Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Honesty is the best policy, except for when it's not. I chose the honest approach when I started this column and it has served me well because I don't have to pretend I'm remotely excited about any of the entries in this week's iTunes charts. I'm not.
I don't know what it is that's making vampires all the rage again, but I sure wish it would stop. I've not read the books or seen the movies, but from a disinterested observer it seems the whole point of Twilight is that maybe, just maybe, naughty vampires need love, too. Stephanie Meyer's novels are cash cows and the first movie made a metric buttload of money, and if the enthusiasm being generated by the second film's soundtrack is any indication we have not seen the end of the phenomenon.
Joining the New Moon soundtrack on the albums' chart is another soundtrack, this one for Where The Wild Things Are. We've also got a new album from Joss Stone. Many of the other Top 10 albums have been on the chart for awhile.
On the singles chart, Owl City has displaced Miley Cyrus on the top spot. I've not listened to Owl City, but the 30 second soundclip of "Fireflies" temporarily decreased my IQ by 15 percent. This song ought to be used against enemy combatants. They'll give up the goods without ever knowing they did. I know some artists recently got pissed off when they found out their music was used as a form of… "enhanced interrogation" down at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I suppose that would go up my ass sideways, too, knowing my music might be considered capable of inducing torture. Either way, I've listened to the only 30 seconds of Owl City I plan to listen to on purpose. Shocking.
iTunes' top 10 selling singles of the week ending Oct. 19, 2009:
1. "Fireflies" – Owl City
2. "Party In the U.S.A." – Miley Cyrus
3. "Meet Me Halfway" – Black Eyed Peas
4. "Whatcha Say" – Jason DeRulo
5. "3" – Britney Spears
6. "Replay" – Iyaz
7. "Down" – Jay Sean
8. "I Gotta Feeling" -Black Eyed Peas
9. "Paparazzi" – Lady GaGa
10. "Run This Town (feat. Rihanna & Kanye West)" – Jay-Z
iTunes' top 10 selling albums of the week ending Oct. 19, 2009:
1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Various Artists
2. Ocean Eyes – Owl City
3. Southern Voice – Tim McGraw
4. Crazy Love – Michael Buble
5. The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) – Black Eyed Peas
6. The Blueprint 3 – Jay-Z
7. Colour Me Free! – Joss Stone
8. Where the Wild Things Are (Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Karen O and the Kids
9. I Told You I Was Freaky – Flight of the Conchords
10. Cycles – Cartel
