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[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2013)]]
One thing to note is that some of these songs may not even make it on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_2013 Billboard Year End Top 100 Singles chart]], or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_in_American_music#Top_hits_on_record reached the Top 20 at any point during the year]]. Unless he changes his criteria again, if a song doesn't make it on the end year chart or in the Top 20 at all, it will more than likely only make it in his honorable/dishonorable mentions (if he even decides to show those).
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Feel This Moment" by Pitbull & Christina Aguilera
** Confirmed #3.
* "[[Music/OneDirection One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)]]" by One Direction: In his review of "Best Song Ever", he calls Teenage Kicks a butchering of a [[Music/BlondieBand classic song]].
** Jossed.
* An Austin Mahone song if it makes the list (which it probably won't), possibly with a comment along the lines of "If there's anything worse than [[Music/JustinBieber Bieber]], it's a Bieber ripoff."
** Jossed; Mahone didn't even crack the Top 20.
* "#thatPOWER" by will.i.am & Justin Bieber: Todd hates both [[Music/TheBlackEyedPeas will.i.am]] and Bieber, although the hate for the latter is starting to wane as he becomes more irrelevant.
** Confirmed #2 solely for will.i.am.
* Either "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus or "Come And Get It" by Selena Gomez (or very likely both).
** Selena was knocked off the Top 10 by Passenger, while Miley was spared from the Worst list for being interesting(ly bad) in an otherwise boring pop year.
** As for We Can't Stop, in November 2014, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/532311793541341184 he said on Twitter that he hadn't realized just how bad the song was]]. He had people replying saying it maybe should have been on the list, but [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/532314859333885954 he responded saying maybe he should have]].
* "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus: Todd admitted that the song had potential to be good if it was given to a more talented singer and producer; however, Miley's bad girl baggage, blandness and emotional insincerity drag the song down, making it a contender for the "Worst of 2013" list.
** Jossed.
* "Cruise (Remix)" by Florida Georgia Line & Nelly: In the review, he mentions that the original version was a finalist for the "Worst of 2012" list for its bro-douchiness, so it will likely make the "Worst of 2013" list.
** Confirmed #9.
* "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys
** Jossed.
* If "Fine China" and/or "Beat It" by Chris Brown somehow make the year-end list, [[Music/ChrisBrown one of them will probably make it.]] "Love More" has charted much and has the added sin of a Music/NickiMinaj guest verse.
** Surprisingly jossed, considering Todd hates Chris Brown.
* "Harlem Shake" by Baauer: He mentioned that he "(didn't) want to even dignify" the fact that it had been the number one song and had been chart-blocking "Thrift Shop" and "Suit and Tie", especially for being the first chart-topper ever ''officially'' decided by Website/YouTube. ("Gangnam Style" charted thanks to iTunes sales; "Harlem Shake" happened because Billboard started taking Website/YouTube views into account.)
** Confirmed honorable mention.
*** "... I don't get it."
* "Work Bitch" by Britney Spears: A terrible song by [[Music/BritneySpears an artist]] that Todd thinks is past her prime. Also, the song was written and produced by will.i.am, and Todd already hated two prior collaborations between will.i.am and Britney, so the third time won't likely be the charm.
** Jossed, despite the presence of will.i.am.
* "Holy Grail" by Jay Z & Justin Timberlake: His review ravaged it, calling it the 2013 version of "Lighters", and he called it terrible on Twitter.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Gentleman" by PSY: Hated it as a follow up to Gangnam Style.
** Jossed.
* "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia: Mentioned in the "Feel This Moment" review that he can't stand most electronica/dance songs, showing this one specifically. Made even more evident in his Twitter when he described DJ Earworm's usage of the song in [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/410187788412133376 the year's mash-up as a criminal act.]]
** Jossed.
* "Fucking Problems" by ASAP Rocky
** Jossed.
* "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy: Mentioned his hate for it on Twitter. Adding to it, despite Todd stating he's a rock guy at heart, and admitting to liking some of the band's songs during his retrospect, the song is more pop-oriented and even the chorus follows TheFourChordsOfPop, which is rather ironic, considering the title of Music/FallOutBoy's latest album is called '''''Save Rock and Roll'''''.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Here's to Never Growing Up" by Avril Lavigne: Similar to "We Can't Stop", in that he called it a party song that didn't sound remotely enjoyable, but rather sad. Also, one of the song's writers was [[Music/{{Nickelback}} Kroeger the Ogre]].
** Jossed.
* "Started From the Bottom" by Drake: Thought it was incredibly boring and said that Drake sucks at singing about how grateful he is to have been so successful.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Rap God" by Eminem: Possibly solely for how homophobic it is.
** Jossed.
* "23" by Mike-Will Made It ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J: A materialistic rap song about expensive sneakers and smoking weed. The only thing more obnoxious than Miley's singing is her rapping.
** Jossed.
* "Roar" by Katy Perry: Mentioned in his 2013 [=VMAs=] video blog that he doesn't care for the song and calls the song boring during the "Applause" review. On Twitter, he calls "Roar" a worthless song which gets worse and worse with each successive listening. This all but assures its inclusion on the "Worst of 2013" list.
** Todd has declared "Roar" to be his #1 least favorite hit song of 2013. Better yet, though not mentioned directly, it's comparable to his #1 least favorite hit song of 2011, Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight, Tonight", citing the "bad as the absence of good" argument.
* "That's My Kind of Night" by Luke Bryan: This gives him the chance to explain how generic he is. The song is also a fairly smug, mainstream country song that Todd has mentioned not liking in the "Cruise (Remix)" video. Todd later confirmed his hatred of Luke Bryan on Twitter.
** Mentioned, but jossed as he found the song at least interestingly bad.
* "Stay" by Rihanna: He's sick of Rihanna and he called the song boring in his "Thrift Shop"/"Suit and Tie" video.
** Jossed, but it was used as the piano intro.
* "Crazy Kids" by Ke$ha: While Todd likes the more refined Ke$ha, this isn't a particularly "crazy" dance song, and some versions have the horrible addition of a will.i.am guest verse, sounding almost exactly as he does on "Scream and Shout."
** Jossed.
* "Twerk" by Lil Twist ft. Justin Bieber & Miley Cyrus: The song hasn't charted; however, it'll likely get mentioned since Todd hates Music/JustinBieber, Music/MileyCyrus, and anyone on the Young Money label who's not Music/LilWayne, Music/{{Drake}}, and Music/NickiMinaj.
** Jossed.
* "Chinese Food" by Alison Gold: It only charted at #29 for one week; however, it may get a mention since it was made by the same studio who made Music/{{Friday}}. He did mention on Twitter that unlike Friday, in which Music/RebeccaBlack had no idea what she was getting into, Alison Gold made the song bad on purpose, attempting to ''become'' the next Music/RebeccaBlack.
** Jossed.
* "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift: Mentioned in the "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together" review that it was the worst Music/TaylorSwift song he had ever heard.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
** Also used as bumper music in between songs. Todd initially later had to change this to generic dance music due to copyright policies, but the original bumper music has since been reinstated.
* "Everybody's Got Somebody but Me" by Hunter Hayes & Jason Mraz: Both Music/HunterHayes and Music/JasonMraz have made appearances on previous "Worst of" lists, the former with "Wanted" in 2012 and the latter with "I'm Yours" in 2009, so a collaboration between the two will not likely sit well with Todd. This song didn't chart that high on the Hot 100 chart in 2013, so it may only make dishonorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Just Give Me A Reason" by P!nk & Nate Ruess: Called it out as being boring in the "Feel This Moment" review and called it "unmemorable" in a tweet. Like "Holy Grail", he'll declare it extra-disappointing as it comes from people who normally have talent (Nate Ruess at least). Additionally, Creator/MarcMues [[InsaneTrollLogic loves it, and the two of them tend to have very opposite tastes in pop, so whatever Mues loves, it's likely Todd will hate.]]
** Jossed.
* "Scream and Shout" by will.i.am & Britney Spears: Even though it's already on the "Worst of 2012" list, and Todd retroactively bumped its ranking up two spots from #5 to #3, he contemplated on putting it on the "Worst of 2013" list to emphasize how bad it is.
** Confirmed honorable mention, although he was unsure if it should have gone on the list proper.
* "Cups (When I'm Gone)" by Anna Kendrick: Todd made several tweets expressing his extreme dislike for Film/PitchPerfect, comparing it to Series/{{Glee}}, a show he does not like. This may hurt his opinion on the song itself, as while he can find songs he likes in movies he doesn't like (ie Film/DirtyDancing with "(I Had) The Time of My Life"), he does not tend to like music similar to Series/{{Glee}}.
** Jossed.
* "Let Her Go" by Passenger: Todd made a few tweets expressing his dislike for the song, calling it a "laughingly bad attempt at songwriting" and even saying that it was "making a late case for being included on the annual worst list". He later calls the song "[[Music/{{Poison}} Every Rose Has Its Thorn]]", minus the charm.
** Confirmed #10, for being from [[SarcasmMode Todd's favorite genre]], the "White Guy with an Acoustic Guitar" as well as having TheFourChordsOfPop.
* "Marry Me" by Jason Derulo: Todd very much doesn't like Jason Derulo, especially in songs in which Derulo overuses his vocals and adds incredibly obvious autotune.
** Jossed. During his review of "Talk Dirty", Todd stated that he wasn't even aware that Derulo had any Top 40 hits after 2010.
* "Demons" by Imagine Dragons: His review called it a terrible, boring sell-out song. In the review and on Twitter, Todd calls Music/ImagineDragons a musical draft bust, having high hopes for the band, but they end up sorely disappointing.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons: Further expanding on his disappointment in Imagine Dragons, Todd states he didn't really like "Radioactive", stating that it wore out on him pretty quick, not helped by the fact that it persisted on the Billboard Top 100 for the ''entire year''.
** Jossed.
* "Sail" by Awolnation: On Twitter, Todd does not understand how or why "Sail" got popular. Similar to "Radioactive", he has likely grown tired of the song's overplay, not helped by its longevity on the Hot 100 chart.
** Jossed.
* "Heart Attack" by Demi Lovato: Todd has shown his disdain for Disney's pop princesses (Miley, Selena, etc.), and he might add it solely for the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40cxXdKxE5M first 10 seconds]], similar to the inclusion of Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam's "Head to Toe" on the "Worst of 1987" list. He also called it unmemorable in a tweet.
** Jossed.
* "Beauty and a Beat" by Justin Bieber & Nicki Minaj: '''BIEEEEEEEEEEBERRRRRRR''' with Nicki Minaj. That would normally be enough, but Todd also mentioned in the "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together" review that this song has stupid lyrics, specifically, "We gonna party like it's 3012 tonight."
** Jossed.
* "I Want Crazy" by Hunter Hayes: A song by HunterHayes, who made Todd's "Worst of 2012" list, in which, despite the title, Hayes continues his false good boy schtick, with there being nothing "crazy" about the song whatsoever.
** Jossed.
* "Daylight" by Maroon 5: Todd does not like Music/{{Maroon 5}}, calls the song boring during the "Suit & Tie"/"Thrift Shop" review, and called it their worst song on Twitter.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "U.O.E.N.O" by Rocko ft. Future & Rick Ross: Besides that this song's beat is very disjointed with the lyrics and that the song is yet another "bling and bitches" anthem that Todd is tired of, there's also the fact that Music/RickRoss, an artist that Todd has mentioned not liking in the "Party Rock Anthem" review, has the very controversial, rapey lyrics that have unfortunately become a running gag in his reviews.
** Jossed.
* "Pour It Up" by Rihanna: Todd's sick of Music/{{Rihanna}}, especially when she does songs with repetitive lyrics.
** Jossed.
* "Accidental Racist" by Brad Paisley & LL Cool J: The song wasn't a hit, but its misguided message, poor execution, and its long run-time will probably get another mention from Todd, bonus points if WebVideo/TheRapCritic returns to debate argue again.
** Confirmed honorable mention...for his ''best'' list (albeit sarcastically).
* "Boys 'Round Here" by Blake Shelton: A smug, mainstream country song that fits the bill to country songs Todd doesn't like.
** Mentioned, but jossed; Todd said it was too silly to hate.
* "Get Your Shine On" by Florida Georgia Line: Todd called Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine an awful group on Twitter; however, "Cruise" was the bigger of their two Hot 100 hits, so this one may only make the dishonorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Bugatti" by Ace Hood ft. Future & Rick Ross: Todd hates most songs whose subject matter is about material wealth, and this is yet another "bling and bitches" rap song, this time talking about waking up in a ultra-rare and ultra-expensive supercar.
** Jossed.
* "Lolly" by Maejor Ali & Justin Bieber: Once again, BIEEEEBEERRRR!!!!!
** Jossed.
* "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry: Todd went on a Twitter rant about how Katy's incorrect pronunciation of the word bothers him.
** Jossed.
* "Sweater Weather" by the Neighborhood: Todd tweeted that he didn't like the slow part of the song.
** Jossed for the worst list; it made #10 on the best list, with Todd calling it as the winner of the "fluke indie hit sweepstakes". However, Todd did state that the song would have charted higher on his best list if it weren't for the slow part.
* "Don't Drop That Thun Thun" by the Finatticz
** Jossed.
* "Gas Pedal" by Sage the Gemini
** Jossed.
* "22" by Taylor Swift: Todd compared it to the Music/KidzBop version of "[[Music/{{Kesha}} Tik Tok]]". When you're comparing something to Kidz Bop, you ''know'' it's bad.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey: Todd has made several tweets discussing his dislike for Music/LanaDelRey.
** Jossed; however, it was used as the end-of-video stinger.
* "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars: In Todd's love/hate relationship with Music/BrunoMars, he hates Bruno's melodrama, and calls this particular song boring.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
** Confirmed at #8.
* "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams: All but confirmed by his adoration of it in the "Blurred Lines" review, as well as several adoring mentions on Twitter. It's likely the prime candidate for his top song of the year, as Todd exclaims that it was the song he was waiting for all summer and wanted it to be a number one hit.
** Confirmed, as #1 even.
* "Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake
** Jossed. Todd actually ''doesn't'' like the song, calling it "really egotistical" on Twitter.
* "Suit and Tie" by Justin Timberlake & Jay Z
** Confirmed #5.
* "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton: Maybe more likely than "Thrift Shop", which he seemed to like more as a statement than as a song.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Treasure" by Bruno Mars: All but confirmed by his admiration for it in the "Blurred Lines" review, as well as his admiration for it on Twitter.
** Confirmed #2.
* "I Love It" by Icona Pop ft Charli XCX, if only because of the pun he could make in the introduction: "Some people might not like this song. But I don't care. ...I love it." (Cue riff)
** At the very least, if he doesn't put it on the proper list, it could work as the credits song for the Best of list. - Confirmed as end of episode stinger
* "Same Love" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft Mary Lambert: Mentioned liking it in his 2013 [=VMAs=] blog. That being said, he wasn't exactly crazy about it, saying it didn't have incredibly strong rhymes, so it might make his honorable mentions. Again, possibly more as a statement than a song.
** Jossed.
* "Royals" by Lorde: Todd has a track record of loving indie sounding songs, and he's mentioned it positively on Twitter, comparing it to "Thrift Shop". It is also comparable to [[Music/{{Gotye}} Gotye's]] "Somebody That I Used To Know", as Todd calls "Royals" an "anti-pop" song and hates any remix which ruins the song's appeal by trying to make it sound more pop. Todd might end up respecting the song more than actually liking it, but it still has a good chance of making the best list.
** Confirmed honorable mention. Todd said that he liked the song more for what it ''isn't'' than than what it is, and said he liked Lorde much better than Lana Del Rey.
* "Best Song Ever" by One Direction: It might make it on the list. And he will feel even more humiliated than he did in the review.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Carry On" by fun.: Back in the "We Are Young"/"Somebody That I Used to Know" review, he mentioned that he really enjoyed the other Music/{{Fun}} songs he listened too.
** Jossed.
* "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake: Todd likes Drake, especially in songs in which Drake doesn't brag. However, it's somewhat similar to "Find Your Love", which may not impress Todd (as much or otherwise).
** Jossed, it made his worst honorable mentions. He said he likes when Drake goes R&B, but was creeped out by the title and the repeating line, "You're a good girl and you know it."
* "Bad" by Wale
** Jossed.
* "Gone" by Kanye West: He will comment that he's technically not breaking his rules since it did chart, even if the song is eight years old and charted from a viral video.
** Why not include "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi then? It reached #25 solely based on hits.
** Ultimately jossed.
* "Survival" by Eminem: Eminem and rock music? Sounds like Todd will love it.
** Jossed.
* "Clarity" by Zedd ft. Foxes: He'll say it did right what Titanium got wrong. It's also comparable to "Just Dance" and "DJ Got Us Falling In Love"
** Todd mentioned in his Twitter that "Clarity" is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/411593689245290497 easily his favorite EDM song of 2013]], however the main chorus confuses him. Perhaps, similar to "Good Time" not making the 2012 list due to Music/OwlCity referencing Music/{{Prince}}, it will go on his honorable mentions. Though, if he manages to figure it out, it might still make the list.
** During the "Worst of 2013" retrospect, Todd admitted he doesn't hate EDM outright, but stated that EDM's repetitiveness hurts itself, which largely turns Todd off from the genre.
** Ultimately, the song is confirmed as a honorable mention.
* "The Way" or "Baby I" by Ariana Grande: His joking about Nickelodeon child stars has to be building up to something.
** "The Way" made the honorable mentions.
* "Applause" by Lady Gaga: Todd admits that the pop world ''needs'' Music/LadyGaga, and he enjoys the song for its high energy in an otherwise boring pop landscape; however, the song's narcissistic lyrics and critic bashing may keep it off the "Best of 2013" list. In the "Holy Grail" review, however, he states that he owes Lady Gaga a huge apology after "Holy Grail" turned out to be a big time disappointment.
** Jossed, though that doesn't mean Lady Gaga is off the list, as "Do What U Want" was included at #4.
* "Safe and Sound" by Capital Cities: Todd has a history of liking indie rock songs that make the pop charts.
** Confirmed honorable mention; however, Todd stated if "Kangaroo Court" had been a hit, it would have made the best list.
* "Say Something" by A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera: Todd might like a song where Music/ChristinaAguilera doesn't oversing, if he doesn't find it boring which is a possibility.
** Jossed; he doesn't like it. On Twitter, Todd didn't say it was awful, but he said it was "a goddamn waste of time."
* "Brave" by Sara Bareilles: Assuming Todd doesn't dismiss the song as boring, he might say Music/SaraBareilles did everything right on "Brave" whereas Music/KatyPerry got everything wrong on "Roar".
** Jossed; however, he states on Twitter and his 2014 Grammys v-log that he thinks that Sara Bareilles is okay.
* "Counting Stars" by [=OneRepublic=]: His review called it good, as well as exciting[[note]]Todd admitted the song was not great; however, he stated that it was certainly better than most pop music he got in 2013, and he called it [=OneRepublic=]'s first good song[[/note]]. Todd also mentions that this song got [=OneRepublic=] off his shit list, and later admits that some of their earlier songs grew on him. Maybe not enough to make the "Best of 2013" list, but given the boring state of pop music in 2013, it has a solid shot.
** Jossed.
* "#Beautiful" by Mariah Carey & Miguel: Ignoring the awkward hashtag, Todd mentioned in the "Glitter" review that he is a fan of Music/MariahCarey. Perhaps he thinks that the song is sincere enough to make it on the list, or at least get a mention.
** Confirmed at #9.
* "Burn" by Ellie Goulding: He liked "Lights", so he might like Music/EllieGoulding's followup.
** Jossed.
* "Gangnam Style" by PSY: Even though it peaked in 2012, it did make the Billboard Year End Top 100 for 2013 (#55), and Todd only gave it an honorable mention in his "Best of 2012" list. Given the lack of interesting songs from 2013, it might make the "Best of" List proper this year.
** However, he tweeted that "Gangnam Style" has irrevocably altered Americans' image of South Korea, calling the country "a futuristic techno-world with all of Japan's weirdness and none of its history".
** Ultimately jossed.
* "Crazy Kids" by Kesha might make his honorable mentions but will likely not make the list because of the will.i.am verse, similar to how Music/ChrisBrown kept "International Love" off of the 2012 list.
** Jossed.
* "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus could also make his honorable mentions since he said that he appreciated The VMA performance because it was interesting and the song may have grew on him like "Gangnam Style".
** Jossed.
* "Power Trip" by J. Cole: Todd mentioned on Twitter that he likes J. Cole.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way (such as SoBadItsGood songs)]]
* "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell Williams and T.I.: Todd admitted that the song was only mediocre compared to Music/DaftPunk's "Get Lucky" and Music/BrunoMars' "Treasure". While Todd enjoys the loose and funky beat of the song, he does has problems with the boring music video and the rapey undertones of the lyrics. Confirmed as a worst honorable mention.
** In a later Tweet, Todd withdrew his approval of Pharrell's "Woo!", and called it annoying, and picked apart a few lyrics he didn't like that he didn't cover in the review. More than likely though, it will not be on either of his lists, as in a tweet he stated "Rarely has a song been so easy to like, and so easy to dislike."
** Due to the above comment, Todd may do a switch up and put "Blurred Lines" as an honorable mention as well, listing the positives of the song. (Jossed, Todd said he hates it more every time he hears it)
* "Wake Me Up" by Avicii: Todd might praise Aloe Blacc's vocals; however, he said on Twitter that the novelty of the song, a folk-sounding EDM song, wore off quickly.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say)" by Ylvis: He hated "Disco Duck" which is a pretty good comparison. He also dubbed it "The musical equivalent of someone making fart noises into their hands" in the "Wrecking Ball" review. On Twitter, he initially didn't know what the "joke" of the song was or why it was supposed to be funny; however, he later tweeted that the song works best a children's book after receiving [[http://www.amazon.com/What-Does-Fox-Say-Ylvis/dp/1481422235 the book]] as a Christmas present.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Love Somebody" by Maroon 5: While Todd put Music/{{Maroon 5}} (more specifically, Creator/AdamLevine) on his shit list with "One More Night" on the "Worst of 2012" list, he did mention on Twitter that this song reminded him of a functional product, a statement so vague that it could definitely go either way.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Downtown" by Lady Antebellum: Todd likes Music/LadyAntebellum to an extent; however, Todd only likes ''real'' country songs (songs about misery, heartbreak and regret) and not the more [[Music/TaylorSwift teenybopper pandering]] and [[Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine bro-douchey]] mainstream fare of late.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Timber" by Pitbull & Kesha: The song is a decent dance song and is fairly fast-paced, complete with a harmonica, which is something different for dance songs as of late. In the "Wrecking Ball" review, Todd also mentioned that he was willing to welcome Music/{{Kesha}} back to liven up a boring pop scene. Ke$ha is also back to her more refined nature like she was in "Die Young", probably helped by the fact that she only sings the chorus. Todd doesn't completely hate Music/{{Pitbull}} either, as he called "International Love" a guilty pleasure of his in the "Best of 2012" honorable mentions, and he didn't mind "Don't Stop the Party".
** However, Todd usually finds Pitbull to be stupid and repetitive, and Kesha's valley-girl nature wears on him. Also in the song, Pitbull compares women he likes to Music/MileyCyrus, which, given what Miley did at the 2013 Video Music Awards with Music/RobinThicke (in which Todd compared to ''Film/TheHumanCentipede''), could easily be marked as a stupid Pitbull line that hurts the song, similar to Music/OwlCity referencing Prince in "Good Time".
*** He said he doesn't despise it, but there's no reason to listen to more than once.
*** But as a bonus, it was used as the piano intro for his Worst of 2014 list.
* "Berzerk" by Eminem: Todd mentioned his fanboyism for Music/{{Eminem}} (during Eminem's early career, at least before the "Encore" album) back in the "Lighters" review, and this song was Eminem's big foray to go back to the basics of his first few albums. However, Todd may still not like it, as he hasn't been impressed with Eminem in recent years, especially when Eminem made ''two'' spots on his "Worst of 2011" list. Todd said on Twitter that while the song wasn't great, it was nice to see Eminem had regained his mojo. Its chances seem pretty good for the best list proper or as an honorable mention.
** Confirmed as an honorable mention in a tweet, but it was cut for time.
* "Troublemaker" by Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida: On one hand, he puts it on his best list, followed by him apologizing that Flo Rida made his list again, even if just as a featured artist. On the other hand, Flo Rida. Also, Olly Murs sounds a bit like Creator/AdamLevine, who Todd does not like.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "The Monster" by Eminem & Rihanna: As previously mentioned, Eminem is a very divisive artist for Todd, and Todd is tired of Rihanna putting out music almost nonstop. He may also take a moment to discuss the song's UnfortunateImplications, which might get cut off before he can go into full-on analytical mode just like what happened in his "S&M" review.
** Jossed for both lists, but played on the piano in the intro of the Best of List. He later tweeted that "The Monster" is "Holy Grail" with a pulse, fixing most of the problems Todd had with the latter. While he said "The Monster" wasn't bad, he admitted it wasn't his favorite.
* "Carolina" by Parmalee: He may not even hate the song, but it might make dishonorable mentions just for him to ask what Carolina feels like.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "I Need Your Love" by Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding: He liked Ellie Goulding's "Lights" but said that Calvin Harris ruined 2013...
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Body Party" by Ciara: Todd said that "Goodies" wasn't that bad when [[WebVideo/BennettTheSage Sage]] asked why it wasn't on his "Worst of 2004" list. However, "Body Party" was produced by Mike [=WiLL=] Made It, one of the people responsible for "We Can't Stop" and his #5 worst song of 2013: "(Bitches) Love Me".
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Mama's Broken Heart" by Miranda Lambert, although there is no evidence that Todd likes or dislikes MirandaLambert, this song may make the list because it fits Todd's model of miserable country like "Need You Now" did.
** Jossed on both lists.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2014)]]
As with previous years, Todd's prerequisite for including a song on the Best or Worst List is that the song in question must either make the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_2014 2014 Billboard Year-End Hot 100]] singles list OR peak in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_in_American_music#Top_hits_on_record Hot 100's Top 20]] during 2014.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Team" by Lorde
** Jossed.
* "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. Todd compared Pharrell to Music/CeeLoGreen who had his number one song of 2011. Also, he said on Twitter that he wasn't sick of it as of April and he compared it to Stevie Wonder, whereas "All of Me" was "Three Times a Lady."
** Confirmed #9.
* "Pompeii" by Bastille. In his review, his said that he liked it, even though he thought it was silly, which means it might be regulated to honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Ain't It Fun" by Music/{{Paramore}}: It fits the mold of a retro track that have dominated Todd's lists.
** Confirmed #5.
* "Counting Stars" by [=OneRepublic=]: Todd gave a fairly positive review of the song, but it didn't make his "Best of 2013" list; however, the song has persisted in the Top 20 for most of the first half of 2014.
** Jossed.
* "Sing" by Ed Sheeran: On Twitter, Todd called the song the best Music/JustinTimberlake song on the radio currently. He later calls the song a Flight of the Conchords song in disguise. Another thing in the song's favor is that it was written and produced by Pharrell, a singer/songwriter/producer Todd likes. Given the aforementioned factors as well as his opinion of Ed Sheeran softening, it has a good shot of making his best list.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Boom Clap" by Charli XCX: He had some praise for her in his "Fancy" review.
** Confirmed #2, and was going to be #1 before Uptown Funk came along.
* "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne: He compared it to "Wake Me Up" on Twitter, calling it a better attempt at a "folktronica" song. He later also tweeted that it was "just fantastic".
** Confirmed #3.
* "Latch" by Disclosure ft. Music/SamSmith: He mentioned that he liked the song on Twitter.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "La La La" by Naughty Boy ft. Music/SamSmith. Said he liked it even more than "Latch."
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Lips Are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor. It has the throwback style of "All About That Bass" without the [[UnfortunateImplications Unfortunate Implications]].
** Jossed.
* "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars. Said on Twitter that it was possibly Bruno's best song and that it compared favorably to Maroon Five's song (presumably Animals).
** Likely confirmed, given the end of the "Blank Space" review. It could even be his #1 pick.
*** Confirmed #1.
* "Cool Kids" by Echosmith: They seem like a likely candidate for the "fluke indie hit sweepstakes".
** Jossed.
* "Love Me Harder" by Music/ArianaGrande and The Weeknd. Todd said it was her best song out right now, but he hated The Weeknd's part which may put it at the bottom of the list or as an honorable mention.
** Confirmed #10. He even stated on Twitter that it was a very late addition and saved the list from not making it to ten.
* "Drunk on a Plane" by Dierks Bentley. The song fits what Todd said country should be about: a depressing song about drinking, but it also has a happy beat.
** Jossed.
* "Lifestyle" by Rich Gang, despite being another "bling and bitches" rap he said on Twitter that he liked the song. This may end up being the I Cry/Best Song Ever of 2014.
** Stated on Twitter that he meant to include it as an honorable mention in the Best of video, but forgot to add it.
* "Don't" by Ed Sheeran
** Confirmed #7.
* "Amnesia" by 5 Seconds Of Summer: He said the song was not bad on Twitter. Might make his honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "The Heart Wants What It Wants" by Music/SelenaGomez: He said that he liked the song, but it would be better suited for someone else, which means it might make honorable mentions if it doesn't lose points for being about Bieber.
** Jossed.
* "2 On" by Tinashe. He called it the best DJ Mustard song on Twitter.
** Jossed.
* "Heroes (We Could Be)" by Alesso feat. Tove Lo. Sure, it's EDM, but "Clarity" was an honorable mention for 2013. "Heroes" has a shot, especially since its chorus, unlike "Clarity"'s, makes sense.
** Jossed; didn't qualify anyway.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Drunk in Love" by Beyonce and Music/JayZ: Todd strongly dislikes Beyonce and he said that the Grammy performance was abysmal.
** Jossed.
* "Dark Horse" by Music/KatyPerry ft. Juicy J: Todd has said that he absolutely despises this song, as well as Katy Perry's output from the ''Prism'' album. He called the song a worse version of "E.T", another song that Todd didn't like from her. In the review of the song, Todd claims that Katy can't pull off the "female, man-destroyer power fantasy", like Beyonce, citing "Irreplaceable" as an example.
** Confirmed as a dishonorable mention, although Todd seemed disappointed for not being able to add it to the list proper.
* "This is How We Roll" by Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine and Music/LukeBryan: This song seems destined to be on his list due to the unholy alliance of the two worst things to ever happen to country music. Even worse, there's a remix featuring Jason Derulo.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors: Todd immediately dismissed the band on Twitter, calling them Imagine Dragons wannabes. Given that Todd's opinion of Imagine Dragons soured in 2013, "Best Day of My Life" is leaning towards the worst list.
** Jossed, but interestingly, it was used as the piano intro for the best list.
* "#selfie" by The Chainsmokers: In the review, Todd states that the song doesn't even meet the already low standards for a viral novelty song. Unlike PSY's "Gangnam Style", Baauer's "Harlem Shake", Ylvis' "The Fox", or even Rebecca Black's "Friday", all of which became accidental hits by word of mouth, Todd calls "#selfie" AstroTurf, commenting that the song was "carefully packaged and promoted behind the scenes to look like a viral meme", as noted by the presence of Snoop Dogg and David Hasslehoff. If the song gets mentioned at all, it will likely only make the dishonorable mentions due to it being a minor entry in the Hot 100, dropping off fairly quickly after peaking at #16.
** Confirmed #2, mostly for being an UnintentionalPeriodPiece.
* "Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo ft. [=2Chainz=]: He called it horrible and offensive to possibly everyone. However, In the "Wiggle" review, he called it probably his favorite Derulo song [[note]]To add to that, in his Worst Hit Songs of 2011 video, he said that a lot of songs start to sound better after he reviews them, so this may have been an example of such[[/note]]. More specifically, he liked the beat to the song; however, the criticism of Derulo's voice, lyrics, and personality as well as the song's apparent racism still stands, so it will likely make his dishonorable mentions.
** Mentioned during "Trumpets", but ultimately jossed.
* "All of Me" by John Legend: He called the song uninteresting on Twitter. In the review, Todd said that the song is nowhere near the worst song he's ever heard, but he feels that it's John Legend's weakest song, possibly making it a dishonorable mention.
** Confirmed as a dishonorable mention.
* "Play It Again" by Music/LukeBryan: After "That's My Kind of Night" avoided the list last year, an even worse song makes it.
** Jossed.
* "Bottoms Up" by Brantley Gilbert: Yet another bro-country song, to which Todd has shown his disdain for.
** Jossed.
* "Loyal" by Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Too Short, French Montana OR Tyga: Yet another disgusting, misogynistic, and materialistic rap song from two of Todd's least favorite rappers. However, in his "Just a Friend" episode, he seemed more amused by it than anything.
** Confirmed #3, mostly for Lil Wayne.
* "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX: He mentioned his dislike of it on Twitter, and his review was very unsupportive. However, he did give Charli XCX some praise, with Todd hoping that she would become the bigger name. But at the same time, Todd said he thought Justin Bieber's chorus in #thatPOWER didn't sound too bad, but then when will.i.am came in it took the penultimate slot on his list, so it's not likely that Charli will save this one much, if at all.
** Mentioned during "Black Widow", but ultimately jossed. He mentioned that it at least had a hook and Charli XCX did indeed save it from the list.
* "Wiggle" by Jason Derulo ft. Snoop Dogg: Not even the power of Snoop can salvage a song with Jason Derulo as the lead artist. On Twitter, Todd simply said "Oh God why why why". In the review, although Todd stated that he loved Snoop Dogg, and Snoop is basically untouchable this late in his career, he admitted that the Snoop Dogg "brand" is not a seal of quality. Hell, the description for the the video calls it, "The worst song of the ''decade''."
** Confirmed #1.
* "Summer" or "Blame" by Calvin Harris: Todd hates Calvin Harris' brand of EDM. A recent tweet basically guaranteed a spot for Harris on the list.
** Jossed.
* "Me and My Broken Heart" by Rixton. He called it a detestable Maroon 5 wannabe on Twitter. Also, the ripoff of Rob Thomas' "Lonely No More" could count against Rixton. A later tweet compared them to Hot Chelle Rae, Todd's least favorite group back in 2011.
** Confirmed as a dishonorable mention.
* "Rude" by MAGIC!: He said he hated the song on Twitter, and that the video made him hate it even more. Todd will likely call it the biggest example of cod reggae since Maroon 5's "One More Night". In the review, even though he said that he saw the storytelling in the song as a colossal misfire, he said that he doesn't necessarily consider it that bad. However, it could still make dishonorable mentions.
** Ultimately jossed. He said the song won't make the worst list because it was too upbeat.
* "Am I Wrong?" by Nico & Vinz: Todd stated on Twitter that he hates the way the narrator treats the girl in the song. A theme like that is not something you'd want to sympathize with.
** Used as the ending song for both the best and the worst list.
* "Don't Tell 'Em" by Jeremih ft. YG: Jeremih now has a third Top 10 hit, and he made Todd's worst lists in 2009 and 2011, so a three-peat is likely. He also called it gross on Twitter and later called Jeremih a poor man's Derulo.
** Mentioned during "Show Me" and later confirmed as a dishonorable mention.
* "Hot Nigga" by Bobby Shmurda: It's another cliched, generic rap song that Todd usually dislikes. Aside from that, it contains a line in which Shmurda proclaims "Free [[Music/ChrisBrown Breezy]], ho." That is almost guaranteed to not go over well with Todd.
** Jossed
* "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift: T-Swizzle was a rather polarizing artist for Todd, especially with her recent divergence from country-pop to outright pop; however, this is yet another song produced by Max Martin which abuses the [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]]. Todd gave the song a very negative review, called Taylor a major sellout, and admitted that he felt like a chump for defending her in the past. "Shake It Off" could very well end up as Todd's top pick for the worst hit song of the year, using the "bad as the absence of good" argument. He said in his "Blank Space" review that that song made him hate this one even more. That basically all but guarantees it a spot on his list.
** Despite him hating the song, Todd wanted to keep it off the worst list for being happy and upbeat but ultimately confirmed #9 for sounding like a jazzercise video.
* "Trumpets" by Jason Derulo: Todd loathes Derulo, and this song is filled with awful pickup lines ("Is it weird that your ass reminds me of a Kanye West song?"), something Todd hates.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Maps" and/or "Animals" by Maroon 5: He hates Maroon 5 and Adam Levine, so one or possibly both could show up. Not helping either songs' case is Levine's high-pitched AutoTune wailing.
** "Animals" confirmed #10.
* "Take Me To Church" by Hozier: He said he didn't like the song at all on Twitter, equating it to something people in the 60s would take way too seriously.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "My Nigga" by YG ft. Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan: Yet another rap song which abuses its NWordPrivileges.
** Jossed.
* "Booty" by Music/JenniferLopez featuring Music/IggyAzalea or {{Music/Pitbull}}: With all these songs about butts, there is no way he'll have good views on this. And not only does it have two versions both with guest verses from acts that he does not view favorably, but ''Chris Brown'' had writing credit on it, which in itself is rather cringeworthy.
** Jossed
* "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora: Todd said on Twitter that "Work" is the only song by Iggy Azalea he actually likes, and if he hated "Fancy", he might not view this favorably. He even asked his viewers between this and Animals which was better.
** Confirmed #5. Speaking of "Animals", he even mentioned that Iggy Azalea and Adam Levine should hook up so they can "devour each other".
* "Leave The Night On" by Sam Hunt: Another bro-country song by a guy who's been criticized for lack of vocal talent. Todd may find material based on Hunt having played college football.
** Jossed.
* "She Looks So Perfect" by 5 Seconds of Summer: He said the song "sounds like garbage" on Twitter and that it "was exactly as bad as he feared."
** Confirmed #7, solely for the chorus.
* "Show Me" by Kid Ink and Chris Brown, a song that the Rap Critic wasn't nice to when he reviewed it. Todd likely won't have anything good to say about it either.
** Confirmed #6. And as a bonus, when the Rap Critic reviewed the song he mentioned R. Kelly's "You Remind Me of Something". So does Todd to compare how that was used.
* 7/11 by {{Music/Beyonce}}: Todd can't stand Beyonce, and this track is full of weird lyrics that rhyme various phrases with themselves ad nauseam.
** Jossed.
* "Something Bad" by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Said on Twitter that it was basically just Warrant's "Cherry Pie" with different lyrics. Given the negative comments about Warrant in the Mr. Big video, that's likely not an endorsement. It could also be played during the credits.
** Jossed.
* "New Flame" by Chris Brown ft. Usher: Todd said he hasn't heard the song; however, he states that Chris Brown should '''''never''''' collaborate with Usher. Todd also claims that Usher far outclasses Chris Brown to the point of embarrassment, comparing them to a ten year old going ten rounds with Mike Tyson.
** Mentioned during "Show Me", but jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "Story of My Life" by One Direction: Todd no longer hates One Direction, but this doesn't mean they'll turn into his new Katy Perry.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Steal My Girl" by One Direction: Same as above, but it has more chance for the best list for it's similar sound to Journey, since he praised Best Song Ever for well using the sound of The Who. He may also compare it to "Jealous" saying it did right what the former did wrong.
** Todd has mentioned that this year's best of list is embarrassing, so it might have gotten on there.
*** It didn't. Jossed for both lists.
* "Problem" by Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea: Todd seems to like Ariana Grande as an artist, but it doesn't necessarily mean he will like this, especially considering that he hated Iggy Azalea's first big hit.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Not a Bad Thing" by Justin Timberlake: Todd has not been impressed with JT's post-"Suit & Tie" output.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Love Never Felt So Good" by Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake: In the "We Are the World 25" review, Todd states that there should be no more collaborations with dead people, ''especially'' Michael Jackson.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Break Free" by Ariana Grande ft. Zedd: Both artists had hits that made it to his honorable mentions in the best of list in 2013, however it might not necessarily mean he will like this.
** Probably jossed for both. In his "Bang Bang" review, he said he didn't find any of Ariana's songs to be bad, but he still mocked her annunciation of the chorus.
** Used as the bumper for the "Worst Hit Songs of 2014".
* "Chandelier" by Sia: Todd likes Sia's vocals; however, whether he likes or hates this song depends on the production.
** However, on Twitter, he states that either Sia is starting to sound like Rihanna or vice versa.
** One point in the song's favor is that's it's both a depressing song about drinking and a dark party song, which Todd has a soft spot for and feature on his top ten lists almost every year. (Just Dance, Die Young, Swimming Pools...)
*** Confirmed #4 on the best list.
* "Birthday" by Katy Perry: Todd pretty much hates the entire ''Prism'' album; however, this song has ridiculously shameless lyrics along with a rather cringe-worthy music video (although Todd doesn't like using the music video as a metric to judge a song's quality). Also, two birthday-themed sexual songs, Jeremih's "Birthday Sex" in 2009 and Rihanna's "Birthday Cake (Remix)" in 2012, made Todd's worst lists in years past. However, if there is one ''Prism'' single that Todd would have even the slightest chance of liking, it's this one since it's the most like her ''Teenage Dream'' singles and is closer to the tasteless Katy Perry that Todd initially (and reluctantly) embraced.
** Confirmed #6 on the best list.
* "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith: On Twitter, he notes that Smith's voice has a lot of personality, but this particular song doesn't. Called it a "dirge of a song" in his "Shake it Off" review; however, in a reply tweet, Todd says he doesn't dislike the song, meaning "Stay With Me" likely won't make either list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Bailando" by Enrique Iglesias ft. Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona: Todd dislikes Enrique Iglesias and put two of Enrique's hits on his past worst lists, "I Like It" and "Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You)", so Todd might not like this either. However, it's closer to the Latin-style Enrique that made him famous to begin with (It even has entire verses sung in Spanish), so the outrage for this may not be as high.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor: The song's stylings resemble the likes of Amy Winehouse and Adele, but he might dismiss it because of its viral hit factor.
** Probably jossed on both lists. In the review, he said he liked the song in theory, but felt it wasn't executed as well as it could've been. He still enjoyed it for how catchy it was.
*** Jossed for both lists. He said he left it off the worst list for the same reason as "Rude!" However, as of the "Dear Future Husband" review, he ''hates'' "All About That Bass", saying he would rather "fill his sinuses with venomous scorpions" than listen to the song ever again.
*** But in September 2016, he said that after not hearing it in a while, it came on and there was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776110835718643712 so much good about the song]]" and that it was "a waste", but "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776111307430961152 his rage had subsided a bit now that he's not hearing it every half hour]]". He said that it ultimately had more potential, "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776111474800558080 if only we could have someone else rewrite it and sing it]]".
* "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj: In his review, he complimented the beat and called it better than most Jessie J songs, but still found the song to be noisy and juvenile.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Anaconda" by Music/NickiMinaj: Todd stated on Twitter that his feelings on this song is mixed, which his review reaffirmed. He prefers Nicki's more fierce singles over her softer, more pop-sounding singles, and stated that "Anaconda" was better than "Starships". However, he might deduct points for the "Baby Got Back" sample.
** Confirmed as both an [[SoBadItsGood honorable and dishonorable mention]].
* "Burnin It Down" by Music/JasonAldean: He compared it to Usher on Twitter, but also said it didn't sound like a country song.
** Mentioned during "This Is How We Roll" but Jossed for both lists.
* "Love Runs Out" by [=OneRepublic=]: While Todd's opinion of [=OneRepublic=] has improved and mentions on Twitter that the song was better than most of their earlier output, he states that "Love Runs Out" isn't as good as "Counting Stars".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Habits (Stay High)" by Tove Lo: Much like "Day N Nite" (which Todd also liked), it's a song about getting high to stay sane, which is pretty deep for a pop song. However, Todd tweeted that having the chorus be about a breakup was a bad move since he feels the narrator's problems likely extend beyond having a breakup.
** Likely jossed, since Todd called it a dull, low, humming drone of a song during the "Worst of 2014".
*** Ultimately jossed for both lists. He said Sia's "Chandelier" was better.
* "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift: Todd tweeted that it had some of the best lyrics of any Taylor Swift song. However, in the immediate following tweet, he says "[he's] already incredibly fucking sick of it.". More specifically, his review has him spending over ten minutes praising the song, but then the last two minutes talk about how sick of it he is and that the beat is lackluster. It probably won't make either list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil' Jon: Todd said he likes it because it's one of the few EDM songs that doesn't bore him, praising the song for being aggressive and in your face. He also favorably compares the song to The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up". However, he states it's not a song he would listen to regularly, possibly regulating the song to a honorable mention. Also, the remix with Juicy J, [=2Chainz=], and French Montana turns it into another "bling and bitches" rap song.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "The Man" by Aloe Blacc: It is unknown if Todd likes Blacc as an artist, and the Music/EltonJohn sample might bring it down for him.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Come With Me Now" by Kongos: A rock song that actually "rocks." However, it might not have been a big enough hit to be on Todd's radar, having just barely scraped on to the year-end chart. He'll either find the style (rock-infused zydeco) enjoyably unique or rather pretentious.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Only" by Nicki Minaj ft. Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown: Todd likes Nicki Minaj when she's being aggressive; however, he dislikes Drake whenever he tries to act like a tough guy, and Todd more or less outright hates Lil Wayne and Chris Brown regardless of how they act.
** Confirmed #8 on the Worst List of 2015.
[[WMG: Probably Not Up for Consideration]]
* "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel: On Twitter, he states that he doesn't consider "Let It Go" a true pop song despite it peaking at #5, since the song is too closely tied to ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''. Whether or not Todd can get past this will determine if it makes either list since his actual opinion of the song hasn't been stated; however, Todd did give a mixed-positive review of the film, saying it had serious flaws, but he felt it was better than Pixar's latest output and understands why other people would like it.
** However the song could make the best list for the "Of 2014" reason that "#Selfie" made the worst list considering culturally, it was probably the biggest song of 2014.
* "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson: Even though the song came out three decades ago, it did re-chart in 2014 at #14, technically meeting Todd's criteria for inclusion on his Best or Worst Hit Songs lists. Todd most likely won't consider it for his list because it wasn't even remotely new or influential to 2014.
*** Both songs were Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guess For The 2014 Worst Of The Year bumper music]]
This should be interesting since Todd doesn't pick the bumper music based on whether he likes it or not, and since he's been allowed to reupload the 2013 list with it, it's fair game! (Previous year' bumper music - [[Music/ThePussycatDolls I Hate This Part]], [[Music/MichaelJackson Bad]] (1987), [[Music/CeeLoGreen F*ck You]], Silly Love Songs (1976), [[Music/{{Kesha}} Blow]], Sorry 2004 (2004), [[Music/{{Pink}} Blow Me]], and [[Music/TaylorSwift I Knew You Were Trouble]])
* Problem by Arianna Grande ft Iggy Azalea
* Habits (Stay High) by Tove Lo - A song about having to stay high? Sounds right.
* Pompeii by Bastille
* Let It Go by Idina Menzel - Just to shut people up ([[TheGadfly or piss people off]]).
* Love Runs Out by OneRepublic
* Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake
** Loser, but dishonorable mention.
* Don't by Ed Sheeran
* Am I Wrong? by Nico And Vinz - Just so that if he reviews it in full he can immediately say "YES!".
** Loser, but used as the end of video stinger. Interestingly enough, it's the stinger for his top 10 best list as well.
* Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer - Considering the year it's been, wanting to wake up with amnesia is a reasonable sentiment.
* Something Bad by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood - It had to be said.
* No Mediocre by TI and Music/IggyAzalea - The irony might make his head explode though.
* Break Free by Ariana Grande - Because Todd wants to break free.
** '''Winner'''. The song was later forced to be removed though.
* Shake It Off by Taylor Swift - So he can shake off the bad. Although he had a Taylor Swift song for last year's bumper music.
** Loser, but made #9 on the worst list proper.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2015)]]
As with previous years, Todd counts songs that were on the [[http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-100-songs Year End Hot 100]] or that made the Top 20. So here are some of those tracks.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "[=FourFiveSeconds=]" by Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul [=McCartney=]: [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/570138865765376000 Mentioned on Twitter]] that he thought it was "a good song" and that it was Rihanna's best performance in a long time.
