Best and Worst of Entertainment 2014 Edition

[Clappy]

So guess what?  It's that time again.  For the third year in a row.   If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the link below:

 

http://www.thesbcommunity.com/forums/index.php?/topic/9990-best-and-worst-of-entertainment-2013-edition/

 

Yep, I'm going to go ahead and open this thread up for discussion two weeks earlier than I did last year.  Since Billboard went ahead and released their Hot 100 of 2014 today....and I honestly can say that there are less than a handful of films left out that I truly want to see in theaters, I'm going to go ahead and start formatting my Top and Bottom 10 lists.  Heads up, 2014 wasn't that good for entertainment.  Movies were rather lackluster, music bored the fuck out of me, and surprisingly television, the one format of entertainment I always bitch about how much less I'm willing to give new things a chance, was probably the best form of entertainment to me in 2014.   That's honestly saying something about how disappointing 2014 was when I have to give props to the one section I don't have a review thread for.

 

Now once again, I'm going to put this out there for everyone else

 

PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME THE ONLY PERSON WHO SHARES HIS OR HER OPINIONS IN THIS THREAD

 

With that being said, I eagerly await whatever replies come my way.  Hopefully I will have some of these top and bottom 10 lists revealed at earliest this weekend or at latest next weekend.

 

 

[CyanideFishbone]

Can't wait.

[Burgerpants]

^What he said

[Sweat]

Since the 2014 Year-End 100 came out very recently, I'm planning on making a fave and least fave 10 songs from the chart.

 

Good thing I kept the Todd avatar and name that you forced me to use earlier this year, Claps

[Steel Sponge]

Third that, I can't wait.

 

Placing my bets on your #1 worst song being a three-way tie on three of Jason Derulo's hits year-round (unless a curve ball is thrown, just like with your 1989 worst list).

[Clappy]

Since the 2014 Year-End 100 came out very recently, I'm planning on making a fave and least fave 10 songs from the chart.

 

Good thing I kept the Todd avatar and name that you forced me to use earlier this year, Claps

Please Halibut, post them in this thread.  I would greatly appreciate not being the only one who posts his year end charts on here.

[Sweat]

I was also thinking of doing something a bit more "original" by ranking all of the Gravity Falls season 2 episodes that aired in 2014 so far.

[Clappy]

I was also thinking of doing something a bit more "original" by ranking all of the Gravity Falls season 2 episodes that aired in 2014 so far.

Yeah man, you can do that here too.  My main goal for this Entertainment Best/Worst thread was for users to share their opinions on whatever they wanted in entertainment.  It eventually just became me giving my thoughts, but I gladly and always ask for others to share their thoughts too.  So yeah, do whatever you want man.  I'm just letting you know you can post it in here too.

[SpongeOddFan]

can't wait

[terminoob]

My lists'll be up this weekend.

[Sweat]

Because I had so much time on my hands today, I'm just going to do my 11 least favorite right now.

 

11 Worst Hit Songs of 2014 - Well, 2014 was way worse than 2013 at its worst. I would say a certain percentage of the songs on the list sucked, but I literally have only listened to about 50% of the year-end list. Why? One, because over the year I gained MUCH more interests in the classics. The main 3 artists that I appreciated way more than ever this year are Pink Floyd, Genesis and Queen. So yeah, I think it's safe to say I'm grateful for discovering some of the "older" stuff. Luckily, I listened to enough 2014 music to make a top and bottom 11.

11. Idina Menzel - Let it Go Honestly, I don't completely dislike the song, but it's just the overplay, the useless covers, and my niece's obsession with it that drives my ears insane every time I listen to it now.

10. 5 Seconds of Summer - She Looks So Perfect You know, after One Direction came (a boy band that isn't terrible per se), the ripple effect happened just like it happened in the late 90s. I hate it. The main group that took advantage of this is 5 Seconds of Summer, and this is the only song I heard from them. Am I glad? Fuck yeah. I may not have the best sense of processed music, but Jesus Christ.

9. Miley Cyrus - Adore You You think Wrecking Ball was a sad attempt at showing a little bit of emotion? This song tries even less. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure if this song is even trying to be emotional. It's so dull. Even We Can't Stop, no matter how terrible it is, didn't numb my eardrums from how dull it is.

