Top 5 Songs of the Moment!

In no particular order:

1. Mariah Carey - 100%

2. Fantasia - Even Angels

3. Toni Braxton - Make My Heart

4. Sade - Babyfather

5. Sade - The Safest Place

Janet begins comeback!

Janet Jackson will return in 2010 with a movie, film and a new album. Rodney Jerkins (Darkchild) recently released a new track from his recording sessions with Jackson in the form of "Heartbeat Love" featuring Pitbull. Listen to the track below and let me know what you think!

I have to say I'm quite liking this. I've been listening to a bit of Janet recently and forgot how influential she was in the dance music scene (see "So Excited", "All Night" and "Luv"). Even though her vocal is not her strongest point, she still is able to bring that performance factor so lets see what her next album has in store.

Timbo & Timba "Carry Out"!

Timbaland gets some in assistance in the form of Justin Timberlake on "Carry Out", a single from his latest album, "Shock Value 2". Peep the clip below and let me know what you think!

To be honest I haven't been checking for Timbo this time around. His style is so 2007, I'm surprised he didn't switch it up a bit.

Music Video Premiere: MC's "100%"!

The video for Mariah Carey's "100%" has premiered. The clip was shot on a leg of her "Angels' Advocate" tour and intertwines scenes from the American Olympic Team. All proceeds from the song go towards raising money for Team USA. Peep the clip below and let me know what you think!

I'm truly perplexed by this song. It's a great vocal with meaningful lyrics and a nice piano production, the magic of JD and Mr. Cox never ceases to amaze me. I'm hoping this will do well on the charts for Mariah's sake. What do you think of the song/video?

Sade's "Soldier"

After 10 years, Sade still has it! First week sales of their latest album, "Soldier of Love" are in and the band managed to sell an incredible 502 000 copies. Consequently, the band score their second #1 album on the Billboard Hot 200. Personally I think the album is awesome, I bought my copy last week and I'm still listening to it so expect a review shortly. Have you purchased your copy?

BRIT Awards 2010!

So, the 2010 BRIT Awards took place last night and surprisingly there were quite a few high profile performances from the event. Take a look at them below and let me know what you think!

MJB on Soundcheck!

Mary J. Blige stopped by Walmart's Soundcheck to perform songs from her latest album as well as a few previous hits. Peep Blige doing her thing at the sessions below and let me know what you think!

Kelly Rowland raps third studio album!

Kelly Rowland has apparently rapped recording of her third and as yet untitled studio album. The album is Rowland's first with new management and will serve as her debut on Universal Motown. Currently, sessions with David Guetta, Rico Love, Jim Jonson, Syience, Bangladesh, Eric Hudson, Brian Kennedy, Claude Kelly and Danja have been confirmed with Nelly being listed as an album feature.

This has got to be one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year! This album will no doubt make or break the former Destiny's Child star's career. Kelly needs to serve up some special material this time around. She certainly has incredible potential (see "When Love Takes Over") and I'd really love to see a #1 hit from the album. Are you looking forward to Kelly's new album?

Jill Scott preps fourth album!

Jill Scott will return later this year with her fourth studio album, "The Light of the Sun: Words and Sounds, Vol. 4". The Grammy nominated singer is currently in the studio wrapping up the album and getting ready to release a multitude of projects later this year. Peep Scott chatting with Monique about the project below and let me know what you think!

The recording process definitely sounds interesting. "Hate On Me" was one of my jams back in 2007, so I'm excited to see what this next album serves up.

Lady Gaga shoots "Telephone"!

Peep some official photos from the set of Lady Gaga's latest single, "Telephone", featuring Beyonce below and let me know what you think!

Tidbit: The telephones in Gaga's hair had me laughing. The video will premiere any day now. I'm excited to see it, are you?

Mary J Blige preps "Stronger" rerelease!

The HipHop/Soul Queen, Mary J. Blige is prepping a very early rerelease of her latest album, "Stronger With Each Tear". The album will first see a second official single in the form of "Each Tear" which has been rerecorded with additional vocals by Vanessa Amorosi (see Australian pop star).

Mary has also gone back into the studio to record one of rock's greatest tracks, "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zepplin. The cover comes after Blige successfully recreated "One" a U2 on her 2006 album, "The Breakthrough". The remake features musicians Ron Fair, Randy Jackson and Travis Barker so it'll be interesting to see what they've done with this classic.

Numerous other singles will be sent to US radio including the T.I. assisted "Good Love", with the official rerelease hitting stores on 15 March. One can only hope that this will peak some interest in the underperforming and frankly substandard album.

Peep a short clip from the "Stairway To Heaven" recording sessions below.

Muisc video premiere: BEP "Imma Be Rocking That Body"!

The Black Eyed Peas premiere two new music videos today with the release of the fourth and fifth singles, "Imma Be" and "Rock That Body" from their album, "The E.N.D.". Peep the Rich Lee directed clips below and let me know what you think!

With "Imma Be" already hitting the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, maybe this video will give the group their third number one from "The E.N.D.". What do you think of the videos and songs?

Rihanna performs "Rude Boy"!

This will probably be my first post of one of Rihanna's live performances. Anyway, peep her performing "Rude Boy" from "Rated R" on Ellen below and let me know what you think!

Overall, I didn't think this was a terrible performance and I'll be the first to admit that "Rude Boy" has grown on me. What do you think of the song and performance?

All Star Lineup: "We Are The World"!

A host of stars gathered to part take in the remake of "We Are The World" in order to raise funds for earthquake victims in Haiti. Peep the official music video for the remake below and let me know what you think!

Music Video Premiere: Corinne Bailey Rae "Paris Nights/New York Mornings"!

The official video for "Paris Nights/New York Mornings", the second single off Corinne Bailey Rae's sophomore album, "The Sea" has premiered. Peep the clip below and let me know what you think!

Music Video Premiere: Leona Lewis "I Got You"!

Peep the official video for "I Got You", the second single off Leona Lewis's sophomore album, "Echo" below and let me know what you think!

Nothing special here, while I like the track I don't expect it to perform at all on the charts. What do you think of the video/song?

Toni Braxton on Wendy Williams!

Toni Braxton appeared on the Wendy Williams to promote her upcoming album, "Pulse" and her appearance in an upcoming reality TV show. Peep Toni's interview with Wendy as well as her performance of "Make My Heart" below and let me know what you think!

To wait so long for a performance and get a lip-synched one was beyond a disappointment! I was really waiting to see Toni deliver something special vocally and all we got was a backtrack. On the flips side, it was great to see her dancing and having a good time on stage and I'm hearing quite a few positive reviews about the new single. Lets hope this starts to perform on the charts so that "Pulse" gets the attention it deserves! What did you think of the performance/interview?

Toni Braxton webchat!

Toni Braxton continues her promo for "Pulse" with another webchat. Watch the interview below and let me know what you think!

Interesting points:

"Make My Heart" will serve as the second single from "Pulse"

That's pretty much it for now. The album will drop on 4 May, I'll be posting a lot more as Toni continues her promo.

Sade's "Soldier" sells well!

It looks like Sade is about to get another #1 album, with Hits Daily Double reporting that the group will hit the top spot with an excess of over 400 000 copies sold in the first week. After a 10 year hiatus, this is a tremendous feat and it just goes to show that good music will always be sold. Have you picked up your copy of "Soldier of Love"?

Rihanna premieres "Rude Boy"!

The official video for Rihanna's third single, "Rude Boy" off "R-Rated" has premiered. Peep the colourful Melina directed clip below and let me know what you think!

Props to Melina for delivering another INCREDIBLE video. The track is a grower so maybe it'll start performing on the charts. What do you think of the video?

MC's "100%" gets released!

After costarring in 'Precious', Mariah Carey went on to write a soundtrack for the film in the form of "100%". The track was later replaced by Mary J. Blige's "I Can See In Colour" and consequently, "100%" was never released. Now, after a few months, the track is said to be getting an official release, with a music video being filmed at one of Mariah's recent concerts and the track appearing on iTunes yesterday. Mariah also hinted at the possibility of the track being used at the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Peep the official cover of the album above and listen to the track below and let me know what you think!

I really like this song. It's commercial and has a great message. When Jermaine Dupri, Bryan Michael Cox and Mariah get together they always seem to create something special. With an official release, I'm wondering if this track will give "Memoirs" a much needed boost. If the track was included on the upcoming "Angels' Advocate" release and performed relatively well on the charts, perhaps we can see Mariah back where she should be, at #1 breaking records! What do you think of the track?

Sade performs "Soldier of Love"!

The promo begins for Sade's 'comeback' album, "Soldier of Love". Peep the group performing the lead single, "Soldier of Love" on 106 & Park below and let me know what you think!

Sade still has the vocals, not the most exciting performance but she is 51! Will you be picking up a copy of the album when it hits shelves this week?

AK & BK shoot "Put It In A Love Song!"

Alicia Keys and Beyonce Knowles are in Brazil shooting the video for their collaboration "Put It In A Love Song". Peep pictures from the set as well as a behind the scenes clip below and let me know what you think!

This could possibly be one of the most anticipated videos of 2010, lets hope it lives up to the expectations! Tidbit: "Telephone" was also shot recently and this Gaga/Bey collaboration is also proving to be one of the most highly anticipated videos of the year. Both clips feature Beyonce, you go girl!

Webchat with Toni Braxton!

Toni Braxton will sit down with fans again to host a live webchat. The chat is currently scheduled for 4:30pm EST on Wednesday 10 February and will be airing live on her official website. Please submit all yours questions in the comments section below and I'll try get them posted for her to answer.

Nelly Furtado preps "Lifestyle"!

Finally! After an immensely successful release in "Loose", Nelly Furtado will return on 25 May with her next studio album now confirmed to be titled "Lifestyle". The album sees Furtado working with previous collaborators Timbaland and Ryan Tedder and is said to have a "Whoa! Nelly" feel to it.

I'm definitely keen to hear some new Nelly material, are you?

Alicia & Beyonce in Brazil!

Two of the biggest females in the game are currently in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to shoot a video for their collaboration, "Put It In A Love Song". The video will be shot on 9 February against 'the backdrop of Rio's landscape' said to be 'carnival themed'. Listen to the song below and peep the stars in Brazil above.

I'm quite excited to see what the outcome of this shoot will be. While I wasn't initially overwhelmed by the track, I do think it's a good effort and I'd be interested to see how well the song does on the charts. With the right promotion, it certainly has the potential to be a Top 10 hit. What do you think of the collaboration?

Rihanna shoots "Rude Boy"!

Rihanna recently shot a video for the third single, "Rude Boy" off her album "R-Rated". Peep the official single cover above, as well as snaps from the Melina directed video and the song below. Let me know what you think!

The video looks like a winner, I'm not so sure about the song yet. I have a feeling it's a grower (typically Stargate).

Whitney Houston begins world tour!

Legendary diva, Ms. Whitney Houston kicked off her comeback tour, "Nothin' But Love" in Seoul, Korea last night. Peep some of the performances from the show below and let me know what you think!

It's great to see Whitney out and about doing her thing again! I really enjoyed these performances and her vocals were on point. What did you think of the performances?

I was also asked to post the following performances from the same concert. Peep Whitney performing some of her classics below and forgive me for only posting the recent material (*blushes*).

P!nk performs on Oprah!

P!nk recently stopped by the Oprah show to perform the latest single, "I Don't Believe You" from her album, "Funhouse". Peep the performance below and let me know what you think!

Another solid performance! After her showcasing at the Grammy's I really acquired a new respect for P!nk. She has truly proven herself over the last few years as a real artist who always brings something new to the table. Definitely something any executive would look for when scouting for new talent.

Leona Lewis performs "I Got You"!

Leona Lewis is not giving up on her sophomore album, "Echo". She continues to promote the album and recently performed the second single, "I Got You" on 'So You Think You Can Dance'. Peep the vocally perfect performance below and let me know what you think!

Toni to perform on Wendy Williams!

Toni Braxton will appear on the Wendy Williams show to perform "Make My Heart" for the first time. Tune in on Thursday to watch the performance. To say I'm excited about this is an understatement. Tidbit: "Looking At Me" would've served better as an uptempo promo single in my opinion.

Corrine Bailey Rae - The Sea!

After a successful debut album following the release of the single "Put Your Records On", Corrine Bailey Rae took a break from the music industry following the death of her husband. Now, four years later the British songstress returns with her sophomore album "The Sea".

Peep the official album cover above, the tracklisting below and a performance of the lead single, "I'd Do It All Again" on GMTV below and let me know what you think!

1. Are You Here

2. I'd Do It All Again

3. Feels Like The First Time

4. The Blackest Lily

5. Closer

6. Love's On Its Way

7. I Would Like To Call It Beaty

8. Paris Nights/New York Mornings

9. Paper Dolls

10. Diving For Hearts

11. The Sea

New Music: Erykah Badu - Window Seat!

The first single from Erykah Badu's upcoming album, "New Amerykah Part 2" has hit the net. Titled "Window Seat", the track is classic Badu which means its mainstream appeal is fairly limited. While I'm not overly excited by the track, Badu fans should be quite happy with what she has served up this time around. Take a listen to the track below and let me know what you think!

Album Cover: Usher - Raymond vs. Raymond!

The official album cover for Usher's upcoming album, "Raymond vs. Raymond" was released via his website a few hours ago. The album is preceded by the single "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" and will be released on 30 March. Peep the cover above and let me know what you think!

Ke$ha Reigns!

Ke$ha continues her domination of the Billboard Hot 100# with "Tik-Tok". She enters her seventh week at #1 with her debut single. I'm wondering how many more times I can hear this song before turning off the radio. What do you think of Ke$ha's success with "Tik-Tok"?

Top 5 Songs of the Moment!

These are my top five tracks of the moment in no particular order.

1. Fantasia - Even Angels

2. Janet Jackson - Luv

3. Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce - Telephone

4. Toni Braxton - Hands Tied

5. OneRepublic - Secrets

What are you listening to?

Kelly vs. Taylor: Grammy Showdown!

After Taylor Swift's performance at the Grammy's earlier this week, many were speculating whether or not the young starlet could actually sing. Before I go any further, peep Taylor's performance at the awards show below.

To me, this kind of performance is certainly not up to scratch for a Grammy award winning artist, especially not on a night which is meant to display some of music's best talent.

After the performance, Taylor's label exec, Scott Borchetta went on to criticize singers who can actually stay in key, saying "This is not American Idol. This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator. It’s not about that technically perfect performance.” While Borchetta may have a point, I generally am more interested in artists who have pipes and perform well live.

Borchetta's stab at the 'American Idol' franchise didn't go down well with former contestant and winner Kelly Clarkson. She posted the following on her blog, "Thank you for that ‘Captain Obvious’ sense of humor because you know what, we not only hit the high notes, you forgot to mention we generally hit the ‘right’ notes as well." Good for Kelly, I'm glad she's taking a stand on this because frankly, I'm on her side too. Personally, I think Taylor's win of four Grammy's at this years awards was four too many. What are your thoughts on the issue?

Badu returns in the "Window Seat"!

Erykah Badu will release the first single, "Window Seat" from her upcoming album, "New Amerykah Part 2" on 16 February. Peep the official single artwork above and let me know what you think! I'm quite excited to hear something new from Ms. Badu, are you looking forward to new material?

MJB does Soundcheck!

A few weeks back, Toni Braxton kicked off the Soundcheck series with a performance of "Yesterday" from her new album. Mary J. Blige is the next star to follow in her footsteps and will be performing songs from her latest album, "Stronger With Each Tear" on the concert series. Peep an exclusive preview of the upcoming sessions and let me know what you think!

I've always thought of Mary as one of the best performers in the game so I'll definitely be checking this out when it hits the net.

OneRepublic Sessions!

OneRepublic recently performed two tracks off their latest album, "Waking Up". Peep the performances below and let me know what you think!

I recently picked up "Waking Up" and I've been listening to it on and off. I'm actually quite enjoying the album, it certainly gave me a new respect for Ryan Tedder. The string arrangements, use of violins and falsetto vocals work pretty well together. Definitely check it out if you haven't already.

Jennifer Hudson sings "I Will Always Love You"!

The BET Awards recently honoured Whitney Houston. American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to the diva singing one of her classics, "I Will Always Love You". Peep her phenomenal performance below and let me know what you think.

To me, this performance cements Jennifer as one of the leading vocalists in the industry at present. She really did justice to the song and connected with Whitney. Incredible!

Sade set to release "Soldier of Love"!

After a 10 year hiatus, Sade returns with "Soldier of Love". The album is due for release on 7 February and is preceded by the single of the same name. Peep a behind the scenes look at the making of the album here and let me know what you think!

The record making process is one that always fascinates me. Sade has some great comments about her position in the industry and how she sees herself as an artist. It's rather intriguing that she likes to put work out without it getting noticed. I'll definitely be picking up my copy of the album next week, so here's hoping for strong first week sales.

Toni Braxton on the future of the industry!

Peep this interview with Toni Braxton and Nick Cannon below. Braxton sheds light on what makes a successful artist. An interesting watch, more to come on this topic.

Erykah Badu preps "New Amerykah Part 2"!

NeoSoul queen, Erykah Badu returns on 30 March with "New Amerykah Part 2 (Return of the Ankah)". Peep the official album artwork and tracklisting and let me know what you think!

1. 20 Feet Tall

2. Window Seat

3. Agitation

4. Get Money

5. Don't Be Long

6. Love

7. Umm Hmm

8. Fall In Love

9. Incense

10. Out My Mind Just In Time (Parts 1, 2 & 3)

Mariah Carey preps "Angels' Advocate"!

Set for release on 30 March, "Angels' Advocate" will serve as an official remixes album for Mariah Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". The album is preceded by "Angels Cry" featuring Ne-Yo and "Up Out My Face" featuring Nicki Minaj. Peep the official videos for the singles below and let me know what you think!

Both clips were directed by Carey's husband, Nick Cannon. I must admit I quite like both clips. Here's hoping that the songs start performing on the charts.

Toni Braxton premieres two new songs!

Toni Braxton is prepping the release of her upcoming album, "Pulse" on 4 May. Two new songs have now premiered from the album in the form of "Hands Tied" and "Make My Heart". Both songs had previously hit the net a few months ago but not in full. Listen to the tracks below and let me know what you think!

Tidbit: Toni B. is bringing it back with these tracks! The single covers are also great.

Fantasia performs "Even Angels" on Oprah!

It's been a minute since American Idol winner Fantasia has been on the scene. She now return with "Even Angels", the first single off her upcoming album. Peep her performance of the track below and let me know what you think!