Anyone else think Rick should choose a random week from a random year in the last 20 years or so and react to the top 10 songs of that week? A new series perhaps??? EDIT: the last 20 years was an example, truly any year that a top 10 existed would be cool to see Rick cover, as I’m sure you’d all agree
I’m a classic rock guy and don’t care for pop music. But, watching Rick appreciate the elements of these songs is wonderful. With all the crap going on in the country today, spending some time with Rick is so refreshing. Love your zeal for life, Rick. Thank you.
Yes, I can totally relate. My daughter and I bonded a lot through music when she was younger (She is 28 now). Although, she liked a lot of the 80's rock that I listened to when I was younger, so it made it even easier to relate. I also taught her how to play guitar starting when she was around 10. Enjoy the good times with kids while they are young because they grow up way to fast.😥
I think nowadays teens and Gen Z young adults find a lot to like in the rock and pop of the 60s thru 90s liked by their GenX and younger Boomer parents. On the other hand, as teens and pre-teens I think a lot of those parents were not as fascinated by the music of their parents' youth (pre-rock pop stars like Sinatra, jazz and jazz-based pop, Broadway and movie musicals, etc.). I grew up in house where Adult Contemporary was big, and I found it as dull as watching grass grow. So I didn't bond a lot over music with my parents in the 70s as I was fascinated mostly by progressive rock and hating disco. But years later I developed a taste for the music of my parents' youth and young adulthood, and to this day am a big defender of AC of the 70s--Mac Davis, Bread, Air Supply, The Carpenters, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, etc. But in their Golden Years my parents had moved on to classic rock and Motown. They were big fans of Clapton, Frampton, Tina Turner, Peter Gabriel, and Fleetwood Mac. In their 60s they went to more big large venue rock and pop concerts than I ever did! My 13yo is exploring hip hop, which I don't love but I know a lot about so that gives us a lot to talk about. And we both enjoy some of the big acts of today, like Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. It's nice.
I can definitely relate … I have 3 Gen Z daughters . It would be nice to talk to them about their music. They may get freaked out though if I knew some of their music. 😂
An old school musician like Rick is able to objectively critique new pop music. I thought he would hate it but he analyzes the songs like a chef would analyze food entrees. I am 62 and biased toward the guitar era, but I am impressed with his open mindedness to these songs.
There is a lot of garbage that gets put out in any era, but even an era like the late 90s to early 00s boy band pop era had some really interesting stuff going on musically if you’re willing to look past the marketing. Max Martin, the guy who basically wrote every massive song in that era, came out of the 80s metal scene and had a real knowledge of and talent for writing. Despite the over used cliche that pop music is throwaway trash that’s pumped out in factories, it’s actually really hard to write catchy pop songs that have massive appeal.
I've never really understood certain peoples' aversion to Pop music. The fact that it's POPULAR means lots of people actually like it. I mean, I get it that indie musicians get left out of this scenario, but it's not like we have to have either one or the other ...we can enjoy both.
You’re such a benevolent guy, Rick. You start from the premise of “What’s good, what’s interesting, what’s different, about this? What works?” Rather than going straight to the negative. It’s such a productive approach. I greatly appreciate that.
Agreed, Rick always does a great job! I love how he approaches each song with an open mind. He checks his bias at the door even if the genre isn’t his typical style.
I third this notion! It’s a pleasure hearing his take! Plus, I learn a ton from his reaction... I learn to hear elements I was subconsciously ignoring before!
A car goes by and beeps it's horn. Rick: "That was a G flat minor 3rd. with a suspended 2nd and an augmented 3rd. in the phrygian mode. here it is on guitar"! Genius. Kevin O'Rourke
I actually did like Driver's License too. I found the lyrics a little childish, but given the age of the songwriter that's hardly a surprise. But it's just so earnest and raw and honest and emotional that you can't help but feel her pain too.
Rick, I gotta say, your enthusiasm for all forms of music is deeply infectious. I personally will probably never put any of these songs on my stereo, but I LOVE your appreciation and complete open mindedness, your genuine joy when something cool and unexpected hits your ears. You always look for the best in an artist's work, and that is something we would all benefit from, on both the creative and consumer side. RESPECT!
Rick listens and critiques this music for different reasons than you or I would. He is a professional UA-camr who must continue to attract new (read younger) viewers to remain relevant. I imagine in his quiet moments he is more likely to listen to Paul Simon, Chicago or Grand Funk railroad than to Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande or Dua Lipa, et al. Some of todays music has longevity, but most is not very memorable, inspiring, unique or interesting. Of course, ‘Snoopy Versus the Red Baron’ suffered from the same shortcomings too. Music provides an emotional connection between people; a human to human bond. By over processing it and producing it via a computer generated sound that connection is left unfulfilled. Just saying…
I like how Rick listens to these songs transparently and appreciates them even if it's not his particular taste. That virtue is extremely rare in today's world. Kudos!
@@Agentrock47 Oh, let him hate on the things he doesn't like. That's what the comment section is for, for people to assert their opinions as facts. You and I can still like things, though :D
He's breaking down puzzles, and wise enough to know that nothing is more tedious than listening to bitter old men giving bitter old men opinions about pop music for teenagers.
What I really dig is that someone from my generation(late B-boomer) can appreciate the good from this generation( Millennial & Z) with an open mind. We benefit from the last 50-60+ years of music and aren't as judgmental as some might think. Rick, you're a great reviewer of talent. Bravo!
I was born in '64, and can be very judgemental, but I normally try to keep an open mind. My oldest was born in 1998, my youngest in '02, so I have heard a lot of new stuff, and actually like a few. My youngest is a HIGE Beatles and Boston fan. Middle child loves the oldies as well as a good amount of more modern music. Oldest tends to stick more to 1990's and newer music. Have a great day!
I thought so too, but then I watched his eyes. I think he is reading them. His eyes keep landing down and in front at the same spot when he is doing this...I know he could work them out but I’m not convinced that he is here for all 10 tunes. Edit: too funny reactions. You don’t have to be a professionally trained musician to work out songs, I can easily and I’m far from a pro. Look at his eyes, from hands on chords to the same spot low down in front of him and back again repeatedly. What does this most likely mean? Apparently, it means that some fans are a bit touchy today.
Pretty easy when they are all the same 4 chords. I know Rick can do the same thing with much deeper harmonic stuff too. But all the radio stuff is the same anymore.
I've seen a friend do this in real time while jamming. Playing the right changes while playing bass on a song he never heard. People with musical knowledge/intuition can do it. Amazes me too.
I'm 47. I've been in bands since I was 15 and I'm really into your stuff. I watched your video along with my 14 year old daughter today. We both had a blast and it lead to very interesting discussions abouut music and life in general. I wanted you to know this. Thank you.
With over 12 THOUSAND comments I kind of feel you won't see my comment ... but ... and I thought this video was very interesting. Personally, I am 83 and none of these songs "turned me no" but I was impressed with the variation in chord progressions in some of modern pop music. I was very impressed at how you could pick out the chords almost instantly as you heard them. That is TRUE GENIUS! I have only known one other person who could do this -- just the name the chords of a piece he had never heard before as it was played for the first time. Unfortunately, he is deceased now. Anyway, I am glad you made this video -- it gave me some extra respect for you ... and for POP music. Though, I am still lost in the 50' and even some of the melodies of the 1800's. I would be interested in you view of Andrew Lloyd Weber. But you will probably never get to see my message. I wrote you an email a couple weeks ago that was never acknowledged.
Hey Richard, have you ever listened to any 50's REMASTERED music or jazz from that era? If you listen closely, I think you'll hear more similarities than you think... At least I did. Try the remastered or even remixed stuff from your day if you haven't already. I think you'll be surprised if you have a discerning ear. Good luck.
You grabbed my attention at melodies of the 1800's... like what? Sometimes I pick up melodies from that era too, although I can't think of one at present
Very nice comment however nearly every musician I know can pick these chords out in under 30 seconds. I am not professional musician and neither are the musicians I know but they know theory and that is all this is. It certainly isn’t genius although my friends would love to be called so 😒
What I learned so far: Besides being really open-minded, it feels to me that Rick's analysis goes from the producing and song-writing standpoint rather than his personal opinion about the artist attitude and whatnot which is cool, but then again I'm not that much into today's pop music.
By the way, if you read between lunes, Rick's demonstrating that the real artists is the producer doing all the magic so the final result is something that anyone can like... Not me at all as I do like rock and all its sub-genres, but that's probably just me being in my comfort zone, chilling.
@Rodney McMinge as far as I know, the new century's pop is full of sterile composers so to speak (I guess they're less and less interested in being somewhat literate in music and its magic), then the producer gets to work a lot more trying to save the artist's ass from boredom and such... Then again, I've seen many rock and metal musicians trying to do their best to sound great and the producers are there to polish few details. So, that's the status quo in music industry.
I think Olivia Rodrigo is such an underrated songwriter and singer - all the songs on SOUR are written by her and her producer, no outside help, which is rare in todays world. The whole album is gold as well! I love it
Olivia? She's literally one of the most popular artists... She's nowhere near underrated. During her Sour era, people were all talking about her song writing...
@@Fucorii I don’t mean she is underrated publicly, but rather within the musical community. I understand that most songs were on the album were written by her and her producer, with a couple songs using outside writers
Am I the only one who is just mad impressed every time rick just starts playing a song he's never heard before?! like man! why nobody talking about this guy's music skills. respect
I have "auto-tune exhaustion" so I'm having trouble hearing past that anymore. If not for you pointing out the really nice progressions, I think I'd might have just hit the next button.
