Sara Bareilles: Another Hit from Her Brilliant The Blessed Unrest Album

The first album I am listening to in 2015 is Sara Bareilles' The Blessed Unrest.  It's an old album already and since I'm backlogged already with all the Grammy nominees for Album of the Year, I decided for it to be the CD I'd be listening to this week.

And almost immediately, she gets her third top 10 song from that album as Chasing the Sun debuts at #9.  Both Brave and I Choose You went all the way to #1.

She now has four top 10 hits in my personal countdown.

2009 - Love Song (#3)

2013 - Brave (#1)

2014 - I Choose You (#1)

2015 - Chasing the Sun (#7)

Ed Sheeran Sings Thinking Out Loud in Grammy Stage

Kasi sold out na ang tickets ng shows niya all over the region with no chance to watch him - from Manila to KL to SG - all sold out - I just have to content myself with his live performance of the song du jour - Thinking Out Loud - and John Mayer does background vocals!!

Sayang he lost the Pop Album award to Sam Smith - I think he has stronger material than Sam - to think he wrote pa most of the material - oh well, a case of the Academy lovin' the voice more than the songwriter.....

Annie Lennox Rocks Grammy Stage with Hozier

I haven't seen Annie Lennox perform live in a long time - and she seemed so subdued during the red carpet interview - saying that she just wanted to focus on the performance that evening - (Giuliana looked intimidated during the interview!) - and performed she did!

Hozier was just so lucky to perform with one of rock music's greatest female singers!

Surprise Beck Win at Grammys with The Morning After

As you may know by now, Sam Smith just swept through most of the major awards at this year's Grammy. I only realized now that they really really love him pala in America. I thought Sia and Beyonce would win the major awards.

Sam missed one major award which would've put him in the league of Norah Jones and Amy Winehouse (where they won all 4 major awards in one evening - Album, Record, Song, New Artist!).

Anyway, when the nominees for Album of the Year this year was announced, I immediately downloaded Beck's The Morning After because it was the only album I was not familiar with. The line-up this year was very strong and very current (Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Beyonce, Pharrell) yet when you listen to Beck's latest work - you'd be transported to another time and place - the sound has a different atmosphere from what he usually does.

Beck has been nominated before for Album of the Year for O'Delay - one of my most favorite albums of all time! He didn't win though - the award that year went to Celine Dion's Falling Into You.

Anyway, 18 years later, the Academy finally gives him his due! It's a beautiful album - you won't be sorry if you download it. It's actually great driving music if you're going out of town for a long drive!

Zelle

Local band Zelle's album, Search for Warmth was released way back in 2011, yet four years hence, they are still producing hits from that album in my OPM countdown. Four of those songs have gone all the way to #1 while this week, their latest hit, Wrong Way, climbs to #4.

2011 - Sabihin (#1) 

2013 - Ikot Ng Mundo (#4) 

2013 - Ikaw Ang Hanap (#3) 

2013 - Panaginip (#1) 

2013 - Coffee Break (#1)

2014 - Akala Mo Lang (#1)

2015 - Wrong Way (#4)

Save Me Hollywood

The band Save Me Hollywood has been churning hits into my OPM countdown since 2013.  I don't even know if all these songs come from just one album!  I have a feeling they do!  Anyway, since I preview the OPM artists' albums, it's not surprising that some of them can have long chart lives than normal as I pick gems from their albums, one at a time.

This week, their latest hit, For the Record, climbs to #3. The song has a very good chance of becoming their second #1 song.  We'll know in a few weeks.

2013 - Reckless (#5)

2013 - High (#9)

2014 - Changes (#1)

2015 - For the Record (#3)

Luigi D'Avola

I don't really know the timeline of the hits of Luigi D'Avola, as to when they were released.  What I know is that these songs peaked in my personal countdown at the years designated.  His song Into Your Arms is already at #2 in my OPM countdown and is poised to be his first ever #1 song in my OPM countdown.

He's one of the artists I'm quite interested to see live! I really hope to see him live soon! 

2012 It's Your Life (with Somedaydream) (#6)

2012 Back to You (#6)

2013 Take A Chance (#8)

2015 Into Your Arms (#2)