It’s no secret and nothing new; the Hot 100 has been a “man’s world” for some time. Barring dominating entries from the likes of Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Adele, and Katy Perry, the Hot 100’s leaders of the 2010s have been generally male.
Yet, despite equally qualitative offerings (however you want to qualify use of that term in today’s musical climate) from a number of former female chart-toppers, the troubling trend shows no sign of slowing as this week’s refreshed chart has a dearth of estrogen to say the least.
In fact, out of the entire top 40 entries, only 4 of them include females as lead acts (only 2 on the top 20).
Is this a sign of the times or just a reminder of the way things have always been? Tuck in below and tell us:
For, without further adieu, ‘Witness’ – the long-awaited new album from Katy Perry – has finally arrived on shelves. Kicked off by the politically-tinged tune ‘Chained to the Rhythm,’ the set’s celebrated two follow-up charting singles – ‘Bon Appetit’ & ‘Swish Swish’ – in the four month promo campaign it’s been afforded leading up to its release this morning.
As mixed critical reviews continue to flood in, ‘Witness’ has admittedly not seen the buzz and excitement its predecessors have been greeted with. In fact, the album comes as Perry’s first to be released without a #1 single to precede it.
Will all this spell trouble for its short-term and long-term sales? Or, will hearing the project in full help persuade those on the fence about purchasing it? Time will tell.
Until then, listen to what the ‘Bon Appetit’ singer is serving up and tell us: are you buying?
Click your fave streaming service below to listen:
Fans were also thrilled to find all 15 of the album’s tracks on Youtube. Click here to listen.
To commemorate the release of ‘Welcome to My Life,’ his biographical documentary released to select theaters today, singer/songwriter Chris Brown has accompanied the film’s arrival with a brand new track of the same name.
Tapping rapper Cal Scruby to assist, the up-tempo number comes as a reflective piece that sees Brown assess his life to date over a series of thought-provoking questions.
Take a listen below and let us know if you plan on visiting a theater near you to see the movie:
Have you seen the trailer to ‘Welcome to My Life’? If not, click here to see it.
Is it petty or pure coincidence that Taylor Swift – a longtime opponent of having her music hosted on streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora (click here to read more on that) – officially announced today that all of her chart-topping hits will finally be available again on all major streaming platforms as of Friday at 12am ET? Not only that, but Swift will also discount her top-sellers on iTunes.
Conveniently, both actions are set to occur at the exact same time her longtime rival – Katy Perry – is set to drop her new album, ‘Witness,’ to minimal buzz.
The pop star’s representative confirmed her full catalog will return to all streaming platforms Friday. Her official Instagram fan account, Taylor Nation, posted the news Thursday (June 8).
Swift’s five albums, including 1989, also will be available on Tidal, Amazon and other streaming platforms, her rep said in a statement.
In celebration of 1989 selling over 10 Million Albums Worldwide and the RIAA’s 100 Million Song Certification announcement, Taylor wants to thank her fans by making her entire back catalog available to all streaming services tonight at midnight,” the statement said.
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You may recall Swift removed her music from Spotify around the release of her 2014 blockbuster album, ‘1989,’ and only allowed Apple Music to stream it. The decision was reportedly based on poor royalty payments from the streaming giants.
Well, it appears the ‘We Are Never Getting Back Together’ hitmaker is getting back with all her old streaming friends…just in time for the release of Katy Perry’s new album, ‘Witness,’ which features the moderate hits ‘Chained to the Rhythm,’ ‘Bon Appetit,’ and ‘Swish Swish.’ This, just as the ‘Roar’ singer has been making mention of Swift more now than ever.
There’s no doubt about it…Kendu Isaacs played a major part in turning Mary J. Blige into Mary J. Blige.
Alas, by way of his alleged affair with the woman above, he now finds himself feuding with the singer after the world learned of their plans to separate.
Fortunately for him, said separation has proved to be very lucrative now that a judge has ordered Mary to pay him $30,000 a month in spousal support.
Isaacs asked a judge to grant him $129,319 a month from Mary’s pockets as her decision to divorce him meant he could no longer manage her and was unemployed.
Today, a judge has opted to give him $30,000 of that and added Blige was responsible for retroactive payments going back to September 2016 as well as is attorney fees which have risen to $235,000.
Hours removed from the release of her new album ‘Witness’, the ‘One of the Boys’ siren caught up with NME to promote the project and reveal that she understands how and why Swift used the song ‘Bad Blood‘ to bash her.
Her belief? Swift attempted to turn the young fan base they share against Perry.
No one has asked me about my side of the story, and there are three sides of every story: one, two, and the truth. I mean, I’m not Buddha — things irritate me. I wish that I could turn the other cheek every single time, but I’m also not a pushover, you know? Especially when someone tries to assassinate my character with little girls [her fans]. That’s so messed up!
On the part their mutual collaborator Max Martin played in it?
I can’t speak for [Max], but he didn’t know who ‘Bad Blood’ was about. I’m not supposed to tell him what he can and can’t do. I’m very fair; I’m super-duper fair and I’m not one of those people who’s like, ‘You can’t do that because I don’t like that person’. Just, like, you do you, make your own choices… I’m not his mother.
This week has brought with it the release of a demo proving that the star’s vocal issues weren’t always as they were.
For, 13 years after the release of its completed version, an autotune deficient version of her smash hit ‘Toxic‘ has surfaced online.
How the star’s comped vocals sound when stripped of studio magic?
Listen below…
Inspired by the vocal stylings of Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton in her formative years Britney‘s vocal issues began when she was forced to record and release which are impossible to sing live.
With this in mind, we’re glad that this version of ‘Toxic’ has “surfaced” and hope her future releases will bring it with songs that allow the icon to present her voice to the world as it should be.
Fifth Harmony have unveiled the video for their latest single ‘Down.’
The dancefloor jam, which features rapper Gucci Mane, is the first taste of the group’s upcoming third album – due later this year. It’s also the inaugural introduction to what the ladies have on offer as a newly re-molded four-piece.
Directed by James Larese, the clip finds the quad in sassy form at a hyper lit motel.
Check it out below…
Loving the vividness of the visual. The neon house style remains a favourite of ours.
As for the group, they delivered.
Sure, we’d have welcomed a narrative but Normani, Dinah, Lauren, and Ally compensated with ample helpings of sass and diva that are rich in replay value.
Michael B. Jordan and his collaborator Ryan Coogler continue to add thought-provoking projects to their brilliant filmography.
The name of their latest release? ‘Wrong Answer.’
The movie will tell the true story of a teacher who, in a bid to save the underprivileged school he taught in from being shuttered, joined a scam to ensure that its students received high grades.
At the end of the testing week, Lewis went back to the testing office with Crystal Draper, a language-arts teacher. For about an hour, they erased wrong answers and bubbled in the right ones. They exchanged no words. Lewis couldn’t even look at her. “I couldn’t believe what we’d been reduced to,” he said. He tried to stay focussed on the mechanics of the work: he took care to change, at most, one or two answers for every ten questions. “I had a minor in statistics, and it’s not that hard to figure out windows of probability,” he told me. Many students were on the cusp of passing, and he gave them a little nudge, so that they would pass by one or two points.
New Regency will fund the project and will join Coogler and Jordan to bring it to fruition following the end of the pair’s commitment to Marvel’s ‘Black Panther.‘
Chris Brown has shared the mic with many a notable name. However, one that has eluded him is music’s reigning queen – Beyonce.
Yet, if C. Breezy has his way that will change soon.
Speaking during the promotional run for his documentary film ‘Welcome To My Life,’ the 28-year-old says he’d want to collaborate with Bey (who he deems “the best female performer”) “for the culture.”
Some may scoff because the chances of this are quite literally slim to none, but – like him – we feel it would be epic…on paper.
More than this though, we’d much prefer Chris cook up a cohesive and meaningful era of his own and make a concerted effort to fulfil some of his (still) untapped potential.
It’s increasingly looking like the media mogul is on the cusp unveiling…something.
Earlier this week, rumors hit the mill about a Jigga reveal when mysterious ‘4:44’ image begun appearing on billboards and taxis across his home-state of New York.
Now, the biggest clue has arrived in the form of a star-studded commercial that aired moments ago during the NBA Finals.
The TV spot featured Oscar winners Mahershala Ali and Lupita N’yongo, as well as the legendary Danny Glover. Check it out…
While some may scream “conjecture,” note the TIDAL x Sprint branding at the end? As reported, the phone giant bought a sizeable percentage of the streaming service and have promised major roll-out’s imminently. A release from the man in charge would definitely fit that bill.
What’s more, timeline-wise, the debut of a new Mr Carter project would certainly make sense given the slewof summer festival dateshe has on the horizon.
