"Push and Shove" No Doubt

Before the release of "Push and Shove," the second single from No Doubt's upcoming sixth studio album of the same name, bassist Tony Kanal called it "our 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'" That's a bold claim for any band to make, since Queen's 1976 hit remains one of the most beloved and acclaimed songs in rock history—but the comparison is not off base. Though it follows a more standard structure than "Rhapsody," "Shove" similarly ignores conventions of genre and tempo, shooting from bouncing dancehall verses to a power-pop chorus heavy with towering passion, all of which dovetails by track's end. It's an ambitious composition that is bound to produce a divisive reaction, but for this fan, it represents one of the most satisfyingly wild (and wildly satisfying) mainstream singles this year. A

Throwback Thursday: "The Loco-Motion" Little Eva

Only nine songs in history have reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 multiple times, including Little Eva's classic 1962 boogie "The Loco-Motion," which was followed to #1 in 1975 by Grand Funk Railroad's rockified cover. (Another version, from Aussie pop starlet Kylie Minogue, almost repeated the feat in 1988, but peaked at #3.) Though describing the steps to a non-existent dance craze is a simple, even silly, conceit for a song, "The Loco-Motion" has survived as a party favorite for five decades because of its timeless feel-good vibe. From the opening horn blares to the hand claps and doo wop harmonies, the track exudes an infectious joy that makes it almost impossible not to swing your hips and jump up and back right along with Little Eva. It's a testament to Gerry Goffin and Carole King's writing that the sentiment has translated so well across genres and generations. A

50 years ago this week, "The Loco-Motion" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Finally Found You" Enrique Iglesias ft. Sammy Adams

In early 2010, Enrique Iglesias was at the forefront of the dance-pop revival with his hit "I Like It," a Jersey Shore favorite that revived the Latin heartthrob's waning career. Two years later, new single "Finally Found You" feels like a non-event amongst the ensuing glut of similarly techno-inspired tracks—just as Iglesias himself fades comfortably into the song's pounding synths, layered and Auto-Tuned into a nearly unrecognizable singing computer. "Found" provides enough fist-pumping enjoyment to make for a serviceable club jam, but its generic brand of building and bursting electro euphoria is quickly becoming boring. C

"No Lie" 2 Chainz ft. Drake

After early buzz surrounding Tyga and a heap of critical acclaim for Frank Ocean, it appears that the breakout hip-hop star of 2012 will actually be 2 Chainz, the Atlanta rapper who made a name for himself this year with his pronounced delivery and collaborations with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Kanye West. His own debut single as a lead artist, "No Lie," is an addictive brag track that recently hit #1 on the Billboard rap charts. It's not elegant, but 2 Chainz wins you over with his raw, in-your-face energy, chewing up the menacing beat in his leaden style. Drake is much more graceful delivering the catchy hook; unfortunately, his guest verse is full of unnecessarily misogynistic boasts of sexual conquest. B+

"I Am Your Leader" Nicki Minaj ft. Rick Ross and Cam'ron

While not as instantly catchy as her best performances, Nicki Minaj's new urban single, "I Am Your Leader," represents a nice return to form for the female emcee, who has felt increasingly like an empty pop star in recent months. Rapping over a cascading robo-beat, Minaj commands the track, droping punch lines with a boastful wit that was missing from generic party jams like "Starships" and "Pound the Alarm." Rick Ross and Cam'ron turn in game guest verses, though ultimately, "Leader" feels more like a group of friends playing around in the studio than a fully-formed track. A-

Throwback Thursday: "I'll Be Missing You" Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112

Music history is littered with brilliant artists whose lives and careers were sadly cut short, but there's something particularly tragic about the senseless murder of rapper The Notorious B.I.G. in a 1997 drive-by shooting. Still unsolved to this day, the most closure fans have ever gotten in the case is probably (the artist formerly known as) Puff Daddy's Grammy-winning rap dirge "I'll Be Missing You," which debuted less than three months after Biggie's death and went on to spend 11 weeks at #1. Representing the height of Puffy's much-criticized "over-sampling," the song is a complete reappropriation of the Police's creepy classic "Every Breath You Take"; their instrumentals are identical and the chorus of "Missing," sung by B.I.G.'s widow, Faith Evans, changes nothing but the lyrics. Of course, if you're going to use someone else's work, you might as well take from the best. Andy Summers' melancholy guitar riff and Sting's iconic melody still shine through the basic rhymes and gospel flourishes, providing a solid base on which to build a loving (if somewhat lackluster) tribute to a dearly departed friend. B-

15 years ago this week, "I'll Be Missing You' was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Parking Lot" Nelly Furtado

With just under a month to go until the release of The Spirit Indestructible, buzz is practically non-existent for Nelly Furtado's fifth studio album. Lead single "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" flopped into obscurity and Furtado's camp has barely made a peep since then. Another new song, "Parking Lot," premiered yesterday, and the booming stomp-and-clap beat and sing-talk vocal style sound straight out of 2006's Loose. While that may have worked for the Canadian pop star in the urban-oriented music scene of the mid-aughties, it's hard to imagine that "Parking Lot" will make much headway in a radio climate now dominated by dance influences. Furtado has always been a quirky chameleon and she pulls off the track's retro swag—including a '60s girl group vibe on the post-chorus na na nas—but I fear not many will have the chance to enjoy it. B

"Oh Love" Green Day

As they prepare to release three new studio albums this fall and winter, Green Day have spent the last month perched atop the Billboard rock chart with "Oh Love," their first single in more than two years. Peeling away the layers of theatricality and protest that featured prominently on the group's last two albums (the epic saga of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, turned into a hit Broadway musical in 2010), "Oh Love" feels like a throwback to the Green Day of yore, full of heavy guitar and slacker ambition. Yet the rebel spirit has not been completely abandoned amongst less charged subject matter, judging by the witty imagery of the chorus ("I'm wearing my heart on a noose"). Now if only there had been a little more editing; after five minutes, the song's peppy punch loses steam. B

"I Was Here" Beyoncé

Just about every big-voiced female singer in the last three decades has worked with Diane Warren at some point; it's practically a diva rite of passage. So it was only a matter of time until Beyoncé—the closest this generation has to a Whitney or Mariah—took her turn, collaborating with the veteran songwriter on power ballad "I Was Here" from last year's 4. As Diane Warren shlockfests go, this one is a remarkably genuine affair. Though the lyrics are as maudlin as ever ("The hearts that I touched will be the proof that I leave/that I made a difference"), Beyoncé sells the sentiment fully, never abandoning performance in favor of vocal showboating like so many of her forebears. (That passion can become melodramatic at times, even cheesy, but it seems almost selfish to complain about a singer who wants you to feel her emotions too much.) For a cause like today's United Nations World Humanitarian Day, "Here" is the perfect choice of charity single, hitting all the right thematic notes without sacrificing the entertainment value that audiences seek in songs they might actually listen to more than once. B+

"Heart Skips a Beat" Olly Murs ft. Chiddy Bang

And it's on to the next one. Following in the footsteps of Cher Lloyd and tourmates One Direction, Olly Murs is yet another young veteran of the UK's X Factor making the jump across the pond. Marketed at the rabid tween base that launched 1D into the stratosphere, Murs will probably appeal more to the Wanted crowd, at least based on his debut single "Heart Skips a Beat," which recently climbed into the top thirty on pop radio. Veering into unrequited obsession territory, it's a darker, hip-hop-inflected track that lacks the satisfying charm of, say, "What Makes You Beautiful." But with minor-chord synths and moments of hard-hitting beats, "Heart" provides a bit of edge that audiences might be craving at the end of a long, frothy summer. B+

Throwback Thursday: "Eye of the Tiger" Survivor

"Eye of the Tiger," the theme from Rocky III, seems to be one of those songs for the ages—a rock anthem that lives on through perpetual use in sporting events, political campaigns and national television commercials. Commissioned for the film after Sylvester Stallone was unable to secure the rights to "Another One Bites the Dust," Survivor's biggest hit isn't nearly as good as that Queen classic, but it gets the job done on blood-pumping, head-banging inspiration. Frankie Sullivan's brash guitar riff is definitely an attention-getter, and the towering chorus in undeniably stirring in the right context. B

30 years ago this week, "Eye of the Tiger" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" Taylor Swift

After Taylor Swift surprised the world with a brand new song yesterday, it shot to the top of iTunes in such record-breaking fashion (less than an hour!) that it will almost surely guarantee Swift her first trip to the top of Billboard Hot 100 next week. Too bad, since it's also probably the most disappointing release of her short career. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," from Swift's upcoming fourth studio album, Red, is what we might politely refer to as a "sellout." Working for the first time with a co-writer, Swedish mega-producer Max Martin, she leaves behind any remaining semblance of her country roots and jumps full force into sassy Avril Lavigne territory—a brazen move that proves to be seriously underwhelming. Never mind that "Never Ever" feels like a huge step back from the the breakthroughs in maturity and artistry found on Speak Now. If you're going to have Max Martin write a hook for you, at least make sure it's really catchy. C+

"This Is Love" will.i.am ft. Eva Simons

It's almost comical how inept will.i.am's effort to launch a successful solo career have been. But the mastermind behind one of the biggest musical groups on Earth seems to be impressively tone deaf to good taste and public desire these days. Now on to the third single from his as-yet-unreleased album, #willpower, he's still searching for that elusive hit by throwing out over-the-top techno-rap productions and seeing if they'll stick. Like its predecessors, "This Is Love" has failed to make an impact with pop or club audiences since its release earlier this summer and it's no wonder; will.i.am's Auto-Tuned rhymes are just as amateurish as ever and the song will melt your brain with its non-stop spectacle. The one saving grace is the massively hook-y refrain, sung by Dutch pop star Eva Simons. C-

