Tomorrow night, sci-fi nerds everywhere will be celebrating the return of Futurama, the much-beloved (by me, anyway) animated series from Simpsons creator Matt Groening. The sitcom, about a pizza delivery boy accidentally cryogenically freezing himself in 1999 and waking up on New Year’s Eve, 2999. With all of his friends and family long gone, he has to adjust to life in the 31st century. He gets a job as (what else?) a delivery boy. Only this time, he’s delivering packages to different galaxies.

The show debuted on Fox in 1999 and ran for four seasons before being canceled in 2003. Since then, the reruns have been shown in syndication on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and Comedy Central. Excitement over the possible resurrection of the series began to build in 2007, when four straight-to-DVD movies were released, and the movies were subsequently broken up into parts and aired as “new” episodes. Then, last year it was announced that the series was coming back […]

Today, Australian-born singer-songwriter Sia Furler releases her fifth solo album, We Are Born. Sia began her career as a backup singer for British group Jamiroquai before becoming a featured vocalist for producer duo Zero 7. She really came to be recognized a powerful solo artist in 2005, however, when her song, “Breathe Me” was chosen as the soundtrack to the climactic final scene in the critically acclaimed series finale of the HBO drama Six Feet Under. Since then, she has released a live album and, as of today, two studio albums.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr1bTNFjec8&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Unlike her last disc, 2008’s Some People Have Real Problems, the new album is comprised mostly of upbeat electro-pop tracks. Some of the credit for this certainly has to go to one of her major collaborators on this project, Greg Kurstin. Kurstin is the male half of The Bird & The Bee, as well as an in-demand songwriter and producer. So far this year he has worked with […]

Within the last week and a half, two pop stars have released music videos that they hope will propel their accompanying songs to the top of the summer charts.  Last week, Lady Gaga gave us “Alejandro,” an homage to just about every video Madonna has ever done, with a little bit of Evita thrown in for good measure.  Wednesday, Katy Perry posted her clip for “California Gurls,” which reminded me mostly of the game Candyland that I loved so dearly as a child.  (I fear I shall never be able to play that game ever again without thinking of a naked Katy Perry wearing a Queen Frostine wig.  Sad.)

These videos obviously couldn’t be more different…except for one thing. Both Katy and Gaga and some point during the video sport a bikini top featuring some kind of strange accessory. Katy actually does this several times -mostly with pastry-related items- but the highlight(?) is at 3:23 when she has actual spraying cans of whipped cream […]

The Knack – My Sharona

Doug Fieger, lead singer of The Knack, died yesterday after a long battle with cancer.  He was 57 years old.

The Knack formed in 1978 and had their biggest success with the ultra-catchy “My Sharona.”  The track features one of the most well-known guitar riff in pop music history and has been covered (or parodied) by countless artists.

I have always loved the song My Sharona, maybe because it was the number one song (it spent six weeks at the top of the charts) on the day I was born and so I probably heard it a lot in the womb.    Originally released in 1979, it hit the charts again in 1994 when it was featured in the movie Reality Bites and released as a single for the film’s soundtrack.

Here is the original music video for My Sharona.  RIP, Doug.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukL_vlOKj8A]

Buy – iTunes

Buy – Amazon

Heather

Producer, Branded Music

PlayNetwork, Inc.

Tonight, the long-awaited Elton John and Billy Joel Face To Face tour makes it to Seattle.  Two shows slated for early November 2009 were postponed when Elton fell ill.  Tonight, the rescheduled shows begin at Key Arena.

I am a huge fan of both Elton and Billy, so I am beyond excited for the concert tonight.  I haven’t seen either one of them live before, so it’s a big night for me.

To celebrate tonight’s dream come true event, there are TWO songs of the day!

Billy Joel has the first slot with the 1980’s classic “Uptown Girl.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCuMWrfXG4E]

And of course, the other song of the day comes from Sir Elton!  Here’s a vintage clip from a 1970 performance of “Your Song.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTa8U0Wa0q8]

Enjoy!

Heather

Producer, Branded Music

PlayNetwork, Inc.

Journey – Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

So I could not let the day end without mentioning that it is Steve Perry’s 61st birthday.  61 years old!  Though he left the band in 1987 (and again in 1998 after a short three-year reunion) Steve was the lead singer of  Journey during their heyday.

Journey has given us many iconic pop songs; “Lights,” “Any Way you Want It,” “Faithfully,” “Open Arms,” “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” “Wheel in the Sky,” “Who’s Cryin’ Now,” and of course, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Whether you’re a Journey fan or not, you have to admit that Steve has some serious pipes.  He’s certainly one of the best vocalists of all time.  To honor Steve’s birthday, today’s song of the day is my favorite Journey song.  It’s the song I believe features Steve’s best vocal performance, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).”  The video is also totally cheesy and unintentionally hilarious!  Watch how Steve gets so into the lyrics, […]

I’m just gonna come right out and say it: “Never My Love” is one of my favorite songs of ALL TIME.  It’s way up in my top 10, maybe in my top 5.  The song may be a little on the cheesy side, but come on!  Who doesn’t need a sappy love song now and then?

I am not alone in my love for this song.  Broadcast Music Incorporated (commonly known as BMI) lists the song as the second most played track (in TV and radio) of the 20th century.  Quite a feat, and well deserved, as far as I’m concerned.

I was excited to see that a cover of “Never My Love” was recorded by another favorite of mine, Har Mar Superstar.  He collaborated Adam Green of the Moldy Peaches on the song for  the soundtrack to the 2009 film Whip It.  While it’s a great version, The Association’s cover of the song is still my favorite.  Here is The Association performing live […]

The Clash – London Calling

30 years ago today, British punk band The Clash released one of the most iconic albums in rock music history.  London Calling took the world by storm and brought punk music to the pop charts.  It’s one of my favorite albums of all time.  Here is the video for the title track.  Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGf82oCyLEo&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Heather

Producer, Branded Music

PlayNetwork, Inc.

Buy track on iTunes.  Buy track on Amazon.

R.E.M. – Finest Worksong

Heather’s Song of the Day returns!  Today my post celebrates one of the greatest frontmen of all time, Michael Stipe.  The R.E.M. singer turns 50 today, so I have a great excuse to post one of my favorite songs by the rock superstars.  From 1987, here is “Finest Worksong.” Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=559eWB93jW4]

Heather

Producer, Branded Music

PlayNetwork, Inc.

Heather’s Top 15 Albums of 2009

This year was a great one for new music!  While many of my favorite 15 albums of the year are from established artists, there were some debut albums that made the cut.  Enjoy!

15.  Fastball – Little White Lies

I have been a fan of Fastball since they released their All The Pain Money Can Buy album in 1998.  They then released two more excellent albums before taking a five year break in 2004.  I was very excited when I found out that the hiatus was over and they released Little White Lies in April.  It’s a solid album and I am happy the boys are back!

Best Tracks:

iTunes Amazon – Mono To Stereo iTunes Amazon – We’ll Always Have Paris (Everyday All Of The Time) iTunes Amazon – All I Was Looking For Was You

14.  Metric – Fantasies

This year I was happy to see Metric get the attention they deserve!  […]

While many of my Top 20 Songs of the Year appeared on one of my Top 10 Albums of the Year, (oops, spoiler alert!) there were a few surprises here and there.  For the most part, I stuck to my own rules and you can be sure of one thing: only songs that were released during the 2009 calendar year are included on my list.  That means that if an album was released in 2008, but the second single didn’t come out until 2009, too bad.  It’s a 2008 release, not 2009.  I’m a stickler for the rules that way.  So here we go.  The best songs of 2009 (according to me) are:

20.  Uprising – Muse

I was never a fan of Muse before this year, really.  I mean, I like “Supermassive Black Hole” as much as the next girl but it took Muse’s 2009 release, The Resistance, to really hook me.  I spent a couple of weeks listening to the album and while The Resistance […]

I grew up listening to Janet Jackson. I was nine years old when Rhythm Nation 1814 was released and it was one of the first cassette tapes I ever bought. I listened to that album constantly and I am pretty confident that I still know all of the songs and “interludes” by heart. That album features my favorite Janet song of all time, “Black Cat.”

Today Janet Jackson releases her second greatest hits collection, titled “Number Ones.” As the title implies, it is a complete roundup of all of her Number One hits in a 2CD set.

The track list is impressive. Her most recent albums, Damita Jo, 20 Y.O. and Dicipline, haven’t been nearly as successful as her earlier efforts and that fact is proven here. Only one track from each of those discs has made it on to her Number Ones album. But we mustn’t forget that in her prime, Janet was a hit machine. Six of the 34 tracks […]

Last month singer/songwriter and Washington state native Brandi Carlile released her third album, Give Up the Ghost. I have been listening to the song, “Dreams,” on a loop for the past couple of days and I love it, so I have made it my Song Of The Day. The video is a little creepy, but I can get over it. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tXaZa-2loI]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

It’s Friday the 13th, so I feel obligated to find a somewhat creepy video for my Song Of The Day. I think Ladyhawke’s “Dusk Till Dawn” fits the bill quite nicely.

Ladyhawke is a singer/songwriter from New Zealand. Her self-titled debut album was one of my favorites of last year and “Dusk Till Dawn” is my favorite track on the disc. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zidOUaeSAR8]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

On November 23 singer/dancer/songwriter/performance artist Lady Gaga releases her new album. Well, it’s not quite “new” exactly. The Fame Monster is her debut album, The Fame, with eight new tracks. I just heard the new songs this morning and while they are up to par with some of her best songs from The Fame, the new tracks are decidedly darker than the dance-pop fare Gaga released last year. I have no doubt that they will be just as successful as her first batch of singles and if she continues to put out new material at this rate she’s going to continue to break records. Last week she became the first artist in history to have four #1 singles from a debut album.

Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga’s got some interesting ideas. Her videos and performances have become increasingly conceptual. The video for her new single, “Bad Romance,” was released just a few days ago and it has already been viewed nearly four and […]

I think it is awesome when artists’ singing voices are the complete opposite of their speaking voices and there is no better example of that then Susan Tedeschi. In the video of today’s Song Of The Day, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright”, Susan introduces the Bob Dylan masterwork in her sweet and demure voice, then launches into the track with a voice that almost knocks you over. She sings in a soulful, raspy, powerful voice that is effortless and filled with emotional pain. Then at the end of the video as the final notes sound, she thanks the audience for their applause and again you think to yourself, “I can’t believe that those two voices exist within the same person.” Pretty cool. So enjoy the performance! I think I’ll watch the video again myself.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXvinNxNPiE]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Weezer has been known for their clever videos from the very beginning. Their debut video was filmed in a single take and featured a bunch of dogs running through the set. I love Weezer’s second video, for the song “Buddy Holly.” It was filmed to look like the guys were in an episode of the TV show Happy Days. It is almost seamless, and features all of the Happy Days’ cast, including the Fonz.

Weezer have done a ton of other cool videos. In “Island In The Sun” they played with a bunch of baby animals. For “Pork and Beans” the guys wrangled a bunch of YouTube stars to appear with them in the clip, which turned the video into a YouTube sensation by proxy. But of all of the Weezer videos, I have one ultimate favorite. It’s for the song “Keep Fishin’” and it features the entire cast from The Muppet Show. Watching it is like watching a piece […]

Today Sandra Denton, a.k.a. Pepa of 80’s Hip Hop group Salt-N-Pepa, turns the big 4-0. Salt-N-Pepa’s song, “Push It,” became a worldwide smash in 1986. Earlier this year, the TV show Glee used the song in one of its early episodes. You can see it HERE. I think it was the hilariously provocative performance of the song that got me hooked on the show. I still love the original cut most of all, though, so it is today’s Song Of The Day. Enjoy, and Happy Birthday, Pep!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0se4PpfOP7o]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Fastball is one of my favorite bands from the 1990s. They broke into the big time in 1998 when their second album, All The Pain Money Can Buy, was released to rave reviews. The lead-off single, “The Way,” hit #1 on the US Modern Rock charts and the follow-up single, “Fire Escape,” reached #13. Even though the band has released three more excellent studio albums since All The Pain Money Can Buy, “Fire Escape” is still my favorite Fastball song. I think it has a lot to do with the track’s video. Ten years before Lady Gaga’s chilling performance of her song “Paparazzi” at the MTV Video Music Awards, Fastball made their statement about the downside of fame in the clip for “Fire Escape.” It is one of my all-time favorite music videos and I have made “Fire Escape” my Song Of The Day. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jMyjjeSWak]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

The summer after I graduated from high school I got a job working in the Junior’s section of a department store. Every couple of months we would receive a new video tape from our corporate headquarters that we would show on TVs mounted around the department. The two hour tape contained music videos and ads on a loop that would run continuously all day long, which means that I saw the tape in its entirety about four times a day, five days a week, all summer long.

You might think that after seeing and hearing the same music videos over a hundred times I would be so sick of them that I would never want to see or hear them ever again and for the most part, you’d be right. To this day I still can’t listen to “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” by Backstreet Boys, “Men In Black” by Will Smith or “How Do I Live” by Leann Rimes. There were a couple of songs […]

I have been waiting, (mostly patiently), for Noisettes to tour here in the US. I have loved them since What’s The Time, Mr. Wolf?, their debut album, was released in 2007. I heard the very first track, “Don’t Give Up,” and I was instantly hooked, which is why I made the song today’s Song Of The Day. If the band is even half as energetic on stage as they are in this video, they must put on an amazing show. Unfortunately, the only gigs currently on their calendar are for a UK tour in March 2010, but I am keeping my fingers crossed in the hope that they will take a leap across the pond and play some US dates next year as well. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akRHQJwtN9Y]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Back in 1982, English singer/songwriter Adam Ant disbanded his band Adam and the Ants and released his first solo album. He scored his biggest hit in the US with today’s Song Of The Day, “Goody Two Shoes.” It hit #12 in the States but it was a #1 smash in his home country.

A few fun facts about Adam Ant:

1. Adam’s first ever band was called Bazooka Joe. Adam played bass. In November of 1975, the very first Sex Pistols gig was as the opener for Bazooka Joe.

2. In 1977, Adam formed Adam and the Ants and asked Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren to manage the band. Malcolm then stole all of the other “Ants” and hired singer Annabella Lwin to front the new band, Bow Wow Wow.

3. Today is Adam’s 55th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Adam! Enjoy the Song Of The Day!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OpE5mb1Pw]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Ben Garrett, a.k.a. frYars, released his debut album Dark Young Hearts in the UK this past September after a single became big in Japan a few years ago. The success of “The Ides,” a song that was released digitally and made waves online, prompted a second EP, Perfidy to be released in Japan as well. Finally, frYars recorded an entire album and it features today’s Song of The Day, “Olive Eyes.” I can’t wait to hear the rest of the CD. Enjoy!

WATCH NOW!

Buy: iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Simon Le Bon, lead singer of pop supergroup Duran Duran, celebrates his 51st birthday today (Oct 27th). Duran Duran, along with Madonna and Michael Jackson, really embraced the music video format and were pioneers of MTV at it’s inception. They were the masters of music videos and the clip for today’s Song Of The Day only proves my point. “Come Undone” is a great song and the video showcases the song perfectly. Happy Birthday to you, (was created for ya) Simon! Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICnlyNUt_0o]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Last night singer/songwriter Mika played to a sold out crowd at Seattle’s Moore Theatre. The show was all-ages, which was a good thing considering all of the kids in attendance who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to see their hero in action. I had no idea that Mika’s fan base ran so young, but I shouldn’t be too surprised. The first single from his new album, “We Are Golden,” is a teenage anthem that practically begs to be sung while dancing around in one’s underwear. Funnily enough, that is exactly the theme of the song’s video.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WknXCcVThI&feature=fvst]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

On Valentine’s Day last year Mika played a gig at the Showbox Sodo and last night he mentioned that show, saying that he had played “in a barn-like structure” (which was true) and that he had lost his voice (which was definitely not.) No one in the audience for that concert had the foggiest idea that he was not at his […]

Today is Natalie Merchant’s 46th birthday. I listened to a lot of Natalie’s music in my junior high and high school years. In junior high she was with the 10,000 Maniacs and in high school she had gone solo. While I like the 10,000 Maniacs a lot, I LOVE Natalie’s solo work, particularly today’s Song Of The Day, ‘Carnival’. ‘Carnival’ was Natalie’s first single from Natalie’s debut solo album Tigerlily. The album was a huge success, selling over 5 million copies. This video is from a live performance, which seems to be where she is at her best. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhUyYpmlCEM]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Today, actor extraordinaire Christopher Lloyd turns 71 years old. He has had a lot of famous roles, playing Professor Plum in Clue, Reverend Jim Ignatowski in Taxi, Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and of course, Emmet “Doc” Brown in the Back To The Future trilogy. What better way to celebrate Mr. Lloyd’s birthday than to feature the song that is linked forever with everyone’s favorite time-travel movies? Today’s Song Of The Day is “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News. The video features Christopher Lloyd as a special bonus. Happy Birthday Mr. Lloyd!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFaXTcR4dtE]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Today’s Song Of The Day has not one, but two accompanying music videos. “First Train Home” is the first single from British singer-songwriter Imogen Heap’s third solo album, Ellipse. Imogen is perhaps best known for her work with Guy Sigsworth in the band Frou Frou, but her last solo album was quite successful as well. In fact, Imogen was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy when that album, Speak For Yourself, was released, and Jason DeRulo is currently hovering near the top of the charts with the song “Watcha Say” that sampled “Hide And Seek,” Imogen’s breakout single from that album.

Imogen hired British stage designer Es Devlin to direct the video for “First Train Home,” but was ultimately unhappy with the finished clip so she filmed a second version of the video on her own. Now you can be the judge. Which video is the best? Discuss and enjoy!

“First Train Home” official video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax84xcaLfHs]

“First Train Home” Immi’s Party […]

I’ve been listening to a lot of Simon & Garfunkel recently. I grew up with the duo’s music, as both of my parents were big fans and often played it around the house when I was younger. As I grew older I began to appreciate the group’s music even more. The harmonies and songwriting were among the best of the folk music renaissance in the 1960’s. Simon & Garfunkel went their separate ways in 1970, but have reunited twice in the past five years to tour. The video for today’s Song Of The Day, “America,” is from a few years ago when they appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman to promote their first tour together in 20 years. They still sound pretty great. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od66bhNzBtE]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

People around the PlayNetwork office are well aware of my obsession with Swedish pop and rock music. I love Abba, The Knife, The Hives, Jose Gonzales, Roxette, Robyn and The Cardigans just to name a few. My newest Swedish fixation is a band called Miike Snow (pronounced “Mike Snow.”) The extra “I” is for extra infectious! It is nearly impossible to watch the video for today’s Song Of The Day, “Animal,” without getting it stuck in your head. Good thing it’s such a great song! Actually, the whole album is pretty great. I’m going to go ahead and say that it is near the top of my list of best albums of 2009. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXx79O6RGeM&feature=related]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

There isn’t much to say about today’s Song Of The Day. It’s by one of the best party bands of all time and I can’t help but dance a little when I hear it. Here’s The B-52’s 1980 hit, “Private Idaho.” Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7t7cGwN7_0]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

This week’s videos have unintentionally been blasts from the past, so why stop the trend now? For today’s Song Of The Day I’ve chosen “Everything She Wants” by Wham! This video is such a treat on so many levels. George Michael in his Barry Gibb look-alike phase? Check. Andrew Ridgeley’s amazing leap, complete with mid-air somersault and perfect one-foot landing? You know it. Heartfelt lip-syncing straight to the camera? Oh yeah. Thousands of screaming female fans? Yup. Completely shot in black and white to better convey the seriousness of the subject matter? You better believe it. And there you have it – the perfect 80’s era music video. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcNF7aIsElI]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

During my junior high school years I listened to a LOT of Roxette. For me, the pure pop songs released by Swedish duo Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle were the perfect way to cleanse my aural palate between hours of listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Roxette had four number 1 hits in the US from 1988-1991; “Listen To Your Heart,” “The Look,” “It Must Have Been Love” and “Joyride.” Two other songs, “Dangerous” and “Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)” hit number 2 during that same time period. After 1991, however, the band started their slow decline in popularity here in the states. Despite losing ground in America, the group continued to release albums in the rest of the world into the early part of this decade. Now, the group’s entire catalog has been remastered and all of the albums have been re-released with additional bonus tracks. In honor of this occasion I thought it only fitting to make “Listen To Your Heart,” […]

I was never huge fan of the Sammy Hagar-fronted Van Halen; I was way more of a Diamond Dave sort of girl. I have to admit, though, that Sammy’s got some pipes. In fact, he has one of the best rock and roll voices of all time. Today’s Song Of The Day, “I Can’t Drive 55,” proves my point. As cheesy as the video seems now, (but really, there aren’t many videos from the eighties that don’t make us cringe when we watch them these days) you have to agree that Sammy gives a pretty great vocal performance. Today happens to be Sammy’s 62nd(!) birthday. No kidding! So enjoy a video flashback to a simpler time, but try to follow the speed limit.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfNATuw1DRs]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Few men have made more of an impact on modern pop music than David Bowie. Artists like Depeche Mode, Scissor Sisters, Lady Gaga, Nine Inch Nails, Placebo, Blur, David Byrne, No Doubt, Pet Shop Boys, Calvin Harris, Black Kids, Razorlight, Client, MGMT, Janelle Monae, KT Tunstall, Thom Yorke, TV On The Radio, La Roux and countless others cite David Bowie as an influence. He’s been pretty quiet for the past few years but I hope a new album is on the way. In the meantime, I will watch the video for today’s Song Of The Day. It’s “Life On Mars?” Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v–IqqusnNQ]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

One of my greatest guilty pleasures is European pop music. I love Kylie Minogue (even though she’s Australian), The Saturdays, Erasure, Roxette and countless others. I just like fun, bubblegum, party music every now and then. One of my new favorite pop groups is Alphabeat, a Danish sextet who came onto the scene with their successful (in Europe, anyway) debut album, This Is Alphabeat, in 2007. The album had several hits, including “Fascination,” “10,000 Nights” and “Boyfriend.” Their second album, The Spell, is set to be released in the UK on November 2. Rumor has it that the group will be touring here in the US sometime soon. I hope so, as it looks like they would put on a fun show. In the meantime, today’s Song Of The Day is the first single released from the new album, the title track, “The Spell.” Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwH0BxtbeEA]

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

65 years ago today, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio show premiered on CBS radio. It was a situation comedy that followed the life of real-life couple Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and their two sons David and Eric, known as “Ricky.” In the early years, actors portrayed David and Ricky, but by the time the show moved to television a few years later, David and Ricky were playing themselves.

I loved watching reruns of the show when I was a kid. My favorite character was Ricky, and in the later years of the series (which ran until 1966) Ricky used the show as a platform to launch a music career. Many of the episodes from the late 1950’s and early 1960’s ended with Ricky performing a song. That was my favorite part. Many of the songs he performed on the show charted on Billboard and are still in the playlists of oldies stations everywhere. Ricky continued his music career after the show ended and was performing […]

It seems like everyone is celebrating a birthday this month and the latest name on a long list is Radiohead front man Thom Yorke. Yorke’s songwriting has kept the band near the top of critic’s “Best Of” lists since Radiohead appeared on the scene with their first single, “Creep,” in 1992. It is still my favorite Radiohead song to this day, so without further ado, here’s today’s Song Of The Day. Happy 41st, Thom! Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

I’m in a Beastie Boys kind of mood today, so what better way to celebrate than by featuring one of their best videos, “Sabotage,” for the Song Of The Day?

This video brings back fond memories for me. I remember seeing it played countless times on MTV when it was released in 1994 and it is often on lists counting down the best videos of all time. It spoofs action/detective TV shows from the 70’s and each member of the group sports a luxurious mustache and magnificent wig. It’s worth watching for that alone. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4PN7Xbexq4]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Today, one of the most influential female pop singers of the 90’s turns the big 4-0. That’s right! Gwen Stefani is 40 years old today. Gwen began her career as lead singer for No Doubt; a title that she still holds today. But in 2004 she branched out into solo work and released her first album as a solo artist, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The extended version of the video for the lead-off single is a tongue-in-cheek peek at Gwen’s creative process after deciding to try out a solo career. In reality, Gwen worked with a multitude of songwriters and artists to produce a record that was more poppy than the regular No Doubt fare and the album was a smashing success. Since then she has released a second solo album, The Sweet Escape. It all began with today’s Song Of The Day, however. “What You Waiting For” was the song that broke the songwriting ice for Ms. Stefani. Happy Birthday, Gwen!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TWCk1WtKPM]

Buy:

Sia’s Some People Have Real Problems, was one of my favorite albums of 2007. Earlier this week I started listening to the album again after not playing it for awhile. It was just as good as I remembered and I even started to enjoy a couple of songs that I hadn’t really cared for previously. One of them is “Soon We’ll Be Found,” which is today’s Song Of The Day.

I didn’t know that this song had been released as a single, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found this video. It’s a little slow to get going, but it is great overall. I’ll content myself with this video and the album until Sia’s next disc is released in early 2010. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSts_0sCUeg]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Last night Kylie Minogue, the Australian pop princess, started her very first North American tour. It’s hard to believe that she has never toured on this side of the pond, especially considering that she’s been recording and performing since the 80’s. Remember The Loco-Motion? It’s been 21 years since that video was released, but Kylie looks exactly the same! Well, maybe she’s changed her hair a bit.

Despite enormous fame in her native country and in Europe, South America, Asia, and well, basically every other country in the world, Kylie has never really been able to match that success here in the US. It looks like she is hoping to break through now, though. I am a big Kylie Minogue fan and I am excited that she is at last touring in the states. Unfortunately, she did not include a Seattle date on this tour, but I am hoping that the tour is well-received and she decides to come back soon and add more stops.

So […]

Yesterday I fortunate enough to attend Sondre Lerche’s KEXP performance at Seattle’s The Triple Door. It was a fantastically simple setup; just Sondre and his two guitars.

I wasn’t super-familiar with his music before the show. I mean, I knew a few of his songs, but I wouldn’t say I was a super-fan or anything like that. After yesterday’s show though, I will definitely be looking up more of his tunes. In honor of his great performance yesterday, today’s Song Of The Day is Sondre Lerche’s “Sleep On Needles.” It is dedicated to you, Shannon! I know this is one of your favorite Sondre Lerche songs.

On a side note, does Sondre look like Haley Joel Osment in this video or what? You be the judge. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbdTjWF1XfI]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

I am very excited! I just found out that The Nextmen have released their third album! So far it has only been released in the UK, but I am hoping that it gets a US release soon. The Nextmen’s second album, This Was Supposed To Be The Future was my favorite album of 2007, so I am eager to hear their latest effort. If it is even half as good as the last album, I will love it.

The first single off of the new album, Join The Dots, is called “Lion’s Den” and features Mercury Prize-winner Ms. Dynamite. The video is awesome! Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA5k_DcLzqs]

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Today’s Song Of The Day comes from local Seattle artist Jeff McIlwain, a.k.a. Lusine. Lusine has just released his newest album, A Certain Distance, to much critical acclaim and the single, “Two Dots” featuring Finnish vocalist Vilja Larjosto, has become a favorite of Seattle indie radio station KEXP. The video was directed by Britta Johnson and perfectly complements this gorgeous song. Be warned: THIS SONG IS VERY CATCHY! It may well get stuck in your head for days. If you ask me though, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iIvRXCV9lk]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

For the second time this week my Song Of The Day post has been dedicated to a departed soul. Mary Travers, the “Mary” of Peter, Paul and Mary, died yesterday from complications of a bone marrow transplant used to treat her leukemia. She was 72 years old.

Peter, Paul and Mary were one of the best-selling folk artists of all time. Their biggest hits included “If I Had A Hammer”, “Puff, the Magic Dragon”, “Where Have All The Flowers Gone” and today’s Song Of The Day, “Leavin’ On A Jet Plane.”

My parents were huge fans of Peter, Paul and Mary and their music was often heard around my house. I think it was one of the first bands that I could identify and name by hearing one of their songs. Listening to their music is certainly one of my earliest childhood memories. Others that I have talked to say the same. So rest in peace, Mary. You will be missed.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa3h3pnhg8s]

Buy: Amazon or

Today is the 65th birthday of Martha And The Vandellas member Betty Kelly. Betty joined the already established girl group in 1964 when she replaced founding member Annette Beard. After the personnel change, the group went on to have several more hits, including “Dancing In The Street”, “Jimmy Mack” and today’s Song Of The Day, “Nowhere To Run.” Martha And The Vandellas were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1995 and the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame in 2003. Their success is well deserved! Their songs are pure pop treats. Enjoy, and Happy Birthday, Betty!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhcflDSUMvc&feature=related]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Tonight, tough-girl pop-rocker P!nk will begin the U.S. leg of her “Funhouse” tour here in Seattle. The concert was originally scheduled to take place at the WaMu Theater, but was moved to the much bigger Key Arena due to popular ticket demand.

The tour just returned from Australia where P!nk’s shows have been getting rave reviews for her acrobatic work. Judging by her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards last Sunday, she could easily get a job as a Cirque du Soleil performer if the whole singing thing doesn’t work out for her. The music thing seems to be humming along just fine so far, though. She’s sold over 30 million albums worldwide and her popularity seems to be rising ever higher. I can’t wait to see the show tonight. It should be a spectacle to say the least!

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

In case you haven’t heard the sad news already, Patrick Swayze died yesterday at age 57 after fighting a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Swayze had a lot of memorable movie roles under his belt; Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing, Sam Wheat in Ghost and James Dalton in Road House. He also was a dancer, Broadway actor and singer. His most famous song by far is “She’s Like The Wind” from Dirty Dancing. It is today’s “Song Of The Day.” Rest in peace, Mr. Swayze.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfg97-5uhFQ]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Happy Birthday, Amy! Ms. Winehouse has made it to her 26th birthday! The past few of years have been pretty tumultuous for her. She had a smash hit record, a highly-publicized battle with drug addiction, a wedding and a divorce. No matter what is happening with her personal life, however, she still has a pretty great voice and I hope she releases another album soon. In the meantime, here is a video for today’s Song Of The Day, “Valerie.” The song is a collaboration between Winehouse and current superstar music producer Mark Ronson. Although Mark is in the video, one of Amy’s previously mentioned issues prevented her from actually appearing in the clip. It’s still a fun video, though. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivg-J–WA2s]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

On this day in 1962, The Beatles entered EMI studios in London and laid down their very first single. The song was, of course, “Love Me Do” with “P.S. I Love You” recorded as the B-side. The rest, as you know, is history. Obviously, The Beatles pre-dated the practice of recording music videos to accompany single releases, but I did manage to find this video, along with many others, on YouTube. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xuMwfUqJJM&feature=PlayList&p=5FFD03A4A8F36FFC&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=28]

Buy The Remasters! Mono or Stereo

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

The video for today’s Song Of The Day is strangely hypnotic. I think the video for “Love, Etc.” by Pet Shop Boys is one of their best ever. It’s mesmerizing and I CAN’T STOP WATCHING IT! It doesn’t hurt that the song itself is one of their best in years. Pet Shop Boys will be here in Seattle playing a show at The Moore on Sunday, Sept. 20 and tickets are still available. Watch the video and then go to the show. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8iWC9lg7js]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Today Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics celebrates his 57th birthday, so to honor him, today’s Song Of The Day is “Missionary Man” by the Eurythmics. It is one of their best videos and probably a fun one for Dave to have worked on. He got to smash a guitar, and who doesn’t want to do that at least once in their life? The video also features a smoking harmonica solo and an equally smoking Annie Lennox in a black leather catsuit. Enjoy, and Happy Birthday Dave!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RMEDBhXh-w]

Buy: Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

OK, so the video for today’s Song Of The Day isn’t the official music video. In fact, it is a commercial for a Sony TV. You have to admit that it’s pretty cool, though. I think it is a perfect match for Jose Gonzalez’s cover of The Knife’s “Heartbeats” and you gotta love the frog cameo. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-qJu20do0o]

Buy! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

Last Saturday, Seattle was treated to not one, not two, but three Flash Mob dances set to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” Saturday would have been Michael’s 51st birthday, and 300 Seattleites celebrated in a big way. I think it is pretty much impossible to watch this video without cracking a smile.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLVVFxAdta4&NR=1&feature=fvwp]

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

When Dan Black filmed the video for his new single “Symphonies” he did something completely original without using an original idea of his own. The entire video is a collection of parodies of opening and closing credit sequences from nearly every genre of film ever made. I love, love, love this video. Watch it and see how many film concepts you recognize in the not-quite-four-minute clip. You’ll probably surprise yourself. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L34HL6vEYAA]

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

I love The Beatles and I love Beatles’ covers almost as much. One of my favorite covers was done by Fiona Apple in 1998 for the movie Pleasantville. She remade “Across The Universe” and filmed an amazing video to go with it. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gLWTtlMwo4]

Buy! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

In the mid to late 1990’s Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) had several hits, including “The Rockafeller Skank”, “Praise You” and “Weapon Of Choice.” Norman’s new project is called Brighton Port Authority, or The BPA for short. Today’s song is from The BPA’s new album, I Think We’re Going To Need A Bigger Boat. The album features collaborations with at ton of artists; Iggy Pop, David Byrne and Martha Wainwright, just to name a few. “Seattle” is the 2nd single from the album and contains vocals by Emmy The Great. I love the video and the song. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Tz2kI_4mU]

Buy! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music PlayNetwork, Inc.

I have officially secured a ticket for the upcoming Mika show October 26th at Seattle’s Moore Theatre. I cannot wait, as I saw him the last time he came through town and was completely blown away by his performance. He sounds just like the late Freddie Mercury and his musical style is a lot like Queen. Check out today’s video for proof. It is Mika’s new single, “We Are Golden” and it features the finest underwear dancing since Tom Cruise rocked out to Bob Seger in Risky Business. Enjoy!

WATCH!

BUY! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music www.playnetwork.com

Saturday night I saw a superb Cure tribute band called Fascination Street. The band goes all out; teased hair, eyeliner and all. And that’s on top of spot-on performances of all of your favorite tunes. Over three sets they performed just about every Cure song you could possibly want, including my absolute favorite Cure track, “A Letter To Elise.” Since I have not been able to get the song out of my head for the past 36 hours or so, I thought it only appropriate that I make it today’s “Song Of The Day.” Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amx07ZAri7o]

Buy! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music www.playnetwork.com

Today’s song was the second biggest single in the UK when it was released in 1984. “Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood was a huge worldwide hit, reaching number ten in the US and number one in the UK. It was beat out for the title of bestselling record of the year in Britain by Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” which Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s lead singer, Holly Johnson, was featured in.

There was lots of controversy about “Relax” when it was released and it was quickly banned by BBC radio, but the song still hit the top of the charts anyway and the ban was eventually lifted. The original video for the song was banned as well in both Britain and the United States and a second, less suggestive video was filmed. Here is the second video for Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax.” If you want to see the first version, well, you have to find that for yourself. ☺

Enjoy!

[…]

Today’s song comes from an artist who is better known as an actress and comedian than as a singer. Tracey Ullman’s career in the past twenty years has been comprised of numerous TV shows, comedy specials and movies, but in the early 80’s she was signed to a punk label called Stiff Records. Her debut album, You Broke My Heart In 17 Places, spawned the hit song “They Don’t Know,” which made it to #2 in the UK and #8 in the US.

The video for they don’t know clearly shows Tracey’s knack for comedy, and contains a special acting cameo near the end. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvZSdCTcS-A]

Buy! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, Branded Music www.playnetwork.com

Today’s song of the day begins with an epic instrumental opening that would be right at home in the score to an Indiana Jones movie, but soon turns into a clever (if sarcastic) look at Thailand’s reputation of good chess and bad morals. The song’s music was composed by former members of Abba (Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson) and the lyrics were written by Tim Rice. You know, the guy who wrote the lyrics for Disney’s The Lion King? Luckily, the strange mix of songwriters worked on this song, Murray Head’s “One Night In Bangkok.” It hit number one in Europe and climbed to number three in the US when it was released in 1984. Alas, it was Murray Head’s one big hit in the United States, although he’s apparently still big in France. Anyway, I would love to learn the dance moves of the “chess pieces” at the end of the video. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnqj31VPNoE]

Buy! Amazon or iTunes

Heather Producer, […]