1001 POP CLASSIC YOU MUST DOWNLOAD # 3 - Spin Doctors " Two Princes "

Spin Doctors
Two Princes
UK # 3 , April 1993

Ok , so this long forgotten US one hit wonder are'nt necessarily pop but this gem has had much rotation on the Dirtypop Ipod recently.

One of the great one hit wonders of the early 90's , the Spin Doctors only major chart impact came with this classic. A Top 3 smash in the UK , back home the track reached # 7 on the Billboard charts.

A trashy , rock intro and the lyrical genius of the couplets like ' if you wanna call me baby , just go ahead now , and if wanna call me maybay , just go ahead now ".

Alastair Campbell may've been the most famous spin doctor in recent years , but he never fed Tony Blair such advice.

Apparently the band still play live , but the height of their powers came with this classic one hit wonder

DIRTYPOP DOWNLOADS -This Weeks Most Played

KE$HA -Take It Off

KATY PERRY -Teenage Dream

EMINEM & RIHANNA -Love The Way You Lie

BRANDON FLOWERS -Crossfire

FLO RIDA feat DAVID GUETTA -Club Cant Handle Me

ALEXANDRA BURKE -Start Without You

KYLIE MINOGUE -Get Outta My Way

SCISSOR SISTERS TAKE IT ANY WHICH WAY

Scissor Sisters have confirmed that the camptastic Any Which Way will be the second single to be lifted from their brilliant new album Night Work.
The follow up to Fire With Fire is released on September 20th. The single's artwork , as seen above , is from the same photographer whose work makes up the current album sleeve. The New York band tour the UK from November.

LADY GAGA SET TO CONQUER MTV AWARDS

Lady Gaga is poised to claen up at next months MTV Video Music Awards in LA after landing a record breaking 13 nominations , the most in a single year. Having scooped the Best New Artist gong for Pokerface last year , Gaga has 2 nods in the prestigous 'Video Of The Year ' category for the mini epics Bad Romance and her YouTube smash Telephone with Beyonce.

In the past female icons like Madonna and last year Beyonce have dominated the awards and 2010 looks set to be GaGa's night.

Hot on her skyscraper heels is comeback kid Eminem , a VMA veteran who takes 8 nominations for Not Afraid.

Other major artists in therunning come September 12th are Taylor Swift , Beyonce , Katy Perry , B.O,B , Ke$ha , Jason DeRulo, Justin Bieber , Pink , Florence And The Machine , Muse , Jay Z and Usher amongst others.

The 27th MTV Video Music Awards take place at the Nokia Theatre , LA on September 12th. As yet no acts have been confirmed nor a host announced.

Some of the major categories are as follows

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

30 Seconds To Mars -Kings And Queens

B.O.B feat Hayley Williams -Airplanes

Lady Gaga -Bad Romance

Eminem -Not Afraid

Florence And The Machine -Dog Days Are Over

Lady Gaga feat Beyonce -Telephone

BEST FEMALE VIDEO

Katy Perry -California Gurls

Taylor Swift -Fifteen

Lady Gaga -Bad Romance

Ke$ha -Tik Tok

Beyonce feat Lady Gaga -Video Phone

KYLIE MINOGUE AND SCISSOR SISTERS TAKE 2

Ok , so we were meant to upload this yesterday. But , hey , better late than never. Once again , here's Kylie Minogue and the Scissor Sisters on stage together in Melbourne the other night.

In other Scissor Sisters news , it looks likely that Any Which Way will be the next single lifted from NightWork. We shall be doing an update on that in due course. Now for the love of Dolly Parton , hury up and do a duet. Or at least team up at some major awards ceremony an dblow us all away in a sea of flamboyance and hot pants

1001 POP CLASSICS YOU MUST DOWNLOAD # 2 - Eternal " Just A Step From Heaven "

Just A Step From Heaven

Eternal

UK # 8 , April 1994

Before the juggernaut that was the Spice Girls exploded onto the charts in the summer of 1996 , Eternal were the UK's ultimate girl band. Led by the Bennett sisters , Easther and Vernie , Kellie Bryan and sole white member , 90's lad mag icon Louise Nurding.

Like a UK version of En Vogue meets TLC , Eternal were credible , hip , could sing and had the sassy , RnB -pop hits to sustain a chart run that would eventually stretch over 6 years. A lifetime in girlband years.

