My Weekly Top 10 (January 22, 2016) #3 Macklemore / Ryan Lewis - Downtown

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' third top 10 hit in my weekly top 10 countdown, Downtown, moves up to #3 this week, its new peak position. 

Ryan Lewis

Ryan Lewis has collaborated on all three of Macklemore's hits.  He has three top 10 hits in my personal countdown.

2015 - Downtown (with Macklemore) (#8)

2013 - Same Love (with Macklemore) (#1)

2013 - Thrift Shop (with Macklemore) (#9)

Concert Review: Macklemore Definitely Knows How to Throw A Party

I was definitely surprised at how comfortable in the stage and how great Macklemore's stage presence was last night during his concert here in Manila. From the first word he rapped until he said his farewells, he commanded the stage and stirred the very discerning Pinoy audience into a frenzy! The whole VIP section including the mosh pit area was just jumping and waving their arms - they were so much fun to watch from my vantage point!

I decided to situate myself in the Lower Box though since I'm not young anymore and I cannot stand for three hours to wait for Macklemore to appear (the concert started quite late, around past 10PM na) - so kung mosh pit ako, dapat andun na me ng 7PM to get good pwesto.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis did a very compact set, singing all their hits plus a few songs from their earlier work, The Other Side, and some songs from The Heist as well. I shed a bit of tears when he sang Same Love. Pano naman, nagspiel kasi about equality and echos echos kaya ayan, napa-teary eyed ako. It's very rare for a major artist to publicly profess in a concert here in Manila, equality in rights for gay people - so medyo kinilabot ako when he was making the speech. He really sounded sincere - and the song explicitly proclaims his beliefs.

Macklemore and Gay Love

When I bought Macklemore's album more than a year ago, I was expecting the same s**t I've heard from rappers - loose women, women's body parts, casual sex, blow jobs, bilmoko women, etc, etc - so I was pretty shocked to suddenly hear 'Same Love' amidst all the other songs. I remember the moment I heard it - I had to open my Itunes window to verify that it was indeed Macklemore's album that I was playing!! And I replayed the song 3 or 4 times just to make sure I was hearing his message right! It's very rare for rappers to support gay people - they often make fun of us, make us the butt of their jokes in their songs - so I was really really surprised that Macklemore wrote and sang this song. And he says matter of factly. No beating around the bush. Which is particularly refreshing! Definitely watching his concert here in March!

My Ten Favorite Songs of 2013 (#'s 5-1)

#5 Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert - Same Love

I like Thrift Shop.  I do not like Can't Hold Us.  But it was this song Same Love, by Macklemore, which really caught my attention.  The first time I heard it, I had to rewind it several times just to make sure I was hearing the lyrics right!  Macklemore is, after all, a white rap artist, and this genre has never been known to be cozy with the gay rights movement.  Great song with a great message!  

#4 Swedish House Mafia - Greyhound

This was the opening song of the band's concert here in Manila January this year.  It was a breathtaking and pulsating scene and the memory of it has lingered with me throughout these 365 days!  The song is just an instrumental, which is rare in my personal countdowns and it's a bit short but the effect on me is just ecstatic frenzy!  This is by the way, the highest charting song that we dance to in Body Jam class.

#3 Zedd featuring the Foxes - Clarity

This was one of those rare songs where it was love at first hearing!  The lyrics were just apt for what I was feeling at that time and the way the song was arranged makes it reach just a perfect climax!  I learned later on that it had become popular with everyone else.  Well, it would be hard to escape a great dance song like this!

#2 David Bowie - Where Are We Now

2013 opened with this melancholy song from David Bowie, his first number 1 song in my personal countdown since the 80s!  The song has stuck with me throughout the 365 days and is my #2 favorite song of the year, despite its forlorn mood.  

#1 Emeli Sande - Clown

This quiet and sad song from Emeli Sande came out early in 2013 and has maintained being my most favorite song for the year.  I just love it!  I love the spare arrangement and the way Emeli sings it!  Unfortunately, none of her follow ups or songs from her album quite caught my interest the way this did.

Zedd Tops the 2013 myFABE Music Awards with Four Wins

DJ Zedd tops the 2013 myFABE Music Awards with four wins, including Favorite New Artist of the Year,  Favorite Collaboration of the Year, Favorite Dance Act of the Year and Favorite Dance Song of the Year for his worldwide hit, Clarity.

Mika snags three awards including the coveted Favorite Performer of the Year and Favorite Album of the Year.  He also wins Favorite Pop Performer of the Year.

Other double winners include Emeli Sande, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert, Ne-yo, Jessica Sanchez and Togeworl.

Mika and Macklemore Snag Five Nominations in the 2013 myFABE Music Awards

Mika and Macklemore have the most nominations in the 2013 myFABE Music Awards with five.  Mika's nominations include Favorite Performer of the Year, Favorite Album of the Year for the Origin of Love, Favorite Pop Performer of the Year, Favorite International Song of the Year for Elle Me Dit and Favorite International Performer of the Year.

Rap newcomer Macklemore's nominations include Favorite Record of the Year for Same Love, Favorite New Artist of the Year, Favorite Collaboration of the Year, Favorite Rap Performer of the Year and Favorite Rap Song of the Year.

The Killers, Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert, Swedish House Mafia, Zedd, Ne-yo, Jessica Sanchez and Pitbull get four nominations each.

myFABE Music Awards: Favorite Record of the Year

Here are the nominees in this category - 

David Bowie - Where Are You Now

Emeli Sande - Clown

Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert - Same Love

Swedish House Mafia - Greyhound

Zedd - Clarity

and the winner is Emeli Sande - Clown.

myFABE Music Awards: Favorite Collaboration of the Year

Here are the nominees in this category -

Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull - Live it Up

Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert - Same Love

Ne-yo featuring Jessica Sanchez - Tonight

Train featuring Ashley Monroe - Bruises


Zedd featuring Foxes - Clarity

and the winner is Zedd featuring Foxes - Clarity.

myFABE Music Awards 2013: Favorite Rap Hip Hop Performer of the Year

Here are the five nominees in this category

ASAP Rocky

Macklemore / Ryan Lewis

Pitbull

Sexion D'Assaut

and the winner is Macklemore / Ryan Lewis.

myFABE Music Awards 2013: Favorite Hip Hop Rap Song of the Year

Here are the five nominees in this category -

ASAP Rocky, Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam - Wild for the Night

Macklemore, Ryan Lewis & Mary Lambert - Same Love

Pitbull feat. Jennifer Lopez - Live It Up

Pitbull feat. Papayo - Echa Pa'lla

Sexion D'Assaut - Problemes D'Adultes

and the winner is Macklemore, Ryan Lewis & Mary Lambert - Same Love.

Biffy Clyro Tops My Personal Countdown For the First Time This Week

Hard rock music is back at the top of my personal countdown this week, as Biffy Clyro's Black Chandelier moves from #2 to #1 this week.  It's his very first #1 song in my personal countdown and also his first appearance ever in my personal countdown.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending March 1, 2013 -

#1 Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier (#2)

#2 Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert - Same Love (#1)

#3 Taylor Swift - State of Grace (#4)

#4 Marteria, Yasha, Miss Platnum - Lila Wolken (NEW)

#5 Jesse & Joy - Corre (#6)

#6 Shinee - The World With You (#8)

#7 Paul Brown and Bob James - Backstage Pass (NEW)

#8 Blake Shelton - Sure Be Cool if You Did (NEW)

#9 John Mayer - Speak For Me (#9)

#10 Greeen - Yuki No Oto (NEW)

Macklemore Tops My Personal Countdown For the First Time This Week

Macklemore tops my personal countdown this week, as Same Love, his collaboration with Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert moves from #4 to #1.  Their previous hit, Thrift Shop, peaked at #9.

Here are my ten favorite songs the week ending February 22, 2013 -

#1 Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert - Same Love (#4)

#2 Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier (NEW)

#3 Kacey Musgraves - Merr Go Round (#2)

#4 Taylor Swift - State of Grace (#3)

#5  Tommy Torres ft Ricardo Arjona - Mientras Tanto (#5)

#6 Jesse & Joy - Corre (#8)

#7 Robbie Williams - Be A Boy (NEW)

#8 Shineee - The World With You (#9)

#9 John Mayer - Speak For Me (NEW)

#10 Tulisa - Sight of You (#10)

Tamar Braxton Tops My Personal Countdown For The First Time

Toni Braxton's sister, Tamar Braxton, gets her very first #1 song in my personal countdown as Love and War, moves up from #3 to #1 this week.  It's also her first appearance in my personal countdown.  Toni, on the other hand, has 13 top ten hits, seven of them, #1 songs.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending February 1, 2013 -

#1 Tamar Braxton - Love and War (#3)

#2 John Mayer - The Age of Worry (#2)

#3 Emeli Sande - Clown (#1)

#4 One Direction - Kiss You (#13)

#5 David Bowie - Where Are We Now (#15)

#6 Sexion d'Assaut - Problemes d'Adultes (#16)

#7 Kacey Musgraves - Merry Go Round (#21)

#8 Owl City - If My Heart Was A House (NEW)

#9 Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Wanz - Thrift Shop (#20)

#10 Ronan Keating - Easy Now My Dear (#14)

Chart Performance: Ryan Lewis

Ryan Lewis has two #1 hits in the US, Thrift Shop (with Macklemore and Wanz) and Can't Hold Us (with Macklemore and Ray Dalton).

Can't Hold Us peaked at #3 in the UK.

Chart Performance: Macklemore

Rapper Macklemore has two top 10 hits in the UK.

2013 - Thrift Shop (with Ryan Lewis and Wanz) (#1)
2013 - Can't Hold Us(with Ryan Lewis and Ray Dalton) (#3)

Those two songs went to #1 in the US.