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Each month I select 20 songs (10 songs twice a month) that I am either hooked on or am curious about. Most of the music I select are rock, hip-hop, R&B and pop songs.
My song selection comes from 20-30 CDs I get from various sources each month, as well as recommendations from iTunes and Amazon. I also check out the charts in US, UK and Japan.
Will.I.am, Fergie and the other two guys (yes, I do know their names) are back with a band new album, after their international phenomenon, The End from last year. For the lead off single, they sample “Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing. It is catchy, but so far doesn’t have the infectious sound of “
Boom Boom Pow” or “
I’ve Got A Feeling.”
Welsh singer, Duffy had a huge success with her debut album, Rockferry, which contained hit singles such as “
Mercy” and “
Warwick Avenue”. She had the Amy Winehouse style of throwback voice, and all of us expected more of that for her sophomore album, but she decided to go for more upbeat sound. Duffy still maintains her unique soulful voice, but this lead off single may turn off some initial fans.
There has been controversy surrounding this song, as some have said that the voice doesn’t sound like Michael Jackson’s. I think it does, though maybe not as strong as he used to sound. I’ve only heard snippets of Michael’s latest album, but there are a few songs that could turn into next single and do well on the radio.
Robyn has been nailing her singles, and gaining a lot of new fans (and winning back a lot of older fans who’s known her since the 90s). Her “Body Talk” EPs have been very successful, and she compiled the three EPs for this album. This is one brilliant electronic-pop album.
When Bruno Mars came out, he had clean cut pop singer image, but recently he was arrested for possession of cocaine. Despite his recent arrest, this guy can write and sing great pop songs. He has already proven himself with
Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire” and
Cee-lo’s “F**k You”. His latest single is also addicting and climbing up the chart.
Norah Jones recently released an album with songs where she was featured on other artists’ albums. In the past decade, she has worked with numerous musicians from the legendary ones like Ray Charles, Willie Nelson as well as rockers like Foo Fighters, and even hip-hop artists such as Outkast, Q-Tip and Talib Kweli. One of the tracks from the album is Roxy’s cover song, “More Than This” with Charlie Hunter. This song was recorded right before Norah Jones signed with Blue Note, after Hunter heard the demo (the same demo that got her to sign to the label). This track has become top 10 song in Japan recently.
In the past couple of years, several Korean singers and groups have tried to break through in the US market. This month, it is JYJ’s turn. Korean and Japanese audience will know them as the three guys from their former group TVXQ or Tohoshinki or Dong Bang Shin Ki. As much as I want to cheer these guys on for trying, their singing makes me nervous. It’s not that they are a bad singer, but combined with cheesy lyrics and not-so-sexy accent, it will be hard to sell this to US audience who have no previous contact with Tohoshinki. I do want to give them a credit for being able to drag Kanye West into this.
Katy Perry is on a roll. Here is another single that’s cracking in top 10. On this music video, she gets to blow fireworks from her chest (though the video is a bit more on the serious side compared to her other videos).
Initially Kesha was going to re-release her hugely successful debut album, Animal, with several additional tracks, but the label decided to release these 9 new songs as EP instead. This single, “We R Who We R” is already a huge success and climbing up the Billboard chart.
Ne-Yo’s album has been pushed back a little, but this single, “Beautiful Monster” was already a big hit in the UK back in the summer. The fourth album, Libra Scale, feels a lot like Michael Jackson album, especially this track.
Philadelphia singer-songwriter, Christina Perri got her lucky break when her song, “Jar of Hearts” was used on “So You Think You Can Dance” TV dance competition back in the summer. The song was an immediate success on iTunes. I was hoping to review her song until her EP, The Ocean Way Sessions, came out, but that album only contains her live recordings. The date for her full album debut has not been announced yet.
After having a huge hit with “Daylight” in 2009 thanks to the feature spot on Bacardi commercial, smiling duo Matt & Kim are releasing their third album, Sidewalks. I wasn’t a huge fan of the single, “Cameras” but really enjoyed this track, “Block After Block.”
I’m not quite sure why this latest N.E.R.D. album was not promoted that heavily. Their first single, “Ho N Fun” featuring Nelly Furtado, wasn’t a huge hit in the US, which could be the reason for the slow sale as well. But the beat is the usual Neptunes style.
This song has been all over the radio as well as TV and movie theaters recently, thanks to heavily promoted Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal’s new romantic film, “Love and Other Drugs”. Like other Ryan Tedder’s hits, this song has big sounds and catchy tune.
After releasing five successful platinum albums, Pink is due for a greatest hits album. The album contains all of her hits from “Get the Party Started” to more recent, “So What”. The album also features two new songs, including this Billboard hit, “Raise Your Glass” as well as “Fuckin’ Perfect.”
Despite having so many hits, Rihanna still has not had a #1 album of the week in her native US. She already has two hits from her fifth album, Loud, “Only Girl (In the World)” as well as “What’s My Name”. However, it looks like she will be blocked for the #1 title by Susan Boyle this year.
Aussie diva, Kylie Minogue has another dance hit song. Although non-dance song listener may not be aware of this song’s success, but “Get Outta My Way” has been on #1 on dance chart for some time now. “Get Outta My Way” is on Kylie’s eleventh studio album, Aphrodite.
It has only been a year since Rihanna released hit filled album, Rated R. The fifth album, titled Loud, to be released in mid November already has a hit club song, “Only Girl (In The World).
Exactly one year ago this month, Shakira released the album, She Wolf, which failed to generate much hits, except for the titled track. The new single from her seventh album, Sale El Sol (meaning The Sun Comes Out), features the track, Loca, which has UK rapper Dizzee Rascal as a guest. The track is a moderate success in the US, but became #1 in numerous European countries.
Mark Ronson, who is famous for bringing the soul back, for producing for Amy Winehouse and his own hit album, decided to ditch horns for 80s keyboard sound. Since I enjoyed the throwback soul sound, I was disappointed to hear that, but as a talented producer, he had to move on. Not sure how successful his new album will be, as it’s not as catchy as his previous one. Perhaps for his third album, he may go back to the soul sound once again.
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