Christina Aguilera debuts "Let There Be Love"

Christina Aguilera really shows the love to her fans, friends and family in the newly released heartfelt clip for her feel-good empowering anthem, "Let There Be Love," taken from 32-year-old singer's latest seventh studio album, "Lotus" which was released in November last year. The mentor of 'The Voice' said that the album would be about "self–expression and freedom" because of the personal struggles she had overcome during the last couple of years, and this club rave track "Let There Be Love" is free and representative of what this album is about.
"Let There Be Love" combines dance-pop, EDM and pop music genres, and is influenced by electronica and trance. Its instrumentation incorporates synths and drums. It was also deemed as one of the best songs on "Lotus" and that it would have been a better lead single option over "Your Body." The uptempo track is about as formulaic as club pop gets, but resonates effectively.  Aguilera had managed to create a prime disco diva anthem without the assistance of Calvin Harris. So it's also a massive clubby raveathon that is ultimately throwaway, but in the best possible way.
The clip was official released few hours after she posted a lengthy thank you message to fans on her official website. The letter reads: "I may get quiet at times, but when I do have something to say, I mean every word. I decided to share my thoughts with you at length and tell you openly how I feel. Thank you for filling my soul with melody and song... lyrics and love... and giving me a safe place I feel comforted in being brave enough to always bare my soul and come from an honest and genuine place. Be fearless enough to be a conversation piece... Speak your own truth... As always, thank you for accepting me for who I am. Being human - flaws and all."
The DIY style clip kicks off with the diva giving a heartfelt message to her fans. "Hey everybody Aguilera here just thanking you guys so much for filling my life and my heart with so much love continued throughout the years," Adding: "Standing by me, I appreciate all your support, this one is just for you." In clip, Aguilera looks happier and healthier than ever as she bops around smiling ear-to-ear in swimsuits showing off her trimmed-own figure, as she sings about equality. The clip also unfolds to reveal her family including son Max, boyfriend Matthew Rutler and celebrity pal Nicole Richie, while at the same time almost everyone making the "L" sign for love with their hands, as well as holding up signs with other positive messages of love and equality.

Jay-Z raps about pitfalls of fame in "Holy Grail"

Jay-Z continues his dive head first into high-culture performance with a music video for the Nirvana-sampled track "Holy Grail", the first single, featuring Justin Timberlake crooning the silky-smooth hook, from hip hop artist Jay-Z's latest  twelfth studio album, "Magna Carta... Holy Grail." The pair just finished their joint stadium tour "Legends of the Summer" earlier this month, so the premiere of the "Holy Grail" visual comes in appropriate time. In a surprising move, Beyoncé's husband decided to unveil the song's music video first via his Facebook page, rather than the money-making platform of VEVO.
The build-up to this release was nothing short of perfection. The smooth and mellifluous "Holy Grail," album's surprisingly moody opener, featuring the sickest lyric laydown the 20/20 Experience man has perhaps ever done. Initially premiered by Funkmaster Flex tonight on Hot 97, the song features a powerful hook from Timberlake which was co-written by The-Dream and a pulsating beat from Timberlake which switches up several times. Midway through the song, Jay-Z and Timberlake interpolate lyrically sampled rock group Nirvana's 1991 hit single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Courtney Love has said in an interview that she gave permission to use the lyrics earlier this year. In exchange, Jay-Z allowed Courtney to cover "99 Problems" for her performance at the Sundance Film Festival. The Holy Grail was the cup or chalice rationally used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, which was the subject of much medieval legend and romance. As Jay-Z mulls over the pitfalls of fame and introduces a time capsule - lyrics from Kurt Cobain's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - "We are all just, Entertainers , I feel stupid and contagious," Jay-Z also raps while Timberlake cycles through every tortured artist cliché short of a crucifixion metaphor.
Director Anthony Mandler chops up the song to tell a cautionary tale of what happens when it all falls down. While they may appear to have everything, we see that their life is not as glamorous as it seems. Behind the bright lights and lavish lifestyle hides the dark side of fame. The rapper and the singer mostly stand (or sit) around and rap and sing in the dark interiors of a giant mansion; there are slick camera movements, expressive lighting and shadows, candelabras, and an upside-down car in flames. Modern dancers draped in billowing sheets up the artsiness quotient, as does the enormous room that is empty save for a single painting on the wall.

James Blunt trips motorcycle in "Bonfire Heart"

James Blunt traveling across America on a motorbike taking photos of everyday citizens in the music video for his new single "Bonfire Heart," the lead single from his upcoming fourth studio album, "Moon Landing," will be released on October 21. "There's just something romantic, old-school and lonely about the moon landings," Blunt said of his new project. "A nostalgic memory of something huge that we can hardly believe we once achieved, and for some sad reason, can't achieve again - like first love." He added: "This is a much more personal album, and also quite back to basics. It's about me and Tom [Rothrock], the producer, finding where the story all started and where we are now."
Okay, are you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside? Because you should be. Blunt has stolen our hearts in the past with unmistakable and unforgettable lyrics to his breakout hit "You're Beautiful" and this new song is no exception. Wrote with OneRepublic's frontman Ryan Tedder, the 39-year-old singer returned with a soft sound, and as a summer breeze relaxes you as you're enjoying. "Bonfire Heart" is a perfect blend of Jason Mraz, Train and Capital Cities. Having been through a number of relationships where the flame eventually burnt out, Blunt sings here of finally meeting a girl whom he believes will keep the fire in his heart alive.
"The song is about love, life, fear and hope," said the singer when sending out a link to the song stream to fans that belong to his email list, "and more than anything, you and me." At first listen, you'd think you're hearing some amazing acoustically driven, feet stomping Mumford track, but Blunt's tender boyish voice gives the charade away. "Bonfire Heart," a light hearted, sentimental look on life and finding the spark that ignites that lovely little thing called love, not only showcases that the British singer-songwriter has what it takes to be a relevant artist in the present of 2013, but has also reached a new maturity through his lyrics.
Blunt explained back-story of the video: "Shot throughout Wyoming and Idaho over two days using real characters, and the final scene took place in the car park of a bar, where everyone we'd met on the journey would meet up and we planned to film a wrap party. What we didn't know was that in the bar, a wedding was taking place, and when they saw us arrive, the entire wedding piled out and joined us. I played them all "You’re Beautiful" in the car park on my guitar, with the bride and groom pushed to the front by the 80-strong crowd, and then we lit fires and sparklers, put on 'Bonfire Heart,' and the bride and groom had their first dance to it. So if you think the girl looks happy at the end, you'll know, she's not acting." It's an emotional journey you won't likely forget. So here's to you and your blazing bonfire heart.

Robin Thicke plays football field in "Give It 2 U"

Fresh off his much talked-about MTV Video Music Awards performance with Miley Cyrus on Sunday, Robin Thicke puts on the referee stripes (in the form of a tight-cut suit) for his new gridiron-themed video for "Give It 2 U," the second single from Thicke's new sixth studio album, "Blurred Lines." The 36-year-old R&B singer told Radio.com about the song which featuring vocals from rappers 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, "It's very exciting," he said. "It's very Michael Jackson, Prince but also pretty hip-hop. It's a big, shiny pop record. It's fun."
In order to stay on top of the news cycle, Thicke is back and hoping to capitalize on the same success, controversy, and parody that accompanies "Blurred Lines." His new not-so-subtly song, "Give It 2 U," is made for twirling the final nights of summer away. The synth-infused half-spoken/half-falsetto track features a bass line that's eerily similar to that G6 track from three summer's ago, but we're not pointing any fingers. Remaining true to his aesthetic, Thicke entertains us with hot girls once again. But, the song happens to be pretty awesome too.
Thicke added that rather than write about his own life as he has done in the past, he decided to focus on just having fun on "Blurred Lines." "I've written so many songs about my insecurities, my fears, my failures, my relationship problems, my personal issues, my issues with God and the universe," he said. "I've written about everything. I think that's why this album I was like, 'I don't want to write about myself anymore. I just want to write stuff that makes people feel good.' This is the most fun, feel-good music I've ever made."
Set on a college football field in Los Angeles and directed by Diana Martel, the twerk-heavy, dance-crazed video features a cotton candy mascot, a plenty of twerkin' dancer teams from Albany and Alabama State, cheerleaders in football jerseys and dance uniforms all while riding around on parade floats with pompoms shimmy around Thicke. Chainz also makes an appearance, delivering his verse in front of a giant monument helpfully labeled "Ass Float" onscreen; Lamar raps while riding around in the back of a toy truck. The video also features a scene where an actress strokes Thicke's cheek with a foam finger, echoing Cyrus' antics with the same kind of prop at the VMAs.

The Saturdays travel through time in 'Disco love'

The Saturdays take us on an energetic tour of different musical eras in their just released camp video for the uplifting "Disco Love," the third offering from the girl group's long-delayed upcoming fourth studio album, which is untitled yet, but to be released later this year through Polydor Records. "We've got a good mix. I'm really excited about it because we've got to work with some cool people," Vanessa White recently told Digital Spy about their new album.
Some songs take a couple of spins before growing on me, while others never really get there. The Saturdays' latest groovy new single takes it back to the 80's, "Disco Love," is another girly pop anthem, such a simple, yet catchy and effective pop song is a track that references Donna Summer, Britney Spears and the Bee Gees was always going to be accompanied by a glamorous visual and the British ladies deliver in spades. The single, will be released on iTunes on October 8, is careful and delicate. The pop production shows the variety of sounds that The Saturdays want to reflect on their new album. Finally, they move away from the overrated pop-dance sound.
As for the accompanying new music video, the plot could've been somewhat more elaborate and it is everything you'd expect from this British Pop/Soul group. Lots of glamor shots of each of the ladies. Whether they're having car problems in the desert in 1979 or livin' it up at a roller disco joint, they're beyond stunning. The girls recorded the official video of the new single on July 25 in London, and there are two clear different great party moments/scenes in the video: the first set sees the five-piece travel back in time to 1979 doing their hair in the back of a camper van as when the girls are all seen looking glamourous in funky 80's style clothing as they are stuck with a broken vintage Volkswagen Van in the middle of the countryside.
And then next set up is 1989 as Mollie King, Una Healy, Vanessa White, Frankie Sandford and Rochelle Humes find themselves hits the road and having some good ole fun and flirt with some boys at a roller skating rink and pursue crazy hippy activities like dancing in a field. The dizzying clip ends in 1999 at some kind of breakdance event. It's full of color, energy with a great vibe. Pregnant Frankie is present in the video, but she is much left apart in the main shots as it was intended to hide her huge baby bump.

ZZ Ward is sick of the runaround in "365 Days"

With her Freddie Gibbs ("Criminal") and Kendrick Lamar ("Cryin’ Wolf") assisted genre-blending debut album "Til the Casket Drops" still receiving plays around since last October, the buzzing blue-eyed soul singer ZZ Ward drops off the official video to her Hip-Hop influenced album's closing track, "365 Days." An eclectic and innovative performer, Ward's mix of backporch blues and gritty hip-hop beats has been resonating with both fans and critics alike.
The song "365 Days," written by Ward, showcases her soulful voice, keyboard prowess and echoes a sentiment of empowerment as a bad relationship fizzles, making the song not only relatable but a fan favorite. Ward herself said "'365 Days' was the perfect song to end my record with. It's about waiting around for someone too long. JP Keller's (from Blended Babies) guitar solo ends the song with a perfected clumsiness it's right on the edge of falling apart. They really think about the story when they produce, just like it my lyrics, and it shows."
On Booth debut "Lil Darlin'," featured back in November of 2012, Ward pleaded with her man to "please, please, please quite draggin' [her] heart through them coals." Evidently he didn't listen; sick of waiting on him to change, the Hollywood Records signee unceremoniously cuts him loose on the newly-released "365 Days." The Blended Babies' rhythmic piano chords back Ward as she shows her two-timing fella the door, delivering her kiss-offs in a smoky vocal style sure to elicit a few comparisons to Adele. Ward soulfully takes to the streets with her grand piano in this optical illusion of a music video for "365 Days."
Featuring some trippy, Inception-esque special effects, the Ramon & Pedro-directed official visuals offer an imaginative illustration of the record's theme and shows a poised Ward as the relationship spirals (literally) to its end as the Oregon-born singer playing the keys on the sunny streets while the city stays buzzing. The video plays back a year in the dysfunctional relationship—making excuses for your man over and over and over so many times that it literally has you spinning on your head. Don't get dizzy watching this one, and we hope we're never on the wrong side of the breakup with this girl.

Foxes celebrating the spirit of "Youth"

English singer-songwriter Foxes, the musical project of Louisa Rose Allen, has quickly escalated. Foxes signed with RCA Records off the strength of her "Warrior" EP, an album that was released by Neon Gold, a label that's nearly indie-pop royalty at this point. Foxes recently released a brand-new slick music video for catchy new debut U.S. single "Youth," will be available on her upcoming "Youth" EP, due out on October 8. It's a cool clip, which sees the 24-year-old singer prances around in Mickey Mouse ears and engages in plenty of playing, and getting into Hipstervision mode that speaks to the youthfulness of the track.
If indie-pop singer Foxes sounds familiar to you, perhaps it's because you literally couldn't escape her vocals this summer on Zedd's EDM smash "Clarity." Or maybe you'll remember her from Fall Out Boy's "Just One Yesterday" or Rudimental's "Right Here"? It were also featured in "Gossip Girl." The track has been handled by Le Youth, aka Wes James, whose recent Cassie-sampling COOL single reached the UK Top 30. For "Youth," he's decided to strip out the pummeling drums and ghostly synths and replace it all with layers of stuttering, 80s-tinged electropop riffs, while Foxes' original vocal gets pitched and manipulated to become completely unrecognizable.
Lately, however, the fringed U.K. songstress has been striking out on her own. With a US Top 10 single under her belt, Foxes is finally having her moment and new-ish single "Youth" should help it along nicely. But don't let the juvenile, carefree feel of this video fool you, Foxes has the vocal maturity and range of a classically trained singer. The video was directed by James Copeman who captures the urgent, rebellious lyric of Foxes' electro anthem and stages the wide-eyed songstress in a black-and-white environment before the intro gives way to a vivid montage celebrating the spirit of youth with colourful imagery of bonfire parties, eye-catching costumes and a pair of Mickey Mouse ears.
The suitably stylized new video features Foxes being just that: young. The "Artist To Watch" VMA nominee kicks things off by hanging out in a black-and-white office space, but there's nothing dull or drab about her. Turns out the nine-to-five world just isn't for Foxes, so she decides to spend the rest of "Youth" wreaking havoc with her friends. Throughout the day (and night), Foxes and her "forever young" cast of characters run through the streets laughing, hanging out in abandoned parking lots, bathing in public, wearing Mickey Mouse ears, dancing around a bonfire. "Don't tell me our youth is running out," sings Foxes.

Elton John trying to get back "Home Again"

Elton John has him returning to his songwriting roots and dropped a new visuals to his latest single, "Home Again," the first premiere cut off of English rock composer/pianist's upcoming 30th solo album, "The Diving Board," which is his first studio album in seven years, scheduled to hit stores on September 24th. The familiar-sounding piano that opens "Home Again," instantly recalls the singer's hit material from the '70s, when he was the biggest pop star on the planet. More than 40 years after he first reached stardom, John remains a vibrant artist well worth hearing.
The 66-year-old British veteran artist returns to the spare piano led sound of his early solo albums and the result is a subtle gem. Bernie Taupin's moving lyrics speak of the desire to return to what feels like home, and the music sounds familiar, comfortable, and surprisingly current. Lyrically, John is in a reflective mood, looking back: "I'm counting on the memories to get me out of here," he sings in the song's opening line. By the time he gets around to the chorus - "We all dream of leaving but wind up in the end spending all of our time trying to get back home again" - "Home Again" isn't so much about returning to a place to stay there, but returning to find inspiration.
There is longing in the lyrics of "Home Again," but that is tempered by a sense that, at least musically, John is already back home. His piano work is backed by horns and subtle orchestration that gives the feeling of depth and wide open space that brings back memories of his early breakthrough pop efforts. "Home Again" brings us full circle sounding exactly like one of music's elder statesmen lovingly revisiting his earlier self. And "Home Again," thematically at least, could turn out to be his new album's anchor. John is giving fans a taste of his long-awaited upcoming album with this new video for “Home Again," as a series of actors plays a single character as he journeys home; the closer he gets to his destination, the younger he gets.
Directed by Brent Bonacorso, the beautiful three-and-a-half-minute video was shot in London, rural England and Iceland. It follows a Benjamin Button-esque man, who regresses in age as he seems to be trying to get back to the beginning, although the ending throws you off somewhat. The video opens with this older man leaving his current life and setting out on a journey to return to the place where he came from. Dragging his suitcase and walking through beautiful landscapes, the man back in time and becomes younger and younger as he gets closer to his final destination. Deep!

Enrique Iglesias gets dizzy in "Turn the Night Up"

Enrique Iglesias returns and learning some urban dance moves in a brand new music video for his new club-ready jam, "Turn the Night Up," the lead from Spanish singer-songwriter's upcoming tenth full-length studio album, which is due for release this fall via Republic Records. The 38-year-old Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum international icon still remains one of the best-selling Spanish artists in history with sales exceeding 100 million worldwide.
Written by Iglesias, Niles Hollowell-Dhar, Marty James and Rome Ramirez and produced by The Cataracs, the track delivers dance floor energy with undeniable pop panache. The superstar's instantly recognizable voice carries a soaring and sexy hook, making for a sizzling and seductive summer anthem. The track has an electronic style, with sensual lyrics. "One of those powerful, fun energetic songs and when we wrote it, I was just focusing at making sure if I could pull off the vocals in the studio, I was like, 'This is it, this could be one of those fun songs'," said Iglesias during an interview for On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
Iglesias also explained the idea for the dance-pop party track actually came from a phrase he always says to his longtime girlfriend, former professional Tennis player Anna Kournikova: "You know how it started? I always walk around my house and am always joking around and there's a phrase in the song that says 'Gimme some of that.' And I'm always saying that, saying 'Gimme some of that' and doing a stupid little dance. [And] my girlfriend always starts laughing, so I went to the studio and said we've got to write the song around this!"
Iglesias gets trippy and  having fun at a house party and driving around the city chasing a girl in the Justin Francis-directed video for "Turn The Night Up," and it captures that fun night out vibe and fits the song's pre and post-hangover vibe well. As a 'trippy' Iglesias will meet a girl, played by actress Kristen Carpenter in an apartment party, and will then take her for a proper dance in a night club. Amid drinking by the bottle, club girls throwing up left and right, and display of the new Nokia phone, Iglesias will steal a kiss away from his newly-met girl.

Ariana Grande unveiled 'Almost Is Never Enough'

Ariana Grande and The Wanted's Nathan Sykes have been given a delicate music video and get affectionate for their duet ballad "Almost Is Never Enough," which will be featured in the new film "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones." The track will also appear on Grande's upcoming debut studio album, "Yours Truly," due out September 3rd. The movie, just released on Wednesday, is based on author Cassandra Clare's extremely popular book series, about the teen fantasy and will be the newest wanna-be "Twilight."
Co-written and produced by Harmoney Samuels, "Almost Is Never Enough" is a tender ballad whose lyrics speak of finding love but it slipping away from your hands. Grande and Sykes take turns for the verses, with Grande singing alone the first chorus, and the twosome joining their voices for the last section. The 20-year-old pop's new princess sounds dazzling over this sparse piano ballad, and gets damn near Mariah Carey territory with some of her notes.
Grande recalled to MTV News: "I didn't know it was going to be a duet and Scooter(manager) just said 'Check your email'. And Nathan just sang the hell out of it," she added. "I thought it was Brian McKnight. I'm like 'Who is this?' Honestly I wasn't expecting it. I didn't know he had that in him. I saw him perform live on one of the radio shows that we were at together and I was like, 'Damn he can sing.'" The 20-year-old Florida singer also told MTV News: "The version going on the Mortal Instruments soundtrack is a much shorter version. The one that's on my album is very long. But I'm really excited by it."
Juxtaposes footage of Grande and Sykes with romantic scenes from the upcoming movie "The Mortal Instruments," the Charming video, directed by The Young Astronauts, is straightforward enough as two singers becoming acquainted for the first time, and recording their duet in the studio booth, and getting cozy on the sofa, hug a few times, and snap along to the song's rhythm, dramatically lipsynching the big ol' retro-style ballad even more convincingly than when we pretend to be in a music video on the daily commute. It's basically all a bit 90s, with Grande giving Sykes some loving looks over a microphone and being generally quite dramatic.

Avril Lavigne has taken to heart in "Rock N Roll"

Avril Lavigne seems to have taken to heart in her brand-new bizarre for her uptempo pop punk-rock offering, "Rock N Roll," the second single from Canadian singer-songwriter's upcoming self-titled fifth studio album, due to hit shelves on September 24 by Epic Records. Lavigne is never (like, ever) growing up, at least when it comes to her two most recent singles. So apparently Lavigne isn't done about telling people to stop growing up and now she's going to show the world the true face of rock and roll. And the video is loud, unsubtle and utterly fantastic.
It seems like forever ago that we were crushing on sk8r bois and putting pink streaks in our hair because we really wanted to be like Avril Lavigne. Well now it's finally time to get the leopard-print hoodies and wristbands back out of the wardrobe, because she's back with her brand new song "Rock N Roll," which is what we'd imagine a punky pop-princess' love song to sound like, as Lavigne sings about not caring if she's a misfit, putting her middle finger up to the sky and being "different when I'm with you."
The Max Martin-produced anthemic pop/rock track, is complete mainstream pop but with a strong rock influence, and a boisterous declaration of rebellion on which the 28-year-old puts up her middle finger to the sky to let 'em know that we're still rock and roll. Lavigne shows off her pure gratitude with this full of attitude, catchy melody, cheeky lyrics and epic production. The track, sonically and thematically, picks up where her first single, "Here's to Never Growing Up," left off, thanks to its sing-along chorus, rocking beat and carpe diem attitude.
The Chris Marrs Piliero-directed steampunk Tank Girl themed clip should be noted, demonstrative of Lavigne's razor-sharp comedy chops and her complete willingness to kiss a girl. It can't exactly be summed up in mere words, features surreal scenes including a makeout session with Wonder Years actress Danica McKellar; a fight with a BearShark, an homage to Guns 'N Roses' "November Rain" video (playing a razorblade guitar-solo as she walking away from a church) and blasting Titanic star Billy Zane into space on a Segway. Lavigne, who declares herself "the motherfreaking princess" on the track, isn't sporting a crown, but instead an army helmet and camo-green bustier.

Lady Gaga sings of living for her fans' "Applause"

Lady Gaga finally revealed the much-anticipated music video for her new single, "Applause," the lead single off the button-pushing pop star's upcoming new album "ARTPOP," which will be released on November 11. The video, Gaga's first in two years, is the kind of uniquely Gaga video, full of eye-popping imagery and layered with meaning and the images flash with the rhythms, each a visual love letter to the woman at the center of her new video for "Applause."
The 27-year-old singer stopped by Good Morning America on Monday to premiere the video and participate in her first television interview in a long time. "I'm so excited to see you at the premiere of my video at Good Morning America in 5 hours!" she shared on her Facebook page the previous night. "I am grateful to share this new experience with you! I've thought of you fans every moment since the last BTW Ball, & dreamt everyday how I could make it up to you. Only with your happiness comes mine."
"Applesauce" was written and produced by Gaga with DJ White Shadow while on the road for The Born This Way Ball Tour in 2012. Built on choppy synths, "Applause," an unsurprising electro-pop sugar cube, takes fans back to The Fame as Gaga sings about how she survives on the adoration of her fans. Gaga sings on the song of living for her fans' applause - the way they cheer and scream for her. "In my heart of hearts as I was writing, I knew that if I asked [the fans] to cheer for me before I sang or if I alluded to the fact that they would cheer for me before I sang," said Gaga to Women's Wear Daily.
The video includes shots taken in both color and black-and-white, including artistic and complex scenes such as Gaga's head on a swan, a scene in a bird cage, and the singer seated in a large top hat, as well as more simplistic scenes including Gaga walking in a black outfit wearing a headscarf, and the singer using white cloth, with scenes similar to the cover art of the single, featuring Gaga in bright make-up. Throughout the video bursts of color are shown theatrically, and at the end, the name of her album "ARTPOP" is spelled using hand gestures. Watch as Gaga dances and prances through an arty set of poses, including playing a seaborn Eve with strategically placed seashells and seaweed.

Birdy strolls through a garden party in "Wings"

Much has happened to the young Jasmine Van Den Bogaerde, aka Birdy since she came out of nowhere with a striking and stripped down piano-backed soulful cover of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love." Birdy might not have made so much as a peep for the last year or so, but after what feels like an eternity of waiting, the 17-year-old songstress is back with a brand new pretty snazzy video for her latest track "Wings," the lead single from British singer/songwriter's upcoming sophomore set, moodily titled album, "Fire Within," which scheduled for release on September 23 via Warner Music Group.
Birdy generated a mountain of buzz with her eponymous debut self-titled album. The somber collection of covers showcased the teenager's haunting voice to perfection and topped the charts around the world. "It's been an incredible few years since I released my debut album back in 2011," the British teen said in a statement. "I've been writing new songs and I'm so excited for people to hear them. They come straight from my heart." For a taste of Birdy's new, slightly less morose sound, check out "Wings." The focus is still very much on her glorious voice but the soaring track has a radio-friendly sheen missing from her debut.
Written by herself in collaboration with Ryan Tedder and produced by Tedder and Rich Costey, "Wings" sees Birdy explore familiar themes of love and passion. Sticking with the big, haunting vocals, "Wings" is a folky track with an indie edge and it seems fair to say that once you start, you just can't stop listening. Birdy joins forces with Sophie Muller for the promo to the emotive, widescreen pop of "Wings." The video is pretty edgy too and going for a Gatsby-gone-wrong sort of feel, it matches the ethereal vibe that makes us wish we were prancing about the countryside in some sort of lacy veil.
Muller invites viewers into a Renaissance fantasy world in the artful clip, which follows Birdy as she strolls through an extravagant garden party in a sumptuous mansion surrounded by a bunch of odd and flambouyant characters complete with acrobatics, masks, fencing and horses. The Black Dog director captures a haunting feeling of loneliness from Birdy, even as the revelers play around her in flamboyant costumes and masks. Amidst the stylized celebration, we get private moments with the teen songstress as she pierces the viewer with her melancholic - if not completely heartbreaking - gaze. The clip is a gorgeous fever dream that captures the delicate limbo between innocence and adulthood, as Birdy's dulcet tones float airily against the chaotic backdrop.

