Lists

June 8th, 2011 | 2:09 pm by VH1

The Top 34 Moments That Shaped Kanye West (Also: Happy Birthday, Yeezy!)

Today is Kanye West‘s 34th birthday, and while we would be happy to praise our favorite controversial artist to high heaven, we’re sure no amount of laudation would be enough for the notoriously immodest West. So we decided to take a different approach: pinpointing the 34 moments that shaped Kanye. Some shaped his life; some shaped his persona; some shaped the way he’s seen. All of them either have found or will find their way into his highly personal music. Happy birthday, Yeezy!

DATE: June 8, 1977
EVENT: Kanye West is born
It wouldn’t be Kanye’s birthday if he hadn’t been born thirty-four years ago today, in Atlanta, where his parents settled after they both finished graduate school.

DATE: August 28, 1980
EVENT: Kanye’s parents, Ray And Donda, divorce
In her memoir Raising Kanye, Donda West recalls that, to her mind, her husband Ray was putting his new photography studio ahead of his own family, so she filed for divorce and full custody of young Kanye. Two weeks after the divorce was final, Kanye and his mother left Atlanta for Chicago. Imagine the life he might have led had he grown up in Atlanta!

June 6th, 2011 | 4:00 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

2011 Song of the Summer Countdown: Adele Continues To Roll Deep

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Welcome to Week Two of VH1′s Song of the Summer countdown. Each and every Monday from now until Labor Day, we’ll be utilizing ~~today’s most advanced data collection techniques~~ Microsoft Excel to chart the competition of what will become THE song that people will think of when they remember the summer of 2011.

Last week, Adele‘s monster smash, “Rolling In The Deep,” captured the top spot, scoring 87 of a possible 100 points. (For a reminder on how the scoring system works, click here.) Somehow, the English songbird managed to increase her stranglehold on the #1 spot in this countdown this week, racking up 91 (!!!) points and proving that no matter what medium people use to consume music these days, they’re using it to listen to Adele.

However, lest you think that Adele has got this summer on lock only two weeks in, there are a number of new songs that cracked the charts this week for the first time: Jason Derulo‘s “Don’t Wanna Go Home,” DJ Khaled‘s superstar-laced hit “I’m On One” (which features Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne), Coldplay’s “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall” (which was just released on Friday) and Taylor Swift‘s bid for power pop domination, “The Story Of Us.” Oh yeah, and Adele’s powerful anthem of lost love, “Someone Like You,” managed to crack the Top 20, too.

June 3rd, 2011 | 6:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Summer Jams: Mark Graham Picks Three Of His Fave “Song of the Summer” Candidates

What is going to be the 2011 Song of the Summer? I honestly have no idea! I’m neither a prognosticator nor a music critic, but rather, I’m simply a fan. My colleagues Nick Minichino, Lacey Seidman and Jim Shearer have already weighed in with their thoughts on which songs will reign supreme (Burrito Supreme!) this summer, but all that I can guarantee about my three picks is that I will be listening to these a lot this summer. Either way, enjoy!

NOMINATION: Foster The People, “Helena Beat”
EXPLANATION: At this time last year, Foster The People were an unsigned band in search of a record deal after a buzzy single (“Pumped Up Kicks”) took the 2010 SXSW audiences by storm. Their song took off in social media circles, thanks in large part to a push from NPR and The Hype Machine. Eventually, the gents signed to Columbia imprint Startime International, and their debut LP, Torches, hit stores in late May, just weeks after they became one of the surprise successes of this year’s Coachella festival.

“Helena Beat,” their second single off Torches, is a synthy indie pop pleaser that will appeal to fans of MGMT. I will confess that I’m not entirely sure what the song is about, and lead singer Mark Foster‘s distinctively high-pitched vocals are sometimes a smidge tricky to decipher, but each and every time I hear this song, I can’t help but to tap my toes. Maybe it’s the washes of sound that roll through the track, maybe it’s the way the progression of the synth line builds, I’m not sure, but this song just feels like summer to me.

June 3rd, 2011 | 2:45 pm by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Summer Jams: Lacey Seidman’s Top Three Contenders for “Song of the Summer”

After a miserable NYC winter, the weather is again warm, and we’re all about hitting these streets! But what will our summer-lovin’ soundtrack include? Since the pop music monster is one that defies taming, most of us can already venture to guess what we’ll likely hear blasting out of car windows while dining al fresco and laying poolside, but for me, it’s all about the songs that may or may not hit the mainstream radar. Specifically, songs that light your summer on fire and arouse flashbulb memory nostalgia for years thereafter. As a music head, I can’t wait to find out what will be this year’s perfect audio accompaniment during glorious, sweaty cocktail-glass pre-game rituals, or what I’ll have on repeat in my headphones as I dodge European tourists in Times Square. Until then, here’s hoping that the radio gods are listening, and (fingers crossed!) that they have good taste.

