♥ Quirky Pop Rate: Sophomore | #37: "mama, this ain't quirky"

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Welcome to Quirky Pop Rate: Sophomore! The sequel to last year's Quirky Pop Rate: The Debuts, which, for those who didn't participate, was all about this:

While the first rate was about the start of these artists' careers, with debut albums released between 2008 and 2014, here we'll follow their evolution, and focus on a selection of sophomore albums from 2011 to 2017. These albums are quite varied and range from the huge critical/commercial hits like Melodrama and Halcyon (Days), to the artists taking straightforward pop approach like Electra Heart and Sucker, to the artists honing and refining of their signature sound(s) like in Ceremonials and The Electric Lady to unexpected turns like Trouble In Paradise and Anxiety, and more. All in all we'll be rating selected songs from sixteen albums. And while I'm sure it'll be interesting for people who participated in the first rate to see how things go this time around, it goes without saying that those who didn't take part are very welcome to join as well.

The Artists​

Thirteen of the sixteen artists included in the first rate make their return - Charli XCX, Diana Vickers, Ellie Goulding, Florence + the Machine, Foxes, Janelle Monáe, La Roux, Ladyhawke, Little Boots, Lorde, Marina & the Diamonds, Natalia Kills and Santigold. And taking the spot of the remaining ones, missing either because they never actually released a sophomore album (Nicola Roberts and Sky Ferreira) or for equally obvious reasons (the other one), we have three newcomers - Halsey, Jessie Ware and Katy B. These three artists were chosen because they fit well with the rest of the rate's "cast", both in terms of their music and career timeline, because they released high quality, well received, and impactful sophomore albums, and because they continue to be well loved in the forum to this day (and because I'm a big fan of all three nn).

Song Selection​

Each of the sixteen albums in the rate is represented by six songs, which were selected with the help of forum members who will also be providing album write-ups, which will be posted through the voting period. This selection of songs aims to provide a good representation of each album, through a mix of key singles, big fan favourite album tracks, and songs that show a different side of the album/artist. In addition of these selections, there's also one extra bonus track which I couldn't help but to include, as you'll see below.

What's New​

For those who participated in the first rate, you can expect this one to follow a pretty similar format, but here are the main ways in which it will be different:

♥ Obviously, the new visual style, courtesy of @vague. Going from last rate's homemade arts and crafts style to this one's fancy sleek gifs represents how a few of these artists shifted from from a more DIY approach to their music to a more commercially appealing sound and image (it's actually just a coincidence but it makes sense when you think about it).
♥ The elimination posts will be a bit more streamlined, in an attempt to make this a bit less time consuming for me and for the rate to move at a quicker pace.
♥ Instead of asking people to submit their favourite songs from each album not in the rate like last time, there will be a short, optional Side B Rate featuring artists that could have been included in the main rate, but more on that below.

The Rules​

Rate the songs from 0 to 10, including one 11, and PM me your ballot. Commentary is very welcome, but please use the template provided with the song list, as it'll make my life a lot easier when organising everything. Regarding decimals, I would prefer if everyone stuck to .25/.5/.75, though .1-.9 is fine too, but don't go scoring songs like 7.81 please. And please be sensible with your scores. Even if you're not a big fan of one or more of these artists/albums, I don't want to see ballots completely tanking any of the sections, so please ensure your average for each section is >4 (which is not a lot to ask, given we're only rating arguably the best six songs from each album).

The Deadline

♥ February 24 ♥
23:59 latest timezone

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Please vote in the
Favourite Songs Not In The Rate poll
Open until mid-May​

 

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Florence + the Machine
Ceremonials
(28 October 2011)
Only If For A Night
Shake It Out
What The Water Gave Me
Never Let Me Go
No Light, No Light
Spectrum

Santigold
Master of My Make-Believe
(24 April 2012)
GO! (feat. Karen O)
Disparate Youth
God from the Machine
The Riot's Gone
The Keepers
Big Mouth

Marina & the Diamonds
Electra Heart
(27 April 2012)
Bubblegum Bitch
Primadonna
Power & Control
Fear and Loathing
Teen Idle
Radioactive

