American Idol Season 10 Picks #3

These are my favorites from last night!

Casey Abrams

He's still towards the top of my list. Smells Like Teen Spirit is not the greatest vocal performance, but he's got some guts to perform that & he totally pulled it off!! I loved when they used the word fearless to describe him!

Lauren Alaina

She had a much better song choice & did a much better job last night! I just think she's adorable!

Stefano Langone

He hasn't been my favorite really, but I thought he did really well last night & I love that song!

Pia Toscano

She can just sing. Dang. Every time I'm like "this girl is crazy amazing."

I Am Number Four

I really had very little interest in seeing this movie.

Then I found out Dianna Agron is in the movie. And I love Glee. Then I found out she's dating the dude in the movie. Then I saw him on Ellen. Then I saw this trailer with the Adele song "Rolling in the Deep."

Now I really want to see it! And I think my breaking point was the song in the trailer! That just shows you how much music does for me. I love that song.

Favorite Music Videos 2010

Watching the VMA's is making me think about  music videos this year. There have only been a couple of music videos that stuck out to me this year & that's probably because the first 2 weeks after Isis was born, I left the TV on AMTV2 all night, so videos were always playing when I woke up to feed Isis. Those were some rough nights with my baby blues & just being exhausted, but these videos made me feel better somehow! Now I think they'll always remind me of those nights with Isis & while at the time they were rough, looking back on it is great for me because they were my first days with my baby girl!

30 Seconds to Mars

Kings and Queens

Owl City

Fireflies

Paramore

Brick by Boring Brick

Kings of Leon

Sex on Fire

What were your favorite videos this year?

Sunscreen...

OMG do you remember this???

And this one??


Wow that takes me back...

Palladia

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So my new favorite channel on my Directv is Palladia HD! It primarily plays concerts all day everyday!! Some are awesome, some are not so much, but still it's live music most of the time! I've watched Coldplay, Paramore, The All-American Rejects, ZZ Top, The Killers, even Avril Lavigne (ick)! I love it! I'm currently watching Matchbox 20! I'm so all about it. Check it out!

Death Cab for Cutie - Meet Me on the Equinox

I like it that Death Cab did a song for New Moon. The soundtrack for Twilight was one of the only things that redeemed the movie for me. I hated pretty much everything about the movie, but then you put the music on it and I think that's what eventually won me over to the point where I could deal with it. I hope the soundtrack for the second one does the same. Death Cab is at least a good start. Click here for a full list of songs from the soundtrack to New Moon. It has Thom Yorke, Muse & Bon Iver!!

Incubus on Jimmy Fallon

I loved watching Incubus on Jimmy Fallon the other day!!!

MJ Last Rehearsal Video

MJ Videos

My favorite Jackson 5 song:



The birth of the Moonwalk:



1988 Grammy Awards (The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror):



1993 Superbowl Halftime Show:



We are the World:



Many of his videos can't be embedded by YouTube, so click the links. These are some of my favorites:
Thriller
Smooth Criminal
Billie Jean
Beat It
Bad
Heal the World
Black or White

Some of these came from the People collection of Jackson's Most Memorable Performances. Check out the full collection here!

MJ

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While I understand the reasons people may have reservations about celebrating Michael Jackson, I don't believe it is possible for me to overlook the achievements of his career. What Elvis Presley and The Beatles were to country and rock-and-roll, Michael Jackson was to pop music and pop culture. He is THE pop culture icon. His influence spans all pop music stars who have come after him, from Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake to Chris Brown and Usher. He paved the way for what is now one of the most popular forms of music in our country (hence "pop music").

• His record "Thriller" is the 2nd biggest selling record of all time - (trailing a greatest hits compilation of The Eagles)
• "Thriller" stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard charts for 37 weeks - the only non-soundtrack album to do so
• He has the most number 1 hits in the 1980's
• He has sold over 100 million singles and albums
• He is the first person in the history of the Billboard charts to enter in at No. 1 with "You Are Not Alone."
• He has the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard "Hot 100" of any male artist
• He has won more awards than any other artist
• Jackson 5 were the first group to have 4 consecutive No. 1 singles
• He is the only artist to have 5 No. 1 hits from one album - "Bad" (Bad, Dirty Diana, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, I Just Can't Stop Loving You)
• Throughout his life, he donated more than $300 million to various organizations.

Now, I'm not saying that I applaud his personal life, but I also don't believe I am in a position to judge his personal life. I mourn the loss of a pop culture icon whose music I can remember through every stage of my almost 25 years. I have been a Michael Jackson fan my entire life - as have my mom and dad. Also, coincidentally, we share the same birthday.

"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind."
-John Donne


Paul McCartney: "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones."

Justin Timberlake: “I can’t find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael’s passing. We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him onstage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.”

Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump: "I feel like John Lennon got shot. This is sad like 'On the Waterfront,' sad like 'Raging Bull,' sad like 'The Wrestler.' Music rarely gets hits like this; this is almost unparalleled. Even people who didn't enjoy his music have to acknowledge his influences. He was to pop what Davis and Coltrane were to bop. He was to R&B what Neil Armstrong was to the moon: an explorer who discovered a whole world unto itself. He was the Nikola Tesla of dance moves."

More musicians react to his death.

Videos of the Day: Dancing Kids

So Britney Spears' sons are pretty cute dancing to Toxic...

Britney Spears' Sons Dance to Toxic (Part 1) from Britney Spears on Vimeo.

But this boy is my absolute favorite!!!

Mat Kearney: Closer to Love

I actually really like this song right now. It resonates with me for some reason. I think it's funny how certain songs take you by surprise. Like there's nothing particularly special about them to knock your socks off, but there's like one line that just hits you. For me it's when he says, "I guess we're all one phone call from our knees." I think that's so true.

(Watch the video here. I can't embed it.)

She got the call today
One out of the gray
And when the smoke cleared
It took her breath away
She said she didn't believe
It could happen to me
I guess we're all one phone call
from our knees
We're gonna get there soon

If every building falls
And all the stars fade
We'll still be singing this song
The one they can't take away
I'm gonna get there soon
She's gonna be there too
Cryin' in her room
Prayin' Lord come through
We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light
Oh it's your way
Pull me out of the dark
Just to show me the way
Cryin out now
From so far away
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love

Meet me once again
Down off Lake Michigan
Where we could feel the storm blowin
Down with the wind
And don't apologize
For all the tears you've cried
You've been way too strong now for all your life

I'm gonna get there soon
You're gonna be there too
Cryin' in your room
Prayin' Lord come through
We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light
Oh it's your way
Pull me out of the dark
Just to show me the way
Cryin out now
From so far away
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love

Cause you are all that I've waited for
All of my life
(We're gonna get there)
You are all that I've waited for
All of my life

You pull me closer to love hu huuh
Closer to love hu huuuh
Pull me closer to love
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love oh no
Closer to love
Closer to love

Pull me closer to love

Actors Music Videos

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TV Guide made a list of 13 music videos by actors. Some of them are super embarrassing! Haha! But the Jennnifer Love Hewitt one was actually something I liked in high school! I was all about the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer soundtrack!

Hilarious. Click here for the full list!

Flyleaf

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Can we talk about how cute I think she is?

Watch their videos....
I'm So Sick
All Around Me
Sorrow

Jason Castro working on a CD

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Jason Castro is working with Kara DioGuardi on his album. He just got a record deal! I know it's weird, but I'm actually excited about this!

Quote for the Day

Well I looked my demons in the eye,

Laid bare my chest said ‘do your best destroy me’
See I’ve been to hell and back so many times,
I must admit you kinda bore me.
-Ray LaMontagne

(This is one of my favorite lyrics from one of his songs, Empty)

Blast From the Past

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I had a wonderful time in Nashville this past weekend! I went down there with my friend Diana to visit our friend Tanner from high school! We went to a Luna Halo show and we went to dinner with my friends - Bobbi, Madi and Eric! It was just a great weekend!! I love catching up with people!!

Eric actually has his own blog and a new CD out that you can buy called The Jazz in Me!
Check it out!!

Britney Spears: If You Seek Amy

Today...

Luna Halo

12th & Porter
Nashville, TN

Ray Lamontagne on SNL

I just love him.