Back when Todd expected good things from Imagine Dragons. Back when we all hoped for more from Gotye. Right before Ke$ha disappeared for a few years and then every single thing about her career became infinitely depressing. Pretty much everything Todd says here is just...so sad now.
I think that's pretty appropriate for how the last 7 years have been though eh? But yeah, I was thinking the same thing especially about Ke$ha. If only he knew WHY she had been changing her image even slightly...
Watching this in 2023 is a trip, lemme tell you. Beyond the bitter irony of Todd being optimistic about Imagine Dragons, it's incredible how many of these songs have completely fallen out of my mind. Like, Todd plays a clip and I'm like, "Oh, I remember this song! It was really good!" But I genuinely haven't thought about any of these songs in a decade.
FUN FACT: That whole chorus in Die Young, about the beats of the drums and what not, was written by Nate Ruess, fun.'s lead singer. So yes, Some Nights is probably the drum beats she's thinking of... because Nate wrote it. Good lord do I miss fun.
Let's recap. 2012. Imagine Dragons is the next big thing. Kesha will never be emotional. Indie Rock will take over the mainstream and usher in a new sound. Toddstradumus strikes again.
@@iliketrains3495 nor was the indie rock. In a sense, Todd predicted the indie rock movement that included songs like Pompeii, Radioactive/Demons, Take Me to Church, and the Twentyone Pilots year
Well, he was right about indie. It (and "alt" in general) dominated the decade in terms of rock music, bands like Cage the Elephant, Alt-J, Walk the Moon, X Ambassadors, The 1975, etc...
@@Zooropa_Station it's also weird that pop artists too collaborate people w/ indie cred(especially Taylor) . Fantano has updated thoughts on Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion album that kinda impact the industry. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xNKuh5j2jiE.html
You know, I really like Imagine Dragons. They make some good songs (maybe about nothing but I like songs like that so) it’s just the ones that get popular are not the best and overplayed to HELL. Of course maybe I just like shitty music.
Man, die young is such a bizarre song for me now. I was engaged, and she absolutely adored Ke$ha. She kept trying to get me to like her, and I kind of begrudgingly did. My fiance died in 2012. Ke$ha released die young maybe a few months after her passing. Needless to say, it was painful. Unspeakably painful. But now, with so many years between us, it's such an interesting experience to listen to it. It's pretty much the perfect song for what she would have loved, it encapsulated her personality so perfect, and it brings such bittersweet emotions to me whenever I listen to it.
I know I'm late to this but I started tearing up reading this comment. That sort of pain is something i can only imagine, and I hope your doing good right now
They didn't have to cut him off. Make out like it never happened and he was nothing. But he doesn't even need that though, only a one-hit-wonder on the radio.
And if anyone wants to know how fun. Is doing who doesn't know: They basically broke up at the beginning of 2015. They didn't release another album after Some Nights, and judging how long it's been, they probably never will. Rest in peace fun.
I think these lists become even more entertaining year after year because now, 6 years later, we have perspective of what happened to each of the bands now. It's really nostalgic and a reminder of what once was and what could have been.
I don't think Todd quite grasps the significance of his work: he's not just reviewing music, he's creating a chronicle of music history *while it's happening*. These videos aren't just youtube videos made for entertainment: they're a reflection of the culture and time they were made in. A time capsule, like something preserved for centuries in amber.
So many lines in this list aged poorly. Wishing well for Imagine Dragons, king of pop Gotye, Kesha remaining a party girl. So many Toddstradamus moments.
If you all recorded every thought you'd ever had on anything, I'd wager there would be more than a few predictions that turned out to be wrong over time.
Todd in the Shadows has gotten so upset with the current state of pop music he has mentally regressed into a fantasy world where it is always previous eras of pop music. He has decorated his room like it is the early 00s and has opened up an account on Neo Pets--that he actually plays. He refuses to acknowledge it is any later year.
MyssBlewm It would make more sense to pretend it wasn't the current year we're living in. And, maybe go back to 2012 or 2017? I don't know about you, sir/ma'am. But that's how it sounds to me at least.
