The best names in music are hitting the stage this holiday season. A few of our favorites are just winding down their world tours, such as the lovely Beyonce, and legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen. But don’t fret – several of the hottest acts are just kicking off their tours.
Take your favorite music on the road! Do you have a Blackberry or Android phone? If yes, then you will LOVE the new Thumbplay Music app download, where you will find a fabulous selection of your favorite MP3s, available to download on-the-go, directly to your phone. Rock on!
Adam Freeland, the electronic artist and DJ known simply as Freeland is having a good music year: he will contribute to the highly anticipated album from Devo, their first in over 20 years, and he is also enjoying positive attention in the electronic music world for his well-received album, entitled Cope. The infectious electronic record features contributions from Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, Joey Santiago of The Pixies and Gerald V. Casale from Devo.
The multi-talented Freeland not only enjoys the status as one of the world’s top DJs, he also moonlights as a soundtrack contributor to several popular videos games, including his songs “Borderline” and “Mindkiller.” Freeland’s own label, Marine Parade, is responsible for several excellent electronic records, including his own album Bassbin Twins vs Marine Parade, which includes the top club tracks “We Want Your Soul” and “Burn The Clock.” Other top tracks from the artist include “Mancry,” “Rock On,” “Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada” and “Under Control” (see the mobile video HERE!)
Don’t miss Thumbplay awesome Dance & Electronic section with tons of today’s most popular music. Do you have a Blackberry or Android phone? If yes, then you will LOVE the new Thumbplay Music app download, where you will find a fabulous selection of your favorite MP3s, available to download on-the-go, directly to your phone. Every week the Thumbplay Music app offers a FREE MP3. Through the end of this week, our free track is “Under Control” by the talented Freeland. Be sure to check out his amazing album Cope, available in stores, on the Thumbplay Music app and at Thumbplay.com!
In advance of Rihanna's eagerly anticipated album, Rated R, due out next week, Thumbplay has the tones to ALL of the unreleased tracks! Last month, the singer released the album’s first single, the dark and moody "Russian Roulette." Rihanna is currently topping the Thumbplay charts with “Run This Town,” on which she collaborated with Kanye West and her mentor, Jay-Z.
With only three games remaining on the College Football schedule, debate has already begun as to which teams deserve a spot in the National Championship Game on January 7th. The Championship regulars Florida, Alabama and Texas currently reside in the Top 3 spots; however, TCU has made an unprecedented climb to #4, the highest ranking ever for a small conference team in the 107-year history of College Football rankings.
Will the TCUHorned Frogs stay undefeated to complete their historical march to the Championship? College fans and odd-makers are lighting up the internet with wild predictions for the big bowl match-ups. Based on the current rankings, Thumbplay has our own predictions:
The finest artists in Country Music were celebrated last night at the annual Country Music Awards (tm).The big winner of the night was Taylor Swift, who performed “Forever & Always” and “Fifteen.” The Country starlet took home awards for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Love Story.” Former Hootie & The Blowfish singer Darius Rucker proved himself a valid cross-over star when he received a standing ovation after performing his hit single “Alright.” Rucker won Best New Artist of the Year. Brad Paisley, who garnered the honor of Male Vocalist of the Year, took to the stage with his hit “Welcome To The Future.”
Our favorite NYC it-girl, Lady GaGa, the performance artist-turned-pop star, continues her white hot streak with the release of her new single, "Bad Romance.”" The single is the first track off the forthcoming album The Fame Monster, the follow-up to The Fame, her hugely popular debut album. The Fame has produced more #1 singles than any other female debut album: “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “LoveGame,” and “Paparazzi.” In Europe, Lady GaGa scored another hit with “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).”
The recent cancellation of her joint tour with Kanye West created an opportunity for Lady GaGa to launch here own world tour, The Monster Ball, scheduled to kick-off in Montreal at the end of this month. The tour is rumored to be overflowing with theatrics, a trademark that Lady GaGa picked up from her idols, David Bowie and Queen.
Don’t miss some our favorite Gaga recordings, the stripped down Cherrytree Sessions. The sessions showcase Ms. Gaga’s incredible voice and her gift for orchestrating the same song in multiple ways, including alternative performances of her hits “Poker Face,” “Just Dance” and “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).” Until the eagerly awaited new album is released later this month, catch Lady GaGa’s new single “Bad Romance” here at Thumbplay.
Check out Thumbplay's Greatest Hits of The 80s special page for November. We put tons of love into our totally rad, Valley Girl-approved playlist, which includes the absolute BEST retro hits. Here’s a sneak peak:
Carrie Underwood, one of the top-selling artists in the history of the Country genre, releases her eagerly anticipated new album today, entitled Play On. The album's first single, "Cowboy Casanova," is currently at #3 on the Country charts, marking yet another top-charting single for Underwood. Other winning tracks on the new record include “Change” and “Quitter.”
Do you have a Blackberry or Android phone? If yes, then you will LOVE the Thumbplay Music Store, where you will a fabulous selection of your favorite MP3s, available to download on-the-go, directly to your phone. Every week the Thumbplay Music Store offers a FREE MP3. This week’s free track is “If You Would Come Back Home” by the talented William Fitzsimmons. Check back often to find out what’s new!
The Hip-Hop group Pretty Ricky is back this month with their hotly anticipated fourth album, due out on November 17th. The album's first single “Tipsy In Dis Club” is currently rocketing up the R&B charts. “Tipsy In Dis Club” is the follow-up to last year’s hits “Knockin' Boots” and “Cuddle Up,” from the charting album Eighteen Babies.
If we do say so ourselves, Thumbplay has scary-awesome taste in music, particularly our annual Perilous Playlist. Check out our Halloween page with tons of hand-picked haunted MP3s, terrifying tones, vampy videos and ghoulish graphics! Here is a sneak peak our favorite Halloween party music:
Get in a New York (or Philly!) state of mind to celebrate the World Series between The New York Yankees and The Philadelphia Phillies. Thumbplay has tons of the best “at-bat” songs of your favorites World Series players from the Yankees and Phillies, plus odes to baseball, and New York and Philly-themed songs.
This week is bittersweet for Bruce Springsteen, whose cousin and road manager passed away, forcing a concert cancellation in Kansas City. Springsteen however has brighter days ahead, as he is confirmed to perform this weekend at the first of two concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. The Boss was inducted into the Hall of Fame 10 years ago.
The original E Street Band has spawned other famous members as well. Max Weinberg, Springsteen's long-time drummer, formed the Max Weinberg 7, the house band for Conan O’Brien for over 15 years Perhaps to more notoriety, guitarist Steven Van Zandt became a household name with his starring turn as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos.
With just over a month remaining in the College Football season, the bowl rankings are really heating up. TCU's impressive win over Brigham Young on Saturday threw the Bowl Championship rankings into turmoil last night, placing the Horned Frogs above the Boise State Broncos. The two teams won’t meet each other on the field during the regular season, but they are each other’s toughest competition in the fight for a BCS berth. Both teams are considered underdogs in their quest to win a bowl berth without automatically qualifying based on their conferences.
Meanwhile, with five games left to play for each school, the championship game is still anyone’s berth, with several legacy teams vying for a spot along with the underdogs. Will #1 Florida defend their title? Their opponent in last year’s championship game, Oklahoma, has struggled this year, falling completely out of the rankings after tough losses to Brigham Young, Texas and Miami. Maybe #3 Texas will charge their way back into the top spot to return to the big BCS bowl for the first time since the memorable win over USC in 2006. Do #17 Ohio State and #9 LSU, the foes from 2007, have a shot at the big game? It would be tough to climb 17 spots to #1, but that’s the beauty of College Football – it’s anyone’s game!
Rihanna surprised fans today with the unannounced release of her new single, "Russian Roulette," available as a free streaming download on her official website. The song is the first single off of the singer’s forthcoming album, entitled Rated R, due next month.
Mondays are a big day for College Football fans –the weekly rankings are published, showing which teams are closest to the coveted Bowl games. Check out today’s breakdown of the current top teams:
Can’t wait until this weekend for more pro and college action? Stay in the spirit with Thumbplay’s catalog of official NFL tones and team graphics, plus tons of videos, tones and graphics from your favorite college teams.
Fall is turning out to be an excellent time for new music. In the past month we've seen new releases from Mariah Carey, Jay-Z and Muse; now a new arsenal of hotly anticipated albums will be released.
Shakira, who has been smoking on the charts with the singles “She Wolf,” and its Spanish version “Loba,” will be releasing her entire new album . Joining her on the shelves will be the cult alternative rockers The Flaming Lips with their new release Embryonic. Their last album Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots was a worldwide phenomenon, featuring the breakthrough single “Do You Realize?” Bob Dylan will release his first-ever holiday album, entitled Christmas in the Heart, along with The Roots new record How I Got Over, and Michael Jackson’s final release This Is It, to be release along with the documentary by the same name.
The Thumbplay crew takes pride in our knack for choosing awesome party playlists! Check out our Halloween page with tons of hand-picked haunted MP3s, terrifying tones, vampy videos and ghoulish graphics! Here is a sneak peak our favorite Halloween party music:
Week five of the College Football season kicks off tonight with USU at #20 BYU – another match-up of Mountain West Conference teams fighting to show their BCS worth against the dynasty conference contenders. This weekend will host several eagerly anticipated games, including two smoking hot bouts between top-ranked teams, #7 USC at #24 California, and #8 Oklahoma at #17 Miami.
The new film of the popular 80sTV show and movie, Fame, has lived up to its name: it was the weekend's top-grossing drama. The new soundtrack features cast recordings of original music performed by the stars, including the classic original theme song, “Fame,” and several fresh new tunes featured in the film update:
Week four of the College Football season kicked off last night, with unranked South Carolina stunning #4 Ole Miss with a 16-10 win. This weekend will host tons of hotly anticipated match-ups, though arguably the weekend’s hottest game will be #9 Miami (FL) at #11 Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Thumbplay is the ONLY site where you can find exclusive mobile video clips of Whitney Houston's two new videos, "Million Dollar Bill" and "I Look To You." Her new single, the infectious hit “Million Dollar Bill,” was co-written with songstress Alicia Keys. The legendary Houston dropped her first single "I Look To You" back in July before hitting the promo circuit with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America.
The buzz over Fort Worth band Green River Ordinance is growing strong this month, as the band rocks venues all over the country to promote their Virgin Records debut album, Out Of My Hands. Monday’s show at New York City’s Highline Ballroom marked another successful step up the ladder for the quintet, who have been busy this year on tour with American Idol winner, David Cook.
For this week only, download the MP3 of “Come On,” the new single from Green River Ordinance, FREE at the Thumbplay Music Store. The new Thumbplay Music Store, available as a free application download on Blackberry and Android devices, is the first music store application of its kind, offering tens of thousands of MP3’s to purchase and enjoy directly from your phone (with more music being added all the time!). Each week we offer a FREE MP3 download of a hot up-and-coming artist. Don’t miss this week’s featured song by Green River Ordinance, and be sure to check out the rockers on their current tour!
Reggae-Pop sensation Sean Kingston is back today with his eagerly anticipated new album, entitled Tomorrow. The album's first single "Fire Burning (Somebody Call 911)" topped the charts all summer long. Now the baby-faced star is topping the charts again with his current single, “Face Drop.”
Calle 13, the Latin-Reggaeton group from Puerto Rico, have cemented their status as one of the top breakthrough Latin artists of the past few years. Of their five total Latin Grammy® nods, the troupe was nominated for their single “No Hay Nadie Como Tu,” from their hit album Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo. The album was also nominated for Album of the Year.
Shakira's hotly anticipated upcoming album, entitled She Wolf, is primed for release next month. The She Wolf title track, also released in Spanish as "Loba," is already topping the charts in North America, South America and Europe. Check out the cool alt tone cuts for "She Wolf (Breakdown)" and "Loba (Breakdown)."
Shakira broke onto the scene as a youngster, with her 1995 album Pies Descalzos. The album was Shakira’s first brush with stardom, producing several Latin hits, including “Donde Estas Corazon” and “Un Poco De Amor.” Her sophomore record, the album ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? was Shakira’s international breakthrough, earning her several Latin Grammy® awards. Still one of the all-time best selling Latin records in the United States, ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? garnered many hit singles, such as “Ciega Sordomuda,” “Tu” and “Eyes Like Yours (Ojos Asi).”
Shakira’s first English language LP, Laundry Service, launched the star into a stratospheric category along with other top-selling divas, reaching her highest position on the U.S. charts to date, with the hits “Whenever, Wherever” and “Suerte.” Her next two albums, the Spanish Fijación Oral Vol. 1, and its sister record, the English language Oral Fixation Vol. 2, became international sensations with the songs “La Tortura,” “Hips Don't Lie,” and “Illegal.”
The Kanye West buzz is still burning up the internet. Since his shocking disruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at Sunday's awards show, West has made several apologies to Ms. Swift, apparently not satiating the public’s interest in the story. Kanye first apologized via his Twitter account, followed by a televised apology on the new Jay Leno Show, plus a personal phone call made to Taylor Swift. You know you’re hot when the President weighs-in on the controversy!
For those of you catching-up on the brouhaha, Kanye West stormed the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night. The reason for the disruption? Kanye wanted to proclaim his preference for Beyonce’s video, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).” Always the lady, Swift politely stepped aside while Kanye West was heckled by the crowd. In a display of her trademark class, Beyonce took the opportunity, when she won Video Of The Year for “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” to invite Taylor Swift on-stage to finish her speech.
After days of apologies, and Presidential off-the-cuff remarks, interest has piqued in the news of an upcoming Kanye West and Lady GaGa tour. Lady GaGa was responsible for some controversy of her own at Sunday’s wild show: during an elaborate dance sequence for the hit “Paparazzi,” Lady GaGa startled the crowd as her performance morphed into a horror movie-esque gore fest. The singer’s artistic production was interpreted by some as an homage to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller," and Madonna’s famous 1980’s MTV VMA performance of “Like A Virgin.”
From Kanye West's disruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech, to Lady GaGa's shocking, horror-themed performance, the MTV Video Music Awards fulfilled its promise to be the most buzz-worthy awards show of the year. The night’s excitement, MC'd by Wale, was topped off with tons of memorable live performances from Beyonce, Pink, Pitbull, Muse, 3OH!3, The All-American Rejects, and an encore by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.
More excitement ensued when Lady GaGa appeared to be injured during her elaborate dance sequence for her hit “Paparazzi.” In fact, it was all part of the dramatic, gory performance which morphed into horror movie madness, interpreted by some as an homage to Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" and Madonna’s famous 1980’s MTV VMA performance of “Like A Virgin.”
An Oscar™ winner for the Ray Charles biopic, Ray, Jamie Foxx continues to be one of the busiest men in show business. After months of topping the charts with "Blame It," featuring T-Pain, and "Just Like Me," featuring T.I., Foxx is staying on top of the charts with several official remixes of “Digital Girl.”
Renowned talk show host and comedian Ellen Degeneres surprised American Idol® fans today with the announcement she will be the fourth judge, replacing original panelist Paula Abdul. The high profile move came on the heels of last month’s surprise move by Abdul to depart the show after eight seasons.
American Idol® was a huge comeback for the songstress, making her a star of the small screen, and the adoration of a new generation. Paula was a darling of the late 80's and early 90's pop charts, with a string of #1 hits, including “Forever Your Girl,” “Straight Up” and “Cold Hearted.” Before launching her singing career, Abdul was a sought-after dance choreographer, known for her work with Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson and the Jackson family, whom she credits with discovering her cheerleading at a Lakers basketball game. Her tender critiques of contestants became a distinctive element of American Idol®.
The immediate public reaction has been both hot and cold for Degeneres. Many bloggers have praised her as a compassionate, experienced live performer whose success lends her credibility. Others have criticized her as too soft and out of her element in the music world. Audiences can judge for themselves when the new season premieres next January.
Idol® and American Idol® are registered trademarks of FremantleMedia North America, Inc. FremantleMedia North America, Inc. is not a partner or sponsor of Thumbplay.
The wait is finally over - College Football season is here! The season kicked off last night with 14th ranked Boise State Broncos beating #16 Oregon Ducks 19-8 in a controversial win for the ages. The action continues this weekend with top teams starting off their season with a bang, including the USC Trojans (4), the Texas Longhorns (2), and last year’s National Championship contenders Florida Gators (1) and the Oklahoma Sooners (3).
After three months of memorials and celebrations of his life, Michael Jacksonwill finally be laid to rest today in Los Angeles. While the circumstances of Mr. Jackson's sudden death are still under investigation, the long journey for the pop star will culminate in a private family funeral at the famed Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Fresh off their world tour with the Jonas Brothers, Yubin, Yenny, Sun, Mimi and Sohee are making a splash on the American music scene. A media sensation in the Eastern hemisphere, the Wonder Girls have arrived in the states with their hot single “Nobody.” The track has already taken over the club circuit, with several remixes making the rounds on DJ playlists.
Check out Thumbplay’s catalog of Wonder Girls’ remixes, plus the original track of their contagious hit:
Pop-Rockers Paramore are on a roll with their new video, "Ignorance," available now for your mobile. "Ignorance" is the second single from their third studion album Brand New Eyes, which also features the hit "Decode" from the vampire blockbuster Twilight.
Pearl Jam is back this week with the rocking song, "The Fixer." The song is featured on their first new recorded album in over three years, Backspacer, due next month. Earlier this year, the original recording of Pearl Jam's timeless 1991 album Ten was re-released with several extra tracks, including the "lost" song, “Brother.” The new, remastered edition of Ten is the first time “Brother” had been released with the original vocal track.
Guitar innovator and general rock god, Les Paul, passed away today at the very-rocking age of 94. Just last year, Paul was awarded the prestigious "American Music Masters" award from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in the company of other music greats, such as Janis Joplin and Jerry Lee Lewis. A true innovator of guitar design, Les Paul’s famous instruments have been played by countless musicians, among them Slash, of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver fame, Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, and Eric Clapton, who is credited with the resurgence of Les Paul’s legendary Gibson guitar design.
Fun fact! Les Paul was godfather to funky jam-rock superstar Steve Miller. In addition to our full Les Paul catalog, Thumbplay has several wonderful little nuggets of Les Paul greatness – check them out!
The Woodstock music festival of 1969 celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend. The 3-day music festival, which began on August 15, 1969, is remembered as the quintessential statement of peace through music, and has gone on to define the countercultural crossroads of an entire generation.
Legendary diva Whitney Houston drops her new single "I Look To You" here at Thumbplay. The song is the first single from her highly anticipated upcoming album, also entitled I Look To You. The stirring ballad, masterminded by music mogul Clive Davis, is yet another memorable hit for the powerful singer. Catch-up on classic Whitney:
Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler took a tumble from the stage at last night's South Dakota show. The dynamic singer was starting their 90's hit “Love In An Elevator” when he missed a step and fell into the crowd. Aerosmith is currently on the road in anticipation of their astonishing 15th album, to be released later this year. Special guests ZZ Top are featured on the tour as well.
Paula Abdul saddened American Idol® fans today with the announcement that she will not be returning for the next season of the hit show. Paula was a darling of the late 80's and early 90's pop charts, with a string of #1 hits, including “Forever Your Girl,” “Straight Up” and “Cold Hearted.”
Before launching her singing career, Abdul was a sought-after dance choreographer, known for her work with Janet Jackson and the Jackson family, whom she credits with discovering her cheerleading at a Lakers basketball game. From there, Paula Abdul went on to choreograph dance sequences for many feature films, including The Doors. After her huge success as a recording artist, she penned hits for other top singers, such as “Spinning Around” for Kylie Minogue.
American Idol® was a huge comeback for the songstress, making her a star of the small screen, and the adoration of a new generation. Her tender critiques of contestants became a trademark of the show. Abdul used the show as a launching pad for her recent single, “Dance Like There's No Tomorrow,” produced with fellow judge Randy Jackson. Gone but not forgotten, Abdul made an impact on many contestants. Check out Thumbplay’s former Idol® contestant pages for Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, David Cook and Jennifer Hudson.
Idol® and American Idol® are registered trademarks of FremantleMedia North America, Inc. FremantleMedia North America, Inc. is not a partner or sponsor of Thumbplay.
This month at Thumbplay, we are celebrating the greatest female R&B artists on our Divas of Soul feature page. From classic hits and favorite divas, to contemporary classics and tunes from the great hit makers, Thumbplay has all of the best music.
The season of star-studded outdoor festivals is upon us, with the biggest artists playing this past weekend at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The festival's opening night on Friday brought out the big guns with headliner Jay-Z, whose new single “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” has taken over the charts. Jay-Z, who was a last minute replacement for the The Beastie Boys, was joined by Vampire Weekend, Q-Tip, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, currently on fire with their new single “Heads Will Roll.”
Saturday’s line-up included rockers My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, and alt-country phenom Neko Case, who has enjoyed a flourishing solo career after her time with Canadian supergroup The New Pornographers. Sunday’s show ended the festival with a bang – superstars Coldplay headlined the night, supported by MGMT, Mogwai, The Black Keys, and 80’s new wave gods Echo & The Bunnymen.
The Summer of 2009 is officially be the best summer for must-see concerts! A staggering list of the coolest artists are on the road, including top Rap and Hip-Hop acts Lil Wayne, Asher Roth, and Pop phenoms Madonna, Lady Gaga, Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears and Pink. It’s good to be an American right about now, as U2, AC/DC, Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Jason Mraz all have sold-out dates around the country. Don’t miss your favorite artists LIVE, and be sure to catch their awesome catalogs here at Thumbplay, your home for mobile music!
Check out Thumbplay's popular VTones, from Voicetoons, a cartoon and gaming voice over studio. Choose from tons of hilarious voicetones as your ringtone or alert:
The brightest stars of the music industry gathered today to honor Michael Jackson's music and life. Less than two weeks after the untimely passing of the King of Pop, a memorial service in Los Angeles celebrated the singer's achievements, featuring performances from his peers, including Mariah Carey with “I’ll Be There,” Jennifer Hudson with “Will You Be There,” John Mayer with “Human Nature,” Usher with “Gone Too Soon,” plus group performances of Jackson’s hits “Heal the World” and “We Are The World.” Other friends of Jackson who paid tribute include Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Queen Latifah, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder. The most moving moment of the memorial came when Jackson’s family entered the service to one of Michael’s most emotional songs, "Man in the Mirror."
From the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, to other places around the world, tributes to the King of Pop continue. The Rev. Al Sharpton took to the Apollo stage to lead a celebration by fans that included spontaneous sing-a-longs to “Beat It” and “Black or White,” plus a contest of dancers doing the Moonwalk, made famous in the 80’s by Jackson during a televised performance of “Billie Jean” on MTV. The MJ tributes are sure to continue as fans worldwide celebrate the life of this unmatched talent. Don’t miss Michael’s hits here at Thumbplay, including “Human Nature,” “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough” and “Smooth Criminal.”
What do Sean Kingston, David Archuleta and Weird Al Yankovic have in common? They all have exclusives on Thumbplay! For a limited time only, you can be the first to get these on mobile: