Kelly Clarkson On Rove

"I Do Not Hook Up"

Interview

Kelly Clarkson performed "I Do Not Hook Up" off All I Ever Wanted & sat down for a rather funny interview on Rove in Australia recently. Her personality + that voice = WIN!

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform On THE DOME 50

Boom Boom Pow

Pump It

The Black-Eyed Peas took the stage in Germany at THE DOME 50 event to perform two of their hit singles. They sure are getting on their grind in anticipation of their forthcoming album The END (June 9th). I wonder... does anybody else think the Peas are feelin' themselves a little too much sometimes?

Jennifer Hudson Pregnant

It looks like the rumors are true: Jennifer Hudson is pregnant. The baby's father is Jennifer's fiancé David Otunga & although his or her due date is unknown, Jennifer is believed to be many months into her pregnancy. I'm definitely happy for the couple; I do hope Jennifer takes the time she needs to get married & start her family though.

[Source, Source]

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform On T4 (Cont.)

I Gotta Feeling

Meet Me Halfway

Let The Beat Rock

I recently posted The Black-Eyed Peas performing "Boom Boom Pow" on T4, but they did a whole set, so here's the rest of it! "I Gotta Feeling," the second single off their upcoming album The END (June 9th), sounds like it should do well on the radio, but it's not my favorite. I'm not really into "Meet Me Halfway" either. "Let The Beat Rock" is pretty cool though & it just so happens to be available on the 'BBP' remix EP that I'm giving away!

Kris Allen On Huckabee

"Yesterday"

Interview

Kris Allen sat down with Mike Huckabee on the latter's FOX News show, where Kris also sang The Beatles' "Yesterday" with the accompaniment of Huckabee. It was nice to hear Kris sing something we haven't heard from him.

The Black-Eyed Peas "The END" Tracklisting + Preview

The time is approaching for The Black-Eyed Peas to release their new album The END (June 9th). Check out the tracklisting for the album below & see if you can pick out which of the songs will be the next #1 for the BEPs:

1. Boom Boom Pow
2. Rock That Body
3. Meet Me Halfway
4. Imma Be
5. I Gotta Feeling
6. Alive
7. Missing You
8. Ring-A-Ling
9. Party All The Time
10. Out Of My Head
11. Electric City
12. Showdown
13. Now Generation
14. One Tribe
15. Rockin' To The Beat

Snippets of each track can be heard HERE. I'm definitely looking forward to what promises to be a fun dance album perfect for summer. Btw, I'm aware that Target will be releasing a deluxe edition of The END & I'll tell you all about it as soon as the details surface!

In Theaters Now...

Grade: A+

David Archuleta To Release Fan Pack

On June 9th, all Archies will be heading to iTunes because David Archuleta is set to drop a fan pack! The bundle will include his new song "Zero Gravity," cover of "A Thousand Miles," & video for "Touch My Hand." That's good enough for me! I wanna give a shout-out to reader Catherine for keeping me informed of all things David.

[Source]

The Caffeine Patch: Toy Story 3 Teaser Trailer

This is the moment, well, I've been waiting for! The "Toy Story" movies are my absolute favorites, so I'm super excited about "Toy Story 3" being released in Disney Digital 3D on June 18, 2010. Check out the out-of-this-world teaser trailer for the threequel above!

Missy Elliott Performs On Pepsi Smash

Ching-A-Ling

Get Ur Freak On

Missy Elliott recently performed a pair of her hits for Yahoo! Music's Pepsi Smash. They were fine & all, but where in the world did her Block Party album go?! We want new Missy!

Adam Lambert & Kris Allen Appear On Best Week Ever

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Adam Lambert & Kris Allen shot some footage for the latest episode of Best Week Ever & you'd better prepare to LOL! I have to hand it to the pair of them, & especially Kris with his cape(!), because they were hilarious.

Daughtry "Leave This Town" Cover

The cover art for Daughtry's upcoming sophomore album Leave This Town (July 14th) has surfaced. I wish Chris & the gang much success with this project.

[Source]

Katharine McPhee "Funny Or Die" Infomercial

Katharine McPhee has shot a fake infomercial with Quween, the homeless woman who recently saved Kat from a paparazzi attack, for Funny Or Die. Silly.

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform "Boom Boom Pow" On Le Grand Journal

The Black-Eyed Peas performed their #1 US hit "Boom Boom Pow" recently on France's Le Grand Journal. The END arrives June 9th!

Jessica Mauboy "Because" Video Premiere

"Because" is the fourth single taken from Jessica Mauboy's debut album Been Waiting. This one's definitely a winner. The video is cool & she sounds great with the song, especially during the "I made a mistake of giving me to you" part. Nice!

Kris Allen At Disney World

Looks where Kris Allen actually went! Appearing, unsurprisingly, at the American Idol Experience attraction, Kris Allen was interviewed & performed "Heartless" at Disney World. Good stuff.

Adam Lambert On Good Day New York

"Mad World"



Interview

Adam Lambert & his awesome self were on Good Day New York yesterday, where he performed "Mad World" & chatted with the show's host a bit. I already want his album...

Kris Allen On The Early Show

Kris Allen performed "No Boundaries" following an interview during his appearance on The Early Show this morning. I think I know a song that Kris is sick of performing...

Daughtry "No Surprise" Video Preview

Daughtry returns with the first single "No Surprise" off their upcoming sophomore album Leave This Town (July 14th). Looks like... a rock video.

Adam Lambert On The Early Show + More

Adam Lambert performed "Mad World" & participated in an interview for both The Early Show (above) & The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet (HERE). Sure I'd like to see something other than "Mad World" for a change, but it's not like I'm gonna complain about getting to see a TON of Adam Lambert!

Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart

This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full charts HERE.

Eminem debuts atop this week's Billboard 200 album chart with Relapse, while Busta Rhymes' Back On My B.S. came in at #5 with 59,000 copies sold & Ruben Studdard's Love IS starts off at #36. (LaKisha Jones' So Glad I'm Me was unable to chart.) Also debuting this week are the Season 8 Favorite Performances albums from Adam Lambert & Kris Allen. Adam's sold 16,000 copies, which was good enough for #33, & Kris' sold 10,000 copies, good enough for #50. The Black-Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" stays on top of the Hot 100 singles chart this week, but Adam & Kris have quite a few debuts there too & you can check them out below:

Kris Allen "No Boundaries" #11 (134,000)

Kris Allen "Heartless" #16

Adam Lambert "Mad World" #19 (115,000)

Kris Allen "Ain't No Sunshine" #37

Adam Lambert "A Change Is Gonna Come" #56

Kris Allen "Apologize" #66

Adam Lambert "No Boundaries" #72

Adam Lambert "One" #82

Kris Allen "Falling Slowly" #94

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

Day26 "Stadium Music" Video Premiere

"Stadium Music" is the second single off Day26's sophomore album Forever In A Day. This video plays like a painfully long Making The Band intro. Another idiotic decision from Bad Boy.

Adam Lambert & Kris Allen On Today

Adam Lambert "Mad World"

Kris Allen "No Boundaries"

Kris Allen "Heartless"

Interview

Interview (Web Exclusive)

American Idol runner-up & winner Adam Lambert & Kris Allen, respectively, took over the Today show this morning, where they sang three songs between the pair of them & sat down for a couple interviews. An awesome bromance indeed.

The-Dream ft. Kanye West "Walkin' On The Moon" Video Premiere

"Walkin' On The Moon," featuring Kanye West, is the third single off The-Dream's sophomore album Love Vs. Money. I do love eye candy, but a big budget video for The-Dream? Director Hype Williams definitely did his thing, but I just wish it had been done for a more deserving (AKA more talented) artist.

Kris Allen On Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Kris Allen appeared on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night & busted out the guitar for an incredible performance of "Heartless." A few thoughts...

1) I think I like the way Kris pronounces all of his T's (biT, greaT) a little too much.
2) Err, I kinda liked Kris' performance of "All She Wants To Do Is Dance"..?
3) The Tonight Show is about to suck because, imo, Jimmy Fallon >>> Conan O'Brien.

Kanye West ft. Mr. Hudson "Paranoid" Video Premiere

"Paranoid," featuring Mr. Hudson, is the fifth single taken from Kanye West's fourth album 808s & Heartbreak. Yes, this is the video with Rihanna. I like the video & it's cool seeing Rihanna again. Actually, & I can't believe I'm typing these words, I'm kinda looking forward to a new RiRi record.

Adam Lambert On Regis & Kelly

"Mad World"

Interview

Adam Lambert, one of the most talented contestants ever on American Idol, kicked off his own talk show rounds on Live With Regis & Kelly, where he performed his Idol hit "Mad World" & sat down for an interview. I can't say enough positive things about this brilliant singer. I'm excited for his future & I wish him the best (as if he needs it).

Jordin Sparks Album Update

Jordin Sparks has officially titled her upcoming sophomore album Battlefield after the project's first single. For Battlefield, Jordin has worked with such big names as Dr. Luke, T-Pain, Ryan Tedder, & Stargate. She had the following to say about her album:

"I think the range of songs & topics on the entire album are ultimately about strength in life, love, & in staying true to yourself."

I'm a little on the fence about the album title, but I'm much too excited about Battlefield (sans that T-Pain collabo) to really care. Jordin sounds awesome on her new single & I have faith that she'll bring it with this album. Battlefield drops July 21st.

[Source, Source]

Kris Allen On Good Day New York + More

"No Boundaries"

Interview

Kris Allen performed his single "No Boundaries" on Good Day New York yesterday & chatted with the show's host as well. Look who's gettin' that song down! He sounded really great this time. As for that interview, this guy is so likable I can hardly stand it!

Kris also stopped by The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet, which you can watch HERE, for the same reasons.

WIN The Black-Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow (Remix EP)" !!!

Bring Da Beat Back proudly presents its first giveaway! Three lucky readers will win a copy of the "Boom Boom Pow" remix EP from The Black-Eyed Peas. All you have to do is send me an e-mail with the subject "Black-Eyed Peas Giveaway" to vmarspirate08@gmail.com with your name & address to enter. Entries will be taken until next Thursday, May 28th. Check out the tracklisting below & good luck!

1) LET THE BEAT ROCK – Boys Noize Megamix ft. 50 Cent

2) LET THE BEAT ROCK – Boys Noize Megamix ft. Gucci Mane

3) BOOM BOOM STYLE – Zuper Blahq Megamix ft. Kid Cudi

4) BOOM BOOM GUETTA – David Guetta's Electro Hop Remix

5) BOOM BOOM WOW – DJ will.i.am Megamix

6) BOOM BOOM BOOM – DJ Ammo/Poet Named Life Megamix

Ruben Studdard On Idol Confessions

Ruben Studdard also promoted his recently released album Love IS by stopping by Idol Confessions. I like these things. He sang a bit of "The Long & Winding Road," which was good, but only reminded me of David Archuleta's far superior version. I am only just realizing that I didn't post the album reviews I was supposed to last week, but I'll try to get to them soon.

Jordin Sparks "Battlefield": Behind-The-Scenes

Jordin Sparks spoke with Entertainment Tonight on the set of her video for "Battlefield," the first single off her sophomore album, which is due July 21st. From the glimpses we were given, "Battlefield" should be a pretty sweet beauty video. Jordin also talked candidly about, among other things, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, & the Jonas Brothers.

Brandon Rogers On Idol Confessions

Brandon Rogers sat down with Idol Confessions to promote his debut album Automatic, which is available to download today. He sang a little bit & dude sure does sound better than I remember! Nice.

The Pussycat Dolls "Hush Hush; Hush Hush" Video Premiere

"Hush Hush; Hush Hush" serves as the second single off The Pussycat Dolls' Doll Domination 2.0. I LOVE this video. I'm a sucker for a colorful video with multiple sets & looks, & I even like the shirt Perez Hilton, who makes a cameo, is wearing. The clip was directed by Rich Lee, who is behind Fergie's "Clumsy" & is my hero! Plus, you gotta admit (even though you won't) that Nicole sounded great on this. On the downside, is that not the worst song title ever..?

Kris Allen On Regis & Kelly

"No Boundaries"

Interview

Kris Allen also appeared on Live With Regis & Kelly this morning to perform his single "No Boundaries" & participate in an interview. I bet he's tired. :)

David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland "When Love Takes Over": Behind-The-Scenes

David Guetta & Kelly Rowland take us behind-the-scenes of the video shoot for their new single "When Love Takes Over" in the clip above. Kelly looks gorgeous & it appears that she will shine in this video. I can't wait!

New Vonzell Solomon Promo Pics + More

Check out these awesome promotional photos of Vonzell Solomon that were taken during the photoshoot for her "Bad Chick" single cover. I honestly believe she has one of the best voices out there, so I hope to see her have some success in the near future. Just because, I've also included her interview on Idol Confessions below. Enjoy!

[Source]

The Caffeine Patch: Dreamworks Animation Update

Dreamworks Animation has a number of (mostly) exciting special TV projects in the works. Their latest hit film "Monsters Vs. Aliens" will be the basis for a new Halloween special "Monsters Vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space" to air on NBC in October. Next year, Shrek will be the center of the Halloween special "Scared Shrekless," followed by a "Kung Fu Panda" holiday special, both of which will air on NBC as well. In the solely-for-profit category, we have the news that Nickelodeon, after the success of the quite funny "The Penguins Of Madagascar" series, has ordered "Kung Fu Panda: The Series" as well as a pilot for a "Monsters Vs. Aliens" series. While I find it unnecessary to have a TV show about a character, such as Po, who is already the focus of what will become a series of movies, I'm all for more TV specials in the vain of "Shrek The Halls." Good stuff.

[Source, Source, Source]

Kris Allen On Ellen

"No Boundaries"

"Heartless"

Interview

Kris Allen was a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today, where he performed his new single "No Boundaries," sang his Idol hit "Heartless," & sat down for an interview. I really am happy for Kris & pleasantly surprised that the underdog actually won American Idol. I mean, if it wasn't gonna be Adam, I'm glad it was Kris.

Vonzell Solomon Selects "Bad Chick" As New Single

Check out the gorgeous cover for Vonzell Solomon's new single "Bad Chick" above. Of the four tracks we were given to choose from, Vonzell has selected this one to lead what will hopefully become the release of her looong-awaited debut album! It was hard for me to choose a favorite from the amazing set, but "Bad Chick" definitely stuck out to me, so I'm excited about the choice & what's to come for Vonzell, still my all-time favorite Idol.

[Source]

The Caffeine Patch: Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel Teaser Trailer

When I went to see "Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian" over the weekend, the teaser trailer for "Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" lit up the screen & I was ecstatic! Now, it has hit the net for everyone's viewing pleasure. I sure love these chipmunks, so I'll make sure to see their new movie as close to Christmas Day as I can!

