Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all!!! Welcome to 2007 - I think it is going to be a great one for music!!!

The data has been analyzed and ARIA has released the Top 100 selling singles and albums for 2006.

The cringe-worthy, but high selling ditty from Sandi Thom ‘I Wish I was a Punk Rocker (with flowers in my hair)' was officially the highest selling single of the year. How many punk rockers wore flowers in their hair anyway???

TV Rock’s ‘Flaunt It’ was a close second. Funny story about that one – apparently when Jesse McCartney was in Australia for the ARIAs and this song kept getting nominated, and winning; he was in awe. When he first heard the song he thought it was a joke…Unfortunately, no – it was serious! He then proceeded to add the line 'shake what your Mamma gave you' into at least one of his songs at each of his in-store performances in Sydney and Melbourne.

Damien Leith’s ‘Night of My Life’ did alright coming in at the # 11 spot, especially considering it was only released in December!

Nice to see that a quarter of the the Top 20 are Australian bands/artists. But why does the horrible Rhianna have two songs in the Top 20??? She can't sing!!!

List of Top 20 Selling Singles for 2006

1. 'I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)' - Sandi Thom
2. 'Flaunt It' - TV Rock Feat. Seany B
3. 'Hips Don't Lie' - Shakira Feat. Wyclef Jean
4. 'SexyBack' - Justin Timberlake
5. 'I Don't Feel Like Dancin' - Scissor Sisters
6. 'This Time I Know It's For Real' - Young Divas
7. 'Forever Young' - Youth Group
8. 'Wasabi' - Lee Harding
9. 'Who Knew' - Pink
10. 'Promiscuous' - Nelly Furtado
11. 'Night Of My Life' - Damien Leith
12. 'Love Generation' - Bob Sinclar
13. 'SOS' - Rihanna
14. 'You Raise Me Up' - Westlife
15. 'Goodbye Me Lover' - James Blunt
16. 'Crazy' - Gnarls Barkley
17. 'Buttons' - The Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dogg
18. 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine' - Eskimo Joe
19. 'Unfaithful' - Rihanna
20. 'Run It!' - Chris Brown

For a complete list of Singles:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21811,21014185-2902,00.html

James Blunt’s ‘Back to Bedlam’ took the honors for highest selling album of the year. This surprised me, as I thought the majority of his sales would have been in 2005 on the back of 'Your Beautiful’. Obviously still a lot of fans buying throughout the year and following the success of ‘Goodbye My Lover’, which also scored the # 15 spot for highest selling single.

Nice to see Pink’s ‘I’m Not Dead’ sitting in the # 2 position – such a great album! I am sure this album will continue to sell for quite awhile yet, especially considering the great reaction from radio to next single ‘Nobody Knows’ and the tour in April.

Half of the Top 20 albums are Australian bands/artists! That is so fantastic! Again, Damien Leith and the 12th Man would have to be happy to sit at # 5 and # 9 – as both were released in December!

List of Top 20 Selling Albums for 2006

1. 'Back to Bedlam' - James Blunt
2. 'I'm Not Dead' - Pink
3. 'Reach Out: The Motown Record' - Human Nature
4. 'Wolfmother' - Wolfmother
5. 'The Winners Journey' - Damien Leith
6. 'Here Come the Drums' - Rogue Traders
7. 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine' - Eskimo Joe
8. 'Stadium Arcadium' - Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. 'Boned!' - The 12th Man
10. 'The Secret Life Of...' - The Veronicas
11. 'All The Right Reasons' - Nickelback
12. 'U218 Singles' - U2
13. 'Tea and Sympathy' - Bernard Fanning
14. 'Dancing In The Street: The Songs of Motown II' - Human Nature
15. 'Eyes Open' - Snow Patrol
16. 'Best Of' - Chris Isaak
17. 'PCD' - The Pussycat Dolls
18. 'See The Sun' - Pete Murray
19. 'Monkey Business' - Black Eyed Peas
20. 'Taking the Long Way' - Dixie Chicks

For a complete list of Albums:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21811,21014183-2902,00.html

I’ve got my gig shoes on and ready to go – it is going to be a busy month or so!!!

Love Pop Princess xo

A very musical Christmas!

Sooo, the final ARIA Chart of the year. How crap am I with my predictions!!!

1. Damien Leith – 'The Winners Journey'
I am ashamed that I did not see this coming. When I heard they were holding off and letting the Idol winner take their time and write some of their own material to record, I should have realised that they would have something up their sleeve for Christmas!

2. 12th Man – 'Boned'
I was spot on here! Personally, I don't find it funny. But then, I don't like cricket either...

3. U2 – '18 Singles'
I got this too.

4. Human Nature – 'Dancin’ In the Street: The Songs of Motown 2'
Wow, got this one too! 3 out of 20…not bad! People better stop buying this soon, or we will be inflicted with a 'Songs of Motown 3' next Christmas!

5. Pink – 'I’m Not Dead'
I underestimated Pink at #8…good on her! 4 Melbourne shows for her tour…again, good on her. No international acts bother to do that many shows here anymore.

6. Snow Patrol – 'Eyes Open'
Thought this would be #9…underestimated the band…or Grey’s Anatomy? Snow Patrol are touring here again in early 2007, on the back of the renewed album success.

7. Il Divo – 'Siempri'
Hmmmm – again, should have seen this coming…cereal Christmas release!

8. The Beatles – 'Love'
Not #5, but still, not a bad effort for an album that Noel Gallagher finds revolting!

9. Robbie Williams – 'Rudebox'
OK, I may have got a little excited with my #1 prediction – mind you, if the ‘And Through it All’ DVD sales were added to the ‘Rudebox’ sales - he would have gone close!

10. Young Divas – 'Young Divas'
OK – I didn’t think the public was this lame. I was wrong.

11. Eskimo Joe – 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine'
This is much better than my anticipated #18. A fantastic effort for the Aussies this Christmas chart!

12. Wolfmother – 'Wolfmother'
This was in my “may make it, but can’t fit it in” list…HUGE considering the album has been in the charts for 60 weeks!

13. Kylie – 'Ultimate Kylie'
#6 was my expectation, but I suppose, how many previous Greatest Hits has she had?

14. David Campbell – 'The Swing Sessions'
Picked it for #16, that’s only 2 spots off. Again,pleasestop buying this -there is no need for a 'Swing Sessions Part 2'!

15. Chris Isaak – 'The Best Of'
This was in my “may make it, but can’t fit it in” list...Am I the only one who fins his music severely depressing???

16. Gwen Stefani – 'The Sweet Escape'
My #7 prediction was before hearing the album. Having heard it, the #16 spot is a gift – it doesn’t deserve to be in the Top 40.

17. Il Divo – 'The Christmas Collection'
Please see above “Divo” comments….

18. The Killers – 'Sam’s Town'
#12 was ambitious – but watch it fly back into the Top 10 when they get here for the BDO. I have to say that I am loving the new single 'Bones'.

19. Justin Timberlake – 'Future Sex/Love Sounds'
Overestimated Justin (#14), but ‘My Love’ is getting plenty of air play and clip play!

20. Pussycat Dolls - 'PCD'
Had the chicks at number 19…just one off!

Albums I thought would make it – but didn’t!

10. Keith Urban – 'Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing'
Came in at #36. Not too bad for an album with no Promo and the artist in rehab. I thought that Keith-y may come and meet Nic here for Christmas…thus pushing it up the charts. That was not to be. But keep an eye on this album, with a new single, him out of rehab, not to mention in the country.

11. Jet – 'Shine On'
I cannot understand how this came in at # 41. If anyone can tell me why this amazing Australian album is not selling can you let me know please??? Are people just over it, and on to Wolfmother or what?

15. My Chemical Romance – 'The Black Parade'
This came in at # 28. After a strong couple of weeks, they are probably happy with holding Top 30 in a difficult Christmas chart.

17. Evanescence – 'Open the Door'
Evanescence grabbed the #23 spot, again, not bad at this time of year.

20. Guy Sebastian – 'Closer to the Sun'
I wonder how Guy feels, sitting at #29, with Damien sitting pretty at #1???

No Kylie - but what a show!

So you have probably read quite a wide range of Robbie Williams reviews from his 'Close Encounters' tour of Australia, which concluded with two shows in Melbourne. I have read everything from glowing to quite scathing reports from journalists who went to this show. So...here is mine.

I will be honest from word go. I am biased where Robbie is concerned, but I will tell you the truth, through my eyes. Firstly, the 'Close Encounters' tour was not as good as his previous tour. But then, could it be? In my opinion, his last tour was hands down the best I have ever seen. He was clearly competing with himself, in the best concert ever stakes!
It was clear that he was tired, and glad for the tour to be ending. Having said that, it looked to me that he gave the final two shows in Melbourne all that he had to give.

I felt that Monday night's final show flowed much better than Sundays. Whether this is because it was the last show, or he was more rested or whatever, I don't know. But, as it has been mentioned to me by others, the crowd seemed more involved on Monday night, perhaps feeding him extra energy as the performer.

Robbie's set list was interesting. It is not so much the songs he chose, but more the order in which he performed them that seemed a little odd. Please see below...

Set List
Radio
Rock DJ
Trippin'
Monsoon
Sin Sin Sin
Millennium
Make Me Pure
Me and My Shadow - with Jonny Wilkes
Strong - with Jonny Wilkes
Staying Alive - Bee Gees verse - with Jonny Wilkes
Back For Good
Advertising Space
Come Undone/Walk on the Wild Side
Feel

Encore
Let Me Entertain You
Rudebox
Angels
Kids
She's The One

I respect that he didn't want to open with Let Me Entertain You - he is probably over it - it did liven up the crowd for the encore - but surely it would have worked better around Rock DJ??? The mood seemed very up and down. Kids was also an interesting choice to close with perhaps Angels and Kids should have been swapped around?

The swing track with Jonny Wilkes was cute - but that is when Jonny should have left. Two and a half songs + the whole "Aussie wave" and banter was just too much. Sorry to be harsh, but we didn't pay to see Jonny! I was very disappointed at his decision not to play Lovelight. As this is the current single! He did play it at the Perth show - but I think that was the only one.

So, having said all that. .The set and lighting was the best I have ever seen bar-none. The band and back-up singers and dancers were perfect. Robbie was his usual charismatic, cheeky, sexy and mischievous self. He won the audiences heart moment after moment. Lets face it - Robbie himself - regardless of what he is singing - is a showman and a show in his own right. I would go and watch him talk for 2 hours and leave happy.

Robbie had moments of utter brilliance. The only artists I have ever seen do better is the younger and less tired Robbie I saw two years ago. SO - Don't believe all you read. The journalists who wrote particularly scathing reviews were waiting for this tour not to live up to the last one. They did not review the show as it's own, but as a comparision to past ones...which is not fair. Had audience memebers NOT been to the last show - I am sure they would rate the 'Close Encounters' shows as oen of, if not the, best show they have ever seen. It truly was a wonderful concert!