It has been about eight years since blink-182 released a studio album and we got our first glimpse into the new project with "Up All Night". A song about the personal trials and inner demons with the intention of keeping "them" up all night, it can quite possibility be a reflection of what has happened between now and the last album in 2003. According to an e-mail from Mark Hoppus to MTV News, the song was actually one of the first songs that they created when they got back together in 2009. The core of the song was still there, but it has developed over time as new ideas kept coming to the surface. If they wanted to release a single, they could have done it when the tour. However, you can tell that they took their time and wanted to make things right.
You can't really compare the song to "All The Small Things" or "The Rock Show", however this song reminds me of "Feeling This". It has that mature sound that made them grow as a band. The side projects of "Angels & Airwaves", "Boxcar Racer", and "+44" proved to be helpful to blink-182 and its core members. For the blink-182 fan, it was amazing and awesome to hear some new music from them. As a fan myself, I was really excited for midnight on July 15th to hear the new song. As a follower of Mark Hoppus on Twitter when he tweeted that the new record was coming out in September and the single was being released at midnight, it brought me back to my high school days in the summer of 2001. I remember sitting the back of my friend Chris's corvette blasting "The Rock Show" cause I was one of the first people to get the song on a CD (Remember those?). It brought me back to my blink-182 concert, where they co-headlined with Green Day and got overshadowed. Even with that, I was gonna defend blink-182 over Green Day any day of the week. Anyways blink-182 is on a similar path that Green Day was in the late 1990s, and "Up All Night" is step towards their eventual destination.
Now as a HUGE blink-182 fan when I first heard "Up All Night", I thought it was alright. It didn't really impress me, and some fans really do feel the same way. It felt like a huge disappointment waiting all this time and you give us this? However, the more I listened to it, the more I started to really dissect it and enjoy the song. It's not a great song, but it's not a bad song. It's alright, so i'm really down the middle with this cause it reminds me of "Feeling This". I'm hoping that the album really produce some awesome songs and proves that blink-182 is back and back with a vengeance.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Song Meaning - "Just A Dream" by Nelly
So, I have been meaning to type up this blog post for a long time and I finally have the time and my thoughts together to figure out what to say to better express what I want to say. Hopefully when someone reads this, they understand what's going on and respect true emotion.
This song does hit home to me cause when I first heard the song, I just got of a "relationship", if you can call it that, that had the possibilities of turning into something more. Ever since my college sweetheart dumps within a month of me proposing to her, I have not been looking cause I was and still enjoying my life. However, living life alone is not cutting it anymore. I want to have somebody awesome in my life, however the bitterness of rejection has taken over my game, which I have none to begin with.
Anyways back to the song meaning, I was just coming of the summer fling and I didn't want to truly accept that things were truly over. I kept myself busy to not think about her with filming conventions & talking with guests. I even took a trip to Walt Disney World with some friends to keep my mind off of her. Then, I did a blog post about the top 20 sad love songs to which that song was part of the countdown and it got me thinking. The song hits the chord on what I was feeling at the time, which still lingers today.
The story is about a successful relationship, which turns out to be only a dream when the guy is brought down from cloud nine to reality. You dream about the family life, marriage, and finding true love, then suddenly the dream is over and you are all alone. The reality of that situation is that it sucks. No matter how much you joke about it or admit that you don't think it, the truth is there will be a point that you will think about it.
The song is a great song and it conveys a powerful emotion that captures people, which I think it was probably one of Nelly's greatest hits ever and the one that people like the most. This definitely hits home to me and its tough to listen to without thinking about her and thinking about could have been. Just to let everyone know, I'm sure the majority of the "Song Meaning" blog posts will be about someone that I was with in the past.
There have been times that I have tried to open up some people or tried to vlog about it. In the end, I've been discouraged and lazy about opening up cause some of my friends can't really relate to it nor do they really care. So, I know that there are people out who say I don't deserve someone awesome in my life, or that I deserve to be alone, or even correct my grammar cause they wanna show me up and feel good about themselves. They have a right to, I put out my opinion and my story and I'm subject to abuse like that cause I put myself out there. However in the end, music is what's important to me and the connection that i have with it. It's more important to me than an opinion of someone who doesn't know me.
This has been "Song Meaning", and I'm gonna have a music rage post soon.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Top 5 Grammys Performances
Alright, I should have written this earlier. Two weeks ago, the music industry honored their own with The Grammy Awards. Of course in Grammy fashion, there were a whole bunch of Grammy performances that helped out the telecast to its biggest ratings since the start of the new millennium. It got me thinking, what were some of the greatest grammy performances ever? Well, everyone has their own opinion and decided to put in my two cents cause I can't shut up and I want the attention. Here we go, the top 5 Grammy performances ever.
#5 - "American Idiot" by Green Day (2005)
This high energy performance definitely excelled Green Day into an iconic status with a performance that spoke to the people in the audience and through the screens. It was voted the #1 Grammy moment of all time.
#4 - "No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige (2002)
Probably one of the best performance I have ever seen, Mary J. Blige definitely pour all of her emotion into this performance and it paid off in the end. Just see the raw energy and emotion that she into the performance and you can see why this is on the list.
#3 - "The Cup of Life" by Ricky Martin (1999)
I know what you are thinking, however it was a great performance. When you look back on the history of music, this performance will be mentioned due to the cultural significance and impact it had. Because of this performance, we now have Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, and Daddy Yankee. It literally opened the door to other latin artists.
#2 - "The Way You Make Me Feel" / "Man In The Mirror" by Michael Jackson (1988)
The King of Pop rocked Radio City Music Hall with an acoustic performance of his hit "The Way You Make Me Feel", which probably made some people uncomfortable at the time and an emotional performance of "Man In The Mirror", which is arguably one of the most emotional performance he ever gave.
#1 - "Stan" by Eminem featuring Elton John (2001)
There was a lot of controversy with this performance because Eminem was being accused of being homophobic and Elton John being an openly gay artist. However, the true controversy of this was the fact that Elton John was suppose to be a surprise artist during the performance. The track was so amazing that the duo performed again at the Brit Awards.
#5 - "American Idiot" by Green Day (2005)
This high energy performance definitely excelled Green Day into an iconic status with a performance that spoke to the people in the audience and through the screens. It was voted the #1 Grammy moment of all time.
#4 - "No More Drama" by Mary J. Blige (2002)
Probably one of the best performance I have ever seen, Mary J. Blige definitely pour all of her emotion into this performance and it paid off in the end. Just see the raw energy and emotion that she into the performance and you can see why this is on the list.
#3 - "The Cup of Life" by Ricky Martin (1999)
I know what you are thinking, however it was a great performance. When you look back on the history of music, this performance will be mentioned due to the cultural significance and impact it had. Because of this performance, we now have Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, and Daddy Yankee. It literally opened the door to other latin artists.
#2 - "The Way You Make Me Feel" / "Man In The Mirror" by Michael Jackson (1988)
The King of Pop rocked Radio City Music Hall with an acoustic performance of his hit "The Way You Make Me Feel", which probably made some people uncomfortable at the time and an emotional performance of "Man In The Mirror", which is arguably one of the most emotional performance he ever gave.
#1 - "Stan" by Eminem featuring Elton John (2001)
There was a lot of controversy with this performance because Eminem was being accused of being homophobic and Elton John being an openly gay artist. However, the true controversy of this was the fact that Elton John was suppose to be a surprise artist during the performance. The track was so amazing that the duo performed again at the Brit Awards.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Top 20 Love Songs
I got the list of the Top 20 songs for all those lonely hearts out there, but you don't want to leave Valentine's Day 2011 in a sad mood after reading that last blog. Trust me, I had to listen to all those songs and it puts me in such a sad and lonely mood. So, I had to do something to pick up my mood to be at least loving. So, this countdown for those of you who are fortunate to have someone in their life. Here we go, top 20 love songs or what I think are the Top 20 Love Songs.
20. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
This 1981 classic duet is the title track to the movie of the same name. The song is about two people who declare their endless love for each other.
19. "Can't Help Falling In Love" by UB40
This 1993 cover of the Elvis Presley added a reggae twist to the #1 hit. This is one of the band's biggest hits to date.
18. "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel
As a fellow Long Islander, I had to include Billy Joel on this list. The piano man penciled this tune in dedication to his then wife. The smooth sounds of the electric piano sort of add passion and some pop to the tune.
17. "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden
Australian duo Savage Garden were looking for a radio hit to start the 21st century. Darren Hayes came up with the wedding hit "I Knew I Loved You". The video talks about the powers of premonition and the somewhat sense of hopefulness. Plus also, the song gave guys a chance to win the lady's heart. In today's world, this song would either be called "laziness" or "shyness".
16. "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith
In 1998, Aerosmith produced a song for the soundtrack "Armageddon". It turns out to be one of the biggest songs in the band's history, which helped receive a bunch of honors and awards that they have never gotten before hand.
15. "The Reason" by Hoobastank
Southern California rockers Hoobastank released the title track to their sophomore album "The Reason" and turns out to be their biggest song to date. This love song is all about redemption and the need to change one's self for someone else.
14. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
This 1991 cover of the classic Dolly Parton added another level to the legend that was Whitney Houston before she became a crackhead. Produced for the soundtrack to "The Bodyguard", this song helped elevated Whitney's iconic status and instantly became her signature song with the infamous note that so many people try to re-create but couldn't do Whitney justice.
13. "Umbrella" by Rihanna
Originally intended for Britney Spears, this 2007 single helped Rihanna from the first artist that Jay-Z signed to his Roc-A-Fella Records label to a pop powerhouse and still going.
12. "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John
This 1994 song for "The Lion King" soundtrack was a huge success for the English legend and added another line in his resume for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame...Oscar winner.
