Tag Archives: Voice

Teena Marie’s Influence Found In Mary J. Blige, Hip-Hop, More

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Late soul veteran paved the way for several of today’s hitmakers. By Mawuse Ziegbe Teena Marie Photo: Larry Marano/Getty Images R&B great Teena Marie died over the weekend, but her enduring legacy can be found in the legions of soul stars who followed in her footsteps. Marie joined the iconic Motown label in the late ’70s and spent the next three decades building a reputation as a Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist with a gift for penning lyrics and belting with soulful abandon. Her influence — from her top-flight musicianship to her pioneering image as a white, female R&B artist — can be found in many of today’s hitmakers. Mary J. Blige The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has pointed to Marie as an early influence when the budding superstar was coming up in her scrappy Yonkers, New York, neighborhood. “Tina Mari inspired me vocally as a child. Her songs I sang in the mirror with a hair brush. I’m so hurt,” she tweeted on Sunday. “I’ll love u forever Tina Mari. Portuguese Love, Casanova Brown, Square Biz, I need your lovin, all of your music will live forever through me. In my heart she’s Tina, So rest in peace Tina, i love u. Every girl that grew up in the hood , with her blasting through the windows, Cars and radio waves can Feel me.” Faith Evans Like Marie, former Bad Boy singer Faith Evans boasts a bold voice and a headline-making relationship with a labelmate and music icon. Marie hooked up with Motown funk architect Rick James early in her career and would go on to spark a romance with the R&B great. James also served as a mentor to Marie, and the two teamed up for memorable collaborations such as James’ Street Songs jam “Fire and Desire.” In addition to churning out soulful hits with Bad Boy, Evans is known for marrying Brooklyn MC Notorious B.I.G. soon after meeting her charismatic labelmate. Marie has even commented on the similarities between the two vocalists in the bio for the soul legend’s 2009 album, Congo Square, which featured their collabo “Can’t Last a Day.” “I’ve always loved Faith and her vocal style. She reminds me of me. Her correlation with Biggie — having a career with him and without him — reminds me of me and Rick,” she said. “I feel like she’s a younger me. Of the younger ladies, she’s the one I love most.” Alicia Keys Marie was also a masterful musician, often manning everything from the keyboards to guitar on her albums and heading behind the boards as a producer. She helped establish a blueprint for female R&B stars who are actively involved in various aspects of the production process, such as pianist and producer Alicia Keys, who tweeted after Marie’s death, “God bless Teena Marie & her Family!Sending Blessings &prayers I was jus sayin tht fire & desire is 1 of the most beautifully performd songs!” Pink Marie’s race was somewhat controversial when she first debuted on Motown as a white woman belting soul-stirring R&B. Her picture was left off the album packaging her first LP, and many fans assumed Lady T was another new black artist making her mark in the R&B scene. However, she was ultimately accepted because of her undeniable talent and conviction in her voice. She has paved the way for many contemporary artists such as Joss Stone and Pink, who initially hit the scene with an R&B-tinged sound. After hearing of Marie’s death, Pink re-tweeted a missive from Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine that read, “THIS SUCKS– heard that Teena Marie passed away. RIP. she was an original and one of a kind. sad.” As Marie told Essence in 2009, “I’m a black artist with white skin. At the end of the day you have to sing what’s in your own soul.” Hip-Hop While she made her name as a soul veteran, Marie’s music has popped up in hip-hop cuts from many of the game’s finest lyricists. Marie’s 1981 jam “Square Biz” was revamped for rap supergroup the Firm’s (Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, Nature, Cormega) 1997 single “Firm Biz,” and Mase reworked the track’s jocular bass line for the Harlem World album cut “Love U So.” The chorus for the Fugees’ 1996 smash “Fu-Gee-La” features similar crooning to Marie’s hit “Ooo La La La” from the 1988 album Naked to the World. Even hip-hop stars who may not have reimagined Marie’s catalog for their own hits, such as Game , Big Boi and ?uestlove , recalled Marie’s influence and legacy on Twitter. Where else do you see Teena Marie’s influence? Let us know in the comments. Related Artists Teena Marie Mary J. Blige

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Eminem Ruled 2010 — And Here’s How

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Rapper rose from ashes of disappointing album to top of the charts and 10 Grammy nominations. By Gil Kaufman Eminem Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage It’s fitting that Eminem is planning to return to the big screen next year in the “8 Mile”-inspired boxing film “Southpaw.” Because like Rocky after he was counted down and out so many times in that famous pugilist movie serial, Marshall Mathers seemed like he’d run out of gas in 2009 only to come storming all the way back, and then some, in 2010 to post one of his biggest and baddest years to date. At a time when younger artists like Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Lady Gaga are relying on social media, a dizzying blitz of promotional appearances and concerts, and a nonstop hype machine to keep their careers stoked, Eminem’s path back to the top of the musical heap was decidedly old-school: He released a great album in Recovery that emotionally connected with fans thanks to some of the most hook-heavy songs of his career while maintaining an elusive persona that kept them guessing. “On Recovery, he was really able to tap into the emotive 2002 stuff that people loved in ‘8 Mile,’ ” said Complex Editor in Chief Noah Callahan-Bever. “And I think that the fact that he’s not tech-savvy or any of that stuff really doesn’t hurt him because he’s able to cultivate a little bit of a mystery about himself and his comings and goings. That exclusivity creates more value to his limited presence.” While songs like mega first single “Not Afraid” and the inescapable Rihanna hookup “Love the Way You Lie” were getting wall-to-wall spins at radio, Em made only a few promotional appearances, played just a handful of dates — including the lauded Home and Home shows with Jay-Z — and managed to keep that air of inscrutability about himself while putting up the best sales figures for any album released in 2010. The less you saw of him, the more you wanted to see him. “I think it kind of benefited because [of] the whole backstory behind the album,” Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, former executive editor of The Fader, said about the drama surrounding Slim Shady’s second comeback attempt after five years in drug-induced exile and 2009’s so-so reception for Relapse. “And his comeback from a bad album … the whole thing with the pills, and I think it kind of lent to his mystery. There’s something to be said for rappers who have a trillion Twitter followers but at the same time you kind of don’t want to be able to say whatever you want to your favorite rapper. I think that he kind of kept his integrity in the way that he needed to as an older rapper.” Putting out a barrage of cameo verses has been the go-to move for up-and-comers like Drake and Nicki Minaj as a way to establish their brand. But Marshall borrowed that same new-school page and made it feel classic by being very selective about which songs he lent his voice to. And, almost without exception, every choice he made was an instant classic, from his killer verse on Drake’s “Forever” to a solid duet with Lil Wayne on “Drop the World,” some tasty bars on B.o.B’s “Airplanes” and a nod to the new kids on the block on Nicki’s “Roman’s Revenge.” Most of his peers seem to believe that more is more — more endorsements, more products, more interviews, more guests on their tracks — even as Em came off as the wily veteran who picks his high-percentage shots while the rest of the squad is firing off endless jumpers. “When Eminem went away, the feeling of like, ‘Well, that whole market’s going away. All those people, they’re just dispersing off into the ether and no one’s gonna be ready for him when he’s ready to come back,’ ” said New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica of the excitement that greeted the rapper’s return to form. “And what I think you realize this year is that all those people are like sleeper cells and all got activated. All of a sudden, ‘Oh, Eminem’s back. It’s OK to buy his CD again. I didn’t have anyone I feel like I wanted to buy for the last two or three years; now I feel like I can commit to Eminem.’ ” What also became clear this year, Caramanica said, is that unlike flash-in-the-pan pop rappers or mainstream acts whose audiences don’t grow with them as they mature, Eminem’s fans have been loyal, even as he’s picked up a whole new generation of followers thanks to his more accessible new songs. The evidence of that trend can be seen in the fact that, months after its release, Recovery was still routinely hanging around the top 20, if not top 10, on the Billboard albums chart, an indication that new fans were being brought onboard every week. That slow and steady, measured approach clearly paid off, as Em won two VMAs (off of eight nominations) in September and ended the year by loading up with a leading 10 Grammy nominations and a #2 spot on MTV News’ Man of the Year countdown. You can be sure when the Grammys are handed out in February, Marshall’s name will be mentioned a few times, because if there’s anything the Recording Academy (and, let’s face it, all of America) loves, it’s a comeback. What did you think of Em’s 2010? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Stories Of 2010 Related Photos Eminem’s Amazing Year

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Eminem Ruled 2010 — And Here’s How