8. A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera - Say Something I like softer songs. I like a lot of songs that are considered "soft," but this... this is too soft. I have no words because this song deserves no words. It's so fucking boring.

7. Calvin Harris - Summer Boring. Boring. Let's move on.

6. Ariana Grande feat. Zedd - Break Free Honestly, if this was from Katy Perry and David Guetta or something, it wouldn't be this high, but the fact that it comes from two artists I highly respect... kinda breaks my heart to be honest.

5. Magic! - Rude Another song that would've been lower, but for a different reason. It would be lower if it didn't rape my ears every time I turn on my local pop station. The lyrics just... ugh.

4. Jason Derulo feat. Snoop Dogg - Wiggle Sometimes, I feel Snoop should have stayed as a lion.

3. Katy Perry feat. Juicy J - Dark Horse Wow, I can't believe I miss when Katy was fun and bubble-gummy. This is just unbelievable of her. Katy can try way harder to be all happy, so when she doesn't try at all and gives herself a terrible trap sound, that's too annoying.

2. Bobby Shmurda - Hot Boy I refuse to even go knee deep into the lyrics. This song is still in the top ten, but it is the most trashy, useless, stupid rap song of the year that I've heard. Once again, I've heard a small percentage of rap songs this year. I think that this is the worst rap song of the ye- 1. Kid Ink feat. Chris Brown - Show Me I have no words.

 

 

I'll post the best ones tomorrow.

[terminoob]

 

8. A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera - Say Something I like softer songs. I like a lot of songs that are considered "soft," but this... this is too soft. I have no words because this song deserves no words. It's so fucking boring.

 

 

Which is a shame, because I think the rest of that album is solid. That song didn't need Agullera at all and it just brought the rest of the album down.

[CyanideFishbone]

Honestly, in my opinion, 5 Seconds Of Summer sounds more like a parody of boy band music than actual boy band music.

[Wumbo]

I might forgo putting my music lists in my thread to post them here instead. Because Christmas is about togetherness.

 

Anyway, "Happy" is my number 1 song so far. 99 more to go.

[Steel Sponge]

I did say I was going to start from the bottom Wednesday for my Worst / Best Hit Songs of 2014 list. So yeah, I'm early and I'm ready to begin my top 10 worst. BUT FIRST, here are some honorable mentions:

 

 

Talk Dirty / Jason Derulo

 

Of course this starts with a Jason Derulo song. What a ridiculous tune. He goes around the world for girls who don't speak his language to "talk dirty" to him and then we get some saxophone beat. 2-Chainz doesn't help either. However, this song is too silly for me to rank it any higher.

 

23 / Mike WiLL Made-It featuring Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J

 

And nothing of value was gained. At the same time, I think this song sounds pretty awful and so bad it's good. In the end, I can't take this song so seriously, especially when hearing Miley Cyrus "rapping."

 

My Hitta / YG featuring Jeezy, Rich Homie Quan

 

Boring, just boring. It was so boring for me that I felt that this song wouldn't be worth being listed on my Worst.

 

Show Me / Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown

 

I hate to be the guy who would take the words right out of someone else's mouth for a general consensus of my own, but Claps pointed out of how bad this song is, and I agree.

 

Amnesia / 5 Seconds of Summer

 

Thought this was going to be full of rap songs? Don't get me wrong, I don't really hate 5SoS, but this song speaks to me that they aren't evolving as a 'pop rock' band. This doesn't really feel like a pop rock song at all, unless I can compare this song's style to The Script's usual pop rock package. Basically, I find nothing special about "Amnesia." For sure, that's what I felt like I was getting when I first heard it.

 

Hot Boy / Bobby Shmurda

 

I don't understand this.

 

Hey Brother / Avicii

 

Why is this an Avicii song? Not only that, why is this an EDM song (unless it's technically not 'dance music')? It doesn't even feel like a song that I could dance to. It feels more like a bluegrass/country song with his name on it, because I can barely notice that Avicii's production is in this song. Obviously, I wouldn't want to dance to a cheesy country ballad. While I do have a soft spot for the whole hey brother/hey sister thing, this song is saved from my worst list.

