This is part 2 of the Relient K retrospective Rating: 3 stars (out of 5) Taking the strengths of the debut — some catchy hooks and a cleverness in blending outright Christianity with secular themes — The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek is a big step forward for Relient K in every department. It’s not…
This is part 1 of the Relient K retrospective Rating: 2 stars (out of 5) One of the best arguments in favor of nurture over nature, Relient K transformed themselves from completely insignificant to one of pop’s most underrated bands not through luck or by accident, but hard work and steady improvement. Each album’s craft…
This week, I’m going to share some cover songs that I like. My wife and I often talk about cultural institutions from our childhood and how they define our generation. The obvious one is Harry Potter, but it’s far from the only one. Disney‘s Renaissance; news coverage of 9/11; Max Martin‘s Britney/Backstreet Boys breakthrough. While not at…
10. Jessi J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj – “Bang Bang” I would call this my “guilty pleasure” selection, but, as Colton and I have repeatedly noted, there should be no guilt in the pleasure of a finely-crafted pop number. The Max Martin-produced “Bang Bang” is probably my favorite pop radio staple this decade, with a sizzling beat,…
Since she released her first album in 2006, Taylor Swift has steadily become the most popular musician on the planet. Her most recent album, 1989, was the bestselling (non-Frozen) album of the year, and she continues to roll out #1 singles. And there’s a reason she’s beloved: None of her five albums have been bad, and…
I’m excited to announce the Earn This project that I (and my fellow Earn This writers) will be working on in 2015: Has a nice ring, huh? The idea is this: In 2015, Earn This will be publishing, revising, or otherwise highlighting 100 different “lists” of various shapes and sizes. In other words, the “Rank…
To celebrate our fifth birthday, each Earn This contributor is selecting his five favorite things from the past five years.Here are Dan’s picks. 5. Community, Season 1 (2009-10) The #5 spot came down to two seasons of NBC sitcoms that aired during 2009-2010, starting within a week of each other: Parks and Rec, Season 2…
As I’ve been putting together my Top 100 Everything, I’ve thought about not only where items place in the “Everything” but in its own specific “Thing.” Thus, I decided to make this page, a breakdown of the Top 100 Everything by each medium. I will be updating this list as I count down to #1.…
Sometimes, even our biggest heroes falter. Below is a list of bad songs by our favorite artists. Whether they’re disappointing, dull, or downright disastrous, these twenty tracks remind us of that lesson Billy Wilder taught us so many years ago. As always, we’ve included a Spotify playlist so you can listen as you read. Enjoy! (Or,…
Since 2009, Earn This has written in-depth retrospectives of some of our favorite musical artists, TV shows, and movie series. We’ve collected them on this page under the banner of “Thistory” (Earn This + History? Get it?). These critical narratives explore the history and development of distinct creative voices. We love learning all about our favorite…