Beyoncé’s surprise self-titled album came out nearly a year ago, but it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
This week, Queen Bey released a video of her Paris performance of album track ‘Flawless’ with rapper Nicki Minaj.
The remix itself was released in August, but given that every song on the album has an accompanying video, it’s only fitting that this one should, too.
Billboard’s #8 spot belongs to Sia and ‘Chandelier,’ still one of my favorite hit songs of the year so far. And the ninth spot gives us repeat appearances by two artists — Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.
‘Bang Bang’ is their collaboration with British singer Jessie J (of ‘Price Tag’ fame), who gets top billing here (the song will appear on her upcoming album).
It’s time for another visit to the Billboard Hot 100 to see what the kids are listening to these days. I’ve enjoyed these trips into unfamiliar territory, both for the boost to my pop culture literacy and the occasional discovery of a worthwhile tune.
At #1 right now is Taylor Swift’s new single, ‘Shake It Off.’ The song is one of her worst, but obviously that’s not limiting its sales potential.
Next week I will start counting down my top ten songs of 2011, focusing not necessarily on hot singles or songs that captured the zeitgeist this year but simply the songs that affected me the most for one reason or another.
First, though, I will spend a week on several odds and ends that didn’t make the countdown but made my musical year brighter each in their own way.
Nicki Minaj scares the hell out of me.
I think it’s her mouth, which seems about three sizes too large for her face. And of course there are all those freaky voices she uses when rapping. I’m sure she’d consider “frightening” a compliment.
I’d use a much different adjective to describe her body, which is the sort of post-modern bodacious Varga girl spectacle that makes men say “DAAAYUM!” and bite their fists with mounting frustration.
I don’t have a handy adjective for her music, because thus far I know her only through her work on other people’s records.
Meet Me In Montauk 