** Confirmed #5.
* "I Don't Fuck with You" by Big Sean featuring E-40: He said on Twitter that as far as DJ Mustard goes, this was a serious guilty pleasure of his, and called Big Sean "one of the few rappers able to be stupid in a funny way". Not likely though given it was also in the Top 20 last year, but "Dance (A$$)" made his honorable mentions in 2012, so this could too. Or it could be the bumper music for the worst list.
** [[MemeticMutation Why not both?]] Confirmed #7.
* "Style" by Taylor Swift: He said that although the song equates to "goddamn i'm hot", he said he thinks he likes it. He stated this Taylor Swift was the best Taylor Swift. He talked about how the song takes place during a bad relationship and not after it, and said he "fucking loves the song".
** Confirmed #1 best of 2015.
* "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars: Assuming that the overplay doesn't prevent him, I won't be surprised if Todd puts this song on 2015's best list as well, even at the top of the list. It's already more or less the top song of the year, which he's featured on his best lists since 2011. Also, Todd probably likes it even more for denying "Thinking Out Loud" the #1 spot.
** He'll build up to the song by stating that he's going to do something that has yet to be done in his top ten lists--put a song that was already on a previous list--and he'll bring up the time "Scream & Shout" failed to make the Worst of 2013 list after being high on the Worst of 2012 list. He'll say that "Scream & Shout" only made it in as a worst honorable mention for 2013 because it didn't represent the year as well as other songs that did make the list. The song in question on 2015's best list, meanwhile, represents the year extremely well--more so than 2014--and was a massive hit to boot. The viewers will wonder, "How can Todd put a song from last year's list onto this year's list?" Todd's response? "Don't believe me? Just watch!"
** Confirmed honorable mention. He says that it wouldn't have been #1 if it were on the best list for the second year in a row.
** As a bonus, in May 2016 he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/727204769987743745 asked the viewers on Twitter which they thought was better between it and Get Lucky]].
* "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon: Somebody asked Todd how he felt about the song on Twitter, and he responded "It is the best." Possible "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" candidate. That, and unlike "Take Me to Church," it's upbeat and cheerful. However, the overplay might hold it back a little bit for him.
** Confirmed #3.
* "One Last Time" by Ariana Grande: It resembles "Love Me Harder". Not only that, but unlike most of her other songs, this one does not feature a guest act.
** Jossed.
* "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith: He said on Twitter that he considered "Sam Smith's new song" better than "Stay With Me" or "I'm Not the Only One", assuming he was talking about this one[[note]]and not "Like I Can", which has only been at the tail-end of the Hot 100, but since that song didn't touch the charts until July and he made the tweet early in the year, it's safe to assume he was referring to this one[[/note]].
** Jossed.
* "Lean On" by Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ: I'd imagine this song being one of Todd's favorite dance songs from this year, as its lyrics aren't particularly questionable.
** Confirmed #4.
* "You Know You Like It" by [=AlunaGeorge=] and DJ Snake: It's similar to "Lean On," so if Todd likes that song, I can't imagine this one being too far behind.
** Jossed.
* "Drag Me Down" and "Night Changes" by One Direction: Todd appears to have warmed up to One Direction since "Best Song Ever." He'll likely appreciate the more mature sound the band is taking on, not to mention how the latter track has been received relatively well even by people who have not been as big of fans of the band, so if "Best Song Ever" managed to appear on his 2013 best list, either of these songs may have a chance for this year's best list, especially "Night Changes".
** Similarly, "Perfect" (peaked at #10) he might be able to at least deem passable, given the song is supposedly about Taylor Swift, and he liked "Style" by the same act.
** Jossed for all songs. However, Todd later stated his praise for "Perfect" (if only because it sounds very similar to "Style").
* "Downtown" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz: He said on Twitter that although the post-"Uptown Funk" era was starting, people would be hearing this song a lot (unfortunately for Macklemore haters). But then he said, "Fuck the haters", which is probably a sign that he likes the song. Helping is that Macklemore had two positions on his Best of 2013 list.
** Confirmed #10.
* "Ex's and Oh's" by Elle King: He said the song was "fine" on Twitter, and it's yet another "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" contender.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Budapest" by George Ezra: Could be another "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" contender, or at the very least something tolerable.
** Jossed.
* "Stressed Out" by Twenty-one Pilots (peaked at #19 in 2015): Todd may not consider this enough a hit to make the list, but if he does, this sounds like the kind of song he would like for having a good rock edge.
** Jossed. It's more of a 2016 hit anyway.
* "Back to Back" by Drake: He [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/649630658306932736 mentioned on Twitter]] that the song is great because "he doesn't even sound angry... just annoyed".
** Confirmed honorable mention.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran: He said on Twitter that he was starting to really, genuinely loathe it and called it without question his worst song. Not helped by the fact that it was #2 on the charts behind Uptown Funk for eight weeks.
** Jossed. He would later say on Twitter that the emotion Sheeran puts in saves it from making the cut.
* "Somebody" by Natalie La Rose featuring Jeremih: "Don't Tell 'Em" might have been spared the list proper and only make dishonorable mentions, but this one might meet the same fate that Birthday Sex and Down on Me did.
** Jossed.
* "Dear Future Husband" by Meghan Trainor: He said on Twitter that "he wanted it known that as a critic with his finger on the pulse of pop music, he hated it way before anyone". Not to mention his review of the song was pretty scathing, objecting to its outdated gender politics and even said that Trainor is just as annoying as Justin Bieber was in his early years.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Elastic Heart" by Sia: A recent tweet indicates he hates it. Not helping is that the original version [[note]]which was for ''The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'', and not the solo version on her album[[/note]] features The Weeknd in the second verse.
** Jossed. However, it is used in the end credits of the Worst list.
* "Earned It" by The Weeknd: The Weeknd is another generic R&B guy and he didn't have a lot of praise for him when he mentioned him on "Love Me Harder". He even stated in a recent tweet that he absolutely hates his voice. Todd made fun of the song in his review of "The Hills", and doesn't get the song's supposed appeal as a sex jam (much like [[Film/FiftyShadesOfGrey the film from which the song originated]]).
** Jossed. Todd would later admit in his "Worst of 2019" list that he probably should've included this song on the list.
* "The Hills" by The Weeknd: Todd's review of the song was pretty negative, finding it too dark and weird. It could make a dishonourable mention at the very least (one of his criticisms of 2014 was that the hits were too downbeat), but he seems more disturbed by the song than anything.
** Jossed. He would later say on Twitter that it was better than the following year's #3 worst by light years.
* "I Want You to Know" by Zedd featuring Selena Gomez (peaked at #17): With Todd not being a fan of most well-known EDM acts or Selena Gomez, this likely won't go over well with him.
** Jossed.
* "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth: Despite the song's admirable purpose to be a tribute to Paul Walker, he didn't sound very pleased on Twitter when he said that it was the song to dethrone "Uptown Funk" from the number-one spot, and he didn't find Wiz Khalifa's grief believable. And the massive overplay likely won't help. It likely won't make the list, as Todd said he could at least respect and appreciate its purpose even if he doesn't like listening to the song on its own, but it could still make dishonorable mentions.
** Jossed. We do get to [[WaxingLyrical see Charlie Puth again]], though--at the top of the list with "Marvin Gaye" featuring Meghan Trainor.
* "Bitch Better Have My Money" by Rihanna: Not only is Todd sick of most of Rihanna's newer work (save "Take Care" and "[=FourFiveSeconds=]"), but he hates when pop acts talk about how much money they have.
** Jossed.
* "Hey Mama" by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack: Todd has always disliked Nicki Minaj when she's "safe" (judging by his views on "Starships") and he's not a very big David Guetta fan, so I can't see him liking this song.
** Jossed, but Nicki Minaj cannot save "Only" from a confirmed #8 placement on 2015's Worst List. Todd bemoans that being in the presence of Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne is making her dumber, as evidenced by the catastrophic "duct tape" joke.
* "Cheerleader" by Omi: It is similar to last year's "Rude," a song he dislikes, and even worse is turned into a generic EDM song.
** Sure enough, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/621570169714905089 he even asked the viewers which of the two tracks they found better]].
** Likely jossed, since [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/639329862935805952 he said on Twitter]] that it likely won't place on either list.
*** A throwaway remark in his review of "The Hills" indicates that he doesn't care about the song, which backs up this theory.
*** Ultimately jossed. However, it was used as the piano intro for the best list.
* "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar: On Twitter he said that the song "fails on the most basic level of being a pop song" and "just SOUNDS ugly."
** Confirmed #4. He also said on Twitter that the original version [[note]]the one on ''1989'', without Kendrick[[/note]] would've taken the #2 slot had that one been the real hit. However, he did say years later that while ''1989'' had two of his least favorite of Taylor's singles, they [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1678818888992329728 sounded better in the context of the album]], so he might have been referring to this as one of them.
* "Heartbeat Song" by Kelly Clarkson: Todd said one of the major things that he hates is when a song is unremarkable.
** Jossed.
* "Nasty Freestyle" by T-Wayne: He may not consider the song to be a hit despite its peak, but he normally isn't a fan of viral songs.
** Confirmed #10. He despises how the song got big off Vine and even compares it unfavorably to "Harlem Shake."
* "Watch Me (Whip[=/=]Nae Nae)" by Silento: Todd does not like most songs that become big off of viral hits (if "Harlem Shake" and "#Selfie" are any indication), so this won't go over well with him. Also, the song is ''extremely'' repetitive. Todd's review basically all but assures the song's inclusion on the worst list. He even said it was worse than Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat" (a song he loathes), so don't be surprised if it takes the #1 spot.
** Confirmed #5.
* "Post to Be" by Omarion featuring Chris Brown and Music/JheneAiko: The DJ Mustard beat and Chris Brown's presence already make this song an easy target for Todd. That, and it spawned the "eat the booty like groceries" meme, which might remind him of the "grocery bag" line in "[=BedRock=]."
** Jossed.
* "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten: On top of being a [[TheFourChordsOfPop four-chord]] adult contemporary ballad by a no-name artist, this song contains lyrics about confidence and self-empowerment that Todd is likely to dismiss as a generic, uninspired ClicheStorm. That, and it'll probably be on the receiving end of Todd's "bad is the absence of good" mantra.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/617795124882489344 Yeah, he's not very fond of it.]]
** He even went as far as saying that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/650369395731103744 Platten is 2015's Worst New Artist on Twitter]]. I would say the chances of the song making the Worst List proper are very high.
** Confirmed #2.
* "Lips are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor: Despite being high on the chart late in 2014, it was a bigger hit in 2015. That said, he said it left him with less to question, but that he has less reason to actually want to listen to it. He doesn't seem to feel as strongly about this song as he does "All About That Bass" or "Dear Future Husband," but given its gratuitous [[CallBack Call Backs]] to the former--a song he's grown to despise over time--he's more likely to dislike it than like it. I can see it end up on Todd's worst honorable mentions for the year so that he can further discuss his hatred of the artist.
** Jossed. He said this one was "halfway tolerable."
* "Good for You" by Selena Gomez featuring ASAP Rocky: According to Todd, "Selena Gomez's efforts to shed her Disney image aren't working."
** Mentioned, but jossed.
* "Take Your Time" by Sam Hunt: While Bro Country as a whole seems to be dying, artists like Hunt are still around and Todd probably won't be too fond of him.
** Jossed.
** "House Party" was also mentioned, but jossed.
* "Hotline Bling" by Drake: He described it on Twitter as a "disaster" on the Hot 100. He even called it Drake's worst single since possibly "Headlines", and that's saying a lot since "Started from the Bottom" made his 2013 worst list.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/668341872746766337 Officially jossed for the Bottom 10]]. He later explained in his review that while he can't ignore the unpleasant lyrics, he does enjoy its music.
** In summer 2016, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/759984739977662464 he called the song "brilliant", even if "everything he ever said about it still stands"]]. That could mean that he nowadays finds it so bad it's good.
* "Hit the Quan" by iHeartMemphis: It's pretty much "Watch Me" all over again.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention. The only reason it didn't make the list in place of Silento is because it actually has lyrics.
* "Marvin Gaye" by Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor: Given how much Todd hates really white music including Meghan Trainor, it'll be on the worst list for sure.
** He also asked his Twitter followers which moment in 2015 pop music was worse: the "Let's Marvin Gaye and get it on" line from this song, or the "Raised on Biggie and Nirvana" line from Halsey's "New Americana".
** Confirmed the #1 Worst Hit Song of 2015. Todd brings up the previous year's biggest loser, "Wiggle," to point out how "Marvin Gaye" falls hard on the opposite side of the sex song spectrum.
* "Stitches" by Shawn Mendes: He said on Twitter that it was "much worse" than What Do You Mean. His later joint review of the two songs assures Mendes' inclusion on the Worst List proper, claiming that teen idols playing their own instruments is much worse than the average WGWAG, and that Mendes is one of his least favorite new artists. He thoroughly bashed the lyrics, too, so this seems like a logical choice.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention. "You suck, Mendes! You suck!!"
* "Worth It" by Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink: When asked on Twitter what he thought of the song, he said it was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/660181069807927297 awful. awful awful awful]]." The song's hook sounds similar to Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" and the beat of the main verses sounds like something DJ Mustard would produce. Todd hates both Jason Derulo and DJ Mustard, which only further detriments the song. The controversy over the ideas around the song would also give him something to talk about and weigh in on.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Locked Away" by Rock City featuring Adam Levine: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/650364931674664960 This tweet]] implies that he dislikes the song's hook. He later tweeted "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/666060097861341184 [The song] came on the radio and I thought 'God this is just the DEFINITION of average]]'... [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/666060162214547456 If that's true, then why do I hate it so much?]]". That implies that this song falls under Todd's "bad is the absence of good" mantra.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Same Old Love" by Selena Gomez: Todd isn't a fan of Selena Gomez' recent songs, and judging by [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/673989212832735232 this tweet]], this one is no exception. Of course said tweet could be deliberate misdirection instead referencing "Good For You".
** Confirmed #7.
* "Ayo" by Chris Brown and Tyga: Chris Brown and Tyga. 'Nuff said.
** Jossed.
* "Classic Man" by Jidenna featuring Roman [=GianArthur=]: It's basically "Fancy" sung by men, and that's a song Todd was unfavorable to.
** Jossed.
* "She Knows" by Ne-Yo featuring Juicy J: In addition to Todd thinking Ne-Yo doesn't sound like the kind of guy who works well for a party based on his "Give Me Everything" review, he's likely to find it out of character. Not helping at all is Juicy J's verse, or the repeated usage of baby sounds.
** Jossed.
* "Kick the Dust Up" by Luke Bryan: This is a country track that has overall received pretty bad reception, and Todd likely won't be any different to it.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "I Don't Mind" by Usher featuring Juicy J: It's been a while since Todd has had anything much to say about Usher, so he may or may not like this one.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. Todd wonders if Usher, in writing a song in defense of erotic dancers, knows any women other than strippers.
* "Time of Our Lives" by Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo: While Todd said that Ne-Yo's aforementioned depressing manner was worse to "Give Me Everything" than Pitbull's stupid lyrics when he reviewed it in 2011, he said on Twitter that he liked "Fireball" and that it was his favorite song by Pitbull. He even remarked that "he thinks he'll miss Pitbull once his time is done", so that could mean anything. For that matter, he mentioned in the "Feel This Moment" review that he thinks Pitbull is not bad at appreciating what he's gotten to do and what he has, so he might be able to say the same thing about this.
** Confirmed best honorable mention. He even considered including it on the best list at one point.
* "Sugar" by Maroon 5: On Twitter, he said the song is album filler-quality, but that he enjoys its style of 70s disco more than "Maps" or "Animals." Its similar sound to previous favorite "Birthday" could be to its benefit or its detriment.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. More tolerable than most Maroon 5 songs, Todd says, but they're still "goddamn terrible."
** He even said the "Sugar, yes please" line was the [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/715552841830645760 most repelling lyric of 2015]].
* "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding: Despite his love for Ellie Goulding and her song "Lights," he may dislike it for being associated with ''Film/FiftyShadesOfGrey''.
** It was used as his piano intro to the Worst Songs of 2015. This makes inclusion on his best list pretty slim.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "G.D.F.R." by Flo Rida featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas: Although he dislikes Flo Rida, this song is similar in sound to "Turn Down for What," a song he likes. And it's not like he hasn't liked a Flo Rida song before (if "I Cry" is any indication).
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy: He might like this song for having more of a rock edge than most pop songs now, or he might dislike it like he did "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)." However, in his review of "Uma Thurman", he said that he wasn't really sure why the track sampled "Tom's Diner", although he said that at the same time he felt that adding pop gave them more of a sound.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "All Day" by Kanye West featuring Theophilius London, Allan Kingdom & Paul [=McCartney=]: Todd might like this one as a fan of Kanye's work in general, but he may not like it either.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Trap Queen" by Fetty Wap: He said on Twitter that the song just baffled him, but we don't know if it confused him in a good way or a bad way. This may apply to Fetty Wap's follow-up hits as well. The overplay, however, might cause him to skew toward the latter view, that and the longevity of this song spending nearly half the year in the Top 10.
** He later said on Twitter that he finds Fetty Wap interesting as an artist and leans more toward liking him despite not having a solid opinion on him.
** Jossed for both lists. He doesn't even mention Fetty Wap in either of them. However, he mentioned in his Hello/Hotline Bling duo review that he tried to like Fetty Wap but his work "wasn't pretty enough".
* "Talking Body" by Tove Lo: He said he's never heard a song as "perfectly average" as it. It could possibly make the honorable mentions for both lists.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Honey, I'm Good." by Andy Grammer: It sounds similar to "Cotton-Eye Joe," of which, as stated in his One-Hit Wonderland, Todd is not a fan, although he hasn't said anything about the song itself.
** Jossed. Todd tweeted that he doesn't get the hate. He doesn't like it, but it won't be on either list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Where Are Ü Now" by Jack Ü (a.k.a. Skrillex & Diplo) ft. Justin Bieber: Todd isn't too keen on either EDM or Bieber; however, his hatred of the latter has died down considerably since 2013.
** Used as the closing song for the best list.
* "Want to Want Me" by Jason Derulo: Despite the song's disco influences, we all know how Todd feels about Jason Derulo. Despite that he said on Twitter that he did like the groove to it a lot, but lyric-wise it loses to...
** Jossed for both lists. Additionally, Todd's later comments about it on his SR-71 ''One Hit Wonderland'' suggests that he dislikes the song.
* "Can't Feel My Face" by The Weeknd: As mentioned above, Todd is not a fan of the Weeknd. He may like the funk throwback a la "Uptown Funk" but whether or not it'll be able to get past that remains to be seen. He mentioned that the song actually takes a few chances, though.
** He briefly discussed this song saying that "it's not so bad" and was about to launch into a positive review of it until he realised that he was meant to review "The Hills" instead.
** He also stated on Twitter that he loved the video for the song, which may point in the song's favor, even if he has not been known to judge a song based on its video.
** Confirmed #6 for the best list.
* "Chains" by Nick Jonas: In his "Jealous" review, he had a bit of praise for him changing direction (up until the "it's my right to be hellish" line, at least), so this follow-up he may find a little better.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. Compared to The Weeknd's dark, sexy R&B shtick, Todd bemoans that "it could always, always get worse."
* "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran: He'll either dismiss the song as a typical "white guy with acoustic guitar" song, or find it genuine enough to be listenable to him.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Cool for the Summer" by Demi Lovato: It sounds awfully similar to something Katy Perry would record, so Todd may either enjoy the production without having to hear Katy Perry's voice, find it a GuiltyPleasure, or dislike the direction Demi Lovato took with this song. He also said that the chorus to the song was that of "Domino" by Jessie J, a song he doesn't like, except pitched a whole step lower, but that the song was infinitely better than 2013's "Heart Attack".
** Confirmed #2 for the best list. Unlike all the Katy Perry songs in the past, he doesn't seem too guilty about this pick.
* "What Do You Mean?" by Justin Bieber: He admitted on Twitter that the song had grown on him "in a low-key kind of way," although he still dislikes Bieber as a singer. His joint review of this song and "Stitches" was actually mildly positive, saying that artistically it's a step in the right direction.
** Confirmed best honorable mention.
* "Renegades" by X Ambassadors: He doesn't find the song "very renegade-y," but as a song that may be a part of the "fluke indie hit sweepstakes," it's likely he finds it tolerable.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Wildest Dreams" by Taylor Swift: While he hated "Shake It Off" and "Bad Blood" but liked "Style" and "Blank Space" (at least until he grew sick of the latter), he has yet to say anything about this particular track.
** Confirmed #9 for the best list.
* "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor and John Legend: Given his distaste of Meghan Trainor, he probably won't have good to say about this one. It doesn't help that he was not in favor of John Legend's "All of Me" last year, either. However, the genuine sincerity that was lacking in Trainor's previous singles could score some points with him. It also sounds like he would consider the track to be too dull and possibly unfitting for Trainor's style.
** Invoked before the reveal of #6 on the Worst List, Trainor's solo "Dear Future Husband."
* "On My Mind" by Ellie Goulding (peaked at #13 in 2015): Todd has yet to say anything about this particular track, but his fondness for Ellie Goulding and the song's possible links to Ed Sheeran may cause him to have a more positive view toward it.
** While nothing has been confirmed, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/681882634386075648 this tweet]] suggests that he likes it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Focus" by Ariana Grande: It's basically "Problem" minus the guest acts (aside from an uncredited Jamie Foxx in the chorus, who serves the same role Big Sean did in "Problem"), a song that Todd was indifferent towards to begin with, it's unknown if he would prefer this song for that reason or not. One downside is that he's generally not a fan of Ariana's more uptempo songs as she tends to belt in her Elmer Fudd voice.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber: Todd recently tweeted that the "you gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty" line sounds really pissy, although he later clarified that in his "What Do You Mean vs Stitches" review that it is actually Bieber showing some emotional depth for once. But in the "Hello / Hotline Bling" duo review he said that Bieber sucks at apologies like Adele does.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. Todd didn't mind the song and was amused at how Bieber is "such a terrible human being" until he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/700773459878662145 took back his words a month later]].
* "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber: As with "Photograph," he may either find this song a good display of sincere emotion or a ballad without any interesting traits. It helps to know that it was written by Ed Sheeran.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton: The song has been praised by fans of country and noncountry fans alike, but Todd might not like it or he might not consider it a big of enough hit since it got no play on the pop charts.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Waves" by Mr. Probz: He might like the song for its pleasant sound, but he could also find it repetitive. It likely won't make either list but could be an honorable mention.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "The Hanging Tree" by Music/JamesNewtonHoward featuring Creator/JenniferLawrence: Another soundtrack hit, and he wasn't kind to "Back in Time" in 2012, but he has known to at least like The Hunger Games to some extent.
** Jossed for both lists.
* Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) by Rich Homie Quan: Although the song is another brag rap, he liked "Lifestyle" in 2014 so it's uncertain what he may say here.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "In the Night" by The Weeknd: Even though Todd dislikes The Weeknd, this song is more similar in tempo to "Can't Feel My Face" than any of his other hits, so he may find something to like about it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Girl Crush" by Music/LittleBigTown: Todd hasn't really spoken either way about Little Big Town, but the song is very daring for country, and could have a similar "dark horse" appeal to him that "Need You Now" did in 2010.
** Confirmed #9 on the Worst Hits of 2015. Todd declared the song to be even more "horseshit" about its bi-curious theme (which is mainly invoked to pine for a man) than Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl."
* "Hello" by Adele: In his review, he said that Adele already has a song about not leaving an ex alone (Someone Like You), and she couldn't pull it off a second time. It probably won't make either list, though, as he said he considered the song not bad at the very least, yet not too great.
** Confirmed best honorable mention.
* "Here" by Alessia Cara. Said on Twitter that he feels too old for the song but remembers being in a similar situation growing up.
** Referenced in the closing credits for the Worst of 2015.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2015 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
Once again, Todd can use basically whatever he wants for this, using tracks regardless of whether he actually likes them or not.
* "I Don't Fuck with You" by Big Sean featuring E-40 - As mentioned in the best list predictions. Although he previously used a song that had the f-bomb in its name for his bumper music before (Fuck You for 2010), a song telling someone off could fit well.
** Confirmed.
* "Bitch Better Have My Money" by Rihanna - It might be useful for Todd as a tool to tell 2015 to "pay him what it owes him."
* "G.D.F.R." by Flo Rida featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas - Todd plans to scrape the bottom of the barrel in his Worst of 2015 video, hence "going down for real."
* "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar - It's not that likely, as it's a strong candidate for the list proper and bumper songs traditionally aren't featured on their respective lists themselves. (The closest to this happening was when "I Knew You Were Trouble" was both the bumper song and an honorable mention for the worst of 2013.) However, it can describe the problems Todd has with 2015's wave of pop hits.
* "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten - As with "Bad Blood," this song can very well end up on the list itself (and the "Worst New Artist" tweet mentioned above all but assures it), thus decreasing its chances of being the bumper song. It can fit in that Todd has to be [[{{Determinator}} determined]] to fight the worst 2015 has to offer (in terms of pop music), and he can't afford to hold back.
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber - The year's bad songs have let Todd down and are hoping that it's not too late to tell him 'sorry'.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2016)]]
%%The year-end Hot 100 chart for 2016 has yet to be released, of course, so for now only songs that have charted in the top twenty on the weekly chart are eligible for Todd's year-end lists. If there is a song you want to include that has not made the Top 20, but feel that it is bound for such or the Year-End list, it can still be added, but it may be advised to take it to discussion. However, if a not-Top 20 song is placed here, it is suggested to consult the discussion before removing it unless it is basically confirmed that it will miss the year-end list.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "In the Night" by The Weeknd: As stated before, it's closer in sound to "Can't Feel My Face" than any of his downbeat songs. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/748354481356693504 This tweet in response to a fan]] had him calling it good.
** Jossed. However, he later [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/825771867789197316 tweeted]] that he forgot to include it as an honorable mention.
* "Roses" by The Chainsmokers featuring ROZES: The duo that was thought to be a quintessential 2010s one-hit wonder managed to make lightning strike twice and score another left-field Top 40 hit. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/714836085822631937 This poll]] has Todd describe the song as "surprisingly decent."
** Jossed. However he still called it a good song, and considered it a spot on the honorable mentions.
* "Perfect" by One Direction: Even though it only barely made the Year-End chart (at exactly #100) and peaked in 2015, Todd has given this song a lot of praise, so it's a possible contender.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
** He said in August 2017 that he "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/894438200432840705 should have put it on the list, and high, too]]".
* "Summer Sixteen" by Drake (peaked at #6): It is a diss track in a similar vein to "Back to Back", a song that Todd liked, so I can see him liking this one. However, it flopped pretty hard, so if it misses the year-end list, it likely would be relegated to honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "When We Were Young" by Adele: Todd is a known fan of Adele's music, and since this song is more different than "Hello" was, he might like it. Interestingly, the song's perspective is almost the opposite of a previous best, "Wildest Dreams", with this one being sung by the ex desperately trying to hold onto her positive memories rather than being comforted by the fact that her partner will leave with some. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/748354481356693504 This tweet in response to a fan]] had him calling it good along with "In The Night" as mentioned above.
** Confirmed #6.
* "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" by Mike Posner: He said on Twitter that he was surprised to see Mike Posner get another hit, and he appreciates the [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] lyrics about Posner's post-"Cooler Than Me" career. Its similar sound to previous favorite "Lean On" could help it--he even stated in his review that he preferred the EDM remix (the version of the song that became a hit) over the "white guy with acoustic guitar" original.
** He stated that Mike Posner is a very successful songwriter behind the scenes, and has solid instincts as a lyricist. He considered the line "I wanted Avicii to think I was cool" was the "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/715550197603037184 saddest fucking thing he's ever heard in his life]]". His review was quite positive, so it definitely seems like a candidate.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Never Forget You" by Zara Larsson and MNEK: It's a European dance hit that crossed the Atlantic, similar to "Rather Be," a song Todd loves.
** Jossed.
* "Formation", "Sorry", "Hold Up" and "6 Inch" (peaked at #10, #11, #13, and #18 respectively)" by Beyonce[[note]]with "6 Inch" featuring The Weeknd[[/note]]: Todd said on Twitter that he considered Beyoncé's ''Lemonade'' a really good album because it leaves him wondering about her marriage and she can wound and devastate, but not walk away given that Jay-Z isn't replaceable. In particular, he said that "Formation" [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/732615199556042752 was growing on him]]. However, the fact that most of these songs slowly falling off the charts (except "Sorry", and "Hold Up" to a smaller extent) means that Todd might not necessarily consider them hits, although he still might, considering how big of an impact Beyonce has on music in general. But even if they miss the year-end list, they could still be honorable mentions.
** On the note of "Sorry", he considered it a weird choice of single, but that may not be an immediate insult.
** "Sorry was confirmed #9, the rest were jossed.
* "All the Way Up" by Fat Joe and Remy Ma featuring French Montana and Infared: He said he "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/811272576622329857 kinda likes it]]".
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Hymn For The Weekend" by Coldplay: Although Todd is not a serious fan of Coldplay, he has mentioned liking Beyonce this year, who is featured in the song, so he might give it credit for that.
** Jossed.
* "Into You" by Ariana Grande: While he hates "Dangerous Woman", [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/758354145040560128 he hopes]] that this song takes off, and seeing as it has it definitely looks like a candidate.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Perfect Illusion" by Lady Gaga (peaked at #15): He said on Twitter that it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/774835994776535040 "pretty good", but "wished that it was as good as its first 15 seconds"]]. It could surely help that the song had Mark Ronson of "Uptown Funk" behind it. But he said that he did not like the key change. Not to mention because of it flopping, it would likely not be bound for any higher than honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey: He gave it a pass despite its flaws when he reviewed it, so it might be able to sneak onto the list, or at least make honorable mentions.
** Confirmed #1 song of 2016.
* "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars (peaked at #4): With Bruno Mars' proper return following "Uptown Funk" being yet another throwback, which are the kind of tracks that Todd has liked him best for (also including "Locked Out of Heaven" and "Treasure"), this is an easy candidate for him to like. It also certainly helps that it has some elements of New Jack Swing, something Todd said he liked in his Worst of 1991 video.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/800783621623726080 "I would be fine with Bruno Mars reprising "Uptown Funk" in a slightly different genre for the rest of his career."]] Sounds like he likes it.
** Confirmed #2.
%%If this entry seems way too impractical, it can be deleted, but I added it because of a few of his tweets.
* "The Sound" by The 1975: Although this song never actually charted on the Hot 100 at all, it could still possibly end up making honorable mentions in the same vein as "Run Away With Me" last year, as this song has received a great amount of acclaim and Todd made a couple tweets about The 1975 and how he thinks [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/753992302473904128 that they're "pretty great"]] and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/753992806289506304 one of two acts this year that he has significantly enjoyed]] through the first half of the year (the other being Beyonce).
** He said that it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763100491559661568 his favorite non-hit song of the year so far]] when asked what it was, so that adds to its favor.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber: After making dishonorable mentions on the 2015 worst list, the song could make the list proper for 2016, especially after Todd's review of the song. Todd hates fake apology songs, and Todd hates Bieber's douche-bag attitude.
** Jossed.
* "I Know What You Did Last Summer" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: Todd dislikes both Shawn Mendes and Fifth Harmony (of which Camila Cabello is a member), so this song may not sit well with him.
** Probably jossed, because he said in the "Treat You Better" review that he didn't completely hate it as it had decent energy and a real hook.
** Ultimately jossed.
* "My House" by Flo Rida: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/712682885644468224 This tweet]] suggests that he doesn't like it.
** Jossed.
* "Hands to Myself" by Selena Gomez: Todd hasn't liked any of the singles Selena Gomez has put out since she went solo, and I doubt this one will be an exception.
** Jossed.
* "Work" by Rihanna featuring Drake: The repetitive hook and repetitively minimalist beat may just be two strikes against the song for Todd. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/712679334646038528 This tweet]] suggests he doesn't like it, and it's also mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** Jossed.
* "White Iverson" by Music/PostMalone: Todd hates hip-hop tracks that get big off of Vines or other viral matters, so this is bound to not go over well with him. Not helping is the controversy behind the song's alleged cultural appropriation.
** Jossed.
* "Pillowtalk" by Zayn: Todd confirmed [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/697862368534073344 on Twitter]] that he doesn't like this song all that much. It also contains the former child star style of trying to be edgy, something that Todd does not like. He later said that the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/709863097088004096 was really bad]]. And in the "Sorry" review, he said he "cannot for the life of him remember how it goes, in one ear and out the other". And it was also mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** His review was very negative, even going so far as to say that it may actually be worse than "7 Years", which was actually a song. Ouch.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Cake by the Ocean" by DNCE: It combines the cake metaphor and a Maroon 5-lite sound, two things that have been featured on Todd's worst lists in the past. It doesn't help that Todd does not like the Jonas Brothers, judging by his opinions of "Jealous" and "Chains." He also [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/706540413339963392 said]] that the lyric "Waste time with a masterpiece, don't waste time with a masterpiece" confuses him, as does [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/707267257118932993 the song's title]]. He later said that radio play went on to sour his opinion on this song.
** He [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/747182272630099968 called the song]] "'Uptown Funk' if LMFAO wrote it". He then immediately stated that that was not an endorsement, but while he then said that it wasn't sure if it was a criticism either, it's still not something that will really help the song's case.
** Jossed for the worst list; confirmed #7 on the best list. It was also referenced in the title art for the best list.
* "Down in the DM" by Yo Gotti: Aside from the fact that Todd probably wouldn't like Yo Gotti's incoherent mumbling on this track, the "pictures" and Instagram aspect could be reminiscent of "#Selfie", which he hates, and referencing Angela Simmons would likely not appeal to him either. The remix with Nicki Minaj he may find a little better, though.
** Jossed.
* "Don't" by Bryson Tiller: Another typical hip-hop track with almost nothing to say about it.
** "Exchange", which failed to make the Top 20 but made the Year-End list, is also one Todd is unlikely to enjoy.
** Both songs jossed.
* "2 Phones" and "Really Really" by Kevin Gates: See above.
** Both songs jossed.
* "One Call Away" by Charlie Puth: It's a piano ballad by Charlie Puth, who he despises, that is reminiscent of Sam Smith, whom Todd dislikes in his usual style. Not to mention there's a version featuring Tyga and the song contains the lyric "Superman's got nothing on me", something Todd will likely view as a potentially douchey lyric rendered incredibly pathetic by virtue of being sung by Charlie Puth.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "7 Years" by Lukas Graham: He stated [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/709440175705858048 on Twitter]] that the lead singer's voice was annoying, and the numerous comparisons to {{Music/Daniel Powter}}'s "Bad Day" (a song he hates) won't help matters.
** He has said on Twitter that the song is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/720619847076487168 so horribly annoying and overwrought]] and that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/720621303565324288 it is a definite contender for worst song of the year]], so it's very, very likely that this song will make it on the Worst of 2016 list and perhaps it will take the top spot. The fact that people hate the song for virtually the same reasons as "Fight Song" doesn't help matters.
*** He said on the review of this very song that "there is absolutely no question that this will make the Worst List. Probably pretty high." Place your bets now on whether this will be #1...
*** Probably won't make it to #1, since he said unlike "Pillowtalk", "7 Years" is actually a song.
*** Ultimately confirmed #1
* "Work From Home" by Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign: As mentioned, Todd does not like Fifth Harmony, and this song has been declared a rip-off of "Work" above, which also counts against it.
** Jossed, but used as the credits song in the Worst list.
* "Jumpman" by Drake and Future, "Low Life" by Future featuring The Weeknd and "Wicked" by Future: He tweeted that [[https://twitter.com/therealgoog/status/729418199658172416 he fails to understand why Future is a thing]]. And given Todd's stances on both Drake and The Weeknd, the former of whom he has implied to have soured on in the "Hotline Bling" review and the latter of whom he hated the first few hits of, those are not bound to help.
** "Jumpman" confirmed #9, the other songs were jossed, but "Wicked" was mentioned.
* "Back To Sleep" by Chris Brown: As if Todd already hating his music wasn't enough, this is a song where Chris Brown has sex with a girl because he woke her up and includes the line "don't say a word, no." That will definitely not go over well.
** Jossed.
* "Panda" by Desiigner: Yet another viral hip hop song spread through Vine. [[note]] Technically, the song initially charted due to being sampled by Kanye West for "Pt. 2" on The Life Of Pablo, before it was released to the general public. That didn't stop it from becoming popular on Vine though.[[/note]] It was also mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** "Tiimmy Turner" also seems like a song Todd would dislike, but since it didn't make the top 30 & barely made the year-end chart, it'll probably be a dishonorable mention at most.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Oui" by Jeremih: Jeremih's first two Top 20 hits, "Birthday Sex" and "Down on Me" made Todd's worst list proper in 2009 and 2011, respectively, while "Don't Tell 'em" made dishonorable mentions in 2014, so the trend of Jeremih appearing on Todd's worst list may continue.
** Jossed.
* "Hide Away" by Daya: Todd tends to hate teen star work, and this one isn't likely to be an exception. It can also be seen in similar vein as "Dear Future Husband", which he hates, and the line "To be fly as a mother" is a line that may remind him of bad songwriting in "white" acts, such as Justin Bieber's usage of the word "shorty" in his early days, as well as the line "So gangsta, I'm so thug" in "Hey, Soul Sister".
** Similarly, her follow-up, "Sit Still, Look Pretty", did not make the Top 20 but made the Year-End list. It could also end up in his bad grades.
** "Sit Still, Look Pretty" confirmed #10, "Hide Away" jossed.
* "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/758353489454100481 He tweeted]] that it's barely better than "Pillowtalk", a song that he hates. He said that they were both "slow, turgid, and missing a hook". A while back he believed that it was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/730060429414813696 charting through sheer momentum alone]]" and name recognition was its only selling point.
** Jossed. Though he did consider putting it on the dishonorable mentions list.
* "Pop Style" by Drake featuring The Throne (aka Kanye and Jay-Z: The general public's reaction to this track has been rather negative, much like "One Dance," which is mentioned below, and Todd is not likely to find Drake's heavier production and unenthusiastic vocals a positive.
** Jossed.
* "One Dance" by Drake featuring [=WizKid=] and Kyla: Mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** Jossed.
* "Don't Let Me Down" by The Chainsmokers featuring Daya: Todd expressed how much he hates the song in a series of tweets (see [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789167716783394816 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789168267365494784 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789169552584155137 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789169829714403329 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789170143528038405 here]], and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789170260284809216 here]]), so it's a definite contender for the Worst list.
** Confirmed #4.
* "H.O.L.Y." by Florida Georgia Line: With this band having made his worst lists in 2013 with "Cruise" and 2014 with "This Is How We Roll", this definitely looks like a prime target.
** Jossed.
* "Needed Me" by Rihanna: The DJ Mustard beat is surely something that could make the song a target here. He also called the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/733760538883334147 indistinguishable from Rihanna's other recent singles]].
** Jossed.
* "Just Like Fire" by Pink: A soundtrack hit that in general isn't exactly much related to the movie, and has also been seen as a weak attempt at a self-empowerment anthem. The rap breakdown in the bridge also makes for comparison to the same in "Shake It Off", which he also hates, and that won't help matters.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "For Free" by DJ Khaled featuring Drake: Aside from the rotten premise of sex that Drake thinks he should be paid for, there are other bad implications abroad in this one. Furthermore, it takes a jab at Kendrick Lamar's "For Free?" (Interlude) from his highly acclaimed ''To Pimp a Butterfly'', which is surely bound to bode badly.
** Jossed.
* "Don't Mind" by Kent Jones: In addition to the Vine stigma, DJ Mustard-esque synth loop and an interpolation from Barry White's "Practice What You Preach", this could be seen as a ripoff of Pitbull (because there's Spanish involved), or Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" (in the tradition of screwing foreign chicks), and that's not bound to bode well here.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/754008774357188608 In this tweet]] he says that his musical highlight of this year was watching a friend's face change after hearing the line "she African but she fuck me like she Haitian". Whether that's an endorsement or insult is uncertain, though.
** Jossed.
* "Lost Boy" by Ruth B: A song that came from a Vine star and gained steam from it. Strike one. A "white chick with piano" track (even though she's actually black). Strike two. The Peter Pan references are bound to appear as clumsy and Todd may see it as unremarkable and uninteresting. Strike three. Virtually everything that made Todd hate "Fight Song" and "7 Years" is present in this song.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Me Too" by Meghan Trainor: It's an obnoxious "gangsta" ego trip trying to sound like a self-confidence number, and it has the same bassline as "Scream and Shout" or "Dirty Bit", which is a very bad thing in Todd's book. Not helping at all is that ''Jason Derulo'' had writing credit on it.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763773988296396800 These]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763774295143223296 tweets]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763784550027853824 pretty much confirm]] that he doesn't like the song. How much he dislikes it remains to be seen, however.
** Jossed. He left Meghan Trainor off the list for having a personality.
* "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes: Todd has shown his distaste towards Shawn Mendes, and this, like its predecessor, was written by Teddy Geiger (see One-Hit Wonderland Predictions), and is similar in structure. And unlike the former, Mendes himself was also involved in writing this, which won't help in favor at all.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/777538730718556162 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/777538778483265536 three]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/783005848360652801 tweets]] make it sound like the song is a shoe-in for the worst list.
** The review pretty much demolished the song, mainly for being a [[{{EntitledToHaveYou}} Nice Guy]] anthem.
** Confirmed #5.
*** In mid-2019, as he said that he was warming up to Shawn Mendes, he said that he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1146811299713757185 in hindsight finds Stitches worse]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd this he could at least get what it was going for while Stitches he couldn't imagine why anyone would like]].
* "Make Me..." by Britney Spears featuring G-Eazy (peaked at #17): With a song like this, Todd could potentially wonder what business Britney Spears has releasing new music in 2016, and with his less than favorable thoughts towards G-Eazy, that isn't a benefit. But seeing as it has overall flopped pretty hard after it debuted, it's not likely to be bound for anything more than a dishonorable mention.
** Jossed.
* "Rise" by Katy Perry (peaked at #11): It's another attempt at being inspirational, and like "Roar" before it, Todd is likely to find it weak and devoid of good, with Katy Perry not being tasteless in the singles of hers that he liked. As with the above, if it misses the year-end list it will probably only be a dishonorable mention. However, seeing as he was at least able to appreciate the purpose of "See You Again" despite not liking the song itself, he might at least give this a pass based on being for the Rio Olympics.
** Jossed.
* "We Don't Talk Anymore" by Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez: A collaboration between two artists that Todd doesn't like, one of which snagged the top spot on his worst list last year, so the odds that he won't like this are pretty high.
** Jossed.
* "i hate u I love u" by gnash and olivia o'brien: Said that it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/814144714953920514 sucks a fat one]]."
** Confirmed #2.
* "Starving" by Hailee Steinfeld and Grey featuring Zedd: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/800835645086244865 This tweet]] strongly suggests that he doesn't like it at all.
** Jossed for the 2016 list, but confirmed a dishonorable mention for the 2017 list.
* "No Limit" by Usher featuring Young Thug: If Todd was not impressed by "I Don't Mind", this is not likely to tide over well with him, either, and the inclusion of a guest rapper isn't bound to aid it.
** Jossed.
* "Juju On That Beat (TZ Anthem)" by Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion [=McCall=] (peaked at #5): Todd hates songs that become popular only because they're attached to a Vines trend, which is how this song became popular. He also hates songs performed by overconfident children with unbroken voices (like Silento and prepubescent Justin Bieber), and Zay Hilfigerrr fits that mold well. Between that and the lyrics that combine the worst elements of "Watch Me" and "Nasty Freestyle", the odds of this song appearing on the list in some form are high.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789313633897635840 This Tweet]] would seem to confirm that he hates it.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Don't Wanna Know" by Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar (peaked at #7 in 2016): Todd hates Maroon 5's newer output, and he is sure to not be pleased to see Kendrick Lamar on weaker songs, if "Bad Blood" was anything to go by.
** Jossed.
* "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane (peaked at #1): While Vine may be no more, the song is still blowing up through similar means, and that makes it a definite candidate for Todd to hate. Also, Todd may find the song disrespectful to the Beatles, seeing how he has said that he likes the band and put a song featuring Paul [=McCartney=] on his best list last year. Plus it also features Gucci Mane, who was featured on the 2009 Mario song "Break Up" which Todd absolutely trashed when he reviewed it.
** Jossed.
* "OOOUUU" by Young M.A. and "Caroline" by Amine (peaked at #19 and #12 in 2016 respectively): As with other songs mentioned above, these are bound to be seen as yet another generic rap song that offers nothing new. In the former's case, the line "all these haters on my body, shake 'em off" is likely to give bad Taylor Swift flashbacks.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara (peaked at #13 in 2016): On top of finding her not good or interesting, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/812077595902808064 he called it]], along with Daya's "Sit Still, Look Pretty", a "completely hollow self-empowerment anthem." [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/813892163373322240 Later]], he called it a "dismal, empty song," suggesting it could make the list for being another "bad is the absence of good" song.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention. He said that "Sit Still, Look Pretty" narrowly prevented it from making the list proper.
* "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello (peaked at #10 in 2016): Yet another song involving Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony, a group Todd does not like. Plus, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/802600855644098561 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/802600988595093504 tweets]].
** Confirmed #7.
%%Another entry that seems highly impractical
* "Sweatshirt" by Jacob Sartorious: Although this song wasn't a real hit (it only charted for one week at #90), it might get a dishonorable mention out of spite what with all the hate that Jacob Sartorius has received for getting big off of musical.ly, which is akin to getting big off of Vine, something Todd detests.
** Jossed.
* "This Town" By Niall Horan: It didn't make the top 20 until 2017 (peaked at #25 in 2016), but an acoustic guitar ballad by a member of One Direction doesn't seem like something Todd would enjoy.
** Jossed.
Could Go Either Way:
* "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber: He tweeted that although he appreciates and can relate to this song's intent to be a very bitter BreakupSong, Bieber doesn't have the charisma to express that kind of anger.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Me, Myself, & I" by G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha: A rap crossover about living the good life, though with some downsides. This is easily his poppiest song thanks to the chorus. Could go either way.
** He tweeted [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/720321282521235457 finding the video funny that "the world was chaos"]], and before that his name "G-Eazy" didn't sound real. He may also not be in favor of the irony that the song's title has a guest singer.
** Also not in favor is that he called [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763104460600139780 Iggy Azalea practically avant-garde compared to him]] when mentioning that white rappers would need to be interesting or gimmicky to get big.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Stressed Out" by twenty one pilots: He tweeted that this song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/683747408157741058 "honestly just makes [him] more stressed out,"]] but this could suggest that he just has conflicting thoughts on it.
** Going [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689274705505861632 by]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689259159527780352 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689259819920936960 further]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689259914695413761 tweets]], he does seem a bit torn about the song, making it an unlikely candidate for either list. However, the Rap Critic was pretty nice to the song when he reviewed it, but that alone may not be enough for Todd's approval as their opinions have differed (if songs like "Holy Grail" and "I Cry" are any indications), although it is worth mention.
** He did speak on Twitter [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/714115327110549504 comparing the song to B.O.B.'s "Airplanes"]], saying it's better because "working for a living is stressful, not the end of the fucking universe" and "pretending an airplane is a star so you can wish on it is a desperate act".
** Ultimately jossed for both lists.
* "Adventure of a Lifetime" by Coldplay: Todd usually dislikes Coldplay; however, he stated that he liked their Super Bowl performance, and he may appreciate this song's disco sound.
** Confirmed #10 best.
* "Piece by Piece" by Kelly Clarkson (peaked at #8): Todd stated before that he has liked Kelly Clarkson's past work, but he may find this either unremarkable or a strong performance. And given how quickly it slipped on the charts, it's not likely to be anything more than a (dis)honorable mention at most.
** He said on Twitter that he can relate to the song's premise of Kelly "shows admiration for her husband by comparing him to her piece-of-shit dad" because [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/767488074892935168 he has difficulty praising things without contrasting them with things he hates]].
** Jossed for both lists.
* "No" by Meghan Trainor: He said it [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/710235255949697028 "sounds like a J. Lo song from 2001,"]] although he's not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. He might see the song as an unnecessarily rude way to deal with guys at the club, or maybe agree that they can be jerks and deserve such treatment. Given his negative opinion of Trainor, however, he'd be more likely to view the song as further evidence that Trainor is, as he put it, "a blight on humanity".
** His liking of [[https://twitter.com/ThomasAugeri/status/737491169123307520 this tweet from a follower]] calling the song "at least upbeat, finished and a song" certainly suggests that he doesn't completely hate it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Middle" by DJ Snake featuring Bipolar Sunshine: Having liked both "Turn Down for What" and "Lean On" means that Todd could surely enjoy this too. But he could find the song's atmosphere grating, and the lyrics he may either pass off another weak apology attempt like "Sorry", or showing real emotional depth.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Antidote" by Travi$ Scott: The dark vibe of this song could be one that Todd may find really cool or really unmemorable.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris with Rihanna: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/748338409526145025 This tweet and the one before it]] indicates that he's more fond of this song than others on the radio, though he does not know if it's because he likes the song or if he hates everything else.
** In the "This Is What You Came For / Cheap Thrills" joint review, he said that the song is nothing special and the hook disturbs him, but it's a grower. He even said that it might sneak into the Best List if 2016 continues to be as bad as it is now.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Can't Stop the Feeling!" by Justin Timberlake: It fits the Justin Timberlake style Todd mentioned in his 2014 list and has drawn comparisons to "Happy", another song Todd likes. The fact that it sounds like "Can't Feel My Face", another song he likes, probably helps its cause. However, based on how underwhelmed he's been by most of the other #1s this year this one could be in that same boat, and there are people who hate it for the same reasons as "Fight Song", as well.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/753992101688377344 This tweet]] has him calling the song "fine" and not terrible, although it "kinda reminds him of a dad dancing at a wedding", which was also mentioned during the "Pillowtalk" review. Later, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/759960033765519360 this tweet]] had him calling it "one of the better songs out currently, but substantially the lamest". Thus, it could potentially do an "Anaconda" and make the honorable mentions of both lists.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Close" by Nick Jonas and Tove Lo: As mentioned, Todd does not like the notable acts the Jonas Brothers have been in, nor was he overly impressed by Tove Lo's two biggest hits. The line "space is just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too close" does not sound like what he would like. But in the "Pillowtalk" review, he said that Zayn "is no Nick Jonas" and "had nothing for him to recommend", although it's unclear as to whether that was an endorsement towards Nick or not. Regardless, that could potentially imply that he thinks Nick has good presence.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Cheap Thrills" by Sia featuring Sean Paul: Having liked "Chandelier" but not "Elastic Heart", this could definitely go either way. Sean Paul's contribution to the song he could favor, and the "I don't need money to have fun" aspect akin to "Thrift Shop" and "Time of Our Lives", two songs he likes, is something he could find classy, or recycled and overdone.
** In the "This Is What You Came For / Cheap Thrills" joint review, he said that the song is OK if not a really basic Rihanna cast-off (whom the song was originally written for), but it's a grower. He even said that it might sneak into the Best List if 2016 continues to be as bad as it is now.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Ride" by twenty one pilots: Unlike "Stressed Out", which was low key and something that Todd was indecisive on the subject matter of, he could favor the reggae-esque elements of this one and the stronger personality. However, there are various elements of the song that it has received flack for, such as Tyler Joseph's singing. He said on Twitter that when he first heard it, it sounded to him like "one of 311's mellower songs".
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro song for the best list.
* "Send My Love (To Your New Lover) by Adele: It's Adele, but there are certain elements of the song Todd might not like, most notably replacing the piano with acoustic guitars.
** On Twitter, he said he likes the song called "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/765304966735138816 Set Fire To Your New Lover]]". While that may be an endorsement towards the song itself, the tweet may have been a joke.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/809090915881062400 This tweet]], on the other hand, says that any of the other songs off ''25'' would have been better singles to get big, but he did not explicitly make that out as an insult.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Heathens" by twenty-one pilots: Much like the band's previous tracks, the moody and downtempo nature is something he may not have a clear consensus on, and with it being a soundtrack theme that could either hurt or help.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Let It Go" by James Bay: On one hand, this could be seen as another "white guy with acoustic guitar" track and Todd may find James Bay's voice annoying. On the other, it could be a possible "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" candidate.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Too Good" by Drake featuring Rihanna: If there's any of the new Drake songs that there's any chance Todd might like, it's this one, because this duo calls back to "Take Care", his pick for best of 2012, even if the "Hotline Bling" review showed that it's tainted him on that one a little. Still, this is one of the better received songs from ''Views'', so that's in its favor.
** Confirmed #8 best.
* "Cold Water" by Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ and "Let Me Love You" by DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber: While Todd was fond of last year's "Lean On," he has had mixed opinions on Bieber's recent work, so these two could swing either way.
** He tweeted that he "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/811673617612361728 couldn't tell the two songs apart]]".
** Both songs jossed for both lists; however, "Let Me Love You" was used as the piano intro song for the worst list.
* "Sucker For Pain" by Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Ty Dolla $ign, Logic, and X Ambassadors: While Todd has soured on Imagine Dragons and has always disliked Lil Wayne, he might be able to find the eerie instrumental to fit the song and the ''Suicide Squad'' theme well.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the bumper music for the worst list.
* "Broccoli" by D.R.A.M. featuring Lil Yachty: If there's any "stupid" rap song that Todd might be able to see as SoBadItsGood, it's probably this one. Lines such as "turn this shit to Columbine" and "50 shades of grey, beat that pussy like Hulk Hogan" he might find funny-bad or outright asinine, but even that aside it could potentially be seen in the same vein that he saw Pitbull's "International Love" from 2012 in being grateful for their opportunities as opposed to nothing more than bragging.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Gold" by Kiiara: The glitchy sampling used multiple times in the song is surely a peg against it, and the odd premise combined with lifeless bragging isn't something that is likely to help. However, given the song's style is roughly similar to Lorde's music (and Todd has been mostly positive on her), this could go the other way as well.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776483990962335744 He called it]] "a mashup of itself".
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the credits song in the best list.
* "Side to Side" by Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj: As he liked one ''Dangerous Woman'' representation ("Into You") but not the title track, there's no telling where this could end up, though he might like the chemistry that Ariana and Nicki share.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808433640115937280 In]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808435100954329088 this]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808438368812068869 series]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808439260613320704 of]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808444347335266304 tweets]], he criticizes the hook, so that may be a mark against it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Starboy" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk: Todd did not like The Weeknd's first few appearances but liked "Can't Feel My Face" and the aforementioned "In The Night", not to mention "Get Lucky" being his favorite song of 2013. But as for the theme of the song he may or may not find The Weeknd to fit that properly.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/798529481547935744 This tweet]] has him saying he "wished he liked it more than he does", but the one after it had him saying it [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/798529530025549826 "might grow on him though".]]
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/812086505955065856 This tweet]], however, has him saying that "not a single lyric makes a single lick of sense."
** Confirmed #5 best.
* "The Greatest" by Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar (peaked at #18): As with "Cheap Thrills", this is another track by Sia that basically could go either way. Todd might find Kendrick's verse to be fitting and appropriate towards the song or another waste like "Bad Blood".
** Jossed for both lists.
Probably Not Up for Consideration:
* "When Doves Cry", "Purple Rain" and "Little Red Corvette" by Prince (peaked at #8, #4 and #20 respectively in 2016): Songs that have resurfaced thanks to Prince's death, along with a handful of other songs of his, but Todd will probably not look at them in his retrospective of 2016.
** All songs jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2016 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber - Once again, the year's bad songs have let Todd down and are hoping that it's not too late to tell him 'sorry'.
* "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber - This song's title has often been interpreted as [[PrecisionFStrike another phrase]]--something that Todd can use to tell off the worst of this year's hits.
* "Stressed Out" by twenty one pilots - "Wish we could turn back time / To the good old days" can be reinterpreted to mean that Todd wishes to go back to a time when he didn't have to put up with the awful hit songs of 2016. Plus, "the good old days" could refer to the years where Todd enjoyed what pop music had to offer.
* "No" by Meghan Trainor - A chorus full of the word "no" seems perfect a Worst Of interlude, especially since Todd's (so far) mixed opinion of the song means it's unlikely to be on either of the actual lists.
* "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" by Mike Posner - As "all he knows are sad songs", and that you don't want to be "high like him", those could describe the bad songs of the year.
* "Sorry" by Beyonce - Unlike Justin Bieber's "Sorry," this one is 100% unapologetic, with the chorus repeating the phrase "I ain't sorry" over and over. Todd said he loved "Lemonade," and this would be a perfect way to introduce a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown on the worst songs of the year.
* "Sucker For Pain" by Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Ty Dolla $ign, Logic, and X Ambassadors - A chorus that goes "I'm just a sucker for pain"? Todd would be a sucker for inflicting pain on himself with these horrible songs.
** Confirmed.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2017)]]
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey, "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars and "Starboy" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk: Having been among his favorite songs of 2016, he could possibly give them honorable mentions this year like he did "Uptown Funk" in 2015.
** Jossed.
* "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion: This track has received a good amount of acclaim, and Todd might find the story behind the song relatable.
** Jossed, but used as the bumper music for the worst list.
* "Bounce Back" by Big Sean: Todd likes Big Sean, and he put "I Don't Fuck With You" on his best list in 2015, so chances are he'll like this.
** Jossed, but referenced in the end credits for the worst list.
* "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran: While he hates "Shape of You" with a passion, perhaps some of it is out of frustration over this one getting thrown by the wayside. This has a bombastic U2 kind of sound and Todd is a bit of a fan of U2, so this could be a good pick.
** Confirmed #5.
* "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk: Todd put "Starboy" on his best list of 2016, so he'd probably enjoy another Weeknd-Daft Punk collaboration.
** However, during the Grammys, he did tweet that he doesn't dislike the song but "ballads make for a very dull awards show".
** Josssed.
* "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay: He gave the song a pass when he reviewed it, despite it borrowing heavily from "Roses" and "Hymn for the Weekend". Just when his review of this song was about to end, the EDM drop/guitar solo had him bump his rating up on the spot. A similar instance happened with his "Niggas in Paris" review during the ''Blades of Glory'' segment, which bumped his opinion of the song and, eventually, landing it on 2012's Best List - an event that could bode well for this song.
** Jossed
* "That's What I Like" by Bruno Mars: Todd tweeted in response to the performance of this at the Grammys that he found Bruno's "total confidence and lack of shame" to be his greatest asset.
** Jossed.
* "Rockabye" by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul & Anne-Marie: Todd loved "Rather Be", so he'll probably like this.
** Jossed.
* "Green Light" by Lorde (peaked at #19): Todd liked Lorde's other hits, so it's very likely that he'll enjoy this. Plus, it's a lively song, the absence of which was something that made him hate 2016's music so much. However, it didn't last very long on the chart, so it's only bound for honourable mentions.
** He confirmed that he liked the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/882807600382980096 on Twitter]], and later praised its parent album ''Melodrama''.
** Confirmed #1 Best Hit Song of 2017.
* "Water Under The Bridge" by Adele: He's likely to give it credit for being by Adele.
** Confirmed #7.
* "The Fighter" by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood: When this was performed at the Grammys, he said on Twitter that even though it was "not remotely country", he was "enjoying it more than he should".
** Jossed.
* "Passionfruit" by Drake: Todd tends to like Drake's moodier songs, such as "Marvins Room", and the ''More Life'' project has received very positive reviews so far. The song is also about a breaking relationship, a topic he enjoyed in other Drake songs, like "Too Good", so it seems to have a good chance of making it.
** Confirmed #8.
* "DNA." and "LOYALTY." by Kendrick Lamar: Unlike "HUMBLE.", which while received mostly positively has had some backlash, these have received much more unanimous acclaim, so there's a good chance Todd will be able to like them.
** He tweeted that the song's parent album ''DAMN.'' was a disappointment compared to Kendrick's previous albums; however, his opinions on these songs in particular are unknown, so if any Kendrick song is going to make the best list, one would assume it would be one of these two.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Redbone" by Childish Gambino: Not only has the song received a good amount of praise for its unique sound, it was featured in [[Film/GetOut2017 one of the year's most thunderously acclaimed films]]. It's likely Todd will have a positive opinion of it.
** Jossed, but used in the end credits.
* "Slide" by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos: At first he tweeted that he wasn't quite on board with the song, but said that he was going to keep listening to it as he "knew that eventually it was going to click with him". Whether that proved to be true or not has yet to be seen.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Hard Times" by Paramore: In the vein of "The Sound" from last year and "Run Away with Me" the year before, Todd could include this as an honorable mention for his favorite non-hit of the year, as confirmed in [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/882797743013588992 this tweet]].
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Praying" by Kesha: The song has received significantly high amounts of acclaim, which is helped by Todd's enjoyment of "Die Young" from 2012.
** The song was mentioned during the "Look What You Made Me Do" review in that the 2009/10 kind of pop is gone and that they were moving on, so it's likely that he sees the song in a favorable light.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Feels" by Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean: Despite his mixed feelings about Katy Perry, Todd likes Pharrell and Big Sean, so he'll probably find this to be better than most of the year's other hits.
** Mentioned during #4, but ultimately jossed.
* "Feel It Still" by Music/PortugalTheMan: Its unique sound compared to the year's other hits makes it a likely winner of the "fluke indie hit" sweepstakes.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "New Rules" by Dua Lipa (peaked at #14 in 2017): A pretty well received track by a British act that managed to cross over to the states. But since it didn't make the year-end list, it likely won't be anything more than an honorable mention or may even be saved for 2018's consideration (although "24K Magic" being on the 2016 list despite not making the Billboard list suggests otherwise).
** Jossed. It would later be on his best list for 2018, though.
* "Glorious" by Macklemore ft. Skylar Grey. Todd's positivity towards Macklemore has been well-documented, and he would probably love to have him back on the Best List, even if only as an honorable mention.
** By that same token, "Good Old Days" by Macklemore ft. Kesha. Not only does Todd like Macklemore, he's also come around on Kesha in recent years. The combination of the two is sure to gain his approval.
** Both songs jossed.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane: After missing the 2016 list, it could easily make the 2017 list...
** "Swang": ...unless this one makes it on instead.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Don't Wanna Know" by Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar: Since it missed the 2016 list, it has a good chance of making the worst list in 2017.
** Mentioned during #9, which was later confirmed to be "What Lovers Do".
* "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and Camilla Cabello & "Juju on That Beat" by Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion [=McCall=]: They may not make it on since they were already on his "Worst of 2016" list, but he may include them as dishonorable mentions, the same way "Scream & Shout" made the 2012 worst list and was a dishonorable mention in 2013.
** Jossed.
* "Bad and Boujee" by Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert: He hates songs that only get popular through memes, so chances are this will not be an exception. All the same, he said the music fell entirely out of his capacity for judgment, so he may give it a pass for lack of authority on the subject.
** "T-Shirt" and "Slippery" featuring Gucci Mane: Same deal.
** All songs jossed.
* "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara: After being a dishonorable mention in 2016, it could make the list proper in 2017.
** Jossed.
* "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by Zayn and Taylor Swift: It's a soundtrack single to the ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' sequel ''Fifty Shades Darker'', and he also hated Zayn's previous hit "Pillowtalk". In [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/836051954979700736 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/836052533713989636 tweets]], he hopes that it doesn't get nominated for Best Song, and then states that "Earned It", despite him hating it, is still far more deserving of its Best Song nomination than "Forever" would be if it were to receive one.
** There's also [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/847467724745748481 this tweet]], oh and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/847480269393108992 this one]].
** Confirmed #6.
* "Love on the Brain" by Rihanna: In response to a fan, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/814917771561672706 tweeted]] that he doesn't really like the song, saying that Rihanna's voice doesn't fit its style.
** Jossed.
* "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes: Shawn Mendes continues to have hits with Teddy Geiger co-writes. Todd hated both of their previous collaborations, so he may not enjoy this one either.
** Geiger also co-wrote "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back". While the song is more upbeat compared to Mendes' usual output, particular lines like "just picture everybody naked" are sure to make Todd cringe.
** On "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back", on Twitter, he criticized the guitar riff, calling it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/911635181701881856 bizarrely weak]]" and a "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/911635692937236481 serious waste of a great pre-chorus]]."
** Both songs jossed for the worst list. "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" confirmed honorable mention for the best list, however.
* "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/837444082100236290 This tweet]] definitely suggests that he doesn't like it. The review of the song was pretty negative, the "now my bedsheets smell like you" line in particular stuck a weird note for him.
** As of March, he seems exasperated by the song's run at the top of the charts judging by [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/846787307868971011 this tweet]]. Ironic, given that "Uptown Funk" and "Closer" previously topped his year-end best lists.
** Judging by [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/854432134295158787 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/854457911728328705 tweets]] from April, the longer the song stays at #1, the more likely it ends up on the list.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Tunnel Vision" by Kodak Black: If the generic trap beat doesn't make him hate this song, perhaps Kodak Black's criminal record (which includes charges of sexual assault) will.
** Jossed.
* "Body Like a Back Road" by Music/SamHunt: Todd's always been very negative towards bro-country songs, and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/828681898306179072 this tweet]] pretty much confirms he hates the song. His review was pretty hard, too.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Cold" by Maroon 5 featuring Future: He hates both Maroon 5 and Future; this seems almost inevitable for the worst list.
** Mentioned during #9, which was later confirmed to be "What Lovers Do".
* "Mask Off" by Future: Todd's dislike of Future has been well-established; this almost certainly won't be an exception.
** Jossed, but used in the end credits.
* "XO Tour [=Llif3=]" by Lil Uzi Vert: Another generic messy rap song that Todd is likely to hate, by the featured artist from "Bad & Boujee", whose guest verse he expressed a particular distaste for during his review of said song.
** Jossed for the worst list. Confirmed an honorable mention for the best list, however. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1088676891664531456?s=20 He even stated in early 2019 that he regretted not putting it on the list proper.]]
* "Look At Me!" by XXXTENTACION: Similar to "Tunnel Vision", it features an act with a known criminal record, which is not helped by how he could hate how it sounds and the lyrical content.
** Jossed.
* "Issues" by Julia Michaels: Todd will probably see Julia Michaels in the same light as Rachel Platten. He could find the song unremarkable on its own merit, and its premise is also likely to strike a sour note with him. While that doesn't exactly lock it in for the worst list, it's safe to say it ''won't'' be on the "Best" list. Also worth noting is that Julia Michaels has written a handful of songs Todd has hated ("Sorry", "Close" and many songs for Selena Gomez).
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Believer" by Imagine Dragons: Todd's opinion on Imagine Dragons has greatly soured ever since "Demons".
** "Thunder": The pitched vocals are something that could strike a peg on it for him.
** As of the "Thunder/Feel It Still" review, it's far more likely that "Believer" would make the worst list than "Thunder", as he didn't mind the latter.
** "Believer" confirmed #7, "Thunder" confirmed #10.
* "I'm The One" by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne: Another collaboration with several artists Todd hates. It's certainly not going to go down well with him.
** Todd is even more likely to hate "Wild Thoughts" ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller. In addition to his dislike of Rihanna, he'll likely find the Santana sample to be out of place.
*** Judging by the joint review of both songs, it's more likely that both songs will be Jossed.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Say You Won't Let Go" by James Arthur: He called it a ripoff of Howie Day's "Collide" on Twitter.
** Jossed.
* "Rolex" by Ayo & Teo: Another viral rap song in the vein of "Juju on That Beat", so he's bound to hate this. He'll likely dismiss the duo as a one-hit wonder like the artists of the latter song.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "2U" by David Guetta ft. Justin Bieber (peaked at #16): Todd dislikes both acts, so this likely won't go well with him.
** Jossed.
* "Bank Account" by 21 Savage: Another rap song Todd almost certainly won't like.
** Jossed.
* "Drowning" by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie featuring Kodak Black: It falls into the generic rap mold, and the line "I'm the shit I'm farting, I don't know how to potty" is likely to come off in bad taste.
** Jossed.
* "Everyday We Lit" by YFN Lucci featuring PNB Rock: Same deal.
** Jossed.
* "Caroline" by Aminé: This one too.
** Jossed.
* "Magnolia" by Playboi Carti: Another generic rap song from an act with a known criminal record.
** Jossed.
* "Both" by Gucci Mane featuring Drake and "I Get the Bag" by Gucci Mane featuring Migos: Todd has made his contempt for Gucci Mane obvious; at least one of them will almost certainly make the list.
** Both songs jossed.
* "1-800-273-8255" by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid: He said that the "who can relate, whoo" line was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/919264625023176707 hard to beat]]" for worst two seconds of pop music in 2017.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift: Oh boy has he made his thoughts on the song pretty clear. Need proof? [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900930816137719808 How]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900932457041719296 about]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900933164411047940 this]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900942079118856194 little]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900943994082934784 string]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900934583297945600 of]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/901611831688650752 tweets?]] And this isn't even all of them! His review all but assures its inclusion on the Worst Hit Songs of 2017 list, possibly #1.
** Confirmed #2.
* "do re mi" by Blackbear: This song has received its fair share of hate. The jacked nursery rhyme is one that Todd is sure to dislike.
** Jossed.
* "Rake It Up" by Yo Gotti ft. Nicki Minaj: In addition to it being a generic rap song like the ones Todd has criticized this year, it was produced by Mike [=WiLL=] Made-It, who Todd really doesn't like, not to mention the "bleed once a month" line.
** Jossed.
* "Friends" by Justin Bieber and [=BloodPop=] (peaked at #20): Todd stated in his "Despacito" review how sick he is of Bieber in 2017, and [=BloodPop=] produced "Sorry" which he hated.
** Jossed.
* "Ready For It?" by Taylor Swift (peaked at #4): This one he also spoke negatively on much like its predecessor, and stated on Twitter that he considered the line "knew he was a kill-ah" to be the worst Taylor moment of the year between the two.
** Confirmed #1 Worst Hit Song of 2017.
* "Mi Gente" by {{Music/J Balvin}} and Willy William featuring Beyoncé: A Latin boom track that features a snippet that loops throughout the entire song, and jacks Pitbull's trademark yodel, is not likely to be in good standing here. He could find the Beyoncé remix to be a ripoff of "Despacito", considering how useless he thought the Bieber remix of that song was.
** Jossed.
* "Rockstar" by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage: Todd tweeted that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920083683339579392 the song is really bad]], as well as asking [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920065426415120386 "is it just me, or does Post Malone suck?"]].
** On that note, "I Fall Apart" (peaked at #19 in 2017) could also qualify.
** Both songs jossed.
* "What About Us" by P!nk: After hating "Just Like Fire", he might find this kind of song unfitting for P!nk, particularly for being in the same low-key that he found "Scars To Your Beautiful" to be in.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Gucci Gang" by Lil Pump (peaked at #3): Yet another generic trap song.
** Confirmed #5.
* "Gummo" by 6ix9ine (peaked at #12 in 2017): Another song on the hands of a rapper faced with charges of child molestation.
** Jossed. 6ix9ine would be mentioned in his worst of 2018 video, however.
* "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (peaked at #1): He said in [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/940308961361825794 this tweet]] that even Beyoncé couldn't make this song any good. At the same time he said it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/940314545389699078 wasn't bad, but super not good, extra boring and nothing about it needs to exist]]", and that Shape of You "was indeed six billion times worse".
** Confirmed #8.
* "Swalla" by Jason Derulo featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Nicki Minaj: Todd hates Jason Derulo with a passion and will likely dismiss Ty Dolla $ign as another generic rapper; this almost seems like a lock for the worst list.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "Fake Love" by Drake: It has been compared to Drake's previous single "Hotline Bling", which Todd eventually found "brilliant" but stood by what he said about it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "This Town" and "Slow Hands" by Niall Horan (the former peaked at #20): He stated on Twitter that he "hasn't been knocked out by any of the One Direction solo singles, but they are all carving out surprisingly distinct musical identities", so it's not likely that he completely hates them.
** "Slow Hands" confirmed dishonorable mention, "This Town" jossed for both lists.
* "Paris" by The Chainsmokers: Todd's opinion on The Chainsmokers' output has been split with him finding "Closer" to be great and "Roses" to be decent, but hating "#selfie" and "Don't Let Me Down". So he might either like this song for being nostalgic and find it similar to "Style" by Taylor Swift, or he might find the song to be bland and too similar to their other songs.
** Confirmed #2 best.
* "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga (peaked at #4): He liked "Perfect Illusion"; like that one, this had Mark Ronson behind it. For what it's worth, he said that "he had been disappointed by every Gaga performance he had ever seen that wasn't the Super Bowl". At the same time, he could potentially find it a basic boring "white guy with acoustic guitar" track.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Chained to the Rhythm" by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley: Todd could potentially find this similar to the old Katy Perry that he came to enjoy, but he has yet to discuss it yet. He might like its pro-political, anti-party themes, and Sia's work on it can't hurt, but he may see the song as entirely ironic and hypocritical, as Perry's work has been entirely shallow and a bit party-focused prior to this.
** He tweeted that it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/837457538341810179 "catchy, but kind of self-defeating"]].
** He later tweeted that Katy Perry's new singles "aren't great", but they're better than anything from ''Prism''. That makes this song an unlikely candidate for either list.
** Confirmed #9 best.
* "iSpy" by Kyle featuring Lil Yachty: The song features Lil Yachty, who [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/793161765777440769 this tweet]] pretty much establishes he doesn't like, though he never outright stated his opinion on "Broccoli", Yachty's previous featured hit. He could either like this song for its happy-sounding production, or be too bothered by the mean-spirited tone of the lyrics.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "It Ain't Me" by Kygo & Selena Gomez, and "Wolves" by Selena Gomez & Marshmello (the latter peaked at #20): While he hasn't like any of Selena Gomez's singles, his opinions on Kygo and Marshmello have never been stated.
** Both songs jossed for both lists.
* "Stay" by Zedd and Alessia Cara: Todd has expressed mixed feelings about both acts, so a collaboration between them could go either way.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro song for the worst list.
* "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar: Todd might see this as Kendrick taking a stand against other rappers and listeners or another basic objectionable track, which might not be helped by production courtesy of Mike WILL Made-It.
** He tweeted that the song's parent album ''DAMN.'' was a disappointment compared to Kendrick's previous albums, so while his opinions on this song in particular are unknown, the chances of more than one hit song from the album making the best list (assuming he picks "DNA." or "LOYALTY." over this) are looking pretty slim.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Congratulations" by Post Malone featuring Quavo: Despite disliking Post Malone, Todd tweeted that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920083683339579392 he didn't mind the song]], so it probably won't make either list.
** Confirmed #10 best.
* "Sign Of The Times" by Harry Styles: He said that he knew the song was "not fun, but that it's that way on purpose". He also stated that he "hadn't been knocked out by any of the One Direction solo singles, but they are all carving out surprisingly distinct musical identities".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Bad Liar" by Selena Gomez (peaked at #20): While Todd has stated that he dislikes Selena Gomez, the song is different enough from her previous songs for him to like it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Down" by Marian Hill: He may like it for being a catchy indie-esque song or just see it as forgettable.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Malibu" by Miley Cyrus: In the "Look What You Made Me Do" review, he talked about how Miley sounded different and more matured, but he didn't explicitly specify whether he considers that good or not.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young, "Hurricane" by Luke Combs, "Small Town Boy" by Dustin Lynch and "What Ifs" by Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina: After his virulent hatred of "Body Like a Back Road", they may get a pass for being somewhat better songs in terms of country pop crossovers, or he may just find them too forgettable to comment on either way.
** All songs jossed for both lists.
* "Despacito" by Music/LuisFonsi & Music/DaddyYankee featuring Justin Bieber: Despite the song's subject matter and the fact that Todd is starting to get really sick of seeing Bieber everywhere, he said that the song was "a breath of fresh air" compared to a lot of the current music scene.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Attention" by Charlie Puth: While he hasn't liked any of Charlie Puth's singles, this song has been getting some praise for its funky bassline.
** Confirmed #3 best.
* "Unforgettable" by French Montana ft. Swae Lee: Todd dislikes Swae Lee's duo Rae Sremmurd, but his opinion of French Montana is unknown, and the song's overall reception has been better than most rap songs in this mold.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Now or Never" and "Bad at Love" by Halsey (the latter peaked at #8 in 2017): Todd hated "New Americana" but loved "Closer", so it's unknown what he'll think of either of these two.
** When pitting it against "Too Good at Goodbyes" on Twitter, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/946043399643295744 said that]] he liked both songs more than he usually likes the two artists, but most likely not enough for the best list. He said that he "likes it when Halsey lets loose and really belts".
** Both songs jossed for both lists.
* "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)" by Cardi B: While he may find it another generic rap song like the many others about, Todd has liked Nicki Minaj for her rapping capabilities, so he might find this in a similar boat.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Strip that Down" by Liam Payne ft. Quavo: While Todd appears to at least respect most of One Direction for taking distinct paths with their solo careers, he isn't a fan of Quavo's group Migos, and this has been arguably the worst received of the 1D solo singles.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Location" and "Young Dumb & Broke" by Khalid: Todd could either praise them for their minimal production or dismiss them as forgettable R&B songs.
** Both songs jossed for both lists.
* "Sorry Not Sorry" by Demi Lovato: He liked "Cool for the Summer" and seems to be warming up to her, although the song's overall reception has not been very positive as a whole.
** Jossed for both lists, but referenced in the end credits for the best list.
* "Too Good at Goodbyes" by Sam Smith: Todd has shown that he considers Sam Smith to have genuine talent, but whether he'll actually like this in the big picture has yet to be determined.
** When pitting it against the aforementioned "Bat at Love" on Twitter, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/946043399643295744 said that]] he liked both songs more than he usually likes the two artists, but most likely not enough for the best list. For this he said that the "close to me/most to me" rhyme was "so corny that it makes Sam Smith actually resonate for the first time" but it "blows it on the chorus".
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "No Promises" by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato: As mentioned with "Sorry Not Sorry", Todd has been liking Demi Lovato more as of recent, but this too has received a fair amount of backlash.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "What Lovers Do" by Maroon 5 ft. SZA, "Love Galore" by SZA ft. Travi$ Scott and "Goosebumps" by Travi$ Scott ft. Kendrick Lamar: While he hates Maroon 5, especially as of recent, his opinion on SZA and Travi$ Scott is unknown. Their work has been getting some praise, for what that's worth.
** "What Lovers Do" confirmed #9 worst, "Love Galore" confirmed honorable mention, "Goosebumps" jossed for both lists.
* "Havana" by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug: Although Todd does not like Fifth Harmony, and hated "Bad Things", this song has gotten quite a bit more praise than most songs by herself and the group. The fact that Todd enjoyed Thugger's previous hit "Lifestyle" may help here as well.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro music for the best list.
* "No Limit" by G-Eazy ft. A$AP Rocky & Cardi B (peaked at #7 in 2017): While he doesn't like G-Eazy, it is unknown what he thinks of A$AP Rocky, and he could enjoy Cardi B's verse.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "[=MotorSport=]" by Migos, Nicki Minaj & Cardi B (peaked at #6 in 2017): While he doesn't like Migos, he could think that Nicki Minaj and Cardi B raise the song a little bit.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Walk On Water" by Eminem featuring Beyoncé (peaked at #14): Todd hasn't said anything about Eminem in a long time, but he liked Beyoncé on ''Lemonade'', so what he might think of this kind of duet is unclear. However, since it only charted for three weeks, it may not even be up for consideration.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Let You Down" by NF (peaked at #16 in 2017): He [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/933017821512196098 tweeted]] that the song's charting is interesting due to NF's status as a Christian rapper. But he also [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/933018642207342592 called his music "Linkin Park-y"]], which doesn't sound like a compliment.
** Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2017 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion: The hook goes "I'm at an all time low"; it speaks for itself.
** Confirmed.
* "Green Light" by Lorde: The song is about the "green light" signal that the subject can move on and get over the negativity in their life, and that could certainly apply to a year of bad music... if it manages to be successful enough to qualify.
* "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes: Todd could ask the year's worst songs to have mercy on him.
* "XO Tour [=Llif3=]" by Lil Uzi Vert: The first line of the hook, "I don't really care if you cry", could be interpreted as his response to the artists who performed these songs, or alternatively, to the fans of these artists/songs who are upset with Todd's list.
* "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar: Todd could use this to tell the year's bad songs to "sit down, be humble".
* "Chained to the Rhythm" by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley: The "turn it up, it's your favorite song" part could be used sarcastically.
* "Praying" by Kesha: These songs "brought the flames and put him through hell", and he'll "just say this is and wish them farewell".
* "do re mi" by blackbear: Features the line "do re mi fa so fucking done with you" in the chorus, which can easily be directed at the songs on the list.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2018)]]
[[WMG: Best]]
%%The year-end Hot 100 chart for 2018 has yet to be released, of course, and songs that have charted in the top twenty on the weekly chart are eligible for Todd's year-end lists. But if there is a song you want to include that has not made the Top 20, it can still be added if you think it is bound for either the Top 20 or the Year-End list. Also, if you wish to pay attention to what is essentially guaranteed for the Year-End list, you can read here: http://pulsemusic.proboards.com/thread/136215/hot-100-year-predictions-2018 If a song falls under that category, you can remove the "peaked at" indication from it.
* "Finesse" by Bruno Mars feat. Cardi B: Bruno does New Jack Swing. Enough said. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/950596279393976320 These]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/950597156016140288 two tweets]] seem to indicate it in a positive direction.
** Confirmed #10.
* "Marry Me" by Thomas Rhett: One of the most acclaimed country songs to chart in a while, it's likely that he could see this song as a touching means of parting with an ex, especially in the face of all the songs out that are about stealing the girlfriends of others.
** Jossed.
* "How Long" by Charlie Puth: Seeing as he loved "Attention" for its groove, it is likely that he will like the follow up as well for maintaining that style.
** Jossed.
* "Stir Fry" by Migos: He loved "Slide" and said that if Migos had less depressing beats behind their songs, he would be totally into their music, and this is definitely one of their more better received notable songs in recent times. Considering this song's production is much more upbeat than the usual Migos fare thanks to Pharrell Williams, there's a good chance he'll like this one. On Twitter, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1001529111142072320 he distinugished]] "Stir Fry" as the only hip hop song of 2018 so far that sounds distinct, in contrast to all the trap productions that sound mostly the same to him.
** Jossed, but used as the credits music for the best list.
* "Bad at Love" by Halsey: While Todd didn't quite love it enough to put it on last year's list, it could grow on him this year.
** Jossed, but used as the piano intro for the best list.
* "New Rules" by Dua Lipa: After missing last year's list, it could make it this year.
** Confirmed #9.
* "God's Plan" by Drake: While Todd's review of the song was rather mixed, it could potentially grow on him like "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" did last year.
** "Nice For What": This song has been getting a much better reception than Drake's other songs of late. Todd mentioned in the "Girls Like You" review that he thought the song's music video was great, which could indicate a positive opinion.
*** "God's Plan" jossed, "Nice For What" confirmed #2.
* "No Tears Left to Cry" by Music/ArianaGrande: This single has so far earned rave reviews, and it seems very congruous with Todd's musical taste - he's usually a fan of Ariana Grande's music, he loves songs that are about finding enjoyment in the midst of tough times, and he also adores songs with modern spins on retro grooves.
** Jossed.
* "One Kiss" by Music/CalvinHarris feat. Music/DuaLipa: A well-received '90s house throwback song that sounds distinct and upbeat in contrast to the samey and low-key pop that Todd has been complaining about for the past few years, making it one of the only true summer anthems of 2018. Todd also stated that unlike Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa has the star power to become the next huge thing in pop, and he referred to this song as an example.
** Jossed.
* "The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey: Todd absolutely loves the production of this song, and though he thinks it's a complete ripoff of "Stay", another hit by Zedd, he prefers this track. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/957812858720485376 He said]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/957813857250107392 on Twitter]] in reference to a Target commercial which featured the song that aired in this year's Grammys that Maren Morris has a generic voice, which is partially why he didn't quite like the song when he reviewed it, but it could easily grow on him by the end of the year, much like "Feel It Still" did in 2017.
** Jossed.
* "This Is America" by Childish Gambino: His review revealed Todd to be somewhat of a Donald Glover fanboy, and while he didn't get what the song's exact political message was trying to be, he did appreciate it for at least making some kind of a big statement, going so far as to describe it as a shock/dark comedy piece.
** Jossed.
* "Chun-Li" by Music/NickiMinaj (peaked at #10): [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1027962447448236032 He likes it]].
** Confirmed #4.
* "I Like It" by Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin: He has spent all year praising Cardi B as a potent star and for her personality, and this song is more unique when compared to other trap songs. Coupled with the fact the Todd has warmed up to trap music in general, this seems quite likely.
** Confirmed #5.
** "Bartier Cardi" & "Be Careful": Same deal.
*** Both songs jossed.
* "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradly Cooper (peaked at #5): Considering the praise of the film, he'll probably like it.
** Jossed.
* "IDGAF" by Dua Lipa: Despite only peaking at #49 on the Hot 100, it just made the year-end list for 2018. Though Todd did not like the production for "New Rules", he has commented positively about Dua Lipa in the past.
** Jossed.
* "Lemon" by N*E*R*D & Rihanna: Todd praised Pharrell for bringing life to an otherwise dreary 2014; 2018 could see a repeat of this.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Rockstar" by Post Malone ft. 21 Savage: After missing last year's Worst list, it could make this one.
** Jossed.
* "Filthy" by Justin Timberlake (peaked at #9): He was pretty harsh when he reviewed the song, calling it "hot garbage" and comparing it to "Boom Boom Pow".
** Confirmed #2.
* "Gummo" by 6ix9ine: After not making his 2017 list, it could end up on this one.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "FEFE" by 6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj: This song has a pretty standard trap beat, but the real sins come from 6ix9ine, who has traded being a shouty idiot for a mewling idiot, and the lyrics, which alternate between corny, gross, and cliche.
** Not confirmed per se, but Todd said that 6ix9ine got a dishonorable mention as a whole when discussing "Gummo".
* "Lights Down Low" by MAX feat. gnash: Yet another WGWAG song, from a teen idol no less, which is something that Todd explained the massive problem with in late 2015 while discussing "Stitches". It also features a verse from gnash of "I Hate U I Love U" that even indirectly references "Treat You Better", two songs from his Worst Hit Songs of 2016 list. This seems destined for his worst list.
** Jossed.
* "Psycho" by Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign: After "Rockstar" and expressing his distaste for Post Malone in general, it's not likely his opinion on this will be much different. In his Pop Song Review for "Better Now" & "Lucid Dreams", he slammed this song for being mushy garbage that completely failed to live up to its title.
** Confirmed #10.
* "SAD!" by [=XXXTentacion=]: His opinion on [=XXXTentacion=] as an artist is unknown (though he has [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920305079328141312 commented on him]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/954402571527041028 a few times]]), but he could hate the song for its emotionally manipulative lyrics, and given [[DomesticAbuse X's past]], may be something he finds very uncomfortable. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1047863228519391233 Todd has said]] that he does like some of his music (although it's not known if that includes this song), but feels uncomfortable about it because of said past.
** "Moonlight" and "Changes": Same deal.
*** All songs jossed.
* "Wait" by Maroon 5: Todd half-joked in the "Girls Like You" review that he had already recorded this song's segment for the Worst of 2018 video. Expect that segment to come up again when the actual list comes out.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention, including said clip.
* "Friends" by Marshmallo and Anne-Marie: Despite not saying anything on the previous songs that either of these two acts have had (outside of Todd referring to Marshmallo's "Wolves" when talking about weak, limp drops), this one's reception has not been very good at all in terms of production or premise.
** Jossed.
* "Freaky Friday" by Music/LilDicky feat. Music/ChrisBrown: According to his Twitter account, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/981654456390619137 his opinion]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/981658419416457217 isn't the best]] and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/977569740561485824 he was unable to make himself watch the song's music video]]. That opinion was more than elaborated with a pretty scathing review, holding special criticism for the song making Chris Brown sound like a great artist/person. All things considered, it seems doomed for the list, although it may be spared the high positions because in a year when Todd has complained the pop charts don't matter anymore, this at least took some sort of risk and generated some buzz, albeit not for the right reasons.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Him & I" by G-Eazy & Halsey: Todd hates G-Eazy with a passion; this almost certainly won't be an exception.
** Jossed.
* "Delicate" by Taylor Swift: He implied [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/989317844004474880 here]] that his worst song of 2017, "...Ready For It?", is actually better to him than "Delicate", [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/989318353771745280 further elaborating]] that he never wants to hear Taylor sing about her own reputation ever again. Considering it got pretty big after a few months, it's pretty much a shoe-in.
** Jossed. It turns out Todd actually doesn't mind this song except for the word 'reputation'.
** "End Game" feat. Future and Ed Sheeran (peaked at #18): Todd hates Future and is fairly ambivalent on Ed Sheeran; this also seems like a lock.
*** Confirmed #8.
* "I Love It" by Lil Pump and Kanye West (peaked at #6): When heard with the video, it's a stupid, over-the-top misogyny anthem. When heard on its own, it's utter garbage. They basically have a DJ Mustard beat and Lil Pump with lacklustre Autotune going through some routine brags. Kanye's verse is sillier and more intentional, but it's still about the same wavelength as "New Workout Plan" (minus the incest joke).
** Confirmed #5.
* "Never Be the Same" by Camila Cabello: Todd has already [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/999414600624992256?s=21 commented]] negatively about this song multiple times, considering it part of the country-pop crossover fad of 2018 that he dislikes and having difficulty distinguishing it from "Meant to Be", which he despises. He generally dislikes toxic love trapsoul songs such as "Pillow Talk" by Zayn (#3 on his "Worst of 2016" list), as well as MGK's "Bad Things" (#6 on his "Worst of 2016" list), which featured Camila in the chorus. He wasn't impressed by Cabello's work with Fifth Harmony, nor even her signature smash solo hit "Havana", implying he perceives little charisma in her as a performer.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Mine" by Bazzi: Todd will likely find the MoodWhiplash of romantic & crassly sexual lines jarring.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Plug Walk" by Rich the Kid: A generic rap song from an act with a known criminal record.
** Jossed.
* "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line: Todd hates Florida Georgia Line and they have showed up on his worst lists twice in the past. Furthermore, he finds Bebe Rexha to be a really bland performer. Though this track deviates from previous Florida Georgia Line songs in that it's written as a dialogue with a female singer, he still finds it to be [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/999412494811705344?s=21 forgettable garbage]].
** Jossed.
* "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B: He tweeted wondering "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1019244565138739202?s=20 how the song was charting so high, and that Cardi B is not using her power responsibly]]", calling it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1019246573178540040?s=20 the same exact dogshit song they've released for the entire decade]]". His review all but assures its inclusion on the Worst List, claiming that it is the worst song they have ever recorded. In fact, it's probably the most likely contender for the #1 position because like "...Ready For It?" (his Worst Hit Song of 2017), it's a deadly combination of both ''complete'' tastelessness (the apathetically conceived content and lazy, half-cooked production), as well as insufferable annoyance (Adam Levine's voice and Cardi B's misplaced guest rap).
** Confirmed #1 Worst Hit Song of 2018.
* "Look Alive" by [=BlocBoy=] JB feat. Drake or "Yes Indeed" by Lil Baby feat. Drake. These songs are extremely similar, so it is unlikely that Todd chooses both. They both have bored Drake features at the start of the song, a strong indication of each host rapper's skill level; super-average, monotonous trap beats; and host rappers with strong similarities to previous reviled rappers of the 2010s (2 Chainz and Kodak Black). Of the two, "Look Alive" has more energy and charisma, while "Yes Indeed" is a less direct affront to the senses.
** "Look Alive" jossed, "Yes Indeed" confirmed #3.
* "I Like Me Better" by Lauv: Aside from some screechy violin work, the line "I like me better when I'm with you" sounds like one that would roll over badly here.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Dame Tu Cosita" by El Chombo: (Peaked at #36) Another song that got big cause of a stupid internet challenge.
** Jossed.
* "No Brainer" by DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo & Chance the Rapper: In addition to largely being dismissed as a lesser rehash of last year's "I'm the One", Todd could have a field day with the "I ain't talkin' 'bout physically, I'm talkin' 'bout mentally" line.
** Jossed.
* "Taste" by Tyga: He hated "Rack City" and questioned why Tyga is still a thing in 2018.
** Jossed, but used as the credits music on the Worst List.
* "Africa" by Weezer: (#1 on the alternative charts) Mentioned it being a pointless cover on his twitter. However, since it did not do well on the Hot 100, it's a contender only for the dishonorable mentions section.
** Jossed.
* "Lucid Dreams" by Juice WRLD: Except for having slightly more animated production than most emo rap, Todd had nothing but unfavorable things to say about this in his review for it, from the sample of Sting's "Shape of My Heart" (a song which he hates), to the melodramatically immature lyrics, to the lazy and inaccurate use of the song title, to the incompetent singing.
** Confirmed #9.
* "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #4): Todd called the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1058585175393677312 ass]], despite really wanting to like it.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Uproar" by Lil Wayne (peaked at #7): Todd really doesn't like Weezy; this almost certainly won't be an exception. While other songs from ''Tha Carter V'' charted in the top 20, they are probably exempt due to not being released as singles.
** Jossed.
* "Broken" by lovelytheband (peaked at #29): [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1019634612904124416 Todd had this to say about the song before it became a hit]]. However, since it didn't hit the criteria to make the list proper, it's only a contender for the dishonorable mentions.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Whatever It Takes" and/or "Natural" by Imagine Dragons: "Thunder" and "Believer" both made Todd's 2017 worst list, and while these two songs have received more positive reception than Imagine Dragons' 2017 hits, they apparently [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1074737238565629952 haven't changed his mind]][[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1061345071705059331 about the band]].
** "Whatever It Takes" jossed, "Natural" confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "X" by Nicky Jam x J Balvin: While Todd doesn't cover Latin songs very often, this song has made more than a few people's worst lists for its irritating synth line, so he may just do the same.
** Jossed.
* "I'm Upset" by Drake: Todd has mixed feelings about Drake's newer style, and this is easily the rapper's worst-rated hit song of his own this year.
** Jossed.
* "Simple" by Florida Georgia Line: Todd doesn't like Florida Georgia Line.
** Jossed.
* "Te Boté" by Casper Magico, Nio Garcia, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny: A generic rap song [[AC:[[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace IN SPANISH!]]]]
** Jossed.
* "Ric Flair Drip" by Offset & Metro Boomin: Another generic rap song.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Powerglide" by Rae Sremmurd ft. Juicy J: Todd has established his dislike of Rae Sremmurd; this almost certainly won't be an exception.
** ossed. Todd stated in his Best list that he actually loves Rae Sremmurd now.
* "Outside Today" by [=YoungBoy=] Never Broke Again: In addition to being another generic rap song, his numerous legal troubles will very likely land him a spot on the list.
** Jossed.
* "In My Feelings" by Drake: Another meme song.
** Jossed.
* "Walk It Talk It" by Migos ft. Drake: A dull, dreary beat + Drake at his least interesting = a likely lock for the Worst list.
** Jossed.
* "Nonstop" by Drake: Todd's patience for Drake is wearing thin.
** Jossed.
* "Back to You" by Selena Gomez and "Wolves" by Selena Gomez & Marshmello: Selena Gomez. Enough said.
