Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 Review: October 2020

Welcome back to another Hot 100 Top 40 Review where I look at some of the most popular songs in the U.S. Top 40. Let’s get started.

BILLBOARD HOT 100 OF OCTOBER 17, 2020

#38. More Than My Hometown-Morgan Wallen: This is a pretty meh country song and one that I’m going to forget about after hearing it. 2/5.

#37. Fallin’-Why Don’t We: So this is a boy band called Why Don’t We. That must be short for “Why Don’t We Come Up With A Better Name.” I have never heard of these guys or this song Fallin’, which I’m guessing got here thanks to Tik Tok. The most notable thing about this song is that it samples Black Skinhead by Kanye West. Aside from that, it’s just another generic boy band song from a group attempting to sound mature, but failing at it. It’s an easy skip for me and it’s getting a 1/5.

#35. Bang-AJR: So we’re really doing this, huh? A little backstory: AJR are an indie pop trio consisting of brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Metzger, known for safe, derivative clunkers that functions as commercial music. Most are familiar with these guys thanks to Spectrum Pulse’s verbal evisceration of their last two albums, which became a thing of legend among the online music community. Apparently, they got the last laugh because they now have a legit hit under their belt with Bang. I will say this: it’s not their worst song. That does not mean the song is good because it’s not. The production is a mess of awkward piano stabs with trap percussion that doesn’t mix well, the vocals from the brothers are insufferable, and the writing is about growing up and it goes through all the cliches. It’s a song that aims to be anthemic, but because of its poor execution, it leaves no impact on the listener. I give this song a 1/5.

#33. Many Men-21 Savage & Metro Boomin: 21 Savage and Metro Boomin have teamed up again for their latest album Savage Mode 2 and the buzz is that it’s their best project to date. Going through some of the songs on here, I can see the hype. The content is pretty much what you’d expect out of this project, but both men have stepped up their game in both flows and production. Oh, and it also helps that they got Morgan Freeman to narrate the entire project. Many Men interpolates the 50 Cent song of the same name as it covers the same subject matter of living the gangsta life and it following you when you try to leave it. 21 Savage was flowing here and Metro Boomin gave him the eerie production that adds to the menace of it. This is the type of music that I want to hear more of from 21 Savage and I would give it a 4.5/5.

#32. Slidin’-21 Savage & Metro Boomin: With Slidin’, 21 Savage continues to pull from the “murder, murder” hat with rumbling production from Metro Boomin. It’s not anything innovative from these two, but it serves a purpose and it fulfills said purpose. I give this song a 3.5/5.

#30. Don’t Stop-Megan Thee Stallion ft Young Thug: The next three songs I’m gonna talk about all feature Young Thug, so let’s start with Don’t Stop. It’s Megan Thee Stallion sticking with a familiar formula of braggadocia raps surrounding money and sex over a beat with a mechanical melody. Young Thug was alright, though unneeded. Overall, this song is just okay as it’s Megan in her comfort zone, which isn’t bad, but it doesn’t hurt to step outside it. I give this song a 3/5.

#26. Rich Nigga Shit-21 Savage & Metro Boomin ft Young Thug: Going back to Savage Mode 2, we have Rich Nigga Shit, which is about exactly what the title says. And it’s an example of the least interesting parts of that album. The lightweight R&B production and 21’s Auto-Tuned rapping about the luxury lifestyle do not sound good. Young Thug doesn’t sound any better, either, as his constant yelping got on my nerves. No, I don’t like this. It’s getting a 1/5 from me.

#25. Franchise-Travis Scott ft Young Thug & M.I.A.: It’s Travis Scott’s fourth number one single. Franchise happened to be released around the same time Travis Scott announced his partnership with McDonald’s. So how is it? Well, it’s alright, I think. The production slaps and Travis Scott has a good flow here. M.I.A. should have done more on this song and Young Thug was just off here. There is potential for greatness with this song, it just needed a few more tweaks. As is, I would give it a 3/5.

