Single Review: Mandy Moore - Extraordinary

"Extraordinary" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Mandy Moore. The first single released from her 2007 album "Wild Hope", it is also the first track on the album. The song differs significantly from her earlier work. Whereas songs such as "Candy" and "I Wanna Be With You" are synthesized bubblegum pop, "Extraordinary" has a more organic and instrumental sound. It features violins, drums, and guitars. According to Mandy Moore's official MySpace blog, the song explores her feelings of inferiority and her effort to try and break free from thoughts.

This song was written by Mandy Moore with The Weepies and produced by John Alagia. The Firm Music Records and EMI Records released digital single for this song on 10 April 2007.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - Have A Little Faith In Me

"Have A Little Faith In Me" is a song written and performed by John Hiatt that appears on his 1987 album "Bring The Family". It is featured on the of the 1993 romantic comedy Benny & Joon. The song has been covered separately by Joe Cocker, Delbert McClinton, Chaka Kahn, Mandy Moore, Patty Larkin, Bill Frisell, Jo-El Sonnier and Jewel for the 1996 drama Phenomenon.

Mandy Moore's version was produced by John Fields for her fourth album "Coverage". It was the lead single from this album and was only released to Australian radio. Although Mandy has enjoyed chart success in Australia, no physical single was produced, resulting in "Crush" as her last Australian single. The video is available on the Deluxe Edition of "Coverage" and on the 2004 DVD "The Best Of Mandy Moore". Her version of this song is on the soundtrack of the MTV reality show A Shot at Love: The Hangover.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - Cry

"Cry" is the third song released by Mandy Moore from her third self-titled album "Mandy Moore". The song tells the story of a girl who first thought her lover to be insensitive, until one day she saw him cry. "You were all by yourself, staring up at the dark gray sky, I was changed..." The song wasn't a major hit in America but was an MTV favorite and did well overseas. The song was also on the "A Walk To Remember" soundtrack in 2002. It also debuted a brunette Mandy Moore. Mandy Moore felt that "Cry" would be perfect for the soundtrack since it would be released around the time of the movie. It is also one of Mandy Moore's favorite songs of the album. The single was released on 4 November 2001 under Epic Records and was written by James Renald.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - Crush

"Crush" is a song by Mandy Moore on her third album "Mandy Moore" (2001). It was the album's second single — following the mildly successful "In My Pocket" — and Moore's sixth. The single was released in mid-2001.

The "Crush" music video was directed by Chris Applebaum and edited by Nabil Mechi. On September 10, 2001, it became Moore's first video to reach the number-one spot on MTV's countdown show Total Request Live. In the video, Moore sits in her crush's room and tries to wake him up. She performs with her band in another room. The video ends with Moore wearing a replica of the jacket Michael Jackson wears in the "Thriller" music video. When she walks down the hall, she sees her crush and smiles.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - In My Pocket

"In My Pocket" (2001) is the first song released by Mandy Moore from her third album "Mandy Moore" and her fifth consecutive single overall. "In My Pocket" was a mix of techno / R&B beats with a Middle Eastern sound. The song was slightly more mature than other Mandy Moore songs and was an entirely different approach for her as an artist at the time. Though the song did not become a huge hit, it did give Mandy Moore a bit more of a unique sound and image, helping her to break through the stereotypical pop princess such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson, all of whom she had spent much of her career previous to this song being compared to. The single was released on 29 May 2001.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - I Wanna Be With You

"I Wanna Be With You" is a song by Mandy Moore, released as the first single from her second album "I Wanna Be With You". The single was released on 11 April 2000 and soon became Moore's highest chart topper, going all the way to the Top 25. The vocals were very soft as almost all Moore's songs are. She does however belt the final chorus. The single was more successful in Australia, spending over 25 weeks in the top 100 and reaching number 11 on the ARIA charts. This song was written by Shelly Peiken, Tiffany Arbuckle and Keith Thomas.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - So Real

"So Real" is a song by Mandy Moore, which was released as her second Australian single, following "Candy". It is her second international single and her third single to be released overall. In the United States, "Walk Me Home" followed "Candy" as the second single. A video was also released for the single, but was not released in the United States. The single was recorded in French and released very scarcely in France, but flopped and as a result Sony destroyed all promo copies, making the French single highly rare. In addition, "So Real" was released to radio stations in Japan but did not chart. The single was released on 13 June 2000.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - Walk Me Home

"Walk Me Home" is a bubblegum pop song by singer Mandy Moore off her debut album "So Real", released as a single in 1999. It was written by Anthony Moran and was re-released in 2000 and it features in the movie "Center Stage". The single was released on 4 December 1999.

