weaver
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Post by weaver on Nov 4, 2017 6:16:58 GMT -5
I am a huge Maroon 5 fan, and upon first listen, I am definitely underwhelmed by this album, which has never happened before. I will definitely give it a few more spins, and I'm sure more of the songs will pop out at me, but I'm surprised at the direction they've taken. It's very different from Overexposed and V. Maybe I'll change my mind but so far this is far and away my least favorite album from them.
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Hurricane Lee
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Post by Hurricane Lee on Nov 4, 2017 7:19:25 GMT -5
I LOVE this album. Had low expectations but I don't dislike any song. They all have nice grooves, Adam sounds great, and they are catchy.
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born
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Post by born on Nov 4, 2017 7:44:48 GMT -5
I'm gonna give this a listen tomorrow. I love "V" so much and the first 2 songs we heard from this (excluding DWK & "Cold") are disappointing for me. Let's see!
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ClevelandRox
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Post by ClevelandRox on Nov 4, 2017 7:59:53 GMT -5
Closure is the song version of what everyone was saying about the album cover, "Let's remind everyone THIS IS A BAND!". 11 1/2 minutes, I CAN'T. I don't know wtf that first song was, but I enjoyed everything else. Wait has to be the second single. And maybe Lips on You third.
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SHOOTER
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Post by SHOOTER on Nov 4, 2017 13:18:48 GMT -5
Projected to debut with 95-115k SPS (80-85k sales).
Songs About Jane peaked at #6 with 72k (5.1m sold to date).
1.22.03.Acoustic debuted at #63 with 16k (699k sold to date).
Live - Friday the 13th debuted at #61 with 16k (113k sold to date).
It Won't Be Soon Before Long debuted at #1 with 430k (2.3m sold to date).
Live from Le Cabaret debuted at #117 with 5.9k (20k sold to date).
Call and Response: The Remix Album debuted at #73 with 16k (136k sold to date).
Hands All Over debuted at #2 with 142k (1.3m sold to date).
iTunes Session EP has sold 10k.
Overexposed debuted at #2 with 222k (1.5m sold to date).
V debuted at #1 with 164k (1.1m to date).
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weaver
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Post by weaver on Nov 4, 2017 13:23:27 GMT -5
Ok, so I listened to this again. Here's my song by song review with a score, for anyone who cares. I am a huge fan of Maroon 5, and have been since I first discovered Songs About Jane. So naturally I was really looking forward to this album. Some of the songs are starting to grow on me, but I never had to let Maroon 5 grow on me in the past, for the most part.
1. Best 4 You - Well, this is funky and kind of fun, but also somewhat forgettable. I kinda can't remember how it even goes when it's over, but I do like the production and the instrumentation. This would probably somehow make more sense in the context of the album if it was track 5 or 6, for some reason. 8/10
2. What Loves Do - I was pretty "meh" when I heard this one the first time a few weeks back. It's growing on me, and it's catchy, but what is SZA doing there? She seems unnecessary. Also, Adams vocals here are so processed in the chorus they practically sound like a keyboard. 8/10
3. Wait - I do dig this one, even though the beat it settles into seems like it might fit in with the beat ballads from Mariah's E=MC2. That isn't a terrible thing, and I still like this, and I think it could be a single. 8.5/10.
4. Lips on You - This is one of the head-scratchers of the album for me. It's pleasant sounding, but super slow, which in itself isn't a bad thing, but it just sort of doesn't go anywhere. Unlike some of the others, the chorus at least makes some impact, so 7/10.
5. Bet My Heart - When the acoustic guitar came in at the beginning I got excited. But...this somehow never finds a groove. The beat feels half baked or something. I guess they were going for something here, but I dont' think they quite pulled it off. 6/10.
6. Help Me Out - I somehow liked this more before I heard it in the context of the album, probably because another mid tempo groove with a sort of start-stop minimal beat. It does work on this song though, probably because it's super catchy, and at the second verse there is actually a coherent beat that kicks in. 9/10.
7. Who I Am - Well...this is kinda like Sugar and Jessie J's Domino got together, had a song baby, and gave it some song baby xanax. I actually like it, and find it super catchy, and it could probably be a single. I'm not sure LunchMoney Lewis is necessary in this (any?) context. 9/10.
8. Whiskey - I have never enjoyed Whiskey as a drink, and I do not "get" this song. I'm not against a good ballad but this just seems to go nowhere. The nail in the coffin for me is the A$AP Rocky feature on a song that essentially has no beat. It makes no sense. 4/10.
9. Girls Like You - Again I got excited when the acoustic guitar came in at the beginning. However, it's just another sort of slow-mid tempo beat ballad with a quite minimal beat that doesnt' feel like it goes anywhere. Maybe it'll grow on me but right now, meh, er...I guess i could say yeh yeh yeh. 6/10.
10. Closure - Ok this is pretty fun. The song itself is perhaps a bit half-baked, like a lot of them seem to be, but the groove is great. The main song gets 7/10, but the jam portion at the end gets 12/10, so 9.5/10 overall.
After typing this I feel like I'm being really negative, and I was actually kinda mad the first time I listened through this, because I didn't expect disappointment. I'm all for going in a new direction, like they did when they struck gold with Moves Like Jagger. It made sense for them to pursue a more electro-pop sound after scoring the biggest hit of their career with it. I guess maybe for this album they wanted to do something different, and I do like some of it, but a lot of it just doesn't land with me. Hopefully it will grow on me.
Overall score: 75/100, so a solid C, which is about how I feel about this album.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2017 13:41:47 GMT -5
Most of this sounds like M5 decided to record and release the r&b album Drake scrapped five years ago, with a few extra guitar plucks or a little less bass to make it more 'them.' It wouldn't be a problem if Adam sounded like he was into it (b/c I'm still slightly seething that Drake never did make that r&b album), but he feels so disengaged mot of the time. I don't dislike it for the most part - in fact, I'm frustrated because I would normally love this (except for What Lovers Do - Adam and SZA have no chemistry whatsoever), but it fades too easily into the background if I start doing other things and I think Adam's lack of commitment is the reason why. The songs are ostensibly solid, but if he's not into it why should I be? Adam does not have the kind of voice that can get away with lacking emotion so there's a flat feeling to everything. Even Closure's long outro feels phoned in. If you're going to give me a jam session give me a JAM session. There's not a lot of improv going on here. This should have been chopped off after 5 or 6 minutes.
So now I just have this collection of listenable filler. This is going to be one of those albums where I eventually drive myself crazy thinking of all the people I wish would have sung it instead.
The fact that it doesn't really sound like a "band" was not really that noticeable or problematic to me but that's probably a carryover from the last two albums having that feel. I guess I'm too used to it to be bothered now.
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weaver
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Post by weaver on Nov 4, 2017 13:46:30 GMT -5
^^Listenable filler is a great way of putting it.
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Rural Juror
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Post by Rural Juror on Nov 4, 2017 19:03:02 GMT -5
On first listen, I was disappointed that they didn't go back to their rock roots a la Songs About Jane and It Won't Be Soon Before Long. Curious that those are their most successful albums which sold the most and yet they went the R&B route with this one. For the next album, they need to go back to doing rock music again. IWBSBL is my favorite M5 album and I would be ecstatic if they have another album like that inside them.
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ilikemusic
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Post by ilikemusic on Nov 7, 2017 18:13:36 GMT -5
^^Listenable filler is a great way of putting it. Pretty much how I feel about this entire album. I think a huge reason I’ve grown weary about today’s pop music in general is it’s extremely obvious songs are made in a room with 5 middle aged men with little to no inspiration aside from “well let’s try to make this as generic and radio appealing as possible” and the result is usually something something listenable, as in the song is “correct” in a mechanical perspective but overall falls flat because it’s simply uninspired and unoriginal. Character and distinctiveness is something we see more in rappers and today’s rising urban artists, hence why it’s taking over the market that traditional pop has had a stronghold on for years. It’s funny to see pop acts try to emulate a more “urban sound” because most of the time, it just comes across as contrived and again, uninspired. I feel the public is finally starting to reject this type of music, hence the lower than usual sales for M5 (this probably would’ve sold terribly without the tour bundle). They need to bring back their character, and what made them a distinct and identifiable band AND brand in the first place, and that is most prevalent in their first two albums, hence, why they sold the most.
