NUMBER SIX...KID CUDI-- "Man On the Moon: The End of Day"
RELEASED--September 15th
DEBUTED and PEAKED at #4 (Billboard 200) with 104,400 copies sold.
TOTAL U.S. SALES--230,000
CERTIFICATIONS--N/A
SINGLES--
"Day 'n' Nite" (Platinum)
Peaked at #3 (Hot 100)
"Make Her Say" featuring Kanye West and Common
Peaked at #43 (Hot 100)
"Pursuit of Happiness" featuring MGMT and RATATAT
Peaked at #59 (Hot 100)
AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS--
2010 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Day 'n' Nite")
2010 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Rap Song ("Day 'n' Nite")
2010 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group ("Make Her
Say" featuring Common and Kanye West)
2009 BET Award Nomination for Best New Artist
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Nomination for Track of the Year ("Day 'n' Nite")
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Nomination for Best Hip-Hop Video ("Day 'n' Nite")
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Nomination for Rookie of the Year
2009 MTV Video Music Award Recipient for Best New Artist
Kanye West may have had to take a lot of heat for his display during this year's MTV Video Music Awards ceremony...but one should never forget his talent. If it wasn't for him, we might not have ever been introduced to KID CUDI. KID CUDI's brand of "electro hop" brought us a refreshing difference to the uninteresting Hip-Hop music we've been hearing for so long. The infectious single "Day 'n' Nite" peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100...while "Make Her Say" featuring Common and Kanye West and "Pursuit of Happiness" featuring MGMT and RATATAT also enjoyed success on the charts. "Man On the Moon: The End of Day" may have seemed like a "stoner's soundtrack", but there were definitely some deep points for me. Tracks like "Sky Might Fall" and "Hyyerr" featuring Chip tha Ripper instantly became my favorites. In the short amount of time since "Man On the Moon: The End of Day" was released, KID CUDI has gone on to be featured on several other artists' albums, including Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" and Robin Thicke's "Sex Therapy...". He is also in the works on a follow up to his debut album...a collaboration album entitled "Cudder". KID CUDI has already worked with Snoop Dogg, Travis Barker, Clipse, Cage, and Pharrell and looks forward to heading into the studio with Drake, Green Day, Kings of Leon, Robin Thicke, The Killers, and more. He also landed the lead role in the upcoming Mark Wahlberg-produced comedy series "How To Make It In America". Oh...and just to add to the list...KID CUDI has received SEVERAL nominations and awards for his hard work, including three Grammy Award nominations. Pretty impressive for a breakthrough artist, huh?
NUMBER FIVE...MARY J BLIGE-- "Stronger With Each Tear"
RELEASED--December 21st
DEBUTED at #2 (Billboard 200) with 330,000 copies sold.
SINGLES--
"The One" featuring Drake
Peaked at #63 (Hot 100)
"I Am"
Peaked at #65 (Hot 100)
I wasn't joking when I said that the better albums were released towards the end of the year. And much like Alicia Keys, if it wasn't for Susan Boyle, MJB's album would've debuted at the top spot. Regardless, "Stronger With Each Tear" marks MJB's third album to shift that many copies in one week. Even though sales this time around can't compare to those of the past, it's still interesting to know that she continues to debut as high on the charts with every album she puts out. I'm very happy about this, considering that most didn't believe she'd sell so well to begin with. "Stronger With Each Tear" is definitely worth it...so if you haven't purchased it yet...go and get it. You won't be disappointed.
NUMBER FOUR...ALICIA KEYS-- "The Element of Freedom"
RELEASED--December 15th
DEBUTED and PEAKED at #2 (Billboard 200) with 417,000 copies sold.
CERTIFICATIONS--N/A
SINGLES--
"Doesn't Mean Anything"
Peaked at #60 (Hot 100)
"Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart"
Peaked at #27 (Hot 100)
AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS--N/A
ALICIA KEYS will never disappoint her audience...and that's saying a lot because some artists tend to leave their fans hanging with expectations that don't get fulfilled. But she always manages to deliver a stellar performance with every album she releases and "The Element of Freedom" is no different. In my review, I mention the album being her best work of art...and a lot of people are agreeing with that. On every song, ALICIA KEYS brings a different sound and style, appealing to everyone's personal tastes in music. "Love Is Blind" and "Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)" featuring Drake (on background vocals) are for sure my favorite tracks on the album...but regardless, the whole album is enjoyable...and it, without a doubt, places ALICIA KEYS on a plateau high above the rest.
NUMBER THREE...DRAKE-- "So Far Gone (EP)"
RELEASED--September 15th
DEBUTED and PEAKED at #6 (Billboard 200) with 73,000 copies sold.
TOTAL U.S. SALES--275,000
CERTIFICATIONS--N/A
SINGLES--
"Best I Ever Had"
Peaked at #2 (Hot 100)
"Successful" featuring Trey Songz and Lil' Wayne
Peaked at #17 (Hot 100)
AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHEMENTS--
2010 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Rap Song ("Best I Ever Had")
2010 Grammy Award Nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Best I Ever Had")
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Recipient for Rookie of the Year
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Recipient for Track of the Year ("Every Girl" w/ Young Money)
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Nomination for Lyricist of the Year
2009 BET Hip-Hop Award Nomination for MVP of the Year
2009 MTV Video Music Award Nomination for Best New Artist in a Video ("Best I Ever Had")
2009 Soul Train Music Award Nomination for Best New Artist
2009 Soul Train Music Award Nomination for Record of the Year ("Best I Ever Had")
2009 Soul Train Music Award Nomination for Best Collaboration ("Successful" w/ Trey Songz and
Lil' Wayne)
And the haters can keep on hating. DRAKE has come a very long way since his role in Degrassi: The Next Generation. Even during his time on the show, DRAKE was already at work in the recording studio, producing three mixtapes between the years of 2006 and 2009 ("Room For Improvement", "Comeback Season", and "So Far Gone".) Little did we know he was going to blow up and become the most highly-sought out rapper in the game right now. DRAKE's "So Far Gone", an EP containing seven-tracks, gave mainstream radio something entirely unexpected...especially with the lead single "Best I Ever Had" (which has been reportedly downloaded approximately a million times since its release!). Now DRAKE has been nominated for TWO Grammy Awards and is featured on several songs including his work with Young Money, Birdman, and Timbaland. He is also hard at work on his full-length debut studio album called "Thank Me Later" out in March which features confirmed collaborations with The-Dream and Jay-Z. I am highly anticipating this album as I know for a fact that DRAKE is now a force to be reckoned with. If "So Far Gone" is any indication of what his future work will sound like, look forward to some very insightful material, along with the club-bangers I'm sure will be present.
NUMBER TWO...WISIN Y YANDEL-- "La Revolucion"
RELEASED--May 26th
DEBUTED and PEAKED at #7 (Billboard 200) with 35,000 copies sold.
TOTAL Worldwide SALES--3,000,000
CERTIFICATIONS--N/A
SINGLES--
"Abusadora"
Peaked at #1 (Latin Songs Chart)
"Gracias a Ti"
Peaked at #1 (Latin Songs Chart)
AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS--N/A
WISIN Y YANDEL will forever remain MY personal Reggaeton artists of all time. They have consistently put out groundbreaking albums and "La Revolucion" was one of very few Reggaeton-themed CDs that stayed very close to the roots of the genre. Mixing in a euphoric electronic sound with what was ALREADY a pulsating rhythm, WISIN Y YANDEL managed to breathe to life an entirely new sound for a style of music that has been suffering from a lack of originality. Out of any other artist, they have gone on to collaborate with numerous American performers, including Lenny Kravitz, Paris Hilton, R. Kelly, and more. "La Revolucion" included guest appearances from 50 Cent, Ivy Queen, Ednita Nazario, and more...and on the re-release to the album ("La Evolucion"), Akon, Aventura, T-Pain, and Enrique Iglesias are among some of the artists who contributed their talents as well. Much like everybody else on this list, anything from WISIN Y YANDEL is destined to be iconic...and I cannot wait to see what they come up with on their future albums...
NUMBER ONE...RIHANNA-- "Rated R"
RELEASED--November 23rd
DEBUTED and PEAKED at #4 (Billboard 200) with 181,000 copies sold.
TOTAL U.S. SALES--368,000
CERTIFICATIONS--
Australia--Gold
Poland--Platinum
UK--Gold
SINGLES--
"Russian Roulette"
Peaked at #9 (Hot 100)
"Hard" featuring Young Jeezy
Peaked at #11 (Hot 100)
AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS--N/A
I don't think it's a surprise that I would pick "Rated R" to be the NUMBER ONE album on my list. RIHANNA came through and delivered an unexpectedly riveting performance on her latest album. And I think that deserves some recognition. She's come a long way...and even though "Rated R" is laced with profanity, sexual references, and despondency alike, RIHANNA tells a story that she's not allowed to convey to the public. Every lyric on the album rings truth to her personal life...and her growing maturity is very distinguishable. For those that didn't think she'd make it...she's back...and harder than ever. RIHANNA is set to embark on a world tour by the name of "Mad House" that should hit America by Summer of 2010...and I couldn't be any more happier for her. She truly is entitled to a lot in her life...and I'm sure her success will continue to be hated upon by others who have officially failed to have a career of their own...no names mentioned.
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by Felix-Lee "Campbells" Andrades, III
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