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It is with a heavy heart that the music industry, and the world, says goodbye to one of the greatest female vocalists of all time today. Etta James, the legendary soul singer most famously known for her 1960 rendition of the softly swaying love song "At Last," passed away in California on Friday (January 20) after a years-long battle with leukemia. James' impact has reverberated through nearly six decades of pop music and will continue to influence future generations of musicians, as evidenced by the umpteen covers of her hits by artists and reality TV talent competition hopefuls alike.
For a taste of this, we've compiled a list of our 10 favorite Etta James covers below. Watch Adele, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and more pay tribute to the legend after the jump. More »
Posts Tagged ‘Jason Mraz’
The ‘Glee’ Cast Does Duets — Listen To Songs From Tonight’s Episode
Tue Oct 12 2010 by Becky Bain
In tonight's episode of Glee, the crew practices their assignment of performing a duet, and Artie's love triangle with Tina and Mike gets more complicated. After the jump, voila your song spoilers for "Duets", including some big band classics, more tunes from A Chorus Line, and a cover of one of our favorite duets between Elton John and Minnie Mouse. Plus, Mike Chang finally sings! Sort of!
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Freshen Up Your 4th Of July BBQ Playlist With These 8 American Jams
Thu Jul 1 2010 by Idolator Staff
We know you must be giddy about your upcoming three-day weekend, filled with all the burgers, booze and fireworks our forefathers hoped you'd be enjoying while celebrating America's 234th birthday bash. And what's a party without music?
In anticipation of the 4th of July, we've rounded up the perfect tunes to rock out to all day long, whether you're lounging poolside or stuck in horrible traffic on your way to the beach. We're limiting our list to pop songs recorded in the last decade instead of reaching far back into America's musical songbook— just like Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Declaration of Independence posse, we're in the mood for something fresh. (We've still included a Brit on our list, just to be nice.) Our patriotic playlist awaits you below! More »
In anticipation of the 4th of July, we've rounded up the perfect tunes to rock out to all day long, whether you're lounging poolside or stuck in horrible traffic on your way to the beach. We're limiting our list to pop songs recorded in the last decade instead of reaching far back into America's musical songbook— just like Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Declaration of Independence posse, we're in the mood for something fresh. (We've still included a Brit on our list, just to be nice.) Our patriotic playlist awaits you below! More »
PHOTOS: Pop Stars At The Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Oscar Party
Mon Mar 8 2010 by Erika Brooks Adickman
Pop stars watch the Academy Awards just like the rest of us. Only when they do it, they’re not gathered around a friend’s living room eating Oscar movie-themed dishes like “Inglorious Bratwurst”. Instead, they head to the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Oscar Viewing Party held this year at Los Angeles’ Pacific Design Center. Flip through to see all your favorite stars dolled up for Hollywood’s biggest night: from the Jonas Brothers, to Jennifer Hudson, to Glee’s Lea Michele and Cory Monteith, and American Idol’s Simon and Kara. And see which artist dared to wear “Hammer Pants” to Elton John’s affair. More »
Train Is As Infatuated With Jason Mraz As ‘American Idol’
Thu Feb 18 2010 by Becky Bain
Train have landed their first hit in years, the bouncy "Hey, Soul Sister." Should the song's success be credited to the fact that it sounds just like Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours," which was prominently featured on American Idol this week?
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How Many Of iTunes’ 25 Most-Downloaded Songs Do You Own?
Fri Feb 12 2010 by Robbie Daw
Looks like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" will never be so 2000-and-late. As the iTunes store approaches its 10 billion downloads mark, the digital retailer has revealed its 25 most-downloaded songs since its inception in 2003. And if you thought the Black Eyed Peas were approaching the E.N.D. of the line, you'd best think again—and check your computer. Because we gotta feeling you might have some of the quartet's jams lurking around in there.
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Grammy Awards 2010: We Pick The Pop Winners
Mon Jan 25 2010 by Becky Bain
We're less than a week away from the 2010 Grammy Awards, and we're anxiously anticipating who will win what, which performance will be talked about the most the following day, and how many costume changes of Lady Gaga's will involve blood packets. (Our guess: two out of seven.)
This week we'll be highlighting the Big Four—Best New Artist, and Album, Song and Record of the Year—but for now, we present to you Idolator's picks for all the major pop categories. And no, we don't think Taylor Swift will be running to the stage as much as most pundits assume she will be:
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Black Eyed Peas Lead The Pack In DJ Earworm’s 2009 Mash-Up Mix
Tue Dec 29 2009 by Becky Bain
Ok fine, we give in, Internet. Here's DJ Earworm's rapidly circulating annual mash-up of Billboard's Top 25 songs from the past year. (And here's 2008's in case you're feeling nostalgic for a simpler time where Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga weren't the two biggest blondes in the music biz.) Check out the vid after the jump and try to name all 25 without scrolling down to our cheat sheet.
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Will Any Other Song In The Hot 100 Right Now Have The Staying Power Of “I’m Yours”?
Thu Aug 20 2009 by Maura
Lost in the hullabaloo over the Black Eyed Peas’ stranglehold on the Billboard Hot 100’s top spot was the news that Jason Mraz’s strummy “I’m Yours” set its own record on the singles chart this week as well; the sweet ditty has now been on the Hot 100 for 70 weeks, breaking the record set by the 69-week chart run of LeAnn Rimes’ “How Do I Live.” More »
Lady GaGa Dances To No. 1 As iTunes’ Beat Gets A Little Bit Slower
Fri Jan 9 2009 by Chris Molanphy
Over the holidays, Billboard’s song charts were, at least on the surface, pretty sleepy. On the Hot 100, most of the songs that were hot late last fall—Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” and “If I Were a Boy,” T.I. and Rihanna’s “Live Your Life,” Kanye’s “Love Lockdown” and “Heartless,” Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” the unkillable Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold”—continued bumping around the Top 10 like lazy molecules.
But below the surface, a ton of music was being consumed. In particular, one song benefited massively from the annual iPod-filling digital megasale that hits iTunes every Christmas—and that song, Lady GaGa’s “Just Dance,” reaches No. 1 the very week Apple’s music store removes digital-rights management restrictions on all of its songs, making them freely copyable.
Does this mean we’re in for even more Lady GaGa than we’re enduring now, as kids trade their iTunes purchases like baseball cards? Unlikely: those who “share” music probably figured out their DRM workarounds years ago.
But the official start of the post-DRM era—and, more important, the changes to song pricing—could have some interesting effects on digital song sales, and the charts that track them.
