Posts Tagged ‘Pop’
Each week we find a track from an artist or band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. Lana Del Rey’s smoky chanteuse persona—a “gangster Nancy Sinatra,” as she’s been described—nearly melted the buzz meter in 2011, thanks to her swanky and seductive “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans.” The single “Born to Die” finds Del Rey in the throes of another tragic relationship. Strengthened by a background of synthetic strings and a noir beat that recalls Kanye’s “Flashing Lights,” Lana Del Rey zooms toward Dead Man’s Curve as she recites this dashboard confessional, mascara running. “Born to Die” is the title track of Del Rey’s debut album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Each week we find a track from an artist or band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. This Tulsa-by-way-of-Nashville modern rock quartet specializes in clean melodies delivered with big-sounding guitars. “These Times” starts with an ambient keyboard sound similar to the one at the start of Alphaville’s “Forever Young,” before the earnest vocals of singer/guitarist Doug Brown come in. Fleeting and then instant guitars join in, along with topical lyrics about economics that end on a declarative, optimistic note.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
This holiday season, we find a track from an artist or a band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Holiday Single of the Week. Tony Bennett’s rendition of “The First Noel” It’s an ideal song to play when you’re in need of a Calgon moment during the season’s hustle and bustle. The powerhouse vocalist mostly dials it down—accentuating the end of key phrasings, yet knowing just when to let things boom—as he’s joined by Placido Domingo and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Each week we find a track from an artist or band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. Born in New York, raised in Russia, and now based in California, singer/songwriter/classically trained pianist Elizaveta espouses the power of poetry and art. On “Dreamer,” layered vocal sequences, thick analog keyboard, and Elizaveta’s soaring, sometimes operatic singing lay out what could be her mission statement with the opening lyrics “I believe in fairytales/and serendipitous encounters.” Music supervisors are surely standing by, but you can enjoy "Dreamer" on its own in the meantime.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Each week we find a track from an artist or band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. In the wake of Biebermania, another youth movement is set to spike with Cody Simpson’s arrival on our shores. The 14-year-old Aussie singer caught attention via viral videos of him singing Jason Mraz, Jackson 5, and Justin Timberlake songs. A few lucky breaks later (including “iYiYi” featuring Flo Rida), Simpson readies his second EP, Coast to Coast. It includes “Not For You,” an acoustic ballad so tender and heartbreaking it’ll have “Beliebers” questioning their faith.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Each week we find a track from an artist or a band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. Cobra Starship is the perfect dance/punk/pop collective for the set that favors all-over print hoodies, tight jeans, and Chucks – and for those who simply want some fun music to heat up their nights. This electro-pop jam from the band’s new album, Night Shades, is all about hitting the dance floor when the world gets you down. Thematically it calls to mind Indeep’s classic club cut “Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life,” and it’s an upbeat party-starter that would be great on a playlist featuring some Chromeo, Kevin Rudolf, and ‘80s hits like The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me.”
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Sharp-eared/eyed music fans might remember Brooke White as an American Idol seventh-season contestant. In Jack and White, she collaborates with indie singer/songwriter Jack Matranga for “Double Trouble” — a "love ‘em and leave ‘em" tale scribbled on a pretty California postcard. Brooke’s swooning voice is an ideal counterpoint for Jack’s rough acoustic edge, elevating each other to a mindstate somewhere between Jenny Lewis and Fleetwood Mac. “Double Trouble” appears on Jack and White’s debut EP, Gemini.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Each week we find a track from an artist or a band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. We can already hear Patrick Stump’s "This City" being played at major sporting events. "And what if I told you/my city was the best/and my city was/a threat to the rest" featured guest Lupe Fiasco queries over a wash of fat synthesizers. Fallout Boy lead singer/rhythm guitarist Stump’s soulful crooning is then brought to the forefront for this unexpected yet perfect pairing of talent in the name of infectious civic pride.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Each week we find a track from an artist or band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. Skylar Gray’s comforting yet assertive singing voice is already familiar to anyone who’s heard hits such as Eminem’s “Love The Way You Lie,” Dr. Dre’s “I Need a Doctor,” or Diddy’s “Coming Home.” The singer/songwriter (who has previous recordings under her first and middle names, Holly Brook) is set to release her debut album as Skylar Grey. The lead single, “Invisible,” boasts all her trademarks — including a steady-flowing melody and a plaintive lyrical narrative — unified under a modern arrangement.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
![Patrick Stump - This City (Radio Edit) [feat. Lupe Fiasco]](http://a5.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/102/Music/89/de/13/mzi.krigtrlt.170x170-75.jpg)
