MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

Best Mother-Son Dance Songs

2011-12-26T19:28:00.000-08:00

The big day has come and gone (that's us in the photo) and we decided to go with the song "Kooks" by David Bowie. It was a wonderful dance; a moment in time that I will fondly remember always. BUT I do have another son and we would appreciate your mother-son dance suggestions for round two, whenever that may be.

1. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

2.You are the Sunshine of My Life

3.I Hope You Dance By Lee Ann Womack

4.A Mother's Song - by T Carter Music

5.My Wish by Rascal Flatts.

6.Song for Mama - Boyz II Men

Michael Jackson - History

2010-02-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

A decade after "thriller" and MTV transformed pop, Michael Jackson releases a collection that combines a classic greatest-hits anthology with a jarring and uneven new album. Throughout HIStory we're reminded of the Michael Jackson who helped groove music go mainstream with Off the Wall, fused high-tech New Wave and Caribbean rhythms with the aid of producer Quincy Jones on Thriller and Bad, and communed with trancelike '90s soul and New Jack Swing inventor Teddy Riley on 1991's underpraisedDangerous. A decade after Thriller, Jackson's still the same: the apolitical universalist who never shared the hip-hop generation's politics, the pop figurehead who bends the latest mass flavors to his creative will, the Spielbergian artist tycoon who's drawn to Old Hollywood glamour and New Hollywood balance sheets. He still wants to be the King of Pop and to be left alone.

And now, Jackson is more embattled than ever, as the furor over the epithet slinging of "They Don't Care About Us," a new track from HIStory, demonstrates. In the past, Jackson's albums defined their pop surroundings so a fan could hear past their oddness. HIStory doesn't offer that option; these days, whiz-bang Thriller-style kicks exist more on computer screens than on radios. Instead of ignoring his troubles or attacking them from interesting angles, Jackson obsesses on his woes, an eager participant in today's talk-show din of personal confession. He's angry, miserable, tortured, inflammatory, furious about what he calls, in "Stranger in Moscow," a "swift and sudden fall from grace."

Some of the new songs – the excellent current single "Scream" or the first-rate R&B ballad "You Are Not Alone" – manage to link the incidents of Jackson's infamous recent past to universal concepts like injustice or isolation. When he bases his music in the bluntness of hip-hop, Jackson sketches funky scenarios denouncing greed, blanket unreliability and false accusation. HIStory unfolds in Jackson's outraged response to everything he has encountered in the last year or so. It makes for an odd, charmless second chapter to a first that includes miraculous recordings like "Billie Jean," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Black or White" and "Beat It."

Without Quincy Jones around to give HIStory the rich unity of Thriller and Bad or even a producer-composer like Teddy Riley to bestow his variations of ongoing style, the new album really jerks you around. It goes from four collaborations with the peerless Minneapolis fusionists Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to tracks done by Jackson himself to a couple of loudly unmusical David Foster productions to one dynamite jam ("This Time Around") done with Atlanta R&B hotshot Dallas Austin that's ripe for remixes.

"Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie," two adventurous Jam and Lewis thumpers, work completely: Jackson's slippery voice is caught in mammoth funk-rock constructions. They're reminiscent of Janet Jackson's hits, in which Jam and Lewis allow space for lush vocal harmonies taken from the Triumph-era Jacksons; the choruses of "Tabloid Junkie" in particular sing out with quick-voiced warnings about the failings of media truth.

But the bulk of HIStory doesn't feel as contemporary as the "Scream" video, in which Michael and his sister Janet jump around like '90s fashion kids trapped in a spaceship stolen from a Barbarella film set. With its silly heraldic cover painting and theme-park title piece, HIStory feels like the work of someone with a bad case of Thriller nostalgia. Occasionally this backward focus works to Jackson's advantage: On "Stranger in Moscow" he remembers the synth-pop '80s while constructing wracked claims of danger and loneliness that rival any Seattle rocker's p??in.

More often, this strategy backfires. Jackson seems desperate for the days when he ruled, when doing a Beatles cover like this album's "Come Together" would have equaled a nod to preceding royalty. Now it reveals the downside of Jackson's HIStorydefense, which is plain old superstar ego. The slow blues-operatic "Earth Song" for all its noble sentiments, sounds primarily like a showpiece – something with which to knock 'em dead in Monte Carlo. And uncut Hollywood fluff like "Childhood," "Little Susie" and the climactic version of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" has zero point of view on itself; its blend of rampaging ego and static orchestral pop is a Streisand-size mistake. What it's doing on an album with Dallas Austin and Jam and Lewis is anyone's guess. But then that's the story of this exhilarating, misconceived, often heartbreaking package. HIStory's ultimate goal is to position Michael Jackson's music as a planet, a genre, a law, a marketing budget unto itself. As time passes and singles break, maybe those superhuman plans will touch back down on earth.

Michael Jackson - History

Michael Jackson Dangerous

Michael Jackson number one

Michael Jackson bad - Album Review

Michael Jackson's Thriller

Michael Jackson - Off the Wall

Michael Jackson Dangerous

2010-02-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

The booklet for 'Dangerous' begins with a short prose poem by Michael Jackson describing the release the singer feels while dancing: "Creator and creation merge into one wholeness of joy" until "there is only ... the dance." It is Jackson's version of William Butler Yeats's "How can you tell the dancer from the dance?" and a revealing introduction to the first album in four years from this generation's best-known and bestselling superstar.

Dangerous might seem to be a chance to separate this dancer – the "eccentric" Michael of the chimps, the Elephant Man bones, the hyperbaric chamber – from his dancing and singing, which remain among the wonders of the performance world and, lest we forget, were the real reason we paid so much attention to Jackson in the first place. According to this plan, we must consider Dangerous on its own terms and listen without images of llamas and Macaulay Culkin dancing in our heads.

But of course this polarity between Jackson's on- and offstage lives is exactly what makes him so fascinating, and the triumph of Dangerous is that it doesn't hide from the fears and contradictions of a lifetime spent under a spotlight. This edge of terror electrified Thriller's Jackson-penned break-through cuts "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" but was diverted into an unconvincing nastiness in 1987 on Bad. It also drove the "controversial" segment of the "Black or White" video, but this tension is presented much more effectively on the album itself.

Teddy Riley replaces. Quincy Jones as Jackson's primary collaborator on Dangerous, an inspired selection that is the key to the album's finest moments. Riley – the producer of groundbreaking tracks by Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat and his own combo, Guy – is the godfather of New Jack Swing, which merges hip-hop beats with soul crooning and has dominated the R&B charts in recent years. This choice clearly represents Jackson's pursuit of a more contemporary sound, an attempt to come to grips with the changes that have swept pop music sinceBad – most significantly, rap's successful attack on the mainstream. Riley's work on Dangerous is reminiscent of Jackson's solo album Off the Wall(1979) and that record's distillation of disco to its perfect pop essence. Riley's tracks don't offer the revolutionary genre-busting of Thriller, but they dramatically illustrate the versatility of his style. Instead of the cocksure strut of a New Jack classic like Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative," the stacked layers of keyboards on Dangerous shift and percolate, varying textures over insistent, thumping rhythm tracks.

The aggressive yet fluid dance grooves Riley helped construct – and his emphasis is on writing grooves, not traditional songs – prove a perfect match for Jackson's clipped, breathy uptempo voice. The fit is especially striking on the songs dealing with women. Exactly half of Dangerous is concerned with affairs of the heart, and Jackson's greatest fears are brought right up front – there's not a single straightforward love song in the bunch. Instead we get betrayal in "Who Is It" and repressed lust in the titillatingly titled (and determinedly heterosexual) "In the Closet." Even "Remember the Time," the most lighthearted musical track on the album, tells of a blissful romance only to ask, "So why did it end?" The tense, stuttering beats mirror these anxieties compellingly Riley's melodies may seem secondary, but he carefully plants unshakable hooks in the least likely places – a jittery rhythm track in "Can't Let Her Get Away," a snaky, unexpected bridge in "In the Closet."

There's nothing on Dangerous as anti-female asBad's "Dirty Diana," but Jackson's persona is much more assertively sexual than the accused victim in "Billie Jean." He stalks and preens in "She Drives Me Wild." "Give In to Me" flirts with something more disturbing as Jackson sings, "Don't try to understand me/Just simply do the things I say" in a grittier, throaty voice while Slash's guitar whips and soars behind him. Neither this slow-burn solo nor the Stones-derived riff on "Black or White" offers the catharsis of Eddie Van Halen's blazing break on "Beat It," but they demonstrate that what seemed like a stunning crossover fusion in 1982 has now become an established part of the pop vocabulary.

Less impressive are the ballads on Dangerous, where Jackson turns to more global concerns. He has always had a weakness for sappiness, and over the years his delivery has grown increasingly constricted on slower numbers. "Heal the World" is a Hallmark-card knockoff of "We Are the World," while the grandiose "Will You Be There" never catches fire. "Keep the Faith," with its power-of-positive-thinking message, is looser and sets off fireworks with a call-and-response gospel coda. It's easy to overlook, though, because it immediately follows "Will You Be There," and both tracks feature the Andrae Crouch Singers; the sequencing of Dangerous often clusters similar songs in bunches when a more varied presentation would have been stronger.

"Jam," the album's opener, addresses. Jackson's uneasy relationship to the world and reveals a canny self-awareness that carries the strongest message on Dangerous. "Jam" features a dense, swirling Riley track, propelled by horn samples and a subtle scratch effect, and includes a fleet rap by Riley favorite Heavy D. Though it initially sounds like a simple, funky dance vehicle, Jackson's voice bites into each phrase with a desperation that urges us to look deeper. He is singing as "false prophets cry of doom" and exhorts us to "live each day like it's the last." The chorus declares that the miseries of the world "ain't too much stuff" to stop us from jamming. To Jackson, who insists that he comes truly alive only onstage, the ability to "Jam" is the sole means to find "peace within myself," and this hope rings more sincere than the childlike wishes found in the ballads.

