Sorry for the delay... I've been investing my time in other things- e.g. finding another job! We'll get right into it.
WINS:
#6 Rihanna f/ Calvin Harris- We Found Love
After a rather slow start compared to other lead singles from Rihanna, it looks like "We Found Love" just may have a shot at #1. The cut finally made #1 on iTunes and is continually a greatest gainer on the airplay charts. It hasn't even made top 10 at radio yet and keeps climbing. While the song sounds like it took about 15 minutes to make, I suppose the sheer simplicity of the song and vocal-less chorus serves the junk food palate of today's current trend.
#25 T-Pain f/ Lily Allen & Wiz Khalifa- 5 O'Clock
The charts haven't been kind to T-Pain over the past two years, aside from an occasional guest feature from DJ Khaled or Pitbull. After 5 (yes, count them- 5! Reverse Cowgirl, Rap Song, Take Yo Shirt Off, Best Love Song, Booty Wurk) failed initial startup singles from the autotuner's 4th album, "rEVOLVEr", it looks like he's finally caught some momentum with the "first single" from the album. It's a new interpolation of a minor overseas Lily Allen hit from 2 years ago, and I'm honestly a bit confused as to how this song is gaining so much more momentum than "Booty Wurk" ever did. It's obvious that T-Pain's heyday peaked in 2008, but it looks like radio doesn't want to forget about him just yet.
#42 Flo Rida- Good Feeling
It turns out that the last Flo Rida album tanked so badly that it completely went beneath my radar. Anchored by the mediocre "Club Can't Handle Me", the album "Only One Flo (Part 1)" peaked at a miserable #107 on the charts, buried beneath the onslaught of major label black Friday releases. Carrying on in the tradition of Flo being the least interesting thing about his hits, "Good Feeling" takes an uncredited sample from Swedish artist Avicii. Flo Rida simply does his uninteresting, monotone rap between the sample just to take up space. The song jumped more than 30 spots to this peak, so I'm sure this will be a huge hit during the lucrative shopping season. It looks as if part 2 to "Only One Flo" (so creative!) might peak within the top 100 of the album charts.
#69 Big Sean- Dance (A$$)
As we continue to feel the influence of Lil Wayne's "A Milli", anothe copycat beat has reached the hands of another copycat artist. The Bangladesh produced landmark beat of 8 bars of snare with 8 bars of bass has been copied relentlessly by Bangladesh himself amongst other artists, but the fact is- it's still one of the hottest concepts in hip hop. The minimalist, bass driven production is easily the most appealing Big Sean has put out (which isn't saying much at all) and the remix featuring Nicki Minaj is downright lovely. I feel that I don't really get Big Sean's appeal- his style, enunciation, and overall image feels extremely bland and too normal. The first two singles from his debut, "Finally Famous", are immediate skip-over tracks for me ("My All" with Chris Brown and "Marvin & Chardonnay" with Kanye & Roscoe Dash) and definitely didn't deserve the love they recieved on the R&B charts. We'll have to see how long Big Sean lasts without the big name associates.
FAILS:
#61 Afrojack f/ Eva Simons- Take Over Control
I always categorize this song with Alexandra Stan's "Mr. Saxobeat", as they are two club-ready songs that earned enormous success overseas last year trying to capitalize on US radio's current house fetish. While "Saxobeat" bullets to #21 this week, "Take Over Control" tumbles beneath the onslaught of country music singles in positions 50-59, dropping 16 spots to #60. Don't count out the whole euro-dance phase just yet, as there will be plenty more of these to come. It's a rare time when there are so many similarities in what works in the US and Europe.
#88 Sean Paul f/ Alexis Jordan- Got 2 Luv U
Like Flo Rida previously mentioned, Sean Paul is coming off of an all-out failure of an album from 2 years ago, as the lead single "So Fine" only made it to #50 on the charts. Looks like the follow up to his new album will go down in the books as an even less successful performer. It's a big risk coming from a flop with a new, untested artist (Alexis Jordan from "America's Got Talent" has experienced success in Europe but remains unknown in the US) and I admire the fact that he didn't just get Nicki Minaj or Bruno Mars for an A-list guest feature- but it looks like Atlantic's gamble isn't going to pay off with this song.
#98 Jennifer Lopez- Papi
While I'm sure the video for "Papi" is selling Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep a ton of Fiat 500's, it's not exactly electrifying the charts. Def Jam shouldn't have released "I'm Into You" as the 2nd single from the album, as it seems that all of the momentum from "On the Floor" was wasted on a single that would have been a success 3 years ago. I honestly thought that "Papi" would be a more of a success than a failure, but we must remember that JLo is currently more relevant than any time since 2003- and given her limited talent- it should be considered a success.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Billboard Hot 100 Summary: Wins and Fails- 10/15/2011
WINS:
#7 B.O.B. f/ Lil Wayne- Strange Clouds
I'm slightly taken aback that B.O.B.'s new song could have that much of a stronger chart showing than Rihanna and Kelly Clarkson's new digital singles, but I guess we shouldn't underestimate the power of Weezy talking about weed. B.o.B. is one of those artists that is continually the least interesting part of his songs- his guest features (Bruno Mars, Hayley Williams, Rivers Cuomo) have continually outshined his bland, been-there-before verses, but apparently the public was hungry for a B.o.B. comeback. It's catchy enough and will gain some traction on rhythmic stations, but I do feel that #7 will be the song's peak. I see the song performing similarly to last year's "Right Above It" with Weezy and Drake, debuting strongly at #6, with significant gains in airplay over the next few months, though the tapering of the digital sales will keep the song hovering around the lower rungs of the top 20 for awhile.
#26 Alexandra Stan- Mr. Saxobeat
As I've already heard the song about 1,000 times on LA radio, it looks like it's gaining traction everywhere in America. Capitalizing on two new fads- european dj meets pop radio and the resurgence of the saxophone, (see "Edge of Glory", "T.G.I.F. (Last Friday Night)" and "In The Dark") the song that 2 years ago would have only been successful across the pond is now a legitimate force to be reckoned with. As there doesn't seem to be much of an identity behind Alexandra Stan, as the voice seems quite interchangeable, I expect her to be a one hit wonder.
#35 Jay-Z & Kanye West- Ni**as in Paris
I'm still waiting to see how a live DJ refers to the unadulterated title- it's already entertaining enough to see how they alter the last part of the song when the beat breaks. As true 100% hip-hop becomes more scarce at top 40, leave it to the kings of the genre to keep servicing quality hip-hop to the masses. It's their second top 40 from "Watch the Throne", as "Otis" barely missed the top 10 on the back of digital sales. Oh, much props to Jay-Z for finally exposing the term "cray" to the masses.
#62 T-Pain f/ Lily Allen & Wiz Khalifa- 5 O'Clock
T-Pain has had an awfully rough time trying to gain traction for his new album. This seems like the 100th single released- lets see... Take Your Shirt Off, Reverse Cowgirl, Rap Song, Best Love Song, and Booty Wurk. It looks like the troubles aren't over, as just a few days ago- Jive Records dissolved into its parent record label, RCA. So who knows if we'll ever get his forthcoming studio album (almost 2 years delayed) "rEVOLVEr", but really- are there that many hardcore T-Pain fans out there? The actual song "5 O'Clock" borrows from a Lily Allen single from the UK- and the end result really isn't bad at all- but as I thought "Booty Wurk" was a surefire smash- I'm not really sure what audience reaction to expect from T-Pain's singles anymore.
#81 Lloyd f/ Andre 3000- Dedication to my Ex (Miss That)
One of my favorite singles of the year, a quasi-sequel to Cee-lo's "Fuck You!", has finally made its debut on the Hot 100. It's been getting airplay in LA for a few months now, but it seems that it's struggling to gain traction at R&B radio as it seems to have stalled just outside of the top 40 on that chart for now. The radio edit takes away a bit of the song's novelty and edge, but it's still a great, classic sounding tune with an all too rare and underappreciated Andre 3000 guest spot.
FAILS:
#12 Lady Gaga- You & I
OK, so it's not really a "fail" per se- but we now know for a fact that "You & I" has reached its final peak at #6 on the charts. I had a few fabricated high hopes for this song- after all, the sound has massive appeal for middle America, and the general public seems to be starved for something other than the four-on-the-floor music Gaga ironically helped usher in. Don't get me wrong- the song had a successful chart run- but the song's chart performance lets us know that the song isn't exactly going to be a career defining song for her.
#48 Nickelback- When We Stand Together
Any new Nickelback chart debut is a fail for America. Especially with such a calculated, glossed over song, and such a lousy, pandering song title like this. I mean, these Canadians have been exploiting the wallets of the red states for a good while- why don't we go ahead and get a Rick Perry feature on here? Peaking with 2005's "All the Right Reasons", Nickelback has diminished with the coinciding depletion of top 40 rock music from the airwaves. At least they're one of the many casualties I'm thankful for.
#72 Iyaz f/ Travie McCoy- Pretty Girls
I wrote a few weeks back about this single being the one to anchor the all-important sophomore album, but it looks like this one's a no-go. After tumbling from 51-72 this week on the Hot 100, it looks as if initial audience reaction is tepid. Iyaz doesn't have a very distinguishable voice, and will need another gimmick or stronger guest feature to land a hit worthy of the sophomore album.
#7 B.O.B. f/ Lil Wayne- Strange Clouds
I'm slightly taken aback that B.O.B.'s new song could have that much of a stronger chart showing than Rihanna and Kelly Clarkson's new digital singles, but I guess we shouldn't underestimate the power of Weezy talking about weed. B.o.B. is one of those artists that is continually the least interesting part of his songs- his guest features (Bruno Mars, Hayley Williams, Rivers Cuomo) have continually outshined his bland, been-there-before verses, but apparently the public was hungry for a B.o.B. comeback. It's catchy enough and will gain some traction on rhythmic stations, but I do feel that #7 will be the song's peak. I see the song performing similarly to last year's "Right Above It" with Weezy and Drake, debuting strongly at #6, with significant gains in airplay over the next few months, though the tapering of the digital sales will keep the song hovering around the lower rungs of the top 20 for awhile.
#26 Alexandra Stan- Mr. Saxobeat
As I've already heard the song about 1,000 times on LA radio, it looks like it's gaining traction everywhere in America. Capitalizing on two new fads- european dj meets pop radio and the resurgence of the saxophone, (see "Edge of Glory", "T.G.I.F. (Last Friday Night)" and "In The Dark") the song that 2 years ago would have only been successful across the pond is now a legitimate force to be reckoned with. As there doesn't seem to be much of an identity behind Alexandra Stan, as the voice seems quite interchangeable, I expect her to be a one hit wonder.
#35 Jay-Z & Kanye West- Ni**as in Paris
I'm still waiting to see how a live DJ refers to the unadulterated title- it's already entertaining enough to see how they alter the last part of the song when the beat breaks. As true 100% hip-hop becomes more scarce at top 40, leave it to the kings of the genre to keep servicing quality hip-hop to the masses. It's their second top 40 from "Watch the Throne", as "Otis" barely missed the top 10 on the back of digital sales. Oh, much props to Jay-Z for finally exposing the term "cray" to the masses.
#62 T-Pain f/ Lily Allen & Wiz Khalifa- 5 O'Clock
T-Pain has had an awfully rough time trying to gain traction for his new album. This seems like the 100th single released- lets see... Take Your Shirt Off, Reverse Cowgirl, Rap Song, Best Love Song, and Booty Wurk. It looks like the troubles aren't over, as just a few days ago- Jive Records dissolved into its parent record label, RCA. So who knows if we'll ever get his forthcoming studio album (almost 2 years delayed) "rEVOLVEr", but really- are there that many hardcore T-Pain fans out there? The actual song "5 O'Clock" borrows from a Lily Allen single from the UK- and the end result really isn't bad at all- but as I thought "Booty Wurk" was a surefire smash- I'm not really sure what audience reaction to expect from T-Pain's singles anymore.
#81 Lloyd f/ Andre 3000- Dedication to my Ex (Miss That)
One of my favorite singles of the year, a quasi-sequel to Cee-lo's "Fuck You!", has finally made its debut on the Hot 100. It's been getting airplay in LA for a few months now, but it seems that it's struggling to gain traction at R&B radio as it seems to have stalled just outside of the top 40 on that chart for now. The radio edit takes away a bit of the song's novelty and edge, but it's still a great, classic sounding tune with an all too rare and underappreciated Andre 3000 guest spot.
FAILS:
#12 Lady Gaga- You & I
OK, so it's not really a "fail" per se- but we now know for a fact that "You & I" has reached its final peak at #6 on the charts. I had a few fabricated high hopes for this song- after all, the sound has massive appeal for middle America, and the general public seems to be starved for something other than the four-on-the-floor music Gaga ironically helped usher in. Don't get me wrong- the song had a successful chart run- but the song's chart performance lets us know that the song isn't exactly going to be a career defining song for her.
#48 Nickelback- When We Stand Together
Any new Nickelback chart debut is a fail for America. Especially with such a calculated, glossed over song, and such a lousy, pandering song title like this. I mean, these Canadians have been exploiting the wallets of the red states for a good while- why don't we go ahead and get a Rick Perry feature on here? Peaking with 2005's "All the Right Reasons", Nickelback has diminished with the coinciding depletion of top 40 rock music from the airwaves. At least they're one of the many casualties I'm thankful for.
#72 Iyaz f/ Travie McCoy- Pretty Girls
I wrote a few weeks back about this single being the one to anchor the all-important sophomore album, but it looks like this one's a no-go. After tumbling from 51-72 this week on the Hot 100, it looks as if initial audience reaction is tepid. Iyaz doesn't have a very distinguishable voice, and will need another gimmick or stronger guest feature to land a hit worthy of the sophomore album.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Billboard Hot 100 Summary: Wins and Fails- 10/08/2011
It's been a relatively slow week this week, with most of the top 10 remaining stagnant. Let's get right into it:
WINS:
#2 Adele- Someone Like You
Yes, the song has already peaked and has spent the past few weeks at this very position. However, the piano-driven ballad soars 9-2 on the usually stagnant Radio Songs chart, while holding firmly at #1 currently on iTunes. Adele continues to break every single rule in the Pop Music 2011 instruction guide as it seems the song will continue into a lengthy chart run at #1 after this week. As the major labels and big players contin ue to unravel their big guns for the holiday shopping season, I don't expect the song to pass "Rolling in the Deep"'s 7-week stint. But again, you never know. As I found on another website, "Someone Like You" is the first ever piano and vocal only song to ever hit #1 in Rock & Roll history. 2011 is the year of Adele.
