I am pleased to announce that we're starting up a new music blog, which will be fun, diverse, and will incorporate a lot of the ideas you've all been bandying about for a long time in the comments posts. (Yes, we have been listening!) Everything I've started here will be expanded and more inclusive of all musical genres. Plus, it will be updated several times throughout the day with juicy scoop and fresh posts written by our entire music staff, including yours truly. Though the exact launch date remains TBA, I wanted to let you know that it's coming soon since this will be my final post for Margeaux's Mix. In the meantime, you can get your music fix by visiting our PopWatch blog. Don't be a stranger, and please remember to holler back at your girl!
Of all the self-important celebrities who shamelessly pimped Obama's inauguration for publicity this week, the one that took me by the biggest surprise was D'Angelo. On Monday, a rep for the long-M.I.A. singer, who has scarcely been seen or heard from in years, dispatched a press release titled, "Soul Icon D'Angelo Pays Tribute to Nation's 44th President." His statement was short, sweet, and entirely unnecessary: "Barack Obama is one of the most progressive and dynamic leaders in the world. I believe that even in the face of domestic and global adversity, he will bring about important change." Ugh! I expect such desperate cries for attention from unabashed exhibitionists like 50 Cent and Kanye West, but not D'Angelo. Silly me for thinking he was above using Obama's name in vain to promote his upcoming comeback CD, which, not surprisingly, is what the rest of his press release was really all about. Note to D'Angelo: The only important change you should be focused on right now is changing your reputation from has-been to hot again.
The Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score and Best Original Song are always random and unpredictable. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised, like when Prince won for 1984's "Purple Rain" or when Eminem took top honors for "Lose Yourself" in 2003. But with the exception of Slumdog Millionaire, which picked up nods in both categories, this year's nominees left me cold. It's too bad there isn't an Oscar category for Best Soundtrack because there were some good ones in 2008. Herewith, my top four faves, plus one that I hated.
1. The Wackness Packed with early-'90s hip-hop classics by everyone from Nas and A Tribe Called Quest to Biggie and Craig Mack, The Wackness is a superb throwback compilation.
2. Cadillac Records Though Beyonce's no Etta James, she and costars Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Mos Def deserve major props for paying homage to Chess Records' legendary roster of blues, R&B, and early rock and roll pioneers.
3. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist Says my colleague Leah Greenblatt: "Nick & Norah is like a fun little indie-schmindie starter kit, very up and accessible and melodic, with young cute bands like Band of Horses, Vampire Weekend, and the Submarines, plus a few golden oldsters like Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh."
4. Rachel Getting Married Once again, I defer to Leah: "Rachel Getting Married is very adult-alternative eclectic, with lots of jazz and African influences, a fun avant-freakout version of "Here Comes the Bride," and a stunner a cappella cover of Neil Young's "Unknown Legend" by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe."
5. Sex and the City What could've been one of the year's finest soundtracks turned out to be a scattered and incohesive mess, featuring everyone from Fergie and Jennifer Hudson to Nina Simone and Run-DMC.
A bunch of tribute songs honoring our new president became available for purchase this week at iTunes, including "Obama," a sobering state of the union address by indie rapper Mr. Lif, and a lame ballad called "Yes We Can!" by R&B singer-songwriter Brian McKnight. But my favorite remains Ashford & Simpson's "Solid as Barack," an unintentionally hilarious live remake of the duo's 1984 R&B classic, "Solid." Yeah, I know SNL beat them to the punch back in October, as my colleague Simon Vozick-Levinson pointed out last week. I just can't believe A&S actually had the guts to release their absurdly earnest homage as an official single. Who in the world would pay money to hear them belt out lyrics like, "Brick by brick, we gon' make it stick"? Oh, wait. I did. Well played, A&S!
So now that Barack Obama has officially been sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, will celebrities please stop trying to make this historic moment all about them rather than the mission that lies ahead? Seriously, enough already! I heart Denzel Washington, but unless he's starring in an Obama biopic, I don't need to see him (or any other entertainer) addressing an audience from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, as he did on Sunday during HBO's star-studded Obama Inaugural Celebration concert. Newsflash: Bruce Springsteen and Beyonce didn't inspire voters to cast their ballots for change, Obama did. That's why I'm so annoyed by all of these ridiculous celebrity tributes, which are brazenly flying in the face of his message. That's also why I love this clip from last night's episode of The Daily Show. Jon Stewart (or his writers) totally nailed it on the head and I couldn't agree more. Who's with me on this?
You don't have to be a fan of the Libertines or Babyshambles to know that Pete Doherty is Brit pop's answer to Bubbles from The Wire. But despite his well-publicized drug use, myriad legal problems, questionable personal hygiene, and plummeting relevance, Astralwerks is preparing to release the troubled British rocker's solo debut CD on Mar. 24. Produced by Stephen Street (the Smiths, Blur, Cranberries, Kaiser Chiefs), the album is called Grace/Wasteland and the first single will be "Last of the English Roses." It's a duet with Amy Winehouse featuring a spoken word intro by Boy George. Kidding! But wouldn't that be genius?
Good news, U2 fans! Though the band's next CD, No Line On the Horizon, isn't due out until Mar. 3, the disc's first single, "Get On Your Boots," will be released on Jan. 19. In addition to enlisting Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite to produce the album, which is now available for pre-order, Bono and co. recruited Japanese artist and photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto to create the disc's tranquil cover image of the sea meeting the sky. View the album cover and the track list after the jump.
If you thought Rihanna couldn't get any more traction out of her 2007 CD, Good Girl Gone Bad, which is now on its eighth single ("Rehab"), think again. Island Def Jam has just announced plans to repackage the album once more. Due out on Jan. 27, Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes follows last year's Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (the one with "Disturbia," "Take a Bow," and "If I Never See Your Face Again"). Check out the complete track list after the jump and let me know what you think. Personally, I think it's time for RiRi to stop milking this cow. What's next, Good Girl Gone Bad: The Prequel? Homegirl needs to either take a break or drop a disc of brand-new material.
Grammy nominees Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, and Katy Perry are confirmed to perform at the 51st annual Grammy Awards ceremony on Feb. 8 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show will air on CBS that same night from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks and I'll be sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, take a look at the list of nominees in most of the major categories and let me know who you would (or wouldn't) like to see rock the mic that night. I'm rooting for Alicia Keys and Pink. They always turn it out!
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Good news, U2 fans! Though the band's next CD, No Line On the Horizon, isn't due out until Mar. 3, the disc's first single, "Get On Your Boots," will be released on Jan. 19. In addition to enlisting Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite to produce the album, which is now available for pre-order, 
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