Xposition - August, 2016

Attention!!!

August began with the announcement by Event Craft Productions that Hardwell would be making a stop in Sri Lanka in his highly anticipated Go Hardwell or Go Home Tour on September 30, 2016. However, this was a bust as later in the month the event managers released a disappointing statement that the concert has been cancelled - "due to an enormous number of obligations including some from local authorities given the genre and the magnitude of the event."  

Moreover, August also witnessed probably the most boring and uncontroversial MTV Video Music Awards in the history of the ceremony. There was no twerking, making out on stage or announcements for candidacy for US Presidency. The night belonged to Rihanna and Beyonce. Beyonce led the nominations with 11 and winning 8 and with a total of 24 VMAs, it makes her the artist with the most wins at the VMAs passing Madonna's 20. 

Rihanna was the recipient of the coveted Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and she opened with a stellar performance of a medley of Don't Stop The Music, Only Girl (In The World), We Found Love and Where Have You Been. Ri-Ri also had three other performances which she aced all of which were medleys of her biggest hits except Umbrella. 

Britney Spears returned to the VMA stage after 9 years since her disastrous 2007 performance of Gimme More which led to her very public meltdown. She clearly redeemed herself with a steamy take of Make Me... featuring G-Eazy plus singing the part of Bebe Rexha in Me, Myself & I. Other awesome performances of the night included Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj's newest single Side to Side, Nick Jonas ft. Ty Dolla $ign's Bacon and the pre-show performance of Alessia Cara and Troye Sivan singing a medley of Wild Things, Wild and Scars Beneath Your Beautiful. 

Disaster hit the VMA stage when The Chainsmokers and Halsey performed their newest hit Closer. There's nothing much to say about this performance except that Andrew Taggart (one half of the Chainsmokers) should stick to the background music and not pull a Calvin Harris, because not every DJ can sing. This was evident as Taggart found it difficult to keep up with the powerful vocals of Halsey during the EDM duet. 

Enough about the performances, take a look at the most significant wins of the night:

• Video of the Year: Beyonce - Formation
• Best Male Video: Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna - This is what you came for
• Best Female Video: Beyonce - Hold Up
• Best New Artist: DNCE
• Best Pop Video: Beyonce - Formation
• Best Rock Video: Twenty One Pilots - Heathens  
• Best Hip-Hop Video: Drake - Hotline Bling
• Best Electronic Video: Calvin Harris & Disciples - How deep is your love 
• Best Direction: Beyonce - Formation (Director - Melina Matsoukas) 

The lineup for the Apple Music Festival - previously known as the iTunes Festival - has been finally revealed. The festival now in its tenth year, is famous for drawing in huge acts to perform at London's intimate Roundhouse in Camden. This year's full lineup is as follows:

18 September: Elton John

19 September: The 1975

20 September: Alicia Keys

21 September: OneRepublic

23 September: Calvin Harris

25 September: Robbie Williams

26 September: Bastille

27 September: Britney

28 September: Michael Bublé

30 September: Chance the Rapper

It is with so much joy that I move on to chart news as the reign of Drake ft. WizKid & Kyla's One Dance is finally over. In the US, Sia ft. Sean Paul's Cheap Thrills dethroned One Dance from the first week itself and held on to the top spot for the entire month. Sia becomes the first female over 40 to reach the top since Madonna reigned with Music in 2000. Meanwhile, by the fourth week of August Drake has accumulated a whopping 48 consecutive week in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 tying with Ace of Base for the second longest consecutive streak among all acts, second only to Katy Perry. Meanwhile, Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ's Cold Water debuted at No.2 and The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey's Closer and Twenty One Pilots' Heathens both entered the Top 10. 

In the UK, Drake's dreams were muddied by Cold Water the gargantuan collaboration of Major Lazer, Justin Bieber and MØ, which ended One Dance's hold over the crown. The trio reigned for the remainder of the month. The Chainsmokers' Closer, Twenty One Pilos' Heathens and DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber's Let Me Love You all entered the Top 10 during the month.

Other songs which became popular during the month are:

• Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez - We don't talk anymore
• Olly Murs - You don't know love
• Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons - Sucker for pain
• Digital Farm Animals ft. Cash Cash - Millionaire
• Mike Perry ft. Shy Martin - The ocean
• Martin Garrix ft. Bebe Rexha - In the name of love 

Till the next beat...

At Ease!!!

Xposition - November, 2015

Attention!!!

Yes, one more month till the year ends and what a year it has been. While we eagerly await the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 of 2015 and the Biggest Songs of 2015 in the UK let's look at what happened in November.

First, we have the coronation of Like Mike & Dmitri Vegas as the world's No.1 DJ. Ending the reign of Hardwell after two years at the helm, the not-so-mainstream duo take over as the EDM world has elected its leader. The winner is chosen after a year long poll on the DJ Mag Top 100. The Top 10 are as follows:

1. Like Mike & Dmitri Vegas
2. Hardwell
3. Martin Garrix
4. Armin Van Buuren
5. Tiesto
6. Davig Guetta
7. Avicci
8. Afrojack
9. Skrillex
10. Steve Aoki

Next up, we have the 2015 Country Music Association Awards (CMA Awards) which was held on November, 04 2015 at the Bridgestone Arena, Nashville. It was Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town's big night as he won three awards including New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Traveller and Male Vocalist of the Year and Little Big Town won Single of the Year and Song of the Year for Girl Crush and Vocal Group of the Year. Luke Bryan took away the coveted Entertainer of the Year for the second consecutive time. Other significant wins include:

• Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert 
• Best Music Video of the Year: Madde & Tae - Girl in s country song
• Musical Event of the Year: Keith Urban & Eric Church - Raise 'em up
• Vocal Duo of the Year: Florida Georgia Line 

More recently, we had the 2015 American Music Awards hosted by Jennifer Lopez. To start the night with a big bang there was a less than mediocre attempt by Jennifer Lopez with a messy medley of the best songs of the year. However, there were awesome performances by The Weekend with The Hills, Selena Gomez with Same Old Love, Meghan Trainor and Charlie Puth with a medley of Like I'm Gonna Lose You and Marvin Gaye and Justin Bieber with a medley of What Do You Mean?, Where Are U Now and Sorry. Taylor Swift was unsurprisingly the big winner of the night with three wins including Song of the Year for Blank Space, Favorite Pop/Rock Album for 1989 and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. One Direction took away the Artist of the Year while Sam Hunt won the New Artist of the Year. Other winners include:

• Collaboration of the Year: Diplo & Skrillex ft. Justin Bieber - Where are u now
• Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist - Ed Sheeran
• Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist - Ariana Grande
• Favorite Pop/Rock Duo or Group - One Direction 
• Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist - Nicki Minaj
• Favorite Alternative Rock Artist - Fall Out Boy
• Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist - Calvin Harris
• Top Soundtrack - Pitch Perfect 2  

The BRIT Critics have spoken. Jack Garratt was chosen after he along with Izzy Bisu and Frances were shortlisted from 100 artists for the prestigious award.This award is now one of the surest predictors of commercial success as it has proven time and again with past winners such as Adele, Ellie Goulding, Sam Smith, Jessie J and James Bay. 

Welcome back Adele is all that we can say for the charts around the world as the British singer's comeback hit which is also the lead single off her new studio album 25 reached the top in 28 countries. Hello's video also achieved several milestones as it broke the Vevo record for most views within 24-hours by accumulating 27.7 million views surpassing the 20.1 million views held by Taylor Swift's Bad Blood.

Whilst The Weeknd's The Hills managed to stay at the helm for the first week of November, Adele ruled the roost for the remainder of the month with Hello. Along with Hello, Justin Bieber's new single Sorry also entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No.2. The following week we see Ariana Grande's new single Focus debuting at No.7. With her newest hit, Grande becomes the first artist to have her debut single from her first three albums to chart within the Top 10. Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend's Like I'm Gonna Lose You and Elle King's Ex's and Oh's also entered the Top 10.

In the UK, Adele's Hello debuted at the top in the first week and remained there for the first three weeks with record breaking sales. Her comeback became the biggest UK chart-topper in three years, as well as setting a new one-week streaming record, racking up over 7.32 million listens in its first week available. It is also the fastest selling song of the year. Meanwhile, Bieber's Sorry struggled at No.2 for three weeks after which it overthrew Hello in the final week to claim the top spot. Meanwhile, MNEK & Zara Larsson's Never Forget You peaked at No.5 and Fleur East's Sax peaked at No.3 during the month.

