The 2009 Soul Train Awards Recap

Toni Braxton ft. Trey Songz "Yesterday"

Keri Hilson - Medley

Ryan Leslie "You're Not My Girl" & Mario ft. Sean Garrett "Break Up"

Melanie Fiona, Estelle, Others Tribute Motown

Fantasia, Others Tribute Chaka Khan

Brian McKnight, Others Tribute Charlie Wilson

The Soul Train Awards made their return last night with a tribute-filled & foolishness-heavy (courtesy of hosts Taraji P. Henson & Terrence Howard) ceremony that also featured both decent performers, including some nice ones thrown into the tributes, & winners alike. (Re: The hosts, they were fine--I actually like Taraji--those who put it all together simply seemed to favor odd skits in place of giving out actual awards...) Toni Braxton opened the show (I love saying that!) with her new single in a classy, yet sassy manner that was almost perfect (yuuup, indeed). Keri Hilson performed "Knock You Down," "Slow Dance," & "Turnin' Me On" in her usual fly way. In a weird segment comparing Ryan Leslie's ivy league education to Mario's upbringing in the hood that seemed to unintentionally diss the more talented latter, the two performed separate sets that were good, if not for the strange chopping of their songs. Estelle & Melanie Fiona joined a slew of others on stage to honor Motown's 50th anniversary, while Fantasia ..passionately screamed.. her part of the Chaka Khan tribute & Brian McKnight sang during the tribute to Charlie Wilson. I can't knock 'em for at least getting several of my favs, particularly the MIA-as-of-late Fantasia, to perform in the tributes. Now, you wouldn't know most of this from watching the show, but Beyonce won three golden trains for Album Of The Year, Best Female Artist, & Song Of The Year ("Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"). Also, Keri Hilson walked away with the awards for Best New Artist & Best Collaboration with Kanye West & Ne-Yo ("Knock You Down"). Nice job, ladies! HERE are all the winners.

Usher "V.I.P." Commercial

While I was watching the Soul Train Awards (the recap for which is coming up next!), this commercial came on & it's the first time I've seen it. V.I.P. is Usher's second fragrance for men & its ad has him channelling all the cliches possible to try to sell it to them. Oy. On the music front, his next album Raymond Vs. Raymond won't be dropping until the new year. Let those who are disappointed say 'I.' *crickets* ... Ursh, drop a decent single & I'll work my way over to your side again.

Alicia Keys & Rihanna Perform On The X Factor

Alicia Keys - Medley

Rihanna "Russian Roulette"

Alicia Keys sang "Empire State Of Mind," "Doesn't Mean Anything," & "No One" during her set on this week's X Factor results show in support of her upcoming album The Element Of Freedom (December 15th). I can't stress enough how gorgeous "Doesn't Mean Anything" is live! It's a shame that song didn't find more success over here to allow Alicia to perform it more. Rihanna also performed on the show, singing "Russian Roulette" off her new album Rated R. Ya know, it's not that she does a bad job of it, but I just don't like this song live for RiRi. I would actually go as far as to say that I think it's a good song, but it would've been more enjoyable had somebody else recorded it. That said, the Rated R tracks from James Fauntleroy, The-Dream, & Tricky Stewart are superb!

In Theaters Now...

Grade: A

I was finally able to catch the Mo'Nique & Mariah Carey-starring, Oprah Winfrey & Tyler Perry-executive produced "Precious." It was definitely a good movie; the aforementioned ladies did their thing as well. I do feel, however, that due to the expectations created by the overwhelmingly positive press (see: above) that it wasn't as life-changing as I thought it would be. That said, it's still a pretty powerful film.

Mariah Carey On This Morning

"I Want To Know What Love Is"

Interview

Slow day. Mariah Carey performed "I Want To Know What Love Is" again & gave the same interview on This Morning as part of her never-ending UK promo tour. She did a nice job. Being that it's Black Friday & all, take it from an R&B fan who appreciates good music: Mariah's new album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel would make the perfect Christmas gift!

Beyonce "I Am... Yours" Special

Beyonce's Thanksgiving special "I Am... Yours" aired on ABC last night, but you can watch it in full right here. The hour-long teaser for her new DVD of the same name includes Beyonce's recent & biggest hits. It's a really cool special & definitely a different look at the star, but what it undeniably does is drive home the point that Beyonce runs circles around her peers, from the up-&-coming to the legends, vocally. The woman is a machine & I'm loving every minute of it!

Kaleidoscope Performance Highlights

David Archuleta "Silent Night"

Katharine McPhee "I'll Be Home For Christmas"

American Idol runners-up David Archuleta & Katharine McPhee brought some holiday cheer earlier this evening on the skating-meets-singing special Kaleidoscope. They both sounded wonderful! I wanted them to air more of Archie's performances though...

Billboard Update

^#1 Album #1 Single^

In a week full of exciting new releases, America didn't care once again & opted to place John Mayer's Battle Studies at the top of this week's Billboard 200 album chart. Kris Allen's self-titled debut album opened at #11 with 80,000 copies sold, giving him the lowest first-week sales & chart position ever for an Idol winner's debut. Leona Lewis' sophomore album Echo started out at #13 with 67,000 copies sold, while OneRepublic came in at #22 with Waking Up, right above Janet Jackson's Number Ones at #23. (Unfortunately, Kid Sister's Ultraviolet was unable to make the chart.) On the Hot 100 singles chart, Jay-Z & Alicia Keys earn a second week on top with "Empire State Of Mind."

See full charts HERE

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

Melanie Fiona & Shontelle Perform Motown Tribute On Lions Vs. Packers Halftime Show

Melanie Fiona, Shontelle, & a slew of other current Motown artists celebrated the label's 50th anniversary with a Motown tribute during the halftime show for the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers. Melanie sang "I'll Be There" before Shontelle rolled up to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough;" then, everyone joined together for the big "Dancing In The Street" finale. The two ladies sounded great along with everyone else. This is great exposure for them as well! Good stuff.

Leona Lewis Performs On Jimmy Kimmel

Prepare yourself because Leona Lewis did not JUST perform "Happy" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night. We were also treated to the first HQ performance of "Outta My Head!" Thank goodness too because those "Happy" performances weren't exactly moving units, although it would've been nice for "Outta My Head" to have made it to air... oh well. Leona worked the stage slightly, but I'm just 'happy' to see her perform something uptempo! Now, about that dress, is there ANY wardrobe budget at all (not that she doesn't look good...)?! She's been wearing the same thing everywhere. Regardless, once you watch this & are sold on Leona's new music, do be sure to pick up her sophomore album Echo when you do your Black Friday shopping tomorrow!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2009 Performance Highlights

Syesha Mercado "Dreamgirls"

Katharine McPhee "Had It All"

On this morning's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Syesha Mercado performed alongside her "Dreamgirls" castmates & Katharine McPhee sang her new single. It's always good to see former Idols getting their shine on!

Adam Lambert Performs "Whataya Want From Me" On Letterman

Adam Lambert performed "Whataya Want From Me" from his debut album For Your Entertainment on the Late Show with David Letterman last night & KILLED! He's really making these little talk show performances worthwhile again.

Alicia Keys To Stream Concert On YouTube + More

On December 1st, Alicia Keys will take the stage at a charity concert in New York City to benefit "Keep A Child Alive." The show may be sold out, but it doesn't really matter because beginning at 8/7c, the concert will be streamed live on YouTube. This is too much! Oh, how I adore the internet. Alicia is all set to release her new album The Element Of Freedom on December 15th, but before she does, she has one more revelation. It has been announced that Drake will be featured on the background vocals for the album track "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)." I'm sure this excites some people... I'm just not one of them.

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Adam Lambert On The Early Show

"Music Again"

"Whataya Want From Me"

Interview

For Those Who Live In The Past...

Adam Lambert made his way over to CBS, the most-watched network in the country, this morning to perform a pair of songs from his debut album For Your Entertainment & mostly discuss things that aren't important on The Early Show. I'm loving these flawless performances & hearing that voice we all know & love! Adam is just too awesome.

Mya To Guest Star On Mercy

The reigning Dancing With The Stars runner-up (which is the actually best position anyway) has decided to follow her successful run on the show with a guest-starring spot on an upcoming episode of NBC's Mercy. The episode, which airs Wednesday, January 6th, will feature Mya playing "the guitar-slinging, melodramatic daughter of a dying 80-year-old man" on the hospital-set show. It's not music, but Mya hadn't done much since '03 before DWTS, so I'll take aaanything!

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Imogen Heap To Broadcast NYC Concert Online

Thanks to Billboard, we will be treated to an Imogen Heap concert live from New York City on December 3rd at 10/9c. If you're interested in this, I would recommend heading HERE. Words cannot express how thankful I am for this opportunity. I love Imogen & adore her new album Ellipse, but as I've mentioned before, I can hardly ever make it to any concert anywhere. You know I'll be glued to my computer screen a week from now!

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OneRepublic Performs Mini-Concert Online

Alright, I know I'm a little late with this, but OneRepublic has still only just released their second album Waking Up & if anyone missed their mini-concert from Twitter, it's too good not to watch! It's no secret that I love the band's new album & I'll tell you why. In addition to that organ Ryan Tedder typically hauls around for their performances, look at how many instruments they use in their songs! I love that they get creative & don't just drown their music in the blaring sound of guitars. Anyway, check out the show's setlist below (When are they gonna perform my fav "Good Life?"):

Everybody Loves Me
Stop & Stare
Secrets
Crazy (Gnarls Barkley Cover)
All The Right Moves
Apologize

New Alicia Keys Promo Pics

A couple new promotional photos from Alicia Keys' photoshoot for her upcoming fourth album The Element Of Freedom (December 15th) have surfaced. Those spikes seem to be popping up everywhere from Adam Lambert to Rihanna! Good look though.

Kelis Collaborates With Basement Jaxx, Crookers

With Kelis getting ready to release a new album in 2010, I thought I'd catch up with her most recently activity. Back in September, Kelis was featured on the hook of the Basement Jaxx song "Scars," the title track off their new album:



The song also features Chipmunk & Meleka (I don't know...). The electronic sound of this is cool & really has me anxious to hear these kinds of inevitable influences on her next album. Similarly, Kelis lends her vocals to "No Security," producers Crookers' current single. I promise you this is the official video, but it's honestly not worth paying attention to. Just listen & you'll enjoy:

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Mary J. Blige "Stronger With Each Tear" Cover

Mary J. Blige has unveiled the cover art for her next album Stronger With Each Tear (December 21st). I luuurrv it! Gorgeous & very classy. (Btw, I don't get what's with the 'withEach' business... I just refuse to accept it. lol)

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Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment" Video Premiere

"For Your Entertainment" is the first single lifted from Adam Lambert's debut album For Your Entertainment. Don't worry: The Ray Kay-directed video is not as wild as his AMA performance. In my opinion, that makes it not quite as good, but I still like it. What I LOVE is Adam's new album, so go get that!

Rihanna Performs "Russian Roulette" On Letterman

Rihanna continued promo for her new album Rated R with a performance of its first single "Russian Roulette" on the Late Show with David Letterman last night. Umm... dare I say, I could actually stand her voice during this! I know, right?

Whitney Houston Performs On Dancing With The Stars

Whitney Houston was also on hand at last night's Dancing With The Stars finale, where she performed both "Million Dollar Bill" off her latest album I Look To You &, appropriately enough, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." I thought the first performance started off strong & was good; the second not quite as much. Whitney looked great though & it seemed she was having fun!

Mya On Dancing With The Stars: Finals

Paso Doble & Freestyle

Megamix Challenge

Despite being the best dancer & the judges' favorite, Mya had to settle for second place on this season of Dancing With The Stars. She received two perfect scores of 30 & three nines on her last performance for a total of 87, so congrats to her on ending the show as the season's highest-scoring competitor & the real winner! Note that the latter video (the second performance) is a group one, but it contributed to her score & it was the finals after all!

Alicia Keys Performs On Today

Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart

Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

No One

Alicia Keys dropped by the Today show to perform a few songs, two of which are featured on her upcoming album The Element Of Freedom (December 15th). With "TSWABH" quickly climbing the charts & "Empire State Of Mind" hitting #1... her label moved too fast pushing her album back. Alicia would've been just fine coming out next week.

Mariah Carey On GMTV

"I Want To Know What Love Is"

Interview

Mariah Carey continued the rather lengthy European promo tour for her new album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel as a guest on GMTV. Not quite as good as the X Factor performance, but hey, I see you, Mariah!

Rihanna Performs On GMA

Wait Your Turn

Russian Roulette

Umbrella

Rihanna performed this morning on some piece of $#!% show in support of her newly released album Rated R. "Wait Your Turn" has done nothing but grow on me, but while "Russian Roulette" isn't a horrible song, I just don't like it. Nonetheless, Rated R is a really good album & definitely worth the pocket change Def Jam is selling it for!

Fergie "Nine" Poster

Check out Fergie as a woman of the night in the new musical "Nine," which hits theaters on Christmas Day. Ads have been running for this & it looks like a winner!

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Kris Allen On Ellen

"Live Like We're Dying"

Interview

Kris Allen stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres show to perform "Live Like We're Dying" off his self-titled debut album & sit down for a little chat afterwards. The interview was nice & Kris is cool & all... but I don't like this song.

Mary J. Blige On Lopez Tonight

"I Am"

Interview

Mary J. Blige visited Lopez Tonight to perform the new single "I Am" off her upcoming album Stronger With Each Tear (December 21st) & chat with host George Lopez. It was cool to see some personality from MJB & that performance was really nice. I'm awfuly excited for her new album!

Guy Sebastian ft. Jordin Sparks "Art Of Love" Video Premiere

"Art Of Love," featuring Jordin Sparks, is the second single off Guy Sebastian's new album Like It Like That, out now in Australia. Jordin looks gorgeous in her glammed-up attire. The song's nice too, especially the second chorus, which features Jordin's harmonies prominently.

Kelis Album Update

What an exciting day for Kelis fans! I've been blogging for almost two years now & this is the first time I've gotten the opportunity to post about new Kelis music. Today, she unleashed her new single "Acapella," which you can hear below. The David Guetta-produced track definitely rides the current dance craze, but isn't really far-fetched for Kelis. We aren't done hearing from her either because it has been confirmed that the new mom has signed with will.i.am/Interscope Records for the release of her new album, which "is pretty much done," in spring of next year! We can expect a similar sound from the record because the former Mrs. Nas has also been working with Free School, whom she recently collaborated with on their song "Grey Goose (Whatcha Sippin' On)," which I've also included below. "Acapella" is growing on me as I listen to it more... hey, I've got nothing to complain about. We have a new Kelis album on the way! Gotta love her style.

Acapella

Grey Goose (Whatcha Sippin' On) (ft. Kelis & apl.de.ap)

Jessica Mauboy "Let Me Be Me" Video Premiere

"Let Me Be Me" is the sixth single off Jessica Mauboy's debut album Been Waiting. She has now released more singles than not from her original album, this being the disc's closer. I don't suppose I had ever considered this song to be a possible single, but it's fine. Basically, I think it's time she gets moving with that second album & goes international like I've heard she's going to!

Whitney Houston "Whitney Houston (25th Anniversary Edition)" Details

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of its release, a deluxe edition of Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album will be released on January 19th. In addition to the original tracklisting being remastered, the CD will feature remixes of "Thinking About You," "Someone For Me," & "How Will I Know;" an acapella version of "How Will I Know;" & a live version of "Greatest Love Of All." Also, a DVD will be included with the videos for "You Give Good Love," "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know," & "Greatest Love Of All" as well as Whitney's premiere TV performance of "Home" on The Merv Griffin Show. Lastly, new interviews with Whitney & Clive Davis will be included. Shoo! This is quite the collector's item for any Whitney fan.

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New Music Monday

It's a big day for releases, folks! My most anxiously awaited CD of the fall, Adam Lambert's debut album For Your Entertainment, drops today. The excellent, eclectic set includes his first single "For Your Entertainment" as well as "Time For Miracles." Amazon is offering a download of the album for $3.99, so you can take advantage of that HERE. Also out today is Beyonce's 2-CD/1-DVD concert "I Am... Yours." Links to buy both can be found in the widget on the right-hand side.

Also out...

Rihanna Rated R BUY ($3.99)

Beyonce I Am... Sasha Fierce (Deluxe Edition) BUY

Britney Spears The Singles Collection (Box Set) BUY

Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You (Dance Mix)" Song Premiere

Merry Christmas in November again! The latest in this year's crop celebrating the upcoming holiday is a new dance mix of Mariah Carey's classic "All I Want For Christmas Is You," which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. It's not only appropriate for this remix to be released for that reason, but also because it comes at just the right time, as this sound makes perfect sense for radio airplay this December. You can download the remix as well as the 3-track EP in which it is included HERE.

The 2009 American Music Awards Recap

Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment"

Janet Jackson - Medley



Jennifer Lopez "Louboutins"



Whitney Houston "I Didn't Know My Own Strength"



Rihanna - Medley



Mary J. Blige "I Am"



Alicia Keys "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart"



The Black-Eyed Peas - Medley



Kelly Clarkson "Already Gone"



Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys "Empire State Of Mind"

The show of the year, or the 2009 American Music Awards, was on tonight. The AMAs are making a tradition out of having a stellar lineup & painfully awful award winners. Janet Jackson kicked off the show with a medley of "Control," "What Have You Done For Me Lately," "Miss You Much," "If," "Make Me," & "Together Again" ... & she smashed it! That "If" choreography never gets old & I'm very happy that she included "Make Me." Next up was Kelly Clarkson, whose string-accompanied version of her latest single was absolutely gorgeous. In her first performance of two, Alicia Keys joined Jay-Z for their current #1 hit; her intro was really great. The Black-Eyed Peas then took the stage to perform dance-y versions of "Meet Me Halfway" & "Boom Boom Pow." Fergie brought her A-game tonight! Following a "Mad House" intro, Rihanna performed "Wait Your Turn" & "Hard" with a number of very cool props. Best RiRi performance ever? Mary J. Blige kept it appropriately simple for her number, which was awesome & has me liking the song quite a bit more now. My most anticipated performance of the middle of the show was the return of Jennifer Lopez, who effectively premiered her new single. I think she both did her THANG ... & made a nice recovery. Whitney Houston then gave one of her best performances of this era before receiving her special award. In her second performance of the night, Alicia Keys gave a better-than-average showing, flying above the stage & all, to go along with her typical on-point vocals. Lastly, Adam Lambert closed the show. He most definitely entertained me & will have people talking, which is no doubt what he had in mind. As for the awards themselves, you can check out the relevant winners below. Considering the number of awards given to a one T.S., I didn't really mind MJ winning so many. This year's AMAs spit out one good performance after another the entire time, which is essentially the point of them, so I wish them luck topping themselves next year!

• Michael Jackson wins Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Number Ones), & Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Number Ones)
• Whitney Houston wins International Artist Of The Year
• Beyonce wins Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist
• The Black-Eyed Peas win Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, Or Group & Favorite Soul/R&B Band, Duo, Or Group

Album Review: Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment"

Where do you start with Adam Lambert? He took the most recent season of American Idol by storm as one of the greatest talents the show has ever seen. His voice left most of the country in awe, from his gorgeous, pure tone to the incredible heights he could reach vocally, & his outstanding stage presence went unmatched. The industry took notice as well, with Adam being tapped to record the epic theme song "Time For Miracles" (a bonus track on the album) for this holiday season's big-budget blockbuster "2012." Now, Adam is unleashing his debut album For Your Entertainment to show the world just exactly what we've been missing.

The album kicks off with the lyrically appropriate "Music Again," the song, if I had to pick one, that I think best embodies the sound Adam was aiming for. Next up is title track & first single "For Your Entertainment," an addictive pop track. The Max Martin & Pink-penned "Whataya Want From Me" has a bit more of the pop/rock style of its pop star co-writer. The song's lyrics fit Adam like a glove & he sings his butt of on it, which can obviously be said about the entire album. There's no doubt in my mind that Glambert had a ball recording the fun "Strut."

Adam slows it down for a moment on "Soaked," a very nice ballad with an interestingly timeless feel. He then rocks out on "Sure Fire Winners," which includes one of Lambert's best signature wails on the album. Listeners might be a little surprised to hear Adam get his vulnerability on with the Linda Perry-produced "A Loaded Smile;" as with anything of course, Adam does so perfectly. Another Max Martin offering, "If I Had You," has more of his typical pop sound, which makes this one of my favorite tracks on the album.

The uptempo vibe continues with "Pick U Up," which is another great vocal showing. Then, Lady Gaga does her best to rub off on Adam on "Fever," a fun track that has him trying on an accent that's sure to raise an eyebrow or two (the goal Lambert no doubt had in mind). Ryan Tedder continues giving me reasons to love him this year with "Sleepwalker," another highlight for me. Adam's voice is just wonderful over one of Tedder's signature productions. Next up is "Aftermath," that big rock ballad I know I was hoping for. Those vocals! Breathtaking... which is the perfect word to describe the very "Mad World"-ish closer "Broken Open." Adam is brilliant for ending the album this way. This song is so hauntingly beautiful.

For Your Entertainment is definitely the eclectic album Adam Lambert promised, with pop, rock, & electronic vibes throughout, yet it blends seemlessly together thanks, in part, to some excellent sequencing. Adam has come along at just the right time because he can do the electro-pop sound that's currently popular better than anybody on the radio & he brings a level of talent to the table, no matter the tempo, that is rare anytime, but especially these days. It really encourages me as well to see the very impressive lineup of writers & producers Adam scored for his first album. Now, to see Adam to perform these songs live..!

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Mariah Carey Performs "I Want To Know What Love Is" On The X Factor

Mariah Carey performed "I Want To Know What Love Is," her current UK single off Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, on the results show of their version of The X Factor. Disregarding the about 15% of the song that she always lips, this has to be Mariah's best vocal showing in some time. She is really getting good at performing this song! As for The X Factor itself, :( to the only good act Jedward leaving...

Brandy Sings "A Change Is Gonna Come" On YouTube

Brandy has continued her very own 'bathroom concert series' by belting "A Change Is Gonna Come," which she just posted on YouTube. Once again, there is no denying that she was GETTIN' it! Now, Brandy... where's that new record deal news? You on Timbo's label or not?!

Mariah Carey To Team Up Again With Westlife

Mariah Carey & Westlife are set to release another UK-exclusive single together. Here's what Mariah had to say about the upcoming song:

"They're very exciting artists & I love them. I want [the record] to be the next single [in the UK] & different to the rest of the world. I can't wait to do it."

When Westlife jumped on Mariah's "Against All Odds" cover from her Rainbow album back in the day, I really enjoyed it, as I was even a fan of Westlife's own music during their short-lived US invasion at the time. I've never lost my appreciation for the music I liked back then though, so I'm excited to hear what they'll cook up this time around.

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The Caffeine Patch: Cars Toon "Unidentified Flying Mater"

The fifth Cars Toon entitled "Unidentified Flying Mater" premiered this weekend. Mater is telling his tall tales once again in one of the series' best toons yet!

Commentary #3: The Best We've Never Had

Everybody has one. That snippet that leaked; the in-studio footage you saw; the track you've only heard about. There are so many songs that have been teased to us, but have yet to leak. I, for one, know what it's like to wait anywhere from weeks to years to give my ears the chance to listen to a particular song. Patience has paid off in the past every so often with such tracks as Nicole Scherzinger's "Power's Out," Ciara's "Feelin' On My A," &, most recently, Mariah Carey's "100 Percent," but there are always more to be had. I've compiled my list of the top 10 songs that need to leak YESTERDAY:

1. Brandy "Stand Back": My favorite songwriter James Fauntleroy, who has unparalleled chemistry with Brandy, recently revealed that my favorite demo of his (& one of his favs as well) was recorded by Brandy. Unfortunately, not even a taste of Brandy's version has hit the net, but you can listen to J-Faunt's powerful demo below:

2. Brandy "Home": Besides "Power's Out" & until recently, this has been my most anxiously awaited potential leak. Brandy recorded this James Fauntleroy-penned track while working with Timbaland for her latest album Human alongside "Drum Life," neither of which made the final cut. James' demo for this one is also online, although no sample of Brandy's version is available:

3. Mario "Depression (Thinkin' Of You)": This one kills me. First of all, the lack of this song's inclusion was the biggest letdown for me about Mario's newest album D.N.A. Seemingly though, Mario made up for it by making this the album's iTunes pre-order bonus track. Those things always leak, right? Of course not. Here's a clip of it though:

4. Brandy "Louboutins": We all know the story behind this one--Jennifer Lopez snatched it up after Brandy's split with Epic Records earlier this year. That, however, does not change the fact that I KNOW Brandy killed her version & I'm DYING to hear it! For now though, all we have is J.Lo's version:

5. Nicole Scherzinger "Just Say Yes": Of course, the album leak of all album leaks would be that of Nicole Scherzinger's Her Name Is Nicole. Interestingly enough, nine of the album's fourteen tracks have already hit the net & while there isn't an ounce of studio-quality audio for four of the five songs that are still missing ("I M.I.S.S. U," "Love Like This," "When You're Falling," & "March"), we've been teased to death with "Just Say Yes." Even though the Snow Patrol-written track has now been taken back, Nicole performed it both on TV & at a club, where LQ audio of the entire song (the only available) was recorded. Below, I've included an HQ snippet of it:

6. Toni Braxton "Make My Heart": I'm not too terribly worried about this one, as Toni Braxton has a new album coming out soon, but I'm too darn impatient & concerned about the album's final tracklisting to wait until then! This uptempo sounds hot & would sure help liven up what is sure to be a ballad-heavy release from Toni. Listen to a snippet below:

7. Brandy "It's My Party": This is an interesting one. Ages ago, studio footage surfaced of Brandy recording this & I immediately fell in love. Since then, she's used the track to unofficially introduce us to her alter-ego Brand'Nu. Keeping in mind that I can only hope this ended up being an entire song & not just a hook, you can hear Brandy recording it from 1:40 to 2:30 below:

8. Dondria "Still Be With Me": This So So Def newbie was supposed to release her debut album 16 months ago. This song may or may not make the final cut, but it's probably the best one we've heard from her. Check out the song in progress at the 45-second mark:

9. Toni Braxton "Looking At Me": Here's another hot-sounding uptempo that has been recorded for possible inclusion on Toni's next album. Listen to a snippet below:


10. Christina Milian "Zipper": Our first taste of this possible Elope single was from a Tapemasters mixtape. The song's second verse was MIA, however, until it emerged sounding like someone had been singing along to it in their car. The official version has yet to leak, but you can listen to this fanmade version of the Christina Milian track below:

So, there you have it. The hottest songs we've never (completely) heard! I suppose this post'll have to do until *they* hear my cry. =/ Are there any you agree with? Can you think of any others? Lemme know!

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*UPDATED* Adam Lambert & Kris Allen Do Billboard Magazine

American Idol's Adam Lambert & Kris Allen join together once again to cover Billboard magazine's latest issue. An additional shot of each can be found below. Adam's debut album For Your Entertainment arrives on Monday, while Kris' self-titled project is out now.

UPDATE: This isn't solely an Adam Lambert post, but it'll have to do because I wanna fill you guys in on the iTunes deluxe edition of his debut album For Your Entertainment that will be available upon its release on Monday. Joining the previously announced bonus track "Down The Rabbit Hole" is the leaked "Master Plan;" in addition, behind-the-scenes videos of Adam in the studio & the album's photoshoot will be included. I'm dying to see that footage... I just can't decide which one I wanna see more! Nevertheless, you can pre-order this deluxe edition HERE.

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Janet Jackson "Make Me" Video Premiere

"Make Me" is Janet Jackson's new song off her hits collection Number Ones. I cannot get over how young Ms. Jackson looks in this video! I love it too, from the special effects to Janet's signature on-point dancing. You KNOW she's gonna kill the first eight minutes of the AMAs on Sunday!

*UPDATED* Toni Braxton ft. Trey Songz "Yesterday" Video Premiere

"Yesterday," featuring Trey Songz, is the first single lifted from Toni Braxton's forthcoming album, due February 2nd. Toni dons several different looks in the Billie Woodruff-directed video, which features a cameo from Brooke Hogan playing herself (LOL ..too easy..). I really like the video; Toni looks great in it & it has a good overall look as well. The only thing holding it back is Trey Songz. :)

UPDATE: Toni called into The Wendy Williams Show to premiere the video, talk about her recent separation, & discuss *that* kiss with Trey:

Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull "Fresh Out The Oven" Video Premiere

"Fresh Out The Oven," featuring Pitbull, is Lola, err, Jennifer Lopez's buzz single for her upcoming album Love?, which drops early next year. We finally have this video! Jenny looks hot as her alter-ego & this video is as fresh as the song. I actually like it better than her recently leaked first single "Louboutins" (see below), but I'm still anxious to see her perform it at the AMAs this weekend!

