2023 OSCAR NOMINEES FOR BEST ORIGINAL SONG

In a matter of days, one of these five songs will receive this year's Oscar for Best Original Song, an eclectic bunch of compositions that adds some real intrigue to this category. There are a couple of nominees that created music for two of the biggest box-office hits of 2022 who also happen to be two of today's greatest pop superstars. Lady Gaga contributed the '80's styled, power-ballad, "Hold My Hand" to the long-awaited sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick" which displayed Tom Cruise still has a need for speed. After a few years away from working on new music, Rihanna returned with a mournful ballad for the soundtrack to "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" with the director, Ryan Coogler also nominated for co-writing the song. The teaming of the idiosyncratic artists, David Byrne, Mitski and Ryan Lott of the band, Son Lux was the perfect combination to come up with, "This is a Life" for the absurdist comedy-fantasy, "Everything Everywhere All at Once". Lott along with bandmates, Ian Chang, and Rafiq Bhatia were also recognized for creating the original music score for the film. I'm still shocked that the only nomination that the epic Indian action drama, "RRR" received was for the song, "Naatu Naatu", a Telugu-language song that was used in the high-energy dance sequence which is one of many highlights in this movie. And Diane Warren received her fourteenth nomination for the ballad, "Applause" from the little-seen, anthology film, "Tell It like a Woman". I'm afraid to say Warren will probably have to continue enjoying the Honorary Oscar she received last year.

As for the winner, I think it could be Gaga's "Hold My Hand" if the Academy is feeling safe but the more adventurous "Naatu Naatu" would be the more thrilling selection. Here are the five nominated songs to hear and judge for yourself:

"Applause" from "Tell It like a Woman" - (Music and Lyric by Diane Warren)



"Hold My Hand" from "Top Gun: Maverick" - (Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop)



"Lift Me Up" from "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" - (Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler)



"Naatu Naatu" from "RRR" - (Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose)



"This Is A Life" from "Everything Everywhere All at Once" - (Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne)

NEW SOUNDS

SZA

After teasing the track way back in late 2020 and Spotify apparently released the song prematurely a few weeks ago before pulling it back, SZA has officially dropped her latest single, "Shirt". With production and co-writing with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and "Freaky" Rob Gueringer, SZA delivers a smooth ballad about missing her former love and willing to fight his new woman, leaving a trace of her blood on her shirt. The music video is a mini-movie with veteran video director, Dave Meyers behind the camera and actor, LaKeith Stanfield making an appearance. With offbeat, artful visuals, this violent clip is about lovers on a crime spree, leaving several bloody bodies in their wake. And at the end during the credits, SZA teases a brief sample of another song which she revealed is called "Blind". It would seem like a new album should be on the horizon but it's been over five years since her debut was released so it's clear that SZA will only deliver the record when she feels it's ready.



RIHANNA

People have been losing their minds waiting for new music from Rihanna and after almost seven years, the wait is finally over. However, it is not the first single off a forthcoming new album but a song for the soundtrack to "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever", the long-awaited sequel to one of the biggest superhero movies of all time. "Lift Me Up", one of two songs she contributed to the album, is a haunting, mournful ballad that will express a feeling that appears to be part of the plot for the film. The actor, Chadwick Boseman, who played Black Panther, passed away in 2020 from cancer and he was not recast, leaving his absence to be explained in the movie. Since it's been announced that Rihanna will be the performer for this year's Super Bowl half -time show, I have a feeling that an actual new album from the Barbadian pop superstar will appear sooner rather than later.

And to add to the holiday theme of Halloween, Rina Sawayama has released a video for her song, "Frankenstein" from her second album, "Hold The Girl". The British artist reveals how she wants a lover to rebuild her to a better version of herself, no longer wanting to be a monster. The video is set at a wild party and features some dance moves that have a vibe straight out of Michael Jackson's now classic creepy clip, "Thriller".

32 ANTICIPATED ALBUMS IN 2020

Now that we are into the new year, it's time to look at some of the upcoming new music that is expected in 2020. In the first few weeks, we had new albums from Halsey, Selena Gomez and a posthumous release from Mac Miller. And Vulture has done a rundown of other artists who are supposed to release some long-awaited new music throughout the year. This includes some big names who have been promising something for awhile yet nothing has materialized to date. This includes Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, The Dixie Chicks, SZA, Adele and Rihanna to name just a few.

Please click below to read the article:

32 Anticipated New Albums in 2020

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

RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

First up, here are some interesting music videos I like:











After taking some time off to get married and have her first child (it's a girl!) last year, Jessie Ware didn't seem to have wasted anytime getting back to music. The British songstress has just released two new songs. "Midnight" is a haunting uptempo ballad delivering what we love about Ms Ware as it features her sensual vocals and sophisticated songwriting. While "Selfish Love" is another ballad but guitar-driven with a slight bossa-nova beat that presents a completely different vibe from the singer. Look for her upcoming third album, "Glasshouse" in October. In the meantime, check out the music videos for these songs:

I recently just heard one of his songs from back in the day and it made me wonder; what happened to Christopher Cross? This singer, born Christopher Geppert and originally from San Antonio, Texas, released his debut album back in 1979 and it was an immediate success. His collection of soft rock tunes included the hits, "Ride Like The Wind", "Never Be The Same" and the number one single, "Sailing" which helped sell five million copies of the album. Cross would go on to win five Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Album of The Year. His follow-up album in 1983, "Another Page", continued the hits with "Think of Laura", "All Right" and included "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" from the Dudley Moore comedy, "Arthur" which would go on to win an Oscar for Best Original Song. But after all this immediate pop success, the easy-listening rock of Christopher Cross soon wasn't having much of an impact on the charts. He's still around making music and about to embark on a cross-country North American tour. Here are a couple of songs that I love from Christopher Cross:

"Ride Like The Wind" - Christopher Cross (1979) mp3

"Sailing" - Christopher Cross (1979) mp3

MY FAVORITE MOMENTS IN MUSIC IN 2016

2016 was a difficult, challenging year in more ways than one. From a musical standpoint, it was upsetting due to the loss of some pretty important artists from Natalie Cole, David Bowie, Glenn Frey of The Eagles and Prince at the early part of the year to George Michael near the end. The only real comfort is that we still have their music which will keep them with us forever. I won't even get in to that crazy election and the tragic outcome. So, I'm just going to share some of the music from the previous year that I loved but didn't have a chance to cover here:

"Closer" - The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey (2016) mp3

"One Dance" - Drake featuring Wizkid & Kyla (2016) mp3

"Too Good" - Drake featuring Rihanna (2016) mp3



"My Church" - Maren Morris (2016) mp3

"80's Mercedes" - Maren Morris (2016) mp3







"Gold" - Kiiara (2016) mp3

"Close" - Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo (2016) mp3

"Me Too" - Mehgan Trainor (2016) mp3

QUEEN OF THE SOUNDTRACKS

2016 has been very good to the camera-shy Sia with her album, "This Is Acting" and the single, "Cheap Thrills" becoming major hits. But she has also been lending her talents to cinema throughout the year by providing some interesting songs for the soundtracks. She has either sang covers like "Unforgettable", the Nat "King" Cole classic for the animated sequel, "Finding Dory" or performed original material she co-wrote which were heard in films like the dark psychological horror flick, "The Neon Demon" and the documentary, "The Eagle Huntress". In addition to writing songs for film and television that others singers performed (like "Sledgehammer" which Rihanna delivered on for this summer's "Star Trek Beyond" as just one example) and making an appearance on "The Hamilton Mixtape", a pop music reworking of the songs from the smash Broadway musical "Hamilton" (and new number one album in the country), this seems to make Sia the unofficial "Queen of the Soundtracks". Enjoy a small sampling of some of the music this gifted and very busy artist has created:

