Today's Pick

Orianthi has released a new music video for the song "Courage," from the Australian singer songwriter's recent release "Believe (II)," which has been in stores since June this year. The 25-year-old guitar virtuoso, who found fame in Michael Jackson's "This Is It," wears her chef hat every day to develop dishes for her pomeranian and bichon, who have been in her life for three years.
Following the success of high-energy singles "According to You" and "Shut Up and Kiss Me," Orianthi showcases her softer side with her new single "Courage," featuring Lacey Mosley from the band Flyleaf. Grab the track, which features yet another stand-out guitar solo. "'Courage' is one of my favorite songs to sing live... It's very spiritual and it takes you to a colorful place," she says. "I had a great time making the video with Lacey Mosley. I love the setting and the colors that were used in this clip - very earthy and exactly the way I envisioned the video for this tune to be," Orianthi commented.
The video featuring the Aussie guitarist/singer sharing screen with her featured great guest appearance and vocals by Flyleaf's leading lady Lacey. Together, the two ladies drive in a step van and travel across the country. When asked in a recent interview how her collaboration with Orianthi came about, Lacey said, "It's definitely different from our style. When 'Courage' came via email to me, I was thinking about this. The lyrics of the song straight-up said, 'Courage is when you're in pain and you keep on living anyway.' I was like, 'This is important to do.' So I did it. It was fun working with Orianthi. She's a really cool girl, and she has a great voice. When we were in between takes, she was sitting there with her guitar shredding for fun and talking to me at the same time [Laughs]. She's really talented!"
Orianthi is an absolute guitar sensation and has been labeled a prodigy. In the music industry she might be referred to as a "shredder." At 25 years old, Orianthi has already experienced what most aspiring musicians only dream of. She's opened for her hero (Steve Vai), backed an Idol (Carrie Underwood), traded solos with a legend (Carlos Santana) and shared the stage with the King of Pop (Michael Jackson). What's left to conquer? The world stage, for one, and this guitar wunderkind has her sights clearly set on the road ahead. Orianthi packs modern girl-power punch into every turn of phrase, but it's the shredding that takes her brand of rock to an entirely new level. The result: a thunderous, hook and riff driven debut that sounds larger than life. If, for a moment, you've thought the music world could use another taste of The Runaways' Joan Jett, let us introduce you to Orianthi.

Lady antebellum has released a powerful video through ABC's Music Lounge on Thursday morning for the soulful ballad "Hello World," the fourth single from their chart-topping sophomore album "Need You Now." Country band seizes the opportunity to appreciate the precious moments in life, and will make you smile for the world instead of leaving you filled with frustration and hatred, because of all the problems that seem to be worse every day, life is actually not that bad.
The trio, using the always popular trope of performing on a rain-slicked, dark street in the middle of the city, adopts the proper somber tone as events take a tragic turn. The music video, directed by Roman White, was filmed in Nashville in early October, follows a man who, after seeing a horrible accident on his way home, is grateful with his life even though it's not always perfect. Lady Antebellum's serious and somber clip for "Hello World" joins the ever-growing list of music videos featuring car crashes - Nickelback's "Someday," Coldplay's "The Scientist," Adele's "Chasing Pavements" and Carrie Underwood's "So Small." All showcase what can go wrong while driving when you're distracted. At least in the country music group's video, everything turns out a-okay for everyone involved.
"It's this guy in traffic, he's obviously havin' a horrible day, looks over and sees this little girl and it kind of brightens his day, and he's 'Hello, world, good to see you again,'" Charles Kelley explains. "It's these certain little moments - whether it's that or [when] he sees the church - and it's kind of his awakening, going, 'You know, my life's not all that bad.'" He walks in, sees his wife, his little girl, 'Hello world.' That's what it's all about, that's why he's in the grind, [but] we all get to that point in life where we're caught up and overwhelmed." The timing for "Hello World" couldn't be much better. It's fall, people are beginning to pull inward a bit, and it's a difficult social environment. The economy's struggling, public rhetoric is harsh and polarizing and we're bombarded by information. Sometimes you just want to pull a pillow over your head and scream. Or you simply zone out.
As usual, Hillary Scott's vocals are a shimmering bright spot amidst the heavy-handedness. As "Hello World" nears its end, however, even Hillary Scott can't save things. It's almost as if the group picks up on its own demise and throws together a bombastic blast of noise to shake' things up, to no avail. "Hello World" is a dramatic shift from the group's usual radio themes of love and lust. Perhaps a mildly self-indulgent song masquerading as a call for inner world peace is a natural next step for a trio receiving equal parts commercial and industry support across multiple genres. However, that's no consolation for country fans who have grown used to looking to the group for fresh, honest country-pop music.

Showing her care and concern for fans, the newly married singer Katy Perry has not only unveiled the video for her single "Firework," but also wanted her new video to inspire people and she even dedicated it to the "It Gets Better" campaign, because she feels "everyone has the spark to be a firework." This inspirational dance jam is the third single from her sophomore effort, "Teenage Dream." The video is part of a huge cross-promotional deal with European telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, who hosted a series of competitions for fans to win the opportunity to feature in the video.
The amazing Perry told Billboard magazine that the inspiration for the song came from an unlikely source. "Basically I have this very morbid idea... when I pass, I want to be put into a firework and shot across the sky over the Santa Barbara Ocean as my last hurrah," she said. "I want to be a firework, both living and dead. My boyfriend(now husband) showed me a paragraph out of Jack Kerouac's book On The Road, about people that are buzzing and fizzing and full of life and never say a commonplace thing. They shoot across the sky like a firework and make people go, 'Ahhh.' I guess that making people go 'ahhh' is kind of like my motto."
That certainly is an explosive video by the newly wedded Mrs. Brand. Perry's most recent tweet states that her grandmother is her firework: "The firework in my life is my grandmother. She raised me and taught me everything about life. She is one extraordinary woman." Perry said "Firework" is her favorite song on "Teenage Dream." She expressed that: "People are coming back and almost adopting it as their own anthem, and it's hard, I think, to write an anthem that's not cheesy, and I hope that this could be something in that category. I hope this could be one of those things where it's like, 'Yeah, I want to put my fist up and feel proud and feel strong. But I also don't want to be cheesy, it's a fine line, and I think 'Firework' would be like the opus or my one song, if I had to pick a song to play, 'cause it has a great beat. But it also has a fantastic message."
The pop superstar spreads love to her fans in a joyous dance party to empower youths and make them comfortable in their own skin. It's a straight up self-empowerment anthem wrapped in a Coldplay-on-poppers club banger from the Stargate team. The video opens with the camera panning in the beautiful city of Budapest in Hungary before Perry emerges in a lavender gown, standing on a balcony singing. Soon, it is intercut with stories of people who need to find their inner firework. with Perry in the center of the action, belting out the song's inspiring message as fireworks explode around them all. Perry is sending a message: empower yourself and embrace your inner firework. As always, Perry's songs are instantly catchy, and we support such a positive message, and we kind of need it nowadays.

