C+ // Crooked Smile // J. Cole ft. TLC

This song is REAL. 

There's a lot of strong messaging to women, mostly about insecurity about looks.

• Love yourself, girl, or nobody will / Oh, you a woman? I don't know how you deal / With all the pressure to look impressive and go out in heels / I feel for you / Killing yourself to find a man that'll kill for you / You wake up, put makeup on / Stare in the mirror but its clear that you can’t face what’s wrong / No need to fix what God already put his paint brush on / Your roommate yelling, "Why you gotta take so long?"

Then there's this verse:

• To all the women with the flaws, know it's hard my darling
  You wonder why you're lonely and your man's not calling
  You keep falling victim cause you're insecure
  And when I tell you that you're beautiful you can't be sure
  'Cause he don't seem to want you back
  And it got you asking
  So all you see is what you lacking
  Not what you packing
  Take it from a man that loves what you got
  And baby girl you're a star, don't let 'em tell you you're not
  Now is it real? Eyebrows, fingernails, hair
  Is it real? if it's not, girl you don't care
  Cause what's real is something that the eyes can't see
  That the hands can't touch
  That them broads can't be, and that's you
  Never let 'em see you frown
  And if you need a friend to pick you up, I'll be around
  And we can ride with the windows down, the music loud
  I can tell you ain't laughed in a while
  But I wanna see that crooked smile

And then he starts talking about racism and the system! oh snap! Crooked Smile vs. Lolly? No comparison.

But let's break it down according to criteria:

• Name calling? Bitch is a weird word. Sometimes it's empowered. Sometimes it's mean. Sometimes it's an identity. Sometimes it feels...objectifying, as it does here. *sigh*
• I got smart, I got rich, and I got bitches still / And they all look like my eyebrows: thick. 
• Woman in relation to man? Mostly I think it's in relation to herself and her internal criticism. Yes, it seems like the cure is first that he tells her she's beautiful. And she is totally worried about what guys think, but he seems to be calling that out. 
• Woman objectified? It seems to switch off from complimenting/objectifying "what you packing" and then saying the outside doesn't matter/you're made by God. Mixed messages.
• Woman disempowered? But calling that out. AND calling out racial power systems. yay!!
• We don't look nothing like the people on the screen
  You know them movie stars, picture perfect beauty queens
  But we got dreams and we got the right to chase em
  Look at the nation, that's a crooked smile braces couldn't even straighten
  Seem like half the race is either on probation, or in jail
  Wonder why we inhale, cause we in hell already
  I asked if my skin pale, would I then sell like Eminem or Adele?
• 
  

Ultimately, the song, though giving some mixed messages, is trying to empower people to embrace their flaws/not really care about them so much. Amen to that. 

• My shit is crooked look at how far I done got without it / I keep my twisted grill, just to show them kids it's real / We ain't picture perfect but we worth the picture still

C // Counting Stars // One Republic

Hard to say what role women play in this song.

• Woman not really in relation to man. He's talking about "we". This is a dream for him and his partner, but not ABOUT him in relation to his partner. It feels more like a conversation. There is also a mention of love and hope, but it's kind of general. The song is more about trying to live a different life.
• Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep / Dreaming about the things we could be / But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard, / Said no more counting dollars / We'll be counting stars, yeah we'll be counting stars
• I feel the love and I feel it burn / Down this river, every turn / Hope is our four-letter word / Make that money, watch it burn

I'm going to go with not about women. Which gives you a C.

F // Lolly // Maejor Ali ft Juicy J and Justin Beiber

Gross.
I've left you all of the lyrics. But first, let me break a few things down:

• Yup, another dick-ducking song!
• Justin Beiber(!) throws down a grand...whatever for? I don't think it's the sparkling water.
• Ass everywhere, throw them dollars in the air (mhmm) - oh! the grand is because we're in a strip club
• Bands a make her dance, molly make her lose them underwear - "band" = $1,000, molly=MDMA/ecstasy
• Booty cheeks I'm geek'd - geeked=similar to coked out (the molly version)
• I'm Rick James bitch, I slip myself a mickey slip a mickey= put a roofie or sleeping pill in a drink
• Make her bounce it like hydraulics hydraulics usually make cars bounce
• Kevin Hart, I got purple on the plane (we smoking) purple=weed
• Let's call a bull (let's go), let's run a train (trippy) a bull=a man who has sex with a married woman to humiliate her husband. run a train= a lineup of guys having sex one after another with the same woman
• The good news? No name calling and the woman is described as excited by this. She's a "super freak" and she likes it! That's okay. You can rock that. Just not as described by these gentlemen. 

She say she love my lolly
She wanna make it pop
She say she love my lolly
She want to kiss the top
She say she love my lolly
She love my lollipop

She say she love to party
Girl I love your body
Why you on the table?
Cause you know I'm watching
She say she love my molly
So we can leave this party
And go back to my hotel
And don't stop for hibachi
And don't stop in the lobby
I hope you massage me
I hope you can take it when i make you call me papi
The club about to close
Come up out them clothes
I'm about to give you watchu asking for

Order what you want
Girl it ain't no problem
Imma tell the waitress
that my baby need a bottle
Order what you want
Said it ain't no problem
Gotta piece of candy
And its all for you

Girl i love them heels
Yeah, i love that dress
Wanna take you home
Show you I'm the best

Throwing up a G note
Like i'm at a casino
I'm all fancy yeah
I'm poppin' Pellegrino
Im in the El Camino
And i pull up on the scene though
You know I'm a real OG
And baby i ain't from the T.O
You ain't messing with the clique though
Meet me on the 6th floor
Know you ain't a model
You should let me take some pics tho
Windows down
Speakers loud
Look down at my sneakers now
Got so many features
Tell the creatures just to beat it now
50 for that necklace
Look down at my set list
Got your girlfriend at my crib watching Netflix
Let's just admit that I'm the bestest
Guess this you ain't never ever on the guest list

Yessir
Ass everywhere
Throw them dollars in the air (mhmm)
Bring your swimming gear
Juicy J the millionaire (mhmm)
She pop that pussy on me
I fell back in the chair
Bands a make her dance
Molly make her lose them underwear
Booty cheeks
I'm geeked, (you know it)
All her friends are freaks (you know it)
And I think she love me
I've been hitting it for a week (swish)
I drill it
Slap it silly
Need a super freak like Ricky
I'm Rick James bitch
I slip myself a mickey
Got so much money in my pocket
With a real bad chick from the tropics
With silicone racks with a real big ass
Make her bounce it like hydraulics
Kevin Hart, I got purple on the plane (we smoking)
Let's call a bull (let's go)
Let's run a train (trippy)

D // Dark Horse // Katy Perry ft Juicy Jay

• No name calling
• Woman objectified
• I'm sprung and I don't care
  She got me like a roller coaster
  Turn the bedroom into a fair
  Her love is like a drug
  I was tryna hit it and quit it
  But lil' mama so dope
  I messed around and got addicted
• Woman in relation to man
• Make me your Aphrodite
  Make me your one and only
  But don't make me your enemy
• Woman as empowered? This song is a little hard to wade through--one of those weird Katy songs. I think she's admitting to being intense, maybe a little cray--a "perfect storm". She's demanding real commitment. Actually, that's kind of all she's really asking for...why is that intense/crazy? Is Katy (unknowingly?) buying into women-hating stereotypes? Juicy J finds her dangerous, comparing her to a famous cannibalistic serial killer. I guess that's powerful, but it also seems strange and unfair. I can't quite tell what to make of it. 

• It's in the palm of your hand now baby / It's a yes or a no / No maybe / So just be sure / Before you give it up to me / Up to me / Give it up to me
  
  So you wanna play with magic / Boy you should know what you're fallin' for / Baby do you dare to do this / Cause I'm comin' at you like a dark horse
  
  Are you ready for / Ready for / A perfect storm / Perfect storm / Cause once you're mine / Once you're mine / There's no goin' back
• She's a beast / I call her Karma / She eat your heart out / Like Jeffrey Dahmer / Be careful / Try not to lead her on / Shawty's heart was on steroids / Cause her love was so strong / You may fall in love / When you meet her / If you get the chance you better keep her / She swears by it but if you break her heart / She turn cold as a freezer

A- // Work B**ch! // Britney Spears

• Name calling. There's a lot of the word bitch. Britney loves calling people bitch. But it's in that kind of gay community way where it's not so offensive?
• Woman not in relation to man
• Woman is not really objectified. The things we want in life are a bikini body and a fancy car? But we get it by working. This is kind of in the vein of Destiny's Independent Women. But I think it may be doing even more than that. Britney is also making the claim that she works hard for what she's got. Some of which may be because of her body, but she works hard for that too. It's not just sitting pretty that will get you by.
• You wanna hot body
  You wanna Bugatti
  You wanna Maserati
  You better work bitch
• Women as empowered. First of all, Britney is fierce. Second, she's encouraging all y'all bitches to be fierce, too. 

