Guest Blogger: Emilee K1

J. Cole is, in a good way a mixture of hip-hop and r&b. A lot of people will say he is more of a hip-hop artist, but then he will throw in a few r&b tracks on his album and it opens your eyes to what he can really do. His album “Cole World: The Sideline Story” is his first actual album. He has had a lot of mix tapes but this was his debut album. And for his first album it is kind of a mixture of everything, and this is where a lot of people start to argue about the quality of his album. There are some songs that are upbeat and easy listening, but then there are others that are very serious and talk about things that most artists wouldn’t really care to write about, like abortion “Lost Ones”, family affairs “Never Told” and confused love “Nobody’s Perfect”. If you listen, actually listen to his music he will rap a lot about his life. What happened to him while he was growing up, and his experiences. And this is where a lot of people will connect with him and call him “the realest rapper alive”. Recently when his album was released it created a lot of conspiracy about how he sounds a lot like other rappers, such as Drake, Jay-Z and Kanye West. I think that he sounds like his own person just telling his story. But others just want to compare him to other artists because he is new. Like in one of his songs called “In the Morning” he raps with Drake, and J. Cole tries to bring out his R&B side and sing with Drake. Some people liked it or hated it, I loved it. Also the song he did with Jay-Z called “Mr. Nice Watch” sounds a lot like a track off of Jay-Z’s album with Kanye West “Watch the Throne”, because it is upbeat, and throws in a little bit of a dubstep mixture, which there is a lot in Jay-Z’s album. But I think that it’s ok, because Jay-Z discovered J. Cole, so of course Jay-Z’s sound will be influenced in a little part of J. Cole’s starting out. The one song that stuck out to me the most on his album was “Nobody’s Perfect” with Missy Elliot. It was memorable to me because it was the first time that he did a track with a female vocalist. And it was a nice change from him usually by himself. The hook of the song, sung by Missy is what is so great, “Nobody's perfect, uh, nobody's perfect, ay... ay, But you're perfect for me”. Her voice was just perfect for this song and the feelings that she brought with it, she makes it feel like she is talking to you. J. Cole has been around for a while now, but his album was just recently released on September 27, 2011. And it got a lot of mixed feedback. For all his fans that waited it was like a “FINALLY!!” moment, but then people who didn’t really know who he was to begin with, they just thought that his album was so-so. He has had a lot of mix tapes such as “Friday Night Lights” and “The Warm Up”. These were his openers, where he rapped about his life to get people to know what he went through and to connect with him on a different level other than just music. Some critics thought that his mix tapes were stronger than his actual album, because his album was all over the place with too many different styles of music in one place. I disagree 100%. Yes there may have been some songs that I didn’t like as well as others, but for the most part I loved his album and was glad that he is finally getting the recognition that he deserves. I love J. Cole and no one’s opinion or mean comments will change how I feel about him and his music. He is absolutely with your time and money, because he is so different from so many artists out right now. Yet a lot of people still don’t really know who he is. And now is your chance to find out for yourself! He is so talented and is just starting out. J. Cole has a long career ahead of him and I will be right here waiting to see what his next move will be.

Guest Blogger: Yasmin M1

At the age of 11 and a member of a family pop group, the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson started his legacy. He then later became a solo performer and becomes known as the king of pop. Jackson held the pop icon for over five decades. "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" and his album Thriller holds the record for the best-selling album ever sited Guinness World Records. The three biggest tracks on this record were “Thriller”, “Beat It”, and “Billie Jean”. Thriller is the bestselling album of all times which lead him to a global fame. It became a hit internationally in over 13 countries. It became the first album in history to encompass seven-top-ten-hit songs on Billboard Hot 100. In 1983, 'Billie Jean' became the first video by a black artist to ever air on MTV. During the performances of ‘Billie Jean’ Michael Jackson invents a dance move called the 'Moonwalk’. "Smooth Criminal” was an unforgettable music video because of his great dance moves and it was only possible due to a special shoe built for the legendary pop icon. Despite the racism issues that were going on during the early 80’s, Michael Jackson overlooked at it and brought people together. For example, his song “Black and White” mentions that it doesn’t matter the color of your skin. During that time he was also going through color changing faze by lightening his skin. I defiantly agree with the critics Michael Jackson’s accomplished so much throughout his life. Some of his achievements are as follows: Biggest Selling Album of All Time, Most No1 Hits in 1980's, Greatest Audience, 100 Million Records, Biggest Selling Video, Billboard "Hot 100" Singles Chart and he has won more awards than any other artist. Why should people buy Michael Jackson’s album? His songs and albums are the type of songs you don’t hear very often because his rhythm is upbeat, its unlike todays music, and it provides a sense of what it was like to live in the United States in the 1980’s. All in all, Michael Jackson represents pop music at its best.

Guest Blogger: Viviana S1

Aubrey Drake Graham, also known as Drake is a well-known artist today in our world. His fame first started when he got is first role as Jimmy Brooks on a Canadian teen drama TV series “Degrassi: The Next Generation”. As he gained popularity as small screen actor, Drake couldn’t resist trying out the music industry. Drake made his debut on Billboard Hot 100 through “Best I Ever Had”. This tract climbed to number 18 on the U.S singles chart, also peaked number 1 on Billboard Hot Rap Tracks, and at number 2 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Drake reached his popularity as an indie singer, being signed to no record label. My favorite album by Drake is Take Care which was released on November 15th, 2011. This album has songs that can relate to you like “Take Care” featuring Rihanna. "Take Care" is one of the most anticipated tracks on Drake's sophomore album. This track has so much emotion into it; it makes me feel like there is someone out there that does take care of you even if you don’t realize it. This album has many feels to it; so you will feel more than one emotion. Another of my favorite song in this album is “Make Me Proud” feat. Nicki Minaj. This track encourages you to make those around you proud through being successful in life. "It's what Drake does best, collapsing many moods – arrogance, sadness, tenderness and self-pity – into one vast, squish-souled emotion" says Rolling Stone critics. I strongly agree with Rolling Stones because Drake does have many moods to his music. You can connect with him and the messege he is sending. Take Care is the best album of 2011.

Guest Blogger: Trevor T1

One band that I like to listen to in my free time is Led Zeppelin. They have made a variety of music types but they mainly make rock and roll and heavy metal. They have been playing since 1968 and they just had a reunion in 2007. One of their biggest hits was their debut album in 1968. It was their biggest hit because “It kicked open the door for all extremes and experiments” (Steve Shelokhonov 4). A review by lemon squeezing “the leading source of information on the led zeppelin legacy…” said, basically that all their songs are great but there is one thing in each one that makes it only good. I agree with the sight, all great bands have that one thing that just annoys people. For this band it is some of the sounds that they put into their songs. For example in the song Angel dance there is a ringing sound that pops up regularly in the song that just annoys the living crap out of me. I think that their best song is when the levee breaks. I think that it is the best because it has a great beat and just plain sounds good. I think that led zeppelin is a great band and it is differently worth your time and money to listen to.

Guest Blogger: Loretta R1

One music artist I really enjoy listening to is Lorin Ashton, also known as Bassnectar. He is an electronic freestyle, and dubstep producer. The music that Bassnectar produces is always something different and unique. The feel of the songs and albums are usually different depending on what song you are listening to. A lot of the emotions that are evoked are mostly excitement and relaxing. For example the song “Voodoo” gets you really pumped up, and makes you want to dance as opposed to the song “Dubasca” which relaxes you and makes you feel calm. Bassnectar is not the only dubstep producer. There are many others that produce other unique dubstep too like Rusko and Big Chocolate. The first time I heard Bassnectar, my sister showed me the song “Basshead”, and I was kind of iffy about the music at first because it is so different than most of the other music you hear on the radio. Another song that is very memorable is the song “The Matrix” which is my absolute favorite song because it is describing what Bassnectar is actually doing the lyrics “we drop bass in yah face” explains the purpose of dubstep, but those lyrics are just a metaphor. Many people think that dubstep is for people who are on drugs, well some people do like to do drugs while they listen to this music, and that it also invokes people to do drugs, well I have to disagree on that. Bassnectar and many other dubstep producers are drug free, and are very involved in the community. Bassnectar holds campaigns for charities, and in the year of 2011 he raised 50,000 dollars for three different charities. He is also very dedicated to his music, and he claims to be “obsessed” with creating such a unique type of music. Bassnectar is definitely one artist you would have to check out. His ability to transcend genres throughout his albums will get you off your feet and dancing in no time. It is definitely worth your time and money, and I also suggest checking out Rusko and Big Chocolate too!

