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| Year's Biggest Sounds and Songs From the emergence of cocaine rap to Christian punk rock, the reaffirmation of Atlanta as the current music capital and the "FutureSex/LoveSounds" of Justin Timberlake, the music experts at URGE, MTV Networks' digital music service, want you to know all about music in 2006 - what was hot, what should have been hot but was not, and what's ahead for 2007. Breakout Artists 2006: 1. Akon - Whether he was running the streets or looking for true love, this singer/songwriter/producer emerged with a captivating silky smooth sound. 2. James Blunt - He won Best Male Video at this year's MTV Video Music Awards and cemented the re-emergence of soft rock to the mainstream. 3. Panic! at the Disco - Beyond making ruffles and vests the fashion again, this young group scored with a theatrical emo-pop sound. 4. T.I. - The best selling rap album of the year solidified the Atlanta star's grip on the crown. Great Song 2006: * "Crazy", Gnarls Barkley - Cee-lo and Danger Mouse seamlessly blended elements from rock, R&B, hip-hop and electronic to create a melody and groove that appealed to every audience - hip-hop to pop, soul to adult contemporary. Great Album You Bought 2006: * "FutureSex/LoveSounds", Justin Timberlake - JT worked with Timbaland to successfully channel David Bowie and sleazy electro-rock for a new sound that flew off shelves and topped digital charts. Great Album You Should Have Bought 2006: "Living with War", Neil Young - Protesting the war in Iraq created another landmark of Young's three-decade long career. Great Comeback 2006: * "Taking The Long Way Home", Dixie Chicks - The Chicks brought back female power and conscience with an album that opened them up far beyond their core fan base. Great Albums of 2006 by Genre: URGE's expert programmers outline the 11 most notable albums of 2006 across 19 genres. Here is a sampling of their choices: * Alternative: TV on the Radio - "Return to Cookie Mountain"; * Blues/Folk: Bob Dylan - "Modern Times"; * Children's: Jack Johnson & Friends - "Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies" for the film "Curious George"; * Classical: Jay Greenberg - "Symphony No. 5: Quintet for Strings"; * Comedy/Spoken Word: Weird Al Yankovic - "Straight Outta Lynwood"; * Country: Toby Keith - "White Trash with Money"; * Easy Listening/Vocals: Sergio Mendes - "Timeless"; * Electronic/Dance: Booka Shade - "Movements"; * Hip-Hop: Young Jeezy - "The Inspiration"; * Inspirational: Kirk Franklin - "Hero"; * Jazz: Cassandra Wilson - "Thunderbird; * Latin: Don Omar - "King of Kings"; * Metal: Mastodon - "Blood Mountain"; * Pop: Justin Timberlake - "FutureSex/LoveSounds; * R&B: Ne-Yo - "In My Own Words"; * Reggae: Tanya Stephens - "Rebelution"; * Rock: Pearl Jam - "Pearl Jam"; * Soundtracks/Musicals: Original Cast - "The Drowsy Chaperone"; * World: Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - "Boulevard de L'Independance"; 2007 Predictions: Looking into the crystal ball for 2007, here are the URGE team's most anticipated artists, albums and trends for the New Year: Anticipated Artists 2007 1. Calle 13 - Rap will continue an island-tinged renaissance when this duo from Puerto Rico comes onto the scene. Think of it as thinking person's reggaeton. 2. Justice - Having already won the Video of the Year award at the MTV European Music Awards, the French DJ duo will bring a new wave of metallic house music to clubs across the country. 3. Lavender Diamond - Who knew Los Angeles still had a folk-rock scene?Expect singer Becky Stark to gain fans from coast to coast. Anticipated Albums 2007: 1. Postal Service - With an electronic pop-meets-indie rock sound, we expect great things from this supergroup. 2. RBD - This Mexican teen-pop group will bring new flavor to the U.S. charts with the late December release of their first English-language album. 3. Timbaland - Hip-hop-pop's reigning production genius is finally stepping back on the other side of the microphone, and we can't wait to hear what comes out. 4. Alison Krauss - The versatile bluegrass/roots/pop singer and fiddler helped remake Alan Jackson's career in 2006; in 2007, she returns to her own. Anticipated Trends 2007: 1. Skate Rap continues its rise to prominence, its kick-flip-influences felt from the Bay Area to Chicago to New Orleans. 2. R&B-meets-New Wave, wherein the soul charts will be full of '80s new wave samples. 3. Dance music goes emo as Britain's nu-ravers scream about break-ups,and sensitive songwriters hire electronic producers. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |