In the spirit of indelible crossover ballads from Rascal Flatts and Lonestar is the second single from Christian band MercyMe’s “Coming Up to Breathe.” “Hold Fast” is a return to form following the Barenaked Ladies-like uptempo frolic “So Long Self,” which hit top 20 at AC. Akin to the group’s “I Can Only Imagine,” the […]
Who you calling a teen actor? It took time, but Jared Leto’s 30 Seconds to Mars has not only gained rock credibility, it is now setting records for the longest-charting single ever at modern rock, spending 50 weeks in the top 40. Smelling the fair fragrance of mainstream success, that song has a new vocal […]
Spanish R&B didn’t exist as a genre until the reggaeton explosion gave rise to Latin urban radio. Now a crooner like Rigo Luna has a place on the airwaves, and that can only open doors for other sexy balladeers. Luna’s boy band vocals are refreshingly low-key on this slow jam and the defined pacing on […]
Christina Aguilera’s original concept for the CD “Back to Basics” was a jazzy Andrews Sisters resuscitation, but she ultimately released a double disc brewing contempo with her retro shoutout. Grammy Award-winning first single “Ain’t No Other Man” was a savvy blend of the styles, while ballad second release “Hurt” was timeless pop. Third in line, […]
Thanks to the surprise runaway success of KT Tunstall’s debut, “Black Horse & the Cherry Tree” — originally launched as a setup for “real” hit “Suddenly I See” — Virgin found itself in the enviable position of starting the new year with a platinum Grammy Award-nominated artist. Third single “Other Side of the World” is […]
Beat heiress Danielle Bollinger established a solid reputation as a signature dance siren with “Kiss the Sky” and “When the Broken Hearted Love Again.” Third release “You’ll Always Have Me” is not as instant, but Junior Vasquez’s radio mix adds urgency to the original that will drive a beeline to the dance floor. Mike Rizzo’s […]
Eddie Money is the latest artist to bound onto the bygone bandwagon on “Wanna Go Back,” a collection of ’60s classics — his first album of the decade. His cover of the standard “You Don’t Know Me” — which charted for Jerry Vale, Ray Charles and Elvis Presley, among others — is earning play on […]
Now that the airwaves are rife with pop-rock bands, the stage is set for Florida’s Anberlin to make a dramatic entrance with upcoming album “Cities.” Single “Godspeed,” as its name suggests, is a fevered, headlong rush that glories in spiraling production and exhilarating chorus. Imagine spinning in delirious circles under a vast, clear sky, reveling […]
It took a dogged 18 weeks for “American Idol” fourth-season fugitive Mario Vazquez’s debut, “Gallery,” to reach its No. 6 destination on mainstream top 40 radio, confirming that the soulful singer had legs beyond his (limited) standing with America’s top-rated TV show. Second single “One Shot” is reminiscent of the previous effort, but this time […]
Modeling one of the most dazzling smiles in music biz history — Crest White Strips, sign this man up — is an intriguing enough entry point for country newcomer Luke Bryan, but that would be shallow now, wouldn’t it? Behind the pretty mug is his debut, “All My Friends Say,” a consummate twang anthem about […]
While Ne-Yo has been busy promoting his role in the film “Stomp the Yard,” writing for Whitney Houston and enjoying Beyonce’s perpetual “Irreplaceable” chart reign (which he penned), the crooner eked out time for his latest, “Because of You.” Opening with foot-tapping drums and a romantic harp riff, he revisits the Michael Jackson-esque layered harmonies […]
Metal-heads, brace yourselves: The first shockwave of the new year is quite a doozy. By now, Korn fans have heard about the band’s MTV “Unplugged” special and resulting LP. Pre-empting that session is “Freak on a Leash,” one of the band’s most popular singles. The pensive, seething “Freak” has been converted into a dark lounge […]
Country’s penchant for pop is no more evident than in the eminence of the Wreckers — Michelle Branch and buddy Jessica Harp — who topped Hot Country Singles with “Leave the Pieces” last fall (and now are riding the top 10 with “My, Oh My”). Given Branch’s mainstream rep with “All I Wanted” and Santana […]
MIMS is the latest rookie kicking on hip-hop’s door, donning Harlem fashion, swagger and flow and hoping to bring the coveted East Coast crown back to New York. In debut single “This Is Why I’m Hot,” he rhymes with a smooth Southern flow, enlisting Miami-based producer the Blackout Movement (along with perhaps a record-breaking 13 […]