NEW SOUNDS

MAXWELL

It's quite clear that Maxwell likes to take his time, After an eight-year gap between his 2001 release "Now" and 2009's "BLACKsummers'night", the neo-soul vocalist has finally returned with a follow-up. This sequel, "blackSUMMERS'night" arrives seven years later and is certainly worth the wait. With his reliably smooth voice,  Maxwell delivers more lovely ballads and inspirational songs on love and relationships. Despite the still quite striking forty-three year old artist calling this new collection "progressive soul" which is a merging of gospel, disco, rock and a touch of psychedelic pop, the album doesn't offer any real surprises or major shifts in sound, just his sensual, old-school, funk-driven vibe that made him a major player back in the '90's.

The first single, "Lake By The Ocean" has been riding high on top of the adult r&b chart and I'm sure there will be more to come.



BLOOD ORANGE

Dev Hynes, or as he's better known, Blood Orange, has been devoting much of his time of late working on music for several pop artists. Solange Knowles, Sky Ferreira, FKA Twigs, Florence and the Machine, Carly Rae Jepsen and Kylie Minogue are just a few of the artists that have benefited from the dynamic writing and producing talent of this thirty-year-old Brit. Now, he's ready to focus on himself with a third Blood Orange CD, "Freetown Sound". Far removed from the lightweight fizz of hit-making pop, this record explores the racial, sexual and political tensions happening in the world today. Adding to the quirky rhythms and hook-less tunes are a collection of eclectic guest performers ranging from the expected (Jepsen and Debbie Harry) and the unexpected (author, Ta-Nehisi Coates and slam poet, Ashlee Haze).

I love that a track now on this record, "Hadron Collider" (that features a long-absent, Nelly Furtado) was first released only as a promotional cassette tape last December and sold during his shows at the Apollo Theater. Have a listen:

"Hadron Collider" - Blood Orange & Nelly Furtado (2016) mp3

Fergie is once again back with some new music. Much like what happen with Gwen Stefani, Fergie dropped a song, "L.A. Love (La La)" way back in 2014 after a long absence from the scene but nobody was feeling much love for the tune.

After regrouping, the forty-one-year-old singer is giving it another try with a sexy little ditty called "M.I.L.F.$" (pronounced "MILF Money"). If you don't know what a M.I.L.F. is, well, let's just say it means someone that would enjoy an intimate encounter with a mature woman with children. To be perfectly honest, I'm not really feeling this song but I do love the music video. The colorful, hyper-sexual clip, directed by Colin Tilley, is littered with hot fashion models like Alessandra Ambrósio, Chrissy Teigen, Amber Valletta, Devon Aoki, Angela Lindvall as well musician, Ciara and the notorious, Kim Kardashian who all happen to be mothers. And model, Jon Kortajarena plays the milkman lusting after all these women. You must check this out:



Finally, here is that infamous video by Kanye West for his latest single, "Famous". Inspired by the painting, "Sleep" by Vincent Desiderio, the clip features notable figures like Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bill Cosby, Taylor Swift, Rihanna (who provides vocals on the track), West, former girlfriend, Amber Rose and his wife, Kim Kardashian, all sleeping nude in a bed together (with the help of synthetic look-alike bodies). Personally I think all the outrage and shock about this video is much ado about nothing but take a look and see for yourself.  BE WARNED: NUDITY MAKES THIS NSFW:

NEW SOUNDS

SIA

"This Is Acting", the seventh studio album by the hesitant pop star, Sia, has a very clever concept. The record is made-up of songs the Australian songwriter wrote with other pop artists in mind but were rejected. The idea to use material that superstars like Rihanna, Beyoncé and Adele passed on doesn't seem encouraging yet Sia appears inspired and brings these songs to life with her own unique style. Produced with fellow hitmakers, Greg Kurstin and Jesse Shatkin, the songs feel less glossy than if those other vocalists had performed them but are no less potent.

