Summer Jam 2020 Conclusion! The End of All Things

 We've done it, people! It's been a long, long, very long, horrible summer but we got some pretty kickass fresh summer jams to jam out our freshness to! Yipayy! As September rears its head, the leaves fall, pumpkins bloom, and the coronavirus ravages schools and colleges across the country it's time to tally up the hot jams of the season!

Let us begin by recounting past Summer Royalty. We've been at this for a while, but here is the indelible list of past winners:

2007: "Umbrella" by Rihanna
2008: "Bleeding in Love" by Leona Lewis
2009: "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas
2010: "California Gurls" by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
2011: "Park Rock Anthem" by LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
2012: "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen
2013: "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell
2014: "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charle XCX
2015: "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon
2016: "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake
2017: "Despacito" by Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi ft. Justin Bieber
2018: "Never Be the Same" by Camila Cabello
2019: "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus

This is such a weird list. "Blurred Lines" is a rough stain that we'll have forever. "Shut Up and Dance" and "Can't Stop the Feeling" are notorious week entries, as is "Never Be the Same." This is all based on my own math. Maybe I should rethink my system of assigning arbitrary points to whatever random assortment of songs I heard each week. Eight points for #1, one point for #8.

NEVER!

Before we dive into our official Top Eight for the Summer, let's check out the runners up. We tracked 56 total songs this season, one less than last year. The following songs all either appeared for three weeks on the list or were ranked high enough to do some damage:

"F2020" by Avenue Beat
"The Box" by Roddy Ricch
"Roses" by Saint JHN
"RITMO" by Black Eyed Peas
"Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa
"Intentions" by Bieber ft. Quavo
"Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyonce
"Rain on Me" by GaGa ft. Ariana
"Supalonely" by BENEE ft. Gus Dapperton
"death bed" by Powfu

Are you READY?! Let's start with number eight:

#8: "Break My Heart" by Dua Lipa

Weeks on List: 4 (6/9 - 6/23, 7/21)

Peak Position: #1 on 6/16

Average Points Per Week: 6.25

This is a track that looking back I really thought had appeared more but only cracked our Top Eight four times. Mid-to-late June was a big time for this track, getting all the way up to #1 before falling off completely only to briefly re-surface in late July. It was a song always on the periphery, though and became the anthem for a great breakout summer for Dua Lipa. "Don't Start Now" may be her bigger track, and it tracked earlier this summer, but ultimately the timing just didn't work out. Dua dropped a few other songs but they all tended to cannibalize each other instead of pouring all Summer Jam effort into "Break My Heart." Still, I love this song, it has such a good rhythm and flow and I can listen to it over and over again. I feel like it should be higher, but it never did quite catch on much beyond radio play.

#7: "Toosie Slide" by Drake

Weeks on List: 5 (5/12-5/19, 6/23, 7/21, 9/8)

Peak Position: #1 on 6/23 and 7/21

Average Points Per Week: 5.40

Here is a track the opposite of "Break My Heart" - I thought this would not be as ubiquitous as it ended up being. It was one of only two songs that appeared on both the first and last countdown of the Season (the other one won Summer), and found a way to worm itself into four out of the five months of Summer. It flirted with the list quite a bit and gets this spot largely due to securing the number one spot both in June and July, although it was largely absent outside of those moments. Still, it's easy listening and always seemed to be knocking on the Summer Jam door. As far as Drake songs go, it's fine. He always seems to have a Summer Presence, but not that high. It earns its marks on longevity for sure.

