1:16 Lorde 3:35 Lana del Rey 8:43 Britney Spears 12:16 Madison Beer 12:50 Normani 16:13 Avril Lavigne 17:32 Beyoncé 18:07 Rihanna 22:13 Ariana Grande 24:25 Sabrina Carpenter 24:40 Ariana Grande 25:57 Lana del Rey 26:47 Miley Cyrus 29:36 Meghan Trainor 30:12 Sabrina Carpenter 31:27 Lana del Rey 32:05 Katy Perry 33:25 Melanie Martinez 34:06 Olivia Rodrigo 34:41 Selena Gomez 36:23 Avril Lavigne 37:46 Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Tate McRae, Reneé Rapp vs. Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish 39:44 Laufey 40:58 Avril Lavigne
22:15 it’s true people cheat everyday and don’t get the backlash they deserve but the timeline was too clear to ignore (the way the other woman called her out and the consistent pattern). It’s not new that cheaters have a complex that follows a pattern and not every cheater gets lambasted for it. That said, Ariana can sing sing but I find her team’s compositions overall uninteresting. It’s not enough for people to overlook her moral shortcomings. People should break up properly before cheating or agree to be open relationship. I never understood why this is so hard for cheaters to do.
Chappell Roan is definitely the new pop hopeful, her team has her image on lock. Daniel Nigro has a way with really teasing out nostalgic, highly familiar sophisti-pop as seen with his work with Olivia.
I'm not at all a fan of Olivia Rodrigo, i think her music is crass, whiny, superficial and painfully over dramatic and she goes on about revenge against boys too much. Even though I find the odd song of hers that I can enjoy the odd verse or chorus of I just don't like her music but she's a nice enough person but she's too gushy.
I truly can never get enough of the unpopular opinion videos because of your great cultural commentary and commical but also dead serious approach , your vocabulary is so diverse, every time I watch a video I learn a new word and get to know the way native speakers talk on their daily basis, not to say I resonate so much with your views on different topics!!! BRAVO👏
Part of Madison's issue is that she markets herself as an influencer instead of as a pop star. No other pop singer is out there filming videos with David Dobrik, and for that reason she isn't taken seriously.
@@LD-tn6ffthis is an INSANE take 😭 when taylor debuted in 2006 social media influencing did not even exist.. taylor did pioneer using social media to connect with her young audience but that in no way was “influencing”. taylor’s music came first, her media presence came after. only the opposite can be said about madison
@@nyebaby31 in what part of my comment did I make sequencial order between social media influence and music a part of the argument? I didn’t…. Taylor more than any artist in history relies on perpetuating a parasocial relationship and connection with audiences. Something that over the duration of many years can largely be attributed to social media influence. What about that VERY plain and obvious fact triggers you so?
that and I think she comes across as completely unrelatable to people, whether due to her perfect looks, personality, upbringing, etc.. imo, madison shouldn't be afraid to be messy (aesthetically, sonically, etc.) since her whole image is the opposite of that; otherwise, she'll remain boring
I feel like the issue with Madison Beer is she never managed to carve out her own artistic identity. There's nothing that feels authentically like "her", no creative niche where you can listen and go "ah yeah that reminds me of Madison Beer", nothing that draws you to her as an artist and intrigue you enough to stick around and see what she does next. Everything she's put out so far has been alright, but jump on a random Spotify playlist and you'll hear 10 songs exactly like hers. I know making pop music is all about leaning into current trends, but it's a tricky balance between that and setting yourself apart, and so far, it seems like she's only been making what she thinks people want to hear.
it also doesn't help that although she serves face and is really beautiful, her high school diva megan fox-esque instagram influencer look kinda repels the gp-as if she's a tad too pretty to appreciate. she just seems really one dimensional even though her music is quite good, kinda like carly rae jepsen. her music, as personal a good chunk of it is, doesn't have that lasting effect to listeners unlike olivia and sabrina bc no one really knows her.
@@MarcDoesNotKnowI don’t think her looks really affect her status. People go viral all the time for the sole reason of being pretty (like that one girl on tiktok recently) It think it’s like zach said, she has no hits. Sure, she has a strong fan base but the majority of the gp can’t name a single song from her. All she needs to do is make a hit song and she’ll be launched into big fame
Most songs on the radio sound the same. Same goes for most streamed artists. It all sounds the same. Madison has her own distinct sound. Also a lot of artists get praised for trying new genres but with Madison it's a problem?
@@clearestlittlekid comepletely disgaree. The issue is madison beers fan base is pushing her to take on the 'pop girl' image when realistically her music is NOT your typical pop music. Life Support, her debut album, did have a few poppy tracks but was primarly very slow, deep, sad and atmospheric. Same with silence between songs her 2nd album, more alternative pop, some old school beetles inspired tracks, again very slow melodic immersive songs except from home to another which is clearly very tame impala inspired. I'm sure the pressure to become a main 'pop girl' is why shes trying to rebrand and establish herself differently with make you mine and 15 minutes which as someone who loves madisons old style is not clicking with me. Not every artists needs to follow the 'pop' formula and should just make whats true to them its quite sad to see
Dear Zach, I am so sorry that Taylor played "imgonnagetyouback x dress" as well as "Holy Ground" without you and that she mashed up "Holy Ground" with "Sweeter Than Fiction." I hope you're doing okay.
i totally agree with lana being a lazy performer. i think cherry is a fun song live and i loved that she opened her coachella set with without you but let’s mix it up some more! i would love to hear freak, california, lolita, mariners, terrence loves you, and bel air live and more from honeymoon, lust for life, and nfr in general.
yes I totally agree! Having freak on coachella would be really good (it had mentions of California lol) and sonically it fits the vibes of Coachella in a way that you’re able to sway around and vibe lol. I hope it makes sense! Also honeymoon does have a lot of California vibes so deffo songs from there like Art Deco could be good!
COMPLETELY agree with the Taylor and Olivia take. Olivia is absolutely the closest thing to a Taylor Swift in the new generation. Her curation of both SOUR and GUTS really remind me of how Taylor would put the effort and passion into projects like Fearless, Speak Now, Red in her earlier days of her career, like a way to establish an entire connected body of work with her catalog. But, insane fans would never admit that or really even be able to see it.
“People who get Taylor’s blessing are not long for this world” lmfaooo so true 💀💀💀💀 I will never stop believing this. Taylor hypes up the artists she does not see as a threat. Olivia Rodrigo should feel honored 🫶🏼
i feel like she was testing the waters with olivia and conan gray bc they were given equal tayblessings but olivia went on to be what she is now while conan, well..
@@imawakemymindisalive13 i heard like a fifth of it and I didn't like it. i like that it's different from kid krow and superache but there's a reason found heaven didn't pop off as well his first 2 albums did.
I mean...it's "good" at best. Theres plenty of FAR better pop albums. I feel like you're just trying to regurgitate a claim made in the video without actually having a strong foundation for pop music reference.
@LD-tn6ff calling Blackout good at best speaks a lot about your taste.First of all.Are there better albums? Absolutely.It's not even my favourite album of Britney.Second of all,my statement was that it should be considered a bible of pop based on the influence by itself.Blackout came out in 2007,2005 & 2006 were knowingly a big flop period for music.The way Britney manouvers her unique tone along with the wild and rough futuristic beats of the tracks, shows the proffesionalism that the album-making held within itself.The dark and edgy sound of it all was revolutionary of it's time, especially coming from someone like her,considering Britney's past America's Sweetheart reputation,and the juicy,watery,strong beats were a big contrast between the boring generic dry instrumentals that were considered mainstream music of the time.The visuals and the concept of the album by themselves caused a phenomenal awakening within pop girls at the time, making each of them wanting to showcase the darker and raspier side of it all,wich with what we've seen,are just considered copycats today, lacking the originality that Britney managed to showcase through such a clichè thematic of rebellion.Not to mention how much the sounds of 2010s pop are a resemblence of the record.We are even able to find droplets of the records influence in every genre of pop since that time.Taylor's Reputation, Ariana's Dangerous Woman, Gaga's Born This Way, Lana's Ultraviolence even, ecc.
Blackout was Britney’s most creative album. She didn’t give a fuck what her label thought. I feel like her whole career has been carved out for her and she was just told what to do. Blackout was a different animal. I personally find Britney to be her best album. But Blackout is a close 2nd for me.
