Archive: November 2010 (121-130 of 147)

Nov 3 2010 02:05 PM ET

Demi Lovato: Read the EW story that hinted at the Disney star's troubles

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Filed under: Music, News

Demi-LovatoImage Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.comWhen 18-year-old Demi Lovato announced that she was leaving her support slot on the Jonas Brothers tour in order to “seek medical treatment for emotional and physical issues she has dealt with for some time,” many young fans of the star of Disney’s Camp Rock movies and its popular TV series Sonny with a Chance were saddened to hear it, but few in the press seemed surprised.

Perhaps it’s because, depressingly, her trajectory is so much more the rule in Young Hollywood than the exception. As much as we have numbed ourselves to the morbid tabloid tales and True Hollywood Stories of child-star flameouts, we tend to forget how much their subjects are, in fact, actual children.

We follow their romantic lives (Lovato’s split from Joe Jonas earned heavy ink earlier this year), critique their clothes (too slutty!) and their weight (anorexic! too chunky!), and often gleefully forecast their doomed adulthood before they’ve even had a chance to earn their driver’s licenses—while failing to connect it to how utterly vulnerable and insecure every one of us felt at that same age, on our own much smaller and more private stage.

When I interviewed Demi two years ago in New York City READ FULL STORY »

Nov 3 2010 01:14 PM ET

Taylor Swift leads the Billboard 200 albums chart with a million records sold

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Filed under: Music, News and tagged: ,

Taylor Swift’s Speak Now has come through with a huge debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart this week. Selling 1,047,000 copies in seven days, she’s the first artist to sell a million that fast since Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III in 2008. Last week’s chart-topper, Sugarland’s The Incredible Machine, drops to second place with 89,000. Kings of Leon’s Come Around Sundown drops a rung to No. 3 with 67,000 units moved. Lil Wayne’s I Am Not a Human Being jumps up one spot to No. 4, selling 43,000 copies. Eminem’s Recovery moves up three places to No. 5,  selling 38,000 copies.

Elton John and Leon Russell’s collab album The Union slips three places to No. 6 with 37,000 records sold. The Glee: Rocky Horror Glee Show soundtrack steps back one to No. 7 with 31,000 copies sold. Rod Stewart’s Fly Me to the Moon falls four places to No. 8 with 30,000 albums bought. Darius Rucker’s Charleston, SC 1966 climbs up one to No. 9 and sold 27,000 copies. Michael Buble’s Hollywood EP is the second-highest debut on the chart at No. 10, selling 26,000 copies and rounding out the top 10.

That’s this week’s top 10, folks. Are you surprised with Taylor’s success? Did you buy her album or anyone else’s? Let us know.

Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix

Nov 3 2010 01:11 PM ET

Do you think Jay-Z would be a good U.S. President?

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Filed under: Music, News and tagged: , , ,

Jay-ZImage Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.comThe revelation that Jay-Z is interested in possibly moving from music to politics is nothing new—he’s said as much before—but it’s certainly a subject that continues to swirl around when the legendary rapper is out doing interviews. “Give me a chance,” Jay-Z told BBC Newsbeat, when asked if he’d try politics. “Maybe in eight years, I’ll be the president.”

Which brings up the question: Would Jay-Z be a good U.S. President?

Based solely on the portion of the recent interview that involved presidency talk, he seems more than thoughtful on the subject—a good sign if there ever was one! Pointedly, he spoke about President Barack Obama and whether he’s done a good job. “In order to judge someone, you have to judge what they inherit,” he said. “He inherited the worst economy, war, just a horrible time in American history. So if we think he can solve that, I mean, we don’t think he’s God, do we? He’s a human being. He’s going to need time to figure that out.” And then he went on to say: “But it may be a good thing. Maybe the Republicans will win one of those houses”—which they did yesterday—”so this way they’ll have to be responsible for whether a law gets passed, and they can’t put it on Obama. In order to get to that sort of success and that dream, you have to go through some peaks and valleys. It’s been two years.”

Truly, I’d maybe vote for Jay-Z. And, if you think it’s a crazy idea, lemme just say: Weirder things have happened. Do you think he’d be good? Would you vote for him? Do you think he could pull it off?

