Sure, the world doesn’t really like Kanye West right now. No matter what you may think about him he is still a very talented musician and deserves a listen. A while back West performed on VH1 a bunch of his latest songs from 808s & Heartbreak as well as some of his classics. It really was a great show. If you’re a fan of West and his music or if you happend to miss the performance you can now purchase Storytellers on DVD. The package includes over 70 minutes of performance footage, with three songs that were not televised (“Street Lights,” “Paranoid,” and “Homecoming”), and a Q&A session with West. It also comes with an audio CD that includes all nine live tracks.
Twitter and Iran, Octomom and Tiger Woods, Captain Sully and Michael Phelps, Balloon Boy and more! This past year was filled with so much insanity and only the brainiacs at JibJab could cover it all in a catchy musical number. Question is, did we top last year or the year before that?
This rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” is one of my favorite music videos of all time. It comes from the award-winning documentary “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music.” What’s so great about it is that it splices together all different kinds of people from around the world singing the song with their own voices and instruments.
Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world.
It’s just so cool how it all fits together; it sounds like all the musicians sat down in a recording studio together! There is this sensation of peace and unity that overcomes you when you listen to the music and watch the videos. And there’s more where this came from. Playing Through Change the album is available on iTunes; the deluxe version includes videos for “Don’t Worry,” “One Love,” “War/No More Trouble” and others. I urge you to download a copy of this album, listen to the music, and watch the videos. This international collaboration showcases the transformative power of music in a way you have likely never seen before.
Note: I am aware this video was published in 2008. In fact the project itself began in 2004. However, the album was released this year and that is when I (and I’m sure many others) discovered it.
From the Black Eyed Peas to Lady Gaga to Kings of Leon, 2009 proved to be a big year for music. DJ Earworm is back with what he does best–mashing together the top 25 Billboard hits of the past year. Watch “The United State of Pop 2009 (Blame It On the Pop)” above and download it for free here. Oh, and look after the break for the full listing of songs used in it. It’s been one wild year for music, indeed!
Watch this posthumous music video for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It.” It’s a Spike Lee joint, so don’t miss out. It highlights MJ’s journey from childhood to worldwide fame. Instead of mourning the loss celebrate the inspiration that MJ brought to us all. Director Spike Lee did not have any footage of MJ singing this song for the video, and he did a great job of putting together a thoughtful and touching remembrance piece. Enjoy.
Aw yeah. Complex.com has placed Kid Cudi’s debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day at the #1 spot on their top 25 best album of ’09 list.
Hip-hop’s lonely stoner threw the “debut rap album” blueprint out the window with his bold opening statement, a somber trip into the mind of Scott Mescudi. With producers Emile, Plain Pat, and Ratatat driving most of the music, Man On The Moon shows a remarkably fully-formed sound—dark, melodic, spacious—a feat that most unfocused artists strive for their entire career. Mixing the easy thump of hip-hop with the relentlessly introspective sensibility of indie rock, Cudi pushed the boundaries of both worlds, perfectly capturing 2009’s unapologetically creative spirit.
I wholeheartedly agree. MOTM: TEOD was most definitely the best album of the year. Congrats, Cudder. Looking forward to what you have in store for 2010.
“I’m on a Mac” by The Pantless Knights is all about switchin’ to Mac and never going back. Catch “I’m on a Phone” by The Misunderstoods after the break.
Yeah I know this song has been out in the wild for some time now. In fact, it’s been sitting in the upper half of the iTunes top ten chart for weeks now. As of this writing it sits at #3 and the Ocean Eyes, the album it resides on, is at the #1 spot. But for those of you who have not yet experienced Adam Young’s music video for the popular tune, do yourself a favor and watch it right now. The kid’s a brilliant song writer and artist. The music video holds an air of tranquility and chaos and best represents the conception and meaning behind the song. Enjoy.
Bored? Got nothing else better to do? Have (a little) fun with this quick activity that involves your webcam and a piece of paper with a QR code on it. First click here to view and print the special marker. Then click here and scroll down to find a box that prompts you to allow access to your webcam. Then hold up the printed market to the camera and let the fun begin! Need help setting up? Watch the video above as a guide to getting started.
“All I Want For Christmas (Is To Rock).” Featuring Chris Hardwick, Dana Dearmond (porn star), Rob Huebel (Human Giant), Annie Hardy (Giant Drag), Brendon Walsh, Dave Gibbs, Paul Bonanno, Jonah Ray and Eli Braden. G4’s Chris Hardwick (Attack of the Show, Web Soup) stars as the lead singer in this raunchy 80s-themed X-mas rock video by Sniper. Enjoy.
This is the second music video off Jay-Z’s latest album, The Blueprint 3. It follows “Empire State of Mind” featuring Alicia Keys. In case you missed that one it’s posted after the break. Looks like Jay-Z is stuck with the black-and-white scheme for the album’s videos. Scratch that, how could I forget about “Run This Town?” It works, so no complaints. Snag a copy of TB3 if you haven’t already; it’s worth it. “On to the Next One” premieres next on New Year’s Eve (w/ Carson Daily, NBC).