** "Back to You" confirmed dishonorable mention, "Wolves" jossed.
* "Zombie" by Bad Wolves: It missed the Billboard Year End list, but since it was one of the only rock hits of any sort in 2018, he may still bring up his [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1074736801326292992 hatred]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1074737054817415170 for it]] in the dishonorable mentions section.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "LOVE." by Kendrick Lamar feat. Zacari, "All The Stars" by SZA featuring Kendrick Lamar and "Pray For Me" by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar: While Todd said he was not impressed by ''DAMN.'', he never explicitly stated his opinion on "LOVE.". The Weeknd is an act that Todd has been mixed on while he said that he likes SZA. All three could go either way.
** "LOVE." and "Pray for Me" confirmed honorable mentions, "All the Stars" jossed.
* "No Limit" by G-Eazy feat. A$AP Rocky & Cardi B and "[=MotorSport=]" by Migos featuring Nicki Minaj & Cardi B: While Todd hates G-Eazy and has been mostly lukewarm on Migos, he could find that Cardi B elevates these songs.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Plain Jane" by A$AP Ferg feat. Nicki Minaj: Todd could either praise it for Nicki's verse or dismiss it as another generic rap song.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "In My Blood" by Shawn Mendes: He gave "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" a pass, but as for this, he might find it too melodramatic or he could buy into Mendes' claims about the song being about his anxiety and vulnerability.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro for the Worst List.
* "Call Out My Name" by The Weeknd: See "Pray For Me" above.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Heaven" by Kane Brown: He might find it a refreshing break from bro-country for having a more meaningful message, or he might find it a boring vaguely R&B-flavored ballad.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Say Something" by Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton: While Todd could find this song's message ham-fisted, he never commented on it during his "Filthy" review or on Twitter, even though he listened to ''Man of the Woods'' and this was the most successful single from the record. This could imply he considers the track a major exception to the album's overall poor quality.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Boo'd Up" and "Trip" by Ella Mai: Todd hates DJ Mustard, but these are his best-received songs yet.
** "Boo'd Up" confirmed #6 best, "Trip" not confirmed per se, but given an honorable mention-style clip during the "Boo'd Up" segment for being extremely similar to that song.
* "Youngblood" by 5 Seconds of Summer: He hated "She Looks So Perfect" and "She's Kinda Hot" and didn't mind "Amnesia", but did mention while discussing the very former in his worst of 2014 video that the band has had good capability.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Better Now" by Post Malone: Though Todd isn't much of a Post Malone fan overall, "Congratulations" proves that it is possible for him to like some of his work. His review criticized this song for its insincerity and sluggishness, but he did say it's better than most of Malone's work, and he also praised the "socks you don't like" lyric in particular.
** Jossed for both lists.
* Any of the Eminem songs that charted top-twenty this year ("Killshot" peaked at #3, "Lucky You" feat. Joyner Lucas peaked at #6, "The Ringer" peaked at #8, "Fall" peaked at #12 and "Kamikaze" peaked at #16): All these songs are ones that critics and fans considered to be Eminem's rapping at its most on point in a long time (especially "Killshot"), but Todd has been, at best, mixed with his latest output, so it is anyone's guess if any will be even (dis)honorable mentions. Todd did tweet that he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1053145648713871360 empathizes]] with Eminem's 45-year-old perspective of [=SoundCloud=] rap, which indicates a positive direction for the artist's inclusion on the best list.
** All songs mentioned above jossed for both lists, but "River" (#11 at the start of 2018) confirmed #6 worst.
* "God is a Woman" by Ariana Grande: In a year where most pop stars have essentially disapeared, Todd has praised Ariana for staying relevant on the charts. Considering he was positive on "No Tears Left to Cry", this feels like it also has a shot. However Todd doesn't tend to like a lot of mid-tempo sex songs like this as we kind see from his opinions on Zayn's "Pillowtalk" and even Ariana's other song "Dangerous Woman".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Love Lies" by Khalid & Normani: While Todd hates Fifth Harmony (which Normani was a member of), he said on Twitter that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/949120176485797888 he was "starting to get Khalid"]].
** Confirmed #7 best.
* "Happier" by Marshmello & Bastille: Todd praised Bastille's performance on the song in his Pop Song Review and liked how it was relatively positive despite it being a BreakUpSong, but was underwhelmed by the lacklustre EDM production.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "thank u, next" by Ariana Grande (peaked at #1): As Grande's first #1 hit, he could either find it a meaningful way of calling back to her exes or shoddy shade towards them. He briefly mentioned it in the "Happier" review as a positive song about moving forward compared to the hopeless misery clogging up the Hot 100, but whether or not that's an indication of him liking it remains to be seen. During the worst list, he compares it favorably to the way Taylor Swift tried to be on top of her image and discuss her reputation, though whether he meant that in a critical, objective way or if it indicated him liking the song is unclear.
** Confirmed #3 best.
* "Eastside" by Benny Blanco, Halsey & Khalid: While Todd seems to have warmed up to Khalid, he's more mixed on Halsey.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Big Bank" by YG ft. 2 Chainz, Big Sean & Nicki Minaj: Todd likes Big Sean, but he could potentially dismiss this as another generic rap song.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "King's Dead" by Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake: Todd hates Future & has soured on Kendrick Lamar, but his opinion on Jay Rock is unknown.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "SICKO MODE" by Travi$ Scott ft. Drake & Swae Lee: While Todd's opinion of Travi$ Scott is unknown, this song has been very well-received.
** Confirmed #8 best.
* "Dura" by Daddy Yankee: Todd could either dismiss it as banal or praise it as a rare upbeat song from this year.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Tequila" by Dan + Shay, "You Make It Easy" by Jason Aldean, "Get Along" by Kenny Chesney, "Mercy" by Brett Young & "One Number Away" by Luke Combs: Todd could find them to be better country crossovers than "Meant to Be" or deem them too forgettable to comment on.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Let You Down" by NF: After missing both of last year's lists, it could make it this year.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "I Fall Apart" by Post Malone: Todd generally dislikes Post Malone, but whether or not this song is an exception remains to be seen.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Sky Walker" by Miguel ft. Travi$ Scott: Todd's opinion of Miguel is unknown, so this could go either way.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Without Me" by Halsey (peaked at #1): Although Todd has had good to say regarding Halsey (Closer, Bad at Love), he hated "New Americana", and this song's general reception has been mostly mixed.
** Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2018 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "This Is America" by Childish Gambino: Could be used in a way to say "this is the bad music America listens to".
* "Let You Down" by NF: Could most likely use the hook.
* "No Tears Left to Cry" by Ariana Grande
* "thank u, next" by Ariana Grande
** Confirmed.
* "IDGAF" by Dua Lipa: Todd could use it to tell off the year's worst hits.
* "I'm Upset" by Drake: Could be used to describe how the bad music of 2018 makes Todd feel. It has already appeared as the bumper song for a few other worst lists so far.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2019)]]
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" by Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus: Todd mentioned on his 2018 Best List that Ronson is doing great work "all the goddamn time." He also said that the new Miley Cyrus song was good on that year's Worst List, which probably referred to this. However, since it performed poorly in America despite its international success, it's not eligible for anything more than an honorable mention.
** Jossed.
* "Talk" by Khalid (peaked at #3): Todd loves Khalid, and this song continues in the same mature vein as "Love Lies".
** Jossed, but used as the piano intro for the Best list.
* "Dancing with a Stranger" by Sam Smith and Normani (peaked at #7): Todd has warmed up to both singers in recent years, having put "Too Good at Goodbyes" on his honorable mentions for 2017 and Normani's duet with Khalid "Love Lies" at #7 on his Best list for 2018 (though he didn't like it for Normani's vocal performance, she cowrote the lyrics, which he loved). Furthermore, this song has the same type of controlled, booming production from several songs that Todd has enjoyed in recent times, as well as lyrics that he could possibly relate heavily to, as he did with the aforementioned songs by Sam and Normani. His comments during the "I Don't Care" Pop Song Review seem to hint a positive impression of the track.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Going Bad" by Meek Mill featuring Drake (peaked at #6): He tweeted that he [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1111321521878982657?s=21 really likes]] Meek Mill's newest album, and while he's more burnt out by Drake, he still put two Drake songs on his Best List for 2018. This song is notable for being a collaboration between two rappers who had famously beefed with each other, which is particularly interesting considering Drake's Pusha T feud in 2018.
** Confirmed ''dis''honorable mention. It turns out Todd considers this song a case of boring, wasted potential, despite reaffirming his love of the album.
* "Better" by Khalid (peaked at #8): Another song by Khalid, who Todd really enjoys.
** Jossed.
* "Old Town Road (Remix)" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (peaked at #1): Despite his criticism of the verse's clichéd use of lists for its lyrics, Todd stated he really likes this song in his Pop Song Review of it and believes it may signify the beginning of a new music craze of country and rap hybrids that are finally good, unlike bro-country and Justin Timberlake's ''Man of the Woods''.
** Alternatively, considering this is the end of a decade and the song's dominance has become a recurring gag by this point, Todd could give it a special "Song of the Decade" award due to its near-total staying power and cultural relevance.
*** Confirmed #9.
* "Nightmare" by Halsey (peaked at #15): Todd is certain to sympathize with the song's message amidst the current zeitgeist and especially following the passage of Alabama's controversial abortion law in particular. He's also likely to praise the song's rawness and intensity.
** Jossed.
* "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo (peaked at #1): He's likely to call her one of the most charismatic and original female music stars of the day this side of Cardi B and Janelle Monáe. Though the chorus is [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong rather similar to "Black Beatles"]] (which he [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1170381383832875008?s=21 acknowledged on Twitter]]), that may not be a bad thing, considering Todd has come to adore Rae Sremmurd for their hooks and he usually doesn't mind ripoffs, anyway. Although he called it his least favorite Lizzo song in the ''Song vs. Song'' podcast, he vaguely hinted that the song could grow on him.
** "Juice", while not a real hit, was another song of hers that has had pretty good reception. And with its 70s/80s vibe, he's sure to like it too and even if it doesn't become a real hit may give it an honorable mention.
*** "Truth Hurts" jossed, "Juice" confirmed honorable mention.
* "EARFQUAKE" by Tyler, the Creator (peaked at #13): Tyler has been one of the most acclaimed artists of the past decade, and this song finally won him a top 40 hit.
** Jossed.
* "The London" by Young Thug featuring J. Cole & Travis Scott (peaked at #12): Todd could likely praise the chemistry between the three rappers.
** Jossed.
* "Never Really Over" by Katy Perry (peaked at #15): The production is fairly dynamic, and the lyrics describe the type of post-breakup anxiety that Todd often praises in pop songs. This is also Katy Perry's best-received single on Rate Your Music, and considering how many times she has made his Best list in the past, even for 2017, it's likely she'll turn up on his countdown again in 2019. Todd tweeted that he considers it Katy's "[[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1143587156549668870?s=21 best song in quite a long time]]", making it a near-lock for the Best list.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Press" by Cardi B (peaked at #16): Because he generally enjoys Cardi.
** Jossed, but "Money" confirmed honorable mention, specifically #11.
* "Julien" and/or "Now That I Found You" by Carly Rae Jepsen: Todd has adored Carly Rae since ''E·MO·TION'' and gave her an honorable mention twice for songs that were not actual hits. "Now That I Found You" seems like it would resonate with Todd being a very private person, while "Julien"'s blend of 80s grooves and lucid post-breakup lyrics is bound to appeal to his general musical tastes.
** Both songs jossed, but "Too Much" confirmed honorable mention.
* "Panini" by Lil Nas X (peaked at #5): It's likely Todd would praise this song as an example of emo rap done right, thanks to its candid lyrics about Lil Nas X dealing with a longtime connection amidst sudden fame, not to mention its intense production.
** Jossed.
* "If I Can't Have You" by Shawn Mendes (peaked at #2): It's very similar to "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back", which got an honorable mention in 2017, and Todd said that he thinks Shawn Mendes is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1146810468272660481 improving]]. Though he doesn't like this or any of his other tracks enough to put in his Top 10, it's definitely possible that this will at least make the honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish (peaked at #1): Todd considers Billie Eilish a [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1151165250030489607?s=20 meaningful]] artist who speaks to the insecurities of teenagers in 2019, and he'll also probably admire how a pop song this avant-garde managed to achieve such enormous success. Although he dislikes the remix with Justin Bieber, it's presumably the original solo version that will stand the test of time. In addition, Todd responded to the news that Bad Guy had finally surpassed Old Town Road to top the charts, calling the song "a worthy successor to the throne."
** Confirmed #1 Best Hit Song of 2019.
* "Lover" by Taylor Swift (peaked at #10): Its reception has been significantly more positive than the first two singles from the album of the same name. It's likely Todd will praise it not only for returning to Taylor's innocent and homespun roots while still being consistent with who she is in 2019, but also because she expresses a gratefulness and optimism that he's been eagerly awaiting from her; he may even compare the song to "Style" in that sense.
** Jossed. However, the non-hit "The Archer" got an honorable mention.
* "Bury a Friend" and/or "When the Party's Over" by Billie Eilish (#73 and #67 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd has been highly impressed by Billie Eilish, believing she captures something very real about being a teen.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Slide Away" by Miley Cyrus: Todd said he really likes this song on an episode of Song vs. Song, as well as praised Miley a couple of times on his Twitter this year, so it may get an honorable mention.
** Jossed.
* "Good as Hell" by Lizzo (peaked at #3): She has established herself as one of the biggest new stars of 2019 (even though this and "Truth Hurts" originally came out well before this year), and it's likely Todd will compare her favorably to Lauryn Hill for her intelligent blend of classic soul and hip hop.
** It didn't make the cut in the actual video, but it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1218061342902538240?s=20 confirmed #12 in a tweet]], making it at least on par with the other honorable mentions. He only included "Juice" in the section because it's his favorite song of hers and would have easily made the countdown had it been a real hit.
* "Circles" by Post Malone (peaked at #1): Todd may consider this sudden GenreShift towards '70s-inspired indie rock an unexpected breath of fresh air, especially considering how tired he is of Post Malone's usual style (although he originally started out in rock before hitting it big). He may even consider it the true winner of the annual Fluke Indie Sweepstakes award, considering how dull and commercialized songs like "Sucker" and "Natural" sound to him. Additionally, upon [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1183610050281127937?s=21 asking his followers their opinion on the song on Twitter]], he [[https://twitter.com/djwyndows98/status/1183612051479875585?s=21 liked]] a reply praising it and urging Post Malone to make a full transition into rock music.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Take What You Want" by Post Malone featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott (peaked at #8): As a collaboration with the Prince of Darkness himself, as well as one of the biggest rappers currently around, Todd may feel this brings out the best in all three performers, especially as it's one of the very few hit singles in recent years with a distinct rock flavor to it.
** Jossed.
* "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa: The combination of Dua Lipa and an ultra-funky disco bassline seem directly catered to Todd's musical tastes. It may get an honorable mention.
** Jossed. Since it's a very new song and only reached the top 20 in 2020, it may have a better chance that year.
* "Hot Girl Summer" by Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign (peaked at #11): Todd will probably enjoy the tight flow between Megan and Nicki. The song also has a real hook, unlike a lot of hip hop songs as of late.
** Confirmed #8.
* "everything i wanted" by Billie Eilish (peaked at #8): Since Todd already affirmed his love of Billie Eilish on Twitter, it's highly probable he'll dig this song, which dropped near the end of 2019 to lots of fanfare. The vulnerability of the lyrics seem especially likely to resonate with him.
** Jossed.
* "Even Though I'm Leaving" by Music/LukeCombs (peaked at #11): In an era of meat-headed bro-country and featureless pop crossovers, Todd may find this country song with a real, poignant story a breath of fresh air.
** Jossed.
* "Robbery" by Juice WRLD (#100 on Billboard's Year-End list): Although Todd hated "Lucid Dreams" enough to put it on his Worst list in 2018, he has clearly turned around on Juice WRLD based on how [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203689610687242246?s=20 horrified he was when he]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203718486796754945?s=20 found out about his sudden death]], as well as [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1204435155483549696?s=20 this]].
** Jossed.
* "Bandit" by Juice WRLD with [=YoungBoy=] Never Broke Again (peaked at #10): Todd may find this song much more hauntingly moving in the tragic aftermath of Juice WRLD's passing near the end of the year.
** Jossed.
* "Wake Up in the Sky" by Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars, and Kodak Black (peaked at #11): Todd seemed to hint that he found this surprisingly good in the Best of 2018 video.
** Jossed.
* "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd (peaked at #11): Its reception has been significantly more positive than "Heartless", and since Todd likes more than a few songs by The Weeknd, this seems likely to fare well with him. Notably, Todd brought up the '80s when discussing "Can't Feel My Face" in his Best of 2015 video, so he may reference that if this makes the list, thanks to this song's early '80s synthpop style.
** Jossed.
* "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (peaked at #1): After missing last year's list, it may show up in this year's, similar to "New Rules" making the 2018 countdown instead of the 2017 one.
** Confirmed honorable mention, specifically for the live version at the Oscars.
* "Eastside" by Benny Blanco, Halsey & Khalid (peaked at #9): It might make the 2019 list after missing last year's, since Todd likes Khalid and appreciates some of Halsey's work.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Sunflower" by Swae Lee & Post Malone (peaked at #1): Todd has come to enjoy Rae Sremmurd, and while he dislikes most of Post Malone's downbeat music, he'll probably appreciate this more because of its fresh production and lyrics. It was one of the biggest hits of 2019, and its reception was excellent.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Suge" and/or "BOP" by [=DaBaby=] ("Suge" peaked at #7, "BOP" peaked at #11): [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1173266656820420608?s=20 Todd apparently considers him a much better rapper than Lil Baby]], so it's likely he enjoyed his solo hits this year.
** Both songs jossed, but "INTRO" confirmed #2.
* "My Type" by Saweetie (#76 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd may love the sample of "Freek-a-Leek" and Saweetie's tight flow.
** Jossed.
* "Middle Child" by J. Cole (peaked at #4): In an era where trap songs are usually either just macho posturing or mumbly drug naps, Todd may praise this song for its honesty.
** Jossed, although Todd praised J. Cole for similar reasons on his #7 pick (which nobody predicted), "A Lot" by 21 Savage.
* "Watermelon Sugar" and/or "Adore You" by Harry Styles: Since they aren't so miserable and downbeat like "Sign of the Times" was, it's possible Todd will finally admit to liking Harry Styles in the wake of his critically acclaimed sophomore album and give one of these songs an honorable mention.
** Both songs jossed. Since "Adore You" is becoming a real hit in 2020, it might be more eligible for that year's countdown instead.
* "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey (peaked at #1): As a huge Mariah Carey fan, Todd may give this an honorable mention for finally becoming Mariah's nineteenth #1 hit a quarter of a century since it first came out, officially making her the solo artist with the most American #1 songs after sharing the record with Elvis Presley. The timing is also significant because 2019 was the year Mariah lost her record for longest-running #1 hit to Lil Nas X, so this milestone comes as a major redemption to her legacy in pop music. Todd recently [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1209692175707131904?s=20 tweeted]] how the song became a GenreKiller for new Christmas music because it was such a ToughActToFollow.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Worst]]
[[AC:List entries]]
* "Beautiful" by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#95 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd dislikes both Bazzi and Camila Cabello, and it's not likely this will change his mind, due to its downbeat production and clunky lyrics.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande (peaked at #1): Although Todd has loved Ariana as of late, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1086708686402277376 wasn't quite sure what to make of this song]] when it came out and has been [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1097949566262018048?s=21 baffled]] by its huge success. His Pop Song Review bashed the song for being a mean-spirited, soullessly precise track that co-opts a culturally black rags-to-riches aesthetic, and while he reportedly dislikes "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" more, this may easily catch up in badness for him due to its long-term implications. However, as far as songs that sample ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' go, he doesn't think it's as bad as [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1086709240516042752 "Wind it Up"]] by Gwen Stefani.
** Jossed.
* "You Say" by Lauren Daigle (#60 on Billboard's Year-End list): A crossover hit by a Christian singer, complete with [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]], it's likely Todd will consider this a boring absence-of-good track. Although Daigle is one of the few true successors to Adele, who has routinely appeared on his Best lists, he tends not to enjoy artists who don't bring any kind of fresh edge to an already established sound. Since Daigle's main distinction from Adele is her music's religious subtext, something Todd tends not to enjoy in easy listening ballads, he'll probably consider her an inferior clone rather than a worthy heir. He has called Lauren Daigle a ripoff of Adele, which suggests further he doesn't like her.
** Jossed.
* "Be Alright" by Dean Lewis (#54 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd will most likely find him the "Poor Man's Ed Sheeran".
** Jossed.
* "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" by Ariana Grande (peaked at #2): On Twitter he's said that it [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1103003668574597121?s=21 doesn't commit to its core premise]], making it even worse than "7 Rings", which he's given a harsh review.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "ZEZE" by Kodak Black ft. Travis Scott and Offset (peaked at #2): While Todd put Travis Scott's "SICKO MODE" on his Best list for 2018, he said Travis himself is not particularly interesting, and this could easily receive a dishonorable mention by virtue of Kodak Black being such an awful person like Todd did with [=6ix9ine=] last year.
** Jossed.
* "Con Calma" by Daddy Yankee and Katy Perry featuring Snow (#65 on Billboard's Year-End list): A re-imagining of a song Todd didn't even like to begin with. Todd also tweeted that Katy Perry [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1132765703466098690 badly damages the song's vibe]].
** Jossed.
* "Earth" by Lil Dicky (peaked at #17): Todd already expressed his vehement disapproval for Dicky after "Freaky Friday", and this is a charity single featuring several guest superstars voicing CGI animals (and a cannabis plant, in Snoop's case...). It held the record for worst-rated single of all time on Rate Your Music for several months upon release. Todd's Pop Song Review of the track pretty firmly thrashed it, due to its lack of direction, one-dimensional humor, and even being wastefully misguided as a charity release. This seems pretty likely to make the list, as Todd compared it unfavourably to "Freaky Friday" (his #4 worst hit of 2018) multiple times in his review. It doesn't help that "Freaky Friday" would've made #1 if it weren't for DJ Mustard's contributions making the music itself enjoyable, which is a saving grace "Earth" doesn't have.
** Confirmed #1 Worst Hit Song of 2019.
* "I Don't Care" by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber (peaked at #2): Todd's Pop Song Review review slammed this for its sheer lack of charm and sincerity. He did not even find Ed's lyrics relatable as he felt he should, due to the hollow production and goofy tone.
** Confirmed #5.
* "ME!" by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #2): Although Todd's initial impression of this track was rather indifferent compared to "Look What You Made Me Do", his Pop Song Review seemed to hint it as an absence-of-good single that could have signified the decline of Taylor Swift as a pop culture icon. If it makes the countdown, expect Todd to mention how [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1164232962914902018?s=20 Taylor awkwardly removed the "Hey kids, spelling is fun!" line for the album version of the track]].
** Confirmed dishonorable mention, including comments about the removal of the "Hey kids, spelling is fun!" line.
* "Close to Me" by Ellie Goulding & Diplo ft. Swae Lee (#58 on Billboard's Year-End List): Despite loving Goulding's "Lights", he said this song is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1137411725291134977 awful]] and is sick of constantly hearing it on the radio.
** Jossed.
* "No Guidance" by Chris Brown feat. Drake (peaked at #5): Similar to Lil Dicky in "Freaky Friday", Todd will surely be angry at Drake for using his hit-making powers to keep Chris Brown's career alive well beyond its expiration date, especially since it's yet another excuse for Chris to be an egomaniac, not to mention he compliments a woman in this song in a way Todd would surely find insincere. Todd is already exhausted by Drake's constant dominance of the Hot 100, so it's likely a Chris Brown duet would break his tolerance, especially as the barebones production wouldn't help its case. Worst of all, it was safely in the top 10 for ''several months'', unlike "Freaky Friday" coming and going relatively quickly. While Todd has yet to comment on it, all the factors working against it make it seem like a lock for the Worst list, most likely destined for one of the high positions.
** Shockingly, jossed, although Todd threw multiple jabs at Chris Brown during the countdown. He later said that he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1328640931407380481?s=20 found the song]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1328641678551392258?s=20 mediocre]] but didn't completely hate it despite his distate for the artist.
* "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi (peaked at #1): It was #1 for several weeks in the UK and slowly crept its way across the Pond, somehow eventually reaching the top of the Hot 100. Todd's [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1157400734071250949?s=21 initial]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1157401278894489601?s=20 reaction]] to the song was highly negative, and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1188887607914176513?s=20 his reaction]] to it going to #1 in America certainly doesn't help matters. Todd later reaffirmed his hate for the song in his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW_32lzQvos Pop Song Review]], where he slammed the cheesy and whiny lyrics, Lewis' oversinging, and the composition's over-reliance on [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]]. The [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sW_32lzQvos/maxresdefault.jpg title card]] alone should be enough to tell you just ''how'' much hatred the track evokes from him. The opening of the review practically ''ensures'' that this song will top the list -- Todd said that its only rival for the title of "Worst #1 Hit of the Decade" is "Girls Like You", his pick for Worst Hit of 2018.
** Confirmed, but surprisingly only at #4. He said it wasn't higher because he at least got what the song was going for and could imagine a good song with the same topic.
* "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift (peaked at #2): Once this song dropped, Todd predicted Taylor's new album would be [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1139569110847823875 "reputation" painted in Care Bear colors]] and felt that unless this track is a coming-out single for her, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1139564920587128834 well...]] In his Pop Song Review, while he affirmed his general hatred of this song due to its clumsy message, particularly its misguided analogy between homophobic hate crimes and anti-Taylor troll attacks, he did at least praise the third verse and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1145543151278579724 recognized that the song is in fact positively meaningful to a lot of people]], although he subsequently [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1145478738223742978 hinted on Twitter]] that Taylor's recent feuds could impact his retroactive opinion of the piece. Of the first two Taylor singles from 2019, "ME!" is probably more likely to make the Worst list because unlike "You Need to Calm Down", Todd could barely find ''anything'' worth defending in it, but he may still end putting the latter on the countdown, depending on how the rest of the year plays out for Taylor.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "The Git Up" by Blanco Brown (peaked at #14): Yet another stupid dance craze song. Unlike "Old Town Road (Remix)", Todd seems to [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1157044456052461568?s=21 not like it]]. If it shows up, expect him to cite Billboard's hypocrisy of allowing it to hit #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart while still standing firm on their controversial decision to ban "Old Town Road".
** Jossed, although it was briefly mentioned as Nashville's failed attempt to recreate "Old Town Road" in the Best list.
* "Bad Bad Bad" by Young Thug featuring Lil Baby (peaked at #6 on ''Rolling Stone'''s Top 100 Songs): While trap songs tend to be pretty rare on Todd's Worst lists due to being mostly indistinguishable to him, he put Lil Baby's "Yes Indeed" very high on his countdown for 2018, and Young Thug hasn't made much of an impression on him aside from his generic rap name. Despite its poor performance on the Hot 100, Todd may still consider it a real hit if he factors the new ''Rolling Stone'' singles chart into his criteria, as it did excellently there (due to ''Rolling Stone'' factoring streaming more than ''Billboard'', which leans towards airplay).
** Jossed. Todd stated in his Worst list that he still only considers Billboard's Year-End list and top 20 singles as qualifying tracks.
* "Señorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (peaked at #1): It has a prominent summery vibe, but Todd hates Camila Cabello to the point of feeling complete apathy towards her much-acclaimed #1 smash "Havana", which is pretty similar to this. Additionally, the lyrics have fared much more poorly with the public than "Havana"'s did. Although Todd did somewhat enjoy Shawn and Camila's previous duet, "I Know What You Did Last Summer", his recent [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1169732237438459912?s=20 tweet]] seems to suggest he's skeptical about this song's chart-topping success like he was for "7 Rings". It may avoid the list due to its innocuous content and lush production, but there's also a chance Todd will consider it an absence-of-good song and put it on the list.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro for the Worst list.
* "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I (peaked at #9): Much like "Someone You Loved", this was already a #1 hit for several weeks in Britain and became a sleeper hit in America, where it creeped into the top 20 just in time to be eligible for the year-end countdown. Although the song is certainly novel for its era, its reception has been quite bad, and Toni's white Australian heritage combined with her exaggerated fake accent will probably draw more than a few Iggy Azalea comparisons for Todd. This [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1200085106125357061?s=20 tweet]] from Thanksgiving implies he doesn't get the song's appeal at all.
** Jossed.
* "Speechless" by Dan + Shay (#35 on Billboard's Year-End list): While it's not bro-country, Todd will probably criticize it for its corny, syrupy lyrics (which aren't even that different from Florida Georgia Line considering their wide-eyed dopiness) and flavorless, easy listening-style production that makes it barely a country song.
** Jossed.
* "Memories" by Maroon 5 (peaked at #4 in 2019): Sorry Todd, but contrary to what you predicted in the "ME!" review, Adam Levine isn't quite on his way out yet. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1184912368800808961 On Twitter, he didn't like it for the same reasons he found all of their newer work lousy.]]
** Confirmed #2.
* "Don't Call Me Angel (Charlie's Angels)" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Lana Del Rey (peaked at #13): Todd's Pop Song Review slammed this for its pettily misguided feminist message, self-defeating title, and poor chemistry between the three leads (especially Lana Del Rey, whose verse he found tacked-on).
** Jossed.
* "10,000 Hours" by Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber (peaked at #4): Another country-pop song, which Todd will probably consider featureless glop, especially since it's a duet with Justin Bieber. Similar to "I Don't Care", which also featured Bieber, it's likely Todd will feel this track's collaborative nature robs it of its intimate tone.
** Jossed.
* "Enemies" by Post Malone featuring [=DaBaby=] (peaked at #16): Another monotone Post Malone emo-rap song. Todd will probably criticize the word repetition in the first verse, the lack of emotion in Malone's delivery, and [=DaBaby=]'s lack of chemistry with him.
** Jossed.
* "Lose You to Love Me" by Selena Gomez (peaked at #1): Seems extremely likely, as not only is it a ballad by Selena Gomez, who Todd dislikes, but its dreary, stripped down production and verbose lyrics cause it to sound pretty similar to "I Hate U, I Love U", which nearly topped his Worst of 2016 countdown. The fact that it quickly went to #1 on the Hot 100 is sure to befuddle him that much more.
** Jossed. However, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1216613546802536448?s=20 he stated on Twitter that he does indeed dislike the song]].
* "One Thing Right" by Marshmello and Kane Brown (#89 on Billboard's Year-End list): Another song that tries to infuse a country act with dance and has been received terribly, between its touches on infidelity and how being with a lover is the only thing one's "done right". Despite its poor peak on the Hot 100, it charted long enough to make the year-end list, and since Todd [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1187778663158341634?s=21 acknowledged the song's awfulness on Twitter]], it's a likely candidate for the countdown.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Wow." by Post Malone (peaked at #2): Another low, droning boast song by Post Malone. If it makes the list or gets a dishonorable mention, expect Todd to lampoon the nonchalance of its title.
** Jossed.
* "Follow God" by Kanye West (peaked at #7): Upon putting "I Love It" with Lil Pump on his Worst list last year, Todd thoroughly criticized Kanye's modern material for being lazy, incoherent, and incomprehensible. A sudden hard turn into explicitly religious music (not something much deeper and more conflicted like "Jesus Walks") certainly isn't the way to win him back over. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1193551323859443712 This tweet]] suggests that he wasn't impressed by the song. Additionally, the ''Jesus Is King'' album in general is easily Kanye's worst-rated to date, despite its inevitable share of defenders.
** Jossed.
* "Woah" by Lil Baby (peaked at #16): In an endless sea of Lil-prefixed [=SoundCloud=] rappers, Todd singles out Lil Baby as particularly horrible, having put "Yes Indeed" at #3 on his Worst of 2018 list and criticizing his music this year, too.
** Jossed, but "Baby" with [=DaBaby=] confirmed #6.
* "Drip Too Hard" by Lil Baby and Gunna (peaked at #4): Todd despises Lil Baby, so this seems likely.
** Jossed. Todd mentioned this was the only Lil Baby song he kind of liked, but that wasn't for Baby himself.
* "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #4): After only being a dishonorable mention in 2018, it's possible this could make the Worst list proper for 2019, as it's been the #1 "Rock" song in the country for almost the entire year. Todd's comments during the "ME!" Pop Song Review, as well as [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1193662986814140416?s=20 this tweet]], may be hinting at the song's full inclusion.
** Jossed. The tweet was actually specifically referring to "Trampoline" by Shaed.
* "Murder on My Mind" by YNW Melly (peaked at #14): This song was originally released in March 2017, but garnered major public interest after YNW Melly ''turned himself in for double murder charges'' on February 13, 2019. While the song was not written as a confession of his alleged double murder (which occurred in October 2018), it has massive potential for HarsherInHindsight -- at best the artist for whatever reason turned himself in for a crime he didn't commit, and at worst the song became a hit because its creator was a literal murderer. It doesn't help that while most of the song may come across as heartfelt and regretful, YNW Melly spends the third verse bragging about how he's a savage murderer. Even if it turns out that Todd doesn't mind the song ''per se'', it's a contender for "honorable mention for (potentially) being an awful person".
** Jossed.
* "Baby Shark" by Pinkfong (#75 on Billboard's Year-End list): A dumb novelty song that only got popular as a viral joke.
** Jossed. Interestingly, Todd said in the comments section of the Patreon video that it would've been likelier to show up on the Best list than the Worst.
* "Close Friends" by Lil Baby (#74 on Billboard's Year-End list): Lil Baby is one of the only [=SoundCloud=] rappers Todd hates enough to be a likely candidate for his Worst list.
** Jossed.
* "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 (#22 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd is unlikely to put it on the list proper because it has already topped his 2018 list, but don't be surprised if he brings it up to complain that despite being one of his two candidates for Worst #1 Hit of the Decade, it somehow got a high position on ''another'' Year-End list.
** Jossed.
* "Only Human" by Jonas Brothers (peaked at #18): Todd said he feels apathetic about the Jonas Brothers back when "Sucker" came out, but since the lyrics here are yet ''another'' case of Nick Jonas being #rapey after "Jealous" and "Close", it may be bad enough to him to warrant a mention.
** Confirmed #10, although Todd specifically disliked it for being too repetitive and edgeless, as well as sounding like "One More Night"-era Maroon 5.
* "Closed on Sunday" by Kanye West (peaked at #17): While "Follow God" charted higher, this song has been much more maligned, not only due to its infamous "You're my Chick-fil-A" line, but also because it's a prime example of Kanye's artistic psychosis in recent years. The extremely downbeat production certainly doesn't help matters. If ''anything'' could defeat "Someone You Loved" for the #1 spot, this may be it -- similar to "Filthy" by Justin Timberlake, it only briefly charted in the top 20, but it's one of the most hated songs released by one of the most influential figures in popular music from the past two decades. Even though it's technically not a single, Todd may still qualify it because it charted high enough, and in the Spotify era, it has been very difficult for him to find songs bad enough to be worth putting on his countdowns.
** Jossed.
* "Roxanne" by Arizona Zervas (peaked at #5): Another viral hit. Todd [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203129370560409601?s=20 tweeted]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203135031243358208?s=20 that]] along with "Dance Monkey", he thinks this song is possibly hinting towards the future, but [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1206286104581877765?s=20 apparently that's not a good thing to him]].
** Jossed.
* "Knockin' Boots" by Luke Bryan (#79 on Billboard's Year-End list): While Todd usually leaves off Nashville songs that aren't big enough to be true pop crossovers, this track has been showing up on quite a few other people's Worst lists, and it's likely Todd will consider it just as lame, unsexy, and behind the times as his fellow pop song critics do. Although the racially inclusive music video is a plus, it's likely Todd would consider that gesture too little too late in the midst of the post-"Old Town Road" discourse.
** Confirmed #9.
* "Thotiana by Blueface (peaked at #8): Todd would probably find it sleazily misogynistic.
** Jossed, but used in the end credits for the Best list.
There was one song that made his worst list that nobody predicted: "Worth It" by YK Osiris, at #8.
[[AC:Worst Two Seconds of Pop Music]]
* "Closed on Sunday" by Kanye West: "You're my Chick-fil-A"
* "Don't Call Me Angel (Charlie's Angels)" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Lana Del Rey: Various strange lines, e.g. "Don't you know that I bite when the sun set, yeah"
* "Earth" by Lil Dicky: "We forgive you, Germany!" is a likely contender. Todd thinks the song is full of terrible lines, but this one stands out by being an offhand ''Holocaust reference''. Even ignoring the questionable nature of the line itself, it's really out of place in an Earth anthem -- even a "comedic" one. If Todd is willing to list multiple Two Seconds from the same song, don't be surprised if one of the animal "jokes" and/or Dicky's rambling freestyle shows up too.
* "ME!" by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco: "Hey kids, spelling is ''fun''!" This line was apparently so bad that it was removed from the album version of the track.
* "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi: Any two seconds of Lewis oversinging. Todd specifically [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1193906350604083200?s=20 singled out]] "I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug", as well as "And IIIIIIIIIIIII tend..." as contenders.
* "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift: "Shade never made anybody less gay"
Todd did not mention the Worst Two Seconds of Pop Music 2019 anywhere in the Worst list, so it's up in the air exactly what his choices are.\\
\\
[[WMG: Could go either way]]
* "Sweet But Psycho" by Ava Max (peaked at #10): Although it's much more upbeat than most pop music in recent times, it's also another example of [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]] and Todd previously said the girl in the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1132117300117680128 doesn't sound sweet]] as intended. He called Ava a "complete nobody" in the "ME!" review, but he has also referenced the hook quite a few times in passing on Twitter, so the song seems to have at least left a lasting impression on him. Ultimately, Todd could either compare Ava to Dua Lipa, whose songs he likes despite thinking she lacks a memorable identity, or he could essentially call her the poor man's Lady Gaga. If this makes either list, Todd may throw in a jab at its follow-up, the SelfEmpowermentAnthem "So Am I", which failed to become a hit in the US.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention, but "So Am I" wasn't brought up.
* "Mo Bamba" by Sheck Wes (peaked at #6): While Todd has often dismissed rap songs in this vein, he's warmed up to acts like Rae Sremmurd and Travis Scott, and this song's reception is significantly better than most.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Please Me" by Cardi B featuring Bruno Mars (peaked at #3): With "Finesse" being on his 2018 best list, and having said that Cardi B was mainly what propped it into said territory for him, it's likely this can follow suit, but its reception hasn't been quite as good as most of Bruno's recent singles.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Look Back at It" by A Boogie wit Da Hoodie (#41 on Billboard's Year-End list): While Todd's view of modern rap warmed considerably in 2018, whether or not that includes A Boogie is unknown.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Walk Me Home" by Pink (#99 on Billboard's Year-End list): Although Todd generally enjoys pop songs that convey desperation, he gave dishonorable mentions to both of Pink's last two big hits, and this is one of her worst-rated singles to date. Like "IDGAF", this song just barely made Billboard's year-end list despite only peaking at #49 on the Hot 100.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Boy with Luv" by BTS featuring Halsey (peaked at #8): Todd could either appreciate this for its production and being the first big American hit by a K-pop act since "Gangnam Style" (although that's primarily due to Halsey), or he could consider it a cheap stunt to finally break the worldwide phenomenon to a broader audience the same way "Despacito" needed Justin Bieber to hit #1.
** Confirmed #5 best.
* "Megatron" by Nicki Minaj (peaked at #20): Although Todd is a fan of Nicki Minaj and liked her nostalgic pop culture references in "Chun-Li", this is one of her worst-received singles to date.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Goodbyes" by Post Malone feat. Young Thug (peaked at #3): Todd could either appreciate this for being relatable, as well as one of Post Malone's most melodically intense songs like "Better Now" (which he didn't like but said was among his better tracks), or he could criticize it for being too defensive.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Beautiful People" by Ed Sheeran feat. Khalid (peaked at #13): Although Todd loves Khalid and would probably enjoy his part here, he is sick of Ed's constant need for self-deprecation well into his superstardom, something not helped by this track's stream-pandering, Imagine Dragonsey production.
** Jossed for both lists. Todd mentioned in his Worst list that he somewhat sympathized with the track because he sensed fear underneath the lyrics, but "I Don't Care" ultimately confirmed those fears to be true.
* "Boyfriend" by Ariana Grande and Social House (peaked at #8): Despite generally being on her side throughout the years, Todd disliked "7 Rings" and "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored". He could appreciate this song for playing into the mystique of her personal life as a pop star, similar to "Thank U, Next", or he could bash it as cold and disconnected, similar to the aforementioned songs.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Ransom" by Lil Tecca (peaked at #4): Alongside Lil Nas X, he's been one of the most popular [=SoundCloud=] rappers of 2019. Todd could either be impressed by his flow, or he could dismiss him for perpetuating a trend that he's mostly tired of, especially as he adamantly claims his very Drake-esque style to be original.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "HIGHEST IN THE ROOM" by Travis Scott (peaked at #1): While Todd loved "SICKO MODE", he stated Travis himself is the weakest part of his own music, so he might be unimpressed by this, due to it being a solo track.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Playing Games" by Summer Walker (peaked at #16): Todd could either be happy to have another real R&B singer on the pop charts or criticize this for its trapsoul production.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Money in the Grave" by Drake featuring Rick Ross (peaked at #7): Todd is weary of Drake's nonstop chart presence, and he questioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1181807376724307973?s=20 how is Rick Ross still around]]. However, he could also possibly revere this song for showcasing a more openly vulnerable side of Drake that wasn't evident during most of the ''Scorpion'' album cycle.
** Jossed for both lists, but used in the end credits for the Worst list.
* "Lights Up" by Harry Styles (peaked at #17): Todd could dig its alternative R&B flavor, but he wasn't impressed by "Sign of the Times" in 2017, so it's possible this would just sound like a drearier version of a post-comeback Jonas Brothers song to him.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Trampoline" by Shaed feat. Zayn (peaked at #14): While Todd may find the interplay between the two vocalists creative, he despised Zayn Malik's previous slow jams, one of them a duet ("I Don't Wanna Live Forever" with Taylor Swift, #6 on his Worst of 2017 list).
** Original version without Zayn confirmed #3 worst.
* "How Do You Sleep?" by Sam Smith (#83 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd has mixed feelings about Sam Smith. He didn't like them in 2014, but gave "Too Good At Goodbyes" an honorable mention for the 2017 Best list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Heartless" by The Weeknd (peaked at #1): Todd has mixed feelings about The Weeknd. He loved "Starboy", "Pray for Me", and "Can't Feel My Face", but hated "The Hills" and "Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Whiskey Glasses" by Morgan Wallen (peaked at #17): He could give it a thumbs-up for being a fairly upbeat country song about something other than the {{fratbro}} fantasies, or just find it boring.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #16): Although Todd hated "High Hopes" and "ME!", he didn't think ''Pray for the Wicked'' was a terrible album and still likes Panic! as a whole (he even loved 2016's ''Death of a Bachelor''). In hindsight, he could either praise this for its funky, upbeat production or consider it another unfortunate example of Brendon Urie's Adam Levinization.
** Confirmed #10 best.
* "God's Country" by Blake Shelton (peaked at #17): Although Todd doesn't like most religious songs, he may consider this a much more sincere portrait of Americana after years of blindly patriotic stereotypes.
** Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2019 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish: The title drop followed by the quiet synth lick would be an effective template for Todd to segue into each entry.
** Possibly jossed. Ducky's Worst of 2019 list uses this song as bumper music -- if Todd is aware of that, he'll probably choose something else.
* "I Don't Care" by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber: The title itself became a running joke in Todd's Pop Song Review, which he could easily extend to the countdown.
* "Sweet But Psycho" by Ava Max: The line "run, don't walk away" would be an appropriate warning for the songs ahead. He could also use the line "but don't pretend that you don't love the pain", which works both for the viewers (who enjoy the pain Todd inflicts on himself with these horrible songs) and Todd himself (similarly to how the 2016 list's use of "Sucker For Pain" implied that Todd was the sucker for pain).
* "Bad Bad Bad" by Young Thug featuring Lil Baby: A fitting description for these songs.
* "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo: The truth is that these songs are painful listens.
* "Goodbyes" by Post Malone feat. Young Thug: The end of the last chorus, followed by the outro section, would work perfectly for this.
* "Memories" by Maroon 5: Maybe a little bit of a stretch, but the fact that these "memories" are being recalled by one of Todd's least favorite singers ever could make it humorously ironic.
** Possibly jossed. Diamond Axe Studios Music's Worst of 2019 list uses this song as bumper music -- if Todd is aware of that, he'll probably choose something else.
* "Good as Hell" by Lizzo: Similar to "thank u, next", it's a song that proudly discards a painful past.
* "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco: These songs were big and notable enough that they "made it" onto Todd's countdown.
All songs jossed. Todd instead used "Leave Me Alone" by Flipp Dinero as the bumper music.\\
\\
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2019 Best/Worst of the Year piano intro music (usually, these are songs that were big hits but Todd has little to say about)]]
* "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco: Although Todd has lamented Brendon Urie's Adam Levinization since ''Pray for the Wicked'', he didn't think the album itself was that bad and felt "High Hopes" was easily the worst track off it, despite only being a dishonorable mention for his Worst of 2018 countdown.
** Jossed, was #10 on the Best list instead.
* "If I Can't Have You" by Shawn Mendes: Todd tweeted that none of Shawn's songs this year are good enough to make his top 10, but also that he's improving.
** Jossed.
* "Señorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: While it's probably likelier to appear on the Worst list than the Best list, it's likely not to be bad enough to make the former, due to its innocuous content and lush production.
** Confirmed for the Worst list.
* "Sucker" by Jonas Brothers: Todd feels completely apathetic about the Jonas Brothers' comeback, saying they're neither interesting, nor bad enough to get bothered about.
** Jossed.
* "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)" by Swae Lee & Post Malone: Although this went to #1 and has had impressive longevity, it probably won't make either list because while Todd isn't generally impressed by Post Malone's non-rock music, the song has been one of his better-received and isn't really comparable to "Psycho".
** Jossed, was an honorable mention instead.
* "Sweet But Psycho" by Ava Max: Todd doesn't seem to find her an interesting personality, but the song itself is probably too upbeat and harmless to really get on his bad side.
** Jossed, was a dishonorable mention instead.
* "Talk" and/or "Better" by Khalid: While Todd said he really likes Khalid, he later tweeted that he turned out to be way less interesting than he predicted, so his two big hits this year may not be good enough to make his Best list.
** "Talk" confirmed for the Best list.
* "Beautiful People" by Ed Sheeran feat. Khalid: It's not likely Todd would be that impressed by this song, but he did not single it out as one of the really bad songs after listening to Ed Sheeran's new album, either.
** Jossed.
* "Panini" by Lil Nas X: Todd's reference to Lil Nas X in the Paper Lace OHW may have subtly hinted that he wasn't super blown away by this song, as he implied "Old Town Road" was Lil Nas X's "one catchy song", even though this was already a hit by the time the episode came out, albeit still very new. Aside from the opening lyric though, it's not likely anything here would be bad enough to warrant Worst list inclusion.
** Jossed.
* "Ransom" by Lil Tecca
** Jossed.
* "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo: It went to #1, but Todd said it's his least favorite Lizzo song in the ''Song vs. Song'' podcast, so it seems likely to be used as the piano intro for the Best list.
** Jossed.
* "You Say" by Lauren Daigle: While Todd thinks she's an Adele ripoff and doesn't generally like religious songs, the lyrics are at least conflicted enough that he may not mind the track like he didn't mind "Flood".
** Jossed.
[[/folder]]
----
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2013)]]
One thing to note is that some of these songs may not even make it on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_2013 Billboard Year End Top 100 Singles chart]], or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_in_American_music#Top_hits_on_record reached the Top 20 at any point during the year]]. Unless he changes his criteria again, if a song doesn't make it on the end year chart or in the Top 20 at all, it will more than likely only make it in his honorable/dishonorable mentions (if he even decides to show those).
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Feel This Moment" by Pitbull & Christina Aguilera
** Confirmed #3.
* "[[Music/OneDirection One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)]]" by One Direction: In his review of "Best Song Ever", he calls Teenage Kicks a butchering of a [[Music/BlondieBand classic song]].
