Calling all Katy Perry fans! Interact on Twitter to help shape shape the final version of the film ‘Katy Perry: Part of Me’.
Over the next few months fans will choose which songs she will sing or weigh in on wardrobe options by using the hashtag #KP3D and following @KatyPerry on Twitter.
Additionally, Perry’s Twitter followers will get access to behind-the-scenes movie content, providing fans an look at the performers life both on and off-stage.
This is a first of it’s kind way to engage fans and make entertainment history.
“Overplayed songs” and “songs that are crimes against humanity” aren’t necessarily the same thing. When you listen to the radio as much as I do, one thing that’s inevitable every year is your radio taking a few songs that you love, exposing them to room temperature too long, and making them stale.
Take Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” which earned honest consideration for my forthcoming list of Most Overplayed Songs of 2011 before falling just short. It’s a great song. Adele’s a fantastic vocalist. “Rolling in the Deep” was 2011’s deserved flagship song, and Billboard’s #1 single of the year… and thanks to relentless radio saturation, by September, I was done with it. When I heard the opening strums, the radio became your mom at Thanksgiving, trying to shove another delicious slice of pie down your throat when you’ve already had four.
So, the Overplayed list you see below isn’t simply a list of “five songs that sucked in 2011.” There’s even one or two in here I have genuine fondness for. But an arbitrary, uneven combination of two things brought this list together: 1) overexposure, and 2) how little I thought of the song.
Later, we’ll take a look at my Most Underplayed Songs of 2011. But for now, here’s one person’s list of the year’s most overexposed tracks.
5. Lady Gaga, “Born This Way”
For a craftswoman who cranks out well-constructed pop songs better than just about anybody, this was a relative misfire. It didn’t help that Elton John overhyped “Born This Way” before it was released, calling it “the new ‘I Will Survive.’” Instead, Gaga — already accused of imitating Madonna in every possible way– gave the world a song that sounded too much like “Express Yourself” and harped on the shopworn “be yourself/accept the way you are” message that sinks so many songs.
Even with those weaknesses, “Born This Way” really wasn’t a bad song, because Gaga, particularly lyrically, almost always finds a way to make things interesting. But it wasn’t anything earth-shaking – and as the opening single and title cut on her new album, it garnered the airplay of something that was.
4. Hot Chelle Rae, “Tonight Tonight”
Like I said, this list isn’t my five worst songs of 2011. If it had been, this would’ve closer to the top, and quite possibly No. 1.
If it’s possible to get a #7 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and get at least temporarily rich, by penning the lyrics “La la la/whatever/la la la/it doesn’t matter,” then I’m in the wrong business, and you probably are, too. The whole thing is a lyrical nightmare, up to and including the tattoo that “kinda looks just like you/Mixed with Zach Galifianakis.” Throw in the edgeless pop-rock production, singer Ryan Follese’s whiny delivery, and you had a song I’d love to pretend never existed. Instead, its existence was persistent.
3. Foster the People, “Pumped Up Kicks”
Still like the song. A lot, actually. It’s a catchy, clever groove, and Foster the People’s trio of diversely styled hit singles – including “Helena Beat” and “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)” – indicate it’s a band with a bright future on both the pop and rock charts.
But there comes a point where enough is enough. “Pumped Up Kicks” started as an indie phenomenon, then it crossed over, and it got more and more attention as more people realized the violent theme of its lyrics. Soon – much like with Cee-Lo’s “F***/Forget/Eff You” in the final third of 2010 – you couldn’t get away from it.
That’s not Mark Foster’s fault. But, as with “Rolling in the Deep,” I need a break. Maybe if I go 7 or 8 months without listening to “Pumped Up Kicks,” I can pick it up again and appreciate its virtues anew.
2. Katy Perry, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
I’ll say this for Katy Perry’s ridiculous ode to debauchery: it delivers about three seconds of guilty pleasure for me every time. When it comes on the radio, I can’t flip elsewhere on the dial until I hear the line “Think I need a ginger ale/That was such an epic fail.” It’s so laughable, you can’t turn away.
The rest of it, I could easily turn away from. But all summer and fall, radio made me work constantly to do it. Perry’s unmelodic chanting verses, the cheesy ‘80s-sounding sax solo, “I’m screwed,” “it ruled”… if you wanted to make the argument that pop music is simply dumber now than it’s ever been, this would be a good starting point.
Katy had always had it in her to release a single this bad; witness the similarly themed “Waking Up in Vegas.” But for my money, this was her at her worst. Naturally, it went to No. 1.
1. LMFAO, “Party Rock Anthem”
LMFAO’s breakthrough album containing this massive hit is called Sorry For Party Rocking. You’re not forgiven, guys.
A simple apology from my radio wouldn’t be enough, either. I somehow arrived to the “Party” a little late, but my overdose on this self-proclaimed anthem came about two-thirds of the way through my first listen. I gave its inane lyrics, formulaic dance beats and lame electronics a couple more full listens after that; it was topping the charts, so hell, there had to be something redeeming about it, right?
There wasn’t. And it kept coming back. To a greater degree than any other song, “Party Rock Anthem” was everywhere. TV commercials. Sports broadcasts. “Good Morning America” now has a strange obsession with the song. Escaping it required wearing earplugs around the clock, or keeping your fingers in your ears while chanting “lalala (whatever) lalala (it doesn’t matter).”
There’s a good chance that LMFAO fades away as a 15-minute phenomenon, a joke reference to make at parties years from now when people discuss the ’10s. But thanks to LMFAO, I’m still dealing with PTSD. “Party Rock Anthem” will live on forever as 2011’s most rancid music excess.
Product of Kansas City suburbia who inhales pop culture old and new. Among other things, I'm a fan of fried chicken, college basketball, Crown Royal and rock 'n' roll. Find four things that make life more fulfilling. I dare you.
The annual MTV Video Music Awards nominees have been announced and Katy Perry leads the nominations. Other artists such as Bruno Mars, Adele and Kanye West also found themselves raking in several nominees.
Winners are determined by online votes from fans. Voting is now open for all the categories on MTV’s website here.
To find out the winners, tune in August 28, 9/8 central, on MTV for the awards show.
MTV VMA nominees:
Best Pop Video
Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
Britney Spears – “Till the World Ends”
Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Nayer, and Afrojack – “Give Me Everything”
Best Rock Video
Cage The Elephant – “Shake Me Down”
Foo Fighters – “Walk”
Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”
The Black Keys – “Howlin’ For You”
Best Hip-Hop Video
Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes – “Look At Me Now”
Kanye West feat. Rihanna and Kid Cudi – “All Of The Lights”
Lil Wayne – “6 Foot, 7 Foot”
Lupe Fiasco – “The Show Goes On”
Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
Best New Artist
Big Sean feat. Chris Brown – “My Last”
Foster The People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
Kreayshawn – “Gucci Gucci”
Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
Wiz Khalifa – “Black and Yellow”
Best Female Video
Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
Beyoncé – “Run the World (Girls)”
Katy Perry – “Firework”
Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”
Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
Best Male Video
Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
Cee Lo Green – “F*** You”
Eminem feat. Rihanna – “Love the Way You Lie”
Justin Bieber – “U Smile”
Kanye West feat. Rihanna and Kid Cudi – “All Of The Lights”
Best Collaboration
Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes – “Look At Me Now”
Kanye West feat. Rihanna and Kid Cudi – “All Of The Lights”
Katy Perry feat. Kanye West – “E.T.”
Nicki Minaj and Drake – “Moment 4 Life”
Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Nayer, and Afrojack – “Give Me Everything”
Video of the Year
Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”
Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
Katy Perry – “Firework”
Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”
Additional nominees in the professional categories can be found here.
Violin-wielding punk-pop rockers Yellowcard have put their own spin on Katy Perry‘s pop hit, “ET.”
“There’s a hook that goes through the whole song that’s a really staccato synth part and having Sean [Mackin] playing violin was a really cool way to have that part in an acoustic setting,” singer Ryan Key told Billboard. “We used the guitar and the violin to really emulate it and do an octave higher and an octave lower, which is how they do it on the record.”
You can catch out Yellowcard’s version of “ET” below:
Calling all Katy Perry fans! Interact on Twitter to help shape shape the final version of the film ‘Katy Perry: Part of Me’.
