Billy Joel had been trying to make it into music since his early days as a teenager living in Long Island, NY, playing in several bands and performing solo gigs in bars around town. He got signed to a local label but his debut album in 1971, while displaying his extraordinary gift for songwriting, failed to find an audience. A live recording of a song, "Captain Jack" received some local attention which led to a Columbia Records executive becoming interested in Joel. He was signed to the label, moved to Los Angeles and recorded the album, "Piano Man" in 1973. The title track, a retelling of Joel's experiences during his time as a lounge singer living in LA, reached the top-thirty on the pop chart. And while it appeared Joel was headed towards becoming a major pop artist, his next two albums were only modest sellers, yet his songwriting skills were greatly admired including Barbra Streisand recording a version of his song, "New York State of Mind" in 1977.
Joel's big breakthrough came that same year with "The Stranger". The album had four top-forty singles, winning Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Just the Way You Are" and selling over ten million copies. This began a long string of hit albums and songs for Joel, with thirty-three top-forty hits (all that he had written) in the U.S., until he released his twelfth studio album, "River of Dreams" in 1993. Feeling disappointed by the lack of successful singles despite all of the hard work he had put in to make the album, Joel became disillusioned by the grind of the pop music business and decided to walk away.
But he didn't leave the music business entirely however with Joel touring extensively over the following years, which included a long-running series of concert tours with Elton John and a residency at Madison Square Garden. And he did record one more album in 2001, "Fantasies & Delusions" but it contained only classical solo piano pieces composed by Joel.
Now Joel has just unexpectedly released a new song, "Turn the Light Back On". This is not really the first pop song he has released since '93 (he had a couple of original tracks in 2007) but this feels like a song that perfectly captures his sound back in his hit-making days. This sentimental ballad is about hoping it's not too late to save a relationship suffering from neglect. A singer's voice will diminish somewhat over time, especially for hard-working, seasoned performers, yet the seventy-four-year old's vocals here are impressively robust and polished. I really love this song and hopefully this could lead to a complete album down the road. But in the meantime, be sure to catch Joel on this year's Grammy Awards show on February 4th where he will premiere "Turn the Lights Back on" with a live performance.
For his first solo work in six years, Justin Timberlake has returned with "Selfish". This song, with production by Cirkut, Louis Bell and Timberlake, is a beat-heavy ballad that has him explaining his obsession with this woman he's interested in and if that makes him selfish, he just can't help it. I'm not sure about the message this is sending, especially in today's climate but perhaps this will be overlooked. This is the first release from his forthcoming sixth studio album, "Everything I Thought It Was" due out in March. Timberlake is in full promo mode, appearing last weekend as the musical guest on "SNL" (and debuting another song, "Sanctified"), hitting the talks shows, performing an intimate show at Irving Plaza in New York City on January 31st (which is also his 43rd birthday) before launching a world tour in April.
But fans of Britney Spears seemed to have wanted to have the last word on Timberlake's new song after the singer's revelations about her former boyfriend in her recent memoir. I still don't understand how they did this but the Britney stans managed to have a song also titled "Selfish" from Spears' 2011 album, "Femme Fatale" climb up and eventually reach number one on the US iTunes chart, knocking Timberlake off that spot. It's all silly and petty yet impressive work.
When I heard that actress Kate Hudson was dropping a new pop music single, I admit I was extremely skeptical of the outcome. I knew she could carry a tune after seeing her enjoyable performance in the 2009 filmed version of the Broadway musical, "Nine" yet it still remained questionable to me that the nepo baby of Goldie Hawn was an actual singer. However, after hearing "Talk About Love", I will now admit I was wrong. This pop-rock song, co-written by Hudson, her boyfriend, Daniel Fujikawa and musician/producer, Linda Perry, is pretty good, polished and catchy in a way that's very appealing with Hudson delivering a great vocal. The Oscar-nominated performer plans to release an entire album sometime in the near future and I am now curious to hear more.
I really don't understand the point of this Nicki Minaj/Megan Thee Stallion feud going on but here is the latest song from Megan Thee Stallion, "Hiss" which is delivering all she needs to say at this moment:
Finally, I would like to pay tribute to two gifted musicians we recently lost. The voice behind the Ashford & Simpson penned ode to the Golden State, "California Soul", Marlena Shaw has passed away on January 19th at the age of eighty-one. The New York artist (born Marlina Burgess) began her interest in music as a child through her uncle, Jimmy Burgess, a jazz trumpeter. Helping her develop skills as a vocalist, Marlina would sing with her uncle's band at the Apollo Theater at the age of ten.
Changing her stage name to "Marlena Shaw", she would continue to pursue a career as a singer, performing with several jazz bands before an opportunity came her way during a gig at the Playboy Club in Chicago. Representatives from Chess Records were in the audience and offered her a recording contract. Shaw made two albums for the label with "California Soul" appearing on her second release, "The Spice of Life" in 1969. And while she was not the first or the only artist to cover the song, Shaw's version was the one that made "California Soul" memorable. The track would go on to become popular in the British rare groove music scene, become heavily sampled by hip-hop musicians and used frequently for television commercials. Shaw recorded sixteen albums over the course of her career, largely jazz music but a few that combined blues, soul and some disco.
Melanie, who reached the top of the US pop chart with her composition, "Brand New Key", passed away on January 23rd. The New York singer/ songwriter, born Melanie Safka, was seventy-six with no cause of death revealed to date. She began as part of the counterculture, folk music scene in the village and managed to get signed with Columbia Records. Melanie recorded a couple of singles for them that didn't get much attention and moved on to a lower-profile label, Buddah Records. Two of her songs, "Bobo's Party" and "Beautiful People", became hits in Europe and this helped get Melanie an invite to perform at the 1969 Woodstock music festival, one of only three solo female musicians to perform there. The experience at the fest inspired Melanie to write the song, "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" which features the gospel group, the Edwin Hawkins Singers on backing vocals. This song became a hit in Europe and the US where it reached the top ten on the pop chart in 1970.
Frustrated by her label's controlling demand for new music on their timetable, Melanie, with her producer husband, Peter Schekeryk, formed their own indie label, Neighborhood Records. From her fifth album, "Gather Me" in 1971, "Brand New Key" became the biggest hit of her career, charting across the globe. While not reaching these heights again, Melanie continued to record (releasing twenty-six albums) and tour extensively. She married Schekeryk in 1968 and were together until his passing in 2010. The couple had three children; daughters, Leilah and Jeordie and son, Beau who are all working musicians.
This past year in music, it reminded me of a time when I was a strange, awkward teen listening to AM radio in the 1970's. Back then it was common for stations to play all genres of music, tossed together indiscriminately, where it would create the ultimate pop music playlist. Over time, music became much more segregated but largely thanks to TikTok, we had a jumble of various sounds finding their way into our ears; classic soul, hip-hop, country, dance-pop, world music, Latin-pop, a bit of jazz and older music which were tunes that didn't receive much attention when initially released or songs that were popular years ago but have been rediscovered by a new generation. I really love this trend of as I don't believe that most people only listen to one style of music. The possibilities of discovery are endless, making this new year exciting and full of promise.
Here are a few songs that I loved that I didn't get an opportunity to share throughout the year:
Over the last week, Lil Nas X has been using social media to draw attention to his upcoming new music. Now the song, "J. Christ" is out along with a controversial music video that is certain to draw the ire of the religious faithful. The clip begins with a long line of people, which includes dubious look-alikes of Oprah, Taylor Swift and former President Barack Obama, preparing to ascend to heaven. Nas, dressed throughout in stylish, gender-fluid fashion, straddles between heaven and hell before playing a game of hoops with the devil. He uses biblical imagery but places his own provocative, queer spin on them. This song, which Nas dedicates to "the man who had the greatest comeback of all time", is far less intriguing than the video, with the young artist seeming to be more interested in whipping folks up into a wild frenzy than being musically adventurous. Regardless, I have to say I admire him greatly for pushing boundaries and fearlessly pursuing his artistic vision to make his point. And to dive further into this and the rest of his new music, there will be a documentary released on January 27th called "Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero" on HBO and MAX.
ARIANA GRANDE
Also using social media during the last month to tease footage of her working in a recording studio, Ariana Grande has dropped a surprise new single on Friday. "Yes, And?" is a beat heavy, dance-pop tune that the singer has made her career with, reuniting with long-time producers, Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh who helped to co-write the track. The song deals with people criticizing and commenting on her personal life while encouraging listeners to ignore the negative chatter. The music video for the song drives the point home with a bunch of jaded critics arrive to a location to hear Grande's new music. Bringing to mind the Fosse inspired Paula Abdul video for "Cold Hearted", Grande shows off impressive dance moves which must have been sharpened since filming the upcoming movie musical, "Wicked". "Yes, And?" is the first release from Grande's upcoming seventh studio album entitled, "Eternal Sunshine" with no exact release date set at this time.
And we have Jennifer Lopez and the release of the video for her new single, "Can't Get Enough". From the upcoming album, "This Is Me... Now" (due out on February 16th) which is a sequel of sorts to her 2002 release, " This Is Me... Then", this clip is a spoof of the many wedding movies Lopez has made (and perhaps the numerous weddings she has had in real-life) and shows her dancing during her marriages with three different grooms. This dance-pop song is fun and perhaps will help Lopez find her way back up the charts.
At the conclusion of the buzzy, new movie, "Saltburn" from Emerald Fennell (and no, I will not spoil it for anyone who has not seen this film yet), a song plays that I hadn't heard in years. "Murder on the Dance Floor", co-written and performed by Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a lively dose of Euro-disco that is used perfectly in just one of many strange, uninhibited moments in this divisive dark comedy.
While this song was popular back in 2001, reaching the top-ten on the singles chart in Ellis-Bextor's home country of Britain and many other countries across the globe, "Murder" didn't get much attention here in the US. Perhaps "Saltburn" will inspire some adventureous folks on TikTok to help change that.
The now forty-four year old singer and mother of five is still making music, just releasing her seventh studio album, "Hana" last summer. The music video for "Murder on the Dance Floor" is set at a dance competition with Ellis-Bextor willing to do anything to win the award of golden pumps.
Leave it to the one and only Cher to make us realize that the world doesn't have a proper Christmas disco song. The legendary pop icon has released "DJ Play a Christmas Song" with this dance track just one of the songs from her very first holiday album, appropreiately titled, "Christmas". And just like she has done throughout her extraordinary career of seven decades, this collection features various genres of music she has dabbled in throughout her recording career. The album is a perfect mix of new songs and Christmas covers with special appearances by Michael Bublé, Tyga, Cyndi Lauper and Stevie Wonder who lend their support on several songs. And there is a cover of the Christmas classic, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" which is now a duet with the song's original singer, Darlene Love. The two singers have known each other since the beginning of their professional careers when a teenage Cher performed backing vocals on Love's 1963 version.
BRANDY
Now signed to Motown Records, the gifted actor and singer, Brandy has released her very first Christmas album as her debut on the legendary music label. "Christmas With Brandy" is a perfect mix of original compositions (all co-wriiten by Brandy) and holiday classics, all done in her signature style of smooth, soulful vocals. Brandy is making this record a true family affair with the addition of her twenty-one year old daughter, Sy'Rai, a rising singer in her own right, who appears on the original track, "Christmas Gift" in a rousing duet. And be sure to check out Brandy as an actress in the Netflix holiday comedy, "Best. Christmas. Ever.", available to stream now.
RUPAUL
The legacy of RuPaul has grown considerable since his first album, "Super Model of the World" way back in 1993. From the groundbreaking reality competition television show, "RuPaul's Drag Race", expanding continuiously with international spin-offs to once the face of major cosmetics campaign to a co-host of a morning radio show to hosting a game show to receiving a Tony Award for "Best Musical" as a producer to writing an upcoming memoir, RuPaul has achieved many amazing accomplishments that some might have thought would be impossible for a drag queen. Now the new "Essential Christmas" is essentially a greatest hits from RuPaul's previous three holiday-themed albums. But there is one new song, "Baby Doll", another fun, beat-driven Christmas tune.
And finally, here is a brand-new music video of Brenda Lee's classic holiday tune, "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". This lively clip features Lee performing in a family setting during the Christmas holiday with appearances by country music stars, Trisha Yearwood and Tanya Tucker. But the biggest news is that the now seventy-nine year old vocalist has finally reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Rocking", sixty-five years after first recording this song at the incredible age of thirteen.
After being named the season six winner of "American Idol", Jordin Sparks began a whirlwind of a pop music career at only the age of seventeen. It started with a self-titled debut album in 2007, which sold over a million copies and featured two top-ten singles; "Tattoo" and "No Air", a duet with Chris Brown, to appearing on stage (co-starring in the Broadway musical, "In the Heights") and screen (making her film debut in "Sparkle", the 2012 musical remake that features Whitney Houston in her final film role).
Now at the age of thirty-three, Sparks is married and a mother of a five-year-old son. Her career might have cooled down a bit but she's certainly not out of the game. A new single has been released, "Call My Name" which is a mature, intimate r&b ballad, far removed from the sweet pop-soul from her early days. And the music video features a more sensual side of Sparks (who appears with her husband, Dana Isaiah in the steamy clip) than we have previously seen from the singer. This is the first preview of music from her upcoming fifth album which is due out early next year.
Here is some new music to put a spotlight on from social media personality, Jessie Woo; queer electro-pop artist, Bronze Avery; the legendary soul-hip-hip queen, Mary J. Blige; dance-pop star, Dua Lipa and a charity single from Björk featuring Rosalía with proceeds going to combat open-pen fish farming in Iceland.
It's been about eight years sinceGossip, the indie rock band made up of Nathan Hondeshell, Hannah Blue and Beth Ditto, called it quits. But time can change perspectives and the trio reunited to do a tour to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their 2009 breakthrough album, "Music for Men". From that gathering on the road, Gossip began to explore the idea of working together again as a band. Enlisting their "Music for Men" producer, Rick Rubin, who encouraged the reunion, they went to on record from thirty to forty songs together. This has led to their sixth album, "Real Power" due out in March. The first single, "Crazy Again" picks up where Gossip left off, with a quirky, electro-pop ballad enhanced by Ditto's unusually muted yet controlled vocals.
And I'm sad to announce that Jean Knight, best known for the sassy, 1971 hit, "Mr. Big Stuff", passed away from natural causes on November 26th at the age of eighty. The New Orleans native began her career finding some local success with several recordings before attracting the attention of producer Wardell Quezergue in 1970. Knight recorded several songs (which included "Big Stuff") with him, but no major labels were initially interested in releasing these demos. But when King Floyd's song, "Groove Me" (also recorded during those sessions with Quezergue) became a number one soul hit in early 1971, a producer at Stax Records remembered another song that Knight had recorded from that time. "Mr. Big Stuff" also went to number one on the r&b chart and reached number two on the pop chart. The song sold over two million copies and Knight went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Feamle Vocal Performance. Knight would record several well received albums following this success, but "Big Stuff" would remain the biggest hit of her career.
