MUCHMUSIC TO AIR "THE VOICE" IN CANADA

The Judges of NBC's The Voice (L to R): Cee Lo, Christina Aguilera
Adam Levine, Blake Shelton

Love is blind. Or at least the people behind NBC's The Voice would like us to think that. It was just announced that MuchMusic will be airing the Reality TV Series/Competition when it premieres on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 7:00 PM EST.

The Voice will have Singers competing against one another for a grand prize of a $100k Record Contract under Universal Republic, home of Amy Winehouse, Colbie Caillat and Jessie J. Judges come from a wide-spectrum of genres including Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Cee Lo.  The Show claims not to be judging its Singers on their looks. 

V. progressive ain't it?  Whomever wins this thing has the Susan Boyles and Paul Potts of the world to thank, them having proven that singing talent with a bit of the X-Factor can sell records.  Count me officially among those excited.

(Photo credit: NBC)

KE$HA AND LADY GAGA TOP BILLBOARD 2010 YEAR-END CHARTS

Ke$ha in Toronto -
January 2010

Billboard Magazine has released their 2010 Year-End Charts and who came out on-top, you ask? Well, you might actually be a bit surprised to know that Nashville native Ke$ha actually came on-top on the Year-End Hot 100 Songs Chart with smash hit TiK-ToK.  The distiction is determined  by Airplay and Audience Impressions tracked by Nielsen BDS.  Ke$ha's strong performance on the Hot 100 Chart effectively helped make the outspoken singer Billboard's Top New Artist of 2010 also, beating out Canada's Justin Bieber who placed second. 

British Chanteuse Susan Boyle, despite not having much of a radio presence, managed to come out on-top on the Year-End Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart with her debut album I Dreamed a Dream, released late 2009.



Lady Gaga in Toronto - July 2010

Lady Gaga, who is currently prepping the premiere of her new single Born This Way on New Year's Eve from her upcoming third Disc of the same name, was given top honour of Billboard's Top Artist of 2010 based on overall Nielsen Soundscan and Hot 100 Chart performance tallies.  Gaga beat out the likes of Taylor Swift and Eminem, who placed second and third respectively.  Based on her three number one hits in 2010, I would've pegged Katy Perry on-top but in actuality, she landed in eleventh.  Does that seem right to you?

For a complete list of Billboard's 2010 Year-End Charts, click here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

SUSAN BOYLE PERFORMANCE ON "THE VIEW" - SHERYL CROW SPEAKS OUT

Poor Susan Boyle. Everyone's talking about her performance of O Holy Night yesterday on The View where a minute into the song, it appears she had choked on some Saliva, then requesting another go at it. Someone neglected to tell her this was Live Television. It happens to every Singer, trust me, but from my days as a Performer, the first Rule of Thumb is to keep the show going. The Audience often appreciates it more when you pick up and fight your way to the finish after a Goof-up.

Sheryl Crow visited The View today and voiced her empathy, "My heart goes out to her. The same thing happened to me on Letterman many years ago when I was performing Strong Enough. Everyone knows it's freezing in there!".

Having sold over 650,000 copies of her second album The Gift in two weeks, I doubt that Boyle is at all down on herself. This is her second consecutive number one-selling album on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart.  A Fool could only dream of obtaining that level of success.

Let's re-live yesterday's moment again, shall we?

THE X FACTOR'S MARY BYRNE IS THE NEXT SUSAN BOYLE

The X Factor's Mary Byrne

50 year-old Dubliner Mary Byrne is all the rage over in the UK right now as like overnight Internet sensation Susan Boyle, she too has gained a lot of support virally.  Known affectionately as Tesco Mary because she currently works as a Cashier at a branch of that Supermarket back in Ireland, even her employer has launched a campaign to get its star employee some extra votes.  She is a finalist on the UK's favourite Singing Reality Show The X Factor in the Over-28 Female category.

I came across Byrne after seeing many of my friends overseas Tweeting about her and decided to check out some of her performances, including this rendition of Dusty Springfield's You Don't Have to Say You Love Me from last night.  

NEW MUSIC - HELPING HAITI: EVERYBODY HURTS 2010

Equally as star-studded as the forthcoming We Are The World remake, Simon Cowell has put together a stellar line-up of artists for this charity cover of REM's 1993 hit Everybody Hurts.  All proceeds from digital and CD sales will be going to aid Haiti.

Among those featured on this version are Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Susan Boyle, James Blunt, Leona Lewis, Jon Bon Jovi, Mika, Michael Bublé and many, many more of our favourites.  

The Everybody Hurts single will be released on February 16, 2010.  Although already great, it would've given it that extra punch to have all the artists together at the end in a series of big repeated choruses, don't you think?

Listen to Everybody Hurts by Various Artists Helping Haiti (courtesy of Sony Music) in full below:

SUSAN BOYLE LIVE IN TORONTO - CANCELLED

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as per a press release from Syco Music/Sony Music Canada (thanks Nader!), Susan Boyle's free Toronto performance originally scheduled for Monday, December 21, 2009 at First Canadian Place, has been cancelled.

The Britain's Got Talent first runner-up is responsible for one of the best selling albums of 2009, I Dreamed a Dream. Boyle was slated to do a free performance for 2,000 people and an autograph signing for 500 fans with wristbands. After having been postponed from November, the cancellation is a result of Boyle requiring more time to keep up with her hectic international promotion schedule. She will be back early 2010, although no date has been confirmed yet. I'm very sad.

