WelcheMusic.com – Sida 168 – At the Heart of Songwriting

“Higher” Amounts to 25% of Sales

So, Xmas means a new set of Idols ready to take the world by storm. The Swedish winner, Erik Grönwall, had no problem claiming the top spot. It turns out that the winner-track “Higher” amounted to 25 percent of all singles and downloads that were sold last week. An album will be rush released on Dec.21, featuring studio recordings of tracks performed on the show.

Former Idol contestant Amanda Jensen would probably not say that losing out to winner Marie Picasso a few years back was a disappointment. Amanda Jensen racked up several Grammy nominations, which helped elevate her Happyland album 12-4. Another set of former Idols, EMD, also enjoys success with a Christmas album. Since it’s only sold through retail giant ICA (conf. Tesco), it’s not eligible to chart.

Will Alicia Keys Release Second Part as Single?

CHART SPOTLIGHT. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys spends their fifth week atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Empire State of Mind.” Only this December, Alicia Keys issued her latest disc The Element of Freedom. It features the ballad version “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down,” a totally breathtaking piece!

I wouldn’t doubt one second that the track would easily be a hit again, in its new format. Meanwhile, I would recommend the current single “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart.” A track that has only managed to reach No.42 on the Billboard Hot 100 to date (unfortunately it’s on its way down). Its greatest success is in Norway where it reached No.2.

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Joe McElderry’s Got the X-Factor

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Last year, Alexandra Burke made headlines when she became that year’s X-Factor winner singing “Hallejuah.” For some mysterious reason, this talent show does not produce any new songs and this year’s superior talent Joe McElderry has chosen to cover “The Climb.” Only this March, Miley Cyrus made it to No.4 with the original version – included in her movie Hannah Montana. It is bound to be a UK No.1 hit and was rush-released as a digital download on Dec.14.

Here’s the Original

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This is the original version of “What About Now,” released by the American rock band Daughtry in July, 2008. The song was actually written by two former members of Evanescence and reached No.18 on the Billboard Hot 100. The singer, Chris Daughtry, was a 2005 Idol finalist. He makes an appearance on Timbaland’s latest album Shock Value II, on the track “Long Way Down.”