F // Give It 2 U // Robin Thicke ft. Kendrick Lamar

Stunning. You know it's bad when I want to quote the entire song. In fact, I'm going to just leave you the lyrics. (I didn't include 2 Chainz verse because it isn't the version on the top 40, but it's also probably the least offensive verse of the song. You read that right.)

• Objectifies women. Like, a lot.
• Women in relation to men. Basically as a sex toy.
• No real name calling (Kendrick does mention a "fat ass", but I think he means it positively and it actually referring to a large butt)
• Women not empowered. Okay, yes, he is saying he's going to make her fantasies come true, but he's saying it in a "my dick is a gift" way. Thanks, but no thanks.

Girl give it to me
Girl you know what it do, girl give it to me
I got somethin brand new, girl give it to me
I'll put it all on you, girl give it to me
Wooo! I got a gift for ya
I got this for ya, a little Thicke for ya
A big kiss for ya, I got a hit for ya
Big dick for ya, let me give it to yaBaby baby, I got a call for ya
I got a whip for ya, black car for ya
Ball hard for ya, I know you wanna get fancy
I know you wanna start dancin

Hey... girl
You know you're lookin so damn fly
You're lookin like you fell from the sky
You know you make a grown man cry

I wanna give it to you, tonight
And make everything you fantasize
come true, ooh baby
I'll make you so so so amazing
I'll give it to you

Ooh! What's that girl?
What's that baby? I like that girl
I like that baby, on your back girl
On your back, yeah shake it like that girl
Baby baby, I got an eye for ya
Got an eye for ya, I got a smile for ya
Cheese, let me put it on your face for ya
Please, I got a taste for ya
Tasty, I bought lace for ya
Freaky, I'll put it on ya
Yeah, so I can come and take it off ya
Yeah, and get off to ya

Uh, you're like a needle in a haystack
Uh, I wanna sit you where my face at
Uh, lunch with a few Mai-Tais
Uh, purple kisses on my tie
Uh, life can leave a dick loved
Uh, now you gettin this dick, love
Uh, I'm lookin for you with a flashlight
I wanna feel what a real fat ass like
No injection, I learned my lesson
I walk it like I talk it, baby this pedestrian
Runnin through your mind like Jackie Joyner
Pussy like pop like "DO!" Go get me a burner
Got shot like "DO!" This can be detrimental
T-shirt and panties, that's your credential
You're cotton candy, I need a fistful
I'm often antsy, hope that convince you

F // Redneck Crazy // Tyler Farr

My rubric is still an experiment. What about songs that threaten or harass women? Is that an extension of women as not having power or is it a whole new category? This guy shows up driving wildly at 3am, parks his truck on her lawn, gets drunk, shines his lights into her bedroom, and won't let her sleep. I'd call that intimidation, and I'd call the cops. I understand that the video tries to make light of the situation the lyrics are describing, but I'd call that cowardly not facing the reality. Maybe execs realized a video of their star being "redneck crazy" wouldn't fly, so they just went with redneck silly.

• Women as disempowered. 
• I'm gonna aim my headlights into your bedroom windows
  Throw empty beer cans at both of your shadows
  I didn't come here to start a fight, but I'm up for anything tonight
  You know you broke the wrong heart baby, and drove me redneck crazy
  Redneck crazy
  
  Did you think I'd wish you both the best, endless love and happiness
  You know that's just not the kind of man I am
  I'm the kind that shows up at your house at 3am
• Woman in relation to man
• Wish I knew how long it's been going on / How long you've been getting some on the side / Nah, he can't amount to much by the look of that little truck / Well he wont be getting any sleep tonight

• No name calling
• Woman not objectified

C // Night Train // Jason Aldean

• No name calling
• Not objectifying
• Woman not really in relation to man. They're going on a date, yes. But he's not singing about her. He's singing about how they're excited to hang out and watch the train. You could do that with your brother. And yeah, he's gunna hold her cuz it's cold and lie next to her all night--there's that. But let's give it some credit for not being terribly shallow. Oh wait. Except for this:
• yeah I hope its gonna be a long one
  if were lucky its moving slow
  wouldn't mind if it lasted all night
  lying next to you on that hillside lets go

       You ruined it. Things were going so well. Sexual innuendo much? I'm not against sex. I love          it. I know we're not talking about "running a train" (gang bang) on someone, he's just making        sweet love to his girl. Sounds awesome. But sounds like woman in relation to man to me.            Now we know why "the thought of you is driving me insane".