Eternal stepped onto the scene in 1993 with Stay debuted inside the Top 10. Debut album Always And Forever woukl earn them 2 BRIT nominations and a support slot with Take That. Other hits during that era included Crazy and the sumptuous ballad Oh Baby I.

But it was Just A Step From Heaven that was the most striking and memorable moment from that album. An epic looking Americanised video , with a song that could 've been sung by any of the US divas of the mid 90's. It was a brilliant pop moment , that only the Sugababes have since mirrored or eclipsed. Easther Bennett was one of the great female voices in UK pop at that time and the track itself was a huge radio hit and the band a ubiquitous fixture in Smash Hits and on Saturday morning telly.

Just A Step From Heaven peaked at Number 8 whilst Always And Forever topped close to a million sales. It would be another 3 years before they would claim their only UK Number 1 in May 1997 with I Wanna Be The Only One.

But by that time Eternal were well and truly overshadowed by the Spice Girls , with All Saints waiting in the wings. Louise Nurding who left in 1995 was now enjoying considerable success as a solo artist.

Eternal eventually fizzled out at the start of the new milliennium with the Bennett sisters sliding into obscurity , only Louise Nurding mamaging to maintain any media profile , albeit a low key one.

But Just A Step From Heaven remains one of their and UK 90's pop's most defining moments. Rumours abound that JLS will ressurrect this long lost gem on their forthcoming 2nd album. But how theytop the original is anyone's guess. As long as they dont murder it and put the spotlight back on the original and this seemingly forgotten pop force , we'll be just a step from pop heaven.

MCFLY GET NAKED.........AGAIN

Its a slow newsday today , hence the gratuitous nude magazine cover featuring McFly. No strangers to getting their sweeta sses out , the pop punks have done it again for this months Attitude Magazine.
And we are certainly not complaining.

In casr you're interested a new album is , ahem , slotted in for later in the year.

KYLIE AND THE SCISSOR SISTERS -THE LOVE IN CONTINUES

The love affair between Kylie Minogue and the Scissor Sisters continues apace. The Aussie pop princess made a triumphant hometown cameo during the Sisters show at the Melbourne Festival Hall. Once again they teamed up for a rousing version of Any Which Way , complete with camp disco arms choreography.

Kylie also stuck around for an impromptu acoustic , bluegrass version of recent comeback smash All The Lovers , as viewed below. With Jake Shears after already penning her classic I Believe In You from 2004 , the gorgeous White Diamond and now more recently Too Much from the Aphrodite album.

Isn't it just about time they went the whole hog and released a duet.

AREJOICE , ITS THE BRAND SPANKING NEW ROBYN VIDEO

So the new Robyn video for Hang With Me has premiered online. Cue much excitement at DirtyPop HQ. Anticipating some sort of moody , intense , fluorescent avante garde pop promo , the actual result is a whole lot different.

Yes , its one of those behind the scenes , backstage and on the tour bus , up close and personal videos. Cheap then. Maybe so but the joyous nature of the song fits well with Robyn in relaxed mode throughout the clip. Clips of the star on rollercoasters and motorways fit the music better than you'd imagine. And she looks effortlessly cool throughout. Now we just need it to be absolutely massive.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK - Plan B " Prayin' "

Its fair to say that Ben Drew a.k.a Plan B is having one hell of a year. His album , the epically titled The Defamation Of Strickland Banks has already hit Number1 , providing two of the anthems of 2010 in the form of Stay Too Long and the Winehouse-esque She Said.
The hat trick is completed then with 3rd offering Prayin. A soaring , soul ballad of redemption and pleading.
Plan B's transition from grimey wideboy to soul man has been one of the years revelations.
His album on eof the definitive soundtarcks to the year in music. Oddly omitted from the Mercury Prize shortlist , a heap of awards surely await Plan B.
Prayin is already lodged in the lower half of the Top 20 and gaining huge airplay, although it may not eclipse the conquering glory of the previous two singles , its every inch as anthemic.

RATING 8/10

CHARTS HIT " ALL TIME LOW "

A huge DirtyPop introduction to the delectable Max (especially ) , Siva , Tom , Nathan and Jay , otherwise known as The Wanted. In short your new favourite boyband. And Max George surely giving Aston Merrygold a run for his money as the UK's biggest pop hearthrob.
This gorgeous lot are just days away from storming to Number 1 wuth their debut single " All Time Low " , in much the same fashion , soon to be pop rivals JLS did with Beat Again just over a year ago.
All Time Low is still growing on us , but The Wanted are most definitely a different proposition to JLS.
A debut Number 1 for any pop act thats not an X Factor winner/finalist /judge or Lady GaGa is very rare these days. And The Wanted look set to live up to that name in the coming months. Expect them to be huge. The boyband is back!

