Sunday 30 May 2010

Almost 30 years of hurt gone for Deutschland!!!

Lena Meyer-Landrut, who I've probably mentioned more on this blog than anybody else (!!!), has got herself another incredible achievement by winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the fantastic Satellite, one of Europe's biggest hits of 2010 so far, particularly in Germany where it smashed all existing download records and has resided in the top five there for 10 weeks so far, 5 at #1, and sure to return to the top end now, following the triumph of the teenager from Hanover. It brings to an abrupt end the awful run of luck for Germany at the contest - they last won in 1982 with A Little Peace by Nicole and were last in the top ten back in 2004 with Max's Can't Wait Until Tonight. They had been amongst the favourites a couple of times in the noughties - with Corinna May's I Can't Live Without Music in 2002, which managed to finish in the bottom five and country pop song No No Never by Texas Lightning in 2006 - a similarly huge chart success as Lena in Germany, it finished 15th. Aside from these they've become more accustomed to the bottom five in the last few years, thanks to the likes of Gracia and No Angels.

So the standout song of the contest, the most contemporary and catchy song wins again, just like Fairytale last year, and for a nation who really upped their game and reaped their rewards accordingly. I'm ecstatic because it's easily my favourite song of 2010 so far. So what of the other results? They all trailed a long way behind Lena, but Turkey's rock band Manga finished 2nd with We Could Be The Same, following an energetic and memorable performance and Romania's fantastic Playing With Fire by Paula Selling and Ovi, came 3rd, equalling their best result in the contest, helped no doubt by their brilliant transparent double ended piano. Denmark's 1980s throwback anthem, sounding like Starship meets Tina Turner's The Best, did incredibly well in 4th place and the pre-contest favourites Azerbaijan didn't quite live up to the hype and finished 5th.

Special mention to Belgium who's gorgeous acoustic strummer Me & My Guitar, by Tom Dice, finished 6th, having won its semi final comfortably, their best result since 2003!!! So what of all of the many, many ballads? They almost all flopped! Ireland and Norway's You Raise Me Up meets Titanic clones both ended up in the bottom six having once been highly tipped, and Portugal and Belarus didn't do much better either. Last place, naturally, went to the United Kingdom, as we returned to form. After managing a rare top five last year with It's My Time by now Sugababe Jade Ewen, we're back to where we were in 2008 - dead last. Why? Because it's not 1989, its 2010 - simple as that. Please BBC, for 2011, can we have a contemporary song with at least a chance to do well, pretty please? We have one of the biggest music industries in the world, certainly the biggest out of any nation competing in Eurovision, but how on earth do the likes of Jemini, Daz Sampson, Scooch and Josh Dubovie represent what we as a nation listen to and buy? I'll admit to liking (and buying on single) three of the above four songs, but when we have the likes of Leona Lewis, Amy MacDonald, Cheryl Cole, Taio Cruz and others excelling around Europe, you have to wonder how they in any way relate to the things we send to Eurovision? Put it this way, had Cheryl Cole's Fight For This Love been our Eurovision entry, I don't think Satellite would have been such the clear cut winner it managed to be last night. But anyway, well done to Lena, Stefan Raabe and Germany - boo to Norway and Sweden for not picking A1/Bjorn Johan Muri or Salem Al Fakir/Timoteij, and lets hope the UK can follow Germany's zero to hero turnaround and win ESC 2011 in Berlin...or Munich...or Hanover...??? Enjoy Satellite once again, at Eurovision this time of course;


Friday 28 May 2010

Top Songs/Albums; WB 31/5/10

Songs



1. Lena Meyer-Landrut - Satellite (2)
2. Tom Dice - Me & My Guitar (40)
3. Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers (1)
4. Katy Perry feat Snoop Dogg - California Gurls (3)
5. Niamh Kavanagh - It’s For You (12)
6. Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi (11)
7. Katie Melua - The Flood (10)
8. Safura - Drip Drop (14)
9. Robyn - Dancing On My Own (13)
10. Matisse - Better Than Her (NEW)
11. Eva Rivas - Apricot Stone (NEW)
12. Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love (5)
13. Sheelah - Psycho (4)
14. Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life (33)
15. Elin Lanto - Funeral (6)
16. Roll Deep - Good Times (9)
17. Diana Vickers - Notice (7)
18. Alexandra Burke feat Pitbull - All Night Long (8)
19. Mark Ronson feat Q-Tip & MNDR - Bang Bang Bang (NEW)
20. 3 +2 - Butterflies (46)
21. Shakira feat Freshlyground - Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)
22. Daisy Dares You - Rosie (31)
23. K’Naan - Wavin’ Flag (NEW)
24. Dulce María - Inevitable (19)
25. Josh Dubovie - That Sounds Good To Me (32)
26. N-Dubz feat Bodyrox - We Dance On (Re-entry)
27. Leddra Chapman - Summer Song (Re-entry)
28. Ne-Yo - Beautiful Monster (NEW)
29. Tom Dice - Always And Forever (NEW)
30. Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders - Life Looks Better In Spring (Re-entry)
31. Paula Seling feat Ovi - Playing With Fire (Re-entry)
32. Sara Bareilles - King Of Anything (16)
33. MIA - XXXO (39)
34. Jessy Matador - Allez! Ola! Olé! (26)
35. Tone Damli Aaberge - I Love You (27)
36. Natasha Bedingfield - Touch (36)
37. Hafdis Huld - Action Man (45)
38. Lady GaGa - Alejandro (34)
39. Christina Aguilera - Lift Me Up (Re-entry)
40. E.M.D. - Save Tonight (NEW)
41. 3OH!3 feat Ke$ha - My First Kiss (23)
42. Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire (42)
43. Chanee and N'Evergreen - In A Moment Like This (Re-entry)
44. Didrik Solli-Tangen - My Heart Is Yours (47)
45. Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber - Eenie Meenie (48)
46. Filipa Azevedo - Há Dias Assim (NEW)
47. Infernal - Love Is All (38)
48. Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug (50)
49. Tom Dice - Carrying Our Burden (NEW)
50. The Chemical Brothers - Swoon (NEW)

Albums

1. Eurovision Song Contest 2010 (2)
2. Tom Dice - Teardrops (NEW)
3. Elin Lanto - Love Made Me Do It (1)
4. Hafdis Huld - Synchronised Swimmers (9)
5. Diana Vickers - Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree (3)
6. Eric Saade - Masquerade (NEW)
7. Anna Bergendahl - Yours Sincerely (6)
8. Lena Meyer-Landrut - My Cassette Player (4)
9. Timoteij - Längtan (5)
10. Christina Aguilera - Bionic (NEW)
11. Boyzone - Brother (8)
12. Inna - Hot (11)
13. Agnes - Dance Love Pop (18)
14. Robyn - Body Talk Part 1 (10)
15. Katie Melua - The House (NEW)
16. Lady GaGa - The Fame/The Fame Monster (12)
17. Leddra Chapman - Telling Tales (Re-entry)
18. Salem Al Fakir - Ignore This (Re-entry)
19. Lady GaGa - The Remix (7)
20. Alicia Keys - The Element Of Freedom (15)

Friday 21 May 2010

Top Songs/Albums; WB 24/5/10

Songs



1. Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers (9)
2. Lena Meyer-Landrut - Satellite (1)
3. Katy Perry feat Snoop Dogg - California Gurls (6)
4. Sheelah - Psycho (7)
5. Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love (2)
6. Elin Lanto - Funeral (3)
7. Diana Vickers - Notice (4)
8. Alexandra Burke feat Pitbull - All Night Long (15)
9. Roll Deep - Good Times (5)
10. Katie Melua - The Flood (16)
11. Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi (10)
12. Niamh Kavanagh - It’s For You (17)
13. Robyn - Dancing On My Own (11)
14. Safura - Drip Drop (14)
15. Jenny Berggren - Here I Am (8)
16. Sara Bareilles - King Of Anything (19)
17. Stromae - Alors On Danse (13)
18. Elin Lanto - Give It All Up (20)
19. Dulce María - Inevitable (NEW)
20. Alphabeat - DJ (12)
21. Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart (22)
22. Pixie Lott - Turn It Up (25)
23. 3OH!3 feat Ke$ha - My First Kiss (28)
24. Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - This Is My Life (31)
25. Elin Lanto - Singing Goodbye (47)
26. Jessy Matador - Allez! Ola! Olé! (34)
27. Tone Damli Aaberge - I Love You (50)
28. Jason DeRülo - Ridin’ Solo (23)
29. Le Kid - Escape (24)
30. B.o.B. feat Bruno Mars - Nothin’ On You (21)
31. Daisy Dares You - Rosie (NEW)
32. Josh Dubovie - That Sounds Good To Me (37)
33. Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life (33)
34. Lady GaGa - Alejandro (30)
35. Bob Taylor feat Inna - Déjà Vu (40)
36. Natasha Bedingfield - Touch (NEW)
37. Elin Lanto - Tickles (39)
38. Infernal - Love Is All (NEW)
39. MIA - XXXO (42)
40. Tom Dice - Me & My Guitar (Re-entry)
41. Annemie - Animal Instinct (NEW)
42. Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire (45)
43. Kyrah - Uh Oh (NEW)
44. Rihanna - Te Amo (Re-entry)
45. Hafdis Huld - Action Man (NEW)
46. Three Plus Two - Butterflies (Re-entry)
47. Didrik Solli-Tangen - My Heart Is Yours (48)
48. Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber - Eenie Meenie (NEW)
49. Ólafur Arnalds - Hægt, Kemur Ljósið (NEW)
50. Ke$ha - Love Is My Drug (Re-entry)