At such moments, Dangerous rises to the impossible challenge set by Thriller, the commercial and artistic juggernaut that will always loom over Michael Jackson's work. At his best, then and now, the dancer and the dance come together and reveal a man, no longer a man-child, confronting his well-publicized demons and achieving transcendence through performance. What got lost in the uproar over That Video is that, despite his offstage Peter Pan image, Michael Jackson's finest song and dance is always sexually charged, tense, coiled – he is at his most gripping when he really is dangerous.

Michael Jackson - History

Michael Jackson Dangerous

Michael Jackson number one

Michael Jackson bad - Album Review

Michael Jackson's Thriller

Michael Jackson - Off the Wall

Michael Jackson number one - Album Review

2010-02-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

Despite the recent controversy surrounding his personal life, Michael Jackson has long been known as the King Of Pop, and with good reason. For most pop stars, their time in the spotlight lasts maybe 2-3 years before they are reduced to guest appearances on weekly sit-coms or the occassional "info-mercial". This is not true of Jackson, whos reign at the top has carried him through the past 2+ decades since the onset of his solo career after leaving the Jackson Five.

This collection of Number One hits is therefore a must have for any fan of the pop genre. Since the 1980's, Jacksons eclectic, diverse style has seen many landmarks in the music industry, setting new standards, breaking new ground and re-inventing a style that was in its infancy when Jackson came into his own. His pioneering sound created a whole new generation of music and for that he was rewarded the title "King of Pop".

The album features 18 of Jackson most beloved songs, featured in the order which they originally made it to number one. Included on the album are some of his largest breakout hits like "Billy Jean" and Beat It" which both became such huge hits that they are immediately recognizable by audiences today.

The song "Thriller", which also emerged early in Jackson's solo career, firmly planted the superstars reputation as a serious talent in the industry. Not only was Jackson re-inventing the style of music, he was setting a new standard unprecedented in the industry at that time. Music television was only a few years old when the video for "Thriller", a 10+ minute short film, was released for the first time. The video, which was so well produced that it rose immediately to the head of the video industry, set a new level of quality in the genre that artists have been struggling to match since.

The album also features a number of other large hits for Michael, including the songs which added to the early controversy in Jackson's professional career. "Black or White", a song about racial equality again put Jackson in the spotlight for his controversal portrayal of violence against authority. "Bad", "Smooth Criminal", and "Dirty Diana" also feature Jackson's hard driving rythems and smooth, sometimes aggressive lyrics covering a range of topics that has often lead to speculation and ridicule by the press, while at the same time leaving his world-wide hordes of fans clammoring for more.

Some of the more poignant pieces in this collection include songs like "Man In the Mirror", a song where Michael points the finger at himself while pondering the choices in his life.

In all, the album is a great collection of all his number one hits, and is a great look back at the man who created a genre that has grown since he stepped to the front of the class, but never outgrown his talent. With the onset of this generations pop superstars like Justin Timberlake, Brittany Spears and Chrsitina Aguilera, it is a further testimony to his talent and sheer ability that Michael Jackson has remained such a huge part of not only the genre, but the music industry as a whole. Love him or hate him, his talent is unmistakable and unquestionable.

This compilation of hits is a great addition to any music collection, and is a must have for any Jackson fan. For anyone who isn't already familiar with his music, this collection is a great introduction into the mind and soul of a man who reshaped the music industry. Jackson truly is the King of Pop, and through this album, you can enter the gates to his kingdom. Give this album a listen, you won't be disappointed.

Michael Jackson bad - Album Review

2010-02-13T07:55:00.000-08:00

Michael Jackson is a man. Agreed, he is a young man, emotional age about thirteen, with a young man's interest in cars, girls, scary movies and gossip. But adolescent stardom, Jehovah's Witnesses wackiness and unadulterated genius have kept this faux-porcelain elephant man more childlike than any oxygen-tank sleeping device ever could.

Bad is the work of a gifted singer-songwriter with his own skewed aesthetic agenda and the technical prowess to pursue it. Let the paid Encinologists comb through the small print for clues to understanding Jackson's complicated world. Does "God, I need you" in the carnal duet "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" constitute blasphemy in the wake of his departure from the Witnesses? Is the liner note to "Mother & Joseph Jackson" a tea leaf of familial discord or a casual term of address? Does anyone really care?

Nor should it matter to anyone but the beneficiaries of its anticipated sales whether Bad moves 4 or 12 or 50 million units. Comparisons with Thriller are unimportant, except this one: even without a milestone recording like "Billie Jean," Bad is a better record. The filler – "Speed Demon," "Dirty Diana," arguably "Liberian Girl" – is Michael's filler, which makes it richer, sexier, better than Thriller's forgettables: "Baby Be Mine," "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," "Lady in My Life."

Leaving the muddy banks of conjecture – as to sales, as to facial surgery, as to religion, as to, Is he getting it, and if so, from whom or what? – we can soar into the heart of a nifty piece of work. Badoffers two songs, its title cut and "Man in the Mirror," that stand among the half dozen best things Jackson has done. A third, "The Way You Make Me Feel," is nearly as good. The only mediocrity is "Just Good Friends" (one of two songs not written by M.J.), a Stevie Wonder pairing that starts well but devolves into a chin-bobbing cheerfulness that is unforced but also, sadly, unearned.

Churls may bemoan "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," Jackson's duet with the often indistinguishable Siedah Garrett, as a second unworthy entry. Without descending to musical McCarthyism and questioning the honor of anyone who can fault a record with both finger snaps and timpani, it need only be asked, Who, having heard the song at least twice, can fail to remember that chorus?

Bad is not only product but also a cohesive anthology of its maker's perceptions. Where "Lady in My Life" was as believable as Abba's phonetic re-recording of its hits in Spanish, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" quivers with the kind of desire that makes men walk bent at the waist. "Liberian Girl" glistens with gratitude for the existence of a loved one.

Once again, Jackson has written songs as dreams, and once again he has the unselfconsciousness to present them without interpretation. "Speed Demon," the car song, is a fun little power tale, in which Jackson's superego gives his id a ticket; "Smooth Criminal" may be the result of retiring too soon after a Brian de Palma picture. It's gory, but almost in the popcorn-chomping manner of "Thriller." As in his best songs, Jackson's free-form language keeps us aware that we are on the edge of several realities: the film, the dream it inspires, the waking world it illuminates.

If these songs – even "Smooth Criminal," with its incessant "Annie, are you okay?" – seem less threatening than previous dream songs, like "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," it's because Jackson's perspective has changed. He is no longer the victim, the vegetable they want to eat up, but a concerned observer or a participant with power. For example, "Dirty Diana," the wisp of a song about a sexual predator, does not aim for the darkness of "Billie Jean"; instead, Jackson sounds equally intrigued by and apprehensive of a sexual challenge, but he feels free to accept or resist it. As on many of the sketchier songs, producer Quincy Jones marshals his most flamboyant strokes – crowd noise, Steve Stevens guitar and John Barnes string arrangement – to make a substantial recording out of an insubstantial melody.

"Bad" needs no defense. Jackson revives the "Hit the Road, Jack" progression and proves (with a lyric beginning with "Your butt is mine" and ending with the answered question "Who's bad?") that he can outfunk anybody any time. When Jackson declares that "the whole world has to answer right now," he is not boasting but making a statement of fact regarding his extraordinary stardom. If anything, he is scorning the self-coronation of lesser funk royals and inviting his fickle public to spurn him if it dare. Not since the "Is it good, ya?" of Godfather Brown has a more rhetorical question been posed in funk.

Michael Jackson deserves the rewards due to those who tell their truth, who admit complexity when simplifications are at hand and who can funk in the valley of the gods. On "Man in the Mirror," a song he did not write, Jackson goes a step further and offers a straightforward homily of personal commitment: "I'm starting with the man in the mirror/I'm asking him to change his ways/And no message could have been clearer/If you wanna make the world a better place/Take a look at yourself and then make a change."

Snipers have dismissed this as a solipsistic, Eighties view of political engagement, but no one since Dylan has written an anthem of community action that has moved so many as Michael's (and Lionel's) "We Are the World." And no such grandiose plans can succeed without the first, private steps that Jackson describes here.

The best way to view Bad is not as the sequel toThriller. Rather, imagine an album made up of "Style of Life," "Blues Away," "Bless His Soul," "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)," "That's What You Get (for Being Polite)," "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Can You Feel It," from the Jacksons' LPs, and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Working Day and Night," "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," from Michael's solo records. View that phenomenalalbum's worth of music as the opening statement of Michael Jackson the autonomous artist. View Bad as its first fascinating successor.

Michael Jackson's Thriller

2010-02-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

People often talk about how the amount of copies Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller has sold. People often bring up that it's the biggest selling album of all time. They bring up all of the awards it's won.

All of that stuff is great for the trivia nerd in all of us (and I've certainly got one in me) but what really makes Thrillerremarkable is the music itself. While most pop music from 1982 sounds positively dated today, I believe most of the tracks from Thriller still sound just as fresh in 2009 as they did 27 years earlier.

The album opener "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is the most over the top song on the album and it says something that he opens the album with this one. There's so much packed into this song, it's bursting at the seams. These days most hit songs have about 1/3 of the imagination that this song has packed into it (and that's being generous.)

The three most known songs on the album are "Thriller," "Billie Jean," & "Beat It." In fact these are arguably the three most well known songs of Michael Jackson's entire career. Amazingly they come one right after the other on the album. How many albums have three songs that memorable one after the other?

It seems the music video for "Thriller" is talked about all the time. But what about the song itself? The video wouldn't have been so great if there wasn't an awesome soundtrack for it.

"Billie Jean" is so great that it really doesn't even need me to say anything about it here. It's the ultimate dance pop song. It demands you to the dance floor but it also has an irresistible melody and interesting lyrics that beg you to sing along.

"Beat It" featured rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen. When you think about it, that's quite an interesting move to make for an R&B pop artist like Michael Jackson. People forget what an original idea it was for him to do such a rocking tune at that time. His groundbreaking ideas were so influential that it's difficult to see them in their original context now.

Those three songs are fantastic but it's some of the others that really tickle me these days. "PYT (Pretty Young Thing)," "Human Nature," & "Baby Be Mine" are all wonderful songs that were not huge hits so they sometimes get overlooked by casual fans. These are great songs. Forget the "Greatest Hits" albums because they don't include great songs like these. You need to get Thriller.

Even the album's lesser songs have their moments and their charms. "The Girl is Mine" is a silly duet with Beatles legend Paul McCartney but it's actually quite enjoyable once you accept it for what it is. "The Lady in my Life" takes awhile to get going but once the groove sets in, it's a cool song.

One thing that I definitely feel is too often overlooked with Michael Jackson is his songwriting ability and Thriller was really the first proof that he was a great songwriter (although he did write one song, the #1 hit "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" for Off the Wall.)

Michael Jackson has the sole songwriting credit on four of the nine songs on this remarkable album: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," & "The Girl is Mine." Writing four songs for Thriller was just the beginning, because from 1987's Bad through 2001's Invincible Jackson would write about 90% of his album's original songs (I'm not counting his covers of "Smile" & "Come Together" in my quick & dirty estimate.)

Michael Jackson - Off the Wall

2010-02-11T04:43:00.000-08:00

In the year 1979 one of the future leading pop icons Michael Jackson released his fifth solo studio album. Unlike his past efforts with his brothers Michael wanted to gain more artistic freedom - a thing he wasn’t allowed in the past. Off the Wall album is produced by Quincy Jones and the final result is maybe the best studio effort Michael Jackson ever recorded.

Off the Wall album was hailed as a major breakthrough for Michael Jackson as an artist. It brought Michael kind of sophistication and maturity he desired with wide stylistic variations ranging from the monster dance groove of Don’t Stop ’till You Get Enough or the soulful She’s out of My Life to the funky bass thumper Workin’ Day and Night or Stevie Wonder’s jazzy piece I Can’t Help it. Not all of the songs were singles but today all ten songs are hailed as classics.

The most popular cut on the album was Michael penned Don’t stop till You get enough, it was also his debut single for the Epic Records. Lyrics are focused on the subject of sex and love, much more resembling other icon of the 80’s - Prince. While not popular as his next studio album Thriller from this time distance Off the Wall sounds less dated in its sound. And while done very professionally Off the Wall sounds like Michael and Quincy had a lot of fun during recording sessions for this masterpiece. Many years after its release Off the Wall still sounds fresh and vibrant, full of joy, love, lust and even pain mixed altogether in Michael’s first true classic piece.

Alternative Music

2010-02-02T22:53:00.000-08:00

Alternative Music embodies a different musical approach and an "anything but" philosophy to the status quo of rock and roll. This movement in music has existed in other forms through the years. Punk, for example, was arguably a precursor to what later developed as Alternative Music. The basic idea of Punk Rock was to be antiestablishment. Punk deliberately made a different sound than Rock at that time by using different chords, more distortion, more feedback, and a real irreverent in your face attitude that at once was prevalent in Rock and Roll, but has long since subsided as Rock became mainstream. Once the subsidence into mainstream and complacency ensues, a movement inevitably arises that says "I'm tired of this...we need something new, anything but what we have now". And just like that, the new music begins.
Yes, the term "Alternative Music" means pretty much what it sounds like: a different sound to what you hear in mainstream rock and roll. Now, trying to define mainstream rock and roll is a little like trying to lick the bottom inside of a beer bottle. Just think of the music you hear on your local classic rock type radio station and that is basically mainstream rock and roll music. Bands like REM certainly came on the music scene as Alternative, as their sound and attitude was a break from the classic rock "behemoths" of bands like Boston, Kansas, and other bands of that era that aren't named after cities or states. The early 90's also brought a glut of alternative bands like the Seattle biggies Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.
College radio has proven to be a fertile ground for discovering new music. Professional radio music stations are saddled by the burden of playing popular music to remain popular among listeners and advertisers so they can continue to make bazillions of dollars in advertising revenues. College radio doesn't have that burden, so the music choices can come from a more liberal selection, and not just the latest Maroon 5 hit. Bands like REM have expressed their appreciation for College radio as it gave them and Alternative Music a considerable boost.
The idea of Alternative Music is music and bands that are not in the mainstream. Wellllll what happens when a band becomes so popular that it IS THE MAINSTREAM? Ahh, the classic dilemma. The debates rage on amongst fan boys everywhere: "I liked X band when before they were popular" and so on. REM, as great and original as they are, gradually became a mainstream band from their sheer longevity. This isn't to say every single band that becomes mainstream suffers a decline. I'm merely pointing out that Alternative Music in its essence is different than music that is widely accepted, aka POP.
The genre of Alternative Music currently is hard to define. The wave that started in the early 90s has subsided and has left a lot of carbon copies in its aftermath. The only thing to do now is to wait for the next big wave in music to come along and once again offer us what can only be known as "Alternative Music".

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Classical Music

2010-02-02T22:37:00.000-08:00

Classical music, like other forms of classical art, has not as many takers as those of light music. Nonetheless, classical music has its fans too and lots more are falling to its charms. Yet, those who turn to it often find it rather beyond their understanding and real appreciation. They are charmed by it, but they cannot critically explain why it appeals them. You cannot rationalize its appeal or beauty.

Another reason why a large majority of people are not very comfortable with classical music is its complexity and a sense of distance from the artist. Light music can be easily sung by ordinary artists with whom ordinary listeners can identify easily. It expresses the feelings of ordinary persons in their own language. Classical music, on the other hand, is rather mysterious and is rendered in diverse styles and it takes years, sometimes a life long time to understand .But its study has its rewards too. The more you study it, the more you enjoy it and the more you find it wonderful and worth the effort and hard work to study it.

The study or appreciation of classical music depends upon your individual taste. A form of music that appeals to you may not appeal to another person. You may come across experts who may try to influence you by their judgments about the quality of music. You may listen to them, but you should not compel yourself to like the music that they like. Or if you come across a much-acclaimed piece of music that you cannot really appreciate, you do not have to blame yourself for not liking it. You may of course try to find out why the particular expert likes a given piece of music. May be, you find some point to learn.

The most important thing about classical music is to listen to it as much as you can. Classical music CDs are available from many sources. If you are a student, your college library may have an abundant stock of classical music CDs. You can listen to radio, watch TV, and go to concerts and recitals. You can also get free downloads from the Internet, if you do not want to spend money.

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Acoustic Music

2010-02-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

Acoustic music has had a huge influence on humanity for a long time. Of course acoustic music itself has evolved into an entirely new genre of music than what it was years and years ago. On the other hand, acoustic songs have been played for years - since the invention of the acoustic guitar. One reason that acoustic music seems to have an effect on people is because it cuts out all the "fakeness" of distorted instruments and brings the listener the the raw noise of a simple instrument and bare voice of the singer.

Lyrics of acoustic songs tend to be more refined than those of rock songs or other genres of music. Once again its easy to see why that might be. When all of the fuzz is cut out and the performer is musically naked in front of the audience, it calls more attention and scrutiny to the lyrics. Acoustic songs lyrics are more poetic and original. Unique phrases are found in acoustic song lyrics while other types of music contain more common phrases. Of course, acoustic music is not the king of kinds. Lyrics are just one aspect that is emphasized more.

The rhythm and tone of the songs are generally melodic and calming. Those listening to acoustic instruments are generally brought to a calm state of being. Worries seem to get dissolved into the music and drift away. The music encompasses the main part of the emotions of a listener so they don't have to focus on what is currently occupying them.

Another great factor of the mellow/indie music scene is that the songs are generally easy to play. There are many songs that don't require a lot of skill. In fact, a lot of the greatest songs are the simplest. Timeless songs like "Time of Your Life" by Greenday require 5 simple chords. "Wonderwall" by Oasis is also another example of a song that is very easy to play, but has a captivating melody and timeless emotional effect.

Some of the greatest artists in history have mastered the essence of what it means to produce a great acoustic song. They are very versatile. Almost any song can be converted to an acoustic style. Some of the best acoustic performances ever were performed by rock bands who cut down their songs to make a mellow concert that pleased many. Nirvana's appearance on MTV unplugged was one of the most responsive and innovative acoustic performances that ever aired.

Essentially, acoustic music has a great effect on people. Whether it be the innovative lyrics or the simplistic guitar riffs, everyone can find a way to relate to the wonder of acoustic songs.

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Roch Music :The Ten Best Metal Albums Of 2009

2010-02-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

With heavy metal music of all genres enjoying a healthy resurgence as of late, this past year has seen a number of mighty releases. The old guard, the young bucks and all manner of rivet heads in between have proven that there's no better time than now to be enjoying the most extreme music on the planet. Yet after sifting through the razor sharp entrails of 2009's metal releases, these ten essential releases all possessed that unholy extra je ne sais quoi.

1) Mastodon - Crack The Skye (Reprise Records)

While this Atlanta quartet have noticeably sidled away from their sludgier roots, it's been a movement of growth and not compromise. The band's psychedelic tendencies are grander than ever on this monumental concept album about Russian mystics and lost astral projectors. Guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds and drummer-slash-vocalist Brann Dailor have channeled their pain into a beautifully detailed work of sonic art loaded with heart-wrenching textures and unparalleled heaviness. Killer track: Oblivion

2) Megadeth - Endgame (Roadrunner Records)

After rising to the stratosphere in his battle to out-riff thrash metal titans Metallica, Megadeth genius Dave Mustaine later navigated through some choppy waters only to come back swinging with his most surprising disc to date. The shock wasn't necessarily that Endgame was good, but that it was really good. Maybe "best-of-his-career" good. Killer production and some amazing guitar work helped this release prove that while Metallica's Death Magnetic showed that band was still alive, Megadeth is more than merely alive - they're thriving. Killer track: Endgame

Read more at Suite101: The Ten Best Metal Albums Of 2009: A Listing Of The Molten Cream Of This Year's Metallic Crop http://metalmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_ten_best_metal_albums_of_2009#ixzz0eS3y74o0

3) Slayer - World Painted Blood (American/Sony)

Another mainstay of the early thrash scene (Slayer guitarist Kerry King actually played for Megadeth during their first shows), these Southern California titans have stayed true to their aggressive roots since their inception. Now that original drummer Dave Lombardo is back in the fold, they're dropping some of their most intense material since the 1990's Seasons In The Abyss. World Painted Blood is a satanically catchy combination of songs showcasing all of the band's strengths. From slow and ominous to spine-shatteringly fast, this disc simply slays! Killer track: Hate Worldwide

4) Behemoth - Evangelion (Metal Blade)

This brutal Polish metal outfit is truly the thinking mosher's band. Combining early black metal influences with insanely technical death metal leanings, Evangelion is another stunner from Nergal and company. Its epic songs feature a balance of riff-heavy brutality and layered ambience. It's also a prime example of an album worth buying in physical form, as the impressive artwork and insightful, historical song commentary found within its booklet would be lost in an all-digital realm. Killer track: Ov Fire And The Void

5) Dethklok - Dethalbum II (Williams Street)

While it may seem heretical to place a "fake" album by a "fake" cartoon band in the top five, the truth is that this disc cracked the Billboard Top 20 for a reason. Metalocalypse mastermind Brendan Small isn't just a television show creator, he's also a Berklee trained guitarist who has assembled a number of talented musicians around him (including Gene Hoglan on drums) to put together some bona fide crushing metal. If the sheer brutality of it all isn't enough, Dethalbum II also features some of the best guitar melodies to have been heard in decades. Killer track: I Tamper With The Evidence At The Murder Site Of Odin

6) The Black Dahlia Murder - Deflorate (Metal Blade)

A dizzying assault of intricate riffs (featuring new guitarist Ryan Knight), deafening blast beats and Trevor Strnad's bipolar vocalizations, Deflorate is a no-apologies slab of sheer American metal. From the bizarre cover artwork to the surprisingly cinematic lyrics, this concise package of devastating nastiness will lay waste to human nervous systems and small towns aplenty. Killer track: Denounced, Disgraced

7) Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest (Nuclear Blast)

Sharing a certain kinship to Behemoth, this South Carolinian death metal monstrosity sports both the maniacally fast drumming of George Kollias and the Egyptian-flavored thematic juice courtesy of guitarist and founding member Karl Sanders. Equal parts brutality, technicality and brains, death metal doesn't get much better than this. Killer track: 4th Arra Of Dagon

8) Lamb Of God - Wrath (Epic)

While never recapturing the near-perfect vibe of 2006's Sacrament, this release is nonetheless laudable for its stripped down, in your face demeanor. Vocalist Randy Blythe again proves that he is one of the best screamers out there, and fleet-footed madman Chris Adler continues piling on evidence of why he's one of the best metal drummers in the world. Aggressive and lean, Wrath doesn't want to hold hands - it only yearns to start circle pits. Killer track: Contractor

9) Chthonic - Mirror Of Retribution (Spinefarm)

An inspiring concoction of black, death and thrash metal influences collided with Taiwanese culture and traditional instruments such as the erhu fiddle, Mirror Of Retribution is an angry melting pot that shows how far metal can evolve when absorbed into other corners of the globe. Catchy, beefy and melodic, Chthonic's latest is an exciting beast that's surprisingly hard to eject from the car CD player. Killer track: Blooming Blades

10) Burnt By The Sun - Heart Of Darkness (Relapse)

Heavier than a collapsing star, this final disc from New Jersey's noisecore brain trust Burnt By The Sun is for those who complain about Mastodon growing too cuddly in recent years. Chock full of tortured screams, guitar harmonics, chugging midsections and frenzied riff explosions, the sharp edges of Heart Of Darkness recall a time when the idea of metalcore wasn't such a bad thing. Killer track: There Will Be Blood

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Christina Milian

2010-02-02T20:06:00.000-08:00

"Christine Flores" (born September 26, 1981), better known by her stage name "Christina Milian" (), is an American R&B and pop singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and model. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Milian moved to Los Angeles when she was 13 years old, desiring to be an actress. By the age of 17, Milian had begun writing songs to help obtain a recording contract. Milian has released three studio albums, and has finished recording a fourth, "Elope", which is scheduled for a late 2009 or early 2010 release.

Milian's self-titled debut album was released in 2001, and features the singles 'AM to PM' and 'When You Look at Me'; both peaked in the top three on the UK Singles Chart. The singer's second studio album, "It's About Time" (2004), provided her first major US hit 'Dip It Low'. Milian's third studio album, "So Amazin'" (2006), produced only one single, 'Say I'. A month after the release of "So Amazin", Milian's representative confirmed that she had left the Island Def Jam record label due to 'creative differences'. Milian signed with Interscope Records in 2009, through which she will release her album, "Elope". The album's first single, 'Us Against the World', was written by Milian.

Although Milian is best known for her singing career, she originally wanted to be an actress. Her first lead role was in the 2003 film "Love Don't Cost a Thing", and subsequently had main roles in "Be Cool" and the horror film "Pulse". Milian had a minor role in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past", and starred as the lead role in the straight-to-DVD film "Bring It On: Fight to the Finish". Milian has been described as a role model, and her mother manages her musical and theatrical careers. On September 4, 2009, Milian married The-Dream in Las Vegas, and was confirmed to be pregnant with his child a week later.

Hilary Duff

2010-02-02T19:58:00.000-08:00

Like many of her most successful Disney-factory famiglia — not to mention her own big sister, Haylie Duff, former co-star of 7th Heaven — Hilary Duff began her acting career at a young age and quickly expanded her burgeoning empire to include music and merchandising. She was born on September 28th, 1987 in Houston, Texas, and began studying ballet as a child. After moving to Los Angeles with her mother to pursue a career in entertainment, Duff was cast as the lead in the successful Disney TV series Lizzie McGuire, which then spawned a big-screen picture, The Lizzie McGuire Movie two years later, in 2003.

While Duff continued to expand her acting portfolio, she launched her singing career. Her first album was a well-selling Christmas record, Santa Claus Lane, which featured Haylie, Lil' Romeo and Christina Milian. Then, after the soundtrack for The Lizzie McGuire Movie primed the pump, came Metamorphosis, a Number One that sold more than 3 million copies and spawned the hits "So Yesterday" (Number 42, 2003) and "Come Clean" (Number 35, 2004), which was used as the theme for the MTV show Laguna Beach. After covering the Go-Go's "Our Lips Are Sealed" with her sister for the soundtrack to A Cinderella Story, Duff's self-titled third album, issued on her 17th birthday in 2004, debuted at Number Two. Most Wanted (2005) was a collection of old songs, new songs and remixes that featured new tracks co-produced by Joel and Benji Madden of Good Charlotte. Dignity was more in a straight house-music vein; "With Love," a single, went to Number One on the Dance Club Play chart.

Duff's personal life has also fascinated her fans. In 2001 she began a two-year relationship with pop singer Aaron Carter that led to a public feud with fellow child star Lindsay Lohan (the two have reconciled). Duff also dated Good Charlotte's Joel Madden. Off the stage, she has also made a name for herself by launching the clothing line Stuff by Hilary Duff and the fragrance With Love.

Sexy Female Singer Video
Beyoncé Giselle
Christina Aguilera
Mariah Carey
Britney Spears
Ciara Princess Harris
Jessica Simpson
Madonna
Sheet on Suicide
Hilary Duff

Madonna

2010-02-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

Madonna's many career sidelights often obscure the fact that she remains one of the greatest pop acts of all time. Yes, she's made some awful movies, but so did Elvis and the Beatles. Simply put, Madonna makes exemplary pop records. They've embraced the trends of the day while showcasing a feisty personality that lesser pop idols and their keepers can't fake. Like David Bowie during his glory days, Madonna has moved from stylistic strength to strength: She's succeeded so fantastically partly thanks to her skill at picking crafty collaborators, but also because behind all the videos, costumes, quotes, and celebrity trappings, she is an exemplary songwriter with a gift for hooks and indelible lyrics, and a better studio singer than her live spectacles attest. Her many albums aren't always perfect, and the early ones include regrettable filler. But when it comes to singles, Madonna has few peers, a deserving candidate for the title of greatest singles artist since the 1960s heyday of the single.

That gift was there on her 1983 debut, which combined proven postdisco club tracks like "Everybody" and "Burning Up" with breakthrough pop hits "Borderline" and "Lucky Star." The knockout remains "Holiday," the first production by DJ, remixer, and then boyfriend John "Jellybean" Benitez. Her debut has aged better than its smash successor of the next year, Like a Virgin, which combines two career-making monsters, "Material Girl" and the equally tongue-in-cheek title track, with catchy but less substantial follow-ups, producer/songwriter/rhythm guitarist extraordinaire Nile Rodgers' clattering arrangements, and her weakest album tracks ever.

True Blue magnified her button-pushing ability with a controversial 1986 smash about pregnancy, "Papa Don't Preach," and proved her range, from the dark ballad "Live to Tell" to the Latin kitsch of "La Isla Bonita." You Can Dance lengthens previously released singles and album cuts while adding the clubby exclusive "Spotlight," but none of the remixes match the originals' simple urgency. The Who's That Girl soundtrack is a mixed bag of four Madonna cuts not found on other albums combined with five forgettable flops from Club Nouveau and other bygone '80s rhythm-pop acts.

After these 1987 trifles, 1989's Like a Prayer effectively upped Madonna's ante as a serious artist with the one-two punch of the righteous gospel-inflected title track and the quintessential Madonna manifesto "Express Yourself," as well as a supporting cast of substantial songs that covered topics like spousal abuse ("Till Death Do Us Part") and familial neglect ("Oh Father") with the breezy buzz of self-discovery. Created to coincide with Madonna's credible acting job in Dick Tracy, 1990's I'm Breathless fails to turn the pop singer into a convincing Broadway belter: She tries too hard and sounds literally out of breath on tracks cowritten with longtime collaborator Patrick Leonard or penned for her by theater songwriting legend Stephen Sondheim. Released later that year, The Immaculate Collection leaves off several hits, yet sums up the first stage of Madonna's career flawlessly while including stray essential singles like "Into the Groove" and "Crazy for You," and worthy sensual newies "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me."

Created with remix kingpin Shep Pettibone to coincide with her button-pushing book, Sex, 1992's Erotica represents Madonna's fullest immersion in gay culture and sounds, and is also her darkest, least tune-driven album. Not coincidentally, a media backlash intensified. The ever-resilient star responded with 1994's bruised but far more mainstream Bedtime Stories, a low-key, R&B-derived confessional defined by its Dallas Austin– and Babyface-assisted smashes, "Secret" and "Take a Bow," respectively. The atypical title track (a flop when released as a single) pointed the way to her next musical incarnation, the sleek electronica of 1998's Ray of Light, although the star wasn't yet ready for another commercial risk. First she emphasized her crooning powers with 1995's ballad retrospective Something to Remember (key track: the haunted A League of Their Own soundtrack hit "This Used to Be My Playground"), then reaped the benefits of voice lessons with her '96 Evita soundtrack. Although she'd dramatically improved her vocal technique since attempting Sondheim, what she tries with Andrew Lloyd Webber's operatic score is far more ambitious, serious--and consequently just as strained.

The elocution lessons learned during Evita give her a My Fair Lady-esque English accent, but Ray of Light achieves another breakthrough akin to Like a Prayer in the way it documents the singer's journey to the center of her soul. Pop song doctor Rick Nowles balances producer William Orbit's sonic explorations as the set flips from club anthems like the title track's rock-trance synthesis to the chilled-out heartbreak of "Frozen." With 2000's Music, Madonna lightens up, harking back to the early-'80s street disco of her debut with the help of her most offbeat collaborator, obscure French synth-popper Mirwais Ahmadzai. The album lacks its predecessor's introspective intensity but offers wise feminist observation ("What It Feels Like for a Girl") and inspired froth (giddy Austin Powers soundtrack hit "Beautiful Stranger"). Unlike her previous hits collections, GHV2 doesn't include lost singles or new cuts, and the albums it culls from (Evita aside) offer stronger, more consistent pleasures. After Madonna's back-to-back successes, 2003's American Life disappoints, a rare instance of lesser more-of-the-same from this extraordinarily disciplined trend forerunner. Many missed the joke of the title track's goofy rap about lattés and feeling "super-dooper" in her Mini Cooper, but the scent of stale indulgence is hard to ignore, despite the popsmith's ever-present hooks and Ahmadzai's sportive studio noise. Remixed & Revisited improves upon American Life's standout single, "Love Profusion," but the rest botches an opportunity to revive interest in its parent album. Even the casually curious would be advised to investigate the hundreds of remixes found on her many maxi-singles, most of which remain in print and attest to her nearly unerring dance-floor smarts.

Jessica Simpson

2010-02-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

Jessica Simpson was born in Abilene, Texas and raised in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. She is the daughter of Joe Truett Simpson (a former Baptist youth minister) and Tina Ann Drew (a former Sunday School teacher). She has a younger sister, Ashlee, who launched her own music career in mid-2004. Jessica started singing at the age of twelve as a part of her Baptist church choir. At the same age, she made an unsuccessful application for The New Mickey Mouse Club, which starred fellow pop singers Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, among other future stars.

Simpson attended J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas. She was discovered singing at a church camp by a head of a small contemporary Christian record label and recorded an album over the next three years; however, the label folded before the record could be released. She dropped out in her senior year in order to tour and promote her demo album, which was funded by her grandmother, Joyce (thus the reason for the name of her 2004 holiday album, Rejoyce: The Christmas Album); she later earned her GED. During this time, she toured with the Christian Youth Conference circuit performing with Kirk Franklin, God's Property and CeCe Winans. She and her father sold copies of the album after her performances.

Tommy Mottola of Columbia Records obtained a copy of the album and, thinking she had potential as a pop singer, signed her as such. Christian influences can still be found in much of her music.

Ciara Princess Harris

2010-02-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

"Ciara Princess Harris" (born October 25, 1985) professionally known as "Ciara", is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actress. Ciara made her debut in the summer of 2004 with the "Billboard" number-one single 'Goodies'. The album "Goodies" was released the fourth quarter of 2004 and first quarter of 2005. It produced three top two singles on the Billboard Hot 100, selling over 2.6 million in the U.S., and three million worldwide, and earned various awards and nominations.

Ciara's second album, "Ciara: The Evolution", was released in December 2006. It has spawned the hit singles 'Get Up', 'Promise', and 'Like a Boy'. The album has sold nearly two million copies worldwide.
Ciara was born in Austin, Texas. She is the only child of Carlton and Jackie Harris. She grew up on army bases in Germany, New York, Utah, California, Arizona, and Nevada, since her father Carlton was in the United States Army. During her teens, Ciara and her family settled in Atlanta.
Ciara said that watching Destiny's Child perform on a television program while staying home from school inspired her to pursue a career in music. Then, Ciara joined a girl group called "Hearsay" and worked on her songwriting. The group recorded demos, but began to have differences. Eventually, she left the group, got a publishing deal, and found a 'musical soulmate' when she met producer Jazze Pha. Ciara graduated from Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia in 2003 and was signed by LaFace Records executive L.A. Reid with the help of Jazze Pha. She began production on her debut album. Ciara co-wrote a demo with songwriter Sean Garrett, who was co-writer of Usher's international hit 'Yeah!?.

Britney Spears sings in "Circus"

2010-02-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

"There's only two types of people in the world," Britney Spears sings in "Circus," her newest album. "The ones that entertain and the ones that observe/I'm a put-on-a-show kind of girl." She's been putting on a show for a long time, but it certainly hasn't made her happy. It's safe to say the fame that flourishes under Britney's Big Top isn't what it's cracked up to be. We can certainly learn a lot about the type of mega-fame Britney has and what it actually brings into a person's life. In her case, it has trapped her completely-she is the least free person I can think of.

When you consider that Spears has sold more than 83 million albums since 1999, it's no surprise that "Circus" turns the pop diva's troubled life into twisted pop songs. In the title song, "Circus," Britney compares her need to be watched to an addiction - which, like all addictions, has both its highs and lows.

The highs include public adulation. She told Glamour magazine in its January 2009 issue that the 2008 Video Music Awards, where she picked up three trophies, "... showed me how much love is out there." There does seem to be plenty of attention for the 27-year-old. Even in a year with an historic presidential election and a devastating economic crisis, Britney Spears was still the #1 name search, according to Yahoo's yearly ranking of popular search terms. For the seventh time in eight years, Britney Spears is the winner of the public's fascination with this troubled star.

The downside for Britney is most exemplified in the fact that the court has given her father Jamie Spears indefinite control of her personal and financial affairs, and she's lost custody of her two young sons with her ex, Kevin Federline. Although the conservatorship had been set to expire at the end of 2008, Britney agreed not to oppose what could become a lifetime arrangement. In part, this happened because the L.A. Superior Court Commissioner said that Spears has shown she is "susceptible to undue influence." The fact that she agreed to the arrangement may also have to do with a Florida court case in which one of Spears' former managers is suing the singer to make her undergo a deposition. Her father and his attorneys got the Commissioner to approve a protective order at least through February of 2009, which shows one benefit of the conservatorship. It also may provide a safe umbrella for Spears to gain more visitation rights with her children.

Addictions are prisons. So many people wish they had Britney's fame. They think of the perks-the money, the shopping, the cool boyfriends or hot chicks they could date-but rarely of the prison of fame. From simple things like not being able to go to the grocery story or walk with your kids down the street without being mobbed to the bigger issue of having every aspect of your life splashed across the media, Britney's type of fame is like a steel cage. In "The Tragedy of Britney Spears" cover story for Rolling Stone, Vanessa Grigoriadis said that "more than any other star today, Britney epitomizes the crucible of fame for the famous: loving it, hating it and never quite being able to stop it from destroying you."

