Katy Perry Has The Best House Party EVER in "Last Friday Night" Music Video

Sorry Gaga, but Katy Perry has dropped the best music video of the year.

I mean, how can "Last Friday Night" not be the best video of the year, with its crazy, balls-out 80's house party, an incredibly dorkified-turned-mallrat-hot Katy Perry, and cameos galore. I mean, Kenny G? Debbie Gibson? Rebecca Black?

There really isn't much to say except that Katy Perry delivered a blast of a video, which guarantees at least two weeks at #1 for her fifth single from Teenage Dream.

Yup, she's coming for Michael Jackson's record (he scored five #1 hits in the 80's with Bad).

Brandon's Best of....Top Singles of 2010 So Far

Okay, so the halfway point of 2010 was last month, but as the summer winds down and I head back to college in a few weeks, I thought now would be a great time to list my favorite songs of 2010 so far (well, since the end of July). Luckily for me, this was pretty easy.

First, because I realized there were lots of songs I loved, here is my #20 - #11:
20. Breakeven (Falling To Pieces) - The Script
19. I Like It - Enrique Iglesias
18. Crossfire - Brandon Flowers
17. Memories - David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi
16. I Got You - Leona Lewis
15. Ego - The Saturdays
14. Missing You - The Saturdays
13. Hands Tied - Toni Braxton
12. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
11. Your Love - Nicki Minaj

Now, for the Top 10:


10. Airplanes - B.O.B featuring Hayley Williams
I mostly skipped over his first single with Bruno Mars, so his second single with Paramore's frontwoman is what really got me interested. Between the effortlessness of the chorus and the true lyrics about wishing for a simpler life, "Airplanes" was clear evidence that hip hop could be more than sparse beats and lame rhymes about money and swag.


9. OMG - Usher feat. will.i.am
Was it a sellout move? Usher went the electropop route on his album Raymond v. Raymond, teaming up with BEP frontman will.i.am. Instead of playing like a cheap trick, it was one of the hottest songs of the year, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and saving what would have been a flop era. While it didn't push boundaries with it's lyrics (Boobies? Are we twelve?) but it did remind everyone why Usher was once the biggest male popstar since MJ.


8. Commander - Kelly Rowland
Who knew she had it in her? After the worldwide (a.k.a, outside of the US) success of "When Love Takes Over" last year, the former Destiny's Child member teamed up with David Guetta for "Commander", a full-stop dance-pop smash, instant on first listen. For reasons that are beyond me, she didn't release it to radio in the States, just as the dance-pop fever hit full force.


7. Dancing On My Own - Robyn
The Swedish dance diva delivered a sweet treat for her first single from Body Talk Pt. 1. With it's mournful lyrics paired with pulsating, somber beats, "Dancing on My Own" embodied everyone's fear of lost love and loneliness while on the dancefloor.



6. Love The Way You Lie - Eminem featuring Rihanna
Domestic violence isn't supposed to sound this good. The two music superstars teamed up on a surprisingly personal, visceral, and accessible duet about the truth behind abusive relationships. Currently #1 on the charts, it goes to show that lyrical honesty can make for an amazing pop tune. Plus, Rihanna plus rappers is always guaranteed gold.


5. Find Your Love - Drake
Last year, he set the pop world on fire. This year, he fanned the flames. "Find Your Love" was an unexpected turn for the Canadian rapper. It was sharp, yet sensitive. Pulsing, yet melodic. Fierce, yet tender. Of course, that's because of Kanye's excellent production and Drake's great vocal performance. It made for a true blue pop hit for him and the confirmation that he may be the future of hip-hop.


4. California Gurls - Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
Pegged as the West Coast answer to "Empire State of Mind", Katy snatched the summer with what may become her signature hit. It's bouncy electropop sound, the cute and clever lyrics, and an excellent cameo from Snoop made this song a #1 hit throughout the dog days of summer. Even with the sweltering heat, Katy made us wish we were all chillin' on the beach, melted popsicles and all.


3. Alejandro - Lady Gaga
So maybe the macabré video killed the vibe of the song a bit, but "Alejandro" was one of the highlights of an album full of them, The Fame Monster. It's ABBA-esque charm and it's tale of unwanted desire made it an excellent soundtrack to the summer. It also showed that seven singles into her career, she shows no sign of stopping her effortless domination of pop music.


