History WMG / ToddInTheShadowsYearEnd

* "Carnival" by Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign ft. Rich the Kid & Playboi Carti (currently at #3): While Todd understands and respects the decision made by some of his [[WebVideo/TheNeedleDrop fellow]] [[WebVideo/SpectrumPulse colleagues]] to not review ''Vultures'', he notes that he feels some responsibility to say that this track in particular is "[[https://www.twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1760066939580489762 un-fucking-listenable]]".

* "Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyoncé: Todd enjoyed Beyoncé's previous two albums ''Lemonade'' and ''Renaissance'', so it's likely he'll hold this pivot into country in a positive light. Additionally, the song becoming the first by a black woman to hit #1 on the country charts could be something he'll applaud following the [[Music/JasonAldean previous year's controversies in the genre]].

* "Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyoncé: Todd enjoyed Beyoncé's previous two albums ''Lemonade'' and ''Renaissance'', so it's likely he'll hold this pivot into country in a positive light. Additionally, the song becoming the first by a black woman to hit #1 on the country charts could be something he'll applaud following the [[Music/JasonAldean previous year's contoversies in the genre]].

* "Carnival" by Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign ft. Rich the Kid & Playboi Carti (currently at #3): While Todd understands and respects the decision made by some of his [[WebVideo/TheNeedleDrop fellow]] [[WebVideo/SpectrumPulse colleagues]] to not review ''Vultures'', he notes that he feels some responsibility to say that it is "[[https://www.twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1760066939580489762 un-fucking-listenable]]".

* "Carnival" by Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign ft. Rich the Kid & Playboi Carti (currently at #3): While Todd understands and respects the decision by some of his [[WebVideo/TheNeedleDrop fellow]] [[WebVideo/SpectrumPulse colleagues]] to not review ''Vultures'', he notes that he feels some responsibility to say that it is "[[https://www.twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1760066939580489762 un-fucking-listenable]]".

* "Single Soon" by Selena Gomez (peaked at #19): Todd's disdain for Selena Gomez has been well established, and the song's overall reception hasn't been good.
** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

* "Lovin' on Me" by Jack Harlow: Todd [[https://www.twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1747880631194030468 said that]] while he finds it clearly much better than "First Class", he dislikes it much more.

There were four songs that made the Best list that nobody predicted: [[spoiler:"Ceilings" by Lizzy [=McAlpine=] at #8, "Man Made a Bar" by Morgan Wallen ft. Eric Church at #5, "On My Mama" by Victoria Monét at #3, and "Dial Drunk" by Noah Kahan at #2 (the solo version specifically, though he says the Post Malone remix is "surprisingly not terrible")]], as well as six honorable mentions: [[spoiler:"Agora Hills" by Doja Cat, "Handle on You" by Parker McCollum, "Super Shy" by [=NewJeans=], "Snooze" by SZA, "Jaded" by Miley Cyrus, "Can't Catch Me Now" by Olivia Rodrigo]].

** [[spoiler:Confirmed #4.]]

* "Lavender Haze" by Taylor Swift (#32 on Billboard's Year-End list): Given the high praise Todd had for its predecessor, which topped his best list last year, it's easy to see this going over good with him too and could end up on the list this time after it didn't then.
** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

There were four songs that made the Best list that nobody predicted: [[spoiler:"Ceilings" by Lizzy McAlpine at #8, "Man Made a Bar" by Morgan Wallen ft. Eric Church at #5, "On My Mama" by Victoria Monét at #3, and "Dial Drunk" by Noah Kahan at #2 (the solo version specifically, though he says the Post Malone remix is "surprisingly not terrible")]], as well as six honorable mentions: [[spoiler:"Agora Hills" by Doja Cat, "Handle on You" by Parker McCollum, "Super Shy" by [=NewJeans=], "Snooze" by SZA, "Jaded" by Miley Cyrus, "Can't Catch Me Now" by Olivia Rodrigo]].

* "Bongos" by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion (peaked at #14): In the 2023 MTV [=VMAs=] special edition of ''Podcast/SongVsSong'', Todd said it "was no "WAP", but it's pretty good".
** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

* "Murder on the Dancefloor" by Music/SophieEllisBextor: Similar to "Running Up That Hill" in 2022, this UK hit from 2001 was prominently featured in ''Film/{{Saltburn}}'', leading it to trend on [=TikTok=] and scrape the bottom of the Hot 100. Todd has stated he loves the song in his One Hit Wonderland episode of "Yo Get What You Give" calling it his favorite song written by Gregg Alexander after the break-up of the New Radicals. It might get an honorable mention or even be used as a piano intro.

* "Murder on the Dancefloor" by Music/SophieEllisBextor: Similar to "Running Up That Hill" in 2022, this UK hit from 2001 was prominently featured in ''Film/{{Saltburn}}'', leading it to trend on [=TikTok=] and scrape the bottom of the Hot 100. Todd has stated he loves the song in his One Hit Wonderland episode of "You Only Get What You Give" calling it his favorite song written by Gregg Alexander after the break-up of the New Radicals. It might get an honorable mention or even be used as a piano intro.

* "Murder on the Dancefloor" by Music/SophieEllisBextor: Similar to "Running Up That Hill" in 2022, this UK hit from 2001 was prominently featured in ''Film/{{Saltburn}}'', leading it to trend on [=TikTok=] and scrape the bottom of the Hot 100. It might get an honorable mention or even be used as a piano intro.

* "Lovin' on Me" by Jack Harlow: Todd [[https://www.twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1747880631194030468 said that]] while he finds it clearly better than "First Class", he dislikes it much more.

* "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo (peaked at #1): In his review, Todd said that he wouldn't have made this the hit of the decade given the choice, but felt it deserved to be successful regardless, and resonated thanks to the loneliness of the pandemic. He's also under the impression he'll like it even more by the end of the year too.

* "Baby Don't Hurt Me" by David Guetta featuring Anne-Marie and Coi Leray (peaked at #48): And on those notes, here's another lazy sampling song, this time of "What is Love" by Haddaway, which is already bad enough an indictment towards it, and David Guetta was also behind "I'm Good (Blue)", his most hated hit song from 2022. It recently cracked the top 50, making it destined for the list.

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #4.]]

** spoiler: Confirmed #8.

** spoiler: It was jossed.
* "I Hate U" by SZA (#50 on Billboard's Year-End list): Todd's a fan of SZA, as shown by "Love Galore" and "Good Days" respectively appearing on the 2017 and 2021 Best lists, and this one's reception has been very positive.

*** spoiler: "Kill Bill" was confirmed as an Honorable Mention.

* "So Good" by Halsey (peaked at #51): Todd agreed with a [[https://twitter.com/steelstepladder/status/1584959583281614850?s=20&t=unT5NW4krCSOBWDsTAcH0A Twitter reply]] calling "I know his name... I think about him every day" the best two seconds of the year, adding that [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1584962138841677825?s=20&t=unT5NW4krCSOBWDsTAcH0A "If there's any weight I carry"]] may be an even better moment from the same song. It wasn't a huge hit, but it charted higher than [[spoiler: the Mitchell Tenpenny song that made his Worst list]] and came up just short of the Year-End list in part to 2021 hits and Christmas music, so this seems like a near-lock for the Best list.

There were four songs that made the Best list that nobody predicted: [[spoiler: "Son of a Sinner" by Jelly Roll at #10, "F.N.F (Let's Go)" by Hitkidd and [=GloRilla=] at #9, "The Heart Part 5" by Kendrick Lamar at #6, and "23" by Music/SamHunt at #5.

There was one song that made the Worst list that nobody predicted: [[spoiler: "Truth About You" by Mitchell Tenpenny, at #2.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Shockingly, jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Shockingly, jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed, but surprisingly only at #2.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Jossed.]]

*** [[spoiler: Both were jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #8.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #3.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #7.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #4.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed, though it was mentioned when discussing his #10 pick for the Best list.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Honorable Mention.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #2.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Used as the opening song for the Best list.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #1.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed. Todd [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1616846272270598148 later admitted]] that he could've had the title track as an honorable mention, but forgot about it.]]

** [[spoiler: All were jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Honorable Mention.]]

** [[spoiler: All traditionally eligible songs were jossed. Todd instead gave the minor hit "Neverita" an Honorable Mention, saying he preferred it over the big hits from ''Un Verano Sin Ti''.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It did indeed show up in the Best list video...as the credits music. Otherwise, it was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

*** [[spoiler: "Kill Bill" was confirmed as an Honorable Mention.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed. Todd went with "The Heart Part 5" as his Kendrick pick instead.]]
There were four songs that made the Best list that nobody predicted: [[spoiler: "Son of a Sinner" by Jelly Roll at #10, "F.N.F (Let's Go)" by Hitkidd and [=GloRilla=] at #9, "The Heart Part 5" by Kendrick Lamar at #6, and "23" by Music/SamHunt at #5.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #4. Also, the first bumper music of his to end up on the list.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #3.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Dishonorable Mention.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1607481741672910851?cxt=HHwWhsC4tZKI9s4sAAAA he didn't dislike it enough]].]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Dishonorable Mention, Todd said that, had it qualified, [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1607761989467512832?cxt=HHwWgICxmdvA9c8sAAAA it would've been #5]].]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #7.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Dishonorable Mention.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #9, and indeed what the Tweet was referring to.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed, though it was mentioned when discussing his #3 worst pick, saying that he only kept it out of the list "out of lingering affection for Nicki's superior skills".]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #1.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #6.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed. Todd would later comment about it in his "[[Music/LukeCombs Fast Car]]" review, though.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Dishonorable Mention.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed, but Maroon 5 the name was included anyway with no song, as Todd had a placeholder, just in case.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed, though it was mentioned when discussing his #9 worst pick, where he thought it was "actually one of the better [uses of samples]".]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Honorable Mention on the Best List.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" was confirmed #8 on the Worst List.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: Everything was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: Used as the credits music for the Worst list.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists, although Todd did mention that he liked the album "for the most part" on the best list, but whether that includes this or "Circo Loco" above is unknown.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed Honorable Mention on the Best List.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #5 on the Worst List. Todd felt the lyrics were too redundant and misguided to be seen as genuine and endearing.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed for both lists.]]

** [[spoiler: It was jossed from both lists. In his Worst List, Todd said he thought the song was just simply fine.]]
* "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Music/KateBush (#23 on Billboard's Year-End list): Much like "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac recharting a few years ago, this acclaimed 80s classic has re-entered the charts and even greatly surpassed its original chart run, thanks to being featured in an episode of ''Series/StrangerThings''. Todd has confirmed the song would not make the list proper [[https://twitter.com/ShadowTodd/status/1559582089695047680 though he does love it]].
** [[spoiler: Rita Ora's rendition during Rock in Rio was a Dishonorable Mention on the worst list. On the other hand, the real "Running Up That Hill" was listed as an Honorable Mention on the Best List, with Todd clarifying that it did not count. If it had, it would've been #1 instantly, which is not fair.]]

** [[spoiler: Confirmed #10 on the Worst List. In essence, Todd has a negative bias towards Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the song, and he also said that Jessica Darrow, the voice actress of Luisa Madrigal, can't really sing, at least not when she's doing the "Luisa voice".]]