Azealia Banks

Credit: AP Photo

Two months ago, Azealia Banks started a flurry of rumors when she tweeted that Lady Gaga had called her to work together, but no details were forthcoming. Now she’s spilling the beans on the tracks they created. Lady Gaga and Banks have collaborated on two tracks, though it’s unclear if the pair will show up on Gaga's new set, “Artpop.” Two months ago, Banks started a flurry of rumors when she tweeted that Lady Gaga had called her to work together, but no details were forthcoming. Now she’s spilling the beans on the tracks they created.

[More after the jump...]

Taylor Swift

Credit: AP Photo

As you know, Taylor Swift’s new album, “Red,” which came out Monday, is on target to sell more than 1 million copies in its first week of release. Should it do so (it sold 500,000 copies in its first day), Swift will become the first female artist in Nielsen SoundScan’s 21-year history  to have two albums sell more than a million copies in one week. Her third album, 2010’s “Speak Now,” also achieved that feat.

Swift and her label Big Machine have waged a campaign that did everything possible to ensure her success. Here’s what other artists and labels could learn from the marketing and promotion of “Red.”

1. Share with your fans... but not too much. Swift debuted a portion of a new song every Monday on “Good Morning America” for the five weeks prior to “Red’s” release and then fans could buy the song the next day on iTunes. But none of these songs were available on streaming services.

2. Sex doesn’t always sell. To Swift’s credit, she has enough clout to not make every video look like she just stepped out of a Maxim photo shoot. Though she shows plenty of leg, she is the most-clothed woman to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone in years, other than Adele. Usually, a woman has to be in some state of nudity or lingerie (with smartly placed hands, etc) to be on the cover. She has stayed true to her image and her own comfort level and her fans respond to that authenticity.

3.Even if you’re a superstar, you still have to put in the promo time. Swift is working it this week, appearing on “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “Letterman,” etc..  The only folks stumping harder than her this week are Obama and Romney

4. Not only did Big Machine decide not to allow streaming on Spotify and the other services upon “Red’s” release, the label only allowed iTunes to sell the album digitally the first week of release, according to Billboard. That’s because Big Machine has no control over how iTunes rivals Amazon or Google Play may price the album download and were afraid that the retailers may sell it for less than $3.49 as a loss leader. After Amazon sold Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” for 99 cents, Billboard changed its rules and will no longer count such deeply discounted album sales in their SoundScan figures for the first several weeks of an album’s release.

5. Most importantly, make an album that’s worth every cut. While I’m not in love with every song on “Red,” it is clear that every song got her total attention. There is no filler. She can easily go five singles deep here, but even the album cuts were crafted with great love and care.

 

Bon Jovi

After taking most of 2012 off, Bon Jovi returns in  2013 with a world tour and a new album.

The tour, dubbed Because We Can, kicks off first. The world tour, which will go to arenas and stadiums, starts in Feb. 13 in Montreal.  Look for U.S. dates to follow the Canadian leg, and then the tour will proceed to Europe, the Far East, Africa, Latin America and Australia.

During the tour, the group will debut new songs from “What About Now” its new album out this Spring.

Canadian Tour Dates (U.S. Dates to be Announced):
February 13, 2013          Montreal                      Bell Centre
February 17, 2013          Toronto                       Air Canada Centre
February 20, 2013          Ottawa                        Scotiabank Place
April 2, 2013                  Calgary                        Saddledome
April 3, 2013                  Edmonton                   Rexall Place
April 5, 2013                  Winnipeg                     MTS Centre
 

Bruno Mars, who scored a knock-out punch as both the host and musical guest on last week’s “Saturday Night Live,” has released the cover art and track listing for “Unorthodox Jukebox,” his new album coming out Dec. 11. And it’s unorthodox to say the least.

The cover shot features a gorilla up against an old jukebox--- the kind that still played 45s. Sadly, we can’t tell what tunes are in the jukebox or what selection the gorilla is seeking, but it’s intriguing.There is a song on the album called "Gorilla," so maybe all will become clear later.

"Locked Out Of Heaven," the first single from "Unorthodox Jukebox," rises to No. 15 on this week's Billboard Hot 100.  Mars and his partners in the songwriting production team The Smeezingtons (Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine) executive produced the album. The Smeezingtons partners with other producers, including Jeff Bhasker, Mark Ronson, and Diplo, on the 10-track set.

Are we the only one who wants a banana now? 

"Unorthodox Jukebox" tracklisting:

1) Young Girls
2) Locked Out Of Heaven
3) Gorilla
4) Treasure
5) Moonshine
6) When I Was Your Man
7) Natalie
8) Show Me
9) Money Make Her Smile
10) If I Knew


 

Psy

Credit: AP Photo

It’s the same old song on the Billboard Hot 100 this week as Maroon 5’s “One More Night” and Psy’s “Gangnam Style” hold at No. 1 and 2, respectively, for the fifth straight week.

It’s sweet justice for Maroon 5, who were locked out of the No. 1 spot earlier this year when Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” held “Payphone” at in the No. 2 spot for five weeks.

Fun.’s “Some Nights”rises one spot to No. 3, while Taylor Swift’s former No. 1,  “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” also slides up one to No. 4. Ke$ha’s Die Young”  gallops to No. 5 in its fourth week of release, up from  No. 8

Rounding out the bottom half of the top 10 are Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me” featuring Big Sean and Alex Clare’s “Too Close,” which hold at No. 6 and No. 7. Rihanna’s “Diamonds” rises 11-8, making it the singer’s 23rd Top 10 hit.

Ne-Yo’s “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)” leaps 12-9 and Pink’s “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” slides 9-10.

Swift’s “State Of Grace,” the final track released from “Red” prior to the album’s Monday release, bows at No. 13, while Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven” is locked out of the top 10, but at No. 15, it won’t be locked out for long.

Taylor Swift's "Begin Again"

The City of Lights lives up to its reputation as the most romantic city in the world in Taylor Swift’s lovely, low-key video for “Begin Again.”

[More after the jump...]

Taylor Swift

Credit: Charles Sykes/AP

Taylor Swift’s “Red” is on target to sell at least 1 million in its first week of release.  She reached the half-way mark yesterday, on “Red’s” first day of release, according to Billboard.

Aiding in getting her to the 500,000 tally was a record opening day at Target, which is exclusively selling a deluxe edition of “Red” with three extra songs. The mass merchant sold more than 160,000 copies. 

In addition to moving physical CDs, Swift is also leading sales on iTunes Music Store, where Billboard cites Swift sold 250,000 album downloads  on Monday.  In addition to having the top-selling album on the music site,  Swift has 10 songs in the top 20 of iTunes Top Songs tally.

Should “Red” surpass the million mark, it will be Swift’s second consecutive title, following 2010’s “Speak Now,” to do so and will make Swift the only woman to achieve the feat since the debut of SoundScan in 1991.

The last album to sell more than one million copies in its opening week was Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” However, that included an Amazon MP3 99-cent sale.

Swift's label, Big Machine, has also taken some moves that give "Red" the best possible chance to surpass the million mark: The album is not available on any streaming services, including Spotify or Rdio. Plus, iTunes is the only digital retailer selling the album, which means neither Amazon nor Best Buy could sell downloads as loss leaders (following Lady Gaga's move, Billboard will not count albums sold for less than $3.49 in their first few weeks of release).

The tale of a lifelong love plays out in Enrique Iglesias’s video for “Finally Found You.”

The story starts as a young Enrique plays hide and seek with his young female friend... so he can “finally find” her. Get it? Of course, you do.

[More after the jump...]

Credit: Young Money Entertainment

Reasons to be grateful today: When Nicki Minaj raps  the phrase “Come On a Cone,” the title to her new song, she really does mean a cone, as in an ice cream cone because her jewelry (i.e. ice) is so cold “it should come on a cone”.  Given how profane the lyrics are in the end, it could have gone in a completely different direction...

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Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews, My Morning Jacket, Train and Brandi Carlile are among the artists paying tribute to John Denver on “John Denver: The Music Is You.”

The album, out in February on Matthews’ ATO Records,  also features Sharon Van Etten, Kathleen Edwards, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, all interpreting songs made famous by Denver, who died 15 years ago and remains best known for such hits as “Tale Me Home, Country Roads,” “Annie’s Song,”  and “Rocking Mountain High,” which, according to the developing set list, no one has claimed yet. We suggest  Zac Brown Band.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to environmental initiatives in Denver’s name.

Track Listing for John Denver: The Music Is You

“Take Me To Tomorrow” by Dave Matthews
“Leaving, on a Jet Plane” by My Morning Jacket
“Sunshine On My Shoulders” by Train
“Wooden Indian” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
“Some Days are Diamonds” by Amos Lee
(Song selection TBA) by Lucinda Williams
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by Brandi Carlile
“Back Home Again” by Old Crow Medicine Show
“Darcy Farrow” by Josh Ritter and Barnstar
“All of My Memories” by Kathleen Edwards
“Prisoners” by J Mascis and Sharon Van Etten
“Annie's Song” by Brett Dennen and Milow
“Looking For Space” by Evan Dando
“Eagle and the Hawk” by Blind Pilot
 “I Guess He’d Rather Be In Colorado” by Mary Chapin Carpenter

“Take Me To Tomorrow” by Dave Matthews
“Leaving, on a Jet Plane” by My Morning Jacket
“Sunshine On My Shoulders” by Train
“Wooden Indian” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
“Some Days are Diamonds” by Amos Lee
(Song selection TBA) by Lucinda Williams
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” by Brandi Carlile
“Back Home Again” by Old Crow Medicine Show
“Darcy Farrow” by Josh Ritter and Barnstar
“All of My Memories” by Kathleen Edwards
“Prisoners” by J Mascis and Sharon Van Etten
“Annie's Song” by Brett Dennen and Milow
“Looking For Space” by Evan Dando
“Eagle and the Hawk” by Blind Pilot
 “I Guess He’d Rather Be In Colorado” by Mary Chapin Carpenter