Today's Pick

Jessie J strikes again in the electrifying video for her diva anthem "Thunder" which follows lead single "Wild" and latest release "It's My Party" as the third UK single to be lifted from British singer-songwriter's brand new sophomore studio album "Alive," which was released in the UK back in September. Sexier than ever! Jessie's new "Thunder" video is a real scorcher, as the blonde Brit rocks a leotard and black cape while singing and dancing in the desert backed by lightning fills the sky.
"Thunder" finds Jessie conceding her happiness in love over an atmospheric piece of Pop. "That's the last song we wrote for the album," she told Digital Spy. It got sent over by Stargate and Benny Blanco, and Claude [Kelly] and myself were like, 'Thunder, thunder, thunder.' We just started writing and had it finished in about half an hour before I went to the airport to fly home from New York." She sings the heartfelt lyric: "Never thought I'd be this happy / if you're asking, yes you have me / How you change my thoughts / you'll never know."
The moody power ballad is not just Jessie's bid for the Christmas number one spot, but its racy video demonstrates a true return to Jessie at her sexy and vampy best. The Voice Judge looks much more serious and much less fun in her new three-minute music video, which finds the old blonde Jessie dancing in the desert as lightning fills the sky. The former Voice coach reunited with Emil Nava for the clip as she appears trapped in what looks like a dangerous thunderstorm.
With echoes of Madonna's "Frozen" video from the 90s, the 25-year-old looks bold, brave and brimming with flirty confidence as she writhes around dramatically in a nude semi-sheer bodysuit with black embellishments and a silky black cape. Her blond locks are pasted down in an almost Gatsby-like 20s flapper look as she cavorts around barefoot in a sandpit and doing some very dramatic dancing in front of a car with car's headlights shining on her as thunderbolts go off around her, and her red lipstick and dark eye make-up make her look kind of vampire-like against her fair complexion. In fact the whole video's got a kind of gothic theme.

A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera released their music video for the emotional ballad "Say Something," following a performance of the song on "The Voice." The heartbreaking yet understated video has New York-based indie pop duo Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino on the piano as a svelte Aguilera, clad in a little black dress, lends her soulful vocals. The song was originally released on band member Axel's solo album "This is the New Year," but went largely unnoticed until it was released as the second single on the band's debut studio album, "Is There Anybody Out There?"
Sonically, "Say Something" is an indie pop, piano ballad underlined by a piano and string arrangement. Lyrically, the song talks about a breakup, instead of being filled with anger and desperation, the singers expressing a powerful combination of humility, sadness, regret, and evoking the emotion felt when choosing to leave a failed relationship even though love still remains, with the lover imploring to make a statement that could potentially reverse plans. The song was written at a time when both members were experiencing individual heartbreak. "Writing the tune was part of the healing process," Axel told Billboard magazine. "Whenever we perform it, it's like revisiting the scar. It's always a part of me, and I can always go there and feel it."
Aguilera was clearly inspired by the song, reaching out to indie duo herself and asking them to duet. She said about the song "is sort of coming to me at a time when I'm feeling very inspired... it's so simple and it's so quiet and still and steady and in a way pleading to hear something, to hear some kind of answer or get an answer in the most humble, unassuming, non-demanding way." The song received critical acclaim, being praised for its powerful lyrics, the emotional production and Aguilera's delicate vocals added to the mix. It's one of her best ever, fortifying the hook and harmony masterfully.
Shot in Los Angeles, the video features Aguilera in a minimalistic black dress and natural make-up, reminiscent of her "Beautiful" days, as the trio look utterly sorrowful as they croon the break-up ballad together, with Axel carefully pounding away at the grand piano and Aguilera appearing on the verge of tears as the song reaches its climax. Interspersed with three stories, all of which will likely break your heart: A young couple on the verge of a breakup, a little girl hiding out from the world, and an elderly couple saying goodbye for the last time. In keeping with the song's soft and subtle tone, the visual is understated and classy. Grab a tissue and watch the emotional clip below.

After teasing all week, Demi Lovato has finally revealed her sexiest video to date with a rave party for her latest single "Neon Lights," and the 21-year-old songbird is showing off her sexy side in the clip, which looks like a wild, rave-inspired dance party. The Ryan Tedder-produced dance-pop number is the third single from the pop singer's latest self-titled fourth album. "Neon Lights" certainly falls into the "dance-pop generic" category, but it's radio-friendly and gears you pumped up.
Lovato penned this synth anthem with Ryan Tedder and Noel Zancanella. The pair, who previously worked with the singer on her 2011 Unbroken track "Who's That Boy?" also produced the tune. Tedder revealed that the idea to produce the song was his own. He stated: "That record we did intentionally because I wanted to... I heard it on her demo-reel and the next day I woke up and the melody was in my head, and I couldn't get it out of my head for two days, that's when I knew." Speaking about Lovato's vocals on the song, Tedder added: "She came in and just ripped it. She, in pop music has one of the biggest ranges, possibly the highest full voice singer I've ever worked with."
The new video for "Neon Lights" may be a preview of what we can expect from the "X Factor" judge when she hits the road for the upcoming Neon Lights Tour starting February 9 in Vancouver. The girls-only tour features opening acts, and "X Factor" alums, girl groups Fifth Harmony, Little Mix and newlywed Cher Lloyd. "I think it's going to be so much fun," Lovato told Ryan Seacrest in September. "There's nothing better than woman empowerment and having an all-girl tour. What's ironic is we are all from 'The X Factor,' and that wasn't even planned - it just kind of happened that way. I helped put Fifth Harmony together and watching them now, they're going to be opening for me, it's so awesome."
In her sexiest video to date, Lovato, wearing glow-in-the-dark makeup and flaunting her bright blue-hued hair, rocking new blue locks, pulls a smoke and mirrors trick, takes it all off and shows off her edge as the former Disney darling strips down naked and submerges herself seductively into a pool of water, and belts out the lyrics to the catchy tune while dancing in the shadowy cloisters of a nightclub in front of her fellow club-goers under, of course, neon lights. It's dark, mature, a little bit edgy, and perfectly encompasses the big beat of the club-ready track.

Love hits you like a car! Katy Perry gets hit by a car representing the force of love in the newly released abstract new video for her powerful ballad "Unconditionally," the fifth song from her latest fourth studio album, "Prism." Set in a Gatsby-esque party, Perry dons a gorgeous gold dress in a video that focuses on "beauty and glamour and gorgeous shots." There is not one whipped cream-shooting brassiere or bright blue wig in sight. Steering away from her usual colorful, campy and high-energy videos which produce laughs, Perry's latest seems to focus more on the track, while also being artistic.
Musically, the track is a power pop, rock, and electronic ballad, that contains elements of Christian and electronic dance music. Perry mentioned that "Unconditionally" is her favorite song from "Prism," and described the track as a song about unconditional love that could come in all forms, including those from relationships, from parent-to-child, and from sibling-to-sibling. Perry revealed to EW that the single was partially inspired by her romance with John Mayer, as well as her experience in Africa last year. "I went to Madagascar and did a UNICEF trip that changed my life and gave me this song. It's just a simple message about loving someone and accepting them and kind of driving at you don't have to be so self-conscious, you don't have to fear, because essentially, everybody has their stuff. Nobody comes stuff-free."
The Brent Bonacorso-directed video was filmed in October in London, and was partly inspired by a couple different movies, like "Dangerous Liaisons" and "Anna Karenina" with plenty of artistic imagery. The epic mini movie finds a vulnerable looking Perry swept up amidst a slew of dancers waltzing both in the snow and during a lavish party in a grandiose ballroom. But as she runs from the soiree, we see the singer get struck by a car while belting the ballad in a wintry wonderland setting. Perry told MTV at the EMAs that the poignant moment is "a metaphor to talk about when love finds you, it's kind of being like hit by a car."
She echoed that sentiment in a tweet shortly after its debut: "Yes, unconditional love sometimes feels like being hit by a car... Or being on fire... How does it feel to you?," the 29-year-old pop star tweeted about the  video. Perry also told MTV that the concept for the video is a bit of a departure for her: "It doesn't have a complete narrative. I do that all the time; I usually have quite a big story line. This time I wanted to give a lot of gorgeous, beautiful looks, which I don't usually go for. But it's mostly just a beautiful video that is supposed to evoke this power of love." There's also an owl, a fire, and flying flowers. It's beautiful, bizarre, and tragic.

As promised, Kanye West appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Tuesday, where he shared the provocative clip for his Charlie Wilson-featuring "Yeezus" closer "Bound 2." As previously hinted, the video does indeed feature the 36-year-old rapper's betrothed Kim Kardashian, topless on a motorcycle with West as they ride across what looks like stock video footage of American landscapes. This one was also directed by fashion photographer Nick Knight. It's a lot to process.

The song, built around a sample of "Bound," a 1971 Soul tune by Ponderosa Twins Plus One, is the tenth and final track from his sixth studio album "Yeezus," released this summer. The Post's Chris Richards wrote that on the album, West "plumbs the depths of his id like a knife scraping the bottom of the peanut butter jar." The soul-powered tune finds West opening up to a significant other. It also features smooth R&B soul singer-songwriter-producer and former lead singer of The Gap Band, Uncle Charlie Wilson crooning on the hook.

The self-proclaimed creative genius takes the scenic route as he rides through Arizona's Grand Canyon on a motorcycle with the future bride-to-be Mrs. West by his side. With the wind whipping through her blonde hair, a naked Kardashian sits in front of her man and they make out with the majestic mountains in the backdrop.  They appear to visit several of the country's most iconic natural places, a road trip that would have taken several days had it truly occurred. West, however, does not change his clothes, and Kardashian never gets dressed.

This isn't the first time Kardashian has shown off her body in one of fiancée West's videos, but we've never seen her quite like this before. As a topless reality star straddles her future husband on his motorcycle, his arm and the shadows keep her breasts hidden for the most part. But the one thing that stays constant in the video is the oh-so-sensual Kardashian, flaunting her unbelievable post-baby body the whole time. The imagery is very colorful and light. Nothing about it feels pop or urban. She looks incredible. There's no doubt about it, West is definitely celebrating his and her love and monogamy in the steamy video, and i's a confident display of love and passion with little to no narrative.

Jake Bugg has unveiled a music video for his the studio version of new bluesy track "Slumville Sunrise," which was recorded at Rick Rubin's Shangri La studio and will feature as the second single on British singer's new sophomore album named after the recording space, which is releasing today, and is a much more cohesive project. Additionally, Bugg says he's a far more proficient singer than when he recorded his debut. What a year it’s been for Bugg. At just 19 years of age, the Nottingham-born singer-songwriter has accomplished a hell of a lot.

Bugg demonstrates electric prowess on bluesy new tune, which opening with vigorous slamming chords, Bugg's vocal follows with "the wind keeps beating at my window, I haven't slept all night." Slipping into a fury of a chorus, Bugg sings, "Slumville sunrise, nobody cares or looks twice," to paint a vivid picture of a shanty town. The track has a real sense of enthusiasm about it and Bugg's ripping solo is fast and furious, leaving us to re-adjust to the whirlwind we've just heard. "This place is just not for me," chants Bugg, showcasing his desire to start afresh. "Slumville Sunrise" is an up-tempo number, eliciting the desire and lyrical talent of the young singer-songwriter.

The song thoroughly displays Bugg's quirky guitar skills. I got a chuckle at the video because of the green screen running in place. It was sort of haphazardly thrown together and made to look choppy. It really made this quirky song shine. "The video is basically a chase. A character, played by Jake, steals a ring from a jeweler and a pursuit begins, the chasing party increases in size and becomes more and more bizarre as the chase and song go on," director Shane Meadows explained to NME. What about that goofy tracksuit Bugg is sporting? "We wanted to pick the most awful tracksuit we could find - something he just wouldn't want to wear."

In Benny Hill style, Bugg acting for the first time and dressed in a shocking tracksuit, as he steals an engagement ring worth £20,000 from a jeweler's before going on the run through the city from the cops and a circus of others including granny, a plump woman in a leopard leotard, and an Elvis impersonator carrying what looks like a bag of onions. With traditional values and a Slumville wage, Bugg's character snatches a diamond ring from a ritzy shop to make his pregnant girlfriend his wife. When he arrives home and presents the ring to his girlfriend, she won't have it. Her inconsolable nature and their ongoing banter keeps the video fresh, humorous, and highly entertaining.

If you've been sleeping on California songbird Tori Kelly, sleep no more. Ever since we first heard the vocal chord-defying riffs and runs on her YouTube cover of Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," we were hooked. Now, This 20-year-old YouTube cover queen-turned-legit chanteuse is back with a video that's all her own for her new love song, "Dear No One," the heartfelt lead single taken from her debut "Foreword" EP, is the free single of the week on iTunes, leaving listeners with discriminating sonic palates no choice but to download, which works out quite nicely for everyone involved.
And coming from this wise-beyond-her-years up-and-comer who was discovered by Scooter Braun after she auditioned for Season 9 of American Idol in Denver and made it through to Hollywood week, Kelly's no longer the amazingly talented girl on YouTube singing other people's hits - she's the amazingly talented girl singing hits all her own. "Dear No One," is a love song written about the guy of her dreams she has yet to meet. The ballad is sweet and infectious, hopeful and heartbreaking and the same goes for the video, which shows Kelly chasing a guy through the streets of Brooklyn.
"I'm happy with the message," the singer explained: "It's a nice little story line that's saying you don't always need somebody." Filmed in and around Brooklyn, N.Y., the Jon Jon Augustavo-directed video shows Kelly in a variety of settings: sitting on the couch alone in her apartment, walking the streets on a cloudy afternoon, standing on a rooftop feeling all the feelings. Whether she's surrounded by others or not, she's alone throughout, swimming upstream in a sea of couples. We know this is a pretty big cliche about city life, but Kelly's clip captures that sublime level of urban loneliness perfectly.
"So if you're out there I swear to be good to you," Kelly sings, "But I'm done looking for my future someone/ 'Cause when the time is right, you'll be here, but for now/ Dear No One, this is your love song." It's not that the young singer-songwriter's totally given up on love; there's just been too much heartbreak and heartache for her to continue making finding Mr. Right a top priority. When it's time, he'll find her. And then she sees him. Unsure of his identity and ignoring her own advice, Kelly chases this mysterious man up a flight of stairs to the top of an apartment building. Once she catches up with him on the place's rooftop, he literally disintegrates and blows off in the wind.

American rock band Daughtry is back and highlights a regular Joe's heroic acts in their heroism-themed music video for "Waiting for Superman," the leadoff single from Daughtry's upcoming fourth studio album, "Baptized," will be available next Tuesday via RCA. The rockers are certainly making a killer comeback this year. Led by American Idol alum Chris Daughtry, the rock band are modifying their hard rock sound to a more radio-friendly, electro-pop-influenced, folk-influenced rock sound.
"Waiting For Superman" was inspired by the real life experiences of incredible women. Said Daughtry: "Women everywhere. Moms, daughters, sisters, friends. And I hope the message continues to inspire and be a source of strength." It's the single that takes flight on a soaring hook and intriguing instrumentation, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. With a more electro-pop sound, "Waiting for Superman" is catchy and relatable to a female audience. Look for the single to carry the band back onto the airwaves just in time to save the day.
The lyrics for "Waiting for Superman" might make fans think about the comic book character, but with this video, it comes into focus that the song is about humanity reaching out to help others. Instead of the cape-wearing, high-flying superhero, the Shane Drake-directed visuals tell a story of a regular Joe's heroic acts, saving the lives of people who find themselves in common everyday dangers while Daughtry on the streets of a major city and in a warehouse performing his smash hit.
From warding off a woman from getting hit by a speeding bicycle, chasing after a purse-snatching robber, preventing a guy from jumping off a building, to saving a young lady from bullies, the plaid shirt-wearing citizen does it all. Sadly, despite his efforts, he doesn't get appreciated for his life-saving deeds and even gets roughed up by the police in the process of helping out the victims. Besides the storyline being a perfect match for the superhero-titled track, the clip likewise resonates the message of the song, that while "Waiting for Superman," ordinary everyday life offers some unlikely heroes in our midst.

Giving her fans a little weekend treat, Rihanna just released the gray-scale themed dark, artsy visual for her emotional stand-out song "What Now," the sixth single from Barbadian singer's seventh studio album "Unapologetic." As promised, Rihanna is both creepy and pretty melancholy in her new video. The simple visual focuses on the singer as she mopes in a sparse warehouse space, possessed by her loneliness, but it's definitely visually engaging. Love has pushed Rihanna off the deep end and has her screaming out and banging on walls.
The Nathan Cassells and Kuk Harrell co-produced piano-led mid-tempo pop ballad is definitely a darker and more introspective track that seems like Rihanna just might be pulling from past love gone wrong experiences, and it doesn't resort to being overtly sexual or defiantly callous, which gave us the feeling that she stripped away her armor for a moment and actually allowed herself to be 'real,' as she physically throws herself on the ground and convulses like someone gone crazy. Rihanna's in trouble. That's the overall connection between the lyrics and visual interpretation we're supposed to take away from her video for "What Now."
The 25-year-old songstress spoke to MTV News before the release of the clip, explaining, "It's gonna be kind of eerie, very creepy because 'What Now' is one of those songs that you can get really boring with the visual. You can get really almost expected." The singer made it clear she wanted to take a different direction than the expected. "Everybody's probably expecting narrative type of video, a love story of some sorts or something really soft and pretty," she told MTV. "It is pretty and kind of soft, but it's really a little demented."
Filmed in Thailand, the Jeff Nicholas, Jonathan Craven, and Darren Craig-directed clip features a dark, isolated and emotionally drained Rihanna who's all alone in a dirty, empty room slowly losing it as she sings her way through the angst-filled ballad, that might give off a sense of dementia but the song's lyrics and the overflow of emotion and raw thoughts suggested by the song gives a different perspective of what's going on within. Rihanna rocks a mullet and goth-inspired attires in this one with the overall eerie, tortured vibe, and much of that is exhibited in her actions and movements, which at times look a little bit like an exorcism.

