Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: November 2020 | Playlist 🎧

1. Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber, “Monster”

💿 Wonder • 🏷 Island • 🗓 2020

It finally happened – a collaboration between two former teen heartthrobs.  That’s right! 🏆 Grammy-nominated Canadian pop artist 🎙 Shawn Mendes and 🏆 Grammy-winning Canadian pop artist 🎙 Justin Bieber join forces on 🎵 “Monster”, which appears on Mendes’ fourth studio album, 💿 Wonder. Sleekly produced, 🎙 Frank Dukes, 🎙 Matthew Tavares, and 🎙 Kaan Gunesberk give Mendes and Bieber a sweet backdrop to work with.  There’s a soulfulness about this pop track, starting with the production.  Of course, with two skilled, soulful vocals, it’s reflected within the vocal performances.

Mendes kicks things off, impressing with his gorgeous, vulnerable pipes, singing about the ups and downs of fame and superstardom. Bieber takes a similar perspective on the second verse, mentioning the mistakes he’s made and adds on the bridge how hard it’s been to redeem himself. The centerpiece, the chorus, is quite powerful and emotional. Both artists marvelously, and both do a fine job capturing the plight of fame.

2. Ariana Grande, “34+35”

💿 Positions • 🏷 Republic • 🗓 2020 

💿 Positions arrived as the surprise 2020 studio album by 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Ariana Grande. Grande is certainly ‘grown and sexy’ to say the least. On 🎵 “34 + 35,” the second track from Positions, well, the math adds up to “69” … Basically, it’s a case where the production is refined and incredibly classy (including strings), yet Ariana totally ‘can’t be tamed.’

“Can you stay up all night? / Fuck me ‘til the daylight /Thirty-four, thirty-five (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah).” Wow – what a chorus!  Furthermore, Grande makes sure she’s taking care of herself so that she can keep him and of course, so the sex can remain 🔥.  The innuendo is over the top, but as naughty and risqué as “69” – I mean “34 + 35” – is, it’s definitely quite a ‘fucking’ bop (pun intended).

3. Maluma & The Weeknd, “Hawái (Remix)”

🎵 “Hawái (Remix)” • 🏷 Sony Latin • 🗓 2020 

Remixes don’t tend to eclipse the original. “Hawái,” which appears on the 2020 🎙 Maluma album, 💿 Papi Juancho, was sweet originally.  That said, 🎵 “Hawái (Remix)” is quite strong and incredibly enjoyable. Maluma enlists 🎙 The Weekend, who brings the heat, complementing him incredibly well.  From the start, the remix contrasts the original. The Weeknd draws first blood, dropping an intro and following up with the pre-chorus and chorus (performed in English). On the chorus, however, the Spanish returns, with Maluma joining in on the second half.

Here, the artists reference their respective former flames supposed faux happiness via a vacation in Hawaii, intact with cute IG pics. From there, the sole verse arrives, courtesy of Maluma, reprised from the original.  He discusses his ex-lover and these things she’s doing post-relationship, again, particularly via IG. He can see through the façade. Definitely entertaining.

4. Megan Thee Stallion, “Shots Fired”

💿 Good News • 🏷 300 Entertainment • 🗓 2020

“Imagine niggas lyin’ ‘bout shootin’ a real bitch / Just to save face for rapper niggas you chill with.” Woo! Talk about starting an album fiery, 🎙 Megan Thee Stallion indeed ‘fires shots’ on 🎵 “Shots Fired,” the opener from 💿 Good News. The banger is produced by 🎙 Buddah Bless and samples The Notorious B.I.G. (“Who Shot Ya”).

Who does Megan shoot at exactly? Tory Lanez, and honestly, she obliterates him following the infamous incident where he shot her in the foot in Summer 2020.  She goes in, not only on him, but also calls out “a lotta weak niggas” who “hate me, but watch my videos beatin’ they dick.”  Shots fired and fancy tickled indeed!

5. The Kid LAROI, “F*ck You, Goodbye”

Ft. Machine Gun Kelly

💿 F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) • 🏷 Columbia • 🗓 2020

“Fuck you, goodbye / You hurt me, for the last time.” At this point, it should come as no surprise that 🎙 The Kid LAROI is partial to the f-bomb.  I mean, there’s 💿 F*CK LOVE (SAVAGE) as a whole, and then there’s the song at hand, 🎵 “F*ck You, Goodbye,” where the first line of the song begins with a lyrical middle finger.  While parents everywhere may cringe at Charlton’s potty mouth, he perfectly captures teen angst and matters of the heart superbly.  “It’s the last time I let you hurt me,” he asserts on the first verse, continuing, “Fuck you, goodbye, I did not deserve it / None of this bullshit was ever really worth it.” Woo! The Kid gets reinforced by Machine Gun Kelly, who contrasts Howard’s more youthful delivery with an older, more experienced take on pain (“Red in the eyes, lately I’ve been on a cocaine diet / I’ve been tryin’ to feed my high”).

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Goodbye: 5ive Songs No. 60

6. Megan Thee Stallion, “Body”

💿 Good News • 🏷 300 Entertainment • 🗓 2020 

🎵 “Shots Fired” was the first of two 🎙 Megan Thee Stallion songs to appear on 💿 Good News.  One of the most unforgettable songs is 🎵 “Body.” When a song begins with a woman moaning sexually, you know exactly what’s about to follow. 🎙 LilJuMadeDaBeat definitely inspires Thee Stallion to get totally ‘down n dirty.’ In the process, she wins us over with naughty infectiousness, thanks to the chorus which expands the word body from being a two-syllable word into a multisyllabic one.

Megan breaks from the pattern long enough to throw in “Body crazy, curvy, wavy, big titties, lil’ waist.” If you listened to no more of the song, you’d get the premise.  Perhaps you might characterize Megan as being cocky, but she’s no cockier or different from her male counterparts. “Body” is infectious as albeit.

7. Myylo, “Cut Him Off”

🎙 Myylo • 🎵 “Cut Him Off” • 🗓 2020

“Look babe, I know you’re sad / He’s the best damn dick that you ever had / But I don’t think you were such a match, okay.” Oh, 🎙 Myylo – such a gift to LGBTQ+ music community 🏳️‍🌈! The ‘king’ of pop bops written about boys is back with yet another satisfying, surefire gem, 🎵 “Cut Him Off”. Even though 2020 has sucked royally for everybody, Michael Myylo Lewis has totally kept us going, putting a smile on our faces with his fearless tunes. On this 🎙 Christian Fiore produced joint, musically, we get a great backdrop that’s groovy, colorful, and well executed.  It’s perfect fuel for the fire.

Myylo is bold and unapologetic from the onset. You’ve gotta love his attitude and energy as he makes it clear this guy was clearly “a fuck boy prodigy” – not worth the energy let alone heartache.  Giving advice to a friend dejected by the loss of this no-good dude, Lewis makes it clear that it’s best to “cut him off.” We’re served up great vocals – boyish, bright, enthusiastic, and energetic.  The lyrics are on-point, with gems like “I should know I’m the pot you’re the kettle / He’s a spork and that’s dumb utensil.” Honestly, I can’t get enough of Myylo – he’s just a total bop.

8. Miley Cyrus, “Prisoner”

Ft. Dua Lipa

💿 Plastic Hearts • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2020

🎙 Miley Cyrus totally tickled my fancy with her awesome collaboration with 🏆 Grammy-winning pop artist 🎙 Dua Lipa on 🎵 “Prisoner”, a winning advanced single from her 2020 studio album, 💿 Plastic Hearts. On “Prisoner,” Cyrus is turned up, assertive, and definitely brings grit to table.  Likewise, Dua Lipa has a dynamic, cutting voice, with the similar ability to deliver rousing performances with incredible nuance.  Both are on their game. Lipa takes the lead on the first verse while Cyrus reclaims the reins on the pre-chorus, splitting the energetic, memorable chorus with Dua. Then, roles flip flop with Cyrus taking the second verse, Lipa singing most of the pre-chorus, and Cyrus leading much of that unforgettable chorus:

“Prisoner, prisoner, locked up
Can’t get you off my mind, off my mind
Lord knows I tried a million times, million times, oh-woah
Why can’t you, why can’t you just let me go?”

Besides strong, passionate vocals (“I tasted Heaven, now I can’t live without it / I can’t forget you and your love is the loudest”), Cyrus and Lipa get sweet production work courtesy of 🎙 The Monsters & Strangerz and 🎙 watt.  Ultimately, Cyrus and Lipa ‘do the damn thing.’  Add passionate lyrics, a minor key, and excellent production and “Prisoner” is a certified bop.

