Billboard Year-End Charts

The nation's most important source of charts, news and other exclusives, "Billboard", has released 2007's year-end charts. No big surprises showed up, as the biggest songs of the year had been playing on Americans' radio stations and people's iPod lists.

The Hot 100 song of the year is "Irreplaceable", the world-wide smash hit by Houston star Beyonce. Just under that came Rihanna's "Umbrella", tied for most weeks at number 1 this year. Rounding up the top 3 is Gwen Stefani whose duet with Akon, "The Sweet Escape", which rushed ahead of number 1s "Big Girls Dont Cry", "hey There Delilah", "Buy U A Drank", "Say It Right" and "I Wanna Love U". Akon, the year's most successful male artist manages to place 4 songs in the top 20, while Fergie placed 3. Soulja Boy's internet sensation, "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" only managed to place at number 20. No. 1s "Girlfriend" and "Makes Me Wonder", by Avril lavigne and Maroon 5, respectively, did not place in the top 10.
In rap, it was Fabulous's "Makes Me Better" that prevailed, as did Aventura's "Mi Corazonsito" in latin songs; digital songs and pop went to "Big Girls Don't Cry".

Album charts this year were rescued by a few successful works, as sales dropped at a staggering level. Daughtry's self-titled debut took the number 1 spot, helped by the band's consistent promotion and the success of its three singles. Akon and Fergie placed 2 and 3, easily the best of the year in terms of sales for albums and singles. Carrie Underwood, Justin Timberlake and Nickelback placed lower than Hanna Montana, while Linkin Park could not match up to High School Musical. Beyonce, Kanye and Gwen filled up the top 15.

TOP 15 Albums
1 DAUGHTRY Daughtry RCA/RMG
2 KONVICTED Akon Konvict/Upfront/SRC/Universal Motown/UMRG
3 THE DUTCHESS Fergie will.i.am/A&M/Interscope/IGA
4 HANNAH MONTANA Soundtrack Walt Disney
5 SOME HEARTS Carrie Underwood Arista/Arista Nashville/RMG
6 ALL THE RIGHT REASONS Nickelback Roadrunner
7 FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS Justin Timberlake Jive/Zomba
8 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 Soundtrack Walt Disney
9 NOW 23 Various Artists Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group/EMI/Universal/Zomba/Sony Music
10 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT Linkin Park Machine Shop/Warner Bros.
11 B'DAY Beyonce Columbia/Sony Music
12 GRADUATION Kanye West Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/IDJMG
13 ME AND MY GANG Rascal Flatts Lyric Street/Hollywood
14 LOVE The Beatles Apple/Capitol
15 THE SWEET ESCAPE Gwen Stefani Interscope

TOP 20 SINGLES
1 IRREPLACEABLE Beyonce Columbia
2 UMBRELLA Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z SRP/Def Jam/IDJMG
3 THE SWEET ESCAPE Gwen Stefani Featuring Akon Interscope
4 BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY Fergie will.i.am/A&M/Interscope
5 BUY U A DRANK T-Pain Featuring Yung Joc Konvict/Nappy Boy
6 BEFORE HE CHEATS Carrie Underwood Arista/Arista Nashville/RMG
7 HEY THERE DELILAH Plain White T's Fearless/Hollywood
8 I WANNA LOVE YOU Akon Featuring Snoop Dogg Konvict/Upfront/SRC
9 SAY IT RIGHT Nelly Furtado Mosley/Geffen
10 GLAMOROUS Fergie Featuring Ludacris will.i.am/A&M/Interscope
11 DON'T MATTER Akon Konvict/Upfront/SRC/Universal Motown
12 GIRLFRIEND Avril Lavigne RCA/RMG
13 MAKES ME WONDER Maroon 5 A&M/Octone/Interscope
14 PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR Shop Boyz OnDeck/Universal Republic
15 SMACK THAT Akon Featuring Eminem Konvict/Upfront/SRC/Universal
16 THIS IS WHY I'M HOT Mims Capitol
17 IT'S NOT OVER Daughtry RCA/RMG
18 THE WAY I ARE Timbaland Featuring Keri Hilson Mosley/Interscope
19 FERGALICIOUS Fergie will.i.am/A&M/Interscope
20 CRANK THAT (SOULJA BOY) Soulja Boy Tell'em ColliPark/Interscope



SOURCE

NEWS: Panic! At the Disco

Las Vegas-band Panic! At the Disco talked to Billboard about their future album.
This new album, which is yet untitled, will be released mid-March 2008 and, according to the band, will focus more the musical aspect. The band says to be immersed on their music, which will carry more horns and even a harmonica.

