I Can't Believe I'm Actually Enjoying Miley Cyrus's New Single "We Can't Stop"

In my freshman year at Trinity College, there was one song that was inescapable on my campus: Miley Cyrus's "Party in the USA".

A lot has changed since Miley was shaking her hips like "yeah". She snatched off her Hannah Montana wig, danced around in a cage dressed as a bird, got engaged to Liam Hemsworth, chopped off her hair, and even made a twerking video. She also went in the studio to record new music, which she unleashed this morning on Ryan Seacrest's radio show. "We Can't Stop" is currently sitting pretty at #1 on iTunes after only two hours, so it's safe to declare Miley's comeback to pop a success. What's surprising to me is how I'm actually rooting for this song to succeed.

"We Can't Stop" is nothing like we've heard from her, which is a very nice surprise. The song is very chill, laid-back, and beach-ready. It doesn't break any new ground in the "party all the time" world it lives in, but there a few golden lyrical nuggets that will keep people singing along on the radio, especially the call-to-arms line "We run things, things don't run we". Miley's voice is an acquired taste, but her vocals on this track rank among her strongest by far. It's easy to believe that she is having the time of her life, and despite yourself, you want to join in on the fun.

Check out "We Can't Stop" below:



Photo from the Daily Mail

Will Top 40 Use Justin Timberlake's R&B-Flavored "Suit & Tie"?

RATING: 4/5

I hope so!

Justin Timberlake, after a weekend filled with anticipation, has dropped his first single in six years, "Suit & Tie", featuring Jay-Z. I'm pretty sure no one knew what to expect from Timberlake, especially after so long away from the music world (on his own, at least), but I doubt they were expecting a straight-up R&B.

"Suit & Tie" has a chilled-out, throwback soul vibe to it, a song you could do a mean two-step to. The chorus and hook are smooth, funky, and just plain old fun, and Justin's hit-making falsetto is as silky as ever. While it certainly teeters on the line between fresh and dated, there is something so joyous, and sexy, about this song that you're probably better off just putting on your best shoes and hitting the dance floor. Jay-Z's feature definitely flips the script a bit and it is slightly jarring, but not entirely unpleasant. The intro, on the other hand, is better off being cut from the eventual radio edit.

Speaking of radio, how will Top 40 respond to such a track? Remember, 2006 was seven years ago, and pop is an entirely different place than it was when Justin reigned with FutureSex/LoveSounds. All I can say is that many people thought "SexyBack" would flop when they first heard it. I actually remember listening to the song on AOL Music and recoiling in horror. Lo and behold, it's an iconic song that launched Timberlake into megastardom. So, I wouldn't count Timberlake out yet. In fact, he might just change the landscape of the mainstream with this song; we've been overdue for a shift from generic dance-pop.

The song is currently on iTunes, but you can preview it below:

Justin Timberlake Trolls Everybody With "I'm Ready" Video Teaser (But New Music Is Coming!)

Justin Timberlake sent Twitter ablaze last night when he announced that he would be making a big announcement today at noon EST. No, that wasn't poor grammar; he literally announced an announcement on Twitter.

After twelve hours of suspense, Timberlake kept his promise, tweeting a link to his website, which had a YouTube video titled "I'm Ready" pre-loaded.

New single, perhaps? Nope.

Instead, the video shows the singer/actor walking through a house (presumably his) as he, in voiceover, explains why he hasn't released an album in seven years (he prefers to view it as releasing two albums in ten years; to each his own). At the end of the video, he ends up in a recording studio and says, "I'm ready." The video then closes and we are left with a countdown clock.


The whole thing reminded me of the first part of Lady Gaga's "Marry The Night" video; the pretentious voiceover, the random journey, and the general self-importance of it all. At least with Gaga, we got a single out of it. With Justin, whose announcement nearly trumped the Oscar nominations, we got a clock.

Most epic troll ever.

With all of that said, Timberlake does seem to be dropping the long-awaiting comeback single on Monday, so we'll just have to wait and see.

Unless he plans to troll us again and just release the title, and another clock counting down to actual audio.

