By Cam Moynihan (’24) and Isaiah Steinberg (’23)
Following the recent RamPage “song swap” article, RamPage Staff Writer Cam Moynihan and News Editor Isaiah Steinberg have decided to rate each other’s top 10 favorite songs. Steinberg generally prefers lyrical rap, while Moynihan is open to every genre. The two former volleyball teammates rated each other’s favorite songs on an A through F scale.
Isaiah’s Ratings of Cam’s Favorite Songs
“Formula” by Labrinth: Featured in HBO’s “Euphoria,” this song is mysterious and climactic. I can see why it’s featured on the show. It’s aurally pleasing, with lots of high notes and a good beat, but it lacks depth and it’s a little too short in my opinion.
Rating: B
“The Spins” by Mac Miller: This song hilariously features a Beatles-esque interlude and chorus, which would be a nice homage if the song lived up to The Beatles’ legacy. However, it does not. I found this song shallow and without depth, as it mostly talks about sex and marijuana and just gets worse after the first minute. Mac Miller has produced better songs in my opinion.
Rating: D+
“Karma” by Taylor Swift: If I had to describe this song in one word, it would be ‘whimsical.’ It’s a classic Taylor Swift song, replete with romantic references and a masterful hook. In “Karma,” Swift describes how karma hurts her detractors and helps her succeed. It’s a fun concept for a song, and it’s well-executed.
Rating: A-
“Conceited” by Flo Milli: Although the lyrics of this song are meaningless, at least they’re honest. Flo Milli falls victim to the classic rapper archetype of flaunting their wealth and success for their self-worth. However, the first verse actually offers some commentary and criticism of popular culture. The second verse is all flexing numerous things. Overall, the song is too repetitive and it takes too long to get into it for a relatively short song.
Rating: C-
“Pork Soda” by Glass Animals: I never thought I would hear the phrase, “Pineapples are in my head” delivered seriously, but Glass Animals delivered me this peak experience. This song is purposefully discombobulated and nostalgic, and it seems to be an expression that not everything in life has to make sense. The singer reminisces on a relationship he once had, and reflects that he wishes he could relive it. The song is so intentionally strange that it’s fascinating.
Rating: C+
“Shirt” by SZA: This seems to be a reflection by SZA on the need to be self-reliant. She notes the need for self-worth in a judgmental society in a catchy tune. I can definitely see why people replay songs by artists like SZA; it’s both catchy and relatable to many.
Rating: B+
“Suburbia Overture” by Will Wood: This song is chaotic to the point of being off-putting. The transition from jazz to ‘80s pop to rock to heavy metal is almost disturbing. The song is too long, and the lyrics make it seem like Wood tried to send a coherent message and failed miserably. The first part is almost charming; the heavy metal part is just a mess.
Rating: D
“Gloria” by The Lumineers: This song is a touching story of a woman, Gloria, an alcoholic, and her family’s attempts to end her addiction. The acoustic guitar chords are pleasant, and this song is very relaxed overall. My only real complaint is that it is a bit repetitive and one-dimensional.
Rating: B+
“Kingdom” by Joy Crookes: Another relaxing tune, “Kingdom” subtly comments on the cynical nature of the world while feeling like a positive song. It’s a unique vibe that I can appreciate. Besides that, it’s a standard pop song with a hook that is repeated one too many times.
Rating: B+
“U&ME” by alt-J: The electric guitar gives this alternative song a rock vibe. The classic alternative style of autotune is utilized throughout the whole song, which gives it a laid-back feel. It’s very psychedelic, especially when paired with the music video. It’s also mostly instrumental, with interspersed lyrics about a summer vacation. The song makes me somewhat happy and somewhat confused, which I’m not sure I like.
Rating: C
Final Ranking:
- “Karma” by Taylor Swift
- “Shirt” by SZA
- “Kingdom” by Joy Crookes
- “Gloria” by The Lumineers
- “Formula” by Labrinth
- “Pork Soda” by Glass Animals
- “U&ME” by alt-J
- “Conceited” by Flo Milli
- “The Spins” by Mac Miller
- “Suburbia Overture” by Will Wood
Cam’s Ratings of Isaiah’s Favorite Songs
“Let ‘Em Talk” by Crypt and GAWNE: This song is slightly repetitive but good overall. GAWNE’s verse has some good rhymes. I found the song to be shallow and repetitive overall. The music video is also lacking in content and it looks unprofessional.
Rating: C
“Speedom” by Tech N9ne, Eminem, and Krizz Kaliko: The immediate start to the song is jarring. However, the flow and the speed is pretty impressive. The beat is new and unique, but Eminem’s verse is not his best on this song. It has good flow and speed, but it’s hard to make out what’s being said. The verses are all good, but they seem slightly mismatched. The song is also very repetitive.
Rating: B+
“Out the Box” by Locksmith, Jarren Benton, and Oba Rowland: The music video is hard to watch, quite torturing actually. It seems like a random compilation of clips and the editing is awkward. The song is unnecessarily crass at times. Some rhymes hit and some miss. There is good flow at some points. Locksmith’s verse was extremely repetitive though.
Rating: D-
“Picture Perfect” by Rittz and Tech N9ne: Rittz’s verse seems sporadic and nonsensical. When coherent, his verse is unnecessarily crude. The video has cool visuals, but the song is very repetitive. Tech N9ne outshines Rittz with his verse, which has slightly better flow and coherence.
Rating: C
“Rock With Me” by Vin Jay and Merkules: This song starts with some pretty heavy language. However, it has good flow and the rhymes are solid. Merkules’s verse contains strange references and comparisons that are somewhat distracting. Most of the song is spent flexing the success of the two rappers and dissing others.
Rating: C-
“B.Y.L.” by Vin Jay, Bingx, and Futuristic: The music video format is jarring and cuts between scenes are seemingly random. Video cuts and incoherence distract heavily from the song, which in itself is somewhat repetitive. Bingx and Vin Jay’s verses are extremely similar, but Futuristic’s verse steals the show.
Rating: D-
“Say No More” by Rittz, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko: Rittz’s verse has good flow and it matches well with the beat. The verses all flow together well, creating a cohesive song. The plug of the music label feels unnecessary. Overall, it wasn’t necessarily bad, but wasn’t impressive either.
Rating: B
“Waves” by GAWNE and Atlus: The music video lacks relevance to the song. The song has a strange country vibe at times. The rap parts have good flow and decent rhymes. However, the jarring switch between the rap and country parts make it seem disjointed.
Rating: D
“Bass” by Merkules, Hopsin, and Tech N9ne: I am a big fan of Merkules’s flow and rhymes. The song has good cohesion between verses. Tech N9ne has a solid verse with good flows. Overall, the song is catchy and very well-written.
Rating: A-
“The Formula” by Rittz, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko: The beginning of the song is borderline unintelligible, and Rittz’s verse seems out of place in the song. Once again, Tech N9ne’s verse shines and carries the song, which, in general, flows very well.
Rating: B+
Final Ranking:
- “Bass” by Merkules, Hopsin, and Tech N9ne
- “The Formula” by Rittz, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko
- “Speedom” by Tech N9ne, Eminem, and Krizz Kaliko
- “Say No More” by Rittz, Tech N9ne, and Krizz Kaliko
- “Let ‘Em Talk” by Crypt and GAWNE
- “Picture Perfect” by Rittz and Tech N9ne
- “Rock With Me” by Vin Jay and Merkules
- “Waves” by GAWNE and Atlus
- “B.Y.L.” by Vin Jay, Bingx, and Futuristic
- “Out the Box” by Locksmith, Jarren Benton, and Oba Rowland