Watching this in 2019 is so bittersweet. MAN do I miss this pop scene... the smash hit after smash hit, the insane amounts of good energy, the fun that came through in the hit songs... I can’t even listen to the radio anymore, it’s all trap and low-energy songs about depression and numbed pain... and there’s just less of it... even if I can vibe with the darker themes, I miss pop music being this giant, diverse party. I miss dancing to the radio like I did in middle school/early high school, and feeling like hit music reflected a love for life. This brought back such good memories of when pop music peaked for me, so thanks for reposting.
@@benbauer1257 To be fair, kinda hard to feel anything other than crushing angst and rage with the way the world is right now. It's not healthy to bathe in that shit, but it's equally unhealthy to ignore it. This is going to be a violent upheaval of a generation.
I remember hating We Are Young for how overplayed it was back then but now I look back on it fondly Makes me miss being a stupid immature 11-12 year old instead of a horribly depressed borderline suicidal at times 19 year old
@@Karmy. I was a repressed 19 yo when that song took over, and I hated it then. I still hate it now, but I do miss the upbeat feeling of wonder that kinda defined 2012 pop.
The Imagine Dragon’s song has the lyric “I’m never changing who I am” and in a way they sold out but also they’ve been making the same empty shell song for 6 years now, so.
It's Time, Some Nights, Somebody That I Used to Know, Lights, Locked out of Heaven, AND Take Care all came out in the same year? Damn this was an amazing year for music.
Kostas Kossivakis who the hell knows? Like honestly I can’t think of a single song guaranteed for the best list, and only a few guaranteed for the worst list
Clearly the sad sorry state of pop music in 2018 has caused him to mentally break and create a fictional reality for himself from before music got to its current state.
@@NimhLabs Sounds about right. Todd sometimes has awful taste in music most years anyways. Not like in 2012. But in 2010, and 2011, 2015, and especially 2016, 2017, (and for most of 2018). That could make anybody want to snap, having to listen to crap for that long, ma'am.
I think my favorite thing about these old top 10s of the year is watching them and seeing how many totally crappy and great songs are still regularly played on my radio on the way to work as well as seeing how many of Todd's predictions were right or wrong.
I'm usually a rocker, but I concur that Lights is a fucking beautiful song. It's not about aliens though. It's about going through trauma as a child and being afraid of the dark. Basically not understanding what's happening to her, but she knows the dark scares her. It's fucking brilliant. Child's point of view. It's about the comfort the light brings us and the terror that the dark brings us when we view things through simple eyes of a child. it's incredibly deep, surprisingly, for a pop song. So good. I've gotta thank you, Todd, because you have helped to show me that pop music can be deep and meaningful. I wish you would do more hard rock reviews though.
@@peterpansie5 Yeah, I'd say that Demons was a bad omen right from the start, but I think they were interesting and had the potential to be pretty good.
The problem is they're all worse at being radioactive than radioactive was Lets compare it to powermetal an entire genre with like 4 overall sounds, yet nobody says Dio is the only good artist to ever make powermetal because bands like Hammerfall, Unleash the Archers, Gloryhamner, and Hibria have refined that sound to fine points They arent bad copies theyre homages
@@V2ULTRAKill it’s interesting how s pop music has gotten worse and worse the metal world is releasing hit after hit. Gojira’s latest album was AMAZING, Chthonic’s Supreme Pain for the Tyrant is such an ear worm.
2012 was really the year where everything was continuously happy to me. The music, the people, the beginning of the second half of the Obama administration, and it was before we knew about the behind-the-scenes drama of the site that shall not be named. It's nice that this was reuploaded as a little reminder Todd. It's also making me incredibly freaking depressed in hindsight....