British pop-R&B songstress Alexandra Burke has finally come to her senses and premiered the music video for the colossal-sized ballad track "The Silence" via MSN Videos UK on early Wednesday. Burke revealed via her official twitter page that "The Silence" will serve as the fifth commercial single from her upcoming the re-release of Burke's Platinum selling debut "Overcome," due in stores November 29.
Fresh from her UK chart-topping single "Start Without You," the latest X-Factor winner returns with this stunning re-recording of her album track, "The Silence," as the final single she plans to release this year. Apparently the song is re worked for the single release. It has some differences compared to the original version, new adlibs, high notes, and choir in final choruses. The re-recorded version song really lace Burke's delivery with a fresh layer of emotion and conviction. Putting that aside, "The Silence" is one of the strongest songs from her very underwhelming debut album and it shows that producer RedOne isn't just a one trick pony when it comes to producing certain songs for certain artists.
As an X Factor contestant, Burke proved more than capable of handling a power ballad. Yet after 4 pop-tastic singles, not including her winner's single "Hallelujah," "The Silence" is the first in which she truly gets to demonstrate her vocal prowess. "The Silence," a gargantuan power ballad bridging the gap between Bonnie Tyler and Beyoncé, fully demonstrates the rich, emotive vocals which refuse to play second fiddle to the roll-call of producers du jour.
The video for the RedOne-produced ballad track is a tasteful black and white affair involving Burke in various stylish outfits, and doing a photo shoot and getting all emotional. Burke passes on the all the cliched elements of a power ballad video. In some scenes, she's just sitting there behind a fake set of tower blocks, belting away and putting on her best faux-emotional facial expressions. The visual lacks any type of storyline and was clearly on that recession special. It fits the strong ballad song's vibe - probably the best example of a simple, elegant, yet potently effective but good! Burke will be performing on the seventh series of The X Factor.

Nicki Minaj and Will.i.am have finally given their fans a full look into the official music video for their new single "Check It Out," the latest collaboration that was conceived as a joint project but Will.i.am also appear, at least as a bonus track, on Minaj's upcoming debut CD "Pink Friday," which hits shelves on November 22, one day earlier than the original release date. The Harajuku-inspired clip, which captures both stars getting animated, was premiered on the Black Eyed Peas frontman's media blog Dipdive on Monday night.
The 'Your Love' raptress Minaj jokes about her multiple personalities, but in the new video for "Check It Out," she proves their existence by paying tribute to futuristic Japanese culture in the video for "Check It Out," which samples the 1979 hit single, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, is a pop-driven mind boggler. Joined by their clones, the hip hop superstars take things to the next level in the video, with an all-out assault on the eyes and ears.
The video was shot over the weekend of September 26 in a studio in Los Angeles director Rich Lee. "We're doing an ode almost to Japanese anime," Minaj told MTV News last month of the video. "I'm obviously a big fan, and I've joined forces with the only boy that I know that's able to capture that culture." The clip starts with the duo's song blasting through the speakers of a boombox. The pair go from phoning in their performance for a supremely uninterested audience to pulling off some tricks and stunts that would wow most people. It filled with plenty of Japanese/Korean inspired fashion and words floating on the screen. Minaj, known as the "Harajuku Barbie," puts her love for the culture on full display with Will.i.am providing the extra random effects we've grown to love from him with the Black Eyed Peas.
Lee said the video had a "weird, futuristic Korean TV show" theme. Along with the Black Eyed Peas member, the 25-year-old performs the track in a futuristic Korean TV show in front of a small audience. As the two continue to deliver their lines, Korean characters pop up according to the lyrics of the song. Will.i.am previously told MTV News, "The subject matter of the song is check out whatever it is you try and let fools know. This is like, 'check my style out,' so we like rocking crazy different styles in the video performance." He added that Minaj, who was just named the No.6 Hottest MC in the Game, inspired him to push himself when he recorded "Check It Out." "I was like, I got to take it to the next level now. 'Cause usually you mess with cats and there is no next level, because they don't inspire the next level." No matter how confused we are with everything Minaj does, expect her album "Pink Friday" to still be a hot item next month.

Kanye West's highly anticipated debut film, "Runaway," finally arrived and proved to be the 'ambitious' effort that fans who previewed the short have been raving about for weeks. "Runaway" is the third single from Chicago rappe's upcoming fifth studio album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." The film features Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks as the main character and Nicki Minaj as the film’s narrator. The 35-minute film features West expressing himself in a new way that is much more grandiose than anything he has attempted before.
West debuted the song on September 12, and performed "Runaway" featuring rapper Pusha T of Clipse, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. He said the song was about having remorse for being a fool then rapped about toasting those who are douche-bags, scumbags and jerk-offs. Afterwards the Chicago MC dedicated his performance to his late mother. Shortly after the performance, West revealed he was working on a 35-minute short film based around the song. "Runaway" might be loaded with deeper meaning but essentially it's just another way of getting people talking about "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," his guest-heavy fifth LP.
The 35-minute abstract musical short is inspired by other music-related short films such as Purple Rain, Pink Floyd The Wall and Michael Jackson's Thriller and painters Picasso and Matisse. It was filmed in Prague over the period of four days during the summer. The script, a carefully modulated art-film made by a man on a mission, was written by West, Vanessa Beecroft and Jonathan Lia. West describes the video as an "overall representation of what [he dreams]" and a parallel to his music career. Speaking to MTV News, West said he wanted women in his life, including his mother and ex-girlfriends, represented in the video, and for them to "connect with the different emotions". According to Ebanks, who co-stars in the video, the moral of the video is, "the world doesn't accept, or they try to change, what is different, instead of trying to understand it." The film was inspired by directors Federico Fellini and Stanley Kubrick as well as fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
The film is implementation of the nine West songs, which are totally making us crave his album even more. The promo is based on the life of the mythical phoenix, which West admits relates to his own career. He told New York Magazine: "It's the story of a phoenix fallen to Earth and I make her my girlfriend. And people discriminate against her and eventually she has to burn herself alive and go back to her world. I've been feeling the idea of the phoenix. It's been in my heart for a while." West added, referring to the controversial incident when he stage-crushed Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech at last year's VMAs: "It's maybe parallel to my career. I threw a Molotov cocktail on my career last year, in a way, and I had to come back as a better person."

Atlantic Records newcomer Hope snagged guitar virtuoso Jason Mraz for her sparkling first single - lucky lass. "Love Love Love" gives the world a first glimpse of Hope, and will be featured on her upcoming charming self-titled debut album, which is a revival of acoustic and soul. It bravely explores emotional boundaries, helping to bring her angelic voice and real lyrics to life. Each song carries a different message of love and positivity while maintaining a strong sense of social awareness.
For Hope, her name pretty much says it all. She's a gifted performer with an angelic voice and a naturally sunny disposition. She's a lyricist for whom the word "love" comes easily. Armed with a message as she readies for her major label debut, the radio dial is about to be infused with Hope. Coming from a musical background (Mom singer, dad music director), Hope plans to bless the world with "Love, Love, Love," while drawing attention to other social issues. Sounding like a little bit of Colbie Caillat mixed with a little bit Sara Bareilles, Hope's crystalline voice floats through this sunny, island-tinged tune while Mraz happily strums his guitar. The song's message is just as uplifting as the music: Hope has said, "It's about feeling so much excitement and anticipation that you don't know what to do with yourself. When I listen to my record, I'm so ecstatic to finally be able to share my songs with the world."
The island-inflected tune is an ode to the dizzying experience of a new infatuation, but it also describes Hope's outlook as she nears the release of her album. She said, "It's about feeling so much excitement and anticipation that you don't know what to do with yourself. When I listen to my record, I'm so ecstatic to finally be able to share my songs with the world." The motivation behind the song? She says: "'Love, Love, Love' was a song that wasn't part of a bunch songs we had recorded for the album. And I felt that something was missing. And we needed to have something that people could listen to and feel really good. So, I sat down with Michael Blue and we just started playing and wrote the song."
The track has also a reggae tinge in the background as the two featherweight voices float and mingle. Hope and Mraz are intoxicated lovers, obsessed with the thought of being in love: "Your love's a permanent distraction, a perfect interaction, a feeling so extreme, lost my appetite to eat, I barely get to sleep, cause you're even in my dreams." Even starvation and insomnia don't sound so bad under this bout of love sickness. For now, though, Hope is poised and ready for the release of her much-anticipated debut. "I feel really grateful and emotional all at once. I'm just loving this time and not taking it for granted."

Tamar Kaprelian has released another video from her sessions at Jack Johnson's Solar Powered Plastic Plant in Los Angeles, CA. This time, the 23-year-old singer/songwriter performs "Should Have Known Better" off of her stunningly beautiful debut studio album "Sinner or a Saint," came out August. The track is darker in their approach, bringing string sections into the mix. Kaprelian veers darker in "Should Have Known Better," which is definitely about someone who did me wrong and led me in the wrong direction," Kaprelian explains. "Had I not gone through that experience, I wouldn't have written the record that I wrote."
Kaprelian was born in Scottsdale, Arizona and brought up in both Georgia and California by Armenian parents, surrounded by love and great music. Tender at First Blush, but With a Tough and Feisty Core. Kaprelian was discovered in the modern way: winning a cover contest on YouTube, piggybacked onto someone else's success. The song was "Apologize," by OneRepublic, one of the more vaporous pop hits in recent memory. Her version, a delicate little slice of piano soul, cuts through some of the original's haze, its wounded tenderness purposeful, not accidental.
The ten songs on Kaprelian's debut album are full of dashed hopes, fierce renewal, and proud vulnerability. It's a coming-of-age record that chronicles her life, relationships, and her utter determination to create an album that is real and true to Kaprelian, both personally and artistically. Mainly, her album reflects the conundrum facing young female singer-songwriters in the age of Lady Gaga: barring the embrace of the extreme, there appear to be a decreasing number of options for success. "Should Have Known Better" is an unexpected and not wholly unpleasant hybrid of Billy Joel and Demi Lovato. That Kaprelian can pull off most of these styles well demonstrates her flexibility, if not her maturity. At 23 she's still young, though, and also a little feistier than her songs. She was definitely the only one wearing leopard-print heels at this club, which favors acoustic, earthy singers.
It's a winning, if sometimes naive, record, full of songs that sound frail at first, thanks largely to Kaprelian's genteel voice, but are in fact sturdy and alluring: the stuff of shampoo commercials, dramas on ABC Family and the Lilith Fair revival. Growing up, Kaprelian gravitated toward the rock classics her musician father schooled her in. Listeners new to Kaprelian will find that there's a little vocal similarity to Paramore's Hayley Williams at times, along with hints of a possible Ben Folds influence here and there. In a world of pop music dominated by girls trying too hard to come off as sleazy and edgy, it's refreshing to hear a pop album that sounds genuine.

