Justin Gets Jacked -- Bieber's laptop thieved in Tacoma

It would appear that Justin Bieber was the victim of a theft at the Tacoma Dome in Washington on Tuesday. Bieber's publicist alleges that a laptop used by the tour manager was mysteriously stolen, presumably as they had their attentions diverted on the show.

Tacoma's police said that an online report was indeed filed, but that there would likely be little they could do to recover the laptop. One thing in particular has dashed their hopes -- the fact that all of this may be an elaborate hoax to hype his new music video.

While the opinion of some college kid may not be worth much, let me tell you the one thing I have learned as a student: there's a reason for everything! That Bieber may have been promoting his new music video is not so far-fetched.

After Bieber's account tweeted that the laptop had disappeared, there was a response by mysterious Twitterer (tweeter?) @gexwy that claimed he stolen the laptop, and that he had posted Bieber's supposedly under-wraps music video to YouTube. The video starts

Just one issue there, bud... it's already out!

Lee Ritenour - Niht Rhythms [JAZZ]

In keeping with the theme that I started a few posts back, I want to diversify the music spotlights that I bring to you guys, my lovely readers. ;] So, instead of posting nothing but electronic dotted with rock, I will post a wide, eclectic range of songs so that everyone can find something they like (and perhaps broaden their horizons a bit? :D).

So, here's today's selection: smooth jazz. Hell yeah, it had to be bolded AND italicized!

One of the only smooth jazz songs I really even know off the top of my head is Night Rhythms by Lee Ritenour, thanks to a last.fm radio selection quite a while back. I must say, however, that's it isn't that bad at all actually, and I'm surprised I haven't listened to more smooth jazz lately! I figure it's better to study for my classes to smooth jazz than to hard rock or dubstep, anyways. ;P

Take a listen to Ritenour's Night Rhythms below:

Chris Brown logs questionable service hours at daycare

I'd hate to bring up the Brown-Rihanna assault thing again, but it looks like another story has popped up about him that I thought might be pretty interesting to read about here, so let's get to it.

After getting in some serious trouble with the courts for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown was sentenced to 1,440 hours of community service (there may be other stipulations, I am unsure). Now, a man as popular as Brown is, who has been traveling internationally left and right for shows and whatnot, could not possibly have the time to fit in 1,440 hours without severely disappoint fans, right?

Well, if his reports are correct, then that's actually not the case.

The Eagles - Hotel California

Here's a little something that I am certain my fellow studious music-lovers have heard a thousand times over (even if only on the radio!): the ever-popular classic from The Eagles called Hotel California. Whether or not you like it, this song seems to be just around every corner, revered as an epitomizing example of music -- and, if you ask me, rightfully so!

Often, I mention that I study for my college classes by listening to more upbeat, faster electronic music, but I'm afraid that they all lose out to such great rock as Hotel California. This student gives The Eagles an A+ for this one!

Give it a listen, and check for more info on the song after the skip:

Knife Party - Centipede

Mmm, I love this one. For all of those who might be interested (and who don't know already, despite the song's popularity), today's choice for the spotlight is Centipede by Knife Party.

I know that I have been posting quite a bit of dubstep lately (well, electronic music in general, from dance to techno to trance), but that's just what us college kids listen to these days, I'm afraid. :P To try to mix it up for you peeps, though, I'll be sure to try something rock next time. ;D

Take a listen to the song if you haven't (hell, take a listen even if you have!) and let me know what you think of it in the comments. See ya there. B]

Awesome Dubstep Dancing

Check out this awesome video featuring Lenny D'Orlando's Reanimation in Audio-Technica's Audio 911 commercial. The half-robot man dancing to this excellent dubstep beat is Marquese Scott, who is quite popular for having done several commercials, videos, and plenty of shows.

Here's the direct link for those who wish to view this in YouTube: Audio-Technica I Audio 911 I Dubstep

Massive Attack - Teardrop

In the year 1998, long before anyone had even conceived of the television series House (which uses a portion of this song as its opening theme), the already-popular British band Massive Attack released the album Mezzanine. The song peaked at the #10 spot on the UK Singles Chart.

The popularity of Teardrop led to its usage in many shows and films, most notably that of House (as I mentioned before). The heartbeat-rhythm bass drum beat at the opening and closing of the song make it into the House opening theme, and the rest is history.

You can catch some vocals in the song from Elizabeth Fraser, who sang with the Cocteau Twins. Check it out below, and if you like it, then bookmark it. I did so myself so that I can listen to this while I'm studying for my college classes, but you can use it for just about anything!

Metallica - Master of Puppets

I believe that I have featured Metallica before on this blog, but let me just make one thing clear: Metallica is one of the best in the genre, as so many fans have attested to. So why not give them a listen, and even more, to one of their best songs? I know I have given up my fair share of listening time for Metallica.

I digress: Master of Puppets has been called the best album of the group's long history by some fans, and is even well-received by the rest.With a deluge of songs we now recognize as classic Metallica, Master of Puppets brought thrash metal to a whole new level. I remember listening to this album over and over while studying long nights for some of my exams and papers (though, playing thrash metal as I studied for my classes doesn't make me the best college student).

Below, you can find an unofficial music video on YouTube for Metallica's Master of Puppets:

Putin's Russia vs. Pussy Riot & Madonna: Round Three, Fight!

Round One!
Pussy Riot Draws First Blood 

There has been some unrest in Russia lately after the members of a punk band by the classy name of Pussy Riot was arrested on February 21. The three women that make up Pussy Riot made a blitz for the altar of Russia's main cathedral to sing/pray a "punk prayer" to the Virgin Mary for the end of Putin's power in Russia.

Masked people overtaking the state's altar? Seems harmless!

