Working in an industry plagued by lackluster pop tunes and copycat songs curated for the sole purpose of brief radio popularity, Post Malone has proven again that he will not fall victim to artistic monotony. Post Malone’s newest release — “Hollywood’s Bleeding” presents the chance for those who have grown tired of the homogeneity of the Top 40’s pop music offerings to take a deep breath of fresh air.
This ridiculously impressive artist dominates the charts and garners organic, genuine excitement for his releases simply because his songs are not entirely predictable. While his most popular hits are relentlessly blasted by the radio, Post Malone is extremely capable of creating unique and meaningful music that is worthy of being overplayed. Post Malone is the epitome of “get you a guy who can do both.''
Just two days after the album’s Sept. 6 release date, 17 of the 50 songs on Spotify’s “United States Top 50” chart were from “Hollywood’s Bleeding.” The album’s tracklist is 17 songs exactly, meaning that every song on the album managed to earn itself a spot on the music streaming service’s compilation of the “most played tracks in the United States right now.” This is a rare feat and a testament to the high quality of the album. A “Congratulations” is definitely in order.
With a smooth, beautiful voice capable of capturing the attention of many, Post Malone is not your average pop star. Post Malone blends both pop and rap together into a cohesive body of work — his ability to expand the boundaries of genre patterns is laudable. He is both a rapper and a singer, but his album’s collaborative features indicate it’s the rap community he primarily aims to appeal to. “Hollywood’s Bleeding” boasts an impressively long list of featured artists — including DaBaby, Future, Halsey, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott, SZA, Swae Lee and Young Thug. Post Malone possesses a flexibility with his wide range of features, guaranteeing enjoyment from various audiences.
The feature perhaps most representative of Post Malone’s genre bending ability is Ozzy Osbourne — a surprising yet intriguing addition to the track “Take What You Want,” which simultaneously features Travis Scott. This song is a unique stand-out compared to the rest of the album, including a beautiful guitar solo at the end that differs from Posty’s typical instrumental inclinations.
Post Malone released four tracks as singles prior to the release of the album, all of which received positive critical acclaim — “Circles,” “Wow.,” ''Sunflower,”and “Goodbyes.” Unsurprisingly, these are four of the most noteworthy songs of the album. “Circles” is a particularly feel-good song fit for a windows-down car ride straight out of a coming of age movie. “Goodbyes” features Young Thug’s rap with lyrics that perfectly accentuate the catchy beat of the entire song. “Sunflower,” released in October of 2018 on the soundtrack for “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, ” was rightfully one of the most popular songs of this past summer.
Aside from the popular singles that have had already made their way onto playlists galore, “Hollywood’s Bleeding” includes an overwhelming handful of lesser-known gems. “Saint-Tropez” features Post Malone’s typical booming bassline with an alluring twist that makes it one of the album’s most unique songs. “Allergic” and “Myself” are softer, more pop-ish solos that showcase the sheer beauty of the artist’s melodic voice that first made him famous. Both feature refreshingly self-aware lyrics paired with memorable choruses. “Staring At The Sun” featuring SZA is another wonderful collaboration of two talented voices complementing each other magnificently.
“Hollywood’s Bleeding” deserves the widespread praise and shows the music industry that Post Malone is a consistent frontrunner in producing hits. Once again, he has crafted a masterful mixture of genres that is sure to please seasoned fans and new listeners alike. Somebody had better get Hollywood a Band-Aid because this album is bleeding with success, and it’s not stopping anytime soon.
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