One of the highlights is "One Million Bullets", an original song that was never offered to anyone else. Sia delivers her reliably fiery passion that makes this track all her own:

"One Million Bullets" - Sia (2016) mp3

RIHANNA

With her eighth album, "Anti", Rihanna has made a radical departure from the dance-powered pop that first brought her fame. With no apparent concern for musical trends, the new music reflects a much more personal side than what we're used to hearing from the performer. She has collaborated with some rising production talent like Boi-1da, Hit-boy and DJ Mustard to help guide her in a new direction with more of an emphasis on edgier alt-soul and dancehall. Not all of the songs are successful and there aren't many obvious pop singles to be found here but Rihanna is attempting to grow as an artist, making a creatively adventurous work that should definitely be heard.

For the first single, "Work" (that features Drake), there are two different music videos for the track. One is set at a Jamaican dance hall party with the young crowd enjoying weed and jerk chicken, The other is just Rihanna and Drake, in a tacky living room, bumping and grinding on each other. Here are both videos together so you can watch them and decide which one you like best:



BLOC PARTY

After taking a hiatus in 2013 which resulted with two members ultimately leaving the band, the British alt-rock group, Bloc Party has returned with their fifth album, "Hymns". New band-mates, Justin Harris on bass and drummer, Louise Bartle join Russell Lissack on guitar and lead vocalist/guitarist, Kele Okereke on music that moves closer towards dance and electronic sounds. Okereke explains that he was inspired by religious hymns and symbolism which resulted with an abstract spirituality moving throughout the record.

Take a look at the fun video for the first single, "The Love Within":

RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

2015 is off to a great start with some exciting new music hitting the airwaves.

Paul McCartney has certainly been busy. First, the former Beatle plays piano on Kanye West's surprise single, "Only One", a touching ballad about his late mother and new-born daughter. Now, both Sir Paul and Mr. West appear on the just-dropped new song from Rihanna. "FourFiveSeconds" displays an unexpected acoustic sound from the pop superstar. I'm not sure how her fans will respond but I think it's a great creative move:

"Only One" - Kanye West featuring Paul McCartney (2015)

"FourFiveSeconds" - Rihanna featuring Kanye West & Paul McCartney (2015)

Thanks to Daft Punk's tribute to him on their Grammy-winning album, "Random Access Memories", the legendary producer, Giorgio Moroder has decided to stage a comeback. At the age of seventy-four, the man responsible for helping usher in the era of disco music has assembled some of today's hottest vocalists including Britney Spears, Sia, Mikky Ekko and Charli XCX for his first new album of dance music in thirty years. Listen to the sizzling single from the upcoming, "74 Is The New 24", "Right Here, Right Now"  which features Kylie Minogue:

Here is the video for the title track from Giorgio's new album:

D'Angelo quietly released his third studio album, "Black Messiah" after a fourteen year absence from the music scene last December. It has received a lot of love from critics and fans alike. The reclusive singer plans to embark on short European tour beginning in February with his band, The Vanguard. Listen to "Sugah Daddy", the track that was given away as a free download a few days before the album's release:



"Sugah Daddy" - D'Angelo (2014)

I'd been wondering what had happened to Stephanie Mills? The theater veteran and popular recording artist hadn't been heard from in quite a while but made a very welcome return at last year's BET Awards performing a stirring rendition of her hit, "Home" that she first sang when she starred as Dorothy on Broadway in "The Wiz" many years ago. She's one of my all-time favorite singers. Enjoy a few of her lesser known songs that I love:

"You Can Get Over" - Stephanie Mills (1979)

"Try My Love" - Stephanie Mills (1980)

"Keep Away Girls" - Stephanie Mills (1982)

Finally, here's a new music video I love from Danish electronic band,  Kadie Elder:

MY FAVORITE MOMENTS IN MUSIC OF 2013

I know this is very late and 2013 is just a distant memory for most people but I have to point out my favorite tunes from last year. I had already displayed some of my favs throughout, so here is the rest of my best:

"Safe and Sound" - Capital Cities

"This Life" - Josef Salvat

"The Way" - Ariana Grande featuring Mac Miller



"Love More" - Chris Brown featuring Nicki Minaj

"Hold On We're Going Home" - Drake



"Latch" - Disclosure featuring Sam Smith

"Happy" - Pharrell Williams

"Summertime Saddness (Cedric Gervais Remix)" - Lana Del Rey

"Unbelievers" - Vampire Weekend

"Walking On Air" - Katy Perry

HEY MR. DJ . . .