2. Telephone - Lady Gaga and Beyoncé
What happens when you put two of the biggest female singer in the world on one track? Um, how about dancefloor heaven? Okay, so not all the time, but the unstoppable duo's second try together yielded much sweeter fruit. Thrown in a colorful, Tarantino-styled music video and you have a pop juggernaut on your hands.


1. All The Lovers - Kylie Minogue
I had been waiting for this song before I even knew I was waiting for it. The Aussie pop princess threw out the baggage of 2007's X and came back with an absolutely epic first single. Part teary-eyed, part euphoric release, and part dancefloor stomper, "All The Lovers" was a goddess send (the album is called Aphrodite after all). After only three months, it is only the eighth song ever to have over 400 plays in my iTunes. It also made me rabid for two months until the release of her equally as epic new album. Kylie is back!

Download of the Day (7/24): "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry

Katy Perry's having a "teenage dream"

Katy Perry is determined to rule the summer.

Just hours after "California Gurls" fell from the top of the Hot 100, a number of radio stations premiered the pop star's new single "Teenage Dream".

She couldn't have chosen a better time to release "Teenage Dream", because sounds like the perfect end-of-summer song. Where "California Gurls" was a bundle of electropop joy, "Teenage Dream" is more subdued pop rock. Still, there is a whimsical air surrounding it, making the song a perfect soundtrack to sitting on the beach at the night with a bonfire. It's ironic that the setting is a part of Katy's perfect night with her guy. The song tells of the "teenage dream", which according to Perry consists of beaches, forts made out of sheets and going all the way. The credit goes to her lover, of course, who she claims brought her to life.

While some people may prefer Katy at her bounciest, this song is definitely one of her best records. "Teenage Dream" is as introspective and thoughtful as pop music gets, without sacrificing that boundless energy and charm that she exudes so easily. It's pretty hard to top a song that has owned the charts for six weeks, but Katy has done it, as easy as a dream.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Cover This: Katy Perry's Teenage Dream Covers!

Katy Perry is on a roll right now with her massive hit "California Gurls" and she's not slowing down a bit. The pop star has released the artwork for her new album Teenage Dream and the title track, which will serve as the second single:

Here is Teenage Dream, the single:



And here is Teenage Dream, the album:



To be honest, the single artwork looks better suited for an album than the actual artwork. The album artwork, while definitely sexy, just seems too sparse for the energetic Perry. That said, the single cover is like a hyper-updated version of Debbie Gibson's Electric Youth (I said hyper):



Katy Perry's new single is expected to debut next week, and the new album is due for release on August 24th.

Video Premiere: Katy Perry's Candy Dream World in "California Gurls"

The song may be an ode to California, but it seems liker her ideal world is a magical candy wonderland.

Katy Perry dropped the video for "California Gurls" today, and as the preview suggested, she is living in the classic board game Candyland, with Snoop Dogg rolling the dice (literally). The world is filled with cupcakes, peppermints, gingerbread men, and angry, bird-flipping gummi bears.

Yes, in Katy Perry's dream world, gummi bears give people the middle finger.

Epic.

The video is the perfect antithesis to Gaga's "Alejandro" (by the way, Perry cleared up all the drama yesterday while visiting a French radio station; it's all good in their hood). It's fun, flirty, cute, with the same amount of naked.

Congrats to Katy for an excellent video, a serious contender for the VMAs this year. Just adding to the good news, since "California Gurls" has become her second #1 single on the Hot 100.

Check the video out below:

Katy Perry - New Music - More Music Videos

Katy Perry Blasts Gaga's "Alejandro" Video as Blasphemous and Cheap?

Did Gaga go too far with Alejandro? Katy Perry may think so

The music video for Lady Gaga's new single "Alejandro" was sure to inspire some ire. Surprisingly, it appears that Katy Perry is one of the first none to pleased with the eight minute epic.

The pop star, whose music video for "California Gurls" is also due out this week, wrote on Twitter, "Blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke." While she never actually mentioned Gaga, it was evident what she was referring to; in the video, Gaga is dressed as a red and white latex-wearing nun who eats a rosary.

While there is a chance that she may not be going after Gaga, it does bring forth an interesting point regarding shock imagery and entertainment. While I personally wasn't offended by the video (I'm a Baptist Christian), there will definitely be people who find the video's religious symbols a bit to hot for the collar (pun slightly intended). However, this isn't the first time that religion has found its way into pop music. The most obvious example is Madonna, who danced in front of burning crosses and made out with black Jesus in the "Like a Prayer" video. The worst that happened to her was losing a Pepsi endorsement (for which she was already paid for). On the other hand, Sinead O'Connor flushed her career down the toilet by ripping up a picture of The Pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992. Let's not forget pop stars behaving as if they're Jesus; Kanye West covered a magazine wearing the crown of thorns, and Michael Jackson was criticized for his 1996 BRIT Awards performance, where he appeared messiah-like while he sang "Earth Song".

Katy is definitely entitled to her opinion, but I don't think Gaga was being blasphemous or using religion for cheap thrills. Honestly, "Like a Prayer" was riskier in that respect.

What do you think? Where does Gaga lie on the religious pop shock spectrum?

The Top BWU Chart Songs of 2008 (#10-1)

After 28 weeks of The BWU Chart, its time to see which songs really made their mark in 2008.

Here are the 10 biggest songs of 2008 (see the full list on the BWU Website):

10. The Loving Kind - Girls Aloud (#1 peak, 9 weeks and counting, 347 points)

It would take a pretty big song to dethrone six-week #1 "The Promise". Who better to do it than the Girls themselves? The week their album Out of Control came out, their rumored second single debuted at #1, knocking their current single to #2. After a few weeks of turbulence, a new single mix and video shoved the song back into the top slot, further extending Girls Aloud's #1 reign to an astonishing 10 weeks, more than any artist.





9. If I Were a Boy - Beyonce (#2 peak, 13 weeks and counting, 362 points)
Beyonce's ballad about gender switching made a strong impression on the BWU Chart, spending three weeks at #2 behind "The Promise". The persistent song ending up with six weeks in the Top 10 including a return after three weeks of dropping. Although it lost out in the fight for #1, it goes to show how strength can reap rewards, like a triple platinum certification this past week.






8. Womanizer - Britney Spears (#2 peak, 14 weeks and counting, 366 points)
I don't care how much you hat Britney or pop music, you loved the hook of the song (Boy, don't try to front, I-I know ju-just what you a-are) and you DEFINITELY loved the video (steamy, wet, naked, toned Britney, anyone). Brit's comeback brought her a #2 debut and five weeks in the Top 10. Add this with her first #1 in a decade on the US charts, it's very clear that Britney's "comeback" doesn't need quotations anymore.






7. Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) - Beyonce (#3 peak, 13 weeks and counting, 379 points)
While "If I Were a Boy" had a better start, this booty-shaking R&B stomper has stood the test of time. The song with the most YouTubed dance around has spent its entire run so far in the Top 20, outlasting the former single and outpeaking it on the Year-End. I guess people would prefer if Beyonce didn't delve into differences with the sexes after all.







6. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis (#4 peak, 21 weeks, 389 points)
Another song that peaked before the chart began. Still, Leona enjoyed the second longest chart run with Grammy-nominated pop mega-smash. The song put her on the map, and rightfully so, considering how ridiculously huge it was, with four weeks on the top of the US charts and 3 million in downloads. This song was only the beginning for her, and definitely not the last time you will see her on this chart.





5. Just Dance - Lady Gaga (#1 peak, 19 weeks, 402 points)
THIS. SONG. WON'T. DIE. Everytime you think this song's run is over, it just shoots up again. When you have one of the most exciting debuts of the year, it's really not that surprising. GaGa planted her roots on this chart when she spent three weeks at #1 in the late summer, and now, she still doesn't want to leave. Frankly, I don't mind if she doesn't.







4. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry (#3 peak, 19 weeks, 464 points)

This song surprisingly outlasted her debut smash "I Kissed a Girl", but the bouncing pop of this song deserved its chart glory. While it didn't spend one week at the top, it spent a huge 14 weeks in the Top 20. Despite the song's title, this song never went cold on us.







3. Disturbia - Rihanna (#1 peak, 22 weeks, 548 points)
The chart's first ever number one must have a place in the Top 3, right? Yet, it wasn't RiRi's #1 status that placed here. How about her 13-week run in the Top 10? Or, her 22 weeks on the chart in total, tieing her for longest chart run ever? Yeah, this creepy pop monster should definitely be here. All hail Queen Rihanna...







2. Better In Time - Leona Lewis (#1 peak, 22 weeks, 560 points)
Hold that thought for a second. Leona's second single promptly gave her a rightful claim to the throne. The song spent four weeks wallowing in the bottom half of the Top 20 before skyrocketing to #1 and staying there for a month, the longest chart run until another song came along. 18 weeks in the Top 20 allowed this song to surpass "Disturbia" in October to become the most successful chart song in history. But wait...

1. The Promise - Girls Aloud (#1 peak, 15 weeks, 564 points)

Yes, the Girls, this week no less, snatched Leona's crown from her. Girls Aloud's lead single for Out of Control was going to be massive, but even I didn't expect this. A mind-blowing SIX weeks at the top kept songs from Beyonce, Ne-Yo, Britney, and Kings of Leon at bay, making them cool their heels at #2. Even when the 60's style track fell to #2 (by its own hand, of course), it spent a total of ELEVEN weeks in the Top 5 alone. 15 weeks in, it hasn't left the Top 10, and is now the most chart song EVER. So sorry RiRi and LeLe, the true chart queens are Girls Aloud, and the anthem, "The Promise".

Music Video Premiere: "Thinking of You" by Katy Perry

Katy Perry premiered her video for new single "Thinking of You" today on iTunes and its the best she has ever done.

The video is set in the 40s, where Perry's lover is serving overseas in the war. While she tries to move on with some other man, she is still reminded of her true love, who ends up as a casualty.

Anyone who believed that Katy Perry was a novelty one-hit wonder should begin frying that crow, because  this video and song proves she's here to stay. It's a heartbreaking, beautifully shot video with a great storyline. Katy (who I always believed was born in the wrong time, style-wise) looks outstanding in this time period. "Thinking of You" is definitely a contender for Best Video of 2009.

Hot 100 Update: Katy Still #1, Jonas Brothers "Burn Up" Top 5

This week's Hot 100 shows some movement, but a big debut.

Katy Perry remains at #1 this week with "I Kissed A Girl", with an increase of airplay. The rest of the top 4 remains the same.

The Jonas Brothers debut in the Top 5 for the first time with "Burnin' Up", the first single from their upcoming album A Little Bit Longer. Released last week, the song saw a surge of downloads and airplay, allowing it to chart at #5. It is their highest peak position to date; that originally belonged to "S.O.S." charting at #17. Joe Jonas sees another single in the Top 10, as his duet with Demi Lovato, "This Is Me", moves up two spaces to #9.

Rihanna moves closer to getting another Top 10 single with "Disturbia", who moves up 7 spaces to #11.

In other debuts, Jessica Simpson's country single "Come On Over" charts at #65, while Jordin Sparks (who is still in the Top 20 with No Air) comes in at #79.

Billboard Hot 100 - Top 10

1 KATY PERRY - I KISSED A GIRL
2 LIL WAYNE - LOLLIPOP
3 LEONA LEWIS - BLEEDING LOVE
4 RIHANNA - TAKE A BOW
5 JONAS BROTHERS - BURNIN' UP
6 COLDPLAY - VIVA LA VIDA
7 PLIES - BUST IT BABY PT. 2
8 CHRIS BROWN - FOREVER
9 DEMI LOVATO & JOE JONAS - THIS IS ME
10 NATASHA BEDINGFIELD - POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE

Hot 100 Update: Katy Kisses Her Way To Top!

Capitol Records has A LOT to be celebrating right now!

Along with the #1 album (Coldplay), they have the #1 single in the country, thanks to Katy Perry and her hot single "I Kissed A Girl". Thanks to rapidly increasing airplay and sales, Katy scores her first chart-topper (hopefully not her last). Thanks to digital sales, Hot N Cold also debuts on the chart at #88.

Coldplay, meanwhile, plummets down 6 spots after scoring their first #1 last week, despite the release of their album Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends.

Big single releases meant big chart jumps for Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and the Camp Rock soundtrack. Rihanna's single "Disturbia" debuts at #18, while Miley Cyrus scores her second top 10 single with "7 Things" at #10. The soundtrack from Camp Rock saw many chart debuts, most notably "This Is Me". The duet by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas charts at #11. "Play My Music", sung by the Jonas Brothers, debuts at #20, making it their second-highest charting single behind "SOS".

Hot 100 Top 10
1. I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
2. Lollipop - Lil' Wayne
3. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
4. Take A Bow - Rihanna
5. Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield
6. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
7. Forever - Chris Brown
8. Bust It Baby Part 2 - Plies
9. When I Grow Up -The Pussycat Dolls
10. 7 Things - Miley Cyrus