Hardwell & Afrojack’s “Hollywood” Raises Questions

You would think that two guys who are no stranger to the high ranks of the DJ Mag Top 100 coming together to make a song would be an infallible recipe for success. You may also think that’s still true, but if you’re like many of us, Hardwell and Afrojack’s Hollywood has only left us questioning things. Why are reputable sources talking about this like it’s the best thing since Spaceman? Why are some of our friends convinced this is going to be the next big banger? Please, maybe that’s not for the best. Let’s just think about this.

Hardwell has been the “#1 DJ in the world” the past two years, only now falling to the #2 spot on the list. We don’t need to dive into the big “WTF” that is the DJ Mag Top 100, we’re just saying that what we’re told is the absolute best isn’t always the absolute best. So a track featuring Mr. #2 has set our expectations pretty high, if we believe the hype. He’s been the top of the list for so long, this must be amazing, right? Maybe not.

Afrojack isn’t exactly a stranger to the higher ranks of that questionable list either. And say what you want about him, but you know you sing along to Ten Feet Tall every time it gets dropped because he makes catchy stuff! That’s completely okay, that’s exactly what pop music is made of: catchy stuff. But where do we draw the line between catchy and good?

We only have a 1:24 sample of Hollywood so far, so maybe we don’t have all the information yet. It’s possible. But if you were a DJ premiering a portion of your mastered track to the world for the first time, you would choose the best part of it, right?

The problem here is that we’re so often told how good things are and how we’re supposed to feel about something. That information and those feelings affect us as we go about our lives, and even as we listen to new music. It’s been suggested that because these two are popular world renowned DJs that this collaboration of theirs should be awesome. But is it? Or are we going into it with certain expectations and opinions and therefore decide that it’s fun and we like it before we’ve really even heard it.

Plot twist possibility: Given the track title, what if this is all one giant commentary on Hollywood and fame? What if Hardwell and Afrojack are just waiting for this song to hit #1 so that they can admit that it was all one giant troll to prove what easy-to-please sheep we are. What if?

Listen to Hollywood below and let us know what you think. Is it the best thing you’ve ever heard in your life? Is it part of one big social commentary?

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the staff writer and may not be representative of that of DMNW as an organization.