Kneecap Supporters Thread

[glasagusban]

You don’t understand why Beyonce is a cultural phenomenon, you can’t see why her fans love her or why she’s successful because you don’t understand them. You’re only able to view through your own narrow lens and can’t see see through the eyes of people you don’t identify with. Essentially you start with an extremely narrow evidence base and arrive at a poorly informed and pretty dumb opingin.

[farmerinthecity]

I thought that this was good

Adele Gives Shout-Out To Struggling Artist Beyoncé

[Cheasty]

@glasagusban

You don’t understand why Beyonce is a cultural phenomenon, you can’t see why her fans love her or why she’s successful because you don’t understand them. You’re only able to view through your own narrow lens and can’t see see through the eyes of people you don’t identify with. Essentially you start with an extremely narrow evidence base and arrive at a poorly informed and pretty dumb opingin.

It’s blindingly obvious why she’s a cultural phenomenon. It isn’t some mystery.

[gilgamboa]

@Cheasty

Crazy In Love is monotonous shite though

Stay by Rihanna a far far better song that doesn’t get half the love

[Arthur]

:

To identify 20 songs from the 2020s that match the popularity, cultural impact, and ubiquity of the 1990 hits you listed (e.g., “Nothing Compares 2 U,” “Vogue,” “Ice Ice Baby”), I’ve considered songs that dominated charts, streaming platforms, radio, and pop culture, much like those 1990 tracks did through sales, airplay, and cultural resonance. The 1990 songs were iconic for their genre-defining sounds, widespread airplay, and memorable music videos, often topping charts like the Billboard Hot 100 or UK Official Charts. I’ll focus on 2020s songs with similar traits: high chart performance, streaming dominance, and lasting cultural presence, drawing from Billboard Hot 100, Spotify streaming data, and global impact. Since the 2020s span only a few years, I’ll prioritize songs from 2020–2024 that have achieved comparable fame.

Here are 20 songs from the 2020s that stand out as equivalently popular, well-known, and ubiquitous:

1. “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd (2020)
   A synth-pop anthem with massive global success, spending 4 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and holding streaming records. Its retro vibe mirrors “Vogue”’s dancefloor dominance.

[image]

2. “Levitating” – Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby (2020)
   The best-performing single of 2021 on the Billboard Hot 100 (#2 peak), its disco-pop sound and viral TikTok presence echo “Groove Is In The Heart.”

[image]

3. “Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd (2020)
   Another Weeknd hit, peaking at #1 on the Hot 100 with heavy radio play and a viral remix with Ariana Grande, akin to the emotional pull of “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

4. “Dance Monkey” – Tones and I (2020)
   A global phenomenon with billions of streams, topping charts in multiple countries, much like the infectious energy of “Can’t Touch This.”

5. “Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish (2020)
   A #1 Hot 100 hit with a unique electro-pop sound, its cultural impact parallels the quirky innovation of “Tom’s Diner.”

6. “WAP” – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion (2020)
   A controversial, chart-topping hit (#1 for 4 weeks) with massive social media buzz, similar to the provocative energy of “Vogue.”

[image]

7. “Dynamite” – BTS (2020)
   BTS’s first English-language single, hitting #1 on the Hot 100 with global fan-driven streams, comparable to the universal appeal of “Ice Ice Baby.”

8. “Drivers License” – Olivia Rodrigo (2021)
   A breakout ballad with 8 weeks at #1, its emotional storytelling resonates like “Show Me Heaven” or “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

9. “Good 4 U” – Olivia Rodrigo (2021)
   A pop-punk anthem with #1 Hot 100 status and TikTok virality, matching the youthful energy of “Love Shack.”

10. “Stay” – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber (2021)
    Spent 7 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, with catchy pop appeal similar to “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny.”

11. “As It Was” – Harry Styles (2022)
    A #1 hit for 15 weeks on the Hot 100, its nostalgic pop sound and radio dominance echo “Sacrifice.”

[image]

12. “Anti-Hero” – Taylor Swift (2022)
    A self-aware pop hit with 8 weeks at #1, its introspective vibe and chart success rival “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

13. “Heat Waves” – Glass Animals (2021)
    A slow-burn hit that spent 5 weeks at #1, with streaming longevity akin to “There She Goes.”

14. “Peaches” – Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon (2021)
    A smooth R&B-pop track hitting #1, with a vibe as infectious as “Get Up” by Technotronic.

15. “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus (2023)
    An empowering pop anthem with 10 weeks at #1, its universal appeal matches “Black Velvet.”

[image]

16. “What Was I Made For?” – Billie Eilish (2023)
    A haunting Barbie soundtrack hit, peaking at #14 but with Grammy wins and cultural weight like “Show Me Heaven.”

17. “Last Night” – Morgan Wallen (2023)
    A country-pop crossover with 16 weeks at #1, its ubiquity rivals “Thunderstruck.”

[image]

18. “Unholy” – Sam Smith & Kim Petras (2022)
    A bold, danceable #1 hit with viral TikTok traction, echoing the boundary-pushing “Killer” by Adamski.