Albums

1. Elin Lanto - Love Made Me Do It (1)
2. Eurovision Song Contest 2010 (5)
3. Diana Vickers - Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree (2)
4. Lena Meyer-Landrut - My Cassette Player (3)
5. Timoteij - Längtan (4)
6. Anna Bergendahl - Yours Sincerely (6)
7. Lady GaGa - The Remix (7)
8. Boyzone - Brother (8)
9. Hafdis Huld - Synchronised Swimmers (NEW)
10. Robyn - Body Talk Part 1 (9)
11. Inna - Hot (NEW)
12. Lady GaGa - The Fame/The Fame Monster (13)
13. Alphabeat - The Beat Is… (10)
14. Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment (11)
15. Alicia Keys - The Element Of Freedom (20)
16. Rihanna - Rated R (19)
17. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now (12)
18. Agnes - Dance Love Pop (15)
19. Jason DeRülo - Jason DeRülo (16)
20. Pixie Lott - Turn It Up (Re-entry)

Friday 14 May 2010

2010 - Suddenly not as bad as it seems?

2010 seems to have got off to a rather dire start all round, particularly in terms of the UK charts which have been filling up with terrible charity records, more tuneless forgettable rap than I could possibly imagine existing and little else to cheer about. Thank goodness then that in the last seven days or so there have been some rather brilliant new songs appearing, or at least that I've heard for the first time. So taking the fifteen new entries to my 'chart' this week, here's a little overlook of what has surfaced, and what I think you need to be listening to, summed up in a sentence or two for each!

#3 > Elin Lanto - Funeral - Incredible pop song from a Swedish singer who I've never been wildly enthusiastic about before. Her new album, Love Made Me Do It, is something of a pop opus and this is the easy highlight. How can she make such a dark subject into such a joyous pop song?

#6 > Katy Perry feat Snoop Dogg - California Gurls - I wasn't sure about this at first despite Katy being one of my favourite singers. But after a few listens the more summery take on Ke$ha's Tik Tok/Kylie's Love At First Sight comes into its own. Snoop even starts to sound like a decent addition after a while. Very enjoyable and one to listen to in the sun.

#9 > Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers - Talking of Kylie, the queen is back with All The Lovers, the first single from new album Aphrodite. I can't claim to be the biggest fan of either Slow or 2 Hearts as lead singles, so this gorgeous subtle yet at times stomping electro track is very welcome. Here's hoping for another long overdue UK #1, 2003 is a long time ago now.



#19 > Sara Bareilles - King Of Anything - The woman behind my favourite song of 2008, Love Song, is back with a song guaranteed not to prevent her from being a one hit wonder. A shame really as this jaunty piano led song could be Love Song's younger sister. As much attitude as that song had, this is a great comeback.

#20 > Elin Lanto - Give It All Up - My second favourite single from Elin's new album, this is the second best 80's power ballad influenced song of the last few months (after Alicia Keys' Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart of course). Brilliant chorus, really sticks in your head.

#31 > Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - This Is My Life - The second single from the team behind the fantastic European smash hit Stereo Love, about to debut inside the UK top 5 this weekend. More great Romanian influenced dance, lets hope this is another sizeable hit for the pair later in the year.

#38 > Lena Meyer-Landrut - Mr Curiosity - The teenager behind my favourite song at the moment, Satellite, Germany's Eurovision 2010 entry has released her debut album this week. On it features this lovely cover of a Jason Mraz song and my favourite from her in places average album.

#39 > Elin Lanto - Tickles - And so onto Elin's current single that she's used to launch the album with. I like it far more than Love Made Me Stupid and Doctor Doctor but surely Funeral is next in line for a release?

#40 > Bob Taylor feat Inna - Déjà Vu - Almost exactly the same as Inna's top ten UK hit Hot, but since when was that a bad thing? This is incredibly infectious.

#42 > MIA - XXXO - I was rather unimpressed with Born Free and its disturbing video but this is apparently the proper lead single. A big pop anthem with a great chorus, my favourite from MIA since the epic Paper Planes.

#44 > Fyfe Dangerfield - She's Always A Woman - Guillemots lead singer Fyfe's first breakthrough hit is an almost note for note cover of the old Billy Joel song. It's already soaring up the UK charts thanks to its use in the current John Lewis advertising campaign. Simple but very effective.

#45 > Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire - I can't claim to be a huge fan of Scissor Sisters usually. I don't like Jake in full falsetto mode but am rather fond when he sings in his lower register, as on this single and Mary, in fact he sounds exactly like Elton John. Comeback single Fire With Fire is similar to Human by The Killers in a way, but also very infectious after a few listens. Sounds like a pop standard already.

#47 > Elin Lanto - Singing Goodbye - The tables are turned and we're now at Elin's hypothetical funeral. This is another lyrically dark yet musically gorgeous song from one of the best pop albums of the decade so far.

#49
> Leona Lewis & Jennifer Hudson - Love Is Your Color - A duet between two superstars, taken from the Sex & The City 2 soundtrack. UK & US talent show stars Leona and Jennifer sound classy on this lovely ballad, rather than the diva-off I had been fearing. Melodically reminds me of a slowed down version of Show Me Your Colours by S Club 7!!!

#50 > Tone Damli Aaberge - I Love You - Norwegian singer Tone topped the charts last year there with the endearing Melodi Grand Prix runner up, Butterflies, a pure pop song made even sweeter with the use of strings and a harmonica. This song is much in the same vein but loses the harmonica. A string section, similar to the piano hook in Vanessa Carlton's A Thousand Miles forms the base of the song's melody though. Very nice indeed.



Top Songs/Albums; WB 17/5/10

Songs

1. Lena Meyer-Landrut - Satellite (1) *6 weeks at #1*
2. Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love (4)
3. Elin Lanto - Funeral (NEW)
4. Diana Vickers - Notice (18)
5. Roll Deep - Good Times (2)
6. Katy Perry feat Snoop Dogg - California Gurls (NEW)
7. Sheelah - Psycho (5)
8. Jenny Berggren - Here I Am (3)
9. Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers (NEW)
10. Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi (10)
11. Robyn - Dancing On My Own (8)
12. Alphabeat - DJ (6)
13. Stromae - Alors On Danse (9)
14. Safura - Drip Drop (13)
15. Alexandra Burke feat Pitbull - All Night Long (32)
16. Katie Melua - The Flood (11)
17. Niamh Kavanagh - It’s For You (16)
18. Richard Vission & Static Revenger starring Luciana - I Like That (7)
19. Sara Bareilles - King Of Anything (NEW)
20. Elin Lanto - Give It All Up (NEW)
21. B.o.B. feat Bruno Mars - Nothin’ On You (14)
22. Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart (22)
23. Jason DeRülo - Ridin’ Solo (23)
24. Le Kid - Escape (31)
25. Pixie Lott - Turn It Up (Re-entry)
26. Timoteij - Vild (17)
27. Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight (Re-entry)
28. 3OH!3 feat Ke$ha - My First Kiss (35)
29. N-Dubz feat Bodyrox - We Dance On (12)
30. Lady GaGa - Alejandro (34)
31. Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - This Is My Life (NEW)
32. Diana Vickers - The Boy Who Murdered Love (41)
33. Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life (21)
34. Jessy Matador - Allez! Ola! Olé! (37)
35. Vanessa Amorosi - Mr Mysterious (27)
36. Kelly Rowland - Commander (30)
37. Josh Dubovie - That Sounds Good To Me (33)
38. Lena Meyer-Landrut - Mr Curiosity (NEW)
39. Elin Lanto - Tickles (NEW)
40. Bob Taylor feat Inna - Déjà Vu (NEW)
41. Adam Lambert - If I Had You (48)
42. MIA - XXXO (NEW)
43. Kele Okereke - Tenderoni (42)
44. Fyfe Dangerfield - She’s Always A Woman (NEW)
45. Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire (NEW)
46. Chanee and N'Evergreen - In A Moment Like This (25)
47. Elin Lanto - Singing Goodbye (NEW)
48. Didrik Solli-Tangen - My Heart Is Yours (49)
49. Leona Lewis & Jennifer Hudson - Love Is Your Color (NEW)
50. Tone Damli Aaberge - I Love You (NEW)

Albums

1. Elin Lanto - Love Made Me Do It (NEW)
2. Diana Vickers - Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree (1)
3. Lena Meyer-Landrut - My Cassette Player (5)
4. Timoteij - Längtan (2)
5. Eurovision Song Contest 2010 (4)
6. Anna Bergendahl - Yours Sincerely (3)
7. Lady GaGa - The Remix (NEW)
8. Boyzone - Brother (7)
9. Robyn - Body Talk Part 1 (9)
10. Alphabeat - The Beat Is… (8)
11. Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment (6)
12. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now (14)
13. Lady GaGa - The Fame/The Fame Monster (11)
14. Kate Nash - My Best Friend Is You (10)
15. Agnes - Dance Love Pop (Re-entry)
16. Jason DeRülo - Jason DeRülo (Re-entry)
17. Gabriella Cilmi - Ten (13)
18. Melodifestivalen 2010 (16)
19. Rihanna - Rated R (18)
20. Alicia Keys - The Element Of Freedom (17)

Friday 7 May 2010

Top Songs/Albums; WB 10/5/10

Songs



1. Lena Meyer-Landrut - Satellite (1)
2. Roll Deep - Good Times (3)
3. Jenny Berggren - Here I Am (6)
4. Edward Maya feat Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love (7)
5. Sheelah - Psycho (2)
6. Alphabeat - DJ (5)
7. Richard Vission & Static Revenger starring Luciana - I Like That (13)
8. Robyn - Dancing On My Own (4)
9. Stromae - Alors On Danse (8)
10. Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi (32)
11. Katie Melua - The Flood (17)
12. N-Dubz feat Bodyrox - We Dance On (15)
13. Safura - Drip Drop (14)
14. B.o.B. feat Bruno Mars - Nothin’ On You (29)
15. Diana Vickers - Once (10)
16. Niamh Kavanagh - It’s For You (20)
17. Timoteij - Vild (NEW)
18. Diana Vickers - Notice (NEW)
19. Boyzone - Love Is A Hurricane (9)
20. Feminnem - Lako Je Sve (11)
21. Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life (19)
22. Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart (26)
23. Jason DeRülo - Ridin’ Solo (43)
24. Timoteij - Högt Över Ängarna (NEW)
25. Chanee and N'Evergreen - In A Moment Like This (33)
26. Sarah McLachlan - Loving You Is Easy (31)
27. Vanessa Amorosi - Mr Mysterious (34)
28. The Pipettes - So I’ll Say Goodbye (12)
29. Salem Al Fakir - Keep On Walking (16)
30. Kelly Rowland - Commander (47)
31. Le Kid - Escape (NEW)
32. Alexandra Burke feat Pitbull - All Night Long (49)
33. Josh Dubovie - That Sounds Good To Me (38)
34. Lady GaGa - Alejandro (40)
35. 3OH!3 feat Ke$ha - My First Kiss (NEW)
36. Jasper Forks - River Flows In You (NEW)
37. Jessy Matador - Allez! Ola! Olé! (Re-entry)
38. Dizzee Rascal - Dirtee Disco (42)
39. Alexandra Burke - The Map (NEW)
40. B.o.B feat Hayley Williams - Airplanes (22)
41. Diana Vickers - The Boy Who Murdered Love (NEW)
42. Kele Okereke - Tenderoni (48)
43. Enrique Iglesias feat Pitbull - I Like It (NEW)
44. Krause - Soaring Through The Starlight (NEW)
45. Three Plus Two - Butterflies (39)
46. Owl City - Umbrella Beach (30)
47. Timoteij - Dansar I Månens Sken (NEW)
48. Adam Lambert - If I Had You (NEW)
49. Didrik Solli-Tangen - My Heart Is Yours (Re-entry)
50. Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders - Life Looks Better In The Spring (Re-entry)

Albums

1. Diana Vickers - Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree (NEW)
2. Timoteij - Längtan (NEW)
3. Anna Bergendahl - Yours Sincerely (1)
4. Eurovision Song Contest 2010 (6)
5. Lena Meyer-Landrut - My Cassette Player (NEW)
6. Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment (NEW)
7. Boyzone - Brother (4)
8. Alphabeat - The Beat Is… (2)
9. Robyn - Body Talk Part 1 (3)
10. Kate Nash - My Best Friend Is You (5)
11. Lady GaGa - The Fame/The Fame Monster (7)
12. Vanessa Amorosi - Hazardous (17)
13. Gabriella Cilmi - Ten (8)
14. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now (NEW)
15. Absolute Music 63 (9)
16. Melodifestivalen 2010 (12)
17. Alicia Keys - The Element Of Freedom (15)
18. Rihanna - Rated R (13)
19. Marina & The Diamonds - The Family Jewels (14)
20. Leddra Chapman - Telling Tales (16)