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gbaby
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Post by gbaby on Nov 7, 2017 19:11:37 GMT -5
Album is awesome.
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Glove Slap
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Post by Glove Slap on Nov 8, 2017 0:58:40 GMT -5
They need to bring back their character, and what made them a distinct and identifiable band AND brand in the first place, and that is most prevalent in their first two albums, hence, why they sold the most. ...you are aware that aside from like 2 or 3 people, sales have tanked all around over the past decade+ right? By all means, you can certainly like what you like and dislike what you dislike, but blanket-level pretentious statements like your post are just silly altogether when you see how music consumption has gone across the industry with extremely rare (virtually singular) exceptions.
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Post by Heart Shaped Box on Nov 8, 2017 1:16:35 GMT -5
They need to bring back their character, and what made them a distinct and identifiable band AND brand in the first place, and that is most prevalent in their first two albums, hence, why they sold the most. ...you are aware that aside from like 2 or 3 people, sales have tanked all around over the past decade+ right? By all means, you can certainly like what you like and dislike what you dislike, but blanket-level pretentious statements like your post are just silly altogether when you see how music consumption has gone across the industry with extremely rare (virtually singular) exceptions. Not to mention each of their previous albums were either #1 or #2 and they have like 8 #1 billboard pop hits. You’re talking about one of those most consistently successful pop acts in the game.
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Hurricane Lee
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Post by Hurricane Lee on Nov 8, 2017 13:00:21 GMT -5
I have an unhealthy obsession with Wait.
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SHOOTER
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Post by SHOOTER on Nov 8, 2017 15:28:17 GMT -5
Now projected for a #2 debut with 126-131k SPS (104-109k sales).
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Hurricane Lee
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Post by Hurricane Lee on Nov 8, 2017 15:56:25 GMT -5
They are so consistent. I love it! Even without huge hits, they still sell.
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gbaby
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Post by gbaby on Nov 13, 2017 13:13:45 GMT -5
This album is really fun to listen to. I find myself coming back to it over the albums of other favorites.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2017 16:44:01 GMT -5
This album is more mellow, vibey than their previous and I agree with the user that compared it to Drake-esque R&B. Still overall a good album. Faves: 1. Who I Am (has to be the next single) 2. What Lovers Do 3. Whiskey 4. Wait 5. Best 4 U Songs About Jane peaked at #6 with 72k (5.1m sold to date). It Won't Be Soon Before Long debuted at #1 with 430k (2.3m sold to date). Hands All Over debuted at #2 with 142k (1.3m sold to date). Overexposed debuted at #2 with 222k (1.5m sold to date). V debuted at #1 with 164k (1.1m to date). This consistency though. I would have never thought they would remain this big over a decade later. This will be their first album not to cross a million sales but in the current climate, if their SPS total gets to at least 800k it'll be a good tally I think. Songs about Jane and V are my favorite sets, V was surprisingly strong and had a lot of potential (still bummed "It Wasn't You" wasn't released).
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weaver
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Post by weaver on Nov 14, 2017 19:48:37 GMT -5
I'm liking this more now. A few of the ballads drag, but I am really enjoying Best 4 U, Wait, Help Me Out, Who I Am, and all of the (new) bonus tracks are pretty good. I love Visions! With the bonus tracks I will update my grade to a solid B.
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gbaby
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Post by gbaby on Nov 16, 2017 10:34:43 GMT -5
"Wait" was added to a Spotify playlist (can't remember, I think it was Today's Hits or something similar). Is that the next single?
Personally, I think that'd be a great move on their choice.