19. “Vampire” – Olivia Rodrigo (2023)
    A dramatic #1 pop-rock ballad, its emotional intensity parallels “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

20. “Paint the Town Red” – Doja Cat (2023)
    A #1 hip-hop/pop track with a Dionne Warwick sample, its catchy swagger mirrors “I’ve Got The Power” by Snap.

[Arthur]

If you put any of these on for a crowd of teens they’d all be belting them out like we would your list.

You have to at least consider the stage you’re at in life plays some part in this… Or maybe you don’t.

[Cheasty]

@Cheasty

I have a funny feeling there are pop singles out there which are actually better, but it was inescapable anyway. As was Hot In Here by Nelly.

Seeing as people want to introduce psychology rather than debate the actual merits of music, there’s a tremnenjus tendency with people who write about music to go big on recency bias.

As in, that song you know the hook of from last year that’s a bit mediocre but isn’t total shite, let’s stick that straight in at number two on the all time greatest singles list.

Clickety click.

This was the exact song I had in mind for the above post. That and that
“Uptown Funk” song. Grand in and of themselves but nothing special at all when you take a much wider frame of reference. In the absence of much competition they get written up far beyond their true merit because for self justificatory purposes everybody who writes about music has to try and fool themselves they’re living through an era of “amazing, important” artists when they obviously aren’t and therefore these songs get written up far beyond their true merits.

@Arthur

“Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd (2020)
A synth-pop anthem with massive global success, spending 4 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and holding streaming records. Its retro vibe mirrors “Vogue”’s dancefloor dominance.

[glasagusban]

Not to you, apparently.

[Tank]

I’m going to break my aeon-long silence to come into this god awful discussion, one if the worst in the history of a forum that has had some very bad ones, and ask a question thats been on my mind for some time:

• The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips (1999) vs Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend (2013) - which is better?

Two utter masterpieces obviously and two albums with a lot in common. Some similarities in genre, theme and form but also some big differences in approach. Very difficult to pick a favourite. I can appreciate that TSB definitely has some stengths over MVOTC but I think that on balance MVOTC might just edge it. I’d be interested in the opinion of lads like @caulifloweredneanderthal @farmerinthecity , @tonto @binkybarnes , those kind of lads, not people who honestly think there’s been no good music since 2004 or who listen to Cast No Shadow on repeat, etc.

[Cheasty]

@Arthur

If you put any of these on for a crowd of teens they’d all be belting them out like we would your list.

You have to at least consider the stage you’re at in life plays some part in this… Or maybe you don’t.

How would you know unless you were a teenager?

I mean you’ve had to go to the trouble of getting AI to give you a list of songs because you don’t know them.

Also there’s a fundamental flaw in this argument. It’s widely acknowledged even by people who maintain the amount of good music hasn’t gone down that the culture is extremely fragmented now because of technology and therefore things that everybody knows basically don;t exist any more.

You can’t then turn around and say there’s no difference now compared to 1990 in the ubiquity of songs and the amount of ubiquitous songs.

Pretty much every person in Ireland had heard Nothing Compares 2 U, not just teenagers. Bridie and Biddy and Nuala down at mass had heard it.

Do you think Bridie and Biddy and Nuala down at mass have heard Doja Cat when most teenagers probably haven’t even heard Doja Cat? I like Doja Cat by the way.

[Arthur]

Id know most of those songs through my kids

[Cheasty]

@Tank

I’m going to break my aeon-long silence to come into this god awful discussion,

The discussion was going just fine until you chipped in with this spectacular piece of dullardry.

@Tank

not people who honestly think there’s been no good music since 2004 or who listen to Cast No Shadow on repeat, etc.

Christ you have absolutely no imagination.

[Cheasty]

@Arthur

“Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd (2020)
Another Weeknd hit, peaking at #1 on the Hot 100 with heavy radio play and a viral remix with Ariana Grande, akin to the emotional pull of “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

The raw power of Sinead O’Connor’s voice couldn’t hold a candle to the emotional pull of Auto Tune.

[caulifloweredneanderthal]

The Soft Bulletin for me pal.

I wouldn’t be a fan of Vampire Weekend, tbh. I did interview one of them many years ago over the phone and he seemed to be a thoroughly nice chap so I wanted to like their music. But I didn’t.

[Tank]

The Flaming Lips or StereoLab?

[caulifloweredneanderthal]

Stereolab.

By a country mile. For me.

New album out today actually!

[TheUlteriorMotive]

It’s always telling to see the fixed mindset lads also will atrophy in their cultural and musical references.

[flattythehurdler]

Sam Fender has some great tunes. 17 going under is a brilliant song.

[Cheasty]

@flattythehurdler

Sam Fender has some great tunes. 17 going under is a brilliant song.

Tis a grand song but it is the literally the same tune for four minutes with no changes and the rest of his songs haven’t broken into the consciousness to anywhere near the same extent.

[myboyblue]

@farmerinthecity

No you said that Beyoncé is popular because she is gorgeous and has a lovely arse.

Pretty black and white to me.

I reckon she’s popular because she used to be black and now she’s white