Today's Pick

If you found yourself sobbing in the fetal position watching Chris Medina's story play out on American Idol this season, just wait until you see his just-released tearjerker video for "What Are Words." He caught the attention of the judges for more than just his voice. Though Medina didn't make it to the top 24 and his Idol journey has prematurely ended, but just a day after his emotional ouster from the hit show, the singer from Illinois has now advances to his first step in music industry releasing his debut single "What Are Words," produced by Rodney Jerkins under 19 Recordings.
Medina's new song, a powerful ballad and a heartfelt music dedicated to his fiancée Juliana Ramos, who suffered brain injuries in a car accident just before they were scheduled to be married, is primarily made up of old and new footage of Ramos, shots of Medina crying, and footage of Medina crying looking at old pictures of his fiancée. Whatever you may think about the choices he made for the video, there's no denying the genuine emotion in Medina's lyrics. He's stood by her side and his story was so inspiring that his music career has already soared despite not making it on American Idol, and won the hearts of America!
"What Are Words" is a song that tells the story of Medina's everlasting love and support to his fiancée. "The song embodied what I'm going through and the promises that I kept," the 26-year-old contestants told about "What Are Words." "It's a song about making promises and fulfilling them, about telling someone you love that you'll be there and having them be able to count on you because you said it. Because the words that you say really mean something. It's a powerful song."
"That's the biggest gig other than American Idol that I've ever been a part of. I'm hoping to nail it," Medina said. "And after that, I just wanna write music, release it, make people happy - just sing from my heart and do what I love." Medina makes his break during the Milwaukee audition, Medina and his fiancée Ramos's touching story has brought America into tears. By then, Medina becomes one of the judges, critics and viewers favorite. He gives outstanding performances in Hollywood week to his final solo performance, but Medina was cut out to the best of the best 24 semi-finalists. Even Jennifer Lopez couldn't handle her emotions when Medina got eliminated, the judge didn't know if she could continue after turning Medina down, especially after hearing his heartwarming story.

The return of Dr. Dre brings forth some melodramatic moments in the newly released nostalgic promo for his comeback single, "I Need a Doctor." The song features the Hip-Hop legend's one-time protégé Eminem whilst Skylar Grey sings the hook, is the second single taken from Dre's eagerly awaited third studio album, "Detox," which is still has no release date. It's a pretty damned epic return for a man who's about to drop the most anticipated album in Hip-Hop history. The certified smash video's taking a retrospective look at some of veteran producer's greatest moments while simultaneously telling a story about him recovering from a car crash.
Why is "I Need A Doctor" such a brilliant single? Well, first of all there's the production from British knob-twiddling whizz Alex da Kid, which has a similar gravitas and bone-rattling bombast to his work on "Love the Way You Lie" and "Airplanes." Then there's the haunting chorus, delivered by Diddy's "Coming Home" bud Skylar Grey, which inhabits you from first listen. However, what elevates "I Need A Doctor" from 'very good' to 'a little bit special' are the performances of rap duo, Dre and Eminem. That single manly tear dribbling down your cheek? Entirely, entirely justified.
As for the song it seems to be classic Eminem mostly, once again teaming up with a female vocalist Grey to off set his rapping. Ever since her breakout performance on the 2011 Grammy Awards alongside Eminem and Dre, the 25-year-old Wisconsin native has exploded onto the scene and shows no signs of letting up. The song also finds Eminem delivering grateful lyrics about his mentor believing in him in his early days and now returning the favor, before Dre delivers the song's final verse. Dre and Eminem have shared a friendship and musical bond throughout Eminem's career. Eminem must save his mentor from death and recording inactivity in the dramatic video for "I Need a Doctor."
Reflects on the Detroit rapper's career, the dramatic and epic video contemplating Dre's past, present, and future before having a severe car accident, leaving his Eminem wondering whether his friend and collaborator will survive. It then flash forward to the present, with Eminem professing his love and appreciation to the Doctor who gave him a shot at fortune and fame when everyone else dismissed the bleach blonde-haired rapper as a gimmick. After Eminem's pleas, Dre eventually recovers from the car accident and manages to get himself back to health. The video features Grey's urgent and haunting vocals, who appears as a ghostly apparition. "I play a rehabilitation doctor and kind of bringing Dr. Dre back to life," she shared.

Soulful diva Jennifer Hudson unveiled her brand new music video late Thursday for "Where You At," the ballad is the lead single from her upcoming sophomore studio album, "I Remember Me," is due in stores March 22nd. A whole new Hudson returns to her roots and braves the cold and windy Chicago winter in her just released music video, which is her first to premiere since the 2009 hit "If This Isn't Love." The newly svelte singer looks as gorgeous and serene as ever, even though the song may be a heartbreaking ode to lost love.
The soaring vocal track was penned by R. Kelly, and produced by Harvey Mason Jr. The 29-year-old R&B singer and actress said: "This song to me is like what I always wanted to do vocally. As an aspiring writer, just the subject of it means so much to me. It's simple and it's something we say every day." Hudson questions the love in her life who made "false promises" singing "painted a picture for me but there was no frame." The entertainer definitely puts herself into the equation on the video and really brings home the point of the song.
The American Idol alum shows off her fresh sleek figure in her new video, takes place in her native Chicago where she experienced personal tragedy but also got the inspiration for her sophomore album. Not too much is new about this Anthony Mandler-directed video, and its storyline sees Hudson making a return to Chicago. In the video, she constantly ponders where her unreliable significant other is, and concedes to his broken promises. She bears through the cold, a likely clue as to how she feels now that she's alone. However, undeniably, there is a new air about Hudson — an unspoken confidence, and beauty within as she moves wistfully through each scene. It's a new dawn, a new day, a new life, and she certainly looks and sounds good.
The singer's career has taken her places she would never dreamed of, "I'm excited about this album because it's almost like a renewal for me, reflected through the chapters of my life," she said. "I've called it 'I Remember Me' because of the journey I've been on. I've learned that life constantly surprises you, no matter your plans. My fans have been so loyal, I feel like they have been on this journey with me and I can't wait for them to hear the new album." Hudson will present at the 83rd Oscar Annual Academy Awards Sunday.

The super-cute Aussie teen Cody Simpson chases his dream girl in his brand new music video "All Day," which he premiered on AOL Music exclusively Wednesday. The 14-year-old musician is currently signed to U.S. record label Atlantic Records. Simpson was voted Radio Disney's breakout artist of 2011, and the song is currently No.3 on their countdown. He'll also be appearing on an episode of Disney Channel show "Sonny With a Chance" (Demi Lovato).
"All Day" is Simpson's the third song and will be released as the second single from his recent 5-track "4 U" EP, available on iTunes. "'All Day' is a little bit more mature than debut single, 'iYiYi' is," says Simpson. "It's a fun, feel-good song just explaining your feelings for a girl in a fly way. I'm single. I'm busy, but I always have enough time to look." without wanting to state the obvious, he's totally giving Justin Bieber a run for his money in this new clip for "All Day," which was directed by David Ovenshire.
For his latest music video, the up and coming Australian teen sensation held a contest where he asked his fans to upload clips of them performing their own renditions of his songs. The lucky contest winner can be seen introducing his video and describing Simpson in "All Day" as "Simpson like you haven't seen him yet." "All Day" shows Simpson and a quartet of young dancers performing on a rainy street, as well as rehearsing a choreographed dance routine in a studio. Later, Simpson and his friends take their rhythm one step further and dance the night away at a house party where Simpson sets his eyes on the girl of his dreams.
"All Day" features fun cameo appearances by Jessica Jarrell, Aaron Fresh, Jacque Rae, and Madison Pettis. Filmed in Los Angeles, the video also showcases Simpson's own directing skills, and generally having a blast on set, letting loose, having an awesome party, for "All Day!" With his leather jacket and boyish charm, the "All Day" video makes us fall deeper in love with the cutie from down under. We can't help but sing "All Day!" If you live in the Los Angeles area, be sure to come out to the Grove this Saturday at 3 pm to catch Simpson perform a free show with buddy Greyson Chance!

After the band's co-frontman Chester Bennington was hospitalized after a viral infection, Linkin Park regrouped and went on tour with The Prodigy. The boys made some time for the fans who can't afford to come at their shows and bring a huge explosion in a newly released music video for their latest single "Burning in the Skies," which is the official third single taken from their latest chart-topping fourth album "A Thousand Suns."
Keeping the ball rolling with new material, Linkin Park followed up with the cool, calm and collected "Burning In The Skies." The Rick Rubin and Mike Shinoda produced track features Linkin Park's trademark industrial programming and ethereal soundscapes, but trades in the distorted guitars and fire-throated screams for latin rhythms and a restrained, though emotional vocal delivery. The lyrics are awash with references of ruin and appears to be a self-chastising lament for mistakes of the past. Plaintive as the songs lyrics are, Linkin Park has delivered an upbeat track that could play just as easily on any pop radio station.
The final night of some people before huge explosion hits their cities is the main focus in this Joe Hahn-directed music video, which has a unique scenario, it depicts the final activities of various groups of people, before being caught in the blast radius of what appears to be a nuclear explosion, that changes the lives of people. The video follows the lives of different persons until they all reach a common 'tragic' end, we can see people in their daily routine: A family, husband and wife, watching television, a group of young people at a party, a girl reading in her room, a child who doesn't want to sleep, playing with a flashlight and two lovers in a car looking at a city, Everything stopped in the sky... but suddenly!
With fifteen years and over 50 million albums sold worldwide, the California rap-rock evolutionists are now trying "to do something different from our other albums, with a focus on making some stuff that's more experimental, and hopefully more cutting-edge," Shinoda said of "A Thousand Suns." Bennington knows the Grammy Award-winning band's challenging mix of rock, hip-hop and electronic sounds has plenty of critics. Rap-metal is, by and large, a pretty stale bizkit. Yet Linkin Park have outlasted the genre's brief '90s boom, consistently pulling digestible melodies from staticky storm clouds of sound. Bennington says his mellower vocals on "Burning in the Skies" reflect his hunger to grow as a singer.

New York's Sleepy Rebels Premiered the first video on PopMatters for the band's song "Magic Girl," from the band's May release of their album "Yellow Tree." The video reveals the band as eccentric street performers in a remote town in an unknown history & geography. Sleepy Rebels are an über-catchy pop trio who offer a timeless formula of infectious melodies, memorable choruses, and an intriguing visual look, never something to discount the importance of in pop music.
The group is Jeremy Adelman along with siblings Bruce and Erica Driscoll. Not surprising given their sound, the band has put forth "positivity" as the basis of their message and music. We could all probably use a bit of that just about now as the political wars in the US and around the world flame on and lingering recession is putting a damper on what could be happier times. "Magic Girl" perfectly encompasses this upbeat aesthetic and the video's producer, Powerful Company, has created a lovely depiction of the group as street performers in some vaguely 19th century setting.
Powerful Company will be releasing some breath-taking projects in 2011. Adelman and Balassa formed the company. The pair are a true mom & pop musical powerhouse who found great success handling original music production and composition for advertising including national campaigns for VW, Hulu, Jaguar, and JCPenney. Their desires to make music outside the confines of the corporate creative process lead them to establish Powerful Company whose establishing project is the development and marketing of Sleepy Rebels. The New York based trio, collaboration comprised of Adelman and siblings Bruce and Erica Driscoll, have designs to re-establish the coolness of positive sentiments and ideals. "Yellow Tree" is the manifesto that soundtracks their rebellion!
Sleepy Rebels have the sunniest hooks you might ever hear in your life, and in the first months of 2011, they will unveil the first few projects created by this team of talent; they include three films that serve as music videos for Sleepy Rebels. Both surreal in nature, they are intended to establish the band with aesthetic & clever visual imagery & technique. Some artists have a sound which seems made to be heard on television. With songs such as "Magic Girl" that make any montage moment complete, that's exactly how we feel about Sleepy Rebels. You can hear them on "Private Practice," but believe me when I say it probably won't be the last time you hear their graceful notes on ABC.