Chris Brown & Nicki Minaj hit club in 'Love More'

Hours after getting slapped with 1,000 more hours of community labor, embattled R&B/pop star Chris Brown hits the club in the dance-heavy new video for the upbeat club single, "Love More," featuring a rap and appearance by Nicki Minaj and a cameo via "Reno 911" comedian Nick Swardsen. This raunchy, club-friendly tune is the third single from his upcoming sixth studio album "X," dropping in late August via RCA Records. The clip shows the singer-dancer hitting the club with Swardson, and finding it packed with lovely ladies including Minaj.
Brown isn't the type to leave a job half done—especially when he's putting in work between the sheets. On "Love More," the R&B hitmaker informs his girl that he's not about to settle for anything less than perfection. Minaj goes in on her guest verse, ending it with a reference to blockbuster film "Django Unchained," while Brown provides a provocative and memorable hook: "Till we get it right, we gon' f**k some more." Freshm3n III's stark, minimal club boardwork backs Brown as he encourages the woman in question to put her erotic prowess to the test and make him forget the sh*t they've been arguing over all day.
Raunchy and sure to be a club favorite, "Love More" remains a pretty standard R&B/club banger, full of burping synth lines, heavy bass wallops, and a handful of soulful. It also features upbeat production with a west coast feel that almost ensures its place in regular radio and club rotation. Over a frenzied, dubstep-inspired club beat, Minaj and Brown exchange sexual innuendos, party recaps and their own brand of love. A club theme was only appropriate for this club-ready hip-hop cut, but the high velocity rapper Minaj lays down a series of explosive rhymes that leave the rest of the song wanting in passion and verve. A solid, glossy effort.
One of Brown's friends picks him up from his house and he drives with Swardson riding shotgun. "Love More" comes on the radio and they dance in the car before hit a rocking Los Angeles nightclub. Once they arrive, Brown breaks out some slick moves and shows off his fancy footwork to the rapid, hook-laden track in the self-directed visuals. As Swardson attends to the ladies, Brown and his dancers get down before he takes a bathroom break. A blonde-haired Minaj appears and takes over as the attention turns to her as she steals the stage and spit rhymes candidly about sex and love, in trademark fashion showing off her curves.

Zendaya shows off her smooth moves in "Replay"

The 'Dancing With the Stars' runner-up Zendaya has just premiered the music video on Disney Channel for her debut single, "Replay," the lead single from her upcoming self-titled debut album, due out September 17 via Hollywood Records. The 16-year-old actress/singer, is breaking out on her own, has a fervent fan following courtesy of her previous career as the star of Disney Channel sitcom "Shake It Up," but she's about fifty different kinds of grown-woman in her new clip.
The song "Replay" was composed by Tiffany Fred and Paul "Phamous" Shelton. "It's a very special song. I think it's very different and unexpected for me because I feel like it's on a higher level production wise," Zendaya said. "It's one of those songs that's creating its own lane or genre. I don't think it's pop, I don't think it's hip hop, I don't think it's R&B. I don't even know where you would consider it because it kind of mixes that pop sound beat with a very R&B kind of melody" she says in an interview with Radio Disney. Zendaya thinks that the single is not basic pop music, but it has an urban twist to it.
Zendaya has created a seamlessly self-promoting ode to putting a good song on repeat: She kicks the chorus off by singing, "I wanna put this song on replay/I can listen to it all day." But because every song that's about a song is actually about infatuation, she has to tweak the lyrical conceit, making it, "I can listen to you all day... I'm so lost in your sound." And it only works, of course, because the (non-metaphorical sound) of the song is so great, with breathy vocals and a slow-bubbling groove building to the chorus that will get stuck in your head whether you like it or not.
Channeling early Cassie with some slick choreography and a series of glammed-out looks, the Colin Tilley-directed clip is basically just her one long impressive dance break that never ends, but it's quite a statement from the 16-year-old chanteuse, who looking fierce in black and shows off her smooth moves and more mature side in an abandoned warehouse, and, at first, she dances alone in front of the mirror. Later, a few of Zendaya's pals, who just so happen to be stunning male models, join in on the dancing fun, and the crew spends the rest of the afternoon twerking it out and presumably burning more calories than you would after an entire day on the treadmill.

Gavin DeGraw debuted clip for "Best I Ever Had"

Gavin DeGraw premiered his new video for his latest single, "Best I Ever Had," the lead single from the golden-voiced singer's upcoming fifth studio album, still untitled, which is the followup to his 2011 release "Sweeter," and is scheduled for release this fall via RCA Records and Sony Music Entertainment. The 36-year-old is back in action with one of the most up-tempo tunes of his music career and "Best I Ever Had" takes you for a joyride from the first thump of the bass drum to the last strum of the guitar. The video like the song itself, it's a little fast and frantic, with a bit of romance thrown in.
Instead of composing a few tunes alone and co-writing the rest, the musician enlisted the help of other songwriters on every single track for his new album. Working with artists like Boys Like Girls' frontman Martin Johnson and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder. Outside the comfort zone of his past hits, DeGraw served up a foot stompin', heart felt, in your face single in "Best I Ever Had," which moves to the rhythm of a pounding kickdrum, galloping guitar and a horn section that recalls contemporary folk-leaning artists like Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Of Monsters & Men.
The song shows a clear evolution to his sound by adding a melody closer to folk rock, whose style may remind the English band Mumford & Sons. A perfect mix between folk and country music. This tribute to life on the road was co-written by himself with the collaboration of Martin Johnson, who also produced the track, the song moves to the rhythm of a brisk stomping beat. "I'm sitting in the room with Martin Johnson, the guy I'd been writing with before who's really gifted, and he's like, 'Hey man, what do you think of this track?'" DeGraw recalled to Billboard magazine. "He just starts playing this jangle-y, uptempo kind of thing, which ultimately was the foundation for 'Best I Ever Had.'"
Filmed in early July and was directed by Shane Drake, The song's official music video is full of fast cuts, preachy images, to crazy out of control country beats. The fast-paced visuals for "Best I Ever Had," finds DeGraw getting close to the 2013 Miss USA titleholder, Erin Brady who plays his love interest, as DeGraw sings in front of a screen with changing images that reflect and fit the song's rapid-fire tumble of lyrics for most of the video, while shots of Miss USA. of her in a field are scattered in the video. The end of the video features DeGraw being kissed by Brady. The video is enough to bring the folk and country-inspired song to life.

Kelly Clarkson celebrates weddings in "Tie It Up"

Set to tie the knot for real on October 30 in Nashville, Kelly Clarkson rocks a wedding reception in new wedding-themed music video for her marriage anthem "Tie It Up." The 31-year-old "American idol" season one champion has been flirting with country music for the past few years. The Texas gal has straddled the line between the pop and country genres, even releasing singles in the latter genre as she attempts to cross over. She certainly experiments even more with that sound on her new single "Tie It Up," thanks to the twanged-out guitars and groove.
Written by Ashley Arrison, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, "Tie It Up" is a country blues song and the tongue-in-cheek romp about marriage proposals, wedding plannings and getting married. It opens with a "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"-style guitar loop, with Clarkson singing the tale of spotting her groom across a room, it then interpolates to a chorus where she invites him to set the date, hire a band, and ultimately inviting him to "tie it up," accompanied by a sound of wedding bells.
After a series of straightforward pop singles that were empowering and uplifting, it's refreshing for her to let her hair down and sing over a guitar. The let's-get-married come-on "Tie It Up," is a straight-up country with a straight-up blues-country beat. Clarkson's voice is big and soulful, that's why this song doesn't feel married to one genre and like a "mid-'90s Alanis Morissette. "Tie It Up" is feisty genre fun, while still making room for the typical Clarkson wail. It's a vision of commitment that's worth committing to.
The Weiss Eubanks-directed video, meanwhile, is pure feel-good fun, which splices footage of wedding singer Clarkson who shows the bride and groom how to have a good time with clips of normal people's nuptials. It ends with Clarkson winning the bouquet toss but not after she first rocks the wedding reception. Wedding images appear throughout the almost three-minute clip, showing different couples as they take their vows and well into their wedding after-parties. From the rings to the cake, bridesmaids and groomsmen, it is a collage of joyous photos and footage rolled together to complement the fun, country tune.

