"Don't You Dare Come Crawling Back"

From the moment I heard Taio Cruz's first album Departure back in 2008, I knew I was a fan. Back then it seemed like listenable R&B grew on trees and now it's like trying to find a cassette player at a house party. What I'm now appreciating more and more about his music is how much it has branched off into different styles. Take for example, his new Dr. Luke produced single Don't You Dare. Back in the day I wouldn't have thought he'd be capable of a slightly acoustic, bluegrass-y dance hit. Now, thanks much in part to Avicii, there's clearly an opportunity for success when mixing the two genres. The track feels like a mid-tempo ballad, but when the beat picks up for the hook, it feels like a club-friendly sing along. While this is a no-brainer top 40 hit, I see many EDM remixes on the horizon...#DontYouDare

Taio Cruz - Don't You Dare (prod by Dr. Luke)

"It's Goin' Down, I'm Yellin' Timber"

I have no idea why more people don't incorporate harmonica into their music. Maybe it's because there's been a huge resurgence of country/folk collaborations in pop music of late, but Hip Hop and EDM seem to be pulling in different elements as a way to stay fresh. Despite the awesome harmonica infusion into the beat cooked up by Dr. Luke, I don't think Timber will need much selling to the top 40 audience. If anything the huge fan bases of Pitbull and Ke$ha might merge on this one and take over the world...or at least the fans around the world that don't live in Australia since the Pitbull and Ke$ha tour was just cancelled.

If you're keeping score at home, Timber will serve as the lead single for Pitbull's yearly upcoming album titled Meltdown. If he doesn't manage to get it out by the end of 2013, it will mark the first time since 2009 that he didn't release a studio album. Pretty awesome record of consistent excellence he's developing...#Meltdown

Pitbull feat Ke$ha - Timber (prod by Dr. Luke)

"Let's Make the Most of Tonight Like We're Gonna Die Young"

Every now and then I allow myself to indulge in the sugary delight of a soon to be #1 and extremely over-played single. In this case it's @keshasuxx's new lead single Die Young off her upcoming album Warrior. The proof is in the ingredients too with the usual suspects @THEDOCTORLUKE and @ItsBennyBlanco behind the boards. It's getting a little ridiculous how many top singles Dr. Luke has had his name attached to the past few years.

If this isn't catchy, I'm not sure what is. Good luck trying to get this one out of your head after you listen a few times. You'll be singing along too, don't even trip...#DieYoung

Ke$ha - Die Young (prod by Dr Luke & Benny Blanco)
|iTunes

"Damn I’m Killing Them, I Know They Feeling Me Now"

Anybody who took a glance at the tracklist to @bobatl's upcoming album Strange Clouds took notice of the track below. I say that because why you see @chrisbrown and @tip on a track with Bobby Ray, it's usually a safe assumption that the track will end up being a future single. While I can't confirm that, the easy listening hook and "I made it" style uplifting lyrics seem to support my future single prediction. It helps too, that @thedoctorluke surfaced on the production credits. Anything he touches lately has turned to gold and about 1 out of every 3 tracks the past two weeks has had his name on it.

Strange Clouds is slated to hit iTunes and stores on May 1st, but if you're chomping at the bit to hear it in it's entirety, all you need to do is go to his album page and give him a quick Twitter shout out to get full streaming access to the album a few days early. Kudos to Atlantic/Grand Hustle and B.O.B.'s A&R for thinking outside of the box and doing something that nobody has done before. They clearly get that the internet generation doesn't like it when record companies try and force you to buy an album as opposed to copping it for $Free.00 via various internet outlets. I like their new olive branch technique that requires only requires fans to do what they do on a daily basis by shooting out a quick tweet with the #StrangeClouds hash tag. Ideas like the tweet promo to gain streaming access prior to the album release are much more respectable than say releasing a few different forms of your album at different retail outlets to maximize the profitability of an album (see 5 bonus tracks on the Target version). At least give us the option of buying the bonus disk separate...#smh 

B.O.B. feat Chris Brown & T.I. - Arena (prod by Dr. Luke)
|iTunes

"Where They Do That At?"

It's been more than a minute since I've posted a solid R&B track, so I thought I'd mix it up with @sabisoundz's new one featuring @wale. The bouncy track is produced by everyone's favorite producer @thedoctorluke. Check the newly released video below produced by @timcruzlovesyou...

She's now three solid singles deep on her first solo album, which doesn't have a title or release date yet. First it was Wild Heart, then everyone's favorite featuring @cobrastarship You Make Me Feel. Safe to say there's plenty of hope for her solo career to take off and I'll have a vested interest in her debut album.

Sabi feat Wale - Where They Do That (prod by Dr.Luke)
|iTunes

Bobby Ray and Taylor Swift Make Uplifting Music Together

"I wish I was strong enough to lift,

Not one, but both of us"

Yep, it's safe to say I'm just as surprised as you are to find a song featuring @taylorswift13 on my blog. I've always been pretty outspoken against everything that is country music, but I'm willing to make an exception for a member of my live starting 5, @bobatl. All the haters who thought Bobby Ray was going to take a step back on his sophomore album might want to hit the exits after listening to Both of Us.

I say that in all seriousness because if the track below doesn't become a #1 single on iTunes at some point, then I should probably stop writing about music since I have no idea what I'm talking about. Between Taylor's angelic voice on the hook and the substance filled sermon Bobby delivers on the verses, it's a well put together collaboration. It helps too that @thedoctorluke crafted instrumental is about as universally likable as it gets, maintaining a deep Hip Hop sound, but staying Pop/Contemporary enough that the most devout Taylor Swift country fan could probably still respect.

By my count, Bobby Ray is 3 for 3 so far for singles on Strange Clouds with Strange Clouds and So Good preceeding Both of Us. That doesn't even count Play the Guitar and Never Lost, which aren't on the official tracklist, but I'm guessing will be iTunes bonus tracks. Six months ago if you would have told me Strange Clouds was going to be half as good as The Adventures of Bobby Ray, I would have probably laughed under my breath condescendingly and answered politely with a "yea right." I couldn't have been more wrong and I'll continue to eat my words on May 1st when I gladly support Bobby Simmons by copping his album...#NoSophomoreSlump

B.O.B. feat Taylor Swift - Both of Us (prod by Dr. Luke)

|iTunes

"Frozen in Time, Always Be Mine, Baby Boy You'll Be Young Forever"

About a month and a half ago I posted the tagged version of the track below and hinted at it being the lead candidate for best track on her upcoming Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album, due out April 3rd. My opinion hasn't change in the slightest after taking a lap around her newest release. @thedoctorluke produced track is every bit as catchy as her lead single Starships and proves that despite her reputation for being solely a lyricist, she can carry a tune and hold her own on a ballad-sounding track.

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on this becoming a single at some point because it's so ridiculously repeatable and catchy. It'll probably follow Va Va Voom (which is different from the Bassnectar/Lupe VaVa Voom that just dropped this week), which seems to be destined to become a single too. Head on over to Billboard for a track by track review if you're eager to start developing opinions on the album before it drops this week. Early indications point toward it being one of the more notable Hip Hop albums in 2012...#WellSee

Nicki Minaj - Young Forever (prod by Dr. Luke)
|iTunes

"Starships Are Meant to Fly, Hands Up and Touch the Sky"

Man what a week it's been for @nickiminaj. First she turns heads at the Grammys with a performance that rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Then she turns around the next day and releases her new single Starships on iTunes. Coincidence? I think not, especially since I had some co-workers who are not at all in touch with modern pop music tell me that they had never heard of Nicki until they saw her performance on the Grammys.

What did I think of it? I think it was a blatant attention grab in an attempt to get people talking about her. I say that because I really enjoy her music, but was more than a little confused at where she was going with the whole exorcism/Catholicism on blast shock and awe display at the Grammys. I know, I know, no publicity is bad publicity, but for me as a fan, if you're going to sell your soul to the devil and play provocateur to try and increase your reach, there's gotta be some downside. When I say downside, I mean if you want me to take your music seriously then keep making good music like your new single below and be yourself. The whole Roman alter-ego is unique, but I'm not really buying your songs when you dip into that persona. Keep doing your barbie thing and turning heads that way, it's unique enough to set you apart from the next female Hip Hop artist.

Like I said above, I'm a huge fan of your new single Starships featuring the stellar production of @redone_official. It's a great mix of vocals and dance with a candy sweet hook. Keep this up on Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded and I'll continue to keep singing your praises...#April3rd

Nicki Minaj - Starships (prod by RedOne)

|iTunes

Bonus: I'm not sure if this is going to make the cut for Roman Reloaded, but I'm an even bigger buyer of her new track Young Forever. Apologies for the slight tags on the track, but you can bet as soon as the full tagless version drops I will be posting the hell out of it. S/O to @thedoctorluke on production on the track...

Nicki Minaj - Young Forever (prod by Dr. Luke)(tags)

|iTunes

Garbage Verses Can't be Recycled

I've got a Bad Feeling that the track below may end up on @TaioCruz's upcoming third studio album. I say that because @official_flo's verses are 100% copied and pasted from his new single Good Feeling. Now I've already vented about what became of that track with the tease surrounding the initial beat-jacking of Avicii, but it'd be more than a little embarrassing to use the same verse on two radio singles. The more I listen the more I'm just confused. Is it a B side or demo? Remix? I have no idea because the beat even sounds like Good Feeling and follows the same formula that a lot of Taio hits did with the upbeat club rhythms.

I'm not one to be quick to judge or over-react, though, and I'll admit there's probably more shock value than truth in that last paragraph, but C'mon Man!!! (#CCVoice) My guess is the use of Flo's recycled verses are more of a placeholder and if the track ever makes it to the light of day as a single, we'll either get new verses or a completely different feature than Flo Rida.

Take it for what it's worth, but I doubt this version will ever make it to the masses, so feel free to indulge in what could turn out to be a hidden gem...

Taio Cruz feat Flo Rida - Hangover (prod by Dr. Luke)