The disc jockey or "D.J." are the people responsible for playing music, either on the radio or spinning in a club. They have become even more important these days since the rise in popularity of electronic music.

So, here's to the people who get the party started and makes sure it lasts all night long. Enjoy this selection of some of my favorite tunes that honors the tradition of the D.J:

"Hey, Mr. D.J." - Zhané  (1994)

"Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life" - Indeep (1982)

"D.J." - David Bowie (1979)

"Pon De Replay" - Rihanna (2005)

"D.J." - Amanda Blank (2009)

"Let The Music Play" - Shannon (1983)

"(Fuck Him) He's A D.J." - Ke$ha (Demo)

"Play" - Jennifer Lopez (2001)

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

"GIRL ON FIRE" - ALICIA KEYS

Alicia Keys has recently become a wife and mother, which has unavoidably changed the musician and that is reflected on her fifth studio album, "Girl On Fire". She's ready to explore new sounds as she's taken the classic soul structure that is her claim to fame and mixed in experimental textures that fits in to the alt-r&b movement currently in the works.

While many have responded favorably to this latest recording by Ms Keys but unfortunately I am not one. Although I've warmed up slightly to the title track but otherwise, I'm not really feeling this album and I'm very disappointed to say that as I am a big fan. The singer has once again written songs that are deeply personal and thoughtful but musically, this ballad heavy set fails to - well, catch fire.

This track, "Fire We Make" features Maxwell and while it's fine but when these two powerhouses came together, I expected something with more fireworks:

"Fire We Make" - Alicia Keys Featuring Maxwell

In the video for the title track, Alicia looks absolutely amazing and the more I hear "Girl On Fire", the more I enjoy it:


"UNORTHODOX  JUKEBOX" - BRUNO MARS

First, let me say that I think Bruno Mars is a truly gifted talent and he has a long future ahead of him. Now, having said that, I have to admit that I haven't really gotten in to much of his music. That opinion may have changed as the twenty-seven year old Hawaii native has just released his sophomore effort, "Unorthodox Jukebox" and all of the songs (which he co-wrote) on the record certainly reflect that.

The album is an eclectic collection that features touches of all of the different musical styles that the artist likes. The first single, "Locked Out Of Heaven" brings to mind the early songs of The Police while "Treasure" has some nice tasty funk, and "Show Me" features some pretty convincing reggae. I have a feeling we will be hearing plenty of Bruno Mars in 2013.

"Treasure" - Bruno Mars

I love this music video for "Locked Out Of Heaven":




"UNAPOLOGETIC" - RIHANNA

You can probably call pop superstar, Rihanna many things but one thing you can't say is that she's lazy. The singer from Barbados has released a new album every year in November for the past four years with her recent seventh, "Unapologetic", surprisingly, has become the first to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart.

The lead single, "Diamonds" is a smash-hit (that went to number one in fifteen countries) but the rest of the new material while adventurous, feels slightly scattered and unfocused. The usual suspects are on board: David Guetta, Stargate, The Dream along with Australian pop artist, Sia (who co-wrote, "Diamonds") and Chris Brown shows up on a duet so the two can flaunt their "true love" to the world.

After her 777 Tour, where she flew on a Boeing 777 with her hardcore fans and journalists from around the globe to perform in seven different cities, in seven different countries in seven days to promote the album, look for Rihanna on the road next year for her Diamonds World Tour.

