I'm glad you've finally connected the dots, but how cruel to tag me in here when you've changed the title to ''first 11 falls''!!
◢ ◤ The Avicii Discography Rate ◢ ◤ WINNER!
- Thread starter Mina
- Start date
Let's toss out one more tonight, shall we?
Poor Noonie Bao loses two of her vocal tracks in a row. At #29, we bid farewell to the penultimate bonus track of the rate in the form of True’s Always on the Run. Released on the European Amazon digital release, this song was written by Avicii with cowriting credits to Noonie and a few other Swedes.
Also - let’s take a moment to highlight the other True bonus tracks that we didn’t rate because I figured y’all wouldn’t be here for two instrumental-only songs (though the continued presence of Heart Upon My Sleeve makes me question that decision!):
Poor Noonie now has only one vocal track left in the rate - the Avicii-Nicky Romero collaboration I Could Be the One. But how much longer until that’s the one to exit?
And how many of you complained about Noonie’s vocals this time around?
Not fans:
@Empty Shoebox (3) - This just screams 'filler'. There's nothing particularly memorable about it.
@Raichu (5) - The production on this one is quite beautiful, but the song on top of it is a bit of a choice. The vocalist really grates on me.
Fans:
@Sprockrooster (8) - Loving the guitar in this a lot!
@Blond (8.5) - The chorus gets a little too repetitive but the guitar in the drop is fucking amazing.
@berserkboi (8.9) - Lovely juxtaposition of vocal and instrumental but the lyric is not living up to that…
@phily693 (9) - BOP ALERT! One of my favourites from this era.
@Untouchable Ace (9.1) - Find me a radio edit please.
Take me from the city
Let's go for a drive
Take me, Take me anywhere
Just make me feel alive
Make me feel this fire
Higher than the sun
Things could be so easy
But we're always on the run
#29
Always on the Run
Average: 7.091
Standard Deviation: 1.843
High Scorers: 9.1x1 (@Untouchable Ace), 9x3 (@phily693, @londonrain, @ohnostalgia)
Low Scorers: 3x1 (@Empty Shoebox)
Let's go for a drive
Take me, Take me anywhere
Just make me feel alive
Make me feel this fire
Higher than the sun
Things could be so easy
But we're always on the run
#29
Always on the Run
Average: 7.091
Standard Deviation: 1.843
High Scorers: 9.1x1 (@Untouchable Ace), 9x3 (@phily693, @londonrain, @ohnostalgia)
Low Scorers: 3x1 (@Empty Shoebox)
Poor Noonie Bao loses two of her vocal tracks in a row. At #29, we bid farewell to the penultimate bonus track of the rate in the form of True’s Always on the Run. Released on the European Amazon digital release, this song was written by Avicii with cowriting credits to Noonie and a few other Swedes.
Also - let’s take a moment to highlight the other True bonus tracks that we didn’t rate because I figured y’all wouldn’t be here for two instrumental-only songs (though the continued presence of Heart Upon My Sleeve makes me question that decision!):
Edom - an 8 minute long iTunes/UK CD bonus instrumental track:
Canyons - a 7 minute long Spotify bonus track
Canyons - a 7 minute long Spotify bonus track
(You’re welcome, I hope?)
Poor Noonie now has only one vocal track left in the rate - the Avicii-Nicky Romero collaboration I Could Be the One. But how much longer until that’s the one to exit?
And how many of you complained about Noonie’s vocals this time around?
Not fans:
@Empty Shoebox (3) - This just screams 'filler'. There's nothing particularly memorable about it.
@Raichu (5) - The production on this one is quite beautiful, but the song on top of it is a bit of a choice. The vocalist really grates on me.
Fans:
@Sprockrooster (8) - Loving the guitar in this a lot!
@Blond (8.5) - The chorus gets a little too repetitive but the guitar in the drop is fucking amazing.
@berserkboi (8.9) - Lovely juxtaposition of vocal and instrumental but the lyric is not living up to that…
@phily693 (9) - BOP ALERT! One of my favourites from this era.
@Untouchable Ace (9.1) - Find me a radio edit please.
Album Version:
Next up: Poor Stories is down to only 6 tracks but can’t catch a break, it seems. Predictions?
Right, then.
I've been a beggar and I've been a king
I've been a loner and I've won the reign
Losing myself just to find me again
I'm a million miles smarter, but I ain't learnt a thing
I've been a teacher and a student of hurt
I've kept my word for whatever that's worth
Never been last, but I've never been first
Oh I may not be the best, but I'm far from the worst
#28
Trouble
Average: 7.114
Standard Deviation: 1.561
High Scorers: 10x2 (@OspreyQueen, @Oleander)
Low Scorers: 4x1 (@HarryEzra), 5x2 (@Filippa, @Mina)
That Stories cull just won’t let up. At #28 we kick Stories’ penultimate track Trouble to the curb. I’m half-surprised I ended up on the low scorers list for this one (it tied with several other songs as my 3rd lowest score on Stories, behind True Believer and Gonna Love Ya) - I enjoy the melody and the ambience of Trouble, but it lost several points from me for essentially being a 3-minute long sequence of lyrical cliches.
This track was written by Avicii with fellow Swedish songwriters Carl Falk (who also has writing credits on two of Stories’ best tracks, Broken Arrows and Sunset Jesus, as well as the 2017 EP’s Without You - and a quite an impressive songwriting resume - credits include Ariana Grande’s One Last Time and a bunch of One Direction songs) and Rami Yacoub (who coproduced Britney’s Baby One More Time with Max Martin). It features an uncredited vocal performance by UK singer/songwriter Wayne Hector, who also has many recognizable credits on his songwriting resume (The Wanted’s Glad You Came, a bunch of Westlife songs, and the Veronicas’ On Your Side).
What did y’all have to say about this one?
"BOP."
@OspreyQueen (10) - I really love this one, but I must say listening to it after his death really hurts.)
@Blond (9) - Another Bergling Bumpkin Bop.
"Pleasant."
@berserkboi (8.2) - Great tune but the lyric doesn’t inspire as much as some other tracks - Agreed!
@Empty Shoebox (7) - Well this is quite nice and jaunty. Not entirely what I'd want in a dance track, but it still sort of works?
@LiK (7) - Cute
"Not so much."
@Raichu (6) - This wants to be Wake Me Up so bad, but it just doesn’t have the range. Not bad tho.
@Sprockrooster (6) - A bit out there.
Lyric Video:
Next up: A track that has an official music video - any guesses?
He/Him
Nadia really needs to go! Hopefully the hint is for her!
Not sure whether this helps or not, but unless I'm mistaken, the song to exit at #27 is the last one of the rate not to have received at least one 10!
He/Him
That has to be Nadia! Who would give that version of Rapture a 10 when the original exists! Right??
she/her
ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
Well I correctly predicted both Stories cuts, but lost a 9. That was one of my discoveries as Always on the Run wasn’t on my copy of True.
ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
You’re playing with fire.
Perhaps, but I doubt you'll be too bothered by this one!
I ain't misbehaving, I'm just telling you the truth
Take my love for granted
Yeah, I'd give it all to you
Make me count for something
Yeah, I feel it in my heart
God only knows what I'd have been
If you hadn't been a friend of mine
#27
Friend of Mine
Average: 7.182
Standard Deviation: 1.359
High Scorers: 9.5x1 (@Robsolete), 9.1x1 (@berserkboi)
Low Scorers: 5x3 (@LiK, @phily693, @SuperNerd)
At #27, we say goodbye to the first track of the Avīci (01) EP. To adapt my prior writeup on this track, Friend of Mine was written by Avicii along with John and Michelle Phillips, best known as 2/4 of the classic group the Mamas and the Papas. It features vocals by Vargas and Lagola, a Swedish duo comprised of Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir. The latter is also the vocalist on a few other Avicii songs - Silhouettes and You Make Me - that are still in the running to becoming Popjustice's Highest Rated Avicii Song. Despite Friend of Mine not being an official single release, both a music video and a lyric video were produced. The music video is quite bittersweet, depicting a couple from the time they meet as young adults to the time when they've grown old together and one suffers from dementia.
"Background music."
@LiK (5) - I mean we all we need background music and this song is happy to rise to that occasion. - ouch!
"Pleasant."
@Filippa (7) - I like this! Does anybody know why Michelle & John Phillips are named as songwriters? - because they're cowriters on the track!
@Sprockrooster (7) - Actually one of my faves when it came out, but it is ageing a bit already.
@WowWowWowWow (8) - VARGAS & LAGOLA ARE THE BEST EVER (Well it's partially made up of Salem al Fakir so of course I think that)
@Empty Shoebox (8) - This feels like typical Avicii. Nothing more, nothing less.
@berserkboi (9.1) - Very good
Official Music Video:
Lyric Video:
Lyric Video:
Next up: We lose a single.
He/Him
I fear the hint means Leona's time has come!
You're lucky I was at work when you posted this, so I didn't see it in time to get riled up.
That said, Friend of Mine shouldn't be out yet. Bop!
he/him
I assumed that was mine but... If anyone else had said that quote from the title, I would have immediately proposed marriage.
he/him
Plus Vincent Pontare is in a relationship with Agnes! And he’s Roger Pontare’s son!
Poor Stories. But which of its three remaining singles is it this time?
And we sang our song for the little thing
Magic calm, but the joy you bring
Running it down the line
Wish you could find that love is a fragile thing
Magic calm from a pretty thing
Maybe it might be time
For a better day
#26
For a Better Day
Average: 7.232
Standard Deviation: 2.006
High Scorers: 10x2 (@Sprockrooster, @Filippa), 9.5x2 (@Remyky22, @AshtrayHeart)
Low Scorers: 3x1 (@phily693), 4x1 (@Blond)
As previously spotlighted, For a Better Day was the second single released from Stories, in a double A side arrangement with Pure Grinding. Written by Avicii and its singer Alex Ebert in a vocal performance some of y’all have predictably panned, it didn’t match the chart success of leadoff single Waiting for Love, peaking at only #68 on the UK Singles chart (#1 in Hungary though!).
A music video was commissioned to accompany this song’s single release. Our duo of ten-givers seem to have been at least partially motivated by the darkest video in Avicii’s discography.
“Pass.”
@Blond (4) - My one qualm with Avicii is that he seemed to have a penchant for this kind of “quirky” vocalist and I have not got one second of time for it.
@londonrain (5) - Possibly the most lyrically lazy chorus in the whole rate.
@LiK (5) - The vocals and verses are good, can do without everything else.
“Serviceable.”
@Untouchable Ace (7.2) - I used to think that this was called Magic Carpet.
@Raichu (7.5) - I feel like there’s a great song somewhere in here, but again, Avicii’s questionable taste in vocalists compromises this. I still enjoy it tho.
“Pleasant.”
@Empty Shoebox (8) - I like the piano. It works well. I don't like the video though.
@berserkboi (8.9) - Nice
@OspreyQueen (9) - Absolutely lush.
@Sprockrooster (10) - I am sorry this getting a 10 based on the video alone. Not that this song is a 10 on it's own cause this joyous uplifting song challenges the 11 with ease. Especially with a significant video like this one. I love how not fitting this lyrically is making it all more poignant.
@Filippa (10) - Again, a moving video with a very difficult and provoking topic. I love the melody, it has a bit of a gospel feeling and the wonderful voice of Alex Ebert.
Music Video:
KSHMR Remix:
KSHMR Remix:
Next up: we finally lose another True track. But which one?
(As a reminder, you can check out what's left here. I'm updating it after every elimination.)
(As a reminder, you can check out what's left here. I'm updating it after every elimination.)
ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
Nooo wrong Stories track.