The Y! Music Playlist Blog

  • People have loved and hated the television since it was first introduced. It certainly has contributed to an increase in the sedentary lifestyle of mankind, and it has also reduced the amount of time we spend having real face to face contact with other human beings. There are a lot of things to hate about TV. But there are also a lot of good things to find. If you so choose, you can skip mindless popular entertainment channels to learn about science, history, art, music, medicine, architecture, current events and any number of worthy subjects.

    Like most things in life, it is what you make it.

    Musicians are no different than other human beings inhabiting planet Earth. They too have mixed feelings about the television. Some hate it, some love it, and many have mastered using it as a metaphorical device in their songwriting.

    This playlist explores the love/hate relationship music has with the T.V. and there's some seriously fantastic songs to be found.

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  • I believe many music fans who disdain pop music do so not because the songs are bad, but because they're overplayed. I don't care how great a song is, if you hear it enough times, it  can  drive you mad. If you're a pop star, having your song overplayed is a good thing since it correlates directly to album and song sales, which in turn directly impacts the amount of money in your bank account.

    Radio play = $$$

    We all have our opinions on what songs qualify as overplayed, but when we actually look at the data, it's the R&B/hip-hop radio format that's the king of spinning songs into the ground.

    This playlist includes the top ten most played songs in history based on a one week time frame, just in case you're not sick of 'em yet.

    Peak Audience, Title, Artist, Peak Date
    212.1 million, "We Belong Together," Mariah Carey, July 9, 2005
    196.3 million, "Irreplaceable," Beyonce, Jan. 20, 2007
    192.5 million, "No One," Alicia Keys, Dec. 22, 2007
    189.6 million, "Let Me Love You," Mario, Feb. 5, 2005
    175.6 million, "Gold Digger," Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx, Oct. 22, 2005
    172.8 million, "Yeah!," Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris, April 17, 2004
    172.3 million, "My Boo," Usher and Alicia Keys, Nov. 20, 2004
    171.4 million, "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige, April 1, 2006
    170.2 million, "In Da Club," 50 Cent, March 29, 2003
    167.7 million, "Dilemma," Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland, Sept. 7, 2002

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  • Most people know that Michael Jackson's album Thriller is the biggest selling album of all time, with claims of 110 million units sold worldwide. The album just celebrated its 30th anniversary this month, a milestone that Michael would sadly not see.

    The anniversary sparked me reminiscing about the music of 1982. Which in turn, led me to look up all the albums released in the same month as Thriller. And while none of them can claim the success that Thriller can, I was pleasantly surprised at how many classic titles I found.

    Now of course, they're not all great albums, but there were enough of them to make November 1982 seem like great time to release an album.

    This playlist features only songs released in November of 1982.

    What's your favorite?

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  • Everyone knows that the Rolling Stones' catalog is gigantic. And everyone knows that the band has reached the very pinnacle of success. But do you know how many Rolling Stones songs actually reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart?

    The answer surprised me. It's only 8.

    "19th Nervous Breakdown" and "Start Me Up" came close, but peaked at #2, and a perennial favorite like "Sympathy For The Devil" barely cracked the top 100, peaking at #97. It just goes to show, the charts are a poor measure of quality.

    This playlist includes the Stones eight songs that actually made it to the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

    Can you name them without peaking?

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  • No band represents rock & roll better than the Rolling Stones. They are, quite simply, the world's most quintessential rockers.

    Idols.

    And there is no subject crooned about by testosterone-fueled rock bands more than that of the female gender. The love affair the Rolling Stones have had with women over the decades is legendary. And so I thought it would be appropriate to put together a playlist of Rolling Stone songs about women.

    Not just songs inspired by women, or that simply mention a woman -- that would be really long list.

    For this playlist I've chosen Rolling Stones' recordings that use the name of a woman in the song title. So if you're a fan of the band and need some ideas to help name your future 11 daughters, this playlist is for you!

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  • There has been a great deal of religious hysteria thrown at rock and roll music over the years. Heavy metal has taken the brunt of the criticism with its outward embrace of the occult. But as with most things in rock music, the Rolling Stones have "been there, done that."

    I remember when I was a kid, seeing albums like "Goats Head Soup" and "Their Satanic Majesties Request" threw my mind into a tailspin. Was it true that rock music was the "music of the devil", was this a joke, or was it just a way to sell more records?

    Although marketing with the mystery of evil has become quite overplayed, at the time it was a surefire way to create news.

    It would not be a stretch to say that The Rolling Stones have more memorable albums than any rock band in history. And the emotions their songs capitalize on run the gambit. But for this playlist I wanted to focus on the evil; the dark side of the Stones.

    In this playlist you will find Rolling Stones songs about the devil, murder, drug abuse, poverty, death and all things dark.

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  • Keith Richards IS rock and roll.

    That's quite a statement to make, but before you freak out on me, let's look at my reasons.

    1. Richards' is a foundational member of the Rolling Stones, not just one of the most important rock bands in the history of  music, but one that is still going strong.
    2. Richards' loose guitar style is singularly influential, and it oozes the cool that fuels rock n' roll.
    3. Look at the man. Here's an iconic rocker, pushing 70 that make no bones about living the rock and roll lifestyle to the fullest. Blood transfusion anyone?
    4. Keith is so cool that Johnny Depp has made a career imitating him in Disney pirate films.

    Considering that Keith has many fans, and that he's known to jam with anyone who has a pulse, I'e put together this playlist of songs that Keith performs on outside of his "main gig".

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  • José Feliciano had a huge hit in North America and throughout the Spanish-speaking world with his song "Feliz Navidad", which he penned in 1970. It has become one of the 25 most played Christmas songs across the world and features simple lyrics in both Spanish and English.

    Considering that the majority of the world's Latino population is Catholic, Christmas is a highly celebrated holiday. Although no other Spanish-language Christmas song has seen the level of worldwide success that "Feliz Navidad" enjoys, there are many other Latin Christmas songs to choose from.

    This playlist features a sampling of Christmas songs native to Latino culture as well as translated-from-English Christmas songs.

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  • Christmas would just not be the same without Santa Claus. His image has changed a bit since the time he evolved from Saint Nicholas, but it's safe to say that he has settled comfortably into his iconic features.

    If you happen to be a jolly, rotund, older man with a long white beard, wearing a red suit lined with white fur, chances are you can't walk by children without causing a ruckus. Santa represents many of humankind's finer traits, including kindness, generosity, humor and a strong work ethic. Santa is a great role model for children, and for those of us that celebrate Christmas, he's a big part of our childhood and indeed our lives.

    It's not surprising that Santa has inspired his fair share of songs. For this playlist I have selected a dozen songs that use the word "Santa" or "Santa Claus" in the title.

    What am I missing?

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  • Bing Crosby's 1942 recording of the Irving Berling penned "White Christmas" is the biggest selling single of all time. The song has sold in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. Berlin wrote the song while relaxing by the pool in a Phoenix, AZ resort in 1940, and Crosby would record and release it two years later. "White Christmas" has become one of the most recognized songs in the world, and can instantly stir that Christmas feeling in old and young alike.

    No other song has come close to this incredible sales number. The nearest competition is Elton John's remake of "Candle In the Wind", which he released as a tribute to Lady Diana in 1997. That single has sold around 37 million worldwide. But where the sales for the Elton John single were driven by a singular event (the death of Lady Diana), "White Christmas" continues to sell year in and year out as new generations add it to their must-have lists.

    For this playlist I've selected only the biggest selling Christmas singles. To make this list the song had to be released as a single, and had to sell at least 5 million copies. As you will see, Bing has three of the seven Christmas songs that made the cut. These three singles account for over 86 million units sold. That is an unbelievable number, and Mr. Crosby will surely hold the record for some time to come.

    Certainly, most of you are familiar with all of the songs in this list, but what songs would you add to make the perfect Christmas playlist?

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News for You

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Actress Amanda Bynes appeared disheveled in a long blond wig and sweats Friday in a criminal court where she was charged with reckless endangerment after police said she heaved a marijuana bong out the window of her 36th-floor Manhattan apartment.

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    SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey rolled out some of its big guns Friday to proclaim that the shore is back following Superstorm Sandy, using Gov. Chris Christie and the cast of MTV's "Jersey Shore" to tell a national audience the state is ready for summer fun.

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