POP SONG REVIEW: "Unholy" by Sam Smith and Kim Petras

Sam Smith and Kim Petras are ready to shock and scandalize you, but how unholy is their tale of tawdry affairs anyway?
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[@TrashQueenAndKing]

I support trans people's right to make shallow pop music like cis people do

[@rotciv1486]

this is about as good as a criticism this thing deserves imo

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Equality means mid-tier too-short Tiktok songs can be made by anyone. It's 2022, we can ALL put out a 5 out of 10 song.

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

We absolutely have the right to be kinda lame and inoffensive.

[@Zezlemetkun]

Finally equality

[@kylemoder7550]

Enough about trans joy I need more trans mediocrity.

[@hiimemily]

"The only person wearing muted colors at the pride parade" is maybe the most accurate thing I've ever heard anyone say about Sam Smith.

[@RozWBrazel]

How dare you make me spit my coffee

[@morley364]

The cut from Slut Pop to Sam looking depressed in a strip club was absolutely devastating

[@minato_arisato3751]

@@emilyadams3228 no

[@gut853]

It was the “type of gay person you’re Grandma is okay with” that really got me😭

[@tomchillen3039]

Change your pfp lil dude

[@aWildJellieAppeared]

When trying to explain this song to my fiancé who doesn’t listen to much pop music, I said ‘it’s like if Adele tried to sing WAP’

[@devildelirious8662]

Definitely

[@TacticusPrime]

Wow, yeah. Huh.

[@iamyoursaviour]

That for a legit lol from me, fantastic

[@corneliastreet2491]

😂 so trye

[@leonardcohenfan69]

LMAOOOOO

[@kayezilla5096]

The line "he left his kids at home" really throws me cuz like.... of course he did. Why would you take your kids to a sex club? They belong at home.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

I have heard some stories of dudes who take their kids to Hooters, a strip club, or even a brothel.

[@sonicgottagem3531]

What? You telling me you never heard of the time honored american tradition of bringing your kids to see some ass giggle

[@michaelhaydenbell]

Speak for yourself!

[@iamyoursaviour]

I take it as meaning leaving his life behind, symbolically

[@MrBuns-yi2hk]

:-()

[@IsaacIsaacIsaacson]

I can't believe you call Sam Smith the pop star with the least sexy music while Ed Sheeran is over here just standing there.

[@melanieg.9092]

sometimes standing and strumming an acoustic guitar

[@hiimemily]

Ed Sheeran fucks awkwardly. Sam Smith just doesn't fuck.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Sam Smith is here to prove you don't have to be cishet to be boring and I respect that. Equality for all.

[@Eli-sb4yl]

And Sam Smith sang in Latch!

[@morgansheehy1772]

I mean sexy or not I can believe that Ed Sheeran fucks. The same can not be said for Sam, they may be more attractive than Ed, but they have ken doll energy.

[@BornOnThursday]

I liked Todd's idea about Sam being a priest listening to a confession, and being turned on by it.

[@nicoleshan6410]

Something Sam Smith would do!

[@avacatherine5646]

It’s seriously an amazing idea

[@JauntyAdventures]

It's my head canon now

[@Holygiant]

Fleabag season 2?

[@overcommunikate]

They need to do a longer version where there's a verse about this! Such a good idea

[@PogieJoe]

Sam's audience just moved from 40 year old moms to 30 year old moms and maybe that's enough for them!

[@4ofdubs]

Hit'iym. (Romanized Hebrew for "Agreed".)

[@4ofdubs]

@gnome from pinkerton You talkin' to him?

[@TheJbhmetal]

Who else besides Sam

[@tymondabrowski12]

​@@gnomefrompinkerton30 yos are young millennials, don't write them off that easily.

[@kraft.singles]

​@@TheJbhmetal there's two people on the song so that doesn't even work

[@bigredradish]

i'm a man in a same-sex relationship and i can confirm: it is EXTREMELY funny to see sam smith in valvoline cosplay

[@neckpeck2738]

"Daddy's getting hot at the bodyshop" is the weirdest possible line to ever be sung by a church choir.

[@ds4251]

They also do not have the voice to pull it off

[@Lionkingview]

Mozart hears you and raises you the line "lick me in the arse" .

[@zeta970]

Shaia Leboef?

[@IsaacClodfelter]

Not the strangest thing I have heard a church choir sing.

[@MISSMADISONMEDIA]

@@ds4251 I hated that this song was sung by Sam. Their voice is fucking incredible, but it does not fit every vibe or type of song! Like jennifer hudson lol certain songs for certain singing styles

[@taylorcatalana1783]

When you pointed out that Sam Smith was hearing this guy’s confession instead of the one having an affair with him, I immediately assumed they were a priest. You’re so right, what a missed opportunity.

[@everwhatever]

Would be really spicy and fun, and yet I don't think it would piss off anyone additional who isn't already up in arms at the fact of Sam and Kim's existence.

[@NikkiBudders]

@@everwhatever Exactly, in a song written and performed by a trans woman talking about fucking men for money/things and a nonbinary gay person getting off on the scandal of some dudes affair while both surrounded by scantily clad people of various sexualities and kinks, what more could you possibly do to piss off prudes and bigots? Just go whole ham with it. I love the aesthetic of the video, but Todd's right, making Sam be a priest in this scenario would add so much.

[@witherton8340]

Really reminds of FKA Twigs' song Two Weeks, it's wrong but also sexy

[@GradnLordTad]

Yup, I had the exact same thought. It would have been so good that way, thematically.

[@haywirewindgod]

I don't tend to vocalize during a video, but as soon as he brought up the priest getting off on the confession I nearly yelled. It was so missed...

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

"I'm a straight white man!" I love how Todd is so confident that most of his audience is so new to his content to not know that's not true, and he's probably right 😂

[@alwaysxnever]

Lol exactly. Well played Todd. Lol

[@rockstorm6789]

I miss his *AS FAR AS YOU KNOW* disclaimer

[@morganqorishchi8181]

@@rockstorm6789 He has that disclaimer onscreen as he says he's a straight white man in this very video, wdym? Edit: looked it up, it's at 4:37

[@seanmcloughlin5983]

I refuse to see any picture of what Todd actually looks like for the sake of keeping the magic alive. He’s obviously not a white guy, he’s a heartless from Kingdom Hearts.

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

@@morganqorishchi8181 I'm pretty sure the last time he used it is when he mentioned his actual racial identity. Spoiler alert, if you follow One Hit Wonderland and notice one of its most common trends, you know exactly what it is for the fact that Todd feels comfortable making jokes around it at all.

[@heartcatchprecure]

as a trans girl seeing sam smith as a auto mechanic is very VERY objectively funny

[@stapler942]

I mostly can't get over the "body shop" line because the Body Shop is the name of a bath products store chain and I can't shake the image of the fellow doing something unholy with scented soaps while nobody is looking.

[@threehotdogs]

soap with a hole in the middle

[@strangevision99]

I've only ever heard the song on the radio at work and I've been wondering why they were singing about The Body Shop, I was wondering if that's where people go to fuck now?

[@jzed122]

I didn't even get the "place that cars get fixed" reference until 5 minutes after watching Todd's video. I thought it was the body (human modification/upgrade) shop, and that was part of the "unholy"/scandalous story.

