There are many reasons why I'm a Ke$ha fan. Unlike many pop singers (cough, Christina, cough), she is aware of the kind of music that suits her voice. She's a tragically underrated songwriter ("Till the World Ends" was a 2011 highlight). Finally, she's sincere; Ke$ha never claims to be more than a singer/songwriter, and her music is unapologetic, hit-you-over-the-head pop, of which "Die Young" is a prime example.
So maybe I should not have expected more from Ke$ha. Unfortunately, I did. Save the guitar/drum breakdowns (which, incidentally, are the most interesting sections of the song), "Die Young" could easily have been on either of Ke$ha's previous works. The third major release by any popstar, and particularly its lead single, should always push that popstar into uncharted territory--that is, if she wants to cement her presence on the pop landscape. Madonna did it with "Live to Tell" off True Blue, Rihanna with "Umbrella" off Good Girl Gone Bad, Britney with "I'm a Slave 4 U" off Britney, and even Gaga with "Born this Way" off the eponymous album. And while "Born this Way" was certainly cringe-worthy, it was still different.
While I must admit that "Die Young" has a killer hook, it does not represent an evolution of sound for Ke$ha, and it almost certainly won't match the success of Ke$ha's best singles.
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