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Ty
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good vibes and R&B
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Post by Ty on Nov 16, 2017 11:33:41 GMT -5
"Wait" was added to a Spotify playlist (can't remember, I think it was Today's Hits or something similar). Is that the next single? Personally, I think that'd be a great move on their choice. They probably hesitated for a while between this and "Help Me Out." I like both but this one has smashing hit written all over itself.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2017 12:54:04 GMT -5
I only use a few songs from the album still, but Wait is one of them. Good choice if true.
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Nov 17, 2017 10:43:34 GMT -5
93k in album sales
RIAA.com:
MAROON 5 Title: RED PILL BLUES Certification Date: November 14, 2017 Label: 222 RECORDS / INTERSCOPE Format: ALBUM Gold
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maine
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Post by maine on Feb 8, 2018 17:53:17 GMT -5
Finally got around to listening to the album. Wow, this might be one of the most uninspired albums I've ever listened to. This literally sounds like a contract fulfillment album rather than by a band who enjoys making music. Adam sounds sooooo bored on every track.
The only songs I really liked were "What Lovers Do", "Wait", and "Closure" – "Best 4 U" was decent too. I like "Closure" a lot because it actually sounds like their old music. It could have stood to be like 7 minutes shorter, but I won't complain.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 9:51:21 GMT -5
"Wait" is their 20th top 40 hit on the Hot 100, and 13th in a row with the exception of Feelings which never debuted.
Impressive.
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Glove Slap
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Post by Glove Slap on Apr 9, 2018 18:49:32 GMT -5
V has been certified 3x Platinum.
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Post by areyoureadytojump on May 24, 2018 12:21:15 GMT -5
RIAA.com:
MAROON 5 Title: RED PILL BLUES Certification Date: May 17, 2018 Label: 222 RECORDS / INTERSCOPE Format: ALBUM 1xP
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Troublemaker
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Post by Troublemaker on May 24, 2018 20:39:52 GMT -5
How much has it sold?
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pnobelysk
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Post by pnobelysk on May 24, 2018 21:44:51 GMT -5
^220k~
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Gary
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Post by Gary on Aug 17, 2018 13:16:48 GMT -5
How Maroon 5 Stays Winning on the Charts After a Decade and a Half
8/17/2018 by Andrew Unterberger
Maroon 5 hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time on the chart dated Apr. 3, 2004, with breakout Songs About Jane single "This Love." Here are the names of some of the other lead artists on that week's top 10: Cassidy, Clay Aiken, Mario Winans, Chingy, J-Kwon and Evanescence.
You probably don't need us to tell you that those artists haven't made a tremendous number of repeat visits to the top 10 in the years since; indeed, none of them have been there in at least a decade. But Maroon 5 has. In fact, "This Love" was just the first of a whopping 14 top 10 hits the group has had on the chart this century, with two of those even coming off its latest LP, last year's Red Pill Blues (three if you count 2016's "Don't Wanna Know," from the set's deluxe edition). Most recently, "Girls Like You" became the highest-charting of those hits, reaching No. 2 on the chart dated Aug. 18 -- the group's third such runner-up peak (after "Payphone" in 2011 and "Sugar" in 2015), to go with three hits that made it all the way to No. 1 (2007's "Makes Me Wonder," 2011's Christina Aguilera-featuring "Moves Like Jagger" and 2012's "One More Night").
That kind of chart longevity would be tremendous for any artist. But for Maroon 5 -- a rock-pop septet whose members are all at least pushing 40 -- it's particularly impressive. Listen to the slickly produced, guitar-driven blue-eyed soul that made up the group's early hits, and with the possible exception of a stray Charlie Puth hit here or there, you won't find much like that original sound on radio in 2018. Bands in general are also in pretty short supply on the charts these days: Eight months into the 2018 calendar year, and Imagine Dragons are the only other band besides Maroon 5 with a conventional guitar-bass-drum band lineup to hit the Hot 100's top 10. (Not to mention that "Girls Like You," depsite its guest rap, is the only song in the top 10 this week not classified by Billboard as an R&B/hip-hop song.)