Would you really want to be in Britney's position? On one hand, she feeds on the public adulation and really needs the paparazzi. On the other, she is totally trapped by it. In her documentary "Britney: For the Record" for MTV, which was actually more of a commercial to sell her fragrances and an effort to make us feel sorry for her, Britney is tearful as she says, "There's no excitement, there's no passion. ... I have really good days, and then I have bad days. Even when you go to jail you know there's the time when you're gonna get out... But in this situation, it's never ending. It's just like Groundhog Day every day..." She continues, "... if I wasn't under the restraints I'm under, I'd feel so liberated...."

I do, in fact, have sympathy for this Southern girl who is basically so unhappy. She admits it. Being in the center of media attention may feed her desire to be seen, but she lives in fear that it will one day be gone. "You're scared that it's gonna be taken away, you know? So it's better just not to feel anything at all and to have hope than to feel the other way," she says. Better not to feel anything? Britney, that's a sure recipe for disaster later in life, if not already. As I know full well from my work with thousands of people in live events, suppressing or repressing your emotional pain leads to difficulties with health, relationships, finances, you name it. The wounds we hide come back to haunt us.

Britney already knows the downside of fame full well. In the entertainment business since she was 11 years old and on the Mickey Mouse Club, Spears' life has been a circus sideshow for the last several years. Since her divorce from Federline, she has indulged in wild acting-out that has made her a hit with those who like to watch train wrecks: two trips to hospital psychiatric wards, shaving her head, bashing car windshields, run-ins with the paparazzi and an affair with one of them, stints in rehab, and her disastrous appearance at the 2007 Video Music Awards, to name a few of her slides down the ladder in full public view. At one point in her documentary, she asks plaintively, "What the hell was I thinking?" She was obviously thinking: Get me away from the pain; I don't want to feel like this. And so she partied and drugged and drank to forget the grief and the anger.

Now the hope is that she is on her way to recovery. She's fully engaged in singing, dancing, and recording, with the spotlight once again shining on her as the main attraction in the big tent. With the release of "Circus" on her 27th birthday in December, a blond Britney is on the road to a comeback. As Rolling Stone pointed out: "When she's blond, she's happy. When she's brunette, she's sad. When she's pink, she's crazy." And dancing makes her happy. When she's in a dance rehearsal with her choreographer, it's one of the only times she can feel free, which she can't ever be out in public. Dancing is a boon-keeping her focused in the present moment. In the same way that exercise can help us all to release stagnant or repressed energy, the movement of her body and the discipline of dance affords her an effective way to reconstruct her life.

The L.A. Times, when reviewing Britney's "Circus," said: "Spears remains a New Marilyn, embodying lust and disaster in every swing of her hips." It's an apt comparison, although hopefully not a fatal one. We can't stop watching her: some with an expectant eye towards the next disaster, and some cheering her on as the comeback kid. As a matter of fact, 3.7 million viewers watched her MTV special. And millions more watched her celebrate her 27th birthday under the Big Apple Circus tent in Manhattan before the cameras of Good Morning America. Her concert tour for "Circus" begins in her home state of Louisiana in New Orleans on March 3rd. Her loyal fans are thrilled to have the "old Britney" back. Once again, she's full on in the media-thrilled at the upside of having all eyes on her.

If she really wanted to get away, she could, but she's addicted. As much as any junkie is addicted to their substance of choice, Britney is addicted to the attention she receives. And like any other addict, she has created her own prison. She can't give up the substance she's addicted to. The only way out is cold turkey-get out of the public eye-but she can't leave the only life she's ever known. In many ways, she's very much like her idol and mentor, Madonna. My hope for Britney is that as she ages, she'll begin to understand what's truly important in life, and how her emotional wounds have dictated the terms of her imprisonment. If she grows in wisdom as well as years, if she learns to love herself and stops needing constant outer attention and applause, perhaps one day we can hear about a happy Britney, content with her life-and minus the circus.

Mariah Carey

2010-02-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

Learn some secrets that Mariah Carey and other celebrities have used to lose weight and look great. Mariah Carey just lost 20 pounds, can you? Here's how to look like Mariah Carey in a bikini...

Lose Weight #1: Eat 5 or more smaller meals

To keep your metabolism fast and efficient... and your digestive system working smoothly to eliminate toxins and waste sludge from your body, eat 5 smaller meals instead of 3 big meals. Why? Because 3 big meals blocks up your digestive system during the digestive process. If you were to use 5 smaller meals, the exit time of the wastes would be greatly reduced because the digestive system doesn't have to work as hard.

Lose Weight #2: Stay hydrated

Drinking a lot of water is a boring tip, I know... but do it anyway. If you drank water right now, you can expect about a 20-30% increase in the speed of your metabolism almost immediately. Water works that good and that fast. You can try drinking half your bodyweight in ounces of water (example: you weigh 160 pounds, so therefore you drink 80 ounces of water each day).

Or do what I do. Just sip water throughout the day. I have a 1 gallon jug of water I sip from. By the end of the day, it has to be gone. Makes things easy for me.

Lose Weight #3: Do mini-workouts frequently instead of longer workouts infrequently

By doing mini-workouts (2-10 minute workouts) instead of longer workouts, your give the body an extra boost to it's metabolism more often. Basically, you're training your body to have a quicker metabolism. I use TV commercials for my mini-workouts. I do 2 minutes at a time during each commercial. Over 1 hour, that usually equals about 22 minutes of working out during a typical TV show.

So, if you use these 3 tips, you can start your way to looking like Mariah Carey in a bikini. I won't say it's easy, but it's definitely not as hard as you may think. Maybe even take a picture of Mariah Carey in a bikini for motivation on what you can look forward to for yourself!

Christina Aguilera

2010-02-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

After Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera is the artist who emerged from the late-Nineties teen-pop explosion with the longest career legs. An army brat, Aguilera spent her early childhood traveling with her family from Texas to Japan to New Jersey. She began singing young, dominating the talent shows in Wexler, Pennsylvania, where she moved at age seven with her mother and sister following her parents' divorce. (Aguilera's father was abusive, a topic she's explored in songs, including "I'm OK" from 2002's Stripped, and she no longer speaks with him.)

In 1990, Aguilera made her first TV appearance, performing "A Sunday Kind of Love" on Star Search (she lost), and began regularly singing the national anthem at national hockey, baseball and football games in Pittsburgh. Three years later, she joined the cast of The New Mickey Mouse Club TV show, where she appeared alongside future stars Timberlake and Spears, as well as 'N Sync's JC Chasez and actors Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell, and earned the nickname "the Diva." After the show finished in 1994, Aguilera made occasional recordings, including a song, "Reflection," for the 1998 Disney film Mulan, shortly after which she was signed to RCA.

"Reflection" was nominated for a Golden Globe and became an Adult Contemporary hit, hitting Number 19 on that chart, but with Christina Aguilera (Number One, 1999), the 19-year-old singer aimed for, and got, an audience closer to her own age. The album spun off four big hits in 1999 and 2000, three of them Number Ones — "Genie in a Bottle," "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" — with "I Turn to You" going to Number Three. Aguilera's rendition of the Nat King Cole staple "The Christmas Song," from her holiday album, My Kind of Christmas (Number 28, 2000), went to Number 18. Aguilera also released a Latin pop album, Mi Reflejo (Number 27, 2000). A year later, Aguilera teamed up with Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink and Missy Elliott to record "Lady Marmalade" (Number One, 2001) for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, and made a guest appearance on Ricky Martin's "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" (Number 13, 2001).

With Stripped (Number Two, 2002), Aguilera reversed her good-girl image by adopting a hot-and-horny persona that led to initial public ridicule; the album's lead single, "Dirrty," stalled at Number 48. But Aguilera bounced back with the ballad "Beautiful" (Number Two, 2002), co-written by former 4 Non Blonde turned song doctor Linda Perry, followed by "Fighter" (Number 20, 2003), "Can't Hold Us Down" (featuring Lil' Kim, Number 12, 2003), and "The Voice Within" (Number 33, 2004). She also collaborated with Missy Elliott on a cover of Rose Royce's "Car Wash" (Number 63, 2004) for the Shark Tale soundtrack, and appeared on Nelly's "Tilt Ya Head Back" (Number 58, 2004).

In November 2005, Aguilera married music exec Jordan Bratman and began to tone down her bawdy image. With Back to Basics (Number One, 2006), Aguilera's persona found a mature middle ground that wore its sexiness lightly; the double CD, with tracks produced by Gang Starr beat-maker DJ Premier as well as contributions from Linda Perry, also found the singer demonstrating her breadth of range, and generated chart-friendly material in "Ain't No Other Man" (Number Six, 2006), "Hurt" (Number 19, 2006), and the Andrews Sisters homage "Candyman" (Number 25, 2007). Aguilera said the album harkened back to the jazz and blues music she grew up with from the 1920s to the 1940s and conjured a retro vibe on her Back to Basics tour. Aguilera stole the show at the 2007 Grammy Awards with her performance of "It's a Man's Man's Man's Man's World," in tribute to the late James Brown and nabbed a vocal-performance Grammy that year for "Ain't No Other Man." On January 12th, 2008, Aguilera gave birth to her son, Max, in Los Angeles.

