FINALLY! Rihanna goes #1, Adele Goes Diamond!

Two of pop's biggest divas are shining bright like diamonds, literally (see what I did there?)

Rihanna, who has spent much of her career as a bridesmaid on the Billboard 200, can finally walk down the aisle as her seventh album Unapologetic is expected to land at #1 with a range of 240K-260K sold in her first week. It will be her highest first week sales tally, and her first #1 album after six tries. She is also expected to pull a chart double, as her lead single "Diamonds" will likely spend a second week atop of the Hot 100.

Rihanna isn't only one celebrating this week. Adele will finally be certified Diamond (sales of 10 million copies) with her album 21, which is the best selling album of this and last year. Adele is the first artist since Usher in 2004 to be certified Diamond, and with the sorry state of the music industry, she might be the last for even longer than eight years.

Congratulations to both women on their huge achievements. I guess the question remains, who will dominate the 2012 BWU Awards?

Sunday Feature: It's Time To Change The Rihanna/Chris Brown Narrative

Yup, Rihanna posted this on Instagram last night...

 If you have read my Hot Mess Alert from last night, or just happen to be on Twitter, you know that Rihanna posted a photo of a shirtless, presumably sleeping Chris Brown on Instagram.

Mind you, she famously told Oprah a few months ago that she and Brown were "just friends".

Sure, okay.

Now, you're probably wondering (especially if you are a fan of either of the two) why it matters to me, or anyone for that matter, what they do in their private time. As they say in their new duet off of Rihanna's album Unapologetic, it "ain't nobody's business."

Actually, when you do things like post photos on Instagram or tweet slick messages or pop off at the mouth on Twitter, then it does become the public's business, because you are doing those things in public.

It's obvious at this point that Rihanna simply doesn't care what anyone thinks about her relationship with the man who shockingly and famously beat her face in four years ago. Fans, experts, and even random people on the street supported her and vilified Chris Brown for the incident. The effects of that vilification have lasted so long that people in Sweden have boycotted his concert there, posting the infamous police photo of Rihanna after the beating on buildings. Back in 2008, I made a promise to never support Chris on this site again, in support of the battered pop princess.

Well, no more.

Don't get me wrong. I still think what Chris Brown did was inexcusable, and his insistence on behaving like a petulant, immature brat with a tattoo complex is absolutely pathetic to me. But at this point, the ball has been in Rihanna's court, and she has dropped it. She was given a restraining order to protect herself from him, she removed it. She exploits the abuse for 2009's Rated R and Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie". Chris found himself a new girlfriend, and Rihanna still found a way to slide herself back into his life. She records two remixes with him that didn't need to exist. She then foes on Oprah and proclaims him as a victim, as if she beat him in the face in a blind rage. And now, on her album release week, she publishes a half-naked photo of him to her social media followers.

Some can argue that her behavior can be explained by Chris Brown's "hold" on her, a symptom of the domestic violence that two have shared. I find that hard to believe now; I don't think Chris Brown is smart enough to be that emotionally manipulative. Others will call it love, but that's over-romanticizing a truly disturbing situation going on.

I think it's time that Rihanna takes some responsibility for her part in this public, four year-long soap operatic fiasco that the world has been subject to. Good for her for being so secure in herself that she doesn't give a single damn what anyone thinks, but maybe she should consider, for a second, the message she is sending to people, and it's a bad one. Maybe she should think about what Oprah once said about her situation: "If he hits you once, he will hit you again." Maybe she should watch any Tyler Perry movie since 2006.

What she does, it's time for her, and us, to realize that whatever happens from this point onwards is all on her. I hope that Chris Brown doesn't ever get as angry as he did that night in 2008, but if he does, it was Rihanna who put herself in the position to be in his path. I'm not saying she deserves it, but she does, this time, share some of the responsibility for its occurrence, because she had a way out. Hell, she was out. She walked right back in. She made her bed, literally, and she's going to have to lie in it.

Good luck to them both, but if something happens between the two of them, I won't vilify Chris Brown. I will just shake my head and simply say, "I told you so".

Hot Mess Alert (Thanksgiving Edition): Justin Bieber in Overalls, One Direction vs. The Wanted, and Rihanna Instagrams Shirtless Chris Brown!

Time for some good heaping servings of ratchet!

