Keeping Up With The Kids

If you're like me you don't listen to radio much these days. So, where to go if you need a quick update on what's topping the charts? Internet radio is better than TV, which rarely plays videos. The NOW comps are a must for keeping up to date. But even better are year-end music awards shows. With most artists singing their biggest hits it gives you an idea of how and why these people and their songs were hits. The American Music Awards is no exception. The 2007 edition was typical of the year in music. The best moments were the ones that went against the canned performances of big hits. So, you get Sugarland doing a Countrified version of "Irreplaceable" with Beyonce. Or Queen Latifah singing a Civil Rights era song. But I was most interested in hearing "Kiss Kiss" by Chris Brown which is #1 at the time of this post. And frankly I don't hear it. Brown's song is an Usher inspired track, but Brown is a better dancer than singer, which is why he lip-synced the whole thing. It's a disposable hit that won't have much staying power years from now. And isn't that why it's heartening to hear Alicia Keys' "No One" which will be around for years. Like the Beyonce track, I can imagine still hearing this 20 years from now and not wondering why it went to #1. By then my NOW collection will be in the 100's. I still have to keep up with the kids.