MADONNA FRIDAY: BEDTIME STORY

An inkling of what was to come from her Ray of Light album three years later, Madonna released Bedtime Story as the third single form her Bedtime Stories album and introduced the world to her electronic music glory. Co-written by Nellee Hooper, Marius De Vries and Bjork, Bedtime Story is an electro-ballad with hints of acid, house and ambient music tied in. The trippy, fantastic video, directed by music video auteur Mark Romanek, only upped the ante of it's Bjork-ishness and made for one of the most visually stunning works of Madonna's career. Though it just missed the top 40 in the US (#42), it was a top 10 hit in the UK and other territories and foreshadowed Madonna's massive Ray of Light incarnation that would catapult her back into critical and commercial success. It is most definitely one of the most unique singles of Madonna's career. Here is the trip-hop gem Bedtime Story. Happy Madonna Friday!

NEW KATHARINE MCPHEE: LICK MY LIPS

Relatively new. Don't know how I missed this coming out a couple of months ago, but it's too good to go unposted!!! Here is a new song from Katharine McPhee called Lick My Lips. Written by Florence + the Machine's Isa Machine and Sam Sparro, the song is giving me early 80s, pre-fame Janet Jackson, y'all!! Listen below and pass it on. She is looking HOT!!! Hysteria, McPhee's next album, is due in September.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: WILSON PHILLIPS

Those songs! Those harmonies! That musical pedigree! Wilson Phillips were no mere girl group, they were rock royalty. Chynna Phillips, daughter of The Mamas & Papas singers John and Michelle Phillips, and Carnie and Wendy Wilson, daughters of The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, grew up together. They knew each other from the time they were kids and started singing together, developing their own style of vocal harmony (supposedly. Just sounds like harmonies to me).  The three signed to SBK Records and released their debut, self-titled album in 1990 and it was fucking ON!!! Wilson Phillips, the album, sold over 10 million copies worldwide and produced three US Billboard #1 hits, Hold On, Release Me and You're In Love, and another top 10 with Impulsive (#4). A fifth single, The Dream Is Still Alive, hit #12. Riding high on their popularity, the group was asked to cover the song Daniel for Two Rooms: Celebrating the Song of Elton John & Bernie Taupin. The cover hit #7 on the AC charts on airplay alone as it was never released as a single. Work, bitches!! At the time, their debut album was the best selling album by a female group of all time. Now......their second album, Shadows and Light, contained some pretty great songs, but lacked the cohesion and punch of their debut. The lead single, You Won't See Me Cry (their finest single, IMO), with its lush harmonies and Victoria Secret-like video (which featured a much heavier Carnie completely covered up and wearing a bed, basically) failed to connect with the masses and only hit #20 on the Hot 100. Follow up Give It Up stalled at #30 and the album faded away. Chynna decided she would try her hand at a solo career and the group disbanded. Sad. Then Wilson Phillips reunited in 2004 for a cover album called California and the sparks were still there. California celebrated the songs of 60s and 70s by artist like The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, Linda Ronstadt and Fleetwood Mac, among others, and showed that the gals were still in fine form. They followed that album up in 2012 with Dedicated, an album of songs by their parents' bands. Their legacy at the height of their career may be short, but it has made a lasting impression on a generation. So much so that they made a cameo appearance in the finale of the mega-hit Bridesmaids featured as the lead characters', played by Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, favorite group. I still pop in some Wilson Phillips and sing along to whichever harmony catches my fancy, and so should you. Here are the ladies' best ones, IMO. Enjoy!!

MADONNA FRIDAY: GAMBLER

The oft forgotten OTHER song from the Vision Quest Soundtrack, Gambler, was the second single released from the movie by Madonna after Crazy for You. The song was never released as a single in the US (BASTARDS!!), but the video was released to MTV to promote the film and Madonna performed it on her Virgin Tour, which is the first video I included in this post. Gambler was written by Madonna herself and produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez, her frequent collaborator and off-and-on boyfriend at that time. The song WAS released in other countries and became a top 10 hit in the UK (#4), Australia (#10), Ireland (#3) and Italy (#3) and other territories. Why wasn't Gambler released in the US at the height of the Madonna mania you ask? Well, Madonna was under contract with Warner's Sire label and the soundtrack was under Geffen records. While Crazy for You was allowed to be released by Sire, they asked that Gambler be held back in the US so as not to interfere with singles from her then-current Like a Virgin album. And that, my friends, is how the music industry works sometimes. I know I listened to the shiz out of this song on my little cassette player. Anyway, here is a forgotten classic by the one and only Madonna, Gambler. Enjoy your Madonna Friday!

NEW VIDEO: JANET JACKSON (FT. J. COLE) - NO SLEEEP

Janet Jackson finally brings us the video for her smooth AF single No Sleeep. This time she has a little assist from J. Cole who provides a nice, easy flow to the mix. The video is slow, dark and sexy as Janet wonders through her house, waiting for her lover to return home so she can bang like a banshee all night, hence "no sleeep". Get it? Jan looks amazing (duh) and the song reminds me a bit of the vibe of That's The Way Love Goes. That's not too shabby, y'all!!! Anyway, here is Janet's return to the music video. Enjoy!!!

NEW VIDEO: DEMI LOVATO - COOL FOR THE SUMMER

Demi Lovato may just pull off song of the summer with Cool For The Summer, and this hot-ass video is going to help. Looking good and feeling her oats (Thanks, Gia Gunn), Demi dances, writhes and kisses a girl (and she likes it) in the sultry, sexy video. Check it out below and try to stay cool yourself.

NERVO BRINGS KYLIE, JAKE SHEARS AND NILE RODGERS TOGETHER FOR EPIC DISCO SONG

Australian DJs and sisters NERVO, made up of Miriam and Olivia Nervo, have brought together a tour de force of disco on their new track The Other Boys. Trading off some powerhouse vocals are Aussie dynamo Kylie Minogue and Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, joined by producer and musician extraordinaire Nile Rodgers giving the track some very welcome groove. The result is magic. Take a listen below.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: WHEN LEAD SINGERS GO SOLO, 80s EDITION

There were so many successful bands in the 80s that hinged on that one, charismatic person standing behind the microphone, the lead singer. While not every lead singer was able to spin off into a super solo career (sorry, Susanna Hoffs) some of the biggest hitmakers of the 80s started off fronting a band. There were the SUPER successful, like George Michael, Gloria Estefan, Phil Collins, Lionel Richie and Sting, the successful, like Belinda Carlisle and Bobby Brown, and the one hit solo wonders, like Boy George and Steve Perry. Some went back to their bands, some did not. Some are still kicking today. Here are just a few blasts from the past (and present) who started off as a face in the crowd behind the mic. Enjoy!!

PERFECT KATY PERRY/TAYLOR SWIFT MASHUP: WIDE AWAKE FROM THIS LOVE

Andy Wu Musicland brings us the most dreamy, perfect mashup one of my fave Katy Perry songs, Wide Awake, and my fave of Taylor Swift's from 1989, This Love. The mashup genius puts the two songs seamlessly together and I can't stop listening to the awesomeness. I shall pass it forward. You're welcome.

HUMPDAY SEXY SONG: KATY PERRY - TEENAGE DREAM

Aside from the fact that this is Katy's sexiest song, it was also one of my wedding songs, so needless to say, Teenage Dream is a sex-fest!! Ha. The euphoric song perfectly captures that feeling of excitement (and horniness) you had when you met that first boy/girl you fell for. The song was the second single and second #1 song from Katy's massive Teenage Dream album and spent two weeks at the top in September of 2010. The bridge of this song, "I can get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans..." gives me L-I-F-E!!!! And Josh Kloss, the guy in the video, gives my pants life. Now listen and go out, find your first teenage love and hump him/her....with consent of course. Here is Teenage Dream.

KYLIE COVERS '99 RED BALLOONS' AT GERMANY'S MELT! FESTIVAL

Kylie Minogue remembers well the Summer of '83 when the German group Nena made 99 Red Balloons  a massive world-wide hit, so it's no wonder the Aussie superstar would pull out all the stops for her German fans at the Melt! Festival at Ferropolis in Germany. Kylie and her band learned the English version of the song, which hit #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, especially for the crowd, and they ate it up!! Watch below. Kylie loves her fans and we love her.

THE #1 SONG 30 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS....

......A View To A Kill by Duran Duran. Already a bona fide phenomenon in the US by 1985, Duran Duran were a no-brainer to ask when it came to composing the theme to the James Bond film A View To A Kill. Their flare for the dramatic and intense popularity certainly qualified them. Together with composer John Barry, who was the composer of 11 Bond soundtracks, the band set out on the path to build one of the most successful Bond themes of all time and the ONLY Bond theme to ever reach #1 in the United States!!! Can you believe that? Well, it's true, so believe it. The song hit #1 on the US Hot 100 on July 13, 1985 and stayed for two weeks. The great thing about A View To A Kill is that it retained so much of Duran Duran's signature sound while incorporating the unmistakable feel of a Bond theme, thanks to the input of John Barry. Anyway, here is the classic Bond theme and #1 song from 30 years ago today, A View To A Kill. Enjoy!

HAPPY MONDAY SONG: COOL FOR THE SUMMER - DEMI LOVATO

I'm back!! Here is a super-hot Happy Monday Song for you to sink your teeth into, y'all!! It's a scorcher outside, so sit in front of the AC and pump Cool For The Summer by Demi Lovato to cool yourself. This song reeks of cool (and Katy Perry) and is quickly becoming THE song of the summer. Take my word for it, bitch!!!! CFTS is the first single off Demi's upcoming fifth album. Listen, love and be HAPPY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEBBIE HARRY.

Rock goddess Deborah Harry turns 70 today!! The legend started off as a go-go girl, a folk singer, a Playboy Bunny, a pixie-punk in the 70s, became a movie star in the 80s and has kept on rocking it with her band Blondie through today. Her voice got us hooked on classics like Hangin' On The Telephone, Heart of Glass, Call Me and Maria and her unique sense of fashion has influenced every generation since she first shook her blond tresses for the masses. There is nothing quite like her. Here are some of her and Blondie's biggest and best. Enjoy!!!

HUMPDAY SEXY SONG: I WANT YOU - MADONNA (FT. MASSIVE ATTACK)

Madonna was approached by Massive Attack to record a cover of the Marvin Gaye classic I Want You for the Gaye tribute album Inner City Blues at the suggestion of producer Nellee Hooper who had just worked with Madonna on her Bedtime Stories album. Madonna recorded her vocals in New York and Massive Attack produced the song. Originally intended to be released as a single, Motown, Gaye's label, and Madonna's record label could not come to an agreement, so I Want You was never officially released as a single. It did, however, appear on Madonna's compilation album Something To Remember and the video she made for it, inspired by the Dorothy Parker story A Telephone Call, was played heavily on VH1 and MTV. A lush, orchestrated version appears on Something To Remember as well as this absolutely gorgeous, trip-hop version. This is truly one of Madonna's sexiest, best vocal performances IMO. Here is I Want You. Hump a Gaye.