Other songs which became popular during the month are:

• Jess Glynne - Take me home
• Justin Bieber - I'll show you
• WSTRN - In2
• Demi Lovato - Confident
• Alessia Cara - Here
• Rudimental ft. Ed Sheeran - Lay it all on me
• Thomas Rhett - Die a happy man  

Till the next beat...

At Ease!!!

Top 20 Songs About Being Young

Attention!!!

We may be growing old but all of us want to be young at heart. Maturity is a pretty subjective characteristic, as the most mature person can end up doing the most juvenile thing. There are songs about being young and the experiences one goes through when you were a kid. I have excluded those songs which reminisce the thought of how it felt to be young, because those are downright depressing. We have Fun. ft. Janelle Monae's We Are Young at the helm which although I am not crazy about actually sums up how the lives of today's youth are led. This is followed by the anthem, Young, Wild & Free by Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa ft. Bruno Mars. 

These songs are more or less based in pop with several rock and R&B songs and two indie and one EDM. Kesha is the only artist with two entries. I placed Jay-Z ft. Mr.Hudson's Forever Young which is a sampled version of Alphaville's original of the same name on higher position as I believed Jay-Z's rap verses are more relevant to our times. Songs like I'm Just A Kid, Cool Kids and Teenagers are more about what you go through when you are young. So here are the best songs about being young:

1. Fun. ft. Janelle Monae – We are young
2. Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa ft. Bruno Mars – Young, wild & free
3. Kesha – Die young
4. The Corrs – So young
5. Jay-Z ft. Mr.Hudson – Forever young
6. Tulisa Contostavlos – Young
7. Avril Lavigne – Here’s to never growing up
8. Rod Stewart – Forever young
9. Hardwell ft. Chris Jones – Young again
10. Simple Plan – I’m just a kid
11. Kesha ft. will.i.am – Crazy kids
12. Wheatus – Teenage dirtbag
13. My Chemical Romance – Teenagers
14. Echosmith – Cool kids
15. One Direction – Live while we’re young
16. Bob Dylan – Forever young
17. Katy Perry – Teenage dream
18. MGMT – Kids
19. The Undertones – Teenage kicks
20. Alphaville – Forever young 

Till the next beat...

At Ease!!!

Best Dance Hits of 2014

Attention!!!

2014 has been an extremely lousy year for dance music. With traditional pop music gaining momentum in the mainstream music scene, proper dance music has taken a back seat. Happy, All About That Bass and Shake It Off proved to be extremely popular at parties whereas Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Harwell the only EDM artists who came up with good hits this year failed to impress anyone. Robin Schulz was definitely the DJ to follow as he came up with two brilliant remixes. Hip hop music managed rather poorly to come up with hits like Anaconda, Wiggle and Don't Tell 'Em, but those hits do not stand out compared to those of yesteryear. Latin dance music scored rather well together with the FIFA World Cup Songs and Anthems by Shakira, Pitbull, Wisin and Enrique Iglesias.

However, the best dance hit this year goes to Turn Down for What by somewhat unknown DJ Snake and rapper Lil Jon. Heavily reminiscent of Baauer's Harlem Shake. Second place is now the heavily overplayed Bailando by Enrique Iglesias ft. Gente de Zona, Descemer Bueno and Sean Paul. So here are the Best Dance Hits of the 2014:

1. DJ Snake & Lil Jon – Turn down for what
2. Enrique Iglesias ft. Gente de Zona, Descemer Bueno & Sean Paul – Bailando
3. Calvin Harris – Summer
4. Lilly Wood and the Prick – Prayer in C (Robin Schulz Remix)
5. Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – Problem
6. The Chainsmokers – #SELFIE 
7. DVBBS & Borgeous ft. Tinie Tempah – Tsunami (jump)
8. Shakira – Dare (La, la, la)
9. David Guetta ft. Sam Martin – Lovers on the sun
10. Jason Derulo ft. Snoop Dogg – Wiggle
11. Pitbull ft. John Ryan – Fireball
12. Martin Garrix & Jay Hardway – Wizard
13. will.i.am ft. Miley Cyrus, French Montana & Wiz Khalifa – Feelin’ myself
14. Hardwell & Joey Dale ft. Luciana – Arcadia
15. AronChupa – I’m an Albatraoz
16. Wisin ft. Ricky Martina & Jennifer Lopez – Adrenalina
17. Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne – Rather be
18. Calvin Harris ft. John Newman – Blame
19. Nicki Minaj – Anaconda
20. Taylor Swift – Shake it off
21. Inna – The cola song
22. Hardwell ft. Matthew Koma – Dare you
23. Enrique Iglesias ft. Pitbull – I’m a freak
24. Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj – Bang bang
25. Ariana Grande ft. Zedd – Break free
26. Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding – Outside
27. Alesso ft. Tove Lo – Heroes (we could be)
28. Cheryl Cole ft. Tinie Tempah – Crazy stupid love
29. Meghan Trainor – All about that bass
30. Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – Fancy
31. Afrojack ft. Wrabel – Ten feet tall
32. Jeremih ft. YG – Don’t tell ‘em
33. Tiesto – Red lights
34. Mr. Probz – Waves (Robin Schulz Remix)
35. Jennifer Lopez ft. Iggy Azalea – Booty
36. David Guetta & Showtek ft. Vassy – Bad
37. Pharrell Williams – Happy
38. Iggy Azalea ft. MO – Beg for it
39. Cash Cash ft. Bebe Rexha – Take me home
40. Krewella – Enjoy the ride  
41. DJ Fresh vs. Jay Fay ft. Ms. Dynamite – Dibby dibby sound
42. Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Tyga – Loyal
43. Tiesto ft. Matthew Koma – Wasted
44. Kiesza – Hideaway
45. Oliver Heldens & Becky Hill – Gecko (overdrive)
46. Pitbull ft. Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte – We are one (ole, ola)
47. David Guetta ft. Skylar Grey– Shot me down
48. Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – Uptown funk!
49. Bobby Shmurda – Hot nigga
50. Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake – Love never felt so good

Till the next beat…

At Ease!!!

Best Workout Songs

Attention!!!

Working out has become the newest trend. Be it for fitness or vanity men, women, boys, girls and old farts all flock to the gym to have a run at the treadmill or pump your biceps for the party next day. Although there are a few of us who patronize the gym almost everyday, there are some who just go when there muffin tops begin to show through their tight dresses or body fit shirts. All in all the gym mania is catching on and so this list of work out songs will be vital for your schedule be it cardio, strength training or bodybuilding. These songs are very fast and have a good beat and bass in order for one to get their adrenaline running and the blood pumped. Although, some may think that there are inspirational songs which help at the gym like 'Til I collapse' by Eminem or 'Work Hard, Play Hard' by Wiz Khalifa, they are just that, motivational songs. If you want motivation or inspiration go find the list of the Best Inspirational Songs, but these songs and sick beats are to keep the rhythm of your schedule and maintain that die hard focus. 

1. Black Eyed Peas – Pump it
2. Avicii – Levels
3. Britney Spears – Work bitch
4. Bob Sinclar ft. Pitbull, Dragonfly & Fatman Scoop – Rock the boat
5. LMFAO – Sexy and I know it
6. Havana Brown ft. R3hab & Prophet of 7 Lions – Big banana
7. Richard Vission & Static Revenger & Luciana – I like that
8. Swedish House Mafia ft. Tinie Tempah – Miami 2 Ibiza
9. Inna – 10 Minutes
10. Calvin Harris ft. Tinie Tempah – Drinking from the bottle
11. Basshunter – Russia privjet
12. Swedish House Mafia vs. Knife Party – Antidote
13. David Guetta ft. Akon – Sexy bitch
14. Sak Noel – Loca people
15. Andreea Banica – Electrified
16. Black Eyed Peas – Let’s get it started
17. Drunken Monkey – Calabria
18. Rihanna – Don’t stop the music
19. DJ Sava ft. Andreea D & J. Yolo – Money maker
20. Hardwell ft. Mitch Crown – Call me a spaceman
21. Basshunter – Now you’re gone
22. Afrojack ft. Evan Simons – Take control
23. David Deejay ft. P. Jolie & Nonis – Perfect 2
24. Andreea Banica – Sexy
25. Havana Brown ft. Pitbull – We run the night
26. LMFAO – I’m in Miami bitch
27. Martin Garrix – Animals
28. Richard Vission ft. Luciana – When it feels this good
29. Reel 2 Real ft. Mad Stuntman – I like to move it
30. David Guetta ft. Ne-Yo & Akon – Play hard
31. Sean Paul ft. DJ Ammo – Touch the sky
32. Swedish House Mafia ft. Pharrell Williams – One (Your name)
33. Don Omar ft. Lucenzo – Danza kuduro
34. The Cataracs ft. Dev – Top of the world
35. Alex Gaudino ft. Kelly Rowland – What a feeling
36. Will.I.Am ft. Justin Bieber – #thatPower
37. Tiesto with Wolfgang Gartner ft. Luciana – We own the night
38. Luciana – I’m still hot
39. Far East Movement ft. Cover Drive – Turn up the love
40. Timbaland ft. David Guetta & Pitbull – Pass at me
41. LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock – Party rock anthem
42. Snoop Dogg ft. David Guetta – Sweat
43. Example – Changed the way you kiss me
44. Elena Gheorghe – Midnight sun
45. Bellini – Samba de janeiro
46. David Guetta ft. Chris Brown & Lil Wayne – I can only imagine
47. Pitbull – Don’t stop the party
48. Play & Win – Ya BB
49. Britney Spears – I wanna go
50. Dan Balan – Freedom
51. Far East Movement ft. Justin Bieber – Live my life
52. Swedish House Mafia – Greyhound
53. Flo Rida – Good feeling
54. Alexandra Stan – Mr. Saxobeat
55. Bingo Players ft. Far East Movement – Get up (rattle)
56. Elena Gheorghe – Your captain tonight
57. Leighton Meester – Just wanna dance
58. Pitbull – I know you want me (calle ocho)
59. Tom Boxer ft. Mike Diamondz – Dancing
60. David Guetta ft. Flo Rida – Club can’t handle me
61. Radio Killer – Be free
62. Manian – Welcome to the club
63. New Boyz ft. The Cataracs & Dev – Back seat
64. Kat Deluna – Be there
65. R.I.O. ft. U-Jean – Turn this club around
66. Sugababes – About a girl
67. Sean Kingston – Fire burning
68. Basshunter – All I ever wanted
69. Ke$ha – Die young
70. Ace of Base – Beautiful life
71. Yves Larock – Rise up
72. Ashley Tisdale – Crank it up
73. Enrique Iglesias ft. Pitbull – I’m a freak
74. Sean Paul – Get busy
75. Kelly Rowland ft. David Guetta – Commander
76. Mohombi – In your bed
77. Usher – More
78. Real McCoy – Another night
79. Black Eyed Peas – Don’t stop the party
80. David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj – Turn me on
81. Justin Bieber ft. Ludacris – All around the world
82. Jennifer Lopez – Waiting for tonight (Hex Hector Remix)
83. Inna ft. Juan Margan – Un momento
84. Enrique Iglesias ft. Usher & Lil Wayne – Dirty dancer
85. Taio Cruz ft. Kylie Minogue & Travie McCoy – Higher
86. Vanessa Amerossi – Absolutely everybody
87. Taio Cruz ft. Pitbull – There she goes
88. Akcent ft. Ruxandra Bar – Feelings on fire
89. Black Eyed Peas – Rock that body
90. Kat Deluna ft. Elephant Man – Whine up
91. Pussycat Dolls – When I grow up
92. Nadia Ali – Rapture (Avicii New Generation Remix)
93. Haddaway – What is love
94. Madonna ft. Timbaland & Justin Timberlake – 4 Minutes
95. Spiller ft. Sophie Ellis Baxtor – Groovejet (If this ain’t love)
96. Pitbull ft. Mark Anthony – Rain over me
97. Technotronic – Pump up the jam
98. Deep System – Hey Mr. DJ  
99. Everything But The Girl – Missing (Todd Terry Mix)
100. Cascada – Evacuate the dance floor

Till the next beat…

At Ease!!!