Archive: November 2009 (71-80 of 119)

Nov 11 2009 12:06 PM ET

Carrie Underwood tops the albums chart

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Categories: Carrie Underwood, Charts, Foo Fighters, Glee, Weezer

We’re well into the swing of the music industry’s all-important fourth quarter now, with major releases arriving in droves nearly every week. Carrie Underwood‘s Play On led the pack this week with a strong 318,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That was more than enough for a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200; last week’s winner, Michael Jackson‘s This Is It, dropped off to a still-solid 196,000 for a No. 2 finish.

Andrea Bocelli bowed at No. 3 with 149,000 copies sold of his yuletide collection My Christmas. Glee: The Music, Vol. 1, rounding up many cover tunes from the Fox series that have already seen substantial digital sales, made it to No. 4 with 113,000. No. 5 went to NOW That’s What I Call Music! 32, which sold 102,000 with recent hits from the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Jay Sean, and more. (What, no Owl City?) Weezer hit No. 7 with 66,000 copies sold of Raditude — not an awful number in and of itself, but only about half of what their previous album sold in its first week last summer. Ouch. Down at No. 11, Foo Fighters sold 44,000 copies of their Greatest Hits. Slayer brought a World Painted Blood to No. 12 with 41,000.

And that was it for Top 20 debuts this week. Were you surprised to see how high or low any of these albums placed? Are you, like the record-buying public at large, suffering from Weezer Fatigue? (Sorry, Rivers! Hey, I really enjoy the single.) Weigh in below.

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Charts on the Music Mix
Wyclef Jean on his new album, the future of the Fugees, and being confused with will.i.am
Aerosmith 2.0: Who should replace Steven Tyler?
The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on live albums, vampires, and Sinatra: A Music Mix Q&A

Nov 11 2009 11:30 AM ET

Justin Bieber on 'True Jackson, VP': Watch an exclusive clip

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Categories: Television, Video Exclusive

Justin-Bieber-True-JacksonRounding the home stretch of a tween-media blitzkrieg for his debut album My World (out Nov. 17), Justin Bieber stopped by the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP for a guest spot on the show’s season premiere (airing Nov. 14 at 8:30 ET/PT).

In the EW exclusive clip below, teen fashion exec True (Keke Palmer) and friends Lulu (Ashley Argota) and Ryan (Matt Shively) sneak into a studio to spy on the singer while he lays down an acoustic take on his hit single “One Time.”

Bieber’s music might be engineered to light up the squeal cortex of teen girls’ brains, but I’ve got to say, “One Time” is one fine piece of pop. And this bare-bones version (which he’s brought out for a few other promotional gigs) gives the 15-year-old a chance to show off a softer, less micro-processed side of his sound. Not to mention the fact that the major-fourth harmonies… oh, screw it. I like the song, OK? Watch the clip after the jump and see what you think.

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 11 2009 10:33 AM ET

Sugarland on their next album, upcoming tour, and their pitch for the 'Twilight: Eclipse' soundtrack

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Categories: Country, Y'all!, Sugarland, Twilight

Their debut album, Twice the Speed of Life, was just certified triple platinum, and as of tonight’s CMA Awards — where Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush will premiere “Keep You” in a laser field — they will have performed all but two of Love on the Inside‘s songs on television: only “Take Me As I Am” and “Very Last Country Song” remain unconquered. (LotI, btw, was just certified double platinum, and is also up for CMA Album of the Year.)

So it’s time for another album cycle in Sugarland, say Bush and Nettles, who are aiming for a “summerish” release date. “We’ve already been writing,” Nettles told EW before Monday’s CMA rehearsal. “We have to go in the studio at the beginning of next year, at some point.” This is no surprise to fans who caught the live show in 2009, where they were treated to new material like “So Long” and “Take Me For A Ride,” but there’s no guarantee those songs will eventually appear on the album. “We’re not afraid to put stuff out there,” said Nettles, but Bush cautioned, “Some things just show up once in our land.” Another fan favorite, the overtly non-country groove of “Blood on Snow,” appears primed and ready for an appearance on a certain vampiric movie soundtrack. So is Twilight: Eclipse in the game plan? “Call ‘em up! That’d be great!” grinned Nettles. “Just say ‘Twilight’ again!” said Bush. (Twilight.)

As they await their undead fate, the two will crank up a new tour, featuring more of their trademark theatricality. “Bigger, better, faster, more,” is how Bush described it. ”We’re working on the narrative now,” said Nettles, who will divulge only that “music is a powerful healer, and the way that translates to people… I don’t want to give it away. That’s a really beautiful sentiment. But it’s more fun than that.” When asked why they refuse to just stand there and sing the hits like everybody else, Nettles replied, “Cause we’re artists as well as entertainers. We like to create not only music, but a musical experience when we’re performing live, and we like for that to have meaning, and depth, and layers, and texture beyond the songs that are happening.” Bush continued, “It matters because we’re fans of music, and I think it would matter if I was a fan of us.”