** Jossed.
* An Austin Mahone song if it makes the list (which it probably won't), possibly with a comment along the lines of "If there's anything worse than [[Music/JustinBieber Bieber]], it's a Bieber ripoff."
** Jossed; Mahone didn't even crack the Top 20.
* "#thatPOWER" by will.i.am & Justin Bieber: Todd hates both [[Music/TheBlackEyedPeas will.i.am]] and Bieber, although the hate for the latter is starting to wane as he becomes more irrelevant.
** Confirmed #2 solely for will.i.am.
* Either "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus or "Come And Get It" by Selena Gomez (or very likely both).
** Selena was knocked off the Top 10 by Passenger, while Miley was spared from the Worst list for being interesting(ly bad) in an otherwise boring pop year.
** As for We Can't Stop, in November 2014, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/532311793541341184 he said on Twitter that he hadn't realized just how bad the song was]]. He had people replying saying it maybe should have been on the list, but [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/532314859333885954 he responded saying maybe he should have]].
* "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus: Todd admitted that the song had potential to be good if it was given to a more talented singer and producer; however, Miley's bad girl baggage, blandness and emotional insincerity drag the song down, making it a contender for the "Worst of 2013" list.
** Jossed.
* "Cruise (Remix)" by Florida Georgia Line & Nelly: In the review, he mentions that the original version was a finalist for the "Worst of 2012" list for its bro-douchiness, so it will likely make the "Worst of 2013" list.
** Confirmed #9.
* "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys
** Jossed.
* If "Fine China" and/or "Beat It" by Chris Brown somehow make the year-end list, [[Music/ChrisBrown one of them will probably make it.]] "Love More" has charted much and has the added sin of a Music/NickiMinaj guest verse.
** Surprisingly jossed, considering Todd hates Chris Brown.
* "Harlem Shake" by Baauer: He mentioned that he "(didn't) want to even dignify" the fact that it had been the number one song and had been chart-blocking "Thrift Shop" and "Suit and Tie", especially for being the first chart-topper ever ''officially'' decided by Website/YouTube. ("Gangnam Style" charted thanks to iTunes sales; "Harlem Shake" happened because Billboard started taking Website/YouTube views into account.)
** Confirmed honorable mention.
*** "... I don't get it."
* "Work Bitch" by Britney Spears: A terrible song by [[Music/BritneySpears an artist]] that Todd thinks is past her prime. Also, the song was written and produced by will.i.am, and Todd already hated two prior collaborations between will.i.am and Britney, so the third time won't likely be the charm.
** Jossed, despite the presence of will.i.am.
* "Holy Grail" by Jay Z & Justin Timberlake: His review ravaged it, calling it the 2013 version of "Lighters", and he called it terrible on Twitter.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Gentleman" by PSY: Hated it as a follow up to Gangnam Style.
** Jossed.
* "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia: Mentioned in the "Feel This Moment" review that he can't stand most electronica/dance songs, showing this one specifically. Made even more evident in his Twitter when he described DJ Earworm's usage of the song in [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/410187788412133376 the year's mash-up as a criminal act.]]
** Jossed.
* "Fucking Problems" by ASAP Rocky
** Jossed.
* "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy: Mentioned his hate for it on Twitter. Adding to it, despite Todd stating he's a rock guy at heart, and admitting to liking some of the band's songs during his retrospect, the song is more pop-oriented and even the chorus follows TheFourChordsOfPop, which is rather ironic, considering the title of Music/FallOutBoy's latest album is called '''''Save Rock and Roll'''''.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Here's to Never Growing Up" by Avril Lavigne: Similar to "We Can't Stop", in that he called it a party song that didn't sound remotely enjoyable, but rather sad. Also, one of the song's writers was [[Music/{{Nickelback}} Kroeger the Ogre]].
** Jossed.
* "Started From the Bottom" by Drake: Thought it was incredibly boring and said that Drake sucks at singing about how grateful he is to have been so successful.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Rap God" by Eminem: Possibly solely for how homophobic it is.
** Jossed.
* "23" by Mike-Will Made It ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J: A materialistic rap song about expensive sneakers and smoking weed. The only thing more obnoxious than Miley's singing is her rapping.
** Jossed.
* "Roar" by Katy Perry: Mentioned in his 2013 [=VMAs=] video blog that he doesn't care for the song and calls the song boring during the "Applause" review. On Twitter, he calls "Roar" a worthless song which gets worse and worse with each successive listening. This all but assures its inclusion on the "Worst of 2013" list.
** Todd has declared "Roar" to be his #1 least favorite hit song of 2013. Better yet, though not mentioned directly, it's comparable to his #1 least favorite hit song of 2011, Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight, Tonight", citing the "bad as the absence of good" argument.
* "That's My Kind of Night" by Luke Bryan: This gives him the chance to explain how generic he is. The song is also a fairly smug, mainstream country song that Todd has mentioned not liking in the "Cruise (Remix)" video. Todd later confirmed his hatred of Luke Bryan on Twitter.
** Mentioned, but jossed as he found the song at least interestingly bad.
* "Stay" by Rihanna: He's sick of Rihanna and he called the song boring in his "Thrift Shop"/"Suit and Tie" video.
** Jossed, but it was used as the piano intro.
* "Crazy Kids" by Ke$ha: While Todd likes the more refined Ke$ha, this isn't a particularly "crazy" dance song, and some versions have the horrible addition of a will.i.am guest verse, sounding almost exactly as he does on "Scream and Shout."
** Jossed.
* "Twerk" by Lil Twist ft. Justin Bieber & Miley Cyrus: The song hasn't charted; however, it'll likely get mentioned since Todd hates Music/JustinBieber, Music/MileyCyrus, and anyone on the Young Money label who's not Music/LilWayne, Music/{{Drake}}, and Music/NickiMinaj.
** Jossed.
* "Chinese Food" by Alison Gold: It only charted at #29 for one week; however, it may get a mention since it was made by the same studio who made Music/{{Friday}}. He did mention on Twitter that unlike Friday, in which Music/RebeccaBlack had no idea what she was getting into, Alison Gold made the song bad on purpose, attempting to ''become'' the next Music/RebeccaBlack.
** Jossed.
* "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift: Mentioned in the "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together" review that it was the worst Music/TaylorSwift song he had ever heard.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
** Also used as bumper music in between songs. Todd initially later had to change this to generic dance music due to copyright policies, but the original bumper music has since been reinstated.
* "Everybody's Got Somebody but Me" by Hunter Hayes & Jason Mraz: Both Music/HunterHayes and Music/JasonMraz have made appearances on previous "Worst of" lists, the former with "Wanted" in 2012 and the latter with "I'm Yours" in 2009, so a collaboration between the two will not likely sit well with Todd. This song didn't chart that high on the Hot 100 chart in 2013, so it may only make dishonorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Just Give Me A Reason" by P!nk & Nate Ruess: Called it out as being boring in the "Feel This Moment" review and called it "unmemorable" in a tweet. Like "Holy Grail", he'll declare it extra-disappointing as it comes from people who normally have talent (Nate Ruess at least). Additionally, Creator/MarcMues [[InsaneTrollLogic loves it, and the two of them tend to have very opposite tastes in pop, so whatever Mues loves, it's likely Todd will hate.]]
** Jossed.
* "Scream and Shout" by will.i.am & Britney Spears: Even though it's already on the "Worst of 2012" list, and Todd retroactively bumped its ranking up two spots from #5 to #3, he contemplated on putting it on the "Worst of 2013" list to emphasize how bad it is.
** Confirmed honorable mention, although he was unsure if it should have gone on the list proper.
* "Cups (When I'm Gone)" by Anna Kendrick: Todd made several tweets expressing his extreme dislike for Film/PitchPerfect, comparing it to Series/{{Glee}}, a show he does not like. This may hurt his opinion on the song itself, as while he can find songs he likes in movies he doesn't like (ie Film/DirtyDancing with "(I Had) The Time of My Life"), he does not tend to like music similar to Series/{{Glee}}.
** Jossed.
* "Let Her Go" by Passenger: Todd made a few tweets expressing his dislike for the song, calling it a "laughingly bad attempt at songwriting" and even saying that it was "making a late case for being included on the annual worst list". He later calls the song "[[Music/{{Poison}} Every Rose Has Its Thorn]]", minus the charm.
** Confirmed #10, for being from [[SarcasmMode Todd's favorite genre]], the "White Guy with an Acoustic Guitar" as well as having TheFourChordsOfPop.
* "Marry Me" by Jason Derulo: Todd very much doesn't like Jason Derulo, especially in songs in which Derulo overuses his vocals and adds incredibly obvious autotune.
** Jossed. During his review of "Talk Dirty", Todd stated that he wasn't even aware that Derulo had any Top 40 hits after 2010.
* "Demons" by Imagine Dragons: His review called it a terrible, boring sell-out song. In the review and on Twitter, Todd calls Music/ImagineDragons a musical draft bust, having high hopes for the band, but they end up sorely disappointing.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons: Further expanding on his disappointment in Imagine Dragons, Todd states he didn't really like "Radioactive", stating that it wore out on him pretty quick, not helped by the fact that it persisted on the Billboard Top 100 for the ''entire year''.
** Jossed.
* "Sail" by Awolnation: On Twitter, Todd does not understand how or why "Sail" got popular. Similar to "Radioactive", he has likely grown tired of the song's overplay, not helped by its longevity on the Hot 100 chart.
** Jossed.
* "Heart Attack" by Demi Lovato: Todd has shown his disdain for Disney's pop princesses (Miley, Selena, etc.), and he might add it solely for the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40cxXdKxE5M first 10 seconds]], similar to the inclusion of Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam's "Head to Toe" on the "Worst of 1987" list. He also called it unmemorable in a tweet.
** Jossed.
* "Beauty and a Beat" by Justin Bieber & Nicki Minaj: '''BIEEEEEEEEEEBERRRRRRR''' with Nicki Minaj. That would normally be enough, but Todd also mentioned in the "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together" review that this song has stupid lyrics, specifically, "We gonna party like it's 3012 tonight."
** Jossed.
* "I Want Crazy" by Hunter Hayes: A song by HunterHayes, who made Todd's "Worst of 2012" list, in which, despite the title, Hayes continues his false good boy schtick, with there being nothing "crazy" about the song whatsoever.
** Jossed.
* "Daylight" by Maroon 5: Todd does not like Music/{{Maroon 5}}, calls the song boring during the "Suit & Tie"/"Thrift Shop" review, and called it their worst song on Twitter.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "U.O.E.N.O" by Rocko ft. Future & Rick Ross: Besides that this song's beat is very disjointed with the lyrics and that the song is yet another "bling and bitches" anthem that Todd is tired of, there's also the fact that Music/RickRoss, an artist that Todd has mentioned not liking in the "Party Rock Anthem" review, has the very controversial, rapey lyrics that have unfortunately become a running gag in his reviews.
** Jossed.
* "Pour It Up" by Rihanna: Todd's sick of Music/{{Rihanna}}, especially when she does songs with repetitive lyrics.
** Jossed.
* "Accidental Racist" by Brad Paisley & LL Cool J: The song wasn't a hit, but its misguided message, poor execution, and its long run-time will probably get another mention from Todd, bonus points if WebVideo/TheRapCritic returns to debate argue again.
** Confirmed honorable mention...for his ''best'' list (albeit sarcastically).
* "Boys 'Round Here" by Blake Shelton: A smug, mainstream country song that fits the bill to country songs Todd doesn't like.
** Mentioned, but jossed; Todd said it was too silly to hate.
* "Get Your Shine On" by Florida Georgia Line: Todd called Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine an awful group on Twitter; however, "Cruise" was the bigger of their two Hot 100 hits, so this one may only make the dishonorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Bugatti" by Ace Hood ft. Future & Rick Ross: Todd hates most songs whose subject matter is about material wealth, and this is yet another "bling and bitches" rap song, this time talking about waking up in a ultra-rare and ultra-expensive supercar.
** Jossed.
* "Lolly" by Maejor Ali & Justin Bieber: Once again, BIEEEEBEERRRR!!!!!
** Jossed.
* "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry: Todd went on a Twitter rant about how Katy's incorrect pronunciation of the word bothers him.
** Jossed.
* "Sweater Weather" by the Neighborhood: Todd tweeted that he didn't like the slow part of the song.
** Jossed for the worst list; it made #10 on the best list, with Todd calling it as the winner of the "fluke indie hit sweepstakes". However, Todd did state that the song would have charted higher on his best list if it weren't for the slow part.
* "Don't Drop That Thun Thun" by the Finatticz
** Jossed.
* "Gas Pedal" by Sage the Gemini
** Jossed.
* "22" by Taylor Swift: Todd compared it to the Music/KidzBop version of "[[Music/{{Kesha}} Tik Tok]]". When you're comparing something to Kidz Bop, you ''know'' it's bad.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey: Todd has made several tweets discussing his dislike for Music/LanaDelRey.
** Jossed; however, it was used as the end-of-video stinger.
* "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars: In Todd's love/hate relationship with Music/BrunoMars, he hates Bruno's melodrama, and calls this particular song boring.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
** Confirmed at #8.
* "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams: All but confirmed by his adoration of it in the "Blurred Lines" review, as well as several adoring mentions on Twitter. It's likely the prime candidate for his top song of the year, as Todd exclaims that it was the song he was waiting for all summer and wanted it to be a number one hit.
** Confirmed, as #1 even.
* "Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake
** Jossed. Todd actually ''doesn't'' like the song, calling it "really egotistical" on Twitter.
* "Suit and Tie" by Justin Timberlake & Jay Z
** Confirmed #5.
* "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton: Maybe more likely than "Thrift Shop", which he seemed to like more as a statement than as a song.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Treasure" by Bruno Mars: All but confirmed by his admiration for it in the "Blurred Lines" review, as well as his admiration for it on Twitter.
** Confirmed #2.
* "I Love It" by Icona Pop ft Charli XCX, if only because of the pun he could make in the introduction: "Some people might not like this song. But I don't care. ...I love it." (Cue riff)
** At the very least, if he doesn't put it on the proper list, it could work as the credits song for the Best of list. - Confirmed as end of episode stinger
* "Same Love" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft Mary Lambert: Mentioned liking it in his 2013 [=VMAs=] blog. That being said, he wasn't exactly crazy about it, saying it didn't have incredibly strong rhymes, so it might make his honorable mentions. Again, possibly more as a statement than a song.
** Jossed.
* "Royals" by Lorde: Todd has a track record of loving indie sounding songs, and he's mentioned it positively on Twitter, comparing it to "Thrift Shop". It is also comparable to [[Music/{{Gotye}} Gotye's]] "Somebody That I Used To Know", as Todd calls "Royals" an "anti-pop" song and hates any remix which ruins the song's appeal by trying to make it sound more pop. Todd might end up respecting the song more than actually liking it, but it still has a good chance of making the best list.
** Confirmed honorable mention. Todd said that he liked the song more for what it ''isn't'' than than what it is, and said he liked Lorde much better than Lana Del Rey.
* "Best Song Ever" by One Direction: It might make it on the list. And he will feel even more humiliated than he did in the review.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Carry On" by fun.: Back in the "We Are Young"/"Somebody That I Used to Know" review, he mentioned that he really enjoyed the other Music/{{Fun}} songs he listened too.
** Jossed.
* "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake: Todd likes Drake, especially in songs in which Drake doesn't brag. However, it's somewhat similar to "Find Your Love", which may not impress Todd (as much or otherwise).
** Jossed, it made his worst honorable mentions. He said he likes when Drake goes R&B, but was creeped out by the title and the repeating line, "You're a good girl and you know it."
* "Bad" by Wale
** Jossed.
* "Gone" by Kanye West: He will comment that he's technically not breaking his rules since it did chart, even if the song is eight years old and charted from a viral video.
** Why not include "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi then? It reached #25 solely based on hits.
** Ultimately jossed.
* "Survival" by Eminem: Eminem and rock music? Sounds like Todd will love it.
** Jossed.
* "Clarity" by Zedd ft. Foxes: He'll say it did right what Titanium got wrong. It's also comparable to "Just Dance" and "DJ Got Us Falling In Love"
** Todd mentioned in his Twitter that "Clarity" is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/411593689245290497 easily his favorite EDM song of 2013]], however the main chorus confuses him. Perhaps, similar to "Good Time" not making the 2012 list due to Music/OwlCity referencing Music/{{Prince}}, it will go on his honorable mentions. Though, if he manages to figure it out, it might still make the list.
** During the "Worst of 2013" retrospect, Todd admitted he doesn't hate EDM outright, but stated that EDM's repetitiveness hurts itself, which largely turns Todd off from the genre.
** Ultimately, the song is confirmed as a honorable mention.
* "The Way" or "Baby I" by Ariana Grande: His joking about Nickelodeon child stars has to be building up to something.
** "The Way" made the honorable mentions.
* "Applause" by Lady Gaga: Todd admits that the pop world ''needs'' Music/LadyGaga, and he enjoys the song for its high energy in an otherwise boring pop landscape; however, the song's narcissistic lyrics and critic bashing may keep it off the "Best of 2013" list. In the "Holy Grail" review, however, he states that he owes Lady Gaga a huge apology after "Holy Grail" turned out to be a big time disappointment.
** Jossed, though that doesn't mean Lady Gaga is off the list, as "Do What U Want" was included at #4.
* "Safe and Sound" by Capital Cities: Todd has a history of liking indie rock songs that make the pop charts.
** Confirmed honorable mention; however, Todd stated if "Kangaroo Court" had been a hit, it would have made the best list.
* "Say Something" by A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera: Todd might like a song where Music/ChristinaAguilera doesn't oversing, if he doesn't find it boring which is a possibility.
** Jossed; he doesn't like it. On Twitter, Todd didn't say it was awful, but he said it was "a goddamn waste of time."
* "Brave" by Sara Bareilles: Assuming Todd doesn't dismiss the song as boring, he might say Music/SaraBareilles did everything right on "Brave" whereas Music/KatyPerry got everything wrong on "Roar".
** Jossed; however, he states on Twitter and his 2014 Grammys v-log that he thinks that Sara Bareilles is okay.
* "Counting Stars" by [=OneRepublic=]: His review called it good, as well as exciting[[note]]Todd admitted the song was not great; however, he stated that it was certainly better than most pop music he got in 2013, and he called it [=OneRepublic=]'s first good song[[/note]]. Todd also mentions that this song got [=OneRepublic=] off his shit list, and later admits that some of their earlier songs grew on him. Maybe not enough to make the "Best of 2013" list, but given the boring state of pop music in 2013, it has a solid shot.
** Jossed.
* "#Beautiful" by Mariah Carey & Miguel: Ignoring the awkward hashtag, Todd mentioned in the "Glitter" review that he is a fan of Music/MariahCarey. Perhaps he thinks that the song is sincere enough to make it on the list, or at least get a mention.
** Confirmed at #9.
* "Burn" by Ellie Goulding: He liked "Lights", so he might like Music/EllieGoulding's followup.
** Jossed.
* "Gangnam Style" by PSY: Even though it peaked in 2012, it did make the Billboard Year End Top 100 for 2013 (#55), and Todd only gave it an honorable mention in his "Best of 2012" list. Given the lack of interesting songs from 2013, it might make the "Best of" List proper this year.
** However, he tweeted that "Gangnam Style" has irrevocably altered Americans' image of South Korea, calling the country "a futuristic techno-world with all of Japan's weirdness and none of its history".
** Ultimately jossed.
* "Crazy Kids" by Kesha might make his honorable mentions but will likely not make the list because of the will.i.am verse, similar to how Music/ChrisBrown kept "International Love" off of the 2012 list.
** Jossed.
* "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus could also make his honorable mentions since he said that he appreciated The VMA performance because it was interesting and the song may have grew on him like "Gangnam Style".
** Jossed.
* "Power Trip" by J. Cole: Todd mentioned on Twitter that he likes J. Cole.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way (such as SoBadItsGood songs)]]
* "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell Williams and T.I.: Todd admitted that the song was only mediocre compared to Music/DaftPunk's "Get Lucky" and Music/BrunoMars' "Treasure". While Todd enjoys the loose and funky beat of the song, he does has problems with the boring music video and the rapey undertones of the lyrics. Confirmed as a worst honorable mention.
** In a later Tweet, Todd withdrew his approval of Pharrell's "Woo!", and called it annoying, and picked apart a few lyrics he didn't like that he didn't cover in the review. More than likely though, it will not be on either of his lists, as in a tweet he stated "Rarely has a song been so easy to like, and so easy to dislike."
** Due to the above comment, Todd may do a switch up and put "Blurred Lines" as an honorable mention as well, listing the positives of the song. (Jossed, Todd said he hates it more every time he hears it)
* "Wake Me Up" by Avicii: Todd might praise Aloe Blacc's vocals; however, he said on Twitter that the novelty of the song, a folk-sounding EDM song, wore off quickly.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say)" by Ylvis: He hated "Disco Duck" which is a pretty good comparison. He also dubbed it "The musical equivalent of someone making fart noises into their hands" in the "Wrecking Ball" review. On Twitter, he initially didn't know what the "joke" of the song was or why it was supposed to be funny; however, he later tweeted that the song works best a children's book after receiving [[http://www.amazon.com/What-Does-Fox-Say-Ylvis/dp/1481422235 the book]] as a Christmas present.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Love Somebody" by Maroon 5: While Todd put Music/{{Maroon 5}} (more specifically, Creator/AdamLevine) on his shit list with "One More Night" on the "Worst of 2012" list, he did mention on Twitter that this song reminded him of a functional product, a statement so vague that it could definitely go either way.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Downtown" by Lady Antebellum: Todd likes Music/LadyAntebellum to an extent; however, Todd only likes ''real'' country songs (songs about misery, heartbreak and regret) and not the more [[Music/TaylorSwift teenybopper pandering]] and [[Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine bro-douchey]] mainstream fare of late.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Timber" by Pitbull & Kesha: The song is a decent dance song and is fairly fast-paced, complete with a harmonica, which is something different for dance songs as of late. In the "Wrecking Ball" review, Todd also mentioned that he was willing to welcome Music/{{Kesha}} back to liven up a boring pop scene. Ke$ha is also back to her more refined nature like she was in "Die Young", probably helped by the fact that she only sings the chorus. Todd doesn't completely hate Music/{{Pitbull}} either, as he called "International Love" a guilty pleasure of his in the "Best of 2012" honorable mentions, and he didn't mind "Don't Stop the Party".
** However, Todd usually finds Pitbull to be stupid and repetitive, and Kesha's valley-girl nature wears on him. Also in the song, Pitbull compares women he likes to Music/MileyCyrus, which, given what Miley did at the 2013 Video Music Awards with Music/RobinThicke (in which Todd compared to ''Film/TheHumanCentipede''), could easily be marked as a stupid Pitbull line that hurts the song, similar to Music/OwlCity referencing Prince in "Good Time".
*** He said he doesn't despise it, but there's no reason to listen to more than once.
*** But as a bonus, it was used as the piano intro for his Worst of 2014 list.
* "Berzerk" by Eminem: Todd mentioned his fanboyism for Music/{{Eminem}} (during Eminem's early career, at least before the "Encore" album) back in the "Lighters" review, and this song was Eminem's big foray to go back to the basics of his first few albums. However, Todd may still not like it, as he hasn't been impressed with Eminem in recent years, especially when Eminem made ''two'' spots on his "Worst of 2011" list. Todd said on Twitter that while the song wasn't great, it was nice to see Eminem had regained his mojo. Its chances seem pretty good for the best list proper or as an honorable mention.
** Confirmed as an honorable mention in a tweet, but it was cut for time.
* "Troublemaker" by Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida: On one hand, he puts it on his best list, followed by him apologizing that Flo Rida made his list again, even if just as a featured artist. On the other hand, Flo Rida. Also, Olly Murs sounds a bit like Creator/AdamLevine, who Todd does not like.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "The Monster" by Eminem & Rihanna: As previously mentioned, Eminem is a very divisive artist for Todd, and Todd is tired of Rihanna putting out music almost nonstop. He may also take a moment to discuss the song's UnfortunateImplications, which might get cut off before he can go into full-on analytical mode just like what happened in his "S&M" review.
** Jossed for both lists, but played on the piano in the intro of the Best of List. He later tweeted that "The Monster" is "Holy Grail" with a pulse, fixing most of the problems Todd had with the latter. While he said "The Monster" wasn't bad, he admitted it wasn't his favorite.
* "Carolina" by Parmalee: He may not even hate the song, but it might make dishonorable mentions just for him to ask what Carolina feels like.
** Jossed on both lists.
* "I Need Your Love" by Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding: He liked Ellie Goulding's "Lights" but said that Calvin Harris ruined 2013...
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Body Party" by Ciara: Todd said that "Goodies" wasn't that bad when [[WebVideo/BennettTheSage Sage]] asked why it wasn't on his "Worst of 2004" list. However, "Body Party" was produced by Mike [=WiLL=] Made It, one of the people responsible for "We Can't Stop" and his #5 worst song of 2013: "(Bitches) Love Me".
** Jossed on both lists.
* "Mama's Broken Heart" by Miranda Lambert, although there is no evidence that Todd likes or dislikes MirandaLambert, this song may make the list because it fits Todd's model of miserable country like "Need You Now" did.
** Jossed on both lists.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2014)]]
As with previous years, Todd's prerequisite for including a song on the Best or Worst List is that the song in question must either make the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_2014 2014 Billboard Year-End Hot 100]] singles list OR peak in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_in_American_music#Top_hits_on_record Hot 100's Top 20]] during 2014.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Team" by Lorde
** Jossed.
* "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. Todd compared Pharrell to Music/CeeLoGreen who had his number one song of 2011. Also, he said on Twitter that he wasn't sick of it as of April and he compared it to Stevie Wonder, whereas "All of Me" was "Three Times a Lady."
** Confirmed #9.
* "Pompeii" by Bastille. In his review, his said that he liked it, even though he thought it was silly, which means it might be regulated to honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Ain't It Fun" by Music/{{Paramore}}: It fits the mold of a retro track that have dominated Todd's lists.
** Confirmed #5.
* "Counting Stars" by [=OneRepublic=]: Todd gave a fairly positive review of the song, but it didn't make his "Best of 2013" list; however, the song has persisted in the Top 20 for most of the first half of 2014.
** Jossed.
* "Sing" by Ed Sheeran: On Twitter, Todd called the song the best Music/JustinTimberlake song on the radio currently. He later calls the song a Flight of the Conchords song in disguise. Another thing in the song's favor is that it was written and produced by Pharrell, a singer/songwriter/producer Todd likes. Given the aforementioned factors as well as his opinion of Ed Sheeran softening, it has a good shot of making his best list.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Boom Clap" by Charli XCX: He had some praise for her in his "Fancy" review.
** Confirmed #2, and was going to be #1 before Uptown Funk came along.
* "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne: He compared it to "Wake Me Up" on Twitter, calling it a better attempt at a "folktronica" song. He later also tweeted that it was "just fantastic".
** Confirmed #3.
* "Latch" by Disclosure ft. Music/SamSmith: He mentioned that he liked the song on Twitter.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "La La La" by Naughty Boy ft. Music/SamSmith. Said he liked it even more than "Latch."
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Lips Are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor. It has the throwback style of "All About That Bass" without the [[UnfortunateImplications Unfortunate Implications]].
** Jossed.
* "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars. Said on Twitter that it was possibly Bruno's best song and that it compared favorably to Maroon Five's song (presumably Animals).
** Likely confirmed, given the end of the "Blank Space" review. It could even be his #1 pick.
*** Confirmed #1.
* "Cool Kids" by Echosmith: They seem like a likely candidate for the "fluke indie hit sweepstakes".
** Jossed.
* "Love Me Harder" by Music/ArianaGrande and The Weeknd. Todd said it was her best song out right now, but he hated The Weeknd's part which may put it at the bottom of the list or as an honorable mention.
** Confirmed #10. He even stated on Twitter that it was a very late addition and saved the list from not making it to ten.
* "Drunk on a Plane" by Dierks Bentley. The song fits what Todd said country should be about: a depressing song about drinking, but it also has a happy beat.
** Jossed.
* "Lifestyle" by Rich Gang, despite being another "bling and bitches" rap he said on Twitter that he liked the song. This may end up being the I Cry/Best Song Ever of 2014.
** Stated on Twitter that he meant to include it as an honorable mention in the Best of video, but forgot to add it.
* "Don't" by Ed Sheeran
** Confirmed #7.
* "Amnesia" by 5 Seconds Of Summer: He said the song was not bad on Twitter. Might make his honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "The Heart Wants What It Wants" by Music/SelenaGomez: He said that he liked the song, but it would be better suited for someone else, which means it might make honorable mentions if it doesn't lose points for being about Bieber.
** Jossed.
* "2 On" by Tinashe. He called it the best DJ Mustard song on Twitter.
** Jossed.
* "Heroes (We Could Be)" by Alesso feat. Tove Lo. Sure, it's EDM, but "Clarity" was an honorable mention for 2013. "Heroes" has a shot, especially since its chorus, unlike "Clarity"'s, makes sense.
** Jossed; didn't qualify anyway.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Drunk in Love" by Beyonce and Music/JayZ: Todd strongly dislikes Beyonce and he said that the Grammy performance was abysmal.
** Jossed.
* "Dark Horse" by Music/KatyPerry ft. Juicy J: Todd has said that he absolutely despises this song, as well as Katy Perry's output from the ''Prism'' album. He called the song a worse version of "E.T", another song that Todd didn't like from her. In the review of the song, Todd claims that Katy can't pull off the "female, man-destroyer power fantasy", like Beyonce, citing "Irreplaceable" as an example.
** Confirmed as a dishonorable mention, although Todd seemed disappointed for not being able to add it to the list proper.
* "This is How We Roll" by Music/FloridaGeorgiaLine and Music/LukeBryan: This song seems destined to be on his list due to the unholy alliance of the two worst things to ever happen to country music. Even worse, there's a remix featuring Jason Derulo.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors: Todd immediately dismissed the band on Twitter, calling them Imagine Dragons wannabes. Given that Todd's opinion of Imagine Dragons soured in 2013, "Best Day of My Life" is leaning towards the worst list.
** Jossed, but interestingly, it was used as the piano intro for the best list.
* "#selfie" by The Chainsmokers: In the review, Todd states that the song doesn't even meet the already low standards for a viral novelty song. Unlike PSY's "Gangnam Style", Baauer's "Harlem Shake", Ylvis' "The Fox", or even Rebecca Black's "Friday", all of which became accidental hits by word of mouth, Todd calls "#selfie" AstroTurf, commenting that the song was "carefully packaged and promoted behind the scenes to look like a viral meme", as noted by the presence of Snoop Dogg and David Hasslehoff. If the song gets mentioned at all, it will likely only make the dishonorable mentions due to it being a minor entry in the Hot 100, dropping off fairly quickly after peaking at #16.
** Confirmed #2, mostly for being an UnintentionalPeriodPiece.
* "Talk Dirty" by Jason Derulo ft. [=2Chainz=]: He called it horrible and offensive to possibly everyone. However, In the "Wiggle" review, he called it probably his favorite Derulo song [[note]]To add to that, in his Worst Hit Songs of 2011 video, he said that a lot of songs start to sound better after he reviews them, so this may have been an example of such[[/note]]. More specifically, he liked the beat to the song; however, the criticism of Derulo's voice, lyrics, and personality as well as the song's apparent racism still stands, so it will likely make his dishonorable mentions.
** Mentioned during "Trumpets", but ultimately jossed.
* "All of Me" by John Legend: He called the song uninteresting on Twitter. In the review, Todd said that the song is nowhere near the worst song he's ever heard, but he feels that it's John Legend's weakest song, possibly making it a dishonorable mention.
** Confirmed as a dishonorable mention.
* "Play It Again" by Music/LukeBryan: After "That's My Kind of Night" avoided the list last year, an even worse song makes it.
** Jossed.
* "Bottoms Up" by Brantley Gilbert: Yet another bro-country song, to which Todd has shown his disdain for.
** Jossed.
* "Loyal" by Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Too Short, French Montana OR Tyga: Yet another disgusting, misogynistic, and materialistic rap song from two of Todd's least favorite rappers. However, in his "Just a Friend" episode, he seemed more amused by it than anything.
** Confirmed #3, mostly for Lil Wayne.
* "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX: He mentioned his dislike of it on Twitter, and his review was very unsupportive. However, he did give Charli XCX some praise, with Todd hoping that she would become the bigger name. But at the same time, Todd said he thought Justin Bieber's chorus in #thatPOWER didn't sound too bad, but then when will.i.am came in it took the penultimate slot on his list, so it's not likely that Charli will save this one much, if at all.
** Mentioned during "Black Widow", but ultimately jossed. He mentioned that it at least had a hook and Charli XCX did indeed save it from the list.
* "Wiggle" by Jason Derulo ft. Snoop Dogg: Not even the power of Snoop can salvage a song with Jason Derulo as the lead artist. On Twitter, Todd simply said "Oh God why why why". In the review, although Todd stated that he loved Snoop Dogg, and Snoop is basically untouchable this late in his career, he admitted that the Snoop Dogg "brand" is not a seal of quality. Hell, the description for the the video calls it, "The worst song of the ''decade''."
** Confirmed #1.
* "Summer" or "Blame" by Calvin Harris: Todd hates Calvin Harris' brand of EDM. A recent tweet basically guaranteed a spot for Harris on the list.
** Jossed.
* "Me and My Broken Heart" by Rixton. He called it a detestable Maroon 5 wannabe on Twitter. Also, the ripoff of Rob Thomas' "Lonely No More" could count against Rixton. A later tweet compared them to Hot Chelle Rae, Todd's least favorite group back in 2011.
** Confirmed as a dishonorable mention.
* "Rude" by MAGIC!: He said he hated the song on Twitter, and that the video made him hate it even more. Todd will likely call it the biggest example of cod reggae since Maroon 5's "One More Night". In the review, even though he said that he saw the storytelling in the song as a colossal misfire, he said that he doesn't necessarily consider it that bad. However, it could still make dishonorable mentions.
** Ultimately jossed. He said the song won't make the worst list because it was too upbeat.
* "Am I Wrong?" by Nico & Vinz: Todd stated on Twitter that he hates the way the narrator treats the girl in the song. A theme like that is not something you'd want to sympathize with.
** Used as the ending song for both the best and the worst list.
* "Don't Tell 'Em" by Jeremih ft. YG: Jeremih now has a third Top 10 hit, and he made Todd's worst lists in 2009 and 2011, so a three-peat is likely. He also called it gross on Twitter and later called Jeremih a poor man's Derulo.
** Mentioned during "Show Me" and later confirmed as a dishonorable mention.
* "Hot Nigga" by Bobby Shmurda: It's another cliched, generic rap song that Todd usually dislikes. Aside from that, it contains a line in which Shmurda proclaims "Free [[Music/ChrisBrown Breezy]], ho." That is almost guaranteed to not go over well with Todd.
** Jossed
* "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift: T-Swizzle was a rather polarizing artist for Todd, especially with her recent divergence from country-pop to outright pop; however, this is yet another song produced by Max Martin which abuses the [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]]. Todd gave the song a very negative review, called Taylor a major sellout, and admitted that he felt like a chump for defending her in the past. "Shake It Off" could very well end up as Todd's top pick for the worst hit song of the year, using the "bad as the absence of good" argument. He said in his "Blank Space" review that that song made him hate this one even more. That basically all but guarantees it a spot on his list.
** Despite him hating the song, Todd wanted to keep it off the worst list for being happy and upbeat but ultimately confirmed #9 for sounding like a jazzercise video.
* "Trumpets" by Jason Derulo: Todd loathes Derulo, and this song is filled with awful pickup lines ("Is it weird that your ass reminds me of a Kanye West song?"), something Todd hates.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Maps" and/or "Animals" by Maroon 5: He hates Maroon 5 and Adam Levine, so one or possibly both could show up. Not helping either songs' case is Levine's high-pitched AutoTune wailing.
** "Animals" confirmed #10.
* "Take Me To Church" by Hozier: He said he didn't like the song at all on Twitter, equating it to something people in the 60s would take way too seriously.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "My Nigga" by YG ft. Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan: Yet another rap song which abuses its NWordPrivileges.
** Jossed.
* "Booty" by Music/JenniferLopez featuring Music/IggyAzalea or {{Music/Pitbull}}: With all these songs about butts, there is no way he'll have good views on this. And not only does it have two versions both with guest verses from acts that he does not view favorably, but ''Chris Brown'' had writing credit on it, which in itself is rather cringeworthy.
** Jossed
* "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora: Todd said on Twitter that "Work" is the only song by Iggy Azalea he actually likes, and if he hated "Fancy", he might not view this favorably. He even asked his viewers between this and Animals which was better.
** Confirmed #5. Speaking of "Animals", he even mentioned that Iggy Azalea and Adam Levine should hook up so they can "devour each other".
* "Leave The Night On" by Sam Hunt: Another bro-country song by a guy who's been criticized for lack of vocal talent. Todd may find material based on Hunt having played college football.
** Jossed.
* "She Looks So Perfect" by 5 Seconds of Summer: He said the song "sounds like garbage" on Twitter and that it "was exactly as bad as he feared."
** Confirmed #7, solely for the chorus.
* "Show Me" by Kid Ink and Chris Brown, a song that the Rap Critic wasn't nice to when he reviewed it. Todd likely won't have anything good to say about it either.
** Confirmed #6. And as a bonus, when the Rap Critic reviewed the song he mentioned R. Kelly's "You Remind Me of Something". So does Todd to compare how that was used.
* 7/11 by {{Music/Beyonce}}: Todd can't stand Beyonce, and this track is full of weird lyrics that rhyme various phrases with themselves ad nauseam.
** Jossed.
* "Something Bad" by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Said on Twitter that it was basically just Warrant's "Cherry Pie" with different lyrics. Given the negative comments about Warrant in the Mr. Big video, that's likely not an endorsement. It could also be played during the credits.
** Jossed.
* "New Flame" by Chris Brown ft. Usher: Todd said he hasn't heard the song; however, he states that Chris Brown should '''''never''''' collaborate with Usher. Todd also claims that Usher far outclasses Chris Brown to the point of embarrassment, comparing them to a ten year old going ten rounds with Mike Tyson.
** Mentioned during "Show Me", but jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "Story of My Life" by One Direction: Todd no longer hates One Direction, but this doesn't mean they'll turn into his new Katy Perry.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Steal My Girl" by One Direction: Same as above, but it has more chance for the best list for it's similar sound to Journey, since he praised Best Song Ever for well using the sound of The Who. He may also compare it to "Jealous" saying it did right what the former did wrong.
** Todd has mentioned that this year's best of list is embarrassing, so it might have gotten on there.
*** It didn't. Jossed for both lists.
* "Problem" by Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea: Todd seems to like Ariana Grande as an artist, but it doesn't necessarily mean he will like this, especially considering that he hated Iggy Azalea's first big hit.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Not a Bad Thing" by Justin Timberlake: Todd has not been impressed with JT's post-"Suit & Tie" output.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Love Never Felt So Good" by Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake: In the "We Are the World 25" review, Todd states that there should be no more collaborations with dead people, ''especially'' Michael Jackson.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Break Free" by Ariana Grande ft. Zedd: Both artists had hits that made it to his honorable mentions in the best of list in 2013, however it might not necessarily mean he will like this.
** Probably jossed for both. In his "Bang Bang" review, he said he didn't find any of Ariana's songs to be bad, but he still mocked her annunciation of the chorus.
** Used as the bumper for the "Worst Hit Songs of 2014".
* "Chandelier" by Sia: Todd likes Sia's vocals; however, whether he likes or hates this song depends on the production.
** However, on Twitter, he states that either Sia is starting to sound like Rihanna or vice versa.
** One point in the song's favor is that's it's both a depressing song about drinking and a dark party song, which Todd has a soft spot for and feature on his top ten lists almost every year. (Just Dance, Die Young, Swimming Pools...)
*** Confirmed #4 on the best list.
* "Birthday" by Katy Perry: Todd pretty much hates the entire ''Prism'' album; however, this song has ridiculously shameless lyrics along with a rather cringe-worthy music video (although Todd doesn't like using the music video as a metric to judge a song's quality). Also, two birthday-themed sexual songs, Jeremih's "Birthday Sex" in 2009 and Rihanna's "Birthday Cake (Remix)" in 2012, made Todd's worst lists in years past. However, if there is one ''Prism'' single that Todd would have even the slightest chance of liking, it's this one since it's the most like her ''Teenage Dream'' singles and is closer to the tasteless Katy Perry that Todd initially (and reluctantly) embraced.
** Confirmed #6 on the best list.
* "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith: On Twitter, he notes that Smith's voice has a lot of personality, but this particular song doesn't. Called it a "dirge of a song" in his "Shake it Off" review; however, in a reply tweet, Todd says he doesn't dislike the song, meaning "Stay With Me" likely won't make either list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Bailando" by Enrique Iglesias ft. Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona: Todd dislikes Enrique Iglesias and put two of Enrique's hits on his past worst lists, "I Like It" and "Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You)", so Todd might not like this either. However, it's closer to the Latin-style Enrique that made him famous to begin with (It even has entire verses sung in Spanish), so the outrage for this may not be as high.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor: The song's stylings resemble the likes of Amy Winehouse and Adele, but he might dismiss it because of its viral hit factor.
** Probably jossed on both lists. In the review, he said he liked the song in theory, but felt it wasn't executed as well as it could've been. He still enjoyed it for how catchy it was.
*** Jossed for both lists. He said he left it off the worst list for the same reason as "Rude!" However, as of the "Dear Future Husband" review, he ''hates'' "All About That Bass", saying he would rather "fill his sinuses with venomous scorpions" than listen to the song ever again.
*** But in September 2016, he said that after not hearing it in a while, it came on and there was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776110835718643712 so much good about the song]]" and that it was "a waste", but "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776111307430961152 his rage had subsided a bit now that he's not hearing it every half hour]]". He said that it ultimately had more potential, "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776111474800558080 if only we could have someone else rewrite it and sing it]]".
* "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj: In his review, he complimented the beat and called it better than most Jessie J songs, but still found the song to be noisy and juvenile.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Anaconda" by Music/NickiMinaj: Todd stated on Twitter that his feelings on this song is mixed, which his review reaffirmed. He prefers Nicki's more fierce singles over her softer, more pop-sounding singles, and stated that "Anaconda" was better than "Starships". However, he might deduct points for the "Baby Got Back" sample.
** Confirmed as both an [[SoBadItsGood honorable and dishonorable mention]].
* "Burnin It Down" by Music/JasonAldean: He compared it to Usher on Twitter, but also said it didn't sound like a country song.
** Mentioned during "This Is How We Roll" but Jossed for both lists.
* "Love Runs Out" by [=OneRepublic=]: While Todd's opinion of [=OneRepublic=] has improved and mentions on Twitter that the song was better than most of their earlier output, he states that "Love Runs Out" isn't as good as "Counting Stars".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Habits (Stay High)" by Tove Lo: Much like "Day N Nite" (which Todd also liked), it's a song about getting high to stay sane, which is pretty deep for a pop song. However, Todd tweeted that having the chorus be about a breakup was a bad move since he feels the narrator's problems likely extend beyond having a breakup.
** Likely jossed, since Todd called it a dull, low, humming drone of a song during the "Worst of 2014".
*** Ultimately jossed for both lists. He said Sia's "Chandelier" was better.
* "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift: Todd tweeted that it had some of the best lyrics of any Taylor Swift song. However, in the immediate following tweet, he says "[he's] already incredibly fucking sick of it.". More specifically, his review has him spending over ten minutes praising the song, but then the last two minutes talk about how sick of it he is and that the beat is lackluster. It probably won't make either list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil' Jon: Todd said he likes it because it's one of the few EDM songs that doesn't bore him, praising the song for being aggressive and in your face. He also favorably compares the song to The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up". However, he states it's not a song he would listen to regularly, possibly regulating the song to a honorable mention. Also, the remix with Juicy J, [=2Chainz=], and French Montana turns it into another "bling and bitches" rap song.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "The Man" by Aloe Blacc: It is unknown if Todd likes Blacc as an artist, and the Music/EltonJohn sample might bring it down for him.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Come With Me Now" by Kongos: A rock song that actually "rocks." However, it might not have been a big enough hit to be on Todd's radar, having just barely scraped on to the year-end chart. He'll either find the style (rock-infused zydeco) enjoyably unique or rather pretentious.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Only" by Nicki Minaj ft. Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown: Todd likes Nicki Minaj when she's being aggressive; however, he dislikes Drake whenever he tries to act like a tough guy, and Todd more or less outright hates Lil Wayne and Chris Brown regardless of how they act.
** Confirmed #8 on the Worst List of 2015.
[[WMG: Probably Not Up for Consideration]]
* "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel: On Twitter, he states that he doesn't consider "Let It Go" a true pop song despite it peaking at #5, since the song is too closely tied to ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''. Whether or not Todd can get past this will determine if it makes either list since his actual opinion of the song hasn't been stated; however, Todd did give a mixed-positive review of the film, saying it had serious flaws, but he felt it was better than Pixar's latest output and understands why other people would like it.
** However the song could make the best list for the "Of 2014" reason that "#Selfie" made the worst list considering culturally, it was probably the biggest song of 2014.
* "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson: Even though the song came out three decades ago, it did re-chart in 2014 at #14, technically meeting Todd's criteria for inclusion on his Best or Worst Hit Songs lists. Todd most likely won't consider it for his list because it wasn't even remotely new or influential to 2014.
*** Both songs were Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guess For The 2014 Worst Of The Year bumper music]]
This should be interesting since Todd doesn't pick the bumper music based on whether he likes it or not, and since he's been allowed to reupload the 2013 list with it, it's fair game! (Previous year' bumper music - [[Music/ThePussycatDolls I Hate This Part]], [[Music/MichaelJackson Bad]] (1987), [[Music/CeeLoGreen F*ck You]], Silly Love Songs (1976), [[Music/{{Kesha}} Blow]], Sorry 2004 (2004), [[Music/{{Pink}} Blow Me]], and [[Music/TaylorSwift I Knew You Were Trouble]])
* Problem by Arianna Grande ft Iggy Azalea
* Habits (Stay High) by Tove Lo - A song about having to stay high? Sounds right.
* Pompeii by Bastille
* Let It Go by Idina Menzel - Just to shut people up ([[TheGadfly or piss people off]]).
* Love Runs Out by OneRepublic
* Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake
** Loser, but dishonorable mention.
* Don't by Ed Sheeran
* Am I Wrong? by Nico And Vinz - Just so that if he reviews it in full he can immediately say "YES!".
** Loser, but used as the end of video stinger. Interestingly enough, it's the stinger for his top 10 best list as well.
* Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer - Considering the year it's been, wanting to wake up with amnesia is a reasonable sentiment.
* Something Bad by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood - It had to be said.
* No Mediocre by TI and Music/IggyAzalea - The irony might make his head explode though.
* Break Free by Ariana Grande - Because Todd wants to break free.
** '''Winner'''. The song was later forced to be removed though.
* Shake It Off by Taylor Swift - So he can shake off the bad. Although he had a Taylor Swift song for last year's bumper music.
** Loser, but made #9 on the worst list proper.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2015)]]
As with previous years, Todd counts songs that were on the [[http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-100-songs Year End Hot 100]] or that made the Top 20. So here are some of those tracks.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "[=FourFiveSeconds=]" by Rihanna, Kanye West, and Paul [=McCartney=]: [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/570138865765376000 Mentioned on Twitter]] that he thought it was "a good song" and that it was Rihanna's best performance in a long time.
** Confirmed #5.
* "I Don't Fuck with You" by Big Sean featuring E-40: He said on Twitter that as far as DJ Mustard goes, this was a serious guilty pleasure of his, and called Big Sean "one of the few rappers able to be stupid in a funny way". Not likely though given it was also in the Top 20 last year, but "Dance (A$$)" made his honorable mentions in 2012, so this could too. Or it could be the bumper music for the worst list.
