Singles RoundUp: 11/5
Ariana Grande – "thank u, next"
Ariana Grande made a statement with her new single she released this weekend, “thank u, next.” The single includes the pop sound that Grande is known and loved for. The catchy song calls out every ex-boyfriend she’s had, by name, and thanks them for what they’ve taught her throughout her past relationships.
The song wasn’t released with any other project. It was just relevant to the relationship challenges that Grande has been faced with over the past few years. The song is a break-up anthem that has gone viral in the past seventy-two hours. She dropped the song moments before Saturday Night Live aired, which is the show that her ex-boyfriend, Pete Davidson, appears on weekly.
Even though fans thought this could have been a track that was “shading” her exes, the lyrics describe herself as “grateful” for her past relationships, but she is ready to move on. - Emily Mugno
THEY. ft. Jessie Reyez - “Broken”
R&B duo THEY. teams up with Canadian singer Jessie Reyez to produce this chill, subdued song. THEY. consists of Dante Jones and Drew Love, are signed to Mind of a Genius, the same label as artist Gallant. “Broken” is the duo’s second release in anticipation for the release of their new EP, Fireside, which is expected to come out November 9, 2018.
The song carries a simple, repeating beat, bringing more emphasis on the vocals. Reyez opens the song with the perspective of someone entering the relationship with hurt and mistrust from previous relationships. Jones comes in for the second verse with the opposite point of view - the one who is trying to be loving and understanding but ends up getting hurt in the end. The song is a great gem for rainy day listening and offers an alluring taste of their upcoming EP. - Rachel Wong
Imagine Dragons - "Machines"
The Las Vegas pop-rock outfit goes harder than ever on their recent single, “Machine.” The sound is a more hard rock than other recent outings. This harkens back to their sound on Night Visions, their debut album.
Seeing Imagine Dragons return back to their most popular album’s sound is a mixed bag. The lyrics are basic at best, par for the course with most of the band’s work. What makes this song stand out is the heavy percussion track that mixes a drum kit and an electronic kit in this mechanized sound that goes in tandem with the song’s name.
The guitar and bass serve as almost additional percussion, accenting the bass drum heavy beat. The mechanized sound works for what the band was going for in a catchy yet uninspiring track. It is nice, however, to see them try and recapture the sound from that wonderful debut album. -Owen Paiva
Emily Mugno is a junior majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact her, e-mail esm6@psu.edu.
Rachel Wong is a sophomore majoring in Telecommunications. To contact her, email at ruw82@psu.edu.
Owen Paiva is a sophomore majoring in film/video. To contact him, email owenpaiva@sbcglobal.net.
