Filed under: Pop Music, Pop/Rock Music | Tags: Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, Pop/Rock, Madonna, 2006, Faith Hill, 2002, Garth Brooks, 2004, 2007, Avril Lavigne, Let Go, Under My Skin, The Best Damn Thing, Pop/Punk, Teen Pop, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Don't Tell Me, My Happy Ending, Post-Grunge, Eragon, Girlfriend, Alasis Morissette
Back in 2002, when I was about 10, I noticed my 23 year old sister had bought the album Let Go by (the then new) Avril Lavigne. Soon after I got a copy of it for myself (I know what a lame little brother, huh?) After giving it one listen I fell in love with pop/rock and the new mature teen pop that was replacing bubblegum pop artists like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys.
2004 came around and Lavigne was back at it again with her 
sophomore album Under My Skin. While the album didn’t sell as much as her debut, it produced the two hits, the first ”Don’t Tell Me” and the second, the smash hit “My Happy Ending”. The album, in it’s musical right, was darker than the first, with songs showing a darker yet mature side Avril as she dealt with more grown-up subjects. With that said it was still firmly rooted in pop/rock which made it a successful, a little more evolved follow-up to Let Go. In the years that followed Lavigne had been one of my favorite pop/rock female artists, with Kelly Clarkson soon taking her lead.
Then around late 
2006, Lavigne released the hit single “Keep Holding On” for the movie Eragon. The song was a bit of departure from the music she had on her previous albums, with less rock influence on it and more power pop elements, which worked well for the song. Early 2007, Avril’s official first single off her third album The Best Damn Thing, ”Girlfriend” hits radio and becomes one of her biggest career hits. I thought the song was a great rush of pop-punk, but from there on I knew that her new album would be a departure from what we’d seen before. After it was released I didn’t know whether to love it or hate it.
So what’s the point of me blabbering on about this? Well I’ll tell ya! Soon after I began looking at many more artists and how they’re styles have changed from album to album. While some artists have barely changed their musical stylings(Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, and for the most part Reba McEntire), using the “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” formula; Many artists have changed their styles multiple times(Madonna, Faith Hill, Alanis Morissette) to either stay-up with new trends or to keep things different and more fresh.
So my question to everyone; Who are some artists who have made changes in their music, for the worse or better?
Filed under: Alternative Music, Flashback Series, Uncategorized | Tags: 1997, 90's, A Few Small Repairs, Adult Contemporary, Billboard, Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, Flashback Series, Grammys, Grammys 1998, Lilith Fair Concert, Shawn Colvin, Sunny Came Home
Shawn Colvin became a alternative singer-songwriter inspiration with her single “Sunny Came Home”, off of her 1996 album A Few Small Repairs.
This is another one of those songs that takes on many different interpretations.
My interpretation of this, however, is that ‘Sunny’ is a woman who has been emotionally abused by someone, and either a)feels that she either has to kill herself or someone else by burning her or a house down or b) is burning a relationship with someone else, in a metaphor sense.
No matter the interpretation, there is no denying Colvin’s vocals are breathtakingly fresh and even with the dark lyrics, her comforting vocals draw you right back into the song.
Interesting Song Facts:
*It one Song of The Year, and Record Of The Year at the 1998 Grammys.
*The song reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and Hot 100 Airplay, both for 4 consecutive weeks. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 but wasn’t released commercially soon enough to get to #1.
Below is a video of Colvin performing the song live at the famous Lilith Fair concert in the late 90’s.
If you liked the live version check out the studio version by clicking here.
In the comment’s box, feel free to say what your take is on the song.
Filed under: Flashback Series, Pop/Rock Music | Tags: 1995, 1996, Alanis Morissette, Flashback Series, Hand In My Pocket, Ironic, Jagged Little Pill, Top 40 Mainstream Chart, You Oughta Know
Alanis Morissette became a pop/rock icon in 1995 with her album Jagged 
Little Pill, which became the best debut album by a female artist in the U.S. and the 14th best selling album ever.
“Ironic” was released as the 4th single off the album, following up the success of “You Oughta Know” and “Hand In My Pocket”. “Ironic” would go on to be Morissette’s biggest hit in the U.S., becoming her first number one hit on the Top 40 Mainstream Chart.
Interesting Facts:
In 1996, the video won MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video, Best Editing, and Best New Artist In A Video.
Alanis has taken many hits from music critics about her take on irony. Years later she wrote about what she thinks about it: “For me the great debate on whether what I was saying in ‘Ironic’ was ironic wasn’t a traumatic debate. I’d always embraced the fact that every once in a while I’d be the malapropism queen. And when Glen and I were writing it, we definitely were not doggedly making sure that everything was technically ironic. It’s a testament to the fact that we didn’t think it was going to be put under the microscope by 30 million people. For me the sweetest moment came in New York when a woman came up to me in a record store and said, ‘So all those things in the ‘Ironic’ aren’t ironic.’ And then she said, ‘And that’s the irony.” I said, ‘Yup.’ To me it’s a real snapshot of a nineteen-year-old’s definition and version of how life worked at the time. All that ‘Ironic’ touches on spawned all my future inquiries into and current understandings of the mysteries of life.”
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Carrie Underwood, CMT, People's Choice Awards, YouTube, Carnival Ride, 2007, I Told You So, I Know You Won't, Just A Dream, American Girl
A couple weeks ago I did a single review on Carrie Underwood’s “I Told You So”. In the review I mentioned that at first I was not a Carrie-fan, as I would take any chance a year ago to change the radio station on her. Back then that’s when her singles “American Girl” and “Last Name” were being overplayed. Then came “Just A Dream” this past summer, which made me think about this rising country music star. And now that “I Told You So” is hitting the charts, I will say it again, I have truly been converted into a Carrie fan. Don’t get me wrong, I still think she hasn’t reached her full artistic potential(but who can in just 2 albums) but she has certainly left an impression. So to celebrate this newfound epiphany, I thought I’d post two recent videos that have surfaced of Carrie singing “I Know You Won’t” and “I Told You So”, both off her 2007 album Carnival Ride.
I sadly missed the People’s Choice Awards, and didn’t get to see this performance till it started being posted on YouTube.
This last one is Carrie performing her recent single “I Told You So” at the Grand Old Opry, and at the end of it she gets a little surprise of her own. You can view it by clicking the link below:
Filed under: Country Music, Country/Pop, Pop Music, Pop/Rock Music, Uncategorized | Tags: '97, 1997, 2004, Celine Dion, Come On Over, Cowboy Take Me Away, Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, GAC, Garth Brooks, I Love You, I Will Always Love You, If Tommorow Never Comes, Maroon 5, Martina McBride, My Heart Will Go On, Pop/Rock, Shania Twain, She Will Be Loved, Snow Patrol, Tim McGraw, Valentines Day, Whitney Houston, You're Still The One
I hope everyone is having a happy Valentines Day. Some readers might 
have noticed that I took down the two Top 10 Love Song entries for Alan Jackson and Trisha Yearwood. The reason for this is mostly because I was busy with school this week, and I figured it might be easier if I do the series next year, and that way I have more time to edit and make changes to future posts.
Now, since it’s Valentines, I figured I’d post some of my favorite love songs, considering GAC did a crappy Top 20 countdown. Seriously, who believes that viewers voted Shelton’s “Home” video as the Number One love song? And how can Shania’s “You’re Still The One” not even be on the list? I smell something fishy.
So to get my mind of that train wreck, here are some videos you will hopefully enjoy.
If you caught on to my words above, it’s no shocker that one of my favorite love songs is Shania’s “You’re Still The One” from her Come On Over album. P.S. Doesn’t the video make you wish you were living on that beach forever?
Next up is Maroon 5 with “She Will Be Loved”. I don’t know what it is about this song but it always brings me back to the summer of 2004.
What’s a Valentine’s day without “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine.
We can’t forget Tim & Faith’s hit “It’s Your Love” from ‘97.
We need the Chicks to come spice things up with “Cowboy Take Me Away”.
Add some of Garth Brooks with “If Tommorow Never Comes”
I’m a sucker for this one:
Figure I had some pop/rock to the mix:
And I think Whitney can end out the night with this homerun.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 2009, Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Grammys, Grammys 2009, Jake Owen, James Otto, Jamey Johnson, Kathy Mattea, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes, Lee Ann Womack, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Patty Loveless, Predictions, Randy Travis, Rascal Flatts, Robert Plant, Rodney Crowell, SteelDrivers, Sugarland, Trace Adkins, Trisha Yearwood
2009 Country Grammy Predictions
I’m sure some of you readers out there are getting sick of these, but I just wanted to post my predictions just so, if for some weird reason I guess right, I have some proof to show for it.
Best Male Country Vocal Performance
“You’re Gonna Miss This” – Trace Adkins
“In Color” – Jamey Johnson
“Just Got Started Lovin’ You” – James Otto
“Letter to Me” – Brad Paisley
“Troubadour” – George Strait
This lineup seems like an easy one. While Paisley, Strait, and Adkins released decent tracks, Jamey Johnson IMHO is the deserving winner. His vocals paint a great picture and are so powerful making it one of the best listens of the year. Johnson’s vocals just prove he is destined for greatness in the years ahead.
Best Female Country Vocal Performance
“Last Name” – Carrie Underwood
“What I Cannot Change” – LeAnn Rimes
“For These Times” – Martina McBride
“This Is Me You’re Talking To” – Trisha Yearwood
“Last Call” – Lee Ann Womack
Beside “Last Name” and “For These Times” this is a pretty good lineup. My pick has to be “This Is Me You’re Talking To”, Trisha’s vocals are amazing as always, and she conveys such strong emotions like regret, bitterness, and understanding all into one. Saying that, I also think LeAnn is worthy of this award too. “What I Cannot Change” is her best song to date, and I think it’s safe to say that I’d be happy for either one that wins it.
Best Country Song
“Dig Two Graves” – Ashley Gorley & Bob Regan
“I Saw God Today” – Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell & Wade Kirby
“In Color” – Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller & James Otto
“Stay” – Jennifer Nettles
“You’re Gonna Miss This” – Ashley Gorley & Lee Thomas Miller
If this were a year ago I would’ve gone with “Stay”that would’ve been before Johnson’s “In Color” started hitting airwaves.
Best Country Album
That Lonesome Song – Jamey Johnson
Sleepless Nights – Patty Loveless
Troubadour – George Strait
Around the Bend – Randy Travis
Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love– Trisha Yearwood
This overall is a great list. Heaven, Heartache, and The Power of Love is the best IMO overall. The album is Trisha’s best this decade and is almost as good as her 1992 Hearts In Armor masterpiece. That Lonesome Song would be my second pick as it is one of the best new albums out there, and a great debut for Johnson.
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
“God Must Be Busy” – Brooks & Dunn
“Love Don’t Live Here” – Lady Antebellum
“Every Day” – Rascal Flatts
“Blue Side of the Mountain” – The SteelDrivers
“Stay” – Sugarland
This is a pretty easy one for me. “Stay” has so much heartfelt emotion which comes from the fact Nettles wrote the song. “Blue Side Of The Mountain” is another good one, but nothing seems to live up to “Stay” on this list.
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
“Shiftwork” – Kenny Chesney & George Strait
“Killing the Blues” – Robert Plant & Alison Kraus
“House of Cash” – George Strait & Patty Loveless
“Life in a Northern Town” – Sugarland, Jake Owen & Little Big Town
“Let the Wind Chase You” – Trisha Yearwood & Keith Urban
“Let The Wind Chase You” is the best collaboration I have heard in a long time. If you give it one listen you’ll be hooked. It’s the evolved version of “Trying To Love You” and with Urban on vocals as well, it’s a country masterpiece. To sum it up, country radio should be busting their butts to get this song airplay.
Filed under: Flashback Series, Pop/Rock Music | Tags: 1996, 1997, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, Flashback Series, Grammy Awards, Hot 100 Charts, If It Makes You Happy, Sheryl Crow
In 1996, Sheryl Crow released self-titled sophomore album and her first 
debut single was the song “If It Makes You Happy”. The single went on to be a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 Charts, and as time has gone on become one of Crow’s signature songs. For me, the song is about how the person did something that they thought would always fulfill their happiness but in the end doesn’t. I would go into further depth but I’d like to know what how other viewers of the site interpret it.
Some Facts About The Song
* The track won Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 1997 Grammy Awards.
* According to Crow, the inspiration for the song was her feelings after the massive success of her first album, as her record label and and the media put pressure on her to follow it up.
Below is the link to the video:
Filed under: Pop/Rock Music, Suggest A Hit | Tags: 2005, Heaven Forbid, How To Save A Life, My Wish, Rascall Flatts, Suggest A Hit, The Fray
For this round of the series, my suggestion is The Fray’s “Heaven Forbid” from their 2005 How To Save A Life album. Listening to it, the song is like a darker version of Rascall Flatt’s “My Wish”.
Now it’s your turn, suggest a song that either didn’t chart well or that hasn’t been released as a single that you think would make a great hit….