Guest Blogger: Nuy T1

Music is my life and I honestly do not know what I would do without it. The definition of music to me is relaxation and meaning of life. One artist in particular happens to be one of my favorites, and that is Adele. Most of her songs intend to be emotions and feelings of sadness. Her album 21 features heartfelt and loving songs. When you listen and pay close attention to the lyrics in her songs they intend to be very touching. Adele’s songs usually are about relationships and what people are going through. This artist appears to be very unique to me. Her voice is strong and just isn’t like no other artist out there. “Rolling in the Deep,” appeared to be the number one song of 2011. Adele is a successful POP artist across the Atlantic. She was crowned Billboard magazine’s number one artist of 2011. Two artists that are similar to Adele would be Duffy and Jessie J. These ladies give meanings to their songs when they sing them. When they write their music it leaves listeners, like me wanting to hear more. A song in particular that is very memorable to me would have to be “Someone like you” which is featured on the album 21. I remember the first time I heard “Someone like you,” I hated that song so much. Every time it were to play on the radio I would just shut it off because Adele’s music wasn’t the type I normally listened to. Suddenly one day I was feeling a little down and I was laying in my bed listening to the radio. All of a sudden her song started to play and as I listened closely to the lyrics I fell in love with her song. This songs talks about a relationship and it’s about what she is going through. It’s very sad and has a slow beat to it. “Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead,” is a part in the song that she states. This particular line is very memorable to me because it has a touching meaning to it. I honestly think that every relationship out there could really relate to this because no relationship is ever perfect. Adele’s music is definitely worth our time money. Every other singer that is a big hit today mainly talks about drugs, girls, money, and sex. Therefore, when we look at Adele she doesn’t intend to incorporate these in her songs, but instead she talks about relationships which have a big meaning in this world because just about everyone has a significant other. I strongly agree with other critics’ opinions about Adele’s music. She is an amazing singer; therefore she won six awards at the 54th Grammy Awards. Critics say that it’s her voice that has made her so successful. I also agree with this statement because audiences wouldn’t listen to her if she wasn’t good.

Guest Blogger: Mohamud S1

Slaughterhouse is one of my favorite music groups. They are based on hip hop and they have one of the best rappers still in the game today. Joe Budden and Joel Ortiz are one of my favorite rappers in the group. They started to rise in 2005, and they became good friends so they decided to team together and become a group. There were a lot of ups and downs in their career but there very successful. The emotions they sing are pretty intense they usually talk about the hard times they had in the New York – New Jersey are and how they were raised and how things were then and now. Most people compare slaughterhouse to another group named dipset. They sing about mostly the same things and how it’s all about getting money and most people thing that that slaughter house and dip set are just one big group. The reason why they think that is because that there all friends. One lyric that is memorable is “You herbs we merged, we're an alliance
we fight fire with flamethrowers, why would you try us?
We an outfit, equivalent to Voltron's
That boy Crooked I is equivalent to four arms
Joel Ortiz is the body
The cannibal slash killer, kill you then eat your body” I like that line because it makes a lot of sense. Most critics say that the slaughter house group express their feelings through most of their songs. I agree with the critics opinions about this group because they are very talented. They choose their words appropriately. One thing I disagree about the opinions the critics say is that they tell the public to commit crimes and all those stereotypes. Well my opinion is that the slaughter house music group is worth our time and money because it’s very interesting. There concerts are not that expensive and the music is pretty decent.

Guest Blogger: Mohamud S1

Slaughterhouse is one of my favorite music groups. They are based on hip hop and they have one of the best rappers still in the game today. Joe Budden and Joel Ortiz are one of my favorite rappers in the group. They started to rise in 2005, and they became good friends so they decided to team together and become a group. There were a lot of ups and downs in their career but there very successful. The emotions they sing are pretty intense they usually talk about the hard times they had in the New York – New Jersey are and how they were raised and how things were then and now. Most people compare slaughterhouse to another group named dipset. They sing about mostly the same things and how it’s all about getting money and most people thing that that slaughter house and dip set are just one big group. The reason why they think that is because that there all friends. One lyric that is memorable is “You herbs we merged, we're an alliance
we fight fire with flamethrowers, why would you try us?
We an outfit, equivalent to Voltron's
That boy Crooked I is equivalent to four arms
Joel Ortiz is the body
The cannibal slash killer, kill you then eat your body” I like that line because it makes a lot of sense. Most critics say that the slaughter house group express their feelings through most of their songs. I agree with the critics opinions about this group because they are very talented. They choose their words appropriately. One thing I disagree about the opinions the critics say is that they tell the public to commit crimes and all those stereotypes. Well my opinion is that the slaughter house music group is worth our time and money because it’s very interesting. There concerts are not that expensive and the music is pretty decent.

Guest Blogger: Megan B1

Adele is a Grammy Award-Winning English singer and songwriter from London. Her debut album was released in the UK and has now been sold worldwide and she has become a huge hit here in the US. Adele’s music is considered many different types of music. Each song is different and has many feels, but she is mostly Pop/Rock/R&B/Soul. Adele has two albums. Her debut album 19, was released in January 2008 and her second album, 21, was released in January 2011. The feel you get when listening to Adele’s albums are very emotional. She made it clear that her second album was about her breakup with her boyfriend soon after she turned 21, and she was miserable. Her songs are very well relatable. A couple artists that would be similar to Adele would be Jessie J and Amy Winehouse. Both of these artists are from the UK originally and have become a phenomenon in the US. They all have the same emotional feel and unique style to their music. They are also singers and songwriters. Jessie J has become more of a rapper in the US and Amy Winehouse has done eclectic mixes from soul to rock ‘n’ roll. Adele’s lyrics are incredible. They are put in such a powerful manner and everyone knows just how to sing along. From the song, “Someone Like You” she says, “Never mind, I’ll find someone like you, I wish nothing but the best for you too.” These lyrics are sung out by anyone who has ever gone through a break up or even those who haven’t. It is all about learning to move on and deal with the past. Another lyric is from, “Set Fire to the Rain” she says, “There’s a side to you that I never knew, never knew/All the things you’d say, they were never true, never true.” This is talking about finding out about different and unknown sides to people and how a big web of lies can happen; again, very relatable. As said by BBC Music on January 27,2011, “21 is simply stunning. After only a handful of plays, it feels like you’ve always known it.” I completely agree with this review. Her albums are so loved by many listeners today. It seems as if her words are coming right from fan’s diaries. She sings about exactly what we want to hear and in such a powerful and beautiful voice. As said in NY Times article, “Songs About What Went Wrong, but Performed So Right,” Jon Pareles said, “Adele is a winning combination of awkwardness and aplomb.” I have to agree again. Off stage Adele is extremely quiet and shy and doesn’t really have a chatty outgoing personality, she is more reserved. But when she sings and performs, you would never know. Her voice is unbelievable and she sings with such soul and passion. My love for Adele has continued to grow hearing and listening to more of her songs over and over again. I promise you if you spend your time and money on this incredible, talented, soulful artist, you will not be disappointed. It will be an experience you will never forget.

