Mood Music

740. KAISER CHIEFS, "I Predict A Riot"
Written by Nick Baines, Nick Hodgson, Simon Rix, Andrew White, Ricky Wilson
B-Unique 088 2005 Did not make pop charts

90% of pop music proceeds by generic musical cues; 95% of good pop music plays with those cues to liven up the experience.

As usual with me, let's dispose of the words first: yes, these people think a riot would be a good thing.

The fun part, though, is the expectations that the arrangement sets up. Not only those opening guitars but that organ is as "scary" as the first verse promises. Then the chorus kicks in, and here we are among bracing power chords and all those la la las. Suddenly, a riot doesn't seem like all that bad an idea. Seriously, people, where do you want to "be"?

Simple, but effective.

And the Children Shall Lead

678. LADY SOVEREIGN, "Random"
Produced by Ad-Rock, Ceri Evans, and Medasyn; written by L. Harman & G. Olegavich
Casual 015 2005 Did not make pop charts

679. LIL MAMA, "Lip Gloss"
produced by Famliar Mindz; written by F. Crumm, N. Kirkland, and E. Serrano
Jive 707519 2007 Did not make pop charts

If you buy the myth as presented in the standard histories (and particularly in 8 Mile), hiphop is supposed to be egalitarian. In the myth, anyone can step up to the mike and take their shot. In reality, though, the newest figures in hiphop seem almost as manufactured as the ones in pop.

These two singles, though, are exceptions. Honestly, they're two of my favorite debuts in hiphop ever. Both rappers were barely old enough to vote when they laid down these tracks, and both songs still bear the mark of schoolyard taunts. But if rap really is just an extension of the dozens. just a showdown that's won on pure verbal or rhythmic facility, then these two young women could probably take on most challengers. The soi-disant vertically challenged S-O-V from Chalkhill takes down Chingy, J-Kwon, and Chris Bridges in short order. And my fellow Brooklynite? She takes down the principal, just by wielding (as the original Buffy Summers once referred to her most innate superpower) her keen fashion sense. She poppin.

Wind It Up One Time, Wind It Back Once More

638. RIHANNA, "Pon de Replay"
Produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken; written by Alisha Brooks, Vada Nobles, Evan Rogers, and Carl Sturken
Def Jam 9885427 2005 Billboard # 2

As you can tell from previous entries, I'm not big on the whole "once they broke wide, they sold out" mythology of pop music.

However . . . in some cases, it might just fit.

Don't get me wrong: I find Rihanna as entertaining as the next person. I've already included "Rehab" in this list, and before I'm done I may include one or two more of her tracks. But for me, Rihanna has never again been as fun as she was on this first single. Sure, it is a mass-produced, dancefloor-ready track, but I do feel as if there's a person in there somewhere singing it. She might even be enjoying herself. In some of Rihanna's later singles, though, even the ones I like, I often can't find the person for the polish.

In pop as in politics, the key to building a successful brand is basing the star's mega-image in authentic, still-visible scraps of her/his spontaneous character. Rihanna started out as Bill Clinton, but lately I feel as if she's been pulling a John Kerry. Get back to the dancefloor, girl. Maybe kick off the stilettos and slip back into a pair of sneakers.