Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber - Slave To The Rhythm

"She works so hard just to make her way"

Just what the hell is this? I was very surprised to find that this song had mysteriously leaked onto the internet. The original, unreleased Slave To The Rhythm is well-known to hardcore MJ fans, and it's one of my favorite unreleased tracks of his. However, it certainly didn't feature Justin Bieber as a duet partner. Weirdly, this seems 100% legit. The production is a little muddled and demo-like, but that's definitely Justin singing Michael's first-verse lines. The original beat has been amped up a bit and brought into our current music climate. I'm not sure I would've had Bieber start things off, but I'm actually very impressed and surprised at how well his vocals match Michael's here. It's no small feat going toe-to-toe with the King of Pop without humiliating yourself. I'm not sure what will eventually come of this remix (is it a single? bootleg? curio?), but I'm kind of in awe that it exists.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Dinah Nah - Like You

"I choose to be like you"

Sometimes all you really want is some nostalgia. And the chorus (particularly the production) of this track is just that. It's a synth-drenched, funky 80's pastiche through and through, and it accomplishes this very well. Dinah Nah was last active in the 90's with pop group Caramell, though she did also release the bonkers solo single/video I Am last year. It's a one-two punch that displays a lot of potential. The charismatic/artsy pop diva is a crowded marketplace right now, but I can't wait to see if Dinah manages to carve out a successful career for herself.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Pop Explosion: Gaga vs. Perry

I'm surprised the pop world is still standing. Fans of both Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have been clamoring for each artist's comeback singles, and raising expectations sky high. Neither of these artists could have come up with something that would have satisfied everyone's hopes and wishes, so I feel like both are leaving their best material for the next single. A wise decision, probably, and one that stretches far back in the pop world (remember how Michael Jackson, riding high after Thriller, released the good--but by no means extraordinarily jaw-dropping--I Just Can't Stop Loving You as the first taster off Bad?). Knowing this, I eagerly await the next release from both ladies, but that doesn't mean I'm not loving Roar and Applause as well. After all, it's possible to be a member of both fan groups, and it makes this week even more exciting.


Somewhat surprisingly, Perry seems to be beating Gaga on itunes. I chock this up to more goodwill from Perry's record-breaking Teenage Dream campaign, though I am definitely in the camp that loved (ever preferred) Born This Way era Gaga. We'll have to wait to see what the sales numbers tell us, but to my ear Roar is definitely the safer, more radio friendly single, and should resonate with a wide variety of listeners. On the other hand, despite her massive popularity, Gaga's always been more of a niche artist. Many people just don't feel like they "get" her, and probably never will be truly won over. It's alright, though. Even as I write the "vs." in the title of this blog post, I'm thinking about how wonderful it is that we've got both of these different styles to look forward to. Some might want to choose. I'm happy having it all!