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Pop Rock Nation

Category: News

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  • Chart Chat 9/16/09: Jigga and the Fabs

    Jay-Z makes history on this week’s Billboard 200 Album Chart. “The Blueprint 3” crashes in at the #1 spot, scanning over 475,000 copies. This is Jay’s 11th chart topping album, giving him more #1 albums than any solo artist in history. More than Elvis. More than Michael Jackson. More than Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand or any artist in history than…

    …The Beatles, who make some chart noise of their own this week. Their recently reissued catalog sells a combined 650,000 copies, with 9 titles landing in the Top Twenty. Granted, none of these titles appear on the actual Billboard 200 because of their age, but they take up 9 of the Top 10 spots on Billboard’s catalog chart. “Abbey Road” is the top seller, followed by “Sgt. Pepper”, “The White Album” and “Rubber Soul”.

    Elsewhere on the chart, Raekwon and Brooks & Dunn also enter in the Top 10. It looks like Jay will hold at the #1 spot on next week’s album chart, with a battle forming for second place between British band Muse and Whitney Houston, who will see an uptick in sales thanks to her interviews on the season premiere of “Oprah”.

    …and here’s another interesting Jay fact…”Blueprint 3″ opens with 50,000 more copies than 2007’s “American Gangster” did. “Gangster” went on to sell over one million copies.

    This week’s Top 20 Albums, courtesy of Billboard & Soundscan

    1) Jay-Z “Blueprint 3”

    2) Miley Cyrus “Time of Our Lives EP”

    3) The Beatles “Abbey Road”

    4) Whitney Houston “I Look to You”

    5) The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

    6) Raekwon “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2”

    7) The Beatles “The Beatles (White Album)”

    8) The Beatles “Rubber Soul”

    9) Brooks & Dunn “#1s…and Then Some”

    10) The Beatles “Revolver”

    11) Trey Songz “Ready”

    12) Michael Jackson “Number Ones”

    13) Black Eyed Peas “The E.N.D.”

    14) Boys Like Girls “Love Drunk”

    15) Kings of Leon “Only by the Night”

    16) The Beatles “Help!”

    17) Taylor Swift “Fearless”

    18) The Beatles “Let it Be”

    19) The Beatles “Past Masters 1 & 2”

    20) The Beatles “Magical Mystery Tour”

  • The Kanye West Backlash

    It’s been talked about ad nauseum and Money Mike and I wrote our immediate thoughts here and here.

    Let’s quickly restate the facts.

    – Taylor Swift wins her first MTV Video Music Award.

    – Kanye West rudely interrupts her speech as a way to both direct attention to himself, and to Beyonce, who he thinks should’ve won.

    – Beyonce lets Taylor Swift join her onstage so that she can accept her award officially, since West rudely interrupted her before.

    – All pop culture hell breaks loose.

    – West apologizes.

    I’m not sure there’s ever been such a non-serious moment at such a non-serious awards show that has ever caused a stir in the media like this one.

    Kanye West might be the music version of Terrell Owens. I’ve never seen a man cause such hate and fervor just by yearning for attention. This was his “Terrell Owens runs to the star at Cowboys Stadium” moment. And it was dumb. This I agree. But should the feedback be as hateful and racist as it has been?

    Yes, I said racist. Do me a favor. Go to Google and type in the words “kanye west twitter n-word” and see what’s listed on the first page. It’s become ugly.

    I posted the same live blog that I first posted here on another website and one of the first comments talked about wanting to lynch West. How can someone who you don’t know instill such hate that you would want to lynch him? I don’t get it.

    West apologizes on The Jay Leno Show

    I’m still not 100% certain that this wasn’t some stunt concocted by MTV and Kanye West so that West and the show would dominate Twitter’s Trending Topics. I’m now convinced that Taylor Swift wasn’t in on anything, mostly based on how she’s reacted thus far.

    But for those of you who have so much hate for West and feel so badly for Swift, get over it. Swift doesn’t need the help. She’s one of the top female recording artists in the history, and her album outsold Kanye’s latest album by a 2-1 margin. She’s a breakout star who is only going to get more famous. She doesn’t need your pity.

    West clearly has some issues with his security and the fact that he’s so up and down with his persona is a bit frustrating. He’s still a talented artist, but just one who is addicted to the lime light and hopefully figures out how to not succumb to it at all opportunities.

    But let’s stay away from the hate. What he did should’ve made you roll your eyes, not call for his head.

  • New Release of the Week 9/15/09: There’s Too Many!!!

    How do you know that the summer is over? Albums start coming out at breakneck speed. While I understand the concept of more music coming out closer to the holidays (when people are actually gonna, y’know, spend money?), I wish they would even out the release schedule a little more instead of putting a hurtin’ on the wallet all fall and winter, kna’mean?

    Anyway, I couldn’t decide on just one release to spotlight this week, so here’s four for you, representing several different subgenres of popular music. No matter your taste, you will find something to your liking amongst these selections:

    Muse “The Resistance”-

    Although the song they performed on the VMAs last Sunday didn’t exactly turn my crank (can someone agree with me that it sounds just like Britney’s “Womanizer”?), this British band turned me into a fan with their last album “Black Holes & Revelations”. With a sound that encompasses elements of classic, modern, and prog rock, Muse is one of the best new rock bands working today. Their previous two albums have sold quite well in an under-the-radar fashion. This new one should be their breakthrough.

    Kid Cudi “Man on the Moon: The End of the Day”:

    The latest Kanye protege to hit the streets is Kid Cudi, who scored a Top 5 hit earlier this summer with “Day & Nite”. Part of the “alternative hip-hop” renaissance that’s taken hold as a backlash against gangsta rap, Cudi (who is from Cleveland, of all places) is one of the gere’s most promising newcomers. Along with Mr. West, there are guest appearances on this album from Common and Snoop Dogg. I’m beginning to think that all you need to get Snoop on your album is some weed, he makes so many damn guest appearances.

    Living Colour “The Chair in the Doorway”:

    The pioneering funk/metal outfit returns after a five year siesta with a new album. As eclectic as ever, “Chair” jumps from straight-ahead rock to electronic-spiced tunes to ballads with ease. I was fortunate enough to see them in concert just a few days ago (more on that in another article) during which they performed this new album in its’ entirety. Believe me when I say that they’ve still got it.

    Q-Tip “Kamaal the Abstract”:

    Originally scheduled for a 2002 release, “Kamaal” was shelved by Jive, Tip’s label at the time, for being too uncommercial. Well, after seven years, it’s still not commercial, but it’s finally going to see the light of day (although I’m sure many of you Tribe/Tip fans, like me, got your grubby little hands on this album by, uh…less than savory means). Anyway, “Kamaal”, while rooted in hip-hop, is just as much of a jazz/funk album as it is a rap record. If you’re a typical boom-bap hip-hop fan, this album might give you pause. Then again, if you’re a typical boom-bap hip-hop fan, you probably gave up on Q-Tip after A Tribe Called Quest broke up. This artistic triumph was well worth the wait.

    There’s plenty more coming out, and you can find the entire list of this week’s releases here!