.

[@Betrce77]

It's really surreal seeing Portugal. The Man being reviewed by Todd. I never expected them to get a top 100 hit, let alone a top 40.

[@mikerivera373]

Top 5

[@JFairy189]

Kris Sosa Holy shit.

[@annaisntcool]

glad i’m not the only one. imagine anything from “evil friends” on the top 40...wild hahaha

[@iivvrryy]

Seriosuly. Evil Friends is their best album though imo

[@juancarlosprovenciolameira9326]

PhoenixPoptart I love Evil friends but my favorite songs are from ITMITC

[@conord9623]

“Because X Ambassadors suck and I hate them”

[@wabeliwaba5222]

Feel it still is definitely a 60’s song It’s Mr Postman

[@obiwankenobi8033]

Ur pfp gives me a very weird vibe

[@PassTheMarmalade1957]

I like Imagine Dragons, but that description 'a Hipster beard Maroon 5' is too accurate.

[@culwin]

I was hating Imagine Dragons before anybody else.

[@Xetelian]

I don't hate them, I just can only take them in small doses. I'm the kind of guy that finds a song and listens to it for hours until I know every drum beat and lyric by heart but I can't listen to Thunder.

[@jeremias-serus]

Early ID was good, tbh

[@jeremy0828]

@@jeremias-serus they have a good song every now and then. They sold out hard tho

[@jewnersey7413]

+ 10,000 hipsta points

[@2120musiclover]

They suck so hard.

[@kathrynbrown279]

It's so interesting to me how different music in the US is to music in the UK. Here, I have never heard Feel it Still - EVER - except for on KZbin, and I don't even hear any Imagine Dragons songs either except for the very occasional car advert. It's also come up before, for example when everyone was complaining about Stressed Out being over played on the radio in America, and I have never heard any Twenty One Pilots song on the radio ever. Plus, in the UK Bastille has had another quite big hit with Good Grief. It's so fascinating to me!

[@annasaringer3729]

Kathryn Brown Finally! Someone who understands me! I always watch these american reviewers complaining about pop, and I have no idea what they are talking about!

[@randomdudewholikesmusic1640]

Fellow Stormer here

[@ryankasch1437]

I loved the 2nd Bastille album but none of them were big hits in America. Just like the most recent The Killers album I have listened to both tons of times but I've only ever heard them on the alt rock sirius xm station at my work

[@ellenwynne5037]

I love Bastille! I wish they were popular in the US. I heard Good Grief for the first time at a restaurant (and immediately knew it was them), and occasionally I'll hear it in other stores, but...

[@RocketdaanMusic]

the UK seemingly give less of a crap about American indie, the two songs in this video are huge in US but 'Thunder' only peaked at #20 here and 'Feel It Still' peaked at #39. though 'Stressed Out' was quite big here and played a lot on BBC Radio 1, peaked at #12 in the chart.

[@paigehebert]

I agree with Todd, music in general shouldn't be about just advertising and only that. It's just so sad that this is all music is now, I remember when I could listen to a song on it's own and advertisements are not rubbing in your face constantly just for people to buy their products. I understand these companies are making a business by putting out these artists/bands who would like to advance their career, but it is also hurting the music industry and only making these people's songs a novelty. I just wish music could just be music and stick with it without people falling for the advertisements and not remembering what song and who sang the songs on their own.

[@cobly6873]

I like how Jon Lajoie literally has a song called “please use this song” where he begs companies to put his song in their ads, and it’s got that same kinda vibe to it yet at the same time i feel like it sort of makes fun of the whole corporate rock thing

[@casketbase7750]

Well, that’s one spot on the Worst of 2017 list crossed off. I look forward to hating Imagine Dragons for the foreseeable future.

[@themodereviews3182]

Which one, Thunder of Believer?

[@casketbase7750]

Thunder sounds far more annoying. Believer is just a big hollow product.

[@juungakagi4262]

Jack Casey what do you mean?

[@thema1998]

Jack Casey I find "Thunder" annoying but I don't hate it. It's just okay in my opinion.

[@MrChaotic4]

Jack Casey He said both of them were okay, so neither of them is going to make either the best or worst list.

[@FrondomeCast]

Notification squad... Usually don't bother with that but with Todd you're never sure if the video will stay up for long.

[@lewisclark1122]

I hated Imagine Dragons before it was cool to hate them. Do I win 10,000 hipster points as well?