The thing with Gracie is that she has a very supportive fanbase ever since she dropped her first ep 'Minor' She will obviously not be as big as the current main pop girls but she will have sold out shows and stable streams when it comes to her music which is smth some b or c pop girls won't ever have
The thing with Gracie is she understands her lane, her audience and her place in the industry and because of that she will always get stable streams and sold out tours. A thing a lot of pop girls could learn from Gracie is to understand where is their place in the music industry and stop trying to be something they´re not.
@@Mel-qs8wxher lyrics do fall flat... Particularly in her latest album. But when she sings, she pours out all of her emotions which at the end make her songs what they are. ❤
Your last point is very true, tbh SZA, Megan thee stallion and Tyla are female artists who should be more in the conversations with Billie and Olivia, musically, and culturally speaking, they are doing exactly what these stans think Sabrina, and Gracie Abrahams are doing but racism and music genre biases is why they won’t get credit. I mean just look at what SZA accomplished with SOS was and is insane, the way Megan have been able to achieve such a global impact and fan base while being a more niche/regional-based hip hop artist is impressive, and while Tyla isn’t breaking records instantly the success she achieved with water and how she’s been able to cultivate/capitalize off of it is exactly what Sabrina been doing, but I feel Tyla is doing it more interestingly well
I completely agree and maybe it’s because I was born in Houston (still live very close to Houston now) but I love Megan and I have a thought about her and I wanna know what you would think about this: I’m primarily a fan of rock/metal/alt music and I LOVED her remix of cobra with spiritbox especially since I am a fan of both Megan and spiritbox and I think it could be super interesting at the very least and maybe even quite successful if Megan were to go in the rap rock or even rap metal route. But again probably just saying that as a Megan fan and avid rock lover.
Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams are not in the same realm. Gracie's music is derivative and uninteresting, especially on TSOU. It sounds like a generic copy of six other artists who have done it better. Yet alone the fact no one's heard of her. Sabrina had a one-two punch with Espresso and Please³. Espresso was an immediate commercial success and was #1 on many international charts. Please³ followed up with this, and on many charts it was battling it out with Espresso to see which would go #1. Close To You broke top 10 in Sweden 💀 I'm not trying to say that commercial success translates to talent. Sexyy Red is successful. However, success shows if people are interested in what you've created. Sabrina has songs that are interesting. Espresso sparked multiple trends from its one song, Feather was simply fun, Nonsense had the intros she does, and Please³ sparked another trend with the "when I just did my makeup so nice" line. Gracie, on the other hand, is uninteresting. Her music sounds like grey wallpaper. The problem is there's nothing particularly "Gracie" about Gracie, while there's something very "Sabrina" about Sabrina. Tongue-and-cheek, fun, pop bangers, with easily quotable lines like: "I'm working late cause I'm a singer" "My give a fucks are on vacation" "That's that me Espresso" "I'm so sorry for your loss" "I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherfucker" That sort of thing. Sabrina definitely has reached Gracie's lows, but I'm not sure if Gracie has reached Sabrina's bests
I didnt even mention them bc sza is like klasfksdlnfkdl sooooo out of their league LMAO I don't consider her as part of the gen z pop star that I was talking about specifically here. sza has been making music much longer than either olivia or billie. meg is kind of in her own line, I wouldn't really call her a pop girl - and I also don't think her sound has meaningfully shifted anything or created anything new. she's extremely charismatic but not innovative IMO, like rihanna. tyla is def one to watch but again, too soon to tell
I'm highly suspecting a lot of you will eat your words when Sabrina's album is released but for now, her tour also sold out and she is playing the same venues as Olivia, Billie, SZA and Meg
here we go again :') 1:16 lorde 3:34 lana del rey 8:42 britney spears 12:16 madison beer 12:50 normani 16:13 avril lavigne 17:31 beyonce 18:07 rihanna 22:13 ariana grande 24:25 sabrina carpenter 24:38 more ariana grande 25:56 more lana del rey 26:47 miley cyrus 29:36 meghan trainor 30:11 more sabrina carpenter 31:27 even more lana del rey 32:04 katy perry 33:24 melanie martinez 34:05 olivia rodrigo 34:40 selena gomez 36:23 more avril lavigne 37:45 gen z pop girls 38:21 gracie abrams 39:44 laufey 40:57 even more avril lavigne
Thing with Normani is if she had followed up after motivation and capitalized on its success, even if it’s not the kind of music she wanted to be making, then she could have released an album afterwards that is what she wants to do artistically and have a solid fanbase who would stream it and it would be more successful, but because she waited so long, even people who were interested in her back when motivation came out have no reason to ride for her
My unpopular opinion is that people call Beyoncé overrated so much to the point where she’s kind of underrated in certain aspects. I feel like some people don’t actively engage with her music/discography in a meaningful way or even view her music as anything worth dissecting. They hear it, write it off and move on. This is evidence by the fact that people keep yelling that she’s not a “real country” artist. But that’s the point. She clearly states on Cowboy Carter that has no desire to be boxed into the confines of one specific genre and the expectations people have of that sound. She’s experimenting and having fun. It’s ok if the music just isn’t for you, but I think some people purposely miss the point and they don’t actually pay attention to anything she says or sings about.
This is absurd. So many people write off Beyonce because EVERYONE had to hear about and experience Cowboy Carter for example, whether they were fans who wanted to, or not. The over-exposure is the very reason for the backlash. under-rated artists are the ones who produce S-tier albums without the majority of the population ever even knowing about it, let alone the public consuming it and making a determination of its worth.
i saw Lana 12 years ago, and i remember it was so bad live, she apologized and said how nervous she was. she’s grown SO much but she is a story teller and a poet but performer she is not. edit: OMG the meghan trainer part 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
I was honestly surprised, since Meghan has been my favorite singer since like forever, and when I was saw the timestamp, I was like "omg what is he gonna say", and then I was like "well true, but I'll still be vibing"
I think Dua Lipa suffers from the same effect too but not as tragic. I don't think Solar Power is a bad album. It's really that Melodrama is such a perfect pop album that puts ultimate quality at the forefront that anything lesser than an A+ effort would end up becoming a major dissapointment which it kinda did but not too much. Without comparison, Solar Power is a good indie pop album. With comparison, it really pales in quality & sonic innovation that her first two albums brought forth. I hope that L4 will not be something similar to Solar Power & instead something new that's gonna break grounds like she did with Melodrama.
@anoxia999 Pure Heroine and Melodrama are in my top 10 most played records of all time but I gave Solar Power's cover one glance and decided I wasn't interested. Haven't heard the entire record to this day.
There's this very early Rihanna interview where she talked about how she wants to live a life where she doesn't need to tour anymore. Well unfortunately for us, she got that life.
I couldn't agree more with Lana being a lazy performer. She devoured at the beginning of her Coachella set and could so easily have kept that energy for the whole show.
As a fellow Lana stan I so agree with you on this one. I went to see her to Primavera Sound last june and she also was 20 min late for her show... It's honestly very frustrating because I got to see her a year after SNL at a small-ish club in Madrid and she was incredible in that show - beautiful vocals, cool as hell, she reminded me of Nancy Sinatra. It's such a shame she has been able o cared enough to keep up with the good work.
I've been a Britney stan since I was 9 and I always tense up when anybody that I don't know to be an out stan themselves starts speaking on her... but you said all the right things and it made me extremely emotional. Thank you for being so thoughtful. ❤
I saw Lana at the Ultraviolence tour as a teen, and I have such good memories of it. I do remember her being so vastly differently than any performer I had ever seen, but it so worked. It fit that album. It doesn’t fit festivals for the general masses even if a lot of the crowd are hard core fans and don’t care that much 😭
Thank you for being so eloquent & thoughtful regarding Britney. You expressed exactly what I’ve been thinking and wanting to say. I was in my early 20’s when Britney came out and through her peak and she really was EVERYTHING!! People need to respect her contributions to the historical pop fabric.
As a Lana stan of 12 years, I believe she is an artist with a stadium-sized audience whose music is not made for stadiums. Therefore, she relies on many of her backup dancers, sets, and guests to help her move on the stage. It used to not be this way, but she said she is much more comfortable up there when there are other people who have her back. In my ideal world, a Lana show would simply be her, Blake, and Byron. I'd like to see her do less bombastic performances, doing songs that really showcase her vocals, with a smaller audience. edit: Zach, you say lazy performer, and I think what makes her seem lazy is the contradiction of the backup dancers who are doing THE MOST and it makes it seem like she's just standing there singing. That's why I would really appreciate a more stripped-down set with less movement on the stage, because that's not really what her music is about. I do agree with you about the setlist. More Norman. Less BTD. Why she hasn't performed Mariners or Terrence Loves You or even Lust For Life is beyond me. It could be, like you said, that she's a contrarian. But I do wish she would care a little more about that.
