Indie or Pop?

A few months ago I read an article saying that one of the reason we heard more indie music this year is due to the fact that pop music went bad.

I have to admit it made some sense to me.

Bands and artists like Lana Del Rey, The XX, Arctic monkey etc. where never a real a part of the mainstream musical scenery. Today you see those artist reaching top 10 at Billboard every week.
It’s easy to think of them as mainstream themselves, but the truth is their music is very different from what we used to hear before.

There are two ways to look at this situation. The first is to admit that lately we get exposed to a better, more sophisticated kind of music. The current offerings are more diverse, deep and meaningful. Young teenagers get to listen to different kind of music than what we might have been exposed to ourselves at that age.

But there’s another way to think about this. Have we ever thought what exactly made us look for that kind of music in the first place? The most popular artists we used to know, artists like Madonna, Britney Spears and many more used to rule the hit charts almost solely. Could it be that their delivery was not good enough we had to get up and look for something else?

Maybe this new indie tolerant situation is an end result of us trying to find something else to listen to? Maybe those well-known artists all sounds the same? Or maybe just not good enough?

It’s hard to put the finger on this course of change. I remember being a young teenager and see the same five artists rule the chats with two or more of their singles every single week. Now, those artists are still present in the charts but they have new competitors. Competitors that brings a whole new wave and fresh way to listen to music.

2013 might not have been the greatest year for mainstream music artists and we see it clearly now when all music award events looking exactly the same. But, if this situation will expose us to newer more innovative music, I think we’ll be able to gain a lot from that.

Maybe these days aren’t the last days of pop music. Maybe, we are looking at the end of the distinctive term “Indie”. Maybe Indie music would turn into our new mainstream music.

Thinking about it this way, it’s the best news I’ve heard all year!

Bound To Love?

It starts with wild horses running. Great feeling of freedom and beauty. The music is soothing...

Then it changes.

Two minutes later we get an extremely close visual of Kanye west and Kim Kardashian’s sexual relations. Too close a look.

It’s problematic in so many ways I can’t even think about!!!!

First, why? Why would anyone, no matter how extravagant, want to share something like this with the rest of the world? Putting your own wife naked for the world to see?! While moving in a very very, too explicit way with her… Why!?

I don’t have kids. But someday I will. And it would be extremely disturbing for me to think about them watching this. This, coming from a married couple, parents to a very little baby. A little baby that will grow to a world where mom and dad are showing way too much of their “love”!

The lyrics are also extremely disturbing. It’s very degrading to women wherever they are to listen to these kind of words. Kim Kardashian’s husband by law and the father of her baby sharing his love to her by saying: “I wanna f*** you hard on the sink, after that, give you something to drink”.

Is this the right way to speak to a woman!? Any woman, let alone your own wife!?! It’s so hard for me to think that this is what Kanye West considers as a love song!

Where are the days when man took the time and effort to write true and passionate love songs that were bound to melt hearts!?

I’m horrified and disgusted!

I guess it’s no wonder Kim Kardashian doesn’t know any better than this, and it’s also no wonder she didn't have that “talk” with her mom about how man should treat you.

Once upon a time there were real men. Those real men went through so much trouble winning their loved one’s hearts by giving them flowers and then rings, and later protecting their wives from the world, keeping them safe from disgrace and shame.

The Kanye West\Kim Kardashian’s fairy tale ends a bit differently. The loving husband puts his topless wife on a motorcycle singing he wants to f*** her. Heroic!

It’s more than a race for money or fame. I know millions have watched this clip by now and millions will keep watching and talking about this. I know Kanye West got what he wanted, but what does it worth when you can’t even call yourself a real man?

I’m happy for Kanye and Kim being passionately in love the way the supposedly are, but sorry, I’m disgusted. And so should you.

Like a Rolling Stone - The video Clip

Yesterday a friend told me that Bob Dylan now has a new video clip for his song “Like a Rolling Stone”.

Apparently this song never had a video clip of its own, and now it has. She also told me that the video clip is unique because you can watch the clip in multiple channels.

I have to admit I had no idea what she was talking about, let alone why it was so great. Deep down inside I knew I once heard about this Israeli project that created a platform where you can watch video clips with various options like different endings or characters.

Later on that day I watched the news and they also started talking about this project. They aired a few glimpses of the clip and it looked amazing.

I watched the video myself, zipped through the channels and was amazed
.
Now. Stop reading and watch this!!!
Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone

So the story is quite simple. Two Israeli guys thought it’s a shame a classic and huge song like “Like a Rolling Stone” doesn't have a video clip. One of them was Yoni Bloch, an Israeli Musician\song writer that now lives in New York and Vania Heymann, an Israeli Director.

They decided to work on that song solely because it never had a proper video clip. Yoni Bloch has been working on his project “Interlude” in the past few years, which is made to create those kind of videos. Multiple options videos.

I have to admit that when a first heard about this project I was pretty skeptic. The idea was nice but how many videos like this can you watch?

Well, after watching Bob Dylan’s clip I say you can watch tons of videos like that because it’s so fun!

The greatness of this particular video is the accurate way it was made. Vania Heymann filmed 19 (!!!) different scenes, a news broadcast, a cooking show, an hip hop video clip, parts from known TV shows and many more including peices of Dylan's preformanc with "Like a Rolling Stone", all perfectly synced with the song’s lyrics. When you zip through the channels the zipping is very smooth, works perfectly well and there’s even a TV banner included just to make it feel more like your own TV.

This video clip in extremely innovative and it’s such a pleasure to see it come to life with a great song like “like a Rolling Stone”.

Long Lasting Hit

Know that feeling when you listen to a new song and it sounds familiar?

Well, that happened to me about a year ago. I was sitting at home with the radio on when something that I recognized but wasn’t sure about was starting to play. I found out it was Snow Patrol with Chasing Cars.
I didn’t know the name of the song, but I was convinced I heard about Snow patrol in the past, still – I wasn’t convinced. The video clip looked updated and new, and the radio kept playing that song again and again like it was a brand new single.

Then, something weird happened.

I was watching some old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy season 2 (yeah, I know! It just took me a while to like it and now I can’t stop!), when suddenly Chasing Cars was playing in the back ground. Come to think about it – that episode was initially broadcasted in 2006! I was right! The song is not a new one after all.

The thing is, that song story in truly amazing. Chasing Cars was originally recorded in 2005, and was released in the UK in 2006. The timing was perfect. The song arrived to the music market right when legal downloading of music became popular. Chasing Cars became the bestselling single in the UK to this date!

At first the song had a first video clip version, but right after its appearance in Grey’s Anatomy the clip was edited and clips from the series was added to it. The new and secondary version of the clip failed to catch on so a new, third version was made. The third version of the clip is the one we know today.

The song hit the number 1 place on UK charts every year ever since solely based on its legal download sales! Every year from 2007 until 2013!

In 2013, the radio stations and MTV started playing the song massively. A song that appeared to be a brand new hit but actually is 6 years old.

Chasing Cars is a classic example of the modern classics. The crowed and the listeners voted that song to be that successful. Until this very day it’s the bestselling single of all times when talking about legal downloading.

That’s why that song is kept alive. That’s why I thought I knew it, because I did!

I think it’s a rare story of musical success and it’s something most artists today should aspire to. Being popular solely for the music. Grow from within the crowd’s love. Being a bestseller in terms of legal downloading and not just because some radio editor is in good terms with the record label, but because you’re worth loving, and paying for.

Chasing cars is a great song, an old and long lasting classic that is kept alive by its fans.

Christmas Wishes

I can’t help it! Christmas is almost here and I can’t stop fantasize about my Christmas presents!
Let’s face it, I’m sure I’m not going to have any of the things below but no one said it’s wrong to dream.

So, let’s just say, I’d be happy if my Christmas socks contained these:

 The original Abby Road vinyl record
 One of my favorites, by far. I do own the CD version of this master piece, but I always wanted to the vinyl version as well. Because it looks good, because it’s the way it was meant to be and mainly because it really does sounds better. Which leads me straight to the second thing I would like to have.

 An actual old fashioned record player
 Yes. The looks. The sound. These days you can’t feel, see or touch your music. Back in the good old record player days you had to actually make sure the needle is in the right place, that there are no scratches or dirt on the record etc. You had to work for your music and it was sure worth it!

 Beats Earphones
 If I’m going to listen to my cool music, whether on my record player or my phone, I want to listen to it in style! So Beats are definitely the answer for my need. Its sounds awesome and also its a kind of a fashion statement.

 Gibson Guitar by Slash
 I know, I know, I’m old. Yes! I am a 90’s girls! Slash playing his guitar is still the coolest thing in the world for me, especially if it happens in front of church in the middle of the desert. In November. It doesn't matter if I don’t know how to play the guitar, it would just hang on my wall and I’d be happy with it! Okay?!

 I can definitely say I’m a modest person if that’s all I really want for Christmas. I know that if you’re a music lover you’d know to appreciate these presents like me. So, I’m done fantasizing, let’s go decorate a tree or something.

 Merry Christmas!!!

Holiday Playlist

Christmas is just around the corner!

It appears that the holidays are not good just for shopping, food, presents and drinks. It’s also the best time for cheerful, heartwarming music.

Luckily for us, many of the leading artists work hard to help us feel the Christmas spirit right about this time of the year and I thought it’ll be fun sharing a part of my favorite holiday season playlist here.

5. The Killers – Don’t Shoot Me Santa

 A fun, alternative and modern option to the genre lovers among us. This song includes no jingle bells but it sure will bring a smile to your face. And the video clip is really cool too!

4. Christina Perry – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Christina Perry can definitely define herself as leading artist we would like to listen too in this very cozy time of the year. Her version of the classic “A Merry Little Christmas” is sweet, light, breezy and lovable.

3. U2 – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

There are tons of covers and re-makes to this very classic song, but I have to admit, the U2 version is by far my favorite. Wonderful video clip, very different from other seasonal videos – all black and white, Bono at his best, looking gorgeous, sounds amazing, no wonder I listen to this song all year long.

2. Wham! – Last Christmas

A Christmas playlist can’t be full without this extremely classic song! It’s so good, we get to listen to it all year long on the radio. And right about now it’s one of the songs that get me right in the holiday spirit!

 1.  Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You

And the winner is!
Mariah Carey owns this great timeless track that makes me feel right in December even if I get to listen to it in august. This is a fun, cozy and sweet song that will make everyone get right in the mood.

So! Get ready, download your favorite holiday music and surrender to the holiday spirit! :)

Merry Christmas!!!

YouTube Music Awards

The first YouTube Music Awards took place only yesterday. We were looking forward to this event, since it is the first time for this format to take place.

Today, we’re watching almost everything through YouTube. From cute little kittens stretching away, to our favorite artist’s new song and some other female artists riding wrecking balls.

I guess it was only a matter of time until someone would think YouTube is one of the most influencing tools we have to evaluate the mass opinion about music, and about every other thing for that matter. The concept was very “YouTube” like. Broadcasting live and streaming everything through YouTube, everyone watches for free and from every place in the world.

 So the idea was great. The execution wasn’t.

 Maybe it’s because it was the first time. Maybe YouTube wanted it to be so different than any other award ceremony we’ve seen so far. I don’t know. It sure was different. But in such a weird way! The chaos was everywhere. Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts with Halloween costumes, Schwartzman falling on the floor after asking some girls in the crowd to hold him for some reason for way to long. Big mess with the winner’s name envelope. No stage. Artist that have to make their way through the crowd just to say a few words, too few.

 Something wasn’t working. But then again, the idea was a good idea. VMA, Billboard, Grammy and every other ceremony is something that we all know, and they all have judges to choose the best artist or the best song.

 Here, in YouTube, we were the judges. We voted throughout the entire year, we chose what we liked and what influenced us the most. It may not be the most artistic choice, or the most obvious choice, just because it was the real, living and kicking choice. The numbers spoke for themselves.

 Let’s hope that next year’s YouTube music award would be a bit more organized, because the idea behind it is really great.

 Until then, here’s what we loved this year:

Breakthough of the Year - Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis

Response of the Year - Lindsey Stirling and Pentaztonix, "Radioactive"

Innovation of the Year - DeStorm, "See Me Standing"

YouTube Phenomenon - Taylor Swift - "I Knew You Were Trouble"

Video of the Year - Girl's Generation - "I Got A Boy"

Artist of the Year - Eminem - Epic Rap Battles Of History




 [Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1716726/youtube-music-awards-winners-list.jhtml]