Category: you tube

embedding disabled by request

As I was thinking up the list of songs that I will be featuring on tomorrow’s 5SF, I pondered the potential of at least one of said songs having a video on youtube, as I always do. One song in particular (which I will not name, because I have to have some secrecy to bring you kids back, don’t I?) has a fantastical video that I would love to post, but due to the nature that it is by a major artist, I am sure that the video will be either yanked off of youtube soon, or it will have the lovely “embedding disabled by request” where the code to embed said video on my blog should be.

Now, I have to say, that I really do not understand this move by record companies at all (this assuming that they are the reason, since I can think of no reason an artist would want to restrict the viewing of their video to youtube). Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t a video practically a commercial for a song; it represents the artist, and provides more incentive to listen to the song, and more likely than not, increases interest in buying the artist’s CD when it hits stores? So, when you put the video on youtube (especially since the “usual” way to see videos has drastically changed since MTV doesn’t play many these days), aren’t you attempting to put this piece of work out there for all to see? By the same logic, one would also think that by allowing that video to be reposted (through embedding youtube links, of course), that you would be increasing exposure to the video and the song, and there by, allowing FREE publicity for your artist. But no. For whatever reason, many major labels insist on keeping the content “safe”, and will not allow you to embed any of their videos. Again, this makes no sense.

If I posted a commercial, or an advertisement on my website for free, and received no income from having the banner on my site, I would be providing FREE PR for whatever the advertisement was for. I would think, again by that same logic, that the company that sold that product would be more than happy to have me do such a thing, since again, I am publicizing it for free.

I guess my rant is just a venting of the frustration that continually comes from dealing with the recording industry (DRM, lack of embedding, piracy issues, etc). They try so hard to lock down everything, that many artists have a hard time releasing their music, and even the ones that manage to get it out there have a choke hold placed on their material; which is interesting, because without them, the record industry would be nothing. I say, that if you are going to even post a video on youtube in the first place, that allowing people to embed it on their websites is just a common courtesy to your artists, and at a minimum, a free advert for your product; after all, it is again, FREE PR!!! I mean, it’s not like youtube is so secure that I can’t use a software to gank the video, and post it from my own server; which is actually “stealing”, and what I am assuming you are trying to avoid, right? Because that is easier than actually changing the code to make the video fit into my page parameters, just so you know.

Ridiculous much? Methinks so. /rant

5SF: october 3

I can’t believe that it is already October!! Regardless, there have been some major albums coming out recently, and many of them are amazing; I truly love this time of the year. Recent favorites include Kings of Leon, Will Young, Jennifer Hudson, and the list just keeps growing with stuff that is on the horizon. What does this mean for the five song Friday? It just makes it harder for me to pick what to bring, because there is so much that I am carrying around! Alright, enough talk, let’s get down to the music.

Janelle Monae – Many Moons
First up today is a song by someone that I have seen a TON of hype about, Janelle Monae. I have to say, that initially, I loved her style and her look, but I wasn’t really sure I cared what she had to say musically. Well, after seeing the video for Many Moons, I am sitting here, struck with complete awe; this girl is a fucking artist, and she deserves all of that hype she is getting. The song is what you might expect if you took Outkast (circa Hey Ya) and Gnarls Barkley (circa Crazy), put them in a blender, and threw in a dash of spunky young spirit; the end result is brilliance from Janelle Monae. I can’t stop bopping my head and dancing around; this song is like a virus: infectious! Seriously, this is one of those occasions where the video completely sold me, and while the sound quality isn’t the best in this clip, I felt it would be a travesty to keep you from seeing it. Fantastic.

The Saturdays – If This Is Love
I will openly admit that I didn’t really like this song initially, because of the blatant sampling of Yazoo’s Situation, but after a few listens, it is exactly that same reason that I have come to love this track. They have taken a great 80’s song, and freshened it up enough for it to be a hit for this generation. These girls are a lot like their fellow music scene rivals (?), Girls Aloud, so I hope that they come up with something sort of unique so that they can last; Girls Aloud are definitely a force to be reckoned with when it comes to girl band pop super groups. The Saturdays have an album coming out this month, so I guess we will see when the record drops… here’s hoping it impresses, and that I like it as much as I have grown to dig this track. I do think that it is funny that another take on a clearly 80’s track can be a hit in this day and time; I guess it shows that all things really are cyclical.

Jennifer Hudson – If This Isn’t Love
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_103_jenniferhudson-ifthisisntlove.mp3]
Yes, the choice of this and the aforementioned Saturdays song are intentional; I love how the titles are so similar, yet so opposite to one another. I wanted to post a great song from Jennifer Hudson’s fantastic debut album, which came out earlier this week, and seeing the Saturdays song, and the title of this one, there is no way I couldn’t choose them both for today’s selection. I should start by saying that Jennifer Hudson has been a favorite of mine since her season of American Idol, and I have been watching this girl, just knowing that great things would come from her. Well, I have to say, that I have not been let down yet; her performance in Dreamgirls was amazing. Additionally, her new record, which is infused with ballads, pop songs, and even a few hip hop numbers, is a showcase that has succeeded in allowing her to show off her amazing voice. While this track admittedly isn’t the one that highlights her amazing instrument the best, it is a really fun track that I keep coming back to, and one that would most certainly be a hot single if it is chosen to be one. I hope that this record is just the first from Jennifer, because, based on what I have seen and heard so far, she is a real star, and a true talent, and one that should be around for a very long time. I am very pleased with her record, and glad that she took her time putting it out; every time I hear her sing, I am really, really impressed. I do have to say, however, that I wish T-Pain would quit with the vocoder. There is a song on the record that he guests on, and it is just too much. End the madness T-Pain!

Will Young – Let It Go
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_103_willyoung-letitgo.mp3]
Okay, I am going to make a pretty grand statement here, so get ready… This is probably the most powerful, well written, and amazing pop ballad of 2008. Will Young has released his fourth record, and he has proven (again) that he is way more than a flash in the pop pan; he plans on sticking around, and making some fabulous music while he’s here. As I mentioned last week, his record is a fantastic blend of jazz, pop, soul, and just overall musical greatness. It is definitely one of the albums of the year, in my opinion, and one that was well worth waiting for. Congratulations are in order for Will, who has succeeded in making another amazing album. And this song… well, I just cannot get enough of it. It is one of those songs that you hear, and think to yourself, “wow, that was pretty amazing, let’s hear that one again”, and then you listen to it again, and you realize not only that you were right, but that it was even better the second time around. It just keeps getting better with each listen for me, and it really makes me wonder why acts like Will Young aren’t popular here in the States. Oh well… at least I know about him, and can educate at least some of you about the pop brilliance that is Will Young.

Brett Anderson – Blessed
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_103_brettanderson-blessed.mp3]
So here’s the thing, apparently, he was the lead singer of a famous Britpop band called Suede… who I’ve never heard of. Okay, that may be a bad thing, considering how much I love pop music, but it is what it is. Now, I heard this song somewhere (I think it was iTunes), and I have to say, that it is literally, quite amazing. I have almost posted it several weeks before now, but it always got bumped for one reason or another; but this week, it is on the list! I love the feel of his vocals (they’re almost haunting me!), and the gentle piano that accompanies him on this track. This song is from his recently released solo album, which is his second one. Perhaps I need to spend some time exploring his past, and see how he got to this point, because this song is just amazingly beautiful, and I have been enjoying it for several weeks now.

Alright kids, there you have it… listen up, and let me know what you think. Doug, you are definitely a reason that the Saturdays made this week’s list; so all you other kids with your suggestions that you are keeping to yourself, let this be a lesson to you! Your suggestion might be in next week’s line up… but only if you let me know about it!!

5SF: september 19

Hello boys and girls… it’s the first post of the new year of five song Friday! I have been pondering the idea of doing a themed 5SF in the near future, so stay tuned for that… Today, I have the usual fare of new songs and stuff that I have been liking; I have to say, that I love autumn… not only does it get cooler, but new music seems to saturate the scene more so than any other time of year. The roster of upcoming releases shows a lot of promise for the rest of this year as well… color me excited.

Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss a Beat
From the very first time I heard the opening note of Ruby, I was a fan of the Kaiser Chiefs. This British rock and roll set instantly reminded me of the earlier days of Blur and Oasis, and with their previous album Yours Truly, Angry Mob, they showed just how good they are at making quality rock and roll music. After falling in love with YTAM (which made my year end list last year), and when I heard that they would be releasing a new album this year, it goes without saying that I was extremely excited. After hearing Never Miss a Beat, the first single from the album, and after playing it on repeat (it’s catchy!!!), I will say that I definitely have very high hopes that this record will be amongst my favorites of 2008. I cannot wait for the release of the new Kaiser Chiefs… Here’s hoping that it delivers in the way that I know it can.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Dawn of the Dead

I have to say, that it is a sound that we have all heard before… but it is a catchy one, no? I really love the intro of the sirens… nice touch. These guys remind me a bit of the Killers mixed with the Cure on this track, but their record is a whole other animal entirely (it is really strange… but in a good way). That being said, this song is a sheer delight, and I have been playing it on repeat… it’s a well crafted rock track. It also has a weird video. Perhaps my favorite part of this song, which is a real surprise in traditional rock and roll, is the use of the steelpan, which, if you have heard it in context, it usually make things sound very Caribbean and “islandy”. However, in this case, it just adds an air of delight to an otherwise perfectly fine track; it’s a very nice surprise. I have to say it though… why isn’t this song called Say So? Regardless of the name, this is definitely a great song.

New Kids on The Block feat. Lady GaGa – Big Girl Now
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_919_nkotb-biggirlnow.mp3]
Hear me out. I will admit that I was never that big of a New Kids fan. I thought Hanging Tough was a bit silly, but I had the tape. Cut to earlier this summer when we heard the news that the New Kids were releasing a new CD. Okay… what can we expect? After hearing the first single Summertime, I was sure that we shouldn’t expect too much; it isn’t very good. Yet, being the lover of all things pop that I am, I couldn’t ignore the whole record because of one dud lead off single. So, I downloaded it, and I saw that Ms. Lady GaGa, diva of all things pop, was on the song Big Girl Now. Needless to say, I was happy to see her name, and I knew that she could bring the pop to the New Kids… and she DOES. This song is catchy and fun… and it has Lady GaGa, who you may or may not know that I have a slight infatuation with… I may have mentioned her once or twice on the blog here before (Jesus release her CD already!!!!). Regardless if the rest of the record is a dud or not (currently, I don’t know, I haven’t really given it a proper listen yet), this song is undeniably HOT.

Sugagbabes – Girls
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_919_sugababes-girls.mp3]
Another Sugababes record, in just a year?!?! YES PLEASE!!! Their previous record was one of their best to date, and after hearing this horny song (no not that kind of horny!), I am tapping my feet and bobbing my head; all the while, even more excited about a new Sugababes record!! This song didn’t initially hit me, however, so I suggest that you give it a few listens… it is a grower, and it really is a great single. I have to say, though, that I have one major issue with this song… are they saying “here comes the girls?”, because that is what it sounds like. I doubt that is the case, it is probably one of those things that you hear incorrectly in songs (like “when I grow up, I wanna have boobies”), so I will just let that one go with nothing more than a mention. Either way, the Sugababes are back with more fantastic pop… and I am even more excited about the record now!

Joshua Radin – Today
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_919_joshuaradin-today.mp3]
I read that this song was used on Scrubs, because Zach Braff is such a fan of Radin’s music, but I will admit that I only first heard this song last week. Remember the clip of Ellen and Portia’s wedding that I posted about? Well, this is the AMAZINGLY beautiful song that is playing in the background. How beautiful!!! I love that he performed it at their wedding as well… how perfect. Seriously, though, there is nothing bad that I can say about this song; other than it stays in my head, and begs to be played on repeat. It is an extremely beautiful track, and I love it so very, very much. What a wonderful, albeit unexpected discovery. I love finding amazing music like this!!! Thanks Ellen!

Well, that’s all for this week. I hope you found something in the above tracks that you enjoy. Also, let me know what you are listening to… do it!!! Have a great weekend, kids.

