How to explain the popularity of "Uptown Funk"?

Clem, do you listen to the acts the song alludes to? No ulterior motive in the question. I can understand loking The Time and Gap Band and not a pastiche.

I have some albums that I would have played once. As I acknowledged in my initial post, I'm not a fan of funk in general. But there's '80s stuff I like: "Word Up," "Crazay," a few Prince songs of course. Even as an outsider, though, "Uptown Funk" strikes me as this really bad and bombastic imitation, tantamount to having someone get right up beside me and yell in my ear for four minutes. I'll be interested to see how people feel about five or ten years down the road.

Most Embarrassing Pazz & Jop Top 3 Singles 2004-1979

I don't do Spotify, but I essentially used what that Billboard article mentioned, plus "Ladies Night," "Living in America" and "Walk the Dinosaur."

I do think songs like this are helpful in recognizing how relevant production is as much as arrangements. That is, you hear tons of songs in this, but this song, just by dint of being 2015, sounds totally different. Which is one reason my kids looked at me funny when I said this sounded like any of those other songs. Yeah, it sounds like them, but it doesn't really sound like them.

I'll be interested to see how people feel about five or ten years down the road.

Ha, come on, man. Try five months. But hit singles aren't necessarily built to last, they are built to hit. That said, I'm not sure what time traveling this one does that "Treasure" did not, though I do think this one is sharper.

"Treasure" always sounded good whenever I heard it somewhere. There was also some time traveling of a different sort in "When I Was Your Man," with that Otis Redding or whatever the heck that beautiful thing was that happened in the bridge.

(xpost) Yes and no. Whatever they're built for, the best singles last.

Hmm, I dunno. It's splitting hairs, but I think the best songs last. The best singles are not always the best songs, imo.

Add "New Sensation" to the list of potential influences.

a few Prince songs of course.

just a few?!

In terms of his funk side, yeah, just a few; I much prefer poppier stuff like "Raspberry Beret" and "Mountains," and I wasn't really including those. I think the least funkiest guy in the world should voluntarily remove himself from this thread.

oh I see your distinction

would love to see morris day/the time (or other old funkateers) getting some extra bookings on the back of this song.

esp as ronson thanked them during his brits speech

agree

i'm guessing there'll be plenty of opportunities to do performances of this w/ guest stars at award shows over the next year, would be surprised if they don't do something like that at least once

honestly it would be smart for Ronson, if he ever has to tour or a TV appearance when Bruno isn't free, to straight up have Morris Day or someone like that just do all the lead vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWhiND2qhZU

No longer #1:
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6531861/wiz-khalifa-see-you-again-no-1-hot-100

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BElb7a1CYAIY2N4.jpg

lollll i was just thinking last week that if there was any dark horse out there it'd be the love theme from furious 7

doubted maroon 5's "uptown lite funk" or either of the 50 shades love themes would topple it as all are in maturity as pop hits

Morris Day + Time + "Living in America" >>>>> "I'll Be Missin' You."

yes but dear god man it's been more than 3 months of "Hooray For 80s funk-pop" let people enjoy their paul walker memorial vid

have you seen that tribute? really gets across what an enduring hottie we lost.

this might be the most baffling bit of trivia in that article for me

Flo Rida's "Right Round" holds the record for most weekly downloads sold: 636,000 (Feb. 28, 2009).

i know they have no motivation to do it but i do wish the streaming songs chart could distinguish between people on spotify yearning to hear wiz khalifa rap about brotherhood and people on youtube yearning to see paul walker's beautiful eyes one more time

though I guess the "On-Demand Songs" chart somewhat gets that distinction across as its strictly songs played and requested on streaming radio, and wiz is #1 there too

i know they have no motivation to do it but i do wish the streaming songs chart could distinguish between people on spotify yearning to hear wiz khalifa rap about brotherhood and people on youtube yearning to see paul walker's beautiful eyes one more time

I should solve the problem by creating an "Uptown Funk" fan video with scenes from Paul Walker's beach movie.

"How To Explain the Popularity of "See You Again"?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQE9Bi0-Ra0

Alfred how dare you compare "I'll Be Missing You" to this Wiz garbage.

finally figured out what uptown funk really reminded me of:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI9uJbczhiI

leon haywood - don't push it, don't force it

good find! basis for a lawsuit I suppose

Write Haywood's lawyer.

well, I wouldn't wanna push it

basis for a lawsuit I suppose

only when Haywood gets out of court with Blood Sweat & Tears

This song is so many other songs it could single handedly clog the courts. Reminds me of the DJ Shadow frustration/surrender that you can only split a song's royalties 50/50 once.

MJ's "Jam" more than anything else imo... same hook.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHI1yI1Ndk

And anyone defending it hasn't had enough James Brown in their lives to recognize utter vanillatude when it's staring them square in the face.

(sorry, combined... nickB's otm for overall structure)

It's a better song than "Living in America"

what became of that whole "suing songs for being vague soundalikes" thing? I wasn't really following. Was the decision upheld? Have loads of people followed suit? Could massive attack sue over this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhc7Gqr1SwM