Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” is an official hit. The track has been moving up on the Billboard Hot 100 chart weeks after its initial release and has become the highest charting Hot 100 rap hit by a solo female rapper ever since Missy Elliott’s “Work It”, which reached the #2 spot back in 2002. “Super Bass” is also only one of eight rap singles by a solo female artist to reach the top 10 in the chart’s 53-year history. Cash Money co-founder Ronald Williams isn’t surprised by the success of Nicki and the track, saying “Nicki isn’t like any other female rapper. We knew she had the goods when Lil Wayne signed her. She’s not a female rapper — she’s a pop star who happens to rap.” Congratulations!
And it all happened on the Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart. Not the most prestigious of charts, to be sure, but it is still quite an accomplishment that Bruno Mars’ single, “Just the Way You Are”, apparently has no less than 20 weeks on board for the #1 spot which means that it has broken all previous records and it is the longest reigning single on this chart for the past 50 years. Not a bad day’s work for Bruno Mars. The man has probably achieved what could be called nothing less than pop immortality with this achievement. Let’s see Lady GaGa topping off this one.
The Black Eyed Peas hit the stage at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards which was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this past Sunday. The hip hop band performed a medley of their songs “Just Can’t Get Enough” and “I Gotta Feeling”. Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo always put on a good show but I can’t help but feel like they need to come up with some new music already. I’m just already sick of having to hear “I Gotta Feeling”. That’s just me though. Anyways, they had a great performance on the show. It definitely kept the energy up.
Black Eyed Peas – Just Can’t Get Enough/I Gotta Feeling – Billboard Awards Performance Video
2011 Billboard Music Awards Winners [Full List]
Top Artist:
Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Top New Artist:
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Taio Cruz
Ke$ha
Bruno Mars
Nicki Minaj
Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Drake
WINNER: Eminem
Bruno Mars
Usher
Top Female Artist:
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Katy Perry
WINNER: Rihanna
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group:
WINNER: The Black Eyed Peas
Bon Jovi
Lady Antebellum
Linkin Park
U2
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Justin Bieber
Susan Boyle
Eminem
Lady Antebellum
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Drake
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
WINNER: Rihanna
Usher
Top Touring Artist:
Bon Jovi
Michael Buble
Lady Gaga
WINNER: U2
Roger Waters
Top Social Artist:
Akon
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Top Streaming Artist:
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Shakira
Top Digital Media Artist:
Akon
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Top Rap Artist:
Drake
WINNER: Eminem
Lil Wayne
Ludacris
Nicki Minaj
Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band
Top Dance Artist:
The Black Eyed Peas
David Guetta
WINNER: Lady Gaga
LaRoux
Rihanna
Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Skillet
tobyMac
WINNER: Chris Tomlin
Viral Innovator of the Year:
WINNER: Cee Lo Green
Fan Favorite of the Year:
WINNER: Justin Bieber
ALBUMS AWARDS:
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Justin Bieber — “My World 2.0″
Susan Boyle — “The Gift”
WINNER: Eminem — “Recovery”
Lady Antebellum — “Need You Now”
Taylor Swift — “Speak Now”
Top Pop Album:
WINNER: Justin Bieber — “My World 2.0″
Black Eyed Peas — “The E.N.D.”
Ke$ha — “Animal”
Lady Gaga — “The Fame”
Katy Perry — “Teenage Dream”
Top R&B Album:
Monica — “Still Standing”
Rihanna — “Loud”
Sade — “Stronger Than Love”
Trey Songz — “Passion, Pain & Pleasure”
WINNER: Usher — “Raymond v. Raymond”
Top Rap Album:
Drake — “Thank Me Later”
WINNER: Eminem — “Recovery”
Nicki Minaj — “Pink Friday”
Lil Wayne — “I Am Not a Human Being”
Kanye West — “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean — “My Kinda Party”
Lady Antebellum — “Need You Now”
Sugarland — “The Incredible Machine”
WINNER: Taylor Swift — “Speak Now”
Zac Brown Band — “The Foundation”
Top Rock Album:
The Black Keys — “Brothers”
Jack Johnson — “To the Sea”
Kid Rock — “Born Free”
Linkin Park — “A Thousand Suns”
WINNER: Mumford & Sons — “Sigh No More”
Top Alternative Album:
The Black Keys — “Brothers”
Jack Johnson — “To the Sea”
Kings of Leon — “Come Around Midnight”
Linkin Park — “A Thousand Suns”
WINNER: Mumford & Sons — “Sigh No More”
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Daft Punk — “Tron Legacy (Soundtrack)”
WINNER: Lady Gaga — “The Fame”
Lady Gaga — “The Fame Monster”
Lady Gaga — “The Remix”
Owl City — “Ocean Eyes”
Top Christian Album:
MercyMe — “The Generous Mr. Lovewell”
WINNER: Skillet — “Awake”
tobyMac — “Tonight”
Chris Tomlin — “And If Our God is for Us”
Various Artists — “WOW Hits 2011″
Top Latin Album:
Marc Anthony — “Iconos”
WINNER: Enrique Iglesias — “Euphoria”
Camila — “Dejarte De Amar”
Prince Royce — “Prince Royce”
Shakira — “Sale El Sol″
SONG AWARDS:
Top Hot 100 Song:
WINNER: Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love The Way You Lie”
Bruno Mars — “Just the Way You Are”
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg — “California Gurls”
Usher Feat. will.i.am — “OMG”
Top Digital Song:
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams — “Airplanes”
WINNER: Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love the Way You Lie”
Bruno Mars — “Just the Way You Are”
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg — “California Gurls”
Top Radio Song:
Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love the Way You Lie”
WINNER: Bruno Mars — “Just the Way You Are”
Usher Featuring Pitbull — “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love”
Usher Feat. will.i.am — “OMG”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love the Way You Lie”
Lady Antebellum — “Need You Now”
Bruno Mars — “Just the Way You Are”
WINNER: Nelly — “Just A Dream”
Top Streaming Song (Video):
WINNER: Justin Bieber Feat. Ludacris — “Baby”
Eminem — “Not Afraid”
Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love the Way You Lie”
Lady Gaga — “Bad Romance”
Shakira Feat. Freshleyground — “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)”
Top Pop Song:
WINNER: Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Bruno Mars — “Just the Way You Are”
Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dogg — “California Gurls”
Katy Perry — “Firework”
Katy Perry — “Teenage Dream”
Top Rap Song:
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams — “Airplanes”
B.o.B Feat. Bruno Mars — “Nothin’ on You”
WINNER: Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love the Way You Lie”
Far*East Movement Feat. Dev & The Cataracs — “Like A G6″
Nelly — “Just a Dream”
Top Country Song:
The Band Perry — “If I Die Young”
WINNER: Lady Antebellum — “Need You Now”
Miranda Lambert — “The House That Built Me”
Sugarland — “Stuck Like Glue”
Taylor Swift — “Mine”
Top Rock Song:
The Dirty Heads Featuring Rome — “Lay Me Down”
Florence + The Machine — “Dog Days Are Over”
Mumford & Sons — “Little Lion Man”
Neon Trees — “Animal”
WINNER: Train — “Hey, Soul Sister”
Top Alternative Song:
Florence + The Machine — “Dog Days Are Over”
Linkin Park — “Waiting on the End”
Mumford & Sons — “The Cave”
Mumford & Sons — “Little Lion Man”
WINNER: Neon Trees — “Animal”
Top Latin Song:
Enrique Iglesias Featuring Juan Luis Guerra — “Cuando Me Enamoro”
Pitbull — “Bon Bon”
Shakira — “Gypsy”
Shakira Feat. El Cata — “Loca”
WINNER: Shakira Feat. Freshleyground — “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)”
Top Dance Song:
Lady Gaga — “Bad Romance”
Lady Gaga Feat. Beyonce — “Telephone”
La Roux — “Bulletproof”
WINNER: Edward Maya &Vika Jigulina — “Stereo Love”
Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup — “We Speak No Americano”
Top Christian Song:
Kris Allen — “Live Like We’re Dying”
MercyMe — “All of Creation”
Sanctus Real — “Lead Me”
tobyMac — “Get Back Up”
WINNER: Chris Tomlin — “Our God”
Rihanna’s “S&M” has officially hit the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This achievement marks the R&B/pop singer’s 10th number 1 hit on the chart, and given the fact that her 1st #1 hit on the chart was May 2006’s “SOS”, Rihanna has achieved a record of having “the shortest span between a solo artist’s first and 10th No. 1s in the chart’s 52-year history.” The only artists who have gained 10 Hot 100 number 1’s faster than her are the Beatles and the Supremes. That’s not bad at all. If that’s not enough of an achievement, Rihanna has also become the youngest artist to land 10 number 1’s in the Hot 100 chart. Wow! Congratulations Rihanna!
American electro pop singer Dev, aka the girl from Far East Movement’s “Like a G6”, has chosen The Cataracs-produced “In the Dark” as the official second single from her upcoming debut album “The Night the Sun Came Up”, which is scheduled for release late this Summer. The song sounds good and I think is so much better than her first single “Bass Down Low”, which only managed to peak at #61 on Billboard’s Hot 100. I like Dev’s vocals on the song even if it is auto tuned. The instrumentals are also pretty cool. If promoted right, this song can be a summer smash hit.
Dev – In the Dark – New Song
Avril Lavigne’s new single “What the Hell” has debuted at the number 13 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It’s a more than respectable debut considering that it’s only backed up mainly by its digital sales. I’m sure it will go higher on the chart once the music video comes out, radio airplay increases and when the Canadian pop rock singer starts promoting the song on TV. I’m not expecting Avril to reach number 1 though with Britney Spears’ “Hold it Against me” proving to be a monster single by debuting at number 1. I have a feeling that it’s going to stay there for a while. But even after that, Avril’s going to have to settle for a lower spot on the Top 5 since Lady Gaga would be back in February.
Panic! At the Disco is back this 2011 with a new album called “Vices & Virtues”, which will be available on March 29th. The project’s lead single “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” was officially released earlier this week so you know that the rock band has to start with promo rounds. Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith, the only remaining members of the lineup, kicked things off with an appearance on Billboard’s “Live Q&A”, where they performed an acoustic performance of the lead single. It’s the perfect execution and I’m not itching to see how they would perform the song with the drums and electric guitars.
Panic! At the Disco – The Ballad of Mona Lisa – Performance Video
I wasnt sure if I was ever going to see this happen again but theres finally some good news for Christina Aguilera. The once powerhouse singer turned wannabe electo-pop star has snagged the number one spot on Billboards Dance/Club Chart with her single You Lost Me from her huge flop of an album Bionic. Im not going to lie, Im shocked especially since the song is actually a ballad and not a dance song. But hey, a number one is a number one. Congratulations to Christina. This may be the last time that it would ever happen for you unless you admit that youre album is an epic failure and you go back to what you do best.
Linkin Parks album A Thousand Suns has reached the top spot on the Billboard charts, with 241,000 units sold. Its a pretty big slide from the bands 2007 release Minutes to Midnight which sold 623,000 units and debuted at number 1 as well. But theyre still number 1 so that should count for something. The music industry isnt the same as it was before. As far as singles go, the rock stars hit song The Catalyst hit number 27 on this weeks Billboard Hot 100. Theyre doing well for themselves but I really think they could be doing better. But I still extend my congratulations to the band for having a number 1 album.
Hipsters were able to rejoice last week with Arcade Fire taking over the top spot on the Billboard charts but their celebration with the indie band will have to get cut short as music industry experts say that Eminems Recovery is making, for lack of a better term, big recovery back to the number one spot in its eighth week on the charts. Congratulations in advance go out to the rapper! Its a well deserved spot. As for Arcade Fire, all hope is not lost. If they can maintain good sales, they have a chance at staying in the top 10 for a good while.
If all you has-beens are planning to make a comeback, you may want to learn a couple of things from Eminem. The rappers latest disc Recovery is holding strong at the top spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart for the fourth straight week, selling 195,000 copies. Congratulations to Eminem! Hopefully, he doesnt veer off the path that hes on now and keeps on giving us great music. I have to admit that I missed the guy. I wonder if he managed to dethrone Katy Perry on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and took the top honors there too.
For a second week, Eminems album Recovery is still on top. This is really of no surprise, the album selling 313,000 as Nielsen SoundScan reported. The album was sold in 1.1 million copies in the U.S., in two weeks time. The song “Love The Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna, also stays number one for a second week on the Digital Songs chart. The song was downloaded 280,000 times during these two weeks. The first single of this album was “Not Afraid released on April 29 and landed number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lady Gaga is absolutely on fire as the singer?s latest single ?Bad Romance? has hit the number one spot on Billboard?s pop songs. In case you lost count, that makes it the princess of pop?s fifth consecutive song to reach the top of the charts. Congratulations are most definitely in order for Lady Gaga. I can?t wait until the next single comes out and hits number one too. She has to have broken another record or something. Lady Gaga is making history folks! And she?s pretty much still just at the beginning of her career. She?s bound to reach higher things.
Lady Gaga?s latest hit ?Bad Romance? debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 last week at number 9! That makes it the fifth Top 10 single in America for the pop princess. The singer?s hit ?Paparazzi? is still going strong at number 6 on the Hot 100 too! Lady Gaga is also at number 3 on the Digital Songs with 142,000 downloads of ?Bad Romance?. With that, she?s getting ever so close to reaching five number 1 singles from a single album. I have no doubt that it?s going to happen. We all just have to wait just a few more weeks, perhaps even just one.
Taylor Swift doesn?t seem to be slowing down as the country singer officially has Billboard?s longest charting album of this century with her self-titled debut album. ?Taylor Swift? was first released in October 2006 and now in its 157th week in the Top 200 albums chart beating out previous record holder Nickelback. If the cutie?s first album has done this well, I can?t wait to see how well ?Fearless? ends up doing. I can just imagine it breaking even more records. Congratulations Taylor! You are truly one amazing talent. I don?t think us music fans will ever get to see another one like you in our lifetime.
Pop-rockers Honor Society debuted at #18 on the Billboard Top 200 this week, moving over 22,000 units of their debut album, Fashionably Late. The band kicked off their second headlining tour on Monday, September 21 in Minneapolis, MN and will continue a run of nearly 40 dates with shows across the United States and Canada including an appearance on The Today Show on Friday, September 25.
The release of Fashionably Late caps off a busy summer for Honor Society as they joined the Jonas Brothers on their World Tour 2009 performing to nearly 1 million fans throughout North America. Honor Society simultaneously headlined their own club tour called The Full Moon Crazy Tour where they brought their high-energy live shows to sold out venues including the Blender Theater in New York City and over 1,500 fans at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.
See below for what the press is saying about Honor Society and Fashionably Late and visit HonorSocietyMusic.com for more info and a full list of tour dates.
Rolling Stone
“Over You” (3 stars) — delivers “shiny heartbreak that splits the difference between *NSYNC and Maroon 5 – all riffing synths… and tunefulness.”
Entertainment Weekly
Honor Society are “crafty pop rock dudes” with songs that “shimmer with freeze-dried funk licks…”
People Magazine
“…fans will likely swoon over ?” whose ?strongest tracks include the power ballads ‘Where Are You Now’ and ‘Goodnight My Love’ both showcasing Bruno’s emotive tenor. ‘My Own Way’ is an infectious pop-rocker.?
Dallas Morning News
Honor Society are “purveyors of that frenetic catchy-crunchy pop sound of the day…”
Madonna just keeps on blowing minds and breaking records and it looks like she?s not going to stop any time soon. In the September 26th issue of Billboard, the Queen of Pop?s single ?Celebration? has become the singer?s 40th number one single on the Hot Dance Club Play Chart. That?s more hit singles than any other artist in the history of the chart! Talk about achieving a great milestone. I bet the second placer with regards to number one hits doesn?t even come close. Madonna is utterly amazing! Congratulations are definitely due out to her. And you can bet that there?s more where that came from.
Multi-platinum pop singer Katy Perry just nabbed another number one hit with her latest single ?Waking Up in Vegas?. That song makes it the singer?s third number one Top 40 song from her debut album ?One of the Boys?. There have only been three other artists in the history of the Billboard charts to have achieved that feat, including Ace of Base, Avril Lavigne and Lady Gaga. Wow. Avril?s in the list? Anyway, back to Katy. Congratulations to her! I?m such a big fan of hers and I couldn?t be more proud that she?s achieved that milestone. I?m sure she?s got plenty more up her sleeves for us to watch out for.
Michael Jackson?s 50-show run at London?s O2 Arena was set to be the highest grossing single concert engagement if it took place. The concert promoter, AEG Live, went all out on the production and may now be facing some serious financial problems. According to Billboard, AEG sold $85 million worth of tickets along with $30 million spent on spent on production and $10 given to the late singer as an advanced payment. They?re not sure whether nonappearance insurance will cover the unfortunate situation. If the King of Pop died from a drug overdose or a pre-existing condition, the producer will not get reimbursed and will be forced to refund 750,000 already purchased tickets.
The movie might not even be in theaters yet but the soundtrack for the vampire movie ?Twilight? has snatched the top spot on the Billboard charts from rock icons AC/DC. The soundtrack has sold around 165,000 copies last week. 29% of which, or 48,000 were digital downloads. The soundtrack for the movie scored the second biggest digital download week for a soundtrack since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking album download sales in 2004. The biggest digital week honor goes to ?High School Musical 2? back in August 2007 when the soundtrack sold 62,000 downloads in a week. If the soundtrack is any indication, the movie ?Twilight? is going to be huge!
Universal Republic Records? rock band 10 Years landed a Top 15 debut on Billboard?s Top Album chart this week, coming in at #12 with their new album Division. The new CD also grabbed the top spot on iTunes coveted rock page and currently sits at #7 on the Top Albums. It also garnered the #1 spot on the Top Hard Music Chart, #2 on the Top Alternative Album Chart and #3 on the Top Current Rock Album Chart rallied by their soaring hit single ?Beautiful.? The single was launched at radio in early February and was the #1 Most Added single at Alternative and Active Rock radio.
The video for the new single has also garnered wide acclaim, with the clip taking a swipe at both celebrities and paparazzi in the current Gotcha game of celebrity journalism. 10 Years has also earned a place on one of 2008?s most anticipated summer tours, joining mega-rockers Linkin Park on their 5th annual rollout of the Projekt Revolution tour, which kicks off on July 16 at the Tweeter Center in Boston, MA. 10 Years will share the Revolution stage with multiple other bands on the raucous trek, including metal icons Atreyu, Hawthorne Heights, and Armor For Sleep. The 24 city trek hits multiple major U.S. cities in July and August, including New York City on July 22, Washington DC on July 27, Atlanta on August 3, and Chicago on August 16, winding up in Houston Texas on August 24 for the final Projekt Revolution event at the Cynthia woods Mitchell Pavilion.
Critics have cited no let-down in the momentum10 Years established with the across-the-board fan response they received with their previous album The Autumn Effect, which spawned the hits ?Wasteland? and ?Through The Iris.? ?Wasteland? was hailed by the rock, video, and digital world as one of the decade?s breakthrough rock singles, setting career highs for the band as it reigned for more than a year on the rock charts. The song notched the #4 spot on the year-end Active Rock chart, and pulled off a hat-trick of #1 citations at Active Rock, Billboard?s Modern Rock chart, and in the Alternative Rock format.
The new album, Division, was produced by acclaimed production veteran Rick Parasher (Pearl Jam, Nickelback, Soundgarden. Rob Zombie, among others), and recorded during what the band
has described as ?an intense creative process.? Songs on Division include ?Just Can?t Win,? ?Drug of Choice,? ?11:00AM (Daydreamer),? and ?Focus,? among others. The latter song was co-written by guitarist Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots? fame.
Formed in 2002, members of 10 Years are longtime friends, gaining notoriety with their independent release Killing All That holds You, and signing on with Universal Records in 2005.
Tokio Hotel stormed the Billboard album charts with SCREAM, the band?s first U.S. full length to date. Landing at #5 and #6 on the Alternative Albums and Rock Albums charts respectively and in the top 40 of Billboards Top 200 it is safe to say ? Tokio Hotel have more than arrived.
In their next step in U.S. domination, Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav, will find themselves in millions of living rooms as their ballad, ?Monsoon,? is released as downloadable content for Rock Band!
If Tokio Hotel have it their way, they?ll be back in the States this August rocking out live for fans old and new. Keep up-to-date on tour information and the latest news in the world of Tokio Hotel at www.tokiohotel-us.com!
About Staind:
In the past decade, Staind has had four No. 1 singles at mainstream rock radio, seen six more singles break the Top 10, and watched their last three albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart. The group has earned their place as one of the most successful rock bands of the new millennium, with four major-label studio recordings and a highly anticipated new release due later this summer. Staind’s music and core sound remains timely and relevant, as the group’s primary focus has always been songwriting over fashion and the latest trend.
Chris Cornell went on the record with Billboard.com that he really liked David Cook?s rendition of ?Billie Jean? on American Idol last week ? especially because he did it first. In his interview, the rocker admits that the Idol wannabe ?sang it great? but then adds that ?it was literally a note-for-note take on what I came up with.? And they say Cook is an original. While Chris was given credit for the innovative arrangement on the show, Idol?s imitation also pays Chris off as his cover of ?Billie Jean? has jumped to #12 on iTunes. And by the way, Doxology was finally given credit for their version of ?Eleanor Rigby? which Cook also sang.
She may have conquered the iTunes singles chart but I guess that?s the only positive thing that we can expect from Mariah Carey. The curvaceous singer?s new single ?Touch My Body? is not on the number 15 spot on the Billboard singles chart this week. The song has been on the chart for six weeks but has failed to even just break into the top 10 having only peaked at a high of the number 14 spot last week. But with her single being number 1 on iTunes, here?s to hoping that the digital downloads will help her even just for a little bit.
Idol fans, this is your time for sweet revenge. He may not have won the competition, but he won the hearts of album buyers this year. Billboard named Chris Daughtry the most popular album of 2007. They sold about 3.2 million copies.
Just half a million shy of that, in second place, is Akon’s album “Konvicted”, followed by the Hannah Montana soundtrack (2.5 million), Fergie’s “The Dutchess” (2.4 million), and Carrie Underwood’s “Some Hearts” (2.3 million).
Number one song of the year was “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce, with Rihanna coming in just behind with “Umbrella”. Top tour of the year was The Police’s reunion tour, bringing in $212 million at last estimate.
Alicia Keys hit the top of the charts this week with her new album ?As I Am?. The gorgeous and talented singer has hit Number one with her album in the Billboard 200 charts, after it sold over 700,000 copies in the US. Blimey girl that?s a lot of albums!
Keys has had 3 previous albums hit number one in the first week of their release; hinting that this little lady is not just a pretty face. She seems to have the ?key? to our hearts, or at least our ears, as fans sweep in to buy her music as fast as it can hit the shelves.
And what a perfect name for the album. We?ll definitely take you as you are Alicia?it seems to be working so far. Keep your ears peeled folks ? if you haven?t heard it yet, get buying it; before it?s sold out!
A look at Evanescence on paper reveals a band that should be in its glory. Following a best new artist Grammy Award for 2003 debut studio album “Fallen,” a Billboard 200 No. 1 debut for 2006 follow-up “The Open Door” and the top 10 launch single “Call Me When You’re Sober,” the group toured the world for nearly a year. So what happened? Single follow-ups “Lithium” and “Sweet Sacrifice” never even charted in the States. The fourth single from “The Open Door,” piano-driven rock ballad “Good Enough,” is as intense and affecting as anything before it?and this time, Lee’s lyric steps from the dark side, reveling in the relief of positivity: “It’s been a long time coming, but I feel good enough.” It’s a make-or-break moment for a band that seemed to own the world one year ago.
Black Eyed Peas leader will.i.am says he’s “really excited and nervous at the same time” about becoming a solo artist with the September 25 release of “Songs About Girls.”
“I was like, ‘How and why should I put out a solo project?’ I could just do another Black Eyed Peas record,” he tells Billboard.com. The hook, he says, was making “Songs About Girls” a semi-autobiographical conceptual piece “where all the songs could tell a story of falling in love, falling out of love, trying to get back in love, destructing love and destroying love and then starting a new situation. That journey is what makes this unique.”
The album features only one guest star, Snoop Dogg, on the electroclash-styled track “Donque.”
Besides the album’s 12 songs, will.i.am shot videos for eight of the tracks and stitched them together into “a movie about making a movie” that will accompany the CD.
will.i.am plans to perform some of the “Songs About Girls” material live when Black Eyed Peas hit the road for a two-month international tour on September 4 in Israel. The group will play in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America and Mexico but not in North America. “There’s no Black Eyed Peas record out,” he explains, “and America’s weird like that. If you ain’t got nothing in the marketplace, (the fans) ain’t showing up.”
Last week, rappers UGK released their perennially delayed seventh album, Underground Kingz. The act, composed of longtime friends Chad “Pimp C” Butler and Bernard “Bun B” Freeman, hadn’t released an album’s worth of new material since 2002′s somewhat thrown-together Side Hustles collection ? an album that debuted at #70 on Billboard’s albums chart with 14,800 copies scanned during week one. This a nice jump from their previous release as the previous release debuted at 70 and this one has debuted at #1. But while Pimp C spent four years behind bars on assault charges, UGK’s legend and influence grew ? and the duo’s first new album in five years scanned almost 160,000 copies last week, making Underground Kingz the group’s first #1 on the Billboard albums chart.