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE'S BEST OF THE 2000s

Billboard Magazine just released its Best of the 2000s charts today based on the past ten years of chart statistics and there were some surprises among the bunch.

Mariah Carey owns the title to the Number One Song of the Decade with We Belong Together, which charted fourteen non-consecutive weeks at the top of the Hot 100 Chart in 2005. The latter part of the decade however, hasn't been as successful for Carey with her latest album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel only garnering one lukewarm hit with Obsessed. The single peaked at number seven this year on the Hot 100 Chart.

Coincidentally, Obsessed was intended as a strike by Carey against Billboard Magazine's selected Artist of the Decade, Eminem. Beyoncé had the notable distinction of being shortlisted twice in that same category also as both a solo artist (ranking fourth) and in her stint with Destiny's Child (ranking ninth).

Although now defunct, boy band 'N Sync topped was named Best Selling Album of the 2000s, selling over 10 million copies of their 2000 sophomore album No Strings Attached. Sadly, with album sales on the decline, artists posting these type of numbers has become a thing of the past.

The Rolling Stones just edged out U2 as the Top Touring Act of the 2000s, earning $869,471,325, while the latter took in $844,157,925. Madonna, whom you would think would have topped the list, came in third with $801,299,671.

It was announced also that 2009's Top Selling Album was Taylor Swift's Fearless, just re-released in a Platinum Edition format this October. Swift was also named Artist of the Year too. The final sales tally has yet to be announced, although it looks as though Susan Boyle is edging up with her debut I Dreamed a Dream which continues to sell at an alarming pace.

The year's number one song is Black Eyed Peas' Boom Boom Pow, followed impressively by a Lady Gaga double of Poker Face and Just Dance respectively in second and third. Unfortunately there will be no awards ceremony for The Billboard Awards, after having ceased in 2007 due to a behind-the scenes fallout.

SUSAN BOYLE > LADY GAGA/ADAM LAMBERT/RIHANNA/SHAKIRA

Astonishing. Early album sales projections for the current week have surfaced at Hits Daily Double and Susan Boyle will be the clear winner by a landslide. It is estimated that her Sony Music debut I Dreamed a Dream will sell in-excess of 600,000 copies, making it one of the biggest selling albums of 2009, let alone being the biggest selling debut album of the year. This woman does not cease to amaze me and if you haven't checked out her amazing work on the disc, please do.

Lady Gaga also is no slouch in terms of sales with the re-release of her debut album The Fame, titled The Fame Monster expected to push approximately 350,000 copies (200,000 in its Deluxe Edition format and 150,000 in its single disc EP format). This is my favourite album of 2009 and her commercial success is an accomplishment well-deserved; she is the Lady of Pop. I am unsure though if the two album formats will be tracked separately on the Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart seeing that they are being released under the same title. My guess is that the totals can be combined.

Adam Lambert seems to be getting publicity much ado about nothing for his male-male kiss/simulated oral sex stunt at Sunday night's American Music Awards. He is expected to post sales of 200,000+ for his debut album from RCA Records For Your Entertainment, deeming him a commercial success for the Idol franchise. The series has produced more misses than hits in recent seasons.

REVIEW: SUSAN BOYLE - I DREAMED A DREAM

BLOODY AMAZING. Having broken pre-sale records over at Amazon.Com already, overnight sensation Susan Boyle's debut album I Dreamed a Dream is finally set for release. Truly, we've had limited opportunities to see Boyle perform only, so one would think that her range is limited to showtunes based on those YouTube clips that have circulated to your inboxes and Facebook accounts. I Dreamed a Dream however, puts to rest any doubts to whether or not Boyle is indeed a bona fide commercial artist, because she is.

Super-producer Steve Mac (Il Divo, Leona Lewis) does an impeccable job overseeing production on this covers collection, considering the short amount of time given to rush the album into stores for the holidays. Boyle and Mac have recorded an album which neatly cuts a slice of the pie which Barbra Streisand and Céline Dion fans hunger for. Its timing couldn't be more perfect considering that the former recently topped the Billboard Hot 100 with her latest album Love is the Answer. This proves that the demand for female crooners is still very much alive today in a market dominated by younger urban, rock and country acts. Arrangements are rich on grand piano and strings, making the 12 track opus is a slice of heaven for me considering my weakness for the latter. The focus undoubtedly is always Boyle's angelic mezzo soprano.

SUSAN BOYLE AT #1

If early numbers are any indication, Britain's Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle's debut album I Dreamed a Dream is set to break records. Amazon.Com (U.S. and Canada) has released an official statement proclaiming that the album, named after the Les Miserables tune which propelled her into overnight stardom, has received a record number of pre-orders. In fact, it is still at number one on their album sales chart and it isn't even out for a month.

The Sony/BMG release is due in-stores November 24, 2009, but don't expect a cakewalk for Boyle. She will be facing some very stiff pre-holiday competition starting with American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert who is also releasing his debut album For Your Entertainment that day. As blogged about previously, that album's cover is outright hideous and this just may hinder sales. And it doesn't get any easier for anybody aiming for the top as dueling princesses of pop Lady Gaga and Rihanna both have new releases due that day also. The former is re-releasing her multi-platinum debut album re-branding it The Fame Monster, while many eyes will be on the latter as she is releasing her new studio album Rated R. And let's not forget the amazing Shakira album She Wolf, reviewed here recently.

Although it looks to be a tough one, I'm putting my pocket change on Boyle for the win.