This one might turn out to be a bad idea. I was stuck for song titles yesterday, but today I had a brainwave: what about "Thinking about You"? There's gotta be at least a few songs with that title! Maybe some remixes too, because it's kinda an obvious title.
How wrong I was.
This is coming at you as a two-parter because I have twenty-nine songs to get through. This list stretches from 1985 all the way to the 2nd of June this year so I hope you're ready for some serious genre shifting. As usual, rules apply: professionals, covers by professionals, and club/disco/electronic remixes only. Entrants will be in date order because that's fair or something, even if there's only a week or so in between some of these. Yeesh.
Oh, and I'm saving Sting and Radiohead for next week's list.
1. Whitney Houston (1985)
We're starting this list off with an '80s hit, Whitney Houston's original Thinking About You. Her rich vocals combined with the punchy, early techno sounds of the 1980s really teleport you back to that time of big hair and shoulder pads, it's a melody reminiscent of Toto. But Houston lends it a heart and luster that lacks from a lot of bands, the song effortlessly mixes soft, half-whispered lyrics with soulful cries and it moves fluidly between the staccato rhythm of the synth drums and the soft undertones of the electronic keyboard. It sounds truly eighties and I kinda like that about it, it knows its time and it's still reminiscent of that decade.
I'm also including in this entry a look at the Extended Dance Mix because there's nothing in my totally-made-up rules that says an Extended Dance Mix can't be in the same entry as the original (and also because it's the same song with a couple of minutes added so I don't want to give it its own entry). The opening really has that early Lethal Weapon feel to the music, it's light-hearted and a little sly. Oh! But this one adds a guitar solo, so you just know it's brilliant. The dance mix has my vote so far; I don't have much more to add because, like I said, it's the exact same song but a little longer. And that, it turns out, isn't a bad thing.
And... neither is a... I think it's a glockenspiel solo?
2. Londonbeat (1990)
This is the first time I've heard of Londonbeat, but I have to admire their energy right from the start. This makes no bones about being the original '80s version; immediately it's fast, fresh, different. And Jimmy Helm's beautiful voice cuts through the melody, which is a little pop-y and repetitive, but the song is short and it still has a guitar solo so it's getting an A-grade in my books.
I don't think I could listen to this as much as I could Whitney Houston, if only for that repetitive backing track which is juuust a bit too noticeable. But it's got me interested in listening to more by Jimmy Helms (who, it turns out, is 75 and still performing - nice going) so I'm adding him to some future list, I'm sure. Londonbeat - it's fun and funky. That's in the good half of these songs.
3. Mario (2009)
A big leap now, 19 years until the next entry on YouTube's first results page. I've never heard of Mario, but at least 328,000 people have because his VEVO page has that many subscribers and more. As for the song: I guess I'd call it a dance track? Genres confuse me, but it's got that techno beat and backing, the audio is mixed and autotuned but not to obnoxious degrees - if those synthetic tones weren't seemingly over every syllable of this song I'd say Mario has a good voice. Unlike "Somebody to Love" this song title has spawned a plethora of decent-or-better originals, I might have some difficulty ranking these ones.
I can't say this isn't very typical of late-2000s/early-2010s pop because it really is, it could be called by the numbers if the vocals weren't so good. That might put it down a few points in this list (which has so far been nothing but strong contenders, although again the same could be said of Jefferson Airplane, Queen, and George Michael) but I'm finding it less obviously repetitive than Londonbeat, so right now it's beating the 1990 offering to second place.
4. Frank Ocean (2012)
THIS.
THIS IS THE SONG THAT SPAWNED THAT DAMN MEME.
So. Frank Ocean. Okay, I'm liking the minimalist, Hotline Miami-but-coherent melody track - I know I've complained about repetitive tracks in this list, but Ocean keeps it simple and doesn't let the melody overwhelm his vocals which, when they're good they're great, but early on in the track they feel flat. This is one of those songs that gets better as it goes on, I think it begins with all these things that sound off and bad because they're hallmarks of bad songs when used wrong. However Frank Ocean resolves the melody and vocals: his voice starts off flat because it contrasts with the highs, which melt the melody into the background and stop it feeling repetitive, until you notice the change in melody as he changes the vocal style once again.