As they rebelled against authority and sang their political views to what I assume were surprised churchgoers, they were arrested by the police and thrown into jail. They await their sentencing, which could be up to three years in prison if prosecutors get their wish.

Round Two!
Russia Strikes Back

Unfortunately, the odds seem to be against Pussy Riot's courageous threesome on the altar of the Virgin Mary. Russian officials, with the support of Putin and the Kremlin, are attempting to push the worst possible sentencing on the three women -- but why?

Skrillex - Bangarang

Skrillex's logo

I know that I have featured Skrillex in the past, but I gotta say that he has made some interesting little pieces during his reign as the modern, de facto king of dubstep, ruler of college parties. Whether it be the combative Santa in Ruffneck or the pedophile being stomped by a shadow in First of the Year, this student gives Skrillex a big thumbs-up.

While certainly not his best (I think that title may be reserved for the popular Scary Monster and Nice Sprites), Bangarang is definitely worth the watch (and the listen!) for all fans of Skrillex. In my personal index, it ranks in this student's Top Five, up there with the songs mentioned in this very post.

If you like Bangarang, then check out some more of Skrillex's catchy dubstep tunes with First of the Year (Equinox) or Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, both of which I'm sure you can find on YouTube with a cursory search.

Check out Bangarang below:

Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch

I remember on the radio quite frequently as a child the lyrics, "You and me, baby, ain't nothing but mammals..." I hadn't really thought of it in years, but once I did I had to listen to it again and revisit this silly song, and a radio favorite for a short while (at least, where I am from). Here I am, so many years later in my college years, and I am just remembering it now!

Here is The Bad Touch by the Bloodhound Gang, a quirky, odd group headed by a guy that looks a lot like Elijah Wood  for some reason:

If you thought that was any good, then you might be wondering what the lyrics are (considering the way they put them down so fast and without hesitation). Good luck trying to sing to it for a while; you'll barely be able to catch your breath!

"Life is Good" by Nas is No.1 on Billboard

"Life is Good" by hip-hop star Nas has reached number one on the Billboard album charts recently, with 149,000 copies being sold in its first week alone. This bumped off the Zac Brown Band's "Uncaged" from the No.1 position on the charts.

Turns out this was No. 8

This is the tenth album by Nas, who can now claim six chart-topping albums in his repertoire. The other albums in the top ten were an odd collection, seeing the Dark Knight Rises soundtrack and Kidz Bop 22 amongst their ranks.

Here's a bit more info from Yahoo! News:

"A surprise entry from Phil Collins landed at No. 6 as the veteran rocker's 1998 "...Hits" compilation returned to the chart with 40,000 copies sold, fueled by Amazon MP3 selling the set for 99 cents in a one day offer last week.

The retail website also sold Frank Ocean's "Channel Orange" for $2.99 all week, but according to Billboard chart rules, no album sold for below $3.49 in the first four weeks of release will count towards official album sales figures.

deadmau5 - Sofi Needs a Ladder

I'm not quite sure if I've posted anything by deadmau5 in the past (though I have a strong feeling that I have), but here is a particularly excellent song by the electronic artist that goes by the name of Sofi Needs a Ladder, and it is quite impressive if you ask me.

Give it a listen and let me know what you think down below in the comments. ;D

009 Sound System - Dreamscape

I found this song by accident while looking through YouTube's selection of acceptable music for overlays (the sound you put over a video), and I must say that I am surprised that it is totally free to use, considering its quality and provocative sound.

Check out for yourself why some people call "Dreamscape" by 009 Sound System the YouTube Anthem:

R/D ft. Nadine Risha - Face of God

Check out this excellent electronic song by R/D (and also featuring Nadine Risha) called "Face of God." If it weren't enough for you that this song is just ridiculously good, the music video created to accompany this piece is also quite visually enthralling.

Though all pieces of art are highly subjective, especially songs and their videos, I would like to venture a guess as to what this may have meant (and what I, personally, got from this video). The "Face of God" is supposed to be this perfect, infallible thing that would wow and amaze anyone who stared into it -- yet everyone in the video had an eccentric style not usually considered perfect.

Ignoring the metaphysical debates that seem bound to anything involving the topic of God (especially from college student redditors on r/atheism and the like, haha) I think this video shows excellently that the face of God may not be as "perfect" as you think -- especially since, after all, we are supposed to be modeled in his image. Something to chew on. ;]

Also, enjoy this little nugget: "Miracle" by Blackmill (another electronic piece).

Tool - Vicarious

Check it out, my favorite Tool song: Vicarious. This particular song was on the 10,000 Days album, which was released several years back (and was the most recent album released by the band Tool, unfortunately). Though "Vicarious" was accompanied by other really great songs, I just personally prefer this one. Maybe there will be another album before I'm through with college!

"'Vicarious' is a song by American rock band Tool. The song is the first single released from their fourth full-length studio album 10,000 Days. Debuting on April 17, 2006 on commercial radio, the seven-minute song entered the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart at #2. It received a nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards." ~Wikipedia

Combichrist - Fuckmachine [WARNING: 18+]

Okay, so warning right off the bat: do not listen to this if you are the under of 18 years old. I cannot be held responsible for whatever young ears may fall on this song, as I have warned you beforehand. Continue with caution.

So this song is absolutely excellent, in my opinion. It adds so much depth from multiple genres to make a song that really resonates with each listen. This is the sign of a great song, regardless of the vulgarity or darkness that the song may harbor.

Sure, it is a bit rough and brash, and suuuure, it may not be appropriate even for most adults (imagine showing this song to your parents!) but if you are into more progressive, modern music like most liberal college / university students these days you may find this quite attractive to your aural senses.

It looks like the Grammys will be taking their awards show back to Los Angeles for the tenth year in a row on February 10, 2013, said the organizers. The annual nominations concert will also be set in L.A. for the fifth of December, this year, revealed the Recording Academy.

Lovers of music, be they older and sophisticated or younger university students, can appreciate having the Grammys in Los Angeles once more, as the city practically owns the entertainment industry. No one is surprised to hear the results.

"Both the nominations and the awards - in its 55th edition for 2013 - will take place in the city's Staples Center and be broadcast live on U.S. television network CBS.

Only a handful of the 70-plus categories for the awards are featured in the nominations and awards show, including the top honors of album, record and song of the year.

A week of cultural events and activities take place in the run up to music's biggest night, including producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala the night before the awards which was struck by tragedy this past February after the sudden death of singer Whitney Houston a few hours before the party."

~Yahoo News, Music: Grammys set for 2012 in Los Angeles

Seven Lions - Isis

"Californian producer Seven Lions have given us an exclusive pre-release of their upcoming Polarized EP dropping April 23rd on Beatport.com. The new track is called ‘Iris’ perhaps reference to the goddess of Ancient Egyptians, as feels to have a middle eastern influences coming through." -The Music Ninja

Perhaps this little piece deserves being compared to a goddess, because my ears love it when I listen to Isis by Seven Lions. I found it on r/dubstep (reddit, if you don't already know, is basically a circlejerk for college students and liberals, of which I happily participate), and I have been listening almost non-stop since. Love it, hope you will, too.

Credit - Hope Anchor

Here is an epic DnB hit by Credit that goes by the name of "Hope's Anchor." I gotta say, there is just something to the way the beat sounds that is absolutely hypnotizing. Gotta love a good dubstep song that can just put you in a trance. When I'm studying for my college finals or just relaxing in bed, this is perfect.

Check out the CreditDNB YouTube for more.

Mac Miller - Frick Park Market

Mac Miller's hit single "Frick Park Market" is an excellent indie hip-hop song that a fan of either genre would enjoy. Usually, this sort of style isn't my thing, but Frick Park Market is surprisingly well-done. The fantastic quality, editing, and choreography of the music video alone is enough to attest to the hard work put in.
The song refers to a food store in Miller's Pittsburgh hometown where he used to work (imagine it; one day you're some lowly student working a store job, the next you're a professional rapper and hip-hop singer). The market is near to the park referenced in the album title, Blue Slide Park (also known officially as Frick Park). The music video was filmed at the store itself, and that video reached well over 17 million views on YouTube.

Check out the video above to enjoy Mac Miller's Frick Park Market -- I promise you won't regret it.

Hans Zimmer - Dream is Collapsing (Regular and Dubstep versions)

If you liked the Inception movie, or if you are just a student in the school of good music, then you might like this little (and massive) piece(s).

Dream is Collapsing is one of the songs off of the Inception soundtrack, and it goes on for about two and a half minutes. While it may have been outshone by its partner tracks on the amazing album, it definitely has its own special quality that makes it easy to enjoy.

So, of course, I am a huge fan of dubstep, and naturally I found a dubstep remix of this track. Thanks to reddit (and especially the subreddit /r/dubstep) for introducing me to both this piece and the dubstep remix:

Tenacious D thinks they can "revive" hard rock with a new album

Tenacious D thinks that hard rock is dead.

What makes them think that? Well, looking back at the sort of music that has been coming out lately, it may be easy to jump to that conclusion. After all, Lady Gaga is not exactly what comes to mind first when we think of what we would like the future of music to remember us for. I know that I most certainly don't want to look back on my college days and see Justin Bieber.

Jack Black and Kyle Gass, members of Tenacious D for eighteen years now, intend to "fix" this issue by bringing back what they believe is more real music: hard rock. Their new album will be called "Rize of the Fenix," and is slated to come out tomorrow, Tuesday the 15th.

Though the album will feature a fair amount of comedy (considering that is what we know them best for), they intend to make at least one hit song with this album. They have consulted with Grohl of the Foo Fighters in what the secret is, but only time will tell if Kyle Gass and Jack Black have been good students of the music legend.

Rihanna is going to sing on American Idol finale, May 23

Rihanna fans rejoice: your idol will be on Idol once again for their season finale.

Rihanna to perform May 23 on American Idol season finale

For those of you who are not diehard Rihanna fans (such as myself), this will be the third time Rihanna will sing for the American Idol show. The first was back in April 2010, when she sang "Rockstar 101," followed by the April 2011 performance of "California King Bed."

May 23rd marks the season finale of Idol, where Rihanna will perform "Where Have You Been." She's not alone in celebrity Idol appearances, though; it seems that May 10 will see Jennifer Lopez on the other side of the desk. David Cook is also going to be appearing.

Excited? Then tune in to American Idol for their big performances May 10 and May 23.

Sony is top of global music production after buying EMI

So today it would appear that the European Union (a.k.a. the EU) gave their approval for the purchase of EMI, a music publishing business, by a group headed by Sony.

"Sony and Mubadala have offered to divest valuable and attractive catalogues containing bestselling titles as well as works of successful and promising authors," announces the European commissioner for competition issues, Joaquin Almunia. "I am therefore satisfied that the competitive dynamics in the online music publishing business will be maintained so as to ensure consumer choice and cultural diversity."

This deal puts Sony at the top of music production, which means we should effectively see more of the company pervading the market (though it already stretches over a vast range of music-related productions).

What does this mean for the average college Joe, just wanting to enjoy a bit of music? Well, it shouldn't actually mean much at all, since the Sony group will likely continue much of what is already going when they purchase EMI. So, no worries, your music should be safe.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony filing for divorce

Turns out Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez are ending their marriage of seven years officially, as Marc Anthony has filed for divorce. Fans and followers will find this as nothing new -- the couple have cited their "irreconcilable differences" before and have planned to split since July.

They certainly look happy -- but that is their job.

