Katy Perry vs. Gaga: Who are you rooting for?

A new pop battle is upon as, as Katy Perry and Lady Gaga will release their new singles in August. Supposedly, Katy Perry will release the first single off her next album Prism next month, while Lady Gaga will also release her new single Applause, from her upcoming album ARTPOP on August 19.

Dr. Luke, who is the producer of Katy's new single (who else?), tweeted that the song starts with an 'R'. Like that is somehow important... (?). At least it doesn't start with a #.

In other ridiculous related news, Gaga has posted the single cover for Applause. It's this... thing here:

If you were expecting anything normal, you've been naive. So, whose song do you think/hope will be more successful/outrageous/ridiculous? Comment below or Gaga from this cover will come to haunt you in your dreams.

Backstreet Boys - In A World Like This: Track by track review

OK I am definitely positively surprised with the new BSB album. Almost all the tracks that have leaked prior to its release were boring so I wasn't expecting the album to be any good. But - there are some amazing songs on it. The album sounds like Unbreakable pt.2, and sure there are some filler tracks, but also some great songs. Let's start:

1. In A World Like This - I get it why this was chosen as the 1st single, it's a nice comeback song, catchy but nothing groundbreaking. (5/5)

2. Permanent Stain - I still can't get over the title, it's just gross (am I the only one thinking that?). The song is totally average, with a chorus that tries to be upbeat but doesn't really deliver. (3/5)

3. Breathe - I love the beginning of this song. In fact, the whole song is very nice, with some acoustic guitars and great lyrics (4/5)

4. Madeleine - This is a standout track for me. Again, acoustic guitars and a nice, slow rhythm - beautiful. (5/5)

5. Show 'Em (What Your Made Of) - The beginning of this one reminds me of some other song but I can't put my finger on which one. Anyway, another great ballad with a big chorus. (4/5)

6. Make Believe - My favorite song on the album, a powerful ballad that needs to be the next single. The boys sound amazing in it, I just can't at how amazing the song is! (5/5)

7. Try - A slow, relaxing song that doesn't really fit in on this album. Still, some may like it. (2/5)

8. Trust Me - Continuing in the same style, another acoustic ballad. There are much better songs here so you can skip this one. (2/5)

9. Love Somebody - Another forgettable song, sounds very much like Permanent Stain. (3/5)

10. One Phone Call - The verses are actually quite good (I like the part when they sing "I'm guilty as charged"), but the boring chorus ruins the song. (3/5)

11. Feels Like Home - Things are starting to pick up near the end of the album. A cool, upbeat song with some interesting lyrics. I definitely recommend this one! (5/5)

12. Soldier - Another great song with a very catchy chorus! (5/5)

13. Light On - And the most upbeat song has been saved for last - one of the best songs on the album, needs to be a single asap!  (5/5)

Final rating:

UK singles chart review: Avicii, 1D & co.

Well, dahlings, Simon Cowell and the X Factor are still a few months away, but that's no reason not to check out what's going on in the UK charts this week! I decided to do this column now because the no.1 spot is still held by Avicii and his song Wake Me Up, which I love! I never really paid attention to his music so I was surprised by how much I like this song. The lyric video is also great and inspiring, take a look if you haven't already:

No.2 are the One Direction boys with Best Song Ever (that's questionable at best).
No.3 is the inevitable Blurred Lines, skipping that one...
No.4 is John Newman with Love Me Again. I don't really like his voice so were skipping this one too, along with no.5 (Icona Pop - I Love It). (Who said I had to be unbiased? This is my blog.)
Naughty Boy and Sam Smith are no. 6 with La La La. This one has an interesting video, and the song is also worth a listen. Catchy!

No.7 is the beautiful Let Her Go by Passenger, which I already wrote about.
Still in the top 10 (obviously a miracle) is Bang Bang by will.i.am at no.8, followed by the amazing Get Lucky (Daft Punk ft. Pharrell) and Come & Get It (Selena Gomez).

Which song do you think will be the best song ever (well, next week) at the charts? Also, why is there no video yet for Get Lucky? Am I missing something?...

