Getting To Know Me: For Real

Hi, it’s me, Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! Updates for today:

-I know I’ve promised a review of Taylor Swift’s Reputation album for weeks, but it’s STILL not on Spotify so I can’t listen to it and write the review. When will my post come out? Whenever she puts it on Spotify, which, by the looks of it, won’t be anytime soon.

-I feel like for the past few weeks I’ve done nothing but music posts. I’m sorry about that, it’s just that I really like writing about music. I did say in the first post that you can expect a lot of music posts from me, haha. I’ll try to mix it up, which brings me to this week’s post.

Speaking of my first post, I was thinking about it and I realized that I never gave a proper introduction to myself. Most of what I explained in the first post was solely about the blog. You don’t actually know much about ME as a person. This post is just about the little random things about me, and it’s arguably what the first post should have been. It’s also a way to mix things up from the music posts I’ve been doing so often as of late.

What I did was I looked up “getting to know you questions” on Google and found one that I thought would work. It has an appropriate number of questions (25) and it’s not too little-kid-ish or too deep. These are just simple random questions that will hopefully tell you quite a bit about me:

I found this on Google Images, but it originated from here. 

1. (If you could buy anything in the world, what would it be?) A dog. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted a dog, but my parents have never let me get one. This past summer I went through a phase where I was really obsessed with my wanting of one. I know they’re a lot of hard work, but I’m willing to take the challenge because they’re so cute and the bond between dog and owner is really special. I specifically want a Labrador Retriever because I think they’re the cutest.
2. (What are you good at?) Most school subjects, writing, Just Dance, Name That Tune, and saying hilariously stupid things.
3. (What aren’t you so good at?) Most sports, being concise, talking to people, singing, and being patient.
4. (What do you want for your birthday/Christmas?) My go-to answer for the longest time was a phone, but I got one about a month ago (I’m actually writing this post in the Notes app on it on the way home from a class trip, FYI). Now my answer is the same as the answer for #1: a dog.
5. (What is love?) I feel like this is a random question and I don’t know why it’s here. Anyways, to me, love is the feeling where you’re so happy and overjoyed that you feel like can do anything. You want nothing more than to be with the person or thing you love.
6. (What is your favorite animal?) A dog, but when it comes to wild animals, I’d say giraffes, dolphins, or sea turtles.
7. (What is your favorite book?) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I read it in my eighth grade English class and it’s been my #1 ever since.
8. (What is your favorite color?) Pink. It used to be blue but then I got sick of blue because every Christmas I would get nothing but blue sweatshirts and sweaters and it got to the point of exhaustion. I don’t know why I switched to pink exactly.
9. (What is your favorite game to play?) Depends on what kind of game we’re talking. My favorite non-electronic game is Apples to Apples or Catchphrase, my favorite video game is Just Dance or MarioKart, and my favorite sport is Netflix. Which is to say that I don’t play sports.
10. (What is your favorite movie?) My second-ever post was a Top 10 Favorite Movies list, so I’d suggest you just read that. Link is here.
11. (What is your favorite number?) 22. When I was in the third grade each student was assigned a “number” to put on everything after our names, and mine was 22. It’s not that third grade was a particularly great year for me or anything, it’s just that I got so used to putting the number 22 on everything that it became my favorite. Then I learned my dad’s football number in high school was 22, and it REALLY became my favorite.
12. (What is your favorite song?) “Shut Up And Dance” by Walk The Moon. I loved it when it first came out and I’ve continued to love it. It’s one of those songs that will always make me smile no matter how many times I hear it. (And trust me, I’ve heard it A LOT. It was so overplayed back in 2015.)
13. (What is your favorite thing to do?) Eat, sleep, watch Netflix, write, repeat.
14. (It’s “What is your favorite thing to do?” again and I don’t feel like answering it twice, so I’ll change it to be “What is your LEAST favorite thing to do?”) Be bored.
15. (What is your favorite thing to eat?) Pasta is my #1 but I like a lot of foods. I have a hard time refusing pretty much any dessert, and I love bread in general.
16. (What is your favorite toy?) Okay, maybe this is more little-kid-ish than I thought. I’m 15 so I don’t play with very many toys, haha. Does my phone count as a toy? Otherwise, I have a few Beanie Boos that I just like because they’re cute and good to snuggle with on long car rides. Yes I sleep with stuffed animals occasionally. Shut up.
17. (What is your favorite TV show?) I’ll probably make a whole post about this entire topic similar to the Favorite Movies one I did a while ago. Right now (well not right this minute,but you know what I mean) I’m watching Jane the Virgin, which Banana_Elephant got me into. It’s basically the American version of a telenovela and it’s so good, probably my favorite show I’ve watched thus far. I’m obsessed.
18. (What is your least favorite thing to eat?) Onions. I have an irrational hatred of onions. They’re gross. I also really hate artificial banana flavoring, black licorice, and tomatoes.
19. (What makes you angry?) Prejudice and ignorance. Race, gender, sexuality, and religion are not at all valid reasons to be hateful and if you support being hateful because of those things, Get. Off. My. Blog.
20. (What makes you happy?) Being with my family and friends, comfort food, good music, and doing things I’m proud of.
21. (What makes you sad?) Cancer. Many people I know and love have dealt with the disease so I have lots of experience with it, but it’s still tragic. It’s just a horrible, horrible thing. Some other things that make me sad are mass shootings and terrorist attacks. Anything involving innocent people being taken from this world too soon makes me feel terrible.
22. (What makes you scared?) Death and heights.
23. (What would you like to be when you grow up?) I wrote a whole lecture about how I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up in my 5 Things You Might Not Know About Me post here. You should read that instead.
24. (What is your favorite place to go?) My room. I’m really lazy and I spend hours upon hours in my room. It’s in the basement and it’s the biggest bedroom in the house. I’m really fortunate to have it and I call it my dungeon.
25. (Who is your best friend?) Either Banana_Elephant or Doglover, as they were known on the Brick Wall. I mention them in pretty much every post because they mean the world to me. They've been with me throughout my best and worst times, and I don't know what I'd do without them. 

That’s all I have for this week! I'm not ENTIRELY sure what next week's post will be, but there's like a 90% chance it will be a sequel to this post. Either way, I’ll see you then. I’m Stellar in Neverland, signing off. Peace!

Stellar

Album Review #2- Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman

Hi, I'm Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! Let's do updates first, as per the usual:
-If you've read my posts for the past two or three weeks, you know that I've been planning to do a First Impressions-style album review of Taylor Swift's Reputation. However, I learned last Wednesday that Taylor is planning to hold the album from streaming services such as Spotify for at least the first week of its release. I depend on Spotify for my music intake because it's free and easy to use, and if the album isn't on Spotify, then I am unable to listen to it and make the post. Honestly I don't know why I DIDN'T expect her to do this. Holding her album from streaming for just the first week is just a ploy to get higher first-week sales numbers, and it's not unlike Taylor at all. The fact that's she's doing this only because she cares about sales is one of the big reasons why I will never believe people who claim that "Taylor Swift isn't greedy or money-hungry!" But I'll save the rest of my angry rants for the Reputation review, which will come...whenever Taylor decides to put it on Spotify. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later.

So what am I doing in the meantime?
                                                                       

Reviewing another album!

I'm doing this for three reasons:
1. Last week I reviewed Katy Perry's Witness, which (spoiler alert) I did not enjoy. Next week I'm (hopefully) reviewing Taylor Swift's Reputation, which (based off of the two songs I've heard from it) will also likely be negative. I remember when I wrote on the Brick Wall and after the whole "#selfie" ordeal (I described it here), Quidditch_Turtle told me to try to stay positive as much as possible. Although absolutely destroying things by criticizing them is fun, I like positive posts even more. I like to think I'm a positive person, and talking about things I love is one of my favorite things. So that's what I'm going to do. This isn't a First Impression (check the title) because I've already heard the album in question and (spoiler alert) I already know I love it.
2. Between the previously released singles "Look What You Made Me Do" and "Ready For It?", the music videos for both of those songs, and the album artwork, it's clear Taylor is trying to go for an edgier image with this era. This got me thinking about how pretty much every other female pop star has done the same thing: starting out their career with a good-girl image, only to get edgier and sexier over time. While the success of Taylor's good-girl-gone-bad transition has been hit-or-miss according to the general public, I feel like Ariana's was a lot better received. The album had some of her most commercially successful songs and got a lot of positive reviews from critics. It also allowed her to show her artistry by experimenting with many genres while never fully leaving the bubblegum-pop of her first two albums.
3. I've talked about my love of Ariana Grande quite a few times on here, but never really in-depth like this. I just want to talk about one of the biggest reasons why I love her, which is her music. And yes, I'm aware that this is pretty similar to #1, but I don't care.

OK, I'll stop rambling. Dangerous Woman. Ariana Grande. Let's review it! (Also one brief note: I'm going to be looking at the North American deluxe edition of the album because it has some extra songs I really want to talk about.)

1. "Moonlight"
The first song on the album is the ballad "Moonlight". This was supposed to be the title track of the album before Ariana decided "Dangerous Woman" was a more fitting album title. Considering the rest of the album, I agree with this decision, but that doesn't mean I don't love the song "Moonlight". This is one of the most beautiful-sounding songs she's done and the retro style is reminiscent of some of her previous works. I love the strings and the romantic lyrics. "I never knew you could hold moonlight in your hands 'till the night I held you" is a cute line. Ariana's vocals are very pretty and show off a different side of her. She's known for her insane, powerful belting abilities but her calm vocals are just as great. This isn't one of my absolute favorites on the album but I love it a lot. 9/10
2. "Dangerous Woman"
The title track and the lead single for the album was completely unexpected. This song is sexy and it sounds like nothing else we had heard from Ariana at that point. The beat is amazing and sensual and pulls off the vibe she was going for perfectly. It has a bit of a rock influence and even a pretty awesome guitar solo in there. The lyrics are also really seductive. The highlight of the song is, as it usually is, Ariana's vocal performance. She sounds seductive in the verses and absolutely soars in the final chorus. The high notes are some of her best. This was a great choice for the lead single and really made me intrigued to see what else she had to offer. 8.5/10
3. "Be Alright"
I first heard a snippet of this song on Ariana's Snapchat story during the summer of 2015 and I was instantly intrigued. I couldn't wait to hear the song in its entirety, and it didn't disappoint. This song has an irresistible deep house-influenced beat that makes it stand out. It's one of her most fun songs to dance to. The lyrics are simple but have a good message that no matter what life throws at us, things will always be alright. Ariana performed this at the One Love Manchester benefit concert after the tragic bombing at one of her concerts and it fit perfectly there. Her vocals are very chill and calming but still pretty. This is a great dance track and one you can listen to repeatedly. 8.5/10
4. "Into You"
A few weeks ago I made a list of my favorite songs from the Just Dance series, and I chose "Into You" for the list. The reasons why don't really have much to do with the gameplay, it was on there entirely because I love the song so much. It is one of the most perfect pop songs I've ever heard. The production is top-notch, the lyrics are sexy and flirty, the melodies are gorgeous, and Ariana's vocals are especially breathtaking. The last minute or so of the song is especially jaw-dropping. There are so many layers in the production and backing vocals, and Ariana's high notes give me chills. I want to be in love with someone who feels like this song does. This is Ariana's best single bar none...and yet it only peaked at #13 on the Billboard charts, making it a flop compared to some of her other singles. I don't understand the general public. 10/10
5. "Side To Side" ft. Nicki Minaj
Peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, this was the biggest hit from the album, and while I do like it, I'd be crazy to call it one of the best here. It has Ariana experimenting with reggae, and while I don't necessarily want her to make an entire album in this style, she still pulls it off well. The lyrics don't seem like much until you take a deeper look at them and realize that Holy crap, this song is really dirty. Featured guest Nicki Minaj adds to the sexual nature of the song. Her verse has the line "I give zero f**ks and I got zero chill in me" which isn't dirty as much at it is my life motto. I want that line tattooed on my body because it describes me so well, haha. This is a good song and I get why it was a single (trendy sound, catchy hook, Nicki verse), but there are a lot of better songs on the album. 8/10
6. "Let Me Love You" ft Lil Wayne
If I had to pick my least favorite song on the album, it would be this one. I don't HATE it, but she's definitely done better. It sees her going for a dark, edgy hip-hop vibe and while I normally like her going dark, this just falls flat. The lyrics are weak and the chorus is lazy. It's just her stuttering "just let me lo-o-o-o-ove you" and it does nothing for her voice. The beat is also pretty boring. Lil Wayne adds nothing to the song, if anything he makes it worse. The only good things about it are the melody in the prechorus (which is really pretty, not gonna lie) and the music video. She doesn't even do anything in it but she looks SO GOOD:

Idk I just like her curly hair

If this song were by anyone else I'd probably hate it, but since it's Ariana I can't get too mad at it. I'm still not a fan though. 6/10
7. "Greedy" 
One of the big fan favorites, many fans believe this one should've been a single. I share both of those opinions, seeing as this is probably my favorite song on the album and easily one of my top 5 favorite Ariana songs. "Greedy" sees Ariana going for a throwback-funk-style song, much like a lot of Bruno Mars's material. She nails it. Her fun, playful personality does wonders for the upbeat track and this song really shows off her fantastic vocal range. The opening is very in-your-face and I love it for that. This song has one of the strongest and catchiest choruses on the album and the beat is fun and danceable. The song is amazing as it is, but guess what she does next? She goes and adds one of my favorite things in music, a key change, just to push the song over the top. Everything about this song is absolute perfection and I have no idea why it wasn't a single. This would have been a SMASH hit. 10/10
8. "Leave Me Lonely" ft. Macy Gray
After the upbeat thrill ride that is "Greedy", Ari slows things down with this ballad. This song is a collaboration with singer Macy Gray. I don't actually know much about her but I love the contrast between the two singers' vocals. Ariana's voice is a clear, smooth soprano while Macy's is smoky, low, and dark. This song is about a lover who treats her badly and even if Ariana loves him, she'd give him up instead of risking the pain. It's a very soulful and emotional song and you can feel that Ariana has a connection to it because of the way she sings it. I admittedly don't come back to this one too often but it's a pretty solid track. 8/10
9. "Everyday" ft. Future
The fourth and final single from the album. It was initially one of my favorite tracks but other songs stood out more in the long run. I still like it though. It shows Ariana going for a dirty, sexy trap vibe and while she is able to pull it off, it's not my favorite style on her. The biggest criticism most people have with Ariana's voice is that she's not good at enunciating, and even though I love her, I'm able to overlook my bias and say that no, I don't know what she's saying in a lot of her songs either. While sometimes her lack of enunciation can be charming, it drags this song down a little bit. When I first heard the prechorus I thought she was saying "nut quick" instead of "not quit", and I know I'm not the only one. The lyrics in this one are pretty generic and Future's appearance just feels tacked on, like he's only there to make the song more popular. Still, the beat is pretty awesome and Ariana's falsettos in the final chorus are pretty. 7.5/10
10. "Sometimes"
This track isn't my favorite, but it's still fine. It definitely feels like album filler though. The chorus is fantastic, honestly one of the best on the album. The lyrics are a little generic but they're pretty cute. The acoustic guitars make this one stand out on the album and give it a relaxed feel. Ariana's vocals also are pretty chill aside from the end, where she shows off a little. The main issue I have is with the random "la la la la la la"'s performed by an unnamed male vocalist interspersed throughout the song. They're catchy, but I don't know why they didn't just have Ariana do them herself. This is a good song, but compared to many of the other songs on the album, it's a little weak. 7/10
11. "I Don't Care"
This one has a bit of a sultry throwback R&B feel. The addition of the brass was a nice touch. Ariana's vocals are also really pretty, especially in the outro. My favorite thing about this song is the message of the lyrics. As a celebrity, Ariana's had to deal with a lot of hate (most of it from #DonutGate2K15) and this song is basically a (surprisingly mature) middle finger to the haters. My favorite line is "I used to let some people tell me how to live and what to be, but if I can't be me the f**k's the point?" which is another one of my life mottos. The main thing holding this track back is its length. It's not even three minutes long but I'm left wanting more. Once again, despite this song's many good qualities, I can't say it's one of my favorites. 7/10
12. "Bad Decisions"
If any song epitomizes Ariana's transition from cute child star to mature artist, it's this one. This one's a complete bop and I'm ashamed I don't listen to it that much. This feels like a sequel to "Dangerous Woman", but honestly I like it a lot more. The chorus is way catchier and more upbeat. The vocals are confident, sexy, and fun; it's Ariana doing what she does best. The lyrics are similar in theme to "Dangerous Woman", being about a guy who makes Ariana feel fierce and powerful when she's with him. This song contains what is quite possibly my favorite lyric on the entire album ("Ain't you ever seen a princess be a bad b***h?). I've always liked this song, but I'm just now realizing just how good it really is. Why wasn't this a single, Ari? 9.5/10
13. "Touch It"
This is another one of my absolute favorite songs by Ariana. If I were to make a list of my top 10 favorites, this would make it. Everything about this song is great. The production is an R&B-EDM hybrid that sounds amazing. I love the pianos in the intro and the synths in the chorus. The lyrics are about a relationship where the couple has issues but they still really love each other. It weirdly feels like a sequel to "Into You" to me. The melodies are amazing as well. My favorite is the one in the second verse and bridge when she sings "Remind me why we're taking a break, it's obviously insane, cause we both know what we want, so why don't we fall in lo-o-ove?" But of course, the big reason why I adore this song so much is Ariana herself. This song has the single best vocal performance of her career thus far. The way she sings "'Cause every time I'm WITH YAAAAAAAA" and hits that gorgeous high note in the final chorus gives me goosebumps, as do the falsettos in the outro. She has never sounded so beautiful. Anyone who doesn't think Ariana Grande isn't one of the best vocalists of this generation needs to stop lying to themselves. 10/10
14. "Knew Better/Forever Boy"
The first two-in-one song Ariana's done, and thankfully both parts are great. The first part, "Knew Better", is a big fan favorite, despite being so short. The lyrics show him completely dissing a guy who she doesn't like anymore, and it's her delivery that makes it sound so utterly savage. The instrumental has some great synths and it has a modern R&B vibe that makes it stand out. "Forever Boy" is a bit longer and of the two, it's the one I prefer, despite that being an unpopular opinion. It has more of a poppier-EDM sound and I just like that style more than the one on "Knew Better". The chorus has a really pretty melody and she sings it so sweetly. The lyrics are also pretty sweet, talking about how even though she's never kept a guy for more than six months, she knows the guy she's singing about is the one. Although I prefer "Forever Boy", both of these songs are great and the contrast between the two is interesting. 8.5/10 ("Knew Better" is an 8/10 and "Forever Boy" is a 9/10, so I just averaged them out.)
15. "Thinking Bout You"
Dangerous Woman ends on a melancholic but triumphant high note. This song is about her missing a guy. The lyrics in the verses focus more on the sexual aspect of her missing him, but the rest of the song's lyrics are genuinely emotional. "I don't have you here with me but at least I have the memory" is such a simple but poignant line. Ariana's vocals are some of her most passionate and emotional, and her voice sounds utterly stunning. The production is celestial, alluring, and suits the melancholy mood perfectly. This song does exactly what it tries to and it's one of her most heartbreaking tunes. I expected her to play this one at the One Love Manchester benefit since I thought the sentiment would fit, but I guess the sexual lyrics were deemed inappropriate. Whatever. 9/10

So that's the album. It's one of my favorite albums probably of all time, but then again, I really don't listen to that many albums. It's a cohesive work of art and you can tell Ariana poured her heart and soul into it, trying to make every aspect the best it could be. I added up my scores for each individual song and got an 8.5/10, which is pretty accurate to how I feel.

Best Songs: My top five favorite songs on the album are "Greedy", "Into You", "Touch It", "Bad Decisions", and "Moonlight" in that order. 
Worst Songs: The only one I don't like is "Let Me Love You", so yeah, that one. 

To conclude this, yeah, I recommend this album if you like good pop music. I don't know how else to wrap this up. Next week will hopefully be the Reputation review. If not, I don't know what I'll do. I'm Stellar in Neverland signing off. See you next Wednesday. Peace!

Stellar

First Impressions #2- Katy Perry's Witness (Album Review #1)

Hi, I'm Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland. Update:
-At the end of last week's post, I said I wanted to do a First Impression review of Beyonce's Lemonade since I had a free Apple Music trial and I thought that album was on there (it's not on Spotify, my preferred music source). However, it wasn't. I'm pretty sure the only streaming source it's on is Tidal. Because of this, I had two choices on what to do for my next post:
A.) Get a free 30-day trial of Tidal, listen to Lemonade, and do a First Impression on it
B.) Find another album that is on Spotify and do a First Impression on that instead

So what did I end up choosing?

My God, that's a horrible album cover.

Don't get me wrong, I still really want to listen to Lemonade. I will continue to pray to the gods of streaming that Beyonce will release what many consider to be her magnum opus to Spotify. But in the end, I decided Choice B was easier. At first I wasn't sure what "other album" to do my First Impression of, but I chose Witness by Katy Perry because:
A.) Next week's post will be a First Impression of Taylor Swift's new album Reputation, and Taylor and Katy have been involved in a feud for quite some time now. You've probably heard all about it by now (even if you don't pay attention to pop culture things like this), but in case you haven't, there are many articles recapping it. I'll link this Time article if you're curious.
B.) I've heard the album just isn't very good (It has a 52/100, indicating "mixed or average" reviews, on Metacritic) and I want to see just how bad it is. I'm expecting it to be bad, but it can't be as bad as that album cover. Just...everything about that image makes me angry. Another thing that hurt the album is just how messy the promotional campaign was. She started off proclaiming the album would be "woke-pop" with lead single "Chained to the Rhythm", only to follow it up with "Bon Appetit", a blatant sex song that can in no way be described as "woke". And that's just the tip of the iceberg. I'm not gonna go into detail on everything that happened. This post isn't called "Why Katy Perry Is Messy And Problematic", it's a review of her latest album. If you're really curious about why it was such a mess, check out this USA Today article documenting it. Now that we've gotten my expectations out of the way, let's review what I expect to be a disaster of an album. Let's just hope we get a few halfway-decent songs...?

(Also one last thing I forgot to mention but I feel the need to since I don't think I'll like this album very much: I DO NOT HATE KATY PERRY. I used to be a massive fan of hers. "Firework" was my anthem in third grade and I firmly believe that "Teenage Dream" is one of the best pop songs of all time. Hell, I've even seen her movie twice! I like quite a few of her songs, I just think her music's gone downhill in quality.)

