August 22nd, 2011 | 6:00 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Song Of The Summer Countdown: Adam Levine Reaps The Benefits Of His TV Hosting Gig

At this time last year, hopes for Maroon 5‘s third studio album, Hands All Over, were high. The lead single, “Misery,” had hit #1 on Billboard‘s Adult Pop chart, and since the band had convinced famed superproducer Robert “Mutt” Lange to come out of semi-retirement to produce their album, everyone looked for the band to take the leap from a well-liked, fairly popular M.O.R. band to the next level and a spot among the world’s most commercially successful bands. However, once the album finally hit streets in October 2010, the masses shrugged their shoulders and largely ignored the album. The record was certified gold by the RIAA for shipping over 500,000 copies, but worldwide sales stalled out at just 529,000 total units.

Perceived failures like this have sunk many a band in the past, but thanks to charismatic frontman Adam Levine and ten weeks of national TV exposure courtesy of NBC/Universal’s The Voice (corporate synergy at its finest!), the band has totally reversed their fortunes in less than a year. Their new track, “Moves Like Jagger,” hit #1 on the iTunes chart this week, and Levine’s featured hook on Gym Class Heroes‘ “Stereo Hearts” propelled the song to a Top 20 finish in this week’s Song Of The Summer countdown. No wonder artists like Mariah Carey (The X-Factor), Sara Bareilles (The Sing Off) and more are looking to land prime positions as judges on televised singing competition shows; it’s exactly the kind of exposure to Middle America that the flagging music business is no longer in a position to give these artists using “traditional” music channels. As Maroon 5 has proved, it’s great work if you can get it!

As for the rest of our Song Of The Summer chart —only two more weeks until we crown a champion!— kudos to Katy Perry for her ninth consecutive week in the #1 spot.


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August 18th, 2011 | 5:15 pm by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Readying His Nearly-Finished Album, J. Cole Waits Patiently For A Verse From “Coach Figure” Jay-Z

The Force is strong with J. Cole. I first witnessed this during a performance in a small auditorium at New York University?s Kimmel Center in August of ?09, when tangible sincerity radiated off of Jay-Z?s first Roc Nation signee and alleged prot?g?. I?d become familiar with his mixtapes prior to the show and, like the NYU students, curious industry onlookers, and countless others who weren?t present, had started to believe in the young Jedi?s potential to herd hip-hop into the next golden era.

Fast forward to last night at Roc The Mic Studios in Manhattan where a tiny group of music writers gathered in the very same room where Cole recorded his ?A Star Is Born? verse for Hov’s Blueprint 3, where Beyoncé and her husband (no pressure!) stood by watching. It was the second of two intimate listening sessions for the North Carolina-bred rapper/producer?s first full-length album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, and (Jermaine) Cole was present to walk us through the sixteen tracks and single skit on his highly-anticipated September 27th release. Less nervous than he was for the first group of critics because the ice had now been broken, he made the disclaimer that he wouldn?t play songs we?d already heard (including Drake-featured ?In The Morning,? the album’s first single ?Workout,? or the song that got him signed, ?Lights Please?), but we?d get to hear everything else. While song titles and the track order may still change before Cole turns-in the final product, Jay-Z has already dubbed Cole World a ?classic.?

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August 17th, 2011 | 11:15 am by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Concert Review: Beyonce Delivers a Dynamic, If Somewhat Robotic, Second “Intimate” Night at Roseland

Beyonce Live 4 Intimate Nights

If you haven’t already caught the scoop, Beyonc? has an affinity for numbers; specifically, the number four. Front and center at last night?s second of “4 Intimate Nights with Beyonc?” at Roseland Ballroom (the first of which took place on Sunday, the FOURteenth), the lady of the hour took the stage to break down the numerological fondness and dazzle superfans and music industry elite alike. Because she usually performs for audiences ten times the size of the 2,500 capacity venue, tickets for this coveted concert series were a hot commodity, and with VIPs like Diddy, Russell Simmons, Ne-Yo, and The-Dream looking on the balcony, a ravenous crowd chanted the singer’s name repeatedly before the show?s 10 p.m. start time. Homegirl has unwavering disciples, and as we were soon reminded, she deserves each and every one of them.