** [[MemeticMutation Why not both?]] Confirmed #7.
* "Style" by Taylor Swift: He said that although the song equates to "goddamn i'm hot", he said he thinks he likes it. He stated this Taylor Swift was the best Taylor Swift. He talked about how the song takes place during a bad relationship and not after it, and said he "fucking loves the song".
** Confirmed #1 best of 2015.
* "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars: Assuming that the overplay doesn't prevent him, I won't be surprised if Todd puts this song on 2015's best list as well, even at the top of the list. It's already more or less the top song of the year, which he's featured on his best lists since 2011. Also, Todd probably likes it even more for denying "Thinking Out Loud" the #1 spot.
** He'll build up to the song by stating that he's going to do something that has yet to be done in his top ten lists--put a song that was already on a previous list--and he'll bring up the time "Scream & Shout" failed to make the Worst of 2013 list after being high on the Worst of 2012 list. He'll say that "Scream & Shout" only made it in as a worst honorable mention for 2013 because it didn't represent the year as well as other songs that did make the list. The song in question on 2015's best list, meanwhile, represents the year extremely well--more so than 2014--and was a massive hit to boot. The viewers will wonder, "How can Todd put a song from last year's list onto this year's list?" Todd's response? "Don't believe me? Just watch!"
** Confirmed honorable mention. He says that it wouldn't have been #1 if it were on the best list for the second year in a row.
** As a bonus, in May 2016 he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/727204769987743745 asked the viewers on Twitter which they thought was better between it and Get Lucky]].
* "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon: Somebody asked Todd how he felt about the song on Twitter, and he responded "It is the best." Possible "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" candidate. That, and unlike "Take Me to Church," it's upbeat and cheerful. However, the overplay might hold it back a little bit for him.
** Confirmed #3.
* "One Last Time" by Ariana Grande: It resembles "Love Me Harder". Not only that, but unlike most of her other songs, this one does not feature a guest act.
** Jossed.
* "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith: He said on Twitter that he considered "Sam Smith's new song" better than "Stay With Me" or "I'm Not the Only One", assuming he was talking about this one[[note]]and not "Like I Can", which has only been at the tail-end of the Hot 100, but since that song didn't touch the charts until July and he made the tweet early in the year, it's safe to assume he was referring to this one[[/note]].
** Jossed.
* "Lean On" by Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ: I'd imagine this song being one of Todd's favorite dance songs from this year, as its lyrics aren't particularly questionable.
** Confirmed #4.
* "You Know You Like It" by [=AlunaGeorge=] and DJ Snake: It's similar to "Lean On," so if Todd likes that song, I can't imagine this one being too far behind.
** Jossed.
* "Drag Me Down" and "Night Changes" by One Direction: Todd appears to have warmed up to One Direction since "Best Song Ever." He'll likely appreciate the more mature sound the band is taking on, not to mention how the latter track has been received relatively well even by people who have not been as big of fans of the band, so if "Best Song Ever" managed to appear on his 2013 best list, either of these songs may have a chance for this year's best list, especially "Night Changes".
** Similarly, "Perfect" (peaked at #10) he might be able to at least deem passable, given the song is supposedly about Taylor Swift, and he liked "Style" by the same act.
** Jossed for all songs. However, Todd later stated his praise for "Perfect" (if only because it sounds very similar to "Style").
* "Downtown" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz: He said on Twitter that although the post-"Uptown Funk" era was starting, people would be hearing this song a lot (unfortunately for Macklemore haters). But then he said, "Fuck the haters", which is probably a sign that he likes the song. Helping is that Macklemore had two positions on his Best of 2013 list.
** Confirmed #10.
* "Ex's and Oh's" by Elle King: He said the song was "fine" on Twitter, and it's yet another "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" contender.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Budapest" by George Ezra: Could be another "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" contender, or at the very least something tolerable.
** Jossed.
* "Stressed Out" by Twenty-one Pilots (peaked at #19 in 2015): Todd may not consider this enough a hit to make the list, but if he does, this sounds like the kind of song he would like for having a good rock edge.
** Jossed. It's more of a 2016 hit anyway.
* "Back to Back" by Drake: He [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/649630658306932736 mentioned on Twitter]] that the song is great because "he doesn't even sound angry... just annoyed".
** Confirmed honorable mention.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran: He said on Twitter that he was starting to really, genuinely loathe it and called it without question his worst song. Not helped by the fact that it was #2 on the charts behind Uptown Funk for eight weeks.
** Jossed. He would later say on Twitter that the emotion Sheeran puts in saves it from making the cut.
* "Somebody" by Natalie La Rose featuring Jeremih: "Don't Tell 'Em" might have been spared the list proper and only make dishonorable mentions, but this one might meet the same fate that Birthday Sex and Down on Me did.
** Jossed.
* "Dear Future Husband" by Meghan Trainor: He said on Twitter that "he wanted it known that as a critic with his finger on the pulse of pop music, he hated it way before anyone". Not to mention his review of the song was pretty scathing, objecting to its outdated gender politics and even said that Trainor is just as annoying as Justin Bieber was in his early years.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Elastic Heart" by Sia: A recent tweet indicates he hates it. Not helping is that the original version [[note]]which was for ''The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'', and not the solo version on her album[[/note]] features The Weeknd in the second verse.
** Jossed. However, it is used in the end credits of the Worst list.
* "Earned It" by The Weeknd: The Weeknd is another generic R&B guy and he didn't have a lot of praise for him when he mentioned him on "Love Me Harder". He even stated in a recent tweet that he absolutely hates his voice. Todd made fun of the song in his review of "The Hills", and doesn't get the song's supposed appeal as a sex jam (much like [[Film/FiftyShadesOfGrey the film from which the song originated]]).
** Jossed. Todd would later admit in his "Worst of 2019" list that he probably should've included this song on the list.
* "The Hills" by The Weeknd: Todd's review of the song was pretty negative, finding it too dark and weird. It could make a dishonourable mention at the very least (one of his criticisms of 2014 was that the hits were too downbeat), but he seems more disturbed by the song than anything.
** Jossed. He would later say on Twitter that it was better than the following year's #3 worst by light years.
* "I Want You to Know" by Zedd featuring Selena Gomez (peaked at #17): With Todd not being a fan of most well-known EDM acts or Selena Gomez, this likely won't go over well with him.
** Jossed.
* "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth: Despite the song's admirable purpose to be a tribute to Paul Walker, he didn't sound very pleased on Twitter when he said that it was the song to dethrone "Uptown Funk" from the number-one spot, and he didn't find Wiz Khalifa's grief believable. And the massive overplay likely won't help. It likely won't make the list, as Todd said he could at least respect and appreciate its purpose even if he doesn't like listening to the song on its own, but it could still make dishonorable mentions.
** Jossed. We do get to [[WaxingLyrical see Charlie Puth again]], though--at the top of the list with "Marvin Gaye" featuring Meghan Trainor.
* "Bitch Better Have My Money" by Rihanna: Not only is Todd sick of most of Rihanna's newer work (save "Take Care" and "[=FourFiveSeconds=]"), but he hates when pop acts talk about how much money they have.
** Jossed.
* "Hey Mama" by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack: Todd has always disliked Nicki Minaj when she's "safe" (judging by his views on "Starships") and he's not a very big David Guetta fan, so I can't see him liking this song.
** Jossed, but Nicki Minaj cannot save "Only" from a confirmed #8 placement on 2015's Worst List. Todd bemoans that being in the presence of Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne is making her dumber, as evidenced by the catastrophic "duct tape" joke.
* "Cheerleader" by Omi: It is similar to last year's "Rude," a song he dislikes, and even worse is turned into a generic EDM song.
** Sure enough, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/621570169714905089 he even asked the viewers which of the two tracks they found better]].
** Likely jossed, since [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/639329862935805952 he said on Twitter]] that it likely won't place on either list.
*** A throwaway remark in his review of "The Hills" indicates that he doesn't care about the song, which backs up this theory.
*** Ultimately jossed. However, it was used as the piano intro for the best list.
* "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar: On Twitter he said that the song "fails on the most basic level of being a pop song" and "just SOUNDS ugly."
** Confirmed #4. He also said on Twitter that the original version [[note]]the one on ''1989'', without Kendrick[[/note]] would've taken the #2 slot had that one been the real hit. However, he did say years later that while ''1989'' had two of his least favorite of Taylor's singles, they [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1678818888992329728 sounded better in the context of the album]], so he might have been referring to this as one of them.
* "Heartbeat Song" by Kelly Clarkson: Todd said one of the major things that he hates is when a song is unremarkable.
** Jossed.
* "Nasty Freestyle" by T-Wayne: He may not consider the song to be a hit despite its peak, but he normally isn't a fan of viral songs.
** Confirmed #10. He despises how the song got big off Vine and even compares it unfavorably to "Harlem Shake."
* "Watch Me (Whip[=/=]Nae Nae)" by Silento: Todd does not like most songs that become big off of viral hits (if "Harlem Shake" and "#Selfie" are any indication), so this won't go over well with him. Also, the song is ''extremely'' repetitive. Todd's review basically all but assures the song's inclusion on the worst list. He even said it was worse than Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat" (a song he loathes), so don't be surprised if it takes the #1 spot.
** Confirmed #5.
* "Post to Be" by Omarion featuring Chris Brown and Music/JheneAiko: The DJ Mustard beat and Chris Brown's presence already make this song an easy target for Todd. That, and it spawned the "eat the booty like groceries" meme, which might remind him of the "grocery bag" line in "[=BedRock=]."
** Jossed.
* "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten: On top of being a [[TheFourChordsOfPop four-chord]] adult contemporary ballad by a no-name artist, this song contains lyrics about confidence and self-empowerment that Todd is likely to dismiss as a generic, uninspired ClicheStorm. That, and it'll probably be on the receiving end of Todd's "bad is the absence of good" mantra.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/617795124882489344 Yeah, he's not very fond of it.]]
** He even went as far as saying that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/650369395731103744 Platten is 2015's Worst New Artist on Twitter]]. I would say the chances of the song making the Worst List proper are very high.
** Confirmed #2.
* "Lips are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor: Despite being high on the chart late in 2014, it was a bigger hit in 2015. That said, he said it left him with less to question, but that he has less reason to actually want to listen to it. He doesn't seem to feel as strongly about this song as he does "All About That Bass" or "Dear Future Husband," but given its gratuitous [[CallBack Call Backs]] to the former--a song he's grown to despise over time--he's more likely to dislike it than like it. I can see it end up on Todd's worst honorable mentions for the year so that he can further discuss his hatred of the artist.
** Jossed. He said this one was "halfway tolerable."
* "Good for You" by Selena Gomez featuring ASAP Rocky: According to Todd, "Selena Gomez's efforts to shed her Disney image aren't working."
** Mentioned, but jossed.
* "Take Your Time" by Sam Hunt: While Bro Country as a whole seems to be dying, artists like Hunt are still around and Todd probably won't be too fond of him.
** Jossed.
** "House Party" was also mentioned, but jossed.
* "Hotline Bling" by Drake: He described it on Twitter as a "disaster" on the Hot 100. He even called it Drake's worst single since possibly "Headlines", and that's saying a lot since "Started from the Bottom" made his 2013 worst list.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/668341872746766337 Officially jossed for the Bottom 10]]. He later explained in his review that while he can't ignore the unpleasant lyrics, he does enjoy its music.
** In summer 2016, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/759984739977662464 he called the song "brilliant", even if "everything he ever said about it still stands"]]. That could mean that he nowadays finds it so bad it's good.
* "Hit the Quan" by iHeartMemphis: It's pretty much "Watch Me" all over again.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention. The only reason it didn't make the list in place of Silento is because it actually has lyrics.
* "Marvin Gaye" by Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor: Given how much Todd hates really white music including Meghan Trainor, it'll be on the worst list for sure.
** He also asked his Twitter followers which moment in 2015 pop music was worse: the "Let's Marvin Gaye and get it on" line from this song, or the "Raised on Biggie and Nirvana" line from Halsey's "New Americana".
** Confirmed the #1 Worst Hit Song of 2015. Todd brings up the previous year's biggest loser, "Wiggle," to point out how "Marvin Gaye" falls hard on the opposite side of the sex song spectrum.
* "Stitches" by Shawn Mendes: He said on Twitter that it was "much worse" than What Do You Mean. His later joint review of the two songs assures Mendes' inclusion on the Worst List proper, claiming that teen idols playing their own instruments is much worse than the average WGWAG, and that Mendes is one of his least favorite new artists. He thoroughly bashed the lyrics, too, so this seems like a logical choice.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention. "You suck, Mendes! You suck!!"
* "Worth It" by Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink: When asked on Twitter what he thought of the song, he said it was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/660181069807927297 awful. awful awful awful]]." The song's hook sounds similar to Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" and the beat of the main verses sounds like something DJ Mustard would produce. Todd hates both Jason Derulo and DJ Mustard, which only further detriments the song. The controversy over the ideas around the song would also give him something to talk about and weigh in on.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Locked Away" by Rock City featuring Adam Levine: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/650364931674664960 This tweet]] implies that he dislikes the song's hook. He later tweeted "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/666060097861341184 [The song] came on the radio and I thought 'God this is just the DEFINITION of average]]'... [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/666060162214547456 If that's true, then why do I hate it so much?]]". That implies that this song falls under Todd's "bad is the absence of good" mantra.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Same Old Love" by Selena Gomez: Todd isn't a fan of Selena Gomez' recent songs, and judging by [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/673989212832735232 this tweet]], this one is no exception. Of course said tweet could be deliberate misdirection instead referencing "Good For You".
** Confirmed #7.
* "Ayo" by Chris Brown and Tyga: Chris Brown and Tyga. 'Nuff said.
** Jossed.
* "Classic Man" by Jidenna featuring Roman [=GianArthur=]: It's basically "Fancy" sung by men, and that's a song Todd was unfavorable to.
** Jossed.
* "She Knows" by Ne-Yo featuring Juicy J: In addition to Todd thinking Ne-Yo doesn't sound like the kind of guy who works well for a party based on his "Give Me Everything" review, he's likely to find it out of character. Not helping at all is Juicy J's verse, or the repeated usage of baby sounds.
** Jossed.
* "Kick the Dust Up" by Luke Bryan: This is a country track that has overall received pretty bad reception, and Todd likely won't be any different to it.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "I Don't Mind" by Usher featuring Juicy J: It's been a while since Todd has had anything much to say about Usher, so he may or may not like this one.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. Todd wonders if Usher, in writing a song in defense of erotic dancers, knows any women other than strippers.
* "Time of Our Lives" by Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo: While Todd said that Ne-Yo's aforementioned depressing manner was worse to "Give Me Everything" than Pitbull's stupid lyrics when he reviewed it in 2011, he said on Twitter that he liked "Fireball" and that it was his favorite song by Pitbull. He even remarked that "he thinks he'll miss Pitbull once his time is done", so that could mean anything. For that matter, he mentioned in the "Feel This Moment" review that he thinks Pitbull is not bad at appreciating what he's gotten to do and what he has, so he might be able to say the same thing about this.
** Confirmed best honorable mention. He even considered including it on the best list at one point.
* "Sugar" by Maroon 5: On Twitter, he said the song is album filler-quality, but that he enjoys its style of 70s disco more than "Maps" or "Animals." Its similar sound to previous favorite "Birthday" could be to its benefit or its detriment.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. More tolerable than most Maroon 5 songs, Todd says, but they're still "goddamn terrible."
** He even said the "Sugar, yes please" line was the [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/715552841830645760 most repelling lyric of 2015]].
* "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding: Despite his love for Ellie Goulding and her song "Lights," he may dislike it for being associated with ''Film/FiftyShadesOfGrey''.
** It was used as his piano intro to the Worst Songs of 2015. This makes inclusion on his best list pretty slim.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "G.D.F.R." by Flo Rida featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas: Although he dislikes Flo Rida, this song is similar in sound to "Turn Down for What," a song he likes. And it's not like he hasn't liked a Flo Rida song before (if "I Cry" is any indication).
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy: He might like this song for having more of a rock edge than most pop songs now, or he might dislike it like he did "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)." However, in his review of "Uma Thurman", he said that he wasn't really sure why the track sampled "Tom's Diner", although he said that at the same time he felt that adding pop gave them more of a sound.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "All Day" by Kanye West featuring Theophilius London, Allan Kingdom & Paul [=McCartney=]: Todd might like this one as a fan of Kanye's work in general, but he may not like it either.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Trap Queen" by Fetty Wap: He said on Twitter that the song just baffled him, but we don't know if it confused him in a good way or a bad way. This may apply to Fetty Wap's follow-up hits as well. The overplay, however, might cause him to skew toward the latter view, that and the longevity of this song spending nearly half the year in the Top 10.
** He later said on Twitter that he finds Fetty Wap interesting as an artist and leans more toward liking him despite not having a solid opinion on him.
** Jossed for both lists. He doesn't even mention Fetty Wap in either of them. However, he mentioned in his Hello/Hotline Bling duo review that he tried to like Fetty Wap but his work "wasn't pretty enough".
* "Talking Body" by Tove Lo: He said he's never heard a song as "perfectly average" as it. It could possibly make the honorable mentions for both lists.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Honey, I'm Good." by Andy Grammer: It sounds similar to "Cotton-Eye Joe," of which, as stated in his One-Hit Wonderland, Todd is not a fan, although he hasn't said anything about the song itself.
** Jossed. Todd tweeted that he doesn't get the hate. He doesn't like it, but it won't be on either list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Where Are Ü Now" by Jack Ü (a.k.a. Skrillex & Diplo) ft. Justin Bieber: Todd isn't too keen on either EDM or Bieber; however, his hatred of the latter has died down considerably since 2013.
** Used as the closing song for the best list.
* "Want to Want Me" by Jason Derulo: Despite the song's disco influences, we all know how Todd feels about Jason Derulo. Despite that he said on Twitter that he did like the groove to it a lot, but lyric-wise it loses to...
** Jossed for both lists. Additionally, Todd's later comments about it on his SR-71 ''One Hit Wonderland'' suggests that he dislikes the song.
* "Can't Feel My Face" by The Weeknd: As mentioned above, Todd is not a fan of the Weeknd. He may like the funk throwback a la "Uptown Funk" but whether or not it'll be able to get past that remains to be seen. He mentioned that the song actually takes a few chances, though.
** He briefly discussed this song saying that "it's not so bad" and was about to launch into a positive review of it until he realised that he was meant to review "The Hills" instead.
** He also stated on Twitter that he loved the video for the song, which may point in the song's favor, even if he has not been known to judge a song based on its video.
** Confirmed #6 for the best list.
* "Chains" by Nick Jonas: In his "Jealous" review, he had a bit of praise for him changing direction (up until the "it's my right to be hellish" line, at least), so this follow-up he may find a little better.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. Compared to The Weeknd's dark, sexy R&B shtick, Todd bemoans that "it could always, always get worse."
* "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran: He'll either dismiss the song as a typical "white guy with acoustic guitar" song, or find it genuine enough to be listenable to him.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Cool for the Summer" by Demi Lovato: It sounds awfully similar to something Katy Perry would record, so Todd may either enjoy the production without having to hear Katy Perry's voice, find it a GuiltyPleasure, or dislike the direction Demi Lovato took with this song. He also said that the chorus to the song was that of "Domino" by Jessie J, a song he doesn't like, except pitched a whole step lower, but that the song was infinitely better than 2013's "Heart Attack".
** Confirmed #2 for the best list. Unlike all the Katy Perry songs in the past, he doesn't seem too guilty about this pick.
* "What Do You Mean?" by Justin Bieber: He admitted on Twitter that the song had grown on him "in a low-key kind of way," although he still dislikes Bieber as a singer. His joint review of this song and "Stitches" was actually mildly positive, saying that artistically it's a step in the right direction.
** Confirmed best honorable mention.
* "Renegades" by X Ambassadors: He doesn't find the song "very renegade-y," but as a song that may be a part of the "fluke indie hit sweepstakes," it's likely he finds it tolerable.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Wildest Dreams" by Taylor Swift: While he hated "Shake It Off" and "Bad Blood" but liked "Style" and "Blank Space" (at least until he grew sick of the latter), he has yet to say anything about this particular track.
** Confirmed #9 for the best list.
* "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor and John Legend: Given his distaste of Meghan Trainor, he probably won't have good to say about this one. It doesn't help that he was not in favor of John Legend's "All of Me" last year, either. However, the genuine sincerity that was lacking in Trainor's previous singles could score some points with him. It also sounds like he would consider the track to be too dull and possibly unfitting for Trainor's style.
** Invoked before the reveal of #6 on the Worst List, Trainor's solo "Dear Future Husband."
* "On My Mind" by Ellie Goulding (peaked at #13 in 2015): Todd has yet to say anything about this particular track, but his fondness for Ellie Goulding and the song's possible links to Ed Sheeran may cause him to have a more positive view toward it.
** While nothing has been confirmed, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/681882634386075648 this tweet]] suggests that he likes it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Focus" by Ariana Grande: It's basically "Problem" minus the guest acts (aside from an uncredited Jamie Foxx in the chorus, who serves the same role Big Sean did in "Problem"), a song that Todd was indifferent towards to begin with, it's unknown if he would prefer this song for that reason or not. One downside is that he's generally not a fan of Ariana's more uptempo songs as she tends to belt in her Elmer Fudd voice.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber: Todd recently tweeted that the "you gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty" line sounds really pissy, although he later clarified that in his "What Do You Mean vs Stitches" review that it is actually Bieber showing some emotional depth for once. But in the "Hello / Hotline Bling" duo review he said that Bieber sucks at apologies like Adele does.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention for the Worst List. Todd didn't mind the song and was amused at how Bieber is "such a terrible human being" until he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/700773459878662145 took back his words a month later]].
* "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber: As with "Photograph," he may either find this song a good display of sincere emotion or a ballad without any interesting traits. It helps to know that it was written by Ed Sheeran.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton: The song has been praised by fans of country and noncountry fans alike, but Todd might not like it or he might not consider it a big of enough hit since it got no play on the pop charts.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Waves" by Mr. Probz: He might like the song for its pleasant sound, but he could also find it repetitive. It likely won't make either list but could be an honorable mention.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "The Hanging Tree" by Music/JamesNewtonHoward featuring Creator/JenniferLawrence: Another soundtrack hit, and he wasn't kind to "Back in Time" in 2012, but he has known to at least like The Hunger Games to some extent.
** Jossed for both lists.
* Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) by Rich Homie Quan: Although the song is another brag rap, he liked "Lifestyle" in 2014 so it's uncertain what he may say here.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "In the Night" by The Weeknd: Even though Todd dislikes The Weeknd, this song is more similar in tempo to "Can't Feel My Face" than any of his other hits, so he may find something to like about it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Girl Crush" by Music/LittleBigTown: Todd hasn't really spoken either way about Little Big Town, but the song is very daring for country, and could have a similar "dark horse" appeal to him that "Need You Now" did in 2010.
** Confirmed #9 on the Worst Hits of 2015. Todd declared the song to be even more "horseshit" about its bi-curious theme (which is mainly invoked to pine for a man) than Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl."
* "Hello" by Adele: In his review, he said that Adele already has a song about not leaving an ex alone (Someone Like You), and she couldn't pull it off a second time. It probably won't make either list, though, as he said he considered the song not bad at the very least, yet not too great.
** Confirmed best honorable mention.
* "Here" by Alessia Cara. Said on Twitter that he feels too old for the song but remembers being in a similar situation growing up.
** Referenced in the closing credits for the Worst of 2015.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2015 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
Once again, Todd can use basically whatever he wants for this, using tracks regardless of whether he actually likes them or not.
* "I Don't Fuck with You" by Big Sean featuring E-40 - As mentioned in the best list predictions. Although he previously used a song that had the f-bomb in its name for his bumper music before (Fuck You for 2010), a song telling someone off could fit well.
** Confirmed.
* "Bitch Better Have My Money" by Rihanna - It might be useful for Todd as a tool to tell 2015 to "pay him what it owes him."
* "G.D.F.R." by Flo Rida featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas - Todd plans to scrape the bottom of the barrel in his Worst of 2015 video, hence "going down for real."
* "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar - It's not that likely, as it's a strong candidate for the list proper and bumper songs traditionally aren't featured on their respective lists themselves. (The closest to this happening was when "I Knew You Were Trouble" was both the bumper song and an honorable mention for the worst of 2013.) However, it can describe the problems Todd has with 2015's wave of pop hits.
* "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten - As with "Bad Blood," this song can very well end up on the list itself (and the "Worst New Artist" tweet mentioned above all but assures it), thus decreasing its chances of being the bumper song. It can fit in that Todd has to be [[{{Determinator}} determined]] to fight the worst 2015 has to offer (in terms of pop music), and he can't afford to hold back.
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber - The year's bad songs have let Todd down and are hoping that it's not too late to tell him 'sorry'.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2016)]]
%%The year-end Hot 100 chart for 2016 has yet to be released, of course, so for now only songs that have charted in the top twenty on the weekly chart are eligible for Todd's year-end lists. If there is a song you want to include that has not made the Top 20, but feel that it is bound for such or the Year-End list, it can still be added, but it may be advised to take it to discussion. However, if a not-Top 20 song is placed here, it is suggested to consult the discussion before removing it unless it is basically confirmed that it will miss the year-end list.
[[WMG: Best]]
* "In the Night" by The Weeknd: As stated before, it's closer in sound to "Can't Feel My Face" than any of his downbeat songs. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/748354481356693504 This tweet in response to a fan]] had him calling it good.
** Jossed. However, he later [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/825771867789197316 tweeted]] that he forgot to include it as an honorable mention.
* "Roses" by The Chainsmokers featuring ROZES: The duo that was thought to be a quintessential 2010s one-hit wonder managed to make lightning strike twice and score another left-field Top 40 hit. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/714836085822631937 This poll]] has Todd describe the song as "surprisingly decent."
** Jossed. However he still called it a good song, and considered it a spot on the honorable mentions.
* "Perfect" by One Direction: Even though it only barely made the Year-End chart (at exactly #100) and peaked in 2015, Todd has given this song a lot of praise, so it's a possible contender.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
** He said in August 2017 that he "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/894438200432840705 should have put it on the list, and high, too]]".
* "Summer Sixteen" by Drake (peaked at #6): It is a diss track in a similar vein to "Back to Back", a song that Todd liked, so I can see him liking this one. However, it flopped pretty hard, so if it misses the year-end list, it likely would be relegated to honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "When We Were Young" by Adele: Todd is a known fan of Adele's music, and since this song is more different than "Hello" was, he might like it. Interestingly, the song's perspective is almost the opposite of a previous best, "Wildest Dreams", with this one being sung by the ex desperately trying to hold onto her positive memories rather than being comforted by the fact that her partner will leave with some. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/748354481356693504 This tweet in response to a fan]] had him calling it good along with "In The Night" as mentioned above.
** Confirmed #6.
* "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" by Mike Posner: He said on Twitter that he was surprised to see Mike Posner get another hit, and he appreciates the [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] lyrics about Posner's post-"Cooler Than Me" career. Its similar sound to previous favorite "Lean On" could help it--he even stated in his review that he preferred the EDM remix (the version of the song that became a hit) over the "white guy with acoustic guitar" original.
** He stated that Mike Posner is a very successful songwriter behind the scenes, and has solid instincts as a lyricist. He considered the line "I wanted Avicii to think I was cool" was the "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/715550197603037184 saddest fucking thing he's ever heard in his life]]". His review was quite positive, so it definitely seems like a candidate.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Never Forget You" by Zara Larsson and MNEK: It's a European dance hit that crossed the Atlantic, similar to "Rather Be," a song Todd loves.
** Jossed.
* "Formation", "Sorry", "Hold Up" and "6 Inch" (peaked at #10, #11, #13, and #18 respectively)" by Beyonce[[note]]with "6 Inch" featuring The Weeknd[[/note]]: Todd said on Twitter that he considered Beyoncé's ''Lemonade'' a really good album because it leaves him wondering about her marriage and she can wound and devastate, but not walk away given that Jay-Z isn't replaceable. In particular, he said that "Formation" [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/732615199556042752 was growing on him]]. However, the fact that most of these songs slowly falling off the charts (except "Sorry", and "Hold Up" to a smaller extent) means that Todd might not necessarily consider them hits, although he still might, considering how big of an impact Beyonce has on music in general. But even if they miss the year-end list, they could still be honorable mentions.
** On the note of "Sorry", he considered it a weird choice of single, but that may not be an immediate insult.
** "Sorry was confirmed #9, the rest were jossed.
* "All the Way Up" by Fat Joe and Remy Ma featuring French Montana and Infared: He said he "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/811272576622329857 kinda likes it]]".
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Hymn For The Weekend" by Coldplay: Although Todd is not a serious fan of Coldplay, he has mentioned liking Beyonce this year, who is featured in the song, so he might give it credit for that.
** Jossed.
* "Into You" by Ariana Grande: While he hates "Dangerous Woman", [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/758354145040560128 he hopes]] that this song takes off, and seeing as it has it definitely looks like a candidate.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Perfect Illusion" by Lady Gaga (peaked at #15): He said on Twitter that it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/774835994776535040 "pretty good", but "wished that it was as good as its first 15 seconds"]]. It could surely help that the song had Mark Ronson of "Uptown Funk" behind it. But he said that he did not like the key change. Not to mention because of it flopping, it would likely not be bound for any higher than honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey: He gave it a pass despite its flaws when he reviewed it, so it might be able to sneak onto the list, or at least make honorable mentions.
** Confirmed #1 song of 2016.
* "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars (peaked at #4): With Bruno Mars' proper return following "Uptown Funk" being yet another throwback, which are the kind of tracks that Todd has liked him best for (also including "Locked Out of Heaven" and "Treasure"), this is an easy candidate for him to like. It also certainly helps that it has some elements of New Jack Swing, something Todd said he liked in his Worst of 1991 video.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/800783621623726080 "I would be fine with Bruno Mars reprising "Uptown Funk" in a slightly different genre for the rest of his career."]] Sounds like he likes it.
** Confirmed #2.
%%If this entry seems way too impractical, it can be deleted, but I added it because of a few of his tweets.
* "The Sound" by The 1975: Although this song never actually charted on the Hot 100 at all, it could still possibly end up making honorable mentions in the same vein as "Run Away With Me" last year, as this song has received a great amount of acclaim and Todd made a couple tweets about The 1975 and how he thinks [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/753992302473904128 that they're "pretty great"]] and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/753992806289506304 one of two acts this year that he has significantly enjoyed]] through the first half of the year (the other being Beyonce).
** He said that it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763100491559661568 his favorite non-hit song of the year so far]] when asked what it was, so that adds to its favor.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber: After making dishonorable mentions on the 2015 worst list, the song could make the list proper for 2016, especially after Todd's review of the song. Todd hates fake apology songs, and Todd hates Bieber's douche-bag attitude.
** Jossed.
* "I Know What You Did Last Summer" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: Todd dislikes both Shawn Mendes and Fifth Harmony (of which Camila Cabello is a member), so this song may not sit well with him.
** Probably jossed, because he said in the "Treat You Better" review that he didn't completely hate it as it had decent energy and a real hook.
** Ultimately jossed.
* "My House" by Flo Rida: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/712682885644468224 This tweet]] suggests that he doesn't like it.
** Jossed.
* "Hands to Myself" by Selena Gomez: Todd hasn't liked any of the singles Selena Gomez has put out since she went solo, and I doubt this one will be an exception.
** Jossed.
* "Work" by Rihanna featuring Drake: The repetitive hook and repetitively minimalist beat may just be two strikes against the song for Todd. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/712679334646038528 This tweet]] suggests he doesn't like it, and it's also mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** Jossed.
* "White Iverson" by Music/PostMalone: Todd hates hip-hop tracks that get big off of Vines or other viral matters, so this is bound to not go over well with him. Not helping is the controversy behind the song's alleged cultural appropriation.
** Jossed.
* "Pillowtalk" by Zayn: Todd confirmed [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/697862368534073344 on Twitter]] that he doesn't like this song all that much. It also contains the former child star style of trying to be edgy, something that Todd does not like. He later said that the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/709863097088004096 was really bad]]. And in the "Sorry" review, he said he "cannot for the life of him remember how it goes, in one ear and out the other". And it was also mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** His review was very negative, even going so far as to say that it may actually be worse than "7 Years", which was actually a song. Ouch.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Cake by the Ocean" by DNCE: It combines the cake metaphor and a Maroon 5-lite sound, two things that have been featured on Todd's worst lists in the past. It doesn't help that Todd does not like the Jonas Brothers, judging by his opinions of "Jealous" and "Chains." He also [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/706540413339963392 said]] that the lyric "Waste time with a masterpiece, don't waste time with a masterpiece" confuses him, as does [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/707267257118932993 the song's title]]. He later said that radio play went on to sour his opinion on this song.
** He [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/747182272630099968 called the song]] "'Uptown Funk' if LMFAO wrote it". He then immediately stated that that was not an endorsement, but while he then said that it wasn't sure if it was a criticism either, it's still not something that will really help the song's case.
** Jossed for the worst list; confirmed #7 on the best list. It was also referenced in the title art for the best list.
* "Down in the DM" by Yo Gotti: Aside from the fact that Todd probably wouldn't like Yo Gotti's incoherent mumbling on this track, the "pictures" and Instagram aspect could be reminiscent of "#Selfie", which he hates, and referencing Angela Simmons would likely not appeal to him either. The remix with Nicki Minaj he may find a little better, though.
** Jossed.
* "Don't" by Bryson Tiller: Another typical hip-hop track with almost nothing to say about it.
** "Exchange", which failed to make the Top 20 but made the Year-End list, is also one Todd is unlikely to enjoy.
** Both songs jossed.
* "2 Phones" and "Really Really" by Kevin Gates: See above.
** Both songs jossed.
* "One Call Away" by Charlie Puth: It's a piano ballad by Charlie Puth, who he despises, that is reminiscent of Sam Smith, whom Todd dislikes in his usual style. Not to mention there's a version featuring Tyga and the song contains the lyric "Superman's got nothing on me", something Todd will likely view as a potentially douchey lyric rendered incredibly pathetic by virtue of being sung by Charlie Puth.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "7 Years" by Lukas Graham: He stated [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/709440175705858048 on Twitter]] that the lead singer's voice was annoying, and the numerous comparisons to {{Music/Daniel Powter}}'s "Bad Day" (a song he hates) won't help matters.
** He has said on Twitter that the song is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/720619847076487168 so horribly annoying and overwrought]] and that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/720621303565324288 it is a definite contender for worst song of the year]], so it's very, very likely that this song will make it on the Worst of 2016 list and perhaps it will take the top spot. The fact that people hate the song for virtually the same reasons as "Fight Song" doesn't help matters.
*** He said on the review of this very song that "there is absolutely no question that this will make the Worst List. Probably pretty high." Place your bets now on whether this will be #1...
*** Probably won't make it to #1, since he said unlike "Pillowtalk", "7 Years" is actually a song.
*** Ultimately confirmed #1
* "Work From Home" by Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign: As mentioned, Todd does not like Fifth Harmony, and this song has been declared a rip-off of "Work" above, which also counts against it.
** Jossed, but used as the credits song in the Worst list.
* "Jumpman" by Drake and Future, "Low Life" by Future featuring The Weeknd and "Wicked" by Future: He tweeted that [[https://twitter.com/therealgoog/status/729418199658172416 he fails to understand why Future is a thing]]. And given Todd's stances on both Drake and The Weeknd, the former of whom he has implied to have soured on in the "Hotline Bling" review and the latter of whom he hated the first few hits of, those are not bound to help.
** "Jumpman" confirmed #9, the other songs were jossed, but "Wicked" was mentioned.
* "Back To Sleep" by Chris Brown: As if Todd already hating his music wasn't enough, this is a song where Chris Brown has sex with a girl because he woke her up and includes the line "don't say a word, no." That will definitely not go over well.
** Jossed.
* "Panda" by Desiigner: Yet another viral hip hop song spread through Vine. [[note]] Technically, the song initially charted due to being sampled by Kanye West for "Pt. 2" on The Life Of Pablo, before it was released to the general public. That didn't stop it from becoming popular on Vine though.[[/note]] It was also mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** "Tiimmy Turner" also seems like a song Todd would dislike, but since it didn't make the top 30 & barely made the year-end chart, it'll probably be a dishonorable mention at most.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Oui" by Jeremih: Jeremih's first two Top 20 hits, "Birthday Sex" and "Down on Me" made Todd's worst list proper in 2009 and 2011, respectively, while "Don't Tell 'em" made dishonorable mentions in 2014, so the trend of Jeremih appearing on Todd's worst list may continue.
** Jossed.
* "Hide Away" by Daya: Todd tends to hate teen star work, and this one isn't likely to be an exception. It can also be seen in similar vein as "Dear Future Husband", which he hates, and the line "To be fly as a mother" is a line that may remind him of bad songwriting in "white" acts, such as Justin Bieber's usage of the word "shorty" in his early days, as well as the line "So gangsta, I'm so thug" in "Hey, Soul Sister".
** Similarly, her follow-up, "Sit Still, Look Pretty", did not make the Top 20 but made the Year-End list. It could also end up in his bad grades.
** "Sit Still, Look Pretty" confirmed #10, "Hide Away" jossed.
* "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/758353489454100481 He tweeted]] that it's barely better than "Pillowtalk", a song that he hates. He said that they were both "slow, turgid, and missing a hook". A while back he believed that it was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/730060429414813696 charting through sheer momentum alone]]" and name recognition was its only selling point.
** Jossed. Though he did consider putting it on the dishonorable mentions list.
* "Pop Style" by Drake featuring The Throne (aka Kanye and Jay-Z: The general public's reaction to this track has been rather negative, much like "One Dance," which is mentioned below, and Todd is not likely to find Drake's heavier production and unenthusiastic vocals a positive.
** Jossed.
* "One Dance" by Drake featuring [=WizKid=] and Kyla: Mentioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/737443863581884416 here]] on a list of songs that he thinks are not only not good, but barely even songs.
** Jossed.
* "Don't Let Me Down" by The Chainsmokers featuring Daya: Todd expressed how much he hates the song in a series of tweets (see [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789167716783394816 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789168267365494784 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789169552584155137 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789169829714403329 here]], [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789170143528038405 here]], and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789170260284809216 here]]), so it's a definite contender for the Worst list.
** Confirmed #4.
* "H.O.L.Y." by Florida Georgia Line: With this band having made his worst lists in 2013 with "Cruise" and 2014 with "This Is How We Roll", this definitely looks like a prime target.
** Jossed.
* "Needed Me" by Rihanna: The DJ Mustard beat is surely something that could make the song a target here. He also called the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/733760538883334147 indistinguishable from Rihanna's other recent singles]].
** Jossed.
* "Just Like Fire" by Pink: A soundtrack hit that in general isn't exactly much related to the movie, and has also been seen as a weak attempt at a self-empowerment anthem. The rap breakdown in the bridge also makes for comparison to the same in "Shake It Off", which he also hates, and that won't help matters.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "For Free" by DJ Khaled featuring Drake: Aside from the rotten premise of sex that Drake thinks he should be paid for, there are other bad implications abroad in this one. Furthermore, it takes a jab at Kendrick Lamar's "For Free?" (Interlude) from his highly acclaimed ''To Pimp a Butterfly'', which is surely bound to bode badly.
** Jossed.
* "Don't Mind" by Kent Jones: In addition to the Vine stigma, DJ Mustard-esque synth loop and an interpolation from Barry White's "Practice What You Preach", this could be seen as a ripoff of Pitbull (because there's Spanish involved), or Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" (in the tradition of screwing foreign chicks), and that's not bound to bode well here.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/754008774357188608 In this tweet]] he says that his musical highlight of this year was watching a friend's face change after hearing the line "she African but she fuck me like she Haitian". Whether that's an endorsement or insult is uncertain, though.
** Jossed.
* "Lost Boy" by Ruth B: A song that came from a Vine star and gained steam from it. Strike one. A "white chick with piano" track (even though she's actually black). Strike two. The Peter Pan references are bound to appear as clumsy and Todd may see it as unremarkable and uninteresting. Strike three. Virtually everything that made Todd hate "Fight Song" and "7 Years" is present in this song.
** Confirmed #8.
* "Me Too" by Meghan Trainor: It's an obnoxious "gangsta" ego trip trying to sound like a self-confidence number, and it has the same bassline as "Scream and Shout" or "Dirty Bit", which is a very bad thing in Todd's book. Not helping at all is that ''Jason Derulo'' had writing credit on it.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763773988296396800 These]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763774295143223296 tweets]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763784550027853824 pretty much confirm]] that he doesn't like the song. How much he dislikes it remains to be seen, however.
** Jossed. He left Meghan Trainor off the list for having a personality.
* "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes: Todd has shown his distaste towards Shawn Mendes, and this, like its predecessor, was written by Teddy Geiger (see One-Hit Wonderland Predictions), and is similar in structure. And unlike the former, Mendes himself was also involved in writing this, which won't help in favor at all.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/777538730718556162 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/777538778483265536 three]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/783005848360652801 tweets]] make it sound like the song is a shoe-in for the worst list.
** The review pretty much demolished the song, mainly for being a [[{{EntitledToHaveYou}} Nice Guy]] anthem.
** Confirmed #5.
*** In mid-2019, as he said that he was warming up to Shawn Mendes, he said that he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1146811299713757185 in hindsight finds Stitches worse]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd this he could at least get what it was going for while Stitches he couldn't imagine why anyone would like]].
* "Make Me..." by Britney Spears featuring G-Eazy (peaked at #17): With a song like this, Todd could potentially wonder what business Britney Spears has releasing new music in 2016, and with his less than favorable thoughts towards G-Eazy, that isn't a benefit. But seeing as it has overall flopped pretty hard after it debuted, it's not likely to be bound for anything more than a dishonorable mention.
** Jossed.
* "Rise" by Katy Perry (peaked at #11): It's another attempt at being inspirational, and like "Roar" before it, Todd is likely to find it weak and devoid of good, with Katy Perry not being tasteless in the singles of hers that he liked. As with the above, if it misses the year-end list it will probably only be a dishonorable mention. However, seeing as he was at least able to appreciate the purpose of "See You Again" despite not liking the song itself, he might at least give this a pass based on being for the Rio Olympics.
** Jossed.
* "We Don't Talk Anymore" by Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez: A collaboration between two artists that Todd doesn't like, one of which snagged the top spot on his worst list last year, so the odds that he won't like this are pretty high.
** Jossed.
* "i hate u I love u" by gnash and olivia o'brien: Said that it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/814144714953920514 sucks a fat one]]."
** Confirmed #2.
* "Starving" by Hailee Steinfeld and Grey featuring Zedd: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/800835645086244865 This tweet]] strongly suggests that he doesn't like it at all.
** Jossed for the 2016 list, but confirmed a dishonorable mention for the 2017 list.
* "No Limit" by Usher featuring Young Thug: If Todd was not impressed by "I Don't Mind", this is not likely to tide over well with him, either, and the inclusion of a guest rapper isn't bound to aid it.
** Jossed.
* "Juju On That Beat (TZ Anthem)" by Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion [=McCall=] (peaked at #5): Todd hates songs that become popular only because they're attached to a Vines trend, which is how this song became popular. He also hates songs performed by overconfident children with unbroken voices (like Silento and prepubescent Justin Bieber), and Zay Hilfigerrr fits that mold well. Between that and the lyrics that combine the worst elements of "Watch Me" and "Nasty Freestyle", the odds of this song appearing on the list in some form are high.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/789313633897635840 This Tweet]] would seem to confirm that he hates it.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Don't Wanna Know" by Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar (peaked at #7 in 2016): Todd hates Maroon 5's newer output, and he is sure to not be pleased to see Kendrick Lamar on weaker songs, if "Bad Blood" was anything to go by.
** Jossed.
* "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane (peaked at #1): While Vine may be no more, the song is still blowing up through similar means, and that makes it a definite candidate for Todd to hate. Also, Todd may find the song disrespectful to the Beatles, seeing how he has said that he likes the band and put a song featuring Paul [=McCartney=] on his best list last year. Plus it also features Gucci Mane, who was featured on the 2009 Mario song "Break Up" which Todd absolutely trashed when he reviewed it.
** Jossed.
* "OOOUUU" by Young M.A. and "Caroline" by Amine (peaked at #19 and #12 in 2016 respectively): As with other songs mentioned above, these are bound to be seen as yet another generic rap song that offers nothing new. In the former's case, the line "all these haters on my body, shake 'em off" is likely to give bad Taylor Swift flashbacks.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara (peaked at #13 in 2016): On top of finding her not good or interesting, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/812077595902808064 he called it]], along with Daya's "Sit Still, Look Pretty", a "completely hollow self-empowerment anthem." [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/813892163373322240 Later]], he called it a "dismal, empty song," suggesting it could make the list for being another "bad is the absence of good" song.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention. He said that "Sit Still, Look Pretty" narrowly prevented it from making the list proper.
* "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello (peaked at #10 in 2016): Yet another song involving Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony, a group Todd does not like. Plus, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/802600855644098561 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/802600988595093504 tweets]].
** Confirmed #7.
%%Another entry that seems highly impractical
* "Sweatshirt" by Jacob Sartorious: Although this song wasn't a real hit (it only charted for one week at #90), it might get a dishonorable mention out of spite what with all the hate that Jacob Sartorius has received for getting big off of musical.ly, which is akin to getting big off of Vine, something Todd detests.
** Jossed.
* "This Town" By Niall Horan: It didn't make the top 20 until 2017 (peaked at #25 in 2016), but an acoustic guitar ballad by a member of One Direction doesn't seem like something Todd would enjoy.
** Jossed.
Could Go Either Way:
* "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber: He tweeted that although he appreciates and can relate to this song's intent to be a very bitter BreakupSong, Bieber doesn't have the charisma to express that kind of anger.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Me, Myself, & I" by G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha: A rap crossover about living the good life, though with some downsides. This is easily his poppiest song thanks to the chorus. Could go either way.
** He tweeted [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/720321282521235457 finding the video funny that "the world was chaos"]], and before that his name "G-Eazy" didn't sound real. He may also not be in favor of the irony that the song's title has a guest singer.
** Also not in favor is that he called [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/763104460600139780 Iggy Azalea practically avant-garde compared to him]] when mentioning that white rappers would need to be interesting or gimmicky to get big.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Stressed Out" by twenty one pilots: He tweeted that this song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/683747408157741058 "honestly just makes [him] more stressed out,"]] but this could suggest that he just has conflicting thoughts on it.
** Going [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689274705505861632 by]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689259159527780352 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689259819920936960 further]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/689259914695413761 tweets]], he does seem a bit torn about the song, making it an unlikely candidate for either list. However, the Rap Critic was pretty nice to the song when he reviewed it, but that alone may not be enough for Todd's approval as their opinions have differed (if songs like "Holy Grail" and "I Cry" are any indications), although it is worth mention.
** He did speak on Twitter [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/714115327110549504 comparing the song to B.O.B.'s "Airplanes"]], saying it's better because "working for a living is stressful, not the end of the fucking universe" and "pretending an airplane is a star so you can wish on it is a desperate act".
** Ultimately jossed for both lists.
* "Adventure of a Lifetime" by Coldplay: Todd usually dislikes Coldplay; however, he stated that he liked their Super Bowl performance, and he may appreciate this song's disco sound.
** Confirmed #10 best.
* "Piece by Piece" by Kelly Clarkson (peaked at #8): Todd stated before that he has liked Kelly Clarkson's past work, but he may find this either unremarkable or a strong performance. And given how quickly it slipped on the charts, it's not likely to be anything more than a (dis)honorable mention at most.
** He said on Twitter that he can relate to the song's premise of Kelly "shows admiration for her husband by comparing him to her piece-of-shit dad" because [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/767488074892935168 he has difficulty praising things without contrasting them with things he hates]].
