2011 MTV VMA’s Thoughts

There was a time when the MTV Video Music Awards actually was worth watching. That time has long gone, but for some reason I decided to watch it on Sunday. Sure things are flashier than they used to be, the logo is really cool design, the stage was one of the most functional and unique I’ve seen, and the Nokia Theater is one of the hippest and nicest venues they been at. But now to the rants, first who should’ve won in the major categories…

Best Hip-Hop Video

Should’ve been Lil Wayne’s 6 Foot 7 Foot (feat. Cory Gunz)

Not that its my favorite Lil Wayne song and most of these nominees made my cringe, but Lil Wayne is MTV’s “greatest rapper currently” and he made a pretty interesting music video, that’s mostly a spoof of the film Inception, but shows every lyric of the song in some unique way. While Nicki’s video is her insane “barbie universe” and mostly just shots of her enormous ass (admit it, that’s what 50% of the video is).

Best Pop Video

Should’ve gone to (I’m not sure but not Britney Spears, more below), I’ll just pick Adele’s Rolling in the Deep

3 of the songs in this category were miscategorized Adele and Bruno Mars are R&B, and Pitbull’s Give Me Everything is more hip hop. Anything new by Britney makes my ears bleed with how autotuned it is. Adele is the best singer in the bunch and the video is visually interesting if you are paying attention. At close second I guess I could’ve chosen Katy Perry’s Last Friday Night, it got a chuckle out ot me.

Best Male Video

Should’ve gone to Eminem’s Love the Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna)

After seeing the nominees, I knew Em didn’t stand a chance, because MTV will do anything to promote Justin Bieber and get him screen time. Such a shame though since this was Eminem’s year with releasing Recovery and Hell: The Sequel as Bad Meets Evil. The song was one of Eminem and Rihanna’s best and it was meaningful too. But once again got to mention the Bieber effect.

Video of the Year

Should’ve gone to Adele’s Rolling in the Deep

I know Katy you were trying to make a great video with a message. And it was a strong message and the locale picked for the video is perfect, but coming out off the song California Gurls and then having fireworks fly off from your boobs (OK I guess its your chest but close enough) ruins it a little. Adele is a great singer and wrote a great song here, but it comes down to her not fitting the “MTV mold” and she’s British so not really marketable here. But then again that’s why we have the Grammy’s to recognize musicians.

Thoughts on the show…

• I’m amazed Lady Gaga went through the entire show acting in her dude character (not sure if I should be impressed or creeped out)
• The tribue to Britney had a bunch of little kids dressed in Britney’s old outfits, it was pedobear’s favorite moment
• Also about that, Britney Spears won the Video Vanguard Award, the last one was given to the great video director Hype Williams, and others were The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, and other music greats; and now Britney is associated with them, music died a little that day
• Apparently people flipped shit when Beyoncé announced her pregnancy during her performance, I thought it was cool for like 3 seconds (maybe its a chick thing I dunno)
• Young the Giant performing was cool, though I bet there was a bunch of who the fuck are those guys thoughts, but the way they performed it seemed really genuine and what music should be about
• Can’t believe Best Rock 2011 is the Foo Fighters only 2nd win
• Did Jessie J have a broken foot or something?
• Kevin Hart seemed really nervous in his opening monologue and his jokes fell flat, and the VMAs really don’t transistion well without a host (they should just have one to keep the show going smoothly, instead of cutting to Jessie J when they want to break)
• Russell Brand is a terrible person to have honor Amy Winehouse, they made up with the performance by Bruno Mars (one of his better performances actually)
• Thank You Odd Future and Lady Gaga for keeping MTV censors honest
• Cloris Leachman really didn’t want to be on-stage with the Jersey Shore girls, but who would (Deena is f’ing scary looking)
• Finally, I swear the only thing keeping Lil Wayne’s pants on him is magic, he wears them at the knees

 

 

Subscribe To This – KarminCovers

One of the newest YouTube sensations to arrive recently is the music duo Karmin, made up of Amy and Nick, who met each other at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Both of them have musical backgrounds, Nick’s in jazz and classic rock and Amy’s in pop and R&B. On their channel they just do simple one song performances either of their own songs or covers of songs. The covers are what they are famous for, though their original material is good too.

What makes them unique from other cover channels on YouTube is their choice of songs and their style to do perform them. They choose mainstream hip hop songs that are heavy on the raps like Lil Wayne’s 6 foot 7 foot. Along with that they chose to perform the song acoustically usually with just a keyboard, a wooden box, or an acoustic guitar. The final oddity is that it is Amy that does the rap verses with are usually done originally by a male. But the best way to understand all of this is to just hear it for yourself, so a choice selection of my favorite vids are below…

Oh yeah, if you watch enough of them you start to notice Amy changes her hairstyle in every single video.

Cover of Chris Brown’s Look at Me Now

Cover of Lil Wayne’s 6 Foot 7 Foot

The Drop – June, Week 4

The return of Server’s Sounds Top Ten Countdown is getting a “makeover” as The Drop. Bringing you the top ten songs that I am into this week or whatever else I want to countdown that has to do with music. Summer has just begun and a bunch of awesome albums have drop including this week’s Sorry for Party Rocking and Get Your Heart On!, but anyways here’s the countdown…

10. Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO (feat. Goon Rock & Lauren Bennett)

Can I express my disappointment when LMFAO’s new album dropped and everybody was not shuffling in a post-apocalyptic world like the video says. Not sure why, but LMFAO is still one of the few electrohop groups that I can tolerate listening to. BTW, no one wears the Union Jack like Lauren Bennett does, hot hot hot hot hot.

9. Blackout by Breathe Carolina

They have definitely stepped away from their Screamo-Electro thing they were doing at the beginning of their career. The song is obviously using a bunch of effects on the sound, but they do it in a less annoying way then your mainstream pop artist., more echos and dropping of the backing beat.

8. Lighters by Bad Meets Evil (feat. Bruno Mars)

Didn’t really know this until last week, but Bad Meets Evil is another one of Eminem’s side projects from his past with Royce Da 5’9″. This track in particular sounds like it should have been on Em’s Recovery album. Definitely like his more serious songs over the diss comedic tracks. Also for some reason Bruno Mars’ part in songs are all starting to sound the same to me.

7. Your Surrender by Neon Trees

I have no idea what movie this video is promoting, but at least the song is good. I have to admit it is mostly Tyler Glenn’s vocals that make Neon Trees good.

Attack of the Baby Parodies!

Apparently it’s really easy to make a parody music video for Justin Bieber’s Baby song. Not that I’m musically gifted enough to go do so. In fact, I have yet to even hear the actual song, close but I have never heard the entire thing, let alone seen the music video. So I have complied some of the best Baby parody videos that YouTube had to offer…

Justin Bieber “Baby” Parody – I’m Just a Baby by Davedays (ft. Tay Zonday)

Justin Bieber BABY gets RABIES! by Hiimrawn (BABY feat. Ludachris parody)

GREYSON CHANCE by Totally Sketch – Justin Bieber “Baby” Parody Music Video

Crazy Justin Bieber Fan by makemebad35 (kinda a parody)

Server’s Top Ten Countdown – 12/15/09

Another new music tuesday, another Top Ten Countdown. I am a man of little words this week, but the countdown must continue.

10. In My Head – Jason Derülo (NEW)

Jason is actually proving himself to be more than a one hit wonder from his earlier song Whatcha Say. In My Head is the third single off his debut album that has still yet to be released. He seems to be the next Ne-Yo, but has he released all his good songs already, leaving nothing worth listening to on his album, guess we’ll have to find out.

9. Stoned – Puddle of Mudd (NEW)

Oh this totally reminds me of their old stuff. Just good old hard rock. And it’s another one of Puddle of Mudd’s F U songs directed towards someone. Man someone must really pissed off their songwriter. And the puking at the end of the song is a very interesting touch to the song.

8. Lost in Stereo – All Time Low (NEW)

Yeah it really seems that I add a new All Time Low song to the countdown every week. Well it just seems everything they’ve been making recently have been amazing. Lost in Stereo is one of the tracks that I totally forgot about on their last album Nothing Personal.

7. This Is War – 30 Seconds to Mars (NEW)

Jared Leto put his acting career on hold for a bit to pump out another album from his band 30 Seconds to Mars. And he kinda made up for it, by making really really song tracks. This Is War is the second single and the title track of their new album. It reminds me of a more exciting version of their song A Beautiful Lie, it has build ups leading to cresendos.

6. Half of My Heart – John Mayer feat. Taylor Swift (RETURN)

John Mayer’s collab with Taylor Swift is back on the charts (well mine anyway). Yep not really much to say about this one, until a music video is made.

5. WTF? – OK Go (↓)

Man I am running out of things to say for repeat songs that return to the countdown.

4. Telephone – Lady GaGa feat. Beyoncé (↓)

Uhmm…man I have the case of the tuesdays today, all everything I have to say about this song (check last week’s countdown?)

3. Hard - Rihanna feat. Young Jeezy (↓)

Plug of my post from yesterday on Rihanna is all I have to say.

2. Last Christmas – Glee (↓)

This doesn’t have much to do with the song, but last week’s half season finale of Glee was absolutely amazing. Apparently the producers didn’t expect Fox to order a full season, so they planned a big finale by half season and it was totally worth it. Now I have to wait until Spring before I watch it again, total sadness. Oh and check iTunes and truely realize just how many of your favorite artists do Christmas covers. Here are few more…

and there is Lady GaGa’s “Christmas Song”

1. She Takes Me High – We The Kings (NEW)

We The Kings has to be one of my favorite bands I discovered two years ago on mtvU and now they have returned with a just as good sophmore album. She Takes Me High is their second single off of the album and the first single made it on the countdown about a month ago. Smile Kid is an album everyone should check out.