This track spells out what Rihanna and Chris Brown wants the world to know about their relationship:

"Nobody's Business" - Rihanna featuring Chris Brown

"KALEIDOSCOPE DREAM" - MIGUEL

Miquel is one of the current artists out there pushing the boundaries of soul music by offering unexpected beats and sounds which he has done on his second studio album, "Kaleidoscope Dream".  This confident collection, written and produced by the twenty-seven year old Southern Californian native, has incorporated thoughtful ideas of love and sexuality combined with slinky rhythms of funk, rock, electronica and dub-step.

Just like another member of the alt-r&b movement, Frank Ocean, Miguel has received critical praise and Grammy love by garnering four nominations this year including the prestigious Song Of The Year category for, "Adorn".

Have a listen to the title track:

"Kaleidoscope Dream" - Miguel

"WARRIOR' - KE$HA

When Ke$ha first came on the scene in 2009 with her international smash, "Tik Tok", her rap-pop sound combined with her wild-child, party girl antics was highly entertaining. Now, a few years in and she's (more or less) still doing the same shtick and it has grown a little tiresome.

"Warrior" is her second studio album, following a couple of EPs , and features the same producers (Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Shellback and Benny Blanco) that she has used previously as well as every other current pop star out right now. However, the singer has attempted to freshen her sound by adding some rock elements which has her teaming-up with punk legend, Iggy Pop on the tune, "Dirty Love" as well as contributions from rock bands, The Flaming Lips and The Strokes with the results being semi-successful. She's even covers a track, "Old Flames Can't Hold A Candle To You", which was a number one country hit for Dolly Parton and co-written by her mother, Pebe Sebert. The song is on another EP, "Deconstructed" that features acoustic versions of Ke$ha's songs and only available on her website.

Here is the title track:

"Warrior" - Ke$ha"

After a less than stellar appearance as a judge on the U.S. version of "The X Factor", Britney Spears has returned to music and back to the top of the charts. She provides backing vocals to will i.am's latest tune, "Scream & Shout" and shows up in the music video:

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

"TALK THAT TALK" - RIHANNA

I would have lost money if I had bet against the idea that the sweet, young girl from the islands who sang the cute but fluffy, "Pon De Replay" back in 2005 would become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But that is exactly what Rihanna is now.

"Talk That Talk" is the pop superstar's sixth album over the past seven years. After the darker period of the last two albums, Rihanna is now decidedly in a light, sexy mood, confident and looking for fun. The singer hasn't changed the winning formula too much as there is still a very large stable of hot writers and producers to help mold her sound.

"Do Ya Thang" - Rihanna (2011)

"HOW DO YOU DO" - MAYER HAWTHORNE

Meyer Hawthorne has returned with a fun and funky new album, "How Do You Do" on his new major label, Universal Republic Records. He has continued the old school r&b vibe that was featured on his terrific debut, "A Strange Arrangement" and with this new release, Mr. Hawthorne has delivered an even stronger album of classic silky soul perfectly blended with hip-hop beats. He's even has rapper, Snoop Dogg singing on a track!

"Can't Stop" - Mayer Hawthorne Featuring Snoop Dogg (2011)

"CEREMONIALS" - FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

Flame-haired, English songstress, Florence Welch has reassembled her Machine (Isabella Summers on keyboards, guitarist, Robert Ackroyd, Chris Hayden on drums, bassist, Mark Saunders and Tom Monger on the harp) to release the follow-up to the band's highly successful 2009 debut album, "Lungs".

On "Ceremonials", Florence delivers a dark, moody and  ballad-heavy collection using that unique voice to create more of her wonderfully, quirky orchestral art-rock songs.

"Lover To Lover" - Florence & The Machine (2011)

"STRONGER" - KELLY CLARKSON

The very first "American Idol" winner, Kelly Clarkson is still the best vocalist to come off of that show and with her fifth album, "Stronger" she delivers more of her trademark countryified pop-rock songs with hints of r&b scattered throughout.

Unfortunately, there are no surprises and Ms Clarkson would greatly benefit from stretching herself much further but it's still a solid, entertaining pop album.