NY-based indie rock outfit Ra Ra Riot have released the video Thursday at MTV for the bubbly "Too Dramatic," which is now confirmed to be the second single of their brilliant sophomore album "The Orchard," which showcases this resplendent new dawn. The single will be available exclusively on iTunes on March 8. "Too Dramatic" and most of "The Orchard" is easily digestible and highly infectious indie-pop. As its title suggests, "The Orchard" was recorded at a peach orchard farmhouse in upstate New York.
"Too Dramatic," is a bouncy write-off of overtly dramatic girlfriends, sounds like it's a totally lovely and breezy song that coasts along on a insistent beat, while violinist Rebecca Zeller and cellist Alexandra Lawn add layers of melody over the top. For the uninitiated, Ra Ra Riot wrap subtly complex melodies, driven by violin and cello, giving them a sound that resembles a more organic Phoenix. But this band, which originates from Syracuse, N.Y., is possibly most defined by the delicate lead vocals of Wes Miles.
Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang, the new video for "Too Dramatic," shows Miles flanked by his bandmates and singing in a soaring falsetto and features the band performing in an other-worldly terrain that blossoms and transforms into a vast, constantly shifting animated landscape, and on a starry night before the day breaks and the clouds shoot by before the ground starts to build upwards with a cool stop motion effect. It's like Middle Earth if it was frequently improperly ingested by toddlers. It starts off as a straightforward performance clip, but around the one-minute mark, clouds began racing overhead and claymation mountains sprout up all around them. It ends with an explosion of surreal colors as the camera swirls around the band on top of a mountain range. Dramatic indeed.
Bring their own brand of sun-spattered orchestral pop, Ra Ra Riot finds strength in subtlety and refraction. This is a band that cooks with indirect heat — melding taut rhythms with lush chamber pop, subtle psychedelia, infectious melodies, and lyrics that tell the story of timorous souls shaking free. The seeds of their latest album, "The Orchard," which unfolds like origami — each undone corner revealing Ra Ra Riot's collective knack for writing sterling arrangements, addictive hooks and subtle details. Furthermore, each listen revealing some new blossom, fruit, or lovely flying insect that you hadn't noticed before.

Signed to her Godmother Amy Winehouse's label Lioness records, London-born soul singer Dionne Bromfield has premiered the official promo video for "Yeah Right," which features the teenage American rapper Diggy Simmons. The first single, which is set to be released on March 6, is promoting her sophomore album "Good for the Soul." Bromfield finally seems to be coming into her own. Her debut album was an album of covers, but this is set to be her first public venture into original material. "It couldn't feel further away from the first one, which I love and I loved making. But this is next level and it had to be," comments Bromfield.
It's not very often that a singer gives us actual real-life spine tingles when we hear their music, so you'll have to excuse me if I spend the next story totally gushing about Bromfield and all that she is. So as you might already know, 15-year-old Bromfield is Winehouse's goddaughter and Winehouse has totally taken her under her wing to make sure the world knows how her immense talent, and says of her protégée, "She's so much better than I was at her age." This is a principle that Bromfield is applying to her own songwriting, although she is saving her original songs for the future.
Bromfield has an equally brilliant soulful, 60's throwback type of voice but with a lot more charm and attractiveness. I can definitely hear some Winehouse influence in Bromfield's voice and Simmons does his thing on the track "Yeah Right." The song is very soulful, actually pretty catchy and upbeat and although Bromfield has previously had a lot of press coverage, this could really propel her into the mainstream and turn some heads, making people take her a lot more seriously as an artist, rather than just being Winehouse's cute little god daughter. It is amazing how the voice of a 15-year-old can make us feel like a child of the 1950s, and we love it!
Shot all the way in London town a few weeks ago, the dark yet intriguing music video for "Yeah Right" was directed by Emil Nava, who you may remember as the director of Jessie J's "Price Tag" video which premiered several days ago. The music video is well shot, and has a story line, which I could of sworn didn't happen anymore these days. Loved the chemistry between these two in a new Victorian style video which gives her new single a really classy feel. Now at 15, Bromfield is sure to be the next big thing to come out of Great Britain.

The upcoming pop artist Alex Goot just released his new official lovely-dovey video for his original single "Pretty Eyes," from his three track EP "Read My Mind," which is available now on iTunes. Collaborated with Kurt Hugo Schneider, who is director of photography and colorist for the video, and said it was an awesome experience. He also states: "He is an incredibly talented dude."
Goot is a one man pop rock and acoustic band from Poughkeepsie, New York. He provides the vocals, drums, guitars, keyboards & programming for all his songs, some of which are his own written work and others, covers of classic and modern pop songs. He began recording music in 2004 at the age of 16, and since then has gained popularity from his profiles on websites such as Purevolume and Myspace, on which he distributes some of his music and provides news and regular updates to his increasing fanbase on his progress. Goot also maintains one to one contact with his fans via such websites and loves to hear from those who appreciate his work.
Nearly all of his videos show him playing every single instrument and sound that you can hear. Goot truly is a talented young man and I'm sure he’ll go a long way. The song "Pretty Eyes" itself is beautifully written and produced. I like how raw it sounds, yet it's not an acoustic or anything. Often times, I'm so used to hearing auto-tuned pop music on the radio, it's nice to listen to something that the music video just takes the pretty factor up another notch. With Goot's sweet voice, the song sounds very romantic.
The music video is basically about the chemistry between him and his love interest, the girl, Starring Julie Shain, with the pretty eyes. The lyrics are really sweet and his vocals are well harmonized. Shain was also featured in Schneider's other video called "Nothing Left Unsaid." Goot did only one self-made album with dozens of cover songs from Michael Jackson to Katy Perry in August 2010 and two singles at the end of the year which kinda makes me think why we never heard about him. His "Pretty Eyes" video already hit over 1,800,000 views on Youtube!

Andrew Allen has just been released the brand new music video for his lead off single "Loving You Tonight," which was directed by Mark Staubach. This song was produced by Ryan Stewart at Wine Cellar Studios in Vancouver BC, and has the coolness to prove it! "Loving You Tonight" is featured on the new "NOW 37" Album!
A fun, upbeat, quirky song about the longing in love... "Loving You Tonight" is the dream of a night spent in love as the one thing that can pull you getting through a day that you hate, so you can get back to the night with that special someone. It's summer love at it's finest, with a great feel, a great beat and great words. This is the highly anticipated follow up single to the top 40 hit "Not Loving You" and the top 10 holiday hit "I Wanna Be Your Christmas." You're gonna love it!
A brand new artist from Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Allen has released an 11 track CD called "The Living Room Sessions" and recently released his first produced EP with five tracks on it. Radio stations are now taking up requests from his first hit: "Loving You Tonight." Creating more than just a show, Allen embraces and revels in the experience. He feeds off the audience and returns every ounce of energy back in melody form. From his smash hit "Loving You Tonight" to his soulful ballads like "Amazing," he somehow knows just how to conduct a show that has you laughing, dancing and most importantly... remembering.
Allen isn't just another musician. He's got that something else, that limitless energy, that infectious smile, that 'star quality' that will inevitably take him to the top. He's authentic, he's determined and he's just plain good. His self worth is not defined by the response to the music he creates, but instead it's demonstrated through the music that he shares. When the room goes quiet and the music begins, just enjoy the ride.

The still-chugging pop sensation Britney Spears's heavily-promoted music video for her new hit single "Hold It Against Me" has finally been unearthed in full on Thursday night, and it's standard Spears: black leather, a couple of skimpy outfits and one princess gown to hammer home the innocent-naughty dichotomy that is the theme of pretty much all of her songs; backup dancers who can't get enough of her and a futuristic, space-agey theme.
This bass-thumping dance track is the club-banging lead single for her forthcoming seventh studio album, "Femme Fatale," which is due in the U.S. on March 29. The song features production credits from Max Martin, who has penned several of Spears's hits including her debut single "Baby One More Time" and Dr. Luke who has produced many of Ke$ha and Katy Perry's hits. The song was released on January 10. The lyrics to the song sing of leaving her pressure-filled life behind, with lines like "If we could escape the crowd somehow" and "I need a vacation tonight."
Musically, "Hold It Against Me" features industrial beats, a dubstep-influenced breakdown and a final chorus with elements of rave. The lyrics portray the singer seducing someone on the dancefloor, while the chorus revolves around pick-up lines. When this song took the top spot on the US singles chart in its first week, Spears became just the second artist to debut multiple songs at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The only other act to achieve multiple No.1 starts prior to the former Mouseketeer was Mariah Carey with "Fantasy" and "One Sweet Day" in 1995 and "Honey" in 1997.
The 29-year-old pop princess is rocking some over-the-top, edgy styles in her "Hold It Against Me" video. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, while Brian Friedman served as the choreographer, the energetic and flashy video has a slightly sci-fi feel, and opens with a meteor streaking across the sky. In the video. a lean, glammed-up Spears is seen prowling around the futuristic space, surrounded by various TV equipment and rocking a white bridal-esque gown, before slowly ascending toward the ceiling. Throughout the clip, Spears confronts herself. There's so many people out there competing in this world to be the queen of pop, and Spears is definitely claiming her throne.

The R&B crooner Elliott Yamin's primary claim to fame was finishing third on the fifth season of American Idol. A likable performer with a knack for romantic soul ballads and a laid-back stage presence, Yamin was a fan favorite from the start and ultimately made it to the final-three round along with eventual runner-up Katharine McPhee and eventual winner Taylor Hicks. Since then he has released the hit single "Wait For You," and two albums.
Now Yamin is back with his follow-up third album "Gather 'Round," which contains 12 tracks and was released on February 2nd exclusively in Japan first, and he said on Twitter that it will probably include a few different tracks when its released in the US later in the year. Yamin looks old school classy on new album's cover, which is fine & all, but I hope it sounds more like his last album! The 32-year-old soul and smooth jazz singer from southern California has just been released the new music video for the new album's lead single, "3 Words." The song has is a soulful mid-tempo track that showcases Yamin's strong and unique vocal ability. The chorus builds a little unexpectedly but the track is still solid.
Overall "Gather 'Round" proves that Yamin has grown and matured as an artist. The album is very cohesive and features very solid music. The feel of the album especially in the last half is decidedly retro. This kind of style definitely works well for Yamin. "My goal was to make a singer's record and make it as genuine as possible -- make it who I am. I still have to work on my songwriting skills. I'm green to that process. But I worked with some talented people," he said. Will Yamin be able to recapture the success of "Wait For You?"
Having a persona that is indefinable and a life story so inspiring, Yamin owns the ultimate combination that makes people grow interest in him. Under such publication and high motivation, Yamin can easily butter up his way to reign music industry. Yamin is now arguably more popular in Japan, which has embraced many an American act. Hot off a short Japanese tour promoting his new Japanese release "Gather 'Round," Yamin will be making a trip to his home state of Virginia. On February 26th, he will be performing for the Meherrin River Arts Council Concert Series in Emporia, VA.

"Everybody's raging, raging crazy!" sings, Miranda Cosgrove and her friends prove that they know how to party in the "iCarly" star's brand new video for her new party anthem tune, "Dancing Crazy," has been released and shown on Nickelodeon. It follows the Nickelodeon songstress going out with a bunch of her pals. The "iCarly" star talks about the lunatic single, "It's a really fun song. I kind of just wanted to do a song that like, people could just drive around with their tops down and just put it on and have a really good time."
Cosgrove is well known as Carly in the American sitcom "iCarly," which shows the life of a girl who creates a show on the Internet and highlights daily life of the girl and her best friends. Born and raised in California, the chic, multi-talented 17-year-old, has been moving full throttle ahead as her Hollywood star has been quickly rising. She is following in the footsteps of Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment as the latest Nickelodean star to embark on a pop career. Cosgrove is proving to be a renaissance woman at the tender age of seventeen. The burgeoning pop music sensation has remarkably managed to keep her balance. And with this new video for "Dancing Crazy," she sort of shows why.
The infectious hit lead single "Dancing Crazy" is a super upbeat bouncy dance pop track produced by acclaimed music maker Max Martin and co-written by Avril Lavigne for Cosgrove's upcoming new EP, "High Maintenance," which is due in stores and online download sites on March 15. The five-track extended play is Cosgrove's first collection of songs since her 2010 moderately successful debut album, "Sparks Fly," and is a pop-rock whirlwind, complete with sing-along choruses, candy-coated vocals and dance floor friendly beats. Cosgrove also confesses about her struggles to breach trough the music industry, "I was always shy about singing, even though I've been taken singing lessons for a long time," she said. "Getting to go into the studio and actually record a song made me realize how much I really enjoyed it and wanted to do it. That's what made me want to make an album."
While the song represents a slightly more mature sound for the budding diva, there's nothing here to shock the parents of her legion of teenage fans. The video is also fairly tame and it kinda catches the seriously catchy fun-loving beat song's spirit. Basically, the well behaved pop star sneaking out of the house at night, hitting the road with her girlfriends in a convertible, to break into her school to have a big dance party on the football field, celebrating all night long. For a fantasy-filled video, it works really well. The imagery captures all the energy of the song, which sings about carefree days where "everybody's dancing, dancing crazy and we never stop." If you like your teen pop bright and shiny without the added skank of Miley, why not give Cosgrove a listen.

Trey Songz has a very special Valentine's gift for you - his love faces, which populate his new video for his sizzling hot single "Love Faces" on MTV.com! In the black-and-white clip, Songz's lady wants to keep her relationship with the R&B crooner a secret at an important work event - someone's intimidated he might overshadow her on her big night - so she asks for him to pretend they don't know one another. Role-playing, or a super rude way to treat your Valentine? You be the judge by watching below.
The track is typical Songz as his smooth vocals glide over the bass heavy slow jam. Produced by Troy Taylor and written by Tremaine & ChefTone, the mid-tempo piano-based ballad was released as a dual third single from Songz's Gold certified fourth studio album, "Passion, Pain & Pleasure," which is full of love, love making and heart break hits. The 26-year-old remained tight-lipped about the details of the visual, but he did break down how the song came together, saying that the track was inspired by another, less sensual track. "When I first wrote the song it was actually a concept I got from a Houston record with the same name, different kind of faces, and I was like, 'That'll be a dope love song,'" Songz revealed. The "Bottoms Up" belter added that the song is an ode to the sultry expressions lovers make while in the throes of passion.
Songz can crank out bedroom burners with ease - this is the same guy behind "I Invented Sex" - but for the visual to his latest single, "Love Faces," the Virginia crooner said fans shouldn't expect the typical Songz treatment. The singer tells MTV News, "I love the treatment so much. I think it's gonna be a lot different than what people expect it to be and a lot of that is contributed to the narrative, and I want people to be surprised when they see it," he said. "But it's a great video. It's shot very well. It's myself and [director] Justin Francis. We did it in Miami, and it was a two-day shoot and we have a beautiful leading lady. I'll give away that much."
Songz definitely knows how to put you in the mood. Yet, the lack of sexuality in this video is a little surprising. The sexy R&B singer gets things started again in the video for "Love Faces." It opens with Songz and a lovely lady having a phone convo. It's a big night for the gal, as she has a big art opening, where he keeps his distance, later making it up to her by getting steamy in a black-and-white love making montage, after he surprises her at work! Watch the two heat up the screen.

Dutch genre-chameleon Sander Van Doorn, currently the world's number 12 DJ, has unleashed the music video for his official new single, "Love Is Darkness," which features the lovely vocals from Carol Lee, an excellent blend of sexy vocals along with an exciting techno-trance beat that'll keep you on your feet. The song claim both singers and they test out the theory in a steamy video about an afternoon tryst complete with lacy lingerie, claw-footed bathtubs, vintage turntables, manual typewriters, and other romantic accouterments—just in time for Valentine's Day, of course.
The first ever, vocally infused song from genius producer Sander, is about to break and by the sound of it, it's gonna break big. "Love is Darkness" is the new vocal masterpiece, and is also a theme that each person on the planet can immediately relate to. Much like love itself, the song is built on a simple idea, building and becoming more intertwined and complex. With "Love is Darkness," Sander effectively marries an unexpected, perfectly original vocal with his own, uncontrived, perfectly original musicality. He carries on his tradition of vocal abilities and continues to try his own voice at self-producing the track. A marriage made in Heaven as they say.
With the songs warm wash of perpetual melody, anchored by angelic strings and a bassline that teasingly ebbs and flows, it could be just another beautiful tune. But it aint. After all, this is a Sander production, and his first commandment is 'thou shall not anticipate.' With jagged sincerity, songwriter Carol Lee expresses the painful and raw fragility within every fractured relationship. "I know it's over, but I'm still waiting for another chance, one more change of heart." But if you were expecting a love song, you better move along. This song is an anthematic, shiver inducing, big room wrecker that will have fans all over the world reaching for the sky and singing along. A soundsystem or two may also be inadvertently destroyed, one of the innocent victims of unrequited love.
Sander excels at versatility on his latest track, offering up some new features to appeal to the EDM demographic, songs for the lovers, and tunes for pained hearts. "Love is Darkness" captures all of the emotions experienced in a rough breakup, this song will have you pushing the boundaries of your speakers and takes our emotions into the deep and 'dark' side of love that we usually have trouble expressing. Carol Lee, vocally expresses the torn relationship that lives among every being. Sander tweaked a little light melody yet still keeps his bass-line reputation throughout the track, that easily means the track seems dedicated to those romantic moments vs 'the dark side,' to keep things moving along at a decent pace.

You don't want to miss this video from Black River Entertainment recording artist Sarah Darling, just released on Friday! So 'If You Need Something To Do With Your Hands,' play this video! The video will feature TNA Wrestling champion A.J. Styles as her 'handyman.' "For this particular role, we wanted to bring in someone with notable star power, and who better than a pro wrestling star?" says Darling. "Millions of wrestling fans are going to freak out when we debut and they see A.J. in his handyman suit!"
For an Iowa small-town girl who moved to Nashville knowing no one, Darling is thrilled with the way everything is falling into place. Her sounds like Lee Ann Womack meets Fleetwood Mac, and has romantic evening plans for her hard-working man in "Something to Do With Your Hands," the first single from her upcoming sophomore album "Angels and Devils." The song follows the fan-demanded release of Darling's cover of U2's "With or Without You." The extremely poppy song features a rubbery bass line and very innocent-sounding background vocals. So much so, in fact, that the extremely mature nature of young Darling's plans, never mind what she's planning to wear, come as a bit of a surprise.
Unlike the mannequin she portrayed in Big & Rich's "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy" video, Darling is vibrant and alive through her music. On her 2009's debut album, "Every Monday Morning," this 26-year old midwesterner writes songs she says are true stories of her life. "Most of what I wrote for the album comes out of the last three years and the things I've gone through after breaking up with my boyfriend. It's amazing what love can do," she says, adding, "After people hear my music they think they know me. When people listen to my record, they realize that my songs are open and honest, and they're able to relate."
Already recognized as one of the country music's most expressive vocalists, Darling emerges as an equally eloquent songwriter in her new album, "Angels and Devils," for nearly two years. "I've basically spent two years visiting country radio stations and singing at fairs and festivals," she says. "But I feel like I'm always making an album." The "Angels and Devils," featuring 11 tracks on two discs, will be available in stores and digital outlets on next Tuesday, February 15, and can be expected to hit the road in support of the new album shortly.

A beautiful woman with luscious body, Nicole Scherzinger makes sure to tease her asset to her fans. After posing as a venomous woman and kicking bad guys as superhero costume in a telephone booth of the first single "Poison" video, the 32-year-old singer now strips at the back of her ride, and has released a music video for her follow up new bouncy pop song "Don't Hold Your Breath," which is a simple, melodious, easy on the ear, catchy with an electro-pop/dance beat and voila, shows her vulnerable side. She cries over a break-up, wailing on a moving car but never looking back at what she left.
Poor pussycat doll! Scherzinger looks like she lapped up some sour milk in the video for her upcoming UK single "Don't Hold Your Breath," that sampled a song originally written by Timbaland and Keri Hilson and was remixed by Dave Aude, is expected to make the second cut to Scherzinger's first solo studio album which was supposed to be out in 2008 and suffered a lot of push-backs. Although the message is clear, "Don't Hold Your Breath" is fairly uptempo for a gloomy song. The song's title may also have a correlation to the infinitely delayed debut album, which will apparently finally hit the shelves later this year. Or maybe next year?
Against her advice, you can at least do so until she finishes changing her clothes in the taxi scene. Offering self-empowered visuals, the Rich Lee-directed video sees the former lead Pussycat Doll singer struggling to cope with her broken heart, and shows her acting skills by portraying a very depressed, bitter and angry girlfriend who has taken a long taxi ride back home after having her heart broken by her lover. Doing a full 180-turn, director Rich Lee transforms the sexy Dancing With The Stars winner from the luscious, red-hot woman in "Poison" into a depressed and angry ex-girlfriend. Lee chose an abandoned house backdrop to suggest the haunting memories of a shattered relationship.
Her latest pop offering is about leaving a bad relationship behind. But in the video for "Don't Hold Your Breath," Scherzinger ensures the unnamed gentleman she sings about knows exactly what he's missing. She rides around in the clip in the backseat of a car while it's raining, looking properly angst-ridden over a boy who apparently only brought her "a heart full of pain." Despite the saucy images, "Don't Hold Your Breath" is an angst-ridden break-up song. The video was one of those self-empowered visuals after a woman encounters a break-up. It started decent but would have made for a better clip if it had a storyline or some type of concept.

Today's Pick is one of those independent artists that I think you should hear. After traveling the globe as Moby's female vocalist, Kelli Scarr now has her own superb debut release, "Piece," on Silence Breaks. The Brooklyn, NY singer has an incredible voice and live it's simply breathtaking. With a varied music background, that took her from California to Boston, then Brooklyn, her newest Matthew Nourse-directed video for the tune "Break Up," is a highlight of "Piece" among many such highlights.
This Berklee College of Music-trained singer-songwriter has had music in her bones from a very early age, showing a love of singing at the tender age of three whence upon she began recording her young vocalizations with a little hand-held tape recorder. She got her big break when Moby took notice of her work and invited her to work with him on his 2009 album, "Wait For Me." From her time with indie darlings Moonraker, to her collaboration and touring with Moby, to her Emmy-nominated compositions for HBO's "In a Dream." Scarr's artistic accomplishments are, like her voice, impossible to ignore.
Throughout "Piece," Scarr imbues her simple songs with depth: from the wistful Brother to the achy and vulnerable "Break Up." The heavy reverb gives her music a retro sense that comes to feel timeless. It's her voice and the music together that create an ethereal beauty. A rich burgundy wine would complete the mood. In the end "Piece" reflected a large portion of Scarr's life and those around her. In songs like "Break Up," we hear soulful piano filled country that despite its easy digestion never feels impersonal or heavy handed. From the sounds of her creaky upright piano and midnight acoustic recordings to the whimpers of her son waking up from a nap in the next room, "Piece" captured an extremely personal journey, providing a photo album's worth of lush images.
In a word, "Piece" is catharsis for Scarr. With these melodies, she can give order to the events that once felt so terribly chaotic. The genius of it, though, lies in Scarr's ability to hang the listener on his seat, wondering what images from his own life her next lyric might conjure. Her solo debut will leave an ache in your heart, for sure. It's as sad as friendly faces frozen for eternity inside cracked picture frames or once cherished toys gathering dust in the attic. It's authentic Americana with a whole lotta soul. Scarr's is a smouldering smoky voice backed by vibrant, elegant playing and enough trinkets and sparkle to fill Aladdin's Cave. Like the best stories, "Piece" is one you'll want to hear over. Don't let it go unheard.

Nottingham-born soul musician Liam Bailey returns to the cafe and gives SoulCulture the exclusive premiere of his official video for "You Better Leave Me," the lead single from his forthcoming self-penned, Salaam Remi-produced debut LP, "Out of the Shadows" will be released on Polydor in May. Ben Newman delivers a unique performance video for new soul sensation Bailey. Set in a speakeasy style club we see Hotly-tipped singer songwriter perform to couples in different stages of a love.
I know I bang on and on about how great British music is, but there really are some undiscovered gems just waiting for an opportunity to make themselves heard. Bailey is definitely one of the lucky ones, having been found by the soul musician Amy Winehouse, releasing two EPs, and now getting a major deal for his upcoming full-length LP. The first single, "You Better Leave Me," has Remi's signature production style but with a little dub thrown into the mix and Bailey's husky, rich vocals running over the top. The video, while visually pleasing, isn't anything out of the ordinary, but that kind of works as it leaves Bailey's vocals to take center stage. Definitely one to watch.
The up-and-coming UK soul man first caught the attention of the public and media alike with the release of two EPs last year: "2am Rough Tracks" and "So Down, Cold." These intriguing snapshots, recorded very simply with just Bailey and his guitar, showcased the raw tenderness of his unique vocal and heartfelt, emotional storytelling. Both EPs were released on Winehouse's Lioness Records. The "Back to Black" singer first heard Bailey's music through a mutual friend and felt so connected with its stripped back emotion that she was compelled to contact him. They bonded immediately. All the EP tracks were recorded late at night with the emphasis firmly on getting up close and personal with Bailey and his guitar.
"You Better Leave Me" is hotly-tipped singer songwriter's first official legit single and will be available digitally on March 13, also featuring a Shy FX remix. Bailey was full of energy, charged up about his new single "You Better Leave Me" and rightfully so. Full of melancholy soul, it's blues steeped in 70's funk-rock. Such is the breadth of his talent and appeal that Bailey also hooked up with urban stars Chase & Status and is the guest vocalist on their new single "Blind Faith." British soul may have just found its first authentic male voice of the decade.

American rock band Panic! At the Disco are back in all their hyper-dramatic emo-pop glory and picks up steam yesterday with the debut of its "The Ballad of Mona Lisa" across all of MTV's platforms. Written by lead singer Brendon Urie, the mid-tempo rocker in lieu of a ballad, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," is the first single composed for the Grammy-nominated group's third album, "Vices & Virtues," It proved to be an inspiration for the production of "Vices & Virtues." Urie wrote the song dealing with his own personal convictions and struggles. The track is a typical cheeky, up-tempo pop/punk anthem, but the video shows a darker side.
The song also marked the debut of Panic's new two-man lineup after the exit of Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, leaving as the remaining duo singer/multi-instrumentalist Urie and drummer Spencer Smith. "On the surface it can seem like just the story of drama between a guy and a girl," explains Urie. "But it's really about what I've been going through, an inner-struggle within myself, and fighting the dualities of my personality -- the side that fucks everything up and destroys everything and the other side that tries to pick up the slack. It's all growing pains." The song was also inspired by Urie's move from Las Vegas, Nevada, where he's lived his entire life, to Santa Monica, California with Panic! Smith. Urie notes that the move was "a huge part of growing up."
Featuring a top hat, pews, and a church setting to Urie's costume and various camera shots, the steampunk-themed video for song was directed by Shane Drake and produced by Brandon Bonfiligo. The video documents the steps for preparing and displaying a body before burial in the Victorian era, from shutting the windows and covering up mirrors to laying the body out in white so loved ones could mourn. A young woman is also present, mourning the recently deceased. The body is finally show to be Urie's, whose ghost has been wandering around at his own wake. He finally makes contact with a young child and directs her to a note in his corpse's pocket, naming his murderer as the young woman. The woman tries to escape, only to be caught by the crowd and taken away while Urie's ghost watches and is pleased. The League of STEAM's full ensemble cast appear in key roles in the video.
Musically, the song is similar to those produced for the band's 2005 debut album, "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out," however, Urie explained in a recent interview that the song represented more of a new beginning. Urie said "It was a new start when Spencer and I started writing, so it was gonna end up sounding different, sonically." The track has received positive reviews upon its release, has described it as "an anthemic power-rock ballad with dark and personal undertones," and Panic! swung the song's sinister faux-cabaret verses into an absolutely towering chorus. The the song's sound as "bringing fans back to the sound they were introduced to when the band first broke onto the scene. Old school Panic! rocks! Enjoy.

Dutch female-fronted symphonic metallers Within Temptation's music video in abutment of their new distinct "Faster" has aloof fabricated its way out. It was released as a short movie "Mother Maiden", introducing the main character played by British actress Dawn Mastin. The "Faster" video is visually vivid, and has a graphic novel and noir film pastiche to it. Check out the Spider-Man like creepy-crawlers in the opening frame.
Within Temptation was founded in 1996 by the couple, frontwoman vocalist Sharon den Adel and rhythm guitarist Robert Westerholt. They have come a long way in the last fourteen years. From their humble beginnings, the band have now making them not only Holland's biggest selling musical export but also one of the biggest rock acts internationally. Released on January 21, "Faster" is serves as the lead from the metal/rock band's long-awaited new concept album "The Unforgiving," to be released on March 29. The album is released alongside both a comic book series and a series of short films that together encompass a story.
The first short film revolves around a powerful medium, "Mother Maiden," as she recruits lost souls to be part of her wraith task-force to fight evil in all its forms. She offers the "remorseful souls" an opportunity to "make right what is wrong" by giving them missions and assignments to hunt down evil as a penance for their previous sins. It ties in with "Faster," introducing the main characters of the narrative. These movies give further insight into the concept of "The Unforgiving" and are based on the comic book storyline that has been unfolding on the band's site. Each film is followed by a band performance that, all together, form a dark and compelling tale of life, love, revenge, rage and regret.
Westerholt said on band's official site that: "'Faster' is a song which surprised ourselves. It's a very fresh new sound wrapped around the 80'ties heart and soul of the track. 'Faster' reflects one of the many musical roots we have. Combined with the modern influences on our new album, it's like the past and future created the present." The edited music video, part of the "Faster & Mother Maiden Short Film" is the first of three short films to be released this year. It consists of the band playing a shortened version of the song with clips of the first short film. The following day, the first short film, "Mother Maiden," was released. This release included an extended version of the "Faster" video without the clips but with the guitar solo.

Diddy-Dirty Money drop yet another visual off of The group's first album, "Last Train To Paris," is currently in stores now. This one premiered on MTV Jams last week, finally a clean rip of the video, is for "I Hate That You Love Me." The Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins-produced cut serves as the latest promo single. I love this jazzy-funky tune. Not strong/mainstream enough though to be an official single, but for a 'buzz' effort it works!
The R&B/Hip Hop/Rap trio hasn't exactly been keeping a low profile lately, with appearances on a smattering of talk shows and a whopping six videos from "Last Train To Paris" in the last few months. Now the latest, "I Hate That You Love Me," has dropped, featuring Diddy and the 'Dirty Money' girls getting wet and wild, playing with their own shadows, and looking red hot against a luscious crimson background. The smooth, piano-driven "I Hate That You Love Me" is an enjoyable song, which has a great hook and decent verses from Diddy. it offers a different sound, with some piano and Diddy dropping lines just to hear his own voice.
The black and white contrasted video is one of the smoother Diddy-Dirty Money videos. It turns out to be a plain basic simple but effective and show persistence at promoting the highly hyped project that has the trio singing the tune and moving a bit. Diddy himself plays the piano, while Dawn and Kaleena two-step around the grand instrument. Of course you can see Diddy doing some of his famous dance moves as well. The red-white-black concept was really cool. Beyond an appealing color scheme and a ludicrously sexy string quartet, there aren't a lot of frills here. Easy set up and recession-friendly as expected but if you are a fan of the song, you may get into it.
Though cheap, indulgent, and utterly pointless, the fact the video was even recorded is a testament to the trio's undeniable hustle. "Hustle" being something they'll have to continue doing to push the star-studded LP, which Diddy-Dirty Money are clearly not playing with it. The "Last Train to Paris," is a concept album in which Diddy's character takes an emotional journey from London to Paris and falls in love with a mysterious lady. It's refreshing to get a concept album in a genre that would usually conflict in, considering that more recently, we haven't gotten to see as many sides and dimensions of hip hop and R&B. There's most definitely something for everyone here.

The flamboyantly-named Neon Hitch has penned tracks for the likes of Ke$ha and Britney Spears, but the British circus performer-turned-songwriter is ready to step into the spotlight herself. She's already appeared on the Almost Alice soundtrack and showed us another perspective on Travie McCoy's "Billionaire," and now we're happy to premiere the British synth-pop singer's new video for her dreamy single "Get Over U," the first offering from Hitch's debut effort "Beg, Borrow, and Steal," which is slated for release later this year via Warner.
The lovelorn track was co-written by Australian singer/songwriter Sia and produced by Benny Blanco, is highly reminiscent of Robyn's sound. It's an instant and clever tune with an highly addictive power. The infectious pop tune is pure magic at its core and has all the makings of a massive hit with Blanco's top-notch, crisp production, Hitch's idiosyncratic vocals and an emotionally-honest sentiment that people everywhere will be able to easily relate to. "You can't see all the scars your love has caused," Hitch cries out while comforted by a pop-savvy, pulsating beat. Whoever thought this spunky gypsy gal who used to room with Amy Winehouse is just a one trick pony, better listen to "Get Over U" and re-think that.
Hitch appears ready to make a prominent breakthrough in 2011, and her ideal sound is an organic stage of synthetic pop melodies slathered over hip-hop infected beats. When it comes to your first music video and official unveiling of yourself to the world as a new artist, it's important to clearly define who you are right out the gate and let everybody know just what the hell you're all about, and Hitch has done exactly that with "Get Over U." The simple yet beautiful visual takes place after Hitch's had one final fight with her on again/off again boyfriend, and follows her as trawls the beach and local area looking for water to create a cleansing bath to wash away the past.
The video, which depicts Hitch cleansing herself (quite literally) of a relationship turned sour, was directed by Jason Bergh, lets one see Hitch respond to a hostile situation at home as she travels from the trailer park to the sea and back. As she does all of these, one can see that Hitch actually shows her roots in the video via her gypsy ways. Heck, the presence of glass bottles and rose petals shows that Hitch really knows what she is doing. There's a clear nod to her real life upbringing in the video, from the caravan park to the gypsies to the fashion, which really adds a sense of genuineness to everything. The jewelery Hitch adorns is also gorgeous and immediately distinctive. Watch the gypsy queen's video below!

Getting out of bed in the morning can be hard, but what if Adam Levine is in bed with you? Leaving that bed would be impossible! American rock band Maroon 5 released their brand new video for "Never Gonna Leave This Bed" via JustJared and we don't mind seeing front man Levine rolling around between the sheets. Mutt Lange-produced single is an emotional rollercoaster ride, this explosive track "Never Gonna Leave This Bed" is the third official single from Maroon 5's third studio album "Hands All Over," a killer hybrid of rock, pop, funk and R&B.
Frontman Levine wrote this song after a "weekend bender." He told The Sun: "I was totally depleted and got home, picked up a guitar and started writing this song. It's my favorite on the record. It's the most honest. It reflects a desperate longing to have somebody in my life, which I didn't at the time." The driving guitar ballad with a sky-scraping chorus and Levine's heartfelt vocals, this tender track shows off the sensitive side of these pop-funk supremos. The song is going to be performed by the band during Super Bowl XLV pre-game festivities. Levine has a great job!
Featuring Levine's real-life girlfriend, Russian model Anne Vyalitsyna, it sees the frontman heat up and snuggling on bed with the Victoria's Secret model in various locations in Los Angeles while encased in a clear box, as passersby give them curious look. The rest of the band, while they don't get to snuggle up with a smokin’ hot blonde, get in on the action as they perform on an enclosed moving stage. Ever the exhibitionists, Levine and his lady even get driven around in a Plexiglass box as they cuddle up to one another.
In every video, Levine happens to be the protagonist making out with a sassy lady, such is the hard life of a frontman. The band also enlisted the help of fans, asking them to come out at the side of Ocean Avenue overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the Santa Monica Pier, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and Roosevelt Hotel. "Thanks to everyone who showed up! You made the whole thing work," Levine tweeted earlier this month. "This video feels special. There's something really bold and exciting about it."