The well-rehearsed, ninety-minute show —whose setlist was identical to Sunday night’s show—began with Beyonc? narrating the initial chapters of her career?s autobiography. From militaristic practice sessions at nine-years-old with the initial members of Destiny?s Child to securing their deal with Columbia Records in 1995, Bey? ran through the timeline of her passionate path, stitching performance snippets into the fabric of her tales. Cut-down, crowd-pleasing hits like ?Bills, Bills Bills,? ?Say My Name,? and ?Independent Women Part I? perpetuated a roar of approval that crescendoed when the introduction to ?Survivor? was liberated by the diva?s all-female band. ?With a lot of success comes a lot of negativity,? admitted the star as she launched into the female-empowerment anthem, graciously crediting her former cohorts Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams while also justifying the song?s endurance-focused sentiments.

There is often calm after a tumultuous storm, however, and once Beyonc? was finished discussing the uneven footing of her early days as an artist, she shared with the audience how powerful it was when she finally ?found love.? Right on cue, the opening notes to the then-new couple’s very public relationship confirmation, Jay-Z?s ??03 Bonnie and Clyde,? hit our nostalgic radars, and as you might imagine, the crowd lost their minds. Before transitioning into a quick Dreamgirls story, Bey? also performed her other Hov-centric hit, ?Crazy in Love,? graduating from a slower, re-worked, funk version of the song into the full, familiar rendition, showcasing the video?s stomping strut that we all know and love. By also revisiting other iconic choreography that fans relentlessly study and mimic throughout the show, Bey? managed to create a sea of ?Single Ladies? hand-twirling and, once she got to the material from 4, lots of attempts at her ?Run The World (Girls)? stankyleg-riverdancing.

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August 16th, 2011 | 6:30 pm by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Candid and Truthful or Crazy In Love? Jay-Z Calls Wife Beyonce The “Second Coming” of Michael Jackson

Back in June, the world mourned as the two-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death hit the calendar. If he was still alive today, he, like Madonna, would be celebrating his 53rd birthday in just two weeks. It’s a universal truth that MJ was one of the top entertainers to ever grace us with his talents, if not the best, so whether you’re a superfan or just casually appreciate his impact on the culture-at-large, it’s always a bit off-putting to hear people compare him to other artists (or, to be fair, compare other artists to him).

On Sunday afternoon, before partying the night away at Liv in Miami, Jay-Z called into Southern Florida’s urban radio station 99 Jamz to discuss new album Watch The Throne, and did just that. He didn’t have the audacity to compare himself or other half of The Throne to the King of Pop though; instead, he graciously compared MJ to his otherother half, wife and international superstar, Beyonc?. Making the disclaimer that the comparison could be construed as blasphemous “because Mike was such an innovator,” Hova took the time to carefully explain that what he’s learned from her is similar to what he’s learned from MJ, and that it’s his wife’s work ethic that makes him feel like she’s “the second coming” of the deceased entertainer. “You know, the hard work and dedication that she puts into her shows. It just makes you want to work harder at your own craft. She’s like a machine,” said Jay in the interview.

Like the King of Pop, Beyonc?’s career began as the lead singer of a group, Destiny’s Child. Now a solo artist for about eight years, the experienced and stunning star has achieved many successes, including 16 Grammys (13 solo, 3 with Destiny’s Child), the RIAA’s top certified artist nod for the decade between 2000 and 2010, and ranked #52 on our list of VH1′s 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Those achievements noted, it’s no secret that Queen B is catching a tough break with the singles and sales for her latest album release, 4, so it’s absurdly sweet of her “Crazy In Love” hubby to speak about her so enthusiastically while she battles to reclaim the domination she’s seen on past projects. But Jay’s also been around the block too many times and rocked too many rhymes to not be aware of the power in his proclamation, and minimally, should know that his words would be press fodder during her week of intimate New York shows. Because of that reality, perspective is important to maintain here, so like Jay says on WTT track “Welcome To The Jungle,” rest in peace to the leader of The Jackson 5.

Jay-Z Calls Beyonc? ‘Second Coming’ Of Michael Jackson[RapFix]

August 15th, 2011 | 2:56 pm by Nick Minichino

Beyoncé Plays Her Hits And Her Album At First Of Four “Intimate” New York City Shows

Last night was the first of “4 Intimate Nights With Beyonc?” at the 2500-capacity Roseland Ballroom in New York City, and for the lucky fans (not including us) who got tickets, Beyonc? didn’t just play her new album 4 front-to-back, as promised?she played a chronology of her hits (as part of Destiny’s Child and solo) first, for a ninety-minute set. Videos are getting pulled from YouTube as quickly as they go up, so we won’t even bother linking any, but apparent highlights included a crowd-sung “Irreplaceable.”

Kicking off with a greatest-hits was a canny, if retrospectively obvious, move for Beyonc?, whose new album is front-loaded with ballads. The hits set hyped up the crowd as an opener would while providing a contrasting lead-in for the energy comedown of the beginning of the album-playthrough. We have seen no mentions of professional camera equipment at the shows, but we suspect that Beyonc? might be taping these performances for a DVD release, simply because it would be such an astonishing missed opportunity if she didn’t.

Beyonce Kicks Off “4 Intimate Nights” In NYC

[Image: Getty Images]

August 15th, 2011 | 1:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Song Of The Summer Countdown: Foster The People Make A Late Run For The Crown

With only three more weeks left in our 2011 Song Of The Summer Countdown, sadly, there’s little drama left as to who will take home the crown. For the eighth consecutive week, Katy Perry‘s saxoriffic “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” is sitting atop our charts, closely followed by LMFAO‘s “Party Rock Anthem” (which, as we wrote last week, could make its own claim for S.O.T.S.). However, don’t count out Foster The People quite yet!

The You Oughta Know artist’s single, “Pumped Up Kicks,” has been making an impressive late summer run at the top spot. It first entered our charts back on July 11, but buoyed by a standout set at this year’s Lollapalooza festival, the first single off the band’s Torches LP seems to have really captured the attention of the nation. Will they be able to unseat either Perry or LMFAO before Labor Day rolls around?


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August 9th, 2011 | 5:30 pm by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Diving Into the Sophisticated Craftmanship of Newcomer Frank Ocean

The first thing you need to know about Frank Ocean is that he’s a singer-songwriter, not an “R&B singer.” Seriously: he may be African-American, but please don’t genre-pigeonhole him; not only does he hate it, but his skills at penning intricate, category-less songs are far more expansive than what parameters of contemporary Urban radio will allow. That’s not a shot at R&B, though; we’re just stating a fact.

Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, the 23-year-old music aficionado began writing for artists like Justin Bieber, Beyonc?, and John Legend when he moved to Los Angeles after Hurricane Katrina in 2009. Linking up with hip hop houligan collective OFWGKTA (aka Odd Future) around that time, Ocean (who was born Christopher, and formerly performed as Lonny Breaux) then secured a deal with Def Jam, but like many artists in the early phase of their careers, was put on the waiting shelf. Luckily for us, the talented songwriter turned insubordinate and rogue, releasing his now critically-acclaimed mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra via his Tumblr.

The mixtape may have been an unconventional move for most up-and-coming singers, but for Ocean, it created a compelling word of mouth domino effect. Taking songs like The Eagles’ “Hotel California,” MGMT’s “Electric Feel,” and Coldplay’s “Strawberry Swing” and making them very uniquely his own, Ocean was able to showcase his songwriting abilities and allow the audience that was hanging on his every word to get to know him, well. Back in May, when we were fearing for our lives during the Rapture, we suggested the MGMT re-worked cover “Nature Feels” as being a delightfully sexy Garden of Eden tune to “go out with a bang” to. But the tape possesses plenty more gems where that came from: a romance with a porn star dental student is illustrated beautifully on “Novacane,” an exorcism and disposal of broken hearts turns into an enchanting car ride to the ocean on “Swim Good,” and a snippet from Nicole Kidman’s character in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut anchors the end of fan favorite track, “Love Crimes.”

