Best Albums of March 2014

Hey guys! This part 2 of 2! I am recapping the best and worst albums of March 2014! Part 1 focused on the worst albums of March 2014. If you haven't yet see it, you can get caught up here! As for part 2, this is my list of the 3 best albums released this past month. Also stay tuned for the most anticipated April releases!

Best Albums

3. "G I R L" by Pharrell Williams
Release Date: March 3rd, 2014
Billboard 200 Peak: 2
1st Week Sales: 113,000
My Score: 80

Pharrell's first studio album in 8 years really impressed. "Happy" led the project, and helped it debut high on the Billboard 200 with an impressive first week sales number (113,000). As I stated in my album review:

          "Most of the songs were styled the right way and fit the general theme of the album and the concept. Some of the songs felt rushed or overly simplified but most were still very worthy of applause. "Hunter" and "Lost Queen" were the clear duds of the album while "Marilyn Monroe", "Happy" and "Know Who You Are" were the highlights of the album. Pharrell proved he can produce a sexy album but he also showed that he couldn't make it perfect -- and that's fine because no one can. I was intrigued but a few songs fell a little flat and Pharrell (who is usually an expert collaborator) didn't handle his guest spots correctly and tried to outshine his featured guests (in most cases). That might be because this is his first album in 8 years and because he wanted it to be personal, but he nipped it in the butt nevertheless. Also, stop making songs too short (2 minutes) or Justin Timberlake sized (5 1/2 minutes +).

           It's a solid album and was on par with what I expected. Thanks for a memorable and fresh album."

The best thing about the album was the fact that it came together quickly. I mean he was doing a handful of collaborations in 2013 and then all of a sudden he puts out a full length studio album and it does well. That is just incredible.

2. "Pulses" by Karmin
Release Date: March 25th, 2014
Billboard 200 Peak: TBA
1st Week Sales: TBA
My Score: 84

Pulses was among the brighter selection of March's somewhat disappointing album crop. It has several potential single choices and was very solid with few disappointing tracks. Unfortunately, it didn't connect with mainstream audiences that well. It is looking at a weak debut on the Billboard 200. Hopefully it will turn around for Karmin. Here were some of my thoughts:

         "Pulses had a few weaker sections (namely "Night Like This" and "Try Me On") but remained rather solid throughout. "Puppet", "Pulses", "Neon Love" and "Drifter" were among the best tracks and "What's In It For Me" was a pleasant surprise that sets Karmin apart from mainstream artists (they are willing to talk negatively about the music industry in a song) though it wasn't among the best tracks. I was surprised to find that "Acapella" was in the middle for me though it peaked at #5 on my list. I guess that means Karmin should expect a lot of huge hits."

Additionally, "Drifter" has been added to the CDS Music Chart playlist as of March 27th. That's a good sign.

1. "SHAKIRA." by Shakira
Release Date: March 25th, 2014
Billboard 200 Peak: TBA (Expected to be #2)
1st Week Sales: TBA (Expected to sell 70k-80k)
My Score: 84

SHAKIRA. was a very successful album for Shakira. It mixed what Shakira was good at with a fresh new sound. The end result was a major success. It looks like my most anticipated album of the month was the best album of the month. That rarely happens. There were a lot of potential singles included, and nearly all of the tracks were near perfect. You can read a short portion of my review here:

           "Shakira's stunning new album is fresh, vibrant and fun. Though it contains some noticeable flaws ("Spotlight", "Broken Record"), the album pulled itself together nicely and is a huge step up from her 2009 English language record She Wolf. There were a few candidates for upcoming single status and there were lots of other songs that, while they wouldn't be the best single choices, were extremely well done and were album highlights. All the collaborations were strong, yet I was surprised that "Can't Remember to Forget You (feat. Rihanna)" underwhelmed compared to the other two collaborations. Strangely it wasn't one of favorites from the album. "That Way", "Loca Por Ti" and "Medicine (feat. Blake Shelton)" were among the real highlights, while I am predicting that "Dare (La La La)/La La La" is released as the next single."

Come back for an April album preview and tell me which albums YOU thought were the best of March below!

Song Review: "I Will Never Let You Down" by Rita Ora

Welcome to another CDS Music Chart review!

Today, Rita Ora is finally back to the music scene with the lead single from her upcoming second studio album rumored to be called O. "I Will Never Let You Down" was produced by Ora's boyfriend, well known music producer Calvin Harris. The track was premiered on Monday, March 31st, 2014 in London alongside the pre-order for the track on iTunes UK and the premiere of the track's official music video.

Lyrically, "I Will Never Let You Down" talks about a everlasting love. Ora described the track as an "uplifting love song" during the video's behind the scenes clip. Producer Calvin Harris said about the track:

     "You know a lot of people assume that it's dance music because I make dance music and that's predominantly what I do but it isn't. It sounds like Whitney Houston to me. 1987-1989 Whitney Houston mixed with Pink. I wrote the song with her in mind, I didn't write the song for anyone else. It wasn't just a song that was lying around. I think it really suits her. Sometimes I just write songs that don't sound like me..."

I can understand the flair of Pink. This track is vibrant and the music video that accompanies it fits the track. It (the video) starts off black and white while the song starts out in a slower tune. Slowly the track morphs into a passionate love song that hits all right notes. Around that point in the video, color starts to appear and there's intercut scenes of dancing on the streets and dancing in hallways and all over the place.

The track itself is one of Ora's more interesting productions, though it marks a departure from her dance oriented beginnings. It could actually be her best song of all time (though she has a fairly short discography).

This track deserves to be released in the United States (her debut album Ora sadly wasn't). This track should be able to become a hit. Check out the video below and don't forget to buy the track on iTunes.

Rating: 80% (4/5)

What do you think of the song? Will it be a hit for Rita Ora? Leave a comment below!


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Worst Albums of March 2014

My post about March 2014's "Most Anticipated Album Releases" was a huge success. It became my 2nd most successful post in January, despite only coming out 2 days before the end of the month. I decided to report on what I thought of March's crop. Which albums underwhelmed? Which ones were decent? And which ones were outstanding?

This is part 1 of a 2 part post! Part 2 will feature the top 3 albums of March!

Worst of March

3. "Recess" by Skrillex
Release Date: March 14th, 2014
Billboard 200 Peak: 4
1st Week Sales: 48,000
My Score: 51

Recess kind of came out of the blue this month. Overflowing with speaker melting dub step-esque, Recess features lots of the same material just barely tweaked to sound "fresh". To be fair, Skrillex previously made a name for himself with largely successful EPs Scare Monsters and Nice Sprites and Bangarang in 2010 and 2011. Those efforts were a breath of fresh air into the dying genre that receives little to no attention from mainstream audiences. With Recess, Skrillex serves up a random assortment of leftovers that nobody wants anymore. The tracks just don't connect like those found on his previous releases did. "Dirty Vibe" is the only somewhat entertaining track to listen to on this disappointment. The title track is also decent. Thankfully, this album isn't the worst album of March. Yes. It gets worse.

2. "Kiss Me Once" by Kylie Minogue
Release Date: March 18th, 2014
Billboard 200 Peak: 31
1st Week Sales: 12,000
My Score: 45

Yes a female pop album worse than Britney Jean exists. The album (Kylie's 12th studio effort) starts off with the perfectly crafted "Into the Blue", tricking the listener into digging deeper into the album. A smile appears on the listener's face. They start track #2. "Million Miles" is a cheap rip off of Madonna's already mediocre "Miles Away" from 2008's Hard Candy. The smile fades. Track #3 starts. "I Was Gonna Cancel" is a repetitive waste. "Sexy Love" is awkward but is at least decent. Then I (as the listener) lose it at track #5. "Sexercize" is attempting to be a "sexy" dubstep themed club smash, but is a disgusting track with an accompanying video zooming in on Kylie's 45 year old behind. Ugh. The next 4 tracks ("Feels So Good", "If Only", "Les Sex" and "Kiss Me Once") are all pathetic and are the story that takes place after the events of "Sexercize". I mean come on; 5 consecutive tracks about having sex? No. Then comes "Beautiful" another low point with loads of auto-tune and a feature from fellow March album releaser Enrique Iglesias. "Fine" is decent but who the hell actually cares at this point? Now onto the 2 bonus tracks. "Mr. President" starts off interesting but quickly morphs into a disgusting mess of squeals, shrieks and shouts. "Sleeping With the Enemy" is actually a great track but it comes way too late in the cycle. This album was poorly planned, front loaded and the decent tracks were completely disgraced by the butt-load of tracks that were filthy, cheesy and plain terrible. This is huge step down for you Kylie. Make another album like Aphrodite.

1. "SEX + LOVE" by Enrique Iglesias
Release Date: March 18th, 2014
Billboard 200 Peak: 8
1st Week Sales: 24,000
My Score: 42

It is extremely sad to see Enrique Iglesias at the bottom of March. Sex + Love and its promotion was all over the place. It wasn't as entertaining as 2010's Euphoria and might be is worst album to date. It starts off with "I'm A Freak", Enrique's 5th (count 'em) collaboration with Pitbull within a 4 year span. So far, his collaborations with Pitbull have descended in quality as each new one is released. Flo Rida shows up to ruin "There Goes Me Baby", a track that would have been a decent track without him. "Bailando" is extremely repetitive (though decent) and features two other acts I'm pretty sure no one has ever heard of. The next two tracks "Loco" and "El Perdedor" are both okay but not much more than that. "Let Me Be Your Lover" is even worse than "I'm A Freak" and also features Pitbull (their 6th collaboration). "You and I" is next, and is one of the few tracks from the record that is sung only by Enrique. It builds a beat, but the drop isn't much of a drop. It's more like a fizzle. "Heart Attack" is a legitimate track that is the best of the first 8 tracks. "Me Cuesta Tanto Olvidarte" is mediocre and tries to embrace Enrique's late 90's sound but ultimately fails. "Noche y Día" is actually not a bad track. I like it. Skipping over the other version of previously heard "Loco" we land at "Turn the Night Up". A track that would have been a hit if had less nasty lyrics and less auto-tune. As I noted above "Beautiful" is an auto-tuned mess that could have possibly been a hit in the late 1990s or early 2000s. Then comes the end. "Only A Woman" is okay but too slow and isn't a proper closer. The "Bachata" remix of "El Perdedor" is better than the original, while the "Infantry" remix of "Bailando" makes it worse. There were only about 5 good tracks on this album ("Heart Attack", "Noche y Día", "El Perdedor (Bachata)", "You and I", and "Loco"). I would have picked "Bailando" ("Dancing") as a top track but similarly titled Enrique hit "Bailamos" ("We Dance") is much better and is similarly themed. What a disappointment.

Happy Birthday Lady Gaga: 28 Best Tracks

I don't normally do this type of thing because it takes effort and time, but Lady Gaga is a little different. She's been a favorite artist of mine for quite some time and I think it's about time for her to finally get a present from me. Here's my compilation of her 28 best songs of all time. While it isn't the most ideal gift, it's one none the less. Also, this year marks something extra special. Just over 5 years ago (March 11th, 2009) I purchased The Fame after hearing "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" on the radio. Thanks for making music and I hope you make more! Happy Birthday!

28. "Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)"
Year: 2009
Album: The Fame
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #21 (-7)

27. "Yoü and I"
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #20 (-7)

The thing that keeps "Yoü and I" on this list is its overall genre. The rest of Born This Way is club-y, thumping and all very dark and inspirational material. It includes elements of country, jazz and other sounds. It was one of the highlights from Born This Way but it seemed a little too slow to be a single.

26. "Bad Kids"
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #18 (-8)

"Bad Kids" was at first my favorite non single from Born This Way. Since, it has crumbled quickly and tallies its worst year so far. It is the largest dropper on the countdown. My new favorite non single from the album will be revealed below.



25. "Marry the Night"
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #19 (-6)

Though it's Gaga's least successful single to be released, "Marry the Night" explored the rich history of the singer and her experiences. The music video featured an inside look at the singer's rise from simple girl with a dream to iconic worldwide pop star. This year it falls 19-25 on the Best of Gaga countdown.



24. "Fashion"
Year: 2008
Album: Confessions of a Shopaholic Soundtrack
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #17 (-7)

This track was written in 2007 for the 2008 movie Sex in the City. It didn't make the film and remained unreleased until December 2008 when it was featured in a season 3 episode of Ugly Betty. The track was included on the Confessions of a Shopaholic Soundtrack released in early 2009. It is one of the hardest tracks to find, as the soundtrack is no longer pressing copies and you have to buy the whole album to get it on iTunes.

23. "Heavy Metal Lover"
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #27 (+4)

I guess I never really noticed how much I liked this song. It has a fresh experimental sound combined with a smooth pop hook. Strangely, it was initially one of my least favorites on the album and now is one of my favorites from the album. It's possible that I thought it sounded similar to "Teeth" which was my least favorite track by Gaga for quite a while. "Teeth" is still one of my least favorite tracks by her (though it has some interesting elements). It is the only track in my extensive collection that has the word "heavy" in the title, and the also the only track with "metal" in the title.

22. "Venus"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x1)
Year: 2013
Album: ARTPOP
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: NEW

As the first Gaga song to be fully produced by herself, Gaga wanted "Venus" to be special. So she announced it as the album's second official single after "Applause". Unfortunately/fortunately, "Venus" was replaced by "Do What U Want" after it impressed worldwide as a promotional single. I was happy with the switch, but "Venus" was still a great song to me. It ended up hitting #1 in the 12th week of Gaga's 18 consecutive week #1 run with 3 tracks. It broke multiple records, and replaced "Do What U Want" at #1 before being knocked off the top by "Do What U Want" the next week.

21. "Born This Way"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x3)
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #16 (-5)

I don't know what to say about this track. I felt that it was very front loaded and overshadowed better songs on Born This Way. While it successfully peaked at #1 on my list right after it was released, I felt that it was a sad start for the era. It made the era successful and memorable, but it wasn't the best choice for lead single.

20. "MANiCURE"
CDS Music Peak: #7
Year: 2013
Album: ARTPOP
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: NEW

Billboard hails it as her 2nd best "non single" off all time but really it's not quite that high. On "MANiCURE", Lady Gaga goes for a stomping rock and roll sound that is a major change from her previous styles. It's certainly one of ARTPOP's brightest stars and has the potential to be the album's fourth single after "G.U.Y".


19. "So Happy I Could Die"
Year: 2009
Album: The Fame Monster
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #15 (-4)

At one point I liked this track more than everything on The Fame Monster except "Telephone". Since then, I've started to like it less and less. Now it is barely within the top 20. I guess my taste has just changed. Oh well.

18.  "Paparazzi"
Year: 2009
Album: The Fame
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #14 (-4)

I initially though that "Paparazzi" was a very mediocre track, but the music video that accompanied the release of the track really proved me wrong. It brought a story and really explained another part of the song that I hadn't noticed before. Still, it is my least favorite of the singles from The Fame that were released in the United States.

17. "G.U.Y (Girl Under You)"
CDS Music Peak: #15
Year: 2014
Album: ARTPOP
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: NEW

Though it has just been released as single, "G.U.Y" proved early on that it had some serious potential to become ARTPOP's next big smash. It's catchy hook and clever lyrics set it apart from the rest of the album and was one of the few songs that scored as solid 10/10 off the album back in November.

16. "Reloaded"
Year: 2009
Album: Unreleased
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #12 (-4)

"Reloaded" is an interesting case because it was slated to be the b-side on the vinyl version of "Telephone". Anticipation was high for this track because it had not appeared on the album alongside "Telephone". Unfortunately that plan fell through and this track was forgotten by most. Still, "Reloaded" lands at #16 on this list above other unreleased single "Fashion".

15. "Monster"
Year: 2009
Album: The Fame Monster
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #11 (-4)

We finally make it to the top 15. "Monster" continued in the style of Gaga's other popular pop hits at the time (2009) and bared the most resemblance to her 'monstrous' hit single "Poker Face". It's a strong track, but unfortunately it was near the bottom of The Fame Monster because nearly all tracks on that album were way above it in terms of standards.

14. "Mary Jane Holland"
CDS Music Peak: #3
Year: 2013
Album: ARTPOP
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: NEW

ARTPOP's best non single, "Mary Jane Holland" debuted at within the top 5 on the CDS Music Chart Top 50 and quickly reached a peak of #3. By the end of 2013, the track had become the #100 song of the year, scooping just under 200 points.


13. "Hair"
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #9 (-4)

"Hair" was only released as a promotional single, but it quickly became a more interesting song than "Born This Way". Despite this,  the track didn't reach the #1 position (its for sure peak isn't known). It still had a moderate run on my chart and is easily one of her better songs. It is the 2nd highest ranking promotional single on this list and 3rd highest non official single.

12. "Dance In the Dark"
Year: 2010
Album: The Fame Monster
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #10 (-2)

Released as a "bridge the gap" track in a handful of countries, "Dance In the Dark" was a moderate hit in late 2010. It was the track that brought the Monster era to an end before the official start of the Born This Way era in early 2011. It never got a video and wasn't released in the United States; "Dark" was just a random track that got thrown under the bus and I liked it just the same.

11. "LoveGame"
Year: 2009
Album: The Fame
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #13 (+2)

While it was one of her most controversial tracks, "LoveGame" reinvented the sound of The Fame and was another big win for Gaga worldwide (though some critics were against its release in some countries). The companion video was banned in almost all countries, and in others it was replaced by a more appropriate version.


10. "Alejandro"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x4)
Year: 2010
Album: The Fame Monster
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #7 (-3)

Preceding the release of "Born This Way" was "Alejandro" the spicy summer track that spoke of a forbidden love with a person named "Alejandro" (or maybe "Fernando" or "Roberto" or whatever). "Alejandro" became Gaga's 7th consecutive top 10 single in the United States and her for sure 1st #1 on CDS Music Chart (all numbers before it reached #1 are unavailable).


9. "The Edge of Glory"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x3)
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #8 (-1)

It was even more impressive than huge hit "Born This Way", still it wasn't as popular overall. "The Edge of Glory" became part of the late night summer 2011 soundtrack. Occasionally, it would make me cry when it came on the radio (because Clarence Clemons died just a month after it was released).


8. "Scheiße"
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #5 (-3)

While it was never released as an official single, "Scheiße" was easily a favorite when it was released in May 2011 alongside the rest of Born This Way. It showed a huge increase in vocal ability for the singer and quickly was embraced by most of the Monster community and by random listeners around the world.


7. "Bad Romance"
Year: 2009
Album: The Fame Monster
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #4 (-3)

"Bad Romance" followed in the footsteps of her other 2009 hits "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", and to date is her 3rd and most recent track to pass the 5 million United States download mark. It would have easily reached the #1 if the CDS Music Chart Top 50 had existed back in 2009. For quite a while it was my second favorite Lady Gaga track (in 2009, 2010, and 2012).

6. "Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly)"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x6)
Year: 2013
Album: ARTPOP
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: NEW

Following the success of "Applause", Gaga announced the release of "Do What U Want" as a promotional single before the album was released. On release day, the track broke the record for reaching the #1 position in the most iTunes stores around the world. The record was held previously by Adele's "Rolling In the Deep". Critics favored the track over previously announced single "Venus", but the song's run was cut due to a misfire with promotion surrounding the release of the track's video.


5. "Poker Face"
Year: 2008
Album: The Fame
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #3 (-2)

Gaga's second single was a huge success and was an immediate favorite. It became the 2nd best selling single of 2009 worldwide (behind only The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling") and has become one of the best selling songs of all time in the history of music. In addition, it has become the 7th best selling single in the history of the United States (with over 7 million) and one of the biggest sellers in worldwide history with over 13 million.

4. "Just Dance (feat. Colby O'Donis)"
Year: 2008
Album: The Fame
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #6 (+2)

Lady Gaga's breakout hit single "Just Dance" was a huge success at the end of 2008 following a release months before. This track really got the entire world to listen to the then just starting out singer. To date, it still remains a favorite in most places. This year it jumps up 2 positions from #6 last year on the "Best of Gaga" list.

3. "Telephone (feat. Beyoncé)"
Year: 2010
Album: The Fame Monster
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #2 (-1)

When The Fame Monster was first released, "Telephone" was a standout. It eventually received single  status in 2010 and quickly became a huge hit everywhere. It was an outstanding track in its day and still is, but unfortunately fell from #1 on the "Best of Gaga" list after the release of "Judas" and falls another space this year with the release of "Applause".


2. "Applause"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x11)
Year: 2013
Album: ARTPOP
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: NEW

It wasn't quite enough to nail #1, but "Applause" is easily one of Gaga's major achievements. Unfortunately, its success was cut short by the constant competition with Katy Perry's "Roar", causing most listeners to completely disregard it in the United States. Still it is a triumph and an out of the box explosion of creativity that captured my heart and the hearts of many other true fans.

1. "Judas"
CDS Music Peak: #1(x6)
Year: 2011
Album: Born This Way
Best of Gaga 2013 Rank: #1 (=)

We finally come right down to it. The best Lady Gaga song of all time. "Judas" was leaked right before it was supposed to be released (just a few days later) and was posted on iTunes on April 15th, 2011. I immediately fell in love with it. I mean, what's not to love? Though it's chart run preceded the inception of the CDS Music Chart Top 50, I went back and recalculated my #1's. Lady Gaga proved she had it all nailed down when this track came out. Hopefully she will release more music just like this in the near future.

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Album Review: Head or Heart by Christina Perri

Welcome back to another CDS Music album review! Today I am reviewing Christina Perri's second studio release Head or Heart, which is due out next tuesday April 1st, 2014! Head or Heart comes preceded by the release of lead single "Human" on November 18th, 2013. "Human" was initially ignored by most pop stations, though it received critical acclaim from many music critics. In early 2014, the track began to pick up some steam with the release of the track's music video and the release of the track to foreign territories. It eventually peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 (her 3rd highest peaking single) and currently ranks at #37 on the CDS Music Chart Top 50 (still rising). Nearing its initial release date (March 11th), Christina Perri confirmed that the release had been pushed back. Two countdown singles, "I Believe" and "I Don't Wanna Break", were released in between the release of "Human" and the push back of the album. The album's second single, "Burning Gold", was released on March 18th. The album leaked in full on March 21st. The singer responded to the leaks with the following tweets:

everyone listening/posting + sharing my leaked album are all really hurting my feelings.
— christina perri (@christinaperri) March 21, 2014

and to all the people not listening and not posting and not sharing. thank you and i love you! #headorheart #aprilfirst! xx
— christina perri (@christinaperri) March 21, 2014

The album is now available to stream on iTunes radio. You can also pre-order the album. Here's my review:

1. "Trust"
Perri starts her album soft and raw with the gut wrenching track that is "Trust". She opens up about love, and gives her mature thoughts on the subject. Backed by a lone guitar, Perri's vocals soar sky bound. It's a track where you can easily tell: less is more.

2. "Burning Gold"
By now some of you have already heard this track. As the album's second single, "Burning Gold" had a lot of pressure to be as entertaining as lead track "Human". Thankfully, it pulls through. The thumping starts small, but quickly progresses into a huge swinging pop production. Perri proves she can change her style with the snap of a finger. "Burning Gold" is easily a huge standout in her short and sweet discography.

3. "Be My Forever (feat. Ed Sheeran)"
The upbeat sound continues in this coffee shop anthem. Ed Sheeran stops by to visit Christina's slice of heaven, the only guest performer lucky enough to snag a spot on her album. It has a sound reminiscent of Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat's duet "Lucky". Another huge win.

4. "Human"
Honestly if you haven't heard this infectious, heart touching track then you've got a problem. Even better than "Jar of Hearts", "Human" is the tale of violent love story that needs to be heard. It's easily her most personal track. It continues to ride high on the charts, bounding 41-37 on this week's CDS Music Chart Top 50. I'm hoping it continues to have success worldwide because (to me at least) I think if you produce a song this amazing and personal and don't get recognized, you'll forever have a hole in your heart. It took a lot of guts to release this track.

5. "One Night"
If Taylor Swift could produce a legitimate mature pop/country track, this would be it. That's a compliment because it has only taken Perri a few years to create such a song that Swift has longed for for 8 years. Bound together by provocative lyrics, this experience is riveting and head turning. While it's another clear win for Perri, it unfortunately only lasted a mere 3 minutes and felt excessively short. To be honest, I could tell within the the first 5 seconds that this track would be a favorite.

6. "I Don't Wanna Break"
While its uptempo drum instrumentals are a strong positive, "I Don't Wanna Break" lags behind 4 of the 5 previously displayed tracks. With that being said, the track is still a delight and could eventually become an Adult Contemporary Pop hit later this year. Her vocals on this track are the biggest win.

7. "Sea of Lovers"
Christina belts out yet another pop ballad, but this one has a special ring to it that makes it a clear and flawless track. She continues to display her impressive vocals mixed with a strong, thumping pop backing. She is comfortable in this zone, which makes this song one of the clearest tracks on this album so far. This is her safe zone, but it feels more complex when it's really not.

8. "The Words"
She can't stop making swinging pop ballads! It's overwhelming but "The Words" is yet another carefully constructed pop hit waiting to be released. Perri yet again proves that she can churn out another satisfactory track, as the album heads into the end of the road.

9. "Lonely Child"
Finally. A track that has a few flaws. Some of the lyrics are just a tad cheesy, and at this point, we've all heard her typical pop ballad style. With that being said, it's still a better than decent track. Wow. I'm so surprised that she can get away with a repetitive style. The end is amazing when she goes "cha cha cha".

10. "Run"
It might be just me, but it seems like she is showing no signs of slowing down. This time she's "running" with it, if you catch my drift. But this time, she's throwing some harsh words. She's had enough. In some parts of this track, she sounds very "Adele"-like, a compliment considering almost no one can pull off vocals that amazing. The story portrayed here has some inspirations that obviously stem from hits such as "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Cher.

11. "Butterfly"
We come to chapter 11 in the limited run series that is Head or Heart. Fluttery and mysterious, Perri wanders back to the styles we all saw on Lovestrong., here debut studio album released in spring 2011. "Butterfly" is down tempo, and while graceful, stings. It's a hard song to listen to because of its deep meaning, lyrics and overall composition.

12. "Shot Me in the Heart"
Despite it's extremely saddening title, "Shot Me in the Heart" is very uptempo and fun to listen to. Then yet again, don't let that fool you. The lyrics and material contained within "Shot Me in the Heart" is dark. It's a clever mask of a song. It's an immediate standout. As the album nears it's end, I'm just starting to understand the whole concept and "I Believe" (tee hee) I know the story that Christina Perri was trying to present on this album.

13. "I Believe"
In my opinion, it's the even more mature big sister of "Human". Built around a piano and a few more minimalistic instruments. "I Believe" is the perfect album closer. Christina closes the door and the message becomes very clear. Understanding starts to flood in, and if you were really paying close enough attention to the 50 minute story, you'll likely have tears stinging your eyes. A beautiful closer to a nearly flawless album.

Rating: 92% (A-)

Overview: Christina Perri is one of the few artists of our generation that understands how to tell a story in an album. Some may say Justin Timberlake's albums tell a story. No. One's a mixed bag, and the other is (for the most part) a cheesy sequel. Christina's Head or Heart has a part 1 and part 2 for sure, but they're packaged together. It's short and simple. None of the songs are under 3 minutes, none are over 5 minutes. Part 1 ("Head") encompasses roughly the first 6-7 tracks, put still has some flairs in other places on the album. Part 2 ("Heart") is tracks 7-13 or 8-13 (open to interpretation). In my opinion the album means a lot of things. The story: a misinterpreted love for someone who pretends to love you back. The main character (Perri) figures out what to do by the end of the album ("I Believe"). The question: "Which of my styles do you like more?". I came up with this meaning by the end; faster or slower? Christina is asking you. And finally: the promise of more. The last 90 seconds of "I Believe" has Perri chant "This is not the end of me/This is the beginning." She's promising another story that's about her, that doesn't necessarily connect to this one. That's just my opinion.

With exquisite lyrics, meanings and overall tracks, Christina delivers a masterpiece of an album. Her gut busting, heart stomping ballads have become signature for her and she doesn't fail to hold up to her reputation. I was completely blown away by this album. While it isn't my favorite of all time (because I tend to steer toward more dance inspired tracks), the emotional story showcased here was enough to steer me away from my catastrophic dance euphoria.

Christina --If you ever see this, please continue to make albums like this one. You're amazing at it and wait was worth it.

What do you think of Head or Heart? Leave your opinion below or contact me on twitter. Come back for another album review soon!

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Chart Highlights: "G.U.Y" Blasts Onto Chart

Before we dig into all the Lady Gaga madness, I would like to start from the #1 position and work our way down from there. Here goes. As a side note, I am no longer producing weekly chart videos!

Last week's chart leader, OneRepublic's "Counting Stars", tallies a second frame atop the tally. Its two week reign (so far) atop the chart was preceded by a record smashing 10 weeks in the #2 position behind 4 different #1 singles. The track racks an impressive 18th week in the top 10 and a 16th in the top 5 alone.

Beyoncé's "Drunk In Love (feat. Jay Z)" rides into the #2 position (+1). It marks Beyoncé's highest chart rank in her history as well as Jay Z's highest position. Additionally, the track leads R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a 6th consecutive week.

Shakira's "Empire" drops 2-3 this week. To crunch into the cold numbers, "Empire" slides to 84 spins (-2), marking a 2.3% drop. In terms of longevity, the song is clearing lacking. After a brief 2 week run at the summit, the song is already sliding. With its continuous slides, it's hard to tell whether or not the track's long term run will be much of anything, and it could wind up below 650 at this point. While that's a possibility, it's unlikely considering Shakira's new album will be released next week (that will help refuel the song). To date, the song has shifted just under 200 overall chart points.

Lorde's "Team" soars 8-4. In doing so, it becomes Lorde's first ever top 5 single. She previously reached as high as #8 with "Royals" in late 2013. While "Royals" was initially a contender for the #1 position, by the time it reached the upper tier, it was already losing steam. It was also over promoted on US radio, making me lose interest rapidly. "Team" on the other hand is being promoted just enough for it to soar up the list, instead of quickly tumbling. At this point it's hard to tell if this track can crack the #1 spot; Beyoncé keeps pushing, Shakira is releasing a new album, and OneRepublic is showing no signs of slowing down.

Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J)” slides 4-5 this week. The song is PRISM's 4th top 5 entry to date (making the album more successful than ARTPOP; overall). "Unconditionally" hit #1, "Walking On Air" debuted and peaked at #2, and "Roar" eventually climbed as high as #3 back in 2013. Katy Perry is the first artist to peak at #1,2,3,4 with 4 singles from the same album. The song still holds at #1 on the Pop Songs list with (ahead of "Counting Stars" and "Empire" though they rank higher on the cumulative top 50).

Shakira's "Can't Remember To Forget You (feat. Rihanna)" adjusts down 5-6. It previously peaked at #3 for a record breaking 3 weeks. Kelly Clarkson's long running "People Like Us" previously held that spot for 2 weeks in 2013. As I previously noted in my album review for Shakira's new disc, this track is actually one of her most underwhelming new tracks. Given that, this quibble of a song will likely be a tiny blemish on Shakira's track record. It is likely to close below 800 at this point. I know I keep changing my prediction every week, but as a track gets closer to exiting the top 10 it gets closer to what I call the "teen vortex". If you are a new reader and don't know what I'm referring to: the "teen vortex" is an area on the chart where slow rising songs often peak and where dropping songs can quickly tumble. As an example, "Applause" peaked at #1 for a record smashing 11 weeks but quickly fell 9-14-20 and now ranks #35 a few weeks later as a result.

Ayah Marar slides 6-7 with "Mind Controller" after holding at #1 for a 3rd straight week. The song was Ayah's 2nd overall #1 single as her guest spot on Calvin Harris' "Thinking About You" propelled her to #1 back in August 2013. Just about 8 weeks ago, Ayah scored the largest chart re-entry in history when "Mind Controller" rebooted within the top 10 (#6). The only other song to re-enter the chart within the top 10 is "Young" by Tulisa which blasted to #8 back in 2012. This week, overall points for "Controller" were down a noticeable 4% which contributed to its single position fall this week.

John Newman's "Love Me Again" moves 9-8. The track previously held at #10 for two straight weeks. The song's success is due in part to the fact that the track exploded in the UK and other European countries in July 2013. Its success has carried overseas and the track is a HUGE contender for reaching #1 at some point. Reasons? It is continuing to build, it is receiving love from US Radio and fan support has been phenomenal.

Pharrell rockets 13-9 with Despicable Me 2 track "Happy". Fueled by monstrous track sales, enormous airplay gains and all around exposure, the track shoots into the top 10 for the first time in its short 2 month run. While it's moving over 1/4 million copies per week, the track is becoming over saturated. Unfortunately for Pharrell, I tend to stop listening to songs that get over played. It's highly likely that this song peaks fairly soon.

To round out the top 10, Jason Derülo’s “Talk Dirty (feat. 2 Chainz)” dips 7-10. The track previously hit a highpoint of #7, where it peaked for 4 non-consecutive weeks. Though it's hard to tell if it will rebound, it has a fair chance given the fact that songs in positions #5-7 are all dropping in points. On the other hand, "Dirty" remained fairly even with performance rates it saw in its last frame.

Right outside the top 10, Sia's first solo single since 2010, "Chandelier", swings onto the chart at #11. Garnering the "Hot Shot Debut" tag on this week's chart, "Chandelier" opened on par with my initial estimates and predictions. It also benefited from stellar reviews and a 2 point bonus for picking up votes this week.

Just a tad lower, Lady Gaga re-enters the chart at #24 with her 4th album's 3rd official single. "G.U.Y (Girl Under You)" blasts back with an enormous amount of buzz, hype and votes. On Friday alone (the last day of tracking), the track scored an impressive 17 votes as "Song of the Week". That buzz came from the huge Twitter ordeal that preceded the release of the song's official 12 minute long video. As hype continues to grow and the video's release affecting next week's chart, the song could ultimately reach the top 10 next week. I only had 1 day of data for this past week (Friday), so it's hard to give a prediction. The prediction will be coming shortly.

Come back for the chart!

Chart: March 20th, 2014

#	LW	2W	PK	WKs	Name	Artist
1	2	2	1	24	***NUMBER 1*** ***LONGEST CLIMB TO #1*** Counting Stars {#1 for 1 Week}	OneRepublic
2	1	1	1	3	Empire {#1 for 2 Weeks}	Shakira
3	6	6	3	14	Drunk In Love (feat. Jay Z)	Beyoncé
4	4	5	4	26	Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J)	Katy Perry
5	3	3	3	9	***RIHANNA’S 12TH TOP 5*** Can’t Remember to Forget You (feat. Rihanna)	Shakira
6	5	4	1	17	Mind Controller {#1 for 3 Weeks}	Ayah Marar
7	7	8	7	10	Talk Dirty (feat. 2 Chainz)	Jason Derülo
8	9	13	8	16	Team	Lorde
9	10	10	9	8	Love Me Again	John Newman
10	8	7	1	20	Unconditionally {#1 for 3 Weeks}	Katy Perry
11	12	14	11	8	***GREATEST GAINER*** Losing Sleep	John Newman
12	14	15	12	5	Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)	Clean Bandit
13	15	18	13	8	***AIRPLAY GAINER*** Happy	Pharrell Williams
14	11	9	1	20	The Monster (feat. Rihanna) {#1 for 4 Weeks}	Eminem
15	13	11	10	12	Under Control (feat. Hurts)	Calvin Harris & Alesso
16	19	19	16	8	Jump	Rihanna
17	20	23	17	8	Into the Blue	Kylie Minogue
18	16	12	9	5	You’re Mine (Eternal)	Mariah Carey
19	17	16	4	15	Danse (feat. Dev)	Mia Martina
20	18	17	1	21	Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly) {#1 for 6 Weeks}	Lady Gaga
21	26	29	21	4	All of Me	John Legend
22	27	-	22	2	Magic	Coldplay
23	28	31	23	6	Goodness Gracious	Ellie Goulding
24	25	25	2	23	Timber (feat. Ke$ha)	Pitbull
25	32	34	25	3	Calling All Hearts (feat. Robin Thicke & Jessie J)	DJ Cassidy
26	33	37	26	5	Partition	Beyoncé
27	34	38	27	12	XO	Beyoncé
28	29	28	3	22	What If?	Vita Chambers
29	31	27	5	22	What Now	Rihanna
30	36	32	1	21	Venus {#1 for 1 Week}	Lady Gaga
31	NEW	-	31	1	***HOT SHOT DEBUT*** Louder	Sharon Doorson
32	30	26	1	63	***ALL TIME #1 SONG*** ***CHART SITTER*** Figure 8 {#1 for 2 Weeks}	Ellie Goulding
33	24	24	1	42	Thinking About You (feat. Ayah Marar) {#1 for 1 Week}	Calvin Harris
34	21	21	2	34	Rock n Roll	Avril Lavigne
35	22	20	1	31	***BIGGEST FALLER*** ***MOST WEEKS AT #1*** Applause {#1 for 11 Weeks}	Lady Gaga
36	23	22	9	38	Live For the Night	Krewella
37	41	-	37	2	Human	Christina Perri
38	42	39	2	30	Masquerade	Vita Chambers
39	43	46	8	28	Stay the Night (feat. Haley Williams)	Zedd
40	44	-	40	2	Beating Heart	Ellie Goulding
41	40	41	2	24	Walking On Air	Katy Perry
42	38	35	11	28	Wrecking Ball	Miley Cyrus
43	39	36	6	31	Wake Me Up (feat. Aloe Blacc)	Avicii
44	46	-	44	2	Shot Me Down (feat. Skylar Grey)	David Guetta
45	35	30	22	23	Brave	Sara Bareilles
46	45	42	21	18	Move	Little Mix
47	37	33	28	25	Demons	Imagine Dragons
48	48	44	9	30	Berzerk	Eminem
49	49	47	17	14	Blow	Beyoncé
50	50	48	25	20	Let Me Go (feat. Chad Kroeger)	Avril Lavigne