Coming Soon: The Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time

Any reader of mine knows that I love making lists.

What readers of mine may not know is that I am a fan of anime.

It only makes sense to do an anime list, right?

Right.

I teamed up with my best friend Ryan Mason (of acollisionofthoughts.blogspot.com) to make a list of the Top 25 Anime Characters of All Time (in our minds at least). The list will be on both blogs by the end of the week, but here are some hints as to who made the cut:

- Two characters from the same two shows made the top 10.

- Some people will think the #1 is genius, while others will think we are totally demented.

- There is one character on the list that I cannot wait for Ryan to explain

- The new logo is not the best representation of who is in the Top 10. I will say that at least one of those characters is in the Top 5. Key phrase: at least.

So, who are you expecting to top the list? Who do you think should top the list? Leave 'em in the comments!

Mariah Carey’s “Memories” Coming Soon

 

Through her Twitter page (I didn’t even know she had one), pop’s biggest diva Mariah Carey revealed the title of her upcoming album, Memories of an Imperfect Angel.

Mariah also revealed on her Twitter that she was working with producer Timbaland on some tracks for the album.

The new album is expected in the fall as the follow-up to 2008’s E=MC2, which sold over 1.2 million copies in the U.S. alone and spun the #1 single “Touch My Body”.

Jonas Brothers To Deliver Multiple Whammys Next Week

The Jonas Brothers will probably be the most talked-about music group by the end of next weekend.

The three kings of the tween world will own both TV and radio come June 20th. Their highly-anticipated TV movie Camp Rock will premiere on Disney Channel next Friday at 8 pm. The movie will also have premieres on ABC, ABC Family, and Disney.com in DXD. Never before has a Disney Channel Original Movie had premieres through 4 different media outlets.

The same day as their first premiere, the Jonases will send "Burnin' Up", the first single off their forthcoming album A Little Bit Longer, to radio stations across America. The music video for their single is expected to premiere at some point during the first showing of Camp Rock.

There is no point in trying; by Monday, June 23rd, the Brothers Jonas will be virtually inescapable.

Picture courtesy of exposay.com

Here's A Crazy Idea...

A "Bleeding" Duet

Here's a CRAZY idea...

What about a Jesse McCartney/Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love" duet?

His version of Leona's #1 single (he did co-write the song with Ryan Tedder) is quickly becoming an internet sensation, so why not bank off of it?

Both of them have new albums out. Leona's is about to hit #1, while Jesse's is aiming for a May release. Wouldn't it be fantastic publicity if the two reworked the song as a duet? I love both versions (Leona's a bit more though, lol) and I think a duet would become a massive success. Plus, it will give them both a major boost in their careers; Jesse needs a big hit and Leona needs to solidify hers even more.

If Clive was smart, he would be on the phone with McCartney right now arranging a recording session with the two of them. The opportunity is too good to pass up!!

Reunion News: New Kids On The Block to Appear on Today Show!

It's been speculated for months, but it has officially been confirmed that all five members of New Kids On The Block will be reuniting for a performance on the Today Show. The exclusive appearance will happen on April 4th. Their reunion marks the 20th anniversary of their multi-platinum album Hangin' Tough. Rumors are surfacing that the reunion may also include a tour, and possibly a greatest hits album.

Since their breakup in 1994, all of the members have been met with varying degrees of success. Jordan Knight and Joey McIntyre reinvigorated their pop careers in the late 90s. Donnie Wahlberg became an actor, appearing in The Sixth Sense  and the TV show Boomtown. Danny Wood also launched a solo career. Suffering from severe anxiety attacks, Jordan's brother Jonathan left show business altogether and became a recluse to recover. He last appeared on Oprah to discuss his panic attacks.

NKOTB became a global sensation following the release of their sophomore album Hangin' Tough. The album sold 8 million copies and spawned 5 Top 10 singles, including 2 #1 singles. By their breakup, they sold over 50 million copies worldwide and performed across the world in sold-out concert tours.

Exclusive: Hear the Bleeding Love Remix Before the US Album Release!

The Jason Nevins remix of "Bleeding Love" is included of pre-order copies of Leona's US release of Spirit. Before its release, the song has leaked onto YouTube!

Here is the remix (I love it):

First Listen: "Take a Bow" by Rihanna

Honestly, Ne-Yo never has to make a record again if he continues songwriting.