"I Will Wait" Mumford & Sons

Fans have been eagerly anticipating new Mumford & Sons music since the Grammy-approved folk rockers broke through with the #1 alternative hit "Little Lion Man" in 2010. "I Will Wait," the lead single from their sophomore album, Babel, provides a bit of shock to the system when it kicks off with a peppy banjo line that is strikingly reminiscent of that signature song. But it quickly evolves into an impassioned plea of heartbreak all its own. Marcus Mumford's vocal performance, a nearly spiritual cry of yearning amplified by layered harmonies, is a knockout. A

Throwback Thursday: "Hey There Delilah" Plain White T's

Amidst a sea of shawty-snappin', drum machine-crankin' hip-hop hits, the Plain White T's emerged from obscurity in the summer of 2007 to rule the Hot 100 for two weeks with the surprise smash "Hey There Delilah." This soft, intimate love song is a dreamer's manifesto, floating along on the promise of possibility and a simple acoustic guitar riff. But the undercurrent of violins offset singer Tom Higgenson with a melancholy dose of reality, suggesting that his are in fact the fantasies of a lovesick fool. By its final chords, "Delilah" reveals itself as a subversively beautiful depiction of the damages wrought by unrequited love. A-

Five years ago this week, "Hey There Delilah" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Enough Said" Aaliyah ft. Drake

Well, this is certainly one of the more...unusual things to happen in pop music in recent memory. When rumors began circulating that Drake was planning to produce a new album featuring unreleased recordings of the late R&B superstar Aaliyah, public reaction could best be described as perplexed. (Though the Toronto rapper never met Aaliyah, he has a tattoo of her face on his back.) Yesterday Drake debuted the project's first single—the sparse, spacey "Enough Said"—and it doesn't clear up a whole lot. While Aaliyah's sound was defined by her groundbreaking collaborations with Timbaland and Missy Elliott, this haunting Noah "40" Shebib production sounds very much like one of Drake's existential ballads. "Enough" is no insult to Aaliyah's legacy, but fan concerns over what kind of vanity enterprise Drake is planning are certainly justified. Still, it's undeniably wonderful to hear Baby Girl's distinctively slinky vocals once again. B

"Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo's career has been on a downward spiral over the last three years. Following his breakout #1 smash "So Sick" in 2006, he was on top of the R&B game, even earning an Album of the Year nomination for his third studio set, Year of the Gentleman, at the 2009 Grammys. Since the dance-pop boom that same year, the man has barely been scraping relevancy. A foray into the genre with his fourth album was widely ignored by the public, and his only hits since have come singing hooks for Pitbull and Calvin Harris. Yet Ne-Yo's latest single, "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)," offers more of the same: a synth-y Europop track in which is he an increasingly anonymous vocal presence. It's a perfectly adequate song for the clubs, but there is nothing remotely fresh or exciting about it. (Never mind that clunky mouthful of a title or the fact that "Girl, let me love you, baby" is an actual line in the chorus.) It's hard to imagine this is what his fans were clamoring for; it seems even more unlikely that it's the right move to turn Ne-Yo's fortunes around. B-

"Triumphant (Get 'Em)" Mariah Carey ft. Rick Ross and Meek Mill

A new Mariah Carey track should be an event. So is why is Mimi slumming it as a glorified hook girl on "Triumphant (Get 'Em)," the lead single from her upcoming fourteenth studio album? Purportedly inspired by husband Nick Cannon's recent health issues, the song's first two minutes are dominated by guest verses from rappers Meek Mill and Rick Ross. Carey shows up to deliver a solid—and potentially anthemic—chorus, but she is otherwise a nearly invisible presence, fading into Jermaine Dupri's rich production. Talk about wasted potential of the collective star power and talent assembled on "Triumphant"; it's probably the most baffling thing Carey's done since she stripped and passed out ice cream bars on the late, great TRL. Let's hope she follows up this misfire with her next "We Belong Together." C

Throwback Thursday: "Hot in Herre" Nelly

It's easy to forget that Nelly was already one multiplatinum album and four top ten hits into his career when he released "Hot in Herre," because ten years later, the summer smash of 2002 sticks out as his true star-making moment. Following the death of bubblegum pop, its seven-week run at the top of the Hot 100 helped cement the domination of urban music on the charts and turned the St. Louis rapper into a cultural phenomenon. (How else to classify otherwise sane people incorporating the line "I am getting so hot/I wanna take my clothes off" into real life?) It also feels like enough time has passed to publicly recognize "Herre" as the stroke of mindless genius that it is. A decade on, the rump-shaking percussive beat and charmingly goofy lyrics remain just as satisfying as ever. A

Ten years ago this week, "Hot in Herre" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.