Honestly, any of these moments of hot messery deserve their own post, but considering we just celebrated the day of the turkey, why not stuff a whole bunch of turkeys into one post?

HOT MESS #1: One Direction's Zayn Fights With The Wanted's Max George

It's the battle of the boybands! One Direction member Zayn Malik got snippy on Twitter yesterday, calling The Wanted's Max George a "geek" for posting a picture with Usher on his Twitter. Max quickly responded, and it all went to hell from there, featuring cameos from Tom Parker and Louis Tomlinson. Some of the zingers? Zayn: "Mate, if I had a face like yours my hair would be the last thing I'd worry about" and "Let's not chat about vocal ability, boys." I have to say, as someone who enjoys a dragging session or two, Zayn took this one hands down. Can't we all just get along? Check out the Twitter beef below.

HOT MESS #2: Rihanna Instagrams a Shirtless Picture of Chris Brown

She may claim her relationship with Chris Brown is "nobody's business", but she obviously feels its the business of her followers on Instagram. Just a few hours ago, she posted a photo of her on-off boyfriend lying on a bed, shirtless, with his ass in the air, surrounded by Simpsons memorabilia. Seriously? It's pretty much an open secret that the two superstars are at least friends with benefits, but to flaunt it, especially after all the claims to leave them alone (and the Oprah interview). Then, to post this the week of her album release? It all screams "publicity stunt", and a tacky one at that! Here's some advice to Rihanna: if it's nobody's business, you might want to consider hopping off all kinds of social media, because then you are begging us to care.

HOT MESS #3: Justin Bieber Wears Overalls to Meet The Prime Minister of Canada

No, just no!

No, I didn't type this out wrong. Yes, you are looking at a picture of Justin Bieber wearing overalls to meet the highest government official of Canada. Overalls. I'm sorry but do they have even have farms in Canada? Is Justin Bieber a six-year old, because that's the last time I wore overalls? Is this the 90's, where overalls as a fashion statement was partially acceptable? Is he seriously trying to emulate Chris Brown, who wore recently overalls in Brandy's "Put It Down" video? So many questions, not enough time to drag him for the answers.

Rihanna's Unapologetic is Her Best Album To Date

Rihanna's not apologetic on her latest effort; should she be?

Come November, there are three things that you can come to expect: turkey, crazy people waiting outside on Black Friday, and a new Rihanna album.

The reasoning behind her yearly release schedule is dubious at best (at worst, she's an iPhone, as her manager basically called her when questioned on the subject). The best someone could say is that at least Rihanna always has something fresh for her fans, the Navy.

Well those who quickly got sick of spinning last year's Talk That Talk can rest assured that Unapologetic may have a bit more shelf life in it.

Scratch that, it has a lot of shelf life in it.

Rihanna's latest effort has enough badassry to succeed as a follow-up to her last album, but there is a lot more vulnerability this time around, calling to mind the vastly underrated Rated R (no pun intended, I promise). Rihanna replaces many of the sexual innuendos and club-bangers from before with slower tracks that contain more intimate lyrics than we're used to from the superstar. For instance, there is lead single "Diamonds", which makes a lot more sense in context with the rest of the record, serving as a true standout. Even without the rest, it is certainly an unexpected and interesting path for Rihanna. Then there is the very simple, but lovely ballad "Stay", a duet with Mikky Ekko, that sounds like it was made for an episode of Grey's Anatomy. "What Now" has a bit more punch to it, as Rihanna laments about the residual pain of a break-up. One of the album's highlights, and of the best songs in Rihanna's collection, is "Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary", mash-up of two songs that are pretty much two sides of the same coin, in more ways than one. The first is a radio-friendly midtempo about a dangerous love, naming-dropping Marilyn Monroe and James Dean for reference, while the second is a haunting prayer to the titular religious figure. While both songs would work excellently alone, together, it makes for an arresting listening experience. It certainly would be easy to interpret these songs in the context of her relationship with Chris Brown, but they are strong without him even entering the picture.

One song certain to polarize music listeners is "Loveeeee Song", featuring weird rapper Future. Some will like it, while others will despite it (or at least Future's voice in it). A much more acceptable collaboration comes from Eminem, who features on "Numb", which is fine, but is nowhere near the pure genius of "Love The Way You Lie". In fact, Eminem completely upstages her with his verse, which is a shame since it doesn't sound like he's trying too hard.

Rihanna doesn't totally drop her knack for a dancefloor filler or a swagged out boast. "Right Now", featuring David Guetta, is proof that she is the go-to vocalist for the hottest club tracks. "Nobodys Business", featuring her ex Chris Brown is a surprisingly delicious disco treat, and one of the most enjoyable tracks either has put out in awhile (especially Chris). Lead-off track "Phresh Off The Runway" is simply fierce, while "Jump" finds her at her most dirty-sexy, interpolating the classic freak anthem "Pony" by Ginuwine. "Power It Up" sounds like a 2 Chainz thowaway, but Rihanna certainly pulls it off. She also pulls off "No Love Allowed", but at the most basic level; it's literally a rehash of her 2010 single "Man Down", without the pulsing energy. "Lost in Paradise" is one of the least interesting tracks, which is a shame that it's one of the closers.

After Talk That Talk, which was frankly a blistering but flop attempt at being a badass, Rihanna has released a collection that is a lot more fun, introspective, and reflective of her abilities as an artist. Even with the million-dollar production behind it, Unapologetic has Rihanna as bare as she is on the album's cover, with some scribbles in places. It may be one of the first albums she's done where you can listen fully (meaning without skipping to the singles) more than once.

The title claims she is "unapologetic" about this release, and she definitely doesn't need to.

Standouts You Should Download: Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary, Diamonds, Nobodys Business, Jump, Right Now

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.

Rihanna Hits Back At Parents Television Council Over "Man Down" Criticism!

Rihanna has hit back at criticism over her newest video for single "Man Down".

The pop star was attacked yesterday by the watchdog group Parents Television Council after the video aired on BET. The group accused Rihanna of promoting cold, calculated murder as a proper form of justice in the video. The murder in question was of the character's rapist. The group also pointed out that if Rihanna's ex-boyfriend Chris Brown had made a similar video, he would have been chastised. Therefore, Rihanna should not have been allowed to.

Well, Rihanna has responded to the comments via her highly entertaining Twitter account. Rihanna said in a series of tweets: “I’m a 23 year old rockstar with NO KIDS! What’s up with everybody wantin me to be a parent? I’m just a girl, I can only be your/our voice!  Cuz we all know how difficult/embarrassing it is to communicate touchy subject matters to anyone especially our parents!”

Directly responding to parents who would've been offended by the video: “And this is why! Cuz we turn the other cheek! U can’t hide your kids from society,or they’ll never learn how to adapt! This is the REAL WORLD! The music industry isn’t exactly Parents R Us! We have the freedom to make art, LET US! Its your job to make sure they dont turn out like US.”

I absolutely agree with her on this one. While I will concede Rihanna is certainly a role model for young girls, it is the parents who should be guiding their children and leading by example.

Honestly, I feel like parents put way too much weight into what media their children consume. If your children are raised in a positive environment, then children are likely not to follow what they see on TV and in video games. For instance, I've played Grand Theft Auto and Halo for years, and I've never had or expressed homicidal tendencies. Then again, I was raised by very good people.

Do you think that Rihanna is right, and that parents are more responsible than the entertainment industry? Let me know in the comments!

Rihanna's Murderous "Man Down" Music Video Sparks (Unnecessary) Outrage with Parents Television Council

Yesterday on BET, and today on VEVO, Rihanna premiered the video for other new single "Man Down".

Never one to miss the chance for nice, old-fashioned scolding, the Parents Television Council has taken pop star Rihanna to task for it, according to TMZ.

The group, which was made famous by a Gossip Girl ad repeating their criticisms, is accusing her of advocating the "cold, calculated execution of murder" in her video. Following the song to a tee, the music video tells the story of a young girl (Rihanna) who shoots a man from her window near a train station. The man she shot was the same man who accosted her in an alley the night before and raped her.

The non-profit organization brought Chris Brown into the argument as well, claiming that "if Chris Brown shot a woman in his new video and BET premiered it, the world would stop. Rihanna should not get a pass..."

As inappropriate and irrelevant as it was to bring Chris Brown into the discussion of this video, I would have to agree on that point. If Chris did a video like this, even I would catch a case about it. It would obliterate his career, no doubt.

