HOW | 3BOPS

1. BLACKPINK, “How You Like That”

💿 The Album • 🏷 YG Entertainment / Interscope • 📅 2020

🎵 “How You Like That” opens 💿 The Album, the debut album by all-girl K-Pop collective, 🎙 BLACKPINK, with a surefire. It commences with an aggressive, dramatic sounding intro, which sets the tone superbly.  Beyond the initial ear candy, the production on “How You Like That” is nothing short of superb.  Sleek, ear-catching, and near-perfect, K-Pop backdrops are always on-point.  Beyond the marvelous sounds, BLACKPINK, deliver powerful vocals that cut through and pop out of the production.  Honestly, I live for the energy and sass these girls bring to the table. Even with the Korean lyrics, the energy and the vibe help to bridge the language barrier.  Like a movie with subtitles, listening to “How You Like That,” you definitely don’t feel as if the difference in language is a big deal.  If nothing else, the chorus and post-chorus sections are EVERYTHING.  Furthermore, the bridge section brings excellent contrast, which segues into an outro – a breakdown section – for the ages.

2. Sam Smith, “How Do You Sleep?”

💿 Love Goes • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2020

“I’m done hatin’ myself for feelin’ / I’m done cryin’ myself awake.” Those lyrics excerpted appear on, 🎵 “How Do You Sleep?” from 💿 Love Goes, the third studio album by 🎙 Sam Smith. Lyrically, thematically, and vocally, the 🏆 Academy Award and Grammy-winner is true to themself, while the production (🎙Ilya Salmanzadeh) is sleeker and more modern compared to their past releases.  Smith continues to do a fine job singing about matters of the heart.  The pre-chorus and chorus are where Smith’s bread is buttered.  On the catchy pre-chorus, they ask, “What have I become now / Lookin’ through your phone / Oh now, love to you is just a game…” After continuing to build up the case against their lover (or whatever he is to Smith), he drops the crowning achievement, the chorus:

“Baby, how do you sleep when you lie to me?
All that shame and all that danger
I’m hopin’ that my love will keep you up tonight
Baby, how do you sleep when you lie to me?
All that fear and all that pressure
I’m hopin’ that my love will keep you up tonight.”

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3. Bee Gees, “How Deep is Your Love”

💿 Timeless – The All-Time Greatest Hits • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2017

“How deep is your love / How deep is your love / I really mean to learn …” 🎵 “How Deep is Your Love” is an iconic song – a classic.  🎙 Bee Gees were an iconic pop collective, with the height of their fame occurring during the 1970s. “How Deep is Your Love” famously appeared on the 💿 Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, still among the best soundtracks of all time. So, what makes “How Deep is Your Love” one of the greatest songs ever performed and written? Stellar vocals and harmonies, first and foremost. The song itself checks off all the boxes: memorable lyrics, relatable theme, gorgeous, tuneful melody, and ear-catching, lush production work.  Though effectively by numerous artists, none eclipse the original.

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