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Rapper rose from ashes of disappointing album to top of the charts and 10 Grammy nominations. By Gil Kaufman Eminem Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage It’s fitting that Eminem is planning to return to the big screen next year in the “8 Mile”-inspired boxing film “Southpaw.” Because like Rocky after he was counted down and out so many times in that famous pugilist movie serial, Marshall Mathers seemed like he’d run out of gas in 2009 only to come storming all the way back, and then some, in 2010 to post one of his biggest and baddest years to date. At a time when younger artists like Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Lady Gaga are relying on social media, a dizzying blitz of promotional appearances and concerts, and a nonstop hype machine to keep their careers stoked, Eminem’s path back to the top of the musical heap was decidedly old-school: He released a great album in Recovery that emotionally connected with fans thanks to some of the most hook-heavy songs of his career while maintaining an elusive persona that kept them guessing. “On Recovery, he was really able to tap into the emotive 2002 stuff that people loved in ‘8 Mile,’ ” said Complex Editor in Chief Noah Callahan-Bever. “And I think that the fact that he’s not tech-savvy or any of that stuff really doesn’t hurt him because he’s able to cultivate a little bit of a mystery about himself and his comings and goings. That exclusivity creates more value to his limited presence.” While songs like mega first single “Not Afraid” and the inescapable Rihanna hookup “Love the Way You Lie” were getting wall-to-wall spins at radio, Em made only a few promotional appearances, played just a handful of dates — including the lauded Home and Home shows with Jay-Z — and managed to keep that air of inscrutability about himself while putting up the best sales figures for any album released in 2010. The less you saw of him, the more you wanted to see him. “I think it kind of benefited because [of] the whole backstory behind the album,” Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, former executive editor of The Fader, said about the drama surrounding Slim Shady’s second comeback attempt after five years in drug-induced exile and 2009’s so-so reception for Relapse. “And his comeback from a bad album … the whole thing with the pills, and I think it kind of lent to his mystery. There’s something to be said for rappers who have a trillion Twitter followers but at the same time you kind of don’t want to be able to say whatever you want to your favorite rapper. I think that he kind of kept his integrity in the way that he needed to as an older rapper.” Putting out a barrage of cameo verses has been the go-to move for up-and-comers like Drake and Nicki Minaj as a way to establish their brand. But Marshall borrowed that same new-school page and made it feel classic by being very selective about which songs he lent his voice to. And, almost without exception, every choice he made was an instant classic, from his killer verse on Drake’s “Forever” to a solid duet with Lil Wayne on “Drop the World,” some tasty bars on B.o.B’s “Airplanes” and a nod to the new kids on the block on Nicki’s “Roman’s Revenge.” Most of his peers seem to believe that more is more — more endorsements, more products, more interviews, more guests on their tracks — even as Em came off as the wily veteran who picks his high-percentage shots while the rest of the squad is firing off endless jumpers. “When Eminem went away, the feeling of like, ‘Well, that whole market’s going away. All those people, they’re just dispersing off into the ether and no one’s gonna be ready for him when he’s ready to come back,’ ” said New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica of the excitement that greeted the rapper’s return to form. “And what I think you realize this year is that all those people are like sleeper cells and all got activated. All of a sudden, ‘Oh, Eminem’s back. It’s OK to buy his CD again. I didn’t have anyone I feel like I wanted to buy for the last two or three years; now I feel like I can commit to Eminem.’ ” What also became clear this year, Caramanica said, is that unlike flash-in-the-pan pop rappers or mainstream acts whose audiences don’t grow with them as they mature, Eminem’s fans have been loyal, even as he’s picked up a whole new generation of followers thanks to his more accessible new songs. The evidence of that trend can be seen in the fact that, months after its release, Recovery was still routinely hanging around the top 20, if not top 10, on the Billboard albums chart, an indication that new fans were being brought onboard every week. That slow and steady, measured approach clearly paid off, as Em won two VMAs (off of eight nominations) in September and ended the year by loading up with a leading 10 Grammy nominations and a #2 spot on MTV News’ Man of the Year countdown. You can be sure when the Grammys are handed out in February, Marshall’s name will be mentioned a few times, because if there’s anything the Recording Academy (and, let’s face it, all of America) loves, it’s a comeback. What did you think of Em’s 2010? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Stories Of 2010 Related Photos Eminem’s Amazing Year

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Eminem Ruled 2010 — And Here’s How

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Eminem Ruled 2010 — And Here’s How

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Rapper rose from ashes of disappointing album to top of the charts and 10 Grammy nominations. By Gil Kaufman Eminem Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage It’s fitting that Eminem is planning to return to the big screen next year in the “8 Mile”-inspired boxing film “Southpaw.” Because like Rocky after he was counted down and out so many times in that famous pugilist movie serial, Marshall Mathers seemed like he’d run out of gas in 2009 only to come storming all the way back, and then some, in 2010 to post one of his biggest and baddest years to date. At a time when younger artists like Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Lady Gaga are relying on social media, a dizzying blitz of promotional appearances and concerts, and a nonstop hype machine to keep their careers stoked, Eminem’s path back to the top of the musical heap was decidedly old-school: He released a great album in Recovery that emotionally connected with fans thanks to some of the most hook-heavy songs of his career while maintaining an elusive persona that kept them guessing. “On Recovery, he was really able to tap into the emotive 2002 stuff that people loved in ‘8 Mile,’ ” said Complex Editor in Chief Noah Callahan-Bever. “And I think that the fact that he’s not tech-savvy or any of that stuff really doesn’t hurt him because he’s able to cultivate a little bit of a mystery about himself and his comings and goings. That exclusivity creates more value to his limited presence.” While songs like mega first single “Not Afraid” and the inescapable Rihanna hookup “Love the Way You Lie” were getting wall-to-wall spins at radio, Em made only a few promotional appearances, played just a handful of dates — including the lauded Home and Home shows with Jay-Z — and managed to keep that air of inscrutability about himself while putting up the best sales figures for any album released in 2010. The less you saw of him, the more you wanted to see him. “I think it kind of benefited because [of] the whole backstory behind the album,” Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, former executive editor of The Fader, said about the drama surrounding Slim Shady’s second comeback attempt after five years in drug-induced exile and 2009’s so-so reception for Relapse. “And his comeback from a bad album … the whole thing with the pills, and I think it kind of lent to his mystery. There’s something to be said for rappers who have a trillion Twitter followers but at the same time you kind of don’t want to be able to say whatever you want to your favorite rapper. I think that he kind of kept his integrity in the way that he needed to as an older rapper.” Putting out a barrage of cameo verses has been the go-to move for up-and-comers like Drake and Nicki Minaj as a way to establish their brand. But Marshall borrowed that same new-school page and made it feel classic by being very selective about which songs he lent his voice to. And, almost without exception, every choice he made was an instant classic, from his killer verse on Drake’s “Forever” to a solid duet with Lil Wayne on “Drop the World,” some tasty bars on B.o.B’s “Airplanes” and a nod to the new kids on the block on Nicki’s “Roman’s Revenge.” Most of his peers seem to believe that more is more — more endorsements, more products, more interviews, more guests on their tracks — even as Em came off as the wily veteran who picks his high-percentage shots while the rest of the squad is firing off endless jumpers. “When Eminem went away, the feeling of like, ‘Well, that whole market’s going away. All those people, they’re just dispersing off into the ether and no one’s gonna be ready for him when he’s ready to come back,’ ” said New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica of the excitement that greeted the rapper’s return to form. “And what I think you realize this year is that all those people are like sleeper cells and all got activated. All of a sudden, ‘Oh, Eminem’s back. It’s OK to buy his CD again. I didn’t have anyone I feel like I wanted to buy for the last two or three years; now I feel like I can commit to Eminem.’ ” What also became clear this year, Caramanica said, is that unlike flash-in-the-pan pop rappers or mainstream acts whose audiences don’t grow with them as they mature, Eminem’s fans have been loyal, even as he’s picked up a whole new generation of followers thanks to his more accessible new songs. The evidence of that trend can be seen in the fact that, months after its release, Recovery was still routinely hanging around the top 20, if not top 10, on the Billboard albums chart, an indication that new fans were being brought onboard every week. That slow and steady, measured approach clearly paid off, as Em won two VMAs (off of eight nominations) in September and ended the year by loading up with a leading 10 Grammy nominations and a #2 spot on MTV News’ Man of the Year countdown. You can be sure when the Grammys are handed out in February, Marshall’s name will be mentioned a few times, because if there’s anything the Recording Academy (and, let’s face it, all of America) loves, it’s a comeback. What did you think of Em’s 2010? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Stories Of 2010 Related Photos Eminem’s Amazing Year

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Eminem Ruled 2010 — And Here’s How

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Is Katy Perry’s Next Single ‘E.T.’?

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Is Katy Perry’s Next Single ‘E.T.’?

Online reports point to the spacey tune as the pop star’s fourth Teenage Dream release. By Jocelyn Vena Katy Perry Photo: Bill McCay/ WireImage Katy Perry kicked off the summer proclaiming that “California Gurls” wear Daisy Dukes and bikinis on top. Then she pulled at our heartstrings and made us believe in true love on “Teenage Dream.” Finally, she empowered her fans with “Firework.” All three of her Teenage Dream singles have shot to the top of the charts, and she apparently is now ready to see if the fourth time’s the charm. Perez Hilton reports that Perry’s next Teenage Dream single will be the upbeat tack “E.T.” A rep at Perry’s label declined to confirm the report when reached by MTV News. Perry took to Twitter earlier this month to ask fans to help her pick her next single. There was some speculation that her choice would be “Peacock,” but the pop star didn’t reveal what tune would be next up for release. “Thanks for all your great suggestions for the next single today!” she tweeted on December 13. “Your voice has been heard! We’re on the same page…” Perry has been playing “E.T.” live as of late. Recently at Z-100’s Jingle Ball , the spirited singer joked about the spacey dance track, telling the crowd, “This next song is about falling in love with a foreigner, like far away … Not even in England.” Regardless of which tune Perry chooses as her next single, can expect the video for the track to be an event. “I guess I’m looking forward to making music videos on this new album,” she said earlier this year about Teenage Dream . “There’s a story to the songs. … I’m really excited about … making those music videos that are going to be larger than life.” Do you think “E.T.” should be Katy’s next single. Share your opinion in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Katy Perry Related Artists Katy Perry

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Matt Damon Gets Tongue-Tied By ‘True Grit,’ Bieber Fever

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on Matt Damon Gets Tongue-Tied By ‘True Grit,’ Bieber Fever

The Oscar-winning actor gamely shows off his character’s interesting manner of speech for MTV News. By Kara Warner, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Matt Damon Photo: MTV News Matt Damon. Actor, writer, Oscar winner. Generally perceived in and around Hollywood to be a really nice guy. As such, when MTV News caught up with Damon as he promoted “True Grit,” we hoped he would respond positively to our request for him to conduct the interview either talking in the voice of his “Grit” character, Texas Ranger LaBoeuf , or using his dead-on Matthew McConaughey impression . “I would do [LaBoeuf’s accent] if anyone had a ponytail [holder],” he said, and then asked the behind-the-scenes ladies in the room if he could borrow one. Amazingly enough, someone did have one at the time and quickly handed it to Damon, who tied it around his tongue. Not to spoil the film, but in “True Grit,” Damon’s character suffers a particular misfortune along the way that leads to him losing part of his tongue, adding a lisp to his Texas twang. “Ask me anything you like,” he said with a distinct lisp, after affixing the band to his tongue. Then it was our turn to try to maintain a straight face long enough to ask Damon why he wanted to be in this particular film. “Well, I’d been looking to work with [directors] Joel and Ethan [Cohen] for a long time,” he said, trying not to laugh himself. Film-related questions aside for a moment, we had to ask him, does that hurt? “Yeah,” Damon admitted, at which point we told him he should take off the band. “No, no, I’m going to do the whole interview like this,” he insisted. We then brought up “Grit” star Hailee Steinfeld, who’s been getting rave reviews and plenty of awards consideration for her breakthrough performance, and asked what it felt like to be out-witted by a young girl. “I have four girls in my house, I get out-witted by them every day,” Damon quipped — still talking with the band. Has his home been affected by Bieber fever yet? “No,” Damon said. “We’ve mercifully avoided Bieber fever.” There’s still time: His daughters are ages 11, 4, 2 and 3 months. Check out everything we’ve got on “True Grit.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘True Grit’

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Matt Damon Gets Tongue-Tied By ‘True Grit,’ Bieber Fever

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Real or Not: Oscar Nominee James Caan Will Play a Chili Pepper

Posted on December 17, 2010 by | Comments Off on Real or Not: Oscar Nominee James Caan Will Play a Chili Pepper

It’s Friday folks, and that means this: “EXCLUSIVE: Oscar Nominee James Caan to Voice Animated Chili Pepper in Web Series.” Oh, really, Internet? But is this bit of exclusive news real, or just some end-of-week comedy shenanigans from The Onion. Click ahead for your answer.

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MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

MTV.com users sound off with their opinions on the list and their picks for the year’s top releases. By James Montgomery Some of James’ picks for the best albums of 2010 Photo: MTV News On Wednesday, when MTV News published my annual Best Albums of the Year list, I wrote that “2010 may very well have been the best year for music in a long, long time … to the point where making a list of the 20 best [albums] was darn near impossible.” I wasn’t kidding, either. In fact, I was so sure I had missed some really great albums that I asked my readers to sound off with their picks. And, boy, did they ever! Over the past 24 hours, I’ve gotten tons of responses from fans all across the world (most of them angry, of course), each wondering why their favorite artist didn’t make the cut or, if they did, why they weren’t #1. There were thinly veiled threats, at least one call for me to be fired, a whole lot of curse words and even some rather spirited debate between Eminem and Kanye fans over just whose album was better. Of course, mixed in with all that madness, MTV.com readers also managed to suggest some very worthy albums that I had missed, make compelling arguments and even paying me a compliment or two. So I’d like to think that my list was a success … because, at the very least, the response it garnered proved that, unlike any other year in recent memory, 2010 really was bursting with great music — music people obviously felt very strongly about. Needless to say, I was impressed. So in order to keep the conversation going, I’m re-publishing some of the best responses here. But don’t think the debate is over … if you still feel like your voice hasn’t been heard, sound off in the comments below. And then head over to our Newsroom blog, where you can vote for your favorite album of 2010 . Because, really, I could argue about this stuff all day. On to the comments! “Props to MTV for putting Kanye at number 1 and for putting Rick Ross on the list. Teflon Don was incredible and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was classic.” — Lila “This list fails. Recovery is a better hip hop album than My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Sure, Kanye’s got the better beats, but Eminem has the better lyrics, flow and overall delivery than Kanye. That’s what hip hop is really about, sure you need good production, but lyricism is more impressive.” — Ryan “This list is perfect. Eminem’s album wasn’t that good and mainstream people need to stop believing that sales equates to quality. Kanye West put out the best album this year, hands down. MTV isn’t the only one putting it at the top of the charts and if you didn’t buy it, that only reflects your own ignorance and lack of taste.” — Moze’s Mother “Great list, I’m surprised that is made by MTV. I do not understand why people think that if an album sold more must be better than others, music is not about sales or popularity, it is about quality.” — Juan17x “I just want to say that MTV did a great job with this Top 20. And it’s great the indie groups like The National, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Beach House etc were recognized. Music these days [is] infused with synths, autotunes, and other forms of manipulation. Sometimes it’s nice to just listen to the bare-bone basics of guitars, drums, vocals, and the occasional piano or other instrument. And Sufjan Stevens is great too! It was interesting to see Linkin Park’s album up there, but it might really be like Radiohead’s Kid A. Perhaps by listening to the tracks more often then it would be more easy to understand.” — A.Pearl “I haven’t heard of 70 percent of these clowns … No Rihanna? No Drake? No Diddy or Nicki Minaj? Surely James Montgomery must be living under some kind of rock … a huge one. Eminem at 14? (way too low). [The] only thing I can live with is Kanye at number 1. But it’s not worth ignoring these other artists!” — Tom “I’m happy that Kanye’s number 1 (the album’s super dope), but what about Cee Lo’s The Lady Killer, Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager? ” — Mendy “Yeah! Vampire Weekend is in the top 5! YES! Grrreat, Contra is totally amazing. Amazing job you guys!” — Diana “ROBYN SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE!” — Antoine “I cant believe Drake isn’t on this list.” — Kanye is the Best “[Deftones’] Diamond Eyes is definitely missing.” — Lumen “You forgot perhaps one of the biggest: 30 Seconds to Mars’ This Is War. … The single ‘Kings and Queens’ won [the] VMA [for] Best Rock Video as well as [the] EMA [for] Best Rock. Singles ‘Closer to the Edge,’ ‘This Is War,’ ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Kings and Queens’ have been in Billboard ‘s Top 10 Alternative and Rock categories as well as iTunes all over the world.” — Ana “Why isn’t How I Got Over by The Roots on this list? After all it is nominated for a Grammy. I also think that Eminem’s album was a lot better than Kanye West’s album. Distant Relatives by Nas & Damian Marley should also be on this list. I am a huge Linkin Park fan and I know their new album shouldn’t be on this list. Hands All Over by Maroon 5 should be somewhere on this list too.” — Facebook User “The editor of this article is a big fool and should be fired for putting up articles like this … No Drake, no Susan Boyle, no Taylor Swift, no Lady Gaga, no T.I. and these are the people making real good music that people can actually spend their money [on] and buy without regretting like I did [with] Kanye`s album. People actually think ‘Runaway’ is a great song just because of the lengthy video. That’s Dumb!” — Kenneth “Yo, Kenneth. Chill. We get it. You like music that sells well. You like ‘Glee’ soundtracks, Susan Boyle, Taylor Swift, Eminem, Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls records. That’s cool man … we happen to like music that appeals to us personally and possibly other intelligent, educated people with an ear for more progressive tastes. [It] just so happens, at the end of the year, journalists’ and critics’ lists are going to skew more towards our sensibilities than yours. Don’t worry though man, Susan Boyle is still going to sell 5 million records or whatever. The sun still rises in the morning.” — Yoprince Related Artists Kanye West Eminem Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

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MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

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MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

MTV.com users sound off with their opinions on the list and their picks for the year’s top releases. By James Montgomery Some of James’ picks for the best albums of 2010 Photo: MTV News On Wednesday, when MTV News published my annual Best Albums of the Year list, I wrote that “2010 may very well have been the best year for music in a long, long time … to the point where making a list of the 20 best [albums] was darn near impossible.” I wasn’t kidding, either. In fact, I was so sure I had missed some really great albums that I asked my readers to sound off with their picks. And, boy, did they ever! Over the past 24 hours, I’ve gotten tons of responses from fans all across the world (most of them angry, of course), each wondering why their favorite artist didn’t make the cut or, if they did, why they weren’t #1. There were thinly veiled threats, at least one call for me to be fired, a whole lot of curse words and even some rather spirited debate between Eminem and Kanye fans over just whose album was better. Of course, mixed in with all that madness, MTV.com readers also managed to suggest some very worthy albums that I had missed, make compelling arguments and even paying me a compliment or two. So I’d like to think that my list was a success … because, at the very least, the response it garnered proved that, unlike any other year in recent memory, 2010 really was bursting with great music — music people obviously felt very strongly about. Needless to say, I was impressed. So in order to keep the conversation going, I’m re-publishing some of the best responses here. But don’t think the debate is over … if you still feel like your voice hasn’t been heard, sound off in the comments below. And then head over to our Newsroom blog, where you can vote for your favorite album of 2010 . Because, really, I could argue about this stuff all day. On to the comments! “Props to MTV for putting Kanye at number 1 and for putting Rick Ross on the list. Teflon Don was incredible and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was classic.” — Lila “This list fails. Recovery is a better hip hop album than My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Sure, Kanye’s got the better beats, but Eminem has the better lyrics, flow and overall delivery than Kanye. That’s what hip hop is really about, sure you need good production, but lyricism is more impressive.” — Ryan “This list is perfect. Eminem’s album wasn’t that good and mainstream people need to stop believing that sales equates to quality. Kanye West put out the best album this year, hands down. MTV isn’t the only one putting it at the top of the charts and if you didn’t buy it, that only reflects your own ignorance and lack of taste.” — Moze’s Mother “Great list, I’m surprised that is made by MTV. I do not understand why people think that if an album sold more must be better than others, music is not about sales or popularity, it is about quality.” — Juan17x “I just want to say that MTV did a great job with this Top 20. And it’s great the indie groups like The National, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Beach House etc were recognized. Music these days [is] infused with synths, autotunes, and other forms of manipulation. Sometimes it’s nice to just listen to the bare-bone basics of guitars, drums, vocals, and the occasional piano or other instrument. And Sufjan Stevens is great too! It was interesting to see Linkin Park’s album up there, but it might really be like Radiohead’s Kid A. Perhaps by listening to the tracks more often then it would be more easy to understand.” — A.Pearl “I haven’t heard of 70 percent of these clowns … No Rihanna? No Drake? No Diddy or Nicki Minaj? Surely James Montgomery must be living under some kind of rock … a huge one. Eminem at 14? (way too low). [The] only thing I can live with is Kanye at number 1. But it’s not worth ignoring these other artists!” — Tom “I’m happy that Kanye’s number 1 (the album’s super dope), but what about Cee Lo’s The Lady Killer, Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager? ” — Mendy “Yeah! Vampire Weekend is in the top 5! YES! Grrreat, Contra is totally amazing. Amazing job you guys!” — Diana “ROBYN SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE!” — Antoine “I cant believe Drake isn’t on this list.” — Kanye is the Best “[Deftones’] Diamond Eyes is definitely missing.” — Lumen “You forgot perhaps one of the biggest: 30 Seconds to Mars’ This Is War. … The single ‘Kings and Queens’ won [the] VMA [for] Best Rock Video as well as [the] EMA [for] Best Rock. Singles ‘Closer to the Edge,’ ‘This Is War,’ ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Kings and Queens’ have been in Billboard ‘s Top 10 Alternative and Rock categories as well as iTunes all over the world.” — Ana “Why isn’t How I Got Over by The Roots on this list? After all it is nominated for a Grammy. I also think that Eminem’s album was a lot better than Kanye West’s album. Distant Relatives by Nas & Damian Marley should also be on this list. I am a huge Linkin Park fan and I know their new album shouldn’t be on this list. Hands All Over by Maroon 5 should be somewhere on this list too.” — Facebook User “The editor of this article is a big fool and should be fired for putting up articles like this … No Drake, no Susan Boyle, no Taylor Swift, no Lady Gaga, no T.I. and these are the people making real good music that people can actually spend their money [on] and buy without regretting like I did [with] Kanye`s album. People actually think ‘Runaway’ is a great song just because of the lengthy video. That’s Dumb!” — Kenneth “Yo, Kenneth. Chill. We get it. You like music that sells well. You like ‘Glee’ soundtracks, Susan Boyle, Taylor Swift, Eminem, Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls records. That’s cool man … we happen to like music that appeals to us personally and possibly other intelligent, educated people with an ear for more progressive tastes. [It] just so happens, at the end of the year, journalists’ and critics’ lists are going to skew more towards our sensibilities than yours. Don’t worry though man, Susan Boyle is still going to sell 5 million records or whatever. The sun still rises in the morning.” — Yoprince Related Artists Kanye West Eminem Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

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MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

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MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Comments Off on MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

MTV.com users sound off with their opinions on the list and their picks for the year’s top releases. By James Montgomery Some of James’ picks for the best albums of 2010 Photo: MTV News On Wednesday, when MTV News published my annual Best Albums of the Year list, I wrote that “2010 may very well have been the best year for music in a long, long time … to the point where making a list of the 20 best [albums] was darn near impossible.” I wasn’t kidding, either. In fact, I was so sure I had missed some really great albums that I asked my readers to sound off with their picks. And, boy, did they ever! Over the past 24 hours, I’ve gotten tons of responses from fans all across the world (most of them angry, of course), each wondering why their favorite artist didn’t make the cut or, if they did, why they weren’t #1. There were thinly veiled threats, at least one call for me to be fired, a whole lot of curse words and even some rather spirited debate between Eminem and Kanye fans over just whose album was better. Of course, mixed in with all that madness, MTV.com readers also managed to suggest some very worthy albums that I had missed, make compelling arguments and even paying me a compliment or two. So I’d like to think that my list was a success … because, at the very least, the response it garnered proved that, unlike any other year in recent memory, 2010 really was bursting with great music — music people obviously felt very strongly about. Needless to say, I was impressed. So in order to keep the conversation going, I’m re-publishing some of the best responses here. But don’t think the debate is over … if you still feel like your voice hasn’t been heard, sound off in the comments below. And then head over to our Newsroom blog, where you can vote for your favorite album of 2010 . Because, really, I could argue about this stuff all day. On to the comments! “Props to MTV for putting Kanye at number 1 and for putting Rick Ross on the list. Teflon Don was incredible and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was classic.” — Lila “This list fails. Recovery is a better hip hop album than My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Sure, Kanye’s got the better beats, but Eminem has the better lyrics, flow and overall delivery than Kanye. That’s what hip hop is really about, sure you need good production, but lyricism is more impressive.” — Ryan “This list is perfect. Eminem’s album wasn’t that good and mainstream people need to stop believing that sales equates to quality. Kanye West put out the best album this year, hands down. MTV isn’t the only one putting it at the top of the charts and if you didn’t buy it, that only reflects your own ignorance and lack of taste.” — Moze’s Mother “Great list, I’m surprised that is made by MTV. I do not understand why people think that if an album sold more must be better than others, music is not about sales or popularity, it is about quality.” — Juan17x “I just want to say that MTV did a great job with this Top 20. And it’s great the indie groups like The National, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Beach House etc were recognized. Music these days [is] infused with synths, autotunes, and other forms of manipulation. Sometimes it’s nice to just listen to the bare-bone basics of guitars, drums, vocals, and the occasional piano or other instrument. And Sufjan Stevens is great too! It was interesting to see Linkin Park’s album up there, but it might really be like Radiohead’s Kid A. Perhaps by listening to the tracks more often then it would be more easy to understand.” — A.Pearl “I haven’t heard of 70 percent of these clowns … No Rihanna? No Drake? No Diddy or Nicki Minaj? Surely James Montgomery must be living under some kind of rock … a huge one. Eminem at 14? (way too low). [The] only thing I can live with is Kanye at number 1. But it’s not worth ignoring these other artists!” — Tom “I’m happy that Kanye’s number 1 (the album’s super dope), but what about Cee Lo’s The Lady Killer, Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans and Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager? ” — Mendy “Yeah! Vampire Weekend is in the top 5! YES! Grrreat, Contra is totally amazing. Amazing job you guys!” — Diana “ROBYN SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE!” — Antoine “I cant believe Drake isn’t on this list.” — Kanye is the Best “[Deftones’] Diamond Eyes is definitely missing.” — Lumen “You forgot perhaps one of the biggest: 30 Seconds to Mars’ This Is War. … The single ‘Kings and Queens’ won [the] VMA [for] Best Rock Video as well as [the] EMA [for] Best Rock. Singles ‘Closer to the Edge,’ ‘This Is War,’ ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Kings and Queens’ have been in Billboard ‘s Top 10 Alternative and Rock categories as well as iTunes all over the world.” — Ana “Why isn’t How I Got Over by The Roots on this list? After all it is nominated for a Grammy. I also think that Eminem’s album was a lot better than Kanye West’s album. Distant Relatives by Nas & Damian Marley should also be on this list. I am a huge Linkin Park fan and I know their new album shouldn’t be on this list. Hands All Over by Maroon 5 should be somewhere on this list too.” — Facebook User “The editor of this article is a big fool and should be fired for putting up articles like this … No Drake, no Susan Boyle, no Taylor Swift, no Lady Gaga, no T.I. and these are the people making real good music that people can actually spend their money [on] and buy without regretting like I did [with] Kanye`s album. People actually think ‘Runaway’ is a great song just because of the lengthy video. That’s Dumb!” — Kenneth “Yo, Kenneth. Chill. We get it. You like music that sells well. You like ‘Glee’ soundtracks, Susan Boyle, Taylor Swift, Eminem, Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls records. That’s cool man … we happen to like music that appeals to us personally and possibly other intelligent, educated people with an ear for more progressive tastes. [It] just so happens, at the end of the year, journalists’ and critics’ lists are going to skew more towards our sensibilities than yours. Don’t worry though man, Susan Boyle is still going to sell 5 million records or whatever. The sun still rises in the morning.” — Yoprince Related Artists Kanye West Eminem Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

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MTV News’ Best Albums Of 2010: The Readers React

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