5SF: august 22

It may not be the last Friday of August, but it IS the last Friday of my 20s. The end of a decade, and the beginning of another. My thirtieth birthday is quickly approaching this Tuesday, but I find myself not really focused on it. I want to hang with friends and have a good weekend (and next week), but nothing over the top. As for the music this week, I have a couple of new, hot tracks, and a couple of “oldies” that I recently rediscovered; one that takes me all of the way back to high school!! Let’s do this!

Solange – Sandcastle Disco
Holy shit, this song totally took me by surprise. I mean, I remember Solange’s last effort to take the music industry by storm, and to step out of Beyonce’s HUGE shadow, and needless to say, it fell a little flat. After hearing this gem the other day, I really believe that Solange has a chance for the second go round. Her CD is full of fun songs like this one, with that throw-back sound that everyone seems to be trying to do these days. I have to say, that it is almost impossible to listen to this song and sit completely still; I am tapping my toes and bopping my head as I listen to this right now. Also, be careful about this one, because it is a major grower, and will get even better with each listen… and the chorus WILL get stuck in your head! Bay-B-B-B-baby! I love it! Great choice, Solange!

Oakenfold feat. Britanny Murphy – Faster Kill Pussycat
I heard this song randomly on the radio again the other day, and instantly, I was like, “OMG! I remember this song… it is GREAT!”. As such, I have been listening to it all week, and totally wanted to “bring it back” and post it this week. This song is a thrill ride of a club track, and is totally fun. I am honestly surprised that more didn’t come from Britanny after this song, because her vocals are HOT on this track. The beat is banging, and the riff is delicious. This song is pure energy, and sounds like it should be a backing track on a race car game… it is fast and furious! Also, I have to say, that I love when sexy women laugh all seductively in a song, and Britanny does that in this one… swoon. Seriously, bring us more music, Britanny! All the other actors are doing it these days! If that never happens, at least she gave us a killer track to show us that yes, she has the goods… even if she is currently keeping them mostly to herself.

Juliana Hatfield – Universal Heart-beat

This is one of the songs that I literally listened to on massive repeat when I was in my first years of college. I was majorly into alternative music, and this song was one of those alterna-indie tracks that I really got into. I even managed to see Juliana in concert, and she was fantastic. This song came out of retirement for me this week when I noticed that Juliana had recently released a new CD. Naturally, seeing her name sparked the memory of this song, which I haven’t heard in probably a decade. After scouring the internets, I got my hands on it again, and I was taken right back to those days when I would ride around in my ’87 Sentra jamming out to Juliana. This song is awesome, and totally stands the test of time; and it really, really brings back some fun memories.

Lindsay Lohan – Bossy (Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Radio Edit)
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_822_lindsaylohan-bossy(mikerizzo).mp3]
Okay, it was probably a couple of months ago that Lindsay’s new song, Bossy hit the internets, and I have to admit that I didn’t initially like it that much. However, it really grew on me, and I have been enjoying it thoroughly. However, it wasn’t until I heard Mike Rizzo’s AMAZING remix that I really fell HARD for this track. The disco feel that he gives to this song makes it PERFECT for dancing and having fun on a Saturday night. I love this mix, and I just had to share it. A special thanks to Mr. Popmuse for hooking me up with it!

Brandy – Right Here (Departed)

[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_822_brandy-rightheredeparted.mp3]
A couple of weeks ago, a new Brandy track leaked, and I have to say, that I was super happy to hear Darkchild doing his signature announcement at the beginning… I sat up and listened intently at that point. I have always been a fan of Brandy’s, and have seen her through some major ups and downs. I am really glad that she has a potential hit on her hands here, and I have been enjoying it, letting this track marinate, and it has only gotten better with each listen. I am curious to see what her next record will bring, because Brandy is actually capable of some hits if she puts her mind to it… she’s done it before, and I believe that she can do it again. I for one, am looking forward to the future of music for Ms. Norwood. The song ends and then does this weird re-loop thing for some reason, so please ignore the very end.

And with that… I leave you for a four day weekend. I’m not working the day before, or the day of my birthday… I think that I’ve deserved some time off!! Hope everyone has a great weekend, and if you live in ATL, let’s have some fun this weekend, shall we?