I have mixed feelings on charity records. They raise money for good causes, which is great, yet a lot of them rely solely on that factor to sell, not actually being any good. And they always sell well, regardless of quality.

Then there is the fact that Simon Cowell seems to have cornered the market in charity records. He organizes the release of one by The X Factor contestants every year, and he’s now the brains behind the Helping Haiti effort. Which, rather coincidentally, features a plethora of acts from his stable.

Cheryl Cole, Alexandra Burke, Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, and Joe McElderry all feature. It’s almost as though Cowell hand picked them to up their marketability or something.

That’s not to say I don’t support it; go out and buy it, and keep it at number one for another week. The money raised will be split between the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the Helping Haiti campaign.

As well as being the fastest-selling charity single since the turn of the century, Everybody Hurts is likely to end 2010 as the biggest-selling single of the year. Unless, of course, another disaster strikes, another charity single is produced, and even more people buy that one. God forbid.

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Just yesterday I reported how Radiohead had held a special, one-off gig to raise money and awareness for victims of the Haiti earthquake. While U2 and Sting were among those taking part in the Hope For Haiti Now concert event.

Simon Cowell has been busy organizing the release of a charity single to help too. REM’s Everybody Hurts has been chosen, with the band donating all royalties to the appeal and Gordon Brown waiving the VAT from sales of it.

Robbie Williams and Take That will be reunited for the first time on record since Robbie left the group in 1995. And, according to The Sun, Leona Lewis, JLS, James Blunt, Cheryl Cole, and Joe McElderry will also feature.

Meanwhile, according to NME, it has also been announced that Robbie Williams next single will be in support of Sport Relief. Morning Sun will be released on March 8, before the main event takes place between March 19 and 21. All profits will be donated to the charity.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

The British Music Experience is a permanent exhibition at the O2 in London. It has made a home in the O2 Bubble, just one small part of the huge complex formerly known as the Millennium Dome, which now has the O2 Arena at its heart.

The British Music Experience opened in March 2009, and costs £15 per adult to visit. For that, you gain entry into the main exhibit, which comprises a hub, with several rooms dedicated to each important time in British music around the outside.

There are costumes and merchandise from the key artists of the periods, with descriptions of each available via headphones. There are also interactive elements, including the chance to try your hand at several instruments and the opportunity to mimic dances from the decades.

The ticket you receive for the exhibition can be swiped over any of the exhibits, with the information from that part of the BME saved for later viewing via the official Web site. So, the Smarticket creates a multimedia memento of your visit.

I spent a good few hours at The British Music Experience and enjoyed it. However, I think the £15 asking price is a little on the high side, and if it were priced more attractively would attract more visitors.

That’s not to take anything away from the exhibition, which is attempting to fill a void that definitely needs to be filled. British music is the best in the world, and needs to be celebrated in the U.K.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Lady Gaga, JLS, Lily Allen, Pixie Lott, and Florence & The Machine have all been nominated for three or more awards. Lady Gaga is up in every category she is eligible for, those being the international awards.

Robbie Williams will be honored for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’, while two new awards have been added as a one-off to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Brits. Artists will battle it out for ‘Best Performance’ and ‘Best Album’ from the last three decades.

The nominations are listed in full, along with my pick of who I think will win (in italics). Although they aren’t necessarily who I want to win, especially in the case of Paolo Nutini.

The 2010 Brit Awards Nominations In Full

British Male Solo Artist

Calvin Harris
Dizzee Rascal
Mika
Paolo Nutini
Robbie Williams

British Female Solo Artist

Bat For Lashes
Florence And The Machine
Leona Lewis
Lily Allen
Pixie Lott

British Breakthrough Act

Florence And The Machine
Friendly Fires
JLS
La Roux
Pixie Lott

British Group

Doves
Friendly Fires
JLS
Kasabian
Muse

Mastercard British Album

Dizzee Rascal – Tongue ‘N Cheek
Florence And The Machine – Lungs
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up

