I have always been mixed on the artists that are currently making headlines in the world of pop music. The reason I say that is because I feel that many of them create songs that lack versatility and the tight, catchy, and memorable hooks that make a great pop song. Instead, they tend to stick to the same formula as far as song structure goes. In addition, a certain number of these current pop stars don't seem to possess the stage presence and vocal ability to sing live in front of crowds while on tour and at major award shows either.

Take the current number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 right now, "Closer" by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey for example. While the song has had success on the charts with it's sales, as it has held the number one spot for 12 straight weeks now, I consider it to be a very bland and simple pop song both lyrically and musically. I'm not trying to mock or downgrade anyone who likes the song, but for me it just doesn't seem to have that certain punch and flavor I expect in a pop song, not to mention the fact that I typically don't care for EDM tracks, and I don't think Andrew Taggart has a great voice which led to him using auto-tune on the track. If you don't believe me, just watch their awkward and off-balanced live performance of it with Halsey on the MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) and you'll see what I mean.

I know I may be sounding a little too harsh and critical to current pop singers since I don't do the constant work of recording an album every few years, making record label executives happy, performing lead singles on radio and daytime or late night TV shows to get name recognition and my music out to people by promoting a new record to increase sales, and going on year long tours that either stretch countrywide or worldwide, but believe me I can imagine how hard their jobs are. However, when the history of pop music has produced stars like Michael Jackson, Prince, George Michael, and Madonna who possessed the showmanship, voices, and charisma to become successful pop singers, many people expect today's musicians to have the same amount of skills as their influences did, and have close to or as successful careers as them.

However, not all pop stars are like this. Artists like Adele, Lady Gaga, and Ariana Grande are singers that I think have strong and beautiful voices, can perform well in a live setting, and could possibly go on to have long successful careers in the music industry. But the artist I feel that possesses the gift of being a true pop star like Michael Jackson and Prince is none other than Bruno Mars.

I consider Mars' voice to be one of the best voices in modern pop music and it is one of those voices that once you hear it, it is instantly recognizable. To sum it up, Bruno Mars' voice is like a chocolate chip cookie that I've been dying to have because it is both sweet and irresistible. Another reason I respect Mars as an artist is that he provides a large amount of versatility in his music. Also, even though his lyrics are centered around clichéd topics involving relationships, love, girls, and money, the music Mars produces to go along with these lyrics contain thoughtful, different, and creative hooks that provide people with the experience of obtaining vibrant feelings and having a good time on a dance floor. Not to mention, Mars plays a majority of the instruments on his tracks such as drums, piano, and guitar. Lastly, the most important skill that Mars possesses is his showmanship. Every time that I see this guy perform live, whether if it's on a TV show or at one of his concerts, I get goosebumps because he never makes mistakes. From the choreography to his facial expressions, Mars is in a world of his own, at least in regards to today's pop music scene.

From his first two records Doo-Wops and Hooligans that was released in 2010, and Unorthodox Jukebox that was released in 2012, Mars has made songs that include not only pop elements but also rock, reggae, R&B, hip-hop, and piano ballads, which is another reason that makes his voice so unique. Songs I can think of as good examples are the guitar driven and rock inspired pop song "Runaway Baby," the reggae-fusion and The Police inspired song "Locked Out of Heaven," and the sweetly soul inspired "When I Was Your Man." These are just a few reasons why I believe Bruno Mars is at the top of the modern world of pop music, especially among male artists.

Speaking of Bruno Mars, one of the albums I am excited and ecstatic to hear this year is his new record titled 24K Magic, which is scheduled to be released on November 18. Now so far, I listened to the three songs that have been released before the album officially drops, and "holy shnikes" are they impressive. The album's title track, which was released as the lead single on October 7, really caught me by surprise with it's heavy '80s funk music influence, pitch-corrected background vocals, and sparkling synth line on the chorus. Specifically, this song reminds me a lot of the popular '80s funk bands Zapp and The Gap Band, especially from the pitch-corrected background vocals and sparkling synth line. Though when I first heard this song, I didn't really care for it all that much since Mars mostly raps on the verses and only sings on the chorus, plus the braggadocious lyrics were a little off putting for me as well. However, after constant listens, the song has grown on me and I have begun to appreciate the funk style that Mars has decided to go for on this song, a genre of which he tackled as a featured artist on Mark Ronson's number one hit "Uptown Funk" back in 2015, but hasn't adapted to experimenting in his solo career.

The second song titled "Chunky" was performed by Mars when he was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live back on October 15 to promote the new album, and he also did an additional performance of the record's title track "24K Magic". While it wasn't released as a single and there isn't any word on whether the song will be included in the track listing, the song has become my favorite out of the three tunes I've heard. During the live performance, Mars showcased why he is one of the best live artists in the music industry with his flawless showmanship, charisma, vocals, and outstanding ability to engage a crowd. In addition, the bass line in this song is without a doubt the highlight of the song for me with it's funky head-bobbing groove as it moves up and down the scale on a consistent basis. For me, I definitely get a Parliament-Funkadelic vibe as I've continued listening to it, especially because of that bass line.

The third and final song, which was released on November 4 as a promotional single, is "Versace On The Floor" which is another heavily influenced '80s type of song, but in the form of a slow jam romantic ballad. Just like "24K Magic," this tune possesses a synth led instrumental and Mars gives a very passionate vocal performance on the track. Personally, I think that this is Mars' best ballad song yet, and I feel that this would be something that the "Off The Wall" and "Thriller" side of Michael Jackson would record.

Just from these three tracks, I can already assume that Mars' new album is going to contain a lot of tracks that have '70s and '80s funk influences to them. As a result, since funk music is one of my favorite genres, I have a feeling that it is going to be a satisfying listen. Also, I'm planning on posting a review on the entire album when it drops on November 18 and once I have a chance to listen to it, I will begin writing my thoughts about it. So be on the lookout for that. After coming back from a four year break, hopefully I will be able to find out if Mars' third studio album is truly "24K Magic."