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New Alicia Keys Album to Feature Two Sides of Her Musical Artistry

Music Observer Staff on February 28, 2022

Source: Alicia Keys’ Instagram

New York City-born music artist Alicia Keys recently announced the details of her upcoming album titled KEYS, which is set to be released on December 10. The artists highlighted the two kinds of songs that she would be releasing. Side A will showcase her laidback piano vibes, while Side B will be unlocking her other side that is upbeat, full of drums, and level-up vibes. Knowing her brand of music, she is setting out to showcase a new set of potential hits that will continue to inspire her countless fans worldwide.

In her recent Instagram post, Alicia called one side of her album Originals and the second one Unlocked. She describes the first version of the album as her classic side and the Alicia Keys everyone wants. It is a form of homecoming. The other version of the album is all about the new things she is exploring at the moment amidst the pandemic, and she described them as magic.

Alicia is producing the laidback side of her upcoming album. For the upbeat side, she will be co-producing it with Mike Will Made-It. Last September, she released the single “LALA” featuring Swae Lee. If anything, the single gave music fans a peek into the newness they can expect from her new album.

The last album that Alicia released was titled Alicia in 2020. KEYS is expected to be another awe-inspiring project that will highlight her versatility and powerful vocal range. It is worth mentioning that her song “Underdog,” which was released in January 2020, was a phenomenal hit, generating more than 47 million views on YouTube alone. Her last biggest hit was the single “Girl on Fire,” which also won the R&B Album Grammy Award in 2010. That definitive album showcased her newfound confidence as she struggled to find herself after marriage and experiencing motherhood.

“I think it’s mostly just stepping into your womanhood,” Alicia revealed to The Times in a 2012 interview about the album. “‘Girl on Fire’ is really about finding your own passion, finding your own flow and standing in your own space. And just being fully and completely yourself,” she added.

In 2002, Alicia Keys made a phenomenal impact in the music industry when she took home the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the Single “Fallin.” As if she was destined to rule the industry that year, she also won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. She also won the R&B/ Hip Hop Song for “Fallin” and the Songwriter of the Year award. The song was part of her debut album, Songs in A Minor, which topped the Billboard 200.

In 2008, she won two Grammy Awards for the single “Empire State of Mind.” The year before that, she won the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 50th Annual GrammyAwards for the song “Superwoman.”

This 2021, Alicia shared a 20th anniversary edition of her phenomenal debut album, Songs in A Minor. It featured two special previously unreleased bonus tracks that were supposed to be part of the original album: “Crazy (Mi Corazon)” and “Foolish Heart.”

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Adele’s ‘21’: The First Record by a Woman to Linger in the Billboard 200 for 10 Years

Music Observer Staff on February 27, 2022

Source: Albumism

Adele has been dominating the music world for years and she is still going strong. There is no stopping Adele from breaking yet another record and smashing gender stereotypes as her 10-year old album is still chilling in the Billboard 200.

“21” is still rolling in the depths of the Billboard 200. The songstress is no doubt still on music bliss as her latest album “30” topped the Billboard 200 charts four weeks in a row and is now an all time favorite among fans, and yet there’s another achievement to celebrate for.

The singer’s highly-acclaimed 2011 sophomore release, “21″ has ultimately set foot on its 120th month in Billboard 200 making it 10 years since its debut.

While “21” is not the first ever to hit this hard-to-accomplish mark, Adele has made another achievement that has not yet been seen to be achieved by another female act. Presently, she has had an album persisting on the list of the most-consumed EPs and full-lengths for a whole decade.

“21” was an undeniable hit. To name a few of its accomplishments: it is the best-selling album of 2011 and the best-selling album two years in a row. It received a lot of love from people around the globe, you can hear songs from this album all over the place.

It is rare for a record to sell more than 4 million copies in two years in a row. The last time this happened was when Michael Jackson released his album “Thriller” which sold an estimated 860 thousand units within its first week of release and millions from 1983 to 1984.

It isn’t hard to see why “21” is one of the best-selling albums in history and the best-selling album of the 21st century. It has sold over 31 million copies worldwide.

The album’s success helped Adele break a male-heavy record and become a female solo artist to hold three number 1 albums on Billboard 100.

Olivia Rodrigo Gives High-Schoolers the Experience They Deserve Through Her Concert Film, Sour Prom

Music Observer Staff on January 7, 2022

Source: Pitchfork

Since the turn of the year, no artist has gained more recognition than Disney star Olivia Rodrigo. Taking the lead in the sleeper hit, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Rodrigo’s performance has led her to pursue a serious career in the music industry, where she has been making the waves.

Her composition and performance of the song I Am More in the series caught the attention of music executives, leading her to sign a record deal. By January, she made her debut with “Drivers License.” With how stagnant the music industry had become, Rodrigo immediately bagged the number 1 spot on the Billboard chart. In three days, “Drivers License” reached new heights, breaking Spotify’s record for the most streams in a single day, with a record 15.17 million.

Upon its release, Drivers License went viral on TikTok. The song’s sudden popularity can be attributed to its timeless appeal as it tells a high school love story that ends tragically, something that the youth can relate to and bring nostalgia to the older generation. Drivers License gained further traction when speculations arose that it was intended for her partner and co-star after he allegedly started seeing another actress. While never confirming the allegations, Rodrigo has let her song do all the talking.

In a time when hits falter as quickly as they rise, Olivia Rodrigo’s debut song proves to be an anomaly, accumulating one billion streams worldwide. She quickly followed it with the release of her debut album Sour on May 21. The album includes “Drivers License,” “Deja Vu,” and “Good 4 U.” The album received praises from critics and artists, including Rodrigo’s idol, Taylor Swift, who had nothing but positive words for the budding musician. In addition, other figures in the music industry like Travis Barker, Yungblud, and Kelly Clarkson have praised Rodrigo’s debut album. Rodrigo would later premiere her concert film, Sour Prom, on June 29.

Sour Prom was streamed online with high anticipation from Rodrigo’s fans. However, drama arose when Courtney Love accused the young artist of plagiarizing the cover art of Hole’s “Live Through This” for Rodrigo’s concert film. The resemblance is not hard to miss with a purple background, a bouquet of roses, and a prom queen with smeared makeup. However, Olivia Rodrigo has debunked the claims.

The concert film premiered via live stream on YouTube. It began with a limo driving up to a suburban street to pick up Olivia Rodrigo, setting the scene for her songs. Throughout the drive, the singer performs some of her hit songs before arriving at the party. Stepping into the dance floor, Rodrigo unravels into the upbeat track, “Brutal,” shifting the scene to mirror moments from the horror film Carrie. Her classmates then circle the singer as she breaks into a slow song, reflecting on her loneliness on the dance floor surrounded by couples. Rodrigo then breaks into a high-energy song with people mobbing her, symbolizing the pressure to lead an aesthetic life on Instagram.

With the gym turning into a hot and sweaty setting, Rodrigo makes her way into a dark room filled with photographs that develop into memories. Producing a guitar from nearby, the singer strums to “Enough for You,” a soulful introspection of a relationship that left her feeling less than the other women her ex loved before. After the song, she grabs a nearby suit jacket and puts it over her dress as she wanders back into the dance and through the parking lot. The opening chords to “Drivers License” play out as a crowd welcomes Rodrigo on the football field.

The show concludes with a marching band-accompanied rendition of “Good 4 U,” ending the show on a brighter note and giving many high-schoolers the ending that they were deprived of the past year.

MTV VMAs Returns to an In-Person Live Show to Commemorate the Network’s 40th Anniversary

Music Observer Staff on October 1, 2021

Source: NME

The Brooklyn Barclays Center was brought to a standstill on Sunday, September 12, 2021, when foremost Music Television MTV opened its stages to celebrate the last year’s stand-out musical performances. The MTV Music Video Awards attracted several A-list celebrities from every facet of the American music industry. Rapper Doja Cat hosted the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, which was the first time the MTV Video Music Awards returned to the stage after a 2020 socially distanced virtual show. The show also marked the network’s 40th anniversary.

Before the award ceremony, much of the conversation was dominated by Justin Bieber, who led this year’s nomination with seven, followed by Megan Thee Stallion, who had six nominations. Billie Eilish, BTS, Drake, Doja Cat, Given, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo, a first-time nominee, each had five nominations to their names.

The big winner of the night was rapper Lil Nas X, who went home with the most awards, including the coveted Video of the Year award as well as the awards for Best Direction and Best Visual Effect, all for his single “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).” The rapper dedicated his Video of the Year trophy to “the gay agenda.”

Justin Bieber took home the Artist of the Year awards and Best Pop for his song “Peaches,” featuring Daniel Caesar and Given. While a first-time nominee, Olivia Rodrigo won Best New Artist and Song of the Year for “Drivers License.”

The 2021 VMAs was a big night for Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Bieber and Lil Nas X because aside from the numerous award trophies they went home with, they also stole the show with thrilling performances. The night also saw stand-out performances from Alicia Keys, Camila Cabello, Chlöe, Ed Sheehan, Machine Gun Kelly, Olivia Rodrigo, Busta Rhymes, Shawn Mendes, Twenty One Pilots, among several others.

The night was the VMA debut for some stars, and they did so with brand-new songs. For instance, Chlöe (who you may know as half of the sister R&B duo Chlöe x Halle) performed her debut solo single “Have Mercy” onstage for the first time while Musgraves performed “Star-Crossed,” the title track off her recently released studio album.

Other veterans also graced the stage, including Brooklyn legend Busta Rhymes, who performed a medley of some of his biggest hits. At the same time, Alicia Keys honored the 20th anniversary of 9/11 by closing her performance with a piano version of “Empire State of Mind.”

Some other notable moments during the night included Olivia Rodrigo descending onstage from a cloud, Doja Cat dancing midair after being introduced by fellow gravity defier Simone Blues, and the Foo Fighters receiving the VMAs’ first-ever Global Icon Award.

The MTV Video Music Awards celebrating its 40th anniversary on the night continued to prove that the only thing better than an amazing music video is a blow-you-away live musical performance. Like it had done every year, the 2021 edition was not any different. The show opened with a surprise appearance from Pop Icon, Madonna who congratulated MTV on its 40th birthday before Justin Bieber and The Kid LAROI delivered a joint performance of “Stay” and “Ghost.”

Authority Titans Creating a Hassle-Free Way for Brands and Individuals to Make the News

Music Observer Staff on September 14, 2021

Anybody can start a business or launch a brand these days, but the biggest issue is getting the world to trust and know about what they offer. Over the years, entrepreneurs, celebrity brands and product brands have realized the importance of awareness and being in the public eye and are doing everything to achieve that for themselves. Thankfully, a company like Authority Titans was built to help them gain that awareness.

Authority Titans is a public relations firm that helps its clients gain exposure and build credibility by getting featured in notable news publications. Authority Titans as the name implies was created to build authority for people and brands, and so far, it’s been a success for the company and its clients. Authority Titans uses its proven public relations tactics to get clients featured in publications like Yahoo, Forbes, Business Insider, Thrive Global, New York Weekly, CEO Weekly, New York Wire, California Gazette, Los Angeles Wire, New York Weekly, Music Observer, and many more.

Authority Titans’ client base spans multiple niches ranging from entertainment to sports, politics, business, and many other industries. It uses its commitment to telling stories of those that matter in various industries and its expert consulting services to project talent, innovation, and inspiration. Authority Titans is changing the narrative in public relations and doing quite a good job at it.

The company owes its success to its visionary founder and CEO, Dillon Kivo, a leading PR expert, entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker who’s a notable thought leader in the digital world. He has featured in many publications himself and Authority Titans is just one of his successful ventures after trying and failing at many business ventures. His journey into public relations began when he worked for a CEO who made more than $300 million in revenue per annum. It was a life-changing experience that earned him relevant connections and network.

These connections that Dillon made have proved to be pivotal to the success of Authority Titans as the company has worked with celebrities like actor and rapper Ice Cube, NBA player Chris “The Birdman” Anderson, NFL player Robert Griffith, and NFL coach Ron Rivera. With many other industry leaders on the company’s client roster, Authority Titans continues to take the lead as the PR company that ensures news placements, leads, and traffic for brands, musicians, companies, celebrities, and other entities that thrive on publicity.

Authority Titans also offers a white label service to agencies or other public relations firms looking to get their clients published. It offers a monthly subscription package that gets these clients published in multiple news sites and publications. The company’s success can be attributed to one thing: giving people access to publications they wouldn’t naturally be able to access. Every day, Authority Titans is responsible for getting hundreds of people published and over the coming years, it hopes to sign on thousands more.

Non-profits, startups, musicians, social media influencers, and underground artists have benefitted immensely from Authority Titan’s signature program. They have experienced growth, exposure, and popularity through these publications.

Dillon’s goal is to grow Authority Titans into one of the biggest PR companies globally but right now, the focus is to keep growing year-in-year-out and delivering impeccable services to the clients.

Learn more about Authority Titans on its official website.

The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights’ Is Now the Longest-Charting Song Ever at 88 Weeks and Counting on the Billboard Hot 100

Music Observer Staff on September 14, 2021

Source: YouTube

It’s official. The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” has finally broken its tie with Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive,” edging over the latter and becoming the longest-charting song in Billboard history. The storied success of the track is one for the ages, as The Weeknd cultivates a brand new sound with the same old genius that one can always expect from Abel.

Two days before “Blinding Lights” was released in November 2019, The Weeknd released a different song that went straight to the top of the Hot 100 chart. The song “Heartless” was unveiled as the first taste of his fourth full-length album, After Hours. His creative genius has always been headlined by his massive 2016 album Starboy, which introduced the world to modern classics like “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills,” and the titular “Starboy.”

As a certified pop A-lister, The Weeknd has already established himself as a hitmaker to look out for, with top 40 radio and streaming services awaiting his every release. However, name recognition alone can only take an artist so far. ”Heartless” had a decent chart run, but it was quickly overshadowed by other releases. “Blinding Lights,” on the other hand, has garnered one-of-a-kind longevity that hasn’t been achieved since the time of writing.

Breaking records and captivating audiences worldwide, The Weeknd has fully established his brand in the mainstream pop scene. An artist through and through, he cannot be solely defined by a single genre, to the point that he deftly blurs the lines of what it means to belong to an afternoon top 40 mix, or soulful R&B playlists, or even a rave song that’s blasting all over night clubs. His versatility knows no bounds, and it’s part of why his distinct sound has dominated the airwaves for this long.

“Blinding Lights” took off on a multitude of platforms, allowing the single to reach a wide base of listeners that most artists wouldn’t be able to reach. Apart from breaking the Hot 100 longevity record, the song has also topped a whopping 13 different Billboard charts from Hot R&B Songs, Radio Songs, Adult Contemporary, and many more.

After Hours is definitely The Weeknd’s biggest era to date. It might be true that he had multiple number one singles prior to his latest project, but his current run has trumped the previous success of any of his preceding projects. His fourth full-length album, After Hours, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Chart in April 2020 with 444,000 equivalent album units, according to MRC Data.“Blinding Lights” hit number 1 on the Hot 100 the same week as the album’s chart debut. The follow-up single “In Your Eyes” followed straight to the chart’s top 20, and the fourth single, “Save Your Tears,” reached the top earlier in 2021 after Ariana Grande featured on the official remix. Overall, After Hours has been a massive success for The Weeknd. The success and the creative genius of the album have continuously fueled the record-breaking Billboard run of “Blinding Lights.” It has definitely been an exciting year for music, and The Weeknd stands at the top of his game and at the summit of the music industry.