SPRORGNSM (#553)

Hi,

yay, I made it on time this week. :)

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• Normandie : Fan times. (A special radio show might be coming up soon.)
• Elephanz : Discovery context. I went through their self-titled album, which did not convince me much.
• Roosevelt : Fan times.
• Stars : Discovery context. Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish my try on their album "There Is No Love In Fluorescent Light", but I still have it on my list.
• nothing,nowhere. : Discovery context. "Reaper" is a nice album.
• BTS : New release alert. The "FAKE LOVE / Airplane pt.2" EP features Japanese versions of both songs plus a few new remixes.

Most played artists:

• Steve Aoki : New album alert. "Neon Future III" might succeed having lots of songs and feature guests, but I think most songs seem rushed or oversimplified. :-/
• My Sad Captains : Discovery context. I've listened to their 2017 album "Sun Bridge" and I can recommend it to any indie music fan.
• Superorganism : Concert context. Via radio connections I was able to have an interview with Superorganism, plus I saw their show at Berlin's "Säälchen". I can tell you, that this band knows how to make a good show. (Plus they seem to be nice people.)

Most played tracks:

[nothing to highlight here]

News?

█ The 44th People's Choice Awards took place yesterday, and BTS has won in all categories, that they were nominated in. Also Nicki Minaj took home some more trophies.
█ The Backstreet Boys have some exciting news. Not only will they have a Las Vegas show, but there's gonna be a new album called "DNA" - to be released in January 2019. The first pre-single "Chances" does also sound surprisingly mature. And the video looks simple, but good.
█ BAP made it to the top of the German album charts - preventing Capital Bra's "Allein" to take the top spot. Well, hmkay.

New in the German charts:

[01] KitschKrieg - Standard (feat...) : OK, I guess, we can call this a hit song now.

Sunburn (#552)

Hi,

well, I guess I can call it "Music Tuesday" soon... sorry :-/

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• HONNE : I was considering seeing them live, but I have to reduce all the concert travelling a bit. :(
• Hailee Steinfeld : New single alert. The singer/actress enters a new promotion phase for the upcoming Transformers prequel/spin-off "Bumblebee". So it fits that she also sings a soundtrack song, that feels quite 80s-like.
• Color Palette : I've never heard this band before, but I'm happy to say that I reached out and not only got some feedback, but also get their single "Sunburn" in the radio rotation (of LOHRO).
• Nicki Minaj : Fan times. (Even though some of her latest headlines don't seem to do her favor.)

Most played artists:

• Normandie : Still getting to know all the new songs on "White Flag".
• BTS : Fan times. This week they will release a new music video - for the Japanese market.
• E^ST : New album alert. "Live Ain't Always Roses" didn't leave me astonished, but I guess it is solid music.

Most played tracks:

• Normandie - Keep Fucking It Up : There we have it. One of the first jams to add to my favorite list.

News?

█ The 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards took place in Bilbao (Spain). Tbh I can't understand why Camila Cabello is among the winners so many times. (Just because of that on hit song?) But hey, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj and BTS did also win. And the show looked very expensive. I just couldn't find any highlight tbh. ... maybe that Hailee Steinfeld performance.
█ The collaboration of Steve Aoki & BTS only had minor impact on the charts to far - with new entries at the top 90 in the US and the top 100 in Germany.
█ Yikes, The BossJoss (of all bands) made it to the top of the German album charts. :/

New in the German charts:

[01] Kitschkrieg - Standard (feat. Trettmann, Gringo, Ufo361 & Gzuz) : OK, congratulations to the producer.
[02] Capital Bra - Allein : Tbh I can't get my head around the fact, that this artist continues to be successful with songs, that seem so simple. So here we have some kind of ballad, that might have a big "relatable factor" with the target group.
[03] Luciano - Meer : Hm, okay, this one is new to me. And yes, I'm tempted to compare his sound with other established artist. But the need for something fresh is part of the business.
[04] Capital Bra - Ich liebe es (feat. Xatar & Samy) : OK, I did my part and watched the video. The second feature might be the best bit. :D

Waste It On Me (#551)

Hi,

oh, I have a good excuse for being this late. It is called vacation. I went to Vienna and it was great. Together with friends I attended a Roosevelt concert there. (Awesome live act!) Oh, and then I went back to my everyday work life - plus a very nice weekend. Sorry, life was more important...