[@sportsjefe]

I thought "Radioactive" was just noise, and everything else they've done is just as noisy, so why is everyone surprised that they suck?

[@ffjreviews9029]

Canby Ibarra well Radioactive was actually good, so was It’s Time. I mean, I do like Whatever it Takes, but their other recent hits like Believer and Natural are just complete noisy shit. And Thunder is easily their worst song because it has absolutely no noise. Basically Thunder is like Girls Like You, while Believer and Natural are like Animals-mals or One More Night

[@knightwing5169]

Their music has always had this fakeness to it that I can't stand. "Radioactive" is kinda okay, I guess. Mostly because the plastic-y, synthetic sound of Imagine Dragons' music fits well in a song where the entire world is covered in radioactive isotopes (which don't naturally exist). Also, am I the only one who thinks that for a band like Imagine Dragons to release a song called "Natural" is tempting fate?

[@whateverworksmate.721]

I used to like Imagine Dragons a lot. They're earlier stuff still holds a special place in my heart, but after Smoke + Mirrors, which is their 2015 album and also a mixed bag, they just went to shit imo. Demons and Radioactive also lowkey sucked compared to a lot of their other stuff.

[@griffinmcgonagle3272]

I only like it’s time from them but I fuckin love that song

[@NormanRafferty]

Let's not forget Moby, who pioneered this strategy: "In 1999, Moby released the album Play. The album had moderate sales after its release, but eventually went on to sell over ten million records worldwide a year later. Every song on the album was licensed internationally to various films, advertisements, and TV shows, as well as independent films and non-profit groups." [wikipedia] Even back in 1999, licensing your music to commercials got more air play than radio.

[@HarperNell]

I actually like imagine dragons, and no I'm not here to push my opinion I just wanted to share something. I follow the imagine dragons album releases pretty intently, and I started to notice something. Thunder was barely as popular as it is now for a while, and then that car commercial was released. When I first heard that car commercial I was like, "oh yeah...that song. Thought they would've used something for popular. Eh." And then not long after thunder became ridiculously popular. What's interesting about this is that I've listened to a lot of other imagine dragons songs, but only the louder, more...big sings ever get popular. I think that's because those are the only songs which ever get used for commercials, thus the bands make more songs like that to make money. It's like natural selection with songs. Natural songlection. Evolusong.

[@goldegreen]

Yeah, I feel like he'd find their less popular stuff better

[@StormyKopaAMVs]

In that case, I'd like my natural songlection to be 100% organic and free of artificial consumerism. _(promptly quits KZbin)_

[@benevans4500]

that's what a single is called

[@ducklordthegreat352]

Ben Evans Yeah but their singles are usually not great. I mean what was their last really good single? It’s Time from 2012?? I mean Whatever It Takes isn’t that bad but still they can do much better

[@fandyfirdaus8631]

They've been "maroon 5'ed"

[@someguy7424]

The fact that these two songs are said to represent "rock" in the mainstream makes me feel like I've just woken up from a coma to realize I've been castrated against my will.

[@rattyeely]

some guy ah yes, the two new"'rock'" hits; a Motown ripoff and a pop song

[@Betta66]

some guy The Pretty Reckless is a really good rock band that’s gotten some chart success. Why aren’t they getting that kind of recognition?

[@zombieedrea]

Betta66 They have on mainstream rock radio, but not the Top 40. It's the same thing for Highly Suspect. They've been nominated two years in a row for Best Rock Album at the Grammys (well deserved imo), but they've never had huge mainstream hits outside of the rock charts. The Pretty Reckless have been the same way.

[@isaachoeschen4794]

Go back to just about any year in history and see what "rock songs" are in the top 10; You might be surprised. True, it's often not as bad as now, but you'll find a lot more midtempo ballads and dancey pop songs then you expect. Plus, it's not like "every rose has its thorn" or "more than a feeling" or "I ran" or "Two Princes" are any more "real rock" than these two songs

[@vincentjohnson7175]

Most popular heavy metal from the 80s and alternative rock from the 90s was much heavier and had more panache than recent popular "rock". And of course the 70s were the golden era for hard rock in terms of popularity. Heavier stuff never gets on the Hot 100 now. You'll never hear bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, old school Linkin Park, Metallica, Judas Priest, Nirvana, etc on the Hot 100 these days. Metallica's last album was actually really good and they got 0 singles on the Hot 100... yet Death Magnetic did and all of their old albums had singles on the Hot 100.