11. "From This Moment On" by Shania Twain
This wedding hit help Canadian Shania Twain start the country crossover revolution in the 2000s. This was a song written at a soccer game and for Twain and her then-husband Mutt Lange.
10. "You and Me" by Lifehouse
The wedding song of 2005 help revive the career of Lifehouse. This tune was produced in 2002, but not released until 3 years later. This ballad offers hope and faith that things will fall into the right place and things will be fine.
09. "Everything That I Do (I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams
The lead single from "Robin Hood: Prince of Theives" proved to be Bryan Adams's biggest hit to date and lead him to winning a Grammy award and receiving an Academy Award nomination. Plus also being played at weddings and high school proms for the majority of the 1990s. Now, I couldn't get the emded code for the video itself. So, I got the next best thing...
08. "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo
This wedding classic was huge during my high school days, which happened during the turn of the 21st century. They released a separate wedding edit, which had no drums.
07. "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey
This 2005 song was considered the top love song of the decade and the #1 Song of the 2000s, according to Billboard. Mariah has belted out many ballads, but none like this.
06. "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain
This 1997 song serves as a radio breakout hit for the Southern rocker. This is another wedding dance song and it was big in high school dances for the guy who wanted to express his feelings or just trying to express other feelings.
05. "I Just Called To Say That I Love You" by Stevie Wonder
This 1984 lead single to the movie "The Woman In Red" serves as Stevie Wonder's simplest songs. The midtempo song expresses how simply telephoning someone to convey one's love for them can make even a very unremarkable day rewarding.
04. "You Look Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton
For the old classic love song, this 1977 tune takes the cake. The lyrics are simple yet powerful and meaningful.
03. "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel
This 1989 song is the backdrop on the defining movie scene for romance, "Say Anything". Just one night go over to your girl's house with a boom box in the air and play this song, she will smother you like honey.
02. "More Than Words" by Extreme
You should listen to this 1988 ballad from funk metal band, Extreme. The song itself asks the person to whom it is addressed to show love through "more than words".
01. "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls
This 1997 career revival serves as the soundtrack to the movie "City of Angels" and one of the most enduring scenes in 1990s movies. If you wanna know what happens in the movie, listen to the song and you will get the plotline.
It was easy to put together this list and also the descriptions were simple cause love is that simple. This is why love is the most sung about emotion in music. So, Happy Valentine's Day and hope that these songs help a brother out.
20. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
This 1981 classic duet is the title track to the movie of the same name. The song is about two people who declare their endless love for each other.
19. "Can't Help Falling In Love" by UB40
This 1993 cover of the Elvis Presley added a reggae twist to the #1 hit. This is one of the band's biggest hits to date.
18. "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel
As a fellow Long Islander, I had to include Billy Joel on this list. The piano man penciled this tune in dedication to his then wife. The smooth sounds of the electric piano sort of add passion and some pop to the tune.
17. "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden
Australian duo Savage Garden were looking for a radio hit to start the 21st century. Darren Hayes came up with the wedding hit "I Knew I Loved You". The video talks about the powers of premonition and the somewhat sense of hopefulness. Plus also, the song gave guys a chance to win the lady's heart. In today's world, this song would either be called "laziness" or "shyness".
16. "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith
In 1998, Aerosmith produced a song for the soundtrack "Armageddon". It turns out to be one of the biggest songs in the band's history, which helped receive a bunch of honors and awards that they have never gotten before hand.
15. "The Reason" by Hoobastank
Southern California rockers Hoobastank released the title track to their sophomore album "The Reason" and turns out to be their biggest song to date. This love song is all about redemption and the need to change one's self for someone else.
14. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
This 1991 cover of the classic Dolly Parton added another level to the legend that was Whitney Houston before she became a crackhead. Produced for the soundtrack to "The Bodyguard", this song helped elevated Whitney's iconic status and instantly became her signature song with the infamous note that so many people try to re-create but couldn't do Whitney justice.
13. "Umbrella" by Rihanna
Originally intended for Britney Spears, this 2007 single helped Rihanna from the first artist that Jay-Z signed to his Roc-A-Fella Records label to a pop powerhouse and still going.
12. "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John
This 1994 song for "The Lion King" soundtrack was a huge success for the English legend and added another line in his resume for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame...Oscar winner.
11. "From This Moment On" by Shania Twain
This wedding hit help Canadian Shania Twain start the country crossover revolution in the 2000s. This was a song written at a soccer game and for Twain and her then-husband Mutt Lange.
10. "You and Me" by Lifehouse
The wedding song of 2005 help revive the career of Lifehouse. This tune was produced in 2002, but not released until 3 years later. This ballad offers hope and faith that things will fall into the right place and things will be fine.
09. "Everything That I Do (I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams
The lead single from "Robin Hood: Prince of Theives" proved to be Bryan Adams's biggest hit to date and lead him to winning a Grammy award and receiving an Academy Award nomination. Plus also being played at weddings and high school proms for the majority of the 1990s. Now, I couldn't get the emded code for the video itself. So, I got the next best thing...
08. "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo
This wedding classic was huge during my high school days, which happened during the turn of the 21st century. They released a separate wedding edit, which had no drums.
07. "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey
This 2005 song was considered the top love song of the decade and the #1 Song of the 2000s, according to Billboard. Mariah has belted out many ballads, but none like this.
06. "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain
This 1997 song serves as a radio breakout hit for the Southern rocker. This is another wedding dance song and it was big in high school dances for the guy who wanted to express his feelings or just trying to express other feelings.
05. "I Just Called To Say That I Love You" by Stevie Wonder
This 1984 lead single to the movie "The Woman In Red" serves as Stevie Wonder's simplest songs. The midtempo song expresses how simply telephoning someone to convey one's love for them can make even a very unremarkable day rewarding.
04. "You Look Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton
For the old classic love song, this 1977 tune takes the cake. The lyrics are simple yet powerful and meaningful.
03. "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel
This 1989 song is the backdrop on the defining movie scene for romance, "Say Anything". Just one night go over to your girl's house with a boom box in the air and play this song, she will smother you like honey.
02. "More Than Words" by Extreme
You should listen to this 1988 ballad from funk metal band, Extreme. The song itself asks the person to whom it is addressed to show love through "more than words".
01. "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls
This 1997 career revival serves as the soundtrack to the movie "City of Angels" and one of the most enduring scenes in 1990s movies. If you wanna know what happens in the movie, listen to the song and you will get the plotline.
It was easy to put together this list and also the descriptions were simple cause love is that simple. This is why love is the most sung about emotion in music. So, Happy Valentine's Day and hope that these songs help a brother out.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Top 20 Songs for Those Lonely Hearts...
Valentine's Day is here and love is in the air. The sight of couples walking arm-in-arm along the boardwalk is quite a sight. For those of you who actually experience that, this is not for you. This post is for who find that sick at the moment, and are one of the people who have a lonely heart this Valentine's Day and I'm sure that you deserve a shot at love. Trust me, it will come one day. People want to think that they are experiencing it on their own, when in the end everyone goes through it. Our best companion to our loneliness is something that can sympathize with us or give us comfort. I actually got in a sad and lonely mood after listening to all of these songs for the countdown. For all those lonely hearts out there, I kick off Valentine's Day with the top 20 list of Sad Love Songs...
20. "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling
This 2001 song was a breakout hit for The Calling. The song offers a heartbreaking tribute to the man who just broke up with his loved one and hopefully they return back. In 2011, we call that "taking a break". Interesting note: This song was named Billboard's #1 Adult Pop Song of the 2000s and I can see why.
19. "Don't Know What You Got Til It's Gone" by Cinderella
This 1988 single is the biggest hit from Hair Metal band "Cinderella". This song speaks to a good amount of lonely hearts out there, who don't realize what they have until it is gone. After listening to this, you may want to go to the ATM and take out about $250 for a good time. Watching the video you can see that they had no idea what to do to, but it's in widescreen.
18. "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette
The lead single from the popular 1990 film "Pretty Woman", Swedish duo Roxette conjure up this Christmas song that turn into a Valentine's Day heartbreaker. Yes, this was suppose to be a Christmas song (That was according to Wikipedia). You can definitely see this song being used during figure skating performances. However, it's a powerful song with a powerful message of realizing that it is over and moving on from a loved one.
17. "Gotta Get Thru This" by Daniel Bedingfield
Who remembers this 2003 dance hit from Daniel Bedingfield? The older brother of pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield? Nobody? Alright, this two-hit wonder burst onto the music scene with this song about being dumped and just trying to deal with it.
16. "That's What You Get" by Paramore
Remember when Paramore had 5 members? Those were some good times. To reminisce about the good ol' days, watch this video for the fourth single from their debut album called "That's What You Get". In 2008, Paramore educates us on the idea of following your heart, going for it, and then facing the idea of rejection. It even has a hand-clapping opportunity right after the bridge.
15. "Better Than Me" by Hinder
Following the pop success of "Lips of an Angel", Oklahoma band "Hinder" chose the more melodic and more passionate song for their second single. "Better Than Me" tells us the story of a troubled person who has a guilty conscience in dealing with a loss, however in the end they realize that they didn't deserved them in the first place. Very powerful message and the rock energy at the end gives it the punch that it deserves. The video has an interesting take on the song with an ending that I didn't see coming.
14. "All Cried Out" by Allure featuring 112
This 1997 cover was an instant radio hit and put the all-girl group Allure on the map. The song was originally sung by Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam and was a Top 10 hit for them in the 80s. The song featured a talented group of young men called "112", who later had radio hits such as "Peaches and Cream" and "Dance With Me". This song is a see-saw battle between a man who went down the wrong path and the woman he hurt. The video kind of follows the song, however lip sync to the song itself is another story. (Note: It was tough finding this video on YouTube)
13. "Grenade" by Bruno Mars
This 2010 radio-friendly hit is an interesting follow-up to his debut feel good single "Just The Way You Are". The song is about a man who is willing to do anything for one girl, however she is not willing to do anything for him. This emotionally-raw lyrics represents the song's true message as opposed to the light-hearted melody and harmony.
12. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum
This 2010 country crossover hit serves as a reminder that feelings after someone can't go away in a heartbeat and that it takes time to heal. In some cases a lot of time. The song talks about a heartbroken person who tries to hold back how they feel and calls up their old lover in an attempt for a reunion. The title track of their sophomore album is their biggest hit to date.
11. "Swing, Swing" by The All-American Rejects
The debut single from an Oklahoma band almost didn't make it to the band's freshman album. "Swing, Swing" was made in the guitarist's grandparents' cabin and one of the last songs to be recorded. However, it's one of the band's biggest hits to date. The songs offers a teenage man going through heartbreak as we all go through and just trying to move on. The song is more a plea to help him deal with it.
10. "When Love and Hate Collide" by Def Leppard featuring Taylor Swift
Originally set to release with on their 1992 album Adrenalize, it was not produced in time and held off. It was finally released in 1995 as a single on their greatest hits album, "Vault". This power ballad was not successful in the United States until Taylor Swift sang on the song during the CMT show "Crossroads". The song is about a man who suffering from a battle within, between love and hate for a girl who recently separated from him.
9. "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down
This 2003 hit from one of the decade's biggest bands talks about loneliness on the road. The lead singer penned the song about his now ex-wife and knowing that there is loneliness in the matter of missing someone. However, there is some comfort dreaming about the person that they miss.
8. "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx
This 1987 piano ballad found commercial success during a time filled with powerful rock ballads with heavy guitar solos and beat-driven melodies. However, this served as Richard Marx's biggest hit to date. The song was written by Richard Marx and dedicated to Cynthia Rhodes. Bryan Adams was the intended singer for the record, but passed over the song. The song is about a person who can't shake the feelings of loving someone and no matter what happens that he's got her back and is willing to wait to be with her again.
7. "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper
Following the hugely successful "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", Cyndi Lauper choosing a follow-up single was a huge task for the redhead from New York, however she did with one of the biggest songs of the 1980s. In an interview, Lauper told that the song was about occurrences that were happening in the studio and in her life. The song is about two people who part their different ways but somehow come back to each other in times of need, only to part once again. The video describes the song better with a young lady leaving everything behind including a love.
6. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison
If there is one thing that we have learned about the band "Poison" is that Bret Michaels's heartbreak equals commercial success. The breakout hit for the LA hair metal band serves as their biggest hit. The song was written after Bret found out that his girlfriend at the time was cheating on him from a phone call. There are several meanings and influences behind the song, but the message behind the song is clear. The person can be a good person, but still can cause you heartbreak.
5. "What Hurts The Most" by Cascada
Alright, here we go. The song was produced in 2003 by country artist Mark Willis for the album "And The Crowd Goes Wild". Later that year, it was covered by Irish girl group Bellefire for their debut album. The song was not a single until 2005 by former S Club 7 singer Jo O'Meara and got her a Top 10 hit. In 2006, the song went back to its country roots with the super trio known as Rascal Flatts and serves as the band's biggest hit to date. In 2007, German band Cascada covered the song as a dance song and experienced success in both sides of the Atlantic. The song itself is about the love that never was and not really knowing what happens is the part that hurts the most.
4. "My Immortal" by Evanescence
One of the biggest bands of the 2000s ended their biggest year with a radio-friendly ballad called "My Immortal". Actually, there are two edits of the song. The album edit is strictly Amy's voice and piano. The radio edit starts off with Amy's voice and piano, but for the final chorus the band kicks it up to 11 and end on a powerful punch to add the exclamation mark to the song's message. The song is about a relationship that is in ruins and no matter how bad that relationship got they will always be a part of each other.
3. "Careless Whisper" by Wham!
After riding high on the success of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and the increased popularity of saxophone solos, "Careless Whisper" was Wham's follow-up single and the first one to feature George Michael alone. The song is about a person who has cheated on their lover or in this case their partner and the cheater knows that they are going to find out about it. So, he decides end things to stop the other person from being hurt. After the end, he decides that he couldn't bear with the knowledge of hurting the other person. Therefore, he is never gonna do that again.
2. "Picture" by Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow or Allison Moorer
After dismal sales of his 2001 album "Cocky", "Picture" was released in late 2002 and breathe new life in the album. The song was originally intended to be released with Sheryl Crow singing, however Crow's label did not give permission to use the song for official single release. Therefore, Allison Moorer (who is on the same label as Kid Rock) took Sheryl's place on the single. However, radio still played the original version with Crow. The song is a staple of a heartbroken country man. The song describes the story of a relationship gone south and eventually parting ways. In the bridge, we hear about an event where they meet up after some time apart. She asks how he is doing, and he admits that he misses her and wants to be together.
1. "End of The Road" by Boyz II Men
My #1 song for the lonely hearts out there comes from a Philadelphia quartet that could be the catalyst for the 1990s revival of the R&B group. The lead single from the Eddie Murphy movie "Boomerang" talks about how the guy can't let go of the girl, which is exactly plotline to the movie. The voices from the group, along with the raw emotion of the content makes this an amazing song. As a plus, there is a hand-clapping opportunity towards the end.
Honorable Mentions:
"Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon
"I Miss You" be blink-182
"Crazy" by K-Ci & JoJo
"Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige
"Apologize" by Timbaland featuring One Republic
20. "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling
This 2001 song was a breakout hit for The Calling. The song offers a heartbreaking tribute to the man who just broke up with his loved one and hopefully they return back. In 2011, we call that "taking a break". Interesting note: This song was named Billboard's #1 Adult Pop Song of the 2000s and I can see why.
19. "Don't Know What You Got Til It's Gone" by Cinderella
This 1988 single is the biggest hit from Hair Metal band "Cinderella". This song speaks to a good amount of lonely hearts out there, who don't realize what they have until it is gone. After listening to this, you may want to go to the ATM and take out about $250 for a good time. Watching the video you can see that they had no idea what to do to, but it's in widescreen.
18. "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette
The lead single from the popular 1990 film "Pretty Woman", Swedish duo Roxette conjure up this Christmas song that turn into a Valentine's Day heartbreaker. Yes, this was suppose to be a Christmas song (That was according to Wikipedia). You can definitely see this song being used during figure skating performances. However, it's a powerful song with a powerful message of realizing that it is over and moving on from a loved one.
17. "Gotta Get Thru This" by Daniel Bedingfield
Who remembers this 2003 dance hit from Daniel Bedingfield? The older brother of pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield? Nobody? Alright, this two-hit wonder burst onto the music scene with this song about being dumped and just trying to deal with it.
16. "That's What You Get" by Paramore
Remember when Paramore had 5 members? Those were some good times. To reminisce about the good ol' days, watch this video for the fourth single from their debut album called "That's What You Get". In 2008, Paramore educates us on the idea of following your heart, going for it, and then facing the idea of rejection. It even has a hand-clapping opportunity right after the bridge.
15. "Better Than Me" by Hinder
Following the pop success of "Lips of an Angel", Oklahoma band "Hinder" chose the more melodic and more passionate song for their second single. "Better Than Me" tells us the story of a troubled person who has a guilty conscience in dealing with a loss, however in the end they realize that they didn't deserved them in the first place. Very powerful message and the rock energy at the end gives it the punch that it deserves. The video has an interesting take on the song with an ending that I didn't see coming.
14. "All Cried Out" by Allure featuring 112
This 1997 cover was an instant radio hit and put the all-girl group Allure on the map. The song was originally sung by Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam and was a Top 10 hit for them in the 80s. The song featured a talented group of young men called "112", who later had radio hits such as "Peaches and Cream" and "Dance With Me". This song is a see-saw battle between a man who went down the wrong path and the woman he hurt. The video kind of follows the song, however lip sync to the song itself is another story. (Note: It was tough finding this video on YouTube)
13. "Grenade" by Bruno Mars
This 2010 radio-friendly hit is an interesting follow-up to his debut feel good single "Just The Way You Are". The song is about a man who is willing to do anything for one girl, however she is not willing to do anything for him. This emotionally-raw lyrics represents the song's true message as opposed to the light-hearted melody and harmony.
12. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum
This 2010 country crossover hit serves as a reminder that feelings after someone can't go away in a heartbeat and that it takes time to heal. In some cases a lot of time. The song talks about a heartbroken person who tries to hold back how they feel and calls up their old lover in an attempt for a reunion. The title track of their sophomore album is their biggest hit to date.
11. "Swing, Swing" by The All-American Rejects
The debut single from an Oklahoma band almost didn't make it to the band's freshman album. "Swing, Swing" was made in the guitarist's grandparents' cabin and one of the last songs to be recorded. However, it's one of the band's biggest hits to date. The songs offers a teenage man going through heartbreak as we all go through and just trying to move on. The song is more a plea to help him deal with it.
10. "When Love and Hate Collide" by Def Leppard featuring Taylor Swift
Originally set to release with on their 1992 album Adrenalize, it was not produced in time and held off. It was finally released in 1995 as a single on their greatest hits album, "Vault". This power ballad was not successful in the United States until Taylor Swift sang on the song during the CMT show "Crossroads". The song is about a man who suffering from a battle within, between love and hate for a girl who recently separated from him.
9. "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down
This 2003 hit from one of the decade's biggest bands talks about loneliness on the road. The lead singer penned the song about his now ex-wife and knowing that there is loneliness in the matter of missing someone. However, there is some comfort dreaming about the person that they miss.
8. "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx
This 1987 piano ballad found commercial success during a time filled with powerful rock ballads with heavy guitar solos and beat-driven melodies. However, this served as Richard Marx's biggest hit to date. The song was written by Richard Marx and dedicated to Cynthia Rhodes. Bryan Adams was the intended singer for the record, but passed over the song. The song is about a person who can't shake the feelings of loving someone and no matter what happens that he's got her back and is willing to wait to be with her again.
7. "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper
Following the hugely successful "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", Cyndi Lauper choosing a follow-up single was a huge task for the redhead from New York, however she did with one of the biggest songs of the 1980s. In an interview, Lauper told that the song was about occurrences that were happening in the studio and in her life. The song is about two people who part their different ways but somehow come back to each other in times of need, only to part once again. The video describes the song better with a young lady leaving everything behind including a love.
6. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison
If there is one thing that we have learned about the band "Poison" is that Bret Michaels's heartbreak equals commercial success. The breakout hit for the LA hair metal band serves as their biggest hit. The song was written after Bret found out that his girlfriend at the time was cheating on him from a phone call. There are several meanings and influences behind the song, but the message behind the song is clear. The person can be a good person, but still can cause you heartbreak.
5. "What Hurts The Most" by Cascada
Alright, here we go. The song was produced in 2003 by country artist Mark Willis for the album "And The Crowd Goes Wild". Later that year, it was covered by Irish girl group Bellefire for their debut album. The song was not a single until 2005 by former S Club 7 singer Jo O'Meara and got her a Top 10 hit. In 2006, the song went back to its country roots with the super trio known as Rascal Flatts and serves as the band's biggest hit to date. In 2007, German band Cascada covered the song as a dance song and experienced success in both sides of the Atlantic. The song itself is about the love that never was and not really knowing what happens is the part that hurts the most.
4. "My Immortal" by Evanescence
One of the biggest bands of the 2000s ended their biggest year with a radio-friendly ballad called "My Immortal". Actually, there are two edits of the song. The album edit is strictly Amy's voice and piano. The radio edit starts off with Amy's voice and piano, but for the final chorus the band kicks it up to 11 and end on a powerful punch to add the exclamation mark to the song's message. The song is about a relationship that is in ruins and no matter how bad that relationship got they will always be a part of each other.
3. "Careless Whisper" by Wham!
After riding high on the success of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and the increased popularity of saxophone solos, "Careless Whisper" was Wham's follow-up single and the first one to feature George Michael alone. The song is about a person who has cheated on their lover or in this case their partner and the cheater knows that they are going to find out about it. So, he decides end things to stop the other person from being hurt. After the end, he decides that he couldn't bear with the knowledge of hurting the other person. Therefore, he is never gonna do that again.
2. "Picture" by Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow or Allison Moorer
After dismal sales of his 2001 album "Cocky", "Picture" was released in late 2002 and breathe new life in the album. The song was originally intended to be released with Sheryl Crow singing, however Crow's label did not give permission to use the song for official single release. Therefore, Allison Moorer (who is on the same label as Kid Rock) took Sheryl's place on the single. However, radio still played the original version with Crow. The song is a staple of a heartbroken country man. The song describes the story of a relationship gone south and eventually parting ways. In the bridge, we hear about an event where they meet up after some time apart. She asks how he is doing, and he admits that he misses her and wants to be together.
1. "End of The Road" by Boyz II Men
My #1 song for the lonely hearts out there comes from a Philadelphia quartet that could be the catalyst for the 1990s revival of the R&B group. The lead single from the Eddie Murphy movie "Boomerang" talks about how the guy can't let go of the girl, which is exactly plotline to the movie. The voices from the group, along with the raw emotion of the content makes this an amazing song. As a plus, there is a hand-clapping opportunity towards the end.
Honorable Mentions:
"Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon
"I Miss You" be blink-182
"Crazy" by K-Ci & JoJo
"Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige
"Apologize" by Timbaland featuring One Republic
Top 5 Super Bowl Halftime Shows Ever...
The Super Bowl was this past weekend featuring an awesome game and an out-of-this-world performance from The Black Eyed Peas. I did have to ask the question to myself, was this the best Super Bowl Halftime Show ever? HELL NO! This definitely attracted an audience, but it didn't seem worthy as one of the best. I decided to go into my peanut brain and decide which Super Bowl Half Time show were the best. Starting with #5
5. Super Bowl XXXV - 2001 - Tampa, Florida
The first of two shows produced by MTV and since the CBS broadcasted the game itself, it made total sense for MTV to produce the halftime show. 2001 was MTV's 20the anniversary to which they celebrated about 9 months after this. However, 2001 was a big year for the network. They got the top pop stars to perform along with rock legends Aerosmith. There was so much hype behind the performance and even a "Making Of" episode of the show.
5. Super Bowl XXXV - 2001 - Tampa, Florida
The first of two shows produced by MTV and since the CBS broadcasted the game itself, it made total sense for MTV to produce the halftime show. 2001 was MTV's 20the anniversary to which they celebrated about 9 months after this. However, 2001 was a big year for the network. They got the top pop stars to perform along with rock legends Aerosmith. There was so much hype behind the performance and even a "Making Of" episode of the show.
4. Super Bowl XXXIV - 2000 - Atlanta, Georgia
This was one of six and the most recent halftime show produced by Disney. Yes, Disney produces something else other than awesome animated movies and crappy pop stars. This features music from the Epcot fireworks show called "Illuminations". They got some big talent such as Phil Collins, Toni Braxton, Enrique Iglesias, and MMC Alumni Christina Aguilera. They got an 80 person choir as well as one of the biggest productions known to man.
3. Super Bowl XLIII - 2009 - Tampa, Florida
This was the last show produced by 2002 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony Producer Don Mischer. For his final show, he booked "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. I loved this show for the raw energy and the atmosphere for a rock show. I'm sure the highlight of this performance was the infamous crotch slide into the camera from Bruce Springsteen, which was hilarious. Check it out yourself
2. Super Bowl XXVII - 1993 - Pasadena, California
This show was produced by Radio City, Yes THAT Radio City. This one set the standard for halftime shows and I'm sure that some of you are gonna groan and complain and bitch that it is on this list, but you can dispute that he is one hell of an entertainer. This show got bigger ratings than the game itself and after this the NFL wanted "A-List" performers to start performing during the halftime show. You have to watch the show to get what I am talking about.
1. Super Bowl XXXVI - 2002 - New Orleans, Louisana
Radio giant Clear Channel Entertainment produced this show and this was the only one they have produced. They got it with the booking one of the most iconic bands of our generation to provide the soundtrack for the tribute of the biggest event of the 21st century. U2 played a ten minute set in tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Top 110 of 2010
List of Top 110 Singles of 2010
Top 110 of 2010
110 - Monster - Kanye West featuring Nicki Minaj
109 - I Never Told You - Colbie Calliat
108 - If It’s Love - Train
107 - We R Who We R - Ke$ha
106 - Misery - Maroon 5
105 - Right Thru Me - Nicki Minaj
104 - No Love - Eminem featuring Lil’ Wayne
103 - La La La - Auburn featuring Iyaz
102 - Who Dat Girl - Flo Rida featuring Akon
101 - Empire State of Mind (Part II) - Alicia Keyes
100 - What If - Jason Derulo
99 - 2012 (It’s Ain’t The End) - Jay Sean
98 - Get Back Up - T.I. featuring Chris Brown
97 - Round & Round - Selena Gomez & The Scene
96 - I Can Transform Ya - Chris Brown featuring Lil’ Wayne & Swiss Beatz
95 - What’s My Name? - Rihanna featuring Drake
94 - Whip My Hair - Willow Smith
93 - Impossible - Shontelle
92 - Can’t Be Tamed - Miley Cryus
91 - The Time (The Dirty Bit) - The Black Eyed Peas
90 - Firework - Katy Perry
89 - Baby By Me - 50 Cent featuring Ne-Yo
88 - Letting Go (Dutty Love) - Sean Kingston featuring Nicki Minaj
87 - Jar of Hearts - Christina Perri
86 - Do You Remember - Jay Sean featuring Sean Paul & Lil’ Jon
85 - Take It Off - Ke$ha
84 - We’ll Be A Dream - We The Kings featuring Demi Lovato
83 - Bedrock - Young Money featuring Lloyd
82 - Hey Baby (Drop It On The Floor) - Pitbull featuring T-Pain
81 - My Chick Bad - Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj
80 - King of Anything - Sara Bareilles
79 - Fancy - Drake featuring Swiss Beatz & Mary J. Blige
78 - Ignorance - Paramore
77 - I Made It - Kevin Rudolf featuring Jay Sean, Birdman, & Lil’ Wayne
76 - Magic - B.O.B. featuring Rivers Cuomo
75 - Runaway - Kanye West featuring Pusha T
74 - Yeah 3X - Chris Brown
73 - This Afternoon - Nickelback
72 - Bottoms Up - Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj
71 - According To You - Oriathni
70 - Give Me A Sign (Forever and Ever) - Breaking Benjamin
69 - Drop The World - Lil’ Wayne featuring Eminem
68 - Grenade - Bruno Mars
67 - All The Right Moves - OneRepublic
66 - On To The Next One - Jay-Z & Swiss Beatz
65 - I Don’t Wanna Dance - Hey Monday
64 - Love Like Woe - The Ready Set
63 - Teach Me How To Dougie - Cali Swag District
62 - Raise Your Glass - P!nk
61 - Rock That Body - The Black Eyed Peas
60 - Not Myself Tonight - Christina Aguilera
59 - Only Girl (In The World) - Rihanna
58 - Mine - Taylor Swift
57 - Like You Do - Angel Taylor
56 - Give It Up To Me - Sharika featuring Lil’ Wayne & Timbaland
55 - Dog Days Are Over - Florence and The Machine
54 - Solo - Iyaz
53 - Gettin’ Over You - David Guetta featuring Chris Willis, Fergie, & LMFAO
52 - Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
51 - Russian Roulette - Rihanna
50 - Your Love Is A Drug - Ke$ha
49 - I Made It - Kevin Rudolf featuring Jay Sean, Lil’ Wayne, and Birdman
48 - Imma Be - The Black Eyed Peas
47 - Animal - Neon Trees
46 - Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
45 - Hard - Rihanna featuring Young Jeezy
44 - Got Your Back - T.I. featuring Keri Hilson
43 - Alejandro - Lady Gaga
42 - Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner
41 - Naturally - Selena Gomez and The Scene
40 - Ridin’ Solo - Jason Derulo
39 - How Low Can You Go - Ludacris featuring Shawna
38 - We Speak No Americano - Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
37 - Bulletproof - La Roux
36 - Just A Dream - Nelly
35 - The Only Exception - Paramore
34 - Forever - Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, and Eminem
33 - Somebody To Love (Remix) - Justin Bieber featuring Usher
32 - Like A G6 - Far East Movement featuring The Cataracs and Dev
31 - All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled featuring T-Pain, Ludcris, T.I., Rick Ross, and Snoop Dogg
30 - F**k You - Cee Lo Green
29 - Haven’t Met You Yet - Michael Buble
28 - Tik Tok - Ke$ha
27 - Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
26 - Your Love - Nicki Minaj
25 - Love The Way You Lie - Eminem featuring Rihanna
24 - Over - Drake
23 - Rude Boy - Rihanna
22 - Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris
21 - Young Forever - Jay-Z featuring Mr. Hudson
20 - I Like It - Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull
19 - Billionaire - Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars
18 - Power - Kanye West featuring Dwele
17 - Hello Good Morning - Diddy presents Dirty Money featuring T.I.
16 - Not Afraid - Eminem
15 - In My Head - Jason DeRulo
14 - Nothin’ On You - B.O.B. featuring Bruno Mars
13 - Just The Way You Are- Bruno Mars
12 - DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again - Usher
11 - Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
10 - What Ya Want From Me - Adam Lambert
09 - OMG - Usher featuring Will.i.am
08 - Dynamite - Taio Cruz
07 - Don’t Stop Believin’ - The Cast of Glee
06 - Club Can’t Handle Me - Flo Rida and David Guetta
05 - Find Your Love - Drake
04 - California Gurls - Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
03 - Telephone - Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce
02 - Hey Soul Sister - Train
01 - Airplanes - B.O.B. featuring Hayley Williams
Top 110 of 2010
110 - Monster - Kanye West featuring Nicki Minaj
109 - I Never Told You - Colbie Calliat
108 - If It’s Love - Train
107 - We R Who We R - Ke$ha
106 - Misery - Maroon 5
105 - Right Thru Me - Nicki Minaj
104 - No Love - Eminem featuring Lil’ Wayne
103 - La La La - Auburn featuring Iyaz
102 - Who Dat Girl - Flo Rida featuring Akon
101 - Empire State of Mind (Part II) - Alicia Keyes
100 - What If - Jason Derulo
99 - 2012 (It’s Ain’t The End) - Jay Sean
98 - Get Back Up - T.I. featuring Chris Brown
97 - Round & Round - Selena Gomez & The Scene
96 - I Can Transform Ya - Chris Brown featuring Lil’ Wayne & Swiss Beatz
95 - What’s My Name? - Rihanna featuring Drake
94 - Whip My Hair - Willow Smith
93 - Impossible - Shontelle
92 - Can’t Be Tamed - Miley Cryus
91 - The Time (The Dirty Bit) - The Black Eyed Peas
90 - Firework - Katy Perry
89 - Baby By Me - 50 Cent featuring Ne-Yo
88 - Letting Go (Dutty Love) - Sean Kingston featuring Nicki Minaj
87 - Jar of Hearts - Christina Perri
86 - Do You Remember - Jay Sean featuring Sean Paul & Lil’ Jon
85 - Take It Off - Ke$ha
84 - We’ll Be A Dream - We The Kings featuring Demi Lovato
83 - Bedrock - Young Money featuring Lloyd
82 - Hey Baby (Drop It On The Floor) - Pitbull featuring T-Pain
81 - My Chick Bad - Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj
80 - King of Anything - Sara Bareilles
79 - Fancy - Drake featuring Swiss Beatz & Mary J. Blige
78 - Ignorance - Paramore
77 - I Made It - Kevin Rudolf featuring Jay Sean, Birdman, & Lil’ Wayne
76 - Magic - B.O.B. featuring Rivers Cuomo
75 - Runaway - Kanye West featuring Pusha T
74 - Yeah 3X - Chris Brown
73 - This Afternoon - Nickelback
72 - Bottoms Up - Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj
71 - According To You - Oriathni
70 - Give Me A Sign (Forever and Ever) - Breaking Benjamin
69 - Drop The World - Lil’ Wayne featuring Eminem
68 - Grenade - Bruno Mars
67 - All The Right Moves - OneRepublic
66 - On To The Next One - Jay-Z & Swiss Beatz
65 - I Don’t Wanna Dance - Hey Monday
64 - Love Like Woe - The Ready Set
63 - Teach Me How To Dougie - Cali Swag District
62 - Raise Your Glass - P!nk
61 - Rock That Body - The Black Eyed Peas
60 - Not Myself Tonight - Christina Aguilera
59 - Only Girl (In The World) - Rihanna
58 - Mine - Taylor Swift
57 - Like You Do - Angel Taylor
56 - Give It Up To Me - Sharika featuring Lil’ Wayne & Timbaland
55 - Dog Days Are Over - Florence and The Machine
54 - Solo - Iyaz
53 - Gettin’ Over You - David Guetta featuring Chris Willis, Fergie, & LMFAO
52 - Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
51 - Russian Roulette - Rihanna
50 - Your Love Is A Drug - Ke$ha
49 - I Made It - Kevin Rudolf featuring Jay Sean, Lil’ Wayne, and Birdman
48 - Imma Be - The Black Eyed Peas
47 - Animal - Neon Trees
46 - Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
45 - Hard - Rihanna featuring Young Jeezy
44 - Got Your Back - T.I. featuring Keri Hilson
43 - Alejandro - Lady Gaga
42 - Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner
41 - Naturally - Selena Gomez and The Scene
40 - Ridin’ Solo - Jason Derulo
39 - How Low Can You Go - Ludacris featuring Shawna
38 - We Speak No Americano - Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
37 - Bulletproof - La Roux
36 - Just A Dream - Nelly
35 - The Only Exception - Paramore
34 - Forever - Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, and Eminem
33 - Somebody To Love (Remix) - Justin Bieber featuring Usher
32 - Like A G6 - Far East Movement featuring The Cataracs and Dev
31 - All I Do Is Win - DJ Khaled featuring T-Pain, Ludcris, T.I., Rick Ross, and Snoop Dogg
30 - F**k You - Cee Lo Green
29 - Haven’t Met You Yet - Michael Buble
28 - Tik Tok - Ke$ha
27 - Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
26 - Your Love - Nicki Minaj
25 - Love The Way You Lie - Eminem featuring Rihanna
24 - Over - Drake
23 - Rude Boy - Rihanna
22 - Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris
21 - Young Forever - Jay-Z featuring Mr. Hudson
20 - I Like It - Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull
19 - Billionaire - Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars
18 - Power - Kanye West featuring Dwele
17 - Hello Good Morning - Diddy presents Dirty Money featuring T.I.
16 - Not Afraid - Eminem
15 - In My Head - Jason DeRulo
14 - Nothin’ On You - B.O.B. featuring Bruno Mars
13 - Just The Way You Are- Bruno Mars
12 - DJ Got Us Falling In Love Again - Usher
11 - Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
10 - What Ya Want From Me - Adam Lambert
09 - OMG - Usher featuring Will.i.am
08 - Dynamite - Taio Cruz
07 - Don’t Stop Believin’ - The Cast of Glee
06 - Club Can’t Handle Me - Flo Rida and David Guetta
05 - Find Your Love - Drake
04 - California Gurls - Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
03 - Telephone - Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce
02 - Hey Soul Sister - Train
01 - Airplanes - B.O.B. featuring Hayley Williams
Friday, January 7, 2011
The Top 110 of 2010 and Top 100 of the 2000s
The list will be coming soon, along with the top 100 of the 2000s. The choices are solely my opinion with various influences from other sources such as radio, tv, downloads, viral viewing, and Billboard. Pretty sure that the cast of Glee, Katy Perry, and David Guetta will be on the list. The top 100 of 2000s will consist some Evanescence, 50 Cent, and Maria Carey. It will be a big list and I wanna finish it up before the weekend is over.
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Saturday, November 27, 2010
Top 100 of the 2000s
Alright, this was relevant last year. However, it would be easier to take a year and reflect on the past decade and what definitely this era musically. The top 100 of the 2000s is never an easy list to comply and you have to be wondering what exactly gives you the right to come up with a list. Well in the end it's all my opinion, so you can take it or leave it. Most of the time, please just leave it. Anyways throughout the month of December, I would give you a new blog post for every 10 songs counting down from 100 to 1. #1 will be revealed on the last true day of the 2000s, December 31st, 2010. The count down for the top 100 of the 2000s will start Wednesday, December 1st. Looking back in the past decade we saw our share of heartbreak and triumph, our share of compassion and anger, our share of reflection and carelessness. The 2000s in music has its defining musical moments. In the 2000s, we had the rise and fall of the southern style of music known as "Crunk", the era of European-style music known as "Electropop", the decline of compact discs, and the rise of digital downloads. We saw careers come full circle to careers ending on a stage in New York City doing the do-see-do. We saw the creation of legacies, from American Idiots to Hollaback Girls to The King of Pop and everything else in between. The 2000s defined a music generation as diverse as the days of the hippies. I hope that the countdown will reflect what happened in the past ten years.
To qualify on the list, the song must have been released or re-released from December 1st, 1999 to December 31st, 2009.
To qualify on the list, the song must have been released or re-released from December 1st, 1999 to December 31st, 2009.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Music Video Review - "Runaway" by Kanye West
Kanye West's new video is an astounding 34 minute-film, which is a tribute to what has happened within the past year since the infamous "Taylor Swift" incident at the 2009 Video Music Awards. His latest album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" is set for release the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The promotion machine is rolling with his appearance in the "Today" show, which caused him to cancel his performance on November 26. However, that is another story for another day. Anyways back to the video. It was shot in Prague over 4 days in the summer of 2010 and premiered in October 23rd, 2010. The overall story shows a relationship between a man and a half-woman/half-phoenix. The soundtrack is West's album and it stars Kanye West and model Selita Ebanks. In a recent interview, Ebanks explains that the moral of the film is "the world doesn't accept, or they try to change, what is different, instead of trying to understand it." Do you think that? Well, do you have 35 minutes available? Give Kanye another chance and watch his 34-minute film
Sorry for the clean edit of the video, i was too lazy to find the dirty version. However, I did watch the dirty edit where they curse. That is pretty much it. Anyways, I personally love Kanye West's music. I try to look on the bright side with that. Also, I give him a lot of credit to really say what he is saying on his mind and this video really shows that. It reminds me of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" with a hint of "Full-Metal Jacket", which is listed as direct inspiration for the film. It has that dark feel where you are fully immersed into the world that Kanye has created. There are artists where they sing a song and you are supposedly get a peek into their secured world. This video and the whole album really shows what is going on in West's world. I'm sure after the VMA incident, he wrote this film to show what's going on with his world.
The film's title track entitled "Runaway", which starts at around the 13:23 mark, was played in full being that it is the main reason why the film was created. The video for the song begins with a dinner for about 40 of West's closest friends for him and his girlfriend. At one point, a gentlemen leans over to West and tells him that she is beautiful. Then the gentlemen asks West, do you know that she is a bird?. West's answer was "No, I never notice that", which I think was a good answer for that questions. Then the music begins and about 30 ballet dancers come running in to perform a group dance. I really like the colors and the way that the video was shot. It shows a painting coming to life, not really the extent of "Power", but it is visually stunning. It has a slight tint to it, which adds to the effect of a real-life painting. The 4 minute shorten clip is used as the official video for heavy rotation on MTV, VH1, The Music Factory, and BET, which comes to a sudden ending. However on YouTube, you can find the extended edit of the video. It has the ballet dancers performing a dance of their own with some annoying auto-tuning at the end of it. However, the visual painting is really expressed for about 1 minute where the ballet dancers are still and the camera pans the entire group, which really hits home the concept of the video.
After the video, dinner is served and the main course is...turkey. There is one reason and one reason only why this happened....spite. You hear the phoenix screaming to where the all the guests are leaving the table. I feel like that part of the video is a representation of what the media perceives West as, a spiteful bastard. The ending of the video is what the whole film is trying to convey to where West tries to convince the phoenix to stay in his world, instead of leaving. If you want to know if she leaves or stays, you have to watch it cause i'm not spoiling this masterpiece.
Finally, my opinion on the film. I think it is amazing and Kanye West should be receiving a bunch of awards for this video. If he doesn't, then the music industry is truly corrupt and doesn't really recognize true talent. There are a lot of artists out there that created catchy pop songs and created videos to where they are seducing the audience. This film shows the ability for an artist to go out of the box. I can't really think of an artist with that ability and is able to do it well. Kanye West is back with a vengeance and his supporters are letting people that he is back. This solidifies West's place in music as probably the most creative artist in the music industry right now. Can't you tell that I think Kanye West is amazing? Well, he is. I know that he has all that personal shit that people stamp him with, which ties him into the music. In the end, the music is all that matters.
Rating - 10 out of 10. Hit it out of the ball park and I'm taken back by the visual detailing.
Sorry for the clean edit of the video, i was too lazy to find the dirty version. However, I did watch the dirty edit where they curse. That is pretty much it. Anyways, I personally love Kanye West's music. I try to look on the bright side with that. Also, I give him a lot of credit to really say what he is saying on his mind and this video really shows that. It reminds me of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" with a hint of "Full-Metal Jacket", which is listed as direct inspiration for the film. It has that dark feel where you are fully immersed into the world that Kanye has created. There are artists where they sing a song and you are supposedly get a peek into their secured world. This video and the whole album really shows what is going on in West's world. I'm sure after the VMA incident, he wrote this film to show what's going on with his world.
The film's title track entitled "Runaway", which starts at around the 13:23 mark, was played in full being that it is the main reason why the film was created. The video for the song begins with a dinner for about 40 of West's closest friends for him and his girlfriend. At one point, a gentlemen leans over to West and tells him that she is beautiful. Then the gentlemen asks West, do you know that she is a bird?. West's answer was "No, I never notice that", which I think was a good answer for that questions. Then the music begins and about 30 ballet dancers come running in to perform a group dance. I really like the colors and the way that the video was shot. It shows a painting coming to life, not really the extent of "Power", but it is visually stunning. It has a slight tint to it, which adds to the effect of a real-life painting. The 4 minute shorten clip is used as the official video for heavy rotation on MTV, VH1, The Music Factory, and BET, which comes to a sudden ending. However on YouTube, you can find the extended edit of the video. It has the ballet dancers performing a dance of their own with some annoying auto-tuning at the end of it. However, the visual painting is really expressed for about 1 minute where the ballet dancers are still and the camera pans the entire group, which really hits home the concept of the video.
After the video, dinner is served and the main course is...turkey. There is one reason and one reason only why this happened....spite. You hear the phoenix screaming to where the all the guests are leaving the table. I feel like that part of the video is a representation of what the media perceives West as, a spiteful bastard. The ending of the video is what the whole film is trying to convey to where West tries to convince the phoenix to stay in his world, instead of leaving. If you want to know if she leaves or stays, you have to watch it cause i'm not spoiling this masterpiece.
Finally, my opinion on the film. I think it is amazing and Kanye West should be receiving a bunch of awards for this video. If he doesn't, then the music industry is truly corrupt and doesn't really recognize true talent. There are a lot of artists out there that created catchy pop songs and created videos to where they are seducing the audience. This film shows the ability for an artist to go out of the box. I can't really think of an artist with that ability and is able to do it well. Kanye West is back with a vengeance and his supporters are letting people that he is back. This solidifies West's place in music as probably the most creative artist in the music industry right now. Can't you tell that I think Kanye West is amazing? Well, he is. I know that he has all that personal shit that people stamp him with, which ties him into the music. In the end, the music is all that matters.
Rating - 10 out of 10. Hit it out of the ball park and I'm taken back by the visual detailing.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Music Video Review - "Firework" by Katy Perry
The fourth of July has come either early or late, dependent on your point of view. Katy Perry provides the pyrotechnic entertainment with her latest single "Firework". The third single from her successful sophomore album "Teenage Dream" turns out to be Perry's favorite song on the album. The video was shot in late September by accomplished video director Dave Meyers in Budapest. It is basically about the different struggles in life and how they can muster up the power to be a "firework" and be the center of attention and not really giving a damn about anything. Well, that's how I interpreted it. Watch the video and make your judgments on it.
The video has a lot of special effects to really fulfill the song's message. The fireworks are bursting out of the chests of some shy, timid people who don't understand what worth they have as opposed to what society has stereotyped them as. The different people are an oversized woman who is at a pool party, a cancer patient in remission, a homosexual male who decides to make the first move at a dance club, a bashful street entertainer, and a son in a troubled home. With the recent events of suicides due to bullying or just giving in to struggles of life, this video holds a stronger message than what was originally conceptualized to be. It is definitely an empowering video, along the lines of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful". It shows that everyone is worth something and everyone can make a lasting impression. The beat alone drives the point and makes the video even more epic than it should be. The video is visually appealing with the "firework" special effects and the backdrop of the European capital. The ending of the video calls for celebration of all different types of people, which in this day of modern advances in relationships, still has people who are closed-minded and suffer from tunnel-vision. Unfortunately, there are people like that in this world and hopefully a electropop catchy pop tune like this one will help people tear down the walls. The video is enlightening and a surprise from the wholesome, sexy appeal that is known as Katy Perry.
Rating - 9 out of 10.
The video has a lot of special effects to really fulfill the song's message. The fireworks are bursting out of the chests of some shy, timid people who don't understand what worth they have as opposed to what society has stereotyped them as. The different people are an oversized woman who is at a pool party, a cancer patient in remission, a homosexual male who decides to make the first move at a dance club, a bashful street entertainer, and a son in a troubled home. With the recent events of suicides due to bullying or just giving in to struggles of life, this video holds a stronger message than what was originally conceptualized to be. It is definitely an empowering video, along the lines of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful". It shows that everyone is worth something and everyone can make a lasting impression. The beat alone drives the point and makes the video even more epic than it should be. The video is visually appealing with the "firework" special effects and the backdrop of the European capital. The ending of the video calls for celebration of all different types of people, which in this day of modern advances in relationships, still has people who are closed-minded and suffer from tunnel-vision. Unfortunately, there are people like that in this world and hopefully a electropop catchy pop tune like this one will help people tear down the walls. The video is enlightening and a surprise from the wholesome, sexy appeal that is known as Katy Perry.
Rating - 9 out of 10.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Song Review - "The Time (A Dirty Bit)" by The Black Eyed Peas
From summertime hits to dance anthems, the Black Eyed Peas have always been one of the creative groups in music. Their diversity and their fearlessness have given them great success throughout the years and to some people, iconic status. Personally, I don't know if I would go that far, but they have changed their landscape of music. They have the simple message of music, saying that it's all about having a good time. "I Gotta Feeling", "Let's Get It Started", and "Boom Boom Pow" are all party starters and the simple formula of those songs have propelled them into stardom. These songs were the catalysts for the new song that BEP released last week from their new album "The Beginning", as opposed to their last album "The END". Have a listen below and i'm sure that the chorus will sound familiar to everyone.
I know what you thinking, BEP sampled that song? Yes, they sampled from "Dirty Dancing", the chorus was from the 1988 Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes hit duet "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". The electropop beat that very similiar to "Rock That Body" and "Boom Boom Pow", i'm not sure who was the producer behind this one. It's either David Guetta, who previous produced "I Gotta Feeling", or Will.i.am, whose beats remind me of "Planet Rock" or anything from Jupiter. As far as the song goes lyrically, it's not "Where's The Love?", but definitely better than "My Humps". The lyrics are party hooks that basically get the party going. You can sing to it, if you want to. The only part people will sing along to is the chorus cause it is recognizable as the song from "Dirty Dancing". The true king of the song is the beat that will make you dance all night long. One way to describe this song is like what Chris Rock said about rap music, "If the beat is alright, she will dance all night". This means that basically people will not care what the lyrics are, if the background beat is dance-able they will dance.
Recently, The Black Eyed Peas have been on this electropop kick to where almost every song is influenced from a DJ in Europe. It brings me back to the old school days of Afrika Bambaataa and The Soulsonic Force, where DJs use to spin in parks and have poppers and lockers battle it out on the school yard with moves. It's no longer about getting shot or who is hard, the industry is all about having a good time and partying. The Black Eyed Peas have always wanted to ushering in an era like this and along with the help of DJ David Guetta, they have. This song is only going to extend it and hopefully "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" will join BEP's recent dance anthems as recent radio and club hits.
Rating - 8.05 out of 10
I know what you thinking, BEP sampled that song? Yes, they sampled from "Dirty Dancing", the chorus was from the 1988 Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes hit duet "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". The electropop beat that very similiar to "Rock That Body" and "Boom Boom Pow", i'm not sure who was the producer behind this one. It's either David Guetta, who previous produced "I Gotta Feeling", or Will.i.am, whose beats remind me of "Planet Rock" or anything from Jupiter. As far as the song goes lyrically, it's not "Where's The Love?", but definitely better than "My Humps". The lyrics are party hooks that basically get the party going. You can sing to it, if you want to. The only part people will sing along to is the chorus cause it is recognizable as the song from "Dirty Dancing". The true king of the song is the beat that will make you dance all night long. One way to describe this song is like what Chris Rock said about rap music, "If the beat is alright, she will dance all night". This means that basically people will not care what the lyrics are, if the background beat is dance-able they will dance.
Recently, The Black Eyed Peas have been on this electropop kick to where almost every song is influenced from a DJ in Europe. It brings me back to the old school days of Afrika Bambaataa and The Soulsonic Force, where DJs use to spin in parks and have poppers and lockers battle it out on the school yard with moves. It's no longer about getting shot or who is hard, the industry is all about having a good time and partying. The Black Eyed Peas have always wanted to ushering in an era like this and along with the help of DJ David Guetta, they have. This song is only going to extend it and hopefully "The Time (The Dirty Bit)" will join BEP's recent dance anthems as recent radio and club hits.
Rating - 8.05 out of 10
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Music Video Review - "Yeah 3X" by Chris Brown
So Chris Brown...the name alone may cause shivers throughout your body in disgust or you might joke around with it. However you use his name, you can't take away from the talent and raw dance ability that this kid has. "Yeah 3X" is the start of the journey back to the top for Chris Brown after beating the crap out of the artist who I reviewed last week, Rihanna. The comeback started at the BET Awards with a Michael Jackson medley to where he climaxes by confessing his sins to the audience and promising them that he will not let them down. Well, did he do the right thing by starting up on this upbeat dance video called "Yeah 3X"? You can be the judge of that, click below to watch the full video.
The video debuted this past week and to generally popular reviews by some top critics. The song is feel good tune free of any sort of evidence of what happened in the past. It's all about loosening up and just having a good time. It sort of reminds people of one of his previous singles "Forever", which was took a while before being a huge hit for Chris Brown. I feel like that with this single. People are gonna warm up to Chris Brown before really accepting him back into American pop culture. The video itself is a little surprising cause I totally expected to have a more "grown-up" video. The video is squeaky clean and all about having a good time. I was not expecting to see kids on the street dancing with the type of song that was playing in the background. The dance sequences were fantastic and I thought that they were very creative. It definitely got the feel of the music. I think the setting and environment that the video was set in didn't match or fit the song.
In "Run It", it was exactly that but with a plot of a bunch of school kids battling it out in their school gym in the after hours. "Wall-To-Wall" was inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller", however it was more suited for Chris Brown. However, you can see the mature progress that Chris Brown was making in "Wall-To-Wall" following "Run It". This video sort of held Chris Brown back, but it was for a good reason. He needs to restore the image of Chris Brown pre-Rihanna beating, in order to really move on with his music career and really show us that he is a man.
Overall, I liked it and disliked it at the same time. The song was catchy, but the video was odd. Hopefully, Chris Brown's comeback is on the rise and that his new album "FAME" will be dropping soon to rave reviews.
Rating - Solid 7 out of 10.
The video debuted this past week and to generally popular reviews by some top critics. The song is feel good tune free of any sort of evidence of what happened in the past. It's all about loosening up and just having a good time. It sort of reminds people of one of his previous singles "Forever", which was took a while before being a huge hit for Chris Brown. I feel like that with this single. People are gonna warm up to Chris Brown before really accepting him back into American pop culture. The video itself is a little surprising cause I totally expected to have a more "grown-up" video. The video is squeaky clean and all about having a good time. I was not expecting to see kids on the street dancing with the type of song that was playing in the background. The dance sequences were fantastic and I thought that they were very creative. It definitely got the feel of the music. I think the setting and environment that the video was set in didn't match or fit the song.
In "Run It", it was exactly that but with a plot of a bunch of school kids battling it out in their school gym in the after hours. "Wall-To-Wall" was inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller", however it was more suited for Chris Brown. However, you can see the mature progress that Chris Brown was making in "Wall-To-Wall" following "Run It". This video sort of held Chris Brown back, but it was for a good reason. He needs to restore the image of Chris Brown pre-Rihanna beating, in order to really move on with his music career and really show us that he is a man.
Overall, I liked it and disliked it at the same time. The song was catchy, but the video was odd. Hopefully, Chris Brown's comeback is on the rise and that his new album "FAME" will be dropping soon to rave reviews.
Rating - Solid 7 out of 10.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Song Review - "Club Can't Handle Me" by Tyler Ward and Cobus Potgieter
For those who don't know who Tyler Ward, join the club cause I have no idea who this guy. However, I do know who Cobus Potgieter is. Cobus is from South Africa and gained fame on YouTube with his drum covers. I was searching for drum covers by blink-182 and i stumbled upon his YouTube channel and quickly subscribed to it. He has covered everyone from blink-182 to 'N Sync, from Avenged Sevenfold to Kelly Clarkson. My personal favorite is "Face Down" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, which is very beautifully done. This kid has talent and plans on visiting the USA and Canada in Early 2011 for NAMM and other events.
One day, I logged onto YouTube and see a new video featuring Cobus with an American vocalist named Tyler Ward. So, I clicked on it and got to listen to a cover of Flo Rida and David Guetta's "Club Can't Handle Me" from Step Up 3D. Click on the video below to get a glimpse of the cover.
You heard the cover, now this is original.
Now, you can tell that these two are totally different from one another. The original version was made as a club anthem produced by the one of the respected DJs in the business and the cover version was made with a rock arrangement tailor-made for both musicians. Both versions are available for download on iTunes. This post is for the rock arrangement of the song, which I think is the more musically pleasing version of the song. I love both versions of the song, but why the rock cover? The rock version brings the song back to its very roots as a simple arrangement that is adaptive to any style. This cover by Cobus isn't as busy as some of his other covers. Tyler Ward looks like the song was arranged to fit them both to show their talents together. However, I think that this song doesn't serve them justice on how talented they are.
The song is too simple to be covered by a band. Anyone out there can create a great version of this song. It isn't too hard. There isn't anything complicated about the song, which brings me back to the beginning to where I think the song can be easily arranged and changed around to fit anyone's style. This song seemed like a safehouse for both of them not to have too many mistakes. Don't get me wrong I like the song but for Tyler and Cobus, if they work together again they should perform a song to really showcase their talents.
Rating - 6.5 out of 10.
One day, I logged onto YouTube and see a new video featuring Cobus with an American vocalist named Tyler Ward. So, I clicked on it and got to listen to a cover of Flo Rida and David Guetta's "Club Can't Handle Me" from Step Up 3D. Click on the video below to get a glimpse of the cover.
You heard the cover, now this is original.
Now, you can tell that these two are totally different from one another. The original version was made as a club anthem produced by the one of the respected DJs in the business and the cover version was made with a rock arrangement tailor-made for both musicians. Both versions are available for download on iTunes. This post is for the rock arrangement of the song, which I think is the more musically pleasing version of the song. I love both versions of the song, but why the rock cover? The rock version brings the song back to its very roots as a simple arrangement that is adaptive to any style. This cover by Cobus isn't as busy as some of his other covers. Tyler Ward looks like the song was arranged to fit them both to show their talents together. However, I think that this song doesn't serve them justice on how talented they are.
The song is too simple to be covered by a band. Anyone out there can create a great version of this song. It isn't too hard. There isn't anything complicated about the song, which brings me back to the beginning to where I think the song can be easily arranged and changed around to fit anyone's style. This song seemed like a safehouse for both of them not to have too many mistakes. Don't get me wrong I like the song but for Tyler and Cobus, if they work together again they should perform a song to really showcase their talents.
Rating - 6.5 out of 10.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Music Video Review - "Only Girl (In The World)" by Rihanna
Recently, Rihanna has been down on her luck. With the very public and messy break-up with Chris Brown in the past, she looks towards the future with a renewed sense of hope and happiness. Her upcoming album "LOUD" shows how much she has progressed and changed ever since that day in LA a couple of years ago. The album is set to drop November 12th. Her latest single "Only Girl (In The World)" was released digitally last month and the video was recently premiered on VEVO.
In the video, we see something that we haven't seen in a while. Only one person in the video! Holy crap, what an awesome concept! However, the video is bubbly and very upbeat. She is basically screaming out to the world that she in love with a guy who makes her feel like she is the only girl in the world. In fact, she is the only girl in this video. It sort of a very modern and very Rihanna take on the opening scene from "The Sound of Music", where Julie Andrews is dancing around the hills and screaming her lungs out to the world. Basically, both of these ladies showed that they are living a care-free lifestyle for at least til the song is done. The video pretty much goes with the lyrics to the Timbaland-inspired beat. The lyrics are very free-spirited and shows Rihanna is doing better. She couldn't be any happier, I wondered if she wrote this song while she was boinking "Jimmy" from "Degrassi: The Next Generation" aka Drake. The video itself is very eye-catching with a good amount of colors. The true star of the video is Rihanna with her sexy eyes and the way that she looks at you. She is making you feel like she is directly talking to you. If there is one thing that gets me going as a guy, it is definitely the eyes. The way that a woman looks at you with her eyes shows a lot about who is she and if she interested. Rihanna definitely looks like she is interested. However, I think she was looking at the dude behind me.
According to an interview for JustJared.com, Rihanna says "It looks fake, like something out of a postcard with the beautiful hills… We had a lot of sunshine those couple of days, so it really worked with the whole essence of the video. But really, the video just shows this big landscape and the only person there is me."
Overall, this video is very colorful. This is what Katy Perry's drug-induced "California Gurls" video should be like. It is a good thing that Rihanna took a page out of her best friend's book, but toned down the colors and just have fun with the video. The video perfectly matches the song and the spirit of why the tune was written in the first place. This video is up there with "Russian Roulette", as one of Rihanna's best videos. I'm sure that MTV and Top 40 will pick up on it and it will be played non-stop. However in today's day and age, what's wrong with having a little fun.
Rating - 7.36 out of 10 (Not bad, but definitely could have been more fun)
In the video, we see something that we haven't seen in a while. Only one person in the video! Holy crap, what an awesome concept! However, the video is bubbly and very upbeat. She is basically screaming out to the world that she in love with a guy who makes her feel like she is the only girl in the world. In fact, she is the only girl in this video. It sort of a very modern and very Rihanna take on the opening scene from "The Sound of Music", where Julie Andrews is dancing around the hills and screaming her lungs out to the world. Basically, both of these ladies showed that they are living a care-free lifestyle for at least til the song is done. The video pretty much goes with the lyrics to the Timbaland-inspired beat. The lyrics are very free-spirited and shows Rihanna is doing better. She couldn't be any happier, I wondered if she wrote this song while she was boinking "Jimmy" from "Degrassi: The Next Generation" aka Drake. The video itself is very eye-catching with a good amount of colors. The true star of the video is Rihanna with her sexy eyes and the way that she looks at you. She is making you feel like she is directly talking to you. If there is one thing that gets me going as a guy, it is definitely the eyes. The way that a woman looks at you with her eyes shows a lot about who is she and if she interested. Rihanna definitely looks like she is interested. However, I think she was looking at the dude behind me.
According to an interview for JustJared.com, Rihanna says "It looks fake, like something out of a postcard with the beautiful hills… We had a lot of sunshine those couple of days, so it really worked with the whole essence of the video. But really, the video just shows this big landscape and the only person there is me."
Overall, this video is very colorful. This is what Katy Perry's drug-induced "California Gurls" video should be like. It is a good thing that Rihanna took a page out of her best friend's book, but toned down the colors and just have fun with the video. The video perfectly matches the song and the spirit of why the tune was written in the first place. This video is up there with "Russian Roulette", as one of Rihanna's best videos. I'm sure that MTV and Top 40 will pick up on it and it will be played non-stop. However in today's day and age, what's wrong with having a little fun.
Rating - 7.36 out of 10 (Not bad, but definitely could have been more fun)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Song Review - "Beauty and The Beast" by Jordin Sparks
Surprisingly, I chose this version and not the one by Celine Dion. This song I heard on a commerical and wondered who was the singer. So, I went on a YouTube search and came up with Jordin Sparks. This song was remade for the latest release of the 1991 timeless classic "Beauty of the Beast". The song was sung in the movie by Angela Lansbury and then a radio edit was released as a duet between upcoming Canadian singer Celine Dion and R&B singer Peabo Bryson. The song was so good that it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1992.
Almost two decades later, the song has been remade and covered by various artists throughout the years such as movie songstress Julie Andrews, pop/r&b group Jump5, and J-Pop group "Bright". The most recent cover was done by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, and a music video was created specifically for The Diamond Edition of "Beauty and The Beast".
The song has a R&B touch to it, which taps into today's Top 40 market. This cover of "Beauty and the Beast" is almost made for kids' parties and to make parents who grew in the Late 80s and Early 90s remember when they heard this song for the first time in theaters. For the lack of a better sense, it's dance-able tune, where I can mix this with Selena Gomez or even worse Miley Cryus. Please don't get me wrong, Jordin Sparks is a very talented singer and probably one of the best singers to come out of American Idol. She is probably one of the few that can actually last in the music industry that has ties to the doomed show. Jordin Sparks sang this song the way that Jordin Sparks can. She made it her own song and definitely tried to keep it separate from the Dion/Bryson duet.
However, this cover is missing something that the Celine Dion/Peabo Bryson version had. I couldn't figure it out until I listened to both versions back-to-back. The duet of Dion/Bryson had chemistry, musical showmanship, and most importantly CHARM. The Jordin Sparks version was lacking charm and the appeal that made the song a Disney Classic. The song appeals to today's tween generation, but in the end, this song will be remembered by the 9-14 demographic. With the Dion/Bryson version will live on forever and every artist that tries to match the charm and musicality of this version will fail.
Almost two decades later, the song has been remade and covered by various artists throughout the years such as movie songstress Julie Andrews, pop/r&b group Jump5, and J-Pop group "Bright". The most recent cover was done by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, and a music video was created specifically for The Diamond Edition of "Beauty and The Beast".
The song has a R&B touch to it, which taps into today's Top 40 market. This cover of "Beauty and the Beast" is almost made for kids' parties and to make parents who grew in the Late 80s and Early 90s remember when they heard this song for the first time in theaters. For the lack of a better sense, it's dance-able tune, where I can mix this with Selena Gomez or even worse Miley Cryus. Please don't get me wrong, Jordin Sparks is a very talented singer and probably one of the best singers to come out of American Idol. She is probably one of the few that can actually last in the music industry that has ties to the doomed show. Jordin Sparks sang this song the way that Jordin Sparks can. She made it her own song and definitely tried to keep it separate from the Dion/Bryson duet.
However, this cover is missing something that the Celine Dion/Peabo Bryson version had. I couldn't figure it out until I listened to both versions back-to-back. The duet of Dion/Bryson had chemistry, musical showmanship, and most importantly CHARM. The Jordin Sparks version was lacking charm and the appeal that made the song a Disney Classic. The song appeals to today's tween generation, but in the end, this song will be remembered by the 9-14 demographic. With the Dion/Bryson version will live on forever and every artist that tries to match the charm and musicality of this version will fail.
Why I Created This Blog?
Well, that's a simple question to ask. Why I decided to make a music blog? To be perfectly honest, I'm bored at home and I need to work on my grammar and spelling. However, one of my biggest passions in life is music. It doesn't matter, if it's r&b, rock, dance, pop, or whatever Nelly Furtado is making, I love music. I love listening to it. I love making music. Most importantly, I love the way music makes you feel while listening to it. If you are in a bad mood, you can click on your iTunes playlist and find one song that cheers you up in an instant. For myself, it's either "Perfect Day" by Hoku or "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G. If you feel like dancing, DJ Sammy's "Heaven" or "Hey Ya" by Outkast can put you in that party mood. In times of sorrow, music can help you cope the troubling situations that life has thrown at us.
Sound is everywhere and with sound you can create music. It doesn't matter if it has no pitch or no rhythm, someone will consider it music and instantly change their current feelings/thoughts. Music in the 21st century has transcended previous conceptations of what is music and how it is created. It doesn't matter if we sample a previous beat or created one through a drum machine. The point of the matter is that Music is and always will be music. That is why I created this blog.
The next question I should ask myself is "Did anyone f*cking understand what the hell I just said?" If one person understand it, then I did my job and i'm content with myself. This blog will consist of anything and everything with music. I did mostly for reviews which will be released every Thursday. I'll begin with the one song that got me the idea of creating a music blog and i'm probably gonna get some slack for it. However, you can be the judge of that.
Sound is everywhere and with sound you can create music. It doesn't matter if it has no pitch or no rhythm, someone will consider it music and instantly change their current feelings/thoughts. Music in the 21st century has transcended previous conceptations of what is music and how it is created. It doesn't matter if we sample a previous beat or created one through a drum machine. The point of the matter is that Music is and always will be music. That is why I created this blog.
The next question I should ask myself is "Did anyone f*cking understand what the hell I just said?" If one person understand it, then I did my job and i'm content with myself. This blog will consist of anything and everything with music. I did mostly for reviews which will be released every Thursday. I'll begin with the one song that got me the idea of creating a music blog and i'm probably gonna get some slack for it. However, you can be the judge of that.
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