DIRTYPOP DOWNLOADS - This Weeks Most Played

KATY PERRY -Teenage Dream

KYLIE MINOGUE -Too Much

CHRISTINA AGUILERA -You Lost Me

JASON DERULO -Ridin Solo

KE$HA -Your Love Is my Drug

ROBYN -Hang With Me

KATY PERRY'S TEENAGE DREAM -THE SINGLE

So yesterday we showed you the sleeve for Katy Perry's forthcoming album Teenage Dream due for release August 23rd.

Finally we've got our ears around the title track and forthcoming single itself. A midtempo , summery , nostalgic pop grower that alongside the huge California Gurls will certainly send this new opus well into platinum status.

Perry's voice is still at times extremely shrill and this song find us in a more upbeat Thinking Of You territory. Her belated love affair with Russell Brand , no dount the inspiration for this loved up track. On first listen , the sentiment and vibe of the song brought to mind Gwen Stefani's Cool.

" I'll let you put your hands on me/ In my skin tight jeans /I'll be your teenage dream tonight " , beams Perry in one of the years most sugary sweet , yet feel good pop hooks. In fact we much prefer it to California Gurls. Perry whether you love or loathe her is skilled in delivering insanely catchy , disposable pop songs but on Teenage Dreams shes served up a tender , joyous tale of love and teenage dreams. All wrapped in a catchy , pop package. Destined for huge things , Perry' s Teenage Dream is another smash in waiting.

THAT NEW CHRISTINA AGUILERA VIDEO

Christina Aguilera will release You Lost Me as the second single from her underperforming Bionic album. The new video is a suitably more demure affair than the raucously , OTT latex and S&M trash of the fantastic Not Myself Tonight. In fact the video plays like an updated , in colour version of The Voice Within.

Aguilera looks stunning throughout , in full on diva histrionic mode a la Hurt. Its vintage Christina balladry of the type shes always excelled in. Whether a huge ballad is enough to rescue the damp squib of an album campaign thats been Bionic remains to be seen. Only last week , her record label RCA denied that the album's performance to date was a matter of panic for the label. Christina has'nt had a UK Top 10 in over 4 years since Aint No Other Man. A statistic that looks unlikely to change until perhaps she decides to release Woohoo! as a single. For now , just enjoy the no -thrills minimalism of the new video. She doesnt do low key very often ol Xtina.

ROBYN ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM DETAILS

The continuation of 2010's most thrilling pop trilogy continues with the tracklisting revealed for Robyn's Body Talk Part 2.
Yesterday we posted a clip of her next single , the divine Hang With Me , which launches this second instalment of the Body Talk series.

The album features contributions from Kleerup with whom she collaborated on the classic With Every Heartbeat in 2007.

The full tracklisting is as follows

In Your Eyes

Include Me Out

Hang With Me

Love Kills

We Dance To The beat

Criminal Intent

U Should Know Better feat. Snoop Dogg

Indestructible (acoustic version )

Body Talk Part 2 is released September 6th

KATY PERRY UNVEILS " TEENAGE DREAM " SLEEVE

Katy Perry's bid to become the tackiest woman in pop gathers pace with the unveiling of the album cover for forthcoming album Teenage Dream.

The cover is bopundto raise eyebrows as well as many male appendages when the new record is released on August 23rd. Perry is certainly keeping up with the like of Christina and Rihannna with this blatant , jaw dropping sleeve. But Perry has defended the cover , claiming it as art.

" Its so gorgeous , its my first piece of real art , except the poster I had on my wall of Gwen Stefani growing up". pop

The follow up to 2008's One Of The Boys is certainly one of the more anticipated pop releases of the year. The mammoth success of California Gurls this summer has stoked up the excitement amongst pop fans. Perry herself has said the new record will be everybody's guilty pleasure. There is that element to be found in Perry's trashtastic songs. We at Dirtypop are still to be convinced by Perry. Some of her biggest hits lose their appeal very fast , only Thinking Of You or Waking Up In Vegas still sounding appealing.

However Teenage Dream should be huge. With Christina and Rihanna's underwhelming return and the likes of Beyonce, Pink , Gaga and Madonna still to ready new material , this could be Perry's year to claim the female pop crown.