Mikky Ekko travels with pinball machine in "Kids"

Mikky Ekko plays pinball in his recently-released moody video for "Kids," the second single from Ekko's forthcoming debut studio album. The first time Yours Truly heard that song it sounded a lot different. Follow-up from the megatronic lead single, "Pull me Down," the 29-year-old Nashville singer displays his indie-epic side on new cut, which is masterful and melancholic, a freight train roaring through nostalgia. As he explains that the song came to him during the London riots, when he was thinking about how different things were when he was growing up. "Kids" is the first sign that, in Ekko's own words, he's "starting the next chapter."

While the original is effective in its own way, this singularly naked and bare-boned version with just piano and vocals is powerful. He recruited Benny Blanco and John Hill to produce this absolutely irresistible anthem that's sure to be an inescapable soundtrack to your summer. "Kids are gonna do what they want!" Ekko sings, tinged with just enough charming melancholy, and you can't help but raise the volume, get a taste of that clattering percussion and those thrumming synths and strings, and sing along. The Southern crooner has the sort of voice that is exactly two notches above James Blunt-esque.
Where Ekko anthem "Kids" grabs you, firstly, with its big, wide-eyed vocal melody, and it reels you in with a pretty minor detail—the crisp finger snaps that he's substituted for the original's chunky digital bounce, echoing into a delicate, almost inaudible infinity. Skeletal and slanted are the first words that come to mind in describing the Vienna-based producer and LuckyMe artist's idiosyncratic version, which chops up the vocal, pitches it downward, and punctuates it with wonky synth chords in a way that almost undermines its melodic momentum, but ultimately ends up doing quite the opposite.
With nothing but his black tee, baggy pants, a crucifix and a shiny, intergalactic-looking pinball machine, Ekko travels from locale to locale in his video for synthy new single "Kids." You'll know the Southern crooner fresh off from his recent stint as duet partner on high-profile Rihanna's mega-hit "Stay," a song Ekko wrote. Here, however, Ekko is front and center, looking angsty while flanked by umbrella-toting women in the desert, knocking a pinball around by the side of a lonely American highway and hanging out on a barren city street at night. Give the video a spin below.

The Wanted hit the pub in "We Own The Night"

English-Irish boy band The Wanted celebrates the joys of a good night out in just-released visuals for new party anthemic pop/folk song, "We Own the Night," from their upcoming third studio album "Word of Mouth," which is scheduled to hit the stores in September 23rd via Island Records. When the time came to shoot the video for "We Own the Night," The Wanted knew the only way to perfectly encapsulate the feel-good vibe of the party track was to head to the pub and drink the night away.
The Wanted's manager Scooter Braun told MTV News about this drinking song-like party tune. "It is an anthem," he said. "It is an anthem for anyone who ever had a drink and a good time. It's a perfect The Wanted song, but it's like... it's them. It's a little British to it. It's a little bit of everybody at the bar will be singing this at the top of their lungs [type song]. And it's just a really great, great record. I play it around the office and people just go 'What is that?' And they love it. When the boys finished it, we all listened to it and they said 'This is the record we've been looking for - because this is us.'"
Nathan Sykes, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Tom Parker and Jay McGuiness have provided an insight into a typical night out for The Wanted lads and can be seen partying in a London bar with their pals on a night out as they flirt, carouse, laugh drink, sing, dance on top of the bar, and make out with their respective ladies. Filmed in a local Camden pub by director Frank Borin, the five-piece's other antics include playing a game of darts, partying with a group of flirty girls and taking advantage of the bar before strolling home in the early hours. And that's exactly the kind of music video this boy band likes to make.
And much like the good-natured video celebrates British pub culture, the guys also wanted to ensure that the song also pays homage to their homeland with just the right flourishes. "[We wanted to] make it a lot more chantey and make it very feel-good and I think we were able to do that. And we wanted to add a real British feel to it and so we added in the bag pipes," Sykes explained. "This video we really just wanted to go back to being The Wanted and have a video along the lines of 'Glad You Came,' which is all about having a lot of fun with a load of good-looking girls, which is awesome," Sykes said. The boys are really own the night!

Big Sean getting through tough times in "Fire"

Big Sean drops a provocative racy video for "Fire," as a promotional single from his upcoming sophomore studio album, "Hall of Fame," due August 27. The track has its soulful energy. Over colorful synth and a motivational chant, Sean playfully highlights his rap journey. While Sean's flow is as laid-back as ever, he delivers his bars with more than enough power to make himself heard over the scorching instrumental. "It's about getting through the tough times, through the fire, and always evolving. Whether it's in relationships, personal, in your work, etc.," says Sean of the song.
The Detroit rapper calls on Miley Cyrus to play leading lady in the striking visuals, directed by Matthew Williams. In it, Cyrus is seen scantily clad, wears scintillating outfits like a crop top with torn booty shorts and gold lamé lingerie. Combined with some sensual moves in slow motion, writhing on a smoldering block of marble, or simply showing off her killer stems on set. The whole vibe of the video is also spliced between images of a blooming red rose, pink flower and flames in the video, represents Cyrus' growth following a painful breakup. It's all Cyrus all the time, with Sean making a brief appearance as a still image on fire.
The 25-year-old rapper intentionally made Cyrus the centerpiece in "Fire," as he explained: "[It's] a special video for a special song. I got Miley Cyrus for this video because she's somebody who's had a personal evolution as a lot of us have had. Besides all the personal stories I tell in the song, there are so many other ways people can make it through the fire. I think Miley did a great job as a metaphor for strong women, being strong person after heartbreak, or maybe even deeper problems but in the end remaining as elegant as a rose. It's a cool visual that has a cool concept and meaning to it."
In fact, the clip, is a stylishly serene affair - apart from Cyrus breaking a red rose like a vase, not much actually happens in its almost three minutes. That's because Sean wanted there to be "a lot of metaphors," and he wanted Cyrus to bring them to life. "I wanted somebody who was beautiful and I wanted to take her out of her element. People looking at her like she's twerking and all this stuff, but she's an awesome person and she's cool. She symbolizes the beauty of a lot of women. Women overcoming different relationships and being as beautiful as a flower. You'll see a lot of metaphors in the video." Watch Cyrus model for Sean.

Fergie debuts A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

Fergie is back and hosting the lavish Gatsby-themed parties in the clip for "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)," her Q-Tip and GoonRock collaboration featured on the soundtrack to the 2013 film "The Great Gatsby," about American opulence, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same name, released through Interscope Records. She may be very much pregnant nowadays, but that did not keep the Black Eyed Peas member from filming a music video, her contribution to the Jay-Z executive-helmed "The Great Gatsby" soundtrack album and only song to play for your Gatsby viewing parties.
The raucous anthem "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)," is an uptempo electro-pop, and swing-flavored hip-hop song, which references the viewing parties held by Gatsby from the novel. There are party fiends, and then there's Jay Gatsby. In "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)," Fergie, Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest and producer GoonRock demonstrate their willingness to keep up. Swinging sax licks boogie with Fergie's jazzed up vocals before GoonRock's synths storm through. Q-Tip later drops in a fun-loving guest verse to keep the energy levels pulsing. "I have a stout reputation of keeping it hot," he rhymes.
Fergie goes back to the Roaring Twenties with a Big Band vibe. That same feeling is carried out through the song's video which finds Fergie linking up with Q-Tip and GoonRock for some retro styled fun. Though (a pregnant) Fergie is dressed as a flapper throughout, her collaboration with Q-Tip and GoonRock doesn’t take listeners all the way back in time, thanks to some thumping EDM beats. The concept for the clip, as the Black Eyed Peas star explained in a behind the scenes interview is, "hosting the ultimate party," depicted through a 1920s-themed event at the Emerson theatre in Hollywood.
Director Fatima Robinson just creatively made sure to hide the 38-year-old mom-to-be's baby bump in the three-and-a-half-minute visuals. As the preggy Fergie is seen getting her all make up and wear on for a night of partying before pulling up at the front of the venue. She then first retreats to a comfortable sofa surrounded by dapper-looking men in black tuxedos and bow ties before she takes over the stage, dazzles in several ensembles and the non-stop dancing ensues, the crowded dance floor filled with partygoers swaying to the electro-pop beats of the Goonrock-produced track.

Olly Murs reflects career 'Right Place Right Time'

Olly Murs looks back on his short but extremely eventful career in the retrospective theme video for catchy new single "Right Place Right Time,” the fourth single, final single and title track from his current third studio album. The 29-year-old Brit star has enjoyed a banner year with unexpected US chart success and gets nostalgic in the reflective promo, which is made up of behind-the-scenes footage and memorable moments from his career so far.
Following up to his Top 10 smash "Dear Darlin’," Murs' new track "Right Place Right Time" looks back at his past endeavors. The track has been a crowd favorite during Murs' performances as special guest on Robbie Williams' European stadium tour, which has seen the "Heart Skips A Beat" singer gather critical acclaim, including The Times calling his duet with Robbie ('Kids') a highlight of the show. On the U.S. front, Murs barely became a breakout star earlier this year with his top 30 hit, "Troublemaker," featuring rapper Flo Rida. "Right Place, Right Time" was released as his debut album in the states, where it peaked at No.19 on Billboard.
The video reflects on key moments in his career and literally sees him being in the right place at the right time such as his The X Factor audition back in 2009, where he impresses judges like Simon Cowell. He was subsequently put through and ended up making it to the final of the show, finishing in second place, but he would go on to have an impressive career in his country. Since then, Murs' career has exploded, the video shows screaming fans turning up for album signings, Murs on the set of his previous music videos and him in the studio.
One of the experiences it looks back at is his Comic Relief desert trek for Red Nose Day a couple of year's back which raised millions of pounds for the charity. We also see glimpses of him on his tour bus as he embarks on various different dates around the world and we get a glimpse at Murs as a kid in a home video snippet. The video is pieced together with cheeky backstage antics and comes together quite nicely - never feeling like a hasty montage. It's all about Murs' journey to fame in the video and we get a bit of a glimpse of Murs' life. Make sure to stick to the very end to see something Murs has become famous for. Watch Murs come to terms with his pop star journey below.

Jessie J brings different fun in "It's My Party"

Jessie J is the life of the party as the 25-year-old British dance-pop star peeps into key holes, opens doors to many realities and parties like 'cray-cray' with her supermodel pal Jourdan Dunn in her brand new fun music video for her newest uplifting sassy pop jam, "It's My Party," the second cut off her forthcoming, still untitled sophomore studio album, is expected to feature multiple sounds ranging from pop rock to hip-hop, and due later this year via Lava-Universal Republic.
If we know one thing about Jessie J, it's that the British singer-songwriter does not pull any punches. From her explosive Freddie Mercury-meets-Katy Perry vocal styling to her extreme, eye-popping fashion statements, she always aims to make an impression. This very "Domino" reminiscing new track; is a highly energetic, fun loving track, and Jessie J is well-advised in choosing "It's My Party" as a follow-up single to the Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal-assisted lead single "Wild," throwing back to her 2011 "Domino" pop sound after the urban and hip-hop vibe in "Wild," offering some variation that will surely get fans excited over her upcoming album.
The Emil Nava-directed clip opens on our boisterous heroine alone wandering through a pink hallway, where she peeps through the keyholes and opening three doors to unveil rooms where parties are being held by different types of social groups. While the track is breakup anthem, there is no breaking up going on in the clip. "It's basically me having parties. Three very different parties that I kind of bring together as one big party. There's some cameos in there, some of my best mates in there," Jessie J explains. "It's a fun video, it's just me being silly. It's a lot of humor." The video proving that Jessie J knows how to have a good time.
The carefree and fun scenes with splashes of color, attitude, and partying take place in a house full of different parties, all with different themes and filled with partygoers who dance the night away. Like the carefree spirit of "It's My Party," she lightens the mood and really gets the parties going. we have a punk/grunge gathering, a pompous hipster get-together and a hip-hop-influenced bash. Jessie J invades to bring her energy into and there's a definite Miley Cyrus/"We Can't Stop" vibe to the lyrics, but since Jessie J's track is framed as a response to actual snarky comments, it's an anthem to self-determination that's entirely her own. After partying with each group individually, they all get together for a big final celebration at the end.

Kings Of Leon head back to 50s in "Supersoaker"

Grammy-winning rockers Kings of Leon, who have Oklahoma City and Talihina ties, have unveiled the artistic music video for their new song, "Supersoaker," the lead single off rock band's upcoming sixth studio album, "Mechanical Bull," due on September 24th. The new video sees the Followill brothers, Caleb, Jared, Matthew and Nathan, all smiles and rock out with their guitars in an American diner set in the 50s-esque as a love story is played out through several characters, providing for truly vintage visuals.
"Mechanical Bull" is very much a comeback record, after their 2008 breakout "Only By The Night" was followed by the disappointingly heavy-handed "Come Around Sundown." Nathan recently told MTV News and revealing details of their upcoming album: "[Fans] like the energetic direction [the new tracks are] going in, which is like our earlier stuff; going into this record we knew we wanted to have fun and make songs that are fun to play on stage." The video is a back-to-basics affair and, yes, they're having fun again. It carries a decidedly looser, back-to-the-drawing-board vibe, with the Kings of Leon boys goofing around during a performance and actually appearing to enjoy themselves.
A Super Soaker is a powerful water gun that revolutionized water fights forever. Traditional squirt guns were no match for these pump-action monsters, and the arms race made it the top selling toy of 1991. In this soulful rocker, drummer Nathan uses it as a metaphor for the havoc he wreaks in matters of love, and explained it "is a lot more melodic and a little more sing-along-y, if that's even a word." The slightly more adrenaline-fueled "Supersoaker" finds the band in soulful territory, with frontman Caleb's signature vocals as he moaning over anthemic guitar bursts and funky rhythms.
The band has definitely moved on from the "Southern Strokes" tag, this song actually does sound a lot like the Strokes, and the video reminds me of them too. Shot with vintage filters, the Instagram-in-motion-looking clip features retro milkshake joints full of sailors and dames, among other neat visuals. Uncharacteristically, Kings of Leon have gone old-school and actually enjoying their day jobs as they show up at what appears to be a 50's sock hop, plug in, and play. More often than not, they stare directly into the camera, and, in-between the occasional crack up, throw themselves headlong into their latest stomper.

Thirty Seconds To Mars unveiled "Do Or Die"

Thirty Seconds To Mars have unveiled a brand-new worldwide tour live video for their new single, "Do Or Die," the second single from American stadium emo-rockers' recent fourth studio album, "Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams," released in stores last May via Virgin Records and Universal. And just as you've come to expect from the trio, "Do Or Die," which clocks in at a whopping seven minutes, is basically a love letter to a fanbase, complete with testimonials, behind-the-scenes clips and some massive crowd shots with frontman Jared Leto in full messianic mode.
The concept album revolves around four themes after which the album is named. It is recognized by four colors, with the color Red stands for Love, Green for Lust, Yellow for Faith and Blue/Purple for Dreams. Written and produced by Leto, "Do Or Die," is an anthemic rock song with a real message behind. According to Leto, this propulsive rocker is "about standing up and living out your dreams." The track chronicles the band's backstage and onstage antics as they work to break a world record for the number of live shows performed during a single album cycle. This new clip is a love letter to the Echelon, and the explosive exchange of energy that takes place whenever they perform for them.
Shot during the band's 2013 tour in Europe, and directed as usual by Leto's "Bartholomew Cubbins" pseudonym, the seven-minute clip, is mostly a performance video featuring a lot concert footage, backstage footage, fan commentary, and random scenes, including their performance in Soho Square this summer when they performed a surprise busking set and self-shot studio footage and offers fans an insight into the band behind the scenes. It is vibrant and fans from all over the world are showcased in discussing how much Thirty Seconds To Mars means to them.
The emotional clip opens on a young man describing the pain of his father's unexpected death, how he dealt with the loss, how he continues to do so, and the role that music has played throughout the entire grieving process. Throughout cancer scares, divorce, job loss, death, and nearly anything else you could think of, music has helped these individuals persevere and continue to enjoy life. More confessionals are added to the mix, claiming that music is everything from a drug to the reason why they're even alive. Then, the video cuts to high-quality live performance footage, only occasionally swapping in scenes of the band helming a gigantic sailing ship.

Mumford & Sons poke fun in 'Hopeless Wanderer'

Mumford & Sons has unveiled the music video for their track "Hopeless Wanderer," the most recent single off of Mumford & Son' Grammy winning sophomore album "Babel," but fans won't get to see any of the band members in it. Instead, they will be treated to the funny antics of four comedians from former "Saturday Night Live" cast members Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, Will Forte and Ed Helms as stand-ins for the band members, and in the process proves the British folk rockers have a great sense of humor. The result is by far the best Mumford & Son video yet, and it quickly went viral.
"Hopeless Wanderer" finds frontman Marcus Mumford longing for loved ones left behind whilst on the road. The track originated with a piano part created by the band's Ben Lovett when the group was staying in a small house in Nashville, Tennessee in early 2011. "My bedroom was right next to the living room, where we had a little setup," recalled Mumford to American Songwriter of overhearing Lovett tinkering the ivories. "I was in bed, hungover, and I thought, 'F**k, I need to get in that room, because that sounds amazing.' We wrote the song that day."
The clip all opens calmly enough, with the sun's glare and a muted color palette obscuring who might actually be performing. It's totally plausible that Mumford & Son would be the stars of this show. Until the one-minute mark, when it's revealed that lip-syncing along to the words from the song, is the aforementioned comedic quartet, satirizes the band members, from their outfits to even the necessary facial hair and old-timey clothes to pull off the routine. From their respective stringed instruments down to the way the band performs their heart out, the funny men give on the dot impressions.
The four do a convincing enough job of pretending to play things such as the piano, guitar, banjo, stand-up bass, and accordion. Not that there isn't a decent amount of foolery; Sudeikis, as Marcus, struggles to play guitar while carrying a bass drum on his back; the four also squeeze into a tiny boat while playing in the middle of a pond. The emotion of it all starts to peak as tears are shed and kisses are exchanged. But there are still beers to to cheer and instruments to bust up in a barn-burning finale highlighted by Bateman's banjo picking and Forte's bass. They do give a new meaning to the hook, "Hold me fast/ Hold me fast/ Cause I'm a hopeless wanderer."

Sick Puppies unveils "There’s No Going Back"

Australian hard-rock trio Sick Puppies have released the music video for "There's No Going Back" the lead single from the threesome's latest bona fide fourth studio album, "Connect," in stores now on Capitol Records, and it debuted at No.17 on the Billboard Album Chart upon its release last month – much to the delight of singer-guitarist Shim Moore, bassist Emma Anzai and drummer Mark Goodwin after 16 years of toiling in the music industry trenches.
Four albums into their career, it is time for Sick Puppies to buckle down and grow up. Sick Puppies thrives on tight-roping between two genres: hard-rock and radio-friendly rock n' roll. Usually, the stabs at lyrical profundity come up a bit short, but Sick Puppies' maturation from neo-grunge to neo-post-grunge means that "Connect" offers a richer musical experience than the group's previous records. They're still hampered a bit by their desperate desire to be taken seriously. "Connect" begins with some wick guitar melodies, before lead single "There's No Going Back" shows the softer side, with acoustic guitars and a softer approach, yet still retaining that rock touch, typical of Sick Puppies.
"There's No Going Back," was co-authored by legendary songwriter Desmond Child, who crafted career-defining tunes for Bon Jovi, KISS and Aerosmith. "He made us step up our game," Moore said. "He was the enemy of 'good.' Everything we came up with had to be 'great,' not 'good.'" The song is about past mistakes and regret, putting those things behind you and moving forward, making the most out of what your life is now. "There's No Going Back" is a tepid affair that screams "please play me on the radio," complete with an inoffensive and boring lead guitar riff and the same "whoa oh oh" backing vocals that plague every other mainstream rock release.
In the clip, the trio find themselves in the desert, when all of a sudden they start seeing ghosts of their own selves. So, their ghostly selves are letting them know that no matter's what's happened in the past, it remains in the past and it's time to move forward. While the trio stranded in a seemingly desert setting beginning to figure out there's something different about their surroundings, they begins to poke at the ground with their umbrellas and soon take the plunge by diving into the sand-covered oasis. In the end, the three Sick Puppies members escape their stagnant stage to rock out and take their next steps toward the future.