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August 8th, 2011 | 5:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Beyoncé Takes New Tact To Build Buzz For 4

Any way you slice it, Beyoncé‘s camp has been plagued with turmoil in the months leading up to and following the release of her fourth LP, 4. Before the record even dropped, rumors about the label’s unhappiness with the finished product swirled, Queen B was accused of plagiarising her widely-lauded Billboard Music Awards performance, and she endured a messy split with her manager (and father), Matthew Knowles. Then 4 came out and sold only moderately well when compared to the past performance of her other blockbuster albums, something that it has never really recovered from. Neither of the album’s first two singles, “Run The World (Girls)” or “Best Thing I Never Had,” have been able to grab the cultural zeitgeist, and while the album has been certified platinum by the RIAA for shipping over one million units to retail stores, the album’s actual Stateside sales have yet to approach that magical million mark. So, the question remains: What other levels do Beyoncé and her team have left to pull to make this album a quote-unquote “success”?

Well, it seems that their answer is to build the buzz around the strength of the entire album, not just the singles. Beyoncé just announced that she’ll be doing a four-night residency at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom next week, a run in which she’ll be performing her latest album in its entirety. 4 Intimate Nights With Beyoncé will be just that; while Bey usually performs in arenas that hold 20,000 or more people, Roseland’s maximum capacity is just 3,200 peeps, which will make the show the hottest ticket in this town since Kanye West performed My Dark Twisted Fantasy to an audience of just 1,100 at the Bowery Ballroom back in November.

So, will it work? Tough to say! To her credit, Beyoncé is widely regarded for her electrifying live performances; just two months ago, we named her Glastonbury set as that festival’s best. And by gathering the East Coast media world’s biggest tastemakers all in one room over a series of four nights, you can be assured that her album will get a fresh look from critics and a lot of ink devoted to it. As for whether or not that will translate into sales, though, only time will tell!

Beyonc? to Perform Four Intimate Shows in NYC [BET]

August 2nd, 2011 | 6:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Song Of The Summer Countdown: Katy Perry’s Still On Top, Celebrates By Doing The Running Man

The dog days of summer are upon us, people. It’s August, it’s hot outside, and the news cycle is starting to slow to a crawl. The general sluggishness of the season is even affecting the music industry, as music fans don’t seem to be gravitating towards any new material. Instead, they seem to be content to play the same songs that they’ve had on repeat all summer long.

Case in point: Katy Perry‘s “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F),” which has exhibited a stranglehold on the top of our Song of the Summer Countdown for six consecutive weeks. Her song looks to have a lock on the prize at this point, but then again, maybe The Throne (aka Jay-Z and Kanye West) can mount a last-minute challenge when their highly anticipated collaboration Watch The Throne drops next week? Stay tuned!


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August 2nd, 2011 | 12:06 pm by Lacey Seidman (@Lacezilla)

Jay-Z and Kanye Host Exclusive Album Listenings In Space

It’s doubtful that you’d realize how many times “stars” are referenced on Watch The Throne if you didn’t hear it for the first time whilst gazing at digital galaxies and constellations above your head in a super dark room. Words like “moon” and “sky,” too, actually. Last night, at New York City’s Museum of Natural History, Jay-Z, Kanye and the generous folks at Def Jam hosted three separate listening sessions inside Hayden Planetarium, allowing inquisitive listeners to hear the album almost in its entirety (skipping just one track) while they sat reclined, looking up at the impressive show above.

While it was definitely a unique experience for all in attendence, the pizazz of the intergalactic spectacle on the theater’s ceiling screen was a distraction from the music that drew VIPs like Beyonc?, Pusha T, DJ Khaled, Ryan Leslie and Busta Rhymes to show up in the first place. And sonically speaking, unbalanced levels also made focusing on both emcees’ verses a challenge. In the first session, for example, the bass would be so loud that our seats were vibrating and Hov’s lines were rendered virtually inaudible. But let’s dial it back. From what we heard of it, overall, the album sounded solid. The production is definitely on-point, and Jay isn’t paired with Linkin Park or R. Kelly this time around; although it’s too early to tell off these first listens, it seems Kanye’s verbals may, in fact, actually best Jay’s. And ‘Ye will be the first to admit that he’s selfishly “getting high on [his] own supply.” Of beats, that is.

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