NUMBER ONE FLASHBACK

Today's number one flashback, "Together Again" by Janet Jackson held the top spot during this week back in 1998. This poignant dance track pays loving tribute to lives lost to AIDS and was the second single off her critically acclaimed concept album, "The Velvet Rope".  The song would become Jackson's eighth of ten career number one U.S. singles and would enjoy two weeks in this position.

"Together Again", co-written by Jackson with her long-time producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and her-then-unknown-now-former-husband, René Elizondo Jr., began as a moving ballad inspired after the AIDS-related death of a friend of Jackson's before being transformed in to a celebratory beat-heavy appreciation to anyone who has lost a loved one. The song traveled the world reaching the top-ten on many international charts and would go on to sell six million copies worldwide.

"Together Again" - Janet Jackson (1998) mp3

Here is a little-seen music video directed by Elizondo, Jr. of a remix of the song which turns it to a sensual ballad with Jackson clearly singing about wanting to reunite with a lover:

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

One of the first big songs of the new year is a remix of "Finesse" by Bruno Mars. This single is off his 2016 album, "24K Magic" and has gotten a boost by one of the breakout stars of 2017, Cardi B who kicks off the track with her trademark sassy rap. The song pays homage to the new-jack sound of the late '80's and the music video gives props to the '90's comedy show "In Living Color", in particular to "the fly-girls", the young women who danced in between skits. People are responding well to this version of the song and has already reached the U.S. top-forty in it's first week on the charts.

For his latest single, "Family Feud", Jay-Z has called on some major talent to put together the music video. He has gotten Ava DuVernay to direct this clip and the musician co-wrote the story with her. It begins in the future of 2444 with a dramatic family feud ending in death before going back to 2050 with the U.S. now run by an all-female government who are in the process of rewriting the Constitution. We continue back until we reach our current year with Jay-Z walking his daughter, Blue Ivy through a church. The father/rapper begins the song which he confesses his infidelities and wants to keep his family together. His wife, Beyoncé appears on the track and in the video, dressed as some type of glamorous high priestess, listening patiently to what her husband has to say. And there are plenty of famous faces scattered throughout the video including Thandie Newton, Michael B. Jordan, Mindy Kaling, David Oyelowo, Niecy Nash, Trevante Rhodes, Constance Wu and Jessica Chastain.

MY FAVORITE MOMENTS IN MUSIC IN 2017

2017 has come to a close and it was another year of some great music. I've always shared the tunes that I've loved and enjoyed throughout the year but time didn't permit me to get to everything. So to end 2017 properly, here's a round-up of a few of my favorite songs and videos from the previous year I didn't get a chance to share:



"HUMBLE" - Kendrick Lamar (2017) mp3

"High" - Ledisi (2017) mp3

"Stay" - Zedd featuring Alessia Cara (2017) mp3

"Feel It Still" - Portugal. The Man (2017) mp3



"Shining" - DJ Khaled featuring Beyoncé and Jay Z (2017) mp3

"Sorry Not Sorry" - Demi Lovato (2017) mp3











"Now or Never" - Halsey (2017) mp3

TAKE TWO: TAYLOR DAYNE

With her big voice and even bigger hair, Taylor Dayne stood out during her reign back in the late '80's and early '90's with her soul-inflected pop-dance songs. She was born Leslie Wunderman and raised in New York. After she graduated high school, she began performing with a variety of rock bands before going solo (and billing herself as "Les Lee") and recording a few dance tracks. This helped land her with Arista Records and with a name change to the more dramatic "Taylor Dayne", she hit it big with her first single, "Tell It To My Heart" which became a world wide smash in 1987. A debut album was quickly put together and given the title of her single. Dayne had more top-ten hits from the album including "Prove Your Love", "Don't Rush Me" and the moving ballad,  "I'll Always Love You".

Her follow-up album, "Can't Fight Fate" in 1989 continued Dayne's string of chart successes and featured "With Every Beat of My Heart", "I'll Be Your Shelter", "Heart of Stone" and her first U.S. number one pop hit, "Love Will Lead You Back".  By the release of her third album, "Soul Dancing" in 1993 and despite a dynamic dance cover of Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" reaching the top-forty on the pop charts, the album didn't do as well as her previous releases.  Dayne soon departed from Arista and recorded "Naked Without You" in 1998 which she was more involved with the production and writing of the record but the album failed to chart.

It would be ten years later before Dayne would release another album. "Satisfied" was not a major success but she did reach the top of the U.S. dance club charts with "Beautiful" in 2008. Sadly, this has been the last album the singer has released to date. But Dayne has remained active over the years with her appearing on reality shows, acting on Broadway with "Aida" and performing in film and television. Although she never married, Dayne had twins via a surrogate in 2002. Let's look back and enjoy a couple of my favorite songs by the incredible Taylor Dayne: