Today's Pick

Australian brother/sister duo Angus & Julia Stone released a new video, directed by Josh Groom for their song "Babylon," off their debut 6-track EP, "Chocolates And Cigarettes." Distributed in the US by WMG. "Babylon" is a lovely soulful tune in the vein of the Nutini/Blunt style that is currently in vogue. Angus & Julia Stone's intimate and cinematic folk music is anchored by the band's namesake siblings, with percussionist Mitch Connelly and bassist Clay McDonald adding their own contributions and instrumental flourishes to the mix. Growing up in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, the Stone siblings were taught the history of pop music from an early age by their father, who played in a cover band.
The twosome's debut EP was written and recorded live at home, helping to give it a calm and remarkably chilled quality. Likened to Portishead and Damien Rice, the Stones alternate lead vocals across the EP. Angus has the better voice, with its country drawl which evokes hints of Paul Simon. Julia's is weak, thin and fractured and there are far better exponents of the fragile little girl sound than her. Although the whole EP is well put together, the lyrics and accompaniment are good, it's let down by the quality of some of the vocals. There are some promising tracks here, but you'd perhaps be better off waiting for Angus to go solo.
Having spent the last two years touring the world in support of their critically acclaimed debut "A Book Like This." Angus & Julia Stone return with their eagerly anticipated sophomore release "Down The Way." Themes of lost love and yearning weave through, they make their debut as producers, and develop their sound without losing the spirit of their debut. There's been a subtle shift in gear, evidence of a growing confidence - the music gravitates from sparse to rich and textured arrangements yet never loses its etherealness and charm.
"Babylon" was used in the American television dramas "Army Wives," and "House Rules" pilot. Once again the duo share song-writing duties - their individual styles juxtaposing yet complimenting the other. On "Down The Way," Angus & Julia Stone showcase thirteen lovingly crafted songs reflecting a myriad of emotions. Another graceful step on a remarkable musical journey. Over the course of the last three years the duo have ventured everywhere from the Scottish Highlands to the heart of the USA. With a worldwide tour kicking off in their native Australia, the siblings are set to continue to win yet more hearts across the globe in 2010.

Katie Armiger has premiered a new video on KILT (Radio Studio 100.3) for her latest high-octane pop ditty single "Best Song Ever," which is the third single from Armiger's recently-released third album "Confessions of a Nice Girl." The album begins with the perky and happy melody of "Best Song Ever," a tune she co-wrote with Amanda Flynn and Bruce Wallace, that belies the darker undertones of what is really going on in the mind of this young woman. This little piece of pop-country fluff is your go-to happy song whenever you need a pick-me-up.
The storyline for song is that Armiger has just been through a bad breakup, but one day when driving through town, she hears a love song on the radio that somehow gives her new hope that her relationship can be rekindled! She is thrilled at the prospect! She turns up the volume and shouts her hopeful excitement for all the world to hear. At one point, she seems to doubt herself for a moment, as she takes a moment to reassure herself "I'm not crazy - You still want me, don't you baby?" But she quickly pushes such thinking out of her mind, and once again relishes the joy of having found her perfect love's "perfect soundtrack."
Granted, this does sound a lot more like pop than country. The arrangement is mainly built on pop-heavy drumbeats and guitars, with a mandolin supplying the country flavor. But even though it is essentially pop, the arrangement still sounds happy, and fits the mood of the song. Even the mandolin sounds happy, rather than sounding out-of-place among the track's pop flavorings. Does this song live up to its title? Is it really Armiger's "Best Song Ever"? Maybe not. Is is unrealistic? Of course it is. But listen to Armiger's energetic delivery of this song - she sure sounds like she believes it! A playful and bouncy melody pushes the song's hookiness through the roof. I've always loved the sound of Armiger's voice, but when she decides to play the catchy card, I find her darn near irresistible. Just try listening to "Best Song Ever" in the car with the windows rolled down and the volume turned up. Then you'll understand.
From Sugar Land of Texas, the newcomer Armiger's powerful vocals and skillful songwriting are clearly showcased on her new music. At the ripe age of 19, Armiger does not hold back and has an inspiring combination of determination and passion that shines through in her music. Rarely do you hear of a young artist whose vocal ability and talent is compared to the likes of seasoned country artists like Sara Evans and Martina McBride, but Armiger, who burst onto the country music scene is just that. Confident, secure, bold, assertive, vulnerable and in-your-face could all describe the songs on the new album, "Confessions of a Nice Girl," as well as the artist who sings them. Armiger has just scratched the surface of what she is capable of. She is a passionate and driven performer well beyond her years.

After a very successful four awards win at the 'American Music Awards' last Sunday, including the Artist of the Year Award, Justin Bieber is back. He's not the first pop star to feel guilty about the vast injustices of this world. But teen star obviously hopes to make a difference with a message of hope using a brand new video for his inspirational new single, "Pray." The earnest 16-year-old sings a message of hope as images of the homeless, sick and dispossessed flash by. The star originally posted it on YouTube, only for it to be removed due to copyright reasons, and he moved to Facebook to share it with his fans.
"Pray," is the first single and only original song from Canadian pop-R&B singer's acoustic album, "My Worlds Acoustic." which just hit Wal-Mart store shelves on Black Friday, the year's busiest shopping day by far. The song is another stab at seriousness. Like Kid Rock's new ode to political inaction, "Care," Bieber's ballad recognizes the pain and suffering in the world before offering a passive solution. He closes his eyes, visualizes 'a better day,' prays for it. It's the latest attempt to crack the wall of separation between church and pop. Unlike the other strictly acoustic tracks on the album, this song features a string quartet, synthesizers, congas, and a cajon drum. The percussion represents inspiration from Bieber's worldly travels, specifically to Africa.
Bieber told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show on November 17: "It's a very uplifting song, very motivational. It definitely comes from the heart. It's very beautiful. I definitely thought of Michael [Jackson's] 'Man In The Mirror,' when I was writing it." The Canadian sensation sings about hoping for a better world in this upbeat and uplifting tune. According to Bieber, the song is a gift to his fans. The teen pop star started playing the acoustic guitar when he was a kid, and he went back to his original roots for "My Worlds Acoustic," which showcases Bieber's vocal talents and mainly comprises unplugged versions of favorite songs of his fans. The arrangements reflect Bieber's early days with merely an acoustic guitar or a lone piano and the Canadian singer plays guitar on the album alongside his musical director and fellow guitarist Dan Kanter.
The music video is a touching one, flashing a montage of devastating footage with Bieber sending his prayers through the inspirational lyrics of the song. It's basically a compilation of touching footage. Showing miseries of the world, from slum areas, homeless people, devasted neighborhoods to other moving footage, as the youngster is seen performing acts of charity work, sits in as he descends from the ceiling of a super big stadium, strumming on his guitar, singing and asking to 'pray.' Prayer will make everything better. The messiah is here, and he's teaming up with Wal-Mart to pray the world into slickly-produced harmony.

The Nickelodeon 17-year-old star Victoria Justice and the rest of the cast from her show "Victorious" made a music video for the song "Freak the Freak Out," which shares the same name with the newest one-hour special episode of the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" that aired last night. The Nickelodeon teen star was also on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and later appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Show to talk about being in the parade and to promote her show. The video shows Justice, who is unsurprisingly working on an album, making the rounds in a warehouse/club with her co-stars to freak out.
Set inside a downtown Los Angeles warehouse, the video features the Nickelodeon star is joined by the whole cast of "Victorious" as they each gets their moment to show off their best moves in a dance-off with other clubgoers to the title track. Justice talk about the making of the video: "It was really amazing. It was shot, for the most part, in a warehouse space in downtown Los Angeles. The creative sounded great to me, but I wasn't sure of how the sets would look. When I walked in, I knew then that there would be a very cool vibe to the video, which was what I was hoping for. The atmosphere was a lot of fun. The whole cast was there and it was like one big party. I loved the choreography and I love the song. It has such high energy that it'll make you want to get up and dance. I really hope everyone loves it."
"Victorious" stars Justice as a talented teenager who attends a performing arts school. In the "Freak the Freak Out" episode, the teens go to a karaoke place for a competition, but find that the contest is unfair. So she and the gang have to figure out a way to expose the cheating girls and show everyone who can really sing. Cat fights will be mixed with some singing and dancing scenes in this one-hour special. Beside acting and contributing on the soundtrack, Justice herself is also preparing her own debut album. "I'm still working on it. I will say that a lot of songs that I've written are from my own personal experiences which are special to me. One can only hope that people will like it," she stated.
At just 17, Justice stars on Nickelodeon's hit show "Victorious" as Tori Vega, a student at an elite Los Angeles performing arts school. She sings, she acts, and this Thanksgiving, she made her debut live performance at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Premiering her music video for "Freak the Freak Out" exclusively on PopEater and setting the tone for her upcoming one hour TV special with the "Victorious" cast, Justice is having a blast.

Joe McElderry, who won last year of X-Factor, has released the music video for his new single "Someone Wake Me Up." The new song ont only the second spin-off taken from his forthcoming debut album "Wide Awake," but also landed himself the lead off soundtrack for the new 3-D blockbuster movie, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Produced by Ray Hedges and Nigel Butler, the song will be released on December 5th, and the film will come out in theaters across the nation 5 days later.
The single is a bit on the bland side, suggesting they ain't quite figured which direction they want McElderry to go in yet. McElderry says, "Someone Wake Me Up" is my favorite track on the album! I am so happy it is my 2nd single and it is such an honor for me to also be a part of the Chronicles of Narnia franchise. Although the song "Someone Wake Me Up" is reportedly the first single from the movie's soundtrack in the UK, the compilation sent Stateside will be lead by a song from country singer Carrie Underwood. The song interpreted by her is called "There's a Place for Us." It is a very slow riding song, and has been released for digital download last week.
The video is a mix of various scenes from the Narnia films, and the footage of performances given by McElderry. In the video, "The X Factor" winner of 2009 provides his fans with a sneak peek into the adventures of Edmund and Lucy, as they join Prince Caspian for a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands. In consequence the video doesn't really have much for McElderry to do – spliced in between clips of the movie he just sings into a mic giving his stage school face to camera every now and again. He is drenched in 'rain' and shows off his best Blue Steel look for the shipwreck theme. Deciding they needed to do something with him, he ends up getting a bit wet towards the end of the video.
The 19-year-old from South Shields, England has had a sensational year since being crowned the X Factor champion in 2009 and he is riding high on the wave of the small town boy to pop star fairytale. McElderry's return to the X Factor this year proves he is a worthy pop star where he performed his infectious first single "Ambitions." His debut Album "Wide Awake," released on October 25, shows off his exciting new sound and reached number three in the UK album charts.

British pop sensation Cheryl Cole premiered the video for her latest single "The Flood" on 4Music. Expectations for the song are high given the fact that her last single holds the highest opening week sales for a non-charity single in 2010. It will be impressive if she can repeat that success because "The Flood" as close to a power ballad as her voice can manage, is a radical departure from the upbeat dance-pop of "Promise This."
This ballad "The Flood" is the album's fourth track and second single from the X Factor judge's sophomore solo studio album, "Messy Little Raindrops," which got to the No.1 spot this month despite dividing critics. From running the club with "Promise Me," she slows it down in moody track "The Flood," which was described by X Factor magazine as an "enormo-ballad" and "a massive, strong-laden, Christmassy tear-jerker about wreckage, drowning and natural disaster love." The Wayne Wilkins-produced cut is a "trip-hop ballad, with strong hooks and synthesised strings." It received comparisons to Natalie Imbruglia.
Since she kicked off her solo career with "Fight For This Love," most of Cole's single releases have been fast-paced with action-packed videos. But after a tough year for the singer, it seems she has decided to show her more vulnerable side with a moody new video for her new single "The Flood." The lyrics suggest Cole's love has drowned in a shipwreck and she is forever haunted by what she could have done to save him. She is struggling to adjust her life without the man she loves in this Sophie Muller-directed music video.
The gloomy video is a very different change of pace for the singer, who is seen tossing and turning in bed as she struggles to adjust to life without her love. The Girls Aloud singer is lonely throughout the scenes, sleeping restlessly on the bed and singing in a remote beach house while overlooking the stormy ocean. The video was filmed against the dramatic backdrop of white cliffs on England's south coast, and the classic cinematography compliments the song's melancholic mood, complete with a montage of quick shots in the beginning and end of Cole in a dark beach house with violent waves crashing the shore and a dark room with Cole lighting a candle. Meanwhile, "The Flood" will be released on January 3, 2011.

The Black Eyed Peas are back with another blockbuster new video on will.i.am's favorite social networking site Dipdiva for "The Time (Dirty Bit)", also known as "The Time (The Dirty Bit)." This club anthem is the first single lifted from the pop-dance supergroup's sixth studio album, "The Beginning," which hits stores on November 30. will.i.am described the LP on his blog as a sequel to their previous set, The E.N.D., adding it "symbolizes growth, new beginnings and starts a fresh new perspective." Their tracks tend to creep into our brains over time and eventually convert us, so anything's possible.
The song samples the 1987 single "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from the film "Dirty Dancing." The song features group members will.i.am and Vocalist Fergie singing and rapping over a dance and techno beat. This is the kind of song that would get people in the mood when performed live in a big venue. "It's like you're there with all your friends," will.i.am told Billboard. "You're there in front of 50,000 people and they're there to watch you and your friends. Nothing gets any better than that. It's the best feeling, the best one yet." Fergie added: "The song is a celebration of this amazing time in our lives. We've been on tour all over the world, and looking out at stadiums full of people who came out to see us – that's as big as it gets. After the shows, we go out to the clubs and meet the fans; those are moments that we have to remember."
The Rich Lee-directed video, was shot in Los Angeles last month, stays true to the up-beat mood, showing club scenes as well as a lot of visual effects including fast-moving city life. The video features all four members of the Peas (sometimes their full bodies, and sometimes their face on a screen…on a body) having the time of their life dancing away as half humans and half pixellated digital caricatures throughout the visually-intoxicating short film. They even each get an avatar of themselves that grooves to the dirty bit as well. The not-yet-released Blackberry PlayBook is also heavily featured in the video.
The Black Eyed Peas's journeys through the annals of hip-hop pop are friendly, trendy and, most of all, fun; they manage to come off as both glamorous and accessible. In other words, just about everyone can find something to like about (or at least crib fashion tips from) Fergie, will.I.Am, Apl and Taboo, and their humps, lumps and overall phunkiness. Stutter and echo effects welded to one of the most instantly recognizable songs of the late 1980s played out over a skeletal electronic dance beat is all likely to stick in your mind, and this does. Black Eyed Peas songs are not to be judged on their depth. They are best judged on how they make you feel, and "The Time (Dirty Bit)" does make me feel good.

Welsh belle, Charlotte Church is a master of metamorphosis, having previously transformed from a fresh-faced classical singer to popstar and a TV talk show host too. And she's back again for a second stab at pop music with the video for her new track, "Logical World," off her recent folk-inspired sixth studio album "Back To Scratch." The single is a grown-up guitar driven track with a rousing, perfect pop chorus, and will be released on November 28. The Welsh classical crossover artist recently admitted that she was 'done' with classical music.
"Walking in the sunshine in the middle of the night/painting pictures with the rain," sings Church, gleefully jumbling contradictions over the kind of melody perfect for snuggling into as the nights draw ever shorter. The track was produced by Martin Terefe and Sacha Skarbeck. Discussing the record, Church said in a press release: "I'm so proud of this album. It's been completely organic and honest and real. I can't wait to get it out there and remind people that I'm not a TV personality, I'm not some celebrity whose just famous for being famous, I'm not some lager lout chav who sells papers. I'm a singer. And I'm good at it."
The very pretty video features the doll-like Church dressed up in a variety of costumes, posing and making funny facial expressions, as is standard policy for any music video. The stunning video was directed by acclaimed photographers Sandrine and Michael, who have previously worked with the likes of Alicia Keys, Shakira and Cheryl Cole. The video sees Church in a vintage setting in a number of different dresses and pieces of jewellery, perhaps trying to shake off the 'ladette' image the singer has managed to acquire in recent years. The chorus line "I'm a mixed up girl, in a logical world" is possibly some sort of pseudo social commentary, but with the video ending with Church holding a lamp which subsequently flickers out, we're left a little in the dark about what the video is actually all about. Spin your own interpretation on it by watching it below.
Her second pop effort following 2005's underrated "Tissues and Issues," "Back To Scratch," the fourteen track collection is multi-textured pop dynamite, showcasing the 24-year-old's incredible range as well as her knack for informing each and every song she sings with unabashed emotion. It also shows off a mature, refined side to Church, with a sophisticated pop sound that will doubtless win her legions of new converts as well as satisfying her loyal fan-base. "Logical World" places Church alongside the likes of KT Tunstall and Amy MacDonald, a grown up guitar track with a rousing, perfect-pop chorus.

AOL Music is exclusively premiering Joshua Radin's new video for his new single "Streetlight," the new single from the acoustic singer/songwriter's third studio album "The Rock and the Tide," released on October 12, and they're also giving away the jigsaw puzzle featured in his video to one of our readers. Want to win the puzzle that's featured in the video? AOL Music are picking a random winner from their followers. Leave a comment at the AOL Music page to enter, or retweet their @AOLMusic tweet. Stop motion puzzle animation in video very original!
From the Shaker Heights suburb of Cleveland via New York and Los Angeles, 36-year-old went to Northwestern University to study drawing and painting, but changed his career course after actor Zach Braff heard his demo of the song "Winter," that launched Radin's career. Soon, there was a big demand to hear more from Radin. Other Hollywood types found his music just as evocative, and various Radin songs were being heard 75 times on a string of hit US TV shows (Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, American Idol, One Tree Hill, So You Think You Can Dance, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Eli Stone), as well as movies (The Nanny Diaries, The Last Kiss, Catch and Release) and ads, even before anyone knew who he was.
"This song 'Streetlight' is a reminder to myself to try to be more patient in my life. Sometimes I dream of the girl I'll fall in love with and she's always standing under a streetlight." Radin says the lyrics represent "...a reminder to myself to chill out." Radin is the uniquely word-of-mouth global success story that's just about to get a whole lot bigger with the release of his third album "The Rock and The Ride," which Radin has described "is a very different record for me. Not only did I change the way I recorded for this one (it's all live) but when writing the songs I wanted to try new approaches. I wanted each song to sound different from the next."
Radin plays the role of the quiet, romantic, sensitive guy, obsessed with his own heart and that which surrounds it, and does it all pretty convincingly. His soft, pillowy voice has been compared to singer-songwriters James Taylor and Paul Simon, which is a bit daunting, but he's got room to grow. Radin even performed at the wedding of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, according to the Los Angeles Times. Radin is an artist in the tradition of greats like Nick Drake and Elliott Smith – confessional folk-pop craftsmen who could say more with a whisper than most can with a scream.

A long awaited new Michael Jackson video for the late King Of Pop's "One More Chance," debuted on the his official website Friday and it's blowing away Michael Jackson fans. The official website announced on October 13, that the music video will be released in a deluxe DVD boxed set "Michael Jackson's Vision" on November 22, so it will be not make the cut for "Michael," the forthcoming album of unreleased material that's been busy generating controversy lately, due in stores December 15.
Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, made an indelible imprint on popular music and culture. He had already done two other completely different songs called "One More Chance" with "The Jackson 5" on the "ABC" album, and with "The Jacksons" on the "Victory" album. The Victory album's "One More Chance" was written and performed (lead vocals) by younger brother Randy Jackson. Janet Jackson also covered the Victory album song on her single for "If," as a B-side. The 2003 song was the last original single released during Jackson's lifetime.
The R. Kelly penned single "One More Chance" is one of Jackson's most soulful singles that really grows on you as you listen to it. It popped up on Jackson's "Number Ones" compilation album, and was released as a single seven year ago. The track is described by the TMZ showbiz website as "the real deal". This is in contrast to Breaking News, a posthumously published song whose authenticity has been questioned by Jackson's nephew TJ. As with the song being the last brand new single released during his lifetime, the video is also Jackson's last music video, and the first with new footage to be released posthumously. The single was instead promoted using a montage video of highlights from Jackson's career to date.
The previously unreleased material was shot primarily in Las Vegas in 2003, but production on the clip was halted when Jackson's "Neverland Ranch" was raided by authorities due to new allegations of child molestation against Jackson which resulted in the 2005 trial that many believe marked the beginning of the rapid downward spiral in Jackson's life. Prior to the video being shelved, Jackson approved this cut and stored the original source materials in his personal archive. The newest video features Jackson dancing and lip-synching in a theater, showcases Jackson performing on tabletops as a choir sings onstage while the audience stands on the stage. The song's mellow tempo keeps his dance moves calm until around the three-minute mark, when he cuts loose, bounding on tables, kicking over lamps and pulling some trademark spins and arms-outstretched gestures.

"I want to bring the emotion to life," Bruno Mars looked all sorts of gloomy in his piano-pushing video for "Grenade," the official second single from his debut album "Doo-Wops & Hooligans," which was released October 4. If you thought Mars was just about happy, cheerful pop songs, "Grenade" is your wake-up call. He has been wronged, and now he's telling the tale. This immaculately constructed pop song takes its place among the great break-up songs. The 25-year-old Hawaii born singer-songwriter brings class back to music and cements his position as the top new artist of 2010.
The midtempo ballad is classic pop song construction with romantic depth. With a soulful voice and even more harmonious tunes, one man has captured the hearts of girls everywhere. The reviewers praising the vocals and emotional lyrics of the heartbreak song. Lyrically, the "Grenade" contains masochistic themes and tells the story of heartbreak caused by a failed relationship. Although the new track begins rather calmly, it gathers steam in no time, as its pulsating, synthesized beats gradually crescendo to a climax. As the music builds, Mars's voice and emotions build to a similarly furious apex, as he recounts the painful story of how one girl broke his heart in spite of his best efforts.
It's not only men who can be lousy and uncaring in a romantic relationship, and Mars knows that. He's a born romantic who has had his heart stomped flat. He is so desperate to impress his hard-to-please girl on this song, that he assures her he would catch a grenade for her, along with other assorted foolhardy acts. He said the original inspiration for this track came from a songwriter friend of his, Benny Blanco, "I started writing my version, basically. It's a heartbreaking, heartbreak song, and I think everyone can relate to that. You're so in love with this woman and you don't understand, 'What am I doing wrong? What am I not giving to you? I'll go as far as putting as putting a bullet in my brain for you, and why can't I get that kind of love in return?'"
On his website he wrote "The song is about loving someone so deeply, and the pain of knowing that the person you love does not feel the same. The actions in this video serve as a metaphor, and should not be taken literally." Mars wants to explode like a "Grenade" in Nabil-directed video. He works hard all the way to win the heart of his love interest, dragging a heavy piano through the streets of Los Angeles only to find her in the arms of another man. Instead of throwing rants, he quietly drags the piano back with him and ends up alone and frustrated in a railway. As the light flashes and the horn sends loud voice, a train is speeding into his direction before everything turns into black. It is sort of sad, really. Mars explained, "The concept of the video is my struggle, to tell his girl I'd do anything for her, so I'm going as far as dragging a piano to get to her just so I can sing my heart out."
With "Grenade," Mars further distances himself from his smoove-crooning contemporaries, and he does it simply by being real. Really dramatic, really emotional, really clever. This one's a winner, even if, at the end of it, Mars has lost everything. That's the price you pay for falling in love.

Bobby Ray, aka B.o.B has premiered a brand new video midnight Tuesday, the day after he just turned to 22 on MTV.com for promotional single "Don't Let Me Fall," the fourth video from the Atlanta rapper's highly praised debut LP, "B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray." It literally turns everything upside down in his creative visual, while crooning about his meteoric fame which apparently led him to enjoying rollercoaster experiences, he tries hard to stay where he is now.
This laid back Hip-Hop track "Don't Let Me Fall" is about the rappers spectacular launch into stardom, which has led him to living a life with a lot of ups and downs, but he just wants to stay where he is now. It takes a look at his tumultuous emotions dealing with his career propelling him into the spot light. The track involves B.o.B multi-tasking as he sings, raps, and produces the tune. It is not surprising that some reviewers have commented that this piano-laden cut reminds them of Coldplay, as B.o.B disclosed in a video interview with Rap-Up.com that the British band's A Rush of Blood to the Head is an album he can't live without.
B.o.B reflects upon how all the success that came by seems surreal in the Ethan Lader-directed video, which is a poignant, creative, and willing to think outside the box for video concepts, which combines old footage on an old tube television with newly shot scenes. The video opens with B.o.B sitting upright on a bench, which seems to be lying on the floor. The world is moving around him, as if he's fallen. B.o.B strums his guitar in this mind-bending technique of subjects seemingly gravity-defying clip, shot on the sidewalks of downtown Denver and and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The clip weaves in footage from B.o.B's humble beginnings and follows him as he rises up the ranks in rap's food chain. B.o.B doesn't depend on a big budget to make its music video worth watching. Rather the rapper makes the video very simplistic with an artsy feel, and in turn it takes you on a journey.
The tone and theme behind "Don't Let Me Fall," both the song and now the video, create a connection which ties B.o.B's musical journey to his fans. The track plays like an open prayer where the artist asks listeners to embrace his experiences and creativity. Things have been really looking up for B.o.B, as his name continues to grow in the music industry. His unique style of being able to play multiple instruments as well as singing and rapping have crossed him over to different demographics. The best thing about the newly turned 22-year-old is that he never sounds the same on every record or looks the same in videos. He is destined to spread his message of creativity and empowerment through his music.

The rock outfit Paramore's most recent third album "Brand New Eyes," a darker, more mature, more tumultuous collection of tunes than anything the band had ever done, has been out for nearly 14 months now, but the teen faves are still squeezing singles out of the Gold-certified disc like there's no tomorrow. The punk pop band have just released a new video for the angry mid-tempo track "Playing God," the fifth single overall from album. The tongue-in-cheek video goes as far to tug at the band's subdued Christian roots, suggests that the red-headed frontwoman Hayley Williams is indeed "Playing God" with the rest of the band, keeping them tied up in a basement and poisoning them Lady Gaga style.
The Brandon Chesbro-directed video was shot entirely at Williams's house in Franklin, Tennessee. It opens with Williams sitting in her actual car in front of her actual house, and sees Williams looking at old band photos and performing in front of mirrors in her guest room, and also taking a page out of Jazmine Sullivan's "woman scorned" book, as she holds her bandmates captive in the basement underneath her home and proceeds to terrify them with a mixture of vengeful self-hatred and eerie detachment. The video, is reportedly meant to be a tribute and a farewell to their album, explains how a small woman like her is able to take down four strong men like her bandmates. It turns out that she drugs the guys while they come by for a tea party.
Williams said that this song is "about self-righteous people and me feeling the blow of that." She added, "The main line in the chorus is about people who place blame and how they should look at themselves first. It's something I've dealt with since I was young. What I love about the song is the contrast between the subject matter and the melody. The song, at its core, is very angry. I'm ripping at self-righteous people, ripping at my own bandmates and anyone who ever made me feel not good enough. But the overall tone of the song is completely different. It's laid back and really fun. It's one of my favorite bridges on the record and one of those that we've been waiting to write for a long time."
The message appears clear: Paramore are returning home, looking back, wrapping things up. "Playing God" is a bittersweet, sentimental thing, a scrapbook of the past year of their lives, and the final chapter in the "Brand New Eyes" saga. It's a story that began with the band's future severely in doubt and concludes with them stronger, happier and better than ever. Paramore are currently in the U.K. whipping through another tour, but they'll be back in Tennessee next week to celebrate Thanksgiving before hitting a handful of holiday radio festivals in the month of December.

2010 American Idol winner Lee DeWyze unveiled a classic boy-meets-girl video on VH1 for his first single "Sweet Serendipity," off his debut album "Live It Up." Both album and video are out on Tuesday, just a short six months after last AI season wrapped up. The track he says is about "...running into good luck by accident," is also DeWyze's first post-Idol single.
DeWyze previously planned to release the album's title track as his first single release, but changed it few hours before it came out, and going to go with one no one has heard, "Sweet Serendipity." The 24-year-old explained that he played the song for a lot of people, and he felt that "Serendipity" is the one that stood out the most. "Sweet Serendipity" is a song about the simple pleasures of living in the moment and believing that "always landing on my feet" and "something is watching over me like sweet serendipity." It's a light, happy up-tempo song that features a Jason Mraz-type feel. The lyrics about fate share similar sentiments to Doris Day's 1956 Oscar winning song, "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)." DeWyze's delivery is strong, despite having a fairly strong torrent of words to get through.
The video is sweet indeed, a VH1-friendly affair with a cute boy-stalks-girl love story and a neat little happy ending, but the split screen feels awkward in some spots. It finds DeWyzee and a sweet young brunette strolling around the city separately, seemingly destined to never bump into each other. DeWyze places cut-out letters all across town, scavenger hunt-style, that our heroine goes about collecting. The big reveal at the end is that the American Idol champ is waiting for the her outside her apartment, holding two cups from Starbucks, just what every girl dreams of.
It's no secret that male winners of American Idol have yet to experience the same kind of success in the marketplace as their female counterparts. Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and our own Fantasia all have multiple gold LPs under their belt, while the likes of David Cook, Taylor Hicks and Kris Allen have yet to strike the same kind of chord with the record buying public. DeWyze has experience quite the opposite, in fact. He fended off the popular and favored Crystal Bowersox to take home the title of American Idol this year. The former paint salesman's life has become drastically different and he looks to continue his string of 2010 success with just released "Live It Up."

With it being such an insanely busy November for high-profile releases, it's easy to forget about so many other artists that are dropping. Jazmine Sullivan may not be the type of lady you want to do wrong. Clearly she once again proves that she's not the bitch to cheat on. In her just premiered black and white music video to her new single "10 Seconds," the R&B/Soul star illustrates her plan of revenge towards her cheating boyfriend. The "you-done-me-wrong"-themed track is the emotional second single lifted from the R&B songstress's forthcoming sophomore album, "Love me Back," which will hit stores November 30. It certainly sound like the classic Rose Royce heart-wrenching ballad a la Mary J. Blige. Kidnapping, bombs, and ferocious vocals.
Sullivan obviously has some anger issues. Fed up with all the lies her boyfriend has told her, she gives him no more than 10 seconds to free himself. Better not do Sullivan wrong since you don't know what she is capable of. In the newly-released promo for her soulful power ballad track, the shatter-happy chanteuse shows what she does in seeking revenge on her cheating boyfriend. She ties him up, straps a bomb on his body, and dares him to escape before she loses control of herself and pushes the button. As it turned out the whole torture scene was just the bastard having a very bad dream - if he was really cheating that crazy nightmare will convince him to stop messing around.
Where Fearless boiled over with struggle and heartache, "Love Me Back" brims with joy and confidence. "I think you see a softer side of me," The Philly soulstress says. "This album is a lot lighter. Of course I still have trying times, but, for the most part, I'm happy and that's reflected in the album." She says of "10 Seconds." "So I tried to think of what the older Jaz would do if that situation presented itself. I wouldn't necessarily react as quickly as I did before. Now you've got 10 seconds to get the hell out," she says with a laugh. "So I've grown up just a little bit!"
Despite her relationship troubles, Sullivan always delivers with soulful melodies that make all the ladies sing along. "I consider being in the music industry like an intimate relationship where I give it my all - love, time, energy, blood, sweat, and tears," says Sullivan. "As much as I put into this relationship, with all of its ups and downs, I'm just asking for the industry and the fans to love me back. That's why I've called my new album Love Me Back." It's hard to imagine a new artist who has had more love from the music world than this 23-year-old Philadelphia native. She has racked up seven Grammy Award nominations, and will receive the Rising Star Award at the 2010 Billboard Women in Music Event on December 2nd in New York. Last year's recipient was Lady GaGa, and Sullivan is happy to follow her footsteps.

After a rise to fame last year following her hit single "Starry Eyed" it's been a quick game of catch up for British artist Ellie Goulding. The 23 year-old is repackaging her critically acclaimed debut album "Lights" and gone with a cover of the 1970 Elton John's classic "Your Song" as the lead single from her upcoming re-release album "Bright Lights," in stores on November 29. The new tune is already on iTunes, and is set for huge exposure across Britain as it's been scooped up and tipped as a contender for the Christmas No.1 for the popular John Lewis' Christmas TV advert, which explains why Goulding switched her "Bright Lights" first single from "Lights" and "Human" to "Your Song" so suddenly.
"Your Song" was produced by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons and was also remixed very well by Ewan McGregor for the 2001 romantic musical film "Moulin Rouge!" Goulding's "Your Song" smartly eschews any bold (and potentially disastrous) stabs at modern re-invention and keeps things simple, the backing arrangement's striking wintry ambiance at the perfect distance to frame and highlight Goulding's thin wisp of a voice. And if Goulding's vocals have never blown you away in the past, they definitely will here, the fragile edges to her soft warble coating these familiar lyrics with the just the right touch of vulnerability and innocence to make you fall in love with the song's tender message all over again.
The video for "Your Song" has a real homely feel to it, and seems to show a real personal side to her, almost as if expressing how she's still human and normal since having been rocketed into fame. None of the passion is lost with her much gentler vocals, a really nice cover in all. I have to say it's beautiful rendition, with a simple but effective video. It's good to hear too Goulding's more vulnerable and organic side, in comparison to her electro-pop alter-ego in songs like "Starry Eyed", where her voice is super distorted. Still, "Your Song" is risky choice to put out as a single. As much as I enjoy her cover, I'm not convinced it's going to be a hit in the UK. I like it muchly and her voice is up to par. I doubt radios give it lots of spins.
Goulding is about to gift us all again with a new re-release of successful debut and she is hoping all of us will gobble up this holiday season. On the revamped version she is not only including six new songs, but is also trying her damndest to pull at the heart stings of us pop culture loving fools. Goulding has been working hard this year resulting in getting a lot of attentions and getting on a lot of persons radar in 2010 and I guess that things payed off. "Your Song" takes on a more whimsical and somewhat lonely nature, a new sound from the other aforementioned tracks, and one that works ridiculously well for Goulding.

American rock band OneRepublic just released a brand new music video for their latest single "Good Life," which appears on their sophomore album, "Waking Up" released a year ago. The video was filmed in Italy and "Good Life" provides an upbeat Celtic balance by finding happiness in a foreign land. The smooth tenor vocals from self-proclaimed "genreless" band's frontman Ryan Tedder just lead this one in every way.
"Good life" is a positive, upbeat and very energetic powerful song, which gives us hope. It has an up-tempo feel-good vibe that is difficult to dislike. simple but brain-burrowing! This track is quite the opposite than others in album, highlighting some of the good times the band has experienced since their success. But the track and sentiment is not pompous, boastful, or insincere, but honest and almost serves as an invitation to join in on the fun and the good life. It's about appreciating life, and temporarily restores some faith, with its harmonizing vocals and ambient backing. "Good Life" pairs a cheery, whistling melody with thudding drums, handclaps, and acoustic guitars, and its verses demonstrate that Tedder is a surprisingly agile vocalist when he isn't trying to be Bono. But even that song's simple pleasures eventually get crowded out by overdubs and electronic squiggles. "Good Life" is most likely my favorite cut on "Waking Up." The song's structure really catches my ear, as do the lyrics.
Despite the fact that OneRepublic have left "Apologize" behind, they have not ignored influences from the song's collaborator, Tedder's mentor Timbaland. The ramped up drums that kick off "Good Life" all point toward good lessons learned at his side. The new set, "Waking Up" finds the band turning out irresistible instrumentals and ultra-catchy vocal chants that enliven its radio-friendly rock sound. Tedder defends his in-demand songwriting abilities. He's more optimistic on "Good Life," an uplifting pop gem complete with whistles and lighthearted marching drums.
"The toughest thing to do is write a hit song and the easiest thing to do is act like a rock band," says Tedder. "But we had a hit song before we had an album and we can't pull off the 'rock god' thing. We do everything backwards. This song "Good Life" always makes me feel like there's never a reason to be sad ever again. The hope and energy in this song, reminds me that there's so much to be thankful for, especially coupled with this homemade video. It's carefree, fun and just full of life and happiness. It recognizes that things in life don't always go as planned, but that through it all you can enjoy the good life. Maybe OneRepublic doesn't do everything backwards after all. Perhaps this is one band that has it exactly right.

Barbadian pop/R&B recording artist Rihanna is steamy collaboration with her former beau, Canadian rapper Drake, for their duet Island-infused love jam "What's My Name?" which has made a gigantic leap into the No.1 spot on this week's Billboard Hot 100, knocking off Ke$ha and giving the Barbadian beauty her third chart-topper of the year! (Total eighth No.1 hit on the chart and Drake his first.) Perfect timing for the song's video to drop!
"What's My Name?" is the second from Barbados beauty's forthcoming fifth studio album, "Loud," comes out next Tuesday, November 16. The song was written by Ester Dean whose previous credits include Usher's "Hot Toddy," Katy Perry's "Firework" and Christina Aguilera's "Not Myself Tonight." Dean also had a hit under own name with "Drop it Low." Rihanna said of Dean to Billboard magazine: "She really captured me, everything I would say and how I would say it. Some people get it halfway right. She just gets it and knows exactly what you want to hear." Dean told Billboard magazine Rihanna's biggest strength is that "she doesn't try to sound like you; she sounds like herself. She's not in there trying to figure out how she can beat you singing your song. She goes in there and says, 'I'm going to sing this song because I f---ing love it.'"
The 22-year-old Bajan beauty had originally played the song to Drake "backstage somewhere to try to get him on a verse." In the interview with Billboard magazine it was also revealed that Rihanna has wanted to work with Drake for a long time but specifically wanted "Drake's signature swagger" for "What's My Name?" She said "Drake is the hottest rapper out right now and we've always been trying to work together. He's the only person I thought could really understand the melody of the song, and the minute he heard it he said, 'I know exactly what I'm going to do. I love it.' And he did it like three days later."
Love is in the air for Rihanna and Drake as they share romantic scenes in a newly-debuted video. They steam up the scenes with their scorching chemistry. The video was helmed by director Philip Andelman and features red-headed Rihanna strutting down the streets of New York in a colorful outfit, dances in the night and getting pretty cozy with Drake. "You see what it would be like with a young couple, two 20-year-old, eating Chinese food in a New York City apartment," she said. "It's a really youthful song. It feels good. It's really flirty, but it's also really melodic. Which is why I felt that Drake was the perfect person to have on this song, 'cause he's a young rapper who has incredible melodies." Simple video but it goes perfectly with the song, enjoy!

Keri Hilson has just released the video on Perez Hilton's site for "Pretty Girl Rock," the second second single from her upcoming sophomore album "No Boys Allowed," is scheduled for a December 21 release. And it is definitely one of the best videos we've seen so far this year. Hilson is pretty and not afraid to boast about it in new video, which shows Hilson revisiting the different eras of music, pays homage to some of music's biggest industry legends throughout the decades, all received the full on impersonation treatment in the very inspirational music visual, to show one thing - they ALL rock!
After debuting her new single "Pretty Girl Rock" live at last month's Beats by Dr. Dre event in New York City, Hilson is feeling herself on the freshly released studio version of the track. She recently explained the motivation behind her new song which has the lyrics "Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful": "It's not really as vain as it sounds, although I do feel those things about myself. I really want people to take away how they should feel about themselves." The uptempo track is an exploration of self-love, with message: "It's like the hair brush in the mirror, don't hate me because I'm beautiful, because you are. Everybody is beautiful. I want everyone to be able to sing that record."
This self-appreciating song was produced by Chuck Harmony and written by Ne-Yo, and finds Hilson repping for all the gorgeous gals. "Pretty Girl Rock" is very poppy, although keeping Hilson's urban swag of course. It has a cool piano-driven melody and a catchy hook. It has been awhile since we've had some new stuff from the R&B songstress, but this song is sure to get a lot of radio airplay. Over the upbeat piano-synth boardwork, Hilson gives us the full rundown of her feminine wiles, from her 'very fly' attitude to her head-turning physical assets.
The Grammy-nominated recording artist takes a trip and channels pretty girls throughout the decade-spanning video. Directed by Joseph Kahn, the clip puts Hilson in a handful of looks, the diva starts off as a 1920's flapper girl in a silent movie, a 1940's film star, a 1950's candy girl, and then makes her way to iconic R&B imagery from the past fifty years. She pays tributes to Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" look, T-Boz in TLC's "Creep," Diana Ross from the Supremes, and disco diva Donna Summer. Take a stroll down memory lane with the blonde bombshell, and celebrate some great female singers while enjoying a hot new track from Hilson. This is a total case of being blindsided by an underdog: nobody expected Hilson to come out with such a fantastic music video.

Black Cards, the new group from Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz and Bebe Rexha, have found themselves a new club, and they have unveiled their first visual endeavor for "Club Called Heaven." Over strobing, reggae-infused backbeats and hints of big band accompaniment, Rexha sings in full-bodied vibrato. The song also features a guest verse by the Philly-based hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang. It will presumably make it's way on their upcoming album debut full-length, will released in 2011. So Stay tuned!
The American experimental electropop band, which formed in July of this year, is composed of Wentz on bass and backup vocals, Rexha on lead vocals. The music Wentz created in Black Cards was inspired by Jamaican sounds which he heard while vacationing with his family. He said, "I spent a lot of time hanging around the beaches and I started to get inspired again by songs like 'Two Sevens Clash' and 'Warriors.' I'd never heard any of these songs but could imagine them having an everlasting imprint, like people would dance to this stuff forever."
The video was shot in black and white footage as a "homage to a classic film" and features the Fall Out Boy bassist engaged in a car chase with cops. ake a look at how Rexha is saved from a car accident, caused by Wentz, and brought to life again. Tour photographer and filmmaker Shane Valdes directs the vintage horror movie-inspired clip, in which Wentz plays the getaway driver while Rexha plays his accomplice after a bank robbery gone awry. Rexha escapes the car and that's when things get weird. The man manages to save his woman's head before their car explodes. He then rushes home to his laboratory, doing some kind of Frankenstein project to bring her to life again magically.
Like every good music video, this one comes with a moral, we think. After poisoning a supermodel in an effort to replace Rexha's body, she keeps singing about how we're dancing in a club called heaven. This is just proof that nature shouldn't be tampered with, folks. Oh, and Wentz gets away from the cops, in case you were wondering. The fun, adventurous video for "Club Called Heaven" pairs perfectly with the party-like, Jamaican sounds of the song. "Club Called Heaven" has a bit of a Rock Steady-era No Doubt vibe to it, which make sense as both bands are said to have drawn inspiration from classic reggae jams. Anyone who has seen a Fall Out Boy video knows that Wentz has never been one for thinking inside the box, but this is definitely some weird science. Welcome back, Mr.Wentz!

Shane Ward, the X Factor winner of 2005 who achieved, at best, mediocre success has finally returned and re-launching his pop career with the Bille Woodruff directed music video for his new material. We say new, it's a cover version of Nickelback's 2008 song "Gotta Be Somebody." This will be the first cut to be lifted from Ward's upcoming third album "Obsession" which hits stores in the UK on November 15. The 26-year-old singer's last album was released in 2007 so it's taken him two-and-a-half years to actually put out a follow-up.
The song is catchy enough to be a big hit for Ward and sees he putting a real nice POP synth twist to the original rocky type sound! Ward's version is obviously non-rock as he asked producers Ray Hedges, Nigel Butler, Cutfather and David Kopatz to give it a new beat. The original melody is 'kinda' there but they've replaced the rock notes for synth-beats and some auto-tune. To be fair though, Hedges and Butler have given "Gotta Be Somebody" a glossy 'n' bombastic pop makeover, Ward acquits himself admirably here and the swelling climax lends itself to the pyrotechnical spectacle that successful X Factor performances are made of.
Ward has defended his decision to launch his comeback with a cover version. "The whole transition from being rock to pop/R&B was really exciting for me and it's definitely made it into my own track. It's the perfect first single to kick-start my Obsession album," he told Digital Spy. "I don't look it as a cover. It's just a great song. I hadn't heard the song for a while before I recorded it, but I got into it again straight away because it's got such a catchy chorus. It's got a great message too - it's about hope, that there's someone out there for all of us." Ward turns a so-so rock song into a mushy pop-tarty tune.
Unsurprisingly, Ward's rendition veers towards the Pop/R&B route and does a good job with it. Coming from someone who loves the original version from Nickelback, I have to say that Ward's rendition to be rather mildly satisfying. This is not a straightforward cover, I have to say. Rather, the direction that Ward took gave his rendition some much needed gloss which somehow sets it apart from the original. Overall, Ward's take on "Gotta Be Somebody" ends up as a good pop treat though one could wonder why he opted to do a cover instead of releasing an original.

Young singer with an "old soul," Lucy Schwartz has released the music video for her single "Graveyard," the lead track from the Los Angeles indie pop artist's sophomore album "Life in Letters," which was released in September. The first thing you might notice upon watching Schwartz is that she is utterly charming. The second thing you might notice is that visually and aurally, she calls to mind a bit of Sara Bareilles. And that's a good thing, in our opinion; Schwartz's command of piano and voice is impressive, wrapping boldly around clever lyrics in a way that causes her songs to work their way into your head and stay there.
"Graveyard" is a great song; ultra-catchy and infinitely singable. Don't be surprised to find yourself swaying to the beat and mouthing lyrics that you're already starting to learn by the time you reach your second listen. This tune would be perfect for a dinner party or road trip mix. While conceiving the Claire Carre-directed video, Schwartz, who has studied dance and movement, happened to be watching an episode of the show "So You Think You Can Dance," marveling at the work of choreographer Sonya Tayeh. The next day she wrote Tayeh, a complete stranger, and asked her to work on "Graveyard." She accepted, and now Schwartz uses her moves in the clip, twirling and jumping through a smoke-machine haze. "I like to have everything just the way I'd imagined it, from the artwork to the visuals to the songs," she admits. "You might call me an artiste," she proclaims in a haughty French accent, before dissolving into laughter.
Taking her songwriting talents to a deeper and more personal level with her "Life in Letters" establishes Schwartz as a major talent, big and bright and bursting with energy. LA Weekly called her arrangements "smart; she brings a spectacular whimsy to everything she does, adding ukulele or a capella harmonies where you'd least expect them, cranking up every emotion into surround sound. There's so much joie de vivre in her music, she's written no less than two songs - "Graveyard" and "Shadow Man" - about what it takes to feel truly alive." Schwartz is an emerging artist who uses her imagination to deeply engage with the world. And "Life in Letters" challenges that world to engage with her the same way.
Although the 20 year-old face of Schwartz may be new to some, many already know her voice. How could anyone forget it? Rich and dreamy and all lit up in Technicolor, it's graced movie theaters and TV sets across the country. She achieved more in her short career than many have who been in the industry for decades. "I did a lot of theater growing up," says the effervescent Schwartz, "so I like the idea of escaping into a character and becoming someone else." Things are definitely looking up for Schwartz, the brunette beauty, still only 20 years old, has already toured with Lilith Fair and performed on "The Tonight Show." Her "Graveyard" video just won "The Freshmen" at mtvU, and the New York Post has predicted that shell be a Grammy contender for "Best New Artist" in 2011 for her new album.