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Michael Jackson’s Posthumous Sales Surge
June 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Guitar News
Singer currently holds eight of top 10 slots on iTunes singles chart.
By Gil Kaufman
Michael Jackson’s <i>Thriller</i>
Photo: Anthony Verde/ Time Life Pictures/ Getty Images
From Cairo to Compton, Harlem to Hanoi, last week, fans of the King of Pop were celebrating the life of Michael Jackson by listening and dancing to the iconic singer’s music. They were also rushing out to buy as much of it as they could, creating a retail crush around the country (and the world) that will likely land a number of Jackson albums at the top of the Billboard catalog charts next week.
Retailers across the country reported a mad rush on Jackson titles, with many saying that they had quickly run out of their stock of music within 24 hours of the singer’s death on Thursday at the age of 50. The quickest-selling titles, according to Billboard, were the Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson compilations, as well as the expanded reissue of Thriller. Billboard predicted that those three sets, along with Jackson’s studio albums Off the Wall, Bad and Dangerous, will likely leap to the upper reaches of the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart next week. The magazine said that Number Ones will probably take the top spot after resting at #20 last week on sales of 4,000.
By comparison, the top catalog album last week was Christian act tobyMac’s Portable Sounds, which sold 9,000 copies, while sources told Billboard that at least one of the Jackson titles sold more than double that total just on Thursday alone. Nielsen SoundScan tracks sales through Sunday (June 28), with the new chart rankings released on Wednesday, July 1.
Keith Caulfield, Senior Chart Manager and Analyst for Billboard, said that he did not have any updated numbers on Jackson sales on Monday, but that “when an artist of a certain stature passes away, especially a sudden passing, there’s always that instant reaction on the Billboard charts.” But, unlike the deaths of such icons as Johnny Cash (2003) and Frank Sinatra (1998), both of whom were older when they died, Caulfield said whatever impact Jackson’s passing would have is amplified by the fact that we are now living in the digital music age. “Now you have digital albums, which didn’t really exist when these stars died in the past,” he said.
In a telling tale of the times, as of Monday (June 29), eight of the 10 best-selling songs on iTunes belonged to Jackson, with “Man in the Mirror” resting at #1 on a singles chart that also included such hits as “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Billie Jean,” “Black or White,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” “Thriller” and “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing).” The only other songs on the chart blocking Jackson’s clean sweep were a pair of singles from the Black Eyed Peas.
In total, 38 Jackson songs were in the top 100 on the iTunes Top Songs chart. Outside the top 10, 15 other Jackson and Jackson 5-related albums and anthologies made it onto the list of the 100 best-selling digital albums. Jackson’s impact was even felt on the ringtones chart, where “Thriller” was at #2, “The Way You Make Me Feel” came in at #5 and “Smooth Criminal” slid into the #8 spot among the 17 Jackson ringtones on the chart. A spokesperson for iTunes would not comment on sales figures, referring questions to Jackson’s Sony label. A spokesperson for the label had not returned calls for comment at press time.
As befits the man who made the music video a true art form, Jackson had a complete lockdown on the Top Music Videos chart on iTunes, as well, taking the top 10 spots with such landmark clips as “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Black or White” and “Beat It.” In all, more than 40 Jackson videos made it onto the top 100 videos chart.
Jackson wasn’t the only one whose sales increased: “Weird Al” Yankovic’s parodies “Eat It” (#94) and “Fat” (#81) also got some love, along with Alien Ant Farm’s cover of “Smooth Criminal” (#94).
The story was similar on the Top Albums chart, with Jackson monopolizing seven of the top 10 spots with The Essential Michael Jackson at #1, followed by Number Ones, Thriller, Off the Wall and Bad. Also in the top 10 were the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller and Dangerous.
It was the same story at Amazon.com, where the top-25 single-track downloads featured 16 Jackson songs and half of the top 20 on the MP3 albums chart was populated by Jackson’s solo albums or efforts with his brothers.
London’s Daily Telegraph reported a similar phenomenon in the country where Jackson was slated to make his comeback in two weeks at a series of now-scuttled 50 shows at the O2 Arena in London. A best-of album reached #1 on the U.K. charts over the weekend, and four other albums entered the top 20 alongside 43 singles in the top 200. Given the additional digital sales, the paper predicted that Jackson’s posthumous sales could easily dwarf those of such fellow music icons as Elvis Presley and John Lennon.
For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit “Michael Jackson Remembered.”
Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.
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All Time Low: ‘We Are A Haircut Band’
June 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Guitar News
The group made a ‘conscious effort to kind of try and grow outside the box a little bit’ on new album, frontman Alex Gaskarth says.
By James Montgomery
All Time Low
Photo: adamelmakias.com
Plenty of people write nasty stuff about All Time Low, whether it’s dismissing their goofy videos with stuff like “the only way this clip could’ve been more offensive is if they would’ve performed it in blackface,” or writing off their music as nothing more than generic pop-punk written by four dudes with swooping, fashionable haircuts.
Frontman Alex Gaskarth has read (and heard) it all, and he’ll actually agree with most of it. But he’s more than willing to try and change people’s minds.
“We are a haircut band, for sure. We’ve been lumped into that category, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that we’ve been doing this since we were freshmen [in high school],” Gaskarth told MTV News. “This is, like, our sixth year of this band now. We definitely notice it too, and it was definitely a conscious effort to kind of try and grow outside the box a little bit.
“That’s always been the point of this band. This band is admittedly very image driven … and that was never intentional, and that’s what sets this band apart from all the other ‘haircut bands,’ ” he continued. “Those kids get signed because they have the haircut, not the songs. This band got signed because we had the songs … and so, I truly believe in everything we do we try to set out and prove all the naysayers wrong.”
Which is exactly what ATL are attempting to do on Nothing Personal, their third full-length (due July 7). Produced by a grab-bag of big-name knob-twiddlers with even bigger résumés (Matt Squire, Butch Walker, David Bendeth, S.A.M. & Sluggo), it’s jam-packed with the same razor-sharp hooks and lyrics that made their So Wrong, It’s Right album a scene sensation (and nabbed ATL Band of the Year honors in Alternative Press), but it also showcases a newfound maturity and depth: “Too Much” is full of soft, double-tracked vocals that float on a shimmering blip-scape, and album closer “Therapy” is a waking-from-a-nightmare missive that builds to a power-chord enhanced crescendo.
It’s the kind of balancing act that “haircut bands” have been trying to pull off for a while now — the line between silly and serious. But here’s the thing: All Time Low actually pull it off.
“It’s nice to get away from the pop-punk niche we came up in … it’s nice to try to broaden your horizons. To be honest, we wrote a lot of this album with that in mind,” Gaskarth said. “It weighs on you when you see all these new bands start popping up and getting signed, because that’s the nature of this terrible industry we’re in. … So, we definitely noticed that, and we definitely thought, ‘What can we do this time around that isn’t going to piss off our fans too much, but is going to set us apart from all these little kids that have deals and songs on MTV now?’ ”
And songs like “Too Much” and “Therapy” are a step in that direction, for sure. But that doesn’t mean that ATL are giving up on their goofy side, either. Official first single “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)” is a crunchy slab of power-pop, full of shouted backing vocals, cooing synths and mentions of “tequila shots.” It’s a party-starter, to be sure … and proof that, even as they try to grow as a band, ATL still aren’t adverse to getting downright stoopid if the situation demands it.
“We’ve always been a band whose image and stage banter has always been based on not taking anything too seriously, but I’ve never written to be funny. I don’t consider our music to be a joke. We’re not f—ing Bowling For Soup at all,” Gaskarth said. “People pigeonhole us but, to be honest, we sort of pigeonhole ourselves. We try to disregard it and, for the most part, we can, because the criticism tends to get lost in the vast array of d–k jokes and bullsh– this band is focused on.”
Drake Signs With Lil Wayne’s Young Money Label
June 30, 2009 by admin
Filed under Guitar News
‘It’s just a great day,’ Drake says of deal; his material will be distributed by Universal Republic.
By Shaheem Reid
Drake
Photo: Young Money
Mixtapes are a movement. For some, giving away music could mean much more than trying to sell their tunes — but Drake played the game right. He started giving away his mixtape So Far Gone earlier this year, and the word of mouth spread with fans, his peers and record-company executives: a recent New York concert found [Warner Music exec] Lyor Cohen in the crowd, standing among screaming fans, along with Kanye West and Talib Kweli.
Well, the wait is over: After weeks of speculation, Drake has chosen to go with the home team and sign with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Records, according to a source close to the situation. The deal breaks down as a joint venture between Young Money and Cash Money, with Universal Republic distributing. Drake’s management was adamant that he should be viewed as an independent artist, although Universal will distribute the project.
“Today is a definitely a comfortable day for me, having my team now that’s been in place for a couple of years. It’s just a great day,” Drake told MTV News recently in New York. “It’s something new, but it feels familiar.”
Drizzy is excited about having a corporate push to help with the momentum he’s gained independently.
“Independent is a funny term,” he told MTV News on the set of his video for “Best I Ever Had.” “I can go independent, but you need distribution, period. You need somebody to distribute your record and you need that army that a label has to really push the record.”
So Far Gone became this year’s most talked-about mixtape because, in effect, Drake combines the best of both worlds by being a strong singer and rapper. His singing talent is prominent on the tracks “HoustonAtlantaVegas,” “Little Bit” and “A Night Off”; his rapping on songs like “Uptown” and “Ignorant Sh–” is as sharp as a broken bottle in a barroom brawl. He rhymes are just as strong: “The game needs change and I’m the muthaf—-n’ cashier” (from “Successful”); “Account’s in the minus, yet I’m rolling round the f—ing city like your highness” (”Say What’s Real”).
His popularity has gotten so strong that Drake performed — along with Weezy and the Young Money crew — in a prime slot at the BET Awards on Sunday night.
Drake’s official debut LP, Thank Me Later, is currently in production and due later this year, with Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z listed as possible collaborators. This summer, look for Drake on tour with Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy and Soulja Boy Tell’em as part of the Young Money Presents: America’s Most Wanted Music Festival.
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Beginner Guitar Lessons - Finger Dexterity Exercise
This is perhaps the most important exercise to learn and practice for guitar and an excellent warm up for guitarists of any experience.
Guitar Hero - “Who Killed Amanda Palmer” Video Series: Part 7
Part 7 of the “Who Killed Amanda Palmer” video series, the music video for “Astronaut” From the new album “Who Killed Amanda Palmer”, produced by Ben Folds - Out NOW on Roadrunner Records. Order information can be found at www.whokilledamandapalmer.com For info on new videos and songs coming ALL year long, please visit www.amandapalmer.net Directed by Michael Pope Produced by BriAnna Olson & MediaVox
What are good websites that have free acoustic guitar lessons?
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Questions & Answers
I have an acoustic guitar and i want to learn how to play it, without paying for lessons. So, does anyone have any good websites that they know of that teach well?
Jamie Foxx, New Edition Open BET Awards With Rousing Michael Jackson Tributes
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Guitar News
Foxx does a decent Moonwalk; New Edition perform Jackson 5 medley.
By Kyle Anderson, with additional reporting by Eric Ditzian
Host Jamie Foxx pays tribute to Michael Jackson at the 2009 BET Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Everyone knew Sunday night’s BET Awards would focus on the lasting memory and legacy of Michael Jackson, who died Thursday afternoon at the age of 50. The show didn’t waste any time, kicking off the proceedings with a 10-minute tribute that brought the packed crowd at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium to their feet, immediately establishing the show as a sort of wake for the fallen singer.
The show opened with a clip of Jackson’s appearance on the 2003 BET Awards, where he performed with James Brown. It was a melancholy but inspiring introduction to the proceedings. The audience was then treated to a stunning performance by New Edition, who performed a medley of Jackson 5 hits. The iconic R&B group, led by Bobby Brown, sang and danced their way through classics like “ABC” and “The Love You Save.” The choreography was especially impressive, considering that New Edition had so little time to rehearse.
Following the Jackson 5 songs, host Jamie Foxx walked on stage dressed like vintage Jackson: The Thriller-era red leather jacket and a single sparkling sequined glove. Foxx greeted the audience and immediately launched into a performance of “Beat It.” Foxx, who has plenty of experience mimicking R&B icons, ran through the classic Jackson tune with aplomb, never missing a note.
After the ovation, Foxx told the audience that the show would be festive. “No need to be sad,” he told the audience. “We want to celebrate this black man. He belongs to us and we shared him with everyone else.” Foxx kept it light, poking fun at Jackson’s nose and the change in his skin tone over the years. “Michael was all kinds of black. He was Wesley Snipes and Chico DeBarge at the same time.”
Foxx wrapped up the show’s opening sequence with a decent take on Jackson’s signature dance move: the Moonwalk. The Shrine erupted once again as Foxx danced his way off the stage.
MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit “Michael Jackson Remembered.”
Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.
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Ne-Yo, Others Salute Michael Jackson At BET Awards Red Carpet
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Guitar News
‘I mourn his death, but celebrate his life,’ Ne-Yo said from the red carpet.
By Eric Ditzian
Ne-Yo on the 2009 BET Awards red carpet
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Just three days after the sudden passing of Michael Jackson, the BET Awards kicked off in Los Angeles, and during the two-hour red carpet extravaganza, artists and celebrities paid tribute to the fallen icon.
To begin the show, “106 & Park” hosts Terrence and Rocsi declared that the entire night would be a tribute to the life and legacy of MJ. “Trust me, Michael Jackson, we are gonna make you proud, baby boy!” said Rocsi.
“I mourn his death, but celebrate his life. That’s what we’re gonna do tonight,” said Ne-Yo during an interview.
Ray J was effusive in his praise of the King of Pop. “The best ever,” he said. “The best to do it. The best icon. I’m inspired right now. I just want to go do some Michael dances right now!”
He then proceeded to do his best MJ imitation before laughing that he couldn’t even dance.
Standing next to him, Mario also gave the singer much reverence. “I’ve always respected him as a vocalist,” he said. “I think he left a great legacy for my generation and the generation after us to follow.”
Arsenio Hall, a close friend of Jackson’s, took to the outdoor stage to share memories of the singer. “The only thing we need to know about him is that he was the King of Pop,” said Hall. “I’m honored to call him a friend and a colleague. The bottom line is that people don’t give us their lives, they give us their art.”
After LeToya Luckett’s live performance of “Not Anymore,” she spoke of the devastation she felt after hearing of Jackson’s death. “I almost felt like I lost a family member,” she said. “He inspired me to be a musician, just through his music and watching his videos. I just have a heavy heart about it.”
Amerie named her favorite MJ songs — “Billie Jean,” “Rock with You” — and admitted that she’s still struggling with the idea that Jackson is gone. “It was really hard to believe, and I’m still kind of in a daze about it.”
It wasn’t just with words that artists saluted Jackson. Sean Paul wore a single, shiny glove in a tribute to one of Jackson’s iconic looks, and Ryan Leslie rocked a black-and-gold military-esque jacket in a nod to another of Jackson’s signature looks.
Pleasure P dedicated his performance of “Boyfriend #2″ to MJ and revealed that he sang Jackson’s songs as a child. “He inspired me to be the artist I am today,” he said.
In addition to the heartfelt tributes during the two-hour event, the red-carpet show was punctuated by other live performances from Hurricane Chris (”Halle Berry [She's Fine]“), Kid Cudi (”Day ‘N’ Nite”), the New Boyz (”You’re a Jerk”), Dorrough (”Walk That Walk”), Jeremih (”Birthday Sex”) and Day26 (”Imma Put It On Her”).
MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit “Michael Jackson Remembered.”
Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.
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Michael Jackson’s Doctor: Singer Had Faint Pulse When Found
June 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Guitar News
Doctor, through lawyer, also denies prescribing Jackson Demerol or Oxycontin.
By Kyle Anderson
Michael Jackson in 2005
Photo: Phil Klein/Reuters
Michael Jackson still had a pulse when his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, found him on Thursday, Murray’s lawyer told The Associated Press.
Early Sunday (June 28), Chernoff spoke on behalf of Murray, and said that when the doctor found Jackson unconscious on Thursday, his body was still warm and he still had a shallow pulse. Chernoff also dismissed the idea that the doctor had prescribed Jackson some of the drugs that have been rumored to be present at the time of the singer’s death.
“Dr. Murray has never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson,” Chernoff said. “Not ever. Not Oxycontin [either].”
Though police had trouble reaching Dr. Murray following Jackson’s passing on Thursday afternoon, they said that he is not a suspect in any sort of crime, and that the doctor himself was cooperative during the three-hour interview on Saturday.
The lawyer’s statements also provided details about Thursday afternoon’s timeline of events.
According to Chernoff, Murray arrived at Jackson’s rented mansion on Thursday afternoon to find the singer lying down in bed. He was not breathing, so Murray began to administer CPR. As Murray tried to revive Jackson, paramedics had already been summoned to the house. When they arrived, they spent another 45 minutes trying to get Jackson to breathe before rushing him to UCLA Medical Center. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Though the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office conducted an autopsy on Friday, Jackson’s cause of death has been deferred to allow for further testing (though sources close to the case have said that the Jackson family has hired a private pathologist to conduct an independent second autopsy). Various relatives and people close to Jackson have expressed their concern over his use of prescription painkillers.
MTV will be paying tribute to MJ throughout the weekend with music videos, exclusive performances and calls and tweets from celebrity admirers and friends. For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit “Michael Jackson Remembered.”
Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.
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