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• NOTD : New single alert. The collaboration with Tove Styrk sounds okay.
• Thelma Plum : New single alert. And my memory of "Clumsy Love" is as black as the non-existing cover artwork seems. :-P
• French Montana : Featuring Adam Levine on a track might make me listen to a song quicker, but it doesn't always make a good fit.
• Cloves : "Hit Me Hard"? Hm, nope, can't remember.
• Steve Aoki : He managed it to have (at least some members of) BTS as vocal guests on his new song "Waste It On Me". The sound reminds me of Justin Bieber. But it is also a bit catchy.
• Panic! At The Disco : Uhm, well...
• Poppy : Who? Oh, she released a new album.
• Imad Royal & Elliphant : What? Can't remember.

Most played artists:

• Normandie : New album alert. The wait for "White Flag" is over. And so far I can tell that I've listened to it a few times - unfortunately without any scrobbles. So far I am quite happy with the new songs.
• Leoniden : New album alert. "Again" is finally out. And with "People" it also has a really strong single - compared to the first ones.  

Most played tracks:

[nothing to highlight here]

News?

█ There was a mystery around billboard ads that say "BTS and..." until it was revealed, that this was about a new single by... Steve Aoki. The song "Waste It On Me" features BTS and may be seen as a favor in return, because Steve Aoki was a feature guest on the album "Love Yourself: Tear". The vocals come from RM and Jungkook - and it sounds like a Justin Bieber song.
█ Ellie Goulding is back with a new single. "Close To Me" features Diplo and Swae Lee. Maybe this is the first sign of an upcoming fourth studio album.
█ Tyga's new music video features Nicki Minaj, glossy visuals and some nice effects. But "Dip" itself sounds underwhelming.

New in the German charts:

[01] Capital Bra - Roli Glitzer Glitzer (feat. Luciano & Eno) : Well, I've been thinking of German hip-hop lately. And tbh I guess I'd like to learn more about the reasons, why this music seems so controversial.
[02] Kitschkrieg - Standard (feat. Trettmann, Gringo, Ufo361 & Gzuz) : What a collaboration overload. And I didn't know about Ufo quitting the music. Yeah, well, even though I'm still having trouble enjoying Trettmann vocals, I admit that this one has a catchy chorus.
[10] Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow : In its tenth week - and now after the release of "A Star Is Born" - this jam makes it to the top ten. Fun fact: I've just seen the film and since then that tune kind of got stuck in my head.

TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME (#550)

Hi,

oh, what a week it has been. I travelled to Berlin... twice! Both trips were concert-related. You probably have read about that BTS group over here already. The European leg of their Love Yourself World Tour has just ended. And then there is Palace Winter, which also is an amazing band to see live. So take your chances.

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• Nicki Minaj : Fan times.
• Dua Lipa : New release alert. "Dua Lipa (Complete Edition)" includes a bunch of new songs and is now available.
• Elvis Presley : Flashback context. Back in 2002 there was a remix of "A Little Less Conversation", which still sounds fresh to me.

Most played artists:

• Roosevelt : Fan times. His "Young Romance" tour has just started and he has new merch.
• BTS : Concert times! Can you believe, that I really made it to a concert in Berlin last week? Despite the odd chances because of a huge demand for tickets and merch. And yes, all the effort was worth it - even though I wished I wasn't that tired then.
• MNEK : New album alert. I've not gotten to listen to all of "Language" yet, and so far most of it just seemed okay to me.

Most played tracks:

• Sofi Tukker & Pabllo Vittar - Energia (Parte 2) : Tbh this tune got kind of stuck in my head. A simple banger!
• The 1975 - TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME : Oh, what a title. And it is catchy as hell. :) 

News?

█ The 1975 have new music video. "Love It If We Made It" features flashing images and the people, who also appeared in "TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME".
█ A surprise comes from BTS leader RM. He releases another mixtape (playlist) called "mono". On it you can find a track, that was produced by HONNE.
█ Btw. BTS have won some more awards... in Britain.

