It looks like all that hair colouring has finally started to affect Rihanna’s brain. The talent-starved Bajan sat down with the BBC’s Radio 1 today to talk about her upcoming ‘Loud’ album and pointed out that when choosing material for the LP she “didn’t want the generic pop record that Ke$ha or Lady Gaga or Katy Perry could just do”. Peep what Rihanna had to say below:

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Despite the fact that her ‘Bionic’ album has been one of the biggest commercial failures of the year, Christina Aguilera has remained generally quiet about the situation. However, the singer has finally broken her silence about the LP’s inability to break any records except for becoming the lowest selling #1 album in the history of the UK. Check out what she had to say below:

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Things aren’t looking to good for T.I. The rapper, who was arrested for drug possession along with his wife, Tiny, could face a multiple-year prison sentence. Check out what lawyer Steven Knowles shared with our good friend Billy Johnson over at Yahoo! regarding the situation:

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Fantasia has been dealing with severe media criticism following accusations of adultery and her attempted suicide. However, the gifted performer has finally decided to fight back, noting that she is being unfairly sidelined because of her African features unlike her fellow R&B singer Alicia Keys. Check out what she had to say about the issue below:

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With Christina Aguilera‘s latest LP ‘Bionic’ currently no where to be seen on the charts, new reports are suggesting that her long-time label RCA are concerned with the singer’s ‘headstrong’ attitude.

Aguilera, 29, is said to have bumped heads with the label many a time over the direction of the album…an album which went on to become, not only a commercial catastrophe, but the lowest selling of the star’s career.

Full story below…

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Christina Aguilera would like you to know that she has “absolutely nothing against Lady GaGa“. The aspiring diva has posted a personal note to her fans on her official website where she has denounced claims that she is  feuding with her fellow (and currently more successful) Pop star. Check out what Aguilera had to say below:

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Sam

1) Making Love (Into The Night) – Usher

2) Tell Me What Your Name Is – Ciara

3) Commander* – Kelly Rowland

4) Not Myself Tonight – Christina Aguilera

5) Here I Am – Monica

Trent

1) Lil’ Freak – Usher

2) Lose My Breath – Destiny’s Child

3) 3 – Britney Spears

4) When Love Takes Over – Kelly Rowland

5) Mr Yeah. – The-Dream

What are Your Top 5 Songs of The Moment?

In a recent interview with MTV News UK, former Hip-Hop heavyweight 50 Cent revealed some interesting fantasies about some of music’s ‘it’ girls. The rapper shared his thoughts on Lady GaGa’s ‘Telephone’ video as well as who he would kiss, marry and avoid among Beyonce, Lady GaGa and Rihanna. So what was his response? Peep the answer below:

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According to Hits Daily Double, UK boyband JLS are set to make a crack at US success after signing a lucrative deal with Jive Records – home to the likes of Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Ciara, and Usher. The 4-piece will release ‘Everybody In Love’ as their first Stateside offering on February 9th; a song which topped the UK charts for weeks upon its release last year. {Source}

In as much as it’s hard not to burst out laughing, I feel congratulations are definitely in order for the boys. For, regardless of my stance on them or their music, it is great to see another UK act being given the chance to make their mark on a world-class stage (Alexandra Burke is already signed in the US to Epic and will be debuting later this year). That said, if ever was a time an act had to step their game all the way up, it’d be now. Them cheesy dance moves and wack songs (this one aside, I’ve actually have kinda grown to like it) need to go with the swiftness, as the US will probably tear them a new one if they come with the nonsense they’ve been getting away with over here.

In any case, I will be watching how this unfolds intently.

For those unaware of JLS, check out the video to the JR Rotem produced ‘Everybody In Love’ below:

Your thoughts?

The music industry is on the brink of oblivion. With album sales reaching all-time lows in recent years and  established artists struggling to remain commercially viable, it is evident that the music market is in disarray. What is the root cause of this sudden collapse in sales? The answer is simple: illegal downloads.

At the break of the new millennium, record sales soared to new heights with artists such as Britney Spears, Eminem and N’Sync debuting on the charts with album sales easily surpassing the 1 million mark. Indeed, labels enjoyed their booming profits while continuing to charge exorbitant prices for their products. However, even the most astute industry pundits could not have foreseen the almost catastrophic decline that was perched on the horizon.

The advent of file sharing services including Kazaa, Limewire and, of course, Napster, ignited a shift in the balance of power. Consumers were now the bearers of discretion; allowed the freedom to download their favourite tracks without cost. This increased audience power has since broken the monopolistic grip of  labels on the music industry thus leading to a substantial decline in sales. In fact, the last album to be certified diamond in the US was Usher’s ‘Confessions’ LP of 2004. Undeniably,  artists now find themselves struggling to sell records; incapable of matching the successes of their predecessors.

Coincidentally, this chaos has led to the revival of quality. As acts face stiff competition from not only the contemporaries but also music pirates, they have been forced to fight for their stake on the charts. Performers such as Beyonce and Kanye West are being pushed to continuously evolve in an effort to remain relevant. Indeed, Usher himself has felt this pressure with his ‘Here I Stand’ album selling substantially less than his preceding release. Therefore, it has become increasingly apparent that there is absolutely no room for error.

Hence, with an embattled music market and the incessant demand for new material that was created by the arrival of the ‘Digital Age’, artists are being mobilised to improve their crafts. As Susan Boyle and Taylor Swift have recently demonstrated, consumers are indeed willing to purchase albums. However, the presence of several mass media outlets (most notably the Internet) has increased their demand for not just quantity, but also quality.

Do you think that any good has come out of the

illegal downloading phenomenon?

Christina Aguilera was once the darling of the Pop charts; one of the crown jewels of the industry’s musical diadem. Wielding a voice that rivaled many of music’s greats, the singer was once hailed by critics as “the voice of her generation”. Without a doubt, the rampant success that Aguilera enjoyed in her early career was out-paced by only a few of her contemporaries. Nevertheless, it seems that the singer has since been ousted from her position at the top of the Pop roost.

Having taken the time to establish herself as a both a wife and mother, Aguilera’s dominance of the Billboard charts has become but a distant memory. Where she once garnered #1 hits around the world, she has now been placed on the back burner of public interest. In fact, her last widely successful studio release was the ‘Stripped’ LP of 2002 which was certified 4x platinum in the US, a far cry from the relatively mediocre sales of ‘Back To Basics’ which struggled to achieve platinum status in her native market. Indeed, many would consider the young star to be a diva in aging.

Moreover, where her only rival in the industry was once only considered to be Britney Spears – who has since managed to continue her Pop music supremacy despite her many personal issues – Aguilera has now been replaced at the top of the charts by a flurry of new artists including Rihanna, Beyonce and Lady GaGa. Interestingly, she once denounced GaGa’s presence entirely, claiming not to have even known that the singer existed, a move that she may have come to regret as GaGa has now captured her market; erasing almost all memory of Aguilera’s former reign.

With that being said, the question is this: does the music  industry still have a place for Christina Aguilera? Or would she become a staple of the past like many of the songs on her ‘Back To Basics’ LP? Regardless of how talented she may be, one thing is certain: she no longer has the luxury of resting on her laurels like she has in recent times. If she does not have a major breakthrough with this release, it might be wise for her to consider motherhood as a full-time job.

Do you think that the industry has left Aguilera

behind?

As 2009 draws nearer to its close, we will be acknowledging the releases, events and shocking moments that have made the last 12 months one of music’s most memorable ever with our 3rd annual That Grape Juice: End of Year Awards.

Shaking things up somewhat from last year, the nominations process has been stream-lined this go round, with the provisional list of categories and nominees listed below. Prior to nominations going live and voting commencing this Thursday (December 17th), we’re keen to hear your feedback/suggestions on both the nominees and categories, which you can drop in the comments section below!

So quickly recapping, the final nominee list as well as actual voting goes live on December 17th. Winners will be thereafter announced on Christmas Day ( December 25th)!

(* For those wondering, Beyonce isn’t eligible for many of the awards as ‘Single Ladies’, as well as her album ‘I Am Sasha Fierce’ were both released in October 2008 – and were nominated/won many awards last year!)

That Grape Juice: End of Year Awards 2009 – The Nominees

Album of the Year

* The Fame Monster – Lady GaGa

* The Blueprint 3 – Jay-Z

* The E.N.D – Black Eyed Peas

*  I Look To You – Whitney Houston

* In A Perfect World – Keri Hilson

Single of the Year

* Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z (ft. Alicia Keys)

*  Pretty Wings – Maxwell

* Bad Romance – Lady GaGa

* I Gotta Feelin’ – Black Eyed Peas

The Michael Jackson Music Video of The Year Award

* Love, Sex, Magic – Ciara

* Russian Roulette – Rihanna

* Bad Romance – Lady GaGa

*I Can Transform Ya – Chris Brown

* Bad Boys – Alexandra Burke

Best Collaboration

* Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

* Knock You Down – Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo & Kanye West

* Video Phone (Extended Mix) – Beyonce & Lady GaGa

* Love, Sex, Magic – Ciara & Justin Timberlake

* Hard – Rihanna & Young Jeezy

Best New Artist

* Alexandra Burke

* Drake

* Kid Kudi

* Kesha

Best Female Artist

* Beyonce

* Lady GaGa

* Alicia Keys

* Ciara

* Rihanna

Best Male Artist

* Jay-Z

* Maxwell

* Drake

* Chris Brown

Best Club Banger

* Work – Ciara

* Obsessed – Mariah Carey

* Hard – Rihanna

* Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas

* I Can Transform Ya – Chris Brown

Best Live Performer (TV, Award Shows etc):

* Beyonce

* Janet Jackson

* Lady GaGa

* Jay-Z

* Ciara

The Kelly Rowland Underrated Artist of the Year Award

* Amerie

* Teairra Mari

* LeToya Luckett

* The-Dream

Most Slept On Album of the Year

* Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel – Mariah Carey

* In Love & War – Amerie

* Love vs Money – The-Dream

* Fantasy Ride – Ciara

* Graffiti – Chris Brown

The Please Go Sit Down Somewhere Award

* Rihanna

* 50 Cent

* Chris Brown

* Mariah Carey

Worst Single of the Year

* Wait Your Turn – Rihanna

* Why R U – Amerie

* Louboutins – Jennifer Lopez

* Happy – Leona Lewis

Worst Album of the Year

* Before I Self Destruct – 50 Cent

* More suggestions needed……

You Slippin’ // Step Your Game Up Award

* Mariah Carey

* 50 Cent

* Britney Spears

* Jennifer Lopez

* Rihanna

Recession Special: Worst Video of  the Year

* I Want To Know What Love Is – Mariah Carey

* Wait Your Turn – Rihanna

* I Get It In – Omarion

* Fresh Out The Oven – Jennifer Lopez

Most Shocking Event of 2009

* Kanye West VMA Outburst

* The Death of Michael Jackson (RIP)

* Whitney Houston’s Grammy Snub

Best Movie

* Precious

* This Is It

* Madea Goes To Jail

Most Anticipated Comeback For 2010

* Usher

* Kelly Rowland

* Janet

*IMPORTANT: This is NOT the vote itself. This is for feedback on the nominees list. Voting starts on Thursday*

Your thoughts / suggestions?

* Banner credit: Luca!!!