#21. Dreams-Fleetwood Mac: A while ago, a video went viral featuring a man skating down the highway while drinking cranberry juice and lip-syncing to Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. It’s wholesome content needed in a horrible year and it boosted the song’s streaming numbers. Can’t really complain, especially if it introduces this song to a generation that wasn’t even born when Fleetwood Mac were at their prime. Dreams is great, from the breezy guitars and keys of the production to Stevie Nicks’ killer vocal performances and backing vocals from the other members of Fleetwood Mac. This song was written during a time when relationships between the members were really shaky and this song captures the turbulence of that chaos. I don’t have much to say about Dreams, it’s a classic that stands the test of time and it’s a good gateway to Fleetwood Mac’s catalog. I give this song a perfect 5/5.

#19. Glock In My Lap-21 Savage & Metro Boomin: Now this is some scary shit right here. The booming beat, gothic piano chords, and violin create a horror movie-like menace while 21 Savage sticks in his lower register to rap about gang violence and shooting people. It’s familiar territory for 21, but man, this song exudes dark and grittiness that makes for some of the best gangsta rap music. It’s the second best song on Savage Moe 2, beaten out by Snitches And Rats. I give this song a perfect 5/5.

#18. Wonder-Shawn Mendes: Shawn Mendes is working on a new album called Wonder, slated for released later this year. The titular track is the lead single and it’s alright, I guess. The swelling production isn’t bad, Shawn Mendes sounds fine, and I’m cool with him contemplating the world around him. I don’t know, something about the song doesn’t really click for me. I’m not saying it’s bad, but Shawn Mendes is capable of doing better. I give this a 3/5.

#14. Holy-Justin Bieber ft Chance The Rapper: Justin Bieber is now making contemporary Christian music. Yeah. This honestly shouldn’t be that surprising since the man has been open about his faith for a long time. And he’s teamed up with Chance The Rapper (because why not) for Holy. The best way to describe this thing is with two words: holy shit. Not the expression, but it’s holy shit. The dreary pseudo-gospel production, Bieber doing a horrible impression of Jon Bellion (who happened to help write and produce this song), Chance delivering a verse full of bad punchlines, and both men abusing the double meaning of this song about their wives and their relationship with Jesus. I don’t care who performs this song, it’s bad Christian music all around and it’s getting an easy 1/5.

#12. Lemonade-Internet Money & Gunna ft Don Toliver & Nav: When I saw the names of who’s attached to this song, I grew less and less interested in it. Internet Money are actually a collective of record producers and five of them teamed up to make Lemonade. My expectations for this were low and they were met because this isn’t good. The production washes out a guitar riff for more overblown trap percussion and all three men involved contribute more Auto-Tuned warbling because there’s nothing to the content. This shouldn’t be a hit at all because nothing about it stands out. I’m giving it a 1/5.

#10. Mr. Right Now-21 Savage & Metro Boomin ft Drake: Great. More of that pandering to a female audience with the dissonant sample and generic trap drums making up the production, more luxury porn, and reference to random R&B singer, including Drake stating that he used to date SZA in the most cringe way possible because he’s Drake. No, I don’t like this. It’s getting a 2/5 from me.

#9. Runnin-21 Savage & Metro Boomin: We’re at the final Savage Mode 2 song and over a frenetic Diana Ross sample, 21 Savage puts fear in the hearts of those who wish for his downfall while reminiscing on his career thus far. It’s a really good song where 21 Savage makes the best out of his limited capabilities. I can’t say that Savage Mode 2 made me a fan, but it has made me pay more attention to what 21 Savage is doing and I look forward to what he does next. I give this song a 4/5.

BEST (that isn’t Dreams)

Glock In My Lap

HONORABLE MENTION

Many Men

WORST

Bang

DISHONORABLE MENTION

Holy

And that was another Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 Review. Stay tuned next month when I do another one. This week, I’ll release my Modern Rock Tracks Review for 2006.

Peace!!

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