Guest Blogger: Matt F1

Gym Class Heroes are an American rap/hip-hop band. They have recorded 4 albums. Their latest is called “The Papercut Chronicles II”, which was released in November 2011. The album is mostly rap songs, but it contains several songs that have made it onto the pop charts. These songs have guest singers such as Adam Levine from Maroon 5. I haven’t listened to the rap songs, but Kyle Anderson of EW says that they are horrendous and seem quite angry. My favorite song from this album is “Stereo Hearts”, featuring Adam Levine. This song alternates singing and rapping. The song begins with a metaphor: “My heart's a stereo” and suggests that one should “Make me your radio And turn me up when you feel low”. These lyrics are well written and poetic. In the first rap verse, he compares himself to a “dusty record on the shelf” who wants to be listened to by a girl. In fact, he continues the comparison by saying the “last girl that played me left a couple cracks”. This is an interesting comparison to a record that skips. If you listen to the song, he raps “used to, used to, used to”. This sounds like a record skipping. This song makes me feel like the singer really wants to be together with the girl he is singing to.
Another song from the album “The Papercut Chronicles II”, which is on radios now, is called “___ Back Home”. The clean version would be “Self Back Home”. This song features a female singer, Neon Hitch. This song is similar to Stereo Hearts by alternating singing and rapping. I think this song will also be a hit on the pop charts.
I agree with the reviews in the magazines about how only a few of the songs are good. If you really like just the pop songs, you would be better off downloading the individual songs, rather than buying the whole album.

Guest Blogger: Michaela D1

Creature Feature’s music is in the categories of Cabaret, Gothic, Horror, and Rock (Horror Rock). They are a two person band from Los Angeles, California created by Curtis Rx and Erik X. They specialize on the creepy, darker side of music and are amazing at making you feel like its Halloween every day. In fact, their band was formed on Halloween of all days. Their first album, The Greatest Show Unearthed, was released on February 22, 2007. This album is full of creepy techno synths, eerie guitar licks, and a voice that would only be perfect for a band like this. Their creatively thought up lyrics consist of zombies, kidnappings, corpses, dark carnivals, and several Edgar Allen Poe references. Creature Feature is a very unique and original band that is hard to compare to any other band. Their fantastic music style is greatly influenced by Danny Elfman who played the singing voice of Jack Skellington from the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas “and Oingo Boingo, whose lead singer is also Danny Eflman. Oingo Boingo is a 70’s band that also has a very eerie, Halloween feel to it. Although Creature Feature’s style and lyrics are a bit more morbid and dark than Oingo Boingo, you can tell that there is a definite influence there when you listen and compare the bands. One song that really sticks out on this album is the song “The Greatest Show Unearthed.” This is the first song on the album and it does a good job of getting you ready for the rest of the album. It tells you what this band is about and gives you a feeling that will creep most people out. They start it off with saying: “The dark carnival is in town, you better be ready.” So, you better be ready for what they are about to do. Another song that most people know from this band, if they know of this underground horror rock duo, is “Buried Alive”. This song is a huge Edgar Allen Poe reference and sends a sense of darkness with the lines “I can’t explain just how it feels, the thoughts of my premature burial. Inside this oblong box I lie with the hopes of being buried alive.” It is a very catchy song that leaves you with a sinister feeling. The review from ultimate-guitar.com has the band right on. I agree with the statement that the band “manages to keep its musical integrity while creeping you the hell out.” While leaving you with what would seem like a soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie, Creature Feature definitely takes the prize for being one of the most unique bands. They are worth the time and money if you love Halloween, if you can take dark humor, and are a little more on the creepy side. They also just released their newest album, It Was a Dark and Stormy Night, which also did not fail to impress.

Guest Blogger: Kendal K1

Paramore is a band I have been listening many years. They are an alternative rock band that has been playing since they were in high school. The band as a whole has three full albums out and many other singles that have been released. While each album they have created covers many different emotions based upon the song, the band has been able to keep the sounds similar, even with members of the band occasionally changing. Their second album, Riot, has songs that have a more rebellious and angry tone while still sounding confident. Their third album, Brand New Eyes¸ has a sound that is more frustrated and sad but still comes off strong. The third album had many songs that were written based on personal issues the band had experiences. For example, the first single from this album, “Ignorance” was about the lead singer, Hayley Williams’ struggle with crumbling friendships between the band members. In the lyrics from “Ignorance”, Hayley Williams sings: “We're the friends who stuck together/ We wrote our names in blood/ But I guess you can't accept that the change is good” which is a good example of the irritation she must have felt that was incorporated into the song. Also on this album, the song “Misguided Ghosts” has lyrics with strong emotions that showed how the members of the band felt lost and alone. Paramore is compared to bands like Green Day, and We the Kings. These two bands are very different but are still good comparisons because Paramore has a lot of different sounds. They can change their sound to be like Green Day which has emotions based on the band and their experiences. They can also sound similar to We the Kings which sings a lot about relationships and the emotions that go along with that. In her article on Billboard, Evan Lucy said: “Paramore has flirted with rock stardom in the past few years, thanks to hits like ‘Misery Business,’ ‘That's What You Get’ and ‘Decode.’ But the band's new album, Brand New Eyes, marks its full-fledged introduction to rock's elite class.” I would definitely agree with Evan Lucy because Brand New Eyes was very different compared to Paramore’s other albums. It had a different sound that the band seemed to have perfected making them even been than before. Overall, I would say that Paramore is definitely worth your time. They have a unique sound that no other band has been able to achieve.

Guest Blogger: Kenneth K1

Michael Stevenson who everyone knows him as Tyga. Is a well-known rapper/ Hip Hop artist around the world. Tyga’s album has a phenomenal feel to it because he has so many mix tapes out. The best feeling you will get out of listening to his songs is a intense feeling from the bass of the song and a spine chilling feeling from the remarkable lyrics he has on his songs. When you compare Tyga’s songs/album to other singers songs/album like for instance Trey Songz. When you listen to Tyga’s music in his lyrics he talks about back in the day when he was young how he grew up and also he talks about what’s happening around him also. Then when you listen to Trey Songz music most of his songs are always about relationships, so when you compare the two together more people are going to want to listen to Tyga’s music over Trey Songz music, the reason why it’s true is because kids this generation listen to more hard core lyrics than the lubby dubby lyrics. In his album “Careless World” in the song “I’m Gone” featuring Big Sean. Tyga says “look in the round glass my future is in the past I’m rearranging my life” the reason why this lyric line is memorable is because he is trying to get his life straightened out and that’s a good thing that he is trying to get his life together. I disagree with the critics opinions about Tyga’s new album. Critic Devon Maloney said “Careless World won't have sold as many copies as it could have its first week, and is expected to suffer on the Billboard 200 chart when sales figures come out next week” the reason why I disagree with Devon Maloney is he can’t just go and say they are going to suffer from not selling enough copies its first week it came out. It takes more time to see the results that just a week. In my opinion I think it is worth your time and money to look into Tyga’s music because he is making it big right now and his streak with making it big with his new songs isn’t going to end for awhile.

Guest Blogger: Sebastian N2

Eminem is my all-time favorite rapper. There are so many reasons that make him one the best MCs ever. His early records, Eminem raps about a lot of gruesome things but his main message through that is he doesn’t let anyone get him down or mess with him. When I listen to him I sometimes I feel like nothing can get better than music nothing like dancing or anything like that. Some I can compare him to is Royce da 5 9 who’s actually close with Eminem and in a music group with him called Bad meets Evil. Eminem has too many great songs to list so couple of them is Lose Yourself and The Real Slim Shady. Lose Yourself song meaning was if your good at something you want to make a career out or just want to do don’t be scared to take ahold of that dream. Then the Real Slim Shady was about how he’s the only Eminem out there and will be forever. There has been a lot of controversy over his music and his alter-ego Slim Shady because of his lyrics. Eminem is coming out with music several different artists and his music group. Slim is very much worth your time and money! He’s one of the top artists now and his music just keeps getting better with each album he drops. You can his albums anywhere like Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy or go iTunes and download his songs onto your iPod and listen that way.

