Melody Plant

The New Kids on the Block recorded a song last week with a fellow 80s boy band, New Edition. The thing is the most infamous member, Bobby Brown, was cut out of the picture. The track called ‘Full Service’ will be on NKOTB’s as yet untitled upcoming album. Producer RedOne says “Donnie Wahlberg had this idea for a few months, since New Kids had the idea of getting back together really. Donnie’s been looking for that one track for all of them and I think we found it.” New Edition’s Ralph Tresvant recently spoke about the bands’ rumored feud saying “The thing people were going back and forth with was we’d been doing what we were doing for the longest [but] we couldn’t get cartoons and things that the white guys were getting. It was like, ‘wow’. But the guys themselves, we have mad love.”

Heidi Montag has a really great PR team working for her. Producer RedOne, who worked on her new single ‘Fashion, recently had an interview where he basically kissed the ground Heidi walked on. He spoke of Heidi’s new single saying “”It sounds amazing. The song is all about fashion and all about her - shopping, clothes, her whole aura. She’s really taken it to the next level…. We are working on more [songs], and it’s crazy, shocking stuff that will surprise everybody.” When asked if Heidi can sing, he said “Definitely. She’s really good, and I love her personality and the way it comes through in a song. She makes you believe it. She’s great in the studio.” Would you believe that?

Janet Jackson was recently asked what the next single off her new album will be. She replied with “That’s pretty difficult to say, only because of the record label at this point. We started off with ‘Feedback’ and the label and myself haven’t quite seen eye to eye since the ‘Feedback’ single so they’ve kind of basically stopped all promotion. I’m trying to figure out a way to say this, but just to say it and to be quite honest, they just stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album so I don’t think you’re going to hear another single off this album.” Does this mean we’re going to have to forget all about her?

The cover art for Miley Cyrus sophomore album ‘Breakout’ has been revealed. The ‘Hannah Montana’ star’s new CD will be dropping in stores everywhere on Tuesday, July 22. The album’s first single, ‘7 Things’ debuted on Radio Disney earlier this month. So what do you think of the album cover? If you ask me, I think it’s still a little on the phallic side. But at least she’s not showing of her bare back and teasing people that she may have nothing on under a sheet. Seriously, the girl needs to start acting her age if she doesn’t want people thinking bad things about her.

Miley Cyrus has debuted her latest single ‘7 Things’ on Tuesday morning on the syndicated radio show Elvis Duran and the Morning Zoo. The single comes off Miley’s new album which will hit stores on July 22. The song describes the pain of a recent breakup by listing 7 things that she “hates” about her ex. “You’re vain, your games, you’re insecure/You love me, you like her/You make me laugh you make me cry.” She then sings about 7 things she likes. “Your hair, your eyes, your old Levi’s/And when we kiss, I’m hypnotized/You make me laugh, you make me cry.” I’m still not sure what to think of it. It sounds too much like it could be an Avril Lavigne song and I hate Avril!

Scarlett Johansson has recently premiered her first music video ‘Falling Down’ which comes off of her debut solo album ‘Anywhere I Lay My Head’. The cover song, which also features David Bowie on vocals, was originally from Tom Waits’ album ‘Big Time’. It’s a good song but when it comes to the video, forget it. It’s pretty bad with its lame theme of ‘a day in the life of Scarlett’ and with the very shaky camera. It just gave me a headache really. Anyway, Scarlett’s album is set for release through Acto/Rhino Records on May 20. Here’s to hoping that the rest of her album doesn’t give me the headaches.

Madonna’s new album ‘Hard Candy’ dropped in stores on Tuesday and while her first week sales are still being predicted, the Queen of Pop has already conquered a key area in the new music business machine commonly known as digital sales. Madonna’s first single off the new album ‘4 Minutes (To Save the World) has become the second ever single to have digital sales over one million units in five weeks. Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ was the first. As of Tuesday, the digital sales for her single were at 1,004,482 units. Mariah must be really pissed at that considering she barely broke the top 10 on digital sales.

Rihanna has released a new music video for her single ‘Take a Bow’. The song is the lead single from the re-release of her platinum-selling album ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’. What, can’t she think of anything else to sing so she has to redo her old album? I’m not complaining though. She just made the songs hotter and does a collaboration with Maroon 5. Anyway, I think Rihanna has a future at being an actress. There’s a whole lot of emotion in her new video which is really about catching her guy cheating. Chris Brown better not even dare think about doing that to the new Princess of Pop.

The album cover for Clay Aiken’s new album ‘On My Way Here’ has just been released. His new studio effort will hit stores on May 6 but that’s not going to stop the singer from performing all new songs on Monday, April 28 at 7PM on QVC. The American Idol alum commented on his album unveiling saying “Starting my career on national, live television, it seems fitting to be unveiling my new album live on QVC. To be able to connect with QVC’s viewers and broadcast my performance to over 93 million households is an amazing opportunity.” Whatever floats your boat.

I said, in not so many words, that Madonna was going to win over Mariah Carey in their unofficial diva battle. An industry expert explains why that is so. Mariah always gets to go first, with her song being on radio for more than a month while Madonna’s has only been on for a week. Mariah’s album also comes out before Madonna’s. Mariah’s song dropped on iTunes a day before Madonna’s. All that really means is that Mariah will have a strong first week and go down while Madonna’s will gain airplay and get stronger as Mariah drops. In short, Madonna still wins in the end.

REM has been resurrected as the band has a new album coming out. The band members grace the cover of the new issue of Spin magazine wherein front man Michael Stipe talks about his own coming out. He said “It was super complicated for me in the ’80s. I was totally open with the band and my family and my friends and certainly the people I was sleeping with. I thought it was pretty obvious.” He also adds that going public was easier on him when he realized that it might inspire people to change their views about homosexuality and even help out some troubled kid somewhere out there.

Madonna recently released her ‘Hard Candy’ album cover with the Queen of Pop wearing a title belt with ‘M’ on it in front of a lollipop backdrop. It’s very reminiscent of the single cover of her and Justin Timberlake for ‘4 Minutes (To Save the World)’. It looks nice but she can still do better. Madonna also recently unleashed a mystery website called tick-tock.tv to help promote her new studio effort. There are a lot of number fours. ‘Hard Candy’ is expected to drop internationally on April 28 but if the website is a clue, maybe we should expect something big to happen on April 4th.

Max Liron Bratman is one lucky baby boy. Christina Aguilera flaunted her svelte post-pregnancy body at the signing of her new DVD ‘Back to Basics – Live and Down Under’ at Best Buy in West Hollywood on Tuesday. This was the singer’s first appearance since the birth of her son in mid-January.

In an interview earlier than day, Christina revealed to Ryan Seacrest that her pregnancy experience will play a role on her next album. She said “I’m very excited! I’m so inspired. This whole incredible thing that’s taken place in my life, between the pregnancy and the birth… I’ve got so much in me to write about. This next record, I want to have a lot of fun with it. I’ve been brainstorming for the last nine months of my pregnancy. This next album will have a whole new me. A different me.”

Heidi Montag’s video for her single ‘Higher’ has been released. And what can I say? It was everything I expected and much less. The video was shot, produced and directed by Heidi’s ex-fiance and still-boyfriend Spencer Pratt. If you’re a perv, this video is going to be good for you. There are two things worth noticing.

Spencer and Heidi need to stick to whatever it is that they do best. I don’t know what that is exactly. In fact, I’m pretty sure that they don’t either. But whatever it is, it’s not music videos. Why can’t the earth just open up and swallow them whole?

Cassie was spotted when she attended the Pepsi Smash re-launch party at Pasha nightclub on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on Thursday night. The singer recently did an interview with Billboard about her a-yet-untitled sophomore album which will be dropping on May 20.

The 21-year old said that “I guess I grew up a lot but I’m still in essence the same person. Lots has changed in my life, stuff that has made me think about things differently. I’m more vulnerable and you can hear my vocals better this time around. There’s real emotion and a much realer connection with my fans.” A single is yet to be released but Cassie assures that it will be a club record.

Madonna’s new album isn’t expected to drop until well into the next year but that isn’t stopping Timbaland from leaking one of the songs that he worked on with the Queen of Pop. The producer played ‘4 Minutes to Save the World’ at the Jingle Ball in Philadelphia on Sunday night. I just hope that he got her permission to do so.

The song also features Justin Timberlake and it’s pretty hot. How could it not be when you’ve got all that great talent working on it? I’m also hoping that the finished version has a lot less of Timbaland though.

I have to say she is a Little Miss Sunshine…

Natasha Bedinfield releases the second single from her new album next month. It’s called Pocketfull of Sunshine, and it’s awesome! Check around online to find an early release of it.

The song is already slated to be a radio hit, and it’s one everyone can appreciate and enjoy - upbeat, sing-songey, fun.

Santa, you can put this one in my stocking!

American Idol’s most recent champion Jordin Sparks’ debut CD is expected to come in at #2 this week, so say some industry projections. She would come in behind Alicia Keys who’s expected to dominate the charts for the entire holiday season.

Jordin’s album is expected to sell between 90,000 to 100,000 on its first week. While the numbers aren’t that bad, those projections would actually make Jordin’s album have the lowest debut for an American Idol winner – ever! Yes, it’s worse than Ruben’s. A lot of runners up sold even more than that in their first week. That has got to hurt.

Kylie has released her 10th studio album with more confidence than ever. And she has scooted off to Germany to promote it.

The miniature singer, most recently in the news for being humiliated by a saucy statue created by Madame Tussauds, was cleared last year of the horrible disease; Breast Cancer, which knocked her down in 2005.

And now as she promotes her new album X, she says, “I think it’s not so difficult to write a decent song but to write a great song is a difficult thing. I like the challenge of trying to find that and at the very least, writing something that I enjoy singing and all people love. It took me a number of years to find my confidence to do that but now it’s just part of me.”

What a trooper. I remember listening to Kylie when I was a kid and she is still going strong; with the right attitude and music that pleases the new generations as the times move on. You go girl!

There is another military man attempting to reach heights in the world of music, and he is Beautiful. Jay Picton is a physical trainer in the Navy, sporting rugged good looks and a promising music career. His single, Unexplainable Reason, has already topped an independent online chart, and he has hopes it will breakthrough to the regular pop charts in the not too distant future.

He claims to have hit the music business by accident. After a knee injury put him on sick leave he began to learn the guitar and write his own songs. Meeting his girlfriend then gave him the opportunity he needed; introducing him to Clyde Ward of Worldwide Productions. Clyde has worked with many great acts including Lionel Richie; whom our budding star has now recorded 3 songs with.

Yes girls, he does have a girlfriend (sigh); but just look at that picture. Isn’t he gorge? Keep those ears peeled for Jay Picton on your radio; if his voice matches his looks he is definitely on for a winner.

In a sneak peek at their highly anticipated world tour that will kick off on December 2 in Vancouver, the members of the biggest British girl group to ever come out in the 1990s almost stole the show from feathered and jiggly-bodied models on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held on Thursday.

The Spice Girls reunited and performed for the first time in almost 10 years. They performed one of their classic singles ‘Stop’ decked out in 1950s-style military outfits complete with male backup dancers. After a change of clothes and decades, the girls came out to perform their latest single ‘Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)’ decked out in 1930s evening gowns.

Too bad they lipsynched the whole time.

It just goes to show that you can never be too young to be successful. The Jonas Brothers’ debut disc, ‘Jonas Brothers’ under Hollywood Records has now officially gone gold by selling over 500,000 copies.

15-year old Nick, 18-year old Joe and 20-year old Kevin are definitely headed for the big time as they’re now appearing with big time artists and even performing on big time shows. On Tuesday, the pop rock group of brothers joined Alicia Keys on TRL. And come Sunday, November 18, the rest of the world can see them perform at the 2007 American Music Awards.

The Country Music Association’s awards ceremony took place earlier this week. And apart from looking good throughout the whole night as well as bringing the house down with her performance of her hit single ‘So Small’, Carrie Underwood also took home several awards.

The American Idol alum picked up her first single of the year award for the song ‘Before He Cheats’. She also took home the female vocalist of the year award for the second year in a row.

She’s definitely on a roll. She garnered the top spot on the albums’ chart when her CD debuted and now she’s won two CMA awards. Congratulations Carrie!

Whether it’s a sign of the times or just plain capitalist idea, you can take it for what it’s worth. Jennifer Lopez has never been shy to put her name on whatever product. Now, she’s putting her name on a USB stick by releasing her new album ‘Brave’ in one.

The typical plastic USB drive is out for JLo but in comes a classy block of African Mahogany or African Blackwood to encase her singing. The USB stick also comes complete with an autograph. It doesn’t come cheap though because the techie styled showcasing of her album is available for $80.

Tori Amos recently had a concert in Chicago this week and everyone that left the concert could only talk about one thing: her performance of the song ‘Me and a Gun’. It’s the seminal song off her debut album that talks about rape.

Tori dressed up as her ‘Pip’ character and performed the usually acapella song with her full band. At the end of the song, she even brought out some props in the form of a gun and a knife. That’s some heavy stuff right there.

On a lighter note, the singer debuted the song ‘Raspberry Swirl’ for the first time on her current tour. It’s the first time she performed that song in years.

Pony Up! are an all-female four piece hailing out of Montreal, Canada. They apparently formed on New Year’s Eve 2002 and since then have been busy touring Australia, North America, and now the United Kingdom.
Perhaps there is something special here then that did not reveal itself on the night. Perhaps it was just the bad P.A. system that made them sound boring, nervous and not particularly interesting to watch or listen to.
To be fair to the girls, every now and then you do hear a lot of potential in their playing, and they do have a few decent songs. The only problem seems to be that because they are quite a novelty in the world of rock ‘n’ roll, a girl band who are not pop - it seems that perhaps they have been let off more easily than their male counterparts would be. Sleater-Kinney they are not, though they seem to be compared to them quite often. Another part of the ‘not enough girls with guitars’ problem one must assume.
The only ray of sunshine in the band was guitarist Sarah Moundroukas who seemed to be a very talented performer. Any time she took up the reins of a song, the interest of the crowd seemed to perk up just a little bit more than usual.
Perhaps if she were the lead singer in the group the whole quality of the band would be much better. Sadly the real lead vocalist Laura Wills seems to enjoy being the centre of attention far too much for that to ever happen, even if she cannot sing very well.

Singers need more than the spotlight though, and even ones who have sold over 200 million albums still want to feel like they have something to offer. So she’s left the lights of Vegas behind, stepped back into the real world and in fairness to her, brought along a clutch of songs that actually may change a few people’s opinion.

Amongst the list of luminaries who twiddle a knob, knock out a lyric or strum a guitar for her are the all-conquering Timbaland, king of R’n’B balladry R Kelly, ex-Evanescence axe wielder Ben Moody, Christina Aguilera and Pink co-writer Linda Perry… and the always entertaining Dave Stewart, whose influence stretches so far that there’s even a lyrical snip of The Eurythemics’ “Here Comes The Rain Again” woven into the title track.

The highlights are two very different songs. In the power ballad corner, she shows off her larynx with a belting take on Heart’s endless queen of soft rock, “Alone”. Up against it for the title is the more contemporary “Shadow Of Love”, a song with enough disco and fun for Kylie to sing it.

Taking Chances doesn’t quite do what the title suggests, but it does push Celine Dion to the edge of her comfort zone and show an artist who not only wants to remain relevant but is prepared to work hard to stay that way.

British pop singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield made a huge splash as a new artist in late 2005 and early 2006. Her first two singles, “These Words” and “Unwritten” crackled with energy and wit that seemed to signal a unique pop talent was emerging. However, following up such an auspicious beginning has been a difficult task for Bedingfield. “I Wanna Have Your Babies,” the first single from her second album N.B., peaked at a relatively disappointing #7 in the UK in the spring of 2007 causing Epic Records to delay release of a single in the US. 6 months later “Love Like This” is being promoted as the first American single from the album.

Where Natasha Bedingfield’s first hits inspired with their words of self-awareness and personal encouragement, “Love Like This” is a somewhat dull, breezy, simplistic dissertation on romance between long-term friends. It would be very easy for this single to get lost amid more unique or challenging pop songs. Natasha Bedingfield sounds like just another pop singer here. Uniqueness and the ability to stand out are lacking.

In a clear effort to give the song a pop boost, Sean Kingston is brought in for a brief featured part. This vocal serves no purpose other than providing an extra element for the single’s marketing campaign. Natasha Bedingfield needs to step up her game if she will avoid losing a significant part of her initial pop audience.

Everyone predicted that Carrie Underwood’s CD would sell a lot and would go to the top of the charts but it actually did even better than any prediction made. ‘Carnival Ride’ is currently the #1 album in the US and has sold over 527,000 copies during its debut week. This is the American Idol alum’s first #1 album and also bested her previous effort ‘Some Hearts’ which sold 315,000 units in its first week.

Her record sales is also the best sales week for a female country artist since Shania Twain’s ‘Greatest Hits’ release back in November 2004. Carrie’s debut is also double what Kelly Clarkson’s ‘My December’ CD sold in its first week.

Congratulations Carrie!

Chris Brown has ended hip-hop sensation Soulja Boy’s reign at the top of the U.S. pop charts with his new song Kiss Kiss. Brown’s collaboration with rapper T-Pain has toppled Soulja Boy’s Crank That (Soulja Boy), which spent seven weeks at number one. I think Chris Brown is HOT so he should stay him self! And about this toppling thing, well music today is as creepy as these guys themselves. There are just a few good looking males in the music industry and the other just a stinking pigs using a hell lot of perfume to hide that bad odor slipping out from underneath their armpits. Well that’s all that I’d like to these guys, for me the music of the Rolling Stones and other established artist is more fun listening to rather than have some cranked up music make me deaf in the ears.