Ladyhawke
Anxiety
(25 May 2012)
Girl Like Me
Sunday Drive
Black White & Blue
Vaccine
Blue Eyes
Anxiety

Ellie Goulding
Halcyon
(5 October 2012)
My Blood
Anything Could Happen
Figure 8
Hanging On
Burn
Goodness Gracious

Little Boots
Nocturnes
(3 May 2013)
Motorway
Broken Record
Shake
Every Night I Say a Prayer
Satellite
Headphones

Natalia Kills
Trouble
(3 September 2013)
Problem
Stop Me
Boys Don't Cry
Saturday Night
Devils Don't Fly
Trouble

Janelle Monáe
The Electric Lady
(6 September 2013)
Givin' 'Em What They Love (feat. Prince)
Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu)
Electric Lady (feat. Solange)
Primetime (feat. Miguel)
Dance Apocalyptic
Ghetto Woman

Diana Vickers
Music To Make The Boys Cry
(13 September 2013)
Music to Make Boys Cry
Cinderella
Boy in Paris
Smoke
Better in French
Blame Game

Katy B
Little Red
(7 February 2014)
5 AM
Aaliyah (feat. Jessie Ware)
Crying for No Reason
Everything
Still
Sky's the Limit

La Roux
Trouble In Paradise
(18 July 2014)
Uptight Downtown
Kiss And Not Tell
Cruel Sexuality
Sexotheque
Tropical Chancer
Let Me Down Gently

Jessie Ware
Tough Love
(24 October 2014)
Tough Love
You & I (Forever)
Cruel
Kind Of...Sometimes...Maybe
Want Your Feeling
Champagne Kisses

Charli XCX
Sucker
(15 December 2014)
Sucker
Break the Rules
Boom Clap
Doing It (feat. Rita Ora)
Body of My Own
Famous

Foxes
All I Need
(5 February 2016)
Better Love
Body Talk
Cruel
Amazing
Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Shoot Me Down

Halsey
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom
(2 June 2017)
100 Letters
Eyes Closed
Alone
Now Or Never
Bad At Love
Strangers

Lorde
Melodrama
(16 June 2017)
Green Light
Sober
Homemade Dynamite
The Louvre
Supercut
Perfect Places

Bonus Track
(1 May 2013)
Just Desserts


Spotify Playlist

(Missing Just Desserts)


Youtube Playlist

PM list (inc. Side B)
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Spoiler

Please use the following template as it'll make my life easier when organising commentary and preparing elimination posts (the ♥ is a placeholder that will be replaced with your username when posting commentary):

Song ♥ (score) "commentary"

Only If For A Night ♥ ()
Shake It Out ♥ ()
What The Water Gave Me ♥ ()
Never Let Me Go ♥ ()
No Light, No Light ♥ ()
Spectrum ♥ ()

GO! (feat. Karen O) ♥ ()
Disparate Youth ♥ ()
God from the Machine ♥ ()
The Riot's Gone ♥ ()
The Keepers ♥ ()
Big Mouth ♥ ()

Bubblegum Bitch ♥ ()
Primadonna ♥ ()
Power & Control ♥ ()
Fear and Loathing ♥ ()
Teen Idle ♥ ()
Radioactive ♥ ()

Girl Like Me ♥ ()
Sunday Drive ♥ ()
Black White & Blue ♥ ()
Vaccine ♥ ()
Blue Eyes ♥ ()
Anxiety ♥ ()

My Blood ♥ ()
Anything Could Happen ♥ ()
Figure 8 ♥ ()
Hanging On ♥ ()
Burn ♥ ()
Goodness Gracious ♥ ()

Motorway ♥ ()
Broken Record ♥ ()
Shake ♥ ()
Every Night I Say a Prayer ♥ ()
Satellite ♥ ()
Headphones ♥ ()

Problem ♥ ()
Stop Me ♥ ()
Boys Don't Cry ♥ ()
Saturday Night ♥ ()
Devils Don't Fly ♥ ()
Trouble ♥ ()

Givin' 'Em What They Love (feat. Prince) ♥ ()
Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu) ♥ ()
Electric Lady (feat. Solange) ♥ ()
Primetime (feat. Miguel) ♥ ()
Dance Apocalyptic ♥ ()
Ghetto Woman ♥ ()

Music to Make Boys Cry ♥ ()
Cinderella ♥ ()
Boy in Paris ♥ ()
Smoke ♥ ()
Better in French ♥ ()
Blame Game ♥ ()

5 AM ♥ ()
Aaliyah (feat. Jessie Ware) ♥ ()
Crying for No Reason ♥ ()
Everything ♥ ()
Still ♥ ()
Sky's the Limit ♥ ()

Uptight Downtown ♥ ()
Kiss And Not Tell ♥ ()
Cruel Sexuality ♥ ()
Sexotheque ♥ ()
Tropical Chancer ♥ ()
Let Me Down Gently ♥ ()

Tough Love ♥ ()
You & I (Forever) ♥ ()
Cruel ♥ ()
Kind Of...Sometimes...Maybe ♥ ()
Want Your Feeling ♥ ()
Champagne Kisses ♥ ()

Sucker ♥ ()
Break the Rules ♥ ()
Boom Clap ♥ ()
Doing It (feat. Rita Ora) ♥ ()
Body of My Own ♥ ()
Famous ♥ ()

Better Love ♥ ()
Body Talk ♥ ()
Cruel ♥ ()
Amazing ♥ ()
Feet Don't Fail Me Now ♥ ()
Shoot Me Down ♥ ()

100 Letters ♥ ()
Eyes Closed ♥ ()
Alone ♥ ()
Now Or Never ♥ ()
Bad At Love ♥ ()
Strangers ♥ ()

Green Light ♥ ()
Sober ♥ ()
Homemade Dynamite ♥ ()
The Louvre ♥ ()
Supercut ♥ ()
Perfect Places ♥ ()

Just Desserts ♥ ()


Side B (optional)

On A Mission ♥ ()
I Follow Rivers ♥ ()
Sun Of A Gun ♥ ()
This Kiss ♥ ()
30 Minute Love Affair ♥ ()
Angels ♥ ()
Home ♥ ()
Further Away (Romance Police) ♥ ()
The Apple ♥ ()
Give Me Your Everything ♥ ()
Cut Your Teeth ♥ ()
Leave A Trace ♥ ()
Borderline ♥ ()
I’m In Control ♥ ()
Gemini Feed ♥ ()
Free ♥ ()
Elizabeth Taylor ♥ ()
Phenomenal Woman ♥ ()
You Want The Sun ♥ ()
Company ♥ ()
Cool Girl ♥ ()
Paper Love ♥ ()
Want You Back ♥ ()
Oh Woman Oh Man ♥ ()
‘71 Charger ♥ ()
Lady Powers ♥ ()
Girlfriend ♥ ()
Falling Into Me ♥ ()
Golden Child ♥ ()
holy terrain ♥ ()
Number One Fan ♥ ()
religion (u can lay your hands on me) ♥ ()

 

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In addition to the main rate, there's also an optional Side B Rate, featuring songs from the sophomore albums of artists that didn't make the main rate but would have generally fit, released through the 2010s. Aside from serving to spotlight a group of other artists, this extra rate also works as a window to how pop music sounds and trends evolved through the decade.

The rules and deadline are the same as the main rate's, and you can also pick an 11. Although it's optional, I'd appreciate it if everyone tried to participate, as it's quite a short song list (32 songs, which only take 2 hours to go through) and features a lot of huge PJ faves such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Tinashe, Allie X, Christine & the Queens and MUNA, as well as some excellent songs by slightly less well known artists, which might make for great discoveries for those unfamiliar with them.