For the re-release of Good Girl Gone Bad (despite her singles success, her album sales are B-A-D), Ne-Yo wrote her another song, titled "Take a Bow". The only thing annoying about the song is the title and the chorus. The whole "boyfriend/girlfriend is a liar, which means they're an actor" motif has been done so many times (most popularly by Madonna in 1995). I wish Ne-Yo he chose a different metaphor. Anyway, the song follows a string of really good songs by Rihanna. Many will probably call this a Beyonce knock-off but that is not the case. It's a lot slower in tempo, and far less severe. The mood of this song is very somber, without slipping into balladry. "Irreplaceable" was a big middle finger to all cheating boyfriends. "Take a Bow", much like Madonna's #1 smash, is more of a lament of her lost relationship. She's not kicking his ass like "Breakin' Dishes". Instead, she sounds tired of her boyfriend's cheating, and wants him to go. Rihanna can even find a bit of humor in the situation, slipping in a giggle as she considers her boyfriend's "act".

The fact that I can take so much away from a Rihanna song shows that this is very best vocal performance. I'm not going to gas her head up, she's no Whitney, Mariah, or Beyonce. But considering how tailored the song is for her voice, she can do nothing but truly shine. Honestly, as good as "Umbrella" and "Don't Stop The Music" are, I prefer the slower stuff, especially "Unfaithful". Producers Stargate, who are Rihanna's go-to production team, worked wonders with this song. The piano and simple beats are their trademark, but it sounds even better in this song. The fusion makes it versatile. It can be listened to as a groove or as a sad pseudo-ballad with a bowl of rocky road ice cream and Kleenex, which will definitely extend it's radio appeal.

For all the people who didn't buy the original album, this gem makes it worth your while to pick up the re-release.

RATING: 8/10

Until then, here is your "first listen":

You've Gotta Be Kidding Me! Mariah's New Album Cover!

Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything clever, like Mariah as a scientist mixing musical notes together in a beaker, or something like that, but in my honest opinion, this is really lazy. I mean, she is just standing there, with some kind of fur wrapped around her. Then again, most of her album covers have been of her posing, so, I guess it works.

 

Any thoughts?

Leona's "Spirit" Is Up For Pre-Order!

Current iTunes #1 Leona Lewis now has her debut album Spirit available for pre-order on the music store! There are two versions of the album: the regular version and the the Deluxe Version. Here is the track-listing for the Deluxe:

1. Bleeding Love
2. Better In Time
3. I Will Be
4. I'm You
5. Forgive Me
6. Misses Glasses
7. Angel
8. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
9. Yesterday
10. Whatever It Takes
11. Take a Bow
12. Footprints in the Sand
13. Here I Am
14. The Best You Never Had
15. You Bring Me Down (UK Better in Time b-side) [Deluxe]
16. Bleeding Love (video) [Deluxe]
17. Bleeding Love remix? [pre-order only]

Here is the link to the Deluxe Version, and the Regular Version (links only work if you have iTunes).

Go forth and pre-order the biggest debut album of the year!

UNbelievable First Listen: Mariah Carey's Migrate

Give me a second while a huge part of me dies inside...

OK, what on Earth is this? Is this the same woman who gave the world "Vision of Love", "Hero", "Without You"???

Mariah performed her new single "Migrate" last night on Saturday Night Live. In my opinion, its her worst single. Ever. I really liked "Touch My Body", so I would've been okay with an album following that formula, but this doesn't work, on any level that exists.

Her voice is being watered down to fit a style not right for her.

The song itself is stupid.

T-Pain is on the record (OMG, I am sick of hearing him every time on turn on the radio!)

This is very disappointing, and I hope this is just a dark spot in a strong album!

Here is the performance:

Migrate SNL
Uploaded by yardie4lifever2

A Holiday Of Whitney!

There have been sporadic Whitney Houston appearances since her divorce from Bobby Brown, with a lot of talk about her comeback album. Now, there is an official release date.

During a Billboard event, Clive Davis, who is overseeing the album, expects the album to be released during the holiday season, with 4 tracks already completed!

It's been a long time coming, and now, with a date in sight, it may finally be time for the return of "The Voice"!


In case you forgot, here is the "real" Whitney Houston: