Shazamers' Blog

GREAT NEWS for Justin Bieber fans!  We’re giving one lucky Shazamer the chance to win an exclusive Justin goodie bag when you tag his new video “All I Want for Christmas is You” – premiering on VEVO tonight at 10pm EST. You could get your hands on

• An Epiphone DR100 guitar signed by Justin himself
• Clothing from the “All I Want for Christmas is You” video
• A deluxe box set including a Justin Bieber ornament, book, easel, backer card & CD/DVD,
• A Mistletoe Plaque to commemorate Justin’s “Under the Mistletoe” album. 

 Everyone in the US and Canada* with an iPhone/iPod touch/Android device can tag the video at any point to buy the single or album, watch the video anytime on their phone or tablet, as well as enter the contest. All you have to do is:

1. Activate Shazam Friends (via the Friends Tab in your Shazam App)
2. Shazam “All I Want for Christmas is You” between November 30^th and January 15^th, 2012

 There’s a runner up prize for 5 lucky Shazamers is a SONOS Play: 5 Wireless HiFi System and a copy of Justin Bieber’s Christmas album, “Under the Mistletoe.”

 Winners will be selected on January 16, 2012 and fans can follow the “Golden Tag” promotion on Facebook pages for Justin Bieber and Shazam.

 *excluding Quebec

LeeMc News

Rihanna not only takes the top spot in the Shazam New Release Chart USA this week, but three of the top ten positions.

Stephen Titmus Shazam New Release Chart USA Rihanna

The Atlanta born singer rockets to the top of the UK New Release Chart with ‘Dedication To My Ex’.

Stephen Titmus Shazam New Release Chart UK Lloyd

Despite still barely being into his twenties, you can’t fault Tyga (an acronym of Thank You God Always, fact fans) for his confidence. ‘Rack City’, the latest release from his forthcoming album ‘Careless World: The Rise Of The Last King’ sees him tossing up boasts and dollars in equal measure.

Over a minimalist beat that recalls ‘Rhythm and Gangster’-era Snoop Dogg, Tyga does an excellent job of talking himself up, drawing particular attention to his success with the ladies and the strength of his finances. The Snoop comparisons don’t stop there though. Like the Doggfather himself, Tyga is West Coast through and through. While the famous East/West rivalries of the 1990s have largely died down, Tyga is a firm believer that his side of the country is ready for a hip-hop revival.

“I think on the West Coast we always had different and unique styles,” he told Dubcnn. “We haven’t been getting a lot of recognition the last five years because everybody thinks everybody has to be like Snoop, Dre, and Ice Cube because we had a run and we changed hip-hop and we changed music. So now people are looking for that new change now, but we got a lot of good West Coast artists out right now.”

The new album, his first on Young Money, is looking to put the West Coast back on the map. Featuring collaborations with, you’ve guessed it, Snoop, The Game, Pharrell and Drake, it certainly isn’t lacking star power. We’ll be able to see if the young upstart can keep pace with his guests when the record drops in December.

Huw Thomas Tag Of The Day Tyga

December 1st is World Aids Day.  Join millions of ONE and (RED) supporters by adding your panel to the (2015)Quilt. Make a pledge to do more and a thank you gift will come your way – a free song from The Killers (and check out their songs on iTunes).

1,000 babies are born with HIV every day. By 2015, that number can be nearly zero. Add your panel to the quilt and make your voice heard. The beginning of the end of AIDS starts with you. Get started at www.2015quilt.com

Thank you for being (RED)!

LeeMc News

Everyone’s favourite band, Radiohead, continue on their full disclosure to fans quests by releasing two demos that were recorded in the mid-1980s, when the band were called On A Friday.

The demos – which surfaced via YouTube user Klootme – are the earliest known demo tapes, recorded in 1986. “The remixes on the end are reportedly bizarre sort of dub versions where the vocals pretty much cut in and out at random. It was apparently recorded at the music room of Abingdon School,” according to Poptart, What’s Our Mission?.

Klootme explained the history behind the demo tapes: “My husband was at school with the band and partied with them (before Jonny joined them!). Phil was at Uni with us both in Liverpool. The demo was given to my husband at 17 in school. We used to go and see them play in Oxford and were friends with them. They were fairly inactive from 1987 -1990 as a band. But when everyone had finished Uni they got back together and tried to make a go of it. They went to the States…we went backpacking to India for 6 months. Six months later we returned from India…saw Colin with a binbag full of laundry at the launderette….. ‘so much for the States’ we laughed… I remember seeing them in Oxford where me and my husband made up an audience of 6!”.

Radiohead have also recently posted three new remixes of tracks from their album ‘The King of Limbs’, which you can listen to on the NME’s site.

Bassist Colin Greenwood posted a message with the remixes: “Hello! Here are the three remixes by Anstam, Nathan Fake and Jamie xx that sadly didn’t make it in time for the vinyl release – we wanted to get them out because we’re big fans and wanted you to hear them too.”

Helia News radiohead

It’s just over a year since Rebecca Ferguson introduced herself to the world on the UK’s X Factor. The painfully shy single mother, and eventual runner up of the competition, produced the show’s most memorable performance of the season during her audition, a fact that’s bolstered by the video’s 2.9 million plus views on Youtube.

Her debut single ‘Nothing’s Real But Love’ is passionate yet displays the control that only a great singer can muster. The subject is one close to Rebecca’s heart; “People used to say to me, ‘Being rich doesn’t make you happy.’ And I’d think, I’ve got no electricity. Tell that to my empty fridge. But now I’m doing okay I realise they were right. It doesn’t matter what you’ve got, as long as you’ve got love. I know that sounds cheesy, but that’s everything.”

To celebrate the release of Rebecca Ferguson’s debut single “Nothing’s Real But Love”, Shazam are giving you the chance to win a signed copy of Rebecca’s forth coming album, “Heaven”, out 5th December.

To stand a chance of winning a signed copy of the album, simply email competition@shazamteam.com with the answer to this simple question. Remember to include your name and contact details.

Which of the following songs did Rebecca Ferguson sing in her first X Factor audition

A) Bills Bills Bills – Destiny’s Child

C) Nina Simone – Feeling Good

Terms And Conditions: 1. Closing date for the competition is the 3rd Dec 2011 12:00 GMT. Any entries after this point will be void. 2. The winners will be notified by email on 5th Dec 2011. 3. Five winners will win a signed copy of Rebecca Ferguson’s album ‘Heaven’. 4. There’s no cash alternative to the prize. 5. The decision of Shazam Entertainment is final. 6. Employees of Shazam Entertainment are not eligible to enter this competition. 7. Prizes are non-exchangeable.

Emmanuel Kobla Competitions Rebecca Ferguson

After a successful first series, featuring the likes of Mark Ronson, Toddla T and Diplo, The Producers returns for a second run. The show is a joint venture between Red Bull Studios London and VICE Media and explores the unique artistic process between musician and producer. While last year’s cast list seemed hard to top, the team behind The Producers have again assembled a stellar list of music’s current elite.

The first episode saw one third of Magnetic Man and Dubstep A-lister Benga join forces with Youngman on a track for Benga’s forthcoming solo album. Then in episode two The Bullitts – whose current list of previous collaborators includes Jay Electronica, Idris Elba and Lucy Lui – hooks up with the Grammy award winning Syience.

In the latest episode South London protégé Kwes, who has previously worked with The xx, rounds up the likes of Dels, Ghostpoet and Micahcu to collaborate in the studio. Predictably, the results are outstanding. To hear what went on, check out the trailer above and see the full episode here.

Keep an eye out for future episodes, featuring Starsmith and Mike Skinner.

Jon Davies New Music

Two of the most blogged about US female artists of the moment have joined forces for a three date mini UK tour that began at London’s Heaven last Wednesday.

South Dakota born Erika M. Anderson, better known as EMA, was formerly part of folk-rock band Gowns, but decided to go solo and explore a rawer guitar-rock side. She practically played in full her debut ‘Past Life Martyred Saint’, a strong contender to feature high in many best of 2011 lists, with confident manner that brought to mind the style of contemporary rock icons such as Karen O or girl-fronted grunge bands of the 90’s.The album’s standout track, ‘California’, was the encore in a set that more than satisfied all her fans in the English capital.

But it was Russian-American vocalist Nika Roza Danilova the one that seemed to have attracted a larger part of the audience and ultimately stole the show with her intense and atmospheric Goth-pop. Zola Jesus has been in the hipster’s radar for the last three years. Her recent third studio album, ‘Conatus’, has taken her career to new heights. Live, she surrounds herself by two synth players and an electric drummer, adding a noticeable 80’s touch to her atmospheric sounds and intensely emotional vocals. ‘Night’; ‘Vessel’ and ‘Collapse’, in the middle of which the singer descended from the stage and wandered among the public, were among the show’s highlights.

Alltogether, they offered two interesting and diverse musical propositions making an excellent night of live music.

Roberto Gonzalez Gigs/ Events, New Music EMA, Zola Jesus

As we reach the Christmas charts, the album reissues are coming thick and fast. One such piece of work is The Rolling Stones’ ‘Some Girls’ – originally released in 1978, the album hit the number one spot in America and Canada, making number two in the UK. Since its release, the album has over six million copies, and continues to be one of the Stones’ most noted albums for its change in direction towards a more disco influenced sound.

When the album was released, the Stones had already graduated to a second generation of rock. Bands like The Clash and the Sex Pistols had created a new musical rebellion through punk, and suddenly, the Stones were looking like out-dated dinosaurs.

“It’s not like we wanted to make a career out of disco; it just happened to be that beat, and Mick came up with this beautiful idea. If you’re ever gonna do disco, you got to do it now. It was like a one-off,” Richards said to the Washington Post.

Jagger brushed off the notions that the band were consciously trying to make a breakaway album. “I never thought for one minute that people would criticise you for doing something with a dance beat,” Jagger said. “So the idea of it being ‘Bob Dylan going electric’ never occurred to me.”

The album was born from where the band were at during that time, both creatively and also physically. “The inspiration for the record was really based in New York and the ways of the town,” Jagger told Rolling Stone. “I think that gave it an extra spur and hardness. And then, of course, there was the punk thing that had started in 1976. Punk and disco were going on at the same time, so it was quite an interesting period. New York and London, too. Paris—there was punk there. Lots of dance music. Paris and New York had all this Latin dance music, which was really quite wonderful. Much more interesting than the stuff that came afterward.”

Stones fans have another year to look forward to from their favourite band in 2012, they’ve announced plans for a 50^th Anniversary celebratory jam. The Stones haven’t played live since 2007, so it’s likely to be a pretty big deal…

Helia News Rolling Stones