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  • Chart Chat 4/30/09: Seriously, Rick Ross???

    rickross

    If you’ve been following our Twitter page lately, you’ve noticed that I’ve been wondering who the hell buys Rick Ross albums. ‘Cause I know folks who like all kinds of music, and not one person I talk to on a regular basis will admit to owning one of the dude’s records. But someone’s buying ’em right? For the third consecutive album, Rick Ross has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album chart. “Deeper Than Rap” opens with 158,000 units, significantly ahead of the “Hannah Montana” soundtrack, which is #2 with 104K.

    If you are a Rick Ross fan, please step to the plate and let us know why you buy his records. Seriously. I won’t even laugh at you or question your musical taste in public.

    Then again, maybe he just has a lot of buddies at the corrections facility he was working in.
    There are two other debuts in the Top 10 this week. Depeche Mode is one of those bands that just never goes out of style (not to mention the fact that they should be in the R&R Hall of Fame), and they take the #3 spot on this week’s chart with “Sounds of the Universe”. Meanwhile, suburban rapper Asher Roth enters at #5 with “Asleep in the Bread Aisle”, an album that features my current guilty pleasure, “I Love College”.

    The Top 200’s biggest percentage increase this week goes to Jack Johnson, whose year old “Sleep Through the Static” moves to #170 on a 53% increase. Not far behind him is “Dancing with the Stars” performer Robin Thicke, whose “Something Else” jumps over the 400K mark on a 48% increase down at #180. The biggest drop comes from alt-rock band Silversun Pickups, who slide 7-33 on a 68% decrease to 14,000 units.

    Next week, it’s all but given that Bob Dylan will debut at the top of the charts for the second consecutive time. Better him than Rick Ross. And that will lead to a very interesting May, during which Eminem and Green Day will challenge U2 for the year’s biggest first-week total. Stay tuned!

    This week’s Top 20 Albums:

    1) “Deeper Than Rap” Rick Ross

    2) “Hannah Montana Soundtrack” Various Artists

    3) “Sounds of the Universe” Depeche Mode

    4) “Unstoppable” Rascal Flatts

    5) “Asleep in the Bread Aisle” Asher Roth

    6) “Twilight Soundtrack” Various Artists

    7) “The Fame” Lady GaGa

    8) “Forever in a Day” Day26

    9) “Now That’s What I Call Music 30” Various Artists

    10) “Last Kiss” Jadakiss

    11) “Fearless” Taylor Swift

    12) “Wide Open” Jason Aldean

    13) “Dark Horse” Nickelback

    14) “In a Perfect World…” Keri Hilson

    15) “Only by the Night” Kings of Leon

    16) “Shallow Life” Lacuna Coil

    17) “Defying Gravity” Keith Urban

    18) “Quiet Nights” Diana Krall

    19) “Lotusflow3r/MPLSound/Elix3r” Prince/Bria Valente

    20) “I Am…Sasha Fierce” Beyonce

  • American Idol Season 8 – Who Is In The Top 4?

    Last night was a very interesting show, but it left me a bit empty, because I’m very worried that even though she was awesome last night, Allison might very well be going home tonight. I brought this up way back in the beginning. There was something missing about her personality and it was going to cost her. She’s become a bit more comfortable and that’s helped. But man, she’s turned her game up and deserves to go home less than ever. I’m crossing my fingers for Allison tonight.

    Last night, they dressed the part and it enhanced their performances. Tonight, it’s back to the old lazy button ups and sneakers for Kris. They performed I Don’t Mean A Thing and I Got Rhythm. It was a fun, but very simplified performance. I guess after Paula put them through the ringer last week, they didn’t want to go back for more.

    My kids think that Matt wears a hat to hide the wart on his forehead which they call his “third eye”.

    All five are in the center awaiting their fate. Matty Ballgame is sent to the right side of the stage. Danny is sent to the left side of the stage. Allison is sent next to Danny, while Kris is sent next to Matty.

    By the way, my wife Kara’s hair is terrible tonight. Sometimes, she just doesn’t listen.

    In a shock, the bottom three are Adam, Kris, and Matt. Well, it’s not that much of a shock unless Adam is really in the bottom two. But at least Allison is safe.

    Kara says her mouth drops for Adam and she even showed us how. I think she meant that she’s in awe from his performing and is in shock when she saw him in the bottom three. Because if she meant the other way, Adam might be in shock on his own. And plus, this ain’t Paula and Corey Clark.

    Natalie Cole’s skeleton is performing. Ok, that was a bad joke now that I found out it’s because of Hep C and failing kidneys. She’s just way skinny, but she still sounded good.

    Taylor Hicks is back on stage and singing a track from his new album. I thought they kicked him out of the American Idol alumni along with Diana Degarmo, Blake Lewis, Kat McPhee, Sanjaya, and William Hung. I guess he’s back. And he looks older than ever.

    I’ll give it up for him though. If anyone reminds me of the kind of music Huey Lewis & The News was putting out when I was a kid, it’s Taylor. My youngest just told me that Taylor was “too Western” for his taste.

    Jamie Fox
    Jamie Fox
    Ok, now Kara can open her mouth again. Kris is sent over to the other group which leaves Matty Ballgame and Adam in the bottom two.

    Jamie Foxx is out performing everyone’s favorite excuse to touch a girl’s butt without her permission. According to Jamie, you can Blame It on the alcohol. Actually, I thought the song was originally written about Jamie being tricked by the club lights, taking someone home ugly early, and then the next morning using the goose and the henny as an excuse.

    Ryno tells Matty Ballgame that Carrie Underwood is going to sing him home sweet home. I’m sad to see Matty going home, but it’s time. Don’t feel badly for Matt, there’s a market for white dudes who can sing R&B.

    Tonight’s the night, I’m on my way, set me free, home sweet home.

    Photo of Jamie Foxx by Rafael Amado Deras and shared via creative commons.

  • First Look: Maxwell’s “Pretty Wings”

    maxwekkWanna make any female R&B fan over the age of 30 wet herself?

    Maxwell’s back, y’all.

    After an eight (!) year absence, the R&B lothario has finally returned. His long-awaited “Black Summers’ Night” project finally has not only a July release date, but actual music attached to it. “Pretty Wings” took a couple of listens for me to appreciate, but I totally get it now. The whole woman-levitating-off-the-bed thing? That I don’t get so much. But it makes for good video. And having seen Maxwell in concert, I can attest to the fact that he has that kind of effect on the lay-deez.

    You can view the video here.

    If Max is back, can D’Angelo and Lauryn Hill be too far behind??