Wow, that sounded almost like actual music criticism. Anyway, this one is a good song but I wouldn't go so far as to call it my favourite. I enjoy it, it progresses and resolves and I can enjoy a good resolution.
5. Calvin Harris feat. Ayah Marar (2013)
Alright, confession time: 18 Months was probably the first album I really fell in love with before I got into music. I've always liked Calvin Harris - his music video for "Acceptable in the 80s" really turned me onto music videos and music as a whole. But "Thinking About You" has never been one of my strong favourites - from the same album, "We Found Love", "We'll be Coming Back", and "Drinking From the Bottle" are all stronger songs and in many ways more unique, in my opinion. And since the theme of the day seems to be repetition, I have to say: "Thinking About You" is one of the more repetitive tracks on that disc.
Which is not to say I hate it. But it's got that Londonbeat problem of very obvious repetition, and it doesn't have the strength of vocals from Ayah Marar that it needs to really lend the song some variety. It switches it up in the chorus, but only in the sense that the repetitive lyrics are now drowned out by the new melody. It's typical fare, built out of blocks, and it doesn't feel as strong as Harris's other songs.
6. Fuse ODG feat. Killbeatz (2014)
Coming in at the tail-end of 2014, Fuse ODG is another utter unknown to me who brings strong, albeit slightly over-autotuned, vocals to a simple backing track. And like Mario, it works. He lets the vocals carry the song while the drumbeats in the background give it a bit of punch, the piano giving it a sense of melody and sing-song when the autotune brings it too buzzy and electronic. It's all electronic, and it's slightly too much, but it has a rhythmic nature and feels less blocked-out than Calvin Harris's club standard. The rich piano opening really sets the tone, and it adds these little classical notes throughout - the violin hits forming an impromptu bass beat, the marching-rhythm drum track, it has an understated opera feel under the rap lyrics.
Honestly I feel like this one could grow on me. I'm enjoying the little details, the variation throughout where they change up the rhythm of the lyrics or take out all but the drum beats and suddenly everything is a whole lot quieter, more focused. There are little notes of detail which set it apart from Calvin Harris, and put it further up there on my list. Does it beat Mario? I think it might.
7. Charlie Anderson feat. Kristine Blond (2016)
Here's where it gets tricky, because the next six songs were all released in 2016.
Six.
So for simplicity, this one was released on January 20th, and it's the sort of EDM track I'd listen to and add to my favourites. I can't help it - it's the kind of music I love. And this entry in the list is bouncy, flirty and energetic. It entices you in and makes you want to dance, a mix of repetitive drum-n-bass backing with bounchy techno beats - all fairly standard, but mixed in with original lyrics well-sung and well-mixed - and somewhere in the middle are the piano jumps which really make it bounce. Nothing stays in there forever or feels like it's overstaying it's welcome - the drum-n-bass style only really kicks in around halfway through - and it never really stops to let you think about one element too much. The piano kicks in over the bouncy techno, then drops out with a synth cymbal hit, and it doesn't come back until the drum-n-bass backing is in full swing.
Overall, this is a well put-together track, and it's the sort of dance music I'd put on to relax at the end of the day, which kinda gives it an edge.
8. GoodLuck (2016)
I don't think we've had a bad track in this list so far, and that doesn't appear to be starting here. GoodLuck brings a strong dance number to the game, and although the vocals are a little weak - Juliet Harding has the guts to pull it off at times with strong vocals, but most of the song is spent in breathy half-whispers over the club beat - it really amps it up with an epic change of pace in the chorus. Going from the almost chilled-out, mellow vibes of the opening to the huge sound a couple of minutes into the song really shows up the shift in style before bringing it back down again, although it still feels a level higher than it began.
I think that's what this song does well: it throws out those moments of strong melody that make the song feel bigger even if nothing has changed. Like those strings of notes which seem to be going ever, impossibly higher (Shepard Tones, it turns out), it gives the music an epic scope even though nothing has changed.
If only the lyrics were more than whispered, I could see this placing pretty high. As it is, the half-caught words in the chorus irritate me enough to knock a few points off.
9. Ariana Grande (2016)
My first thought when this started playing was how similar Ariana Grande's vocals sounded to Whitney Houston. They had the same breathy, staccato style. But as it goes on, I think I'd compare it more to Mario: a simple background melody which lets the strong vocals do the work. At times the melody does overpower the breathy backing vocals, but it still has that Houston sound so I guess I'd have to call it a best of both worlds.
I don't think it has the strongest start, because it has a typical repetitive beat. But Ariana's strong lyrics and vocals add a melody where in the beginning there is none. Then, to the song's detriment, they allow the actual melody to take over for a moment before bringing it down and keeping that strong beat and constantly-shifting vocal style at the fore.
I quite like this one, but it's not going to top my list. I think it's interesting, but I don't like how the melody overpowers the vocals at times, when Ariana has demonstrated her power and strength with those rich tones in the opening.
10. Axwell ^ Ingrasso (2016)
Aside from Wikipedia notifying me that it's Axwell and Ingrasso, this is my least favourite so far. Not for any particular reason, I just don't like the way the lead singer sounds. He sounds like an average Londoner who's been autotuned to sound good, and it's too much. Which is a shame, because the rest of the song is strong and excitable, it punches and bounces and it's generally a pretty good dance tune.
I just can't get my head around that voice.
Or that music video, for that matter.
11. Mabel (2016)
This is where the average Londoner voice actually works, a mix of mellow dance and rap which feels like a follow-up to Lily Allen. I didn't know what to expect from Mabel's "Thinking of You", but honestly being reminiscent of the Sheezus-creating feminist heavyweight is a good sound, and this one doesn't sound overly-autotuned for most of the song, so when the techno overlays kick in they sound different and welcome, rather than typical and irritating.
This is also a good example of the lyrics and melody blending together rather than fighting over each other. Mabel uses lead vocals and a backing chorus to add to the melody rather than letting them simply disappear into the mix, her strong vocals staying clear over the song until it begins to build and blend towards a finale. The music video, too, is a love letter to inner-city living narrated by a love song. I think it's kinda fitting.
I don't think this is going to breach the top three - it's just not my style, all similarities to Lily Allen aside - but it will likely have a place somewhere in the upper half.
12. Hardwell feat. Jay Sean (2016)
The last of our 2016 entries, Jay Sean's high, capable tones over DJ Hardwell's club stylings make this a strong contender for the category of "Music That Was Pretty Much Made For Me How Have I Never Heard This Before". In these songs I feel like a lot of emphasis is placed on the producer/composer of the melody, but Jay Sean really carries those lyrics, he's clear and cool and gives the song its true happiness and bounce with his energy.
That's not to say that Hardwell's melody isn't great, mixing Jay's voice into the song before bubbling up the chorus with drops and techno beats under bleeps and fuzzy overlays which make it feel as though you're listening to some kind of underwater robot. He does well to mix it up and keep it feeling fresh, there's no repetitive melody here that isn't quickly switched out for something else.
Overall, Hardwell and Sean add a spring and a beat to this step on the list. Not bad for the last of 2016.
13. Gianni Blu feat. Sansa (2017)
The first of 2017's offerings, "Thinking About You" by Gianni Blu isn't the strongest opening - Sansa's once again breathy vocals in the beginning fall flat against the mystical-sounding melody. Once the beat really kicks in, thirty seconds in, it starts to sound good, and there are some vocals which don't sound quite so breathy mixed in. But Gianni's club beats really bring this one up, it's something a little different above the average drum-n-bass beats and every part of the song is switched out in succession to keep it interesting. It's a little less by-the-numbers than some of the dance entries on this list, but it's not enough to keep those lyrics from feeling lacklustre thanks to a breathless vocal style which doesn't quite fit the strong melody.
14. Dua Lipa (2017)
Something a little different to finish: Dua Lipa's June 2nd release is an acoustic guitar melody with a throaty, soulful voice to power over it. Everything about it is so simple in the beginning - this song builds gradually, but you can tell it's building to something. As the seemingly-necessary-in-this-modern-age dance music elements begin to creep in, the song starts to change shape from this soulful retro-style tune to a more pop-y offering.
Dua Lipa's vocals are truly impressive here, and the subtlety built into the song as it gradually shifts pace is noteworthy. I'm enjoying this one, I think it's got a shot at the top three. I'll probably listen to them again before I make my final choice, but it's safe to say that the offerings for "Thinking About You" were a lot stronger than "Somebody to Love". For a start, no Bieber or Robin Thicke!
The Verdict
This is a difficult list to order, because there's no song here that's really totally bad. I have a couple of certainties: for a start, I think Axwell & Ingrasso are dead last, because although their song was technically very good I just cannot like the vocals. Everything about them grinds against me, I hate them. After that, it's Calvin Harris - again, nothing technically wrong with it. But it was a bit standard, wasn't it? This one is a bit unfair because not only am I comparing it to thirteen more songs called "Thinking About You", I'm comparing it to the rest of 18 Months. And it doesn't measure up; "Here2China" and "Sweet Nothing" are on that album, nearly every song on that album is better than "Thinking About You" which is unfortunate. So we've got the bottom two. At least the only way is up from here.
I think Frank Ocean has to go twelfth. That opening is just too weak for my tastes, and of course that damn potato Vine doesn't help. On a list where everything is good I have to be as nitpick-y as possible, and that means Frank Ocean goes here. In eleventh: Londonbeat. I know! What a twist, right? It's true; not even Jimmy Helm can save this one. Not even a guitar solo can save this one. That backing track is too repetitive, it's too noticeable. Compared to the rest of this list, it's just a step down from most of them. Tenth place is going to Ariana Grande: when she demonstrates just how strong and clear she can make those vocals in the beginning, I don't think it's right that the rest of the song doesn't make use of them, instead covering some half-breathed lyrics with ambient music.
Gianni Blu takes ninth, because a strong club track also doesn't make up for such lacklustre vocals. It's a good club track, but Sansa's voice doesn't have the strength to carry over the melody and it doesn't fit the power of the track. Eighth goes to GoodLuck, again because of weak vocals. These husky-voiced singers over big tracks just sound weird to me, it's not something I can really enjoy fully because they feel like they're not at their full potential. Fuse ODG takes seventh, and this was a really close race from here. It was a choice between this and Mario taking sixth and seventh, and Mario won out purely because I didn't like the amount of autotune on Fuse's vocals. Mario has slightly less; that was the decision I had to make.
Similarly, fifth and fourth were ridiculously close. But fifth goes to Charlie Anderson feat. Kristine Blond. I want to be clear, on this list there is no "bad song". I might not like Axwell's voice, but his song is good. I have had to decide between fourteen good songs, and this is the fifth best out of fourteen good songs. It's only losing out on that fourth place because Hardwell feat. Jay Sean uses a lot of similar styles and techniques and I just think they're done better in that song. It sounds more technically accomplished to my untrained ear.
The top 3 are easy to decide. In third is Mabel with her Lily-Allen-style London love song, it's a classic style which brings to mind songs like "LDN" and artists like Allen and Just Jack. It speaks to everything teenage me liked in music, and that puts it pretty high on my list. In second place is the original, insurmountable (almost) Whitney Houston. Her original, sultry classic goes up here because it's punchy but with those early techno hints that characterised the '80s. And it has a guitar solo! You know how much of a sucker I am for a guitar solo.
Which means first place goes to Dua Lipa. It's sultry, it's strong, and it bends genres and does something experimental that works well. And damn, that voice. Whitney Houston gets second because of hers, and Dua Lipa gets first because of hers. There were some incredibly strong vocal performances in some of these songs, and those are the ones that take the top spots.
So this was a difficult list to judge. Most everything, from twelfth upwards, was incredibly close, and even Calvin Harris and Axwell & Ingrasso are good songs. They just lost out this time. The middle of this list was almost impossible to organise, I was making snap judgements based on one or two tiny elements. Honestly, this list was hard work.
Good thing I haven't got another list like this to write- OH WAIT!
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