MaestroBlog Update

Alright, I remembered this time!!

So, I know I've been largely absent for the month of March. Doing this blog is very time consuming and considering the time consumption of my major, this kind of gets shuffled aside. Gotta have priorities you know?

Because of this, MaestroBlog didn't get an enormous amount of views. Well, at least not in one day. As of writing this, this blog has now been viewed 3139 times, up 504 views from February and my views-per-post average is now 21.4, up 1.2 views from last month. Like I said, not that many posts=not that many views.

I may or may not post more in April, but nevertheless, you will definitely keep hearing from me! I've have yet to do more Musical Dissections and Song of the Day, but I'm waiting for the right subject matter to come along, so please be patient!

Regarding the most exciting thing that happened this month, the first annual MaestroBlog March Madness was a success, with Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" being crowned the winner! Maybe I'll think of another survey topic next month since they're so much fun to do!

But we'll see, at this point I think I've got my ideas set so I don't think I'll be introducing any new regular segments. I just need to continue writing, eventually something will come up and I'll be here to entertain once again!

Thanks for reading thus far, and I hope to be more interesting in the next months (or maybe not, once again, Music Major problems come first).

:)

Owl City-"The Midsummer Station" Review

Two years divided Owl City's breakthrough "Ocean Eyes" from its 2011 sequel "All Things Bright and Beautiful". Eleven months separate that album from its sequel, 2012's "The Midsummer Station"; obviously, Adam Young was ready to get back to business. More than that, actually, he (or someone in his camp) must have decided to abandon the dreamy synth-pop of his first three records and instead focus on electronic pop music. If that seems like a desperate attempt for a crossover success, well, it very well might be, as "The Midsummer Station" is so calculated it sounds like an album meant only for 2012, not a second past December. However, that's not to say that this album is just trying to ride along the EDM movement of its given year; Adam Young is too quirky an individual to do something so straightforward. He keeps the bubbly percussive effects from his previous work, but he then adds some real instruments (guitars and drums, just what a pop album should have). For good measure, he re-works his lyrics, putting the focal point on summer days and fun times, rather than fireflies or insomnia. Clearly, he's ready to branch out and open himself to a wider audience. After all, he has a platinum album under his belt, he's now become a sought-after producer/songwriter for children's movie soundtracks, and then add a collaboration with 2012's breakout pop star Carly Rae Jepsen. More than ever, Adam Young is willing to free himself from his electronic confines, and he enlists the help of other songwriters to help him view a world outside of his own dreamlands. Although, this may not have been completely out of choice; the fact that "All Things Bright and Beautiful" flopped and spawned no hits could also have played a factor. Either way, "The Midsummer Station" should have been a triumph, an artistic leap forward that proves Owl City isn't a fad; it's a formidable pop act that can retain its audience for the long haul. When it opens with "Dreams and Disasters", it seems that maybe it is the breakthrough he's been striving for. But reality comes crashing down when the chorus for "Shooting Star", the second track, arrives: "Brighter than a shooting star/So shine no matter where you are". This is an Owl City album, one that is built on syrupy sweetness, so in actuality "The Midsummer Station" is not a step forward. It's a step backwards in fact, as Adam Young seems to have given everything that made him a star away to the siren call of the pop machine. It lacks the coy charm of "Ocean Eyes", the easy digestion of "All Things", and not even the guest appearances of Carly Rae Jepsen and Mark Hoppus can make it palatable, let alone appetizing. This is pop in form only, lacking consistently strong grooves or any distinctive musical or lyrical style. This is a particular problem given the fact that Adam's presence in the mainstream wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for his broad imagination and charming melodies. That's what made him a star and brought him to prominence over his niche audience. But he doesn't want a niche audience anymore, as "The Midsummer Station" proves all too well. It seems that he'll do anything at this point to lower his standards down to the lowest common denominator (a point driven home by the skittering, mundane "Gold" and the embarrassing cat-and-mouse chase of "I'm Coming After You"). It's a real shame too, as the opening track, "Good Time", and the club-crawler "Speed of Love" not only show what could have been, but they also present Adam at his best, at least in a musical sense, proving that he could have made a terrific pop record, but "The Midsummer Station" is not that record. It's more of a filler with singles collection that is impossible to sit through, a blemish in Owl City's once promising career.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Dreams and Disasters           2. Shooting Star        3. Gold

2. Dementia                           5. I’m Coming After You     6. Speed of Love

7. Embers                              8. Good Time                     9. Silhouette

10. Metropolis                       11. Take It All Away

Dido-"Girl Who Got Away" Review

Dramatic isn't a word in Dido's vocabulary, as her music has stated often throughout her career. Each album since her 1999 debut was subtle, coy, and never strayed too far out of her norm. "No Angel" and "Life for Rent" still struck a chord with the masses, as 30 million copies were moved between the two. The reasoning behind this remains uncertain, as both albums were strikingly similar, and their hits "Thank You"  and "White Flag" weren't your typical mainstream fare. Still, it's interesting to see how many people fell in love with this British songstress. Her 2008 set "Safe Trip Home" failed to replicate the massive success of its predecessors, most likely due to the fact that five years separated it from its predecessor. So, come 2013, another five years after the sort-of flop that was "Safe Trip Home", she delivers us with a neon-dazzled and electronic-influenced collection of songs that re-iterate another fact about Dido: commercial success isn't really a priority of hers.

"Girl Who Got Away" is just as shy and soft as anything she's ever done, and its done in a way that accepts modern trends, but doesn't abandon her signature style. She reigns in techno's eccentricities, she keeps the beats quiet yet insistent, and the synthesized atmospheres blend in well enough to be almost inaudible. She certainly didn't become a platinum selling artist by changing the game each album out. No, she sticks to what she does best. Her distinctive and silky voice is front and center, helping the music suck you into its sentiments. This is one trick Dido has perfected over the last decade, because as stiff as her albums may seem, they're not boring. They're not club-ready, just to be sure, but more times than none she offers plenty of slow-burning hooks to compensate for her staid nature. "Girl Who Got Away" does offer more of the same, but that's rarely a bad thing in a Dido album. The familiarity works well considering that she does indeed change her sound from each album to the next. Her previous three albums may evoke the same feelings when listening to them, but they're distinct enough to not be shuffled aside as carbon copies. That's exactly what she does here: she widens her range and experiments with electronica, yet delivers the songs the exact same way she always has. This leads to some truly brilliant music, the best example being "End of Night", a dancier track that boasts a production that slowly works its way into your subconcious. As for the second half of the record after "Sittin on the Roof of the World", these tracks as a whole do suffer from too much consistency. She doesn't always execute them well enough to be memorable, and cannot seem to replenish the momentum brought on in the first half the record. But that doesn't mean it's not good music, such a thing could never occur with Dido. It's not the big, fun extravaganza that the album cover seems to promise, but it's rather mood music for a walk in the park at night, picking out furniture, or fine dining. "Girl Who Got Away" offers some of Dido's most refreshing and accessible songs, never reaching the highs of "White Flag" or "Thank You", but is still an enjoyable listen.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. No Freedom            2. Girl Who Got Away         3. Let Us Move On
4. Blackbird               5. End of Night          6. Sitting on the roof of the world
7. Love to blame         8. Go Dreaming          9. Happy New Year
10. Loveless hearts      11. Day before we went to war

Billboard Chart Review-3/30/13

This week's chart dated April 6 actually reflects the sales week from March 18-March 24.

The Billboard Hot 100:

Song                                        Position           Last Week

Thrift Shop                              1                      2

Harlem Shake                          2                      1

Suit & Tie                                3                      4

When I was your man             4                      3          *Airplay Gainer*

Stay                                         5                      5
Just give me a reason              6                      9          *Digital Gainer*

Started from the bottom         7                      6

Feel this moment                     8                      11

Love me                                  9                      10

I knew you were trouble         10                    7

YES!! Thrift Shop is back on top!! And after a five week absence, which is the longest gap between number one arrivals (in one chart run) ever! "When I Was Your Man" gains the greatest amount of airplay for a seventh week, a record he currently holds with Rihanna's song "Rude Boy", and P!nk's duet with Nate Ruess "Just Give Me a Reason" is now gaining momentum, and surpasses "Try"'s peak of number nine. PitBull and Christina's collaboration "Feel this Moment" is the new arrival into the top ten. Now let's look at the action outside of the penthouse: Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" is our Pacesetter as it jumps 25-13, fun. rises 26-24 with "Carry On", Taylor Swift blasts 64-26 with "22", Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' next hit "Can't Hold Us" rockets 40-27, Muse's "Madness" climbs 53-45 in its 27th chart week (it's highest rank yet, and could possibly achieve a record for longest trek into the top 40 if its keeps rising), newcomers Krewella rises 57-51 with their debut hit "Alive", Tim McGraw's duet with Taylor Swift "Highway Don't Care" vaults 81-65, and Anna Kendrick's "Pitch Perfect" hit "Cups" zooms 95-88.

The Billboard 200:

Album                                     Position           Last Week

The 20/20 Experience             1                      -

Same Trailer, Different Park   2                      -

Unorthodox Jukebox              3                      5

Spring Break, Here to party    4                      3

The Truth About Love            5                      11

Night Visions                          6                      12

What about now?                    7                      1

Les Miserables                        8                      59

Babel                                       9                      9

Unapologetic                           10                    13

As highly anticipated, Justin Timberlake's first album in seven years "The 20/20 Experience" debuts at number one with 968,000 copies sold last week. This is the 19th largest opening week of all time. Now, with that massive success, you would think that the rest of the top ten would also have robust figures, right? Nope. Not even close. Turns out people were so eager about Timberlake, that the rest of the albums this week were largely un-noticed. Kasey Musgraves debuts at number two with "Same Trailer, Different Park"...it only sold 43,000 copies. "The 20/20 Experience" sold more than the rest of the top ten combined (297,000 copies were moved between numbers 2-10). This isn't the first time in history that this has happened, but it's still an achievement none the less. In other news, P!nk is starting to see the benefits of "Just Give Me a Reason" becoming a hit, as sales for "The Truth About Love" spike and help the album break back into the top ten. "Les Miserables" benefits from a special CD release and it vaults back into the top ten. Outside of the top tier: Justin Timberlake's "Future Sex/Love Sounds" rockets 98-37, Kid Rock's "Rebel Soul" is our Pacesetter as it shoots 142-56, Justin Timberlake's debut "Justified" also makes a big splash as it zooms 111-65, TLC's 1995 smash "CrazySexyCool" rises 138-83, How to Destroy Angels' "Oblivion" reverses course 195-105, and P!nk's "Greatest Hits...So Far!!!" rises 150-106, Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" roars 177-114 in its 828th chart week, Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" rises 169-139 in its 135th chart week, and Megan Hilty's "It Happens All the Time" falls 96-174, taking the biggest plunge this week.

Next week, a whole slew of high profile releases are going to debut high on the charts. Lil Wayne, Blake Shelton, and Dido have all released new albums this week.

Taylor Swift-"Fearless" Review

For a minute, you forget that Taylor Swift is only eighteen. Especially upon the the first listen of her 2008 sophomore work "Fearless". Unlike her contemporaries, she seems like a real, tangible persona; someone that's easy to look up to and envy at the same time. Her eponymous debut had a lot going for her, but that album doesn't define the irresistible appeal of Swift quite like this one. She surely didn't win millions of fans because of her vocal chops, because the only flaw of "Fearless" is that her voice still needs work, but in context with the layers and themes of the album, it ultimately doesn't matter. What fans fell in love with was the anguish of a teenage girl once burned by love, but is easily ready to fall in love once again. This time around, as the title suggests, Taylor unflinchingly repeats her same old habits of falling in love with the wrong boy, writing a song about it, and shaping it into a universal anthem (she openly admits this in "The Way I Loved You", a rock-oriented track built on the theme of looking for trouble). But fortunately, there's quite a bit more to this album than that. The album's backbone definitely lies with "Forever and Always", "Breathe", and "White Horse", all of which are superb acoustic-flavored ballads, but the album peaks at her tales of high school, childhood dreams, and that one boy who is dating the wrong girl. True, Taylor does not possess the most technically gifted voice, but her delivery of each song gently pushes the album along, with the hooks big yet subtle, and the production immaculate yet a little gritty. She has conviction, and a self-assured attitude that builds the album up to a grand and elegant effect. This is true grandiose pop, but never feels like a garish attempt for crossover success. It's true that country purists will argue that there's little country to be had here, and for the most part, that assertion is true. There are no fiddles here, just violins; acoustic guitars are picked over banjos, and the drums are soft and understated, not at any time loud or harsh. However, with such a strong light pop album, Taylor is entitled to break out of the country shell and expand her message into the masses. And she pulls it off remarkably well, as there's nothing diva-ish about the songs, they are personal yet universal, and there's something here for everyone. None of these things make "Fearless" perfect, but they do make it one of the best albums of 2008, and with all sophomore albums considered, is a triumph as well. She doesn't get sucked into her own view of the world, she works her craft so the subjects are universal, the tracks can work in any setting, and the fame brought on by her debut hasn't gone to her head. All of those facts make "Fearless" an easy and intensely satisfying listen.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Fearless                  2. Fifteen                    3. Love Story

4. Hey Stephen           5. White Horse           6. You Belong With Me

7. Breathe                    8. Tell Me Why           9. You’re Not Sorry

10. The Way I Loved You                              11. Forever & Always

12. The Best Day        13. Change

March Madness-And the winner is...

The day has come! After three weeks of voting, a winner for the 2013 March Madness Crown has

been decided! Thank you to all who voted, and without further adieu, between the battle of Gotye and

Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" and Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", the winner of the 2013

MaestroBlog March Madness is:



                *Adele: "Rolling in the Deep"*



So what went down to make Adele victorious over Gotye and Kimbra? Well, the race was tight, as only one vote separated the two songs. "Rolling in the Deep" was finally able to pull ahead of "Somebody That I Used to Know" by 55.6%.

Looking back, "Rolling in the Deep" defeated Kelly Clarkson's "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)", fun. and Janelle Monae's "We Are Young", LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem", Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe", and Gotye & Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" to claim the March Madness crown.

So this concludes this year's March Madness, congratulations to Adele for her win, and thanks once again for all your votes, and pleas keep reading MaestroBlog, I really do appreciate it! Thanks Again!

Billboard Chart Review-3/21/13

This week's chart dated March 30, 2013 actually reflects the sales week from March 11-March 17.

The Billboard Hot 100:

Song                                        Position            Last Week

Harlem Shake                           1                      1

Thrift Shop                               2                      2

When I Was Your Man            3                      3          *Airplay Gainer*

Suit and Tie                              4                      5          *Pacesetter*

Stay                                         5                      4

Started From the Bottom          6                      7

I Knew You Were Trouble       7                      6

Scream & Shout                       8                      8

Just Give Me a Reason             9                      18

Love Me                                  10                    9

So there were quite a few occurences this week. For one, Harlem Shake's YouTube views have plummeted, but they still are enough to keep it at number one. However, this looks like it's last week at the top, since it has dropped in all areas including YouTube views, sales, and airplay. Thrift Shop is still atop the radio waves, but its sales are also decreasing and a rebound to number one doesn't look possible. Thankfully, the gap between Harlem Shake and Thrift Shop has closed. Personally, I predict that "When I Was Your Man" will leap-frog over Thrift Shop and take number one as soon as next week, as it continues to gain massive surges in airplay, and its sales are also on the rise. P!nk's duet with Nate Ruess soars into the top ten this week, becoming her third top ten from "The Truth About Love" and her second song top peak at number nine from that album. That's all the big news for the top ten, let's see what happened outside of the top tier: Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack" rebounds 22-19 thanks to its resurgence in airplay (!!!), Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" blasts 77-25 with Digital Gainer honors, fun's lastest hit "Carry On" rises 29-26, and their other hit "Some Nights" plummets 39-49 in its 56th chart week, newcommer Krewella's song "Alive" shoots 68-57, Phillip Phillips' new song "Gone, Gone, Gone" roars 100-59, and Taylor Swift's "22" re-enters the chart at number 64.

The Billboard 200:

Album                                      Position            Last Week

What About Now?                   1                      -

The Next Day                           2                      -

Spring Break…Here to Party    3                      1

Let the Future Begin                 4                      -

Unorthodox Jukebox                5                      3

All Around the World               6                      -

Old Sock                                 7                      -

Sound City—Real to Real         8                      -

Babel                                       9                      4

People, Hell and Angels            10                    2

As you can see, we have alot of debuts in the top ten this week. The most debuts in the top ten ever was back in December 2012 when seven new arrivals landed in the top tier. Rock legends Bon Jovi and David Bowie were both vying for the top spot, with Bon Jovi coming out victorious. Also notable is that "All Around the World", "Old Sock", and "Sound City" all sold roughly 37,000 copies; only a handful of units separate the three titles. With all the new albums in the top portion, a lot of albums experienced dramatic sales losses, but there are some exciting things happening outside of the top ten: P!nk's "The Truth About Love" rises 12-11, Phillip Phillip's "The World from the Side of the Moon" shoots 33-18, Ed Sheeran's "+" bullets 51-24, PitBull's "Global Warming" rockets 75-31 and is our Pacesetter for the week, Justin Timberlake's "Future Sex/Love Sounds" benefits from "The 20/20 Experience" being released last week (and it's expected to debut at number one next week with sales of 800,000 copies), it vaults 180-98, MercyMe's "The Hurt & The Healer" leaps 183-101, Justin Timerblake's debut "Justified" has also regained popularity and it rises 175-111, Ellie Goulding's "Halcyon" rises 146-135 (!!!), How to Destory Angels' "Welcome Oblivion" takes the biggest plunge from 30-195, and Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" falls 133-177 in its 827th chart week.

Lily Allen-"It's Not Me, It's You" Review

Though it's very easy to forget, Lily Allen started the re-interest in British pop back in 2006, when "Smile" was enjoying chart success around the world. It may not have been a blown-out, worldwide phenomenon, but there's no denying that Lily Allen was the first step into making British music popular again. In 2007, Amy Winehouse crashed through the door that was opened by Allen, thus obscuring her into the underground. Never-the-less, it was impossible to downplay Lily Allen's knack for sparking controversy, and while her music may not have been eating up the airwaves, her mouth definitely served great tabloid fare.  So come 2009, with Winehouse falling from her high platform, Lily Allen basically offers more of the same with her sophomore work "It's Not Me, It's You".

Well, that's not entirely true. Still omnipresent is her quick wit, the clever barbs, and the bright and shiny production of Greg Kurstin, but there's a definite genre shift here. Instead of simply making "Alright, Still Part Two", she trades in the ska and reggae for club beats, ingratiating synths, and electronic flourishes. True, the entire album isn't the exact same: "Not Fair" is very old-Western electronic, "Never Gonna Happen" offers great Parisian nuances, and the fantastic George W. Bush kiss-off, "Fuck You", is filled with delightful two-step. All songs are given that bright, dance-pop finish, but their core musical structure remains. But, other than the change in sound, there's basically not much more that differs this album and its predecessor. However, that's not a bad thing in this case. Lily Allen is quick to satirize every social problem that she notices, both in the UK and the US. She bashes our over-reliance of crack and prescription meds on "Everyone's At It", she very cleverly snipes about our misplaced values on the album's best track "The Fear", and in addition to "Fuck You", she also points out why the perception of George W. Bush was so negative in "Him". But in addition to satire, she does offer plenty of universal messages, such as sibling rivalry in "Back to the Start", and wanting just a lazy afternoon with her beau in another one of the album's peaks, "Who'd Have Known?". The tracks have a tendency to sound too much alike, though, and what mainly drags the album down is "Never Gonna Happen", which seems a bit too awkward for this album, and the album's closer "He Wasn't There", an oldies-tune about her relationship with her distant father. Both tracks are definitely the album's filler, but given the deft production, even they sound really, really, good. Ultimately, these tracks are just par for the course, as the rest of this set is just pure, unadulterated fun. Lily is quick to pick the pace right up after a slower track, and only three songs pass the four-minute mark. "It's Not Me, It's You" was a very wise choice for an album title, as it delivers on that statement. This is the world we live in, and if you don't her satire or her observations, then that's purely your fault, not hers. In the end, Lily Allen is successful in avoiding the sophomore slump, mainly because she doesn't suffer from the inflated sense of self-worth that is often present in second outings. She knows who she is, what the purpose for her music is, and she is keen about what's happening in the world around her. All of these things, in addition to that effervescent dance-pop, actually make this album better than its predecessor in almost every possible regard. And while there's no guarantee that this will be a more ground-breaking success than "Alright, Still", it's still simply great music. That's one thing that is not up for debate.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Everyone’s At It    2. The Fear                3. Not Fair

4. 22                            5. I Could Say             6. Back to the Start

7. Never Gonna Happen                                 8. Fuck You

9. Who’d Have Known?                               10. Chinese

11. Him                       12. He Wasn’t There

March Madness Update-The Final Round!

Okay, this is it! After another four days of voting, two songs have reigned victorious. We're now down to the last week of voting, but before we move on, what happened during last week's match-ups?

In a battle of the duos and groups, Gotye and Kimbra trounce Maroon 5 as "Somebody That I Used to Know" won by 62.6%

In a battle of the solo artists, Adele defeated Carly Rae Jepsen by the exact same percentage as "Rolling in the Deep" surpassed Carly Rae by 62.6%

Now we're down to the final round! And it's a battle between kindred spirits: "Rolling in the Deep" was named the number one song of 2011, and "Somebody That I Used to Know" was named the number one song of 2012! Who will win the 2013 March Madness crown? Vote now!

http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?sid=68ia70q58gx26pd223968

Billboard Chart Review-3/14/13

This week's chart dated March 23, 2013, actually reflects the sales week from March 4-March 10.

The Billboard Hot 100:
Song                                        Position           Last Week
Harlem Shake                          1                      1
Thrift Shop                              2                      2
When I Was Your Man           3                      3
Stay                                         4                      5
Suit and Tie                             5                      8
I knew you were trouble         6                      4
Started from the bottom         7                       6
Scream & Shout                      8                      7
Love Me                                  9                     11
Locked out of Heaven            10                    9
So, Harlem Shake is still very much popular, as once again, its YouTube views are the only thing keeping it at number one. Its sales have decreased (though it passes the 1 million mark), and its airplay is still essentially non-existent. Thrift Shop once again makes history by selling 300,000+ downloads in its ninth sales frame. That's the most for any song in the digital era, and it also was the most listened to song in America last week with 130 million impressions (approximately). The rest of the top ten is business as usual, and it will stay like this for a little while, probably until May or June when summer singles start making their way to the radio. Now a look at the rest of the chart:
P!nk and Nate Ruess smash through the top twenty this week as "Just Give Me a Reason" shoots
47-18 with digital gains, and Rihanna gets another top twenty hit as "Pour it Up" inches 21-19. Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack" falls 12-22 in its 2nd week, a smaller drop than anticipated, fun. rises 31-29 with "Carry On", Miranda Lambert rockets 51-38 with "Mama's Broken Heart", fun's "Some Nights" falls 38-39 in its 55th chart week, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us" vaults 65-40. Lastly, it looks like Ke$ha's streak of top ten hits (starting with her debut single "Tik Tok") is coming to a screaching halt as "C'Mon" plummets 41-58, and a rebound it highly unlikely.

The Billboard 200:
Album                                     Position           Last Week
Spring Break…Here to party   1                      -
People, hell, and angels           2                      -
Unorthodox Jukebox               3                      1
Babel                                       4                      3
The Heist                                 5                      4
Unapologetic                           6                      9
Here’s to the good times         7                      18
Night Visions                          8                      15
Now 45                                    9                      6
The Lumineers                        10                    7
Alright, so Luke Bryan earns his first number one album this week! He was able to prevail over Jimi Hendrix's posthumous compilation of unreleased songs. Other than that, Luke didn't have much competition for the top slot this week. This is why some albums were able to blast back into the top ten: having slow sales would get you far in this era of album disinterest. The rest of the chart looks a tad bit more exciting: P!nk bullets 19-12 with "The Truth About Love", Andrea Bocelli shoots 24-15 with "Passione", "All That Echoes" by Josh Groban falls 8-16, "My Head is an Animal" sends Of Monsters and Men from 51-23, our Pacesetter this week Colton Dixon's "A Messenger" which rockets 132-65, Lana Del Rey's "Born to Die" rises 94-66, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers blast 171-80 with "Greatest Hits", alt-J's "An Awesome Wave" crashes 153-87, Kutless' "Believer" vaults 165-93, Flo Rida's "Wild Ones" takes the biggest plunge and collapses 41-179, and this week's longest charting album is still "Dark Side of the Moon"; it jumps 151-133 in its 826th week.

March Madness Update-Week 4

Another four days, another four songs fall out of the race. Now we're left with the final fab four! But once again, before we continue on, let's see what happened during week 3's matchups:

Maroon 5 earned the most one-sided victory last week; "One More Night" creamed Ke$ha and won by 83.3%

In a more tight race, Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" pulls ahead of P!nk by only 57.1%

Gotye and Kimbra continue to prove there's power in numbers; their duet "Somebody That I Used to Know" stomps Adele by 57.1%

Lastly, Adele may have lost a match, but her other one against LMFAO was very successful; "Rolling in the Deep" dominated the party-rockers by 83.3%

So, with a new week starting, let's see who will make it to the final two! The results will be updated on Sunday, March 17. Let the madness rage on!

http://freeonlinesurveys.com/app/rendersurvey.asp?sid=l2oluqrgagnqppm221154&refer=t%2Eco

Thanks Obama! (MaestroBlog Style)

So, ever since Obama got re-elected as president, this country has gone down the shitter. How? Here are a few (...) things that happened to me over this past week, that were caused by Obama's re-election:

My reed is shot, THANKS OBAMA!

My mouthpiece is dirtier than my cat's litterbox, THANKS OBAMA!

Ugh, the violins are rushing, THANKS OBAMA!

Ew, my french horn is full of spit, THANKS OBAMA!

And now there's spit all over the floor, THANKS OBAMA!

Ow, my arms hurt from holding my instrument, THANKS MICHELLE OBAMA!

We now have written theory three times a week? THANKS OBAMA!

I have to pass a piano proficiency test? THANKS OBAMA!

I have to compose a piece for my composition class? THANKS OBAMA!

I failed my geography test? THANKS OBAMA!

The bus doesn't run on Sundays? THANKS OBAMA!

My floor is covered with dirt and garbage, THANKS OBAMA!

Justin Bieber and One Direction? THANKS OBAMA!

I got ketchup instead of mustard, THANKS OBAMA!

I have a soar throat, THANKS OBAMA!

My room-mate is shit-faced drunk, THANKS OBAMA!

They put too much mayonnaise on my sandwich, THANKS OBAMA!

Santa isn't real? THANKS OBAMA!

Unicorns aren't real either? THANKS OBAMA!

Bitches don't dig my Spongebob swag, THANKS OBAMA!

I'm writing this instead of doing my homework, THANKS OBAMA!!!

You can let me know how Obama's ruined your life ;)

March Madness Update-Week 3

Alright! Another four days down, which means another round of March Madness complete! The sweet sixteen have now been narrowed down to the effervescent eight. But before we dive into round three, let's see what happened after round two:

Ke$ha was able to pull past Bruno Mars as "We R Who We R" won by 54.5%

In another tight race, P!nk hands Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Wanz a heart-breaking defeat; "Raise Your Glass" pulls ahead by 54.5%

In a more lopsided victory, Maroon 5 smashes Britney Spears as "One More Night" wins by 63.6%

Carly Rae Jepsen also stomps out Bruno Mars as "Call Me Maybe" wins by 63.6%

Gotye and Kimbra still prove that duets are powerful, even against other duets. "Somebody That I Used to Know" beats Katy Perry and Kanye West by 63.6%

Adele is the only one to put two songs past round two as "Rolling in the Deep" crushes fun. and Janelle Monae by 63.6%, and "Set Fire to the Rain" obliterates Katy Perry by 90.9% (the most lopsided victory so far)

Lastly, LMFAO keeps on shufflin' and "Party Rock Anthem" moves past Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera by 63.6%

Now with that covered, are you ready to continue on to round three?! Let the madness live on!

http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?sid=b4tgh07bxr0weuf218164

Billboard Chart Review-3/7/13

This week's chart dated March 16, 2013 actually reflects the sales week of February 25-March 3.

The Billboard Hot 100:
Song                                        Position           Last Week
Harlem Shake                          1                      1
Thrift Shop                              2                      2
When I was your man             3                      3          *Airplay*
I knew you were trouble         4                      4
Stay                                         5                      7
Started from the bottom         6                      6
Scream & Shout                     7                      5
Suit and Tie                            8                      8
Locked out of Heaven            9                      9
Don’t you worry child           10                    12
So the majority of the top ten stays the same this week, things have that tendency this time of year when songs released late last year have now reached the peak of their popularity. Harlem Shake's lead of Thrift Shop continues to shrink, also, Thrift Shop makes history as it posts its eighth consecutive week of 300,000+ copies sold. Also, this sales week pushed total sales past the 4 million mark, making it so far the best selling single of 2013. Swedish House Mafia return Don't You Worry Child back to the top ten, being the lone entry into this region this week. Other than that, everything's pretty much business as usual. The outside of the top ten is a very different story: Demi Lovato's new single "Heart Attack" debuts at number 12!! Totally awesome song, and I think it'll be her next top ten hit for sure! Pitbull rises 28-18 with "Feel This Moment", Awolnation's "Sail" is our pacesetter this week as it jumps 49-30, Adele makes an obvious leap with "Skyfall" (61-33) and it is our digital gainer, fun.'s "Some Nights" stays 38-38 in its 54th chart week, in more fun. related news, frontman Nate Ruess' collaboration with P!nk, "Just Give Me a Reason", bullets 72-47, Macklemore's next single "Can't Hold Us" vaults 92-65 this week, and that's about it.

The Billboard 200:
Album                                     Position           Last Week
Unorthodox Jukebox              1                      2
Amok                                      2                      -
Babel                                       3                      1
The Heist                                 4                      16
Zion                                         5                      -
Now 45                                   6                      4
The Lumineers                        7                      5
All That Echoes                      8                      3
Unapologetic                           9                      9
21                                            10                    14
There's some excitement on the albums chart this week. Bruno Mars's "Unorthdox Jukebox" rises to number 1 in its 12th week on the list, Macklemore's "The Heist" blasts right back into the top ten (both albums benefit from Amazon's pricing of $1.99), and Adele's "21" returns to the top ten for an 81st week (out of a total 106 weeks on the chart). So far, it has yet to chart lower than 35. Outside of the top ten: Muse's "2nd Law" bullets 55-12, "Les Miserables" jumps 35-16, Tegan and Sara's "Heartthrob" vaults 75-20, Train's "California 37" is our pacesetter as it skyrockets 165-25, Led Zeppelin's "Celebration Day" shoots 95-26, Flo Rida's "Wild Ones" leaps 116-41, The Twilight Saga's "Breaking Dawn, part 2" soundtrack rises 189-69, Celtic Thunder's "Mythology" takes the biggest plunge from 51-157, and the longest charting album right now is still Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" which rises 195-151 in its 825th chart week.

What One Direction Teaches Us

So, some people think that I'm too hard on One Direction. Ok, I don't really see that (...), but I decided to look into these claims. So, I found a pair of Jenna Marbles' rose-colored glasses, and they made me see the positive things that I didn't really notice before. One Direction actually tells us some pretty true stuff that I never would have known before they said it. And now I would like to share with you the knowledge that has been acquired from the next biggest British boy band since...I'm sorry, no amount of positive outlook will warrant that comparison...let's just get to it:

First off, One Direction taught me that you do indeed die when you're 40, and you can only live while you're young. You can do whatever you want, go crazy until you can see the sun, pick up any random girl and pretend to be in love, and don't forget to 'get some' (if you know what I mean). It's OK to do all of those things, and people shouldn't judge you, because you're young. But the second you grow old, no, you have to put yourself out to pasture and watch the next generation party until vomit is coming out of their ears. That's a good philosophy to live by, get all of your rebellion out now, forget about jobs or building a good character and resume, that will just work itself out when you finally do get sober enough to fill out an application legibly. And then you can impress your future boss with your work history of partying, having sex, doing weird drugs that make you see the sun, and most importantly, your mad skills of living while you're young. Thanks One Direction, you've given me solace in the fact that having fun while I'm young is okay, and I don't have to worry about what will happen when I get old, everything will fall right into place!

The next thing One Direction taught me, is that it's ok to give a girl your honest opinion about her appearance, just as long as you do it in a cute, adorable way that cancels out any offensive things that could come from your inferior guy mind: "You're fat, and those jeans squeeze you more than my own mother, but you're perfect for me! Your eyes are wrinkly and your stomach and thighs are disgusting, but I still love you! I can connect the dots with your freckles, but that's what's adorable about you!" It's like: "Yeah I'll say stupid things that should never come out of anyone's mouth, but it's because I truly love you". Amazing! Thanks One Direction for giving me confidence for when the next time a girl asks me if her dress makes her butt look big. I can say yes, but then justify it by saying that I love that about her, it'll make her not pissed at me! You guys just solved a centuries-old dilemma when it comes to telling a girl how she looks in a non-offensive way.

On the same subject of beauty and appearances, One Direction taught me that smiling at the ground isn't actually all that ugly, it can make you beautiful! That's awesome, I smile at the ground all the time, sometimes it even talks to me (or maybe I just need to lay off the drugs), but either way, it actually looks beautiful! Oh, and if you ever think that you're not beautiful, or just don't know it, that is beautiful too!! It's not annoying, oh no, when you don't know you're beautiful, even though you obviously are, that's the most attractive thing to a guy. Not your brain, or your talents, or any other possible character traits, appearances are what it's all about. Glinda was right, it's not about aptitude, it's about the way you're viewed! Thank you One Direction, for finally setting that record straight, all guys really care about is looks, end of story! Here I was, appreciating girls for their intellect and their generosity, without knowing that I was doing it all wrong, that's not what's important, it's the outside that's more important than the inside.

One Direction also taught me that they need that one thing...and I've got that one thing!!!! Wait, I'm a guy...this is kind of awkward...but thanks for letting me know that I'm special too! Yeah so if you're ever feeling un-loved and that no one wants you, FALSE, One Direction doesn't just want you, they NEED you, because you've got that "one thing" ;D

The next thing they taught me was that: Fellas, instead of being an asshole, be super-nice to get the girls. Make a bunch of promises you know you'll never keep, compliment her to death, kiss her everywhere that's inside or outside, buy her plenty of roses, basically be perfect. Like, God perfect, it IS possible to be the fantasy guy for every single girl out there. It's not fake at all, men can totally act like that without being seen as homosexual, and girls just eat that shit up. Once again proving that it's all about appearances when it comes to girls, but when it comes to guys, then it's all about what's on the inside in addition to having great hair and a lifeguard's body. Prince Charming is what the ladies want, not a down to earth guy that believes in gender equality and all that crap, oh no. Thanks One Direction for teaching me how to successfully pick up women, I thought that you had to have a great personality and treat her with respect, but now I know that I've been doing that wrong too! Phew, that'll save me future embarrassment!

Lastly, One Direction taught me that if you're not sure about what to do in a song once the lyrics run out, just put in a "Na na" or "Whoa oh" in the middle and BAM! Instant chart topper-panty dropper!

You see, One Direction is a valuable resource in music today. They tell it like it is and to be honest, with three top forty hits under their belt, they're going to be here for a LONG time, not like NSYNC that sold millions of albums and singles worldwide, oh no. They're definitely going to be the longest running boy band ever, so it's good to just keep learning from them as much as possible. I mean, what else are we gonna do, listen to quality music? Puh-leeaasse, One Direction is the best we've got! Whoo.

March Madness Update-Week 2

So, after the first four days of March Madness, the original 32 songs have been narrowed down to 16! But before you start voting in round 2, let's take a look at what songs made the cut:

Ke$ha pulled far ahead of Baauer as "We R Who We R" won by 71.4%

Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Wanz were the clear cut winners over Rihanna and Drake; "Thrift Shop" pulled ahead by 85.7%

Both of Bruno Mars' hits go to the next round. "Locked out of Heaven" won over Rihanna by 71.4%, and "Grenade" pulled ahead of Taylor Swift just a bit, winning by 57.1%

P!nk also beats out Rihanna as "Raise Your Glass" wins by 71.4%

Both of Maroon 5's chart-toppers are going to the next round. "One More Night" crushed Katy Perry by 71.4%, and "Moves Like Jagger" leap-frogged over Adele by 57.1%

Britney Spears' "Hold it Against Me" barely made it past Flo Rida as it won by 57.1%

Carly Rae Jepsen reigned supreme over Wiz Khalifa, "Call Me Maybe" won by 85.7%

Gotye and Kimbra prove there's power in numbers, their duet "Somebody That I Used to Know" beats Lady Gaga by 57.1%

fun. and Janelle Monae also prove that fact as "We Are Young" squeezes by Rihanna and it won by 57.1% as well

Katy Perry puts two songs past round one. Her duet with Kanye West "ET" proved to be superior over her other single "Part of Me" as it won by 57.1%. Meanwhile, "Last Friday Night (TGIF)" is the only song to beat out a duet, this one being Rihanna and Calvin Harris, and it wins by 71.4%

Adele also pulls ahead of round one with two songs. "Rolling in the Deep" rises above Kelly Clarkson by 57.1%, and "Set Fire to the Rain" stomps out Pitbull's master collaboration by 85.7%

Lastly, voters decided that LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" was far better than "Sexy and I Know It"; it wins by 57.1%


So, with that, we begin round two! Now absent will be Rihanna, as she originally put five songs (the most for any artist this year) on the bracket, and none of them won their respective matches.

Let the madness continue!! http://freeonlinesurveys.com/app/rendersurvey.asp?sid=tfe6xtkyv7owkxg214459&refer=t%2Eco

March Madness!

Last year, Billboard did this little contest that pitted the 32 most recent Hot 100 number one hits against each other. Readers of Billboard voted to see which song was best, and now this year, I thought I'd give it a try! A new survey will be updated every Friday, and today we'll start with 32 songs. The pairings are done by most recent number one (which in this case is "Harlem Shake") against the least recent number one (which is "We R Who We R" which topped the Hot 100 back in 2010), and then so on and so forth. There are sixteen pairs to choose from this week, next week there will be eight pairs, and then they will just dwindle down until we have a winner of the 2013 March Madness competition!

So, without further explanation, let the March Madness begin! You have until March 8 until the winners of this week's round are announced. Enjoy!

<a href="http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s.asp?sid=h9hwprumarptrng212303" >Take part in our online survey</a>

MaestroBlog Update

Urgh!! I keep forgetting to do this at the end of every month, not the beginning of the next one! Anyway, time for an update.

February was an exciting month! I did my first musical dissection (there will be more to come), I had a great time reviewing the Super Bowl and Grammys, more album reviews, more defending artists, all that good shit.

My 5000 view page goal is coming along swimmingly!! As of writing this, MaestroBlog has been viewed 2635 times, up 915 views from last month, and that averages 20.2 views per entry, up 3.8 views from last month. And my most views in one day record has been broken! The record for this month was 101 views in one day, think I can break it again??!!

New ideas are also starting to hatch, including a new survey! Details are soon to come on that one, but I'll just surprise you with new segments as they come.

Lastly, remember when I said I'd be doing movie reviews? Well, I feel that would compromise the integrity of this blog, since so much of it is dedicated to music, maybe I could start a separate movie blog? We'll just have to see!

As always, thanks for your viewing, and let's have another great month!