Single Review: Mandy Moore - Candy

"Candy" is the debut single by American pop singer Mandy Moore released from her debut album "So Real". The music video, directed by Chris Robinson, had a cameo by the girl group PYT and a cameo by Scarlett Johannson. This song stands as a classic example of a teen pop song from the late 90s or early 2000s. Record labels began riding the wave of teen-oriented pop music, which would result in a huge phenomenon sweeping the globe, including young female singers such as Mandy Moore, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Christina Aguilera. The melody and tune of the song has a marked resemblance to the Max Martin penned 1996 song "Do You Know (What It Takes)" by Swedish pop star Robyn. The chorus has a signature chord inversion progression. The single was released on 17 August 1999 under Epic Records.

Single Review: James Morrison - Broken Strings (Featuring Nelly Furtado)

"Broken Strings" is the third single by James Morrison from his second studio album "Songs For You, Truths For Me". It was released on 8 December 2008. The song is a duet with Canadian pop / R&B singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. The single became Morrison's most successful single to date, peaking in the top ten on many European charts, in the top three in the UK and Ireland and topped the charts in Germany and Switzerland.

Single Review: Ludacris - Nasty Girl (Featuring Plies)

"Nasty Girl" is the third official single from Ludacris' sixth studio album "Theater Of The Mind". The song features Plies and was produced by Swizz Beatz. The song was released to radio on 20 January 2009.

Single Review: Ryan Leslie - How It Was Supposed To Be

American recording artist Ryan Leslie released "How It Was Supposed To Be" as his official single on 23 December 2008 as CD single under Next Selection Records and Universal Records. This hip-hop R&B song was written by his self. It peaked at #71 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs.

Single Review: OneRepublic - Apologize

"Apologize" is a song written by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder for the band's 2007 debut album "Dreaming Out Loud". According to the band's MySpace site, the song "explores the personal pain of multiple relationships gone awry and the necessity of moving on". The song was the biggest radio airplay hit in the history of Top 40 radio in North America, with 10,331 plays in one week, until its record was broken by Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love", which was also written by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder.

The song charted strongly around the world, reaching number one in sixteen countries, including Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Egypt, Turkey, and the Netherlands, as well as staying at number one for eight consecutive weeks on Billboard's Pop 100. The song reached the U.S. and U.K. top three and spent thirteen weeks at number one in Canada. "Apologize" is number fifty on the definitive list of Billboard's Hot 100 All-Time Songs from the chart's first fifty years, August 1958 through July 2008; achieving this status after it spent twenty-five consecutive weeks in the top ten, the longest stay there for any song since "Smooth," by Santana featuring Rob Thomas, spent thirty weeks there in 1999. With sales of over 4.3 million digital downloads in the U.S. alone, "Apologize" is the most legally downloaded song in U.S. digital history in 2008. "Apologize" has sold in excess of ten million singles worldwide. The single was released on 0 April 2006.

Single Review: Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You

"My Life Would Suck Without You" is a song performed by American pop rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson. It is the first single from her fourth studio album "All I Ever Wanted". Dr. Luke and Max Martin, writers of her hit "Since U Been Gone", co-produced and co-wrote the song. Claude Kelly also contributed to the lyrics. The song has sold more than 815,000 digital copies so far. The single was released on 16 January 2008.

Single Review: T.I. - Dead And Gone (Featuring Justin Timberlake)

"Dead And Gone" is a song by American rapper T.I. featuring American singer Justin Timberlake. It was released as the fourth official (seventh overall) single off T.I.'s sixth album "Paper Trail". The single charted on Billboard Hot 100 even before its official release. They performed this song at the 51st Grammy Awards. This is the second collaboration between T.I. and Justin Timberlake, the first being "My Love". The single was released on 7 October 2008 as digital download.