The Songs​

2010
Gabriella Cilmi - On A Mission

2011
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
Oh Land - Sun Of A Gun

2012
Carly Rae Jepsen - This Kiss
Paloma Faith - 30 Minute Love Affair
The xx - Angels

2013
Austra - Home
Lissie - Further Away (Romance Police)
V V Brown - The Apple

2014
Alexandra Stan - Give Me Your Everything
Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth

2015
CHRVCHES - Leave A Trace
Tove Styrke - Borderline

2016
AlunaGeorge - I’m In Control
BANKS - Gemini Feed
Broods - Free
Clare Maguire - Elizabeth Taylor
Laura Mvula - Phenomenal Woman
Niki & The Dove - You Want The Sun
Tinashe - Company
Tove Lo - Cool Girl

2017
Allie X - Paper Love
HAIM - Want You Back
London Grammar - Oh Woman Oh Man
Loreen - ‘71 Charger
Vera Blue - Lady Powers

2018
Christine and the Queens - Girlfriend
Let’s Eat Grandma - Falling Into Me
Say Lou Lou - Golden Child

2019
FKA twigs - holy terrain
MUNA - Number One Fan
Shura - religion (u can lay your hands on me)


Spotify Playlist

Youtube Playlist

(PM list in the previous post)​

 

Melodrama by @Phonetics Girl
All I Need by @saviodxl
Anxiety by @Phonetics Girl
Tough Love by @2014
hopeless fountain kindgom by @aux
Nocturnes by @pop3blow2
Master Of My Make-Believe by @elektroxx
The Electric Lady by @godspeed
Trouble by @Verandi
Halcyon by @aux
Music To Make Boys Cry by @Island
Trouble In Paradise by @Trouble in Paradise
Sucker by @Crisp X
Ceremonials by @Trouble in Paradise
Electra Heart by @Music Is Death

Album write-ups by various forum members will be posted through the voting period and compiled here. Next up is Little Red by @Island. ​

 

@2014
@Aester
@Alphableat A
@An Insider A
@Ana Raquel
@aux A
@berserkboi
@Blond A
@boombazookajoe
@BubblegumBoy
@Butterfly
@Conan
@Cotton Park
@Crisp X
@Cutlery
@DJHazey
@Dijah.
@dontkillmyvibe
@eatyourself
@elektroxx
@fatyoshi A
@godspeed A
@Hurricane Drunk
@Island
@junkos A
@j267
@KingBruno A
@klow
@Kyle. A
@Lapras A
@livefrommelbs
@londonrain
@Lost Boy
@Lost In Japan. A
@LTG A
@Luck
@m_dimitrov A
@Maki B
@MilesAngel
@Music Is Death
@M24 A
@No hay banda
@ohnostalgia
@Oleander
@OspreyQueen
@Phonetics Girl
@Pineapple
@Pinky25
@pop3blow2
@Reboot A
@Rem A
@Remorque
@Remyky22 A
@Robsolete
@Runawaywithme A
@R27 A
@Sail On
@sapnu puas
@saviodxl
@sfmartin
@slaybellz A
@Sleet
@soratami
@Sprockrooster
@Stradiwhovius
@Trinu 3.0
@Trouble in Paradise
@ufint
@Ugly Beauty A
@unnameable
@Untouchable Ace
@vague
@Verandi

73

Main Rate: 72 | Side B: 51​

 

Spoiler

#97: Now Or Never
#96: Vaccine
#95: Blue Eyes
#94: Burn
#93: Just Desserts
#92: Big Mouth
B #32: Home
B #31: Give Me Your Everything
#91: Devils Don't Fly
B #30: You Want The Sun

#90: Smoke
#89: Bad At Love
#88: Eyes Closed
#87: Sucker
#86: Better In French
#85: Kinda...Sometimes...Maybe
#84: Anxiety
#83: Alone
B #29: Angels
#82: Black White & Blue
B #28: Cut Your Teeth
B #27: Borderline
#81: Hanging On

#80: Cruel Sexuality
#79: Stop Me
#78: 100 Letters
B #26: Sun Of A Gun
#77: Broken Record
#76: Kiss And Not Tell
#75: Famous
#74: Boys Don't Cry
B #25: I'm In Control
#73: Still
#72: Headphones
#71: Tropical Chancer

