Will.i.am & Britney Spears' "Scream & Shout" Video Is More Like A Dull Whisper

Will.i.am and Britney Spears' collaboration "Scream & Shout" isn't awful. It's just kind of generically drab. When is everyone going to realize that most things Will touches turns to pussy (and not in the sexy way)?

Until that happens, you catch the video for this pair's latest below. It's full of product placement, Auto-Tune, sleek costumes, Illuminati signs and lots and lots of low-grade pussy. Perfect for the holidays!

Read More

Sia Performs "Diamonds" Live With Stargate: Watch

Sia has been one of my favorite pop broads for awhile now (have you read my 2010 interview with her?), and so I'm glad to see her having her day in the sun in the States, finally, after penning hits like  "Diamonds," "Titanium" and "Wild Ones."

Recently, Sia hit the stage with "Diamonds" producers Stargate at the Norwegian-American Achievement Awards ceremony for a performance of the song (which is currently #1 for Rihanna on the Hot 100). Watch the her elegantly somber version below.

Read More

US Chart Roundup: Rihanna's "Diamonds" & 'Unapologetic' Shine Bright

Rihanna's "Diamonds," now in its second week atop the Billboard Hot 100, is the 12th single to reach #1 in 2012 (if we're to count RiRi's own "We Found Love," which technically went to #1 in 2011, briefly ceded the chart to LMFAO's "Sexy And I Know It," then returned to the top for two more weeks in January). And with December now nearly upon us, you have to wonder if she can pull off a repeat of wrapping up the year with the final chart-topper.

Either way, RiRi can pour it up this week, as she's got both the top single and top album. Her seventh LP Unapologetic is now her first to hit the peak position on the Top 200 chart. And I have to admit, after taking part in the sometimes-harrowing 777 Tour, I'm suffering from a bit of Stockholm syndrome, and have been listening to this broad's new record for the past week nonstop.

My fave jams off it: "Half Of Me," "What Now," "Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary." Don't worry — it'll wear off quickly. It's hardly a superb album. I'm just still missing my hostage-taking pop queen, and caught up in her current diamond-shine. 

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Diamonds" - Rihanna *2 weeks*
2. "Die Young" - Ke$ha
3. "One More Night" - Maroon 5
4. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars
5. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
6. "Some Nights" - fun.
7. "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers
8. "Home" - Phillip Phillips
9. "I Cry" - Flo Rida
10. "Let Me Love You" - Ne-Yo

Read More

Alphabeat Release "X-Mas (Let's Do It Again)"

Alphabeat doing a Christmas song? Sure, why not. Sounding like a cross between Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" and Wham!'s "Last Christmas," the Danish band's synthy "X-mas (Let's Do It Again)" is already an infinitely better single than their previous two 2012 offerings "Vacation" and "Love Sea."

Personally, I kind of which the 'beat would just go back to their Black Box-esque '90s house pastiche of the previous album. Oh, well. Until then, hear their holiday jam below.

Read More

Mutya Keisha Siobhan Are Back In Business

Mutya Keisha Siobhan (aka the original Sugababes) kicked off the week by tweeting out the above photo, which states that they are "back in business." But lest any MKS fans start spinning around in an excited frenzy like the Tasmanian Devil, this is apparently not the cover of their upcoming album, but rather the cover of British mag Ponystep.

The broads have been in the studio over the past year with everyone from Emeli Sande to Biffco. Is a new single by the holidays too much to ask for?

Read More

Girls Aloud Offer Up More Unlistenable Noise With "Every Now And Then"

Yesterday I pointed out the solid fact that Girls Aloud's "On The Metro" was only the third good song they've recorded in their 10-year career. This caused tweeter @JulianRupert to unfollow me. But as I've stated before, I'm not here to win a popularity contest; I'm here to keep it real and unmask the truths about pop. It's all for you, Damien!

@chartrigger @michaelcragg I'm sorry, I actually did unfollow you :(I can't support someone who claims GA have 3 'good' songs
— Jules Baddeley (@JulianRupert) November 25, 2012

So anyway, case in point, below you'll find the Xenomania-produced "Every Now And Then," one of the four new songs on GA's shameless "comeback" collection of flops,  Ten (out today in the UK). Generic piddle is putting it kindly.

Read More

UK Chart Roundup: Olly Murs Cock-Blocks Over-The-Hill Ho Brigade Girls Aloud With "Troublemaker"

Olly Murs earns the fourth #1 of his two-year recording career with "Troublemaker," the lead single off upcoming album Right Place Right Time, on the UK chart. I've gone on before about what a proper pop tune this one is, though it could do with having the utterly useless Flo Rida rap scraped off it.

According to the Official Charts Company, the 121,000 copies "Troublemaker" sold put it "well ahead" of Girls Aloud's comeback single "Something New," which has to settle for a #2 entry. This doesn't surprise me in the least, since the latter sounds like five alley cats in heat howling to be ass-rammed by Garfield. (Really, the 10-legged ho troupe should have gone with "On The Metro" as the lead single.)

Over on the album chart, Rihanna's Unapologetic becomes her fourth LP to hit #1 in the UK after selling 100,000 copies.

The UK Top 10:

1. "Troublemaker" - Olly Murs feat. Flo Rida *new* *1 week*
2. "Something New" - Girls Aloud *new*
3. "Little Things" - One Direction
4. "Beneath Your Beautiful" - Labrinth feat. Emeli Sande
5. "Girl On Fire" - Alicia Keys *new*
6. "Gangnam Style" - PSY
7. "The Power Of Love" - Gabrielle Aplin
8. "Candy" - Robbie Williams
9. "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars
10. ""Diamonds" - Rihanna

Read More