** Jossed for both lists.
* "No" by Meghan Trainor: He said it [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/710235255949697028 "sounds like a J. Lo song from 2001,"]] although he's not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. He might see the song as an unnecessarily rude way to deal with guys at the club, or maybe agree that they can be jerks and deserve such treatment. Given his negative opinion of Trainor, however, he'd be more likely to view the song as further evidence that Trainor is, as he put it, "a blight on humanity".
** His liking of [[https://twitter.com/ThomasAugeri/status/737491169123307520 this tweet from a follower]] calling the song "at least upbeat, finished and a song" certainly suggests that he doesn't completely hate it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Middle" by DJ Snake featuring Bipolar Sunshine: Having liked both "Turn Down for What" and "Lean On" means that Todd could surely enjoy this too. But he could find the song's atmosphere grating, and the lyrics he may either pass off another weak apology attempt like "Sorry", or showing real emotional depth.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Antidote" by Travi$ Scott: The dark vibe of this song could be one that Todd may find really cool or really unmemorable.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris with Rihanna: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/748338409526145025 This tweet and the one before it]] indicates that he's more fond of this song than others on the radio, though he does not know if it's because he likes the song or if he hates everything else.
** In the "This Is What You Came For / Cheap Thrills" joint review, he said that the song is nothing special and the hook disturbs him, but it's a grower. He even said that it might sneak into the Best List if 2016 continues to be as bad as it is now.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Can't Stop the Feeling!" by Justin Timberlake: It fits the Justin Timberlake style Todd mentioned in his 2014 list and has drawn comparisons to "Happy", another song Todd likes. The fact that it sounds like "Can't Feel My Face", another song he likes, probably helps its cause. However, based on how underwhelmed he's been by most of the other #1s this year this one could be in that same boat, and there are people who hate it for the same reasons as "Fight Song", as well.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/753992101688377344 This tweet]] has him calling the song "fine" and not terrible, although it "kinda reminds him of a dad dancing at a wedding", which was also mentioned during the "Pillowtalk" review. Later, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/759960033765519360 this tweet]] had him calling it "one of the better songs out currently, but substantially the lamest". Thus, it could potentially do an "Anaconda" and make the honorable mentions of both lists.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Close" by Nick Jonas and Tove Lo: As mentioned, Todd does not like the notable acts the Jonas Brothers have been in, nor was he overly impressed by Tove Lo's two biggest hits. The line "space is just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too close" does not sound like what he would like. But in the "Pillowtalk" review, he said that Zayn "is no Nick Jonas" and "had nothing for him to recommend", although it's unclear as to whether that was an endorsement towards Nick or not. Regardless, that could potentially imply that he thinks Nick has good presence.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Cheap Thrills" by Sia featuring Sean Paul: Having liked "Chandelier" but not "Elastic Heart", this could definitely go either way. Sean Paul's contribution to the song he could favor, and the "I don't need money to have fun" aspect akin to "Thrift Shop" and "Time of Our Lives", two songs he likes, is something he could find classy, or recycled and overdone.
** In the "This Is What You Came For / Cheap Thrills" joint review, he said that the song is OK if not a really basic Rihanna cast-off (whom the song was originally written for), but it's a grower. He even said that it might sneak into the Best List if 2016 continues to be as bad as it is now.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Ride" by twenty one pilots: Unlike "Stressed Out", which was low key and something that Todd was indecisive on the subject matter of, he could favor the reggae-esque elements of this one and the stronger personality. However, there are various elements of the song that it has received flack for, such as Tyler Joseph's singing. He said on Twitter that when he first heard it, it sounded to him like "one of 311's mellower songs".
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro song for the best list.
* "Send My Love (To Your New Lover) by Adele: It's Adele, but there are certain elements of the song Todd might not like, most notably replacing the piano with acoustic guitars.
** On Twitter, he said he likes the song called "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/765304966735138816 Set Fire To Your New Lover]]". While that may be an endorsement towards the song itself, the tweet may have been a joke.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/809090915881062400 This tweet]], on the other hand, says that any of the other songs off ''25'' would have been better singles to get big, but he did not explicitly make that out as an insult.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Heathens" by twenty-one pilots: Much like the band's previous tracks, the moody and downtempo nature is something he may not have a clear consensus on, and with it being a soundtrack theme that could either hurt or help.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Let It Go" by James Bay: On one hand, this could be seen as another "white guy with acoustic guitar" track and Todd may find James Bay's voice annoying. On the other, it could be a possible "fluke indie hit sweepstakes" candidate.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Too Good" by Drake featuring Rihanna: If there's any of the new Drake songs that there's any chance Todd might like, it's this one, because this duo calls back to "Take Care", his pick for best of 2012, even if the "Hotline Bling" review showed that it's tainted him on that one a little. Still, this is one of the better received songs from ''Views'', so that's in its favor.
** Confirmed #8 best.
* "Cold Water" by Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ and "Let Me Love You" by DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber: While Todd was fond of last year's "Lean On," he has had mixed opinions on Bieber's recent work, so these two could swing either way.
** He tweeted that he "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/811673617612361728 couldn't tell the two songs apart]]".
** Both songs jossed for both lists; however, "Let Me Love You" was used as the piano intro song for the worst list.
* "Sucker For Pain" by Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Ty Dolla $ign, Logic, and X Ambassadors: While Todd has soured on Imagine Dragons and has always disliked Lil Wayne, he might be able to find the eerie instrumental to fit the song and the ''Suicide Squad'' theme well.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the bumper music for the worst list.
* "Broccoli" by D.R.A.M. featuring Lil Yachty: If there's any "stupid" rap song that Todd might be able to see as SoBadItsGood, it's probably this one. Lines such as "turn this shit to Columbine" and "50 shades of grey, beat that pussy like Hulk Hogan" he might find funny-bad or outright asinine, but even that aside it could potentially be seen in the same vein that he saw Pitbull's "International Love" from 2012 in being grateful for their opportunities as opposed to nothing more than bragging.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Gold" by Kiiara: The glitchy sampling used multiple times in the song is surely a peg against it, and the odd premise combined with lifeless bragging isn't something that is likely to help. However, given the song's style is roughly similar to Lorde's music (and Todd has been mostly positive on her), this could go the other way as well.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/776483990962335744 He called it]] "a mashup of itself".
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the credits song in the best list.
* "Side to Side" by Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj: As he liked one ''Dangerous Woman'' representation ("Into You") but not the title track, there's no telling where this could end up, though he might like the chemistry that Ariana and Nicki share.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808433640115937280 In]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808435100954329088 this]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808438368812068869 series]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808439260613320704 of]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/808444347335266304 tweets]], he criticizes the hook, so that may be a mark against it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Starboy" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk: Todd did not like The Weeknd's first few appearances but liked "Can't Feel My Face" and the aforementioned "In The Night", not to mention "Get Lucky" being his favorite song of 2013. But as for the theme of the song he may or may not find The Weeknd to fit that properly.
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/798529481547935744 This tweet]] has him saying he "wished he liked it more than he does", but the one after it had him saying it [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/798529530025549826 "might grow on him though".]]
** [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/812086505955065856 This tweet]], however, has him saying that "not a single lyric makes a single lick of sense."
** Confirmed #5 best.
* "The Greatest" by Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar (peaked at #18): As with "Cheap Thrills", this is another track by Sia that basically could go either way. Todd might find Kendrick's verse to be fitting and appropriate towards the song or another waste like "Bad Blood".
** Jossed for both lists.
Probably Not Up for Consideration:
* "When Doves Cry", "Purple Rain" and "Little Red Corvette" by Prince (peaked at #8, #4 and #20 respectively in 2016): Songs that have resurfaced thanks to Prince's death, along with a handful of other songs of his, but Todd will probably not look at them in his retrospective of 2016.
** All songs jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2016 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "Sorry" by Justin Bieber - Once again, the year's bad songs have let Todd down and are hoping that it's not too late to tell him 'sorry'.
* "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber - This song's title has often been interpreted as [[PrecisionFStrike another phrase]]--something that Todd can use to tell off the worst of this year's hits.
* "Stressed Out" by twenty one pilots - "Wish we could turn back time / To the good old days" can be reinterpreted to mean that Todd wishes to go back to a time when he didn't have to put up with the awful hit songs of 2016. Plus, "the good old days" could refer to the years where Todd enjoyed what pop music had to offer.
* "No" by Meghan Trainor - A chorus full of the word "no" seems perfect a Worst Of interlude, especially since Todd's (so far) mixed opinion of the song means it's unlikely to be on either of the actual lists.
* "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" by Mike Posner - As "all he knows are sad songs", and that you don't want to be "high like him", those could describe the bad songs of the year.
* "Sorry" by Beyonce - Unlike Justin Bieber's "Sorry," this one is 100% unapologetic, with the chorus repeating the phrase "I ain't sorry" over and over. Todd said he loved "Lemonade," and this would be a perfect way to introduce a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown on the worst songs of the year.
* "Sucker For Pain" by Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Ty Dolla $ign, Logic, and X Ambassadors - A chorus that goes "I'm just a sucker for pain"? Todd would be a sucker for inflicting pain on himself with these horrible songs.
** Confirmed.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2017)]]
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey, "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars and "Starboy" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk: Having been among his favorite songs of 2016, he could possibly give them honorable mentions this year like he did "Uptown Funk" in 2015.
** Jossed.
* "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion: This track has received a good amount of acclaim, and Todd might find the story behind the song relatable.
** Jossed, but used as the bumper music for the worst list.
* "Bounce Back" by Big Sean: Todd likes Big Sean, and he put "I Don't Fuck With You" on his best list in 2015, so chances are he'll like this.
** Jossed, but referenced in the end credits for the worst list.
* "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran: While he hates "Shape of You" with a passion, perhaps some of it is out of frustration over this one getting thrown by the wayside. This has a bombastic U2 kind of sound and Todd is a bit of a fan of U2, so this could be a good pick.
** Confirmed #5.
* "I Feel It Coming" by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk: Todd put "Starboy" on his best list of 2016, so he'd probably enjoy another Weeknd-Daft Punk collaboration.
** However, during the Grammys, he did tweet that he doesn't dislike the song but "ballads make for a very dull awards show".
** Josssed.
* "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay: He gave the song a pass when he reviewed it, despite it borrowing heavily from "Roses" and "Hymn for the Weekend". Just when his review of this song was about to end, the EDM drop/guitar solo had him bump his rating up on the spot. A similar instance happened with his "Niggas in Paris" review during the ''Blades of Glory'' segment, which bumped his opinion of the song and, eventually, landing it on 2012's Best List - an event that could bode well for this song.
** Jossed
* "That's What I Like" by Bruno Mars: Todd tweeted in response to the performance of this at the Grammys that he found Bruno's "total confidence and lack of shame" to be his greatest asset.
** Jossed.
* "Rockabye" by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul & Anne-Marie: Todd loved "Rather Be", so he'll probably like this.
** Jossed.
* "Green Light" by Lorde (peaked at #19): Todd liked Lorde's other hits, so it's very likely that he'll enjoy this. Plus, it's a lively song, the absence of which was something that made him hate 2016's music so much. However, it didn't last very long on the chart, so it's only bound for honourable mentions.
** He confirmed that he liked the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/882807600382980096 on Twitter]], and later praised its parent album ''Melodrama''.
** Confirmed #1 Best Hit Song of 2017.
* "Water Under The Bridge" by Adele: He's likely to give it credit for being by Adele.
** Confirmed #7.
* "The Fighter" by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood: When this was performed at the Grammys, he said on Twitter that even though it was "not remotely country", he was "enjoying it more than he should".
** Jossed.
* "Passionfruit" by Drake: Todd tends to like Drake's moodier songs, such as "Marvins Room", and the ''More Life'' project has received very positive reviews so far. The song is also about a breaking relationship, a topic he enjoyed in other Drake songs, like "Too Good", so it seems to have a good chance of making it.
** Confirmed #8.
* "DNA." and "LOYALTY." by Kendrick Lamar: Unlike "HUMBLE.", which while received mostly positively has had some backlash, these have received much more unanimous acclaim, so there's a good chance Todd will be able to like them.
** He tweeted that the song's parent album ''DAMN.'' was a disappointment compared to Kendrick's previous albums; however, his opinions on these songs in particular are unknown, so if any Kendrick song is going to make the best list, one would assume it would be one of these two.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Redbone" by Childish Gambino: Not only has the song received a good amount of praise for its unique sound, it was featured in [[Film/GetOut2017 one of the year's most thunderously acclaimed films]]. It's likely Todd will have a positive opinion of it.
** Jossed, but used in the end credits.
* "Slide" by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos: At first he tweeted that he wasn't quite on board with the song, but said that he was going to keep listening to it as he "knew that eventually it was going to click with him". Whether that proved to be true or not has yet to be seen.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Hard Times" by Paramore: In the vein of "The Sound" from last year and "Run Away with Me" the year before, Todd could include this as an honorable mention for his favorite non-hit of the year, as confirmed in [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/882797743013588992 this tweet]].
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Praying" by Kesha: The song has received significantly high amounts of acclaim, which is helped by Todd's enjoyment of "Die Young" from 2012.
** The song was mentioned during the "Look What You Made Me Do" review in that the 2009/10 kind of pop is gone and that they were moving on, so it's likely that he sees the song in a favorable light.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Feels" by Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean: Despite his mixed feelings about Katy Perry, Todd likes Pharrell and Big Sean, so he'll probably find this to be better than most of the year's other hits.
** Mentioned during #4, but ultimately jossed.
* "Feel It Still" by Music/PortugalTheMan: Its unique sound compared to the year's other hits makes it a likely winner of the "fluke indie hit" sweepstakes.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "New Rules" by Dua Lipa (peaked at #14 in 2017): A pretty well received track by a British act that managed to cross over to the states. But since it didn't make the year-end list, it likely won't be anything more than an honorable mention or may even be saved for 2018's consideration (although "24K Magic" being on the 2016 list despite not making the Billboard list suggests otherwise).
** Jossed. It would later be on his best list for 2018, though.
* "Glorious" by Macklemore ft. Skylar Grey. Todd's positivity towards Macklemore has been well-documented, and he would probably love to have him back on the Best List, even if only as an honorable mention.
** By that same token, "Good Old Days" by Macklemore ft. Kesha. Not only does Todd like Macklemore, he's also come around on Kesha in recent years. The combination of the two is sure to gain his approval.
** Both songs jossed.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane: After missing the 2016 list, it could easily make the 2017 list...
** "Swang": ...unless this one makes it on instead.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Don't Wanna Know" by Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar: Since it missed the 2016 list, it has a good chance of making the worst list in 2017.
** Mentioned during #9, which was later confirmed to be "What Lovers Do".
* "Bad Things" by Machine Gun Kelly and Camilla Cabello & "Juju on That Beat" by Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion [=McCall=]: They may not make it on since they were already on his "Worst of 2016" list, but he may include them as dishonorable mentions, the same way "Scream & Shout" made the 2012 worst list and was a dishonorable mention in 2013.
** Jossed.
* "Bad and Boujee" by Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert: He hates songs that only get popular through memes, so chances are this will not be an exception. All the same, he said the music fell entirely out of his capacity for judgment, so he may give it a pass for lack of authority on the subject.
** "T-Shirt" and "Slippery" featuring Gucci Mane: Same deal.
** All songs jossed.
* "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara: After being a dishonorable mention in 2016, it could make the list proper in 2017.
** Jossed.
* "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by Zayn and Taylor Swift: It's a soundtrack single to the ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' sequel ''Fifty Shades Darker'', and he also hated Zayn's previous hit "Pillowtalk". In [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/836051954979700736 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/836052533713989636 tweets]], he hopes that it doesn't get nominated for Best Song, and then states that "Earned It", despite him hating it, is still far more deserving of its Best Song nomination than "Forever" would be if it were to receive one.
** There's also [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/847467724745748481 this tweet]], oh and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/847480269393108992 this one]].
** Confirmed #6.
* "Love on the Brain" by Rihanna: In response to a fan, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/814917771561672706 tweeted]] that he doesn't really like the song, saying that Rihanna's voice doesn't fit its style.
** Jossed.
* "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes: Shawn Mendes continues to have hits with Teddy Geiger co-writes. Todd hated both of their previous collaborations, so he may not enjoy this one either.
** Geiger also co-wrote "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back". While the song is more upbeat compared to Mendes' usual output, particular lines like "just picture everybody naked" are sure to make Todd cringe.
** On "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back", on Twitter, he criticized the guitar riff, calling it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/911635181701881856 bizarrely weak]]" and a "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/911635692937236481 serious waste of a great pre-chorus]]."
** Both songs jossed for the worst list. "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" confirmed honorable mention for the best list, however.
* "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran: [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/837444082100236290 This tweet]] definitely suggests that he doesn't like it. The review of the song was pretty negative, the "now my bedsheets smell like you" line in particular stuck a weird note for him.
** As of March, he seems exasperated by the song's run at the top of the charts judging by [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/846787307868971011 this tweet]]. Ironic, given that "Uptown Funk" and "Closer" previously topped his year-end best lists.
** Judging by [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/854432134295158787 these]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/854457911728328705 tweets]] from April, the longer the song stays at #1, the more likely it ends up on the list.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Tunnel Vision" by Kodak Black: If the generic trap beat doesn't make him hate this song, perhaps Kodak Black's criminal record (which includes charges of sexual assault) will.
** Jossed.
* "Body Like a Back Road" by Music/SamHunt: Todd's always been very negative towards bro-country songs, and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/828681898306179072 this tweet]] pretty much confirms he hates the song. His review was pretty hard, too.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Cold" by Maroon 5 featuring Future: He hates both Maroon 5 and Future; this seems almost inevitable for the worst list.
** Mentioned during #9, which was later confirmed to be "What Lovers Do".
* "Mask Off" by Future: Todd's dislike of Future has been well-established; this almost certainly won't be an exception.
** Jossed, but used in the end credits.
* "XO Tour [=Llif3=]" by Lil Uzi Vert: Another generic messy rap song that Todd is likely to hate, by the featured artist from "Bad & Boujee", whose guest verse he expressed a particular distaste for during his review of said song.
** Jossed for the worst list. Confirmed an honorable mention for the best list, however. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1088676891664531456?s=20 He even stated in early 2019 that he regretted not putting it on the list proper.]]
* "Look At Me!" by XXXTENTACION: Similar to "Tunnel Vision", it features an act with a known criminal record, which is not helped by how he could hate how it sounds and the lyrical content.
** Jossed.
* "Issues" by Julia Michaels: Todd will probably see Julia Michaels in the same light as Rachel Platten. He could find the song unremarkable on its own merit, and its premise is also likely to strike a sour note with him. While that doesn't exactly lock it in for the worst list, it's safe to say it ''won't'' be on the "Best" list. Also worth noting is that Julia Michaels has written a handful of songs Todd has hated ("Sorry", "Close" and many songs for Selena Gomez).
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Believer" by Imagine Dragons: Todd's opinion on Imagine Dragons has greatly soured ever since "Demons".
** "Thunder": The pitched vocals are something that could strike a peg on it for him.
** As of the "Thunder/Feel It Still" review, it's far more likely that "Believer" would make the worst list than "Thunder", as he didn't mind the latter.
** "Believer" confirmed #7, "Thunder" confirmed #10.
* "I'm The One" by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne: Another collaboration with several artists Todd hates. It's certainly not going to go down well with him.
** Todd is even more likely to hate "Wild Thoughts" ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller. In addition to his dislike of Rihanna, he'll likely find the Santana sample to be out of place.
*** Judging by the joint review of both songs, it's more likely that both songs will be Jossed.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Say You Won't Let Go" by James Arthur: He called it a ripoff of Howie Day's "Collide" on Twitter.
** Jossed.
* "Rolex" by Ayo & Teo: Another viral rap song in the vein of "Juju on That Beat", so he's bound to hate this. He'll likely dismiss the duo as a one-hit wonder like the artists of the latter song.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "2U" by David Guetta ft. Justin Bieber (peaked at #16): Todd dislikes both acts, so this likely won't go well with him.
** Jossed.
* "Bank Account" by 21 Savage: Another rap song Todd almost certainly won't like.
** Jossed.
* "Drowning" by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie featuring Kodak Black: It falls into the generic rap mold, and the line "I'm the shit I'm farting, I don't know how to potty" is likely to come off in bad taste.
** Jossed.
* "Everyday We Lit" by YFN Lucci featuring PNB Rock: Same deal.
** Jossed.
* "Caroline" by Aminé: This one too.
** Jossed.
* "Magnolia" by Playboi Carti: Another generic rap song from an act with a known criminal record.
** Jossed.
* "Both" by Gucci Mane featuring Drake and "I Get the Bag" by Gucci Mane featuring Migos: Todd has made his contempt for Gucci Mane obvious; at least one of them will almost certainly make the list.
** Both songs jossed.
* "1-800-273-8255" by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid: He said that the "who can relate, whoo" line was "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/919264625023176707 hard to beat]]" for worst two seconds of pop music in 2017.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift: Oh boy has he made his thoughts on the song pretty clear. Need proof? [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900930816137719808 How]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900932457041719296 about]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900933164411047940 this]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900942079118856194 little]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900943994082934784 string]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/900934583297945600 of]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/901611831688650752 tweets?]] And this isn't even all of them! His review all but assures its inclusion on the Worst Hit Songs of 2017 list, possibly #1.
** Confirmed #2.
* "do re mi" by Blackbear: This song has received its fair share of hate. The jacked nursery rhyme is one that Todd is sure to dislike.
** Jossed.
* "Rake It Up" by Yo Gotti ft. Nicki Minaj: In addition to it being a generic rap song like the ones Todd has criticized this year, it was produced by Mike [=WiLL=] Made-It, who Todd really doesn't like, not to mention the "bleed once a month" line.
** Jossed.
* "Friends" by Justin Bieber and [=BloodPop=] (peaked at #20): Todd stated in his "Despacito" review how sick he is of Bieber in 2017, and [=BloodPop=] produced "Sorry" which he hated.
** Jossed.
* "Ready For It?" by Taylor Swift (peaked at #4): This one he also spoke negatively on much like its predecessor, and stated on Twitter that he considered the line "knew he was a kill-ah" to be the worst Taylor moment of the year between the two.
** Confirmed #1 Worst Hit Song of 2017.
* "Mi Gente" by {{Music/J Balvin}} and Willy William featuring Beyoncé: A Latin boom track that features a snippet that loops throughout the entire song, and jacks Pitbull's trademark yodel, is not likely to be in good standing here. He could find the Beyoncé remix to be a ripoff of "Despacito", considering how useless he thought the Bieber remix of that song was.
** Jossed.
* "Rockstar" by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage: Todd tweeted that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920083683339579392 the song is really bad]], as well as asking [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920065426415120386 "is it just me, or does Post Malone suck?"]].
** On that note, "I Fall Apart" (peaked at #19 in 2017) could also qualify.
** Both songs jossed.
* "What About Us" by P!nk: After hating "Just Like Fire", he might find this kind of song unfitting for P!nk, particularly for being in the same low-key that he found "Scars To Your Beautiful" to be in.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Gucci Gang" by Lil Pump (peaked at #3): Yet another generic trap song.
** Confirmed #5.
* "Gummo" by 6ix9ine (peaked at #12 in 2017): Another song on the hands of a rapper faced with charges of child molestation.
** Jossed. 6ix9ine would be mentioned in his worst of 2018 video, however.
* "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (peaked at #1): He said in [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/940308961361825794 this tweet]] that even Beyoncé couldn't make this song any good. At the same time he said it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/940314545389699078 wasn't bad, but super not good, extra boring and nothing about it needs to exist]]", and that Shape of You "was indeed six billion times worse".
** Confirmed #8.
* "Swalla" by Jason Derulo featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Nicki Minaj: Todd hates Jason Derulo with a passion and will likely dismiss Ty Dolla $ign as another generic rapper; this almost seems like a lock for the worst list.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "Fake Love" by Drake: It has been compared to Drake's previous single "Hotline Bling", which Todd eventually found "brilliant" but stood by what he said about it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "This Town" and "Slow Hands" by Niall Horan (the former peaked at #20): He stated on Twitter that he "hasn't been knocked out by any of the One Direction solo singles, but they are all carving out surprisingly distinct musical identities", so it's not likely that he completely hates them.
** "Slow Hands" confirmed dishonorable mention, "This Town" jossed for both lists.
* "Paris" by The Chainsmokers: Todd's opinion on The Chainsmokers' output has been split with him finding "Closer" to be great and "Roses" to be decent, but hating "#selfie" and "Don't Let Me Down". So he might either like this song for being nostalgic and find it similar to "Style" by Taylor Swift, or he might find the song to be bland and too similar to their other songs.
** Confirmed #2 best.
* "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga (peaked at #4): He liked "Perfect Illusion"; like that one, this had Mark Ronson behind it. For what it's worth, he said that "he had been disappointed by every Gaga performance he had ever seen that wasn't the Super Bowl". At the same time, he could potentially find it a basic boring "white guy with acoustic guitar" track.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Chained to the Rhythm" by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley: Todd could potentially find this similar to the old Katy Perry that he came to enjoy, but he has yet to discuss it yet. He might like its pro-political, anti-party themes, and Sia's work on it can't hurt, but he may see the song as entirely ironic and hypocritical, as Perry's work has been entirely shallow and a bit party-focused prior to this.
** He tweeted that it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/837457538341810179 "catchy, but kind of self-defeating"]].
** He later tweeted that Katy Perry's new singles "aren't great", but they're better than anything from ''Prism''. That makes this song an unlikely candidate for either list.
** Confirmed #9 best.
* "iSpy" by Kyle featuring Lil Yachty: The song features Lil Yachty, who [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/793161765777440769 this tweet]] pretty much establishes he doesn't like, though he never outright stated his opinion on "Broccoli", Yachty's previous featured hit. He could either like this song for its happy-sounding production, or be too bothered by the mean-spirited tone of the lyrics.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "It Ain't Me" by Kygo & Selena Gomez, and "Wolves" by Selena Gomez & Marshmello (the latter peaked at #20): While he hasn't like any of Selena Gomez's singles, his opinions on Kygo and Marshmello have never been stated.
** Both songs jossed for both lists.
* "Stay" by Zedd and Alessia Cara: Todd has expressed mixed feelings about both acts, so a collaboration between them could go either way.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro song for the worst list.
* "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar: Todd might see this as Kendrick taking a stand against other rappers and listeners or another basic objectionable track, which might not be helped by production courtesy of Mike WILL Made-It.
** He tweeted that the song's parent album ''DAMN.'' was a disappointment compared to Kendrick's previous albums, so while his opinions on this song in particular are unknown, the chances of more than one hit song from the album making the best list (assuming he picks "DNA." or "LOYALTY." over this) are looking pretty slim.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Congratulations" by Post Malone featuring Quavo: Despite disliking Post Malone, Todd tweeted that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920083683339579392 he didn't mind the song]], so it probably won't make either list.
** Confirmed #10 best.
* "Sign Of The Times" by Harry Styles: He said that he knew the song was "not fun, but that it's that way on purpose". He also stated that he "hadn't been knocked out by any of the One Direction solo singles, but they are all carving out surprisingly distinct musical identities".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Bad Liar" by Selena Gomez (peaked at #20): While Todd has stated that he dislikes Selena Gomez, the song is different enough from her previous songs for him to like it.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Down" by Marian Hill: He may like it for being a catchy indie-esque song or just see it as forgettable.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Malibu" by Miley Cyrus: In the "Look What You Made Me Do" review, he talked about how Miley sounded different and more matured, but he didn't explicitly specify whether he considers that good or not.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young, "Hurricane" by Luke Combs, "Small Town Boy" by Dustin Lynch and "What Ifs" by Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina: After his virulent hatred of "Body Like a Back Road", they may get a pass for being somewhat better songs in terms of country pop crossovers, or he may just find them too forgettable to comment on either way.
** All songs jossed for both lists.
* "Despacito" by Music/LuisFonsi & Music/DaddyYankee featuring Justin Bieber: Despite the song's subject matter and the fact that Todd is starting to get really sick of seeing Bieber everywhere, he said that the song was "a breath of fresh air" compared to a lot of the current music scene.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Attention" by Charlie Puth: While he hasn't liked any of Charlie Puth's singles, this song has been getting some praise for its funky bassline.
** Confirmed #3 best.
* "Unforgettable" by French Montana ft. Swae Lee: Todd dislikes Swae Lee's duo Rae Sremmurd, but his opinion of French Montana is unknown, and the song's overall reception has been better than most rap songs in this mold.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Now or Never" and "Bad at Love" by Halsey (the latter peaked at #8 in 2017): Todd hated "New Americana" but loved "Closer", so it's unknown what he'll think of either of these two.
** When pitting it against "Too Good at Goodbyes" on Twitter, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/946043399643295744 said that]] he liked both songs more than he usually likes the two artists, but most likely not enough for the best list. He said that he "likes it when Halsey lets loose and really belts".
** Both songs jossed for both lists.
* "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)" by Cardi B: While he may find it another generic rap song like the many others about, Todd has liked Nicki Minaj for her rapping capabilities, so he might find this in a similar boat.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Strip that Down" by Liam Payne ft. Quavo: While Todd appears to at least respect most of One Direction for taking distinct paths with their solo careers, he isn't a fan of Quavo's group Migos, and this has been arguably the worst received of the 1D solo singles.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Location" and "Young Dumb & Broke" by Khalid: Todd could either praise them for their minimal production or dismiss them as forgettable R&B songs.
** Both songs jossed for both lists.
* "Sorry Not Sorry" by Demi Lovato: He liked "Cool for the Summer" and seems to be warming up to her, although the song's overall reception has not been very positive as a whole.
** Jossed for both lists, but referenced in the end credits for the best list.
* "Too Good at Goodbyes" by Sam Smith: Todd has shown that he considers Sam Smith to have genuine talent, but whether he'll actually like this in the big picture has yet to be determined.
** When pitting it against the aforementioned "Bat at Love" on Twitter, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/946043399643295744 said that]] he liked both songs more than he usually likes the two artists, but most likely not enough for the best list. For this he said that the "close to me/most to me" rhyme was "so corny that it makes Sam Smith actually resonate for the first time" but it "blows it on the chorus".
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "No Promises" by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato: As mentioned with "Sorry Not Sorry", Todd has been liking Demi Lovato more as of recent, but this too has received a fair amount of backlash.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "What Lovers Do" by Maroon 5 ft. SZA, "Love Galore" by SZA ft. Travi$ Scott and "Goosebumps" by Travi$ Scott ft. Kendrick Lamar: While he hates Maroon 5, especially as of recent, his opinion on SZA and Travi$ Scott is unknown. Their work has been getting some praise, for what that's worth.
** "What Lovers Do" confirmed #9 worst, "Love Galore" confirmed honorable mention, "Goosebumps" jossed for both lists.
* "Havana" by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug: Although Todd does not like Fifth Harmony, and hated "Bad Things", this song has gotten quite a bit more praise than most songs by herself and the group. The fact that Todd enjoyed Thugger's previous hit "Lifestyle" may help here as well.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro music for the best list.
* "No Limit" by G-Eazy ft. A$AP Rocky & Cardi B (peaked at #7 in 2017): While he doesn't like G-Eazy, it is unknown what he thinks of A$AP Rocky, and he could enjoy Cardi B's verse.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "[=MotorSport=]" by Migos, Nicki Minaj & Cardi B (peaked at #6 in 2017): While he doesn't like Migos, he could think that Nicki Minaj and Cardi B raise the song a little bit.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Walk On Water" by Eminem featuring Beyoncé (peaked at #14): Todd hasn't said anything about Eminem in a long time, but he liked Beyoncé on ''Lemonade'', so what he might think of this kind of duet is unclear. However, since it only charted for three weeks, it may not even be up for consideration.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Let You Down" by NF (peaked at #16 in 2017): He [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/933017821512196098 tweeted]] that the song's charting is interesting due to NF's status as a Christian rapper. But he also [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/933018642207342592 called his music "Linkin Park-y"]], which doesn't sound like a compliment.
** Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2017 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion: The hook goes "I'm at an all time low"; it speaks for itself.
** Confirmed.
* "Green Light" by Lorde: The song is about the "green light" signal that the subject can move on and get over the negativity in their life, and that could certainly apply to a year of bad music... if it manages to be successful enough to qualify.
* "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes: Todd could ask the year's worst songs to have mercy on him.
* "XO Tour [=Llif3=]" by Lil Uzi Vert: The first line of the hook, "I don't really care if you cry", could be interpreted as his response to the artists who performed these songs, or alternatively, to the fans of these artists/songs who are upset with Todd's list.
* "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar: Todd could use this to tell the year's bad songs to "sit down, be humble".
* "Chained to the Rhythm" by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley: The "turn it up, it's your favorite song" part could be used sarcastically.
* "Praying" by Kesha: These songs "brought the flames and put him through hell", and he'll "just say this is and wish them farewell".
* "do re mi" by blackbear: Features the line "do re mi fa so fucking done with you" in the chorus, which can easily be directed at the songs on the list.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2018)]]
[[WMG: Best]]
%%The year-end Hot 100 chart for 2018 has yet to be released, of course, and songs that have charted in the top twenty on the weekly chart are eligible for Todd's year-end lists. But if there is a song you want to include that has not made the Top 20, it can still be added if you think it is bound for either the Top 20 or the Year-End list. Also, if you wish to pay attention to what is essentially guaranteed for the Year-End list, you can read here: http://pulsemusic.proboards.com/thread/136215/hot-100-year-predictions-2018 If a song falls under that category, you can remove the "peaked at" indication from it.
* "Finesse" by Bruno Mars feat. Cardi B: Bruno does New Jack Swing. Enough said. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/950596279393976320 These]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/950597156016140288 two tweets]] seem to indicate it in a positive direction.
** Confirmed #10.
* "Marry Me" by Thomas Rhett: One of the most acclaimed country songs to chart in a while, it's likely that he could see this song as a touching means of parting with an ex, especially in the face of all the songs out that are about stealing the girlfriends of others.
** Jossed.
* "How Long" by Charlie Puth: Seeing as he loved "Attention" for its groove, it is likely that he will like the follow up as well for maintaining that style.
** Jossed.
* "Stir Fry" by Migos: He loved "Slide" and said that if Migos had less depressing beats behind their songs, he would be totally into their music, and this is definitely one of their more better received notable songs in recent times. Considering this song's production is much more upbeat than the usual Migos fare thanks to Pharrell Williams, there's a good chance he'll like this one. On Twitter, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1001529111142072320 he distinugished]] "Stir Fry" as the only hip hop song of 2018 so far that sounds distinct, in contrast to all the trap productions that sound mostly the same to him.
** Jossed, but used as the credits music for the best list.
* "Bad at Love" by Halsey: While Todd didn't quite love it enough to put it on last year's list, it could grow on him this year.
** Jossed, but used as the piano intro for the best list.
* "New Rules" by Dua Lipa: After missing last year's list, it could make it this year.
** Confirmed #9.
* "God's Plan" by Drake: While Todd's review of the song was rather mixed, it could potentially grow on him like "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" did last year.
** "Nice For What": This song has been getting a much better reception than Drake's other songs of late. Todd mentioned in the "Girls Like You" review that he thought the song's music video was great, which could indicate a positive opinion.
*** "God's Plan" jossed, "Nice For What" confirmed #2.
* "No Tears Left to Cry" by Music/ArianaGrande: This single has so far earned rave reviews, and it seems very congruous with Todd's musical taste - he's usually a fan of Ariana Grande's music, he loves songs that are about finding enjoyment in the midst of tough times, and he also adores songs with modern spins on retro grooves.
** Jossed.
* "One Kiss" by Music/CalvinHarris feat. Music/DuaLipa: A well-received '90s house throwback song that sounds distinct and upbeat in contrast to the samey and low-key pop that Todd has been complaining about for the past few years, making it one of the only true summer anthems of 2018. Todd also stated that unlike Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa has the star power to become the next huge thing in pop, and he referred to this song as an example.
** Jossed.
* "The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey: Todd absolutely loves the production of this song, and though he thinks it's a complete ripoff of "Stay", another hit by Zedd, he prefers this track. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/957812858720485376 He said]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/957813857250107392 on Twitter]] in reference to a Target commercial which featured the song that aired in this year's Grammys that Maren Morris has a generic voice, which is partially why he didn't quite like the song when he reviewed it, but it could easily grow on him by the end of the year, much like "Feel It Still" did in 2017.
** Jossed.
* "This Is America" by Childish Gambino: His review revealed Todd to be somewhat of a Donald Glover fanboy, and while he didn't get what the song's exact political message was trying to be, he did appreciate it for at least making some kind of a big statement, going so far as to describe it as a shock/dark comedy piece.
** Jossed.
* "Chun-Li" by Music/NickiMinaj (peaked at #10): [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1027962447448236032 He likes it]].
** Confirmed #4.
* "I Like It" by Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin: He has spent all year praising Cardi B as a potent star and for her personality, and this song is more unique when compared to other trap songs. Coupled with the fact the Todd has warmed up to trap music in general, this seems quite likely.
** Confirmed #5.
** "Bartier Cardi" & "Be Careful": Same deal.
*** Both songs jossed.
* "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradly Cooper (peaked at #5): Considering the praise of the film, he'll probably like it.
** Jossed.
* "IDGAF" by Dua Lipa: Despite only peaking at #49 on the Hot 100, it just made the year-end list for 2018. Though Todd did not like the production for "New Rules", he has commented positively about Dua Lipa in the past.
** Jossed.
* "Lemon" by N*E*R*D & Rihanna: Todd praised Pharrell for bringing life to an otherwise dreary 2014; 2018 could see a repeat of this.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Worst]]
* "Rockstar" by Post Malone ft. 21 Savage: After missing last year's Worst list, it could make this one.
** Jossed.
* "Filthy" by Justin Timberlake (peaked at #9): He was pretty harsh when he reviewed the song, calling it "hot garbage" and comparing it to "Boom Boom Pow".
** Confirmed #2.
* "Gummo" by 6ix9ine: After not making his 2017 list, it could end up on this one.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "FEFE" by 6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj: This song has a pretty standard trap beat, but the real sins come from 6ix9ine, who has traded being a shouty idiot for a mewling idiot, and the lyrics, which alternate between corny, gross, and cliche.
** Not confirmed per se, but Todd said that 6ix9ine got a dishonorable mention as a whole when discussing "Gummo".
* "Lights Down Low" by MAX feat. gnash: Yet another WGWAG song, from a teen idol no less, which is something that Todd explained the massive problem with in late 2015 while discussing "Stitches". It also features a verse from gnash of "I Hate U I Love U" that even indirectly references "Treat You Better", two songs from his Worst Hit Songs of 2016 list. This seems destined for his worst list.
** Jossed.
* "Psycho" by Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign: After "Rockstar" and expressing his distaste for Post Malone in general, it's not likely his opinion on this will be much different. In his Pop Song Review for "Better Now" & "Lucid Dreams", he slammed this song for being mushy garbage that completely failed to live up to its title.
** Confirmed #10.
* "SAD!" by [=XXXTentacion=]: His opinion on [=XXXTentacion=] as an artist is unknown (though he has [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/920305079328141312 commented on him]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/954402571527041028 a few times]]), but he could hate the song for its emotionally manipulative lyrics, and given [[DomesticAbuse X's past]], may be something he finds very uncomfortable. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1047863228519391233 Todd has said]] that he does like some of his music (although it's not known if that includes this song), but feels uncomfortable about it because of said past.
** "Moonlight" and "Changes": Same deal.
*** All songs jossed.
* "Wait" by Maroon 5: Todd half-joked in the "Girls Like You" review that he had already recorded this song's segment for the Worst of 2018 video. Expect that segment to come up again when the actual list comes out.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention, including said clip.
* "Friends" by Marshmallo and Anne-Marie: Despite not saying anything on the previous songs that either of these two acts have had (outside of Todd referring to Marshmallo's "Wolves" when talking about weak, limp drops), this one's reception has not been very good at all in terms of production or premise.
** Jossed.
* "Freaky Friday" by Music/LilDicky feat. Music/ChrisBrown: According to his Twitter account, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/981654456390619137 his opinion]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/981658419416457217 isn't the best]] and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/977569740561485824 he was unable to make himself watch the song's music video]]. That opinion was more than elaborated with a pretty scathing review, holding special criticism for the song making Chris Brown sound like a great artist/person. All things considered, it seems doomed for the list, although it may be spared the high positions because in a year when Todd has complained the pop charts don't matter anymore, this at least took some sort of risk and generated some buzz, albeit not for the right reasons.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Him & I" by G-Eazy & Halsey: Todd hates G-Eazy with a passion; this almost certainly won't be an exception.
** Jossed.
* "Delicate" by Taylor Swift: He implied [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/989317844004474880 here]] that his worst song of 2017, "...Ready For It?", is actually better to him than "Delicate", [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/989318353771745280 further elaborating]] that he never wants to hear Taylor sing about her own reputation ever again. Considering it got pretty big after a few months, it's pretty much a shoe-in.
** Jossed. It turns out Todd actually doesn't mind this song except for the word 'reputation'.
** "End Game" feat. Future and Ed Sheeran (peaked at #18): Todd hates Future and is fairly ambivalent on Ed Sheeran; this also seems like a lock.
*** Confirmed #8.
* "I Love It" by Lil Pump and Kanye West (peaked at #6): When heard with the video, it's a stupid, over-the-top misogyny anthem. When heard on its own, it's utter garbage. They basically have a DJ Mustard beat and Lil Pump with lacklustre Autotune going through some routine brags. Kanye's verse is sillier and more intentional, but it's still about the same wavelength as "New Workout Plan" (minus the incest joke).
** Confirmed #5.
* "Never Be the Same" by Camila Cabello: Todd has already [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/999414600624992256?s=21 commented]] negatively about this song multiple times, considering it part of the country-pop crossover fad of 2018 that he dislikes and having difficulty distinguishing it from "Meant to Be", which he despises. He generally dislikes toxic love trapsoul songs such as "Pillow Talk" by Zayn (#3 on his "Worst of 2016" list), as well as MGK's "Bad Things" (#6 on his "Worst of 2016" list), which featured Camila in the chorus. He wasn't impressed by Cabello's work with Fifth Harmony, nor even her signature smash solo hit "Havana", implying he perceives little charisma in her as a performer.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Mine" by Bazzi: Todd will likely find the MoodWhiplash of romantic & crassly sexual lines jarring.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Plug Walk" by Rich the Kid: A generic rap song from an act with a known criminal record.
** Jossed.
* "Meant to Be" by Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line: Todd hates Florida Georgia Line and they have showed up on his worst lists twice in the past. Furthermore, he finds Bebe Rexha to be a really bland performer. Though this track deviates from previous Florida Georgia Line songs in that it's written as a dialogue with a female singer, he still finds it to be [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/999412494811705344?s=21 forgettable garbage]].
** Jossed.
* "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B: He tweeted wondering "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1019244565138739202?s=20 how the song was charting so high, and that Cardi B is not using her power responsibly]]", calling it "[[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1019246573178540040?s=20 the same exact dogshit song they've released for the entire decade]]". His review all but assures its inclusion on the Worst List, claiming that it is the worst song they have ever recorded. In fact, it's probably the most likely contender for the #1 position because like "...Ready For It?" (his Worst Hit Song of 2017), it's a deadly combination of both ''complete'' tastelessness (the apathetically conceived content and lazy, half-cooked production), as well as insufferable annoyance (Adam Levine's voice and Cardi B's misplaced guest rap).
** Confirmed #1 Worst Hit Song of 2018.
* "Look Alive" by [=BlocBoy=] JB feat. Drake or "Yes Indeed" by Lil Baby feat. Drake. These songs are extremely similar, so it is unlikely that Todd chooses both. They both have bored Drake features at the start of the song, a strong indication of each host rapper's skill level; super-average, monotonous trap beats; and host rappers with strong similarities to previous reviled rappers of the 2010s (2 Chainz and Kodak Black). Of the two, "Look Alive" has more energy and charisma, while "Yes Indeed" is a less direct affront to the senses.
** "Look Alive" jossed, "Yes Indeed" confirmed #3.
* "I Like Me Better" by Lauv: Aside from some screechy violin work, the line "I like me better when I'm with you" sounds like one that would roll over badly here.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Dame Tu Cosita" by El Chombo: (Peaked at #36) Another song that got big cause of a stupid internet challenge.
** Jossed.
* "No Brainer" by DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo & Chance the Rapper: In addition to largely being dismissed as a lesser rehash of last year's "I'm the One", Todd could have a field day with the "I ain't talkin' 'bout physically, I'm talkin' 'bout mentally" line.
** Jossed.
* "Taste" by Tyga: He hated "Rack City" and questioned why Tyga is still a thing in 2018.
** Jossed, but used as the credits music on the Worst List.
* "Africa" by Weezer: (#1 on the alternative charts) Mentioned it being a pointless cover on his twitter. However, since it did not do well on the Hot 100, it's a contender only for the dishonorable mentions section.
** Jossed.
* "Lucid Dreams" by Juice WRLD: Except for having slightly more animated production than most emo rap, Todd had nothing but unfavorable things to say about this in his review for it, from the sample of Sting's "Shape of My Heart" (a song which he hates), to the melodramatically immature lyrics, to the lazy and inaccurate use of the song title, to the incompetent singing.
** Confirmed #9.
* "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #4): Todd called the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1058585175393677312 ass]], despite really wanting to like it.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Uproar" by Lil Wayne (peaked at #7): Todd really doesn't like Weezy; this almost certainly won't be an exception. While other songs from ''Tha Carter V'' charted in the top 20, they are probably exempt due to not being released as singles.
** Jossed.
* "Broken" by lovelytheband (peaked at #29): [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1019634612904124416 Todd had this to say about the song before it became a hit]]. However, since it didn't hit the criteria to make the list proper, it's only a contender for the dishonorable mentions.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "Whatever It Takes" and/or "Natural" by Imagine Dragons: "Thunder" and "Believer" both made Todd's 2017 worst list, and while these two songs have received more positive reception than Imagine Dragons' 2017 hits, they apparently [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1074737238565629952 haven't changed his mind]][[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1061345071705059331 about the band]].
** "Whatever It Takes" jossed, "Natural" confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "X" by Nicky Jam x J Balvin: While Todd doesn't cover Latin songs very often, this song has made more than a few people's worst lists for its irritating synth line, so he may just do the same.
** Jossed.
* "I'm Upset" by Drake: Todd has mixed feelings about Drake's newer style, and this is easily the rapper's worst-rated hit song of his own this year.
** Jossed.
* "Simple" by Florida Georgia Line: Todd doesn't like Florida Georgia Line.
** Jossed.
* "Te Boté" by Casper Magico, Nio Garcia, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny: A generic rap song [[AC:[[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace IN SPANISH!]]]]
** Jossed.
* "Ric Flair Drip" by Offset & Metro Boomin: Another generic rap song.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Powerglide" by Rae Sremmurd ft. Juicy J: Todd has established his dislike of Rae Sremmurd; this almost certainly won't be an exception.
** ossed. Todd stated in his Best list that he actually loves Rae Sremmurd now.
* "Outside Today" by [=YoungBoy=] Never Broke Again: In addition to being another generic rap song, his numerous legal troubles will very likely land him a spot on the list.
** Jossed.
* "In My Feelings" by Drake: Another meme song.
** Jossed.
* "Walk It Talk It" by Migos ft. Drake: A dull, dreary beat + Drake at his least interesting = a likely lock for the Worst list.
** Jossed.
* "Nonstop" by Drake: Todd's patience for Drake is wearing thin.
** Jossed.
* "Back to You" by Selena Gomez and "Wolves" by Selena Gomez & Marshmello: Selena Gomez. Enough said.
** "Back to You" confirmed dishonorable mention, "Wolves" jossed.
* "Zombie" by Bad Wolves: It missed the Billboard Year End list, but since it was one of the only rock hits of any sort in 2018, he may still bring up his [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1074736801326292992 hatred]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1074737054817415170 for it]] in the dishonorable mentions section.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Could Go Either Way]]
* "LOVE." by Kendrick Lamar feat. Zacari, "All The Stars" by SZA featuring Kendrick Lamar and "Pray For Me" by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar: While Todd said he was not impressed by ''DAMN.'', he never explicitly stated his opinion on "LOVE.". The Weeknd is an act that Todd has been mixed on while he said that he likes SZA. All three could go either way.
** "LOVE." and "Pray for Me" confirmed honorable mentions, "All the Stars" jossed.
* "No Limit" by G-Eazy feat. A$AP Rocky & Cardi B and "[=MotorSport=]" by Migos featuring Nicki Minaj & Cardi B: While Todd hates G-Eazy and has been mostly lukewarm on Migos, he could find that Cardi B elevates these songs.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Plain Jane" by A$AP Ferg feat. Nicki Minaj: Todd could either praise it for Nicki's verse or dismiss it as another generic rap song.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "In My Blood" by Shawn Mendes: He gave "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" a pass, but as for this, he might find it too melodramatic or he could buy into Mendes' claims about the song being about his anxiety and vulnerability.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro for the Worst List.
* "Call Out My Name" by The Weeknd: See "Pray For Me" above.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Heaven" by Kane Brown: He might find it a refreshing break from bro-country for having a more meaningful message, or he might find it a boring vaguely R&B-flavored ballad.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Say Something" by Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton: While Todd could find this song's message ham-fisted, he never commented on it during his "Filthy" review or on Twitter, even though he listened to ''Man of the Woods'' and this was the most successful single from the record. This could imply he considers the track a major exception to the album's overall poor quality.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Boo'd Up" and "Trip" by Ella Mai: Todd hates DJ Mustard, but these are his best-received songs yet.
** "Boo'd Up" confirmed #6 best, "Trip" not confirmed per se, but given an honorable mention-style clip during the "Boo'd Up" segment for being extremely similar to that song.
* "Youngblood" by 5 Seconds of Summer: He hated "She Looks So Perfect" and "She's Kinda Hot" and didn't mind "Amnesia", but did mention while discussing the very former in his worst of 2014 video that the band has had good capability.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Better Now" by Post Malone: Though Todd isn't much of a Post Malone fan overall, "Congratulations" proves that it is possible for him to like some of his work. His review criticized this song for its insincerity and sluggishness, but he did say it's better than most of Malone's work, and he also praised the "socks you don't like" lyric in particular.
** Jossed for both lists.
* Any of the Eminem songs that charted top-twenty this year ("Killshot" peaked at #3, "Lucky You" feat. Joyner Lucas peaked at #6, "The Ringer" peaked at #8, "Fall" peaked at #12 and "Kamikaze" peaked at #16): All these songs are ones that critics and fans considered to be Eminem's rapping at its most on point in a long time (especially "Killshot"), but Todd has been, at best, mixed with his latest output, so it is anyone's guess if any will be even (dis)honorable mentions. Todd did tweet that he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1053145648713871360 empathizes]] with Eminem's 45-year-old perspective of [=SoundCloud=] rap, which indicates a positive direction for the artist's inclusion on the best list.
** All songs mentioned above jossed for both lists, but "River" (#11 at the start of 2018) confirmed #6 worst.
* "God is a Woman" by Ariana Grande: In a year where most pop stars have essentially disapeared, Todd has praised Ariana for staying relevant on the charts. Considering he was positive on "No Tears Left to Cry", this feels like it also has a shot. However Todd doesn't tend to like a lot of mid-tempo sex songs like this as we kind see from his opinions on Zayn's "Pillowtalk" and even Ariana's other song "Dangerous Woman".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Love Lies" by Khalid & Normani: While Todd hates Fifth Harmony (which Normani was a member of), he said on Twitter that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/949120176485797888 he was "starting to get Khalid"]].
** Confirmed #7 best.
* "Happier" by Marshmello & Bastille: Todd praised Bastille's performance on the song in his Pop Song Review and liked how it was relatively positive despite it being a BreakUpSong, but was underwhelmed by the lacklustre EDM production.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "thank u, next" by Ariana Grande (peaked at #1): As Grande's first #1 hit, he could either find it a meaningful way of calling back to her exes or shoddy shade towards them. He briefly mentioned it in the "Happier" review as a positive song about moving forward compared to the hopeless misery clogging up the Hot 100, but whether or not that's an indication of him liking it remains to be seen. During the worst list, he compares it favorably to the way Taylor Swift tried to be on top of her image and discuss her reputation, though whether he meant that in a critical, objective way or if it indicated him liking the song is unclear.
** Confirmed #3 best.
* "Eastside" by Benny Blanco, Halsey & Khalid: While Todd seems to have warmed up to Khalid, he's more mixed on Halsey.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Big Bank" by YG ft. 2 Chainz, Big Sean & Nicki Minaj: Todd likes Big Sean, but he could potentially dismiss this as another generic rap song.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "King's Dead" by Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake: Todd hates Future & has soured on Kendrick Lamar, but his opinion on Jay Rock is unknown.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "SICKO MODE" by Travi$ Scott ft. Drake & Swae Lee: While Todd's opinion of Travi$ Scott is unknown, this song has been very well-received.
** Confirmed #8 best.
* "Dura" by Daddy Yankee: Todd could either dismiss it as banal or praise it as a rare upbeat song from this year.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Tequila" by Dan + Shay, "You Make It Easy" by Jason Aldean, "Get Along" by Kenny Chesney, "Mercy" by Brett Young & "One Number Away" by Luke Combs: Todd could find them to be better country crossovers than "Meant to Be" or deem them too forgettable to comment on.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Let You Down" by NF: After missing both of last year's lists, it could make it this year.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "I Fall Apart" by Post Malone: Todd generally dislikes Post Malone, but whether or not this song is an exception remains to be seen.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Sky Walker" by Miguel ft. Travi$ Scott: Todd's opinion of Miguel is unknown, so this could go either way.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Without Me" by Halsey (peaked at #1): Although Todd has had good to say regarding Halsey (Closer, Bad at Love), he hated "New Americana", and this song's general reception has been mostly mixed.
** Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2018 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "This Is America" by Childish Gambino: Could be used in a way to say "this is the bad music America listens to".
* "Let You Down" by NF: Could most likely use the hook.
* "No Tears Left to Cry" by Ariana Grande
* "thank u, next" by Ariana Grande
** Confirmed.
* "IDGAF" by Dua Lipa: Todd could use it to tell off the year's worst hits.
* "I'm Upset" by Drake: Could be used to describe how the bad music of 2018 makes Todd feel. It has already appeared as the bumper song for a few other worst lists so far.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Year-End Predictions (2019)]]
[[WMG: Best]]
* "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" by Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus: Todd mentioned on his 2018 Best List that Ronson is doing great work "all the goddamn time." He also said that the new Miley Cyrus song was good on that year's Worst List, which probably referred to this. However, since it performed poorly in America despite its international success, it's not eligible for anything more than an honorable mention.
** Jossed.
* "Talk" by Khalid (peaked at #3): Todd loves Khalid, and this song continues in the same mature vein as "Love Lies".
** Jossed, but used as the piano intro for the Best list.
* "Dancing with a Stranger" by Sam Smith and Normani (peaked at #7): Todd has warmed up to both singers in recent years, having put "Too Good at Goodbyes" on his honorable mentions for 2017 and Normani's duet with Khalid "Love Lies" at #7 on his Best list for 2018 (though he didn't like it for Normani's vocal performance, she cowrote the lyrics, which he loved). Furthermore, this song has the same type of controlled, booming production from several songs that Todd has enjoyed in recent times, as well as lyrics that he could possibly relate heavily to, as he did with the aforementioned songs by Sam and Normani. His comments during the "I Don't Care" Pop Song Review seem to hint a positive impression of the track.
** Confirmed #4.
* "Going Bad" by Meek Mill featuring Drake (peaked at #6): He tweeted that he [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1111321521878982657?s=21 really likes]] Meek Mill's newest album, and while he's more burnt out by Drake, he still put two Drake songs on his Best List for 2018. This song is notable for being a collaboration between two rappers who had famously beefed with each other, which is particularly interesting considering Drake's Pusha T feud in 2018.
** Confirmed ''dis''honorable mention. It turns out Todd considers this song a case of boring, wasted potential, despite reaffirming his love of the album.
* "Better" by Khalid (peaked at #8): Another song by Khalid, who Todd really enjoys.
** Jossed.
* "Old Town Road (Remix)" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (peaked at #1): Despite his criticism of the verse's clichéd use of lists for its lyrics, Todd stated he really likes this song in his Pop Song Review of it and believes it may signify the beginning of a new music craze of country and rap hybrids that are finally good, unlike bro-country and Justin Timberlake's ''Man of the Woods''.
** Alternatively, considering this is the end of a decade and the song's dominance has become a recurring gag by this point, Todd could give it a special "Song of the Decade" award due to its near-total staying power and cultural relevance.
*** Confirmed #9.
* "Nightmare" by Halsey (peaked at #15): Todd is certain to sympathize with the song's message amidst the current zeitgeist and especially following the passage of Alabama's controversial abortion law in particular. He's also likely to praise the song's rawness and intensity.
** Jossed.
* "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo (peaked at #1): He's likely to call her one of the most charismatic and original female music stars of the day this side of Cardi B and Janelle Monáe. Though the chorus is [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong rather similar to "Black Beatles"]] (which he [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1170381383832875008?s=21 acknowledged on Twitter]]), that may not be a bad thing, considering Todd has come to adore Rae Sremmurd for their hooks and he usually doesn't mind ripoffs, anyway. Although he called it his least favorite Lizzo song in the ''Song vs. Song'' podcast, he vaguely hinted that the song could grow on him.
** "Juice", while not a real hit, was another song of hers that has had pretty good reception. And with its 70s/80s vibe, he's sure to like it too and even if it doesn't become a real hit may give it an honorable mention.
*** "Truth Hurts" jossed, "Juice" confirmed honorable mention.
* "EARFQUAKE" by Tyler, the Creator (peaked at #13): Tyler has been one of the most acclaimed artists of the past decade, and this song finally won him a top 40 hit.
** Jossed.
* "The London" by Young Thug featuring J. Cole & Travis Scott (peaked at #12): Todd could likely praise the chemistry between the three rappers.
** Jossed.
* "Never Really Over" by Katy Perry (peaked at #15): The production is fairly dynamic, and the lyrics describe the type of post-breakup anxiety that Todd often praises in pop songs. This is also Katy Perry's best-received single on Rate Your Music, and considering how many times she has made his Best list in the past, even for 2017, it's likely she'll turn up on his countdown again in 2019. Todd tweeted that he considers it Katy's "[[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1143587156549668870?s=21 best song in quite a long time]]", making it a near-lock for the Best list.
** Confirmed #3.
* "Press" by Cardi B (peaked at #16): Because he generally enjoys Cardi.
** Jossed, but "Money" confirmed honorable mention, specifically #11.
* "Julien" and/or "Now That I Found You" by Carly Rae Jepsen: Todd has adored Carly Rae since ''E·MO·TION'' and gave her an honorable mention twice for songs that were not actual hits. "Now That I Found You" seems like it would resonate with Todd being a very private person, while "Julien"'s blend of 80s grooves and lucid post-breakup lyrics is bound to appeal to his general musical tastes.
** Both songs jossed, but "Too Much" confirmed honorable mention.
* "Panini" by Lil Nas X (peaked at #5): It's likely Todd would praise this song as an example of emo rap done right, thanks to its candid lyrics about Lil Nas X dealing with a longtime connection amidst sudden fame, not to mention its intense production.
** Jossed.
* "If I Can't Have You" by Shawn Mendes (peaked at #2): It's very similar to "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back", which got an honorable mention in 2017, and Todd said that he thinks Shawn Mendes is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1146810468272660481 improving]]. Though he doesn't like this or any of his other tracks enough to put in his Top 10, it's definitely possible that this will at least make the honorable mentions.
** Jossed.
* "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish (peaked at #1): Todd considers Billie Eilish a [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1151165250030489607?s=20 meaningful]] artist who speaks to the insecurities of teenagers in 2019, and he'll also probably admire how a pop song this avant-garde managed to achieve such enormous success. Although he dislikes the remix with Justin Bieber, it's presumably the original solo version that will stand the test of time. In addition, Todd responded to the news that Bad Guy had finally surpassed Old Town Road to top the charts, calling the song "a worthy successor to the throne."
** Confirmed #1 Best Hit Song of 2019.
* "Lover" by Taylor Swift (peaked at #10): Its reception has been significantly more positive than the first two singles from the album of the same name. It's likely Todd will praise it not only for returning to Taylor's innocent and homespun roots while still being consistent with who she is in 2019, but also because she expresses a gratefulness and optimism that he's been eagerly awaiting from her; he may even compare the song to "Style" in that sense.
** Jossed. However, the non-hit "The Archer" got an honorable mention.
* "Bury a Friend" and/or "When the Party's Over" by Billie Eilish (#73 and #67 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd has been highly impressed by Billie Eilish, believing she captures something very real about being a teen.
** Both songs jossed.
* "Slide Away" by Miley Cyrus: Todd said he really likes this song on an episode of Song vs. Song, as well as praised Miley a couple of times on his Twitter this year, so it may get an honorable mention.
** Jossed.
* "Good as Hell" by Lizzo (peaked at #3): She has established herself as one of the biggest new stars of 2019 (even though this and "Truth Hurts" originally came out well before this year), and it's likely Todd will compare her favorably to Lauryn Hill for her intelligent blend of classic soul and hip hop.
** It didn't make the cut in the actual video, but it was [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1218061342902538240?s=20 confirmed #12 in a tweet]], making it at least on par with the other honorable mentions. He only included "Juice" in the section because it's his favorite song of hers and would have easily made the countdown had it been a real hit.
* "Circles" by Post Malone (peaked at #1): Todd may consider this sudden GenreShift towards '70s-inspired indie rock an unexpected breath of fresh air, especially considering how tired he is of Post Malone's usual style (although he originally started out in rock before hitting it big). He may even consider it the true winner of the annual Fluke Indie Sweepstakes award, considering how dull and commercialized songs like "Sucker" and "Natural" sound to him. Additionally, upon [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1183610050281127937?s=21 asking his followers their opinion on the song on Twitter]], he [[https://twitter.com/djwyndows98/status/1183612051479875585?s=21 liked]] a reply praising it and urging Post Malone to make a full transition into rock music.
** Confirmed #6.
* "Take What You Want" by Post Malone featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott (peaked at #8): As a collaboration with the Prince of Darkness himself, as well as one of the biggest rappers currently around, Todd may feel this brings out the best in all three performers, especially as it's one of the very few hit singles in recent years with a distinct rock flavor to it.
** Jossed.
* "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa: The combination of Dua Lipa and an ultra-funky disco bassline seem directly catered to Todd's musical tastes. It may get an honorable mention.
** Jossed. Since it's a very new song and only reached the top 20 in 2020, it may have a better chance that year.
* "Hot Girl Summer" by Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign (peaked at #11): Todd will probably enjoy the tight flow between Megan and Nicki. The song also has a real hook, unlike a lot of hip hop songs as of late.
** Confirmed #8.
* "everything i wanted" by Billie Eilish (peaked at #8): Since Todd already affirmed his love of Billie Eilish on Twitter, it's highly probable he'll dig this song, which dropped near the end of 2019 to lots of fanfare. The vulnerability of the lyrics seem especially likely to resonate with him.
** Jossed.
* "Even Though I'm Leaving" by Music/LukeCombs (peaked at #11): In an era of meat-headed bro-country and featureless pop crossovers, Todd may find this country song with a real, poignant story a breath of fresh air.
** Jossed.
* "Robbery" by Juice WRLD (#100 on Billboard's Year-End list): Although Todd hated "Lucid Dreams" enough to put it on his Worst list in 2018, he has clearly turned around on Juice WRLD based on how [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203689610687242246?s=20 horrified he was when he]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203718486796754945?s=20 found out about his sudden death]], as well as [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1204435155483549696?s=20 this]].
** Jossed.
* "Bandit" by Juice WRLD with [=YoungBoy=] Never Broke Again (peaked at #10): Todd may find this song much more hauntingly moving in the tragic aftermath of Juice WRLD's passing near the end of the year.
** Jossed.
* "Wake Up in the Sky" by Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars, and Kodak Black (peaked at #11): Todd seemed to hint that he found this surprisingly good in the Best of 2018 video.
** Jossed.
* "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd (peaked at #11): Its reception has been significantly more positive than "Heartless", and since Todd likes more than a few songs by The Weeknd, this seems likely to fare well with him. Notably, Todd brought up the '80s when discussing "Can't Feel My Face" in his Best of 2015 video, so he may reference that if this makes the list, thanks to this song's early '80s synthpop style.
** Jossed.
* "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (peaked at #1): After missing last year's list, it may show up in this year's, similar to "New Rules" making the 2018 countdown instead of the 2017 one.
** Confirmed honorable mention, specifically for the live version at the Oscars.
* "Eastside" by Benny Blanco, Halsey & Khalid (peaked at #9): It might make the 2019 list after missing last year's, since Todd likes Khalid and appreciates some of Halsey's work.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Sunflower" by Swae Lee & Post Malone (peaked at #1): Todd has come to enjoy Rae Sremmurd, and while he dislikes most of Post Malone's downbeat music, he'll probably appreciate this more because of its fresh production and lyrics. It was one of the biggest hits of 2019, and its reception was excellent.
** Confirmed honorable mention.
* "Suge" and/or "BOP" by [=DaBaby=] ("Suge" peaked at #7, "BOP" peaked at #11): [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1173266656820420608?s=20 Todd apparently considers him a much better rapper than Lil Baby]], so it's likely he enjoyed his solo hits this year.
** Both songs jossed, but "INTRO" confirmed #2.
* "My Type" by Saweetie (#76 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd may love the sample of "Freek-a-Leek" and Saweetie's tight flow.
** Jossed.
* "Middle Child" by J. Cole (peaked at #4): In an era where trap songs are usually either just macho posturing or mumbly drug naps, Todd may praise this song for its honesty.
** Jossed, although Todd praised J. Cole for similar reasons on his #7 pick (which nobody predicted), "A Lot" by 21 Savage.
* "Watermelon Sugar" and/or "Adore You" by Harry Styles: Since they aren't so miserable and downbeat like "Sign of the Times" was, it's possible Todd will finally admit to liking Harry Styles in the wake of his critically acclaimed sophomore album and give one of these songs an honorable mention.
** Both songs jossed. Since "Adore You" is becoming a real hit in 2020, it might be more eligible for that year's countdown instead.
* "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey (peaked at #1): As a huge Mariah Carey fan, Todd may give this an honorable mention for finally becoming Mariah's nineteenth #1 hit a quarter of a century since it first came out, officially making her the solo artist with the most American #1 songs after sharing the record with Elvis Presley. The timing is also significant because 2019 was the year Mariah lost her record for longest-running #1 hit to Lil Nas X, so this milestone comes as a major redemption to her legacy in pop music. Todd recently [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1209692175707131904?s=20 tweeted]] how the song became a GenreKiller for new Christmas music because it was such a ToughActToFollow.
** Jossed.
[[WMG: Worst]]
[[AC:List entries]]
* "Beautiful" by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#95 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd dislikes both Bazzi and Camila Cabello, and it's not likely this will change his mind, due to its downbeat production and clunky lyrics.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande (peaked at #1): Although Todd has loved Ariana as of late, he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1086708686402277376 wasn't quite sure what to make of this song]] when it came out and has been [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1097949566262018048?s=21 baffled]] by its huge success. His Pop Song Review bashed the song for being a mean-spirited, soullessly precise track that co-opts a culturally black rags-to-riches aesthetic, and while he reportedly dislikes "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" more, this may easily catch up in badness for him due to its long-term implications. However, as far as songs that sample ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' go, he doesn't think it's as bad as [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1086709240516042752 "Wind it Up"]] by Gwen Stefani.
** Jossed.
* "You Say" by Lauren Daigle (#60 on Billboard's Year-End list): A crossover hit by a Christian singer, complete with [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]], it's likely Todd will consider this a boring absence-of-good track. Although Daigle is one of the few true successors to Adele, who has routinely appeared on his Best lists, he tends not to enjoy artists who don't bring any kind of fresh edge to an already established sound. Since Daigle's main distinction from Adele is her music's religious subtext, something Todd tends not to enjoy in easy listening ballads, he'll probably consider her an inferior clone rather than a worthy heir. He has called Lauren Daigle a ripoff of Adele, which suggests further he doesn't like her.
** Jossed.
* "Be Alright" by Dean Lewis (#54 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd will most likely find him the "Poor Man's Ed Sheeran".
** Jossed.
* "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" by Ariana Grande (peaked at #2): On Twitter he's said that it [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1103003668574597121?s=21 doesn't commit to its core premise]], making it even worse than "7 Rings", which he's given a harsh review.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "ZEZE" by Kodak Black ft. Travis Scott and Offset (peaked at #2): While Todd put Travis Scott's "SICKO MODE" on his Best list for 2018, he said Travis himself is not particularly interesting, and this could easily receive a dishonorable mention by virtue of Kodak Black being such an awful person like Todd did with [=6ix9ine=] last year.
** Jossed.
* "Con Calma" by Daddy Yankee and Katy Perry featuring Snow (#65 on Billboard's Year-End list): A re-imagining of a song Todd didn't even like to begin with. Todd also tweeted that Katy Perry [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1132765703466098690 badly damages the song's vibe]].
** Jossed.
* "Earth" by Lil Dicky (peaked at #17): Todd already expressed his vehement disapproval for Dicky after "Freaky Friday", and this is a charity single featuring several guest superstars voicing CGI animals (and a cannabis plant, in Snoop's case...). It held the record for worst-rated single of all time on Rate Your Music for several months upon release. Todd's Pop Song Review of the track pretty firmly thrashed it, due to its lack of direction, one-dimensional humor, and even being wastefully misguided as a charity release. This seems pretty likely to make the list, as Todd compared it unfavourably to "Freaky Friday" (his #4 worst hit of 2018) multiple times in his review. It doesn't help that "Freaky Friday" would've made #1 if it weren't for DJ Mustard's contributions making the music itself enjoyable, which is a saving grace "Earth" doesn't have.
** Confirmed #1 Worst Hit Song of 2019.
* "I Don't Care" by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber (peaked at #2): Todd's Pop Song Review review slammed this for its sheer lack of charm and sincerity. He did not even find Ed's lyrics relatable as he felt he should, due to the hollow production and goofy tone.
** Confirmed #5.
* "ME!" by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #2): Although Todd's initial impression of this track was rather indifferent compared to "Look What You Made Me Do", his Pop Song Review seemed to hint it as an absence-of-good single that could have signified the decline of Taylor Swift as a pop culture icon. If it makes the countdown, expect Todd to mention how [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1164232962914902018?s=20 Taylor awkwardly removed the "Hey kids, spelling is fun!" line for the album version of the track]].
** Confirmed dishonorable mention, including comments about the removal of the "Hey kids, spelling is fun!" line.
* "Close to Me" by Ellie Goulding & Diplo ft. Swae Lee (#58 on Billboard's Year-End List): Despite loving Goulding's "Lights", he said this song is [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1137411725291134977 awful]] and is sick of constantly hearing it on the radio.
** Jossed.
* "No Guidance" by Chris Brown feat. Drake (peaked at #5): Similar to Lil Dicky in "Freaky Friday", Todd will surely be angry at Drake for using his hit-making powers to keep Chris Brown's career alive well beyond its expiration date, especially since it's yet another excuse for Chris to be an egomaniac, not to mention he compliments a woman in this song in a way Todd would surely find insincere. Todd is already exhausted by Drake's constant dominance of the Hot 100, so it's likely a Chris Brown duet would break his tolerance, especially as the barebones production wouldn't help its case. Worst of all, it was safely in the top 10 for ''several months'', unlike "Freaky Friday" coming and going relatively quickly. While Todd has yet to comment on it, all the factors working against it make it seem like a lock for the Worst list, most likely destined for one of the high positions.
** Shockingly, jossed, although Todd threw multiple jabs at Chris Brown during the countdown. He later said that he [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1328640931407380481?s=20 found the song]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1328641678551392258?s=20 mediocre]] but didn't completely hate it despite his distate for the artist.
* "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi (peaked at #1): It was #1 for several weeks in the UK and slowly crept its way across the Pond, somehow eventually reaching the top of the Hot 100. Todd's [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1157400734071250949?s=21 initial]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1157401278894489601?s=20 reaction]] to the song was highly negative, and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1188887607914176513?s=20 his reaction]] to it going to #1 in America certainly doesn't help matters. Todd later reaffirmed his hate for the song in his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW_32lzQvos Pop Song Review]], where he slammed the cheesy and whiny lyrics, Lewis' oversinging, and the composition's over-reliance on [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]]. The [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sW_32lzQvos/maxresdefault.jpg title card]] alone should be enough to tell you just ''how'' much hatred the track evokes from him. The opening of the review practically ''ensures'' that this song will top the list -- Todd said that its only rival for the title of "Worst #1 Hit of the Decade" is "Girls Like You", his pick for Worst Hit of 2018.
** Confirmed, but surprisingly only at #4. He said it wasn't higher because he at least got what the song was going for and could imagine a good song with the same topic.
* "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift (peaked at #2): Once this song dropped, Todd predicted Taylor's new album would be [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1139569110847823875 "reputation" painted in Care Bear colors]] and felt that unless this track is a coming-out single for her, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1139564920587128834 well...]] In his Pop Song Review, while he affirmed his general hatred of this song due to its clumsy message, particularly its misguided analogy between homophobic hate crimes and anti-Taylor troll attacks, he did at least praise the third verse and [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1145543151278579724 recognized that the song is in fact positively meaningful to a lot of people]], although he subsequently [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1145478738223742978 hinted on Twitter]] that Taylor's recent feuds could impact his retroactive opinion of the piece. Of the first two Taylor singles from 2019, "ME!" is probably more likely to make the Worst list because unlike "You Need to Calm Down", Todd could barely find ''anything'' worth defending in it, but he may still end putting the latter on the countdown, depending on how the rest of the year plays out for Taylor.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention.
* "The Git Up" by Blanco Brown (peaked at #14): Yet another stupid dance craze song. Unlike "Old Town Road (Remix)", Todd seems to [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1157044456052461568?s=21 not like it]]. If it shows up, expect him to cite Billboard's hypocrisy of allowing it to hit #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart while still standing firm on their controversial decision to ban "Old Town Road".
** Jossed, although it was briefly mentioned as Nashville's failed attempt to recreate "Old Town Road" in the Best list.
* "Bad Bad Bad" by Young Thug featuring Lil Baby (peaked at #6 on ''Rolling Stone'''s Top 100 Songs): While trap songs tend to be pretty rare on Todd's Worst lists due to being mostly indistinguishable to him, he put Lil Baby's "Yes Indeed" very high on his countdown for 2018, and Young Thug hasn't made much of an impression on him aside from his generic rap name. Despite its poor performance on the Hot 100, Todd may still consider it a real hit if he factors the new ''Rolling Stone'' singles chart into his criteria, as it did excellently there (due to ''Rolling Stone'' factoring streaming more than ''Billboard'', which leans towards airplay).
** Jossed. Todd stated in his Worst list that he still only considers Billboard's Year-End list and top 20 singles as qualifying tracks.
* "Señorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (peaked at #1): It has a prominent summery vibe, but Todd hates Camila Cabello to the point of feeling complete apathy towards her much-acclaimed #1 smash "Havana", which is pretty similar to this. Additionally, the lyrics have fared much more poorly with the public than "Havana"'s did. Although Todd did somewhat enjoy Shawn and Camila's previous duet, "I Know What You Did Last Summer", his recent [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1169732237438459912?s=20 tweet]] seems to suggest he's skeptical about this song's chart-topping success like he was for "7 Rings". It may avoid the list due to its innocuous content and lush production, but there's also a chance Todd will consider it an absence-of-good song and put it on the list.
** Jossed for both lists, but used as the piano intro for the Worst list.
* "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I (peaked at #9): Much like "Someone You Loved", this was already a #1 hit for several weeks in Britain and became a sleeper hit in America, where it creeped into the top 20 just in time to be eligible for the year-end countdown. Although the song is certainly novel for its era, its reception has been quite bad, and Toni's white Australian heritage combined with her exaggerated fake accent will probably draw more than a few Iggy Azalea comparisons for Todd. This [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1200085106125357061?s=20 tweet]] from Thanksgiving implies he doesn't get the song's appeal at all.
** Jossed.
* "Speechless" by Dan + Shay (#35 on Billboard's Year-End list): While it's not bro-country, Todd will probably criticize it for its corny, syrupy lyrics (which aren't even that different from Florida Georgia Line considering their wide-eyed dopiness) and flavorless, easy listening-style production that makes it barely a country song.
** Jossed.
* "Memories" by Maroon 5 (peaked at #4 in 2019): Sorry Todd, but contrary to what you predicted in the "ME!" review, Adam Levine isn't quite on his way out yet. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1184912368800808961 On Twitter, he didn't like it for the same reasons he found all of their newer work lousy.]]
** Confirmed #2.
* "Don't Call Me Angel (Charlie's Angels)" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Lana Del Rey (peaked at #13): Todd's Pop Song Review slammed this for its pettily misguided feminist message, self-defeating title, and poor chemistry between the three leads (especially Lana Del Rey, whose verse he found tacked-on).
** Jossed.
* "10,000 Hours" by Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber (peaked at #4): Another country-pop song, which Todd will probably consider featureless glop, especially since it's a duet with Justin Bieber. Similar to "I Don't Care", which also featured Bieber, it's likely Todd will feel this track's collaborative nature robs it of its intimate tone.
** Jossed.
* "Enemies" by Post Malone featuring [=DaBaby=] (peaked at #16): Another monotone Post Malone emo-rap song. Todd will probably criticize the word repetition in the first verse, the lack of emotion in Malone's delivery, and [=DaBaby=]'s lack of chemistry with him.
** Jossed.
* "Lose You to Love Me" by Selena Gomez (peaked at #1): Seems extremely likely, as not only is it a ballad by Selena Gomez, who Todd dislikes, but its dreary, stripped down production and verbose lyrics cause it to sound pretty similar to "I Hate U, I Love U", which nearly topped his Worst of 2016 countdown. The fact that it quickly went to #1 on the Hot 100 is sure to befuddle him that much more.
** Jossed. However, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1216613546802536448?s=20 he stated on Twitter that he does indeed dislike the song]].
* "One Thing Right" by Marshmello and Kane Brown (#89 on Billboard's Year-End list): Another song that tries to infuse a country act with dance and has been received terribly, between its touches on infidelity and how being with a lover is the only thing one's "done right". Despite its poor peak on the Hot 100, it charted long enough to make the year-end list, and since Todd [[https://twitter.com/shadowtodd/status/1187778663158341634?s=21 acknowledged the song's awfulness on Twitter]], it's a likely candidate for the countdown.
** Confirmed #7.
* "Wow." by Post Malone (peaked at #2): Another low, droning boast song by Post Malone. If it makes the list or gets a dishonorable mention, expect Todd to lampoon the nonchalance of its title.
** Jossed.
* "Follow God" by Kanye West (peaked at #7): Upon putting "I Love It" with Lil Pump on his Worst list last year, Todd thoroughly criticized Kanye's modern material for being lazy, incoherent, and incomprehensible. A sudden hard turn into explicitly religious music (not something much deeper and more conflicted like "Jesus Walks") certainly isn't the way to win him back over. [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1193551323859443712 This tweet]] suggests that he wasn't impressed by the song. Additionally, the ''Jesus Is King'' album in general is easily Kanye's worst-rated to date, despite its inevitable share of defenders.
** Jossed.
* "Woah" by Lil Baby (peaked at #16): In an endless sea of Lil-prefixed [=SoundCloud=] rappers, Todd singles out Lil Baby as particularly horrible, having put "Yes Indeed" at #3 on his Worst of 2018 list and criticizing his music this year, too.
** Jossed, but "Baby" with [=DaBaby=] confirmed #6.
* "Drip Too Hard" by Lil Baby and Gunna (peaked at #4): Todd despises Lil Baby, so this seems likely.
** Jossed. Todd mentioned this was the only Lil Baby song he kind of liked, but that wasn't for Baby himself.
* "High Hopes" by Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #4): After only being a dishonorable mention in 2018, it's possible this could make the Worst list proper for 2019, as it's been the #1 "Rock" song in the country for almost the entire year. Todd's comments during the "ME!" Pop Song Review, as well as [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1193662986814140416?s=20 this tweet]], may be hinting at the song's full inclusion.
** Jossed. The tweet was actually specifically referring to "Trampoline" by Shaed.
* "Murder on My Mind" by YNW Melly (peaked at #14): This song was originally released in March 2017, but garnered major public interest after YNW Melly ''turned himself in for double murder charges'' on February 13, 2019. While the song was not written as a confession of his alleged double murder (which occurred in October 2018), it has massive potential for HarsherInHindsight -- at best the artist for whatever reason turned himself in for a crime he didn't commit, and at worst the song became a hit because its creator was a literal murderer. It doesn't help that while most of the song may come across as heartfelt and regretful, YNW Melly spends the third verse bragging about how he's a savage murderer. Even if it turns out that Todd doesn't mind the song ''per se'', it's a contender for "honorable mention for (potentially) being an awful person".
** Jossed.
* "Baby Shark" by Pinkfong (#75 on Billboard's Year-End list): A dumb novelty song that only got popular as a viral joke.
** Jossed. Interestingly, Todd said in the comments section of the Patreon video that it would've been likelier to show up on the Best list than the Worst.
* "Close Friends" by Lil Baby (#74 on Billboard's Year-End list): Lil Baby is one of the only [=SoundCloud=] rappers Todd hates enough to be a likely candidate for his Worst list.
** Jossed.
* "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 (#22 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd is unlikely to put it on the list proper because it has already topped his 2018 list, but don't be surprised if he brings it up to complain that despite being one of his two candidates for Worst #1 Hit of the Decade, it somehow got a high position on ''another'' Year-End list.
** Jossed.
* "Only Human" by Jonas Brothers (peaked at #18): Todd said he feels apathetic about the Jonas Brothers back when "Sucker" came out, but since the lyrics here are yet ''another'' case of Nick Jonas being #rapey after "Jealous" and "Close", it may be bad enough to him to warrant a mention.
** Confirmed #10, although Todd specifically disliked it for being too repetitive and edgeless, as well as sounding like "One More Night"-era Maroon 5.
* "Closed on Sunday" by Kanye West (peaked at #17): While "Follow God" charted higher, this song has been much more maligned, not only due to its infamous "You're my Chick-fil-A" line, but also because it's a prime example of Kanye's artistic psychosis in recent years. The extremely downbeat production certainly doesn't help matters. If ''anything'' could defeat "Someone You Loved" for the #1 spot, this may be it -- similar to "Filthy" by Justin Timberlake, it only briefly charted in the top 20, but it's one of the most hated songs released by one of the most influential figures in popular music from the past two decades. Even though it's technically not a single, Todd may still qualify it because it charted high enough, and in the Spotify era, it has been very difficult for him to find songs bad enough to be worth putting on his countdowns.
** Jossed.
* "Roxanne" by Arizona Zervas (peaked at #5): Another viral hit. Todd [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203129370560409601?s=20 tweeted]] [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1203135031243358208?s=20 that]] along with "Dance Monkey", he thinks this song is possibly hinting towards the future, but [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1206286104581877765?s=20 apparently that's not a good thing to him]].
** Jossed.
* "Knockin' Boots" by Luke Bryan (#79 on Billboard's Year-End list): While Todd usually leaves off Nashville songs that aren't big enough to be true pop crossovers, this track has been showing up on quite a few other people's Worst lists, and it's likely Todd will consider it just as lame, unsexy, and behind the times as his fellow pop song critics do. Although the racially inclusive music video is a plus, it's likely Todd would consider that gesture too little too late in the midst of the post-"Old Town Road" discourse.
** Confirmed #9.
* "Thotiana by Blueface (peaked at #8): Todd would probably find it sleazily misogynistic.
** Jossed, but used in the end credits for the Best list.
There was one song that made his worst list that nobody predicted: "Worth It" by YK Osiris, at #8.
[[AC:Worst Two Seconds of Pop Music]]
* "Closed on Sunday" by Kanye West: "You're my Chick-fil-A"
* "Don't Call Me Angel (Charlie's Angels)" by Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Lana Del Rey: Various strange lines, e.g. "Don't you know that I bite when the sun set, yeah"
* "Earth" by Lil Dicky: "We forgive you, Germany!" is a likely contender. Todd thinks the song is full of terrible lines, but this one stands out by being an offhand ''Holocaust reference''. Even ignoring the questionable nature of the line itself, it's really out of place in an Earth anthem -- even a "comedic" one. If Todd is willing to list multiple Two Seconds from the same song, don't be surprised if one of the animal "jokes" and/or Dicky's rambling freestyle shows up too.
* "ME!" by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco: "Hey kids, spelling is ''fun''!" This line was apparently so bad that it was removed from the album version of the track.
* "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi: Any two seconds of Lewis oversinging. Todd specifically [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1193906350604083200?s=20 singled out]] "I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug", as well as "And IIIIIIIIIIIII tend..." as contenders.
* "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift: "Shade never made anybody less gay"
Todd did not mention the Worst Two Seconds of Pop Music 2019 anywhere in the Worst list, so it's up in the air exactly what his choices are.\\
\\
[[WMG: Could go either way]]
* "Sweet But Psycho" by Ava Max (peaked at #10): Although it's much more upbeat than most pop music in recent times, it's also another example of [[TheFourChordsOfPop Pop Song Chords]] and Todd previously said the girl in the song [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1132117300117680128 doesn't sound sweet]] as intended. He called Ava a "complete nobody" in the "ME!" review, but he has also referenced the hook quite a few times in passing on Twitter, so the song seems to have at least left a lasting impression on him. Ultimately, Todd could either compare Ava to Dua Lipa, whose songs he likes despite thinking she lacks a memorable identity, or he could essentially call her the poor man's Lady Gaga. If this makes either list, Todd may throw in a jab at its follow-up, the SelfEmpowermentAnthem "So Am I", which failed to become a hit in the US.
** Confirmed dishonorable mention, but "So Am I" wasn't brought up.
* "Mo Bamba" by Sheck Wes (peaked at #6): While Todd has often dismissed rap songs in this vein, he's warmed up to acts like Rae Sremmurd and Travis Scott, and this song's reception is significantly better than most.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Please Me" by Cardi B featuring Bruno Mars (peaked at #3): With "Finesse" being on his 2018 best list, and having said that Cardi B was mainly what propped it into said territory for him, it's likely this can follow suit, but its reception hasn't been quite as good as most of Bruno's recent singles.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Look Back at It" by A Boogie wit Da Hoodie (#41 on Billboard's Year-End list): While Todd's view of modern rap warmed considerably in 2018, whether or not that includes A Boogie is unknown.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Walk Me Home" by Pink (#99 on Billboard's Year-End list): Although Todd generally enjoys pop songs that convey desperation, he gave dishonorable mentions to both of Pink's last two big hits, and this is one of her worst-rated singles to date. Like "IDGAF", this song just barely made Billboard's year-end list despite only peaking at #49 on the Hot 100.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Boy with Luv" by BTS featuring Halsey (peaked at #8): Todd could either appreciate this for its production and being the first big American hit by a K-pop act since "Gangnam Style" (although that's primarily due to Halsey), or he could consider it a cheap stunt to finally break the worldwide phenomenon to a broader audience the same way "Despacito" needed Justin Bieber to hit #1.
** Confirmed #5 best.
* "Megatron" by Nicki Minaj (peaked at #20): Although Todd is a fan of Nicki Minaj and liked her nostalgic pop culture references in "Chun-Li", this is one of her worst-received singles to date.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Goodbyes" by Post Malone feat. Young Thug (peaked at #3): Todd could either appreciate this for being relatable, as well as one of Post Malone's most melodically intense songs like "Better Now" (which he didn't like but said was among his better tracks), or he could criticize it for being too defensive.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Beautiful People" by Ed Sheeran feat. Khalid (peaked at #13): Although Todd loves Khalid and would probably enjoy his part here, he is sick of Ed's constant need for self-deprecation well into his superstardom, something not helped by this track's stream-pandering, Imagine Dragonsey production.
** Jossed for both lists. Todd mentioned in his Worst list that he somewhat sympathized with the track because he sensed fear underneath the lyrics, but "I Don't Care" ultimately confirmed those fears to be true.
* "Boyfriend" by Ariana Grande and Social House (peaked at #8): Despite generally being on her side throughout the years, Todd disliked "7 Rings" and "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored". He could appreciate this song for playing into the mystique of her personal life as a pop star, similar to "Thank U, Next", or he could bash it as cold and disconnected, similar to the aforementioned songs.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Ransom" by Lil Tecca (peaked at #4): Alongside Lil Nas X, he's been one of the most popular [=SoundCloud=] rappers of 2019. Todd could either be impressed by his flow, or he could dismiss him for perpetuating a trend that he's mostly tired of, especially as he adamantly claims his very Drake-esque style to be original.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "HIGHEST IN THE ROOM" by Travis Scott (peaked at #1): While Todd loved "SICKO MODE", he stated Travis himself is the weakest part of his own music, so he might be unimpressed by this, due to it being a solo track.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Playing Games" by Summer Walker (peaked at #16): Todd could either be happy to have another real R&B singer on the pop charts or criticize this for its trapsoul production.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Money in the Grave" by Drake featuring Rick Ross (peaked at #7): Todd is weary of Drake's nonstop chart presence, and he questioned [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1181807376724307973?s=20 how is Rick Ross still around]]. However, he could also possibly revere this song for showcasing a more openly vulnerable side of Drake that wasn't evident during most of the ''Scorpion'' album cycle.
** Jossed for both lists, but used in the end credits for the Worst list.
* "Lights Up" by Harry Styles (peaked at #17): Todd could dig its alternative R&B flavor, but he wasn't impressed by "Sign of the Times" in 2017, so it's possible this would just sound like a drearier version of a post-comeback Jonas Brothers song to him.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Trampoline" by Shaed feat. Zayn (peaked at #14): While Todd may find the interplay between the two vocalists creative, he despised Zayn Malik's previous slow jams, one of them a duet ("I Don't Wanna Live Forever" with Taylor Swift, #6 on his Worst of 2017 list).
** Original version without Zayn confirmed #3 worst.
* "How Do You Sleep?" by Sam Smith (#83 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd has mixed feelings about Sam Smith. He didn't like them in 2014, but gave "Too Good At Goodbyes" an honorable mention for the 2017 Best list.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Heartless" by The Weeknd (peaked at #1): Todd has mixed feelings about The Weeknd. He loved "Starboy", "Pray for Me", and "Can't Feel My Face", but hated "The Hills" and "Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)".
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Whiskey Glasses" by Morgan Wallen (peaked at #17): He could give it a thumbs-up for being a fairly upbeat country song about something other than the {{fratbro}} fantasies, or just find it boring.
** Jossed for both lists.
* "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco (peaked at #16): Although Todd hated "High Hopes" and "ME!", he didn't think ''Pray for the Wicked'' was a terrible album and still likes Panic! as a whole (he even loved 2016's ''Death of a Bachelor''). In hindsight, he could either praise this for its funky, upbeat production or consider it another unfortunate example of Brendon Urie's Adam Levinization.
** Confirmed #10 best.
* "God's Country" by Blake Shelton (peaked at #17): Although Todd doesn't like most religious songs, he may consider this a much more sincere portrait of Americana after years of blindly patriotic stereotypes.
** Jossed for both lists.
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2019 Worst of the Year bumper music]]
* "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish: The title drop followed by the quiet synth lick would be an effective template for Todd to segue into each entry.
** Possibly jossed. Ducky's Worst of 2019 list uses this song as bumper music -- if Todd is aware of that, he'll probably choose something else.
* "I Don't Care" by Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber: The title itself became a running joke in Todd's Pop Song Review, which he could easily extend to the countdown.
* "Sweet But Psycho" by Ava Max: The line "run, don't walk away" would be an appropriate warning for the songs ahead. He could also use the line "but don't pretend that you don't love the pain", which works both for the viewers (who enjoy the pain Todd inflicts on himself with these horrible songs) and Todd himself (similarly to how the 2016 list's use of "Sucker For Pain" implied that Todd was the sucker for pain).
* "Bad Bad Bad" by Young Thug featuring Lil Baby: A fitting description for these songs.
* "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo: The truth is that these songs are painful listens.
* "Goodbyes" by Post Malone feat. Young Thug: The end of the last chorus, followed by the outro section, would work perfectly for this.
* "Memories" by Maroon 5: Maybe a little bit of a stretch, but the fact that these "memories" are being recalled by one of Todd's least favorite singers ever could make it humorously ironic.
** Possibly jossed. Diamond Axe Studios Music's Worst of 2019 list uses this song as bumper music -- if Todd is aware of that, he'll probably choose something else.
* "Good as Hell" by Lizzo: Similar to "thank u, next", it's a song that proudly discards a painful past.
* "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco: These songs were big and notable enough that they "made it" onto Todd's countdown.
All songs jossed. Todd instead used "Leave Me Alone" by Flipp Dinero as the bumper music.\\
\\
[[WMG: Guesses for the 2019 Best/Worst of the Year piano intro music (usually, these are songs that were big hits but Todd has little to say about)]]
* "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" by Panic! at the Disco: Although Todd has lamented Brendon Urie's Adam Levinization since ''Pray for the Wicked'', he didn't think the album itself was that bad and felt "High Hopes" was easily the worst track off it, despite only being a dishonorable mention for his Worst of 2018 countdown.
** Jossed, was #10 on the Best list instead.
* "If I Can't Have You" by Shawn Mendes: Todd tweeted that none of Shawn's songs this year are good enough to make his top 10, but also that he's improving.
** Jossed.
* "Señorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: While it's probably likelier to appear on the Worst list than the Best list, it's likely not to be bad enough to make the former, due to its innocuous content and lush production.
** Confirmed for the Worst list.
* "Sucker" by Jonas Brothers: Todd feels completely apathetic about the Jonas Brothers' comeback, saying they're neither interesting, nor bad enough to get bothered about.
** Jossed.
* "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)" by Swae Lee & Post Malone: Although this went to #1 and has had impressive longevity, it probably won't make either list because while Todd isn't generally impressed by Post Malone's non-rock music, the song has been one of his better-received and isn't really comparable to "Psycho".
** Jossed, was an honorable mention instead.
* "Sweet But Psycho" by Ava Max: Todd doesn't seem to find her an interesting personality, but the song itself is probably too upbeat and harmless to really get on his bad side.
** Jossed, was a dishonorable mention instead.
* "Talk" and/or "Better" by Khalid: While Todd said he really likes Khalid, he later tweeted that he turned out to be way less interesting than he predicted, so his two big hits this year may not be good enough to make his Best list.
** "Talk" confirmed for the Best list.
* "Beautiful People" by Ed Sheeran feat. Khalid: It's not likely Todd would be that impressed by this song, but he did not single it out as one of the really bad songs after listening to Ed Sheeran's new album, either.
** Jossed.
* "Panini" by Lil Nas X: Todd's reference to Lil Nas X in the Paper Lace OHW may have subtly hinted that he wasn't super blown away by this song, as he implied "Old Town Road" was Lil Nas X's "one catchy song", even though this was already a hit by the time the episode came out, albeit still very new. Aside from the opening lyric though, it's not likely anything here would be bad enough to warrant Worst list inclusion.
** Jossed.
* "Ransom" by Lil Tecca
** Jossed.
* "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo: It went to #1, but Todd said it's his least favorite Lizzo song in the ''Song vs. Song'' podcast, so it seems likely to be used as the piano intro for the Best list.
** Jossed.
* "You Say" by Lauren Daigle: While Todd thinks she's an Adele ripoff and doesn't generally like religious songs, the lyrics are at least conflicted enough that he may not mind the track like he didn't mind "Flood".
** Jossed.
[[/folder]]
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