A new face leads this week’s Billboard Top 200 albums chart: Christian artist Chris Tomlin, who scores his first No. 1 album with “Burning Lights.” The album is the Texas native’s seventh studio set, and it sold a career high 73,000 copies its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set is only the fourth … Continue Reading →
“Les Miserables” has a little less to be gloomy about. The soundtrack to the film hits No. 1 on this week’s Billboard albums chart, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures. The album sold 92,000 copies this week, making it the first soundtrack to hit No. 1 since “The Hunger Games” landed at the top of the … Continue Reading →
There is a new “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” movie out today. Its title is simply “Texas Chainsaw.” The “Massacre” is implied. Since Tobe Hooper’s 1974 original, there have been five entries in the “Texas Chainsaw” franchise, few of them notable, save for 2003′s brutally effective Michael Bay-produced reboot. The latest movie ignores all of them and … Continue Reading →
Taylor Swift leads 2012′s final weekly albums chart, earning her seventh non-consecutive week at No. 1 with “Red.” The set sold 241,000 copies the week ending Dec. 30, according to Nielsen SoundScan, ending the year with more than 3 million sales, making it the year’s second best-selling album. The soundtrack to “Les Miserables” reaches No. … Continue Reading →
It came out in 2011, but Adele’s “21″ was the top-selling album of 2012. That is according to Nielsen SoundScan’s year-end report, issued today. “21″ sold 4.41 million copies in 2012, besting second place finisher Taylor Swift’s “Red” by more than 1 million sales. Brit boy band One Direction landed two albums in the top … Continue Reading →
Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin are America’s hottest couple. The duo reprised their crazy shtick on CNN’s wholly whacked out New Year’s Eve broadcast, creating two and a half hours of must-see television live from their stoop above Times Square. Their show was flip, irreverent and fun, with Cooper playing the straight man to Griffin’s … Continue Reading →
As midnight approached at the Palace of Auburn Hills Monday, it looked as though the new year would be rung in with “No Woman, No Cry.” Bob Marley music had been playing over the house speakers since German electronic producer Boys Noize wrapped his set at 11:20, and fans were anxiously awaiting both the new … Continue Reading →
We already took a look back at the year’s Top 25 singles, now here’s my list of 2012′s best albums. Full disclosure: As a consumer of music, I have migrated heavily away from albums and toward singles. I believe in albums and support the album format in theory more than I sit down and listen … Continue Reading →
It was a fun year for pop music, but mostly it was fun.’s year for pop music. The trio dominated radio with its hits “We Are Young” and “Some Nights,” a pair of ambitious, restless singles that encapsulated the wide open possibilities of pop music in 2012. “We Are Young” was played endlessly alongside hits … Continue Reading →
Mark Wahlberg, The Rock and Michael Bay. Can you feel the testosterone yet? Here’s the trailer for “Pain and Gain,” watch it right now, sissy: WHO’S READY TO HIT THE GYM I MEAN GO TO THE MOVIES? The only thing I’m upset about is that this movie wasn’t made years ago and we’re not … Continue Reading →