Pop Music in the Spring

**Previous post was deleted by the IFPI. Here is a repost without the mp3s and only Hype Machine links. (3/23/09, 11:03 AM).

Yeah, yeah, I like pop music. Mostly this is because I like fun. However, the best part about liking pop music is liking pop music in Spring. It's 48-degrees, windows are down, and the top 40 hits are thumping. So, here are my nominees for 2009's most-likely-to-be-heard-at-a-

party-in-the-spring. Notice the balance between newbies and classics, top 40 and indie-pop, which are both crucial elements to any Spring-time party mix. Not to mention the back-to-back Rihanna play, because, after all, everyone just wants to hear "Umbrella" on more time.

It's all there, just press play.

*MP3: Kelly Clarkson - "I Do Not Hook Up"
*MP3: Beyonce - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"
*MP3: Kid Cudi - "Switchin Lanes"
*MP3: Lady GaGa - "Poker Face"
*MP3: Taylor Swift - "Love Story" (Pop Mix)
*MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Dull Life"
*MP3: Britney Spears - "Circus" (Diplo Remix)
*MP3: Royksopp - "The Girl and The Robot"
*MP3: Ra Ra Riot - "Ghost Under Rocks" (Passion Pit Mix)
*MP3: Rihanna - "Whipping My Hair"
*MP3: Rihanna - "Umbrella" (Ft. Jay Z)
*MP3: Asher Roth - "I Love College"
*MP3: Bloc Party - "Signs" (Armand Van Helden Remix)
*MP3: Kid Sister - "Get Fresh" (Starters Remix)
*MP3: Black Eyed Peas - "Boom Boom Pow"

(Ian Anderson)

New Music: Rihanna - "Whipping My Hair"

*MP3: Rihanna - "Whipping My Hair"

"Whipping My Hair" is a new jam brought to us from the hair and ultra-compressed beats of Rihanna. I'm into it.

(MySpace)

Tegan and Sara - "Umbrella" (Rihanna Cover)

*MP3: Tegan and Sara - "Umbrella" (Rihanna Cover)

Just got the memo on this.

Tegan and Sara on MySpace

The Faint vs. Rihanna - "The Geeks Were Disturbed" (The Hood Internet)

VS.


Download: The Faint vs. Rihanna - "The Geeks Were Disturbed" (The Hood Internet)


This is also totally raw and pure dance. Very clever mash-up a la the Hood Internet.

Kanye West Announces World Tour

Download: Kanye West - "Stronger" (feat. Daft Punk)
Download: Rhianna - "Umbrella" (feat. Jay-Z)
Download: Lupe Fiasco - "Superstar" (Feat. Matthew Santos)
Download: N.E.R.D. - Everyone Nose

Speaking of 'Ye, the native-Chicagoan announced the dates for his "Glow In The Dark" world tour. Joining up with West on almost all of the dates will be fellow Chicagoan Lupe Fiasco, alternative hip-hop supergroup N.E.R.D and shit-hot R&B singer Rihanna. Tour dates are below:


04-16 Seattle, WA - Key Arena
04-18 Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena
04-19 San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
04-20 San Diego, CA - San Diego Sports Arena
04-27 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
05-01 Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center
05-02 Woodlands, TX - Woodlands Pavilion
05-23 Chicago, IL - United Center
05-24 Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
05-27 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Credit Union Centre *#
05-29 Edmonton, Rexall Place *#
05-30 Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome *#
06-12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo *

West, of course, recently performed at the Grammys with Daft Punk, who made their first television appearance at the ceremony Sunday night. Kanye also won four trophies that night for his album Graduation. Lupe Fiasco and Rihanna also were Grammy winners this past Sunday.

Listen to MP3s of all the artists in the "Glow In The Dark" tour at the top of the post.

Kanye West MySpace Page
Lupe Fiasco MySpace Page
N.E.R.D. Website
Rihanna MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

New Rihanna Video - "Hate That I Love You"

(Ian Anderson)

Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad

Rihanna
Good Girl Gone Bad (Def Jam, 2007)
Grade: C+
Pop-Scale Grade: B+

Download: Rihanna - "Umbrella"
Download: Rihanna - "Lemme Get That"

There are definitely some hot tracks on this record. If one overlooks the pervasive themes of consumerism and sex (tons of it), the lack of content is well compensated for by the overall catchy and fun spirit of the album. There are a few straight-up dance tracks about, well, dancing; the Madonna-esque "Don't Stop The Music" is a highlight dance anthem that deserves heavy rotation in the club.

Good Girl is a bit all over the place, one moment on the dance floor, the next in a quiet bedroom with an acoustic guitar, and finally on top of a mountain with arms outstretched and wind blowing everywhere. But in its inability to achieve continuity, the album reveals Rihanna's ability to cover a lot of ground.

The hot tracks are the obvious heavy-hitters, the Jay-Z featured single "Umbrella" and the Timbaland/Timberlake track "Rehab," which basically sounds like it was a b-side from FutureSex, but it still kills. However, the unassuming "Lemme Get That" is my favorite track. Full of hubris and a fat marching band feel, this one plays to Rihanna's main strength: sass.

MySpace
(Ian Anderson)