• Woman neither empowered nor disempowered

C // Sail // AWOLNATION

Not about women

"This is how I show my love" may make you think it might be a love song, and it might be. But it's not about women. It's about feeling messed up. Which gives it a default C. Not to say I don't like the song--I do. It just does no harm nor good for womankind.

C- // Round Here // Florida Georgia Line

• No name calling
• Only slight objectification
• I hope she's gonna wear the jeans with the tear
• Woman in relation to man
• Mud on the grips, wild cherry on her lips
  I’ve been working and trying and flirting and dying
  For an all night kind of kiss
• Woman neither empowered nor disempowered

D // Cruise // Florida Georgia Line ft. Nelly

• No name calling
• Objectification
• Yeah, when I first saw that bikini top on her // ... Thought, "Oh, good lord, she had them long tanned legs"
• Women in relation to man 
• Baby you a song // You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
• Woman is neither empowered nor disempowered. She seems to like to cruise, too. She likes mudding, she has a thing for the fast life, and she puts her legs up on the dash. BUT, Nelly also is offering to "show you what the fast like". 

B- // Gone, Gone, Gone // Phillip Phillips

• No name calling
• Not objectifying
• Woman in relation to man
• You would never sleep alone
  I love you long after you're gone
• Woman is both powerful and needs help. He is our prince charming savior!
• When enemies are at your door // I'll carry you away from war
• When you fall like a statue // I'm gon' be there to catch you // Put you on your feet, you on your feet

         But at the same time, she is totally holding him up:

• You're my back bone
  You're my cornerstone
  You're my crutch when my legs stop moving
  You're my head start
  You're my rugged heart
  You're the pulse that I've always needed

Seeing that relationships should be a give and take (we do, sometimes need help), this could be a positive model. 

• If you need help, if you need help
  Your hope dangling by a string
  I'll share in your suffering

D // I Need Your Love // Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding

• No name calling
• Not objectifying
• Woman in relation to man
• I need your love
  I need your time
  When everything's wrong
  You make it right
• Woman not powerful
• And I feel so helpless here // Watch my eyes are filled with fear // Tell me do you feel the same // Hold me in your arms again

B // The Fox // Ylvis

The Fox is a parody. It doesn't have to do with women. But I appreciate that in doing so, it almost points out the absurd objectification that is so common in most songs

• Big blue eyes / Pointy nose / Chasing mice / and digging holes // Tiny paws / Up the hill / Suddenly you're standing still // Your fur is red / So beautiful / Like an angel in disguise // But if you meet / a friendly horse / Will you communicate by / mo-o-o-o-orse?

It is, in the end, a song wondering what the sound is that foxes make. :)

B+ // Best Song Ever // One Direction

• Woman as powerful. She is strong, she rejects his advances, and they still have a good time -- it's not the end of the world. Awesome!
• Maybe it's the way she walked (Wow) 
  Straight into my heart and stole it
  Through the doors and past the guards (Wow), 
  Just like she already owned it
• I said, "Can I take you home with me?" 
  She said, "Never in your wildest dreams"
• No name calling
• Woman in relation to man, but doin her thing
• And her daddy was a dentist
  Said I had a dirty mouth (I got a dirty mouth) 
  But she kissed me like she meant it
• Not objectifying

F // That's My Kind Of Night // Luke Bryan

Some country fans are as disgusted with this song as I am.

• Holy, objectification, batman!
• You can hang your t-shirt on a limb // Hit that bank and we can ease on in // Soak us up a little moonlight // You know I know what you like, yeah!
• All them other boys wanna wind you up and take you downtown // But you look like the kind that likes to take it way out // Out where the corn rows grow, row, row my boat ... Gonna sound like a winner, when I lay you down and love you right // Yeah, that's my kind of night

• Woman in relation to man 
• You got that sun tan skirt and boots
  Waiting on you to look my way and scoot
  Your little hot self over here
  Girl hand me another beer, yeah!
• No name calling
• Woman has no power. It's what he assumes she likes, what he wants, his night. (Which is supposed to be better than those other guys who treat her similarly but don't take it far enough...they only take her downtown)

D // Love Somebody // Maroon 5

I will admit that I sometimes am able to see sexual references where they are not meant. And this song has some questionable ones:

• I know your insides are feeling so hollow 
• And it's a hard pill for you to swallow, yeah 
• I really wanna love somebody
  I really wanna dance the night away
  I know we're only half way there
  But you can take me all the way, you can take me all the way
  I really wanna touch somebody
• I don't know where to start, I'm just a little lost
  I wanna feel like we never gonna ever stop
  I don't know what to do, I'm right in front of you
  Asking you to stay, you should stay, stay with me tonight, yeah

• Does it matter if this is a love song or a thinly veiled sex song? Judging by my nausea, it really does. The video does not help it's case. So I'm going to rule that is Objectifying women

• No name calling
• Women In relation to man
• Woman as empowered? She certainly has some power over him. And she has some agency to decide what will happen. 
• You're such a hard act for me to follow
  Love me today, don't leave me tomorrow, yeah
  But if I fall for you, I'll never recover
  If I fall for you, I'll never be the same

C // Cups (Pitch Perfect's When I'm Gone) // Anna Kendrick

It should be noted that this song is an adaptation of "When I'm Gone"  written by A.P. Carter of The Carter Family in 1931 (before June Carter (later Johnny Cash's wife) joined the family band). It feels weird to rate such a classic, but enough history!

• No name calling
• Slightly objectifying (even the Carters sang this with a female voice)
• You're gonna miss me by my hair
  You're gonna miss me everywhere,
  You're gonna miss me when I'm gone
• Woman as empowered
• I've got my ticket for the long way 'round
  These feet weren't built to stay too long
  And I'll go there on my own
  But you'll miss me when you're home
  It's for you, dear, that I sing this song
• Woman in relation to (highly likely) a man, but not entirely. 

F // Treasure // Bruno Mars

• Name calling: "Baby squirrel," according to urban dictionary: A young female looking for enjoyment of a male's secrection of seminal fluids. (presumably because she is looking for "nuts".  It is surely questionable whether this is what he is referencing. 
• Baby squirrel, youz a sexy motherfucker
• Objectifying women
• Pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl you should be smiling
  A girl like you should never look so blue
  You're everything I see in my dreams
  I wouldn't say that to you if it wasn't true
• Woman in relation to man
• You know you can make my wish come true // If you let me treasure you
• Women as not so powerful. This woman doesn't know she's awesome. But he does. And he is going to let her know...when she let's herself become "his".
• I know that you don't know it, but you're fine, so fine // Oh girl I'm gonna show you when you're mine, oh mine

C- // Clarity // Zedd

• No name calling
• Not objectifying women
• Woman is not powerful--she needs and seems somewhat addicted to this person, although she is examining, questioning, and struggling with this
• Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need
  Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why
  If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?
  If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?
• Woman in relation to man? (assuming heteronormativity)

B- // Get Lucky // Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams

• No name calling
• Not objectifying

Pharrell insists the lyrics are not strictly sexual, but just about the luck it takes to meet and connect with someone. He's also said the song is really about feeling lucky to collaborate with Daft Punk, which is largely supported by the verses. It's unclear to whom the pronouns refer. Is "we" the boys club or she and I? Is "you" a woman or is it Daft Punk?

• Women not really in relation to man. Whether or not she's included in the "we," she seems to be independent and out on her own...he wants it to be in relation to him. He may be up to get in her pants. She's up having fun. 
• She's up all night to the sun,
  I'm up all night to get some.
  She's up all night for good fun,
  I'm up all night to get lucky.
• Women as empowered? 
• We've come too far
  To give up who we are,
  So let's raise the bar
  And our cups to the stars.

C- // Wrecking Ball // Miley Cyrus

• Not objectifying women
• No name calling
• Woman in relation to a man (people seem to think Nick Jonas or her fiance) There is also the strand that says this is about her relationship to her fans. Based on interviews and lyrics, I'd say that's a stretch. It is much more obviously a relationship.
• We clawed, we chained, our hearts in vain // We jumped, never asking why // We kissed, I fell under your spell // A love no one could deny
• Although a wrecking ball is a powerful image, she ends up breaking herself. 
• I came in like a wrecking ball // Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung // Left me crashing in a blazing fall // All you ever did was break me

A // Same Love // Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert

• Anti name calling!
• "Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily // We've become so numb to what we're saying
• Not objectifying
• Not women in relation to men
• Women as dis-empowered, but is pointing out that power imbalance as wrong.
• And I can't change Even if I tried // Even if I wanted to // My love, my love, my love // She keeps me warm

B+ // Hold On, We're Going Home // Drake ft. Majid Jordan

• No name calling
• Does not objectify women!
• I'm going to go on a limb and say I think he's trying to empower women to be themselves. 
• Cause you're a good girl and you know it // You act so different around me // Cause you're a good girl and you know it // I know exactly who you could be
• Women in relationship to a man
• You're the girl // You're the one // Gave you everything I love

A- // Safe and Sound // Capital Cities

• Does not objectify women
• No name calling
• On first glance, I'd say this was women in relationship to man. But I could actually see myself singing this song to my sister.
• You could be my luck // Even if we're six feet underground // I know that we'll be safe and sound
• Women as neither empowered nor disempowered. He is offering her to try to enhance her life by doing whatever SHE wants. He's not necessarily saying she couldn't get those things without him.
• I could lift you up // I could show you what you wanna see // And take you where you wanna be

B- // Summertime Sadness // Lana Del Ray & Cedric Gervais

I decided not to include music videos in the scope of my reviews, but I do listen to the song on youtube. This is one time where the video threw me for a loop.

• Normally, this song would get hit for being about women in relationship to a man. It is a very nice love song. 
• Kiss me hard before you go // Summertime sadness // I just wanted you to know // That, baby, you're the best

But the video flips the context and makes it a love song to a woman. Which begs a few questions that have been on my mind. When a lyric refers to love, should I assume that it's hetero-normative? If it is still about relationship, but not specifically to a man, is that still potentially damaging or objectifying in its own way? Is playing toward lesbian good or bad for actual lesbians? See, this starts to get thorny. 

• Could be seen as slightly objectifying at first glance, but seems more descriptive of a style than of a body, and it doesn't lead to being objectified--just to dancing and feeling alive
• "I got my red dress on tonight// Dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight // Done my hair up real big beauty queen style // High heels off, I'm feeling alive"
• No name calling
• Unclear if women as empowered
• "Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere // Nothing scares me anymore"

Is not being scared empowering or is it numbing/giving up? The song is up to many interpretations. I've read it's about bipolar, LSD, a dead or dying lover, a friend, a fling, etc. 

C // Radioactive // Imagine Dragons

Not about women. 

A // Royals // Lorde

• Does not objectify women
• Positive naming
• Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen Bee // And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule...) // Let me live that fantasy
• Is not about relationship to a man, and does push back a bit on being pushed into caring about superficial love
• "We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair"
• Empowering women
• "We're bigger than we ever dreamed, and I'm in love with being queen"

Maybe you're thinking how is that different than "Applause" -- isn't she asking to be a ruler? But she isn't looking for validation. She's more offering herself as a different kind of model/ruler, one that is not caught up in luxury and money. 

C // Wake Me Up // Avicii (ft. Aloe Blacc)

This song is not about women. The only reference there could be is the final "Life's a game made for everyone // And love is the prize" but that could be about any kind of love. 

I guess that makes it average. 

B+ // Applause // Lady Gaga

Applause requires a rather heady review.

• The question is is it empowering or not? Is the fact that she "lives for the applause" and others' validation of a weakness that she is admitting or a strength and a brag because she is so good at commanding applause?
• Gaga is crushing her critics:
• "I've overheard your theory "Nostalgia's for geeks // I guess sir, if you say so, some of us just like to read"
• demanding and getting what she wants 
• "Give me that thing that I love // I'll turn the lights off! // Put your hands up, make 'em touch // Make it real loud!"
• But even she is depicting herself as dependent on/addicted to fame
• "If only fame had an IV, baby could I bear // Being away from you, I found the vein, put it in here"

• No name-calling
• Not objectifying
• Not in relation to a man! 

I happen to like the complexity.

C // Holy Grail // Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake

Although relationship imagery is used, it is clearly a metaphor for fame.

• Women as empowered (but cruel)
• You get the air out my lungs whenever you need it // And you take the blade right out my heart, just so you can watch me bleed
• Women in relationship to man
• No name-calling
• Not objectifying

F // Berzerk // Eminem

• Objectifying women:
• But girl your body's banging, jump me in, bang bang

• Women as disempowered:
• Girl you’re fixin' to get your heart broke, don’t be absurd man//You bird brained baby I ain’t called anybody baby since Birdman//Unless you’re a swallow

• Name calling:
• All I know is I fell asleep and woke up in that Monte Carlo//With the ugly Kardashian//Lamar, oh sorry yo, we done both set the bar low

• Women only in relation to man