Before Ryan Tedder laid his featured vocals down on Far East Movement’s Top 10 single“Rocketeer,”naturally there was a demo version. And lo and behold, that demo sports the golden pipes ofour favorite bowling partnerBruno Mars, who co-wrote and co-produced the dreamy mid-tempo jam. We’ve got the original version of“Rocketeer” featuringGrammy winnerBruno below—give it a listen!
The L.A.-based gents of Far East Movement are all over the place lately—sidling up to Rihannabackstage in Sydney, performingwith Snoop Dogg, stripping things down for theCherrytree House Sessions, Vol. 1collection (it’s out now). So it’s nice to take a moment and check out an early recording by these guys, before they blew up.
Having remixed Owl City’s“Umbrella Beach”last year, Long Lost Sun have a bit of a history with whimsical music maker Adam Young. They’re currently keeping the synth-pop ball rolling by lending their mixing skills to the one-man band yet again, for new single“Alligator Sky.” Hear the Long Lost Sun mix of OC’s latest below.
This version of“Alligator Sky” whips dreamy keyboard riffs, insistent hand claps and upbeat production into a giddy Owl City-esque wall of sound. We snatched this rendition up as soon as it came to our attention. But, like magic, it appears to have disappeared—except for here.
“Where was I when the rockets came to life and carried you away to the alligator sky?” Young wonders on the tune. Later, Shawn Chrystopher raps,“I sit on my star I see street lights / Look up, you’ll miss me if you blink twice.”
“Alligator Sky” features on Owl City’sOcean Eyesfollow-upAll Things Bright And Beautiful, which is out June 14. Young heads out on a summer tour the day before.
Godfathers of synth-cool awesomeness Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe—aka Pet Shop Boys–haven’t exactly been sitting on their respective duffs since releasing their Grammy-nominated LPYestwo years ago. In addition to embarking on a world tour, writing a musical score for the current London ballet production of Hans Christian Andersen’sThe Most Incredible Thingand, most recently, signing up to hit the road with Take That across Europe this summer, the pair also released new single“Together” overseas last year. Tomorrow the song gets a U.S. release. Hear two of the mixes below!
You might recall the Boys’ raddance-off video for“Together,”directed by Peeter Rebane and shot in Estonia, from last fall. The song initially appeared on the pair’s European greatest hits offeringUltimate(which, despite its title, was missing a few key singles if you ask us).
At any rate,“Together” hits U.S. iTunes tomorrow. Below is the waltz-influenced extended version and previously unreleased Pepptalk Mix.
Also included on the U.S. iTunes release: Pet Shop Boys’ covers of Dave Clarke Five’s“Glad All Over” and Kate McGarrigle’s“I Cried For Us,” recorded as B-sides to the single.
The Billboard Music Awards are back, ladies and gentlemen— and they’re pulling out the big guns for their grand return. After being MIA since 2007, the chart-driven prestige fest that honors winners based on sales is bringing Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Taio Cruz, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, and the Black Eyed Peas to the stage to perform when the showairs live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. (Is J-Lo currently the busiest woman on the planet or what?) And while we sort of think“lots of money” should be reward enough for charting highly, we know exactly where we’ll be when this star-studded spectacle lands on May 22.
While the album title leaves it a little ambiguous, there is no question mark needed when referring to the adoration fans have for J-Lo’s“comeback.” Now we have less than a month to wait untilLove?’s May 3 release date, when we will really know if thePia-mourningdiva’s latest LP is moreOn the 6(hit!) or moreBrave(flop). In addition to the (already) club standard“On The Floor”and Lil Wayne-assisted single“I’m Into You,”the Lady Gaga-and-RedOne-penned“Invading My Mind”also appears along with 9 other tracks (or 13 in the deluxe version). Check it out below.
And on the deluxe version, four additional tracks to love (?):
13. Everybody’s Girl 14. Charge Me Up 15. Take Care 16. On The Floor (Ven a Bailar) feat. Pitbull
It’s interesting to note that the only two songs featuring guest artists are the two that have been released as singles. Hopefully the J-Lo solos will be able to stand on their own?
Sade’s The Ultimate Collectiondrops May 3, and the melodious soul outfit is celebrating its double-disc feast of tunes with none other than Hova.“The Moon& The Sky,” produced by Noah“40″ Shebib, features a verse from Jay-Z. Sade’s mellow, elegant voice floats through the track, and Jay — pontificating a few regrets, what ifs, and what could have beens — fits in quite nicely. Listen below.
We already know that Lupeoriginally recorded the song“Nothin’ On You”, and that it went on to be released by B.o.B and became a Grammy-nominated chart-topper for the rising artist. (Lupe, suffice to say,wasn’t too happy about it.) Well, that wasn’t the only Bobby Ray single that could have been Fiasco’s smash hit in an alternate universe – the MC also recorded other Grammy-nomm’d song “Airplanes”. Listen to both versions below and tell us who did it better!
First, here’s the Atlanta rapper’s version, featuring the Paramore frontwoman whom henever metuntil hefinally did:
Now check out Fiasco’s version, in which he raps about two lovers, whereas B.o.B used the song as an expression of handling success:
The biggest thing missing from Lupe’s version? Energy. Maybe we’re simply used to B.o.B’s take since that’s the version we’re used to, but Bobby Ray’s spirited delivery makes Lupe just come off as disinterested.
But honestly, either way we think this track would have been a hit, since it’s really Hayley’s hook that sells it.
But that’s us. Which version do you prefer? And how bitter do you think Lupe is of B.o.B?
