Bonnie McKee enjoys summer in "American Girl"

Bonnie McKee is finally back and glories in all the summer silliness and sexiness you can imagine with an official super-sweet mash-up video for her insanely catchy Dr. Luke-produced pure pop song, "American Girl," the lead single from California-born McKee's upcoming yet-to-be-titled sophomore studio album, to be released in September. The song was the first single released by McKee in 9 years since the 2004 single "Somebody." It is also her first material released by Epic Records; previously, she was signed by Reprise Records.

McKee is better known for the hits that she's penned for such leading pop stars as Katy Perry ("California Gurls"), Taio Cruz ("Dynamite"), and Britney Spears ("Hold It Against Me"). So with all the contact numbers McKee must have on her phone, it was of no surprise that she recruited a galaxy of famous faces to appear in the song's promotional lip-sync viral video, which was released to YouTube on June 26. The 29-year-old talented young actress/writer managed to manufacture an official video even more amazing than the first and it's great to see her soak up some spotlight for herself!
McKee described the track as a "summer banger" with "big, splashy, colorful lyrics." It is such an 'instant,' and radio-friendly song, and it feels and sounds like McKee's perfect 'debut single.' She also explained that the music video was inspired by the film Spring Breakers: "We steal a car, go to the mall and other American stuff. I also dance a lot. It was really bright visuals and colorful pictures and that's kind of what I wanted to do was give my fans a glimpse into my head and what my life was like as a teenager growing up in America. I wanted to give my own American experience."
Directed by Justin Francis, the candy-colored clip follows McKee, who's taking over the spotlight with her off the chain orange creamsicle-colored hair, and her friends as they make the most of a summer day on the curb drinking Slurpees while invading a 7-eleven for some free stuff, flirting with boys, taking a mall by storm, sunbathing by the pool, and getting turnt up at a house party at night, complete with plastic water toys and tons of skimpy bikini action. But the fun's not over yet: Once their pool time is up, the gals steal a car from a muscular, tatted-up man and proceed to live out their "Teenage Dream" one summer day at a time. Nothing ground-breaking here. The video is fun, vibrant, entertaining, and everything it needs to be in order to match the song, and actually making us 'get' into the song more.

Ellie Goulding Writhe for Lost Love in "Figure 8"

Ellie Goulding channels the lady in red but in, like, a good way in her new obscure visual and aural masterpiece for her hit track, "Figure 8," the second single from British singer's sophomore album, "Halcyon," which is a personal tale of a relationship ending and wanting to hold on to what once was. Sometimes life can imitate art and art can imitate life, but in Goulding's case, it may be a little bit of both. With Goulding just splitting from EDM DJ Skrillex, one could maybe guess what this song was inspired by, and the new surreal Clip seems to be art imitating life.
Built around piano and electronics, the dark and brooding "Figure 8," has a moody vibe that matches its heartbreaking lyrics. The song helps her maintain this authority quickly after on the galloping bruises of "Figure 8," a defensive track that finds her reasoning with her scorched paths, as Goulding sings about a love that didn't live up to its promise of infinity - the titular "8," turned on its side. "Figure 8" continues to explore her ascent into womanhood, centering around her experience of being left heartbroken by a former love over a buzzing dubstep bassline that vibrates with a gentle nod to the album's namesake.
Mourning the loss of her lover, Goulding fights to recapture the heart of her beau, whose resistance is killing her softly. Feeling like there's no reason to live anymore, Goulding's life as she knows it ceases to exist. Do your best to follow the 25-year-old British elecra-pop sweetheart as she navigates the infinite cycle of obsessive love, all to the backing tune of her slick, signature warped beats and distorted vocals. The result will leave you breathless!
The moving clip seems to capture the emotional lyrics perfectly, and really makes the story of "Figure 8" come to life. In the kinda creepy clip, Goulding is practically a ghost in the house she used to share with her man and time marches backward in various stages as she looking anguished and remembers some of the good and bad times. She's hopelessly distraught over a recent lover. Whatever the case, the "Halycon" cut properly soundtracks her tossing and turning and depression. We're totally left wondering how true-to-life this clip really is.

Coldplay Reaches For The Heavens In "Paradise"

Coldplay has unleashed the video for "Paradise," the second single from British alternative rock band's upcoming fifth album "Mylo Xyloto," set for release on next Tuesday. Coldplay's music may not be for everybody, but their music videos tend to be universally transcendent. The giddy new clip is a pachyderm-filled romp which features Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, dressed in a plushy elephant costume, embarking on a unicycle trip in South Africa. That's the takeaway from the sweet, whimsical video.
Influenced by listening to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, the song finds Martin singing of a young girl's dashed hopes and dreams of paradise. Martin told Billboard magazine that "Mylo Xyloto" is a concept album, which is, "loosely a kind of romance in an oppressive environment." "Paradise" is a far moodier affair than previous single "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," whose title is even included in "Paradise"'s lyrics, with dramatic strings and chords and just the right touch of melancholy for the onset of the fall season. The new video finally explains what that was all about.
Regarding this song's meaning, it is easier to explain in the context of the album. Martin told MTV News "Mylo Xyloto" is a story, explaining: "It's supposed to be about two people who grow up separately in a very big oppressive city, and they each are a bit lost in their lives." He added that the pair meet in a gang and fall in and out of love before getting back together at the end. The singer went on to say: "'Paradise' is about a girl really, the female half of the album, just about being a bit lost in the world and escaping through fantasy."
The clip was directed by Mat Whitecross, and it retains the sort of warmth and humor he tends to bring to the table. The video is exactly as track's title might suggest: nostalgic filters, honeyed, sun-drenched shots of Cape Town, and all bandmates dressed up. The video portrays a classic break-free scenario that begins Martin dressed as an elephant escapes from a zoo in London, takes a unicycle trek through South Africa, and ends up after a seemingly hopeless wonder comes across three other elephants (the rest of Coldplay) playing the song in the fields, all set to soaring anthemic refrains and catchy beats. It's kooky, but it works.

Lady Gaga Dances Up In "The Edgy Of Glory"

Lady Gaga debuted her new music video for "The Edge of Glory" during Thursday's episode of "So You Think You Can Dance." The song is the third single from her sophomore album "Born This Way," and it features one of Gaga's childhood icons, E Street Band sax player Clarence Clemons, who suffered a stroke over the weekend. "In bed with Mommy thinking about Clarence," Gaga tweeted on Monday. "I can't wait for you to see the beautiful video we made together. He's a really special person." Smoke machines! Sax solos! Fake buildings! Gaga salutes the beauty of simplicity in her latest video, which looks like something straight outta 1987.
The song was inspired by the death of the singer's grandfather in late 2010, the 25-year-old pop diva revealed that she wrote this song at an emotional moment at the piano with her father. "My dad and I were going to say goodbye to him at the hospice, and I got out a big thing of agave tequila and my dad sat next to me at the piano and we started doing shots back and forth, and I wrote 'The Edge of Glory' on the piano and my dad and I cried. The song is about, how when I watch my grandpa die, I believe that he looks my grandmother and I realize that he was a champion in the life and that's when he's able to go to the edge of glory that represents being on the edge of that glorious moment."
The most ecstatic pop serenade Gaga has ever come up with, "The Edge of Glory" is a massive power ballad with heavy club beats that features Clemons wailing on his saxophone—but somehow it all seems totally natural when you actually hear it. There's an element of cheesiness to it, but it's totally captivating and incredibly catchy. If any of these new Gaga tunes demands to be a big fat hit this is it. The inclusion of Clemons is an inspired touch that amplifies the song's Eighties stadium rock vibe, but his actual performance is amazing and ranks among the best of his career.
It begins with Gaga slowly appearing from behind a building on a deserted street corner, the '80s-themed promo finds Gaga wearing a two-toned wig and barely-there leather getup, strutting her way through an abandoned New York City neighborhood in a silent night, and getting dirty on the edge of a fire escape and sitting on a stoop with the 69-year-old musician; just hanging out, saxing it up. Not to put down her previous over-the-top video releases but finally. A music video that complements the aesthetic that she's going for with the entire "Born This Way" album; balancing the best song on the record with the album's best music video.