Beyoncé Giselle

2010-02-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was groomed for stardom early. Born on September 4th, 1981, she began singing, dancing and performing in talent shows in her native Houston at age seven, and by high school she and cousin Kelly Rowland and school chums LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett were singing together, in a group that was later managed by Beyoncé's father and Rowland's guardian, Matthew Knowles. The act was first called Girl's Tyme (the name under which the group performed on Star Search in 1992), then, by the time they signed to Columbia in 1997, Destiny's Child. In 1998, the group issued its debut, Destiny's Child, which featured the hit "No, No, No" (Number Three, 1998). But it was 1999's The Writing's on the Wall that broke the bank, with "Bug a Boo" (Number 33, 1999), "Jumpin' Jumpin'" (Number Three, 1999), "Bills, Bills, Bills" (Number One, 1999), and perhaps most definitively with "Say My Name" (Number One, 2000). The definitive kiss-off song won two Grammys and featured a standout performance by Beyoncé, whose skittering, rhythmic, and hip-hop-derived approach to melody would help shift the entire landscape of R&B singing. With the membership of the group rapidly shifting around her — Luckett and Roberson sued after being replaced by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin, and Franklin left within a year — it became increasingly clear that Destiny's Child was intended as Beyoncé's showcase. Late in 2000 came "Independent Women Pt. 1" (Number One), from the Charlie's Angels soundtrack, a song that set the tone for 2001's Survivor (Number One), on which Beyoncé fully took center stage, most notably on the Grammy-winning title hit and "Bootylicious" (Number One). In 2001, Beyoncé starred in the MTV "hip-hopera" Carmen in the title role. After dipping her toes into Hollywood by appearing in an Austin Powers sequel, Knowles released her solo debut on its soundtrack, titled "Work It Out." She also worked with her new beau Jay-Z on his "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (Number Four). Beyoncé's own Dangerously in Love was released in June 2003 and entered the charts at Number One, buoyed by its incredibly infectious lead single, "Crazy in Love," which went to Number One for two months. The Sean Paul-featuring "Baby Boy" also sat at the top of the charts; "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl" helped the album move more than 4 million copies. The album went on to win five Grammys, including honors for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Performance. In November 2004, Destiny Fulfilled (Number Two) sounded a valedictory note for Beyoncé's group with "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier"; the next Destiny's Child CD was a best-of titled #1s. In 2006, Beyoncé starred alongside Steve Martin in The Pink Panther, but it was her role in the film adaptation of the Broadway smash Dreamgirls that defined her on-screen career (Beyoncé received two Golden Globe nominations, and the film won two Oscars). Inspired by her Dreamgirls character (the Diana Ross-esque Deena Jones), she followed the film's completion by writing and, in a compressed three-week burst, recording B'Day, a deeper and often more inspired follow-up to Dangerously in Love (the LP earned a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album). Among its hits were "Déjà Vu" (Number Four), "Ring the Alarm" (Number 11), and "Irreplaceable," which perched at Number One for 10 straight weeks. A "deluxe" version of B'Day came out in April 2007 with included a duet with Shakira called "Beautiful Liar." Beyoncé spent much of 2007 on the road supporting the album on the Beyoncé Experience tour. Offstage, Beyoncé has also spent time promoting her fashion line House of Deréon (its moniker is taken from her grandmother's surname). On April 4th, 2008, Jay-Z and Beyoncé were married in Manhattan.

Soul Music Guide

2010-02-02T00:09:00.000-08:00

What does Barry White have in common with Aretha Franklin and various other artists in the music industry? Soul is what they have in common; those deep-rhythmic blues and vocals that can have you testifying, crying, or shouting out. Soul music that touches deep into your being is what those artists and many more have in common.

When was the last time you listened to some good old soul music, sat back, allow it to take you to another place, released your mind and body, and allowed your soul to be touched? If you can't recall it is time you got back in touch with some rare soul grooves.

Soul music is a well-liked approach to music that was created back in the 50's by influential artists like Ray Charles, Little Richard, and James Brown. The sultry blend of gospel with rhythm, blues, and beats, began the birth of soul music. Some found this early music almost disrespectful, as depicted in the biopic film Ray. It did not fare well amongst the majority of the gospel fearing crowd of the times as they felt it was a disrespect to sing in a gospel manner while singing about love, women, and good times. Despite the protest it began to fill the airwaves and make a definite strong impact on the world of music.

The gospel music melted with the early rock and roll and rhythm and blues and quickly started reaching top chart hits. Record companies could not move fast enough to sign on artist like Aretha Franklin the "Queen of Soul", Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, and many more. With the abundance of artists trying to get their name on record labels, many found themselves heading overseas to be discovered; thus the beginning of the northern soul genre.

Since the 50's and 60's era of rare soul music, many new sub genres have arose such as the Detroit (Motown), Deep and Southern soul, Memphis, New Orleans, Chicago and Philadelphia soul. There is also the Neo, Nu-Jazz, and soulful electronica, as well as psychedelic.

Psychedelic soul blends a mix of soul music with a touch of psychedelic rock. This genre of music made its debut in the late 60's and opened the doors to what we know now as funk music. In the mid 60's and early 70's, many white artist started emerging the Motown and Sax sounds into their music which started the blue-eyed genre. Kenny G is a great example of a blue-eyed soul musician describing his use of the rhythm and blues sound attached with the sax and the fact that he is white.

The terms northern soul and modern soul became common terminology in the 70's in reference to the nightclubs that were made popular by DJ's playing rare soul music from their root beginnings. Each subgenre has its own purpose and its own unique sound that makes it special while still holding true to what is known as soul music.

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Latin Music Guide

2010-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Love is a many splendoured thing as the song interprets it. We do have our own ways of defining this feeling and emotion. We have our own ways of expressing and showing it to our love ones and to those dear to us. It is undeniably a term with lots of meanings or definitions. Now, how do Latin people celebrate Valentine's Day? You should agree that each country has their own way of keeping it a day of love, flowers and chocolates as it's commonly known for.

Where the origin of Valentine's Day does come from? Can someone tell about it? Do you know the history of it? Some say it started in the ancient Roman days when they have this Fertility festival of Lupercalia. Others claim, it is just the perfect day to sell flowers, chocolates and love cards! Oh, dear, there must be something more to this day.

Saint Valentine (Latin, Valentinus) is the patron saint of love as considered by many but still remain in question is the identity of Valentine as resources about his vita is limited. But nothing can stop the people to a lot a day for him on February 14 as a day of love and passion. Certainly, Valentines in Latin America is not quite different from other countries though they do it by exchanging red flowers, balloons, and anything heart-shaped stuffs that are colored red. That's in Mexico, folks!

So do you plan out something different on February 14? Are you thinking of a Latin Valentine? Here are some juicy stuff that might help you set for a romantic or say a different sexy way of spending the night with love and passion with you sweetheart. El Dia de los Novios/Dia de San Valentin (Spanish for Valentine's Day) is near! Do you consider having a Latin Valentines? Simply, having a sweet, spicy typical dinner would do. Here are some suggestions you could take to have a Latin Valentine dinner date:

For the food, you may come up with something ethnic. Hot and spicy perhaps. Go over those Latin recipes and try to make your own version of it. At least, it has your personal touch. You may search online and note those sensual recipes. It could boost something after you ate dinner with your lover. Try some Puerto Rican food as an option.

As for your drinks, you can have wine/champagne of course! Try to serve tequila (famous Mexican drink) or pisco from Chile or any Latin drink of your choice. If you're a fan of Margaritas, then make sure it's a choice as well of your partner. It should be a great toast for two people who are romantically in love with each other.

You can play a slow, sexy and romantic genre of any Latin music. If you are familiar with RUMBA, try to mimic the moves. It's kinda sexy for you and your partner to dance with it. Show your prowess in the dance floor, just the two of you. After dancing and making your night out after dinner, you may try to watch a movie, VALENTINE'S DAY starred by Pretty Woman star, Julia Roberts and other co-stars like Jamie Fox, Jessica Alba, Taylor Lautner (Jacob in Twilight) and many more.

Don't forget those scented candles! It adds a romantic feel to it. Or maybe writing a short Spanish poem will make your lover giggle and kiss will be your prize! It could be more than that! Now, you can have a Latin Valentine date!

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Rap Music

2010-02-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

Rap is very popular today. It seems that just about every car I drive past is playing rap music. But what is rap, and how did it start.

A lot of people think hip-hop is the same thing as rap. Hip hop is the urban youth culture that was developed by black Americans and Latinos in the Bronx (New York) in the seventies and eighties. Dee-jaying (disc jockeying), emceeing (speaking with/over a record, which is what evolved into rapping), graffiti (where artists would leave their personal sign on walls and subways), and break dancing (fast energetic dancing) were all included in hip hop at it's beginnings and contributed to it's development and growth. Rap music was derived from hip-hop. According to the rap artist KRS-One, hip-hop is "something one lives or experiences" and rap is "something one does or performs"

Hip-hop was an expression of the anger felt by black Americans. It called for social relevance, originality, and an effort to challenge the artistic culture of mainstream American society. According to scholar Cornell West, it was an effort to cope with the frustrations and conditions of urban life in the ghetto, and a celebration of the black poor working class and underclass. It openly acknowledged and confronted the coldheartedness, criminal cruelty, and hopelessness of the ghetto. Rap developed as an expression of this impoverished experience that black people had.

The "founding father" of hip-hop was DJ Kool Herc (Clive Campbell) who introduced into America a style of DJing that had evolved in Jamaica. He built a sound system that emphasized the bass elements of dance music, he practiced "dubbing" or extending the sections of a song that his audience preferred dancing to, and he spoke with/over the music on a microphone "toasting" (encouraging) members of the audience to dance. These "toasts" were long narrative poems composed in rhymed couplets, and often made use of exaggerated language, metaphors, expletives, and boasting, which are elements that we often see in rap today. Kool Herc's style created a strong sense of shared identity between the performer and the audience.

