R.I.P.: DJ AM Found Dead

DJ AM has been found dead in his New York City apartment. He was 36 years old.

Born Adam Goldstein, the prominent DJ was well known as a member of Crazy Town and for his collaborations with Blink-182 member Travis Barker. The two sensationally survived a plane crash last year. He was also part-owner of LA club LAX.

According to TMZ, drug paraphernalia was found near DJ AM's body. Reports suggested that DJ AM was suffering from post-traumatic stress from the plane crash and was suffering from depression.

It is such a tragedy, especially considering how he survived last year's plane crash. I don't mean to speculate, but I can completely understand if he was suffering from PTSD and/or depression, which may or may not have contributed to his untimely passing.

My condolences to his friends and family during this terrible time.

2009 is seriously proving to be a terrible year of tragedy.

Mariah Carey's Second Single: Is It Good?

Let's be honest here: the buildup to Mariah Carey's new album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel has not been good.

First, there was the lead single "Obsessed", which was met with disappointment critically and commercially (although it has gained a second wind in the past week or two). Then, the album was pushed back from its original release date of August 25th to September 15th. Then, in retaliation for a song allegedly about him, Eminem released a diss track that embarrassed both of them (seriously Marshall, too much information there). Then, the album was pushed back, again. The change forced Mariah to cut numerous and, quite frankly, crucial promotional appearances, including the VMAs.

After all of the negative press, which cites everything from the Grammys to Whitney as reasons for her album troubles, some good news has come from Mariah's camp. There is a new single being released. It is a cover of 80s band Foreigner's smash hit "I Want To Know What Love Is". The song premiered on German and British radio stations today, and will see radio release in the States on September 8th.

Mariah's cover work has been quite varied. There have been massive hits ("Without You", "I'll Be There") and major missteps ("Bringin' On The Heartbreak"), so it was a surprise to hear that she was choosing one for a single, especially for the very important second single.

The power ballad has been given a pop makeover, as you would expect. It starts out very soft and quiet, with Mariah utilizing her whisper-high range. While that has garnered her some criticism in the past, it actually works with the arrangement and doesn't sound lazy. The song (in its radio edit) picks up the energy, as does Mariah's vocal power, leading into a surprisingly powerful climax. Complete with a gospel choir, a lively key change, and a full-voiced Mariah at the helm, it's her most uplifting performance since "Fly Like a Bird". Of course, no true Mariah ballad could exist without that trademark whistle, that sounds angelic in the final part.

The song's arrangement isn't particularly interesting, even with the climax, but that doesn't take away from anything this has to offer. What "I Want To Know What Love Is" offers is a glimpse of the Mariah the world fell in love with; the pop goddess with the golden pipes. This song is evidenced that while Mariah may be inexplicably infatuated with hip-hop, she is a master of true pop music.

Rating: 8/10

Team Edward or Team Jacob? Newest New Moon Teaser Released!

I would warn against watching this clip if you are fans of Edward Cullen and/or Robert Pattinson.

A new teaser clip for the second Twilight movie New Moon has been released and it is all Jacob and Bella there. It is only 14 seconds but fans of that couple will surely be aching for more.

They'll get it when the movie is released in November.

Some Notes on Justin Bieber's "One Time"

- Justin Bieber looks and sounds like he's 12 years old. He's really 15 years old.

- A 15 year-old who looks and sounds like he's 12 singing about spending his last dime on his girlfriend is just ridiculous.

- "One Time" = RedOne + Disney.

- Spinners + Silly string = 15-year old's house party? Hell no.

- Justin trying to look street with the fitted and the hoodie while smiling like a goofball is not a good look.

- Why the hell is Usher in this video?

- Finally, and I cannot believe I am about to write this, but "One Time" makes the Jonas Brothers' "Burnin' Up" look Shakespearean.

- While his voice sounds good, he should've waited until his voice broke before recording an album.

Soap Scene of the Week: Fish and Kyle Fight, Kiss on One Life To Live

Amidst the controversies of Prop 8, Carrie Prejean, and the White House's apparent ignorance of their gay rights promises, soap operas have begun to feature gay and lesbian storylines more than ever before. Launching with the mega-popular pairing of Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer on As The World Turns, nearly every soap has featured some kind of LGBT relationship, in an effort to accurately portray the spectrum of human relationships. So far, some have been successful (Olivia and Natalia on Guiding Light), while others have been dreadful (Adam and Rafe on Young and the Restless). What can be said for all of them, though, is that new ground is continually being broken, making soaps arguably the most socially-conscious programming on television.

Sensitivity is important, but at the end of the day, it means nothing if the storyline is weak and the acting is sub-par. Thankfully, that can't be said about One Life to Live, which has launched its first gay storyline in 16 years (a bit of history: Ryan Phillippe played Billy Douglas, the first-ever gay teenager on a soap opera, in 1993). The story revolves around medical student Kyle Lewis and officer Oliver Fish. The two characters were friends in college and have crossed paths once again, sharing a mutual secret: they were lovers. While Kyle is open about his love for Fish, Fish is determined to deny being gay, dating Layla Williamson to either convince himself he's straight or hide the truth from everyone else.

After two months of rising tension between the two, the dam finally burst in a passionate, angry, gripping, and emotional fight in the alley behind the diner. After learning that Roxy knew about their past, Fish pulled Kyle to the back to confront him. Kyle finally lays all the cards out on the table, announcing aloud their past relationship, and that he still loves him. They then proceed to fight about their past and present: Fish tries to make Kyle see that their relationship was a "bad experiment" and that he was with Layla, while Kyle accused Fish of using Layla as his "beard" and lying to everyone, especially himself. With the fight reaching a fevered pitch, Kyle kisses Fish, and Fish clearly reciprocates.

While the kiss may be the headline for most (I believe it's the first for the show), what truly caught my attention was the scene leading up to it. For someone who barely had a clue about this storyline (I was watching ATWT instead) I found myself easily engrossed in this scene. The energy was palpable and coming from so many different sides. Whether it was Fish's fear, Kyle's desperation, or even the passion from both, you could feel everything those characters were offering up. The dialogue was raw and realistic, refusing to tiptoe over the implications of hiding oneself. The acting was brilliant from both actors, but who blew me away particularly was Brett Claywell as Kyle. Formerly Tim on One Tree Hill,  he delivered every word in that scene with a captivating mix of emotions; pain, fury, desperation, and love. Originally portrayed as a bad guy, you could help but feel for Kyle as he finally blew the lid off their secret romance and revealed his lingering feelings for his closeted ex-lover. Scott Evans (Fish) was excellent at portraying a man in deep denial, and the moment where he slipped, revealing that he would lose everything if he came out, was pure soap magic.

If you take the social and political implications embedded in this scene, what you have left is a pure soap opera scene. Without all of the gimmicks, you have two people dealing with deep and powerful emotions that aren't necessarily exclusive to one sexual orientation. What soaps used to be were tools to examine the interactions between human beings in various social settings in a way that was relatable, yet revelatory. That concept was lost amongst baby swaps, murder mysteries, brain chips, and other foolishness. Kudos to OLTL for reviving it, in a way that is relevant to today's times.

New ABC Daytime Promo: "Feel The Love"

The summer may be winding down, but the soap operas on ABC are heating up, if the new promo is anything to go by!

The promo titled "Feel The Love" uses the Sara Evans song "Feels Just Like a Love Song" and features quite a few surprising couples. From All My Children, there is Zach and Kendall, Frankie and Randi, and in a surprise, Scott and Annie. On One Life to Live, there is "Cole and Starr, Gigi and Rex, and Brody and Jessica. Finally on General Hospital, there is Johnny and Olivia, Spinelli and Maxie, and in a major surprise, Jason and Sam. If the promo isn't misleading, than it seems the couple will reunite this month.