The band's prior album, "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" has sold an approximate 1.7 million copies in the U.S. alone. Will this album beat the prior one's sales?

Round 2: New Hip Hop and R&B

It's time for some new music.


Janet Jackson It is official. Janet Jackson's "Discipline" will be released in March 2008. We now also have what is to be the first single off of her new album. The song is called "Feedback" and carries the usual heavy R&B of Janet's songs.
Note: Credit goes to Kevipod
"Feedback" MP3 Download

Kat DeLuna The young Dominican surprised the states earlier this year by releasing "Whine Up", a catchy dance-R&B-regueton jam, which stormed into the US Top 40. This is her official second single "Run the Show", which she sings with Busta Rhymes. Definately weaker than the first single, but could also make an impact.
"Run the Show" MP3 Download

Chingy His second single, it could light a fire. The song features Ludacris and Bobby Valentino, the first of which has had great success as a featured artists (let's remember Usher's "Yeah!").
"Gimme That" MP3 Download

US Top 10 Is In

Apple has released the top 10 best selling albums and singles on its main retailer, iTunes. Maroon 5 and Fergie, respectively, took the crown for most downloaded album and single. Gwen Stefani claimed the second most downloaded single, beating out the likes of Avril Lavigne, Timbaland and Akon. In albums, Amy Winehouse scores yet another success, as "Back To Black" was the second most downloaded album.
Fergie rules the singles top 10 chart with both "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Glamororus". NME (SOURCE)

Top 10 Albums
1. Maroon 5 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long'
2. Amy Winehouse 'Back To Black'
3. Kanye West 'Graduation'
4. Daughtry 'Daughtry'
5. Colbie Caillat 'Coco'
6. Linkin Park 'Minutes to Midnight'
7. Various Artists 'High School Musical 2' (OST)
8. Timbaland 'Shock Value'
9. John Mayer 'Continuum'
10.Various Artists 'Hairspray' (OST)

TOP 10 Singles
1. Fergie 'Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)'
2. Gwen Stefani 'The Sweet Escape'
3. Plain White Ts 'Hey There Delilah'
4. Avril Lavigne 'Girlfriend'
5. Fergie 'Glamorous'
6. Kanye West 'Stronger'
7. Maroon 5 'Makes Me Wonder'
8. Akon 'Don't Matter'
9. Timbaland 'The Way I Are (feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)
10. Shop Boyz 'Party Like a Rock Star'

UK's Top 10 Is In

According to NME (SOURCE), Apple has released the list of the top selling albums of the year of iTunes in the United Kingdom. 4 American acts made the top 10 singles, while only 2 did the same in the albums chart.
The big winners in the singles were expected: Mika, Leona, Rihanna and Kaiser Chiefs. The Fray and Plain White T's made the top 10 with their international debut.
Kanye West's "Stronger", which occupied #1 positions in the US, Canada and the Uk earlier this year also made the chart.
The big British albums of the year: Winehouse's Back to Black, Mika's Life In Cartoon Motion and the Arctic Monkeys' Favourite Worst Nightmare took the top 3.Mark Ronson's "Version" made the chart, even though he doesn't sing a word in the whole album.
TOP 10 SINGLES
1: Mika - 'Grace Kelly'
2: Rihanna - 'Umbrella'
3: The Fray - 'How To Save A Life'
4: Kaiser Chiefs - 'Ruby'
5: Plain White T's - 'Hey There Delilah'
6: Kanye West - 'Stronger'
7: Kate Nash - 'Foundations'
8: Leona Lewis - 'Bleeding Love'
9: Sugababes - 'About You Now'
10: Take That - 'Shine'

TOP 10 Albums
1: Amy Winehouse - 'Back to Black'
2: Mika - 'Life in Cartoon Motion'
3: Arctic Monkeys - 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'
4: Mark Ronson - 'Version'
5: Newton Faulkner - 'Hand Built by Robots'
6: Take That - 'Beautiful World'
7: Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace'
8: Kaiser Chiefs - 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'
9: Snow Patrol - 'Eyes Open'
10: Timbaland - 'Shock Value'

Next Year's Hits

Here is a batch of new singles, which will probably have a big impact in 2008. Among these is "Piece of Me" by Britney Spears, the "Long Road 2 Ruin" of Foo Fighters (nominated to several Grammys), "Stop and Stare" by One Repulbic (will be hard to outsell Apologize), "Scream" by Timbaland, Keri Hilson and Nicole S., "Low" by Flo Rida and T-Pain and "Outta My Head" by Ashlee Simpson (who returns 2 the music scene).

Download:

-Piece of Me MP3 Download
-Long Road 2 Ruin MP3 Download
-Stop And Stare MP3 Download
-Scream MP3 Download
-Low MP3 Download
-Outta My Head MP3 Download

Latin Tune- La Factoria's "Todavia"

This song is pretty cool, it was really successful in like 2001, reaching number one in Mexico and getting A LOT of airplay here in the States. It's called "Todavia" by La Factoria. It has nice r&b, latin, kinda dance elements. If u like anything of that sort you will really like this.

Dowload:
"Todavia"" MP3 at evilshare

TOP 10

We have seen th charts throughout the year, know about peak positions, awards, etc. But in the long run what are some of your favorite songs of 2007? (tOp 10)
Leave A Comment here or in the cbox, and i'll try 2 come up with the top 10 songs by amount of mentions. Be Part of this...your top 10....

Amy Winehouse --Videos and MP3

Here you have three of Amy Winehouse'se most important videos, including her brand new one, "Love Is A Losing Game". MP3 Downloads Follow the Vids...
3.......(NEW)
Love Is A Losing Game


Love Is A Losing Game mp3 download

2.......
Back To Black


Back To Black mp3 download

1.......
Rehab featuring Jay-Z


Rehab mp3 download

Bjork In Mexico

Bjork, the most important and best selling artist Iceland has ever had can now say she has been to Mexico. For the first time in her career she traveled to the Latin American nation, where she presented her show to over 15,000 people. "The Anchor Song", "All Is Full Of Love" and others were sung live at the Sonofilia Festival in Guadaljara, Mexico.

Bjork has won 13 Grammys and has sold 12 million albums worldwide. Her last album, "Volta", was released earlier this year to good reviews.

(Above video...Earth Intruders, first single off of Volta and produced by Timbaland)

MP3: Arctic Monkeys- Teddy Picker

Teddy Picker is the thrid single off of "Favourite Worst Nightmare", Arctic Monkeys' sophomore album. The single follows "Fluorescent Adolescent", which peaked at a respectable number 5. In fact, all of the Monkeys' singles have peaked within the UK Top 5 (I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor #1, When the sun goes down #1, Leave Before the Lights Come On #4, Brianstorm #2).

The song will debut this week in the UK Singles Chart at Number 20 on downloads alone. SOURCE

Teddy Picker download at evilshare

CD Download: Mary J Blige

Mary J Blige's eight album will be released the 18th of December. This includes the singles "Just Fine" and "Work That". The album is the follow-up to Blige's The Breakthrough which sold 727,163 copies in its first week.

Growing Pains Download

Reminder: If you like the album, buy it and support your artist. LEAVE A COMMENT

CD Review- Mark Ronson- Version

Mark Ronson, like mentioned in the Grammy post, is a producer. More than that, though, he has successfully made the producer-artist crossover, something of difficulty considering the case of Swizz Beats' sad release.
Ronson gained much attention after the success of his best creation: Amy Winehouse's Back To Black, "Rehab" probably being one of the biggest British hits in America in recent years. Version, his sophomore album, encompasses a list of covers, or, as the track list reads, "Revisited Versions". These revisited versions include Ronson's touch, which include particular attention on the drums and horns, which often, but not always, take attention from the vocals of the featured guest.

This mid-2007 release debuted at number 2 in the UK Albums chart, just under Avril Lavigne and has spent 30 weeks in the chart, which usually sees albums slip after a couple of weeks. Disregarding the charts, the album itself is one of 2007's best works. The album begins with an instrumental of Coldplay's "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" paving the way for the focus on the horns throughout the album. Next in the list are the album's best songs: "Oh My God", "Stop Me", "Toxic" and "Valerie". The first of these features fellow-Brit Lilly Allen, whose interpretation of the Kaiser Chief-original brings a light, laid-back tone. "Valerie" features non other than Winehouse, who comes back to return the favor. Interestingly, this song would peak higher than any of Winehouse's solo career.

"Stop Me", the song which received the most attention in the US (due to the appearance on Jimmy Kimmel), is also the album's best track. Everything seems to work on this track: the drums, guitar, bass, horns, etc. It is not a mistery why this would be the first single. Lyrics are a medley of "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" by The Smiths and "You Keep Me Hanging On".
The other half of the album is put together by a cleverly named trio of interludes:"Inversion", "Diversion" and "Outversion". What's left in between is "Just", a Radiohead cover turned hip hop-rock thanks to the collaboration with Phantom Planet's Alex Greenwald. "The Only One I Know" with Robbie Williams, shows that the flop of "Rudebox" was a mere bump.

After a listen to his album, which easily tops Soulja Boy's catchy anthem (I danced it too), it is interesting to see how Ronson's name is practically invisible in any US chart. "Stop Me" which, apart from the UK, also charted in Australia and Italy, did not even touch the Hot 100, merely reaching number 4 in the dance charts. I guess it will be up to sources like mtvU (and this blog) to invest time in promoting acts like Ronson, until mainstream music catches on.

Rating: 9.2 (More covers from Americans would appeal more)
Best: "Stop Me" ft. Daniel Merriwether
Charts: #2 UK, #129 US
Downloads:
Stop Me Download (at evilshare)
Valerie Download (at evilshare)

Grammy NOminations

After yet another year of good music, bad music and flop after flop, we have the nominations for the Grammys of 2008. Kanye West leads the pack, with 8 nominations (backed up by the sales success of Graduation). Amy Winehouse, the ''Rehab'' singer, comes in second with 6. Timbo is up for producer of the year, against Mike Elizondo and Mark Ronson.

Some Nominations
Record Of The Year
Irreplaceable, Beyoncé
The Pretender, Foo Fighters
Umbrella, Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
What Goes Around…Comes Around, Justin Timberlake
Rehab, Amy Winehouse

Album Of The Year
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Foo Fighters
These Days, Vince Gill
River: The Joni Letters, Herbie Hancock
Graduation, Kanye West
Back To Black, Amy Winehouse

Best Rock Album
Daughtry, Daughtry
Revival, John FogertyEchoes,
Silence, Patience & Grace, Foo Fighters
Magic, Bruce Springsteen
Sky Blue Sky, Wilco

Best Rap Song
Ayo Technology
Big Things Poppin' (Do It)
Can't Tell Me Nothing
Crank That (Soulja Boy)
Good Life

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Candyman, Christina Aguilera
1234, Feist
Big Girls Don't Cry, Fergie
Say It Right, Nelly Furtado
Rehab, Amy Winehouse

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Steppin' Out, Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera
Beautiful Liar, Beyoncé & Shakira
Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On), Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
The Sweet Escape, Gwen Stefani & Akon
Give It To Me, Timbaland Featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
It's Not Over, Daughtry
Working Class Hero, Green Day
If Everyone Cared, Nickelback
Instant Karma, U2
Icky Thump, The White Stripes

Best Rap Album
Finding Forever, Common
Kingdom Come, Jay-Z
Hip Hop Is Dead, Nas
T.I. vs T.I.P., T.I.
Graduation, Kanye West

For the Full List, Go To:
Grammy Nominations Website

Opening

Hey, wazup to all the music bloggers out there. From now on, this will be a blog to reflect and communicate about the music of today, the past and all things to come.

Yo