Benson Boone is one of the most divisive stars in American pop today. While his songs rack up multimillion-dollar views, critics question the quality of his proposal and mock his obsessive penchant for doing somersaults.
None of this will change with ‘The Time of My Life’, an independent single that comes out just a year after ‘American Heart’ (2025) and that focuses on the same virtues and defects of Benson Boone’s proposal, as dependent on nostalgia as it is unable to stand up to its influences.
‘The Time of My Life’ stands out for its progressive development, which unravels the drama little by little until it reaches its emotional climax. There is some Queen and Billy Joel, as well as the first Harry Styles. We must praise Boone’s vocal ability to handle very high-pitched melodies, especially in the chorus, and the ambition that the song demonstrates, at least.
But ‘The Time of My Life’ doesn’t work for two reasons. The melodic composition is not brilliant; In fact, it gives the impression that it aspires to the greatness of the classics without achieving it. On the other hand, the lyrics resort to the simplest contrasts: “Now every day is a party, but every night is a nightmare.” Not to mention the repetition of the same verb in the bridge: “How can the world move on? I will never allow myself to move on.” Was there no other verb at hand?
‘The Time of My Life’ is the umpteenth Benson Boone song that embraces excessive drama – something not so common in male pop stars – but it can’t help but sound like a recreation of better songs. They have put great care into the video, yes, with Boone more of a performer than ever. And there is no lack of jumping, of course.