Louboutins

Keri Hilson "I Like" Video Premiere

"I Like" is Keri Hilson's single off the soundtrack for a new German movie, the same one as OneRepublic's "Secrets." The simple video features mostly shots of Miss Keri alongside some *pretty hilarous-looking* clips from the film. I really think this song could do well in America, so I hope they don't neglect releasing it over here.

Elliott Yamin Prepping Live EP

Elliott Yamin has announced his intentions to release a live, acoustic EP early next year. The EP will probably include some b-sides & possibly a new song or two. This is cool news. I'm glad Elliott's gonna put a little something out there to create some buzz... even if I don't think it can top his sophomore album Fight For Love, although Elliott can sing his butt off live (duh). Elliott has some killer b-sides, so I hope they make the cut, & more new songs are always good!

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Syesha Mercado "Dreamgirls" Footage

Syesha Mercado has been keeping those of us posted who aren't able to see the opening of "Dreamgirls" at the Apollo theater in New York by posting a couple clips of footage from the play. The first features live video & audio, while the latter includes footage set to Syesha's studio recording of "One Night Only." Very cool! Thank goodness for the internet.

Mariah Carey On Alan Carr: Chatty Man

"I Want To Know What Love Is"

Interview (Pt. 1)

Interview (Pt. 2)

I've never heard of the show Alan Carr: Chatty Man, but Mariah Carey was a guest on The Friday Night Project last year, which features Alan Carr... but anyway, check her out performing "I Want To Know What Love Is" & in a two-part interview that I must say is really entertaining. This Alan Carr is quite a character--& not just for spilling champagne all over himself while on air! As for the performance, YES!! to 3:08! Mariah's new album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel (the year's best so far btw) is out now.

Alicia Keys "The Element Of Freedom" Tracklisting

Alicia Keys will release her fourth album The Element Of Freedom on December 15th. The set's tracklisting has now been confirmed & is featured below:

1. Element Of Freedom (Intro)
2. Love Is Blind
3. Doesn't Mean Anything
4. Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart
5. Wait 'Til You See My Smile
6. That's How Strong My Love Is
7. Unthinkable (I'm Ready)
8. Love Is My Disease
9. Like The Sea
10. Put It In A Love Song (ft. Beyonce)
11. This Bed
12. Distance & Time
13. How It Feels To Fly
14. Empire State Of Mind (Part II)

Now that "TSWABH" has grown on me & we've heard her perform "Empire State Of Mind (Part II)," Alicia is three for three, so I'm excited for this album. Oh, & that Beyonce collabo can't hurt!

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Ciara 'Works' It For LG

Ciara jams to her song "Work" lifted from Fantasy Ride in this pair of promotional videos being featured on LG's website, the cell phone company she is currently endorsing. Right now, CiCi is prepping for the release of her fourth album sometime next year.

Leona Lewis Performs "Happy" On Conan

Leona Lewis got on her promo grind yet again with a performance of "Happy" from Echo on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien this evening. Honey, we understand... we do; however, we just wanna be happy too & that would involve you singing another song.

Janet Jackson Signs With A&M Records

Janet Jackson has signed a new record deal with A&M Records that has the singer returning to where she started her career. This comes as no surprise, as Janet was recently spotted with Interscope Geffen A&M main man Jimmy Iovine & her new compilation album Number Ones was released on the label. Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins has been tapped to oversee production of Janet's next album, which is due in the second quarter of 2010. News of Darkchild working with ANYONE is good news! I'm pretty excited because this label group never messes around with promo & with the forthcoming "Make Me" video, last night's interview, & her performance at the AMAs on Sunday, Janet is no exception.

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Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment" Behind-The-Scenes

Access Hollywood aired some behind-the-scenes footage from Adam Lambert's recent "For Your Entertainment" video shoot. I have faith that Glambert will pull out a showstopper! His debut album For Your Entertainment hits stores on Monday & I looove it!!