"Mr. Know-It-All" - Kelly Clarkson (2011)

"DUETS II" - TONY BENNETT

Veteran pop singer, Tony Bennett has recorded over seventy albums during his long career and has recently made history, at the age of eighty-five, as being the oldest artist to ever have a album debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 Album chart.

"Duets II" is the a follow-up to his 2006 hit album, "Duets" which, once again, pairs him up with a wide spectrum of musical artists who perform many classic songs from the Great American Songbook. It includes an impressive list of vocalists such as Faith Hill, Andrea Bocelli, Queen Latifah, Alejandro Sanz, Lady Gaga and the late Amy Winehouse.

Here is Mr. Bennett's amusing duet with a game, Lady Gaga:

"The Lady Is A Tramp" - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (2011)

This is the video of  Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse perfroming their rendition of "Body and Soul":




"MY LIFE II" - MARY J. BLIGE

Mary J. Blige's tenth studio album, "My Life II" is a sequel (of sorts) to her 1994 album. During the time of the "My Life" album, Mary was dealing with drug addiction, depression and an abusive relationship but she is now a happily married woman with a positive outlook which is reflected in the songs on the latest album.

Although Mary lined up some of the top producers (Darkchild, Danja, Tricky Stewart) and performers (Beyonce, Nas, Drake) on this project but the final results fails to live up to the original album. There are are some fine moments to be found but overall it lacks the true passion and power of some of the classic songs, "You Bring Me Joy", "I Love You" and the title track off of "My Life"

"25/8" - Mary J. Blige (2011)

"NOTHING BUT THE BEAT" - DAVID GUETTA

French DJ, David Guetta is currently one of the most popular record spinners in the world and has very successfully moved in to music production.

On his fifth album, "Nothing But The Beat", Mr. Guetta has once again rounded up a group of all-star talent from the world of r&b, hip-hop and pop to perform on this disc. Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lil' Wayne, Jennifer Hudson and Sia are just a few of the names that make an appearance and the collaboration with Usher on the song, "Without You" has reached number four on the pop chart. The relentless, throbbing beats can grow slightly tiresome after a while but for the lovers of dance music, David Guetta can do no wrong.

"Turn Me On" - David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj (2011)

RIHANNA: THE QUEEN OF POP

There has been no slowing Rihanna down as with her latest single, "We Found Love" is her eleventh number one song on the U.S. Billboard Pop Chart, tying her with Whitney Houston with the most among female artists following Mariah Carey and Madonna.

She has also made the charts working with other artists such as Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, David Guetta with her total chart toppers including collaborations with T.I ("Live Your Life") and Eminem ("Love The Way You Lie").

There are two new songs out where Rihanna has added her vocals; the first is not surprising as she is on the title track, "Take Care" from hip-hop artist, Drake's upcoming album. The two team up again after his appearance on her 2010 number one song, "What's My Name?"

"Take Care" - Drake Featuring Rihanna (2011)

The other is more unexpected as Rihanna appears on a track from Coldplay's new album, "Mylo Xyloto". "Princess of China" is a slight shift in direction for the rock band with the song having a funkier edge and being a true stand-out on the record:

"Princess of China" - Coldplay Featuring Rihanna (2011)

This is the gritty and sexy music video for "We Found Love" that follows a young couple's drug-fueled romance. (I think the male lead looks suspiciously like Rihanna's former lover, Chris Brown):

MY TUNE OF THE DAY

When I heard that Rihanna was coming out with yet another new album, my first thought was, "She seriously needs to take a vacation." but then I heard the first official single off of that project, "We Found Love".

I have to admit that I really love it. The song is produced by Calvin Harris, the Scottish singer/songwriter and DJ. The song is not very deep lyrically and doesn't demand much vocally from Rihanna but it's still a great dance tune.

This song may or may not indicate what direction the new album might take but it will be entitled, "Talk That Talk" and should be released here in the U.S. on November 21st.

Have a listen:

"We Found Love" - Rihanna (2011)

Here is the music video for "Cheers (Drink To That)", the seventh (!) and final single off her her last album, "Loud" which features the distinctive sound of the pop/punk princess, Avril Lavigne. This clip shows what seems to be the behind-the-scenes of the crazy, hectic but very enjoyable life of Rihanna:

BRITNEY REMIXED

Britney Spears is sizzling hot right now, so she has decided to team-up with a few of her fellow pop darlings in a couple of remixes of two songs topping the charts right now.

The first one is Rihanna's hit song, "S&M" which is now a duet with Ms Spears.The presence of  two of pop music's current powerhouses on this song sounds much better on paper than the actual record as Britney's additional vocals really doesn't add much to make this song truly an event. They would have been better off coming together on a brand new song.

"S&M (Remix)" - Rihanna & Britney Spears (2011)

The next is Britney's own hit song, "Till The World Ends" that has been remixed with not only Ke$ha but hip-hop's new sensation, Nicki Minaj, who has just been announced as Britney's opening act for her upcoming tour. Ms Minaj adds her trademark clever rap to the song and as for Ke$ha's appearance . .  well, let's just say that three is an unnesscary crowd.

"Till The World Ends" - Britney Spears featuring Nicki Minaj & Ke$ha (2011)

And as a bonus, here are the music videos for the original versions of these songs:

MY FAVORITE MOMENTS IN MUSIC OF 2010

I was planning on rambling on about what a great year 2010 was in music but I have decided to simply just let the songs speak for themselves (although I can't resist making a comment or two here and there).

So, let's go back and hear (and see) just a few of my favorite songs from the past twelve months:

Mavis Staples - "Wrote A Song For Everyone" from "You Are Not Alone"

Miami Horror - "Holidays" from "Illumination"

Katy Perry - "California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg)" from "Teenage Dream [Explicit]"

Kanye West - "Lost In The World [Explicit]" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Explicit]"

Hot Chip - "One Life Stand" from "One Life Stand"

Cee-Lo Green - "Fuck You" from "The Lady Killer [Explicit]"

Erykah Badu - "Get MuNNY" from " New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh"

Here is the controversial music video for the first single off of the album, "Window Seat" that worked up a lot of people. It is a great art piece which was shot in Dallas in the location where President Kennedy was assassinated but is caused Ms Badu to be charged with disorderly conduct and fined $500 dollars. It just shows how people are more freaked out about the human body than by violence:



Lady Antebellum - "Need You Now" from "Need You Now [+digital booklet]"


Sade - "Soldier of Love" from "Soldier of Love"

Broken Bells - "The Ghost Inside" from "Broken Bells"

Goldfrapp - "Believer" from "Head First [+Digital Booklet]"

Nikki Minaj - "Your Love" from "Pink Friday [Explicit]"

Gorillaz - "Rhinestone Eyes" from "Plastic Beach"

Bruno Mars - "Just The Way You Are" from "Doo-Wops & Hooligans"

Janelle Monae - "Wondaland" from "The ArchAndroid"

Florence + The Machine - "Dog Days Are Over" from "Lungs"

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl - "You Gave Me Nothing" from "Record Collection [Explicit]"

Corinne Bailey Rae - "Closer" from "The Sea"

The Knocks - "Dancing With The DJ"

Karen Elson - "The Ghost Who Walks" from "The Ghost Who Walks"

Cut Copy - "Take Me Over" from "Zonoscope"

Robyn - "Body Talk" trilogy

This project was, for the most part, criminally ignore on the pop charts in the U.S and these songs should have been played on the radio. Shame on U.S radio programmers!

Robyn - "Dancing On My Own" from "Body Talk Pt 1"

Robyn - "Hang With Me" from "Body Talk Pt. 2 [Explicit]"

Robyn - "Stars 4-Ever" from "Body Talk Pt. 3"

Rihanna had a very good year with four singles hitting the top ten, with three of those going all the way to number one. I really like all of the songs but I love the music video for the song, "Rude Boy". It's got a great wild and colorful look plus it pays a brief homage to the outrageous Miss Grace Jones and artist Keith Haring: