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Pop Rock Nation

Author: Pop Rock Nation

  • J5 Live!

    Because the charts can wait till tomorrow…
    …What’s this I hear about a Jackson 5 reunion tour?
    The thought of Michael (and Janet) Jackson touring the U.S. once again makes me very, very happy. Especially since I was 12 the last time Michael toured the States.
    Does the man still have it at 50?
    Will he be worth the astronomical ticket prices?
    Does anyone realize that tomorrow is the 25th Anniversary of the release of “Thriller” and I will probably wind up blogging about Michael Jackson again? (I’ll squeeze the charts in there somewhere. Josh Groban Alicia Keys blah blah blah)
    Hmmm…pondering happily…

  • Chart Action: Better Late Than Never

    Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving.

    This week’s chart is all about Alicia Keys, who tops the singles and albums charts in both the pop & R&B categories with her third studio album “As I Am”, and it’s first single “No One”. All of Keys’ four albums (including her 2005 “Unplugged” set) have topped the Billboard Albums chart, while “No One” marks her third #1 single, following 2001’s “Fallin’” and 2004’s duet with Usher, “My Boo”. Expect “As I Am” to have a fairly lengthy chart life, especially since Grammy darling Keys will not be eligible to take home any trophies from this album until 2009.

    And yes, you don’t have to rub your eyes. It is 2007, not 1977, and yes, Led Zeppelin and The Eagles are both in the Top Ten.

    While T-Pain continues to make waves on the singles chart by virtue of his sheer presence, the 12-8 move of Fergie’s “Clumsy” gives the singer her fifth Top 10 single from her album “The Dutchess”. As it has become harder for artists to repeatedly crack the Top 10 on the singles chart, Fergie’s achievement is noteworthy because she is the first female artist to draw 5 Top 10 singles from one album since Janet Jackson did it in 1993-1994. She is also the first debut artist to accomplish this feat since Paula Abdul and Milli Vanilli did it in 1989-1990

    This Week’s Top 10 Albums (all chart info courtesy of Nielsen Soundscan & Billboard communications)

    1) “As I Am” Alicia Keys
    2) “Noel” Josh Groban
    3) “Taking Chances” Celine Dion
    4) “Now 26” Various Artists
    5) “The Ultimate Hits” Garth Brooks
    6) “Long Road Out of Eden” The Eagles
    7) “Mothership” Led Zeppelin
    8) “American Gangster” Jay-Z
    9) “Carnival Ride” Carrie Underwood
    10) “Exclusive” Chris Brown

    This Week’s Top 10 Singles:

    1) “No One” Alicia Keys
    2) “Kiss Kiss” Chris Brown feat. T-Pain
    3) “Apologize” Timbaland feat. OneRepublic
    4) “Low” Flo-rida feat. T-Pain
    5) “Bubbly” Colbie Caillat
    6) “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” Soulja Boy Tellem
    7) “Good Life” Kanye West feat. T-Pain
    8) “Clumsy” Fergie
    9) “Cyclone” Baby Bash feat. T-Pain
    10) “Stronger” Kanye West

  • New Releases: 11-20-07

    It’s official, folks. The last major release Tuesday of 2007 has passed us by. This week contains mostly a weird mix of re-issues and compilations. However, with the exception of December’s Mary J. Blige release, expect to see Alicia Keys and Josh Groban at the top of the charts for the forseeable future.
    Among the new releases today: the debut from Jordin Sparks, who won 2007’s “American Idol” and has no pre-release buzz to speak of. Her album is supposed to work a fun, urban teenage vibe, I guess somewhere between Rihanna and Vanessa Hudgens? Also in stores, you get the first album in four years from Philadelphia rap artist Freeway. He better hope his Jay-Z connection pays dividends, because four years is a LONG time to be gone in the fickle hip-hop industry. The other only release of note is the debut from OneRepublic, the band that plays behind Timbaland on his current hit single “Apologize”. Yeah, we know, you’re excited too.
    On the re-issue tip, there’s a little more to speak of. If you, like me, have jumped on the Amy Winehouse train this year, her debut album “Frank”, is being issued for the first time in the U.S. This album has more of a lounge-y, neo-soul vibe (I know since I picked it up as an import nearly a year ago), but you can tell it’s Amy as soon as you listen to the lyrics. Speaking of rehab, Keith Urban issues his first “Greatest Hits” collection today.
    The guys from Fall Out Boy repackage their platinum album “Infinity On High” today with a DVD, and turning over to far more legenday albums, there are new versions of U2’s “The Joshua Tree” (celebrating it’s 20th anniversary) and Time magazine’s best album of the millennium, Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Exodus”, which is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary.
    …And that’s pretty much it!!
    Check out a full list of this week’s releases here: