chris richardson

All posts tagged chris richardson

Even If It’s Somewhere In Between Joy and Pain

Posted by John on August 6, 2012
Posted in: american idol, reviews, singles, youtube. Tagged: , . 1 Comment

Sometimes it is good to be an American Idol finalist that people had counted out. After sitting out most of Season Nine of American Idol, I came back on board last year with the advent of new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Even with the disappointing treatment that third place Haley Reinhart received from the judges for not conforming to their expectations, I got sucked in again this year for Season Eleven, only to lose interest once they reached the Semi-Final rounds. One of the few sparks for me was Phillip Phillips’s Dave Matthew-esque take on more contemporary fare. By the time the show got down to the Final Three (Phillips, Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet), I was back on board and loving all three. I braced myself for horrible final songs, and Sanchez didn’t disappoint with her bizarre “Change Nothing.” And then the unthinkable happened…Phillip Phillips got a decent song. “Home” is the first Idol download I’ve purchased since David Cook triumphed in Season Eight, and its Coldplay meets Mumford and Sons vibe has lodged itself in my head randomly over the past two months.

“Home” instantly shot to number one on iTunes and debuted at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100, but enthusiasm died after a couple of weeks. That enthusiasm returned during the 2012 Olympics, as NBC used his coronation song as the theme music for the now Gold-winning US Women’s Gymnastics team. “Home” currently finds itself back at home on top of the iTunes Singles chart, guaranteeing it will make a strong return to the upper half of the Hot 100 after re-entering at number 84 this week. Seeing that they have momentum at their backs, 19 Recordings decided to finally release the video for “Home.” It’s nothing exciting, which might explain why they didn’t bother releasing it, but it’s got some great scenery.

Someone who has taken a lot longer to finally break through is Season Six finalist Chris Richardson. We’ve been beating the drum for Chris pretty hard for a while now, but things have finally kicked into gear with the release of his first official single on Cash Money Records. Chris hit the Hot 100 last year singing the hook on rapper Tyga’s “Far Away,” and now Tyga is returning the favor by dropping a verse on the intro to “Joy and Pain,” a track that precedes his full-length debut later in 2012. “Joy and Pain” is very of-the-moment in sound and structure, and Chris sounds like he’s having fun with the track. The Tyga rap feels like an add-on rather than part of the song, but it doesn’t take much to picture this fitting in to current Top 40 and R&B radio station playlists. While I prefer some of his self-released tracks, “Joy and Pain” is not a bad way to introduce Chris to a wider audience.

Phillip Phillips’s “Home” is available on digital single now in the US. Chris Richardson’s “Joy and Pain” doesn’t have a release date yet, but he tweeted on July 29th “#JoyandPain cover art almost done. Radio add date is close. Hope y’all Are ready, cause I am.”

Like It’s the Best Night of My Life

Posted by John on April 22, 2012
Posted in: american idol, singles, upcoming. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

I have a history for liking male pop artists that got their start on American Idol. Elliot Yamin, Blake Lewis and (most importantly) Chris Richardson have all made their mark on the pop charts post-Idol to some degree, but none of them have had what you’d call a superstar career. Chris Rich may be on his way to the next level via Young Money, but that remains to be seen (check back in about a week or so for more on that). In the meantime, it’s time to welcome Stefano Langone to the club. His initial hook on the show was his soulful vocals (especially his cover of Smokie Norful’s “I Need You Now“), but he made his mark on the semi-finals with a remixed version of Stevie Wonder’s classic “Lately.”

While making it to seventh on American Idol is nothing to sneeze at, it sure isn’t a guarantee of a recording contract. In fact, of the ten previous 7th place finishers, only Academy Award-winning Jennifer Hudson has had any enduring success in the music business. However, season 11 was different. When Pia Toscano was unexpectedly eliminated after Top Nine Week, Interscope Records quickly put out a press release saying that her signing was inevitable, showing the equation for signing Idol artists would be a little different now that Jimmy Iovine was directly involved in the show. So when an announcement was made in January 2012 that Stefano was signed to Hollywood Records, no one was really surprised. Fast forward three months later, and here is the initial offering from Stefano Langone:

Full disclosure: The first time I heard “I’m On a Roll,” I didn’t know what to make of it. I expected something slightly more R&B than pop, but after a few listens, the song is now stuck in my head. The lyrics aren’t going to set the world on fire, but the song is fun and it fits right in with what is getting airplay in the US right now. If this is the direction he planned on going, he’s made a pretty brilliant play for pop success, even bringing along in-demand rappers the New Boyz for the ride. However, I believe Stefano may be setting himself up for getting a foot in the door so his more soulful vocals and writing can get to a wider audience. That in itself makes rooting for “I’m On a Roll” to be a success even easier to do.

Stefano Langone’s “I’m On a Roll” comes out on April 24th in the US, and he will perform the song for the first time on American Idol on the 26th.

Random Notes – 11-19-09

Posted by John on November 20, 2009
Posted in: american idol, charts, commentary, music industry, singles, videos, youtube. Tagged: , , . 13 Comments

– Now that I’m on Twitter (@ConstantLearnin), I’m getting to see what I’ve been missing out on. While there are things about Twitter that drive me nutty (do I need to know that you’re watching “King of Queens”?), when used in a good context, it is a great way for an up-and-coming artist to build buzz for themselves. Courtesy of @PopMuse, here’s a sample of a new track from Chris that must be a result of this studio marathon that he’s been tweeting about at @ImChrisRich.

In searching for more info on this, I also came across an interview and free download that he did for *cough*Wal-Mart*choke*. “Floating Off the Ground” definitely fits into the current pop landscape, although trying to break through without a major label behind you can be tough. Just ask Elliot Yamin about that one. I’ve listened to the track about 10 times over the past two days, and it has me intrigued about the rest of his long-delayed new record, which is now supposed to be released in 2010. Get your guilt-free download of the song here (signup necessary to download). You can also check out the tune in the video posted below. I read somewhere that this is his new single, but I can’t believe that he would be giving away a single that he actually hopes gets him some chart action.

– One song that is showing a little bit of legs and has slowly grown on me is Michael Buble’s “Haven’t Met You Yet”, which has already been a top 5 hit in the UK. “Haven’t” is bulleted at #57 on the Hot 100, along with being top 5 at Adult Contemporary and top 30 on the Adult Top 40 chart. While it’s been pushed by appearances on Dancing with the Stars and Oprah, the song is a solid straight-ahead pop song without any gimmicks that you just don’t hear on the radio all that much, and deserves to be a hit.

Having said all of this, his record company has already announced that they are planning a re-issue of Crazy Love, which was only released 7 weeks ago. While I am glad that the record company is behind him, this re-issue craze is just getting out of hand. Here’s hoping that Lady GaGa is able to show the industry next week that a brand-new album is a better value to the consumer than just the same 10 tracks with a few new ones thrown in for good measure.

– I am pretty thrilled that after 19 months on the charts, Lady Antebellum is getting their moment to shine on the larger pop stage. Following their triumph at the Country Music Awards on the 11th, their self-titled debut bounds back up the Billboard 200 to #11, and their current single “Need You Now”, from the album of the same name due January 26th, leaps all the way up to #5 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the Country singles chart.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the members of Lady Antebellum have some serious music business roots. Hillary Scott is the daughter of Linda Davis, who is most well-known from her duet with Reba McEntire on the original version of “Does He Love You”, and Charles Kelley is the brother of pop singer Josh Kelley. In fact, Josh actually helped the band out early on by letting them crash at his place and use his recording equipment as they were pursuing a recording contract. “Need You Now” is only their fourth single, but it is already their second Country #1. Look for them to partake in some Sugarland-like domination over the next few years.

Random Notes – 08-06-09

Posted by John on August 6, 2009
Posted in: news, personal, us against the music, videos, youtube. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 5 Comments

One last paper, and the summer semester is done. I love my schoolwork, but this degree can’t be over with soon enough.

– First MJ, then John Hughes. I was a bit stunned when the headline came up, then had a moment of denial, since “John Hughes” is a somewhat common name. But the man who single-handedly kept me at movie theaters through high school passed away today. Of course the movies were great, but for me, it was always about the music. How brilliant is the placement of Yello’s “Oh Yeah” in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? Would Sixteen Candles have had the same punch without mood-setting music like the Thompson Twins’ “If You Were Here”? And is it possible that a group like Simple Minds would never have broken in the US with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” without the help of The Breakfast Club? I seriously doubt it. Rest in peace, John, and thanks for inspiring me to hang around for the credits.

– If you haven’t checked it out yet, Yuri has our most recent diss discussion of Kelly Clarkson, Ryan Tedder, Beyonce, Mimi and Eminem. I’ve now been dubbed the “radio and records guy”, and I will wear that badge proudly. As a little epilogue to the Mariah saga, let me share with you the lame performance of “Obsessed” from last night’s episode of America’s Got Talent. Let’s just say the photo montage on the back wall had more life in it than she did.

– Almost two months later, I am still loving the Gossip’s Music For Men, and they have already unleashed single number two on the world in the form of “Love Long Distance”. The video premiered a few days ago, and it’s a very simple premise with some cool effects. Hopefully they are holding back on “Pop Goes the World” to coincide with the physical release of the CD here in the States in October.

– Paul’s already beaten me to the punch on this, but I fell in love with Elouise yesterday as she spoke with Larry Flick on Sirius-XM’s Out Q. She could not have been any sweeter or cuter if she tried, and I’m just as excited as Paul is for the release of “Another Day”, which is almost as epic as a song by her idol Shirley Bassey. And if you’re not checking Larry out in the morning, you really should. He had a great (and raunchy) interview with Nelly Furtado this morning in advance of her upcoming Spanish CD Mi Plan, and he plays a great mix of music from both sides of the Atlantic.

– One last video, and it’s our fine friend Chris Richardson. It would be great if it were new music, but instead, it’s a little comedy to end your day with.

Idol Thoughts

Posted by John on January 28, 2009
Posted in: american idol, concerts, videos, youtube. Tagged: , , , , . 7 Comments

Multiple news items popped up on past Idols over the last few days, so here’s a quick round-up:

– Kelly Clarkson’s new video is supposed to premiere on tonight’s “Idol”, but it apparently has leaked ahead of it’s debut. No idea how long it’ll be up, so watch it while you can:

I know some folks have said that I’m hating on Kelly, and it’s not true. The song’s alright, and the video actually helps a bit. Kelly seems like she’s having fun…this is the Kelly that I fell for way back in Season 1. Let’s just hope the CD shows a little depth, and isn’t all Max Martin-ized.

chris_richardson_pout– If you can’t get enough of former Idols, Entertainment Weekly has an update gallery with contestants from the previous seven seasons. As you might expect, I was glad to read about Chris Richardson’s current status, even if it was to find out that he STILL doesn’t have a record deal for his long-time-coming debut CD.

”As much as you thought that there was going to be so many opportunities [after Idol], it almost seemed like doors were slowly closing.’

BTW, if you’re into the retro-R&B style, check out Melinda Doolittle’s CD, which drops next week. First single “It’s Your Love” is definitely a keeper, although I doubt it will ever see the light of day on pop radio.

david-cook-david-archuleta-today-show– Finally, the top 2 from last year’s Idol have both announced tour plans. Archie has 20 dates planned for mainly smaller theaters, while Cookie has an extensive college tour planned from February through April. Alas, no Colorado dates are planned. Yet. I’m sure this is just a minor oversight on the part of the promoter, and those dates are forthcoming.

Let the Competition Begin

Posted by John on January 13, 2009
Posted in: american idol, reviews. Tagged: . 7 Comments

Michael SarverSo auditions started tonight for American Idol. By far, this is the most painful part of the show for me, but I still watch. Night one…Phoenix. Two words: Pain. Ful. Really a rough start to the show. A lot of the singers they were featuring were 16-year-olds, which really doesn’t bode well for this year’s crop. The night’s hype went to a 20-something singer/songwriter named Scott MacIntyre, who sang a decent version of “And So It Goes”, but honestly, it wasn’t THAT good. There were a few I liked, though. Watch out for Emily Wynn-Hughes, who sang a killer version of “Barracuda”, and Michael Sarver (above), who looks like a bouncer for a rock club, yet busted out a killer version of Boyz II Men’s “Thank You”.

Speaking of AI, Season 6’s Chris Richardson is STILL working on his debut CD. He’s got a sample of a track on his MySpace called “Guilty”, so I did a little digging, and found a YouTube clip of (most of) the song. Very promising, if you ask me. I’m a big believer in this guy, and the fact he writes, plays and sings his own stuff helps back that up. Check out the clip below:

Top Pop Singles of 2008

Posted by John on December 27, 2008
Posted in: charts, year-end. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 10 Comments

Alright…here we go. 2008 was a good one for Pop, and we’ve got the rundown here. A couple of disclaimers first:

1. A song that would have made my Top 5 was “What I Cannot Change” by Leann Rimes, but that made my list last year, since I loved it so much as an album cut.
2. I know that there’s probably a lot of other good stuff out there, but all I can talk about are the tracks that came across my laptop or iPod.
3. It was a funky year for me, and I think you can tell a lot about my year from the list.
4. The number in parenthesis is the peak position on the Billboard Hot 100.
5. I attempt to keep artists to one song per year-end chart, but Colby O’Donis gets on twice with a technicality, as he’s only featured on the two records he sang on.

Okay…let ‘er rip!

Ne-Yo Mic1. Closer/Ne-Yo (Year of the Gentleman) – No song this year stuck with me more than this one, which took a good three months to catch fire, but when it did, it headed straight to the Top 10. When future generations want to see how to write a perfect dance-pop song, they’ll look to “Closer”. (#7)

51z7mvejicl_sl160_2. Run (Bonus Track)/Leona Lewis (Spirit – Deluxe Edition) – How impressive is it that a cover song performed live almost six months earlier finally ended up being a single all its own, while topping the UK charts in the process. If there was any question of Leona’s validity as a pop vocalist, this should erase those doubts. (#81 to date)

Killers Day Age3. Human /The Killers (Day & Age) – There were two questions that came up when this song first hit the Internet: 1) was it “dancer” or “denser”? 2) how high will this end up on everyone’s year-end list? (#32 to date)

adele-bar4. Chasing Pavements/Adele (19) – Best debut single of the year by a mile, this tale of reconciling the conflicted feelings of a dying relationship showed much depth, and sounded years beyond a 19-year-old newbie. When she hits that final chorus, it gives me goosebumps. (#82)

Jason Guitar5. I’m Yours/Jason Mraz (We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things) – We can’t all be visionaries like Fizzy Pop (this was on his list in 2006), but when it finally came around for the rest of us, it just wouldn’t let go. It’s the feel-good record of the year, no doubt. Happiness is hearing this track live as part of a sing-along. (#6)

Sara Bareilles Live6. Gravity/Sara Bareilles (Little Voice) – The first of several album cuts on the list. From that minimal piano intro, to the simple cry toward the end, it’s an emotional powerhouse from start to finish. One of my live music highlights of the year was hearing this song when she stopped in Denver. (NA)

Will Young LIG Cover7. Let It Go/Will Young (Let It Go) – Another album cut from a record that’s guaranteed to be in my Top 10. The pure honesty and stress of recognizing the failings of a man hit me hard upon first listen, and the impact has only grown upon repeated plays. Let’s hope that Will can finally leave the “Idol” title behind, and just be recognized as a true artist. (NA)

dkdcoverej4sq88. Damaged/Danity Kane (Welcome To The Dollhouse) – Sadly overlooked on most lists, it was impossible to avoid this song in the first half of the year, but when you break it down, pop music doesn’t come much more pure than this. Killer hook, fluffy lyrics, and vocals just strong enough to hold themselves above all of it. Diddy found the formula, even if it may have only been a one-shot fluke. (#10)

61dwalvpfl_sl500_aa240_9. Boyfriend (Pete Hammond 7″ Mix)/Alphabeat (This Is Alphabeat) – Talk about taking a good song and making it great, Alphabeat really found their footing by hooking up with Pete Hammond. This song will always be driving down the highway in Michigan in the summer to me. (NA)

chrisrichardson10. All Alone/Chris Richardson (All Alone – Single) – While this song didn’t get the attention that it deserved, it hopefully put the tastemakers on alert that C Rich has a genuinely unique perspective that will lead to big things in the future. A simple melody and lyrics belie an emotionally complex song. (NA)

CBrown Rihanna11. Forever/Chris Brown (Exclusive – The Forever Edition) – To some, this might seem like blasphemy, but I’m good with this being at #11. Love the song, but somewhere along the line it overstayed its welcome. Amazing hook, though. (#1)

GA Out Control12. The Loving Kind/Girls Aloud (Out Of Control) – I heard the raves, and paid them no mind originally, since I’ve only met one GA single that really rocked my world (“Call the Shots”). Let’s be honest, though…like a car wreck on the side of the road, I couldn’t help but stop and check it out with the Pet Shop Boys and Xenomania attached to the track, and I’m glad I did. If even for 3 minutes, Girls Aloud seem to know the meaning of sophisticated pop. (NA)

Keane PS Cover13. Spiraling/Keane (Perfect Symmetry) – “Wooooooooo!” The first time I heard that, I was lost. From a band that innovates how instruments are utilized in pop songs, that vocal flourish marked the beginning of the most uplifting song of the year. (NA)

Beyonce I Am14. Sweet Dreams/Beyoncé (I Am…Sasha Fierce) – While everyone else is bragging on “Single Ladies”, my jam has been “Sweet Dreams” ever since it leaked as “Beautiful Nightmare”. The final CD version is a tad too busy for my liking, but in it’s purest form, the record is brilliant. (NA)

S Sparro15. Black and Gold (Album Version)/Sam Sparro (Black and Gold) – On first listen, I proclaimed this song “LAME”. I quickly ate my words, as that chorus just haunted me like the hot wings I had for dinner tonight. His CD was a welcome blast of 80s-inspired freshness, and “21st Century Life” should be up in this piece as well. (NA)

Chris Cagle Black16. Never Ever Gone/Chris Cagle (My Life’s Been a Country Song) – My top country song this year would be burned at the stake by country purists, but Chris has a huge potential hit on his hands with this one. I haven’t heard Chris have this much fun with a record since “Chicks Dig It”. I’m pretty sure his album is dead, thanks to a domestic abuse situation back in Nashville, but the fact this won’t be released is a big ol’ shame. For you non-country heads, I dare ya to go to iTunes and check it out. You won’t be sorry… (NA)

Ferras17. Hollywood’s Not America/Ferras (Aliens & Rainbows) – This song hit my radar when it was used during Hollywood week on American Idol, but who knew that a consolation prize theme song would help bring such and amazing CD to the American public. Er, or at least to my attention, as the record barely sold anything. (#62)

colbyodonisakon18. Beautiful (Feat Colby O’Donis & Kardinal Offishall)/Akon (Freedom) – The newest of the tracks on this countdown comes from 3 people that even six months ago would have caused me to laugh at a potential inclusion, but this track just works for me. As I said a week ago, this could potentially be the biggest record of Akon’s career. (#19 to date)

Fray You Found Me19. You Found Me/The Fray (You Found Me) – From their February 2nd sophomore release, this song takes the “How To Save A Life” formula to the next level. For me, it’s the epitome of a “why bad things happen to good people” kind of record. (#15 to date)

mcarey e=mc220. I’m That Chick/Mariah Carey (E=MC2) – So the rumor goes that this song was L.A. Reid’s pick for the first single, instead of “Touch My Body”, and now we’re on single #7 (feels like it), and “Touch” is the ONLY hit she’s had. What gives, Mimi? Give the people what they want, mm’kay? (NA)

Now, here’s the rest of the Top 40:

greenlight21. Girl You Never Knew /Georgia Wonder (Hello Stranger – EP)
22. Green Light (feat. Andre 3000)/John Legend (Evolver)
23. Just Got Started Lovin’ You/James Otto (Sunset Man)
24. American Boy (Ft. Kanye West)/Estelle (Shine)
25. That’s Not My Name/The Ting Tings (We Started Nothing)
DCook Light On26. So What/P!nk (Funhouse)
27. Viva La Vida/Coldplay (Viva La Vida)
28. Handlebars/Flobots (Fight With Tools)
29. Light On/David Cook (David Cook)
30. Hero (feat. Keri Hilson)/Nas (Nas)
Solange HSA31. Sandcastle Disco/Solange (Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams)
32. If This Is Love/The Saturdays (Chasing Lights)
33. I Dream Of Spring/k. d. Lang (Watershed)
34. All I See/Kylie Minogue (X)
35. Paranoid ft. Mr. Hudson/Kanye West (808s & Heartbreaks)
200px-ladygagajustdance36. Just Dance/Lady GaGa feat Colby O’Donis (The Fame)
37. 3 Little Words/Frankmusik (3 Little Words EP)
38. Dream On (Moto Blanco Club Mix)/Robyn (Dream On – Remixes)
39. Freeway/Aimee Mann (@#%&*! Smilers)
40. The Man Who Can’t Be Moved/The Script (The Script)

Honorable Mentions:
1. Underneath/Alanis Morissette (Flavors Of Entanglement)
2. Click Click Click/New Kids On The Block (The Block – Deluxe Edition)
3. Silly Really/Per Gessle (Silly Really – Single)
4. Insomnia/Craig David (Insomnia – Single)
5. Mercy/Duffy (Rockferry)