It may not have been a great year for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL, but it has been a good year for pop/dance trio Audio Playground. The group which formed just a little over a year ago is having its first breakthrough success with “Shadows”. The song has a great groove and a fun club feel. After a little digging I actually found that this group had their first success in their homeland, Canada, with a remake of the British group Erasure’s “A Little Respect”. Erasure was one of the biggest synth-pop acts of the 1980s and are considered to be one of the forerunners in the current dance movement that dominates the club scene today. Not a bad way for Audio Playground to get started. Check out both songs!
Okay, so here is a problem that I have. I love dance music, positive lyrics and teach middle school. This leads to liking a lot of the Disney music that has come out over the last five years. So is it so wrong for a middle aged husband and father to like this stuff? In some ways, I think it’s better than liking hard rock or the inappropriate hip hop that some of my friends listen to. Anyway, check out Demi Lovato’s “Me, Myself And Time”. Great message for students I work with as well as any of us who get down and need a kick in the butt. And of course it’s a great dance tune. So keep ‘em coming Demi.
What?!?!? A ballad by a mainstream artist. Not one of those half-ballads that have a dance beat with the artist talking or grunting because they lack the ability to sing in tune. This is a true ballad like we would hear all the time (if not way too much) through the last 30 years of the 20th century. Katy Perry’s “Not Like The Movies” is not the greatest ballad written in the history of popular music, but it consists of interesting lyrics and a strong vocal performance. And to make it even more impressive, Katy who is looking for her third #1 hit wrote this song as well. I guess there is hope for the pop music world!
Top 40 Chart Highlights:
It’s going to be pretty difficult for Eminem to top his biggest hit of all time. Back in 2002, the 37-year old Kansas City native went to #1 the first week of October with “Lose Yourself” and nearly held down the top spot the remainder of that calendar year. His run ended at 12 weeks. He is one third of the way there with his current single. This week he makes it four weeks at #1 with “Love The Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna.
Two songs are on Eminem’s trail though. 28-year old British newcomer Taio Cruz has already proved he can hit #1 here in the states. He nailed down the top spot earlier this year with “Break Your Heart”. This week he is up from 3-2 with “Dynamite”. And making the highest debut of the year is “Mine” by Taylor Swift” at #3 on the pop chart. The high entry already has it in the rarified air of Taylor’s biggest two hits to date: “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” both from last year.
Taylor Swift is not the only country superstar invading the pop chart with a high debut this week. 42-year old superstar Kenny Chesney bows at #18 with “The Boys Of Fall”. It is Kenny’s highest placement ever on the pop chart topping his #22 peak in 2002 with “The Good Stuff”.
I am amazed by the amount of electro hop on the pop chart right now. Just look at the biggest movers in the Top 40 this week. Bruno Mars has the biggest moving song on the survey with “Just The Way You Are” which rockets from 36-20. B.o.B. is up from 22-15 with “Magic” featuring Rivers Cuomo. And Flo Rida jumps from 33-24 with “Club Can’t Handle Me” featuring David Guetta. Those are the three biggest jumps in the Top 40 this week.
There are some other hot debuts this week. Ke$ha has watched her first three releases go Top 10 including the #1 smash “TiK ToK”. This week her fourth Top 40 single, “Take It Off” debuts at #27. And, it’s been two and a half years since Linkin Park cracked the Top 40 with “Shadow Of The Day”. They are back at #35 with “The Catalyst”.
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