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I returned home the other day to discover some great things about Top 40 radio that I'd missed while away. KISS 108 is now playing Use Somebody by Kings of Leon, When Love Takes Over by Kelly Rowland and David Guetta, That's Not my Name by The Ting Tings, and Hush Hush by PCD! Hearing the words "Now new music. Kings of Leon. Use Somebody." is positively shocking and wonderful (I think) at the same time considering how not mainstream they used to be. Also, Use Somebody has been out for quite awhile already charting at #2 in the UK and doing very well in other countries overseas. The rest of the world have gotten on the KOL bandwagon faster than the US. Use Somebody is a very mainstream song perhaps their most accessible to date. It deserves success. It's been a slow rise for the song, but a few weeks ago they did it on the MTV Movie Awards which did wonders. It climbed up the charts to #19 on the Hot 100 and is currently at #23. This is good news. Still weird to hear Kings of Leon on KISS though. Also, KISS is about a year late on the Ting Tings song. The big news is the fact that When Love Takes Over which just went to #1 in the UK yesterday is being played on KISS now. It sounds amazing on the radio. I never thought it would be on the radio. I thought it would just chart on the US dance charts and do really well overseas like it's doing in Italy. It's such a euphoric and anthemic song. Other chart news: La Roux's next single, the hard-hitting Bulletproof, has raced up to Number 1 on the UK iTunes chart. I think it was released yesterday. It's such a great song. We'll see if it's number 1 come Sunday. Also, well I was away Keri Hilson's genius song Knock You Down zoomed up the charts! It's currently at number 3! Yay, finally chart success here for Keri. Well that was a lot. Ah, I love the charts.

Hot Music!

Lovestruck-V Factory
Ok, this was an iTunes Discovery Download last week, and I am in love. This song is very of-the- moment pop. The beat sounds like RedOne, and it's electro pop perfection. One of the guys in the band goes out with the Tiz. This song deserves to a be a hit.



Knock You Down-Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo, and Kanye West
Keri Hilson, singer on Timbaland's The Way I Are and writer of Brit's Gimme More among other songs, released her much-delayed debut album, In A Perfect World..., about two weeks ago. I've listened to some of the clips, and it's a decent album, a little heavy on the mid-tempos, but this song really sticks out. It rides a can't-help-but-groove-to-it bouncy ball beat through the verses , courtesy of terrific producer Danja. The verses are actually better than the chorus. Ne-Yo's bit is terrific especially the genius line: "Commander in chief of my pimp ship, flying high". A Kanye rap elevates any song even one already this great. Keri does a fantastic job too. One of the best songs of the year. Here's the video.


I Do Not Hook Up-Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson's second single of her return to pop amazingness album All I Ever Wanted is this raucous girl powrrr ditty. It's better than My Life Would Suck Without You. She sings the song with real conviction. Best lyrics: "Oh sweetheart, put the bottle down, you have too much talent" and "I can't cook, but I can clean/ up the mess she made". The chorus is made for sunny days with the top down and maximum volume. Go Kelly!


Takin' Back My Love-Enrique Iglesias and Ciara
Genius producer RedOne (of many a GaGa song) uses one of his trademark beats on this catchy track from Enrique Iglesias' Greatest Hits album. It's hard-hitting and extremely infectious. Ciara and Enrique are such an interesting pairing. Now on to the video: they are a fighting couple who decide to break a ton of stuff in their really nice, modern house. Ok, all I can think about when I watch it, is how much they are going to have to clean up after the song is over and how they broke some really expensive and nice things. Ciara threw a painting into the pool! Then she does a silly looking body roll. Good song though.