However, I think that artistic license should be applied in Rihanna's case. Obviously, Rihanna is not saying to people that murder is a just response to something as traumatic as rape. It is a understandable reaction, though, to harm the person to harmed you back. Despite the wishes of the PTC, life is not a High School Musical-esque fantasy, where the worst curse word you'll hear is crap. People have darker sides, born especially from trauma and pain. Rihanna is simply exploring that, which she is allowed to as an artist. It's called artistic expression.

While I commend them for their efforts to protect children, I think they really should be advising parents on how to properly monitor their kid's programming, instead of attacking the producers of that programming.

I also happen to think this is one of her best videos to date. The ending was shocking, raw, and considering her past, very brave of her.

Do you think Rihanna went too far with her video? Check the video out and let me know:

Download of the Day: Rihanna's "California King Bed"

Rihanna shows us her "california king bed"

People tend to ignore or insult Rihanna's abilities as a vocalist.

Sure, she's most popular for her provocative imagery and tailor-made pop smashes, and anyone who looks to her first hit "Pon De Replay" will laugh off Rihanna's occupation as "singer".

But there is no doubt that she has improved greatly as a singer from Music of the Sun. Her latest album Loud has the Barbados beauty taking more risks with her voice than ever before. No song encapsulates that more than "California King Bed", her latest single.

Following the sex craze of "S&M", "California King Bed" is a powerful ballad about two people distancing in a relationship. The song's real power surprisingly comes from Rihanna and her voice. She spends a lot of the song building up the song's tension, singing softly and sensually in the verses, then exploding full-voice in the chorus. It's surely nothing new, especially for pop ballads; Whitney, Mariah, and Celine have been doing it for two decades. But Rihanna's voice is unique. It's not technically great like the three divas, but what she lacks there she makes up for in utter performance. The song itself probably would've faltered without Rihanna's extremely passionate vocals. She sells the song on that alone, which is a rarity in the era of Auto-Tune.

I often long for the days when Whitney and Celine ran the world (and topped the charts) with their glass-shattering vocals. She may not be on their level, but it's great to know that there is still some appreciation for the power ballad, and the vocals to back those up.

What do you think about Rihanna's new power ballad?

Check out the video below:

Rihanna Gets Kinky, Sort Of, in "S&M" Video

Everyone's favorite good girl gone bad Rihanna has finally dropped the music video for her new single "S&M". The video depicts Rihanna in various states of risque while playing with the S and M of the title by incorporating the media. There's one particularly funny (and very telling) scene where Rihanna leads gossip king Perez Hilton around on a leash in her front yard. Essentially, it's a statement about how the celebrity ultimately controls the media, it's just how they do it. Very smart, RiRi.

Check out the video below:

Download of the Day 12/24: All of the Lights by Kanye West

What is the recipe for a hip-hop masterpiece?

Hmm, let's see. Of course, you need a bombastic, over the top hook. To sing the hook, you also need a huge pop singer who is famous for her hook deliveries, like Rihanna. You probably should throw in some epic drum beats, with an epic horn-driven melody for good measure. If the big pop star singing the hook isn't enough star power for you, you could always throw in, just off the top of my head, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Elly Jackson of La Roux, John Legend, and Elton John, just to spice things up. The pièce de résistance? Absolutely manic, deliciously egotistical lyrics that only a rapper with a manic ego could pull off with a straight face, paired with an absolutely manic, deliciously egotistical production.

If only there were a song like that out there right now....

...wait a second! This recipe seems to match up quite well with a little ditty called "All of the Lights" by a little known rapper named Kanye.

Kanye turns all of the lights on him,
 and the eleven other artists on this opus of a single

"All of the Lights" is one of the standouts on an astonishing album. Boasting an eclectic group of featured artists, cinematic scale production, an amazing hook sung by an equally amazing Rihanna, and some of the most powerful delivery of his career, Kanye has concocted nothing short of a hip-hop masterclass that all songs in the genre should be judged by. It is his most affecting single since "Jesus Walks", which is pretty astounding when you consider his discography, even in this current era. While it can be argued that the song is a bit overwhelming, anyone who is familiar with Kanye's anything knows that this falls perfectly in line with him, except for one thing.

It exceeds them all.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Looking Back at... 2010: The Comebacks

It's that time of year again. It's time to look back at all of the good, the bad, and the absolutely ridiculous of the past year. While you all have been voting for your favorites in the BWU Awards 2010, I have sifted through the year in, everything, to find what's worthy of notice.

