Chromakopia: Ranked

14. Balloon

Balloon received a 3/10 on our scale, by far the lowest off the album. In an album jam packed with fantastic songs, Balloon was subpar and was the only thing standing in the way of Chromakopia reaching no skip status. On our scale it received a 1 for lyrics, 1 for instrumentation, 1 for differentiation and zeroes for feature and general vibe. We gave it this score as we felt the construction was okay but not outstanding while the feature missed the mark. It is truly the only song from this album that we felt was sub par, thus the lowest placement.

Kate Ranking: 14, Sylvia Ranking: 14

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 0

Differentiation: 1

General Vibe: 0

Final score: 3

13. Take Your Mask Off

“Take Your Mask Off” receiving a score of 4.5 on our scale, earned one point for lyrics, one point instrumentation and rhythm, one point just for featuring Daniel Caesar (we love Daniel Caesar), no points for differentiation due to its similarities to multiple other tracks, and a point and-a-half for the general vibe of the song. While we both wished we could put this song higher, it ultimately landed at 13th place because there are so many other fantastic tracks that we felt deserved higher placement.

Kate Ranking: 13, Sylvia Ranking: 12

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 0

General Vibe: 1.5

Final score: 4.5

12. Tomorrow

A song about the existential fear about getting older, “Tomorrow” is a well done yet forgettable song. With gorgeous lyrics and a beautiful piano line, the song earned a 4.5 on our scale. We gave it a 2 for lyrics, 1.5 for general vibe, 1 for instrumentation and zeroes for features and differentiation. In our minds, the song could have used a feature to elevate the sound. We honestly forgot what this song was when we were organizing the ranking hence the differentiation score. It's a beautiful story hindered by its forgettable format.

Kate Ranking: 12, Sylvia Ranking: 13

Lyrics: 2

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 0

Differentiation: 0

General Vibe: 1.5

Final score: 4.5

11. Judge Judy

“Judge Judy” earned a score of 5 on our scale. Earning one and-a-half points for its lyrics, one point for the interesting rhythm of the song, a-half-a point for the amazing artists featured on the song yet somehow simultaneously feeling forgettable, no points for differentiation due to the similar sound to “Darling, I” and “Hey Jane”, and two points for its vibe. We loved the Childish Gambino contribution but thought that the portion from the perspective of Judy would have worked better if someone other than Tyler performed it. Yet again, we felt like this was a very solid song but had to place it at 11th due to the surplus of amazing songs.

Kate Ranking: 11, Sylvia Ranking: 10

Lyrics: 1.5

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 0.5

Differentiation: 0

General Vibe: 2

Final score: 5

10. I Killed You

“I Killed You”, is a symbolic song about both the relationship that Black individuals have to their hair, as well as cultural and societal standards regarding the way one looks. The track earned a score of 5.5. Its lyrics convey a clear and powerful message, however begin to feel repetitive over time, earning a 1. The rhythm and instrumentation earned a score of 2, because of its unique use of drums, that mimic that of a traditional African drum pattern-- used as a reminder of the culture being rejected in the song-- as well as playful instrumentation. Unfortunately, yet again the feature earned a score of 0 due to the forgettable nature of the guest appearances. The song’s differentiation earned a 1, and its unique topic and rhythm earned the song a 1.5 for the general vibe.

Kate Ranking: 11, Sylvia Ranking: 5

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 2

Feature: 0

Differentiation: 1

General Vibe: 1.5

Final score: 5.5

9. I Hope You Find Your Way Home

Arguably the most underrated song off the album, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” is a beautifully constructed song that sneaks up on you. The song earned a score of 5.5 on our scale with a 1.5 for vibe and 1 in all other categories. Everything on this song works, from the haunting refrain to the way it puts a great bow on the album, however, it is not outstanding and there are so many incredible songs that it resides here.

Kate Ranking: 7, Sylvia Ranking: 10

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 1

General Vibe: 1.5

Final score: 5.5

8. Darling, I

A song with delightfully braggadocious yet lovely lyrics, Darling, I details Tyler’s struggles with monogamy and the modern dating experience. The song earned a 6 on our scale. For lyrics, we gave it a 2 and our favorite lyric by far is when Tyler laments “I’ll be lonely with all these Grammys when it’s all said and done.” The feature is great, but we wanted more Daniel Caesar so we gave it a 0.5. His voice just works really well in this sort of song and we would have loved to hear a full verse from him. It has a different feel from the rest of the songs but it had a lot of the same sounds so it received a 1 for differentiation. For Instrumentation it received a 1 because we thought while it sounded good, there wasn't anything too special about it. Finally, we thought it was a fun song but left some to be desired resulting in a general vibe score of 1.5. Overall, Darling, I is a vibe heavy song with some fun standout moments.

Kate Ranking: 9, Sylvia Ranking: 2

Lyrics: 2

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 0.5

Differentiation: 1

General Vibe: 1.5

Final score: 6

7. Hey Jane

“Hey Jane” tells the story of an unplanned pregnancy from the perspective of both “T”, implied to be Tyler, and Jane, the woman carrying his child. This track earned a solid score of 6 on our scale. With beautiful, powerful, and very feminist lyrics, we both felt the lyrics earned a 2. However, the instrumentation, while good, is not necessarily a show-stopping feature of the song, earning a 1. In this song there is no feature, however we felt that the part of Jane could have been rapped or sung by someone else just for clarity, earning the feature a 0. We also felt that this track was very similar to “Judge Judy” which is also mentioned in its ranking as well (see above), however it also feels different to some of the more chaotic songs, so it earned 1 point for differentiation. Finally, when it comes to the general vibe, both of us loved the vibe of the song and its message, so we rewarded the song with a 2.

Kate Ranking: 8, Sylvia Ranking: 7

Lyrics: 2

Instrumentation: 1

Feature: 0

Differentiation: 1

General Vibe: 2

Final score: 6

6. Sticky

Sticky is a song unlike any other. Its unique composition evokes the image of kids rapping around a lunch table and feels rudimentary yet complex. The features are undoubtedly great and the verses are chaotically exciting. The intro is an underwhelming beginning to an otherwise electric song. The song received a 8 on our scale with 2s for the rhythmic instrumentation, deeply unique sound and explosive vibe with 1s for the excellent features and somewhat bizarre, raunchy lyrics. Sticky is an inescapable earworm that has already taken pop culture by storm.

Kate Ranking: 5, Sylvia Ranking: 9

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 2

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 2

General Vibe: 2

Final score: 8

5. Noid

“Noid”, a track about the feeling of paranoia as a celebrity, earned a score of 8 on our scale. The concise and cryptic lyrics invoke a feeling of being trapped in one’s mind and paranoia, however their brevity limits its impact, therefore earning a score of 1.5. The use of eerie synths and interesting rhythm earned the instrumentation a score of 1.5. We felt that the song actually had no need for a feature, so it earned 1 point for its lack thereof. The track earns a 1.5 for differentiation because of its dark and what some may call overstimulating tone that sets it apart from other songs in the album. We both thoroughly enjoyed “Noid” and felt its vibe was very appropriate for the album, and draws listeners in because of its atmosphere, so we rewarded it with 3 points for the general vibe.

Kate Ranking: 4, Sylvia Ranking: 8

Lyrics: 1.5

Instrumentation: 1.5

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 1.5

General Vibe: 3

Final score: 8.5

4. Like Him

Like Him is a heart-wrenching ballad describing Tyler’s longing to know his absent father following the revelation later in his life that his father wanted to be present. It demonstrates a masterful use of samples from his mother, beautiful piano line and breakdown. We scored it an 8.5 out of 10 for its artful composition. It received 2s in all categories except for its feature, which received a 0.5 for being good, but forgettable. Like Him is a very vulnerable and introspective ode to the person that could have been. While the song doesn’t necessarily fit in with the rest of the album, it stands out for its tenderness, something we admire.

Kate Ranking: 6, Sylvia Ranking: 6

Lyrics: 2

Instrumentation: 2

Feature: 0.5

Differentiation: 2

General Vibe: 2

Final score: 8.5

3. Thought I Was Dead

“Thought I Was Dead” is a high-energy and electrifying track about Tyler’s longing for privacy and complex relationship with fame, earning a score of 9 on our scale. Its playful and humorous lyrics, while most definitely fun to sing along with, do not encapsulate the true meaning of the song enough, earning the lyrics a score of 1. While the instrumentals of the song, with rhythmic yelling, powerful brass instrumentation, and body percussion, feel as if they gradually grow throughout the song, resulting in an interesting and powerful layered effect, therefore we gave the instrumentation a score of 2. We felt as if the features added a lot of interest to the song, so it earned the 1 point for the feature. We also felt like the song was unlike any other song in the album, with an explosive and dynamic feel, it got a score of 2 for differentiation and 3 for the general vibe.

Kate Ranking: 3, Sylvia Ranking: 3

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 2

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 2

General Vibe: 3

Final score: 9

2. St. Chroma

St. Chroma is an exhilarating opening number filled with melodic refrains, brilliant beat drops, and consistent marching noises. The song centers around Tyler’s mother’s voice note at the beginning of the song imploring him to not “dim [his] light for nobody” with a refrain from Daniel Caesar crooning “can you feel the light inside?” St. Chroma introduces us to the titular main character of the album along with the motif of light that appears across the album. The song features one of the most phenomenal beat drops we have ever heard followed by an incredible verse from Tyler. The entire song is unparalleled. It earned a score of 9 on our scale. The only point lost was because of the fact the song sounds somewhat similar to many other songs from the album (although it is significantly better). St. Chroma is a phenomenal track that is an exemplary display of so many of the best things about music.

Kate Ranking: 1, Sylvia Ranking: 4

Lyrics: 2

Instrumentation: 2

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 1

General Vibe: 3

Final score: 9

1. Rah Tah Tah

“Rah Tah Tah”, our #1 pick with a score of 9, is a bold anthem all about confidence, dominance, and standards. The lyrics, while witty and bold, are what many have said overly-intense, and do not add to the actual meaning of the song, earning the lyrics a 1. However, the use of almost, random noises--such as sirens, breathing, dripping, and zippers--within the instrumentation, is reminiscent of a 2000’s Disney movie scene in which the lead characters begin to make music from their environment, this adds a lot of interest to the song therefore scoring a 2. The lack of feature in this song also feels necessary as it adds to the feeling of empowerment and dominance in this song with only one singer, therefore we gave it a 1 for the feature. We could not compare this song with any other in the track so we gave it a 2 for differentiation. This song is not only about confidence and power - it also makes listeners feel powerful. A song that can make its listeners FEEL has become rare in our modern day, but this song and many others in this album exude emotion that the listener feels as they listen. Because of this, the general vibe earned a score of 3.

Kate Ranking: 2, Sylvia Ranking: 1

Lyrics: 1

Instrumentation: 2

Feature: 1

Differentiation: 2

General Vibe: 3

Final score: 9