Guest Blogger: Jared K1

Adam Young is a single electronic artist that goes by the moniker name of Owl City. Adam Young grew up in Owatonna, Minnesota and started making music out of boredom with a computer and many instruments in his parent’s basement. Owl City gained publicity after self-releasing an EP titled Of June in 2007 which gained popularity over MySpace. He then released his first full length album in 2008 titled Maybe I’m Dreaming. It wasn’t until 2009 when Owl City really “made it big” when he released his sophomore album titled Ocean Eyes which landed the album 8th on The Billboard 200 and was named the #1 electronic album of the year. Along with the success of the album, the hit single “Fireflies” place 1st on the US Billboard Hot 100. Owl City’s music is known to sound dreamy and make you feel care free, hopeful and happy. Owl City has been said to be the next chapter of the band called The Postal Service who only released one album back in 2003. They both have a similar electronic sound but Owl City seems to be more upbeat and cheerful. Swimming With Dolphins is another group that has high similarity to Owl City because Adam Young was actually a former member before stopping to focus on his own project. Owl City’s lyrics are very creative and different from anything I’ve heard. For example, in his song “Fireflies,” he sings, “I get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs as they tried to teach me how to dance.” Also in his latest album titled All Things Bright & Beautiful, in the first track on the album “The Real World,” he sings, “reality is a lovely place but I wouldn’t want to live there.” His lyrics are creative and make you think which makes his songs sound unique. AV Club stated that Owl City’s newest album, All Things Bright & Beautiful, lacks the quality tunes made from the breakthrough album titled Ocean Eyes. I disagree with their review because even though it didn’t have as much success, I think the talent and effort put into All Things Bright & Beautiful shows how much more experienced he is and that he can continue making unique sounding music. Entertainment Weekly also states that Owl City’s newest album didn’t live up to the old one but has continued to have catchy lyrics which I agree with. I think Owl City is worth the time and money because it’s unique, catchy, and have great beats to put you in a good mood.

Guest blogger: Jack H1

Raised like beasts from the sea, The Black Dahlia Murder is a death metal band, but they also reside in the black metal genre. From my point of view, The Black Dahlia Murder can be more upbeat than the average metal song creating an intense uplifting emotion in the listener. The song “Funeral Thirst” sends the listener into a head banging brawl and sounds just like the ever popular Slipknot, but Slipknot does not reside in the death metal genre. Their album Ritual is the latest album to introduce a pure exertion of emotion to the listener. This pure exertion of emotion gives the listener a fierce attitude and makes them want to jump off the walls. I find vulgar, yet memorable the song “Miasma” off the album of the same name. This song is all about being a rebel and doing things like not going to work, not going to school, not listening to laws, and never sleeping again. I believe this song strikes attention to listeners who are especially sick of everyday life; however, others enjoy it for the fast and melodic drumming and guitars. Critics from billboard.com claim that The Black Dahlia Murder has one of the best drummers and guitarist in modern day metal. I agree because after listening to this band and all its masterly written work; I find it unbelievable to disagree. This band also has traits that even non-metal listeners would enjoy such as, being really comedic, outgoing, and expressive. The Black Dahlia Murder is hands down worth your money and time if you’re looking a band that invokes raw energy and rage in the listener. If you aren’t into that kind of thing then I won’t be seeing you at their latest concert in a week and a half. In the end, The Black Dahlia Murder reigns supreme in high-intensity music and should be at least checked out by any fan of rock or metal.

Guest Blogger: Haris M1

One of my favorite music artists is Tyler, the creator. Tyler, the creator is a new and an up and coming artist his hit album was called Goblin and had songs like “Yonkers” to the list. Tyler, the creator is a hip/hop artist. He has a group called OFWGKTA. OFWGKTA is mostly a teenage group from Los Angeles. Some of the music Tyler, the creator makes is filled with pathos and humor. In his album Goblin the song “Yonkers” Tyler, the creator says something about Bruno Mars and the artist B.O.B some emotions that are evoked in the song are anger and hatred towards Bruno Mars and B.O.B. Tyler, the creator isn’t like other music artist, compared to the music artist Lil Wayne’s Tyler’s music is very different because Tyler has an odd sound added to his songs and slow style compared to lil Wayne. Tyler’s raps are usually funny intended and full of pathos. Lil Wayne’s music is mostly fast paced and not filled with pathos.” A year ago, I was poor, somewhat” are memorable lyrics from Tyler, the creator in a song called “Martians vs. Goblins” these words are memorable because a year ago no one knew who Tyler, the creator was and now Tyler is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the game. I agree with other critics about Tyler, the creator. The critics say that Tyler’s music is full of pathos humor, and hatred. And that the group has tirelessly tried to establish their own online world, from their YouTube page to their Facebook’s and twitters. In my opinion I would say yes, Tyler, the creator is worth the people’s time and money. The reason it’s worth the people’s money is, because Tyler is young and new and brings in new ideas to music and hip-hop.

Guest Blogger: Hannah S1

The band One Direction is a group of guys from the United Kingdom. They just released their album Up All Night last November and are often described as a pop band. The songs are the album are anywhere from dancing songs that you just want to get up and move with it to even a slower song. The album Up All Night has many different feels to it, but it’s mostly an upbeat album. The guys have some fun when they’re filming their music videos and also just hanging out. Two of the songs on the album are “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Up All Night” have the same kind of beat to them. “What Makes You Beautiful” is an upbeat song that is the song that everyone knows and is the song that hit the charts for the group. This song is one that people can get up and dance to. The lyrics are talking about how you don’t know what you have going for you. So you’re not able to flaunt it to everyone. This was also the song that got them on the charts. “Up All Night” is talking about a typical night for a teenager that just wants to have some fun. They are planning on having fun by hanging out with some friends. In this song, they also mention one of Americans singer, Katy Perry. The two songs are ones that will keep you moving all night. The band has been compared to the Backstreet Boys, mostly the song “Bye, Bye Bye” and how catchy the songs are. Another band that they could be compared to is ‘N Sync. I disagree with what some of the critics have said. I don’t see them breaking up any time soon, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. The band is a solid group that is all about having fun and making some music in the progress. The guys all have things that they contribute to the group, without one, it wouldn’t be the same. I would say that you could get into the music if you liked the other bands that they’re like, but they are a group that is just up and coming now, so the music could change. I would give them a chance if you’re looking for new music.

Guest Blogger: Austin M1

Blink 182 has been around for many years. Since 1992 they’ve changed the music industry with their original sound and lyrics touching millions. In the beginning they were 3 punk kids making pop punk music to rock out to but also found a way to not just be a band being played out but they made songs that touched kids and adults alike. Their stardom came from their platinum selling album Enema of the State in 1999 and after that the group just took off. Singles from that album “What’s My Age Again?” and “All the Small Things” went on to reach number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Band was said to sound much like Good Charlotte, another pop punk band making its rise at the time. They grew up as a pop punk band to make catchy hits that people could connect to, with songs like “After Midnight” from their new album Neighborhoods that really put out about the connection between two people and how crazy for each other you can be with lyrics stating ‘I can’t find the best in all of this but I’m always looking out for you cause you’re the one I miss and its driving me crazy.’ The lyrics from the song are just showing how crazy in love and how much one may miss another but it isn’t a sad song, it’s a song that you listen to not to feel the pain of the words but to feel the happiness of missing another person knowing that’s how you feel for them. Another song that instead shows them more edgy side of the band from the same album would be “Up All Night” it’s a very upbeat song that state the problems faced in everyday life that many face and which many can’t come to terms with, so instead are haunted by their past. It shows how many people feel neglected and unwanted each day with lyrics like, ‘Let’s get this straight. Do you want me here? As I struggle through, each and every year. And all these demons, they keep me up all night.’ Their words are powerful and I agree with craveonline.com review that they always turned the worst of times into lyrics that stated the issue but also had a sense of humor behind it, just to show people in today’s world not everything is as bad as they come to believe. Although I must disagree with their statement about the new album, Blink 182 fans love them for the music they’ve always produced, even though the words and feelings may have never changed with the years their sound is something no one can forget or look past. They have stayed true to what they know how to do and what their fans love and their album is still another hit contender to make the band even that much more remember able.

