One Love... It's All I Need

Happy New Year everyone!

On January 1st we'll begin the look back at the best moments of 2008 in music.

Let's begin by watching how amazing this song truly is now that you've had some time to look back on it.

I'm Always The Last To Know...

Melodifestivalen fever has hit hard with almost all of the artists being announced! It won't be long until we've heard the songs and the first 2 acts will make it through to the finals. Across Europe and across the globe there are all kinds of music competitions but there really is nothing that compares to the scope and magnitude of Melodifestivalen in Sweden.

At this time when the internet is on fire with stories about the entires this year I'm looking back at some of my favorite entires of the past.

I'd love to hear what your favorites are! Maybe we can do a vote on some of the best Melodifestivalen hits and misses of the last decade?

Excellence - Last To Know

This is actually the very first Melodifestivalen performance I ever saw back in 2003. Excellence won the swedish television show - Popstars and had a handful of hit singles from their debut album before entering Melodifestivalen in 2002. They performed in the first semi-finals and placed 4th initially making it to the second chance round where they placed 7th out of 8. I loved the song and their performance but unfortunately their vocals were far too weak to make it into the finals.

Sarek - Genom Eld Och Vatten

*Link Updated with correct song ;)

In 2003 Sarek performed one of of the most memorable Melodifestivalen entries in recent history. They were voted first place in their semi-final but when it came down to the finalen they placed 6th overall when they received a relatively low score from the jury.

I Want You By My Side

OH MY GOD!

Asa you all know I'm a MASSIVE fan of Swedish singer 'Evan.' I was lucky enough to have him answer some of my questions for an interview that I posted here on YouDon'tKnowPop earlier in the year.

There was a lot of doubt as to whether he would release a third album or not and we can officially say that all doubt has been lifted as he will release his third album Mid-2009.

A huge thanks to PPG for pointing this out on your blog!

Now Evan has been kind enough to post 4 songs on his site for you to check out. I am FLOORED right now. These songs are BRILLIANT! They are even better than everything he's released in the past.

You can check out all 4 tracks HERE!

This is going to be a fantastic album and I cannot wait for it to be released.

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In other news Same Difference are currently sitting at the lower end of the top 10 for their debut single! The official chart will be released on Sunday so you still have time to move them up the chart! if you haven't bought their single yet GO DO IT NOW!

The band have also announced that they'll be doing a theater tour of the Uk this Spring! So now I have to re-plan my Sweden trip so that I can be in the Uk to see Same Difference on tour!!

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New Music Tuesday

This week we have a song from an Ex Swedish Idol contestant and an Ex Boyband member.

Song #1: It's best described as September meets Da Buzz meets Cascada. It's catchy and dancey. Overall an impressive first single from this Swedish newcomer.

Gathania - Blackout



Song #2: Listening to this song makes me feel like A1 never really broke up. I can imagine hearing this on their album back in the day. A sweeping and dramatic upbeat pop song. Turns out Christian has had a successful career in Norway since A1 broke up.

Christian Ingebrigtsen - The Truth About Lies

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A Very Schlager Christmas?

What do you get when you take 3 Melodifestivalen Diva Veterans and put them together for a Christmas Album?! Well Sanna, Shirley and Sonja have released their very own Christmas Album 'Our Christmas.'

Well unfortunately for schlager fans there's a huge lack of upbeat schlagertastic tracks. It's a sweet album and it's a real treat to hear Shirley and Sonja singing in english but overall it's lacking some "Umph." As far as I'm concerned "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is the best Christmas song of all time and I HATE Mariah Carey. But no one will ever be able to improve upon her version of that song and although Sanna and the gang give it a good effort... it really is missing the magic.

If you're looking for a touch of Schlager this Christmas you're not going to find it here. As fas as Christmas albums go this one's a little weak. Here's hoping at least one of these 3 will make a Schlager comeback at Melodifestivalen 2009. There are 7 more acts to be announced on Tuesday Morning!

Sanna, Shirley & Sonja - Silent Night

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I prefer to remember them for songs like this... AMAZING!

Hope & Glory!

WOW! THIS IS IT! Today the first 8 names were announced for Melodifestivalen 2009. There aren't too many surprises here as most of these names were already flying about. The great news is that they are now official.

Mans Zelmerlow
BWO
Sarah Dawn Finer
Emilia
Alcazar - Stay The Night
Jennifer Brown

What I find amazing is that if there are such huge names in the first 8 acts announced just wait until the rest of the acts are announced! Each of the first 8 acts are established stars in Sweden with 6 of the 8 having made it to the finals of Melodifestivalen before.

You will all remember Emilia from her massive international hit single - Big Big World... she enters Melodifestivalen for the first time next year. Jennifer Brown also makes her competition debut next year. She's been around for quite some time in Sweden and has released 4 albums over the last 15 years.

BWO - Paradise On Mars

Alcazar - I Love The DJ

The biggest question so far is what is going to happen between Alcazar and BWO! Both acts have competed multiple times in the competition and each of them have placed 3rd twice. It's clear that both acts have a massive following but it's going to take a unique song to really get the entire country to rally behind the act rather than relying just on the bands fan bases.

This is Good! This is Great!

Today is Music Video Christmas!

1. Same Difference - We R One

The Wait is over! You can finally catch their debut video and WOW! This Is GOOD! THIS IS GREAT! The video is Grease meets Steps meets S Club 8! It's sunny and fun and catchy as hell. I think if there is any celebrity i'd want to spend the day with out on the town it would be Same Difference. They will be performing their biggest performance to date when they make an appearance on X-Factor on Nov. 22nd!




Thanks to Paul at MyFizzyPop for posting the video first! Check out his observations Here!

