Tag: throwback

#ThrowbackThursday: Jessie J – ‘Price Tag’ featuring B.o.B

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Jessie J is British-born singer-songwriter who has seen a whole string of successes but this particular song saw her score her first UK Number 1.

‘Price Tag’ features American rapper B.o.B and was released on 25th January 2011, landing at the Number 1 spot, the following week. It was the second single to be taken from Jessie’s debut studio album, Who You Are.

The song features a funky guitar loop like that of a reggae track, with a vintage backing beat, all topped off with a sing-along chorus and powerful vocals from Jessie herself.

The music video for the track is pretty cool too, seeing Jessie J performing in front of a large money tree, an oversized teddy bear and even dressed as both a ballerina in a large jewellery box and a marionette on strings. It’s well worth a watch if you haven’t already seen it…and if you have, why not watch it again and reminisce.

What are your thoughts of this decade-old hit? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘Price Tag’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/price-tag-feat-b-o-b/1445851157?i=1445851166

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#ThrowbackThursday: Britney Spears – ‘Till The World Ends’

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Britney Spears needs no introduction! She’s a pop princess that just keeps on giving hit after hit.

‘Till the World Ends’ is an upbeat, dance-pop track with an electro beat, containing elements of trance too. The song features an epic, chant-like chorus and lyrics in which Britney sings about dancing until the end of the world.

It’s hard to believe but ‘Till The World Ends’ is already a decade old – originally being released in 2011, and taken from the album Femme Fatale. The song was in fact written by a few hit-makers including Kesha and Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald and there’s even a version of the track which features Kesha herself and Nicki Minaj (video below).

The music video for the track is pretty spectacular too – it features Britney performing in an underground setting whilst the world above the surface comes to a total collapse but all the while she keeps on “dancing till the world ends,” eventually poking her head above the surface to see the sunlight. It’s well worth a watch (also below).

What are your thoughts of this pop princess’ decade-old hit? Do you still love it as much today? Or do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘Till The World Ends’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/till-the-world-ends/581774791?i=581774806

#ThrowbackThursday: Avril Lavigne – ‘What The Hell’

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Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter most notable for her pop punk style and hits such as ‘Complicated‘, ‘Sk8r Boi‘ and ‘Girlfriend‘.

In January 2011 (already a decade ago!), Lavigne released her massive single, ‘What The Hell’. The single received critical acclaim with people comparing it to her monster hit, ‘Girlfriend’ for it’s pop punk catchiness.

The song features an iconic organ sound to start with before breaking out into chugging bass guitars and eventually a kick of distorted guitars and the singer’s trademark high-pitched, catchy vocals.

The song actually only ever reached Number 16 in the UK Charts but still received good rotation on radio and music channels alike.

The music video sees Lavigne in bed with her love interest before locking him in a closet and going out, stealing and destroying a taxi, playing basketball with some other men, all the while evading her love interest, who is chasing after her. Eventually she ends up performing at a venue and the video ends up with the couple back in bed. It’s a fun, quirky, typically Avril Lavigne video that’s well worth a watch (although the video is not great quality for some reason).

What are your thoughts of this track, 10 years on? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘What The Hell’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/what-the-hell/532457427?i=532458095

#ThrowbackThursday: Bloodhound Gang – ‘The Bad Touch’

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Who doesn’t remember this song from 20 years ago?! Bloodhound Gang released ‘The Bad Touch’ in the UK back in April 2000 and, with their unique brand of comedic hip-hop that had slightly punk rock tendencies too, the band went on to score a Top 5 hit, reaching Number 4 in the UK Charts.

The quintet filmed a rather hilarious video to accompany the track too – seeing the band dressed in “MonkeyRat” costumes causing havoc around Paris by capturing various stereotypes and putting them in a cage before releasing them to dance in formation with their captives.

The video caused some controversy due to some versions featuring a French gay couple being hit over the heads with baguettes, however lead singer, Jimmy Pop was quoted a saying, “I would give any gay man two tickets to the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical of his choice if he could describe exactly who’s going to become violent based on that scene”.[1] Is this “gay bashing” or simply a bit of light-hearted comedy? I’d suggest the latter given the rather witty nature of a lot of their back catalogue and if titles of their albums, such as Hooray For Boobies, are anything to go by.

What are your thoughts of this band’s banterous single, 20 years on? Did you love or hate it back then? What do you think of it now? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track from 20 years ago, to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘The Bad Touch can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/the-bad-touch/1440807607?i=1440808397

#ThrowbackThursday: Gabrielle – ‘Rise’

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Soulful singer and songwriter, Gabrielle, relesed her single, ‘Rise’ in January 2000. The song (written by Gabrielle, Ollie Dagois and Ferdy Unger-Hamilton and produced by Jonny Dollar), was the second single to be taken from her third, studio album of the same title, Rise.

The track became notable for the rare, authorised use of a Bob Dylan sample (taken from his 1973-song ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’. Apparently, Dylan liked ‘Rise’ so much, that he allowed Gabrielle to use the sample for free, while receiving a co-writer credit for providing the song’s chord progression and vocal sample.

The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and stayed there for two weeks, acroos January and February 2000, becoming her second chart-topper.

This is such a soulful song that for the era of mainstream pop, it actually stood out quite significantly for her different vibe, making her stand out as an artist in that era. Subsequently, this track has a rather timeless feel to it.

The music video (Directed by Kevin Godley) sees the singer singing whilst spectating at a boxing match – a nice visual metaphor to accompany the song.

What are your thoughts of this soulful singer’s 2000 hit? Are you still a fan 20 years on? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘Rise’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/rise/1440911935?i=1440911940

#ThrowbackThursday: blink-182 – ‘What’s My Age Again?’

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I can’t believe it’s been 20 years already, since blink-182 first released their massive hit single, ‘What’s My Age Again?’ from their hugely successful album, Enema of the State.

Without a doubt, the trio have firmly embedded this as a punk rock classic that is sure to stay a firm fan favourite for years to come.

2019 marks the 20th anniversary of the single and album and although Tom DeLonge is currently not a member of the band, the members still publicly show support for each other’s projects and are celebrating the release with a tour and the addition of singer, Matt Skiba.

Not only are the lyrics witty but the music video is possibly one of the most hilarious and iconic ones of its time. I don’t think many people can have missed this…mainly due to the band’s hilarious nakedness running down the street, but in case you have somehow managed not to see it, check it out below!

What are your thoughts of this blink-182 track, 20 years after its release? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘What’s My Age Again’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/whats-my-age-again/1440839912?i=1440840493

#ThrowbackThursday: Lily Allen – ‘The Fear’

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‘The Fear’ was the lead single taken from Lily Allen‘s second studio album, ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’. It’s incredible to believe but this track was actually UK Number 1 back in 2009…10 years ago! In fact, it stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks resulting in it being the longest running Number 1 song, in the UK, for 2009.

Despite the glistening, electropop elements to the song that see a barrage of synths weave their way throughout the track, its lyrics are deep, highlighting and poking fun at the problems with consumerism, celebrity lifestyles (and certain well-known tabloids’ obsessions with them) and the postmodern condition of the world.

The song was co-written and produced by monster-hit creator, Greg Kurstin, and saw the starlet adopting a new, ethereal and more mature sound.

The music video is pretty great too, with Lily Allen emerging from a caravan, before returning to reveal the interior of a massive mansion where she is joined by a large group of dancers, eventually performing amongst some giant, brightly-coloured, dancing presents. It’s very dream-like and actually perfectly reflects the tone and topic of the track itself.

It’s an all-round incredible track and easy to see why it reached the Number 1 spot…I just can’t believe it’s already a decade old!

What are your thoughts of this throwback jam by the incredible Lily Allen? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘The Fear’ can be downloaded on iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-fear/731919848?i=731919950

#ThrowbackThursday: B*Witched – ‘C’est La Vie’

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B*Witched are an Irish quartet, consisting of twins, Edele and Keavy Lynch, Lindsay Armaou and Sinéad O’Carroll, who burst onto the scene with their debut single, ‘C’est La Vie’, back in 1998.

The song was such a huge success with its unique brand of upbeat, Irish-themed pop and peaked at Number 1 in the UK Charts. The track was filled with a series of double entendres and in 2013, the girl group revealed that it was in fact about sex.

This song kicked off a hugely successful (albeit relatively short) career, with their next three singles all peaking at Number 1 in the UK Charts, and both their albums also reached inside the Top 5!

The music video was bright, vibrant, super cheesy and downright fun, featuring the girls’ iconic denim-on-denim style, which became a signature part of their branding.

What are your thoughts of this pop quartet’s Irish-flavoured, Number 1 hit? Did you love it first time around? Are you still a fan today? Got a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘C’est La Vie’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/cest-la-vie/298026093?i=298026101

#ThrowbackThursday: Lenny Kravitz – ‘Fly Away’

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Lenny Kravitz is well-known for his retro vibes and fusion of various genres, from rock to reggae, folk to funk and soul to psychedelic.

Back in 1998, Kravitz released ‘Fly Away’, one of his most successful singles to date, reaching Number 1 in the UK Charts.

The song was in fact the fourth single to be taken from his fifth album, 5, and due to the huge success of it, not only boosted sales of the album but also earned him a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Male Rock Performance.

The track is incredibly catchy with its funk bass line and gritty vocals – it’s no wonder it rocketed to the top of the charts.

The music video was directed by Paul Hunter (Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and more) and features Kravitz and his band performing in a club, surrounded by a crowd, dancing and getting frisky. It’s a very iconic video for the artist and shows a real passion in his performance…something he definitely pours into his live shows!

What are your thoughts of this wonderfully unique artist? Did you love this track first time around? Do you still love it now? What’s your favourite Lenny Kravitz track? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘Fly Away’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/fly-away/723338099?i=723338326

#ThrowbackThursday: Estelle – ‘American Boy’ featuring Kanye West

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This year sees the 10th anniversary of Estelle‘s 2008, Number 1 hit, ‘American Boy’ featuring Kanye West.

The song was actually written by Estelle, Kanye West, will.i.am, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, Armand and Keith Harris. The track was produced by will.i.am himself and the beat is in fact from his own song, ‘Impatient’ taken from his own third studio album Songs About Girls; it’s no wonder this was such a big hit!

The song is largely disco-funk and quite chilled in its feel, lyrically describing a romance after meeting an American man.

The video is black and white and whilst fairly simplistic in its concept is effective and shows a good performing relationship between the two stars.

What are your thoughts of this 2008 hit? Do you have your own #ThrowbackThursday track from 2008 to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or hit us up via our socials.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
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‘American Boy’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/american-boy-feat-kanye-west/1349741979?i=1349742253