[@adam.n-steve]

@@threehotdogs or a particular shaped soap

[@leephillips4402]

Soap stores in Britain tend to have weirdly sexual names.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Todd: "I'm worried that as a straight white guy, I might say something offensive here on accident." Also Todd: "Needs more gay and more sex." Damn, I wish we had more cishet allies like this. Todd GETS IT.

[@phastinemoon]

Also the jab he throws out about how cis-het men get away with a LOT, just so long as they give lip service to trying: "Your lower standards are noted" Damn if that isn't one of the COLDEST lines I've heard in a while. And it's a great ally statement -- that even the straights should be held to a higher standard.

[@BEEEELEEEE]

Funnily enough I have come across a version that makes it about a woman cheating with another woman

[@Shadow-zf5uc]

The thing that's also hilarious about this bit is that Todd is either not white or at the very least he's multiracial. So the joke has several layers to it.

[@lays5277]

@@Shadow-zf5ucwait how do we know that

[@Shadow-zf5uc]

@@lays5277 Look at the video for the Nostalgia Critic review for The Wiz. Todd appears in the video less than a minute in wearing a mask but you can still see the bottom half of his face. Please tell me what race you think Todd is. Wrong answers only. Also it's said, though I can't find the original source, that his ex-girlfriend Lindsay Ellis stated that Todd is half-Vietnamese. He also says in his Jump Around review that he is part Irish though you wouldn't know that by looking at him. He also says in his This is America review that, "I'm not black. I'm a lot of other things but black isn't one of them." So again, he's very likely multiracial and not someone who others would immediately see as white even if that is part of his background.

[@bray7934]

"Even when a TikTok is good its not good" I feel that so much. Almost all tiktoks exist in this uncanny valley of comedy

[@names_are_useless]

Because the best comedy has build up. TikToks are limited to a few seconds.

[@Valhalla05]

@@names_are_useless Considering Vines crammed immense comedy into 6 seconds, I doubt length is the issue

[@names_are_useless]

​@@Valhalla05 I said the "best comedy", not just any comedy. Has a stand-up comedian ever survived by just doing 6-second gags during a comedy routine? No, because it would become nauseating and tiresome very quickly. Call me old, but that's not real comedy, that's just noise. The best comedy includes a build up to a good joke, with a nice side of cynicism and uncomfortable truth (George Carlin is the best example). THAT kind of comedy sticks with you.

[@Unotuchable]

That text to speech voice always makes me groan and roll my eyes.

[@BadgerCheese94]

Good Tik Tok is like tasty vomit

[@Henryduckfan63]

I’m a trans woman myself and I’ve literally seen multiple trans women make jokes about watching your videos on first dates lol.

[@Dumb_Killjoy]

I'm stealing this idea

[@janjanbinks1710]

Is she tells you she watches Todd then it's a green flag. She's a keeper

[@bels3873]

Todd seems to have more ideas for Smith's sex life than Smith does.

[@ArizonanSummer]

Speaking of Smith’s sex, I kinda always got the impression that Sam Smith and their sex life was oddly virginal like Morrissey has been

[@witchflowers6942]

LMFAO

[@witchflowers6942]

@@ArizonanSummer ouch accurate

[@saintlysamba9327]

@@ArizonanSummer please be the only way you’re comparing smith and Morrissey

[@hopekeeley2122]

I know they received a giant marble phallus statue from Ed sheeran once. Doesn’t add to the conversation that much but I felt it should be mentioned

[@november5437]

it's ok todd as a nonbinary person i understand that the real issue is not that nb people are bad at auto repair, it's that theatre kids are. also the moment he starts clapping LET SAM SMITH FUCK i cracked up so hard. love an ally

[@chaosdestructionlove]

I think reading your comment just hit me with just how funny those jokes of todd's was. I'm wheezing.

[@G2GIGI177]

As a former theatre kid, YES

[@mikek6298]

Hey, I can fix a car! Granted, I was a back stage theater kid, but still

[@toptomato]

True 😂

[@arthurdurham]

Todd isn't bigoted against gender fluidity or sexual identity, which are natural and not a choice, and deserve to be respected. He's bigoted against theater kids, which is a choice and unnatural, and deserves to not be respected.

[@TheoRae8289]

The "theatre kid as a mechanic is hilarious" bit is funny. Just remember, Todd: as long as someone's core identity isn't the punchline of the joke, you're good. The vast majority of us aren't afraid to laugh at ourselves. Also you followed it up amazingly. I more or less feel similarly about this song. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like it's incomplete. (I personally don't think they can dance, but that's neither here nor there)

[@scusachannel1682]

Sam Smith sounds like they wanted really badly to make a sexy and edgy song while having no idea about what constitutes "sexiness" or "edginess". Them referring to a guy cheating on his wife at a strip club as "something unholy" in the chorus has the same energy as Ben Shapiro saying "p-word"

[@jetseekers]

Which P word? I can see him using that reference for alot

[@TayRayReads]

​@@jetseekers Wet-Ass-P-Word 😂😂 sorry I know this comment is old, but reminding myself of this moment just brings me such glee.

[@sontaranmc2109]

I always read it as basically calling out the hypocrisy of conservative men who preach about Family Values while also doing things that are decidedly not that, so in that context the "something unholy" does actually make sense?

[@wadespencer3623]

Love the idea of Todd's friend giving this tearful confession of his infidelity and Todd calls him lame cause it's not a very interesting affair.

[@magicrainbowkitties1023]

Fr like if there's no drama why do I care

[@TECH097]

I mean hey better than Sam saying "OOOH, do tell dirty boy~" 😂

[@ToddintheShadows]

Tearful? The guy's bragging about it to every person in town apparently

[@jotacostajr]

@@ToddintheShadows will Michael Jackson ever get a Trainwreckords episode? That would be... interesting 🤔

[@BenjaminHodges]

@@jotacostajr And what album would you suggest? Every album he released after Thriller went Number 1, and not a single one of them was critically hated. The only thing to talk about would be the controversy surrounding the posthumous albums, because we're not sure all the songs are actually him, and that doesn't sound like Trainwreckords material.

[@bergerman9]

“YOU NEED, NEW, BREAK PADS” had me screaming lmao 😂

[@whitneymouse]

I died at that, too 😂

[@UmbraSomnium1]

I was not ready for it and neither were my neighbors who undoubtedly heard me cackling

[@TheDrLeviathan]

Shit. I actually need to get new brake pads, lol

[@emilyadams3228]

Yeah, you rarely hear a joke of that caliper.

[@judgesaturn507]

It's very Todd, let's just put it that way.

[@ackity]

as a *not* cis person, i fully support trans people's ability to create mediocre music 😻

[@verymanly9434]

MAN Sam Smith belting the lines feels RIGHT in this song, the affair isn't a secret from this dark cabaret club/community/thingy, i feel like this song has a more celebratory nature than "sexy", especially since Sam Smith isnt the one HAVING the affair with "daddy", Sam Smith is just telling us. It actually feels like a song in an opera by a side character who has learned of the main character's affair(s). This is the part where the rest of the set goes dark and Sam Smith's character gets a whole vivid monologue about their friend's sordid activities. And then Kim Petras i guess chimes in as a fellow eyewitness.

[@phastinemoon]

The Greek chorus

[@DiamondAxeStudiosMusic]

"How do you do, fellow sex havers?" -Sam Smith wearing red cap with skateboard slung over shoulder

[@Peekabye]

That’s like the most ace thing anyone would ever say

[@jooree7696]

@@Peekabye I'm ace and i wouldn't have thought of this in 100 years. Sean defeated me...

[@Peekabye]

@@jooree7696 Same here (well questioning at least), I should use that as a catchphrase.

[@cameronhumphreys2309]

Sam playing as a priest makes the song so much better, this is the one true head canon

[@BagelLox]

When I first heard it, that's what I thought was going on! I still subscribe to it

[@zetizahara]

It's a great idea but I think it fits the chorus more. He could've switched between the two characters.

[@carolineboon5647]

I really want to see someone make an alternate music video showing that

[@noelleelizabeth9991]

it would also make sense why the guy having an affair seems way more scandalous to Sam than it does in the way that Kim is describing it.

[@uskatpai]

the line that always cracks me up is 'he left his kids at ho-eo-eome' like that makes him an even worse father. Like, I feel like he would be worse if he just left them downstairs in the lobby watching HGTV while he got his rocks off at the secret burlesque club upstairs.

[@booksvsmovies]

I always assumed that line meant to convey that he was chosing to be at the sex club instead of at home with his kids. The problem isn't that he didn't bring his kids, it's that he's not home.

[@Aries_Superstar_Army]

I expected a bigger climax at the end of the song with a bridge and an extra chorus with an outro so this song will be great. The choir made it so big which is why the song feels unfinished.

[@ShesquatchPiney]

The choir is such wasted potential to me.

[@NayrAnur]

Yeah, I'd imagine that they'd burst into a crescendo in the third chorus then fades off in the outro until only the choir remains.

[@m.d.1395]

I feel about Unholy how I feel about U Got the Look by Prince. I adore U Got the Look and when I learned there was a longer version, I was ridiculously excited. I love Unholy and wish there was more and will be just as excited to find out there is

[@isae3815]

Thats what i really dont like about that song. Its so short!

[@murphythestoryteller6378]

My laptop literally crashed and blue screened right as Todd said "Here's the thing about the trans stuff". I thought it was a bit, playing on Todd's whole "I'm not touching that political topic" joke, but nope...laptop literally crashed at the perfect time. I died of laughter twice today

[@brokengirlsrus]

That's amazing lol

[@TabbyeLynne]

Your laptop sure has great comedic timing 🤣

[@lanagomisc.6005]

"Posh theater kid doing auto repair" "LET👏SAM👏SMITH👏FUCK👏" That cracked me up.

[@Unsilence409]

a few points: • this song just isn't finished. why has it been released. • neither artist is American, and Sam Smith definitely has more of a UK based demographic. I'm not British myself but I understand from reading news and talking to British citizens that transphobia is much louder in the UK public conscience than in the US, so Sam Smith strategizes that this song being a hit would feel more like a statement over there. any Britons want to chime in here? • this song needs an official remix with featured artists who are all characters making the song tell at least a rough story. this song is already too short, but if it were 3 minutes and change it would still feel too short. • Nine Inch Nails - "Reptile" ass baseline is what I thought at first lol

[@sqyx93]

@@justmanic9673and 13

[@SD-zz4ov]

​@@justmanic9673 if you were happy you wouldnt be on youtube commenting under random comments.

[@CorinneStephens]

IMO: Not nearly unholy enough. Like, there is absolutely nothing scandalous or sacrilegious about this song. It's really not even that inappropriate. It feels like they wanted the Montero buzz without the Montero backlash. Really though, for a supposedly sexy song it feels incredibly sexless and clean. Even the word "unholy" makes it seem like they're not doing anything with holes.

[@PhoenixFireZero]

It's about as edgy as a spherical cake in the middle of something.

[@shikonaori]

You know what, after listening to the song a couple times now I've come to the conclusion that it's aesthetically a bop but the lyrics feel like an afterthought. Somebody in the comments of the actual music video said "it'll probably be in season 3 of Euphoria" and that's the most accurate take I've seen so far, lmao

[@MineralTown]

my pet peeve of pop music. i hate it when an otherwise good song has lyrics that are either a painfully generic take on a common subject (usually love/sex) or vague to the point of nonsense. sometimes I rewrite lyrics in my head so they are actually about something. its not hard to do and you'd think professional songwriters would be able to create a cohesive narrative bare minimum

[@miZ_dream]

This! I love the music and its vibe but the lyrics... turn me off? Really any weird lyric does that to me until I play the song enough times to learn how to tune it out haha. Like it's more fun to have it play without focusing on what its content is.

[@gayliberal]

Sam’s part is good, Kim is very out of place and has bad lyrics.

[@jamesbailey6257]

@@MineralTown Nah vague abstract lyricism is so much better, I honestly think it's so much better than stage musical style "here I am singing about exactly what is happening to the audience", I'd so much rather listen to Brave Little Abacus make metaphors and analogies that only they understand due to how personal they are or Bladee being literally schizophrenic and talking about super abstracted stuff than some dude just being as direct and "narrative-y"(lack of a better term) as possible. I actually think that's the mark of bad songwriting, it shows you're incapable of not just stating something as it happens with no stylism.

[@MineralTown]

@@jamesbailey6257 .. i think you’re misunderstanding what im saying

[@frizzlefriar4417]

I get the feeling that this song wants to be Montero, but without really committing to anything

[@johnindigo5477]

I'm trying to think of who lil Nas x is compared to Sam Smith and kim. Motely crue and nirvana? There has to be a good analogy

[@gut853]

Literally this. Don’t get me wrong, I think Unholy is catchy as all hell, but it certainly isn’t scandalous.

[@mattsimms13]

I was literally thinking they needed lil nas x in the studio to make this song what it wants to be

[@MiloKuroshiro]

I feel like you're just comparing both songs because they have queer artists singing. They're completely different and don't try to hit the same thing at all. Not everything by a queer artist need to be a deep analysis on queerness and trauma. I really don't see any connective tissue between them besides "they try to sound sexy".

[@frizzlefriar4417]

@@MiloKuroshiro Not really. Admittedly, I'm judging more on the whole presentation, not just the song, but the themes of religion, blasphemy, sexual impropriety, and the darker production run through both. I don't follow pop music or celebrity gossip. If it wasn't in the video, I wouldn't have known their sexualities. I just see enough similarities between the two that I think there's an influence, but one played it safe. Not the first time it's happened, won't be the last. Just making an observation.

[@Emshii_]

As a non binary person who’s been subscribed for nearly a year and a half now, I honestly to commend how respectful you are. You never made it the whole point of your argument, and you used the correct pronouns. Thanks Todd, you deserve so much more support and it makes me happy to know that you support a community I’m apart of :)

[@seanmcloughlin5983]

But what is your opinion on the ongoing “are Enbies bad at auto repair” discourse?

[@Emshii_]

@@seanmcloughlin5983 I had no idea this was a thing, I’m actually a trans dude now lmao. I feel it’s like saying women can’t drive, idk it doesn’t matter what the person identifies as, if they can do the job well who cares, I don’t think that this is a big issue tho

[@seanmcloughlin5983]

@@Emshii_ I was joking about the joke Todd made about how silly Sam Smith looks playing a mechanic The joke is it’s not a real negative stereotype (as far as I know,) The real prejudice is that theater kids can’t do auto repair

[@Emshii_]

@@seanmcloughlin5983 Ohhh damn, oops. I haven’t seen this video in a year, sorry I’m kinda quick to defend myself when it comes to any question regarding queerness. After so many awful people in comment sections, I tend to get jumpy. As a theatre kid as well, yeah no don’t think I could be a mechanic lol

[@erictwhitman]

Smith looks like a drama kid happy that the teacher allowed them to use curse words during their talent show monolog. I can relate all too well. I'm now too old for this to be on my radar, but it's kind of endearing how chasted this "sexy" song is.

[@brkfstchmp]

"nonbinary people being bad at auto repair" had me dying as a enby who's too scared to do an oil change

[@kingkaza]

You know someone gonna take it out of context and suddenly is ww2 with is properganda cartoons

[@ScottJasonCohen]

There is no shame in Jiffy Lube.

[@kingkaza]

@@CrossingRover yes but was it a non-binary teaching how to fix it or was it another minority?

[@brkfstchmp]

@@CrossingRover i was more exaggerating/joking, tho only a lil bit lol. my buddys a mechanic so for this next oil change i was gonna have him watch me do it just so i don't tweak. defintley need to work on knowing more about cars and shit tho

[@ddjsoyenby]

todd is right........it's like bisexuals and sitting normally.

[@WilliamMaranciMashups]

when I hear this song play i imagine james corden in a cat suit twerking to it

[@juhaniaho6698]

*(internal screaming)*

[@liamwebster3862]

Oh god no

[@wyldcardsam]

I....... now I need this

[@ByeByeDeadName]

Every time I think “that’s it, this is the most cursed thing William Maranci can come up with. He cannot go lower”. And yet, every time, you prove me wrong. I should never doubt you.

[@warlordofbritannia]

Why would you even think this? Actually, don’t answer that.

[@TheLadySilverMoon]

This review made me think of Madonna and especially "Like a prayer". When she did that number, she went all out, Sam and Petras should have done some similar.

[@Bigones111]

Track was probably never supposed to come out. It went viral on TikTok because TikTokers are idiots, so Sam had to release it

[@Kortita]

The review made me think about Madonna too. Love from Uruguay!!!

[@seigeengine]

I actually think that if they went harder on it it would have ruined the entire thing the song is doing. The gist of the song isn't that it's trying to be some weird sex anthem for queer people. It's a troll. It's teasing out dipshit fascists and making them look stupid when they get pissy about a song daring to say that adultery is bad.

[@thatlemonadeguy6742]

I'm just sad that out of all Kim's amazing bops (Heart To Break, Coconuts, Close Your Eyes, Wrong Turn) THIS song is what she'll be known for

[@thatlemonadeguy6742]

@4Tlccas uh

[@RozWBrazel]

@4Tlccas what sort of bid for attention is this, friend?

[@charmbracelet20]

exactly, problematique ending up shelved while this shit song is a smash is disgusting

[@trystero1729]

i’m kinda glad that this is the song of hers that got famous considering it’s the only one without dr. luke on it

[@jbwarner8626]

🎶 _You NEEEEED new brake pads_ 🎶 Controversy be damned, that was hilarious 😆

[@threehotdogs]

his devious snickering beforehand as well

[@againstthepods4316]

THAT WAS NOT OKAY. And dont you DARE support that.

[@anthonydeadman]

@@againstthepods4316 CAPS LOCK

[@RozWBrazel]

@@anthonydeadman THE MORE YOU SCREAM-TYPE THE MORE SERIOUS YOU GET TAKEN.

[@anthonydeadman]

@@RozWBrazel I KNOW RIGHT?! IT'S SUCH AN EFFECTIVE STYLE OF COMMUNICATION AND DOESN'T MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE AN ABSOLUTE FOOL AT ALL.

[@burtbackattack]

It's like their respective management teams said "hey that satanic themed Lil Nas X song did well, let's get these 2 to do something like that"

[@ShesquatchPiney]

O no

[@katieking6405]

That’s what I thought

[@CineFunStudios]

Actually funny thing, Lil Nas X actually did a collaboration with Sam Smith that never got released

[@AD-hq2uz]

But with Stevia, instead of full flavor.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

@@CineFunStudios why?

[@Bigones111]

I don’t ever want to hear Sam Smith say “She be poppin it” ever again in any song, ever.

[@sam3851]

I hope they release an extended cut soon, because I really like the one-half of a song they've got so far

[@InsaneFoxx]

"Not every song needs to be a 5 suite symphony." while at the same time we do need more 5 suite symphonies.

[@oliviac295]

🙏

[@jogeller5731]

what kind if symphony is made out of suites??? i know, i know, who cares, i can’t not joke

[@Champiness]

@@jogeller5731 On the “Mr. Blue Sky”-“Band On The Run” episode of _Song vs. Song_ he mentioned people calling out his use of “suite” instead of “movement” in the comments of the _Passage_ Trainwreckord; I guess he didn’t learn his lesson :p

[@jetseekers]

*cries in ELP*

[@chocoboko123]

I do be missing the weird 8 min long prog rock songs

[@blue3616]

There's some drama with the whole 'it blew up on TikTok' before it was actually released that I think will have larger repercussions for how artist's release/tease new music down the road. The clip that went viral was Sam in the studio jamming out to what is clearly a not finished version of the song. The vocals aren't as crisp, the choir and instruments are overpowering...and people loved it. It fit the "unholy"/dirty vibe that Sam was going for. The viral clip was also just the chorus so we didn't have the larger story from the song. People were pumped that it seemed to be an unabashedly horny song about 2 dudes hooking up. Then the song released and, it was disappointing. The song was definitely cleaner than people thought it would be - production wise and the fact that, on the surface, it's just a straight dude having an affair with a side chick. And to top it off, EVERYONE is annoyed at how short it is.

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

honestly from the clips i saw i assumed itd also kind of have a narrative?? but its just like. married man has sex with woman

[@crazygermn]

I legit liked the song better on tiktok when I couldn't understand the words

[@punkrckr6889]

I was gonna mention this! The original clip sounded SO much better and fit their vibe SO much more, the actual release ended up being kind of a letdown.

[@KassFireborn]

Remixes, alt-versions, and transformative covers are so common these days, so there's hope there. Checking spotify, ofc Halocene already has a cover. The hardest working rock cover band out there, I swear.

[@RozWBrazel]

So the finished product kinda has the same issue as Justin Timberlake's "Filthy": Too sterile and bland for a song about supposedly dirty or unholy things

[@limelantern5637]

This is 3 months late but I know exactly who Sam is supposed to be. They're the Emcee. In the musical Cabaret the character of the Emcee give all the framing devices for the songs that happen at the titular cabaret, as well as singing several of his own songs that tell stories that mirror what is happening between the two leads. He is usually portrayed as very androgynous and openly bisexual. Sam's dressed like him, they introduce Kim the way the Emcee introduces Sally, and the way they interact with the dancers is a lot like the way the Emcee casually flirts with the performers at the club in Cabaret.

[@averyeml]

I get the “am I stepping on someone’s experience if I talk about this” fear, but the song isn’t necessarily about either of their genders or experiences being LGBTQ+ and it can be evaluated separate from that! I love that two non-cis people can get this high up on the charts. I too hate TikTok and how songs just need a good 6-30 seconds and the rest doesn’t matter. But boy, I usually only remember the catchiest 6-30 seconds of a song anyway and it has led to some of my favorite earworms! The vibes really work for me, same with that Dove Cameron Boyfriend song and The Weeknd, but that’s personal taste and I won’t say any of it is high art for the vibes.

[@wolvepotter5858]

Hearing Todd express his hatred for TikTok has got to be the most honest thing to have come out of modern media in a long time

[@jamesnewport-haas4575]

I honestly don’t get the appeal of tiktok. It seems like it’s simultaneously a bad social media site and a bad video platform. The did multiple things terribly rather than do one thing right.

[@wholethedogsout880]

@@jamesnewport-haas4575 this!

[@names_are_useless]

I have a strong distrust of Chinese-run websites (yes, TikTok is run out of China, for those who didn't know). No way in hell I'm ever registering there.

[@TheAlps36]

I don't have a problem with the platform itself but the influence it has over pop music is infuriating

[@bigboss3051]

@@names_are_useless ok racist

[@slhpproductions6707]

No way. I literally thought, like twenty minutes ago - "I wonder if Todd is going to review unholy.... there's no way he's going to like it." And here we are. Amazing

[@talonthehand]

You're a little psychic - quick, run out and get a lottery ticket

[@MagicMermaidGirl]

I genuinely love that for you lol slay

[@againstthepods4316]

LIAR.

[@BH-bu8rr]

The way I gasped at the idea of Sam being the priest the man is confessing to (And getting off on it) - like MAN that would be SO GOOD!! Like bruhhh and it could have added some more lyrics for the song to help provide the context

[@ravenshymn]

Anyone else want extended versions of songs (again)? That way we don't feel ripped off and the short version can stay with those who use them for shorts.

[@isaachoeschen4794]

A quick stab at rewriting Sam Smith's verse to match Todd's proposal: A lucky, lucky girl She got married to a boy like you She'd kick you out if she ever, ever knew The things you tell me in the confessional booth Dirty, dirty boy It must be hard making mommy think you're straight Why don't we meet behind the alter after eight Let your Father help you pray your sins away

[@imnotusingmyrealname.stopa6235]

That change makes it so much better. Also hotter.

[@sennnia]

That would have been way way better

[@dr.velious5411]

Much much better

[@leoseling4413]

Oh shit that's amazing

[@NJGuy1973]

Random KZbinr writes better song than professionals.

[@Rain593]

"Not every song needs to be a 5 suite symphony." As a prog metal fan... yes. Please more of those

[@jooree7696]

I want a Sam Smith 5 part prog metal suite

[@JesusKrispies]

As a Brian Wilson fan… yes. Please more of those

[@VulpesHilarianus]

Now you're making me wonder what would happen if you put Lyle Mays and John Petrucci in charge of composing a pop song together.

[@brodericksiz625]

As a prog rock fan I couldn't agree more

[@punkrckr6889]

Now I wanna see Todd review "Reptile" by Periphery

[@JohnThelin]

Holy crap. This is a sketch for a song, not a finished piece. I really like the chorus, but I'd like to hear someone finish this. Also, Sam Smith looks better than they ever have.

[@mirandawhittaker8481]

Todd's sarcastic British accent deserves its own channel.

[@hazelabbiati6908]

“I am a straight white guy, no one will criticize me as long as I look like I’m half trying“ got the ugliest cackle from me, you’re doing more than fine darling 💝

[@ronanyomu5967]

I swear a couple of years ago he claimed to be biracial, how did he become white all of sudden

[@stampede274]

Especially since one of those isn't even true

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Todd isn't white but having listened to his podcast, he's 1. straight to the point of not just lacking gaydar, but lacking the ability to detect even the most out and proud person in the room, even if they're hitting on him directly and 2. very concerned that he's going to say something cruel and hurtful as a result of his inability to pick up on these things. As in, his cohost mentions this is something Todd has spoken about off the podcast before or mentioned in texts because it's lowkey on his mind frequently. Todd is doing his best. He's like a golden retriever: not a genius, but full of heart.

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

@@morganqorishchi8181 I remember when put Sam Smith in his top 10 and he replied to a comment saying he checked it over a hundred times to make sure he never misgendered them. I feel kinda the same, I accidentally misgendered a non-binary friend once and wanted to jump in a hole for the rest of time. Just last month I accidentally misgendered Ezra Miller out loud when talking about them and felt bad, less so when it was revealed that they go by he/him in private and mostly does the they/them thing as a facade to the public. But I still say they/them when referring to Miller just in case.

[@elliepurser7867]

@@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep it happens sometimes, I'm trans and I mess up too. As long as you apologize and don't make a huge deal about it I'm sure they'll understand.

[@saydaddy91]

I’ve never heard a more accurate statement then “this song feels like it’s missing 60%of it” this should be a great workout song but I can’t even finish my reps before it’s finished

[@Leeqzombie]

I didn't love the song but upon first listen my response was "Wait, it's already over? I fucking hate TikTok" We're at the point I'm wishing that songs I don't even like were longer.

[@EeveeFromAlmia]

I’ve been a massive fan of Kim for years, I’m actually shocked it’s taken this long for her to get into the top 40

[@ShesquatchPiney]

FREAKING SAME. Hillside Boys? Icy? Malibu? Not even Coconuts????

[@getschwifty5271]

she definitely wasn't gonna get on the top 40 with slut pop lol, it was such a flop

[@sparkle6772]

how do u feel about her constant collaboration w dr luke

[@SALshaNoma]

I listen to one of her songs for the first time just this week. I had no idea who she was when this review came out. My sister happened to send me King of Hearts. That song sounded good compared to the things Todd showed.

[@carrie9716]

The priest rewrite would be so good. I genuinely hope Sam smith hears and does it, even if it’s just for a specific performance.

[@andrebrynkus2055]

Or as it's a song that's about a minute and a half long it might inspire them to rewrite it into a full fledged song that's also more interesting.

[@Sabbatic]

"the only person wearing mute colors at the pride parade." What a banger line. Sam Smith should steal it.

[@nommable]

Actually said "Oh shit!" out loud when you pitched your Sam Smith priest idea, it's so perfect for the song.

[@moviesmemesandstuff2759]

The best way I can describe this song is both rushed and unfinished. With a choir and a chorus like that, you'd think we'd be in for a epic sexy time, but all we get is something too short, way overblown and with pieces missing. I feel like Sam should make an extended version.

[@snoopsq.527]

Regardless of the song’s actual quality, it’s funny to me that the uptight bigots who would be offended by this song would be too scandalized by its mere existence to realize how utterly unscandalous it is.

[@LynetteTheMadScientist]

Infidelity isn’t scandalous enough now? Is that how far we’ve fallen?

[@dyldragon1]

@@LynetteTheMadScientist I mean it's about infidelity, but it's also about how dirty the dude doing it is. Sam Smith is basically judging him for it the whole song. This isn't even half of a dirty infidelity song as that one Doja Cat song that charted this year.

[@astemcell]

@@dyldragon1 the problem with making music in the transgressive-and-Catholic vein like this is that it means competing with Like a Prayer-era Madonna and that's a really high bar

[@milsthebard1085]

@@LynetteTheMadScientist Well it's not about that, and. more that it's selling the song as edgy when...yeah, being an annoying cheating guy is narratively boring and also just awful. Also, it's a song. Thus, fiction.

[@RozWBrazel]

@@LynetteTheMadScientist Oh yes we're all like Lil Nas X riding the pole to *hellll,* just gleefully at the bottom of the pit and ready to grind on the Devil... 'cause we're unmoved by this boringly written/produced/sung thing about fictional infidelity

[@boraxkid1097]

This might be the kinda song that someone covers in 10 or 15 years and does something GENIUS with the pieces they add or change.

[@Ruinwyn]

I hope it won't take that long. There are so many obvious improvements that you could change in a cover, that I'm even more disappointed in current music scene if it takes that long. Change the second verse to have something referencing any of the themes of the first or chorus (dirt, sin, holyness, secrets, double life). Add a bridge that reveals more about the situation. Make the narrator explicitly a priest, a pimp, a PR person or the wife's side guy. Just pick a scenario where the term Unholy makes sense and commit to it for the duration of the song and you have much better song.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

"Unholy but it's gay" by Reinaeiry on KZbin is already a massive improvement over the original by 1. making the narrator a woman and 2. having her seduce the man's wife, making it into a situation where a dude confided his guilt to his best friend and she decided to take the opportunity while he's busy to swoop in there. I love it a lot more than the original.

[@SynGirl32]

@@Ruinwyn Also make it 6 minutes and be essentially dark Cold Little Heart.

[@catherinenagae629]

@@morganqorishchi8181 thanks for your suggestion. It's great

[@AlligatorArms]

I think after 10-15 from now, they’ll all have just cut the foreplay & made every song 30 seconds long.

[@NicolasSequeira]

"The Body Shop" is a subtle double entendre where it's both the name of the shop where you get your car repaired, and the shop where the bodies are at that you make out with. This is so clever

[@zodywoolsey]

I gotta say, I am a trans person and I actually thought Kim was cis until like last week lol. Good for her, but it really makes it feel even more like only the ones who pass well enough to hide to those who don't already know are the only ones to ever truly make it big. Even worse it's still framed around the focal point of a straight man. I like the music, it's fun... but it really doesn't feel like the 2 biggest non-gender-conforming artists have broke out of the male-gaze gender conforming social climate that still exists.

[@SALshaNoma]

I never would have figured that out either esp since her voice is very high and very feminine. But then maybe that's why she likes to have her fake tits out in all her albums lol

[@Panda_Roll]

The song would have made more sense if they were BOTH having an affair with the married man and either laughing about it behind his back or didn't know it was the same man till the ending as a "reveal" 🤣

[@base4yrface]

…messin with the same girl

[@liabobia]

Trans "The Boy Is Mine" remix would be fucking incredible...

[@joelvandyke7505]

Bear with me, this scenario involves writing a bit more intro into the song. The music video starts and they're both just... clearly hungover, sitting in a brightly lit, slightly cold coffee shop. And then Sam smith slides his sunglasses down and starts the song, spilling tea about this guy from last night at the Body Shop. Kim responds with a story about a similar guy buying her presents, then just before the last chorus the guy walks in WITH HIS WIFE and everything stops for a sec while they all go 😬. Guy/Wife leave. Kim and Sam exchange looks, grin, and launch into the last round. "oh my god same guy". After credits, wife finds evidence. ...or is it better if the man himself is a priest?

[@taylorcatalana1783]

Ah yes, a “same girl” scenario if you will

[@qty1315]

It might have been cool if the song was about a guy struggling with his sexuality who had an affair with a boy, then dumped that boy because the relationship was "Unholy," and then the boy became a girl. Then, the man ends up having an affair with the 'girl', not knowing the truth. The boy is mocking him behind his back because, according to the man, their relationship is "Unholy."

[@sashiboop]

One thing I really like about the song is the instrumentation of it. The metallic noises remind me of SOPHIE, a trans woman who was essentially the creator of hyperpop, and I REALLY hope that was what they were going for cause that would be such a nice tribute... (RIP) Also Todd being confused why he has such a big trans fanbase as if we all don't relate to hiding ourselves with a big hoodie LMAO Whether you liked the song or not it's your opinion and we respect it, and I definitely agree that it could've been sooooo much more.

[@propername4830]

The drums use samples from SOPHIE's drum pack she released

[@sashiboop]

@@propername4830 Thank you! I had a feeling but I didn't wanna assume. I guess that makes this a triple trans anthem!

[@morningfaroe612]

that’s so sick! thank god for sophie rest in peace to her

[@Miserycordya]

may she live forever 👼🏼

[@tempo4760]

Honestly I got the same vibe, to be honest I really wish they leaned more into the SOPHIE influences. Make it more aggressive and in your face, that would work better with the whole dark cabaret vibe.

[@nitrosophelin]

this is like if Adele did a song with Megan Thee Stallion but in the worst way possible

[@RenaldyCalixte]

But Dua Lipa is British and she already did a song with Megan Thee Stallion that wasn't very good.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

Todd worrying about being a good ally is extra funny now that he's made a video ripping apart James Somerton for plagiarizing other LGBTQ+ people's work, lying about LGBTQ+ history and misinforming others. Between that, his best friend in the world being a bi trans woman who he treats like a sister on their podcast, and Todd being the token straight in his IRL friend group I think we can safely declare him to be good at allyship.

[@kaskus7147]

It would be like Meagan Trainor and Bon Iver trying to make a hard-core foot fetish death metal song.

[@Zezlemetkun]

Shit now I want to hear that

[@GriffinPilgrim]

Can...can we try that?

[@1lostmuffin515]

You won me over with Death Metal. We need this to be a thing now

[@VeeWee452]

quick this needs a petition!

[@noesunyoutuber7680]

That sounds excellent and I would definitely listen at least once.

[@alloftheabriar]

Trans woman here! I think you talked about it well, and you don't need to worry as much about walking on eggshells. Also as a trans mechanic, Sam Smith as a mechanic is hilarious.

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

Oh mighty trans one, might i reach your glorious peaks some day and be seen as valid, right and accepted.

[@jamescook5783]

@@HolyGoddessMotherAnne How do you know she is more validated then you?

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

@@jamescook5783 In the end it's all a grand battle for who is trans enough.

[@jamescook5783]

@@HolyGoddessMotherAnne Trans enough in whose eyes?

[@HolyGoddessMotherAnne]

@@jamescook5783 trans community/some people, eternal hell in a sense.

[@Jygerthe2nd]

They really shoulda called the song Body Shop. For one thing, calling the song "Unholy" just screams of "Oh, how scandalous and sinful! He's having an affair with Kim Petras!" ... ... ...Yeah, him and every other guy married to vanilla Karens. Also, something about how they say the line "at the Body Shop" just punches more than "doing something Unholy". Oh, side-note, can we just talk about how that's the best name for a place like this? "What's the name of your raunchy sex dungeon/burlesque?" "The Body Shop." "FUCK YEAH, it is!" XD

[@elliepurser7867]

You don't understand the song do you? It's not about Sam, who is non binary btw.

[@the-np4mr]

Sam Smith is male.

[@errohaze2683]

@@the-np4mr Yes, their sex is male, but their gender is nonbinary. 🥰🤗

[@the-np4mr]

@@errohaze2683 nope

[@MattCraftDotDerp]

The song at the end is "Unholy" by KISS from arguably their best album, _Revenge._ I always look forward to what song Todd puts at the end of these. I think my favorite is still "This is Not America" at the end of his "This is America" review.

[@ironicdivinemandatestan4262]

The best one was in the "Sweetest Pie" review where he put "Pie" by The Rock

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

@ironicdivinemandatestan4262 Was thinking he would put Flaming Pie or Honey Pie or Wild Honey Pie from Paul McCartney, or possibly Magic Pie by Oasis which he as covered before. I was not ready for The Rock lol

[@goldenhorde6944]

The heavy metal cover of They See Me Rolling was great as well

[@why7189]

Todd getting one step closer to hyper pop reviews

[@RatherEmpty]

I hope so

[@kaitlin9288]

He's already said he likes 100 gecs so one can only hope

[@amineral9459]

Kim Petras is a gateway drug

[@ShesquatchPiney]

Yes plz.

[@ridofchris]

I used to be such a huge Kim Petras stan, had to stop supporting her after finding out Dr. Luke exclusively produced most of her discography cause you know, I got morals, but honestly i’d be lying if I said a part of me is not happy to see her blow up, especially without a Dr. Luke produced song and with Sam Smith whom I like most times. The song itself is mostly underwhelming aside from the chorus. I think I like more what it represents rather what it actually is.

[@ridofchris]

@@soaribb32 Oh, that’s a given. And we’ll never truly know what terrible things artists do in private, but I’ll always try not to support anyone publicly known for doing awful things/ being associated with people who are proven to be horrible mostly cause It just makes me feel uncomfortable knowing who they are and listening to the music. It takes the enjoyment out of it for me in a weird way and I just feel like I cannot fully dive into the music without a voice in the back of my head telling me I should not be enjoying this.

[@Tenebyss]

@@soaribb32 absolutely, and I get uncomfortable with how people single her out for supporting him rather than the industry at large, but she also defended him on a personal level

[@MangInutil]

@@ridofchris Everyone experiences that kind of crisis, and I do feel bad for them because of it.

[@infi-nerdy]

Thankfully she's putting out a new single soon with Max Martin, maybe she's realized she doesn't need to work with Dr. Luke to get hits

[@PeterGriffin11]

Was he accused of sexual harassment or did he actually do it?

[@lpsmadgirl23]

I had the exact same vision you did for a church theme but with the choir calling him out and it being a huge exposé of the husband and as a tik tok user, tik tok has a very similar relationship with the song, when people promote their song on tik tok it comes with the expectation that there will be more to the song and you get to hear the rest upon release, so when the song released and people heard the exact same thing they heard on tik tok a lot of people were disappointed and had similar criticisms about how the song doesn’t really deliver on the theme,

[@elliepurser7867]

Calling who out?

[@Christian-is-thriving]

As Gen X queer woman I 100% don't understand how this doing qualifies as "edgy". A pop tune about an adulterous man? So Gen Z Pina Colada song? I like the music and imagery. But that's not edgy or sexy. Maybe if you're 14.

[@shadyjoanneboots]

As a trans woman myself it kinda makes me sad that Kim is our most famous trans pop star, considering how buddy buddy she is with Dr. Luke. You just inherently feel icky about supporting her if you are someone who supports and believes Kesha, so I can't enjoy her music even though it fits my taste.

[@annnee6818]

Cis woman here and agree 1000% with everything you said. And I hate Nicki for the same reason, who will even stoop to working with p*doph*les.

[@msmalice6007]

we lost sophie too soon 💔

[@reikun86]

Is there a trans pop star that you think should get the spotlight (and not affiliated with Dr. Luke)?

[@fluffskunk]

I feel like there's got to be some sort of entertainment industry "playing the game" BS going on that keeps elevating trans celebrities with really problematic views/loyalties.

[@nothingislogical]

I think that live performance of the song you used shows Sam Smith's "sexless"-ness that you were talking about and provides of juxtaposition to what the song is trying to do. Music video: Sam is a sexy mystery person leading the cabaret with provocative dancing Live performance: Sam is just standing in one place while wearing mom jeans and a denim jacket

[@jbvin]

Music video: Sam is someone who runs and performs in an illicit brothel/cabaret and has to listen to men who confess all their crap to them because if they tell anyone he can get them arrested "talking on the scene.... Can't keep your business clean" this is clearly about a problem client that the staff warn each other about

[@portagenial]

Honestly the more I hear this song, the more I kinda love Sam Smith's voice doing this Lil Nas X meets Ghost type of beat, I like the version where Sam is a Priest.

[@EinDose]

WAIT HOLY CRAP, I'm in a Todd in the Shadows video! 4:57; that's actually a shot from a Melbourne rally, that's the Greens' contingent including three different state MPs (the ones holding the flag). I'm the one with blue hair in the back. It's hard for me to narrow down exactly which rally I was at by brief footage, I go to a lot of them, but judging by my hair and exactly which MPs were there (the bald guy, Tim Read, only got elected in 2018) I'm gonna say this was a 2019 rally to allow Victorian trans people to change their gender legally without surgery. Which we can do now!

[@TimmyTickle]

Congratulations!

[@EinDose]

@4Tlccas Fashion's cyclical! A lot of my wardrobe has a 70s vibe to it, but it's not because I deliberately went 'yeah I'm gonna dress in what was cool fifty years ago', it's just because that's back in style.

[@pawnhearts8785]

Out of all the singers in the world, Sam Smith is definitely one of them.

[@daalimbe]

@@Digitron0898 Hey, don't misgender, Sam uses they/them pronouns

[@daalimbe]

They're one of the artists that release songs in the current day

[@nshb4204]

They're the most singer ever

[@untappedpotential2761]

First song to gain 10 Samillion views

[@patrickjohnson1649]

He is certainly letting air pass through his Vocal Folds, and giving enough Pressure and Tension to them to allow vibrate at the right frequency to create the sensation that we can certainly call singing…

[@heymistercarter.]

Okay, am I alone in thinking Sam Smith’s part would’ve been better written for someone like Adam Lambert? Lambert is known to go as over-the-top with his persona and music as I think this song requires while having a similar vocal range to Smith (if not bigger). Heck, he’s fronted QUEEN for a while! His voice could’ve worked well with this song, as well as Petras’ own seductive yet over-the-top nature with her music. I’m not sure.

[@mistyeyedreamer]

I love Adam Lambert and this does feel like a lot of his early music, but I also kind of like Sam’s weird deep-yet-keening voice with the music. I’d love to see that alternate version though

[@jeccdog7584]

adam lambert isn't going to make this record go #1 even if they're the better fit. this is what u get when the record industry makes a blatant copy of real music.

[@gut853]

Adam Lambert would have popped off with this

[@donniebeep]

I immediately thought of this when I saw the music video! Adam Lambert has always done sexual music, like For your Entertainment and he can actually pull that. I'm interested to see where Sam Smith goes though, and whether he'll continue in the same direction as Unholy

[@ShesquatchPiney]

@@donniebeep I loved For Your Entertainment. Gaga writing on it was just extra bonus.

[@Kiwi-fl8te]

I hope "Too short and not gay enough" won't be the takeaway from my life.

[@Ryuu44]

LOL. One of the lines from Kim talks about Balenciaga. You can't argue that line got a lot more controversial and "unholy" in the time since this came out. xD

[@jamesmason7979]

Todd's idea for the song and the video is actually intriguing.

[@MM-jf1me]

Agreed. They played it too safe with this one. The song itself is dull; I wish that the song Todd imagined it could've been actually existed.

[@ACETYGRA]

@@MM-jf1me Agreed. It seems like the song was purposely watered-down so it could "Play in Peoria" as they used to say.

[@jordanwhite352]

I was legit and nervous when Todd was talking about him not wanting to water down his opinions anymore after he mentioned about a non-binary and trans person only to be completely relieved and overjoyed that his supposed "controversial opinion" is his hatred for the vapid spying platform known as TikTok. 🤣

[@Vickyeverythingelsewastaken]

Since he's oomfies with Contrapoints, I doubted we would get FoxNews In The Shadows but he still played us like a fiddle.

[@blue3616]

He co-host's a podcast with a trans woman and has made it clear numerous times (on the podcast and in his videos) that he fully supports the LGBT+ community!

[@MangInutil]

Same, I was not ready for that yet.

[@fauxrowsdower7610]

Right?? My trans ass watching this over my morning coffee like oh man please don’t do me like this Todd I just woke up

[@saturdayandrain]

lol, i've been watching Todd's videos for 10 years now, so expected i this statement to be nothing else than a set up for a joke :D

[@CFootprints]

First time I heard this song, I hated it as the usual "pandering to the tiktok crowd" and so out of left field for Sam Smith that it felt like a giant cash grab. That being said, the melody is so fun it just gets stuck in your head for days and days and the choreography in the videoclip looks pretty fun at times as well. Into the "guilty pleasures and vibes" playlist you go!

[@riso08]

Because of the chorus I thought this song was from the perspective of a kid played by Sam eavesdropping on their dad and finding out his secret while Kim was the person he was cheating with. That also adds a different angle of unholy because the kid found out their dad was doing something wrong and unholy

[@matthewjoy475]

This song is going to be in rotation at every strip club in America and while it's short, it's kind of the perfect length for a set (as stated by the ex-stripper that I follow on Twitter who I first heard about the song from).

[@gelitrippingkiddo5907]

Man. I’m a stripper, and I pray that they don’t play this song regularly at my club. I kinda detest it. She’s right though.

[@mikeduncan3953]

@@gelitrippingkiddo5907 Well I'm saving my lapdance money for November Rain or something!

[@RoguSpanish]

I was literally just thinking, what's the point of a 40 second song? I mean when would you ever listen to it? The shortest song on my playlist is Slaughtercult by Exhumed and even that one is a minute and a half. But for a strip club, I guess that makes sense, I've never been to one but I assume they aren't playing like doom and prog songs.

[@RoguSpanish]

@@gelitrippingkiddo5907 Damn, detest is pretty strong, why do you hate it so much? I don't like any pop music but this doesn't sound that bad to me, no worse than most of it at least.

[@MangInutil]

@@RoguSpanish Imagine listening to despacito on repeat as a walmart employee. It's good at the start, then it gets bad overtime. Kinda the same scenario the stripper is talking about.

[@sailorncho]

One of the things that annoyed me a bit about this song also is that the LGBT comunity overall has so much awesome art and aesthetics to pull from and yet they went with the most predictable feel for this, to me it's not that it isn't sexy it's just a tired type of sexy.

[@Minam0]

Yeah burlesque does nothing for me. Or as a friend called it “clowns trying to be sexy.”

[@OfAxisAndAllies]

Burlesque is one of the most overused aesthetics IMO. The whole song is a disappointment aside from the LGBT rep.

[@JTCurtisMusic]

Thank you!

[@talkwordy3065]

The frustration I would say is they just leaned on boring cliches for the burlesque. Like there's way to do it, but Sam decided to do nothing for special or interesting really. That was really disappointing for them.

[@ShesquatchPiney]

I found it disappointing cuz I think both artists have a lot to offer and have shown they each know how to delivery. I feel like the machine behind this overwhelmed and/or squandered their potential for this to be a great project.

[@meghanhenderson6682]

Okay...he's right about posh theatre kids as auto-mechanics. That's objectively funny. And terrifying (queue flashbacks everything I've ever seen stage crew do). Very terrifying.

[@LauraMoncur]

Sam Smith as the priest receiving a confession is now head canon for me. Thank you for making this song even better.

[@Ninjaverse45]

4:37 "As far as YOU know" is never ending gag and I love it

[@digamejh]

I thought Todd had retired it, but it lives!

[@judgesaturn507]

@@digamejh Yeah, I thought he ditched it after the This Is America review

[@bowduels9997]

@@judgesaturn507 so did I!

[@jetseekers]

Honestly, considering your analysis of the song itself vs the marketing, all I can think of is a particular line from the Big Bang Theory: Way to think outside yet push right up against the box. Edit: Also, now closer to the end, Todd's idea of it being a confessional just shows what I'm on about. And in light of that, this almost seems like 'Montero (call me by your name)' but made by the establishment instead of an actual provocateur

[@varsoonhks3211]

I call this one 'Nontero'.

[@thrownstair]

I’m surprised that Montero didn’t get brought up as sinful done right.

[@jetseekers]

@@thrownstair I kinda wonder that too, but I think it may be because of both a difference in style and attitude Call me by your name is more 'you say I'm damned and so be it.' Unholy is more 'ive sinned and I'm ashamed but turned on by my shame' at least in attempt/concept but watered down so as to be radio (advertiser) friendly

[@TheKeeperofChaos]

I hadn't event considered it but... fuck, you're right. Montero is boundary-pushing (in mainstream culture, anyways), sexual and gender progressiveness done right in a pop song. This, meanwhile... screams of "the establishment" of pop music trying wayyyyy too hard while also shying away from actually pushing boundaries. Montero was explicitly about gay sex hookups, and stated so graphically. This meanwhile... wants to shock, but she's away from actually saying anything.

[@emilyadams3228]

@@TheKeeperofChaos Ya want true boundary-pushing? Listen to Walk On The Wild Side by Lou Reed. It's from 1973. Just repeat this phrase while you listen: This was on the radio in Nineteen Seventy Goddam Three.

[@vaszgul736]

Honestly I think you perfectly explained why I need to look up extended mixes and remixes of literally every popular new song lately Tiktok video formats are so short and repetitive that music producers just release choruses without the actual, yknow, rest of the song. It's simply more effort than needed when the only place people find music is a 10 second video. If you actually want to listen to a SONG you need a remix from remix makers who are likewise disappointed the beat they like was barely a song

[@luckystriker842]

Honestly, it just feels like they're trying to do the stuff that Montero did by using religious imagery in an LGBTQ+ context in order to court controversy, and Todd's suggestions regarding making the third-person narrator a priest would probably help this. If you told me this song was not finished, it would not surprise me, because it is completely half-baked.