38 BEST SONGS OF '08 (20-9)

This year saw a revival in "pop" music, and it's credibility has been reinstated with great acts created happy dittys with substance and ingenuity.

Numbers 20 thru Nine:

20. “Break The Ice” – Britney Spears
19 “Bleeding Love” – Leona Lewis
18. “Viva La Vida” – Coldplay
17. “Hot n Cold” – Katy Perry
16. “Mercy” - Duffy
15. “If I Were A Boy” - Beyonce
14. “Human” – The Killers
13. “I Hate This Part” – The Pussycat Dolls
12. “American Boy” – Estelle (feat. Kanye West)
11. “Electric Feel” - MGMT
10 “One Week Of Danger” – The Virgins
9. “Disturbia” - Rihanna

And a few that just missed the list:
"This Love” – The Veronicas
“Hollywood’s Not America” – Ferras
“A-Punk” Vampire Weekend

This years #'s 8-1 will be revealed THIS MONDAY!

NZ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

- British rockers Coldplay are set to play two shows at Auckland's Vector Arena on March 18th and 19th, as part of their "Viva La Vida" Tour. Tickets go on sale on Monday.

- Stuff.co.nz have released their top 25 Albums of the past year, with the top position going to our own Flight of the Conchords debut album, "Flight of the Conchords". In at #2 was Kings of Leon with their brilliant release "One By The Night"!

And finally the biggest question on kiwi's lips this summer will be "Who do you think killed Ethan Pierce?"
This year's season finale of Shortland Street ended with a bang as notorious bad boy Pierce was shot dead, and with many people wanting his head, it will be one storyline to be remembered all summer long!

VINCE HARDER - STROBE LIGHT

After conquering the New Zealand music charts with his collaboration on P-Money's "Everything", our latest music sensation Vince Harder returns with his "Strobe Light"!
What catches me at first is the high production level, definitely a complement! Kiwi music can be so bland and has no real attraction to it at times, but Vince showcases that he's a world wide entertainer! The music is great and definitely a club hit in the making. In general its a good solid track, nothing to go crazy over, but something to definitely prick your ears up about.
Can't wait to hear more from this promising new hit maker!

Score: 7.5/10

U2 - NEW ALBUM DETAILS

U2's twelfth studio album, "No Line on the Horizon" looks set for a release March 3rd, 2009!
The follow up to 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" currently is awaiting for a track list is yet to be confirmed, but it has been rumored that two of the probably 12 tracks are to be titled "Moment of Surrender", "Unknown Caller", and the title track.

More details to follow as they come.

Billboard Chart Beat 19/12

This week on the Billboard Charts, it's the ladies turn at the top.

On the Hot 100, Beyonce regains the #1 position with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"! She joins Britney and Kanye with all three of them scoring two songs a piece in the Top 10!

Here's how the top 5 look this week (11.12.08):

1. Beyonce "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (SonyBMG)
2. T.I. feat. Rihanna "Live Your Life" (WEA/Warner)
3. Lady Gaga "Just Dance" (Interscope)
4. Britney Spears "Circus" (Jive)
5. T.I. "Whatever You Like" (WEA/Warner)

On the Billboard 200, country sensation Taylor Swift takes over at #1 with her "Fearless" scoring a 29% sales increase, selling 249,000copies this past week! Britney's "Circus" takes a sales drop of -60% to #2 with 200,000 copies.
There are no new entries in the Top 10, with the highest debut of the week Musiq Soulchild with "onmyradio" in at #11!

38 BEST SONGS OF '08 (38-21)

It's that time of year again, time for the annual lists! So here's Native Tourist's pick of the Top 38 of 'o8!

Numbers 38 thru 21:

38. “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” – Beyonce
37. “Don’t Hold Back” – The Potbelleez
36. “No Air” – Jordin Sparks (feat. Chris Brown)
35. “Feedback” – Janet
34. “Circus” – Britney Spears
33. “Girls” - Sugababes
32. “Live Your Live” - T.I. (feat. Rihanna)
31. “Untouched” – The Veronicas
30. “Jockin Jay-Z” – Jay-Z
29. “Dangerous” - M. Pokora
28. “I Kissed A Girl” – Katy Perry
27. “Everything” – P-Money (feat. Vince Harder)
26. “Sweet About Me” - Gabriella Cilmi
25. “So What” – Pink
24. “Superstar” – Lupe Fiasco
23. “We Hold On” – Kaz James
22. “Just Dance” – Lady Gaga
21. “Shake It” – Metro Station

And a few that just missed the list:
“Another Way to Die” – Jack White & Alicia Keys
“Too Late Now” – Nathan King
“Fascination” - “Alphabeat
“Low” – Flo Rida

NZ CHART BEAT

Lady Gaga makes it six weeks in a row atop the New Zealand Singles Chart with her three-headed monster hit "Poker Face"!
There have been some small movement in the top 5 this week, with Beyonce's "Single Ladies" rising into the second spot and Basshunter rising for a second week in a row to the #3 position with "Now You're Gone". In local news, Anika Moa and OpShops joint venture "Beside You debuts at an impressive #20.

Here's how the top 5 look this week (15.12.08)

1. Lady Gaga "Poker Face" (Universal)
2. Beyonce "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" (SonyMusic)
3. Basshunter "Now You're Gone" (WEA/Warner)
4. T.I. feat. Rihanna "Live Your Life" (WEA/Warner)
5. Kings Of Leon "Use Somebody" (SonyMusic)

On the album chart, Billy T James rises to the #1 spot with "The Comic Genius Of Billy T James". Nothing else too notable on the chart this week, except for a dismal debut from Fall Out Boy with their latest album "Folie A Deux" entering in at #37, their previous effort "Infinity on High" debuted atop the chart in early 2007.

LADYHAWKE - WOMANIZER

Britney's hit "Womanizer" has been covered by Kiwi royalty, Queen Ladyhawke! I love Ladyhawke and her version is very epic! It's an interesting cover, but not quite as Lily's!

Score: 6/10

Download Ladyhawke - Womanizer
(Download is very quiet, will hope to get a better version)

(RE)INTRODUCING KAZ JAMES

Kaz James is back, and set to take the world by storm with some of the best dance music on offer!
Formerly one half of the British/Australian duo The Bodyrockers, the Australian singer/DJ's debut single "Breathe" (featuring Stu Stone) was one of this years biggest club hits! After the release of his critically praised debut album "If They Knew", Kaz is back with his addictive second single, "We Hold On"!

"We Hold On" is a great song with strong vocals from Kaz and of course a stomping beat. He is clever when it comes to the structure of his music and delivers a song that is both radio friendly and sure to set the clubs alive.One to watch out for!

Score: 9/10

For more on Kaz visit kazjames.com

NEW LOOK NT BLOG

Over the next week the look of the Native Tourist Blog is set to change! Keep your eyes posted for the exciting new changes, and expect more weekly posts than ever before!
Plus there will be more downloads and tonnes more reviews!