#6: "WAP" by Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion

Weeks on List: 5 (8/11 - 9/8)

Peak Position: #1 on 8/18, 9/1 - 9/8

Average Points Per Week: 6.40

Ohhh...."WAP." It doesn't quite feel like a Song of Summer since it dropped so late, but it earns a spot through its potency and if we had a few more weeks it may have made a legit run at the whole enterprise. It debuted as the Hot Jam of the Week on 8/11 and was number one a week later. It collected the #1 spot for three of the last four weeks of the season. Its 6.40 points per week average is the highest of any track we cataloged and most of that is low due to its Hot Jam status during its first week. There were only three songs that debuted as Hot Jams that tracked later and the next highest any of those got was "Roses" at #3. It's also a fantastic, life-affirming, zeitgeist defining tune that's also completely inappropriate and bonkers. In short, a perfect Cardi B song that's able to push standards and expectations of female sexuality in all the ways that 2020 needs right now. I obviously love this and the remixes have been amazing, which you've seen us post all summer here. #6 seems too low, but again, this track just ran out of time. It's also a victory lap for Megan Thee Stallion, who completely legitimized herself during a breakout summer.

#5: "Say So" by Doja Cat

Weeks on List: 7 (5/12 - 5/19, 6/9 - 6/16, 7/14 - 7/21, 8/11)

Peak Position: #1 on 5/21

Average Points Per Week: 5.14

"Say So" made its buck by a strong debut, taking the number one spot during our very first week, and then fading, but never really into total irrelevancy. At 5.14 it has the lowest point per week average of any song in the Top Eight, but survived through an improbable seven weeks, including two-week appearances in every summer month besides August, where it only appeared once, and September. We've loved Doja Cat for a while and this was also a great breakout summer for her. There's beginning to be a trend - this year, despite the chaos, was full of great breakouts for many artists. It helps that "Say So" had perfect timing, unlike a "WAP" and was able to ride that May success. It's such a funky track, with a perfect throwback loop and a showcase for the wide range of singing and rapping talents possessed by Doja Cat. I dig it, I can still listen to it, and it's a worthy entry here.

#4: "cardigan" by Taylor Swift

Weeks on List: 7 (7/28 - 9/8)

Peak Position: #1 on 8/11 and 8/25

Average Points Per Week: 5.57

I was really surprised "cardigan" rose this high, but like "WAP" it dropped at a time where we didn't really have a clear favourite and was able to dominate, remaining a constant presence for the final seven weeks of summer, including four at either the #1 or #2 spot. Its duel with "WAP" reminded me of Summer 2011 watching Adele and LMFAO go at it. I've been at this too long. Ultimately its two week head start gave it the edge, although it doesn't quite feel like a summer song in the same way that we didn't get it in the heart of summer. We have had late-breaking tracks before - "I Gotta Feeling" is the most classic example. Taylor Swift came in and dropped this as such a surprise and the whole album is spectacular despite being a significant departure from the direction she had been heading in. There always seems to be Tay Sway drama, but I think she's crazily underrated as a pure artist.

#3: "Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles

Weeks on List: 10 (5/26 - 6/2, 6/16, 6/30 - 7/14, 7/28 - 8/4, 8/18-8/25)

Peak Position: #1 on 7/14 and 8/4

Average Points Per Week: 6.20

So here we have a song that finally benefits by good timing. The Top Three this year were all ridiculously close, with five total points separating them. It's pandemonium! "Watermelon Sugar" feels like a throwback male pop song, too and I was continuously surprised that it found a place in a season where there was no other real song like it making waves. It's the only song here that is obliquely summer, though, and we've craved an Ode to Watermelon for a long time. It managed to track in all of the core summer months, from Late May with regularly consistent appearances through late August. It was only absent four times in the 14 weeks from its debut to last appearance, with no consecutive weeks absent. Its #1 spots were in the heart of summer, and seven out of its ten appearances were in the Top Three, never falling lower than fourth. It's a surprisingly strong case for Harry Styles, who really doesn't otherwise seem like an artist of the moment. Yes, that is because he's the only white male in the Top 8 and one of four total we're mentioning in this article.

#2: "Rockstar" by DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch

Weeks on List: 12 (6/2 - 8/11, 9/8)

Peak Position: #1 on 6/30

Average Points Per Week: 5.50

Listen, I can't BELIEVE that "Rockstar" didn't win this summer. It ended up in second place by a single point, in what will surely go down as one of the closest finishes in Summer Jam History. This is such a song of our times, though, and we ought to remember it as the song that most fits Summer 2020. It wasn't until very late in the season, though, did I realize that "Rockstar" was a continual presence this summer, but hardly had any marks in the #1 position. It remained on the List for 11 consecutive weeks in the pure heart of summer, which is where it tallied most of its points. Eight of those eleven appearances were in the Top Three, and it really felt like it was a shoe-in after a while. Its had three other entries in the Bottom Three, though. Just one more and it would have been champion. We shouldn't feel bad, but I did really want it to win. It had more weeks on the list than any other song we tracked. It's also a really fantastic song with furious vocals and such a soft mandolin that just feels so 2020. I'll miss it. Add DaBaby to the list of artists with incredible breakout summers.

#1: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd

Weeks on List: 11 (5/12, 5/26 - 6/9, 6/23 - 7/7, 7/21, 8/4, 8/25, 9/8)

Peak Position: #1 (5/26 - 6/9)

Average Points Per Week: 6.09

Here we are, folks. Your Summer King - The Weeknd! I can't believe this dude pulled it off. He crafted a song that sounds like all his other songs but also incredibly unique. An 80s synth throwback that is also very modern. I know we were cheering for "Rockstar" and "WAP" but to get real, this had the appeal to be more of an ubiquitous song that everyone could love and it just dominated. This was especially true early in the summer when there was really no obvious choice and "Blinding Lights" pounced on the Number One spot for three consecutive weeks, more than any other jam besides "WAP" (which didn't do it consecutively).

It also has the distinction alongside "Toosie Slide" of appearing in both the first and last weeks of Summer, as well as every month this summer, which is a distinction shared by no one. It was definitely front-loaded unlike "Rockstar" and "Watermelon Sugar" which were spread out perfectly, but it made enough waves to keep coming back again and again to earn spots in August, and finally again over Labour Day Weekend, which clinched it.

Its only entry outside the Top Four for a week was on 7/21, which is actually a very special week. It featured the most Top 8 Jams of any week this summer - "Say So," "Blinding Lights," "Rockstar," "Break My Heart," and "Toosie Slide," thus making it the most Summer Jam-y week of all the Summer Jams.

Next year...

It's always a weird feeling when Summer Jams end. We have a seven-month break from paying attention to popular music. I have long debated whether or not to continue this tradition. It's nice to have a regular column here and probably the only regular column we have left. After "Old Town Road" what's the point anymore though?

This year marked the 10th Anniversary of us doing this each and every week, each and every summer. And that was actually just based on math, this is technically number 11. Last year we said we'd retire after year 10. I don't know at this point. We'll see if I get the itch again. Like obsessively keeping track of all movies and TV watched, it's tough to put down once I've started. Come back to me in late April. Goodnight, folks!

Congrats to The Weeknd - Uncut Gems (2019) was just the beginning!

Summer Jam 2019 Week 4: Lots of Jam

We had a tremendous amount of new singles dropped by established artists this week. It's post-Memorial Day now, people! It's time to set the board for Ultimate Summer Jam status! The contenders are set. Maybe. They all kind of suck. But some of these are pretty listenable jams. Let's dive in:

Hot Jam of the Week: "The Search" by NF



Here is your super-intense rap of the week. Well, we have Cardi B coming up, but this is like 2002 Eminem with an orchestral backing beat that makes me want to assault the Hornberg. This will never be a real Summer Jam candidate but I actually really dig it. It's actually all about how the industry makes your personal life suck. That's fun! Poking holes in the dream of fame and fortune is also a little off-putting for the mass pop crowd. Then again, it worked for Lorde. This could be fun.

"Glad He's Gone" by Tove Lo

It's been a hot minute since we got something from Tove Lo and this is a far more mature track than our last go around. It's a nice girl power anthem and I'm not sure if leaving a pearl necklace is radio friendly. If Lil' Jon got away with skeet skeet this should fly, right? It's a bubbly song with subtle hints of depression but an ultimately hopeful tone. I'd like to see this go far this summer and think it could.

"Cattitude" by Miley Cyrus ft. Ru Paul

Speaking of sexual innuendo... Miley hasn't quite hit 2012 levels in a while despite continually popping up in some critically acclaimed pop work since then. She's successfully darted out of her whore phase, but "Cattitude" returns to that era. I loved that era. You can say whatever you want about Miley's sexuality, but her skill as an artist and singer is actually fantastic and she has the wherewithal to spin that whore title into something prideful. She can't really account for cultural appropriation, but I also don't think that's unusual for her generation, which is more culturally blended. This is getting into a bigger topic than fun pop beats and this track is hot.

"Find U Again" by Mark Ronson ft. Camila Cabello

This week has both Cyruses and two former members of Fifth Harmony. Camila hasn't quite gotten the credit as a pop idol she deserves and while this song is far more lyrically generic than her solo work, it's got a nice rhythm to it. Her voice also dips into some auto-tune, which is weird because she doesn't need it. A lot of that is dipping into the EDM side of pop, although Mark Ronson usually comes out unscathed with his collabos. This could do something or just be really forgettable. We'll see.

"Press" by Cardi B

I'm curious about the origins of this track - by all accounts it has seemed like Cardi B eats up the press. A kid and high-profile marriage then immediate break-up with Offset, but now are they back together? I have not followed Cardi B gossip. I am the good kind of press, Cardi - I only care about your music. Mostly. There is some shock value here, but also a metaphor consistent with the content of the song. The Jack Ruby connection is worth a whole article. This is a rant-worthy column this week.

Bad Guy" by Billie Ellish

This song is gaining a lot of momentum lately, and may even overtake "Old Town Road." While the latter is a genre-busting crossover, this is its own thing, which has been growing on me. Amidst all the other crap of the first three weeks, it's telling that this has lasted through the wreckage of other brainless pop attempts. Third this week, but could blossom even higher.

"Dancing with a Stranger" by Sam Smith ft. Normani

I heard this more than any other track this week, and while it's not particularly good, it IS apparent, which is all we need for a great summer jam. I don't know why my local radio station picked this up so much. Whatever. It's doing pretty okay on the charts and while it was certainly the song of my personal week, it's not really all that ubiquitous. Still, it could stand around a while yet.

"Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus

I haven't actually heard this on the radio much because I live in an area that just got Gotye but this is still #1 on Billboard and #1 on Spotify and listening again, it still maintains that fresh, electric vibe that makes it so appealing. Above is a nice mash-up of the top two songs (according to "industry standards" pfft) in the country that also actually kind of works.

Next week...

There are other upcoming jams from Diplo / Charli XCX (by way of Spice Girls), Katy Perry, whose career, unlike her song title, may be really over, and MIKA, who I've never heard of, but cranked out a song about Ice Cream this week. It's summer! Ice Cream! Everyone likes Ice Cream. This song kind of blows. Stay tuned to see if "Old Town Road" is toppled!

Summer Jam 2019! Week 1! Let IT BEGIN!!

Welcome to the 10th Incarnation of Norwegian Morning Wood's Summer Jam Countdown!

Posts here have been so spotty lately. The Summer Jam will fix all of that! Probably. Each and every week until Labour Day we'll list off the Top Eight HOTTEST Jams in the Good Ol' Us of America and then tally up WHICH track is the final, ultimate Soundtrack to Summer 2019. It's going to be a good one. I can feel it. The media landscape isn't fractured!

Hot Jam of the Week: "Picasso" by Hopsin



I just searched for New Music, this jam popped up and I dug it. Is Hopsin a new hot artist on the Hip-Hop scene? The Travis Scott of 2019? Time will tell, but this is actually a bumpin jam, pretty brutal, clever, and a sick cutting beat. It's good enough to be the HOT ONE this week!

"Please Me" by Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B

An ancient song, but still hanging around this week - the second, much worse collabo between Bruni and Cardo does its job and is an earworm enough to be enjoyable. I naturally subconsciously searched for "Please Please Me" because of Johno and Pauli.

"Break Up with your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" by Ariana Grande

Ariana continues to dominate 2019 with every single thing she does, although this is a little bit of a lesser work compared to "Thank U, Next" and "7 Rings." It's the kind of bold, aggressive song that takes on a weird connotation after her series of high-profile relationships (chronicled with a little more tact in "Thank U, Next"). It's still a catchy jam, but it's pathway to the Top is probably over.

"Middle Child" by J. Cole

Did anyone else pick up on the moment when J. Cole became one of our best current rappers? He has a slew of hits, or at least songs lately, but this is chief among them. It's incredibly listenable in the background but also has significant lyrical weight when you sit down and contemplate it. Basically, a perfect rap song. I'll take it. A little old by Summer Jam standards, but it'll do.

"Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus

How did Billy Ray Cyrus earn a #1 Billboard Single and it not be the year 1990? This is a solid jam that has set the streaming world on fire. Since I am old man in my 10th iteration of this insane list, I haven't gotten up on streaming yet. Still, I'll acknowledge this because it doesn't matter what old men say - just what Old Town Roads say. And they say...hotness. Also this video is tight.

"Sucker" by Jonas Bros

I didn't know that the Jonas Bros were still a thing nor that this track was a Jonas Bros track but I actually dig it. My pop knowledge is insane that it actually reminds me quite a bit of Fifth Harmony's "I'm in Love with a Monster" from a few years back. That's really a guilty pleasure song.

"WOW" by Post Malone

This is somehow one of P.M.'s best tracks. His flow is stellar as always, but it's the throbbing beat and weird dancing beard man that push it over the edge. It's such a devil may care video that fits pretty well with the post-modern musical landscape. The post-malone musical landscape, if you will.

"ME!" by Taylor Swift ft. Brendan Urie

Tay Tay deserves more credit for slight reinventions of herself as the years go on. She seems less about petty weird jealousy and fake feuds with Katy Perry than actually making some mature music these days. This track was everywhere this week and I think could last a bit. It's far too early to proclaim a Summer Jam Winner. Yes, it is. But on May 13, 2019 this is what we got. That's actually the point of this countdown, Robert.

Next week...

Oh, we'll have more. This is a solid list for right now but the ebbs and flows of our fickle musical landscape will morph and change until our destinies are fulfilled! To September!!

Twenty GREATteen: Best in Music

It's about time we round out every little pop culture facet of 2018 - or as we're calling it for some reason, Two-Thousand GREAT-teen. It was pretty great, right?

Remember when we could even say that years were great? What was the last great year we had? The world is awful. That's why we have some fun music to jam out to - something needs to distract us from real problems. Whether or not there's value to both pursuing fruitless entertainment and making lists about it is beyond our scope. Let's have fun!

Best Songs of 2018:

There were actually a lot of songs I dug hardcore this year. As we do, without much evaluation, here is a smattering of the best we had, new and old from this GREAT year:

"Psycho" - Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign
"Finesse" by Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B
"Nice for What" - Drake
"Stir Fry" - Migos
"All the Stars" - Kendrick Lamar ft. SZA
"Pray for Me" - The Weeknd ft. Kendrick Lamar
"Be Careful" - Cardi B
"King's Dead" - Jay Rock, Kenny, Future, James Blake
"This is America" - Childish Gambino
"Feels Like Summer" - Childish Gambino
"Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B
"Taste" by Tyga
"Humility" - Gorillaz
"Crush" - Tessa Violet
"Nice for What" - Drake
"In My Feelings" - Drake
"Hunnybee" - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
"Best Hugs" - DRAM
"Mo Bamba" - Sheck Wes
"See You Again" - Tyler the Creator ft. Kali Uchis
"Thunderclouds" - LSD
"Thank U, Next" - Ariana Grande
"Sicko Mode" - Travis Scott ft. Drake
"Sunflower" - Swae Lee, Post Malone
"Just a Stranger" - Kali Uchis ft. Steven Lacey

That's some list. My favourite song of the year of course is WIN by Jay Rock.



