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  • Jay-Z Runs New York And Rolls With U2

    Jay-Z was all over the place last week. From performing at the parade to celebrate the New York Yankees’ 27th World Series win to rockin’ out with U2 in Berlin at the MTV Europe Music awards, the mayor of New York (as called by Bono) was everywhere.

    In Berlin, after performing earlier in the show, he joined U2 to close out the night as they were performing Sunday Bloody Sunday.

    On his Twitter page, Talib Kweil called it the most progressive Jay verse ever.

    In other quick Jay-Z news, he and Alicia Keys recorded Empire State Of Mind Part 2 for Alicia Keys’ new December album, The Element of Freedom.

    Money Mike added the original video to the site last week, which you can find here.

  • Billboard Changes Chart Methodology: The Michael Jackson Rule?

    Billboard announced this morning that they are revising their chart methodology so that older albums can appear on the Top 200 album chart. Previously, albums were removed from the chart after 2 years (which was changed to 78 weeks fairly recently).

    This will result in some significant changes to the make up of the album chart. Particularly when it comes to albums that are perennials, like Bob Marley’s “Legend”, or to use a more recent example, Guns ‘n Roses’ “Greatest Hits”. It’s hard not to imagine that this change was spurred on by recent sales by Michael Jackson and The Beatles. There was an uproar last year when MJ’s 25th anniversary “Thriller” wasn’t allowed to chart even though it would have debuted at #2. After Jackson’s death in June, several of his albums spiked in sales, led by “Number Ones”, which would have placed at #1 for a couple of weeks had it not been for the chart rule. More recently, a bunch of Beatles reissues were prevented from charting, even though several would have placed in the Top Twenty.

    This rule will hurt some new artists, who would get a boost just for the simple fact that their album charted. It will also limit the amount of turnover on the chart, as I guarantee you will see some titles on that list for years at a time. But I think that if you’re going to publish a chart featuring the top selling albums in the country, it should actually be a chart of the top selling albums in the country, release date be damned.

    What do y’all think?

  • Aerosmith Without Steven Tyler? REALLY??

    Hey Kids! Happy Monday!

    Remember that thing I posted a week or so ago about the members of Sublime replacing Brad Nowell and trying to continue as Sublime even though the guy that gave the band its’ identity was now gone? Well, looks like we might have to test that theory out again even though the band member in question is not dead.

    Rumors are floating around that Steven Tyler has decided to leave Aerosmith, the band he has fronted since Biblical times. While the reasons behind Tyler’s alleged departure are unclear, he has had a rough go at things lately, battling hepatitis, presription drug addiction and falling off of a stage during an aborted summer tour. Additionally, it’s been five years since the band released an album.

    So, now I have two questions. First question-is Steven Tyler actually contemplating a solo career? I mean, the guy’s in his sixties. Shouldn’t he have considered this…maybe 15 years ago when Aerosmith was at it’s peak? Would a Steven Tyler project really sound that much different from an actual Aerosmith album?

    Question #2 is what happens to the band? Guitarist Joe Perry has said that Aerosmith will continue with a new lead singer, and I have to say, that idea doesn’t rank very high on any list of good ideas. While Steven Tyler’s importance to Aerosmith isn’t as strong as Brad Nowell’s importance to Sublime, it’s pretty safe to say that in terms of the band’s public image, Tyler is 75%, Perry is 25% and no one gives a hot steaming shit about the rest of the band. I don’t think fans would go for it. So, maybe it’s time for both parties involved to hang it up?