[@First-iz9xv]

Laughed out loud at the father John misty joke

[@blazeallen4203]

"They're selling stuff through our music. They're selling US through our music. Oh my god. It's all my fault. Everything. People dressing alike, buying the same stuff. I sold it to them. I'm a trend pimp. Well it stops here! I'm nobody's pimp. And I'm not gonna let Wyatt and Fiona get away with this. We are going to the police and we're taking this with us!" -- Josie McCoy

[@missalcoholic4572]

Now... we wait for Todd’s Top Ten worst/best hit songs of 2017 :P

[@johnnyhellstrom7121]

Be sure to follow him on Vimeo, because they're probably gonna get copyright striked on KZbin. Again.

[@KoopySandwiches]

Miss Alcoholic Yeah, sometime in March.

[@epicjake3522]

You wouldn't believe how long I've been waiting from that

[@alyssamenezes4144]

Miss Alcoholic my favourite time of the year😁

[@Static_Symphony]

Wrong. In his Something Just Like This review, he said it was an ok song, so its definitely gonna be #1 just like what he did with Closer *Vietnam flashbacks intensifies*

[@orangeapples]

That is kind of a strange thing that once making music for corporations was once selling out and now that’s how the music spreads. Weird.

[@EAPori]

Imagine Dragons was my favorite band and I still have a special nostalgic place in my heart for it but...Thunder was the song that made me realize the critics were on to something. Like I actually hate the song. I think they still have some gems to their name but I think I've moved on from like...mindless devotion to everything they made

[@MrLeftpinky]

7:38 I wasn’t ready. Too damn adorable.

[@zaneprice2228]

I heared "Here Comes Your Man" by the Pixies on a commercial the other day and nearly fell into a coma

[@sietsejohannes]

I never understand why people have such a problem with these things. I'd just be glad for them that they found an opportunity to make some extra money. Plus, it's not like we'd associate "Here comes your man" with that commercial anyway, because that song came out in the 80's, and almost all Pixies fans know it by heart.

[@richarddorazi8565]

Great review and analysis on the commercialism of music in our society! Didn’t hear Feel It Still in those commercials but I definitely hear Imagine Dragons’s music in everything along with every other indie band. I have the same reaction with Imagine Dragons as you have in that their music is meant to be filler for commercials and the radio. Every time I hear them, I feel indifferent toward the songs. I also caught on as well to the period in Portugal. The Man’s name. Feels funny every time I say it!

[@swadloom40]

13:37 Todd predicted Fancy Like

[@daniellemhall1358]

I first heard HAIM on a Target ad and I ended up liking the song so much I listened to their album. Then again it helps that for the ads on cable are just mini shows for me because most of the products aren't marketed to me.

[@zaloryawilkerson4281]

The Pokemon thing killed me😂😂

[@zebbr0s]

Portugal the man cracked me up everytime you had to say it

[@TheDinotz]

When I think of Imagine Dragons I simply think of the FIFA menu opening

[@judastheman]

I heard Slow Hands by Interpol in a car commercial before. I was actually kind of happy to hear them. They're also in House of Wax.

[@TheNekomata8]

Oh wow, I thought "Thunder" was a Flo Rida song. Imagine Dragon's why?

[@ducklordthegreat352]

Mercurial Pierrot They still make good music sometimes. Whatever It Takes is pretty good and it’s currently the most popular rock song in the country. Honestly their last album wasn’t that bad. Nothing special but Thunder is one of the worst songs on it.

[@lordowl3533]

Except imagine dragons isn't even rock. In any way. It's electronic aside from vocals and that's it. Oh and there's a LITTLE real guitar and real bass for maybe a minute in each of their newer songs. Stuff like it's time was good and involved the whole band but now it's like the singer only and the band is only there for live performances where they change some of the sound

[@GoodVolition]

Remember that time Modest Mouse got a hit?

[@digamejh]

Yeah, he talked about them on One Hit Wonderland ;)

[@henrath]

3 years ago or 13 years ago? They had 2 alt rock singles.

[@IABITVpresents]

Jon Heiman Just a bit until he bait and switched us all into a song by The Floaters. Good, good tiems.

[@digamejh]

IABI TV I know; I was just trolling. ;)

[@IABITVpresents]

Jon Heiman trolling? lol omg how funny !

[@Luke-zj6ge]

*"Sounds like a Pokemon saying its own name"* XD Todd you slay me!

[@KayleeCee]

MassDreams GT That cracked me up too. That's exactly what it sounds like!

[@Bismuth83X]

Fun fact: Zapdos's Japanese name is サンダー (Sandā), which is just a transliteration of "thunder" into Japanese.

[@lmo6634]

all of todd's videos are honestly so creative and well written, love the dude

[@CazTheGamerGuy]

Imagine Dragons That Breathe Money would probably be a more appropriate name for the "Thunder" band.

[@nickjames8377]

Caz 1. I agree 2. Im a big fan

[@sladikk]

WAIT WHAT? Coke redubbed the Caravan Palace ad! ELECTRO SWING IS TOO PURE

[@karda009]

sladikk I heard electro swing in an ad and I feel like something in my heart got tainted. I know it's dumb but still...

[@sladikk]

karda009 Yeah, that's the cost of the mainstream success of retro electro genres like electro swing and synthwave

[@karda009]

sladikk I don't feel like it should change the music for me, but it does. It's so weird too, cuz I've never felt this way about a type of music before. Jazz, hip hop, rock and roll, hootchi koo, etc, have always been pretty commercial in my mind cuz that's how I grew up.

[@sladikk]

karda009 The thing is though, it's rare for a genre to be truly "indie" or "underground" with the accessibility of the internet

[@Crysta11ize]

Been a big Portugal The Man fan for awhile now, happy to see them get a breakthrough song- even if it’s not one of their best, imo

[@mikkiblyat7069]

the singer of Portugal. The Man lives in my city 👍

[@christianninsananda9626]

Anyone else think Portugal. The Man's lead singer is the Cinema Snob's brother?

[@Nickman826]

Hipster Snob?

[@Khenfu_Cake]

Christian Ninsananda I was wondering if I was the only one who noticed the resemblance between those two:D

[@iivvrryy]

Don't disrespect John Gourley like that

[@jefferyjones8399]

I really enjoy "Feel It Still" and I've liked Portugal. The Man for a long time. However, Imagine Dragons is just boring. They always have been..

[@charliemw333]

Yeah Imagine Dragon's new albums probably are, but their older stuff is so much greater than evolve. Check the lesser known songs of night visions, the it's time ep, or the i tunes sessions they did. Personally I'd say their best songs are Amsterdam and Tokyo, Cha-ching is also great.

[@sebastianperezmusic]

charliemw3 I absolutely love Amsterdam! It was one of the first songs I listened to after checking out the band

[@dannycomellas]

Fun fact: former Jeopardy champion Buzzy Cohen is a guy that plays a huge role in brokering the deals between bands and commercials

[@Saintnick90]

"I guess Bastille's still hanging in there waiting to get that second hit." One year later...

[@bhkatzur]

Am I the only one hearing "Please Mr. Postman" in "Feel It Still"? It's driving me crazy...

[@bhkatzur]

Ahhh, Wikipedia says the same thing. I am sane. You hear me? Sane!

[@DukeSkylocker]

While the review was great I have to disagree with Todd about Feel It Steel only evoking the fun aspect of the 60s. I think it's funny that he points out that the reason why the 60s is feeling relevant now is because of all the turmoil, when that's EXACTLY the point of the song. Portugal. The Man are literally saying that they don't feel like much has changed since then which is the whole reason they came up with the song. Heck, if you go to the music video for the song, it's littered with angry comments from the alt right for the song daring to suggest that racism is still a problem.

[@MrEmpoleon2010]

DukeSkylocker Those poor dumb racist bastards.

[@gregorywiederecht]

If they wanted to make a point, they would have written a song inspired by the songs of the late 60s. The ones that actually had a message? The ones that were trying to address their times? It's kind of shooting yourself in the foot if you're trying to compare the carnage of then to now through disposable dance-pop.

[@gleegleek4eva]

Gregory I like songs with a bit of juxtaposition. Foster The People did the same thing with Pumped Up Kicks. Indie rock talking about serious subject matter via a happy and upbeat viel is always fun.