Music Video Premiere: Maxwell's "Bad Habits"

Speaking of massive returns, Maxwell, who just hit #1 on the R&B charts with 1st single "Pretty Wings", has just released the new video for his next single "Bad Habits".

Both the video and the song are hot. Enough said.

THE QUEEN IS BACK! Whitney Slays With "Million Dollar Bill"

UPDATED WITH FULL HQ VERSION!



"I Look To You" was only the beginning.

Whitney Houston's long-awaited comeback has officially begun with the release of the first pop/rhythmic single "Million Dollar Bill", the much-discussed collaboration between Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. The song will officially impact radio tomorrow, but the song has leaked in snippets FULL today. After listening to it a good 50 or so times, I can very well say that the hype for this song was well-deserved.

"Million Dollar Bill" was called a classic throwback with a modern twist, and they weren't lying. The intro, from its funky guitars to the long Whitney-style note, is ripped right out of the 70's. The closest reference I can think of is The O'Jays. At the same time, it still sounds like its from this decade, thanks to some brilliant genius strokes production-wise from Swizz Beatz. The midtempo disco style continues into the chorus, with one of the most infectious hooks of Whitney's entire career. Trust me, the chorus' first line will take root in your brain after the first listen. If it doesn't, you've got some serious willpower. Serious kudos goes to Swizz and writer Alicia Keys for not giving Whitney some ridiculous, generic hip-hop crap. It's clear that this song was made with Whitney, a classic diva who is above the limitations of today's Top 40, in mind, while still sounding fresh in contemporary. At the same time, it wouldn't hurt if the song had a little something more to fill it out; a remix would do it wonders (see "It's Not Right, But It's Okay")

Now, about the voice. She definitely sounds better here than on the previously released songs, including "I Look To You". The drop in tone is still recognizable, but with this kind of song, its not as disarming as you would expect. Her voice is reminiscent of the My Love Is Your Love era, which is refreshing. As I wrote in my review of "I Look To You", the vocal changes are something to get used to, but Whitney never truly lost her title as "The Voice".

Those wondering about Whitney's chances of success in today's pop world can be rest assured: the Queen is back and ready to take over.

I Look to You is released on August 31st.

Robbie Williams To Release New Single In October, New Album in November

British pop star and former Take That member Robbie Williams announced the details of his much-anticipated new single and album.

The album is titled Reality Killed The Video Star (a not too subtle dig at MTV) and will be released on November 9th in the UK. Preceding that is the first single titled "Bodies", which will be released on October 12th. The album will be produced by Trevor Horn, who worked with the Pet Shop Boys in the past.

This will be his first album in three years; his last album Rudebox was considered a flop by many, even though it sold 510,000 copies in the UK alone. Since leaving Take That, Robbie has sold 55 million albums, making him one of the UK's best-selling artists. Despite his massive European success, it has eluded him in the United States, where he attempted and failed at a pop career.

Recently, Robbie fueled flames of a full-on Take That reunion by saying he would like to join up with Mark, Jason, Howard, and Gary. Take That in its current form is currently on its sell-out UK tour promoting the multi-platinum The Circus.

Beyonce and Lady Gaga Dominate VMA Noms!

The time has come for the MTV Video Music Awards, and the nominations for the September ceremony have just been announced!

Leading the nomination pack are Beyonce and Lady Gaga, who scored a whopping nine nominations each, including Video of the Year and Best Female Video. Beyonce was nominated for "Single Ladies" and Gaga was nominated for "Paparazzi" and "Poker Face". Gaga is also nominated for Best New Artist. Britney, who saw her first VMA success at last year's ceremony, scored seven nominations for her videos "Womanizer" and "Circus".

This year's ceremony will be hosted by last year's controversial host, comedian Russell Brand. The show will air September 13th.


Video Of The Year
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Britney Spears - 'Womanizer'
Eminem - 'We Made You'
Kanye West - 'Love Lockdown'
Lady Gaga - 'Poker Face'

Best Female Video
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Katy Perry - 'Hot N Cold'
Kelly Clarkson - 'My Life Would Suck Without You'
Lady Gaga - 'Poker Face'
P!nk - 'So What'
Taylor Swift - 'You Belong With Me'

Best Male Video
Eminem - 'We Made You'
Jay-Z - 'D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'
Kanye West - 'Love Lockdown'
Ne-Yo - 'Miss Independent'
T.I. feat. Rihanna - 'Live Your Life'

Best New Artist
3OH!3 - 'Don't Trust Me'
Asher Roth - 'I Love College'
Drake - 'Best I Ever Had'
Kid Cudi - 'Day N' Nite'
Lady Gaga - 'Poker Face'

Best Hip-Hop Video
Asher Roth - 'I Love College'
Eminem - 'We Made You'
Flo Rida - 'Right Round'
Jay-Z - 'D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'
Kanye West - 'Love Lockdown'

Best Pop Video
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Britney Spears - 'Womanizer'
Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester -'Good Girls Go Bad'
Lady Gaga - 'Poker Face'
Wisin y Yandel - 'Abusadora'

Best Rock Video
Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida'
Fall Out Boy - 'I Don't Care'
Green Day - '21 Guns'
Kings of Leon - 'Use Somebody'
Paramore - 'Decode'

Breakthrough Video
Anjulie - 'Boom'
Bat for Lashes - 'Daniel'
Chairlift - 'Evident Utensil'
Cold War Kids - 'I've Seen Enough'
Death Cab for Cute - 'Grapevine Fires'
Gnarls Barkley - 'Who's Gonna Save My Soul'
Major Lazer - 'Hold the Line'
Matt and Kim - 'Lessons Learned'
Passion Pit - 'The Reeling'
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'Heads Will Roll'

Best Video That Never Won A Moonman
Beastie Boys - 'Sabotage'
Bjork - 'Human Behavior'
David Lee Roth - 'California Girls'
Dr. Dre - 'Nuthin' But a G Thang'
Foo Fighters - 'Everlong'
George Michael - 'Freedom'
OK Go - 'Here It Goes Again'
Radiohead - 'Karma Police'
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - 'Into the Great Wide Open'
U2 - 'Where the Streets Have No Name'

Best Art Direction
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Britney Spears - 'Circus'
Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida'
Gnarls Barkley - 'Who's Gonna Save My Soul'
Lady Gaga - 'Paparazzi'

Best Choreography
A.R. Rahm & Pussycat Dolls feat. Nicole Scherzinger - 'Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)'
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Britney Spears - 'Circus'
Ciara feat. Justin Timberlake - 'Love Sex Magic'
Kristinia DeBarge - 'Goodbye'

Best Cinematography
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Britney Spears - 'Circus'
Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida'
Green Day - '21 Guns'
Lady Gaga - 'Paparazzi'

Best Direction
Beyoncé - 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)'
Britney Spears - 'Circus'
Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester - 'Good Girls Go Bad'
Green Day - '21 Guns'

American Idol Shocker! Paula Abdul WILL NOT Return Next Season!

It has been announced that Paula Abdul, one of the three original judges on reality juggernaut American Idol will not be returning next year.

Paula, on her Twitter, revealed the surprising news. While she didn't explain what caused the show to drop her, she did write that she would miss mentoring the contestants.

Paula's absence was first alluded to by her manager, who revealed in an interview that they were not presented with a new contract, two weeks before the auditions started. At the same time, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would be $15 million a year in a three-year contract. According to reports, Paula was trying to increase her paycheck is well, but clearly the producers were not having it.

Paula's departure from the show leaves two original judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, as well as new judge Kara DioGuardi, who was met with mixed response when she joined last season.

As a fan of the three original judges (I'm sorry, but Kara was one of the worse things about last season), I think this is a big mistake for the show. Paula, despite the tabloid craziness, is very popular and considering the show's popularity is beginning to wane, making such a drastic change like this is very dangerous for the show.

For me, it looks my Tuesday and Wednesday nights have freed up.

All My Children Moves to Los Angeles, One Life To Lives Take NYC Studio!

In what's being seen as another cost-cutting measure by the brass of ABC Daytime, soap opera All My Children will be moving from its current New York City studio to Los Angeles. According to soap opera blog Daytime Confidential, ABC Daytime president Brian Frons broke the news to the cast and crew today about the move after rumors broke out last week.

Moving the show to LA would help the show save money with the use of permanent sets. In New York, people had to be hired to break the sets down after taping. One Life To Live, the show that airs directly after AMC, will take the studio space.

The move to the west coast, home to fellow ABC soap General Hospital and CBS soaps Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful, throws into questions the contract statuses of two of the show's biggest stars, Michael E. Knight and Susan Lucci. Both reportedly are strict East Coasters, and the move could potentially be a deal-breaker.

There is no word when the move will take place, or what space the show will be using.

Backstreet's Back... Again, This Time With RedOne

LISTEN BELOW:




Like a phoenix rising from the ashes (or a late 90's boyband rising from the bargain bin at Walmart), the Backstreet Boys are returning to the pop music landscape with a brand new single and album.

Technically that's incorrect, since they really never broke up. They just took a five-year hiatus after their greatest hits, then came back with a minor hit and album in 2005, then returned with a massive flop called Unbreakable in 2007.

Anyway, they are hoping to avoid another failure in the US (they are huge everywhere else, especially in Japan) with the lead single "Straight Through my Heart". It precedes the album This Is Us, due for an October 6th release.

Now, considering their song title history ("Drowning", "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely", "All I Have To Give"), it would be safe to assume this new song would be a drippy, lush pop ballad with more love metaphors than a stack of Hallmark cards.

Actually, one part of that description is right, because a Backstreet song wouldn't be a Backstreet song without drippy love metaphors.

What's considerably different is their sound. Gone is the 90's Swede-driven bubblegum pop (that frankly still sounds good) from their heyday and the angsty adult contemporary fluff of their later albums. With the help of Lady Gaga producer RedOne, the boys are taking it to the clubs. "Straight Through The Heart" is your typical synthy dance jam. Probably realizing it's the Backstreet Boys, the heavy beats that were present on Gaga's albums aren't present, which helps in making this song believable. Production alone, this is surprisingly contemporary and very good.

To their credit, the boys sound just like they did ten years ago. The fluidity and seamless fusion of their voices is refreshing, especially since there is no presence of Auto-Tune (hear that, if you are a good singer, you don't need Auto-Tune). Also static from the past is the lyrics, which are cheesy and cliched as ever. This time around, they sing about a predatory female who shoots them through the heart, a transparent metaphor about love (I won't even bother examining it, although I'll say that others have done it much better, including their past selves). The most interesting lyric is the "soldier down" line (which was the original title), which I didn't get at first, until I realized they imagine themselves as fallen soldiers. A lofty comparison, if you ask me.

While I'll be the first to ask why these four guys (remember Kevin left a while back) are still trying to recapture glories that have long past, I will also admit that this isn't a fruitless effort. The boys, after two failed attempts, have updated their sound without losing their original output or appearing out of their depth.

Backstreet may finally be back.

Video of The Week: Shakira's "She Wolf"

I'm going to be perfectly honest: Shakira's video for her hot new single "She Wolf" wasn't as good as people were expecting.

That said, the stuff she was doing in that damn cage just about gave me a heart attack. Seriously, I could've served as a freakin' flytrap watching the premiere on MTV Thursday night.

For that alone, "She Wolf is the best video of the week (sorry Sugababes).

Shakira - New Music - More Music Videos