So how do Adam Levine & Co. do it? Well, the most obvious answer is: They get help. Look at the artist credits of Maroon 5's three Red Pill-era top 10s and you'll see an equally recognizable name right next to theirs: Kendrick Lamar featured on "Don't Wanna Know" (No. 8), SZA on "What Lovers Do" (No. 9) and Cardi B on the remix to "Girls Like You." The inclusion of three of 2018's biggest, timeliest stars on each of the band's recent top 10 hits -- which doesn't even count the Future-featuring "Cold," a No. 16 hit in April 2017 -- gave the songs an obvious boost, making them must-listens for younger fans of those hipper artists (who might not even be old enough to remember Maroon 5's Songs About Jane era), and offering the band a decent amount of 2018 cool by proxy.
However, to say it's only the guests that does it both underestimates Maroon 5's own skills as hitmakers, and overstates the influence of a seemingly bulletproof feature. While a cameo from Cardi or Kendrick certainly helps your single's chances of crossing over, it's not a guarantee to do so -- ask Rita Ora or U2, who scored guest appearances within the past year from the two artists (on "Girls" and "Get Out of Your Own Way," respectively), but still didn't even hit the Hot 100 with either single. What's more, while SZA might seem a commercial force in late 2018, following a big Black Panther hit, a couple high-profile TV performances and a bunch of Grammy nominations, when "What Lovers Do" was released last August, it was arguably just a big a boon for SZA to be on a single with established pop stars like Maroon 5 as it was for the band to harness her rising-star energy.
And Maroon 5 has an advantage just as important as big guest stars: a seemingly permanent seat at the table at Top 40 radio. A staggering 13 of the group's last 14 official singles have hit the top 10 of Billboard's Radio Songs chart -- a streak interrupted only by the No. 16 peak of 2015 one-off "This Summer's Gonna Hurt Like a MotherFucker," whose chorus contained a very big and obvious impediment to its radio-readiness. "What Lovers Do" reached No. 5 on the chart, while "Don't Wanna Know" and "Girls Like You" each topped it outright -- two of their six Radio Songs No. 1s, the most of any group in the chart's 27-year history.
It's not a status the group got to by accident, either. It has spent the last 15 years evolving to fit with contemporary radio, whether via collaborations with hitmaking producers like Benny Blanco, Shellback, Max Martin and Ryan Tedder, or shifts in its sound to blend in with modern trends towards EDM, dancehall and trop house, among other sounds. Maroon 5 in 2018 doesn't sound like Maroon 5 in 2015, 2012 or 2007 -- but each of those incarnations of the band sounds enough like what else was going on in their respective years' top 40 rotations to not stick out conspicuously among them.
Of course, it's been easier for Maroon 5 to stay relevant on radio than it has been for them with streaming. The band scored a No. 3 hit on Billboard's Streaming Songs chart with "Sugar" in 2015, but since then, it has hit the top 10 only once. The group is starting to edge its way back in on that chart as well, though, not just by enlisting cameos from top-streamed artists like Kendrick and Cardi, but by focusing increased efforts on its singles' accompanying music videos, going semi-viral with clips like the Pokemon Go-parodying "Don't Wana Know" video, or with the star-studded all-female cameos of its "Girls Like You" visual. (The latter currently has over 600 million views to date on YouTube, helping the single reach No. 5 on Streaming Songs.)
It hasn't been easy for Maroon 5 to maintain a regular presence in the Hot 100's upper echelon as all its peers from a decade and a half ago have slowly fallen by the mainstream's wayside: Simply writing catchy pop-rock songs, as the band has been able to do consistently for its entire chart run, is no longer anywhere near sufficient. But the band has proven that for those who are willing to put in the work and the resources, into keeping their sound consistently updated to the times, into crafting headline-catching visuals to go with its hit singles, and into recruiting the big-name artists who can attach their own skills and contemporary cred to those hits, there's still a place near the top of the charts for Bands Like Them.
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