pitchfork is dumb (#34985859340293849494 in a series.)

not pertinent but pertinent
http://instagram.com/buttsofpitchfork

yes we know creepers photographing strangers at festivals is a popular pastime in this horrible world we live in

i didn't know! and i found it because a fellow pr type got asked to accredit them with the following comeon:

We are a new fashion blog called Butts of Pitchfork. We are currently in the process of posting pictures of Pitchfork Music Festival's patron's butts. We post 1-2 pictures per day and we have enough pictures to sustain the project for one year. That is, until the next festival. We started the project less than one week ago and we already have over 500 followers; we predict that very soon our followers will number in the thousands. This is not an ironic project; rather, we have a "butt positive" attitude oriented towards transcending negative conceptions of butts and butt fashion. Due to the unexpected success of this project in the very limited time that we have been pursuing it, we are interested in investigating other, similar festivals with the hopes to begin new blogs devoted to them. Overall, we are confident that these blogs will enhance the communal atmosphere in the festivals at which we have a presence.

we have a "butt positive" attitude

Ian Cohen's writing always makes me think he's really unpleasant to be around.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, August 13, 2014 11:03 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm

nah he's a terrific guy; we've socialized many times. Judge not the man by the writing.

His writing's all I'm judging! No judgement on the guy.

his writing "always makes me think he's really unpleasant to be around" is a judgment!

Cohen is like in the top 5 reviewers they've ever had, his shit is great even when i disagree with him or have little interest in the artist

C0hen IS Pitchfork as far as incarnating its principles, voice, and approach.

i don't think that's true. his taste is an outlier in a lot of ways and so is his hammy sense of humor, especially these days.

not a fan of his writing at all, a lot of his reviews read like mosaics of unrelated and bad jokes, but he is literally the only dude covering pop-punk and emo in a relatively visible way so *thumbs up emoji*

b-but i thought that was *you*

tbf the gaslight anthem review was pretty week jokes-wise but he's had some knee slappers in the past imo

the kicker of the gaslight anthem review is pretty awesome imo

agree

his writing "always makes me think he's really unpleasant to be around" is a judgment!

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, August 14, 2014 1:10 AM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol i mean you're focusing on the wrong clause of that sentence imo?? ~his writing suggests to me~ that he's unpleasant ie i find his writing suggestive of obnoxiousness irl BUT HEY bet he's a nice dude and all

lol at the handwringing over HOOS having said the first potentially mean thing of his life

Cohen is like in the top 5 reviewers they've ever had, his shit is great even when i disagree with him or have little interest in the artist

― some dude, Thursday, August 14, 2014 2:57 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

pffft give me currin or truly any of our noted locals over this dude's stand up routines

i don't have an opinion on ian cohen, but that gaslight review is unreadable garbage. making the attempt yesterday evening at work (before clocking in, of course), i'd said "shut the fuck up" out loud, twice, before i quit reading one sentence into paragraph two. no authorial predilection is more repellent than "watch me burn rubber while i smash this bug."

Top 200 tracks of the decade so far: http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9466-the-top-200-tracks-of-2010-2014/1/

so so nagl how early they do these things

This is definitely the kind of thing you (should) wait until 2015 to do.

But fuck this list anyway.

they only ever describe the video when talking about Oblivion and I keep thinking perhaps they know song is not that good.

The list is fine, and could have been much worse - Grimes is certainly a more likeable #1 than "Midnight City". But it does seem silly to include songs from this calendar year in the list when we're months away from its conclusion. Stuff from this year mostly looks to have been added as an afterthought - the highest placing song is in the 60s I think, unless you count "Drunk In Love".

Nice to read writeups from Tim F, katherine, j0rdan, renato, Meghan Garvey et al though.

It's Drake, in-house producers Nineteen85 and Noah "40" Shebib, and enigmatic guests Majid Jordan and that Canadian maple-syrup glide and those high-pitched "gooooin' home" backing vocals.

maple-syrup glide

Sticky.

lol "Shine Blockas" still getting shoved into the pantheon

Look I'm biased obv but some of these write-ups are really great.

and if they're not, everybody will have a chance to rewrite their blurbs in March 2019

Tame Impala aside, it's a perfectly presentable list of Pitchfork stuff.

^ Yeah, P Fork will P Fork

Agree with JF that timing seems odd

We're still 6 months away from the official passing of five years since 2010

Perhaps they haven't made their clicks quota through the first half of the year?

I hope they are generating enough ad revenue and have enough unique IP's

I'll click on the link above a few more times just in case

well, of course. what are they going to do, suddenly champion songs from 2010 and 2011 that weren't on their original year-end lists? do an "overlooked albums" list that actually includes some of the bazillions of good albums they didn't review when they were initially released? it'd be one thing if reiterating their canon over and over actually indicated significant changes in consensus but it's pretty much always just sticking with things that got the BNM hat tip when they were new, and rubber stamping that decision over and over as many times as possible. xp

it's very PForky for PF of 2014, which is to say it's pretty ilxy.

You can't complain about 3 paragraphs from tim on "Super Bass".

I was a little perplexed that "Call Your Girlfriend" was described as "the Robyn song that everybody knows", and then "Dancing On My Own" popped up about ~20 songs later and was given basically the same description.

Perhaps they haven't made their clicks quota through the first half of the year?

unless I missed a previous announcement, it seemed like an excellent opportunity to plug the new Pfork curated lists on Beats Music.

anybody wanna c+p just the list here?

still waiting for P4K's 1940s list

it'd be one thing if reiterating their canon over and over actually indicated significant changes in consensus but it's pretty much always just sticking with things that got the BNM hat tip when they were new, and rubber stamping that decision over and over as many times as possible. xp

― some dude, Monday, August 18, 2014 1:00 PM (19 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm, it's more brand maintenance than any genuinely new or surprising insights into the music of the past not quite half decade. and while i enjoy plenty of these writers i feel like i've already read them write about these exact songs tons of times over these years

Didn't feel like going for all 200 here's the top 100

1
空想ルンバ (Kūsō Rumba)
大槻ケンヂと絶望少女達 [Kenji Ohtsuki & Zetsubou Shoujotachi]

空想ルンバ (Kūsō Rumba) (2008) [Single]

Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Kuusou Rumba

2
Ride on Shooting Star
The Pillows

Ride on Shooting Star (2000) [Single]

FLCL - Ride on Shooting Star

3
君の知らない物語 (Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari)
supercell

君の知らない物語 (Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari) (2009) [Single]

Bakemonogatari - Kimi to Shiranai Monogatari

4
Sprinter / Aria
Kalafina

Sprinter / Aria (2008) [Single]

Kara no Kyoukai - Aria

5
Ultimate Survivor Kaiji Original Soundtrack
タニウチ ヒデキ [Hideki Taniuchi]

Ultimate Survivor Kaiji Original Soundtrack (2008)

Kaiji - Mirai wa Bokurano te no Naka

6
空色デイズ (Sorairo Days)
中川翔子 [Shoko Nakagawa]

空色デイズ (Sorairo Days) (2007) [Single]

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Sorairo Days

7
絶世美人 (Zessei Bijin)
絶望少女達 [Zetsubou Shoujotachi]

絶世美人 (Zessei Bijin) (2007) [Single]

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Zessei Bijin

8
Last regrets/Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho
彩菜 [Ayana]

Last regrets/Kaze no Tadoritsuku Basho (2006) [Single]

Kanon (2006) - Last Regrets

9
HANAJI
小林ゆう [Yuu Kobayashi]

HANAJI (2009) [Single]

Maria Holic - Hanaji

10
人として軸がぶれている (Hito Toshite Jiku ga Bureteiru)
大槻ケンヂと絶望少女達 [Kenji Ohtsuki & Zetsubou Shoujotachi]

人として軸がぶれている (Hito Toshite Jiku ga Bureteiru) (2007) [Single]

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Hito Toshite Jiku ga Bureteiru

11
リライト (Rewrite)
Asian Kung-Fu Generation

リライト (Rewrite) (2004) [Single]

Full Metal Alchemist - Rewrite

12
euphoric field
Tenmon & ELISA

euphoric field (2007) [Single]

ef a Tale of Memories - Euphoric Field

13
崩壊アンプリファー (Hōkai Amplifier)
Asian Kung-Fu Generation

崩壊アンプリファー (Hōkai Amplifier) (2002) [EP]

Naruto - Haruka Kanata

14
Naraku no Hana
島みやえい子 [Eiko Shimamiya]

Naraku no Hana (2007) [Single]

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Naraku no Hana

15
Don't Say "Lazy"
桜高軽音部 [Sakurakou K-ON Bu]

Don't Say "Lazy" (2009) [Single]

K-On! - Don't Say "Lazy"

16
?でわっしょい (Hatena de Wasshoi)
ゆの (阿澄佳奈), 宮子(水橋かおり), ヒロ (後藤邑子), 沙英 (新谷良子) [Yuno (Kana Asumi), Miyako (Kaori Mizuhashi), Hiro (Yuko Goto), Sae (Ryoko Shintani)]

?でわっしょい (Hatena de Wasshoi) (2008) [Single]

Hidamari Sketch x365 - Hatena de Wasshoi

17
ふがいないや (Fugainaiya)
YUKI

ふがいないや (Fugainaiya) (2006) [Single]

Honey and Clover II - Fugainaiya

18
ニッポン笑顔百景 (Nippon Egao Hyakkei)
桃黒亭一門

ニッポン笑顔百景 (Nippon Egao Hyakkei) (2012) [Single]

Joshiraku - Nippon Egao Hyakkei

19
Listen!!
放課後ティータイム [Houkago Tea Time]

Listen!! (2010) [Single]

K-On!! - Listen!!

20
純 / 流星 2003 / ホームラン・ブギ 2003
吉田拓郎

純 / 流星 2003 / ホームラン・ブギ 2003 (2003) [Single]

Cromartie High School - Jun

21
Vanilla Salt
堀江由衣 [Yui Horie]

Vanilla Salt (2008) [Single]

Toradora - Vanilla Salt

22
ルーレット☆ルーレット (Roulette Roulette)
Momotsuki Gakuen 1-nen C-gumi

ルーレット☆ルーレット (Roulette Roulette) (2005) [Single]

Pani Poni Dash - Roulette Roulette

23
All the Way
Mikuni Shimokawa

All the Way (2003) [Single]

Kino no Tabi - All the Way

24
ハレ晴レユカイ (Hare Hare Yukai)
Aya Hirano, Minori Chihara & Yuko Goto

ハレ晴レユカイ (Hare Hare Yukai) (2006) [Single]

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu - Hare Hare Yukai

25
芽生えドライブ (Mebae Drive)
marble

芽生えドライブ (Mebae Drive) (2007) [Single]

Hidamari Sketch - Mebae Drive

26
Eternal Blaze
水樹奈々 [Nana Mizuki]

Eternal Blaze (2005) [Single]

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's - Eternal Blaze

27
Hanamaru Sensation
Little Non

Hanamaru Sensation (2007) [Single]

Kodomo no Jikan - Hanamaru Sensation

28
惡の花譜
Various Artists

惡の花譜 (2013) [EP]

Aku no Hana - Hana -A Last Flower-

29
さくらさくら咲く ～あの日君を待つ 空と同じで～
marble

さくらさくら咲く ～あの日君を待つ 空と同じで～ (2010) [Single]

Hidamari Sketch x ☆☆☆ - Sakura Sakura Saku ~Ano Hi Kimi wo matsu, Sora to Onajide~

30
Working!! Original Soundtrack
Various Artists

Working!! Original Soundtrack (2011)

Working!! - Someone Else

31
もどかしい世界の上で (Modokashii Sekai no Ue de)
Yui Makino

もどかしい世界の上で (Modokashii Sekai no Ue de) (2006) [Single]

NHK ni Youkoso - Modokashii Sekai no Ue de

32
インモラリスト (Immoralist)
堀江由衣 [Yui Horie]

インモラリスト (Immoralist) (2011) [Single]

Dragon Crisis - Immoralist

33
Tears Infection
KAORI

Tears Infection (2007) [Single]

Myself Yourself - Tears Infection

34
Kimi ga Nozomu Eien - Portrait CD2 - Haruka
Minami Kurihara

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien - Portrait CD2 - Haruka (2003) [Single]

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien - Hoshizora no Waltz

35
アンインストール (Uninstall)
石川智晶 [Chiaki Ishikawa]

アンインストール (Uninstall) (2007) [Single]

Bokurano - Uninstall

36
Rose [Anna inspi' Nana (Black Stones)]
Anna Tsuchiya

Rose [Anna inspi' Nana (Black Stones)] (2006) [Single]

Nana - Rose

37
YAHHO!!
堀江由衣 [Yui Horie]

YAHHO!! (2009) [Single]

Kanamemo - YAHHO!!

38
スプリット (Split)
スネオヘアー [Suneohair]

スプリット (Split) (2006) [Single]

Honey and Clover II - Split

39
Bloooomin'
Little Non

Bloooomin' (2009) [Single]

Saki - Bloooomin'

40
JAP
abingdon boys school

JAP (2009) [Single]

Sengoku Basara - JAP

41
Hit in the USA
Beat Crusaders

Hit in the USA (2004) [Single]

Beck - Hit in the USA

42
Cowboy Bebop: Vitaminless
The Seatbelts

Cowboy Bebop: Vitaminless (1998) [EP]

Cowboy Bebop - The Real Folk Blues

43
Undine
牧野由依 [Yui Makino]

Undine (2005) [Single]

Aria the Animation - Undine

44
1000%SPARKING!
Rina Satou, Akemi Kanda, Ai Nonaka & Yu Kobayashi

1000%SPARKING! (2006) [Single]

Negima!? - 1000% Sparking!

45
Romantic Summer
Sun & Lunar

Romantic Summer (2007) [Single]

Seto no Hanayome - Romantic Summer

46
School Days ED+
Various Artists

School Days ED+ (2007)

School Days - Kioku no Umi

47
灰羽連盟 イメージアルバム 聖なる憧憬 (Haibane Renmei - Image Album - Seinaru shōkei)
伊藤真澄 & 上野洋子

灰羽連盟 イメージアルバム 聖なる憧憬 (Haibane Renmei - Image Album - Seinaru shōkei) (2003)

Haibane Renmei - Free Bird

48
Clannad Original Soundtrack
Various Artists

Clannad Original Soundtrack (2004)

Clannad - Dango Daikazoku

49
The Sore Feet Song
Ally Kerr

The Sore Feet Song (2005) [Single]

Mushishi - The Sore Feet Song

50
AIR Original Soundtrack
Various Artists

AIR Original Soundtrack (2002)

Air - Tori no Uta

51
Fly Me to the Moon
Claire / 高橋洋子 [Yoko Takahashi]

Fly Me to the Moon (1995) [Single]

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Fly Me to the Moon

52
ヴィーナスとジーザス (Venus & Jesus)
やくしまるえつこ [Etsuko Yakushimaru]

ヴィーナスとジーザス (Venus & Jesus) (2010) [Single]

Arakawa Under the Bridge - Venus & Jesus

53
ストライクウィッチーズ (Strike Witches) Ending Theme Complete Collection
Various Artists

ストライクウィッチーズ (Strike Witches) Ending Theme Complete Collection (2008)

Strike Witches - Bookmark A Head

54
PAPERMOON
Tommy heavenly6

PAPERMOON (2008) [Single]

Soul Eater - Papermoon

55
神様のいうとおり
いしわたり淳治 & 砂原良徳 + やくしまるえつこ

神様のいうとおり (2010) [Single]

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei - Kamisama no Iutoori

56
絶望レストラン (Zetsubō Restaurant)
絶望少女達 [Zetsubou Shoujotachi]

絶望レストラン (Zetsubō Restaurant) (2009) [Single]

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Zetsubou Restaurant

57
カリキュラム
依布サラサ [Sarasa Ifu]

カリキュラム (2007) [Single]

Moyashimon - Curriculum

58
Life Is Like a Boat
Rie fu

Life Is Like a Boat (2004) [Single]

Bleach - Life Is Like a Boat

59
Best Friends
Friends (Jpn)

Best Friends (2009)

Kyou no Go no Ni - Natsu Matsuri

60
Fukai Mori
Do as Infinity

Fukai Mori (2001) [Single]

Inu Yasha - Fukai Mori

61
Again
YUI

Again (2009) [Single]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood - Again

62
裏切りの夕焼け
Theatre Brook

裏切りの夕焼け (2010) [Single]

Durarara - Uragiri no Yuuyake

63
Neko Mimi Mode
Dimitri From Paris

Neko Mimi Mode (2005) [EP]

Tsukuyomi Moon Phase - Neko Mimi Mode

64
TV Animation "Lucky☆Star" Opening Theme もってけ！セーラーふく
Various Artists

TV Animation "Lucky☆Star" Opening Theme もってけ！セーラーふく (2007) [Single]

Lucky Star - Motteike! Sailor Fuku

65
Tell Me Why
Penpals

Tell Me Why (1997) [Single]

Berserk - Tell Me Why

66
Saikyou OX Keikaku (最強○×計画)
Mosaic.wav

Saikyou OX Keikaku (最強○×計画) (2006) [Single]

Sumomomo Momomo - Saikyou OX Keikaku

67
Bamboo Blade O.S.T.
仙波清彦 [Kiyohiko Senba]

Bamboo Blade O.S.T. (2008)

Bamboo Blade - Bamboo Beat

68
創聖のアクエリオン (Sōsei no Aquarion)
AKINO

創聖のアクエリオン (Sōsei no Aquarion) (2005) [Single]

Sousei no Aquarion - Sousei no Aquarion

69
My-pace Daiou [Genshiken OP Single]
Manzo

My-pace Daiou [Genshiken OP Single] (2004) [EP]

Genshiken - My-pace Daiou

70
Driver's High
L' Arc~en~Ciel

Driver's High (1999) [Single]

Great Teacher Onizuka - Driver's High

71
Allegro Cantabile
Suemitsu & the Suemith

Allegro Cantabile (2007) [Single]

Nodame Cantabile - Allegro Cantabile

72
迷子犬と雨のビート (Maigoinu to Ame no Beat)
Asian Kung-Fu Generation

迷子犬と雨のビート (Maigoinu to Ame no Beat) (2010) [Single]

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei - Maigoinu to Ame no Beat

73
Upside Down
電気グルーヴ [Denki Groove]

Upside Down (2009) [Single]

Kuuchuu Buranko - Shangri-La (2009 Remodel)

74
Sweet Drops
Puffy

Sweet Drops (2011) [Single]

Usagi Drop - Sweet Drops

75
リンゴ日和 (Ringo Hiyori)
Rocky Chack

リンゴ日和 (Ringo Hiyori) (2008) [Single]

Spice and Wolf - Ringo Hiyori

76
Innocent Starter
水樹奈々 [Nana Mizuki]

Innocent Starter (2004) [Single]

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha - Innocent Starter

77
黄色いバカンス (Kiiroi Vacances)
Momotsuki Gakuen 1-nen C-gumi

黄色いバカンス (Kiiroi Vacances) (2005) [Single]

Pani Poni Dash - Kiiroi Vacances

78
Oblivious
Kalafina

Oblivious (2008) [Single]

Kara no Kyoukai - Oblivious

79
Cowboy Bebop
The Seatbelts

Cowboy Bebop (1998)

Cowboy Bebop - Rain

80
スクランブル (Scramble)
Yui Horie & UNSCANDAL

スクランブル (Scramble) (2004) [Single]

School Rumble - Scramble

81
Samurai Champloo Music Record Katana
Various Artists

Samurai Champloo Music Record Katana (2005)

Samurai Champloo - Shiki no Uta

82
スケッチブックを持ったまま (Sketchbook wo Motta Mama)
牧野由依 [Yui Makino]

スケッチブックを持ったまま (Sketchbook wo Motta Mama) (2007) [Single]

Sketchbook Full Color's - Sketchbook o Motta Mama

83
Falling Down
Oasis

Falling Down (2009) [Single]

Higashi no Eden - Falling Down

84
Hate
The Delgados

Hate (2002)

Gunslinger Girl - The Light Before We Land

85
空耳ケーキ / Raspberry Heaven
Oranges & Lemons

空耳ケーキ / Raspberry Heaven (2002) [Single]

Azumanga Daioh - Raspberry Heaven

86
Perfect-Area Complete!
Natsuko Asō

Perfect-Area Complete! (2010) [Single]

Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu - Perfect-Area Complete!

87
コンプリケイション (Complication)
ROOKiEZ is PUNK'D

コンプリケイション (Complication) (2010) [Single]

Durarara - Complication

88
Magia
Kalafina

Magia (2011) [Single]

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - Magia

89
ほうき星 (Hōkiboshi)
Younha

ほうき星 (Hōkiboshi) (2005) [Single]

Bleach - Houkiboshi

90
おしえてA to Z (Oshiete A to Z)
田村ゆかり [Yukari Tamura]

おしえてA to Z (Oshiete A to Z) (2010) [Single]

B Gata H Kei - Oshiete A to Z

91
Alone Again (Naturally) / Save It
Gilbert O'Sullivan

Alone Again (Naturally) / Save It (1972) [Single]

Maison Ikkoku - Alone Again

92
Underground
High Voltage [JPN]

Underground (2007) [Single]

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann - Underground

93
残酷な天使のテーゼ (Zankoku na tenshi no tēze)
高橋洋子 [Yoko Takahashi]

残酷な天使のテーゼ (Zankoku na tenshi no tēze) (1995) [Single]

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Zankoku na tenshi no tēze

94
Duvet / Deeply
Bôa

Duvet / Deeply (1998) [Single]

Serial Experiments Lain - Duvet

95
Hybrid Rainbow
The Pillows

Hybrid Rainbow (1997) [Single]

FLCL - Hybrid Rainbow

96
motto☆派手にね! (motto☆Hadenine!)
戸松遥 [Haruka Tomatsu]

motto☆派手にね! (motto☆Hadenine!) (2008) [Single]

Kannagi - Motto Hade ni Ne!

97
Rocket
Polysics

Rocket (2007) [Single]

Moyashimon - Rocket

98
林檎もぎれビーム！ (Ringo Mogire Beam!)
大槻ケンヂと絶望少女達 [Kenji Ohtsuki & Zetsubou Shoujotachi]

林檎もぎれビーム！ (Ringo Mogire Beam!) (2009) [Single]

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei - Ringo Mogire Beam

99
Days of Dash
Konomi Suzuki

Days of Dash (2012) [Single]

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo - DAYS of DASH

100
片翼の鳥 (Katayoku no Tori)
志方あきこ [Akiko Shikata]

片翼の鳥 (Katayoku no Tori) (2009) [Single]

Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Henryoku no Tori

the usual stuff

man i made a ton of ariel pink jokes before this list came out

what is this ~40% of a decade even about

There are a few surprises on there like "Teenage Dream" getting 35, whereas it never appeared on their previous 2010 list. And it looks like they no longer care about Cee Lo Green's "Fuck You".

xpost about 46%

i don't know why but the headline of the feature sounds just so fucking silly

200 BEST TRACKS OF THE DECADE SO FAR

ha, it's like that crosby stills and nash compilation that was released after only two CSN studio albums, titled "SO FAR". conveys the same quality of being completely fucking unnecessary

Looking forward to the Top 234 Songs of 2014-2020, then

otm, it's more brand maintenance than any genuinely new or surprising insights into the music of the past not quite half decade. and while i enjoy plenty of these writers i feel like i've already read them write about these exact songs tons of times over these years

― lex pretend, Monday, August 18, 2014 9:21 AM (35 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Isn't that how every end of year/decade/half-decade/etc list pans out? I can't recall ever reading one of these things and gleaning new insight into anything.

maybe it is best to think about this list in a high school / college career/generation kind of way. like, kidz who were so sQUARE four years ago will now need to have a solid idea of how much to like grimes, etc going forward in their new social endeavors

Didn't they do something similar around the same time in 2004? Maybe that's why the timing is strange.