Melissa Kacar

"the cure" by Olivia Rodrigo The second single off of Olivia 's you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is such a cathartic, existential, and melodramatic masterpiece - all of which are traits that have continually made up so much of her best work to date. If the lead single "drop dead" is the embodiment of the girl so in love portion of the album title, then "the cure" in turn feels like the representation of the you seem pretty sad aspect of the time in her life that inspired her to write this. Coming in at the midpoint of the album's tracklist, it's definitely going to serve as a crucial transition piece for the album's overarching narrative. The build‑up to the bridge and the explosive final chorus is absolutely incredible and feels so powerful with every single listen. It's genuinely one of the best songs Olivia has ever written, and also one of the greatest pop songs of recent memory, which is not an overstatement in the slig...

Released in 1989 as the lead single off of her fourth album of the same name, Madonna 's "Like A Prayer" stands as one of the biggest highlights of her long and storied career. It also marked a clear shift towards a more mature audience and perspective in her writing as well. The track is a unique blend of pop, dance, and rock, with gospel elements woven throughout in a way that brings the entire song to life. That mix of distinct genres plays a major role in shaping the core of the song. The religious undertones, paired with the provocative ambiguity woven throughout the lyrics, create a double meaning that becomes a defining feature of what makes "Like A Prayer" so enduring and influential decades later, albeit very controversial at the time. It invites multiple interpretations at once, moving with a sensual theatricality that feels unmistakably Madonna. "Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone, I hear you call my name and it feels like home," ...

With its glittering disco beats, vibrant synths, and infectious groove, "Levitating" by Dua Lipa instantly transports the listener to a cosmic dancefloor. It's one of my favorite songs of all time and encapsulates all that I love about Dua as an artist. Future Nostalgia is also simply one of the best albums ever made too, it is hit after hit for every single song and has such a timeless quality to it. "Levitating" embodies all the  Future Nostalgia   is, which largely consists of both retro and modern influences, blended together to create a sound that is all her own.  "If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxy and I can take you for a ride, I had a premonition that we fell into a rhythm where the music don't stop for life," Dua sings in the opening lines of the song. "Glitter in the sky, glitter in my eyes, shining just the way I like, if you're feeling like you need a little bit of company, you met me at the perfect time". I ...