2. Boyzone - Better

I think Boyzone may have surpassed Take That for best comeback! This is such a beautiful song and the video is perfect! Boyzone were one of the first major pop acts to have an openly gay member when Stephen Gately came out in the late 90's. 10 years later the band are breaking down barriers by having a male love interest for Stephen in the video. It's a brave move and it's the perfect song to cuddle upto when it gets cold this winter.



3. Alphabeat - What Is Happening

Alphabeat are the band that just keeps on giving! They honestly will not stop until they've released every track on their album as a single! If you haven't joined the Alphabeat bandwagon you're missing out. Their newest video for What Is Happening is a gem!

THIS IS IT!

SO!

For those of you who don't know this blog is under attack.

Over the past few weeks posts that I've made have been removed due to copyright infringements over the songs I've posted.

I will not let this stop me from posting about the best pop music around!
Shutting this blog down will not stop music fans from sharing the music they love.

The purpose of this blog is to promote the songs and artists who often only release music in select countries/territories.

As a music fan I have spent thousands of dollars on importing albums and singles from all over Europe because those cds are never released here in North America. If it wasn't for fans sharing songs from these artists online I would never have discovered the artists and never paid for the albums.

When a record label refuses to release a cd on iTunes internationally or refuses to accept North American credit cards so that fans can download the mp3's legally on the artists web site, fans have no choice but to download the songs for free using a variety of sites online.

If you are a fan of Pop music and a fan of Same Difference please support them by purchasing their album and thereby ensuring future releases from the brilliant duo.

To those of you that have heard Same Difference - We R One... I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

If you missed out on the song please visit their official myspace where you can check out clips from their forthcoming album - POP!

http://www.myspace.com/samedifferenceworld

You can pre-order the debut album from Same Difference - Here

Don't You See That Love Is Free...

Does having a "gimmick" help or hurt an artist? Steps were one of the most successful pop acts of the 90's with their singles that came with the dance steps inside. With the sheer multitude of acts out there competing for a spot in the charts maybe having a "gimmick" is what sets you apart from the pack.

You see it time and time again at the Eurovision song contest as countries send novelty acts to the competition instead of real talent to try and get some attention. Silvia Night anyone? Dustin the Turkey?

Perhaps one of the most successful artists with a gimmick has to be my personal favorite novelty act - Rollergirl!

Rollergirl discovered her love of rollerskates while working at a rollerskating rink in Germany. In the late 90's Rollergirl was discovered in Spain and soon after that released her debut single - Dear Jesse a 'Madonna' cover.

In the next 3 years Rollergirl released 7 hit singles before taking off her skates for good. If you look her up on YouTube you can still see her rolling through her videos or live performances. If you're lucky enough to own her album you own a piece of history! The album comes with all her hit singles and the rare gem - "I Keep On Rolling"

Rollergirl... if you're out there somewhere please come back to Pop music. Life just isn't as fun without you. We miss your cute pink skates and your computer enchanced vocals.

I saw we start a campaign today! Rollergirl for Germanys Eurovision entry in 2009!!

Let's look back at the greatness that was 'Rollergirl.'

Remember when she gave us her take on the Japanese Geisha?
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Rollergirl - Geisha Dreams

How about her take on the classic Eternal Flame. Just wait until you get to the breakdown in the middle!

Rollergirl - Close To You

Or how about her SMASH HIT!

Rollergirl - Superstar

If you liked these you'll enjoy her classic videos even more.
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In this video you'll see her make a dramatic entrance but the audience doesn't seem to care.

It's Like A State Of Mind...

Have you ever listened to an entire album, listened to the songs and decided after one listen of certain songs that you didn't like them. You may have listened to the album over and over since then and always skipped the same songs. Then one day you forget to skip the song and after listening to it again you realise that you actually love the track.

I used to skip this song and never really gave it a chance until my friend borrowed the cd and returned it and told me that this was his favorite song. Now my friend is probably the last person in the world to like anything by Amy Diamond and here he was telling me a song he liked that I had never even bothered listening to! So I put the song on and fell in love with it immediately. I can't believe I never gave it a chance before.

I've posted about Amy Diamond multiple times now but I couldn't resist another. I really do love all three of her albums. Each album is full of single-worthy tracks and what I love is that each song has really unique sounds/instruments that you don't really hear in the average song.


'Shooting Star' can be found on her debut album and is easily one of the best tracks from that album.

With rumors flying that Amy will try for Melodifestivalen again in 2009 I figured I'd start getting excited now. If she enters with a song even half as good as 'Thank You' then we have a lot to look forward to.

Amy Diamond - Shooting Star

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If Walls Could Talk...

As we look forward to Melodifestivalen 2009... over the next 4 months I'll look back at Melodifestivalen competitions since past!

To start us off lets remember the "Peoples winner" from this year...

Sanna Nielsen - Empty Room (Acoustic Version)

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Put Your Boots On Baby...

The Saturdays debut album is available now and is a MUST HAVE! Finally an album is released that is worth purchasing! Every track on the album is worth listening to including the slow ones.

There is still one song that stands out from the rest of the pack and that's 'Work' which begs to be released as a single. For those that like their pop a little more relaxed check out the albums title track 'Chasing Lights.'

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The Saturdays - Work

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I LOVE EUROPE!

The song titles have been announced... the speculation has begun... tickets have sold out! Melodifestivalen fever has already begun and there's still almost 4 months until the first night of competition!

At 12am on Thursday night I sat at my computer like a mad scientist as I fought against thousands of other fans for one of the coveted tickets to the Final on March 14th in Stockholm. The good news is that I was successful! Not only do I have 2 floor seats to the final... but I have ROW 6 seats on the floor for the Dress Rehersal!

This will be my third trek to Sweden to catch the event and if you haven't been you really ought to consider it! Although tickets are sold out you can still find tickets at various ticketing sites online.

Mans Zelmerlow, BWO, Alcazar... the rumours are flying! Who will take part in 2009? Who will the 4 wildcards be?!

It's Just Me and You... And We Are Running

When a song is good... it doesn't matter what kind of music you listen to... some songs just demand respect.

This song starts off slow and beautiful... but watch as it transforms halfway through!

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!

A Message From Ace of Base

And now... a very special message from Ace of Base

Pop!

On November 24th do your part!

Make You Voice Heard!

It's your right and your responsibility!

PURCHASE THE DEBUT SINGLE FROM SAME DIFFERENCE

"We R One"

The Stunning Debut album 'Pop' will follow on Dec. 2nd

Pre-Order the single and album at www.hmv.co.uk

Let The World Keep Turning...

Awhile back I posted about my love of Brian McFaddens debut album and that he had finally put together a second album. Since then the album has been released and spawned 3 singles. Brian actually released this album on his own label to retain creative control over his career.

Taking creative control means that he's decided to focus his attention on the Australian market where 3 singles have been released from the album. Although it seems that this may be the end of his solo career as the singles have charted at 13, 29 and 99 respectively. Although the album did chart at a respectable '5' in the Australian album charts.

His second single was 'Twisted' has to be one of my favorite songs of the year. I just can't get enough of it. It's upbeat, catchy as hell and really sweet at the same time. It reminds me of 'Irish Son' in a way actually.

Brian McFadden - Twisted Twisted

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GUESS WHO?!

Hey Everyone...

So first off I owe a huge apology for the lack of updates without any explanation at all. To be honest life sorta god in the way and I had been lacking any inspiration.

But so much has happened in the world of pop music I have no choice but return to the blogosphere to help celebrate the biggest resurgence in pop music in years!!! Everyone who is anyone is releasing new music right now or is in the process of releasing new music.

But I'm back now! So tell your friends, give me a shout out on your blog! If there are any new blogs out there shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment so I can check you out!

With so much going on where do I start?!

I'll start with a post about the first band I ever loved - Ace of Base.


For their fans it's been a long long wait for anything from this band. When their comeback was announced a year ago there were promises of a remix album, new songs, new material and a world tour. Their new website launched on April 9th and 2 weeks later was forgotten and has never been updated since.

Basically the band have dropped their management and are continuing to work on a deal to get their new music released as soon as possible. To help built momentum before any new material is released the band have FINALLY released the studio version of Wheel of Fortune 2009. This version will show up on a new greatest hits compilation to be released in Scandinavia and Japan.

So cross your fingers and let's hope that by this time next year the band will finally have released their 5th studio album. Until then you can enjoy this re-vamped version of Wheel Of Fortune. I really do love it! It's a great example of the direction the band is heading in. It also does a great job of taking an old song and making it sound fresh and new. I actually like it a lot better than the original.

Ace of Base - Wheel Of Fortune 2009

It's So Hard For Me To Breathe...

So as a general rule I don't think it's a good idea to take a ballad and remix it. The results are usually messy and end up ruining a great song.

Take a fantastic song like Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown - No Air and the stakes are a lot higher. It's one of my favorite tracks of the year and I wasn't too impressed when I heard there was a remix.

But then I heard this! Jason Nevins hit all the right spots with this mix... he hasn't changed the song too dramatically... just added a soft beat and makes it a bit more dramatic.

I think you'll like this even if you don't usually like remixes... check it out and lemme know what you think.

Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown - No Air (Jason Nevins Mix)

81 Days And Counting

YES!!! IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING!

Mark these days down NOW! On November 17th (The Day before my birthday) Same Difference will FINALLY release their debut single. Then on November 24th they will follow it up with their debut ALBUM!!

This is the best news of the year from the best new band of the year. It's been a long journey for the band and there was never any real certainty that they would actually get to release a full album.

This is a true test to see if the public are willing to spend money on good old fashioned pop music again.

Support the little guys and BUY their album when it comes out.

If you have no clue what I'm talking about and don't know who Same Difference are then watch this!

Just Dance!

So it took me awhile to finally jump on the Lady GaGa bandwagon... but I can't resist anymore and I'm loving 'Just Dance' finally. The song has been floating around the world since April so I'm a little behind the times here but better late than never! The song is already an international hit single reaching top 10 in various countries across the globe.

If you're behind like me check out the track...

Lady GaGa - Let's Dance

Speaking of dancing the new Infernal album was released last week. I'm actually not as impressed as I thought I would be with the album... after listening to the entire album I really only felt like I wanted to keep the two singles. So if you're on the fence about purchasing the album I'd say hold off.

Infernal - Mr. Money

I usually post about established artists but sometimes you need to give some love to the new up and coming talent. If there's an act you need to keep an eye out for it's 'The Ultrasonics.' Their debut single - Perfect Girl is being released digitally in the Uk on August 25th. If all goes well you should be hearing more from them soon. Their style is probably best described as retro electro-pop. The track hasn't been released yet but you can listen to it online. Lemme know what you think

The Ultrasonics - Perfect Girl

The blog has been overrun by the girls lately... so I think the next post will be all about the boys!

When I Play... I Play For Keeps

Ugh Today is a great day for Pop Music! Seriously where would we be without Sweden? It's hoenstly the only country left in the world that produces serious pop music that is still popular in the mainstream.

Today we celebrate 3 fantastic tracks from 3 Swedish super dance divas!

Let's Begin...

Agnes Carlsson

The winner of Swedish Idol is back for her 3rd album! If you're a regular reader here at YDKP you'll remember that her last album had some killer tracks on it. Well she has finally released the first single from her forthcoming 3rd album and she has really upped the ante! When I first saw the track had been released I assumed it would be either a cheesy ballad or an attempt at being 'cool' with an R n B based track. She's done us proud though by going with a BIG epic dancey pop track.

This is a MUST download...

Agnes Carlsson - On and On

Velvet

Hot off the heels of her dissapointing placement in 'Melodifestivalen' earlier this year. Velvet isn't giving up and delivers her best offering to date with this track from her new album to be released soon.

Velvet - Take My Body Close

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Elin Lanto

So I will admit I HATED her song in 2007's Melodifestivalen. 'Money' was bland and her performance was rotten. But she sold me with 'Speak N Spell' which was a favorite of mine earlier this year. Her latest single isn't as good as Speak N Spell... but it's not bad!

Elin Lanto - My Favorite Pair Of Jeans

New Music Monday... On A Tuesday!

To make up for my lack of updates I have some hot new tracks for you to evaluate!
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Infernal - Whenever You Need Me

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Talk about a departure from their last album! Their first album was very in your face pop music but with their first two singles Infernal have really come into their own. I find their new songs to be a new brand of sophisticated dancey/pop music. I'm really excited for the album now which will be released next week!

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David Archuleta - Crush

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This years American Idol runner up finally delivers his debut single - Crush. I think the guy has a great voice... and sure the song is easy to listen to, the chorus is catchy... but its soooo TIRED! I've heard this song a billion times! It's been done over and over and over. It's a safe and boring single choice... not that I expected anything else from him. I just find it all a little boring.

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BWO - Lay Your Love On Me (Biffco Radio Mix)

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It's funny how a slight tweak to the beat can make a great song even better but they did it with this slight remix! Check it out.

We Should Be Dancing... But We Chose To Fight

Hey guys!

First off... apologies for my lack of updates lately and thank you for continuing to follow my adventures in pop. I'm going to try to update more regularly... otherwise I'd have to shut down and I don't want to do that. I've considered sharing posting duties if someone wanted to join the YouDontKnowPop team.

But enough of that let's get back to the music! BWO have released a 3rd single in the Uk with - Lay Your Love On Me and although they've managed to garner some radio support this time, they single entered the chart this week at #69. But that isn't necessarily bad news since the physical single still hasn't been released!

I read an interview with Alexander where he was asked why Uk radio has suddenly jumped on board and started promoting the new single and this was his answer which I LOVE:

"I think what they like is that we're not manufactured. We've had too many Idol winners and too many boybands and too many girl bands. I hate manufactured music, I like music that's organic and real. With BWO it's obvious we're real because a major record company would never put together a group featuring a 47-year-old man, a 43-year-old woman and a 26-year-old guy who looks like he's brought mum and dad on stage with him."

So to the Uk record buying public... please go out and purchase your copy of - Lay Your Love On Me this week and get BWO into the top 20 where they belong!

To celebrate I'm posting a song i just recently discovered from the band! One of my favorites since the first album I have to say!

BWO - We Should Be Dancing

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Time To Make A Difference By Standing Up

So I've been sitting on this track for awhile now and I wasn't sure if I was going to post it or not.

When I heard that there was new music from Bosson I was so excited. When I finally heard it I felt a little let down. I filed the track away deep in the catacombs of my hard drive... but when it suddenly started playing the other day I found myself singing along.

It's been playing on my iPod all week now and I think I actually like it! I do feel like it's a bit yoo repetative? It's much different from anything he's done before. It's the closest thing that Bosson is going to get to a Timbaland track and it's making a statement about the world today at the same time. The good news is that Bosson still gives us his trademark high pitched "Ooooohhhs" at the end of the track. It wouldn't be Bosson without the high pitched "OOoooOooahhhh."

Thoughts?

Bosson - Wake Up

Speaking of Bosson lets throw in one of my favorite Bosson remixes!

Bosson - You Opened My Eyes (Godspeed & Moe Mix)

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Feels Just Like The Devil's Ridin' Me

WOW! Talk about a comeback! Sarah Connor is back with a vengence!

The singer debuted in Germany back in 2001 breaking records with her successful singles. She's the first act ever in Germany to hit number 1 with 4 consecutive singles. She immediately became a huge star in Germany... but when her third single - From Sarah With Love spread across Europe she was soon in demand across the globe.

The name Sarah Connor may actually sound familiar to pop music fans in North America because of her single - Bounce. The track was never originally intended to be released in North America... as she was unknown outside of Europe. But in 2003 a pair of US Dj's came across the single and started playing it. Before long the song had spread and Sony USA decided to release it across North America. The song soon began to chart in Canada and the US but a pregnant Sarah Connor was unable to promote the track.

While Sarah has still been very much involved in music over the past 4 years... she hasn't been making any real waves outside of Germany. Over the past 3 years she's released a bunch of Christmas albums, a Motown cover album and contributed to various movie soundtracks.

In 2007 Sarah announced that she was going to work on a new album that would be more suited to the dance floor. That album is now finished and the first single is 'Under My Skin.'

This is one of the best songs so far to be released this summer. You need to download this track and start playing it everywhere! I think she could be a huge hit for her across the globe.

Sarah Connor - Under My Skin

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We All Look The Same In The Dark

WOW! While most artists get old and you lose interest in them as time goes on... some acts consistently get better with each subsequent release. McFly are one such group.

I remember when they first started I dismissed them as just another teen rock band trying to cash in on the 'Busted' phase. I didn't mind the odd song from them... but I kept on waiting for them to fade away. The thing was... they never just went away. To date they've released 14 singles and had 7 number 1's!

After releasing a Greatest Hits album last year the band announced that they were unhappy with the decisions their record label had been making and they would no longer be releasing music with a major label. Instead the boys have formed their own label and now have complete control over their music.

The new album 'Radioactive' will be released in September but we've already had our first taste of their work with the new single - One For The Radio.

All I can say is WOW! After hearing this song I'm officially a full fledged McFly fan. They've really outdone themselves this time. This song has everything right. It's hard hitting, catchy, easy to sing along to, melodic and in your face at the same time. I love the line... "Don't pretend you hate us then you sing our songs..."

McFly... like Girls Aloud in a lot of ways have proven that they have staying power because they're not afraid to grow, develop and try new things. I can't wait to hear what they come up with next.

McFly - One For The Radio

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Best Kept Secret

Some bands will never be able to step out from the shadow of their one big hit single. The charts are littered with artists that never make it past their one big hit; artists that break into the top 40 or sometimes even the top 10 with their debut single and then fall into oblivion never to be heard from again.

What causes a one hit wonder anyways? There are hundreds upon hundreds of them over the years. It is simply a fluke? Were the artists other songs just really really bad? The truth is that most one hit wonders aren't really meant for anything more than that. Often times they're tracks that are recorded as a novelty or to cash in on a fad. Remember the Baha Men?

Uk super group 'Steps' were originally put together to record 5'6'7'8 and cash in on a line dancing fad that had swept the Uk. They're one of the few examples of a one hit wonder gone wrong! They went on to score tones of hit singles.

Sometimes you'll have an act be labeled a one hit wonder in only one country while the band enjoys success in other countries. A prime example of this would be 'Take That' who are considered a one hit wonder in North America for their hit single 'Back For Good' but enjoy superstar status in the Uk and across Europe.

One performer I recently re-discovered would fall into 'One Hit Wonder' status and that's Jennifer Paige. Best known for her debut single - Crush in 1998. She had a great voice, sweet look and a catchy radio-friendly track. The song was a top 5 hit in almost every country it was released and hit number 1 in a handful of those.

Despite the huge initial success the next two singles failed misterably and she faded into the shadows. What most people in North America don't realise is that in 2001 Jennifer released a second album and a new single (A cover of the Australian Popstars - Bardot hit - These Days.)

But unfortunately the record label didn't bother to promote the album and I doubt many people in North America even know that she was still around in 2001. Her second album did receive some airplay in Europe, but not enough to save her record deal and she was dropped in 2002.

Now it's 2008 and it's been 10 years since her debut single. Jennifer is now working with an independent record label and is still releasing music on her own terms this time. If you're interested in her newest single you can hear it here. Her new album 'Best Kept Secret' has already been released in a handful of countries.

One of my favorite Jennifer Paige tracks comes from her little known second album. It's upbeat and sunny.

Jennifer Paige - The Way Of The World

Jennifer Paige - These Days

What are your favorite One Hit Wonders?

It's The Summer Of Love...

Summer has finally arrived in Vancouver, BC and I can't be happier. There's nothing that I love more than hanging out at the beach, relaxing with a book and my iPod, having a pic nic with friends, playing frisbee and blasting some fun pop music. Some songs were just meant to be be played in the summer at the beach or while driving with the top down. They're my favorite summer pop anthems and if you don't have them already you ought to download them and heat outside now!

DJ Sammy - The Boys Of Summer

So back in about 2004 I actually saw DJ Sammy perform live at a festival in the Uk. He was one of the most energetic performers I'd seen in some time and he really got the crowd worked up. One of my favorite tracks was 'The Boys of Summer' a cover of the famous Don Henley track. Rumour has it that DJ Sammy will release a new album this year... hopefully we'll have another summer anthem from Mr. Sammy!

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Alexander - Stay With Me

This is a thumping pop track from the German Idol. I've posted it here before but I always get a warm fuzzy feeling when I play it... so here it is again.

Britney Spears - Stronger

Wow... I hadn't listened to this in ages. Do you remember how great she was back then! This was one of my all time favorite videos as well. This summer is the perfect time to dust off this track and blast it out your car window.

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Da Buzz - Alive

Da Buzz always make me think of summer... it's probably why they are very well knoiwn for their summer tours of Sweden. 'Alive' definitely has the feel of summer to it.

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Darius - Kindalove

This is turning into a greatest hits post as I've also posted this track before. This is one I love to play while out in the sun though, hopefully you feel the same way.

E.M.M.A - S.M.S

Here's a bit of swedish cheese for ya. Don't even ask me why I have this track... but it sure is catchy!

Emma Bunton - The Crickets Sing For Annamaria

I wouldn't describe this as a summer anthem, but it's a very relaxing track and still has a summer feel to it.

Enrique Iglesias - Escape

UGH I LOVE THIS SONG! Sorry, but I'm going through my library here and am finding all these great songs I haven't listened to in quite some time. This is definitely a song to play this summer.

Girls Aloud - Long Hot Summer

The title says it all doesn't it? They always have the best singles covers ever!

Gorillaz - 19/2000

I remember searching desperately for this version to this track. It was definitely the poppiest song they ever released and was a big hit for them as well.


S Club 8 - Don't Steal Our Sunshine

Ok so I know that technically they were being called iDream when this was recorded... but they were still S Club 8 to me. I wish this had been a single!


O-zone - Despre Tine

Mi Ya Hi!!! I actually liked Despre Tine more than I ever liked Dragonstea Din Tei... Can you believe I actually bought their album. It's one of my more embarassing album purchases.


Ok so I got a little crazy with the songs... and i'm really tired and I can't even remember what this post is supposed to be about. Let me know what you think of the songs. What are some of your summer anthems?

For my next post I'll be re-introducing a one hit wonder from the late 90s!

New Music Monday!

Earlier this year the newly re-formed Alcazar released 'We Keep On Rockin' which peaked at #4 in Sweden. The The new Alcazar continue to release music as a trio with their new track - Inhibitions. This one isn't as catchy as their last that's for sure. It's very different from any other single they've released in the past. It actually reminds me of Geri Halliwells "Look At Me." Anyone else see that connection? Although I'm not AMAZED with the new track I'm definitely looking forward to the album which should be released soon!

Alcazar - Inhibitions

Katherine McPhee is fighting hard not to become another fallen Idol. After her first album was released in 2007 she was quickly dropped by her record label. It might have been the end of McPheever until she hooked up with the legendary David Foster. The two have been working together on a second album and the first of their songs has finally been released. It's being used to promote a Japanese Airline and is called 'All I Need Is You.' I much prefer this song to the kind of stuff she did on her debut album. Her voice is perfectly suited for these kinds of ballads. If she plays her cards right she could end up with a successful singing career. Hooking up with David Foster was definitely a smart move!

Katherine McPhee - All I Need Is You

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PS. Same Difference are now in Sweden working with the same people that worked with artists like Ace of Base, Steps and Enrique Iglasias... OMG I CANT WAIT!

Another Rainbow Shows You Who You Are...

This summer cities across the globe will celebrate Pride with rallys, parades, parties, music and celebrations. I find it so strange that people can hate, discriminate, hurt and kill other human beings just because or who they love. Every race, every sexuality, every gender... everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equaly.

Below are some of my favorite songs that stand for all of these things. Have a great summer! Turn up your stereo! And Don't Stop The Pop!

Magnus Carlsson - Another Rainbow

Alcazar - Someday

Stephen Gately - New Beginning

Boyzone - No Matter What

Savage Garden - Affirmation

Regina Lund - Rainbow Star

Xandee - 1 Life

The Attic Feat. Therese - The Arrival

BWO - Save My Pride

Tina Cousins - Wonderful Life

Darren Hayes - Listen All You People

Kate Ryan - We All Belong

Cher - Love One Another

Nina & Kim - Bortom Tid Och Rum

Prozzak - Be As

You Weren't There... Distant Far Away...

You know... I don't post enough ballads on here. Although I post a lot of upbeat pop songs... I have a soft spot for a good ballad. Although if you're a regular reader I'm sure you've figured that out by now. My love for Westlife is no secret.

When Lene Marlin debuted in 1998 with her first single 'Unforgivable Sinner' the song became the biggest selling single in Nowegian music history when it stayed at #1 for 8 weeks. Lene Marlin then had an international hit back in '99/00 with - 'Sitting Down Here.'

When she released her second album in 2003 the first single didn't fare as well and most of you probably never even heard it. The song was called - You Weren't There. The song isn't groundbreaking or anything... but there's something about it that I love. When I listen to it I feel like there is a lot of emotion there... I find it a very sad song. What do you think?

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Lene Marlin - You Weren't There

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You Hide Behind Your Lies...

Ok so his career may be over... his last album tanked and his two singles weren't exactly smach hits. There was a time when Gareth Gates was one of the biggest stars in the uk and he had some decent songs!

Now I never did listen to his newest album (the 2 singles did nothing for me,) but I've just been going through some old mp3's and came across one of his old gems. 'Lies' is a great track that was on his second album - Go Your Own Way. The album was sorta cool actually. It had 19 tracks split onto 2 discs... one titled Day and one titled Night. 'Lies' was on the day album and was written by some of the best Swedish song writers around.

The song may be dated... but if you love old cheesy pop songs and you missed this one... it's a great one to add to your collection.

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Gareth Gates - Lies

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An interesting tidbit is that Gareth Gates holds a record for the loudest fans. They broke the record by screaming at 130 decibles at a concert in Sheffield! Now that's something to be proud of :)

Chemistry... Look What You Do To Me

So the other day I was in HMV and a song came over the sound system... and I suddenly found myself singing along. The next track came on and again I found myself bopping along to the beat.

I finally had to stop and ask what it was?! How could I have never heard of these songs before?

I walked up to the counter to some scary looking punk/emo guy and asked him what was playing. In the most unhappy look you can imagine he says... "Donna Summer." He obviously wasn't a fan ;-) I was too embarassed to buy the album at that point. I mean DONNA SUMMER?

I never would have thought that I'd be posting about Donna Summer... but she has just released her first new studio album in the last 17 years! If you are a fan of pop music there are some fantastic songs on this album. I've only listened to half of it so far, but I had to post these two gems for you.

I think 'The Science Of Love' is officially one of my favorite songs of this year. It sounds NOTHING like Donna Summer.

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Donna Summer - Fame (The Game)

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Donna Summer - The Science Of Love

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For those of you that are too young to know who Donna Summer even is... check this out:
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Donna Summer - The Eternity Megamix

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I Don't Wanna Hurt Anymore...

IM BACK!

A huge apology for my sudden dissapearance. I just spent the last 2 weeks in Calgary for work and had no access to internet while I was away. I'm back though so spread the word and we'll get right back to the POP!

On Dec. 22nd 2001 Uk pop group Steps were performing their final stop on their 'Gold: Greatest Hits Tour.' Moments before the band were to hit the stage, band members Ian and Claire presented the other 3 with letters from their lawyers stating that they were leaving the group.

In an instant the Uk's biggest pop band were finished and the announcement was made public on Dec. 26th, 2001. While the other 3 members of the band felt betrayed by Ian and Claire, it was made worse when they found out that Ian and Claire were going going to release music as a duo from this point forward known as "H & Claire."

Their debut single received a lot of promotion, mostly off the back of the Steps split, there was a lot of interest to see what the duo would do. But Steps fans were divided over the duo's work. Many fans felt betrayed by the duo and refused to support them. The single debuted at #3 int he charts and the pair were also announced as presenters for SM:tv in the Uk, this gave them a built in audience to promote their music to.

By late 2002 the Uk chart scene began to change and move away from happy go lucky pop music. Their next singles charted at #8 and #10 but the final straw was when their album entered the chart at #53 and then fell off the following week.

Suddenly the band simply dissapeared. To this day there has never been an official announcement regarding the duo. There are rumours that although they are no longer recording together, they are still under a legal contract to WEA records, which means if Claire were to ever release solo material, she would be bound to release with WEA Records.

In a way I'm glad that H & Claire failed as a duo. It serves them right for the way they ended the band. At the same time I think the band split at the right time, they were on the top of their game and never had to stay together and watch people turn on the band.

As for H and Claire their solo music was mediocre at best... the album was fairly bland and probably isn't even remembered by many out there. That being said the band did produce one song that never really received the recognition it deserved.

'All Out Of Love' is a song that I can't get enough of 6 years after it's original release! It starts off slowly... builds up as it goes along... has a great dancey beat, a fantastic live dance routine and the video version even had a breakdown in the middle!

Another song to remember was Another You Another Me which was penned by Benny & Bjorn of Abba.

H & Claire - All Out Of Love

H & Claire - DJ

H & Claire - Another You, Another Me

Check out the fantastic dance routine to this song below!?
Does anyone else love this routine as much as I do?!

YDKP Will return on June 2nd!

Like A Flower Leaning Toward The Sun...

WOW! 4 months ago I was lucky enough to see one of the biggest acts of all time re-unite when I flew to L.A to see the Spice Girls on their reunion show. Last night I got the chance to see Mel C on her solo Canadian tour. It's so odd that only 4 months ago she played to 15'000 screaming fans, doing dance routines and wearing a dress... when last night she rocked out to an audience of about 200 people at a local night club.

Mel C is a born entertainer, she performed last night as if she were in front of 15'000 fans. But even more important was that it was clear she was having a lot of fun. She played a great show with songs from all 4 of her albums with a 5 piece band. While she sang almost every track from her new album (which was just released in Canada) she also sang most of her biggest hits, including the dance remix of 'I Turn To You' which will go down in history as one of the best remixes of all time. She proved last night that she can sing a fun pop song, jam to a rock song or bare her soul in a touching ballad. If you ever get the chance to see her perform it's a show you won't forget.

Mel C - Carolyna (Radio Mix)

Mel C - Better Alone (Pop Mix)

Mel C - Yeh Yeh Yeh

Quand tu l'as tu l'as

Kate Ryan's new single is really fun and the more I listen to it the more I like it. I've never been a huge fan of her stuff. I mean it's good, and I listen to her songs but besides Je T'Adore the rest of her songs just don't really stand out for me. I think Ella Elle L'a may be my second favorite song of hers now... plus her poptastic video for it helps. She's definitely channeling some Scooch in the vid!

The song is a cover or an 80's French hit and you can actually check out Alizee doing her version on French television acouple years ago.

Kate Ryan - Ella Elle L'a

In other news... I'm Mr. technology lately as I recently bought Tivo; which I never would have thought that I would need... and now that I have it... I don't know how I ever lived without it.

Also, I got to take part in a marketing survery recently where I got to test out a new accessory for my iPod. I got to test out Energizer's 'Energi To Go' kit which basically allows you to charge your iPod no matter where you are with a simple device that is powered with 2 double A batteries. So yesterday I was on the bus, watching video clips on my iTouch when sure enough the batteries died. I plugged the Energi To Go right on to my iPod and went right back to watching the videos. By the time I was finished not only did the ipod not die... but it ended up being fully recharged even while I was using it to watch video. Since I spend about 3 hours a day on a bus for my commute this little device has officially become my new life saver.

So there is my product placement for today... Tivo is my new best friend... and if you do any kind of travelling with your iPod... you should check out the Energi To Go kit.

Tell Me When The Morning Comes

Jarvis Church

I don't post songs from Canadian artists too often but I have posted about a Canadian band 'Prozzak' that had some big hits back in 2000. Well the 2 guys of 'Prozzak' come from a Canadian band called 'The Philosopher Kings' who peaked in the mid-90's are released an album as recently as 2006. The lead singer of the Philosopher Kings is Jarvis Church who has achieved some success in Canada as a solo artist and as a producer.

Anyways, I was listening to David Jordans album recently and his voice and style reminded me of Jarvis Church. His name may not sound familiar to you but he's worked with fellow Canadians Esthero and Nelly Furtado. So I dug through some of my old Mp3's and found a gem of a song - Who Will Be Your Man. It was probably the poppiest thing on his album which was released back in 2002. The song is catchy and he has a great voice. This may not be your typical cheesy pop song, but is definitely worth a listen to.

Meanwhile David Jordan is set to release his new single - Move On in the Uk which is a fantastic choice after the amazing 'Sun Goes Down.'

Jarvis Church - Who Will Be Your Man

David Jordan - Move On

Here In This Place I Never Thought We'd Be Today...

So now that everyone has had some time to reflect on Melodifestivalen I think It's a good time to bring this topic back up.

Why did the public turn on Carola and Andreas, two of the biggest singers in all of Sweden?

I think more than anything it was the publics way of pulling both artists back down to earth. I mean Carola had won Melodifestivalen in 2006, and Andreas had placed 3rd and 2nd place in the last two years. They each received massive amounts of publicity and success over the last two years because the public voted and supported each of them.

When the two of them decided to join forces for Melodifestivalen 2008, anyone would admit that they seemed like a sure fire winner. I think that's where the problem lies. What makes the competition so great is that anyone can enter and anyone can potentially win. When two of the biggest stars in Sweden join forces simply to take home first place it's almost like the public doesn't have a say anymore.

When they didn't make it directly into the finals and instead only qualified for the second chance round, the Swedish media had a field day! It didn't matter that they were beat by two fantastic tracks that deserved their spot in the final... suddenly people got excited that they could tear down the two singers. It was no longer a competition for best song... it was about ensuring that they didn't make it into the finals.

When they performed in the Second Chance round against Nordman they really stepped up their game. No other artist in the competition changed their routine like Johnsson and Haagkvist did. But for the first time in Melodifestivalen history... while Carola and Andreas were performing their competition were receiving an immense number of votes before they had even started to perform. Never has another artist received such a high influx of votes while the other act was performing. People weren't voting for Nordman at this point... they were simply voting against Carola and Andreas.

Once Nordman beat Carola and Andreas in the first round they never received the same number of votes again. What is even more unfair is that in all, Carola and Andreas received over 200'000 votes at the Second Chance round. Meanwhile Sibel received just over 100'000 votes and yet she qualified to the finale.

So what is the point of all this? I don't know that there is one. I'm sort of proud of the message that was sent by sending the duo out of the competition. It sends a message that it doesn't matter who you are, just because you're a big name, doesn't mean you'll win it all. Was it fair? I don't think so. At the end of the day the song was fantastic although I still would have voted for Charlotte. Finally, I can't help but feel bad for Carola. The media were seriously cruel to her while I was in Stockholm with her photos splashed across the front page of newspapers every day.

Will Carola ever do anything with the song contest again? Only time will tell... but perhaps the public simply need a break for awhile. I for one would love to see her surprise us all by taking some time off and then proving everyone wrong by re-entering with a fantastic song... perhaps a power ballad?!

'One Love' continues to be one of my favorite songs this year and the more I listen to their song 'Lucky Star,' which was meant to promote the duo in the lead up to the competition, the more I like it as well.

Johnsson & Haggkvist - One Love

Johnsson & Haggkvist - Lucky Star

Johnsson & Haggkvist - One Love (SoundFactory Radio Edit)

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This Is The Last Glance... Now We're Through

Recently I've fallen in love again with one of the best pop bands since 'Steps' took their final bow back in Dec. 2001.

The band is 'Six' and they were formed via the Irish 'Popstars.' After writing about Room2012 the other day I dug up my old Six album and have fallen in love with them all over again. I remember the day I received their album in the mail directly from Ireland. There was a big rainbow on the cover and all I could think was... this is going to be an AMAZING album. Boy was I right!

When the final 6 members were announced back in 2002 the band included 'Nadine Coyle' who is currently a member of 'Girls Aloud.' At the time Nadine had auditioned her way onto the show and ended up being chosen for the band. That was until she finally admitted that she had lied throughout the show and that she was only 16 years old when she auditioned for the band (Contestants were required to be 18 years of age.) As a result she was disqualified and replaced. Obviously she isn't upset because she went on to become a member of one of the best selling british girl bands of all time.

So in February 2002 after months of hype and build up the debut single was finally released. 'Whole Lot Of Lovin' stormed up the Irish charts and to this day remains the biggest and fastest selling Irish single of all time. The single was eventually released in New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Iceland and Sweden where it reached top 5 in all markets.

When their second single 'Let Me Be The One' hit number one in July 2002 the band looked to be on the verge of a the big time. The band toured with Westlife, released a top 10 album and were told that they would be launched in the Uk. The band were keen to break away from the "Irish Popstars" label and break into the Uk market based soley on their music.

As Louis prepared to launch the band in the Uk rumours began to surface that the London record label was pushing to have the band change their name. Apparently the name 'Six' was not very original. Not only was the record label unhappy with the bands name... they weren't convinced that 'Whole Lot Of Lovin' should be the first Uk single as it sounded "too Steps-Like."

A date was finally set for their the Uk release of 'Whole Lot Of Lovin' but that day came and went without a word. Their website went dormant and the band was mysteriously never heard from ever again.

At the end of the day you have to remember that Six were only the second Popstars act to from from the United Kingdom. When the band were launched the only other act around was Hear'Say who at the time were the biggest act England had seen in some time and there were no 'failed' popstars acts at the time.

When the band was launched they were told by their management and their record labels that they were a surefire hit, the songs sounded great and they were going to be rich. When you're 18 years old and you have people around you telling you that you're going to be massive and all your dreams are coming true you have no reason to believe that things could go horribly wrong.

What happened? Where did Six go? Who is to blame for their downfall?

The answer comes down to one man - Simon Cowell who at the time was the head of the BMG Uk. When the time came to finally release their music in the Uk Simon Cowell pulled the plug on the project when he decided that the band were noth worth the financial risk and that they would not be successful in England. Although the band were still being managed by Louis Walsh, the group was under contract to BMG Uk who still owned the rights to release music from the band if they chose to. The problem was, although Simon Cowell had no intention of releasing music from Six in the Uk... he did not release them from their contract which meant they couldn't sign with another label.

So for one year back in 2002 the world was at their fee and Six were on top of the world. If you missed all that was Six you can download some ace tracks below.

Six - Let Me Be The One

Six - This Is It

*Hopefully I'm not the only one worried about this happening to Same Difference? Their single has been delayed for a second time and looks like it won't be released until the summer.