Brandon Rogers "Automatic" Cover & Tracklisting + More

Tomorrow, (a bald!) Brandon Rogers will release his debut album Automatic digitally. It's been a minute since he released his first single "Broken," but his album is finally seeing the light of day. Check out the tracklisting for Automatic below:

1. Joy
2. All In Me
3. Automatic
4. Movin' On
5. Call Me Back
6. Broken
7. Take A Chance
8. Got Your Back
9. One Night
10. Out Of Style
11. Out Of Style (Outro)

For a taste of what's in store, you can stream "Joy" & "Automatic" HERE. I've always thought Brandon left too soon on the sixth season of American Idol, so it's nice to see that he has some material coming out. Thanks to Shawn Kelley for the tip!

[Source]

Katharine McPhee Performs On National Memorial Day Concert

America The Beautiful

Somewhere

Katharine McPhee put in another appearance at a patriotic event, this one being the National Memorial Day Concert, where she performed "America The Beautiful" & "Somewhere" very well. Did you hear that last note on "Somewhere?" Nice. However, Kat, where's that sophomore album..?

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform "Boom Boom Pow" On T4

The Black-Eyed Peas demonstrate their energy that never dies (but should maybe take a break every so often?) with another performance of "Boom Boom Pow," this time on T4. I hope The END, which drops June 9th, includes more bangers like this #1 hit.

Carly Smithson Performs "Let Me Fall" On American Idol Extra

I sure do love me some Carly Smithson, so you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across this clip of her singing "Let Me Fall," the first single off her upcoming album, on American Idol Extra. I say 'upcoming' album with a bit of hesitance because I don't recall ever reading that she got signed... but HOW? It sounds like Carly is making music that is the perfect cross between Kelly Clarkson & Chris Daughtry. I'm loving it!

[Source]

The Pussycat Dolls Perform "Jai Ho" On Rove

The Pussycat Dolls have some of the best people in the business doing their scheduling for them because as much as I like their music, I sure can get awfully sick of it by the time they've promoted it all around the world. They performed "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)" on Rove recently, but were down a Doll (Jessica), though--honestly--it didn't exactly make a difference. PCD's Doll Domination 2.0 is coming soon.

Ashanti Performs "Home" From "The Wiz"

At a press conference for her upcoming summer run of "The Wiz" in New York City, Ashanti performed the musical's signature song "Home." She did a good job of the song, considering she's not the best singer. The borderline shouty tone to her voice may actually help her to be heard on stage. Ashanti's latest album The Declaration is out now.

Beyonce "Above & Beyonce" Tracklisting

The details about what exactly will be included on Beyonce's upcoming release "Above & Beyonce" have been revealed. Check out the tracklistings below:

CD:
1. If I Were A Boy (Maurice Joshua Mojo UK Remix)
2. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
3. Diva (Karmatronic Remix)
4. Halo (Dave Aude Remix)
5. Broken-Hearted Girl (Catalyst Remix)
6. Ego (DAC Remix)
7. Sweet Dreams (Harlan Pepper & AG III Remix)
8. Ego (Remix ft. Kanye West)

DVD:
1. If I Were A Boy
2. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
3. Diva
4. Halo
5. Broken-Hearted Girl
6. Ego (Fan Exclusive)
7. Ego (Remix ft. Kanye West)
8. Behind-The-Scenes

I'm gonna go out on a limb here & say that the "Single Ladies" track on the CD will be a remix of some sort, putting us at seven remixes in addition to the Kanye-assisted "Ego" remix. As for the DVD, does the term 'fan exclusive' worry anyone else? Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be watching a bunch of 14-year-olds dancing in their bedrooms to the song & singing it into their hairbrushes? I'll just think positively & say it's the solo video we've already seen, while the other will actually include Kanye. I'm anxious to see the "Broken-Hearted Girl" video, but I do feel we're being cheated a clip ("Sweet Dreams," perhaps?) with the double dose of "Ego." This set isn't nearly as appealing as the idea of it was, but it makes a decent set nonetheless. Look for "Above & Beyonce" at your local Walmart store on June 16th.

[Source]

In Theaters Now...

Grade: A

No Doubt Performs "Stand & Deliver" On Gossip Girl

No Doubt appeared on a recent episode of Gossip Girl & performed "Stand & Deliver." This was cool, but why can't you buy the song, I wonder?

RichGirl "He Ain't Wit Me Now (Tho)" Video Premiere

"He Ain't Wit Me Now (Tho)" is the first single taken from RichGirl's forthcoming self-titled debut album. Looking for a talented girl group because Danity Kane is over, the set-up of The Pussycat Dolls isn't your thing, & these other new tricks just ain't doin' it for ya? Your search ends with RichGirl! This quartet of ladies includes four singers belting it out to a hot track. Remember the last time that happened..? Am I the only one (tho!) that finds it interesting that Rich Harrison put together a group that sounds like a bunch of Ameries?

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform On Radio 1's Live Lounge

Boom Boom Pow

Heartbreaker

The Black-Eyed Peas made a stop while overseas at Radio 1's Live Lounge to perform "Boom Boom Pow" as well as will.i.am's "Heartbreaker." I'm really liking "Boom Boom Pow" right now (see: below), but why did they perform the second song together? The other members sure looked bored during that one... & so was I. What does excite me is the June 9th release of the BEPs' new album The END!

Don't forget: You can still enter to win the "Boom Boom Pow" remix EP from The Black-Eyed Peas!

Beyonce "Ego" Video Premiere

"Ego" is the third urban single off Beyonce's third album I Am... Sasha Fierce. Let's start off with the positive: Beyonce's dancing is on-point in this one! Looks like all those "Single Ladies" performances have really paid off. She looks great as well. On the other hand, how cheap IS this thing?! Have you forgotten who you are, Beyonce? Also, I don't really get why this is yet another solely dancing video. I've never quite understood the hype over "Ego" anyway (Err, why didn't she use the Kanye West version?), but it doesn't really lend itself that much to this kind of "Single Ladies"-esque clip. I'm also, yet again, left wondering why Beyonce has decided to abandon color almost completely. Maybe not having an entire video anthology for this album isn't the end of the world...

Kris Allen's Disney World Commercial

Kris Allen sings "When You Wish Upon A Star" in his Disney World commercial for the American Idol winner. You'll never guess where he's 'going'...

Flo Rida ft. Wynter Gordon "Sugar" Video Premiere

The video for Wynter Gordon's collaboration with Flo Rida, "Sugar," has finally premiered. Took long enough. For anyone who's seen his "Right Round" video, it sure looks like somebody got a bigger budget, huh?

No Doubt Performs On Jimmy Kimmel

Underneath It All

Sunday Morning

The reunited No Doubt made another stop on their current promo tour at Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform a couple of their hits. I particularly enjoyed hearing "Underneath It All" again.

Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart
This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full charts HERE.

After only three days of release, Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown debuts atop the Billboard 200 album chart this week. The Black-Eyed Peas spend a seventh week on top of the Hot 100 singles chart with "Boom Boom Pow," while Jordin Sparks starts off at #32 with her new single "Battlefield." Also new this week is The Pussycat Dolls' "Hush Hush; Hush Hush" at #96.

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

American Idol Finale Performance Highlights

Adam Lambert & KISS

Adam Lambert, Kris Allen & Queen

Kris Allen & Keith Urban

Top 13 Girls & The Black-Eyed Peas
Lil Rounds & Queen Latifah
Bikini Girl & Kara DioGuardi
Ford Commercial
Top 13 & Carlos Santana
Top 13 Boys & Rod Stewart
Top 13 "So What"
Megan Joy, Michael Sarver & Steve Martin
Anoop Desai, Alexis Grace & Jason Mraz

So, America got it wrong. I like Kris Allen, but he wasn't winning material. Of course, considering last year, what does winning this show really mean anymore? That's all I'll say about it though. Congratulations, Kris! As for the finale show, I don't even like the weekly group performances, so I didn't love it, but it was entertaining. Obviously, Adam KILLED with both KISS & Queen. Kris did well with Keith Urban--same with Lil & Queen Latifah--& Kara upstaged newly filled-out Bikini Girl pleasingly well. The Black-Eyed Peas were about the only celebrity guest I actually enjoyed & even they didn't really sing. With that, farewell season eight... & good riddance.

BUY Kris Allen "No Boundaries"
BUY Adam Lambert "No Boundaries"
WATCH Kris Allen's Winning Moment

[Source]

Kelly Clarkson Performs "MLWSWY" On Operación Triunfo

Kelly Clarkson performed her first single "My Life Would Suck Without You" off All I Ever Wanted again on a singing competition show called Operación Triunfo. This time, she sang the end of the song even higher than usual. You show 'em what an American Idol winner is made of!

Beyonce "Above & Beyonce" Cover

The outcome of Beyonce's I Am... Sasha Fierce video anthology & re-release has been revealed. Titled "Above & Beyonce," the DVD/CD set will include a seven-video collection & seven remixes, including "Ego" with Kanye West. More details have yet to emerge, but "Above & Beyonce" will be available at Walmart stores on June 16th. With the "Ego" video set to premiere tomorrow, I'm curious which two additional tracks will receive the video treatment...

[Source]

Twitter Roundup

Mariah Carey: Earlier today, Mariah revealed the title of her upcoming album: Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel. She has worked with Timbaland, Jermaine Dupri, Tricky Stewart, & James "Big Jim" Wright ("Fly Like A Bird") on some 'stone groove smash hit wonders' for the project.

Jazmine Sullivan: Jazmine recently revealed that she has begun working on her sophomore album. She is doing so with Salaam Remi, who worked on Jazmine's debut album Fearless.

Brandy: Brandy has been keeping us in the loop about the progress of her forthcoming sixth album. Contributors thus far include Stargate & The-Dream.

Imogen Heap: Click Imogen's name to the left to hear over 500 fan-submitted versions of "The Song That Never Was." Imogen recorded the vocals for this song for a children's movie, but the song ended up not being used, so she allowed fans to finish it instead.

*UPDATED* Beyonce Does Self Magazine

Beyonce covers the latest issue of Self magazine. I think she's just about got 'em all! Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. Her newest album I Am... Sasha Fierce is available now.

UPDATE: Shoot added--

Idol Review: Top 2

#1) Adam Lambert "A Change Is Gonna Come"

#2) Adam Lambert "Mad World"

#3) Adam Lambert "No Boundaries"

#4) Kris Allen "Ain't No Sunshine"

#5) Kris Allen "What's Going On"


#6) Kris Allen "No Boundaries"

Carrie Underwood "Home Sweet Home"

Together, Adam Lambert & Kris Allen made tonight's American Idol finale performance show the best one to date. I placed their performances in order from best to worst, but there wasn't a single bad performance. I'm so glad that America recognized Kris Allen's talent & fought TPTB to get him all the way to the finale. He truly deserves it. That said, there has never been a talent on this show quite like Adam Lambert. Note to anyone who watches Adam's "A Change Is Gonna Come" above for the first time: Yes; that just happened. Hopefully America got it right.

New Music Tuesday

^Click To Purchase^

It's no secret what new releases are coming out today. LaKisha Jones' debut album So Glad I'm Me drops & features the video-less lead single "Let's Go Celebrate." Also available is Ruben Studdard's fourth effort Love IS, which includes first single "Together." Positive reviews for the pair of Idol alumni should be up this week. FYI, you can get two bonus tracks on each CD when you buy them at Target!

No Doubt On Ellen

"Hey Baby"

"Hella Good"

"Just A Girl"

Interview

No Doubt made another appearance ahead of their reunion tour on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where they performed three of their hits & participated in a short interview. I'm glad they did some of their later material this time cause that's the stuff I like, but I wonder what Gwen is "on" during that third performance.

Listen To New Albums From LaKisha Jones & Ruben Studdard!

On May 19th, LaKisha Jones will release her debut album So Glad I'm Me & Ruben Studdard is set to drop his fourth album Love IS. You can listen to both in full HERE. I'd have to give the edge to LaKisha, but both albums are worth a listen!

Lily Allen Performs "Not Fair" On T4

Lily Allen continues her mission of world domination with a performance of her second single "Not Fair" off It's Not Me, It's You on T4. Come to think of it, I'm really not much of a fan of how she sings the part leading into the chorus higher when she does it live as opposed to the lower version on her album. She just gets out of tune.

Mario "What The Game's Been Missing" Mixtape

Download

Preview LaKisha Jones' "So Glad I'm Me"

Click HERE to listen to a clip of each song on LaKisha Jones' forthcoming debut album So Glad I'm Me (May 19th). Don't be fooled because this one is much more R&B-leaning than AC & it actually sounds quite good. I feel bad for the poor girl cause she doesn't have a lick of buzz right now, so here ya go, LaKisha!

Mariah Carey Records Theme Song For "Precious"

Mariah Carey may be getting critical acclaim for her small, yet important role in Lee Daniels' movie "Precious," but her involvement with the film doesn't stop there. Mariah has recorded a theme song for the movie with Jermaine Dupri called "100 Percent," which will be added to the film when it opens on November 6th. Mariah fans have been hearing about this track for some time, so it'll be interesting to finally hear it. I'm sure it'll be great!

[Source, Source]

Preview Ruben Studdard's "Love IS"

Click HERE to listen to a clip of each song on Ruben Studdard's upcoming fourth album Love IS (May 19th). The album features a few covers, but still manages to sound pretty much the same throughout... not that it's a bad sound, considering it did win him American Idol after all.

Jazmine Sullivan Performs In France + More

Bust Your Windows

Kiss From A Rose (Cover)

Jazmine Sullivan recently did some promo in France, where she performed her single "Bust Your Windows" from Fearless & covered "Kiss From A Rose." She sounded great on both.

In related news, you simply must click HERE & check out Jazmine's MTV UK Sessions. She performed "After The Hurricane" & "In Love With Another Man," & sat down for an interview. Jazmine did an incredible job with these!

Keyshia Cole "Sister 2 Sister" Magazine Cover

Keyshia Cole evened things out by having her other mom Yvonne do a cover with her for Sister 2 Sister's June issue. Keyshia looks wonderful! Her latest album A Different Me is out now.

Ciara "Jet" Magazine Cover

Ciara's super fine self is featured on the cover of Jet magazine's latest issue. I've seen a shot or two from this shoot featured everywhere from iTunes to my local Best Buy store, but I have yet to actually find it online, so I'm glad it's getting a little shine cause CiCi looks jaw-dropping! Super C's new album Fantasy Ride is in stores now.

[Source]

Day26 & Yung Joc Perform "Imma Put It On Her" On 106 & Park

Earlier this week, Day26 brought along Yung Joc to perform their single "Imma Put It On Her" on 106 & Park, where the video hit #1 for a little while. They sure were feeling themselves during that performance, weren't they? Sorry Brian, but as much as I wish Forever In A Day was a worthwhile listen, it just isn't.

Ciara "Fantasy Ride" Webisode #2

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

In the latest edition of her Fantasy Ride webisodes, Ciara takes us along as she does some overseas promo, including a performance at the world famous G-A-Y club in London. I really appreciate this insightful way Ciara has chosen to promote her latest project. Just because people were sick of the leaks before Fantasy Ride even dropped doesn't take away from the fact that the album is hot, so I recommend you give it a try!

Jennifer Hudson Performs On Today

"Spotlight"

Short Interview + "If This Isn't Love"



"Love You I Do"



"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (w/ contest winner Melissa)

Jennifer Hudson performed a set this morning as a part of the Today show's concert series. During the interview, Matt Lauer was a butt, but J-Hud was amazing throughout the entire show. Jennifer Hudson's self-titled debut album is available now.

Ciara Performs "Love Sex Magic" On MTV.com

Ciara showed off her sexy flexibility to a shortened version of "Love Sex Magic," the first single off her new album Fantasy Ride, recently for MTV.com. I only wish it were longer!

The Pussycat Dolls Perform & Nicole Acts On One Life To Live

"Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)"

Nicole's Scene

The Pussycat Dolls performed "Jai Ho (You Are My Destiny)" recently on the soap opera One Life To Live, while Nicole even got her actress on a little. It was really cool to see them make an appearance in a unique way. Btw, the awkwardness with the kid in the wheelchair during the performance makes more sense if you watch Nicole's scene first. PCD should be releasing Doll Domination 2.0 pretty soon.

Ciara Performs On Jimmy Kimmel

Love Sex Magic

Never Ever

Ciara took to the stage on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform her first two singles off Fantasy Ride again. It sure does my heart good to see an artist properly promoted. I also must say that these two performances seem to complement one another quite well.

Kelly Clarkson On Ellen

"I Do Not Hook Up"

"Since U Been Gone"

Interview

Kelly Clarkson is the latest to stop by my favorite talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show during the second round of promotional appearances for her fourth album All I Ever Wanted. Kelly performed her second single "I Do Not Hook Up" &, at the request of Ellen, the hit "Since U Been Gone." She also sat down for an interview &--lemme tell ya--Kelly does the best interviews!

Fergie "Nine" Trailer

Check out our first look at Fergie playing a singing prostitute in the movie "Nine," which finds her starring alongside the likes of Nicole Kidman & Penelope Cruz, among others. Fergie can even be heard singing throughout the clip. I can't get much of a feel for what this film will be about from this montage-filled trailer, but I'm sure it won't be one to miss when "Nine" hits theaters on November 25th.

[Source]

Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart
This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full charts HERE.

Chrisette Michele's Epiphany debuts at the top of this week's Billboard 200 album chart. I'm happy for her. Sadly, Ciara only sold 81,000 copies (a mere 2,000 away from the #1 spot though) of her third album Fantasy Ride, which came in at #3. Also, Elliott Yamin's sophomore effort Fight For Love started off at #26, which I think isn't too shabby, considering he has had -0- promotion. Over on the Hot 100 singles chart, The Black-Eyed Peas continue to "Boom Boom Pow" their competition & stay at the top spot. Daughtry had their best debut to date as well as the chart's highest this week with "No Surprise" after it sold 106,000 copies following their performance of the song on American Idol last week. Also new this week are Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning" at #29 & Paula Abdul's "I'm Just Here For The Music" at #87.

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

Jennifer Hudson "Essence" Magazine Cover

Jennifer Hudson graces the June cover of Essence magazine. She does, in fact, look quite gorgeous! J-Hud's self-titled debut album is out now.

[Source]

Esmee Denters "Outta Here" Video Premiere

"Outta Here" is the first single from YouTube sensation Esmee Denters' upcoming debut album Outta Here. Having only now discovered her via this song, Esmee seems very talented & I'm really liking the JoJo-ish sound she has going for her. The video does plenty to serve its purpose, though I suppose they could've turned down that wind machine towards the end!

Idol Review: Top 3

So, it's Tuesday night. Old Yeller kicks off the show... right? I forget. ;) Then, Kris Allen's gorgeously clear voice slaughters Ryan Tedder's during his first performance of OneRepublic's "Apologize" (below, left). Oh, & note to Kara: You're dumb. If Kris is gonna sing his second song just him & an acoustic guitar, do you REALLY want him to do the same thing twice in one show? As round one comes to a close, Adam Lambert makes sure to remind us why he deserves to (easily) win this competition with his rendition of U2's "One" (above, left). After last week's imitation of Adam made America cringe, Old Yeller sets his sights on imitating Kris with "You Are So Beautiful." Another fail. We don't even have to sit through another commercial break before Kris not only shows us how it's done, but why he is as creative as he is talented with his outstanding cover of Kanye West's "Heartless" (below, right). Speaking of showing *someone* how it's done, the brilliant Adam Lambert makes the brilliant choice to sing "Cryin'" (above, right), an Aerosmith song. Adam & Kris finally gave us a night to fondly remember from the eighth season of American Idol, while America finally saw the light, put the go in Gokey, & sent Old Yeller packing! As for next week's finale, this is the first time in Idol history that the best two contestants have made it, so I can't wait! Uh, did I mention that I predicted, err, hoped for this finale the week Megan Joy went home..? Adam Lambert FTW!

On Wednesday, other than the results, we were treated to Jordin Sparks performing her new single "Battlefield," which you can get on iTunes HERE. Watch my future wife below:

Watch The Ford Commercial HERE

*UPDATED* Album Review: Elliott Yamin "Fight For Love"

It only seems appropriate that, as American Idol has been dominated by guys for the last couple years, we take a look at the sophomore album from one of the earlier & more successful male Idol finalists, Elliott Yamin. After experiencing some success with his self-titled debut, Elliott is back triumphantly with Fight For Love. His sophomore effort features a number of high-profile producers such as Madd Scientist, who is behind the excellent first single, title track "Fight For Love." But how does the entire album compare?

Fight For Love kicks off with "Let Love Be," which, despite its slightly awkward meter construction, sets the mood well. One of my favorite up-&-coming producers Midi Mafia is the mastermind behind "Know Better." The knocking groove leading into the big chorus makes this one a highlight. "Fight For Love" stays in line with the feel, while "You" is unmistakably Stargate, as most of their music is. Elliott's voice really helps this ballad stand out from the crowd though.

"Can't Keep On Loving You" is midtempo album filler, but I just can't stress enough that the talent Elliott displays is very refreshing. Stargate reappears with "Don't Be Afraid," which seems a little less them & a little more Elliott. International single "You Say" is a catchy tune that definitely screams single material, as many of the songs here do. Midi Mafia offers up another highlight in "Apart From Me."

I like the fact that Elliott finally switched things up a bit with the soulful "Cold Heart." "How Do I Know" puts him back in the land of midtempos, but he's definitely in his element with it. Elliott turns, err, keeps his crooner on for the nice ballad "This Step Alone." Fight For Love concludes with "Someday," a touching dedication to his late mother.

It's a rare occurrence, so listening to one of my favorite former Idols' second (& improved!) album is a real treat. Fight For Love is a great showcase of Elliott Yamin's vocal ability set to an equally good soundtrack. My only criticism is that most of the material sounds too much alike. Still, Elliott's presence on radio is sorely needed & I wish him the best with this project.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

UPDATE: I love Elliott, but why didn't he put any of his collaborations with my man James Fauntleroy (Brandy, Jordin Sparks), particularly "Doorway" & "Always," on this album?!

Ciara On Ellen

"Love Sex Magic"

Interview

Ciara heard my cries & tore up the stage at The Ellen DeGeneres Show with a solo performance of "Love Sex Magic" from Fantasy Ride. In the words of Randy Jackson, "we got a hot one!" Love, love, love it! I think I'm gonna go watch it again...

Kelly Clarkson Performs "I Do Not Hook Up" On Leno

Kelly Clarkson stopped by the Tonight Show With Jay Leno last night to perform her second single "I Do Not Hook Up" off All I Ever Wanted. I love this song, especially when she does it live. You just can't deny talent like this!

Mariah Carey "Precious" Trailer & Poster

The trailer for Mariah Carey's new movie "Precious" has surfaced online. Mariah plays a social worker in the award-winning drama from Oprah Winfrey & Tyler Perry, which opens on November 6th. Make sure to also take a peek at the movie poster for the film below:

[Source]

2009 BET Award Nominees Announced

Beyonce is set to perform at & leads the nominations for the 2009 BET Awards. Sasha Fierce was nominated for five trophies, while Keri Hilson nabbed four & Jazmine Sullivan received three. These nominations are actually pretty good, so I'm gonna post them (along with my picks in bold) below:

Video Of The Year:
Beyonce "If I Were A Boy"
Beyonce "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"
Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain "Blame It"
T.I. ft. Rihanna "Live Your Life"
Kanye West "Heartless"

Best Male R&B Artist:
The-Dream
Jamie Foxx
Ryan Leslie
Ne-Yo
T-Pain

Best Female R&B Artist:
Beyonce
Keyshia Cole
Keri Hilson
Jennifer Hudson
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist:
Lil' Wayne
Rick Ross
T.I.
Kanye West
Young Jeezy

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist:
Lil' Mama
M.I.A.
Trina

Best Group:
Day26
GS Boyz
N.E.R.D.
The Roots
Three 6 Mafia

Best New Artist:
Keri Hilson
Kid Cudi
Ryan Leslie
M.I.A.
Jazmine Sullivan

Viewer's Choice:
Beyonce "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"
Keri Hilson ft. Lil' Wayne "Turnin' Me On"
Lil' Wayne "A Milli"
Soulja Boy Tell'em ft. Sammie "Kiss Me Thru The Phone"
T.I. ft. Rihanna "Live Your Life"
T-Pain ft. Lil' Wayne "Can’t Believe It"
Kanye West "Love Lockdown"

Best Collaboration:
Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain "Blame It"
Keri Hilson ft. Lil' Wayne "Turnin' Me On"
Jim Jones ft. Ron Browz & Juelz Santana "Pop Champagne"
T.I. ft. Rihanna "Live Your Life"
Yung L.A. ft. Young Dro & T.I. "Ain't I"

Video Director Of The Year:
Benny Boom
Rik Cordero
Gil Green
Chris Robinson
Hype Williams

BET J Award:
Musiq Soulchild
Raphael Saadiq
Seal
Solange
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Actor:
Common
Idris Elba
Samuel L. Jackson
Will Smith
Jamal Woolard

Best Actress:
Angela Bassett
Rosario Dawson
Taraji P. Henson
Jennifer Hudson
Beyonce

Jamie Foxx will host the show when it airs on June 28th @ 8/7c.

[Source]

Ciara Performs "Never Ever" On Leno

Ciara made another stop on her promo tour at the Tonight Show With Jay Leno to perform "Never Ever" from Fantasy Ride. I liked it. I'm not sure what she has against performing "Love Sex Magic" solo once or twice though.

New Mario PETA Ad

Mario has teamed up with PETA for their latest ad. I guess this one kinda explains itself. I'm more interested in his upcoming fourth album And Then There Was Me.

Christina Aguilera To Make Film Debut

After years of looking for the perfect role, Christina Aguilera has finally found it. She is set to star in "Burlesque," a musical from Screen Gems. It "will follow a small-town girl who follows her dreams to LA & finds love & happiness performing at a neo-burlesque club." The movie, which will start shooting later this year, was actually written with Christina in mind. I'm definitely excited because it seems like something very much up her alley.

[Source]

New Beyonce "I AM...YOURS" Promo Pic

For four nights only at the end of her North American tour, Beyonce will perform an intimate set in Las Vegas specially titled "I AM...YOURS." Pictured here in one of the 71 Thierry Mugler costumes being used for her tour, Beyonce is planning to film her July 30-August 2 stay for a future DVD release. I know I can't afford to actually be there, but I look forward to checking out the show when it is released! I Am... Sasha Fierce is out now.

[Source, Source]

Radio 1's Big Weekend 2009 Performance Highlights

Kelly Rowland "When Love Takes Over"

Kelly Rowland "Daylight"

Lily Allen "Not Fair"

Lily Allen "The Fear"

Across the pond this weekend, Radio 1 featured some acoustic performances from Kelly Rowland & Lily Allen. I particularly enjoyed listening to "When Love Takes Over" from Kelly. It gave the song a whole different feel & allowed us to really see Kelly's talent shine through. As for Lily... "I spent ages kneading bread." LOL

Elliott Yamin "You Say" Video Premiere

"You Say" is the first Japanese single taken from Elliott Yamin's sophomore album Fight For Love. This must've been shot back-to-back with the recently premiered "Fight For Love" video, as the female model is the same in both videos. This particular video isn't too terribly much to look at, but who cares when the song is this good? My review for Elliott's excellent Fight For Love disc will be up in the next few days.

Ciara Performs On SNL

Love Sex Magic (ft. Justin Timberlake)

Never Ever

Ciara shut down Saturday Night Live last night with a pair of performances to promote her third album Fantasy Ride. The first, "Love Sex Magic" with host Justin Timberlake, was an incredible showing of her skills & star quality. The second performance of "Never Ever" was great as well. I would have liked for her to pay a little more attention to her voice & a little less to looking sexy because that comes to her naturally. ;) That aside, this was an awesome set from CiCi.

Mariah Carey "Love Story" Video Premiere

Don't get too excited because "Love Story" isn't serving as the fifth single off E=MC², but a video of the track pieced together by Nick Cannon in celebration of his one-year anniversary with Mariah Carey has surfaced. As much as I really don't care to sit through every lovey-dovey moment between the two of them, it was a sweet gesture. At least it gives the song some shine.

[Source]

Cassie ft. Diddy "Must Be Love": Behind-The-Scenes

The utter embarassment formerly known as Cassie filmed the music video for "Must Be Love," the new single off her upcoming sophomore album, yesterday. Looks like it should be dull. Of course, you know Diddy had to jump on it as if his presence would be something positive for the record. *SMH*

Ciara MTV Featured Artist Promos

Miss Jackie: Parts 1 & 2


Miss Jackie: Parts 3 & 4


"Like A Surgeon": Parts 1 & 2


Super C: Parts 1 & 2


"Never Ever": Parts 1 & 2
Ciara plays the roles of herself, Super C, & Miss Jackie in these wonderful & hilarious MTV promotional spots for her new album Fantasy Ride. Gotta love that CiCi was game for all of these shenanigans. Enjoy & then go get that CD!

Daughtry Album Update

With the launch of first single "No Surprise" during American Idol this past week, Daughtry is officially ready to announce the release of their sophomore album, titled Leave This Town, on July 14th. The band's upcoming effort will include such tracks as "Ghost Of Me," "September," "Life After You," "Learned My Lesson," & "Tennessee Line." There's no doubt this project will give Daughtry some level of success & I'm all for that. However, with Jordin Sparks' sophomore album scheduled for the same day, I have to root for her... unless a date change should occur.

Melanie Fiona "Give It To Me Right" Video Premiere

"Give It To Me Right" is the first single taken from Melanie Fiona's forthcoming debut album The Bridge. I think this song is cool & that the video fits it well. That said, I mostly look forward to what she will bring with her album as a whole.

The Caffeine Patch: Up Aflac Commercial

Disney/Pixar's "Up" has teamed up with Aflac to bring you this exciting new commercial. It won't be long now until we go on this 3D adventure because "Up" hits theaters on May 29th!

Ciara SNL Promo

Ciara is featured in this Saturday Night Live promotional spot, as she will be the musical guest on this week's episode. Silly. After that "Single Ladies" hilarity, I know I'll be tuning in. Ciara's new album Fantasy Ride is in stores now.

Flo Rida & Wynter Gordon Perform "Sugar" On Jimmy Kimmel

Wynter Gordon joined Flo Rida on stage again to perform their hit single "Sugar," this time on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Ugh... the video ain't even out yet, but I've been over this Eiffel 65 foolishness for years. I'm just ready for Wynter to show us what she has to offer.

Melanie Fiona Performs National Anthem At Madison Square Garden

Talented newcomer Melanie Fiona recently got the opportunity to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Madison Square Garden. We all know this is the song you have to sing if you wanna show off your talent & she did just that! Wonderful job, Melanie. Her debut album The Bridge is set to drop this summer.

Album Review: Ciara "Fantasy Ride (Deluxe Edition)"

After introducing her 'goodies' to us & going through an 'evolution,' Ciara is back to finally take us on a musical rollercoaster ride with Fantasy Ride. It's been a rollercoaster of a journey even getting the project released, with the massive leakage, the failed attempt to launch it with "Go Girl," & the ultimate reliance on labelmate Justin Timberlake to get things rolling once "Never Ever" started slow. However, Super C did eventually get on her grind, so is the result worth all that waiting?

Fantasy Ride kicks off appropriately with "Ciara To The Stage," a decent slow jam, then heads right into the album's big hit "Love Sex Magic." The Justin collabo isn't what I'm used to from CiCi, but I found that I appreciate what she offers vocally on the track. Ciara impresses me most when she ventures into an almost operatic territory with the Ludacris-assisted "High Price." The hotness that is that song makes for a very worthy follow-up to "Oh," the two's previous collaboration. Next up is "Turntables," which I like, but I still have an issue listening to the Chris Brown-featured song. It irks me immensely that the label is pimping Chris out to Ciara's fans in a small-stitch effort to get him back out there.

Ciara shows off her chops as best she can with the seductive ballad "Like A Surgeon." Still, I'm a little more fond of her Polow Da Don-produced tracks like the Young Jeezy-assisted "Never Ever." The-Dream helps finish out the mid-album slow section on "Lover's Thing," & even though the songs he does for Ciara aren't my favorites, I can't find anything bad to say about them either. In fact, I actually quite like this as a collaboration between the two of them.

"Work" features Missy Elliott & is a pretty hot track except that I always get the feeling I'm being barked at during the chorus. My favorite producer Darkchild then crafts the outstanding "Pucker Up," a swaggerific banger. I'd take this club perfection over the ol' crunk-&-b any day & if you don't agree, just grab your best pair of headphones & enjoy! The wonderfully clever "G Is For Girl (A-Z)" follows & is some more uptempo goodness. I can't say I was upset when I realized that The-Dream had been taken off "Keep Dancin' On Me" because I really dig the song solo.

The deceivingly simplistic slow jam "Tell Me What Your Name Is" is nothing short of brilliant. Not far off from that is the closer "I Don't Remember," which is a different kind of song lyrically for Ciara & I love it. Don't get me wrong though because as great as everything is up to this point, you simply MUST get the deluxe edition of this album. One of my favorite Ciara songs ever is the Danja-produced "Echo," the first of two bonus tracks. It is far better than either of Danja's other offerings to Fantasy Ride ("Turntables" & "Work") & I'm still baffled as to why it didn't make the standard edition. Not only does the latter also apply to the second bonus track "I'm On," but I would go as far as to say that this banger is first single material. I can pretty much guarantee that anything you may feel is lacking on the album will be fulfilled by these two songs.

Now, I wasn't too pleased when the tracklisting for Fantasy Ride was released because I was baffled that knowing almost all of the material was already available, they were still going to put it on an album that fans had been waiting an eternity for. However, I have since realized that as I listen to the album as a whole, I already have a love & appreciation for it that I wouldn't have otherwise had & it increases my level of enjoyment while listening, so it's all good. Also, I'm still a bit bitter about this release not including the originally planned three discs. I mean, how in the world does a track like the excellent "Feelin' On My A" NOT make the final cut? Still, I am willing to forgive & forget because Ciara really went above & beyond with Fantasy Ride's package art. Thank goodness there is an artist out there who still appreciates the visual aspect of an album's packaging. With the above reasons as well as the fully-loaded DVD, there is simply no reason not to go out there & get the deluxe edition of Ciara's terrific third album. Oh, & one of these days, I'm gonna get over the fact that they didn't include "Go Girl" on this album.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform On Jimmy Kimmel

Boom Boom Pow

Let's Get It Started

The Black-Eyed Peas put in another promotional appearance for their upcoming release The END (June 9th) at Jimmy Kimmel Live! They performed "Boom Boom Pow" again along with "Let's Get It Started" ... well, the chorus of it at least. There's no denying they're entertaining!

Billboard Update

^This week's #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart
This week's #1 single on the Hot 100 chart^

See full charts HERE.

Bob Dylan has this week's #1 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart with Together Through Life. The Black-Eyed Peas log a fifth week atop the Hot 100 singles chart with "Boom Boom Pow." Slow week.

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

*UPDATED* Idol Review: Top 4

The "rock god" Adam Lambert dished it out this week with his performance of "Whole Lotta Love" & made me instantly fall in love with a genre that I despise. Kris Allen didn't do so bad himself. YAY KRIS! Err... anyway, they participated in duets as well, but not with eachother unfortunately, so here's Adam's with Allison & Kris' with Danny. The two of them sounded good on their parts of the duets, but I am not a fan of the idea because contestants that are being pitted against one another should not perform together on a performance (AKA voting) night. So, did Old Yeller ever live up to his (nick)name this week! Excruciating. I wanted him to go home so badly that it almost took away from Allison Iraheta finally getting the boot ... I said almost. Other highlights from the results show (see: below) include performances from Paula Abdul (The personification of irony. But, hey, what can I say? Her new music is my guilty pleasure!), No Doubt (Uh, Gwen, love ya, but that was a mess.), & Daughtry. Guess there's nothing left to say except: Put The Go In Gokey!

Paula Abdul "I'm Just Here For The Music"

No Doubt "Just A Girl"

Daughtry "No Surprise"

Watch The Ford Commercial HERE

UPDATE: Heck yes!

Lily Allen Performs On Last Call With Carson Daly

Not Fair

The Fear

Smile

In all honesty, I could care less about more Lily Allen performances at this point, but nonetheless, here is her set from Last Call With Carson Daly recently. Look at the tiny videos! They're cute. It's Not Me, It's You is out now.

New Ruben Studdard Promo Pics

Ruben Studdard is getting all dressed up in anticipation of the release of his fourth album Love IS on May 19th. I like the above promotional photo, but I'm not too big on the others. They used the same concept with the ladies for his last album The Return & they make him look escort-ish... if you catch my drift. I'm still checking for the music though.

Beyonce "Marie Claire" Magazine Cover

Beyonce continues her domination over the newsstands, this time as the cover girl for the latest issue of Marie Claire. She looks great as always. I Am... Sasha Fierce is in stores now.

Busta Rhymes "Back On My B.S." Tracklisting

Busta Rhymes is set to release his new album Back On My B.S. on May 19th. Check out the tracklisting for the project below:

1. Wheel Of Fortune
2. Give 'Em What They Askin' For
3. Respect My Conglomerate (ft. Lil' Wayne & Jadakiss)
4. Shoot For The Moon
5. Huster's Anthem 2009 (ft. T-Pain)
6. Kill Dem (ft. Pharrell & Tosh)
7. Arab Money (ft. Ron Browz)
8. Imma Go & Get Mine (ft. Mike Epps)
9. We Want In (ft. Ron Browz, Spliff Star & Show Money)
10. We Miss You (ft. Jelly Roll & DeMarco)
11. Sugar (ft. Jelly Roll)
12. Don't Believe Them (ft. Akon & T.I.)
13. Decision (ft. Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx, John Legend & Common)
14. If You Don't Know (ft. Big Tigger)
15. World Go Round (ft. Estelle)

I guess we'll see...

[Source]

Beyonce "Glamour Germany" Magazine Cover

Beyonce & her gorgeous self are featured on the cover of Glamour magazine's June issue in Germany. I Am... Sasha Fierce is in stores now.

Keyshia Cole & Monica "Trust" Video Premiere

"Trust," with Monica, is the third single off Keyshia Cole's third album A Different Me. I have loved this song since it was left off Just Like You, so to see it get not only recreated as a duet with Monica, but get the single treatment is way cool. This was a great song for the two of them to pair up on cause both ladies sound phenomenal. As for the video, they both look beautiful & I love the good ol' R&B feel it has. Don't get it twisted: this is music, folks!

The Black-Eyed Peas Perform On Ellen

Boom Boom Pow

Pump It

The Black-Eyed Peas performed "Boom Boom Pow" for the first time on TV along with "Pump It" when they visited The Ellen DeGeneres Show earlier today. I was anxious to see them perform this & I love that even when only one member is singing or whatever, everyone is involved somehow. It kinda seems funny seeing them all up there together... they're practically a super-group now! The BEPs release their new album The E.N.D. on June 9th.

Teairra Mari ft. Flo Rida "Cause A Scene" Video Premiere

"Cause A Scene," featuring Flo Rida, is the second single taken from Teairra Mari's upcoming sophomore album At That Point. It was interesting to see the several different looks throughout the video, indicating that this was somewhat high-budget, which seems weird to me because nothing about Teairra's upcoming project has really given me a major label vibe until now. The look I especially leaned toward was the glow-in-the-dark one because it was a little different than the norm, which is another good sign. Serial delays drive me bonkers, but--dare I say it--I think I'm looking forward to Teairra's album!

New Music Tuesday

^Click To Purchase^

May 5th has arrived & it ain't lookin' too shabby on the new release front. First up, we have Ciara's serially delayed third album Fantasy Ride, which features the singles "Never Ever" featuring Young Jeezy & the Justin Timberlake-assisted "Love Sex Magic." Also dropping today is Elliott Yamin's sophomore effort Fight For Love, which includes the lead single of the same name. Rest assured, reviews for both of these are on their way & they'll definitely be positive.

Keri Hilson & Kanye West Perform "Knock You Down" On Letterman

Keri Hilson turned her swag up to a hundred, thousand, trillion when she performed "Knock You Down," joined by Kanye West, on the Late Show With David Letterman. This is a performance, peeps! Hot, hot, hot. Keri's debut album In A Perfect World... is out now.

Ciara Performs "Never Ever" On Regis & Kelly

Ciara to the stage! This time, she performs "Never Ever," the first single off Fantasy Ride (Tomorrow), & is interviewed shortly on Live With Regis & Kelly. I think I like this one better.

Whitney Houston Album Update

As of late, the highly anticipated new album from Whitney Houston appears to be taking a small step forward. Whitney has worked with Swizz Beatz, who crafted her the uptempo "Mill Dollar Bill," & Diane Warren, who wrote the David Foster-produced "I Didn't Know My Own Strength," which is in contention to be Whitney's big comeback single. A couple other names recently revealed as collaborators are Ne-Yo & John Legend. There are quite a few people attached to this project, so I hope that means we can expect it to finally surface sometime in the near future. I know I'm ready! Are you?

[Source, Source, Source]

Ciara Performs "Never Ever" On GMA

The train has officially left the station, as Ciara has begun promotion for the release of her new album Fantasy Ride tomorrow. Earlier, Ciara performed her first single "Never Ever" on Good Morning America following a short interview. I've been dying for her to perform this! I'm also digging those sunglasses & the debut of the Super C mic.

Beyonce's L'Oreal Commercial

Beyonce is featured in this new "Women Of Worth" campaign from L'Oreal. A good look & she looks good! Beyonce's latest album I Am... Sasha Fierce is available now.

Listen To Ciara's "Fantasy Ride"

If you haven't already, HERE is your chance to hear Ciara's entire third album Fantasy Ride before it hits stores tomorrow. I'd recommend giving it a spin!

Jessica Mauboy Performs "Been Waiting" On 2009 Logies

Jessica Mauboy performed "Been Waiting," the title track off her debut album, at the 2009 Logies in Australia. Even if it was imperfect, her vocal was quite impressive. The set-ups were cool too.

Karina Performs "First Love" On RAWsession TV

Yet another RAWsession performance from Karina has surfaced, this one being "First Love," the title track off her debut album. More great vocals from this young talent.

Elliott Yamin "Fight For Love" Video Premiere

"Fight For Love" is the first single off Elliott Yamin's sophomore album of the same name that will be in stores on Tuesday. Better late than never. I like the concept of the video & I think it represents the song well. Definitely check it out if you haven't heard the song yet cause it's awesome.

Beyonce Performs "Crazy In Love" In Prague

Some professional televised footage has emerged of Beyonce performing "Crazy In Love" during the Prague stop of her "I Am..." tour. After getting into it Sasha Fierce-style, she brings in some horns & breaks it down. I love it! I Am... Sasha Fierce is out now.

No Doubt Performs On Today

Don't Speak

It's My Life

Spiderwebs

No Doubt were back together this morning on Today, where they performed a set of hits to promote their upcoming tour. I didn't really get into No Doubt until Rocksteady, but especially with Gwen's success, I'm anticipating their next album.

Listen To Elliott Yamin's "Fight For Love"

Stream Elliott Yamin's forthcoming sophomore album Fight For Love (Tuesday) HERE. For starters, it's much better than his debut album! This is the kind of music that makes Elliott shine & it reminds me why I fell in love with his soulful voice in the first place.

Jazmine Sullivan's Cotton Commercial

I am so loving this. Jazmine Sullivan sings the jingle in this new commercial for Cotton. A must-see! Jazmine Sullivan's Grammy-nominated debut album Fearless is out now.

Busta Rhymes ft. Lil' Wayne & Jadakiss "Respect My Conglomerate" Video Premiere

"Respect My Conglomerate," featuring Lil' Wayne & Jadakiss, is the third single taken from Busta Rhymes' to-be-released album Back On My B.S. (May 19th). Well, that was easy. The video, however, is pretty much a dud. I'm not really a fan of these star-studded videos because they rely so much on cameos that the video just ends up being painfully boring. I did like the Law & Order font at the beginning though. I just wonder why we're getting a video for every track off Back On My B.S. before the thing is even released. Are they even gonna push any of these tracks?

Vonzell Solomon Discusses New Songs

I thought this was interesting. Vonzell Solomon has posted a video talking about her new songs individually & what inspired each of them. I love Vonzell!