After the multi-platinum success of her fourth Spanish-language studio album "Mi Plan," Nelly Furtado is back! She looks hotter than ever in her brand new music video for "Fuerte"(English: Strong) featuring Spanish jazz singer Concha Buika. The hot new track is the lead single off her forthcoming English-language album which is tentatively called "Lifestyle," out in 2011. Before that she'll also release an eclectic collection of remixes of her greatest hits compilation "The Best of Nelly Furtado" out on November 15.
The music video for "Fuerte" was directed by Richard Bernardin, Robacho Buika and Aaron A. It is basically just a series of beautiful glamor shots of Furtado posing around a giant house. She really looks absolutely stunning though. Perhaps the best she's ever looked. Fashion-wise, her style is incredible and gorgeous. She's shown in various elegant dresses wondering around a lavishly decorated shadowy mansion while she sings to the thumping, bass-drum beat, ultimately cooling off in her private indoor swimming pool and sitting under a mirror in another scene and illuminated by moody lighting as the chorus begins. During the second and third choruses, Concha Buika also features, though appearing separately from Furtado, standing at the bottom of a staircase in a more modern-day building.
Furtado, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, is known for experimenting with different instruments, sounds, genres, languages, and vocal styles. This diversity has been influenced by her wide-ranging musical taste and her interest in different cultures. Her last album "Mi Plan" (My plan) reflects once again her artistry, diversity and the uniqueness of everything which she writes. It filled with fresh, enthusiastic, fun, freeing, unique, strong and passionate songs that reflect the great moment that Nelly is currently experiencing.
"I'm a little bit picky, so I'm kind of going through all kinds of material, and I think it's a fun thing to celebrate," the Canadian singer/songwriter recently told Billboard. "There's new material I'm writing and old material that's very good and hasn't been re-approached. For me it's about sharing moments of my songs with fans, so whatever are the best moments will end up on the album, I think there's a little bit more of an alternative influence on this new album, kind of how my first album [Whoa, Nelly!] was definitely inspired an partially influenced by 'alternative' music," Furtado said. "It's definitely inspired a lot of the new music that's coming out right now."

Riding with the success of his radio hit "Deuces," Chris Brown just unleashed a music video for the high-energy lead single "Yeah 3X," from his upcoming fourth studio "F.A.M.E." (Forgiving All My Enemies) album out early 2011. "Yeah 3X" is a speaker-rattling, synth-laden, electronic house banger, so it's only fitting that the accompanying visual would be all about powerhouse footwork. In video, the R&B star shows off his signature dance moves along with his usual catchy beats and charming smile with a group of people from a random neighborhood breaking down into a very sophisticated dance routine in the middle of the streets.
The clip which was directed by Colin Tilley featured cameos by Teyana Taylor and Kevin McCall. The visual melds together a plethora of dance styles against a turn-of-the-century backdrop of old-timey storefronts and brownstones, kicking off with Brown's acrobatic entrance. Donning a black vest, trousers and a tie pinned in place, Brown's boyish energy belies his grown-man chic as he flips onto the top of a truck. Bored kids lining the neighborhood's stoops run into the street cheering as Brown is clearly here to save the day and eradicate the youth's ennui.
With a DJ spinning the sunny track, Brown then leads the mob of brightly dressed kids, teens and older residents down the street. Enthusiastic fist-pumping breaks out as the chorus nears and Brown flies through his first dance sequence. Flanked by two dancers, the trio pull off insanely high midair twirls, each seemingly jumping several feet above the ground. Then, following a foxy extra to another part of the lot, Brown runs into a four ladies rocking tank tops and suspenders — his next crew of dancers. They whip out sharp-yet-fluid arm movements as Brown takes the time to belt out the chorus and work in a few hip thrusts.
For the final dance sequence, The 21-year-old loses the white shirt and bares his chest through his peach jacket as he commands a chorus of blazer-rocking guys and midriff-baring ladies ripping through the last bit of choreography. Scenes of people going wild at an epic block party and drenched dancers executing graceful limber moves are spliced into the video-ending dance. But instead of Brown wrapping up the video with some eye-popping choreo, Brown simply spins, stops and looks off into the distance as the party ends. It's a dance party video!

The indie-pop artist Ingrid Michaelson just premiered her new less thigh-centric video for "Parachute," exclusively on Entertainment Weekly. The song she co-penned and former Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole, who had a huge hit with in the U.K. Now she's recorded her own version as a stand-alone track. "The song is about love. It's about true love. It's about having somebody who won't let you hit the ground basically, so no matter how sad you get or how hard things are in your life, you have this person in your life that will always float you to the ground safely," the New York City native explained.
With her piano-fueled songwriting, witty wordplay, and slight vocal vibrato, Michaelson carries the tradition of the female singer/songwriter into the 21st century. Befitting a musician of the digital age, Michaelson first gained wide exposure through spots on TV soundtracks, including "Grey's Anatomy" and "One Tree Hill." She released her most recent album, "Everybody," last August. But one standalone track she co-penned, "Parachute," took an unusual detour, becoming a European pop hit for Cole earlier this year. "It didn't feel like something I could put out because it was so poppy, [so] we shipped it off for people to take a gander and see who would pick it up," Michaelson says of the song, which eventually made its way to Cole's camp.
Michaelson glams it up in a way we haven't seen before, complete with Princess Leia braids and fake eyelashes out to there. The video, directed by Adria Petty, follows Michaelson, who rockets into space, and somehow she ends up in the belly of the planet, wrapped up in the deep roots of the one plant growing on a planet. The plant thrives, as we hope the relationship does. It's one of those videos that has nothing to do with the song, but it's fun to try to decipher what the heck is going on. Kind of like Goldfrapp's "Rocket" except, oh yeah, Allison Goldfrapp is on a rocket on that one. But as Michaelson sings here, she doesn't need a parachute.
"I'm very happy with where I am, but I'm really getting bored to tears with the whole singer-songwriter thing," Michaelson tells Spinner. "I've done everything I can in that realm. That's why 'Parachute' is really good for me," she says of her newly-released digital single. "It's really poppy and I don't want to say balls in an interview, but it's got more balls. It has more power. It feels good. It feels strong." As far as inspiration, Michaelson is looking to iconoclasts such as Imogen Heap and St. Vincent. "They fuse pop with singer-songwriting, something that's got meat on its bones," she says. "Not to dis my previous work, I love what I've done; I'm just itching to do something out of my comfort zone. If people don't like it and it's a big failure, well, then I failed and I'll try something else."

Hopeless Records act We Are The In Crowd post their Twitter-inspired new video for "Both Sides Of The Story" exclusively on Altpress. The song comes from the pop-rock band's forthcoming debut EP, "Guaranteed to Disagree," in stores now. "Both Sides Of The Story" is a synth heavy track that is the first downfall of the EP. Nothing about it stands out, and it is pretty much a throw away track. The track gives you exactly what you expect. It also includes the classic breakup line, "You're not quite Satan, but I really think I hate you."
Welcome to your new summer band. We Are The In Crowd is the epitome of fun pop-rock. The combination of the Paramore-like vocals of Taylor Jardine and the supporting vocals of Jordan Eckes blends perfectly to create poppy magic. The band didn't require much time to live up to their name. Formed in 2009 and signed by Hopeless Records shortly after, this is a band that had all their dominoes poised and ready to fall in their favor in quick succession. The Poughkeepsie, NY, natives found their niche in the sort of straightforward, brutally honest pop songs that only those in the throes of young adulthood could convey. Whether it's a feeling of being tongue-tied, or heartbroken, or betrayed, each emotion earns a new life through the words and music of this quintet.
The concept for new video is mainly We Are The In Crowd performing "Both Sides of the Story" on a roof top, but it also incorperates Twitter. At the beginning Jardine types "I found out" into the Twitter search bar, and throughout the video different people's tweets that use "I found out" are shown with a a video of them 'finding it out.' One example includes a girl finding out drinking 6 cans of energy drink makes her hyper, and a video of a girl chugging an energy drink is shown along with it. The video is nicely shot, and has a clean and sometimes funny concept. You can watch the video via Alternative Press for "Both Sides of the Story" by clicking the video to the left.
We Are The In Crowd are refreshingly honest about their speedy formation and rise, and know that there is still much to absorb in their new world. "As cliché as it sounds, our goal is to continue to learn about the industry we're in and become the best we can be," Jardine said. Their debut EP, "Guaranteed to Disagree" contains seven tracks recorded with producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount. Expect more up-tempo pop-rock, with alternating bittersweet/biting lyrics and unflappable, summery melodies that will leave you with a bit of nostalgia. Jardine says the connection they felt in the studio translated to the record. "We want everyone to be blasting it in their cars with the windows down this summer! I'm really proud of the way it came out." The pop-rockers are on the road now with Hey Monday, Cartel, The Ready Set and This Century.

Three-time GRAMMY-winning singer Jewel performing in her music video for "Ten," is today's addition at Top Country Music Videos. The single, a fan favorite, is the 3rd single off Jewel's ninth studio album, "Sweet and Wild," a country-leaning album she released this past June. The music video premiered on CMT a few days ago. With a twangy, guitar-plucking melody, Jewel admits love's journey is no easy task despite occasional conflicts, she says sometimes the best resolution is to step back and reflect, her new single "Ten" inspires hope that she may find that voice once again.
The 36-year-old country crossover singer bounced between pop, light rock and even dance—the genre where she has found her most chart success. And then there was country. Yet, she's never really tapped in to the same well of insight that she drew from when she was younger. Not until now, not until this one track from this otherwise unremarkable collection. "Ten," co-written with Dave Berg, is glossy and fully aligned with country music's mainstream. But it's also one of the best songs she's ever written—certainly the best song she's written in a decade. "Ten" is not just a tight song, it's a perfect song. The track boasts a plucky banjo and the faint wail of a steel guitar, but album producer Nathan Chapman smartly keeps most of the musical augmentation in a supporting role to Jewel's incredible voice.
The real story here, however, is just how essential these lyrics are. "Ten" tells the story of a woman who, in the midst of fights with her lover, stops and counts to ten. As she counts through the chorus, we get to hear what goes on in her mind. "One, I still wanna hate you/Two, three I still wanna leave," she sings. This isn't your cookie-cutter "we've all got problems" bickering, as typically portrayed on country radio. This is real. This is a drag it out, scream and shout kind of fight. This is the kind of fight that's so frustrating, so infuriating, so demoralizing, that it just seems like the best thing you can do is pack up your bag and go.
Because anything has to be better than this. A fight like that spirals out of control, and like a snowball rolling down a mountain, it builds upon itself. The words get meaner and the pain grows deeper. Although Jewel isn't pulling any punches when she puts on the boxing gloves in her new video for "Ten." Jewel reminds us that, in that moment, we have to hold on. And, that if we can just get to ten we might not even remember what we were fighting about in the first place. "Ten" is smart, sensitive and powerful. Here's hoping that Jewel, after all of these years has finally voice that voice she's been searching for.

Already having proved that they belong to one of the most sought-after bands in the 2010, British synth-pop outfit HURTS unveil an artistic video for the upcoming third single "Stay" taken from their recently released début album "Happiness." The single, which has been remixed by Full Intention (Michael Gray and Jon Pearn) and electronic music duo Groove Armada (Andy Cato and Tom Findlay), is a perfectly crafted pop song. And as usual and staying true to their nature, the visual counterpart of the song is just breathtaking. Not slowing down at all, the duo offers lasting impressions of Iceland's beautiful landscape.
Formed in 2009, elegant and enigmatic HURTS have their sharp suits, slick hair and stark visuals. The duo, consisting of 23-year-old Mancunians Theo Hutchcraft and synth player Adam Anderson, met outside a Mancunian nightclub just before Christmas 2005, present a striking contrast to the glow-in-the-dark pop stars, have seen enormous popularity despite only recently signing a record deal last year, and they have been on a roll ever since the BBC labeled the duo one of its Sounds Of 2010. Musically, they construct melancholic 1980s-inspired electro-pop with songs that they say are inspired by the British mentality of being "not too bad."
Their new single "Stay" is perfect for the season and comes along with an impeccably styled video. Once again they've released another visually beautiful and moving video to accompany another one of their great tracks. The beautifully shot Bergman-esq video from those melodramatic marys HURTS, is powerfully artistic and shows off the some stunning landscapes of Iceland, where the video was shot. HURTS are following up their UK hit "Wonderful Life" with a great mid-tempo pop ballad "Stay," the video for which finds the duo brooding on a gray beach while beautiful blonde barefooted dancers in green flowing dresses twirl around them. It's a very "on a budget" affair, but a scenic one that somehow manages to appear both pleasant and dreary at the same time.
HURTS have made it, really. Critics are taking note, fans are raving and Italian fashion designers are eager to work with them. Their music make the tears well up—which has a lot to do with their new romantic sensibilities, it's respected by the critics and many are sure their début album will be among the best ones this year. HURTSS has a really distinct and unusual/unique sound. It's very contemporary, yet sounds timeless. They have a pop sound, but with some synth and new-age vibes. Their songs are very melodic and emotionally charged, and sung with great power and authority.

Jordin Sparks is teaming with Walt Disney Studios and recorded her cover version of the theme song "Beauty and the Beast" and filmed an accompanying princess-themed music video with director Philip Andelman, to support the 2010 DVD/Blu-Ray re-release diamond edition of the No.1 most requested Disney animated favorite classic movie. Sparks submerges herself in a fairytale in her brand-new video and her beautiful velvet voice for new version give this classic record a resfreshingly new cheesy pop feel.
The Academy Award winner song is a ballad about the love developing between Belle and the Beast. It was written by composer Alan Menken and late lyricist Howard Ashman. It was very successful on the charts around the world, becoming Céline Dion's first international hit. Both Angela Lansbury and Céline Dion belted out the title song in Disney's 1991 hit "Beauty and the Beast." Now, American Idol champ is taking a crack at the classic. "'We didn't change the song too much, but it is poppier," Sparks says. "I wanted it to be different, so people aren't like, 'Oh, she's trying to be Céline.'" Sparks is a great fit for Disney as the edgiest attempt from the young beauty was performing a duet with Chris Brown. The gorgeous, voluptuous singer/songwriter has made it her purpose to shy away from any attribute that would tarnish her sweet, bubbly persona.
It has been nothing short of a whirlwind: The youngest contestant to ever win 'American Idol,' Sparks was just 17 years old when she won the coveted title. In reflection, it was the best training ground she could have ever had. In the three years that have followed, Sparks has released two albums on 19 Recordings/Jive Records. Her self-titled debut went platinum, selling over 2 million copies worldwide. So with domination of popular music checked off her bucket list, what was Sparks going to do next? The Glendale-based 'American Idol' winner is currently making her Broadway debut in "In the Heights." Sparks has indeed made a difference in people's lives.
With her headlining tour, upcoming Broadway debut, big city living, charity work and more, it's hard to believe she hasn't even turned 21, something that's coming up on her agenda at the end of this year (December 22nd). With everything she has achieved, what does Sparks think about turning twenty-one? She laughs, "It's weird for me to even think about! Time is going by so fast. I could go to a club if I wanted to, but I still can't rent a car! I take things day by day. I just want to keep learning and growing and trying new things. Right now, I am good right where I am."

Australia alternative rock band Sick Puppies have just premiered the video for their newest single "Maybe" on Yahoo! Music. The video is centered around two people who are unhappy with their lives and decide to look for a better life somewhere else. "Maybe" is the third single from group's third full-length studio album "Tri-Polar," which was released last year, and impacted rock radio on June 22. The song features a bright yet heavy sound characteristic of alternative rock/post-grunge.
The video was directed by Travis Kopach, who has helmed videos for 3OH!3 and AFI. It tells the tale of a guy and a girl who simultaneously leave their small town lives behind to head to Los Angeles. Sick Puppies play at the Hard Rock Café in Houston on October 22. The video features the band rocking out in the middle of an isolated intersection, and playing the track amidst scenes of various characters leaving home to seek a better life. In the video, the band talks about the meaning behind their latest single: "To me it was about the band moving over to the States," says vocalist Shimon Moore. He also recalls the bands struggle moving to the US: "We moved over here with nothing. With a couple of guitars and the money we spent two years saving up. The decision actually followed our dream of playing music everyday."
With a name like Sick Puppies, you wouldn't think hugs would play a major role in the gutsy indie crew's rise to fame, but they do, along with malls and the video-sharing. Sick Puppies have more than survived since their arrival in the U.S. by dedicating themselves to getting their music heard on a variety of different media—including TV commercials, theme songs, "Free Hugs" videos, documentary films and, of course, the Internet. "There are just so many options out there," acknowledges Moore. "Every band needs a kind of hook, and we’ve been lucky because we’ve had more opportunities than a lot of others get."
Sick Puppies don't do things halfway, not when they're playing live in front of their rabid fans, nor when they tackled "Tri-Polar," their second major label album for RMR/Virgin/EMI and follow-up to the Aussie rockers' 2007 release "Dressed Up As Life." On "Tri-Polar," Sick Puppies see the glass as not just half-full, but brimming over with the kind of solid-rock anthems that'll remind even the most cynical that absolutely anything is possible.

The Oscar winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow turns into a country music beauty in her just released video for "Country Strong," a soundtrack for the upcoming movie of the same title. For her new movie, the actress is playing an emotionally unstable and alcoholic country star as she is taken out of rehab by her manager husband (Tim McGraw) and kicks off a career resurrection tour. To study for the role, she spent four months getting to know the country scene in Nashville, Tennessee. Paltrow also had to learn how to play the guitar from scratch. "I mean, it's embarrassing to be playing in front of your husband," she says, "especially when he's in one of the world's most successful bands."
Proving that she's more than just an amazing actress, Paltrow shows her vocal chops in her new single "Country Strong." While many actors and actress may seem out of place when it comes to signing for a role, this isn't Paltrow's first time at this type of gig. The actress was also part of the movie "Duets," which, although the movie flopped, did show that the actress had some singing talent. The previous experience of singing on screen mixed with tips from her Coldplay leading husband, Chris Martin. She credits her husband for helping her prepare for the role. "He was so helpful, so sweet, and encouraging."
It's one of those music videos that are thoroughly padded out with footage from the movie trailer, Paltrow turns up in several shots, and straps on a guitar and shows off her musical side in the video for "Country Strong," which is shown the 38-year-old actress' native stomping grounds, she slips right into the country vibe, jamming with her ready-for-CMT backing band in a minimal warehouse setting, while pieces from the movie are sprinkled in the gaps. Paltrow sounds good as a country singer, even if her voice isn't strong enough to power through the entire track on the chorus, a male vocalist backs her for some added strength. Still, this shows that if the whole acting thing ever goes South, she's got a shot a music stardom. The performance just proves that Paltrow's definitely got what it takes if she ever decides she wants to hang out more with the nice folks of Nashville.
It has been more than a decade since Paltrow won her Oscar nod for her tun in "Shakespeare in Love." Will she finally get another with "Country Song," after all Reese Witherspoon sang-and-danced her win as June Carter Cash in "Walk The Line?" "Country Song" offers more opportunities for Paltrow to showcase her acting ability and musical ability, which she will also show in her guesting spot in "Glees Season 2" as compared to the "Iron Man" franchise where she previously appeared. The theme songs "Country Strong" compilation is due to arrive in the U.S. market on October 26 with Leighton Meester, Garrett Hedlund, Trace Adkins and Faith Hill on the list. The movie itself will be out in limited release on December 22, before going nationwide on January 7. The song itself is currently on the radio.

After going deep and dark on her last album, Rihanna has ditched her edgy "Rated R" tunes for a more whimsical and upbeat dance floor approach with her new very reddish, flowery video for "Only Girl (In the World)," the lead single from her fifth upcoming studio album "Loud," which hit stores worldwide on November 16. "Only Girl (In the World)" aims squarely for dancefloor domination, as the pop star pours her heart out to one man over a full-throttle. On the high-energy track, Rihanna yearns for her lover to keep her at the center of his attention over a pulsing electro beat. The singer's voice remains silky on the verses, then bursts out on the song's monstrous chorus.
Rihanna wants her man to make her feel like she's the "Only Girl (In the World)," which is a up-tempo dominant dance-pop song that incorporates elements of Eurodance-pop in its production and beats. Incorporating strobing, dance club beats in the chorus, Rihanna pleads for her lover to give her all the attention. The song presents Rihanna at her most confident, demanding undivided attention from her lover over impeccably calculated synths and bass. The song is another collaboration with Norwegian hitmaking duo, Stargate, the Grammy-winning Norwegian producing team and when it reached No.3 on the Hot 100 two weeks ago, Rihanna officially raised her sum of top 10 hits to 16, the sixth-best total among women in the chart's 52-year history. Not a bad kickoff for an album clearly meant to mark a new chapter in Rihanna's life and career.
The video was directed Anthony Mandler who is mainly known for dark and Gothic inspired videos. In the beautifully-shot video, Rihanna's fiery red hair burns through each glamorous scene. She looks radiant and happy dancing and singing in the beautiful hills by herself. "It's really, really beautifully shot in these crazy, crazy, crazy places. We shot landscapes that we found a couple hours outside of L.A. It looks so unreal. It looks fake, like something out of a postcard with the beautiful hills... We had a lot of sunshine those couple of days, so it really worked with the whole essence of the video. But really, the video just shows this big landscape and the only person there is me," the pop queen said about video.
Rihanna is on a journey. From her Caribbean roots to the top of the charts, the runways of Paris and Milan and some of the biggest stages in the world, the 22-year-old, Barbados-born beauty has already earned the coveted title of international superstar. The song best represents the title of her upcoming album, and provides a nice contrast to her previous effort, the downbeat, emotional "Rated R." With its club ready bassline and Euro-pop influences, not to mention one heck of an epic chorus, the track is a surefire hit. "Want you to make me feel, like I'm the only girl in the world," she sings. "Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love, like I'm the only one who knows your heart."

Live Hart has just premiered her highly anticipated music video for latest single "Please Don't Say It's Over." The video for song illustrates Hart's creative side with a mix of colorful animation. Directed by Adam Gambrel for Blulite Productions and shot in Winter Garden, Florida, the video represents a true indie artist at their best. "Working with BluLite Productions has truly been a blessing. Their professionalism and organization kept me at ease during the entire process. Adam created a video treatment that truly embodies the message of the song and its simplicity. BluLite Productions is the best!" says Hart.
"Live" is defined as "exciting; something very enjoyable, a word used to express how good something is or something happening that's got a vibe!" "Live" is Live Hart and her music. This aspiring singer/songwriter knew at a very early age that the creative urges inside had to emerge and be heard. Hart writes from personal experiences that are common and complex, free-flowing and thought-provoking. "Please Don't Say It's Over," the first single off her upcoming release, touches on Hart's journey back to love from a remorseful past and showcases her unique writing style.
Hart has opened for R&B superstar Monica & legendary smooth Jazz/R&B songstress Miki Howard. She has also showcased at this year's Florida Music Festival. Hart has worked with and has written songs for many other artists. Her most recent rendering, "The Rain," was recorded by newcomer Rachel Black. She has also been creatively linked to super soul/funk singer Honey Larochelle and good friend, Shaun Fisher on several writing and recording projects. Hart has already been recognized for some of the songs that are to appear on her upcoming album, she also received a 2008/2009 Effigy Award Nomination for "Best Song in Style R&B" for "Please Don't Say It's Over." From the first cut on the album to the last - Real Music lives inside Hart.
On "Please Don't Say It's Over," Hart's gentle voice glides over the delicate stitch work of acoustic strings and a pensive piano line. One of the hallmarks of Hart's songcraft is the layers of background vocals present in every track. You'll hear their dulcet refrains on the watery "What Is Love," and "This Is Me," a limpid R&B ballad. Lyrically, the song veers towards trite, but it's hard to get critical when you're being lulled by a gossamer slow jam. So don't be surprised if one day in the not-too-distant future you hear her on the radio. Here's what to listen for: soft, pliable vocals spread over breezy, acoustic R&B. Through her live performances, heart-felt lyrics and her love for man-kind, Hart continues to connect with fans through her music; creating a more deeper and soulful connection every time they meet.

British boyband JLS jointly premièred their latest charity single "Love You More" and its accompanying video. The ballad, which has been unveiled as the 2010 Children In Need charity release, is set to hit stores on November 14, and is currently breaking hearts all over YouTube. It also serves as the second cut taken from their upcoming sophomore album "Outta This World," due later this year. JB said: "Obviously we're very proud of this album. Take That are definitely some of our idols and we're very proud to be associated with them."
So they didn't win X Factor. But they are topping charts and gaining fame like you wouldn't believe. The group seem to reinvent themselves with every single. And now heart throb boy band JLS have unveiled their next single. "Love You More" is actually a nice change from the likes of the band's recent tracks which include "Everybody In Love, Beat Again and The Club Is Alive." "Love You More" stands as their first ballad single. And quite lovely and traditional it is too. It's for children in need and demonstrates some luscious layered harmonies, as well as the dreamiest, most romantic we've heard for a while. Even more of a change is that it's the band's first self written track! Well done boys!
Their latest offering, "Love You More," is not only a sure-fire hit, but also the official charity single for the BBC's Children in Need Appeal for this year and it's an "It's an honor for us to be part of such a fantastic charity" Marvin Humes says. Proceeds from the track will go to Children In Need and will help change the lives of some of the most disadvantaged children in the world. Money raised from the single will go towards helping kids around the country. The song comes with a suitably 'mature' black and white video, it was clever cause it highlights the song's spirit.
After the fun but gimmicky "Club Is Alive," JLS are moving in an entirely different direction on slushy new ballad "Love You More," as a soulful ballad which sees the boys demonstrating their smooth R&B vocals with tender, heartfelt lyrics. It sounds like Westlife, basically. JLS have gone all Backstreet Boys in their new video "Love you More." JLS mope around in a bar looking lovelorn in the brand new video for "Love You More." The boy band look sad as they sit down in a bar wailing that they want to love the object of their affections just a 'little bit more.' The video a bit of a cliched black and white effort, but the song holds up fine. They're finally doing a power ballad type, which seems the most logical step in their career.

As summer winds to a close Sheryl Crow follows up "Summer Day" with a new beautiful performance-based video for to her new single "Sign Your Name," one of the covers on her latest seventh album "100 Miles From Memphis," out now on A&M. This one was unexpected as it an ode to the Terence Trent D'Arby's 1987 classic, and features the Memphis-born and raised Justin Timberlake on background vocals. It's one of my favorites of the era, and one of those songs that sounds just as great today as the year it came out. The groove is lethargic, and the soulful, sexy vibe that Terence exudes in the original is gone.
That's the newsy part of the post over and done with. This great chill-out track is going to divide opinion. On one hand, "Sign Your Name" is reminiscent of her Tuesday Night Music Club sound - a group of talented musicians making really high quality music, fronted by Crow's easy, laid-back vocal. On the other hand, the vibe's so laid back, it's almost horizontal. "Sign Your Name" was being recast in the style of Al Green, right down to the distinctive thud of the Hi Records drums. "He's hysterical and super-smart, and he knows a lot about a lot of different kinds of music," The Memphis native says. "I'm totally impressed in every way."
The beautifully-shot performance video for the single is the second video from Crow's soul-inspired album, and was directed by frequent collaborator Wayne Isham and helps capture the soulful, vintage essence of the song. It performance all the way, with Crow crooning her way through the track surrounded by a moody-looking band. Crow looks seductive and glamorous.
For Crow, the title of her seventh album isn't just a location; it's a state of mind. "I grew up in a small town 100 miles from Memphis, and that informed not only my musical taste, but how I look at life," she says. "The drive to Memphis is all farmland, and everyone is community-oriented, God-fearing people, connected to the earth. The music that came out of that part of the world is a part of who I am, and it's the biggest inspiration for what I do and why I do it." On album "100 Miles from Memphis," Crow puts aside her country and pop-rock past in favor of a vintage Memphis-styled, soul-inspired record. So for the Kennett, Missouri native, calling the disc "100 Miles From Memphis" is a statement of purpose, both musical and emotional. It took a lot of years, but with this set of songs, she finally made it back home. It also marks a long-awaited return by the nine-time Grammy winner to the sounds that first drew her to making music.

Linkin Park debuted the video for the second single, "Waiting for the End," from their latest No.1 album, "A Thousand Suns." Almost like peering through a telescope at the stars, the band appears in the clip as starry, living constellations. Each member's stars light up and twitch as they perform the reflective rock cut. Deers, rabbits, and dinosaur heads morph into each other throughout as well. It's an abstract video.
"Waiting for the End" is mostly about that last idea: human beings becoming machines, and the struggle to keep living in spite of it. In a way, it's the central dilemma of our times: How do we continue to be human in an increasingly information-driven age. "Waiting for the End" will satisfy your jones for the perfect rap-rock fusion and is one of our favorite songs of the year. The song is erected on a thunderous beat and boasts pretty, mellow and ultimately chill vocals. The song is one part soaring, big-boned ballad, one part rattling, slightly Ragga dancehall toast, and zero parts anything Linkin Park have previously attempted.
The video was directed by Joe Hahn, one of the members of the band, who has worked on some of the band's previous videos. In the clip, the band's members are featured in a dark-room setting, with their images framed their whole body by interlocking grids. According to Hahn "The clip is an experiment in making the most digital version of ourselves in the spirit of the visual palette of 'A Thousand Suns.' If you have been following our visuals throughout this album, this is the next step in our journey. I wanted to push ourselves so far down the digital path that it eventually felt spiritual. As we live our lives in the digital noise of today, we can find our center of humanity in the midst of the chaos."
"A Thousand Suns" is the uneasy coexistence between man and machine. where one begins, the other ends and the two intersect. Linkin Park essentially achieve the impossible with "A Thousand Suns," which is to meld urban rhythmic thrust with rock 'n' roll intensity and aggression. without sacrificing either genre's hard-fought integrity. It's another beautifully bipolar exercise in mood and tempo dynamics, so strap yourself in and let Linkin Park take you for a ride. You'll be bobbing your head and flailing your fists in the space of the four minutes.