NOMINATION: Friendly Fires, “Live Those Days Tonight”
EXPLANATION: If mainstream radio could just bend some rules and make room for an indie-pop dance record, this next few months would certainly be a bit lovelier. Summoning nostalgia for the (allegedly) more-fun 80s past that he never had the chance to experience, Friendly Fires’ frontman Ed Macfarlane vows to one-up his predecessors on this uptempo, synth-happy slice of audio heaven. Heavy with drums and feel-good vibes, “Live Those Days Tonight” is the first single off of the band’s critically acclaimed sophomore release, Pala, and is also the perfect summer party accessory!

June 3rd, 2011 | 1:00 pm by Nick Minichino

Summer Jams: Nick Minichino’s Top Three Contenders for “Song of the Summer”

Memorial Day has come and gone, so the season of the summer jam has officially begun! We will be paying close attention to the competition for the 2011 Song of the Summer here on the VH1 Blog. Of course, the pop audience will decide who will win, but here are three of our favorites:

NOMINATION: Lady Gaga: “Edge of Glory”
EXPLANATION: “Edge of Glory” seizes on a combination of rock and Euro-house not heard since 2002 (when DJ Sammy’s cover of Bryan Adams’s “Heaven,” among others, hit huge). Gaga’s song provides something not only for fans of the dominant sound of dueling pop kings Doctor Luke and RedOne, but also for those who appreciate more of a classic rock sound.

On top of that, the Clarence Clemons solo happens to coincide with the return-of-sax zeitgeist. Willa Paskin pronounced 2011 the “Summer of Sax” at New York‘s Vulture blog, but her only other evidence was Katy Perry‘s upcoming single “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F),” so the claim is a bit overstated. But it’s true that sax is back in vogue?indie rockers like Destroyer, and to a lesser extent Gayngs (featuring Justin Vernon of Bon Iver), have returned to a smooth-sax sound, and other artists on the edge, like Gorillaz collaborators (and Raphael Saadiq favorites) Little Dragon, have revived that specific smoothness, though with different instrumentation.

June 3rd, 2011 | 10:30 am by Jim Shearer

Summer Jams: Jim Shearer’s Top Three Contenders for “Song of the Summer”

It might not be officially “summer” until June 21, but that’s not stopping us from starting our 2011 Song of the Summer Countdown. All day today, we’ll be highlighting Song of the Summer contenders as chosen by people who not only work here, but those that live and breathe music. Up first, we’ve got three picks from Jim Shearer, host of the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown, which airs each and every Saturday morning. Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments!

NOMINATION: Beastie Boys feat. Santigold, “Don?t Play No Game That I Can?t Win?
EXPLANATION: To the naked ear it sounds like a Santigold song featuring the Beastie Boys, but don?t be fooled. When MCA, Mike D, and Ad-Rock were crafting the instrumental for this beachside-reggae delight, they were having trouble piecing it into a proper song until they got on the bat-phone and rang Santigold. ?Don?t Play No Game? is pop enough for mainstream radio, but will Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and Ke$ha fans open their ears to listen?

June 2nd, 2011 | 8:00 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Keep An Eye On This Summer’s Hottest Jams With VH1′s 2011 Song of the Summer Countdown

According to the calendar, until the Summer Solstice occurs on June 21, we’re still firmly in the grasp of Spring. That said, pretty much everyone we know considers “summertime” to be the period of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. To wit, this past weekend millions of Americans broke out their barbeque grills, removed their sandals from storage, and spent the long weekend soaking up the sunshine with family and friends for the first time since last summer (and, if the temperatures here in NYC were any indication, it sure as hell felt like summer with temperatures hovering in the low 90s).

One of our favorite parts about the summertime is the way that music takes on an even more omnipresent role in all of our lives. Sure, we all listen to music year-round, but during the winter months, music is generally something you only experience either inside or through earbuds. Once the summertime rolls around, though, suddenly you start hearing music blasting EVERYWHERE: rattling out from car speakers, blaring from boomboxes while you’re lounging poolside, emanating from an iPod dock when you’re chilling in the park enjoying a picnic, and even crackling through old transistor radios while you’re camping in the woods.

And each year, one song emerges from the pack to stand out as that year’s Song of the Summer. It’s not generally a title that is officially anointed by any governing board, but we here at VH1 wanted to put a little science behind the emotion that these Songs of Summer convey.

Hence, we’re excited to announce that we here at VH1 will be tracking this year’s Song of the Summer from now until Labor Day. So, you’re no doubt wondering, what artist has the lead out of the gate: Lady Gaga? Adele? Bruno Mars? Continue along to find out…

June 2nd, 2011 | 11:15 am by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Playing The Lesbian Card: 5 of Music’s Top Stars Who Used Bisexual or Gay Antics To Gain Popularity

If you haven’t already heard of Kreayshawn, the white, female rapper from Oakland, California has been snagging some serious buzz on the internets since she released her video for “Gucci Gucci” two weeks ago. Being chummy with Soulja Boy, “Based God” Lil B, and members of the hardcore L.A. rap collective Odd Future certainly hasn’t hurt the tiny, blunt-smoking lady-goon’s popularity, and rumors are swirling that she landed a million-dollar record deal with Sony over the weekend. Her quirky lyrics might make us giggle, but why should she be on your radar, and what does all the hoopla around her really stem from?

“Gucci Gucci” is an ode to Kreayshawn’s own flyness, but what makes us scratch our heads the most while watching this braggadocio-laden clip is the fact that the loudly-dressed, foul-mouthed rapper announces she’s openly into girls. Lots of girls. And she’ll even snatch up YOUR bitches — at her leisure. But is this bi-curious shtick organic? If it is, more power to her; we’re just a bit skeptical because, frankly, we’ve seen it before. Especially recently. It almost seems like becoming a successful female pop star these days means pseudo-lesbianism is baked into the artist’s marketing plan!

Just take a look at our list of five female artists below; they’re at the top of their game and crushing competitors, but at one point or another, they all allegedly dabbled in bisexual or gay experimentation. But was it Truth or Farce?

May 27th, 2011 | 12:45 pm by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Music’s Top Ten Most Powerful Couples

Death Cab For Cutie?s VH1 Storytellers is airing at 11 p.m. tonight on VH1, and since lead singer Ben Gibbard is now married to his indie beloved Zooey Deschanel, we got to thinking about music?s most powerful couples of the moment. Because these lists are often tricky to compile and put into an order that everyone can agree on, we took to the streets and polled over 5,000 people. JK! We actually did something smarter and more efficient, combining stats from Billboard charts, YouTube clicks, and social media followings, and mixed it with our interpretation of je ne sais quoi cool-factor buzz. Confident in our rankings, we hereby give you VH1?s list of the most powerful couples in music today.

Who did we miss? Care to offer up any suggestions of your own? Hit us up in the comments section below!

May 24th, 2011 | 5:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

In Honor Of Bob Dylan’s 70th Birthday, A List Of Bob Dylan’s 70 Greatest Songs

Today is the 70th birthday of a true American legend, one Robert Allen Zimmerman. Or, as he’s more widely known, Bob Dylan. In order to celebrate this momentous occasion for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who came in at #5 on our list of 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time, we’ve compiled a list (which, I should add, is the opinion of me and only me!) of Bob Dylan’s 70 Greatest Songs (the format of which, I should also add, was inspired by The Awl’s recurring “Listicles Without Commentary” feature).

So, what makes me equipped to rank the Dylan catalog? Well, I suppose the biggest reason is that I’ve been a fan of his for well over thirty years now. I used to spend a lot of time as a youth listening to Dylan’s Sixties era output with my father, whether it was while we were outside doing yardwork or blasting him on the car stereo while we were on road trips. Although a great deal of the subject matter was way above my head at the time, I remember pouring over his lyrics in an incredibly studious fashion well before I even finished elementary school. And as I grew older and spent more time exploring Dylan’s body of work during my college years (particularly his 1970s output) and beyond, I came to recognize all of the reasons that he’s touted as such a singular talent, one whose proflic output and cultural influence is likely never to be reproduced.

So, I’d love to hear from you guys. Did I get these right? Am I way off-base? Feel free to debate me on my choices in the comments section and I will reveal my justifications there. For now, though, it’s on with the show!

70) “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” (from the 1966 album, Blonde On Blonde)
69) “If Not For You” (from the 1970 album, New Morning)
68) “One Too Many Mornings” (from the 1964 album, The Times They Are A-Changin’)
67) “Highway 61 Revisited” (from the 1965 album, Highway 61 Revisited)
66) “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol” (from the 1964 album, The Times They Are A-Changin’)
65) “Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands” (from the 1966 album, Blonde On Blonde)
64) “Standing In The Doorway” (from the 1997 album, Time Out Of Mind)
63) “Every Grain Of Sand” (from the 1981 album, Shot Of Love)
62) “This Wheel’s On Fire” (from the 1975 album, The Basement Tapes)
61) “Most Of The Time” (from the 1989 album, Oh Mercy)