HANG WITH ROBYN

Here at DirtyPop , were still in the throes of mad, passionate infatuation with the sublime Dancing On My Own. But with the imminent release of Body Talk Part 2 looming over the horizon , Robyn unleashes Hang With Me on September 6th.

The acoustic version has already appeared on Body Talk Part 2. Beefed up and sounding more dancey and clubbier, the Swedish diva can surely expect another Top 10. No details have emerged as yet of the video to accompany the track.

Her joint " All Hearts " tour with Kelis kicks off in the autumn before Body Talk Part 3 lands in December.

1001 POP CLASSICS YOU MUST DOWNLOAD #1 - Madonna -INTO THE GROOVE

Madonna Into The Groove

UK #1 August

Summer 1985 and Madonna is the biggest pop star in the world. Like A Virgin has launched the career of an instant pop icon. Its the Eighties and pop culture is a glorious kaleidoscope of new romantics , power ballads , technicolor electro pop , high shoulders and moonwalking.

Madonna may be the biggest new pop force in the universe but the iconic True Blue is still under a year away. An album that would cement Madonna's status as a pop icon alongside fellow 80's heavyweights Michael Jackson and Prince.

Her first foray onto the silverscreen Desperately Seeking Susan is about to be released. A tale of mistalen identity and a bored housewife , Madonna essentially playing herself , for some if not all it is her finest , most beloved film.

Its soundtrack would be the epic Into The Groove. Vintage Madonna and as glorious a pop song as she or the Eighties has ever produced. " And you can dance.....for inspiration " she coos at the songs intro. An invitation to dance with the singer Into The Groove was a critical and commercial smash. The song was the first of Madonna's current 14 UK Number 1 singles.

" Only When I'm dancing can I feel this free " , remains one of the greatest lines from a Madonna track and in a sense encapsulates much of her early output. One critic noted that on Into The Groove , all the magic of the Eighties was right there.

For Dirtypop , Into The Groove , 25 years later , is still Madonna's finest moment. The closing refrain of " Now I know you're mine " is irresistible. As joyous as pop music gets.

TAYLOR SPEAKS OUT

America's sweetheart Taylor Swift returns on October 25th with third album Speak Now. The follow up to the gazillion selling , Grammy Award winning Fearless has been in conception for the past two years.

Swift revealed the news via a webchat with fans on UStream. The album is 14 tracks long and sccording to Taylor "each song is a track by track confession to another person ". The album is launched by lead single Mine on August 16th and plams are in place for a majot world tour next year.

Regardless of how the album fares worldwide , you can rest assured Speak Now will smash first week records in the States.

MINI VIVA LEAD THE RACE FOR POPJUSTICE GLORY

They call themselves Popjustice and if there was any justice the mighty Mini Viva would be walking off 20 quid richer come September 7th. Yes the ultimate pop website have announced the 12 finest pop songs of the year vying to win the Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize. And its Xenomania proteges Mini Viva who lead the way all three of their amazing , criminally underrated singles that lead teh chase.

Their only Top 10 smash "Left My Heart In Tokyo " is joined by flops " I Wish " and Dirtypop's personal pick " One Touch ". The nods come as a welcome boost for Frankee and Brit after a year that promised so much and yet ,has delivered so little. On eof Xenomania 's greatest acts is also one of their biggest flops. I Wish and One Touch both failing to make a dent in the UK Top 40.

Justice should be served then come September if Popjustice forum members give the girls a winning send off from pop with the threat of a record compnay dropping loomimg. The girls will battle it out with amongst others Diana Vickers for chart topper Once , Sophie Ellis Bextor's " Bittersweet " and Examples 2 Kickstarts "

Notable omissions from the list include Cheryl Cole's Fight For This Love as well as The Saturdays , Sugababes or JLS.

The full list of nominees is as follows

Alexandra Burke -Bad Boys

Mini Viva -Left My Heart In Tokyo

Mini Viva -I Wish

Mini Viva - One Touch

Diana Vickers -Once

Sophie Ellis Bextor -Bittersweet

Marina And The Diamonds -I Am Not A Robot

Groove Armada -I Wont Kneel

Tinchy Stryder feat. Amelle -Never Leave You

Example -Kickstarts

Nerina Pallot - Real Late Starter

Hurts -Wonderful Life

SINGLE OF THE WEEK -Diana Vickers " The Boy Who Murdered Love "

Despite our perpetual loathing for the Vickers during her ascent to the final 4 of X Factor back in 2008 , her emergence as a bona fide pop princess has been something of a quiet revelation.

Diana has already followed in the footsteps of fellow X Factor 2008 alumni JLS and eventual winner Alexandra Burke by scoring a Number 1 album and single back in April. On repeated listen to her Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree album , Vickers voice and infectious pop melodies make her one of the more credbile acts to emerge from the reality television monster.

Follow up single " The Boy Who Murdered Love " is in a similar vein to its chart topping predecessor. Infectious , lyrics about killing and murdering coupled with her at times irresistible Dido-esque vocals , this is epic , modern , forward thinking pop. A highlight of her debut opus , this should consolidate her as new UK pop female force to go head to head with Pixie Lott. With a slew of festival dates pencilled in for the summer expect Diana to be around for some time. And dare i say it , lucky us

RATING - 8/10

SCRIPT KEEP THE FAITH

Dublin's finest The Script return in September with their sophomore album " Science And Faith ". The follow up to their million selling 2008 self titled debut hits shops on Spetember 13th, preceded by lead single " First Time " a week earlier.

The James Street trio have had huge success in the States with Breakeven hitting the Billboard Top 20 as well as appearances on Ellen and The Hills. Add to that support slots for U2 at Croke Park and interest from a certain Beyonce in recording one of their songs. Expect the new album to consolidate them as one of Ireland's leading pop exports.

TAKE THAT AT GLASTONBURY ????

The original five piece have only been back for good five minutes and talk has already turned to a headline slot at next years Glastonbury. A pop act has never headlined the legendary festival , with Kylie having to pull out in 2005 after her breast cancer diagnosis. Usual suspects u2 and Radiohead are touted as for the Friday and Sunday night.

How the ultimate boyband would go down with Glasto purist remains to be seen. Sure theres always somewhat of a novelty factor when pop acts appear at festivals. And its become more common in recent years with the likes of Girls Aloud , Sugababes and The Saturdays appearing at the likes of V Fest. Lady Gaga went down a storm at Glasto in 2009.

But Glastonbury is a whole different kettle of fish and although its become a more commercial event than it makes out , a 90's boyband as headliners may be a novelty too far for some. Stranger things have happened and it would'nt be too far fetched to envision a field of muddy hippies singing along to " Never Forget ". If the rumour turns out to be true , it would cap off one of the greatest comebacks in pop history. Its shaping up to be a huge few months for the reformed manband. Rest assured a much anticipated X Factor appearance will culminate in a 12th UK Number 1 and mammoth sales of the forthcoming album leading up to Christmas. I'm already sick of them. Its the Robbie factor.

DIRTYPOP DOWNLOADS - This Weeks Most Played

KYLIE MINOGUE -Get Outta My Way

SCISSOR SISTERS -Skin Tight

PINK -My Vietnam

EMINEM & RIHANNA -Love The Way You Lie

DIANA VICKERS -The Boy Who Murdered Love

B.O.B feat HAYLEY WILLIAMS -Airplanes

I'M NOT DEAD -PINK TAKES A TUMBLE

A state of emergency was declared at DirtyPop HQ after the news that our beloved Pink was thrown offstage in Germany on Thursday. The singer was in Nuremberg for the latest stop on her sell out Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour when a onstage stunt went awry. Strapped into a harness for the show finale of So What , where the singer is launched high above the crowd for a daring acrobatic routine , the singer was sent flying into a barricade instead.

Pink was heard screaming in agony as she made friends with the steel barrier , was taken to a nearby hospital. Thankfully , there were no broken bones and the fearless pop icon , sore and embarrassed was reportedly back on stage the following evening. It's not the first time the high flying popstrel has had a near miss whilst performing the high risk acrobatics as part of the Funhouse Tour. Get well soon Pink

WELCOME TO DIRTYPOP!!

Pop is King!! This aint just another blog , this is THE blog. DirtyPop!! And we could only start off our introduction to the blogosphere with HRH Madonna , the very epitome of pop. The womans whos reinvented the genre and smashed the template. The original Material Girl is our DirtyPop covergirl.
Folow this blog daily for a witty , up to the minute , fresh and edgy look at the world of Pop. From Gaga to Tweedy , Kylie to Robyn , divas , downloads , tours , meltdowns and everything in between. Pop aint pop unless its DIRTY!!