One Direction's New Music Video Where Zayn Has Two Different Hairstyles

So One Direction just released the music video for their new single "Kiss You". It's very campy, a bit obnoxious, and full of all that 1D charm that has made them overnight teen idols.

But I just found one thing (see what I did there?) to be a bit distracting. As you watch the video (especially the road bit and the jailhouse bit), note the fact that Zayn Malik has two different hairstyles in the video. There is the gold streak that kind of makes him look like a Keebler elf, and then there is no gold streak.

Was that an editing fail, or they just didn't care to re-film the sequences without the gold streak?

Anyway, enjoy the video and the song.

"Next To Me", Emeli Sandé's Amazing Single That America Ignored (The First Time)

5/5

The general public would be surprised to learn that Adele's 21 wasn't the best-selling album in the UK in 2012.

It was actually Emeli Sandé's debut album, Our Version of Events, that topped the year-end sales charts across the pond.

The album was also released last year here in the States, but didn't do much, peaking at #28. It would have done much better had they actually pushed the album's lead single "Next To Me" to pop radio. Well, it's better late than never, and Sandé is getting a legitimate push in America. Thank goodness, because she is too exciting of a talent to be ignored. I cannot believe I am invoking the name of Whitney Houston, but Sandé is giving me "How Will I Know" vibes. Not that "Next To Me" is a frothy dance-pop gem, but it is such an instant, undeniable record that I wouldn't be able to explain it's chart failure except to say that radio programmers are idiots. It is a fascinating, uptempo, gospel-pop tune that would certainly make Whitney proud. The hook is brilliant and warm, and Sandé's voice is powerful and crystal-clear.

Forgive me for what may seem as overzealous praise, but I don't get this excited often. I can't help but think of other humungous pop debuts, like Mariah and "Vision of Love", or Leona with "Bleeding Love". Mark my words, if her label plays it right, Emeli Sandé will become the next big name in pop music.

If you haven't heard "Next to Me", please listen below!

What About Them? The Saturdays Introduces Themselves to America

3.5/5

Being an international artist breaking into the US market sucks.

With there being so many artists in the US already, it's very difficult for an artist from outside the 50 states to make a significant impact, no matter how popular they are worldwide (and before you mention "Gangnam Style", we know that song is basically over at this point).

The latest to try cracking America is the UK girl group The Saturdays. The five-piece are following the Monkees route, by launching a reality series on E! alongside their music. US listeners will be introduced to The Saturdays with "What About Us?", the first single from their upcoming fourth album (they've released three albums prior in the UK and Ireland). Unfortunately, this song doesn't really do much to distinguish the girls from other dance-pop on the radio. That said, it is an incredibly listenable song (I've been playing it virtually nonstop all day) with an easy chorus and hook. The reggae-lite flair it has is kind of confusing and unnecessary, though. Honestly, I would have repackaged one of their old songs, like "Up" or "All Fired Up", and used that to bring them stateside, but this song works in a fun, frothy way.

We'll see how their reality show, due to premiere this month, will help them achieve American success, but it's not too hard to see our audience take warmly to this song.

Check out the song below:

Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child" is Flawless

5/5

So, remember when I dragged mainstream electronic dance music last night for being generic and repetitive?

Well, if artists were as interesting as Swedish House Mafia, I would've been made invalid.

Unfortunately that's not the case, so that means we're just gonna have to contend with this excellent Scandinavian Europop gem. Everything about "Don't You Worry Child" is everything I was asking for last night from EDM, which I was knew was fairly possible: substantive lyrics and at least some kind of experiment with production. The title lyric is not just one of the most effortless hooks of the year, it also has an euphoric message, which is quite necessary in the current climate we're in. Vocalist John Martin delivers a brilliant performance here, putting many, if not all, of his contemporaries to shame. The guitar-laced, piano-driven synths wrap it all up into an irresistible pop package that is deserving of its Grammy nomination.

Seriously, Guetta and Harris should be on their knees thanking God that Swedish House Mafia is about to break up, because they blow them out of the water with such ease that it's embarrassing.

Tamar Braxton Has Arrived with "Love & War"!

Tamar Braxton's got a new single!

4/5

If you have ever seen an episode of Braxton Family Values, then you know all about Tamar Braxton.

The queen of "dot-com" has been harping on about a music career since the first episode, but I wouldn't be the first to doubt it ever happening.

She's proved us wrong, big time.

Tamar has dropped the first single from her upcoming album today on iTunes, titled "Love & War". To the surprise of the internet, the song is sitting at #2 on the iTunes chart after only hours of release, which is insane for a song like this. It is a pure, classic R&B ballad, the music that only Melanie Fiona and, to some extent, Keyshia Cole are making now.

But, just like her reality shows, it's all about Tamar.

Anyone who ever accused her of not putting her mouth where her money is can officially have a seat. Tamar takes no prisoner on this song, making sure everyone listening knows that she can sing as well as her famous singer Toni. And boy, can she sing. While she has that signature Braxton deep timbre, her voice seems to be more flexible than Toni's, which probably allows her to play more acrobatics, especially with her upper register. However, she mostly sticks to the melody and her gorgeous tone shines throughout the whole track, even overshadowing it.

For someone known for being loud, "Love & War" is an elegant introduction to world according to Tamar. With the support of manager-husband Vincent Herbert and Lady Gaga (who is super-tweeting the iTunes link), Tamar may finally get that fame and respect she craves, for the right reasons.

If you haven't heard the song, watch below. Click here to buy the song on iTunes!

Ne-Yo Gets Half-Naked (Again) for New Video "Forever Now"

We get it, Ne-Yo, you're ripped.

The R&B star has released the music video for his new single "Forever Now", and he once again strips off his shirt and makes out on the bed with a nameless female.

Of course, there are other things going on, include some scenes at a press conference and at a dance studio, and of course the obligatory "outside in the rain" scene. I don't see how any of it relates to the song, but its some nice visuals, and the song is pretty good (if not a bit generic, but that's for another blog post).

Check out the video below:

A Week of Wacktastic Will.i.am Stuff: "Scream and Shout" and iPhone Accessories!

The holiday season is upon us, so now is the perfect opportunity for people to push their latest and greatest products to the masses for maximum consumption.

Apparently, will.i.am missed the "greatest" bit of that memo.

The rapper-turned-entrepreneur-of-some-kind dropped two brand new products this past week, and they both are pointless, hopeless, and just plain old suck.



The first was the lead single from his upcoming solo effort #willpower titled "Scream and Shout", with Britney Spears. I'm guessing she's returning the favor for his work on "Big Fat Bass" from 2011's Femme Fatale. If only this song was as good as that one. Despite a relatively small part, Britney is the only saving grace of a track that borrows the worst of "The Time (Dirty Bit)" and expands on it for an extra two minutes. It's tuneless, EDM mess without a single ounce of joy, or anything else warranting a second listen. The music video is just the same, with only interesting bits being a better-than-she's-looked-in-years Britney, and a preview of the iPhone accessories will.i.am is launching.



Speaking of, will.i.am is launching a group of camera accessories for the iPhone, that actually cost more than either a digital camera or an iPhone. The $315 product essentially turns the iPhone into a point-and-shoot, has a 14 megapixel sensor, and has a slide-out keyboard. It also happens to look shockingly ugly and garish. It's bad enough that he's making a product that nobody ever wanted, it has to be ugly and expensive too?

If this is what will.i.am has to offer for the all-important holiday season, only one question must be asked.

When is the next Black Eyed Peas reunion?

It's a Woman's World, and Cher's Here To Lead It!

It's kind of crazy to believe, but entertainment icon Cher has been around now for 47 years.

And she has managed to keep her unique, distinctive voice in tip-top shape, something singer half her age struggle with.