What do you think, Mixers? Do you appreciate this duo’s dedication to “meaning and depth”? Have you heard any of the new material on tour? And does a country band belong on the Twilight soundtrack? Leave it in the comments, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @EWMusicMix!

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
CMA Entertainer of the Year poll: Who will win? Who should win?
Monday CMA rehearsal Not-Quite-Liveblog: Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, and more!
Sunday CMA rehearsal Not-Quite-Liveblog: Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, and more!
The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on live albums, vampires, and Sinatra: A Music Mix Q&A
Exclusive Monsters of Folk video: ‘The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me’


Photo Credit: Kate Powers/ABC

Nov 11 2009 07:57 AM ET

The 2009 CMA Awards: We live-blogged it!

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Categories: Country, Y'all!, Live Blog!

Live from Nashville, it’s the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards, and EW.com is liveblogging… RIGHT NOW!

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
CMA Entertainer of the Year poll: Who will win? Who should win?
Monday CMA rehearsal Not-Quite-Liveblog: Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, and more!
Sunday CMA rehearsal Not-Quite-Liveblog: Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, and more!

Photo Credit: Bob D’Amico/ABC

Nov 10 2009 06:29 PM ET

Michael Jackson, Beatles vindicated as 'Billboard' changes chart rules

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Categories: Charts

Number-Ones--Abbey-Road_lBillboard announced today that starting later this month, its flagship Billboard 200 chart will reflect comprehensive sales of all albums, old and new. How come?

To understand the changed rules, think back to the awkward chart situation that followed Michael Jackson’s death this past summer. Sales of his work immediately skyrocketed, and for six non-consecutive weeks, his greatest-hits set Number Ones was the best-selling album in the U.S. Yet since it was more than 18 months old, Number Ones‘ sales weren’t counted for the Billboard 200. It was instead relegated to lesser-seen charts like Top Comprehensive Albums and Top Pop Catalog Albums, while lower-selling new releases like Sugarland’s Live on the Inside topped the the Billboard 200. A similar fate befell the Beatles’ reissued albums, several of which would have qualified for Top 10 spots on the Billboard 200 this fall if they weren’t so old.

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 10 2009 04:45 PM ET

Them Crooked Vultures: The rock supergroup streams their entire album online

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Categories: Dave Grohl, Let's Argue!, Music, New Stuff, Supergroups, Them Crooked Vultures, Things That Are Free!, Things We Love

Rock geek dream supergroup Them Crooked Vultures just leaked their entire album online today. For the uninitiated, The band’s membership is made up of Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme singing and shredding on guitar, Foo Fighter/Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl on sticks, and John Paul Jones of LED FREAKING ZEPPELIN on bass and keyboards. Amazing x 3 + holy crap = I’m gonna by this album.

But why did they release their entire 13-track album a week early? According to an email they sent out to fans, “F— PATIENCE, LET’S DANCE. STREAM THE FULL ALBUM NOW.”

Succinctly put, sirs, and hardly misleading—Them Crooked Vultures’ self-titled debut is the booty-shaking kind of hard rock that Homme has experimented with before, but never have the results been so much fun. The dance-tastic “Scumbag Blues” even has a keyboard funk vamp!

Songs like “New Fang” and “Dead End Friends” boast Zep’s God-of-Thunder-style drumming (courtesy of their disciple Grohl) and QOTSA’s inventive guitar playing… they even throw in a few drops of Vanilla Fudge’s psych-metal for flavor. For evidence, listen to “Elephant” below:

So what do you think—now that you can hear it in full, are you more likely to buy when it’s released on November 17th in the U.S.? And how do the Vultures measure up to other hard rock supergroups, like, say, Audioslave, Velvet Revolver or The Dead Weather?

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Aerosmith 2.0: Who should replace Steven Tyler?
The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on live albums, vampires, and Sinatra: A Music Mix Q&A
Exclusive Monsters of Folk video: ‘The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me’
Muse: Watch the new video here
‘Say Anything’ turns 20: Cameron Crowe tells the story behind ‘In Your Eyes’

Nov 10 2009 01:56 PM ET

Lady Gaga's new 'Bad Romance' video: Her best yet?!

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Categories: Lady Gaga, Music Videos, New Stuff, Things That Are Awesome, Things That Are Sexy, Video Gaga

I need to admit something: I have watched Lady Gaga’s video for “Bad Romance” five times in a row now and I have no intention of stopping. That felt good. Thanks for being there for me, Music Mix-ers. I really feel your support.

But honestly this video is AHHHHHMAZING. There are more wardrobe changes than a Mariah Carey-episode of Cribs. The choreography incorporates elements of “Thriller” and the Twist(!). And I don’t think Gaga has ever looked prettier than in the close-ups where she’s more stripped down. On the flip side, I love those crazy dilated pupils she sports for much of the video.



“Paparazzi” used to be my favorite Lady Gaga video, but I think “Bad Romance” now takes the title.

What do you think, Music Mix-ers? Is this another masterpiece from Gaga? Or do you (blasphemy!) prefer the word “mess”?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Wyclef Jean on his new album, the future of the Fugees, and being confused with will.i.am
Aerosmith 2.0: Who should replace Steven Tyler?
The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on live albums, vampires, and Sinatra: A Music Mix Q&A
Monday CMA rehearsal Not-Quite-Liveblog: Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, and more!

Nov 10 2009 01:55 PM ET

CMA Entertainer of the Year poll: Who will win? Who should win?

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Categories: Awards Shows, Brad Paisley, Country, Y'all!, George Strait, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift

cma-awards-performers_lAs anticipation for the 43rd Annual CMA Awards builds (watch it Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ABC), so does the debate over who will — and should — be crowned Entertainer of the Year. This year’s nominees include four-time winner and reigning champion Kenny Chesney; Brad Paisley and Keith Urban, who’ve each been nominated for five years straight (Urban won once, in 2005); category newcomer Taylor Swift (who is the first solo female artist to be nominated since Faith Hill in 2000); and two-time winner George Strait (who’s been nominated a total of 17 times, but hasn’t taken the title since 1990).

Make your picks in the polls below. Remember: Unlike the ACM’s fan-voted Entertainer of the Year, the CMA’s top prize is selected by “industry professionals.” For more CMA news, read Whitney Pastorek’s rehearsal coverage, and come back to Music Mix on Wednesday night, when she live blogs from Nashville.

Photo credit: Chris Hollo/ABC; Strait: Daniel Locke/PR Photos

Nov 10 2009 01:22 PM ET

Wyclef Jean on his new album, the future of the Fugees, and being confused with will.i.am

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Categories: New Stuff, Q&A, Wyclef Jean

WYCELF_lOne of the hazards of celebrity is being confused with another famous person. And that’s just what happened to Wyclef Jean when some kid asked for his autograph, mistaking him for will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas. The erstwhile Fugee recalls the incident on the track “Warrior’s Anthem,” one of the cuts off his new album, From The Hut to the Projects to the Mansion, out today. The Music Mix hopes Wyclef cuffed the ignorant young whippersnapper behind his ear! “No,” he says, “I signed the autograph. But I said, ‘I am not will.i.am!’”

Wyclef explains that he made the CD, a collaboration with mixtape producer DJ Drama, to inform young listeners (and remind older ones), that the musician and producer is also a rapper. That means, in part, adopting the alter-ego of “Toussaint St. Jean,” a nod to the 18th-century Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture.  “It was very important to go back to the basic fundamentals,” he says.  “It’s important [for people to realize], ‘Oh, damn, despite everything—we see him shaking his hips with Shakira, he write all of these big songs—his fundamentals are hip hop music.’ I wanted to remind people.”

After the break, Wyclef reveals more about his new album, the one after that, and the “hood”-friendly nature of Cyndi Lauper.

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 10 2009 11:54 AM ET

Aerosmith 2.0: Who should replace Steven Tyler?

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Categories: Aerosmith, Let's Argue!

The internet whispers and cryptic tweets have swirled for days, and now dude looks like he’s leavin‘ — for real. So what is Aerosmith without Steven Tyler? And where does The Onion get its special psychic powers?

According to guitarist Joe Perry, the search for a new frontman is already on as of yesterday, Twittery misspellings be damned: “aerosmith is positivly looking for a new singer to work with. You just can’t take 40 years of expiriance and throwitinthebin!”

With Steven officially off to explore the possibilities of Brand Tyler, that leaves one serious scarf-bejangled mic stand to fill. Granted, it’s well-trod path; rock radio stalwarts from Queen and Van Halen to Journey and more recently, Velvet Revolver, have infamously replaced deceased or departed frontmen, with varying, but seldom peak-matching levels of success.

Barring any Rock Star: INXS style reality-show shenanigans, that leaves a selection of known-quantity candidates. Could Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland, already a quick study on Jim Morrison and Axl Rose, learn how to Walk This Way? Does the Extreme-ly available Gary Cherone, he of the ever-so-brief Van Halen run, Dream On of Aero-stints? Or is Axl’s raspy growl in fact exactly What It Takes?

So many emotions swirling, dear readers, not all of them Sweet. But does anyone out there have the goods? And even if they do, do true ‘Smith fans want them? Or is it as Steven first sang 36(!) years ago: The past gone / It went by like dust to dawn…

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
The Killers’ Brandon Flowers on live albums, vampires, and Sinatra: A Music Mix Q&A
Britney Spears’ lip-synching controversy: (Not) shock of the week?
Sunday CMA rehearsal Not-Quite-Liveblog: Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, and more!
Exclusive Monsters of Folk video: ‘The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me’
Muse: Watch the new video here
‘Say Anything’ turns 20: Cameron Crowe tells the story behind ‘In Your Eyes’

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