Guest Blogger: Arnel M1

One person I think that will never get old in the music industry is Michael Jackson. He has done a lot of different music types during his career, but his main type was R&B. I’ve been listening to Michael for years now and I would have to say that the most inspiring song I’ve heard by him would have to be “Man in the Mirror” because a lot of emotion is shown in the song. The emotions behind it are care and giving back. He says in the song that he wants to make a change, but if you want to change the world you have to start with yourself, don't just sit back and complain about the way things are, changing who you are is the first step to changing things around you. Comparing this song to any other artist wouldn’t be a hard thing do because it has two sides to it. One side is growing up and becoming who you made yourself to be and being put out in the real would and the other side is struggling with self-image, personal identity, and media attention. One of the lyrics from the song that really gives me a particular memory is “I see the kids in the street, with not enough to eat.” The memory I get from this lyric is when me and my friends go biking downtown and we see homeless people struggling. I think that Michael Jackson is worth your time and money because he was such a huge influence on the music we listen to today and even though he has passed away he still touches the hearts of everyone who listens to music. He became the king of pop and was such an inspiration to all kids and adults. His songs had meaning and showed his side of the story and what he went through. People that listened to his music believed that could make their dreams come true like he did.

Guest Blogger: Anna P1

Taylor Swift
An artist that I love to listen to is Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift can be classified into a couple different types of music. She is commonly classified as a country artist but people also classify her as a hip hop artist. In Taylor’s album Speak Now or her song “Teardrops on my Guitar” different emotions are shown. You have sympathy towards who she is talking to or about, and you also can relate to the songs. In some songs you can feel happy and some you might feel sadness. Some people have compared her to Tim McGraw because they both sing about real life situations and their songs are heartfelt. Tim McGraw is classified as country artist and Taylor Swift is a country artist but she also can relate to other people who don’t like country. A lyric that really stands out for me and is memorable to me is “people may throw rocks at things that shine.” I think she portrayed this real life situation in an interesting way. It also relates to events that I have seen in real life. When someone is doing good or better than another person, people might try to tear them down, which Taylor Swift said by the throwing rocks. The lyrics from “Love Song” are also memorable to me because she took a love relationship that people are familiar with; Romeo and Juliet, and twisted it and made it relate to people today. People can relate it to their relationships, and the lyrics are very catchy and flow well. Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stones magazine says that Taylor is becoming a bigger star and as each of her albums makes their debut they are bigger and better sellers than the last. I agree with Rob’s statement because I feel that the more people hear her and can relate to her the bigger the star she becomes and the more albums she sells. Rob also talks about how she can relate with adults, and I agree with that not only can her songs be listened , enjoyed, and can be related to kids and teenagers they can also be listened, enjoyed, and related to by adults. My opinion about Taylor Swift is that she can be loved by all types of people and her songs can relate to people. Her music is very good with catchy lyrics and I do think it is worth your time and money.

Guest Blogger: Alex G1

Wiz Khalifa is a hip-hop/pop artist. He raps and sings about many things he mostly talking about his party filled life and what he likes to do. His music is everywhere from relaxing bass filled slow songs to upbeat songs. Wiz Khalifa’s songs aren’t like many people songs; he tried to bring back the feeling of the old greats. He has a great team called Taylor Gang that helps influence him. These people consist of: Snoop Dogg, Chevy Woods, Juicy J, Curren$y, Big Sean, Rick Ross, and his fiancée Amber Ross. All of these people have made amazing music; the money they have been making proves that. A successful album of his is Rolling Papers, and a really successful mix tape of his is Taylor Allderdice. Rolling Papers is more of a chill album that really lets people know that he has made it. He talks about all his money and in one particular song “rooftops” he says he was not allowed to be in the building but now he is on the rooftop. He is emphasizing that he came from nowhere and is now famous and rich. Taylor Allderdice is again about how is rich and what he does. He also talks about how difficult it is to know who is actually with him or just there cause he is rich. In the song “brainstorm” he talks about how he has so many things running through his mind and he drinks and smokes to unwind. He is trying to say that sometimes all this is too much. In another song called “number 16” he says he doesn’t do it for the fame he does it for the check. A lot of Critics say that he talks about his Drug and Alcohol abuse to much and I kind of agree with that, but that’s who he is so that’s what he is going to rap about. Also critics say that his beats are good and I agree with that to his beats are catchy and in my opinion that’s what makes his music, that and his voice is a great combination. My overall opinion about Wiz Khalifa is that he is a great musician that makes really good music and I believe that buying and listing to his albums are worth your time and money.

Guest Blogger: Abdi H1

One group I always enjoy listening to is Maybach Music Group (MMG). They’re a hip hop group that is making a big come-up in the industry. There newest mix tape is called Self-made, which was a huge hit. They have 3 big name rappers Rick Ross, Meek Millz, and Wale. The CEO of the group is Rick Ross. They incorporate different different styles of music. I can relate to their music and what there expressing. My favorite song from the group is Meek Millz single “Moment for life”. He talks about how people change and you don’t really know a person until the end. He talks about how the people he grew up with started hating him after he was making money. Some of them even tried to rob him. He says you can’t trust anyone but yourself. In his song he says “I’m just adding up this paper, subtracting the homies”. He tells his fans to just make your money and don’t worry about anything else. And never forget the people that were with you when you had nothing. I really recommend this to people, you won’t be disappointed. I think a lot of people can relate to him, and his words. Another song I like that he wrote is “Ya’ll don’t really hear me tho”. You can compare this song to most hip hop artist today talk about the same thing he does. For example another artist called j. Cole talks about the same subject in the song called “Show me something”. I agree with what the critics say about him. They say that he has a great flow. By the way he’s making music, he will become the best. In my opinion he is the best rapper in his group. He changes up his flow in every song so he doesn’t sound the same in every song. You’ll enjoy his music.

Guest Blogger: Taryn H1

Adele, who grew up in London, sings mostly pop and rock songs. Adele is extremely talented when looking at the variety and ranges of her voice. She can sing many different types of music and mix them together in a certain way. Adele has a very full-throated and strong voice. Many emotions are involved in Adele’s music. Several of her songs evoke sadness in the listeners because her lyrics are mostly from her own personal experiences of heart break and disappointment. Some of her other songs are much more light and fun sounding. I don’t think that Adele could ever sing hip hop or R&B, like Mac Miller and Tyga do. I also think that Adele’s lyrics and songs come more from her heart and her true feelings, whereas someone like Chris Brown or David Guetta seem to sing about random, unimportant things just to sell songs. I think Adele is a lot like a country singer/band, such as Brad Paisley or the Eli Young Band, because her songs are more heartfelt and related to her life and feelings that she has. In her song, “Set Fire to The Rain,” I like this section of her lyrics: “I set fire to the rain, And I threw us into the flames, When I felt something die, 'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time.” I like these lyrics because she is setting fire to her sadness and getting rid of something that made her unhappy. All of the research I have seen has only praised Adele for her deep, hearty voice and interesting song lyrics and I completely agree with those critics. I think she’s a great singer and seems like a very fun, outgoing person. I would definitely say that Adele’s songs are worth our time and money. Her songs have a catchy beat, her lyrics are insightful, and her music all around makes you want to hear more. I would definitely spend money on an Adele concert or buying a lot of her songs!

Guest Blogger: Sadiya J1

Biggie Smalls also known as The Notorious B.I.G. was an American rapper raised in Brooklyn, New York. 15 years ago, The Notorious B.I.G. passed away in Los Angeles. Although he rapped mostly about drugs and being a thug he also made songs about love and society. Biggies earliest album “Ready to Die” tells the experiences he had as a young criminal. Biggie sounds deadly serious with every word that he says. In the song “Ready to Die” Notorious B.I.G. is trying to prove that he doesn't give a care about anyone and will do anything he has to make it. The deliveries in his lyrics are always pretty convincing. "Juicy" my all-time favorite song by him, the beat and the lyrics flow nicely together with each other and create a relaxed feel. Another thing I like about his music is that all his songs are really smooth with a catchy chorus. “Suicidal thoughts” is a really powerful and thought provoking song. Most people compare Biggie to 2 Pac Shakur because they were out the same decade and made similar music. Throughout his albums, Biggie raps about growing up, death, guns and troubles in the "hood" like 2 Pac but his great story telling ability and rhyme delivery separates him from the rest of the rappers. When I listen to the song “Everyday Struggle” there is one line that is particularly memorable it always makes the hairs on my neck stand. That line is, "I don't wanna live no more" it just sounds like a cry for help. Some critics believe that biggie made it cool to rap about crime, drugs, and women; I think that is ok in moderation. But people took it to the extreme and started rapping about that and that only. Rappers stopped telling stories and started rapping about why they are so great and all they do is drugs and make money. Even though Biggies rap career was only 4 years, no one has rawer lyrics than him. His music is worth the money and time because he was so original, his songs were head-nodders that you could vibe to and they were sure to go over well with the mainstream crowd and get on radio stations as well.