Wrong - I could list a hundred great live performances from pop girls who heavily rely on backup dancers to make it a more lively/theatrical performance because they are focused on singing instead of dancing. You plainly and simply don't want to admit as a Lana Stan that shes a terrible/lazy live performer.
@@LD-tn6ff You just said other pop artists use dancers to enhance the performance. I am arguing the opposite. I am saying the theatrics are not enhancing, but distracting.
I've seen her twice now (Kansas City 2019, Arkansas 2023), and I definitely preferred the larger space with more going on on-stage. I was really disappointed with her NFR show, it was really, really short, included multiple covers, was slow at points, and it felt like her heart wasn't in it. The Tunnel tour felt more like a moment (even though the setlist was basically the same - but longer thankfully - as years prior)
Britney Spears was, Is, and forever will be THE moment. She walked so every other pop girly could run. She laid the pop girl world brick by brick & that is her legacy ❤
I’ve been the biggest Sabrina fan since Eyes Wide Open. I had VIP tickets and met her during EVOLution DeTour. I used to be made fun of for liking “some cringey Disney singer” and it made me really uncomfortable sharing my music tastes with people. Seeing Sabrina take off like this is kinda a fun he he I told you so moment. That said, I also totally see what you mean. I think Exhale was the first time I was like oh, this song has a message. She’s going for something deeper here. … now give me a message in a more creative way. That said, I’m so proud of how far she’s come and I’m seated to see where she goes from here. I’m exited to watcher her EVOLution if you will.
I’ve never heard anyone sum up my opinion on pop girls (mainly Melanie Martinez and Gracie Abram’s) better than this man does he’s so insanely intelligent and informed on culture. You ate this king.
Rihanna's music has aged beautifully like her songs sound new even though they're 10 years old already. Her catalogue is full of bangers and ANTI as an album was truly an amazing way to close that crazy album run that she was on. It is the most true to Rihanna album she's put out
I agree that Sabrina should stick to the campy sexy vapid kind of vibe but Sabrina is coming for that main pop girl title, especially after this album roll out and the already upcoming sold out tour.
You know what I like about Selena Gomez? It’s that she would agree that she’s mediocre. She knows she can’t sing. But some of her songs really are bops.
LOL you are so right about ‘Taylor’s Blessing’. . . It almost seems as though getting a ‘Taylor’s Blessing’ a la Rachel Platten, Kelsea Ballerini, Camila Cabello is really just a jobs program for mid-artists that are friendly to her. That being said, from Taylor’s end it is so smart.
Taylor would post Camila cabello a lot before she got big , once Camila got her first huge hit havanah Taylor ignored her in social media. Camila would still talk about Taylor nicely and it’s been crickets from Taylor
You are so right about Sabrina & Gracie. Even if the swifts try to make them Taylors daughters. They ultimately lack Taylors talent ( for the reasons you say)
they are called like that because they grew up being swifties and started they careers looking up to her as an idol and have been lucky enough to be acknowledged by her, not because they are they’re lyricist daughters, even tho they can write excelent serious songs apart from the most commercial ones they are called like that because she is like a motherly figure to them career wise, she looks after them and gives them advice
Love Taylor to death but sabrina is singing circles around her performing better than her and can do different genres of music unlike taylor and the other pop girls she writes her most of her music she’s talented
You are right on in your analysis, I really appreciate how objective you try to be even if, of course, this is still opinion based. I completely agree with your assessment of all the truly legendary pop girls - Lana, Britney, Beyonce, Rihanna. However, I think some of the new pop girlies like Sabrina Carpenter are largely helped by excessive autoplay (especially her last two singles). It seems that success can be bought today and it's no longer organic. The issue with forced streams via autoplay and playlisting is that it gives major labels and their pet artists even more monopoly over the streaming platforms than they already have.
in addition to the misogyny/stan war stuff that has overblown the ariana/ethan drama, I lowkey also think the perceived "attractiveness" of ethan slater also plays a substantial role, because let's be real, if he was a more traditionally attractive man, there would definitely be less pushback against it.
I’m not a massive ari stan but I 100% agree with you saying eternal sunshine was her most focussed album. Alongside thank u next, it’s the only thing she’s put out that I felt I was in her world and understood why she made it and the story she was telling.
Rihanna, and specially Britney, were two of my favorite pop girls of my childhood. I absolutely loved your critical and thoughtful responses to the unpopular opinions about them, and I can't wait to see more popgirlologist in the future!
Loved this part 3! I do disagree tho about Madison. I still think she hasn’t found her own style and does a lot of “cosplay” like you said, but she still has garnered a lot of loyal fans around her social media virality around “Selfish” and “Reckless”. Her more recent album doesn’t feel 100% her and authentic but she still has some confessional writing and unique vocal performances that seem to actually work. I’m excited to see what she does next and I’m tired of pretending she’s 100% a flop because I do see potential and her growth
Respectfully,I think Sabrina is more than those feel good hits,and should not just be limited to that type of music just because the general public only know her for those hits. Ballads like “emails I can’t send”, “opposite” or “things I wish you said” (just to name a few) prove she has more to her. So let’s not discredit her depth in the name of esspresso,feather,nonsense etc.
This! They are reducing her to her most popular songs rn and it’s like saying taylor couldn’t to great songs back then or have a great album because she put out 22 or shake it off, or ME! It’s a fun bop to get people to listen to the album it ain’t that hard to get honestly
@@fitzgeraldgatsby4885not 100% sure what you are trying to say in the last part but either way it still defeats the point I’m trying to relay,just because people don’t reach deeper into her discography doesn’t mean she doesn’t have more to offer than what’s “hot” right now.
Hmmm…I disagree with the whole “people who get Taylor’s blessing aren’t longer for this world as pop stars” because at the end of the day Sabrina does have a number one song (please please please) and is selling out arenas. I’d say she does have some cultural impact especially with having 2 of the most successful pop songs rn.
25:22 it was the "she was introduced to his wife and infant child and then got with him" that got people mad. He is the most scumbag anyway in this case, but not being a girls' girl is very cringey in this day and age
@@theswiftologist Because you know I'm all about that bass 'Bout that bass, no treble I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass (Bass, bass, bass, bass)🎶🎶🎶🎶🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well, if it was of your own accord, then I wouldn't mind, but being forced to is just sad. And I'm saying this as a Meghan fan. So yeah, sorry for that
One thing to note, if ME! and Yes and? were released at the same time, ME! would've gone #1. Old Town Road completely dominated in 2019 and was the sole reason Taylor didnt get those two #1 hits. Now that doesn't excuse the quality of the songs but that's a whole different conversation.
The comment about Anti not being good is weird to me. The raw, unfinished sound was what made that album riveting as someone who didn't listen to much pop music at the time it dropped.
Also AMEN RE: Ariana's cheating scandal and male artists not getting nearly the same degree of pushback for worse shit. I'm so sick of the neo puritanism that's bubbled up in terminally online discourse.
33:12 Finally, someone else who enjoyed Small Talk! As much as the music video is classic Katy-esque, the lyric video is just adorable that it's my go-to version visually.
Zach I just recently found your channel (and EOAS!) and I gotta say I’m obsessed, I could listen to you talk about pop girls and pop culture all day. Keep doing what you’re doing!
I'm a major lana stan, there is no other artist I love more. I got to see her live for the first time last month, an absolute dream of mine. I don't mind she is lazy in the way she performs, I actually 'love' that she doesn't sing the entire songs to let the crowd do it, because it's really moving to sing her songs with a whole world of other passionate fans. She only sang the chorus for West Coast, and let the fans sings everything before the chorus, and I loved that, because the crowd actually knows the lyrics and sang through it all. She does become repetitive in the setlist. I knew the Primavera Sound setlist was going to be the same as the Coachella minus the duets, and the only reasons why that didn't upset me were: (1) it was my first lana show; (2) I actually love the setlist; (3) her presence on stage was supreme.
In a livestream, Lana casually mentioned that she is neurodivergent. With this in mind, it makes sense that performing gets overwhelming. She considers herself a writer first, singer second.
my grandfather knows every word to rihannas part in Love the Way You Lie. It is not possible to overstate her impact on pop culture. Even if she ONLY had the songs she featured on, she would be a legend. She owned the early 2010s
I agree that madison beer doesn't have a particular artistic identity but i'm sick of people who listened to 5 of her songs saying she does not well and is boring. I feel like people love to say that because she used to market herself as an influencer and is pretty so they think she is not legitimate in the industry. She did federated a community since her debut and is still around supporting her, her second record did well and brought new fans. Her songs lyrics are very specific and personal and that's why people stick around with her. On socials and interviews she seems much more authentic and good in her intentions about music. I also hate seeing people compare her music to ari ?? why always compare female artists ? plus they have nothing to do but that one time she did a ponytail back in 2020 ? Her music videos reflects her and her creativity and i do think she could try a little more on universes that inspires her like space or alice in wonderland and get out of the "pretty face and attitude" that makes her untouchable. But we should also stop expecting crazy insane visuals for pop female artists (not seeing the same complain for men). her music does well, as well as her tours and has been fighting for years to make her debut the way she wanted, so i hate seeing people loving to criticize her. Maybe she doesn't want to have a more pushed aesthetic because it's not like her ? i find it very funny that the same people who criticize her for her "pretty" image are the ones slapping it on her and refuse to see her intentions.
Lady Gaga and Katy Perry from 2009-2014 will not return and they must accept it, Harry Styles is not the most talented former member of One Direction, Olivia will always be related to Taylor even if she doesn't talk about her
Olivia is basically the Aristotle to Taylor's Plato. She is a scholar of Taylor Swift school of music.... She has been a swifty, has consumed and soaked in Taylor's music all her life as it spoke to her. First time I heard Driver's licence I was like OHHHH this is soo Taylor Swift but it's so Olivia at the same time. I love these two artists the most.
@@That_BrownGirl In my opinion Olivia is the fusion of Taylor and Avril, she has things from both and no matter how similar she is to Taylor I can't help but see them and think they are so similar but at the same time so different the difference is in the moment Avril enters into this , Taylor is Taylor and Olivia is Olivia but you will have people who say they are the same
Amazing video, Zach! I absolutely adore your objective, pragmatic perspectives and love how you will always offer this rational when people are misogynistic and biased. What you said about Rihanna and Ariana 🫶🏻
I still have hope that one day, we'll see Britney return to music. I know she's said that shes done but Britney changes her mind all the time lol I think with time she'll want to release art again on her own terms. She's always dancing on insta because that's what makes her happy. Being a performer is inside her blood, I can't see her never returning for the rest of her life.
I am a huge Lana stan but when I say I dont enjoy her performances other stans attack me and praise her coachella show and I feel like being gaslighted 🙃
A moment of silence for the fact that Taylor performed imgonnagetyouback/dress without Zack being there and then proceeded to perform Holy ground the following day. Hope ur ok 😭
When it comes to Ariana's 'cheating scandal', on one hand, I think it's not misogyny to call out people who happen to be women for bad behaviour and the romanticised image of The Other Girl is harmful to women. On the other though, I've never heard of a man being called a homewrecker.
Ariana is a witch, ruining two people's relationship in the way she did is evil. I watched a video on it a while back, a homewrecker is the perfect description.
@@diya-hn2wy I was given a clear account of what happened, Ariana contributed to the ruination of a relationship and that's not acceptable, of course Ethan isn't innocent either but Ariana is a homewrecker, that's a fact!
I love your commentary on pop culture. I think you have something original to say and that’s refreshing. I know you are not asking for ideas for your content, so this is just something I would love to see from you: a series on “why there will never going to be a new X”. For example, a new Britney, a new Taylor, a new Lana, a new Avril, a new Amy Winehouse, a new Gaga. Every time a new pop girl comes out the comparisons are inevitable. But these pop queens are unique. They have something special that no one can emulate. If you start with Britney.. gosh it would be so iconic. Britney is the blueprint for so much of what we have today
Love your content! Please do a ranking of ALL the pop girlies, even the ones you don’t like, twice: First subjectively (your opinion) and then based on what they brought to pop culture!🙏🙏🙏🫶❤️
I highly disagree about the Melanie Martinez comment. She is well rated, and if people don’t get it it’s okay. But she makes beautiful music about tragic topics, and there is a lot to get. I don’t like Taylor’s music, but I think she is an amazing artist. So is Melanie, she puts a lot into her work, and it’s well deserved. I would appreciate if you looked more into her music tho!
1:16 Lorde
3:35 Lana del Rey
8:43 Britney Spears
12:16 Madison Beer
12:50 Normani
16:13 Avril Lavigne
17:32 Beyoncé
18:07 Rihanna
22:13 Ariana Grande
24:25 Sabrina Carpenter
24:40 Ariana Grande
25:57 Lana del Rey
26:47 Miley Cyrus
29:36 Meghan Trainor
30:12 Sabrina Carpenter
31:27 Lana del Rey
32:05 Katy Perry
33:25 Melanie Martinez
34:06 Olivia Rodrigo
34:41 Selena Gomez
36:23 Avril Lavigne
37:46 Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Tate McRae, Reneé Rapp vs. Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish
39:44 Laufey
40:58 Avril Lavigne
OMG thank you haha
thanks a bunch 🎉
22:15 it’s true people cheat everyday and don’t get the backlash they deserve but the timeline was too clear to ignore (the way the other woman called her out and the consistent pattern). It’s not new that cheaters have a complex that follows a pattern and not every cheater gets lambasted for it. That said, Ariana can sing sing but I find her team’s compositions overall uninteresting. It’s not enough for people to overlook her moral shortcomings. People should break up properly before cheating or agree to be open relationship. I never understood why this is so hard for cheaters to do.
Chappell Roan is definitely the new pop hopeful, her team has her image on lock. Daniel Nigro has a way with really teasing out nostalgic, highly familiar sophisti-pop as seen with his work with Olivia.
I'm not at all a fan of Olivia Rodrigo, i think her music is crass, whiny, superficial and painfully over dramatic and she goes on about revenge against boys too much. Even though I find the odd song of hers that I can enjoy the odd verse or chorus of I just don't like her music but she's a nice enough person but she's too gushy.
My Sundays ain't complete without Zach uploading a new thoughtful weekly video
lmao same💀
perioddddd
🙌
FR
REAL
I truly can never get enough of the unpopular opinion videos because of your great cultural commentary and commical but also dead serious approach , your vocabulary is so diverse, every time I watch a video I learn a new word and get to know the way native speakers talk on their daily basis, not to say I resonate so much with your views on different topics!!! BRAVO👏
thanks so much for watching!!!
Part of Madison's issue is that she markets herself as an influencer instead of as a pop star. No other pop singer is out there filming videos with David Dobrik, and for that reason she isn't taken seriously.
Taylor Swift herself is/was arguably as much of a social media influencer as much as she is an actual artist. Completely disagree with you.
@@LD-tn6ff no she wasn’t and isn’t be so fr
@@LD-tn6ffthis is an INSANE take 😭 when taylor debuted in 2006 social media influencing did not even exist.. taylor did pioneer using social media to connect with her young audience but that in no way was “influencing”. taylor’s music came first, her media presence came after. only the opposite can be said about madison
@@nyebaby31 in what part of my comment did I make sequencial order between social media influence and music a part of the argument? I didn’t…. Taylor more than any artist in history relies on perpetuating a parasocial relationship and connection with audiences. Something that over the duration of many years can largely be attributed to social media influence. What about that VERY plain and obvious fact triggers you so?
that and I think she comes across as completely unrelatable to people, whether due to her perfect looks, personality, upbringing, etc.. imo, madison shouldn't be afraid to be messy (aesthetically, sonically, etc.) since her whole image is the opposite of that; otherwise, she'll remain boring
I feel like the issue with Madison Beer is she never managed to carve out her own artistic identity. There's nothing that feels authentically like "her", no creative niche where you can listen and go "ah yeah that reminds me of Madison Beer", nothing that draws you to her as an artist and intrigue you enough to stick around and see what she does next. Everything she's put out so far has been alright, but jump on a random Spotify playlist and you'll hear 10 songs exactly like hers. I know making pop music is all about leaning into current trends, but it's a tricky balance between that and setting yourself apart, and so far, it seems like she's only been making what she thinks people want to hear.
Yeah i agree she's kinda like a copycat of ari
it also doesn't help that although she serves face and is really beautiful, her high school diva megan fox-esque instagram influencer look kinda repels the gp-as if she's a tad too pretty to appreciate. she just seems really one dimensional even though her music is quite good, kinda like carly rae jepsen. her music, as personal a good chunk of it is, doesn't have that lasting effect to listeners unlike olivia and sabrina bc no one really knows her.
