Xposition - September 2013

Attention!!!

September although not as eventful as August did witness the inauguration of the much anticipated TomorrowWorld which is an American spin-off of Tomorrowland and its sister festival held from 27-29 September in Atalanta. It was an immense success with a strong lineup of renowned DJs including Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta, Tiesto, Axwell and Afrojack. 

Miley Cyrus stunned everybody at the VMAs in August when her twerking with Robin Thicke went viral, but this was nothing compared to the shocks and heart attacks her fans and critics received when the video of her new song Wrecking Ball premiered. The video depicts her swinging stark naked on a wrecking ball and even licking sledgehammers and what not. However, she broke the record for the highest number of views of a video on YouTube in 24 hours. 

As predicted Katy Perry's Roar dethroned Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines and held on for two weeks before being overthrown by Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball. She too held on for two weeks. Lorde's Royals has been at No. 3 for over two weeks struggling behind Cyrus and Perry, the popularity of the single may yet surprise everyone if it proves to dethrone these giants. In the UK Roar debuted at No.1 and it was Talk Dirty by Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz that managed to surpass it. OneRepublic's Counting Stars continue to struggle at No.2 and has been in the top 3 for the whole month. Other than that there has been no significant movement on either charts except for maybe Drake's Hold On We're Going Home which has also been in the top 10 for the whole month. 

Eminem's new song Berzerk takes us back to why we loved the white rapper in the first place. The song although failed to peak in the US debuted at No.3 and garnered critical acclaim. Britney Spears' Work Bitch with its provocative video entered the US charts at No.12. The song reminisces a combination of her hits Hold It Against Me and I'm A Slave 4 U. It will probably enter the Top 10 in October but there is doubt as to its potential as a No.1. While Berzerk and Wrecking Ball are to be released in the UK in October Work Bitch is to be released in the UK in November. 

Other songs that were released that are of any significance in the UK or the US in the past month are: 

1. Jessie J - It's My Party

2. Avicii - You Make Me

3. Rizzle Kicks - Lost Generation

4. The Fox - Ylvis

5. Mike WiLL Made-It ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J - 23

6. Robin Thicke ft. Kendrick Lamar - Give It 2 U

Drake's third studio album Nothing Was the Same debuted at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 and debuted at No.2 on the UK Albums Chart on the last week of September making it the highest first week sales for a hip hop album since Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV in 2011. However, October will prove fatal for those attempting to go up against the debut of what many are calling the album of the year - Bangerz by Miley Cyrus.

At Ease!!!

Xposition - August 2013

Attention!!!

Well August has been a very interesting month for the music industry and we have the much anticipated theatrical MTV Video Music Awards to discuss about as well as the usual charts and news. 

The 30th MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) was held on August 25, 2013 in New York and the Video of the Year went to Justin Timberlake for his exceptional work on "Mirrors". However, the showstopper was none other than Hannah Montana gone bad Miley Cyrus as her performance of We Can't Stop mashed up with Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines and the twerking that ensued drew varying comments from social media and fellow artistes which were either highly critical or entertaining. I of course believe that a personality with an influence of such magnitude among young girls and boys should have literally kept her nude underwear in her pants. This sudden drastic hair chopping change of Cyrus won't hopefully influence the already deteriorating generation in the US by advocating partying, drugs and experimenting with sexual orientation. Although she and Robin Thicke were nominated for four awards each, neither won in any category. 

The other amusing drama at the VMAs was the neverending saga of Taylor Swift vs. Harry Styles. After the infamous breakup between Swift and Styles, Swift went on to write We are never ever getting back together and I knew you were trouble inspired from the bitter heartbreak she suffered. However, this was not a waste as her biggest singles up to date are those two as well. Although Swift did not perform at the VMAs during her acceptance speech for the Best Female Video (I knew you were trouble) she said "I also want to thank the person who inspired this song, because he knows exactly who he is, because now I've got one of these". However, even before this when the Best Pop Video was being presented by One Direction, Swift mouthed the words "Shut the Fuck Up" to Selena Gomez  who smiled awkwardly and moments later Gomez went on stage to accept her award for Come and Get It. 

Other performers at the ceremony included Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake with a surprise entrance by former fellow band mates of 'N Sync who performed a mashup of Girlfriend and Bye, Bye, Bye. Some of the other award winners worth mentioning are:

Best Male Video: Bruno Mars - Locked out of heaven

Artist to Watch: Austin Mahone - What about love

Best Rock Video: 30 Seconds to Mars - Up in the air

Best Hip-Hop Video: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton - Can't hold us

Best Collaboration: Pink ft. Nate Ruess - Just give me a reason

Best Song of the Summer: One Direction - Best song ever

Moving on to the UK Charts the first week was dominated by Avicii with Wake me Up only to be replaced by Miley Cyrus with We Can't Stop. Thereafter Ellie Goulding moved onto No.1 with her new single Burn which would hang on to this position even in early September. Burn is a great synthpop song with brilliant vocals by Goulding. However, Goulding will meet her match as Katy Perry's Roar will enter the charts on September 1, 2013.

In the US Billboard Hot 100 Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines has been reigning supreme for the past 11 weeks. No doubt it will end up as the Year End Numero Uno. Katy Perry's Roar has been struggling at No.2 but will possibly surpass the "Lines" once her video comes out. However, one thing that we should all should be glad about is that One Direction's Best Song Ever failed to claim the No.1 spot in the UK or the US. Lady Gaga's Applause failed to impress anyone except for her ardent fan base as the song fell short of peaking either in the UK or US. We will just have to wait and see if her latest album Artpop will produce anything at all along the lines of Poker Face or Just Dance. 

Other songs worth mentioning that made the Top 10 in either the UK or US in the past month are:

Zedd ft. Foxes - Clarity

Anna Kendrick - Cups (Pitch Perfect OST)

Capital Cities - Safe and Sound

Lana Del Rey and Cedric Gervais - Summertime Sadness

Klangkarussell ft. Will Heard - Sonnentanz (Sun don't shine)

DJ Fresh and Diplo ft. Dominique Young Unique - Earthquake

Sean Paul - Other side of love

The Wanted - We own the night

Tinie Tempah ft. 2 Chainz - Trampoline

Naughty Boy ft. Emeli Sande - Lifted

Til the next Beat...

At Ease!!!