Best Christmas Hits of this Decade

Attention!!!

Every year this blog delivers a brand new compilation to add to your Christmas playlist. This year we explore the latest Christmas songs that have joined the fray to brighten our yuletide spirit. We are not referring to modern Christmas classics such as Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You and Wham!’s Last Christmas, but those originals songs that have entered seasonal airplay only this decade. 

There are artists such as Michael Bublé and Sia who always deliver a festive jingle or two to lighten up our Christmas gatherings. Producing a Christmas album is an arduous task as reception by fans and critics can be polarizing. Due to this, only a few bold musicians actually go down this onerous path, as most take the easy way out with a single. This playlist was such a pleasure to compile as I found out some real gems to be added to your usual Christmas collection. 

Coldplay’s Christmas Lights takes the top spot as the slow ballad delivers a very inspirational message for the season. This is followed by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas and Sia’s Santa’s Coming for Us which are both equally upbeat and cheerful. In terms of entries Sia leads  with 5 followed by Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Aloe Blacc, John Legend, Ariana Grande and Gwen Stefani each with 2 entries. So here are the Top 40 Christmas Hits of this Decade:

1. Coldplay – Christmas lights
2. Gwen Stefani  ft. Blake Shelton – You make it feel like Christmas
3. Sia – Santa’s coming for us
4. Leona Lewis – One more sleep
5. John Legend – Bring me love
6. Kelly Clarkson – Underneath the tree
7. Ariana Grande – Santa tell me
8. Aloe Blacc – I got your Christmas right here
9. Sia – My old Santa Claus
10. Justin Bieber – Mistletoe
11. Matt Terry – When Christmas comes around
12. Lindsey Stirling ft. Becky G – C’mon Christmas
13. Pentatonix – That’s Christmas to me
14. Michael Bublé – Cold December night
15. Lady Antebellum – On this winter’s night  
16. Gwen Stefani – Cheer for the elves
17. Jim Brickman ft. Kenny Rogers – That silent night
18. Kylie Minogue – Every day’s like Christmas
19. Katy Perry – Cozy little Christmas
20. Mariah Carey – Oh Santa!
21. OneRepublic – Christmas without you
22. Sia – Every day is Christmas
23. Kelly Clarkson – Wrapped in red
24. John Legend – By Christmas eve
25. Meghan Trainor – I’ll be home
26. Sia – Ho ho ho
27. Sara Evans – At Christmas
28. Hurts – All I want for Christmas is New Year’s day
29. Ariana Grande – Winter things
30. Katy Perry – Every day is a holiday
31. Christina Perri – Something about December
32. Train – Shake up Christmas
33. Elizabeth Chan – Something about the holidays
34. Idina Menzel – December prayer
35. Sia – Snowman
36. The Monkees – What would Santa do
37. Sara Bareilles – Love is Christmas
38. Jessie J – This Christmas day
39. The Celebs – Rock with Rudolph
40. Aloe Blacc – Funky ass Christmas 

Till the next carol...

At Ease!!!

Xposition - July, 2018

Attention!!!

The nominations for the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards were announced with Cardi B leading the pack with a whopping 10 nods including Video, Song and Artist of the Year and The Carters (Beyonce & Jay-Z)  with 8 nods. The Video of the Year nominations are:

• Ariana Grande - No tears left to cry
• Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B - Finesse (Remix)
• The Carters - APESHIT
• Drake - God's plan
• Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug - Havana
• Childish Gambino - This is America 

The shortlist for this year's coveted Mercury Prize has been revealed which will be awarded in September. Among the known names are:

• Lily Allen - No Shame
• Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino 
• Jorja Smith - Lost & Found 
• Florence + The Machine - High as Hope

Forbes has released its list of 100 Highest Paid Celebrities and some of our favorite musicians are on it. Highest on list at No.6 is the Irish band U2 with a massive USD 118 Million followed by Coldplay at No.7 and Ed Sheeran No.9. In the top 20 we have Bruno Mars at No. 11 and Katy Perry at No.19. The others featured in the Top 50 are:

21 - Taylor Swift

25 - Jay-Z

27 - Guns N' Roses

32 - Sean Combs

35 - Beyonce

37 - Kendrick Lamar

39 - The Weeknd

41 - The Eagles

44 - Depeche Mode

45 - Pink/Luke Bryan 

49 - Lady Gaga

50 - Calvin Harris 

It appears that the X Factor UK panel for 2018 has been completely reformed with the exception of Simon Cowell. Robbie Williams, his wife Ayda Field and former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson replace Louise Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger for the newest season of this global reality show which seeks to find the next best superstar. 

Rumours have it that Dua Lipa will in fact be recording the theme song for the next James Bond movie. In a massive slip up Years & Years member Mikey Goldsworthy said in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, that Dua Lipa had been selected to sing the theme. Her appeal may be after she won British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Artist at the 2018 BRIT Awards coupled with her back to back hits with New Rules, IDGAF and One Kiss.   

Former Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams has checked into a mental health center for depression. It is a known fact that she has been struggling with mental health issues, particularly during the peak of Destiny's Child's fame and success where she admitted she even felt suicidal at times. 

In chart news, in the US, Cardi B, J Balvin and Bad Bunny's I Like It opened the month at the top overthrowing XXXTentacion's Sad! which had peaked at the end of June following the latter's death. However, this was short-lived as Drake returned to the top with Nice for What which he replaced with In My Feelings which remained at its peak for the remainder of the month. Meanwhile, with Drake's newest album Scorpion out in July saw all of the singles from the album enter the Billboard Hot 100 including several into the top 10 such as Nonstop, Emotionless and I'm Upset. 

Meanwhile, in the UK, George Ezra's Shortgun was the first No.1 of the month as it replaced Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato's Solo. It continued for two weeks at the top after which Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds' Three Lions roared to the top propelled by the United Kingdom reaching the semi finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It was again overthrown next week by Drake's In My Feelings. During the month Jonas Blue ft. Jack & Jack's Rise, Ariana Grande's God is a Woman, Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B's Girls Like You and XXXTentacion's Sad! entered the top 10. 

Other songs which became popular during the month were:

1. 5 Seconds of Summer - Youngblood
2. Drake ft. Michael Jackson - Don't matter to me
3. Tiësto & Dzeko ft Preme & Post Malone - Jackie Chan
4. Cheat Codes & Little Mix - Only you
5. Kygo & Imagine Dragons - Born to be yours
6. Rudimental & Major Lazer ft. Anne-Marie & Mr.Eazi - Let me live 
7. Jax Jones ft. Mabel & Rich the Kid - Ring ring 

Till the next beat...

At Ease!!!

Best Songs About Dreams

Attention!!!

Dreams are wishes that we hope will come true in our future. Be it an ambition that one has, for which he will work toward in his future, or the hope that all his worries will be over, wherein all the obstacles in his life he managed to overcome. A dream can be for your one true love to be with you at the end, the happily ever after that we all wish would come true. A dream can be your sleepy conscience going wild at night or the nightmares that make your sleep as restless as possible. Yes, dreams at the end of the day keep our imagination alive and breathe life to hope, which kindles the flame of our soul. This list is for all you dreamers out there to keep dreaming.

The compilation consists of a mishmash of genres ranging from Pop, Rock and Rap to Electropop, Eurodance and Opera. There are several soundtracks also featured here. Fleetwood Mac takes the crown with their classic hit Dreams followed by the haunting rendition of Patti LuPone’s I Dreamed a Dream from the Les Misérable Soundtrack and Billy Joel’s hit The River of Dreams. The only person with 3 entries is Roy Orbison, who seemed to have had an obsession with dreams.  So here are the top 50 songs about dreams:

1. Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
2. Patti LuPone – I dreamed a dream (Les Misérables OST)
3. Billy Joel – The river of dreams
4. Crowded House – Don’t dream it’s over
5. ABBA – I have a dream
6. Eurythmics – Sweet dreams (are made of this)
7. Roy Orbison – Dream baby
8. Nelly – Just a dream
9. Roy Orbison – In dreams
10. Stephen Foster – Beautiful dreamer
11. Green Day – Boulevard of broken dreams
12. Evanescence – Imaginary
13. Aerosmith – Dream on
14. Ozzie Nelson – Dream a little dream of me
15. Mary Costa & Bill Shirley – Once upon a dream (Sleeping Beauty OST)
16. The Corrs – Only when I sleep
17. The Everly Brothers – All I have to do is dream
18. Roy Orbison – In the real world
19. Cliff Edwards – When you wish upon a star (Pinocchio OST)
20. Heart – These dreams
21. The Cranberries – Dreams
22. Selena – Dreaming of you
23. Owl City – Fireflies
24. Jason Donovan – Any dream will do (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat OST)
25. Bobby Darin – Dream lover
26. Ziv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman & Michelle Williams – A million dreams (The Greatest Showman OST)
27. Gabrielle – Dreams
28. Keane – A bad dream
29. Beyonce – Sweet dreams
30. Cheap Trick – Dream police
31. Adriana Caselotti – Someday my prince will come (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves OST)
32. Jackie Evancho – Made to dream
33. Celine Dion – Dreamin’ of you
34. Margery McKay – Climb ev’ry mountain (The Sound of Music OST)
35. Metallica – Enter sandman
36. Coldplay – A head full of dreams
37. Dua Lipa – Dreams
38. Marc Anthony – When I dream at night
39. Taylor Swift – Wildest dreams
40. Imagine Dragons – Dream
41. O-Town – Liquid dreams
42. Blondie – Dreaming
43. Celine Dion – The power of the dream
44. La Bouche – Sweet dreams (ola ola e)
45. 2 Brothers on the 4^th Floor – Dreams (will come alive)
46. NF – Dreams
47. Daryl Hall & John Oates - You Make My Dreams
48. Hilary Duff – What dreams are made of
49. REO Speedwagon – In my dreams
50. Aurora – Dreaming

Till the next chord...

At Ease!!!

Best Music Videos of 2016

Attention!!!

This is a long overdue post, but nevertheless one that is required to complete the year-end lists which would finally include the Most Successful Artists of 2016. Although 2015 produced a wide array of remarkable videos, 2016 could not match the predecessor in terms of visual aesthetics. Nevertheless, the directors and choreographers were not lethargic last year, as there were some beautiful videos that were produced.  

Coldplay of course takes the top spot with Up & up with its awesome and bizarre visual with the entire sequence being engulfed in top notch animation. Next we have Sia who teamed up with Maddie Zeigler once again for a perfectly choreographed video. Down the list we have one more where the two team up for Sia's Cheap Thrills (although released as a video this is life performance). In third place we have PUP's Sleep in heat, which sees Stranger Things cast member Finn Wolfhard putting on emotional performance with a dog. 

Leading the fray with two entries each are Coldplay, Sia, Kanye West, Beyonce, Clean Bandit and Bebe Rexha. However, Bey's uncredited appearance in Coldplay's Hymn for the Weekend accumulates her entries to three as she appears in the video. 2016 covered a wide range of genres from Pop, Rock and EDM to Rap, Trap and Reggae Fusion which is a mishmash of the best kind. Some of the biggest hits of the year such as The Weeknd's Starboy, Jutsin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling and Clean Bandit's Rockabye are all featured here because of their awesome videos. However, The Chainsmokers' Closer and Lukas Graham's 7 Years are not here because they are not great videos. So here are the 50 best music videos of 2016:

1. Coldplay – Up & up
   
2. Sia ft. Kendrick Lamar – The greatest
   
3. PUP – Sleep in heat 
   
4. Kaytranada – Lite spots
   
5. Clean Bandit ft. Louisa Johnson – Tears
   
6. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – Starboy
   
7. Beyonce – Formation
   
8. Radiohead – Burn the witch
   
9. ZAYN – Pillowtalk
   
10. Martin Garrix ft. Bebe Rexha – In the name of love
    
11. David Guetta ft. Zara Larsson – This one’s for you
    
12. DJ Shadow ft. Run the Jewels - Nobody speak
    
13. Andra Day – Rise up (Inspiration Version)
    
14. Coldplay – Hymn for the weekend
    
15. Mike Posner – I took a pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix)
    
16. Sia – Cheap thrills (Performance Edit)
    
17. Jenny Hval – Conceptual romance
    
18. Alan Walker – Faded
    
19. Tame Impala – The less I know the better
    
20. Kanye West – Famous
    
21. Beyonce – Hold up
    
22. Clean Bandit ft. Anne Marie & Sean Paul – Rockabye
    
23. Nick Jonas ft. Tove Lo – Close
    
24. Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna – This is what you came for
    
25. Fergie – M.I.L.F. $
    
26. Pink – Just like fire 
    
27. Black Eyed Peas ft. The World – #WHEREISTHELOVE
    
28. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – Side to side
    
29. DJ Snake ft. Bipolar Sunshine – Middle 
    
30. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – Juju on that beat (TZ Anthem)
    
31. Selena Gomez – Kill ‘em with kindness
    
32. Alessia Cara – Wild things
    
33. Twenty One Pilots – Heathens
    
34. AronChupa ft. Lil Sis Nora – Little swing
    
35. The Chainsmokers ft. Daya – Don’t let me down
    
36. Major Lazer ft. Nyla & Fuse ODG – Light it up
    
37. Flo Rida – My house
    
38. Taylor Swift – Out of the woods
    
39. Justin Timberlake – Can’t stop the feeling!
    
40. Kanye West – Fade
    
41. Bebe Rexha ft. Nicki Minaj – No broken hearts
    
42. Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign – Work from home
    
43. Solange – Cranes in the sky
    
44. Galantis – No money
    
45. Bruno Mars – 24K magic
    
46. Fall Out Boy ft. Demi Lovato – Irresistible 
    
47. Anohni – Drone bomb me
    
48. The Veronicas – In my blood
    
49. Thomas Rhett – Die a happy man
    
50. Jennifer Lopez – Ain’t your mama
    

Till the next stream...

At Ease!!!