It’s was one of worst years for me personally.. because I was dealing with obsessive thoughts.. and they took some time to get over.. I am not even really finished with them .. or in some cases yes it’s over.. but damn it suck .. but anyway great it was good year for you.. glad on you behind.. and no I not cynical.. I mean it.. well done..! 😊👍
Locked out of heaven will forever be locked in my mind as the song that played on the radio as i barreled down a hill. driving down a hill at 60m/p/h, all that could be heard was the voice of my screaming at me to "be more mature" and stop having a panic attack. Doing as the teacher says i keep my foot off the gas and hover over the break, slowly we speed up. I start sqeeeking and yelping waiting for my teacher to stop yelling at me and tell me something. While the panic increased the radio never seem to stop singing the low tune of locked out of heaven by Bruno Mars. Welp my first time driving was interesting
+Kelly Fulton At least Kimbra's doing alright. She's put out three damn good, if not devisive, albums since 2011, and she keeps getting big names to collaborate on said albums (Skrillex, John Legend, Thundercat).
@@matthewhatfield9535 Todd has also put most of her other stuff in honorable mentions for his top 10s, and has said a few would have high spots or #1 if they'd been bigger hits
Man, it's weird how much of this feels different than what I know now. Pop is dying, what is there is just isn't as good as it was, everybody is trying to be somebody else. This was a dynamite year.
Finally, somebody else who enjoyed Take Care as much as i did. I felt alone in liking that song for years now. Thanks dude. I love gushing over great songs like Take Care. That's what made Drake one of my top 10 favorite artists. Next to artists like Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem...
My phone says it's...uh...is Fishmonkey 3rd, Exterior Epoch A4A an actual date? I guess it's a date. Shouldn't have bought a phone from those Morlocks.
Oh freaking sweet, your part on "Take Care" might legit be my favorite few minutes of material you've ever made, for one of the best songs I've still ever heard
Reading comments from people in 2018 lamenting how terrible 2018 is and how much they wish it was 2012 again is insane from here in 2022. You poor, poor souls. It gets so much worse.
It's so weird that Lights was never even close to a hit in the UK but it was the song that broke through in America, Ellie's big hits here (in this era) were Starry Eyed and Your Song (an Elton John cover), I wish Lights got more recognition in the UK!!
Some Nights is literally one of my favorite songs of all time, and the album is an all time favorite too. Happy to look back and see it getting the appreciation it doesn’t get anymore
In 2012 i was COMPLETELY on the Funmania... and then they took that permanent hiatus, and indie pop stopped being “cool” and I grew up... but “Some Nights” still has a special place in my heart
Ugh 2012 is so nostalgic for me. It was the year I graduated high school and a few weeks after graduation I met my husband. Even some of the “bad” songs make me so happy. This year was a turning point.
Have you ever considered doing a retrospective of your older tops lists? It'd be fun to find out how time colors your opinions of these songs, and whether you revist any of these after their typical pop lifespan.
Todd, I must say, I've liked binge listening to your top 10 videos to in the background to whatever I'm doing. It's great to be able to complete the set. I love your stuff man. Thanks.
god, i love rewatching these years later. from the pure nostalgia of hearing the music of my childhood to the pure joy i get from hearing toddstradamus' hilariously bad predictions
This just made me remember how much I miss Fun., and more specifically, Nate Ruess. Some Nights is still one of my favorite albums of all time, and I'm disappointed that we'll probably never get more from them. As good as Bleachers is, they'll never quite compare to Fun. for me.
Honestly Some Nights really resonated with me when I was a sad middle schooler. As a slightly less sad 20 year old it still resonates with me tbh, something about the lonely aimlessness of youth. I can definitely see why Todd liked it.
Only thing i really dont like about them is that Todd just feels very weird when they enter and his comedy style just changes other than that they are mostly whatever Except for that 1 second JewWario cameo, nearly made me crap myself.
Less than one minute in and I'm deeply disturbed by the realization that "We Are Young" came out in 2012. I really thought it was maybe 3 years old, not nearly 7!
I still remember the unbridled joy I felt when the Carly Rae and owl city collaboration came out. Despite being in the middle of horrific depression, I Iliterally said "my cup runneth over" That was a good time.
Well, Scott Joplin had a little song called Maple Leaf Rag, which everyone knows whether they realize it or not. Edward Elgar's "Enigma" variations remains badass (I'm serious). John Philip Sousa was still knocking out hits. Also, Wild Irish Rose and O Sole Mio came out. Every year has good music.