Guest Blogger: Rachel L1

Powerhouse singer and songwriter Christina Aguilera, has influenced this generation more than people think. Growing up listening to Christina’s hits Genie in a Bottle, What a Girl Wants, and Beautiful has shaped our music preference and perspective. Christina Aguilera is a respectable artist that has been around for more than a decade and is now making a comeback stronger than ever. Her catchy pop tunes have earned her numerous Grammy awards and more than 25 million albums sold. Thirteen year old Christina began her career as a Mouseketeer on the Mickey Mouse Club and has made seven successful albums receiving attention from the nation. Aguilera’s albums Stripped, Christina Aguilera, Ain’t No other Man, Back to Basics, and Bionic feature her phenomenal chops and strength. Aside from being known for her vocal ability, music videos and ever-changing image, musically, she includes themes of dealing with public scrutiny, her childhood, and female empowerment. Christina Aguilera started to create a futuristic image and theme in her music but her future-pop thunder was stolen when Lady Gaga roared up the music charts. Aguilera is also often compared to Leona Lewis, Celine Dion, Brittney Spears, and Mariah Carey due to her powerful voice and unique contribution to the music industry. Christina is known for her strength, courage and determination which shine in her song lyrics. “I am beautiful, no matter what they say. Words can’t bring me down” and “Oh I get on my knees, praying I will receive the courage to grow and the faith to know” are just a few memorable song quotes from this extraordinary artist. Despite the critics’ opinions of a downward spiral, I think Christina will make a strong return to the music industry. After reading numerous reviews on all of her albums, I have come to the conclusion that most critics respect her powerhouse vocals and incredible strength but, believe that her most recent album, Bionic, was a weaker attempt to the futuristic Lady Gaga style. Although Christina Aguilera has decreased in popularity in the past decade, she will forever be a passionate, inspirational, and talented legend.

Guest Blogger:Nasra M1

A singer that I have always enjoyed listening is Trey Songz. He is an R&B singer and he also raps sometimes but he is majorly in to sing. Trey songs sings about anything but when I relate to him the most is when he sings about life and Women. In one of his songs, he states you deserve the world, “if I could give it to you Stars would come to you and ask permission to shine Cuz only you shine” Trey Songz makes sure that his fans get the message that he is sending out for example, he sings about how women should be treated and when he puts his heart into it, that message is perfectly delivered. There is an artist who has the same type of musically talent as Trey Songz and his name is Chris Brown. They both sing about the same thing most of the time but Chris Brown usually sings about his Ex and how he should’ve treated his girlfriend better and him basically apologizing. Trey Songz and Chris Brown collaborated on a song together, where they sung about how to treat a women and how to also keep them. An example of a song that Chris Brown sang is called changed man and he states, “Saying I'm sorry doesn’t make it alright I know But I believe that we can make it If we try”. Here it shows that he is being apologetic to his girlfriend for hurting her. One song that I always listen to is “ I need a girl” I love this song because it is the first song that became a hit for him and it talks about the type of women he’s looking for and how he’s going to give her the world if he ever finds her. I see a lot of people relating to his songs and I also agree with them it is definitely something to relate to. Critics say that his latest album is “the strongest, most varied side of a Trey Songz album, just about flawless. It smoothly shifts through several moods". I certainly agree because he shows a side of himself that he has never showed before which is a good thing because now he has a lot of more fans and people that can relate to him and also his music. Overall as you can see I have listed some great things about my favorite singer. Him music is definitely worth buying, spending your money and even listening to it because there are times where you just may want to listen to music that will released some stress away from you.

Guest Blogger: Guichai H1

One of the best rappers out there right now is still who we call Eminem. His songs are mostly all raps but he does sing in some songs and of all them are based on what he went through his life. His songs bring many feelings to your mind. Some of his songs he has angry feel to it and you can actually feel his anger and frustration, and some raps about what he gone through and you might feel pity for him. There are a lot of songs that he wrote, will bring out many emotions that might come to you. Like most rappers they all pretty much rap about what their past experiences are like, their point of view and how it changed their lives. The songs he wrote have good meanings and even got to Dr. Dre another rap artist and got them together in making songs and was later on granted his own record label by Dr. Dre called "Shady Records". According to the critics that I read Eminem continues to anger many organizations who say his lyrics encourage violence towards women, rape, homophobia, and drug use. I wouldn’t say he encourages them but he does tell his side of the story and he does rap from what he had gone through. Eminem is one of my favorite artists. I have a lot of his albums/songs and I listen to them every day. I like songs that have a good meaning to it and tell a good story and Eminem’s songs have both of what I am looking for. If you were to ask me is it worth it? Is it a waste of time? I would answer yes it I worth it because he has lots of songs about many things you might actually like maybe one song of his, and no it is not a waste of money.

Guest Blogger: Michelle H1

Someone I enjoy listening to is Taylor Swift. Her music is all country, rock and pop that many girls have grown to like artistically. In mostly all of her songs she talks about love and heartbreak which many girls understand. She makes you feel happy about love and you want to listen to her when you’re down. Taylor is like a lot of other artists by talking about her love life and making them into a musical story, like Rihanna, Pink, Ceelo Green, Bruno Mars, and many others! It’s such an easy thing to relate to these days and they sing about how you might even feel. Her songs are also different because the feel of them are innocent. She doesn’t curse which also makes it appealing to all types of age groups. Her lyrics of romance are memorable the most to me. Specifically, in her song “Our Song” she talks about late night phone calls and rose petals she comes home to after a long hard day and how the story of their life is their song. These speak to me the most because of how she tells her story and how you can picture how adorable the love is or was. “Swift's voice is unaffected enough to mask how masterful she has become as a singer; she lowers her voice for the payoff lines in the classic mode of a shy girl trying to talk tough. Check the way she tosses off the "You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter" part in "Mine."” This quoted from the Rolling Stone website is something I agree with. I agree that she is a shy girl who really knows how to speak in her music. You can tell how she felt when she wrote it and how strong she felt about it when she sang. She sang soft in the beginning and by the end she was loud and clear of what she was saying. I really think she is worth the time and money of people because she feels like such a real person and although she talks a lot about love and heartache, her music behind the words really is comforting and fun to sing along with.

Guest Blogger: Matt P1

Angels and Airwaves unveiled a new face to the music world on April 12, 2006 and took the charts by storm. Their band consisted of a hosh-posh mix of musicians, all from their own separate groups including Blink-182 (Singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge), Boxcar Racer (Guitarist David Kennedy), The Offspring (Drummer Atom Willard), and 30 Seconds to Mars (Bassist Matt Wachter). Angels and Airwaves is considered as a branch-off of Blink-182, and therefore a pop-punk label was bestowed upon them. They mixed the styles of their own separate bands and added in tones of iconic bands like U2 and Pink Floyd, which would create a new revolution to change the face of rock and roll forever. AvA (a call sign for Angels and Airwaves) creates a new feel to their music which hasn’t been expressed before this day and age of smoothened rock and punk, mixed with such emotions as love, euphoria, and other strong feelings. In the song “Breathe” off of their album I-Empire, the lyrics suggest that he is in love a girl who makes him feel so alive that he actually got inspired to write the song. “Sirens” another track off of I-Empire, creates a different feel with lyrics like “I do this from time to time, where I like to think of you and me” where it is heard that he desires strongly to be with a woman he adores, but just isn’t close enough, which is often a feeling expressed in love songs and notions. The main difference between AvA and Blink-182, while their sound is incredibly similar due to the leadership for the bands, is the emotions that are being represented. Blink-182 released their newest album, and was criticized as boring, dark, and not representative of the beliefs and previous attitude of the former albums/band. The songs described above are two of my favorite and most memorable in my opinion because they incorporate the feelings that the words have into the actual instrumental part of the music itself, like in “Breathe” where the intro is the metaphoric sound for breaths and heart-beats. This band is fairly new, but all of the reviews have been positive so I completely agree with them. I would definitely promote the purchase of this music because they bring to the world a whole new feel and sincere emotion, mixed with a brand new concoction of vibes.

Guest Blogger: LeeAnna F1

Zac Brown Band is a country group that plays care free, fun loving music. Most of their songs have catchy lyrics and create a feel good attitude. Whenever I listen to them, my mood changes to more relaxed and laid back. Some of their songs are upbeat and fun, while others are more calm and breezy, but they all have a pleasing, light feeling to them. Some might compare them to other country groups such as Rascal Flatts, but they have more enthusiastic, pop songs. Although they are both great country bands, Zac Brown Band is more soft and relaxing. Elien Becque wrote an article about the Zac Brown Band saying, “The country sextet Zac Brown Band – 2010 Best New Artist Grammy winners – performed last night on Jimmy Kimmel's concert series, playing "Knee Deep" for a crowd of happy, hand-waving fans.” I agree with this statement because I feel that country crowds love the Zac Brown band and are never disappointed. They can throw away their worries for a moment and just sit back and listen to the pleasant, light hearted music. Another critic, Deborah Evans Price, states “The song is a light, breezy ballad awash in gentle guitar and a warm, understated vocal performance from the Georgia band's talented front man. The lyric taps into a universal desire to enjoy life and love unencumbered by convention” I feel that this is true, and most country fans would agree with me. One song in particular that I really like is called “Knee Deep “and has light, enjoyable lyrics, “Gonna put the the world away for a minute
Pretend I don't live in it
Sunshine gonna wash my blues away
I like this song a lot because it just lets you throw your cares away, lay back and enjoy the music. A lot of Zac Brown Band’s songs are like this, and have lyrics that make you feel comfortable and happy. Overall, I really like the Zac Brown band and think they have easy, laid back music, and I love listening to their songs.

Guest Blogger: Kadri P1

One individual I have always enjoyed listening to would have to be Wiz Khalifa. He’s a rap and hip-hop artist that has recently become a big hit in the United States and is still continuing to do so today. One of his most recent albums Rolling Papers showed a soft side to Wiz Khalifa. This album focuses mainly on just how to enjoy your life and live it up every day. One song from the album that I’m primarily focusing on is “When I’m Gone”. This song has a feel-good vide to it and for a long time was in the top charts on iTunes. Also it talks about Wiz Khalifa and his recent success which makes him a “champion”. Another well-known artist like Kid Cudi, also shares the same style type of music is most of his songs, songs that have that feel-good vibe about them. For example, the song “Cleveland is the reason”, is not only a feel-good song, but it also talks about Kid Cudi’s success so far and his hometown in Cleveland Ohio which helped his progress so far in his life. One particular song that stands out to me is “On my level”, because the idea behind that song is that as long as you are own your so-called own “level”, then nobody can stand in your way. The significance in this song is that it’s a confidence booster for just about anyone. It can help someone maybe get through a tough college assignment, or an argument with their parents. Critics’ opinions about his albums have not been the greatest. They feel that his songs incorporate good melodic beats, but that he is limited thematically and that his songs only talk about weed, women, and the good life. I would have to disagree with the critics’ about this statement because even though that may seem true about Wiz Khalifa, on the inside he is a true rapper and rapping is his main passion in life. Overall in my opinion Wiz Khalifa is a prime choice if you are primarily interested in rap hip-hop music that has a feel-good vibe to it. He is definitely worth your time and money, and if you don’t believe me then take a look at iTunes and to see how popular he really is. By far Wiz Khalifa is one of my favorite artists to listen to today.

Guest Blogger: Sebastian N1

One of my favorite artists is Game. Game is a west coast gangsta rapper who also does some hip hop. He mainly raps about the bloods gang, parties, women, money, and his career. If there was a “feel” someone would get after listening to a song of his it would be a few things like: anger, excitement, and maybe even sadness. The only other rapper I could compare him would be 50 cent who is also a gangsta rapper but from New York. He has the same style and raps about the same things but I’d say that Game is better because 50 cent fell off years ago. One song of his, Dope Boyz, is a song representing where he’s from which Compton, Los Angeles and what I thought that was so remember able about it is that he had Travis Barker from Blink-182 to be his drummer and the song overall had great lyrics. A second song that he has is Red Nation which off his latest album The Red Album which is some of his best work yet. Game had Lil Wayne do the chours for the song which I thought was perfect. People have said that gangsta rap since N.W.A. does nothing but promote the hatred for the police, smoking weed, and the will for having sex with many women but Game takes that and shows and tells the world even if that’s what he’s rapping don’t take it all seriously because he’s just having fun. Game is very much worth your time and money! He’s one of the top artists now and his music just keeps getting better with each album he drops. You can his albums anywhere like Target, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy or go iTunes and download his songs onto your iPod and listen that way.

Guest Blogger: Jason M1

Tyga is a well-known rapper around the world. At only the age of 22, he has risen on the rap/hip hop charts. Tyga has a solid singing voice, a great ear for melody, and the ability to ride a beat. He varies his feelings in his music. Most of his songs are up beat with a positive attitude on life. His newest album “Carless World”, he slows most of the songs down as well with his lyrics. One of the songs “Love Game”, he talks about how him and his girl fight so much, and how they love each other. He talks about how the fighting creates tension and by the end of the song he ends up letting her go. The ending lyrics summarize the whole song: “Moving on is easy, but what you leave behind is what makes it so hard.” Tyga has his own style and voice, but if he was to be compared to another rapper it would be to Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne signed Tyga to Young Money. Tyga and Wayne both have song s that are upbeat with lyrics about girls and partying. They both also have slower songs with a lot of meaning behind the lyrics. A song lyric that is memorable “How your father abused you, I let you cry on my shoulder no tissue, just short sleeve, tears see- through.” This shows Tygas love he has for his girl, and how is always there for her through her painful past. I disagree with the other critic’s opinion about Tygas music. Some of the critics say that his lyrics don’t flow with the rest of the music. I disagree with that because Tygas beats and lyrics are why I like him as a rapper. I think that Tyga is worth someone’s time and money if they like rap. Tyga has a good flow with his beats and lyrics, and definitely someone to listen too.

Guest Blogger: Hasna A1

Rihanna came to the US as a teenager to fulfill her dreams. She quickly earned a record deal after doing performances. As a pop and R&B singer she switches back and forth between the two different genera’s. In 2005 she released her album, Music of the Sun. Although the album seemed low key - one song was not ‘’Pon De Replay’’ was her biggest hit in that Album. Months later, she released her 2nd studio album ‘’A girl like me’’ and this made her on the top 5 (the albums chart show). Two years latter she released another album called "good girl gone bad’’. I think this was the transition album for her because she changed from a disney type of a singer to an MTV artist. Her 4th and 5th album are even more mature than "girl gone bad". Rihanna’s Album “Rated R” features many songs and verities. The songs are upbeat music make you want to dance, relax, and enjoy life -with her random lyrics and angry words you can feel the carefree attitude and listen to the events that have made her that way. This album caused a lot of criticism for her due to her wearing skimpy clothing ( barbed wires and see through dress) and having sexual lyrics. This made her on headlines of gossip magazines and twitter trends- between the wardrobe, concerts, and controversies she has become famous and when that happened more people started listening to her music and that tells us she will be around for along time. Even though It was hard to believe our "innocent" islander was singing songs that had inappropriate meanings we managed to adapt to her change from a good girl to a "bad girl". Her two latest Albums are "rated R" and "Loud". Both these Albums have descriptive titles because "rated R" is like a rated R movie due to the language and sexual content. "Loud" had songs that make your heart beat faster than it should. Although her music lyrics has taken a drastic chance one theme is evident in all of Rihsnna'ss music, Most of what she sings are indirect. You have to reinterprets the lyrics and try to understand what it means. That to me is good because young adults and teens who are mostly ladies listen to her songs and it's a great time for us to over analyze something. I love watching you grow up as an artist and a person, keep up the crazy, fun, musical, poetic, interesting music Rihanna!