Under his real name of Marco Muniz at the Los Angeles Superior Court, Anthony began the process to end their union officially. He also filed for join physical and legal custody of their young, 4 year old twins, Emme and Max.

So how are the two singers taking their big split?

Axl Rose declines induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

A weird turn of events for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently -- one of their nominations has actually declined his own induction, which is usually seen as an artistic honor.

The daring nominee? Axl Rose, the frontrunner of Guns N' Roses. Rose said that he didn't feel respected or welcomed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies, turning down his invitation to the 2012 Ceremony as well as being "inducted in absentia," as Rose put it.

"I won't be attending The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction 2012 Ceremony and I respectfully decline my induction as a member of Guns N' Roses to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," is the news from Rose himself via a publicly-released letter through his spokeswoman.

Moroccan rapper El-Haqed imprisoned for "insulting public authorities"

As if the vast continent of Africa did not have enough turmoil on its hands, one more story seems to have piled itself up on top: a rapper from Morocco, who goes by "El-Haqed" was imprisoned recently for "insulting public authorities," through one of his songs.

Apparently, a YouTuber played the El-Haqed song "Kalib Addawla" (in English, "Dogs of the State") to a video clip of images edited together with such pictures as a policeman with a donkey's head, and many more. Outraged, the monarchy locked him up with no hope of bail.

German ECHO Awards, where Adele gets album of the year

While we have the Grammys here in America, the Germans have their own big music awards show. Each year in the German capital of Berlin, the ECHO Music Awards give out dozens of awards to both domestic and international music stars.

This year's ECHO Music Awards saw Adele's "21" as Album of the Year, and Adele herself won Best Female International Artist. She beat out Lady Gaga and the recently deceased Amy Winehouse for the incredibly prestigious distinction.

Rammstein, a German band of their own, churned out some shadowy songs with Marilyn Manson, the two artist of whom are dark enough combined to have surely raised some dead in the area. Rammstein walked away best Best Alternative Band and Best German Act Abroad.

Russia battles Britain back in Eurovision with some aged artists of their own

Less than a week ago, I posted about about how the studied country of U.K. chose Engelbert Humperdinck for the Eurovision contest to be held on May 26 in Baku, Azerbaijan. If you do not remember the post, here is a quick refresher on Humperdinck:

The Russian contestants, Buranovskiye Babushki

"The United Kingdom has made the choice of whom will attend the big Eurovision competition this year, and it is an older artist by the name of Arnold Dorsey, better known (if only somewhat) by his stage name, Engelbert Humperdinck. This guy is, believe it or not, seventy-five years old, and his big hit was back in 1967!"

While Great Britain may chide the contest and increasingly pay less attention to the usually high-grade competition, it seems Russia is taking it very seriously. Just days after the decision by the English to put ol' Humperdinck up for Eurovision, Russia responded with their selection of old stars.

UK chooses ol' Humperdinck as their Eurovision contestant

The United Kingdom has made the choice of whom will attend the big Eurovision competition this year, and it is an older artist by the name of Arnold Dorsey, better known (if only somewhat) by his stage name, Engelbert Humperdinck. This guy is, believe it or not, seventy-five years old, and his big hit was back in 1967!

Despite his age, the BBC, who pick the contestants for the U.K., have serious faith in good ol' Humperdinck to win the competition that many British people dismiss at a bit silly. However, it seems that Humperdinck and some other big voices are taking it quite seriously: they hope that Eurovision will shine a light on the political problems plaguing the hosting country, Azerbaijan.

"The competition takes place on May 26 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where it has generated considerable excitement but also seen the country's human rights record come under closer international scrutiny."

-Yahoo! News

Few music competitions in the entire world can compare to the huge, international contest that Eurovision is. It takes the European countries that participate in the European Broadcasting Union, and lets them all duke it out (musically, of course) against each other to see who will take home number one for the year.

So is Humperdinck their first win in fifteen years? We will just have to wait and see, on May 26!

Rolling Stones announce 50th anniversary photo book

In just a few months, on July 12, 2012, you could be the proud owner of the Rolling Stone's 50th anniversary photographic autobiography. Officially slated for release in Britain for £29.95 (pounds; US$48), it will mark the 50th year, to the day, that perhaps the most famous band in all of history, the Rolling Stones, took to the stage at the Marquee Club in London's Oxford Street.

In a joint statement by the band members, they called it, "[our] story of 50 fantastic years. We started out as a blues band playing the clubs and more recently we've filled the largest stadiums in the world with the kind of show that none of us could have imagined all those years ago."

"Curated by us, it features the very best photographs and ephemera from and beyond our archives."

Taylor Swift invites cancer patient to awards show

Kevin McGuire has cancer. He is eighteen years old, very athletic, and keeping his chin up regardless -- and for this, everyone can be a bit inspired. So how does this adolescent factor into the music industry? Well, his sister thought he deserved to meet his idol, and so she spread the word that Kevin wanted to ask Taylor Swift to the prom. That's right, Taylor Swift.

...and she said no.

Swift didn't leave it at that, though; she added that she would like it if he came with her to something a little bigger, though: the Academy of Country Music Awards in April.

"Kevin is the kindest, most noble 18 year old a person could even fathom meeting," his sister Tori wrote on the Facebook page she created for Kevin's wish, "and throughout his ups and downs Kevin never even questioned 'why me?' Nothing, and I mean NOTHING brightens Kevin's day more than Taylor Swift."

Pretty awesome, eh?

Obama works the music angle with blues singing

Apparently, we have a President that is a fan of singing the blues, as Obama was "coaxed" into doing a solo verse of "Sweet Home Chicago" alongside such famous music icons as Mick Jagger, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Jeff Beck.

Obama seemed to channel Clinton's musical talents; as Clinton had played the saxophone for the American people, and impressing quite a few of us, Obama lent his voice to the finale of a TV special on Black History Month, which revolved around blues at the White House.

Last month, when Obama sang a line from the 1971 Al Green classic "Let's Stay Together," the song's sales spiked through the roof at 490%. That's almost five times over!

Chris Brown arrest warrant?

Don't get too hyped up just yet. The rumor of an arrest warrant, out for (who else?) Chris Brown, is just that: a rumor. Miami officials have denied the reports that Brown has an outstanding warrant for his arrest, though an investigation is ongoing.

What is being investigated, you may be asking? Well, apparently he is being accused of stealing an iPhone, straight out of the hands of Christal Spann, a 24-year old woman. She says that he simply drove up with his windows rolled down, and snatched the iPhone she was using out of her fingers, commenting, "you ain't going to put that on no website."

Then, as is appropriate for such encounters, he promptly sped off.

Adele breaks a Whitney Houston charts record

Just when you thought Whitney Houston had taken considerable control of the charts with her "Greatest Hits" album posthumously nabbing the number two spot and seemingly rising, another popular female singer broke forward to challenge (and defeat) Houston in a another category in which she reigned supreme.

Keeping the top spot for the twenty-first week in a row, Adele's "21" album broke the record set by Whitney Houston for longest number-one album by a woman. Even Whitney Houston could not stop the juggernaut of music that is Adele, effectively allowing "21" to take number one for as many weeks as in the name of the album!

Now, Adele did not get this just for being the singer she has always been -- in fact, there is a pretty specific reason for why she held strong to number one. Her Grammy performance exposed her to so many people who would never have heard of her, or might have stopped listening. Their return to her music is evidenced in older albums of her own also taking strong rises in sales.

Breaking News: Chris Brown Still a Douche

"I'm so happy I could post a scathing tweet to ruin my image!"

Everyone remembers the big Chris Brown debacle that occurred a few years back, when he plead guilty to charges of assault against famous then-girlfriend Rhianna. Back in 2009, on the night before the Grammys of that year, Brown decided to do a number on Rhianna -- and he certainly left his mark. In fact, photos of Rhianna shortly after are, well, quite disturbing.

So, of course, Chris Brown has surely decided to cool off and get back in good graces with the fans that have made it possible for him to win a Grammy this year, right? Right?

Of course not.

In fact, Chris Brown has actually done something that I am sure made his PR cringe: he struck back. Following the Grammys, where he walked away successful and award in hand thanks to his F.A.M.E. album (more like L.A.M.E., considering it is by the King of Douche), Brown sent out a tweet:

"HATE ALL U WANT BECUZ I GOT A GRAMMY. Now! That's the ultimate F--- OFF"

Oh yeah, Brown. Real smooth. This is definitely going to make people like you more.

Whitney Houston racks up sales after death

Naturally, the death of a popular musician or artist in contemporary times leads to a resurgence of their music in the industry, with album sales and (recently) singles downloads flying through the roof. This "rediscovery" of music, as many like to call it, almost always follows on the trail of the death -- a true schooling on the realities of the music industry.

Though a morbid enterprise, it has already sent Whitney Houston's music to high positions on charts worldwide just days after her death. Houston's album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits has soared to sells of over 101,000 copies by itself, this coming literally 3 days after the discovery of her submerged body in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub as she awaited the huge Grammy event the next day.

Of course, speculation has run rampant: most are already convinced that this was the work of drugs, as Houston was known to have frequent incidents of abuse with hard narcotics. Authorities have not confirmed or denied too much at this point; they have not released the cause of death.

Madonna does not approve of M.I.A.'s Super Bowl finger

Just about everybody who was watching the big game go down between the Giants and the Patriots saw the half-time show -- and, of course, it could not go off without someone doing something. Sure enough, M.I.A. flipped the birdie at the nation for what appears to be no reason.

I guess she wants to prove how edgy she really is... or something...

At any rate, Madonna seems to be miffed about it. Speaking of M.I.A., Madonna said to Ryan Seacrest during his radio show, "It's such a teenager, irrelevant thing to do ... what was the point? It was just out of place." Well, Madonna, let us take a look at a few things before we start throwing those stones in that big, expensive glass house of yours, alright?

deadmau5 wears Skrillex's Number at the Grammys!

deadmau5 at the Grammys

Oh yeah, deadmau5 really pulled off a good one at the Grammys, where his "rival" Skrillex nabbed some Grammys -- and where deadmau5 did not.

In a funny attempt to "get back" at Skrillex, and seemingly proving he knew just how much attention Skrillex would get over himself, deadmau5 wore a plain black shirt with Skrillex's personal number in bold white lettering, with the text below: "u mad bro?"

Oh, deadmau5, you crazy dude. Skrillex laughed it off on twitter with the following message:

Upcoming Artist of the Month #1: DarkGrey

iBlog brings you the Upcoming Artist of the Month, which will be awarded to a particularly new artist who has brought not only enjoyable music to his or her listeners, but has also shown considerable composure and a great attitude throughout their foray into the wondrous world of music.

Awardees will receive the space on iBlog's sidebar reserved for "Upcoming Artist of the Month," where their music, or samples of their music, can be heard, as well as various links to their sites and social media so that you can stay in contact with any you might really enjoy. We encourage you to get interested and involved with these artists; they love the support!

The first upcoming artist in this series is electronic DJ (and his own producer at the time of writing) DarkGrey. The tunes DarkGrey is putting out are getting pretty huge -- and with each piece of work, he gets better and better. One little remix he just released is insanely better than the original in my opinion, and that is really saying something, as the song he remixed was by the incredibly popular Steve Aoki; the song is Ladi Dadi.

Check it:

Steve Aoki - Ladi Dadi (DarkGrey Remix) by DarkGrey

Electronic Music, Now @ The Grammys

So the Grammys are, hands down, the biggest music event of the year. It has seen the likes of nearly all of the big hit artists, from usually upbeat U2 even down to a personal favorite, the more somber Tool. This is the award that musicians look towards in their careers, unless you were an electronic artist. The Grammys have never seen electronica take the stage; until now, that is.

The Grammy organization has nominated Skrillex for five different awards, and one of them is even in Best New Artist. There has never been a DJ nominated for that award, and so Skrillex will be a pioneer in the music industry as the frontrunner for popular electronic music. Also among the DJs will be deadmau5, David Guetta, and a few others.

With the rise of the likes of deadmau5, Skrillex, and other huge electronic artists all the way from house to dubstep, the long-underground side of the music industry could no longer be ignored. Electronic music has seeped into just about every genre over the last few years, making especially large appearances in pop and hip-hop. Black-Eye Peas, Lady Gaga -- you name it, the big names of late have been huge on electronic.

Whitney Houston Dead at 48

On February 11th, 2012, at 3:55 PM PST (6:55 PM EST), Whitney Houston was pronounced dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. The cause of death, according to publicist Kristen Foster, is still unknown at this time (12:06 AM PST, 3:06 AM EST). Her shocking end came about on the night before the Grammys, the biggest music event of the year to be hosted at that same hotel. She was 48 years old.[1]

Houston is probably best known as one of the best American singers in all of... well, all of history. Titled as "the most awarded female act of all time" by the Guinness World Records organization, she had become an icon for the R&B industry, much like her godmother Aretha Franklin. She will be missed by the majority of the music industry and music lovers alike.[2]

Her roots have spread down through inspired artists such as Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Christina Aguilera, among many, many others. Unfortunately, she is also infamous for using drugs with her then-husband Bobby Brown in the 90's, causing her to become frail and undependable at times.[3]

"The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston said of herself when she was interviewed in 2002 alongside Bobby Brown. It appears she knew how destructive her habits were, and that in the end it might come to her vs. herself -- whether or not she would be able to completely recover from those years of bad habits.[4]

As more news is revealed, this page will be updated.

[1] http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/pop-vocal-legend-whitney-houston-found-dead-034610653.html
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Houston
[3] http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/whitney-houston-iconic-pop-star-dies-48/story?id=15565260#.Tzd1YbS3bMc 
[4] http://www.npr.org/2012/02/11/146752819/music-superstar-whitney-houston-dies-ap-reports

Skrillex - Voltage (HD, Unreleased)

We've got a special treat for you, today, oh yeah.

Skrillex may be one of the single most famous dubstep artists ever -- if not THE most famous dubstep artist. AKA Sonny Moore, this guy has done more making electronic music than most have with their entire pop-culture music -- and even took MTV's EDM Artist of the Year, placing ahead of even deadmau5 (which is really saying something, considering).

His first true album as Skrillex is slated to come out this year, though the details are a bit foggy. We do know that it is called Voltage, as is the only single out from it so far. Though only caught in live performances, there have been studio, high quality versions of it on YouTube, and you can listen below:

Check it out, and tell us what you think in the comments! ;]

Metallica - Enter Sandman

Metallica.

Yeah, I'm sure you have heard of them before. If you have not, then prepare to get some schooling on what is considered one of the greatest metal bands (or hard rock/thrash metal, depending on your views) to ever have graced the music world.

Metallica, which styles itself a heavy metal band, was formed in 1981 (yeah, way back then!) when vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich connected through an ad in the local newspaper posted by the latter. The band started in Los Angeles, California, and has been growing ever since. They have included quite the line-up of band members, and have played alongside huge names in metal since.

It is hard to choose just one song from this band -- after all, they have come out with so many that are considered some of their best work. Though not my personal, all-time favorite of Metallica, I think that Enter Sandman is one of the best known songs by the group.

Check it out:

Noisia - Machine Gun

Oh yeah, let's get some Noisia in here (can you tell that I am excited? ;P)! Noisia is one of my personal favorites, producing some songs that I find not only enjoyable, but absolutely fascinating. Today's song, Machine Gun, is definitely one of those songs, and the very one that got me into Noisia in the first place!

Check out Machine Gun below:

Noisia, which, when capitalized, is "VISION" rotated 180°, is composed of the Dutch members Nik Roos, Thijs de Vlieger, and Martijn van Sonderen. Their style moves from genre to genre, mostly in the electronic category. In total, they own three record labels (Vision, Division, and Invisible).

Ed Sheeran - Drunk (Doctor P Remix)

Drunk is originally a song by the recently popular Ed Sheeran, a British singer-songwriter whose song The A Team sent him skyrocketing in success, even debuting at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. Considering how popular he has become, his songs are sure to be remixed -- and this brings us to today's featured song.

Doctor P, a.k.a. Shaun Brockhurst, is another famous British musician, though his music is in the electronic genre (more specifically, dubstep). He takes the song Drunk and tweaks it into something more suited for those of the electronic persuasion, and the results are amazing.

Check it out below on the UKFDubstep channel:

Sublime - What I Got

What would this music blog be if I did not mention a band straight from my hometown of Long Beach, CA? In fact, this band is quite well known in Long Beach -- and for good reason. On more than one occasion, the band has mentioned their hometown in their music, much to the excitement of those in the city itself.

That band is the massively successful group Sublime (I bet you know that already though, right?). They are known for so many songs it would be hard to list even just the big ones, but of course I am going to give a try: Santeria, Date Rape, Caress Me Down, Smoke Two Joints, Badfish, and... well, jeez, it just keeps going!

The Sublime song that I am posting today is another one of their biggies: What I Got. It is by far my favorite Sublime song, probably because of how easy-going and realistic it is. For many people, this song represents how life is, and signing it has become something of a nostalgic past-time for my family. You can hear it below:

Modestep - Sunlight

Time to move on back to the electronic category again! Rock, hip-hop, and even what some may consider rap has made its way onto this blog, so there is quite the variety -- but we can always return to our much loved genre of electronic music, starting it off with Sunlight by Modestep.

Modestep is a London-based British band, whose songs are in the dubstep (and general electronic) range. Though they are not profusely popular throughout the globe, they have definitely made a name for themselves in the UK scene, and even the American dubstep scene.

Check out the music video below, from the official UKFDubstep channel on YouTube:

Chevelle - The Red

Here is a band that has been successfully releasing music for around sixteen years now: Chevelle. Yet, despite the band's age, many would still say they are in the game -- though, not quite hitting as hard as they used to. Their last two albums, while reaching a wide fanbase, did not make waves in the music world like their previous work had.

Speaking of their previous work, I think now is a good time to butt in with today's featured song, The Red. This song was a breakthrough single on their album Wonder What's Next, the album of which was certified Platinum by the RIAA. The Red is an excellent example of Chevelle's potential, as evidenced in the music video below:

Timbaland - The Way I Are (ft. Keri Hilson and D.O.E.)

So I decided to take another little deviancy from the usual songs that I post on this blog to go with something by Timbaland, that goes by the name of The Way I Are. Chances are that if you spend any time listening to the radio on the way to work or something, you have heard this song a few times over. It is more of a electronic hip-hop song than rap, so you guys may enjoy it. ;]
This song featured Timbaland-signed Keri Hilson as credited vocals on the track, as well as (sometimes) uncredited vocals from D.O.E. Check out the video below to listen to this song on the official Timbaland VEVO:

Timbaland is a bit of a rapper, a bit of a hip-hop artist, and a bit of an electronic artist. Though hip-hop, rap, and electronic music have been mixing for as long as the genres have existed, popular music within the past few years in the rap/hip-hop category has been consumed almost entirely by electronic music.

In my opinion, it made these songs a lot more listenable than they were before, and Timbaland rode this wave of new hip-hop and rap straight into the top of the charts, nabbing double platinum for The Way I Are in seven years.


Check it out and let us know what you think!

Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground

Here is a song that you may have heard of sometime on the radio, or maybe even on some obscure cassette mix-tape. This song is actually a hit from way back in 1996, believe it or not, by the British trip-hop band Sneaker Pimps. Oh yeah, we are going back far here for this one! ;]

Believe it or not, this song was more popular a whole year after it was released than when it first reached the charts, and no lie, 6 Underground re-emerged on the charts in Britain after being in an American film. If that was not weird enough for you, it then proceeded to show up in films across the mainstream cinema scene for almost fifteen years, most recently making an appearance in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

Sneaker Pimps is not an exceedingly well known band, even if their song 6 Underground is. The members of the band proceeded to make side projects and a few other albums into the new millennium, but nothing quite reached the popularity of 6 Underground. To be fair, though, they did make it on the charts with each of their successive albums, but not much has been heard of the band since.

Check 'em out!

LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It

Bear with me here, people -- I know that the kind of listeners who would view my blog may not be the biggest fans of bands like LMFAO, or the kind of music they make. However, I have to say that I personally quite enjoyed this particular song, and so I decided to share it with you guys. Let's see what you guys think of it. ;D

The song that I am featuring today by LMFAO is Sexy and I Know It, which is another hit by the band -- which seems to be on quite a roll lately. Some people may find this song pompous, or cocky, but really I think that the band is just having a bit of fun with it. Check it out below:

This song was hugely welcomed by just about every country that it made the charts on, including the United States, the U.K., and it even took number one for a while in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. This is LMFAO's second successive number one hit, which puts them in an elite group of duo artists such as OutKast to have reached this goal.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Armin van Buuren - Mirage

Guess what? It is trance time again on iBlog, and we got one of the most famous artists in trance history for the blog feature: Armin van Buuren, the Dutch master of trance music. Few people can even come close to van Buuren in the entire electronic industry, much less trance. He has really built up a foundation for trance music that still heavily influences those interested in it today.

One of my favorites from van Buuren is his Mirage song. There are a lot of reasons that truly mesh together to rank this song way up on my list, but specifically I think it is the uniqueness that Mirage has that gives it that extra oomph. Check out the video below, which features the Mirage song to a chill background:

Armin van Buuren is a true master of music perhaps because of his unusual devotion to it -- he was making music like this when he was just fourteen years old! When I was 14, I  was still screwing around with how to get out of doing work, and he was throwing himself into it. You really have to admire an artist with that sort of talent and passion.

Speaking of good music, I would like to give a shout-out to a blog that I have recently come across that also talks about music of a similar vein, and I urge you to go check it out. If you like anything I have been featuring here, chances are you will love what this man has to present. Check out my new friend, FinestMusicSelection!

Freedomatik - Area 102

So let me start off this post with a little story.

My good friend was telling me about the new music player, Spotify, and how much he loved it. He had so many songs queued he could not even find the time to listen to them all! He went on about the program, and I nodded my head and said, "Cool, cool," without paying much attention.

A few days later, I discover this cool music player on facebook. I get really into it, and suddenly I am on facebook telling everyone, "Man, I love Spotify! I wish I had heard about it sooner." The same friend replied with, "I told you about Spotify, man!"

Whoops. Busted.

So there are some commercials on Spotify between a few songs to keep their program running, and one of them is for the electronic band Freedomatik. I found their "One Nite One Album" playlist to be excellent, as a matter of fact, and I added my favorite of the entire set to my Awesomesauce #1 playlist: Area 102.

Unfortunately, Freedomatik's YouTube is a bit sparse, with only a couple of videos and none of Area 102. So if you want to hear Area 102, click here and scroll down to their track listing.

Tool - Lateralus album, reordered (aka The Holy Gift)

Here is a special one for you today, guys. I bring to you what is considered by some to be a "Holy Gift" from the progressive band Tool, and if you listen to it yourself, you may find that agree.

So what is so special about this particular musical gift that one might consider it as having qualities of holiness? It is the whole transcendent album Lateralus by Tool combined into one song -- all of the songs were rearranged in a certain order (when 1-13, the numbers of the tracks, are arranged horizontally, a spiral can be drawn from the two middle numbers outward, and then from the outer numbers inward, to create the new order).

This album, rearranged in the particular order, creates a whole, flowing song, and at times it is hard to distinguish the individual songs when they are played one after another. Editing them together makes it nearly impossible! Check out the video below to see what we mean:

Infected Mushroom - Becoming Insane

Infected Mushrooms -- oh boy, are you in for a treat today. This band is absolutely, entirely, most definitely something else. It is actually a bit hard to determine what category of genres this would go in, much less than specific genre itself. Starting in the really late 90s, the Israeli-born core members, Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani, made what would be sensations across the darker electronic music world.

Starting out in 1998 as Shidapu & Duvdev and eventually evolving into Infected Mushroom as a duo, this band achieved moderate fame and success across the globe, playing at popular events like Coachella. Some of their more popular songs are Smashing The Opponent, Killing Time (Infected Trance Remix), and of course perhaps their most well known so far, Becoming Insane.

This band has grown to include other members like Tom Cunningham, Erez Netz, and Rogerio Jardim, but this is not bar far their only cast of people to work with. They have done work alongside DJ Jörg, Astrix, and Deedrah, and their success is only rising. It is easy to see why, when their music is so unique and filled to the brim with talent. Check it out!

Foster the People - Helena Beat

iBlog brings you a current radio hit by the name of "Helena Beat" from the recently popular band Foster the People. Foster the People is a band comprised of lead vocalist (among many other things!) Mark Foster, bass and backing vocals Cubbie Fink, and Mark Pontius on drums and extra percussion. Mark Foster, then struggling to make ends meet as a jingle writer, founded Foster the People, which led to several musical successes.

It is quite hard to place Foster the People in even just a few classifications because their music really runs the generic gamut. Indie pop and rock seem to crop up a lot as one of the best ways to describe this band, but such genres as dance, electronica, and more make frequent appearances in their music. At any rate, their music is much lighter and upbeat, with very subtly dark undertones.

Helena Beat is not the only hit by Foster the People -- in fact, it's not even their biggest hit. This band is actually more well known for their first chart-topper, "Pumped Up Kicks." Pumped Up Kicks took many high positions ranging from three to one on the charts all over the board, showing the world that they were not only here to stay, but they were here to change music a little more.

Broken Bells - The High Road

Today, I present you with some alt rock by the band Broken Bells, a duo consisting of James Mercer and Brian Burton (a.k.a Danger Mouse, famous for his work with Cee Lo Green in the soul duo Gnarls Barkley). Broken Bells was briefly famous for their song The High Road, which is perhaps their greatest success.

The High Road showcased as the lead single for the eponymous debut album Broken Bells, which really did not feature any other songs that were of any serious fame, unfortunately. This one song did really catch my attention though, as I am sure it did for the many listeners it garnered through its extensive radio broadcast in the U.S.

Here is the official music video on YouTube:

The project, as they consider themselves, came back together for another collaboration called Meyrin Fields, which seems to still be in the phases of being added on to. Meyrin Fields features singles from the Broken Bells album's b-side, so not much new there.

Until they complete their second album, let's enjoy The High Road!

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

Let me take you back, to a world where music was simpler and yet oh-so-intricate. Let me take you back to a time when the land was ruled by the Gorillaz, with their very first single on their debut album. Yeah, that's right, I'm talking about the ever popular Clint Eastwood.

Sure, you may know the Gorillaz from the more recently popular (and an even bigger hit, believe it or not) Feel Good Inc., which seemed to stay on the forefront of radio stations for ages. Who can blame them? The Gorillaz just make a lot of good music, but there is always a diamond in their albums that shines out.

Check out Clint Eastwood below on YouTube:

Oh yeah, and don't worry about whether or not the video is safe to watch. It is by the official record label for the Gorillaz, so it's all a-okay. ;D

Asher Roth - I Love College

Asher Roth stands out from so many other artists because his "suburban lifestyle" is not exactly the most common subject of most rap and hip-hop songs. He has lived a rather successful life, with his lyrics being considered mellow and even "non-threatening." Roth often speaks out against certain things that some rappers might support through their songs, whether or not they intend to do so.

His song, I Love College, is one of his more popular songs on the album Asleep in the Bread Aisle. Check it out below:

The song features Asher Roth speaking about just how much he loves college, and the partying and women that come with it, but that his college life doesn't have to be about violence or a lack of safety. While it may seem a bit cheesy, these are important things to remember, and thanks to Asher Roth, the public keeps that in mind.

Star Wars - Duel Of The Fates (The Noisy Freaks & Dead C∆T Bounce remix)

Hold on to your pants, boys and girls. It's time to get some dirty electro going up in here, and to start us off, I bring you a song I was linked to by a friend. He said it was "beautiful," and with such a claim, I had to investigate it myself, and boy oh boy was this something else. For dirty electro, I think it would definitely fit under the Beautiful category, if nothing else. Check it out:

Yeah, that right there is actually a collaboration remix of an epic Star Wars song (from movies some might say are not that good, though I quite enjoyed them). This remix features the Duel of the Fates, composed by the incredibly renowned Star Wars music composer John Williams. Duel of the Fates is a single from the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack, which is one of six soundtracks for each six movies. The Star Wars soundtracks contain some of the most well-known modern film music.