Imagine Dragons blast into space with the release of their latest video for their uplifting fan favorite "On Top Of The World," the third track from alternative rock band's major-label debut extended play "Continued Silence," as well as the fifth track from their debut studio album "Night Visions." With lyrics describing weightlessness it only makes sense that directors Matt Eastin and Corey Fox chose to set the video's them around the band traveling to space. Imagine Dragons must be feeling as if they are "On Top of the World."
Imagine Dragons has certainly had their breakout year as its mainstream breakthrough continued with tunes like “Radioactive,” "It's Time,"  and "Demons." For the jaunty "Top of the World," the group takes a decidedly lighthearted approach. The new track primarily features guitar and piano instrumentation, with vocals performed by frontman Dan Reynolds. The song is found to be a positive, upbeat track, unlike other songs found on "Night Visions." Their electronically based sound, supported by a moderately quick beat and a mix of piano, guitar and drums, creates a positive feel for their audiences.
The band take the idea of "Top of the World" literally, in their brand-new clip, they're going back in time. "It's a period piece, set in the late 60s, and there were a lot of events of importance that took place then," guitarist Wayne Sermon told MTV News, before the Dragons' EMA performance in Amsterdam. "And it might be covering one or two of them." Reynolds added "It's a very different video; if you've watched our videos, you know to expect the unexpected. But I think this is my favorite. There's a lot going on it it, some if it is subliminal."
The video, which was filmed entirely in the valley just two weeks ago, features dozens of local residents, all enlisted to don their '60s-era garb for the period-set video released today, is one of those clips that you notice new things every time you watch, including the spoof of the Beatles' Abbey Road crossing and the notion that the moon landing was a staged event and didn't really happen. As the video plays on the long-held conspiracy theory that astronaut Neil Armstrong's famous first moonwalk was indeed staged and President Nixon was in on the world-class Hollywood stunt. There are no fighting puppets as in the "Radioactive" clip, but there is a hyper monkey.

Akon is back! Five years after the release of his last album "Freedom," the Konvict singer makes his long-awaited return with with a brand new visual for his most recent uptempo cut, "So Blue," a track that fits the bill and is set to appear on his upcoming long-awaited fourth studio album, "Stadium," which appears the 40-year-old pop artist is getting the vibes back to his hit-making days. The new video feels like a short film and has Akon at the center of the action, saving the female lead.
Akon first came onto the music scene back in 2003 with his hit, "Locked up," and he has become a force in the music industry with his unique, sexy and smooth vocal range. Akon's latest hit is another example of how this R&B singer cannot go wrong when it comes to music. Akon has not tried to push his musical sound forward at all but success would indicate that Akon should just do more of the same when it comes to his music. After all, Akon has a simple formula when it comes to success; find a song that will show off his style as a musician and flash his beautiful eyes to the camera.
Akon can churn out a potential hit single without any issues. "So Blue," a smooth song that has a catchy hook and chorus, is driven by some nice, laid back keys and strings that makes for a nice combination for his vocals to rest upon. Akon takes to the track effortlessly, floating upon the melody and rattling drums and showcasing his sounds. Here, we see Akon sing about a woman who's being mistreated by her significant other. "How he end up with a girl like you/ You're too fine to be looking so blue," he sings over emotional chords and pop percussion. "So Blue" finds the singer/songwriter supplying us with something smooth and new, riding the pop and R&B line nicely.
Akon shows loads of bravery in the video. While the drama is the crux of the clip, we find the Konvict Music crooner pacing around a room by himself and singing. After he sees a woman (Nia Long) being mistreated by her man (Tiny Lester) and ends up setting her own room on fire and bashes a lamp on Lister's head in hopes to escape, he comes to her rescue. He follows her through a ransacked building, while she leaves clues along the way for the singer to hopefully rescue her. As a fire rips through the bedroom, the charming hero sweeps her up and into safety. And the two live happily ever after - naturally. Watch Akon save the day and get the girl.

Finally, Lily Allen is back after a four-year hiatus from music and at long last unveiled a new song and video. Her upcoming third album's first cut is the hilarious, yet realistic "Hard Out Here" takes the 28-year-old songstress into Auto-tuned, deeply sarcastic territory, as Allen tears into society's outlandish expectations for females. The Pop usurper's triumphant return takes crack shots at industry sexism and her video details the challenges faced by young women living in a post-Kardashian sex tape era.
Following the release of her cover of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" on last Sunday, Allen is properly back with this sweary, controversy-stirring ode to gender inequality. It seemed like an odd way for a pop star so used to over-sharing her own experiences into perfectly constructed, attitude-heavy pop to come back, which is where "Hard Out Here" comes in. Teased earlier via a Twitter Q&A that involved questions based on mistreated females from history, "Hard Out Here" is very much the opposite to the safe, pipe-and-slippers-sporting Keane cover.
A feminist anthem through and through, "Hard Out Here" tackles everything from tired gender roles and expectations to double standards regarding sex and appearance for men and women. Allen wears her classic wry smirk throughout the whole video, during which her manager tries to reinvent her as a champagne popping, e-cig smoking twerking machine. She sings sweetly over a typically jaunty piano-lead beat by way of a reintroduction, before the song rattles through a series of gender injustices that positions Allen at the forefront for change.
The Christopher Sweeney-directed visual is a scathing takedown of music industry sexism, involving a lot of ironic twerking and such a perfect fit for the song, as Allen throws major shade at the current pop culture. It starts with Allen undergoing liposuction wearing full makeup. Her male manager asks, "Jesus, how could somebody let themselves get like this". She defends herself saying “Um, I had two babies," but he and a doctor ignore her and continue talking about her as if she isn't there. Allen begins to mime and then jumps off the operating table. Then she removes her hospital gown and begins a synchronized dance routine with some female twerking dancers.

Ed Sheeran has shared the music video for the intimate acoustic folk ballad "I See Fire," an original song he wrote for the soundtrack of Peter Jackson's upcoming Hobbit sequel film "The Desolation of Smaug," which is due out on December 13. The song is available to purchase on iTunes, while "The Desolation of Smaug" soundtrack is currently available for pre-order ahead of its December 10th release date. Sheeran has been hard at work on a follow-up to his massive debut LP, 2011's "+." In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, he claims to be planning three albums for the next three years.
The haunting track is right in line with Sheeran's trademark style, filled with dramatic crooning and quiet acoustic guitars. Sheeran penned the emotional ballad "I See Fire" for the end credits of the movie. His first solo track released in two years gave Sheeran the opportunity to produce the song and play all the instruments, including picking up a violin for the first time. "Managed to learn violin for a day," he tweeted earlier last week. "Hope you all dig it." The haunting a cappella open of the tune proves that Sheeran totally nailed the "Hobbit" sensibility. "Oh misty eye of the mountain below/Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls," he sings.
"And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke/Keep watching over Durin's son." A gently strummed acoustic guitar then comes in as Sheeran sings anew about fire and flames, grasping at ropes, raising glasses of wine and dying in unison. There are promises of more fire and flames, that is, until "Desolation comes upon the sky." The stark black-and-white video shows the British songwriter in the recording studio, laying down his vocal harmonies and guitar. Jackson captured the moment when a starry-eyed, hoodie-wearing Sheeran first walked into the studio, looking surprised by the camera and asking where he should set up his gear.
It's a fittingly intimate clip for Sheeran, who actually produced and recorded all the instruments himself (apart from the weepy cello line). The black-and-white performance footage of Sheeran is intercut with full-color scenes from the film, which, of course, also contain images of fire, so much fire. At one point, the studio scene switches to color and we see the singer sitting on the arm of a couch playing the song's melancholy violin solo and tweaking lyrics on this laptop. The nearly six-minute clip ends with a grinning Sheeran getting his photo taken with Jackson and some of the other essential soundtrack crew in the studio.

After much teasing, Atlanta rapper Future brings the camera crew to outer space in the highly-anticipated new futuristic video on MTV immediately before the start of its "2013 MTV EMA" for his collaboration with Miley Cyrus and G.O.O.D Music crooner Mr. Hudson titled "Real And True," the Mike Will Made It-produced tune will be the third official single from 29-year-old Future's upcoming sophomore studio album "Honest," scheduled for release in early 2014 via Freebandz, A1, Epic Records.
Future, who recently got engaged with Ciara, spit-sings of unconditional love on the new love song. Cyrus and Mr. Hudson alternate belting the hook on the "Honest" track, while Future harmonizes." Future explained during an appearance on MTV's RapFix Live that the English singer-songwriter Mr. Hudson sent him the hook ready for his raps. "I worked with Miley Cyrus when we were working on her project, for her album," he said. "I was doing some records in Vegas and Mr. Hudson sent a hook back he did on a Mike Will track. He played it for Miley and she wanted to be a part of it, so I'm putting the record on my album also."
Future's been making tender crossover ballads for years, but "Real And True," a monogamy-celebrating prom song that's smartly pegged to Future and Ciara's engagement, is the first one that will make it to the pop charts. No one does wide-eyed, goose-bumped pillow talk quite like Future does. Here, his lyrics are stubbornly innocent, if sung with more clarity than ever before. Future showed up on Cyrus' recent album "Bangerz." But it's still a bit of a shock to hear Cyrus on an actual Future track. The new "Real And True" is a planetarium synth ballad with a chorus from Cyrus and whitebread Mr. Hudson along for the ride. It's a weird song!
Directed by Rankin, the picturesque visual for "Real And True" sees the three take the roles of astronauts on a mission. Future and Mr. Hudson start the video in a spacecraft, where they've located an unconscious Cyrus on a planet who stars as a silver-sheen nude alien that has an unexplained, intense bond with the human Future. From there, the video shows the budding romance between Future and Cyrus, as Future falls in love with her despite their differences in origin. "It's about somebody sacrificing their life for love, This video is probably one of the most special videos to me" Future told MTV.

RaVaughn has released a music video for her real love song "Best Friend," the second single from her upcoming solo debut album, "Love Always," which features production from Ne-Yo, The-Dream, Babyface, Eric Hudson, and Jerry Wonda. The singer-songwriter from California, who is initially signed to Ne-Yo's imprint Compound University which includes artists such as Adrienne Bailon, who later moved to Columbia Records in 2011, is steady working hard on her inaugural album, slated to release later this year. Until then, the pipe-flexing songstress teases us with "Best Friend."
Born in Carson, California, RaVaughn's passion for music started at an early age. At age 16, RaVaughn won two rounds and qualified for the finals in "Showtime at the Apollo" at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City. Influenced by artists like Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, and Anita Baker, Beyoncé Knowles, and Nas. RaVaughn brings a unique twist to R&B mixing in pop and rock elements of her own. After attending college in New York and putting out a few demos and has recorded background vocals for multiple artists including Celine Dion, Natasha Bedingfield,Jennifer Hudson and R&B singer Brandy.
The friend zone ballad, that many women will be able to relate to is an acoustic, guitar-driven track with RaVaughn's smoky vocals sounds sweet as could be. "I just feel like it's so relatable to everybody," the stylish and beautiful RaVaughn told Rap-Up.com of the song, which she co-wrote with her sister. "It's just having that best friend where you fall in love with them and they don't know it, so you have to be that best friend and coach them through whatever they're asking you. The song is all about getting that courage to finally let that person know, 'I'm not your f**king best friend.'"
RaVaughn co-directed the clip with her younger sister, actress Rhyon Brown along with Talia Myers. Draped in gold flakes, the clip features the stylish and beautiful RaVaughn attempting to sort out her feelings for her best friend (played by Justin Walker), but it's hard to tell if he's feeling the same. As she soaks in a swimming pool filled with rose petals while reflecting on their relationship. They share tears, laughs, and hugs, but he doesn't realize that she's in love with him. "My favorite moment of the video is probably the whole pool scene, just because I've never done anything like that before. I had this gold glitter on my face, and we created a scene that was pretty much a fantasy."

Taking a break from Sugarland to work on her own, Jennifer Nettles released the video for her first solo single, "That Girl," her first solo single and the lead single and title track from her forthcoming debut solo album, which was inspired by motherhood, Rick Rubin, the visionary behind Johnny Cash's haunting, spare American recordings, '70s radio and more, the award-winning songwriter steps out on her own. As one of country music's finest vocalists, it was only a matter of time before the 39-year-old lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland would venture into a solo project. That time has finally come.
"That Girl," co-written by Nettles and longtime friend Butch Walker, is about 'the other woman' who is tricked into having relations with a man who did not reveal that he is already in a relationship. She contacts the man's wife and tells her that "I don't wanna be that girl." In particular, "That Girl" is a sultry and slinky response to "Jolene," the Dolly Parton classic about a woman pleading to another to not to "steal [her] man." The song is a mid-tempo country record with jazz and Flamenco elements. It features a fairly stripped-down production, driven by a percussion line, hand claps, and an acoustic guitar.
The story we get finds Nettles not wanting to be the other woman in anyone's life. It's simple.It's powerful. And mostly, it's unique in a land of songs about beer and rural field parties and paired with the jazzy, classic melody, it's too good to not suggest people seek out "That Girl" as soon as possible. Keeping true to her traditional roots, Nettles peppers in jazz, pop and even soul influences on the new track, balancing out what is commercially viable and what is true to country music: storytelling. While incorporating such modern production as hand-claps and a sleek shine, Nettles allows her voice and lyrics to reveal the story.
"That Girl" has a funky yet sultry feel, with confessional lyrics and a touch of danger. Better yet, the video does not disappoint in showing off the singer's remorseful side. Filmed in New York City, the Philip Andelman-directed video brings the song to life, and features Nettles portraying both female roles - her lover's "other woman" and his wife - in the song. It begins with Nettles lying on a hotel bed, singing to the "other woman" after finding out her handsome fellow wasn't just hers. She eventually comes to meet the man's 'real' squeeze, and she deliberates how to tell her she's not the only female in the situation. The video is the perfect visual portrayal of an affair that really wasn't supposed to be an affair at all.

Jhené Aiko spends a lazy day in bed with her rumored boyfriend, Childish Gambino, aka actor/comedian Donald Glover (30 Rock, Community), and take us to the past in their new vintage video for her latest hazy single "Bed Peace," the lead single from Aiko's forthcoming much-anticipated 7-track mixtape EP "Sail Out," dropping November 12. The singer explains that growing up in L.A., she's always been around noise and that's why she's advocating a movement for peace.
The L.A. songstress enlists Gambino for the acoustic jam, which she previously debuted for Rap-Up Sessions. "It's a very summer, feel-good type of song," Aiko told Rap-Up TV of the Fisticuffs production. An homage to Beatles icon John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono's 1969 "Bed-Ins for Peace," which was their grassroots approach of protesting the Vietnam War non-violently, and the historical angle provides an unexpectedly good fit for the dreamy alt-soul gem. And the sight of Gambino and Aiko as Lennon and Ono has sparked plenty of dating rumors, but she insists that they're just "good friends" and that "time will tell."
After generating a mountain of hype with a killer mixtape and high-profile features, the 25-year-old is ready to shake up the game with her silky smooth jazz-tinged vocals and original perspective. "It's like bridging the gap between [my mixtape] Sailing Soul(s) and Souled Out,” Aiko explained her new EP. "Sail Out has a lot of the hip-hop/rap influence on it, even with the beats. It's something you wanna put in your car." We are so ready for that Aiko project. See why she's one of R&B's hottest rising stars up top.
In the peace-and-love video for "Bed Peace," we see a strong resemblance to the aforementioned protest, but with an entirely different approach. 2013's celebrities are everywhere at once, able to ask and be asked questions directly via social media, no matter if they're in bed, at the gym, or on a shoot. Both the rapper and songstress get up close and personal, as these two play a couple staging their own bed-in, dressed in all-white pajamas, in their high-rise apartment, playing with flowers and taking bedside interviews from reporters one by one, as Aiko explains what it means to her to "sail out," and the clip fits in with the song's inspiration.

After ten massively successful years together, McFly return, all grown up, and are not a bonafide manband in the recently-released video for their brand spankin' new tune "Love Is On The Radio," the lead singer off English pop rock band's upcoming and still untitled sixth album as they celebrate an incredible decade of successful years together in the pop industry. A studio video the idea is so much fun and simple as we see the band descend into instrument thrashing paint throwing high jinx as the romantic upbeat song plays out.
The fave foursome group, who is made up from Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd, are expected to release their new album in spring 2014 which will be four years since their 2010 hit "Above The Noise." With a more organic sound established on last year's hit "Love Is Easy," it is a newly mature McFly shining throughout "Love Is On The Radio." It's a jaunty-folky track with a violin accompaniment with dashes of Americana and indie folk over a rousing drum beat. And it's catchy - just try not to sing 'Hey!' by the end of the second verse!
On the band's longevity drummer Judd told The Huffington Post: "It's like 95 percent of pop bands end up imploding after four or five years, and you can understand why, but thankfully it's different for us. Name a band it hasn't happened to? The only band that was remaining from our era was Girls Aloud but they kind of split up three years ago, they just came back recently for a reunion tour. Thankfully, we've had really good managers who've made sure that hasn't happened to us. If we needed to we'd be given a day or a week off, and thankfully we all got on really well and have got through any other problems together."
The song is a lighthearted, a bit of magical, folky number and the video couldn't be more suited to their fun and clean cut characters with miniature versions of themselves, guitar smashing, a tattooed lady on roller skates, a Michael Jackson impersonator and a whole lot more thrown in for good measure. Just when you thought McFly couldn't be any more hilarious, they go and peer pressure Dougie Poynter into spoofing Miley Cyrus and snogging a sledgehammer for their four minute short, which sees the boys set against a blue backdrop while they perform to camera. And by the end of it the band are covered in a rainbow of colored powder paint as a shower of multicolored paper falls from above.

Paramore are celebrating their just-wrapped U.K. tour with a new live performance video for their new single, "Daydreaming," the fourth overall single and the third single for the UK from the Tennessee rock band's self-titled fourth studio album. The up-lifting pop/rock track, produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen will be released on December 2nd. As the song slows down and Hayley Williams sings about dreaming of bigger and better things, the video turns to the very specific, manageable dreams of a couple of young fans: flying to London to see Paramore perform! Seems doable.
"Daydreaming" is one of the quieter, more contemplative highlights from the pop-emo band's big return album, This mid tempo ballad about wishing to build a world that matches the ones constructed in fantasies is one of the fruits of her positive outlook. Lead singer Williams says: "we are so excited to be releasing 'Daydreaming' as a single in the UK. Playing it on the tour we just finished over there was one of my favorite moments in the entire set. Thanks to everyone who came out to the Paratour! Hope every time you hear 'Daydreaming' on the radio it brings back good memories of singing along to it at the show."
When Williams began writing lyrics for the songs that appear on Paramore's first release as a three-piece following the departure of the Farro brothers, she found herself feeling more optimistic about the future of the band. As a song, "Daydreaming" channels The Smashing Pumpkins at their prettiest in a cool way. The song is a throwback to 1990's dream pop. and it's sugar-rush bridge, which is capped by a grandiose rush of riffs and guitars, seems not only designed for maximum lighter (or phone)-hoisting, it's plush enough for Williams' song-ending assertion that she's all right to sound like it's being issued from a safe place ashioned by the crashing music that preceded it.
The video is a triumphant glimpse into the band's recent world tour with behind the scenes and backstage footage. It also features a sort of of storyline as well, so it's more engaging than your typical concert-footage videos. Two Paramore fans leave home, and catch a flight to a far-away London to witness live the band's concert at the British capital's Wembley Arena last September. They manage to sneak into the Williams's dressing room backstage, say hi to her, and run to the arena's front row line before security catches them. How it all ends? The two friends enjoy the concert of their lives!

If being a scarily talented 17-year-old wasn't enough to be going on with, Birdy is back with a brand new and totally awesome video for her new single, "Light Me Up," the latest cut to be lifted from the British singer/songwriter's recent UK Top 10 sophomore album, "Fire Within," which dropped in September. This will be the third song released from the new album, and follows the singles "Wings" and "All You Never Say." Birdy says that the new track takes the album in an "unexpected 80s direction," will release on December 9 via 14th Floor/Atlantic Records.
Birdy continues her unique sound in this latest release, moving between melancholic verse and its upbeat pop chorus with her typical indie style. After releasing a slew of piano driven ballads, Birdy finally loosens up and puts out this joyous upbeat number. It's good to hear her open up her vocals for a change and show off that amazing range. Speaking about the new single, an empowering and upbeat track about the feeling of being close to and completely in tune with someone, which Birdy worked on with producer Rich Costey and Ryan Tedder. Birdy says "I'm really excited about releasing 'Light Me Up.' It has a bit of an 80's feel and it's really up-beat, it's a sound that no one's heard from me before. I can't wait to share the video with you all!"
Showing 'the real you' on your debut can be a tough, uphill battle for most artists. The old saying goes that "you've got your entire life to write your first album." But when Birdy came to the world's attention, she was only 15-year-old. Her first single, a cover of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love," was charted across the world and went platinum. Now though, the teen folk-pop sensation is ready to strike out on her own and let people get to see the 'real' her. Her new album "Fire Within" consists of her own original material and sees Birdy come to the forefront as a songwriter in her own right.
The accompanying music video starts casually enough, with Birdy stirring things up and walking through the streets of East London, singing and minding her own business. That is until a fairly mysterious and quite good looking stranger decides to chase her. Naturally they do what any self-respecting newly acquainted couple would and head for a market, to check out the selection of doughnuts and bagels hanging from a string on the ceiling. Sounds like the perfect date, no? The young singer/songwriter's gallivanting through one of the most colorful lighted flea market of sorts around with her love interest, and it's fitting for such a live-wire of an artist as she is.

One Direction unveiled the brand-new visual for their folk-esque tune "Story of My Life," the second single with each member posting a photo from their childhood, taken from English-Irish boy band's upcoming third studio album, "Midnight Memories," which will hit shelves on November 25th. The boys have been teasing for the past week with adorable family photo album snaps. Despite that slight hiccup with VEVO accidentally leaking the video for "Story of My Life" two days early, the boys are back with another premiere of the video, and it's a family affair.
It's yet another clip that's going to warm the deep, dark cockles of your heart too as Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson have decided it's about time to pay tribute to their nearest and dearest, getting their families well and truly involved with the video, as they are surrounded by pictures that tell their stories and they even recreate some of the pics in present day with their family members. It's a real heartfelt number. And it looks like the boys have been little heart breakers from day one as the chart-topping band share some adorable childhood photos.
"Story of My Life" is a mid-tempo, guitar-driven pop song with influences of folk pop, neofolk, arena rock, and alternative rock, which is said to be autobiographical with the band sticking to the theme as they tweeted their nostalgic photos as a toddler to promote the release of their new single. On the soaring ballad, the guys of One Direction channel the folk pop sound of "American Idol" winner Phillip Phillips. Whilst the cute childhood photos have no doubt got fans cooing the single's artwork features a more contemporary picture of the band with the boys seen sprawled out on a road alongside some excerpted lyrics.
To match the song's indie sound, the One Direction band members look rugged as they hang up their personal photographs up as they look back on their rise to fame in the tender new clip, directed by Ben Winston who also directed their previous video for the "Best Song Ever." Malik said in an interview last week that "Story of My Life" deals with old memories so the video seems to line up that theme. The emotional video starts in a dark room with the band developing photos. Afterwards, certain family photos for each member are shown, and the photos morph into the same family members doing a current recreation of the photos.

Back in September, Ellie Goulding asked "How Long Will I Love You" with a music video collecting snippets from the upcoming film "About Time," starring Rachel McAdams. That clip has since been disabled, but it's now been replaced with another video. Directed by filmmaker Roger Michell, the new visual for "How Long Will I Love You" serves a few purposes. It promotes Goulding's song, which is not only a bonus track on her deluxe "Halcyon Days," but also the official charity single for the BBC's "Children In Need," a campaign supporting disadvantaged youths in the U.K.
Speaking of her involvement, Goulding said: "I've grown up watching BBC Children in Need so it's fantastic that I'm doing this year's single! It is an emotional song, but in a really positive way, and I've been completely blown away with the positive reaction it's had already." The 26-year-old English indie pop starlet recorded this piano ballad for the Richard Curtis-directed British romantic comedy movie "About Time." The simple proclamation of undying love is a cover of Scottish band The Waterboys's track that originally appeared on their 1990 album, "Room to Roam." With emotional yet uplifting lyrics, the track is a great choice and well-suited to Goulding's soft, husky vocal style.
Filmed entirely on a Nokia Lumia 1020, the alternate new video is also a selection from Michell's forthcoming short film "Tom & Issy," and stars Goulding herself alongside actor Dylan Edwards. And, finally, the clip is also a shameless advertisement for the Nokia smartphone. These two-and-a-half-minutes offer a quick glimpse at the romantic relationship between Goulding and Edwards' characters, who are just two good-looking young people in love with each other and with their camera phone.
Look on as they message funny threads back and forth, the pair record highlights and filming a series of practical jokes from a daytime drive in the city with their Nokia Lumia 1020. Interspersed with the pranks are black and white shots of the pop star performing the track in a rooftop setting. Even though the video features a lot of laughs, the song is actually very emotional and soft, with some totally romantic lyrics! If Ariana Grande is the queen of '90s-inspired music videos, Goulding is unquestionably the queen of sweetly romantic ones, and this video also shows off her care free and fun side.

No word yet on a “Neon Lights” video treatment, but Demi Lovato has given fans a nice stopgap as she juggles a thousand-and-one projects (The X Factor! Glee! Touring! Promoting her own music!) by contributing the song "Let It Go," which is featured on the soundtrack for the upcoming Disney animated flick, "Frozen," and she sings in the dark and is surrounded by ice and snowflakes in her newest simple-but-sweet video for the track. In typical soundtrack style, it's footage of Lovato intercut with footage of the film, but the Demetria-centric stuff is lovely.
Disney's newest musical-fantasy, opens in US theaters on Thanksgiving. is loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson's fairly tale of a young girl named Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, who sets off on an epic journey-teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom."
"Let it go, let it go / Can't hold it back anymore," the 21-year-old 'X Factor' judge passionately sings in the chorus of the emotive liberation-themed power ballad. Then, "Standing frozen / In the life I've chosen / You won't find me / The past is all behind me," go the powerful lyrics of the propulsive bridge. "Let It Go" was penned by couple Robert Lopez & Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The song was originally performed by Broadway queen Idina Menzel who plays the central role of Elsa and performs the song in "Frozen" itself, but Lovato's powerful pipes absolutely demolish it.
Winter comes early in Lovato's new clip which is set in a mansion, atop a snowy mountain, where the glam singer, still in her blond-hair era, looks a bit sullen is bundled up in black, lacy Gothic dress inside a cold, dark and abandoned mansion and all of its furniture is covered in white sheets. As Lovato makes her way through the estate, even sitting at the piano, playing with some of the treasures, and expressively pours her heart out. With every room Lovato goes through, it seems she begins to feel more and more empowered. When she hits her most inspiring notes, she's suddenly a new woman with a gorgeous white gown, and throws the covers off of the furniture and the mansion is full of sunlight. The video's empowering message certainly pays homage to the film.

Thirty Seconds to Mars just came out with a star-studded documentary video for the most personal song "City of Angels," the second single off the rock band's fourth album, "Love Lust Faith + Dreams." Directed by frontman Jared Leto, who is known for his epic short films-come-music-videos, but this one is a bit more restrained when it comes to special effects and visuals. Instead, it relies on interviews with stars, L.A. residents and celebrity impersonators to provide the story, intercut with sweeping images of Leto and Co. singing on California rooftops against a setting sun.
Though the song title references the nickname of Los Angeles, Leto explained that it focuses on the two brothers' dreams of making it in Los Angeles. The pair also discussed the video itself, as well as the band's relationship with their devoted supporters. "It could refer to any place where you go to fulfill your dreams, he added, "That was a very personal song, obviously, about a specific place: Los Angeles. But it could be... well, when I was a younger kid, it was New York City. That was the place where I went to make my dreams come true, at that time to be a painter, an artist. But it could be Paris, it could be Shanghai, it could be San Francisco, Palo Alto, anywhere. A place where you go to realize yourself and your dreams."
It was christened "The City of Angels," but Los Angeles, for the thousands of stars and would-be stars who arrive there every year is also a place of dreams, broken dreams, and plenty of nightmares. In total the mini-movie spans more than 11 minutes, Leto evokes some pretty dramatic statements from these celebrities who getting emotional while recounting their experience. The video is billed as a "Bartholomew Cubbins Film" but, and he borrowed the name from a Dr. Seuss book so people would not picture him when they read the name.
Helmed by Leto himself, who told Rolling Stone, "I made up the story that he's some insanely obnoxious Danish albino," under his Bartholomew Cubbins alter ego, the clip combines footage of the band performing the song and shots of the impactful Hollywood icons, as they speak to the camera about their thoughts, experiences and address very mixed emotions about the entertainment capital in candid interviews and recall their own journeys to the storied city.