If there’s one thing I’ve learned while running this site–well, other than watch out for certain fanbases–it’s that few opinions stay static. Last April, I did a list on songs I’ve Radio Ranted that I riffed on at the time, but later warmed up to. And lately, I’ve been thinking about songs that I’ve been unfair to before, or where I changed my opinion, and figured that now’s the best time to do another list because 1. I haven’t put things in an order one after another in awhile, 2. This way, the “most improved” becomes an annual thing, and 3. the only 2 new Top 10 arrivals are by artists I don’t feel like talking about anymore, so here are the Five Most Improved Radio Rant Songs from May 2011 to June 2012!

5. Bruno Mars – It Will Rain 
Here’s one from last November that, high Clingy Factor aside, got a pretty positive review from me. I had a few other options for number 5 that fell into the same category of “Well, this ain’t bad“, but what put “It Will Rain” above the rest is that it’s a song I’ve actively sought out to listen to. And that replay factor is the difference between repeatedly spun songs like this, and stuff that’s just as pleasant, but forgettable. It’s still a lyrically needy song, but the distinct production and romantic melody saved this one, at least to me. Bruno Mars, please make better songs.

4. Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger 
If there’s one thing harder than predicting who’s going to be the next big thing, it’s predicting who gets a second chance, and I never expected the Levine Inquisition like this. If I had to seek out “It Will Rain” to hear it again, “Moves Like Jagger” became inescapable with that sliding guitar riff and unrelenting beat. I still maintain that this song barely sounds like a band’s playing it, but I’ve gotten way more mileage out of dancing to this thing than I ever imagined. Can Maroon 5 follow it up? I dunno yet, their new album’s out this week, but either way, this was an unexpected game changer for them.

3. Britney Spears – I Wanna Go 
Coming back from last August, here’s Britney’s 3rd (and third most successful) single off Femme Fatale, and holy shit did I lay into this one when it came out. Looking back on it, I know exactly why; when this song came out, we were just starting to shake club pop off for real, but I was already so done with it that I’d kick at any sign of life to it. Listening to it now with a ten month buffer or so, I’d call this one of the better club pop tunes from last summer. Sure, it’s not going to go down in history as a brilliant song, but it’s deliriously fun, and this time even Britney sounds like she’s in on it, and there’s something to be said for that.

2. Lady Gaga – You and I 
Ever since I first heard “You and I” on Born This Way, I’ve gone kind of back and forth on it. When the album first came out, I called it one of the best songs on there, but then when it came time for a Radio Rant, this one fell kind of short with me. Most of my problems with the song stemmed from it not holding up very well under scrutiny, but since that entry, I’ve seen “You and I” as a forest for the trees kind of deal. Yeah, it’s overblown spectacle that doesn’t really accomplish much in any genre it throws itself into, but maybe the point was more just to listen to Gaga throw herself at these genres instead of making a coherent statement out of it. That and it’s fun to hear a song not giving a fuck like this.

1. Cobra Starship ft. Sabi – You Make Me Feel…
“You Make Me Feel…” …kind of bad, actually. I feel kind of bad for this song just because I ripped it to shreds during its Radio Rant. I still stand by what I said about Cobra Starship as a quickly degenerating cash-grab, this song not bothering to fill in it’s own lyrics, and being nonchalantly enjoyable, but if the mood strikes me just right, I’ll still give “You Make Me Feel…” a listen. Were it not for that “La la la la la” hook, it’d be a lot easier to write off, but this song doesn’t piss me off anymore like it used to, and I’d call that a massive improvement.