I've been a fan of Todd in the Shadows since 2010 or so, right before he got himself onto That Guy With The Glasses.com. Back then there weren't any internet pop song reviewers on youtube so he filled that void single-handedly. Since then a bunch of other reviewers have risen (and fallen), including The Double Agent, A Critic Named Kevin, and Spectrum Pulse. Of those three, only Spectrum Pulse is still active and he has a very different style than Todd. Spectrum Pulse is a very factual, technical reviewer, whereas Todd focuses more on the lyrics and overall song intent. Todd also tries to maximize the comedic value of his reviews, usually by reviewing bad songs. I think that's because Spectrum Pulse still has a day job (maybe? or several side gigs?) whereas Todd has been supporting himself on Patreon via music reviews for several years now, and comedy gets views.

Anyways, Todd's pop music reviews are generally on the acerbic side, except for his year-end best-of list where he allows himself to speak about songs he likes. He just released his best of 2018 list, which makes it ten top-ten lists. Which is enough for me to rank each of Todd's top song of each of the last ten years by my personal preference. 

10. Uptown Funk (2014)
This song is fun but it's wound-up too tight, too precise. In the middle eight he says "Uptown gonna funk you up" but with that delivery it sounds like Uptown is only gonna go to sleep. 

9. Just Dance (2009)
I know that "just dance, gonna be okay" is ironic and the uneasiness of the beat (and the syncopation) is intentional but I don't feel good listening to this. Makes me want to sit down and drink a tall glass of water. 

8. Get Lucky (2013) 
This song is smooooth and I wouldn't change the station if it came on but I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it either. 

7. Closer (2016)
As Todd said, "Closer" is a hot mess. I didn't like it two years ago because it was so extremely overplayed. Nowadays I can appreciate the way the chorus tumbles over itself. I also like it better now because it got Halsey beyond "the New Americana girl."

6. breathin' (2018)
This song is fine and remarkably jubilant about a song about feeling so anxious you're short of breath. But it's not peak Ariana. Peak Ariana was, "Touch It" and "Thinking Bout You." I mean, I respect the change in subject matter. Not that Ariana needs my respect or approval. Anyways, breathin' is objectively a great song (love the tension before the chorus kicks in for the first time) that also validates the listener's feelings of anxiety rather than brushing them bluntly aside. That differentiates it from songs like "Roar" or "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" - like, you don't know me, I don't want to roar, or come back swinging, life still kind of sucks right now! -  because sometimes all you can do is breathe, and that's enough. However "breathin'" still doesn't make me feel anything except comfortably numb. 

5. Green Light (2017) 
This is... not my favourite song on Melodrama. That place belongs to "Perfect Places, which I thought was a perfect song. But "Green Light" was a hit and Perfect Places wasn't. At least "Green Light" is still a pretty good consolation prize. I totally relate to sentiments like "I know about what you did and I wanna scream the truth," and "thought you said that you would always be in love, but you're not in love no more," and "I'll come get my things but I can't let go." Those are not nice sentiments but as Todd said in another review, "music is not here to satisfy your most positive emotions or your most noble impulses." However, "Green Light" is not higher on this list because I don't think those piano chords were the best choice of accompaniment for cathartic screaming. 

4. Fuck You (2011) 
I sing along with this song every time it comes up on the radio/driving playlist. It's so perfect. Remember that bit about music not always facilitating your best self, or the Black Mirror episode in pastels? When I was assembling Ikea bits this weekend I started calling the little wooden nubs, the cam nuts, and the rubber mallet "THOSE FUCKERS" and it made the whole process easier! 

3. Need You Now (2010)
This song is a better duet than Closer because it makes sense for both vocalists to sing the chorus together. Whereas on Closer, when they "bite the tattoo on your shoulder", do they both have shoulder tattoos? But anyways the only thing I like better than an angry country song is a miserable country song and I liked this one so much that I put it in a mix about miserably crushing on a girl.

2. Take Care (2012)
Take Care alternately expresses self-hatred, exhaustion, and tenderness. Two out of three aint bad except when it's that last one out of three that features in love songs. So, I'm pretty sure this song is sung from the view of a "nice guy" but that self-hatred, exhaustion, and tenderness blends together beautifully, like Jennifer Lawrence says in American Hustle how she loves the smell of her nail polish because it's sweet and rotten at the same time and because of that, not in spite of it, it just works. 

1. Style (2015)
I don't relate to going into a relationship where you don't know how it will end, or whether or not you'd ever get closure, just because they guy is hot, but I love it to bits. I've played this song at least once a week for the past two years, and I'm still not tired of it. Even the first few minor-key 80s synths resonate with my heart. I love the driving, pulsing, bass, the tremble and sighs in Taylor Swift's voice, most of all, the determination with which she sings, "and we'll never go out - of - style." When she cries, "Take me home, just take me home" after the chorus, that's all the closure I need.

"Favourite" is a function of comfort, deliciousness, and accessibility. "Food" in this case excludes desserts.

5. Quasi quiche
Egg, ham, sausage, pineapple, and cheese baked without a crust in a pan with hash browns on top. Veggies too if I feel like it. Not sure if I can buy it elsewhere, but mine is better. 

4. Poutine
A heart attack in a carton. I really like the melted cheese curds and the gravy and the crispy fry texture. Favourite variety of fast food. It would be even better if the gravy was somewhat blander, but... eh. Still good.

3. Noodles in broth
The broth helps flavour the noodles and lubricates their journey down my throat. I've been told that I have the "tastebuds of a venus flytrap" because I like to pepper, rooster sauce, or chili flake the hell out of my broth. Subvarieties:

• Curry udon
• Whatever you call it with the onions and thin beef strips
• Rice vermicelli with napa cabbage and wontons

2. Biryani
It's just spicy rice with vegetable bits in yogurt sauce, right? But it's just as tasty as the sauce is mysterious.

1. Stir fried bean sprouts with julienned carrots, fish brick, and asian melon
It doesn't sound good, and honestly, it's pretty bland, since the salt from the fish brick seems to be the only source of flavour, but the texture is lovely and I shovel it into my mouth to the exclusion of everything else when my mom cooks it. 

Conclusion: my tastes are awfully lowbrow. I could be a vegetarian if I really wanted to.