October 31, 2011

Shearer’s Spotlight: The Top 10 Videos To Get You In The Trick-or-Treating Mood

Each week here on the VH1 Blog, our VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown host Jim Shearer (@jimshearer on Twitter) will be sharing his Shearer’s Spotlight with us. Be sure to tune into the Top 20 Countdown on Saturday morning when it airs on VH1 at 9 a.m. ET/PT.

Jim Shearer

Jim Shearer

Halloween is tonight, but if you’re not an adolescent kid daydreaming of packing your pillowcase full of Snickers bars, you’ll probably be out and about looking to celebrate. While you’re stepping into your costume, click on these music videos that will surely entertain the ghoulish music fan within you:

10) Peaches, “Trick Or Treat”
If you’re familiar with Peaches, then you know this trick-or-treating party is for adults only.

9) Lady Gaga, “Telephone”
It’s always Halloween in Gaga’s world; soda cans in her hair only confirms it!

8) Michael Jackson, “Thriller”
I guess I had to include this one, huh?

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Tags: , , , , TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, Phantom Planet, Korn, Cage The Elephant, Man Man, Nine Inch Nails, Lady Gaga, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Peaches, Michael Jackson, Beastie Boys

October 21, 2011

Shearer’s Spotlight: The Top Five Music Videos Set Inside A Restaurant

Each Friday here on the VH1 Blog, our VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown host Jim Shearer (@jimshearer on Twitter) will be sharing his Shearer’s Spotlight with us. Be sure to tune into the Top 20 Countdown tomorrow morning when it airs on VH1 at 9 a.m. ET/PT.

Jim Shearer

To provide a decent and affordable dine-in meal experience for his home peeps of New Jersey, this week Jon Bon Jovi opened up The Soul Kitchen: A “pay-what-you-can” restaurant that also doubles as a volunteer-based community project.

In celebration of its grand opening, here are my favorite music videos set inside a restaurant:

5) Cee Lo, “F*** You”
Usually when a man screams “F’ YOU!” inside a diner, he is asked to leave; Cee Lo was asked to play the Grammys.

4) Radiohead, “High And Dry”
Back in the day when Radiohead made music for the masses, they also crafted some really good music videos. This classic includes a brief case, a time bomb, a key hidden inside a cup of mayonnaise, and Thom Yorke impatiently shuffling around the restaurant because he couldn’t fit into a booth with the rest of his band mates.

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Tags: , , , , TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, God Lives Underwater, Reel Big Fish, Cee-Lo, Gnarls Barkley, Jon Bon Jovi, Radiohead

October 6, 2011

Beyoncé’s “Countdown” Is Destined For Our (Top 20) Countdown



What’s better than a new video with Beyoncé? If you answered “a new video with multiple Beyoncés,” you’re going to love “Countdown”! The single is a standout from 4—not just a refreshingly uptempo jam among ballads, but a darn good one—and director Adria Petty certainly does the song justice with this clip. Petty combines intentionally stilted choreography with multiple frames and multiple exposures (and, yes, multiple Beyoncés) to create a sort of “Flashdance” by way of “Rockit” spectacle. Alternately, think of it as a Gap ad made by Mondrian, and starring robots. Words don’t do this video justice.
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Tags: , Beyonce, TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN

October 3, 2011

Top 20 Live: Gavin DeGraw Sings “Not Over You,” Another (Sweeter) Song, And More

When we shared the Bruno Mars cover that Gavin DeGraw performed, we promised that “Grenade” was just one selection from his Top 20 Live performance, and at long last, we’re happy to present his set in full.

DeGraw kicked off the performance with a deadpan introduction: “My ex-girlfriend has nothing to do with this song. I don’t think about her at all. I’m totally unaffected.” Then he and his guitarist (his only accompanist) launched into a killer rendition of what else but his single “Not Over You.” By the time of the taping, DeGraw probably was over the object of the song, but he can sure sing like he’s not. That, plus his charm, his chops, and his musical sensibilities, are why we’re fans here.

Make sure to check out the rest of the set, including “Soldier” and his 2006 breakout single “I Don’t Wanna Be.”
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Tags: , , TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, Gavin DeGraw

September 30, 2011

Demi Lovato Wraps Up Her Posted Month With Ask Me Anything Answers And Unbroken Performances



September is nearly over, so we’re preparing to say goodbye to this month’s VH1 Posted artist Demi Lovato—but before we do, we’ve got a few unmissable updates. First up: her installment of Ask Me Anything. “I’m gonna answer as many questions as I can,” she says, and she isn’t kidding—we had to split her answers up into five parts. Eight minutes may not sound like a long time but trust us: for rapid-fire questions on a range of topics, it totally is. Check it out!

We’ve also got the rest of her killer Top 20 Live set for you! We’ve already shared her cover of “How To Love” and her mini-medley of earlier songs (the latter alongside an exclusive set of Music Seen photos), but we haven’t shared any performances of songs from Unbroken—which just debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 (#1 in digital sales). How remiss of us! Above, hear her soulful slow-jam “My Love Is Like A Star,” and be sure to watch the set in full—including, of course, a killer rendition of “Skyscraper” to close out the performance.
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Tags: , , , Posted, TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, Demi Lovato

September 29, 2011

Music Seen: Follow Demi Lovato As She Performs ‘Catch Me’ For VH1 (Exclusive Video, Photos)

When Demi Lovato came to our offices last week to record a Top 20 Live set, she not only surprised us with a Lil Wayne cover, but also proved extremely genial. “Hey guys, thanks for having me! I’m Demi. What’s your name?” she introduced herself, before kicking her set off with the medley, above, of “Catch Me,” a deep cut from 2009′s Here We Go Again, and “Don’t Forget,” the title track from her 2008 debut. That same temperament shines through in the series of photographs our own Jen Marigliano snapped for our Music Seen feature, as she followed Lovato during her day in New York City. After the jump, look behind the scenes at VH1′s Top 20 and check out the elements of Lovato’s bohemian-chic style, and be sure to check back for the rest of her Top 20 Live set.

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Tags: , , , , TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, Demi Lovato

September 23, 2011

Shearer’s Spotlight: The Top 3 Ways That Nirvana’s Nevermind Impacted The Music World

Each Friday here on the VH1 Blog, our VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown host Jim Shearer (@jimshearer on Twitter) will be sharing his Shearer’s Spotlight with us. Be sure to tune into the Top 20 Countdown tomorrow morning when it airs on VH1 at 9 a.m. ET/PT. Also, don’t forget to tune into VH1 Classic tonight at 11 p.m. to see the never-before-seen footage of Nirvana: Live At The Paramount, shot in Seattle way back in 1991.

This Tuesday, Sept. 27, the 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Nirvana’s breakthrough album, Nevermind, will be released. For a band that took pride in appearing to be normal everyday schmoes, a multi-CD/DVD deluxe package feels a tad extravagant, but considering the impact the album made on the music industry, it also feels very appropriate, if not long overdue.

For those too young to remember, here are three ways Nevermind impacted the world of mainstream music:

1) Made Mainstream Rock Less Homophobic
In one of the most confusing paradoxes in music history, mainstream rock n’ roll in the 1980s was dominated by misogynistic guys who liked to wear makeup. Nirvana—with its Pacific Northwest feminist sensibilities—helped put a halt to this way of thinking, especially when Kurt Cobain mockingly appeared on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball wearing an evening gown. Interviews with openly gay magazines and really dressing like girls for their “In Bloom” music video—while Kurt and Krist playfully grinded on one another—helped prove that mainstream rock didn’t need to be macho, to be good.

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Tags: , , , TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, Nirvana

September 20, 2011

Video Premiere: Fitz And The Tantrums, “Don’t Gotta Work It Out”

Fitz And The Tantrums are putting in WORK to get the word out about their fantastic debut LP, Picking Up The Pieces. Since being named our You Oughta Know artist back in April, the funky soul revivalists have been touring relentlessly, earning kudos from industry insiders like Bob Lefsetz and winning scads of new fans at festivals like Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. We have no idea when they found themselves with enough time to shoot another music video, but lo and behold, we just got our mitts on the brand new “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” video.

The video begins with a curious homage to Pulp Fiction (or maybe Repo Man?), as lead singer Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick stumbles onto a briefcase of indeterminate origins and opens it up, resulting in him being bathed in golden light. He then proceeds to walk/jog through a series of urban alleyways in search of vocalist Noelle Scaggs and the rest of the Tantrums, while lens flares invade the frame at a clip that would make even J.J. Abrams blush. Along the way, a slew of feathers begin floating down through the atmosphere, which makes us think that either Sully Sullenberg was in the vicinity exacting more revenge on the geese population or there was an explosion at a nearby down pillow factory. Just when we think we might have an idea where this video might be going, Fitz falls to his knees in an alleyway and gets drenched by a raincloud that only has eyes for him.

So, what does it all mean? Well, even after watching it a few times, we’d be hard pressed to explain the video treatment, but we are certain of one thing: This song is totally boss.

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Tags: , , Fitz And The Tantrums, You Oughta Know, TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN

September 16, 2011

Shearer’s Spotlight: Artists Other Than Michael Jackson Singing About Michael Jackson

Each Friday here on the VH1 Blog, our VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown host Jim Shearer (@jimshearer on Twitter) will be sharing his Shearer’s Spotlight with us. Be sure to tune into the Top 20 Countdown tomorrow morning when it airs on VH1 at 9 a.m. ET/PT.

Inspired by Das Racist’s latest single, here are my three favorite songs that mention the late-great King of Pop in its title:

Das Racist, “Michael Jackson”
When Michael Jackson was the world’s biggest pop star, he was an easy target for cheap shots. When he passed away a couple years ago, all mockery was replaced by reverence. In their lead single/music video off their first commercially released album, Relax, I can’t tell if Das Racist is doing the former, the latter, or a little bit of both. Either way I can’t get the hook out of my head.

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Tags: , , , Das Racist, Fatboy Slim, Michael Jackson, TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN

September 14, 2011

Celebrate What Would’ve Been Amy Winehouse’s 28th Birthday By Watching “Body And Soul,” Her Duet With Tony Bennett

Get More: Tony Bennett, Top 20 Countdown, Body And Soul, Free Music Videos

Today would’ve been Amy Winehouse‘s 28th birthday. Alas, it wasn’t to be; Winehouse passed back on July 23 of as yet undetermined causes, but her musical legacy will always live on.

At last month’s 2011 Video Music Awards, Tony Bennett introduced Bruno Mars‘ outstanding tribute to Winehouse by sharing a short clip of himself and Winehouse in the studio cutting a cover of the jazz standard “Body And Soul.” As of now, it’s one of the last pieces of recorded music that Winehouse contributed to before her tragic and untimely passing, although if the rumors hold up, there may be more Winehouse cuts on the way someday soon.

Aside from being a very pleasant rendition of the song, the thing that strikes us the most about this video is seeing Amy Winehouse in the habitat where she always felt the most comfortable — the studio. Most of the memories that we have of the last few years of her life are paparazzi shots of her strung out on the streets of London, wasting away before our very eyes. This video, in which Winehouse looks both healthy and happy, stands in stark contrast those tabloid images. Sure, she appears a bit fidgety at times, but we attribute that behavior not to drugs, but rather to her uniquely personal method of channeling the ghosts of great jazz singers past, like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday (both of whom not-so-coincidentally recorded versions of “Body And Soul”). We’ll also admit it breaks our heart more than a little bit to watch the way that she coyly batted her mascara-laden eyelashes at the inimitable Bennett, knowing that we’ll never get to see her do that again.

“Body And Soul” can be found on Tony Bennett’s upcoming album, Duets II, which will be available in stores next week. If you can’t wait that long, you can head to the iTunes store and pick it up this duet today; all proceeds will benefit the recently created Amy Winehouse Foundation.

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Tags: , , , TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN, Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse, Tony Bennett, Amy Winehouse

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