Tanner on Twitter: @EWTanStransky

The Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix

More on Jay-Z from EW’s The Music Mix:
M.C. Hammer disses Jay-Z: Watch the ridiculous video here
Jay-Z, Eminem, and their hip-hop super friends bring ‘Home and Home’ tour to Yankees Stadium
Miami Police Department ‘inadvertendly’ depicts Jay-Z as a gang member: Whoops!
Kanye West and Jay-Z are making a full album together
Eminem and Jay-Z rock Detroit with help from Dr. Dre, Drake, and so many more

Nov 3 2010 12:33 PM ET

Pink's 'Raise Your Glass' video toasts to fat girls, gay dudes, and Rosie the Riveter

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Filed under: Music, News and tagged: , , , , , , ,

You know that awesome single “Raise Your Glass” that Pink released about a month ago for inclusion on her forthcoming greatest hits album? Well, she’s upped the ante for the song with a provocative, hilarious, winky new video for the rousing single, which debuted today. Pink has said before that she wrote the song for all the underdogs out there—hence inspiring lyrics like “so raise your glass if you are wrong—in all the right ways—all my underdogs”—so it’s no surprise that the clip features several very weird situations featuring people that you might call—how shall we say it?—less fortunate.

Anyway, there’s the fat girl eating lunch between two cardboard cutouts of skinny gals (don’t worry—fat girl gets her moment); Pink singing at a gay wedding (which features two dudes kissing—apparently the thing du jour in pop music videos these days, just see Katy Perry’s recent video for “Firework”); and a dairy farm that features blindfolded women being milked for a baby calf to drink (it’s a rather startling image).

Of course, the supposed-to-be empowering imagery doesn’t stop there! No, no. Pink shows up as a WWII-esque Rosie the Riveter, Pink jabs a bullfighter instead of a bull, and Pink appears possibly being scandalous with different religious figures. It’s a thoughtful, endlessly watchable video, just what we’d all expect from the always-on-her-toes Pink. Watch it for yourself here:

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 3 2010 12:17 PM ET

Rihanna feat. Eminem, 'Love the Way You Lie (Pt II)': Hear the sequel to their smash duet

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rihanna-eminemImage Credit: Kevin Mazur/EM/WireImage.comEven while the original still lingers at no. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100—where it spent a chart-busting seven weeks in the top spot this summer—Rihanna and Eminem have released a sequel to their combative-love ballad “Love the Way You Lie,” this time flipping the “featuring” credit to make the pop star its main player, and the rapper her guest.

Aside from several new Rihanna-led verses and more atmospheric, Ryan Tedder-esque synths in place of the first song’s harder instrumental charge, the melody and main hook on “Love the Way You Lie (Pt. II),” which will appear on her upcoming album Loud, is essentially unchanged; stream it here:

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 3 2010 11:56 AM ET

Rapper Gucci Mane arrested in Atlanta for reckless driving, but charges dropped

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Filed under: News, Music and tagged: , ,

Just months after being released from jail, Atlanta rapper Radric “Gucci Mane” Davis was arrested yesterday in his hometown. Access Atlanta reports that an off duty police officer spotted him driving a white Hummer on the wrong side of the road. When officers later found him and his parked car, Davis was charged with driving on the wrong side of the road, running a stop sign, damaging government property, driving without a license, and not having proof of insurance. After allegedly resisting arrest, he was subdued with pepper spray.

Gucci finished a sentence at Fulton County Jail for parole violation last May. His new album, aptly titled The Appeal: Georgia’s Most Wanted, hit stores late September. Warner Bros., his record label, has yet to respond to our request for a comment.

UPDATE: Prosecutors have dropped all charges against Gucci,  Access Atlanta reports. He was released today after spending Tuesday night in jail.

Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix

Our review of Gucci’s 2009 album, The State vs. Radric Davis

Nov 2 2010 06:30 PM ET

Mariah Carey, Weezer, and N.E.R.D. albums all hit stores today

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mariah-carey-christmas-IIEven with a newborn on the way, Mariah Carey is pressing on.  Sixteen years after making one of the most popular holiday albums ever, Carey returns with a sequel to Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas II You, re-recording several tunes from the original and introducing a few more. Fresh off of Halloween, the record is timed perfectly. As we make plans for turkey day, we know Christmas bells will be ringing in no time.

Weezer also released a two-CD deluxe reissue of their 1996 second album, Pinkerton.  Rivers Cuomo once considered the album a “hugely painful mistake.” But now he and Weezer fans alike know it to be a classic. And we agree. N.E.R.D.‘s new album, Nothing, is out today as well. Title aside, know that this trippy album has plenty to offer. Check out the review we gave it here. Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Shae Haley’s new set delivers more cuts for rocking festivals and introspective cuts to reflect with.

Those are this week’s big releases. What records will you be buying this week? Let us know.

Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix


Nov 2 2010 05:44 PM ET

Far East Movement blasts off in 'Rocketeer' video: Watch here

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Far-East-Movement-RocketeerFar East Movement‘s not waiting for their No. 1 single “Like a G6″ to land before letting a new one go. This week, they let the video for “Rocketeer” blast off. The clip focuses on a L.A. couple that will soon be separated because the girl has accepted a job in Tokyo. Bummer, right? So the guy spends the entire time skateboarding around the city to build a rocket that will shoot him to her.

The song is a nice turn from their huge party jam. Without killing the fun, it’s a mid-tempo cut that’s earnest and should encourage as much hand-holding for teenie boppers as it does dancing. Check out the video after the jump.

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 2 2010 05:10 PM ET

Quincy Jones on Michael Jackson's Thriller scraps, Amy Winehouse, and American Idol: A Music Mix Q&A

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Filed under: Music and tagged: ,

Quincy-JonesImage Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty ImagesLegendary producer Quincy Jones is the man to thank for loads of classic records. By crafting hits with iconic artists like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and countless others, his track record speaks for itself. But even at 77, Jones isn’t slowing down a bit. Two weeks ago his book with intimate stories studio experiences, The Quincy Jones Legacy Series: Q on Producing, hit stores. And next week (Nov. 9) he’ll release Q: Soul Bossa Nostra, an album featuring today’s pop stars covering their favorite Quincy cuts. The Music Mix caught up with Jones to chat about why his unreleased Michael Jackson songs will stay that way, what he thought of the reclusive Amy Winehouse’s “It’s My Party” cover, and why he’s not paying haters any mind.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You were known to hold some pretty huge talent searches for musicians and singers decades ago. What do you think of shows like American Idol?
QUINCY JONES: I think the attraction of American Idol is about the basic human nature attitude that is, “We can put you up there. But we can take you down.” That’s been around a long time. If you’re asking me what the one component that gets them millions of viewers, that’s it. Even more than the songs, I think it’s to see that the audience can control the popularity of the artist.

Would you ever be a judge on one of those…
No, that’s not what I do. I’ve got too much to do. That’s getting up every day at seven in the morning. That’s not my thing. But it has got its value. It gets people to pay attention to songs. It’s ironic because I hear songs on there like Moody’s “Mood For Love.” Which the first vocalese record James Moody did in Sweden in 1949, man. So it’s exposing people to music they’ve never heard before. That’s the good part. It’s a double-edged sword there.

When the track listing for this album came out, people were excited to hear how Amy Winehouse would cover “It’s My Party.” That was a huge record for you almost 40 years ago. How do you think she did?
I did the first one in 1963 with Lesley Gore. She was 16. They said that I couldn’t do rock & roll. I love challenges, man. And we had 18 hits with her. “It’s My Party” was the first hit. Amy, at first, was going to do “You Don’t Own Me.” She hadn’t recorded in four years. And then she decided to record “It’s My Party.” Everybody just went with what they wanted to go with.

Did you like Amy’s?

Check out the rest of the interview after the jump.

READ FULL STORY »

Nov 2 2010 04:23 PM ET

Weezer's 'Pinkerton' reissue: Read the 2001 EW story where Rivers Cuomo called the now-classic album a 'hugely painful mistake'

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Filed under: Music and tagged: , , ,

weezer_pinkertonToday a two-CD deluxe reissue of Weezer‘s 1996 second album, Pinkerton, hit stores. That’s good news: it’s one of the great albums of the 1990s, an alt-rock masterpiece that embeds almost unbearably raw emotion inside singalong tunes that still sound thrilling 14 years later. At the time, however, it was a big flop, with most fans and critics recoiling at its unpolished sound and over-share lyrics. In recent interviews, Cuomo seems proud of the album, but at the time its critical and commercial rejection was a huge blow. EW talked to him when the band’s third album came out in 2001, and the singer essentially disowned Pinkerton as a “hideous record.” “It was such a hugely painful mistake that happened in front of hundreds of thousands of people and continues to happen on a grander and grander scale and just won’t go away,” he told us. “It’s like getting really drunk at a party and spilling your guts in front of everyone and feeling incredibly great and cathartic about it, and then waking up the next morning and realizing what a complete fool you made of yourself.”

In the story, Cuomo also talked about the dark, scary period after Pinkerton when he retreated from the outside world and the band nearly fell apart. Read an excerpt after the jump, or check out the whole story here. READ FULL STORY »

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