#70: God From The Machine
#69: Everything
#68: Girl Like Me
#67: The Riot's Gone
B #24: Oh Woman Oh Man
#66: Givin' 'Em What They Love (feat. Prince)
#65: Break The Rules
#64: Body Of My Own
#63: GO! (feat. Karen O)
#62: Shake
#61: Sunday Drive

#60: Satellite
#59: Shoot Me Down
B #23: Golden Child
#58: Ghetto Woman
B #22: holy terrain
B #21: Free
#57: Trouble
B #20: Elizabeth Taylor
B #19: '71 Charger
B #18: Falling Into Me
#56: Sky's The Limit
B #17: 30 Minute Love Affair
#55: Problem
#54: Fear And Loathing
B #16: Lady Powers
#53: Sexotheque
#52: Every Night I Say A Prayer
#51: Amazing

#50: Feet Don't Fail Me Now
#49: Blame Game
#48: Primetime (feat. Miguel)
#47: Bubblegum Bitch
#46: Better Love
#45: Uptight Downtown
#44: Goodness Gracious
#43: The Keepers
B #15: Phenomenal Woman
#41 (1): Cruel
#41 (2): Dance Apocalyptic

B #14: Company
#40: Want Your Feeling
#39: Motorway
#38: Teen Idle
#37: You & I (Forever)

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Just in case.

You can post now!​

 

My body is ready! I'll let my body ta-a-a-alk!

I wish I could give an 11 in the main rate and an 11 in the BSide section!!!

Let's tank each other's faves!

The shade!

 

nn I literally said

Side B is basically a separate, optional (mini) rate, the songs in it aren't competing against the ones in the main rate.

 

Oh boy, at least my 11 was obvious in the first rate because I stanned True Romance really hard, so the other albums didn't have any chance. This time, I'm already having dilemmas... the amount of classics we are going to rate is significant!

 

this SCREAM

Couple of my favourite ever albums here so I will try to find time to participate!

 

I don't know who will get my 11 in the main rate, but the side B one is prettty obvious.

Homewrecker and Controversy not making it I will sue!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I missed the Freshman rate but will try to do this one. I'm sure there will be a bunch of new discoveries for me.
Amazing graphics already. Whew.

 

Hmm, the template having those little hearts but what if I don't love the song? (ddd I plan to be a bit more ruthless this time around because I was far too nice in round 1)

Also mess at Alexandra being in the Side B section and not her sister Inna.

 

This time around I'm having my Lorde revelations pre-rate as I've recently come to realize Green Light is incredible (for most of you it's an old favorite but for me it's like a fresh new discovery)

 

I'm still not 100% sure what'll be getting my 11 either (in either of the rates). I do know I'll be once again throwing 10s left and right though nn

Controversy was considered, but honestly it was almost guaranteed to come dead last had it been included, so it's for the best it's not here.

Using the the heart as the rate's "symbol" came from two of the albums having a heart in the cover:




I decided there would be a five week voting period, and it was a pretty crazy coincidence that the deadline would end up falling exactly... on Valentine's Day.

As for Inna... there's a limited amount of artists that could be in the Side B rate (as I wanted to keep it one third as long as the main rate), and Alexandra Stan was the one people mentioned when I asked for artist suggestions. I think Inna and her are more or less on the same lane, so it'd feel a bit superfluous to include both, and I'd say Alexandra is probably the "quirkier" of the two.

 

I really need to catch up in the first part ddddd.
Looking forward to this! Halsey will probably snatch my 11, but I made a lot of discoveries in the first one, and I'm excited for that to happen again.

 

And speaking of the Side B rate, some of you might remember Yelle, Rosalía and Sky Ferreira were originally going to be included, but in the end I decided I would make some cuts to keep it to 32 songs like I originally intended to. Yelle and Rosalía were cut because I felt like they would be at a disadvantage being the only two artists that didn't sing in English, and Sky Ferreira because, well, while it would have been nice to have her in this rate, it wouldn't really make sense to include a song that's not part of a sophomore album when that's the whole theme of the rate.

The three songs that almost made it:

 

Too ahead of its time for certain people!!!!!! And it would have been my 11 so maybe it's a sign