"janet's" 20th Anniversary Song of the Day - You Want This

In the last Music News Bytes, I mentioned that Janet Jackson recently celebrated the 20th Anniversary of her monumental album janet.  The record was her third straight smash album, following the breakthrough Control and the equally delicious and hit-filled Rhythm Nation.  janet was a classic, generating nine singles, six of which charted in the top ten, and from the opening whispers of That's the Way Love Goes through playful and sometimes sexy interludes, Supremes' samples (there are at least two!), tender ballads and the final, hidden Sesame Streetish Whoops Now, this one got played out on many a CD player all the way from 1993 to 1995.

In celebration of this noteworthy occasion, I've decided to feature a few of my favorites from the janet album over the next week or so, not every day, but instead sprinkled in here and there.  If you were around back in the mid-nineties, I'm sure you'll remember some of the classic tunes from this one.  Here's one of my favorites off that album, the fast, playful, and funky You Want This:

Janet Jackson - You Want This from urbandesign on Vimeo.

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Song of the Day - We Are Never Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift

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I never thought I'd ever put up a Taylor Swift song on here (she's just not my style!), but I actually don't hate this one.  In fact, a couple of my students were caught singing emphatically to this tune in my classroom and I thought it was kind of cute!  Swift won eight Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night, and so between that and my students love of this song, I hereby declare her We Are Never Getting Back Together today's Song of the Day.


Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back... by f1642743907







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Music News Bytes: BMA Winners: Gaga/Cher Song May Not Make the Final Cut; A New Janet Album?

Okay, so I still haven't had time to watch the Billboard Music Awards, which took place on Sunday night in Las Vegas, and so I won't comment on the show itself, but I figured I'd follow up on Saturday's post to see how I fared with my predictions, and hey, am I good or what?


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Artist of the Year 

My pick: Taylor Swift

My prediction: Swift (or Justin Bieber)

Hot 100 Song

My pick: Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye

My prediction: Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye

Top Billboard 200 Album

My pick: Babel - Mumford and Sons

My prediction: Red - Taylor Swift

Top Duo or Group

My pick: One Direction

My prediction: One Direction

Top New Artist

My pick: One Direction

My prediction: One Direction

To see the full list of winners from last night's show, check out Billboard.


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Gaga Track may not make the final cut of Cher's new album

Yes, apparently Cher's new album is all finished being recorded, and the finishing touches and final decisions have yet to be made.  The legendary singer was interviewed on 20/20 Saturday night and during the discussion, she revealed that the song she recorded with Lady Gaga, The Greatest Thing, may not make it to the final version of the album.  The blog propagaga quoted the diva as saying "There is a track with Lady Gaga, but it's very on the line right now...she may not want to be on the album.

So what does that mean?  I guess we'll have to stay tuned to this one to find out more.  In the meantime the album, which was originally slated to be released last March, isn't due out now until September.

Miss Janet Conceptualizing New Album

Janet Jackson hasn't released a new studio album in a long, long time, and she told Billboard recently that her and her team are "creating the concept and initial thoughts on the music" and that she's "excited about the direction that we’re taking.”  This is good news indeed!  

Miss Janet recently celebrated the 20 year anniversary of her dynamite fifth album, janet on May 18th.  Look for a special tribute to that great one in the upcoming days... 


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Pitbull's "Global Warming" Track Reviews: "Hope We Meet Again," featuring Chris Brown

We could be anywhere tonight
Could be right here underneath the lights
I see the colours in your eyes
Beautiful rainbows all around us
We got the whole world in our hands
This is the night we won't forget
Whatever happens in the end
I just hope, I hope we meet again


thehonestyhour

The next track on Global Warming is one full of mid tempo sweetness.  Featuring the admittedly pleasant singing of Chris Brown on the chorus and Pit's raps throughout, this is one of my favorites off the album.  Check out Hope We Meet Again, and please read my take on the first four tracks on Pitbull's latest:

Global Warming

Don't Stop the Party

Feel This Moment

Back In Time

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