Today's "Download of the Day" belongs to a new artist who appeared on an old show.
Technically, only his voice appeared, and technically, American Idol isn't very old, but you get the idea.
Hollywood's Not America is/was used as the exit song for AI, in the vein of 2006's Bad Day and last year's Home by contestant Chris Daughtry. Like last year's hit song, this one is definitely memorable. The lyrics are solid and the vocals are surprisingly strong.
Despite the schmaltz it could gain through being the song the contestants leave with, it is truly a great song, and definitely worth the 99 cents.
Rating: 9/10
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Best and Worst of the iTunes Chart 2/28
Here's a look at some of the best and worst songs making their way up the iTunes 100 chart today!
Usher's Love In This Club at #1. When I first heard that Usher had a new song on Z100 (New York's biggest radio station), I had some pretty high expectations. Fortunately for him, he's met them. I definitely like this song and apparently so does the rest of the country. It's already at #1 after a few days! Good job , Usher! Rating: 8
Flo Rida's Elevator at #4. While his first insipid single "Low" still reigns the iTunes and Hot 100 charts (Ten weeks!), he debuted a single, this time working with the ever-reliable Timbaland. It's not terrible, but it simply sounds like everything else on the radio right now, which to no one's surprise, is all produced by Timbaland himself. We know that he can make a mean hip-hop song, so maybe its time for something new. Rating: 6.5
Jonas Brothers' When You Look Me In The Eyes at #1o. It's hard to believe that 10 years ago, the Backstreet Boys were pretty much the kings of the world, launching the new wave of teen pop that would help define the early new millennium. It seems as if the Jonas Brothers are looking to pick up where they picked off (technically, they're still together...). The only problem is that they are, exactly, picking up where they left off. The song is a near carbon-copy of I Want It That Way, missing the clever ambiguous lyrics and the seamless vocal harmonies. Although it will probably send tween girls into a frenzy, chances are it will do nothing for the rest of us. Rating: 4
Lupe Fiasco's Superstar at #13. This is what I call refreshing! After Soulja Boy made a significantly ugly dent in rap music, Lupe Fiasco proves that lyrically interesting hip-hop still exists and that Kanye isn't the only relevant rapper (Thank God!). Hopefully, we'll see more of him around. Rating: 8
Paula Abdul's Dance Like There's No Tomorrow at #17. Proof that American Idol rules music charts these days: nice judge Paula's first single in over 15 years shoots up to a peak of #12 after her video premieres on last week's result show. So, is it worth the sudden spike? I wouldn't call it genius, or even great for that matter. However, it is a fun, dance-pop record, which put Paula on the map in the 80s and early 90s (BTW, she had 6 #1 Singles, so she really does have the props to judge. Rating: 7
Leona Lewis's Bleeding Love at #21. I have known about his girl for a long while now, thanks to YouTube, and the British singer is finally get her chance to shine here in the States. She is a vocal powerhouse, ranging from soft and sweet, to strong beautiful, and of course, those unbelievable high notes. All of her vocal talents are showcased in this song, which is currently burning up European charts and beyond. I strongly believe she'll do the same. Rating: 9.5
Soulja Boy's Yahhh! at #36. I honestly believed that this kid couldn't do worse than Crank That". If I had any idea that he could do something this horrific, I wouldn't have spoken so soon. This song, if it can be called that, is an atrocity. From the asinine lyrics (there are times where he is actually yelling unintelligible sounds) to the cheap beat that any monkey with a mouse and Garage Band could make, this makes a mockery of not just hip-hop and rap, but of the whole damn medium! Hopefully, this is its peak position, because if this song follows its predecessor to the top of the Hot 100, then we can say bye, bye, bye to the music industry as we know it. Rating: 0
Usher's Love In This Club at #1. When I first heard that Usher had a new song on Z100 (New York's biggest radio station), I had some pretty high expectations. Fortunately for him, he's met them. I definitely like this song and apparently so does the rest of the country. It's already at #1 after a few days! Good job , Usher! Rating: 8
Flo Rida's Elevator at #4. While his first insipid single "Low" still reigns the iTunes and Hot 100 charts (Ten weeks!), he debuted a single, this time working with the ever-reliable Timbaland. It's not terrible, but it simply sounds like everything else on the radio right now, which to no one's surprise, is all produced by Timbaland himself. We know that he can make a mean hip-hop song, so maybe its time for something new. Rating: 6.5
Jonas Brothers' When You Look Me In The Eyes at #1o. It's hard to believe that 10 years ago, the Backstreet Boys were pretty much the kings of the world, launching the new wave of teen pop that would help define the early new millennium. It seems as if the Jonas Brothers are looking to pick up where they picked off (technically, they're still together...). The only problem is that they are, exactly, picking up where they left off. The song is a near carbon-copy of I Want It That Way, missing the clever ambiguous lyrics and the seamless vocal harmonies. Although it will probably send tween girls into a frenzy, chances are it will do nothing for the rest of us. Rating: 4
Lupe Fiasco's Superstar at #13. This is what I call refreshing! After Soulja Boy made a significantly ugly dent in rap music, Lupe Fiasco proves that lyrically interesting hip-hop still exists and that Kanye isn't the only relevant rapper (Thank God!). Hopefully, we'll see more of him around. Rating: 8
Paula Abdul's Dance Like There's No Tomorrow at #17. Proof that American Idol rules music charts these days: nice judge Paula's first single in over 15 years shoots up to a peak of #12 after her video premieres on last week's result show. So, is it worth the sudden spike? I wouldn't call it genius, or even great for that matter. However, it is a fun, dance-pop record, which put Paula on the map in the 80s and early 90s (BTW, she had 6 #1 Singles, so she really does have the props to judge. Rating: 7
Leona Lewis's Bleeding Love at #21. I have known about his girl for a long while now, thanks to YouTube, and the British singer is finally get her chance to shine here in the States. She is a vocal powerhouse, ranging from soft and sweet, to strong beautiful, and of course, those unbelievable high notes. All of her vocal talents are showcased in this song, which is currently burning up European charts and beyond. I strongly believe she'll do the same. Rating: 9.5
Soulja Boy's Yahhh! at #36. I honestly believed that this kid couldn't do worse than Crank That". If I had any idea that he could do something this horrific, I wouldn't have spoken so soon. This song, if it can be called that, is an atrocity. From the asinine lyrics (there are times where he is actually yelling unintelligible sounds) to the cheap beat that any monkey with a mouse and Garage Band could make, this makes a mockery of not just hip-hop and rap, but of the whole damn medium! Hopefully, this is its peak position, because if this song follows its predecessor to the top of the Hot 100, then we can say bye, bye, bye to the music industry as we know it. Rating: 0
American Idol's Top 20: I Already Know Who The Winner Is
Ryan Seacrest has pumped up this year's Top 20 as the best group of talent ever in the history of American Idol. If that's the case, then why do I know the winner already?
There are many reasons why David Archuleta will be the American Idol of 2008, the most important being this one:
As you can see, his vocal abilities easily blow away the other Idol hopefuls, especially the other 9 men vying for the coveted win. The maturity of his voice, his control, and the depth of his performance easily make him the best contestant since Chris Daughtry, and this time, there won't be a shocking elimination. The screaming fans tell the truth: he won the show with that performance!
As for the other 19 contestants, there's no shame in coming in second place!
There are many reasons why David Archuleta will be the American Idol of 2008, the most important being this one:
As you can see, his vocal abilities easily blow away the other Idol hopefuls, especially the other 9 men vying for the coveted win. The maturity of his voice, his control, and the depth of his performance easily make him the best contestant since Chris Daughtry, and this time, there won't be a shocking elimination. The screaming fans tell the truth: he won the show with that performance!
As for the other 19 contestants, there's no shame in coming in second place!
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