 

Burnin' it Down / Jason Aldean

 

Consider this my #11. In contrast to a song that felt much less like an EDM song, here's a song that felt much less like a country song! Not only have others already beat him to the fire metaphors that were starting to lose its meaning (Fall Out Boy, Ellie Goulding, Phillip Phillips...), but I find the country sound really lacking here, and I just also find it simply dull. Jason Aldean has done better than this.

 

 

Top 10 Worst Hit Songs of 2014 (by Steel Sponge)

 

 

10. Animals / Martin Garrix

 

Spoiler

 

One of my biggest problems with this year in pop music is the variety of material that do not feel iconic.To me, this feels like a song that didn't need to become a hit, but it did anyway. So, my biggest problem with "Animals" is how pointless it was for it be a hit, especially for the standards of the year-end list. Heck, I could care so less about this song, that I can just go ahead to the next one right now.

 

 

9. Blurred Lines / Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell Williams, T.I.

 

Spoiler

 

This was a big hit from last year, yet it was still a thing over the course of 2014. Because I apparently don't like this song more than all the others above, this gives me an opportunity to place it at #9 and tear it to shreds. Sure, it has a funky rhythm, but has Marvin Gaye done something like this....except that its content didn't feel so polarizing? The more I look into this song, the more hate I feel for it. So first thing, I'm not the type of guy who calls things rip-offs but the similarities between "Blurred Lines" and "Got to Give it Up" just bugs me. Second of all, the music video sucks, just wanted to say that. Third of all, whether or not Robin, Pharrell, (and T.I.? Why is he in this song I'd ask.) are being "rapey," it's hard to listen through them. Lastly, the WOO! got old fast. Bottom line, I find it to be a bad song a year back and I still think it's bad as of right now.

 

 

8. Na Na / Trey Songz

 

Spoiler

 

This would be good to rip on one of DJ Mustard's productions, but I'd rather make this a bit short. The reason why this is on my list is well....I don't feel much for it, I just find it really boring. The "hey" audio sample bits don't really help either because it doesn't fit as well. Oh Na-Na, why this so hard to sit through and make a review out of? Sorry, that was bad. Anyways, next.

 

 

7. This Is How We Roll / Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan (or Jason Derulo)

 

Spoiler

 

With not enough material to be made for me to have "Burnin' it Down" at the bottom 10, "This Is How We Roll" beats this song in terms of awfulness. It's a rather fun sounding song....but it has its problems. Florida Georgia Line, don't rap again.... even when making painful rhymes like:

 

Up on them 37 Nittos, windows tinted hard to see though
How fresh my baby is in the shotgun seat, oh

 

Yet another poor bro-country to go by. I don't know if the Jason Derulo version has any difference, since I honestly haven't listen to that one yet, so you guys can be the judge of that, I guess.

 

 

6. Adore You / Miley Cyrus

 

Spoiler

 

I'm sorry Billboard, certainly I didn't ask for this. Can you replace this song's spot for a Demi Lovato song? Or maybe even some other song that would've had the chance to rank at the lowest point of the year-end Hot 100? No? Well, I understand, but god what a disappointment for a song to take the final spot. This song is boring, it breathes boring, the lack of charisma here is disturbing. I feel absolutely nothing for this follow-up single. I've seen worse though. It's worthless, but I have a more distinctive hate for the bottom 5....

 

5. Say Something / A Great Big World & Christina Augilera

 

Spoiler

 

A Great Big World, quite an important band during the year 2014....or not, because I don't care about them, nor do I really know much about them. Believe it or not, I find Miley Cyrus' awkward and tediously slow timing during "Adore You" to be less worse than "Say Something." And that's SAYING SOMETHING. *rimshot* It was a bit difficult to choose between "Adore You" and this song, but I've made the decision to consider this one the lowest common denominator. This makes songs like "All of Me" sound like "Sweet Child O' Mine" in comparison. Why do I dislike this song? You guessed it, it's boring as an old lump of sugar and its got some lyrical cliches, with the chorus being the most tasteless.

 

 

4. Wiggle / Jason Derulo featuring Snoop Dogg

 

Spoiler

 

This seems like the song that would be destined to make the top of my worst list, but it's at #4 (WHY YOU DO THIS TO US, STEEL?). That does not stop me from finding the song to be really stupid. It's so stupid, that I feel I've heard worse than this. IMO, not even Snoop Dogg could really save this song from being awful. Aside from the annoying whistling, it's also infested with pretty bad lyrics....

 

Patty cake, Patty cake
With no hands
Got me in this club making wedding plans

 

Go head, and go ham sandwich

 

It's so bad, that I feel like laughing about how bad this is for its biggest lows, which is why I didn't rank this higher up. So, what could be worse than "Wiggle?"

 

 

3. Don't Tell Em / Jeremih featuring YG

 

Spoiler

 

I could really wonder why this song didn't even have a music video. This song is to the point where I am absolutely sick of DJ Mustard's production, sick of his "HEY HEY HEY" audio bits, and sick of whatever else he has to offer, because I feel like every time I hear something produced by him, I'm already familiar with it. Onto criticizing this song. what are my lowest points? The beat that sounds like "Show Me," if you guys can agree with me on that, then that's one thing, speaking of "familiar." Jeremih's tasteless "DON'TTELLEM DON'TTELLEM DON'TTELLEM YOUAIN'TEVEN DON'TTELLEM"? Check. Painful lyrics?

 

Rhythm is a dancer, I need a companion
Girl, I guess that must be you

 

I act a fool Bobby Brown with it

 

Throw it up 9-3-4, 8-6-1-6
I gotta missed call from your bitch

 

Bonus points. Well, there can't be something worse than something like this, right?
 

BABY I'M PREYING ON YOU TONIGHT

 

What!? No!

 

 

2. Animals / Maroon 5

 

Spoiler

 

NO! ONE "ANIMALS" WAS ENOUGH!

 

Baby, I'm preying on you tonight
Hunt you down eat you alive
Just like animals, animals, like animals-mals

 

Yeah, compare your substance matter to an animal eating another animal, that makes so much sense. Yeah, I never liked Maroon 5, even though I'd admit "Makes Me Wonder" and "This Love" are both okay. To start off my criticism for Animals....the Maroon 5 version, I find the chorus grating and pitchy, more than I expected from Adam Levine's voice.

 

Maybe you think that you can hide

 

Oh boy, it's one of those stalkerlicious songs, isn't it?

 

Yeah, you can start over, you can run free
You can find other fish in the sea
You can pretend it's meant to be
But you can't stay away from me

 

I guess I'm not wrong.

Just like animals, animals, like animals-mals
Baby, I'm

 

What's up with the cut off? Couldn't they just leave that out?

 

Don't tell no lie-lie-lie-lie
You can't deny-ny-ny-ny
That beast inside-side-side-side

 

Oh, ouch. I guess I'm done right here. Overall, this is the most canine sounding Maroon 5 song I've heard and only manages to become annoying for me, and it's just plain creepy. Now I can't take "Animal" by Neon Trees the same way ever again thanks to Garrix and Maroon 5. Onward to #1, what could it be?

 

No matter what, it appears that nobody could do worse than....

 

....

....

....

 

 

1. Trumpets / Jason Derulo

 

Spoiler

 

JASON DERULO. Just when you think he'll never get worse, he just got worse.

 

Every time that you get undressed
I hear symphonies in my head

 

Oh man, that falsetto. I can feel it ringing in my ears of how bad that was! Now, my biggest criticism for this song? It's a mess. And what a glorious, badly battered, fabricated mess this song is.

 

You got not only high pitched piano keys drowning out the sound of the trumpets at some points, but near the end, Jason Derulo would also drown out the trumpets song, because really, weren't the trumpets the only thing we needed?

 

Is it weird that I hear
Violins whenever you’re gone?

 

I would play you the world's saddest song to describe that, but I'm definitely not in the mood for that.

 

Is it weird that your ass
Remind me of a Kanye West song?

 

What was the point of that!? And if he's willing to turn her on, why is he giving out awful pick-up lines based on a couple of the producer's [Jon Bellion] influences?

 

Is it weird that your bra
Remind me of a Katy Perry song?

 

Is it weird that your eyes
Remind me of a Coldplay song?

 

I don't really get the references, but ugh....what's next? "Is it weird that your shoes remind me of a Mike WiLL Made-it song?" "Is it weird that your lips remind me of a Meghan Trainor song?" Endless possibilities.

 

I wrote this song just looking at you

 

Horrid sound, horrid lyrics, horrible song. And that wraps up my Top 10 Worst list and I will be working my best soon.

[President Squidward]

Can't wait to see what stuff you like and hate this year, Clappy.