#10 LFMAO- Sexy and I Know It
It took this song 4 weeks to get into the top 10. A second single from an established duo's sophomore "album" goes top 10 in less than a month- even more notable in the fact that the song has been available for download since the album came out this summer. Even more notable and puzzling is the fact that the song has no redeeming quality, no memorable hook- not even a memorable BASSLINE! Seriously, I guess stupidly self-empowering chorus and the Lonely-Island esque "I Work Out!" line is enough to push the greek kids and coke abusers over the edge. I get that they are coming off the biggest song of the year with "Party Rock Anthem", but when we look back in 20 years-(like Starship, Milli Vanilli, and Jessica Simpson before them)- we will all question why the hell we were listening to this in the first place. OK, I'll stop hating. Congrats LMFAO. But your 15 minutes are ticking.
#42 New Boyz f/Chris Brown- Better With the Lights Off
The California teen hip-hop duo New Boyz scored their first hit by capitalizing on a popular west coast dance movement, "jerking", (I kid you not) with 2009's "You're a Jerk", similar to Cali Swag District's 2010 hit "Teach me How to Dougie". They were able to somehow continue their success with a B-R&B song with B-list R&B star Ray J, "Tie Me Down", at the very least erasing any one-hit wonder labels. Like their first single, their second album's singles have been a blatant attempt to exploit current pop trends. While, the first single, "Break my Bank" w/ Iyaz didn't catch on, the Cataracs-(Like a G6) produced-"Backseat", complete with a cameo from Dev, scraped the top 40 earlier this year. Now it looks as if the third single, with help from Chris Brown, will break the top 40. I don't see the song keeping the momentum into the top 20, as it's very Pop&B by numbers, but these guys have a pretty big urban teen folowing- so I'm not counting anything out.
FAILS:
#16 Rihanna f/Calvin Harris- We Found Love
It looks like it's a bit too much too soon, as people seem to be suffering from Rihanna fatigue. Let's take a look at where her past lead singles have vaulted to the week they became available:
A Girl Like Me- S.O.S.- #1
Good Girl Gone Bad- Umbrella- #1
Rated R- Russian Roulette- #9
Loud- Only Girl (In the World)- #3
Given, with the exception of last year's "Only Girl", the previous three had a few weeks to gain exposure at radio- I'll give you that. But also given the fact that a new Rihanna lead single is usually all but guarenteed a top 10 debut, this matches Kelly Clarkson's "Mr. Know it All" debut 3 weeks ago, which has since almost fallen out of the top 40. I don't expect that to happen with this song, as it's so blatantly club driven that the Europop producer of the song is listed on the feature. It's not a bad song- a typical fist-pumping club beat with a simple, repetitive chorus. Rihanna will still sell tons of records and continue to be one of the biggest forces in pop music- I just think that the song would have been a bit more successful if Def Jam hadn't rushed into this project. It's proven that people will buy and support the Rihanna brand no matter what time of year.
#33 Colplay- Paradise
I really don't mean to hate on Coldplay so much. Their first 2 albums were fantastic before they went the stadium rock route- but who can blame them? Either way, it's looking less and less evident that Coldplay will get any support from Top 40 radio for their forthcoming album, and is proving that "Viva La Vida" was the exception and not the rule. The release date for "Mylo Xyloto" nears in about 3 weeks, Capitol must be worried. As the first single, "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" was serviced to top 40 and didn't gain traction, I don't see any difference with "Paradise", as both songs share a similar aesthetic. It's a pleasant, introspective, typical Coldplay- and it could do quite well if the timing is right. But if I had to make a bet as to if this would ever get KIIS 102.7 exposure, I wouldn't take it.
WINS:
#2 Adele- Someone Like You
Yes, the song has already peaked and has spent the past few weeks at this very position. However, the piano-driven ballad soars 9-2 on the usually stagnant Radio Songs chart, while holding firmly at #1 currently on iTunes. Adele continues to break every single rule in the Pop Music 2011 instruction guide as it seems the song will continue into a lengthy chart run at #1 after this week. As the major labels and big players contin ue to unravel their big guns for the holiday shopping season, I don't expect the song to pass "Rolling in the Deep"'s 7-week stint. But again, you never know. As I found on another website, "Someone Like You" is the first ever piano and vocal only song to ever hit #1 in Rock & Roll history. 2011 is the year of Adele.
#10 LFMAO- Sexy and I Know It
It took this song 4 weeks to get into the top 10. A second single from an established duo's sophomore "album" goes top 10 in less than a month- even more notable in the fact that the song has been available for download since the album came out this summer. Even more notable and puzzling is the fact that the song has no redeeming quality, no memorable hook- not even a memorable BASSLINE! Seriously, I guess stupidly self-empowering chorus and the Lonely-Island esque "I Work Out!" line is enough to push the greek kids and coke abusers over the edge. I get that they are coming off the biggest song of the year with "Party Rock Anthem", but when we look back in 20 years-(like Starship, Milli Vanilli, and Jessica Simpson before them)- we will all question why the hell we were listening to this in the first place. OK, I'll stop hating. Congrats LMFAO. But your 15 minutes are ticking.