Guest Blogger: Garrett A1

Carnifex is a San Diego based Heavy Metal band that has been together since 2005. Their most recent album, Until I Feel Nothing, which was released in 2011, is my all- time favorite. This album also got the best reviews from users and listeners from the metal community. Carnifex has a very gritty and metallic sound which enhances the feel of aliveness and evokes a sort of brutal attitude that people express when listening to this music. When Carnifex first started they had a huge influence from Whitechapel and As I lay Dying. Tim Lambesis from As I Lay Dying, produced the bands last album and the breakdowns are very similar to his. The bands toured together and got a huge makeover in the Instrument department. Some of the lyrics that really stand out to me is in their song Answers in Mourning singing, “Your arms were my open grave begging me back.” The lyrics really tell how he is feeling and his style of music. Also, it gives you a bit of background information on his relationship status, his attitude towards his peers, and most importantly, the way he feels inside. I agree with the critics somewhat. I feel like some of the critics gave them a very low rating on albums I thought were more progressed than others, which was odd. Although I disagree with them, I do agree on one album, The Diseased and Poisoned, was a very bad ear sore if you catch my drift. That album got a 2.4/5* rating which was BAD. The critics seemed to go easy on this band, as expected, because they are so new and progressing every album. Carnifex is a very gritty and brutal band, which I love, and that is why they are one of my top favorites. They are always worth the money depending on the album. If you stay away from the one that got the lowest, and the one I agreed on as well, they are a great band. Every band has its flaws, but I want you to check them out and help support their music!

Guest Blogger: Drew M1

The Zach brown band is a country music artist, who sings some of the top country songs in the world. The song toes makes you feel just like you’re on the beach relaxing and having a soothing sensation. The song toes also can make you happy after along stressful day. The Zach Brown Band has a lot of inspiring upbeat music, just like many other famous country music artist. Unlike other country artist though the Zach brown band constantly talks about doing anything you want even if you don’t have the money, set your mind to anything and you will be able to achieve. This is what I think when I am listening to the music played by the Zach Brown Band. “You can have fun no matter where u r or how much money you have!” said in the article "Toes Lyrics." Zach Brown Band. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. . The song toes says” I’ve got my toes in the water toes in the sand not a worry in the world a cold beer in my hands life is good today,” which just reminds me of summer on vacation with no one bothering each just relaxing. “You know I like my chicken fried a cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right, and the radio up.” Said in the song chicken fried by the Zach brown band which makes me think the band likes to drink and have a good time, also makes the feeling that the band is a truly southern background group.” Now, country singers of various stripes can't stop crooning about the sand in their boots, the breezes in their hair, the Coronas in their bloodstream. . . . And on and on it goes, like so many waves lapping the shores of Cabo San Lucas. Intended to evoke a sense of escape, these songs now feel punishing -- like an evening spent looking at your neighbor's vacation photos.” "Album Review: Zach Brown Band, "You Get What You Give"" Click Track -. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. . I do agree with the critic that most artist now days just sign about the breeze going through their hair and sand problem, like no one wants to hear about an artist sitting on a beach down in Mexico.in my opinion I think that the Zach brown band is worth your time and money, because he is truly southern and has a way to really connect with his fans.

Guest Blogger: Danh V1

In today’s music world, there are many well-known artists that attract millions of fans, some fans like their music; other fans are on the “bandwagon”, but I try to avoid “bandwagons” and listen to artists that I personally like. One of my most favorite artists who I mostly listen to is Clifford Harris or better known as T.I., and his once top chart song Live Your Life featuring Rihanna is my still to this day one of my favorite song. The feel of Live Your Life is very bright and encouraging, what I mean by that is there is no unnecessary cussing or foul language, and the song tells the life of T.I. as he tries to get his life back to normal. The biggest message of this song is to live your life to the fullest and appreciate what you have and not want what you don’t. This song is somewhat similar to Not Afraid by Eminem, because both songs encourage the listener about some aspect of life; they are different because Eminem talks about his recovery from drugs, while T.I. talks about getting his life and family together. To me, one of the greatest lines in Live Your Life is the first two lines when T.I. said “Never mind what haters say, ignore them 'til they fade away. Amazing they ungrateful for after all the games I gave away.” What T.I. did was encourage the listeners, and then talk smack to those that he helped but did not returned the favor. Critics on Billboard.com have recently interviewed T.I. about his new plans and asked why he chose not to follow other artists, T.I. replied by telling them that he wants to be original and unexpected. I completely agree with this, because there are too many similarities in the music industries, and there needs to be changes so music would be more interesting. Overall, T.I. may not be as famous as top chart artists today, but his songs have deep meanings; and not many top chart songs today have meaningful messages in them.

Guest Blogger: Bree B1

Scotty McCreery is a country artist that got his start on American Idol. His first album, Clear as Day, gives listeners ample waves of emotion as they go from one song to the next. Some of his songs have more of a country pop feel that is easy going and fun to listen to. On his album there are songs like: “I Love you This Big,” “Write your Number on my Hand,” and “The Trouble with Girls.” Each of these songs has a light and upbeat feel to them. Most of his songs explain the wonders, complications, and happiness of relationships and being young. On the other hand there are songs on the album that are not so upbeat. Song on the album like “Clear as Day,” “Dirty Dishes,” and “That Old King James,” are dismal. They all have good story lines behind them, but are very somber. An artist that is very similar to Scotty McCreery is Josh Turner. They both have very deep, country voices that sound very similar. They both also have good meaningful song lyrics. The lyrics that catch you off guard are the most meaningful. In the song “Clear as Day,” he is singing about a young love. Then all of a sudden he sings “Last thing you said is I’ll call you tomorrow/ That’s a call you never got to make/They blamed it on the fog and pouring rain/And that nights still clear as day.” These were memorable to me because they were very emotionally sang and were unexpected when you first hear the song. For the most part I agree with the critics. He is a young artist that has a deep voice and a lot of talent. He has become the most successful winner of American Idol since David Cook. His overall personality and music style have won over a large group of people. Overall, listening to Scotty McCreery is well worth your time and money. He is very talented and never disappoints. His wide range of talents is what attracts his fans and keeps him acquiring new fans. I would definitely recommend listening to some of his music and see for yourself.

Guest Blogger: Amy C1

With society’s outstanding preference for catchy electronic beats and digitally altered voices, it has been difficult to find an artist who emits true talent through his/her unique voice and original musical compositions. However, I have found that Sara Bareilles, an artist from Eureka, California, is one of these few artists.
Returning with her new album Kaleidoscope Heart, Sara Bareilles incorporates her own style of funk into the pop genre. Though classified in the general genre of pop, the songs in her album each have their own unique feel. Her songs range from genres such as jazz, acoustic and acapella. Through her wide range of genres, Sara Bareilles induces a spectrum of emotions. Her sassy lyrics and upbeat tempo in songs such as “Gonna Get Over You” and “King of Anything”, instill fierce resilience and strength. Other songs such as “Bluebird” and “Kaleidoscope Heart” produce the emotions of solemnity and solitude, as her powerful voice accompanies the soft notes of the piano. Sara Bareilles’s music is similar to that of artists such as Colbie Caillat and Ingrid Michaelson, as all three of these artists sing about circumstances regarding love and sentimental moments in their lives. However opposed to these singers, Sara Bareilles is more defiant and tongue-in-cheek. Songs such as “Say You’re Sorry” reveal that she is not afraid to speak her mind and follow through with her actions. One particular song that I especially like is “Let The Rain.” In “Let The Rain”, Bareilles describes that, despite her insecurities and problems, all she needs is the rain to refresh her mood. She sings, “And I always felt it before, that the world was filled with much more than the drowning soul I’ve learned to be, I just, need the rain to remind me.” I absolutely agree with the critics’ positive critique of Kaleidoscope Heart. Sara Bareilles’s music conveys her distinct personality and because she does so in such a variety of compositions, her music is powerful and enticing. Sara Bareilles’s music is absolutely worth the time and money. If one were to preview her albums prior to Kaleidoscope Heart, one will discover that her vocals have tremendously improved and that she has become even more musically versatile. Her ability to compose such amazing music is only one of the numerous reasons of why I like her.