9. Lil Nas X, “Holiday”

🎵 “Holiday” • 🏷 Columbia • 🗓 2020

“Ayy, it’s a holiday / I got hoes on hoes and they out of control / Ayy, it’s another way / All my niggas on go and I hope that you know it…” Ah, 🎙 Lil Nas X returned just in time for the holidays, rather 🎵 “Holiday”. “Holiday” runs just a little more than two-and-a-half minutes in duration, but that’s plenty of time for Lil Nas to bring the heat. The first selling point of “Holiday” is the production. 🎙 Take A Daytrip and 🎙 Tay Keith stitch up a banging backdrop. Set in a minor key, it’s incredibly sleek, in a trap style.  Clearly, with the trap production, Lil Nas embraces more hip-hop vibes as opposed to going against the grain.  This is pop and melodic rap/trap, and it works perfectly for the artist.  His voice is fresh, rich, and sounds absolutely perfect within the production.  It’s utterly infectious the first time you hear it.  This begins with the chorus, the crème de la crème that appears at the top of the record.

It’s not deep mind you, but there’s a certain charm, likely captured more by the artist himself than the lyrics.  Still, give the man credit for a bold lyric like “I might bottom on the low, but I top shit” 🏳️‍🌈. Slay! Besides the chorus, I love the gimmicky “dun, dun, dun” that appear on the pre-chorus, adding even more charm to this record. “Holiday” is a bop, period. It’s short but absolutely, positively sweet.

10. Raheem DeVaughn, “Twilight”

Ft. The Colleagues

💿 What a Time to Be in Love • 🏷 SoNo Recording Group / DeVaughn Media Group • 🗓 2020 

🎙 Raheem DeVaughn has been heating up the R&B game (and the bedroom) for years but has never gotten his just due.  Nonetheless, the man has an incredibly soulful voice, intact with a marvelous falsetto, and of course, mad game when it comes to the sack.  DeVaughn dropped a terrific single in advance of his eighth studio album, 💿 What a Time to Be in Love entitled 🎵 “Twilight”, featuring 🎙 The Colleagues.

From the start, “Twilight” sounds like familiar territory for the gifted R&B artist. The production, courtesy of The Colleagues, Raheem DeVaughn, and 🎙 Claude Villani, hearkens back to the R&B/Soul of yesteryear while sounding refreshing in 2020. Sounds supporting him include soulful backing vocals accentuating the lead, tasty, ripe guitar, robust bass, lush strings, and a lazy groove that lays right in the pocket. With a clear and convincing vibe established by the music, DeVaughn is beastly as the lead, absolutely slaying. His vocals are on-point, oozing in sexiness, capturing the mood of those late night ‘happenings.’ Honestly, you can clearly picture what’s going down – DeVaughn lays it out for the listener loud and clear. Fancy sufficiently tickled!

11. Don Diablo, “Kill Me Better”

with Imanbek, Ft. Trevor Daniel

🎵 “Kill Me Better” • 🏷 HEXAGON • 🗓 2020

“I fell in love with the warzone / This is not my home / This I s just a place where I’ve been…” Ah, there is nothing like a rad electronic song, is there? Whether you agree with that assertion or not, you might be persuaded by the bop at hand, 🎵 “Kill Me Better”.  Yes, it’s a somewhat morbid and contradictory title, but the song itself is rad. Dutch DJ and record producer 🎙 Don Diablo does wonders with his work behind the boards speaking volumes.  🎙 Imanbek, a young DJ from Kazakhstan, joins him.  Sweetening the deal and providing the biggest punch are the vocals of ascending pop singer, 🎙 Trevor Daniel.

As to be expected, there are numerous writers that make “Kill Me Better” go. From an instrumental standpoint, “Kill Me Better” is awesome, with its energetic, inescapable synthwave vibes on full display. There’s definitely an 80s vibe in play, but clearly, “Kill Me Better” sounds like a proud product of 2020.  Of course, beyond the masterful production by Diablo, it’s the vocals of Trevor Daniel that bring the record to life.  Daniel has a stunning voice, here, bringing something of an emo/punk vibe, which is super cool when mixed with the synthwave sound.  Furthermore, the lyrics only add to this emo-tilt, particularly the pre-chorus:

“Gotta kill another demon left in my head
He’s been scheming no the walls and under my bed
It’s these suicidal thoughts that I’m fed
Welcome to my American wasteland.”

Don Diablo, Imabek, and Trevor Daniel make one heck of a team. Great production, great writing, and awesome singing make “Kill Me Better” a surefire winner.

12. H.E.R., “Hold On”

🎵 “Hold On” • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2020

🏆 Grammy-winning R&B artist 🎙 H.E.R. never fails to compel. Once again, she comes through on her ear catching gem, 🎵 “Hold On.” “Hold On” is written by a team comprised of herself, 🎙 Brendan Walsh, 🎙 Luis Campozano, 🎙 Maxx Moore, and 🎙 Tiara Thomas.  This lushly produced joint, clocking in under three-and-a-half minutes, is produced by 🎙 Bordeaux and 🎙 Non Native, who absolutely kill it. They help H.E.R. to capture those soulful vibes, hearkening back to R&B of the past. In particular, I love the use of electric guitar and electric keyboard – 🔥.  As the record progresses, the guitar only becomes more assertive, bringing in a little rock/pop edge while remaining idiomatic of contemporary soul.  Furthermore, I adore how ‘unhurried’ it feels.  There’s never any rush whatsoever; just chill, relaxed vibes.

Of course, the biggest selling point of “Hold On” is none other than H.E.R. herself – 🚫🎩.  She serves up beautiful, expressive, and nuanced vocals. As she has over the past few years, she sounds incredible.  She’s always in command, without forcing things.  In addition to her own marvelous instrument, great songwriting (matters of the heart) and a gorgeous melody give her awesome material to work with.  The chorus is particularly sweet. For fans who enjoy R&B that feels modern yet incorporates cues from the past, “Hold On” should totally tickle your fancy.

13. Chainz, “Quarantine Thick”

Ft. Mulatto

💿 So Help Me God • 🏷 Gamebread / Def Jam • 🗓 2020

“Okay, my day was amazin’ / Her booty shots graze me / She said, all the gyms closed, so she been feelin’ lazy / She been late night snackin’, but shawty still my baby…” 🎙 2 Chainz remains true to self on 🎵 “Quarantine Thick”, which appears on his 2020 album, 💿 So Help Me God. “Quarantine Thick” features banging, minimalist southern rap production (basically, a keyboard line and hard-hitting drums) courtesy of 🎙 Yung Lan. He’s absurd as ever – funny, raunchy, and, sexed TF up. A prime example: “I had that pussy pissin’ once I hit that kidney.” Furthermore, we are treated to a catchy chorus, highlighting this newly acquired thickness.

Beyond Chainz, 🎙 Mulatto plays off the sex that he throws out, responding in equally sexed-up fashion: “Quarantine thick, he tryna get me lipo (ooh) / Pussy holy water, put that on the Bible.” Damn! Even if she’s ‘unrefined,’ you’ve gotta love her quick, agile flow and the mad attitude she brings to the table. Banger!

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Quarantine: 5ive Songs No. 64

14. Fousheé, “single af”

🎙 Fousheé • 🎵 “single af” • 🗓 2020

“I can proudly say I’m, I’m / Say that I’m / Single as fuck.” Well, that’s definitely blunt AF 🎙 Fousheé.  The good news is that we know exactly where the R&B singer stands on her latest single, 🎵 “single af”. She cowrote “Single af” with 🎙 Jared Solomon aka Solomonophonic and 🎙 Matthew Burnett, with both ultimately producing the record.

Perhaps the f-bomb will offend those who are against the profane nature modern music but give her credit for making the chorus incredibly musical.  Melodically, it’s gimmicky, slick, and quite playful – atonement for being potty mouthed! She makes it clear that she is single because the past love has been flawed and totally not worth it.  Even so, she’s ready to try again. “Finally, ready to go out and get it,” she sings at the end of the first verse, continuing, “Never felt so sexy, feel bad for my exes / I’m living my life.”  Here’s the deal though, she may be “single, ready to mingle,” but she’s also “Not ready to settle but practice is helpful.” And of course, she’s confident AF. Ultimately, “single af” is a fun, refreshing R&B song.

15. Busta Rhymes, “Strap Yourself Down”

💿 Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God • 🏷 The Conglomerate Entertainment, Inc. / EMPIRE • 🗓 2020 

“Wanna play a little game of death? Hold on / Take it up, take it up, cool cool? / I’ma kick you in your gut and be makin’ you wanna doo-doo.” Ah 💩! 🎙 Busta Rhymes comes to ‘kick ass and take names’ on 🎵 “Strap Yourself Down,” a highlight from 💿 Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God.  Worth noting, ELE 2 marks Rhymes’ first new studio album in 11 years.  It’s overstuffed – particularly in its Reloaded version – but there’s plenty to like.  “Strap Yourself Down” arrives early and hits hard.

The record sounds like a vintage hardcore, East Coast rap joint, particularly the best part of the record, the beat switch.  Part one is 🔥 in its own right, but when those aggressive, boom-bap drums accompany Busta, he’s on another level. The beat switch alone would’ve been enough to secure the gem status of “Strap Yourself.” Add in Busta being true to his eccentric self, and this is a must hear!