Rebecca Black’s viral Web takeover came thanks to Ark Music Factory, the pay-per-song company that produced the sugary—and incessant—“ Friday.” Well, there’s more where that came from: WATCH VIDEO of Ark’s most mind-blowing creations.
The Best-Worst Song Ever
Rebecca Black’s “Friday” has been called a lot of things— “worst song in the history of the world”, a “ masterpiece” (if by counts)—but one thing’s certain: With upward of 17 million hits on YouTube, Black’s meme-oriffic song dominates the Internet. How could it not? With lyrics that ponder life’s tough decisions—“Kickin’ in the front seat / sittin’ in the back seat / gotta make my mind up / which seat can I take?”—and a laundry list of the days of the week, “we we we so excited” to watch this one again.
An ‘Ordinary Pop Star’?
We think not: “Friday” might be head-bop worthy, but it’s got nothing on “Ordinary Pop Star.” CJ Fam is anything but ordinary as she belts her desire to return to the normal life of a tween girl in her fast-paced, synthed-out song. Fam is diva-in-training material: In the video, she signs autographs for adoring fans, fends off the paparazzi, and rides around town in a Bentley, singing, “I wanna be like those normal girls / I wanna have a regular life again / like going to school and having good friends.” Bonus: Patrice Wilson and Clarence Jey, the men behind Ark, make a cameo. Watch and bask in the cheesiness of it all.
Britney in Training
While Black plays it safe and age-appropriate in “Friday,” Ark brings out its budding Britney Spears with the song “Can’t Get You Out of My Mind,” performed by Kaya (first name only, natch). While artiste Kaya can’t get a teenage Romeo out of her head, you won’t be able to get her song out of yours. Ark ups the production value in this video, with a rap interlude and a few not-too-shabby dance routines. In the end, Kaya’s brand of bubblegum might just be your newest guilty pleasure.
‘Armour’ on a Beach
When Jolie Adamson found her knight in shining armor, all she wanted to do was sing about it… at least that’s how it goes down in this Ark creation. Adamson, an older Ark singer—and by older, we mean pushing 19—frolics on a beach with her paramour, singing, “I need you in my life / the way you smile / gives me butterflies inside / you are the one.” Like Ark Music Factory’s other songs, there’s plenty of repetition in the lyrics, but she does the song, and possibly the beach, more justice than Heidi Montag, and maybe even Paris Hilton on a good day.
Ark Will Give You ‘Butterflies’
It’s not quite “Friday” caliber, but it comes close: Alana Lee dishes about puppy love in her Ark-penned song “Butterflies.” While Lee’s song doesn’t have the same stuck-in-your-head staying power as Black’s, her video has the most intact narrative of them all. In three and a half minutes of hokey goodness, complete with CGI butterflies flapping around the screen, Lee competes for the attention of the hot guy at her school, breaks up, and makes up with him. All in a middle school day’s work.
Is Saturday the Next ‘Friday’?
If Friday is the day to get down with your friends, a la Rebecca Black, then Saturday is the day to go to the club and lament your unrequited love. At least that’s the case for Abbie Victor in her song “Crush on You.” Ark’s producers just can’t shake the days of the week as Victor croons about her secret crush: The song opens with “It’s a Saturday, Saturday night,” with more “partyin’ partyin’,” naturally. For the guys behind the song that dethroned Charlie Sheen as media king, there’s probably a lot more partying in store.