Jay Sean - Neon: Track by track review

And I was really looking forward to this album... I love Jay Sean's previous albums, especially My Own Way and All Or Nothing, so I thought this was gonna be another treat, but no. All of the songs are very similar, in the same mid-tempo beat and you probably won't remember any of them after the first listen. There's no big hits on this album, so don't expect anything like Down, I Won't Tell, War or Stay.

1. Neon - the album opener should really tell you everything about the album - quite generic and uninspired. (2/5)

2. Luckiest Man - sounds as if Jay is working with the same team doing the new Backstreet Boys' album. This one has some cheesy lyrics... (2/5)

3. Words - this one starts off good, kind of like All Or Nothing, but it doesn't reach its full potential, with another boring chorus. (3/5)

4. Where You Are - the 1st single of the album, the only track that stands out (although not at the same level as songs from his previous albums). Definitely listen to this one. (5/5)

5. Guns N Roses - same as most of the other songs, I don't wanna repeat myself... Feel free to skip it. (2/5)

6. Mars - 2nd single, no idea why it was chosen.  The record label people probably just closed their eyes and pointed at a random song. (2/5)

7. Miss Popular - this one reminds me of Jay's old sounds, which is why I like it, even though it doesn't really stand out. It's another mid-tempo, but worth a listen (3.5/5)

8. Close To You - has a bit of a different sound that the other songs, but still very forgettable. (2/5)

9. Deep End - verses are good, worth a listen. (3/5)

10. Worth It All - this one also sounds like something from All Or Nothing. The chorus is nice, also worth a listen. (3/5)

11. Passenger Side - copy/paste from Guns N Roses (2/5)

12. All On Your Body - I got my hopes up with this one because it starts good, but doesn't live up to expectations. Still, it has a lot of attitude so I can see why people may like it. (3/5)

13. Break Of Dawn - next, heard it already, skip, etc. (2/5)

14. Sucka For You - I hate it when they do this. This one also starts good, like it's finally gonna be an upbeat song, and then after the intro it turns into another boring mid-tempo song. Skip. (2/5)

Final rating:

Jay Sean premieres new album Neon on Vevo

As you may have read, Jay Sean will officially release his new album Neon on July 30, but before that day comes, he made the album available for listening on Vevo. Here's the full playlist for your audio enjoyment.

Since it's kinda late and I wanna go to sleep, I'll get back to you tomorrow with the full track-by-track review of the album.

PS. Is this now becoming a thing that albums get released on Vevo/Youtube first? I guess they know they can't stop them from leaking early (this sounds so wrong after I read it again), so they might as well make it legal.

Backstreet Boys premiere new songs from 'In A World Like This'

Backstreet Boys have premiered more new songs from their upcoming album In A World Like This: One Phone Call, Trust Me and Soldier.

I'm not really crazy about this one, to be honest. The boys are still playing it safe, using the same sound that didn't brought them much success on their most recent albums. It's a mid-tempo-ish kinda song with no parts that actually stand out. It sounds like a filler from Black&Blue or their last 2 albums.

Trust Me is another average song in my opinion... I see why some people may like it though, it's cute and laid back, but nothing special.

Saving the best for last, Soldier is a bit similar to One Phone Call, but much better, with a great chorus that stays in your head after just 1-2 listens. This one should definitely be a single.

Call Me Maybe like you've never seen it before

I'm not a fan of 'Call Me Maybe' at all, but these guys have made a wacky, vintage version of the song, I just had to share it.

Special shout-out to the person (Scythe0fBodom) who made this comment on YouTube:

"I like the two invisible dogs she's petting."

Listen to snippets of Diana Vickers' new album 'Music To Make Boys Cry'

"I've always liked my romance bittersweet" says Diana Vickers on the title track of her upcoming album 'Music To Make Boys Cry', which is out this September. It will contain 10 songs and you can listen to previews of each song on Amazon. The title track has already leaked in full and it sounds great!

Judging by the tracklist, which has some interesting titles (Better in French, Lightning Strikes, Mr.Postman), the album should be fun. Besides, it's been a while since her previous album Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree was released, and we're ready for new Diana music.

The album cover is a bit messy, as you can see above, with letters covering almost half the picture. Also, I don't get it why they chose that picture for the cover, it looks very random, like she wasn't even ready to get her picture taken... Anyway, here is the full tracklist for the new album:

1. 'Cinderella'
2. 'Music to Make Boys Cry'
3. 'Lightning Strikes'
4. 'Dead Heat'
5. 'Boy in Paris'
6. 'Better in French'
7. 'Mad at Me'
8. 'Smoke'
9. 'Blame Game'
10. 'Mr. Postman'

Selena overload - Slow Down video is out!

Wow, there's a lot of stuff going on in the Selena Gomez music world right now. After the album has leaked a few days ago, the video for the 2nd single, Slow Down, has just been released!

The video sees Selena driving in a car, dancing in a club 'in the neon lights' and other scenes one would expect in a video for a song like this. Still, she looks amazing and there is even a (kind of a) dance breakdown scene, which is new for her videos.

My favorite scene is the one in the 2nd verse where she is walking down the street, just looking great. Ok then, I'll stop writing so you can go watch it right now!

Watch at your own peril - The Pierces / Sticks & Stones

This is one of my fave videos ever - it's a video for the song Sticks & Stones by the lovely and amazing sisters The Pierces. I thought about describing it first, but I don't wanna say too much or I'll spoil all the fun. Enjoy....

Selena Gomez - Stars Dance album: Track by track review

It's finally here! Selena's new album has graced us with its presence (or whatever) and of course I had to do a track-by-track review of it. It's kind of a mixed bag, not as good as I had expected, but still it's above average. Let's kick it off (links are in the song titles):

1. Birthday - I cannot believe this song even made it to the album, let alone got the #1 spot. It's so incredibly annoying from the very 1st second, I just can't. (1/5)

2. Slow Down - the 2nd single and the 2nd song on the album is for me definitely the best one! Can't wait for the video. (5/5)

3. Stars Dance - a really interesting song with string instruments and some interesting lyrics. The chorus is beautiful and reminds me of elves from Lord of the Rings. (5/5)

4. Like a Champion - I have a feeling people will either love or hate this song. I love it. At first listen, the chorus was so ridiculous, but it's very catchy and now I just love the whole song and can't wait to go through the city listening to this on my earphones. (5/5)

5. Come & Get It - we all know this one, the amazing 1st single from this album and Selena's biggest hit so far. Amazing. (5/5)

6. Forget Forever - this song had leaked a while ago under the name Rule The World and I was not impressed. It's an average song that kinda has potential, but it's not her best. (3/5)

7. Save The Day - another great song, very catchy and upbeat. Definitely one of the best and I can see it being the next single. The pre-chorus and chorus are the best parts. (5/5)

8. B.E.A.T. - as of this song, the album goes downhill. This one is very repetitive and almost as annoying as Birthday, with some weird sound effects and random pauses in the middle of verses... I don't get it at all. (1/5)

9. Write Your Name - another average song and also very repetitive. The best part comes after the second chorus when she starts speaking. (3/5)

10. Undercover - a great song, kinda like Slow Down pt.2, but not as good. (4/5)

11. Love Will Remember - a nice ballad that leaked a few days ago. The chorus is great, definitely grows on you. (3/5)

12. Nobody Does It Like You - a forgettable, mid-tempo song. Definitely skip this one. (2/5)

13. Music Feels Better - this one sounds familiar, like something Kylie would do. It's a nice song and the voice effects sound really good! (3.5/5)

Well, there you go. I recommend you give the album a listen, there are definitely some great songs on it. Still, I don't think it's nearly as good as Selena's previous albums When The Sun Goes Down and A Year Without Rain.

Final rating (Selena fans will get it):

Backstreet Boys debut new video - In A World Like This!

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the new vid for the 1st single off Backstreet Boys' new album (also titled In A World Like This) is here. It's a sweet summer video that fits the vibe of the song and includes the guys in a field, next to some lovely trees, etc.

New things I noticed in this vid:

1. Obviously, Kevin. The boys are back together again for this album :)

2. They're playing guitars (Nick & Brian)

3. All the boys have a roughly equal number of lines (not like before when Howie & Kev mostly got left out)

There are also some scenes with people watching TV reports (moon landing, terrorist attacks, gay marriage), which kind of take up too much time and just drag on, but ok...

What can I say, nothing groundbreaking but worth a watch.

Perfect summer song - The Kooks / See The Sun

Just a quick post to show my love and appreciation for this cool song - See The Sun - by a UK band The Kooks. Here is the alternate version of the song (which I prefer):

The album version is more upbeat and also very good, I just prefer the music in the first one.

Selena Gomez's new song leaks - Love Will Remember

So, in anticipation of Selena Gomez's new album Stars Dance, which is about to drop, a new song has leaked, and it's called Love Will Remember. 

There's a lot of commotion about the beginning of the song, since it's supposedly a (cringeworthy) voicemail love message to her by Justin Bieber himself, which I seriously doubt. I mean, come on! True, I have no idea what Justin sounds like when he talks (and barely an idea about him singing), but still I think it's far-fetched that it's him.

The song itself is nothing special imo. Selena isn't really good at ballads, and this is another proof (although Ghost Of You is great). After a few listens it sticks with you, but once the album comes out, this will probably be one of the songs you'll skip.

Oh Land - My Boxer

Hmmm this is a weird one... I feel like I shouldn't like it but I do.

Danish singer Oh Land is back with a new song My Boxer, from her upcoming album Wish Bone (I'm loving the title), out in September. The song has a similar rhythm like her previous one, Renaissance Girls, but unlike that one, I really like My Boxer.

It's a weird song about a boxer that's living in her ears, with lyrics such as "I'm the film, he's the subtitles." She speaks the lyrics and hums throughout the song, but somewhere near the end she starts shouting and it becomes a bit creepy and I love it!

There's also a vid for the song that shows her driving a bike and just being cool, so take a look:

The best part comes at the end when the song stops and she just says - "Horrible."

It's finally here are we are not worthy! Britney - Ooh La La video

It has finally happened, Britney's new video has been released to this planet! Check out Ooh La La (from the movie Smurfs 2) if you haven't already (which I doubt):

It's a cute video featuring Brit's boys, who look adorable, especially in the opening scene where they're in the cinema and later when they're standing next to Brit (3.35).

Also, there's a lot of Britney scenes, even though I thought it was mainly gonna be scenes from the movie, so that's good. Brit looks amazing as always and I'm actually starting to get into the song right now, it's catchy enough.

I don't expect the song to be a huge hit, but it made me want to see the movie Smurfs, which I thought was impossible.

P.S. A special shout out to Brit's shoes, which are flawless. (Every time Brit moved I thought she was gonna step on one of the Smurfs xD )

Ready for the big day? Britney's Ooh La La vid coming out soon!

Tomorrow @ noon ET, to be more precise, we'll all be able to enjoy  a new masterpiece by Britney! Until then, here's some new pics & gifs from the vid of Brit and her boys.

(Notice the girl in the back xD)

And some gifs for your viewing pleasure.

Brit looks cute as ever, I just wish she had more outfits, not just the red dress she's wearing is almost in every pic.

Tom Odell and his amazing album Long Way Down

The amazingly talented UK singer Tom Odell must have read my blog post about UK music and decided something needed to be done! Last week, he stormed up the UK album charts with his debut album Long Way Down at no.1. Here is a performance of the first track off the album, Grow Old With Me (my fave):

If you like this song, you will definitely like the whole album, which was just released on June 24. Tom has won the BRIT Critics' Choice Award before the album was even out, although he also has an EP Songs From Another Love, which was released in 2012.

If you have ears, you have probably already bought his album since reading this post, so what's your favorite song on it? Spill that tea!

So what do we think about Pink's new video for True Love?

Pink has just released her 4th single off her album The Truth About Love, and it's called True Love. When I started watching the video I thought I wasn't gonna write about it, because I thought the song was average and the video was messy, but after watching all of it I just had to.

The vid starts off with her and her family, some tour scenes, some cheap special effects, etc. Nothing to get your attention really. But then at 3.00 Pink starts spinning in a blender with vegetables. She is spinning in a blender with vegetables. [Saying this in a Simon-Cowell voice:] "What was that?" I mean really, who came up with that? xD

If we disregard that, there are lots of cute scenes in the vid of her and her kids, and my fave is the one at 3.29 when she gets chased by a giant pig toy.

Also, the song for some reason features Lily Allen, who doesn't fit in at all here, appears in just one scene and sings a few lines. The pig toy has a bigger role than her. All in all, it's a cute video for a cute song but nothing amazing like Just Give Me A Reason.

Mutya Keisha Siobhan - new single Flatline

So the original Sugababes are back with a new song! Who's excited? Probably many people are since it's been a while since Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan sang together. The song is called Flatline and it just might be a hit, more because of the hype of their reunion than because the song is actually great. It's good, but I don't think it's anything special. I really like the beginning and the music throughout the song, but the song is not really their best.

Also, they apparently now go by the name 'Mutya Keisha Siobhan' (MKS). I guess that was easier than coming up with a new name... any name. Come on, anything would be better than just putting your three names one after the other.

Matt Cardle and other vegetables...

A friend, who shall remain nameless for the purposes of hiding her identity, asked me to write about a new song by Matt Cardle (former X Factor UK winner) & Melanie C. Against my better judgment I decided to do it because I have nothing better to do. Here's the lyric vid and don't get your hopes up.

First of all, both the song and the vid are generic and forgettable. I'll admit I didn't even listen to the full thing (stopped about 2min. in). Second of all, if he wanted to revive his career, he should have chosen someone more current to duet with, but I guess no one wanted to... (Surprised he didn't make a song with Akon or Wyclef Jean.)

So, to avoid this thread being a total flop, here's a nice video of fun. performing their latest single Why Am I The One. Perfection in musical form :)

Britney tweets about new album!

Britney got her fans all excited tweeting about her new album, which she previously announced was coming out by the end of this year.

Really excited 2 give u a taste of my new album... can't wait 2 share what I've been working on. Going to be my most personal album ever

She also thanked her fans for voting in a Billboard poll for her new music as the most anticipated event in the music world of 2013.

Most Anticipated Event of 2013's Second Half: 

1. New Music From Britney Spears (23%) 

2. New Music From Lady Gaga (19%) 

3. Beyonce's 'Mrs. Carter' Tour… And Album? (17%)

Let's hope the new single will come out soon so we'd have something to listen to until the album comes out. Until then let's enjoy in this gem - unreleased track Dangerous!

Mohombi has a brand new single - Tourguide!

The cool Swedish-Congolese singer Mohombi is back with a new single y'all! It's called Tourguide and it's exactly what you would expect from him, totally his style.

The song is not really up to his usual standards, not nearly as catchy as his previous singles Bumpy Ride, Dirty Situation (ft.Akon) and Coconut Tree (ft.Nicole Scherzinger) but it's still pretty good. I mean, it's Swedish pop, and nothing else needs to be said... Well, I could write all day about all the Swedish singers I love (Anders Fernette, A*Teens, ABBA...) but I'm just gonna put one more vid of Mohombi for now :) Enjoy!

What's going on in the UK charts??

That's what I'd like to know! I'm looking at the top 100 and it doesn't make much sense. Let's start with the top 10.

No.1 is some song I have no desire to even listen to, I Love It by Icona Pop (2 girls obviously). The name of the duo is irritating and they also look irritating so I'm just gonna skip them.
No.2 is the inevitable Blurred Lines, which I'm not gonna write about again.
No.3 is Bang Bang by will.i.am, which for some reason jumped from no.42 last week (?!). It doesn't even feature some mega star like Britney or Justin Bieber (ugh), so I don't get it how it got so high...
No.4 is another mystery to me... Walks Like Rihanna by The Wanted. Cringeworthy title, cringeworthy lyrics (She can't sing, she can't dance, but who cares, she walks like Rihanna.). No, thank you.
Finally an amazing song - no.6 is The Passenger with Let Her Go, which is totally my jam rn!

Even though the song came out like a year ago, it's now in the UK charts...
No.8 is another favorite of mine that I already wrote about - Daft Punk and Get Lucky, and no.10 is Olly Murs with Dear Darlin', one of the best songs of his latest album (Right Place Right Time).

Some other bizarre appearances are Jason Mraz with I'm Yours at no.33 (this is the song's 163rd week in the charts, so you do the math how many years ago it was released) and Evanescence with Bring Me To Life (which was released 10 years ago).

Are people in the UK running out of good songs? I'll get back to you on this issue!