NZ: MUSIC MONTH 2009

May is New Zealand Music Month!

It's that month of the year in NZ when it's time to celebrate OUR great music!
In it's 9th year, NZ Music Month is the all about getting out there, going in droves to gigs, buying CD's (slash songs on iTunes) and removing that "Tall Poppy Syndrome" we seem to experience about OUR music.

With NZ acts all throughout the country putting on extra gigs, this is the time of the year to go out and discover your "next" favourite band, or attend one of our top acts showcasing some of their newest material.

Not only are there a tonne of gigs, but May is the month with the biggest number of releases from Kiwi Acts, with a quarter of all NZ music sold in May alone.
Big releases this month include Boh Runga with her debut album "Right Here", and the late late April release (will chart in May) of Midnight Youth's debut album "The Brave Don't Run".

For all things NZ Music Month visit the official website and go and support it!

LILY SAY YES TO F**K YOU?

Is the third track to be taken of Lily Allen's UK No.1 Album "It's Not Me, It's You""Fuck You"?

That is the rumour, with Wikipedia claiming that it will follow "Not Fair" as the third single. "Fuck You" has already proven to be a success before it's official release, becoming a Top 40 hit in Canada & Australia (around the same time as the release as the albums first single "The Fear") due to high digital downloads.

REVIEW: This song is the quintessential Lily Allen song of her career so far! It has cheek as well as being socially aware of some of today's biggest societal issues. The upbeat pop-happy music helps deliver the strong messages but enables you to not feel as though you are habving politics shoved down your throat. Genius!

Whether "Fuck You" will get a full release on radio is yet to be known (there is apparently a Clean Radio Edit), but you can't keep a good track down!

Score: 9.5/10

FREE COLDPLAY ALBUM

Coldplay are set to giveaway live albums to fans at forthcoming tour dates.

The nine-track live album, entitled "LeftRightLeftRightLeft" will be given to all fans attending their 'Viva La Vida' tour dates.
Lead-singer Chris Martin says of the free album, "It's a way of saying thank you. It's a tough economy and people are paying a lot of money for tickets."
The album will also be available as a free download from the band's official website, Coldplay.com, from May 15.

TRAILER: EPIC MOVIE OF THE YEAR

The latest trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is out, and it looks massive!

$$$

HILLS STAR ON FAMILY GUY

MTV's "Hills" star Lauren Conrad is set to guest appear on Family Guy.

After announcing her departure from the show at the end of May, she is doing the rounds before her "star light" is dimmed for good for the meantime.

So where does one go before going into hiding? Family Guy.

Quote: Lauren says of her Family Guy gig, “The idea in the episode is that they make fun of me for being dumb and then discover that I’m actually a genius, and that [Lauren Conrad is] kind of a character I play [on TV], because America likes dumb people.”

Catch L.C. on Family Guy May 3rd on FOX.

NZ: TEAM ELLEN

"Team Ellen" put NZ on the map!

Three Kiwi's Nick, Lauren, and Kaitlin (from Christchurch) "made it their mission to meet super star Ellen Degeneres". They recorded video's on YouTube and Ellen got hold of these and "twittered" them personally. She then rang them up on the show (see below) and told them that she was going to give them a week-long trip to Los Angeles, including a visit to the set of her show.

She surprised them even further by interviewing them ON THE SHOW and upon arriving back in NZ they are now local celebrities! Upon arriving back home they were interviewed on Breakfast by Paul Henry and had this to say; ""She's very genuine. Even when the video wasn't rolling she would chat to us and say, 'This is surreal, isn't it?". Good on them! Another case of great "Kiwi Ingenuity"!
(clips below)

NZ: SMASHPROOF BREAK RECORD

Local heroes Smashproof have broken a 23 year-old record!

Their hit "Brother" (featuring Gin) has spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the RIANZ New Zealand Singles Charts, breaking the record previously held by All Of Us' "Sailing Away" since 1996.

Their debut album "The Weekend" is out now.

KINGS OF LEON DATES

Rock's favourite sons Kings of Leon are on their way to the UK this June.

They will play the O2 Arena in London on June 15 and at the Evening News Arena in Manchester on June 22.

They will also be playing the following Summer Festivals; Reading & Leeds 2009, T In The Park 2009, Sasquatch 2009, and Oxegen 2009.

Get along and support them where you can!

NZ: GO GIRLS CONFIRMED SECOND SEAON

After dominating in it's Thursday timeslot, TV2's Go Girls will be back for a second season!

The second season is expected to start filming later in this year, will it set for screening in early 2010.

OXEGEN 2009

Calvin Harris, The Horrors and Noisettes join Oxegen 2009 Festival line-up.

The join many of today's top acts, making this possibly the Best Festival line-up so far!

BEYONCE BACK FOR THIRDS

Beyoncé's reign with her third record ("I Am...Sasha Fierce") looks set to continue.

Recently confirmed are her fifth & sixth (third off each disc) singles, which are the the "Sasha" inspired "Ego" and "Beyoncé" "Broken Hearted Girl".

"Ego" is a smoother track from "Sasha" but plays up the naughtier side that we like from B. The use of great instruments with clever and sassy lyrics make this song another hit. Reminiscent of her Destiny's Child and "Irreplaceble" days, this track will be big with the girls this Northern Summer and will make a big impression on the radio.

"Broken Hearted Girl" continues the drama of "Halo" but strips back the beat and is piano driven this time, until around 1:40 where a small beat and electronics mixes things up. It is a ballad and girl anthem that we have come to expect from her, yet it is very now and fresh in the same way that "Halo" & "If I Were A Boy" have stood out from the rest of her competition. Another great track from the Queen of R&B & Soul.

Scores:
"Ego" - 8/10
"Broken Hearted Girl" - 8.5/10

VIDEO: WAKING UP IN VEGAS

NZ OFFICIAL MUSIC CHART 28/4

Here are the numbers for the official NZ Music Charts;

LITTLE BOOTS FREE ALBUM MINIMIX

Little Boots is one again showing off her generosity and is giving away an album Minimix of her debut LP "Hands".

Get it here.

LILY ALLEN NOVEMBER DATES

Lily Allen will return home for 8 dates this November.

The dates are as follows;
- November 16 - Sheffield, O2 Academy

- November 17 - Manchester, Apollo

- November 20 - Bournemouth, BIC

- November 21 - Plymouth, Pavillions

- November 22 - Swindon, Oasis

- November 24 - Birmingham, NIA

- November 25 - Glasgow, SECC

- November 27 - London, O2 Academy Brixton

"It's Not Me It's You is out now.

GEEN DAY UK & IRL DATES

Green Day will start a 10-date tour throughout the UK & Ireland throughout October.

The tour dates in full:

* October 19 - SECC, Glasgow

* October 20 - Odyssey Arena, Belfast

* October 21 - O2, Dublin

* October 23, 24 - O2, Dublin

* October 26 - Hallam Arena, Sheffield

* October 27, 28 - LG Arena, Birmingham

* October 30, 31 - MEN Arena, Manchester

"21st Century Breakdown" is out May 11th.

NEWS: SUGABABES SIGN TO JAY-Z

The Sugababes have reportedly have signed a contract with Jay-Z's US label Roc-A-Fella.

After the less than great response to their previous record, the group will be looking to reinstate themselves as the top Girl Group with the future release of the seventh record.
They will be working with the top producers who have worked with the biggest acts around including Rihanna & Beyoncé.

Expect to hear more from them later in the year.

HELP E! SAVE ONE SHOW

It's that time of year where some of the shows you love are on the chopping block!
So thanks to Kristin Dos Santos you have the chance to "Save One Show"!
Here are the choices:

So go to E!online and make your choice!

FHM SEXIEST WOMEN 2009

FHM Magazine has released their list of the Sexiest Women in the world for 2009.

1. Cheryl Cole (7)
2. Megan Fox (1)
3. Jessica Alba (2)
4. Britney Spears (31)
5. Keeley Hazell (3)
6. Adriana Lima (21)
7. Elisha Cuthbert (4)
8. Kristin Kreuk (48)
9. Anna Friel (re-entry)
10. Freida Pinto (new entry)

Last years numbers in (brackets).

BRUNO

Enough said.

FROM GOSSIP GIRL TO UNIVERSAL

Resident Gossip Girl bitch vixen Leighton Meester looks set to add "music" to her C.V.

Meester has reportedly signed to Universal Music and is already in the studio for a 3rd Quarter release of her debut album.

The first track to be taken off the untitled record is a cover titled "Birthday".
Meester describes the track in the Feb. 2009 issue of Teen Vogue as "edgy, like electropop rather than bubblegum, and you can dance to it."

Another track that has leaked is a cover of Kim Carnes "Bette Davis Eyes" which is a good sign of things to come! Far away from the sound of Carnes original, Meester's take is psychedelic electronic masterpiece that encompasses everything that is cool with Pop in '09. Her sultry voice comes unexpected and is a truly remarkable. Watch this space.

VIDEO: NEW IN TOWN

Little Boots first major track "New In Town" is now not only an audio masterpiece but now has a NEW video. Enjoy below;

ARIA MUSIC CHART

Here are the numbers for the official Australian Music Charts;

UK OFFICAL MUSIC CHART

Here are the numbers for the official UK Music Charts;

BEST SONG OF 2009?

Pop has been reinvented once again, and it has never sounded or looked better before!

The pop institution that is Girls Aloud deliver their best track ever and potentially the best Pop track of 2009!
"Untouchable" is a pop-electro track that pushes every misconception about "pop" music and brings a new dimension to the world of music. This track invokes a pleasure that has been missing since Nelly Furtado's 2006 hit "Say It Right". This track pushed the boundaries of mainstream music.
"Untouchable" should top the UK charts if life was fair, but it seems that they have brought out a song before it's time. The public may not be able to appreciate what the Girls have accomplished just yet, but when we look back at music in 2009 this track will forever be favorably remembered!

Score:9.5/10