We're already at the end of July, and a summer anthem has yet to be crowned this season's clear winner. Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" almost made it. Then came Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," and suddenly Cyrus' quick chart ascent, despite her lyrical proclamation that it won't stop, did just that. Now, as August looms, Thicke and Daft Punk are neck-and-neck for the title.
If we base the success of a song strictly on its Top 40 ranking, "Blurred Lines" wins. It spent a solid seven weeks at number one (the longest stretch any have had this year), and just reached 230 million listeners. But chart status doesn't really matter that much anymore. According to The Washington Journal, it's all about a song's impact outside of the Top 40. Thicke's bouncy tune has been covered by everyone from fun. to Queens of the Stone Age. Daft Punk's has had its share of covers, too. Oh, plus, there's a line of Durex condoms named after it.
So, who wins? We'll have to see. What we can glean is that the key to a perfect summer track includes disco beats, a male falsetto, a promiscuous theme, and Pharrell — always Pharrell. (Washington Journal)
Photo: Courtesy of Star Trak, LLC; Columbia Records.