#42 New Boyz f/Chris Brown- Better With the Lights Off
The California teen hip-hop duo New Boyz scored their first hit by capitalizing on a popular west coast dance movement, "jerking", (I kid you not) with 2009's "You're a Jerk", similar to Cali Swag District's 2010 hit "Teach me How to Dougie". They were able to somehow continue their success with a B-R&B song with B-list R&B star Ray J, "Tie Me Down", at the very least erasing any one-hit wonder labels. Like their first single, their second album's singles have been a blatant attempt to exploit current pop trends. While, the first single, "Break my Bank" w/ Iyaz didn't catch on, the Cataracs-(Like a G6) produced-"Backseat", complete with a cameo from Dev, scraped the top 40 earlier this year. Now it looks as if the third single, with help from Chris Brown, will break the top 40. I don't see the song keeping the momentum into the top 20, as it's very Pop&B by numbers, but these guys have a pretty big urban teen folowing- so I'm not counting anything out.
FAILS:
#16 Rihanna f/Calvin Harris- We Found Love
It looks like it's a bit too much too soon, as people seem to be suffering from Rihanna fatigue. Let's take a look at where her past lead singles have vaulted to the week they became available:
A Girl Like Me- S.O.S.- #1
Good Girl Gone Bad- Umbrella- #1
Rated R- Russian Roulette- #9
Loud- Only Girl (In the World)- #3
Given, with the exception of last year's "Only Girl", the previous three had a few weeks to gain exposure at radio- I'll give you that. But also given the fact that a new Rihanna lead single is usually all but guarenteed a top 10 debut, this matches Kelly Clarkson's "Mr. Know it All" debut 3 weeks ago, which has since almost fallen out of the top 40. I don't expect that to happen with this song, as it's so blatantly club driven that the Europop producer of the song is listed on the feature. It's not a bad song- a typical fist-pumping club beat with a simple, repetitive chorus. Rihanna will still sell tons of records and continue to be one of the biggest forces in pop music- I just think that the song would have been a bit more successful if Def Jam hadn't rushed into this project. It's proven that people will buy and support the Rihanna brand no matter what time of year.
#33 Colplay- Paradise
I really don't mean to hate on Coldplay so much. Their first 2 albums were fantastic before they went the stadium rock route- but who can blame them? Either way, it's looking less and less evident that Coldplay will get any support from Top 40 radio for their forthcoming album, and is proving that "Viva La Vida" was the exception and not the rule. The release date for "Mylo Xyloto" nears in about 3 weeks, Capitol must be worried. As the first single, "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" was serviced to top 40 and didn't gain traction, I don't see any difference with "Paradise", as both songs share a similar aesthetic. It's a pleasant, introspective, typical Coldplay- and it could do quite well if the timing is right. But if I had to make a bet as to if this would ever get KIIS 102.7 exposure, I wouldn't take it.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Song of the Day: 9/25/11- Lana Del Rey- Video Games
I've noticed the blog has become very R&B/Hip-Hop centric, so I felt the need to change things up a bit with a currently huge song in the indie community.
Lana Del Rey has taken a few fashion hints from Nancy Sinatra and has quickly become one of the most blogged about and buzzed about new artists of the past few months. Think Dusty Springfield or Cat Power meets today's influx of British throwback artists. While her authenticity has been questioned and has been accused of being a manufactured studio creation, the hipsterazzi (heard this clever new term on XM radio- I think I'll use it now) always finds flaws in buzzed about artists. Who cares? She (or whomever else) is making fantastic music. She's apparently been a struggling artist for 5 or 6 years now, so I'm sure she's more than paid her dues.
The overall vibe and music video for "Video Games" has a very 60's, Melrose Avenue feel with a modern twist, and like the video- the lyrics mix classic themes of being in love and being on cloud nine even while being ignored with modern lyrical references to items like, well, obviously video games. Not too much more I can say about the ballad- look for it on many year-end top 10 lists.
Lana Del Rey has taken a few fashion hints from Nancy Sinatra and has quickly become one of the most blogged about and buzzed about new artists of the past few months. Think Dusty Springfield or Cat Power meets today's influx of British throwback artists. While her authenticity has been questioned and has been accused of being a manufactured studio creation, the hipsterazzi (heard this clever new term on XM radio- I think I'll use it now) always finds flaws in buzzed about artists. Who cares? She (or whomever else) is making fantastic music. She's apparently been a struggling artist for 5 or 6 years now, so I'm sure she's more than paid her dues.
The overall vibe and music video for "Video Games" has a very 60's, Melrose Avenue feel with a modern twist, and like the video- the lyrics mix classic themes of being in love and being on cloud nine even while being ignored with modern lyrical references to items like, well, obviously video games. Not too much more I can say about the ballad- look for it on many year-end top 10 lists.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Billboard Hot 100 Chart Analysis- Wins and Fails- 10/01/2011
WINS:
#1 Maroon 5 f/ Christina Aguilera- Moves Like Jagger
The song is now spending its third week at the pinnacle of the Hot 100, tying "Makes Me Wonder" as Maroon 5's biggest hit ever. What's significant about this week imparticularly is that it blasts from #5-#1 on the radio airplay chart, meanwhile continuing its lock at #1 on the digital charts. This is a huge indicator that this song will have a very lengthy run at the top of the charts. There aren't really too many songs with the momentum to take it down currently, though if Rihanna's new single "We Found Love" has enough downloads when it debuts on iTunes next week, its reign could be briefly interrupted. I'm not thinking that will happen as it hasn't exactly been a long time as the public has to show Rihanna fatigue at some point.
#15 David Guetta f/ Usher- Without You
Former R&B superstar turned bland dance-pop singer Usher looks like he'll collect another top 10 under his belt next week with the 2nd single from David Guetta's sophomore album. It's an immediately catchy song that plays perfectly to the current state of pop music, so surely we will be hearing a lot more of this song and many more imitators to follow. The first single with Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, "Where Them Girls At" peaked only one position higher than where this song currently is. That's all I'm gonna say about this one for now.
#30 Jason DeRulo- It Girl
A few weeks ago, this was mistakenly in the "fails" column as the bland single initially failed to gain traction at iTunes- where it now comfortably sits at #3. Looks like DeRulo is about to collect his 4th top 10, providing momentum for his ever-important-in-a-new-artist's-career sophomore album. Personally, I'm not really getting the appeal for this song, especially after his previous single, the club/top 40 ready "Don't Wanna Go Home" performed slightly below expectations. Due to its sudden massive popularity on iTunes, look for this song to jump at least into the top 15 next week.
#79 J. Cole- Work Out
After what seems like countless singles over the past few years that have been serviced to radio, post-Drake rapper J. Cole finally seems to have a winner. As his collaboration song with Jay Z and another with Trey Songz, it doesn't seem that they are taking any chances with his major label launch. He's created insane amounts of buzz on the mixtape circuit, and I'm puzzled as to why last year's single with Drake, "In the Morning", never caught on. As a John Hopkins magna cum laude graduate and self-producer, it's interesting to see this new breed of smart artists with middle class backgrounds launched into the spotlight. Hip hop is a genre evolving more than any other genre right now, and I believe that Drake has had more influence over the entire industry than anyone gives him credit for.
FAILS:
#35 Kelly Clarkson- Mr. Know it All
I'm not dismissing the song immediately. It's catchy enough to become a staple at pop radio, and I wouldn't be surprised if the song went top 10. It should just alarm Clive Davis a bit, as the lead single from her last album, "My Life Would Suck Without You", immediately shot to #1 when released to iTunes. This is the weakest start for a Kelly Clarkson single in her entire career if you don't count "Miss Independent". Weak performances from lead singles hinder the chance of subsequent singles finding success, so my eyes will be on this song's chart performance like a hawk.
#68 Kreayshawn- Gucci Gucci
Maybe it's a bit too soon to dismiss this song, but it's fallen for two weeks in a row now and is looking like it might have reached its peak already at #57. It's kind of a disappointment as the song has almost 20 million hits on YouTube and is a total guilty pleasure. Maybe the song is a bit too risque even in this day and age? Once Kreayshawn catches on (think R-rated, drugged out, vintage clothing Ke$ha as a rapper) I predict big things for her, but we'll see where this one goes.
#1 Maroon 5 f/ Christina Aguilera- Moves Like Jagger
The song is now spending its third week at the pinnacle of the Hot 100, tying "Makes Me Wonder" as Maroon 5's biggest hit ever. What's significant about this week imparticularly is that it blasts from #5-#1 on the radio airplay chart, meanwhile continuing its lock at #1 on the digital charts. This is a huge indicator that this song will have a very lengthy run at the top of the charts. There aren't really too many songs with the momentum to take it down currently, though if Rihanna's new single "We Found Love" has enough downloads when it debuts on iTunes next week, its reign could be briefly interrupted. I'm not thinking that will happen as it hasn't exactly been a long time as the public has to show Rihanna fatigue at some point.
#15 David Guetta f/ Usher- Without You
Former R&B superstar turned bland dance-pop singer Usher looks like he'll collect another top 10 under his belt next week with the 2nd single from David Guetta's sophomore album. It's an immediately catchy song that plays perfectly to the current state of pop music, so surely we will be hearing a lot more of this song and many more imitators to follow. The first single with Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida, "Where Them Girls At" peaked only one position higher than where this song currently is. That's all I'm gonna say about this one for now.
#30 Jason DeRulo- It Girl
A few weeks ago, this was mistakenly in the "fails" column as the bland single initially failed to gain traction at iTunes- where it now comfortably sits at #3. Looks like DeRulo is about to collect his 4th top 10, providing momentum for his ever-important-in-a-new-artist's-career sophomore album. Personally, I'm not really getting the appeal for this song, especially after his previous single, the club/top 40 ready "Don't Wanna Go Home" performed slightly below expectations. Due to its sudden massive popularity on iTunes, look for this song to jump at least into the top 15 next week.
#79 J. Cole- Work Out
After what seems like countless singles over the past few years that have been serviced to radio, post-Drake rapper J. Cole finally seems to have a winner. As his collaboration song with Jay Z and another with Trey Songz, it doesn't seem that they are taking any chances with his major label launch. He's created insane amounts of buzz on the mixtape circuit, and I'm puzzled as to why last year's single with Drake, "In the Morning", never caught on. As a John Hopkins magna cum laude graduate and self-producer, it's interesting to see this new breed of smart artists with middle class backgrounds launched into the spotlight. Hip hop is a genre evolving more than any other genre right now, and I believe that Drake has had more influence over the entire industry than anyone gives him credit for.
FAILS:
#35 Kelly Clarkson- Mr. Know it All
I'm not dismissing the song immediately. It's catchy enough to become a staple at pop radio, and I wouldn't be surprised if the song went top 10. It should just alarm Clive Davis a bit, as the lead single from her last album, "My Life Would Suck Without You", immediately shot to #1 when released to iTunes. This is the weakest start for a Kelly Clarkson single in her entire career if you don't count "Miss Independent". Weak performances from lead singles hinder the chance of subsequent singles finding success, so my eyes will be on this song's chart performance like a hawk.
#68 Kreayshawn- Gucci Gucci
Maybe it's a bit too soon to dismiss this song, but it's fallen for two weeks in a row now and is looking like it might have reached its peak already at #57. It's kind of a disappointment as the song has almost 20 million hits on YouTube and is a total guilty pleasure. Maybe the song is a bit too risque even in this day and age? Once Kreayshawn catches on (think R-rated, drugged out, vintage clothing Ke$ha as a rapper) I predict big things for her, but we'll see where this one goes.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
OPINION: Usher
Just like Michael Jackson in the 80's and Mariah Carey in the 90's, Usher is officially the most successful pop artist of the 00's. He has the second most successful single of the decade under his belt with "Yeah!", (behind Mariah's "We Belong Together") has become a pop culture icon, and was resposible for shaping R&B this past decade more than anyone else. In other words, he's pretty much as big as you can possibly get.
There's also no denying that Usher is the prime example of the way radio has changed since 2005. During the 00's, pure R&B/hip hop influenced music dominated the airwaves more than anything else. Though rock bands like 3 Doors Down and Linkin Park found success on the airwaves, the Lilth Fair type musician that dominated the late 90's was almost completely absent.
In the fall of 2009, Usher released the divorce ballad "Papers" almost a half year before the heavily anticipated "Raymond Vs. Raymond", and shot to #1 on the R&B charts with ease. However, the song was noticeably completely absent from pop radio. Like multi-week reigning R&B smashes such as Maxwell's "Pretty Wings" or Monica's "Everything to Me", its entire chart performance on the Hot 100 came solely from heavy play on R&B stations. There's never been a time period in pop music where the Hot 100 and R&B charts have been so synonymous than in the 00's, but the signs started to show that R&B was all of a sudden an endangered species on pop radio.
The second single released, "Lil Freak" featuring a pre-superstar Nicki Minaj wasn't as successful on the pop or R&B charts, which still puzzles me today as it was undoubtedly one of the best singles released in 2010. By this time, L.A. Reid must have been shaking in his boots. "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" was slightly more successful around the time the album was released- then one of the most pivotal points in Usher's career happened.
"OMG" was released and rocketed to the top of the charts. As a club-ready anthem, the song was a complete departure for him and unlike anything he'd done before. It became one of the biggest hits of 2010 and is still played regularly on top 40, while his next single, "There Goes My Baby" became one of the biggest R&B songs of 2010, being mostly ignored by top 40. It was now fully realized that the entire pop music paradigm had shifted. It's not because the songs were subpar- hell, they were some of the best singles released in 2010- but because pop music had officially replaced R&B with club-ready house inspired music.
This obviously sparked an idea- if he can measure his unprecedented 00's success and all he has to do is change his genre of music, than why not? That fall, the EP/companion album "Versus" was released as quickly as possible with an almost as successful lead single, "DJ Got us Fallin' in Love". Usher went as far as to go on the record saying that his focus now would not be R&B, but this newer shift that fit the current pop music landscape, much to the dismay of his loyal fans that had been there for years.
If anything, the guy still has it all- the looks, voice, dance moves, and proven track record. It's just a shame that he (well, more or less L.A. Reid) would put the precedence of completely changing his sound in a desperate attempt to stay relevant over pleasing his fans. R&B still supports him more than pretty much any other artist, and the format will be losing one of its crucial voices from the airwaves. Perhaps once pop music comes down from its cocaine binge we'll get the real Usher back. However, let's remember that the downfall of Michael Jackson came when he stopped innovating and started following.
There's also no denying that Usher is the prime example of the way radio has changed since 2005. During the 00's, pure R&B/hip hop influenced music dominated the airwaves more than anything else. Though rock bands like 3 Doors Down and Linkin Park found success on the airwaves, the Lilth Fair type musician that dominated the late 90's was almost completely absent.
In the fall of 2009, Usher released the divorce ballad "Papers" almost a half year before the heavily anticipated "Raymond Vs. Raymond", and shot to #1 on the R&B charts with ease. However, the song was noticeably completely absent from pop radio. Like multi-week reigning R&B smashes such as Maxwell's "Pretty Wings" or Monica's "Everything to Me", its entire chart performance on the Hot 100 came solely from heavy play on R&B stations. There's never been a time period in pop music where the Hot 100 and R&B charts have been so synonymous than in the 00's, but the signs started to show that R&B was all of a sudden an endangered species on pop radio.
The second single released, "Lil Freak" featuring a pre-superstar Nicki Minaj wasn't as successful on the pop or R&B charts, which still puzzles me today as it was undoubtedly one of the best singles released in 2010. By this time, L.A. Reid must have been shaking in his boots. "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" was slightly more successful around the time the album was released- then one of the most pivotal points in Usher's career happened.
"OMG" was released and rocketed to the top of the charts. As a club-ready anthem, the song was a complete departure for him and unlike anything he'd done before. It became one of the biggest hits of 2010 and is still played regularly on top 40, while his next single, "There Goes My Baby" became one of the biggest R&B songs of 2010, being mostly ignored by top 40. It was now fully realized that the entire pop music paradigm had shifted. It's not because the songs were subpar- hell, they were some of the best singles released in 2010- but because pop music had officially replaced R&B with club-ready house inspired music.
This obviously sparked an idea- if he can measure his unprecedented 00's success and all he has to do is change his genre of music, than why not? That fall, the EP/companion album "Versus" was released as quickly as possible with an almost as successful lead single, "DJ Got us Fallin' in Love". Usher went as far as to go on the record saying that his focus now would not be R&B, but this newer shift that fit the current pop music landscape, much to the dismay of his loyal fans that had been there for years.
If anything, the guy still has it all- the looks, voice, dance moves, and proven track record. It's just a shame that he (well, more or less L.A. Reid) would put the precedence of completely changing his sound in a desperate attempt to stay relevant over pleasing his fans. R&B still supports him more than pretty much any other artist, and the format will be losing one of its crucial voices from the airwaves. Perhaps once pop music comes down from its cocaine binge we'll get the real Usher back. However, let's remember that the downfall of Michael Jackson came when he stopped innovating and started following.
Song of the Day: 9/20/2011- Bilal- Little One
Bilal is an extremely talented R&B artist that basically got stuck in major label hell. As a classically trained opera singer, there are very few voices I've heard in R&B with quite the caliber as his. While earning all the critical respect in the world from his major label debut, 2001's "1st Born Second", even the roster of big-name producers- with little promotion he was buried beneath the neo-soul explosion of Maxwell, India Arie, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. Since then, he's gained quite the cult following, continuing to tour and work with other artists. His second album, "Love for Sale", was shelved by Interscope to the dismay of many fans, despite the entire album leaking on the internet.
In 2009, he finally signed with an indie label, and the following year released his second official album, the universally lauded "Airtight's Revenge". Unbound by major label pressure, the album showcases massive creativity and classic sounding soul music. Bilal has a falsetto that will send chills down your spine. It's a shame that one of the absolute best voices of the past decade is continually ignored by the mainstream.
One of the singles from the album, torchlight ballad "Little One", is a perfect example of his sound- flawless vocals, Stevie Wonder influence, strong melody, and meaningful lyrics. The video is quite powerful, as a couple learns that their child is autistic. The mainstream has not been a welcoming place for Bilal over the past decade, but at least those of us that are aware of his presence are continually rewarded with stellar classic soul music.
In 2009, he finally signed with an indie label, and the following year released his second official album, the universally lauded "Airtight's Revenge". Unbound by major label pressure, the album showcases massive creativity and classic sounding soul music. Bilal has a falsetto that will send chills down your spine. It's a shame that one of the absolute best voices of the past decade is continually ignored by the mainstream.
One of the singles from the album, torchlight ballad "Little One", is a perfect example of his sound- flawless vocals, Stevie Wonder influence, strong melody, and meaningful lyrics. The video is quite powerful, as a couple learns that their child is autistic. The mainstream has not been a welcoming place for Bilal over the past decade, but at least those of us that are aware of his presence are continually rewarded with stellar classic soul music.
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