New in the German charts:

[01] Dynoro & Gigi D'Agostino - In My Mind : Well, looks like the Bonez MC impact did not last long. Welcome back on the top.
[03] Capital Bra - Fight Club (feat. Samra & AK AusserKontrolle) : Hm, tbh I heard better rap songs by him. But hey, at least it is another top ten hit.
[08] Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes : WTF? Why now? This track is from August. And it's not the kind of sound, that I would expect from this band. It almost reminds me of Imagine Dragons. :-/
[09] DJ Snake - Taki Taki (feat. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B) : Ugh, this feels like the song was just produced to become successful. Like some sort of pop strategy and not a form of creativity.
[10] Marshmello & Bastille - Happier : Tbh I did not like that song much, when it was released in the summer. And nothing changed since then.

Love Wins (#549)

Hi,

just a little late - but on time for John Mayer's 41st birthday. :)

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• ROMES : Research context. Their self-titled album did not really convince me.
• I The Mighty : Research context. I think I will give "Where The Mind Wants To Go / Where You Let It Go" another try, if my time allows it.
• Nile Rodgers & CHIC : New album alert. "It's About Time" features quite a bunch of feature guests - and finally "I Want Your Love (feat. Lady Gaga)" gets its official release
• The Church : Research contest. Their album "Man Woman Life Death Infinity" starts nice, but then it just drifts off into boring territories. :-/
• Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper : New album alert. I might not have been able to see "A Star Is Born" yet, although I really want to, but that won't stop me from getting to know the songs. And tbh most of the soundtrack is just okay to me.

Most played artists:

• FLUT : Concert context. If you have the chance, go see them live. And also check out "GLOBAL", which is a strong debut album.
• You Me At Six : New album alert. Now that "VI" is released I just had to revisit it, just to find out which tracks I like the most. And I guess it won't get better than "3AM".
• Amy Stroup : Research context. Tbh I had mixed feelings about "Helen Of Memphis".
• Roosevelt : Fan times. :) 

Most played tracks:

[nothing to highlight here]

News?

█ It took me a while, but now I've watched Carrie Underwood's new music video "Love Wins". Pretty much everything about it seems beautiful to me - the message, the colorful visuals, the vocals. :)
█ Take That will come back with "Odyssey" - a new Greatest Hits album. Stuart Price will do remixed versions of their classics. This is followed by a new UK arena tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2019. It will run from April to June and a special guest will be Rick Astley. Their first pre-single "Out Of Our Heads" sounds weird and is one of four new tracks on the compilation. Also the reworked version of "Pray" does not really convince me after one listening.
█ In case you have some memories of the 90s media, you might want to check out the new music video by Charlie XCX & Troye Sivan. "1999" delivers quite a bunch of references.
█ Tenacious D are back - with their first pre-single of the upcoming album "Post-Apocalypto" (out on November 02). "Making Love" starts quite underwhelming, but the end part is quite nice.
█ Let's take a look at KPop for a change. :) So after BTS having quite some media attention in the USA, it was just a matter of time for another group to reach for the international spotlight. NCT 127 might be the next best thing. Those 10 singers and rappers come from SM Entertainment, which is one of the largest entertainment companies of South Korea. NCT stands for Neo Culture Technology and there are several ensembles like NCT U or NCT Dream. A new strategy by NCT 127 can be seen in the release of their current sinlge/video "Regular" in two versions - English and Korean. Of course, that means we get to have two music videos. Both of them look glossy and expensive, but... tbh I think the song is weak. Especially compared to that other KPop group, which seems to rule the world. :P
█ OK, I've been around a while, but I have never seen an artist dominating the German single charts that much. 8 out 10 songs among the top ten come from Bonez MC & RAF Camora. This duo also had the most successful album release of 2018. There was no doubt that "Palmen aus Plastik 2" would go straight to the top of the album charts.

New in the German charts:

[01] Bonez MC & RAF Camora - 500 PS : Uhm, well, in case you were wondering what's in Germany successful these days. Just look for Bonez MC & RAF Camora. This duo is making history right now. I've read that part of their success is the aspect, that the main target group gets relatabe lyrics.
[03] Bonez MC & RAF Camore - Nummer unterdrückt : see above
[05] Bonez MC & RAF Camora - Ja Mann! : see above
[07] Bonez MC & RAF Camora - Kompanie (feat. Hanybal) : see above
[08] Bonez MC & RAF Camora - Prominent : see above
[10] Bonez MC & RAF Camora - Von ihnen gelernt : see above

Smoke Break (#548)

Hi,

yes, I'm late again... too busy :(

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• Hellogoodbye : New album alert. "S'Only Natural" features nice alternative tunes.
• New Politics : Research context. "Lost In Translation" was nice to listen to, but I guess it didn't convince me that much.
• Kim Petras : New EP alert. Tbh I've never heard of her bevor. "Turn Off The Light, Vol. 1" received some online buzz and it was produced by Dr. Luke, what makes it a bit controversial. The sound could be described as creepy electro pop. But it is not my cup of tea.
• Roosevelt : Fan times.
• Mister Heavenly : Research context. I've listened to some tracks from "Boxing The Moonlight", but I already forgot most of it. :-/

Most played artists:

• Carrie Underwood : Fan times. I've felt the urge to revisit her previous album "Storyteller", just to remind myself of some catchy tunes. But also "Cry Pretty" (her new album) seems to grow on me.
• The Knocks : New album alert. "New York Narcotic" took me by surprise. I did not expect to like it that much. It's a really nice sound mix.
• BTS : Fan times. I started to look for concert tickets now... and yes, that might get expensive. 

Most played tracks:

• Carrie Underwood - Smoke Break : How could I not like this song, when it came out. Anyway... so I changed my mind a few years later. :)

News?

█ BTS just made history playing a sold-out Citi Field in New York City. This week they will travel to Europe for further dates of their "Love Yourself" world tour.
█ Bushido topps the German album charts. :-/ And I'm starting to wonder, if I would be happier with Kastelruther Spatzen at the top.

New in the German charts:

[03] Bushido - Inshallah (feat. Capital Bra) : Hm, seems a bit religious. Tbh I expected worse.
[07] Luciano - MoneyGram : Well, I can't really tell, if that's exceptional. But at least it is a new name (in the growing crowd of gangster rappers).

Brazilian Soul (#547)

Hi,

I guess I'm starting to lose count on all the special radio broadcasts I've planned this year. And this also keeps me busy, like you wouldn't believe. Anyway...

Last week in covers:

Noteworthy:

• Christine And The Queens : New album alert. "Chris" has gotten some positive reviews. And yes, there's something about her/their music style.
• Cher : New album alert. Considering all the hit songs, that a group like ABBA had, a track list of only 10 songs can be seen as disappointment. But hey, it's a new Cher album. "Dancing Queen" sounds good.
• The Midnight : New album alert. Tbh I am deeply disappointed by "Kids", because there's hardly one track, that feels original. :( (sorry)
• Blossoms : Fan times. I was revisiting "Cool Like You", which kind of grew on me in the meantime.
• Roosevelt : New album alert. Now that it's out, I can recommend you to check out "Young Romance". There is no doubt, that this one will be on my "best of 2018" list. :)
• The Knocks : New album alert. I was really surprised by "New York Narcotic", because I did not expect such a good funk mix.

Most played artists:

• Steiner & Madlaina : Concert/promotion context. Unfortunately the studio visit didn't happen, but I am still very convinced by their debut album "Cheers", which comes out in about 2 weeks. And they put on a good live show.
• Bonez MC & RAF Camora : Promotion context. I was lucky to listen to "Palmen aus Plastik 2" early. And yes, they continue with their sound. But I guess I'm too old for it at some point - but they do have a few nice tracks on it.
• Dota : New album alert. "Die Freiheit" features quite a range of songs. And I think I will revisit some of them, because I like the laid-back way she sings.

Most played tracks:

• Calvin Harris, Sam Smith - Promises : What a catchy tune. I think, this must be the first Calvin Harris track I really like in a long time.

News?

█ Christina Aguilera started her Liberation Tour last Tuesday. The 24 shows mark her concert comeback after 10 years.
█ The Knocks not only released a new album, but also a music video for "Brazilian Soul". The clip manages to put feature guests Sofi Tukker in it, plus dreamy visuals of the country and also interesting quotes about life and music.
█ Btw. hip-hop once again topps the German album charts - this week it's Xatar's time - with "Alles oder Nix II".

New in the German charts:

[01] Dynoro & Gigi D'Agostino - In My Mind : Aaand it's back. Funny how I considered to include this track in a DJ set, but I skipped it and chose BTS instead. :)
[03] Veysel - UFF (feat. Gzuz) : Uhm, no, thanks, can't really enjoy that. :/
[05] Farid Bang X Capo X 6ix9ine X SCH - International Gangstas : WTF! Seems like everybody can have a 6ix9ine feature these days. oO