So, without further ado, here are the biggest comebacks of 2010!

5. Enrique Iglesias - He blew up during the Latin Invasion of the late 90's, but his career fizzled out at the turn of the new millennium, with his last hit being 2001's "Hero". Thanks to the Gaga-bred dance-pop explosion this year, the Latin lover caught an epic second wind. "I Like It", the first single off his latest album Euphoria, reached the top 10 of many countries, including the United States, where it reached #4. His next single, "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)", is already burning its way up the iTunes chart, guaranteeing him success well into 2011. I guess we missed the mole more than we thought.

4. Usher - The King of R&B returned to his throne this year with very successful album Raymond v. Raymond, which spawned the ubiquitous smash "OMG", which #1 on the charts. He also celebrated the success of his protege Justin Bieber, who just won Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. After the disappointment that was 2008's Here I Stand, 2010 was proof that Usher was the premier male pop star of the moment. Now if only he would get that haircut..

3. The British Royal Family - Let's be honest: the thirteen years since the passing of Princess Diana have been relatively uneventful. Sure, Charles married Camilla, and Harry became the troublemaker after bouts with swastika costumes and pot, but compared to the years of Diana, it's been quiet. That changed when Prince William, the second in line to the throne, announced that he would finally be marrying his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton. Almost instantaneously, the world went absolutely bonkers over the engagement. The world's media plastered them across the front pages, speculating on everything from the wedding date to Kate's future role. Her status as a future pop culture figure has already been set; she was featured on Barbra Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People and the dresses she's worn in public have become instant best-sellers. The world, who probably didn't care less about the Windsors two months ago, now wait with baited breath over the April nuptials of the future King and Queen.

2. Rihanna - OK, so it's not really that much of a comeback, but Rihanna definitely regained lost ground on the pop landscape this past year. The Bajan beauty featured on the biggest record of 2010, Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie", and scored two #1 hits of her own with "Only Girl (In The World)" and "What's My Name". Her new album Loud gave her the highest first week sales of her career, although she hasn't been able to get that coveted #1 spot, yet. Also, she has fans cracking up with her witty, shady comments on Twitter and guessing about her love life, in a good way. It's nice to see that she's moved past the drama of last year.

1. Kanye West - He's a douchebag. He's an asshole. He's a scumbag. He's one of the most provocative musical artists on the past decade. Of course, he knows all of this. After the Taylor Swift debacle last year, it seemed like Kanye might have finally pushed the public too far. Well, being Kanye, he took the criticism and unleashed one of the most critically lauded records in recent memory, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Part-ego trip and part masterstroke, Kanye re-worked the conventions of rap and pop with impressive critical and commercial results. Yes, he's still got his antics (replacing his bottom row of teeth with diamonds, the Today Show interview disaster), but no matter what he does, we still have love for the college dropout. So let's have a toast for Kanye, who kept us on our toes in 2010.

BWU Singles Chart Roundup (9/12): Rihanna Dethrones Kylie!

Kylie Minogue's reign as queen of the charts is over!

Pop princess Rihanna, who saw Top 20 success last month with "Rockstar 101", has claimed the #1 spot of the BWU Singles Chart this week with her new single "Only Girl (In The World)". It is the first song to debut at the top of the chart since The Saturdays' "Missing You" did in July. Rihanna ends the amazing four-week #1 streak of "Get Outta My Way", which now sits a spot lower at #2. Also falling a spot is Trey Songz's "Bottoms Up", down to #3.

Also debuting in the Top 5 this week is Flo Rida's "Club Can't Handle Me" at #4. Two more songs enter the Top 20: Sean Kingston's "Letting Go (Dutty Love)" and X Factor winner Olly Murs' "Please Don't Let Me Go".

After five weeks and a re-entry, Kanye West finally breaks the Top 10 with his single "Power", moving up to #9. Bruno Mars also continues his upward streak with "Just The Way You Are", jumping up to #5.

Zooming past Kanye is the power combo of Nicki Minaj and will.i.am, who leapfrog to #7 from #30. Nicki is the fourth artist (after Kylie, Usher, and Robyn) to hold two positions in the Top 10 (not counting features); "Your Love" is at #8 this week. Nicki Minaj has another reason to celebrate; "Your Love" has surpassed Kylie's "All The Lovers" by five points to become the most successful song in BWU Singles Chart history so far, with 372 points.

