MAJOR MAESTRO: Gwen Stefani

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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:

Coldplay – Christmas lights
Gwen Stefani ft. Blake Shelton – You make it feel like Christmas
Sia – Santa’s coming for us
Leona Lewis – One more sleep
John Legend – Bring me love
Kelly Clarkson – Underneath the tree
Ariana Grande – Santa tell me
Aloe Blacc – I got your Christmas right here
Sia – My old Santa Claus
Justin Bieber – Mistletoe
Matt Terry – When Christmas comes around
Lindsey Stirling ft. Becky G – C’mon Christmas
Pentatonix – That’s Christmas to me
Michael Bublé – Cold December night
Lady Antebellum – On this winter’s night
Gwen Stefani – Cheer for the elves
Jim Brickman ft. Kenny Rogers – That silent night
Kylie Minogue – Every day’s like Christmas
Katy Perry – Cozy little Christmas
Mariah Carey – Oh Santa!
OneRepublic – Christmas without you
Sia – Every day is Christmas
Kelly Clarkson – Wrapped in red
John Legend – By Christmas eve
Meghan Trainor – I’ll be home
Sia – Ho ho ho
Sara Evans – At Christmas
Hurts – All I want for Christmas is New Year’s day
Ariana Grande – Winter things
Katy Perry – Every day is a holiday
Christina Perri – Something about December
Train – Shake up Christmas
Elizabeth Chan – Something about the holidays
Idina Menzel – December prayer
Sia – Snowman
The Monkees – What would Santa do
Sara Bareilles – Love is Christmas
Jessie J – This Christmas day
The Celebs – Rock with Rudolph
Aloe Blacc – Funky ass Christmas

Till the next carol...

At Ease!!!

Best Songs About the Rich/Lush Life

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So on my recent trip to Macau, I witnessed firsthand how the rich and powerful in that part of Asia live their lives. Surrounded by the casinos and the glamorous hotels anyone gets carried away with the helipads, private jets, limousines, heated pools, branded showrooms and of course the service staff that is there to attend at your beck and call. The fancy lifestyles of the celebrities and the superficial lives of the elite who thrive on these little first world intricacies have been the subject of particular songs.

The following hits are all about the lush life. Crowning the list is Psy’s Gangnam Style which is one of the biggest hits of the decade and the first video to hit 1 billion views on YouTube (recently it passed 2 billion views). At second place is none other than hip-hop duchess Fergie with her worldwide hit Glamorous followed by Iggy Azalea’s Fancy. No specific genre stands out as it is a mishmash of genres ranging from Hip-Hop, Rap and Pop to Rock, K-Pop and even a song from a James Bond Soundtrack. So here are the top 15 songs about the rich/lush life:

Psy – Gangnam style
Fergie ft. Ludacris – Glamorous
Iggy Azalea ft. Charlie XCX – Fancy
Gwen Stefani ft. Eve – Rich girl
Rich Gang ft. Young Thug & Rich Homie Quan – Lifestyle
Zara Larsson – Lush life
Travie McCoy ft. Bruno – Billionaire
Nickelback – Rockstar
Far East Movement ft. The Cataracs & Dev – Like a G6
Shania Twain – Ka-ching
Chamillionaire ft. Krayzie Bone – Ridin’
Flo Rida – Zillionaire
Shirley Bassey – Diamonds are forever
Sheila E. – The glamorous life
Madonna – Material girl

Till the next chord...

At Ease!!!

Best Reggae Fusion Hits of All Time

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We are all a bit Rastafari at heart. We may not be Rastafarian to the point of doctrinal values but as far as the attitude and practices go, most of us adhere to their carefree ways of life. Reggae was born in the trenches of Jamaica. Jamaican musicians, many of them Rastas, soon blended traditional Jamaican folk music and drumming with American R&B, and jazz into ska, that later developed into reggae under the influence of soul. During the 60s and 70s, Reggae entered the mainstream music industry and flourished until pop and alternative rock took over in the 80s and the 90s.

While Reggae has never been at the helm of the music industry, nevertheless it has always had a presence through various forms. One such form is Reggae Fusion. Reggae Fusion is a fusion genre of Reggae that mixes Reggae or Dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, R&B, jazz & drum and bass. While Reggae Fusion was experimented in the 80s, it was in the 90s that the first wave of Reggae Fusion stormed the charts and this commenced in Europe. Eurodance fused with Reggae produced smash hits which became increasingly popular leading acts such as Mr.President, Dr. Alban, E-Rotic and Vengaboys to fuse their styles with Reggae as well.

Ace of Base takes the crown as well as second place because they were instrumental in laying the foundation for Reggae Fusion with their first global hit All That She Wants which was followed by the massive hit The sign. I believe the next wave of Reggae Fusion is upon us with the likes of OMI, MAGIC! and R.City gaining international success. So here are the 75 of the Greatest Reggae Fusion Hits of All Time:

Ace of Base – All that she wants
Ace of Base – The sign
OMI – Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
MAGIC! – Rude
Shaggy ft. Rikrok – It wasn’t me
Sean Paul – Get busy
Snow – Informer
Jessie J ft. B.o.B. – Price tag
Ini Kamoze – Here comes the hotstepper
Sean Kingston – Beautiful girls
Diana King – Shy guy
No Doubt ft. Bounty Killer – Hey baby
Shaggy ft. Rayvon – Angel
Iyaz – Replay
Akon – Don’t matter
Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars – Billionaire
Gwen Stefani – Rich girl
R.City ft. Adam Levine – Locked away
Lily Allen – Smile
Alexandra Burke ft. Elephant Man – Start without you
Vengaboys – We’re going to Ibiza
No Doubt ft. Lady Saw – Underneath it all
Nina Sky ft. Jabba – Move ya body
Ace of Base – Don’t turn around
Inner Circle – Sweat (A la, la, la, la long)
Sugar Ray – Fly
Shaggy ft. Rayvon – In the summertime
Paris Hilton – Stars are blind
K’Naan – Wavin’ flag
Heavy D & the Boyz – Now that we found love
Sean Paul – Gimme the light
Mohombi – Bumpy ride
Aswad – Shine
Vitamin C ft. Lady Saw – Smile
Mr. President – Coco jamboo
Sean Kingston & Justin Bieber – Eenie meenie
Dr. Alban – It’s my life
Bridgit Mendler – Ready or not
Wayne Wonder – No letting go
Michael Franti & Spearhead ft. Cherine Anderson – Say hey (I love you)
Sean Paul – She doesn’t mind
All Saints – Rock steady
T-Spoon – Sex on the beach
Ace of Base – Living in danger
Alexandra Stan – Lemonade
Che’Nelle ft. Baby Cham – I fell in love with the DJ
Gyptian – Hold you
Sean Kingston – Take you there
Cover Drive – Explode
Iyaz – Solo
Bob Sinclar & Cutee B ft. Gary Pine & Dollarman – Sound of freedom
Santana ft. Sean Paul & Joss Stone – Cry baby cry
Vengaboys – Uncle John from Jamaica
Suggs ft. Louichie Lou & Michie One – Cecilia
Bruno Mars – Count on me
Diana King – I say a little prayer
Sean Kingston – Me love
Sean Paul – We be burnin’
No Doubt – Settle down
Rihanna – Man down
Beenie Man ft. Mya – Girls dem sugar
Sean Kingston – Letting go (Dutty love)
Wayne Wonder – Bounce along
Ace of Base – Happy nation
Diana King – L-l-lies
ENUR ft. Natasja – Calabria 2007
Yasmin ft. Shy FX & Ms.Dynamite – Light up (the world)
Shaggy ft. Eve – Girls just want to have fun
Gwen Stefani – Baby don’t lie
Bridgit Mendler – Hurricane
Snoop Lion ft. Miley Cyrus – Ashtrays and heartbreaks
311 – Amber
MAGIC! – Let your hair down
Bruno Mars ft. Damian Marley – Liquor store blues
Tami Chynn ft. Akon – Frozen

Till the next beat...

At Ease!!!

Best Female Rappers of All Time

Attention!!!

The rapping industry is a man's world. However, there are some female rappers who can even give Jay-Z and Eminem a run for their money. Rapping is all about the pace, rhythm and lyrics all the while maintaining pitch. With Iggy Azalea becoming an international sensation with her hit Fancy, I thought of compiling this list. Veterans such as Missy Elliot and Lauryn Hill and those members of Salt-N-Pepa have all established themselves with their worldwide hits. Nevertheless, there are those that have immense potential such as Amy Heidemann of Karmin and Dev. Missy Elliot claims the top spot because she has done much for the female rapping industry with her global hit Get Ur Freak On. So here are the best female rappers of all time.