I hear auto tune where it isn’t needed, or shouldn’t be (John Mayer? Really?) But the vocoder is a stylistic trend that’s really hanging in there longer than I thought it would.
@@anitapricecheck9554 Vocoder ≠ Auto-tune. Two completely different effects. Coincidentally in happenstance, I briefly ran across a country song with auto-tune while scanning stations. My ears cried and bled over that one.
I wish I could just filter out any tracks that have autotune applied even the slightest bit. I believe I could actually listen through a top20 after that without quitting for fear of my head exploding.
@R400TVR Personally, I think swearing and foul language in songs, in general, are a result of laziness in choosing words to convey the meaning. Any sentiment can be expressed without cussing.
@@Galiuros I see where you are coming from but there are songs where I feel that it has it's place. If the singer is singing about something that they are truly angry about and swearing is what comes naturally to express that emotion, then I think it cheapens the song to censor yourself.
This is so great! I genuinely like pop music, it just fits in my head, but seeing you dissect it for the art, production and creativity of it, it’s so awesome! Wish I could listen to stuff and know the chords right away like you do.
Ever played with a drum machine? It’s really fun. Two styles would be an Akai MPC with pads that trigger sounds, and a step sequencer like a Roland 808. Learning to finger drum on an MPC is a valuable skill that can even lead to new ideas on the drum set. Learning to program beats with a step sequencer can be a very interesting way to explore “velocity” and the effects that varying volume of each note can affect the groove. They’re no drum set that’s for sure, but they’re a different instrument that’s worthwhile in its own right. I encourage all of my students to learn to program beats and to finger drum. Shoot, I have started teaching 16th note rhythms using a step sequencer that most kids have on an iPad. Just as a teaching tool, it’s incredible,
@@menriquez89 Yes i have used a drum machine in the recording studio several times. I agree it is an instrument in its own right but when you hear that every song in the top ten, it's just sad that real drums dont feature at all imo.
Rick has such a genuine love and passion for music and melody, he's not just a career musician. I love watching how excited he gets over a simple chord progression!😂 That's why he's one of my few subscriptions.
Personally I don't think there was much to get excited about. I don't blame Rick for fishing for more likes and subscribers. I imagine UA-cam is a brutal jungle to make a living in.
@@kevinblackburn3198 You think he’s just lying? He’s shown his ability to appreciate newer music, even if it doesn’t explore harmony as deeply, there’s way more to music than just complicated chords. You’re just in denial because you want to feel superior to the music people are enjoying currently because you know advanced chords I guess? It’s such a shallow ‘better than thou’ opinion to hold. People can appreciate different things from music. He said he really enjoys how much modern songs explore timbre and how well produced they are, and how well written melodies are, and I totally agree.
@@kevinblackburn3198 I'm glad someone else is as cynical as I am, Kevin. People are too easily impressed with anything that seems "open-minded" or "positive". Anyone could turn on a camera and say positive things about Piero Manzoni's famous can of excrement, if they wanted to (or their career required it).
@Luke why do you care if older people like this music? music was diverse in my era as well. sorry but i prefer actual musicians in my music, to me thats where the talent lies. you like this music have at it. dont be a hater cause others find it less then fabulous. to me its very simplistic and bland.
Great video Rick, I love these. Great to hear lots of guitars, and also some really unique melodic things going on in these tunes, as well as some unique ( or at least not totally stock) chord changes.
Agreed. There's always gonna be the stock-beat, straight melody, stuff. But its nice that the general public can still know what well written music sounds like and float it to the top.
This is why critics/criticism can sometimes be a good thing, when they give additional insight that help you to appreciate something you didn't appreciate before.
@@shitmandood It's more of the appreciation of the production my guy, yeah pop is disposable and forgettable but that really isn't the point of the video
@@jeffmaehre7150 he reviews plenty of good music already. I think this is a great concept. We get to see what type of music is the most popular at the moment, however shitty it may be. And who knows, maybe some good songs can top the chart every once in a while.
I appreciate someone objectively analyze pop music. People easily trash pop music by ditching every song and artist in the same bucket. I think every music genre have something to offer if you listen carefully. Great video!
@@a.krawion1872 Thats what i gawked at. Within 30 seconds, he had the Key, the progression and the rhythm. Thru his tuition, i could play all parts, but without it, Im screwed haha
Makes me wonder how many of these songs are written with just a piano or guitar and a vocal line. Then an artist or producer does their thing with it to make it unique.
Billie's brother Finneas is the producer and he really knows what he's doing. He often sings backing vocals and plays a lot of the instruments you hear. No wonder they won so many Grammys
The governor of new York won a Grammy didn't he? Grammy is over rated One could be the best musician in the world making the most soul felt music but if that person leaned right they would never get one.. My Point a Grammy means nothing.
This guys hearing is something out of this world. The dude just figures out the structure in seconds. Edit: He doesn't have perfect pitch but a really good relative hearing, he has a lot of experience with music, but is still one fucking amazing ability. I can't do it, and I bet most people can't do it either.
@@lomarsweed6604 does Rick have perfect pitch? I always thought he had really powerful relative pitch. Although... I don really see him playing reference tones to figure out the songs
@@alexchng I'm not 100% certain but I always thought he had near perfect pitch if not perfect... His son I think has perfect pitch, there's a video of him calling out notes/chords by name as Rick plays them on piano.
I love how open-minded and appreciative you are of well-written pop songs. As a former metal head (still love metal, but don't look like a metal head anymore - thankfully haha), I used to think all pop music was the devil. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the quality of a good pop song, and you've contributed to that!
That's how youtube works nowadays, but basically even if he doesn't earn money through a video like that at least it's relevant content that can bring him a new audience and make his channel more popular
@@ikyabwai There are ads but because he played copyrighted music, he doesn't the money from those ads, the people who made the music do. There is a difference between copyright and age restriction. With age restriction no ads are placed and no money is made, but with demonetization, ads can be run, but the creator doesn't get that money. It gets really complicated in the music industry too.
Have to admit, I assumed you’d just be ragging on new music since your taste is from your time growing up. I appreciated seeing you break each song down a bit, and not getting negative on things that aren’t your cup of tea.
I agree apsolutely with you, I have same presupositions but, fortunately, Rick turned(s) out to be a great musician and non - dogmatic individual. Great
@Penderyn Lewsyn yeah I would say musicians are more emotionally open in terms of stuff you wouldn't really share online, but there are some really good music that aren't stereotypically 'sad', but that sound is something that a lot of gen z/ millenials relate with so it always reaches the charts
Wow! Positives from today’s music. I appreciate hearing the positives. I’m a middle school band director and this will help me to connect with my students, especially discussing upbeats and how it’s used in music they know. So excited to share parts of this with them. Thank you for doing this.
I wish every one of us, and Rick, could share their 50 favorite pop songs from each decade. Imagine the top 50 from the 80s next to the top 50 from the 2010-2020 years. Also, imagine the fun.
As a guy of 57, I'm learning a few things, for one Justin Bieber can actually put out something good. Yet there is still a lot of new pop that ranges from meh to unlistenable. Most of Cardi B fits the unlistenable part. In a warehouse I worked at not long ago, they provided radios we could use while loading the trucks. I was treated to tunes such as "Back back backin it up", "Bags in the coop", and a bunch of other unlistenable new rap and hip hop. I was about to go insane at the end of the day.
No, pop music has nothing to do with anything, and neither has age. It's commercial music that's the problem here as always has been. Most of this stuff is crap not because it's pop or new, but because it's monotonous, repetitive, derivative and uninspiring. There are gems but there are also a lot of turds, some of them not even polished.
I know I only discovered Rick but I'm in love I don't have any musical knowledge myself am trying to slowly get the basics on my own And it's just impressive to watch someone with visible experience and knowledge
It is so refreshing to hear someone who is my age (same as Rick's) and to be open minded about popular music not from their era (teens-through 20's). It really is frustrating to always hear people whining about how "music was better back then" which is the ultimate myopic attitude. Rick gets it, he understands the different genres and appreciates the music on its own merits and doesn't make useless comparisons to music of a different era.
Sorry guy, but I can't lie to myself and pretend to like things I instantly hate the sound of. Different I can get into. Flat and empty does nothing for me.
Y'all might not like new music, but that doesn't mean it's trash. There's music I don't like, but who am I to tell people who listen to it that it's garbage, when they obviously see something in it that connects to them?
I like to give the music a chance, but the over processed nature of most of it is ‘soul-less’ by its sameness and auto tuned, formulaic sound. Unplug some of these performances and see how their artistry holds up. Maybe ‘unplugged’ isn’t the right word…perhaps simply removing the Pro-tools processing and drum machines would make them more interesting…more human.
Ok y'all... I said decent, not good, not great, not bad, not horrible, just decent. When you've got songs like wap getting number 1 or really most any pop or mumble rap songs getting number 1, this is a little relieving. You must understand there's a difference between not liking a song and it being bad. Most of you hear a song and say it sucks or is bad just because you don't like it or the other way around you say it's good because you do like it. From a completely critical, unbiased, and musical standpoint, this song is ok. Not something I personally would listen to, but I'll admit the song is ok.
Very open mind to pop music.Great chord analysis. I like the way you are able to immediately hear the chord variations and progressions. Thank you, Rick.
@@tomdonaghue833 Her unreleased songs are quite witty too, she’s got a way with words that’s really refreshing in the current pop landscape! I’m not sure when she’ll be releasing them but when she does hopefully Rick can break those down too
I have to say. I've mostly heard Olivia Rodrigo from your videos and was enticed to listen to more of her stuff and she is a breath of fresh air from all the other mainstream music out now. Great voice. Great production, great simple but creative melodies and little additions that make the songs grow gradually.
Am I the only one who’s shocked by how fast rick picks up chords by hear, he falls right on the correct chord on the first try, that really impressive at least for me ( if he didn’t hear the songs beforehand which i don’t he did)
When you've played for so long it's actually not hard because there's only so many chord progressions that exist ....find the key and rest will fall into place ....after plenty of practice that is
@@brendancronin3796 I know that. I myself can find the chords no problem. I'm specifically impressed by the fact that he can find the KEY immediately. After one listen, he knows the key and the chords to the entire song. Unless he figures it out off camera first, which doesn't seem to be happening, it's amazing. Only other people I've seen be able to do that were my professors in college when I was getting my music degree!
@@cole_bh0373 He made a video about perfect pitch before, stating he does not possess it. But that he is experienced enough to navigate quickly to the correct notes by ear. I am similar, if you play me a single note or chord, I'm won't necessarily be able to identify it accurately just from listening (which is what perfect pitch is), but in front of a piano, I can quickly figure out any song that is playing, just by ear within seconds, once I get my note bearings (without that reference however, I would be lost).
Rick has a child like approach to listening but, with a deep knowledge of music. He is so open and without prejudice. I am very thankful he shares so much. Thanks Rick, you the MAN.
He's right though. Suggesting or implying sex in a song is usually far sexier than just laying it directly out on the table. Compare this one with 'Into You' and it's obvious how that's a much better song, much sexier song.
drivers license is a very good song in my opinion besides people disliking it just because it’s a 2022 teen breakup song. feels like a modern day alanis song in a way
Guy has a really cool mentality everyone should adopt, he has a totally neutral way of analyzing the songs. Most people tend to judge a song based on their tastes.
" Most people tend to judge a song based on their tastes." So true. It's not really what they like or don't like that offends me, it's that they pretend the music they like is better for arbitrary reasons that are demonstrably untrue. And they think that they are better because the music they like is "better". "So and so doesn't write their own songs." Frank Sinatra doesn't have a very long list of songwriting credits and his legacy seems reasonably secure. "They aren't playing real instruments." Is composing something in a sequencer really any different than grabbing a quill, writing out some music and handing it to someone else to play? Like it or don't, that's fine. Just don't pretend that your music, and therefore you, are better for these made up reasons. People have been saying "the problem with music today..." since a caveman started banging mammoth bones together instead of banging rocks together.
R B, this is a an amazing comment, but I will add that it is natural, even for people not like the ones you described to just not like a song because they don’t like it. It’s fine to judge a song based on one’s own tastes, I don’t like most pop but that’s because I personally prefer the music I listen to very differently to the people who make lot’s of pop music and listen to it. It’s one thing to judge a song based on your own opinion, it’s another thing to disregard it entirely because of beliefs (religious or otherwise) or preferences and make some incorrect statements about someone and the music they make or listen to. I just feel like that distinction needs to be made, things aren’t black or white. Music is naturally a very subjective piece of media and art, just like any art, so it’s natural for some people to have negative opinions yet harbor hypocritical opinions on things they like. Didn’t disagree with your comment, just wanted to share my own opinions on this matter.
@@Jmanclub-vd7mg Yeah, as far as I'm concerned the only reason you need to not like a piece of music is because you don't like it. There are songs I don't like because I don't like the lyrics but that doesn't mean that I think the song is bad or that the form or genre is not legitimate. If someone doesn't like the singer's voice, and I can agree that Geddy Lee's voice may not be for everyone, they probably aren't going to like Rush and that's fine.
@@dope8878 There is a definite energy when someone crafts music, or any artform, in real time, and I love it, but that doesn't make a different method of construction less valid.
For song #9, "Monster", I think that the guitar parts you added yourself, Rick, make the song notably better. You've added something rich and organic with the acoustic guitar accompaniment. There should be a "Beato Mix" released for this! ;)
its the voices i cant stand. the singing style that everyone does now. the super clean over produced voices, the nasally. i dont even know how to word it, to describe it. when Mary Clayton pushes herself andf her voice cracks on Gimme Shelter i get god damn goosebumps. every one of these songs i feel like a computer is singing to me.
Yeah, nothing gave me a chill on any of these tracks. Give it 6 months and no-one will be going out of their way to listen to them or show them to their kids in 20 years.
I don't hate any of this, but on the other hand nothing grabs me. I'm old, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but I like more personality and soul in the music.
i agree, while I love mopey music ( and all of this sounds mopey), there is a right way to do it. Look up the Smashing Pumpkins. They capture that melancholic feel that is superior to anything here.
@@Musicienne-DAB1995 No kidding! I wouldn't say I'm a prude either but when I first heard the song I had to check the lyrics to make sure I heard it right. It's like whoever wrote it wasn't even trying at subtlety but rather let the melody and Ariana's voice gloss over it lol! Not really my cup of tea hahah
I miss the sound of a real drummer really drumming. Quite a few of those songs would greatly improve (to my ears) with a little more humanity sprinkled in amongst the machines. You made a brilliant video a while back about the digital quantization of popular music, and this all seems examples of that.
@@bennettpark8671 Ive been enjoying Tina Turner live in Houston in 1983 lately, also with pre-recorded drum parts. The difference is there are real musicians playing over those tracks in both of our examples.
I never felt like it was that creative a song. Its quite classic after all? I don't think I would remember it if 1 or 2 years passed... And that's not meant to be biased. It's not bad. It's just not exactly that showstopping song everyone makes it out to be
@@rains0return I respectfully disagree with you about it being show stopping. I am in my 50s. My favourite music is the 70's and 80's. This is the first song I heard that is a top 40 song that I thought was amazing. It has not happened in a few years. Her voice, the melody is fantastic! Most current commercial radio music is boring and I can't listen to most of it! Some great independent music is being made that is not on commercial radio though.
@@Fakeaorta I don't listen to radio music, so thankfully I don't struggle with this. It's easy to find real showstoppers out there by just searching somewhere else. I respect if you enjoy the song. But speaking from a theoretical perspective, I don't feel the song since it's so simple and doesn't dare to step out of its shell. That doesn't mean it's not enjoyable of course
@@rains0return It's meant to be that way unfortunately. Pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo, considering this is her debut, needs to cater towards the mainstream in order to succeed. So far she did and I don't have a grudge against her music, but it's just too familiar and safe. I still like the songs at her debut album though, I mean it's meant to be likable. It's familiar territory employing some Paramore and Taylor Swift influences.
Welcome to 2021: where using an actual guitar already gets you points, even though you're using the most basic and overused chord progression throughout the whole song.
Even tho what he plays is very simplistic, a nice bassist of the 2010s is a dude named Mike Kerr, he plays in a band with no guitarists so he uses the bass as a lead guitar, and yes, he uses a lot of whammies
I really like this format in case you want to make some kind of a "series" out of it Rick, or at least I´m definitely watching it. It´s cool since I´m not following the "Top 40" that often either and doing it this way makes it more interesting :)
Can you list those songs w/personality? Because i think pop has a lot of vocal style and personality. It just depends on where you focus your attention...
Love this because it breaks down the music theory being utilized in modern music. Even when it's not much. The chord progression being used is so important to understand the mood of the year
I'm gonna be honest I was expecting this to be very "old man yells at cloud" but i'm happy to admit I was completely wrong and enjoyed the video greatly
"oh thats a normal song" "uses a guitar " there is billions of possibility for music but he sounds like top 10 must be pop song with guitar or its the end of the world for him.
@@pauladcock6458 Only reason I watch them - I love how he's honest about his personal opinion of the parts he doesn't like, but also really highlights what's good. There is a LOT of great producers doing top pop today, which a lot of times will save an otherwise pretty typical song
Anyone else think Rick should choose a random week from a random year in the last 20 years or so and react to the top 10 songs of that week? A new series perhaps???
EDIT: the last 20 years was an example, truly any year that a top 10 existed would be cool to see Rick cover, as I’m sure you’d all agree
upvote my man Kristian here, he has a great idea.
Definitively UP
Or a top 10 from the 50’s or 60’s.
Please Rick, get this idea up and running
Excellent idea.would be fun. Stroll down memory lane too.
Rick is probably the only one who starts a top 10 list from number one
That was confusing for me too.
Because why not.
Thank God. We need more men like Rick in this world.
@Thomas Hughes it's not like you're wrong.
Leave Rick alone
I’m a classic rock guy and don’t care for pop music. But, watching Rick appreciate the elements of these songs is wonderful. With all the crap going on in the country today, spending some time with Rick is so refreshing. Love your zeal for life,
Rick. Thank you.
Couldn’t have said it better my guy
Agreed!
When your name is Rick and you appreciate that comment as if its written for you xD. Its my pleasure Z Man!
@@mrkdemeritt agreed, todays popular styles of singing, awful
My thought too
RICK
Please keep this series going.
I am able to talk to my 15 y.o. daughter about something thanks to you
As a daughter who spends a lot of time talking to her dad about music, this made me smile 😊
this comment is so wholesome
Yes, I can totally relate. My daughter and I bonded a lot through music when she was younger (She is 28 now). Although, she liked a lot of the 80's rock that I listened to when I was younger, so it made it even easier to relate. I also taught her how to play guitar starting when she was around 10. Enjoy the good times with kids while they are young because they grow up way to fast.😥
I think nowadays teens and Gen Z young adults find a lot to like in the rock and pop of the 60s thru 90s liked by their GenX and younger Boomer parents. On the other hand, as teens and pre-teens I think a lot of those parents were not as fascinated by the music of their parents' youth (pre-rock pop stars like Sinatra, jazz and jazz-based pop, Broadway and movie musicals, etc.). I grew up in house where Adult Contemporary was big, and I found it as dull as watching grass grow. So I didn't bond a lot over music with my parents in the 70s as I was fascinated mostly by progressive rock and hating disco. But years later I developed a taste for the music of my parents' youth and young adulthood, and to this day am a big defender of AC of the 70s--Mac Davis, Bread, Air Supply, The Carpenters, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, etc. But in their Golden Years my parents had moved on to classic rock and Motown. They were big fans of Clapton, Frampton, Tina Turner, Peter Gabriel, and Fleetwood Mac. In their 60s they went to more big large venue rock and pop concerts than I ever did! My 13yo is exploring hip hop, which I don't love but I know a lot about so that gives us a lot to talk about. And we both enjoy some of the big acts of today, like Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. It's nice.
I can definitely relate … I have 3 Gen Z daughters . It would be nice to talk to them about their music. They may get freaked out though if I knew some of their music. 😂
An old school musician like Rick is able to objectively critique new pop music. I thought he would hate it but he analyzes the songs like a chef would analyze food entrees. I am 62 and biased toward the guitar era, but I am impressed with his open mindedness to these songs.
There is a lot of garbage that gets put out in any era, but even an era like the late 90s to early 00s boy band pop era had some really interesting stuff going on musically if you’re willing to look past the marketing. Max Martin, the guy who basically wrote every massive song in that era, came out of the 80s metal scene and had a real knowledge of and talent for writing. Despite the over used cliche that pop music is throwaway trash that’s pumped out in factories, it’s actually really hard to write catchy pop songs that have massive appeal.
I've never really understood certain peoples' aversion to Pop music. The fact that it's POPULAR means lots of people actually like it.
I mean, I get it that indie musicians get left out of this scenario, but it's not like we have to have either one or the other ...we can enjoy both.
I think Rick is being sarcastic
good insight
I would definitely say that more about someone like Sammy G.
You’re such a benevolent guy, Rick. You start from the premise of “What’s good, what’s interesting, what’s different, about this? What works?” Rather than going straight to the negative.
It’s such a productive approach. I greatly appreciate that.
Agreed, Rick always does a great job! I love how he approaches each song with an open mind. He checks his bias at the door even if the genre isn’t his typical style.
I third this notion! It’s a pleasure hearing his take! Plus, I learn a ton from his reaction... I learn to hear elements I was subconsciously ignoring before!
great approach, but sadly it justifies the state of mainstream music, and honestly it's too bad to need any defending.
Facts
I bet you are from participation trophy generation
A car goes by and beeps it's horn. Rick: "That was a G flat minor 3rd. with a suspended 2nd and an augmented 3rd. in the phrygian mode. here it is on guitar"! Genius.
Kevin O'Rourke
Inspired .... you have been paying attention!
My kid is the same way and he loves Rick’s videos. It’s that perfect pitch and I don’t have it or understand it.
Ed Balls
Haha, so true.
HAHAHA!!! Epic comment!
You've completely encapsulated what I was thinking.
I actually did like Driver's License too. I found the lyrics a little childish, but given the age of the songwriter that's hardly a surprise. But it's just so earnest and raw and honest and emotional that you can't help but feel her pain too.
@@Lindsay1581 haha
Same, I'm a metalhead and this song made it on my heartbreak list.
I think this song is awesome and refreshing in todays music
@@kaymuk8553 That song just emotionally crushes everyone! Saddes song ever perhaps 😰
@@lindaj.1974saddest song ever? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s an amazing song, but it really doesn’t come close to that title.
I think it would be cool if Rick picked a random date in the 60's, 70's or 80's and did one of these.
It would be awesome!
I can tell you now that even the shittest pop song would have a more interesting harmonic structure.
@@jeffblack5024 lol
Or go back to like the 30’s or 40’s, lots of complexity back then in songwriting.
I was thinking same thing just as I was reading the comments.
Let's just take a moment to appreciate how quick he realized all the chords from the songs..omg😶
I can do the same thing ... but then I've been playing for 40+ years
Full time/pro musicians can do that. My old music teacher used to do that, with *anything* I'd bring in
There are pretty easy to learn..
Easy? C’mon, man. Immediately recognizing flat second diminished? That’s a pretty good ear.
@@markholm7501 tell em
Sounds rather nice on guitar actually
Wow Igor! Thank you for your music.
Absolutely right.
They say all good songs sound good played on the acoustic guitar. Then again, look who I'm telling this.
Been a fan for years Igor you rock
I love seeing other UA-cam’s watching and commenting on other videos! Love your channel igor!!
Rick, I gotta say, your enthusiasm for all forms of music is deeply infectious. I personally will probably never put any of these songs on my stereo, but I LOVE your appreciation and complete open mindedness, your genuine joy when something cool and unexpected hits your ears. You always look for the best in an artist's work, and that is something we would all benefit from, on both the creative and consumer side. RESPECT!
Good point.
Nice 👍🏼 thought the same way
Rick listens and critiques this music for different reasons than you or I would. He is a professional UA-camr who must continue to attract new (read younger) viewers to remain relevant. I imagine in his quiet moments he is more likely to listen to Paul Simon, Chicago or Grand Funk railroad than to Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande or Dua Lipa, et al. Some of todays music has longevity, but most is not very memorable, inspiring, unique or interesting. Of course, ‘Snoopy Versus the Red Baron’ suffered from the same shortcomings too. Music provides an emotional connection between people; a human to human bond. By over processing it and producing it via a computer generated sound that connection is left unfulfilled. Just saying…
@@gregorychilcote4636 I have zero follower and however keep searching constantly for new songs 😆
I like how Rick listens to these songs transparently and appreciates them even if it's not his particular taste. That virtue is extremely rare in today's world. Kudos!
@@booboo8577 the songwriting is still pretty good, talent isnt a good identifier imo
@@booboo8577 actually the top song right now, Drivers License is completely singer songwriter
@@Agentrock47 Oh, let him hate on the things he doesn't like. That's what the comment section is for, for people to assert their opinions as facts. You and I can still like things, though :D
He's breaking down puzzles, and wise enough to know that nothing is more tedious than listening to bitter old men giving bitter old men opinions about pop music for teenagers.
Yes. True music people aren't genre snobs. Even if you don't like the genre, "did they do a good job with it?" is the question.
You should make a top 10 video every 6 months :)
Once a quarter plus a top 10 for the year! More Rick not less. :)
Agree
Once a month.
Why not top 10 different genres for month
Yeah
Who knew a sharp 4th was all it took to get Ricks attention, will get back into the studio, see you in a month 😅
Month?
@@roy_for_real2674 ok maybe 2 👀
LOL
There's so little to latch onto in these songs can you blame him?
He probably has little expectations towards pop music, so he compliments the unusual bits.
What I really dig is that someone from my generation(late B-boomer) can appreciate the good from this generation( Millennial & Z) with an open mind. We benefit from the last 50-60+ years of music and aren't as judgmental as some might think. Rick, you're a great reviewer of talent. Bravo!
I was born in '64, and can be very judgemental, but I normally try to keep an open mind. My oldest was born in 1998, my youngest in '02, so I have heard a lot of new stuff, and actually like a few. My youngest is a HIGE Beatles and Boston fan. Middle child loves the oldies as well as a good amount of more modern music. Oldest tends to stick more to 1990's and newer music. Have a great day!
Ricks face during “drivers license” when he heard the chorus is absolutely priceless.
i wish he would've listened to the bridge. any pop song with a bridge has my respect.
@@iamstruck the bridge is honestly the highlight of that song
I had the exact same reaction when i heard the song for the first time haha! Absolutely brilliant!
It sounds like a good song...
@ONLY FUTURE SUMMER!! Hail Satan!
Your musical fluency is astonishing, the fact that you can pull chord progressions out of songs you are hearing for the first time is mind boggling.
I thought so too, but then I watched his eyes. I think he is reading them. His eyes keep landing down and in front at the same spot when he is doing this...I know he could work them out but I’m not convinced that he is here for all 10 tunes.
Edit: too funny reactions. You don’t have to be a professionally trained musician to work out songs, I can easily and I’m far from a pro. Look at his eyes, from hands on chords to the same spot low down in front of him and back again repeatedly. What does this most likely mean? Apparently, it means that some fans are a bit touchy today.
@@mathewhale3581 That`s actually something you achieve after years of studying music and having a good to great ear. Totally feasible.
@@mathewhale3581 Highly doubt he reads them. Anyone can learn to pick out basic chords like that with enough practice.
Pretty easy when they are all the same 4 chords. I know Rick can do the same thing with much deeper harmonic stuff too. But all the radio stuff is the same anymore.
I've seen a friend do this in real time while jamming. Playing the right changes while playing bass on a song he never heard. People with musical knowledge/intuition can do it. Amazes me too.
I'm 47. I've been in bands since I was 15 and I'm really into your stuff. I watched your video along with my 14 year old daughter today. We both had a blast and it lead to very interesting discussions abouut music and life in general. I wanted you to know this. Thank you.
I really love this. Parenting with soul using the magic of music. Very nice!
These are fun.
fun to laugh at, sure lol
@@automachinehead ?
@@automachinehead levitating, drivers licence, good days and even anyone are all good songs, i don’t see why anyonr would laugh
@@sass_king5576 wat?
Hi tux
With over 12 THOUSAND comments I kind of feel you won't see my comment ... but ... and I thought this video was very interesting. Personally, I am 83 and none of these songs "turned me no" but I was impressed with the variation in chord progressions in some of modern pop music. I was very impressed at how you could pick out the chords almost instantly as you heard them. That is TRUE GENIUS! I have only known one other person who could do this -- just the name the chords of a piece he had never heard before as it was played for the first time. Unfortunately, he is deceased now. Anyway, I am glad you made this video -- it gave me some extra respect for you ... and for POP music. Though, I am still lost in the 50' and even some of the melodies of the 1800's. I would be interested in you view of Andrew Lloyd Weber. But you will probably never get to see my message. I wrote you an email a couple weeks ago that was never acknowledged.
Aww, hope he sees this comment, It's pretty close to the top for me. Hope you get acknowledged!
Hey Richard, have you ever listened to any 50's REMASTERED music or jazz from that era? If you listen closely, I think you'll hear more similarities than you think... At least I did. Try the remastered or even remixed stuff from your day if you haven't already. I think you'll be surprised if you have a discerning ear. Good luck.
@@sooweeq123 Thanks, I should try that!
You grabbed my attention at melodies of the 1800's... like what? Sometimes I pick up melodies from that era too, although I can't think of one at present
Very nice comment however nearly every musician I know can pick these chords out in under 30 seconds. I am not professional musician and neither are the musicians I know but they know theory and that is all this is. It certainly isn’t genius although my friends would love to be called so 😒
What I learned so far:
Besides being really open-minded, it feels to me that Rick's analysis goes from the producing and song-writing standpoint rather than his personal opinion about the artist attitude and whatnot which is cool, but then again I'm not that much into today's pop music.
I agree, that’s what made it watchable for me. Because I’m the same, I’m not into pop music but I can appreciate open mindedness
@@chopinfanne8021 same here. I just can’t get into the damned auto tune!
By the way, if you read between lunes, Rick's demonstrating that the real artists is the producer doing all the magic so the final result is something that anyone can like... Not me at all as I do like rock and all its sub-genres, but that's probably just me being in my comfort zone, chilling.
@Rodney McMinge as far as I know, the new century's pop is full of sterile composers so to speak (I guess they're less and less interested in being somewhat literate in music and its magic), then the producer gets to work a lot more trying to save the artist's ass from boredom and such... Then again, I've seen many rock and metal musicians trying to do their best to sound great and the producers are there to polish few details. So, that's the status quo in music industry.
@Rodney McMinge boi you're salty and I do agree with you, that would cause some interesting content for UA-cam
#1: DRIVERS LICENSE - OLIVIA RODRIGO (0:42)
#2: ANYONE - JUSTIN BIEBER (2:49)
#3: 34+35 - ARIANA GRANDE (4:43)
#4: LEVITATING - DUA LIPA, DABABY(5:51)
#5: WITHOUT YOU - KID LABOI (6:48)
#6: GOOSEBUMPS - HVME (8:18)
#7: THEREFORE I AM - BILLIE EILISH (9:35)
#8: HOLIDAY - LIL NAS X (11:14)
#9: MONSTER - SHAWN MENDES, JUSTIN BIEBER (12:17)
#10: GOOD DAYS - SZA (14:09)
laboi
UA-cam should pay people who do this
Laboi
Mamy of them i do actually really like
I love people that do this, thank you
I think Olivia Rodrigo is such an underrated songwriter and singer - all the songs on SOUR are written by her and her producer, no outside help, which is rare in todays world. The whole album is gold as well! I love it
Olivia? She's literally one of the most popular artists... She's nowhere near underrated. During her Sour era, people were all talking about her song writing...
Also, Sour did have co writers, not just her.
@@Fucorii I don’t mean she is underrated publicly, but rather within the musical community. I understand that most songs were on the album were written by her and her producer, with a couple songs using outside writers
@@grandadmiralmanatee how can an artist be underrated within the musical community? Can you explain?
@@Fucorii i didn’t write this comment to have an argument, maybe I am wrong, I don’t really give a fuck
I think this Rick Beato guy really likes music.
What makes you think so?
Perhaps 🤔
Are you sure about that? Loool
reaching
It's definitely possible!
Am I the only one who is just mad impressed every time rick just starts playing a song he's never heard before?! like man! why nobody talking about this guy's music skills. respect
it's insanely impressive
You should check out thedooo
@@dominicpiovesan1715 who dat
@@brandenshervington3817 hes a crazy good guitarist
If you learn music theory this wouldn't be that impossible , but yea , to understanding music theory isn't easy too
Rick Beato: I listen to the top ten so you don't have to.
Underrated comment
😂
Do you watch Nostalgia Critic?
Top comment. What I was thinking.
I appreciate him doing that.
I have "auto-tune exhaustion" so I'm having trouble hearing past that anymore. If not for you pointing out the really nice progressions, I think I'd might have just hit the next button.
I hear auto tune where it isn’t needed, or shouldn’t be (John Mayer? Really?) But the vocoder is a stylistic trend that’s really hanging in there longer than I thought it would.
@@anitapricecheck9554 Vocoder ≠ Auto-tune. Two completely different effects. Coincidentally in happenstance, I briefly ran across a country song with auto-tune while scanning stations. My ears cried and bled over that one.
@@jimmcclure3657 yes, that’s what I’m saying
I wish I could just filter out any tracks that have autotune applied even the slightest bit. I believe I could actually listen through a top20 after that without quitting for fear of my head exploding.
It’s also used as an instrument, but like instruments, some people don’t like certain ones. Valid opinion
It's funny how much better they all sound with Rick's acoustic playing in the foreground
Yep 'how to fix the top 10 songs on Spotify'
Ok boomer.
I don't think I would have made it through this video without
I have that same guitar from 1956, and I say the same thing. 😊
It's almost as if there suddenly is a human element to it.
I’m waiting for the one song that Rick can’t figure out after 10 seconds.
you probably need to get him to hear death grips for that to happen
10.000 hours, Steph Curry, Pat Mahomes, the GOAT in music
Maybe dissonant bands like Portal, Tetragrammacide.
It's pop music. Mostly 4 chords. And having perfect pitch it's more like 3 seconds from hearing to playing. Very cool
Pop songs aren't hard to figure out 😂
Mr. Beato is so much more polite than I am. His response to Ariana Grande's song: "That's um...not that interesting to me."
It’s not about being polite but being a professional.
@R400TVR Personally, I think swearing and foul language in songs, in general, are a result of laziness in choosing words to convey the meaning. Any sentiment can be expressed without cussing.
All of her music is uninteresting...
@@Mountie2013ap But she says fuck!
@@Galiuros I see where you are coming from but there are songs where I feel that it has it's place. If the singer is singing about something that they are truly angry about and swearing is what comes naturally to express that emotion, then I think it cheapens the song to censor yourself.
This is so great! I genuinely like pop music, it just fits in my head, but seeing you dissect it for the art, production and creativity of it, it’s so awesome! Wish I could listen to stuff and know the chords right away like you do.
The lack of real drumming in these songs is really sad and depressing (yes i'm a drummer).
Ever played with a drum machine? It’s really fun. Two styles would be an Akai MPC with pads that trigger sounds, and a step sequencer like a Roland 808. Learning to finger drum on an MPC is a valuable skill that can even lead to new ideas on the drum set. Learning to program beats with a step sequencer can be a very interesting way to explore “velocity” and the effects that varying volume of each note can affect the groove.
They’re no drum set that’s for sure, but they’re a different instrument that’s worthwhile in its own right. I encourage all of my students to learn to program beats and to finger drum. Shoot, I have started teaching 16th note rhythms using a step sequencer that most kids have on an iPad. Just as a teaching tool, it’s incredible,
Listen to the song Inner Assassins by Animals as Leaders for a drumming clinic.
We need more real drummers in the popular music scene. I would give a lot to have a good drummer with me.
Bassist lookin for a drummer, here
it's hard.
@@menriquez89 Yes i have used a drum machine in the recording studio several times. I agree it is an instrument in its own right but when you hear that every song in the top ten, it's just sad that real drums dont feature at all imo.
Rick has such a genuine love and passion for music and melody, he's not just a career musician. I love watching how excited he gets over a simple chord progression!😂 That's why he's one of my few subscriptions.
Personally I don't think there was much to get excited about. I don't blame Rick for fishing for more likes and subscribers. I imagine UA-cam is a brutal jungle to make a living in.
@@kevinblackburn3198 You think he’s just lying? He’s shown his ability to appreciate newer music, even if it doesn’t explore harmony as deeply, there’s way more to music than just complicated chords. You’re just in denial because you want to feel superior to the music people are enjoying currently because you know advanced chords I guess? It’s such a shallow ‘better than thou’ opinion to hold. People can appreciate different things from music. He said he really enjoys how much modern songs explore timbre and how well produced they are, and how well written melodies are, and I totally agree.
thats the kinda musician I wanna be when I grow up :)
@@kevinblackburn3198 I'm glad someone else is as cynical as I am, Kevin. People are too easily impressed with anything that seems "open-minded" or "positive". Anyone could turn on a camera and say positive things about Piero Manzoni's famous can of excrement, if they wanted to (or their career required it).
I think the top 10 very much improved. It is always a pleasure to see you break down these songs as well.
I think so too, at least to the last video he did about it
@@HofTheStage I agree!
@Luke Music of every era and style is definitely worth giving a shot, and that of course applies to this modern era!
the saddest thing is that hes gonna get demonitzed
@Luke why do you care if older people like this music? music was diverse in my era as well. sorry but i prefer actual musicians in my music, to me thats where the talent lies. you like this music have at it. dont be a hater cause others find it less then fabulous. to me its very simplistic and bland.
If Rick had stayed with Drivers License further, he'd have heard an actual bridge! Would like to have heard his reaction to that.
That bridge just emotionally crushes everyone! 😰😱
Agree but I’m sure he finished listening to the whole thing later
Everytime that Rick strums a chord while the music still playing he is just automatically enhancing the songs...guitar master like him do that!
Adds a human feel
Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Like the plastic packaging comes off.
But also damn if that’s not a beautiful sounding guitar.
@@iforth64 damn I have never heard it explained that perfectly, you nailed it
That first track was pretty cool
Yeah it was the best one by far
100%, kind of generic but some interesting stuff in the chorus
right? I mean, not my cup of tea but it was pretty surprising
Made popular through tiktok. Which is even more surprising lol
Yea really good singing
Great video Rick, I love these. Great to hear lots of guitars, and also some really unique melodic things going on in these tunes, as well as some unique ( or at least not totally stock) chord changes.
Agreed. There's always gonna be the stock-beat, straight melody, stuff. But its nice that the general public can still know what well written music sounds like and float it to the top.
You can’t have degrees of uniqueness
Hilarious to me that you describe Lil Nas X's music as "straight"
Don't think that was even on purpose at all
😆 Good one
😂😂😂
Instantly clicked on this. Love this series because I really don't listen to this stuff much, but this helps me make sense of it. Thanks, Rick.
Exactly
Some good stuff. I like Billie Ellish the best
Me: “oh man this song is so trash...”
Rick: “this is a pretty cool song.”
Me: “this is a pretty cool song.”
This is why critics/criticism can sometimes be a good thing, when they give additional insight that help you to appreciate something you didn't appreciate before.
Me 😂
@@shitmandood It's more of the appreciation of the production my guy, yeah pop is disposable and forgettable but that really isn't the point of the video
if you sway your opinions based on someone else's your a hypocrite
@@gidd it’s just a joke my guy lol
Rick if you were to continue this series maybe every two months or so it would be awesome!!
Or maybe he could listen to some good music.
@@jeffmaehre7150 he reviews plenty of good music already. I think this is a great concept. We get to see what type of music is the most popular at the moment, however shitty it may be. And who knows, maybe some good songs can top the chart every once in a while.
I agree
Yep I find it interesting
YES PLEASE!
I appreciate someone objectively analyze pop music. People easily trash pop music by ditching every song and artist in the same bucket. I think every music genre have something to offer if you listen carefully. Great video!
Alternate title: How to play the entire current top 10 pop songs on acoustic guitar in 16 minutes.
Really not difficult if you understand basic music theory!
@@tronlady1 agreed. The impressive part is how well he's ears are trained.
@@a.krawion1872 Thats what i gawked at. Within 30 seconds, he had the Key, the progression and the rhythm. Thru his tuition, i could play all parts, but without it, Im screwed haha
Makes me wonder how many of these songs are written with just a piano or guitar and a vocal line. Then an artist or producer does their thing with it to make it unique.
@@tronlady1 hm not to basic though to be able to train your ear to hear The colors (and understand the functions)
Billie's brother Finneas is the producer and he really knows what he's doing. He often sings backing vocals and plays a lot of the instruments you hear. No wonder they won so many Grammys
This is such a tired argument 🥱
They won so many Grammys because of how popular they are
The governor of new York won a Grammy didn't he? Grammy is over rated One could be the best musician in the world making the most soul felt music but if that person leaned right they would never get one.. My Point a Grammy means nothing.
He's to Billie what George Martin was to the Beatles
Change my mind...
@@senorsavage8702 so why don't k-pop stars win anything? If it's only because of the popularity
This guys hearing is something out of this world. The dude just figures out the structure in seconds.
Edit: He doesn't have perfect pitch but a really good relative hearing, he has a lot of experience with music, but is still one fucking amazing ability.
I can't do it, and I bet most people can't do it either.
Perfect pitch is like a superpower to us mortals who don't have it.
@@lomarsweed6604 It is a super power to me
I would take at least 10 minutes to learn these songs by ear, and the dude does it instantly
@@lomarsweed6604 does Rick have perfect pitch? I always thought he had really powerful relative pitch. Although... I don really see him playing reference tones to figure out the songs
@@alexchng whatever it is it's certainly a lot of practice
@@alexchng I'm not 100% certain but I always thought he had near perfect pitch if not perfect... His son I think has perfect pitch, there's a video of him calling out notes/chords by name as Rick plays them on piano.
It is so much fun to watch your face as you are enjoying a song. There's so much joy it's contagious
rick's ability to deconstruct songs like this is a superpower.
First song: cool to see Rick's jaw drop with the crescendo of the chorus.
that first song sounds like something else, though
@@mememastering4627 can't copyright a progression
@@mememastering4627 i could say the same with any genre tbh
@@cooperpayne - or originality
@@hydroid7273 - as an exact progression?
I love how open-minded and appreciative you are of well-written pop songs. As a former metal head (still love metal, but don't look like a metal head anymore - thankfully haha), I used to think all pop music was the devil. As I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the quality of a good pop song, and you've contributed to that!
I was the same way haha
Echoing this 100%. I'm really impressed and surprised with the quality of this top 10.
A musician friend once told me a good pop song is one of the hardest things to write.
Amazing he can play anything within 10 seconds of hearing it.
Took a lifetime for him to get to that point.
I know for a fact this is demonetized but he's doing it anyway and I respect that.
That's how youtube works nowadays, but basically even if he doesn't earn money through a video like that at least it's relevant content that can bring him a new audience and make his channel more popular
@@heroe1486 long term it's a gain, but short term it's nothing. Good for him for knowing what the audience wants and what will give him exposure.
@@davidsenyah6552 you do see the ads placed throughout the video right?
@@ikyabwai There are ads but because he played copyrighted music, he doesn't the money from those ads, the people who made the music do. There is a difference between copyright and age restriction. With age restriction no ads are placed and no money is made, but with demonetization, ads can be run, but the creator doesn't get that money. It gets really complicated in the music industry too.
Sorry. What does this mean “demonetized”?
Have to admit, I assumed you’d just be ragging on new music since your taste is from your time growing up. I appreciated seeing you break each song down a bit, and not getting negative on things that aren’t your cup of tea.
He's a real musician. That's why. It's not about the style, the attitude, or the generation. It's about the sounds and the structure.
To be fair the songs were actually ok.
🤡🤫did you watch the video??? he even said he like some the songs 🤥🤭🤔🤔🥴😒🙉☺️🤪🤫🗣️😂🕵️🥴
I agree apsolutely with you, I have same presupositions but, fortunately, Rick turned(s) out to be a great musician and non - dogmatic individual. Great
@Penderyn Lewsyn yeah I would say musicians are more emotionally open in terms of stuff you wouldn't really share online, but there are some really good music that aren't stereotypically 'sad', but that sound is something that a lot of gen z/ millenials relate with so it always reaches the charts
Find someone who looks at you the way Rick looks at a sharp 11 ❤️
Wow! Positives from today’s music. I appreciate hearing the positives. I’m a middle school band director and this will help me to connect with my students, especially discussing upbeats and how it’s used in music they know. So excited to share parts of this with them. Thank you for doing this.
Love the time and effort Rick, always appreciated, thanks for sharing!
If anyone knows how that flat 2 diminished fits in, I'd love to know! Phrygian dominant?
I wish every one of us, and Rick, could share their 50 favorite pop songs from each decade. Imagine the top 50 from the 80s next to the top 50 from the 2010-2020 years. Also, imagine the fun.
@@user-pk4sd9dd2w f diminished has the g# and b which is the 3rd and 5th of e major so it goes smoothly with the transition
All of this music is trash. It’s more processed than a can of Cheez Whiz.
@@rockclimber2050 Not everything has to be acoustic to be good.
I’m glad you aren’t just completely negative like a lot of musicians, particularly older people, tend to be towards newer pop music.
I think that recent artists are pushing the envelop.
All in all, it is typically awful music. Glad he is finding the corn in the poop though.
As a guy of 57, I'm learning a few things, for one Justin Bieber can actually put out something good. Yet there is still a lot of new pop that ranges from meh to unlistenable. Most of Cardi B fits the unlistenable part. In a warehouse I worked at not long ago, they provided radios we could use while loading the trucks. I was treated to tunes such as "Back back backin it up", "Bags in the coop", and a bunch of other unlistenable new rap and hip hop. I was about to go insane at the end of the day.
Well, most of the new music is garbage. Not because it's new but because most of them are going for nostalgia and/or repetitive weird sounds
No, pop music has nothing to do with anything, and neither has age. It's commercial music that's the problem here as always has been. Most of this stuff is crap not because it's pop or new, but because it's monotonous, repetitive, derivative and uninspiring. There are gems but there are also a lot of turds, some of them not even polished.
Feels refreshing, actually someone with talent and music knowledge that doesn't snob everyone around
I know I only discovered Rick but I'm in love
I don't have any musical knowledge myself am trying to slowly get the basics on my own
And it's just impressive to watch someone with visible experience and knowledge
Oh trust me Rick does have his “snob” moments, they’re just few and far between. Like his hatred of the hi hat rolls...
that's what the comment section is for (:
It is so refreshing to hear someone who is my age (same as Rick's) and to be open minded about popular music not from their era (teens-through 20's). It really is frustrating to always hear people whining about how "music was better back then" which is the ultimate myopic attitude. Rick gets it, he understands the different genres and appreciates the music on its own merits and doesn't make useless comparisons to music of a different era.
need more people like this, it’s frustrating to hear honestly
okay boomer
Sorry guy, but I can't lie to myself and pretend to like things I instantly hate the sound of. Different I can get into. Flat and empty does nothing for me.
Y'all might not like new music, but that doesn't mean it's trash. There's music I don't like, but who am I to tell people who listen to it that it's garbage, when they obviously see something in it that connects to them?
I like to give the music a chance, but the over processed nature of most of it is ‘soul-less’ by its sameness and auto tuned, formulaic sound. Unplug some of these performances and see how their artistry holds up. Maybe ‘unplugged’ isn’t the right word…perhaps simply removing the Pro-tools processing and drum machines would make them more interesting…more human.
When the top song is actually decent, that’s fuckin rare dude
Maybe in your opinion
We need to define decent because from my point of view that decent is really low on the scale 😄
The song is not half bad. People on this thread need to relax xD
Dhalton Miller They are. That’s why they’re on the billboard...
Ok y'all... I said decent, not good, not great, not bad, not horrible, just decent. When you've got songs like wap getting number 1 or really most any pop or mumble rap songs getting number 1, this is a little relieving. You must understand there's a difference between not liking a song and it being bad. Most of you hear a song and say it sucks or is bad just because you don't like it or the other way around you say it's good because you do like it. From a completely critical, unbiased, and musical standpoint, this song is ok. Not something I personally would listen to, but I'll admit the song is ok.
Ariana : f me till daylight. Rick: not very interesting to me
He doesn't want an STD.
@@christopher9152 I’d risk it
😂😂🤣🤣🤣
She’s not all that. For real all this obsession with fake idk.
Lyrics aren't chords, though.
Rick is one of the only people I would watch reaction videos of. He's just a lover of music and he's always super informative. Thanks Rick!
Very open mind to pop music.Great chord analysis. I like the way you are able to immediately hear the chord variations and progressions. Thank you, Rick.
I too can easily identify the chords in a song. As long as it's palm mute EM and a Metallica song.
Basically all they song that are in standard tuning?
This comment right here hit close to home haha 😂
I’m going to say this anytime I’m playing on the guitars at Guitar Center and the sales person approaches me.
@@keithcanseco797 lol 🤣
I like that Rick focuses on the positive aspects of the music.
The #1 song (“drivers license”) was written by her and she’s only 17! It’s her debut too...Olivia is really someone to look out for in the future !
No way! I didn't know this. Of all the songs Rick reviewed here I think that was my favorite. Good stuff
@@tomdonaghue833 Her unreleased songs are quite witty too, she’s got a way with words that’s really refreshing in the current pop landscape! I’m not sure when she’ll be releasing them but when she does hopefully Rick can break those down too
Damn. Imagine your debut single climbing to #1 on Spotify. I can't even imagine.
Wow...
And she also borrowed the melody from Hallelujah.
I have to say. I've mostly heard Olivia Rodrigo from your videos and was enticed to listen to more of her stuff and she is a breath of fresh air from all the other mainstream music out now. Great voice. Great production, great simple but creative melodies and little additions that make the songs grow gradually.
Am I the only one who’s shocked by how fast rick picks up chords by hear, he falls right on the correct chord on the first try, that really impressive at least for me ( if he didn’t hear the songs beforehand which i don’t he did)
I was doubletaking at that the whole video. Insanity.
Jules.B it’s called knowing your craft - he has a really good ear, knowledge of theory plus lots of experience at a very high level
When you've played for so long it's actually not hard because there's only so many chord progressions that exist ....find the key and rest will fall into place ....after plenty of practice that is
@@brendancronin3796 I know that. I myself can find the chords no problem. I'm specifically impressed by the fact that he can find the KEY immediately. After one listen, he knows the key and the chords to the entire song. Unless he figures it out off camera first, which doesn't seem to be happening, it's amazing. Only other people I've seen be able to do that were my professors in college when I was getting my music degree!
practice, practice, practice, you can do it too. I learned, not as good as rick but working my way there.
Ariana: "Just give me them babies..."
Rick: "That's pretty weird."
xD
Never change Rick.
i read this as i heard it lol
"Fuck me til the daylight"
"Not interesting, sorry"
Or is it too interesting?
That song is lame.
@@chippalmer4369 Yup....junk at its finest!
@@chippalmer4369 She's eye candy. Nothing more.
As a beginner guitarist, watching you just fly through all those chords, is insane to me lol
I've been playing for 35 years. It's takes time to get to where he is. Stick with it, I believe in you!
Thats what im saying! How does he hear the chords especially on the songs with no guitar lol
@@salmurgolo1478 it’s just a feeling
@@salmurgolo1478 for me, I have perfect pitch so i don’t have to think about it, and probably the same thing for Rick.
@@cole_bh0373 He made a video about perfect pitch before, stating he does not possess it. But that he is experienced enough to navigate quickly to the correct notes by ear. I am similar, if you play me a single note or chord, I'm won't necessarily be able to identify it accurately just from listening (which is what perfect pitch is), but in front of a piano, I can quickly figure out any song that is playing, just by ear within seconds, once I get my note bearings (without that reference however, I would be lost).
Rick has a child like approach to listening but, with a deep knowledge of music. He is so open and without prejudice. I am very thankful he shares so much. Thanks Rick, you the MAN.
This video could be re-titled 'Saving the older generation from depression about music via sheer generosity of spirit'.
lol yes. really good vibes from Rick
He's not even that old. He's in his fifties. My dad is 60 and I'm 16
@@zachpike1773 l mean,rick is almost 60 so.....yeah,he is old
Your comment is also very generous, and appreciated
@@kakashihatake6176 I guess we just have different definitons of old
The first track gave me hope.
Yep, me too. That was actually a great pop song
Yup. All downhill from there unfortunately lol. I appreciate him doing these tho
I hoped it would stop ✋
Olivia is a vert talented artist. She has a great cover of "Creep" on her UA-cam channel
@@cron6435 Nice, thanks for letting me know. I'll have to check it out.
5:25 Ariana Grande “Can you stay up all night? F me to daylight”
Rick - Not that interesting
Its not tho, Id rather go on a date with a cactus. At least that idea could hold some water, literally
@@10thletter40 oh boi 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@10thletter40 ooooff
He's right though. Suggesting or implying sex in a song is usually far sexier than just laying it directly out on the table. Compare this one with 'Into You' and it's obvious how that's a much better song, much sexier song.
@@hux2000 Not to edgy 14 year olds.
drivers license is a very good song in my opinion besides people disliking it just because it’s a 2022 teen breakup song. feels like a modern day alanis song in a way
Beato playing along to a song he's never heard before. This is why Beato is the king of UA-cam.
Ear training is a superpower
a lot of musicians can do that, but to be able to do it on Beatos lvl is magical.
Decades of playing gives you a pretty good ear
I mean these songs are pretty predictable
@@cheeseisjar3058 yeah they always use the same progressions, not taking away from ricks talent tho
Guy has a really cool mentality everyone should adopt, he has a totally neutral way of analyzing the songs. Most people tend to judge a song based on their tastes.
" Most people tend to judge a song based on their tastes."
So true. It's not really what they like or don't like that offends me, it's that they pretend the music they like is better for arbitrary reasons that are demonstrably untrue. And they think that they are better because the music they like is "better".
"So and so doesn't write their own songs."
Frank Sinatra doesn't have a very long list of songwriting credits and his legacy seems reasonably secure.
"They aren't playing real instruments."
Is composing something in a sequencer really any different than grabbing a quill, writing out some music and handing it to someone else to play?
Like it or don't, that's fine. Just don't pretend that your music, and therefore you, are better for these made up reasons. People have been saying "the problem with music today..." since a caveman started banging mammoth bones together instead of banging rocks together.
R B, this is a an amazing comment, but I will add that it is natural, even for people not like the ones you described to just not like a song because they don’t like it. It’s fine to judge a song based on one’s own tastes, I don’t like most pop but that’s because I personally prefer the music I listen to very differently to the people who make lot’s of pop music and listen to it. It’s one thing to judge a song based on your own opinion, it’s another thing to disregard it entirely because of beliefs (religious or otherwise) or preferences and make some incorrect statements about someone and the music they make or listen to. I just feel like that distinction needs to be made, things aren’t black or white.
Music is naturally a very subjective piece of media and art, just like any art, so it’s natural for some people to have negative opinions yet harbor hypocritical opinions on things they like.
Didn’t disagree with your comment, just wanted to share my own opinions on this matter.
@@Jmanclub-vd7mg Yeah, as far as I'm concerned the only reason you need to not like a piece of music is because you don't like it. There are songs I don't like because I don't like the lyrics but that doesn't mean that I think the song is bad or that the form or genre is not legitimate.
If someone doesn't like the singer's voice, and I can agree that Geddy Lee's voice may not be for everyone, they probably aren't going to like Rush and that's fine.
@@5000rgbthere’s just something special when they play real instruments though !!!!!
@@dope8878 There is a definite energy when someone crafts music, or any artform, in real time, and I love it, but that doesn't make a different method of construction less valid.
“I love a song with all minor chords...”
*Black Metal has entered the Chat*
"... but yet sounds very uplifting"
*Black Metal has left the Chat*
When you sacrifice all major chords and the production budget to the forests of Scandinavia :P
@@nirmalasokan1687 Enters Children of Bodom.
Cookie Monster Concurs
@@Katharsis540 very true. Those relative major melodies were amzing
So amazing to see Rick just in an instant finding the right chords to songs he just discovered right at that moment. That guy is a machine.
For song #9, "Monster", I think that the guitar parts you added yourself, Rick, make the song notably better. You've added something rich and organic with the acoustic guitar accompaniment. There should be a "Beato Mix" released for this! ;)
its the voices i cant stand. the singing style that everyone does now. the super clean over produced voices, the nasally. i dont even know how to word it, to describe it. when Mary Clayton pushes herself andf her voice cracks on Gimme Shelter i get god damn goosebumps. every one of these songs i feel like a computer is singing to me.
its the passion in her voice.
Well basically it is a computer singing.
Except the last one she was very human
Yeah, nothing gave me a chill on any of these tracks. Give it 6 months and no-one will be going out of their way to listen to them or show them to their kids in 20 years.
@@ajcoopa true but the same could be said for the pop music of the 70’s 80’ etc... we remember the good and forget all the crap we had to listen to.
I don't hate any of this, but on the other hand nothing grabs me. I'm old, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but I like more personality and soul in the music.
i’m 15 and i don’t like most of this new music you’re good man
Completely agreed
i agree, while I love mopey music ( and all of this sounds mopey), there is a right way to do it. Look up the Smashing Pumpkins. They capture that melancholic feel that is superior to anything here.
you should listen to some of the tracks in Igor by Tyler the Creator
me too iam 14 :D
5:34
Ariana: Can you stay up all night, F me till the daylight?
Rick: That to me is not that interesting, sorry Ariana.
😄
really shitty song too
I had to check up the lyrics to ensure I was hearing correctly. To be fair, I am not a prude, but the lyrics are embarrassing teenaged nonsense.
😅😅
🤣
@@Musicienne-DAB1995 No kidding! I wouldn't say I'm a prude either but when I first heard the song I had to check the lyrics to make sure I heard it right. It's like whoever wrote it wasn't even trying at subtlety but rather let the melody and Ariana's voice gloss over it lol! Not really my cup of tea hahah
nobody:
UA-cam closed captions: Whats up everybody I'm Rigby Otto
Rigby Otto would be a great band name
My disappointed face when then captions are removed 😔
Oh they regularly maul the poor guy's name, it's a source of ongoing amusement what he'll be this time. 😁
I've seen a great many videos from Rigby Otto.
Rigby-Otto is Eleanor's last name after she married the drummer from Limp Bizkit
The kick drum has to be that loud so you can hear it in your living room when someone drives past with it on.
I miss the sound of a real drummer really drumming. Quite a few of those songs would greatly improve (to my ears) with a little more humanity sprinkled in amongst the machines. You made a brilliant video a while back about the digital quantization of popular music, and this all seems examples of that.
Well popular music is indeed electronic. It’s proved that general audience likes relatable music, music you can sing or dance to.
Agreed, but I think it’s done this way so the maximum emphasis and focus is directed towards the singer’s vocals.
I’ve been really digging the live recorded drums in Madonna’s earlier hits like “Material Girl”, “Like a Prayer” and “Live to Tell”
@@AbstractMan23 I mean you can so that with live drums, as long as they are properly mic'ed and mixed well.
@@bennettpark8671 Ive been enjoying Tina Turner live in Houston in 1983 lately, also with pre-recorded drum parts. The difference is there are real musicians playing over those tracks in both of our examples.
Listens to Drivers License but doesn’t play it through the bridge...you’re a stronger man than I, sir.
'Drivers License' would make a great "What Makes This Song Great" segment.
I never felt like it was that creative a song. Its quite classic after all? I don't think I would remember it if 1 or 2 years passed... And that's not meant to be biased. It's not bad. It's just not exactly that showstopping song everyone makes it out to be
@@rains0return I respectfully disagree with you about it being show stopping. I am in my 50s. My favourite music is the 70's and 80's. This is the first song I heard that is a top 40 song that I thought was amazing. It has not happened in a few years. Her voice, the melody is fantastic! Most current commercial radio music is boring and I can't listen to most of it! Some great independent music is being made that is not on commercial radio though.
@@Fakeaorta I don't listen to radio music, so thankfully I don't struggle with this. It's easy to find real showstoppers out there by just searching somewhere else. I respect if you enjoy the song. But speaking from a theoretical perspective, I don't feel the song since it's so simple and doesn't dare to step out of its shell. That doesn't mean it's not enjoyable of course
@@rains0return It's meant to be that way unfortunately. Pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo, considering this is her debut, needs to cater towards the mainstream in order to succeed. So far she did and I don't have a grudge against her music, but it's just too familiar and safe. I still like the songs at her debut album though, I mean it's meant to be likable. It's familiar territory employing some Paramore and Taylor Swift influences.
"He uses a guitar..........he already gets points for that" LOOL!!!
imagine someone trying to say that way back in the 70's or 80's.
Welcome to 2021: where using an actual guitar already gets you points, even though you're using the most basic and overused chord progression throughout the whole song.
I swear each time Rick played guitar on top, it made the song sound good.
LOL I thought the same thing :)
I feel bad now for how mean we were to our drummer and bassist. I miss real rhythm sections.
Even tho what he plays is very simplistic, a nice bassist of the 2010s is a dude named Mike Kerr, he plays in a band with no guitarists so he uses the bass as a lead guitar, and yes, he uses a lot of whammies
Me, too (stares longingly at bass rig).
As a bass player, I’m not sure whether or not to accept and forgive...
@@littlekingtrashmouth9219 I remember when everyone was desperately looking for a good bassist.
@@kenh5317 I still am lol
how the hell does Rick find the chords that fast??? damn dude, way to be good at what you do!
Ears. And strong grasp of musical theory. Combine both, he can actually anticipate the next chord or so.
Does he have perfect pitch?
experience. its pretty easy just be consistent
@@ezramizrahi5389 ye
I thought the same question but Rick always says that you need to buy his book. I guess the answer to how he finds the chords so fast is in the book.
I really like this format in case you want to make some kind of a "series" out of it Rick, or at least I´m definitely watching it. It´s cool since I´m not following the "Top 40" that often either and doing it this way makes it more interesting :)
These songs aren’t “bad” but they’re so boring and there’s other modern music with way more personality
99 percent of modern music sucks if we are going to be real
Totally agreed, but you gotta know it's pop so it's for a massive audience and has to be somewhat relatable to different target groups.
That's also why the voices sound so polished and clear, it's meant to be the extreme middle ground
Can you list those songs w/personality? Because i think pop has a lot of vocal style and personality. It just depends on where you focus your attention...
Its not very unpredictable. You rarely see Rick be surprised by a song because producers and songwriters follow a formula
Need a "Top 10 Favorite Songs" of particular genres.
Love your work Rick. Thanks again.
Great idea! I second this
omg yes yes yes
Love this because it breaks down the music theory being utilized in modern music. Even when it's not much. The chord progression being used is so important to understand the mood of the year
I'm gonna be honest I was expecting this to be very "old man yells at cloud" but i'm happy to admit I was completely wrong and enjoyed the video greatly
"oh thats a normal song" "uses a guitar " there is billions of possibility for music but he sounds like top 10 must be pop song with guitar or its the end of the world for him.
I'm much younger and much more old man yells at cloud than Rick...
@@Wohodix guitar isn't really in pop songs like it use to be. He's done videos on this in the past.
@@Zigarius1123 yes and its totaly ok because there plenty of other instruments / sounds to use.
*typical modern song*
Me: "Oh man, he's gonna rip this apart".
Rick: "It's good"..
what's cool is he listens with an open mind.
@@pauladcock6458 Only reason I watch them - I love how he's honest about his personal opinion of the parts he doesn't like, but also really highlights what's good. There is a LOT of great producers doing top pop today, which a lot of times will save an otherwise pretty typical song
Hey you gotta give credit where credit is due
Rick: "Wow. That is actually great." They must know that Rick's listening now. The good ones are gonna up their game.
Viewers: surprised Pikachu face
Not too big on that Asus chord, more of an Acer guy myself.
Haha! Had to read it twice, but well done!
He made a computer joke!
Double niche joke. nice.
Lol. Nice one 😂
Dad what are you doing on here?
I've been watching you sometime, Rick, but I gotta say just how phenomenal your are. Your ear is just so impressive. Deep respect.