In certification news, "Missing You" (#21) goes Gold in it's eleventh week.

To see the full chart, visit the BWU Singles Chart page of the blog, link at the top.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 10

1. Only Girl (In The World) - Rihanna
2. Get Outta My Way - Kylie Minogue
3. Bottoms Up - Trey Songz feat. Nicki Minaj
4. Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida feat. David Guetta
5. Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars
6. If It's Love - Train
7. Check It Out - Nicki Minaj & will.i.am
8. Your Love - Nicki Minaj
9. Power - Kanye West
10. Hot Tottie - Usher feat. Jay-Z

Rihanna's New Single "Only Girl (In The World)" Is A Return To Fun

Rihanna's the "only girl"
 you should be listening to

Pop star Rihanna premiered her new single on Ryan Seacrest's radio show this morning, titled "Only Girl (In The World)". It is the first single from her November release Loud, coming out less than a year after her dark and twisty record Rated R.


"Only Girl" is a little more joyful than the singles from Rated R. Ok, a lot more joyful. Forget it, its a damn electro-house party. The drama and depression has been tossed aside for throbbing electro beats and grinding grooves, provided by Stargate (the people behind the amazing "Take a Bow"). What I appreciate is that she hasn't tossed aside some of her stuff from Rated R. The song's lyrics are just as demanding as #1 smash "Rude Boy", demanding that her boyfriend treats her like she is the "only girl in the world" (hence, the title). Instead of being intimidating, though, it is an anthem that is guaranteed smash virtually everywhere in the world (I smell another UK #1, and at least a US Top 5).

If this single, and the (hopefully) appropriately titled album are any indication, than Rihanna is on course to reclaim her pop queen crown.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Video Premiere: Eminem and Rihanna's "Love The Way You Lie"

Today, Eminem and Rihanna premiered the music video for their #1 smash "Love The Way You Lie".

The video depicts an abusive relationship between characters portrayed by Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan. The scenes switch between physically abuse to rabid passion, with cuts to Rihanna in front of a burning house and Eminem in a cornfield. The two megastars come together in front of the burning house at the end as the man in the relationship is also consumed in flames.

The video is a simple, yet effective depiction of domestic violence and volatile love. I was expecting a bit more, and I feel like some scenes were left on the cutting room floor. but kudos to Eminem for not being afraid to take the bull by the horns and deciding to confront abuse head-on. I think this video actually may help young people diagnose their own relationships and escape them if they are troublesome.

What do you think of the video?

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!

I Felt "Fireworks" With Rihanna, Says Drake

Rapper Drake is dropping his debut album Thank Me Later next week and has revealed some interesting information about the opening track and a certain Bajan pop beauty.

The Young Money rapper spoke to the New York Times about his new album, and spoke for the first time about his quickie relationship with pop star Rihanna. Last year, the pair were spotted kissing at the Lucky Strike bowling alley in Manhattan, sparking rumors that he was her first boyfriend after her assault by Chris Brown. According to Drake, though, it was hardly a relationship.

"I was a pawn," Drake told NYT. "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, 'Wow, this feels terrible.' "

The rapper also speaks about the relationship in the song "Fireworks", his collaboration with Alicia Keys. On the song, Drake raps: "I could tell it wasn't love, I just thought you'd fuck with me. Who could've predicted Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me. Damn, I kept my wits about me luckily. What happened between us that night, it always seems to trouble me. Now all of the sudden these gossip rags wanna cover me and you makin' it seem like it happened that way because of me. But I was curious and I'll never forget it baby. What an experience. You could've been the one, but it wasn't that serious."

Wow, clearly someone was feeling it more than the other. Not surprising, since Rihanna is easily one of the hottest stars on the planet. You can't blame a guy for feeling a bit burned. At least we get a great song out of it. On the song, Drake also raps about his relationship with jailed mentor Lil' Wayne and his mother.

Thank Me Later drops in stores on June 15th (it leaked online last week, if you're adventurous, or know how to use Youtube well).

Rihanna Follows Up "Rude Boy" With "Rockstar 101"

Face palm? My thoughts exactly when I heard she was releasing "Rockstar 101"

And all of the momentum she built with "Rude Boy" just went out the window in one fell swoop...