1. "Witness"
We start with the title track. Right off the bat, the intro weirdly reminds me of the intro of "Slide" by Calvin Harris. Katy's vocals in this song are actually pretty solid, especially her lower register in the verses. The beat in the chorus is great and I really like the whistling in the outro. I'm not crazy about the production in the prechorus, which feels a little sloppy. This song is about how Katy's looking for someone to love her even though her life as a pop star is hectic. This is actually a pretty good song. Maybe this album is better than people have given it credit for. 7.5/10
2. "Hey Hey Hey"
This one is a mixed bag for me. I want to like it more than I do. Once again, I like the beat and Katy sounds pretty good. She does this one high note in the second pre-chorus that was surprisingly good. I like the message of this one, which is saying that she's not weak like people say she is. The problem is that some of the lyrics themselves are pretty embarrassing. She actually uses "LOL" in one of the lines, which just screams "lame-soccer-mom-trying-to-be-cool", and the part where she refers to her "chubby little wallet" made me face-palm. Is "chubby" really the best word she could've chosen there? The melody in the chorus is also weird and not catchy but the "no-o-o-oh, no way" part redeems it. Overall this song has some good qualities and some bad ones, so it averages out to a 6/10.
3. "Roulette"
The intro to this one reminds me of that 80's song "The Final Countdown". The beat from this one has an EDM vibe that I like. Katy's vocals on this song are some of the best I've heard from her. This is a song about letting your guard down and having fun and the lyrics are actually pretty decent. The only thing I don't get is how letting your guard down relates to the game of roulette. This song is catchy and I feel like it could be a single. 7.5/10
4. "Swish Swish" ft. Nicki Minaj
And speaking of singles, we have "Swish Swish", which was a single. This song is an alleged diss track towards Taylor Swift, and even as someone who hates Taylor's diss track "Bad Blood", this is just pathetic. The first time I heard this song I bust out laughing at how lame some of the lyrics are. "Don't need opinions from a shellfish or a sheep"? I get that "A tiger never loses sleep over the opinions of sheep" is an idiom, but what does a shellfish have to do with it? Then we have "You're about as cute as an old coupon expired" which is just...what? The lyrics also feel like she wrote it just to get the reaction of "OMG SLAY QUEEN SHE DID THAT", and it yet again reeks of "lame-soccer-mom-trying-to-be-cool". I don't hate this song since the beat and Nicki's part are both really good, but it's a shame they were wasted on this song. Also, the video is just as lame as the song except for the part where she used the "Shooting Star" meme. That was actually pretty funny. 5/10
5. "Deja Vu"
Once again, the beat in this song is really good. The production is easily the highlight of this album so far, even if the beats have started to blend together at this point. This song sounds really good and the melody in the chorus is great. I just wish it had different lyrics. "Your words are like Chinese water torture" is one of the most baffling lines I've ever heard. I also don't get the "Figure out the Rubik's cube" line in the chorus. Once again, this song would be really good if it has different lyrics, but the lyrics knock down the score by a few points. 5.5/10
6. "Power"
I find it funny how after I complain that the beats on this album are starting to blend together, this song comes along. This is by far the most unique and interesting song on the album production-wise. The aggressive drum beats before the chorus and the weird sax samples are pretty awesome. This song is about being strong and independent and proving your worth. To my surprise, they're not cliche-ridden and there are actually a few pretty good lines. A song like this needs a strong, confident performance, and Katy sells it. This one is a little experimental and weird, so I can't see it being a single, but I like it. 8/10
7. "Mind Maze"
Just from looking at the title, I have no idea what to expect from this song. Genius says this song "is about losing your track and trying to find your way out of a situation in which it is a difficult choice between something." This is probably the worst song yet because of the unnecessary autotune. I don't have that much of a problem with autotune normally, but here it's just sloppily applied and it doesn't sound good. The beat was also boring at first, but the switch-up in the bridge was pretty cool. Finally, I hate how abruptly the song ends. I was expecting an epic final chorus to somewhat redeem the song, but I didn't get that. This song was not my thing and the autotune ruined it for me.  4.5/10
8. "Miss You More"
On second thought, maybe this is the worst song on the album thus far. It's not that it's unlistenable, it's more that it's just boring. It's not catchy at all and the beat doesn't stand out at all. The chorus is lazy, repetitive, and cliche. Katy sounds really bored as well for most of the song. She doesn't sound like she cares at all, although the falsetto at the end is pretty. The lyrics in the verses are also really weak. Maybe it's just that I don't like Katy doing ballads. The only slow song I've heard from her that I've liked is "Wide Awake". This song has none of the classic Katy charm I've come to expect from her and I will probably never listen to it again. 3.5/10
9. "Chained to the Rhythm" ft. Skip Marley
Here's the lead single of the album, and honestly I liked this one until I looked at the lyrics. It has a really catchy chorus and a slight disco vibe. Katy gives a great performance and featured guest Skip Marley adds an interesting reggae vibe for the bridge. But the lyrics, man. They're not bad because of cringey lines, they're bad because of how hypocritical they are. This song is about how we're all distracted by pop culture to focus on what really matters. Meanwhile, Katy is one of the biggest pop culture icons on the planet.. She is part of the distraction. She should not be the one to make this song. This is a good song ruined by bad lyrics, which I'm discovering is a common theme in this album. 6/10
10. "Tsunami"
This was the song on the tracklist I expected to be the best since I love the word "tsunami", but I'm extremely disappointed. This song compares having sex to a tsunami, which is just a baffling metaphor. The chorus doesn't sound like a chorus, it sounds more like a buildup to a better chorus. The beat is also boring and unoriginal. Katy sounds really bored, which I'm discovering to be the case for a lot of these songs. This song tries to be sensual but it fails, and I wish this song was way better than it is. 4.5/10
11. "Bon Appetit" ft. Migos
I briefly touched on this one in the intro, but I have a plethora of problems with this song. Let's look at them:
1.) The single cover art, which looks like it was made in Microsoft Paint:

HOW DID ANYONE APPROVE THIS?

2.) Parading this album around as being "super-woke and meaningful", only to follow it up with a disgusting sex song that uses lazy food metaphors.
3.) After spending the past few years acting as a gay icon, she collaborates with rap group Migos, who have a past of being homophobic.
4.) Speaking of the collaboration, this song was rumored to feature Ariana Grande, who is one of my favorite celebrities. She wasn't, and I was extremely disappointed. As disgusting as these lyrics are ("Got me spread like a buffet" is a terrible innuendo and legitimately makes me consider giving up Golden Corral permanently), they would maybe sound better coming out of Ariana's mouth...maybe?
5.) She wasted one of the best beats on the album on the worst set of lyrics on the album. The difference in quality between the beat and the lyrics is astounding. It's like if she took an instrumental made by some of the greatest musicians of all time and started singing the contents of Donald Trump's Twitter feed over it.
6.) The chorus isn't catchy, which is a cardinal sin of pop music. Isn't the whole point of a pop song to be catchy?
7.) The music video, which I haven't even seen, but I've heard from numerous places that it is gross and terrifying. It has Katy Perry dressing as a "sexy" chicken cutlet and being eaten by Migos, apparently. I'm glad I haven't seen it.
So yeah, this is one of, if not the worst, songs on the album. 2.5/10
12. "Bigger Than Me"
The intro to this one sounds just like the intro to "Bon Appetit" in a different key. Genius says this song was apparently inspired by Hillary Clinton's loss in the 2016 presidential election, and I don't see how. This one is really boring and unmemorable. I won't be able to recall how it goes unless I listen to it another time. The final chorus of the song is particularly disappointing. The final chorus is where the song climaxes, where the beat reaches its peak intensity and the vocalist is really supposed to bring their A-game. This song doesn't have that and it's a complete letdown. But hey, aside from a few songs, this entire album has been a letdown. 3.5/10
13. "Save As Draft"
I talked about this one in the first First Impressions post (I feel like I'm ALWAYS plugging that post in every one I've done after it) and I was pretty unkind to it (it got the lowest score out of all the songs on there). My opinions haven't changed and I'm really lazy so I'm just going to copy and paste what I said there here:
"Oh, Katy Perry, what happened to you? Her first two albums were full of bops but after that, she's struggled. Her music just isn't as fun and catchy as it used to be, and she's really problematic. The only good thing she's done in the past three years is "Feels" with Calvin Harris. This current era of Katy Perry has been particularly weak. I have yet to hear a song from Witness I've liked, and this is probably her most uninteresting song to date. The beat is boring, it's not catchy, and the lyrics make no sense. I still love Katy's old music, but this is just weak and I know she can do better. 3.5/10"
Although honestly after listening to everything else on this snoozefest, I'm not sure I'd say it's her most uninteresting song to date. It's got some stiff competition for that title. 
14. "Pendulum"
Oh my god, it's a song on here that doesn't make me want to fall asleep! This one's actually pretty decent and I can see it becoming a single. I love a good gospel choir every now and then, and this one's got some really good backing vocals that interestingly contrast with the pop-trap production. It's also nice to see Katy sound interested in what she's singing after so many songs of her sounding bored. The lyrics are also not terrible for once! This song is like "Chained to the Rhythm", but the GOOD version. 7.5/10
15. "Into Me You See"
Finally we've reached the last song! This album is way too long. They could've cut it in half and it would've been for the better. So how does it end? Boringly! This is a bare-bones piano ballad and it's extremely dull. According to Genius, Katy said this is her most personal song on the album, but she sounds uninterested like she does on most of the other songs on the album. The lyrics are also really baffling. Why is there a reference to "open sesame" in the chorus of what is supposed to be an emotional piano ballad? This song is a chore to listen to, and "Pendulum" would be a better album closer. 3.5/10

It's over. Finally. Honestly, this album was even worse than I was expecting. I predicted it would be a gloriously messy trainwreck, but the majority of these songs were just ungodly-boring. I genuinely loathed listening to this album and I found myself consistently praying for it to be over.

Best Songs: "Power", "Witness", "Roulette", and "Pendulum" 
Worst Songs: Pretty much everything else, but especially "Bon Appetit", "Miss You More", "Save As Draft", and "Into Me You See"

I added up my scores for all of the songs, and found the album's overall average is a 5/10, which feels way too high. A more accurate score is a 3.5/10. Yeah, there are decent songs, but there are only a few and they don't even compare to some of Katy's previous hits like "Teenage Dream" or "California Gurls". I tried to keep an open mind since I've been a fan of Katy's in the past, but this is honestly the worst album I've ever listened to and I wouldn't recommend it at all. The only songs I would recommend are the ones I listed for "Best Songs" and you can skip everything else. Next week, I've got a First Impression-style review of Reputation by Taylor Swift, which will be very similar in format to this one. Honestly, that album will probably be way better than this, and I don't even like Taylor Swift! I'm Stellar in Neverland, I don't like this album, and I'm signing off. See you next Wednesday, peace!

Stellar

Fall 2017 Playlist!

Hi, I'm Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! I have no updates for today so let's just move on to our regularly scheduled blogging! This might be different for you depending on where you live, but in the US where I live, it's fall! Fall is my favorite season by far. I love the leaves that change into beautiful colors, wearing sweaters every day, Halloween and Thanksgiving, going to high school football games, and pumpkin spice everything. The temperatures are perfect, not too hot (unless you live in LA, which I don't) but not too cold like winter. I know a lot of people who consider fall as their favorite season as well, so I know I'm not alone in this opinion. I decided to celebrate fall by making a playlist of 15 songs for the fall of 2017! This playlist is a little all over the place genre-wise, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Quite a few of these songs would probably be classified as alternative since that's the kind of music that gives me the most fall vibes, but there are some pop and hip hop songs here as well. Whether they're current jams or old favorites, these songs all have one thing in common: they all, in one way or another, remind me of fall. These songs are in the Spotify playlist I linked below. If you want to listen to any of them, you can do so there, or you can look them up on YouTube, Apple Music, or whatever music service you use.

#1. "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man
If you've read my First Impressions #1 post, then you probably know all about my adoration of this song. Pretty much everything I have to say about it I said in that post. I've had it on repeat for the past few weeks and I haven't gotten sick of it. There's just something about indie music like this that screams "fall" to me, and this has quickly become one of my favorite indie songs. It's currently one of the biggest songs in the country and it deserves to be.
#2."Havana" by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug
I briefly mentioned this one in the First Impressions post I linked. I was talking about Camila's other song "OMG" and I just noted that this song is superior. Latin-inspired music has been a big trend this year and this is honestly my favorite take on the trend. That piano riff is simple but intoxicating and the chorus is addictive. I don't know why this song gives me a fall vibe but it does. It's one of my favorite songs at the moment, which I didn't expect from Camila.
#3. "Praying" by Kesha
This is one of the most emotionally resonant songs I've ever heard. I remember when I first heard about Kesha's case with her producer Dr. Luke (this Rolling Stone article does a pretty nice sum-up of it if you're unfamiliar/curious) and the entire time I was rooting for and supporting her. To see her come back stronger than ever like this is so inspiring. This song hits hardest if you're familiar with her struggles, but even if you aren't, you can still feel her. It's an amazing song and you all need to listen to it if you haven't. Also, the high note (if you've heard the song, you'll know what I'm talking about) is legitimately one of my favorite moments in music ever. Anyone who still claims Kesha can't sing without autotune after this can fight me.
#4. "Friends" by Justin Bieber and BloodPop
Moving on from that emotional rollercoaster of a song to something a lot less gripping but still awesome, we have Justin Bieber's latest song, "Friends". I don't care at all about the Biebs's personal life, but I like his music more than you'd expect. His current music (maybe 2015 onward) has been consistently good and this is one of my favorites. It feels like a sequel to his previous hit "Sorry" and honestly I think I like this one more. The chorus is catchy as hell and the production is great.
#5. "Night Changes" by One Direction
Like Bieber, I like One Direction a lot more than you'd expect. I won't claim to be a mega-Directioner or anything but they have some pretty good songs. This is one of them. It's also one of those songs I rarely listen to but still like a lot. I put this song on the list because the atmosphere has always reminded me of fall/winter. It just feels cozy for some reason.
#6. "Unforgettable" by French Montana ft. Swae Lee
Just like "Havana", I also mentioned this song in the First Impressions post when talking about some other French Montana song, saying "Unforgettable" is way better. Honestly though, French Montana is not the reason why I love it. I can barely even remember how his parts go. I like this song for two reasons: featured guest Swae Lee (of Rae Sremmurd), and the beat. Swae Lee does a pretty solid The Weeknd impression for the chorus, which is incredibly catchy and likable. The beat is unique and danceable and I adore it. It's an unforgettable (pun absolutely intended) song.
#7. "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake ft. Majid Jordan
My brother (a massive Drake fan) always thinks I hate Drake, but I don't. He has some songs I don't care for, but he also has songs I love, like "Hold On, We're Going Home". This is my favorite Drake song to date. He doesn't actually do any rapping in this one, it's all R&B crooning. And it works. This is just one of those songs I've always loved, and it's always reminded me of fall. I think that's just because it came out during the fall of 2013.
#8. "The Hills" by The Weeknd
This one doesn't remind me of fall as much as it just reminds me of Halloween. This is a creepy song. It's slow, plodding, ugly, and dark, but these traits work in its favor. It perfectly accomplishes what it tries to do. I can totally see why someone wouldn't like it, because I don't think I liked it at first, but I love it now. It's one of, if not my favorite, songs by The Weeknd.
#9. "3005" by Childish Gambino
I don't remember exactly how I found out about this song, but I've loved it ever since. It sounds like a Drake song, but a really good Drake song. The chorus is great and there's some pretty good wordplay in the lyrics. This is also the point where I accept that for most of these songs, I can't adequately explain why they remind me of fall. These songs just sound like fall to me, and the atmosphere of this one reminds me of autumn.
#10. "Alone Together" by Fall Out Boy
Although I can't think about Fall Out Boy without reminiscing about my emo phase last year and cringing, I still like a lot of their music, even though I don't listen to it often. This song appears on the album Save Rock And Roll, and even though the album came out in the spring of 2013, a lot of the songs from it remind me of fall. I'm guessing it's because of the aesthetic of the Young Blood Chronicles movie they made to go along with the album (which yes, I have watched in its entirety multiple times. I was hardcore, yo). I specifically chose "Alone Together" because it reminds me of Thanksgiving 2013 and singing along to it in the car. Good memories.
#11. "Gasoline" by Halsey
Another artist I associate with my emo phase last year is indie pop singer Halsey. Even though I think the way she presents herself is really pretentious, I still like her music a fair bit. A lot of it, yet again, inexplicably reminds me of fall. This one in particular, "Gasoline", has always been one of my favorites, and I'm pretty sure it's a fan favorite as well. I like the message of how she's not going to change who she is as an artist despite being constantly pressured to do so.
#12. "Hurricane" by Panic! At The Disco
Throughout most of my emo phase, Fall Out Boy were my #1 favorite band, but Panic! At The Disco were a close second. Once I realized I was starting to get sick of Fall Out Boy, I started to become obsessed with Panic! and I still really like them to this day (also I did NOT expect to put this many songs from my emo phase on here lol). This song, "Hurricane", is on their album Vices and Virtues, which is one of my favorites. It's always been my favorite song from the record and it's one I believe is really underrated. It's a slightly dark and maniacal song (there's some evil cackling in the background), but it's infectious and fun to sing along to. You can bet I know all the words.
#13. "Atlas" by Coldplay
This song was on the soundtrack of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is a movie I will forever associate with the fall of 2013. It came out in the end of the fall of that year and I remember Banana_Elephant and I being unbelievably excited for it. "Atlas" is one of those songs that I love but rarely listen to. My favorite thing about Coldplay's music has always been how atmospheric and pretty it is, and the instrumentals in this song are particularly pretty (and it's not cheesy at all so you can shut up @Banana_Elephant). Just kidding about that last part, haha. Anyways, "Atlas" isn't one of my most listened-to Coldplay songs, but due to its Catching Fire association, it's the one that most evokes fall memories to me.
#14. "Chocolate" by The 1975
This song got popular in the fall of 2013 (much like a lot of these songs) and I think that's the reason why I associate it with this season. It was the first song by The 1975 I heard, and while I've always kind of liked it, I didn't fall in love with it until I saw Ariana Grande's November/December month video a few years later. Every time I listen to this song, it conjures a specific aesthetic that I'm not really sure how to explain. I guess it's sort of similar to the music video, but more fall-appropriate. This song led to me getting into The 1975 and they're now one of my favorite bands.
#15. "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood
I saved this song for last not because I feel it's the best overall song or the worst one (In all honesty, these songs are all pretty equal in terms of my liking of them. Yeah, there are a few I especially like, but overall these songs are pretty consistent in terms of quality to me). I decided to finish with it because, in my mind, it is the fall song. When I think about songs that remind me of fall, this is the first one to come to mind. It's a song called "Sweater Weather", after all, and what article of clothing is more associated with fall than sweaters? (Scarves are also an acceptable answer.) This song feels like wearing a cozy sweater, drinking warm apple cider, and playing in the brightly colored leaves. This isn't my favorite song of all time, but it is my favorite fall song of all time (and yes, there is a difference). You can bet this is the first song I listen to every time fall rolls around.

Here is the link to the Spotify playlist containing the songs, if you so choose to listen to it.
https://open.spotify.com/user/stellar.emma/playlist/18cE45GlhmkrkKOSXKAKI7

OK, that's all I have this week on Stellar in Neverland. Next week, I was planning to use my free trial of Apple Music to do a First Impressions post on Beyonce's Lemonade. I've wanted to listen to that album forever because I've heard nothing but good things about it, but it's not on Spotify (my preferred streaming service). I thought it was on Apple Music but it's not. My plan for next week is to either get a free trial on Tidal (where the album is available to stream) and do a Lemonade First Impression or do a First Impression of another album I haven't decided on yet. Either way, I'm doing First Impressions next week. The week after, I'm doing another First Impression, this time on Taylor Swift's Reputation. Not because I think I'll like it, but because it's going to be the biggest album of the year and I want to see if it'll be worth the hype. (And also because it'll hopefully get me views on here.) That's all for this week. I'm Stellar in Neverland, signing off. Peace!

Stellar

5 Things You Might Not Know About Me!

Hi, I'm Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! Let's do a few updates:

-I got an iPhone last Tuesday (10/17!) It's a rose gold iPhone 7. It's the first phone I've ever had (I know, I'm really late to the party) and I LOVE it. I'm obviously not going to give out my phone number because, well, duh. I don't even have a reason for bringing it up, it's just that it's a big part of my life and I want to share my excitement on here.

-In slightly less serious news, I also got a giraffe onesie this week! It's what I'm going to wear for Halloween (I already wore it to this past Friday's Halloween-themed football game) and it's pretty much my favorite thing ever. It's ridiculous and impractical, but it makes me feel cute and cozy. I'm actually wearing it as I write this. I got it from Target, and here's a picture of it (though not of me, obviously):

Okay, now that those updates are out of the way, I'd like to say that I had a really hard time coming up with an idea for what to post. However, I did come up with something! This week's post is 5 things you might not know about me. These are things I have (as far as I can remember) never shared on Stellar in Neverland or the Brick Wall as well as things that people who aren't super-close to me might not know. I might do a sequel to this if I'm really bored but that's highly unlikely. I don't have much else to say for the intro to this so let's get just get this started.

#1. I went through a Webkinz phase in elementary school.
In case you're unfamiliar, Webkinz are stuffed animals that come with a secret code tag that you can enter on the Webkinz site and use to play with online. I got my first one for Christmas in 2006, and from that point to about 2014, an addiction was born. My brother and I were obsessed. We got as many as we could and we played with both our physical and virtual animals. We had hundreds of them yet still managed to remember every one of their names, we shipped them, and we even watched videos about them on YouTube. Seriously, Webkinz videos were how I got into YouTube in the first place, and I considered making my own Webkinz channel. I still have all of my Webkinz stored in my room and although I don't play with them much (occasionally I will if I'm feeling bored and want to relive the memories...shh, don't tell anyone!), I still will never want to part with them because of how much sentimental value they have to me.
#2. I'm a logophile.
You're probably wondering what a logophile is, and to be fair, I didn't know either until I looked it up. A logophile is, quite simply, a lover of words, and I am one. I'm fascinated by words and I'm very specific about ones I love and ones I hate. There isn’t any common pattern between words I love and words I hate, other than I would describe the words I love as “pretty” and the words I hate as “gross”. Some words I love are “symphony”, “rendezvous”, “wanderlust”, “vivid”, and, of course, “stellar”. A few words I hate are “chunky”, “boogie” (well that one’s not really gross, I just hate it), “crusty”, “absorb”, and “gurgle”. I have a large vocabulary and I’m weirdly great at spelling, so I can spell the majority of those words.
#3. I use some slang words ironically until it gets to the point where I can’t stop.
From one word-related fact to the next. This one’s pretty frivolous (another word I love), but I wanted  to mention it anyway. There have been quite a few instances where there’s a slang word that gets popular among teens. I start out thinking it’s ridiculous, just the stupidest thing ever, so I start saying it ironically amongst my friends. I mean it as a joke. After I’ve been saying it for a while, I end up becoming the kind of person I was making fun of, the kind of person who says these things seriously. There still is a hint of irony to my usage of the words, but I do say them unironically for the most part. Just so you know what I mean, a few examples of words I’ve done this with are “litty”, “yeet”, and "y'all". This applies to me dabbing as well: doing it ironically until I can't stop.
#4. I have quite a few dream jobs.
Whenever anyone asks me what I want to be when I grow up, I panic because I have multiple answers. The career path I'll most likely take is in education, specifically in high school. It's practical, realistic, and well-paying. Another job I've considered is a psychologist. I don't actually know much about it but I find it interesting. I've also thought about having a career in marketing. I'm a creative person and I think it would be cool to come up with ideas for marketing campaigns. My dream job (that is actually somewhat realistic) would be to work for a record label, but not as a performer. I'd specifically want to be a talent scout, looking for fresh artists to add to the label. I think that would be an amazing job, allowing me to deal with my passion for music even though I'm not that good of a musician. And speaking of being a not-good musician, that brings me to my absolute dream job that I will never have: a singer. In a perfect world I'd be a huge pop star, having an amazing voice and living a glamorous lifestyle. But alas, my singing voice sounds like a tone-deaf cat being strangled AND I'm unattractive (which matters, because looks/image is important to being a pop star, sadly), so I've accepted that this will never happen. Still, a girl can dream, can't she?
#5. I wrote the worst book of all time in fourth grade (and the worst sequel of all time in fifth grade).
I've always had a passion for writing, whether it be writing fiction, journal entries (despite me never being able to keep a journal), or blog posts. I wrote a lot of short stories in elementary school, and while most of them were pretty crappy (I've improved exponentially as a writer, thankfully!), one of them really sticks out as being just atrocious. On rainy days in fourth grade, a few friends and I would get together and made a fake news show (no, not that kind of fake news, I simply mean we pretended to have a news program). It was one of those things that was embarrassing in hindsight but fun while it lasted. When I was in fourth grade, I thought it was so much fun that I came up with the genius idea to write a book about it. The result was News To You, a "book" (if you can even call it that, it was only ten pages long or something) so dreadfully abhorrent you have to read it to even begin to comprehend the sheer amount of evil contained in those ten pages. (Not gonna lie, I'm really proud of that sentence.) It has unnecessary product placement for products I had never even used at the time of writing, plot holes up the yin yang, flat characters, embarrassing writing from a technical standpoint, predictability, and emphasis on what the characters are wearing instead of a coherent plot. I cannot emphasize just how much News To You sucks. I wrote a sequel in fifth grade that isn't any better. I think I might post the stories on here at some point so you all can experience the suckage for yourself.

So that's a little bit more about me, in case you were wondering. Hopefully you enjoyed that angry rant at the end. I'm proud of it. Once again, I have no idea what I'm going to write about, so you'll just have to see next Wednesday. In a few weeks, though (November 15), I'm gonna do another First Impressions on the new Taylor Swift album. I don't know why. I'm Stellar in Neverland, and I'll see you next week. Peace!

Stellar

Top 10 Just Dance Songs

Hi, I'm Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland. I don't have any updates for today, so I'll just get on with my regularly scheduled blogging. My original plan for this week's post was to do another First Impressions post almost exactly like last week's, but in the end I didn't think it was a good idea to do essentially the same post two weeks in a row. So what do I have planned for this week? My Top 10 Favorite Just Dance Songs! I'm not much of a gamer at all, but I've been playing the Just Dance games since Christmas 2011 when we first got Just Dance 3 with our Wii. The concept of the games is simple. There's an animated dancer on the screen and the player must mirror the dancer's moves in order to score points. It's a great game to casually play with your friends or solo, and it's a great workout. I always say that Just Dance is the only exercise I will willingly do.

I decided to do this post this week because I had been planning on writing it for a while and now just seemed like the perfect time. The new Just Dance 2018 game is coming out towards the end of this month and I'm really excited for it. I always like waiting to see which songs will be featured on each new edition of the game, and the soundtrack for this one looks really fun (You can dance to megahits like "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars, "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi ft Daddy Yankee, "Shape Of You" by Ed Sheeran, and "Side To Side" by Ariana Grande ft Nicki Minaj.) This brings us today's post, where I'm going to list my favorite songs to ever be featured on the series. The series has featured tons of songs over the years, many of which I absolutely love. This made it really hard to narrow it down to just ten, but somehow I was able to do it. The song selections were based on how much I like the actual song, how much enjoyment I get out of the gameplay, and how much sentimental value it has to me (or however much sentimental value a dance video game can have). I wouldn't dare try to rank these from best to worst, so they're just listed in order from the song that appeared on the oldest game to the newest. I'll try to keep this relatively short, but knowing me, that's highly unlikely. Finally, the links in the titles of each song are links so you can watch (and dance along) if you please. Let's get started!

1. "Hey Ya!" by Outkast (Appeared on Just Dance 2)

Just Dance 2 is the earliest game in the series that I own (I don't have the first one, and the only time I've ever played it was at a friend's house) and I got it in early 2012 with a Christmas gift card at Target. I got it shortly after I got Just Dance 3. I remember one day I was playing the game with my brother and I chose to do this song. His response was "Emma, why are you doing a nerd song?" And my response was, "Because the song is awesome." The song is a classic ("shake it like a Polaroid picture" is one of those lyrics that everyone knows) and it's very upbeat, making it fun to dance to. The character for this one is a nerd, but the nerd's got some pretty sweet moves. The choreography is dorky in the best way and a surprisingly good fit for the song. It's my favorite song on Just Dance 2.

2. "California Gurls" by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg (Appeared on Just Dance 3)

Towards the end of last week's post, I went on a somewhat angry rant on Katy Perry, specifically her newer material. A big part of the reason why I don't like Katy Perry anymore is because she's made a bunch of amazing songs and her new stuff is just disappointing. Katy's music has been featured on most of the Just Dance games, and although most of them are pretty fun (I was tempted to choose "Birthday" from Just Dance 2015), I had to choose this one. "California Gurls" isn't super-deep or complex, but it's the perfect dumb-but-fun guilty pleasure pop song. The character is clearly modeled after Katy herself and she looks like the perfect California girl. The choreography fits the song perfectly, but what really stands out is the background. The dancing lime-green teddy bear in the background that starts dancing along around Snoop's verse is hilarious, and my brother and I used to try to copy his moves when we were little.

3. "Take On Me" by A-ha (Appeared on Just Dance 3)

When my youngest brother was about three years old, he thought it would be a great idea to cram a bunch of our Wii games into the console, including our copy of Just Dance 3. We got another, previously used Wii from our aunt and uncle since the old one was broken, and although most of the songs on Just Dance 3 still work, there are a few random songs we can't play without them crashing. Sadly, one of those is "Take On Me", which has always been one of my favorites. If I were asked to pick my favorite '80s song, this would probably be my pick, and Just Dance is a big part of the reason why. My mom used to play Just Dance with us, and we would always do this song. The dancer looks pretty cool and the whole dance looks like it's on the set of an '80s music video. The choreography is, again, a little dorky, but it manages to fit with the song. And of course, everyone knows the song. It's iconic, cheesy in the best way, and just awesome. I really miss being able to play this song, and I still haven't forgiven my brother for taking it away from me.

4. "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz (Appeared on Just Dance 3)

I selected three songs from Just Dance 3 for this list, more than any other game. It's not that the game was my favorite (I don't know which one is TBH), it just has a lot of sentimental value to me since it was the first one I got. I have a lot of fond memories of playing the game with my mom, and this song in particular was one of our favorites. I remember my mom and my aunt would always compete to see who could get the highest score, and it got pretty intense. The song itself is one that I've always loved since it first came out and it was a great choice for the game. It's a Dance Crew dance, which means there are four characters for you to choose from. The aesthetic of the dance is very clearly influenced from the 1920s and 1930s, and while it doesn't look like it fits the song (a dance-pop banger from 2010), it fits weirdly well. I always choose the female character in the blue who looks like a flapper. I love her design and I feel like she has a lot of sass in her movements. This one's really fun to do with a group.

5.  "Disturbia" by Rihanna (Appeared on Just Dance 4)

Rihanna is one of the current queens of R&B and pop music, so, like Katy Perry, her music has been featured on the Just Dance games many times. This is my favorite song by her and my favorite song in Just Dance 4 (which I actually think is my favorite, to be honest). It's spooky in the best way and you can bet I'll be listening to it come October 31st. The gameplay reflects the creepy quality of the song perfectly. The dancer's wearing this two-toned dress with spikes and matching hair, and she's got some intimidating eye makeup. She looks pretty freaking awesome. The choreography is also pretty eerie, with some moves that are clearly inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller", the ultimate Halloween song. Just Dance usually has one Halloween-themed song every game, and although this one isn't in-your-face-Halloween (no ghosts or pumpkins here), it's still the best spooky song on the game ever.

6. "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction (Appeared on Just Dance 4)

A good amount of these songs are solely on the list because of nostalgia, and this one is no exception. My mom, brother, and I would always play this song whenever we did Just Dance 4, and we always had a blast doing it. The characters are clearly modeled after the boys of One Direction, and although I like One Direction to some extent, I'm a little disappointed they never (to my knowledge) did full-on choreography like this. I always dance as the one second from the left in the cyan (I'm pretty sure he's supposed to be Zayn?). I always chose that one because that was my favorite color when I was younger (now it's pink) and it's sort of become a habit since then. The choreography is cheesy in the best way and it's fun to pretend I'm a part of a boy band. And allow me to repeat: WHY DON'T MODERN BOY BANDS DO MORE CHEESY CHOREOGRAPHY? It's entertaining. I like the song as well. It's more of a guilty pleasure but it's catchy and fun to dance to, making it the perfect type of song for the series.

7. "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga ft. Colby O'Donis (Appeared on Just Dance 2014)

It just wouldn't feel right to make this list without including the very song the franchise is named after. You'd probably expect the makers of the series to put this on from the very beginning, but for whatever reason, they decided to wait until Just Dance 2014 to include it. The wait was worth it, however. I've always loved the song, which is easily my favorite by Lady Gaga. It's just a remarkably catchy, fun, and memorable pop song. The dancer is somewhat modeled after Gaga herself, and she looks amazing. Her outfit is so cool. The choreography looks difficult the first time you do it, but it's surprisingly easy to learn. I've gotten five stars (the highest score) nearly every time I've done it. I also think the backgrounds are awesome. I couldn't find a picture of the specific background I'm referring to, but at one part, it looks like it's in a church with stained-glass windows decorated with characters from previous games (including "California Gurls", "Disturbia", and "Hey Ya", just to name a few from this list). It's a cool nod to the series' history that hardcore fans (like myself, don't judge me) will really appreciate.

8. "Get Low" by Dillon Francis ft. DJ Snake (Appeared on Just Dance 2015)

I've never really cared for Just Dance 2015 that much. I didn't know that many of the songs and there were only a few I really liked. Still, there were some gems, including this one. I actually discovered this song from the game, and I've liked it ever since. It's not anything deep (it only has, like, six words), but it's an absolute banger. It's a slightly insane-sounding song and the dance reflects the mania of it perfectly. The color scheme is very bright and the graphics are crazy. I love the pendulums in the background during the main drop (which you can see in the picture). The two dancers are really energetic and fun. They're on two separate platforms, and they have some interactions with each other that I find really cool. I usually choose the one on the right. The choreography is intense and pretty difficult (There's this one part...I'm not sure how to describe it, so I'll just put a picture at the bottom...that I've never been able to do), but it's exhilarating. This is a trap song, so naturally the moves are more hip-hop inspired. They're fun though! I don't know how to wrap this one up so I'll just end with a picture of the one move that I can't do. It goes way too far back!


9. "Want To Want Me" by Jason Derulo (Appeared on Just Dance 2016)

A common theme for this list is that most of the songs from the earlier games (2 to 4) are on the list because of nostalgia and the songs from the later games (2014 onward) are on more because I like the songs. That's definitely true for "Want To Want Me", my favorite song on Just Dance 2016. I have adored the song ever since I first heard it, and it even made my Top 15 Songs of 2015 list on my old blog (and it's one of the picks I don't regret!) I think that if I were to order that list, I'd actually put it at number 2, with only Walk the Moon's "Shut Up And Dance" ahead of it. I play this song pretty much every time I play Just Dance 2016 mostly because I like the song, but the actual gameplay is pretty cool too. I like the design of the character a lot. His outfit is pretty cool and flashy and I feel like it's how my brother would dress if he was rich. The aesthetic is awesome as well. I love the color scheme mainly consisting of red, white, gold, and black with some blue and purple mixed in (as you can see from the picture). There are random silhouettes of women in the background for some reason, and while I'm not sure why they're there, I still think it's cool. The choreography is somewhat difficult (meaning I have yet to get five stars on it) but it's still fun to do. Like the last song I've chosen for my list, I've danced to this song so many times mostly because I love the song so much. And speaking of that last song...

10.  "Into You" by Ariana Grande (Appeared on Just Dance 2017)

The last song I selected for this post is "Into You" by Ariana Grande. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned in a few posts how much I love Ariana, both as a singer and a person. She's one of, if not my favorite celebrities and I've loved her since her days on Victorious. Her music has appeared on a lot of the more recent songs on the game, and this is the best one. This isn't my absolute favorite song by her (there are a few deep cuts from her albums I love even more), but it's close, and it's by far the best single she's released. "Into You" is bar-none the song from Just Dance 2017  that I've played most. I don't even really like the choreography that much (the move the dancer does when Ari sings "Tell me what you came here for" is ridiculous), but the dancer herself is pretty and the backgrounds are astonishing. I LOVE the aesthetic of this dance. But in the end, I've done this song so many times because the song is pretty much perfect in my opinion. I could write an essay about everything I love about it (and probably will, since I'm planning to make my top 10 Ariana Grande songs at some point), and it's low-key what I want all pop music to sound like. This is one of my favorite songs of all time and the inclusion of it on Just Dance makes me really happy.

I was going to include a few honorable mentions, but this isn't a properly ranked top ten so I decided against it. These aren't the only songs from Just Dance that I love, so I'll probably make a sequel to this post at some point. As for next week's post, I have no idea what it'll be about (which is usually what happens with these) but you can find it next Wednesday! I'm Stellar in Neverland, and I'll see you then. Peace!

Stellar