Rap is a music form that is still new and constantly expanding and evolving. It is sometimes rock-based, sometimes funk, and sometimes very close to the original "street" sound. There are even some female rappers. Rap lyrics are about problems such as poverty, crime, violence, racism, poor living conditions, drugs, alcoholism, corruption, and prostitution that rap musicians have seen in the ghetto. The rhythm or beat is one of the biggest attractions of rap music, and it is sometimes difficult to understand the words. People complain that rap music is sexist and against women; and that it glamorizes violence, criminality, and materialism. There is another way to look at it though. Cheryl L. Keyes sees it as a display of cultural values, an educational tool, and a political forum, as well as a vehicle for self expression and social control within the hip-hop community.

It is interesting that, according to David Samuels in his article titled "The Rap on Rap: the 'Black Music' that Isn't Either" in "The New Republic", even though rap is proportionally more popular among blacks, it's main audience is white people living in the suburbs. He also says that the more that rappers were packaged as violent black criminals that the bigger the audience of white people became. Maybe that is due to the appeal of things that are considered taboo by one's social group. Maybe there is some deep down rebellion about the way these white people see their society which rap music speaks to. When you have a group of people who make music that is, for whatever reason, clearly more attractive to all American youth; and when that group of people has a history of poverty and discrimination, you have a recipe for an effective way to protest and hopefully change society for the better.

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Pop Music Guide

2010-02-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

Pop music is a genre of popular music distinguished from classical or art music and from folk music . The term indicates specific stylistic traits, but the genre also includes artists working in many styles such as rock, hip hop, rhythm and blues (R&B), and country, making it a flexible category. The expression "pop music" may also be used to refer to particular subgenres (within the pop music genre) that are in some cases referred to as soft rock and pop/rock.

Characteristics as a subgenre
Pop "is designed to appeal to everyone" and "doesn't come from any particular place or mark off any particular taste." In musical terms, it is essentially "conservative" in that it attempts to resonate with a large segment of its target demographic rather than pushing artistic boundaries. It is "provided from on high (by record companies, radio programmers and concert promoters) rather than being made from below..." (Frith 2001, p.95-96). But over time, pop has gone from "popular in general" to "a genre" described as sounding musically similar to rap, but with singing. This is due to radio stations labeling themselves as "pop stations" taking heavy preference over certain sounds, tossing other popular bands who don't fit into the sound or other categories like rock into the "alternative" label.

Often used to describe the current popular genres of music of any given time, the term "pop" cannot be used describe any one particular style.

History of pop music

1930s and 1940s
Styles influencing the later development of pop include the Blues (Chicago), and Country (Tennessee)

1950s
Early Pop music artists include Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, and Peggy Lee, but other artists like Bill Haley and his Comets, Fats Domino and Elvis Presley become popular with the younger generation.

1960s
The decade starts out with such Teen Idols such as, Johnny Tillotson, Bobby Vee, Brian Hyland, Tommy Roe, Gene Pitney, and Frankie Avalon. It explodes midway with Carole King, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach, Aretha Franklin, Isley Brothers, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, and Simon and Garfunkel. It can be said that The Beatles led the British Invasion in this decade.

1970s
A proliferation of new sounds from the disco of the BeeGees, the piano sounds of Billy Joel and Elton John, the country of the Eagles, the rock-influenced pop of artists like Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, and Fleetwood Mac. ABBA was a swedish band who grew to fame after winning Eurovision Song Contest and starting a whole new revolution of pop music.
1980s
Notable highlights for pop music in the 1980s are Michael Jackson's second Epic label release, Thriller, which went on to become the best-selling album of all time, and Madonna albums "Like a Virgin", "True Blue", "Like a Prayer" . Michael Jackson was sometimes referred to as "The King of Pop" and Madonna was named "The Queen of Pop". Other artists included Michael Bolton, Prince, Janet Jackson, Duran Duran, The Police, ABBA, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Kylie Minogue and Culture Club.

1990s and 21st century
The 1990s and 21st century were marked by a resurgence of boy band and girl group trends. From the UK came the likes of Take That, Blue, the Spice Girls, a highly successful formula. Irish boy bands of the time include Boyzone and Westlife. The US had New Edition, New Kids On The Block followed by the Backstreet Boys, Hanson, girl trio Destiny's Child and then 'N Sync and Pop Princesses Willa Ford, Mandy Moore, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera. Canadian Avril Lavigne became popular with her album Let Go. Australia had Boys from Oz. 1999 saw the rise of the Latin explosion with Ricky Martin at the forefront with his worldwide smash hit "Livin' La Vida Loca". Other latin artists to follow were Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, and Marc Anthony. In 2002, Justin Timberlake had critical and commercial acclaim with his "Justified" album, emerging as the new "Prince of Pop", Jesse McCartney has emerged from Dream Street as a high-rating singer with songs like She's No You, Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff has become popular in the 2000s. Artists like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue, Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain and Madonna have also been highly successful. Reality television shows, such as American Idol, begin producing multi-platinum artists like Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken. British pop rock groups such as McFly emerge.

Sound and themes
Pop music, in whatever musical influence form it derives from, may be produced by a more basic songwriting approach and arrangement. The emphasis is often on a simpler melody, which makes the songs more memorable, and may use stripped-down rhythms. The combination of the melody and the rhythm allows for harmony to be a driving force of the song. Themes range from personal songs to vivacious party jams. However, the most common theme deals with the wide range of emotions which stem from physical or emotional love.

Music Guide
Pop Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
Rap Music Guide
soul Music Guide
alternative Music Guide
Rock Music Guide
acoustic Music Guide
classical Music Guide

Warning Signs: Your Guy May be a Mr. Wrong instead of Mr. Right

2008-10-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

Warning Signs: Your Guy May be a Mr. Wrong instead of Mr. Right
by: Cathi Adams

1. He always make plans at the last minute.He may have several rods on the fire. You might not be his favorite rod. If nothing else comes along then you pop into his head. Some men just like to keep their options open. They have several choices available and don't want to make the wrong decision or commit to a date too soon in the event that something better might come along. You have to decide if this is something you can tolerate. If you are not that into him either, it may work out perfectly for you (a girls gotta eat), but if you are waiting by the phone this may be sign to move on. I personally would not feel I was being treated respectfully in this situation.I would feel I deserved to be treated better.

2. He's not taking an active role in becoming part of your world.If a man is serious about you, he will usually make the effort to get to know the people who are important to you. Whether it's your friends or family, he will want it to be known that he is your man and he will usually try hard to make a good impression. This is how some men mark their territory. Hey, it doesn't hurt if everyone loves him and sings his praises to you. If he doesn't care about that, he simply might not care about you. If he does care about you, but doesn't want to be involved in your world... well, that's a whole other story. You come to your own conclusion, but if it were me... I'd rethink the relationship.

3. He doesn't go to events that are important to you.Once in awhile if he has a good excuse or is ill or something...that's ok. If you see a pattern, it may be time to trade up. Something that is important to you should be equally important to him. If it is not, then it might be a sign that either he is not that into you, he prefers his friends to you, or he is simply too self-centered to stop for a minute and please someone other then himself. If you've really hit the jackpot, he may be a combination of all three. Either way, pay attention to the signs and decide if you feel you are worthy of more.

4. He stays in close contact with his single friends.If a guy does not part with his single friends, you can be fairly certain he is not going to give up the single life either. Some guys are just players: they have to keep their options open and have a certain amount of emotional distance. Having single friends when you are dating is the best of both worlds. He may continue to get close to you, but his friends are never far behind. They attend events with you and have permission to just drop by at their whim. You don't want your guy to give up his friends, but it may be a sign of trouble if he insists that you spend most of your time together hanging out with his buddies. If he is not a player, but just very social, make sure your needs are met as well. Hanging out with the buds can be fun, but sometimes alone time is also needed in a relationship. If the situation meets your needs, then great. If not, then decide if this is something you can get used to.

5. Night time is the right time... all the time.If he loves the nightlife and the nightlife loves him even after you have been dating for a while, this might just be his way of life. If this is your way of life, then you have just met your soulmate. I wish you well. However, historically when couples first start dating they tend to go out a lot, stay out late, and dance the night away. Once you settle in, though, and get closer in the relationship, the pendulum swings to quite nights at home and romantic dinners. If this is where you are hoping the pendulum would swing, then it may be a good time to express your needs and see if he can meet them. Don't ask or expect him to change if that is who he is and what makes him happy. Accept the fact that you want different things. It may be time to send this one back and explore the other "fishies in the sea".

6. You never see him more then once a week (ok... sometimes twice), even after you have been dating several monthsIs he super busy or are you play toy number 7? He might have one for every day of the week, and you only can see him twice if numbers 1 through 6 are busy. Hey, it happens ... mostly because he has been allowed to get away with it. Just don't be naive and think he is sitting home 6 nights alone. If this is acceptable to you, then by all means enjoy your time together when it happens. I guess you will certainly never get sick of each other. If you need more see if he can (or more importantly will) meet your needs. If not...get those shoes on and start walking.

7. You only have his cell number after you have been dating each other for a more then a month.If it's been months and you haven't asked him about that...allow me...he's either living with someone else or he doesn't want you calling his house in case he has another woman over. The cell phone he can turn off or set to vibrate... How perfect is that? When you are into someone (and not dating other women too) you want her to feel free totally comfortable calling you anytime. It shows commitment and openness. If he is not showing these signs outwardly, it might be an indication that you are dating a very busy man. If it feels like a duck and quacks like a duck... yup, it's a duck. This little trick was used on me, and I must say I didn't catch on for quite a while. I was too naive...I'm all grown up now.

About the author:Cathi Adams is the author of "Divorce Secrets: What Every Women Should Know." This invaluable resource provides steps to ensure financial security to woman faced with the possibility of divorce. Visit her web site for a FREE report -What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Even THINK About Getting A Divorce: