Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this first full week of 2010 Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Ke$ha's impressive sales numbers, to Taylor Swift's impressive staying power, to an impressive posthumous honor for Michael Jackson, and since it's Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
* If you live anywhere near a radio, a nightclub, or basically any English speaking human life, you're probably familiar with Ke$ha's breakout hit "TiK ToK." No matter how you feel about the song, get used to it. For the week ending Dec 27th Ke$ha set a sales record moving 610,000 units of the song digitally, which is the highest one week total ever for a female artist, and second highest one week total overall. "TiK ToK's" lyrics may be the definition of vapid, but when discussing the song with a prominent DJ (whaddup Halo) we both noted that despite its content "TiK ToK's" verses and hooks are put together really well musically and the song is a DJs best friend when it comes to getting people on a dance floor. Ke$ha actually had a hand, or I guess technically a mouth, but that sounds awful, in the #1 overall one week digital mover, as well, as she sang uncredited vocals on Flo Rida's "Right Round," which moved 636,000 digital units for the week of Feb 29th, 2009. Whether she'll have any longevity as an artist remains to be seen, but no matter what Ke$ha will always have the first pop hit of the decade.
* Speaking of vapid things in pop culture, can we take a minute to discuss the phenomenon that is MTV's Jersey Shore? I really didn't want to watch this show, but after two episodes a couple friends told me it was too good, as in "so bad it's good," to miss (damned peer pressure making me do things like watch Jersey Shore!). Now I know names like The Situation and JWOWW and I am a firm believer that there is, sadly, always going to be a market for fake tans and bad hair (natural beauty where have you gone!). Jersey Shore is the new crack. Those watching it are addicted and those who aren't watching it think those of us who are need to be in rehab. I can't disagree with either side.
* Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest pop star of the moment. Her 2008 album, Fearless, was the #3 seller the year it was released and when the final tallies for 2009 come out will either be the #1 or #2 overall seller for last year, as well. Susan Boyle is giving her a run for her money right now for this year's crown, but regardless of whether she finishes first or second, it's a helluva run for an album. Most artists are thrilled if they can stay on the chart for a couple of months, Swift's been there for two years... with the same album! Talk about staying power!
* Sadly for Swift, her staying power only applies to her music as she and Twilight's Taylor Lautner, have called off their relationship. Apparently the Taylor squared pairing wasn't that serious to begin with as a person close to Swift said the majority of the hype behind it was media based. Err... sorry? Hey Taylor, either one of ya, in the future, just let us know who you'd like to hook up with next, cuz apparently we have the power to make that happen. In a related story, the writer of Pop Shots is totally dating Marisa Miller. Pass it on!
* The posthumous honors just keep rolling in for Michael Jackson, who's landmark 1983 music video for "Thriller" was among the 25 films the Library of Congress named to the U.S. National Film Registry at the end of 2009. Most hail "Thriller" as the reason music videos turned MTV into something that meant just as much, if not more, to music than the radio for a significant period of time (although not so much so anymore). The fact that it still holds up as one of the greatest music videos of all time shows how great Michael's, along with his producer's and director's, vision was, how well they made the video, and how he was on a level so high that in 2010 people STILL aren't able to do what he did nearly 30 years ago. Also on the National Film Registry's short list of inductees - The Muppet Movie... because The Muppets are freakin awesome!
* For those who like their pop to rock, this year's Bamboozle music festival, which will be held on May first and second at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, is being co-headlined by Paramore and Weezer. Paramore hits the stage on day one, while Weezer will be performing on day two. No word on whether The Situation or JWOWW will be in the house, but for my money Rivers Cuomo and Hayley Williams are much better reasons to spend two days in Jersey.
* For this week's Pop Shots video pick of the week I have something that combines two things I mentioned in this week's column - Weezer and The Muppets. Enjoy "Keep Fishin," it's truly a classic clip.
Weezer - Keep Fishin'
by UniversalMusicGroup
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
* If you live anywhere near a radio, a nightclub, or basically any English speaking human life, you're probably familiar with Ke$ha's breakout hit "TiK ToK." No matter how you feel about the song, get used to it. For the week ending Dec 27th Ke$ha set a sales record moving 610,000 units of the song digitally, which is the highest one week total ever for a female artist, and second highest one week total overall. "TiK ToK's" lyrics may be the definition of vapid, but when discussing the song with a prominent DJ (whaddup Halo) we both noted that despite its content "TiK ToK's" verses and hooks are put together really well musically and the song is a DJs best friend when it comes to getting people on a dance floor. Ke$ha actually had a hand, or I guess technically a mouth, but that sounds awful, in the #1 overall one week digital mover, as well, as she sang uncredited vocals on Flo Rida's "Right Round," which moved 636,000 digital units for the week of Feb 29th, 2009. Whether she'll have any longevity as an artist remains to be seen, but no matter what Ke$ha will always have the first pop hit of the decade.* Speaking of vapid things in pop culture, can we take a minute to discuss the phenomenon that is MTV's Jersey Shore? I really didn't want to watch this show, but after two episodes a couple friends told me it was too good, as in "so bad it's good," to miss (damned peer pressure making me do things like watch Jersey Shore!). Now I know names like The Situation and JWOWW and I am a firm believer that there is, sadly, always going to be a market for fake tans and bad hair (natural beauty where have you gone!). Jersey Shore is the new crack. Those watching it are addicted and those who aren't watching it think those of us who are need to be in rehab. I can't disagree with either side.
* Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest pop star of the moment. Her 2008 album, Fearless, was the #3 seller the year it was released and when the final tallies for 2009 come out will either be the #1 or #2 overall seller for last year, as well. Susan Boyle is giving her a run for her money right now for this year's crown, but regardless of whether she finishes first or second, it's a helluva run for an album. Most artists are thrilled if they can stay on the chart for a couple of months, Swift's been there for two years... with the same album! Talk about staying power!
* Sadly for Swift, her staying power only applies to her music as she and Twilight's Taylor Lautner, have called off their relationship. Apparently the Taylor squared pairing wasn't that serious to begin with as a person close to Swift said the majority of the hype behind it was media based. Err... sorry? Hey Taylor, either one of ya, in the future, just let us know who you'd like to hook up with next, cuz apparently we have the power to make that happen. In a related story, the writer of Pop Shots is totally dating Marisa Miller. Pass it on!* The posthumous honors just keep rolling in for Michael Jackson, who's landmark 1983 music video for "Thriller" was among the 25 films the Library of Congress named to the U.S. National Film Registry at the end of 2009. Most hail "Thriller" as the reason music videos turned MTV into something that meant just as much, if not more, to music than the radio for a significant period of time (although not so much so anymore). The fact that it still holds up as one of the greatest music videos of all time shows how great Michael's, along with his producer's and director's, vision was, how well they made the video, and how he was on a level so high that in 2010 people STILL aren't able to do what he did nearly 30 years ago. Also on the National Film Registry's short list of inductees - The Muppet Movie... because The Muppets are freakin awesome!
* For those who like their pop to rock, this year's Bamboozle music festival, which will be held on May first and second at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, is being co-headlined by Paramore and Weezer. Paramore hits the stage on day one, while Weezer will be performing on day two. No word on whether The Situation or JWOWW will be in the house, but for my money Rivers Cuomo and Hayley Williams are much better reasons to spend two days in Jersey.
* For this week's Pop Shots video pick of the week I have something that combines two things I mentioned in this week's column - Weezer and The Muppets. Enjoy "Keep Fishin," it's truly a classic clip.
Weezer - Keep Fishin'
by UniversalMusicGroup
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
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