To prove that she is just as relevant as her younger counterparts, Cher has released a brand new single (that is not her duet with Lady Gaga that we've been waiting for since forever) titled "Woman's World". It's the first song she's dropped since the early 2000's, and you wouldn't be completely wrong to think its from that time. She sounds and looks exactly the same as she did on Living Proof, which is a marvel onto itself. "Woman's World" is no "Believe" (also known as one of the best pop songs of the last two decades), but it is a reaffirmation that Cher still has it. "Woman's World" is a fun dance track that will surely fill the dancefloors of every gay club on the planet for the next two or three months.

Check the new song out below:

Isn't "Little Things" by One Direction Just a Tad Bit Rude?

Do you like their little things?
(no pun intended, promise)

4/5

As Santana Lopez from Glee would say, "so freaking charming."

That's the only reason that British teen titans One Direction can get away with releasing "Little Things", the second single from their #1 album Take Me Home.

Written by indie artist Ed Sheeran, the delicate ballad is about appreciating the "little things" of a lover's body. Apparently these little things all suck; these are things that people, especially women, would prefer to not have pointed out. I mean, no one really wants to hear about being loved in spite of their stomach, thighs, crow's feet (the crinkles by your eyes), and having to squeeze into jeans. Also considering who's singing the song, a group of immaculate-looking boys who make girls go bat crazy over the mere sight of them, "Little Things" dangerously treads that line leading into "douche" territory.

Luckily for One Direction, they pull it off, because they are genuinely good singers. Even as they sing the more cringeworthy lyrics, there is a kind of heart-squeezing vulnerability that can make even the most hardened cynic swoon just a bit. There are some very strong voices in One Direction, but no one upstages the other in this song (although I enjoyed Liam and Harry in particular).

Slightly rude lyrics aside, "Little Things" is an earnest effort from One Direction that will help them add to their rapidly growing fanbase. It's nice to know that even with outrageous levels of fame, the boys can remain humble.

If only one of their contemporaries would catch that hint (sorry, couldn't help a little dig)

Check out the song below:

Fine, Olly Murs' "Troublemaker" is Catchy, But Why Is It Beating Girls Aloud on The Charts?

I haven't written about it, but Girls Aloud's comeback single "Something New" is a flawless piece of pop that should have easily topped the UK charts. It's for charity, after all. A children's charity. I mean, who doesn't love children, and charity, for children?

Clearly not the people flocking to iTunes to cop the new Olly Murs single! Grrr!

The X Factor runner-up is currently leading the midweeks with "Troublemaker", his new single featuring "rapper" Flo Rida. I was completely ready to blast the song to hell, in deference to my girls, but I put my bias aside for a second, just to give it a shot.

Turns out, it's not that bad at all.

I mean, it's a blatant and shameless Maroon 5 rip-off, but its a darn good one. At the very least, it's very damn catchy and charming, just as you would expect from Olly. He somehow even makes Flo Rida tolerable, even enjoyable.

Had it been any other week, I would have been all behind this song topping the charts, but why, just why, does he have to snatch the #1 from Girls Aloud?

Ugh.

Check out Olly's new single below:

It's "Nobody's Business", but Rihanna and Chris Brown Slay Their New Duet!

When I first heard that Rihanna was featuring Chris Brown on a new song from new album Unapologetic, I cringed.

Despite its catchiness, the now infamous "Birthday Cake" remix was cringeworthy, especially considering the new lyrics and the fact that Chris Brown was dating someone else while singing about "licking icing off" Rihanna's cake. Now that he's (presumably) single or (presumably) back with Rihanna, the two are free to flaunt their love affair for the world to see and, most importantly, listen.

And that is where this new song comes in. It is titled "Nobody's Business", which is obviously bating all of their detractors. But instead of being obnoxious about their relationship (I guess they had their fill on Twitter), they actually recorded a standout track on a pretty excellent album (more on that in a later post).

"Nobody's Business" is a bop-tastic, disco flavored dance track, borrowing many elements from Michael Jackson's 1988 smash "The Way You Make Me Feel". In fact, it wouldn't be misplaced on the recently released 25th anniversary version of Bad. The track is quite the clever remake, making an 80s classic send fresh for today's audience. Maybe it's the MJ influence, or the awesome production, but there is something very charming and youthful about this song. It makes you forget the ugly and public history of their relationship, recasting them as two happy kids in love without a care in the world. It's the only way they could get away with rhyming "infectious" and "Lexus". Chris Brown, after the relative disaster that was his album Fortune, delivers a particularly spectacular, MJ-esque performance that definitely stands out as his best in a while.

