Poptastique is done…
But PopAttack is taking its place! http://www.popattack.net
PopAttack
Just Because You’re Hot…
Someone needs to tell some Hollywood folk that just because you’re hot doesn’t mean you should make music. Hayden Panettiere, who admittedly is one of the hottest young women in Hollywood, is the perfect example.
Don’t get me wrong, Hayden is definitely hot, and she’s got a good voice. But it takes more than being attractive and a good voice in the music world. Maybe if she did some generic Disney-esque pop, or some Ashlee Simpson punk pop, it would work. I’d actually love to hear it. But this one, well… All I can say is Hayden needs a “Wake Up Call” herself if she truly wants to be a pop star.
What More Could a Guy Want?
When “Best Days of Your Life” first came out, by Kellie Pickler and featuring Taylor Swift, I knew the song would be a pretty big hit.
When the music video came out, I thought it might actually be one of the best days of my life. Just give it a watch.
Kellie Picker and Taylor Swift. In the same music video. Seriously, two attractive blondes in country music dancing next to eachother. What more could a country-lovin guy want?
On a more serious note, congratulations to Kellie, who has finally had a song stick around in the Top 100 on iTunes for a prolonged period of time, thanks in large part to her appearance on American Idol performing this gem.
Lady GaGa–Not a One Hit Wonder?
Is Lady GaGa more than just a one-hit-wonder? With “Just Dance” still topping the iTunes charts, Lady GaGa seems to have surpassed the normal staying-time of a pop single. But is there more to GaGa? Try out “Poker Face”, another pop song with an awesome dance beat.
“Poker Face” is similar enough to “Just Dance” that it’s fairly obvious that the two come from the same artist, but it also has a different enough sound that it doesn’t sound like there’s some machine out there churning out the same song–a problem some dance pop artists face. “Poker Face” is definitely worth the few minutes listening, and I’d suggest the $0.99 for an iTunes purchase. Lady GaGa’s proven she’s here to stay with this song. Let’s hope her next album can bring another couple of dance pop hits.
Fearless?
Image from Wikimedia Commons
After listening to Taylor Swift’s album repeatedly over the last month, I’ve come to one conclusion–Taylor Swift isn’t actually ‘fearless’. Ok, so she gets up on stage regularly, gives amazing performances like the one on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” (who else would be out doors sans sleaves in weather below twenty degrees? Not the Jonas Brothers, that’s for sure), but is she really fearless?
Of the thirteen songs–all of which are excellent, by the way–on her latest album, how many are not about one of her many boyfriends? True, it was her boy troubles that made “Should’ve Said No”, “Teardrops on my Guitar”, “Tim McGraw”, “Picture to Burn”, and “Our Song” hits, but does Taylor have anything going on in her life other than relationships? Don’t get me wrong, I love Taylor Swift and her music, but perhaps a better title would be “Afraid of Nothing… Except a Long-Lasting Relationship”.
Please Don’t Go!
Please don’t go! I’m back! Also, if you keep up with the latest in pop music, perhaps you recognize those words from Taylor Swift’s latest song “Love Story”.
This latest song from Taylor Swift isn’t what I was expecting. For one, it isn’t about an ex-boyfriend. It’s about meeting her boyfriend. Maybe the next one will be about the breakup. We shall see.
Despite the unexpected theme of the song, Taylor delivers another great song. It’s no “Should’ve Said No”, my personal favorite Taylor Swift song, but it’s still really good. Definitely worth the $0.99.
I’m Late!
Sorry about the lack of updates! I’m in the middle of moving! Things should be back up and running on Wednesday, so expect more then!
I Don’t Care
Fall Out Boy has a new single out. Released on Tuesday, “I Don’t Care” is generic Fall Out Boy. I know that sounds ambiguous, but that’s because my feelings toward this song are ambiguous. In a way, the song is good. But at the same time, it’s good because it sounds so much like what I am used to hearing from Fall Out Boy. There’s not much to set it apart.
For Fall Out Boy’s big fans, this song is a must. It’s not anywhere near the pop sounds Fall Out Boy gave us on their previous album Infinity on High. Too bad, I enjoyed their punk pop album. Still, “I Don’t Care” is a good song, very similar to the songs from their older albums, but nothing special.
Rewind… To Britney?
I know, who could forget Britney Spears? “… Baby One More Time” is among the best of what music videos have to offer, and arguably the most influential music video of all time. This is the video that brought back the sexy-school-girl look. Everyone has heard this song or seen the video. Well, almost everyone. But I’m not writing this edition of rewind for them (although I’m pleased to be the one to introduce you to this pop classic if you haven’t seen the video before).
With all the cliché pop techniques, why does “… Baby One More Time” stand out of the pack? Surely for some reason other than the sexy-school-girl? In a way. This video represents the trend in the 2000s of young women in music embracing their sex appeal and using it to gain attention from society in a whole new way. Britney pioneered this technique, in a sense. With the help of “Toxic”, “I’m a Slave 4 U”, and “Oops!… I Did It Again”, Britney managed to sell more records before the age of 20 than any other artist had ever sold before. And not only because the music is great. Britney became an icon. She was what every girl wanted to be, and what every guy wanted to have. Society was enamored with this young lady.
Alyson Stoner: The Next Disney Star?
Alyson Stoner, most well-known for her role as Max in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Caitlyn in Camp Rock, and Sarah in Cheaper by the Dozen, seems to be set for a 2009 pop enterence. In the video above, Alyson explains that she is working on her first music video. This video, she explains, is a remake of a Disney song for a new movie. Didn’t Demi Lovato start with a remake of a “That’s How You Know”, a Disney song? Queue the stage for Alyson Stoner!
I’m rather excited about Alyson Stoner’s potential as a pop artist. She has a wonderful personality, she can dance (check out her YouTube videos), and she’s already fairly well known.
The big question here is, assuming she is slated to be the next Disney pop star, will it be too much? With Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, Demi Lovato, and Selena Gomez already receiving loads of media attention, plus The Cheatah Girls and Jordan Pruitt still receiving attention from Disney and selling fairly well, can the world handle another Disney star?
I say yes. There is such a thing as oversaturation. But the major Disney stars all have shown an interest in being different than their fellow Disney friends. Demi Lovato has stronger vocals and a faster beat than Miley Cyrus. Selena Gomez has expressed an interest in having a more rock sound. As long as Alyson Stoner follows the up-beat stylings of her fellow Disney artists and goes with a different sound—I’m hoping something more rock or club—then the Disney world will thrive.
