web analytics

Pop Rock Nation

Blog

  • Dear iTunes, Where’s My Blueprint 3?

    Yesterday, Money Mike let everyone know what they should’ve known, even if they didn’t know. Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 was moved up a few days to a normal Tuesday release date, away from the 9/11/09 release date, which would’ve been the 8th anniversary of his first Blueprint album.

    While I understood the meaning immediately of the release date, it still left a slightly bad taste in my mouth for him to specifically release his album on a day where thoughts should be elsewhere. I don’t know how everyone else felt originally about that, but now, it’s neither here nor there, because the album was moved up.

    Jay-Z's Blueprint 3
    Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3
    But the reason it was moved up had more to do with Def Jam putting out the first and second Blueprint albums in the store on the same day in one special package to either confuse buyers, or entice buyers to buy their special edition release, alongside Jay’s newest joint.

    However, if you go to iTunes, where I buy all of my music, the album still has the 9/11/09 release date. I pre-ordered the album beforehand and expected it to be all queued up on Tuesday morning before I went to work. I had a yearning to hear some Empire State Of Mind. But alas, that track, as well as the other tracks from the new album, are nowhere to be found.

    So iTunes, where is my Blueprint 3 and why didn’t y’all get the memo that the release date was bumped up?

    I will send Apple an e-mail and see if I get a response. If I do, I’ll let everyone know right here.

    Update: 4:25 PM Pacific

    I didn’t actually e-mail Apple, but they had a chat feature that I was able to use. In short, for whatever reason (and the nice lady didn’t know), they’re not releasing the album until Friday.

    What was funny is that when I told her that the album actually came out everywhere on Tuesday, she asked me if iTunes let me know, rather than being on the up and up in the music news. She probably didn’t have to necessarily be on the up and up when it came to music, but being that she’s doing customer service for iTunes, it’s probably a good idea to know what’s going on.

    Even though I was bothered that they simply didn’t have a clue what was going on, she did refund my pre-order money and apologized. I may still buy the album from iTunes on Friday, but I wanted the freedom to get it from the store, in case I had the chance.

    All in all, iTunes has failed me for one of the only times in my life.

  • Beatlemania Redux: 9/09/09

    If anyone needs further proof that the music made by John, Paul, George & Ringo is timeless, just look at the fact that arguably the biggest music story of the year (along with Michael Jackson’s death) is the release of The Beatles’ “Rock Band” video game as well as 14 Beatles albums remastered and in their original British configurations. This marks the first time any albums by the Fab Four have gotten a remaster treatment since they were released on CD in the late Eighties. Of course, the video game will introduce a whole new generation to the music of The Beatles. Not only will it make Ringo, Paul, Yoko, Olivia, Sony/ATV and MJ’s estate a shit-ton of money, but it will help guarantee that The Beatles’ legacy endures-not that it really needs any help with that, but…you know.

    While I happen to be a huge Beatles fan, I don’t necessarily know that I need the remasters. I’d certainly like them, but forking over a ton of cash for music I essentially have already is just not prudent. Someone’ll have to tell me how they sound.

    Anyway, enjoy Beatles Wednesday, check out this cool article from my pals at Popdose (including yours truly), and celebrate the legacy of the most important band of all time.

    I decided to go with a slightly less typical clip here…this is a fantastic performance of one of my all-time favorite Beatles songs.

  • You Want Your VMAs!!!

    The MTV Video Music Awards, an industry institution since 1984, are airing from New York on Sunday. As those of you who have watched this awards show before know, the event can either be dead boring (like the Vegas misadventure in 2007) or a hot mess (the legendary Britney/Madonna/Christina kiss). What will happen in 2009? Who knows? With nominees ranging from Kanye West and Eminem to Britney Spears, it should be a pretty interesting event, and this show is usually good for a surprise or two. One rumor is that Janet Jackson will perform as a tribute to her brother Michael. Now that will definitely be a must-see moment. Keep your eye here on Sunday, as we will be live-blogging the VMAs.