"Nobody's Business" is probably the first successful, positive attempt for both singers to refocus the public's attention from their tempestuous on-off relationship to their music. It works masterfully. It is one of the best tracks on Unapologetic, and one of the best either have released in their careers. I can't believe I'm typing this, but it could actually be a smash.

Leona Lewis Wants to "Collide" with The Charts Again

Leona Lewis "collides" into a comeback?

British songstress Leona Lewis chose a pretty interesting time to make a comeback.

Adele is currently making all competition irrelevant with her landmark album 21, even becoming the best-selling digital album of all time in the United States. Ironically, when they both broke America in 2008, Leona was the biggest star, with her #1 smash "Bleeding Love".

With her new single, Leona is hoping to replicate that success and prove who the true queen of British pop is.

To achieve that goal, Leona has turned to the producer of Katy Perry's "Firework" and Rihanna's "Only Girl (In The World)" to craft her a summer smash. The result is "Collide", a very beautiful, elegant synthpop ballad about being someone's support during rough times. 

To be perfectly honest, the song itself isn't that remarkable. It sounds like something is missing in the production that really would've made it epic (kind of like "Outta My Head"). Leona and her absolutely stunning voice is what makes this song really work. Her belting in the chorus is filled with such emotion and power that, when paired with the gorgeous piano-driven melody and the thumping beats, it creates this Kylie-esque euphoria that will be a smash on the dancefloor.

You can't say that the X Factor queen isn't trying something new (although not really, since Katy and Rihanna have been doing it since last year). What's great to know is that despite Leona's foray into dance-pop, she continues to let her brilliant vocal chords lead the way.

"Collide" is out in the UK on September 4th.

Check out "Collide" below and let me know your thoughts:

Will Young's "Jealousy" Is Flawless, Elegant Pop

Pop Idol winner Will Young is back!

The singer, who got some US shine last year when his UK smash "Leave Right Now" was used as American Idol's goodbye song, is releasing a new album in August called Echoes. To kick the album off, he released the first single "Jealousy" to radio this morning.

"Jealousy" is pretty standard fare for Will Young at this point. Not that standard fare can't be fantastic. The song has an infectious ethereal disco feel, á la Sophie Ellis-Bextor or the lightest of Kylie's discography ("Fragile" almost instantly comes to mind). The lightweight synthy sound does wonders for Will's unique, strong voice.

Will has seen some struggles lately (I still don't understand how the genius "Hopes and Fears" flopped the way it did), but I think "Jealously" will put him on the right track.

No pun intended.

Check out Will Young's new single below. Like it? Share your thoughts!

Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera Revive Pop Careers with "Moves Like Jagger"

I haven't really watched The Voice this summer, but it is clearly a huge summer smash that is increasingly making American Idol look irrelevant.

Besides innovating the singing competition genre, it has also brought together four of the most relevant pop stars together as judges. As you would hope, sitting in those four big red chairs has helped foster enough connection to inspire a collaboration.

The first Voice inspired pairing is Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera, on Maroon 5's new single "Moves Like Jagger".

Honestly, the timing couldn't have been any more perfect for all parties involved. Maroon 5 has had a lackluster era with their album Hands All Over, with the singles "Misery" and "Give A Little More" underperforming. The drama of Christina Aguilera past fourteen months goes without saying, although I will just say one word: "Bionic".

Frankly, both artists need a hit, badly. Thankfully, they've found it in "Moves Like Jagger", which has "summer smash" written all over it. A tribute to the sexual prowess of Mick Jagger, the song is incredibly upbeat and, with its electronic embellishments and pulsing beat, incredibly danceable without sacrificing much of their alt sound. No song Maroon 5 has ever released had such an instant impact and enjoyability, and hearing it the first time, knowing it was them, was very exciting. This song was destined to smash even if Christina wasn't on it, but it's great to hear her. In fact, she sounds a lot more authentic here than on anything from last year's messy Bionic. She sounds like the pop diva that everyone, including she, knows she is. It's refreshing.

