These days, the accusation that ‘all chart music sounds the same’ has become all too common. It’s a sweeping generalisation that is mainly bandied around by those who aren’t familiar enough with the genre. This is not confined to pop music: those who don’t understand Classical music can’t tell the difference between Baroque and Romantic, those who don’t understand Reggae can’t tell the difference between Dub and Rockers, and those who don’t understand Metal can’t tell the difference between ‘stubbing-your-toe’ Screamo and ‘being-kicked-in-the-balls’ Screamo.
So, we’ve established that it’s probably unfair to say all chart music sounds the same. However, you could be forgiven for mixing up chart artists for a more simple reason: their names. It is increasingly the case that two or more artists in the chart will have remarkably similar monikers.
To clear up any confusion, we’ve compiled a handy guide for differentiating current chart artists and their aliases.
1) M.O (pronounced ‘Em Oh’)
M.O are an English trio, who formed in 2012 and have since appeared on the UK chart with ‘Who Do You Think Of?’. The name is a tribute to the fourth member of the band, Michelle Obama. Possibly.
Not to be confused with…
MØ (pronounced ‘Em that-oh-with-a-diagonal-line-through-it’)
MØ is a solo artist from Denmark, who features on the Major Lazer and Justin Bieber collaboration ‘Cold Water’ sounding exactly like Sia, and has her own single, ‘Final Song’, where she sounds exactly like Charli XCX. OK, some chart music sounds the same.
2) DJ Snake
DJ Snake is a French DJ who first came to chart prominence with ‘Turn Down For What’. If you have not seen the music video for this, it is imperative that you watch it immediately – see below. He later collaborated with Major Lazer on ‘Lean On’, featuring vocals from MØ (of ‘sounding like everybody else’ fame).
Not to be confused with…
Snakehips
Snakehips are an English duo that, like DJ Snake, make electronic music. They entered the chart with ‘All My Friends’, which featured vocals from Tinashe and Chance the Rapper, (who follows the cultural trend of having your profession in your name, like George the Poet and Thomas the Tank Engine).
3) Sigma
Another English duo, this time a Drum and Bass act. The members of Sigma met at Leeds University. Their first chart success was Number 1 track, ‘Nobody to Love’, a remix of the Kanye West masterpiece ‘Bound 2’, (if you have not seen the music video for this, it is imperative that you watch it immediately). They have also had success with ‘Changing’ featuring Paloma Faith, and ‘Glitterball’ featuring Ella Henderson.
Not to be confused with…
Sigala
Sigala is a 23 year old DJ from Norwich. He reached Number 1 with his debut single ‘Easy Love’. Legend says that he uses the name ‘Sigala’ because his real name is Bruce. Other chart successes include ‘Sweet Lovin’’ and ‘Say You Do’.
4) Drake feat. Rihanna
Drake featuring Rihanna is the powerhouse combo that produced the masterpiece ‘Too Good’, as well as ‘Take Care’, one of Drake’s better earlier works.
Not to be confused with…
Rihanna feat. Drake
“Work work work work work work, they see me do me duh duh duh duh duh duh a sum in a ba work work work work work wi yo I ga nah nah nah nah nah nah” (and so on).
Ben Lewis
Image courtesy of musicisentropy via Flickr/Creative Commons