[@mikerivera373]

Gregory Wiederecht you’d be surprised what messages or emotions actually can be conveyed through upbeat or pleasant sounding songs. Like how the dance remix of I Took a Pill in Ibiza sounds a lot sadder than the original song. Or how The A Team by Ed Sheeran sounds really pleasant, even though it’s juxtaposed against really dark and sad lyrics (the pleasantness makes the girl sound beautiful though-which is the point, he wants to also humanize her). Or take Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men, an upbeat song about...death and coping with losing a loved one. By making it upbeat, the song handles the subject as a natural part of life. One of the great things about each of those songs? The juxtaposition makes each song much more subtle, and combined with the profoundness of each song, you think about the song a lot longer than, say, 1-800-273-8255 by Logic, even though that song is so explicitly about suicide that the title is the suicide hotline.

[@gregorywiederecht]

Mike’s Music Reviews Fair point. I still don't like this particular example, but you have made me re-examine my thought process. And as an added bonus, you've made me realize why I don't like Logic's song too much, either, even though I appreciate the effort behind it.

[@godl4881]

This video is just amazing, practically all your videos are, I love your thought process trough it, thanks Todd

[@ThatManinWhite]

You should try doing a video essay on the music industry now, or music in general. Loved this video and would be nice to get an input on it.

[@uneek35]

He's made a couple of written essays that were published on a music news site. One of them was even about commercialism in music videos. Don't remember where they are though.

[@sallonemia]

man oh man i was into portugal. the man back in highschool and honestly i never thought i would hear about them again let alone on the top 40

[@ncisfan1002]

Also bless you for rooting for Walk the Moon I absolutely love them Have you heard Headphones? I'm praying for that to become a single on the radio

[@zombieedrea]

Louise Barbosa SAME. But I'm afraid if that becomes a hit, it'll be used in a goddamn commercial for Beats by Dre or something, and they are WAY better than that.

[@ncisfan1002]

zombiedrea Agreed. Shut Up and Dance was already in that atrocity named Norm of the North, they deserve a thousand times better than that

[@iivvrryy]

HEADPHONES IS SUCH. A. JAM.

[@jediarco]

"Feel It Still" sounds, to me, like "Wait A Minute Mister Post Man"... Am I wrong? Listen to both choruses. Also, I may not have the title right about the Post Man song, but I don't care, that's how I know it. Finally, Imagine Dragons SUCKS HARD!! : ) LOL

[@hw29472]

You probably already know this by now but it's an interpolation with writing credits and royalties given to the artists of Postman.

[@connorcraft5455]

"Everyone is rioting and the world is in chaos" *Laughs in 2020*

[@Felis_Catus_Nigrum]

I swear the first time I heard "Feel it still" I thought it was a "Please Mr. Postman" cover

[@digamejh]

I thought it was Pharell Williams' "Happy" 2.0

[@TheJbhmetal]

I could never wrap my head around the fact that Imagine Dragons and Portugal The Man are considered rock. Especially Imagine Dragons.

[@SirAndrewII]

This is amazing. You are amazing. You said what I was thinking about that Feel It Still song back when it was on the radio.

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

The last new release I bought was in 2012 - and it was from a band that put out its first album in 1974.

[@Chuck13s]

Todd this is personally my favorite episode you've ever made. Going beyond the music and analyzing it went really well. Please do more like this!

[@Ruby_Rider]

If the theme of rebellion is continued to the second chorus could be receding to the protests during the AIDS crisis in the 1980’s? Again I don’t know why anyone would rebel in something like that “for kicks” instead of thier lives but maybe that’s what the song is talking about?

[@empeanutson]

Maybe it's sarcastic? Like maybe referencing older people thinking that the "kids these days" are just rebelling just because it's "cool", or something like that, I don't know.

[@amphioxusanniversary]

^ I like this interpretation. The 'for kicks' thing bothered me too.

[@AlexYorim]

In my country, 1986 was the EDSA People Power Revolution, which signaled the restoration of democracy in the country. And I think the late 1980s was a time when people highly question and rioted against the communist governments in Eastern Europe.

[@jerQCote]

Imagine Dragons was always trailer music. Find one song of theirs that has a message or hell, just coherent lyrics. They're the mumble rap of alt-rock

[@officersmiles9114]

30 lives - imagine dragons

[@chickenwithhotsauce2971]

Also, Dream and Demons.

[@sportsnerd100]

Masterpiece Jeremy bad liar Next to me Shots

[@claymang]

You legit have the best commentary on pop music, maybe music in general. Keep it up dog.

[@cubedmelons876]

So Imagine Dragons has already given a song to both Nintendo and Microsoft from this album. Anyone wanna bet the third single's gonna be all over Sony's ads?

[@crazyluigi6664]

Bring it on!

[@gimmefeedback]

I almost cry every time Todd uploads a review

[@juju-been]

I don’t even care that Portugal The Man is “selling out”- we can still listen to the 3728 billion albums they made before they entered the public eye, because jesus there is so much music.

[@jackrowland4629]

I genuinely feel like Todd wants to (and should) just listen to more experimental and niche songs and artists. It doesn't have to be like, prurient, but just something even slightly left of the dial

[@aceofflames4572]

For real though. I know I sound like a snobby hipster when I say this, but you can find so much more music off the charts that have far more artistry and talent behind them than the Top 40. I love Todd's content and think his work as a pop historian is valuable, but he really should try branching out a bit more for the sake of his own love for music.

[@Sifferlif]

this reminds me of Florence and the Machine whose songs are in so many trailers/movies.

[@baxterbrown8088]

that Feel It still intro on the piano was epic

[@tek4]

Hi Todd, Rob here.. Very insiteful vid and I really enjoy how you were able to surmise how I feel with out me knowing just the right words. Thank you. Also, keep up the good work

[@Qanzoo]

Fun dip fun fun fun dip fun dip

[@notanurag6176]

Lil Pumps lyrics's are so meticulously crafted; only 25 seconds in and I can tell he has truly mastered the skill of lyricism. This boy is a genius. Some say Shakespeare's ability to write and tell a story are unparalleled, however I feel his skills are being put to the test by this young star. Lil Pump never fails to coax me in with his truly thought provoking lyrics. He is an artist, yet uses words. He is not bound by the materialistic constraints of paint, pen or pencil. He has limitless access to an almost infinite plethora of words and phrases, each of which are malleable to his own liking. One cannot simply concoct a track where only 98 different words are used throughout its ENTIRETY. Though the vocabulary that is used is minimal and far from complex, it doesn't stop him from making his audience ponder. This lack of words shows how Lil Pump exceeds the craftsmanship of even the most highly regarded literature authors, as he does not need to excessively use the more complex and intricate words to make his point, this style that he alone has procured has had one of the biggest impacts music history has ever seen. In regards to the impact this young boy has had at only age 17, he can be likened to that of Malala Yousafzai a young Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by militants for daring to go to school in October 2012. She has since dedicated her life to bettering the people of this world, as Lil Pump has. This new young, lively generation has lots to offer. Lil Pump is an exemplary example; he is the hero we need but don't deserve. In the words of Gandhi "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

[@Devppp]

GD Knightmare Ah, I see you are a man of culture as well

[@spo0o0ky]

Truly the finest, most exquisite example of high art you will ever find in the current era of the new millennium. A true progenitor with the objective to redefine the fundamental confines of art as we've grown intrinsically familiar with.

[@AKrowsNest]

so do you have a shrine for this guy?

[@notanurag6176]

AKrowsNest you’re telling me you don’t? Smh my head what an uncultured swine

[@SkySoFew]

GD Knightmare wtf is a lil pump?

[@ThatOneJustMe]

I actually used a song from a Coke commercial for a dance routine once. And it wasn't a song by an artist or band, it was made by Coca Cola.

[@Ene-Chan]

What song

[@ThatOneJustMe]

@@Ene-Chan I think I didn't do my research enough all those years ago. Now that I'm looking it up it's turns out it's a cover of Avicii ft. Conrad Sewell - Taste The Feeling (a song that was made for Coca Cola). I was referring to the version that was used for the 2016 Summer commercial in the Netherlands. You can find a 15 second clip of it (which I think I looped) on the Coca-Cola Nederland channel.

[@Ene-Chan]

@@ThatOneJustMe ohhh

[@FrankLightheart]

I still listen to the radio. I was fortunate enough to hear these songs over the airwaves first. Hell, I barely watch TV anymore.

[@riahlexington]

Same. But I do see movie trailers cuz I go to the theater

[@sol9653]

Dude I'm pretty sure the 1986 line is a Beastie Boys reference!

[@nicoragua1816]

It has to be. Fight for your right (to party) was released in 1986 and starts off with them shout "KICK IT", right before the guitar kicks in.