[Wumbo]

Just a heads-up that I will not be looking at the posts in this thread until my list is complete to avoid possible biases. But i'm glad to see Steel's already got his up! Keep 'em coming, people! Let's debate!

[Doctor Sex]

Unfunny Vines aside, I enjoy Hot "Boy"

[Clappy]

Not reading anybody else's lists yet either since I'm taking my sweet time, but glad to see Halibut and Steel joining in on the fun and others composing their own.

I'm actually doing a reversal from previous years and forming my television lists first. My Top 10 Worst TV Series of 2014 should come tomorrow at some point.

[Sweat]

Well, time to finish this off with my 11 fave songs of 2014.

 

11. Paramore - Ain't it Fun Yes Hayley Williams, this is very fun. Sometimes, when I'm done listening to whatever bullshit I like, I just listen to stuff like this. Still Into You was not a bad song by any stretch, but this song is better than Still Into You by a mile simply because it just sounds better.

 

10.Sam Smith - Stay With Me Sam Smith is a great singer, and I disagree with anyone who says his voice sucks. This song is just so refreshing and genuine in a year which was populated almost entirely by pop females. Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor, Katy Perry, Jessie J etc. While lots of other stuff was there, the stuff topping the charts for the most part was that, so stuff like Stay With Me is refreshing, even if it's not an extremely excellent song.

 

9. Martin Garrix - Animals Trust me, this is not the only song on here the majority will disagree with. I'm sorry, I really shouldn't like this song, but it seems impressively unique compared to stuff that it's grouped with. Maybe I'm talking out of my ass, so I'm just gonna say I like listening to it. No more, no less.

 

8. Nico and Vinz - Am I Wrong This is undoubtedly one of the most unique songs to hit the top ten this year, if not the past few years. When it comes to music, I usually like a song after growing into it, but with this song, it was love at first sight. The thing that keeps it from being higher is that both Nico and Vinz don't have the most amazing singing voices.

 

7. Maroon 5 - Maps I TOLD YOU THIS LIST WILL BE VERY DISAGREEABLE! Okay, honestly, I'll say right now that the lyrical content is far from the best. You know what brings it so high though? It is arguably one of the catchiest songs of the year. It is so unbelievably fun to sing the chorus, and no matter how much I make myself remember it's Maroon 5, I can't resist loving this song to death.

 

6. KONGOS - Come With Me Now Yeah, I don't have much to say about this song. It's lyrics are meh, but it's just as catchy if not catchier than Maps. It's just another song that's so fun to sing along to, and the song itself feels powerful.

 

5. Michael Jackson feat. Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good It's pretty crazy to think that a person who died 5 years ago is still releasing hit songs. I'm not very much a Michael Jackson fan, but I love quite a few songs from him. It's awesome that this happened, and it's just a happy song that's perfect to dance to, especially if you're MJ.

 

4. Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea - Problem Out of all the pop girl songs that spread throughout this year like a virus, this is the best one. I'll admit that there is a small bias regarding the saxophone part, but that's not the only part I love. Grande's singing is amazing, Azalea's rapping is not half bad, and the beat is just infectious! Also, there's that creepy yet awesome whisper.

 

3. The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather You know what, I don't give two shits if this is just another scrawny hipster rock song, it's awesome. The song overall is so amazing, and the slowdown near the end gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it. Yes, the genre overall isn't great, this song is the diamond in the rough.

 

2. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat. Schoolboy Q and Hollis - White Walls This song just makes me so happy that it exists. Hey, if you're wearing clothing from a second-hand thrift store, you might as well make up for it with a Cadillac. Every single part of the song is awesome. Macklemore and Schoolboy's rapping is awesome, Ryan Lewis' beat is awesome, Hollis's chorus is awesome, this song is close to perfect. Sadly, one hit song of 2014 I love much, MUCH more. In fact, it's one of my favorite songs of all time.

 

1. Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne - Rather Be Clean Bandit is such a breath of fresh air, I can't put it into words. They took techno music and fancied it up with violins and shit! I thought Zedd was my favorite techno musician until these guys came along and blew me away in all directions. Honestly, if other songs from these guys including Come on Over were hits, they would easily be on the list. This song is one that I fell in love with before the end of my first listen. I am so happy that this song exists.