Everything about this is refreshing. It's refreshing to hear a pop song that is fun and club-ready without being mindless. It's refreshing to know that two huge pop acts can dust themselves and put out an absolute smash with ease. And for me, it's refreshing to know that the "song of the summer" competition hasn't already been handed over to Katy Perry.

Big Time Rush's "Worldwide" Music Video Is a Carbon Copy of Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way"

See the connection?

If you haven't been too preoccupied with the NKOTBSB tour, then you may have noticed a new boy band trying to dig into lucrative (and irritating) screaming teen girl demographic currently owned by Justin Bieber.

They are called Big Time Rush, and they currently gave a show on Nickelodeon with the same name as a cross-promotion technique (think The Monkees, but set in a hotel). They scored some pretty solid mainstream cred by scoring a Top 40 radio hit "Boyfriend", featuring Snoop Dogg, and they seem to only be getting bigger.

So much bigger that they decided to pay homage to their predecessors.

The boys just released the music video for "Worldwide", their latest single, and the first thing that immediately popped into my head while watching it was, "didn't the Backstreet Boys make this video twelve years ago?".

Indeed, BSB did have a music video set in an airport, wearing white, with really cheesy choreography. It was for a little ditty called "I Want It That Way", also known as one of the best songs of the teen pop era, hands down.

To be fair to BTR though, their video may not meant to be a blatant, not-as-good ripoff of the Backstreet Boys' iconic clip. The video and song appear to be a tie-in for their first TV movie, which is about the breakup of one of the bandmates and his girlfriend.

Whatever the intention, it was quite funny to see the comparison between the two videos. Let's just say that the BSB legacy is pretty secure (besides from their own hacking at it).

On top of the "I Want It That Way" comparison, here are some other notes on the song and video:

- Their choreographer needs to be fired, ASAP. Boy bands are known for silly dance moves, but these are just plan lazy

- The song isn't that bad. I mean, it's cheesy and very teen, but it's a lot less pretentious than Justin Bieber

- Logan (the guy in the tie) needs to drop his vocal register an octave or two because his voice almost hurt my eardrums.

What do you think of Big Time Rush? Watch the video and leave a comment.

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).

Lady Gaga Strips Down for "The Edge of Glory" Music Video

Lady Gaga is known for very incredibly over-the-top take on music videos. The results have been fairly mixed; there have been the epics ("Bad Romance"), the fails ("Alejandro"), and the just plain ridiculous ("Telephone", as great as it was).

But Gaga has never done before what she's done with the video for "The Edge of Glory".

Those expecting blinding flash, massive storylines that can't fit into a five minute timeframe, and insane fashion will be sorely disappointed in the video for Gaga's third single. "The Edge of Glory", which was directed by the Haus of Gaga, is Gaga's most stripped-down, bare bones video yet. Forgoing the murder, crashing waves, russian mafia cameos, and armadillo shoes of videos past, this one just has the New York-bred megastar dancing and gyrating in an empty street and a fire escape. Keeping her company is Clarence Clemons, who did the song's sax solo and is currently recovering from a massive stroke.

I won't even bother lying; the video is boring. It's very, very boring, especially compared to her last five music videos. That said, the video is another visual beauty. Also, there's something to appreciate about how simple this video is. We've come to expect insanity from Lady Gaga, but it was actually nice to see her just being normal (sort of), enjoying herself in the city that she loves, looking like a hooker. It fit the message of the song well, a lot better than the rumored mermaid theme would have.

"The Edge of Glory" may not be edgy, or glorious, but maybe that was the point. With all of the outrageous things that Gaga has done which beg for controversy, the irony that her simplest video is her most controversial act yet cannot be taken for granted.

What do you think of "The Edge of Glory"? Did she do too little? Check the video out below and leave your thoughts in the comments!