British Single

Alesha Dixon – ‘Breathe Slow’
Alexandra Burke ft. Flo Rida – ‘Bad Boys’
Cheryl Cole – ‘Fight For This Love’
Joe McElderry – ‘The Climb’
JLS – ‘Beat Again’
La Roux – ‘In For The Kill’
Lily Allen – ‘The Fear’
Pixie Lott – ‘Mama Do’
Taio Cruz – ‘Break Your Heart’
Tinchy Stryder ft. N-Dubz – ‘Number 1′

International Male Solo Artist

Bruce Springsteen
Eminem
Jay-Z
Michael Buble
Seasick Steve

International Female Solo Artist

Lady GaGa
Ladyhawke
Norah Jones
Rihanna
Shakira

International Breakthrough Act

Animal Collective
Daniel Merriweather
Empire Of The Sun
Lady GaGa
Taylor Swift

International Album

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Empire Of The Sun – Walking On Dream
Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3
Lady GaGa – The Fame

British Producer of the Year

Jim Abbiss
Paul Epworth
Ethan Johns
Steve Lillywhite

Critics’ Choice Award

Ellie Goulding

Outstanding Contribution to Music

Robbie Williams

Brits Performance of 30th Year

Bee Gees – ‘Stayin’ Alive’ / ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ (1997)
Bros – ‘I Owe You Nothing’ (1989)
Coldplay – ‘Clocks’ (2003)
Eurythmics and Stevie Wonder – ‘Angel’ (1999)
Girls Aloud – ‘The Promise’ (2009)
Kanye West – ‘Gold Digger’ (2006)
Kylie Minogue – ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ (2002)
Michael Jackson – ‘Earth Song’ (1996)
Paul McCartney – ‘Live And Let Die’ (2008)
Pet Shop Boys – ‘Go West’ (1994)
Robbie Williams and Tom Jones – Full Monty medley (1998)
Scissor Sisters – ‘Take Your Mama’ (2005)
Spice Girls – ‘Wannabe’ / ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ (1997)
The Who – ‘Who Are You’ (1988)

Brits Album of 30 Years

Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Dido – No Angel
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms
Duffy – Rockferry
Keane – Hopes & Fears
Oasis – What’s The Story Morning Glory
Phil Collins – No Jacket Required
Sade – Diamond Life
The Verve – Urban Hymns
Travis – The Man Who

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Overall, album sales in the UK were down by around 3.5 percent to 128.9 million, continuing a longterm trend which the music industry blames on illegal file-sharing. 16.1 million of this total were legal downloads.

Overall, single sales were up a whopping 32.7 percent to 152 million. This was explained by way of an increased number of downloads, and a whopping 98 percent of all singles sold were legal downloads.

The BPI also detailed the top-selling singles and albums for the year, which were as follows:

Top 10 UK Albums Of 2009

1. Susan Boyle – ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
2. Lady Gaga – ‘The Fame’
3. Michael Buble – ‘Crazy Love’
4. Black Eyed Peas – ‘The End’
5. Kings Of Leon – ‘Only By The Night’
6. JLS – ‘JLS’
7. Beyonce – ‘I Am Sasha Fierce’
8. Paolo Nutini – ‘Sunny Side Up’
9. Lily Allen – ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’
10. Robbie Williams – ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’

Top 10 UK Singles Of 2009

1. Lady Gaga – ‘Poker Face’
2. Black Eyed Peas – ‘I Gotta Feeling’
3. Lady Gaga – ‘Just Dance’
4. Cheryl Cole – ‘Fight For This Love’
5. Joe McElderry – ‘The Climb’
6. La Roux – ‘In For The Kill’
7. Black Eyed Peas – ‘Boom Boom Pow’
8. Rage Against The Machine – ‘Killing In The Name’
9. Alexandra Burke Ft Flo Rida – ‘Bad Boys’
10. Black Eyed Peas – ‘Meet Me Halfway’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

Joe McElderry, who famously lost out on Christmas number one to RATM, only held the top spot in the singles chart for one week. Lady Gaga, who occupied the top spot before Christmas, has returned there with Bad Romance. The Black Eyed Peas, Ke$ha and Chipmunk are all big climbers.

A similar occurrence in the albums chart, with Paolo Nutini returning to the top spot with Sunny Side Up, an album that first hit number one in June 2009. There must be a lot of disappointed people who were given the frankly terrible album for Christmas. Florence and The Machine and Muse both climbed back into the top ten, with all three artists benefiting from the albums being lowered in price for New Year sales.

Top 10 UK Singles Chart

1. (3) Lady GaGa: ‘Bad Romance’
2. (1) Joe McElderry: ‘The Climb’
3. (6) Black Eyed Peas: ‘Meet Me Halfway’
4. (10) Ke$ha: ‘Tik Tok’
5. (4) Cheryl Cole: ‘3 Words’
6. (5) 3OH!3 ft. Katy Perry: ‘Starstrukk’
7. (7) Journey: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’
8. (8) Rihanna: ‘Russian Roulette’
9. (9) Robbie Williams: ‘You Know Me’
10. (13) Chipmunk ft. Talay Riley: ‘Look For Me’

Top 10 UK Albums Chart

1. (15) Paolo Nutini: ‘Sunny Side Up’
2. (4) Lady GaGa: ‘The Fame Monster’
3. (2) Susan Boyle: ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
4. (1) Michael Bublé: ‘Crazy Love’
5. (3) Black Eyed Peas: ‘The E.N.D.’
6. (26) Florence and the Machine: ‘Lungs’
7. (9) Will Young: ‘The Hits’
8. (35) Muse: ‘The Resistance’
9. (8) Snow Patrol: ‘Up To Now’
10. (5) JLS: ‘JLS’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

This week’s singles chart is a little bit boring coming off the back of the battle for Christmas number one. But Joe McElderry finally managed to overcome the might of Rage Against The Machine to take the top spot. Rage dropped to 2. Joe’s mentor on The X Factor, Cheryl Cole, climbed from 7 to 4, while Ke$ha sneaked back into the top ten.

The albums chart also saw a role reversal from Christmas week, with Susan Boyle finally being knocked off her lofty perch by Canadian heartthrob crooner Michael Buble. The only other movers of note were Will Young entering the top ten with his The Hits album, and Cheryl Cole doing a Ke$ha and sneaking back into the top ten.

Top 10 UK Singles Chart

1. (2) Joe McElderry: ‘The Climb
2. (1) Rage Against The Machine: ‘Killing In The Name’
3. (3) Lady GaGa: ‘Bad Romance’
4. (7) Cheryl Cole: ‘3 Words’
5. (5) 3OH!3 ft. Katy Perry: ‘Starstrukk’
6. (10) Black Eyed Peas: ‘Meet Me Halfway’
7. (9) Journey: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’
8. (8) Rihanna: ‘Russian Roulette’
9. (6) Robbie Williams: ‘You Know Me’
10. (11) Ke$ha: ‘Tik Tok’

Top 10 UK Albums Chart

1. (2) Michael Bublé: ‘Crazy Love’
2. (1) Susan Boyle: ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
3. (3) Black Eyed Peas: ‘The E.N.D.’
4. (4) Lady GaGa: ‘The Fame Monster’
5. (5) JLS: ‘JLS’
6. (6) Robbie Williams: ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’
7. (10) Take That: ‘The Greatest Day – The Circus Live’
8. (7) Snow Patrol: ‘Up To Now’
9. (11) Will Young: ‘The Hits’
10. (14) Cheryl Cole: ‘3 Words’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

The singles charts was all about the battle for Christmas number one between Joe McElderry and Rage Against The Machine. RATM managed a surprising victory, as you can read about here. There was 50,000 units in it in the the end, with Killing In The Name selling 500,000, and The Climb managing 450,000. Last week’s number one, Lady Gaga, dropped to number three, while the atrociously named 3OH!3 and Journey having new entries in the top 10.

Susan Boyle secured the Christmas number one album, making it four weeks in a row in the top spot with I Dreamed A Dream. The rest of the charts stayed pretty much the same as last week, except Robbie Williams and Leona Lewis managed to climb back into the top 10 after briefly dropping out of it. They were no doubt helped by people buying last minute Christmas gifts.

Top 10 UK Singles Chart

1. (-) Rage Against The Machine: ‘Killing In The Name’
2. (-) Joe McElderry: ‘The Climb’
3. (1) Lady GaGa: ‘Bad Romance’
4. (2) Peter Kay’s Animated All Star Band: ‘The Official BBC Children In Need Medley’
5. (-) 3OH!3 ft. Katy Perry: ‘Starstrukk
6. (15) Robbie Williams: ‘You Know Me’
7. (14) Cheryl Cole: ‘3 Words’
8. (3) Rihanna: ‘Russian Roulette’
9. (-) Journey: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’
10. (4) Black Eyed Peas: ‘Meet Me Halfway’

Top 10 UK Albums Chart

1. (1) Susan Boyle: ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
2. (3) Michael Bublé: ‘Crazy Love’
3. (4) Black Eyed Peas: ‘The E.N.D.’
4. (2) Lady GaGa: ‘The Fame Monster’
5. (5) JLS: ‘JLS’
6. (11) Robbie Williams: ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’
7. (10) Snow Patrol: ‘Up To Now’
8. (7) Westlife: ‘Where We Are’
9. (12) Leona Lewis: ‘Echo’
10. (8) Take That: ‘The Greatest Day – The Circus Live’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene

The video embedded above shows the whole song, so if you want to just see the moment Williams comes on stage and misses his cure, skip to 1:16.

Robbie Williams walks on stage and starts singing well before he’s meant to. He then realizes his mistake, looks sheepishly at Olly, and then gets it right the second time. The look on Olly’s face is priceless as it dawns on him that that could be a costly mistake on his behalf.

We all make mistakes, of course, but this was a huge one during the biggest TV event of the year. And you’d really think that Robbie would be used to singing live after all these years. Olly went on to lose the competition to Joe McElderry but I’m sure this wasn’t to blame. Instead, it came down to pure talent in the end.

Post from: Brit Music Scene

The British public is obviously a charitable and giving bunch of people. Last week saw The X Factor Finalists at number one with their cover of You Are Not Alone, and this week’s U.K. singles chart is topped by Peter Kay’s Animated All Star Band with The Official BBC Children In Need Medley. Rihanna entered the charts at number six with Russian Roulette, while Susan Boyle’s Wild Horses debuted at number nine.

Susan Boyle would have been higher in the singles chart but for her album launching the same week and everyone and their dog buying that instead. It’s no surprise to see I Dreamed A Dream top the albums chart as it’s broken all manner of sales records already. Leona Lewis‘ reign at number one therefore only lasted one week. Robbie Williams and Snow Patrol also dropped slightly, while Lady Gaga entered at number seven with The Fame Monster.

Top 10 UK Singles

1. (-) Peter Kay’s Animated All Star Band: ‘The Official BBC Children In Need Medley’
2. (1) ‘X Factor’ Finalists 2009: ‘You Are Not Alone’
3. (3) Jason Derulo: ‘Whatcha Say’
4. (2) Black Eyed Peas: ‘Meet Me Halfway
5. (8) Lady Gaga: ‘Bad Romance’
6. (-) Rihanna: ‘Russian Roulette’
7. (7) Ke$ha: ‘Tik Tok’
8. (5) Cheryl Cole: ‘Fight For This Love’
9. (-) Susan Boyle: ‘Wild Horses’
10. (4) Leona Lewis: ‘Happy’

Top 10 UK Albums

1. (-) Susan Boyle: ‘I Dreamed A Dream’
2. (2) JLS: ‘JLS’
3. (5) Black Eyed Peas: ‘The E.N.D.’
4. (3) Queen: ‘Absolute Greatest’
5. (1) Leona Lewis: ‘Echo’
6. (6) Michael Bublé: ‘Crazy Love’
7. (-) Lady Gaga: ‘The Fame Monster’
8. (7) Snow Patrol: ‘Up To Now’
9. (4) Robbie Williams: ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’
10. (9) Will Young: ‘The Hits’

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

Post from: Brit Music Scene