Single Review: Flo Rida - In The Ayer (Featuring Will.I.Am)

"In The Ayer" is the third official single from Flo Rida's debut album "Mail On Sunday". It was produced by and features Will.I.Am. Tiffany Villarreal performs the background vocals, but she is uncredited. The song's backdrop and beat are sampled from Pretty Tony's freestyle classic "Jam The Box", which is not credited. The song has been certified platinum by the RIAA, making it his second song to do so. The official remix features Rick Ross, Brisco and Billy Blue with original chorus by will.i.am and new Flo Rida verses. Official single was released on 20 May 2008 under Atlantic Records and Poe Boy Records.

Single Review: Jordin Sparks - One Step At A Time

"One Step At A Time" is the third single (fourth overall, including "This Is My Now") from American Pop / R&B artist Jordin Sparks, from her eponymous debut album. The song was officially released in the U.S. on 10 June 2008. Sparks performed the song on the season finale of the seventh season of American Idol.

When the song reached #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (Week Ending 27 August 2008), Jordin became the only American Idol contestant ever to have their first four singles all crack the Top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song has over 100.000 spins on US top-40 radio and peak at no. 3 on the R&R airplay chart. The song is track #13 on "Now That's What I Call Music! 29" along with 19 other hits of 2008. It is Jordin's 3rd straight single to be added to the "Now That's What I Call Music" series.

The song served as Sparks' third U.K. single and digitally released on 13 September 2009. It has already surpassed the success of previous single "Tattoo" as it was A-Listed on Radio 1's playlist on the 14th January. On 1 February 2009, the song reached a peak of #16 on the U.K. Singles Chart despite no physical release.

Single Review: Ne-Yo - Closer

"Closer" is a song by American pop / R&B singer Ne-Yo. The song was produced by Stargate. The song was released as the first single from his third album "Year Of The Gentleman". It reached at #1 in the U.K. and spent 11 weeks in the U.K. Top 10. "Closer" became the fifteenth biggest selling single in the U.K. in 2008 according to BBC Radio 1's chart of the year. The song and its music video are being used in a commercial for Overstock.com; the commercial is also used as promotional tool for "Year Of The Gentleman". The single was released on 10 June 2008.

Single Review: Vanessa Amorosi - Perfect

"Perfect" is the Platinum selling single from Vanessa Amorosi's album "Somewhere In The Real World". The single was released digitally on 5 April 2008 and physically on 26 April 2008. Amorosi co-wrote "Perfect" with Australian song writer David Franj and they each brought a different perspective to the theme of love, resulting in a powerful tune. "He was in love with his girlfriend, so his take on it was she's perfect, everything about her is so magnificent. And I'm the other side of love where I'm like that's obsessive and there's hard work in love and what you see as perfect is not necessarily going to be perfect in 20 years time". Amorosi says "Perfect" is "really a love story by two totally different people. That's my interpretation of it. I mean, it's open to anyone's interpretation but for me love is ... I find it to be quite obsessive. I love the imperfections in a person more so than the perfect things about them. Love can come in different shapes and forms and that's what it's really going on about".

"Perfect" was the most played song by an Australian artist on the 2008 National Airplay Chart (The Music Network – 22 December 2008). The track also hit #1 on the Australian iTunes Store on 6 June 2008. Before release as a single, "Perfect" was featured in promotions by the Seven Network for the American show Bionic Woman. It will also be used in a commercial campaign for jeans by Calvin Klein in Australia. "Perfect" and "Shine" are her highest charting singles to date. 

Single Review: Gemma Hayes - Out Of Our Hands

"Out Of Our Hands" is a song written by Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes for her third album "The Hollow Of Morning". It was released digitally on 2 May 2008 as the album's first single. The single went to #6 in the official Top 40 Irish Singles chart.

Single Review: Westlife - Something Right Away

"Something Right" is an original up-tempo song by Irish boyband Westlife from their ninth studio album "Back Home". The song was released as the band's second single in Asia and Europe following their first single, "Home". The band's record label, Sony BMG, aimed to increase album promotions and sales through the release of this single which is a fan favourite. The song was composed by Rami Yacoub, Savan Kotecha and Arnthor Birgisson. They've also contributed the songs "Us Against The World", "The Easy Way", and "Pictures In My Head" to the Back Home album. The single was released on 4 April 2008.

Single Review: Gabriella Cilmi - Sweet About Me

"Sweet About Me" is the debut single by Australian singer Gabriella Cilmi. The song, co-written with and produced by Xenomania, is taken from Cilmi's debut album "Lessons To Be Learned" (2008). "Sweet About Me" was released again on 9 June 2008 in different formats and with new track listings. It is used in commercials for Sure and Dove Bodywash in Europe, as well as a commercial for Rexona Roll On in Brazil. The song appears on the international soundtrack to the Brazilian telenovela A Favorita and on the soundtrack to the Portuguese telenovela Feitiço de Amor. The single was released on 26 April 2008 for the first time.

Single Review: Bryan Adams - When You're Gone (Featuring Melanie C)

"When You're Gone" is a song by Canadian musician Bryan Adams from his studio album "On A Day Like Today" which was released as single on 30 November 1999. The songfeatures Melanie Chisholm of the Spice Girls. This pop rock song was written by Bryan Adams and Eliot Kennedy and released under A&M Records. It reached at #3 on the U.K. Singles Chart and at #13 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles.

Single Review: Reel - Lift Me Up

"Lift Me Up" is a pop song by Irish boyband Reel. This song was released as their official single on 12 November 2001 under Universal Records. This song was written by Greg Fitzgerald and Graham Sokes. Melodies on the song is thick with Irish sensation, which is more folk poppish in the good way! The single was peaked at #12 on the Irish Singles Chart.

Single Review: John Barrowman - What About Us?

"What About Us" is a written pop song by Gary Barlow and Chris Braide. This pop song was released as John Barrowman single on 17 November 2008 and appeared as track on his studio album "Music Music Music" under Sony BMG Records.

Single Review: Boyzone - Love You Anyway

"Love You Anyway" is a 2008 single by Irish boyband Boyzone, their first single release for 8 years and their first since their reunion. It is taken from their 2008 greatest hits album "Back Again... No Matter What". The song features an elaborate, Phil Spector-sounding production, with a 'busy' instrumentation including choir-like backing vocals, jangley guitars, trombones, tambourines and tubular bells. The single was released on 29 September 2008.

Single Review: Bobby V - Beep (Featuring Yung Joc)

"Beep" is the first official single from Bobby V's third studio album "The Rebirth". The single features Yung Joc and is produced by Mississippi native Leland Clopton AKA Big Fruit. "Beep" contains a sample of the 1985 hit "Moments In Love" by Art of Noise. EMI Records / Blu Kolla Dreams Records released "Beep" as digital single on 27 October 2008.

Single Review: Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

"Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, written by Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Kuk Harrell and Knowles for her third solo album, "I Am… Sasha Fierce". Alongside "If I Were A Boy", the song was released to U.S. radio stations on 8 October 2008. The single peaked at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Knowles' fifth number-one single and her second number-one song that does not feature guest vocals. The song was ranked number one on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the Best 100 Singles of 2008, and is included in the top ten on lists produced by MTV and Time magazine. It has also been named Song of the Year by Fuse TV.

Single Review: Madonna - 4 Minutes (Featuring Justin Timberlake)

"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album "Hard Candy". It was released as the lead single from the album on 17 March 2008 by Warner Bros. Records and features American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake and Timbaland who also co-wrote and produced the song. It was mixed by Demacio Castellon. The single scored Madonna her 37th Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hit, making her the artist with the most Top 10 hits in the history of the chart, surpassing Elvis Presley. In the U.K., she retained her record for the most number one singles for a female artist, this being her 13th. The video has been one of the most watched videos on YouTube in 2008, and the most watched video of Madonna's career, with over 52 million views in just 6 months, as of 27 October 2008. "4 Minutes" is nominated for the 51st Grammy Awards under the category of Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals. The single was released on 17 March 17 2008.

Single Review: 98 Degrees - Invisible Man

American boyband 98 Degrees released "Invisible Man" as their debut single on 24 June 1997 under Motown Records. This pop R&B song was written by Steve Kipner, Sean Hosein and Dane Deviller. Later, the song is appeared on their debut studio album "98 Degrees" which was released on 29 July 1997. The single was peaked at #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Single Review: Spice Girls - Say You'll Be There

English girl group Spice Girls released R&B dance-pop song as their single on 14 October 1996 under Virgin Records. The song title is "Say You'll Be There" taken from their debut studio album "Spice". Spice Girls wrote this song with Jonathan Buck and Eliot Kennedy. Released as the album's second single on 14 October 1996, it became their second number-one single in the United Kingdom, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It was a commercial success across Europe, reaching the top ten in most of the charts that it entered. As a result of its popularity, the song was released in 1997 in Australia, receiving a gold certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and in North America, entering the top five in both, Canada and the United States.

Single Review: Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl

"I Kissed a Girl" is a song by American pop rock singer Katy Perry. It was produced by Dr. Luke for Perry's 2008 album "One Of The Boys". Perry says the song is about the magical beauty of a woman.

Released as the album's lead single, "I Kissed A Girl" was a commercial success. It topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the 1000th chart-topper of the Rock Era. The song has since become a major worldwide hit, and along with the United States, it has topped the charts in more than 30 countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It was released on 6 May 2008.

Single Review: Girls Aloud - The Promise

"The Promise" is the nineteenth single by the British girl group Girls Aloud, written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Jason Resch, Kieran Jones, and Carla Marie for the band's fifth studio album "Out Of Control" (2008). Their fourth number-one single on the U.K. Singles Chart, it was released as the first single to be taken from the album on 19 October 2008 as a download and on CD on 20 October 2008. It has been nominated for Best British Single at the 2009 BRIT Awards.

Single Review: Jesse McCartney - Right Where You Want Me

"Right Where You Want Me" is the first single and only single released in the U.S from Jesse McCartney's second album "Right Where You Want Me". It is also the title song for the Disney Channel Original Movie Return to Halloweentown. It also appears on the Disney album Radio Disney: Party Jams. It is also audible in the video game Thrillville: Off the Rails. On 3 August 2006, Jesse brought the world premiere of this music video to TRL. The single was released on 26 August 2006.

Single Review: Daughtry - Home

"Home" is a 2007 song by American rock band Daughtry from their self titled debut album. The song had been climbing up the U.S. charts for a few weeks before the song was announced as second single (possibly due to its use on American Idol as the show's "vote off" song). It was released on April 10, 2007. 

Single Review: Beyoncé Knowles - Beautiful Liar (Featuring Shakira)

"Beautiful Liar" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles and Colombian singer Shakira. The song was written by Beyonce Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench, Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen. It was produced by Stargate and Knowles for the re-release of her second solo album "B'Day". A Spanish and English mixed version of the song was produced called "Bello Embustero". The song was the first single released from the deluxe edition. It held the distinction of having the largest upward movement on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 until in 2008. The track won at the 2007 MTV Video Music Award for Most Earth-Shattering Collaboration. In 2008, the song was awarded the Ivor Novello Awards for Best-Selling British Song. The single was released on 28 April 2007.

Single Review: Elliott Yamin - Wait For You

"Wait For You" is a single by former American Idol contestant Elliott Yamin. Taken from his self-titled album "Elliott Yamin". He mentions in the song waiting indefinitely for the one he loves to come back to him. Despite the fact she has left him, he insists he knows she still love him. 

It was reached at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and available as digital single and CD single, also aired on radio. RED Distribution and Hickory Records released this single on 13 March 2007.

Single Review: Kelly Clarkson - Never Again

"Never Again" is a song written by American pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Messer, and is the first single from her third studio album "My December" in 2007.

As of January 2009, the single has logged a number of 995,000+ digital downloads. The song was nominated for Payback Track on the 2007 Teen Choice Awards. This song was #99 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. This song also ranked #63 on AT40's 100 Most Played Songs of 2007. It also ranked at #70 on Billboard's 2007 Year End Chart.

On 31 May 2007, the single was certified gold by RIAA and has sold over 500,000 copies in all formats in the US. The single was released on 23 April 2007.

Single Review: Darius Rucker - Don't Think I Don't Think About It

"Don't Think I Don't Think About It" is the title of a single recorded by American singer Darius Rucker, lead vocalist and guitarist in the rock band Hootie And The Blowfish. The song, co-written by Rucker and Clay Mills, was released to country radio in mid-2008 as Rucker's first solo single, and it is included on his studio album Learn to Live, which was released on Capitol Records Nashville on 16 September 2008. The song has also made Rucker the first solo African American to chart a Number One country hit since Charley Pride's "Night Games" reached the top of the charts in September 1983. It was released on 27 May 2008.

Single Review: Keith Anderson - I Still Miss You

"I Still Miss You" is a single by American country music singer, Keith Anderson. It is the second single released from his second album "C'mon!", which was released on 5 August 2008. In addition, it is the fastest-rising single of his career, and his highest peaking chart entry, reaching at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. It was released on January 2008.