MADONNA FRIDAY: CHERISH

Because it's freezing balls in NYC, I thought a nice, warm, sun-soaked Madonna video would be appropriate for today. Madonna's third single from her Like a Prayer album was quite a gem. Cherish is a tribute to those sweet sounding girl groups from the 60s, much like the song True Blue before it. The song was released August 1, 1989, eventually peaking at #2 on the Hot 100 and becoming Madonna's 16th consecutive top 5 single, 17th top 10. Definitely one of Madonna's sweeter songs, Cherish is all about love, comparing the lovers in the song to Romeo and Juliet, but better! The video is in simple black and white, shot on the beach by famed photographer Herb Ritts. Madonna is joined by a bevy of hot, hunky mermen, including her boyfriend at the time Tony Ward (hot hot hot. see here). The song stands the test of time and is as fun to listen and sing along to as it was in 1989. Enjoy Cherish by Madonna.

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THROWBACK THURSDAY: THE GO-GO'S

The Go-Go's initial run of success may not have been too long, but wow did they make an impact and change the game. To this very day they are the ONLY all female group to write their own songs and play their own instruments to top the Billboard charts. I know what you're thinking: HELLO!! THE BANGLES!! But no. The Bangles did not write either of their #1 hits and none of their albums hit #1, so suck me. Anyhoo....The Go-Go's were formed in 1978 by singer Belinda Carlisle, guitarist and vocalist Jane Wiedlin, bassist Margot Olivarria and drummer Elissa Bello. Olivarria and Bello were not long for the band and were replaced by lead guitar and keyboard player Charlotte Caffey and Gina Schock on drums, and guitarist Kathy Valentine. The band started getting traction playing famous L.A. venues like Whiskey A Go Go andThe Masque. The band signed to I.R.S. records in 1981 and released their debut album, Beauty and the Beat. The album was a sudden surprise hit, topping the US charts for six weeks and going triple platinum by 1982. The girls were off and running as America's sweethearts. Their singles We Got the Beat (#2 US) and Our Lips Are Sealed (#20 US) shot up the charts as the album sat at #1. They were nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys that year, losing to Sheena Easton. Their follow-up album, released just one year later, was Vacation. Though it sold less than it's predecessor, Vacation went gold and contained the top 10 title track. By the time their third album, Talk Show, was released in 1984 behind the scenes drama including in-fighting and drug abuse were beginning to tear the girls apart. Talk Show did manage to produce one of their most enduring hits with Head Over Heels (#11 US) and a minor hit Turn To You (#32 US) with a gender-bending video. Wiedlin was the first to leave the group in the fall of '84 citing her dissatisfaction with not being allowed to sing lead on their albums. She was replaced, but soon after Schock and Caffey left the group and it seemed that was it for The Go-Go's. The original line-up reunited in 1990 to play a benefit concert. They gelled again and played some more dates upon the release of their greatest hits set, recording a cover of Cool Jerk by The Capitols for the album. 1994 brought about a two-disc set Return To The Valley of The Go-Go's that included three new tracks, including The Whole World Lost Its Head (#21 US Modern Rock, #108 Bubbling Under charts) which became the band's first and only top 40 UK hit, making it to #29. The band toured again and then separated for a few years. 2001 saw the return of the group with its first new album of new material since 1984, 17 years earlier, God Bless The Go-Go's. The album was a critical success, hit #57 on the Billboard 200. The lead single, Unforgiven, co-written by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, hit #22 on the Adult Top 40 chart. The band continues to tour to this day, though Kathy Valentine left in 2013, suing the band for "breach of fiduciary duty and abuse of control...in an attempt to deprive [her] of her position and interest in the group, including her right to receive her full one-fifth, 20% share of the benefits and revenues generated by the group substantial reputation, fame, and goodwill." Yikes. Of course, Belinda Carlisle has had a very successful solo career over the years and the other members have had varying degrees of success, but The Go-Go's will always hold their place in pop music history as pioneering ladies of pop. Here are some of my fave hits of The Go-Go's for you to enjoy. Love these women. Rock on!!

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THE #1 SONG 25 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS....

Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul and The Wild Pair. Who were The Wild Pair and why were they played by MC Skat Kat in the video. Was that cat actually into scat? Great mysteries of pop. Anyway, by the time Opposites Attract was released in 1990, Paula Abdul was a superstar and her album Forever Your Girl was H U G E! Opposites attract was the SIXTH and final single from the album and its FOURTH No. 1!! Hot damn! Paula went all out on the video, mixing live action and animation as inspired by Gene Kelly's movie Anchors Aweigh. The video won a Grammy award for Best Short Form Music Video. Opposites Attract took the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 10, 1990 and stayed for three weeks. The song and the video became one of the first big hits of the 1990s. Anyway, here is the #1 song 25 years ago today, Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul.

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ANNIE LENNOX TURNS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT AT THE GRAMMYS

In case you missed it, Annie Lennox showed everyone how to sing it from the kitty on The Grammys last night. Accompanied by Hozier (do they make pantyhose?) Lennox tore into her version of I Put A Spell On You and, well, did just that to the audience. Her vocals, at the tender age of 60, were absolutely the strongest and most impressive of the night. The old gal still has it, and then some. Watch her command the stage in a performance they outshines everything Mr. Kardashian did in his entire career. Enjoy and if you don't have her latest album Nostalgia, get up off your patootie and get it NOW!!

SIA JOINED BY KRISTEN WIIG AT THE GRAMMY AWARDS

In case you missed this performance at the Grammy awards last night, here is Sia performing her amazing single Chandelier with help from Maddie Ziegler and none other than Kristen Wiig. Kristen really goes for it too and the result, in my opinion, is quite moving. Sia, as usual, faced away from the camera as she has done for all the performances for her album 1,000 Forms of Fear. Her voice is so powerful that she doesn't have to face the audience, y'all!! Enjoy the excellent performance below.

MADONNA RELEASES 3 NEW SONGS FROM REBEL HEART + HER GRAMMY PERFORMANCE

Following her royal performance of Living For Love on the Grammys last night (see below) Madonna gave yet again to her loyal subjects and released three additional songs from her upcoming album Rebel Heart. The anthemic and melodic Hold Tight has a driving beat and a soft delivery from Madonna. It's about holding on to the people/person who is always there to support you. Joan of Arc finds Madonna responding to harsh critics over an acoustic guitar. Sure, it may at first seem like a "poor famous person" song, but what Madonna is talking about is, despite her confident public persona, she too can be hurt by ugly words. "I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet. I'm only human." Iconic features Chance the Rapper and an unlikely spoken word part by Mike Tyson. Might sound pretty random (and maybe it is) but it fits with the come-out-swinging attitude of the hard-hitting track. So we are now nine songs into the nineteen tracks off of Rebel Heart and it sounds like it's turning out to be her most vital and urgent in years. 56 and still nailing it. Watch Living For Love from the Grammys below.

MADONNA FRIDAY: IT'S HERE!!! MADONNA'S NEW VIDEO 'LIVING FOR LOVE'

POSTED!!! Here is the new video for Madonna's single Living For Love.

MADONNA'S FULL LIVE AID SET FROM 1985. INTRO'D BY BETTE MIDLER

Madonna was still pretty new on the scene when Live Aid happened in 1985, but there she was with Tina, Mick, David, and every big name on the planet, commanding the stage and having a great time for a good cause. Bette Midler comes out to introduce Madonna and makes some jokes at her expense, but it's all in good fun. Madonna takes the stage, fresh from the recently released nude pics that she never consented to, FULLY covered up despite the 95 degree temperature and declares at one point, "I ain't taking shit off today! You might hold it against me ten years from now." Ha. Oh, Madge!! We'd see a lot more of you after that, girl. She then takes the crowd on a rousing romp with Holiday and her then-latest single Into the Groove followed by future True Blue track Love Makes the World Go Round, where she is joined by Nile Rodgers and Thompson Twins.  Work, Queen! You can see that, even early in her career, she was perfectly comfortable in front of the crowd of 100,000 people. The rest is history. Watch an early live 22-minute performance by the Queen of Pop and have a great Madonna Friday!

MADONNA DEBUTS VIDEO FOR 'LIVING FOR LOVE' ON SNAPCHAT

Madonna has become the first major aritst to debut a video on the app Snapchat. Always ahead of the game, Madge premiered the video for Living For Love, the first single form her upcoming album Rebel Heart, yesterday on the social app in the "discovery" section. Now I am NOT going to post a crappy copy someone video'd off of Snapchat for you on here. I have too much respect for The Queen, but other have posted it and it's good, y'all! Madonna takes the role of matador -- Matadorna? I tried -- and wrangles a bunch of shirtless "bulls" around her. The clip is directed by the French duo Julien Choquart and Camille Hirigoyen, also known as J.A.C.K. I'd say the 56-year-old lady is still the sexiest bitch on the block. No word yet on when the video will be available for download, but Rebel Heart is coming March 10th. CAN'T WAIT!!

THROWBACK THURSDAY: THOMPSON TWINS

One of the biggest, quirkiest British bands to invade the US during the 1980s were Thompson Twins. Named after the detectives from the The Adventures of Tintin comics, the group actually consisted of three members: Tom Bailey, Joe Leeway and Alannah Currie. The group formed in 1977, but their big break didn't come until 1981 when the song In The Name of Love hit #1 on the US Dance Chart. More mainstream success came in the UK with their 1983 album Quick Step and Side Kick and the UK top 10 hits Love on You Side (#7 UK) and We Are Detective (#9 UK). It also placed their first song on the US Hot 100 when Lies hit #30. Their next album, Into the Gap, released in 1984, would prove to big a huge international hit, placing Thompson Twins in the top 10 in the US and UK with the undeniable classic Hold Me Now (#3 US, #4 UK) and vaulting Doctor! Doctor! (#11 US, #4 UK) up the charts. Another hit from Into the Gap, and one of my personal favorites, You Take Me Up was their biggest UK hit to date (#2) but just missed the top 40 here (#44). It was also during this time that the group contributed the song If You Were Here to the soundtrack of the John Hugh's Film Sixteen Candles. That song is played during the climax of the film and, IMO, fits so perfectly I want to cry thinking about it. There. I said it. Thompson Twins next album, 1985's  Here's To Future Days, kept their streak of chart hits running in the US, but saw a slump in the UK. First single, the excellent and gospel tinged Lay Your Hands on Me, and the second single King for a Day both reached the top 10 in the US hitting #6 and #8 respectively, but only #13 and #22 in the UK. Don't Mess with Doctor Dream was released in the UK only and reached #15, but their cover of The Beatles' Revolution failed to reach the top 40. Leeway left the band in 1986 and Currie and Bailey continued on as a duo. They managed two more top 40 hits in the US; 1987's Get That Love (#31) and 1989's Sugar Daddy (#28) before the group disbanded in 1993. With a very distinct sound and look, Thompson Twins left an indelible impression on 80s pop culture and made music that stands the test of time for sure. So here are Thompson Twins biggest hits and some of my most beloved 80s pop songs. Enjoy!!

JIMMY FALLON GOES BACK TO SCHOOL WITH THE CAST OF SAVED BY THE BELL

Jimmy Fallon has a knack for bringing people together and the cast of the camp classic kids show Saved By The Bell are no exception. Jimmy revealed on The Tonight Show that he went to school in Bayside and to prove it he did a flashback. Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and even Mr. Belding himself, Dennis Haskins, join Jimmy for some early 90s nostalgia and a little bit of fun and surprises. Watch and adore. I guess Lisa Turtle was at the mall.

MADONNA RELEASED MYSTERIOUS 'LIVING FOR LOVE' TEASER VIDEO

Is this a tease of the video for Living For Love, the first single from Rebel Heart, or is this a tease of her upcoming Grammy and BRIT award performances...or all three!!!? Whatever it is, it looks cool. You can hear people cheering on the dancer featured and there is a mirrored effect on the video, so anyone's guess is as good as mine. Anyway, here it is!! Rebel Heart is released in the US on March 10th. The Grammy Awards are this Sunday at 8 PM on CBS and the BRIT Awards are February 25th.

HUMPDAY SEXY SONG: THE LOVER IN ME - SHEENA EASTON

This is what sexy looked like in the 80s: Oversized earrings, big hair, MTV realness and a lot of dancers in very little clothes. Sheena Easton started off as a good girl with songs like Morning Train, For Your Eyes Only and Telefone, but in the mid-80s -- and with the beginning of her "friendship" with Prince -- all that changed. First came the Prince-penned song Sugar Walls about...well....her...how do I put this delicately?...VAGINA, and then came The Lover In Me. Produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface at the height of their careers, the song was released in 1988, reached #2 on the Hot 100 and became her first top 20 hit in the UK after an eight year absence from that chart. The Lover In Me is one of Sheena's most successful and memorable singles of her career. Now sure, there's some pretty awkward dancing going on with Sheena, but she makes up for it by being FLAWLESS!! Anyhoo, here is the sexiest hit of 1988, The Lover In Me.

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

Tik Tok by Ke$ha. Though she has since dropped the "$" from her name, Kesha's hit Tik Tok stuck around and is still pretty great five years later. Kesha's debut single from her album Animal was a huge -- and I mean HUGE -- hit. The song was #1 for nine consecutive weeks, was named the Hot 100 song of the year and sits as the 56th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Chart. Not too shabby for the first time out of the gate. Tik Tok hit the top 10 of pretty much every chart on earth and taught us all that brushing your teeth with a bottle of Jack was just as good as toothpaste. By the way, 0 out of 10 dentists agree with that, so take it for what it's worth. Anyway, here is the #1 song from this week in 2010, Tik Tok by Kesha.

NEW VIDEO: GIORGIO MORODER FT. KYLIE MINOGUE - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW

The Disco King, Giorgio Moroder, has a new album coming out soon title 74 Is The New 24 and its first single is the disco-lectric Right Here, Right Now with Kylie Minogue. It is a delightful romp that features ethereal vocals from the Aussie diva and enough electro-groove to get your frozen ass moving today. Check out the brand new clip below and watch Kylie be Kylie. Love!! No word on the official release date for 74 Is The New 24, but it will also feature collaborations with Sia, Britney Spears, and Charlie XCX, among others. Can't wait.