Xposition - November, 2017

Attention!!!

The awards season was in full swing this November. First up was the 2017 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards. Chris Stapleton was the big winner of the night winning Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for From a Room: Volume 1. The other winners were:
·         Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert
·         New Artist of the Year: Jon Pardi
·         Entertainer of the Year: Garth Brooks
·         Single of the Year: Keith Urban – Blue ain’t your color
·         Song of the Year: Little Big Town – Better man
·         Vocal Group of the Year: Little Big Town
·         Music Video of the Year: Brothers Osborne – It ain’t my fault
·         Musical Event of the Year: Glen Campbell with Willie Nelson – Funny how time slips away

Next up we have the MTV European Music Awards which was hosted by Rita Ora at the Wembley Arena, London. She gave a brilliant performance of her songs Your Song and new hit Anywhere and was also bestowed with the Power of Music Award. Other good performances of the night were Camila Cabello’s Havana, Eminem and Skylar Grey’s Walk on Water, Shawn Mendes’ There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back and Clean Bandit’s medley of Symphony, Rockabye and I Miss You with Zara Larsson, Anne-Marie and Julia Michaels. Shawn Mendes was the big winner of the night taking home four awards including Best Artist and Best Song for There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back. Other significant wins include:
·         Best Video: Kendrick Lamar – Humble
·         Best New Artist: Dua Lipa
·         Best Pop: Camila Cabello
·         Best Electronic: David Guetta
·         Best Rock: Coldplay
·         Best Hip-Hop: Eminem
·         Global Icon: U2

The 2017 Latin Grammys were also held in November with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee both leading with 4 awards for their mega hit Despacito winning Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Urban/Fusion Performance and Best Short Form Music Video. Some of the best performances of the night included CNCO with Reggaeton Lento (Bailemos), Luis Fonsi, Bomba Estéreo, Victor Manuelle and Diplo with Despacito and Maluma with Felices Los 4. Some of the other significant winners were:
·        Album of the Year: Rubén Blades with Roberto Delgado & Orquesta – Salsa Big Band
·         Best New Artist: Vincente Garcia
·         Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album: Shakira – El Dorado
·         Producer of the Year: Eduardo Cabra
·         Best Urban Song: Residente – Somos Anormales

The 2017 American Music Awards is the final major award ceremony for the year. Bruno Mars had an almost clean sweep grabbing 7 out of his 8 nominations of the night including Artist of the Year, Favorite Male Artist Pop/Rock, Favorite Male Artist R&B/Soul and Video of the Year for That’s What I Like. There were amazing performances by Marshmello and Selena Gomez with Wolves, Imagine Dragons and Khalid with a mashup of Thunder and Young, Dumb and Broke, BTS with DNA and Diana Ross who was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award sang a medley of her hits I’m Coming Out, Take Me Higher, Ease on Down the Road, The Best Years of My Life and Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. The other major wins include:
·         New Artist of the Year: Niall Horan
·    Collaboration of the Year: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – Despacito
·         Tour of the Year: Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
·         Favorite Female Artist - Pop/Rock: Lady Gaga
·    Favorite Song - Pop/Rock: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – Despacito
·         Favorite Artist - Rap/Hip-Hop: Drake
·         Favorite Artist - Latin: Shakira
·         Favorite Artist - Electronic Dance Music: The Chainsmokers
·         Favorite Soundtrack: Moana

Lastly in awards news, we have the most anticipated nominations in music - Grammys. The 2018 Grammy Nominations were announced at the end of the month with Jay-Z leading with 8 nominations followed by Kendrick Lamar with 7 and Bruno Mars with 6. The following are the nominees under the 4 main categories:
1.       Record of the Year
·         Childish Gambino – Redbone
·         Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – Despacito
·         Jay-Z – The story of O.J.
·         Kendrick Lamar – Humble.
·         Bruno Mars – 24K Magic
2.       Album of the Year
·         Childish Gambino – Awaken My Love
·         Jay-Z – 4:44
·         Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
·         Lorde – Melodrama
·         Bruno Mars – 24K Magic
3.       Song of the Year
·         Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber – Despacito
·         Jay-Z – 4:44
·         Julia Michaels – Issues
·         Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – 1-800-273-8255
·         Bruno Mars – That’s What I Like
4.       Best New Artist
·         Alessia Cara
·         Khalid
·         Lil Uzi Vert
·         Julia Michaels
·         SZA

In other news, Selena Gomez was named the Billboard’s 2017 Woman of the Year. The singer was honored at the annual Women in Music gala at the end of the month. This year the Rising Star was awarded to 2016 America’s Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal.  The other honorees were:
·         Rulebreaker Award – Kehlani
·         Icon of the Year – Mary J. Blige
·         Breakthrough – Camila Cabello
·         Powerhouse – Kelly Clarkson

Meanwhile in chart news, in the US, Post Malone ft. 21 Savage’s Rockstar reigned supreme throughout the month although Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug’s Havana peaked at No.2 and came extremely close to dethroning Rockstar. During the month Ed Sheeran & Beyoncé’s Perfect, Lil Pump’s Gucci Gang and Maroon 5 ft. SZA’s What Lovers Do all entered the top 10.  

In the UK, Rockstar opened the month at the top although here Camila Cabello managed to overthrow Post Malone and stayed at the top for the remainder of the month. During the month Rita Ora’s Anywhere, Charlie Puth’s How Long and Eminem ft. Beyoncé’s Walk on Water all entered the top 10.

Other songs which became popular during the month were: 
1.       Selena Gomez & Marshmello – Wolves
2.       Big Shaq – Man’s not hot
3.       Taylor Swift – Call it what you want
4.       Clean Bandit ft. Julia Michaels – I miss you
5.       NF – Let you down
6.       Sam Smith – One last song
7.       Post Malone – I fall apart 

Till the next beat...

At Ease!!!

Ultimate Christmas Party Playlist

Attention!!!

Tis the season to down the eggnog, snog under the mistletoe and of course rock around the Christmas tree to some awesome jingle bell rock. The yuletide brings with it office parties, family lunches and dinners and gatherings of friends. Such parties need uptempo music and not slow carols like Silver Bells, Silent Night and Joy to the World. This compilation provides you with the best Christmas party songs and if the original is too slow the best version for a party. 

Taking the crown is Jessica Simpson's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, originally sung by Brenda Lee. At a close second place is A*Teens' I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, originally by Wizzard. The only two carols to make it to the list are Boney M's versions of Mary's Boy Child and Zion's Daughter. While we have the usual songs such as Jingle Bell Rock, Sleigh Ride, Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town to the newer ones such as Santa's Coming for Us, Santa Tell Me and Underneath the Tree. So here are the top 40 songs for a Christmas party:
  1. Jessica Simpson – Rockin’ around the Christmas tree
  2. A* Teens – I wish it could be Christmas everyday 
  3. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Jingle bell rock
  4. Jane Krakowski – Run run Rudolph
  5. Boney M – Feliz navidad
  6. Mariah Carey – All I want for Christmas is you
  7. Justin Bieber – Santa Claus is coming to town 
  8. Britney Spears – My only wish (this year)
  9. Chris Young – Christmas (Baby please come home) 
  10. Jane Krakowski – I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus 
  11. Boney M – Mary’s boy child/Oh my Lord 
  12. Elton John – Step into Christmas 
  13. Hillary Duff – Sleigh ride 
  14. Sia – Santa’s coming for us 
  15. Cascada – Last Christmas 
  16. Jackson 5 – Frosty the snowman
  17. Kylie Minogue – Christmas isn’t Christmas till you get here
  18. Selena Gomez and the Scene – Winter wonderland 
  19. Steps – Merry X-mas everybody 
  20. Spice Girls – Christmas wrapping 
  21. Shakin’ Stevens – Merry Christmas everyone 
  22. Jim Reeves – Merry Christmas polka 
  23. Pussycat Dolls – Santa baby 
  24. Lady Antebellum – Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow 
  25. Kelly Clarkson – Underneath the tree 
  26. Michael Bublé  – Jingle Bells 
  27. Kylie Minogue – At Christmas 
  28. Sia – Ho ho ho 
  29. Glee Cast – Here comes Santa Claus 
  30. Boney M – Zion’s daughter 
  31. Echosmith ft. Hunter Hayes – Happy Xmas (War is over) 
  32. Jim Reeves – Dear Senor Santa Claus 
  33. NSYNC – Merry Christmas, happy holidays 
  34. Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton – You make me feel like Christmas 
  35. Leona Lewis – One more sleep
  36. Ariana Grande – Santa tell me 
  37. Destiny’s Child – 8 days of Christmas  
  38. Mariah Carey – Oh Santa 
  39. LeAnne Rimes – Must be Santa 
  40. Katy Perry – Every day is a holiday 

Till the next carol...

At Ease!!!

Ultimate Quarantine Playlist

It has indeed been sometime since I took some time off to create a playlist. This time, I had a lot of time on my hands, considering I had 1...