POP/ROCK
Bad Bunny, “El Clúb”
A Bad Bunny song about clubbing into the wee hours — what could be more predictable? Except “El Clúb” isn’t at all. He starts with party-guy bragging, but then there’s a full-stop, three-second silence before he turns to what’s really on his mind: the ex he can’t forget. When dance-club beats rise behind him, he’s drunkenly thinking about what she’s doing — partying? drinking? going out with someone else? By the end, the beats have receded and he’s moaning a wavery bolero, hoping that at least he was a good memory.
Rosé, “Toxic Till the End”
Born in New Zealand, and skillful and disciplined enough to join the K-pop group Blackpink, Rosé is the epitome of an international pop strategist. “Toxic Till the End,” sung entirely in English, is from her solo debut album, “Rosie,” and it’s an indictment of an ex who was “jealous and possessive, so manipulatin’ / Honestly impressive, you had me participatin’.” It uses every device at her disposal, drawing directly from the Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff synth-pop playbook. Keyboard arpeggios lead to an arena-ready march, a breathy reconsideration, a shout that “You wasted my prettiest years!,” an acoustic moment and a big angry finish. Women’s rage at bad boyfriends is real — and commercial, too.
Quavo, Luke Bryan and Teddy Swims, “Georgia Ways”
The Southern alliance of hip-hop, country and soul chalks up another data point with “Georgia Ways” by Quavo (from Migos), the country award-winner Bryan and the soul belter Swims. A bluesy guitar riff and a trap beat accompany them as they trade hyperlocal specifics, then share a refrain that affirms America’s long, deeply intertwined heritage: “That’s just how I was raised / sunk in my Georgia ways.”
Sky Ferreira, “Leash”