Some stray observations - this was a huge year for many artists. Travis Scott, Drake, Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, it was maddening. Ariana Grande made a really great case for Artist of the Year and no one made a bigger hyped album than she did with Sweetener, only to then drop her greatest single as a response to the heartbreak that followed the Pete Davidson puppy love that made said alubm. "Thank U, Next" ended up being one of her best tracks of the year and one of the best songs anywhere.

However, it's gotta be the B. 2017 was a huge year for her blasting on to the scene, but 2018 proved that she has the goods to stay. She was on every song ever, dropping four singles of her own, but being featured on an additional nine tracks. Led by "Finesse", "I Like It", and "Girls Like You" spreads over a solid amount of genres and across the entire year. She's a bridge between hip-hop, pop, and Latin and the most 2018 artist ever.

This year was also a tipping point in how we listen to music. Radio Top 40, Spotify Top 40, and album sales had nothing to do with each other. I named Camila's "Never Be the Same" the Summer Jam Queen, but few agreed with me. It was probably Drake. It's not like adaptation is bad - we just need to figure this shit out.

Music Video of the Year:



As soon as it dropped, there was no question. There's no video more in the political moment, with a beat and flow that stands on its own, lyrical relevancy to both what's on screen and in its own context and also dramatically captured our attention. Between Atlanta, SOLO (2018), and everything he did as Childish Gambino over summer ("Feels Like Summer" was also an amazing video), Donald Glover had a hell of a year.

Albums of the Year:

Rock:

As we usually do, I like to separate music into three big mega-genres. Pop, Hip-Hop, and Rock. Rock never has any good albums anymore, so we'll start there. There was some interesting stuff made by Father John Misty and the Gorillaz that I'm into, but nothing that stood out as the best they've done (or better than even 2017. Also they're barely even rock).

No, we'll give 2018 to the 1975 and they're album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships. The album oscillates between these Vampire Weekend hipster vibes and some slow contemplative work that straddles genre, autotune, and simultaneously uplifting and depressing beats. There's super 80s synth on "It's Not Living" and that Tool Time song is poppy and engaging as hell. Some tracks are a little on the saccharine side, but there's always a bite around the corner.

Top Tracks: "Love It If We Made It", "I Like America & America Likes Me", "I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)."

Pop:

There were a lot of great pop albums this year. Ariana's Sweetener would be the obvious choice because it's super popular and pretty damn good. Robyn's Honey was also notable, but to be honest, sounds like the same exact stuff she made ten years ago. I mean, I like that, but it just seemed like nothing innovative. No, we'll give it to newcomer Kali Uchis and her debut, Isolation.

Her vocals are haunting, seductive, and scathing. Every single track is an earworm. It's awesome. There's a pop sensibility there with a beat that has a little more edge. She had some high-profile collabos with Gorillaz, Tyler the Creator, and Bootsy Collins but always appears as the dominant voice. To be honest, I was looked with the first real track, "Miami" and never let go. There's some funky lovemaking shit on this album, boi.

Top Tracks: "Your Teeth in My Neck", "Dead to Me", "Tomorrow", "After the Storm"

Hip-Hop:

I had a tough time with this, actually. Scorpion? Astroworld? Invasion of Privacy? Ye? There were a lot of high profile albums, and even though the latter there will surely be left off a lot of lists because of his pro-Trumpiness, Kanye actually made a lot of good shit this year. Instead, let's cop out and just say it's the whole Black Panther album.

It was a solid flick - I'd call it good and not great, but it delivered one of the best inspired by Albums of all time. I like how Hip-Hop artists take this on, like Jay-Z with American Gangster (2007). Anyway, Kendrick Lamar could have phoned it in - instead this album has relevant movie tracks, a great launching point for some monster songs this year, and room for some actual introspective shit. This is maybe a cop-out to just give it to Kendrick Lamar this year, who seemed to mostly spend it having fun with Jay Rock. I don't actually plan on highlighting Panther all that much in my Top Movies Post, so let's jazz on it here.

Top Tracks: "Opps", "Paramedic!", "Redemption"

And there you have it, folks. That's all you need to know about the music of 2018! What do you think? It was an underrated year as I look back on it. Keep jamming, baby!!