Apparently it didn't reach Rihanna that dark doesn't sell well (no matter amazing "Russian Roulette" was). Despite hitting #1 with the fun "Rude Boy", the Bajan pop star is releasing the heavy-rock "Rockstar 101" as the album's fourth single. It was originally believed that she would release "Te Amo", and I was already spinning that song in preparation, but apparently there was a quick switch, confirmed by a performance on American Idol last week. "Rockstar 101" features Guns 'n' Roses guitarist Slash, but that's definitely not going to be enough to spark interest in this heavy, dreary, and hook-less dirge. Considering all of the hit material she had from the album ("Te Amo" and my personal favorite "Fire Bomb" included), it's puzzling why she woud release one of the album's weakest tracks to push her album.

She might as well have ended the era with "Rude Boy".

Nicki Minaj Removes Herself From Rihanna Tour

"Harajuku Barbie" won't be reigning with Rihanna this summer

So much for girl power?

Rapper Nicki Minaj, who has collaborated with everyone from Usher to Mariah Carey in the past few months, has announce on Twitter that she will no longer be apart of Rihanna's "Last Girl On Earth" summer tour, also featuring singer Ke$ha.

On her page, she said she would rather take the time to record her upcoming record, and that she's sorry she's disappointing her fans (known as "barbz"). The announcement comes just two days after the tour detatls and dates were released to the public.

While I understand finishing up the album is important, this kind of promotion was simply too huge to pass up. I mean, even if she could only do a few dates, that would've been better than none at all. Finishing up the album is pointless if no one is going to end up buying it.

Oh well, more stage time for Rihanna (or Ke$ha, if you're into that)

Music Video Premiere x2: "Rude Boy" by Rihanna and "I Got You" by Leona Lewis

They are two of the world's buggest pop divas, with two completely opposite personas.

But somehow, Bajan princess Rihanna and British songbird Leona Lewis both put out great videos for their new singles, on the same day!

For the fiesty single "Rude Boy", Rihanna went back to her Carribean roots with a colorful, M.I.A inspired video featuring some stuff lions and zebras, Jamaican flag-colored hot pants, and a lot of booty-shaking (remember, Rihanna can dance!).

On the other side of the coin lies Leona Lewis and her new pseudo-ballad "I Got You". The video is very reminiscent of her iconic "Bleeding Love" video (the international, or better, one), where all she does is look epically gorgeous while other people act out the drama she sings of.

While both are styled very differently, "Rude Boy" and "I Got You" are great music videos from two of pop music's most promising young divas.

Check the videos out below. Both singles are digitally available now.

Rude Boy



I Got You

BWU AWARDS 2009: Gaga's Eight Sweep, Maxwell Surprise

The winners of the BWU Awards 2009 are in, and as expected, Gaga was the true dominator of 2009.

The "Poker Face" singer won eight awards out of her eleven nominations, including the "Big Four": Artist, Single, Video, and Album of the Year. In the Artist of the Year category, Lady Gaga gained 65% of the vote, but it wasn't her highest winning margin. In the Best Pop Artist category, she scored a staggering 81% of the vote, making her tied for the highest vote margin of the year. The other winner to score 81% of the vote was Taylor Swift in the Best Country Single category; she also won Best Country Artist.

"Empire State of Mind" helped Jay-Z and Alicia Keys bring home two awards, for Best Collaboration and Best Hip-Hop Single. Jay-Z won "Best Hip-Hop Artist", upsetting seven-time nominee Drake. He won Best New Artist. Alicia Keys easily took "Best R&B Artist".

The biggest surprise came from R&B's biggest comeback Maxwell. After a seven-year absence, the singer won Best Male Artist and Best Male Single, an award he shares with Kid Cudi's Day 'N' Nite. The Best Male Artist category was another that seemed to be Drake's pocket in the beginning of voting.

Dominating in the rock field was Kings of Leon, who took home Best Rock Single and Artist, as well as upsetting 8-time nominee Black Eyed Peas for Best Group Single.

The Gaga sweep shut out many nominees from award glory. 8-time nominee and comeback queen Whitney Houston was left empty-handed. Beyonce only won Best Female Single, despite getting 9 nominations. Also felled by Gaga's domination were Rihanna and Leona Lewis.

The full winners' list will be posted later tonight, and the new BWU Website will have full coverage of the 2009 Awards, including pictures, percentages, and more at bwu.brandonsbestworst.com.