#ThrowbackThursday – Music Edition

Image source BizBrag

In the world of social media, Thursdays are dedicated to sharing old pictures in a trend dubbed “#ThrowbackThursday” or “#TBT” for short. Most shares are on Instagram and usually consist of the same predictable pictures: baby pictures, high school party photos (to show off how skinny you used to be, of course), study abroad/vacation shots or even things from last week usually accompanied by the caption “TAKE ME BACK.”

It just so happens that m.blog deadlines are Thursdays, so I’d like to dedicate this #ThrowbackThursday to the music from my youth. Some of these songs were anthems of my childhood, and I am sharing them over this blog post because there’s no way to Instagram a song (yet).

I tried to avoid the obvious B. Spears and BSB songs…just to remind you of some jams you may have forgotten about since middle school.

O-Town – All or Nothing

Who remembers P. Diddy’s “Making the Band”? Or was he Puff Daddy then…

Blu Cantrell – Hit ‘Em Up Style

Fourth grade Nina had no clue what this song was about…

Ashanti – Happy ft. Ja Rule

What happened to Ashanti? And Murder Inc. for that matter?

Vengaboys – We like to Party!

This song made its come back in the Six Flags commercial, but should still be added to everyone’s party playlist

S Club 7 – Bring it All Back

This song’s inspirational lyrics makes it a go-to song when you need motivation

Dream – He Loves U Not

Whatever happened to girl bands…?

No Doubt – Spiderwebs

No Doubt / Gwen Stefani, I’m waiting for your comeback in 2013.

Uncle Kracker – Follow Me

His name is Uncle Kracker, that is all.

I’m already planning a part two for this blog, because I know I’ve forgotten some good ones. Help me out by sending yours!

Posted by Nina

New England Non-Conservatory…Classical Meets New Media!

To most, classical music equals traditional and stuffy, whereas the world of social media equals new, young, innovative, etc. (though if you ask me, most of this social media buzz is BS). However, these two seemingly disparate worlds have a surprising number of intersections and overlap. Most recently, I received news about New England Conservatory’s new online collaborative music installation, NEC# (NEC-sharp). Basically, it is a new YouTube station started by the school to bring together students and non-students alike, profiling these young, emerging musicians in a collective online symphony. At this stage, the site is still being populated with musical vignettes submitted primarily by NEC students, however for all un-enrolled aspiring Beethovens, the public is invited to participate…voice, tuba, cello, organ pedals, all are welcome.

Follow this link to find step-by-step instructions for submitting your video: http://necmusic.edu/nec-sharp/add-video. Otherwise, just check out the site and drown yourself in little snippets of great music from great performers who you’d probably not have an opportunity to hear otherwise. The site is well-designed to provide short bios on each artist and a Featured Artist page profiles select performers.

Also — in good form, you can keep up with NEC# via Facebook and Twitter.

Bravissimo 2.0!

Posted by Sam



The Best Music-Listening Option You Never Knew About

I was telling a friend that I sometimes like to listen to Pandora while I’m typing away on a press release (or my weekly blog post, actually!) and he let me in on a website that’s just as good — if not better — called Grooveshark. Don’t get me wrong — I like Pandora a lot. They seem to be pretty right-on when it comes to suggesting artists that I’ll enjoy. What I don’t like about Pandora are those situations when I really just want to listen to one artist or my favorite songs and don’t have a mix CD to pop in at work. Or those times when Pandora keeps suggesting songs that I don’t like and I only have about five times where I can say that I don’t like a song before I’m stuck and can no longer give any more “thumb downs.” Grooveshark allows you to search any song you want and also add it to a playlist of your choice. It’s truly an amazing and very valuable tool for music lovers. Check out their “About Us” page…look how young and hip everyone looks! I believe this site is fairly up-and-coming (and right now it’s free!) so sign up and start jammin’!

Posted by Brianne

It’s On…with Alexa Chung?

I imagine a lot of the guests appearing on It’s On with Alexa Chung are just as confused as I was. Who the hell is Alexa Chung? I had never heard of her until I stumbled upon her mid-afternoon talk show. I couldn’t help but think, was this MTV’s replacement for Total Request Live?

It’s On with Alexa Chung debuted on June 15, 2009 with a new, interactive approach to the talk show format designed specifically to combine television and Web content, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. From viral video contests to Twitter campaigns, the Web allows viewers from around the world to connect and be a part of the show, expanding beyond the small studio audience. Naturally, the MTV talk show focuses on entertainment, television, movies, and music, including indie and mainstream artists.

But I have to admit, I was rather shocked when Rihanna sat down next to Alexa on a broadcast last month. The pop star, who released a new album on November 23 and finally broke her silence about Chris Brown, remains in high demand as a media and ratings goldmine. How did It’s On with Alexa Chung manage to secure such a sit-down? Other recent guests have included the cast of Glee, Lady Gaga, Weezer, and Jared Leto—none too shabby, either. And the interview between Alexa and Rihanna was more like a conversation between two friends. “I love your hood situation,” Alexa told Rihanna as she sat down next to her on the couch. “Your nail polish is hot,” Rihanna responded. The entire show, which was everything Rihanna, included a Rihanna makeover for one fan, Alexa’s Museum of Rihanna Art, and a medley performance by American’s Best Dance Crew We Are Heroes. During the interview, Alexa never directly asked about Chris Brown. The entire November 11 broadcast is available online at MTV.com.

Alexa, a 25 year old English countryside native, became a model at the age of 16. She appeared in European teen magazines, advertisements, and music videos. She later quit modeling, claiming it gave her a “distorted body image,” and transitioned into the role of English talk show host. She has referred to herself as a “talker” and, in fact, does it quite well. Her sarcastic, colorful, and open persona makes her an ideal host for an MTV show geared toward a teen and young adult demographic. She is confident and comfortable with herself, with an unusual sense of style and quirky personality. She appears to be a good role model and is slowly making her mark in America. My guess is It’s On with Alexa Chung will continue to gain momentum as Alexa captures a regular audience and noteworthy guests continue to appear. So now you know…consider yourself “On!”

Posted by Justin