@@MarcDoesNotKnowI don’t think her looks really affect her status. People go viral all the time for the sole reason of being pretty (like that one girl on tiktok recently) It think it’s like zach said, she has no hits. Sure, she has a strong fan base but the majority of the gp can’t name a single song from her. All she needs to do is make a hit song and she’ll be launched into big fame
Most songs on the radio sound the same. Same goes for most streamed artists. It all sounds the same. Madison has her own distinct sound. Also a lot of artists get praised for trying new genres but with Madison it's a problem?
@@clearestlittlekid comepletely disgaree. The issue is madison beers fan base is pushing her to take on the 'pop girl' image when realistically her music is NOT your typical pop music. Life Support, her debut album, did have a few poppy tracks but was primarly very slow, deep, sad and atmospheric. Same with silence between songs her 2nd album, more alternative pop, some old school beetles inspired tracks, again very slow melodic immersive songs except from home to another which is clearly very tame impala inspired. I'm sure the pressure to become a main 'pop girl' is why shes trying to rebrand and establish herself differently with make you mine and 15 minutes which as someone who loves madisons old style is not clicking with me. Not every artists needs to follow the 'pop' formula and should just make whats true to them its quite sad to see
Dear Zach, I am so sorry that Taylor played "imgonnagetyouback x dress" as well as "Holy Ground" without you and that she mashed up "Holy Ground" with "Sweeter Than Fiction." I hope you're doing okay.
Diva down
ok same I saw this and i was like is the swiftologist ok???
very that
Same! My first thought was “Is Zach ok?”
It was rare, i was there 🤭
swiftologist always uploads just as i’m about to sleep and suddenly i’m not sleeping!!!!
i totally agree with lana being a lazy performer. i think cherry is a fun song live and i loved that she opened her coachella set with without you but let’s mix it up some more! i would love to hear freak, california, lolita, mariners, terrence loves you, and bel air live and more from honeymoon, lust for life, and nfr in general.
yes I totally agree! Having freak on coachella would be really good (it had mentions of California lol) and sonically it fits the vibes of Coachella in a way that you’re able to sway around and vibe lol. I hope it makes sense! Also honeymoon does have a lot of California vibes so deffo songs from there like Art Deco could be good!
@@sabrina1646 i agree! i would love to hear the transition from freak to art deco live!
@@inoahguy-q6c ooh YESSS
COMPLETELY agree with the Taylor and Olivia take. Olivia is absolutely the closest thing to a Taylor Swift in the new generation. Her curation of both SOUR and GUTS really remind me of how Taylor would put the effort and passion into projects like Fearless, Speak Now, Red in her earlier days of her career, like a way to establish an entire connected body of work with her catalog. But, insane fans would never admit that or really even be able to see it.
True. Lacy sounds just like something taylor swift would do
@sagelabyrinth8780 that's basically Clara bow
The only difference being Olivia is already a better lyricist than Taylor
@@vetoriinah olivia lyrics are lack of depth
@@vetoriiLMAOOOO NOPE
SO GRATEFUL YOU GAVE US PART 2 I LOVE LISTENING TO YOUR OPINIONS 🙏🙏
“People who get Taylor’s blessing are not long for this world” lmfaooo so true 💀💀💀💀 I will never stop believing this. Taylor hypes up the artists she does not see as a threat. Olivia Rodrigo should feel honored 🫶🏼
i feel like she was testing the waters with olivia and conan gray bc they were given equal tayblessings but olivia went on to be what she is now while conan, well..
But Taylor did hype up Olivia?
@@Ispspsps-kl1lt that ended pretty quickly lol
@@MarcDoesNotKnowcállate conan is peak slay have you heard his new album?!!
@@imawakemymindisalive13 i heard like a fifth of it and I didn't like it. i like that it's different from kid krow and superache but there's a reason found heaven didn't pop off as well his first 2 albums did.
Blackout should absolutely hold the title of The Bible Of Pop just because of the legacy & influence it built.
I mean...it's "good" at best. Theres plenty of FAR better pop albums. I feel like you're just trying to regurgitate a claim made in the video without actually having a strong foundation for pop music reference.
@LD-tn6ff calling Blackout good at best speaks a lot about your taste.First of all.Are there better albums? Absolutely.It's not even my favourite album of Britney.Second of all,my statement was that it should be considered a bible of pop based on the influence by itself.Blackout came out in 2007,2005 & 2006 were knowingly a big flop period for music.The way Britney manouvers her unique tone along with the wild and rough futuristic beats of the tracks, shows the proffesionalism that the album-making held within itself.The dark and edgy sound of it all was revolutionary of it's time, especially coming from someone like her,considering Britney's past America's Sweetheart reputation,and the juicy,watery,strong beats were a big contrast between the boring generic dry instrumentals that were considered mainstream music of the time.The visuals and the concept of the album by themselves caused a phenomenal awakening within pop girls at the time, making each of them wanting to showcase the darker and raspier side of it all,wich with what we've seen,are just considered copycats today, lacking the originality that Britney managed to showcase through such a clichè thematic of rebellion.Not to mention how much the sounds of 2010s pop are a resemblence of the record.We are even able to find droplets of the records influence in every genre of pop since that time.Taylor's Reputation, Ariana's Dangerous Woman, Gaga's Born This Way, Lana's Ultraviolence even, ecc.
Blackout was Britney’s most creative album. She didn’t give a fuck what her label thought. I feel like her whole career has been carved out for her and she was just told what to do. Blackout was a different animal. I personally find Britney to be her best album. But Blackout is a close 2nd for me.
@crystalkadletc the 'Britney' [album] stans have my heart
The thing with Gracie is that she has a very supportive fanbase ever since she dropped her first ep 'Minor'
She will obviously not be as big as the current main pop girls but she will have sold out shows and stable streams when it comes to her music which is smth some b or c pop girls won't ever have
The thing with Gracie is she understands her lane, her audience and her place in the industry and because of that she will always get stable streams and sold out tours. A thing a lot of pop girls could learn from Gracie is to understand where is their place in the music industry and stop trying to be something they´re not.
I just wish she take a poetry class bc her lyrics are not interesting and fall flat
Gracie Abrams is this you?
@@Mel-qs8wxher lyrics do fall flat... Particularly in her latest album. But when she sings, she pours out all of her emotions which at the end make her songs what they are. ❤
I fear after the tayhype wears off she’s gonna lose some fans… she’s still gonna be successful but not as much as she is rn
My personal video requests:
1. Melodrama- Lorde
2. Dua Lipa- Radical Floptimism
3. Chappell Roan
i dont think radical optimism was a flop, go off though
@@NateSullivan813Maybe not a flop, but surely not really interesting. But I guess that’s on Future Nostalgia for setting the standard too high
@@Laef_dream i think a LOT of albums will be flops compared to future nostalgia
@@NateSullivan813 Can’t really argue with the truth
Chappell Roan yesss
Swiftologist has Aussies up till midnight 😅🫶
Your last point is very true, tbh SZA, Megan thee stallion and Tyla are female artists who should be more in the conversations with Billie and Olivia, musically, and culturally speaking, they are doing exactly what these stans think Sabrina, and Gracie Abrahams are doing but racism and music genre biases is why they won’t get credit. I mean just look at what SZA accomplished with SOS was and is insane, the way Megan have been able to achieve such a global impact and fan base while being a more niche/regional-based hip hop artist is impressive, and while Tyla isn’t breaking records instantly the success she achieved with water and how she’s been able to cultivate/capitalize off of it is exactly what Sabrina been doing, but I feel Tyla is doing it more interestingly well
I completely agree and maybe it’s because I was born in Houston (still live very close to Houston now) but I love Megan and I have a thought about her and I wanna know what you would think about this: I’m primarily a fan of rock/metal/alt music and I LOVED her remix of cobra with spiritbox especially since I am a fan of both Megan and spiritbox and I think it could be super interesting at the very least and maybe even quite successful if Megan were to go in the rap rock or even rap metal route. But again probably just saying that as a Megan fan and avid rock lover.
Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams are not in the same realm.
Gracie's music is derivative and uninteresting, especially on TSOU. It sounds like a generic copy of six other artists who have done it better. Yet alone the fact no one's heard of her.
Sabrina had a one-two punch with Espresso and Please³. Espresso was an immediate commercial success and was #1 on many international charts. Please³ followed up with this, and on many charts it was battling it out with Espresso to see which would go #1.
Close To You broke top 10 in Sweden 💀
I'm not trying to say that commercial success translates to talent. Sexyy Red is successful. However, success shows if people are interested in what you've created.
Sabrina has songs that are interesting. Espresso sparked multiple trends from its one song, Feather was simply fun, Nonsense had the intros she does, and Please³ sparked another trend with the "when I just did my makeup so nice" line.
Gracie, on the other hand, is uninteresting. Her music sounds like grey wallpaper. The problem is there's nothing particularly "Gracie" about Gracie, while there's something very "Sabrina" about Sabrina. Tongue-and-cheek, fun, pop bangers, with easily quotable lines like:
"I'm working late cause I'm a singer"
"My give a fucks are on vacation"
"That's that me Espresso"
"I'm so sorry for your loss"
"I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherfucker"
That sort of thing.
Sabrina definitely has reached Gracie's lows, but I'm not sure if Gracie has reached Sabrina's bests
@@caoyuanngreat breakdown I agree
I didnt even mention them bc sza is like klasfksdlnfkdl sooooo out of their league LMAO I don't consider her as part of the gen z pop star that I was talking about specifically here. sza has been making music much longer than either olivia or billie. meg is kind of in her own line, I wouldn't really call her a pop girl - and I also don't think her sound has meaningfully shifted anything or created anything new. she's extremely charismatic but not innovative IMO, like rihanna. tyla is def one to watch but again, too soon to tell
I'm highly suspecting a lot of you will eat your words when Sabrina's album is released but for now, her tour also sold out and she is playing the same venues as Olivia, Billie, SZA and Meg
here we go again :')
1:16 lorde
3:34 lana del rey
8:42 britney spears
12:16 madison beer
12:50 normani
16:13 avril lavigne
17:31 beyonce
18:07 rihanna
22:13 ariana grande
24:25 sabrina carpenter
24:38 more ariana grande
25:56 more lana del rey
26:47 miley cyrus
29:36 meghan trainor
30:11 more sabrina carpenter
31:27 even more lana del rey
32:04 katy perry
33:24 melanie martinez
34:05 olivia rodrigo
34:40 selena gomez
36:23 more avril lavigne
37:45 gen z pop girls
38:21 gracie abrams
39:44 laufey
40:57 even more avril lavigne
Thank you!!
Thing with Normani is if she had followed up after motivation and capitalized on its success, even if it’s not the kind of music she wanted to be making, then she could have released an album afterwards that is what she wants to do artistically and have a solid fanbase who would stream it and it would be more successful, but because she waited so long, even people who were interested in her back when motivation came out have no reason to ride for her
thank you for having good opinions that i don’t always agree with but can respect. you are such a balanced break from the dramatics of stan culture
My unpopular opinion is that people call Beyoncé overrated so much to the point where she’s kind of underrated in certain aspects. I feel like some people don’t actively engage with her music/discography in a meaningful way or even view her music as anything worth dissecting. They hear it, write it off and move on. This is evidence by the fact that people keep yelling that she’s not a “real country” artist. But that’s the point. She clearly states on Cowboy Carter that has no desire to be boxed into the confines of one specific genre and the expectations people have of that sound. She’s experimenting and having fun. It’s ok if the music just isn’t for you, but I think some people purposely miss the point and they don’t actually pay attention to anything she says or sings about.
This is absurd. So many people write off Beyonce because EVERYONE had to hear about and experience Cowboy Carter for example, whether they were fans who wanted to, or not. The over-exposure is the very reason for the backlash. under-rated artists are the ones who produce S-tier albums without the majority of the population ever even knowing about it, let alone the public consuming it and making a determination of its worth.
I don’t think Beyoncé is underrated at all. She’s very much overrated. Her music is trash it’s always been.
i saw Lana 12 years ago, and i remember it was so bad live, she apologized and said how nervous she was. she’s grown SO much but she is a story teller and a poet but performer she is not.
edit: OMG the meghan trainer part 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
I was honestly surprised, since Meghan has been my favorite singer since like forever, and when I was saw the timestamp, I was like "omg what is he gonna say", and then I was like "well true, but I'll still be vibing"
I don't think Lorde could be as big as Taylor BUT she could have been a way bigger artist. No one cared about Solar Power.
I think Dua Lipa suffers from the same effect too but not as tragic. I don't think Solar Power is a bad album. It's really that Melodrama is such a perfect pop album that puts ultimate quality at the forefront that anything lesser than an A+ effort would end up becoming a major dissapointment which it kinda did but not too much. Without comparison, Solar Power is a good indie pop album. With comparison, it really pales in quality & sonic innovation that her first two albums brought forth. I hope that L4 will not be something similar to Solar Power & instead something new that's gonna break grounds like she did with Melodrama.
Stoned at the nail salon was trying too hard and so was that cover photo
@anoxia999 Pure Heroine and Melodrama are in my top 10 most played records of all time but I gave Solar Power's cover one glance and decided I wasn't interested. Haven't heard the entire record to this day.
@@summerchild_Tennis Court is my favourite song on Pure Heroine. It's damn cool. Green Light is my favourite on Melodrama. 👌
I did not enjoy the songs of Solar Power that I have heard but I appreciate the different sound and uniqueness of the album.
There's this very early Rihanna interview where she talked about how she wants to live a life where she doesn't need to tour anymore. Well unfortunately for us, she got that life.
Good for her!
I couldn't agree more with Lana being a lazy performer. She devoured at the beginning of her Coachella set and could so easily have kept that energy for the whole show.
Always a good day when swiftologist uploads! ❤
hey brooke!! welcome back
As a fellow Lana stan I so agree with you on this one. I went to see her to Primavera Sound last june and she also was 20 min late for her show... It's honestly very frustrating because I got to see her a year after SNL at a small-ish club in Madrid and she was incredible in that show - beautiful vocals, cool as hell, she reminded me of Nancy Sinatra. It's such a shame she has been able o cared enough to keep up with the good work.
it COULD be good .... but it rarely is
I've been a Britney stan since I was 9 and I always tense up when anybody that I don't know to be an out stan themselves starts speaking on her... but you said all the right things and it made me extremely emotional. Thank you for being so thoughtful. ❤
I saw Lana at the Ultraviolence tour as a teen, and I have such good memories of it. I do remember her being so vastly differently than any performer I had ever seen, but it so worked. It fit that album. It doesn’t fit festivals for the general masses even if a lot of the crowd are hard core fans and don’t care that much 😭
I love Melanie Martinez down but I understand the opinion! Her music isn’t for everyone but it is my vibe
OMG!😂😂😂 "Your grandmother's never heard Greedy by Tate McRae" ended me!
Whenever Rihanna comes on at the club, I run to the dance floor. Her songs always hit hard every single time in that situation.
Thank you for being so eloquent & thoughtful regarding Britney. You expressed exactly what I’ve been thinking and wanting to say. I was in my early 20’s when Britney came out and through her peak and she really was EVERYTHING!! People need to respect her contributions to the historical pop fabric.
This is exactly what my Sunday cleaning routine needed
I'm so glad!
im so glad you brought up janet jackson’s influence on britney spears because i feel like not a lot of people mention or recognize it
periodt !!!
As a Lana stan of 12 years, I believe she is an artist with a stadium-sized audience whose music is not made for stadiums. Therefore, she relies on many of her backup dancers, sets, and guests to help her move on the stage. It used to not be this way, but she said she is much more comfortable up there when there are other people who have her back. In my ideal world, a Lana show would simply be her, Blake, and Byron. I'd like to see her do less bombastic performances, doing songs that really showcase her vocals, with a smaller audience.
edit: Zach, you say lazy performer, and I think what makes her seem lazy is the contradiction of the backup dancers who are doing THE MOST and it makes it seem like she's just standing there singing. That's why I would really appreciate a more stripped-down set with less movement on the stage, because that's not really what her music is about.
I do agree with you about the setlist. More Norman. Less BTD. Why she hasn't performed Mariners or Terrence Loves You or even Lust For Life is beyond me. It could be, like you said, that she's a contrarian. But I do wish she would care a little more about that.
Wrong - I could list a hundred great live performances from pop girls who heavily rely on backup dancers to make it a more lively/theatrical performance because they are focused on singing instead of dancing. You plainly and simply don't want to admit as a Lana Stan that shes a terrible/lazy live performer.
@@LD-tn6ff You just said other pop artists use dancers to enhance the performance. I am arguing the opposite. I am saying the theatrics are not enhancing, but distracting.
I agree. Nobody calls Adele a lazy performer, when she is just standing there, with her microphone.
I've seen her twice now (Kansas City 2019, Arkansas 2023), and I definitely preferred the larger space with more going on on-stage. I was really disappointed with her NFR show, it was really, really short, included multiple covers, was slow at points, and it felt like her heart wasn't in it. The Tunnel tour felt more like a moment (even though the setlist was basically the same - but longer thankfully - as years prior)
PLEASE, WE NEED A PART THREE THIS WAS SO GOOD I'M BEGGING
I wish Cowboy Carter had more replay value. It's more of a moment than something to play everyday
i beg to differ because i listen to that album religiously 😭
@@Sza4Lsame I play Bodyguard and Levi Jeans almost daily.
@@flickeringlights7119 just for fun is my personal favourite
I sadly agree. I love Beyonce but I hate her Jay-Z worship tracks 😭 I can't relate, girl. I cannot relate.
Bodyguard gives me 90s Sheryl Crow radio hit
No-days-off-ologist again! 👏🏻
OH MY GOD I CANT BELIEVE WE GOT A PART 222222
And we will need a part 3 for sure!
@@ruizdy yes we do
Britney Spears was, Is, and forever will be THE moment. She walked so every other pop girly could run. She laid the pop girl world brick by brick & that is her legacy ❤
I’ve been the biggest Sabrina fan since Eyes Wide Open. I had VIP tickets and met her during EVOLution DeTour. I used to be made fun of for liking “some cringey Disney singer” and it made me really uncomfortable sharing my music tastes with people. Seeing Sabrina take off like this is kinda a fun he he I told you so moment. That said, I also totally see what you mean. I think Exhale was the first time I was like oh, this song has a message. She’s going for something deeper here. … now give me a message in a more creative way. That said, I’m so proud of how far she’s come and I’m seated to see where she goes from here. I’m exited to watcher her EVOLution if you will.
keeping us fed as always
I’ve never heard anyone sum up my opinion on pop girls (mainly Melanie Martinez and Gracie Abram’s) better than this man does he’s so insanely intelligent and informed on culture. You ate this king.
“Melanie is perfectly rated” sent me into orbit
djlfnsjdfkldf
maybe even overrated i fear
Rihanna's music has aged beautifully like her songs sound new even though they're 10 years old already. Her catalogue is full of bangers and ANTI as an album was truly an amazing way to close that crazy album run that she was on. It is the most true to Rihanna album she's put out
What Melanie is doing makes perfect sense to me but I guess the girlies who get it get it
Literally
period
I agree that Sabrina should stick to the campy sexy vapid kind of vibe but Sabrina is coming for that main pop girl title, especially after this album roll out and the already upcoming sold out tour.
You know what I like about Selena Gomez? It’s that she would agree that she’s mediocre. She knows she can’t sing. But some of her songs really are bops.
LOL you are so right about ‘Taylor’s Blessing’. . . It almost seems as though getting a ‘Taylor’s Blessing’ a la Rachel Platten, Kelsea Ballerini, Camila Cabello is really just a jobs program for mid-artists that are friendly to her. That being said, from Taylor’s end it is so smart.
Taylor would post Camila cabello a lot before she got big , once Camila got her first huge hit havanah Taylor ignored her in social media. Camila would still talk about Taylor nicely and it’s been crickets from Taylor
Girllll, we’re waiting for your Chappell Roan timeline ❤ please rectify that. Love uuuu
coming soon!
NEVER been this way, thankful for the insightful videos you create. The best place to come for non-biased information:)
You are so right about Sabrina & Gracie. Even if the swifts try to make them Taylors daughters. They ultimately lack Taylors talent ( for the reasons you say)
fr
Well tbh no one has Taylor's talent. Before some say olivia, i like her music, but no one can be Taylor. So we should stop comparing i guess!?
they are called like that because they grew up being swifties and started they careers looking up to her as an idol and have been lucky enough to be acknowledged by her, not because they are they’re lyricist daughters, even tho they can write excelent serious songs apart from the most commercial ones they are called like that because she is like a motherly figure to them career wise, she looks after them and gives them advice
@@sirensvibes222 ok
Love Taylor to death but sabrina is singing circles around her performing better than her and can do different genres of music unlike taylor and the other pop girls she writes her most of her music she’s talented
"There’s a Stan community for every flop" 💀
Laufey being a pop girl is crazy she is a jazz musician 100% and I love that about her
im not a big pop girl fan anymore but im here for the tea and the thoughtful commentary
Swiftologist stuns in new profile picture
We need the Chappell roan video
its in the works!!
@@theswiftologist thank you for your service 🫶🏻😚
@@theswiftologistwell yes
Thank you!! Im going to wait for it im so excited!!!@@theswiftologist
You are right on in your analysis, I really appreciate how objective you try to be even if, of course, this is still opinion based. I completely agree with your assessment of all the truly legendary pop girls - Lana, Britney, Beyonce, Rihanna. However, I think some of the new pop girlies like Sabrina Carpenter are largely helped by excessive autoplay (especially her last two singles). It seems that success can be bought today and it's no longer organic. The issue with forced streams via autoplay and playlisting is that it gives major labels and their pet artists even more monopoly over the streaming platforms than they already have.
Thank you for talking about Avril Lavigne! I never hear anything about her but she got me through some of the darkes times of my life
she's a queeeeen
@@theswiftologist oh my swift!! You responded!! You just made my day and I was having a bit of a bad one SHES IS THE MOTHERFUCKING PRINCESSS
in addition to the misogyny/stan war stuff that has overblown the ariana/ethan drama, I lowkey also think the perceived "attractiveness" of ethan slater also plays a substantial role, because let's be real, if he was a more traditionally attractive man, there would definitely be less pushback against it.
these unpopular opinions be like: taylor swift is a flop and the worst person ever what do you think SWIFTologist
LMAOO
My exact thoughts were lmaooo and what do you know ^^^^
I’m not a massive ari stan but I 100% agree with you saying eternal sunshine was her most focussed album. Alongside thank u next, it’s the only thing she’s put out that I felt I was in her world and understood why she made it and the story she was telling.
You always make my day when there’s a new upload ❤
Hiiii! No taylor on the thumbnail: you are so well informed on multiple celebrities
top 3 Swiftologist video this one HIT
Rihanna, and specially Britney, were two of my favorite pop girls of my childhood. I absolutely loved your critical and thoughtful responses to the unpopular opinions about them, and I can't wait to see more popgirlologist in the future!
So glad this came out early today I NEEDED THISSS
hope you love it!!
Loved this part 3! I do disagree tho about Madison. I still think she hasn’t found her own style and does a lot of “cosplay” like you said, but she still has garnered a lot of loyal fans around her social media virality around “Selfish” and “Reckless”. Her more recent album doesn’t feel 100% her and authentic but she still has some confessional writing and unique vocal performances that seem to actually work. I’m excited to see what she does next and I’m tired of pretending she’s 100% a flop because I do see potential and her growth
Respectfully,I think Sabrina is more than those feel good hits,and should not just be limited to that type of music just because the general public only know her for those hits.
Ballads like “emails I can’t send”, “opposite” or “things I wish you said” (just to name a few) prove she has more to her.
So let’s not discredit her depth in the name of esspresso,feather,nonsense etc.
He actually talked about this in the last unpopular pop girl opinions.
@@chikahoshi yeah I know,also in the comments about Sabrina there😭
This! They are reducing her to her most popular songs rn and it’s like saying taylor couldn’t to great songs back then or have a great album because she put out 22 or shake it off, or ME! It’s a fun bop to get people to listen to the album it ain’t that hard to get honestly
There is a reason why people dont know whatev songs youve named, and a readin why she only known NOW for Say so rehashes…
@@fitzgeraldgatsby4885not 100% sure what you are trying to say in the last part but either way it still defeats the point I’m trying to relay,just because people don’t reach deeper into her discography doesn’t mean she doesn’t have more to offer than what’s “hot” right now.
Hmmm…I disagree with the whole “people who get Taylor’s blessing aren’t longer for this world as pop stars” because at the end of the day Sabrina does have a number one song (please please please) and is selling out arenas. I’d say she does have some cultural impact especially with having 2 of the most successful pop songs rn.
Sabrina's been all over my UA-cam 😣I can't get rid of her, I don't like her music but there's no doubt she's popular right now.
for now ... :) tbd on longevity!
@@theswiftologist She'll always have a loyal fan base I think but she won't become a top-tier pop star!
Wow, this channel's comments section is the Bermuda triangle for my comments, they seem to disappear after I post them here. 🙃 Never mind.🙂💁
25:22 it was the "she was introduced to his wife and infant child and then got with him" that got people mad. He is the most scumbag anyway in this case, but not being a girls' girl is very cringey in this day and age
some i'm reluctant to agree but actually know there's some semblance of objective truth in my mind, you spilled on many of these
It feels illegal to be this early. Hi!!
29:51 i am deeply offended by this comment. as a grocery store cashier, i resent the idea of being forced to listen to meghan trainor.
😂😂😂😂 I hate her music.
dlfkslfnsldknfkdsf
@@theswiftologist Because you know I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass (Bass, bass, bass, bass)🎶🎶🎶🎶🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well, if it was of your own accord, then I wouldn't mind, but being forced to is just sad. And I'm saying this as a Meghan fan. So yeah, sorry for that
@@raquiolinha2507 yeah unfortunately we cannot choose the music at my store, however, it’s pretty varied and often i like it so i’m all good
One thing to note, if ME! and Yes and? were released at the same time, ME! would've gone #1. Old Town Road completely dominated in 2019 and was the sole reason Taylor didnt get those two #1 hits. Now that doesn't excuse the quality of the songs but that's a whole different conversation.
underrated comment fr, couldn't agree more
it's also much easier to get a Hot 100 #1 nowadays so there is no doubt Me! would have gone #1
ME! is a terrible song though...
@@LD-tn6ff Never said it wasn't
@eeropussinen613 you did say it would get #1.. now I'm confused- please elaborate
The comment about Anti not being good is weird to me. The raw, unfinished sound was what made that album riveting as someone who didn't listen to much pop music at the time it dropped.
Also AMEN RE: Ariana's cheating scandal and male artists not getting nearly the same degree of pushback for worse shit. I'm so sick of the neo puritanism that's bubbled up in terminally online discourse.
@@annaphallactic Rihanna haters are just upset Anti is still critically and commercially better received than their faves
Your devastating money quote about “stan Twitter” was worth the price of admission.
33:12 Finally, someone else who enjoyed Small Talk! As much as the music video is classic Katy-esque, the lyric video is just adorable that it's my go-to version visually.
Zach I just recently found your channel (and EOAS!) and I gotta say I’m obsessed, I could listen to you talk about pop girls and pop culture all day. Keep doing what you’re doing!
I'm a major lana stan, there is no other artist I love more. I got to see her live for the first time last month, an absolute dream of mine. I don't mind she is lazy in the way she performs, I actually 'love' that she doesn't sing the entire songs to let the crowd do it, because it's really moving to sing her songs with a whole world of other passionate fans. She only sang the chorus for West Coast, and let the fans sings everything before the chorus, and I loved that, because the crowd actually knows the lyrics and sang through it all. She does become repetitive in the setlist. I knew the Primavera Sound setlist was going to be the same as the Coachella minus the duets, and the only reasons why that didn't upset me were: (1) it was my first lana show; (2) I actually love the setlist; (3) her presence on stage was supreme.
In a livestream, Lana casually mentioned that she is neurodivergent. With this in mind, it makes sense that performing gets overwhelming. She considers herself a writer first, singer second.
Zack this video was a spill, after a spill, after a spill over a spill. No one is doing it like you, love your videos!
Glad you enjoyed it!
my grandfather knows every word to rihannas part in Love the Way You Lie. It is not possible to overstate her impact on pop culture. Even if she ONLY had the songs she featured on, she would be a legend. She owned the early 2010s
I agree that madison beer doesn't have a particular artistic identity but i'm sick of people who listened to 5 of her songs saying she does not well and is boring. I feel like people love to say that because she used to market herself as an influencer and is pretty so they think she is not legitimate in the industry. She did federated a community since her debut and is still around supporting her, her second record did well and brought new fans. Her songs lyrics are very specific and personal and that's why people stick around with her.
On socials and interviews she seems much more authentic and good in her intentions about music. I also hate seeing people compare her music to ari ?? why always compare female artists ? plus they have nothing to do but that one time she did a ponytail back in 2020 ?
Her music videos reflects her and her creativity and i do think she could try a little more on universes that inspires her like space or alice in wonderland and get out of the "pretty face and attitude" that makes her untouchable. But we should also stop expecting crazy insane visuals for pop female artists (not seeing the same complain for men).
her music does well, as well as her tours and has been fighting for years to make her debut the way she wanted, so i hate seeing people loving to criticize her. Maybe she doesn't want to have a more pushed aesthetic because it's not like her ? i find it very funny that the same people who criticize her for her "pretty" image are the ones slapping it on her and refuse to see her intentions.
Gracie Abrams sounds like a non copyright version of Taylor for retail stores
i can’t get through a Sunday without hearing Zak’s thoughtful analysis
Lana definitely cares about her music more than the fame which I salute her for
I'm a Barb had me dead on the floor 🤣💀
Lady Gaga and Katy Perry from 2009-2014 will not return and they must accept it, Harry Styles is not the most talented former member of One Direction, Olivia will always be related to Taylor even if she doesn't talk about her
Olivia is basically the Aristotle to Taylor's Plato. She is a scholar of Taylor Swift school of music.... She has been a swifty, has consumed and soaked in Taylor's music all her life as it spoke to her. First time I heard Driver's licence I was like OHHHH this is soo Taylor Swift but it's so Olivia at the same time. I love these two artists the most.
@@That_BrownGirl In my opinion Olivia is the fusion of Taylor and Avril, she has things from both and no matter how similar she is to Taylor I can't help but see them and think they are so similar but at the same time so different the difference is in the moment Avril enters into this , Taylor is Taylor and Olivia is Olivia but you will have people who say they are the same
harry may not be the most talented member (vocally maybe zayn) but he’s definitely the most famous for a reason
@@jvaleriarojas5167 PERIOD
My favorite part of Sunday is waking up late and putting on a swiftologist video as I clean ♥️
ZACHARY, YOU ARE FEEDING US
I feel like Katy Perry WAS one of THE pop girls of the 2010s but idk about now 😭
I'm sorry but "Woman's World" was so weak 😔 (and the fact that Dr. Luke produced this song is both ironic and problematic)
Amazing video, Zach! I absolutely adore your objective, pragmatic perspectives and love how you will always offer this rational when people are misogynistic and biased. What you said about Rihanna and Ariana 🫶🏻
I still have hope that one day, we'll see Britney return to music. I know she's said that shes done but Britney changes her mind all the time lol I think with time she'll want to release art again on her own terms. She's always dancing on insta because that's what makes her happy. Being a performer is inside her blood, I can't see her never returning for the rest of her life.
I am a huge Lana stan but when I say I dont enjoy her performances other stans attack me and praise her coachella show and I feel like being gaslighted 🙃
I agree. I’m a huge Lana Stan but wouldn’t pay that much again to see her live. It’s just not worth the half-assed performance
A moment of silence for the fact that Taylor performed imgonnagetyouback/dress without Zack being there and then proceeded to perform Holy ground the following day. Hope ur ok 😭
When it comes to Ariana's 'cheating scandal', on one hand, I think it's not misogyny to call out people who happen to be women for bad behaviour and the romanticised image of The Other Girl is harmful to women. On the other though, I've never heard of a man being called a homewrecker.
Ariana is a witch, ruining two people's relationship in the way she did is evil. I watched a video on it a while back, a homewrecker is the perfect description.
@@BradleyWynnehow can someone ruin two other peoples relationship be serious. is ethan just a helpless little puppy with no choice but to follow her
@@diya-hn2wy I was given a clear account of what happened, Ariana contributed to the ruination of a relationship and that's not acceptable, of course Ethan isn't innocent either but Ariana is a homewrecker, that's a fact!
Individual people ruin couples' relationships all the time, be serious.
@@BradleyWynne weird take. if the relationship is real you can’t wreck it if you try!
I love your commentary on pop culture. I think you have something original to say and that’s refreshing. I know you are not asking for ideas for your content, so this is just something I would love to see from you: a series on “why there will never going to be a new X”. For example, a new Britney, a new Taylor, a new Lana, a new Avril, a new Amy Winehouse, a new Gaga. Every time a new pop girl comes out the comparisons are inevitable. But these pop queens are unique. They have something special that no one can emulate. If you start with Britney.. gosh it would be so iconic. Britney is the blueprint for so much of what we have today
Love your content! Please do a ranking of ALL the pop girlies, even the ones you don’t like, twice: First subjectively (your opinion) and then based on what they brought to pop culture!🙏🙏🙏🫶❤️
interesting idea!
@@theswiftologist thanks!✨
Love this idea!
@@HMA16 thanks ✨
I highly disagree about the Melanie Martinez comment.
She is well rated, and if people don’t get it it’s okay. But she makes beautiful music about tragic topics, and there is a lot to get. I don’t like Taylor’s music, but I think she is an amazing artist. So is Melanie, she puts a lot into her work, and it’s well deserved. I would appreciate if you looked more into her music tho!