Long gone are the days where Justin Bieber’s “Baby” ruled the iTunes charts for weeks, but has that much really changed? Pop music still makes up the majority of the chart toppers, but is it better pop music?

Disclaimer: I know nothing about the technicalities of music. Why am I doing a review over music then, you ask? Because I have good goshdarn taste.

1. “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s transition from country to pop is leaving a blank space in all of our minds as to exactly when it happened. The former country sweetheart seems to be trying a new, more rebellious side. A side which I personally, am not digging. (We don’t want another repeat of Miley Cyrus.) It does have a nice beat, in a way that makes us all want to awkwardly white girl dance.

2. “Take Me to Church” by Hozier

Michael Buble has made a clone of himself and his name is Hozier. The album this song is on was released a year ago, which raises some question as to why it has gained sudden popularity (Illuminati, perhaps?). There’s something auditorily pleasing about this song, past the silk-like voice. With slight blasphemous undertones, however, this song may offend more religious listeners.

3. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

This song is, indeed, of the funky variety. The style and lyrics are a definite throwback to old R&B artists such as Michael Jackson. As much as I’d like to criticize the fact that the song is literally only about being cool, I cannot; the meaning, or lack of, fits the song well. This is a definite must listen for all the groovier people out there.

4. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift

When first listening to this song, I didn’t get past the first 10 seconds. For some reason, it was far more bearable when listening with a critical ear. My main problem with this song is the fact that “haters gonna hate” is a real lyric. Another issue is the fact that it is almost 4 minutes long, yet doesn’t really have a significant meaning. Despite its issues, the song is very catchy with some kind of horn and percussion providing a prominent beat

5. “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainer

If I thought “Shake It Out” was bad, this song was way worse. I couldn’t get past the first 5 seconds of this one. It has a bass, but I am definitely not all about it. The few verses that do exist without the words “all about that bass” or “no treble” do have a very impactful message about our society. My advice would be to ditch the bass and go full drive with the body positivity.